Gail Aldwin's Blog, page 9

Newsflash: competition longlist

For those of you who aren’t active on social media, I’d like to share the news that my work-in-progess has been longlisted in the Novel London Literary Award. This competition invites international submissions for complete works of fiction, which may be unpublished, self published or newly published. As my manuscript is up against published novels I don’t expect it will get any further in the competition but it’s good to see my details on the publicity poster. Well done to all longlistees.

I’m continuing to work on the manuscript following feedback from beta readers. I’ve also changed the title from Little Swot to Extra Lessons which better reflects the novel. Here’s the draft blurb:

Extra Lessons: the experiences of two women, separated by thirty years, uncovers home truths.

West Country, 1978. School is the last place sixteen-year-old Carolyn wants to be. Her older sister gained a place at Oxford and staff can’t understand why Carolyn’s feigning difficulties when exams are approaching. Help arrives in the form of a young probationary teacher who recognises Carolyn’s problems and provides special lessons. This gains him nothing but derision from colleagues but he’s opened Carolyn’s eyes to a new sort of future. She plans to escape from the suffocating small town of Belmont, and sets about finding someone to join her.  

Three decades later, mature career woman Stephanie is made redundant from the West Country Echo. Her life spirals until Doug, her former boss, suggests she make a podcast. There’s only one story worth pursuing and she plunges in, determined to find leads relating to the unsolved case of Carolyn’s disappearance. The shambolic police investigation came to nothing but rumours circulate that a man was involved.

Stephanie connects with Carolyn’s family and friends to build a picture of what might have happened the day she walked out of her maths examination and never returned home. Early podcast episodes draw a large audience, and when an unexpected source comes forward, the finger pointing gains momentum. 

I’d love to know what you think of this novel, so do leave a comment. If you’d like to follow my development as a writer, This Much Huxley Knows, my most recently published contemporary novel is available here. 

This Much Huxley Knows #ThisMuchHuxleyKnows – Gail Aldwin @gailaldwin , an #Interview #QandA

Here is where I get to answer some pertinent writerly questions. Find out if I have any writing rituals by popping over to The Magic of Wor(l)ds for a read!

The Magic of Wor(l)ds

– ‘The Magic of Wor(l)ds’ blog is a hobby, reviews and other bookish stuff on this site are done for free. –

Today I’m not on a blogtour, but doing my own interview with Gail Aldwin, author of ‘This Much Huxley Knows’, to promote her book!
Before I let you read my Q&As, I’ll first post some ‘basic’ information.

About the Author :

Gail Aldwin is a novelist, poet and scriptwriter. Her debut coming-of-age novel The String Games was a finalist in The People’s Book Prize and the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2020. Following a stint as a university lecturer, Gail’s children’s picture book Pandemonium was published. Her most recent novel This Much Huxley Knows uses a seven-year-old narrator to show the world through an innocent lens.

Social Media Links:
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Synopsis :

I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is…

View original post 2,642 more words

Acts of kindness on Twitter

If you’re active on Twitter, you’ve probably seen tweets about This Much Huxley Knows bounding around your screen. I’ve been fortunate to have the support of many book bloggers who generously tweet about my recently published novel. And there are others on Twitter who retweet about reviews and posts and yet more who share details. Whenever this happens, I like to find out more about the kind person who is helping to spread the word about Huxley. Often I follow them and sometimes I make contact. This is what happened when I came across a tweet from author Stevie Turner. She has such a interesting website with information about her books, her awards and certificates and much more. There are also pages offering support to other authors including interviews. When I read some of the fascinating conversations with a whole range of creative people, I wanted to be amongst their ranks. And following my moto, there’s no harm in asking, I sent an email request. Stevie was very gracious in her reply. She thought up a list of twenty questions which I answered and Q&A now appears on her website. It’s such a boon to have the support of another writer.

Now that the interview is live, can I encourage you to pop over for a read? And while you’re there, do have a look around Stevie’s website to find out more about this generous, multi-genre author and blogger. Here’s the link.

The interview where I spill all my writerly secrets

Fellow Black Rose Writer, Karen E Osborne interviewed me about my reading and writing habits. (Jim Bates, you might want watch as I recommend your short story collection Resilience.) Click on the arrow to hear our conversation.

This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin

I’m getting the hang of this WordPress reblogging feature. Here you can read a review of This Much Huxley Knows from the lovely Sue Bavey, on behalf of Rosie Amber’s review team. If you haven’t already done so, do get yourself a copy of this contemporary novel and join the fun. mybook.to/ThisMuchHuxleyKnows

Sue's Musings

Book Description

I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. AndBreaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.

Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?

Funny and compassionate,this contemporary novel for adultsexplores issues of belonging, friendship and what it means to trust.

‘Read this and feel young again’ ­– Joe Siple, author ofThe Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride

‘ Moving and ultimately upbeat’–Christopher Wakling, author ofWhat I Did

‘A joyous novel with the wonderfully exuberant character of Huxley’ –

View original post 399 more words

Two months in Cambridge

We’ve had a wonderful time staying with an old friend in central Cambridge. Although we’re here for another fortnight, I wanted to share are the highlights so far:

Cambridge Shakespeare Festival

Open air theatre is a particular delight and when plays are staged in Cambridge college gardens, there can be few better venues. Over a six week period we’ve seen plays that I know and love including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, A Comedy of Errors and two plays which were new to me, Richard III and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Richard III wins the prize for the most gruesome and A Midsummer Night’s Dream was a sheer joy.

Downing College Garden Trinity College Garden St John’s College Garden The cast of Macbeth The cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

More Gardens

We’ve spent many happy visits to National Trust properties around Cambridge. As the weather has changed we’ve viewed herbaceous in all their glory and past their best.

Other summer stuff

A summer post about Cambridge would never be complete without cows, a picnic and some punting.

Watch this space to find out what our final two weeks will hold.

This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin / #SpotlightPost @gailaldwin

Thank you, Els, for spreading the word. If you’d like to get your hands on a copy of this rated contemporary novel, click here: http://mybook.to/ThisMuchHuxleyKnows

B for Bookreview

 

A story of innocence, misunderstandings and acceptance.

I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. And Breaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.

Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?

***

***

Spotlight Post

Thank you, Gail Aldwin

***

About the author

Novelist, poet and scriptwriter, Gail Aldwin’s debut coming-of-age novel The String Games was a finalist in The People’s Book Prize and the DLF Writing Prize 2020. Following a stint as a university lecturer, Gail’s children’s picture book Pandemonium was published. Gail loves to…

View original post 57 more words

Call it Huxley in a Comedy of Manners

Novels by three women writers are showcased on John Nixon’s blog. Besides sharing space on his bedside table, what do books by Nancy Mitford, Marianeh Bakhtiari and me have in common? Click on the link to find out.

 

Source: Call it Huxley in a Comedy of Manners

This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin #TuesdayBookBlog #RBRT

Liz Lloyd’s review sees This Much Huxley Knows as a story of warmth and humour. Here’s the full lowdown.

Lizanne lost in a good book

I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. And Breaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.

Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?

Funny and compassionate, this contemporary novel for adults explores issues of belonging, friendship and what it means to trust.

My Review

This is a story of a family and their friends in pre-pandemic England . It’s very easy to empathise with 7-year-old Huxley because we see the world through his eyes. He doesn’t conform to the norm that his classmates expect so…

View original post 283 more words

Guest Post: What’s in a Name? This Much Huxley Knows by Gail Aldwin

Please enjoy this guest post from The Blue Mood Cafe where I share the process of giving my characters names in This Much Huxley Knows. What’s in a name?

Gail Aldwin tells the stories behind the names of her characters in her second contemporary novel for adults, This Much Huxley Knows.

About the Book

I’m seven years old and I’ve never had a best mate. Trouble is, no one gets my jokes. And Breaks-it isn’t helping. Ha! You get it, don’t you? Brexit means everyone’s falling out and breaking up.

Huxley is growing up in the suburbs of London at a time of community tensions. To make matters worse, a gang of youths is targeting isolated residents. When Leonard, an elderly newcomer chats with Huxley, his parents are suspicious. But Huxley is lonely and thinks Leonard is too. Can they become friends?

Funny and compassionate, this contemporary novel for adults explores issues of belonging, friendship and what it means to trust.

Thinking of Names

Before I had a child, I always thought choosing a name for a baby…

635 more words