Maria Savva's Blog - Posts Tagged "chick-lit"

I am pleased to welcome back to my blog, author, Susan Buchanan. I met Susan on Twitter last year and interviewed her here after I read her excellent debut novel, Sign of the Times. For those of you who missed that interview, here's a link: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_...






I recently read Susan's second novel, The Dating Game, and invited her back here for a chat.

Susan has also generously agreed to give away an e-book copy of The Dating Game to one of my blog followers. To enter all you need to do is leave a comment below, or 'like' this post. Winners will be picked on 25th January 2013.



Here's the interview!

Having read both your books, Sign of the Times and The Dating Game, one thing that strikes me about your novels is that there are lots of characters involved. In Sign of the Times (SOTT) you had 12 main characters all with different star signs and then there were the friends and family and acquaintances of those characters; and in The Dating Game (TDG) you have Gill and her 3 best friends, as well as all her dates, and work colleagues, and various other characters. I think all your characters are believable and well developed. This is no mean feat. Do you plan each character in detail before you write the book? Take us through your method for making sure that you can keep up with all the different characters in your books.

Yes, there are rather a lot of characters, particularly and understandably in SOTT. I started off with SOTT, just knowing the characters and building on them, but as I went along, I didn't want to get confused, so I kept a document with info on them. When I wrote The Dating Game, I gave each character a Word doc and filled in what I knew of them at the beginning and kept updating each sheet daily, as I learned things about the characters.

That's a great idea, I may have to nick that as I am always forgetting things about my characters, and that leads to headaches when I'm editing!!

In TDG, Gill joins a professional dating agency. Have you or anyone you know ever joined one of those types of agencies? If not, how did you go about researching how they work?

I haven't personally, but the idea for The Dating Game came from a friend who had joined just such an agency in Glasgow. Although none of her experiences are those Gill had (quite frankly my friend thought it was a complete waste of time and pretty dire!) some of the anecdotal detail I took from her.

In your book, Gill is sent a profile for each potential date, and then asked whether she wants to go on a date with him. I know you are a Rupert Penry-Jones fan. If you were writing a profile for him, what would it say?



Hmm. Now this is a tough one, as obviously Rupert is married. So let's have a little bit of poetic licence and say he isn't married. Great question!

Name: Rupert Penry Jones

Age: 42

Lives: Hampshire

Occupation: Actor - best known for role of Adam Carter in Spooks. Currently filming series 4 of Whitechapel. Many know me from the courtroom drama, Silk

Qualifications: Attended Dulwich College and Bristol Old Vic

Height: 6’ 1’

Marital status: Single

Smoker: No

Interests: Swimming, dog-walking, evenings in with friends, playing pool, wine tasting, playing football.

Further information: My parents, my brother and sister-in-law are all actors. I'd like to break into films, but although I have had some excellent roles, it's more difficult than you would think and acting is bloomin' hard work.

Looking to meet:
a) An intelligent, attractive lady who likes sport and trying new activities. Would be an advantage if she enjoyed the theatre. Must love dogs.
b)*love Scottish accents and blondes, so my ideal woman would be an author who is blonde and Scottish. I realise I am not asking for much!

*well, I can dream, can't I?

LOL, that's excellent!


In your first novel, some of the scenes took place in Italy, and in The Dating Game there are scenes that take place in Barcelona. I know that you are well travelled. If money was no object and you could plan your perfect getaway, where would you go and what would you do?

Oh Lord. So many places. I would probably want to do a round the world trip, taking in New Zealand (Marlborough wine country), Bora Bora (as it has always sounded really cool to me), Malaysia (I've always wanted to go to the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur), the Maldives (have always wanted to go, but we keep finding an alternate holiday destination), Reykjavik or Northern Finland for the Northern Lights, The Great Wall of China and I'd love to go to Machu Picchu in Peru, to name but a few!




Can I come? LOL

I know you're working on a sequel to Sign of the Times. I would also personally like to see a sequel to The Dating Game. Just as with SOTT, you have introduced us to so many likeable characters, I want to know what happens to them! Do you have any plans for a sequel?

At the moment, no plans for a sequel to The Dating Game, as I am already writing What If, my third novel, which I hope to finish by the end of March (the first draft). I had hoped to launch it in the Spring, but I am 6 months pregnant and expect to be MIA until about June! So likelihood is it will launch in the autumn. The sequel to Sign of the Times will follow in 2014 and quite frankly, I have another two books minimum planned after that.


Which book was harder to write, SOTT or TDG, and why?

SOTT, simply due to chronology, the amount of characters involved and the fact that it was written over such a long period of time. The book was initially a lot longer (I am often told I could have made a book about each character, so it's not really surprising!)

I think that too; you could have a novel based on each of the characters in that book!

How long did it take you to write TDG?

A lot less time than SOTT! I started writing full-time (more or less) in March 2012, after I published SOTT. Had already written three chapters of The Dating Game three years ago. All in all it took me 7 months to write, edit and launch it. But believe me, I am a glutton for punishment and I was working ridiculous hours to get it finished. I still really enjoyed it, though, plus I had learned SOOO much from writing Sign of the Times. That helped a lot.

I know that both your books are only available on Kindle at the moment. Do you have plans to make them more widely available for other e-readers, or as paperback books?

Hmm. Not really, not at the moment. My priority is currently to write and market the e-books, as I definitely see that as the future, but it's true that there is no greater lure than the thought of being able to touch your own books! I think it's not going to happen this year, though. With the baby coming and "What if" to write and publish, I think if I have bitten off enough!

Very true!


If you were single and joined a dating agency and you were sent the profiles that Gill was sent, which candidate do you think you'd get on most with?

Wow! The thing is, all of them have a little something about them...but my favourites would be Anton (am a sucker for accents and he loves classical music and he's tall!) Also Liam, he's decent, sexy, can cook and is a bit of a hero!


What are you working on at the moment?

What If, novel number three. I'd always had this idea of how my life would be if I hadn't split up with various partners over the years, hadn't chucked various jobs, met certain people and so forth. What If combines all of that, about protagonist Cameron. I'm excited about it as I get to get inside a man's head again (not sure that's wise!). I will be running parts of the story and dialogue past some male friends before I publish it, for extra realism!

Do you have any other news for your readers?

To be honest, not really, as I think I've probably given everything away above! Me and my big mouth! Rest assured plenty will be happening with the writing and on the blog between now and the end of March. In fact, I am doing a blog hop from 17th-21st January, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Thanks for having me on your blog, Maria. Always a pleasure. Sooz

Thanks for answering my questions, Sooz! I hope all goes smoothly with the new baby, and the next book. I look forward to reading more of your work!

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If you'd like the chance to win a copy of The Dating Game, don't forget to 'like' this interview, or leave a comment below. Good luck!

My guest today is a talented author I recently came across on Twitter, Tasha Harrison. Even though I have over 300 unread books on my Kindle (mostly free downloads!) I decided to buy one of Tasha's books because the cover caught my eye and the description sounded like something I would enjoy.

I'm so glad I decided to read Pearls; it's one of the best books I've read recently. You can see my review here: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

After reading the book, I was keen to invite Tasha here to introduce her to all of you. She has told me that she is planning a free promotion of the Kindle version of Pearls on 13th & 14th February! So, mark those dates in your diary and make sure that you download a copy.



Here's a useful link for the Kindle book (it should take you to your local Amazon store): viewBook.at/B00A8RJE8O

Without further ado, here's my interview with Tasha:


'Pearls' is all about people finding themselves and how it's never too late for someone to change. Your character Charlie likes the mantras she finds on the cards in Kate and Gary's house. Do you have a favourite mantra that helps to inspire you?

‘Everything is exactly the way it’s supposed to be at this moment’ is a bit of a hard one to get your head around when life isn’t going your way, but I’ve found it gives me a sense of comfort, knowing that I’m not in control and that maybe something else is.

Ah, yes, I like that one :)



Your character, Miriam, has a paranormal experience in the book. Have you ever had any similar experiences?

No, but I’d like to! I believe in life after death, although I don’t subscribe to any particular belief as to how it all works. I was watching Brian Cox on TV the other night talking about the beginnings of life on our planet and I was finding the scientific explanations a bit hard to follow until he said, ‘Energy can’t be created or destroyed, only conserved or transformed.’ And that made sense to me. I suppose that Miriam’s experience – seeing a young woman’s soul leave her body at the point of death – is something that while on the one hand, would be quite disturbing, on the other, could also bring much peace of mind.

Yes, it's kind of like the scene from Ghost when Sam dies!

How long did it take to write 'Pearls'?

I guess about a year to write the first draft, while trying to juggle part-time work and family life. My working day stops at 3 when I pick my kids up from school. Some days I write in the evening if I have the energy! I’m a speedy typist, so if I’m on a roll, I can cover a fair bit of mileage in a short amount of time.



Apart from 'Pearls' you have 2 other books. Can you tell us a bit about those?

Package Deal and Hot Property are both beach reads through and through. Package Deal is set on the Greek island of Kefalonia and is about a group of British holidaymakers whose lives become entangled on their two-week holiday in a newly-built apartment complex. The caretaker there, ladies’ man Dimitri, immediately eyes up singleton Mia, but for once his charms are having little effect.



Hot Property is similar but is set in Crete and is about a group of ex-pats who are striving to live the perfect sun, sea and sand lifestyle, but thanks to a devious local property developer, life is not quite as idyllic as they’d hoped. Both novels are humorous holiday reads, and are told from lots of different characters’ viewpoints.



They sound like fun! I will be adding them to my list of books to read :)

Your bio says that you studied journalism, and worked as an editor for various magazines. Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction writing?

I worked as a sub-editor, so not as high up the ranks as an editor, but doing the job of editing nonetheless! I love writing fiction and can’t imagine not doing it, but since starting a blog, I’ve rediscovered how fun writing non-fiction can be. However, I find it hard to find the time to fit it all in – writing a blog, promoting my books, writing books, kids and work – there aren’t enough hours in the day!


Do you do the editing and formatting for your books?

Both Package Deal and Hot Property were taken on by agents, and therefore underwent several drafts before being submitted to publishers. Sadly neither agent was able to sell, so when I decided to self-publish them as e-books, I asked sub-editing friends to proofread them for me. With Pearls I didn’t have an agent’s guidance, but I paid a friend I used to work with to edit and proofread it for me. You can never have too many fresh pairs of eyes to spot the mistakes you missed! On magazines, every single page gets proofread by a whole team of sub-editors, and still mistakes can slip through the net! As for formatting, I’d be lost without my husband’s help – though that said, I did manage to format my own table of contents on Pearls which I was very proud of! It was actually very simple, but I can usually be trusted to mess up even the simplest of technical tasks.

I'm like that... a bit of a technophobe, but have found that most things are easier than they first seem once you set your mind to doing them!

All the characters in 'Pearls' struck me as being very realistic. Are any of them inspired by people you know, or are they totally fictional?

All the characters are completely fictional apart from Miriam, who was inspired a fair bit by my mum but also by a friend. Many years ago, after losing her sister to cancer, my mum turned to AA when she felt she’d become too dependent on alcohol. Her drinking was nowhere near as bad as Miriam’s, but she felt she needed to take control of her life and turn over a new leaf. I went to a few AA meetings with her and they were incredibly humbling and inspiring. As a result, I joined Al-Anon (a self-help programme for friends and relatives of alcoholics) for a few years and it turned my life around. My mum conquered her demons, too. More recently she’s been exploring Buddhism (as does Miriam in the book), so thanks to her, I’m always getting some kind of spiritual education that challenges my way of thinking!



Which one of the characters in 'Pearls' can you most relate to?

I can relate to all of the three main female characters to some extent. There’s a bit of me in each of them. In my early twenties, I was like Charlie, lacking in confidence and self-belief, while like Kate, I was also holding onto a lot of anger from the past. Today, like Miriam, I’m more at peace with myself.



Who designs your book covers?

My brilliant husband! I tell him what I don’t want and he works out what I do want and puts it all together.

I must admit I was drawn to read Pearls because of the cover! That happens to me sometimes LOL



Who are your favourite authors?

I love Lionel Shriver, Anita Shreve, Sarah Waters, Khaled Hosseini, to name but a few – all such gifted storytellers. Recently I read The Legacy by Jill Rowan, a witty time-travel novel with a romantic twist – I couldn’t put it down.





Do you prefer e-books or paperback/hardback?

I’m not bothered. I think e-books are a brilliant innovation – they make reading so much more instantly accessible. But when I read a book that really bowls me over, I quite like to own it in paperback and put it up there on the shelves for keeps!



Me too!

Are you working on any other books at the moment?

Yes, my current WIP is called Blown-Away Man and is set in the '80s and the present day in London and Lincolnshire. For the first time ever I’m writing in the first person, the story is told from one character’s viewpoint only, and that character is a man. Uncharted territory for me!

That is a challenge, but those types of thing can really help with our development as writers.



Where is the best place for readers to connect with you online?

Come visit my blog at www.tashaharrison.com or look me up on Twitter http://twitter.com/TashaHarrison_ 



Where can people buy your books?

Currently they’re only available on Amazon. But I’m hoping to put them on Smashwords at some point this year.



Do you have any tips for someone who might be considering self-publishing a book?

If you don’t get your book properly edited and proofread by someone who does it for a living, there will undoubtedly be more mistakes than you realise in it and you risk not being taken seriously. That said, I don’t think I’ve ever read a trad-pub book without a typo or two in it! Also it’s well worth sending your manuscript to somewhere like http://www.literaryconsultancy.co.uk/ who, for a fee, will give you some professional, honest feedback in a written report. The more professional feedback you can get before you self-publish, the better.

Yes, I did that with a couple of my novels. I sent them to Cornerstones. That type of professional feedback is very helpful, I've found.

Thanks so much for being such a great guest and for answering all my questions, Tasha! I wish you continued success with you writing!
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Remember to download your free copy of Pearls during the free promotion on the 13th & 14th February: viewBook.at/B00A8RJE8O

Today, I welcome back to my blog an author I admire very much. She has published three novels, all in different genres, and all are excellent. I recently found time to read her book, Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!. It's a romantic comedy that will appeal to fans of chick lit, and anyone who likes contemporary fiction.



After reading the book, I was keen to invite Lisette over here for a chat.

She has generously agreed to give away 2 e-book copies of Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! I've set up a Rafflecopter giveaway for this contest; you can enter by following the link: Winners will be picked on 30th April 2013.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Here's the interview:

I absolutely loved Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! It's chick lit, I suppose, but grown up chick lit; I couldn't help thinking as I was reading it that it would make a wonderful romantic comedy in the cinema. The style is very different from your other two books. What made you decide to write a chick lit type novel?

First, thank you for your very kind words, Maria. Many people have told me that they could envision Molly as a feature film. She’s still waiting to be discovered. Yes, the style of this book is quite different from my other two novels. A very honest answer to your question: I got the idea to write Molly in 2006, before it was feasible to publish independently. I chose to write chick lit because I saw so much of it selling. But then, in late 2007, I discovered that I could publish on my own, so I set the book aside. I first published my novel Crooked Moon, and then Squalor, New Mexico. After I had done that, I thought about the 65K words I had already written for this chick lit book called Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! I liked what I reread and decided to finish it.

You have written three books and all are different in style, with Crooked Moon being more geared towards an adult readership; Squalor, New Mexico, a young adult novel, and finally Molly is a chick lit/rom com book. One thing that shines through in all your novels, in my opinion, are your observational skills about human behaviour and motivation. This, to me, makes your books among the best I've read. The characterisation is so realistic. How do you go about developing your characters?



I love a good story, but I relate to people first, situations second. I have always been fascinated by human nature. As we all know, fact is always stranger than fiction. It’s funny that I couldn’t even fictionalize some of the situations I see in real life because readers would find them too far-fetched! That said, I take a lot of mental notes about the actions and characteristics of people everywhere. I’m a people-watcher, for sure. I like seeing what makes people tick and what ticks people off.

Fact is definitely stranger than fiction. I totally relate to that, having had comments about stuff I've written in my own books, taken from real life, where people have said in reviews "it's unrealistic, that would never happen." Um... it did... LOL

Molly Hacker, as everyone knows by now, is too picky. Are you picky about anything?

Oh, my, Maria. Yes, I’m picky about a lot of things and easygoing about others. I am picky about people who aren’t professional when they should be. I’m picky about my work (but so are most authors, yes?)

Oh, yes! Definitely. We have to be picky about our own work.


Leading up to your release of Molly's book, you created a website for the character and some wonderful videos on YouTube introducing her. Molly also did a series of interviews with authors and other artists (myself being one of the lucky interviewees!). How successful was that pre-launch promotion, and would you recommend that type of thing to other indie authors?

Yes, for eight months, I blogged as Molly. Every week, I published a new blog with original artwork (by Charles Roth) or original photos. This was one of the most time-consuming things I have ever done with my life. And because I am so picky about my work, I labored over finding just the right topics to present each week. And yes, simultaneously, also as Molly, who is a reporter, I interviewed creative people on another part of the website. It was an experience; I’ll say that much. People really loved the blogs, but I can tell you that I would never do it again. (By the way, all of the blogs and interviews are still up for the world to see at www.mollyhacker.com.)

I was lucky enough to be interviewed by Molly, if anyone is interested in checking that out, by the way.

Lisette, you've been promoting your work online for a few years now, do you have any tips as to what works best and what doesn't work when it comes to marketing a book?

I often hear people say, “I prefer Facebook to Twitter, so I just market there.” They’re both social media sites, but as you know, they work quite differently. I do have a Facebook author page and regularly post content about my work, authors who I am interviewing (and vice versa), and topics of interest to readers/writers. But my personal Facebook page is really a place for friends. I share news, but I don’t like to do very much promotion there.

Twitter, for the most part, is a better place for promotion. It is great because you can make relationships with people all over the world without having to be personal Facebook friends. But there has to be a balance. Neither Facebook nor Twitter exists solely as a place to advertise your work. It’s like any other community. If you don’t care about other people, nobody is going to care about you. Every tweet should not be about your work. If it is, you’ll turn people off quickly. I recently wrote a lengthy blog about how to use and not use Twitter that is on my website. I support authors like you, Maria, who care about others and cross-promote. I don’t care how great someone’s work is; I am just turned off by the it’s-all-about-me kind of person.

Hear, hear!

I also think that book bloggers and well-read review sites help writers tremendously. I think it’s good to diversify, throw things up against the wall of the universe and see what sticks.

Ha, ha!


Are you working on any other books at the moment?

Yes, I am. I am working on a YA paranormal set in the California desert.



Ooh... paranormal. Different again! I like that :)

If you had the opportunity to have one of your books made into a film, which one would you choose, and why?

Oh, that is a really tough question! I’m going to say that Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! would be my choice only because I think it would have the most commercial success. 



Molly has some hilarious dialogue, and is in essence a comedy. Who are you favourite comedians?

Comedy is something I’m very picky about. I don’t really have any favorite comedians, though I do like Steven Wright quite a bit. I can watch one comedian after another and not laugh even though I appreciate their talent. I think the people who make me laugh are the ones who best know how to poke fun at real life. Billy Connolly is quite funny, and I enjoyed seeing him in the film Quartet.


As mentioned above, all of your books so far have been different in style. Which was the hardest to write, which was the easiest, and which was the most fun?

Molly was easily the most difficult to write. For one, as stated earlier, I stopped writing it to publish two other books, then came back to it. So I had to completely immerse myself back into the book and all of its tiny details in order to get it right. As you know, Molly is dating four men, pining over a lost love, fighting with the town socialite, working hard to keep her love life a secret from well-intentioned but interfering gal pals, and sharing her romantic adventures with her co-worker and friend, Randy. There’s a lot going on, and I wanted to make sure that it all came together well and was easy to follow. I kept careful track of all of the details. My other two novels were more emotional to write but easier.



How long did it take to write Molly?

Because I stopped in 2007 and started again in 2009, I’m not sure how long it took. At least a year. And that is only because I had so many things going on at the time—like a cross-country move.


I know you have qualifications in acting. If you could star as one of your characters in a film, who would you choose?

I would choose someone else to play the roles! But the one I think I could best portray would be Frankie in Crooked Moon.




What's the nicest thing someone has said about Molly Hacker Is Too Picky!?

Oh, my, that’s a tough one! There has been so much great feedback and many wonderful reviews. I think what makes me happiest is when people have said that they really related to the characters, laughed a lot, and loved the ending. 



I loved the cat character in Molly. Was he based on a cat that you own or have owned?

As you know, Maria, there were cats in Crooked Moon, but they were just supporting players. Molly’s Captain Jack is a leading man! He was partially based on my beloved Saki, a cat I had for over 20 years. But Jack is his own man.



Molly has quite a few suitors throughout the course of the book. Are any of the men based on people you've known, or were they all entirely fictional?

For the most part, entirely fictional. But of course, there are bits and pieces of some of the men who remind me of real-life people.


Molly Hacker Is Too Picky! is written in the first person, and often when books are written in that way, the reader can begin to think that the writer is speaking through the character; almost like it's a memoir. How much of you is there in Molly?

I don’t think I could’ve written this book in the third person. It wouldn’t have worked. Molly insisted on being up close and personal with her readers, and I agreed with her. I’m like Molly in some ways but not in others. I’m definitely very unlike Molly dating-wise. We’re very different there. Like Molly, I can tend to be overanalytical and drive myself nuts on some topics. I am also like Molly in that I don’t suffer fools gladly. But she is definitely her own woman. And she has a lot more energy!


Do you have any other news you'd like to share with your readers?

Yes, thank you. I recently published a book of my mother’s poetry. It’s called My Way to Anywhere by Jean Lisette Brodey. It’s a collection of poetry that my mother wrote as a young woman, before she reentered the workforce and became a university professor. I’ve blogged about my mother and the book here: http://bit.ly/Xh1KTX



Yes, I have a copy of that book on my Kindle and am looking forward to reading it!

Thanks for coming back for a chat, Lisette, you've been great as usual!

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Remember to hop over to Rafflecopter and enter the draw!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terry Tyler's book, Full Circle, will be FREE to download from Amazon between the 18th and 20th October 2013!

Remember, you don't need a Kindle e-reader to be able to read Kindle books. You can download free apps from Amazon that allow you to read the books on your PC, Mac, iPad, and smartphone.




FULL CIRCLE is the sequel to Terry Tyler’s fourth novel, DREAM ON, but many have enjoyed it as a stand alone work.

It’s a tale of love triangles, infidelity, an English rock band, the lure of celebrity, and the destructive nature of alcohol addiction. FULL CIRCLE - love and parenthood dramas, rock music and secret affairs, with a few laughs along the way!

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Singer-songwriter Ariel thought her hard work and perseverance had been rewarded when she met record producer Theo Perlmutter - then a tragic event turns her dreams to dust.

Newly married Janice was happier than she’d ever been - but the honeymoon ends when born again alcoholic husband Max careers off the wagon and into the nearest bar.

Being forced onto The Jeremy Kyle Show in DREAM ON was not enough to make ladies’ man Shane learn his lesson – will his philandering ways eventually catch up with him?

Singer and Rock-God-In-Training Dave is unhappy, trapped in a domestic situation not of his choosing. What is his girlfriend Isabel hiding?

Will there be a happy ending for any of them?


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Don't miss this book. I've read a couple of Terry's books and I love her writing style. She has a knack for creating realistic characters, and there's always a lot of humour and thought provoking content!

Happy downloading!

Today, I'm excited to be introducing you to one of the friendliest and most supportive authors I've met online. Tara Ford not only writes great fiction, she also helps support her fellow indie authors with promotion on her blog.

After reading the wonderful Calling All Dentists I was keen to interview Tara about the book and her writing life in general.








So, without further ado, here's the interview:






In Calling All Dentists you have two female characters who are best friends, but have totally opposite personalities. Which one of the two girls would you say is more like you?

I think that I am more like Emma than Ruby. Ruby is a very sweet girl but far too nice to be considered anything like me. She is somewhat naive too and hopefully I have a little more grounding and experience than she does.

I can empathize with Emma and her fears but I'm not sure I would be as brave as her when it comes to the bottom line.


Emma has a terrible fear of dentists. Is that taken from your own experience or someone you know?

Oh, that would most definitely be taken from my own experiences of dentists over the years - I was terrified of them. I really could never understand why though. After all, a dentist is hardly ever going to tell you some terrible news about your health, like a doctor could!

While I was writing 'Calling All Dentists' it became apparent to me that there were so many people I knew who hated dentists and had real fears about them. I was relieved to find that I wasn't the only one.

I'm also terrified of dentists!

The book is the second in a series although it reads well as a stand alone book. I enjoyed it very much even though I haven't read the first one yet. Are you planning more books in the series?





Yes, there are two more books in the series, 'Calling All Customers' (due out at the end of this year) and then the last book is 'Calling All Neighbours'.

The series of Calling All... books are based around the lives of one family (the Frey family) but the stories are not always directly related to the Frey's and their lives. 'Calling All Customers', in particular, is related to the Frey family in an indirect way, i.e. the book isn't actually about them but they are there somewhere.... The other exception is that the first book, 'Calling All Services' is set ten years before the other three books. Are you confused yet? I am!

A bit! LOL :)

Incidentally, I now have the firm base for my fifth book which is very exciting. I can't write the others quick enough to get on to the fifth one!

That's great!

Apart from the 'Calling All...' series, are you working on any other projects?

Oops - think I just answered that one in the previous question. Well I'm not actually working on it (apart from in my head).

I have also been asked to write a biography for someone which really surprised me. I felt quite honoured to be asked actually and I'm in the early stages of talks about this exciting venture.

Intriguing... I look forward to finding out more about that.

How long have you been writing?

Er... I learnt to write when I was about 4, so I guess it's been for ** years. On a serious note, I've dabbled in writing, bits and pieces, for years. I always wanted to write a novel but could never think of what to write. Now I have come to realise that I was looking too hard all of those years and actually, the subjects/genre/style were right under my nose all of the time.

What would you say is the best thing about being a writer?

The best thing about being a writer is letting my overloaded brain explode out through my fingers and in to a Word document, in the form of words. I am quite a shy person, contrary to popular belief, and have always found it so much easier to communicate through word, rather than speech. I sometimes think that the internet, or more specifically social networks, were created for me and others like me who are able to express themselves easier through written words.

And the worst?

The worst thing about being a writer is doubt. I hear or read a lot about 'writer's block' and yet (touch wood), I haven't experienced it yet. The worst thing for me is wondering and worrying about whether people will like my writing. I am well aware that there will always be those who don't like it but in general we all want it to be liked - right? I suppose that I worry too much about it and possibly have a slight insecurity about what I'm writing sometimes. Perhaps all writers do?

Or am I just a wimp?

I think all writers have that :)

Have you read any books recently that you would recommend? What was it about that particular book or books that you most enjoyed?

I've stepped back almost 40 years just recently. I've been reading some of my childhood favourites, like 'Charlotte's Web' (which incidentally, has now helped me to overcome my fear of spiders... well up to a certain size of spider anyway... I'm working on the bigger ones). I've also just re-read 'The Secret Garden' which I didn't enjoy so much this time around and almost wish I could have left it in my memory dump from years ago and not read it.



I now have a long list of books that I want to read and they are all staring at me from my Kindle - Help! I don't know where to start...

A familiar feeling!

When choosing a book to read do you have a favourite genre, or are you open to trying any genre?

My usual choice of genre is chicklit/romantic comedy. I am open to trying other genres (except maybe horror, due to my 'wimpish' nature) and have read some true and sometimes really inspirational stories in the past too. So, as long as you're not scaring me, I'll have a go at anything.

Put these influencing factors in order from the most important to the least important when you're looking for a new book to read: Characters, Genre, Writing style, Cover, Blurb, Author, Price.

Genre, Author, Cover, Blurb, Characters, Writing style, Price.

What do you think of the current trend of writers giving books away free?

I used to think that this was a cheap and tacky, almost desperate thing to do. I couldn't understand why an author would work so hard to write a novel over a long period of time (whether it be 9 months or 9 years), just to give it away for free.

However, now I do understand this concept as I have done it myself. I read somewhere, some while ago, about the power of free promotions to gain a fan base from where to start working and marketing from. It worked for me in the sense that my free book was downloaded over 3,000 times, in just a few days. What was more exciting and unexpected was the fact that my other book started selling at a daily rate, tenfold to previous sales figures. This has now happened twice for me and I will do it again in the future.

I must stress that these free promotions are only temporary promotions, lasting no more than 5 days and I'm happy with that set up each quarter, throughout the year. I do wonder though, what is the purpose of permanently free books to the authors who wrote them?

I know some authors who have one book permanently free as a sample of their work. I suppose that would work where the author always writes in the same genre, or where the freebie is the first book in a series.

What's your favourite genre to write?

Definitely comedy with some romance thrown in... or is it romance with some comedy thrown in? Not sure which way round but I hope you get the gist of it.

Do you do your best writing in the day or night?



I'm a day person, more specifically, a morning person. It all goes downhill at around 10am. By 7pm I'm an internet zombie, stunned in to a death-like state of immobility as I stare at other people's conversations on Facebook, watch numerous, sometimes pointless, video clips that jump out at me from the newsfeed, about all sorts of weird and wonderful things and then I trawl through the mountains of notifications, messages and general mayhem on Twitter. The internet is the bane of my life and the modern form of procrastination.

Some writers like music in the background when writing, others (me included) prefer silence. What is your preference?

I go for silence for 2 reasons. Firstly, I don't often get it in my busy household, therefore it's the ideal excuse not to write and to further my career in procrastination. Secondly, when it is silent and I do have to write, I can hear the characters in my head clearer. They may be talking to me or having conversations amongst themselves but at least I can hear what they're saying. Weird or what?

Hahahaha!

If you could meet one of the characters from your books and spend a day with him/her, who would you choose and what would you do?

I really liked Ruby from 'Calling All Dentists' and would love to spend a day with her. I would take her shopping to buy some outlandish clothing, sunbathe on a nudist beach (purely for the shock factor - both the shockingly, horrified looks of passers by [I'm not as sleek as I used to be] and to shock Ruby), encourage her to play 'Knock door run' with me, make some crank phone-calls, get extremely drunk in a local nightclub and 'pull' a one-night-stand. Hopefully after all of that, Ruby would be a little more worldly-wise and 'up for a laugh'.

Many authors write much of their fiction inspired by their own life experiences. How much of your own life goes into your fiction?

Quite a bit actually. I think of something that may have happened to me, or someone I know, but usually me. Then I twist it and turn it, take bits out, put other bits in (usually funny bits) and then scramble it all back together and throw it at a wall, just to splatter it a little further. I then scoop it all up and chuck it into a word document. I hope that's not reflected too much in my books, lol.

If you could invite 3 authors to dinner (can include authors from the past) who would you choose and what would you cook?

For a start I am the world's worst cook - I can burn a jelly! So I would hope that the 3 authors would be kind and forgiving. I would probably cheat due to my culinary inadequacies and either ask Mr Fordie (who is a wonderful cook) to pretend to be a hired cook for the evening (I'm sure he'd be up for that) or nip to the local take-away.

My 3 authors would be, Sophie Kinsella - I adore her and love her books. She seems to be a shy-ish person (like me) and I'm sure we would connect. Carole Matthews would be my next choice, she appears to be very outgoing, lively and fun and her books are fabutastic. She could bring me out of my little coconut shell. My final choice would be Roald Dahl, purely because I am so intrigued by his lifestyle, his shed (I would quite like one too) and his writing, I would love to know where his ideas came from. He would probably be the centre of attention actually, thus deflecting from the take-away or the fact that I had to get someone else to cook for me!

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Write, write, write... and keep writing. Don't give up on those 'bad days'. Keep at it and believe in yourself. I am completely sure that if I can do it, then anyone can. Another thing that I would say is, get your name known, well before your first book comes out. Social networking is an absolute must, particularly if you are going to be an independently published author.

It's a very good idea to set up a website/blog for yourself too. This is a window for interested readers/fans to go and take a peep through. I believe that the readers want to get to know you a little more, if they like your work.

I'm a great believer in 'what goes around, comes around', hence I do a lot of promotional work to help other authors too. I think this helps me as well.

How much research did you have to do for Calling All Dentists?



I did a little research for 'Calling All Dentists'. Luckily, I like my dentist, who I've been with for 3 years now and I used my experiences with her in either a negative or positive way (back to the 'chucking ideas at the wall' again). I've had some terrible experiences in the past and also my fair share of toothy problems so again, it all went up the wall.

Do you have any news for your readers?

Er... I think I've probably blown this question by waffling in previous questions. I'm looking forward to the release of my third book, 'Calling All Customers' at the end of this year. I'm hoping that it will be the best one yet. A fun read!

I will be going part time when I go back to school in September - yay! All thanks to Mr Fordie's kindly supportive role as husband-type-thing. So I hope to be able to write a lot more and procrastinate a lot less. I may well be banning myself from the internet for a certain amount of time each day, just so that I don't waste any more time. I can also catch up with the ironing!

Sounds wonderful, and I'm looking forward to reading more of your books!


Keep up with Tara Ford's news at the following links:

Author Website: http://taraford.weebly.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/rata2e

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/Tara.Ford...

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/rata2e2/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/tara-for...

One of my favourite writers, Joanne Phillips, is celebrating the first birthday of her novel Cupid's Way: A Heart-Warming Romantic Comedy.




The book is available at a special price, just 99p at the moment. You can grab a copy for your Kindle on Amazon worldwide:

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...
US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00L...


Book description:

Greedy housing developers and clueless grandparents don’t mix well. It’s up to bored, single Evie to save the day – but she never expects to fall for the evil corporation’s CEO in the process. Fans of romantic comedies, let us welcome you to one crazy neighbourhood.

Cupid’s Way is a heart-warming contemporary romance from the author of Amazon bestsellers Can’t Live Without and The Family Trap.

Joanne is a talented writer. I always enjoy reading her books. If you're looking for your next read, this could be the book for you.

Keep up with Joanne's writing at the following links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joannephilli...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joannegphillips
Blog/Website: https://joannegphillips.wordpress.com/

Stuff the Turkey by Tara Ford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Susie Satchel is either the luckiest or unluckiest woman on the planet, depending on how you look at it. In this novel we follow her through a series of adventures, some funny but some extremely sad.

When you look at the cover and the title, and even when you first start reading the book, it's easy to think that it will be just a fun chick-lit read, but "Stuff the Turkey" is so much more than that. It is a rollercoaster ride of emotional highs and lows. It's well-observed and the characters are very believable.

When the book starts, Susie is in a steady relationship and is very happy after starting a new job as a teaching assistant. When her colleagues play a practical joke on her she is left humiliated, but she does her best to see the funny side.

Christmas proves to be life-changing for Susie in more ways than one. "Stuff the Turkey" is written in the first person, so sometimes it did feel a bit like reading someone's diary or journal. It's a bit like a modern Bridget Jones.

The novel is fast-paced and kept me interested. I'd love to see it on the big screen as a romantic comedy.

The ending isn't really an ending, and I was pleased about that. I'm looking forward to reading more about Susie Satchel's adventures in the future.



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