Anchor Leg by Jack Croxall

January 12, 2017 by sharonsant

Ok, so I know it’s been a while, but I never could resist a Q&A with one of my fave authors, the lovely Mr Croxall. His new book, Anchor Leg, is brilliant and has all the makings of a classic sci-fi novel. Naturally, I wanted to know more about what had inspired him to write it and where he thinks the story might go next. anchor%20leg%20cover

Where did the character of Seren come from? Is she based on anyone you know?

Oh, good question! I wonder if you agree that every character we write has a little bit of ourselves in them? However, beyond that tiny bit of me, I think Seren is very much her own beast. I had a few scenes in mind when I started writing the book and Seren just sort of grew from what I pictured her doing. My thought process was something like: if she acts like this she must have this kind of personality. Does that make sense?!

Why did you decide to make Seren a trainee?

As an apprentice I thought Seren could learn about the Relay (the fictional succession of habitable space stations that make up the book’s setting) as the reader did. I also started the book off with the idea that it might end up as a young-adult title, but eventually I realised I was writing something that was really pure sci-fi. By then Seren’s character was fully formed and I didn’t want to change/age her. Despite being seventeen (maybe that was always more new-adult than young-adult anyway) I think she works as she is. I just hope readers agree!

What is your favourite sci-fi film/book franchise? Did it have an influence on Anchor Leg?

Star Trek. Specifically, Star Trek: The Next Generation. I absolutely loved that show when I was growing up and, during my time at university, I re-watched every episode from all seven series in order – that was my proper education! I love the idea of space exploration and all the moral dilemmas it seems to throw up. In terms of influence, I definitely placed Seren into some morally dubious situations and had her (and other characters) question her actions. On top of that, there are endless little references and winks to all of my favourite sci-fi shows and films buried within the book. I hope readers have fun spotting them!

The prose of Anchor Leg feels so cinematic that I can imagine it easily as a movie. I know you sometimes write screenplays – would you perhaps adapt this one day as a screenplay?

I take that as a huge compliment, thank you! I also agree that Anchor Leg would make a decent screenplay; a lot of cutting/streamlining as a given of course. Alas, the zero-G stuff and special effects would cost a lot of money to film and, as an unknown writer, I would be very unlikely to get it made. You never know though, maybe one day!

How much did your degree studies/ interest in science influence this book?

I studied environmental science at university and some of that came into play in surprising ways towards the end of the book. My knowledge of space was actually not that strong (although the solar system obviously fascinates me) but I was lucky in that Steve Caddy – sci-fi author of the fabby In Exchange – was on hand to help me with all the technical detail. He set me straight where I got things horrifically wrong in early drafts.

If Anchor Leg was made into a film, who would you love to see in the main roles? Perhaps you’d even like to see it drawn as an anime!

Definitely unknowns for Seren and Abril, maybe established actors for some of the more senior crew. As for your anime idea, perfect! You’ve singlehandedly solved my budgetary constraint problems! If any animators are reading this, drop me a line!

circle%20author%20photo Originally trained as an environmental scientist, Jack Croxall soon realised a life in the lab wasn’t for him. After discovering a passion for writing he’s now an award-winning author, scriptwriter and blogger. He tweets via @JackCroxall and blogs at http://www.jackcroxall.co.uk

Anchor Leg is available from Amazon now!

Wye by Jack Croxall – blog tour

August 14, 2015 by sharonsant

Hello peeps! It’s my turn on the blog tour organised by book blog queen Liz Wilkins for Jack Croxall’s much anticipated new YA dystopian novel, Wye. In the coming weeks, Jack will be visiting again to answer some of my dastardly questions (he clearly didn’t learn his lesson last time) but for today I’m going to share my thoughts on the novel and give you some info on where to get your hands on a copy.

In Wye, Jack takes the traditional zombie tale and turns it on its head. The wonderful thing about Wye is that the twist is hiding in plain sight, and you don’t see it coming until it’s already snuck up on you; you’re simply left scratching your head, wondering at its brilliance.

Set in a landscape we now know well, everyone in the world has succumbed to a deadly virus that strips them of not only their lives, but any shred of humanity they might have possessed beforehand, and leaves them as a lumbering, slobbering, blood-thirsty freak. So far, so traditional zombie tale, but if you think you know where it’s going, think again. Few have survived, and for teenage girl – codenamed Wye – there is only her and a ragged band of friends picked up on the road, and her chances of survival, as we are told straight away by means of her journal, are very slim indeed. It feels as though we are reading the dying words of the young girl already and this sense of inevitability is what provides much of the tension. There is a monster… or is there? There is violence… or is there? There is genuine fear for the main character delivered through some brilliant unreliable narration. It’s hard to know what’s real, but this is what makes the story so gripping.

Wye is a satisfying, tension-filled read with a flawed but ultimately sympathetic main character. You might find yourself appalled by the actions she takes, but in the end, would you do any differently? It was a book that I couldn’t get out of my head for some time afterwards, and I can’t help but love the very new approach it takes to the traditional apocalypse/zombie/dystopian fare that has been in vogue for some time now; it’s like a breath of fresh air. There’s a literary bent to it too, so if you prefer your reads with a little more existential substance, then you won’t be disappointed by that aspect either.

So…. what are you waiting for? You can find Wye on Amazon and you can find out more about Jack on his website. While you’re at it, why not look him up on Twitter?

A chat with charming crime author Neil White

July 26, 2015 by sharonsant

As part of the blog tour for his new book (actually two, because he’s that awesome – The Domino Killer and The Death Collector) I’ve been lucky enough to interview Neil White. I have to admit that Neil is a new discovery for me, and I was introduced by a lovely lady I’ve recently heard referred to as ‘blogging royalty’ (so true!) Liz Wilkins. If his books are anything like as entertaining and intelligent as his Q&A answers I can’t wait to get stuck into my first one! So, as they say, without further ado…

Which of your characters is most like you?

I would say that Joe Parker is the most like me. He is one of the brothers in my current trilogy; one a detective, one a defence lawyer. I’m a criminal lawyer in my day job, which I still do three days a week. It gets me out of the house, or else I would become a hermit.

He is the one I see as me, albeit a younger version. I like the “being younger” part.

If you could be friends in real life with any of your characters, who would it be and why?

Probably Laura McGanity, the female co-lead in my first five books. She had a certain weariness about her that would make for a good old whingeing session. She’d tell me straight when I’m being a silly arse.

Have you ever written a character that you’ve disliked so much you’ve scrapped them from a work?

More changed than scrapped. I can’t recall a specific one, but there have been characters that I thought didn’t work so changed them to make them different in some way, so as to make the story work better.

I’m not one of those writers who will say that the characters exist outside of the books. I’ll never say that I “discovered” the character. They are entirely mine. So characters don’t surprise me when I write. I just find myself writing something different from what I first intended. In other words, I changed my mind.

A character I dislike is just one I’ve written badly or is a bad idea. Or perhaps I’m just a curmudgeon.

Which of your characters would frighten you if you met them in real life?

Probably the villain in Cold Kill, my fifth book. He was based on Dennis Rader, a serial killer from Wichita in Kansas, and it was his utter ordinariness that attracted me to using him as a template. The biggest threats are the ones you don’t see coming.

Describe your latest book in one word.

Pacy.

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Tall. Grey. Noisy. Cumbersome. Oafish.

Do you ever consult friends when you’re stuck with a plot?

No. I don’t like discussing plots because I worry that away from the books they sound a bit lame. Books are about how a plot is written, not necessarily the plot itself. If I get stuck, I take some time out and think about it, sketch out some ideas. I get there in the end.

What’s your personal kryptonite?

Rice pudding. Foul stuff.

If you could converse, a la Dr Dolittle, with one type of animal, which would it be and why?

I would ordinarily say a cat, because I like cats, but I can’t help thinking it would just respond, “feed me or sod off”. A chat with a sheep would be okay. Laidback. I’d ask how it was, and it would chew some grass and respond, “not so bad”, then go back to chewing.

Tea or coffee?

I start the day with tea but usually move onto coffee to get myself going. Coffee is too harsh first thing, but at some point I need a kick.

Describe a typical writing day – where does it fit for you? Are you an owl or a lark? Do you write in short bursts or intense sessions? Do you write quickly and edit to death afterwards or write with more care in the first place

Sitting at a computer and then just generally messing around, and at some point I decide to write some words. I’m best in the morning, more efficient, but I tell myself that I’m a night owl, so I put it off until later, missing my best time.

For me, it is all about getting something down, moving the plot forward. Once I’m there, I like to really strip it down, try to make it something I like. Getting the plot down is like taking the limestone from the quarry. The editing is making the sculpture.

Which genre are you most comfortable writing? Is there any genre you haven’t yet written that you’d like to try? What’s your favourite age group to write for?

I’ve only ever written crime, but horror would interest me. I like the idea of frightening people, because I remember fondly the fear when reading the likes of Stephen King.

As for reading group age, adult. I suppose this is because I write for myself.

Can you tell us a little about your next project?

I’m starting a new series about a criminal lawyer and a private investigator. I like the idea I’ve come up and I can only hope other people do when it’s finished.

Neil White was born and brought up around West Yorkshire. He left school at sixteen but studied for a law degree in his twenties, then started writing in 1994. He is now a lawyer by day, crime fiction writer by night. He lives with his wife and three children in Preston. If you’re new to his work, perhaps you could start with his first book in the Parker brothers series, Next to Die. Check it out on Amazon here…

Guest post – Cover reveal for The Prophecies by Holly Martin

September 24, 2014 by sharonsant

Today I’m thrilled to have Holly back on the blog. This lady is fast building an army of fans and, having had a sneaky preview of her new book, I can safely say that they won’t be disappointed with her latest offering. The Prophecies, Book 2 of The Sentinel Series, will be published on October 1st, a week today and here is the stunning cover.

The world is a big place, will Eve really be the one to save it?
Eve grows stronger and more powerful every day as she strives to ensure she is ready to face her destiny. But some of her gifts are unwelcome. Eve’s visions of the future become darker and those she loves are in terrible danger. But when her actions result in tragedy, Eve is called before The Oraculum, the council that created her
When she is summoned to their castle she becomes aware of a rift between the council members that not only could endanger her life, but could put the whole planet at risk. Would The Oraculum really turn against her and risk everything?
But in the darkness, a light burns bright. Her love for Seth is stronger than any of her powers.
But as she battles against a new threat, can she really forsake those closest to her in order to save the world? Will everyone Eve loves survive?

The Sentinel, Book 1 of the series is only 77p/99c so if you haven’t read it yet you can download it here…

Fallen on Good Times blog tour – A guest post by Rewan Tremethick

May 18, 2014 by sharonsant

As part of the blog tour for Fallen on Good Times, I’d like to introduce you to Rewan Tremethick. I’ve followed him on Twitter for a while and was very lucky to see an early draft of this book. Since then I’ve followed his progress with great interest and here we are, finally, with a release date. Rewan has kindly put a guest post together with some info about the book, so, without further ado…

From hobbyist to professional: a reader’s guide to a writer’s plight

In her 2013 Roundup Sharon talks about how releasing her novels finally gave her the validation she required as a writer. You see, writers may like to put on a facade of a deeply thoughtful creative with their heads lost in the clouds, but the truth is we’re a needy bunch. We spend less time staring forlornly out windows in big white puffy shirts, or reading large leather-bound books under the shade of a giant tree than we would like, and more time sitting in a chair at four o’clock in the morning doing a little dance every time someone views our latest blog post.

This writing game is an odd thing to pursue as a career, because it’s just a hobby really. There is no middle ground: you are either a hobbyist, or a professional. Every writer you have ever read started out as some quiet little person scribbling away for hours on end, possibly while their families tried to convince them to do something a bit more useful, or trick them into the back of a van using cookies in order to go for a trip down to the psychiatrist.

For us as readers it seems strange that Sharon could doubt her own talent. There is one fundamental thing about writing which makes it so hard to master and so hard to measure. With a lot of other hobbies it is very easy to see when you are getting better. I’m also a drummer, so I know I’m improving when I finally master a new groove, or increase the speed of one of my rolls. Take the marathon runner, who can accurately measure her progress using a simple stopwatch. With writing it isn’t that easy.

I suspect a lot of writers, upon being published, have felt like they were frauds. I’m a copywriter during the day, which means I write a lot of business texts such as websites and brochures. Every now and then I still sit there and think ‘I’m getting paid to do this. Someone is paying me money just to sit here and write’. It’s probably the same with fiction. Creating novels is a very intense and draining process, but it’s still something fun and rewarding. It doesn’t involve assembling pigs, or grinding down mountains, or whatever is proper people actually do for a living.

In a few weeks when Fallen on Good Times actually comes out on 31st May I will legitimately be able to call myself an author. (Incidentally my dictation software changed ‘author’ to ‘awful’. Considering a lot of my writing goes through it, perhaps I should be concerned that it’s trying to tell me something). But I’ve been writing books for years. Doesn’t that make me an author? You can probably start to tell why we’re all so neurotic.

Having to treat your hobby like a profession is a very weird change. Luckily I happen to like marketing, and tracking things with spreadsheets, and all that business Malarkey. But it is still odd, to suddenly ask for money for something which you’ve been doing for free. Of course it’s a perfectly logical and rewarding relationship that writers have with readers. You pay us a little bit of money for our time, so that we can afford Jaffa cakes and Pepsi and huge tubes of Smarties, or whatever else it takes to keep as writing when it’s two in the morning, and in return we introduce you to some amazing people in some incredible situations with whom you can become friends, comrades, or even fall madly in love with. But it still seems as odd as standing up in a crowded room and saying “Would anyone like to pay me to draw a moustache on this duck?”

So be patient with us. We may seem overly eager for attention sometimes, but it’s because deep inside we’re all afraid that at some point the police are going to drop down through the ceiling and crash through the door, take away our laptops, and force us to get an actual job.

Fallen on Good Times – Released May 31^st on Kindle and in Paperback

Fairy tales are warnings. Legend is history. Monsters are real.

America, 1920. The city of Pilgrim’s Wane. The people on the street can be dangerous, the ones in the shadows even more so.

Private Detective Laslo Kane is giving up. But then a brutal murder drives a terrified investor to offer Laslo a life-changing sum of money to solve the case. The fee could set Laslo up for the rest of his life, assuming he still has one when he’s finished going up against the most dangerous crime family in the city.

Find out more about the novel and sign up to get the first chapter free here.

About the author:
Rewan (not pronounced ‘Rowan’) Tremethick is a British author who was named after a saint. St Ruan was invulnerable to wolves; Rewan isn’t. His paranormal detective noir, Fallen on Good Times, is being released towards the end of May. Rewan has already had two murder mystery novellas published.
When not writing, he can be found drumming, reading, and pondering. He works as a freelance copywriter, so it’s hard to find a time where he’s not writing anything. Rewan is a fan of clever plots, strong woman who don’t have to be described using words like ‘feisty’, and epic music. He has dabbled in stand-up comedy, radio presenting, and writing sentences without trying to make a joke.
He balances his desire to write something meaningful by wearing extremely tight jeans.
Other links:
Website
Twitter
Paddy’s Daddy Publishing

Here Lies Love by Dan Thompson – cover reveal

January 31, 2014 by sharonsant

I’ve yet to read this book but the blurb promises a corker of a story! And the cover is absolutely beautiful. Dan is running a competition to name one of the characters of Here Lies Love and you can take a look here.

Here Lies Love:

When she is sold by her father, Abbey discovers that nightmares can occur when you’re awake. Trapped inside a wooden cage, Abbey is forced to listen to the horrors and atrocities above; time ticking down until it is her turn. But Abbey isn’t prepared to become a victim; she will escape.Although, what Abbey isn’t prepared for, is how harsh and unfair the world can be. With the sun turning its back on humanity long ago, life gives no opportunity. The only thing Abbey can do is learn to survive. To exist. And that means stealing any opportunity that comes her way. Haunted by the unpleasant memories bestowed upon her only nurtures Abbey’s paranoia, until she realises that to truly live in the world, she must confront the person who was responsible for her misfortune – her father.

Here Lies Love is a tale of actuality, of facing up to the fact that love comes in many guises. Can Abbey find the one glimmer of hope or will she be overcome with the darkness of revenge? Here Lies Love is coming April 2014.

About Dan:

Dan lives in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire (England) with his young daughter and his shabby dog, Skye.

He is the Author of the charity poetry book Life is all but a vast array of Colours and phobia Novella The Caseworker’s Memoirs. His first full length novel, A YA Fantasy entitled The Black Petal will be available soon. Also in 2014, a dark new adult novel entitled Here Lies Love will be released.

A lover of YA and fantasy fiction, you can often find him writing on his blog, writing book reviews and connecting online with other writer-type people and interviewing authors. Dan grew up reading Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five series, secretly coming up with his own inventive adventures, and R.L Stine’s The Goosebump series, before turning to the works of Philip Pullman, Eoin Colfer and Marcus Sedgwick and slipping away into alternate realities. He also loves a good Historical Thriller too.

You can find out more about Dan at the following sites:

Broken Bargain pre-release tour – featured author Deb Howell

January 24, 2014 by sharonsant

As part of a pre-release book tour organised by the lovely Clare Davidson for her new book Broken Bargain (book two of the Reaper’s Rhythm series) today I’m delighted to welcome Deb Howell to the blog. Sounds confusing? Clare thought that a bunch of us all talking about each other was far more interesting than Clare herself just appearing on lots of blogs talking about herself. But, of course, there is a chance to find out about Clare’s books too if you head over to her website, and also a chance to enter the Broken Bargain Rafflecopter giveaway

.. Deb E Howell is the author of Healer’s Touch, a very cool fantasy Western steampunk novel which is available on Amazon. It’s been a while since I’ve done one of my diabolical author interrogations, so I’m looking forward to this… *cracks knuckles* over to Deb!

Eep. Now I’m a little bit worried… just a little bit… [keeps one eye looking over shoulder]

Which of your characters is most like you?

Unfortunately, more often than not, Llew, I think. Unfortunately? Yeah. I think she’s my pessimistic side, so that can get a little unfun. I much prefer my Anya-esque side… (bubbly, optimistic, shiny-shiny happy world).

If you could be friends in real life with any of your characters, who would it be and why?

Another hard one. Probably Jonas because if he would accept me as a friend then I know he’d be a friend for life.

Have you ever written a character that you’ve disliked so much you’ve scrapped them from a work?

Not so far. I’m reluctantly scrapping one/combining a favourite with another, but I haven’t disliked anyone that much. I mean, of course I dislike my antagonists, but I try to write them sympathetically, so I guess I hold a slight soft-spot for them… well, Braph, anyway. He’s despicable, and yet…

Which of your characters would frighten you if you met them in real life?

Braph, definitely. He’s so smart, and understands the human condition, so he knows how to manipulate to achieve what he wants. Knowing what I know, I’d be wary of anything he did. If I didn’t know what I know… I’d probably be screwed.

Describe your latest book in one word.

Headache.

Describe yourself in 5 words.

Tired.

Mummy.

Writer (of course).

Zoophilic.

Dancer

Do you ever consult friends when you’re stuck with a plot?

Oh my gosh, yes… if I can. The problem I have is that most of my friends aren’t writers and they don’t want to hear about my story until it is complete. The writer friends I know are all busy writing their own tales, so it’s challenging finding someone willing and with the time to help… Usually I have to muddle through until I have something ready for beta-readers. I understand. It’s difficult reading something that’s still in the moulding phase. But, sometimes these tales can get crazy complicated and it helps immensely to be able to chat it out with someone.

What’s your personal kryptonite?

Sleep, or lack thereof.

If you could converse, a la Dr Dolittle, with one type of animal, which would it be and why?

Duh! Horses, of course! I’m a horsey-type from way back…

Tea or coffee?

Coffee.

Describe a typical writing day – where does it fit for you? Are you an owl or a lark? Do you write in short bursts or intense sessions? Do you write quickly and edit to death afterwards or write with more care in the first place?

As a mum of a three year old, my writing fits around my family. Because I go to bed too late, I can’t do those early mornings like I probably should… And so, I enforce afternoon sleeps for my son. It’s not perfect, writing with the after-lunch brain, but it’s time, and it’s a good 1.5-2hrs, usually. Then I write again most evenings, after the child is in bed. While the husband plays with his band or his hockey team, I’m writin’…

Which genre are you most comfortable writing? Is there any genre you haven’t yet written that you’d like to try? What’s your favourite age group to write for?

For long fiction, I enjoy fantasy. I love the scope of the genre. Also, because you’re not setting the story in any particular place, and you can use all sort of new races and species, you’re that much more open to explore…. people. Strip away all the reality and you’re left with the core.

For short fiction, I struggle to establish a fantasy world, so I have tended to dabble in romance, contemporary (black humour), and mild erotica. Just for fun.

Can you tell us a little about your next project?

I’m working on the follow-up to my debut, HEALER’S TOUCH, which I’m planning on calling WARRIOR’S TOUCH. Sounds like I’m writing erotica right there, doesn’t it? I’m not, although I think there may be a Healer’s Touch out there that does lean more towards romance/erotica, if that’s your cup of tea (or coffee, or hot choc).

For me, HT was an ironic title, because my Healer (Llew) also kills with her touch. In fact, to heal one thing (or person), she must hurt something (one) else.

A warrior’s touch is also pretty deadly, but this time around it probably is more of a romantic touch… when I let them get there.

While HT introduced us to Llew and her power and her new friends and romantic interest (Jonas), WT switches focus to Jonas as he learns that the world isn’t as he has been led to believe. And all the while the world is in peril…

You can catch up with Deb at the following places:

Merry Chick Lit, a Christmas anthology in aid of breast cancer charity

November 18, 2013 by sharonsant

In the spirit of giving, six chick-lit authors present a charming collection of seasonal shorts sure to inspire holiday cheer, plus love and hope throughout the year, with all proceeds donated to Rocking the Road for a Cure!

On Friday 22nd November, Merry Chick Lit, a warm, funny Christmas anthology in aid of Breast Cancer Care, will be officially released.

Every penny of the royalties is going to Breast Cancer Charity, Rocking the Road to a Cure.

Rocking the Road to a Cure is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people undergoing the often energy-depleting and emotionally draining treatments for breast cancer.

The name comes from their founder and President, Dawn Frey, a musician, who learned through personal experience that “it takes a village” to get through the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, and not every individual has the support network they need.

Rocking The Road For A Cure provides free, in-home housekeeping, health and wellness services to restore strength and confidence, and to rebuild spiritual, emotional and physical well-being.

So, when you settle back and relax to enjoy reading Merry Chick Lit, please know that you have helped us help a breast cancer patient to also settle back and relax…and heal.

Featured authors & stories include:

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
In “Santa’s Gift,” journalist Jessica thinks Santa’s just a silly myth for children, so when he asks what she most wants for Christmas she tells him the one thing she knows he can’t deliver–true love. Or can he…?

Sarah Hitchcock
In “The Christmas Lights,” one competition pits two families against each other…who will win this war?

Francine LaSala
Pretty Izzy knows exactly what she wants for Christmas: hunky sales manager Jake Harrington wrapped up with a shiny silver bow–and nothing else. Except Santa may have other plans in “Carol of the Belles.”

Nikki Mahood In “Spinster Christmas,” Cara’s looking forward to spending Christmas alone until she learns her old–and she believes very gay–crush needs a place to stay. Though it soon becomes clear that while still hot, Ronan isn’t gay after all…

Holly Martin
Ella’s dreams of making a better life for her and her daughter seem further away than ever in “Iced Dreams.” But as Christmas approaches, and she wishes for a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand to fix her life, things begin to change in ways she never imagined!

K.C. Wilder
In “The Mermaid,” Allie’s content to spend Christmas by herself at a vacant beach house to make good on a promise made to her true love lost, Jeff. Until Jeff’s gorgeous college roommate Tim crashes in on her with his own promise to keep…

So snuggle up near the fire, drink a glass of wine or a cup of cocoa and enjoy these festive holiday shorts, knowing your purchase of this book is helping women with breast cancer.

You can get your copy from Amazon. You get a great read and you help a great cause!

Find out what Christmas means for Jaimie Admans and her newest heroine, Mistletoe Bell!

November 6, 2013 by sharonsant

This week sees the release of Jaimie’s newest offering, North Pole Reform School, a YA romantic comedy. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – nobody writes quite like Jaimie Admans, she has a refreshing and original voice and I absolutely love her books. North Pole Reform School is no different and people who love Christmas films like Elf will absolutely love this book! So… here’s my Q&A with Jaimie.

1. What’s your first Christmas memory?

I remember waking up to find my mum putting a stocking full of presents at the end of the bed! I don’t know how old I was, probably 4 or 5, but it was the first time I realised Santa wasn’t real! I don’t remember being overly traumatised by it so maybe I suspected he wasn’t real anyway!

2. What’s your best Christmas memory?

I don’t know! I have loads of good memories of Christmas when I was little! I loved having all the family in and all the presents stacked under the tree, and I was the one responsible for handing them out when I was barely old enough to be able to read the names on them! I remember jumping on my mum’s bed at 4am when I knew she’d got me the Princess Jasmine doll I’d wanted for ages! The Christmas our dog ate the whole tree and most of the presents under it was pretty fun too in a disastrous kind of way! I think overall my favourite memory is rushing downstairs at ridiculous-o’clock every morning in December to eat the advent calendar chocolate and sing Christmas songs when everyone else was still asleep! My family must’ve hated me in December!

3. Can you tell us anything about the parents that were strange/ mental enough to call their baby Mistletoe Bell?

They’re completely mad about Christmas! Her dad works as a Santa in a supermarket and her mum wants to be a Mrs-Claus-esque host of the perfect Christmas! They had their first kiss under the mistletoe at a Christmas party, and when Mistletoe was born on Christmas Eve, they thought it was some kind of sign that she should be lumbered with an embarrassing Christmassy name for the rest of her life! Of course, they think it’s the loveliest name ever and don’t think it’s embarrassing at all! The book starts when Mis gets whisked away in the middle of the night to North Pole Reform School so her parents aren’t in it much, and I did cut a lot of their scenes and backstory as I wanted the book to mostly focus on Mistletoe and Luke – the boy she meets at the reform school!

4. This book seems very much to have the Jaimie Admans trademark surreal vibe, despite the fact that it’s a Christmas tale – where do your influences come from?

Ha ha! I think I just have a really weird, slightly disturbing imagination! People do mention Tim Burton a lot in relation to my writing, and I have to admit that I absolutely adore him, but I don’t think he directly influences me! The whole idea for this story came from a newspaper headline – it was about a window cleaner dressed as an elf who was cleaning windows while balancing precariously on a ledge, with no harness or anything. The headline was ‘Elf and Safety’, and it immediately put an image into my head of elves in a classroom, learning the elf equivalent of our health and safety practices. Somehow that turned into an image of elves in a classroom teaching humans the same thing, and the whole idea of a North Pole school was born, and ‘elf and safety’ became a class that the Christmas-haters have to take in the book!

5. A bit random… what’s your favourite Christmas song and why?

Up until a few years ago it was Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues, but now it’s My Favourite Time Of Year by The Florin Street Band! It’s just such a lovely, old-fashioned Christmas song! I fell in love with it as soon as I heard it! And it’s got such a snowy, Christmassy video! (Youtube link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H10f2w7T5CU) I even managed to work a mention of it into North Pole Reform School!

6. Do you still believe in Santa? If so, what have you asked him for this year?

Of course! You can’t write Christmas books and not believe in Santa! That’s the kind of thing that gets you a lump of coal in your stocking on Christmas morning! Seriously, I love all things Christmas, including Santa, and I actually wish he was real! How awesome would that be? I honestly don’t know what to ask him for this year, unless he could provide a winning lottery ticket? A winning lottery ticket and a massive box of Ferrero Rocher, please Santa!

If you’d like to grab a copy of North Pole Reform School, you can buy from Amazon here. You can also check out Jaimie’s other titles and find out more about her by going to her website.

Roquet’s Reapings – Angela shares her latest news

October 11, 2013 by sharonsant

Normally I share a music vid on a Friday night, but when I saw this vlog post from fellow Off the Beaten Path author, Angela Roquet, I just had to share it. Not only do I really wish I lived near to her so I could go to the Prombie Apocalypse (I know, how cool?) she also gives The Memory Game and Off the Beaten Path a little mention, which makes me very excited indeed. I have Angela’s new YA, Crazy Ex-Ghoulfriend, on my TBR list and I can’t wait to read it.

For now, let me introduce you to the very lovely and cool Angela Roquet.