Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti - Question 9 - #readalong #blogtour

Welcome to Question Nine of our Read Along of Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti.

Q Do you want to know what people think of you?

A  Only if it's good! I guess there is an element in all of us that we want to be liked. We want to hear the positive. However, if life has taught me anything it is that you can't please everybody all of the time.

What do you think?

 

The Nameless by Stuart White - #bookspotlight - #blogtour #BBNYA

 

I am so pleased to be shining the book spotlight on this book today. The Nameless by Stuart White was the 16th placed finalist in the BBNYA 2024 Award.

BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (16 in 2024) and one overall winner.

If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads. 

The Blurb

The YA debut from award-winning author, Stuart White.

IN A NAMELESS WORLD, ONE HERO RISES BY DISCOVERING THEIR IDENTITY.

In a dystopian world dominated by genetic perfection and numbered gene pools, sixteen-year-old E820927, known as Seven, yearns for an identity beyond his assigned number.

To escape a life as a Nameless Exile, and become a citizen of the Realm, he must pass a loyalty test to prove his allegiance to the totalitarian Autokratōr.

But as the truth unfolds, Seven faces a difficult choice between revenge, love and discovering his identity.

For dystopian fans of THE LAST OF US, THE MAZE RUNNER, and THE HUNGER GAMES.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1739595555

Publisher: Penobi Press

Formats:  e-book, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  334

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Amazon CA

About the Author

Stuart is an award-winning author and secondary school teacher. He has a Masters Degree in Creative 

Writing and founded, and now runs, WriteMentor. In 2020 and 2022 he was placed on the SCWBI Undiscovered Voices longlist and named as an Hononary Mention for his novels ‘Ghosts of Mars’ and ‘Astra FireStar and the Ripples of Time’. In 2023, he won the WriteBlend award for his middle grade debut, Ghosts of Mars.

Stuart was included in The Bookseller’s 2021 list of Rising Stars in the publishing industry.

(media courtesy of The Write Reads)

(all opinions are my own)

Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti - Question 8 - #readalong #blogtour

Welcome to Question Eight of our Read Along of Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti.

Q How important are believable characters to you?

A  I think they are absolutely essential. It is the characters that usually first engage me with a book and what keep me reading on.

What do you think?

The Leap Year Proposal by Susan Buchanan - #blogtour #authorQ&A #giveaway #authorinterview

 

I am delighted to welcome the author, Susan Buchanan onto the blog today. Susan was kind enough to agree to answer some questions about her latest book, The Leap Year Proposal. She has also been generous in offering a signed copy of her book to giveaway. Information on how to enter is at the bottom of this post.

But first, let me give you some info about the book.

The Blurb

Three women. One crazy hen weekend. 

A life-changing decision.When three women meet on a mutual friend’s hen weekend on the Scottish island of Arran, they get more than they bargained for when one of them has the genius idea of proposing on 29 February, like the age-old Irish tradition.

High-flying businesswoman Anouska and boyfriend Zach are deliriously happy and madly in love. If only they had more time together. But now she’s pregnant and doesn’t know how to tell him since having kids hadn’t featured in their plans.

Dog walker Jess lives with her childhood sweetheart, but they’re already like an old married couple, without the romance, or the wedding, or the ring. When Mark doesn’t propose on New Year’s Eve, Jess is gutted and decides to take matters into her own hands.

Ellie and Scott still live apart after six years, and his lack of commitment is a sore point. She’s up for a huge promotion which involves moving country. It’s make-or-break time. She needs to know he’s worth turning down the job for.

The women meet weekly, helping each other with decisions big and small, becoming each other’s support system in the run-up to ‘the big ask’.

Will love conquer all or will their hopes and dreams come crashing down around them?

***

Welcome to the blog Susan.

Thanks for inviting me.

Q. Intriguing concept – leap-year proposals. Are you a feminist? And do you think the concept of leap-year proposals still resonates today?

A. Am I a feminist? I’m a feminist in so much as I’ve never thought, not even for a second, that I don’t have as equal a right as a man to do something, simply because I’m female. I think whether the proposal idea will resonate or not depends on the person. You’ll have those who rail at the idea of women having to wait until 29 February every four years to propose, and then you’ll have people like me who like the uniqueness of the date and the fact that 29 February only exists every 4 years, and will just roll with it.

 Yes, I proposed on 29 February – although that morning I had no plans to!

Q. How many drafts of your books, and particularly this one, did you do?

A. Nowadays I usually do 2-3 drafts, then more after edits. This one went through a lot more edits as so many things changed based on feedback. I’ll never know which was the better version. I loved both, but clearly I’m biased! 

Q. So, does that mean you cut characters and scenes? Do you delete scenes or keep them? I’ve heard writers should never throw anything away.

A. Yes, I cut both characters and scenes, and that’s not something I usually do. But in traditional publishing, you often have to fit exactly what they’re looking for, so I did that for this book. I keep all versions of my books, so those scenes may be used as a little extra for my newsletter subscribers at some future point. 

Q. What to your mind is the most romantic scene in the book?

A. Hmm, that’s a toughie, but I guess I’d have to say the penultimate one with Zach and Anouska (not including the epilogue). If it doesn’t get the readers rooting for them, I’ve done something wrong! 

Q. What would you say the themes are in the book? Obviously romance, but I get the impression female friendship is a key one.

A. Absolutely it is. The three women end up spending a lot of time together – time when their partners, for various reasons, aren’t around. It works in their favour in one way as they’re trying to craft these proposals in secret. The strength and bond of female friendship is definitely one of the main themes in the book. Betrayal, second chances and forgiveness also feature heavily.

Q. Did you have any actors or people in mind for any of the characters in the book as you wrote it? If not, who would you like to take the lead roles if The Leap Year Proposal was made into a film?

A. Not as I wrote it, no, although interestingly I did for the book I wrote after this one! I don’t tend to normally. Perhaps Claire Foy for Ellie, Emilia Clarke as Jess and Gemma Arterton as Anouska. For the love interests, perhaps Taron Egerton, Theo James and Nicholas Hoult, but I’m not telling you who is who!  

Q. What can we expect from Susan Buchanan in 2025 and 2026?

A. Well, quite a lot, I think! I released the third in my Christmas Spirit series in November 2024 after a gap of almost ten years! I know! And it was so well received, and I’ve had so many ideas for future books in the series, I can confirm there will be another Christmas Spirit book in 2025 and probably again in 2026. However, before that there’s You Can’t Hurry Love, my romance set in Costa Rica, and heavily featuring a sloth sanctuary – if you’ve never been, you really have to go. Sloths are so cute! You Can’t Hurry Love will be out in May and is already up for pre-order: https://books2read.com/u/mKG0p5

Thank you so much for coming onto the blog today Susan. It's been wonderful to have you and I'm sure the book will do brilliantly.

About the Author

Susan Buchanan writes romantic comedy, contemporary romance and women’s fiction, usually featuring travel, food, family, friendship, community – also Christmas!

Her books are Sign of the Times, The Dating Game, The Christmas Spirit, Return of the Christmas Spirit, A Little Christmas Spirit and Just One Day – Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. 

As a freelance developmental editor, copyeditor and proofreader, if she’s not reading, editing or writing, she’s thinking about it.  

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Society of Authors and the Alliance of Independent Authors. 

She lives near Glasgow with her husband, two children and a crazy Labrador. 

When she’s not editing, writing, reading or caring for her two delightful cherubs, she likes going to the theatre, playing board games, watching quiz shows and eating out, and she has recently discovered a love of writing retreats.

You can also find Susan at:

Author Website

Instagram

Twitter / X

Blue Sky

Giveaway

To be in with a chance of winning a signed copy of The Leap Year Proposal click on the link below. UK only.

Good Luck!

Enter Giveaway

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

The House of Echoes by Alexandra Walsh - #blogtour #bookreview

 

‘The Brandon blood is dark with lies and treachery and as it flows through my heart, my vow is this: they will all pay.’

***

The Blurb

Hampton Court Palace 1530s

Anne Brandon has always understood the power of a king’s patronage and, though the court of Henry VIII is a dangerous place for women, as the daughter of the king’s best friend, Anne feels safer than most. But Anne’s husband Lord Powis is tiring of her childlessness and when Henry VIII begins plotting to rid himself of a queen in his quest for an heir, suddenly Anne’s life is in danger. And as whispers of the name of her friend Anne Boleyn get ever louder, there is peril in every loose word, every forbidden conversation.

Pembrokshire Present Day

Caroline Harvey has spent years helping her grandfather, the reclusive bestselling novelist Dexter Blake, hide from his legions of fans in his home on the Pembrokshire coast. After his death, the vultures begin to circle Dexter’s fortune. When Caroline’s ownership of the house she has inherited is called into question, her research into its history reveals it was once owned by Anne Brandon who had sought refuge there. Intrigued, Caroline is determined to discover why Anne fled the court of Henry VIII.

Two women divided by centuries but joined by secrets and courage. And when a twist in their histories threatens them both with the same fate – losing the man they love – their revenge will be the same too. Because there’s no one mightier than a woman underestimated or more powerful than the need to save those they love.

Bestseller Alexandra Walsh is back with a compelling, captivating insight into the Tudor court through the eyes of a woman who had only her guile to keep her alive. Perfect for all fans of Barbara Erskine, Philippa Gregory, Anne O’Brien and Elena Collins.

My Review

I love a dual timeline novel. It provides me with the perfect reading combination - historical fiction and contemporary. This book is set in the present day and in the 16th century. 

The earlier part is set during the reign of Henry VIII. I really enjoyed reading this familiar period of history told from a different perspective. Anne Brandon was the daughter of Charles Brandon, the once exiled father who married the King's sister Mary without first seeking the permission of His Majesty, but who was later accepted back at court. She was also a friend to Anne Boleyn, and we see a slightly different woman through Anne Brandon's eyes.

The contemporary aspect of the novel follows Caroline who is the granddaughter of the famous author, Dexter Blake. There are secrets to uncover in this part of the novel and it was fascinating to read how the reader ties up the stories of the past and present.

The book moves seamlessly between the two time periods, and as I read I found myself excited to get back to the other. The writing was compelling to read and the story was fascinating. The author writes well and I look forward to reading some of her other novels.

The characters were well portrayed, and the author does a great job in depicting these two strong women who are separated by centuries. 

If you enjoy books about strong women and appreciate novels which are set in both contemporary and historical periods, particularly during the time of the Tudors, then you will love this book as much as I did. I highly recommend it.

Book Details:

ISBN:  978 1804159651

Publisher:  Boldwood Books

Formats:  e-book, audio, hardback and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  400 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

About the Author:

Alexandra Walsh is the bestselling author of dual timeline historical mysteries, previously published by Sapere. Her books range from the fifteenth century to the Victorian era and are inspired by the hidden voices of women that have been lost over the centuries. Formerly a journalist, writing for national newspapers, magazines and TV, her first book for Boldwood will be published in Spring 2023.

You can also find Alexandra at:

Facebook

Twitter / X

Instagram

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(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti - Question 7 - #readalong #blogtour

 

Welcome to Question Seven of our Read Along of Aristotle for Novelists by Douglas Vigliotti.

Q How do you feel about italicization in stories?

A  Personally, I think it plays an important part in helping a reader to differentiate between thought, feeling and narrative.

What do you think?

10 Ten Books I Want to Read in February 2025

 

February is the month of love and I am delighted to be sharing some bookish love with you today.

Here are ten books which have caught my eye this month and that I would like to read this month.

Lanny by Max Porter

From Provence with Love by Alison Roberts

Her Mother's Secret by Rosanna Ley

The Little Penguin Bookshop by Joanna Toye

The Broken River by Chris Hammer

Family Matters at Blackberry Farm by Rosie Clarke

The Paris Bookshop for the Broken Hearted by Rebecca Raisin

Seven Dead by J. Jefferson Farjeon

The Found Things by Petr Horacek

The Night She Disappeared by Lisa Jewell

A Scottish Island Summer by Julie Shackman - #blogtour #bookspotlight

 I am delighted to be shining the spotlight on this book today. It is wonderful to look at the cover of this book and think of summer. I can't wait.

The Blurb

When ambitious city girl, Darcie Freeman is sent to the Isle of Skye to conduct research for a travel guide, she’s horrified. The prospect of having to travel to a remote island in the Scottish Highlands leaves her wondering what she’ll do.

Step in Logan Burns. Gorgeous and adventurous, he lives and breathes the island, and along with his sister Iona, who owns a rather haphazard PR company, they’re going to show Darcie everything she needs to know about Skye.

As Darcie swaps her designer shoes for her walking boots and her faux fur jacket for her raincoat, will she learn there’s more to life than the picture-perfect presence she shares on social media, or will it be the case that Skye is the limit…

Book Details

ISBN:  978 0008614355

Publisher: One More Chapter

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  384 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Bookshop.org

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland, who has always wanted to write feel-good romance. 

As well as being an author, Julie also writes verses and captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsession with stationery and handbags. 

She is married, has two sons and adopted a Romanian rescue puppy, Cooper. 

A Scottish Island Summer is Julie's twelfth novel.

You can also find Julie at:

Author Website

Twitter / X

Instagram

Facebook

Blue Sky

(media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

(bookshop.org affiliated)