Imogen Clark's Blog, page 3
November 14, 2024
Vegas, baby!
I have left Ilkley! Here I am in Las Vegas. Truly from the sublime to the ridiculous. But lots of fun!
I’m here for a writers’ conference and I’ve learned lots and met some fascinating people.
Very exciting!
The post Vegas, baby! appeared first on Imogen Clark.
October 29, 2024
October’s Newsletter
Well, would you look at that. Back in 2017, I travelled to the Arctic Circle to see the Northern Lights. Nada. Zilch. I had a great time but the lights did not appear for me. And yet here they are in all their glory, visible to the naked eye and captured on my phone not five minutes walk from my own front door. Amazing!
Welcome to this month’s newsletter. I hope this finds you well and enjoying all the beautiful autumn colours (or spring ones depending where you live.) Did you see the Lights where you are? I’d love to know.
I’ve had a quiet month. Sadly, my mum has passed away since I last wrote to you. It was after a short illness and she just slipped away at home with her nearest and dearest nearby. It’s been a strange few weeks. She died the day after A Borrowed Path, my book about mother/daughter relationships was published and it’s been odd for me promoting it in the light of that. Most of my books feature strong mothers in some guise or other. As you probably know, I don’t put real people in my books so none of those characters are my mum but I will certainly think about her if I write another strong maternal figure.
What am I writing?Well, as of yesterday I started on the book for 2026 which currently has the working title, Trust Me. I’m really excited about my ideas for this book and I have quite clear (for me) thoughts about where I’m going with it. But time will tell. My books rarely end up quite where I expect.
I want to have it finished by the end of February so I’ll be writing pretty much every day until then.
At the same time, I’ve been editing the book for 2025. It now has a definite title, In Another Life, and my editor and I are working on cover ideas right now. I’ve finished the main edit (which is why I can start writing Trust Me) but there are still several more editorial stages before it’s ready to go. It’ll be out in June next year and I’ll let you know when it’s available to pre-order in case you’d like to.
Where have I been?I was back in Cirencester this month as the main setting for Trust Me. I was looking for houses where my characters can live as well as local sites and places that I can weave into the story to make the locations come alive. It’s not difficult. It really is a beautiful town. Here are a few glimpses of things that caught my eye so it’ll be interesting to see what makes it into the story.
Also this month I had the launch do for A Borrowed Path which was fun and I also went to a life drawing class as research for the new book. Despite the six week drawing course I’ve just completed, I’m still not showing any inherent talent with a pencil but I’ll keep practising!
What have I read?There are so many new books out at this time of year. It’s very exciting but now I’m almost at the end of the list of books I was eagerly anticipating and so feeling a bit bereft. Anyway, here are four that I particularly enjoyed in October.
In Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty a woman on a plane suddenly starts throwing out predictions of how and when her fellow passengers will die. There is no stopping her and people receive the information whether they want to or not. And then the predictions start coming true. As with all her books, Moriarty’s writing is witty and her characters leap off the page but also there are clear philosophical questions that kept me thinking all the way through. The family stories of the passengers are all woven together cleverly and the mystery is well wrapped up at the end. Fun!
Our Evenings by Alan Hollinghurst is the story of Dave Win, who wins a scholarship and is catapulted into a strange new world far away from his single mother. (He never meets his Burmese father.) At school, he meets Giles, who goes onto to be the Brexit Minister with aspirations to be PM. Dave becomes a famous actor and the two boys and then men couldn’t be more different but somehow their lives seem to track one another’s. Told mainly from Dave’s point of view, it is a dark yet witty account of life in England over the last fifty or so years. The prose is beautifully and moves gently through the decades but it was the characters that kept me turning the page.
The Blue Hour by Paula Hawkins is a tense thriller set in the world of art. Reclusive artist Vanessa dies young and mysteriously leaves her creative estate to a man she hated. When one of the pieces goes on display in the Tate, a passing scientist writes in to say that part of one of her sculptures is a human bone. This sends curator, James Becker scuttling off to investigate Vanessa’s studio for clues. But the studio is on a remote Scottish island with only one house and which is only accessible twice a day because of the tides. It’s super-creepy and is a tale fuelled by numerous obsessions. A slow burner but I really enjoyed it.
Finally, Wife By Charlotte Mendelson. This is a book about coercive control, gaslighting and toxic relationships, but unusually the behaviour is coming from a woman. Zoe Stamper, a junior university researcher is seduced by an older woman, Dr Penelope Cartwright. Zoe, young and naive, is drawn to Penny and falls under her spell but as Zoe matures and the marriage starts to turn sour she has her eyes opened. The question is, can she get anyone else to believe what has been going on now that the stakes are as high as they come. It’s not an easy read. Penny is vile and my growing frustration with her had me tutting and then shouting at the book but it is compelling. How can anyone be so very awful and yet pass unnoticed? It’s great writing.
And that’s it for this month. As ever, if you have any questions please comment below. If you want to see more of my photos then head to my Instagram page and there’s also Facebook and the Book Café. I’d love to chat with you about your favourite books over a virtual coffee.
Next month I’m going to Vegas, baby, so watch this space!
Until then, happy reading.
To get this newsletter straight to your inbox. Please sign up here
The post October’s Newsletter appeared first on Imogen Clark.
September 30, 2024
September 2024 Newsletter
Hi there
Well, here’s my big news for the month. My latest book, A Borrowed Path, came out this week. It’s available worldwide in paperback, audiobook and ebook and I’d love you to buy it! Four generations of women under one roof, a mysterious stranger, a much sought after but dilapidated cottage and a couple of troublesome exes. What could possibly go wrong?
I hope you enjoy it and if you do it would be great if you could leave a rating or a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads as this helps other readers to find and try it.
And that’s the ‘big sell’ out of the way.
What am I writing?This month I’ve been editing. I’ve been working on the developmental edit for A Question of Loyalty which is due out in June. Readers often ask me about all the different edits that my books go though so here’s a brief summary of each stage:
The developmental/structural edit – this is where we look at the big issues. Does the plot hold together? Is the pacing correct? Are the characters real enough? For my books this edit is usually about building on what I already have to make it richer. We also have to make sure that the start of the book matches the end because I don’t plot and make it all up as I go along.The copy edit – at this stage we go through the manuscript line by line making sure that I’ve used the right word, not repeated words or started all my sentences in the same way. We also pick up timeline issues, places where I’ve used the wrong names, changed how characters look or have daffodils flowering in June! (For example, Flea the cat in A Borrowed Path was both male and female at one point. Very clever, Flea!)The proof read – this is where we check for typos and it’s another chance to pick up any small points that the copy edit missed.The cold read – in this final check a few readers read the book and look for anything that might have been missed.The whole process takes three to four months or so with some gaps in between each stage. I much prefer writing the first draft because I find that much more exciting but the edit process is slowly growing on me too.
Where have I been?
I had a trip to the south west of England this month for my birthday. We went to Cirencester where I’ve never been before and Stratford-upon-Avon where I have. (That timbered house above is where Shakespeare was born.)
I very much liked Cirencester. So much so, in fact, that I think I’m going to set my next book there. We had a lovely couple of days exploring the town, but if I am going to use it as a location then I will need to go back and firm up on a few details. That’s no hardship! I love a research trip and I already have a potential date in mind.
My husband surprised me with afternoon tea at the RSC theatre which was great fun and coincidentally we were served by a friend of our daughter’s who recognised us from their graduation in London the week before but wasn’t entirely sure she was right and so didn’t say hello. What were the chances of that?!
I’ve also been in Wells-next-the -Sea. I’ve finally found some builders who are going to refurbish our cottage so we had to strip everything out so they can start work. You know when you begin a job like that and then wonder what on earth you were thinking? Well . . . that!
I also had some glorious walks closer to home. The weather has just been spectacular this month. The picture on the left is Norfolk and the one on the right Yorkshire.
What have I read?I’ve read some great books this month. Here are my top four.
First is Shy Creatures by Clare Chambers. If you enjoyed Small Pleasures then you’ll love this one too. It’s set in Croydon in 1964 in a psychiatric hospital where Helen, an art therapist, meets William who has been living in his aunt’s house without ever leaving for decades and only emerges when his aunt passes away. Carefully, Helen and William’s doctor Gil piece together William’s fascinating past whilst also trying to create a future for him. It’s a lovely study of 1960s England and also a love story.
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman is the first in his new bestselling series. I have to say that I was missing Joyce, Ron and the others from the Thursday Murder Club at the beginning but it didn’t take me long to invest in this new set of characters. Steve and Amy Wheeler are an unlikely pair. She is his daughter-in-law and a high-end private security guard whilst he likes his cat and his pub quiz team and isn’t really interested in adventure. But all that changes when Amy’s life is threatened. It’s fun and quite silly and is a lovely study of England in the 2020s!
Different again is Precipice by Robert Harris. England is on the verge of war but the Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith is horribly distracted by his obsession with a twenty-four year old socialite Venetia Stanley. Oblivious to the clear security risks, the PM shares top secret information with Venetia and she acts as his counsellor as well as his muse. But the security services are aware of the affair and are watching to see if anyone sells the state secrets to the Germans. It’s a fabulous mix of fact and fiction.
Finally, Cat Lady by Dawn O’ Porter. This is such a touching story and I’m not sure it’s got quite the right cover. Mia has a job she adores, a husband and stepson who she loves and, most important of all, a cat, Pigeon. She joins a pet bereavement group because, even though Pigeon is still very much alive, she is already terrified of the day when that is no longer true. Gradually, as the various parts of her life start to unravel we learn just why she is so attached to her cat and watch as she comes to terms with her past. It is funny, quite risqué in places, smart and very poignant. I enjoyed it far more than I thought I was going to.
And that’s everything for this month. If you happen to be free on Tuesday 1st October and in the Ilkley area then please come and celebrate the launch of A Borrowed Path with me at The Grove Bookshop.
Otherwise you can always catch up with me on Instagram and Facebook and if you’re not a member of our fabulous book café then what on earth are you waiting for?!
Next month I’m decorating my office as I fancy a bit of a change. I’m not sure it’ll be finished by the time I write again but I will definitely share pictures when it is. I’m also going ‘Mother of the Bride’ shopping but you might have to wait until the wedding next year to see what I pick to wear.
Anyway, have a wonderful October and I’ll be back this time next month with all my news. Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions. Until then happy reading.
To get this newsletter straight to your inbox. Please sign up here
The post September 2024 Newsletter appeared first on Imogen Clark.
September 4, 2024
August 2024 Newsletter
How can it be true? Summer is over . . . again. I’m such a warm-bloodied creature and each winter I long for the sun’s warmth to seep into my bones. But then it’s all over far too quickly. I must learn to embrace the colder months with as much enthusiasm as I do the warmer ones! I took this photo as I was writing and watching the sun come up over Greece. As I sit here in my writing room with the rain hammering on the roof it all feels like a long time ago.
Anyway, welcome to this month’s newsletter which I hope is packed full of good stuff to inform and entertain! And read on for the link to see me reading the first chapter of my forthcoming book A Borrowed Path. (Look at that! A little teaser.)
What am I writing?My summer of fun and frivolity is about to come to a crashing halt which means I have to put down my writing side hustle – my cosy mystery book – and return to slightly more serious matters. I had hoped to get to the end of the mystery by the end of the summer but for one reason or another (mainly me not writing enough) I haven’t hit that target. Never mind! One day I will finish it.
So, I’m currently waiting for the main edits to arrive on the book for next year, A Question of Loyalty. As ever, my heart was in my mouth as my editor read the first draft, hoping that she liked it. We met for lunch in London last week and she told me that she had, in fact, loved it and that she thought it was pretty special and might be my best yet. I tell you this not to toot my own horn (although obviously it does do that) or to entice you to stick around until it’s published, (there’s that too) but mainly to try and get across how scary being a writer can be. When you’re in the thick of a project, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees and I can easily lose my sense of perspective. By the time I deliver the manuscript, I have usually convinced myself that the book is a bit rubbish. On top of that, as I don’t have an outline I never even know if my editor is going to like the story. It’s all very high risk.
Anyway, I live to write another day (phew!) and the edit will begin shortly.
After that I will start writing the book for 2026 (which seems like a horribly long way off.) For a long time, I only had the theme of that book in my head and the idea for the opening. I was beginning to think that I didn’t have enough for a novel but then, when I was on holiday, I had an idea which makes everything significantly richer and now I’m very excited to get started. But I have to complete the edit for the A Question of Loyalty first. One thing at a time, Imogen.
Where have I been?I had a flying visit to London to see my editor as aforementioned. There was also a week in Greece on the island of Lefkada with my husband and our kids which was lovely. Going on holiday with adult children can be a bit of a challenge for me. For years when we went away I was the one in control. I packed, I organised, I made sure everyone had what they needed and I decided what we would do and when. I know that sounds a bit draconian but with four children there has to be someone in charge and my husband was happy for me take that role.
But when we go away now we have no need for someone to keep everything running like clockwork. We are six adults all with different ideas and needs and there’s no reason why my ideas should be the ones we go with. I have to say, though, I’m not very good at stepping back. You’d think I’d be getting the hang of it by now, but somehow when we’re all together I have to work hard to not revert to my former role of Boss!
I spent a lot of time in water when we were away (and not just the hot kind!) I love to swim and when the sea is warm it’s a complete joy. So here are a few watery photos!
The other big trip this month was to a glamp site in Norfolk. I was a girl guide and a venture scout and so spent a fair bit of my youth in tents but it’s been a while since I’ve slept under canvas. Glamping is a bit like camping but with added frills. In this case, the frills were having a huge tent with a real bed and a log burner in it.
I was there to do some research for a forthcoming Izzy book and it was great fun – but I think I prefer either to sleep under canvas in the traditional way or better still, to have four walls and a roof!
I got some great material for the novel, though and had a really helpful chat with the glamp site owner who shared lots of stories with me.
As you may remember, my new book A Borrowed Path will be published in a little over three weeks. You can pre-order it if you think you might forget! Here’s a little reminder of what it’s about.
Eve has always had a tricky relationship with her mother, Agatha, and returning to Fox House, the family home, hasn’t made it any easier. When Eve’s daughter, Lyra, and granddaughter, Skye, unexpectedly turn up, it becomes clear that four generations of women under one roof is a recipe for trouble. Not least because Lyra clearly needs help but refuses to say why.
Lyra decides she wants to live in the ramshackle cottage in the grounds, but when Agatha announces she’s promised it to a man called Dylan, Eve and Lyra are mystified. Who is he, and what reason could Agatha possibly have for giving him the cottage?
Because it seems that it’s not only Lyra hiding things. Agatha has secrets she has never had the courage to tell Eve. Is now the right time to finally reveal the truth? And if she does, will it give them the relationships they’ve all longed for—or will it drive them further apart?
I’ve long wanted to write a book about motherhood. The poem This be the Verse by Philip Larkin has haunted me ever since I became a mother myself and I wanted to write something inspired by that. If you don’t know the poem you can read it HERE. It’s only short.
But the book is not just about mothers. It also has a mystery at its core and plenty of secrets.
If you’re in the Ilkley area then I will be having a book launch at The Grove Bookshop (as mentioned in Kate Atkinson’s new Jackson Brodie novel – see below.)(To clarify -the bookshop is mentioned in KA’s book, not my book launch.) I’ll be chatting about my inspiration for the novel, reading a bit and answering any questions. There’ll be a glass of fizz and maybe a nibble or two. The event is on 1st October at 7.00pm. It’s a free do but if you want to come then you need to let The Grove Bookshop know as numbers are limited by the size of the shop.
And if you’re curious, there’s a video of me reading the first chapter HERE.(Teaser fulfilled.)
US CompetitionIf you happen to be in the US then Goodreads are running a Giveaway for 100 copies of the ebook. You just have to enter to be with a chance of winning one. Sadly it’s US only and as I don’t have a US account I can’t give you a link but I believe you just search for A Borrowed Path to find it.
What have I read?
I’m a huge Kate Atkinson fan so I was delighted to read the new Jackson Brodie story Death at the Sign of the Rook. If you haven’t read this series then I recommend you start at the beginning with Case Histories but otherwise dive straight in. All the old characters are in there in a story set in a fictional village not far from Ilkley where I live. As with all of her books, this one is quirky and whimsical and it made me laugh out loud often. It’s a little sillier than some of the others in the series but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Swimming to Lundy by Amanda Prowse is a dual timeline story set on the Devon coast in a tightly knitted community which has more than its fair share of secrets. Tawrie decides to take up wild swimming and in doing so unlocks parts of her past that she had closed off. It’s a story about acceptance and taking risks and is packed with strong female characters and the kind of emotional whammies you might expect from a book by Amanda Prowse.
There’s Nothing Wrong with Her by Kate Weinberg. Vita has a great life – a job she enjoys, a loving boyfriend, and the best goldfish a girl could wish for. It’s all perfect. But then a six month long illness floors her and she stops leaving her basement flat. No one can work out what is wrong with her, not even her doctor boyfriend. Then one day she has to answer the door and discovers the people who live upstairs, and gradually her world changes. It’s a book about self-discovery and coming to terms with our past and has a sixteenth century Italian ghost with a serious attitude who I particularly liked.
Finally, The Beloved Girls by Harriet Evans. A successful barrister goes missing the night before her wedding anniversary and no one can understand where she might be. The key seems to be hidden in her childhood and in the shadowy events of a long hot summer which she spent with the charismatic Hunter family at their rambling house in Somerset. A tragic accident and a secret ritual are both involved and I was enthralled as I tried to piece it all together.
I’m always interested in book recommendations so if you have any then why not join our Book Café and tell us all about them.
And I think that’s everything for this month. As ever please get in touch if you have any burning questions. As well as this newsletter you can also find me on Instagram or Facebook. And don’t forget about my new book! It’ll be out by the time we meet again.
So until next month, happy reading.
To get this newsletter straight to your inbox. Please sign up here
The post August 2024 Newsletter appeared first on Imogen Clark.
August 2024 newsletter
How can it be true? Summer is over . . . again. I’m such a warm-bloodied creature and each winter I long for the sun’s warmth to seep into my bones. But then it’s all over far too quickly. I must learn to embrace the colder months with as much enthusiasm as I do the warmer ones! I took this photo as I was writing and watching the sun come up over Greece. As I sit here in my writing room with the rain hammering on the roof it all feels like a long time ago.
Anyway, welcome to this month’s newsletter which I hope is packed full of good stuff to inform and entertain! And read on for the link to see me reading the first chapter of my forthcoming book A Borrowed Path. (Look at that! A little teaser.)
What am I writing?My summer of fun and frivolity is about to come to a crashing halt which means I have to put down my writing side hustle – my cosy mystery book – and return to slightly more serious matters. I had hoped to get to the end of the mystery by the end of the summer but for one reason or another (mainly me not writing enough) I haven’t hit that target. Never mind! One day I will finish it.
So, I’m currently waiting for the main edits to arrive on the book for next year, A Question of Loyalty. As ever, my heart was in my mouth as my editor read the first draft, hoping that she liked it. We met for lunch in London last week and she told me that she had, in fact, loved it and that she thought it was pretty special and might be my best yet. I tell you this not to toot my own horn (although obviously it does do that) or to entice you to stick around until it’s published, (there’s that too) but mainly to try and get across how scary being a writer can be. When you’re in the thick of a project, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees and I can easily lose my sense of perspective. By the time I deliver the manuscript, I have usually convinced myself that the book is a bit rubbish. On top of that, as I don’t have an outline I never even know if my editor is going to like the story. It’s all very high risk.
Anyway, I live to write another day (phew!) and the edit will begin shortly.
After that I will start writing the book for 2026 (which seems like a horribly long way off.) For a long time, I only had the theme of that book in my head and the idea for the opening. I was beginning to think that I didn’t have enough for a novel but then, when I was on holiday, I had an idea which makes everything significantly richer and now I’m very excited to get started. But I have to complete the edit for the A Question of Loyalty first. One thing at a time, Imogen.
Where have I been?I had a flying visit to London to see my editor as aforementioned. There was also a week in Greece on the island of Lefkada with my husband and our kids which was lovely. Going on holiday with adult children can be a bit of a challenge for me. For years when we went away I was the one in control. I packed, I organised, I made sure everyone had what they needed and I decided what we would do and when. I know that sounds a bit draconian but with four children there has to be someone in charge and my husband was happy for me take that role.
But when we go away now we have no need for someone to keep everything running like clockwork. We are six adults all with different ideas and needs and there’s no reason why my ideas should be the ones we go with. I have to say, though, I’m not very good at stepping back. You’d think I’d be getting the hang of it by now, but somehow when we’re all together I have to work hard to not revert to my former role of Boss!
I spent a lot of time in water when we were away (and not just the hot kind!) I love to swim and when the sea is warm it’s a complete joy. So here are a few watery photos!
The other big trip this month was to a glamp site in Norfolk. I was a girl guide and a venture scout and so spent a fair bit of my youth in tents but it’s been a while since I’ve slept under canvas. Glamping is a bit like camping but with added frills. In this case, the frills were having a huge tent with a real bed and a log burner in it.
I was there to do some research for a forthcoming Izzy book and it was great fun – but I think I prefer either to sleep under canvas in the traditional way or better still, to have four walls and a roof!
I got some great material for the novel, though and had a really helpful chat with the glamp site owner who shared lots of stories with me.
As you may remember, my new book A Borrowed Path will be published in a little over three weeks. You can pre-order it if you think you might forget! Here’s a little reminder of what it’s about.
Eve has always had a tricky relationship with her mother, Agatha, and returning to Fox House, the family home, hasn’t made it any easier. When Eve’s daughter, Lyra, and granddaughter, Skye, unexpectedly turn up, it becomes clear that four generations of women under one roof is a recipe for trouble. Not least because Lyra clearly needs help but refuses to say why.
Lyra decides she wants to live in the ramshackle cottage in the grounds, but when Agatha announces she’s promised it to a man called Dylan, Eve and Lyra are mystified. Who is he, and what reason could Agatha possibly have for giving him the cottage?
Because it seems that it’s not only Lyra hiding things. Agatha has secrets she has never had the courage to tell Eve. Is now the right time to finally reveal the truth? And if she does, will it give them the relationships they’ve all longed for—or will it drive them further apart?
I’ve long wanted to write a book about motherhood. The poem This be the Verse by Philip Larkin has haunted me ever since I became a mother myself and I wanted to write something inspired by that. If you don’t know the poem you can read it HERE. It’s only short.
But the book is not just about mothers. It also has a mystery at its core and plenty of secrets.
If you’re in the Ilkley area then I will be having a book launch at The Grove Bookshop (as mentioned in Kate Atkinson’s new Jackson Brodie novel – see below.)(To clarify -the bookshop is mentioned in KA’s book, not my book launch.) I’ll be chatting about my inspiration for the novel, reading a bit and answering any questions. There’ll be a glass of fizz and maybe a nibble or two. The event is on 1st October at 7.00pm. It’s a free do but if you want to come then you need to let The Grove Bookshop know as numbers are limited by the size of the shop.
And if you’re curious, there’s a video of me reading the first chapter HERE.(Teaser fulfilled.)
US CompetitionIf you happen to be in the US then Goodreads are running a Giveaway for 100 copies of the ebook. You just have to enter to be with a chance of winning one. Sadly it’s US only and as I don’t have a US account I can’t give you a link but I believe you just search for A Borrowed Path to find it.
What have I read?
I’m a huge Kate Atkinson fan so I was delighted to read the new Jackson Brodie story Death at the Sign of the Rook. If you haven’t read this series then I recommend you start at the beginning with Case Histories but otherwise dive straight in. All the old characters are in there in a story set in a fictional village not far from Ilkley where I live. As with all of her books, this one is quirky and whimsical and it made me laugh out loud often. It’s a little sillier than some of the others in the series but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Swimming to Lundy by Amanda Prowse is a dual timeline story set on the Devon coast in a tightly knitted community which has more than its fair share of secrets. Tawrie decides to take up wild swimming and in doing so unlocks parts of her past that she had closed off. It’s a story about acceptance and taking risks and is packed with strong female characters and the kind of emotional whammies you might expect from a book by Amanda Prowse.
There’s Nothing Wrong with Her by Kate Weinberg. Vita has a great life – a job she enjoys, a loving boyfriend, and the best goldfish a girl could wish for. It’s all perfect. But then a six month long illness floors her and she stops leaving her basement flat. No one can work out what is wrong with her, not even her doctor boyfriend. Then one day she has to answer the door and discovers the people who live upstairs, and gradually her world changes. It’s a book about self-discovery and coming to terms with our past and has a sixteenth century Italian ghost with a serious attitude who I particularly liked.
Finally, The Beloved Girls by Harriet Evans. A successful barrister goes missing the night before her wedding anniversary and no one can understand where she might be. The key seems to be hidden in her childhood and in the shadowy events of a long hot summer which she spent with the charismatic Hunter family at their rambling house in Somerset. A tragic accident and a secret ritual are both involved and I was enthralled as I tried to piece it all together.
I’m always interested in book recommendations so if you have any then why not join our Book Café and tell us all about them.
And I think that’s everything for this month. As ever please get in touch if you have any burning questions. As well as this newsletter you can also find me on Instagram or Facebook. And don’t forget about my new book! It’ll be out by the time we meet again.
So until next month, happy reading.
To get this newsletter straight to your inbox. Please sign up here
The post August 2024 newsletter appeared first on Imogen Clark.
August 28, 2024
Bargains.
The ebook editions of these four books are on promotion in the U.K. until the middle of September so why not bag yourself one or two!
The post Bargains. appeared first on Imogen Clark.
August 10, 2024
Summer!
Each year, now that my kids are all adults, we carve out a week to spend together in a sunny location.
This year we’re in Greece. It’s blue, beautiful and very, very hot! 😎
The post Summer! appeared first on Imogen Clark.
July 29, 2024
July 2024 Newsletter
Hi and welcome to July’s newsletter. I’m not going to make any comment about how ridiculous it is that July is almost over (!) but be assured, I’m thinking it! Also, I’m super-confused by blackberries these days. I’m sure when I was a girl they were ready at the same time as the apples (hence blackberry and apple pie.) But that was also when the leaves were almost all down by the bonfire night. That doesn’t happen any more either. Things are not as they were. Am I wrong or is that how you remember it too? Let me know in the comments below.
What am I writing?Since delivering A Question of Loyalty in June, I’ve been having great fun trying to write a cosy mystery. It’s a book that I started ages ago and has been on my back-burner ever since, but I’ve decided to try and finish it over the summer. It’s such a different discipline to the books I usually write and as I don’t plot I have to keep going back on myself every time I come up with a new twist. It’s not a very efficient way to craft a book but it’s great fun. I have no plans to publish it but it is the start of a series so maybe I’ll write another some time.
In my proper work, I’m waiting for the edit of A Question of Loyalty to begin. This book will be edited with me by the woman who brought us Khaled Hosseini’s wonderful The Kite Runner. We haven’t worked together before so I’m very excited to get started and see what I can learn from her.
I’m also starting to work on the characters for my next Imogen book which will be next up in my schedule after the edit is finished. I like to decide on my characters’ names and birthdays first as it helps me to get to know them, and then I work from there. My protagonist is named now, as are a couple of minor characters but there are still some others to choose. I also need to decide who will tell the story. That’s all to come over August.
Where have I been?It’s been another busy month for me. Highlights included a week in Wells-Next-the-Sea where I did actually swim in the sea. Bracing! That’s how I’d describe that.
Slightly warmer was the Adriatic last weekend. I took a flying visit to Dubrovnik because my son was dancing in Hamlet on an open air stage there. I’ve not been to the Croatian coast before and Dubrovnik (the old town at least – I didn’t venture far beyond that) is glorious. Highlights included the ballet, of course, but also a very warm walk around the city walls, a ride up a cable car for the views and a boat trip out to Lokrum island. A few photos below (and as usual there are more on my Instagram page.)
My second book writing as Izzy Bromley, Table for Five, is proving to be popular. As I type this, it has over 600 ratings and reviews with an average of 4.5 stars. You may have noticed that Amazon now generates an AI review of each book based on what the reader reviews say which is frankly terrifying! But I screwed up my eyes tight and peered through my eyelashes at this one and it doesn’t seem too bad.
“Customers find the characters relatable and thought-provoking. They also describe the book as a lovely read and a beautiful creation. Readers describe the emotional content as heartwarming and bring back faith in fellow humans. They describe the storyline as great and impossible to put down. Additionally, they praise the writing style as real and well-written.”
If you haven’t chosen your holiday reading yet then maybe check it out.
And if you are patiently awaiting the next Imogen book then there’s not long to wait. (I wish I had emojis. I would insert a winky face here.) A Borrowed Path will be published on 24th September. I was sent a box of copies and had a draw in my Book Café where ten lucky winners were drawn from my hat and will be receiving a signed copy next week.
I’m hoping to post the first chapter on my website over the next few days so I’ll let you know when that happens.
What have I read?
I seem to have a lot of books started and not quite finished this month, but here are my favourites of the ones that I did get to the end of.
Enlightenment by Sarah Perry is lots of stories all rolled into one. At the heart we have the friendship of Grace and Thomas who are both lost and try to find their way together despite an age gap of thirty years. Then there is a love story and also a missing 19th century astronomer and the race to name a new comet. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
In Breaking the Dark by Lisa Jewell one of my favourite writers moves into new territory and I went with her. The protagonist, Jessica Jones is a character from the Marvel Superheroes universe, a place where I generally wouldn’t venture. But the lure of a Lisa Jewell book was too great to ignore and so I read it and wasn’t disappointed. Even though it’s not a genre I would usually read, the storytelling and writing are all very familiar if you’re a Lisa Jewell fan and I raced through it. I almost forgot that super-powers are pretend. (Or are they?!)
Extraordinarily late to the party, I finally read The Housemaid by Freida MacFadden. I don’t read much of this kind of thing any more, but almost 330,000 ratings compelled me forward just to see what all the fuss was about. And it was fun. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and whilst the plot is quite easy to predict I did keep turning the pages and wanted to know what would happen. A great summer read.
Finally, It’s a Love Story by Shirlie and Martin Kemp. If you’re anywhere near me in age then you probably grew up with the music of Wham! and Spandau Ballet on your turntable, and this charming autobiography of how the pair met in the early eighties and the subsequent story of their long and very solid marriage warmed the cockles of my heart. And who doesn’t like a bit of insider gossip?!
And that’s your lot for another month. In August I have a trip to Greece with my family and then my first ever experience of glamping so don’t forget to come back next month to see how I get on! Please pray for it to be dry for me.
In the meantime, keep an eye on my website for the first chapter of A Borrowed Path and maybe join us in the Book Café on Facebook for more book recommendations and general book chat.
Have a lovely month.
Best wishes,
To get this newsletter straight to your inbox. Please sign up here
The post July 2024 Newsletter appeared first on Imogen Clark.
July 27, 2024
Peacocks!
I was just having my lunch and minding my own business when suddenly I had company.
You get a better class of ‘pigeon’ in Dubrovnik, it appears. 😉
The post Peacocks! appeared first on Imogen Clark.
June 30, 2024
June 2024 Newsletter
Hi there
This pot of hastily planted nicotiana is just outside my front door. I’m very much of the ‘stick it all in together and see what happens’ school of bedding plants but I’m particularly taken by this one. The colour of those petals, just dusted with that vintage, faded pink, stops me in my tracks every day.
How are you? How was June? We had some sunshine here in the UK. It’s actually raining again as I type but I’m very grateful for the week of summer that I saw.
What am I writing?Well, there’s big news on that front, for me anyway, as just yesterday I delivered the manuscript of next year’s Imogen book to my editor. Currently titled A Question of Loyalty, it’s about a stranger who turns up at a funeral claiming to be the sister of the deceased. I’ve had such fun writing it. Let’s hope the edit is as entertaining! (I’m sure you remember how little I enjoy editing.)
So, this morning I began to allow my head to fill with ideas for the next two books. First will be a new Izzy Bromley title and then the Imogen book for 2026. ( 2026! How is that a thing?!) I think I have great ideas for both and can’t wait to start but I will show some restraint because my characters don’t even have names yet! Sometimes I have to curb my enthusiasm rather than just diving straight in. A bit of thought at the outset of writing a new book is rarely wasted.
Where have I been?I started the month in the French Riviera on a walking trip. We were up in Sainte-Agnès which is the highest village on the Mediterranean coast. It’s cut into the rock face and has spectacular views of both the sea and nearby Italy. Or so it should have. Not so much when I was there!
We kept climbing to the top of things for a view which we couldn’t see. I’m sure it’s very beautiful on a clear day. Matters improved a little as we dropped down to Menton on the coast and we kept telling ourselves it was so much easier to walk in the cooler cloud, but a few more blue skies wouldn’t have gone amiss.
Here are a couple snaps and as ever, if you’re interested in more then have a look at my Instagram feed HERE or my Facebook page HERE.
After that I spent a week writing in beautiful Wells-next-the-Sea. I had coffee with JM Dalgleish, a very successful crime writer who lives just up the coast and who isn’t nearly as scary as his headshot suggests, and also with Barbara Peirson, a wonderful artist who I ‘met’ on Instagram and now ‘know’ in real life. We had such an interesting conversation about creativity. I think I might have bombarded her with my questions. I find how humans create stuff endlessly fascinating.
You may recall my foray into ‘art’ on my retreat. (I wrote a post about my resulting switch in mindset which you can read HERE.) Well, I’ve signed up for a drawing course for the terminally terrified. It’s kind of book research for a forthcoming character but I’m hoping to learn a bit too. Watch this space for how I get on.
This last week I was in London at a writing conference and I came away with head full of inspiration and a notebook full of things to do! There’s nothing like being in a room full of likeminded people to kickstart your passion, particularly when being an author is such a very solitary occupation. It was great.
Book News!Well, the big news this week is that Izzy Bromley #2 Table for Five came out and so far it seems to be going down well if the ratings and reviews are anything to go by. In case you don’t know, I also write as Izzy in between my Imogen books. Izzy’s stories are a little lighter but still have rich characters and interesting ideas to discuss. The new one is about being lonely in a busy world and how friends can be found in the most unlikely places.
It’s out in paperback, ebook and audiobook (with the fabulous Imogen Church narrating) – perfect for your summer hols!
What have I read?I’ve read across genres this month but here are my four favourites.
First is Babel by RF Kuang (who also wrote Yellowface.) This is part historical, part fantasy about the Babel Institute in Oxford, a translation hub which controls pretty much everything through the power of languages. The book is a commentary on etymology, colonialism and standing up for what you believe in. It made me think.
A little lighter is Lyrebird by Cecilia Ahern. A beautiful and solitary girl with a unique talent is plucked from her hideaway in south-west Ireland and thrust into the limelight. Can the magic that makes her so special survive the modern world? I love Cecilia Ahern’s writing and this is a charming read and has a bit of romance thrown in for good measure.
When my friend first told me that she was writing a murder mystery set on a gridlocked motorway I was intrigued. Now, two years later the book is out and I got to read it for myself. And I wasn’t disappointed. Dead Mile by Jo Furniss is a locked room mystery that’s set in the open air. The motorway traffic grinds to a halt and within minutes one of the drivers has been murdered in his car. But by whom and how? It kept me hooked. It’s tightly plotted and the poor police officer who is trying to investigate in increasingly challenging circumstances is a great character.
Finally this month, When we were Silent by Fiona McPhillips is about historical abuse of the girls in a school swimming team by their coaches. Set in the 1980s, with a mirroring plot in the present day, it struck a chord with me. Anyone growing up before #metoo can probably think of incidents that would no longer be acceptable today. I touched on this theme in one of my own books, Reluctantly Home. The book is about imbalance of power and what happens when that balance is restored. A compelling read.
And that’s your lot for this month. Congratulations to everyone who won a signed copy of Table for Five last month. I hope you enjoy reading it. If you do please post a review. (If you don’t then perhaps don’t! )
Next month I’m going to watch ballet in the open air in Dubrovnik -spoiler alert – it may involve my son – so call back next month to hear all about it.
Until then enjoy the summer. Why not load up your kindle for some relaxing reading? If you click the Follow button on my Amazon page (or the page of any author you enjoy) then you’ll get an email when any books are on special offer. Always good to know at this time of year.
Happy reading.
To get this newsletter straight to your inbox. Please sign up here
The post June 2024 Newsletter appeared first on Imogen Clark.
