Rachel Sargeant's Blog

In an earlier post I introduced the book bloggers who participated in the first leg of my blog tour for The Good Teacher. Here now I introduce those involved in the second leg.

Jacob set up Hooked from Page One when he realised friends and family often asked him for recommendations. https://hookedfrompageoneblog.wordpre... It seemed a good idea to share his choices with a wider audience. Crime fiction, including psychological thrillers, is his favourite genre and he also likes some historical fiction and ghost stories. He is part of the First Monday Crime review team which meets every month at City University, London. Jacob is also a writer, currently putting the finishing touches to a crime novel.

It’s my second year in a row to visit Jen Med’s Book Reviews. https://jenmedsbookreviews.com/
Jen kindly reviewed The Perfect Neighbours on my last blog tour and she’s about to review The Good Teacher. Jen is a crime fiction and thriller fan, but doesn’t mind a spot of chick lit, young adult or romance. Jen’s other loves are travelling, rambling, theatre, animals and writing. I was grateful to Jen when she took part in the cover reveal for The Good Teacher at very short notice.

Faye founded A Daydreamer’s Thoughts in 2011 to post book and film reviews and articles, author interviews, guest posts and features. http://daydreamersthoughts.co.uk/ She enjoys contemporary, adventure, paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, crime, thriller, mystery and some romance and historical fiction. Faye also reads Young Adult and middle grade fiction.

Nicki of Nicki’s Life of Crime is a blogging mum of four who loves crime novels. http://nickislifeofcrime.blogspot.com/ When she’s not reading, she can be found doing cross stitch or chasing after her Akita cross dog. Nicki was one of three lovely bloggers who took part in the cover reveal for The Good Teacher at twenty four hours’ notice.

Karen from Hair Past a Freckle is making a second appearance on my blog tour for The Good Teacher, having posted an extract when the tour kicked off in December. https://hairpastafreckle72.blogspot.com/
She was also the third blogger to host my cover reveal even though I only gave her a day’s notice.

Mum of three Liz of Liz Loves Books will have a go at most types of fiction, her favourites being the entire works of Stephen King, crime fiction, young adult, post-apocalyptic stories, urban fantasy and science fiction. http://lizlovesbooks.com/
Recently she’s found herself enjoying literary fiction and chick lit. She is a freelance submissions reader for Orenda books and an editor at Manatee Books Ltd.

Linda’s Book Bag is an award-winning blog. https://lindasbookbag.com/
This year it was named #BloggersBash Best Overall Blog and was Best Book Review Blog in 2016. In 2017 Linda received the Media Star Award from the Romantic Novelists’ Association. When Linda’s not reading, she can be found gardening, travelling and/or drinking tea. Linda often gets invited to publishers’ showcases, and her follow-up posts give the exciting lowdown on forthcoming titles.

Lou on Reader’s Retreat loves crime fiction in all its sub-genres and is a big fan of technothrillers where social media, internet dating, chatrooms and the like add an extra fear factor to the mystery. https://avidreadersretreat.blogspot.com/ She also likes fantasy, sci-fi, and some literary fiction, but she’ll try out other genres, too, such as poetry, history and books from a variety of countries and cultures. Lou is a librarian on Good Reads.

One of the great things about book blogging is that you can connect internationally. I’m delighted that my blog tour for The Good Teacher will make a stop in Pennsylvania, USA when I visit Murder and Moore. https://www.murderandmoore.com/
With a blog name like that, it’s hardly surprising Christen’s interests are all things crime - crime fiction, true crime, thrillers, suspense, and psychological thrillers, not only in books but also in TV shows and podcasts that have a criminal element at the core.

Steph of Steph’s Book Blog likes all kinds of crime fiction, including psychological thrillers. https://stephsbookblog.com/ She also enjoys historical fiction, contemporary fiction, fantasy novels and translated fiction. As well as book blogging, Steph likes walking, bird watching and genealogy. Future blogs are likely to include Steph’s photographs of historic buildings as she combines her interests in local history and photography.

My Reading Corner provided the final stop on the blog tour for The Perfect Neighbours last year and I’m pleased to say is doing the same again this year for The Good Teacher. http://www.myreadingcorner.co.uk/ Karen puts her long train commute to good use by reading. Her favourite genres are mystery, thriller, psychological suspense, women’s contemporary fiction, post 1700 historical novels and timeslips. She is a member of the LoveReading review panel and also the Romantic Novelists’ Association reader panel.

This time last year I wrote a blog to sing the praises of the bookbloggers who were supporting my blog tour for The Perfect Neighbours. I’m delighted to write a similar blog this year to thank all the bookbloggers who are taking part in The Good Teacher blog tour. For those who don’t know, bookbloggers read, review and promote books for a hobby. They don’t get paid. They do it in their spare time for the love of reading. New authors like me, trying to get a presence in a crowded market, are very grateful for the guest slots offered to us on bookbloggers’ wonderful websites. And as a reader, I now get many ideas for what to read from the bookbloggers I follow.
Donna of donnasbookblog https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/ is a voracious reader of crime, suspense, mystery, psychological thrillers, romance, chick lit and – her favourites – historical fiction and non-fiction. As well as looking after her young family, Donna finds time to read well over 500 books a year. (And some years it’s over 600.) She started to review books through NetGalley in January 2015 and has completed more than 1400 reviews since then.
Karen from Hair Past A Freckle https://hairpastafreckle72.blogspot.com/ loves crime, historical, contemporary and women’s fiction, science fiction and fantasy, and has been blogging for five years. She took the intriguing name for her blog from an expression of her father’s. It’s a response to someone asking the time when you’re not wearing a wristwatch and, as Karen says, it’s apt for a blog about reading. Who hasn’t lost track of time with their nose in a book? Karen also reviews young adult and children’s books – with a little help from her youngest daughter.
Tessa Barrie of Lost Blogs https://tessabarrielostblogs.com/ describes her blog as ‘nicheless’ and she posts on a variety of topics. Over the years she has contributed to newspapers and magazines on a freelance basis, as well as writing short stories, whilst holding down a proper job. There’s often a chance to catch one of her short stories or a work in progress on the website. Tessa is based in Jersey, Channel Islands. Her blog has been running since February 2014 and now averages 1000 visitors per day from a variety of countries, in particular USA, Canada, UK, France and Germany.
Cathy, who runs Between the Lines Book Blog, https://betweenthelinesbookblog.com/ likes reading murder/mystery, suspense, paranormal, and psychological thrillers. She’s also been known to try young adult, apocalyptic, sci-fi and contemporary fiction, and is fond of audiobooks. A keen photographer, Cathy also posts stunning examples of her work, often beautiful scenes of the British countryside or coast.
Jera’s Jamboree https://www.jerasjamboree.co.uk/ is another blog with an intriguing name. Owner Shaz explains that Jera is the rune of harvest, reward and the cycle of seasons. This implicit connection to movement, change and natural development is underlined in Shaz’s willingness to welcome a wide variety of titles to her book blog. Even if Shaz and her guest reviewers don’t read a specific genre, they know there are many visitors to the website who will.
As her blog name suggests, Nicola of Short Book and Scribes http://shortbookandscribes.uk/ favours giving shorter reviews. However, they still give a good overview with plenty of insight. She also contributes to the quarterly literary magazine, NB. Nicola likes contemporary, literary and women’s fiction, crime and psychological thrillers, and the occasional spot of time travel or historical fiction. Her favourite settings are Italy and Scottish Islands – and who can argue with that?
Amanda describes herself as a ginger-haired bookworm so it’s hardly surprising she’s chosen The Ginger Book Geek https://gingerbookgeek.wordpress.com/ as her website name. Amanda grew up in a book-reading family and will have a go at most genres although her dad’s love for science fiction didn’t rub off on her. Like many bookbloggers I know, she’s a dog lover. She describes her two Labradors as divas.
It’s lovely to be appearing again on Shaz’s Book Blog. https://shazsbookblog.blogspot.com/ Last year Sharon hosted a guest post for The Perfect Neighbours and this year she will review The Good Teacher. Her favourite genres are women’s fiction, crime fiction, psychological thrillers and the occasional historical saga, and she often features giveaways and competitions. Regular guest reviewer Emma reads mainly women’s fiction, historical timeslips & sagas. Both fit in reading and reviewing around busy day jobs.
It’s also a welcome return to Chat About Books. https://chataboutbooks.wordpress.com/ Last year Kerry interviewed me on her blog and this year will host an extract from The Good Teacher. Kerry – another dog-owning, blogging mum – started her blog in 2015 and has been nominated for a Bloggers Bash Award for the last two years.
So there you have the first nine book bloggers who generously gave their time to read, review and/or post for The Good Teacher blog tour. I will introduce the bloggers participating in the second half of the blog tour later this month.

The Wonder of Book Bloggers
I love Good Reads and always thought we were the only ones talking about books. Until my editor told me, I had no idea book bloggers existed. They run professional-looking, well-maintained websites, brimming with their reviews and recommendations. With their innovative extra features, they are a great source of support for lesser-known authors to give us a helping hand with publicity.
Here are some of my favourite sites:
Emily Williams Author
http://emilywilliamsauthor.blogspot.c...
Emily is a primary school teacher based in West Sussex. As well as reviewing romance, thrillers and contemporary fiction, she loves to read children’s fiction. Emily is also the author of Letters to Eloise and is currently working on a psychological thriller that I can’t wait to read.
The Book Review Cafe
https://thebookreviewcafe.com/
Crime book lover, Lorraine, started her blog in August 2015 with no idea how popular it would become. She fits in reading and reviewing around a full-time job. I liked her Top Five Thursday column where she talked all things top five and books with fellow bloggers.
Jen Med’s Book Reviews
https://jenmedsbookreviews.com/
Jen is a night-time reader who loves inspiring others to try new books and authors with her blog. She’ll try most genres, her favourite being crime. Check out Jen’s own Writing and Musing section on her website.
The Book Review Babe
https://thebookbabereviews.wordpress....
This book babe is a sassy, red lipped reader who likes to read and review romance, women’s fiction, contemporary fiction, crime thriller, psychological thriller, domestic noir & horror. I loved her review of Cass Green’s In a Cottage in a Wood.
Shaz’s Book Blog
http://shazsbookblog.blogspot.co.uk/
Self-confessed bookaholic Sharon reads women's fiction, crime fiction, psychological thrillers and a few sagas. Her blog has a number of features including interviews with debut authors, a column where experienced authors talk about aspects of writing and a giveaways slot.
Chat About Books
https://chataboutbooks.wordpress.com/
Kerry’s blog has recently celebrated its second birthday. In that time she’s featured guest articles and interviews with a variety of authors in action thrillers, psychological thrillers and contemporary fiction. I love her author Q & As and look forward to taking part soon.
Have Books Will Read
https://havebookswillread.com/
Clair is a married mum living in the east of England with 2 cats and a bursting-at-the-seams bookcase. Crime, mystery, thriller, chick-lit and contemporary fiction are her favourite genres.
My Reading Corner
http://www.myreadingcorner.co.uk/
Karen lives in Essex and, like me, got her love of crime novels from reading Agatha Christie. She reads mysteries, thrillers and psychological suspense as well as women’s contemporary fiction and historical fiction (with a soft spot for timeslip novels). Karen makes the best use of a two hours a day train commute by reading. I almost envy her, but not quite.
I recommend all these bloggers for ideas of what to read in their preferred genres.
If you stop by their sites in December, look out for me as I visit them all on my blog tour for The Perfect Neighbours.
In January I’m looking forward to taking part in a Best of Crime feature with another great book blogger:
Off-the-Shelf Books
http://off-the-shelfbooks.blogspot.co...
Victoria is a freelance health journalist/editor. She is the author of Allergies: A Parents' Guide and is currently writing a novel. She loves reading fiction, especially crime, mysteries, thrillers, psychological thrillers, women's contemporary fiction, popular fiction, some historical fiction and some YA fiction (including dystopian novels).

I am thrilled to announce that The Perfect Neighbours, my new psychological thriller, will be published by HarperCollins Killer Reads on 15th December as an eBook.
Since I signed the contract with HarperCollins in July, I’ve entered a whole new world of mainstream publishing. It’s been enlightening and exciting to work with Killer Reads editor, Finn Cotton, to bring the manuscript to a publishable standard. Finn has made excellent suggestions for building up the tension and deflecting suspicion from the guilty parties.
And I’ve had my first review. Many thanks to Chris Curran, author of Her Deadly Secret, for this lovely quote:
‘Builds from a creeping sense of unease to a jaw-dropping climax and a denouement I defy anyone to see coming.’

What is a Writer?

This month I gave my first ever talk as a writer. I was both flattered and flummoxed by the invitation to speak. Two problems preoccupied me: Am I even a writer? What could I possibly have to say that would sustain a whole morning’s presentation?

I tackled the second problem by inviting fellow fiction writer Clare Banks to share the panel with me. Despite her 23 years in broadcast journalism with the BBC, her initial reaction was: Am I even a writer? What could I possibly have to say…?

So these two bundles of self-doubt headed off to give a talk. The audience couldn’t have been more welcoming. They listened attentively, asked lots of questions and also told us about their reading and writing interests.

Clare and I came away thinking that, with one talk under our laptops, we could maybe call ourselves writers after all.

This got me thinking about what else I do that makes me a writer.

Well, I write. That might seem obvious but it’s so much easier to prevaricate and indulge in displacement activity than to put pen to paper. Years ago I went to a talk by crime writer Priscilla Masters. She told her audience, “If you want to write a book, write a book.”

I also read in a variety of genres. I learn so much about technique and plot by seeing how other writers do it. Reading is great fun too.

I carry a notebook with me everywhere to note down ideas as they occur to me, often based on things I see or hear when I’m out and about.

I spend more time editing than I do writing. The first draft is always a mess. Stephen King likens his first draft to being seen in his underwear before he’s washed, shaved and dressed. In my case, I have to dress and re-dress several times before I have a decent draft.

My network of buddy writers is really important to me. I met some brilliant people on my MA Creative Writing course at Lancaster University and four of us have kept in touch. We share our writing triumphs and disasters and give insightful critiques of each other’s drafts.

Every time one of my books or short stories pings back rejected, I edit it and send it out to another editor. After fourteen years of writing, I’m used to rejection.

So here is my nine-point checklist to being a writer:
1.Write
2.Read
3.Carry a notebook
4.Edit
5.Network
6.Invite criticism
7.Send work out
8.Deal with rejection
9.Never give up

I received a surprising and very welcome phone call this week. Graham Jennings of Henshaw Press rang to say that I had won joint second prize in the Henshaw Short Story Competition.
Any fellow writers reading this will know what an incredible boost it is to be placed in a competition. Writing is all about rejection, perseverance and finally prevailing, but sometimes too much rejection can make the perseverance part very hard to maintain. Writers cling on to every tiny bit of recognition to keep them going. I am grateful that so many editors and writing groups take the trouble to organise short story competitions. So, thank you to Henshaw Press; you’ve spurred me on.
My story "Cutting Through" now appears on the Henshaw Press website. http://henshawpress.co.uk/December201...
I found about the Henshaw Press competition from Writing Magazine. I’ve subscribed to this monthly magazine for years and highly recommend it. As well as running its own competitions, it publicises regional, national and sometimes international competitions for poets, playwrights, short story writers and novelists.
Check out the Writers Online website https://www.writers-online.co.uk/

Sister Muriel Wakeford of the Australian Army Nursing Service spent most of 1915 nursing soldiers at Gallipoli. She returned home in the autumn but headed back to sea before Christmas. Her last diary entry read:

Thu 16 Dec
Leaving by the Melbourne Express tonight for Melbourne. Joining the Karoola which is leaving on Saturday.

Muriel’s mother, Ellen, takes over the diary from this point, to record the departures of Muriel and also her sister Vera.

There is no record of how Muriel spent Christmas 1915 aboard the Karoola. Below is how I imagined it for my characters in Gallipoli: Year of Love and Duty. My novel is loosely based on Muriel’s diary.

Saturday 25 Dec
We discover we are not the only ones who have been up late preparing for today’s festivities. The galley staff have decked the dining room with red and green bunting made from lengths of cloth and ribbon.
The chaplain is kept busy all day with several services in quick succession to make sure everyone can attend. There are different sittings for dinner, too, to accommodate crew duty commitment. The chaplain is on hand again to say grace at each one. Roast beef and plum pudding.

Sunday 26 Dec
We pass the time by attending another church service. Perhaps, like the nurses, the chaplain seeks out his work to fill his time. It is more than merely answering his calling.

The men get their Christmas billies today. Someone forgot about them yesterday although how anyone can forget that number of billy cans cluttering up the stores is beyond me. They were delivered in their hundreds to one of the camps and somehow a contingent was brought on board here. They contain the most marvellous treasures - butterscotch, sardines, tobacco, safety pins, bootlaces, handkerchiefs. So thoughtful of the people back home.

Last Entry
The following year, Muriel’s mother used the last page of Muriel’s 1915 diary to note down Muriel’s new address:
Mrs R. Sargeant
St Andrews Rd
St Helier Jersey

Mrs R. Sargeant was Muriel’s name after her marriage to Raymond Sargeant. It was surreal for me to see this on the last page of the diary after I’d read, studied and transcribed the rest.
Mrs R. Sargeant – that’s my name too.

Before I read Sister Muriel Wakeford’s diary of her time nursing at Gallipoli, I would have assumed she decided to return home in September 1915 because her war-time experiences became exhausting and overwhelming. However, the diary suggests that she left for the very opposite reason:

Thu 2 Sep
Word came from No. 2 Aus. Gen. Hosp. that I with three others were to return to Gezireh. Had permission to stay in Alexandria till Saturday.

Fri 3 Sep
Pleasant day

Sat 4 Sep
Departed at 4pm for Gezireh. Arrived at 8pm.

Sun 5 Sep
Quiet day.

Mon 6 Sep
Most uninteresting

Tue 7 Sep
No change

Wed 8 Sep
Feeling very tired. We are not very busy.

Thu 9 Sep
No change

Fri 10 Sep
No change

Sat 11 Sep
Having a quiet time

Sun 12 Sep
Same again

Mon 13 Sep
Volunteered to go home to Australia with the invalids.


To write Gallipoli: Year of Love and Duty, I had to research not only the Gallipoli Campaign but also Muriel Wakeford as I based the novel on her 1915 diary.

For anyone researching Australian involvement in WW1 from the point of view of the private individual who served, I recommend
1.http://www.awm.gov.au/
2.http://www.anzacsite.gov.au/
3.http://museumvictoria.com.au/ (photos)

Sister Muriel Wakeford and her colleagues, on board the hospital ship Gascon, nursed more than eight thousand wounded, sick and dying men from the Gallipoli battlefields. Reprinted here is an extract from Muriel’s journal which recounts the Suvla Bay landings. Suvla Bay was a new Allied landing point on the Gallipoli peninsula. The attack led to heavy casualties on both sides.

Fri 6 Aug
Arrive in Mudros at 6am and anchor in outer harbour. Seven hospital ships and seven transports left tonight – we are awaiting orders.
Sat 7 Aug
Lying in Mudros bay still
Sun 8 Aug
Received orders at 4pm to proceed to Anzac. Arrived at 10pm in same spot.
Mon 9 Aug
By daylight the whole coast presents a very different aspect to what it did when we departed here (Anzac) nearly a month ago. Troops have landed and are holding the whole length of coastline from Anzac beach to Cape Suvla (new landing place). Several cruisers and transports are anchored there in Suvla Bay. 3 cruisers and several monitors are shelling Turkish positions. Heavy fighting proceeds all day. Wounded arriving continually. Before leaving Anzac we witnessed our troops advancing under heavy shell fire on flat country between Cape Suvla and 950 Hill. At 6pm we have 600 on board and received orders to proceed to Imbros. We arrive at 8pm. Harbour full of ships of all kinds. Several transports full of troops ready for landing. I am on night duty very tired.
Tue 10 Aug
At 8am we proceed alongside “Stories” and discharge a number of wounded. At 3pm discharge remainder and sail immediately for Anzac arriving at 8pm. Heavy rifle firing going on. We are anchored three quarters of a mile off shore well to southward. Rifle bullets fall about the deck very frequently. We move to the northward and embark some wounded. Bullets still bothersome – one of the Indian servants was shot through the leg with one. We again move farther north and find ourselves out of range.
Wed 11 Aug
Off Anzac. Heavy fighting above. Embarking wounded all day. Since our return nearly 1000 patients have passed through the ship. We arrive at Imbros at 9.30pm with 500 on board.

My novel Gallipoli: Love and Duty is based on Muriel's diary.

I am absolutely thrilled to have received a five star review in Nursing Standard magazine:
"This well written and vivid novel is a truly compelling narrative of one of the worst military disasters of the first world war. If you enjoy historical fiction, I would highly recommend this book."
Thank you, Emma Vincent, it means so much.