I love the irony of a book called Only One Woman being written by two of them – Christina Jones and Jane Risdon! My grateful thanks to Accent Press for providing a copy of Only One Woman in return for an honest review and for inviting me to be part of the launch celebrations.

Only One Woman is to be published by Accent Press in e-book on 23^rdNovember 2017 and paperback on 24^th May 2018 and is available for pre-order here.

Only One Woman

Two women, one love story.

June 1968. Renza falls head over heels for heartthrob guitarist Scott. But after a romantic summer together they are torn apart when Renza’s family moves away.

December 1968. On the night she believes to be her last, Stella meets Scott at a local dance. He’s the most beautiful boy she’s ever seen and if this one night is all they have, she’ll take it.

As the final colourful year of the sixties dawns, the question is: can there be only one woman for Scott?

You can listen to the playlists for Only One Woman too and you’ll find Renza and Stella on Facebook.

My Review of Only One Woman

When band members move in next door to Renza, her life will never be the same again, but Stella could put a fly in her ointment!

What a roller coaster of emotions for Renza and Stella. Only One Woman is a real insight into the lives of these two young women in the 1960s. They experience the whole range of experiences for women of their time with their contrasting families shaping them very differently. I’d much rather have Stella’s family in my life than Renza’s!

Right the way through reading Only One Woman I couldn’t make up my mind about Scott. At times I thought I would like to meet him myself and at others I felt I’d prefer to hit him several times with a very heavy blunt instrument. Even by the end of Only One Woman I hadn’t made up my mind. I think this shows what a good job both authors have done in creating complex and real characters.

However, I have no such vacillations of opinion about the atmosphere and 1960’s setting. Although I was quite a bit younger than Renza and Stella in the 1960s, I remembered so many of the cultural references that give Only One Woman such a vivid era, from the music to world events. The authors deserve great praise for the quality of the research to ensure the accuracy of these details. The music really sets the scene but readers of a certain age need to be careful otherwise they will have earworms for days reading this book!

I also enjoyed the variety of settings and was fascinated especially by the depiction of army life in Germany.

I think anyone who has lived through the 1960s will find so many personal memories are prompted by Renza, Stella, Scott et al so that there is so much more to enjoy than simply reading a narrative in Only One Woman. It’s a highly evocative read.

About Christina Jones

Christina Jones, the only child of a schoolteacher and a circus clown, has been writing all her life. As well as writing romantic comedy novels, she also contributes short stories and articles to many national magazines and newspapers.

She has won several awards for her writing: Going the Distance was a WH Smith Fresh Talent Winner; Nothing to Lose, was shortlisted and runner-up for the Thumping Good Read Award with film and television rights sold; Heaven Sent was shortlisted in The Melissa Nathan Comedy Romance Awards and won a Category Award; Love Potions won the Pure Passion Award; The Way to a Woman’s Heart was short-listed for the Rom-Com of the Year; and An Enormously English Monsoon Weddingwon The Reviewer’s Choice Award.

You can find all of Christina’s books here. There’s more about Christina on Facebook and her website and you can follow her on Twitter @bucolicfrolics.

About Jane Risdon

Jane Risdon has spent most of her life in the international music business. Married to a musician she has experienced the business first hand, not only as the girlfriend and wife of a musician, but later with her husband as a manager of recording artists, songwriters and record producers, as well as placing songs on TV/Movie soundtracks for some of the most popular series and movies shown around the world.

Writing is something she has always wanted to do but a hectic life on the road and recording with artists kept those ambitions at bay. Now she is writing mostly crime and thrillers, but recently she’s collaborated with award-winning author Christina Jones, on Only One Woman. A story they’ve wanted to write together, ever since they became friends when Christina became Fan-club secretary for Jane’s husband’s band.

You’ll find more about Jane on Facebook, via her blog and on Twitter @Jane_Risdon. There’s more about Jane’s writing here.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

Almost exactly a year ago I reviewed a lovely children’s book by Peta Rainford, Isabella’s Adventures in Numberland, and you can read my review here.

Today I’m thrilled to welcome Peta back to Linda’s Book Bag with a guest post to celebrate her latest book, The Niggle. Peta is so talented as she both writes and illustrates her children’s books so today she’s telling us a bit about that process.

With Christmas coming up, what better time to have a giveaway and Peta has kindly offered the chance for you to win one of three signed paperback copies of The Niggle. You can enter at the bottom of this blog post.

Published by Dogpigeon, The Niggle is available for purchase from all good bookshops and Amazon.

The Niggle

The Niggle tells the story of Joe Jackson, a little boy who has never felt fear. Until the day a miniature monster swims in his ear! The monster is the Niggle, a tiny terror, who whispers worries in Joe’s head and makes him afraid. Will Joe Jackson let the Niggle win? Or will he learn to overcome his fears? The Niggle, through humour and rhyme, tells young children that it’s OK to feel fear. In fact, you can’t be brave if you don’t. A colourful, rhyming picture book for 5-8 year olds.

Fitting Illustrations

A Guest Post by Peta Rainford

Thank you so much to Linda for allowing me to be on her wonderful blog. I love the reviews on Linda’s Book Bag and really appreciate the fantastic support Linda gives to authors like me, so it is very exciting to be here.

(That’s very kind of you Peta and my pleasure to welcome you to the blog.)

I suppose what sets me apart from most of the authors that appear on this blog, is that I write for children. What sets me apart even more (that’s a polite way of saying ‘what makes me even odder’), is that I am an illustrator too.

Drawing pictures to fit the story

The pictures in my new book, The Niggle, are, stylistically, a bit of a departure from those in the three books that preceded it. I knew they had to be, because the subject of the book is different. Whereas the previous three books – Isabella Rotten Speller, Isabella’s Adventures in Numberland and Jamie and the Joke Factory – were about ideas (and pretty off-beat ones at that), The Niggle is about feelings.

(A rhyming picture book about childhood anxieties and resilience, aimed at children aged between five and eight, it tells the story of Joe Jackson, a little boy who has never felt fear… until the day the miniature monster swims in his ear! The tiny terror fills Joe’s head with doubts and worries, making him afraid of everything.)

So I knew from the start I wanted to use a form of illustration that was less quirky and stylised, slightly more ‘realistic’ and warm. So triangles have been replaced by more realistic body shapes, flat colours with shading, and although I have once again used collage, the cut-outs have been blended into the background.

Drawing pictures to extend the story

It’s probably stating the obvious but, as an author, being your own illustrator gives you a wonderful freedom; it’s a whole extra language with which to tell your story – or perhaps another story entirely! I love to introduce characters and scenarios into my illustrations that are not referred to in the text. Children are very quick at picking these sub-plots up. And very pleased with themselves when they do!

Another feature of my illustrations for The Niggle, which differs from those of my previous books, is that I have left sections on several pages uncoloured. I like the idea of children ‘completing’ these pictures in their heads. Or, possibly, actually colouring them in with their own crayons and felt tips. (Sorry, book-loving grown-ups!)

Drawing the Niggle

Probably the most important drawing challenge for this book was designing the character of The Niggle himself. He’s the first monster to feature in any of my books, so I quite literally started with a ‘blank page’.

I wanted the Niggle to be insidious. He has to look capable of worming his way through the smallest crack in our confidence – hence all the wiggly lines and the worm-like talons. But I didn’t want him to be a genuinely frightening monster. I want children to be able to laugh at the Niggle – laugh in the face of fear, if you like – so I gave him a rather vacant expression and lolling tongue.

I have to admit that I can’t take the credit for the colour scheme though – that was the work of my nine-year-old daughter. She coloured in one of my early drawings and I couldn’t better it! I love the colours she chose. Although they look quite jolly, I think there is something unwholesome about the combination of green, pink, brown and yellow. And I love the fact that she has given him spots, it adds a suitably putrid dimension, I think!

What next?

I don’t know which of the many picture book stories currently rattling around in my head I’m going to write next. Until I decide, I won’t know whether I’ll continue with this new style of illustration, revert to the old, more stylised approach, or go in another direction entirely. It makes for an exciting life!

(And both your words and illustrations make for exciting children’s books Peta!)

My Review of The Niggle

The Niggle is a smashing children’s story with a fantastic message about being brave and not letting your anxieties niggle away at you so that they prevent you doing what you want and need to do.

I thought the way in which Joe ages from two to six and goes from fearlessness through self doubt back to confidence was inspired, as the story gives an accessible and identifiable and positive message to children (and indeed I think some adults could benefit from this book too).

I loved the vocabulary as there is just the right balance of familiar language for children to understand enhanced by new words such as ‘flailed’ that will extend their vocabulary at the same time. The rhyme scheme is excellent too with super couplets throughout so that reading the story aloud has a vibrancy to it. Joe’s parts of the story contrast so well with the way the Niggle’s narrative is wriggly and untidy, fitting his character perfectly. The ending of the book when Resolve triumphs makes The Niggle a very satisfying book.

Peta Rainford’s illustrations are so well matched to the text. I especially liked the nod to Shakespeare’s Hamlet when Joe takes up acting and I thought having a female lifeguard provided a positive role model for all children. Some of the illustrations are left uncoloured giving an active dimension to the book too as children wouild enjoy colouring in the pictures making The Niggle part activity book too.

I’m really impressed by Peta Rainford’s children’s books and can recommend The Niggle most highly.

About Peta Rainford

Peta grew up on the Isle of Wight so long ago she can remember buying crisps from the school  tuck shop for 2½p. As a child she loved words, and loved drawing too, but she had no idea what she wanted to do when she grew up. She studied English at York University and then worked in London as a business journalist and editor for 14 years. She went to art classes and even studied fine art at St Martins, but she still had no idea what she wanted to do when she grew up.

Peta moved back to the Isle of Wight in 2006, and it was here that Peta, now balancing the roles of freelance writer and mum, decided to write and illustrate her first book for children. It was a revelation: a way of combining picture making with her love of words – not to mention an outlet for her awful jokes. It may have taken more than four decades, but finally, Peta knows what she wants to do when she grows up.

The Niggle is the fifth picture book written and illustrated by Peta Rainford. Her other books are: Hairy Fairy, Isabella Rotten Speller, Isabella’s Adventures in Numberland and Jamie and the Joke Factory.

You can find out more by following Peta on Twitter and visiting her website.

The Niggle Giveaway

UK ONLY: For your chance to win one of three signed paperback copies of The Niggle, kindly provided by the author Peta Rainford, click here. Giveaway closes at midnight on 28th November 2017.

I’m a huge fan of both children’s books and poetry so it gives me enormous pleasure to be part of the launch celebrations for Charlie Poon’s Pomes by Robin Hawdon, illustrated by Wendy Hoile, as In Charlie Poon’s Pomes I get both.

Published by Clink Street on 7th November 2017, Charlie Poon’s Pomes is available for purchase here.

Charlie Poon’s Pomes

Unable to find good funny poems to read aloud to his grandchildren – other than the seventy year old A.A. Milne classics – British playwright Robin Hawdon sat down to write some himself. The result is this collection of thirty hilarious and touching poems, beautifully illustrated by Wendy Hoile, which recount the exploits of young Charley Poon – every parent’s nightmare – and his eccentric menagerie of nursery animals. The poems cover everything from youthful games and exploits, to the problems of growing up, to the ups and downs of school and family life, and the joys of country and seaside holidays. Parents and grandparents will be delighted to have something new and entertaining with which to occupy those tricky lights-out bedtime moments.

My Review of Charlie Poon’s Pomes

Regular readers of my blog will know I always complain when children’s books don’t model conventional spellings as in Pome in the title to Charley Poon’s Pomes (and some of the words used in the poems) because I always want books to show children the correct spellings as their language is developing. However, I can almost forgive this in Charley Poon’s Pomes as I think they exemplify his character really well!

I thought the way in which the book is presented was lovely. The writing is akin to that of a child in its different colours but still perfectly legible and there were some interesting invented words to get children thinking about language. The rhymes are great and the poem Squawkers Pome is brilliant for reading aloud, exploring assonance and alliteration and generally having fun with a real tongue twister. The section Spelling could lead to hours of language exploration as the author takes the reader from ‘know’ to ‘slough’ with all the homophones in between.

Robin Hawdon has a wonderful understanding of how children think and I loved the poems about friendship and childhood activities like riding a bike and playing in the snow. In fact, although these are children’s posm, they ignite memories for adults too. I’m quite sure teachers would agree with the sentiments in School! My favourite was Grownups – I think all adults with children should read it as a salutary lesson.

Charley Poon’s Pomes is a vibrant, hugely entertaining book that adults and children can share and enjoy together.

About Robin Hawdon

Dividing his time between Bath, Australia and the South of France, actor, playwright and grandfather Robin Hawdon has enjoyed a successful forty year career in the entertainment industry. During the early years he was a regular face on British TV — appearing in many series and co-starring with Michael Crawford in ITV’s ‘Chalk and Cheese’ and starring in a number of films. He has trod the boards as Hamlet, Henry V and Henry Higgins in Pygmalion and in leading roles in London’s West End.

Later his love of writing dominated his career and he is now recognised as one of the UK’s most prolific comedy playwrights —with productions including The Mating Game which has played in over thirty countries and Don’t Dress For Dinner which ran in the West End for six years before playing on Broadway and around the English speaking world. Many of his plays are published by Samuel French and Josef Weinberger. Robin has also directed a number of stage productions, and in the 1980’s founded the Bath Fringe festival, and subsequently became Director of the Theatre Royal Bath, England’s premier touring theatre.

He has written several novels including A Rustle in the Grass, published by Hutchinsons in 1984 and republished recently by Thistle. A second novel, The Journey was published in 2002 by Hawthorns and a third, Survival of the Fittest, by SBPR in 2013.

You can find out more about Robin on his website and by following him on Twitter.

There’s more with these other bloggers too:

I love a psychological read and am fascinated by what we reveal and conceal as humans so when Caroline England, author of Beneath the Skin, agreed to tell me a bit about her views on secrets I was thrilled to welcome her to Linda’s Book Bag. Beneath the Skin is on my TBR and so many fellow bloggers are telling me how great it is that I can’t wait to read it.

Beneath the Skin was published by Avon Books on 5th October 2017 and is available for purchase here.

Beneath the Skin

Three women. Three secrets.

Antonia is beautiful and happily married. Her life is perfect. So why does she hurt herself when nobody’s watching?

Sophie is witty, smart and married to the best-looking man in town. She likes a drink, but who doesn’t?

Olivia is pretending to be a happy wife and mother. But her secret could tear her family apart.

Their lies start small, they always do. But if they don’t watch out, the consequences will be deadly.

Secrets!

A Guest Post by Caroline England

Everybody has a secret. Yes, you do! A study revealed that the average person keeps thirteen secrets, five of which he or she has never shared with anyone. Go on, count them! They can range from those little things many people do that don’t really feel illegal, such as nicking a five pence plastic bag without paying, or exaggerating expenses at work, to major crimes such as hit and run incidents or even murder. Then there are affairs, betrayals and hidden relationships, with devastating consequences, to easy small lies to cover up mundane events such as covertly looking for another job or concealing the early weeks of a pregnancy. Or perhaps a person’s secret is simple unhappiness. Don’t we all do it sometimes? Put on our bright facade for the Facebook posts and photos to hide the occasional dissatisfaction with our lives?

Then there’s those family secrets which only come out when great Auntie Ethel has too much sherry at Christmas. You know, when you spurt out your bucks fizz in surprise – your Grandad was a bigamist; your dad and mum married when she was five months pregnant with your older sister, your cousin’s on the game…

All my novels have a slow unfurling of secrets, not least my debut, Beneath the Skin. The title says it all! What is underneath the veneer of these apparently happy and successful characters? Antonia has a dark secret, but so do Sophie and Olivia, David and Sami, lies which could blow their lives apart. Then there’s my next book, due out next May. Guess what it’s called? Yup, My Husband’s Lies!

OK, I admit it; I am a bit obsessed with secrets and lies and the human condition. I’m an amateur psychologist, driving my family bonkers with my interpretations of other people’s behaviour, what they say, but don’t mean; what they reveal by their faces but don’t say! Is it only me who is intrigued about what ‘goes on behind closed doors’? Isn’t there something just a little thrilling to discover the couple who always looked so loved up outside the cafe on a Saturday morning are actually getting a divorce? Or that the snob of the avenue was arrested for shoplifting?

I probably have thirteen secrets. I know they’re supposed to burrow into our psych and poison us, but I actually like them. Maybe it was because I was the youngest of five children; perhaps it was having to share a dormitory of 17 other girls when I was eight. You can be by yourself with a secret. It’s something you can do on your own! Hm, perhaps I shouldn’t have said that – now I’m in danger of amateur psychologists starting on me…

(Woo – I’d love to know those secrets Caroline! Now I’m off to count my own…)

About Caroline England

Born Yorkshire lass, Caroline studied Law at the University of Manchester and stayed over the border. Caroline was a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer and instigated her jottings when she deserted the law to bring up her three lovely daughters. In addition to the publication of her short story collection, Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses by ACHUKA books, Caroline has had short stories and poems published in a variety of literary publications and anthologies. She was shortlisted for the Impress Prize 2015, in the Pulp Idol 2016 finals and long listed for the UK Novel Writing Competition 2017.

Her debut novel, Beneath the Skin, was published by Avon HarperCollins on 5 October 2017. Her second novel My Husband’s Lies will be published by Avon HarperCollins on 3 May 2018.

You can follow Caroline on Twitter @CazEngland and find her on Facebook.

Sometimes in my life it feels like truth is stranger than fiction and the things that happen couldn’t actually be made up! Today, I’m delighted to welcome Ellis Shuman to Linda’s Book Bag as his latest novel, The Burgas Affair, has both truth and fiction combined.

Published on 30th October 2017, The Burgas Affair is available for purchase from your local Amazon site.

The Burgas Affair

She’s an Israeli data analyst. He’s a headstrong Bulgarian detective. Together they must track down those responsible for a horrific bombing.

In the wake of a deadly terrorist attack at Burgas Airport in Bulgaria, Israeli and Bulgarian intelligence agencies launch a joint investigation. Detective Boyko Stanchev on the police task force teams up with Ayala Navon, a young Israeli intelligence analyst on her first overseas assignment.

The two must establish whether the terrorists were assisted by a Bulgarian crime organization in laying the groundwork for the attack.

It should be a routine investigation, but shadows of the past keep interfering.

Boyko’s interactions with a crime boss pursuing a vendetta against him threaten to throw him off track. Ayala’s pursuit of the terrorists and their accomplices brings up painful memories of a family tragedy.

Boyko and Ayala form a shaky alliance, one that evolves into growing cooperation and affection as they desperately race against time to uncover who was behind the Burgas bombing.

An Interview with Ellis Shuman

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Ellis. Thank you so much for agreeing to answer some questions on my blog about your writing and The Burgas Affair in particular. Firstly, please could you tell me a little about yourself?

I describe myself as an American-born Israeli author who writes about Bulgaria. I was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and moved to Israel as a teenager with my family. I served in the Israeli army, was a founding member of a kibbutz, and raised a family in a community outside Jerusalem. I work in online marketing and for two years, my job was relocated to Sofia, Bulgaria (2009-2010). When I returned home to Israel, I fictionalized my impressions of Bulgaria and have written two suspense novels set in that amazing country.

When did you realise you were going to be a writer?

Growing up, my father was a journalist and he inspired me to tell stories. One of my earliest writing memories was when I went knocking on neighbours’ doors as a ten-year-old, asking each family what it was doing that summer. The result was a neighbourhood newsletter I published and sold for ten cents a copy.

Which aspects of your writing do you find easiest and most difficult?

I enjoy writing, but I enjoy editing even more. I quickly write first drafts, but then I take my time editing them, filling out descriptions and making better word choices. I believe editing really brings one’s writing to life.

What are your writing routines and where do you do most of your writing?

The most difficult thing for me as a writer, is finding the time to write. I solved this by making early morning visits to a coffee shop. Before I go to work each day, I spend an hour writing. Uninterrupted with a cup of coffee next to my laptop. It’s a regular routine that I have been maintaining for years.

You’re from a mixed heritage background. How has this shaped you as a writer do you think?

I grew up with dreams of becoming an author. I have been writing stories, book reviews, travel reports, newspaper articles, blog posts, and much more all my life. I have made many attempts to write a novel but I could not find the perfect setting and unique voice to tell the story I wanted to tell. After my two-year stay in Bulgaria, I realized that I could use that location as the setting for my novels. This experience gave a direction to my writing as I wanted to share Bulgaria with readers.

You’ve worked in an eclectic range of professions. How have they added to your experience as a writer?

Although I’ve never been a detective, or a secret agent, I can picture in my mind what those professions must be like. Much of my writing, however, is based on my true life experiences. Many Bulgarians who have read my writing said that it accurately describes their country, and they are pleased because not many authors write about Bulgaria.

Without spoiling the plot, please could you tell us a bit about The Burgas Affair?

A headstrong Bulgarian detective is teamed up with an Israeli data analyst on her first assignment overseas as part of a joint investigation to track down the terrorists responsible for a horrific bombing attack.

The Burgas Affair is based on real events. How did you go about researching detail and ensuring it was realistic?

Having lived in Bulgaria, I could easily picture the country and therefore I was able to describe it in the eyes of both a native-born Bulgarian and an Israeli woman seeing it for the first time. I had been to Burgas Airport, where the bombing took place. In addition to my first-hand experiences, I was able to get further information from my contacts and friends in Bulgaria. And finally, I followed media reports of the investigation. Some of the details, and the names of those involved, were fictionalized in my novel, but the terrorist attack was very real.

I know you’ve lived in Bulgaria. How far did this affect your decision about where to set The Burgas Affair?

My first novel, Valley of Thracians, was set entirely in Bulgaria. It is a thriller that tells the story of a Peace Corps volunteer who goes missing in the country. The story takes place in cities and towns I’ve visited and the Bulgarian culture I describe is what I experienced in the country. In my new novel, The Burgas Affair, I combined my love of Bulgaria with my love of Israel. I had been searching for ways to feature both of these countries in my writing. Unfortunately, the terror attack at Burgas Airport in Bulgaria gave me a way to make this happen. But on the other hand, in the aftermath of the attack I was able to achieve my goal.

Thank you so much for your time in answering my questions Ellis.

About Ellis Shuman

Ellis Shuman was born in Sioux City, Iowa, and immigrated to Israel as a teenager. He completed high school in Jerusalem and served for three years in the Israeli army’s Nahal branch. Along with his wife, Jodie, he was a founding member of Kibbutz Yahel in the Arava Valley in Israel’s south. On the kibbutz he worked in agriculture, industry, tourism, the dairy barn, and served as the kibbutz’s general secretary.

After moving with his wife and three young children to Moshav Neve Ilan in the Judean Hills, Ellis received formal training in the hotel industry. He worked in a variety of positions at the Neve Ilan Hotel and later was Food and Beverage Controller at the Jerusalem Hilton. He served as the moshav’s general secretary during a period in which the community underwent major social changes.

As a hobby, Ellis began writing on the Internet. He wrote extensively about life in Israel in his position as the Israeli Culture Guide at About.com. He designed and maintained websites for the Neve Ilan Hotel and for Indic—Independent Israeli Cinema. For two years he was webmaster for Yazam, an international financial firm that provided support for technological start-ups.

Ellis served for three years as Editor in Chief of Israel Insider, an online daily newsmagazine that developed new technologies as it posted the latest news and views, from and about Israel.

Starting in 2004, Ellis began working in a marketing company servicing the online gaming industry. In the years 2009 – 2010, his job was relocated to Sofia, Bulgaria. During those years, Ellis and Jodie traveled extensively in Bulgaria as well as in the countries of the region. Today Ellis continues working in the online gaming industry in Tel Aviv.

You can follow Ellis on Twitter @ellisshuman. You can visit Ellis’s blog and find him on Facebook too.

I’m delighted that A Winter Love Song is on my TBR as I think it looks gorgeous. Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Rita Bradshaw, author of A Winter Love Song, to Linda’s Book Bag to tell us a bit more about it.

Published by Pan Macmillan on 16th November 2017, A Winter Love Song is available for purchase through these links.

A Winter Love Song

Bonnie Lindsay is born into a travelling fair community in the north-east in 1918, and when her mother dies just months later, Bonnie’s beloved father becomes everything to her. Then at the tender age of ten years old, disaster strikes. Heartbroken, Bonnie’s left at the mercy of her embittered grandmother and her lecherous step-grandfather.

Five years later, the events of one terrible night cause Bonnie to flee to London where she starts to earn her living as a singer. She changes her name and cuts all links with the past.

Time passes. Bonnie falls in love, but just when she dares to hope for a rosy future, WW2 is declared. She does her bit for the war effort, singing for the troops and travelling to Burma to boost morale, but heartache and pain are just around the corner, and she begins to ask herself if she will ever find happiness again?

An Interview With Rita Bradshaw

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Rita. Thank you so much for agreeing to answer some questions on my blog about your writing and A Winter Love Song in particular. Firstly, please could you tell me a little about yourself?

Would love to!  I’ve been married for 48 years to my lovely husband, have three children and six grandchildren who are the best thing ever, and besides them my passion is animal welfare (and writing of course!)

Why do you write?

I write because I breathe, it’s as natural and basic as that. I’ve always had myriad stories in my head and if I had never been published, I would still have to get them down on paper or burst!

When did you realise you were going to be a writer?

I realised I wanted to be a writer about the age of four or five when I started to read books and went into another world that was magical and wonderful. I realised I was going to be a writer when I got my first book published which resulted in an actual pay cheque!

Which aspects of your writing do you find easiest and most difficult?

The easiest is the characters themselves because they come to life and dictate the story. I think most writers have one foot in the real world and one in the world of the people they’re writing about. Weird but true! The most difficult is time – as a wife / mum / grandma / dog lover etc., I have to discipline myself to sit down and work as it is my job.

(That’s a really important point I think as so many authors tell me people don’t see writing as a ‘proper’ job.)

What are your writing routines and where do you do most of your writing?

I do my writing in my study at home with my dog at my feet and with a view of the garden and the birds. I start about 11 o’clock after two huge mugs of tea and watching Homes under the Hammer, and correct work from the previous day first before getting on with the story. A snack at lunch and then I write till 6ish when we walk the dog before dinner.

(That made me laugh aloud as I love Homes Under the Hammer!)

You’re a prolific writer. How do you manage to keep your writing fresh and varied for your readers?

If you look at the millions of people in the world they all have different stories to tell. My characters all become real to me with their own distinct tragedies and afflictions, as well as good times.

I know you’re very keen on theatre and cinema. How far do these performing arts impact on your style as a writer? Are you more aware of the senses of sight and sound? Is your writing more visual as a result?

Interesting question! I guess I’ve always been drawn to films and plays featuring a bygone age rather than bang up to date. So much rich material I guess. Having said that I love the Twilight films…

From as long as I can remember I’ve been acutely aware of the world around me. Even smells, such as wood smoke, conjure up a wealth of material I must have stored somewhere in my brain.

Of which of your books are you most proud and why?

I love The Colours of Love. It deals with racial prejudice which I find abhorrent. My first book The Twisted Cord is also close to my heart because it was my late mother’s favourite; she read it countless times.

How far does your own enduring marriage assist you in writing about those whose relationships are less consistent?

I guess that’s where imagination comes in. I imagine how I’d feel if I was left alone or betrayed, if I lost Clive or he was taken from me and also how I’d feel if I’d never had that firm foundation of true love.

Without spoiling the plot, please could you tell us a bit about A Winter Love Song?

This is a story of winning against the odds. Bonnie, my heroine, has a rotten start to life but through sheer guts she changes the path of her life and becomes a famous singer. Of course, things don’t run to plan!

You’ve featured the travelling community in your writing before. What in the attraction for you in writing about travellers?

I love exploring different cultures and traditions. I’ve written about Romany gypsies before but their community was very different to the fair folk in A Winter Love Song, and indeed the fair community in the present book are again different to modern day ones.

How did you go about researching detail and ensuring A Winter Love Song was realistic?

Research is an absolute joy to me and I lose myself in it. I obtain material from libraries / museum archives / books / old ordinance survey maps / railway timetables etc etc. If I’m not absolutely sure about something it doesn’t go in the book. I don’t use the internet – I prefer “in my hand material”.

(How interesting. I think many writers rely totally on the Internet!)

If you could choose to be a character from A Winter Love Song, who would you be and why?

I’d love to be Bonnie because she has a lovely voice (if you heard me sing you’d know why I’d like that!)

If A Winter Love Song became a film, who would you like to play Bonnie and why would you choose them? 

I’d like Kristen Stewart to play Bonnie. She looks like Bonnie but as an actress she has the right mix of strength and vulnerability to portray Bonnie as I see her.

When you’re not writing, what do you like to read?

Anything and everything. I’ve no particular genre I stick to. I enjoy crime thrillers / supernatural / sagas / non-fiction, the lot. I enjoy something meaty though, as if it’s too light it can’t hold me.

If you had 15 words to persuade a reader that A Winter Love Song should be their next read, what would you say?

If you want a story that will grab you from the first page – read this!

(Oh, I will!)

Thank you so much for your time in answering my questions Rita.

My pleasure and thank you for your time and interest.

Best regards

Rita.

About Rita Bradshaw

Rita Bradshaw was born in Northamptonshire, where she lives today. At the age of sixteen she met her husband – whom she considers her soul mate – and they have two daughters and a son, and several grandchildren. To her delight, Rita’s first novel was accepted for publication and she has gone on to write many more successful novels since, including the number one bestseller Dancing in the Moonlight.

As a committed Christian and passionate animal lover her life is full, but she loves walking her dogs, reading, eating out and visiting the cinema and theatre, as well as being involved in her church and animal welfare.

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I may be hurtling towards 60 but I love children’s books and am delighted to be part of the launch celebrations for The Bedtimeasnaurus by Mike Bayliss. I’m especially pleased as Mike has used a devastating health diagnosis to positive effect and I salute him for it.

The Bedtimeasnaurus is available for purchase here.

The Bedtimeasnaurus

A charming collection of gorgeously illustrated poems to encourage fun and bedtime bonding between parents and their children.

The bright pink flamingosaurus spends its day standing on one leg looking for something to eat. The round and delicious tomatosaurus sings a tune while soaking up the sun. These are just two of the imaginative and amusing dinosaurs dreamed up in The Bedtimeasnaurus, the sometimes naughty and always hilarious poetry collection for children by Mike Bayliss.

Developing the idea for over thirty years while working on other projects, Bayliss was encouraged to publish his collection after being diagnosed with Stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma in April 2017, using his work as a positive outlet for his energy as he worked to recover.

Complimented by charming illustrations, opportunities for kids to draw their own dinosaur creations and simple quizzes on each of the characters, The Bedtimeasnaurus not only provides an entertaining read for young children before they go to sleep but also offers a valuable chance for parents to connect and engage.

My Review of The Bedtimeasnaurus

My usual slight children’s book review issue applies to The Bedtimeasnaurus as I always prefer children’s books that don’t use upper case letters in a lower case setting, because I like to see the style we’d like children to use in their own writing modelled for them.

That small gripe aside, I absolutely loved this book. It’s creative, fabulously illustrated and full of slightly rude aspects that children will adore. There’s burping, pumping, nose picking and several mentions of the word ‘bum’ that my great nephew would find hilarious. I liked the pun in the title too.

There’s a brilliant rhyme scheme throughout so that children can see and experiment with homophones and I thought the layout for the Flamingo-asarus that mirrored the standing on one leg was genius.

Following the imaginative rhymes and invented dinosaurs are really good activity pages too. Theres a task to get children looking back over the book to find different dinosaurs, a space to invent a Bedtimeasnaurus and to create a poem. I think the vibrancy of the book would engage even the most relucatant readers and writers in these tasks.

The Bedtimeasnaurus is a super children’s book and I really recommend it.

About Mike Bayliss

Born in Walsall West Midland, UK, Bayliss is an entrepreneur that owns companies in several industries including building supply and property development. He also owns Bespoke Brewery, which opened in 2012 and has since won a number of awards for its craft beer. He lives with his wife and three children in Forest Dean, UK. This is his first book. 

You can find The Bedtimeasnaurus on Facebook.

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I love Amanda Prowse, both as a writer and as a person, so when The Art of Hiding arrived from her in exchange for an honest review I had a qualm or two because I have so loved other of her books as you can see:

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.

Published by Lake Union, The Art of Hiding is available for purchase here.

The Art of Hiding

What would you do if you learned that the life you lived was a lie?

Nina McCarrick lives the perfect life, until her husband, Finn, is killed in a car accident and everything Nina thought she could rely on unravels.

Alone, bereft and faced with a mountain of debt, Nina quickly loses her life of luxury and she begins to question whether she ever really knew the man she married. Forced to move out of her family home, Nina returns to the rundown Southampton council estate—and the sister—she thought she had left far behind.

But Nina can’t let herself be overwhelmed—her boys need her. To save them, and herself, she will have to do what her husband discouraged for so long: pursue a career of her own. Torn between the life she thought she knew and the reality she now faces, Nina finally must learn what it means to take control of her life.

Bestselling author Amanda Prowse once again plumbs the depths of human experience in this stirring and empowering tale of one woman’s loss and love.

My Review of The Art of Hiding

When Nina finds herself suddenly widowed, she’s about to lose more than her husband.

Oh my goodness. Ordinarily I love an Amanda Prowse book but The Art of Hiding is the author at her very best so that it is a total joy to read.

The Art of Hiding has all the typical Amanda Prowse elements I adore. Firstly there’s the wonderful characterisation so that even the absent Finn is knowable and real. Nina is the lynchpin of the action and she channels the emotion in a totally absorbing way making her a woman anyone can relate to, regardless of gender or circumstance. Both her sons, Connor and Declan, are real triumphs as I’m not usually impressed by the way children are represented in fiction, frequently finding them clichéd. Here, however, they are wonderfully drawn as genuine people.

As always with an Amanda Prowse book, I experienced a wide range of emotions and shed several tears – a sure sign I’ve enjoyed the read! More importantly, I though she handled the overarching theme of the book – that material possessions are not what we need to make us happy – so skilfully. Reading The Art of Hiding made me reassess what is important in my life and delivers a wonderful lesson without preachiness or dogma, but rather through a smashing plot and people I came to care about as I read. Other themes of identity and love, family and friendship all enhance the story faultlessly.

I thought the book’s structure was really interesting as much of the drama in the plot comes in the early part of the book with more focus on relationships in the later sections. I found this structure mirrored the messages behind the writing perfectly so that I had the chance to get to know the characters fully and engage with them completely.

What I find so powerful about reading a book by Amanda Prowse, and what she does do superbly in The Art of Hiding, is that essentially she not only writes about love in its various forms, but she seems to write with love too, making reading her books a very special experience indeed.

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.

Now published by Lake Union, Amanda Prowse is the most prolific writer of contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also score the highest online review approval ratings for several genres.

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

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

A little while ago I reviewed (here) a charming children’s book Puppy: 12 months of Rhymes and Smiles by Patricia Furstenberg. As I feel books are an essential part of growing up and a child’s develoment I asked Patricia if she would like to return to Linda’s Book Bag to tell me a bit about diversity in writing, especially as she’s celebrating three new Chilren’s books this month; The Elephant and the Sheep, The Cheetah and the Dog and The Lion and the Dog.

Before you read Patricia’s brilliant guest post, find out a bit about her new books.

The Elephant and the Sheep

The Elephant and the Sheep, sure to touch a deep chord, particularly with fans of John Lennon’s “Imagine.”

When a curious lamb meets a friendly elephant calf he soon discovers the secret behind the elephant’s lonely life. Sharing means so much more than material things.

You can find out more on Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Goodreads.

The Cheetah and the Dog

The Cheetah and the Dog, sure to resonate with families – particularly non-traditional ones as well as with the fans of Michael Jackson’s “Black or White”.

When a cheetah cub and a puppy dog bump into each other no one can foresee that their blooming friendship will save many lives, thus becoming the core of an African folktale.

You can find out more on Amazon UK, Amazon US, and Goodreads.

The Lion and the Dog

The Lion and the Dog, sure to strike a chord with the many fans of Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World”.

When a lion is crowned King of a zoo he becomes a secluded beast with no visitors but an observant and determined little brown dog. Learn how optimism and kindness can changes even a wild animal into a friend for life.

You can find out more on Amazon UK, Amazon US and Goodreads.

Celebrating Diversity in Children’s Fiction

A Guest Post by Patricia Furstenberg

What is a normal lifestyle? I live in a country with 11 official languages. It is normal for us. Apart from English, schools in South Africa teach compulsory and optional classes in Afrikaans, Zulu, Sepedi, Tsonga, Tswana, Xhosa, Venda etc. To make things even more complex, languages like French, German, Portuguese or Greek are also taught! My children attend a school alongside friends with different religions, originating from all the continents of the world. Once back home, each one of these children will return to the nest of their own cultures. To them, this is a normal lifestyle.

Going back to my native country, snuggled in the oldest continent in the world, I notice how much things have changed since I grew up. How much more diverse people are today and how, nationality wise, there is a wider spread now, than during my childhood. It is a normal lifestyle for current times, market by human migration.

For our children’s generation life is like strolling through a library of live books.

“It is time for parents to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.” Maya Angelou.

Reading brings us in touch with our humanity.

The act of reading and having access to diverse stories offers children a window towards real life, the one outside their homes. Towards the kind of life people from different countries and cultures lead. Towards their struggles, feelings and values; how and why are they similar or different to our own. Reading expands our children’s understanding and widens their acceptance.

Diversity and its meaning in the book industry.

The fact that different people, men AND women, white AND black, can write books, is often a revelation for many young readers. “If they can do it, so can I!” The book monopoly doesn’t belong only to the white male writer anymore. It belongs to the young, to the woman, to the indie author as well. And this variety can be empowering for many young readers.

An empowered young girl will grow into a strong, self-confident, open minded woman that will not be intimidated to discover and follow her own path.

I want you to read this passage:

The boy ran down the road, dust billowing all around him. He ran as fast as he could, his skinny legs barely touching the sharp rocks, his small body a ghost past the barking dogs; they always barked at his kind. He watched them, though, out of the corner of his eye, his hand tight on the stick he had picked up by the bridge, as soon as he left the field. How far to the doctor’s house? “Just after the first bend in the road”, his grandpa had whispered. “Run, boy, run…”

Where do you picture this scene taking place?

Now read the text again.

Cheng ran down the road, dust billowing all around him. He ran as fast as he could, his skinny legs barely touching the sharp rocks, his small body a ghost past the barking dogs; they always barked at his kind. He watched them, though, out of the corner of his eye, his hand tight on the stick he had picked up by the bridge, as soon as he left the field. How far to the doctor’s house? “Just after the first bend in the road”, yeye had whispered. “Run, Cheng, run…”

And now, where is the scene taking place?

Why the difference? Because in our minds we’re used to picture the characters based on our own frame of reference, shaped by the literature we’ve been exposed to throughout our lives.

The cultures least represented in literature are not the ones which are missing out because, within their own frontiers, they often have an extensive oral tradition. Their stories are still passed on through generations, teaching valuable life lessons. It is the rest of the world that’s missing on reading them.

Diversity in children’s books is a two way street.

First, more children get to read about their own culture, feeling empowered because it mirrors their race, inter-race, religion, sex or physical health, home up-bringing (divorced families, immigrants, single parent families). Children feel good about themselves when they read about characters like them.

Second, the rest of the world is exposed to a different culture, therefor gaining in diversity and humanity. Because the same story can be told from many angles, in a multitude of languages, each time becoming a new narration with a new lesson to communicate.

We need diverse books for diverse minds. Aren’t all children’s favorites exactly those stories about unique, strong individuals? Beautiful characters, inside and out.

We live in a world that’s confronted, more than ever, with a wide variety of issues we can’t ignore anymore. Global warming and social migration, be it willing or forced; terrorism and out of control political spectacles that impact more and more individuals.

Diverse books will offer our children the right tools to understand and deal with the global uproar they’ll have to live in. Access to diverse books will, hopefully, grant our children the strength and wisdom to understand themselves and the world they live in and unlock their own powers; to stand on their own two feet and lead a life of humanity and empathy.

(I couldn’t agree with you more Patricia. Thanks so much for coming on Linda’s Book Bag.)

About Patricia Furstenberg

Patricia Furstenberg came to writing though reading. After completing her Medical Degree in Romania she moved to South Africa where she now lives with her husband, children and their dogs. Patricia became taking writing seriously  after becoming one of the WYO Christie winners. She enjoys writing for children  because she can take abstract, grown-up concepts and package them it in attractive, child-friendly ways while adding sensitivity and lots of love.

All of Patricia’s children’s books are available here.

You can follow Patricia on Twitter, find her on Facebook and visit her website. She’s also on Goodreads.

I cannot thank Diana Morgan at Ruth Killick Publicity enough for inviting me to be part of the launch celebrations for Sweet William by Iain Maitland and providing a copy of the book in return for an honest review.

Published by Contrabrand, the crime imprint of Sarabrand, Sweet William is available for purchase here.

Sweet William

Life and death played out over 48 hours.

A father desperate to be with his young son escapes from a secure psychiatric hospital, knowing he has just one chance for the two of them to start a new life together. His goal is to snatch the three-year-old – a diabetic who needs insulin to stay alive – and run away to France … but first he must find the boy, evade his foster family and stay well clear of the police, already in pursuit.

A real page-turner cut through with dark humour, Sweet William zeroes in on a potent mix: mental illness, a foster family under pressure, and an aggrieved father separated from his precious child. The result is an incisive and deeply affecting literary thriller.

My Review of Sweet William

Don’t you just love it when a book is so good you have to put your whole life on hold until you’ve devoured every word? That’s exactly what Sweet William is like.

From the very first word of Sweet William I was hooked. The writing is fantastic. Partly it’s the superbly created voice of the narrator so that I was inside his dubious head with him. Partly it’s the overall quality of the writing with the rhetorical questions and the stunning sentence structure that has maximum impact on the reader. And partly it’s the breathtaking pace of the plot over 48 hours that left me reeling. I genuinely felt tense the whole time I was reading but, although I had to pause to let my pulse slow back down, I couldn’t tear myself away. Several times I found I wasn’t actually breathing! Sweet William is a book that clamours to be read at breakneck speed.

The first person viewpoint is very disturbing. It’s not always clear to whom the narrator is speaking – the reader, a voice in his head, or perhaps someone beyond the end of the novel in the same way he has had therapy in the past. What I found both compelling and appalling was that the way in which he justified his actions, which are clearly insane, was only a short step away from the way in which we ‘normal’ people justify our own actions too. I don’t know whether the concept of the way we treat those with psychiatric health issues and the exploration of how they think and behave was a deliberate treatise by Iain Maitland or simply a device upon which to construct the plot but either way I found Sweet William stunning and thought provoking. Similarly, not knowing the name of the narrator until well into the second half of the novel adds to that feeling of society rejecting and erasing those with his kind of problems.

I can’t say too much about the plot or the settings as they are so closely linked and I don’t want to spoil the read but I will say that when Stamford, a location just a few miles from where I live, was mentioned I actually felt quite nervous and threatened.

I felt the concept of ‘what if’ was brilliantly handled, making my brain reel with possibilities. What if it were my child? What if I felt responsible? What if my mental health broke down?  There are also several unanswered questions in Sweet William that make the book so very disturbing so that it keeps nagging away in my mind. Sweet William is a book I won’t forget in a hurry. In my view it is outstanding.

About Iain Maitland

Iain Maitland is the author of Dear Michael, Love Dad (Hodder, 2016), a moving book of letters written to his son, who suffered from depression and anorexia. Iain is an ambassador for Stem4, the teenage mental health charity, and gives regular talks about mental health issues in the workplace. A writer since 1987, he is a journalist and has written more than 50 books, mainly on business, which have been published around the world.

You can find Iain Maitland on Facebook, follow him on Twitter @iainmaitland and visit his website.

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