Author Interview & Giveaway: Julia Roberts

Today it's my pleasure to welcome QVC presenter and author Julia Roberts back to the blog, welcome Julia.   

You've recently published book 2 of your Liberty Sands trilogy, If He Really Loved Me..., can you tell us a little bit about it?

If He Really Loved Me… is the standalone sequel to my first novel Life’s a Beach and Then… The book begins with a prologue in which we discover that Holly is now a happily married mother of a toddler, Rosie. Her new husband’s hands settle on her shoulders at the end of the prologue– but whose hands are they? The story then starts two years previously. Holly has yet to tell her twenty year old son, Harry, with whom she has an enviably close relationship, that she is pregnant. When he finds out, it unleashes in him a need to know about his own father who abandoned them before his birth. Once he knows his father’s name he embarks on a journey which takes him to LA and the Gower peninsula in search of the truth, uncovering a tragic story. 

An extraordinary twist of fate brings Harry and Philippe, the father of Holly’s unborn child, face to face. Should he tell Philippe about the baby and risk damaging the relationship with his mother for ever?   

The first two books in the Liberty Sands trilogy have featured quite a few destinations, both in the UK and abroad, how did you decide which locations to include?  Were there any that you initially decided on but then excluded?
Mauritius was where the whole idea for the Liberty Sands trilogy was conceived. I was supposed to be on holiday but spent the whole ten days scribbling copious notes on plot and location. Holly’s occupation as a travel blogger meant that I could bring other exotic locations, such as Barbados and the Maldives, into book two, and book three may well see us visit Hong Kong and/or Cuba. We certainly visit Nottingham, my home town.  All the places I have written about so far are places I’ve visited for work or holiday.

If you had to describe Holly in three words, what would they be?
Loyal
Irrational
Loving

Fabulous night at Jill Mansell's book launch for You and Me, Always

Long before I even knew of the world of book blogging I have always been a massive reader and booklover but never really had much of a chance to meet or speak to any of my favourite authors.  But since setting up the blog I have had the chance to interview authors via email and chat to them interactively via social media but it is just that virtual interaction.

So when I received an email invite to the book launch for Jill Mansell's 27th book You and Me, Always I immediately bought my ticket to the event as I couldn't turn down the chance to finally meet Jill having read all of her books since her first book Fast Friends was published back in 1991 (which ages us both!).

Despite having been laid up in bed most of the week with a sinus infection I was determined I was going to go to the event and fortunately I was feeling a lot better so yesterday afternoon saw me catching the train up to London.  The launch was being held on the top floor of Jill's publishers office on Victoria Embankment, the views from the Rooftop Terrace at night are spectacular but sadly none of my photos came out that well.

The start of the evening was a formal sit down affair with Jill being interviewed by Claire Frost, journalist from the Sun Fabulous magazine, who asked Jill to tell us a little bit about You and Me, Always which Jill admitted she's not very good at giving elevator pitches (I have to admit I've never really thought about how hard it must be for authors to describe their books in condense form as this is one of the questions I ALWAYS ask authors!), about her writing process (Jill writes all of her novels by hand and her daughter Lydia then types them all up for her), and which of her books is her favourite which I always think is cruel to ask an author but I have been known to ask it too ;)  It was then over to the audience to ask Jill a few questions.

Giveaway: Win a copy of The Last Kiss Goodbye by Tasmina Perry

Tomorrow is the paperback publication day for Tasmina Perry's latest book The Last Kiss Goodbye and what better way to celebrate by doing a giveaway.  I recently received a copy out of the blue but as I already have a signed HB copy from when I met Tasmina at an event last year, and Emma has already reviewed The Last Kiss Goodbye, I decided to give this extra copy away to a follower of the blog instead.

Giveaway is open to existing followers of the blog only (all entries will be validated once the giveaway finishes next week).

Judging Covers - Match Me If You Can by Michele Gorman

You may have recently read Kelly's review of Match Me If You Can here on the blog and this afternoon I'm pleased to be able to share with you a guest post from Notting Hill Press about the design of the new cover for the US version of Match Me If You Can.

It’s interesting to see how the same book is marketed differently depending on where its fans are based. Michele Gorman’s Match Me If You Can is published by Avon (Harper Collins) in the UK and by Notting Hill Press in the US. Avon took the lead in designing the marketing package for Michele’s UK chick lit fans, with a pretty teal cover, fun font and firm focus on the online dating/romance storylines in the book. 

Meet best friends Catherine, Rachel and Sarah. Yet to find Mr Right, they’ve been settling for Mr Right Now. 

But when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets the girls to join her dating site where they can rate and recommend their ex-boyfriends, they soon realise that anything could happen… 

There’s someone for everyone, right? These best friends are about to find out!

To complement the UK cover, we at Notting Hill Press designed the US cover using the same fonts and heart motif. But something started to bother us. Match Me If You Can is also about strong women. It’s funny, cheeky, poignant and realistic. The women join the dating website and recycle their exes but their lives – their friendship, families and careers – are at the heart of the book. And while both British and American fans are definitely romantics, American readers are also really partial to a feisty story about friends. 

We had to admit it: our hot pink cover didn’t seem quite right for Michele’s US fans. So we had a rethink about it, and here’s the result!

Emma's Review: You and Me, Always by Jill Mansell

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

On the morning of Lily's twenty-fifth birthday, it's time to open the very last letter written to her by her beloved mother, who died when she was eight.

Learning more about the first and only real love of her mum's life is a revelation. On the same day, Lily also meets Eddie Tessler, a man fleeing fame who just might have the ability to change her world in unimaginable ways. But her childhood friend Dan has his own reasons for not wanting Lily to get too carried away by Eddie's attentions.

Before long, secrets begin to emerge and Lily's friends and family become involved. In the beautiful Cotswold village of Stanton Langley, nothing will ever be the same again...

Amazon links: Kindle or Hardcover

Emma interviews Tamara McKinley

credit Joanna Crittenden

Having enjoyed reading her first Tamara McKinley book, Emma was also given the opportunity to ask Tamara a few questions about her writing and Echoes from Afar so I'll hand you over to them both. 
 
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you came to be a writer?
I was born in a small coastal town in Tasmania, and was raised by my English grandmother and two great-aunts who’d gone out to Australia just before the war.   They were very Victorian and believed children should be seen and not heard, and so I learned to read before I went to school.   They taught me how to write small stories and little poems, and even how to do crosswords, so the written word was something that became second nature to me.

I left Australia to finish my education in an English boarding school – an experience I still have nightmares about – and then went to secretarial college.   I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life, I just had the feeling that something extraordinary was waiting for me.   It was many years later, following marriage, children, bankruptcy and divorce, that I finally sat down and wrote the story of the three women in my life who’d inspired me.   At the end of this huge tome I realised that I loved writing and telling stories, and that with hard work, I might actually be rather good at it.   So I proceeded to write another, joined a writer’s group, and five novels later got my first two-book deal from Hodder & Stoughton.   During my career I have changed my pen name three times and have written three different genres.

Where did the title Echoes from Afar come from and can you give us a brief summary of the book?
I like to have a title for the book I want to write before I begin, so I was trawling the internet, poetry books, the Bible – always a good source – and quotation dictionaries.   I wanted something that spoke of secrets that would eventually touch a future generation, and in the end I made up my own title of Echoes from Afar.

When a spiteful rumour destroys her nursing career, Annabelle Blake goes to live in Paris with her Aunt Aline, a lively bohemian artist whose lodgers are art students, poets and musicians.   Annabelle is soon swept up in the exhilarating world of 1930’s Paris, and meets Etienne and Henri, one a poet, the other an artist.     But as ever more young people are drawn to the fight against Fascism in Spain, Annabelle must confront the reality of war and make what could be a life-changing decision.

A lifetime later, gifted artist, Eugenie, falls in love with Paris the minute she arrives.   Like her mother, Annabelle before her, the artistic delights of the city are a bright new world; however Eugenie will soon find that in its shadows are hidden the secrets of her family’s past – secrets that will change her life forever.

Emma's Review: Echoes from Afar by Tamara McKinley

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

So this is Paris, she thought in awe. Spread out before her beneath a clear blue sky, it was like a precious gift after the smog and filth of London. No wonder it was called the city of love . . .

After a spiteful rumour ruins her career in London, Annabelle Blake must travel to Paris to start afresh. There she makes the acquaintance of Etienne and Henri - one a poet, the other a painter - both charming, talented and handsome. They spend their days flirting and drinking with the city's artistes and Bohemians, and soon Annabelle too is swept up in the exotic and exhilarating world of 1930s Paris. But as ever more young people are drawn to the fight against Fascism in Spain, Annabelle must wake from the dream and confront the reality of war. A lifetime later, gifted artist Eugenie Ashton falls in love with Paris the moment she sets foot outside the Gare de Lyon. Like her mother Annabelle before her, the artistic delights of the city are a bright new world to her: but Eugenie will soon find that in its shadows are hidden the secrets of her family's past.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Debut Spotlight: Katy Colins

This week has been a bit of a whirlwind for Katy Colins as the story behind her debut novel, The Lovely Hearts Travel Club, caught the media's attention which has seen her story published in the national and international press, and even a live TV interview via Facetime from the Phillipines on This Morning.  The first book in the series, Destination Thailand, was published as an eBook on Thursday and will now also be published as a paperback next month.  

Katy Colins completed her first novel 'A Dogs Tale' at the age of 11 which received rave reviews ... from her Grandad and English teacher. This was just the encouragement she needed to carry on writing.

As a qualified journalist with articles published in Company Magazine and The Daily Star she crossed sides to work in Public Relations before selling all she owned to backpack solo around South East Asia and finally put her thoughts into words, writing as she travelled.

Katy currently lives by the sea in France where she is on a one woman mission to educate the French about the necessity and technicalities of making a good cup of tea. When she is not writing about romance, travel and adventure, she loves travelling, catching up with family and friends and convincing herself that her croissant addiction isn't out of control - just yet.

You can find out more about Katy, her writing and her travels on her blog www.notwedordead.com or via twitter @notwedordead

Louise's Review: Sunkissed by Carys Jones

Reviewed by Louise Wykes

Dawn Summers is dying. It’s 1853 and as the seventeen year old continues to fade away she has visions of the father she never knew, urging her to fight for her life. 

In the small village of Fandova the only medical care is in the form of the mysterious Dr. Moralus who has a known penchant for bloodletting. Thomas, Dawn's fiancé, is warned against inviting his intervention, but feels he has no choice, he pleads with the doctor to save Dawn’s life…whatever it takes.

Amazon link: Kindle

Birthday Giveaway: Win a Birthday-themed Book of your Choice

I had already been planning a small giveaway today as it's my birthday and I wanted to share the love I've received from the bookish community by giving a little something back in return. But this week the blog also reached a milestone of 500,000 views on the blog since I set it up in October 2011 so it's also a thank you for all your support over the years. 

When I first started thinking about doing a birthday giveaway, I'd originally planned to buy a prize to be won but then I finally decided on giving one existing follower the chance to win a birthday-themed or book with birthday in the title of their choice.  

A few suggestions of books you might like, feel free to suggest others for the eventual winner to pick from:

• The Birthday that Changed Everything by Debbie Johnson http://amzn.to/1T5mSu9
• The Birthday Party by Veronica Henry http://amzn.to/1V8UyFP
• The Birthday Present by Barbara Vine http://amzn.to/1T5neAW
• The Birthday Girls by Pauline Lawless http://amzn.to/1V8UIwH
• Happy Birthday by Danielle Steel http://amzn.to/1T5mI5V 

Kelly's Review: Crazy Over You by Carol Thomas

Reviewed by Kelly Spillane

Love can drive you crazy… in more ways than one! 

When Abby met Simon, a drink in the uni bar lead to keeping in touch, late-night phone calls and intimate catch-ups. It was the start of something special, a love Abby believed would last a lifetime. 

A wedding, two daughters and fifteen years later, Abby’s world is falling apart. Having discovered Simon has had an affair, her normally ordered mind is spiralling out of control. Crushed by the betrayal and shocked by her own reaction, she knows she needs to get herself together; she’s just not sure where to start. 

She wanted all the pain and angst gone from inside her. Would meeting someone do that? She was one lone person in a world of people. Who would notice her? Nobody had in the last fifteen years. 

With Simon on a mission to win her back and a close friend hiding a secret that could push her further over the edge, Abby finds strength and support where she least expects it. But as she attempts to gain control of her life and make decisions about her future, it may be more than the limits of Abby’s mind that are put to the test! 

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Louise's Review: Nightblind by Ragnar Jónasson

Reviewed by Louise Wykes

The peace of a close-knit Icelandic community is shattered by the murder of a policeman - shot at point-blank range in the dead of night in a deserted house. With a killer on the loose and the dark Arctic waters closing in, it falls to Ari Thor to piece together a puzzle that involves tangled local politics, a compromised new mayor and a psychiatric ward in Reykjavik where someone is being held against their will...

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: Just the Way You Are by Lynsey James

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

Dear Ava,
How do you start writing a letter to someone, six years after breaking their heart? 

Ava is unlucky in love as well as in life. The new office bitch has landed the dating column Ava wanted, and she can't remember the last time she had a second date. It's a good thing she has best friends Max and Gwen to pick up the pieces.

Deep down, Ava knows the reason why one date never turns into two - she's in love with someone else. Someone she's never even met.

It all started six years ago, with a letter from a secret admirer, Mr Writer... but then they suddenly stopped and Ava was heartbroken.

Now the letters have started again and Ava knows it could mean winning back the dating column at work. This time she's determined to unmask Mr Writer... and find out once and for all if he's Mr Right or Mr Very Definitely Wrong!

Amazon link: Kindle

Emma's Review: The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

In 1939, as Poland falls under the shadow of the Nazis and the world goes to war, young Alma Belasco's parents send her overseas to live with an aunt and uncle in their opulent San Francisco mansion. There she meets Ichimei Fukuda, the son of the family's Japanese gardener, and between them a tender love blossoms, but following Pearl Harbor the two are cruelly pulled apart. Throughout their lifetimes, Alma and Ichimei reunite again and again, but theirs is a love they are forever forced to hide from the world.

Decades later, Alma is nearing the end of her long and eventful life. Irina Bazili, a care worker struggling to reconcile her own troubled past, meets the older woman and her grandson, Seth, at Lark House nursing home. As Irina and Seth forge a friendship, they become intrigued by a series of mysterious gifts and letters sent to Alma, and learn about Ichimei and this extraordinary secret passion that has endured for nearly seventy years.

Amazon links: Kindle or Hardback

Emma's Review: Another Love by Amanda Prowse

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

In the early years, she was happy.

Romilly had worked hard for her stunning, modern house in one of Bristol's most fashionable suburbs. She adored her gorgeous, gap-toothed daughter and her kind and handsome husband. Sure, life was sometimes exhausting - but nothing that a large glass of wine at the end of the day couldn't fix.

But then, as deep-buried insecurities surfaced, everything started to unravel. A glass of wine became a bottle; one bottle became two. Once, Romilly's family were everything to her. Now, after years of hiding the drinking, she must finally admit that she has found another love...

Amazon links: Kindle or Hardback

Tanya's Review: Four Weddings and a White Christmas by Jenny Oliver

Reviewed by Tanya Phillips

Hannah’s holidays are normally spent nibbling chocolate coins with her daughter and praying she’s not too old for a stocking on Christmas morning. But this year, she’s been offered the dressmaker’s job of a lifetime: creating a one-of-a-kind a gown for her friend Annie’s Christmas wedding on the picture-perfect Cherry Pie Island.

Many mince pies and one hot-pink organza dress later, Hannah is set to snuggle back into her old routine…until she discovers that there are three more weddings to come – and not a dress in sight!

Four themes, four brides and four parties spent avoiding chef Harry Fontaine, whose cynicism is as much a wedding day guarantee as confetti and cake. Hannah has her work cut out for her! Yet, with a sprinkling of snowflakes and Christmas magic, it could be that this is the year when miracles really do happen…if Hannah will let them.

Amazon link: Kindle

Emma's Review: Don't Be Afraid by Daniela Sacerdoti

Reviewed by Emma Crowley

When you've forgotten how to live, help can arrive in mysterious ways...

Successful artist Isabel Ramsay has never come to terms with the tragic death of her mother. Haunted by what happened, Isabel finds her own life spiralling out of control until, one winter s day, she gives up, unable to bear the pain of living any longer. Yet somehow she wakes up, remembering a vision of a mysterious woman who has saved her. But alone in a locked house, surely that's impossible?

With her family and friends worried out of their minds, her husband Angus finds a companion to watch over Isabel while he's away from home. Warm, wise Clara can connect with Isabel in a way no one else can, helping her face up to her painful past, rediscover her passion for art and become brave enough to live her life again. But there s a mystery surrounding Clara: who is she, and why does Isabel feel she's known her all her life?

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Kelly's Review: Match Me If You Can by Michele Gorman

Reviewed by Kelly Spillane

Ever thought about recycling your ex?

Best friends Catherine, Rachel & Sarah are fun, smart, successful and single – just like millions of women with a low tolerance for idiocy in their dates.

Mr. Right hasn't turned up yet, and Mr Right-Now isn't worth booking a wax appointment for. So when Catherine, London’s finest matchmaker, gets Rachel and Sarah to join her dating site where they can recycle their ex-boyfriends in exchange for an upgrade, they soon realise that anything could happen...

Three best friends, proving that sometimes it really isn't you… it's him.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Emma's Review: The Canary Girls by Rosie Archer

Reviewed by Emma Crowley 

1944, Hampshire.

Her face still bearing the scars from the explosion at the factory, Rita Brown is nonetheless back on her feet. She's caught the eye of local wide boy Blackie Bristow, who's sweeping her around the country in a life of shady glamour.

But there's a war on, and life is not all fun and games. Some of the local men are taking advantage of the topsy-turvy world to break more than just hearts, and standing up to them comes with its own costs.

Rita keeps calm and carries on with a little help from her friends at the factory. But then she discovers someone there has been leaking secrets to the Germans. With D-Day on the horizon, Rita must work out who she can rely on - and fast.

Amazon links: Kindle or Paperback

Hello 2016... Let's Make it a Good One

I wasn't going to do a 'New Year' post as the last couple of months have not been great for me personally, and as a result my reading/reviewing schedule has suffered, but thanks to the support of great friends Emma, Louise, Tanya and Kelly there have still been fairly regular reviews on the blog.

When I was looking for inspirational quotes about looking ahead to the new year there were a lot I could have chosen to use but the one above from Edith Lovejoy Pierce seems to be most apt to reflect what I need to do, so the new year equals a fresh start.

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The Book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.

I'm not planning on making any resolutions, blogwise or personally. I'm going to take things one day at a time and go with the flow and see what happens... which is actually quite hard for someone like me that normally likes to have a plan and a schedule to work to!

Over the coming months I'm hoping that once things settle down and I start to get some answers, I'll be able to get myself back on track but in the meantime I'm looking forward to what I hope will be a great year and hope that 2016 is a good one too for followers, old and new.