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

Category: Contemporary Romantic Fiction Page 47 of 56

Abi’s House: A Very Special Dedication

Regular visitors to this web site will remember that a few months ago I was privileged to be asked by the fantastic charity, CLIC Sargent, to take part in their Get in Character Auction.

This was an incredible opportunity to bid to have a character given the name of your choice in a novel written by some of the most  popular writer’s in the country – so you can imagine how honoured I was to be asked to donate a name!

The character I donated to the auction was a Cornish potter from my latest novel, Abi’s House – which is now out for sale.

Abi's House_edited-1

I was so excited- but also nervous! What if the winning bid was for a name I really didn’t like? After all, names are very important. The wrong name for a character can make or break a story. I need not have worried though! As luck would have it, the winner of the auction wanted to donate a name that fitted my character perfectly.

CLIC logoI have dedicated Abi’s House to the group who kindly bid for the right to have a character in my book…

Dedication

A special dedication and thank you must go to the Dennyside Bowling Association. This UK-wide bowling club-based charity was founded by Leonard Denny in 1935. In 2014 they raised over £40,000 for various good causes. Recently they bid in the CLIC Sargent Get in Character Auction. Dennyside’s winning bid entitled them to choose a name for one of the characters in Abi’s House. So, please let me introduce you to Jacob Denny – a perfect name for a Cornish potter, and a generous tribute to Dennyside’s founder.

***

If you would like to read Abi’s House, you can buy it from all good e-bok and paperback retailers, including-

Kindle
 

Paperback
 
***
My thanks again to CLIC Sargent, everyone who bid in the auction, and to the Dennyside Bowling Club- in particular John, Ken, and Brian for putting the bid forward.
Happy reading,
Jenny xx

 

Abi’s House: OUT IN PAPERBACK TODAY!

I can’t tell you how exciting it is to have a book published. It really is the most incredible feeling.

It is thrilling enough to have an e-book produced- but a paperback- a book that you can hold- stroke- smell…now that is a whole new realm of blissed out happiness!!

Abi House paperback box

Today, my latest novel, Abi’s House, hits the bookshelves. Even if you can’t see it in your local bookshop, you will be able to order it over the counter. And of course, the more people that order it in Independent Bookshops the better (not just for my sales, but for the whole industry!!)

Look at my lovely books- I adore them!!

A massive thank you to everyone who has already purchased Abi’s House. I’ve been overwhelmed by your kind comments.

If you’d like to buy the paperback version, if it available from all good bookshops as well as Amazon-

 
Happy reading,
Jenny xx

 

 

Novel Progress 8: The End – ish?

Did you hear that? That was the sound of me shouting “Yippee!” I have just pressed ‘Send’ and sent my completed manuscript of next years novel, Another Glass of Champagne, off to my lovely editor Greg at Accent Press!

Another Glass of Champagne_edited-1

I dread to think how much coffee I’ve consumed while drinking writing this novel, editing it, and re-reading it so many times, I could quote passages from it!!

AGOC completed on laptop

Don’t be fooled however- the handing in of my novel doesn’t mean it’s finished. Now comes the waiting. My work is now sat on my editors massive ‘to read’ list. Then, once Greg has the time, he will edit it, then I will go through his edits, then he’ll go through them again, and on it goes…until we are both happy with it…and it can join the ‘to be published in Spring 2016’ queue.

My notebook, which has all my continuity notes in it, will be ever ready by my side, ready to double, triple, and quadruple check everything when the time comes.

AGOC notebook

In the meantime, I’d better start working on the next book!!

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

OUT NOW! Abi’s House: Out in E-Book TODAY

I’m delighted to be able to announce that my latest novel is out NOW!

Abi's House_edited-1

Newly widowed at barely thirty, Abi Carter is desperate to escape the Stepford Wives-style life that Luke, her late husband, had been so keen for her to live.

Abi decides to fulfil a lifelong dream. As a child on holiday in a Cornwall  she fell in love with a cottage – the prophetically named Abbey’s House. Now she is going to see if she can find the place again, relive the happy memories … maybe even buy a place of her own nearby?

On impulse Abi sets off to Cornwall, where a chance meeting in a village pub brings new friends Beth and Max into her life. Beth, like Abi, has a life-changing decision to make. Max, Beth’s best mate, is new to the village. He soon helps Abi track down the house of her dreams … but things aren’t quite that simple. There’s the complicated life Abi left behind, including her late husband’s brother, Simon – a man with more than friendship on his mind … Will Abi’s house remain a dream, or will the bricks and mortar become a reality?

***

I hope you enjoy my new adventure of friendship, self-discovery, Cornish scenery, cream teas, art, and lots and lots of fish and chips…

Minack Theatre, Cornwall

Minack Theatre, Cornwall

 

Sennen Cove, Cornwall

Sennen Cove, Cornwall

Available from:

http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/12915/Abis-House

Kindle
 

Paperback – available for pre-order. Out on 19th June.
 

***

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

Tiverton Literary Festival: With thanks to…

With the first Tiverton Literary Festival over, the TivLitFest team would like to thank everyone who kindly gave up their time to help us run each event, all the authors who gave up their time to come along, and all the publishers and agents who let those authors go AWOL from their computer keyboards for a while.

Special thanks must go to the following for their donations of hosting space, competition prizes, refreshments, ticket selling, sponsorship, or free time.

thank u sand

Tiverton Portas Company

Sue Searle at The Oak Room

The Oak Room

Lionel at Brendon Books

brendonbooks

Reapers Wholefood Store, Tiverton

Richard’s Aquatics

Jurassic Coast Costa

Majestic Wine, Tiverton

Accent Press

book prize

Tiverton Library

Tiverton Museum and Tourist Information Centre

Tiverton museum

Tiverton Town Hall

Blundell’s School

Tiverton High School

Tiverton Castle

tivcastle

Courtney’s Bar, Tiverton

The Rose and Crown, Caverleigh

Hepcomotion,

WHSmith, Tiverton

Tiverton Town Council

Tiv logo

Mayor of Tiverton

Mid Devon District Council

PosiTIV Radio

Petroc Café

CreaTIV Hub

BBC Radio Devon

Cult Pens

pen set prizes

St Peter’s Church, Tiverton

St George’s Church, Tiverton

Tom Watson Music

tivvibadge_website

There are so many people to thank that it would be impossible to mention everyone. We appreciate each and every person who made the festival such a success, no matter what they did to help.

If you would like to be involved in The Second Tiverton Literary Festival next year (8th-13th June 2016), as an author, sponsor, or a volunteer, please email info@tivlitfest.co.uk

Many thanks,

Jenny, Kerstin, and Sue.

xx

 

Coming VERY Soon: Abi’s House

It seems so long ago since I first put pen to paper, and drafted the initial outline for my new novel, Abi’s House. Yet, at the same time, it feels as if no time at all has passed, and suddenly here we are, with only days to go until my Cornish adventure of life, friendship, love and hope is launched onto the e-selves and bookshop shelves of the nation!!

Abi's House_edited-1

Here’s the blurb!

Newly widowed at barely thirty, Abi Carter is desperate to escape the Stepford Wives-style life that Luke, her late husband, had been so keen for her to live.

Abi decides to fulfil a lifelong dream. As a child on holiday in a Cornwall she fell in love with a cottage – the prophetically named Abbey’s House. Now she is going to see if she can find the place again, relive the happy memories … maybe even buy a place of her own nearby?

On impulse Abi sets off to Cornwall, where a chance meeting in a village pub brings new friends Beth and Max into her life. Beth, like Abi, has a life-changing decision to make. Max, Beth’s best mate, is new to the village. He soon helps Abi track down the house of her dreams … but things aren’t quite that simple. There’s the complicated life Abi left behind, including her late husband’s brother, Simon – a man with more than friendship on his mind … Will Abi’s house remain a dream, or will the bricks and mortar become a reality?

****

I’ve been extremely lucky to have already received some great 5 star pre-release reviews for Abi’s House

Pre-release reviews

“When Abi is suddenly widowed at 30 years old she realises that she has become a shell – modelled into the wife her dead husband wanted her to be and not the person she wants to be.

Feeling suffocated in Surrey by the ‘lifestyle’ and her In Laws Abi up sticks and heads to Cornwall to find Abbey House – a place her family found years before whilst on holiday. Once in Sennan Abi quickly makes new friends and soon realises she has found the one place she wants to call home.

Jenny’s style of writing is wonderful.  You can feel the sand in your toes, the gentle waves lapping at your feet, the sun and the wind and smell the Fish and Chips!  It was whilst reading this book that I realised I really missed a good old fashioned pub garden – we just don’t have them where I live.  Jenny’s stories always draw me in, I get so engrossed in and involved with the characters.  It’s like you are there.  I want to live in a Jenny Kane book!

It is over a week since I read the book and I just loved it so much…I feel like I have lost some friends since I finished reading it….”

***

Reading a Jenny Kane book is like opening a journal by a much loved friend. I’m spirited away into a world of warm, friendly and interesting people. To places that I not only want to visit but actually live in. Shops, cafés and pubs that I want to be my locals and life that I want to experience and be a part of. Abi’s House gives you all of these feelings and left me with a huge smile on my face and a glowing in my heart. More of this wonderfulness please!!”

***

So why not escape with Abi Carter into the beautiful Penwith corner of Cornwall? Let the sea breeze calm you, the fish and chips sustain you, and the adventure unfold…

Could this be Abi's House?

Could this be Abi’s House?

Published by Accent House June 13th 2015 (Kindle) and June 19th 2015 (Paperback) –

http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/12915/Abis-House

Pre-order links-

Kindle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane-ebook/dp/B00UVPPWO8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711175&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane

http://www.amazon.com/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane-ebook/dp/B00UVPPWO8/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711253&sr=1-2&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane


Paperback

http://www.amazon.com/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane/dp/1783753285/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711253&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane/dp/1783753285/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711343&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane

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Happy reading everyone!!

Jenny xx

Tiverton Literary Festival: The Highlights- Part 2

It’s now two days since the very first Tiverton Literary Festival ended, and I’m still trying to comprehend just how much happened in just 5 days!

tiv lit badges

Yesterday I posted the first batch of photographs from the festival, today I thought I’d share a few more. See yesterdays post here.

The festival wasn’t just about the listening to famous authors talk on panels, but also about getting as many children enjoying words as possible. There were a great number of events which were not open to the public, but involved our local schools. The fantastic Charlie Carroll was joined at Blundell’s School, by primary school pupils from Heathcoat, St Johns and others, to take a Lend me Your Literacy workshop.

Beastie Boys

Writer and illustrator team, Chloe Uden and Matt Harvey caused happy havoc with their book, Beastie and the Boys, with the aid of a huge group of primary school children at St George’s church. While at Tiverton High School, authors Alexandra Stoppford, Emily Barr, and international journalist, Alexander Sehmer all ran interactive workshops.

THS- Alex

For a while we all had the luxury of a bookshop in the town’s CreaTIV Hub on Fore Street, where books by all the authors involved were available for sale, thanks to Brendon Books in Taunton.

Books at the CreaTIV Hub

Books at the CreaTIV Hub

There were two great talks during the festival, one by city boy turned Exmoor smallholder, Simon Dawson, who was telling us all how to get mucky in middle age! I’ll never forget how his wife hatches chicks….

Simon Dawson sees his new book for the first time!

Simon Dawson sees his new book for the first time!

We were also privileged enough to be joined by the countries most prolific crime series writer- the brilliant and hilarious Michael Jecks, who entertained us in The Oak Room for two delightful hours.

Michael Jecks talks about the quirky side of writing at The Oak Room

Michael Jecks talks about the quirky side of writing at The Oak Room

I could chatter away about the festival for hours- but I have a book to write! So, I’ll leave you now with a few more photographs!

Once again, many thanks to everyone involved in the festival- role on next year, and Tiv Lit Fest 2!!!

Buying books after the Crime Panel

Buying books after the Crime Panel

Michael Jecks signs books

Michael Jecks signs books

Prize giving for excellent story writing

Prize giving for excellent story writing

Jo Mortimer reads on the Story Trail

Jo Mortimer reads on the Story Trail

Amy Sparkes reads on the story trail

Amy Sparkes reads on the story trail

Creative Writing with Chris Ewan and Cal Moriarty

Creative Writing with Chris Ewan and Cal Moriarty

Happy reading,

Jenny x

 

Tiverton Literary Festival: The Highlights- Part 1

On the 3rd June, myself and fellow organisers Sue Griggs and Kerstin Muggeridge, launched the very first Tiverton Literary Festival!

Five days of author visits, panels, talks, school workshops, story telling, fancy dress, and book loving!

tivvibadge_website

There have been times between September 2014 (when we began to work on the festival), and the end of the last panel (yesterday at 3.30pm), when we all thought we were insane! So much could go wrong! We had worked so hard, so many well known and respected authors had travelled miles and miles to be with us- what if not one showed up?

The beautiful Oak Room in Tiverton, had rushed it’s opening so it could become our main venue (And an amazing venue it is too!!) Local businesses, Reapers, the library, Tiverton Museum, and Majestic Wines, had all put themselves out to sell tickets for us. The locally owned Costa Coffee had arranged to open especially for an evening quiz, and Lionel- the owner of Brendon Books in Taunton- was due to travel to us everyday with a stock of books from all the featured authors- so- WHAT IF NO ONE TURNED UP??????

It is with no little relief that I am pleased to report that, not only did we get a great local response- we had a full house on many occasions!

There are so many things to report- but for now I shall leave you with a few photographs, and a HUGE THANK YOU to all those who came along, be you visitor or author. You all made the event a success- for which we thank you heartily. Extra special thanks to Lucy Hay, for setting up all our social media and keeping it going, and to Ben Overd, for keeping our lovely website going!! www.tivlitfest.co.uk

Julie Cohen, Rachel Brimble, Alison Rose and Jenny Kane talk romantic fiction

Julie Cohen, Rachel Brimble, Alison Rose and Jenny Kane talk romantic fiction

Packed house from the Crime Panel

Packed house from the Crime Panel

Simon Hall and Nicola Upson chat to Paul Mortimer

Simon Hall and Nicola Upson chat to Paul Mortimer

Crime writer Clare Donoghue

Crime writer Clare Donoghue

Teresa Drsicoll, veronica Henry, Vanessa LaFaye and Karen Maitland chat to Bill Buckley

Teresa Drsicoll, veronica Henry, Vanessa LaFaye and Karen Maitland chat to Bill Buckley

Keeping the coffee coming at The Oak Room

Keeping the coffee coming at The Oak Room

A happy fancy dress prize winner!!

A happy fancy dress prize winner!!

SO much has happened over the last week- and I honestly haven’t taken it all in yet!! I will share more moments with you soon!

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny xx

An Interview with Charlotte Philips: Access All Areas

Today I have the pleasure of interviewing the lovely Charlotte Philips. So why not grab a cuppa, grab some cake, and come and put your feet up with us for five minutes…

coffee and cake

What inspired you to write your book?

Access All Areas is part of a series of five books set in the same fictional boutique hotel in London, so my story brainstorming had to tie into that setting. Over the course of writing the books, the Lavington Hotel and its staff and guests have developed and now I can almost walk down the luxury hallways in my mind! I loved the idea of having a celebrity stay at the hotel with all the mayhem that could cause, and when I thought around that a bit more I came up with the idea of having a photographer as my heroine, desperate to sneak a photo of the star to sell. The hero is the Head of Security at the hotel, so he’s directly in conflict with her. Unfortunately a paparazzi photographer isn’t the most sympathetic of characters, so instead I made Anna a portrait photographer who urgently needs money to save her house. She normally does school or wedding pictures, and is completely out of her depth, plus the idea of taking unsolicited pictures doesn’t sit well with her conscience, but she’s desperate and has run out of other options

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

I am absolutely a plotter, and the thought of just sitting down with nothing more than an idea to go on fills me with horror! I am in awe of people who can do that. The more books I’ve written, the more I have gravitated to planning rather than going with the flow. In my early books there were moments where I crashed my head on the desk in despair because I’d written myself into a corner or I simply couldn’t see a way forward. On one occasion I had to rewrite the first third of a book because it just didn’t work, and that was a horrible, draining experience. I now spend lots of time on the planning of my books. By the time I start writing I have a full scene list, character charts, biographies, timelines, the list goes on. It isn’t set in stone – sometimes ideas come to me along the way that work better than my original plan, but as a general ballpark guide it works for me. I like the security that it provides and I believe it helps me write faster and better.

What is your writing regime?

I work on my writing Monday to Friday, although I may do bits and pieces over the weekend. Generally my routine is to drop my youngest daughter at school and spend the next two hours on my writing. After that other things have to take over. If I’m writing draft rather than planning or editing I aim for 2k words a day on weekdays, and that’s generally achievable for me in the time I have. I fit in social media wherever I can, often I’ll tweet from the car outside school or check Facebook while I’m cooking dinner. It’s all about juggling, just as it is for everyone with a family or commitments.

Access all areas

What excites you the most about your book?

The release of Access All Areas, and the final book in the series, Meet Me at the Honeymoon Suite, which comes out next month (June 25th), means my Do Not Disturb series is finally complete. It’s going to be so lovely to have the full set of five books available in time for summer!

Anything else you’d like to share with us?

I’m just starting to write my very first single title. Planning is in full swing and I’m currently buried in post-it notes and character charts. It’s a very exciting move forward for me but also a bit scary. Wish me luck!

***

Blurb- Access All Areas – Do Not Disturb #4

Can you hold onto the past without living in it..?

After losing her elderly parents, portrait photographer Anna will do anything to avoid losing the family home, it’s all she has left of her perfect childhood. A hot tip from a friend raises her hopes – an A-list film star is secretly staying at the Lavington Hotel, London, with her rumoured toyboy lover. A photo of them together could be the answer to all Anna’s money problems.

Unfortunately Anna is the worst paparazzi photographer on the planet and Joe, the hotel’s new head of security, back in England in his first permanent job after years of globetrotting as a bodyguard to the stars, isn’t about to allow a picture on his watch. No matter how cute the photographer might be…

***

Links

Amazon UK – http://amzn.to/1D5pIEb

Amazon US – http://amzn.to/1yJNV6t

iBooks – http://apple.co/1EiWJCV

Barnes & Noble – http://bit.ly/1FZCRPX

Google Play – http://bit.ly/1DsxHdG

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charlotteblogpic

Bio

Charlotte Phillips writes funny, sassy, sexy stories for Harlequin KISS/Mills & BOON ModernTempted and HarperImpulse.

She is also mum to three kids and a mad dachshund and terrible housewife to a heroic husband who doesn’t notice he is living in a hovel. She loves her sofa, her SkyPlus, her Apple TV and her pyjamas.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharPhillips_

Facebook: www.twitter.com/charlottephillipsauthor

Website: www.charlotte-phillips.blogspot.com

***

Many thanks for being interviewed for us today Charlotte! Good luck with Access all Areas.

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Novel Progress 7: Paper editing

The completion of Another Glass of Champagne – the fourth part of my Another Cup of… series grows nearer!! At the moment I’m deep into the edits. For me editing a novel is a five part process-

1. Read through draft on the computer

2. Print out the draft and edit on paper

3. Type in changes and edit as I type

4. Check that there isn’t word or plot repetition

5. Final read through- out loud

Novel edited

I have just completed part two of the editing process, and I am heading into part three…while helping to run, and take part in, the Tiverton Literary Festival. I am incapable of only doing one thing at once!!

Editing at this stage of novel writing is my favourite part of the process. I just love the feeling of being almost there- of polishing it up- of making it every word count…before time runs out!

Another Glass of Champagne_edited-1

Happy reading everyone!

Jenny xx

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