Lucy V. Hay's Blog, page 12

BOOK VERSUS FILM: The Revenant – Dead Truth

Adaptation

So, this time I thought I’d take a look at the revisionist history novel, The Revenant and its subsequent adaptation, which earned Leonardo DiCaprio the Oscar that’s eluded him for decades. At last!!

What did you think of this one – were you a lover or a hater? Add your comments at the end of the post. Enjoy …

The Book

I’ve been obsessed with The Frontier and The Wild West since I saw Dances With Wolves when I was still a little girl, so Hugh Glass has been a source of fascination for me for years. I was absolutely agog that a man could survive such an horrific bear attack AND basically crawl across across America in search of his beloved rifle. It really puts a fresh spin on both the revenge myth and the whole ‘American Dream’ thing, especially the notion ‘you want something badly enough, you will DO IT, by hook or by crook’. 

I’m a big fan of The Man Who Returned From The Dead by John Myers Myers, which is probably the definitive biography on Glass. Whilst Punke doesn’t *quite* get across the same sense of indignation regarding the Andstadt that Myers does in his biography, there is enough here to keep me happy: there are some brilliant set pieces (not least the last in the water, with Glass sailing head-first into a confrontation with the Arikara). There’s fab visuals galore and Glass’ lucky escapes are well drawn.

I was also impressed with the representations of the Native Americans, whose actions are both understandable and relatable, especially when the children kill Pig, the gigantic and foul-smelling Frontiersman (who must have been terrifying to their young eyes). Punke draws on Glass’ well-documented history with Native Americans well too, so we can understand how he is able to relate to, and respect, the old woman at Fort Brazeau and build her a funeral pyre. This in turn means the Sioux warriors help him.

Like many reviewers and book bloggers, I do feel the ending goes out with a whimper and there are a few biographical notes that stick out, especially towards the beginning. I would also have liked a little more from Henry and Ashley, especially given the historical note at the end was so interesting. Otherwise, I loved this book and recommend it most highly to those who love historical novels and The Wild West.

The Film

‘Based on a true story’ is major currency in Hollywood, as are novel adaptations, so it’s not difficult to see why The Revenant got adapted.

Or did it? The novel says it’s ‘the book that inspired the movie’, plus the film says it’s ‘based in part’ on Michael Punke’s novel! Whilst there are some obvious signposts to the book and the original story behind it, this has to be one of the LOOSEST possible adaptations I’ve seen in a good while.

First, the good stuff. It obviously LOOKS amazing. The Arikara attack at the beginning, starting with an arrow through a Frontiersman’s throat out of the blue, is frightening and refreshingly realistic. There’s a real sense of bedlam and menace as Braves storm the camp. The yells and hoots of their brothers in arms encircling the camp, forcing the frontiersman into the water is fantastic and not ‘movie-like’ at all – you get a real sense of how terrifying it must have been.

Leonardo DiCaprio is on fine form, but then he has to be one of the most consistent actors of his generation. Tom Hardy is clearly in his element (as he always is playing antagonists), but for me the two stand-out performances have to be Will Poulter as Bridger and Domhnall Gleeson as Captain James Henry. Both characters are so clearly desperate and out of their depth; the actors’ performances portray this brilliantly.

The pace of the movie is great, but I was disappointed to see just how far the film strays from the original novel. There were so many great moments in the novel that were left out, with their replacements very ‘Hollywoodised’. Glass’ Pawnee son Hawk was an obvious choice – what movie-watcher could relate to the idea of a frontiersman being THAT attached to a rifle? – but his unfortunate demise was cheesy. I also didn’t understand why Fitzgerald didn’t kill Glass straight after, especially when it appears Bridger didn’t come back straight away. Perhaps it was a bad edit. What’s more, Captain Henry DIES! (He didn’t in history, nor did he help Glass recapture Fitzgerald!).

However, I could have coped with all that if we hadn’t been subjected to the excruciating Powaqa story thread. I could understand the filmmakers needed to make the Native Americans ‘relatable’, but Glass’ saving Powaqa from the rapist in the soldier camp made little plotting sense other than to paint him as a hero. Ack. The sad thing was, there were LOADS of human moments in The Revenant novel that could have painted Native Americans in a human light (as in, ‘not the usual bad guys’ in Westerns), not least the the woman at Fort Brazeau and the Sioux who treat Glass’ wounds. Oh well!

Verdict

For me, the film is not a patch on the book (which in turn is not a patch on The Man Who Returned From The Dead). That said, if you are looking for truth, you’re probably not going to be watching a Hollywood movie! If you take it as it is – an exciting, lone wolf story that really puts DiCaprio through his paces – then you won’t be disapointed … Just maybe read the book SECOND.

The Weekend Spa Break - A Review

The Weekend Spa Break by Anne John-Ligali

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Weekend Spa break begins where the first in the series, The Big Event left off - Constance is wondering whether she should bother seeing her online friends again, since the first time she had looked so forward to it ... only to discover everything is not quite what it seems. Of course, she has connected more meaningfully to Estelle and they end up going on a spa break together, where the two Mums are pampered and spoilt, letting them re-connect with themselves too after their busy lives at home. However it's not all fun ... Constance is receiving calls from her ex, Maxwell -- and gets an unexpected visit that makes her realise life is too short.

This instalment in the series is quite different in tone to THE BIG EVENT and being longer, takes in more themes and situations than just the 'life is not what it seems online' idea of the first. I enjoyed the various instagram posts of her new online friends, too. In Constance's through-line Mum guilt, autism, break ups and even bigamy gets outings in this book ... It never stops! I did feel a little overwhelmed by all the ideas here sometimes, especially when it seems to take a while for Estelle and Constance to get to the spa (roughly 22%), but Constance is such an adorable character, she kept me on the straight and narrow. Recommended! 3.5*




View all my reviews

CRIMINALLY GOOD: interview with Maxim Jakubowski, author

1) So, who are you and what have you written?

I’m Maxim Jakubowski. I was a book worm from an early age and owe my writing career to a teacher in his Paris school who, when I was 13, encouraged me to write stories rather than dry compositions and the bug has never left me since. I published my first book, a rather naive science fiction saga, at the age of 16 in French and in France and, on finally returning to the UK, became involved in science fiction fandom and writing. I became a close friend of Michael Moorcock, Brian Aldiss and J.G. Ballard, and collaborated to the glory years of the now legendary New Worlds Magazine.

After some years in the food industry using my foreign languages, I finally moved into publishing and set up Virgin Books for Richard Branson, later moving to Penguin and the Thomson Group, and ended up as Editorial Director for Ebury Press. I later opened the Murder One bookshop, which for many years was the only specialist mystery bookstore in the UK.

Throughout my publishing career, I never stopped writing and has written 20 novels, 5 collections of short stories and edited over 100 anthologies in a variety of genres ranging from SF to crime, with an intermezzo in erotica! I also translate the occasional book from French.

I have edited several leading crime imprints and was also the co-director of the Shots in the Dark film and literary festival on London’s South Bank.

I’m presently the joint Vice Chair of the Crime Writers’ Association and chairs the CWA John Creasey Fresh Blood Dagger.

My favourite books, as myself, are ‘Life in the World of Women’, ‘Skin in Darkness’, ‘The State of Montana’, ‘I Was Waiting for You’, ‘Confessions of a Romantic Pornographer’ and ‘Ekaterina and the Night’.

I can be found on Facebook but not on Twitter as there are not enough hours in the day.

2) Why do you write crime fiction?

I don’t write traditional crime books, to the extent there have seldom been any actual police officers in my books and stories. I’m fascinated by human psychology and interaction, sexuality and the way we humans live so many inner contradictions. This leads to so many stories, with, I hope, characters who are are flesh and blood (and have a sex life) and not just ciphers.

3) What informs your crime writing?

I’m not an ideas person per se, and more of a ‘what if’ sort of author, taking situations I encounter in real life or in my imagination and taking them as far as they can in a bid to understand the humanity (or inhumanity) of my characters.

This means, as mentioned before, that there are no cops, nothing is based on real life events, and owes more to the sometimes dark twists of my imagination. As a result my books are ‘Marmite’ ones, which people usually love or hate, and characters likewise.

4) What’s your usual writing routine?

When I am writing a novel, or a short story, I am terribly disciplined, after sometimes whole months of procrastination. I normally rise at 7 am and write until 11 or until I have around 2000 to 2500 words; the rest of the day is leisure, reading, watching movies, living. I always write to the sound of rock music (I worked in the Virgin empire, used to write for New Musical Express’ and am devoted to music, even though I cannot play a single instrument. I travel a lot because of family circumstances and try and adhere to this routine whether by a beach, a pool or on a cruise.

5) Which crime book do you wish YOU’D written, and why?

I will cheat. There are two books I am deeply jealous of (with uncanny resemblances, although neither author was ever aware of the other) and I was even the publisher of the first in the UK.  Respectively Marc Behm’s ‘Eye of the Beholder’ and Emily St John Mandel’s ‘Last Night in  Montreal’. They both made me cry, hold my breath and metaphorically weep with sheer admiration. About people who are lost to their faults, about fleeing your fate or other people, about ghosts of the past, about love attained and jettisoned. In short all the things I always seem to write about myself, even when I try and achieve something different. And even they are not strictly canonical to the genre, they are definitely crime thrillers by a nautical mile.

Wee Girl Reviews: Mr Snuffles’ Birthday

Wee Girl Reviews

It’s time for the next instalment of Wee Girl Reviews! Emmeline, aka ‘Wee Girl (2)’ is 6 years old and a tiny book blogger. Recently Emmeline has been training for her dance troupe’s show, plus she has been enjoying the bank holiday sunshine and having her godmother Lisa to stay.

Emmeline is a reluctant reader, so I’m happy to partner with AuthorRight for ‘Wee Girl Reviews’. In this feature on the blog, we will read picture books together, so Emmeline can give her opinion on them. Today’s is called Mr Snuffles’ Birthday by David Greaves and illustrated by Emily Wallis.

About The Book

‘It was a wonderful day for snuffling for truffles,

‘What a birthday treat!’ thought Mr Snuffles…’

Adults and children of all ages will delight in following Mr Snuffles’ frustrating woodland quest for his beloved truffles. But is Mr Snuffles on the right scent?

Beautifully illustrated by Emily Wallis, David Greaves’ Mr Snuffles’ Birthday is a glorious celebration of language, friendship and truffles: a tale to be treasured and to read aloud together time and time again.

See it on Goodreads HERE and buy it on Amazon, HERE.

Emmeline’s Review

‘I like Mr. Snuffles’ party hat.’

‘It’s sad that Mr. Snuffles is alone on his birthday.’ 

‘The pigs are wearing clothes but Mr. Snuffles is not.’ 

‘I like the pictures and the colours.’ 

‘There’s lots of butterflies in the wood.’

‘Truffles must be very tasty.’ 

‘My favourite picture is when Mr Snuffles is stuck in the tree trunk.’

My Review

Mr Snuffles’ Birthday is a charming book. The illustrations are beautiful, with a classic look; I felt like I was reading a book from my own childhood. This was backed up by the rhyming couplets and the repetition of various elements in the story – I was reminded of the work of Roald Dahl, particularly his Revolting Rhymes. The story pulls at the heart strings, making us think Mr Snuffles is alone on his birthday, only for the resolution to make the big reveal it’s HIS surprise birthday his friends were preparing for. Some of the metering was a little lumpy, plus Emmeline didn’t know what a truffle was (though this was not a big concern for me, truffles are quite specialist I guess).

I’m not sure what Mr. Snuffles is … I thought an aardvark, though Emmeline was insistent he is a tapir! We also had a long conversation about the fact Mr Snuffles is naked (though he does wear a party hat), whereas his friends all wear clothes. The rabbits in the woods are also naked, but Emmeline says that’s because they are rabbits! Everyone knows rabbits don’t wear clothes! (So, pigs wear clothes? Okkkkkkkay! Haha).

Verdict

Recommended. This is gorgeous book that feels relevant and classic, no mean feat. Well worth a read for bedtime story fans.

Biographies

About The Author: Born in Yorkshire in 1985, David Greaves’ warmth and generosity of spirit, and his love of travel and adventure led him to make friends around the world with people from all walks of life. His strength of character and devotion to achieving his goals was shown in his achievements as an ultra-marathon runner and Iron Man triathlete. It was also shown by his determination to finish this book, and nine others, after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (ALS) in June 2015, just after his thirtieth birthday. In the fifteen months after his diagnosis he got married to the love of his life, climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, raising over £12,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, and travelled through East Africa before settling in Newcastle upon Tyne. As David lost the use of his arms and speech he finished his collection of children’s books using revolutionary Eye Gaze technology which allowed him to type by tracking the movement of his eyes. David passed away peacefully at home in September 2016. Mr Snuffles is David’s first book and his wife Philippa and family intend to honour his memory by eventually publishing all of his completed works.

About The Illustrator: Emily Wallis is an illustrator who uses traditional hand-drawn techniques. She completed her MA in sequential design and illustration at the University of Brighton. She lives in London, UK. Visit her website, HERE; LIKE her Facebook page HERE; and follow her as @emilywallisillustration on insta.

BEST OF 3: YA Fiction Faves by Anton Marks, Author

I love Young Adult fiction and that’s why it’s very difficult for me to choose my favourites. So here goes. My best three YA books feature two books from some years back and one very current work.

1) Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz

Alex Rider is a hero of mine. Created by the highly prolific Horowitz. The fourteen-year-old super spy fulfilled a dream of many young men and women as we vicariously lived the extraordinary adventure of the teen spy. Storm Breaker the first in the series is everything a spy novel should be, action packed and filled with plot twists and turns. The character of Alex Rider is sophisticated enough to keep you happily guessing about his motives and what he will do next. Great villains and adrenaline fuelled action. What more could you ask for.

2) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

This book is a magnum opus for me. The Harry Potter character and all the others who make up this fascinating world of magic, is done so well it is hard to picture all the rejections she received on the way to having it published. I think one of the gifts this book and the series keeps offering is a belief that you too could be a part of Hogwarts and maybe you’re not a Muggle after all. It’s worldwide success in every form it has been produced is a testament to the craftsmanship that went into creating the characters and adventures. My ability to identify with the story’s emotional heart makes this a perennial favourite of mine.

3) Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

This is an imaginative debut with a lovingly created world. Toni used her parents’ African culture to conjure up a glorious story using unique characters and infrequently used Africa mythology to create a compelling story of magic and revenge. There is so much potential for tales from African inspired worlds and this was done so well, it’s my third choice.

BIO: Anton Marks is an author based in London.  His self-styled Urban Fantastic genre is speculative fiction using crime, action adventure, horror, sword and soul and sci-fi to highlight the black experience through the lens of the extraordinary. At present, he has eight books in the Amazon Kindle store, Dancehall, Bushman, Bad II the Bone, In the Days of Dread, 69, Messiah, Chauffeurand a Young Adult Sci-Fi/Fantasy novel called Joshua N’Gon: The Last Prince of Alkebulahn written as Anthony Hewitt. The second in his Bad II the Bone Series Good II be Bad is due in 2018.

Join him on his journey at www.urban-fantastic.com. You can also follow him on Pinterest; Like his page on Facebook and follow him on Twitter as @AntonMarks.

About Anton’s Book

Joshua N’Gon: Last Prince of Alkebulahn

When a secret world of ancient alien kingdoms and evil corporation’s clashes with adolescents, school, and homework. You won’t be able to put down this wild adventure of discovery, friendship, and coming of age!

What would you do if you discovered you were descended from ancient alien African royalty and you could hold the key to save your friends, family, and the world from evil destructive forces?

Joshua N’Gon seemed like an ordinary boy. Raised in a loving foster home in north London and a gifted student at the St Augustine private school. But as he grew older, a thirst for meaning and true purpose began to grow greater and greater…

With Great Power, Comes Great Responsibility

On Joshua’s tenth birthday he received mysterious packages from his birth parents. Parents who had left him as a baby under mysterious circumstances. Opening the packages, he would find gifts that would forever change him both mentally and physically. Magical technology unlike anything he had ever seen and the best part, only he could use it. But his secrets would not stay that way for long. Evil forces were gathering and they would stop at nothing to acquire the powerful science behind his amazing inventions

With the help of his two best friends, Brick and Mina, Joshua sets out to develop his abilities, find his real parents and stop the Technology Billionaire Kanu Umbekwi from subjugating the planet.

Buckle up and get ready to go on an exciting thrill ride, full of suspense, mystery, and alien technology with Joshua N’Gon: The Last Prince of Alkebulahn.

 

Just For Fun: Shakespearean Insult Generator

April is the month of The Bard, especially since he lived and died on the same day (April 23rd). So, how literary were you last month?? Hmmmm??

Well, don’t worry if your wordcount is low and your TBR is high as the end of the month approaches … You could revisit some of Shakespeare’s works instead, or you could check out this Shakespearean Insult Generator that Invaluable created (I’d personally recommend doing both!).

This awesome generator compiles over 70 of Shakespeare’s greatest put downs from some of his most famous works. Check it out for some inspiration for your next insult, plus scroll to the bottom for more on what Shakespeare gave to us as readers and writers. Enjoy!

More Shakespeare Links

Top 10 Words or Phrases Storytellers Gave Us 

What Shakespeare Gave To Screenwriting (And More!)

Writing Women: 5 Lessons From Shakespeare

Visit my writing tips site, Bang2write

Follow me on instagram as @LucyVHayAuthor

Have fun!

CRIMINALLY GOOD: Crime Investigator & Author S C Cunningham

 1) So, who are you & what have you written?

Hello there, I’m S C Cunningham. The ‘S’ is for ‘Siobhan’ which is pronounced ‘Shevonne’. I know, I know, it’s a crazy spelling, you try growing up with it!  I’m British-born of Irish parents from Wicklow, Dublin. In Irish when the letters ‘B’ and ‘H’ are placed together it is pronounced ‘V’. There you go; you learn a new thing every day.

I’m a Police Crime Investigator and Author. I write Psychological Rom Thrillers ‘The David Trilogy’ and Paranormal Rom Thrillers ‘The Fallen Angel Series’. To find out more, you can check out my website, HERE and follow me on Twitter, HERE; or Facebook, HERE; or instagram, HERE.

2) Why do you write crime fiction?

I tend to write about the industries I’ve worked in and personal experiences. I find it easier to write what I know. I’ve worked in a few interesting industries; Fashion Modelling, Music, Film, Football, Sports Celebrity Management, Horseracing, Golf, for Charitable Causes and Crime – Major Crime Team, Intel Analyst, Wanted Unit, Absconder Unit, Crime Investigations. 

I have a passion for justice, for helping the underdog, for good winning over evil. Mixed in with dash of laughter, sex, thrills, murder mystery and twists and turns, I find the subject makes for interesting entertainment. Something I would like to read, or watch as a movie (The Penance List has been adapted to screenplay).

The seed for The David Trilogy was sown when one day in my 20’s I didn’t follow my gut and ended up crossing paths with a violent serial attacker, who was haunting single girls living in basement flats in London.

I got away unscathed, but I remember looking at the offender and asking why? He was a nice looking, well dressed, clean, smart kind of guy.   I looked into his face and wondered what had happened to him to make him so evil.I wanted to know; how, what, where, when, why, who? Ironically these are the questions I now ask Detained Prisoners in interview when working on investigations. I wrote the trilogy to warn that there can be evil lurking around any corner – so learn to trust and follow your gut!

The seed for The Fallen Angel Series was sown when I was about 4yrs old, I was taken by a man, I got away. The following week another little girl was taken, she didn’t. This had a strong effect on me, coming from an Irish Catholic family I used to say my prayers every night asking God for a deal. That if I was a good girl, when I died before I went to heaven could I sit on a cloud for a while, be invisible and get all the bad guys that slipped through his fingers?

My protagonist in the Angel Series had the same deal, when she mysteriously dies aged 30 and she awakes to find a whole load of MI5 type units in the skies, full of those who have asked for the same deal. A quick warning: these guys are no angels, but they get the job done.

So, in answer to your question, I guess I write crime because of my life experiences.  And as with real life, my stories have laughter, steamy romance and murder mystery thrown into the thriller mix.

3) What informs your crime writing?

The real life cases mentioned in the previous answer have led to creating my books. And my day to day crime investigation work, which involves working with other  agencies (forensics, social services, prisons, crown prosecution services, courts etc.) also helps. I like to study the psychology of people, source what makes them tick and why? I like to protect the innocent from bullies and build people’s confidence, help them shine. I tend to swear a lot, am working on that!

I’ve found that Crime Writing and Crime Investigating are very similar jobs, just with a reverse order of events:

Writing – creates the characters, builds the storyline, ends with a crime scene and police sirens.
Investigating – starts with sirens, assesses a crime scene, unravels the storyline and detects the characters.

4) What’s your usual writing routine? 

I find writing makes me a little reclusive, mushroom-like. I tend to try and back out of the world and everything that’s going on around me for days before, emptying my over-zealous mind, to fill it again with another world.

On a writing day, I take the dogs for a beach walk, travelling via the back roads to avoid conversations. Am easily drawn into chatting with folk and dog walkers are a lovely friendly bunch.

On the beach I start the process of thinking about scenes for the day’s writing. My work tends to have complicated spaghetti storylines which I need to be on top of – tough on an old bird like me.

I get home, try to do a few minutes on a rowing machine, then set the scene of my writing room; smelly candles, music, good lighting, warmth, quiet, nibbley easy-to-eat food and plenty of drinks. The dogs, exhausted from their walk, sleep at my feet. It’s nice to have another heart beat in the room, writing can be lonely.

I sit at the computer for between 5 to 8 hours, depending how well it’s going, and then log off with a celebratory glass of vino or cheeky gin and tonic.

5) Which crime book do you wish YOU’D written, and why?

That’s easy. Lee Child’s Jack Reacher Series. I adore Reacher, such a wonderful character. If I was a bloke I’d love to live his simple lifestyle – no baggage, traveling with just a toothbrush, credit card, great intelligence and the strength of an ox – awesome!

I can’t quite forgive Child for selling out to Tom Cruise – Mr Cruise is lovely am sure, but he’s no Jack Reacher.

WEE GIRL REVIEWS: Witchy Travel Tales

Wee Girl Reviews

We’re back for another instalment of Wee Girl Reviews! Emmeline, aka ‘Wee Girl (2)’ is 6 years old and a tiny book blogger. Just recently she has perfected the art of doing a new gymnastics moves – a walkover from the ‘crab’ position!

Emmeline is a reluctant reader, so I’m happy to partner with AuthorRight for ‘Wee Girl Reviews’. In this feature on the blog, we will read picture books together, so Emmeline can give her opinion on them. Today’s is a whole series called Witchy Travel Tales by Sibel Beadle.

About The Books

The series “Witchy Travel Tales” tells the story of a witch called Miranda, who has seven beautiful daughters. In Book 1, The Seven Sisters tells of how Miranda and her daughters cross seven seas in search of a better home.

In Book 2, Sleepless in Stonehenge, this story tells the tale of Viva, Miranda’s fourth daughter, who struggles to fall asleep at night.

In Witchy Travel Tales 3,  The Golden Bunny of The Lake District, Miranda’s fifth daughter, Kai, desperately wants a pet.

You can find out more about the series HERE and buy them, HERE. You can also follow Sibel on Twitter as @witchytales1.

Emmeline’s Review

Here’s what Emmeline thinks of the Witchy Travel Tales series:

‘I like the colours … Each book has a different one!’

‘Seven daughters is a A LOT of daughters!’ 

‘I like it that the pictures are so detailed.’

‘Sometimes I didn’t understand the bigger words.’

‘I like the idea of having a wolf for a pet.’

‘The spells are really cool.’

‘I like the pictures around the words.’

‘I love witches!’

‘I will tell my friends about these books.’

My Review

Halloween is a big deal in our house, so we LOVE witches and were looking forward to these books. I thought the illustrations were unusual and very beautiful: at first they look like squiggles, but the more you look at them, the more detail you can pick out – kind of like a ‘magic eye’ or Where’s Wally? picture. This provided talking points for me and Emmeline when we were reading together.

I liked the fact the books take in British landmarks that we could discuss together. I also liked that Miranda has seven daughters. I grew up in a family of 5 (four of us were girls) and it was very rare to find very big families in fiction back then. What’s more, it’s nice this series is female-dominated, especially when books (and movies!) are often male-dominated, as I’m always saying on my writing site, Bang2write.

The books were on the longer side at thirty five pages, which worked well for Emmeline given she is that bit older (though may be too long for a younger child). Some of the language was a little difficult for children under ten in my opinion: I had to explain words like ‘sufficient’ and XXXX

Of the three books, I think Sleepless In Stonehenge was my favourite.

Verdict

Recommended. Older children may like these intriguing tales of witchcraft and British landmarks, especially if you want lots of discussion points for later.

About the Author

Living in Billericay, Essex with her two daughters, Sibel Beadle previously worked as a senior banker for the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development in Central London before becoming a full time children’s author.  All three of the Witchy Travel Tales are available to purchase in paperback RRP £6.99 from online retailers including Amazon and Waterstones. For more information please visit: www.witchytraveltales.com.

 

BEST OF 3: Niraj Kapur, Author, Screenwriter and Entrepreneur

In 2010, I had a mid-life crisis after I lost my job in the recession and couldn’t pay the bills.

After months of struggling, feeling sorry for myself and failing to improve, I thankfully discovered personal development.

Wandering through WH Smith newsagents, too embarrassed to venture into the self-help section, a magazine called SUCCESS caught my attention – the headline read something like, How to improve your life.

Just what I was looking for – the signal. The sign. The knowledge that a higher being was looking out for me. Inside the magazine included topics such as:

Being the best you can be.
How to overcome doubt.
Have an attitude for gratitude.

We all struggle at different stages of our life. I started off at the bottom of the corporate ladder in 1994 and through grit and resilience, got promoted, had several pay rises, lots of luck, some bosses who were inspiring and colleagues that I enjoyed working with. Losing my job knocked my confidence in spectacular fashion.

Once I start reading 1 hour a day on personal development, everything changed.

I took 100% responsibility for my problems.
I gave 10% of everything I earned to good causes.
My life improved quickly.

People who have seen my transformation often ask me what books I can recommend them.

Irish people love talking. Indian people love talking. Being a mixture of both, I REALL LOVE talking, so it gives me enormous pleasure going through my home library and talking about books that have helped me most. There’s so many to choose from. Here’s my top 3.

1) The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy

Darren was the publisher of SUCCESS magazine for many years. A master storyteller, his book is about how small habits done consistently every day make all the difference. It also talks about how to win, the secrets of successful people and has many quotes from his mentor, Jim, Rohn, known to many as the father of personal development.

2) The 5 Second Rule by Mel Robbins

Mel Robbins has over 11 million views on Youtube for her Ted talk, “How To Stop Screwing Yourself Over.” When you read this book, you’ll understand why. The 5 Second Rule helps transform your life, overcome anxiety, become more confident and develop a powerful mindset. The book is full of testimonials from people whose lives have been changed forever by Mel.

3) View From The Top by Aaron Walker

Recognition from Dave Ramsey, world expect on finance; Ken Blanchard, author One Minute Manager; and John Lee Dumas, Entrepreneur on Fire, makes View From The Top a must-read. It takes your thinking to a higher level with inspiration and gives advice that helps you lead a life of significance and meaning. This is the first book I connected with which talked about the importance of faith and success.

 

Thanks, Niraj!

BIO: Everybody Works in Sales by Niraj Kapur is designed to help you do better in your career because we ALL work in sales! Available now on Kindle and paperback. BUY IT HERE.

My Favourite Themes in Fiction By Karen King, Author

Many thanks to my fellow Littwitz Press author Karen King today, who is sharing some of her favourite themes in fiction! I always find it fascinating to see how authors’ favourite reading material influences their writing. Enjoy!

I’ve written for many different genres and like to read books in a variety of genres too. Humour is one of my top favourites:

Humour

The Just William books by Richmal Crompton used to make me laugh out loud as a child and inspired both my love of reading and writing.  I still like a book that makes me chuckle, so Sophie Kinsella is one of my top authors as she’s so good at lacing humour into her stories. I love her My Not So Perfect Life, with its theme that everything on social media isn’t always what it seems, and the downfalls of trying to create the ‘perfect life.’

Fantasy & Suspense

Fantasy is another favourite genre of mine, especially laced with romance. I like to get really immersed in a story and the world the author creates.  Sharon Shinn’s Samarai series is a firm favourite, they’re great stories with an amazing cast of characters and the world building is fantastic. The theme of power and trust and love is skilfully dealt with and the female characters are strong. I like stories were women are strong and stand up to dominant men. There’s also a good twist at the end of the series, which I won’t give away, but definitely fits into the ‘things aren’t how they seem’ box.

I think fiction can be a good way to address social issues and real-life situations, such as domestic violence – like Before I Go To Sleep, by S.J. Watson, which again fits into my favourite theme of ‘things aren’t always what you seem’, also to be careful who you trust.  This theme can cover a lot of different genres, of course, romance, crime, horror, mystery, contemporary. The theme of an unreliable narrator is also a favourite, as in Gone Girl which kept me guessing right to the end.

Romance

I read – and write – a lot of romance stories and one of my favourite theme is that love finds you, don’t search for it. I like to read about heroines (and heroes) who aren’t looking for love but stumble across it accidentally and fight it because they’ve got so much stuff they want to do in their life. Another favourite theme is that is that love is eternal, and can overcome anything, which is the theme behind my YA afterlife romance, Rise of the Soul Catchers, which is released on 25 April.

Thanks for inviting me over, Lucy!

Can love survive anything – even death?

RISE OF THE SOUL CATCHERS

Sapphire and Will vow to love each other forever. But when a car crash ends that dream all too soon, they find themselves separated in an afterlife with zones named after the colours of the rainbow. Determined to find each other, they start an adventurous journey alongside a cast of characters they don’t know whether to trust. They finally meet again in the terror-fuelled Red Zone where the dreaded Soul Catchers are planning on taking over the entire afterworld and are plunged into a dangerous battle. Is their love strong enough to survive against the odds? (Previously published as Sapphire Blue). BUY IT HERE.

BIO: Karen King writes edgy YA with a heart and sassy, heart-warming romance. Her first YA, Perfect Summer, was runner up in the Red Telephone Books 2011 YA Novel Competition and her second YA, Sapphire Blue, now republished as Rise of the Soul Catchers by Littwitz Press, was called ‘the best YA book out there right now’ by a reviewer for Ind’Tale magazine. Karen has also written several short stories for women’s magazine and had 120 children’s books published. Follow her on Twitter as @karen_king and visit her website, HERE.