Books in a Series - Likes and Dislikes

I’m going to have a  little moan. I very rarely do it but I feel the time has come to say what I think. Lately I’ve felt disappointed with books that are part of a series and there are a few things that I would really like to see changed. I know nothing may come of this, but I’m curious about how many of my readers either agree or disagree with me.

Firstly I want to look at the things I really don’t like about books in a series.

1) No Page Summary

I know publishers don’t want to do this but honestly it would make reading a long series so much easier. Just a page at the front of the book with a synopsis of the story so far. I read a lot of series and I just don’t have the time to reread them in order to remember what has happened previously. When you watch your favourite TV shows, there is always a quick roundup at the beginning to show you what occurred in  the previous episode, so why can’t we have that in books?  It isn’t as though this information isn’t readily available – I only have to head over to Wikipedia to find a summary. Though to be honest, I really don’t want to use Wikipedia, I would much rather find the information readily available in the book I’m about to read. 

2) Info Dumps

The first one leads quite naturally onto my second moan. I really don't like the way further books in the series, try to include all the information from previous plots as it really slows the story down. If we had the page summary, there would be no need to include information from past books in each one, therefore producing a sharper plot.

3) No sequence numbers

Why don’t books in a series ever tell you where they are in the series? I’ve lost count of the times I’ve bought a book thinking it was the  first one only to discover it’s really the fourth. Personally I find it quite frustrating. I ‘d like each book in a series to have a number on the cover or at least inside.  This is probably my OCD side taking over, but I want order!

4) Change of covers half way through a series.

This actually doesn’t bother me so much, but I know it infuriates a lot of people and I can see why. If you have gorgeous matching covers for half the series, the last thing you want is the next book to look completely different. When a publisher changes a cover, it would be lovely if they also continued producing the books with the original cover too, just to please the readers who have followed the series from the beginning.

5)Murder Second Book Syndrome.

We’ve all read at least a couple of these. You know the books I’m talking about. The first book in the series completely blew your mind but the second book paled in comparison. Half the time, it feels like the plot is slow to develop and by the end of the second book you realise the plot hasn’t moved that far ahead. It’s as though the story has been stretched out to make a trilogy when it could easily have been shorter. There are some series that don’t fall into this category, but unfortunately there are quite a few that do.

 

So those are my gripes about books in a series, but I'm not about to moan and run. I do have a couple of suggestions that I would personally like to see.

 

Things I would like to see changed in a book  series.

1) More Dualogies.

I really think if more publishers opted for dualogies rather than trilogies we would see the death of the second book syndrome. Dualogies are normally more powerful and engaging with a sharper plot.

2) More companion books.

I love companion books in a series because I can pick and choose which ones I want to read. I don’t have to specifically read them in any order. An example of a series like this would be the Seabreeze books by Abbi Glines, each an individual story but all connected to each other. Each book contains it's own story normally with a brilliant plot; we also get to revisit old friends from previous books too.

So that’s my moan over with, but what do you think of books in a series? Do you have other changes you would like to see? Do you disagree with the points that have wound me up? What is your view on books in a series?

Highlights from Walker Books

I recently received the Walker Books catalogue and I wanted to share with some of the books coming out over the next three months that really caught my eye.

June

How To Be Invisible by Tim Lott - 9+

Strato Nyman couldn’t be more of an odd-one-out. He’s the only black kid in Hedgecombe-upon-Dray, he knows more about particle physics than his teacher, and he’s constantly picked on by school bully Lloyd Archibald Turnbull. It’s only at home that he blends in to the background – his parents are too busy arguing to notice he exists. But one day, Strato picks up a dusty old book in a mysterious bookshop and learns how to become invisible. He soon discovers that people aren’t always what they seem … and realizes standing out isn’t so bad after all.

Say You Love Me, Stevie C. by Michelle Gayle – 14 +

Despite being loved-up with new boyf Stephen Campbell, Remy’s relationship insecurities continue to plague her. Will he turn out to be just another lying cheating scumbag, like Robbie Wilkins? Meanwhile, Remy’s pregnant sister Malibu has love troubles of her own: like whether or not to tell her fiancé that her baby might not be his. At least Remy – aka Boss Lady – has her salon to throw herself into, and that's one area of her life that is going right. Isn't it…?

July

Stargirl Academy – all six books by Vivian French - 7+

Welcome to Stargirl Academy, the magical school in the clouds! Previously a rather old-fashioned establishment, it has been reopened by its head teacher to train children to be modern day fairy godmothers. Fairy Mary McBee selects a group of girls: Lily, Ava, Madison, Sophie, Emma, Olivia – and Melody and Jackson who think they're better than everyone else. The girls learn lots of spells – shimmering, starry, shining, sparkling, glittering and twinkling ones – which they use to fix problems and help people in trouble. For every successful mission they gain a star, and once they have six stars they will be fully qualified stargirls!

Double Crossing by Richard Platt

It's 1908, and David O'Connor, newly orphaned and alone in the world, has had to leave his home in Ireland to go and live with his uncle and aunt in America. His journey to New York and his new life there are tougher than David could ever have imagined, especially when he is harbouring a dark secret which he must take with him to his grave. His incredible story is recorded in his journal, complete with mementoes of his journey.

The Truth About My Success by Dyan Sheldon 12+

Paloma Rose is 16 years old and the star of one of the most popular TV shows ever. She has millions of fans and is the face of a hugely successful merchandising empire. But having had too much too young, Paloma is growing into a notorious brat and beginning to behave really badly: inappropriate boyfriends, drunken incidents, suggestive photos on the internet. The resulting bad publicity could mean the end of the show and with that the end of the lavish lifestyles her family – and her agent – have grown accustomed to. Then her agent bumps into 16 year old Oona Giness in a coffee shop and, struck by the resemblance, decides to switch Oona for Paloma and trick the wayward brat into going off to a boot camp in the desert which he hopes will sort her out. Oona, who lives with her depressed dad in a run-down apartment block, agrees to the deal in the hope that it’ll turn her life around. She quickly discovers that Hollywood is not for her, but Hollywood much prefers the new Paloma to the old one! And when Paloma finds out she’s been tricked, she breaks out of the camp and heads for home – and revenge.

The Name of the Blade, Book 1: The Night Itself by Zoe Marriott 12+

When Mio steals the family's katana – a priceless ancestral sword – from her parents’ attic, she just wants to spice up a fancy-dress costume. But the katana is much more than some dusty antique and her actions unleash a terrible, ancient evil onto the streets of unsuspecting London. Soon Shinobu, a fearless warrior boy, appears to protect Mio – and threatens to steal her heart. With the gods and monsters of Japanese myth stalking her and her friends, Mio realizes that if she cannot keep the sword safe, and learn to control its legendary powers, she will lose not only her own life ... but the love of a lifetime.

Surfacing by Nora Raleigh Baskin – 14+

Though only in year ten, Maggie Paris is a star on the school swimming team. She also has an uncanny, almost magical ability to draw out people’s deepest truths, even when they don’t intend to share them. It’s reached a point where most of her classmates, all except her best friend, now avoid her, and she’s taken to giving herself away every chance she gets to an unavailable – and ungrateful – popular boy from the wrestling team, just to prove she still exists. Even Maggie's parents seem wary of her as the deep secret at the heart of their devastated family slowly unravels and Maggie learns a further truth about the circumstances surrounding her sister's death. A lyrical and deeply moving portrait of grief, blame and forgiveness, and of finding the courage to confront your ghosts – one truth at a time.

August

See You at Harry’s by Jo Knowles 12+

Twelve-year-old Fern feels invisible. It seems as though everyone in her family has better things to do than pay attention to her. Mum helps Dad run "Harry's," the family restaurant; Sarah is taking a gap year after high school, and Holden pretends that Mum and Dad and everyone else doesn't know he's gay, even as he fends off bullies at school. If it wasn't for Ran, Fern's calm and positive best friend, there'd be nowhere to turn. Ran's mantra, "All will be well," is soothing in a way that nothing else seems to be. And when Ran says it, Fern can almost believe it's true. But then tragedy strikes - and Fern feels not only more alone than ever, but also responsible for the accident that has wrenched her family apart. All will not be well. Or at least all will never be the same.

Into The Grey by Celine Kiernan 14+

After their nan accidentally burns the family home down, twin brothers Patrick and Dominick move with their parents and baby sister to a small cottage by the sea. The family has spent many a happy summer there but never a winter – and against a backdrop of howling storms and wild seas, the haunting of the twins begins...

As you can see some fantastic books coming from Walker Books over the next few months and these are just a small selection.

 Which ones will you be adding to your TBR pile?

Books With A Strong Adult And Child Relationship/Friendship

I’m calling all bloggers for a little help. As many of you know I ‘m still busily writing. The book I’m working on is a Middle Grade contemporary novel that has a very strong friendship between an adult and child and I want to get it right. I’m looking to read some books that have managed to get the right balance.

These are the three books I’ve been recommended so far:

The Memory Cage by Ruth Eastham

Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur

Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian.

Can you think of any more that I should be reading?

Book Camp by Cesca Reviews

While on Twitter, I came across Book Camp and being nosy as I am, I wanted more information, so I kindly asked Cesca Reviews from Novelicious if she would write a post especially for the blog to share the information with my readers who write too. So here are all the details about Book Camp, with an email address in case you want to find out more.

Book Camp, created in 2013, runs excellent and affordable writing retreats for people who want to write but need a bit of focus or just some peace and quiet!

Be it a book, a short story or some poetry we just want people who want to spend a few days working on their project.

The writing retreats run from Monday-Friday and are based in Berkshire, Somerset or Devon depending when you choose to go. Our March retreat was in in a converted barn just outside Hungerford village and ran from Mon-Fri with some writers just dropping in to join us for the day.

The cost, sometimes starting as low as £249, includes Full Board in a gorgeous venue and all meals. In October in Somerset we will also be offering daily sessions with the fantastic author Victoria Fox, plus manuscript sessions to get feedback from others on your WIP AND the chance to 'Pitch Your Book' to the fabulous PanMacmillan Editor Caroline Hogg. You also get an on-site swimming pool, hot tub and pool table but, hey, now we are just showing off. Mostly it centres on time to write. The focus to start that project or get on with something you've been meaning to do for a while. 

 

Info about our upcoming retreats can be found here: https://sites.google.com/site/bookcamp2013/home

February saw us in Devon and March saw us down in Berkshire with the wonderful author Rowan Coleman. There one girl started a short story she wanted to write (and finished it, and entered into it into a competition), another started a novel based about her grandma's life and another continued with her women's fiction novel set in Majorca. We had day-trippers working on children's stories, crime and comedy and a foray into something a little naughtier. The range was wonderful and it gave us all a good excuse (and laugh) to swap ideas, lend an ear and seek advice from the professional. 

We'd love to have you join us in the future and if you want to know more please email: bookcamp@hotmail.co.uk with your questions.

Naming Monsters by Hannah Eaton

I assure you I am not showing off when I say I am probably the country’s pre-eminent teenage cryptozoologist. Actually, that isn’t the right word. I think a cryptozoologist might be one of those people who stand around in khaki waistcoats getting aroused about yetis.

I must be a monsterologist, then. That’s no less embarrassing, but it can’t be helped. I have known now for a year or so – a year last April, to be exact: monsters are all around us.

Published in Junes 2013 by Myriad Editions

Pages – 170 . Graphic Novel.

Goodreads Summary

The year is 1993, as we join Fran on a wild ride around London while she navigates the grief of losing her mother. Tales of strange creatures that might have been introduced at each stage of her journey. Her adventure, often with best friend Alex in tow, is a psychogeography of the city and its suburbs, punctuated by encounters with Fran's semi-estranged dad, her out-of-touch East End nana, a selfish boyfriend, and the odd black dog or two.
As Fran says herself: monsters are all around us.

********

This is a rather sad tale drawn upon from the author’s own experience of losing her mother during her teenage years. Fran, the main protagonist, is seventeen years old and struggling to come to terms with the death of her mother. The death has propelled her journey into adulthood faster than she would’ve liked. The people that surround her either don’t know how to help her through her grief or selfishly can’t be bothered. As she works through each stage of her grief, you feel strong compassion for her and pity that no one was there for her.

As she takes her lonely journey from girl to woman, you watch as she learns to separate childish fantasies from the grim reality. Each section of the book begins with a description of a certain type of monster, that you find instantly replicated within the people she meets in that section, showing the hidden evils that lurk within us all.  You also watch helplessly as Fran travels through each stage of grief to work out how she can live without her mother.

The pictures are beautifully drawn and very detailed. The book is completely in black and white, which I felt added to the dark tone of the book. The content is quite sexually graphic at times, giving the book a harsh look at love, life and sex.

This is the first graphic novel I’ve read in years and it reminded me how much I enjoy them. A stunning and yet poignant look at life after the death of a loved one through the eyes of the young at heart.

Waiting On Wednesday (12)–Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, started by Jill at Breaking The Spine, highlighting future book releases everyone is waiting on!

Fearsome Dreamer by Laure Eve published by Hot Key Books in October 2013.

I am extremely excited by Laure’s book. Having had the pleasure of meeting  Laure through Hodder Children’s Books and speaking to her regularly on Twitter, I am super excited about her debut as an author!

There is a world where gods you’ve never heard of have wound themselves into hearts, and choice has led its history down a different path.
This is a world where France made a small, downtrodden island called England part of its vast and bloated empire.
There are people here who can cross a thousand miles with their minds. There are rarer people still who can move between continents in the blink of an eye.
These people are dangerous.
And wanted. Desperately wanted.
Apprentice hedgewitch Vela Rue knows that she is destined for more. She knows being whisked off from a dull country life to a city full of mystery and intrigue is meant to be. She knows she has something her government wants, a talent so rare and precious and new that they will do anything to train her in it.
But she doesn’t know that she is being lied to. She doesn’t know that the man teaching her about her talent is becoming obsessed by her, and considered by some to be the most dangerous man alive ...

Top Ten Tuesday (Freebie) –Ten Authors I’d Like To Meet

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme organised by The Broke and The Bookish. This week’s topic is a freebie and I’ve chosen to select ten authors I would really love to meet. Since starting this blog, I’ve been really lucky and managed to meet a lot of my favourite authors,  but there are still some that elude me. Here are the ten I would still really love to meet.

1) Neil Gaiman

2) J.K. Rowling

3) Beth Hoffman

4) Sophie McKenzie

5) Emma Pass

6) Sarah J. Maas

7) Josephine Angelini

8) Katy Moran

9) Colleen Houck

10) Cat Patrick

Instructions for a Heatwave by Maggie O’Farrell

The heat, the heat.  It wakes Gretta just after dawn, propelling her from the bed and down the stairs.  It inhabits the house like a guest who has outstayed his welcome: it lies along corridors, it circles around curtains, it lolls heavily on sofas and chairs.  The air in the kitchen is like a solid entity filing the space, pushing Gretta down into the floor, against the side of the table.

Only she would choose to bake bread in such weather.

Published by Tinder Press on 29th August 2013

384 pages

Summary

It’s July 1976 and London is in the grip of a heatwave.  It hasn’t rained for months, the gardens are filled with aphids, water comes from a standpipe, and Robert Riordan tells his wife Gretta that he’s going round the corner to buy a newspaper.  He doesn’t come back.

The search for Robert brings Gretta’s children – two estranged sisters and a brother on the brink of divorce – back home, each with different ideas as to where their father may have gone.  None of them suspects that their mother might have an explanation that even now she cannot share.

********

Reviewed by Georgina Tranter

I loved this newest novel from award-winning novelist Maggie O’Farrell, to the extent that I read it in one day.  The cover looks like a beautiful poster from long-ago with its image of children on the beach interspersed with a table set for dinner.  This is such an atmospheric novel.  I don’t remember the heatwave from 1976 and after reading this book, I’m glad I don’t.  The descriptions of just how hot and still the air was during this summer were so well written that I could believe I was there.  Even though it is less than 40 years ago, the way society and people have changed in that period is immense.  O’Farrell mixes the story alongside segments of the Drought Act of 1976 which only increases its ambience.

Gretta’s husband disappears on his way to get a newspaper.  She doesn’t worry until later that day and summons her three children to help her to find him.  Each of them has their own worries to contend with and the book brings them together with all of their problems.  Son Michael Francis is an unhappy teacher looking forward only to the start of the summer holidays; his wife is behaving very oddly and his two children need looking after.  Middle child Monica has a husband who is distant and two step-children who barely know she exists; she hasn’t spoken to her youngest sister for years.  Youngest child Aoife has fled the country for a new life in America, the odd-ball of the family, she has her own demons to deal with.

O’Farrell weaves her magic into this delightful Irish family nest.  Can they all pull together to find out what happened to Robert or will their own problems only cause them to fall dramatically apart?  This is the perfect summer novel.

Poison by Sarah Pinborough

‘She’s too old for that nickname,’ the queen said. She was standing at the window of the royal bedchamber and looking down at the courtyard below. Morning sun beat on the ground, but the air was still chilly. She shivered. ‘She needs to start behaving like a lady. A princess.’

Published by Gollancz in April  2013

Pages – 200

Amazon Summary

POISON is a beautifully illustrated retelling of the Snow White story which takes all the elements of the classic fairy-tale that we love (the handsome prince, the jealous queen, the beautiful girl and, of course, the poisoning) and puts a modern spin on the characters, their motives and their desires. It's fun, contemporary, sexy, and perfect for fans of ONCE UPON A TIME, GRIMM, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN and more.

*******

Over the years I’ve read a few retellings of fairy tales, but this one far outshines all of them. It’s  the best twisted retelling I’ve ever read. The author takes the traditional tale of Snow White and completely makes it her own.

You can’t read this book without commenting on the cover. The picture above doesn’t do it justice. It really is quite stunning in real life. The illustrations on the cover and inside on the place really add to the beauty of the book, making you want to keep it in your permanent collection.

Surprisingly, my favourite character within the book was Lilith, the wicked witch. Even though she was evil to everyone around her, her vulnerability and difficult childhood were easily glimpsed through her coldness. If her life had been different,she wouldn’t have turned out the way she did. I felt that she had been brainwashed to a certain extent to become the person she is. If I'm honest, I liked her so much more than Snow White, who had that teenager angsty attitude about her. Don’t expect to find a meek and mild Snow White, as you are more like to find her downing a pint with the dwarfs. She is much more of a feisty character in this version and a  bit of  a strumpet on the side; quite happy to lose her innocence as soon as she could. Less Snow White, more Grubby Knickers Grey!

I loved the inclusion of characters from other classic fairy tales. It was interesting to see how the witch from Hansel and Gretel as well as Aladdin were included in the story to give it a fresh appeal.

The writing really stands out as the sentences flow beautifully. Very poetic prose. The words almost sing to you and your easily lost in the story. I actually read the book in one sitting as I couldn’t put it down.

If you are expecting the traditional ending to Snow White, you will be sorely disappointed, as the author has given it an unusual twist, creating a much more edgy, modern finale to the tale. I adored this book and can’t wait to read more from this author.

Letterbox Love (34)

Britain at it's best, bringing you it's own version of IMM! All the books that came through my letterbox thanks to publishers and Royal Mail! This meme is hosted by the amazing Lynsey from Narratively Speaking.

For Review

Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult and her daughter, Samantha Van Leer will be published in June in paperback by Hodder and Stoughton. The lovely Georgina reviewed it on the blog last year for me. To read the review, please click here. Thank you Hodder and Stoughton.

Gloss by Marilyn Kaye is published by Macmillan Children’s Books in June. I can’t wait to read this one as it is set in Manhattan during the Swinging Sixties. I don’t think I’ve read any YA set in that time period yet and this sounds awesome. Set at a magazine called Gloss, which is the biggest selling teen magazine in America, we follow the agendas of four very different girls. Described as ‘Mad Men meets The Carrie Diaries, a funny, warm coming of age story perfect for vintage fashionistas and budding journalists. Thank you Macmillan Children’s Books.

Leopard’s Prey by Christine Feehan is published in June by Piatkus. Christine is the internationally best selling author of the Dark Carpathian novels. This book is a stand alone, set in New Orleans; always a favourite setting for me! Thank you Piatkus.

Tidal by Amanda Hocking is book 3 in the Watersong series published by Tor, an imprint from Macmillan. I’ve just started reading the first book in the series, Waves, so I look forward to reading the whole series. Thank you Tor.

Stormbringers by Philippa Gregory is the second book in the bestselling Order of Darkness series and is published by Simon and Schuster in June. I loved Changeling, the first book which came out last year and I look forward to reading this one to find out what happens next. If you like ancient magic, finely detailed history and unusual adventure then this is the series for you. Thank you Simon and Schuster.

Such A Rush by Jennifer Echols is the third book by this author to be published in the UK. This book follows the author’s usual style of irresistible, edgy teen characters with a gritty love story. Ideal for lovers of the New Adult contemporary phenomenon. Thank you Simon and Schuster.

All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry is published by Templar in August. This is a bittersweet love story and an empowering drama of one girl’s journey from victim to hero.The main character, Judith, can’t speak, after losing her tongue in a horrifying event that also saw the death of her best friend. I think this one is going to require tissues! Thank you Templar.

Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman! This book had me squeeing all over the place. Many of you know how much I loved Beth’s debut novel Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. I loved it so much I harassed a publisher into bringing it to the UK. Beth has kindly sent this to me and signed it too. I can’t wait to read it. This book is about a woman who is so passionate about broken furniture she lovingly restores them into beautiful antiques, leading to her opening her own shop in Charleston, where she meets gorgeous characters who help her to find out the truth about her missing brother Josh. Thank you Beth for sending me this book!

Shift by Hugh Howey, I don’t know much about this book. I know it is set in the future and I’ve been informed it is a prequel to Wool. Even though it is a prequel I’ve been advised to read Wool first, so I shall. Thank you Century for the book. I think it is being published in August, but don’t quote me on that.

Bought

After reading Katy Moran’s review of The Outsiders, I thought it was time I read it. Described as the original teenage rebel story, I can’t be a YA blogger without reading it for myself.

Thanks to Sammee at I Wanna Read That and Emma at Bookangel Booktopia, I ended up buying some more books for my Kindle.  The first two books in a contemporary series by Miranda Keneally

That’s my week of books. Enjoy the long weekend!

Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

“I’m not sure if it’s a blessing or a curse,” Helena said.

     “At least it’s something different,” Nick said.  “No more goddamn ration books. No more taking the bus everywhere.   Hughes said he’s bought a Buick.  Hallelujah.”

     “Lord knows where he got it,” Helena said.  “Probably from some cheat fixer.”

     “Who cares,” said Nick, stretching her arms lazily toward the New England sky.

     They were sitting in the backyard of their house on Elm Street wearing their slips and drinking gin neat out of old jelly jars.  It was the hottest Indian summer anyone in Cambridge could remember.

     Nick eyed the record player sitting precariously in the window.  The needle was skipping.

     “It’s too hot to do anything but drink,” she said, laying her head back against the rusting garden chair.  Louis Armstrong was stuck repeating that he had a right to sing the blues.  “The first thing I’m going to do when I get to Florida is get Hughes to buy me a whole bushel of good needles.”

     “That man,” Helena said, sighing.

     “I know,” Nick said.  “He really is too beautiful.  And a Buick and fine record needles. What more could a girl ask for?”

     Helena giggled into her glass.  She sat up.  “I think I’m drunk.”

Published by Picador on  the  9th May 2013

256 pages

Book Summary

Nick and her cousin, Helena, have grown up sharing sultry summers at Tiger House, the glorious old family estate on the island of Martha’s Vineyard.  As World War II ends they are on the cusp of adulthood, the world seeming to offer itself up to them.  Helena is leaving for Hollywood and a new marriage, while Nick is to be reunited with her young husband Hughes, due to return from London and the war.  Everything is about to change.

Neither quite finds the life she had imagined, and as the years pass, the trips to Tiger House take on a new complexity.  Then on the brink of the 1960s, Nick’s daughter Daisy and Helena’s son Ed make a sinister discovery.  It plunges the island’s bright heat into private shadow and sends a depth-charge to the heart of the family.

*****

Reviewed by Georgina Tranter

Tigers in Red Weather is Liza Klaussmann’s debut novel, and boy is it good.  From the most delicious cover to such captivating prose, I was hooked from the start.  This is such an atmospheric novel that you could almost imagine yourself in America through the decades from the end of the Second World War to the Sixties of the Kennedy era.

Nick and Helena are complete opposites; destined for such contrasting lives that it can do nothing but threaten to tear them apart.  Klaussmann covers all of the stereotypes of the suburban American housewife; drugged up by her doctor to keep her from straying too far, to the wife who cannot keep her eyes, or hands, off of other men.

It is only when their children make a horrible discovery one summer that the bonds that tie them together start to unravel.  How much do we really know of each other’s lives and when pushed, how far will we go to protect those we love?

Set mainly on Martha’s Vineyard it tells of a way of life so different from that which we know today; of pools, and summer parties, and of having nothing better to do than choose which fish to serve.  This is the American of the rich and privileged.  Written from the perspective of the five main characters, it covers 1945 through to 1969.

This is a perfect summer read and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Non Fiction Friday–Beginnings, Middles, and Ends by Nancy Kress

First published in 1992, this edition published in 2011 by F&W Media.

Pages – 176

Goodreads Summary

Get Your Readers' Attention--And Keep It--From the First World to the Final Page.
Translating that initial flash of inspiration into a complete story requires careful crafting. So how do you keep your story from beginning slowly, floundering midway, and trailing off at the end? Nancy Kress shows you effective solutions for potential problems at each stage of your story--essential lessons for strong start-to-finish storytelling.Hook readers, agents, and editors in the first three paragraphs.Make and keep your story's implicit promise to the reader.Build drama and credibility by controlling your prose.Consider the price a writer pays for flashbacks.Reveal character effectively throughout your story. Get the tools you need to get your story off to an engaging start, keep the middle tight and compelling, and make your conclusion high impact. You'll also find dozens of exercises to help strengthen your short story or novel. Let this resource be your guide to successful stories--from the first word to the last.

********

While looking for books on plotting novels, I came across this little gem which breaks your novel down into sections looking closely at the beginning, middle and ending of your novel and what to do to make it worth reading. With nine chapters in all, it was full of interesting information  and ideas about how to improve each section. It also explains quite a few writing terms that the novice writer might not be aware of.

Each chapter ends with a list of exercises, which I admit I didn’t do, as I was trying to edit at the same time and needed to focus on that more than doing the exercises.

I found the information easy to understand and I was able to provide myself with a list of questions that I could use while editing my own work. It really made me rethink my ending, which as first draft stage was quite diabolical. This book helped me to rewrite it properly.

My only niggle with the book was the example story that was used throughout the book which actually got on my nerves. At times it felt like it took over the chapters and I found myself skimming those parts in favour of the juicier information I needed. However if it all seems a lot to take in, it would be beneficial to people just starting out on their writing journey.

A clear, concise  breakdown of the sections of novels which need the most work. Definitely worth a read.

ON INSPIRATION by Emily Murdoch

Now you all know how much I loved Emily Murdoch’s debut novel, If You Find Me. If you don’t then read my review here. Well I was so pleased to be asked to host a post from Emily herself, about her inspiration.

I’m truly honored by the invitation to share this lovely blog space with all of you. Thank you so much!

And I bring with me my Pink Sparkly Dust Of Creative Inspiration.

Alchemic: any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.

Like your very own words into poems, short stories and novels. 

Are you a writer? Writers write. Did you write, today?

You know how to do it. Sit down. Think. Allow what’s clearest and strongest in your heart and mind to form from the alchemy of humanity swirled with divinity, whatever that means to you. God, muse, universal consciousness, whatever you call it: tap in.  

If you feel something, someone else is feeling it. Let the feeling become clothed in words that warm both yourself and others.

Creative courage is necessary. And caution. Are you ready for the truth? The fear of looking, really looking, is a formidable foe. But the best writing is writing that goes for broke, every sentence stamped out of your heart-shaped soul. 

Fear of exposure, fear of failure, fear of your work not being up to par, or as well-executed as your hopeful, perfectionistic, writer’s (painter’s, dancer’s photographer’s, etc.) heart is a pain the artist bears. Only creating more work soothes the ache. And the creative circle rolls on.

Some of us writers fret over every word, every piece of punctuation. When you hear how writers can spend an hour taking out and putting in a comma, some of us know that perfectionistic anguish personally and want to do anything we can to avoid it, not invite it in.

The answer?

Invite it in. 

Embrace the alchemy. Start the raw materials on their golden journey.

As a writer, I’m very prolific, although I don’t share everything I write. One of my driving creative forces is the fact that life is not forever. How arrogant I’d be as an artist, to think otherwise, and in the process, squander the sacred gift of words I was entrusted with in this lifetime. 

All we have is now. 

So, write anything. Write a grocery list, and imagine the different food items, then imagine the man, woman, or child’s hand holding that list, and go from there.

Who is she? How old? What is she wearing? What was she doing before the list? Is she old enough to go to the store alone?

Now, hold out your hand. Take hers in yours. 

Let her tug you along.

SHOPPING LIST:

Bread

Butter

Eggs

Cream

Heart

Soul

Mind

Words

Dreams

Thank you Emily for such an inspirational post.

If You Find Me is available to buy now and published by Indigo.

To find out more about Emily Murdoch:

Website / Twitter 

Forbidden Friends by Anne-Marie Conway

The policeman came round early this morning, just before eight. It was awful. I had to sit in the living room and answer loads of questions about Dad. Did I know where he was? Did he say anything to me before he left? Did I remember anything that had seemed out of the ordinary? Nan sat next to me on the sofa, holding my hand as tight as she could, but it didn’t help. My stomach was in knots. I didn’t have a clue where Dad was. I hadn’t seen him since Friday after school, and that was three days ago.

Published by Usborne in May 2013

Pages – 314

Goodreads Summary
When Lizzie and Bee meet on holiday, it feels as if they were always meant to be friends. Escaping their parents and exploring, everything seems perfect in the hot summer sun. As the two girls grow closer however, strange questions rise to the surface… Is Lizzie an only child? Why has Bee’s dad disappeared? And why, as the holiday comes to an end, are the two girls forbidden from seeing each other again? Could one dark secret from the past hold the answer? Could one fateful night keep Lizzie and Bee apart…for ever?

*******

This is the first book I’ve read by Anne-Marie Conway and it most definitely won’t be last. It’s one of those stories that plays on your senses allowing  you to transport to another time. I was instantly taken back to recent holidays abroad, slathered in sun cream with a book in one hand and an ice cream in another.

Told from alternate viewpoints, the book introduces us to lovely girls Bee and Lizzie, each quite lonely in their own way, quite opposite in their characteristics, yet they still  embark on a new friendship while holidaying with their families. Bee, the reader, was my favourite, especially when  she packed her suitcase with reading material for the holiday.   As the holiday nears an end, they realise their lives are more entwined than originally thought, each struggling to understand why they are forbidden to ever see each other.

As the story progresses the mystery of the past slowly unfolds and the truth finally comes out. I was completely absorbed in the story as I waited rather impatiently to find out what happened all those years ago.

This book has some strong themes in it. It looks very closely at bullying and both girls experience it in varying degrees. They both support each other as they try to confront the people who bully them. The book also examines family relationships and how easily they can unravel. Each family was suffering due to the events that were clearly an accident.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book and it will definitely be one I will be recommending. Ideal for the 9 to 12 age bracket, especially children dealing with friendship issues. Honestly a good summer holiday read.