The life of a Second Wife by Margaret Graham

Posted on April 26, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Frost is so pleased to see Elizabeth Buchan’s novel, The Second Wife picked out by Daisy Goodwin in her feature in the Daily Mail: Second Marriages – key novels to help you through the trickier times in life.

Daisy Goodwin discusses Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, Before She Met Me by John Barnes, and Sunday Times No 1 bestselling author, and patron of Words for the Wounded, Elizabeth Buchan, and her novel The Second Wife.

The Second Wife explores the world of the mistress who becomes the wife – overtones of Sir James Goldsmith who did just that, and thereby created a vacancy. Ouch.
According to Buchan the second marriage is a world that can be less than appealing, full of pitfalls and of course, baggage. Elizabeth Buchan, who spoke recently at the Words for the Wounded LitFest at Downley, High Wycombe, (Frost’s editor, Catherine Balavage spoke later in the day) examines Minty’s experiences of a second marriage sympathetically, but with her usual incisive wit and elegance. It is a compelling and heart-warming novel, as are her others, the most recent being the thought provoking and excellent I Can’t Begin to Tell You set in Denmark during the 2nd World War.

It’s great to see The Second Wife having another outing. Go on, give yourself a treat – it is very well worth reading.

Elizabeth Buchan’s latest book The New Mrs Clifton will be out in August 1016. Frost is looking forward to reviewing it.

The Second Wife                 published by Penguin
I Can’t Begin to Tell you        published by Penguin
The New Mrs Clifton             published by Penguin August 2016

30 Days of Gratitude Day Eight #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 8, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for books. I have loved reading all my life. There are very few pleasures in life as great as reading a good book. My love of reading has also given me a career that I love, and broadened my view of the world. Reading is great for the imagination and it makes you smarter. Some of these books are written by Frost contributing editor Margaret Graham and some others were written by me. Margaret is a bestselling author for Random House so she is on another level. I hope I get there one day.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

Meet Gillian Holmes – Literary Editor

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Gillian Holmes

Frost is delighted that Gillian Holmes of the editing house, The Editor, will, over the next few weeks, advise Frost’s readers on writing successful first chapters, and that tricky beast the synopsis.

The timing is particularly apt because the charity Words for the Wounded (sponsored by Frost Magazine) has launched its 2016 Independent Author Book Award for self published books – fiction or non fiction/e-book or physical. which is due to close on 6^th March. Last year’s competition was won by Jane Cable, who as a result is now represented by Felicity Trew of the Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency.

Felicity Trew

It is Felicity who is judging the Words for the Wounded competition this year, so flex those fingers, sharpen your imaginations and let Frost, and Gillian, help you along the way.

Gillian Holmes has been working in publishing for nearly twenty years. She started out at Quarto, working on craft books – applique and decoupage was very popular at the time and she’s endeavoured to forget everything she learned about those skills over the years.

She quickly moved on from that nightmare to work at Simon & Schuster where she worked with authors such as Jackie Collins, Ben Elton and Sean Hughes. As well as doing quite a lot of football, the X Files and books about UFOs.

Then on to Carlton, working on illustrated non-fiction and TV tie-in novelisations – the Coronation Street novel is a particularly proud moment. The entire 40 years in a novel.

But with three children, life in-house became difficult, so she worked as a freelance editor, copy editor and proofreader for various clients, before moving back in-house to Arrow Books six years ago, where she edited many bestselling authors, such as Katie Flynn, Dorothy Koomson, Amy Silver (aka Paula Hawkins), Cathy Woodman, Lisa Lynch and Margaret Graham, and many others.
Gillian is really looking forward, over the next few weeks, to helping those of you who are working on a novel, or perhaps to inspire those who are not, to do so.

For more information about the Words for the Wounded Independent Author Book Award, and the charity which raises funds to help in the recovery of wounded service personnel, go to www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk

Gillian has now set up her own concern, The Editor: gilliansholmes@hotmail.com

Spotlight interview with Maya Pieris

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Pinning down this writer was easy as it’s me, trying out the Spotlight idea:

In this new series, conversations with writers, I aim to shine a brief spotlight onto what makes someone begin that uncertain path from brain to book, and to consider what makes us write.

Have I always written? Yes and no- I thought about it, had periods of trying but too often gave up. For a few years I attended various workshops but it’s since being in Bridport, Dorset, that writing has become almost a reflex reaction. There’s something in the air here that really encourages people to write to be read. And to be published.

And now ideas run about like kids in a playground. I keep pens and paper around the place though on occasions thoughts have been scrawled on the back of my left hand. This affliction does affect others as the need to make notes comes at any time, and from any and everywhere. Writers are like grave robbers: plundering anything- ourselves, others. My response after the recent French tragedy was to write 2 poems though it’s not always a comfortable thought that creativity and inspiration come from such events. Seeing a dead mole led me to write a poem about an Islamist group whilst another idea came from seeing thousands of whitebait washed up on the shore near Bridport.

And what do I write? Poems, short stories, magazine articles and plays. The last time I tried writing one I was aged 10 and the play was a “who dunnit” written in turquoise ink.

The writing challenge is to focus. It really is important not to get seduced by too many possibilities. And validation from peers is also invaluable, though I write firstly for myself- to try and fix a feeling or thought in words. I’m not sure why but I seem to have to. But I do have people I trust to edit and critique work. It is, however, necessary to let your work go. In a way once it’s written it’s on its way to becoming public though it was a year before I could look at my first published book without wanting to change it.
Future plans are to write more regularly and finish work- too many unfinished “jumpers”. Writing is a private process. You have to enjoy the jigsaw of arranging your thoughts and ideas. There are lots of excellent courses to join and so many other writers to read but in the end it’s you, your pen or computer. And for me it’s an entry to a large uncharted world.

A Day in The Life – of B A Morton

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Margaret Graham

For the last seven years I’ve juggled my writing around my job at the village GP surgery. Snatching early morning sessions when the household was still sleeping and late nights when a storyline just had to be written, but this month sees a great change in my daily routine. Sadly our much loved little surgery, the most remote in the UK, fell to NHS funding cuts and closed its doors to patients in August. Aside from the devastating loss of such a vital service in a rural community, I’ll miss the interaction with patients and colleagues, the community spirit and support and the frantic note-scribbling when eureka moments occurred, mid-surgery.

Harbottle Surgery

Now, for good or bad, I’m a full time writer and I’m both enthusiastic and a little daunted. I’ve written nine novels against the backdrop of stolen minutes and ridiculous deadlines, how will I adjust to this new freedom? Will my imagination and creativity fail me when presented with a nine-to-five regime? Will my, eureka moments, become contemplative, more eu and less eek? and will the lack of stimulus from the real world and its wonderful, larger than life inhabitants, negatively affect my writing? Only time will tell.

I have a new publisher, two new books to promote and four works in progress. Plenty to keep me busy and I suspect I will set my own ridiculous deadlines and snatch stolen moments as before, however in deference to the fact that I’m the least organised person I know, and I have chickens to feed, a dog to walk and a garden to tend, I decided to begin gently with a daily word count.

First day – minus 1,500. Oh well, lean and mean, those cuts were needed. Tomorrow, I’ll just write twice as much … And then there’s the book signings to arrange and the blog posts to write, oh and books to post and reviews to write…and all before coffee. I’ve banned the internet when I’m ‘working’ and cheated twice today. I don’t answer the phone – unless I forget – oops. And I don’t do ‘lunch’ unless I’m persuaded that it’s not merely lunch but a research trip – I’ve managed lots of research lately…

Ah, a writer’s work is never done.

Babs Morton was born in the North East of England, and as B.A.Morton writes across a number of genres including crime, romance, horror and historical fiction. After a twenty year civil service career, she and her family escaped the rat race and relocated to the remote beauty of the Northumberland National Park. She now lives in a cottage built on the remains of a medieval chapel.

A member of the Crime Writer’s Association and the International Thriller Writers, she is a self confessed crime fiction addict. In 2011, her debut novel “Mrs Jones” a crime thriller set in New York, took second place in the international literary competition, The Yeovil Prize, and launched her writing career. 2015 sees the release of two North East psychological thrillers Bedlam and Twisted with Caffeine Nights Publishing.

Website: http://bamorton.weebly.com/

http://caffeine-nights.com/

A Day in the Life – Martin Etheridge

Posted on November 23, 2015 by Margaret Graham

In September 1982, my life changed. I was in the Royal Artillery on a small arms exercise. The vehicle I was in veered off the road and went down a ravine. Five of my mates were killed outright and the driver broke his neck. I was 20 years six months at the time; the first I knew of my accident was when I came out of coma on my 21st birthday. A lot of my family had gathered at my bedside and that’s what brought me round. The guys in the beds round me had come back from the Falklands (but I didn’t even know it had all kicked off!)

The injuries I sustained have proved a major limitation to my mobility (I use crutches and a tricycle to get about) and to my speech; I make myself understood, but long conversations prove difficult, However, you can’t ignore me (I rather overdo the volume to compensate for a lack of clarity in my speech!) WHAT, YOU DIDN’T HEAR THAT?

Although verbal communication is a challenge, I have always had a bit of a talent with words – I used to act (with Graeae) and sing (before the accident). In recent years, I have got into writing and have recently completed my first novel, which has just been published.

The book features the tale of a street cleaner who overcomes adversity – drawing on some of my own experience, although his period of “rehab” was a lot shorter than mine. The book is aimed at young adults and upwards.

Although my mobility has been severely limited, I pride myself on my independence, and get out and about round my local community in Isleworth and Twickenham, as well as taking overseas holidays under my own steam. I don’t usually read my book when cycling, but nevertheless the local drivers steer well clear…:

I’m always working on my general fitness. It’s not like army training now, but I’m a regular at the local swimming pool (Pools on the Park in Richmond). The staff are always on hand to support me:

Although my first book is only just out, I’ve already written a sequel (“Malcolm’s Mediterranean Misadventure”) and hope to keep developing as a writer. I’m doing some local book signings to support the sales of my first book, even though writing with a pen is difficult for me and I often slip back into using the typewriter that my uncle gave me when I was recovering in hospital.

What a Load of Rubbish by Martin Etheridge (published by Clink Street Publishing 29th September 2015) is available to purchase from online retailers including Amazon.co.uk and to be ordered from all good bookstores.

A day in the life of Fiona Joseph (Author and Speaker)

Posted on November 12, 2015 by Margaret Graham

I wake between 6 and 6.30 AM. My partner Peter brings me an early morning cup of tea and then it’s all systems go: helping our younger daughter get ready for school (Have you had breakfast? Brushed your teeth? Where’s your PE kit? What do you mean you’ve got cookery today?) or waving our elder daughter off to a university lecture. I’m one of those mums who stand waving on the doorstep until my children have disappeared from sight.

8.15 to 12.15 PM

Ideally I’m at my desk for 8 AM. My most productive time for writing is early in the morning.

My office is in a room upstairs at home and I do the majority of my writing on an iMac. I switch between different software depending on what I’m writing: Pages and Storyist for writing prose fiction and non-fiction, and Final Draft for screenwriting. (I’m currently writing a dramatisation of my biography of Beatrice Cadbury and Final Draft is the industry standard.)

Writing a screenplay for the life of Beatrice Cadbury.

At about 10 AM I’m ready for a break, a cuppa and a catch-up chat with Peter, who works downstairs in the dining room. Sometimes we’ll do our unofficial ‘meeting’ in our local Costa. And then it’s back to our work domains for both of us until lunch.

If I fancy a change of writing scene I go to my local church where I have an arrangement to use one of their meeting rooms. I take a portable word-processing device with me – my AlphaSmart NEO – along with a flask of tea and a blanket to avoid chills.

12.15 – 1.15 PM

Lunchtime is my favourite part of the working day. At about 12.15 PM our dog Bonnie butts her nose against the stair-gate to tell me it’s time for her walk. (She has three walks a day – talk about spoiled) Exercise is vital for both of us. The walk takes about 20-25 minutes, sometimes longer if we stop for a chat with doggy friends and their owners. Bonnie was a rescue dog, and sadly ill-treated, so she needs oodles of love and patience. We live in a leafy suburb of Birmingham but holiday a lot in Weymouth, and this picture shows Bonnie happily at the seaside.

On our walk I daydream, or listen to music or a BAFTA GURU screenwriting podcast on my wireless headphones. Lunch will be quick, such as a sandwich or soup, or in summer months, some sautéed courgettes or roasted beetroot from our allotment.

1.15 to 4 PM

I like to be back at my desk for 1.15 PM. My afternoon can be made up of any of the following activities:

more writing or editing
working on my website
archive research
replying to emails, e.g. invitations to speak
going out to give a talk to a group
speaking on the phone with my biographee, Godric Bader, the subject of my current work-in-progress
visiting my local primary school where I’m privileged to be a community governor

Sometimes my research will take me into town to the Library of Birmingham or to the Bournville Archives. For my latest novel, Comforts For The Troops, I wove true facts and details of the Cadbury workplace into the story.

Visiting the Bournville Archives to research Cadbury women workers.

4 to 7 PM

This period is break-time and family time. Peter or I prepare dinner. I’m very strict on home-cooked food and eating round the dinner table. It’s the time of the day when we can share news, air grievances(!) and generally have a laugh. Mobiles are banned. If one of us has had a particularly noteworthy day I’ll serve dinner on the Plate of Accomplishment. We occasionally play cards afterwards – 10 card rummy, Old Maid and Sevens are old favourites.

7 to 10 PM

Sometimes I’ll be out giving a talk at a local society like the WI, the U3A , a local history group or a book group. It’s very satisfying to talk about the research and themes underlying my Cadbury books and I really enjoy chatting with people over a cup of tea afterwards.

If I’m at home I’ll flake out with some telly. I’m an ardent fan of Corrie and Holby City and I enjoy a good UK drama, preferably nothing with violence in it though. By 10 o’clock I’m fit to drop, but if necessary I’ll do an hour’s more writing before bed!

Fiona Joseph is the author of the acclaimed biography, ‘BEATRICE The Cadbury Heiress Who Gave Away Her Fortune’, and a novel inspired by women working at Cadbury in World War One, ‘Comforts For The Troops’. For more details visit www.fionajoseph.com

An Interview With Emma Kavanagh – Author of Hidden

Posted on November 6, 2015 by Margaret Graham

An interview with Emma Kavanagh – author of Hidden

Do you plan your books in great detail, or just go with the germ of an idea, and where does that idea come from?

I am a huge planner. I even have spreadsheets! I tend to come up with a general idea of where I want my story to take the reader, and then let that marinate for a while. I’ve had book four cooking on low for the past three months whilst I complete book three, The Missing Hours. Once I’m ready to start work on it, I begin with research, research, research, finding out as much as I can about the area I am going to be writing about. Then begins the planning. This will change as the story develops – which is why spreadsheets are so useful – but I always find it easier to have an idea of where I am heading. As to where my ideas come from, I am fascinated by psychology and true crime, which is an absolute gold mine for book ideas.

How do you actually work? In silence in a study, at the kitchen table?

Oh, I would love a study…no, my study is now a nursery for my youngest son. I write in the living room on a big cozy chair that has become known as “Mummy’s work chair”. When I’m planning or researching, I can’t cope with silence. It’s too intense. I tend to have documentaries running in the background, which I half-watch to distract me from the pressure. When I’m actually writing though, it has to be in silence. I’m not one of those authors who can work in a coffee shop. Who can concentrate with all that cake?
Did you have a writing background before you began writing novels?

I’ve written short stories since I was a kid, and was a passionate writer throughout school and college. But once I started my own business (I ran a consultancy practice specialising in training police and military personnel in the psychology of critical incidents) I let the writing drop away. I was working hard and my focus was elsewhere. Then one day a story idea came knocking and simply wouldn’t leave. In the end I decided that it had to be worth a shot…

Who has inspired you in the literary world?

So many people. I adore Kate Atkinson, especially for her willingness to push herself beyond genre boundaries and try something entirely different. Another must-read I have is Barbara Kingsolver. Her use of language is just exquisite. And I can’t not mention Agatha Christie. No one plots like she does.

Do you read while you’re writing? I know a lot of authors don’t.

I always read. I read whilst I was in labour with my first child, whilst I was in recovery from a c-section with my second. I am always reading!! I know a lot of authors can’t read anything in the genre they write as they find it interferes too much with their creativity, but I’ve never found that to be an issue. In fact, it inspires me, to read beautiful language, clever plotting, awesome characterisation. I want to be that good!

Your favourite book as a child?

I can’t just pick one!!! The Folk of the Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton. Matilda by Roald Dahl. Heidi by Joanna Spyri. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken. Um…how long do we have here?

What would comprise your perfect day if you had a magic wand?

Being with my husband and our boys (aged 1 and almost 4). A scrumptious breakfast which absolutely must include bacon. Going somewhere fun where we can all play. My kids are little so the dream trip has to be Disneyworld. And it is totally not because I am a complete child. Then, an early night for my boys, a nice dinner for myself and my husband, somewhere overlooking the ocean, a glass of wine, and then a comfy sofa so I can read my book.

Hobbies?

Reading (d’uh!). I love to swim and these days try to get to the pool as often as I can. And, although I rarely have time for this nowadays, I also love to sketch and paint.
Have you always wanted to write novels?

Yes. It was one of those things that I deep down always knew I would have to do. And now that I have started, the idea of stopping is like the idea of no longer breathing.
Ambitions/dreams.

My ambitions…I want to keep doing what I am doing. I want to be respected for my ability to tell a story and create characters that take on a life of their own. I want to be able to give my children the opportunity to travel and experience the world, and to teach them that they can achieve anything they set their mind to.

If you could choose one person to read your books, who would it be?

I’ve seen this happen to a number of my author friends – a celebrity or big name author reads their book and then starts shouting about how wonderful it is. So it got me thinking, who would I want to shout about mine? Well, George Clooney would be nice (Hi, George!). But my hands down, would-immediately-pass-out-with-excitement person would be JK Rowling. I really don’t need to explain this one, do I? She knows Harry Potter, people!!!

Frost Magazine

Books and Lifestyle

Tag Archives: author

The life of a Second Wife by Margaret Graham

30 Days of Gratitude Day Eight #30daysofgratitude

Meet Gillian Holmes – Literary Editor

Spotlight interview with Maya Pieris

A Day in The Life – of B A Morton

A Day in the Life – Martin Etheridge

A day in the life of Fiona Joseph (Author and Speaker)

An Interview With Emma Kavanagh – Author of Hidden

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: