Jenny Kane & Jennifer Ash

Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

Category: Contemporary fiction Page 51 of 61

Tiverton Literary Festival…Not Long Now…

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On May 14, 2016

In Blog, Books For Children, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, crime, Fiction, Historical fiction

For the past 5 months, my colleagues and I have been working our little socks off, so that we can bring you another brilliant book event.

Tiverton Literary Festival, 8th-12th June 2016

Tiv Lit - K Fforde and Judi

Our line up  includes worldwide best selling author, Katie Fforde,

Michael Jecks, Katie Griffin, Ruth Ware, (a stunning trio of best selling crime writers),

Tiv Lit 2016 - Crime

and Jonathan Green (Dr Who fans DO NOT MISS THIS).

Tiv Lit 2016 - J Green

Not forgetting, Kate Lord Brown (with a brilliant writing masterclass); Marissa Farrar (back with her Self Publishing Workshop by popular demand), historian, writer, and radio presenter, Suzie Grogan; Rough Guide Writer and novelist, Rebecca Hall; renown journalists Fasial Islam and Alex Sehmer; novelist Laura Wilkinson and myself, talking about writing without agents or big publishers, and much much more!

Tiv Lit 2016 - K LBrown

On the Saturday (11th June, from 10am) we will be wandering through town with our children’s story trail. There will also be an authors’ market in the grounds of St George’s Church, Fore Street, Tiverton; where writers can sell their books, sign, and chat to the public and each other. If you would like to reserve one of these tables (free of charge) please contact me via info@tivlitfest.co.uk to reserve your space.

All the details about the events, and the link to buy tickets, are on the website- www.tivlitfest.co.uk

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I would recommend securing those tickets very soon. Especially for the workshops, the tea with Michael Jecks and myself, and the ‘Real Life of an Erotica Author’ evening, as places are limited…

See you there!

Jenny x

Guest Post from Sharon Black: On Books & Movies

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On May 13, 2016

In Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Romance

I’m pleased to welcome Sharon Black back to my site today to chat about her romance novel, Going Against Type.

This post is part of Sharon’s blog tour- make sure you read to the end to find out all the other tour dates, and to take part in a giveaway.

Over to you Sharon…

Going_Against_Type_by_Sharon_Black_200

EARLIER this week, I sat and watched Miss Congeniality on DVD. It’s the romantic comedy with Sandra Bullock and, amongst others, Michael Caine. As actors, I adore them both. I’ve seen it before of course. Romantic comedy? I’ll make the popcorn and luxuriate in ninety minutes of sheer escapism.

But this time I was watching it through the eyes of my younger daughter, who’s never seen it. When she shrieked with laughter, at the parts that now only make me smile, I found myself laughing again.

And it occurred to me that for some of us, romantic comedies may be timeless. Classics, almost. The sort of movies that you can put on, when you need a bit of comfort viewing.

Books, of course, are the same. Some of us have favourite novels that we return to again and again through our lives. As a child I read a lot of Enid Blyton and E Nesbit, for example. I still remember particular novels, to which I returned, right through my early years. When I was twelve, I read The Diary of Anne Frank, and found myself rereading this through my early teens. Emotionally connecting with a young girl I’d never met. Who’d lived and died long before I was even born. Drawn in, through her honest outpouring, to the tiny world that became hers.

Later, I discovered the wonderful world of romantic comedy. I watched reruns of the great Hollywood romantic comedies of the 1930s and 40s: Adam’s Rib, Shop Around the Corner, Lady Eve, His Girl Friday, and one of my favourites, Woman of the Year. In my early twenties, I discovered great writers of romantic comedy, amongst them Catherine Alliot, and later again, Sophie Kinsella. They became old friends, a pleasure to spend time with in the evening. And, like the ninety minutes of a movie, pure escapism. They are not, of course, my only reading. I read a lot of literary fiction, in particular because I’m part of a great little book club. We read everything from Irish writers like John Banville, Colm Tóibín and Anne Devlin, to American authors like Alice Walker and William Faulkner.

And everything in between.

In between this reading, I always try to dip into commercial women’s fiction, and if it’s  romantic comedy, so much the better.

I once read that the world is divided into readers and non-readers. But maybe it doesn’t always have to be the written word first? I know youngsters who won’t read, but love to watch a good comedy or edge-of-the-seat thriller, instinctively understanding story arcs and appreciating well drawn characters. A well written book in their favourite genre, has the potential to convert!

For me, a good book or a good movie can be interchangeable. Perhaps because I’m a visual reader. I need to be able to see characters and locations very clearly. And the writer who can do that with the least amount of words or flowery description, will grab me every time.

Here’s to the great novelists and the great screenwriters of our time!

***

EXCERPT

‘I hope you like Mexican food,’ said Derry as they drove from Charlotte’s house into the city centre on Thursday evening.

‘Well, I’d love to try it,’ Charlotte said, uncertainly.

‘Maybe another time, so. We’re actually going Greek tonight,’ Derry deadpanned. Charlotte smiled and snuck a glance over at him from the passenger seat of his twelve year old, very beautiful Ferrari. She placed her hands tentatively over her stomach, trying to calm her nerves. She’d spend an hour readying herself, much to Helen’s amusement.

‘Why are you so nervous, Charlotte? It’s just a date!’

‘Oh come on, Helen. The last guy I dated was Mr Uptight Conor, and before that I dated sports jocks. Derry is different. He’s Premier League status!’

‘And you’re Scumthorpe United? Take a look at yourself, woman!’

I’m not sure what he expects, but I’m not his type, Helen. I’m floundering.’ Helen caught Charlotte’s hands and forced her to meet her gaze.

‘Don’t you dare run yourself down, Charlotte Regan. You’re intelligent and totally gorgeous! But you need to do one thing!’

‘What?’

‘Allow yourself to be a woman! How do I put this without you taking it the wrong way? Don’t talk sport all night. You are incredibly bossy when you start. Let Derry take charge a bit. Allow him to be a man!’ Charlotte blinked.

‘Sorry, I just time travelled to the 1950s for a moment. What were you saying?’ Helen smiled.

‘Charlotte! You like this guy! So give him a chance. Don’t send him to sleep with triathlon stats. If he wants that, he’ll go drinking with his mates.’

‘If his mates are anything like him, they probably wouldn’t know a sports stat from the price of heifers in Mullingar.’ Charlotte sighed.
tourbutton_goingagainsttype

BLURB

Some would say Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Regan has it all. Beautiful, smart, athletic and a great job working as a journalist – in the almost exclusively male sports department. But Charlotte is not quite as sure as she seems. Recently split from her overbearing boyfriend, she escapes for weekends, surfing in the Atlantic, and spends her free nights watching sports, roaring at the TV.

Derry Cullinane is a fashion writer, gossip columnist and sophisticated man-about-town. The go-to guy for any woman seeking expert advice on what fabulous outfit to wear for any given occasion. He’s also tall, dark, good looking – and straight! So what’s the snag? He has a track record of dating glamorous, vain and shallow women.

Charlie gets an opportunity to write a new column under the pen name Side Swipe, but is soon drawn into a war of words and wit with a rival paper’s columnist The Squire – and their verbal fireworks get readers and editors talking. Yet neither Charlie nor Derry knows just whom the opponent is…

When Charlotte and Derry meet at the Races, the attraction is instant. As their relationship develops, so much more proves at stake, than protecting their alter egos. But a blunder puts Charlotte’s job in jeopardy just as Derry’s past makes front page, and Charlotte begins to doubt her feelings.

When Side Swipe and The Squire are finally forced to reveal themselves, will they revert to type – or confound everyone’s expectations?   

Buy Links:

Amazon USA: http://amzn.to/1pKAZtF

Amazon UK:   http://amzn.to/1zjr0fT

All buy links:  tirpub.com/gatype
sharonblack

Bio-                                              

IRISH author Sharon Black is a diehard screwball comedy enthusiast. Her first novel, Going Against Type, a contemporary romantic comedy set in Dublin, was e-published by Tirgearr Publishing in September, 2014 to great reviews.  She has had short stories published, and won the 2010 Dromineer Literary Festival short story competition. She worked for a number of national newspapers. She writes a regular blog, This Funny Irish Life, featuring light, fun, personal columns, and tweets at Authorsharonb.

When she’s not writing, she reads, walks, sees friends, and drinks far too much coffee. She co-founded a local book club 15 years ago. She loves theatre, old Hollywood films, every romantic comedy ever made, and edgy stand-up. She hates shopping. She lives in a Dublin coastal village, with her husband and their three children.

Find Sharon: Blog: http://sharonblackauthor.blogspot.ie/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharonBlackAuthorPage/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Authorsharonb

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Sharon-Black/e/B00RPI1I10

NOT FORGET THE GIVEAWAY!

Make sure to follow the whole tour—the more posts you visit throughout, the more chances you’ll get to enter the giveaway. The tour dates are here: http://www.writermarketing.co.uk/prpromotion/blog-tours/currently-on-tour/sharon-black/

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OGI5ZWM1YmU4ZGM2YmI0ZWQ2MTgyNmNkMjI0MWJhOjE1OA==/?

 ***

Many thanks for coming by today Sharon,

Jenny x

Nothing’s Forgotten: The Premiere of The Knight’s of the Apocalypse #KOTA

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On May 8, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Fiction, Historical fiction

Where to start? Thirty eight years after the beginning seems like a good place.

Two years ago, a producer of many a radio show, Mr Barnaby Eaton-Jones, ran an event called The Hooded Man. This was a celebration of the 1980’s television show, Robin of Sherwood, which finished approximately thirty years ago. That event, in 2014, was attended by many members of the original cast, and it set Barnaby a-thinking…an audio version of the final episode that Richard ‘Kip’ carpenter had been scripted but which had never been filmed…ummm…

KOTA prem notice

To cut a long story short, the cast said yes – and this weekend just past saw the audio premiere of The Knight of the Apocalypse (#KOTA), in the Guy Whittle Auditorium, within the Royal Society of Medicine building on Wimpole Street, London.

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Starring Jason Connery as Robin, the entire cast (except for the much missed Robert Addie, who has been ably replaced as Guy of Gisborne by Freddie Fox, and John Abineri, who has passed the torch of Herne the Hunter onto his son- who sounds so much like his father it is truly spooky), #KOTA carried on the story a little time after the final televised episode (The Time of the Wolf).

Unbelievably I, along with many other fans, found myself at the premiere. I must pause here to thanks Annette for organising the post and pre drinks venue- the Cock and Lion pub- where I met my fellow premiere revellers. And who should I find the moment I walked through the door, partaking of a drop of sustaining juice before they metaphorically donned their outlaw attire , but Peter Llewellyn Williams (Much) and Mark Ryan (Nasir).

We moved from the pub to the main venue, where champagne a plenty greeted us, along with the most splendid Barnaby Eaton-Jones.

With a film crew from the BBC keeping tabs on us (but not ITV curiously), we progressed- a little merrier than before- to the main event, and the auditorium itself.

In the presence of Jason Connery (Robin), Judi Trott (Marion), Peter Llewellyn Williams (Much), Mark Ryan (Nasir), Robert Young (producer), Iain Meadows (sound producer), and Barnaby himself, we settled down to giggle our way through a behind the scenes film of the recording.

I’m not going to tell you about the audio itself, because that would ruin it for you. I will tell you that the cheer that went up with the HTV music played, and the theme tuned sang out was probably heard far beyond nearby Bond Street. If you’d like to hear #KOTA for yourself, then you can order your copy here- https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/robin-of-sherwood-the-knights-of-the-apocalypse#/

After the show was over, a Q&A session followed, but I’ll tell you more about in the next blog tomorrow…

All too soon it was over, but there were still photos to be taken with the cast before we all returned to the Cock and Lion pub. I found myself sat with the delightful Mr Connery and some friends talking about life, the universe, and his latest film Tommy’s Honour, which opens the Edinburgh Festival in June- check it out. I’ve seen a bit, and it’s awesome.

What an incredible day we had- and now…well…now I’ll write another blog (but first I’d better do the ironing!)

Jenny x

My First Time: Laura Wilkinson

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On May 6, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, crime, Fiction, Interview

I’m delighted to be welcoming a good friend (and Tiverton Literary Festival guest for this coming June), to my site today. The multitalented Laura Wilkinson is here to tell us all about her first time…

First Time

Can you remember writing the first story you actually wanted to write, rather than those you were forced to write at school? What was it about?

I can! In my twenties I worked as an actress and during a spell resting – the euphemism for unemployment – I worked with another actress writing a two woman show. We wrote a number of sketches together and some independently. One such piece was a monologue called Passion Cake about a young, insecure woman waiting for a friend in a café. The friend is late and the protagonist, who is on yet another diet, is struggling to resist the last slab of passion cake on the counter, or is it the handsome waiter behind it? It’s a story of desire, eating disorders, and disappointment. I didn’t perform it, my fellow actress did and it went down very well with audiences. My lead was a prototype Bridget Jones – there was plenty of gentle humour in it.

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What was your first official publication?

On the web – Beloved of the Moon, a modern day fairy tale (it won a competition).

On paper – The Whispering Wall in a monthly short story magazine called New Editions. Sadly, the publication no longer exists. The story was given another lease of life digitally by Ether Books and in paperback by Blinding Books. It’s in an anthology of work by women writers called My Baby Shot Me Down. It’s a ghost story, of sorts, about alienation, longing for a child and betrayal.

COVER FOR T SHIRTS

What affect did that have on your life?

Very little really! I earned some cash but more importantly it gave me confidence in writing fiction; I was freelancing as a journalist and copywriter at the time.

Does your first published story reflect your current writing style?

Yes and no. As you’d expect my writing has developed – enormously, in fact. In common with many authors I tend to feel embarrassed about work the moment I see it in print; see all sorts of ways I could improve it, and nowhere is this more apparently than in those early stories. That said, Beloved of the Moon is written in first person and though I’ve written two books in third person, and short stories, I do favour first. Also, interestingly (to me, at least!), Beloved of the Moon explores territory I have returned to: the importance of looking ‘normal’ and the lead is a child who only ventures out at night. My next novel, Skin Deep, scheduled for publication in March 2017, is about a beautiful artist and her muse. It explores notions of beauty, how to find a place in a society obsessed with image, the legacy of parental exploitation, and one of the narrators is a child at the tale’s outset. There’s definitely overlap!

What are you working on at the moment?

I’m working with my editor tweaking Skin Deep whilst working on a new novel. Until a complete draft is down and I am happy that it’s something I can work with, I tend not to talk about work-in-progress. I feel that if I talk about it too much, I will talk out the magic and lose interest – I have a very short attention span! All I’ll say is that it’s a contemporary story about love and addiction and truth.

***

Buy links

to my first published story –

My Baby Shot Me Down: http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Baby-Shot-Me-Down/dp/0956781136/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398500876&sr=1-1&keywords=my+baby+shot+me+down

Redemption Song Final

…to my latest story-

Redemption Song (e-book): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Redemption-Song-Laura-Wilkinson-ebook/dp/B017BQOBZA/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1458406808&sr=1-1

Redemption Song (paperback): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Redemption-Song-Laura-Wilkinson/dp/1783758694/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1458406808&sr=1-1

LW 2 No 1 - dark, smile

Author Bio

After working an actress and journalist, now Laura writes novels and short stories. She is published by award-winning independent press, Accent. Her novel, Public Battles, Private Wars, was a Welsh Books Council Book of the month; her latest, Redemption Song, is an insightful look at learning to forgive and love again after significant loss. Alongside writing, she works as an editor for literary consultancies, Cornerstones and The Writing Coach, and runs workshops on self-editing and the art of fiction. She’s spoken at festivals and events nationwide, including London Metropolitan University, GladLit, University of Kingston, The Women’s Library and Museum in Docklands. www.laura-wilkinson.co.uk   Twitter @ScorpioScribble Facebook: Laura Wilkinson Author

public battles draft

***

Many thanks Laura- great interview- and very lovely photographs!

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Interview with Rachel Dove: Competitions and Beyond

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On April 25, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Interview

I’m delighted to have Rachel Dove popping for a cuppa today- maybe some cake- and a chatter about her new writing adventure.

Over to you Rachel…

coffee and cake

What inspired you to write your book?

At the time, my husband owned a sunbed shop next to a dog groomers, and one day while I was helping out there, the idea of two shop owners came to me. I had just seen the competition in Prima, so I took pen to paper right there and started writing.

Do you model any of your characters after people you know? If so, do these people see themselves in your characters?

Grace and Marlene, two of the characters in The Chic Boutique are the real names of my grandmothers, and parts of them are incorporated in the characters. Other than that, I make up my characters from scratch.

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What type of research did you have to do for your book?

I love small villages and have been to Haworth lots of times, and even where I live is quite rural, so I had a head start creating Westfield, but I did have to do a lot of research on chickens, birthing calves and general vet knowledge, which was fascinating!

Do you prefer to plot your story or just go with the flow?

I am a bit of a rogue that way, I tend to play with the pieces in my head away from the computer, till they fit, then I draw up character profiles and plot plans, so a bit of both really.

What is your writing regime?

I recently took a year off from teaching to write, but I wrote Chic Boutique in three months, over the summer holidays too, when both of my boys were home, so Chic Boutique was pretty much a full on writing adventure. These days, I tend to aim for 500 words minimum a day, but aim for more. I also enter competitions regularly, and read a lot of books and magazines. I have a clippings file where I keep things that could be made into stories, writers tips etc, and I have done this since my twenties, so I have a fair few ideas!

 What excites you the most about your book?

Where to start? I am really excited for people to read it, to get to know my characters, and hopefully they will love them as much as I do. I think the moment I see my book out there, on shelves in shops, will be something I will remember forever.

If you were stranded on a desert island with three other people, fictional or real, who would they be and why?

I would have to say my husband Peter and our two boys. I just don’t work without them.

***

Links

https://racheldoveauthor.wordpress.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Rachel-Dove-Author-373524896089079/?ref=bookmarks

Twitter: @writerdove

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chic-Boutique-Baker-Street-Mills-ebook/dp/B018DKIWTE

Rachel Dove

Bio

I am a wife, mother of two boys, degree student, avid reader and writer of words. I sometimes sleep, always have eye bags and dream of retiring to a big white house in Cornwall, with 2 shaggy dogs and a load of chickens, drinking wine on my seafront balcony whilst creating works of romantic fiction. All done with immaculate make up and floaty dresses. In the meantime I nearly always remember to brush my hair, seldom have time to look in a mirror and write many, many to-do lists.

The Chic Boutique on Baker Street is my debut novel from Mills & Boon, and the winning entry of the 2015 Prima Magazine and Mills & Boon Flirty Fiction Competition.

***

Many thanks for stopping by today Rachel. Congratulations on such a terrific win!

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Interview with Caroline James: Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me

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On April 21, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Fiction, Interview

I love featuring other authors on my blog- there are so many brilliant books out there to read- and so many fascinating writers behind them.

Today I’m delighted to welcome Caroline James for a cuppa and a chat about her latest novel.

Over to you Caroline…

coffee and cake

Enormous thanks for hosting me and my new book Jenny, I’m thrilled to be on your lovely blog.

What inspired you to write Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me?

I read an article that stated that one in three people over the age of fifty, in the UK, live on their own.  It hooked me and I started to research. I soon found that are great many fifty plus people who are on their own through a partner’s death, divorce, separation and of course, choice, and many of them don’t cope too well. For example, thirty years of marriage comes to an end – how do you get back in the groove? Or your partner dies and you don’t know how to begin life as a single? I decided to write a book that covered these issues and chose my two favourite characters to lead the way. Jo and Hattie came from a previous book, set in the 1980s, and were perfect as they fitted the age category now and I worked them into the story as single friends who are beginning again when they suddenly find themselves on their own.

CTTCM cover

Do you model any of your characters after people you know? If so, do these people see themselves in your characters?

I model characters from experiences I’ve had with people over the years and then make it all up. My books often feature the hospitality industry and that’s something I know well having worked in it for most of my life. It’s a fantastic environment to find characters. I represented several celebrity chefs for a number of years and have been tempted to use some of the weird and whacky situations I’ve found myself in but I think readers might find some of the things that happened a little far-fetched!

What type of research did you have to do for your book?

Most research can be done on the internet; how lucky we are as writers today. But I like to immerse myself in the surroundings I write about. Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me is set in Cumbria and Barbados – both places where I have spent a considerable amount of time and both destinations that inspired me to let my characters roam free.

cumbria 3

If you were stranded on a desert island with three other people, fictional or real, who would they be and why?

The chef in me would want to have the late, great Keith Floyd along. I’m sure he liven up any dull moments and keep us all slightly sozzled with a good supply of booze, while he cooked something scrumptious. Bear Grylls would ensure we survived and bring some adventure to the island, as well as a decent supply of fresh fodder for Keith to cook. Finally, I’d like Oscar Wilde to lounge beside me with a constant drip-feed of delicious literary quips.

What excites you the most about your book?

I soon realized that the book has the potential to become part of a series. It is the sequel to my debut book, Coffee Tea The Gypsy & Me and although a stand-alone read, it incorporates characters from my previous books including: So, You Think You’re A Celebrity…Chef? and when I bring them into the next book it is like meeting up with old friends. Two of my favourite authors, Maeve Binchy and Mary Wesley did this with their writing and, subconsciously, I seem to be doing it with mine.

Links

Coffee, Tea ,The Caribbean & Me – myBook.to/CTTCM2

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk   (  http://www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk/ )

Twitter – @carolinejames12    (  https://twitter.com/CarolineJames12  )

Facebook – Caroline James Author  (  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineJames/?ref=hl  )

AUTHOR CAROLINE JAMES (PROFESSIONAL PROMO SHOTS 14.08.2015)

Author Bio:

Caroline James was born in Cheshire and wanted to be a writer from an early age. She trained, however, in the catering trade and worked and travelled both at home and abroad. Caroline’s debut novel, Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy & Me shot to #3 on Amazon and was E-book of the Week in The Sun newspaper. Her second novel, So, You Think You’re A Celebrity… Chef? has been described as wickedly funny: ‘AbFab meets MasterChef in a Soap…’ The manuscript for Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me was a Finalist at The Write Stuff, London Book Fair 2015 and the judge’s comments included: “Caroline is a natural story-teller with a gift for humour in her writing.” Her next novel, Coffee, Tea, The Boomers & Me will be published autumn 2016.

Caroline has owned and run many catering related businesses and cookery is a passion alongside her writing, combining the two with her love of the hospitality industry and romantic fiction. As a media agent, Caroline represented many well-known chefs and is currently writing a TV script and accompanying book about the life of a celebrity chef. She has published short stories and is a member of the RNA. Caroline writes articles on food and celebrity based interviews and is Feature Editor for an online lifestyle magazine. When she’s not running her hospitality business and writing, Caroline can generally be found with her nose in a book and her hand in a box of chocolates, she also likes to climb mountains and contemplate life.

***

Many thanks for such a great interview Caroline.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

 

 

Guest Post from Christina Philippou: Stereotypes in fiction

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On April 19, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Fiction

I’m delighted to have another new face to my blog today- please welcome Christina Philippou. This is a fascinating blog…so pop the kettle on, grab a cuppa, and have a read.

Over to you Christina…

Coffee blog- Full Bean Cafe Somerton- Hot Choc

It’s a trap we’ve all fallen into at one point or another: assuming someone – or something – is who or what we think just because, well, we think so. And stereotyping is just that – making assumptions on first impressions.

But, despite stereotyping’s bad press, it doesn’t necessarily have to be ill-meant. Very often, stereotypes come from subconscious prejudices that we didn’t even know existed. Someone refers to a model and a footballer and we all assume they are talking about a woman and a man in that order. But there are male models and female footballers and, just as in life, these sometimes find their way into fiction.

Morbid, I know, but my favourite part of The Lord of The Rings is Eowyn’s killing of the leader of the ringwraiths. Morbid because – spoiler alert for those that have only watched the film – she dies, but also wonderful because she shows an unexpected side to what in many other fairy-tales or fantasy stories would be, effectively, a stereotypical princess that rides off into the sunset with her lover (which she actually does in the film).

Then there’s Pride and Prejudice, where Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy would probably have ended up together far sooner had it not been for both of them stereotyping the other – her stereotyping him as a pompous, arrogant rich man, and him stereotyping her as a gold-digger.

In my debut novel, Lost in Static, I actively tried to create anti-stereotypes to bring some ‘reality’ into my fiction. In that vein, one of my protagonists is a woman who loves (to both watch and play) football, one is a member of a hockey team that doesn’t actually love sport, and one is a male who is not as obsessed with sport as some of his female friends (OK, and the final one is a yoga-loving, fashion-conscious woman, but I had to have one stereotype in there, right?)

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Stereotypes have their ‘cosy factor’. Who wants to read a romance where the hero is fat, balding and has copious amount of hair on his back (unless you’re reading a paranormal romance, in which I suppose the latter is reasonable)? Readers want a certain amount of familiarity, but if the Gone Girl phenomenon has taught us anything, it’s that you don’t have to love a protagonist to keep reading the book.

And that’s the other thing about stereotypes – they very rarely produce flawed characters. They are always black and white; the perfect villain with his cantankerous laugh and white cat, or the hero with his caring personality and chiselled abs. Having said that, I do have some chiselled abs in Lost in Static, but they certainly don’t belong to a flawless hero, if he can be considered a hero at all.

But, love them or hate them, stereotypes in fiction will always be around. Or am I guilty of stereotyping literature?

CPhilippou (2)

Author Bio

Christina Philippou’s writing career has been a varied one, from populating the short-story notebook that lived under her desk at school to penning reports on corruption and terrorist finance. When not reading or writing, she can be found engaging in sport or undertaking some form of nature appreciation. Christina has three passports to go with her three children, but is not a spy. Lost in Static is her first novel, due to be published on 15 September 2016 by Urbane Publications. Christina is also the founder of Britfic.

You can connect with Christina via her blog, Twitter and Facebook.

Lost in Static is due to be published on 15 September 2016 and is available to pre-order from the publisher website, Amazon UK and Amazon US.

***

Many thanks for such an interesting blog. Good luck with all your writing adventures.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

 

From Coffee to Champagne: The End of the Pickwicks Saga

By

On April 17, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Romance

As I finish proofing the final rounds of the type-set copy of Another Glass of Champagne (pre-order now available), I can’t help wonder what life is going to be like without Jack, Amy, Kit and Megan to keep me company.

Another Glass Of Champagne

The crew from Pickwicks Coffee House and their friends have lived in the back of mind for a very long time.

It took me 13 years before I had the courage to develop the story of Amy Crane, from her journey as self-imposed recluse in Scotland, to a braver person, prepared to face the demons she’d once run away from, in Richmond, London.

Originally Another Cup of Coffee– which was published by Accent Press in 2013- was entitled Coffee Stops. It went through many incarnations before it turned into the fully formed novel it is today. At the time I believed it was a one off novel. I never dreamt it would lead to one Christmas themed sequel- let alone three. (Another Cup of Christmas, Christmas in the Cotswolds, Christmas at the Castle). I have been incredibly lucky!

The Pickwicks regulars have proved more popular than I could ever have imagined. After the first book in the series it turned out to be bad boy Jack who was the character who the majority of readers wanted to hear more about. So, in Another Glass of Champagne, it is Jack who takes centre stage…although Kit, Amy and the others are all engaged on their own adventures as well…

Blurb

A warm-hearted, contemporary tale about a group of friends living in a small corner of busy London, by bestselling author Jenny Kane.

Fortysomething Amy is shocked and delighted to discover she’s expecting a baby – not to mention terrified! Amy wants best friend Jack to be godfather, but he hasn’t been heard from in months.

When Jack finally reappears, he’s full of good intentions – but his new business plan could spell disaster for the beloved Pickwicks Coffee Shop, and ruin a number of old friendships… Meanwhile his love life is as complicated as ever – and yet when he swears off men for good, Jack meets someone who makes him rethink his priorities…but is it too late for a fresh start?

Author Kit has problems of her own: just when her career has started to take off, she finds herself unable to write – and there’s a deadline looming, plus two headstrong kids to see through their difficult teenage years…will she be able to cope?

A follow-up to the runaway success Another Cup of Coffee.

***

Another Glass of Champagne will be released on 9th June! You can pre-order it on from all good book retailers, including-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Another+Glass+of+Champagne+Jenny+Kane

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/188-7813436-7626710?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Another+Glass+of+Champagne+Jenny+Kane

Another Cup of Coffee - New cover 2015

It isn’t vital to have read the previous four stories (especially the Christmas novellas), but if you want to read the very beginning of Amy, Jack and Kit’s story, you can find it here-

Another Cup of Coffee –mybook.to/cupcoffee 

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

My First Time: Lynne Shelby

By

On April 13, 2016

In Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Interview

Amazingly, two weeks have passed since Nell Peters shared her ‘First Time’ publishing experiences with us. Today I’m delighted to have the ‘French Kissing’, Lynne Shelby, here to share her own first time with us.

Over to you Lynne…

First Time

Can you remember writing the first story you actually wanted to write, rather than those you were forced to write at school? What was it about?

I can remember that first story! I was fourteen, and had decided that I wanted to be a writer. My first effort was ‘The Mysterious Island, ’a book-length fantasy/adventure story (it would probably be called YA now) in which four teenagers were out in a rowing boat off the Cornish coast, and were lost in a sudden sea mist. When the mist cleared, they found themselves … on a mysterious island, where time had apparently stood still since the middle ages. Taken prisoner by the island’s villainous ruler, a witch, and about to be sacrificed to the ‘old powers,’ the four teenagers were rescued by the island’s rightful – and extremely handsome – ruler! Looking back, I can see that the book can best be described as ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ meets ‘The Wicker Man’ – which I guess is a reflection of the sort of books I was reading as a young teenager! I sent the completed manuscript off to a publisher, and although they didn’t publish it, one of the editors sent me a very kind and encouraging letter back, telling me to be sure to keep writing as she felt I did have talent. I’m so glad I took her advice! I kept the manuscript of that first story for years, but it got misplaced when we moved house.

What was your first official publication?

My first official publication was my debut novel, ‘French Kissing,’ which won the Accent Press and Woman magazine Writing Competition in 2015 – the prize was to be published by Accent Press. A contemporary romance, the novel is about two childhood penfriends, one English, one French, who meet as adults, when their friendship could become something more…

Lynne Shelby with her debut novel French Kissing

What affect did that have on your life?

For me, becoming a published author really was a life-long dream come true. This last year, since I found out I’d won the competition, has been amazing, with so many highlights, like holding a book I’d written in my hands for the first time. It’s been fantastic to have so many readers tell me they’ve enjoyed the book, and I’ve also had the opportunity to meet some wonderful writers who have been so generous with their knowledge and advice about writing.

Does your first published story reflect your current writing style?

I think ‘French Kissing’ is the story in which I found my ‘voice,’ and I am continuing to write in that style – although I hope that I can always continue to grow as a writer.

What are you working on at the moment?

At the moment I’m working on another contemporary romance – a love triangle set in the world of showbusiness. I’m having a lot of fun writing about film premieres in Leicester Square and first nights at the theatre.

L Shelby cover

 

Buy links to ‘French Kissing’ by Lynne Shelby:

Bio

Lynne Shelby can’t remember a time when she wasn’t writing stories, and it has always been her ambition to be a published author.  She writes contemporary romance because that is what she most likes reading.  She’s worked in a variety of day jobs from stable girl to legal administrator. She’s also had a very enjoyable vicarious career as a stage mother, which has given her a love of the theatre that inspires a lot of her writing.  She loves travelling, and she’s also inspired to write by the many wonderful foreign cities that she’s visited and explored – with a camera and writer’s notebook in hand – and her first novel, ‘French Kissing’ is set partly in Paris. She is currently working on her second novel. She lives in north London with her tall, dark, handsome husband and a lot of books.

Website: www.lynneshelby.com

Twitter: @LynneB1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LynneShelbyWriter

***

Many thanks Lynne! Great stuff!

Happy reading,

Jenny x

 

 

Novel Progress 11: Almost there….

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On April 9, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction

The end is in sight…

From the initial notes in my notebook, through to the first draft, edit, re-edits, editors proofs, and now- with the pre-order option available on Amazon, I am at the penultimate stage of the production line for my latest novel- Another Glass of Champagne.

Stage 11 is triple checking the typeset proofs.

20160407_102959

However hard a writer or editor works, there will always be errors in a novel. How can there not be when there are (usually) over 90,000 words involved? It’s impossible to catch every single typo- although I wish we could! Checking through the typeset version of our work is the very last chance to spot those errors.

I’m about halfway through at the moment, and have found about a dozen little mistakes- misplaced comma, a ‘be’ where there should be a ‘me,’ etc…

20160407_103216

Once I’ve read the typeset then that’s it- there is nothing I can do! My novel is out of my hands. It is a weird feeling-  to no longer have control over all the words my imagination conjured up for my fingers to reproduce on my laptop screen. It is also a touch frustrating, because I know that somehow, during the printing process, new mistakes will appear that have nothing to do with me or my editor. The computer involved with printing will just ‘correct things.’ It happens- and we have to accept it- but it is annoying!

However! Printer errors aside, this is an exciting time- because the only stage left is number twelve – publication!

Roll on 9th June!! I can’t wait to see the final episode of Amy, Kit, Jack, Peggy and Megan’s story reach the world.

AGOC

If you’d like to pre-order the book/download, then you can via all Amazon sites, including-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Another+Glass+of+Champagne+Jenny+Kane

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/188-7813436-7626710?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Another+Glass+of+Champagne+Jenny+Kane

Happy reading,

Jenny x

 

 

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