Jennie Ensor's Blog, page 14

Review of The Swimming Pool by Louise Candlish

I was tugged into the murky depths of this cleverly constructed poolside psychodrama (published May 2016, Penguin UK). It’s centred on a newly restored lido, supposedly somewhere in London. (I want to know where, it sounds amazing!) Natalie the novel’s narrator discovers the lido one summer when, set free from the school where she teaches, she’s led into the orbit of oh-so-glamorous Lara.

The constraints of her teaching career, her drab flat in the wrong part of Elm Hill along with the habitual preachiness of her maths teacher husband Ed make Natalie vulnerable to the attentions of local celeb and sophisticate Lara, who lives in the best street in Elm Hill (overlooking the lido), speaks in a louche throaty drawl (well, she did in the audio book) and dresses like a diva. In contrast Natalie is plainish with a large birthmark, which has made her insecure about her appearance.

Nat, helplessly drawn to Lara, finds life increasingly wrapped around her new friend. Nat’s aquaphobic daughter Molly, 13,  is befriended by Lara’s gorgeous 15-year old daughter Georgia,  the bees knees in a group of friends who congregate almost daily around the lido and get up to things that Nat, anxious about her daughter’s well-being, would like to know about. Meanwhile Ed, according to Lara an Alain Delon-lookalike, starts to give maths lessons to the Georgia, while Lara seems keen to help Molly overcome her fear of getting in the water…

The book is on the long side, be warned. The plot has a complex structure with its foundations in the present (at the bedside of Molly, seriously ill following an incident we aren’t told much about) and swirling around significant events in the distant past (centred on a suburban pond, Nat’s haunt one wild summer with her bad-girl friend Mel) and the recent past (the big end-of-summer lido party). This device worked for me, though reading on paper/screen may have proved easier to follow than the audio version (I kept wondering if I’d lost my place).

So many undercurrents swirl around this novel, touching on social anxiety, envy, the desire to the in-crowd, the fear of stagnation and ageing… The title of the novel references the 1969 film La Piscine starring Alain Delon, recently remade, which Lara screens to her friends to celebrate the lido’s opening. There are hints that the novel might come to parallel the film (in which an attractive teenage girl stokes the rivalry between her father and his male friend, who ends up drowned in a villa pool). I wondered if and how it would do that. Another question posed but unanswered for much of the book, is why Lara wants to befriend Nat?

There’s plenty of suspense in the wait for answers, along with some truly dark stuff as we go back to Nat’s childhood misdeeds. We discover she is struggling with the burden of a dark secret involving things she did as a teenager, and she is afraid of her husband and daughter finding out. Her observations are imbued with guilt and regret over unspecified happenings in the recent and more distant past. What exactly she has done as a teen is wisely not divulged until later on in the book. I did find her hard to empathise with at this point; her motivations felt less understandable than I’d like them to have been. Many readers however will be able to relate to Nat’s yearning for greater freedom, excitement and adventure evident at the start of the novel, a sense that life won’t last forever and why the heck should we always be sensible – and who hasn’t been disoriented by the magnetic pull of someone who makes you feel special? Though I didn’t like Lara one bit, she’s an interesting character, outspoken yet intriguingly opaque.

I’d recommend this book if you enjoy a dark psychological drama with some quite disturbing aspects. While I admit to a slight sense of let-down near the end (relating to the opening scene, say no more), there is a well-constructed resolution that surprised me in part and added to my unsettled feeling. This is not a edge-of-your-seat thriller but is definitely a compelling read; the tension ratchets up strongly in the later stages. The writing and characterisation is top notch and everything feels totally believable. The Swimming Pool made me think about forgiveness, what should be forgiven and to what extent people can change. Also, the dangers of swimming pools… I may have to reconsider the next pool party invite.

Read and review Blind Side, or else…

So,finally, my novel Blind Side was published in July.

If you’ve read it I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! If you haven’t – what are you waiting for? No, seriously, I understand there are a ton of good books out there, and the Olympics are on TV, and the weather’s nice (unless you’re in Tasmania, perhaps).

A request for anyone who’s read my book

Whether you pledged with Unbound or bought your copy of Blind Side: If you enjoyed the book, I’d be greatly chuffed if you could spare a few minutes to put up a review and a few stars on Amazon – or maybe Goodreads if you’re on there. Short, no-frills is fine. Thank you! And my thanks to anyone who has done this already.

Book bloggers

If you’d like to read Blind Side, please get in touch via the Contact page on this blog, jennieensor.com.

Anyone who has pledged for Blind Side and hasn’t yet got the book in a readable form

First, my commiserations to anyone who’s had difficulties with the technical side of getting the e-book. This can be tricky – there are so many different computing devices and e-readers around, and the version of the e-book you need depends on the device you want to read it on. Basically you are entitled to download each of the three different versions (.mobi, .epub or .pdf), though you may only need the one.

If you can’t find the email from Unbound (sent July 23) ‘Blind Side ebook now available’, you can get the book at any time. First log in to unbound.com, then go to the Blind Side eBooks page unbound.com/books/blind-side/ebooks to download the book.

(Anyone who’s not yet downloaded their copy can read this from here too.)

You can choose from:

a .mobi (a Kindle or a Kindle app installed on your Windows tablet/device, Android phone or iPhone, iPad etc – these are free to download from the web),
an .epub (e-Readers or Apple devices with iBooks/iTunes installed) or
a .pdf (anyone who isn’t on Amazon or iTunes, or hasn’t got a Kindle or similar reading device)

Extra step if you have a Kindle: The e-books that you buy on Amazon arrive invisibly via Whispanet. To get the Blind Side e-book onto the Kindle you will need to transfer the (.mobi) file from the computer which you used to download onto. There are instructions for how to do this on the Unbound web page.  (For old Kindles: connect a cable and copy the .mobi file onto the Kindle using Windows Explorer or similar software, as if copying a file onto a memory stick.)

Unbound have online helpers who emerge once you’ve logged in, who will help with any problems that might arise. Alternatively you can email support@unbound.com (or phone them) and they will happily sort it all out.

Where to buy Blind Side

Amazon link for any country: geni.us/bldsd

Amazon.com ~

Amazon UK

iTunes

I think that’s all for now! (No more techie stuff in the blog, I promise).

I’m off for a few weeks to south-west France to recover from the excitement stress and fatigue of Blind Side’s publication, so you won’t hear from me for a while. I’m looking forward to relaxing in the garden with my Kindle, writing a little and enjoying some hot sunshine. No getting lost on long mountains walks this time, hopefully.

Stuff about Blind Side

This post is related to the publication of my novel Blind Side, released in July.

If you have read it – I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! If you haven’t – what are you waiting for? No, seriously, I understand there are a ton of good books out there, and the Olympics are on TV, and the weather’s nice (unless you’re in Tasmania, perhaps).

A request for anyone who’s read my book

Whether you pledged with Unbound or bought your copy of Blind Side: If you enjoyed the book, I’d be greatly chuffed if you could spare a few minutes to put up a review and a few stars on Amazon – or maybe Goodreads if you’re on there. Short, no-frills is fine. Thank you! And my thanks to anyone who has done this already.

Reviewers and book bloggers

If you’d like a free copy of Blind Side in exchange for an honest review, please get in touch via the Contact page on this blog, jennieensor.com.

Anyone who has pledged for Blind Side and hasn’t yet got the book in a readable form

First, my commiserations to anyone who’s had difficulties with the technical side of getting the e-book. This can be tricky – there are so many different computing devices and e-readers around, and the version of the e-book you need depends on the device you want to read it on. Basically you are entitled to download each of the three different versions (.mobi, .epub or .pdf), though you may only need the one.

If you can’t find the email from Unbound (sent July 23) ‘Blind Side ebook now available’, you can get the book at any time. First log in to unbound.com, then go to the Blind Side eBooks page unbound.com/books/blind-side/ebooks to download the book.

(Anyone who’s not yet downloaded their copy can read this from here too.)

You can choose from:

a .mobi (a Kindle or a Kindle app installed on your Windows tablet/device, Android phone or iPhone, iPad etc – these are free to download from the web),
an .epub (e-Readers or Apple devices with iBooks/iTunes installed) or
a .pdf (anyone who isn’t on Amazon or iTunes, or hasn’t got a Kindle or similar reading device)

Extra step if you have a Kindle: The e-books that you buy on Amazon arrive invisibly via Whispanet. To get the Blind Side e-book onto the Kindle you will need to transfer the (.mobi) file from the computer which you used to download onto. There are instructions for how to do this on the Unbound web page.  (For old Kindles: connect a cable and copy the .mobi file onto the Kindle using Windows Explorer or similar software, as if copying a file onto a memory stick.)

Unbound have online helpers who emerge once you’ve logged in, who will help with any problems that might arise. Alternatively you can email support@unbound.com (or phone them) and they will happily sort it all out.

Where to buy Blind Side

Amazon link for any country: geni.us/bldsd

Amazon.com ~

Amazon UK

iTunes

I think that’s all for now! (No more techie stuff in the blog, I promise).

I’m off for a few weeks to south-west France to recover from the excitement stress and fatigue of Blind Side’s publication, so you won’t hear from me for a while. I’m looking forward to relaxing in the garden with my Kindle, writing a little and enjoying some hot sunshine. No getting lost on long mountains walks this time, hopefully.

The Friday Interview: C.H. Clepitt

Today I am delighted to welcome C.H. Clepitt (aka Claire Evans or the “Grumpy Badger”) to my blog – and its very first author interview!

C.H. Clepitt is the author of the wonderfully titled novel I Wore Heels To The Apocalypse, published earlier this year, along with a number of other books and short stories.  She is also the Badger in charge of satirical website Newsnibbles.

Author website: chclepitt.com

Author facebook page: facebook.com/chclepitt

Twitter: @BadgersTweetToo

So, off we go… Tell me about your book, I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse.

I Wore Heels to the Apocalypse chronicles the lives of the patrons of a coffee shop, as they face an unexpected apocalypse, with possible zombies!  Thrown together by the fact that they may be the only surviving humans on the planet, and with the help of a talking badger (because everything is improved by the presence of a badger) they battle adversity, and form friendships, all with the daily chore of deciding what to wear.

How did you come up with this title?

I was actually being interviewed for a website about my Sci Fi shorts series “The Crew Chronicles”, and one of the questions was “what is your ideal outfit”.  I have never been particularly into fashion (although it’s possible I have a shoe problem) but I said that I did not want to be the stupid woman who wore heels to the apocalypse.

How many pairs of high heels do you have and can you run in them?

Not as many as I used to.  When I was at university I was a shoe fiend and could stride about confidently in almost anything.  These days I prefer trainers, which I like to think means I am always prepared for the apocalypse.

What did you most like and most dislike about writing the book?

I actually loved writing this book. I wrote it really quickly and had a lot of positive feedback from my beta readers, which spurred me forward. I really like all of my characters, and by the end they felt like close friends, and I was sad it was over.  It’s OK though, because I’m currently working on the sequel.

What is your ideal writing setting and how does it compare with what you have now?

I can write anywhere that’s quiet. I am most creative at night though, which doesn’t help with having to function in the real world! I would like someone to invent a screen that you can somehow position at eye level, whilst having the keyboard on your lap, that’d be genius.

How far would you go in the name of research? (e.g. morally dubious things, exotic holidays?)

Interesting question. A lot of my work is very character focused, so understanding people and how they work is half the research done.  I have never considered anything morally dubious, or an exotic holiday, but that may well be the way forward!

Does your writing have a serious side?

All of my writing has a message, and that is quite serious, but writing needs to be entertaining too, or no-one will read it and your message will be lost.  Satire has been used to make serious points for years.

What is your favourite zombie film?

I LOVE all of the Resident Evil films. I don’t know quite what that says about me, but I could watch them over and over.

Where does this badger passion come from?

I am vehemently opposed to the badger cull, not least because it seems to me to have no scientific merit, so I took to Twitter as my badger self. I am a badger with something to say. I have many opinions on many topics, and it’s high time I was immortalised in the form of a fictional character!

If you were going to be stuck on an island for a year, what 3 things would you put at the top of your packing list?

A laptop (or notepad and pen if there was no electricity), a sketch book and some high quality drawing pencils.  That way I could record my time there.

Bowled over by first reviews of Blind Side

I’ve been in a state of altered reality ever since Tuesday when the first review of my book came out. It’s been… well, almost too much to take in. Are they really talking about my novel, the one I’ve doggedly pursued for years and many times felt like giving up on, that I must have altered and saved a thousand times trying to get right?

Reading Cleo’s first review in Cleopatra Loves Books I was so afraid she’d say ‘this sucks’ or some politer variant that I mis-read a sentence halfway through, thinking ‘oh no, here it comes’. But she didn’t, to my eternal relief. Then came John’s review in The Last Word Review – he raced through the book in a few days – followed by Michelle’s 5 stars in The Book Magnet and finally Sophie who couldn’t put the book down and loved it, in Reviewed The Book. I knew by then that they really did like it, more than I’d thought possible.

I went out with my husband last night to celebrate the amazing reviews – thanks to all four book bloggers for taking the trouble to write up their thoughts and reactions. Also thanks to all the other bloggers who took part in the tour and hosted guest posts from me or interviews. (Sorry for the last-minute scramble to send the stuff through in most cases! Being ready on time is not my strong point, as hubby often tells me.)

The blog tour is over now, though the giveaway on Reviewed The Book runs until 3rd August (5 e-books to give away). No more waiting on tenterhooks for what the next reviewer will say or trying to persuade my brain at 2am to come up with some coherent thoughts for a guest post. Finally I can relax and enjoy it all!

Here’s the Bind Side tour schedule again with links to all the blogs that took part:

21 July
The Last Word Book Review – guest post
https://thelastwordbookreview.wordpress.com


22 July
The Knitted Curiosity Cabinet – Q&A NewsNibbles – Q&A
https://yvonnemarjot.wordpress.com http://www.newsnibbles.co.uk


23 July
The Book Review Café – cover reveal
https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com


24 July
The Book Review Café – guest post
https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com


25 July
Liz Loves Books – guest post Linda’s Book Bag (post cancelled due to family reasons)
http://lizlovesbooks.com https://lindasbookbag.com


26 July
Cleopatra Loves Books – review
https://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com


27 July
The Last Word Book Review – review
 https://thelastwordbookreview.wordpress.com


28 July
The Book Magnet – review
http://thebookmagnet.blogspot.co.uk


29 July
Reviewed The Book – review
http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk


30 July
Reviewed The Book – giveaway
http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk

I’d love to hear what everyone else who reads the book thinks. Please let me know by leaving a review on Goodreads and/or Amazon. I imagine there could be some strong reactions given the subject matter and some of the issues raised – also aspects of the plot have struck me since the recent horrific terrorist incident in France.

The book is now on sale for £2.99/USD 5.22 through Amazon and iTunes – or you can order via Unbound (£5.00). (Everyone who supported Blind Side on Unbound’s website has received an email with instructions on how to download their copy.)

Amazon: geni.us/bldsd (lists book in the relevant country’s Amazon)

Amazon.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01IX1953A

Amazon.com: http://amzn.to/2aujSc4

iTunes:

Unbound: https://unbound.com/books/blind-side

To everyone who buys a copy of Blind Side – and all those who’ve downloaded theirs – thank you and happy reading.

Blind Side – Jennie Ensor **Blog Tour**

Here’s the first review of the Blind Side blog tour, from Cleo of Cleopatra Loves Books. It was originally posted on her blog on 26 July

Cleopatra Loves Books

Psychological Thriller
4*s

I’m going to start this review by stating that there was far more to this psychological thriller than I anticipated.

When Georgie agrees to have sex one drunken evening the last thing she could possibly have anticipated was the domino effect she’d set in motion. Rule number one which every woman who has left her teenage years behind knows, you don’t have sex with your friends. But Georgie did, she slept with her old university pal and confidante Julian.

Let’s just say that when Julian realises that Georgie doesn’t plan on repeating the exercise again, he doesn’t take it too well especially when he realises that Georgie has become close to a Russian man called Nikolai.
The scene is London in 2005 not long before the 7/7 terrorist bombing and the book accurately captures the mixture of emotions that swirled around at this time. Londoners defiantly showing…

View original post 554 more words

Guest Post: Jennie Ensor and Blind Side — The Last Word-Book Review

I am delighted to welcome Jennie Ensor as a guest on my review page as a guest blog talking about her forthcoming debut book Blind Side to be published on 23 July 2016. I will be reviewing Blind Side on 27 July. How Blind Side came into being: inspiration, research, titles and more […]

via Guest Post: Jennie Ensor and Blind Side — The Last Word-Book Review

Blind Side Launch & Blog Tour 21-30 July 2016

It’s finally about to happen – my first book is set to be published! I’ve not had much sleep lately, trying to fit in lots of book-related tasks as well as that other thing, what was it…? Oh yes, everyday life.

The launch date will be a little earlier than had been planned, this Saturday 23rd July. Blind Side will be by published by Unbound and on sale at Amazon and the other e-book sites at the retail price. (I still don’t know this but it should be under £5.) Meanwhile, anyone who wants to pre-order the e-book on 21-22 July (the first two days of the blog tour) should be able to do so for £5 via the Blind Side page on Unbound (https://unbound.com/books/blind-side). (This of course doesn’t apply to supporters of Blind Side, who will automatically receive their special copies of the book.)

To give the launch a boost we’ve set up a blog tour with the following hops:

21 July The Last Word Book Review – guest post https://thelastwordbookreview.wordpress.com

22 July The Knitted Curiosity Cabinet – Q&A

https://yvonnemarjot.wordpress.com

NewsNibbles – Q&A

http://www.newsnibbles.co.uk

23 July The Book Review Café – cover reveal https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com

24 July The Book Review Café – guest post https://thebookreviewcafe.wordpress.com

25 July – 2 posts

Liz Loves Books – guest post

http://lizlovesbooks.com

&

Linda’s Book Bag – guest post

https://lindasbookbag.com

26 July Cleopatra Loves Books – review https://cleopatralovesbooks.wordpress.com

27 July The Last Word Book Review – review

28 July The Book Magnet – review

http://thebookmagnet.blogspot.co.uk

29 July Reviewed The Book –

review http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk

30 July Reviewed The Book – giveaway http://www.reviewedthebook.co.uk

You can follow the tour day by day and tweet about it if you’re on Twitter using the hashtag #blindsidebook.

Here’s the striking new book cover (e-book for now but will go to paperback if it sells enough copies) designed by Mark Ecob:

I’ll leave you to browse around the blog tour, which starts today with the fabulous The Last Word Book Review.

Blind Side

Yes, that’s it. The new title. My book is now called BLIND SIDE.

RIP Ghosts of Chechnya.

It’s been a painstaking process getting to the new title. Blind Side was my idea, but some consultation and dithering was involved before the final decision. Now I’ve chosen the title I’ve actually got to get used to it, which is not so easy after many years of the other one.

Other news:

Blind Side is due to come out on 28th July, which is only – *heartstopping screech* – just over 3 week’s time. Eeeeeek!!!

So, no more moping over Brexit or the division and disintegration of our not-quite-so united kingdom, and definitely no distraction in the form of watching Andy Murray nearly lose another match at Wimbledon – just full-on application to Book-Related Stuff.

The book’s cover is crystallizing as I write… here are a couple of rough early visuals (both discarded in favour of other ideas).

This evening after only 3 hours and the help of some online writer friends I decided which of my two top-choice visuals to go with (will keep it a surprise). The designer will develop it further and hopefully the finished version will be ready in time for publication date.

Also I’m setting up a Blind Side blog tour with the help of Unbound – lots of organisational effort required for this, which is not really my strong point. (Any of you wonderful book bloggers out there who would like to be a part of it, please let me know via the form. We have a few dates left – currently July 22, 23, 29 and 30.)

That’s all for now. More news to follow shortly.

Draft blurb:

About BLIND SIDE

The story begins in London in 2005, a few months before the 7/7 bus and Tube bombings. Georgie agrees to have sex with Julian, her close friend from their university days. Wary of relationships after previous heartbreak, she is shocked when Julian reveals he has loved her for a long time but felt unable to tell her.

Soon afterwards Georgie meets Nikolai, an ex-soldier recently arrived from Russia. Despite her misgivings, she can’t resist him; Julian, jealous of his perceived rival, struggles to deal with Georgie’s rejection.

Realising how deeply war-time incidents in Chechnya have affected Nikolai, Georgie wonders what terrible thing the Russian is hiding from her.

Then London is attacked. In the climate of anxiety and suspicion post-7/7, Georgie must decide who she can trust and who she should fear, before it’s too late.

BLIND SIDE explores love and friendship, guilt and betrayal, secrets and obsession. How well we can ever really know anyone? And what should we do if we find out that the unthinkable has happened? An explosive, debate-provoking thriller that confronts urgent issues of our times and contemplates some of our deepest fears.

[contact-form]

The Right Title

Everything is steaming along nicely with my Unbound book, I’m pleased to report. The publication date is not yet fixed but is expected to be around late July. The manuscript is now with the copyeditor to check the nitty gritty. Soon a designer will be working on the cover (the one I’ve used to illustrate the book so far, used on Authonomy, was designed by Bradley Wind). I’ve organised a ‘pre-launch party’ for June 16th at a local festival in Crouch End and have sent out invites (all welcome by the way, don’t mind if the room gets a bit squashy). All that’s left to do is to decide on the title!

My current title, Ghosts of Chechnya, was chosen years ago after much brainstorming, replacing the original title, Nikolai (the name of my Russian character). However, my editor has suggested that it may not sufficiently reflect my main character’s journey, so I’ve been musing on alternative titles and considering whether to change once again.

Of course, ideally the title reflects the type of book as well as the essence of the book. Mine is a gritty, domestic noir-ish psychological thriller (think Claire Kendall’s The Book of You crossed with Gone with the Wind) so any change could be in line with that… Or not, I think now having just read the amusing piece How Not to Title A Novel on the limitations of ‘marketing department’ titles. Though the backdrop of my story comes from Chechnya, the actual setting is in London during 2005, the year of the 7/7 attacks. I’ve been considering indicating this in the title but so far nothing has jumped out at me.

For inspiration, I browsed the Best Book Titles as voted by Goodreads readers . “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” is deservedly at no. 1. Some others on this list, funny/ knowing/brilliant/shamelessly OTT:

• John Dies At The End

• The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul

• I Was Told There’d Be Cake

• A Clockwork Orange

• Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

• Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

• I Still Miss My Man But My Aim Is Getting Better

Love that last one[image error]

Elsewhere, wiki How to has some useful tips, preferring mysterious (but not confusing) titles for novels.

The trick is to find a happy balance between the all-too-forgettable and the truly over-the-top, Jacob Appel advises in Writers Digest, 7 tips to land the perfect title. He points out: ‘Many successful titles gain hidden layers of meaning as they’re read, so they pack an extra punch when reflected upon for the second time. Noteworthy examples include Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” and John Cheever’s “The Swimmer.” ’

Two- or three-word titles are the best, suggests the blog Novel Writing Help. However, this must make originality more difficult, another nice-to-have thing. Also, one must bear in mind: ‘If a novel title works, it works, whether it sticks to the “rules” or not.’ For example:

• I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing;

• By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept;

• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

Ho hum.

My latest title ideas for my book are:

• The Waiting Game

• A Game For Three

• Between the Three of Us

• Reset

and last but not least,

• Ghosts of Chechnya

Thanks to everyone who has already communicated their thoughts on potential titles. If anyone else has a few minutes to spare, please share your views on the above options or your own experience with coming up with a title for a novel. This will go into the pot and marinate there until, hopefully, I have… The Right Title.