I love historical fiction of all kinds, but life simply doesn’t allow me to read every book I’m offered and when I saw Kathleen Glassburn had an historical novel I had to invite her onto Linda’s Book Bag to tell us all about it.

Even though I haven’t had chance to read Kathleen’s book, I’m delighted to be able to offer an e-book to one lucky winner in a giveaway you’ll find further down this blog post.

So let’s find out all about it!

Staying in with Kathleen Glassburn

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

Well this is fun, Linda. I always like to meet new people, and hear the stories they want to share.

Me too as I’m essentially quite nosy which is why I run this feature! Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I’ve brought my first published novel, Making It Work. It’s historical fiction that takes place from 1965 to 1975. The settings are Minneapolis, MN, Long Beach, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.

(I haven’t travelled in America much so Making It Work sounds like an ideal way to do so.)

What can we expect from an evening with Making It Work?

The book takes us through the Vietnam War, the free-love counter culture, ubiquitous drug use, the Women’s Movement, and Watergate just to mention a few happenings. This time period was one of the most fractured and uncertain in the United States’ history.

(Plenty of scope there for a novel I would think Kathleen!)

Making It Work follows Sheila Doty Gallagher as she attempts to make peace with this deeply chaotic world. Amid never-ending demands from her family, her friends, her work, and even the war itself, she struggles to find her place in life while staying true to herself. The feminists of this era have often been stereotyped as radical and brazen. Sheila is a teenager when her story begins, and through her inner voice, as well as her intuition about the consequences of decisions and actions, the reader sees a more accurate depiction of women during this time period who were trying to figure out how to make it work. So many of the experiences and challenges Sheila goes through are still relevant today. The details have changed with the passage of time, but most younger women will identify with Sheila’s struggles.

(This sounds so interesting.)

I’m hoping that some of her story will resonate for you, Linda.

(As I became a teenager during that time I’m sure it will.)

What else have you brought along and why?

While writing fiction is my primary activity, I horseback ride for fun. I’d like to share some photos of my horse, Irish. I’ve owned him for two years — two exciting, educational, and growth-filled years. He has not been an easy horse. Irish is far from push button — the kind of horse that you tell to walk, trot, or canter and they do exactly that. With Irish, I’ve had to learn exactly the correct aids to get him to do what I want him to do — particularly at the canter. We’re currently working on flying lead changes. Riding him takes patience, commitment, and consistency, just like my writing does.

(He certainly seems to have a glint in his eye…)

All this said, he is sweet and lovable, and very cooperative when I’m not in the saddle. I have found that having a close relationship with a horse can be extremely therapeutic. Mindfulness is a popular idea, and being with Irish helps me to forget about everything else, lets all my problems float away while I’m completely in the moment. Even the kindest, most dependable horse might spook, and from my own mishaps I realize how quickly falls can happen. The more I’m with Irish mentally, the more I anticipate his every mood and movement, the safer I feel. As a bonus, I get some of my best story ideas after I’ve spent time with him.

(It sounds like the perfect relationship to me.)

One of the happiest parts in Making It Work is when Sheila stays with a family in Virginia for several months and exercises one of their horses. Riding often shows up in my stories.

I’m wondering, do you have any experiences with horses, Linda? Or other animals? There are also cats in Making It Work. I have two who live with me.

(I do have experience with horses but the less said about that the better! Cats, however, are more my thing. Just look around the room we’re in and you can see so many cat items and images.)

Thank you so much for staying in with me this evening Kathleen and telling me all about Making It Work. I’ve really enjoyed our time chatting and am thrilled to be able to offer an e-book of Making It Work as a giveaway. 

Making it Work

It is 1965 and nineteen-year-old Sheila Gallagher is grateful to have finally escaped her dysfunctional family and married her high school sweetheart. Unfortunately she has barely unpacked in their Minneapolis apartment when Jim reveals he has joined the navy. Now her plan to earn a music degree is foiled. Still, Sheila puts her dreams on the back burner, and follows Jim to California for his first assignment.

A few months after their arrival in Long Beach, Jim is deployed to Vietnam. As Sheila attempts to navigate in a strange city without her husband, she begins to question Americas military actions. And when Jim finally returns, he shocks her once again with his decision to re-enlist, prompting their divorce. As Sheila’s desire for a new beginning leads her to San Francisco, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery where she participates in anti-war demonstrations and searches for true love, meaningful friendships, and the courage to pursue her dreams. But in a time of great political and cultural change, Sheila is about to discover that a worthwhile goal can be difficult to achieve.

In this historical tale, a young woman sets out on a ten-year quest to overcome obstacles and create the future of her dreams during a tumultuous time in America.

Published by Archway, Making It Work is available for purchase here.

About Kathleen Glassburn

Kathleen Glassburn has always wanted to write as well as read; thus began her first efforts, which ended up in mimeographed school publications. When Kathleen was twenty-four she moved to Seattle; her perfect place to live. Kathleen worked in the financial community, married and had a son and a daughter. She received her BA in English from the University of Washington, followed by an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University, Los Angeles.

As well as writing and reading Kathleen plays the piano, horseback rides, take long walks with her husband and dogs, and travels.

You can visit Kathleen’s website for more information.

Giveaway: An E-copy of Making It Work by Kathleen Glassburn

For your chance to win an e-copy of Making It Work by Kathleen Glassburn click here.

Open internationally, this giveaway closes at UK midnight on Sunday 29th July 2018. Following the random selection of the winner, no data will be retained by Linda’s Book Bag from entries and the publicist will be responsible for ensuring the prize winner receives their e-book. Good luck!

I’m always in awe of those who manage to get that debut novel written as I know first hand what a challenge it can be. Some authors, however, seem to go just that little bit further and when J L Fellenor got in touch I had to invite him on to the blog to stay in with me as he fascinated me!

Staying in with J L Fellenor

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag John.

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

I have brought See what You Think About This (SWYTAT). This is my first novel, and took me around twelve years to write. I have self-published on Amazon/Kindle and, despite advice to the contrary, carried out all the formatting and chose the artwork myself. SWYTAT has been heavily influenced by my interest in psychology, particularly psychoanalysis, and philosophy.

(Then See what You Think About This must have been a real labour of love. Congratulations on your debut novel.)

What can we expect from an evening in with See what You Think About This?

With SWYTAT, I attempted to defy standard literary conventions, while still trying to tell a story. However, unlike stories which generally have some kind of linear narrative, SWYTAT was designed explicitly to be picked up and read from any page to any page; beginning at the start and working to the end is only one way of doing it. That hopefully gives something away about the story, at the heart of which is [maybe] an ‘unreliable’ narrator and a journey they take. The reader, will hopefully, find themselves working to piece together the events, picking up a little philosophy on the way, and, most importantly, reflecting on what the story might mean for their own lives; in terms of what and how they remember, and the significance of things. There may have been a murder. Or there may not.

(Oh my goodness. This sounds fascinating. I bet it was a nightmare to plot! I studied philosophy as part of my degree so I think I’d find See what You Think About This an interesting read.)

What else have you brought along and why? 

Along with SWYTAT, I brought along an eclectic range of music, for you to choose from as a background. SWYTAT was written, on the whole, while I listened to different musical pieces, to either evoke a feeling, or in many cases knowing that the rhythm of the music would somehow determine the rhythm of what I wrote. Feel free to select anything from the melancholy yet haunting sound of the Rhodes Electric Piano, through some gritty Blues, and on to the Indie scene of recent years. It’s all there, in SWYTAT!

I think we should sample if all John. Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about See what You Think About This. I’ve found the concept of the book really intriguing. I’m off to find out a bit more!

See what You Think About This

“Down the road some more a man looks across to the rails, and watches the train coming down out of the pass. Driver on the train talking to his mate; points across to the edge of the small town they start through. Joanie turns her head and watches the train through the window. Rodman sits back against the wall and the keys to a blue chopper drop from his hand on to the floor. Rodman dies. A nice guy”.

This is about a journey that may or may not have been taken. It’s about the things you already know; the history behind you, and how it sets out your future; the alternative choices that could have been made.

See what You Think About This is a complex psychological thriller; a puzzle to be solved by the reader. Set in a world where everything is at first glance familiar, you are invited to dig a little deeper; to reconsider your taken for granted assumptions about the world, and the part you play in it. Infused with an intense mix of influences, ranging from the philosophy of pessimism, to the pop-culture imagery of the coffee-table magazine, See What You Think About This is not designed to leave you feeling secure and safe in what you know of yourself and the world; a world where nothing is, in fact, certain. You can start at the beginning. You can choose to start in the middle. How you get to the answer, is up to you.

See what You Think About This is available for purchase here.

About John Fellenor

John Fellenor lives in rural southern England. Amongst other things, he has most recently worked as an academic, and has published several papers and a book chapter, although he is now looking to move into something that will allow his brain to cool down. John’s ideology, reflected in both his fiction and academic writing, has been heavily influenced by the work of Nietzsche, the philosophy of pessimism, and the psychoanalytic approaches of Jacques Lacan and Ignacio Matte Blanco.

You can follow John on Twitter @JohnFellenor.

I’m so pleased to welcome Sally Brandle to Linda’s Book Bag today as Sally has a philosophy of equality behind her writing that I think we sadly still need!

Staying in with Sally Brandle

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

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

I’ve brought The Hitman’s Mistake, my debut novel and the first of seven I’ve written. It’s recently published (June 2018) and I’m hopeful it encourages hesitant women to draw on their inner strengths to become equal partners with men in their lives.

(Now that’s a philosophy I can endorse whole-heartedly Sally!)

My heroine has faced the loss of her family by becoming inconspicuous while tending plants in downtown Seattle office buildings. Witnessing an attempted mob hit throws her into a deadly spotlight directed by a crooked policeman affiliated with the wealthy mobster. Once her escape begins, I’m not responsible for a reader’s actions. My dental hygienist scolded me. She’d planned to start the story and then be in bed by eleven o’clock to face work and kids off to school the next morning. At three AM, she finished reading the book. Warning given!

(That sounds the kind of book Linda’s Book Bag readers will really enjoy.)

What can we expect from an evening in with The Hitman’s Mistake?

Miranda Whitley lost the bright colors from her life when she lost her family. Grant, the FBI agent she turns to for help, brings much more than pale shades to her palette. Sanctuary in a gray world loses appeal once she’s discovered the fuchsia shades of attraction and golden gleam of family. Add that to the autumn colors of Montana and Big Red, a smart mule, and her world’s been painted with possibility.

Here’s the opening:

Frissons of apprehension raised the fine hairs on her forearms. A shadow moved near the stairwell.

Stepping inside the elevator car, she hit the button for the lobby with her fist, refusing to allow the reminder of her heartbreaking mistake to take hold in her head. Must be weird evening lights playing tricks in the empty building.

(Sounds brilliant Sally, and not a little disconcerting from the off!)

The Hitman’s Mistake won and finaled in several contests (under the former title, A Mule, A Mob Hit, and A Mountain of Trouble). Many judges were complimentary and offered great suggestions. Here’s a quote from one, “Keep up the good work! Seriously, I don’t know how you can with judging being hidden, but make sure you announce when this book is done. I want to read it!” I truly appreciated the encouragement and try to provide similar praise when I judge.

(That’s my philosophy of my blog. I review the books I enjoy and those I don’t like so much I keep quiet about!)

What else have you brought along and why? 

I’ve brought along two photos. The first is my garden, which I look upon while I write. From the lake, my trees provide privacy, not unlike Miranda’s row of plants in the Seattle Justice Building.

(What a fantastic view. So much better than mine – just take a look out of the conservatory at the back…)

The second photo is the four-legged and beloved equine in my life. My husband and sons are wonderful, but this twenty-eight year old gentleman takes me on wonderful trail rides and helps me revisit fond memories of childhood. Owning my first horse as a mature adult is akin to stepping into a delightful new chapter in a favorite book.

(I’m sure your husband doesn’t mind that you have a younger man in your life – as long as he has four legs Sally!)

Soul Mate Publishing purchased the second book in this series, Virtue and Vengeance, in which the heroine is afraid of horses. A miniature colt helps her overcome her fear. Each of my books in this series has an equine as a secondary character. I firmly believe animals provide the unquestionable love we need at the right moment. The next series I’m working on is romantic suspense, but with a scientific twist. I’d love to hear if readers are interested in that realm. It’s not futuristic, but poses the ‘what if’ question of good science gone bad.

While a witness and FBI agent escape mobsters, they can’t escape falling in love.

It sounds as if your writing and horses are going to be keeping you busy Sally. Thanks so much for sparing an evening to stay in and tell me all about The Hitman’s Mistake. I’ve really enjoyed finding out about it.

The Hitman’s Mistake

She needs his trust, he needs the truth. After Miranda Whitley stops crooked cops from assassinating a prominent Seattle judge, she’s next on the hit list, and her survival depends on the man she’s had one awkward encounter with—buff FBI Agent, Grant Morley. But can she find him in time?

The last person Grant expects to discover on his annual horseback trip delivering supplies to a Montana mountain hermit is alluring Miranda Whitley, nearly dead from a bullet wound in her side. An accidental witness or the cold-blooded accomplice to would-be assassins?

Miranda must convince Grant of her innocence, evade the killers intent on preventing her testimony, and fight her unwanted attraction for the agent…an attraction which seems to be mutual. Fortunately, love thrives in Emma Springs.

If you love sizzling chemistry, determined assassins, and Montana scenery, then you’ll love Sally Brandle’s galloping thriller.

The Hitman’s Mistake is available for purchase on Amazon.

About Sally Brandle

Multiple award-winning author Sally Brandle writes clean, contemporary, romantic suspense stories. She left a career as an industrial baking instructor so that she could bring to life her stories of courageous women supporting one another while they discover men who deserve their love.

A member of Romance Writers of America, Greater Seattle RWA, Eastside RWA, and She Writes, Sally’s current series, Love Thrives in Emma Springs, is set in rural Montana. You can find out more by visiting Sally’s website, finding her on Facebook, Goodreads and Pinterest and by following Sally on Twitter @sallybrandle.

I’m just delighted that I have author Tony J Forder staying in with me today because I count Tony as a friend, and he has been so generous with features for Linda’s Book Bag in the past.

When Bad to the Bone was published, Tony wrote an inspirational post about becoming a writer here.

Tony also wrote about writing outside his comfort zone here and he allowed his characters Bliss and Chandler from The Scent of Guilt to introduce one another here.

Staying in with Tony J Forder

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

There are several reason why I decided to bring along my third book, Scream Blue Murder. The idea for this book came to me during a period when I was hardly doing any writing at all. I was working very hard, and my physical condition wasn’t great (like my crime series character, DI Bliss, I have Meniere’s Disease), and I barely had the mental wherewithal to write, let alone find the time. But I scratched and shaped the book to about the halfway stage and then did not know where to go with it next, so I shelved it.

(I’m sorry to hear that Tony. I have tinnitus and having spent last summer with nausea and passing out you have my sympathy.)

 

When I was made redundant in December 2016 and decided to take my writing seriously again, I already had both Bad to the Bone and Degrees of Darkness written, and needed something new to write. I thought Scream Blue Murder was ideal to get my teeth back into, as I had always liked the storyline. There was another, more personal reason for finishing the book, but I’ll save that for later.

(Oh – tantalising.)

I have to say that once I got started on this again I thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and for the first time I allowed the characters to unfold and dictate the flow. There are a couple of villains here whose parts were supposed to be much smaller, yet they ended up playing significant roles in the story. This is also the book I was writing when I got my first publishing deal with Bloodhound Books, so it means a great deal to me for that reason alone.

I imagine it does. So, what can we expect from an evening in with Scream Blue Murder?

Scream Blue Murder is an action-adventure book, fast-paced and hopefully thrilling. This represented a challenge for me, because my other books are written in the third person from a central character’s point of view. This featured a first person POV narrative for the main character, plus many scenes from the POV of other characters. It was a test, and I changed my mind three times whilst writing it, but it was the right POV to use and I could not have been happier with the final result.

(I know many writers struggle with POV Tony so I imagine this was quite a challenge.)

The book was critically well-received, and I got the following quotes from fellow authors whose work I admire:

“Forder didn’t spare the horses when writing Scream Blue Murder. This book rockets along, a breathless action-packed ride. Perfect reading for fans of Simon Kernick and Jeff Abbott.” Matt Hilton, author of the Joe Hunter thrillers. 

“An action packed, twisty thriller. Great stuff.” Mason Cross, author of the Carter Blake thriller series.

“I would urge you to buy this book – there’s something special about it, and it’s a full five stars from me.” Anita Waller, bestselling author of 34 Days.

(My goodness. You must be so proud of those responses.)

The other thing about the book is that it was only ever intended to be a stand-alone. However, I became so involved with and engaged by the characters, that by the time I entered the final quarter of the writing stage I knew I had to write a sequel. I deliberately made the lead character, Mike Lynch, a man the reader wouldn’t immediately take to. There’s a danger in doing that, because some people might stop reading because they can’t buy into the character. But I wanted a man who was down on his luck, a man who was depressed and veering towards drink again, and then have his luck get even worse. Only this time he has two people to protect along the way, and so he is forced to dig deep and become the man he once was. I realised that to counteract the way some might feel about Mike early on, I had to ensure the early scenes compelled the reader to continue despite their feelings towards Mike. Given some of the nice things reviewers have said about Mike, I think I was largely successful.

(It sounds as if Mike has become genuinely human through your writing. I really want to meet him now and must read Scream Blue Murder as soon as I can.)

The sequel I had already started even before Scream Blue Murder was sold, is now completed. Cold Winter Sun is a part mystery, part suspense, part thriller, part fun novel, most of which takes place in New Mexico. Once again it features a large range of characters, and I hope to have it released later on this year.

(Then you must come back to the blog to tell us more about it. You’d be very welcome Tony.)

What else have you brought along to share and why?

The book has a simple dedication to my father. Sadly, he passed away before I managed to get my first novel published. But one of the other reasons why I felt compelled to finish Scream Blue Murder was because I actually started writing it back when my father was still with us, and a major reason why I chose to write an action-adventure book was because, though my dad had once loved those kind of books, especially from the likes of Alistair McLean, he had lost his love of reading in recent years. I began writing Scream Blue Murder because I hoped he would enjoy it, and more so that it would get him back on the path of reading books again. He never got to read it, but I like to think he would have enjoyed it. I’ve never told anyone that, and I know when my step-mother reads this part she’ll be blubbing.

(Just like I am now. Pass me a tissue from that box on the windowsill. Your Dad would have been so proud of you. Your comments feel really emotional to me as it’s two years tomorrow when my Dad had the massive stroke that took 17 weeks to kill him and I was feeling a bit tearful already…)

But it really was for him. So, I’ve brought along a photo of us together, and also a photo of a band he and I absolutely loved. My dad and I mostly talked sport together, but music was also a passion we shared, and our love of Steely Dan was something we could discuss all night long if you let us. Though there were many greats songs to choose from, our favourite (which was played at his cremation ceremony) was Reelin’ In The Years, off the band’s first album, Can’t Buy A Thrill. Here’s a link to the song.

Oh Tony! I’m in pieces. Thank you so, so much for such a personal insight into Scream Blue Murder. This has been a wonderful evening and my absolute privilege to host you here.

Many thanks, Linda, for the opportunity to provide this insight into one of my books.

Scream Blue Murder

Mike Lynch is going through hard times. But things get much worse when he witnesses a murder in a lay-by. Snatching the victim’s car in order to get away, Mike soon makes a shocking discovery – the victim’s young daughter and her nanny are hiding in the rear footwell. This is when the real trouble begins.

Mike wants to go to the police, but the nanny, Melissa, wants to delay until the daughter, Charlie, is somewhere safe. Mike agrees to this request before finding out the seriousness of the situation, and just how much danger they are really in.

Who exactly was the man he saw murdered? And who is the man he saw pulling the trigger?

In a situation where nothing is what it seems, Mike will have to fight for his life to protect a woman and a child he doesn’t know. And when the death count rises, he will discover what kind of man he really is.

When you can’t identify the victim, how can you find the killer?

Scream Blue Murder is available for purchase here.

About Tony J Forder

Tony J Forder is the author of the critically acclaimed crime thriller Bad to the Bone, the first in a series featuring DI Jimmy Bliss and DC Penny Chandler. The second book in the series, The Scent of Guilt, was released in March 2018.

Some years ago, Tony won a short story competition judged by an editor from Pan Books. The story, Gino’s Bar and Grille, went on to be published in Dark Voices 2, part of the celebrated Pan Book of Horror series. Three further short story sales followed: Book End, published in Dark Voices 4, Character Role, in FEAR magazine, and finally A Grim Story, which featured in A Rattler’s Tale. It was the start of Tony’s publishing journey.

On 19 September 2017, Tony’s dark, psychological crime thriller, Degrees of Darkness, featuring ex-detective Frank Rogers, was also published by Bloodhound Books.

Now a highly successful crime writer, all Tony’s books can be found here.

You can follow Tony on Twitter @TonyJForder, visit his website and find him on Facebook.

You are all probably aware that I’m simply not taking on new books or joining new blog tous at the moment as life is a tad ‘busy’. However, when John Fogarty asked me if I’d like a copy of The Adventures of Milo and Elvis: Little Paws Journey Begins in return for an honest review I simply couldn’t resist. Anyone who knows me knows I am a real cat fan…

The Adventures of Milo and Elvis: Little Paws Journey Begins is available for purchase here.

The Adventures of Milo and Elvis: Little Paws Journey Begins

This story is based on the adventures of two kittens who are brothers from the same litter. The pair join a small family home, where in particular they find a friend in 6-year-old Jack. They enjoy the adventures of learning about their new surroundings, inseparable throughout their journey.

My Review of The Adventures of Milo and Elvis

Kittens Milo and Elvis are off on some adventures.

The Adventures of Milo and Elvis is a charming children’s book. I think children aged 6 or 7 could easily read it independently. There is a sufficient level of difficulty to expand their vocabulary too so that there are educational elements as well as an engaging story, particularly through the onomatopoeic buzzing and hissing of the swans for example. The Adventures of Milo and Elvis would also make an accessible story to share at bed times as there are distinct sections to read over several sessions.

The adventures of the two kittens are exciting and there is sufficient peril and danger to appeal to children without frightening them. I especially liked the inclusion of other animals that children will enjoy. The travel elements give extra pace and entertainment too. All the different escapades provide lots to discuss with children making this a really fun read.

There’s a very good balance of text to picture and the photographs of the kittens are extremely appealing so that even very young children will enjoy this book, even if they can only look at the pictures.

I really liked The Adventures of Milo and Elvis and I think children will too. I do have a word of warning for adults though – children seeing this book are going to pester and pester for a couple of kittens just like Milo and Elvis too and I don’t blame them!

About John Fogarty

John Fogarty was born in Birmingham, UK and has worked in the travel industry where he continues to do so, as well as working within the learning sector. John has utilised this experience in creating his first children’s book.

John took his inspiration from his very own two cats and produced this adventure story to share with children and families alike to entertain and enjoy reading.

John has just joined Twitter @JohnFog06236590 if you’d like to give him a follow.

I frequently review children’s books on Linda’s Book Bag and was delighted to be invited by Anne Cater to take part in the tour for The Yellow Bills by Michelle McKenna.

The Yellow Bills is published by Matador and is available for purchase here.

The Yellow Bills

Mya loves planes and wants to be a pilot when she grows up. As luck would have it she comes across a flying school run by lieutenant Drake who awards his pupils splendid pilot hats when they graduate. Mya wants to join the class but there’s just one problem. She’s not a duck! Could Goose the little duckling with big flying ambitions be the key to Mya getting her pilot’s hat? Or will Mr Sour the teacher who never quite made the grade have other ideas…

Inspired by authors such as Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl and Angela Sommer-Bodenburg, Michelle weaves a story with the humour and invention of Nick Ward’s ‘Charlie Small’ series meets Dick King Smith’s wonder of the animal world.

My Review of The Yellow Bills

Mya loves planes and wants to fly, but it’s not easy when you’re only 8.

The Yellow Bills is a smashing book for children because it manages to blend fantasy with talking ducks and control towers hidden in trees, for example, with real themes and issues of importance to children today.

Mya is a mixed race child which gives much needed status to similar children. The fact that she is a girl making model aircraft, wanting to fly and having exciting adventures challenges gender stereotyping without the young reader actually realising. I loved that approach because it feels natural and uncontrived. Similarly, Officer Peacock’s status despite her physical disability sends exactly the right messages that we are all worthy of success and respect regardless of our physical abilities.

There’s a highly satisfying plot for young children and I thought the language of the writing was perfectly pitched. There’s sufficient challenge in some of the vocabulary so that children can learn as they read or are read to, but the whole story is completely accessible too.

However, Michelle McKenna prevents The Yellow Bills from being too idealistic and sachharine through her excellent portrayal of character. Mya is by no means perfect. She sulks and gets cross, often doing things she knows her Mum wouldn’t like. Mr Sour is vindictive and a bully. These characteristics afford the opportunity to discuss similar aspects in a child’s life as a result of the reading so that I think The Yellow Bills offers more than just a great story to share.

The Yellow Bills is a really good children’s book with smashing themes and a great storyline and I really recommend it.

About Michelle McKenna

During the day Michelle works part time in an office in London and then gets home to her full time job looking after two little fab ones. Michelle has been writing stories on and off for years but The Yellow Bills is the first time she’s had the confidence to put her children’s story into print. She finds her inspiration for writing is on the train journey to and from work. When she was younger one of her favourite stories to read was (still is) Lewis Carroll’s, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In fact she loved it so much she used to try and think of ways to see how she could change her name to Alice. She was about seven so had to listen to her Mum, who said she couldn’t change her name until she left home. By the time that day came she decided she didn’t mind being called Michelle after all. Michelle’s other favourite’s are Roald Dahl’s, The BFG and The Little Vampire by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg.

You can  follow Michelle on Twitter @michellemckenna or visit her website. There’s more with these other bloggers too:

A little while ago I reviewed The Homecoming by Rosie Howard and thought it was a wonderful book. You can read my review here.

Today, it’s paperback publication day for The Homecoming and I’m absolutely delighted that Rosie is allowing me to give away three signed paperback copies of The Homecoming to lucky UK readers. Even better for me, I have been hosting a regular ‘staying in with…’ feature here on Linda’s Book Bag but Rosie has turned the tables and invited me over to Havenbury to spend an evening with her for a change!

The Homecoming is published by Allison and Busby and is available for purchase here.

The Homecoming

Maddy fled the idyllic market town of Havenbury Magna three years ago, the scene of a traumatic incident she revisits most clearly in her dreams. Even so, when she is called back to help at the Havenbury Arms when her godfather Patrick suffers a heart attack, she is unprepared for the welter of emotions her return provokes.

Psychologist and ex-army officer Ben is sure he can help Maddy to resolve her fears, until he finds himself falling for her, and struggling with a recently uncovered family secret of which Maddy is blissfully unaware.

Then Maddy’s mother, Helen, arrives and Patrick himself must confront a few uncomfortable truths about his history and the pub’s future.

An Evening in Havenbury with Rosie Howard

Hi Linda, thanks so much for joining me this evening. What fun to have company, and what could be better than to be here at home, talking about Havenbury– a world which feels more like my home than anywhere I have ever been.

Hi Rosie, thank you so much for inviting me!

I would almost always rather stay in, than go out, wouldn’t you?

Absolutely!

Normally I’m a great fan of a roaring fire a comfy chaise longue with lots of cushions and a large glass of red, but that hardly feels appropriate in all this heat. So here we are instead, lounging on a couple of steamer chairs, enjoying the last of the sun in a garden filled with roses, honeysuckle and pots of lavender with the sound of the church bells from a country wedding, competing with the pigeons cooing on the chimney stacks. Heaven!

Especially with a well-iced negroni in hand. I never thought I’d say it, but I’m more of a negroni girl than a G &T girl nowadays, because there’s nothing better than gin diluted with – well – yet more alcohol and if it makes memories of the evening before a bit hazy then sometimes that can be a good thing can’t it?

Actually, any alcohol makes everything hazy for me Rosie. I don’t drink much so it has a quick effect!

So, no, I don’t go out much nowadays, especially when I’m writing, but luckily the characters in my books are a bit more adventurous or nothing would ever happen. That said – I have made sure my Havenbury series – set in idyllic rural Sussex – is packed with homes you would never want to leave. The Homecoming is the first in the series, and the central theme is what ‘home’ really means to my central character, Maddy. When we meet her, she has been dragged back to Havenbury by a crisis and she struggling to stay where she really needs to be because of a terrible and mysterious past event. Not being able to remember it makes her feel she wants to run away, which – of course – doesn’t solve anything. My hope is that readers will be intrigued by the mystery of this and other secrets that emerge from the past. All ends well though – perhaps not in the way readers think it might – but it centres on whether Maddy will be able to recognise and accept where she truly belongs. Her mother Helen has a similar challenge in being forced to try and make sense of past mistakes and perhaps putting them right at last and there are other characters who have their story to tell too.

Oh, I am so pleased to hear The Homecoming is the first in the series as I loved it Rosie. Do you read much?

I read a lot myself; I adore books by writers such as Veronica Henry, Jill Mansell and Carole Mathews and one of the many features I love about them, is the way they create a complete world you want to inhabit. That means – among other things – giving readers the chance to bond with several characters across a wider age range. Nowadays I am a little dissatisfied by books where you would imagine no-one other than girls in their late twenties and men in their early thirties even existed.

As a woman approaching 60 rapidly I couldn’t agree more!

Of course, there are so many stories out there set in pretty areas of the country such as the Cotswolds, Devon and Cornwall and I love them all. There have been quite a few though… I live in a community much like Havenbury and I adore the idea of seducing readers with a world inspired by my own life near Arundel in Sussex. In Havenbury there is the river Haven, growing from an icy trickle on the chalk Downs to a wide, majestic river, flowing through the port of Havenbury Magna and then weaving its way across the coastal plain to the sea. Nestled side by side in the Downs are the villages of Little Havenbury and Havenbury Green with cosy cottages, a duck pond and cricket pitch. This is where Serena and Giles live with their two boys. They are the hosts of the Bespoke Consortium, a group of local craftspeople who Maddy – with her commercial brain – takes in hand. In contrast is the bustling market town of Havenbury Magna. The Havenbury Arms pub is halfway up the cobbled High Street, right in the centre of town. It is threatened with destruction by the evil pub companies but to lose it would be a disaster for the characters in the community who want to see it remain. Some of these characters have their time in the spotlight in future stories, so I hope readers enjoy meeting them. Our hero Ben, an ex-army psychology lecturer lives in his own little gem of a home – a converted wooden boathouse on the river at the foot of town – and his house was one I particularly enjoyed imagining and bringing to life. In fact, the building that inspired it is real. There is a café on the river in Arundel where I often sit and drink coffee, looking at the houses on the opposite bank. Ben’s is one of those, – although I have no idea what it really looks like inside…

Maybe we’ll find out in the next book?

I admit, there are days, when the world of Havenbury feels more real to my than my own, but don’t we all like to escape sometimes?

Yes we do!

The irony is that so many of us – like Maddy – are trying to run away, but really we are trying to return to our own sense of ‘home’ – our place, where we feel we belong. With this admitted compulsion to create a sense of ‘home’ in my stories I sometimes wonder whether I am some damaged soul trying to heal myself of my past. It is not that I had a terrible childhood, but I did feel rootless; I was largely educated in a series of Convent boarding schools – raised by nuns – whilst my parents were living abroad because of my father’s work. My parents eventually bought a house in the little village where I live now with my family. Sadly my parents are no longer living there, but we have firm friends in the community and are bringing up our family in a little brick and flint house with roses around the door.

I am home at last. Now Linda, are you ready for a top up?

Oh, yes please. And whilst we let UK readers enter the giveaway for The Homecoming, maybe you can give me a sneak preview of the next Havenbury book…

About Rosie Howard

 

With a father in the forces and the diplomatic corps, Rosie Howard spent much of her childhood in UK boarding schools, joining her parents in exotic destinations during holidays. After obtaining a degree in music she pursued a career in public relations, campaigning, political lobbying and freelance journalism but realized her preference for making things up and switched to writing novels instead. She lives in a West Sussex village with her husband and two children in a cottage with roses around the door.

Follow her on Twitter: @RosieHowardBook and visit her website. You’ll also find Rosie Howard on Facebook.

UK Signed Paperback Giveaway of The Homecoming

For your chance to win one of three signed paperback copies of The Homecoming by Rosie Howard, click here.

UK only. Giveaway closes at UK midnight on Sunday 22nd July. Good luck!