It’s absolutely ages since lovely Sue Shepherd featured on Linda’s Book Bag in a post you can read here, when Love Them and Leave Them was published so I’m delighted she has agreed to stay in with me today as she celebrates the publication of her latest novel, Can’t Get You Out Of My Head.

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head is available for purchase here.

Can’t Get You Out Of My Head

A moving and funny story about sisters, secrets and second chances.

Twin sisters Beth and Lisa do everything together, so what will happen now they both want a life of their own?

Beth has a secret she’s kept from everyone except her sister. But it’s time to get on with her life. Could a seductive Italian, a smooth-talking charmer or backpacking around Australia be the answer?

Lisa feels she’s always lived in her sister’s shadow. Maybe now it’s her turn for some fun, whatever the consequences. But will her drunken antics land Beth in trouble?

And when it comes to the crunch, will one sister have to give up what she wants so the other can have what she needs?

Staying in with Sue Shepherd

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag Sue. Thanks so much for agreeing to stay in with me. 

I think I have a good idea of the answer to this question, but which of your books have you brought along to share with me and why have you chosen it?

Hi, Linda. Thank you so much for inviting me to stay in with you. I love what you’ve done with the place – so cosy!

(Thanks! I think it’s the soft lighting that helps – you can’t see the dust!)

This evening, I’ve brought along my latest novel, Can’t Get You Out of My Head. Actually, your timing couldn’t be better, because it was just published today! I’m feeling excited, nervous and emotional – pretty standard for an author on publication day.

(Woohoo! Happy Publication Day Sue. Congratulations.)

Given that it’s brand new today, what can we expect from an evening in with Can’t Get You Out of My Head?

It’s a comedy, which has, at its heart, a touching romance. As with my previous novels, things are not quite as they first appear. In the past, I’ve written about Guardian Angels and Parallel Lives. I enjoy looking at life a little differently, and I’ve never shied away from including bold subjects.

(Sounds really good.)

I’d love to share the prologue with you:

Right back at the beginning. When they were smaller than kidney beans, floating gently in a sea of amniotic fluid. When there was no control to be had over the tiny limbs they’d so recently sprouted. That was when they met. Lisa bobbed past, and, even though they couldn’t see, they couldn’t smile, and they most definitely couldn’t wave, they acknowledged each other.

Long before Beth met her mum, her dad, or her special nanna, first and foremost – she met Lisa.

(That has me intrigued straight away, Sue.)

As you can see, the book focuses on the relationship between twin sisters, Beth and Lisa. Including; how they live together, and exploring how they would cope if they were apart. Throughout the story, Beth spends much of her time riddled with guilt over a decision made long ago, and Lisa is fuelled by her jealousy of the easy life she sees her sister living. I hope the readers will enjoy their interaction. Anyone who’s grown up with a close sibling will know that it’s entirely possible to feel both love and loathing for the same person, usually within the space of about five minutes.

(I think there are many family relationships that do that Sue!)

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought us a little something to drink, and some nibbles. These days I prefer a nice glass of rosé or a cold Prosecco, but to be in keeping with the book, I’ve brought some little beers.

(I’d have preferred the Prosecco but as it’s your publication day I’ll let you off.)

Let me explain – part of the book is set in Australia. The twins go on a trip, staying in hostels and hanging out on the beach. I myself spent a year living and working in Australia when I was younger. Although my trip took place a good decade before Beth and Lisa’s, my own over-seas adventure was the inspiration for that part of the story. When I arrived, I remember distinctly saying that I didn’t like beer. However, when you’ve spent the day on the beach, in the kind of temperatures Australia regularly experiences, and the beer is presented cold and in a handy little bottle, these stubbies start to go down rather well. In the book, Beth finds an ingenious use for the ice-cold beers.

(I’m even more intrigued now…)

Help yourself to the nibbles, Linda. I’ve chosen Wasabi peas, for no other reason than because I am rather partial to them. I hope you are too? Unfortunately, I do have a tendency to eat so many that my nose starts to sting. Stop me if I’m taking more than my fair share, or if you see my eyes begin to water.

(That’s fine Sue. Eat as many Wasabi peas as you like. I really don’t like them. I always pick them out of any nibbles I have. Your eyes are looking a bit watery though… Maybe you need another beer.)

I’ve also brought along a memento of my trip to Australia. I made some amazing friends on my travels and I loved how people, who were strangers one day, could be accompanying me on life changing experiences the next. I’ve kept this leaflet from a trip where we sailed around the Whitsunday Islands. I was with a group of people I met whilst travelling up the East Coast. I loved the part where we lounged about on the boat, soaking up the sun and drinking stubbies. However, the trip included a little taster of scuba diving. It should’ve been an incredible experience, standing on the seabed, watching all the exquisite fish weave through the crystal-clear water. Yet, as I swam to the bottom and began breathing artificial air, I discovered that I have an acute fear of being deep under water. No matter how much I told myself that I could breathe and that I was most definitely not about to drown, sadly, I spent the entire time panicking. The beauty and proximity of The Great Barrier Reef, the serenity of the silent sea – all was lost on me! There’s a scene in Can’t Get You Out of my Head where my characters also try scuba diving for the first time. You can see if they fare any better than I did!

(What a shame Sue. I’m very claustrophobic myself and can only snorkel so you have my sympathy.)

Thanks so much for staying in with me, Sue, to tell me about Can’t Get You Out of my Head. Congratulations once again on today’s publication. 

Thanks for having me over this evening. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you and talking about my latest novel. Can you pass me another handful of those Wasabi peas … and some tissues for my mascara, please?

(I can indeed – eat them up!)

About Sue Shepherd

Born in Harrow, Sue went on to spend several years living in Hertfordshire before selling up and taking a leap of faith across The Solent. She now resides on the picturesque Isle of Wight with her husband, two sons and a standard poodle.

Her passions in life are: her family, writing, the seaside and all the beautiful purple things her sons have bought her over the years.

Happiest when hunched over her laptop with a cup of tea on the go, Sue loves to create stories with plenty of heart and laughs, but she makes sure to include a bit of naughtiness too. Ask Sue to plan too far in advance and you’ll give her the heebie-jeebies and she’d prefer you not to mention Christmas until at least November!

You can follow Sue on Twitter and visit her website. You’ll find Sue on Facebook and there’s more with these other bloggers too:

A couple of years ago, lovely Jane Lambert was kind enough to give me a copy of her novel for review and whilst I was delighted to receive it, I’m afraid with over 900 other arriving unsolicited, it rather got lost in my TBR pile. Now, however, in its new guise as The Start of Something Wonderful I have finally read Jane’s book and am delighted to review it here today as it was so worth the wait.

I also have an interview with Jane that you can read here, as well as a lovely guest post here about Jane’s route to publication.

Published by HQ Digital on 5th January 2018, The Start of Something Wonderful is available for purchase here.

The Start of Something Wonderful

Previously published as Learning to Fly

It’s never too late to follow your dreams…

Forty-year-old air stewardess, Emily Forsyth, thought she had everything a woman could wish for: a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle, a designer wardrobe and a dishy pilot boyfriend. Until he breaks up with her…

Catapulted into a mid-life crisis she wishes she’d had earlier, she decides to turn her life upside-down, quitting her job and instead beginning to chase her long-held dreams of becoming an actress!

Leaving the skies behind her, Emily heads for the bright lights of London’s West End – but is it too late to reach for the stars?

My review of The Start of Something Wonderful

Nursing a broken heart and a desire to become an actress Emily throws in her airhostess career for a life of drama – in more ways than one.

The Start of Something Wonderful has been on my TBR for such a long time that I was almost afraid to read it. What if I didn’t like it? I needn’t have worried as I really, really enjoyed this book.

The Start of Something Wonderful is a delightfully effortless read because Jane Lambert’s style is so fluid and natural that it makes reading a pleasure. I loved the realism conveyed through the sprinkling of foreign words and phrases as well as the references to the arts and literature and the quotations from Shakespeare that weave seamlessly into the narrative yet serve to add depth and flavour. And speaking of flavour, Jane Lambert manages to appeal to all the senses so that The Start of Something Wonderful is vivid and stimulating.

I loved meeting Emily. She is the perfect embodiment of a real woman of a certain age. Her anxieties, her doubts, her challenges and triumphs are told with emotion and brilliant humour and they are exactly the elements that all women can relate to. I frequently laughed aloud, smiled and nodded as I read because I understood completely how she was feeling as Jane Lambert places the reader very firmly inside Emily’s head.  I confess I shed a little tear too at the end.

I adored the storyline. I learnt  a great deal about the life of a jobbing actress. I’m sure much of the novel is autobiographical, as, alongside the humour and despair there’s a realism and considerable depth that I thoroughly appreciated. Whilst The Start of Something Wonderful is a rom-com or chick-lit if that’s how you want to define it, it is also a book about being true to yourself, about not relying simply on a man and about making the most of every moment we have.

The Start of Something Wonderful is a glorious, escapist read with romance, drama (in more ways than one), humour and a cracking story that I loved.

About Jane Lambert

Jane studied French and German, taught English in Vienna then travelled the world as air crew before making the life-changing decision to become an actress.

She has appeared in “Calendar Girls”, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” and “Deathtrap” in London’s West End .

You can find Jane Lambert on Facebook and Twitter @JaneLambert22.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I’m ‘meeting’ all kinds of authors I wouldn’t have known about had I not been running this Staying in with… feature on the blog and today I’ve another new to me author, Steph F. Tumba to chat to.

If you’re an author who’d also like to stay in with me to tell me about one of your books, please click here for more details.

Staying in with Steph Tumba

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Steph. Thanks so much for staying in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Bonjour Linda. Thank you ever so much for having me here and picking my book. It’s a great pleasure to be here and I am eternally grateful for your interest.

I have brought with me my first novel 100 Dates And A Wedding 😉 It’s been published by Sté Tumba Capital in association with Amazon Publishing Group and available since February 12^th all over the world on Amazon, a few stores in America, and in the UK on our website.

(Sounds an exciting time for you Steph.)

What can we expect from an evening in with 100 Dates & a Wedding?

Quite a lot in fact. 100 Dates And A Wedding relates the tribulations of a young French divorcee in London. It draws on aspects of my past: my divorce, my social life in London, my career as an entrepreneur, and my struggle to understand this modern world of dating especially after a long relationship.

(Aha! Hence your French response earlier. In that case, bienvenue – or something like that if my ancient French can be dredged up enough!)

I share some of my funniest, saddest (sometimes), and incredible dating experiences in London. So be ready to laugh out loud, cry out loud, sympathise, relate, be angry, annoyed, disturbed, hopeless, in admiration and full of hope. It’s a passionate and spicy novel based main on real events.

(Sounds highly entertaining.)

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought along some pictures by Marco Joe Fazio, a close friend and a fantastic photographer. He captured London and Me/Valerie’s very well in these 5 pictures: her discovery, her awkwardness, her doubts, and her confidence. But…  I have also brought some chocolates as a thank you for inviting me over.

(I love a guest who brings chocolates Steph. Great photos by the way.)

Thanks so much for staying in with me to tell me all about 100 Dates and a Wedding, Steph. Good luck with the book (and the romances).

100 Dates And A Wedding

100 Dates And A Wedding relates the tribulation of Valérie a French 30-year-old divorcee from Paris living in London.

Between the English’s rules of dating, the expected texts, the expected loves, the misinterpreted messages, the words over-interpreted, and the language barrier Valérie experienced the misunderstanding love in all its splendour and the cultural clash at its worst. She narrates the worst of her dating experiences London offered and the lessons she learnt from them. Her disillusionments, her joys, and her own ambiguities are shared without concession questioning how to deal with a break up after a long relationship?

How to believe in love again after being defeated?

Even more, how many rendezvous did it take to find the one? 100?

The road to love is not easy, but when you find it, you realise that somehow, you enjoyed the ride, but more so adore reaching the destination. We must all go through this, C’est la vie!

Valérie’s discovers that you need to kiss a few frogs before getting that happy-ending story full of sparkling stars.

100 Dates And A Wedding is available for purchase here.

About Steph F. Tumba

Manufactured in France and improved in England, Stephanie Tumba, born in Paris, moved in London 7 years ago.

After a Baccalaureate in French Literature, Stéphanie initially studied English Literature and Civilisations at Paris University, but after two years switched to Business Management degree.

After her studies, Stéphanie worked for companies such as L’Oréal and LVMH before turning to an entrepreneurial career.  Since she’s been a kid, she always had an overflowing Imagination with a slight tendency to hyperactivity. Business lady by day and writer by night, she has always read and written songs, poems, or stories sometimes short, sometimes long, sometimes comical, occasionally sarcastic and sometimes dark and suicidal, depending on her mood, the music she has in her mind, the people she met and the amount of alcohol drunk on the day.

Now Stephanie, who loves challenges, is currently working on her second novel and working on a variety of creative projects.

There’s more on Steph’s website, and about the book on Twitter.

On Thursday last week I had a fantastic time at @TeamBATC #SpringBloggerEvening2018  event run by Books and the City @TeamBATC for Simon and Schuster. There were so many lovely blogger friends whom it was wonderful to catch up with and to see many of the lovely publishing team behind the books. Even better though was meeting all ten – yes ten – of the fabulous authors, some who I now know well and some whom I hadn’t met before.

With Sara-Jade (our very own book minx @BookMinxSJV ) starting off proceedings, Jo Dickinson took over to grill our wonderful authors.

Each author responded to Jo’s often tricky questions with some surprising information. Who knew Holly Hepburn finds icing biscuits so difficult or that Penny Parkes tends to forget the characters in her books are not actually real people. I think the best advice of the evening came from Heidi Swain who said, ‘If you want to be a writer, write!’

The Authors and Their Books

(In the order of the evening!)

Random Acts Of Kindness Part 3: Crossroads by Victoria Walters

Welcome to Littlewood, a small town community with a big heart. 
Abbie and her boyfriend Jack are about to start their own PR company in London, but there are so many unanswered questions about their past and Abbie begins to question her decision to leave Littlewood… Will Thomas manage to hold onto Huntley Manor without her, or has her departure ruined his chances…?

After a shaky start, Eszter is determined to show her daughter Zoe that it doesn’t matter where you are from, that we are all the same. With a little help from Brew cafe, they decide to run a cake baking class for the local children to help her make some friends. But as the summer goes on, their return to Hungary looms over them… Will they go back and leave Zoe’s granny, Anne, all on her own? Or is life in Littlewood the perfect fit for their newly formed family…?

Having pushed Alex away, Louise finds herself battling with jealousy when she sees him with her colleague. But when tragedy strikes, Louise is confronted with how precious and short life can be… Is she ready to tell Alex how she really feels or will she lose him for good?

Random Acts Of Kindness Part 3: Crossroads by Victoria Walters is available here.

Our House by Louise Candlish

FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE.
When Fi Lawson arrives home to find strangers moving into her house, she is plunged into terror and confusion. She and her husband Bram have owned their home on Trinity Avenue for years and have no intention of selling. How can this other family possibly think the house is theirs? And why has Bram disappeared when she needs him most?

FOR RICHER, FOR POORER.
Bram has made a catastrophic mistake and now he is paying. Unable to see his wife, his children or his home, he has nothing left but to settle scores. As the nightmare takes grip, both Bram and Fi try to make sense of the events that led to a devastating crime. What has he hidden from her – and what has she hidden from him? And will either survive the chilling truth – that there are far worse things you can lose than your house?

TILL DEATH US DO PART.

Our House by Louise Candlish is available here.

The Sunday Lunch Club by Juliet Ashton

The first rule of Sunday Lunch Club is … don’t make any afternoon plans.

Every few Sundays, Anna and her extended family and friends get together for lunch. They talk, they laugh, they bicker, they eat too much. Sometimes the important stuff is left unsaid, other times it’s said in the wrong way.

Sitting between her ex-husband and her new lover, Anna is coming to terms with an unexpected pregnancy at the age of forty. Also at the table are her ageing grandmother, her promiscuous sister, her flamboyantly gay brother and a memory too terrible to contemplate.

Until, that is, a letter arrives from the person Anna scarred all those years ago. Can Anna reconcile her painful past with her uncertain future?

The Sunday Lunch Club by Juliet Ashton is available here.

You Me Everything by Catherine Isaac

You and me, we have history.
We have a child together.
We have kept secrets from each other for far too long.
This summer, in the beautiful hills of the Dordogne, it is time for everything to change.

You Me Everything by Catherine Isaac is available here.

And if you want to know why so far You Me Everything is my book of the year, click here!

Starry Skies at Castle Court by Holly Hepburn

Sadie is a single mum, nursing a broken heart. Cat is burned out from working long hours as a chef. They decide to invest in their dream – running their own handmade biscuit shop in gorgeous Castle Court, a three-storey food court tucked away behind Chester’s bustling streets.

They soon discover that Castle Court has its own community – a little haven of delight against the stresses of the outside world. But not everyone welcomes the new business; the patisserie owner is less than pleased by what she sees as direct competition and Greg, who runs the fancy bistro that dominates one end of the courtyard, doesn’t think Sadie and Cat have the talent or business acumen to succeed. Luckily, there’s support in the form of the delectable Jaren, who owns the Dutch waffle house opposite Smart Cookies, and Swiss chocolate-shop owner, Elin. And if all else fails, the friends can drown their sorrows in the cocktail bar that overlooks the court.

Starry Skies at Castle Court by Holly Hepburn is available here.

Five Years from Now by Paige Toon

For the next two decades, fate brings Nell and Van together every five years, as life and circumstance continue to divide them. Will they ever find true happiness? And will it be together?

‘One day, maybe five years from now, you’ll look back and understand why this happened…’

Five Years from Now by Paige Toon is available here.

Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square by Heidi Swain

Kate is on the run from her almost-divorced husband who is determined to have her back, and she has found the perfect place to hide… a little cottage on Nightingale Square in Norwich, far away from her old life in London. But the residents of Nightingale Square don’t take no for an answer, and Kate soon finds herself pulled into a friendship with Lisa, her bossy but lovely new neighbour.

Within a matter of days Kate is landed with the job of campaigning the council to turn the green into a community garden, meanwhile all the residents of Nightingale Square are horrified to discover that the Victorian mansion house on the other side of the square has been bought by developers. But when all hope is lost, the arrival of a handsome stranger is sure to turn things around!

Sunshine and Sweet Peas in Nightingale Square by Heidi Swain is available here.

Best Practice by Penny Parkes

Love and laughter with the residents of Larkford is exactly what the doctor ordered!

Dr Alice Walker has become accomplished at presenting a façade to the world – to anyone watching, she is the epitome of style, composure and professionalism. But perhaps it was to be expected that the cracks might begin to show at some point. Thankfully Grace is on hand to offer both friendship and support when it’s needed most.

Meanwhile, Dr Holly Graham has her hands full both professionally and personally. Planning a wedding with Taffy Jones is challenging enough, even before some surprising news changes everything. At least beloved Larkford resident, Elsie, still has a few tricks left up her sleeve!

Best Practice by Penny Parkes is available here.

The Temptations of Gracie by Santa Montefiore

Never give up on your dreams, no matter how long you hold on to them . . .

When Gracie Burton stumbles upon an advertisement for a weeklong cookery course in the heart of the Tuscan countryside, she cannot resist, and ploughs her life savings into the trip.

Her only family – daughter Carina and granddaughter Anastasia – are hesitant about what has prompted this seemingly random venture.
But they have no sense of Gracie’s past; of what could possibly be calling her to Italy. They have no idea that Gracie is harbouring the secret of an extraordinary life that preceded them . . .

The Temptations of Gracie by Santa Montefiore is available here.

The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton by Anstey Harris

Between the simple melody of running her violin shop and the full-blown orchestra of her romantic interludes in Paris with David, her devoted partner of eight years, Grace Atherton has always set her life to music.

Her world revolves entirely around David, for Grace’s own secrets have kept everyone else at bay. Until, suddenly and shockingly, one act tips Grace’s life upside down, and the music seems to stop.

It takes a vivacious old man and a straight-talking teenager to kickstart a new chapter for Grace. In the process, she learns that she is not as alone in the world as she had once thought, that no mistake is insurmountable, and that the quiet moments in life can be something to shout about …

The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton by Anstey Harris is available here.

After a break for cakes, nibbles and plenty of Prosecco, we were all delighted to chat with each author and get our exclusive spring blogger booklet signed.

At the end of the evening we all took home a fantastic goody bag (@TeamBATC always do the best ones!). The @TeamBATC #SpringBloggerEvening2018 was an absolute joy and I loved every moment of it. Thanks to all who made it such a brilliant evening.

And here’s another exciting thing. SJV is giving away some goody bags just like the ones we were given.

If you want to win one of the fabulous goody bags we lucky bloggers received, head over to Twitter here before 13th April where SJV is giving away 7 of them.

Can’t wait until next year’s event. Until then, I’m off to read the books!

Regular Linda’s Book Bag readers know how much I love to travel. Russia is one of the destinations on my wish list, so when I was approached by Angela Melamud at Inkshares to see if I would like to review Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid by Sergey Grechishkin I was so sorry I simply couldn’t fit it in to my reading schedule. However, I was able to ask Sergey to stay in with me to tell me more about it!

If you’re an author who’d also like to stay in with me to tell me about one of your books, please click here for more details.

Staying in with Sergey Grechishkin

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag , Sergey. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Thank you. The pleasure is entirely mine.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

Frankly, it wasn’t hard to choose which of my books to bring this evening. This is my first and only book in English. It’s called Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid. It’s both a memoir and a social history book — a light-hearted worm’s-eye-view of the USSR through one Soviet childhood in the 1970s – 1980s. It’ll be released from Inkshares in March. (By the way, that pretty little girl on the cover is me.)

(Oh my goodness. I really did think that was a girl on the cover! Weren’t you cute? I hope you won’t mind me sharing this other photo your publishers, Inkshares, sent me as I think you look more like a boy in it!)

What can we expect from an evening in with Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid?

I hope that anyone who is interested in Russia or the Soviet Union will like it.

First, there is a lot of information on the day-to-day middle-class life in the Soviet Union, which was so drastically different from the life in the Western countries at that time. Here is a short quote:

Scarcity meant that running a Soviet household demanded endless improvisation. Our parents didn’t have the slightest clue about modern conveniences like trash bags, wet wipes, paper handkerchiefs, disposable diapers, shaving gel, and tampons (or any other types of female sanitary products). Until the mid-1970s, there wasn’t even such a thing as deodorant. (Just try to imagine rush hour on a crowded public bus in the middle of summer! On second thought, don’t.) There was no such thing as either sunscreen or soothing aloe gel, so when kids came home sunburned, they were smeared with sour cream. The universal solution to minor external abrasions, from skinned knees to hemorrhoids, was marigold ointment.

There were only three kinds of soap: ‘hand soap,’ used for washing people; ‘children’s soap,’ used for washing babies; and ‘household soap,’ used for everything else—cleaning floors, countertops, clothes, and dishes, which of course had to be washed by hand. Household soap was made of brownish-gray lye, and it smelled terrible.

And then there was baking soda. That stuff was practically magic…

(I’m desperate to visit Russia and this vivid writing makes it an even more interesting destination Sergey.)

Second, living oppressed behind the iron curtain, Soviet people developed a very dry and sarcastic sense of humor. I tried to inject it into the book. A lot of early readers found it quite funny.

(I should think you probably needed that sense of humour!)

What else have you brought along and why?

I was agonizing for a while on what to bring — a bottle of vodka, a Kalashnikov machine gun, a piece of household soap? But then settled on this: a Soviet toy from my childhood. I found it in a park when I was three-years-old and it has been with me for the last 44 years.

(With the deprivations you’ve described, Sergey, this little car must have been so special to you.)

Thank you so much for staying in with me to tell me about Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid Sergey. I am even more determined to get to Russia one day and it’ll be interesting to see how much has changed since the setting of your book.

Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid

Everything is Normal offers a lighthearted worm’s-eye-view of the USSR through the middle-class Soviet childhood of a nerdy boy in the 1970s and ’80s. A relatable journey into the world of the late-days Soviet Union, Everything is Normal is both a memoir and a social history―a reflection on the mundane deprivations and existential terrors of day-to-day life in Leningrad in the decades preceding the collapse of the USSR.

Sergey Grechishkin’s world is strikingly different, largely unknown, and fascinatingly unusual, and yet a world that readers who grew up in the United States or Europe during the same period will partly recognize. This is a tale of friendship, school, and growing up―to read Everything is Normal is to discover the very foreign way of life behind the Iron Curtain, but also to journey back into a shared past.

Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid is published by Inkshares and is available for purchase here.

About Sergey Grechishkin

Life’s journey took Sergey Grechishkin from a communal flat in Leningrad, through studies in China and France, and on to top banking jobs in London. Today he splits his time between London and Singapore and juggles his work and three children with teaching, investing into early-stage businesses, and writing. Everything is Normal: The Life and Times of a Soviet Kid is his first book.

Lovely Sam Missingham of Lounge Marketing recently invited me to act as an expert blogger for an author group she runs where I was delighted to ‘meet’ Nick Jones, author of  the children’s book Sarah’s Shadow. Nick kindly sent me a copy of Sarah’s Shadow in return for an honest review.

Sarah’s Shadow is available for purchase here.

Sarah’s Shadow

If you could change something about yourself, would you do it?

When Sarah Simpkins is teased about her shadow in the school playground, she finds herself wishing she didn’t have one. That night she has the chance to make the wish come true.

But will losing her shadow really make her happy?

My Review of Sarah’s Shadow

When Sarah wishes away her shadow she realises you sometimes don’t want what you wish for after all!

Sarah’s Shadow is utterly delightful. Firstly I must say something about the quality of its production. A generous size, Sarah’s Shadow is printed on thick paper that will be durable for many, many readings and feels like a luxury product. The illustrations by Si Clark are really super and bring life and added depth to the narrative. I thought the balance of text to image was perfect.

The story of Sarah’s Shadow is a lovely one. Beginning with teasing in the playground it will afford excellent discussions about how we might deliberately, or inadvertently, hurt another person’s feelings and I think will bring considerable comfort to children on the receiving end of bullying, especially when the final message of the story is that Sarah has a fantastic quality that is part of her regardless of what other people think. As Sarah also goes on a school trip that holds some anxieties for her, I think reading Sarah’s Shadow would give primary age children the opportunity to express any similar fears they may have too, making this a book that does much more than merely entertain – which it also does brilliantly.

With carefully crafted dialogue, and a variety of sentence length which models excellent writing practices so that children learn from their reading, the language of Sarah’s Shadow is simple enough for children to read independently, but would be a lovely story to share as a bedtime read with an adult. Parents beware though – I actually got a lump in my throat when Sarah’s shadow waved goodbye to her so sadly.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sarah’s Shadow because it’s a book written for children by someone who obviously understands them completely and who is a cracking story-teller into the bargain. I can’t recommend Sarah’s Shadow highly enough. Brilliant stuff.

About Nick Jones

Nick Jones is an author based in Congleton, Cheshire, but originally from Bristol. He has written a series of joke books and an illustrated children’s book.

His first joke book, Gagged and Bound, was written during the summer of 2014 and was published by Full Media Ltd later in the year to much critical acclaim, garnering positive reviews from numerous book review websites such as Reader’s Favorite and The Bookbag.

A follow-up, Gagged and Bound 2, was released a year later and received a similarly positive response, and in 2017 Nick returned with the third instalment. Described by one reviewer as a ‘master gagsmith’, Nick’s joke style is heavily pun-based and has been compared to Tim Vine, Milton Jones and Stewart Francis.

Nick has also written an illustrated children’s book called Sarah’s Shadow, which was published in December 2017.

You can follow Nick on Twitter: @nickjonesauthor and find out more on his website.

A little while ago I went to a book event, Warming the Blood, where I was introduced to lovely Rebecca Tinnelly and we were able to chat for a while. However, it simply wasn’t long enough so I invited Rebecca over to stay in with me and bring a book along. I’m delighted that she accepted the invitation.

If you’re an author who’d also like to stay in with me to tell me about one of your books, please click here for more details.

Staying in with Rebecca Tinnelly

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. It was so good to meet you in person recently. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve bought my first novel, a psychological suspense entitled Never Go There. It follows Nuala Greene, a young widow desperately seeking some sense of family and stability in the wake of her husband’s death. She travels to his home village in Somerset, a place he begged her never to go. What ensues is a twisty, turny exploration into dark, village life and the secrets no one wants to be uncovered.

(I love a twisty thriller Rebecca and am so glad I have Never Go There on my TBR.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Never Go There?

Reader’s so far have all agreed on two things; the novel is very, very dark and it’s hard to tear yourself away from. One reader described it as being more addictive than a pot of Pringles!

(Now that IS saying something in this household – help yourself to those over there!)

The setting is deepest, darkest Somerset at the beginning of winter; the trees have lost their leaves, the wind is beginning to bite and the nights are drawing in. Nuala is a town girl through and through, not used to living in the countryside at all and the setting takes her by surprise, as this extract, taken from the first chapter of the book, shows:

It wasn’t like she had imagined. The pictures online had been blue-skied, not night-dark. The branches above her car, those thin wire fingers from the stunted oaks, hadn’t featured at all. But here they were – this was the road, the hill, the place.

A crack and scrape of metal, a rock hitting the car’s underside. She wasn’t even driving on tarmac anymore, just dirt, the creaking sound reminding her of the letterbox opening that morning.

She felt for the letter on the passenger seat, the paper already soft from re-reading despite having had it for just a few hours, her finger tracing the words in the dark.

The trees were close, the half-moon hidden by their thin branches, twisting to meet each other inches above the car. She could feel the thud and bump of the aerial bristling against bark. No leaves, of course, not in November with the wind lashing the hill. She knew about that, the wind. But she had always, regardless of his warnings, expected sunshine. Her fault for leaving London so late in the day. Her fault for waiting until November when she should have come in May, but it had taken her months to stockpile the courage.

(Fantastic! This is so atmospheric – I’m off to bump Never Go There up the TBR pile. Back in a minute…)

Nuala discovers that the village her husband grew up in is somewhat different to the place she imagined. If you go on to read the novel you will unearth a range of secrets, heartache, murder and a twist that, so far, no one has managed to predict.

(It really does sound a brilliant read.)

What else have you brought along and why?

Well, you can’t have an evening in without a tipple or two. I’ve brought along one of my favourite gin and tonic combinations; Cotswold’s Gin with Fevertree tonic water. Add a wedge of lime, a stick of cucumber and a couple of ice cubes and you’re in G&T heaven.

Writing is a very solitary pursuit and I live in a remote village in Somerset myself, hence the setting for Never Go There, so it can often get rather isolated. Whenever I get lonely or crave company I like to have a small G&T because it reminds me of my sisters, Hannah and Alice, who converted me to gin years ago. Whenever I have a sip I always feel closer to them. I’ve poured us both a glass… chin, chin!

(Oh thanks Rebecca – I’m quite partial to a G+T and haven’t tried this one though I have found where I can buy it – here!)

I’ve also bought a photo along to get you in the mood for the creepy setting of Never Go There. I live in a fantastic part of the country, the Quantock Hills, and they have a unique and varied landscape, full of twisted, close-growing oak trees that look so eerie and yet so beautiful. They never fail to inspire me:

(Gosh yes. They are creepy and quite primeval I think. I spent a lot of my childhood holidays in Somerset so the Quantock Hills are very familiar to me as we used to go walking there.)

I’ve always been an avid walker, ever since I was a child and my parents’ took me on walking holidays to the Lake District, Scotland and Wales. When I first moved to Somerset from London I was awestruck by the scenery on my walks and it’s definitely infiltrated my work.

The last thing I’ve bought is my yoga mat. I spend my days and evenings writing very dark, twisted stories, but I also have two children; it’s so important for me that, once I’ve stopped writing, I leave my work on the page and can be the cheerful, calm, attentive mother my children deserve. Yoga helps me make that transition from writer to parent. You can never switch either role off completely, I am both all the time, but yoga refocuses my mind, lets me leave all thoughts of plot and character with my book and brings me back into the real world. I’ve been doing it every day now for a few years and, along with mindfulness and meditation practices, it helps me achieve a positive work/life balance.

So, Linda, if you want to don your lycra leggings and give yourself a stretch, we’ll begin with downward facing dog…

(Ah! Well! You see, lycra isn’t really my thing… However, my husband and I have just started adding stretching into our daily exercise routines so I’m happy to try the yoga. Last time we tried it, doing the clock and knowing the lion pose was coming, we laughed at each other so much we had tears running down our faces so I might need a bit of encouragement…)

Thanks so much for staying in with me and telling me more about Never Go There Rebecca. It was lovely to have a bit more time together.

Thank you so much for having me this evening, Linda! I’ve thoroughly enjoyed myself, I hope you have too.

I have!

Never Go There

He told her that she must never, EVER go there…

Nuala knows nothing of her husband James’s past. He made her swear that she would never contact his family or visit the place he was from. But now James is dead, and Nuala is alone. Grieving and desperate, she decides to ignore his warning.

But was he protecting her… or himself?

Nuala is about to find out that some secrets are better left buried – and that uncovering the truth about the man she married will have terrible consequences…

Never Go There is published by Hodder and Stoughton and is available for purchase here.

About Rebecca Tinnelly

Rebecca Tinnelly lives amongst the twisted sessile oaks of the Somerset coast with her two children and two cats. No doubt fuelled by the stories she was told by her stepmother, a consultant pathologist, Rebecca is most interested in writing about the darker side of society and family life.

After a successful career in sales, most recently selling wicker coffins, she waved goodbye to the office to pursue a career in writing. And, when not writing, enjoys baking the odd cake or two. Never Go There is her debut novel.

You can find out more by following Rebecca on Twitter @RebeccaTinnelly, or visiting her blog.

I am delighted to welcome Gail Aldwin to Linda’s Book Bag to stay in with me today because Gail is a new to me author and it feels a real privilege to ‘meet’ so many wonderful writers through this feature that I wouldn’t otherwise have known about.

If you’re an author who’d also like to stay in with me to tell me about one of your books, please click here for more details.

Staying in with Gail Aldwin

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Gail. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Thank you for inviting me to stay in with you, Linda. I’m looking forward to sharing a splendid evening.

Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Paisley Shirt is a collection of short fiction published by Chapeltown Books. It contains twenty-seven fascinating stories that reveal the extraordinary nature of people and places. Through a variety of characters and voices, these stories lay bare the human experience and what it is like to live in our world. You can immerse yourself in Paisley Shirt one evening or dip in and grab a satisfying story to read during a coffee break, while a child naps or between train stops on a journey.

(I love short pieces of fiction like Paisley Shirt, Gail, as I feel I have achieved a real read completing a story in a short while.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Paisley Shirt?

All the stories in this collection are themed around the quality of resilience and you’ll find reflection, humour, surprise, intrigue and more. Maria Donovan, author of The Chicken Soup Murder, says the stories in Paisley Shirt are ‘sensitive, surprising, unnerving, tender and crucial.’

(What a wonderful description.)

Here is a taster of one of the very short stories.

Stone

The dining room is laid with paper cloths and napkins. In my pocket, the stone slips between my fingers, the surface smooth and cold. I found it in the garden as I shuffled along the path. I think of Laura and her clear gaze, her eyes watching my mouth as she tries to understand the words I dribble. I place the distorted heart on the table where she sits, a stone love letter.

(That’s so effective in just a short paragraph Gail. Lovely.)

A review by Tracy Fells on Amazon says this story ‘gives a lingering punch to the heart.’

(And I quite agree with Tracy.)

What else have you brought along and why?

The title for this collection comes from one of the stories. A caller to the home of Auntie Maggie wears a paisley print shirt, which reminds her of an earlier relationship. The history of paisley pattern is fascinating. The droplet design originally appeared on shawls made in Kashmir, which were brought back to the UK as gifts by soldiers returning from India. Later, the East India Company began importing shawls and due to their popularity, production of woollen shawls began in the small town of Paisley in Scotland. Paisley print shawls became a must-have item for Victorian women. As a reflection of their popularity, I have brought with me this evening a painting called Paisley Shawl by Robert Lewis Reid (1862-1929).

(How fascinating. I love hearing how titles and inspiration for writing happens. I’m off to India soon too so I shall look out for a paisley shawl.)

Although the paisley pattern fell in popularity over the years, there was a revival in the late 1960s when the print became fashionable for men and women to wear.

I hope you enjoy reading Paisley Shirt and that it will fire you with enthusiasm to read other flash fiction collections published by Chapeltown Books.

Thanks so much for staying in with me to tell me all about Paisley Shirt Gail. If your sample story is anything to judge by, I can’t wait to read the rest of the collection.

Paisley Shirt

‘Paisley Shirt’ is a fascinating collection of 27 stories that reveal the extraordinary nature of people and places. Through a variety of characters and voices, these stories lay bare the human experience and what it is like to live in our world.

Paisley Shirt is available in Kindle Edition and paperback from Amazon UK and Amazon US. The paperback is also available from all good bookshops.

About Gail Aldwin

Gail is a prize-winning writer of short fiction and poetry. Her work can be found online at Ink, Sweat & Tears, Slamchop and Words for the Wild and in a range of print anthologies including Flash Fiction Festival One (Ad Hoc Fiction, 2017), Gli-ter-ary (Bridge House Publishing, 2017) and Dorset Voices (Roving Press, 2012).

As Chair of the Dorset Writers’ Network, Gail works with the steering group to support the skills and confidence of writers across the county by connecting creative communities. She is also a visiting tutor to undergraduates of creative writing at Arts University Bournemouth. In 2017, Gail co-wrote Killer Ladybugs a short play that was staged by Cast Iron Productions (Brighton). Paisley Shirt, Gail’s collection of short fiction is published by Chapeltown Books.

You can follow Gail on Twitter @gailaldwin, find her on Facebook, and visit her blog: The Writer is a Lonely Hunter.

It’s always so exciting to be part of a new book’s publication day, and I’m thrilled to have an extract from The One by Maria Realf to share with you on Linda’s Book Bag.

Published by Harper Impulse, today 22nd March 2018, The One is available for purchase here.

The One

Lizzie Sparkes should be the happiest girl in the world – she’s three months away from marrying The One in the wedding of her dreams! But then The One before the One walks back in to her life with a bombshell.

Alex’s unexpected return changes everything and now Lizzie faces an impossible dilemma. Because how can you leave the past behind you, when it’s standing right in front of you…asking you for one more chance?

An Extract from The One

13 weeks to go . . .

Finally, I’ve found The One! Lizzie Sparkes gazed at the full-length mirror in the changing room, hardly daring

to believe that it was her own reflection staring back. The Grecian gown was perfect, with tiny beads twinkling along the asymmetric strap, and a delicate train skimming the carpet as though it was practising for the Oscars. It wasn’t too tight, it wasn’t scratchy and it didn’t make her look like a human doily. The only downside was the eye- wateringly expensive price, but she had decided to overlook that part. It’ll be worth it when Josh sees me walking down the aisle, she reassured herself, a lump rising in her throat. I look almost . . . beautiful.

She was afraid to step out from the safety of the cubicle, in case the look on her mum’s face – or Megan’s – betrayed the fact that they didn’t feel the same. They were both polite when it came to watching her try on wedding gowns, and had patiently sat through some 30 or so now, but she knew them well enough to read the signs. When her mum wasn’t keen on a dress, she blinked three or four times in quick succession, while Megan pulled a weird half-smile that made her look as though she’d had a dodgy facelift. It was a total giveaway, every time.

Lizzie drew a deep breath and swept back the purple velvet curtain. She took a slow step out into the centre of the boutique, her dark hair swishing loosely behind her like a glossy veil. ‘W-O-W,’ said Megan.

Her mum promptly burst into tears, which was a more confusing reaction.

‘Mum? Don’t you like it?’

There was a long pause while Lynda Sparkes rummaged through her overcrowded handbag, before pulling out a crumpled tissue and nearly poking herself in her right eye. ‘Oh, Elizabeth,’ she sniffed, mascara smudging into her crows’ feet. ‘You look like a movie star.’

Yep, this is definitely The One . . .

The store manager tottered over in her nude skyscraper heels, clearly anticipating a hefty commission. ‘That dress looks amazing on you,’ she gushed. ‘It fits so well, you’d hardly need any alterations. We could maybe just take it up an inch or two.’ She bent down and folded the hem with her hands by way of demonstration, though it didn’t seem to make a great deal of difference. ‘What do you think?’

‘I’ll take it.’ The words popped out of Lizzie’s mouth before she had a chance to peek again at the price tag.

‘Excellent!’ The manager clapped her manicured hands loudly and two blonde minions, one tall and one tiny, raced over. ‘Let’s open some champagne, please, for Ms . . .’

‘Sparkes. Soon to be Cooper.’

‘Of course. I assume we’re all having some bubbly?’ ‘You assume right,’ said Megan. She was not the kind of girl to turn down champagne at any hour, especially if it was on the house.

‘Marvellous.’ Moments later the two blondes reappeared, one bearing a tray of glasses and the other carrying a bottle of fizz. The manager made an elaborate show of popping the cork and pouring it out with a flourish. ‘Well, congratulations!’

‘Thank you,’ smiled Lizzie, edging away from the drinks so as not to spill anything down the pristine white silk. After six long months of searching, she was still in shock that she had found the dress of her dreams. Everyone kept telling her that she would know the right one when she saw it, but she’d been starting to suspect that might be a bridal myth. Last week she’d had a nightmare that she arrived at the wedding in a gown made from loo roll, which began to unravel in front of all their guests. She’d woken up covered in sweat and couldn’t get back to sleep, but Josh thought it was hilarious when she relayed the story the next morning. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll still marry you if you turn up in Andrex,’ he joked. ‘And think how much money we’d save . . .’

It was easy for him to laugh, of course; he’d chosen his suit after just two shopping trips and looked like a male model in it, the slimline cut complementing his lean, athletic build. ‘You’re not supposed to upstage the bride,’ she’d only half-joked when he tried it on, feeling the pressure to pick an equally special outfit increase tenfold. It was a huge relief to have finally found something so perfect. ‘I can’t believe you’re getting married!’ squealed Megan, the bubbliness of the champers already kicking in. ‘And in that fabulous dress.’ She glanced over at Mrs Sparkes, who had finally managed to stop sobbing long enough to take a sip of her drink. ‘Mrs S, we’re really going to have to get you some waterproof eye make-up.’

‘Oh, I don’t think I can manage anything else today, love. I’m completely shopped out.’

‘Fair enough, but you’ll want some for the wedding. I’ll see what I can find at work.’ Megan was a journalist for a popular style website, and was sent so many samples that her bathroom was starting to resemble the cosmetics hall at Harrods. The retail worth of her monthly beauty booty was probably twice her modest salary.

She turned her attention back to her friend. ‘You’ll need to start thinking about bridal make-up too, Lizzie – plus there’s hair, underwear, shoes, not to mention my brides- maid’s outfit . . .’

‘I think I’d better get out of this dress first,’ said Lizzie. ‘Can you give me a hand, Meg?’

‘Sure, no problem. As long as I don’t have to help you to the loo on the day.’

Just then Megan’s mobile squawked like a melodramatic duck, and they both burst out laughing. ‘What on earth is that?’ asked Lizzie.

‘It’s my new email alert,’ grinned Megan, reaching for her phone. ‘It quacks me up.’

‘Oh, please stop. I swear your jokes are getting worse.’ She waited for the witty riposte, but suddenly realised her friend was no longer smiling. In fact, all the colour had flooded from her face, leaving her skin whiter than the row of wedding dresses behind her. ‘Megan? What’s wrong?’

The sound of her name seemed to snap Megan out of her trance, and she shook her curly blonde bob. ‘Nothing. It’s not important. Now, where were we?’ She put on her most lopsided smile, and Lizzie knew she was lying.

‘You were about to stop being weird and tell me what’s going on. Is everything OK?’

‘Yes, everything’s fine. I’ll fill you in later.’

‘Please fill me in now. You’re starting to freak me out.’ Megan looked around nervously, as if hoping someone might interrupt this awkward exchange, but Mrs Sparkes was deep in conversation with the manager, waffling on

about her own 1980s bridal gown. ‘Megan! What’s going on?’

‘Alright, I’ll tell you, but promise you won’t stress out, OK?’

‘Stress out about what?’

There was an uncomfortable pause. ‘Alex is back.’

(Now isn’t that tempting?)

About Maria Realf

Since graduating with a degree in multi-media journalism, Maria Realf has worked for many of the UK’s best-known magazines, including The Mail on Sunday’s YOU Magazine, Cosmopolitan, Cosmopolitan Bride, Fabulous, Marie Claire, Now and You & Your Wedding. In her spare time, Maria is also an all-round movie obsessive, theatre lover and karaoke enthusiast.

Find out more at on Facebook or via Maria’s website.  You can follow Maria on Twitter @MariaRealf.

It’s such a busy publication day today and I’m thrilled to have been asked to share an extract from one of the latest books; The Love Factory by Elaine Proctor.

The Love Factory is published today, 22nd March 2018 by Quercus and is available for purchase here.

The Love Factory

You can control want, but desire controls you

When literary writer Anna falls on hard times, she tries her hand at erotic fiction to make money, and faces an uncomfortable truth. Though she’s a wife and mother of two, her stories fail to fly because she’s never experienced true sexual desire. Even her Sicilian grandmother – wearer of diamante sunglasses and knock-off Louis Vuitton – knows more than she does about real passion.

Anna turns to her friends for inspiration. As secrets and desires are revealed, she discovers more about the people close to her than she ever knew. When one of them suggests she borrow an alter ego to banish her inhibitions, a new world opens up, and The Love Factory – a group of writers penning ever more successful sexy stories – is born.

Yet Anna knows that she can’t rely on borrowed passion and an alter ego forever. For her tales to truly sizzle, she needs to find a true love of her own.

An Extract From The Love Factory

Anna and Nadia found Bouchra in bed with her head under the pillow, her grand, obsessively pristine bedroom sullied by an anthill of dirty laundry in the middle of the floor.

‘This is not a sight I ever thought I would see,’ said Nadia as they took in the mess.

Anna and Nadia sat on the bed.

‘Go away, you two,’ came a muffled voice from beneath the pillow.

Anna felt something under the sheets and pulled out a bottle of single malt whisky. It was half finished. ‘You drank this?’ she asked.

Bouchra emerged from hiding and gripped her head. ‘Ow, ow, ow,’ she moaned.

‘Oh shit,’ said Nadia. ‘The teetotal is a soak.’

Bouchra looked up at them both and, out of nowhere, asked, ‘Did you go to Bhavin’s without me?’

‘What? No!’ said Anna.

‘Never,’ said Nadia.

Once a month, after Wednesday yoga, the three friends made the pilgrimage to Bhavin’s, the great Indian grocery store in South London, to buy spices and the sweetest mangoes in the city.

The last time they’d visited, Bouchra had gone, unusually, into the shop next door, stacked floor to ceiling with roll upon roll of fabrics, and settled in amongst the silks, saris and fine hijabs.

Anna had found her there, holding a length of transparent silk up against the light.

‘Bouchra?’ said Anna.

Her friend had looked up, startled.

‘Nadia wants to know if you want a box of mangoes?’

‘It looks like how I am, Anna.’

‘What?’

‘Invisible.’

Bouchra let the silk fall.

‘I don’t know what’s happening to me. I feel like someone has taken out my insides with an ice-cream scoop.’

Bouchra’s children had long ago left for university in America and her empty nest filled her with a bewildering vertigo. At first, they’d come home in their holidays, but of late the other calls on their time won out: internships, boyfriends, work.

Some days, if she was alone too long, Anna could tell that her friend found it hard to string a sentence together, as if her brain was softening like an underused thigh muscle.

To Anna, Bouchra and her husband Majd had a somewhat mysterious relationship. It was evident that they colluded in the business of rising-up in the world, but if you asked her what he did for a living she would shake her head and say, ‘There are some things I need to know and others I need not to know.’

At a dinner party, not long after they first became friends, Anna had asked him, ‘So, what do you do, Majd?’

He had glanced at her and said, ‘I steal from the poor and give to the rich. You?’

‘I write books nobody reads.’

‘Ah, then we are both selfish bastards.’

It had stuck in her gut, that phrase.

About Elaine Proctor

Elaine Proctor was born in South Africa. She became involved in the anti-apartheid movement as a teenager and filmed several political documentaries up until 1986, when the political situation made it impossible for her to continue and she left to study at the National Film and Television School in Britain. She has made several films, including On The Wire (winner of the British Film Institute’s Sutherland Trophy) and Friends (selected by the Cannes Film Festival and winner of the Mention Speciale – Prix de Camera D’Or), has written a series for the BBC and published two novels, Rhumba and The Savage Hour. She sits on the chapter for screenwriting at the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and is a member of the Writer’s Guild of Great Britain. Elaine lives in Queen’s Park, London.

You can find out more by visiting Elaine’s website and following her on Twitter @ElaineProctor2.