Tag Archives: novels

No Regrets by Tabitha Webb Book Review

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Tabitha webb, No regrets, book, Ah, No Regrets. What a book you were. I enjoyed every minute of reading you. Most books have women as meek, mild little things. Not Tabitha Webb, though. She lets her characters roar. No Regrets follow three girlfriends as they fail, flounder and make bad decisions. Sometimes they are good, sometimes they are very, very naughty, but they are never not entertaining.

I saw Tabitha Webb talk about her book at a Harper Collins New Voices event at the beginning of the year and she was completely charming and funny, noting that she always thought her sex scenes were ‘PG, but turns out that is not the case.’

I only wish now I had elbowed my way in to have a chat with her. I reckon she makes the most fun, and loyal, friend ever. Anyway, back to the book: it is Jilly Cooper times ten. It is Jackie Collins and Helen Fielding rolled into one. It is both funny and outrageous and I cannot wait until I can read Tabitha Webb’s next book. Get it now, this is the perfect summer read. It will not fail to cheer you up in these covid times.

 

No Regrets is an outrageously funny, filthy and fabulous debut, focusing on the lives of three friends in their thirties and forties– Stella, Ana and Dixie. With shades of Sex and the City, this is the perfect summer read and carefree antidote to these troubled times.

Tabitha Webb was born in Ireland and grew up in Chicago, before being sent back to boarding school for her teenage years. She survived one term at university before packing her bags and chasing a hot surfer to America. During this period she was a rollerblading extra in the Robin Williams film The Birdcage, a dancer in a German pop video, and got held up at gunpoint.

After careers in TV and advertising, she made her first foray into fashion and now runs her eponymous fashion label, is happily married and has two daughters.

No Regrets was inspired by the love lives of women around the globe, coupled with a vivid imagination, and she can’t wait to shock and delight readers everywhere.

Bird Summons: Light, Lyrical Lockdown Reading

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I’m almost ashamed to say that I had never heard of the multi-award-winning author Leila Aboulela. Bird Summons – her fifth novel – can be described as both Scottish and Muslim fiction; and yet, as a Scottish Muslim who loves to read, she had not been on my radar at all.

What a treat I had in store.

Bird Summons hinges upon a simple enough premise. Three beautifully, realistically flawed Arab-Scottish women embark upon a journey – a pilgrimage, of sorts – to the remote Highlands, ostensibly to visit the grave of Lady Evelyn Cobbold: “the first British woman to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca, to educate themselves about the history of Islam in Britain, to integrate better by following the example of those who were of this soil and of their faith”.

Ostensibly is a good word. Bird Summons is so much than first presents itself. What begins as a nuanced bildungsroman of three immigrant women spanning their forties, thirties and twenties – Salma, Moni and Iman – soon becomes something much more. Into this blend Aboulela seamlessly incorporates ancient folklore stemming from the storytelling traditions of Scotland, India and the Arab world, creating something altogether more enchanting and thoroughly unique. As the threads of the three friends’ lives began to unravel, it was this new thread of allegory and parable that heightened the intrigue for me.

Be prepared: what starts as a story pleasantly grounded in realism, becomes increasingly, thoroughly and enjoyably weird. And yet it never jars. Aboulela makes it easy to embrace the fantastical.

Bird Summons also reads as a sort of love letter to Scotland, and the Highlands in particular. Aboulela’s sympathetic descriptions of the physical landscape her characters traverse certainly evoked a nostalgic, somewhat patriotic twinge for my homeland.

Special thanks to my childhood best friend for gifting me this novel and introducing me to this ‘new’ canon of work. You always promised you’d take me to Stonehaven, and I consider this a promise fulfilled. When they all converged on Dunnottar castle, I thought of you.

Bird Summons, by Leila Aboulela, was published in 2019 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. It was a Guardian Best Book of 2019; shortlisted for the Saltire Fiction Book of the Year 2019; and longlisted for the Highland Book prize 2019.

Reviewed by Nadia Tariq

 

My Writing Process – Caroline James

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I am proud to have author Caroline James be the first writer to be part of our new series. How I Write gives readers, and other writers, an insight into the minds of writers. Not only how they think, but how they work. Enjoy. Catherine Balavage, Editor-in-Chief. 

I always wanted to write from a very early age, but never thought that I was good enough. A few weeks short of my sixteenth birthday, much to my parents’ horror, I left school, and also home, to work in Cornwall, doing anything from pot-washing to waitressing. In that time, I realised that I loved the hospitality industry and if I couldn’t write, I would work hard and one day have my own business. Fast forward several years and I achieved that dream. After catering college and working for a large hotel group in London and abroad, I eventually owned a pub and then a country house hotel. When I sold the hotel, I became an agent representing celebrity chefs. It was a fabulous career but still I wanted to write and decided that I wouldn’t die wondering and pinned my bum to a chair to write my first book.

Five books on and I am currently writing my sixth. The first was self-published and to my amazement, went to number three in women’s fiction on Amazon. My writing dream had come true. Two of my titles are current Amazon best-sellers and my dream of writing full-time has been achieved.

I am currently writing a follow-up to The Best Boomerville Hotel for my publisher, Ruby Fiction. I am a speaker too and give talks on various subjects including entertaining speeches for large events, such as a guest speaker on cruise ships and at various literature festivals. I write food related articles for various magazines and promote my work through social media and my website.

What is your process?

I like to write early in the morning before the rest of my world wakes up. I never find the process easy; I have to force myself each day, onto a chair and in front of my laptop. I’ve always found the writing process hard, but on occasion it has moments of relief when I simply can’t stop and may write solidly for several days. But that’s rare.

Do you plan or just write?

I always try to plan a novel before I begin the writing process, but the characters usually take over and want to do their own things. I think a framework is a good writing tool, so that there is a beginning, middle and end, however you get there.

What about word count?

Some days it may be 200 words others 3,000. It all depends on what writing demands I have. I may be writing an article or doing social media and blog posts for a client, so I have to fit novel writing in when I can.

What do you find hard about writing?

I find it hard to make myself get on with it. I envy the disciplined author who sets out a target each day and achieves it. I found it easier to write when I was working full-time running a business and had many other family demands. That old saying, ‘If you want something doing, ask a busy person,’ is certainly true for me. Since I decided to take a leap of faith and write full-time, I find it much more difficult to actually write a novel.

What do you love about writing? 

The freedom to write about anything at all. The freedom to express myself. The freedom to live my writing dream. I love to be able to empower other writers and, in any way, possible and pay it forward. I love that I am living my writing dream.

Advice for other writers.

Just get on with it. Don’t waste years wondering. Glue your rear to a chair and get going, write and write and write – no matter what. You will find your muse when you least expect it.

www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk      https://www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Twitter: @CarolineJames12   https://twitter.com/CarolineJames12

Facebook: Caroline James Author   https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineJames/ 

Instagram: Caroline James Author

A Day in the Life of bestselling Author Margaret Graham

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margaretgraham

We have a new puppy, Polly. I’m up with the sun, because she is. So out she goes, into the garden led by me, because she is reluctant. The neighbors must think their worst nightmares have come true as this disheveled apparition stands in the dew come rain or come shine, hair askew, pleading with a four legged creature to ‘get on with it.’

In due course, I take both Polly, and the long suffering ‘older sister’ Rosie out for their walk. We head round the corner to the village pond where there are ducklings.

pic 1 Polly and Rosie

I say village and Downley really is one. A mere 25 minutes by train from London it has the heart of any Dorset village. There is a great community spirit, and we are fast building a reputation as a centre for the arts.

After ‘walkies’ it’s down to work – of some description. I could be sorting out next year’s LitFest for Words for the Wounded which is a charity I run with two other grannies to raise money for the wounded. The annual LitFest is our big event.

cmargaret

This year we had Elizabeth Buchan, Jemima Hunt, Tracy Baines and Frost’s Catherine Balavage as speakers. It was wildly successful, which is great. All the money goes to the wounded, as the grannies absorb all expenses.

My kids and grandkids are the catering team, and have a great time. Seems that not much wine survives – could there be a link?

Otherwise, as contributing editor for Frost, I could be reviewing books, or exhibitions or similar. Frost is a great springboard for aspiring writers. It gives them a cv and gets them noticed.

housedivided

Otherwise, my main thrust is as an author. I write two books a year for Arrow, which is a bit of a stretch and requires a modicum of organisation. When I’m researching I spend a fair bit of time at Starbucks in High Wycombe, reading through material which could be useful, or having lunch at the Wellington on the Strand for no other reason than I love it there and can catch up with Inacky, Esther, Maria, Thomas, and Ruth, who make sure everyone has a great time. As a special treat, the grandkids can sometimes spare the time to come with me. So young, they are, but so busy. So that’s the extent of the ‘organization’.

wellieandstaff

All the time though, whatever I’m doing, I’m thinking of the novels, trying to sort out a plan, iron out structural blips, and getting to know the characters. Then, for two months, I get my head down and write the darned thing. I can’t bear being interrupted, because for that time I am living in a different world, being a different person, well, many different people, and I just want to get it all down before it escapes me.

To finish is a relief, but also a loss because the characters, their struggles, their triumphs have become yours. But then, for me, it is onto the next one, or the next WforW event, or onto yet another playtime, or something for Frost. Heigh ho, I’m very lucky.

www.margaret-graham.com
www.wordsforthewounded.co.uk
www.wordsforthewounded.blogspot.co.uk

Easterleigh Hall by Margaret Graham Book Review

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51ggbcnOkHL._SY300_The perfect novel is a truly wonderful thing: a key to take you away from your life. It transports you to another world and you can lose yourself and all of your problems for hours at a time. I read most of Easterleigh Hall on a glorious Autumn Sunday while the rain poured outside. I was grabbed straight away, the characters are so well-written and fascinating. Evie Forbes is a fantastic heroine: a ballsy, decent and ambitious young woman. She is smart and is willing to sacrifice and work hard to get what she wants.

Set in County Durham just before the First World War, it is almost impossible to review Easterleigh Hall without mentioning the success of Downton Abbey, and this book would make a similarly amazing TV series. It has its villains in Lord Brampton and a valet called Roger, every great novel needs someone to hate. Most of the rest of the characters, and especially the Forbes family, are impossible to not love. Things are not always what they seem and even those ‘upstairs’ come into their own.

Margaret Graham is a very versatile writer. Her other books are also amazing. Her historical books like this one are always well researched. You are taken into the past and you always learn something too. So not just entertaining.

Evie starts work as an assistant cook at Easterleigh Hall against her family’s wishes. Her family do not like Lord Brampton as her father and brothers work in the mine that he owns. But Evie wants to run a small hotel and her training will give her a way out. Little do they know that the world is on the brink of war. The book does not rush. It allows the story and the characters to grow, to really get into the story. I love this, you really feel like you know these people. This is a glorious read and one I will be recommending to friends. Luckily there are another two books in the series which will take us up to the Second World War. I can’t wait.  It is out on October 9th. Read it, buy it or steal it. Okay, maybe not the last one.

Easterleigh Hall is available here.

http://www.margaret-graham.com

 

 

Top 10 Books Most Commonly Left On Flights | Holiday Reads

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holidayreadssummerbooksA good read is one of the essential ingredients for a relaxing holiday, according to 80 per cent* of holidaymakers who always pack one for their travels. Despite this, around 600 books and 1,400 kindles are left on board British Airways flights every year.

 

The most common is The Holy Bible, accounting for six per cent of books left on board. Some of the more unusual books which have been found include notebooks, personal diaries, wedding sketchbooks and even a cheque book!

 

The British Airways survey found that books were still the most popular form of reading with three in five taking a book, compared to one in five taking an e-reader. Women are also more likely to own an e-reader (20 per cent) compared to men (15 per cent).

 

British Airways has compiled a list of the top 10 books most commonly left on flights over the past three months, as inspiration for good holidays reads this summer:

 

  1. Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn (Fiction, Thriller)
  2. King and Maxwell Series, David Baldacci (Thriller)
  3. The Fault in our Stars, John Green (Novel)
  4. Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Thomas Piketty (Business/Economics)
  5. Alex Cross, Run – James Patterson (Thriller)
  6. The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton (Novel)
  7. Michael Lewis, Flash Boys (Non-fiction)
  8. Fifty Shades of Grey (Freed), EL James (Romance)
  9. Arthur Conan Doyle, The Complete Sherlock Holmes (Novel)
  10. The Racketeer, John Grisham (Thriller)

 

Novels are the most common type of book found on flights (22 per cent), followed by crime thrillers, study and learning books, travel books, non-fiction and business and economics. The least likely genre to be left behind are ‘chick flicks’.

 

Some of the most popular biographies found on board were by John Bishop, Muhammad Ali and, no surprise during the Wimbledon Championships – tennis player Rafa Nadal.

 

The survey also found that Scottish travellers were the most likely to own an e-reader (28 per cent) – the least likely were East Anglia (nine per cent). Nine out of ten people from the East Midlands were likely to take a book on holiday, compared to just a quarter from the North East. Those from the South East are the biggest readers, taking at least two or three books on holiday.

For those prone to losing books, British Airways has a selection of audio titles in its extensive library collection. It includes Jennifer Saunders biography ‘Bonkers; My life in laughs’, Virginia Woolf ‘The mark on the wall’, Roald Dahl ‘The Great Automatic Grammatizator’, Anton Chekhov ‘The Chorus Girl’ and Charles Dickens ‘Great Expectations’ among many others available on selected long-haul flights in July.

 

*1,000 people surveyed by OnePoll

 

 

Mansfield Park Still Least Favourite Jane Austen Novel After 200 Years

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Mansfield Park attracted just two per cent of votes in a poll.

Some things change, but sadly for celebrated author Jane Austen some things don’t.

A new survey by book recommendation website LoveReading.co.uk has found that 200 years on from its publication in May 1814, Mansfield Park is still Austen’s least-liked novel.

jane-austen-least favourite novel

The novel garnered just two per cent of a poll to find readers’ favourite Austen book.

The outright winner – with nearly 60 per cent of the vote – was Pride and Prejudice – the tale of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage that featured the iconic Mr Darcy.

Second most-popular was Jane Austen’s first novel, Sense and Sensibility, followed in third place by her fourth book, Emma – the last to be published while she was still alive.

Peter Crawshaw, Director and Co-Founder of Lovereading.co.uk said “Since its first publication 200 years ago, Mansfield Park has always been a divisive novel — the Jane Austen equivalent of Marmite.

“But least liked doesn’t necessarily mean worst and even though the Pygmalion morality epic that is Mansfield Park doesn’t have the glamorous appeal of Pride and Prejudice it certainly has some resonance today.

“Perhaps it just needs a Hollywood makeover to finally get a popularity boost.”

Mansfield Park is noted for being the most controversial of Austen’s major novels

Published in May 1814, her third novel was praised by Regency critics for its “wholesome morality”, but has since earned the dubious distinction of being the most disliked among Jane Austen fans.

Many readers find the book’s protagonist, Fanny Price, too “timid” and “priggish” to be likeable, for example, with Jane Austen’s own mother, Cassandra, herself complaining that Fanny was “insipid”.

Heated debates about the novel’s literary worth have even spawned so-called ‘Fanny Wars’ on internet discussion forums.

Crawshaw added: “Discussions between Austen fans often get heated while discussing the literary value of Mansfield Park.

“Mansfield Park is quite a complex work in comparison to Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility, and this often puts readers off, as does the unsympathetic lead character, Fanny,”

Jane Austen, who lived from 1775 to 1817, is regarded as one of English literature’s greatest authors.

Her novels include Emma, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility.

The Bank of England has announced that it will feature Austen’s face on £10 notes from 2017.