Top 10 Favourite Time Travel Books and Movies by Angie Stanton

As part of the Waking In Time blog tour, I'm pleased to welcome the author, Angie Stanton to the blog, to tell us all about her ten favourite time travel books and movies. 

I like to think everyone is fascinated with the idea of time travel? I’m not a big Sci-fi fan, but the idea of being swept into the waves of time and having to adapt and find your way home, or not, has always fascinated me. So much so, that after years of contemplation, I came up with a story of my own. So as my own Waking in Time comes onto the literary landscape, let me revisit my favorite time travel stories.

#10 Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

A Knight in Shining Armor is the first time travel book I ever read and it was a great introduction. Jude Deveraux is a master at weaving compelling stories, and this book captured my heart the moment the heroine, who lay weeping on a cold tombstone, fell through time. From that moment on I was hooked on the time travel genre.

#9 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 2003

This is my favourite of all the Harry Potter books and movies. Not only do Hermione and Harry use a time turner amulet to go back in time and save a hippogriff as well as others, but because it’s such a creative vehicle of time travel.

#8 Timeline

Timeline came out in 2003, but I’ve watched it several times since. I love how a group of archeologists get pulled into a government cover up and risk their lives traveling back in time to save their mentor. It’s history, adventure, and a love story all rolled into an action-packed story.

#7 Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red and the two follow-up books, Sapphire Blue, and Emerald Green are fantastic YA novels. In fact, after finishing Ruby Red during a winter cold snap of -27 degrees BELOW zero (not kidding), I couldn’t wait and cranked up my frozen car for a trip across town to get book two and three. Definitely check these out.

#6 Timeless

I’m all over this new television show where each week a brilliant pilot, a ruggedly handsome military man, and a sassy, stubborn historian (who has lost her sister to time) hop into a prototype time machine to save history by chasing down a rebel. The show takes us to Lincoln’s assassination, the Alamo’s last stand, The Space Race and crash of the Hindenburg. 

#5 Kate and Leopold

Who doesn’t love this movie? It’s one of Hugh Jackman’s early big screen leads. He plays a dashing nineteenth century English Duke who’d rather be an inventor than royal. Meg Ryan is the prickly ad exec who helps him navigate in the modern world. Every time I hear Moon River I think of this movie.

#4 About Time with Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson 2013

How great would it be to just step into a closet, close your eyes, and think of what time you’d like to go back to. It’s a silly romp with Rachel McAdams who plays a plain girl along side Domhnall Gleeson, a quirky, ginger-haired barrister. It’s playful, funny, touching, and the sound track is the best. Of course I own this!

#3 Back to the Future

Ah, the classic time travel movie of all, well, time! I love all three of the movies, the second being the most complex as the jump back and forth to fix time. The third wraps up all the story lines, leaving me wanting to hop on that freight train and fly through time with Doc Brown.

#2 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Some how I was lucky to discover this book soon after it was published. I read the first three or four and then was distracted while waiting for the next release. A couple years ago I revisited the series, rereading the first books along with the next five. These books are epic tomes of 800-plus pages. 

I love getting lost in a book, loving the characters and their troubles, and never wanting it to end. With the Outlander series, you can do just that. I am impatiently awaiting the next release. The Outlander TV series is now in it’s third season and is well worth every minute as the epic story is recreated on film.

#1 Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

My favourite of all! This book is so complex and intriguing that as soon as I finished reading it, I began again. Truth. Audrey Niffenegger is brilliant as she tosses poor Henry through time with no apparent rhyme or reason. The movie is good, but it’s from Clare’s point of view instead of Henry’s, like in the book, and loses something in translation. The book is definitely better! Do yourself a favour and read it!

Summary

Still mourning the loss of her beloved grandmother and shaken by her mysterious, dying request to “find the baby,” Abbi has just arrived at UW Madison for her freshman year. But on her second day, she wakes up to a different world: 1983. That is just the first stop on Abbi’s journey backward through time. Will is a charming college freshman from 1927 who travels forward through time. When Abbi and Will meet in the middle, love adds another complication to their lives. Communicating across time through a buried time capsule, they try to decode the mystery of their travel, find the lost baby, and plead with their champion, a kindly physics professor, to help them find each other again ... even though the professor gets younger each time Abbi meets him. This page-turning story full of romance, twists, and delightful details about campus life then and now will stay with readers long after the book’s satisfying end.

To find out more about Angie Stanton:

Twitter / Website

Want to check out some more of the blog tour? See the list of blogs taking part below.

Caighlan Smith's Desert Island Books

To celebrate the publication of The Children of Icarus, I am pleased to welcome author, Caighlan Smith, onto the blog to tell us about the books she would take to a desert island with her. 

If I were trapped on a desert island and could miraculously have a water-proof suitcase full of books wash up on said island, these would be the books within said water-proof suitcase: Lord of the Flies, Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and In Search of Castaways. There would also be an inflatable raft and back-up jetpack within said suitcase, but that’s beside the point. Despite the fact I have an English Literature degree and am, you know, a writer, I’m woefully behind on my reading of the classics. Hence my book choices. Plus maybe their content might have some practical usage on a desert island? Like a fan, perhaps, provided I could find a way to fan myself with the pages without cracking the spine (because THAT would be sacrilege).

To be honest, I’ve read Lord of the Flies, and it remains one of my favourite books to date. I was fascinated by the concept of a youth society, where young people have to create their own law and figure out how to survive without any adults. When I was writing my novel Children of Icarus, one of the things I had in mind was to explore youth societies. Children of Icarus is about a girl who enters a labyrinth, believing it will lead to paradise. Instead she ends up trapped with a bunch of other kids, and is forced to face the horrors of the labyrinth if she wants to survive. Unfortunately, she does not have a waterproof miracle suitcase to help her.

Published by Curious Fox in July 2016

Summary

It is Clara who is desperate to enter the labyrinth and it is Clara who is bright, strong, and fearless enough to take on any challenge. It is no surprise when she is chosen. But so is the girl who has always lived in her shadow. Together they enter. Within minutes, they are torn apart forever. Now the girl who has never left the city walls must fight to survive in a living nightmare, where one false turn with who to trust means a certain dead end.

About the Author 

Caighlan Smith wrote her first novel, Hallow Hour, in her final year of high school in St. John's. Inspired by her love of fantasy and the supernatural, Smith's work combines the fun and action of video games with the urgency of post-apocalyptic survival. She is studying English at Memorial University of

Hallow Hour, the first book in the Surreality series, was signed with a publisher when she turned 19. To date, she has written 14 novels and one novella. Her great loves are reading, gaming and, of course, writing.

To find out more about Caighlan Smith:

Website / Twitter / Facebook

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Superfairies: Dancer the Wild Pony by Janey Louise Jones, illustrated by Jenny Poh

The sun was warm and bright, and the air was filled with the scent of roses and lavender. The river tinkled through Peaseblossom Woods, and the woodland animal relaxed in the soothing warmth of midsummer.

Published in January 2016 by Curious Fox Books

Pages - 56

Summary 

Dancer, don’t run away! The Superfairies want to stop a wild pony being nervous for the Summer Fair dance contest, but first they need to catch up with her! ...

*****

I wish there had been early chapter books like this when I was learning to read as a child.The first book in the Superfairies series is an utter delight. 

On the very first pages we are introduced to all the Superfairies that live in Peaseblossom Woods. Each fairy  has a special power enabling them to work together as a team in order to rescue animals. 

In this book, they need to help Dancer, the wild pony, who runs off because she is so nervous about appearing in the Summer Fair Dance Contest. I love how the modern world has been incorporated into the fairy world. The fairies track Dancer down using the strawberry computer before following her in the fairycopter. As the reader, you are taken on a tour of the Woods, where you get to meet lots of the other lovely inhabitants. 

At the end of the book, there is some extra bits to enhance your enjoyment of the story. There is a quiz and a little of the history of fairies. 

The book is easy reading and not to long, which may even encourage the reluctant reader.

The illustrations are simply gorgeous. Jenny Poh has created the type of pictures you just can't stop looking at, as you search out all the little details within them. They really bring the story to life.

I really think young children will love this series and will be eagerly awaiting the next instalment. 

Cover Reveal of #ChildrenofIcarus by Caighlan Smith

I am so pleased to be able to  reveal the cover for Children of Icarus by Caighlan Smith.  I heard about this book last week and I got tingles all down my spine!!! I can't put into words how excited I am by this book. 

Secret Skills By Janey Louise Jones

Janey Louise Jones, author of the internationally best selling series, Princess Poppy, is here with us to day to celebrate the publication of the first two books in her new series, Superfairies. Janey may not have any secret super powers but she does have some   secret skills  that she would like to share with us.

***

I wish I had the superskill of flight. I think it goes hand in hand with wanting to be a fairy! But I will have to leave the superskills to the Superfairies. Rose can blow super healing fairy kisses to make the animals in Peasblossom Woods feel better. Berry can see for miles around with her super eyesight. Star can create super dazzling brightness in one dainty spin to lighten up dark places, while Silk can spin super strong webs for animal rescues. They are always ready to rescue! 

For my part, I have a few skills which I usually keep quiet about… 

1. Knitting 

I was determined to triumph with knitting in my teens. I find it incredibly impressive when people can knit a gorgeous baby cardigan in one night. I am a bit more tortured about it, but I do get there in the end and have knitted some nice sweaters which I’m quite proud of! 

2. Ballroom Dancing 

I’m a big fan of Strictly Come Dancing, and I figure that elegant dancing is the next best thing to flight, so I decided to give it a go this year. I’ve just started but so far, I love it and I’m already thinking of how to improve. If I’m going to do something, I like to do it well! 

3. WWF wrestling move 

My sons love to watch wrestling for fun and used to give demonstrations on the big bed, selling tickets for ringside seats. I thought it looked like fun, so when they said I could join in if I had a signature move, I thought, why not? I got up on the bed and did a star jump onto my tummy in a move which became known as the ‘frogsplash’. I think they were a bit terrified of my move! But proud at the same time! 

4. Making tiffin 

This is not so much a secret skill - but I do have a secret ingredient! Ever since the boys were little, I have made endless trays of tiffin for school fairs, sleepover parties, birthdays and fundraisers. It is always hugely popular and vanishes in seconds. I use digestive biscuits, Belgian chocolate, butter and syrup…plus one extra ingredient which makes it superdelicious. But I just can’t say because then it wouldn’t be a secret, would it?

The first two books in the Super Fairies series are published today by Curious Fox. 

To find out more about Janey Louise Jones:

Twitter

The Write Way with Vanessa Curtis

After reading and adoring, The Baking Life of Amelie Day, I managed to convince Curious Fox to let me interview the author, Vanessa Curtis. Keep reading to find out  how well she copes under interrogation…

1) The Baking Life of Amelie Day has just been published.  Can you tell my readers a little bit about it?

The novel features fourteen-year-old Amelie who is totally obsessed with baking. She lives with her mother in a converted stable block and has a best friend called Gemma and a very supportive boyfriend, Harry.  The novel opens with Amelie about to find out that she has been selected to appear in Best Teen Baker on television - but there’s a problem. Amelie also suffers from an illness called Cystic Fibrosis and there’s no cure.  Sometimes she’s so ill that she can barely stand up straight. So her mother isn’t happy about her attending the competition in London and things reach a dramatic climax when Amelie takes matters into her own hands.

2) Where did the idea for the book come from?

I watched a TV documentary a few years ago about some young adults who had Cystic Fibrosis and were waiting for lung transplants. It really shocked me to see how they could hardly breathe and were desperately waiting for donors. When I decided to write a book about a girl who bakes I wanted to give the book a ‘heart’, too - some emotional depth. I also found out that people with CF tend to eat a lot of extra calories to prevent weight loss, so it seemed the ideal combination to feature a girl with CF who was also obsessed with baking.

3) I thought you dealt with the topic of cystic fibrosis extremely well, but I am not overly familiar with the condition. Have you had anyone  with cystic fibrosis read it and give an opinion?

Yes, I have. I followed the blog of Victoria Tremlett, who lives with CF, and wrote to her while I was penning the book. She read a copy of it recently and said that it actually moved her to tears and felt very realistic. Since then another teen with chronic illness has also said similar. So I am relieved that I have managed to do the right research for the condition and I’m also pleased that I’m able to raise awareness of Cystic Fibrosis at the same time.

4) Have you tried and tested all the recipes in the book? 

Oh yes - of course! Any excuse to do a spot of baking! I either devised the recipes myself or was given them by friends and family. I’m particularly fond of the German Gingerbread recipe and often make that.

5) Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to starting a new book? 

No idea what a ‘pantser’ is, but I’m guess it might mean ‘flying by the seat of your pants?’ I’m more of a plotter, although I don’t write very detailed synopses, just the bare outlines of key events in the novel and where I want them to happen.

6) Do you try and aim for a daily word target when writing?

I do try to, but sometimes more words come out and sometimes less. On a good day I can pen up to 4,000 words, which is very gratifying.

7) Do you edit as you go along or do you wait until the first draft is finished?

I tend to rattle off my first draft without paying too much attention to the finer details. Then I put the draft aside for a few weeks and come back to it with a red pen in hand,  scribble all over the text and then start the re-write.

8) Which authors inspired you whilst growing up?

I used to love reading autobiographical novels like ‘Frost in May’ by Antonia White and also mystery stories like ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ by Joan Lindsay. I’ve always loved ghost stories, so authors like M.R. James and Susan Hill have always been favourites.  I also love a humorous book, so the Diaries of Adrian Mole by Sue Townsend are sitting on my bookshelves at home.

9) If you could have written any other book in the world, what would it be?

I was full of admiration for ‘The Glass Tree’ by Simon Mawer. That’s not a book for kids, but for adults. I loved the fact that the story was all based around different people coming and going from a striking glass house against a backdrop of war and social change. I’m also a big fan of the novelist Lionel Shriver - she seems to be able to get inside the head of her readers and transcribe their innermost thoughts and concerns onto the page, whilst making her writing sharp, funny and intelligent.  And of course like many children’s authors, I may occasionally have wished that I came up with the idea for ‘Harry Potter’!

10) What are you working on right now?

I’ve just completed a ghost story which my agent is in the process of selling.  I also have a YA novel about a girl in WWII Latvia, 1941, coming out in January with Usborne Books. The next novel will also be historical and will be set in 1950’s Munich.

11) What advice would you give unpublished authors?

I’m often astonished that new authors don’t read books set in the style/genres that they are hoping to succeed in. I think it’s so important to read everything you can get your hands on - without doing this, you have no idea what’s selling, what’s popular, or how to write a novel which keeps YA readers gripped and turning the page.  I’d also advise unpublished authors to consider the services of a good literary consultant, who can help with editorial issues and also with putting together a package to send to publishers. I run my own literary consultancy and really enjoy working with new authors to make their books as good as they possibly can be before submission to publishers/agents. 

The Baking Life of Amelie Day was published by Curious Fox in September 2014

Summary

Amelie Day loves to bake - cupcakes, biscuits, bread, tarts and muffins - so she's thrilled when she's invited to compete in Britain's Best Teen Baker of the Year. But Amelie has Cystic Fibrosis and some days she can barely breathe. Determined not to let her condition or her mum stop her, Amelie musters all her flour power, but will it be enough to get her there?

To find out more about Vanessa Curtis:

Goodreads/ Twitter/ Website

The Baking Life of Amelie Day by Vanessa Curtis

There was this poem Mum used to read to me when I was six.

Boys were made up of slugs, snails and puppy-dog tails. Girls were made up of sugar, spice and all things nice.

You would have thought that I’d give Mum the evil eye when she read that bit out.

Published by Curious Fox in September 2014

Pages - 168

Summary

My name is Amelie Day and I live to bake. Cupcakes, biscuits, bread, tarts and muffins - flour power! Now I've got a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win the Teen Baker of the Year award. But it looks like my stupid cystic fibrosis might get in the way. Will my mum let me go to London to compete?

*****

I wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. In fact, I was completely bowled over by it. Where do I start with the abundance of praise I have for it?

Let’s start with Amelie. She is one feisty girl who won’t let her medical condition stand in her way. Even though she is constantly putting her life at risk. Amelie has Cystic Fibrosis. I have to be honest and admit to knowing very little about the illness. Before reading this book, I was aware that it had something to do with the lungs and involved a lot of physio. This book really opened my eyes to the condition and I was surprised by how much I learned while reading.The effects of the disease on the lungs and stomach were eye opening. Poor Amelie, spent most of the book, constantly trying to find enough energy to keep going. Everything we do we take for granted and this book made me appreciate my health.

The story is well written and goes off at a steady pace. There are touches of humour mixed in with moments of sadness, that really bring the book to life. I basically read this book in two days.  I found myself constantly creeping back to it to read it.

I felt the book was extremely in fashion with the interests of society today. With The Great British Bake Off still as popular as ever, it was easy to imagine Amelie being picked to enter a baking competition for kids. I loved the recipes scattered between the chapters. I found myself constantly drooling. This book should come with at least one cupcake, to make reading it easier.

This is the first book I’ve read by Vanessa Curtis but I am positive it won’t be the last. A beautiful blend of humour and sadness.  A book that will have you reaching for your spatula before you know it.

Setting the Scene with Alex Woolf

Today on blog I am pleased to welcome Alex Woolf on the day of publication of his new book, Soul Shadows. Alex has kindly written a post detailing the places where the book is set.

When I was planning my novel Soul Shadows, I decided to make the initial setting as ordinary as possible. The idea was that if the setting is familiar to readers, they’ll be able to imagine themselves there more easily, and this should hopefully make it more scary. The story therefore begins in an isolated cottage in the midst of some rather dull, flat countryside. It’s a long way from any major towns, with just a small village a few miles away serving as the nearest outpost of civilisation. The village can only be reached by traversing a rather spooky wood. What is more, the local phone mast is not working, so from the start of the novel, our protagonist is effectively cut off from the world. The setting may be ordinary, but in another way it most decidedly isn’t.

The wood is another important setting in the novel. I remember being very impressed by the wood in the film ‘Blair Witch Project’. The jerky, handheld camera shots were very effective at making a rather bland-seeming treescape appear unsettling. As the film goes on, you get the feeling that there literally is no end to the forest - that it has become their entire world. We don’t have so many enormous forests here in Britain, where you can wander for days without finding even a hut or a road. However, even small forests can be scary. I remember getting lost on Hampstead Heath as a kid. Woods can be very disorientating and deceptive, with familiar-seeming paths often leading you in the wrong direction. There are far too many hiding places where malevolent creatures can lurk. And they’re also full of strange, echoey sounds that may be birdcalls or branches in the wind, but could also be something spookier. 

In short, a wood is the perfect setting for a horror story, particularly one in which the monsters are shadows. Indeed, it turns out in my book that the wood plays a fundamental role in the creation of the soul shadows. As we find out in Chapter 3, the light in this particular wood is different, and those who walk in it cast something that isn’t quite a shadow, but more like an evil version of their own souls. I’m quite careful in the way I talk about this light in the book. It’s pale yellow in colour and I usually describe it as sickly, sallow, anaemic or unhealthy. There is certainly nothing restful or picturesque about this wood or its light. Its purpose is to evoke fear of nature at its wildest and most mysterious.

The other major setting in the book, in vivid contrast with the cottage and the wood, is the Facility. This is a secret scientific research establishment in the middle of the wood. It has a forbidding exterior of concrete walls, bunkers, barbed wire and security cameras, and an interior of gleaming metal surfaces, white walls, grey fitted carpets, high-tech equipment and a smell of newness and clinical efficiency. If the wood conjures fears of untamed, savage nature, the Facility will hopefully arouse anxieties about dangerous, uncontrolled science. It’s the collision of these two worlds that creates the monsters at the heart of Soul Shadows.

Soul Shadows is published today by Curious Fox.

Book Summary

Tying in with a recent trend for YA ‘fright-write’, Soul Shadows can be compared to Charlie Higson’s The Enemy or Darren Shan’s series, in its ability to grip and scare in equal measure. Exploring themes like mental health, childhood psychological abuse and the morality of science, SOUL SHADOWS offers much more than a one-dimensional scare story. Through his central character, Estelle, Alex Woolf places the reader right in the centre of the action - Estelle is an immediately gripping, though clearly damaged and vulnerable, personality, and it’s the reader’s connection with her from the first page that makes the unfolding horror feel so true, so raw. 
In the world of SOUL SHADOWS, Woolf explores what would happen if your shadow could come to life, and, ultimately, try to take your life. It’s a sinister concept which leaves readers jumpy and, literally, scared of their own shadow. Set in an unspecified rural English landscape there is a feeling of extreme claustrophobia as Estelle, and her friend, Sandor, try to escape the world of shadows.

Author Bio:

Known for his successful sci-fi Chronosphere trilogy, Alex Woolf has been a full- time writer for over a decade after leaving his job as a non-fiction editor in 2001.  
He lives in North London with his Italian wife and two children. In his spare time, he likes to play tennis, draw sharks, watch horror movies and teach himself the piano.

To find out more about Alex Woolf:

Twitter / Website / Facebook

The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling

Pages - 276

Published by Curious Fox on the 14th February 2013

Book sent by publisher for review.

Remy took a deep breath as she stood on the edge of the narrow plunge board. Above her, the old material of the big top's roof was close enough to touch. Below her was nothing at all but air dirtied by dust and tobacco smoke, and then, sixty feet below, arranged around the sawdust of the circus ring, there was the crowd.

Book Summary

No one performs on the circus trapeze like sixteen-year-old Remy Brunel. But Remy also leads another life, as a cat burglar and jewel thief. Forced by the evil circus owner Gustave to attempt the theft of one of the world's most valuable diamonds, Remy thinks it will be just another heist, but when she meets determined young detective Thaddeus Rec, her life changes forever.
Will Thaddeus manage to rescue the jewel? Or is it really Remy that he needs to save?

**********

I was lucky enough to get my hands a copy of The Diamond Thief, which is the first publication from Curious Fox. I remember the story originally coming out in an online chapter format through Fiction Express  and I missed the opportunity to read it then. I‘m so glad I waited for the final publication through Curious Fox who eagerly picked it up.

From the first few paragraphs you are instantly transported to the circus, set in a dirty Victorian London. Remy literally flies into the scene, stealing the hearts of the audience and instantly grabbing the reader’s attention. One member of the audience is quite entranced by her, however it does appear that Remy isn’t what she seems.

As the book progresses you see her regularly coming up against Thaddeus Rec, the complete opposite of Remy. By night she is a jewel thief, while he pounds the streets as a very honest policeman. He is determined to capture her for a crime, not once ever thinking that she would capture a part of him.

The characters are enigmatic and some are slightly bigger than life. The Professor has glimpses of Doc from the Back To the Future films. Desai reminded me of The Indian In The Cupboard. Remy, is a gutsy girl who thinks nothing of risking her life to get what she wants. Only Thaddeus is going out of his way to stop her putting herself at risk.

The book quickly embarks on an Indiana Jones style adventure as the thrown together group rush to find the diamond and stop the evil, loathsome Lord Abernathy, a master of disguise.

I loved the version of Victorian London created by the author. The thrill of running with the characters in the tunnels underground and discovering the inventions lurking to be discovered put me in the mind of Jules Verne. It had a steam punk feel to it, but I wouldn’t say it necessarily fitted into that category.

This is a very promising start for Sharon Gosling, a book filled with wonder and adventure, thrilling  and exciting, with a delicate love story blossoming at the heart of the story. I really enjoyed it and read it in two sittings. Well done Curious Fox and Sharon Gosling for bursting onto the publishing scene with such a magnificent debut!

The Big Break with Sharon Gosling

To celebrate the publication of the first book from the new publisher Curious Fox, I am really pleased to welcome debut author Sharon Gosling onto the blog to discuss her writing journey to publication of The Diamond Thief which is published today! *throws glitter at Sharon to celebrate*

I would love to know a little about your writing journey. What did you do before writing books?

I’m really lucky in that I’ve always made my living from writing in some form. I always knew I wanted to be an author, but I also knew I had to be able to support myself while I tried to make that happen. So while I was still at school I started doing interviews and articles for a local magazine. Then I started writing book and TV reviews for a national magazine. I did that all through university and when I left, the same company took me on as a staff writer. A couple of years later they gave me a couple of magazines to edit, and then I started writing non-fiction books about TV shows for them. About seven years ago I went freelance to try and pursue my fiction properly, and for a while I worked as a producer, writer and director on some audio drama series, which taught me a lot about dialogue and structure, and I was lucky enough to work on a couple of things for Random House that also gave me valuable experience. Now, in between writing, I also work as a sub-editor on various magazines like heat, Closer, Look and more!. 

Your debut book, The Diamond Thief, is about to be published. How are you feeling right now? 

It’s both exciting and nerve-wracking, to be honest. I’m far more excited about seeing this on shelves than any of the other books I’ve written, because it’s actually ‘mine’, but I’m also nervous. This is

what I’ve wanted to do for so long… but what if it turns out I’m no good at it and people don’t like the book? Terrifying!

Can you tell us a little bit about the book for my readers who have yet to set eyes on it?

It’s set in Victorian London and tells the story of Rémy Brunel, a French circus performer who also happens to be the world’s best gem thief. She’s brought to London by her evil master to steal a huge diamond, but runs up against a determined young detective called Thaddeus Rec. Together they discover dastardly deeds going in the city’s East End.

Where did you get your inspiration from for it?

I actually first began working on the idea as a plot of an adult science fiction novel that was different in almost every respect apart from the fact that it was set in London’s East End. Rémy slowly morphed into a younger character, and the setting became Victorian London. The key came when I realised that a circus would be the perfect place for Rémy to have learned and developed her skills. And I loved the idea of a gem thief and a young detective having to find some way to help each other despite their natural antipathy. Opposites, as they say, attract.

How long did it take you to write?

It took 11 weeks. I know that, because it was originally written as a choose-your-own adventure ebook for a great company called Fiction Express. The idea was that each week, I would write a chapter which would be posted on line for people to read. At the end of each chapter, there would be three choices of where the plot could go in the next chapter for readers could vote on. Then I’d go away and write the next chapter according to what they had chosen. For me, it was hard work but brilliant, because it meant that I had deadlines. I’ve worked to deadlines my whole life, but without them I struggle to ever finish anything. This way I didn’t have a choice! Were there times when you felt that it would never get published? If so, how did you work your way through them? To be honest, I never really expected the book to be picked up for print. For me, the writing of the book for Fiction Express was a massive learning curve, and a personal boost in itself because I actually had achieved what I’d always wanted to do, albeit in ebook form. So I kind of forgot about the possibility that it might somehow turn into a physical book until I got an email telling me that Curious Fox were interested in taking it on.

Were you given any good writing advice that you would like to share with my readers?

“Write tight” is always a good thing to remember. Less is always more. Also, I always say that you must write every day. It doesn’t matter what it is or even how much - some days you’ll only manage a sentence. But make it a habit, and don’t break it. It’s also good to remember that even if you only have time to write 200 words a day, if you do that every day for a year, you’ll have a pretty chunky manuscript at the end of it. Easier said than done, I know! 

What was your first reaction when you found out your book was to be published?

I think it was probably an email to my husband with the words ‘Squee!’ included in it somewhere!

Did you find it easy to get an agent?

I actually don’t have an agent, and never have done. I really should actively try to get one. I find the idea of the approaches daunting, though. It’s been said before that it’s harder to get an agent than it is to get a publisher, and I guess I’m proof of that.

How long did was it between the initial deal and publishing day?

Between Curious Fox taking an interest and publishing day was I guess about a year, perhaps a little more. 

What are you working on at the moment?

Curious Fox are interested in a sequel to The Diamond Thief, so I’m working on a synopsis for that at the moment. Fingers crossed I can come up with something they like! I’m also working on two graphic novels, which is a bit of a departure for me, but I’m really enjoying it. 

Who is the one person that cheered you on and supported you through your writing?

My husband, Adam. He encourages me to write every day - he even told me I should when we were on honeymoon. About four years ago, he found a novel I’d written online, formatted it and got it printed, to prove to me that I could do (and indeed had already done) it. He’s also the person who told me I should pitch Rémy to Fiction Express in the first place. He’s brilliant, and I don’t deserve him.

What advice would you give to aspiring and unpublished authors?

Perseverance is the key. It’s hard to retain faith in your ability when writing is an essentially lonely occupation, but just keep going. Every writer in the world hits the writer’s equivalent of the runner’s ‘wall’ at some point - that moment when you stare at what you’ve written and become disheartened and demoralised and wonder why you’re bothering. Published writers are generally the ones with enough experience to recognise that it’s just part of the process. You can write through it. Remember that if you’ve got something finished, it’s always going to be there. You can always go back and rework it. Just keep going!

The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling goes on sale today! I will be reviewing it in the next few days.

Book Summary

No one performs on the circus trapeze like sixteen-year-old Remy Brunel. But Remy also leads another life, prowling through the back streets of Victorian London as a jewel thief. Forced by the evil circus owner Gustave to attempt the theft of one of the world's most valuable diamonds, she discovers an underworld of treachery and fiendish plots.

Meanwhile, young detective Thaddeus Rec is determined to find the jewel and clear his name. Will Thaddeus manage to rescue the jewel? Or is it really Remy that he needs to save?

 

To find out more about Sharon Gosling:

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Are You Curious About Curious Fox?

Have you heard the rumours? There is a new imprint on the publishing block. None other than Curious Fox. They had their launch last week, which unfortunately I had to miss. However, I asked the lovely Georgia Lawe for details of the event because I knew you would all want to know more about it. So here it is - the details of the Curious Fox launch!

 

 Last week new fiction list, Curious Fox, held a launch party to introduce their books and authors to the children’s publishing world (photos available).  The event, held at Dr Johnson’s House, was attended by reviewers, librarians, teachers and bloggers. Guests were challenged to play ‘curiosity’ games like guessing the perfume smell and guessing the part-hidden book jackets. Of the event, Curious Fox MD, Miles Stevens-Hoare says “I am delighted that so many retailers, wholesalers, reviewers and partners joined the Curious Fox team for an evening of curiosity! We have been delighted with the response to our imprint and the books.”

L to R: Sharon Gosling (author of The Diamond Thief)Stewart Ross (aithor of The Soterion Mission)

Kate Kelly (author of Red Rock)Alex Woolf (author of Soul Shadows)Miles Stevens-Hoare (MD of Curious Fox)

February sees release of Curious Fox’s first books with major marketing and PR activity just confirmed. Hyperspace High by Zac Harrison will be cover mounted on Dr Who magazine with a discount voucher for purchase in WHSmiths stores. The Diamond Thief by Sharon Gosling will launch with confirmed coverage in the Guardian, the Telegraph Weekend, Heat magazine and through a nationwide video-review competition for reading groups run in conjunction with The Reading Agency. It is also on 3 for 2 in Blackwells and Sharon is confirmed for a number of literary festival appearances, including the Edinburgh festival.

Guests ponder curiously!Matt Imrie from Teen Librarian,Julianna Oliver from Reading Agency

Curious Fox’s early marketing success will be built upon by the arrival of a new recruit: Claire Dowse joins the company at the end of the month in the newly created role of Marketing Director. Her role will oversee marketing and publicity for the Curious Fox list and for Raintree’s educational lists in the UK and Internationally.

First News writers and Richard from Hothouse

Claire has previously held similar positions at Nelson Thornes and Scholastic, as well as working for Penguin earlier in her career. Miles Stevens-Hoare comments: “Claire arrives with a wealth of experience in the consumer market and an understanding of how to reach readers. Her recruitment is a further illustration of our intent and is another exciting step forward for Curious Fox.”
Claire Dowse is looking forward to joining the Raintree team based in Oxford: “I am thrilled to be joining Raintree at such an exciting time of new ventures, especially the launch of the new children's imprint Curious Fox.”
I bet you are curious about what books they will be tempting us with over the coming months. Well here is a selection to tease you with . Click on any picture below to take you to the details about these new and exciting publications. .

For more information about Curious Fox follow @georgialawepr and @curiousfox on Twitter or visit the website www.curious-fox.com
Curious Fox is a new children’s fiction imprint launching in February 2013, with a list of approximately 25-30 fiction titles, in both print and e-book format. Inspired by the curious nature of the fox, the new imprint is designed to spark the curiosity of young readers.