Sam Carrington's Blog, page 5
October 9, 2017
Bad Sister - Day 5 of the Blog Tour
Day 5 of the tour sees me featured on Writing.ie talking about my journey to becoming a writer.
You can read it HERE
Keep an eye out for tomorrow's guest blog post on Short Book and Scribes!
October 8, 2017
Bad Sister Blog Tour Days 3 and 4
It's Day 4 already - and the BAD SISTER blog tour is in full swing!
Yesterday - Day 3 - saw an exclusive extract from Bad Sister on Tracey's blog - Island Girl Book Blogger - you can read it HERE
Today, Day 4 - Katherine has written and shared the most amazing review on her blog, BiblioManiac.
You can read what she has to say about Bad Sister - HERE
I've also been getting other fantastic reviews coming in, and I must say, I'm thrilled with the reception for BAD SISTER so far. Thank you to those who've bought it, and those who've reviewed.
Getting those all-important reviews is the holy grail for writers! I'm hugely appreciative!
Here are a few examples of what readers are saying about BAD SISTER:
"When a new author gives us a debut as brilliant Saving Sophie, you can be forgiven for wondering what else they have to offer ... Will book two live up to our expectations. Well let me tell you, Sam Carrington is NO one-hit wonder!!!
Bad Sister is brilliant! ... As we jump from past to present, we are taken on a journey so mind-blowing that its conclusion will leave your blood tingling!
Do not miss this one folks, it's frigging awesome!!!!" - EmmaTheLittelBookWorm
"What I like about Sam Carrington’s writing is the tense atmosphere that she creates ... Bad Sister is another thrilling read ... I can’t wait to see what she does next, I will definitely be first in line to read her next book" Jacob Collins
"Well, of all the places I thought this book would take me to, I never thought we'd end up where we did. In fact, I actually gave up trying to work it out about half way through as I was getting dizzy from all the twists and turns, and a bit frustrated at myself for being led down dead ends, so I acquiesced and just let the author lead the dance. Well, she did a pretty good job of things with Saving Sophie, her previous book which I also enjoyed...The ending when it came was rather shocking ... I was rather gobsmacked although, thinking back with hindsight, all very cleverly worked out." - Ashrae
You can buy BAD SISTER now from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, GooglePlay and other online stores.
Yesterday - Day 3 - saw an exclusive extract from Bad Sister on Tracey's blog - Island Girl Book Blogger - you can read it HERE
Today, Day 4 - Katherine has written and shared the most amazing review on her blog, BiblioManiac.
You can read what she has to say about Bad Sister - HERE
I've also been getting other fantastic reviews coming in, and I must say, I'm thrilled with the reception for BAD SISTER so far. Thank you to those who've bought it, and those who've reviewed.
Getting those all-important reviews is the holy grail for writers! I'm hugely appreciative!
Here are a few examples of what readers are saying about BAD SISTER:
"When a new author gives us a debut as brilliant Saving Sophie, you can be forgiven for wondering what else they have to offer ... Will book two live up to our expectations. Well let me tell you, Sam Carrington is NO one-hit wonder!!!
Bad Sister is brilliant! ... As we jump from past to present, we are taken on a journey so mind-blowing that its conclusion will leave your blood tingling!
Do not miss this one folks, it's frigging awesome!!!!" - EmmaTheLittelBookWorm
"What I like about Sam Carrington’s writing is the tense atmosphere that she creates ... Bad Sister is another thrilling read ... I can’t wait to see what she does next, I will definitely be first in line to read her next book" Jacob Collins
"Well, of all the places I thought this book would take me to, I never thought we'd end up where we did. In fact, I actually gave up trying to work it out about half way through as I was getting dizzy from all the twists and turns, and a bit frustrated at myself for being led down dead ends, so I acquiesced and just let the author lead the dance. Well, she did a pretty good job of things with Saving Sophie, her previous book which I also enjoyed...The ending when it came was rather shocking ... I was rather gobsmacked although, thinking back with hindsight, all very cleverly worked out." - Ashrae
You can buy BAD SISTER now from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, GooglePlay and other online stores.
October 6, 2017
BAD SISTER publication day and Blog Tour!
I can't quite believe my second book has been published! It doesn't seem long ago I was following the blog tour for Saving Sophie, and revelling in the amazing support from family, friends, bloggers and reviewers ... Now, here we are again. BAD SISTER is out!
I'm, yet again, overwhelmed by the support - massive thanks to all who've been part of the journey, and those who are now helping push (guide?) Bad Sister out into the world. I'm so grateful.
Yesterday went by in a bit of a blur, really. There were so many people to thank on social media - I think I spent the majority of the day attached to my laptop. It was wonderful to receive so many 'Congratulations' posts and words of support - and if I missed anyone (which I'm bound to have!) then I'm sorry - and please know I am hugely appreciative of everyone taking the time to tweet, share posts and comment/message me.
I did manage to celebrate in the evening - Chinese, chocolate, champagne ... and Baywatch (the film) with my family - it was perfect.
I also had some fabulous balloons from my lovely friend, Libby - flowers from my hubby - and from my amazing publisher's, Avon.
The blog tour kicked off yesterday on Amanda's blog, Ginger Book Geek, with an extract from Bad Sister, and a fantastic review. You can read her review HERE and the extract HERE.
Day 2 sees another brilliant review from Emma Mitchell, on her blog - Emma The Little Book Worm - thank you! You can read it HERE
I'm also featured on Female First - 10 Things I Would Like My Readers To Know About Me
You can read that, HERE!
And... there's more. The lovely Barbara Copperthwaite, whose new novel Her Last Secret, is out in a few days, has me on her What's Their Secret? feature, which you can read HERE
So, all-in-all, a very busy Day 2!
The blog tour is filled with brilliant bloggers - please do follow and support if you can. They do a fantastic job in supporting publishers and authors, they are amazing! Here's the line-up:
Thanks again for all the support.
Thank you to my wonderful agent, Anne Williams, for all her hard work and support, and to all at Avon who are so enthusiastic.
And THANK YOU to those who have bought Bad Sister - I hope you enjoy it!
You can buy Bad Sister as an ebook from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, Google Play, as well as other online stores: Waterstones, WHSmith
I'm, yet again, overwhelmed by the support - massive thanks to all who've been part of the journey, and those who are now helping push (guide?) Bad Sister out into the world. I'm so grateful.
Yesterday went by in a bit of a blur, really. There were so many people to thank on social media - I think I spent the majority of the day attached to my laptop. It was wonderful to receive so many 'Congratulations' posts and words of support - and if I missed anyone (which I'm bound to have!) then I'm sorry - and please know I am hugely appreciative of everyone taking the time to tweet, share posts and comment/message me.
I did manage to celebrate in the evening - Chinese, chocolate, champagne ... and Baywatch (the film) with my family - it was perfect.
I also had some fabulous balloons from my lovely friend, Libby - flowers from my hubby - and from my amazing publisher's, Avon.
The blog tour kicked off yesterday on Amanda's blog, Ginger Book Geek, with an extract from Bad Sister, and a fantastic review. You can read her review HERE and the extract HERE.
Day 2 sees another brilliant review from Emma Mitchell, on her blog - Emma The Little Book Worm - thank you! You can read it HERE
I'm also featured on Female First - 10 Things I Would Like My Readers To Know About Me
You can read that, HERE!
And... there's more. The lovely Barbara Copperthwaite, whose new novel Her Last Secret, is out in a few days, has me on her What's Their Secret? feature, which you can read HERE
So, all-in-all, a very busy Day 2!
The blog tour is filled with brilliant bloggers - please do follow and support if you can. They do a fantastic job in supporting publishers and authors, they are amazing! Here's the line-up:
Thanks again for all the support.Thank you to my wonderful agent, Anne Williams, for all her hard work and support, and to all at Avon who are so enthusiastic.
And THANK YOU to those who have bought Bad Sister - I hope you enjoy it!
You can buy Bad Sister as an ebook from Amazon, Kobo, iTunes, Google Play, as well as other online stores: Waterstones, WHSmith
October 5, 2017
Caroline England - 20 Questions
Debut Author Spotlight – 20 Questionswith Caroline England
I'm delighted to welcome debut author, Caroline England to the spotlight feature today. I first met Caroline at CrimeFest in May, and we also share publication days!
Beneath The Skin is a brilliantly dark, domestic noir about a life changing lie - here is the blurb:
No-one remembers your past. But you do.‘Antonia, Antonia. My name is Antonia.’It’s been her name for many years. But sometimes, like tonight, she forgets.Antonia has a secret. A secret so dark and so deep that she can barely admit it to herself. Instead, she treats herself to Friday night sessions of self-harm while her husband David is at the pub, and her best friend Sophie is drinking too much wine a few doors down.Nobody close to her knows the truth about what the teenage Antonia saw all those years ago. No-one, that is, except her mother. But Candy is in a care home now, her mind too addled to remember the truth. Antonia is safe. Isn’t she?The lies start small. They always do. But when the tightly woven story you’ve told yourself begins to unravel, the truth threatens to come to the surface. And then what’s going to happen?
Sounds fabulous, doesn't it?
Now, over to you, Caroline:
1) Congratulations, Caroline, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now: Thrilled, dream, true!
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence: Four couples with interlinking histories; eight individuals, all with secrets that are ready to explode (thank you to Sarah Jasmon for putting it so succinctly!)
3) How are you celebrating publication day? I think a bottle of fizz might be in order!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?
The first novel I wrote was chicklit set in a solicitor’s office. I started writing it at my desk between working on my cases, but don’t tell anyone!
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?
A fairly long time! But, like most writers, I submitted it far too early.
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?
How supportive and friendly other published writers are!
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?
To readers enjoying my novel! Not everyone is going to like it, I know, but I hope some people do! Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?
Funnily enough I was thinking about Einstein’s quote about fairy tales today: “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” I can’t recall my mum reading them to me, but she bought me fairy tale volumes every birthday and Christmas. I can see one now on my bookcase - The Yellow Fairy Book - I can still remember eagerly dipping in! I’ve never read Roald Dahl’s novels for children, but I discovered Switch Bitch, Kiss Kiss and his other short stories as a teenager. I loved the intriguing colourful tales with their dark twists. Looking back, I can see how they’ve influenced my own short stories.
I adored Mary Wesley’s surprisingly risqué novels and Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles. I’m also a big fan of Maggie O’Farrell and Kate Atkinson’s contemporary fiction. I have always enjoyed reading crime fiction, from Agatha Christie as a child through to Ruth Rendell, Minette Walters, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and more recently Mark Billingham and Jo Nesbo. And now I’ve found all the fab Avon HarperCollins crime writers! Though my novels are more ‘domestic noir’ than standard crime fiction, I think my writing has been influenced by the blend of these two genres, so I write about contemporary lives but with intrigue, complications, dark edges and secrets. And, of course, love.
9) How long did it take you to write ‘BENEATH THE SKIN’?
This is a tricky question as the first draft was written fairly quickly, maybe ten years ago, then I came back to it in more recent times and fleshed it out.
10) What was your first draft like?
The basic story was pretty much the same as it is now. I thought it was complete, but of course it wasn’t! It has probably doubled in length since then.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor? b - and now you do?
I think the self-editing process is a massive learning curve. My local writing group is particularly good at spotting howlers. I actually enjoy the process and I have certainly got better at it over time, but there’s nothing like having another pair of eyes, especially professional ones!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?
Silence (though the cats make their presence known, often by sitting on the laptop and purring loudly!)
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing?
Yorkshire tea!
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? Least favourite?
Lying in the bath and getting inspiration is my favourite. Getting distracted by life and thinking I’ll never have the ability to write again is the least.
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it? No.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process? I’m very much a ‘doer’ so I quite liked the deadlines for book 2, but I don’t know how I’d feel about writing from scratch. Super stressed probably! Fortunately I had My Husband’s Lies in the bag!
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time?
Spending as much time as I can with my three gorgeous girls!
18) What’s coming next? My Husband’s Lies will (hopefully) be published in May 2018. It’s available for pre- order now on Amazon!
19) Where can readers find you? Twitter: @CazEngland Facebook: Caroline England Author Instagram: CazEngland1 Website: carolineenglandauthor.simplesite.com Email: carolineenglandauthor@gmail.com
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel? Just click on any of the following to be taken to the site: Amazon Waterstones HarperCollins WHSmith
Now, here's a bit about Caroline:
Born Yorkshire lass, Caroline studied Law at the University of Manchester and stayed over the border. Caroline was a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer and instigated her jottings when she deserted the law to bring up her three lovely daughters. In addition to the publication of her short story collection, Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses by ACHUKAbooks, Caroline has had short stories and poems published in a variety of literary publications and anthologies. She was shortlisted for the Impress Prize 2015, in the Pulp Idol 2016 finals and long listed for the UK Novel Writing Competition 2017.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions - wishing you HUGE success with Beneath The Skin - and enjoy your day!
I think we'll both be celebrating later :)
I'm delighted to welcome debut author, Caroline England to the spotlight feature today. I first met Caroline at CrimeFest in May, and we also share publication days!
Beneath The Skin is a brilliantly dark, domestic noir about a life changing lie - here is the blurb:
No-one remembers your past. But you do.‘Antonia, Antonia. My name is Antonia.’It’s been her name for many years. But sometimes, like tonight, she forgets.Antonia has a secret. A secret so dark and so deep that she can barely admit it to herself. Instead, she treats herself to Friday night sessions of self-harm while her husband David is at the pub, and her best friend Sophie is drinking too much wine a few doors down.Nobody close to her knows the truth about what the teenage Antonia saw all those years ago. No-one, that is, except her mother. But Candy is in a care home now, her mind too addled to remember the truth. Antonia is safe. Isn’t she?The lies start small. They always do. But when the tightly woven story you’ve told yourself begins to unravel, the truth threatens to come to the surface. And then what’s going to happen?
Sounds fabulous, doesn't it?
Now, over to you, Caroline:
1) Congratulations, Caroline, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now: Thrilled, dream, true!
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence: Four couples with interlinking histories; eight individuals, all with secrets that are ready to explode (thank you to Sarah Jasmon for putting it so succinctly!)
3) How are you celebrating publication day? I think a bottle of fizz might be in order!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?
The first novel I wrote was chicklit set in a solicitor’s office. I started writing it at my desk between working on my cases, but don’t tell anyone!
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?
A fairly long time! But, like most writers, I submitted it far too early.
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?
How supportive and friendly other published writers are!
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?
To readers enjoying my novel! Not everyone is going to like it, I know, but I hope some people do! Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?
Funnily enough I was thinking about Einstein’s quote about fairy tales today: “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” I can’t recall my mum reading them to me, but she bought me fairy tale volumes every birthday and Christmas. I can see one now on my bookcase - The Yellow Fairy Book - I can still remember eagerly dipping in! I’ve never read Roald Dahl’s novels for children, but I discovered Switch Bitch, Kiss Kiss and his other short stories as a teenager. I loved the intriguing colourful tales with their dark twists. Looking back, I can see how they’ve influenced my own short stories.
I adored Mary Wesley’s surprisingly risqué novels and Elizabeth Jane Howard’s Cazalet Chronicles. I’m also a big fan of Maggie O’Farrell and Kate Atkinson’s contemporary fiction. I have always enjoyed reading crime fiction, from Agatha Christie as a child through to Ruth Rendell, Minette Walters, Val McDermid, Ian Rankin and more recently Mark Billingham and Jo Nesbo. And now I’ve found all the fab Avon HarperCollins crime writers! Though my novels are more ‘domestic noir’ than standard crime fiction, I think my writing has been influenced by the blend of these two genres, so I write about contemporary lives but with intrigue, complications, dark edges and secrets. And, of course, love.
9) How long did it take you to write ‘BENEATH THE SKIN’?
This is a tricky question as the first draft was written fairly quickly, maybe ten years ago, then I came back to it in more recent times and fleshed it out.
10) What was your first draft like?
The basic story was pretty much the same as it is now. I thought it was complete, but of course it wasn’t! It has probably doubled in length since then.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor? b - and now you do?
I think the self-editing process is a massive learning curve. My local writing group is particularly good at spotting howlers. I actually enjoy the process and I have certainly got better at it over time, but there’s nothing like having another pair of eyes, especially professional ones!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?
Silence (though the cats make their presence known, often by sitting on the laptop and purring loudly!)
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing?
Yorkshire tea!
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? Least favourite?
Lying in the bath and getting inspiration is my favourite. Getting distracted by life and thinking I’ll never have the ability to write again is the least.
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it? No.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process? I’m very much a ‘doer’ so I quite liked the deadlines for book 2, but I don’t know how I’d feel about writing from scratch. Super stressed probably! Fortunately I had My Husband’s Lies in the bag!
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time?
Spending as much time as I can with my three gorgeous girls!
18) What’s coming next? My Husband’s Lies will (hopefully) be published in May 2018. It’s available for pre- order now on Amazon!
19) Where can readers find you? Twitter: @CazEngland Facebook: Caroline England Author Instagram: CazEngland1 Website: carolineenglandauthor.simplesite.com Email: carolineenglandauthor@gmail.com
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel? Just click on any of the following to be taken to the site: Amazon Waterstones HarperCollins WHSmith
Now, here's a bit about Caroline:
Born Yorkshire lass, Caroline studied Law at the University of Manchester and stayed over the border. Caroline was a divorce and professional indemnity lawyer and instigated her jottings when she deserted the law to bring up her three lovely daughters. In addition to the publication of her short story collection, Watching Horsepats Feed the Roses by ACHUKAbooks, Caroline has had short stories and poems published in a variety of literary publications and anthologies. She was shortlisted for the Impress Prize 2015, in the Pulp Idol 2016 finals and long listed for the UK Novel Writing Competition 2017.
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions - wishing you HUGE success with Beneath The Skin - and enjoy your day!
I think we'll both be celebrating later :)
September 29, 2017
Preparing for Bad Sister's publication
My second novel, Bad Sister, is due for publication on 5th October (ebook) and it has been quite a different experience to when my debut, Saving Sophie, was published.
It's been a far busier time, for one!
The other difference is that I know a little more of what to expect this time. It was a brand new and daunting experience having the first novel going out into the world. Authors often liken the process to childbirth, and I quite agree. But this is my second - and as most mothers will attest, we're a bit more relaxed about that second birth!
A bit.
Although I'm more au fait with the process, I am more anxious about the reaction from readers to my new creation! Second books can be notoriously difficult in following up the success of the first, there seems to be a greater pressure and the nerves are now well and truly settling in.
I'm sure come Wednesday night, when midnight is drawing closer and I'm on Twitter chatting to readers and bloggers who enjoyed and supported my debut, the nerves will evolve into sheer excitement. I feel so lucky to be having another novel publishing with Avon, HarperCollins and so I will try and enjoy it, and celebrate in style.
With bubbles, of course...
I hope you will be able to join in with some of the celebrations - they will be mainly online and therefore only virtual bubbles - but the paperback will be released in December and I will be having a real-life launch early January where some of those who've been supportive might be able to join in the celebrations in person. More to follow on that at a later date.Also, do watch out for some fabulous giveaways soon, as well as a brilliantly supported blog tour!
You can pre-order Bad Sister here:
Amazon UK
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August 29, 2017
Bad Sister - Cover Reveal!
I'm delighted to share the cover of my new book, BAD SISTER.
Avon, HaprperCollins have done another fantastic job and I think it sits alongside Saving Sophie perfectly.
What do you think?
Bad Sister is my second psychological thriller and those who have read Saving Sophie will recognise a couple of characters who return for this story - DI Wade and DS Mack. This novel introduces psychologist, Connie Summers. Here's the blurb:
Sisters. Allies. Liars.
The gripping new thriller from the bestselling author of Saving Sophie.
Stephanie is scared for her life. Her psychologist, Connie Summers, wants to help her face her fears, but Connie will never really understand her. Stephanie’s past has been wiped away for her own protection. Stephanie isn’t even her real name. But then, Dr Summers isn’t Connie’s real name either.
And that’s not all the women have in common. As Stephanie opens up about her troubled relationship with her brother, Connie is forced to confront her own dark family secrets.
When a mutilated body is dumped in plain sight, it will have devastating consequences for both women.
Who is the victim?
Who is to blame?
Who is next?
Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Bad Sister will have fans of Sue Fortin, B A Paris and Linda Green hooked till the final page.
Bad Sister is available for pre-order now - and publishes on 5th October in ebook, and 14th December in paperback!
Thank you to the awesome bloggers who have been involved in the cover reveal today - your support, as ever, is hugely appreciated :)
PS - Saving Sophie is 99p at the moment in the UK - but only for a few more days!
Avon, HaprperCollins have done another fantastic job and I think it sits alongside Saving Sophie perfectly.
What do you think?
Bad Sister is my second psychological thriller and those who have read Saving Sophie will recognise a couple of characters who return for this story - DI Wade and DS Mack. This novel introduces psychologist, Connie Summers. Here's the blurb:
Sisters. Allies. Liars.
The gripping new thriller from the bestselling author of Saving Sophie.
Stephanie is scared for her life. Her psychologist, Connie Summers, wants to help her face her fears, but Connie will never really understand her. Stephanie’s past has been wiped away for her own protection. Stephanie isn’t even her real name. But then, Dr Summers isn’t Connie’s real name either.
And that’s not all the women have in common. As Stephanie opens up about her troubled relationship with her brother, Connie is forced to confront her own dark family secrets.
When a mutilated body is dumped in plain sight, it will have devastating consequences for both women.
Who is the victim?
Who is to blame?
Who is next?
Gripping, tense and impossible to put down, Bad Sister will have fans of Sue Fortin, B A Paris and Linda Green hooked till the final page.
Bad Sister is available for pre-order now - and publishes on 5th October in ebook, and 14th December in paperback!
Thank you to the awesome bloggers who have been involved in the cover reveal today - your support, as ever, is hugely appreciated :)
PS - Saving Sophie is 99p at the moment in the UK - but only for a few more days!
August 24, 2017
Elisabeth Carpenter - 20 Questions
Debut Author Spotlight – 20 Questionswith Elisabeth Carpenter
I am thrilled to have Elisabeth join me to chat about her debut psychological thriller, 99 Red Balloons: A chillingly clever psychological thriller with a stomach-flipping twist - published by Avon, HarperCollins today!
Elisabeth Carpenter lives in Preston with her family. She completed a BA in English Literature and Language with the Open University in 2011. Elisabeth was awarded a Northern Writers’ New Fiction award, and was longlisted for Yeovil Literary Prize (2015 and 2016) and the MsLexia Women’s Novel award (2015). She loves living in the north of England and sets most of her stories in the area, including the novel she is writing at the moment. She currently works as a book keeper.
1) Congratulations, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now:
Excited, nervous disbelief!
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence:
Two girls go missing, decades apart, and family secrets are slowly revealed.
3) How are you celebrating publication day?
Lunch and dinner out with the family – with a glass of Prosecco, of course!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?
I started writing 99 Red Balloons in 2015, but this was actually the fifth manuscript I’ve written. With 99, I wanted to explore the impact of a missing child on the wider family.
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?
I started submitting around the beginning of June 2016 - so just over a year. It’s been a crazy, but amazing, fourteen months!
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?
Luckily, I have a friend who has been through it before me (which is you, Sam, haha!). You were always there to answer my questions, which I really appreciated.
As well as editing the book itself, there are also a lot interviews for blog posts, which I hadn’t thought about before. They are really fun to do, as everyone asks different questions – some I’d never asked myself!
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?
Seeing my book on shelves next to other authors – it’ll be a dream come true.
Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?
Not technically an author, but Sally Wainwright is one of my writing heroes. Also, I loved The Time Traveller’s Wife. This book was so different to anything I’d read before. I wasn’t a big fan of pure science fiction as I felt it was too descriptive. Previously, I read lots of women’s fiction, which I still love, but this book mixed genres so seamlessly it was inspirational to me. The depth of the characters that Niffeneger created meant I was in floods of tears by the end of the book.
9) How long did it take you to write ’99 Red Balloons’?
About a year, on and off.
10) What was your first draft like?
I like to get the story down first or I might not finish it. I tend to write quite detailed anyway as things pop into my head.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor? I go through my work again and again. b - and now you do? ...and again! It’s much the same, but a lot more detailed. It’s great having a professional suggest ways to improve the book. I have a brilliant editor, which helps!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?
Having a six-year-old in the summer holidays means I rarely have the luxury of silence during the day, but I wouldn’t change it! (School starts back in a few weeks haha!)
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing?
Lots of coffee (morning) and tea (afternoon)
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? Least favourite?
I love and hate first drafts, and I love and hate editing. It’s a mixed bag!
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it?
The book I’m writing now is part-set in 1986. Luckily, I remember quite a bit, but I’ve read books of the time, bought newspapers and magazines from that year. I also got a Freemans catalogue on disc, which was really fun to go through.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?Not much as a process, but it is daunting writing book two knowing it’s going to be published. I suppose it makes me work harder to get it right.
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time?
I go to an art class once a week in term time; I like reading, going out with friends, seeing new places, visiting museums. And sometimes I like doing nothing.
18) What’s coming next?
Book two is written and I’m just putting the final tweaks to it. It’s about a mother who goes missing in 1986 from a Spanish Island. Her family receives an email from someone claiming to be her. The narrative follows her daughter in the present, and the mother in the past, in the lead-up to her disappearance.
19) Where can readers find you?
On Twitter - @libbycpt and on Facebook - Elisabeth Carpenter Author My website is: www.elisabethcarpenter.co.uk
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?99 Red Balloons can be found in bookstores and supermarkets and you can, of course, get it on AMAZON
Here's the blurb for 99 Red Balloons:
Two girls go missing, decades apart. What would you do if one was your daughter?When eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family rallies around, but as the police hunt begins, cracks begin to emerge.
What are the secret emails sent between Emma’s husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is Emma really as innocent as she seems?
Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s picture in the newspaper. It’s a photograph that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared…
Huge thanks for joining me on your publication day, Elisabeth! Hope you have a fantastic day and enjoy your prosecco later!
You can pop along to see Elisabeth at Waterstones, Preston on 12th September - for details click HERE
I am thrilled to have Elisabeth join me to chat about her debut psychological thriller, 99 Red Balloons: A chillingly clever psychological thriller with a stomach-flipping twist - published by Avon, HarperCollins today!
Elisabeth Carpenter lives in Preston with her family. She completed a BA in English Literature and Language with the Open University in 2011. Elisabeth was awarded a Northern Writers’ New Fiction award, and was longlisted for Yeovil Literary Prize (2015 and 2016) and the MsLexia Women’s Novel award (2015). She loves living in the north of England and sets most of her stories in the area, including the novel she is writing at the moment. She currently works as a book keeper.
1) Congratulations, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now:
Excited, nervous disbelief!
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence:
Two girls go missing, decades apart, and family secrets are slowly revealed.
3) How are you celebrating publication day?
Lunch and dinner out with the family – with a glass of Prosecco, of course!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?
I started writing 99 Red Balloons in 2015, but this was actually the fifth manuscript I’ve written. With 99, I wanted to explore the impact of a missing child on the wider family.
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?
I started submitting around the beginning of June 2016 - so just over a year. It’s been a crazy, but amazing, fourteen months!
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?
Luckily, I have a friend who has been through it before me (which is you, Sam, haha!). You were always there to answer my questions, which I really appreciated.
As well as editing the book itself, there are also a lot interviews for blog posts, which I hadn’t thought about before. They are really fun to do, as everyone asks different questions – some I’d never asked myself!
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?
Seeing my book on shelves next to other authors – it’ll be a dream come true.
Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?
Not technically an author, but Sally Wainwright is one of my writing heroes. Also, I loved The Time Traveller’s Wife. This book was so different to anything I’d read before. I wasn’t a big fan of pure science fiction as I felt it was too descriptive. Previously, I read lots of women’s fiction, which I still love, but this book mixed genres so seamlessly it was inspirational to me. The depth of the characters that Niffeneger created meant I was in floods of tears by the end of the book.
9) How long did it take you to write ’99 Red Balloons’?
About a year, on and off.
10) What was your first draft like?
I like to get the story down first or I might not finish it. I tend to write quite detailed anyway as things pop into my head.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor? I go through my work again and again. b - and now you do? ...and again! It’s much the same, but a lot more detailed. It’s great having a professional suggest ways to improve the book. I have a brilliant editor, which helps!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?
Having a six-year-old in the summer holidays means I rarely have the luxury of silence during the day, but I wouldn’t change it! (School starts back in a few weeks haha!)
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing?
Lots of coffee (morning) and tea (afternoon)
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? Least favourite?
I love and hate first drafts, and I love and hate editing. It’s a mixed bag!
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it?
The book I’m writing now is part-set in 1986. Luckily, I remember quite a bit, but I’ve read books of the time, bought newspapers and magazines from that year. I also got a Freemans catalogue on disc, which was really fun to go through.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?Not much as a process, but it is daunting writing book two knowing it’s going to be published. I suppose it makes me work harder to get it right.
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time?
I go to an art class once a week in term time; I like reading, going out with friends, seeing new places, visiting museums. And sometimes I like doing nothing.
18) What’s coming next?
Book two is written and I’m just putting the final tweaks to it. It’s about a mother who goes missing in 1986 from a Spanish Island. Her family receives an email from someone claiming to be her. The narrative follows her daughter in the present, and the mother in the past, in the lead-up to her disappearance.
19) Where can readers find you?
On Twitter - @libbycpt and on Facebook - Elisabeth Carpenter Author My website is: www.elisabethcarpenter.co.uk
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?99 Red Balloons can be found in bookstores and supermarkets and you can, of course, get it on AMAZON
Here's the blurb for 99 Red Balloons:
Two girls go missing, decades apart. What would you do if one was your daughter?When eight-year-old Grace goes missing from a sweetshop on the way home from school, her mother Emma is plunged into a nightmare. Her family rallies around, but as the police hunt begins, cracks begin to emerge.
What are the secret emails sent between Emma’s husband and her sister? Why does her mother take so long to join the search? And is Emma really as innocent as she seems?
Meanwhile, ageing widow Maggie Taylor sees Grace’s picture in the newspaper. It’s a photograph that jolts her from the pain of her existence into a spiralling obsession with another girl – the first girl who disappeared…
Huge thanks for joining me on your publication day, Elisabeth! Hope you have a fantastic day and enjoy your prosecco later!
You can pop along to see Elisabeth at Waterstones, Preston on 12th September - for details click HERE
August 12, 2017
Happy 1st Birthday, SAVING SOPHIE! Over 100,000 ebooks sold!
I can't quite believe it was a year ago today that my debut psychological thriller novel, SAVING SOPHIE was published in ebook!
I remember waiting until after midnight to watch it magically appear on my kindle - and feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves!
A very proud moment!
I am so grateful for all the support from family, friends and also reviewers and bloggers, who made the day so special and have continued to support me during this first year. It was definitely a dream come true moment and I can't thank my agent, Anne Williams, and team Avon enough for helping me achieve it!
So, a year on and book 2, BAD SISTER is less than 8 weeks away from publication and I'm nearing the end of writing book 3. I've had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful authors at various events and can finally say I feel like an author too now.
I'm thrilled that I'm able to write for a living and look forward to future projects. Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of SAVING SOPHIE.
Here's to another fabulous year!
You can grab SAVING SOPHIE for just 99p until the end of August. For Amazon UK Click HERE
I remember waiting until after midnight to watch it magically appear on my kindle - and feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves!
A very proud moment!I am so grateful for all the support from family, friends and also reviewers and bloggers, who made the day so special and have continued to support me during this first year. It was definitely a dream come true moment and I can't thank my agent, Anne Williams, and team Avon enough for helping me achieve it!
So, a year on and book 2, BAD SISTER is less than 8 weeks away from publication and I'm nearing the end of writing book 3. I've had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful authors at various events and can finally say I feel like an author too now.
I'm thrilled that I'm able to write for a living and look forward to future projects. Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy of SAVING SOPHIE.
Here's to another fabulous year!
You can grab SAVING SOPHIE for just 99p until the end of August. For Amazon UK Click HERE
August 2, 2017
Victoria Jenkins – 20 Questions
Debut Author Spotlight – 20 Questions
with Victoria Jenkins
The Girls in the Water : A completely gripping serial killer thriller with a shocking twist (Detectives King and Lane Book 1)
Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband in South Wales, where she writes crime fiction and teaches English. The Girls in the Water is her debut novel, the first featuring Detective Inspector Alex King and Detective Constable Chloe Lane. The second book in the series will be published in late 2017.
1) Congratulations, Victoria, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now:Lucky, excited, hopeful.
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence:Two female detectives hunt a killer in South Wales, with devastating consequences that hit uncomfortably close to home.
3) How are you celebrating publication day?Quietly. I will probably be glued to my laptop for a big chunk of the day – it’s become a third arm. The support online – both from people I know and those I’ve never met – has been incredible. I feel so lucky, and very grateful. I’ll be going out for dinner in the evening with my husband and my sister – it wouldn’t be a celebration without food involved at some point!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?The Girls in the Water isn’t the first book I’ve written – I’ve written several over the past decade, although most of them I’d be too embarrassed to ever have my name associated with! I’d written from a young age, so it was just a case of finding the ‘right’ thing to write. I wrote this book after the book that grabbed the interest of my agent failed to get a publishing deal – it felt like a case of ‘now or never’, so the pressure turned out to be a good thing for me.
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?The time between getting signed by an agent and getting the book deal was eleven months, but between finishing The Girls in the Water and getting the publishing deal with Bookouture was a space of about four months. While initially submitting to agents I’d read a lot of ‘Agent on Monday…book deal by Friday’ stories, but the reality for most is a lot different and I think from speaking to other authors that my experience is probably closer to the norm. It’s a waiting game, but it’s one that’s well worth playing. The best way to kill the time is to get on with writing something else.
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?The editing process. Structural edits, line edits, copy edits, proofreads…it can feel never-ending at times! The final version of The Girls in the Water is very different to the first, but the editing process is there for a reason, so the time is well spent.
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?Being able to justify the amount of time I spend in my pyjamas.
Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?I love Linwood Barclay’s books. In my letters to agents, I used to write something along the lines of, ‘I’d like to be a female, British Linwood Barclay’. The stories are just so accessible; they’re the kind I start, get lost in from the first page, and then find I’ve finished within a matter of days. Not an author, but while writing The Girls in the Water I was binge-watching the BBC2 series The Fall. I think some of the darker elements of the book definitely took an influence from that.
9) How long did it take you to write The Girls in the Water?The first draft that was sent to my agent took about six months. She then gave me revisions before submitting to publishers, and then there were all the additional edits that came from my editor at Bookouture. In total, I think around nine months was spent on the book.
10) What was your first draft like? The very first draft was just the bare bones of the story, probably around 80,000 words – I always like to get the plot down first and then go back and add the descriptions of characters and places, as well as the details relating to police procedure.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor?Difficult. Once I’d got my descriptions down (which quite often weren’t detailed enough) I’d find it hard to see beyond what was there on the screen in front of me. A fresh pair of eyes is definitely needed when it comes to editing. b - and now you do?Far easier. Having someone else’s input makes you able to see the things you’ve missed, or the things that just don’t make sense. Sometimes they’re glaringly obvious and I’ll think, ‘well how did I not notice that?’ but when you’ve looked at something so often and for so long, it’s almost as though you stop seeing what’s staring you in the face!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?A few years back I used to listen to music all the time while writing, always through headphones. I don’t know why that’s changed, but now I find I need total silence. I know a lot of people say they need noise and life around them, but I’d get nothing done. I am easily distracted.
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing? I keep my sweet tooth under much better control these days than I did when I was younger, but only because I tend not to buy biscuits and cake too often – if it’s in the house, it won’t be there for long. I drink a lot of tea while I’m writing, but I think this is more to do with finding something to distract myself with when things aren’t going to plan rather than the tea itself!
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? And least favourite?Favourite part? The End. Only joking. My favourite part is when I’m so immersed in something that I get lost in it. I think that’s why I’ve always written: writing means a break from the real world. I love the real world too, but like anywhere else, I don’t want to be there 24/7! My least favourite part: writer’s block. Urgh. I sometimes go for weeks without writing a single word, particularly when I’m in the early stages of a book. Getting past the 10k word mark is always a relief; I start to feel as though I may sort-of know what I’m doing at this point, rather than just making things up as I go along (which I suppose is what I’m doing anyway!)
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it?Police procedure was all new to me until about eighteen months ago. I’ve been lucky that a friend’s uncle and my husband’s cousin are both police officers and they gave me help with some of the details needed for The Girls in the Water. I had to do some pretty grim research on drowning victims and the effects of water on corpses too, most of which was done on the internet.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?Weirdly enough, the pressure of deadlines seems to have been a good thing for me. Knowing I’ve got a timeframe to work within (as well as now having people I have to keep happy!) has focused my mind quite a bit. There will still be days when I write nothing, but I try not to panic too much. One day I can write nothing; the next I might get down 6,000 words. The process seems to have its own rules!
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time? I wish I had an exciting answer for this one, but I am quite boring. When I’m not working, I spend a lot of time with my family. I try to read as much and as often as possible, but this is usually done at bedtime. I’m a bit useless at relaxing; whenever I do get the chance, I tend to spend the whole time feeling guilty about not doing something else!
18) What’s coming next?Book 2 is written – I’m just at the stage of completing the final set of edits. I feel a huge pressure with this one, as I obviously want readers to love the characters enough to stick with them for Book 3. I hit the 10k word mark of book 3 today, so I’m past the dreaded point I mentioned earlier!
19) Where can readers find you? Facebook: www.facebook.com/victoriajenkinswriterTwitter: www.twitter.com/vicwritescrimeWebsite: www.victoriajenkinswriter.wordpress.com
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?
Purchase The Girls in The Water as kindle, paperback and audio via Amazon : HERE
Here's the blurb:
When she woke, she found herself in darkness. She couldn’t move. She was going to die and she had no idea why…
When the body of Lola Evans is found in a local park on a cold winter’s morning, Detective Alex King and her new recruit Chloe Lane are called in to lead the hunt for the killer.
Days later, a second girl goes missing. It seems the two shared a troubled history, and were members of the same support group. Who is the monster preying on these vulnerable girls?
As the detectives start to piece together the clues, Chloe realises that she too is in danger – as she uncovers secrets about her own brother’s death which someone will kill to keep hidden.
Alex and Chloe are soon fighting for their lives, and in a race against time to reach the next victim before it’s too late…
Chilling and totally compelling with an utterly surprising twist, The Girls in the Water is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Sarah Hilary, and Patricia Gibney.
Huge thanks for answering my 20 questions, Victoria - enjoy publication day! Wishing you great success with The Girls in The Water.
The Girls in the Water : A completely gripping serial killer thriller with a shocking twist (Detectives King and Lane Book 1)
Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband in South Wales, where she writes crime fiction and teaches English. The Girls in the Water is her debut novel, the first featuring Detective Inspector Alex King and Detective Constable Chloe Lane. The second book in the series will be published in late 2017.
1) Congratulations, Victoria, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now:Lucky, excited, hopeful.
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence:Two female detectives hunt a killer in South Wales, with devastating consequences that hit uncomfortably close to home.
3) How are you celebrating publication day?Quietly. I will probably be glued to my laptop for a big chunk of the day – it’s become a third arm. The support online – both from people I know and those I’ve never met – has been incredible. I feel so lucky, and very grateful. I’ll be going out for dinner in the evening with my husband and my sister – it wouldn’t be a celebration without food involved at some point!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?The Girls in the Water isn’t the first book I’ve written – I’ve written several over the past decade, although most of them I’d be too embarrassed to ever have my name associated with! I’d written from a young age, so it was just a case of finding the ‘right’ thing to write. I wrote this book after the book that grabbed the interest of my agent failed to get a publishing deal – it felt like a case of ‘now or never’, so the pressure turned out to be a good thing for me.
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?The time between getting signed by an agent and getting the book deal was eleven months, but between finishing The Girls in the Water and getting the publishing deal with Bookouture was a space of about four months. While initially submitting to agents I’d read a lot of ‘Agent on Monday…book deal by Friday’ stories, but the reality for most is a lot different and I think from speaking to other authors that my experience is probably closer to the norm. It’s a waiting game, but it’s one that’s well worth playing. The best way to kill the time is to get on with writing something else.
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?The editing process. Structural edits, line edits, copy edits, proofreads…it can feel never-ending at times! The final version of The Girls in the Water is very different to the first, but the editing process is there for a reason, so the time is well spent.
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?Being able to justify the amount of time I spend in my pyjamas.
Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?I love Linwood Barclay’s books. In my letters to agents, I used to write something along the lines of, ‘I’d like to be a female, British Linwood Barclay’. The stories are just so accessible; they’re the kind I start, get lost in from the first page, and then find I’ve finished within a matter of days. Not an author, but while writing The Girls in the Water I was binge-watching the BBC2 series The Fall. I think some of the darker elements of the book definitely took an influence from that.
9) How long did it take you to write The Girls in the Water?The first draft that was sent to my agent took about six months. She then gave me revisions before submitting to publishers, and then there were all the additional edits that came from my editor at Bookouture. In total, I think around nine months was spent on the book.
10) What was your first draft like? The very first draft was just the bare bones of the story, probably around 80,000 words – I always like to get the plot down first and then go back and add the descriptions of characters and places, as well as the details relating to police procedure.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor?Difficult. Once I’d got my descriptions down (which quite often weren’t detailed enough) I’d find it hard to see beyond what was there on the screen in front of me. A fresh pair of eyes is definitely needed when it comes to editing. b - and now you do?Far easier. Having someone else’s input makes you able to see the things you’ve missed, or the things that just don’t make sense. Sometimes they’re glaringly obvious and I’ll think, ‘well how did I not notice that?’ but when you’ve looked at something so often and for so long, it’s almost as though you stop seeing what’s staring you in the face!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?A few years back I used to listen to music all the time while writing, always through headphones. I don’t know why that’s changed, but now I find I need total silence. I know a lot of people say they need noise and life around them, but I’d get nothing done. I am easily distracted.
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing? I keep my sweet tooth under much better control these days than I did when I was younger, but only because I tend not to buy biscuits and cake too often – if it’s in the house, it won’t be there for long. I drink a lot of tea while I’m writing, but I think this is more to do with finding something to distract myself with when things aren’t going to plan rather than the tea itself!
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? And least favourite?Favourite part? The End. Only joking. My favourite part is when I’m so immersed in something that I get lost in it. I think that’s why I’ve always written: writing means a break from the real world. I love the real world too, but like anywhere else, I don’t want to be there 24/7! My least favourite part: writer’s block. Urgh. I sometimes go for weeks without writing a single word, particularly when I’m in the early stages of a book. Getting past the 10k word mark is always a relief; I start to feel as though I may sort-of know what I’m doing at this point, rather than just making things up as I go along (which I suppose is what I’m doing anyway!)
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it?Police procedure was all new to me until about eighteen months ago. I’ve been lucky that a friend’s uncle and my husband’s cousin are both police officers and they gave me help with some of the details needed for The Girls in the Water. I had to do some pretty grim research on drowning victims and the effects of water on corpses too, most of which was done on the internet.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?Weirdly enough, the pressure of deadlines seems to have been a good thing for me. Knowing I’ve got a timeframe to work within (as well as now having people I have to keep happy!) has focused my mind quite a bit. There will still be days when I write nothing, but I try not to panic too much. One day I can write nothing; the next I might get down 6,000 words. The process seems to have its own rules!
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time? I wish I had an exciting answer for this one, but I am quite boring. When I’m not working, I spend a lot of time with my family. I try to read as much and as often as possible, but this is usually done at bedtime. I’m a bit useless at relaxing; whenever I do get the chance, I tend to spend the whole time feeling guilty about not doing something else!
18) What’s coming next?Book 2 is written – I’m just at the stage of completing the final set of edits. I feel a huge pressure with this one, as I obviously want readers to love the characters enough to stick with them for Book 3. I hit the 10k word mark of book 3 today, so I’m past the dreaded point I mentioned earlier!
19) Where can readers find you? Facebook: www.facebook.com/victoriajenkinswriterTwitter: www.twitter.com/vicwritescrimeWebsite: www.victoriajenkinswriter.wordpress.com
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?
Purchase The Girls in The Water as kindle, paperback and audio via Amazon : HERE
Here's the blurb:
When she woke, she found herself in darkness. She couldn’t move. She was going to die and she had no idea why…
When the body of Lola Evans is found in a local park on a cold winter’s morning, Detective Alex King and her new recruit Chloe Lane are called in to lead the hunt for the killer.
Days later, a second girl goes missing. It seems the two shared a troubled history, and were members of the same support group. Who is the monster preying on these vulnerable girls?
As the detectives start to piece together the clues, Chloe realises that she too is in danger – as she uncovers secrets about her own brother’s death which someone will kill to keep hidden.
Alex and Chloe are soon fighting for their lives, and in a race against time to reach the next victim before it’s too late…
Chilling and totally compelling with an utterly surprising twist, The Girls in the Water is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Sarah Hilary, and Patricia Gibney.
Huge thanks for answering my 20 questions, Victoria - enjoy publication day! Wishing you great success with The Girls in The Water.
Debut Author Spotlight – 20 Questionswith Victoria Jenkin...
Debut Author Spotlight – 20 Questions
with Victoria Jenkins
The Girls in the Water : A completely gripping serial killer thriller with a shocking twist (Detectives King and Lane Book 1)
Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband in South Wales, where she writes crime fiction and teaches English. The Girls in the Water is her debut novel, the first featuring Detective Inspector Alex King and Detective Constable Chloe Lane. The second book in the series will be published in late 2017.
1) Congratulations, Victoria, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now:Lucky, excited, hopeful.
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence:Two female detectives hunt a killer in South Wales, with devastating consequences that hit uncomfortably close to home.
3) How are you celebrating publication day?Quietly. I will probably be glued to my laptop for a big chunk of the day – it’s become a third arm. The support online – both from people I know and those I’ve never met – has been incredible. I feel so lucky, and very grateful. I’ll be going out for dinner in the evening with my husband and my sister – it wouldn’t be a celebration without food involved at some point!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?The Girls in the Water isn’t the first book I’ve written – I’ve written several over the past decade, although most of them I’d be too embarrassed to ever have my name associated with! I’d written from a young age, so it was just a case of finding the ‘right’ thing to write. I wrote this book after the book that grabbed the interest of my agent failed to get a publishing deal – it felt like a case of ‘now or never’, so the pressure turned out to be a good thing for me.
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?The time between getting signed by an agent and getting the book deal was eleven months, but between finishing The Girls in the Water and getting the publishing deal with Bookouture was a space of about four months. While initially submitting to agents I’d read a lot of ‘Agent on Monday…book deal by Friday’ stories, but the reality for most is a lot different and I think from speaking to other authors that my experience is probably closer to the norm. It’s a waiting game, but it’s one that’s well worth playing. The best way to kill the time is to get on with writing something else.
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?The editing process. Structural edits, line edits, copy edits, proofreads…it can feel never-ending at times! The final version of The Girls in the Water is very different to the first, but the editing process is there for a reason, so the time is well spent.
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?Being able to justify the amount of time I spend in my pyjamas.
Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?I love Linwood Barclay’s books. In my letters to agents, I used to write something along the lines of, ‘I’d like to be a female, British Linwood Barclay’. The stories are just so accessible; they’re the kind I start, get lost in from the first page, and then find I’ve finished within a matter of days. Not an author, but while writing The Girls in the Water I was binge-watching the BBC2 series The Fall. I think some of the darker elements of the book definitely took an influence from that.
9) How long did it take you to write The Girls in the Water?The first draft that was sent to my agent took about six months. She then gave me revisions before submitting to publishers, and then there were all the additional edits that came from my editor at Bookouture. In total, I think around nine months was spent on the book.
10) What was your first draft like? The very first draft was just the bare bones of the story, probably around 80,000 words – I always like to get the plot down first and then go back and add the descriptions of characters and places, as well as the details relating to police procedure.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor?Difficult. Once I’d got my descriptions down (which quite often weren’t detailed enough) I’d find it hard to see beyond what was there on the screen in front of me. A fresh pair of eyes is definitely needed when it comes to editing. b - and now you do?Far easier. Having someone else’s input makes you able to see the things you’ve missed, or the things that just don’t make sense. Sometimes they’re glaringly obvious and I’ll think, ‘well how did I not notice that?’ but when you’ve looked at something so often and for so long, it’s almost as though you stop seeing what’s staring you in the face!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?A few years back I used to listen to music all the time while writing, always through headphones. I don’t know why that’s changed, but now I find I need total silence. I know a lot of people say they need noise and life around them, but I’d get nothing done. I am easily distracted.
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing? I keep my sweet tooth under much better control these days than I did when I was younger, but only because I tend not to buy biscuits and cake too often – if it’s in the house, it won’t be there for long. I drink a lot of tea while I’m writing, but I think this is more to do with finding something to distract myself with when things aren’t going to plan rather than the tea itself!
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? And least favourite?Favourite part? The End. Only joking. My favourite part is when I’m so immersed in something that I get lost in it. I think that’s why I’ve always written: writing means a break from the real world. I love the real world too, but like anywhere else, I don’t want to be there 24/7! My least favourite part: writer’s block. Urgh. I sometimes go for weeks without writing a single word, particularly when I’m in the early stages of a book. Getting past the 10k word mark is always a relief; I start to feel as though I may sort-of know what I’m doing at this point, rather than just making things up as I go along (which I suppose is what I’m doing anyway!)
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it?Police procedure was all new to me until about eighteen months ago. I’ve been lucky that a friend’s uncle and my husband’s cousin are both police officers and they gave me help with some of the details needed for The Girls in the Water. I had to do some pretty grim research on drowning victims and the effects of water on corpses too, most of which was done on the internet.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?Weirdly enough, the pressure of deadlines seems to have been a good thing for me. Knowing I’ve got a timeframe to work within (as well as now having people I have to keep happy!) has focused my mind quite a bit. There will still be days when I write nothing, but I try not to panic too much. One day I can write nothing; the next I might get down 6,000 words. The process seems to have its own rules!
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time? I wish I had an exciting answer for this one, but I am quite boring. When I’m not working, I spend a lot of time with my family. I try to read as much and as often as possible, but this is usually done at bedtime. I’m a bit useless at relaxing; whenever I do get the chance, I tend to spend the whole time feeling guilty about not doing something else!
18) What’s coming next?Book 2 is written – I’m just at the stage of completing the final set of edits. I feel a huge pressure with this one, as I obviously want readers to love the characters enough to stick with them for Book 3. I hit the 10k word mark of book 3 today, so I’m past the dreaded point I mentioned earlier!
19) Where can readers find you? Facebook: www.facebook.com/victoriajenkinswriterTwitter: www.twitter.com/vicwritescrimeWebsite: www.victoriajenkinswriter.wordpress.com
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?
Purchase The Girls in The Water as kindle, paperback and audio via Amazon : HERE
Here's the blurb:
When she woke, she found herself in darkness. She couldn’t move. She was going to die and she had no idea why…
When the body of Lola Evans is found in a local park on a cold winter’s morning, Detective Alex King and her new recruit Chloe Lane are called in to lead the hunt for the killer.
Days later, a second girl goes missing. It seems the two shared a troubled history, and were members of the same support group. Who is the monster preying on these vulnerable girls?
As the detectives start to piece together the clues, Chloe realises that she too is in danger – as she uncovers secrets about her own brother’s death which someone will kill to keep hidden.
Alex and Chloe are soon fighting for their lives, and in a race against time to reach the next victim before it’s too late…
Chilling and totally compelling with an utterly surprising twist, The Girls in the Water is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Sarah Hilary, and Patricia Gibney.
Huge thanks for answering my 20 questions, Victoria - enjoy publication day! Wishing you great success with The Girls in The Water.
The Girls in the Water : A completely gripping serial killer thriller with a shocking twist (Detectives King and Lane Book 1)
Victoria Jenkins lives with her husband in South Wales, where she writes crime fiction and teaches English. The Girls in the Water is her debut novel, the first featuring Detective Inspector Alex King and Detective Constable Chloe Lane. The second book in the series will be published in late 2017.
1) Congratulations, Victoria, IT’S PUBLICATION DAY! Tell us in three words how you’re feeling right now:Lucky, excited, hopeful.
2) Describe your novel in ONE sentence:Two female detectives hunt a killer in South Wales, with devastating consequences that hit uncomfortably close to home.
3) How are you celebrating publication day?Quietly. I will probably be glued to my laptop for a big chunk of the day – it’s become a third arm. The support online – both from people I know and those I’ve never met – has been incredible. I feel so lucky, and very grateful. I’ll be going out for dinner in the evening with my husband and my sister – it wouldn’t be a celebration without food involved at some point!
4) Why/When did you decide to write your first novel?The Girls in the Water isn’t the first book I’ve written – I’ve written several over the past decade, although most of them I’d be too embarrassed to ever have my name associated with! I’d written from a young age, so it was just a case of finding the ‘right’ thing to write. I wrote this book after the book that grabbed the interest of my agent failed to get a publishing deal – it felt like a case of ‘now or never’, so the pressure turned out to be a good thing for me.
5) How long was it from the first submission of your completed manuscript to agents, to this day?The time between getting signed by an agent and getting the book deal was eleven months, but between finishing The Girls in the Water and getting the publishing deal with Bookouture was a space of about four months. While initially submitting to agents I’d read a lot of ‘Agent on Monday…book deal by Friday’ stories, but the reality for most is a lot different and I think from speaking to other authors that my experience is probably closer to the norm. It’s a waiting game, but it’s one that’s well worth playing. The best way to kill the time is to get on with writing something else.
6) So far, what has been the biggest surprise/shock about becoming a published author?The editing process. Structural edits, line edits, copy edits, proofreads…it can feel never-ending at times! The final version of The Girls in the Water is very different to the first, but the editing process is there for a reason, so the time is well spent.
7) What are you most looking forward to as a published author?Being able to justify the amount of time I spend in my pyjamas.
Ok, let’s get down to the writing process
8) Which authors inspired your writing?I love Linwood Barclay’s books. In my letters to agents, I used to write something along the lines of, ‘I’d like to be a female, British Linwood Barclay’. The stories are just so accessible; they’re the kind I start, get lost in from the first page, and then find I’ve finished within a matter of days. Not an author, but while writing The Girls in the Water I was binge-watching the BBC2 series The Fall. I think some of the darker elements of the book definitely took an influence from that.
9) How long did it take you to write The Girls in the Water?The first draft that was sent to my agent took about six months. She then gave me revisions before submitting to publishers, and then there were all the additional edits that came from my editor at Bookouture. In total, I think around nine months was spent on the book.
10) What was your first draft like? The very first draft was just the bare bones of the story, probably around 80,000 words – I always like to get the plot down first and then go back and add the descriptions of characters and places, as well as the details relating to police procedure.
11) How did you find the editing process a - before you had an editor?Difficult. Once I’d got my descriptions down (which quite often weren’t detailed enough) I’d find it hard to see beyond what was there on the screen in front of me. A fresh pair of eyes is definitely needed when it comes to editing. b - and now you do?Far easier. Having someone else’s input makes you able to see the things you’ve missed, or the things that just don’t make sense. Sometimes they’re glaringly obvious and I’ll think, ‘well how did I not notice that?’ but when you’ve looked at something so often and for so long, it’s almost as though you stop seeing what’s staring you in the face!
12) When you write do you need music, or silence?A few years back I used to listen to music all the time while writing, always through headphones. I don’t know why that’s changed, but now I find I need total silence. I know a lot of people say they need noise and life around them, but I’d get nothing done. I am easily distracted.
13) What is your guilty pleasure when writing? I keep my sweet tooth under much better control these days than I did when I was younger, but only because I tend not to buy biscuits and cake too often – if it’s in the house, it won’t be there for long. I drink a lot of tea while I’m writing, but I think this is more to do with finding something to distract myself with when things aren’t going to plan rather than the tea itself!
14) What is your favourite part of the writing process? And least favourite?Favourite part? The End. Only joking. My favourite part is when I’m so immersed in something that I get lost in it. I think that’s why I’ve always written: writing means a break from the real world. I love the real world too, but like anywhere else, I don’t want to be there 24/7! My least favourite part: writer’s block. Urgh. I sometimes go for weeks without writing a single word, particularly when I’m in the early stages of a book. Getting past the 10k word mark is always a relief; I start to feel as though I may sort-of know what I’m doing at this point, rather than just making things up as I go along (which I suppose is what I’m doing anyway!)
15) Did you need to conduct any research for your novel? How did you approach it?Police procedure was all new to me until about eighteen months ago. I’ve been lucky that a friend’s uncle and my husband’s cousin are both police officers and they gave me help with some of the details needed for The Girls in the Water. I had to do some pretty grim research on drowning victims and the effects of water on corpses too, most of which was done on the internet.
16) Now you have a book deal – with deadlines (!) – how has that affected your writing process?Weirdly enough, the pressure of deadlines seems to have been a good thing for me. Knowing I’ve got a timeframe to work within (as well as now having people I have to keep happy!) has focused my mind quite a bit. There will still be days when I write nothing, but I try not to panic too much. One day I can write nothing; the next I might get down 6,000 words. The process seems to have its own rules!
17) What do you do in your ‘spare’ time? I wish I had an exciting answer for this one, but I am quite boring. When I’m not working, I spend a lot of time with my family. I try to read as much and as often as possible, but this is usually done at bedtime. I’m a bit useless at relaxing; whenever I do get the chance, I tend to spend the whole time feeling guilty about not doing something else!
18) What’s coming next?Book 2 is written – I’m just at the stage of completing the final set of edits. I feel a huge pressure with this one, as I obviously want readers to love the characters enough to stick with them for Book 3. I hit the 10k word mark of book 3 today, so I’m past the dreaded point I mentioned earlier!
19) Where can readers find you? Facebook: www.facebook.com/victoriajenkinswriterTwitter: www.twitter.com/vicwritescrimeWebsite: www.victoriajenkinswriter.wordpress.com
20) All importantly, where can readers buy your fabulous debut novel?
Purchase The Girls in The Water as kindle, paperback and audio via Amazon : HERE
Here's the blurb:
When she woke, she found herself in darkness. She couldn’t move. She was going to die and she had no idea why…
When the body of Lola Evans is found in a local park on a cold winter’s morning, Detective Alex King and her new recruit Chloe Lane are called in to lead the hunt for the killer.
Days later, a second girl goes missing. It seems the two shared a troubled history, and were members of the same support group. Who is the monster preying on these vulnerable girls?
As the detectives start to piece together the clues, Chloe realises that she too is in danger – as she uncovers secrets about her own brother’s death which someone will kill to keep hidden.
Alex and Chloe are soon fighting for their lives, and in a race against time to reach the next victim before it’s too late…
Chilling and totally compelling with an utterly surprising twist, The Girls in the Water is perfect for fans of Robert Bryndza, Sarah Hilary, and Patricia Gibney.
Huge thanks for answering my 20 questions, Victoria - enjoy publication day! Wishing you great success with The Girls in The Water.
