Excuses, excuse, excuses. Today’s post was going to be my review of Phoenix Rising by Bryony Pearce for the British Books Challenge. I’m really enjoying the book… but I haven’t finished, mainly due to spending two days battling with thorn trees in the garden. I’m pleased to report I won, but they did put up a good fight and I have a great collection of …
Cheree Alsop’s Top 10 things you need to know about Writing: Daybreak Book tour
I’m really excited to be taking part in the Daybreak book tour. Daybreak is a YA science fiction action adventure by Cheree Alsop. It’s the first book in the ‘Girl from the Stars’ series. Cheree Alsop is an award-winning, best-selling full-time author who has published over 30 books, including two series through Stonehouse Ink. She lives in Utah with her husband, …
“It’s behind you…” or how panto rekindled my love of writing
The start of something. I’m hanging curtains when there’s a knock on the door. We’ve moved eighty miles and lived here for two days. I know no-one. Who on earth could it be? From the battered Land Rover parked across my driveway, I guess the man standing on my doorstep is the farmer at the top of our lane. He’s …
Playlist for Sarah… and all human-alien hybrids far away from home
Playlist for Sarah… and all human-alien hybrids far away from home Music has always been a massive part of my life. I started playing the keyboard sat on my Grandma’s knee, have marched in Brass Bands, earned my living as a singer and still teach piano to whoever wants to learn. It’s no surprise that music plays a big part in …
Instructions for a secondhand Heart by Tamsyn Murray. Book review.
Instructions for a secondhand heart Remember my search for a YA romance to read for Valentine’s Day? Miranda Dickinson suggested Instructions for a secondhand heart by Tamsyn Murray, so I checked it out. Thanks, Miranda. I’m very glad I did. The Cover I thought this was a great cover. You can’t tell from the picture, but the red heart is raised …
I won a book! The Last Day I Saw Her by Lucy Lawrie
The Last Day I Saw Her. I was having a shitty day. I have a trapped nerve in my neck, the window blind in my bedroom jammed and I couldn’t open it, and someone hacked my website. Great! And then a book I won courtesy of Black and White Publishing and Jera’s Jamboree arrived in the post. The Last Day I …
Help! I don’t have a romantic read for Valentine’s Day
A romantic read for Valentine’s Day. A romantic read for Valentine’s Day. That was my idea for February’s British Books Challenge 2017. So, I wanted a YA romance written by a UK author. You wouldn’t think that was too hard. Whilst a lot of the YA books I read have a romantic element in them, I wanted a bit more for Valentine’s …
Split Second – Book Review
Split Second – Book Review To kick off my British Books Challenge 2017, I picked up a copy of Split Second by London-born Sophie McKenzie. I read and enjoyed some of her earlier books and saw her speak at the Hay Festival a couple of years back so I was interested to read more of her work. The description of …
My road to self-publishing part 2
Life in the fast lane Welcome back to my road to self-publishing part 2. Part 1 saw the fledgling manuscript of ShockWaves. my YA action-adventure, appraised by Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. After several edits, they thought it was ready to fly. I opted to let Cornerstones submit for me. Yes, there would be a payment if the manuscript sold, and there was …
British Book Challenge 2017
British Book Challenge 2017 I’ve done it! I know I said I wasn’t going to do any reading challenges this year but I’ve signed up. The British Book Challenge 2017 requires you to read and review just one book by a British author per month. UK authors tend not to get the same amount publicity that those in the US …