Susan Buchanan's Blog, page 11

Interviewing Gill from THE DATING GAME

It's a new week and it's the final post in the We Love Romance Valentine's event. Today myself and the other participating authors are interviewing one of their characters. With Valentine's in a few days, I figured it made sense to interview the protagonist of The Dating Game, Gill.

Before we start, just to remind you, you can hop over to the other authors' posts by clicking the links on the widget below-


Sooz- Good morning, Gill, nice to have you with us and thanks for agreeing to this interview.Gill- No problem.Sooz - So, many people are finding their partners online these days, or through less conventional methods.  I believe you’ve now joined a dating agency. Did you look at other dating mediums before signing up?Gill- Yes, I think you’re right. Lots of people seem to find their other half through the click of a mouse. I didn’t really want to do that, although I’m sure Lisa thought several times about setting up a profile for me without my knowledge. Fortunately I made the decision to join the agency before she could take such drastic action. Lord only knows what the profile would have read! And yes, I did a bit of speed dating, but I wouldn’t say that was wildly successful!Sooz- Speed dating? Now that sounds both fun and interesting. Why didn’t you think it was successful and were you nervous before you went?Gill- Hmm...not really, or at least I didn’t think so. It was all so clinical and to be honest, a bit frenetic too. You only had three minutes to talk to people and as Glaswegians naturally talk fast anyway, I felt as if I was being bombarded with information. My head was throbbing when I eventually left. I did get two numbers, and who knows, perhaps if I had called either of them, there might have been the possibility of something happening romantically, but it didn’t feel right to me.Sooz- Hmm, yes, it’s got to feel right. So, what kind of men did the speed dating attract?Gill - Not to be unfair, but there was no-one there higher than a seven. I think it would be fair to say the women had made more of an effort in getting dressed up for the occasion. Some of them looked as if they hadn’t even brushed their hair,  and a few could have done with being introduced to deodorant and mouthwash.Sooz -Ugh! So, tell us how you came to join a dating agency and how big a step was it for you?Gill - Well, I was on a bus one day and there were all these adverts on it, you know the sort: teeth whitening, tanning, nails, etc. And then there was one for this dating agency for professional people, Happy Ever After. I didn’t think at the time I’d do anything about it, but the name is kind of catchy and I found myself later that day popping their website into Google to check them out.Sooz- Interesting. So, professional people. What did they mean exactly by that?Gill- Well, I think they were aiming at lawyers, doctors, accountants, those in managerial positions, company bosses, engineers,  that kind of thing, although there were a few who didn’t fit into that category. The monthly fees are really quite expensive and the joining fee, even half price was pretty exorbitant, so I don’t imagine many of those who are just having a bit of a laugh on some of the free online dating sites or paying minimal amounts of money, would be happy to fork out the sums involved at Happy Ever After. Sooz - So, you’ve been on some dates already, haven’t you? How have you found them so far? Is it what you expected?Gill - Yes, I’ve been on a couple of dates already. I didn’t really have any expectations, I was just hoping to meet some nice men. So far they have been nice, but it’s early days.    Sooz - That’s great! What can tell you us about the men you’ve dated so far from the agency?Gill - (looks lost deep in thought) Well, Anton is a 38-year-old Russian scientist, who is very tall, 6’ 3 and is really quite dreamy. There’s no other word for it.  He has quite outlandish hobbies, though, including Zorbing!  Charlie is a sexy as hell surveyor, 44 years old, separated, and he has a daughter. He looks great in a flying jacket - think Tom Cruise in Top Gun, but much taller. And Sean, well, everything was going well with the cheeky chappie Irishman - I love Irish accents, don’t you? But then he spoiled it all. (Gill goes quite at this point and doesn’t elaborate)Sooz - Right! (Sooz decides not to pry re Sean and moves on) So can you share your dating profile with us? Give us a few pointers? Gill- Well, I was kind of given some idea of what might be needed by the lady who runs the dating agency, Caroline Morgan, who I must confess was pretty intimidating. Sooz - Oh, in what way?Gill - Well, she was a tall, Nordic beauty, clearly married - she had a ring on her finger and she was just so confident. I did find myself stretching the truth a little on my profile, but I kind of thought who doesn’t, and having my own recruitment agency, I am so used to everyone being economical with the truth on their CVs.Sooz - Ah, yes, I think a little stretching of the truth is to be expected. What did you embellish?Gill - Well, let me show you my profile and then I’ll explain.
Candidate Profile
Name:  Gill McFadden Age:  37
Lives:  GlasgowOccupation:  Company DirectorQualifications:  BEng Height: 5’7
Marital status:  SingleSmoker:  No
Interests:  Socialising with friends, going to the cinema, eating out, Zumba, travelling and ice skating.Further information:  From Glasgow, I qualified as an engineer, but then moved into Recruitment Consultancy.  I set up my own agency three years ago.Looking to meet:  Someone in their late thirties to late forties, who is open, honest, fun to be with and who can be relied upon.  It would be good to meet someone who is open to trying new activities.
Sooz - That looks quite good. And you have some varied hobbies on there.Gill- Yes, well, I haven’t actually been ice-skating since I was a teenager. I have absolutely no idea what possessed me. I think it might have been because when Caroline was talking to me about hobbies, I was thinking what are those? I run my own business - currently a two person affair, so I put in some pretty extreme hours. I don’t have time for a social life, never mind the time to try to get one. That’s why I joined the agency. And then, Zumba. I’ve never actually been. I did sign up for a class, but I had to work late that night in the end, so I still haven’t been. Apart from that the rest is true.Sooz- Well, I think we can let you off with that. Thanks Gill, it’s been a pleasure meeting you and I hope your dates continue to go well. I’d love to hear how you get on.Gill - You’re welcome and thanks, me too!
And don't forget to enter the competitions to win e-books and vouchers. Click on the link below and scroll down to the Rafflecopter links. Good luck! http://www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/we-love-romance-excerpt-day.html Lots more exciting posts coming up later in the week. Don't miss them and don't forget THE DATING GAME is HALF PRICE at only 99p/$.99 until 13th FebIf you haven't got your copy yet - here are the links! - http://amzn.to/RuSl7Y (UK) http://amzn.to/WZQtZK (US)          

The Dating Game on Fiction Five Friday

Second post of the day - see, I am very busy and important, a la Bridget Jones! If you didn't read yesterday's post, that comment will be lost on you!

Anyway, I am delighted to appear with The Dating Game on fellow author, Tara Ford's Five Fiction Friday - so if you haven't read The Dating Game yet and want a little tiny taster - here you go - five lines!
http://taraford.weebly.com/5/post/2014/02/the-dating-game-by-susan-buchanan.html

Tune in on Sunday, for the final instalment in the WeLoveRomance Valentine's event for a character interview with the protagonist, Gill, and her thoughts on dating agencies, internet dating and how her dating is going so far.

The Dating Game on Kindle Countdown Deal 7/2-13/2

That's right - not only is it the perfect read for Valentine's Day but it's HALF PRICE for one week - don't forget to pick up  your copy.
THE DATING GAME
Here are the links -
http://amzn.to/RuSl7Y (UK) - only 99p
http://amzn.to/WZQtZK (US)  - only $.99

And just in case you have been on a different planet and don't know what it's about, here's the blurb to remind you!

Workaholic recruitment consultant, Gill McFadden, is sick of her friends trying to match-make for her. Up until now her love life has been a disaster and she’s going through a drier spell than the Sahara desert.
She realises she has to act, as work keeps piling up and at this rate she will have retired before she has time for a relationship.
Seeing an ad on a bus one day, she decides to visit Happy Ever After dating agency. She quickly discovers men are like buses. They all come along at once. Unsure what her type is, Gill decides to keep her options open. Soon she has problems juggling her social life as well as her work diary. Will she ever strike the right balance?
Before long she is experiencing laughs, lust and… could it be love? But like everything in Gill’s life, nothing is straightforward and she ends up wondering exactly who she can trust.

And tune in later today for a special mini-extract of The Dating Game on Tara Ford's blog, just to whet your appetite.
Have a great weekend
Sooz

We Love Romance Valentine's Event - Favourite Romance Day

  Today’s the day to discuss our favourite romances - whether on paper or on the big screen. Before I start, remember you can win a Grand Prize of 10 e-books during the We Love Romance Valentine's event and also I am offering a £5 Amazon voucher and 5 individual e-copies of Sign of the Times to the lucky winners on my personal competition. Each of the 10 authors has a competition you can enter, so get clicking on the links above! Now, back to my post!
I didn’t really watch all the old black and white movies, and I’ve still not seen or read Gone With the Wind, hard to believe, isn’t it? No, my tastes are far more recent, or rather, in the past twenty years. There are loads of romantic comedies I adore, but for me Bridget Jones’s Diary is my absolute favourite, followed very closely afterwards by Love Actually, then Notting Hill. Bridget wins hands down because it’s both my favourite book and film of a romantic comedy. And to top it all, I am currently reading Mad About the Boy, better known as Bridget Jones 3.
So what makes Bridget Jones’s Diary special for me? I think it’s that she is normal. I can see many non-Brits eyes practically popping out of their eye sockets right now, but really we all know a Bridget. In fact, many of us have or have had facets of Bridget. I, myself, was nicknamed Bridget for a long time by work colleagues, as I am really quite ditzy. I was also being told how intelligent I was, but with absolutely no common sense. This has changed - marginally.
So what can I relate to in Bridget? It’s not wearing the bunny costume, that’s for sure, although I have been dressed as both a Dalmatian dog and the golden snitch from Harry Potter, with mixed results. I think the characteristic I relate to the most is the blue soup incident. Until my mid-twenties I could barely make beans on toast. Now I am ‘bonafide culinary goddess’ - well, not quite, but you can see how I slip easily into Bridget’s parlance!
I was also a little obsessive about my weight and used to weigh myself every day - and back then I was skinny. 10 months post-baby, I can no longer say that. So I can relate to Bridget’s diary entries, most notably ‘must lose 20 lbs!’
I , too, can relate to Bridget’s taxi escapade, when Bridget falls out of the taxi and Tom says ‘Drive on, she’s fine.’ I’ve also been known to ‘pour’ friends into the back of taxis - this is just the culture in Scotland, although I hasten to add this hasn’t happened for many years now!
And what about the romance in it? Well, who doesn’t love the moments where Daniel Cleaver emails Bridget ‘You seem to have forgotten your skirt. Is skirt off sick?’ And so commences a wonderfully funny game of flirting between the two.
My best picks featuring Daniel Cleaver are in no particular order -  
- the boating trip where he spouts Keats’ To Autumn, then straddles the two boats and falls in the water.
- when Bridget and Daniel pitch up at the hotel and Mark Darcy and Rebecca are in reception. Bridget, excited about her mini-break, has lost her head-scarf en route and has completely crazy hair.
- when Bridget and Daniel have just had sex and Bridget asks him what they will say to people in the office. Daniel says their ‘thing’ started on Tuesday and now it’s Thursday, and basically he gets around the whole issue by threatening to do something playful to Bridget, who then says ‘that’s actually illegal in some countries’ to which Daniel replies ‘ that’s why I am so thrilled to be living in Britain today.’
- Bridget on cloud nine post-coitus walking through the streets with a smile like a Cheshire cat, whilst billboards pronounce the status of her sex life in diary entry form.
- oh and let’s not forget the big knickers episode - come to Mumma!
But for me, it’s Mark Darcy or rather, Colin Firth who is why BJD is my favourite rom com movie. He’s such a stiff, upper lip, cold fish, but then all of a sudden he isn’t. I liked the cheeky chappie who made out of character remarks about Bridget playing in his paddling pool naked, to which the stuck-up, Rebecca said ‘Really, how odd.’
Second runner up in the favourite Mark Darcy moments has to be when he helps Bridget to cook for the dinner party, after she answers the door to him covered in food, after her attempts to cook don’t pan out (pun intended)
And my second favourite Mark Darcy moment has to be when he rushes down the stairs after Bridget at the appalling dinner party and says ‘I like you,’ and she says ‘yes, right, apart from the vulgar mother, the smoking, etc’  And he says, ‘No, I like you, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE’. Bridget, at a loss for words, finally says, ‘Right’ and Mark Darcy disappears back upstairs, leaving Bridget flabbergasted, but happy.
And my all-time favourite moment has to be as I am sure it is for most other people, when Mark reads Bridget’s diary and reads the entry about himself, ‘No wonder his wife left him. I hate him, I hate him, I hate him,’ then he hotfoots it to buy her another diary. When she chases after him and he envelops her in his jacket - well, for me that was enough in itself, quite frankly! But more was to come in the form of their kiss and Bridget saying ‘Nice boys don’t kiss like that’ and Mark saying ‘Oh yes they f***ing do.’  Polite, sophisticated, tall, gorgeou,s and with a little bit of a rebel to him - perfect man.
So, you see, choosing Bridget Jones’s Diary was easy for me. There really is no other movie that to my mind can measure up, or whose lines and scenes I know so well. It’s also the first movie I saw with my other half, so is particularly significant. Not sure he was so delighted about my drooling over Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, mind you!
So, what are your favourite rom com scenes and why? Would love to hear all about them

To enter the giveaways, please click here and scroll down to the 2 separate Rafflecopter forms, for more chances to win.
http://www.susancbuchanan.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/we-love-romance-excerpt-day.html

Tune in tomorrow for Fiction Friday
 
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Interview on Green Wizard's Cauldron

Yep, middle of the week and I'm over chatting with Green Wizard today - loved his questions and particularly the videos he set to my answers - I especially liked the baby lullaby music he provided me with!
http://greenwizard62.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/susan-dating-game-buchananaround.html

We Love Romance Excerpt Day

It's Monday and that means, on with the show! That's right, it's the first post in the We Love Romance two week long event.
For my part, I'm sharing an excerpt from The Dating Game - well, it's that time of year isn't it?! Hope you like it. But, don't stop there. Hop over to the 9 other participating authors' blogs and check out their excerpts, and whilst you're there, why not enter their giveaways - each author has their own individual prize and there's also a Grand Prize of an e- book from all of the authors - 10 books in all - well, you can't say fairer than that, can you?
Click on the authors names below to be transported to their blogs!




Hope you enjoy the excerpt!


Not one to stay annoyed with Debbie for long, Gill said, ‘I’ve got something to tell you.’
‘Well, I know you can’t be pregnant,’ Debbie joked.
Gill looked at her sternly. 
‘Sorry…’
‘I’ve joined a professional dating agency.’
Debbie’s vodka and coke sprayed out of her mouth and all over the sofa they were sitting on.
‘You’ve what?’ Debbie shrieked, then slunk down low in her seat, realising she had shouted out loud.
Keen not to draw any further attention to them, Gill whispered, ‘You heard.’
‘A dating agency?  Really?  No point asking why of course, but, really?’
‘Yep. I saw an ad on a bus.’
Debbie gawped at her friend as if she were deranged and had just admitted to joining a satanic cult.  ‘Oh, that’s OK then.  If it was advertised on a bus, it must be a reputable company,’ she said in despair.
‘Oh, c’mon,’ Gill said impatiently. ‘of course I checked it out.’  Actually the furthest she had gone was to read their credentials and testimonials on their website, but on reflection she had seen something about them belonging to an association, like ABTA.  No, ABIA.  She gathered it must be similar to the ABTA scheme for the travel industry, but for dating agencies.  She made a mental note to check it out and see exactly what it covered.
‘Well, if they set you up with any dates, we’re coming, too,’ Debbie said firmly.
‘What?’ said Gill.
‘You’re not going on your own,’ Debbie was emphatic.
‘Oh right, I’ll really be able to relax with you sitting at the next table,’ Gill said sarcastically.
‘Better than ending up chopped up into small pieces and left to be devoured by wolves in a wood.  Seriously, Gill, if you are going on a date with someone we don’t know, at least one of us has to be close by.  Maybe next door?’
Gill mulled this over, saw the sense of it and said grudgingly, ‘OK. But under no circumstances are you to come into the bar we’re in.  I’m not good at pretence, as you know.’
Debbie did know.  Gill was a terrible liar.
‘So, have you had any suitors yet?’ Debbie asked.
This time it was Gill who almost spat out her drink.  ‘Suitors?  What is this, the nineteenth century?  It’s not that long since I last had a date.  I realise you’re insisting on chaperoning me, but really, suitors?  Next you’ll be talking about him having to wait in the parlour for me when he comes to pick me up.  And before you say it, no, he won’t be coming to pick me up, just a turn of phrase.  Of course we’ll be meeting in a neutral environment.’  Gill had been reading Happy Ever After’s Dos and Don’ts.
 
Dos & Don’ts of Dating
 
DOs
Meet in a neutral place.  Under no circumstances invite your date to pick you up from your home
Wear smart, but casual clothing
Be positive and friendly
Listen to your date and allow them the opportunity to talk
Exchange e-mail addresses or phone numbers if you want to see them again
Be honest – if you want to see them again, say so.  If not, thank them for a nice time and say it was nice to meet them.
 
DON’TS
Accept a lift from your date until you know them well enough
Complain all the time
Talk about past relationships, apart from fleetingly
Insist – if they want to call you, or get in touch, they will
Give out your home or work address
 
‘OK.  So have you had any potential dates yet?  Is your removal from the shelf imminent?’ Debbie asked.
‘Not yet,’ Gill said.  ‘It’s too early.  I only confirmed my profile today.  But the woman did say she had a few men in mind for me already, so maybe I’ll hear something soon.’
‘Well, I suppose as long as we’re going to be there to watch your back, I can’t complain,’ Debbie said.
‘We?’
‘Well, you don’t think I’m coming by myself, do you?  Sitting around in a bar like a right saddo.  The girls will need to come.’
‘But I haven’t told them yet,’ wailed Gill, ‘and I really wasn’t intending to until I absolutely have to.’
‘I think absolutely have to comes when you arrange your first date,’ Debbie pointed out.

That's all folks!! I'd love to hear your dating stories and particularly internet, blind date or dating agency experiences. Feel free to leave a comment and don't forget to

To enter my giveaway of a £5 Amazon voucher and 5 prizes of an e-copy of Sign of the Times, use the Rafflecopter form below.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

To enter the Grand Prize draw, use the Rafflecopter form below.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tune in on Thursday for the next exciting instalment!! Have a great week and hope we are getting you in the mood for Valentine's day! 

We Love Romance Valentine's Event

Yep, that's right. It's already February - hard to believe, isn't it? Anyway, to celebrate this being Valentine's month - the official month for lurve, I've teamed up with some fellow romance and romantic comedy authors, to bring you two weeks of Valentine's magic. I hope that you, like me, can discover some brand new authors and well, have a bit of a laugh, or a swoon! Throughout the two weeks myself and the various authors listed will be posting romance-related articles and they will each have a separate competition, so you have even more chances to win! Plus there will be a Grand Prize - more on that later! For my part, I am happy to chuck in a £5 Amazon voucher - oh, well, you can always buy a few indie books with that! And there will be e-copies of Sign of the Times for 5 lucky readers. To enter my giveaway, simply fill in the Rafflecopter form below a Rafflecopter giveaway So, without further ado - feel free to click on my fellow authors' blogs and find out a bit more about them. Susan Buchanan Katlyn Duncan Portia MacIntoshAnnie LyonsRebecca RaisinMichelle Scott Jill Steeples Kathy Oliver Molly Ann Wishlade And if you want to get in on the Grand Prize action, enter below! a Rafflecopter giveaway Tune in again on Monday for the first exciting instalment of the Valentine's extravaganza! Have a great weekend Sooz

Review of Calling All Services and Interview with author Tara Ford

Happy Friday everyone
I'm delighted to provide another review/interview combo of a book I've been meaning to read for quite a while. Calling All Services is the first in the Calling All series.
So, here's the blurb:-

Alex Frey, successful businesswoman, wife and mother to a busy and demanding family, doesn't find it easy to take a break. So when she's hospitalised with a mysterious illness, paralysed and afraid of what the future might bring, frustration meets fear and she can't wait to escape the hospital, get back in control of things and return her family to the normality of salmon paste sandwiches. At home, her husband Grant is determined to manage the kids, Alex's parents, his sister and anything else life can throw at him while his wife is away recuperating. But what else can possibly go wrong while Alex is in hospital? The Frey family is about to find out

And here's what I thought!
I'd never come across a book about the emergency services and on reading the opening chapters, I was struck by how much I liked the humour and the author's voice. Alex & Grant's family, including grandparents, a sensitive younger son who lacks confidence, an overconfident soldier big brother and a sulky teenage daughter will strike a chord with many - especially those who have teenage children.My own child is only 10 months old, but I was already envisaging how many of the scrapes and mishaps the kids find themselves in could well happen to us in the future. The novel takes place over only a few short days when Alex is admitted to hospital with a mystery illness. The matriarch and head of the household, she runs it with an iron rod, so it's only fitting that it all falls to pieces without her. Every calamity which could possibly happen befalls this family and the escapades are humorously portrayed. I particularly liked the characters of the overbearing mother-in-law and the nosy neighbour, Evelyn, and especially Grant's attitude towards her - ie what he would like to say to her versus what he actually said to her. I thought the book well-written, especially for a first novel and would be more than happy to read the next in the series (there will be four books in total, I believe)
A solid 4 STARS from me.


I also wanted to pose some questions to Tara about the book:-

1)      I’ve never come across a book about all the emergency services before and only of late a few about the health service. What knowledge/experience do you personally have of the health service, either as an employee or a patient?‘Calling All Services’ is very loosely based upon my own experience as a patient, some years ago. I had always wanted to write a book, for as long as I can remember, but couldn’t quite come up with the right storyline. Then I ended up in hospital with a mysterious illness (the doctors really didn’t have a clue what was wrong with me) which was paralysing. While I lay helpless in the hospital it seemed that things were going wrong at home – like the washing machine packing up and my son’s bed breaking because he decided to have a ‘rough and tumble’ on it with his brother!During my time in the hospital I began to think up some crazy scenarios of what might be going on at home and therefore, the early stages of ‘Calling All Services’ were born.Incidentally, when my daughter came to visit me in the hospital, she sat by the side of the sink unit, in my room and was very annoying as she insisted on putting her thumb in to the end of the tap and popping it back out to create that famous ‘popping’ noise from the book. However, nothing in my real experience was ever as bad as it was in the book.
2)      I liked the changing POVs - in your mind is there a main character or two main characters and how did you decide how to divide up the content between Grant and Alex?I believe that there are two main characters in the story, Grant and Alex and this is why I wanted to tell the story from both of their points of view. I felt that the story needed to written this way so as to get a real feel of both Grant and Alex’s predicaments. I used the passing of time and each incident that occurred to dictate when I needed to switch the POV and also the chapter.3)      I liked several of the peripheral characters, including Evelyn - we’ve all met a busybody like her. Who is your favourite peripheral character?Funnily enough, Evelyn is my favourite character but I think that she has far more clout when partnered up with Dot, so can I cheat and say that I like both Evelyn and Dot as a duo (or should I call them ‘double-trouble’?)?4)      In the next book have you given the same weight to each of the characters as in Calling All Services?The second book, ‘Calling All Dentists’ has been written quite differently from the first. I would say that there is one main character (I won’t tell you who but if you’ve read ‘Calling All Services’ you will know this person) and one point of view.The second book is also set ten years in the future, which some people may not expect.5)I loved the humour in the book. Is this a good reflection of your own sense of humour and if so, how? I would say that the wry sense of humour is me all over. Some say that I am self-effacing and I know that I am certainly shy I think I use humour to disguise this. I see the world in a very light-hearted way and try to find the funny side of any situation – rightly or wrongly. I think my humorous outlook has helped me through some difficult times in my life too. I have always wanted to write in the humour genre but wasn’t sure if my writing would actually make people laugh

6)Do you have any family anecdotes you can relate which rival those of Grant and Alex’s family?Well, fortunately I do not own a mother like Dot and have a husband like Grant (he’s not all that bad though really) but I’m not sure that I can compete with Grant and Alex when it comes to family anecdotes. Their tales are far more bizarre than mine could ever be.  7) I enjoyed reading about the day-to-day family life via all of the various family members. Which family member is your favourite and why?My favourite family member has to be Dot. I felt that I could have a lot of fun with her and create far more problems with her particular type of character. That must be my warped sense of humour again!8) The mishaps that befell the family and the trouble they got themselves into: thumb stuck in the wash hand basin at the hospital, getting on the wrong train, scalding feet when the police were there, etc. Which was your favourite mishap?I think my favourite mishap was the ‘thumb’ one as it made me laugh my head off when I was writing it. I was sure, at the time, that my family thought I had lost the plot as I giggled my head off in my little ‘office’ area. I could picture the scene so clearly after Grant’s rather undignified accident, on top of everything else. The fact that Alex was at a complete loss due to her ailments and could not offer any help, just made the scene even funnier in my eyes.9) How much is Alex like her mother? Her mother is very overbearing and Alex freely admits she runs her household and makes all the decisions. Should Grant be worried?!I don’t think that Alex is quite as bad as her mother is. Alex has always been aware of the trail of disorder and chaos that her mum can leave, so Alex works hard to make sure that she does not end up like her mum. Alex tends to show more empathy towards others than her mum does but both women like to take control of any situation. I don’t think that Grant needs to be too worried about the future – after all, he needs her – right?10) I’ve heard there are 4 books in the series. What can you tell us about the other three?The second and subsequent books in the series are all set ten years in the future. The members of the Frey family appear, either directly or indirectly, in each story.‘Calling All Dentists’ should be published (all being well) in February 2014. I don’t want to say too much about the storyline except that it is quite unusual. I would suggest that if you don’t really like dentists, then maybe this wouldn’t be the book for you.The third book is a WIP, called ‘Calling All Customers’. I like this one a lot and hope that it will be full of fun and laughter.The fourth and final book in the series is called, ‘Calling All Neighbours’. Again, I’m hoping this will be full of humour too. Thank you for having me here on your blog Sooz – I’ve thoroughly enjoyed your thought-provoking questions. You can buy Calling All Services on Amazon - UK - http://amzn.to/1ebmYNQ &  US http://amzn.to/MB14Za - also available in paperback.And you can keep in touch with Tara via the following means:Website: http://taraford.weebly.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rata2e
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/Tara.Ford.Author
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7125535.Tara_Ford
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/rata2e2/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=tab_proTune in on Sat when my Valentine's Day coverage will be starting. The Dating Game is perfect for this time of year, and I will also be participating in a two week event with some fellow authors - believe me, you don't want to miss this one!

World Book Night 2014 - my thoughts on the choices

Yep, Monday again. It's not really that long until World Book Night and I really wanted to be a giver last year, but I was pregnant and it was too close to the due date. This year I missed the deadline, so I am just going to have to participate by buying books - the hardship!
Anyway, I wondered if any of you have participated actively in World Book Night in the past, or if you'll be giving it a go this year. Or, do you follow it, know the books on offer, discuss it with friends?. How many on this year's list have you read? Which interest you? Which book(s) would you recommend to others?

So, here's the link for the full list of this year's books - http://www.worldbooknight.org/books/2014-book-list

I don't know very many of them - in many cases I know and have read the authors, but not these particular books.
So, here's my pick - The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne - a very short book, but a powerful one. If you aren't crying, or on the verge of tears after reading this, there's something wrong with you.
I've also read Getting Rid of Matthew, which I really enjoyed, by Jane Fallon. I've read most of her books - they are mainly in a similar vein, but highly readable.
And the other I've read is Theodore Boone, by John Grisham. Loved it - different to his other novels, but enjoyable nonetheless. I am a huge Grisham fan.

Those are the only three I've read, so which of the other seventeen am I keen to read?
Well, Confessions of a GP, I have always liked the title and I may well already have it, but haven't read it. I might well be adding Dr. Benjamin Daniels' offering to my reading list again.

I'm always being told Nora Roberts is similar to Maeve Binchy and I am a huge MB fan, so have been meaning to read NR for a while, so maybe Black Hills, although I have to admit the cover didn't do anything for me.

Now, I haven't read the blurb for any of these books. I'm just looking at the World Book Night snapshot of the titles, so it's the covers I'm seeing. So basically, all I have to go on is the cover and the author's name.
I quite like the look of the cover of Four Warned by Jeffrey Archer. I read his early books and really enjoyed them, so I would look up the blurb for this one.
I still  have some Adele Parks books, so although I like the cover for Whatever It Takes, I need to read the ones I have of hers first, before buying any more.
The one that really stands out for me is Gorky Park. Now perhaps I've heard about this somewhere, but if I have, I can't remember. Maybe it's being made into a movie or has been already, for all I know, although I'm probably thinking of Gosford Park!! But the cover has captured my attention and now I will go and look up its blurb.
To be honest, I am sure I will like a lot of the books, although I don't think I am ever going to be into Andy McNab, no matter how often my father and father-in-law pass me his books! It's just not my thing.
So, I'd like to know your thoughts on this year's list. Next Monday I'll have an in-depth look at the titles, AFTER having read the blurbs - then we'll see which ones might have grabbed my attention if they had a more eye-catching cover.
Have a great week everyone and tune in Friday for a book review and interview with Tara Ford, author of Calling All Services
And be ready - there will be lots of posts in the next few weeks about The Dating Game, plus a few surprises, events and competitions, all in honour of Valentine's Day of course.
Bye for now
Sooz

The Christmas Spirit gets the thumbs-up from Anita's Book Bag - Review

It was a lovely surprise to be sent this last night on Twitter, as I had no idea Anita had been reading it. Guess she liked it!

http://anitasbookbag.co.uk/2014/01/23/the-christmas-spirit-by-susan-buchanan/

happy Friday!

Tune in on Monday for another book related post - about World Book Night, I think!