It was back in January when I first encountered All About Us by Tom Ellen at a fabulous blogger, author and media evening in London. You can read about that evening and the other books and authors in Harper Collins’ HQ New Voices event here. Since then I’ve been desperate to read All About Us and I’m delighted to share my review today.

All About Us is published by HQ, an imprint of Harper Collins, and is available for purchase in ebook now and paperback pre-order here.

All About Us

If you could turn back the clock, would you choose a different life?

Ben usually loves the month of December, but this year, with his relationship with Daphne on the rocks, it’s missing its usual magic. And then his old friend Alice gets back in touch. Ben’s always thought of Alice as the one that got away, and he can’t help but wonder: what if he’d done things differently all those years ago?

He never imagines he might get to find out… but when a stranger sells Ben a mysterious watch one freezing winter’s night, he’s astonished to wake up the next morning on 5th December 2005: the day he first kissed Daphne, leaving Alice behind.

Now Ben must make the biggest decision of his life, all over again. But this time around, will he finally find the courage to follow his heart?

Two loves. Two lives. One destiny…

My Review of All About Us

On Christmas Eve Ben and Daphne are not getting on well.

I absolutely devoured All About Us over a couple of days because it’s such an enchanting read. Although very much romantic fiction, it has a fairy tale aspect with the watch seller that is so perfectly woven through the narrative that I believed every word. There are those who might eschew reading All About Us before December as much of the action takes place on various Christmas days or dates nearby, but that would be to miss out on a simply wonderful book.

The plot absolutely zips along in a highly entertaining fashion that would make a fantastic film, but also tripping up the reader by surprising them by the level of humour and emotion in some of the sections. I found tears in my eyes on several occasions, and yet I have finished reading All About Us feeling optimistic and uplifted because Tom Ellen has shown me there is a world of glorious possibility if only we grasp it firmly. Indeed, it is the themes of All About Us that make it such a brilliant and affecting story. Ben’s time hopping actions make the reader realise that there may not be a second chance with some of those in our lives so we need to make the most of here and now, that being true to ourselves is far better than trying to make ourselves into someone that others want us to be and that love – deep abiding love – is the most precious commodity we have. I feel my personal life has been enhanced by reading All About Us.

It was so refreshing to have a romantic novel written from a male perspective too. Ben is totally realistic as a flawed thirty something man who has some considerable growing up to do. For all his imperfections, I so wanted him to be happy because Tom Ellen made him a character I cared about completely.  I loved his relationships with other men in the book, Harv in particular, and the way Tom Ellen illustrates how those relationships usually work. I found this a very insightful aspect of the narrative. The different time periods that Ben lives through had the effect of making me relive and reflect on some of my past memories too, giving me an added joyfulness as I read. I loved Daphne’s characterisation too and thought she was so cleverly conveyed through direct speech particularly. I began reading All About Us wanting one outcome for Ben, Alice and Daphne and ended it having have my expectations and readerly desires completely inverted by the super story-telling.

With a sparkling plot and every emotion possible from confusion to fear and love to grief holding the reader spellbound, All About Us is a gorgeous, gorgeous book. I adored it and can see it becoming one of THE romantic fiction reads of 2020. Fabulous stuff Tom Ellen!

About Tom Ellen

Tom is an author and journalist from London, England. He is the co-writer of three critically acclaimed Young Adult novels: LOBSTERS (which was shortlisted for The Bookseller’s inaugural YA Book Prize), NEVER EVERS and FRESHERS. His solo adult debut novel is the romantic comedy All About Us (HQ/HarperCollins). His books have been widely translated and are published in 20 countries. He is a regular contributor to Viz magazine, and has also written for Cosmopolitan, Empire, Evening Standard Magazine, The Daily Mash, Glamour, NME, ESPN, ShortList, Time Out London, Vice, Stylist and many more.

You can follow Tom on Twitter @TomEllen7.

 

It was such a shame that the vagaries of technology failed us last week as I had hoped to stay in with lovely Rosie Blake on THE GIN O’CLOCK CLUB publication day last Thursday but sadly our emails got lost in the ether. However, it means that instead I can have a wonderful start to a new week by staying in with Rosie today instead.

You see, Rosie has been very much a part of Linda’s Book Bag since the very beginning. Writing as Cesca Major, her book The Silent Hours, reviewed here, was one of my Books of the Year in 2015. I also reviewed Cesca’s The Last Night and interviewed her about it here. The Last Night made it onto my Books of the Year in 2016!

Quite early on in my life as a blogger I reviewed Rosie Blake’s How To Stuff Up Christmas here. That was followed by my review of How To Find Your (First) Husband, and then my review of How To Get A (Love) Life. My next review of one of Rosie’s books is here and features The Hygge Holiday. Now, I loved every single one of those reads so you can see why I was so desperate to chat with Rosie about her latest book (which is on my TBR).

So, with all that in mind, let’s see what happened when Rosie stayed in with me.

Staying in with Rosie Blake

Welcome back to Linda’s Book Bag, Rosie. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. I’m so sorry our emails got lost in transit!

It is lovely of you to have me here, I love a chat about books!

Me too. Now, I know I already know, but tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

I’ve chosen THE GIN O’CLOCK CLUB which is my latest novel and inspired by the utter joy that was my own grandad. I always wondered what kind of advice he might doll out watching me rush around, often too busy to stop and smell the roses. The book is about Teddy and his eighty year old golfing mates that make up his ‘Gin o’clock club’ helping stressed granddaughter Lottie to slow down and save herself. Think old people on Tinder and young people on whist drives and you’re there!!

Knowing the fabulous humour in your books Rosie and with the reviews I’ve read from other bloggers I can’t wait to read this one. What can we expect from an evening in with THE GIN O’CLOCK CLUB? 

A career highlight for me was receiving a letter from my idol Jilly Cooper who described this book as ‘touching and hilarious’. I grew up on a diet of Jilly and to know she has read something I’ve written blows me away.

That must feel incredible to have such an endorsement.

And the fact that this book is inspired by my own grandad always brings a lump to my throat. I hope everyone who reads it can be wrenched out of this rather miserable year and lose themselves in the joy and wisdom of the older generation. It’s all about family and friendship and love.

And with everything that’s going on in 2020, I think family and friendship and love are the things we all need the most! What else have you brought along and why? 

I thought I would bring along a photo of my grandad so you can see the type of man he was and imagine what life advice he might give you!

Oh he looks wonderful Rosie. Reminds me of my Dad. Thank you for sharing him with us and for staying in with me, albeit a bit later than we meant, to tell me all about THE GIN O’CLOCK CLUB.

Thank you for having me Linda!

THE GIN O’CLOCK CLUB

Bring the sparkle and fizz back into your life with the help of The Gin O’Clock Club

Lottie is always in a hurry, rushing through her days ticking tasks off her to-do lists. Teddy is worried about his granddaughter – and he knows that his late wife, Lily, would have known exactly what to say to make things better. Now that Lily has gone, it’s up to Teddy to talk some sense into Lottie.

With the help of Arjun, Geoffrey and Howard, the elderly reprobates who make up his Gin O’Clock Club, Teddy makes a plan to help Lottie find her way back to the things that really matter – family, friendship and love. But as Lottie balances a high-powered job with her reluctant attendance at whist drives, ballroom dances and bingo, Teddy wonders if she’s really ready to open up her heart to the possibility of true happiness…

Laugh, cry and fall in love with this colourful cast of characters in THE feel-good novel of the year

Published by Little Brown imprint Sphere on 20th August 2020, THE GIN O’CLOCK CLUB is available for purchase through the links here.

About Rosie Blake

Rosie is a writer, recovering TV presenter and mother of many children. She has written for Cosmopolitan, The Lady, Best and Reveal Magazines. She has appeared on ITV, Channel 4 and Sky. She enjoys hosting writing panels and running creative writing workshops. Rosie has written comic women’s fiction for Atlantic Books and Sphere Fiction. Her latest, The Gin O’Clock Club, a quirky inter-generational love story about friendship, gin, golf and whist, is out now.

She continues to attempt to become Julia Robert’s best friend but is starting to worry it might never happen despite “liking” all her Instagram posts.

For more information, follow Rosie on Twitter @RosieBBooks, Facebook or Instagram – she has twins so she says she is always keen to chat.

I’m a real fan of thrillers and have been hearing such good things about thriller writer Tom Bale from other bloggers that I simply had to ask Tom to stay in with me to tell me about his latest book.

Let’s see what happened:

Staying in with Tom Bale

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

It’s very kind of you to invite me, Linda. Thank you!

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

I’m bringing my latest novel, SURVIVE, because it’s been described as the perfect summer read. Okay, I’d originally envisaged it as a book to be read by the pool or on the beach in some exotic sun-drenched resort, but with the recent heatwaves in the UK I’m sure that a garden or patio will do just as well!

I’m sure it will. And with all that’s going on, a book that we can escape into whilst still at home sounds exactly what we need right now!

What can we expect from an evening in with SURVIVE?

SURVIVE is the story of Sam and Jody and their young children, taking their first ever holiday abroad. What should be a relaxing all-inclusive break turns into a life-threatening ordeal. It’s a slightly different kind of book from my others, though still very much a thriller.

Intriguing. Tell me more.

My initial inspiration for a novel is usually a character or a situation, sometimes a place, but with SURVIVE it was a theme: the growing power of the super rich, and the fact that such people can seemingly do whatever they like and face no consequences (as my poor family are to discover!) I drew inspiration from a Graham Greene novel, Dr Fischer of Geneva, which has a similar theme. Other influences included Stephen King’s MISERY and The Magus by John Fowles, stories where the main characters find themselves as pawns in a game, and also the movie Castaway.

SURVIVE sounds fabulous and with recent events I can see that your theme is incredibly pertinent. How have readers responded to it?

Because it is a bit different, I was even more apprehensive than usual prior to publication, but I’ve been stunned by the passionate response I’ve had from readers. You know a book has worked the way you hoped when people are messaging to say they’ve gone without sleep to finish it. The review headings on Amazon have included phrases such as: “Gripping, terrifying and absolutely brilliant!” “A real nailbiter!” “A riveting read.” “Could not put this down!” “Best book of the year!” “Edge of the seat thriller.”So I couldn’t be happier about the reception it’s had.

Crikey! No wonder you’re happy with those comments. I must get SURVIVE onto my TBR immediately after this evening Tom.

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve got a couple of cold beers to drink as we sit and chat in the garden. I also have some pictures of Shoreham upon Sea, a town just along the coast from Brighton. It was in a couple of the cafes here that most of SURVIVE was written, and after a few hours immersed in Sam and Jody’s world there was nothing I liked more than a swim in the sea before cycling home.

Those photos look wonderful. Next time you head for a swim give me a call and I’ll come too! Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat all about SURVIVE Tom. You pour us a beer and I’ll give readers some more information. 

Survive

From a bestselling author comes THE ultimate summer thriller.

Paradise is about to become hell…

On a remote island in the Adriatic, an enigmatic billionaire hosts a twisted form of entertainment to satisfy the jaded appetites of his exclusive guests. And for one unsuspecting family, the holiday of a lifetime is about to become a desperate battle for survival.

As young parents, Sam and Jody have managed to defy the odds once before. But years of struggle have taken their toll, and Sam’s demons return to haunt him at the worst possible time.

Caught up in a sick game of cat and mouse, can they put their differences aside and work under intolerable pressure to save themselves and their children?

Live or die. It’s the only choice they have.

Published by Bloodhound, SURVIVE is available for purchase here.

About Tom Bale

Tom Bale had a variety of jobs before realising his lifelong ambition to be a full-time writer. He is the author of eleven novels, including the best sellers SEE HOW THEY RUN, ALL FALL DOWN and SKIN AND BONES. His latest book is SURVIVE, described as ‘the ultimate summer thriller!’ A keen cyclist and swimmer, he lives by the sea in Brighton.

For more information, follow Tom on Twitter @t0mbale or visit his website. You’ll also find Tom on Facebook. All Tom’s books can be found here.

One of the downsides of blogging is that you get so many books and requests that, on occasion, one of your favourite authors become neglected. It’s been far too long since I read Fredrik Backman so when Anxious People appeared on Netgalley I broke my self-imposed ban and requested it. I was thrilled when my request was granted.

One of the very first reviews I ever posted on Linda’s Book Bag was of Fredrik Backman’s My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises in a post you can see here. I reviewed A Man Called Ove here and Britt-Marie Was Here, here! The blog has evolved considerably since then, but I have never forgotten the excitement I felt when I was asked to meet and interview Fredrik Backman in June 2015. I have met hundreds of authors since but that meeting was very special. You can read about it here.

Published by Penguin imprint Michael Joseph on 20th August 2020, Anxious People is available for puchase through the links here.

Anxious People

In a small town in Sweden it appears to be an ordinary day. But look more closely, and you’ll see a mysterious masked figure approaching a bank…

Two hours later, chaos has descended. A bungled attempted robbery has developed into a hostage situation – and the offender is refusing to communicate their demands to the police.

Within the building, fear quickly turns to irritation for the seven strangers trapped inside. If this is to be their last day on earth, shouldn’t it be a bit more dramatic?

But as the minutes tick by, they begin to suspect that the criminal mastermind holding them hostage might be more in need of rescuing than they are…

My Review of Anxious People

Robbing a bank isn’t as easy as the robber thinks!

Despite the suggestion in the title, Anxious People is utterly glorious, uplifting and such a touching read. I laughed aloud on far too many occasions to count and I cried too so that Fredrick Backman has created the perfect blend of compassion and humour for me.

In a sense, Fredrik Backman exploits the classical three unities of time – a few hours, place  – an apartment, and action – a hostage situation, and he does so with such clever and witty writing. That said, the backstories of each of the characters and the peripheral places of the psychologist’s office and the police station all blend into sheer perfection so that I finished reading Anxious People feeling that I had been given a glimpse into the very souls and innermost thoughts of every single person in the story.

It’s so hard to say too much about the plot of Anxious People because it would spoil the discoveries for the reader, but I can say it’s about a bridge, a bank robbery, a hostage situation and some police interviews! It can be read for sheer entertainment alone. It is cleverly structured so that several seemingly disparate elements are actually totally fundamental to the story. The direct appeal to the reader draws them in until they are as much part of the story as the robber, the hostages and the police. More than that, however, Anxious People is predicated on Fredrik Backman’s total understanding of human nature and complete compassion for even the least likeable people because he understands why we are as we are. Indeed, it is those who appear to deserve our sympathy least who earn it more through the skilled writing so that the experience of reading this narrative leaves the reader changed for the better too. The robber is such a brilliant character. Misguided, hopeless as a hostage taker and totally believable. I was as duped by the robber as are the police.

Speaking of the police, Jim and Jack are simply fabulous. Their relationship, and the presence of their lost loved ones, serve to show the reader how we all have our frailties, our dreams and our loyalties. Fredrik Backman somehow seems to know innately, and be able to convey so effortlessly, just what humanity is at its most fundamental level. I found reading Anxious People renewed my faith in my fellow man – or woman.

I’m aware how little I’ve actually said about Anxious People in this review. It’s impossible to define Fredrik Backman’s magical ability to make his readers know and understand not just the Julias et al in the story, but to come to know themselves better too. I adored Anxious People. It left me feeling I belong in the world at a time when I’ve been feeling detached from it. What could be better than that?

About Fredrik Backman

Fredrik Backman is the Number One New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove – now a major motion picture starring Tom Hanks. His subsequent fiction includes My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises, Britt-Marie Was Here, Beartown and Us Against You. Beartown is being adapted for HBO by the team behind The Bridge. He is also the author of two novellas: And Every Morning the Way Home Gets Longer and The Deal of a Lifetime. Fredrik Backman’s books are published in more than forty countries and have sold over 10 million copies. He lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his wife and two children.

For more information, follow Freddrik on Twitter @Backmanland, find him on Facebook and Instagram or visit his website.

As most of you who read Linda’s Book Bag regularly are already aware, I can be very foolish and I most certainly am when it comes to Miranda Dickinson because I’ve never actually read one of her books before although I OWN several! I’m putting that right today by sharing my review of Our Story.

Our Story will be published by Harper Collins’ imprint HQ in ebook on 25th August 2020 and audio and paperback on 3rd September. It is available for pre-order here.

Our Story

Otty has just landed her dream job. She’s about to join the writing team of one of the most respected showrunners in TV. And then the night before her first day, she’s evicted from her flat.

Joe has been working with Russell for years. He’s the best writer on his team, but lately something has been off. He’s trying to get his mojo back, but when his flatmate moves out without warning he has other things to worry about.

Otty moving into Joe’s house seems like the perfect solution to both their problems, but neither is prepared for what happens next. Paired together in the writing room, their obvious chemistry sparks from the page and they are the writing duo to beat. But their relationship off the page is an entirely different story, and neither of them can figure out why.

And suddenly the question isn’t, will they, or won’t they? It’s why won’t they?

An epic and modern love story for our times, we will all see ourselves reflected in Otty and Joe. We are our own biggest barriers and this novel explores what happens when we get out of our own way. And it is glorious.

My Review of Our Story

Otty wants to be a television writer.

I cannot believe Our Story is my first Miranda Dickinson read. I have others on my shelves but I’ve never actually found time to pick one up and read it. Our Story has convinced me that that ridiculous state of affairs needs rectifying immediately. I adored this book.  Miranda Dickinson has a smooth, effortless style that makes reading her words a sheer delight. I thoroughly appreciated the structure of the narrative because although there are two points of view, the chronology gives coherence and flow that I sometimes find missing in other books, adding to my enjoyment immensely.

I thought the setting of the writers’ room was inspired. Giving a unity to the action it provides an insight into a world most of us will never encounter so that there’s an extra layer of interest outside the simply glorious love story that is Our Story. I adored the concept that, whilst people like Joe and Otty can write life narratives for others, they can’t write their own happiness and the way this hooked me into the book was genius. Miranda Dickinson captivated me completely.

Despite the fact that the narrative is set in the global, cut-throat world of television writing, it has an intimate, personal atmosphere that I found incredibly affecting. In Our Story, Miranda Dickinson illustrates events that might well be happening in any working environment in any era so that there is a realism here. I loved the balance of viewpoint from Joe and Otty because not only does it fit the theme of not accepting the truth, and moves on the plot with dynamism and pace, but hearing both their voices clearly has the effect of making the reader fall in love with them both and care about what happens to them. I became so immersed in their story, experiencing such emotion that I felt a physical ache where my heart lies in my chest.

Otty, Joe and all the characters in Our Story are brilliantly created. I thought it was a wonderful message to give Otty a career far outside the usual expectations of her working class Brummie background because whilst the story is fabulously entertaining, it reminds readers that dreams can be fulfilled through hard work and ambition.

In essence, the book has a relatively simple plot revolving around two protagonists writing for television. However, there were several points during the story where I wasn’t sure I would finish reading Our Story. You see, Miranda Dickinson kept breaking my heart, sticking it back together briefly and then smashing it again until I wasn’t sure just how much more emotion I could take. I desperately, desperately wanted Joe and Otty to be together and to have a happy ending. By the time I reached the final part of the story I was a blubbering, weeping wreck. You’ll have to read the book for yourself to see if I got what I wanted!

Our Story is just wonderful. It’s both realistic and romantic. It’s heart-breaking and joyous. It’s going straight on my list of books of the year and Miranda Dickinson has a new fan!

About Miranda Dickinson

Miranda Dickinson has always had a head full of stories. Born in Wolverhampton, in The Black Country, West Midlands, she grew up in Kingswinford and dreamed of one day writing a book that would reach the heady heights of Kingswinford Library.

Her first novel, Fairytale of New York (2009) was discovered on Authonomy.com – HarperCollins’ site for unpublished authors. Within three weeks of its release, Fairytale of New York had entered the Sunday Times Top Ten Bestsellers List, where it remained for five weeks – making it the world’s first crowd-sourced bestseller. The novel was also shortlisted for the RNA’s Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2010 at the Pure Passion Awards.

Miranda is a six-times Sunday Times Bestseller, with Fairytale of New York, Welcome to My World, It Started With a Kiss, When I Fall in Love, Take a Look at Me Now, I’ll Take New York, A Parcel for Anna Browne and Searching for a Silver Lining. Her Christmas novella, Christmas in St Ives, is a festive treat and also a prequel to her ninth novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea. She is an international bestseller in four countries and her books have been translated into fifteen languages. To date, she has sold one million books worldwide. The Day We Meet Again, her tenth novel was published on 5th September 2019.

Miranda lives in Dudley with her husband, Bob and daughter, Flo. She is also a singer-songwriter and recently released her first solo album, About Time.

For more information, follow Miranda on Twitter @wurdsmyth, on Instagram or find her on Facebook. You can also visit her vlog and website.

My enormous thanks to author Tiffany McDaniel for ensuring I received a copy of BETTY in return for an honest review. I have been desperate to read Tiffany’s book The Summer That Melted Everything but along with so many others it is still sitting on my TBR pile, so I thought I’d dive straight in to BETTY.

Published today, 18th August 2020, by Weidenfeld and Nicholson, BETTY is available for purchase through the links here.

BETTY

‘A girl comes of age against the knife’

So begins the story of Betty Carpenter

Born in a bathtub in 1954 to a Cherokee father and white mother, Betty is the sixth of eight siblings. The world they inhabit is one of poverty and violence – both from outside the family and also, devastatingly, from within. When her family’s darkest secrets are brought to light, Betty has no choice but to reckon with the brutal history hiding in the hills, as well as the heart-wrenching cruelties and incredible characters she encounters in her rural town of Breathed, Ohio.

Despite the hardship she faces, Betty is resilient. Her curiosity about the natural world, her fierce love for her sisters and her father’s brilliant stories are kindling for the fire of her own imagination, and in the face of all she bears witness to, Betty discovers an escape: she begins to write.

A heartbreaking yet magical story, BETTY is a punch-in-the-gut of a novel – full of the crushing cruelty of human nature and the redemptive power of words.

My Review of Betty

I had no idea what kind of book I would be reading when I picked up BETTY and when it opened with a biblical quotation I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like it. I was completely wrong. Betty is utterly fabulous. Tiffany McDaniel has produced an intense narrative that has a truly physical effect on the reader. Reading BETTY is a visceral and affecting experience and I’d defy any reader to remain unchanged by it.

Based on the author’s mother, BETTY is the story of one particular female whilst simultaneously being the possible story of every female through time, or even the story of the Earth herself. This book is a song to womanhood but also to what it means to be a father and husband. Betty’s voice is so clear that it is as if the reader is inside her head as she describes her life as a young child. Her relationships with her siblings, her mother and, especially her father, are conveyed exquisitely. At times I wasn’t sure I could bear to read what might happen next in Betty’s story because I found it so realistic and so touching. I wept several times during my reading.

Written in a memoir style, events are balanced so perfectly that all aspects from love to brutality are conveyed in a way that touches the soul of the reader. Tiffany McDaniel writes about incest, rape and violence as well as nature and belonging, with poetry, with humanity and with an understanding of human nature that is astounding. Her characterisation is so fabulous that it is impossible not to be caught up in the lives of Betty and her family. I loved Betty’s father unconditionally despite some of his actions and my heart broke for the way Betty learnt life’s lessons. Every single family member is clear and distinct so that I know they will all remain with me for a very long time.

The themes in BETTY are sadly terrifyingly familiar in a modern world but presented through innovative writing making them all the more convincing. From various forms of abuse, including prejudicial and sexual, to identity and mental health, all life thrums through the pages of BETTY. I cannot imagine anyone with a shred of humanity in their soul not being totally spellbound by this story.

BETTY is written with beauty and skill, but above all else it is written with love and I absolutely adored it. It’s heart-achingly wonderful. I fear BETTY will be a quiet book with the length and content matter putting off readers, but anyone who doesn’t have the opportunity to discover Tiffany McDaniel’s magical, heart rending and affecting creation is really missing out. I adored it and thought it quite wonderful.

About Tiffany McDaniel

Tiffany McDaniel is a novelist, poet, and visual artist born and raised in Ohio. She is the author of The Summer That Melted Everything and BETTY.

You can find out more by visiting her website.

I love language and new words so I’m delighted to help begin the launch celebrations for Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers by Robin A Crawford today. My grateful thanks to Alizon Menzies for inviting me to participate and for sending me a copy of Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers in return for an honest review.

Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers is published by Elliot and Thompson on 20th August 2020 and is available for purchase here.

Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers

The evocative vocabulary, wit and wisdom of the Scots language – from Robert Burns to Twitter.

Scottish writer and bookseller, Robin Crawford, has gathered 1,000 Scots words– old and new, classical and colloquial, rural and urban – in a joyful celebration of their continuing usage. His amusing, erudite definitions put each of these words in context, revealing their evocative origins and essential character. Delightful line drawings by Scottish printmaker Liz Myhill contribute to this treasury of linguistic gems for language lovers everywhere.

The Scots language is intricately bound up in the nation’s history, identity, land and culture. It is also a living and vital vernacular, used daily.With references to Robert Burns mingling with contemporary examples from Billy Connolly and even Monty Python, Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers revels in the richness of one of our oldest languages, and acts as a precious reminder of words that are also beginning to fade away, their meaning and value disappearing.

Clishmaclaver: the passing on of idle gossip, sometimes in a book.

Inkie-pinkie: weak beer.

Sodie-heid: literally, ‘head full of soda bubbles’, airhead.

Smowt: youngster, technically a young trout or salmon but also affectionately applied to a child.

Simmer dim: Shetland term for long summer evenings where due to the northern latitude it never really gets dark.

Dreich: grey, miserable, tedious; usually applied to weather but indicative of the Scots temperament, hence it being voted Scotland’s favourite word in a recent poll (or perhaps indicative of the temperaments of Scots who feel the need to participate in online polls): ‘It’s gey dreich the day.’

My Review of Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers

A treasure trove of Scottish words.

Prior to reviewing properly the linguistic content of Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers I have to say something about the overall quality of the book. Difficult to see in an image, there is beauty in the gold lettering, and the self-coloured, purple, illustrated end papers pick up the thistle of the cover so that there’s a real feeling of coherence. It made it a real pleasure to open the book before even beginning to read it.

I cannot begin to imagine how much time and effort Robin A. Crawford must have put in to the construction of Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers as it is meticulously researched, helpfully cross referenced and provides a useful bibliography with all the sources of quotation too so that readers be confident of the authenticity of the book. Words are often placed within exemplar sentences that give total credibility. It sounds slightly bizarre to say so but I felt I was in safe hands reading Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers and this enhanced my enjoyment.

Presented in alphabetical order, each letter page has a superb illustration that reflects one of the words in the section. I derived considerable pleasure in looking at the drawing and then skimming the words to see if I could guess which one was being referenced. I loved the tattie bogle! I think readers could make quite a game of this, sharing the book as a family.

Speaking of games, Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers doesn’t need reading all in one go or in the order it is presented. It’s such a pleasure to pick up the book in passing and dip in at random. I must admit, I read the whole of  the sections spelling out my first name first! The book could be used for impromptu games of pictionary, charades and as a diversion perhaps for those with a bout of blabs (you’ll have to read the book to find out…) by making up sentences from the words presented here.

Cauld Blasts and Clishmaclavers is an absolute must for anyone with an interest in language because it takes them on a geographical, literary and historical journey. The author’s introduction distils the history of the Scots language wonderfully in just a few pages so that I had total confidence that what I would find would be entertaining and accurate. It was. I thoroughly enjoyed every page, every illustration, every word.

About Robin A Crawford

Born in Glasgow, writer and Scottish bookseller Robin A. Crawford has a particular interest in the culture and natural heritage of his native land. He is the critically acclaimed author of Into ThePeatlands: A Journey Through the Moorland Year, longlisted for the Highland Book Prize 2019. He lives in Fife, Scotland, with his wife. Robin is available for interview.

You can follow Robin on Twitter @RobinACrawford2, or visit his website for further information.

My thanks to the team at Bookollective for inviting me to participate in the blog tour for Niall Edworthy’s first novel. I’m very partial to history in my fiction so I’m intrigued to see what Naill has to tell me this evening.

Staying in with Niall Edworthy

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Niall. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal. After 25 years of writing and ghosting 40 non-fiction books, this is my first novel.

It must be very satisfying to publish under your own name Niall! How would you sum up Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal?

I was delighted to see it described in a review as ‘Nazi Germany meets the 39 Steps meets PG Wodehouse.’ Delighted because it means I have succeeded in my hope of creating an adventure story told with humour set in a dark period of history.

Sounds fascinating. So what can we expect from an evening in with Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal?

A wide-eyed innocent tangling with Nazis and their sinister plans inspired by the Occult and the Nordic myths, an impossible task, a manhunt, a picture of pre-war Germany and France, some burgeoning love, a Walther PPK, a boy genius with werewolf syndrome, a spectacular Grail castle, a less well known SS castle, a lot of adrenaline, a vulnerable but entertaining narrator

Crikey! That’s some description. How are readers receiving Otto’s adventures?

There’s an early review here and there are some on Amazon too from genuine readers!

You must be delighted with those responses Niall. Tell us a bit more about the settings and your characters.

Some of my settings include:

Berlin:  Cultural centre of Europe after the Great War, a hub of creative and intellectual energy, a den of decadence, Berlin was quickly cleared and sanitized by the Nazis of all ‘un-German’ influences.

8, Prinz-Albrecht-Strasse – the most dreaded address in Germany, Himmler’s SS & Gestapo HQ, complete with 40 underground torture cells.

Michelstadt Otto’s home town, its picture postcard centre is little changed from Medieval times with its timber framed, gabled buildings, flower boxes, swinging shop signs and friendly inns.

Wewelsburg Castle Himmler’s pseudo-Arthurian SS castle. Rebuilt by slave labour, Wewelsburg ended the war a grotesque folly to his unhinged world view.

Montsegur Village in foothills of Pyrenees famed for its steepling hilltop castle, site of last stronghold and massacre of Cathar ‘heretics’. Legend goes that three knights smuggled out the Holy Grail on the eve of the surrender. Much of the action takes place here

Dachau Himmler’s brainchild, opened in 1933, Dachau was Germany’s first concentration camp and prototype, housing at first mainly political enemies and social undesirables.

It sounds as if readers of Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal can travel vicariously in these uncertain times. How about the characters?

Let me describe a little bit about the main characters Linda:

Otto Eckhart – Our wide-eyed narrator, aimless unsung Medievalist sleepwalking into a Nazi nightmare. Has he got it in him to outwit the SS and one of the most sinister men history will produce? Can he come of age and triumph in love as well as life?

Heinrich Himmler – Fertilizer salesman, occultist, fantasist, armchair genocidal maniac, doting father, brilliant bureaucrat, unfaithful husband, rabbit lover, head of the SS, architect of Holocaust.

Ingrid Behringer – Bright, resourceful, intrepid secretary in SS HQ Berlin, at the dark heart of the young regime, she has no love for Nazis but will she for Otto? Keen amateur photographer, dauntless motorist. Smells of lavender.

Eva Eckhart – Otto’s Mum, loving, overbearing, tireless pillar of Michelstadt community, scared of no one and nothing but the Gestapo, Dachau, her husband’s principles and her son’s innocence and idleness.

Friedrich Eckhart – Otto’s Dad, the mouse that roars in Nazi ears. Quiet strong schoolteacher, Great War hero, scourge of the Nazis. Will his strong principles put his family in jeopardy?

Poilu – Otto’s fearless and faithful sidekick, cleverest boy in Languedoc, fulcrum of Montsegur village life, beekeeper, stand-in priest, washer of the elderly. Poilu, French for hairy, a nickname owing to his werewolf syndrome.

Inspector Muller – Local Gestapo chief, scourge of Michelstadt, nemesis of Otto’s father, but can he thwart Otto’s plan?

Weisthor – The mad mystic, closely inspired by Karl Maria Wiligut, ‘Himmler’s Rasputin’. Off-the-wall occultist, creator of SS death-head ring and interior designer of Wewelsburg Castle – Himmler’s SS Camelot. Drunkard and certified madman.

Karl Wolff – Himmler’s suave Chief of Staff. Saw out war as governor of North Italy. Escaped Nuremburg trials but justice caught up with him. Features as self in story.

Hans Loritz – 6th Commandant of Dachau. Corrupt SS officer & concentration camp careerist. Committed suicide awaiting trial by Soviets in 1946. Features as self.

Berthold and Erma Voight – Jovial & drunk husband & wife landlord team of the ancient The Three Hares Inn, Michelstadt, hub of local gossip. Anti-Nazis and trustworthy friend to Otto.

Raymond & Beatrice Trencavels – Poilu’s parents & amiable owners of Montsegur guesthouse, Otto’s doting French ‘parents.’ Key players in his ploy to foil Himmler.

Fr Pietro – Chain-smoking, defrocked Italian priest of lapsed faith, dissolute habit and gloomy outlook, former curator of Vatican relics, eager barfly and keeper of a great secret.

They sound such vivid people Niall. I imagine there will quite a journey for many of them. Do you have any excerpts to share with us?

I do indeed Linda. Here are some short excerpts:

You don’t forget that day, the one that changes your life forever, when nothing again will be even remotely the same as the life you knew previously, when you end up wholly altered by the experiences that flow from it. Mine was the sixth of May, 1937 and oh God, what a naïve dolt I was.

*

He rose to his feet and leant into me, the brim of his hat touching my forehead. I can still smell the cheap smoke and the beer on his breath, see the old meat stuck in his incisors and the sheaves of bristle hanging from his great nostrils. I cannot say whether it was fear or fury, but I stood where I was, not so much as a blink on my face, my only movement that of my racing heart. I was aware of the din in the bar falling to a murmur and then to a hush.

*

She was wearing a purple beret, with a purple silk scarf tucked into a black silver-buttoned tunic, cigarette curling smoke from her hand, now hanging over the door. A camera hung around her neck. She gave me a shy smile and shook a little wave. I returned both gestures, then did that awkward thing with my face, my eyes going left and right and my lips puckering with compressed air – being unaccustomed to beautiful women in luxury touring cars trying to get my attention.

*

It is one of the curiosities of uniforms and costumes that merely by altering the outward appearance, a slight change in the inward character of the wearer is achieved. To look at that strange figure in the mirror, I am obliged to confess again, was both thrilling and unsettling. I couldn’t help but wonder whether the character of an entire nation might be changed simply by pulling on a uniform. Was it really that easy to become someone else, to become a different country?

*

(Ingrid character speaking) “They take me for cocktails and dinner and tell me how to strip and reassemble a Mauser, how I might kill an attack dog were I to find myself unarmed and on the run – one places one’s fist down in its throat I am advised – how the reoccupation of the Rhineland is just the first step, yawn, yawn – then they are astounded and affronted that I am insufficiently aroused to go to bed with them.”

*

I approached the desk, peeling off my gloves, steel heels cracking the silence, heartbeats pummelling my ribcage. He looked up, eyebrows nudging a fraction higher, pen still floating above the document.

*

A beating, a bullet in the back of the head and a midnight bath in the Landwehr, that’s how it works now… Right, here we go, deep breaths, let’s hope the traffic’s light. And the bennies start kicking in – fast. They closed in on me, looking for a struggle, but I leapt into the rear like an eager gundog. They followed me in, and the door slammed.

I think they give an excellent flavour of the book. So, what else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought some pictures of Montsegur castle and village in foothills of Pyrenees – where much of the story’s action takes place

It looks a fascinating place. Thanks so much for staying in with me to chat about Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal Nial. I wish you every success with the book.

Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal

Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal is a work of historical fiction, inspired by the true story of SS Ahnenerbe occultist Otto Rahns’s search for the Holy Grail as a trophy to prove Ayran supremacy for Nazi Germany. In this reliving of the story, a naïve young historian, Otto Eckhart, is personally dispatched by SS leader Heinrich Himmler to seek a holy chalice, only to discover the real life Chalice of Tomar. Set over six months in 1937, with the action taking place in Berlin, the Odenwald, Wewelsburg Castle and Languedoc, Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal is an absorbing quest, love and coming of age story.

Published by Unicorn on 1st August 2020, Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal is available for purchase here, or directly from the publisher here.

About Niall Edworthy

Niall Edworthy, a former reporter with international wire agencies AFP and Reuters, has written over 40 books, many of them ghosted. Otto Eckhart’s Ordeal is his exciting fiction debut.  His work has covered a broad range of genres and subjects and include a highly acclaimed account of a British tank regiment at war in Iraq, the comic adventures of an Essex roadworker on the world darts scene, the autobiography of a rugby World Cup winner, and the harrowing story of a young Londoner unjustly jailed in Russia.

You can follow Niall on Twitter @EdworthyNiall and there’s more with these other bloggers:

I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome Cole Moreton to stay in with me today. You see, Cole’s book The Light Keeper was one of my books of the year in 2019 and I reviewed it here, so actually having the opportunity to chat with Cole about the book feels like a real treat.

Cole Moreton will feature on Radio 2’s Good Morning Sunday this week too.

Staying in with Cole Moreton

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Cole and thank you so much for staying in with me. I rather think I know, but which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

I’ve brought The Light Keeper, which as you know is a story of love, hope, faith and longing set in a real life lighthouse on the edge of a four hundred foot cliff, near Beachy Head. The paperback came out in lockdown, so it is brand new. You were kind enough to say nice things about the book, for which many thanks, so I thought it would be rude not to bring it!

I wasn’t kind when I wrote my review Cole, just honest. I was just awestruck by The Light Keeper! So, for those who don’t know, what can we expect from an evening in with The Light Keeper?

Well I’ll hope to take you with me, in your head at least, to the stunning landscape of the South Downs, where the horizon is so wide you can see the curvature of the Earth. The story tackles some hard stuff, but I hope it is ultimately inspiring and uplifting. This is one of those magical places where it’s easy to get a sense of the divine, so anything might be possible.

I can vouch for that in your writing Cole.

Apart from introducing you to the characters of Sarah, Jack and the Keeper, I’ll let you into a few secrets about the history of the place. And as a surprise I’ve brought along a guitar and a friend, David Perry, who plays with me in a band. Together we wrote an album of readings from the book and songs inspired by the characters and stories, which is imaginatively called The Light Keeper by The Light Keepers if you want to look it up on Spotify, Apple Play or one of those places. So we will sing a few songs and invite you to sing along. How’s your singing voice, Linda? I’ve heard it might be pretty good.

I’m not sure who you’ve been speaking with but you’re very much mistaken! I think I’d better just listen unless you want to be responsible for damage to eardrums.

Actually, I’ve loved listening to the album. Tell me, what else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought this photograph, which my father took when he was up walking on the cliff edge shortly after we moved here 16 years ago. It was the sight of the sunlight sparkling on the water that inspired the opening chapters of the book. “Fingers of light, reaching down through the clouds to stir the waters …”

What an atmospheric image and so in keeping with The Light Keeper.

We had triplets babies and a four year old, that was why we moved to this coastland, for more space and a better, more outdoor life for them.

So I’ve brought a picture of Ruby, Josh and Grace in their Moses basket.

I can quite see why you might need more space! Triplets and a four year old together must have been quite a challenge!

There’s a bottle of Long Blonde beer from the Long Man brewery, because the chalk figure of the Long Man is in the story.

Oh yes, I remember. Though I can imagine raising all those small children must have been thirsty work too…

And a selection of Sussex cheeses and pickles from the brilliant local produce shop at Middle Farm, just a few miles from the lighthouse.

Oo. You can come again Cole. I adore bread, cheese and pickles but rarely eat them because of the excess calories. I’ll make an exception today!

Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat all about The Light Keeper as it was one of the most affecting books I read in 2019. It’s been a pleasure finding out a bit more about it.

Thanks for having me, I really appreciate your support for The Light Keeper and for books in general, long may you thrive!

Thank you. Now, you pour a beer and serve up some cheeses and I’ll give blog readers the details they need about The Light Keeper:

The Light Keeper

Sarah stands on the brink, arms open wide as if to let the wind carry her away.

She’s come to the high cliffs to be alone, to face the truth about her life, to work out what to do.

Her lover Jack is searching, desperate to find her before it is too late. But Sarah doesn’t want to be found. Not yet. Not by him.

And someone else is seeking answers up here where the seabirds soar – a man known only as the Keeper, living in an old lighthouse right on the cusp of a four-hundred-foot drop. He is all too aware that sometimes love takes you to the edge . . .

The Light Keeper is published by SPCK imprint Marylebone House and is available for purchase here.

You can hear Cole being interviewed about The Light Keeper on Good Morning Sunday this week with Rev. Kate Bottley so don’t miss it!

About Cole Moreton

Cole Moreton is a writer and broadcaster exploring who we are and what we believe in. His BBC Radio 4 series The Boy Who Gave His Heart Away won multiple awards including Best Documentary in the BBC Radio Awards, Best Writing at the World’s Best Radio Awards in New York and gold for Audio Moment of the Year at the Arias.

Cole writes for the Mail on Sunday and was named Interviewer of the Year at the Press Awards 2016, then shortlisted again in 2018. His work has appeared in the Financial Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The Sunday Times, and many other.

The first of Cole’s non-fiction books was Hungry For Home: A Journey To America From The Edge Of Ireland and published by Viking in 2000. This combination of journalism, travelogue and dramatised true events told the story of the evacuation of the Great Blasket Island in County Kerry and followed the journey taken by the islanders to new lives in the United States. It was shortlisted for the prestigious John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for a first book in any genre.

His second book was called My Father Was A Hero (Viking) and told the story of the men and women who returned home to London after WW2 but could not handle peace time. His third book Is God Still An Englishman? How Britain Lost Its Faith (But Found New Soul) was published by Little, Brown. It explores the dramatic changes in British culture and spirituality over the last 30 years and celebrates the possibilities for the future.

His fourth book was a retelling of the story of The Boy Who Gave His Heart Away for HarperCollins. His debut novel The Light Keeper was published in August 2019.

Follow The Light Keeper on Twitter @TheLightKeeper1 or Cole Moreton @colemoreton. There’s more on Cole’s website and you can find him on Instagram and Facebook.

The world was a very different place back in January when Robert Crouch last featured on Linda’s Book Bag. Then he provided a fabulous guest post about daring to be different when the fifth book in his Kent Fisher Mysteries, No Mercy, was published. You can read that post here.

Robert has been a smashing guest here on the blog several times, such as when No More Lies was released, in a post you can see here. I ‘stayed in’ with Rob in a post you can read here, and he’s been kind enough to provide a guest post (here) shortly after his Fisher’s Fables was released and another here to celebrate No Bodies.

Today it gives me enormous pleasure to help reveal the cover for the sixth book in the Kent Fisher Series, No Love Lost, which I will be reviewing on 21st September as part of the blog tour, so do come back then to see what I thought to it.

Let’s find out all about No Love Lost:

No Love Lost

How can a simple job interview end in complete carnage?

When Mandy Paige seeks Kent Fisher’s help to find the mother who abandoned her as a baby, he has no idea of the mayhem his investigation will unleash. With only a photograph of a woman he once knew, he discovers she left her office one Friday afternoon twenty years ago and never returned.

Did Helen Cassidy escape an abusive husband or was she abducted and murdered?

People connected to Helen begin to die in mysterious circumstances. An old foe returns, leaving cryptic messages on the windscreen of Kent’s car. He seems to know Kent’s every move, hounding and taunting the sleuth, attacking those who can help him solve the mystery.

When the main suspect dies, Kent’s investigation lies in tatters – until he realises he’s not the one pursuing the killer. The killer’s pursuing him.

*

Now, doesn’t that sound good? I can’t wait to read No Love Lost.

No Love Lost will be published on 17th September is available for pre-order here.

About Robert Crouch

Robert Crouch is the author of the Kent Fisher murder mystery series. Set in today’s world, the books pay homage to the traditional murder mystery and classic whodunit.

Based on his career as an environmental health officer, Kent Fisher is a different kind of detective, described as ‘unique in crime fiction’ by one reviewer.

Having left environmental health, Robert now writes full time from his home on the East Sussex coast. He loves walking on the South Downs with his wife, Carol, and their Westie, Harvey, reading crime fiction and photography.

You can find out more on Robert’s website, by following him on Twitter @robertcrouchuk or by finding him on Facebook.