My enormous thanks to friend and fellow blogger Shell Baker for inviting me to be part of the celebrations for Dragged to the Depths by Cheryl Elaine as I have been taken outside my normal reading comfort zone and a very good thing that has been too.

Dragged to the Depths is available for purchase here.

Dragged to the Depths

Tormented with grief after losing her father, Emilia journeyed to her gran’s, in a desperate attempt to escape the memories surrounding her. But once there, she found little rest and respite on the remote Orkney islands after discovering a supernatural world under the sea.

The gods, goddesses and unfamiliar species of Mother Earth’s oceanic lands welcomed her with open arms – particularly Erox, the love of Emilia’s life. Her eyes were opened to the greed and hatred of her fellow mortals; it wasn’t a question of whether she was simply following destiny – she knew the path to RESET was one she could not ignore.

Erox smiled before giving Emilia a lingering kiss. She didn’t hesitate, and gave herself freely to the vortex before heading into the unknown. Could she save herself, let alone everyone else on the planet?

Dragged to the Depths will lead readers into a magical world full of secrets, legacies and adventure. An apocalyptic love story for those who believe there’s someone for everyone, somewhere…

My Review of Dragged to the Depths

Moving to the Orkneys to recover from her father’s death will lead to adventures Emilia could never have imagined.

I am not much of a reader of apocalyptic or fantasy books so I wasn’t particularly anticipating enjoying Dragged to the Depths, but it surprised me. I found it a very entertaining and exciting story with a fast pace and imaginative plot that was really engaging so that I was keen to find out what was going to happen next. I also appreciated the way Cheryl Elaine has researched her mythology to give real substance behind her writing.

The descriptions in Dragged to the Depth give a smashing sense of place so that I could picture myself there too. I think I might be avoiding the sea in future! Cheryl Elaine also conveys physical attraction extremely well and appropriately for her Young Adult audience, but Dragged to the Depths is a roller-coaster story that can be enjoyed by any age group so I don’t think we should allow the YA audience to have it for themselves!

Whilst I enjoyed meeting the characters, especially Erox (who wouldn’t!), it was the themes and messages behind the writing that I found most appealing. There’s a real sense of beauty being in the eye of the beholder, of not necessarily taking everything at face value, but of looking for the good in others beneath the surface. There’s a strong morality woven through a highly entertaining read too. We should learn to tolerate and appreciate others and to live together harmoniously.

Dragged to the Depths is a narrative worthy of being part of the mythological tradition and is a cracker of a story for its YA audience. It was great fun to read for me too and I enjoyed it.

About Cheryl Elaine

Cheryl Elaine was born in Germany but moved to Northern Ireland as a young child. She then moved to Yorkshire where she spent most of her childhood and this is where she currently resides with her husband and 3 daughters.

Cheryl Elaine is an avid reader and enjoys watching horror movies – the more gruesome the better! She enjoys travelling and socialising but also loves spending time at home with her family and her ever expanding menagerie which currently includes two dogs, a budgie, two fish and a rat called Rocky!

You can find out more by visiting Cheryl’s website, following her on Twitter @CherylElaine15 and finding her on Instagram. Cheryl is also on Facebook.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I can’t believe it’s over two years since Leigh Russell was last on Linda’s Book Bag telling us all about the inspiration for her book Journey to Death in a post that you can read here. I knew I had to rectify that gap so when lovely Katherine Sunderland asked me if I’d like to be part of the launch celebrations for Leigh’s latest book Death Rope, of course I said yes!

I’m thrilled that Leigh is staying in with me today to tell me all about Death Rope.

Staying in with Leigh Russell

Welcome back at last to Linda’s Book Bag Leigh. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me.

Thank you for inviting me to join you here.

As if I didn’t know, tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

Tonight I’ve brought along a copy of Death Rope, the new Geraldine Steel murder investigation. The reason for my choice it is that it’s only just come out so I’m very excited about it! Death Rope is the eleventh book in the series, but it works fine as a stand alone. So if any of your followers are interested in it but haven’t read the earlier titles in the series, that’s not a problem. And if you are following the series, this book sees Geraldine working closely with her friend and former sergeant, Ian Peterson.

(I can’t believe this is the eleventh Geraldine Steel book. Many, many congratulations Leigh.)

What can we expect from an evening in with Death Rope?

Hopefully you can expect a few shocks, as well as a few plot twists. My editor said, ‘all these years of editing Geraldine Steel and you still never fail to surprise me!’ So even if you’ve read the other ten Geraldine Steel investigations, I really hope you’ll still struggle to predict everything that happens in Death Rope.

(It sounds as if you’ve another cracker of a book here!)

That said, I do my best to make my plots believable, as I hate it when I’m reading and something happens that breaks the illusion. It’s a constant juggling act to both surprise and shock your reader, while still keeping to a plausible narrative.

(I totally agree and I know you do it brilliantly.)

What else have you brought along and why?

I’ve brought a hamper of goodies. Chocolates, because there’s nothing more enjoyable than curling up on a sofa with a good book and a box of your favourite chocolates. Of course we need Champagne so we can celebrate the publication of my new book, so I’ve brought a few crates along.

(You’ll see I’ve poured a glass or two…)

And because we couldn’t possibly eat and drink so much and still be sober enough to read, I’ve invited a few friends to the party here. They’re the team from No Exit Press who helped turn Geraldine Steel’s latest murder investigation into a book. Time to party!

I know some of those No Exit Press folk well so it’s definitely time to party! Thanks so much for coming back to the blog and staying in with me Leigh. Congratulations on Death Rope and here’s to the next 11 Geraldine Steel books! 

Death Rope

THEY SAY SUICIDE. SHE SAYS MURDER.

Mark Abbott is dead. His sister refuses to believe it was suicide, but only Detective Sergeant Geraldine Steel will listen.

When other members of Mark’s family disappear, Geraldine’s suspicions are confirmed.

Taking a risk, Geraldine finds herself confronted by an adversary deadlier than any she has faced before… Her boss Ian is close, but will he arrive in time to save her, or is this the end for Geraldine Steel?

Death Rope is available for purchase here.

About Leigh Russell

Leigh Russell is the author of the internationally bestselling Geraldine Steel series: Cut Short, Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead, Fatal Act, Killer Plan, Murder Ring, Deadly Alibi and Class Murder. The series has sold over a million copies worldwide. Cut Short was shortlisted for the Crime Writers Association (CWA) John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award, and Leigh has been longlisted for the CWA Dagger in the Library Award. Her books have been #1 on Amazon Kindle and iTunes with Stop Dead and Murder Ring selected as finalists for The People’s Book Prize. Leigh is chair of the CWA’s Debut Dagger Award judging panel and is a Royal Literary Fellow. Leigh studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English and American Literature. She is married with two daughters and a granddaughter, and lives in London.

You can find out more about Leigh on her website and you can follow her on Twitter @LeighRussell. Leigh is on Facebook and there’s more with these other bloggers too:

Some weeks ago I was approached by Melissa at Literary Book Gifts to see if I would like to feature her website here on Linda’s Book Bag, but as a couple of other lovely bloggers also showcased Melissa’s lovely gifts I thought I’d wait a while before doing so here.

Melissa is passionate about books and puts together all the designs and products herself and ships worldwide from her base in Toronto. As a special favour to Linda’s Book Bag readers, Melissa is offering a 20% discount using the code LINDASBOOKBAG20. There is no minimum spend and you can pay safely through PayPal and Google Pay.

On the Literary Book Gifts website you’ll find clothing from vests to hoodies and bags from totes to backpacks.

I especially like the Anne of Green Gables Hoodie and the typewriter backpack as my personal favourites.

Do take a look at Melissa’s site as there are some smashing products on offer. You’ll find everything she stocks right here.

Happy shopping!

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

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

So let’s find out all about it!

Staying in with Kathleen Glassburn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(This sounds so interesting.)

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

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

What else have you brought along and why?

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

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

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

(It sounds like the perfect relationship to me.)

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

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

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

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

Making it Work

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

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

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

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

About Kathleen Glassburn

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

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

You can visit Kathleen’s website for more information.

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

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

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

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

Staying in with J L Fellenor

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag John.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What else have you brought along and why? 

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

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

See what You Think About This

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

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

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

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

About John Fellenor

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

You can follow John on Twitter @JohnFellenor.