BLOG TOUR & REVIEW - All for You - Louise Jensen #PsychologicalThriller

 

TITLE - All for You

AUTHOR - Louise Jensen

GENRE - Psychological Thriller

BUY LINK - Click here

SYNOPSIS - 

MEET THE WALSH FAMILY

Lucy: Loving mother. Devoted wife. And falling to pieces.
Aidan: Dedicated father. Faithful husband. And in too deep.
Connor: Hardworking son. Loyal friend. But can never tell the truth.

Everyone in this family is hiding something, but one secret will turn out to be the deadliest of all . . .

Can this family ever recover when the truth finally comes out?

About the Author

Louise Jensen is a global No.1 bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Louise

has sold over a million copies of her books and her novels have been sold for translation in twenty-five countries, as well as being featured on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers’ lists. Louise was nominated for the Goodreads Debut Author of 2016 Award and the Guardian’s Not the Booker 2018. Louise’s thrillers have been optioned for TV and film.

When Louise isn’t writing thrillers, she turns her hand to penning love stories under the name Amelia Henley. Her debut as Amelia Henley, The Life We Almost Had, is out now.

Louise lives with her husband, children, madcap dog and a rather naughty cat in Northamptonshire. She loves to hear from readers and writers and can be found at www.louisejensen.co.uk, where she regularly blogs flash fiction and writing tips.--This text refers to the paperback edition.

Who doesn't love a good psychological thriller. Even better when it keeps you guessing all the way through. If this is your thing, then you will love the latest book from Louise Jensen, who has really mastered the psychological thriller genre. 

This is about the Walsh family. On the surface a good well respected family. Underneath, full of secrets. It's told from the perspective of Aiden (Dad), Lucy (Mum) and Connor (Son). Kieron the other son is talked about frequently but it is never told from his perspective. A lot of their life revolves around Kieron, who is ill. 

I found Connor a friendly likeable character who was somewhat overlooked in a way by his Mother, who was always running around after Kieron, due to Kieron's illness and frequent hospital visits. Aiden seems to somehow have his own secrets which he is hiding. Lucy annoyed me somewhat but she is a good Mother, and I did warm to her as the boy went on. I did wonder how many families could hide so many different secrets, and it was a good way through the book before it all started being pieced together. 

This is a well written book, with many twists and turns throughout, and it leads you down the garden path sometimes, so what you think is going on, is something entirely different. Very clever! I was drawn in right from the beginning. 

I think it's another triumph from Louise Jensen, who has definitely mastered the craft of the psychological thriller. I think she's up there with some of the best. 

Check out some other reviews from bloggers on the tour. 

Publication Day - Book Review ~ Missing by Erin Kinsley

TITLE - Missing

AUTHOR - Erin Kinsley

BUY LINK - Click here

SYNOPSIS -
A MOTHER WALKS INTO THE SEA . . . AND NEVER COMES BACK. WHY?

One perfect summer day, mother of two Alice walks into the sea . . . and never comes back.

Her daughters - loyal but fragile Lily, and headstrong, long-absent Marietta - are forcibly reunited by her disappearance.

Meanwhile, with retirement looming, DI Fox investigates cold cases long since forgotten. And there's one obsession he won't let go: a tragic death twenty years before.

Can Lily and Marietta uncover what happened to their mother? Will Fox solve a mystery that has haunted him for decades? As their stories unexpectedly collide, long-buried secrets will change their lives in unimaginable ways.

I found this a slow read, but it was still enjoyable. To start with I did not really warm to Marietta, the Sister from Overseas, who loved to travel rather than stay put in one place. She had wanderlust.

Then there was Lily, who seemed to be left to deal with everyone to deal with their Mother who had gone missing. It was then discovered that Alice (their Mother) had drowned. It appeared to be a suicide but no-one knew why she would have done this to herself.

The story then merges with a cold case that is being investigated by DI Fox. The story of an infant found murdered many years ago. It was good how the author merged the two stories together. 

None of it was predictable, and it was good how the two cases were blended by the author. This is a book full of secrets, lies, family drama and family relationships. Well thought out and complex, making it a good read.

Publication Day ~ Book Review ~ Under The Italian Sun by Sue Moorcroft ~ #AvonBooks

 

TITLE - Under The Italian Sun

AUTHOR - Sue Moorcroft

GENRE - Family drama, Female Fiction

BUY LINK - Click Here

SYNOPSIS - 

The #1 bestseller is back with an uplifting, escapist read that will brighten the gloomiest day!

A sun-baked terrace. The rustle of vines. And the clink of wine glasses as the first cork of the evening is popped...

Welcome to Italy. A place that holds the answer to Zia-Lucia Costa Chalmers' many questions. Not least, how she ended up with such a mouthful of a name.

When revelations close to home turn Zia's world upside down, she realises the time has come to search out the Italian family she's never known.

But as she looks for answers, she can't help but notice Piero, the vineyard owner next door - a distraction who may prove difficult to ignore...

This summer, join Zia as she sets out to uncover her past. But can she find the future she's always dreamed of along the way?

The perfect summer read for fans of Katie Fforde and Carole Matthews.

Well I just knew I wasn't going to be disappointed in this book, right from the first few pages. I was hooked and read it in 2 days, which is good for me as I'm a slow reader.

I loved all the characters and their differing personalities. Even controlling Gabriella. Piero just sounded like your ideal man and Zia, the main character was like someone you'd have as a best friend. It was wonderful to travel on Zia's journey with her to find her Italian Family, who she had never met before. She was to discover many family secrets. 

Sue Moorcroft has based her many books in various countries, including France Malta and Switzerland. The wonderful descriptive writing of the areas, especially in this book with its vineyards, makes you feel you have personally been there before. Ms Moorcroft really brings the areas to life.

A wonderful read, albeit with some traumas included; a feelgood book, full of love and friendships.

Publication Day ~ Book Review ~ The Players by Darren O'Sullivan ~ #Thriller

 

TITLE - The Players

AUTHOR - Darren O'Sullivan

GENRE - Thriller

BUY LINK - Click here

SYNOPSIS - 

In this game it’s kill or be killed

‘Brilliantly dark, sinister and twisted’ Lisa Hall

A stranger has you cornered.
They call themselves The Host.
You are forced to play their game.
In it one person can live and the other must die.

You are the next player.
You have a choice to make.
This is a game where nobody wins…

A gripping, must-read thriller for fans of THE CHAIN and THE HOLDOUT and readers of Steve Cavanagh and John Marrs

Wow! What an exhilarating read. This book infiltrated my dreams, and will stick with me for some time. 

The Plot is so well thought and and keeps you on the edge of your seat. There are many characters involved in the book, but it is very easy to follow who is who due to the way it is written. 

I really admired the main protagonist, DI Karen Holt. She was hardworking, feisty and determined. The way her relationship with her DS had been portrayed was an integral part to the story. 

If you've not read anything by this Author, I definitely recommend that you do. This is his best work yet and for it it has to be my book of the year in it's genre. 

See my reviews for other Darren O'Sullivan books, Closer Than You Think and Dark Corners

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Darren O'Sullivan is the author of #1 bestsellers, OUR LITTLE SECRET, CLOSE YOUR EYES and

CLOSER THAN YOU THINK. His latest, DARK CORNERS came out April 2020. His next. The Players, is due for publication in Jan 2021

When Darren isn't writing, he is usually rolling around on the floor, pretending to be a pirate with his 5 year old.

You can follow him on Twitter/instagram @Darrensully or on Facebook via his author page Darren O'Sullivan-author

For Darren's Amazon page for all his other books  Click here

Publication Day ~ The Watchmaker of Dachau by Carly Schabowski

 

PUBLICATION DAY!

TITLE - The Watchmaker of Dachau

AUTHOR - Carly Schabowski

GENRE - World War 2 historical novel

BUY LINK - Click here

BOOK BLURB - 

An unforgettable novel of human kindness, inspired by an incredible true story.
Snow falls and a woman prepares for a funeral she has long expected, yet hoped would never come. As she pats her hair and straightens her skirt, she tells herself this isn’t the first time she’s lost someone. Lifting a delicate, battered wristwatch from a little box on her dresser, she presses it to her cheek. Suddenly, she’s lost in memory…

January 1945, Dachau, Germany. As the train rattles through the bright, snowy Bavarian countryside, the still beauty outside the window hides the terrible scenes inside the train, where men and women are packed together, cold and terrified. Jewish watchmaker Isaac Schüller can’t understand how he came to be here, and is certain he won’t be leaving alive.

When the prisoners arrive at Dachau concentration camp, Isaac is unexpectedly pulled from the crowd and installed in the nearby household of Senior Officer Becher and his young, pretty, spoiled wife. With his talent for watchmaking, Isaac can be of use to Becher, but he knows his life is only worth something here as long as Becher needs his skills.

Anna Reznick waits table and washes linens for the Bechers, who dine and socialise and carry on as if they don’t constantly have death all around them. When she meets Isaac she knows she’s found a true friend, and maybe more. But Dachau is a dangerous place where you can never take love for granted, and when Isaac discovers a heartbreaking secret hidden in the depths of Becher’s workshop, it will put Anna and Issac in terrible danger…

I have always "enjoyed" (although not sure if that is the correct word to use) books based in concentration camps and have found myself fully immersed in the lives of people who lived through those horrific years. This book was no different, but the main location this time, being Dachau and not Auschwitz. 

Like others, this is a heartbreaking story. It's full of suffering, death, but also full of warm friendships that have formed through these times of adversity. 

Isaac is the "Watchmaker" and is sent to work at the house of Sturmbannfuhrer Becher. This wasn't just to fix watches but to do all sorts of tasks that was demanded of him. Also introduce into the mix, warm characters like Greta, the cook from the local village; Anna, also from the camp, who works in the house alongside Greta and Friedrich, the son of the Sturmbannfuhrer. 

The author has built some great relationships amongst the characters of both the camp and the household. I have to admit to tears in parts. I liked how the author had split chapters into the different characters, allowing you to get to know the character better. 

The only part that I didn't always feel connected to, was the characters written about J.A.L. You find out more about who this relates to at the end of the book. Because I didn't see how it fitted in, I got a bit bored with it. 

All in all I thought this was a well written book, full of great people; full of historical intrigue and an insight into the lives of those that made it, or didn't make it, through those horrific times.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me the chance to read and review this book. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Carly lives in a tiny cottage in Oxfordshire, with barely enough room to swing a cat. Yet, she has managed to dwell in such a hobbit-type abode for some years with her two dogs, who keep her company as she reads, writes, eats crisps, and drinks the occasional gin.An occasional runner, gym goer, and walker, Carly is also an habitual binge-watcher of box sets and reader of anything she can get her hands on, including the back of cereal boxes.

Her interest in WWII history spans from a familial connection, and inspired her to complete a PhD regarding the author's responsibility to historical fiction. Whilst an achievement, she gained 20 lbs, and became a hermit.

Publication Day Book Review - The Violinist of Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood - #TrueStory #WW2 #Holocaust

 

TITLE - The Violinist of Auschwitz

AUTHOR - Ellie Midwood

GENRE - Based on a true story, WW2, Holocaust

SYNOPSIS - 
Auschwitz, 1943: In the depths of hell, can hope rise? And can love triumph over hatred?

Based on the unforgettable true story of Alma Rosé, The Violinist of Auschwitz brings to life one of history’s most fearless, inspiring and courageous heroines. Alma’s bravery saved countless lives, bringing hope to those who had forgotten its meaning…

In Auschwitz, every day is a fight for survival. Alma is inmate 50381, the number tattooed on her skin in pale blue ink. She is cooped up with thousands of others, torn from loved ones, trapped in a maze of barbed wire. Every day people disappear, never to be seen again.

This tragic reality couldn’t be further from Alma’s previous life. An esteemed violinist, her performances left her audiences spellbound. But when the Nazis descend on Europe, none of that can save her…

When the head of the women’s camp appoints Alma as the conductor of the orchestra, performing for prisoners trudging to work as well as the highest-ranking Nazis, Alma refuses: “they can kill me but they won’t make me play”. Yet she soon realizes the power this position offers: she can provide starving girls with extra rations and save many from the clutches of death.

This is how Alma meets Miklos, a talented pianist. Surrounded by despair, they find happiness in joint rehearsals, secret notes, and concerts they give side by side––all the while praying that this will one day end. But in Auschwitz, the very air is tainted with loss, and tragedy is the only certainty… In such a hopeless place, can their love survive?

This devastatingly heartbreaking yet beautifully hopeful tale proves that even in the darkest of days, love can prevail––and give you something to live for. Fans of The Choice, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Orphan Train will lose their hearts to this magnificent tale.

I have read some really great books based at Auschwitz and have an interest in the Holocaust. I have to say this is one of the best books I've read in this subject matter. 

Alma, the main protagonist, comes across as a warm and friendly person. She coped amazingly during such an awful period of our history, helping others to survive in the process. 

The author has written a great story, merging both fact and fiction. The characters were really brought to life; not just Alma but also Dr Death himself, Dr Josef Mengele. 

A must read book I couldn't put down. 

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher Bookouture for allowing me to read and review this book. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Ellie Midwood is a USA Today bestselling and award-winning historical fiction author.

She owes her interest in the history of the Second World War to her grandfather, Junior Sergeant in the 2nd Guards Tank Army of the First Belorussian Front, who began telling her about his experiences on the frontline when she was a young girl.

Growing up, her interest in history only deepened and transformed from reading about the war to writing about it.

The Life We Almost Had - Debut novel from Amelia Henley ~ Publication Day! Book Review

 

TITLE - The Life We Almost Had

AUTHOR - Amelia Henley

BUY LINK - Click Here

SYNOPSIS -
This is not a typical love story, but it’s our love story.

Anna wasn’t looking for love when Adam swept her off her feet but there was no denying their connection, and she believed they would be together forever.

Years later, cracks have appeared in their relationship. Anna is questioning whether their love can really be eternal when a cruel twist of fate delivers a crushing blow, and Anna and Adam are completely lost to one another. Now, Anna needs Adam more than ever, but the way back to him has life-changing consequences.

Is a second chance at first love really worth the sacrifice? Anna needs to decide and time is running out…

A beautiful and emotional love story that asks, how far would you go for a second chance at first love? Perfect for fans of The Man Who Didn’t Call and Miss You.

‘A love story with a definite difference . . . intensely emotional’
Best

‘Beautifully written and plotted. Get ready for the final chapter – you have been warned’
Candis

‘Intriguing, unusual and intensely romantic’
Sunday Mirror

This is the debut novel from Amelia Henley It is a romance novel but with a real difference. 

I've been looking forward to this as the Author also writes under the name of Louise Jensen, but in the psychological thriller genre. How easy was it going to be to switch genres? I looked forward to finding out. I wasn't disappointed at all. 

This isn't your run of the mill "boy meets girl". It starts of with a wedding that never was, and a honeymoon that wasn't a honeymoon. Following me so far? 

This is the story of Anna, a character I took to from the start; vulnerable; caring and a good friend. Then introduce Adam; smart; good looking and also caring. The ideal man. 

This book has you going through all sets of emotions. The core of the book in an intriguing subject. One reviewer described it as far fetched, but is it? Who knows? Technology exists I'm sure. It's certainly a subject that I'm off to look at and I'm sure the Author thoroughly researched it to. Her passion in it shines through in her writing. 

It was a really enjoyable read and a good move for the Author into a different genre. I look forward to more Amelia Henley Novels. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Amelia Henley is a hopeless romantic who has a penchant for exploring the intricacies of relationships through writing heart-breaking, high-concept love stories.

Amelia also writes psychological thrillers under her real name, Louise Jensen. As Louise Jensen she has sold over a million copies of her global number one bestsellers. Her stories have been translated into twenty-five languages and optioned for TV as well as featuring on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestsellers list. Louise's books have been nominated for multiple awards.

'The Life We Almost Had' is the first story she's written as Amelia Henley and it's out now.

Catch up with Amelia on her Website; Facebook; Twitter

LOVE, SECRETS, AND ABSOLUTION ~ @K_L_Loveley – HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY

#LoveSecretsAbsolution by @K_L_Loveley 

#ReleaseBlitz #PublicationDay

 

#giveaway #win signed #book

TITLE: Love, Secrets, and Absolution: An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama.

AUTHOR: K.L Loveley

RELEASE DATE: 1 November 2017

GENRE: Contemporary fiction

PUBLISHER: Globeflower Books

BUY: Amazon USA  – Amazon UK

Add to Goodreads

BOOK BLURB 

People in the village gossip about Grace’s son, Alfie.He’s a lonely boy full of secrets, lies, and obsessive thoughts.How far can a mother’s love go? Will she ultimately sacrifice her life for his?Set in Nottinghamshire, this family drama follows the lives of Grace and Alfie as he transforms from a naïve, young boy into a teenager spiralling out of control.Love, Secrets, and Absolution is a coming of age story with a difference.Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties; will anybody find absolution?

Book Trailer

Giveaway

The Globeflower Agency is offering one lucky winner a signed copy of Love, Secrets, and Absolution, a book bag, and a £25 Amazon gift card. The Rafflecopter giveaway ends on 30 November and is open to everyone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K.L Loveley is a former nurse, who has seen, heard, and dealt with a wide range of medical, social and

family dramas. She has used her nursing experience, along with her excellent people-watching skills to create fascinating characters and intriguing scenarios within her books. She writes contemporary fiction, psychological dramas, and poetry.

Her debut novel Alice was published in February 2017, and the story tackles alcoholism head-on and presents the reader with an empathetic account of a spiraling addiction and the resulting pattern of hopelessness that many fall into.

K.L Loveley’s second novel Love, Secrets, and Absolution: An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama is a coming of age story with a difference. Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, this story is about a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties.

If you enjoy reading authors like Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain, you will enjoy K.L Loveley!

K.L Loveley lives in Nottinghamshire, England and loves socialising with friends and family. She is an avid reader and enjoys a variety of genres including psychological, thrillers and historical fiction. Her favourite authors include John le Carré, K.L Slater, Marian Keyes and Philippa Gregory.

Website   I   Twitter    I   Facebook   I   Goodreads   I    Google+   I   LinkedIn

Giveaway ~ Love, Secrets and Absolution by @K_L_Loveley ~ Psychological family drama @_Globeflower_

An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama

TITLE - Love, Secrets and Absolution

AUTHOR - K L Loveley

Publisher: Globeflower Books / The Globeflower Agency (www.globeflower.co.uk)

Publication day: Wednesday, 1 November 2017

Love, Secrets, and Absolution is available as a pre-order from all Amazon websites UK  // USA

SYNOPSIS

People in the village gossip about Grace’s son, Alfie.

He’s a lonely boy full of secrets, lies, and obsessive thoughts.

How far can a mother’s love go? Will she ultimately sacrifice her life for his?

Set in Nottinghamshire, this family drama follows the lives of Grace and Alfie as he transforms from a naïve, young boy into a teenager spiralling out of control.

Love, Secrets, and Absolution is a coming of age story with a difference.

Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties; will anybody find absolution?

BOOK TRAILER 

A cinematic book trailer for Love, Secrets, and Absolution is available on YouTube at:

EXCERPT

Love, Secrets, and Absolution: An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama.

By K.L Loveley

Grace lifted Alfie out of the royal blue carrycot and gently rocked him in her loving arms, kissing each tear stained cheek, she whispered, ‘I love you, Alfie, I love you with all my heart and I always will.’ Her heart filled with such overwhelming love and devotion, and a determination to be the best possible mother she could be. However, she was already questioning whether she would be good enough for her darling boy.

‘Now, my sweetheart, it is time to leave the hospital. Your father has been working hard to make a nursery for you to sleep and play in.’ She cuddled him and then sighed ‘we are going home, and I for one am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, with your father next to me. I haven’t slept well here, with all those screaming babies’, Alfie whimpered, and Grace reassured him, ‘Don’t worry, I will always keep you close by.’

She returned Alfie to the carrycot, covering him in the afghan blanket her parents had brought him. He cried immediately, and it got louder and louder. It was a piercing cry that hurt her ears and made her head spin. She began to panic. As Paul made his way towards them, he looked worried and asked, ‘Are you alright, Grace? Whatever is wrong with Alfie, his face is scarlet red, he looks very hot!’ Paul removed the afghan blanket, but Alfie continued to scream. ‘Perhaps he is in pain, what shall we do?’ Paul asked. Grace did not answer at first, and when she did, her voice was high-pitched and shaky.

‘I’m not sure, he has been fed and winded, his nappy changed. I really don’t know, it’s the first time this has happened.’ She tried hushing Alfie but no avail. ‘I don’t know what to do,’ she confessed, ‘perhaps I am not going to be any good at this. I feel all stressed and panicky over the smallest thing.’

Paul hugged his wife and took the carry cot from her, ‘Perhaps he will be settled when we get home, come on let’s go to the car.’ As they left the hospital, a fierce wind was blowing outside, so Paul put the hood up on the carrycot and secured the blanket again. Alfie continued to scream fiercely. With his free hand he held his wife’s tiny trembling hand, ‘Come on, Grace, let me drive you home.’

ABOUT THE AUTHOR K.L Loveley is a former nurse, who has seen, heard, and dealt with a wide range of medical, social and family dramas. She has used her nursing experience, along with her excellent

people watching skills to create fascinating characters and intriguing scenarios within her books. She writes contemporary fiction, psychological dramas and poetry.

Her debut novel ‘Alice’ was published in February 2017, and the story tackles alcoholism head-on, and presents the reader with an empathetic account of a spiralling addiction and the resulting pattern of hopelessness that many fall into.

K.L Loveley’s second novel ‘Love, Secrets, and Absolution: An emotional and gripping psychological, family drama’ is a coming of age story with a difference. Deceit, betrayal, love, and addiction, this story is about a family falling apart in the midst of teenage angst and torn loyalties.

If you enjoy reading authors like Jodi Picoult and Diane Chamberlain, you will enjoy K.L Loveley!

K.L Loveley lives in Nottinghamshire, England and loves socialising with friends and family. She is an avid reader and enjoys a variety of genres including psychological, thrillers and historical fiction. Her favourite authors include John le Carré, K.L Slater, Marian Keyes and Philippa Gregory.

You can contact the author in a variety of ways

Website  Goodreads  Google +      

Twitter    Facebook     LinkedIn:    Publisher Globeflower Books 

               

 GIVEAWAY!        

Win a signed copy of Love, Secrets, and Absolution by K.L Loveley and a book (tote) bag

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Blog Post ~ The Stories She Tells by @L_K Chapman ~ Publication Day

TITLE: The Stories She Tells

AUTHOR: LK Chapman

BUY LINK: Click here

SYNOPSIS:

When Michael decides to track down ex-girlfriend Rae who disappeared ten years ago while pregnant with his baby, he knows it could change his life forever. His search for her takes unexpected turns as he unearths multiple changes of identity and a childhood she tried to pretend never happened, but nothing could prepare him for what awaits when he finally finds her.

Appearing to be happily married with a brand-new baby daughter, Rae is cagey about what happened to Michael's child and starts to say alarming things- that her husband is trying to force her to give up her new baby for adoption, that he's attempting to undermine the bond between her and her child, and deliberately making her doubt her own sanity.

As Michael is drawn in deeper to her disturbing claims he begins to doubt the truth of what she is saying. But is she really making it all up, or is there a shocking and heartbreaking secret at the root of the stories she tells?

GUEST BLOG POST ~ Publication Day!

So far, I have had two publication days and I’m in the process of preparing for my third, which will be when The Stories She Tells comes out on the 12 October. My first two publication days have been very different to each other, and I think my next one will be very different again!

When my first novel Networked came out in 2014 my friends and family were very excited, but it wasn’t a big launch because the book was self-published and nobody else really knew about it. It’s all a bit of a blur, but I remember that either on the day itself or very close to it I went on a spa day, and then just checked my sales when I got home!

For my second novel, Anything for Him, publication day was even more low key. I had a newborn baby less than a month old, and all I did on the day was put online social media posts that I’d prepared in advance. I think I only had one or two sales!

Now I’m onto my third book things are quite different. I’ve got a little bit of a following now from people who enjoyed reading Anything for Him, and it’s a wonderful feeling that people are excited for the launch of The Stories She Tells. I’m going to prepare some of my social media posts and website updates in advance like I did for Anything for Him, and try to relax as much as possible in the run up to the day, because I know it’s going to feel quite frantic! My husband will take the day off work, and in the morning my one-year old son will be with us before he goes off to nursery, so I’m hoping my husband will be able to keep my stress levels down! I think the day will mainly be spent in front of the computer. As my e-books are self-published directly with Amazon I can see the sales almost straight away on a graph, so there is quite a bit of sales-graph-checking, plus keeping an eye on my bestseller ranking on Amazon. Hopefully at some point we’ll manage to fit in a celebration dinner and glass of bubbly, but I think by the evening I’ll be exhausted! In a way, I find the lead up to publication day and the day itself a bit overwhelming. It’s exciting but I think I’m happier when I’m quietly and calmly working away on my next book! However, I do have plans to get a cake with the book cover printed on it ready for a celebration with friends later on in October. When publication day preparations overwhelm me, I think about how good it will be to eat that cake!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Louise Katherine Chapman was born in Somerset, UK, in 1986. She studied psychology at

the University of Southampton and has worked as a psychologist creating personality questionnaires for a consultancy company. She has also spent some time volunteering for mental health charity Mind. 

Chapman loves to write because she loves learning about people and she loves stories. A major turning point in her life was the day she realised that no matter how strange, cruel or unfathomable the actions of other people can sometimes be, there is always a reason for it, some sequence of events to be unravelled. Since then she is always asking “why” and “what if” and she is fascinated by real life stories capturing the strength, peculiarities or extremes of human nature. 

LK Chapman’s first novel, Networked, was a sci-fi thriller but now she’s turned her attention to writing psychological suspense. She lives in Hampshire with her husband and young family, and enjoys walks in the woods, video games, and spending time with family and friends.

Catch up with the author on Facebook  // Twitter // Website

Lily Alone by Vivien Brown ~ Q & A with the Author ~ @HarperImpulse

Welcoming Vivien Brown to my blog today following  the "Publication Day" of her Paperback "Lily Alone". She has been kind enough to answer a few questions for me. Welcome Vivien. 

TITLE - Lily Alone

AUTHOR - Vivien Brown

PUBLISHER - Harper Impulse

PUBLICATION DATE - Paperback 5th October 2017

PAGES - 416

BUY LINK - Click here

SYNOPSIS 

What sort of mother would leave her daughter alone? Would you leave a very young child at home on their own – knowing that terrible things can happen in the blink of an eye?

Lily, who is not yet three years old, wakes up alone with only her cuddly toy for company. She is hungry, afraid of the dark, can’t use the phone, and has been told never to open the door to strangers. In the flat downstairs, a lonely and elderly woman keeps herself to herself but wonders at the cries coming from upstairs. Lily’s grandmother frets that she can no longer see her granddaughter since the child’s parents separated. Lily’s father hasn’t seen her for a while. He’s been abroad, absorbed in his new job and his new girlfriend. A young woman lies in a coma in hospital – no one knows her name or who she is, but in her silent dreams, a little girl is crying for her mummy… And for Lily, time is running out.

QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION WITH THE AUTHOR

If you could tell your younger writing self anything, what would it be? 
I started writing poems at about the age of sixteen, and only moved on to fiction in my thirties. Writing was important to me but for too long it remained a hobby, a side line, and although I did start to have a few successes with short stories in magazines, I had no idea just how hard it would turn out to be to get myself, and my work, noticed once I made the decision to take it all seriously. So, if I could go back, the big message would be: Start earlier, treat writing as a job, and give it your all. Don’t let work or family or doubt get in your way, and never use them as an excuse.

What is your favourite childhood book?
I absolutely love picture books. I worked with the under-fives for many years, reading them stories in libraries and children’s centres, organising fun book-related events like outdoor story walks, giving out free Bookstart packs, and advising parents on reading at home. So, I have read literally thousands of picture books, some of them many many times over, and I never tire of them. Picking favourites is hard, but my choices change with circumstances – whether I want to laugh, cry, enjoy the fun rhythm of a great rhyming text, or use a story to help a child deal with one of life’s problems, like loneliness, moving house or grief. I still love the simple magic and old-fashioned world of The Tiger Who Came to Tea, almost 50 years after it was first published, and anything by Julia Donaldson, especially Stick Man, which is a brilliant concept and so cleverly done. My own childhood favourites were the Mr Pinkwhistle books from Enid Blyton, which seem to have been forgotten nowadays in favour of her better known characters like Noddy and The Famous Five.

Do you read your book reviews?
How do you deal with good or bad ones? There is a horrible fascination with reviews that I find it impossible to get away from. Of course, I know that not everyone is going to love my books, but when a one star rating appears on Goodreads with absolutely no written review or comment at all, it’s hard not to want to scream! Not only do I want to ask why, but it lowers the average rating quite dramatically, especially in the early days after publication when the book may only have a handful of reviews. Five star reviews are fantastic, but having too many of them tends to look like an author has enrolled all their friends and family to write them, so I am quite happy to see a good mix of comments and star ratings, provided they are honest and genuine. Being criticised is part and parcel of being a writer, and does sometimes show up a fault or annoying habit that you aren’t aware of but that can be taken on board when writing later books!

Did you ever consider writing under a pseudonym?
I have only actually been Vivien Brown since I got re-married three years ago. I spent many years before that writing as Vivien Hampshire, so I am slowly getting used to living, working and writing under more than one name and trying to remember which one I am in any given circumstance! It actually comes in handy now as Lily Alone is a new genre for me and the change of name has helped me to separate my writing into two distinct halves – magazine fiction, non-fiction and lighter rom-coms as Vivien Hampshire, and the new domestic drama novels as Vivien Brown. I also have another (secret!) identity as Rosie Kent, writer of funny poems for children.

What’s the best money you ever spent as a writer?It’s all very well spending lots of money on laptops, notebooks and fancy pens (the traditional idea of what a writer needs), but there is nothing quite as useful as meeting other writers and industry professionals and learning your craft. No amount of expensive equipment will give you talent or teach you what you need to know to become a competent and successful writer in the current publishing climate. Many years ago I took a risk and spent about £300 to go away on a writer’s holiday to Caerleon in Wales, and I learned so much, and met so many useful contacts and new friends, in that one week that I went back almost every summer for years! Nowadays I attend the annual Romantic Novelists Association conference, where I first met my editor at Harper Collins (so it is where Lily Alone in published form was born!), and I am an active member of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. The membership fees of both organisations are worth their weight in gold.

Have you ever googled yourself and if so what did you find?As Vivien Hampshire, and especially when I was a fairly new writer, I googled often. With such an unusual name, most of the results (and they ran to at least 3 pages) were actually about me! I discovered several things I had been unaware of, including that a poem of mine, ‘The mother of the groom’ which had won a Marriott Hotels competition had now found its way (unofficially) onto a wedding website where it was suggested as a reading at weddings. There was also a subsequent totally fabricated interview in an online magazine, purporting to be with me, announcing me as ‘Londoner of the Day’, and discussing my own feelings as the mother of a groom – even though I have no sons, let alone married ones! I also found that a short novel opening I had written and that had won a Mail on Sunday competition was being used in a Cambridge University Press study workbook for adult learners of English. I couldn’t resist buying a copy out of curiosity! As Vivien Brown, it seems I have a namesake who is a renowned doctor and author of medical books in Canada.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vivien Brown lives in Uxbridge with her husband and two cats. She worked for many years in banking and accountancy, and then, after the birth of twin daughters, made a career switch and started working with young children, originally as a childminder but later in libraries and children’s centres, promoting the joys of reading through story-based activities and training sessions.

As Vivien Hampshire, she has written many short stories for the women’s magazine market and a range of professional articles and book reviews for the nursery and childcare press, in addition to a ‘how to’ book based on her love of solving cryptic crosswords. Now a full time writer, working from home, Vivien is combining novel-writing and her continuing career in magazine short stories with her latest and most rewarding role as doting grandmother to two-year old Penny. 

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