Debut Spotlight: Christopher Parker

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Christopher Parker and his debut novel The Lighthouse which was published last month. 

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how your writing journey started? 
Sure! I’m a self-employed father of one from Auckland, New Zealand. My writing journey started a very long time ago when I was just a kid. I loved writing short stories and poems and would spend hours with my head buried in a notebook writing all sorts of nonsense. From an early age I was always remember being drawn to the written word and being attracted to the power of what it could unlock. Unfortunately, as I grew older, my writing fell away and it wasn’t until I was in my 30s and had the idea for The Lighthouse that I decided to revisit my childhood hobby.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for your debut novel The Lighthouse, what would it be?   
A chance encounter leads to an enchanting weekend for Amy and Ryan, whose lives are forever changed when they uncover the secrets of Seabrook's mysterious lighthouse.

Something strange is happening in Seabrook. The town's lighthouse–dormant for over thirty years and famously haunted–has inexplicably started shining, and its mysterious glow is sparking feverish gossip throughout the spooked community.

Amy Tucker is only visiting for the night and has no plans to get caught up in the hysteria, but that changes when she meets Ryan, the loyal, hard-working son of a ranch owner who lives on the outskirts of town.

Their chance encounter turns into an unforgettable weekend, and against the backdrop of the lighthouse-obsessed town, the two of them forge a deep connection, opening their hearts, baring their souls, and revealing secrets long kept hidden.

But as they grow closer, and as the lighthouse glows ever brighter, a startling discovery about Ryan leaves Amy questioning everything she thought she knew. To uncover the truth about her new friend, Amy will need to enter Seabrook’s ominous tower, where waiting inside she will not only find the reason why fate has brought them together… but a shocking secret that will change the course of their lives forever.

Debut Spotlight: Heidi Stephens

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on Heidi Stephens on the paperback publication day of her debut novel Two Metres from You. 

© Nick Cole

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your writing journey started?

OK, let’s start with the introductions... I’m Heidi Stephens, I’m 47 and I live with my boyfriend, Pip, in Chippenham in Wiltshire. I have two children, both grown-up and flown the nest, and an 18-month old Labrador called Mabel.

My writing journey began at work, as is often the case for people like me who came to writing novels a little later in life. I’ve made my living in the marketing and advertising industry for over 20 years, including working as a copywriter for lots of brands and advertising agencies, covering everything from vacuum cleaners to face creams, whisky and sex toys.

Since 2008, I’ve also freelanced as a journalist, primarily liveblogging TV shows for The Guardian. Bake Off, Strictly, Eurovision ... all the good stuff.

So, I guess writing, in one form or another, has always been a profession, but also a passion for as long as I can remember. Reading and writing stories were all I ever wanted to do as a child.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for your debut novel Two Metres from You, what would it be?  
It’s a 2020-set romantic comedy about a 32-year-old woman called Gemma who flees her cheating boyfriend and ends up spending lockdown in a west country village with her dog, Mabel. It’s the story of a life-changing six weeks for Gemma and the people she meets in the village – romantic, uplifting and fun.

Love might be closer than you think . . .

Gemma isn't sure what upsets her more. The fact she just caught her boyfriend cheating, or that he did it on her brand-new Heal's cushions.

All she knows is she needs to put as many miles between her and Fraser as humanly possible. So, when her best friend suggests a restorative few days in the West Country, it seems like the perfect solution.

That is, until the country enters a national lockdown that leaves her stranded. All she has for company is her dog, Mabel. And the mysterious (and handsome!) stranger living at the bottom of her garden . . .

Two Metres from You is set during the early days of lockdown, were you worried about how readers would react to a novel set during a pandemic?  
Honestly, in the beginning I never gave it a thought, because it genuinely never occurred to me that this book would ever be published. I’d been furloughed from my job at a marketing agency in London, so it started out as an experiment in ‘can I write a book?’, mostly as a way to fill the time. I chose a lockdown romance because it really helped me navigate a challenging time – somehow documenting what was happening through a fictional lens gave me some kind of control over it.

Debut Spotlight: Emma Christie

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Emma Christie and her debut novel The Silent Daughter which is published tomorrow.

Emma Christie was born and raised in Ayrshire, Scotland. After studying literature and medieval history at Aberdeen University she spent five years as a news journalist with one of the UK’s top-selling regional daily newspapers, The Press and Journal, covering crime and politics. Emma now lives in Barcelona and works as a tour guide and lecturer in history, culture and politics, leading educational journeys across Spain, France, Portugal and Greece. She loves hiking and coffee and volunteered as a translator on a coffee farm in Nicaragua.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your writing journey started? 
I worked as a news journalist for five years and loved it – but realised what I really wanted to do was write fiction. I quit my newspaper job in 2010 to go travelling in Latin American and to start writing more seriously. A few years later I was signed to my fantastic agent, Caroline Hardman – and a few years after that I got a book deal for The Silent Daughter!

If you had to give an elevator pitch for your debut novel The Silent Daughter, what would it be? 
The Silent Daughter follows the struggle of Edinburgh news reporter Chris Morrison as he searches for his daughter, Ruth. She’s registered as missing days after wife has an accident and ends up in a coma. Chris is desperately looking for answers, but instead finds a trail of lies and secrets that leads back to his family.

Deceit runs in the family . . .

Chris Morrison is facing his worst nightmare.

His wife is in a coma.

His daughter is missing.

And the only thing more unsettling than these two events . . . is what might connect them.

Some secrets can change a family for ever.

Which came first for you, the characters or the plot? 
Definitely the characters. In fact I had the main character lingering in my head for years before I finally realised I need to listen to that voice and write the story. Sounds a bit odd, but that’s how it happened.

Debut Spotlight: Chrissey Harrison

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Chrissey Harrison and her debut novel Mime which was published this week.

Chrissey is an author of supernatural thrillers and other spec genre fiction featuring monsters, magic, action and adventure, and fragile human characters trying to muddle through as best they can. They make mistakes and bad choices sometimes, and they have to learn to recognise their own strengths and weaknesses and turn to their friends and loved ones for help and support.

Her debut novel, Mime, was published in July 2020. Working on this book has been an epic 10 year journey learning how to be a writer. In that time she has published multiple short stories including novelette The Star Coin Prophesy and most recently Henchman in the anthology Forgotten Sidekicks from Kristell Ink.

She is a science geek, gamer, fan of sci-fi and fantasy, and wearer of many hats. Metaphorical hats, that is, not so much real hats. At the moment she mostly wears her writer hat, her graphic designer hat and her crafter hat.

She lives in Clevedon, North Somerset, in a creaky old Victorian terrace with her partner and her 18 year-old goldfish, Ambition. You can follow her fish on Twitter if you like (@AquariumDays). One day she will own a cat... one day.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how your writing journey started? 
Hi Sharon, thanks for having me on your blog. I’m Chrissey and I’ve been writing seriously for about 10 years now. I used to dabble in fiction as a kid and as a teen, but I drifted away from it in my early 20s. When I was 26, I was making a short film with a group of friends and in that creative atmosphere the idea for Mime was born. Thinking back on my younger years and my passion for fiction, I decided to have a go at writing the idea as a novel. I mean how hard could it be? 

Answer? Hard! I quickly realised I had a lot to learn. Mime has routinely been on the back burner while I built up the toolkit of skills to do it justice. The good thing was that the challenge never put me off. I’ve loved every minute of the journey.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for your debut novel Mime, what would it?
“Paranormal journalist takes on demon mime artist.”

Or if it’s a tall building with a lot of floors:

What starts out as an investigation into several unnatural deaths turns into a cross country quest which takes journalists Elliot and Sam to dusty libraries, secret crypts and forgotten tunnels. For Elliot the journey is about discovering his true purpose in life and forgiving himself for past mistakes. For Sam it’s about accepting her past trauma and facing her fears.

Debut Spotlight: Roz Levens

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Roz Levens and her debut novel Pack of Lies which was published last month.

Roz Levens has always been nosey. Don't take her for a cup of coffee, because she'll be watching the people behind you, and scribbling notes like 'lampshade hat, odd knees, likes cats' onto the back of a receipt scavenged from the depths of her bag.

'Pack of Lies' is Roz's first voyage into noveldom. Previously she has been published in lots of anthologies of short stories, and she won the coveted Worcester LitFest Flash Slam Challenge of 2017 . It's the only trophy she's ever won, if you don't count shares in a youth club ten pin bowling cup back in nineteen hundred and frozen to death.

She plots while walking Reg, her border collie. Oh, the tales he could tell...

Nervously, I got into the car. This was going to be the longest trip that I had taken since lockdown began, ten weeks previously, and my heart was hammering. The old red Vauxhall groaned and rattled all the way to my destination, and I prayed to the God of Knackered Old Cars to let me get there in one piece, without breaking down or blowing up.

After just half an hour the city sign appeared. Cautiously, I joined the traffic in the right-hand filter lane and pulled into the car park, checking my phone as I put the handbrake on.

‘Silver Merc, far side, under trees, boot open.’

Debut Spotlight: Hayley Walsh

Today it's the turn of Australian author Hayley Walsh to be featured in the debut spotlight.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
I have always loved to write. I live in Sydney Australia with my wonderful man and his two young boys. I work as a Clinical Nurse Consultant in Aged Care, in my day job. Telling a fun story women can relate to is great therapy for me. Australians have a great sense of humour, and I enjoy showcasing this in my books.  I started to write my first full novel 4 years ago, and have just published my first work titled Crayons and Chaos, my little novella. 

Where did the inspiration for your novella Crayons and Chaos come from? 
It is a fun story inspired by my real life experience of becoming an instant step mum to two young boys, at the age of forty one, having no children of my own.
I wanted children of my own, but life had other plans for me. Following a marriage breakup, I fell in love with a wonderful man, who had two young boys from a previous relationship.

A few months into our relationship, I was introduced to his offspring. We discussed having his kids week on and week off, meaning I would be taking on a lot, as my partner works shift work. I thought, what the hell am I getting myself into? I dived in head first, despite my fears.

Suddenly I was a step mum to two boisterous boys, and my life has never been the same since. My life as I knew it, had changed forever.

Real life is often the best inspiration for a story. This book is a light-hearted romp through the ups and downs of step parent-hood. A large chunk of the plot is based on true events, with a bit of poetic justice thrown in.

It was a fun story to write, as I reflected on both challenging moments, and some great laughs with the kids. I hope my readers enjoy the story of Natalie, and her experience of wrangling two miniature terrorists.

Describe Natalie in three words.
Real
Strong
Honest

Debut Spotlight: Jodé Millman

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Jodé Millman and her debut novel The Midnight Call.

Jodé Susan Millman is the author of the bestselling Seats: New York Theatre guidebooks. Her debut novel, The Midnight Call, was short-listed for the Clue Award and was designated as “Best Police Procedural” by Chantireviews.com. She is an attorney who blogs about publishing law and is the co-host and co-producer of the popular podcast Backstage with the Bardavon (available on iTunes, Spotify and GooglePlay).

Visit her at www.jodesusanmillman.com or on Facebook @JodeSusanMillmanAuthor.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
My writing journey began with my father, Sandy Millman. In 1998, he’d authored a guidebook to Broadway called “Seats: New York - 180 Seating plans to New York Metro Area Theatres, Concert Halls and Stadiums.” When he unexpectedly passed away, Hal Leonard Publishing asked me to promote the book and to continue the best-selling series in his absence. It has been a great honor and homage to my Dad to be able to continue his legacy. 

Around 2010, the internet rendered the book obsolete, so I decided it was time to start the novel that I’d had brewing in my head for so long.

From that point through 2018, the road was bumpy. It took me about three or four years to write “The Midnight Call,” and like every writer, I received numerous agent rejections. In 2015, I was signed by an agency, but shortly thereafter, I lost my agent to an illness. 

Then, in 2018, I finally I got a break. I entered #PitMad twitter contest, and was discovered by my publisher, Immortal Works. My publisher is very author-oriented, and have been wonderfully communicative and supportive throughout the publication process.
You never know what is waiting around the corner.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for The Midnight Call, what would it be?
A pregnant attorney unknowingly risks her career, her relationship, her life and unborn child to aid her mentor when he’s accused of murder.

Debut Spotlight: H.R. Kemp

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author H.R. Kemp and her debut novel Deadly Secrets which is published today.

A little about me
I live in a beachside suburb of Adelaide, South Australia and enjoy walks along the beach in a range of different weather. I grew up in the country area just outside of Melbourne, Australia. When I was young, my family moved a lot, hence I lived on a horse farm, a dairy farm, a sheep farm and in a small country town, before we finally settled on a small holding growing fruit trees (my favourite was cherries). Holidays were spent picking (and sometimes eating more than picking) cherries for pocket money.

I’ve always scribbled snippets of short stories, poems and random scenes from an early age. I started by writing mysteries for my younger brother’s entertainment. My first degree was a Bachelor of Science majoring in Chemistry which I followed a few years later with a Graduate Diploma of Education. However, making a living and raising a family preoccupied me for many years and the only writing I did was business documents which cramped any creative style. 

My working life had the usual casual jobs when younger then I built a long and successful career in the public service which spanned roles as diverse as Management trainer, Team Facilitator, Statistician and Laboratory assistant. Finally, when the family was grown and mostly independent, and my retirement was in sight, I returned to creative writing. I devoured short courses and the ‘how-tos’ started to supplement the ‘what-ifs’ in my head. A plot idea, focused on the politics of the time, grew, and a six-month Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing at the University of Adelaide propelled me forward. 

To my delight, I’ve had 3 short stories recently published. ‘A Present of Presence’ in the auspicious anthology ‘When Stars Will Shine’ (Dec 2019) which raises money for the help4heroes charity (UK), and ‘Reunited’ (Jan 2020) and ‘Unforgivable’ (Oct 2019) appeared in the Writers’ and Readers’ Magazine. 

Debut Spotlight: Karen Moore

Today it is my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Karen Moore and her debut novel Torn which was published last October.

Karen Moore is passionate about all things noir – crime, mystery, thrillers – and writes in that genre.

She has been writing all her life, mostly for work purposes, and is now delighted to be able to spend more time developing her own creative work.

Her debut novel, Torn, is a dark tale of intrigue and betrayal set in Sicily and North Wales. She is currently working on the sequel.

Karen worked as a tour guide across Europe, North America and Canada, followed by a career in PR and marketing. She has lived in France and Italy and is now based in Cheshire, England.

You can find Karen on Facebook and Twitter.

What first got you into writing and why?
I’ve always enjoyed writing since I was a child – I was the one with lots of pen-pals who I’d write to regularly and at great length, in addition to all the fantastical stories I’d make up. I found language fascinating and relished the chance to discover and disappear into a world of my own creation. Being an only child with imaginary friends and a vivid imagination helped enormously.

I went on to develop a career in PR and marketing where writing was a key requirement and a creative streak certainly helped. It wasn’t until much later in life that I started to dedicate more time to developing my own writing.

Debut Spotlight: Drēma Drudge

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on Drēma Drudge and her debut novel Victorine which is published today. Congratulations Drēma.

Drēma Drudge suffers from Stendhal’s Syndrome, the condition in which one becomes overwhelmed in the presence of great art. She attended Spalding University’s MFA in Creative Writing Program where she learned to transform that intensity into fiction.

Drēma has been writing in one capacity or another since she was nine, starting with terrible poems and graduating to melodramatic stories in junior high that her classmates passed around literature class.

She and her husband, musician and writer Barry Drudge, live in Indiana where they record their biweekly podcast, Writing All the Things, when not traveling. Her first novel, Victorine, was literally written in six countries while she and her husband wandered the globe. The pair has two grown children.

In addition to writing fiction, Drēma has served as a writing coach, freelance writer, and educator. She’s represented by literary agent Lisa Gallagher of Defiore and Company.

My debut novel, Victorine, features Victorine Meurent, a forgotten, accomplished painter who posed nude for Edouard Manet’s most famous, controversial paintings such as Olympia and The Picnic in Paris, paintings heralded as the beginning of modern art. History has forgotten (until now) her paintings, despite the fact that she showed her work at the prestigious Paris Salon multiple times, even one year when her mentor, Manet’s, work was refused.

Her persistent desire in the novel is not to be a model anymore but to be a painter herself, despite being taken advantage of by those in the art world, something which causes her to turn, for a time, to every vice in the Paris underworld, leading her even into the catacombs.

Debut Spotlight: Nathan Snow

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on Nathan Snow and his debut novel You'll Be Back which was published last month.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey?
I’m Nathan, 38 years old and from Manchester.  As well as a writer, I work during the day in digital content and also I am a guest blogger, writing about everything from 80s nostalgia to national level motorsport.  

I started writing in 1995, when I was still a teenager.  I’ve always loved writing stories and reading but it wasn’t something that was encouraged when I was at school, so I just did it in my spare time.

I studied Writing For Publication for four years when I was in my early 20s.  This was in the early 2000s, there wasn’t much help or support for indie publishing and the general advice was that being published was a distant dream.  I didn’t try to publish anything as there was no chance of ever getting into print. I worked in telecoms, insurance, and as a PA before settling on my current career.

Two years ago I reunited with an old friend that I used to study with, he challenged me to write 2500 words, that became You’ll Be Back.  The most surreal part was getting my first author copies, seeing my own words in print took some getting used to.

I planned on having a year off writing, but was advised that wasn’t the best idea, so a week after releasing the first book, the second book was started.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for You’ll Be Back, what would it be?
Nick moved to London from Manchester so his girlfriend, Nat, could pursue a dream career on national radio in London.  He finds out she has been cheating on him, so he returns to his hometown, Manchester. He wants to write his latest book and possibly find someone new, but life has other ideas.

Nick Carlson used to think he had life worked out. Having given up his dream of being a radio DJ, choosing to become a crime writer, he thought life would be simple. Then his girlfriend is offered the opportunity of a lifetime, hosting a breakfast show in London. Life looked to be just about perfect.

When he finds out she has been cheating on him, he moves to Manchester to start again.

All he wants is to release his next novel, find someone new and avoid both embarrassing situations and his ex.

He is about to find out, life isn't as simple as just walking away.

You’ll Be Back is a break-up comedy.  What inspired it?
It was actually my love of radio.  I wanted to set up my own internet radio station a few years ago, it turned out to be an impossible dream but I learned so much about the industry and turned that into the radio element of the book.

Debut Spotlight: T. L. Mahrt

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author T L Mahrt and her debut novel Withstanding the Enemy.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
My Pen name is T L Mahrt but I go by Traci. I have been a stay-at-home mom for four years, now, to two beautiful children (ages 9, 4). Before, I was a business owner of a salon and spa. When my son was born, he was diagnosed with DYRK1A Syndrome and about 5 months later, my daughter fell off a high-diving board onto the concrete and now is a warrior of a TBI (traumatic brain injury). 

I have been journal sense I was a young girl. So, with staying at home to raise my children, writing has also became like a life line to me at time. It was also allowed me to have the flexible schedule to accommodate my busy life.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for Withstanding the Enemy, what would it be? 
Emma Andrews desires a life of freewill and must learn her own personal strengths and reality, if she has any hope of escape the clutches her captor, she must win the battle between her heart and her mind, and she may be in luck with the help from someone, who can only see the fighter in her.

Emma Andrews was orphaned at a young age with no family to turn to. Tired of the broken foster-care system, and believing it was her only option, she runs to a multi-millionaire with a reputation of hiring young women. It is only then that she learns what real monsters look like…

Emma uses her overactive imagination to help her get through the toughest of days. By daydreaming a life full of love and freewill, she manages her colorless prison, but even in her wildest dreams, she would have never imagined it could become a reality. That is, until she meets Chance, a man willing to lay his life down to save hers.

But what Emma doesn’t expect is to fight her own personal demons—her heart.

Debut Spotlight: Eleni Kyriacou

Today is my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on journalist and author Eleni Kyriacou and her debut novel She Came to Stay which is published tomorrow.

How She Came To Stay was created
There are so many ways to write a novel. This is how I did it.

Rejection: it can make you (after it breaks you)
I’d always wanted to write a novel but just didn’t know what it should be about. Like most people, life got in the way and I didn’t apply myself seriously until I was in my 40s. 

But the first novel I wrote wasn’t very good – I got several rejections and had feedback from one agent that can be summed up as ‘you can do better than this’. It was heart-breaking after a  year’s solid work, while looking after our children and also being self-employed as a freelance journalist, but I knew in my bones that the agent was right. I put that novel to one side (to this day I haven’t looked at it again) and decided to start something fresh. 

She also told me that in her experience, many debut novelists already had at least one, if not more, books in a drawer that would never be published. Once this had sunk in, it actually made me feel a lot better and I realised that my first book was my practice run. Now it was time to get serious. 

Debut Spotlight: Abigail Yardimci

Today I'm shining the spotlight on author Abigail Yardimci and her debut novel Life is Yours.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
My name is Abi and I’m an author, blogger and creative mindfulness practitioner. I live by the sea in Devon with two terrifying kids and a Turkish husband. I love to write and get my kicks through mindful parenting styles, creative living and chocolate.

I was born and raised in the North East of England and both of my parents were journalists. I remember always being surrounded by books, music and lively conversation. I loved all forms of creativity but I was happiest sat at my mam’s typewriter making up stories (yes, I can remember typewriters!).

I excelled at English and Art and did anything I could to avoid PE and Maths. I remember my English teachers’ exasperated reactions as I used to hand in pages and pages of stories. God knows how many hours they had to stay up at night to mark that lot!

I studied Creative Arts at university which included Creative Writing at first. However, I didn’t jive with all of the teaching styles and instead turned my focus to community and educational arts. I went on to start a business in arts education which I LOVED but it took over my life and writing was forced to take a back seat.

I didn’t really pick writing back up until I had a huge shift in my life when a long-term relationship ended, along with my much-loved business. The year 2006 changed everything for me and writing took hold of my heart again so I could find my way through this difficult time.  

It started off with just using my journal and writing a few poems, but eventually, as a result of the most emotionally tumultuous year I’d had to that point, I started to write a novel based on my own lived experience. That novel turned into a trilogy and the first one, Life Is Yours, has just been published by Britain’s next Bestseller. It really is a massive dream come true.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for Life is Yours, what would it be? 
Life is Yours is a sweet, sassy and soulful story that kicks heartbreak to the kerb – something we could all do with at least once in our lives!

Who can say what has brought Jess and Lindy together?

Maybe it's the beach, the stars and the warm Turkish night air. But they may as well get settled for the night, because Jess has a story to tell and Lindy is ready to listen . . .

Jess had life sorted. A gang of great mates, an adoring fiancé and a thriving business – she couldn't have asked for more. But the proverbial rug is whipped out from under her feet when the fiancé makes a sharp exit on New Year's Eve. Therein follows the Week From Hell, eternally streaked mascara and Chardonnay-a-plenty.

But this is the story of a woman on a path. Sure, there are a number of trips and falls along the way but Jess is on a journey that will change her life. On a boring business course, she remembers what she really wants; in strange new friendships, new ideas grow; and a last-minute discount holiday to Turkey helps her heart wake up to a whole new rhythm.

A rhythm that is just beginning to get going . . .

Debut Spotlight: Chris McDonald

Today it's my pleasure to be on the blog tour for blogger turned author Chris McDonald's debut novel A Wash of Black which is published tomorrow.

Welcome Chris, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
Hello, my name is Chris McDonald. I am a 31-year-old primary school teacher and I live in Marple, which is just south of Manchester. I have two wonderful children and an equally wonderful wife. I started a blog last January to try and force me to read more. As I was reading an assortment of great crime books, an idea I’d had ten years ago at university came back to me, and I thought I’d have a go at getting it down on paper. It snowballed from there!

If you had to give an elevator pitch for A Wash of Black, what would it be? 
IT'S NOT LIFE THAT IMITATES ART. IT'S DEATH.

Anna Symons. Famous. Talented. Dead.

When the body of a famous actress is found mutilated on an ice rink in Manchester, recreating a scene from a blockbuster film she starred in years ago, DI Erika Piper must find the culprit; the media-dubbed ‘Blood Ice Killer.’ Having recently returned to work after suffering a near fatal attack herself, she must once again prove her worth. But when another body is found, and the killer issues a personal threat, Erika must put her demons aside and crack the case, or suffer the deadly consequences.

How did the title come about?
It’s working title was Neck Deep, for no other reason than I love the band. When I was searching for a quote to put at the start of the book (I love a good quote) relating to the story, this one from Da Vinci came up, and I thought it was perfect!

‘A painter should begin every canvas with a wash of black, because all things in nature are dark except where exposed by the light.’

Debut Spotlight: Audla English

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Audla English and her award-winning debut novel The Last Village which was published last October.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
Lovely to meet you Sharon and thank you again for the interview. I am Audla English- which is quite apt as I am English and live in the glorious North East of the country; a beautiful part which is steeped in history, greenery, sea, sand but perhaps not sun!

I have always wanted to be a writer and used to make picture books of stories when I was a child, some of which I still have. It took me 15 years of being a ‘grown up’ until I reminisced about those happy days and I was brave enough to write again.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for The Last Village, what would it be? 
I would simply say that ‘The Last Village’ is a love story to bind the generations. If you love or miss your Gran- you should read this book!

The majestic Souter Lighthouse stands proudly at the edge of the cliff top surrounded by open grassy empty fields and overlooking a vast blue wilderness. Anna Charles knows nothing of the life that her grandmother once had here. It wasn’t until an unexpected engagement, that Anna discovered the past of her Gran and the truth behind an enduring love.

Seventy years earlier, Lillian Smith, had been part of the close-knit community that once thrived in the village that existed next to the lighthouse. A chance meeting with a sailor one day, would change the course of her life forever.

What inspired you to write a timeslip novel?  
I was hugely inspired by my late Gran as well as the coastal setting of South Tyneside in the North East of England. The novel is a dual-time line historical fiction which details the life of Lily, a young woman growing up with her friends in 1945 whereas the other side of the story, in 2017, is about Anna and her own discovery of her grandmother’s past life- it is a novel which spans and binds the generations through family and friendship. 

Debut Spotlight: Helen Buckley

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Helen Buckley and her debut novel Star in the Shadows which was published in October.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey? 
Hi! I’m Helen Buckley. I live in Bedfordshire with my husband and son. I always dreamed of being a writer when I was little, but I never truly thought I could write a novel. It seemed impossible. 

It was only when my husband and I were experiencing infertility and I was feeling really low that I turned to writing as an escape. I completed my first novel, Star in the Shadows just as we completed our first IVF – and I got pregnant with my son. That’s why Star in the Shadows is dedicated to my son Donovan. 

Since then, I can’t stop writing! I have completed my second novel and I am working on my third.

If you had to give an elevator pitch for Star in the Shadows, what would it be? 
About a teen runaway turned popstar, and the family she loves and leaves behind, Star in the Shadows is a gritty, dramatic and romantic read about fame, shame, family, and love.

The world thinks that pop superstar Kiara Anderson has it all, but she spends her nights drinking away memories of her childhood and life as a teen runaway. 

The Jacobs family are desperate to see the girl next door again and discover why she ran away, especially their son, Shane, who blames himself for her disappearance. 

When Kiara's manager forces her into a reveal-all TV interview, she knows the family she loved more than her own will finally discover the truth. 

Can she overcome her demons or will the shadows of the past rob her of fame, fortune, and a chance to finally fall in love?

Which came first, the character or the plot?
I had the story in my head for a long time, but the plot developed over the course of writing the novel – so I would say the character, Kiara, came first. I was fascinated with the idea of writing about someone in the public eye who had come from a challenging background and was still carrying the shadows of their past with them.

Debut Spotlight: David Western

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author David Western and his debut novel Gertie's War which was published in September.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey?
I’m married to Sandra, (a Mumbles, Swansea girl) and am a father and a grandfather. 

I was born too many years ago in Ripon, Yorkshire. My father served in the RAF and so I had a rather nomadic childhood, moving every 2-3 years. Which undoubtedly had a significant impact on my personality and not all of it good. 

I ended up working for a national bank for thirty-nine years and had some great experiences. It’s not as boring a career as people imagine, especially as I finished up in an investigator/inspection role. 

My banking career also involved several relocations until I arrived in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, where I’ve lived for over thirty years. 

When did you start writing?
I think I’ve always had an interest in reading, writing and history. I didn’t do as well in my A-levels as I should have done because I became diverted by the desire to write an epic sci-fi novel. It took preference over study and revision but that’s what happens when the writing bug strikes. I dabbled in writing short pieces over the years, always wishing I could find that story that is said to be inside all of us. Where was mine? 

Shortly after retiring I revived my lifelong passion for writing by attending local Creative Writing classes. The result has been a book of short stories, plays and poems for family and friends, and Gertie’s War.

What made you write Gertie’s War?
I had no choice, she became a real pest, nagging for her story to be told. Out of nowhere, the inspiration for Gertie’s War came from a creative writing class exercise which triggered a series of “what if?” questions that I had to investigate. In addition, several things that I read about around that time, lead and fed the story’s direction. Telling her story became a definite obsession. It took me about a year to write, edit and re-edit several times. 

Debut Spotlight: Alex Hudson

Today it's my pleasure to be shining the spotlight on author Alex Hudson and her debut novel Beyond Redemption which was published earlier this week.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your writing journey?
I live on the South East Coast of England now, but I started my working life in London at Universal Pictures/MCA records and met many popular celebrities, it was a lot of fun. Eventually, I moved to the West country and had the opportunity to work as a guide at the amazing Longleat House for Lord Bath. It was here that I found my love of history, particularly the 18th century. Strangely, I didn't get on well with history when I was at school.

I am a member of the Historical Novel Society and the Historical Writes Forum.

I love writing, its almost an addition, it has a way of running away with me and I always say that 'I don't write it - it writes me.' My husband reads my work out to me while I make the edits. It sometimes feels that my characters live in our house with us as he knows them as well as I do!

If you had to give an elevator pitch for Beyond Redemption, what would it be?
Beyond Redemption is a blend of deceit, trickery and murder set in the dark times of Georgian England. 

Debut Spotlight: G D Sanders

Today is eBook publication day for The Taken Girls and it's my absolute pleasure to be kicking off the blog tour by shining the spotlight on debut author G D Sanders with a guest post about his path to becoming a published novelist.

G D Sanders has previously worked in academia. He is now retired and enjoys writing contemporary crime fiction, as it allows much more creativity than writing scientific research articles. He is based in London. The Taken Girls is his first novel.

I had a manuscript, I found an agent and we got a two-book deal. It happened overnight, didn’t it? Not quite.

The first time I remember writing something to entertain, I was in the 5th form. It was early February, a chemistry practical class, and I was caught talking to a friend about what I intended to do for the 14th. My punishment was to produce two sides on Saint Valentine’s Day. I spent a morning in the local library reading about the mating habits of various animals and discovered that the mating act is more prolonged in the English frog than in the French species. This stimulated an essay on the looser mating habits of frogs across the channel. 

Many years later, I wrote a comedy sketch based on the moment when two AM radio presenters confused the then Pope with two of the Beatles. It’s probably still in the bottom draw where it languished because I had no idea what to do with it. With a keener commercial eye, I switched back to amorous themes and wrote two episodes of a TV sitcom based on Lonely Hearts ads and posted them to a major television company. The Head of Comedy invited me in for a chat and explained why he could not commission a series. To soften the blow, he told me he was the man who had turned down Fawlty Towers.