Novelicious.com | The Women's Fiction Blog for Readers and Writers

My Writing Room by Bette Lee Crosby

Where you write often sets the tone for what you write. I am my most creative when I write in my own space. It is an office in our home. My office is a small room, overcrowded with books and memorabilia, but I am happy here. I am with the people, places and things I love.

The books on my shelf are ones I have read. Many of them have been around for decades, they are a bit worn but no less loved. On the bookshelves there are also a dozen or more framed photos – they keep me close to my family and friends, they remind me of vacations we’ve enjoyed and even the dogs I’ve loved and lost.

Review – Darling Beast by Elizabeth Hoyt

Reviewed by Debs Carr

Lily Stump is a well-known and much admired actress forced to live in the burnt out remains of a theatre where she once played. She lives with her son, Indio, his little whippet Daff and her protective maid, Maude. When Indio comes across a huge, mute man working in the ruined theatre gardens Lily overcomes her concern about having this stranger around her son, and invites him into her home for something to eat. Although he pretends to be simple, Lily soon works out that the man her son calls Caliban is anything but. Slowly the two become friends and Lily is unable to ignore her growing attraction for him.

Caliban is actually Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne, he has escaped from Bedlam after four traumatic years thanks to his twin sister’s help. Unable to speak due to a near fatal beating he received in the nightmarish place, he is desperate to trace the person who branded him a killer having framed him for the murders of three of his friends. Just when he and Lily become close Captain Trevillion, the soldier who originally arrested him, arrives at the gardens. The men fight and he realizes that Apollo wasn’t the man behind the murders. Guilt-ridden, Trevillion determines to find the real culprit so that Apollo can clear his name and take his rightful place in society once more.

Novelicious Chats To...Jenny Kane

Jenny Kane, author of the Another Cup Of... range of books, has popped over to chat to us about her novels and tell us more about her five draft writing and editing process. 

Can you tell us a little about your average writing day?

I am very much a creature of routine – and I’m pretty unproductive if that routine gets messed with. My writing day begins between 8.30 and 8.45 every morning with a read through of the last few pages of my previous day’s work, while I munch toast and drink black coffee in the corner of my local cafe.

Once I’m happy with the story on paper so far, I put my head down and write – long hand – into my notebook. I only have two hours to write each morning before I start my ‘real’ job, so I tend to plough along as fast as possible.

Late in the afternoon, after work, I return to my table in the cafe to type up my earlier scribbling; editing and improving my work as I go.

When you are writing, do you use any celebrities or people you know as inspiration?

I’ve never used celebrities as inspiration for my work. I rarely have time to watch television or films, so consequently I don’t know who many celebrities are! I find real people far more interesting.

I am often inspired by the people I see around me every day. I frequently make use of phrases I overhear, or situations that catch my eye and feel would fit within the plotlines that constantly circle my brain. For example, sometimes a scar on a cheek, or an unusual, or an unexpected item peeping out from the top of a handbag, can set off my thought processes in a most unusual and rewarding direction.

My novel Another Cup of Coffee was entirely based on the students I knew at university, and my imaginings as to what they’d be like as they grew up.

Review – Alarm Girl by Hannah Vincent

Reviewed by Jennifer Joyce

Eleven-year-old Indigo Taylor and her older brother Robin have been living with their grandparents since the death of their mother, Karen. Their father has been setting up a new life and business in South Africa and now Ian is keen for his children to join him. As a taster for their potential new lifestyle, Indigo and Robin travel to South Africa to spend Christmas with their father. But Indigo isn’t entirely comfortable with the new life Ian has carved for himself and she begins to question what actually happened to her mother, growing increasingly suspicious about the lack of detail surrounding her death.

Alarm Girl is quite a short read at just under 200 pages but it is packed with drama and emotion as the story of Indigo and Karen unfolds. The book switches between Indigo’s recount of her South African holiday and Karen’s story, detailing her past and her relationship with Ian as well as her death. I loved the childlike voice of Indigo and felt for her as she struggled to come to terms with the loss of her mother as well as trying to adjust to her father’s new life. I found myself quickly drawn into the young girl’s world and devoured the pages as I was keen to find out what would happen to her and what she would uncover about her mother. I was a little confused as the narratives switched to begin with, but the shift in time and characters soon became clearer and I became more and more invested in Karen’s story, particularly towards the end.

The Novelicious Book Club – What We Thought of The Little Christmas Kitchen by Jenny Oliver

Last month, we launched the December edition of The Novelicious Book Club – a fun, friendly and festive read-along with The Little Christmas Kitchen by Jenny Oliver as our 2014 Christmas pick. We whooped for Ella when she walked out on Max, we salivated over Mum Davenport’s cooking (so hungry for Greek food) and we laughed and giggled through some of the mishaps and quirks of the novel. Did you join in?

The Greatest Gift is the Passion for Reading (Plus Win A Bundle of Quercus Books!)

To quote Neil Gaiman: “Books make great gifts because they have whole worlds inside of them. And it's much cheaper to buy somebody a book than it is to buy them the whole world!”

True that, Neil. True. That.

We’re huge advocates of book buying and reading in general, but there are hundreds of reasons why books make great gifts to give to other people, too. They provide hours of surprise, escape, and discovery. They make you smarter. More compassionate, too. Heck, they can even reduce stress. Best of all, there’s truly a book out there for everyone. Whether adventure, romance, mystery, comedy or drama is your bag, or you prefer horror, fantasy, sci-fi or something wildly erotic. Perhaps, like us, you’re even partial to a little Fabio now and then (you’ll always have your own genre in our hearts, Fabio). The choices are endless.

News – Philip Pullman Returns to the His Dark Materials Universe with Exclusive Christmas Story for Audible.co.uk

Fans of the His Dark Materials trilogy can return to Lyra’s Oxford this Christmas, as Audible.co.uk offers members the free gift of an exclusive new short story written by Philip Pullman and performed by Bill Nighy.

The Collectors is an original short story by one of the most well-loved and admired British novelists of recent times. It is available from 17 December as a free download for Audible members.

Set in the Senior Common Room of an Oxford college on a dark winter’s night, The Collectors follows the conversation of a pair of new characters, Horley and Grinstead, as they discuss two new works of art that Horley has added to his collection. Little do they know that these pieces are connected in mysterious and improbable ways, and that both of them are about to be caught in the crossfire of a story that has travelled through time and between worlds.

The Collectors marks the first time that Pullman has returned to the universe he created for the beloved His Dark Materials trilogy since the publication of Once Upon A Time in the North in 2008. Written exclusively for Audible as a standalone story, it introduces new listeners to the His Dark Materials books, while revealing a little something extra to fans of Lyra and her world.

The Collectors is narrated by Bill Nighy, the Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning actor whose work on stage, screen and radio has included Love Actually, the Pirates of the Caribbean series and a multitude of TV, stage and radio appearances.

Feasting on Romantic Comedy – Panettone Bread Pudding with Rum Custard from The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown

For a Christmas novel that makes you feel warm, hugged and cosy then look no further than The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown. Oh, I adored it. Perfect to escape the extra work that appears on the to-do list at this time of year. It made me sit down on the settee in front of the fire and not move until I'd finished. Magical. 

Set in the fictional village of Tindledale, Sybil decides to go there on a whim after things go slightly awry at work. Here she meets a wealth of characters, including Hettie of Hettie's House of Haberdashery. As Sybil is a knitting addict they become friends and between them something rather amazing happens.

When Sybil first arrives in the village pushing her suitcase she looks in all the shop windows. She spies a vintage clothing boutique and The Spotted Pig – a cafe which advertises the rather delicious sounding special of the day: a panettone bread pudding with creamy rum custard. Yum, thinks Sybil. And yum, thinks the reader. All of us rather fancying a slice of that. It is a comforting and warming pudding. Not unlike The Great Christmas Knit Off itself. 

This, my novel and food loving friends, is my version of The Spotted Pig's panettone bread pudding with creamy rum custard. The custard is not actually a pour over the top type. Rather it is baked into the panettone.

I'll let you in on a little secret, though. I don't actually like panettone; I find it dry – I'm not a fan of dried fruit either and I feel it is rather expensive for what you get – it is mostly just box. However, this pudding was DELICIOUS. Seriously. And I tried quite a bit of it just to make sure.

I did contemplate making the panettone myself – there are a number of recipes on the internet – but instead I bought a small panettone that didn't have all the expensive wrapping and I felt a small cake was just enough for four people. You can, of course, double it to make a bigger portion.

Win! A Beautiful Bouquet of Festive Flowers Delivered from Bunches.co.uk!

Christmas is an especially lovely time of year. Mince pies, festive films, delicious eats and plenty of reading by the fire. And how could we forget the presents? We love presents! So much so that as a special thank you for being the best, book-loving readers our team could ask for, we have a sack full of gifts just for you. Check back over the next couple of weeks as we’ll be giving away some absolutely amazing Yuletide prizes every day. Merry Christmas!

Today’s prize is a lovely bouquet of flowers delivered to your door from Bunches.co.uk!

Whether you keep them for your own mantle or send them to a friend in need of a little Christmas cheer, a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers is always a welcome sight.

Novelicious Chats To...Kerry Barrett

Kerry Barrett, author of Baby It’s Cold Outside, joins us now to talk writing on her commute, her long journey to publication and bumping into J.K. Rowling on the tube.

Where do you find inspiration for your books?

I get inspiration from all sorts of places. I like to think of writing as a series of 'what ifs'. What if you had to go back and tackle all the things you'd run away from as a teenager? What if your fiancé discovered he had a son, just days before your wedding? What if you got chosen to go on Strictly Come Dancing only to find out you've got two left feet? News stories, celeb gossip, anecdotes from friends – they're all little seeds that take root.

Can you tell us a little about your average writing day?

My average writing day is probably a bit odd. I have a 30-minute train journey to the office so when I get on the train each morning, I start writing. I used to scribble away in little Muji notebooks, then type it up later, but I eventually realised this wasn't the best use of time, so I treated myself to an iPad mini with a keyboard and I bash away on that. I can write anything between 500 and 1000 words on the train on my way to work, and the same on the way home. Work for me is writing, too – I'm features editor for All About Soap magazine, so I write (and watch Hollyoaks!) all day. Then I write again on the way home – if I can stop myself falling asleep!

When you are writing, do you use any famous people or people you know as inspiration?

My characters are a mixture of people I know, people I see in the street, characters from films, TV and books, and famous people. Esme, one of my heroines, looks like a girl I worked with ten years ago! Her glamorous cousin Harmony is based on an actress I saw in an episode of Silent Witness, and Harmony's partner Louise is totally Brienne of Tarth from Game of Thrones, if Brienne of Tarth was a detective in Edinburgh CID. But please don't tell George RR Martin.

What is your favourite Women’s Fiction book of all time and why?

Riders by Jilly Cooper has to be my favourite women's fiction book of all time. I read it when I was 14. And 15. And 16... you get the picture. I think generally the 'establishment' is quite snotty about women's fiction and dismissive, but Riders taught me that a book can be a brilliant page-turner of a read, perfect for the beach or your commute, but still be clever and thought-provoking. There are other women's fiction writers who do that now – Marian Keyes for one, Jennifer Weiner, Adele Parks, the list is long and growing all the time – but Riders was the first one that hit the spot for me. After my first book was published, I wrote to Jilly Cooper and told her how much her books meant to me. She wrote back and I was beside myself with joy. She's wonderful!

What female writer has inspired you?

Of course Jilly Cooper is an inspiration to me, but in terms of the 'business' of writing I love J. K. Rowling. Her 'just get on with it' philosophy really appeals to me. I love that she persevered with Harry Potter despite rejection after rejection, and I love that she's now reinvented herself as an adult fiction writer. I'm a big fan of hard work being rewarded and she's the absolute epitome of that. And I once saw her on the tube. THE TUBE. Amazing.

Can you give us three book recommendations?

For writing, I recommend Stephen King On Writing, which is just one of the best books about writing I've ever read. It's my bible and I have read it cover to cover several times as well as dipping in and out when I need ‘help’.

Review – It Must Have Been The Mistletoe by Judy Astley

Reviewed by Susan Lobban

Primary School Teacher Thea has finished for the Christmas holidays but she is filled with dread rather than excitement. It seems she is surrounded by couples and, although she is newly single, she is not about to accept the drunken advances of her married neighbour under the mistletoe.

Thea’s parents decided to end their marriage a while ago but they have yet to make the final step of living apart. None of their family really believe they are really serious, so when a big family Christmas is booked in Cornwall it seems like good news.

As soon as everyone arrives at the seaside the countdown to December 25 begins. Games, home videos, plentiful food and drink combine to strengthen the family bonds, but when unexpected visitors foust themselves upon the festivities the Christmas spirit is somewhat dampened. It is meant to be the most wonderful time of the year, but will everyone’s personal problems make it the worst?

From the moment Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody blasts from Thea’s radio you know you are in for a treat. Especially as it seems an actual Christmassy story that matches the title is a rarity. I have lost count of the number of festive reads I have been excited to start only for the holiday mood to end once I open the cover. So I was delighted to follow Thea as she finishes up for the school holidays laden with teacher presents to a neighbourhood party then onto Cornwall for possibly her last family celebration. I loved every minute of every day as I was fully immersed in Thea’s Christmas getaway. The house in Cornwall was very vividly written and I felt that the Christmas decorations shone brightly from the pages. Combined with the delicious food descriptions I was left feeling cosy and snug as if I was there with them. Who wouldn’t want to spend Christmas in such surroundings?

Literary Love Letters: Dear Terry Pratchett, From Miranda Dickinson

Have you ever been so inspired by an author’s work that you wish you could tell them exactly how much they have impacted your life? In our new series, Literary Love Letters, we will be doing just that – sharing open love letters to inspiring authors. Today, I’ll Take New York author Miranda Dickinson writes to Terry Pratchett.

Dear Terry,

Since I started writing, there has been one writer who has inspired me above all others. It’s you. So please accept this letter as a token of my unending literary love…

There are many reasons I love you. Here are just a few:

I love the way your silliness opens doors of great truth and profundity. You make me laugh and leave me thinking. While others dismiss your daftness, I know you use it as a razor-sharp tool to cut through to the crux of the subject. You hold up a very wonky mirror and reveal how much wonkier real life is…

Win! A Traditional Devonshire Christmas Tea from Delimann!

Christmas is an especially lovely time of year. Mince pies, festive films, delicious eats and plenty of reading by the fire. And how could we forget the presents? We love presents! So much so that as a special thank you for being the best, book-loving readers our team could ask for, we have a sack full of gifts just for you. Check back over the next couple of weeks as we’ll be giving away some absolutely amazing Yuletide prizes every day. Merry Christmas!

On the sixth day of Christmas, Novelicious gave to me … a Traditional Devonshire Christmas Tea from Delimann!

Rebecca Raisin's Top 5 Writing Tips

1. Join a writing group. I can’t rave enough about mine, and how amazing they all are!

2. Don’t stop when it gets hard … push past that point, and watch your story evolve with each round of edits.

3. Write about what you love … your story will be more genuine if there’s a real spark of passion from you.

4. Join writing associations, these are invaluable when it comes to writing courses or conferences, and a great opportunity to meet other writers. There’s often plenty of advice on their websites for aspiring and established authors.

5. Learn to take constructive advice on your work, but you know it better than anyone, so follow your instincts always, and only take what you need when someone suggests improvements on your manuscript.

Christmas Wedding at the Gingerbread Cafe by Rebecca Raisin is out now.