My Crimefest 2017 experience plus giveaway

This morning I am officially wrecked after an amazing weekend in Bristol for Crimefest 2017 😴 Last year I went to Crimefest for the first time just for the Saturday which was amazing but also very full on as felt like I needed to attend every single session.  But it also whetted my appetite for me wanting to experience the whole convention so as soon as the tickets went on sale I booked to return again this year but for the whole weekend, Thursday to Sunday.  And what a weekend it was 😉

Thursday

Day 1 lulled us into a false sense of security as didn't start until after lunch giving us delegates time to arrive and prepare for the weekend ahead.  I had already decided which panels I wanted to go to in advance and wasn't disappointed as each of the ones I chose was informative and entertaining.

• Debut Authors: An infusion of fresh blood with Steph Broadribb, David Coubrough, Mary Torjussen & Lucy V. Hay - moderated by Karen Robinson

• SHHHHHHH! Keeping Secrets and Telling Lies with Andrea Carter, Julia Crouch, Lucy Dawson, Rod Reynolds - moderated by Valentina 'VM' Giambanco

• What are you hiding? The Dark Side of Human Nature with Johana Gustawsson, Jørn Lier Horst, Doug Johnstone, Luke McCallin - moderated by Michael Stanley

Friday

After a reasonably early night and the memory of last year's experience I knew that it was virtually impossible to attend every panel of the day as physically, and mentally, you need a break if you're going to survive the day!

• Partners in Crime: Male/Female Police Duos with Sarah Hilary, Anne Randall, Stav Sherez, Luca Veste - moderated by Sarah Ward

• Behind Closed Doors: When Domestic becomes Noir with Jane Corry, Lisa Hall, Michael J. Malone, Mary Torjussen - moderated by Julia Crouch

As it was a gorgeous sunny day I decided to pop out for lunch and enjoyed a sandwich outside before coming back for the afternoon sessions 😊

Author Interview: Amanda Jennings

It's the final day for the in Her Wake blog tour and it's my pleasure to welcome Amanda Jennings to the blog to talk about her amazing book.  

A tragic family event reveals devastating news that rips apart Bella's comfortable existence. Embarking on a personal journey to uncover the truth, she faces a series of traumatic discoveries that take her to the ruggedly beautiful Cornish coast, where hidden truths, past betrayals and a 25-year-old mystery threaten not just her identity, but her life.

Chilling, complex and profoundly moving, In Her Wake is a gripping psychological thriller that questions the nature of family - and reminds us that sometimes the most shocking crimes are committed closest to home.

If you had to describe In Her Wake in one sentence, what would it be?
A woman's search for answers and her true identity against the backdrop of the Cornish coast. 

Can you tell us a little bit about your new book In Her Wake?
When a young woman returns home for her mother's funeral she is lost, confused and, naturally, devastated. But when further tragedy hits she discovers that everything she thought she knew about her childhood is a lie. Tracing her real roots back to the rugged West Cornwall coast, she is forced to confront crimes committed in the past, and to search through the wreckage to find out who she really is. It's a story of identity, sacrifice, betrayal, loss, love in many forms and ultimately, hope.

A family secret is at the heart of this book, where did the inspiration come from for this theme?
I was thinking about one of the children who had gone missing when I was young. It was a high-profile case, covered extensively in the press. No body was ever found and I got to thinking, 'What if he was still alive?' not hurt or abused, but cared for by another set of parents? I suppose I put myself in the shoes of the mother who had lost her child, thinking if that tragedy had befallen us, then I would want my child safe and cared for, stolen not by the monsters we all fear, but by people who wanted to love her. I knew I wanted to set it in Cornwall and its thick tradition of legends and myth from the outset, so with these two starting points, everything else began to grow.

Why did you choose to set this book in Cornwall as opposed to other counties? 
I am proudly half-Cornish and know the area well, and, more importantly perhaps, am inspired by the surroundings, the raging sea, the bleak moors, the picturesque villages, the wind, call of the gulls, the hot sand on an August day. I think Cornwall, with its changeable weather and crashing ocean, was the only place that I could set the story. The turmoil in Bella's head is reflected in the weather and landscape, and her confusion is mirrored by her reliance on fantasy and fiction. Also, I think you have to write about somewhere you know well, and Oxfordshire (where I live) – though it features – doesn't have the same associated emotion as Cornwall. Cornwall has its own identity and this is important in the story. 

Bella is a flawed protagonist, and at the outset is almost dislikeable, as she demurs to everyone and allows herself to be overpowered. It’s a skill to bring a character back into a reader’s affection. How do you think you achieved that?
I felt very sympathetic to Bella from the off. I think it's easy to say 'Oh, but surely she'd leave her controlling husband?' or 'She would have rebelled against her mother, wouldn't she?' but people stay in difficult situations all the time. Like a puppy who is kicked by its owner but still follows the owner around, Bella knew no different, and that becomes explained as her story unfolds. She felt safe in those situations. And, to a certain extent, she was safe. In her mind there was nothing to run from. I think our sympathy grows with her as she grows into herself, and begins to make her own decisions. One reader said they were cheering her on and I think that's what I was doing as the writer. I wanted Bella to be happy and I wanted her to face her traumatic circumstances and carve out a life for herself when everybody she'd encountered previously had been controlling her life for her. Maybe because I genuinely wanted this for her, the reader does too. 

My Favourite Book is... by Sophie Hedley, Katie Marsh & Linda Hill

Sophie Hedley from Reviewed the Book

I haven’t been reading for more than a few years so I don’t have a childhood favourite or a book that turned me into a reader. But picking a favourite book was an easy choice for me and that book is The Judas Scar by Amanda Jennings. 

I’d loved lots of books before reading The Judas Scar of course but this is the one I’ve obsessed over the most and recommended the most. It was a step up from all the books I’d read before that were entertaining, compelling and well written. When you read lots of books, the stories don’t necessarily stay with you for that long but The Judas Scar has a story that I still regularly find myself thinking about now. I’m not sure I’ll ever forget it. 

The writing was brilliant and intelligent – Amanda has a great way of hooking you into a story until you’re at the stage you need to remember to take a breath. But what turned The Judas Scar into THAT book for me was how raw and personal the theme of the story was to Amanda and then realising just how much she had put into the book, where the inspiration had come from and how real the subject matter could be. 

It’s the only book that has moved me yet turned me into even more of an emotional mess when I read the Author’s Note afterwards.