Once again I’m frustrated by the fact I simply cannot read every book that comes my way. However, I am fortunate that authors are willing to stay in with me to chat about their writing. Today I’m delighted to welcome C.P. Riches to Linda’s Book Bag.

Staying in with C.P Riches

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

Hi Linda, the pleasure is all mine. Thanks very much for inviting me to your site. It really is a haven for juicy book content here and I love what you are doing to showcase authors and satisfy hungry readers everywhere.

Ha! ‘inviting’ – I like what you did there! Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I have brought along my debut the novel The Invite and I can’t wait for you to read it!

Congratulations on your debut. So, what can we expect from an evening in with The Invite?

Quite simply, readers will be snatched away from reality and endure a rollercoaster ride for the night.

The Invite is a fantasy fiction novel where one girl’s phone obsession sparks a sinister chain of events…

The reader will be taken on perilous journey where the boundaries of technology and real life become blurred for troubled teen Lindsey Hoodwink who must face her demons in a quest for survival or escape.

Crikey, that sounds a fast paced experience!

A prior warning though, readers can expect to experience every emotion under the sun in one fell swoop. The Invite might only be a quick read, but I wanted it to pack a punch. Apologies in advance if your whole evening has just been stolen from you!

I think The Invite sounds great. What have readers thought so far?

One reader stated: ‘I couldn’t put this book down! The concept was very original, but a very true representation of the modern-day problems with addiction to social media and technology. If you’re looking for a teenage drama with a twist, then I would highly recommend The Invite.’

How wonderful. You must be delighted with that kind of feedback.

Aside from being a flipping good read (ok maybe I’m a little biased, getting carried away even) on a more serious note, The Invite aims to encourage readers to really think about their unhealthy phone and social media habits. The whole concept for the story was inspired by my very own family and friends, many of whom were practically glued to their screens all the time. This made me realise that even I was obsessed.

I think many of us are Chris.

I never set out to preach the message of addiction, an idea just came to me and I ran with it. If it means that I made one reader offer a moment’s thought to how much they use their phone, then that is enough for me.

I hope you enjoy Lindsey’s night of torment.

You’ve really intrigued me. I might have to try to squeeze in a read of The Invite now after all!

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

Can I say my smartphone to be controversial? I joke of course.

Phew!

Given that this is my debut novel, some bubbles might be in order. I’m not typically a big fan of Champagne to be honest. Beer is my usual tipple of choice. However on the day I finally made my dreams a reality, the moment myself and my fiancé Jenny popped the cork, never felt so sweet. Any sniff of an occasion now and I will gladly put the champers on ice. Ok I guess bubbly might be a bit overkill given that we are in another lockdown, so I have included a picture of my publishing toast above. FYI it also just happened to be Halloween.

Oh, I’m rather partial to champagne Chris so if you’d rather have a beer I can help you out with the bubbles! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about The Invite. I think it sounds a thrilling read and I wish you every success with it.

The Invite

Lindsey Hoodwink’s only escape from a turbulent teenage existence is through her smartphone.

When the perfect chance to gain social status and bag the boy of her dreams is unfairly snatched away, Lindsey’s smartphone is once again there to pick up the pieces.

But when an unexpected ‘invite’ diverts all attention, the boundaries of technology and real life, become unbelievably blurred…

In a perilous quest against the tyranny of addiction, will this troubled teen learn the lesson on what it really means to escape?

The Invite is available for purchase here.

About C.P. Riches

C.P Riches is a British author who writes fantasy fiction novels for both teenagers and adults.

His debut novel The Invite was published in 2020 and is available on Amazon now.

The author graduated with Honours from The University of Central Lancashire in 2011 before working as a Journalist for a year. He has since gone on to apply his skills in the educational publishing and recruitment sectors. He is passionate about green living and often blogs about the serious implications of climate change in his spare time on his site.

C.P Riches lives on the outskirts of Merseyside with fiancé Jenny and loves to spend his spare time climbing walls, growing veg and watching sports.

For more information, follow C.P Riches on Twitter @CPRiches1 or find him on Instagram and Facebook.