It’s a very warm welcome and a long overdue return to Linda’s Book Bag for Amanda James today. Previously I was lucky to interview Amanda here and today she stays in to tell me all about another of her books.

Staying in with Amanda James

It’s lovely to have you back on Linda’s Book Bag Amanda. Tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it? 

​I have brought The Cornish Retribution, because it is publication day TODAY! Sorry for yelling, I’m just a bit excited. 😊

(You have every right to be excited. Happy publication day for The Cornish Retribution and congratulations.)

What can we expect from an evening in with The Cornish Retribution?

​Well, it’s the story of of Samantha Lane, a recent widow living in a big house overlooking the beach at Mawgan Porth, Cornwall ( my local beach). She’s a writer and had two books published, and until her husband was killed, she thought she’d make a proper go of it. She’d quit her library job to write full time.  After her husband’s death, everything changed, and her comfortable financial bubble is popped by something her husband did. Samantha returns from a school reunion in Sheffield where she grew up, to be faced with this new financial situation and has to come up with some ideas to make ends meet. One of her old boyfriends and his wife, with whom she’s now reacquainted, come to visit, and Dan, the boyfriend proposes a business investment. Sam is extremely reluctant to accept, as he cheated on her many years ago, but in the end sees no way out. With Dan’s help, she sets up a writing retreat – something I’d love to experience by the way!

(Oo. Me too. Maybe we could go together…)

However, the fallout from her decision has severe consequences for everyone concerned as we follow Sam in her struggle to keep her head above water and out of danger. Will she succeed? So, you can expect mystery, thrills and suspense!

(It sounds a cracker of a read.)

What else have you brought along and why? 

I have brought freshly beaked scones, jam and clotted cream – thought we might have a Cornish Cream tea? I know it’s evening, but any time of day is right, isn’t it?

(As far as I’m concerned Amanda, ANY time is cream tea time!)

I also have a nice bottle of Cornish sparkling wine for later! Did you know we have a few vineyards here? No? Well, you do now 😊!

(Highly useful information that!)

I also brought two photos of the beach where A Cornish Retribution is set. It’s about fifteen-minutes from us on a good day, and it’s where I dream of living in a house like Sam’s in the future. Perhaps I’ll set up a writing retreat…I’ll have to win the lottery first though.

(And now, not only do I want to read A Cornish Retribution, but I want to go on holiday there too!)

Thanks so much for staying in with me to tell me about A Cornish Retribution Amanda. Now, let’s crack open that Cornish sparkling wine and celebrate your publication day!

Thanks so much for having me, Linda! x

My pleasure!

A Cornish Retribution

A suspenseful and gripping psychological thriller, perfect for fans of domestic noir.

After a tragic car accident, Samantha is left widowed and bereft.  Her husband Adam was everything to her. But at least the home they shared together in Cornwall provides her with some security. Or does it?

Upon returning from a school reunion in Sheffield, where Sam met her old friend, Penny, and an old flame from her school days, Dan, she discovers that Adam had invested money unwisely and she is now penniless.

When Penny and Dan, who are now married, arrive in Cornwall to visit Sam, Dan comes up with a way in which Sam can keep the house. He suggests she turns it into a writing retreat. And he is willing to invest.

Despite his wife’s reservations, Dan gets his way but at what price?

Why is Dan so keen to help? Has Sam put herself in harm’s way?

Published by Bloodhound, today, 2nd October 2018, A Cornish Retribution is available for purchase here.

About Amanda James

Amanda James has written since she was a child, but never imagined that her words would be published. Then in 2010, after many twists and turns, the dream of becoming a writer came true.

Amanda has written many short stories and has six novels currently published. Her time travelling debut – A Stitch in Time was published in April of 2013 and has met with great success.

Amanda lives in Cornwall and is inspired every day by the beautiful coastline near her home. Five suspense/mystery novels are set there, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, Summer in Tintagel and the Behind the Lie, Another Mother, Rip Current and The Cornish Retribution. The Calico Cat, a family drama/coming-of-age out now with Bombshell/Bloodhound.

Amanda can usually be found playing on the beach with her family, or walking the cliff paths planning her next book.

There’s more from Amanda James on her blog and you can follow her on Twitter @akjames61 and find her on Facebook. You can find all Amanda’s books here.

My enormous thanks to Dave Philpott for inviting me to be part of the blogtour for Dear Mr Pop Star and for sending me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Published by Unbound on 20th September 2018, Dear Mr Pop Star is available for purchase here.

Dear Mr Pop Star

A collection of hilarious letters to iconic pop and rock stars with fantastic in-on-the-joke replies from the artists themselves: Eurythmics, Heaven 17, Deep Purple, Devo, Dr. Hook and many, many more…

For more than a decade, Derek Philpott and his son, Dave, have been writing deliberately deranged letters to pop stars from the 1960s to the 90s to take issue with the lyrics of some of their best-known songs. They miss the point as often as they hit it.

But then, to their great surprise, the pop stars started writing back…

Dear Mr Pop Star contains 100 of Derek and Dave’s greatest hits, including correspondence with Katrina and the Waves, Tears for Fears, Squeeze, The Housemartins, Suzi Quatro, Devo, Deep Purple, Nik Kershaw, T’Pau, Human League, Eurythmics, Wang Chung, EMF, Mott the Hoople, Heaven 17, Jesus Jones, Johnny Hates Jazz, Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine, Chesney Hawkes and many, many more.

My Review of Dear Mr Pop Star

A compendium of letters and emails to, with replies from, famous music artists.

I have no idea how to write this review! Dear Mr Pop Star is utterly bonkers, hugely entertaining and often hilariously funny.

Normally I’d comment on plot but in this case there isn’t one (unless you might like to say that the authors have completely lost theirs!) What there is, however, is a fabulous reminder of songs and artists I’d forgotten about so that reading Dear My Pop Star brought memories flooding back. For that reason alone it’s a great read and it made me smile. A word of caution here too though. Reading Dear Mr Pop Star could bring earworms you can’t get rid of – I’ve had the flipping Worzels going through my head for days now!

Not all of the references were in my musical lexicon and I found reading Dear Mr Pop Star took me off on research through Google to see the relevance. I think this added to the fun of the read.

I really appreciated the insight into modern society with themes like global warming, grocery shopping and dinner parties, all written about with Derek’s inimitable syntax and vocabulary. Even better, I loved the replies from those artists who responded in similar style so that the reader gets a sense of them as characters as well as gaining an understanding of just how quirky the authors are. Derek is a true crusader, righting his perceived wrongs and the impossible claims in song lyrics. I only hope Elton John will heed his advice… My heart went out to the long suffering Jean and I’ll never look at a set of hot tongs in the same way again!

I actually read Dear Mr Pop Star in the order it is presented but I shall be returning to it at random as a real treat to dip into – a bit like eating a small square of the best quality chocolate after a meal. I’d definitely suggest opening this book at random and seeing what you get as it certainly is a ‘random’ read and none the worse for that. Dear Mr Pop Star is a treat and one which I think is best enjoyed little and often rather than all in one go.

In conclusion, I’d say Dear Mr Pop Star is unlike any other book I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I did need to lie down for a while after reading it!

About Derek and Dave Philpott

Derek and Dave Philpott are the noms de plume of two ordinary members of the public, working with help from a worldwide social networking community.

You can follow Derek and Dave on Twitter @DerekPhilpott. You’ll also find them on Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers:

My enormous thanks to Val at Maverick Children’s Books for a copy of Not Yet A Yeti by Lou Treleaven and illustrated by Tony Neal in return for an honest review. I’m sharing my review today because my Dad was called George, was one of the unicorns of life, and today would have been his 89th birthday. I miss him.

Published on 28th September 2018, Not Yet A Yeti is available for purchase here.

Not Yet A Yeti

All of George’s family are yetis, except for George.

George doesn’t fancy chasing ramblers or luring stray hikers to their doom.

Perhaps he has something else in mind?

My Review of Not Yet A Yeti

George wonders when he will be a yeti like the rest of his family.

Oh, this is a lovely children’s book. In common with all the Maverick children’s books I’ve read, Not Yet A Yeti is beautifully presented with glorious illustrations and a high quality feel.

There’s a smashing format of George asking questions that will be familiar to young children so that they will instantly feel comfortable with the story, even when George’s yeti family are being frightening to walkers in the hills.

What is so appealing about Not Yet A Yeti is the wonderful message that being different is not a bad thing. George doesn’t want to terrify walkers. Instead he wants to be a unicorn and rescue people. I loved the way there is a contrast between the cool images of some of the yeti pages and the glorious colour of George’s individual pages so that his difference is celebrated visually as well as through the text.

The language is so well balanced with challenge in some of the vocabulary like ‘survive’ and ‘massive’ as well as familiarity and repetition, making for a book that can be shared at home or in school or can be read independently as children become more confident.

Without wishing to go too far, I think Not Yet a Yeti would be super to share with children of indeterminate gender or who are adopted as the story makes it clear that it is perfectly acceptable to be different and reading it would enhance their self worth and esteem.

I think Not Yet A Yeti is a book that will soon become a firm favourite with adults and children alike. I loved it.

About Lou Treleaven

Lou Treleaven writes picture books and junior fiction and is published by Maverick Arts Publishing. Professor McQuark and the Oojamaflip was chosen for the Roald Dahl themed summer reading challenge in 2016 and Letter to Pluto has been selected as part of a school reading scheme. Lou also writes plays licensed through Lazy Bee Scripts, blogs here and runs a critique service.

You can follow Lou on Twitter @LouTreleaven.

About Tony Neal

Tony Neal lives in Leicestershire and is a graphic designer and illustrator working for publishing clients all over the world.

You can follow Tony on Twitter @Tonynealart and visit his website for more details.

Having had a fabulous trip to central India looking for tigers earlier this year I simply had to invite Ricardo Alexanders onto Linda’s Book Bag to take me back there through one of his books.

Staying in with Ricardo Alexanders

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Ricardo. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy this evening.

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

I’ve brought along my second timeslip novel, Bollywood Invasion. Bollywood Invasion is a fantasy novel about a modern-day American boy wakes up in 1958 India as the reincarnation of John Lennon. The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive.

(That sounds such an unusual story!)

I choose Bollywood Invasion because it is unique book. It blends Indian cultural experience, time-travel and the legendary songs from the Beatles. With a plot that moves unexpectedly, and popular Beatles songs beautifully integrated with the story development, Bollywood Invasion takes the readers on a journey from Brooklyn to India, then England, and finally back to New York City, where the protagonist faces his destiny as Lennon’s reincarnation. An interesting question will naturally come: how the course of history would be changed if Lennon had known Chapman weeks before his murder?

(I’m thoroughly intrigued Ricardo. Not least as I’ve been to all those places so I’d love to revisit them through your book.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Bollywood Invasion?

Bollywood Invasion is probably one of the most unique coming of age stories that you’ll read this year or any other year.

Imagine you’re sixteen, and living in Brooklyn, being bullied by every kid who’s bigger than you. Then, BAM! You wake up as a young prince in 1958 India. The only thing tying you back to the 21^st Century is your memory of vintage Beatles music… In this distant past, you find love, sex, and even rock and roll. Little by little, you realize that you have reincarnated as someone you know very well… However, this realization is leading you toward a fate that you knows is coming…but cannot easily escape.

Doesn’t this sound interesting?

(It really does.)

Please allow me to share some pre-publication reviews:

“An imaginative…rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.” – Kirkus Reviews

“An engrossing saga that excels in unexpected turns of plot.” – Midwest Book Review

“A poignant romance, page-turner.” – Kaye Trout

(You must be really happy with those responses.)

Please also allow me to share a small excerpt when the protagonist first realizes he ends up in India. In this scene, Kamal is his servant at the royal family’s Mahal:

Okay, Okay, PJ. You ended up somewhere in India for no reason. But this is not too bad. John tried to calm himself down. All you need is an address and a phone call to your parents. They will somehow get the government involved and get you back home to Brooklyn.

“Raj Babu! Brak’fest is here!” Kamal opened the door.

He walked towards Kamal with shaky steps and asked, “What is this place?”

“You at Mahal, Raj Babu,” replied Kamal as he set down the tray on a table in front of the light brown sofa.

“What is the name of this place?”

“Raj Babu, you again feel funny?”

“Is that today’s newspaper?” asked John, then swooped down on the tray and grabbed it before Kamal could answer.

“Yes…”

John sat on the sofa with the newspaper in his hand, eyes wide. “This is not possible…” he muttered under his breath before he threw his head back and closed his eyes. “This can’t be…no…no! I am dreaming. This is all a dream…”

“I must call doctor…” Kamal hurried out of the room.

John opened his eyes again and looked at the newspaper. The black print was all jumbled up, except for one part, the part that read – “May 10, 1958.”

(You certainly make it very intriguing Ricardo!)

What else have you brought along and why?

I brought along a little secret of mine. In the past five years, I have spent countless hours in researching India and writing Bollywood Invasion. I learned that India is a country with a long history, rich culture, and omni-beauty. In its chaos, there’s a certain order and great vibrancy. Hearing such statement, many of my Indian friends often assume that I have visited their homeland. The truth is that I have NEVER been to India!  I learned about India from Google, from my Indian friends here in the States, and from the Bollywood movies. Here is another little secret, Three Idiots is my favorite Bollywood movie of all time and its Indian college setting helped me greatly in writing the protagonist’s Indian college experience in Bollywood Invasion.

Wow! You MUST get to India. You’re absolutely right. It is an amazing country.

Thanks so much for staying in to tell me more about Bollywood Invasion Ricardo. I think it sounds utterly unique!

Bollywood Invasion

A fantasy novel of a modern-day American boy’s journey back in time as the reincarnation of John Lennon.

Sixteen-year-old John Palmieri is living an average life in Brooklyn until one day he wakes up as a prince in India, thirty-five years before he was born. Suddenly, he finds himself with riches and power beyond his wildest fantasies.

Brooklyn is readily forgotten. Life becomes a constant stream of debauchery, coming to a stand-still only when he meets “the one.” However, love doesn’t come easy. He must become a better man and sing his way into her heart, a pursuit ignited by his memories of the vintage Beatles music on his iPod.

Will these legendary songs change John’s life? Can he escape Lennon’s tragic fate? Will he ever find his way back to Brooklyn at his own time?

His fate will unfold in Bollywood Invasion.

Bollywood Invasion is available for purchase here.

About Ricardo Alexanders

Ricardo is a descendant of the Great Yyu, a.k.a. the first king of China. He lives in Massachusetts and enjoys experiencing all kinds of cultures around the world. After obtaining his doctorate in science, he became fascinated with time-travel. As an aspiring writer, he loves to write time-travel fictions that blend fantasy, science, and real history together.

You can find out more on Ricardo’s website, on Facebook, on Goodreads and by following him on Twitter @alexanders_h.

My enormous thanks to the author Ashley Davidson-Fisher for a copy of her book La Petite Josette en Provence in return for an honest review.

La Petite Josette en Provence is available for purchase here.

La Petite Josette en Provence

La Petite Josette loves adventures and history and she is super excited for her trip to one of the most beautiful villages in Provence, France.

What will she find? A castle, knights, perhaps a “treasure” to take home? There’s so much to do before the trip, but with the help of her big sister, they’ll be on their way in no time.

Beautifully illustrated by the author’s daughter, this bilingual, French and English language adventure and learning book is designed to help teach children and adults basic, multi-language skills and to foster a love for exploring the world.

My Review of La Petite Josette en Provence

It’s time for a family trip to Les Baux-de-Provence.

I thoroughly enjoyed La Petite Josette en Provence and think it would appeal especially to young girls in the six to 11 age range, because not only is it an interesting story, but they would identify very readily with Josette. Similarly, adults learning French will also appreciate this book.

Alongside a lovely account of a day out, Ashley Davidson-Fisher manages to convey an accurate and appealing view of France and its culture so that children can learn as well as be entertained. There’s reference to geography, history and food so that there’s much to learn and discover here. The author is obviously a true Francophile. I could see La Petite Josette en Provence being perfect for families travelling in France.

I thought the balance of French to English was just right, affording an opportunity for French language learners to practice and enhance their skills in a way that was non-threatening and adults with little or no French could easily share this book with their children. I have to admit to a sneaky feeling of satisfaction at understanding the French even without the cleverly placed English and think language learners would attain a real sense of achievement reading La Petite Josette en Provence. Similarly, I thought the English vocabulary was an excellent balance of accessible and challenging vocabulary so that English language skills as well as French could be improved.

The illustrations in La Petite Josette en Provence elevate the story too as they are just beautiful. I particularly liked the way in which they related so closely to the text so that the French language elements such as the pic-nic items like ‘les tartelettes aux framboises’ are more understandable, allowing readers to absorb language without noticing.

La Petite Josette en Provence is a lovely story. It’s an educational and entertaining book and is beautifully illustrated. I really enjoyed it.

About Ashley Davidson-Fisher

Born and raised in Southern California, Ashley and her husband, Michael, fell in love with France shortly after arriving in Provence with their four young children in 2003. While Ashley was participating in her university’s study abroad program in Aix-en-Provence, Michael enrolled the kids into French public school and additional language-learning classes. The children quickly made friends and learned the language at lightning speed, but it took a lot more time for Ashley and her husband to make progress in the language.

In between schoolwork and classes, what better way was there to practice those new-found language skills? Adventures, bien sûr! Thanks to their little, white, station wagon named “François” and PB&J croissants (say what??!!), weekend and holiday road trips allowed the family to immerse themselves into the French culture while taking in the magnificent sights of the Provençal countryside. And voilà……just like that, a love of all things French was born.

Upon the family’s return to the USA, Ashley completed her Bachelor of Arts degrees in French Culture Studies and Business at California State University-San Bernardino. She loves traveling, hiking, photography and reading. Since 2010 Ashley has lived in Provence, France with her husband and their youngest daughter, Presley.

You can follow Ashley on Twitter @backyardprovenc and find out more about her and La Petite Josette en Provence here.

About Martinique Louise Fisher

Martinique is an illustrator from California. She is the oldest child of Ashley and Michael and has been drawing since she was two years old. At the age of thirteen she decided she wanted to become an illustrator and started building her portfolio. She has illustrated book covers, tarot cards, greeting cards, has been featured in online magazines, and has shown in galleries all over the United States.

Martinique has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts, in New York. You can find more of her art work on her website. You’ll also find her on Facebook.

With so much negativity in the world it gives me great pleasure to be staying in with Laury A. Egan today as I think she has just the book to cheer us all up!

Staying in with Laury A. Egan

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Laury. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. Tell me, which of your books have you brought to tell me about this evening and why have you brought it?

It is my pleasure to bring my newest novel, Fabulous! An Opera Buffa, with me.

(That looks a lot of fun Laury!)

Why did I write this novel? Sometimes the origin of a story comes from a plot concept, a memory, a dream, or a setting. In the case of Fabulous!, Gil’s voice came through loud and clear and demanded my immediate attention. What is an author to do except sit down at the computer and let him rip? One of the early remarks he provided was his psychic’s funny line: “It’s just a matter of time…” Gil interprets this as the start of his career, meeting a new lover, and making all of his dreams come true. Well, sort of, but first he has to go through a lot of trials and tribulations. My own connection to the Metropolitan Opera as a long-time subscriber and my freelance work as an opera production photographer there and at the Opera Company of Philadelphia (plus other venues) was additional inspiration. This book is not, however, only for opera lovers—it is first and foremost a great story for all readers.

(I’m not much of an opera lover but I still love the sound of Fabulous! An Opera Buffa.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Fabulous! An Opera Buffa?

Considering all the depressing news in the world, Fabulous! is irrepressibly cheerful, funny, and a perfect antidote to whatever ails us. There is also a dollop of suspense and a thimbleful of romance to round out this lively, mad-cap story about a young, talented opera singer, Gilbert Eugene Rose, who is hired to sing the soprano lead in Così fan tutte and, as a tenor, to star in a production of Rigoletto, both staged concurrently. In addition, Gil has been appropriated by a Handel-loving female mobster, who is the archenemy of the Così director and must also fend off the advances of a gay tenor and a lusty female mezzo soprano all the while trying to remember if he is wearing the right wig, clothes, and makeup—or not.

(That sounds completely mad and thoroughly entertaining!)

What else have you brought along and why?

What did I bring to celebrate this bubbly tale? Prosecco, of course! And we must listen to some opera. Perhaps a wonderful recording of Così fan tutte, starring my favorite mezzo, Tatiana Troyanos, who, if she were still alive, would no doubt entertain us with an aria or two. Gil also sings Broadway, so a dessert of My Fair Lady might be an excellent last course.

I’ll pour the drinks and you get the music on. Thank you for staying in with me, Laury, and telling me all about Fabulous! An Opera Buffa. 

Fabulous! An Opera Buffa

Gil is a talented singer who moonlights as a drag queen to pay his rent.

Like others, he’s dying to become famous.

To his dismay, he might get that wish.

As fate would have it, his two newest gigs are fronts for opposite sides of a mob war, and the crime lords involved are more than happy to use Gil as a pawn to do their bidding—or as a target for hitmen when he refuses to do their dirty work.

To avoid a swan song, happy-go-lucky Gil needs to win a game of cat and mouse in the middle of Mobster Boulevard, aflutter in heels, dresses, and wigs, with only his wits for protection and a new romance for inspiration.

If you love fabulous characters, fast-paced plots, and hilarious books that only get better as the pages turn, then this is the book for you.

Fabulous! An Opera Buffa is available for purchase here and on Amazon.

About Laury A. Egan

Laury A. Egan is the author of The Outcast Oracle, listed as a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2013, the collection, Fog and Other Stories, the psychological suspense, Jenny Kidd, the comedy, Fabulous! An Opera Buffa, and Wave in D Minor (forthcoming, 2019).

For many years, Laury worked as an administrator and senior designer at Princeton University Press and also freelanced for 20 publishers. Her short stories have been published in over 35 literary journals and anthologies.

You can find out more about Laury on her website or blog.

Now, when Annabelle Wright got in touch to ask me if I would like to be part of the blog tour for The Coordinates of Loss by Amanda Prowse, life was so difficult that I wasn’t actually accepting anything new. That said, Amanda Prowse is one of my favourite authors and I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to read The Coordinates of Loss. I’m so glad I said yes to this tour!

Amanda Prowse has featured so often on Linda’s Book Bag that I think it might be easiest simply to post the links:

My review of Anna is here.

My review of Another Love is here.

My review of My Husband’s Wife is here.

My review of The Food of Love is here.

My review of The Idea of You is here.

I have also been privileged to interview Amanda here.

The Coordinates of Loss

From bestselling author Amanda Prowse comes a tale of a blissful life, a happy marriage, a beloved son…and a tragedy that destroys it all.

When Rachel Croft wakes up on her family’s boat in Bermuda, it’s to sunshine and yet another perfect day…until she goes to wake her seven-year-old son, Oscar. Because the worst thing imaginable has happened. He isn’t there.

In the dark and desperate days that follow, Rachel struggles to navigate her grief. And while her husband, James, wants them to face the tragedy together, Rachel feels that the life they once shared is over. Convinced that their happy marriage is now a sham, and unable to remain in the place where she lost her son, she goes home to Bristol alone.

Only when she starts receiving letters from Cee-Cee, her housekeeper in Bermuda, does light begin to return to Rachel’s soul. She and James both want to learn to live again—but is it too late for them to find a way through together?

Published by Lake Union, The Coordinates of Loss is available for purchase here.

My Review of The Coordinates of Loss

Rachel, James and Oscar have the perfect Bermudan lifestyle, but it is not to last.

I cannot express adequately enough just how much I adored The Coordinates of Loss. I think Amanda Prowse’s writing just gets better and better. There isn’t a single discordant note in this fabulous story. I loved the quality of the prose and at the risk of sounding patronising, I think the author has taken her writing to a new level in this book. Amanda Prowse combines craft and emotion in an ideal blend that hooks the reader and doesn’t let them go until every word is devoured.

I found the characters in The Coordinates of Loss so vivid, especially Oscar and Cee-Cee. Cee-Cee’s letters to Rachel affected me very deeply because she articulated the kind of emotions so many of us experience but can’t describe effectively. Her wisdom and truth felt to me like a tenet to live the rest of my life by. This is powerful writing indeed.

James and Rachel’s deep and overwhelming grief could so easily be mawkish and overdone, but under Amanda Prowse’s skilful pen it is raw, believable and hits the reader in the solar plexus – hard. I so wanted them to heal and be reunited but the stark picture of the realities of grief made me realise life doesn’t always provide a straight and carefree path. I was with them completely on their journey so that I felt their emotions resonate inside my very soul and felt as if I were part of the story too.

I just loved this book. Wise, warm and utterly, utterly wonderful, The Coordinates of Loss is Amanda Prowse at her most perfect best and I’d defy anyone reading this story not to be affected on a deep and personal level. It is fantastic.

About Amanda Prowse

Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author who has published sixteen novels in dozens of languages. Her chart topping No.1 titles What Have I Done?, Perfect Daughter and My Husband’s Wife have sold millions of copies around the world.

Other novels by Amanda Prowse include A Mother’s Story which won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award and Perfect Daughter that was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016. Amanda’s book The Food of Love went straight to No.1 in Literary Fiction when it was launched in the USA and she has been described by the Daily Mail as ‘The Queen of Drama’ for her ability to make the reader feel as if they were actually in the story.

You can follow Amanda Prowse on Twitter and visit her website here. You will also find her on Facebook.

All of Amanda Prowse’s wonderful writing is available here .

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

As I get sent books all the time and I simply can’t read them all I began these ‘staying in with…’ posts to feature books that I would love to read or that I think deserve more attention. Today Glenn Bryant has agreed to stay in with me to tell me about a book I think sounds utterly wonderful. See what you think…

Staying in with Glenn Bryant

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Glenn. Thanks so much 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 have brought along my own book this evening, A Quiet Genocide. Why have I chosen it? It is very topical for me right now and was only published in August [2018]. It is a story very close to my heart, which is what motivated me to write it.

(Oh, how exciting. Congratulations Glenn. So tell me a bit more about it.)

What is it about? On one level, it has a dual narrative – about a boy growing up and a mother and wife trapped in an unhappy marriage. The narratives start together; then split apart; then finally come back together at the end of the story.

On another level, A Quiet Genocide is one family’s story among an estimated 5,000-25,000, who were victims in the Holocaust in the Second World War [1939-45]. Why were they targeted by the Nazis? Not because of religion or race or political views, but because they had a mental or physical impairment – and because they were children.

(And I think it’s an era we do well to remember and learn from Glenn.)

What can we expect from an evening in with A Quiet Genocide?

Hopefully, a tense and emotional family drama. Yes, the ultimate backdrop to the story is dark subject matter, certainly. But that certainly is not the book’s or story’s focus. The focus is on a little boy, uncertain of himself and a middle aged woman, too uncertain of herself for different reasons. In discovering and accepting their true history, they accept who they really are and who they might become. It is a story of self-discovery and of hope in that sense.

(I think A Quiet Genocide sounds wonderful.)

It has received some wonderful early reviews from bloggers. One, Cathy Johnson wrote:

“Books such as A Quiet Genocide perform an important role in ensuring that such atrocities are never forgotten. Compelling, factual, chilling.”

(You must be so pleased with that assessment.)

That is absolutely why I was first so moved and motivated to try and write a novel about it. Writing a novel – and then pitching it to agents and potential publishers – is such a huge undertaking, you have to be massively motivated otherwise you will never reach the finish line.

But, as we have already talked about, I also wanted to write a story people feel in love with as much as I did as the author. Another review, by Barbara Searles, commented:

“Bryant writes like an author with many more books to his credit. A Quiet Genocide is absorbing. Its truth-telling is subtle and unfurls like a big black umbrella on a rainy day.”

(I really do think I need to add A Quiet Genocide to my TBR pile Glenn.)

What else have you brought along and why? 

I have brought along a photo of me and Juliet, an artist, who inspired me to write the story. A Quiet Genocide is dedicated to her ‘work and spirit’. The photo says more than I ever can.

What a glorious photo. And how brilliant to have a book dedicated to her. Juliet must be thrilled. Thank you so much for staying in and telling me all about A Quiet Genocide Glenn. It sounds such a good book and I wish you every success with it.

A Quiet Genocide

Jozef grows up in a happy household – so it seems. But his father Gerhard still harbours disturbing National Socialism ideals, while his mother Catharina is quietly broken. She cannot feign happiness for much longer and soon rediscovers love elsewhere.

Jozef is uncertain and alone. Who is he? Are Gerhard and Catharina his real parents?

A dark mystery slowly unfolds, revealing an inescapable truth an entire nation is afraid to confront. But Jozef is determined to find out about the past. And a horror is finally unmasked which continues to question our idea of what, in the last hour, makes each of us human.

Published by Amsterdam Publishers on 22nd August 2018, A Quiet Genocide is available for purchase here.

About Glenn Bryant

Glenn Bryant grew up in Grimsby, the north of England. He has a master’s degree from the University of Dundee, Scotland in modern history where he studied the Warsaw Ghetto 1940-43. He is a qualified and experienced senior journalist. A Quiet Genocide is his first novel.

You can find Glenn on Facebook and follow him on Twitter @GlennMBryant.

I’m a huge fan of the books published by Legend Press and am thrilled to feature another from them today: Petals and Stones by Joanne Burn. I have a wonderful extract to share from Petals and Stones and a chance for a lucky UK reader to win their own copy.

Petals and Stones was published on 6th September 2018 and is available for purchase here.

Petals and Stones

When Uma discovers her husband’s infidelity just hours before his untimely death, the carefully woven threads of her life begin to unravel.

Struggling to manage the grief of those around her, she escapes to a remote cottage by the coast where she swims in the winter sea, cooks the forgotten Keralan dishes of her childhood and begins the search for her husband’s lover.

It isn’t long before Uma realises what she must do to pick up the tattered threads of her life. But will her choices jeopardise the only family she has left?

An Extract from Petals and Stones

Holly’s dark ringlets and olive skin meant the two of them were easily mistaken for mother and daughter. The shopkeeper – her elbows and heavy chest resting on the counter top, her long grey hair slicked behind her ears – seemed to make that assumption, exchanging knowing looks with Uma as Holly brushed her fingertips across the chocolate bars and packets of sweets.

‘So lovely at this age…’ the shopkeeper said, offering Uma the kind of smile that said how lucky you are, how lovely she is, how proud you must be. ‘I always wanted a daughter but all I got was boys.’

If she had asked directly then Uma would have put her straight. But she didn’t, and Uma let the untruth stand beside them like another customer waiting to be served. A deception of sorts, but nothing like an outright lie.

Outside, the snow blew into their eyes and mouths despite their generous layers of wool and fleece and all attempts to turn their faces from the bitter gusts. They walked, heads down, Uma squeezing Holly’s hand through their gloves in silent encouragement.

‘I’m cold, Auntie Uma,’ Holly whimpered eventually, two streets from home.

‘If we walk quickly, we’ll be back in no time.’

Holly was slowing, resisting the tugging of Uma’s hand, bowing her face towards the snow beneath her feet.

‘We just need to keep going,’ said Uma.

She thought of the log burner in the kitchen, the gentle warmth of the underfloor heating, the fairy lights she had strung around the place once the days had shortened. She imagined them sinking into plump cushions as they snuggled together to watch the television.

‘Think how nice it will be, once we’re home.’

The steps up to the house were buried, hardly discernible beneath the snow, and they kicked until they found the stone, making a game of it.

Inside the house, they stamped their feet, shedding their sod-den clothes and scattering an icy slush across the hallway tiles.

‘Your phone is ringing Auntie Uma.’

‘Is it?’ Uma said, straining to hear, faintly making out the sound. ‘What brilliant ears you have!’

She ran to the kitchen and snatched up the handset. You have new messages. Please wait to be connected to your messaging service. Holly appeared in the kitchen, making straight for the wood burner, flopping onto the rug and lifting her feet towards the glass.

‘Not too close.’

Voice text.

Uma sighed. They were an annoyance, these occasional, accidental text messages that came through to the landline – hard to decipher the robotic text translation and tedious to track down the mobile number in her contacts list to work out who it was from. Uma reached for a pad from the table and scribbled the number as it was given.

Message received today at 3.55pm: Missing you already Danny-boy. Why is it never enough? xxx

Motionless, she looked at the numbers on the paper.

To listen to the message again press one. To save it press two. To delete it press three.

Uma took the phone from her ear, looked down at the keypad and carefully, heart quickening, pressed one. The message played again. Missing you already Danny-boy. Danny-boy? Who would address him so affectionately? His mother didn’t call him Danny-boy. His sisters didn’t call him Danny-boy. And why is what never enough?

A sense of unease, slow and cautious, seeped through her. She saved the message and replaced the phone in its cradle, staying where she was, looking through the window at the large garden that swept down towards the stream at the bottom. Everything familiar had been erased by white. Every shape and contour had been muffled beyond recognition by a thick blanket of snow. She became aware of Holly speaking, reaching up her little hands to pull on Uma’s arm, taking her fingers, leading her towards the cupboards on the other side of the kitchen.

‘I’m hungry Auntie Uma. I need a snack.’

She looked down at her Goddaughter. She was perfect – crazy ringlets, flawless skin, the tiniest scar from her lip operation. Her gaze rested on Uma, trusting her needs to be met.

‘A snack,’ Uma repeated, allowing herself to be manoeuvred. She took bread from the bread bin and cut it with a knife, dropping it into the toaster.

‘Can I have chocolate spread?’

‘Peanut butter would be better,’ Uma said, her voice a whisper. ‘Don’t you think? You’ve got your sweeties too so I think peanut butter would be better. And some orange juice.’

Holly didn’t argue, and fetched her special plate and cup. They were heavy crockery with pictures of Pooh and Piglet. Uma had bought them when she first agreed to have Holly after school once a week. She had been aware of her efforts to make it special, of her craving for the child to like her – to really like her. Pippa, Holly’s mother, had laughed at the expensive crockery. You want plastic, she had said, picking up the plate and turning it over in her hands. She’ll throwthis straight on the floor. But somehow, even as a toddler, Holly had known not to throw things. And now, of course, she loved her Pooh and Piglet plate, and how grown up it felt to be trusted with something so lovely.

Uma put the snack in front of Holly and left the room. She sat on the bottom step of the stairs, the paper with the scribbled number on it trembling in her hands. She checked the number against her contacts list, but it wasn’t recognised. She dialled it – no idea what she intended to say – but it rang out and went through to voicemail. She listened to the voice-text message again, as if she needed to, as if every word hadn’t already become a song she had known forever, a song she couldn’t prevent from repeating. Missing you already Danny-boy.

Her confusion was merging slowly, inescapably, with suspicion, and a looming certainty that she knew what this was. She was trying to turn away from it but it was everywhere she looked. Her face was hot, her mouth dry. And Daniel was having an affair. Her husband was doing that thing that people do.

Uma grabbed handfuls of her jumper, pulling the soft wool to cover her face, images of him kissing another woman, his hands against imaginary skin, running through her mind.

(I don’t know about you, but that has made me determined to read Petals and Stones as soon as I can.)

About Joanne Burn

After studying politics at the University of Sheffield Joanne worked in the charitable sector, for various homelessness and community development organisations. In 2004 Joanne trained as a life coach, and specialises now in creativity coaching. She lives in the Peak District with her husband and two daughters.

Petals and Stones is her debut novel.

Find out more by visiting Joanne’s website or following her on Twitter @Joanne_Burn.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

Giveaway

A Paperback Copy of Petals and Stones by Joanne Burn

I’m delighted to be able to offer the chance for a lucky UK reader to win a paperback copy of Petals and Stones by Joanne Burn thanks to the lovely folk at Legend Press.

For your chance to enter click here.

Giveaway closes at UK midnight on Thursday 4th October 2018 and once the winner is identified and their address to receive their prize passed to Legend Press, please note that I will not retain any of your data!

I always love it when I get to stay in vicariously with an author I have actually met in real life, so it gives me enormous pleasure to welcome Sue Bentley to Linda’s Book Bag today to stay in with me and tell me about one of her many books.

Staying in with Sue Bentley

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag Sue and thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. It’s good to catch up with you again. Last time I saw you you were giving a presentation about your writing for children, so which of your books have you brought along to share this evening?

This evening I’ve brought along my novel We Other to share. I’ve chosen it because it had an interesting journey from inception to publishing and beyond, and because it’s my first book for older readers in quite a while.

It’s a book I’d been planning to write for a long time. I wanted to get my teeth into some complex and ‘in depth’ writing, after concentrating on writing books for children aged 5-9 years (well over 50 books, in all). People might imagine that We Other is a big departure from writing children’s books. But I started out writing for adults, with twelve books and a book of short stories, all published traditionally.That’s a long tale, for another time!

(Ha! I know a bit about that already but as you say – a story for another time!)

So – We Other. It draws on many things, firstly my own love of reading fiction which contains something out of the ordinary. I like books that surprise me, books that remain with me for a long time after I finish reading them. I do like a streak of darkness, even nastiness, too! I’m fascinated by ‘what’s beneath the stone’. I was the sort of child that would turn the stone over to find out. The interesting and unusual still inspires me. I love a little-known fact or strange belief. I think this is a legacy of my love of dark and gritty fairy tales, lesser-known folklore and strange weird events. Truth really is stranger than fiction. Like all writers I collects scraps of ideas like glittering threads, which might inspire a short story, a character, or even an entire book.

(I think authors are like magpies Sue – always collecting items for their writing.)

So, what can we expect from an evening in with We Other then Sue?

We Other is more than a re-working of adult fairy stories. It begins in a contemporary setting, before broadening out and taking many unexpected twists. Hopefully I keep my readers guessing! I find it hard to label this book as just Young Adult or Fantasy – although that’s where it’s generally placed.

(One of the very few things that annoys me about the book world is the need to categorise books and label them. Good writing is good writing as far as I’m concerned! I love so called YA fiction and I’m a very long way away from 18…)

It’s certainly not sword and sorcery, perhaps I’d call it out-of-the-ordinary, an urban tale with a dark heart. Because Jess Morgan, the main character, is eighteen the books has been labelled as YA. Which is fine if it helps a reader locate it in a book shop or on-line. Interestingly though, a large proportion of my reviews have been from adults. Here are some examples:

Goodreads 5 star – Karen Cole  – ‘The characterisation in the book is superb, Jess and Caleb are both hugely likeable and have that necessary ‘otherness’ which makes them somehow relatable to anybody who has ever felt they don’t quite fit in. A word here too for Ivy Stark who despite her rather spiky personality became one of my favourite characters, particularly as her full story and reason for her rather detached demeanour becomes apparent.’

Goodreads 5 stars – Yvonne – ‘I absolutely adored this book, it was like a dark faerie tale with a modern twist and mix, blending fantasy with social factors and creating a brilliant and absorbing story.’

(Oh! I know and respect both those reviewers in the blogging world so you must be delighted with their comments Sue.)

Amazon – 5 stars  – characters and places so well described – Alan Reville – ‘Thoroughly enjoyable! Wasn’t sure it would be my cup of tea, but the characters and places are so well described I soon found myself getting sucked in. I read it as part of a book club and everyone else enjoyed it as well and although the book is targeted at young adults I would recommend it to readers of all ages (I’m 50!). Just hope I don’t have to wait too long for the sequel.’

(That’s exactly what I meant about categorising books as YA – they are great for us all!)

What else have you brought along this evening Sue and why?

A plate of fairy food – which I brought back from a recent visit to Faery. Be warned! We can look and admire, but we mustn’t eat any of it. Otherwise we’ll become addicted to the taste and drawn into Faery while we attempt (unsuccessfully) to sate our appetites and probably sicken and die. Faery is a dangerous place, full of trickery and traps for the unwary – we enter at our peril. If we could see this enchanted plate of food with ‘true sight’ we’d see it is actually made up of bugs, toadstools and other nasty stuff.

(Crikey! Good thing you said as I was just about to dive in!)

Something we can eat. Some gorgeous and very rich chocolate brownies I made especially for Staying In. Chocolate is my favourite treat, if there are nuts involved even better. These have chopped walnuts for a bit of crunch. I hope you’re not allergic – I’ve brought Vanilla ice cream to go with them.

(That’s more like it. I am most definitely NOT allergic to chocolate. It’s a staple part of my diet!)

I’ve also brought along a book about Victorian Fairy Painting. I bought this book from The Royal Academy of Arts in 1997, after I went to see the exhibition there of the same name. I’ve always loved the work of John Anster Fitzgerald in particular and knew there would be some of his paintings on show. I wasn’t disappointed. Seeing all these wonderful paintings in one place made a huge impression on me, and directly inspired key scenes from We Other.

The book was also the exhibition catalogue, so I was able to relive the experience of seeing the actual painting and devouring details of them at my leisure.

I’d like a closer look at that Sue. In the mean time I think we’ll give Linda’s Book Bag readers a bit more information about We Other. Thanks so much for staying in to tell me more about it. You’ve made me want to put We Other right at the top of my TBR!

We Other

Family secrets, changelings, and fairies you never want to meet on a dark night.

Jess Morgan’s life has always been chaotic.

When a startling new reality cannot be denied, it’s clear that everything she believed about herself is a lie. She is linked to a world where humans – ‘hot-bloods’ – are disposable entertainment. Life on a run-down estate – her single mum’s alcoholism and violent boyfriend – become the least of Jess’s worries.

We Other is available for purchase here.

About Sue Bentley

Sue was born in Northamptonshire, UK. Where she still lives. She fell in love with books at an early age and worked for Northamptonshire Libraries for many years.
She writes for children aged 5-9, Teens and Adults. Her worldwide, best-selling Magic Kitten, Magic Puppy, Magic Ponies and Magic Bunny series have been translated into many languages.

We Other is Sue’s first book for teens and adults. Sue says, ‘This book was inspired by my love of traditional fairy tales and UK folklore. It’s an urban thriller with an unusual edge and will keep you guessing. You wouldn’t want to meet the fairies in this book on a dark night!’

Sue is fascinated by the extraordinary within the every day. The darkness that hovers at the edges of the light. There’s usually some element of magic or ‘the hidden’ in her books.

Sue is also an artist. She loves trees, cinema, reading, vintage clothes, dark chocolate, literary festivals, meeting readers, interacting with fans around the world. She enjoys the company of creative people and talking all things books and writing. Her stationery fetish is getting out of hand, as is her library. She says her imagination was always too big. And she was that child in a room full of gauzy wings and pink tutus who was dressed as a bat.

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