Saturday, 7 May 2016

Blog Tour - Review of My Husband's Wives by Faith Hogan & Q&A

My Husband's Wives
By Faith Hogan
Publication Date: 1st May 2016
Publisher: Aria Fiction (Head Of Zeus)
Pages: 261
Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley 

Amazon UK / Amazon US


Better to have loved and lost, than never loved.
Paul Starr, Irelands leading cardiologist dies in a car crash with a pregnant young women by his side.
United in their grief and the love of one man, four women are thrown together in an attempt to come to terms with life after Paul. They soon realise they never really knew him at all.
The love they shared for Paul in his life and which incensed a feeling of mistrust and dislike for each other, in his death turns into the very thing that bonds them and their children to each other forever. As they begin to form unlikely friendships, Paul's deaths proves to be the catalyst that enables them to become the people they always wanted to be. 



Grace has always said that marriage and children were not for her, her art was her world and her baby. She knew she didn't want a life like her parents and having to look after her sister for years had given her enough time to realise that these things were not for her. That is until she meets, Paul Starr at one of her art shows, his charming behaviour and instant connection made her rethink everything she has ever said. 
There is only one issue...he is married.
The story covers a couple of points of view, which is great to hear what each of the women have to say and their story about meeting Paul and their ideas of his marriages and his wives that he has had. The story encounters many reveals and secrets that each of the women have held in for a long time. Each of them have a personal idea of who Paul is and their life with him but none of them are right. He held things back from each and every one and it is only now that he is gone do they finally meet face to face to figure out what was a lie and what was the truth. 
I would have to say my favourite character from reading the book would be Grace, I felt sorry for her on a number of occasions whilst reading her version of the story and it tugged on my heartstrings when she went through a rough time after her daughter was born. That bit of the story many women can relate to and it is great that Faith drew on that subject in her book. 
My Husband's Wives is an amazing read that will take you into the world of these women and their reasons why they fell for the charming doctor and the lessons they learnt along the way. With it's heartbreaking issues and decisions, it will take you on a journey of  life, love, marriage and above all else friendship.


Relatable, Beautiful & Fantastic. 



23 Review Street:
Q&A with Faith Hogan

Hi Faith! Thank you so much for chatting to us today on 23 Review Street. Your new book ‘My Husband’s Wives’ is getting published by Aria on the 1st May which is an amazing read and has a gorgeous cover to match the wonderful story. So without further ado, here are the questions: -
What a lovely introduction, it’s really super to be here, 23 Review Street is the kind of blog I could get lost on for hours and hours and hours… but onto the questions!

‘My Husband’s Wives’ is your first novel, how does it feel to have your book published?
Strange and all as this sounds, I never actually imagined what it would be ‘like’, before I signed with Aria. I mean, I knew I wanted to write, but perhaps the idea of actually being published was, as it is for many, just a possibility that happens to others.
Now that it’s here? I truly couldn’t have imagined how good it would feel or how it would change so much, no matter how hard I might have tried. Even now, so many months after signing on the dotted line, I take a moment to just revel in it – it’s truly great!

Your book is set in Ireland, what made you decide on that location for your book?
A little like Harry Potter, where ‘the wand choses the wizard,’ I’m not sure we really get the choice about what we’re going to write. Sometimes you have to go with the flow!
My next book has a more rural setting and it is inspired by a place I know very well.
With ‘My Husband’s Wives,’ although the backdrop is Ireland, I think the themes are international, which of us does not relate to love, loss, jealousy and misunderstanding after all!

How did you come up with the plot for your book?
My Husband’s Wives, began on the premise of ‘What if…’ and I suppose I wrote from there. It is very much a character driven story and so very often, it felt as though I wasn’t necessarily in the driver’s seat anyway. Annalise and the other ‘wives,’ had to have their say and to be honest with you, they aren’t women to take a whole lot of direction!

Do you have any plans for your second book?
I signed with Aria Fiction for three books and Book 2 is almost ready to go to my agent now. She is extremely wise and I am happy to have her keen eye on everything before it goes any further.
Book 2 is different from My Husband’s Wives and for now the title and story are very much under wraps, but I must say, I’m very pleased with it and I’m a pretty picky reader, especially when it comes to my own work!

What is a day in a life of writing for you?
Long, long, long!
I’m an early riser and I love the mornings, which is just as well, because I have four children and a husband who are all very distracting in the best possible way! I write in the mornings and if I get a chance, I’ll set to and write or catch up on correspondence in the evenings. I set aside one day per week just to write also. My biggest diversion is the internet, so I find times when the Wi-Fi can be switched off and my phone left in a different room are best.
I love writing, always have. Even on the days, when you have an inkling that half of what you wrote will end up being cut, it’s still the most decadent thing to go into a quiet room and let your imagination run riot across the page. Bliss!

If you had to sum up your writing style in three words, what would they be?
Authentic, flowing and natural.

Those are the words that come to mind when I think of the actual process.
A friend of mine read My Husband’s Wives after having been a fan of my crime fiction forays. At the time she said – ‘well, it’s still a Faith Hogan!’ so, I guess that means there’s something distinctive about the writing, but to be honest, I write as I speak and that is all of the above!

Thank you so much for joining us on 23 Review Street!
It has been an absolute pleasure, thanks so much for inviting me!

Another day, another book, 
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Monday, 2 May 2016

Review of The Things We Keep by Sally Hepworth

The Things We Keep
By Sally Hepworth
Publication Date: 19th January 2016
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Pages: 352
Genre: Fiction, Romance, Drama
Format: eBook
Source: Netgalley


Amazon UK / Amazon US / Wordery / Book Depository 




Anna Forster, in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease at only thirty-eight years old, knows that her family is doing what they believe to be best when they take her to Rosalind House, an assisted living facility. She also knows there's just one another resident her age, Luke. What she does not expect is the love that blossoms between her and Luke even as she resists her new life at Rosalind House. As her disease steals more and more of her memory, Anna fights to hold on to what she knows, including her relationship with Luke.


When Eve Bennett is suddenly thrust into the role of single mother she finds herself putting her culinary training to use at Rosalind house. When she meets Anna and Luke she is moved by the bond the pair has forged. But when a tragic incident leads Anna's and Luke's families to separate them, Eve finds herself questioning what she is willing to risk to help them.


This is the first book by Sally Hepworth that I have read and it won't be the last! The story is split into three people's point of view, first there is Anna, who has not long ago been diagnosed with Alzheimer's at only thirty eight. Anna always knew there was a possibility of getting the disease after her own mother suffered from it before she passed away. Then again, she never thought she would be thirty eight and losing her memory, so when a incident happens she decides that it would be best if she lived somewhere where she was looked after 24/7 and not put so much pressure on her own family.
Rosalind House is a lovely, calm place to live and interact with others who are very welcoming, whilst there Anna met Luke someone who is closer to her own age and is suffering from the same type of disease. It doesn't take Anna and Luke to long before they become closer than just friends, but with Anna and Luke's disease being a couple is not an easy thing at all. 
The other two point of views are told from Eve and her daughter Clementine or Clem as she likes to be called, Eve is working at Rosalind House as the cook/cleaner after a couple of rough months that saw her and Clem lose a big part of their life in the worst way possible. Eve and Clem are on the back end of a lot of comments and anger from people who knew what Eve's husband did to their families and friends. It soon is clear that the only people who don't care about what the news has to say is the residents who live in Rosalind House who soon become part of her family. Eve is close with several of the residents and take it upon herself to make sure that everyone gets to be happy including Anna and Luke. 
With Eve spending so much time at Rosalind House, Clem become an everyday visitor for the residents who love to see her dance or chat to them regardless if she can understand what they are talking about or not. She makes them happy and being in a nursing home isn't always happy so with her and the visits from their families and friends they can relax in their environment and feel comfortable. 
My favourite point of view would have to be Clem's as even at such a young age she knew a lot about the world. She still had that childlike nature and even though in her point of view you could tell that she had experienced heartache and loss over the last couple of months, she still could make you smile with her nature.
I love how The Things We Keep touched on such emotional topics, it gave me personally a lot more information about the experience and issues that people and families or friends go through when someone they love or know is suffering from a disease like what Anna and Luke have. 
The Things We Keep is an emotional rollercoaster of a book that will make you sad and happy at the same time. With it's thought-provoking characters and events it will make you glad you read this amazingly written book that you touch your heart in the best possible way.


Emotional, Heartbreaking and Unforgettable. 




Another day, another book, 


Sunday, 1 May 2016

Newsletter!!!!

Hi Everyone!
So, I just wanted to update you on a new thing that I will be doing on 23 Review Street starting in June. I will be sending out a Newsletter that will have lots of book related and fun things on it. It will be on a bimonthly issue and if you would like to sign-up all you have to do is fill out this short form below to be the first to receive it at the beginning of June!

http://goo.gl/forms/9ty9B1YilH

Thank you for your support and for signing up in advance!

Another day, another book, 
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Lad Lit Blog Tour - The Drought by Steven Scaffardi plus Q&A


The Drought
By Steven Scaffardi
Publication Date: 4th March 2016
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: 329
Genre: Lad Lit, Comedy
Format: Paperback
Source: Author

Amazon UK / Amazon US



Dan Hilles is a pretty regular kind of guy - regular job, regular bunch of mates, regular male aversion to shopping. But following his break-up with long-term girlfriend, Stacey, he finds himself single again. He's been out of the game for a while and is a little out of practice. Soon, the very irregular and increasingly worrying issue in Dan's life is the extended drought he finds himself suffering. And we're not talking the climate change, scorched earth, God I'm parched variety. 
You've got to hand it to Dan though - it certainly isn't from a lack of trying. With stalwart mates Ollie, Jack and Rob on hand to lend their collective pearls of male wisdom and arrange the odd road trip, you'd think Dan's days of languishing in a sexual wilderness would be numbered. Even best friends can't help prevent the kind of surreal holes Dan just can't seem to help digging himself into. And with each failed attempt, his self-esteem plummets to the point where he wonders if 'little Dan' will ever work again. 
Good job he has Kelly, his reliable and sympathetic colleague, to confide in. As a woman, she can perhaps shed some female light on why he's failing so miserably with the opposite sex, balancing out the testosterone-fuelled 'advice' from the lads. Surely Dan can't go wrong with Kelly teaching him the various intricacies of a woman's mind. 



The first thing I can say is that The Drought made me laugh, not your normal laugh but a side splitting laugh that still make you laugh even now. The second thing is that everyone should read it...now!
The story follows Dan Hilles who after breaking up with his girlfriend is having a bit of a sex drought, no matter what he tries seems to end with him getting beaten up or a laughing stock from his friends. The story is told through entries from different days that are before and after his break up from his girlfriend and involve the main parts of his drought.
While Dan isn't so happy about being single again mainly due to the no sex issue, his best friends are thrilled their friend is single and are willing to help him get back on the dating scene again...if only it was that easy. Throughout the book you met a lot of different characters including Kelly who is Dan's co-worker and his information source for finding out what women want and how he can get one to take notice of him.
I loved the friendship between Dan and Kelly, even with his dating issues and work problems he knows he can count on her to give him the facts straight. Which is the totally opposite to the advice his friends give him. There are a number of funny pick-up lines in the book which are mainly told from his friends that let you know that they are just as bad as Dan when it comes to dating and that maybe they should all take Kelly's advice and just be straight with women instead of trying to be something they are not.
The Drought is a funny novel that has everything you want in a book, with it's dating disasters, friends who don't care if you are the butt of their advice and the situations that Dan gets himself in trying to get himself out of his drought. If you like reading about men doing funny things and getting themselves into situations that you could totally imagine happening in real life then this book is for you!

Humorous, Memorable and Legendary.



23 Review Street:
Q&A with Steven Scaffardi

Hi Steven! Thank you so much for being on 23 Review Street today and for asking me to take part in your Lad Lit Blog Tour. I am thrilled to be able to ask you questions about your books and about being a part of the genre Lad Lit. So let get down to the questions!

You have written two books so far, The Drought and The Flood. Could you summarise what they are about?
Hey, it’s great to be here! Thank you for having me. Both books are part of the Sex, Love & Dating Disaster series. The first book, The Drought, is the laugh-out-loud tale of one man's quest to overcome the throes of a sexual drought. After the stormy break-up with his girlfriend of three years, Dan Hilles is faced with the daunting task of throwing himself back into the life of a single man. With the help of his three best pals, Dan is desperate and determined to get his leg-over with hilarious consequences!
The Flood is the follow-up, but this time Dan has the opposite problem as he has too many women! After making a drunken bet with his three friends that he can date four women at the same time, his love life takes a rather complicated turn (especially when the four women he dates turn out to be a stalker, the office ice queen, his ex-girlfriend, and the one that got away).

There are more books being classed as Lad Lit now, what do you think makes a book part of the genre Lad Lit?
Lad lit is best known as the male equivalent of chick-lit, primarily written by men exploring relationships, emotions and day-to-day life experiences from the perspective of a male protagonist. Often told with humour, charm and wit, lad lit leaves many readers laughing out loud at the scenarios men get into.

Both The Drought and The Flood are part of the same series, do you have more planned for the future?
I certainly do! I’ve started working on some ideas for the third book in the series. The working title is The Pact and it follows Dan and his pals as they travel to Latvia in search of a girl that Dan’s best friend, Rob, dated. It’s a little bit different to the first two books, and is a bit of a tribute to The Bourbon Kid series of books in terms of the style and storyline. So far all I can say is that the boys get tangled up with a Russian mafia don, two karaoke loving corrupt cops, a pimp who is stuck in the 70s, two drag queens, a sleazy hotel boss and his weird wife, and a henchman known as Ray the Local. Watch this space!


I loved reading about Dan’s (the main character) love life and the troubles he experiences; do you have a particular favourite character to write about?
Jack is my favourite character. He is the best one to write because he knows no boundaries and always says and does the most outrageous things. He is full of one-liners and is a real cheeky-chappie. As part of the blog tour, Jack was recently interviewed. It’s been one of my favourite posts of the tour so far and you can read it here.

What would a day in a life of a Lad Lit writer be like?
I guess I can only speak for myself, but when I’m writing I try to spend 1-2 hours a day at the laptop. In terms of ideas, they come from everywhere – my own experiences, stories friends tell me, eavesdropping in on conversations on the train! I also find putting together a soundtrack for your book helps get the creative ideas flowing. I often go out jogging and play the ‘soundtrack’ to the book I’m currently working on and the ideas just start coming together.
Other than that, you can normally find me playing with my daughter, who has recently just turned one, and is just about the cutest thing you have ever seen!

If you had to sum up your writing style in three words, what would they be?
Laugh out loud.

Thank you so much for joining me on 23 Review Street!
Thank you for having me!

The Drought is available for free download at Amazon until May 2. After that you can buy The Drought and the new novel The Flood just 99p on the Kindle at Amazon.
Follow all of the fun on his blog tour by following him on Twitter @SteveScaffardi or by using the hashtag #LadLitBlogTour. More information about Steven and his books can be found on his blog.


Another day, another book, 

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Thursday, 28 April 2016

Review of Tremarmock by Emma Burstall plus Q&A

Tremarnock 
By Emma Burstall
Publication Date: 7th April 2016
Publisher: Head Of Zeus
Pages: 352
Genre: Fiction, Contemporary
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher

Amazon UK / Amazon US 



A beautiful Cornish village, a shocking turn of events... 
Tremarnock is a classic Cornish seaside village. 
Houses painted in yellow, pink and white, cluster around the harbour, where fishermen still unload their daily catch.  It has a pub and a sought-after little restaurant, whitewashed, with bright blue shutters. Here, Liz has found sanctuary for herself and young daughter, Rosie - far away from Rosie's cheating father. 
 From early in the morning with her job as a cleaner, till late at night waitressing in the restaurant, Liz works hard to provide for them both. But trouble is waiting just around the corner.  
As with all villages, there are tensions, secrets - and ambitions.


Tremarmock is the first book I have read by Emma and I know that it will not be the last. Set in the backdrop of a Cornish town, Liz is a single mother who works two jobs to pay the rent and for food for her and her young daughter, Rosie. Even with two jobs, Liz tries to spend as much time as possible with Rosie although Rosie is quite mature for her age and understands that her mum has to work as much as she has to provide for them both.
Ever since Rosie's father abandoned them when she was little, Liz moved them to a small town where they finally have grown to call home. From her lovely neighbour who looks after Rosie when she is in work to the local lady who takes Rosie to school every morning as Liz can't. It seems like a wonderful place to live and quite peaceful.
Although things soon change. Rosie has a small accident which takes her to hospital but Liz isn't prepared for the results that they tell her at the hospital. Soon they begin to find out who their friends really are as they reach out to help them through this tough time and support both Rosie and Liz.
Things never are simple though, Liz soon realises that someone may have been lying to her, as even though people seem like your friends they may not be as friendly and as trustworthy as you once thought.
Tremarmock is a wonderfully written novel that will tug at your heartstrings and make you want to live in such a lovely town where everyone helps each other in their time of need as if they were your own family. With memorable characters and relatable themes it is a perfect spring/summer novel that you should definitely pick up and read!


Beautiful, Hopeful and Heartfelt. 




23 Review Street:

Q&A with Emma Burstall

Hi Emma, thank you so much for joining us on 23 Review Street today, I have just started to read your new novel ‘Tremarnock‘ and I am loving it! Especially since it is set in Cornwall, one of my favourite places to visit for holidays. So, without further ado, on to the questions!

What made you decide to set your new novel in Cornwall?
I used to go on holiday to Cornwall as a child and it always seemed like a magical place to me. I remember swimming in the freezing water, messing around in rock pools and exploring hidden caves with my brother and sister. For two whole weeks we felt as if we had complete freedom. Then, in my early twenties, I got to know the area again after landing my first job as a cub reporter on the Western Morning News in Plymouth. From here it was just a short ferry ride across the river to gorgeous little villages and coastlines, and I went on lots of walks as well as covering stories for the newspaper.
I loved the idea of setting my next novel there, partly because it’s such a beautiful corner of the world, but also because it feels quite remote from the rest of the country.  While the villages are bustling with tourists in summer, in winter, when the wind whips up and waves lash over the sea walls, you can feel pretty isolated and communities tend to rally round and stick together.
Of course everyone knows every one else’s business and as in any village, there are tensions, secrets and lies. There’s also a real mix of folk, including wealthy weekenders with smart holiday homes, and those who struggle to get by, sometimes juggling three or four part-time jobs at once. It’s easy to forget that Cornwall is one of the poorest counties in the country.
All this makes for a great setting for a novel but if I’m honest, there’s another very good reason why I chose the area. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have to spend weeks there doing vital research? I could go back time and again and never tire of the beaches, cliffs, woodlands, moors, cosy pubs, pasties, cream teas and warm welcomes.  It’s a hard life!

I read in the book that you have a second book in this series coming out, do you have plans for more after that one or will it just be a two book series?
I originally planned the series as a trilogy. The second installment, called The Cornish Guest House, is coming out as an e-book first in May, with the paperback and hardback to follow, and I’m busy writing the third now.
Although many of the same characters re-appear, each book can stand alone and the stories are quite different, so you don’t have to read them in order if you don’t want to.
I’m not anticipating a fourth at the moment, but I’d never say never. I can certainly think of plenty more Tremarnock stories I’d love to write if people want to read them. We’ll just have to wait and see… 

Have you always wanted to become a writer?
It’s been my dream since I was a little girl, when I used to sit for hours at the kitchen table weaving no doubt terrible tales about fairies, knights and castles, but it was a long time before I plucked up courage to write my first proper novel. I became a journalist first, writing for newspapers and women’s magazines, then, as my fortieth birthday approached I thought – it’s now or never – and I sat down to write my first chapter. When I’d finished the whole book, I sent it to an agent and waited with bated breath. It’s a good job that she liked it because I’m not sure I’d have been brave and resilient enough to keep going indefinitely.

What is your favourite book?
Hmm, this is tricky. These days I tend to read more contemporary fiction, but I guess I’d have to say my favourite book of all time is Bleak House by Charles Dickens. His characters are utterly memorable, such as the tortured Lady Dedlock, poor Miss Flite, and the parasitic Harold Skimpole – and he paints a scene like no one else.  I love the fact that he engages so well with the social issues of his day, but most of all it’s his sheer ability to tell a story that I admire so much. He keeps the reader guessing till the very end and leaves you wanting more. Perfect.

What is your writing day like?
I’ll often start the day with a run in the park with friends and assorted dogs. It’s a great way to get the heart pumping and catch up on news at the same time. After a quick shower, I’m at my desk by about nine thirty, with a cup of coffee by my side, and apart from a quick twenty minutes for lunch, I’ll work through till four or five when my fourteen year old gets in from school. Sometimes I’ll stop work then, while on others days I’ll do a couple more hours before supper. It depends on my mood – and how close I am to my deadline!

If you could sum up your writing style in three words, what would they be?
Warm, witty and wise - I hope!

Thank you so much for joining us on 23 Review Street!

Emma's next book 'The Cornish Guest House' is due out in May. 


Another day, another book, 



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Monday, 4 April 2016

Q&A with Ed James

23 Review Street:
Q&A with Ed James

Hi Ed, Thank you so much for being on 23 Review Street today, I am very excited to have you as the first crime author on my blog.  So without further ado, let’s get down to the thrilling questions! (Pun intended)

You have written seven crime novels so far, what made you write a crime novel in the first place?
I’ve been a fan of crime stuff since I was very young – I used to watch The Bill and NYPD Blue with my dad, and a lot of my favourite films have a strong police presence – stuff like Heat or Se7en, for example. Or crime in general, e.g. Pulp Fiction, Usual Suspects. But my reading habits were more sci-fi or mainstream fiction, Iain Banks, Irvine Welsh. I got into reading crime when I was home from university for a long, boring summer (1998 or 99, I think) and I picked up my mum’s copy of Ian Rankin’s Black & Blue. And that sucked me right into that genre. My first novel was about being in a band, as I had been, and the second was a sort of white-collar crime thing, which wasn’t very good. Neither were, to be honest. Then, one morning in December, thinking it was an Iain M Banks, I accidentally picked up a Mark Billingham hardback from my beside table. And I thought, “I can write this”. And what I wrote became the first Cullen book.

Are you planning to add more books to your DC Scott Cullen Series?
Absolutely. Number eight, HEROES & VILLIANS, will be out in January next year. I’ve got a solid idea for it and set it up at the end of the seventh, COWBOYS & INDIANS. At the moment, I’m focusing on a few other projects, primarily the DI Fenchurch series for Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer imprint. The challenge for me with my self-publishing hat on is that you need to have a few series out there. I’ve got one and a few bits and pieces – don’t get me wrong, Mr Cullen pays my mortgage and bills but there’s a real law of diminishing returns sales-wise as you go through a series, so I’ve been trying to focus on getting more series out there to attract more readers and hopefully rewarding the long-term fans with something else they like.

Do you get inspiration for your books from stories you have heard or from pure imagination?
My main source of inspiration when I’m coming up with ideas is to think in terms of themes, rather than stuff happening. So, I’ve written books about football hooliganism and animal-rights terrorism, for example. Once I’m clear on that, I’ve got a pretty good method for getting my story down, usually focusing on the criminals and why they’re doing things. That all tightened up, it’s then quite easy (I’ve written eleven police procedurals now) to get the plot from the start going, but there’s always bits where I’m banging my head off my desk…

What is a day in a life of a crime author like?
Mine is very boring. I generally wake up about half seven, then have a cup of tea and some cereal. Three days a week I go to the gym at nine a.m., as the endorphins really help with getting through the rest of the day. The first thing I always do is look at my sales stats for my books and see if there are any things I need to fix – run promotions, change prices, refocus my writing priority, that kind of thing.
When it comes to the actual work, it’s just sitting there for eight hours getting through when I’m trying to get through. The last three months have pretty much been editing for the first two Fenchurch books, which has been a great learning experience but very painful, with not a lot of creativity. I’ve done three outlines in the last three weeks for the next projects I’m working. Most days, I’ll walk my two retired greyhounds in the afternoon – we take them to the beach so they can run around. I’ve always lived within a couple of miles of the sea and can’t imagine not.
When I’m writing writing, I’m usually full on with it until I finish that draft, not taking any days off. That said, I can get through a first draft in two weeks, the shortest was six days. I was speaking to Chris Brookmyre and he takes four and a half months. Horses for courses, I guess. But most of the other time, I’m taking weekends off and like to go for a drive or watch the football.

If you could sum up your writing style in three words, what would they be?
Direct, sensual, visceral.
And I don’t mean sensual as in erotica, I mean as in of the senses. ;-)


Thank you so much for joining us on 23 Review Street. 

About Ed James: 
Ed James writes crime fiction novels, predominantly the SCOTT CULLEN series of police procedurals set in Edinburgh and the surrounding Lothians – the first four are available now, starting with GHOST IN THE MACHINE which has been downloaded over 280,000 times and is currently free. BOTTLENECK (Cullen 5) is out on 17-Mar-14. 
He is currently developing two new series – DI SIMON FENCHURCH and DS VICKY DODDS, set in London and Dundee respectively. He also writes the SUPERNATURE series, featuring vampires and other folkloric creatures, of which the first book SHOT THROUGH THE HEART is out now and free. 
Ed lives in the East Lothian countryside, 25 miles east of Edinburgh, with his girlfriend, six rescue moggies, two retired greyhounds, a flock of ex-battery chickens and rescue ducks across two breeds and two genders (though the boys don’t lay eggs). While working in IT for a living, Ed wrote mainly on public transport but now writes full time. 

Another day, another book,
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Monday, 28 March 2016

Q&A with Elle Field

23 Review Street:
Q&A with Elle Field



Hi Elle, Thank you so much for being on 23 Review Street, I am very excited to have you here! So without further ado, let’s get down to the questions!


You have written three great books, are you working on anything new at the moment that you can share with us?
I'm working on two books at the moment - I'm editing B-Side, which is a novella in the Arielle Lockley series, and writing Found, the last book in that series. I realised after writing Lost that one of the characters in it plays a key part in how Arielle's story will unfold in Found. Because the series is told from the first-person perspective of Arielle, a novella from the point-of-view of another character fills in the gaps we would have never learnt from Arielle... I'm really excited to share this character's version of events!
B-Side will be out in May 2016; Found will follow in summer 2016.

Where does your writing inspiration come from?
Life and people can be great for writing inspiration but I always add a heavy fictional twist if I do happen to be inspired by real life events.

I can tell you that Arielle - the heroine of Kept, Lost and Found - has a few of my own traits. Its probably inevitable as an author that a few of your own experiences and quirks might make their way into bits of your books!

What is a typical writing day for you?
I tend to write for between two and five hours in the afternoons as I'm not a morning person. I don't usually set a word target - sometimes I write fifty words, other days I can write five thousand - but when I get close to finishing a book, my productivity is always heightened. 

Often I will sit and write for hours, though other times I'll need to spend some time doing research as I want my books to be authentic as possible - thank goodness for Google! When I'm in editing mode I usually spend all day doing that - I find editing a lot more enjoyable than writing the first draft.

With your blog, what type of things do you blog about? Is it just about books or is it a variety of things?
I use my blog as a diary of the things I've seen, eaten, read and experienced. One week I might be sharing recipes and reviews of beauty products I have tried, the next week I could be telling my readers about the latest tourist excursion I've done in London or my summer holiday. I love looking back at old posts and taking a trip down memory lane!

If you could sum up your writing style in three words what would they be?
Fun. Charming. Gutsy.


Thank you so much for joining us at 23 Review Street.


About Elle: 

Elle Field lives in London with her boyfriend and their cat. She's a massive fan of sunshine, giraffes, The Killers, Audrey Hepburn movies, playing Scrabble and tea. Oh, and reading, of course! 
Lost, the second book in the Arielle Lockley series, is out now. The final book in the series, Found, will be out in May 2016, and will be available to pre-order soon. Buy the series here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B011M9BTQQ
Follow Elle on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ellefie
Read her blog: http://www.ellefield.co.uk 


Another day, another book, 
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