I’ve long loved John Marrs’ writing and John has featured here on Linda’s Book Bag many times. Today, as his latest book The Minders, is published, I’m delighted to interview John all about it as part of the launch celebrations. My enormous thanks to Isabelle Ralphs for inviting me to participate.

You’ll find John on the blog when I reviewed What Lies Between Us here. I reviewed John’s The One here, and interviewed him about The One here. When John’s The Good Samaritan was published he provided a superb guest post that you can read here too.

The Minders was published in ebook yesterday, 23rd July 2020, by Penguin imprint Ebury and is available for purchase or hard copy pre-order through the links here.

The Minders

Five strangers guard our secrets.
Only four can be trusted…

In the 21st century, information is king. But computers can be hacked and files can be broken into – so a unique government initiative has been born. Five ordinary people have been selected to become Minders – the latest weapon in thwarting cyberterrorism. Transformed by a revolutionary medical procedure, the country’s most classified information has been taken offline and turned into genetic code implanted inside their heads.

Together, the five know every secret – the truth behind every government lie, conspiracy theory and cover up. In return, they’re given the chance to leave their problems behind and a blank slate to start their lives anew.

But not everyone should be trusted, especially when they each have secrets of their own they’ll do anything to protect…

An Interview with John Marrs

I can’t believe it’s over three years since last I interviewed you John, when The One was published. What’s been happening in your life since then?

I’m shocked it’s been that long! But your support has always meant a lot to me. Bloggers and reviewers have, and continue, to keep me in this career and they have my utmost gratitude.

It’s our pleasure John – especially when writers are as talented as you.

Anyway, since that book was released, everything has changed for me. I’ve written five others, given up my day job as a journalist and I am now a full-time author. The One has been turned into an eight-part drama for Netflix which will debut this autumn, world-wide.

Congratulations. How exciting. How much have you been involved in the adaptation of The One?

By choice, I’ve had nothing to do with the adaptation. I feel as if I took the story as far as I could, and now it’s up to a team of writers and directors to turn what I wrote into their own vision. I will be so excited to see it on screen.

Me too. I loved it (and my review is here).

I also got the opportunity to visit the set earlier this year and watch it being filmed. That was a surreal experience. And my recent release, What Lies Between Us, has been optioned by Renee Zellweger’s TV production company. So I hope that too will end up making it to the small screen.

Wow. That is fabulous. I think What Lies Between Us would make a fantastic feature film actually. (I reviewed What Lies Between Us here.)

Tell us a bit about your latest book, The Minders.

It’s set in the same world as The One and The Passengers, so slightly in the future but I never say quite how far.

It’s about five people who are given the opportunity to start their lives afresh, with new identities and backgrounds. At its heart, it’s about how they cope with some exceptionally sensitive secrets they are privy to. Many countries have had their intelligence and secrets hacked and held to ransom by cyber terrorists. So the UK takes all its confidential information offline and turns it into DNA. It’s carried by these five volunteers who have to give up their old lives and disappear to different parts of the country for five years while the Government makes our online systems unhackable. But someone has identified these ‘Minders’ and is out to kill them.

The Minders sounds brilliant. And with all the recent Huawei controversy, and the Russian attempts to infiltrate Covid 19 vaccine research, it might be more relevant than we hope!

Technology – from DNA testing to the internet – often plays a part in your work and there’s cyberterrorism in The Minders. What draws you to these concepts when you write?

I write for two publishers – psychological fiction for Thomas & Mercer, and psychological fiction with a sci-fi twist for Penguin. The latter gives me the opportunity to use my imagination more, but on the flipside, it takes a lot more research because everything I write will soon be possible so I have to get it right. I have no background in science (I even failed my chemistry and biology GCSEs) and my journalism was all about celebrity interviews. So each of this type of book is a challenge for me to write. And so far, my readers have been willing to go with me on this writing journey.

Oh we have indeed John. We love your books.

When I read your books I find the protagonists frequently twisted, damaged or unlikeable and yet I care about them. How do you manage to find a balance in creating such complex characters?

Thanks Linda! That’s reassuring to hear. I think there either has to be a little humanity deep inside them that I gradually draw out, or you have to hate them so much that you want to see if they get their comeuppance. I like to read books where the characters aren’t necessarily likeable. I’m also a sucker for an unreliable narrator too. They are more fun to read and a lot more fun to write. I like pushing my readers as far as I can and then trying to turn their feelings around to a character they might have hated for half a book. These characters tend to develop organically. I have a rough sketch in my head of who they will be. But often when I start writing, they will change completely by the time I have finished. That means I have a lot of rewrites to do! Very few are based on people I know. I prefer to surround myself with better natured, positive people!

Given the characters I’ve met in your writing, I think that’s very wise!

Identity and belonging seem to me to be recurrent themes in your books. To what extent do you think that’s true and why?

You know what, I have no idea, Linda. I really don’t. It’s not as if I come from a broken home, have a string of bad relationships behind me or am searching for my real self. I’ve found him and I’m quite happy with him! I guess characters who are lost and who I can help to find their way through the pages of my books appeals to me more as a writer than characters who already know who they are. There’s more scope to use my imagination and put them in – admittedly often awful – interesting predicaments!

You previously told me that you’re not particularly methodical in anything you do! What is the writing process like for you three years on from that last interview? Have you changed as a writer?

I have a bit actually. Now that I’m doing this job full time, I’m able to plan ahead more and work out where a story is going from start to finish. That’s not to say I don’t often change my mind during the writing process. But at least I have a beginning, middle and an end. I used to only have a starting point and a rough idea of where I wanted it to go.

So what’s next for you?

A year off! With two books out this year, my next one doesn’t need to be delivered to my publisher until the end of next year so that won’t be out until 2022. I need a break to recharge my batteries and be a part of the world, not hide away from it in my home office making up stories for a living!

I hope you enjoy the break John. We’ll all be waiting impatiently for the next book but at least we have The Minders to enjoy in the meantime. I can’t wait to get reading it.

About John Marrs

John Marrs is an author and former journalist based in London and Northamptonshire. After spending his career interviewing celebrities from the worlds of television, film and music for numerous national newspapers and magazines, he is now a full-time author. His science fiction novel The One has been adapted into a 10-episode drama series for Netflix by Misfits creator Howard Overman, and is currently being filmed. What Lies Between Us was John’s seventh book.

You can visit John’s website for more information, or you can find him on Facebook and Instagram.  Follow him on Twitter @johnmarrs1,

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Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Cara. Tell me about Epoch Press

Epoch Press is a brand new, independent creative nonfiction press that seeks to publish stories that explore every corner of our society. Because our volunteer staff lives around the globe, that ‘society’ is simultaneously local and international.

That sounds a very innovative view of ‘society’. Your focus is marginalised voices. What made you decide to move into this area? 

One of the most powerful things about creative nonfiction is the way it makes us see the world around us— not only through the lens of someone else’s perspective, but also through the way it ties together narrative, research, and lived experience.

Society centres privileged identities, and that bias is reflected in publishing. That’s something we’re conscious of, and our goal is to disrupt that pattern by publishing and paying underrepresented writers and artists.

That sounds a brilliant idea.

So much of our literary canon consists of work by straight, white, non-disabled men—and usually, these guys had a lot of money supporting them. Representation is a powerful force for change. We want to look beyond that one corner of society, to seek out and amplify the voices that don’t  have that privilege. We’d like to see marginalised voices become the standard, not the exception to the rule. As a new journal entering into this industry, we feel a responsibility to implement the changes we’d like to see. We’re still figuring out the best ways to do this, but it’s a goal we’re committed to for the long term. We welcome submissions from everyone, but we particularly encourage submissions from writers and artists who have been marginalised on the basis of identities such as race, ethnicity, disability, sex, gender, sexuality, education, or age.

I think this is brilliant Cara. When I was teaching English many moons ago, most of the texts we were supposed to teach featured straight, white middle class men – most of whom were dead too!

You sponsor charities too. Which have you chosen and why? 

Creative nonfiction writing is entwined with the world around us, and because of this, we believe that we have an obligation to use our platform to promote charities and campaigns that work to better our society.

Two weeks after Epoch Press launched, my home country, the United States, erupted into what is now a global civil rights movement. Vulnerable groups, including people of colour and trans women, are under attack. The COVID-19 pandemic was already in full swing at this point, with more and more people being displaced and endangered. I wanted to do something to support both of the countries I call home, but like many others, I didn’t have much in the way of funds. But I realised I could use Epoch as a platform to amplify important causes.

Our team decided we’d guarantee free advertising space in each digital and print issue for up to five charities. Each charity will have a full page in colour to do with as they see fit, and we’ll also include their details and donation links on our website’s homepage.

So far, we’ve reached out to five charities doing important work we believe in, and three are currently live on our website: The Bail Project, Scottish Women’s Aid, and Mermaids. We’re in talks with two other important charities, and hoping to announce more details as soon as things are official.

I know readers can find out about the work you’re doing here.

Tell me about your Kickstarter campaign.

Our Kickstarter campaign goal is quite modest. Currently, we’re hoping to raise £3000 so that we can launch Epoch as a printed literary journal. Every backer will be included as a named contributor in our first issue unless otherwise requested. There are other exciting rewards for supporting us, so please visit the campaign and take a look!

How best can Linda’s Book Bag readers get involved?

Linda’s Book Bag readers can best get involved by backing our project on Kickstarter, supporting our charity partners, and sharing our posts on social media with their friends and family. They can also submit creative nonfiction and artwork to be considered for our first issue, on the theme of ‘Beginnings’—we’re accepting submissions through 1 October 2020.

This sounds such an exciting initiative Cara. I wish you every success with Epoch Press.

About Epoch Press

For more information about Epoch Press, visit their website where you can meet the team, including Cara.

You’ll also find Epoch Press on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn and you can follow them on Twitter @EpochPress.

Contributions to Epoch’s Kickstarter campaign begin at a mere £3 and you can find out all you need to know here.

When Lesley Crooks asked if I’d like to be part of the launch celebrations for Katherine Johnson’s new book I took one look at the description and knew it would be my kind of read. I’m delighted that Katherine has agreed to stay in with me to chat about the book, but I’m devastated I haven’t had chance to read it yet.

Let’s find out more:

Staying in with Katherine Johnson

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Katherine. 

Thanks, Linda. I’m delighted to be here. I hope you’re keeping well.

I am thanks and 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 Paris Savages, my most recent novel and one that is very timely given discussions about race and racism.

Isn’t it just? So, what can we expect from an evening in with Paris Savages?

I hope readers will be transported to another time and place, where they will be moved and enlightened about a little-known part of history and inspired by acts of bravery and strength. There are love stories, betrayals and shows of defiance.

This is historical fiction based on a true and incredibly stirring story about three Aboriginal people from beautiful Fraser Island, Australia, who were taken to Europe in the 1880s to perform for audiences in ‘human zoos’.

Goodness me. I had no idea this kind of thing happened.

Many indigenous peoples from around the world (35,000!) were transported and shown in this way. The three Badtjala people from Fraser Island were Bonny/Bonangera (18), Dorondera (15) and her uncle Jurano (22). NB the names are spelled variously in the archives. The novel is told from the perspective of Hilda, the fictional daughter of the German man who shipped the Aboriginal group to Europe.

Hilda is a witness to the trio’s journey and the audience’s reactions to the performances of boomerang and spear throwing, dancing and singing. There are relentless measurements by scientists, and Hilda’s relationship with her father, Louis, is tested. There are also moments of agency on the part of the performers. Above all else, Bonny wants to see Queen Victoria to protest the treatment of his people at home, where there have been massacres.

Hilda, a friend of Dorondera and Bonny, who she is forbidden to love, walks a path between naïve ‘saviour’, a role she begins to question, and complicit showperson. There are lessons learned, friendships tried, and loves lost and found.

Paris Savages sounds amazing and am important story to tell. 

It was an epic story to research and write, but one that moved me deeply and that I believe has great relevance now as society examines the historical sources of racism.

Sadly, I think you’re absolutely right Katherine. What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

I’ve brought along some photographs I took on my research trip in Europe, following in the footsteps of the group. I started at the Hagenbeck Tierpark (thierpark) in Hamburg, Germany, where the group likely began their journey. The photograph shows the old site of the ‘tierpark’, now a primary school, and groups of performers atop elephants. There are no photos of the Aboriginal trio here, but a newspaper piece from the time reports that they were shown by Carl Hagenbeck.

What must Bonny, Dorondera and Jurano have made of the experience of performing in places such as this, or at the Dresden Zoo, where they were also shown? What did they make of the audiences looking on? We, of course, can never know, but it is important to ask such questions, for the history of ‘human zoos’ has been largely one-sided. Paris Savages sheds light on the silences and contests old stereotypes. I consulted with Badtjala representatives during the writing of the story and am grateful for their time and input.

What amazing photos Katherine. I’m sure you must be immensely grateful for input you had. I’m even more determined now to make sure I get round to reading Paris Savages. Thank you so much for staying in with me to tell me all about it. It sounds entertaining and important. Let me give blog readers more details:

Paris Savages

‘A masterful work, fully realised and richly embroidered’ Alice Nelson, author of The Children’s House

Fraser Island, Australia 1882. The population of the Badtjala people is in sharp decline following a run of brutal massacres. When German scientist Louis Müller offers to sail three Badtjala people – Bonny, Jurano and Dorondera – to Europe to perform to huge crowds, the proud and headstrong Bonny agrees, hoping to bring his people’s plight to the Queen of England.

Accompanied by Müller’s bright daughter, Hilda, the group begins their journey to belle-époque Europe to perform in Hamburg, Berlin, Paris and eventually London. While crowds in Europe are enthusiastic to see the unique dances, singing, fights and pole climbing from the oldest culture in the world, the attention is relentless, and the fascination of scientists intrusive. When disaster strikes, Bonny must find a way to return home.

Published by Allison and Busby tomorrow, 23rd July 2020, Paris Savages is available for purchase in all the usual places, including directly from the publisher here.

About Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson lives in Tasmania with her husband and two children. She is the author of three previous novels and her manuscripts have won Varuna Awards and the Tasmanian Premier’s Literary Prizes. She recently completed a PhD, which forms the basis of her latest novel, Paris Savages.

You can find out more by visiting Katherine’s website and finding her on Facebook. You can also follow Katherine on Twitter @KJohnsonauthor.

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Lovely Mary Grand has a brand new book out today and having heard so many good things about it from my blogger friends, I couldn’t resist asking her back to Linda’s Book Bag to tell me all about it.

I have stayed in with Mary on a previous occasion when she told me all about Behind the Smile. You can see that post here. Mary also provided me with a super guest piece on the importance of place in writing to go alongside her book Hidden Chapters and that can be viewed here.

Lets find out about her brand new book:

Staying in with Mary Grand

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag Mary and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me once more.

Thank you so much for inviting me back!  It’s lovely to be somewhere I feel so at home.

That’s great to hear. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I am very excited to bring my new book The House Party which is published TODAY!!!

Hurrah! Happy publication day for The House Party Mary. Congratulations.

This is the first of my books to be published by Boldwood Books and so it is a real ‘dream come true’ day for me!

I’m thrilled for you. So, what can we expect from an evening in with The House Party?

With The House Party, our evening will be full of suspense, mystery, and even murder!

Gosh, I hope that’s only fictional murder!

We will get to know Beth, the main character in the story, who is desperate to find the truth behind the death of her close friend Kathleen. Her search is a hard one, full of twists and turns, at times her marriage and even life are in danger. This is a story with revelations about people Beth thought she could trust and the uncovering of dark secrets.  At times, with Beth, you will wonder if there is anyone you can really trust.

That sounds quite dark Mary!

However, our evening will have shades of light as well as darkness. With Beth we discover goodness in unexpected places.

That’s a relief!

Also, while many holidays are on hold, we will be able to escape virtually to my home, the Isle of Wight, as this is where the story is set. ’The island’ is a place of spectacular beauty, can feel remote and has tight knit communities. It is always a ferry ride away from the rest of the world and a wonderful place for us to be transported to for an evening.

Do you know, I’ve always wanted to visit the Isle of Wight since I saw a feature on the multi-coloured sands about half a century ago on Blue Peter.

As we settle down for the evening, I am delighted to share a few snippets of reviews of The House Party.

“This is a real page turner, that kept me guessing until the end! …A gripping read.”

Katie S, Reviewer

“A brilliantly clever read, one to remember.”

Nicki M, Reviewer

“The House Party is a fantastic read for anyone who likes twisty, witty thriller reads.’’

Amanda R, Reviewer

Those are fabulous Mary. You must be delighted to get that reaction from your readers. What else have you brought along this time and why?

I have, of course, brought along some Prosecco and Elderflower Fizz for us to drink.

Brilliant. I’m rather partial to a glass of something fizzy!

As we sip them, I would love to share some photos of places on the Isle of Wight that were the inspiration behind The House Party.

The novel opens at a house party to celebrate Kathleen’s amazing new designer home. Although the house is fictitious, it is set on the cliff tops of Freshwater Bay.

The village where Beth lives, Castleford, is my creation, the people are all fictitious. However, I have used the geography of real places and here are a few of the places mentioned in the story.

The Shute

The Castle

A few other places Beth walks on the island that are favourites of mine are Mottistone Down and Tennyson Down.

Shepherd’s Chine

Parkhurst Woods

With my trips to India, China and Japan this year all cancelled Mary, this vicarious visit to the isle of Wight is just what I needed. Thank you so much for staying in with me and huge congratulations again on today’s publication of The House Party.

Thank you so much for being with me to celebrate and keeping me company on this special day xx

The House Party

Someone is about to die… Someone is about to lie…

At the intimate house-warming party for her glorious ‘grand design’, Kathleen confides in her best friend Beth that she is terrified of one of their close friends, but daren’t reveal which one. The guests are a tight-knit group, but Kathleen is convinced one of them is dangerous.

The next day Kathleen’s body is found at the foot of a cliff and Beth must face the sickening truth that she may have been killed by one of their trusted friends. With little help from the police, Beth’s decides to seek answers.

All the friends have secrets they are desperate to hide, but only one of them is ready to kill to keep theirs safe…

The House Party is set on the Isle of Wight – insular, claustrophobic, and with nowhere to run. Mary Grand has written a heart-stopping novel of secrets, betrayal and desire, perfect for fans of Louise Candlish and Lucy Foley.

The House Party is published by Boldwood Books, today 21st July 2020, and is available for purchase here.

About Mary Grand

Mary Grand lives on the Isle of Wight with her family.  Before coming to the island, she worked as a teacher of Deaf children in Hastings and Croydon.  Mary grew up in Wales and speaks a smattering of Welsh, and her first two novels are set in Wales.  After several very happy years of self-publishing, during which time Mary published three novels and two collections of short stories, she is now excited to be working with and to be published by the team at Boldwood Books.

For more information, you can visit Mary’s website, find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @authormaryg.

It was way back in December 2017 when I welcomed Caroline England to Linda’s Book Bag with a terrific guest post about secrets that you can read here. Since then she has stayed in with me under her other writing persona of Caro Land chatting about Convictions and you can see what happened then in this blog post.

Today, at last, I have finally got round to reading one of Caroline’s novels and I am delighted to be part of the paperback launch celebrations for Betray Her. My enormous thanks to Beth Wright at Little Brown for inviting me to participate and for sending me a copy of Betray Her in return for an honest review.

Betray Her is available for purchase through these links.

Betray Her

Best friends forever.

That’s the pact you made.

You’d do anything for her.

And you have.

She’s always had it all.

If you could take it for yourself . . . would you?

My Review of Betray Her

Jo and Kate have been best friends since they were 8.

Oh, yes. I very much enjoyed Betray Her. It’s really effectively plotted with a dramatic opening that lingers right through the rest of the book so that the reader wonders exactly who was involved and what it means for the narrative. Caroline England has created a very effective sense of menace that hooked me in brilliantly and had the effect of making me think about Betray Her when I wasn’t actually reading it. This story gets right under the reader’s skin.

The plot has an interesting time frame so that the way Jo and Kate’s childhood pasts are revealed contributes to the reader’s understanding of who they become in the present, but equally adds to the uneasiness of the story. Betray Her is a tantalising read. I felt I had a complete understanding of what was happening only to be wrong-footed. Caroline England’s style is incredibly fluid and easy to read so that the action she packs into Betray Her is somehow all the more captivating and shocking.

I thought Caroline England’s characterisation was quite brilliant. Although I thought some of Jo’s behaviour was foolish at best, and often completely reckless, I understood absolutely why she behaved as she did. Similarly, Kate’s more affluent upbringing gave me a clear comprehension of her adult personality. That said, I was still given shocking surprises about both of them so that Betray Her felt like a sophisticated and utterly believable portrayal of the human psyche that I found fascinating. I loved the sexual tension surrounding Jo too as an added layer of intrigue.

Sexuality is only one of the cleverly explored themes of Betray Her. Jealousy, loyalty, family, friendship, parenthood and identity create a tapestry of intrigue that really appealed to me. Indeed, I’d like to go back and reread Betray Her immediately because I think there is more to discover now I know the outcomes of the cracking plot!

I feel I haven’t done justice to Betray Her because it’s so difficult not to give plot spoilers and saying too much about character and events will ruin the read for others. What I will say is that I found the book a compelling and entertaining read that I can recommend without hesitation. I only wish I’d read Caroline England’s writing earlier.

About Caroline England

Caroline England was born and brought up in Yorkshire and studied Law at the University of Manchester. She was a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer before leaving the law to bring up her three daughters and turning her hand to writing. Caroline is the author of The Wife’s Secret, previously called Beneath the Skin, and the top-ten ebook bestseller My Husband’s Lies. Betray Her is her third novel. She lives in Manchester with her family.

To find out more you can follow Caroline on Twitter @CazEngland and find her on Instagram and  Facebook or visit her website.

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There’s always something exciting about starting off a blog tour and I’m thrilled to be doing so for Stephen Deutsch today. My thanks to the team at Bookollective for inviting me to participate. Stephen is staying in with me to chat about his latest book.

Staying in with Stephen Deutsch

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Stephen and 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 chosen my latest novel, Champion, not only because it has a strong story (not my own, but based on real events) but because it reflects on our own times as well. It deals with persecution, racism, heroism…

That sounds incredibly pertinent to today’s world. What can we expect from an evening in with Champion?

It’s a bit or a roller-coaster, starting quite gradually, then picking up speed. It recounts two assassinations, tea with Hitler, the love of a movie star, and two famous boxing matches. As a work of historical fiction, it portrays real events and real people, Herschel Grynszpan and Max Schmeling, with different backgrounds and motivations, both living in the febrile atmosphere of Nazi dominated Europe.  The novel climaxes during the night of ‘Kristalnacht’, the pogrom which was said to be the opening act of the Holocaust.

It sounds brilliant!

Here’s a fragment:

Nagorka led the boy to the small office of the Third Secretary, Ernst Eduard Adolf Max vom Rath, a thirty-one-year-old, fair-skinned, thin lipped young man. He closed the door quietly. Vom Rath was sitting at his desk, his back to his visitor, facing the window which overlooked the rear courtyard. He was initialing a document. He spoke softly.

‘Do please be seated. I’ll be with you in a moment.’

The boy seated himself in a leather armchair a few feet from the desk. He gaze was drawn to a framed photograph of Hitler on the wall to his right. There’s the architect of all our misfortunes. I’d give my life to have him in this room!

Vom Rath turned his chair so that he was facing his visitor. He smiled in an official way and said. ‘Thank you for coming. May I see the documents?’ Have I seen this boy before somewhere?

The boy’s anxiety was now overwhelmed by the rage which had been percolating within him for so many months. His face reddened, and the veins in his neck protruded.

‘You’re a filthy Kraut,’ he shouted, ‘and in the name of all persecuted Jews, here are the documents!’

Vom Rath began to rise as Herschel pulled the revolver from his jacket pocket. Without really aiming, he fired five times, emptying the weapon. Two of the shots pierced vom Rath’s body. One entered his torso and lodged in his shoulder. The other perforated his stomach, rupturing his spleen and penetrating his pancreas. Vom Rath staggered to the door, throwing a weak punch at his assailant’s face as he passed, shouting for help, holding his stomach as he entered the hallway.

The boy’s rage evaporated and he slumped back into the chair, suddenly overcome with weariness. I hope I’ve killed him, he thought. He dropped the revolver onto the floor and waited. In the corridor, the sounds of the typewriters had stopped.

When he had heard the shots, Nagorka pushed his chair away from his desk, rushed along the hallway, and found vom Rath in the doorway.

‘I am wounded,’ vom Rath gasped, his pain masked by his surprise. Nagorka could see a spreading red stain on vom Rath’s shirt. Another embassy colleague, Herr Krüger, quickly approached the pair and together the two men gently lowered vom Rath into a sitting position on the floor, keeping his back resting against the corridor wall. A third embassy attaché arrived to attend to vom Rath, allowing Nagorka and Krüger to turn their attentions to the perpetrator. They grabbed the seated boy, and with a roughness which caused him to cry out, raised him from his chair, pinning his arms forcibly behind his back.

‘You needn’t be so rough, meine Herren,’ he shouted, as he was bundled out of the office, ‘I have no intention to escape. But all I ask is that you turn me over to the French police.’ He managed a quick glance at vom Rath as he passed. ‘Too bad he isn’t dead,’ he added, receiving a punch in the kidneys in response. He was manhandled down the stairs, the two German officials supporting him under his armpits as he stumbled. They rushed him roughly to the main gate, his feet scraping on the ground, then pushed him into the arms of the gendarme who had been his first contact with the embassy only a few moments before.

‘This man has just shot an official. Arrest him!’ Nagorka shouted.

Herschel was handcuffed.

‘Don’t worry, monsieur, I will come with you,’ he said calmly, relieved to be in the custody of a Frenchman.

Wow. That’s powerful writing Stephen. 

The story of Max Schmeling is told from the other side of the divide.  A former heavyweight boxing champion, he rises into great prominence in the Nazi regime with his defeat of Joe Louis in 1936.  Hailed as an icon of Aryan superiority. he is feted everywhere, has tea with Hitler, a trip on the airship Hindenburg – and he and his movie star wife, Anny Ondra, become top celebrities. But when he is comprehensively beaten by Joe Louis in their rematch a year later, his fall from grace is precipitous. During Kristalnacht he commits an act of quiet heroism, saving the lives of two adolescent Jews.

Can we read a bit more then please?

Here’s another extract, after his victory:

The commotion in Max’s dressing room continued for some time, longer than it took for Yankee Stadium to empty, longer than it took for the thousands of fight fans to flow up to the elevated subway trains and begin their sweaty judder downtown. Max’s small dressing-room was overflowing with a noisy cluster of newsmen and hangers-on, pushing forward, shuffling for position, shouting questions. Max sat in the centre of the room, on the rub-down table, smilingly dazed, his face swollen, his purpling left eye almost closed, his body collapsing gratefully under the multi-patterned dressing gown which had been thrown over his sweaty shoulders. Standing beside him, Yussel was discharging chimneys of energetic cigar smoke, shouting answers to the laughing, back-slapping crush, while gently placing Max’s right hand into a tin bucket of iced-water.

‘Didn’t I tell you?’ His voice could easily be heard over the din. ‘Didn’t I always say so? I told you we could lick Louis. See, that schwartzer’s not so great. No one is invincible, no matter what you morons in the papers say. I told everyone that, but nobody believed me. So now all you newspaper bums know it, and now you know it real good.’

Max smiled broadly at his bustling, beaming manager. Max said, ‘I even told them on the boat when I arrived, when they asked me in front of all the newsreel cameras. I told them, “I see something.” And I did. I saw something.’

‘We both saw something, Max. But Louis didn’t see it, that’s the main thing.’

A man in a brown suit and tatty fedora had been pushing his way through the noise and cameras. His large shoes crushed the discarded flashbulbs as he walked. He elbowed his way toward the boxer and his mentor.

‘Herr Schmeling?’ the man asked, as if the boxer’s identity was in doubt. ‘May I offer you my most sincere congratulations.’ He said this in German. ‘But I also come at the behest of the German-American Bund.’ He nodded seriously, reflecting on the weight and significance of his mission. ‘They have asked me to congratulate you for re-establishing the racial order!’

Max looked up at the flush-faced man, while moving his hand lazily in the ice-water. ‘Better to speak in English. I can’t really understand your German very well.’

Disappointment travelled along the man’s face, coming to rest on his freckled forehead. ‘It’s true. My German isn’t really so good. I’m still learning. My father was of course fluent. You know, he came here from South-West Africa, but I didn’t really bother to learn our language when I was young, and then after the war, since we lost that whole African paradise to the British… But now I think there’s a real reason to speak German, is that not so, Herr Schmeling?’

‘What, just to talk to me?’

‘Of course, yes, but also I mean because of all those wonderful things that are happening in Germany today. But of course, you know all about this. Anyway, the Bund asked me to see if you’d speak at our next meeting in Yonkers. Everyone will be so excited if you could. In six weeks.’

Joe gave Max a small elbow in the ribs. ‘Impossible,’ he said quickly, clamping his cigar more aggressively between his teeth. ‘Max is going back home on the Hindenburg before that.’

‘What an honour, Herr Schmeling! To fly in this wonderful German airship. How I would love to fly in it. What a privilege! Still, you certainly deserve it after tonight. But perhaps you’ll speak to us next time you come.’

Joe ushered the man through the crowd. ‘Yeah, you never know, kid, you never know. And by the way, if you really want to fly in the Hindenburg, I can set up a fight for you with Joe Louis, that’s all it takes, just beat Louis.’ Joe pushed the Bundist through the door and closed it resolutely behind him.

‘That’s all we need,’ he said, ‘a Nazi fan club in America.’

Thanks for sharing these extracts Stephen. They have made me feel very lucky to have Champion on my TBR.

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought recordings of Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, antidotes to the tedium of lockdown. While listening to them it’s hard not to smile.

Both have such wonderful voices.

I’ve also brought a summer pudding. My wife made it from fruits harvested in my step-son’s garden, and I’d love to share it with you.

Now, you can come back again if you’re going to bring summer pudding. It’s years since I had any and I love it!

I’d also bring a selection of books by three of my favourite authors, Kurt Vonnegut, Harry Mulisch and Zora Neale Hurston. Their writing is both accessible and challenging, with wit and intelligence apparent on every page.

Oh! I have to confess I haven’t previously heard of Zora Neale Hurston. Thanks so much for staying in with me to share your new book, Champion, Stephen and for introducing me to a new to me writer. You serve up the summer pudding and I’ll tell readers all the Champion details:

Champion

Dark haired, slight, with deep-set haunted eyes, Herschel Grynszpan is an undocumented Jewish alien living in Paris. He receives a postcard from his parents – recently bundled from their Hanover flat, put on a train and dumped, with 12,000 others on the Polish border. Enraged, Herschel buys a gun and kills a minor German official in the German Embassy. The repercussions trigger Kristalnacht, the nationwide pogrom against the Jews in Germany and Austria, a calamity which some have called the opening act of the Holocaust.

Intertwined is the parallel life of the German boxer, Max Schmeling, who as a result of his victory over the then ‘invincible’ Joe Louis in 1936 became the poster boy of the Nazis. He and his movie-star wife, Anny Ondra, were feted by the regime – tea with Hitler, a passage on the airship Hindenburg – until his brutal two-minute beating in the rematch with Louis less than two years later. His story reaches a climax during Kristalnacht, where the champion performs an act of quiet heroism.

Published by Unicorn on 1st July 2020, Champion is available for purchase here.

About Stephen Deutsch

Stephen Deutsch was born in New York and moved to the UK in 1970, becoming a naturalised citizen in 1978. He was trained as a pianist and composer, spending the first part of his career composing music for concert hall, theatre, television and film.

He has been a lecturer in film sound and music, and has edited a journal on that subject, The Soundtrack, and later The New Soundtrack. He is the co-author of a coming book Listening to the Film: A Practical Philosophy of Film Sound. He has written plays for television, broadcast on the BBC. For 25 years he composed the music for all stage, film and TV works of the playwright Peter Barnes.

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At the moment I am inundated with blog tours and blog appearance requests so I didn’t think I’d be able to read Under A Wartime Sky by Liz Trenow in time for my slot today. Instead I was thrilled to stay in with Liz to chat about the book and would like to thank Ellis Keene at Pan Macmillan for inviting me to do so. However, I know how much I enjoy Liz’s writing so I managed to squeeze in a read and review too!

I’ve previously interviewed Liz about her book The Silk Weaver in a post you can read here. Liz generously provided a wonderful guest post to go alongside my review of In Love and War and you can read that post here.

Staying in with Liz Trenow

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

Thank you for inviting me! The chance to talk to readers feels even more important during these isolated days.

I know the feeling! Tell me, although I think I have a pretty good idea, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Under a Wartime Sky, my latest, published just before lockdown. But that’s not the only reason I’ve chosen it. Exactly eighty years ago (on 10th July 1940) Britain found itself facing an unprecedented and existential threat. Not a virus, but a terrifying and sustained attack on our cities, factories and airfields by legions of German bombers, day after day, night after night. They were determined to break us, so that they could invade. It was the start of the Battle of Britain.

Fortunately for us, a group of brilliant scientists had created a remarkable invention which was installed at dozens of sites along our south and east coasts and staffed by hundreds of specially trained women operators. It was our top secret weapon, radar, which enabled us to ‘see’ German planes coming and alert our fighters so that they were in the air, ready to see them off.

Four gruelling and deadly months later, thanks to radar and the extraordinary bravery of our fighter pilots, we managed to defeat a German air force twice the size of ours. It changed the course of the war. My book celebrates the unlikely love story of two of those heroes and heroines of radar, whose remarkable genius and courage remains largely unsung, even today.

Oh that’s a perfect description of Under A Wartime Sky Liz.  so enjoyed getting to know your characters and finding out the history behind the narrative too. 

For those who haven’t yet read Under A Wartime Sky, what can they expect from an evening in with the book?

Love, life, excitement, tragedy and triumph (although maybe not in that order)! I wrote this book because I love the place where it is set – Bawdsey Manor on the coast of Suffolk – and its extraordinary history. I was intrigued by the idea of this small band of brilliant boffins working on their top secret project in a sprawling gothic mansion on the edge of the North Sea, and wondered what their neighbours, the ordinary folk of Felixstowe, would have made of it all. What would happen when they coincided? I wrote the book to find out, so please come with me on the journey!

I already have and I hope may more readers will too. 

This is what other people have said:

‘Liz Trenow skilfully interlaces a love story between her two characters, Vic and Kath, each coming from different worlds but who share a dedication to this top secret project and ultimately to each other.’

‘Liz Trenow writes likes a painter, with broad strokes to set a scene, and then takes a small brush for the details, capturing the essence of the time, quite effortlessly.’

I couldn’t agree more Liz. So, what else have you brought along and why?

First is a photo of Bawdsey Manor, complete with radar mast, so you can see why I was so intrigued by the place – and also so fortunate to have been able to get the know it well when, in a crazy moment, some friends of ours decided to buy it from the Ministry of Defence and set up a school there!

Wow. No wonder your descriptions are so evocative!

Second is carrot cake (what meeting is ever worth it without cake!)

I’m not going to argue with that sentiment!

It was invented during wartime because carrots provided the sweetness people craved when sugar was rationed. My characters bond over this cake, but carrots also have a deeper symbolism in this book. So effective – and so top secret – was radar technology that the government decided to circulate ‘false news’ that the RAF’s success was due to feeding their pilots plenty of raw carrots, which promoted superior eyesight, especially at night. The myth was widely accepted among Britons and Germans alike, and perpetuated long after the war.

Although Under A Wartime Sky is historical Liz, a terrible threat and fake news seem all too relevant to today’s world don’t they? Thanks so much for staying in with me and chatting about your latest book. 

Thanks so much for having me!

My pleasure. Before I share my review I’ll just give blog readers the information they need about Under A Wartime Sky:

Under A Wartime Sky

Bawdsey Manor holds a secret.

1936: the threat of war hangs over Europe. Churchill gathers the brightest minds in Britain at a grand house in Suffolk. Bound to complete secrecy, they work together on an invention that could mean victory for the Allies. Among them is Vic, a gifted but shy physicist who, for the first time, feels like he belongs.

Local girl Kathleen wants to do more than serving tea and biscuits to ‘do her bit’. So when the Bawdsey team begin to recruit women to operate their top secret system, she dedicates herself to this life-or-death work. Kath and Vic form an unlikely friendship as the skies over Britain fill with German bombers. Little does Kath know just whose life she will change forever, one fateful night . . .

Based on the real history of Bawdsey Manor, Under a Wartime Sky is a novel about courage, belonging and hope.

Published by Pan Macmillan on 20th February 2020, Under A Wartime Sky is available for purchase through the links here.

My Review of Under A Wartime Sky

There are secrets at Bawdsey Manor.

Under A Wartime Sky was a fabulous read. I found it completely compelling as it transported me back in time. Readers who want visceral horror or violent crime should look elsewhere, but those looking for an assiduously researched, beautifully written and totally engaging historical narrative, will be completely ensnared by Liz Trenow.

I found the settings and historical elements thrummed with detail so that Under A Wartime Sky transported me back in time completely, but to a slightly different milieu to so many WW2 books. The Bawdsey Manor developments are completely fascinating as they illustrate another reality of the era to the usual rationing and women in factories that so many books rely on.

I loved the way the plot is bound by two short, more modern, sections that give such a satisfying structure. The socio-economic picture painted by Liz Trenow’s writing is perfect. She really understands how people functioned and brings them to life so vividly.

Vic in particular is simply wonderful. No broad shouldered, flashing eyed smouldering cliché here, but a warm, genuine man whom I fell for completely. His sensitivity, his diffidence and his intelligence make him a character I believed in without question. I loved the balance between his story and Kath’s too. Although there is romantic attraction between them, realistic life intervenes so that I found their narrative all the more touching. There’s is a kind of universal tale that the era must have imposed on so many.

The plot of Under A Wartime Sky is satisfying too. As well as an entertaining story, it encompasses so many themes that resonate today, with sexuality, ambition, rivalry, family and love explored sensitively and maturely making for a depth and enjoyment I so appreciated.

If you’re looking for a book that is compassionate, compelling and totally authentic, look no further. Liz Trenow has woven all these components into a smashing narrative in Under A Wartime Sky and I really enjoyed it.

About Liz Trenow

Liz Trenow is the author of three previous historical novels: The Last Telegram, The Forgotten Seamstress and The Poppy Factory. Liz’s family have been silk weavers for nearly three hundred years, and she grew up in the house next to the mill in Suffolk, England, which still operates today, weaving for top-end fashion houses and royal commissions. This unique history inspired her first two novels, and this, her fourth novel.

Liz is a former journalist who spent fifteen years on regional and national newspapers, and on BBC radio and television news, before turning her hand to fiction. She lives in East Anglia, UK, with her artist husband, and they have two grown-up daughter.

You can visit Liz’s website, find her on Facebook and follow Liz on Twitter @LizTrenow.

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It was my pleasure to be involved in the cover reveal for Amelia Henley’s The Life We Almost Had back in March just as lockdown was starting and there seemed an irony in the title somehow. You can read why that cover reveal was so important to me here.  Now, as life cautiously returns to normal, I’m thrilled to bring my review of The Life We Almost Had.

The Life We Almost Had will be published on 23rd July by Harper Collins imprint HQ and is available for pre-order through the links here.

The Life We Almost Had

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

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

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

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

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

My Review of The Life We Almost Had

Anna and Adam find love when they least expect it.

Before I begin my review proper I have to confess that I was terrified of reading The Life We Almost Had. You see, I love Amelia Henley’s writing as Louise Jensen and I had been sitting on the secret of her romantic fiction since her participation in the Deepings Literary Festival in May 2019 when she told me about it. Given that I knew I’d be featured in the acknowledgements too and Louise/Amelia is such a lovely person I was so worried that I might not enjoy The Life We Almost Had. I didn’t enjoy it. I absolutely adored it and it has gone straight on my list of books of the year.

It’s not going to be possible to say much about the plot of The Life We Almost Had because it would spoil the read for others, but it is meticulously planned so that every tiny detail has a crucial place that is only apparent once the entire book is read. As the story progresses, it is evident that Amelia Henley has painstakingly researched aspects that contribute to both plot and theme, but again I can’t be more specific as it would give too much away. However, I will say that The Life We Almost Had teaches the reader to appreciate what they have and to listen – properly listen – to those they love.

The quality of Amelia Henley’s writing is gorgeous. The longer descriptive passages are perfectly balanced by shorter sentences and questions that convey such deep emotion that I had to stop reading several times just to recover because it felt as if my heart would break. These same questions make the reader feel as if they are part of the narrative too as they draw them in. The Life We Almost Had should come with a health warning. It isn’t possible to read this story without being completely altered by it and without shedding copious tears. I felt shattered afterwards and it took me some while to regain my composure.

Anna and Adam are incredibly warm, human, flawed, beautiful and real. I fell for them both without reservation. The depth of their love reverberates through every syllable of the narrative and yet Amelia Henley still manages to make them totally realistic in their ability to bicker and to hurt one another, so that they make The Life We Almost Had feel like it could be about any of us. Amelia Henley paints an intimate portrait of their relationship that is truly exceptional. Secondary characters are equally well developed so that I finished The Life We Almost Had feeling as if I knew them all personally. I seem to be unable to stop thinking about them all.

I’m aware that this review is both vague and inadequate, but The Life We Almost Had is such an emotional and affecting book that I don’t want to spoil it for others by revealing too much and I’m not sure I have access to sufficient superlatives to describe it. The Life We Almost Had ranks as one of the most emotional and affecting books I’ve ever read and has caused me to look at my loved ones with fresh eyes. I thought it was simply superb and defy even the most hard hearted and unemotional reader to read it and not be irrevocably changed in the process. Don’t miss it because it is superb.

About Amelia Henley

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

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

The Life We Almost Had is the first story she’s written as Amelia Henley and she can’t wait to share it with readers.

You can follow Amelia on Twitter @MsAmeliaHenley and find her on Facebook.

You can find out more about Louise by visiting her website, finding her on Facebook and following her on Twitter @Fab_fiction.

I can’t believe it’s heading for four years since Gilli Allan last featured on Linda’s Book Bag. Then I was interviewing Gilli about her writing in general and you can read what she told me here. Today, I’m enormously pleased that Gilli has agreed to stay in with me to chat about one of her books in more detail.

Staying in with Gilli Allan

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag, Gilli and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

It’s a complete pleasure, Linda.  Although now I’m here, are we going to have to isolate together for the foreseeable?

That’s a good question! I think I’m Covid free and I hope you are too. As long as we stay 2m apart in the garden we should be OK.

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

I’ve brought BURIED TREASURE because it has just had a face lift – in other words a new, professionally designed cover – and it has gone into paperback. So, I am very excited.

It’s certainly very striking Gilli. You must be delighted with the results. I wonder if they could do as much for me as they have with BURIED TREASURE… Tell me, what can we expect from an evening in with BURIED TREASURE?

Who isn’t fascinated by the concept? When I was a child the chance of discovering treasure was the most desirable thing I could imagine. And where to find it should be easy.  All you needed was to locate the point a rainbow touched earth, or maybe find a magic lamp or a fairy godmother. The fairy-tale notion of treasure was later superseded by the real possibility of coming upon a pirates’ map, or a cave in Cornwall where a smugglers chest might still be hidden, undiscovered.

Archaeology – the nearest ‘ology’ to treasure-hunting – has been a fascination since childhood.  In fact, my family has a connection to the Mildenhall treasure. The famous hoard of Roman silver tableware was discovered – in his account – by my great uncle, Sydney Ford. You can find out more here.

Wow. That’s fantastic. I’m obsessed with the buried treasure concept and would love to have that kind of connection. 

Archaeology remains a fascination.  I have gone on digs and I have provided archaeological illustrations for several books, either written by, or contributed to by my son Thomas Williams. So, it was an obvious theme when I came to consider the plot of my seventh novel, BURIED TREASURE.

I have Roman coins and have been on a dig too Gilli so understand exactly what you mean.

While accurately reflecting a material element my book, I hope readers will not be too disappointed to discover the title is a bit of a tease. Buried Treasure can also be understood as a metaphor about burying the past, and the damage that suppression can have on the present. It can seem easier to internalize hurt and humiliation, and erect barriers against the world, but it is only by trusting again, and exposing your mistakes to the light, that you can rediscover the best of yourself.

Oh I think we all do that to a certain degree. I’m sure readers will identify with that theme. So, tell me more.

Jane Smith is hyper-sensitive about her lack of education, and damaged by a disastrous relationship which started when she was still a teenager.  She is constantly driven to shore up her fragile self-esteem and to prove herself by getting everything she does “right”. In the early stages of carving out a career as an Events Organizer, Jane arrives at Lancaster College (part of an ancient university) to scope it out as a possible venue for a conference she is organizing.

Theo Tyler is a ‘desk’ archaeologist working as a part-time teacher at Lancaster College. His family background makes him a curiosity to some – had his mother not been a rebel his own passage through life would have been gilded. The reality was chaotic and further marred by a destructive relationship.  He hates people’s fascination in his parentage rather than in his present achievements.

There is no necessity for Jane and Theo ever to meet. He is part of the faculty, but she is there to meet and be shown around by the hospitality manager, so their first encounter is unplanned and unpromising, but….

Jane has a family connection to a significant historic archaeological discovery and Theo wants to organize a conference.

The story follows the gradual interweaving of their interests and the breaking-down of their preconceptions.  The unlikely friendship that grows up between them leads to a place neither expected, proving that treasure is not always what it seems.

I love the sound of BURIED TREASURE Gilli. I’m intrigued. 

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

I’ve brought my drawing board. Art is the other significant pillar of my life.  I was an illustrator in advertising, and gave it up when I became a mother and resumed my teenage hobby of writing.  I have kept my hand-in over the years by going to a life drawing class and producing an annual Christmas card, plus other intermittent commissions.

I’m so jealous. I don’t have an artistic bone in my body. I wish I could draw.

More recently my son, Thomas Williams, inveigled me into providing illustrations for his debut as an author of the children’s book The Tale of King Harald (the Viking king whom our own king Harold defeated at Stamford Bridge before his own defeat at Hastings.)

And after that, providing a few illustrations for his adult book VIKING BRITAIN, and for REPRESENTING BEASTS in EARLY MEDIEVAL ENGLAND and SCANDINAVIA, which he contributed to and edited.

Needless to say, his expertise helped inform the plot of BURIED TREASURE, and he was the source of the great majority of my research on its archaeological strand.

It must be brilliant to have such talent in the family and to work together on projects Gilli. It’s been fascinating staying in with you. Thanks so much for being here. I love the new look of BURIED TREASURE and I’ll just give blog readers a few more details:

BURIED TREASURE

“I found Buried Treasure a compelling read. It was so many things: a love story, a hunt for clues to lost secrets, and a fascinating look at how our past experiences shape us, and how we can heal even after damage. The characters were wonderfully well drawn. ”

Jane thinks he sees her as shallow and ill-educated. Theo thinks she sees him as a snob, stuffy and out of touch.

Within the ancient precincts of the university the first encounter between the conference planner and the academic is accidental and unpromising. Just as well there’s no reason for them ever to meet again. But behind the armour they’ve each constructed from old scars, they’ve more in common than divides them. Both have an archaeological puzzle they are driven to solve.

As their stories intertwine, their quest to uncover the past unearths more than expected.

BURIED TREASURE is available for purchase here.

About Gilli Allan

Gilli Allan began to write in childhood – a hobby pursued throughout her teenage years. Writing was only abandoned when she left home, and real life supplanted the imaginary kind.

After a few false starts she worked longest and most happily as an illustrator in advertising and only began writing again when she became a mother.

Living in Gloucestershire with her husband Geoff, Gilli is still a keen artist. She draws and paints and has now moved into book illustration.

All of her recent books TORN, LIFE CLASS, FLY or FALL and BURIED TREASURE have gained ‘Chill with a Book’ awards.

Following in the family tradition, her son, historian Thomas Williams, is now also a writer.

You can find out more about Gilli by following her on Twitter @gilliallan, finding her on Facebook or reading her blog.

Now I wasn’t taking on anything new because I’m inundated and have another blog post today, but when Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources asked me if I’d like to participate in the cover reveal for lovely Elaine Spires’ new book The Banjo: Book Two I had to say yes.

It’s a while since I featured Elaine’s Single All the Way here and she wrote me a fabulous guest post about writing what you know when I very first began blogging that I was delighted to feature here. I’ve never forgotten that kindness in putting her trust in a new blogger.

So, let’s see what Elaine’s The Banjo: Book Two is all about:

The Banjo: Book Two

The 1970s. Zany fashions brought the Decade That Taste Forgot. Change is in the air. Decimal currency; the Common Market; widespread strikes; the Winter of Discontent; IRA bombings; the sale of Council houses and quickie divorces make their mark on the whole country including the community of the Banjo.

The eight households who live in Cromwell Close experience births, deaths, marriages, shocks and surprises but as the 70s become the 80s and beyond Dagenham undergoes great transformation. The once close-knit Community is changing.

*

Oh. I think I’d love heading back to the 1970s. If you think you would too, The Banjo Book Two is published on 21st August and is available for pre-order on Amazon UK and Amazon US.

In the meantime, you might also like to read the first book in the series:

The Banjo

It’s 1952 and Britain is slowly climbing out of the austerity of the immediate post-war years when Dolly White gets the letter she and her husband Jack have been yearning for: they are going to live in a brand new, five-roomed house on the Heath Park Estate, Dagenham. A home in Cromwell Close is beyond the wildest dreams of the Whites and the other seven families whose fortunes, dramas, losses, dreams and lives we share while they all rub along together in neighbourly harmony in The Banjo.

“A beautiful book which shows a realistic, entertaining view of working-class life in post-war Britain.”

The Banjo is available for purchase here.

About Elaine Spires

Elaine Spires is a novelist, playwright, screenwriter and actress. Extensive travelling and a background in education and tourism perfected Elaine’s keen eye for the quirky characteristics of people, captivating the humorous observations she now affectionately shares with the readers of her novels. Elaine has written two books of short stories, two novellas and seven novels, four of which form the Singles Series – Singles’ Holiday, Singles and Spice, Single All The Way and Singles At Sea.  Her latest book, Singles, Set and Match is the fifth and final book in the series.

Her play Stanley Grimshaw Has Left The Building was staged at the Bridewell Theatre, London in May 2019.  Her short film Only the Lonely, co-written with Veronique Christie and featuring Anna Calder Marshall is currently being in shown in film festivals worldwide and she is currently working on a full length feature film script. Only the Lonely won the Groucho Club Short Film Festival 2019!  Elaine recently returned to UK after living in Antigua W.I. She lives in East London.

You can follow Elaine on Twitter @ElaineSWriter and you’ll also find her on Facebook and Instagram. Elaine’s website has more information too.