Author Interview – Saz Vora

Author of Where We Have Come

Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to contemporary fiction author, Saz Vora.

Helen: Welcome Saz, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Tell us a little about your book, Where We Have Come.

Saz: Where Have We Come, is a retelling of our experience at the birth of our profoundly disabled son and how grief and child loss is a stigma in the South Asian community. It looks at the cultural clashes faced by a young Gujarati couple as they embrace their Britishness and their heritage. The book is the second book in the university series Reena & Nikesh.

Helen: A difficult topic, though I am sure it must have been cathartic to write. What were your thoughts behind your cover?

Saz: The inspiration for the covers is a rose, and I love the scent of old-fashioned roses. In this cover, the rose is nearly at the end of its life cycle, representing the transient nature of life. The flower holds significance as we had white and yellow roses at our son’s funeral. The white background represents innocence, the red of the typeface shows sorrow. I asked my designer to look at the book cover designs for women’s fiction at the time of publishing.

Helen: There is always so much more meaning behind cover designs. Understanding the authors intent, makes it much richer. Why did you choose this title?

Saz: The title Where Have We Come, is a loosely translated lyrics for a Hindi film song. The title has several connotations. It was the song that came on the radio as my husband twiddle the dial when we brought our son from the hospital. They released the film that the song features in the year we started dating. And the title explains that no matter how many curveballs life throws at you, you can choose a different path.

Helen: Such a special song for you, ideal to use for your book title. Your book is obviously very special to you, but why did you choose to write it.

Saz: Where Have We Come is my first ever full book. I wrote it in 2006, on a writing course, and put it away, as I was told by some early readers that it was too niche a subject and wouldn’t appeal to publishing houses. After suffering from a full-blown panic attack and the anxiety that followed. I realised that sharing my story would help my mental health and might even help many other mothers who had lost their baby or had a sick child. I want to tell women they are not alone. If one woman feels that my story helps her cope with baby loss then I have done what I set out to do. To raise awareness.

Helen: That is such a great sentiment. Well done for sharing your story. If I asked your main character why we should read your book what would they say?

Saz: I recommend Where Have We Come: It helps you heal, feel seen and learn of life in multicultural Britain. It has helped me learn to live and love again after losing our son and coping with the grief of losing my mother at an early age.

Helen: When did you first realise that you wanted to write?

Saz: I’ve always had a passion for storytelling, usually versions of fairy tales to my much younger cousins and later to my children. I used to adapt stories from Hindu scriptures.

In 2017, after a panic attack and therapy, I went back to my book to process my feelings. Writing was my place of succour, a place to escape into the world of my characters and through them a way to raise my voice. Had I known earlier when I’d abandoned writing, that those stories would bring me respite from the grief. I wouldn’t have listened to the advice.

In hindsight, I feel that there is a time for everything, and now is the time for me to grow and find my happy space and my passion to write stories about people like me.

Helen: There is so much advice available, it can be difficult to know when to listen and when to ignore. I think keeping your reason for writing front and centre helps you decide whether it is applicable or not. Which genre do you write, and is there any genre you would like to try and write in next?

Saz: I write women’s fiction with romance at its heart. I also believe my books are suitable as book club reads as I tackle many subjects that are taboo. If I didn’t write Women’s fiction/romance I’d like to write a cosy mystery with a trio of South Asian women in their 60s set in England. An idea that has been brewing for some time.

Helen: How do you get the ideas for a new book?

Saz: I often get a song in my head and then a character forms. I usually read the lyrics and make a note of these and then write a monologue from the character and see where that leads me.

Helen: What are you currently working on?

Saz: I’m currently writing the story of Sonali and Deepak for the second duet of my university series.

As with the other books in this series, the first of the duet is a university romance set in ‘80s England. Neither Sonali nor Deepak can resist the magnetic pull to be with each other. Only Deepak mistrusts people with money and Sonali is secretly engaged to Anil.

In the sequel, we meet Sonali and Deepak, who are successful in their professional life but are struggling with their marriage. After many failed attempts at IVF, a miscarriage and growing pressure from family and the community to conceive, Sonali becomes secretive and Deepak feels isolated. Can they stay together, or will the stigma of a childless marriage pull them apart?

Helen: Plenty of emotions to play with! When it comes to the craft of writing, which element of the writing process do you find most challenging and why?

Saz: I find editing the hardest part of my writing process. I write above the normal word count that recent book lengths have become and find it difficult to delete my chapters. I’m learning to save these chapters for another story. I would love to send my rambling chapters to someone to read who’d slash and delete for me. But‌ I know I need to learn this myself as it will make me a better writer.

Helen: Do you listen to music when you write, if so, what do you listen to and why?

Saz: I often have a song come into my head and listen to music when I’m mulling over ideas. When I write I prefer silence as the lyrics in songs make lead me astray and I usually end up writing them in my work. I feature songs in my books too and have a playlist or two for each book I’ve written.

Helen: Do you find you have to do much research for your books?

Saz: I fact check a lot once I write my first draft and create a Pinterest board for fashion, food and places for my story ideas. As I set my books in places, I know I don’t need to research the area. The most important thing I research are the songs and film dates to keep it authentic to the time period.

Helen: Are you a pantser or a planner? Do you write free form, or do you have a framework you stick to?

Saz: I’m a planster, (planner and a pantster) and if any of my characters are persistent, I write scenes in my notebook. I mind map afterwards and then I plan where the scenes might fit. I use Save the Cat by Blake Synder as my planning process only because I used to teach film studies. I recommend using Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody’s book is superb for all genres. She shares many examples and provides useful beat sheets.

Helen: What are some of the books you read recently that you would recommend to others?

Saz: My reading list is mostly women’s fiction and romance. Me Before You, Jojo Moyes; PS I Love You, Cecelia Ahern; It Ends with Us, Colleen Hoover; Grown Ups, Marian Keyes. I read all genres, except horror. Recently I’ve been reading South Asian writers like me, not recent migrant stories, but those who struggle with belonging and identity.

Helen: When you encounter writer’s block, what do you do to overcome it?

Saz: I don’t beat myself up with unattainable word counts. There will be days when words flow out of me and others when there’s a dam that blocks them. I try doing something else even if its reading books, watching films or TV programmes.

Helen: Thank you so much, Saz, for sharing your work with us. Just to close us out, what advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Saz: Find a cheerleader, or many cheerleaders through writing prompts on social media and the writing community. Read everything, especially books in your genre but wider too to understand what people like and dislike.

About the Author

Saz Vora

Saz Vora is a wife, mother and writer. She was born in East Africa and migrated with her family in the ‘60s to Coventry, Midlands, where she grew up straddling British and Gujarati Indian culture. Her debut novels, My Heart Sings Your Song and Where Have We Come, is a story in two parts of love, life, family, conflict, and two young people striving to remain together throughout.

Where Have We Come, Finalist – The Wishing Shelf Book Awards 2020, is based on true events that have shaped her outlook on life’s trials and tribulations. Her short story, Broad Street Library, was long listed in Spread the Word, Life Writing Prize 2020.

Before she started writing South Asian melodrama, she had a successful career in Television Production and Teaching… But her need to write stories has led to what she is doing now—writing stories about people like her in multi-cultural Britain.

She gets inspiration from listening to music, cooking and watching Bollywood, Hollywood and Independent films, hence the references to songs, food and films in all her books.

Please visit her website, where you can read her blog and sign up to newsletter where she will share, missing scenes, recipes, playlists and all things book related. Please also follow her on social media, where she will post her comments.

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If you enjoy fantasy books with a touch of romance then you will love SoulBreather, or my epic fantasy Sentinal series. As a new threat against Remargaren is discovered, only one man can wake the ancient guards who can protect them, only he doesn’t know how. Start the adventure and stay for the journey.

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Author Interview – A.M Vivian

Author of The Family Care

Today, I am thrilled to be chatting to contemporary fiction author, A.M Vivian.

Helen: Welcome, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Tell us a little about your book, The Family Care.

A.M Vivian: The Family Care is my homage to Virginia Andrews. As a teen, I loved the drama and darkness of her early books, particularly the Flowers in the Attic series and My Sweet Audrina. There was something dangerous and transgressive about them that was thrilling. I always wanted to write one, putting a modern spin on her themes of forbidden love and family trauma.

In my book, Milton discovers her biological mother abandoned her by overhearing her adopted siblings arguing about whether to reveal this secret. Cameron may have orchestrated this reveal. He’s her favourite brother. Her best friend. Her prince in every story they created as children. Does he not want to be related to her anymore? Why? When they accidentally kiss she’s not too sure if it is actually an accident. At a party, she discovers alcohol and retreats further into a fantasy world where she has no problems, where she’s wanted, and where people don’t lie to her. She’s terrified her family will get rid of her if she doesn’t behave, leading to her hiding her drinking. But of course, we know alcohol is never a solution and one lie leads to another. As the story progresses, we learn more about the family trauma and explore their struggle to maintain the façade of a perfect family. Add to this the changing nature of her relationship with Cameron and eventually things snap.

Helen: Sounds extrememly emotional, with lots of dark secrets to be revealed. What were your thoughts behind your cover?

A.M Vivian: I had great fun creating the concept for this. I wanted the cover to resemble an art house DVD cover because Milton is a film buff and particularly enamoured with French new wave cinema. The picture resembles a movie reel with the frames splitting up this picture of a happy couple to reflect the dislocation between them and to show that this isn’t a happy-ever-after love story. Blue is her favourite colour and the colour of Cameron’s eyes. It also suggests heartbreak, hinting that this is a tragic love story. The title falling off the cover makes me think of a film unspooling, mirroring Milton’s life becoming messy and uncontrollable.

Helen: What made you write such a dark and tragic romance novel?

A.M Vivian: The idea came to me when I was a teen and had run out of Virginia Andrew’s books to read. This was before they started releasing the new V.C Andrew’s series with ghostwriters. I couldn’t find anything else like her, so I decided I’d write my own. I must have been about 14 or 15. I didn’t finish writing it but I had the main events, the end scene, and the title. 10 years later, I returned to the idea, writing sections as part of my degree course. Again, I didn’t get that far with it. Something was missing. I couldn’t quite capture Cameron. It was like a memory of something you tasted as a child that vanishes as soon as you try to focus on it and describe the flavour. I put aside the story and wrote The Waiting Usurper instead. Then, while travelling, the oddest thing happened. I met someone who was the perfect physical embodiment of Cameron. The way his hands moved. The way he held a group’s attention with his quiet confidence. His walk. It was so surreal. I’d been trying and trying to capture this character and there he was looking right at me, sitting beside me, talking to me. It was the strangest experience. How could I not fall ridiculously in love with him? We had a ‘situationship’, short-lived and a thing that ended messily for me, but for him, it’s probably an inconsequential footnote in his life. I thought writing this story would help get him out of my mind. A cleanse and clean if you will—better than burning old love letters. In retrospect, maybe I also wanted something good and productive to have come out of that whole painful experience.

Helen: That is such an amazing answer, that you actually met the embodiment of your character and then also had to suffer though a messy and painful ending. I’m glad you found writing him into your book, cathartic. Writing is such a good way to express yourself. When did you first realise you had a passion for writing?

A.M Vivian: I was very young, about 11 years old. At school our English teacher asked us to write a story. I don’t remember the prompt but I remember the feeling I had while writing it. It was that feeling of exhilaration you get when an aeroplane accelerates and then takes off. I remember everything else faded: the classroom, me, spelling, and grammar. I wrote reams and reams of this story, even during my lunch breaks. A whole epic series was planned out in my head, one that challenged Tolkien for word count. I was at that age where you weren’t supposed to be playing with Barbies anymore and I resented being made to grow up, wanted no part of it. Writing was a way to get around that schoolyard rule.

Helen: After such a dark and emotional novel, what are you working on next?

A.M Vivian: Depending on when this interview is published, it might be available to buy and download because I’m at the checking the proof copy stage. It’s called At 4 AM, A Shop Window. It’s an eclectic collection of short stories and poems. Some are available on my blog (publishordietrying.wordpress.com) and have been published in various small presses over the years. I also wrote some new pieces especially for this book. The collection is full of outsiders wishing for more from their monotonous lives but unable to grab the opportunities that present themselves. Instead, they find temporary solutions in devilish temptations, illusions of control, and disappointing romantic connections. There are touches of dark humour in there too, such as Barry who’s pondering why he’s been reincarnated as a battery hen. This collection shows the breadth of my writing, both in style and topic. I think it encapsulates who I am as a writer. A friend recently called me a cynical romantic and I think this collection illustrates this.

Helen: How do you write your novels? Do you plan them in detail, or let your characters take charge?

A.M Vivian: I am a pantser. That’s part of the fun for me—figuring out what the book wants to be and what the characters want to say. I don’t really know what the story is until I spend time with the characters, writing and exploring. That’s when their voices appear and I find out what their hopes and fears are. I want to disappear into their world and a plan is too much of an anchor, keeping me tethered to reality. It does mean that I write a lot that never makes it into the book. This is quite freeing because I’m not focusing on the end product and I don’t have that pressure to get it right when writing my first draft. I get to experiment. The more I play and go on meandering trails, the more excited I get about a project which helps push me through those painful slogs of editing and rewriting. However, being a pantser means that the editing and rewriting process takes longer. Much longer. I write a first draft pretty quickly but I need to let it marinate for at least 6 months so I can look at it with fresh eyes. After that, I’m doing extensive re-writes and edits. I wish I could publish my books quicker but I’m too scared my muse will desert me for someone more worthy if I force her to work in ways she doesn’t like.

Helen: We all spend a lot of time on our own, writing and editing. Do you listen to music while you write?

A.M Vivian: I love music. It’s one of my biggest weaknesses so I always listen to music when I write and edit. What I’m listening to depends on what I’m writing and what emotion or mood I’m trying to access. I try to listen to the same few albums and/or musicians when I’m working on a novel so that my brain associates these sounds with the story. This helps me get into that world quicker. It’s a shorthand way of telling my brain what we’re going to do. Sometimes, if I need a bit of an aural hug to boast my confidence and remind me why I write, then I’ll listen to Pearl Jam.

Music is such a big part of The Family Care. Cameron plays the guitar and is a music geek. It’s one of the loves they share. Within the story, I mention musicians they like and are listening to, such as Bowie, Crows, and Idles. The Maccabee’s Given To The Wild album cover makes an appearance, as does Milton’s impression of the singer’s voice. I had fun adding in these little details. It grounded the story in reality and I like to think the reader might seek out some of these songs.

Helen: Music can inspire all sorts of emotions, and it is weird how you end up listening to certain music when writing. Different albums end up on my playlist for different books. What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve recieved?

A.M Vivian: A teacher relayed this piece of advice to me during the degree programme at Bath Spa University. I didn’t catch the name of the writer or the book my teacher was referencing, unfortunately. They recommended creating separate identities for writing and editing, wearing different clothes and sitting in different places for different tasks. The writer us might be in tracksuit bottoms on the couch, dirty hair, and a food-spotted t-shirt. The Editor us will be in chinos and a crisply ironed shirt, hair tied back and sitting on a hard-backed chair at a desk. Doing this makes it easier to access the different sides of the brain. I do kind of follow a version of this—not to such an extreme level. For one thing, I’m rubbish at ironing. I do write and edit in different spaces where possible. I’ve found my kitchen a great place for editing. I think it’s important to make a clear distinction between these two tasks. Otherwise, I’d never get beyond writing that first paragraph. I like how this advice encourages me to consider and change those things I do have control over because so much about writing is out of our control and mysterious. I mean, who knows why some writing sessions are like flying and others are like wading through shitty mud?

Helen: I’ve not heard that advice before, thank you for sharing! How about writer’s block. Do you have any tricks for overcoming that obstacle?

A.M Vivian: I hate writer’s block. It’s like someone’s got hold of your arms when you’re trying to take off into a run. I need to trick my brain a little to get out of that slump. Distractions can help. (‘Look here’s an interesting documentary,’ and then bam! I’m scribbling pages in response to it.) Changing things up helps, too. For example, I sit on the floor in my front room to write because sitting at my desk feels too much like working on a report. I’m writing by hand because that feels more like playing and personal. It’s easier to switch off the critical brain away from the computer. Maybe because it’s less tempting to delete things and edit as you go along. I find the physical act of putting pen to paper quite meditative too, especially if I have a nice pen and the gods have blessed me with pretty looking writing that day. I can focus more on the act than whether what I’m writing is any good.

If I get really stuck with a novel I might decide to write something that I know won’t go into the book but is related to the story. For example, I might write about a character’s favourite toy. It’s just a way to take the pressure off, get the creative mind going, and break the curse of writer’s block. Anything is better than nothing and if I can remind myself how fun writing it is then that’s usually enough to defeat those horrible thoughts that lead to writer’s block.

Helen: Thank you so much for sharing all your great hints and tips. Hopefully they will help other writers to overcome these challenges. Just to finish, how do you address that little voice of self doubt that drags us all down?

A.M Vivian: I think the advice I mentioned before helps with this to a certain extent. When I feel this fear I go back to writing in bed where I can forget that the outside world exists. It’s just me, my pen, and my imagination, the same as it was when I first started writing. I have to switch off thinking about the market or readers, especially when writing a first draft. A lot of authors write to the market, working out what sells and hitting those tropes but I can’t because it feels too much like a bunch of people are looking over my shoulder. Annoyingly, the less I write the louder the fear becomes.

I’ve found meditation a useful way of dealing with counteracting this doubt and fear. There are some great ones on Youtube. I listen to one in the morning and then go straight into writing. Starting early in the day is another way I bypass the critic in my head, mainly because he takes longer to wake up so I can sneak in a few sentences before he’s up and pestering me. Sometimes though, I think we have to accept that we’re having a down day and give in to it. Forcing yourself to write can be counterproductive. There’s a quote from Nietzsche that I often return to when I’m in a bad mood. He wrote, ‘When we are tired, we are attacked by ideas we conquered long ago.’ Maybe I need to relax. Read a book. Watch a film. Maybe I need to eat something and get a decent sleep. Sometimes, it’s the lovely PMT saying I’m a useless piece of shit and no one will ever want to read anything I’ve written. There’s nothing wrong with taking a day off and indulging in misery. If you need permission, here it is. The danger is in letting it drag on beyond a day because then it can tip into writer’s block. If it lingers a nice bit of boxing helps—imagining I’m punching and drop-kicking my critical thoughts is a great way to release that negative energy and make me feel like a badass who can conquer anything.

About the Author

A.M Vivian

A.M Vivian is a British writer. She holds a degree in Creative Writing and English Literature from Bath Spa University, a masters in the Therapeutic Uses of Creative Writing from Sussex University, and another masters in Creative Writing from Cardiff University. A member of the Alliance of Independent Authors, she is passionate about self-publishing. She splits her time between writing, running a successful beta reading business (Walter’s Writing Emporium), and working in a library. If she’s not lost in fiction, then she’s at a gig, sweating and singing away her worries. You can follow her on Instagram @a_m_vivian & learn more about her books at http://www.amvivian.com

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Author Interview – R.M. Krogman

Author of Liberation

Today, I’m chatting with epic fantasy author, R.M Krogman, about her debut book Liberation which is currently on preorder and releases September 5th, 2023.

Helen: Welcome Rebecca, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Congratulations on the release of your debut novel. Such an accomplishment! Tell us a little about your book.

Rebecca: LIBERATION is the first book of the epic fantasy trilogy “The Keepers of Midgate,” a story of friendship and love, the search for understanding and acceptance, and the heartbreak of loss, set in a world pulsing with magic, violence, and a spreading plague of madness. Dragons, once a common ally, have retreated to the dark recesses of the world, rejected by fickle humanity. As Midgate falls into chaos, only the Keepers and their companions have the power to set the world right.

LIBERATION is above all about freedom—freedom from the bonds of societal expectations, suffocating control, and physical binds. Konan, one of the main characters, is an inmate in the prison mines of the Tahayi Desert. He has little to live for until an innocent woman, Lyra, is tossed into his brutal home. With the help of another ruthless inmate, he tries to protect her and help her escape, but discovers she has far more strength than he could have imagined. Another main character is Prince Reylin, miraculous survivor of a tragic fire that destroyed the royal castle. Although no longer a boy, he chafes against the confines of his Regent Council of lords. As he battles border attacks and tensions with his own lords, a terrifying madness appears, driving people to violence without explanation or cure.

The world of Midgate in a vast and diverse world of powerful elemental magic, sentient dragons, fierce myrpeople and winged warriors, and conflicting cultures. If that sounds interesting to you, you should check out the first book LIBERATION.

Helen: That sounds amazing. I love epic adventures and your characters certainly have plenty to overcome. I’m loving the earthy tones of your cover. What was the idea behind the cover design?

Rebecca: The cover of LIBERATION is a scene from the book that highlights several main characters in the midst of a key moment. I chose it because it not only shows them, but also reveals some of the powerful magic in the world, as well as the presence of war action in the story. I think it’s an important scene in terms of making choices of violence and justice, making and accepting mistakes, enduring hardships, overcoming trauma from the past, and developing new relationships of trust.

Helen: I love asking that question because we always discover more detail in the cover than we did at first glance. What made you write this specifc book?

Rebecca: This epic has been in my head since I was 14, rolling around and making noise. I was slowly going mad and also depressed NOT writing it down. But if you want the long version, here’s the real story. This is actually the Foreword to LIBERATION:

This novel exists because my husband told me to give up.

It’s what I needed to hear.

I have talked about writing this book for over twenty years. The world of Midgate blossomed into existence in early high school, a vast world with its own history, cultures, and peoples. I sketched maps and animals and plants; I jotted notes on color symbolism and languages. I identified industries, located master training halls, and established an apprenticeship structure. I described religions and traditions and superstitions. I modeled wind and ocean currents, then determined climate patterns and resultant major biomes.

I did everything but write.

The story smoldered in my mind. At first, I thought it was about a man wrongfully kept from his crown, who overcame his circumstances and became the savior in a battle of good and evil. Then a girl appeared, and the story transformed. Then another man and woman appeared, shouting that they needed their fair share of attention, and my story exploded to an epic of people overcoming their past and freeing themselves from rigid destiny. Told through multiple points of view, this book is about freedom—freedom from the bonds of societal expectations, suffocating control, and physical binds. The next is about choice, allowing the pain and madness of the world to mold you and drive you, or not. The last is about love, about who we are when we choose others over ourselves or vice versa.

And after hearing about it day after day, year after year, for over a decade straight and still having no book in his hand, my dearly beloved said, “Either start writing, or admit that you’re not going to do it and give up.”

That had exactly the effect it was meant to, and I buckled down to put my thoughts into tangible form. I spent a month documenting the plot and establishing point-of-view characters, then about a year drafting this book and months upon months garnering feedback and revising.

So here we are.

I present to you “Liberation,” the first in series of an epic story about freedom, choice, and love, embedded in a magic-filled world of violence, madness, and loss. I hope you come to love the world of Midgate as much as I do, that your heart breaks and mends with the characters, and that you forget where you are for at least a little while.

Helen: Well done for capturing all those ideas and corralling them into a book. It truly is a major achievment. Congratulations! When did you first realise you had a passion for writing?

Rebecca: My mom had me keep a journal, one page for every year of my life starting in Pre-school. Along with my lists of favorites and horrifyingly embarrassing school pictures, this journal included what I wanted to be when I grew up. I started saying “Author” when I was 5.

I have always loved reading and writing, and I wrote a number of shorter stories and McCaffrey fan fiction when I was younger. I paused during college because LIFE, but realized when I entered the workforce that something essential was missing: a creative outlet through which I could express myself. I started writing again, and it brought me such joy that I know I’ll never stop again.

Helen: Your mum must have known! She started you early capturing your ideas. What made you write high fantasy?

Rebecca: I write high fantasy because I enjoy immersing myself in a different world, one in which magic is tangible and real. I love imagining how different the world could be in terms of technology, foods, peoples, and ecology, but also applying certain laws of nature to make it believable. In addition to the fact that I just want dragons to be real, I think fantasy gives us a way to explore difficult topics without the raw, depressing awfulness of the real world, perhaps topics that we otherwise would have a hard time thinking about. It can also give us hope, showing us what humanity could be, during times when we might otherwise feel hopeless.

Helen: You and me both! I love writing immersive worlds for a reader to escape into. With Liberation about to release, what are you working on next?

Rebecca: My current WIP is SUNDERING, the second book in the epic fantasy trilogy. Whereas LIBERATION is about freedom, SUNDERING is about choice, about allowing the pain and madness of the world to mold you and drive you, or not. SUNDERING continues the saga of “The Keepers of Midgate” as characters join and divide. The madness grows, but it is not the only terror in the world, for the commonplace brutality and senseless hurt inflicted by others continues as it always has. SUNDERING is fully drafted already and now in the midst of a developmental edit. I’ll be looking for ARC readers late this fall, probably around September or October. It will likely be released in early 2024.

At the same time, I am plotting the last book in the trilogy, SCHISM, to ensure that I do wrap everything up with a pretty bow. SCHISM is about love, who we are when we choose others over ourselves or vice versa. The final installment of “The Keepers of Midgate,” SCHISM shows a world divided by the madness and all it wrought: religious extremism, blind hatred and racism, and the pursuit of power at any cost. SCHISM will be drafted next year.

Helen: Plenty to keep you busy then! I always have multiple ideas bubbling, it’s having time to capture them all. When you write, do you listen to music, or do you prefer silence as you work?

Rebecca: I do listen to music because it helps to immerse me not only in the fantasy environment, but in a particular character’s head. I have separate playlists for each POV character, each with a different mood. They are all instrumental, featuring artists like Two Steps from Hell, Trevor Morris, Epic North, Audiomachine, Erik Ekholm, Jeremy Soule, Ramin Djawadi, and Michael Salvatori.

Helen: Thank you so much for joining me today, and congratulations once again on your forthcoming release. Final question. As a newly published author what advice would you give other aspiring writers?

Rebecca: Give yourself grace and patience. Writing is a skill that develops with time, practice, and intentional study. Even if you are naturally a strong writer, you will still have areas that could improve. Give yourself the time to garner feedback, the humility to accept criticism, the grace to forgive yourself for not being perfect, and the patience to soldier onward. I’ve heard the first million words written are considered a writer’s apprenticeship, and I can certainly agree that it takes at least a few hundred thousand to find your own voice and settle into a style. All the while, you should study the craft of storytelling and strive to develop good habits that keep you on track and productive.

About the Author

R.M Krogman

Rebecca M. Krogman is an epic and dark adult fantasy author from the central U.S.

Her debut novel LIBERATION is the first volume of a larger story set in Midgate, a medieval-inspired world of magic, mermaids, and wyverns. She has been developing the Keepers of Midgate epic since she was in high school. The main story line has changed little since then, only gaining more clarity and detail as the characters take on a life of their own. The world has grown in its depth of history, culture, and geography, spawning numerous side stories and prequels.

She loves nature, art, and food, which all funnel into her world-building. Her story’s settings span two continents and the sea between, encompassing a diversity of peoples, cultures, and creatures. She is working on a collection of recipes from Midgate, and she loves drawing scenes and characters from the books (although those sketches may never see the light of day).

When she’s not writing about Midgate, she’s penning fairy tale retellings.

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Author Interview – Samantha Picaro

Author of the Limitless Roads Cafe

Today, I’m chatting with YA contemporary author, Samantha Hughes, about her debut book Limitless Roads Cafe which was released in May 2023.

Helen: Welcome Samantha, and thank you so much for taking time to chat with me today. Tell us a little about your novel.

Samantha: My YA Contemporary is called LIMITLESS ROADS CAFE and follows a teen named Kinsey Fontana who aspires to be an event planner. She works at a cafe hiring teens with any type of disability – she is autistic – and she plans a fundraiser when it threatens to close. However, she needs help from her former best friend Melissa Castillo, whose parents own the hotel where the fundraiser will take place, and the place that rejected Kinsey for an event planning internship.

Helen: Congratulations on releasing your novel. It is great to see an inclusive main character who is dealing with a disability as well as external issues. What was the idea behind the cover?

Samantha: I told my cover designer to show the cafe and include disability symbols in the window so someone seeing the cover would realize that this is a cafe hiring teens with disabilities. I had Kinsey holding a notepad and coffee to show her organized, hardworking personality.

Helen: I love asking that question because we always discover more detail in the cover than we did at first glance. Similarly with the name. I’m sure the reason you Limitless Roads Cafe wasn’t just because it was the name of the cafe.

Samantha: Limitless Roads Cafe is the name of the fictional cafe in the book. It may be too obvious but I chose it as the title not just because it is the physical main setting in the book but for other reasons. It not only hires teens with disabilities but provides a safe place for them and for patrons with disabilities. The cafe is a place that these characters don’t often find in other public places, thus increasing their determination to save it.

Helen: Which genre do you typically write?

Samantha: I write YA because everyone enjoys it no matter their age, and some concepts don’t change across age, like self-discovery or the desire to fit in. In fact, I read YA books to remind myself to remain optimistic and hold on to at least some of my idealism. I’m hoping my books can do the same for other adults as well as teens.

Helen: If you didn’t write YA books what genre woudl you like to try?

Samantha: I would love to try writing in fantasy but not the usual medieval-like setting.

Helen: Who is your protagonist and why did you write him/her?

Samantha: Kinsey Fontana is the protagonist, a teenage aspiring event planner. I wrote her because I didn’t see many autistic girls as a main character – or even as a side character – growing up. I wrote her because event planning is not a career that most people would assume someone autistic and/or with anxiety would want to pursue due to stereotypes in the media. But I, like my character, chose a career nobody would have guessed I would pursue and I’ve defied expectations. So can Kinsey, other fictional characters, and people in real life.

Helen: That is one of the great things about writing, you can choose to write about someone you wouldn’t typicllay find in novels. How do you come up with the ideas for your books?

Samantha: Inspiration can come from anywhere, and I mean ANYWHERE. They could come to me while running errands and I find an interesting story in a magazine. An idea can come when I think of ways a movie or a book could have been written better (basically what I would have done if I had been the writer. Sometimes I imagine writing a successful movie, something the audience and I don’t see enough of.

Helen: Now your book is released, what are you working on next?

Samantha: I won’t say too much other than that the next book will involve lots of cupcakes and cakes and will focus on the concept of success.

Helen: Intrguing! When you write, do you listen to music or do you prefer silence?

Samantha: Music is a must when I write. It has to have a beat so I maintain the energy, so I listen to mostly pop or electronic.

Helen: And when you write, are you a planner or a pantser?

Samantha: A planner all the way. I create an outline for each book and try to stick to it.

Helen: That’s good seeing as you wrote about an event planner! Thank you so much for chatting with me today. Just to close us out, could you share how you overcome the dreaded self-doubt?

Samantha: I read social media posts are articles by other writers who talk about self-doubt. This reminds me that self-doubt is natural, and that I can’t let it win. I remind myself of what I’ve accomplished rather than what I didn’t accomplish.

About the Author

Samantha Picaro is the author of Limitless Roads Cafe. Her identity as #ActuallyAutistic informs her writing, where the heroines are determined, and comedy is balanced with drama. She has a B.A. in Psychology and a Master’s in Social Work, and she has put those degrees to use in the nonprofit sector. When not writing or at her non-writing job, you can find her trying new coffee flavors, reading (of course), and volunteering for various causes. She lives in New Jersey.

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Author Interview – Neil Bullock

Author of the Nexus

Today, I am pleased to welcome Science Fantasy author Neil Bullock to talk to us about his metaphysical Primordial series. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, Off Track, and you can find my review here.

Helen: Welcome Neil. I’m excited to chat with you about your primordial series, which you have now released two books and working on the third, Nexus. Tell us a little about it.

Neil: My current book is titled Nexus, and it’s the third in my Primordials series. I’m planning on having 9 books split into three trilogies with a time gap between each. Nexus sets out to answer most of the questions posed in book 1 (Off Track) and book 2 (Earth Twelve) while also setting up the next batch of three books. It also provides some background for a few related series I have planned. I’m currently planning for a July or August release for Nexus!

Helen: You have a grand plan, can’t wait to see where your series goes. What can you tell us about your thoughts behind your cover?

Neil: My cover is an abstract view from the Nexus, which is a location in the eponymous book. We’re looking through a doorway from our position behind my main character, Eden Lucas. In front of her is a scene that was described in the epilogue of Earth Twelve.

Helen: I love the idea of looking though a keyhole at a new version of the world. Why did you call the book Nexus?

Neil: Naming books is a horrible thing to have to do! Book titles are so hard! For Off Track, it took me weeks to decide on the name. For Earth Twelve and Nexus, I named them both for locations in the book. Much easier that way. It could also mean a nexus between my various planned stories.

Helen: I agree, I’m always dithering between names and often end up asking my newlsetter subscribers ot vote because I can’t decide! Who is your protagonist and why did you write her/him?

Neil: My protagonist is Eden Lucas, a 30-something woman from Portland, Oregon. I am, of course, not a woman, not in my 30s and not American, so it is perhaps a strange choice. The reason I wrote her is Buffy the Vampire Slayer, at its core. Female protagonists of that type have always been my go-to. The musical Wicked is another. The role of Elphaba speaks to me. Clare Abshire in The Time Traveler’s Wife. Alicia in Justin Cronin’s The Passage trilogy. Naomi and Bobbie in The Expanse. Any number of others. As for why I write Americans, it’s because it feels more “exotic” than writing British. I think I might struggle to imagine British characters going through what my characters go through.

Helen: I know this is one of those questions, but who is your favourite character?

Neil: Probably Megan Young. She joins the cast in Nexus, and she has quite the tragic backstory that I’m looking forward to working with in subsequent books! She also has some unique abilities which were fun to play with while writing Nexus!

Helen: Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just to finish, who inspired you to write?

Neil: To some extent, it’s just who I am. Whenever I encounter something I enjoy, I want to emulate it in my own way. That could be a film, television show, book, piece of software (I’m a programmer in my other life), whatever. Specifically, I credit Stephen King, Peter Clines, Jeff VanderMeer, James S. A. Corey, Audrey Niffenegger, N.K Jemisin and Justin Cronin. Whenever I read anything by any of them, it’s like a well of inspiration inside me gets refilled. All books fill it a little bit, but those authors are definite favourites.

About the Author

I am a fan of fantasy, science fiction and magic realism, which I tend to combine into my somewhat speculative sci-fi novels. I particularly enjoy the kind of mind-bending stories told by Blake Crouch, N. K. Jemisin, Peter Clines, and Jeff VanderMeer, among others. I love putting normal people in weird situations and seeing how they cope. In my writing, that is. I try not to do it so much in real life.

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Author Interview – Eve Koguce

Author of the The Accidental Cop and the Neglected Merge trilogy

Today, I am pleased to welcome multi-genre author Eve Koguce to talk to us about her books and how she brings her home country of Latvia into her writing.

Helen: Welcome Eve. I’m intrigued about how you came to write in so many genres, but before we get into that, tell us a little about your books.

Eve: All my books have a certain share of controversy, but “The Accidental Cop” is probably the most controversial of them.

The Neglected Merge trilogy doesn’t fit neatly into any fantasy category. Besides, the protagonist is thirty-two in book one and fifty-one in book three. While a coming-of-age novel “Finding Your Way” is set in Latvia and has a slight touch of magical realism.

“The Accidental Cop” is also a cross-genre book. It isn’t a purely crime fiction novel since it doesn’t start with finding a dead body and end with unmasking the murderer. It also doesn’t tick all the boxes of a noir crime genre. It is a blend of noir crime and police procedural with psychological suspense elements.

Set in Latvia at the end of the first post-Soviet decade, “The Accidental Cop” tells the story of Roberts Bergs. At twenty-one, he struggles to find his place within the corrupted police system without betraying his principles. To succeed you must play by the rules. Roberts learns the rules quickly. The system run by the Soviet-era ex-militia officers is a good teacher. Who you know counts for more than your abilities, qualifications, and knowledge. The system also doesn’t tolerate disobedience. Still, Roberts keeps climbing up the career ladder. The contrast between those who play by the rules and those who believe in honesty and justice becomes starker. Luxury and self-indulgence for the first, and dragging out a miserable existence for the latter. Roberts has to make more difficult choices. Is it worth it to remain true to his principles? Or is succumbing to the corrupted and merciless system the only way to survive?

Writing “The Accidental Cop” was a unique experience. It was inspired by countless stories I’ve heard from different people over two decades. Readers say that it was interesting for them to find out about the period of time in Latvia they didn’t know anything about. “Savage 90s” were a time of great turbulence for Latvia. It was challenging to try to portray this grim page of my country’s history without slipping either into the rose-tinted glasses outlook or utter disillusionment.

Helen: I imagine it was a challenge to give such a tumultuous period justice. It is so interesting to hear that your novel is based on real events. What can you tell us about your thoughts behind your cover?

Eve: It was important to me that the cover of “The Accidental Cop” would convey the essence of the book. I didn’t want it to delude the reader into thinking that they are about to read a thriller with a classic “superman” hero who saves everyone and puts all the bad guys in jail. Single-handedly, of course.

I wanted the cover to display the stark difference between Roberts’s world – grim and full of shadows – and the world of those who aren’t averse to corruption and crime. Roberts sees that there is a different life out there. He sees that it is possible to live without suffering from hunger, cold, and despair. But to change his life he has to betray everything he believes in.

Helen: It is so interesting to hear about the ideas behind the cover, there is always a lot more thought put in than you realise. Now, what made you write books in so many different genres?

Eve: I have written five books so far, and all of them are in different genres. Even the books within the same trilogy.

The Neglected Merge fantasy trilogy opens with a fantasy romance, followed by the fantasy drama “Tangle of Choices”, and wraps up with “Shifting Directions” which comprises coming-of-age, drama, and even thriller elements.

“Finding Your Way” is a coming-of-age novel with magical realism elements.

It is a great question why I do not stick to one genre. To be honest, I started asking it myself only when I was already deep in the promotion and marketing jungle. Learning more about the indie publishing universe, I realised the risks a multi-genre author has to face. Still, I do not regret having written books in different genres. These are the stories I wanted to share with the world.

Helen: I think that is what it comes down to, what is the story you want to tell? I know this is a difficult question, but out of all your books, who is your favourite character.

Eve: It is not easy to choose one, but my heart belongs to Alfred Greeks from the Neglected Merge trilogy. He is Tauria’s (Tauria is the main character of the trilogy) boss, mentor, and later, her trusted friend who understands her better than anyone. He is the one who supports her even when everyone else in her life can’t accept her choices. Alfred’s character is loosely based on someone who played a similar role in my life.

Alfred is almost one hundred years old in book one. But his mind is sharp and his interest in current affairs is acute. Despite his outstanding mind – or maybe because of it – Alfred chooses not to climb to the very top of the career ladder. His boss thinks he is a dreamer. While Alfred himself claims that it is dreamers who make the biggest changes happen.

If I ever return to the Neglected Merge universe, it is Alfred’s story that I will write. It warms my heart that when readers ask about my plans for sequels or prequels of the trilogy, they mention that they would want to read Alfred Greeks’s story.

Helen: What is your work in progress (WIP)?

Eve: The story is set in beautiful Dorset, on the fictional island of Southbay. I spent a couple of years living in the region. My lack of knowledge of local customs got me into some awkward situations. So, writing this book is a great chance to share these funny stories. I met many wonderful people while living in Dorset. Besides, my work let me travel all around the country, and I got a glimpse of the differences between North and South.

I’m working on a story of a young woman from Latvia who married an Englishman and moved to England. She realises she doesn’t really know the man she has married. At the same time, she falls deeper in love with the island she now calls home.

Helen: Dorset is beautiful. That is so neat that you can include your real life experiences in your story. When it comes to writing, which part do you find most challenging?

Eve: Personally, for me, the most challenging element of the writing process is finding the time to write. Or, more precisely, finding the balance between writing and other obligations. I guess, considering the dynamic lifestyle of the times we live in, it is a common problem for most writers.

At times, I feel guilty that I “steal” time from my family, concentrating on writing yet another book. I am also often distracted when I spend time with my son and my husband. The scenes that play on repeat and voices that talk in my head when I am working on a story aren’t easy to switch off. I am sure many writers can relate to that.

Helen: It can be a delicate work-life balance, and yes I agree, authors are easily distracted as we muse on plot knots and story lines. Thank you so much for spending time with me today. Just to close us out, could you share some of the books you have recently enjoyed reading?

Eve: I’ve been reading a lot of books by indie authors recently. And I can honestly say that discovering indie books has completely changed my reading experience.

I was always an avid reader. A few years ago, it became complicated to find a book that I couldn’t put down. Stories felt like ‘messages’ rather than immersive worlds as it was for me before. Then, I published “Neglected Merge”, and when searching for useful resources for indie authors, I discovered the Writing Community on Twitter with its incredibly talented authors.

I am not only a multi-genre author, I am also a multi-genre reader. Some of my favourite authors are Kelly Miller, Helena M. Craggs, Helen Aitchison, R.A. Hutchins, P.L. Stuart, R.P. Lauer, and Kat Kinney. I also loved books by Anne M. Smith-Nochasak and A-M Mawhiney.

I highly recommend Kelly Miller’s Austenesque novels to all Jane Austen fans. My first experience with reading a Jane Austen variation wasn’t especially good, and after that, I was sceptical about this genre. But Kelly Miller changed that. I especially recommend “Captive Hearts”; it’s a variation of “Persuasion”. “Persuasion” is my second favourite Jane Austen novel. I’ve always liked it more than the more popular “Sense and Sensibility” or “Emma”. “Captive Hearts” offers a more complete story of how Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth broke up and then reunited again. It also draws more nuanced portraits of secondary characters.

For all fans of Tolkien, I heartily recommend the epic fantasy series by P.L. Stuart, the Drowned Kingdom. Othrun, once the Second Prince of the mightiest kingdom, and then King of Eastrealm of Acremia, is probably the most extraordinary main character a reader will encounter in modern literature.

Helena M. Craggs and Kat Kinney write immersive, imaginative, and action-packed fantasy. New releases from them are always on the top of my reading list.

Helen Aitchison and Anne M. Smith-Nochasak write heartfelt stories that could happen to any of us. It has always been my favourite genre. For everyone who appreciates stories about people’s lives, I recommend checking Helen’s book “The Dinner Club” and Anne M. Smith-Nochasak’s novel “A Canoer of Shorelines”.

R.A. Hutchins has helped me to discover love for cosy mysteries. I was never a crime fiction fan, but her Baker’s Rise series is a pure delight to read.

R.P. Lauer and A-M Mawhiney bend all fantasy genre rules. I am proud to have “The Scars of Gaia” by R.P. Lauer on my bookshelf with a precious autograph of the author.

Helen: That is an amazing list of Indie authors! I will certinly check some of them out. Anything anecdotal you’d like to add?

Eve: Since I can’t remember any funny story worth sharing with a wider public, I’ll share a few funny pictures of my cats. Peach and Honey are half-siblings, and their relationship proves the truth about the relationship between brothers and sisters. They always seem to fight, with Honey trying not to let her brother have anything she wasn’t given first. Still, they are fiercely loyal to each other. Once, when we took Honey to the vet, Peach hasn’t eaten a single bite before his feisty sister returned home.

About the Author

Eve has been in love with books for as long as she remembers herself. The typewriter her first attempts at writing had been made at still sits proudly on its shelf in the basement, and when she goes down there, she always has the urge to save it from its exile.

Eve has always been writing something. Diaries, letters, poems, short stories. She had even attempted to write a novel a couple of times when she was about thirteen. Still, there was always something more important than her writing. There was always “real life” reminding me of its undeniable claims. “You have to study, you have to work, there is no place for fruitless dreaming,” it whispered. And she moved forward as if running on rails she couldn’t step down from.

Eve had spent fifteen years, trying to fit into the office work pattern. Do you remember Kevin Kline in the “In & Out” movie – “men do not dance”? Well, that used to be her philosophy – real people don’t write books. They work, they build careers, they travel through the corporate jungle. And despite she was feeling miserable and out of place every day of that climbing-the-ladder process, she managed to build a relatively successful career after an ambitious shift from the private to the public sector. The job she had wasn’t boring. It was actually pretty exciting. She worked with internationally funded projects and met people from all over the world every day. But it failed to ignite a spark in her heart.

After her son was born, she had a unique chance to stop and rethink not only what she’d achieved so far, but what she really wanted from life. She made a decision to leave her old life behind, and she has never regretted it.

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Author Interview – Angela Cairns

Author of A Song for Kitty.

Today, I am pleased to welcome contemporary romance author Angela Cairns to talk to us about A Song for Kitty, her latest novel which will release in August 2023.

Helen: Welcome Angela. I love your Ellie Rose series so I can’t wait to chat to you about your next release, A Song for Kitty. Could you tell us a little about it?

Angela: I’m incredibly excited about my next book A Song for Kitty. It’s a historical fiction set in the years before the First World War – against the backdrop of a tumultuous time where suffragettes fought for the vote, trade unions challenged employers for better pay and conditions and political unrest and war stalked the carefree Edwardian lifestyle.

Lily Matthews, an apprentice seamstress and her neighbour Aiden Donnelly, a talented pianist, are in love. They dream of careers in the Music Hall in London. At a suffragette meeting they encounter London Music Hall star Kitty Marion. Will the charismatic Kitty help them to achieve their dreams or destroy their relationship and put their well-being at risk?

Helen: This sounds so good. I look forward to reading it. Now I know you don’t have your cover yet, but what can you tell us about it?

Angela: I’ve been doing a lot of cover research as historical fiction is a new genre for me. I like the idea of a young woman in Edwardian dress, backed by a music hall scene or London skyline theme – but I will have to wait and see what my cover designer comes up with. I am also delighted with the interior art around the chapter headings.

Helen: I love lilies. This is such a pretty chapter heading and I love the way it resonates with the name of your protagonist. How about the book title, how did you come up with that?

Angela: I wrote the drafts of a Song for Kitty under the title Moonlight on the Water, and only changed the title after a dark night of the soul the evening before I sent my brief to the cover designer. Moonlight on water was a motif that ran through the book and set an ambience, however, a pivotal point in the story is when Aiden writes a song in honour of Kitty Marion, which Lily sings at a suffragette meeting. I ran both titles past my writing group as a mini poll and they unanimously voted for A Song for Kitty which confirmed the change for me.

Helen: I love asking my readers for help. I am a terrible ditherer when it comes to making decisions on covers and titles! So they are a good sanity check. You said historical fiction was a new genre for you. Who inspired you to write this book?

Angela: I wrote A Song for Kitty because my grandmother was born in 1896, she was 106 when she died and so I talked to her a lot about her life growing up. I also have some amazing archives in the form of her photos and some of her beautiful needlework too. This book is not her personal story at all, but the stories she told me, along with my research, gave me the setting and the voice of some of the characters. She was an amazing lady and I wanted to write something in her memory.

Helen: That is so lovely, and it is so wonderful that you were able to talk to your grandmother about her life and experiences. The best kind of research. If I was to ask your main character, Lily, why someone should read your book, what would she say?

Angela: If Lily Matthews could tell you why you should read A Song for Kitty she would say “We made mistakes, Aiden and I, but we were young and had brave, restless hearts. We wanted to be part of the changes that were going on around us and most of all we wanted to be together. But life isn’t always simple, we say things we don’t mean with powerful consequences. This is my story, but more than that it’s the story of how women found their voice.”

Helen: If that doesn’t make you want to read A Song for Kitty, I don’t know what will! Readers- Make sure you sign up to Angela’s newsletter here to find out first when A Song for Kitty releases. As a writer, we all experience self doubt at some point. How do you overcome the imposter syndrome?

Angela: When I’m experiencing doubts about my writing, I hold a lovely quote in my head, “You don’t have to be a Guru to contribute.” I may not be a literary prize winner or a punctuation guru, but someone out there needs to read what I write, so I write anyway.

I also go back to my yoga breathing to centre myself and accept that all is well. It’s alright to be a little scared, scary means we are pushing the boundaries to be our best self.

I’m a writing coach as well as an author so I use lots of techniques to help with imposter syndrome – it’s always good to remember that no-one else has your unique voice and experience to contribute. Your readers might like to download my free eBook – Overcome Your Writing Roadblocks, which is packed with information to make the writing process easier. https://launchmoxie.com/cairns-writing-roadblocks/

Helen: Thank you so much for sharing this writer resource, I think all writers will appreciate the advice. How about Writer’s block? How do you deal with that?

Angela: The dreaded writer’s block! If I’m struggling to get words on the page, then I change up my routine. I write somewhere different like the library or local coffee shop. I change from my laptop to pen and paper, or I dictate. Sometimes I change medium, and dance or paint instead of writing to stimulate creativity in a different way. Failing that, I give myself a break, take some time off and go out to engage my senses looking, listening, touching, and smelling in a detailed, mindful way to get the creative juices flowing.

Helen: Great advice! Most writers are great readers. What is your favourite book?

Angela: My favourite book – well I suppose there are a number, but if I must choose one – I love Joanne Harris’ Chocolat series. I lived in France for six years and she effortlessly takes me back there. I love the sprinkle of magic in all her books too and that the main character Vianne Rocher lives from her generous heart.

Helen: Great choice! It’s been lovely having you on my blog, Angela. Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with me. Just to finish could share some of your recent reads with us?

Angela: As a writer, I love to read and have read some excellent indie books recently. In women’s fiction, I thoroughly enjoyed Julia Blake’s Perennials trilogy and laughed and cried along with the characters. The books tell the story of how a lonely ugly duckling girl created her style, gathered a found family and weathered all the storms that life can throw. I also love a good crime thriller and enjoyed Wendy H. Jones’ The Killer’s Countdown, set in Dundee, if you love Rebus you’ll enjoy DI Shona McKenzie too. I loved your SoulBreather and DragonBound too, the themes of corruption and political powerbroking in heaven are intriguing and who doesn’t love a wounded hero.

Happy reading, thank you for asking me to talk to your readers, Helen, It’s always fun to chat about books. If your readers would like to sign up to my newsletter then they can download Paradise, prequel novella to the Ellie Rose Series as a gift from me. www.angelacairnsauthor.co.uk/sign-up. A Song for Kitty is due for release in August this year.

About the Author

Angela Cairns

Hi,

I’m Angela Cairns, Amazon bestselling women’s fiction author of the Ellie Rose Series and historical fiction, A Song for Kitty. I’m a holistic physiotherapist and acupuncturist, author, writing coach and BBC guest broadcaster.

I write stories and books because I can’t help myself. I’m lucky, because at this stage in my Physio career, I can give time to writing fiction.

I write about things that matter to me, everyday life, amazing people, interesting times, and emotions. What could be more exciting and challenging than to convey all that to someone reading a story you’ve created. Recently someone wrote to me to say they had re-read Touch, my first novel, because it moved them, and warmed their heart. It’s humbling, priceless and makes all the hard work worthwhile.

If life is a boat in which we sail – then our stories are the waves which carry us.

Angela

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If you’d like to find out more about Angela’s Ellie Rose series then see the interview we did back in February 2022.

You can purchase Touch first book in the Ellie Rose series here:

Link to book on Amazon UK: eBook | Paperback

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As an Amazon Associate I may benefit from purchases made using these links.

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Book Review Alert: Don’t Fade Away by Natalie Pearce

Reviewed: June 15th, 2023
Released: January 1st, 2023
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

For Elle, haunting a share house comes with a unique set of challenges. Living tenants come and go, leaving her with nothing to fill her days except a crush on longstanding housemate, Dean, who literally doesn’t know she exists. Talk about unrequited love.

Just as she despairs at being stuck halfway to the other side for the rest of her afterlife, the newest resident sparks hope for something more than the humdrum of everyday death.

As far as mediums go, Ethan barely knows he is one. He just wants a place to knuckle down and finish his medical degree. But as soon as he moves in, he senses a presence. He tries to ignore it – but Elle is insistent…

The more Ethan uncovers about Elle, the more he suspects her death was no accident. Can he help her move on, or will greater forces intervene?

Erika’s journey includes a trek through childhood friendships, narcissistic family, an obsession with 80s rock music, and the trials and joys of being a wife and mother. With relationships tested and secrets revealed, can she face the stakes of her quest and become who she needs to be?

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Book Review Alert: The Mom Group by Jennifer A. Jones

Reviewed: June 11th, 2023
Released: September 15th, 2022
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction

Loneliness can motivate a woman to put herself out there, to meet new friends. But when it doesn’t go as planned, what’s next? Perhaps a little revenge…

Erika Thompson is a lonely housewife. With her kids recently off to college and her husband working long hours, she spends much of her time reading, hanging out with her dog, and trying to figure out what her next steps should be.

But an invitation to join a local mom group is about to change everything. After numerous attempts to fit in and make new friends, Erika is all but shunned. Her sorrow over this unexpected outcome quickly turns to anger, and she retaliates against the moms who’ve done her wrong. But things don’t go as planned for Erika, and she’s in for some surprises of her own.

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Book Review Alert: Wicked Hunt by SK Alexander

Reviewed: April 10th 2023
Released: January 24th, 2022
Genre: Crime Thriller

A vicious sniper on the loose in Los Angeles. A grief-stricken empath. A ticking clock…

For Nathaniel Colt, Los Angeles is not the City of Angels. For the empath, LA is hell. A quick visit turns into a nightmare when the former special agent becomes embroiled in the hunt for a ruthless sniper terrorizing the city.

When the lurking evil puts the profiler and those closest to him in his crosshairs, a race against time begins and the consultant must rely on his psychic abilities before their time runs out.

Can Nathaniel save those close to him or will LA, once again, prove that it is hell on Earth for the empath?

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