I Have Been Waiting a Long Time For This!!!!

Today is a really special day. And do you know why? (Girls, you should.)

Today is a special day because today is the day when Chips, Beans and Limousines, the fantastic diary of Bathsheba Clarice de Trop, by the utterly brilliant Leila Rasheed, is released.

I was lucky enough to read this book a while ago, and even luckier to be given a proof copy (well, for me and my beloved) by Leila when we met in Brussels last year. It’s wonderful. It’s already one of my favourite books. It’s a book that, if you are girl, 9 years old or older, who likes good books, you should really look at reading. (You won’t be disappointed.) Honestly, it’s a book that makes me grin wildly just thinking about it – I love it!
And as if today wasn’t special enough – here’s an interview with the author:

So, who’s it for and what’s it about?
It’s mostly for girls aged around 9 to 11. (But you can also read it if you are 12! Or 8! Or 47!) It’s about an extraordinary girl called Bathsheba Clarice de Trop. At the start of the book, she seems like a horrible, spoiled and self-important person. But as you read on, you realise that in fact, all her arrogance and showing-off is a front. She’s lonely and unhappy inside. The story is about how she finds happiness after many ups and downs and learns not to be afraid of showing who she really is. By the end of the book, you find out she’s actually really nice inside. And she’s very funny all the way through!
Why did you write it?
The character just bounced into my head one day and started talking about herself! I thought, this is so much fun to listen to, I’d better write it down.
What do you hope readers will get from it?
One reader said something that I feel is just right. She said it made me laugh out loud, but it also made me think: That’s what I hope it will do!
How long did it take you to write?
The first draft was really quick – a week or so. Then editing was about a month. Then there was the whole editing process with the publisher, Usborne, which took more months.
Did you use a fountain pen to write it?
No, sorry! Fountain pens are wasted on me, I have terrible handwriting. I used biro, and then computer.
Tell us something about you.
I live in Brussels, and it’s not boring, it’s a gorgeous city with stunning architecture, great food and wonderful people.
What’s next for you?
I am working on the second Bathsheba Book as we speak, then there will be a third. In between, I continue to work on other novels for children and teenagers. I write as much as I can. I love it so much, I can’t imagine anything else I would rather do.
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Click here to order your copy.

And click here for some other top news about another top writer, Trilby Kent.
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And in the midst of all this excitement I’ll be spending the afternoon getting sorted for Monday’s visit to Lower Park Primary School. And maybe, doing some writing

Special Post

I’ve had this interview with Number 1 bestselling author, and all round lovely lady, Kate Long for a few days and have been wondering when best to post it. (I was trying to leave it so it appeared closer to the launch of her latest novel, The Daughter Game (Picador), which is March 7th. You can pre-order from amazon here.)

And what should the postman have for me yesterday? Why, my very own copy. I’ve read the first few pages and I have to say it’s terrific so far. I took that as a hint that I’d best get on and post the interview.

So here’s what Kate had to say about the new book (amongst other things, including otters and grandparents’ rights)…

So, who’s it for and what’s it about?

Although my books are sometimes billed as ‘women’s fiction’, I’d say The Daughter Game is aimed at a general adult readership. It follows the story of teacher Anna who becomes over-involved with one of her female students, a troubled and unstable teenager called Kali. Anna’s personal life is an unhappy one, and she gains temporary solace from casting herself as this girl’s special mentor, unaware that Kali is a highly manipulative young woman. As Anna’s marriage breaks down, Kali moves in and starts a series of events that throws Anna completely off course.

Why did you write it?

I’m always interested in the power balance of relationships, the swings and shifts, the capitulations and gains. Also, I was a teacher myself for fifteen years, and I know the strains put upon pastoral carers, and the tricky situations that arise as you struggle to mediate between students, parents and other teachers.

What do you hope readers will get from it?

An entertaining read, above all else. Though if there is a message to all my books, it’s that we should try our hardest to appreciate what we have rather than focussing on the things we don’t have. Easier said than done, of course, but essentially the secret of happiness is to be thrilled with the ordinary.

How do you think it compares to what you’ve written before?

It’s definitely more serious, though there are moments of comedy. The ending’s upbeat, but only by a whisker.

How long did it take you to write?

A year to produce the first draft.

Did you use a fountain pen to write it?

I always write directly onto the computer, though occasionally I’ll scribble prompts on scraps of paper to get me from one scene to another.

Tell us something about you.

Conventionally: married, mother-of-two, Midlands-based, ecologist manqué.

What’s next for you?

I’m currently working on a novel about grandparents’ rights. Last time I was on BBC Radio Shropshire I heard a woman speaking about her campaign to get access to her grandchildren, and I was deeply impressed by her arguments.

Anything you’d like to add?

Always report mink and otter sightings to your county wildlife group.

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I’d also like to direct you to Jenn Ashworth’s blog. Jenn is most definitely one of my favourite writers at the moment. The stuff she writes for adults is tremendous. It’s bold and delicate and funny and, often, disturbing. Really fantastic. She’s one of these writers with a unique voice – and that’s something I don’t come across every day – let alone a voice that I like. Anyway, I thought her post on short stories was brill and definitely worth a read.
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And huge congrats to Anne Brooke, whose latest novel, Thorn in the Flesh, was released yesterday.

Picture This

Yesterday’s visit to St John’s was terrific. Really enjoyable, and great to see some familiar faces (including Miss Wallace and Mrs Moyes!).

We wrote short stories inspired by picture prompts and some seriously good work was produced. Seriously!

I’ve included a couple of the prompts below – if you end up writing anything inspired by one, do let me know; I’d be delighted to read it…



Another Interview

This time with top author and lovely lady, Luisa Plaja, whose debut novel, Split by a Kiss (Corgi Children’s) will be published on March 6th.

So, who’s it for and what’s it about?

Split by a Kiss is aimed at teenage girls, and teenage-girls-at-heart. It’s about a British girl who moves to the USA and makes a decision that splits her into two people – literally. One teenage reader described it as ‘a cross between Sliding Doors and Mean Girls’, which is pretty accurate!

Why did you write it?

I set out to write about US/UK culture shock. The split came later, when I realised that both paths made perfect sense for Jo, my main character. I think there’s something about living with two cultures that always makes you feel a bit divided – you want to hold onto the familiarity of your home culture, but also throw yourself into the ways of the world around you and assimilate as quickly as possible. In Jo’s case, she has to decide whether to be the person she’s always believed herself to be, or whether to try on a new persona. Er, all that makes my book sound a lot more serious than it is!

What do you hope readers will get from it?

Entertainment, mostly! There’s hopefully some positive stuff in there (I’m reluctant to call it a ‘message’) about identity and self-image, too.

How long did it take you to write?

That’s a tough one to answer because I got stuck halfway through and wrote a different book, and then I came back to it. I’d say the first draft took a few months in total.

Did you use a fountain pen to write it?

Are you asking me this because I accidentally broke a computer this week?! I promise that has never happened before! OK, maybe just once before, but they were very different accidents! Um, no, I wrote it on my trusty laptop.

Tell us something about you.

I grew up with two languages (Italian and English) and at least two cultures. I love teen fiction, linguistics and indie films. And I wish I could ice skate.

What’s next for you?
I’m working on another novel for teenagers.

Anything you’d like to add?

Thanks for interviewing me, Nik!

Less About Me

So, a post that’s not about me for a change.

It’s an interview with top author, and top bloke, Roger (sometimes N) Morris, whose third book, A Vengeful Longing (Faber and Faber) was released earlier in the month.

So, over to Roger…

So, who’s it for and what’s it about?

Ah, these are deceptively simple questions! Who’s it for, I suppose I always write the kind of books I would like to read. So my ideal reader is someone like myself! It’s a historical crime novel, so I’m obviously hoping fans of that genre will go for it. I try to balance the needs of a good crime novel with other perhaps more literary demands – characterisation is important to me, as well as the quality of the writing. It’s set in St Petersburg in the 1860s and features Porfiry Petrovich, a character I’ve taken from Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. A series of apparently unconnected murders take place in a stifling summer. Porfiry is distracted by the unsanitory stench of an open drain, so it takes him a while to piece things together. A bit I like from the blurb says “Delving into the hidden, squalid heart of the city, he is brought face to face with incomprehensible horror and cruelty, in this vivid rendering of a brutal and stifling nineteenth-century St Petersburg.”

Why did you write it?

There are so many ways to answer this. I love writing historical novels, I love researching a particular period and setting, getting deeply involved in it, and letting the stories and characters develop from how that research impacts on my imagination. I read this quote about the historical novel that described it as “the fruit of the seductive fornication of history and imagination.” I for one do find it very seductive!

What do you hope readers will get from it?

My primary aim, always, is to entertain. A good story, good writing, characters that intrigue and with whom the reader can engage. A real vivid sense of the time and place.

How long did it take you to write?

Between a year and eighteen months. Probably more like the latter. I was supposed to do it in a year but I got a bit behind.
Did you use a fountain pen to write it?

No, a quill! No, seriously, I do write in longhand first and then transfer to computer, but I use Pilot Ball pens for preference. Or anything. A biro.

Tell us something about you.

I’m a dad. I live in Crouch End, which is in North London. I’ve just had a birthday. I got a Dennis the Menace T-shirt from my son, a guitar strap from my daughter, and a Sea Sick Steve CD from my wife.

What’s next for you?

I’m researching and generally working myself up to start writing the next Porfiry Petrovich adventure. I’m also working with a friend, who is a composer, on an opera. I’m providing the words. Libretto, I believe it’s called. I’m learning lots of fancy words like that!

Anything you’d like to add?

Just like to say thanks for the opportunity, Nik.
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And while I’m on the subject of interviews, there’s a great one with Laura Dave over at Vulpes Libris.
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(Added: Apologies for the inconsistent line spacing. Blogger is misbehaving.)

Books, Birthdays and Blog Stuff

First, double congratulations to Roger. His third book, A Vengeful Longing was officially released yesterday and it is his birthday on Sunday.

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And I’ve read some marvellous articles and such on writing/blogging/reading this week – all well worth a look. Here, Lisa Glass writes about book review blogs; here Susan Hill talks about blogging and here Emma King-Farlow writes about the art of critiques. (Also really cool to see the terrific Leading the Dance reviewed in The Short Review , though I’d disagree with what the reviewer said about its cover – I think the covers for both editions I’ve seen have looked very well.)

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As for me, I’m still writing.