Chatting with Helen

Here is my friend Helen.  One of the biggest lover of reading (apart from me) that I know, although I haven't got her into indies yet as she doesn't own a Kindle!!

If you could live in the age and setting of a book, which book, and why?

This is tough, but I think I would have to say that The Darling Buds of May would be my choice. Ma and Pa Larkin live a thoroughly carefree life, if slightly illegal on the tax evasion front. It is perpetual summer in their glorious English landscape. 

Does it annoy you the book finishes well before 100% because the author mentions their other works at the back of the novel. Do you mind if the author includes a synopsis or even an excerpt?

No, I don’t mind at all. In fact I quite like seeing what other ideas the author has up their sleeves. 

Are you put off if you see a book is part of a series? Or does that entice you, knowing that if you like it there are more books to enjoy?

Nope, I love a good series. I have started a lot of series and I want to finish them, but of course this does mean that I may not read other authors, so I try hard not to get caught in a trap of only reading a couple of series and limiting the breadth of authors I read. I am reading all the Agatha Christie stories in order of publication, which has been an interesting exercise in seeing how social norms change. One series that I haven’t started yet, but would like to read is the Culture series by Iain M Banks. These are Sci-Fi books that he wrote, and I love his other writing, which he published as Iain Banks, so I think I would probably enjoy them.

Do you read the Look Inside before purchasing? Always? Sometimes, depending on the reviews? Never?

I always do, with both physical and online purchases. I can normally tell within the first page or so if something is going to grab me or not.

Do you read for hours at a time, or in short bursts, or a mixture of the two?

I can easily sit for hours and read if I am not interrupted. I used to commute to work on the train and always read then. Now I drive so don’t have that option. I do read for a couple of hours every evening before bed. There is something very decadent about lying under the duvet, all snug and warm with a good book.

If I know I only have a few shorter periods of time to read then I choose short stories as you can get a nice literary hit quickly. David Gaffney’s Sawn Off Tales are wonderful flash fiction, perfectly formed short stories in just a few words. I also like Chekov for his wonderful observation of the human condition.

How important are reviews of a book to you? Would they influence your choice to buy it?

Reviews do influence me, but I only take note of the reviewers I trust. These can be professional reviewers, bloggers, or friends. There are a few bloggers out there who have almost the same reading tastes as me, and so their recommendation means a lot.

Do you think you remain unbiased when reviewing books by people you know or interact with on the internet?

I try although I don’t know many authors. I do find it hard when an author I have always enjoyed produces a complete turkey of a book. It is very disappointing and can put me off reading any more of them.

How do you feel about leaving negative reviews?

I have a rule that I only review books I have enjoyed on Fennell Books. In the side bar you will see books I am currently reading, if you see it there, but then never hear of it again on the blog, you will know I didn’t like it!

Are you more lenient with regards mistakes if you know a book is self published, or do you believe the authors should have hired an editor to make sure it's the best it can be?

I hate mistakes, they ruin the flow of my reading and so I can get very annoyed. Is it me, or does there seem to be a higher number of mistakes in professionally edited books now?

If something an author did upset or bothered you, would it stop you reading more of their work, even if you've read their stuff before and enjoyed it? 

I have stopped reading one particularly famous author because of some comments he made which utterly disgusted me. It is a shame as his writing is outstanding, but now when I read his work, I have his rather unpleasant views ringing in my ears.

Helen's opinions can be found at http://fennellbooks.co.uk/

Butterfly by Elle Harper

It's a year after Grace was raped by her (now ex) boyfriend and she still can't cope.  A chance meeting with Ben, a councellor, makes her want to make the effort to get her life back.

This has adult themes, but is not too gritty.  It is boy meets girl, etc, but it has an underlying message of how to get help if this has happened to you and that you can survive.  In saying that, it is not preachy at all.  The basic is, this is a really good, well written story.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HW7B3Q4/?tag=jookuf-21

Interrogating Hugh Howey

Hugh Howey has taken time out his extremely busy schedule to go under my spotlight.  Hugh is the author of the Silo series of books which starts with Wool.

How do you strike the balance between writing something you want to write and writing something that people want to read, in terms of the compromises you make, if any?

I write the things I want to read. And it never fails that there are thousands of people out there with the same tastes as me.

What excites, attracts or appeals to you about the genre(s) you write in.

My goal is to write in every genre. I read all sorts of books, and I don't want to get trapped writing the same story over and over. So I'm working on a children's picture book right now and a romance novel. I enjoy jumping around.

Do you have a box, drawer, folder etc where you keep thoughts and ideas for future stories? Such as names you have come across, bits of dialogue, ideas, characters - even if you have no idea when you might use them?

I have a file on my laptop where I keep book ideas. And I save all the big chunks of my drafts in a file rather than delete them. I'll never use them again, but it feels nice to quarantine them rather than kill them. 

How do you manage plot bunnies (ideas that invade your mind that aren’t usually helpful to the story you’re writing but breed like...er...bunnies)?

If I have them, I'm not aware of them. So they're like ninja bunnies.

How much of you is in your characters? Which of your characters is the you that you’d most like to be? Or be with ?

A lot. We write what we know, and we know ourselves better than anyone else. If I could be any of my characters, I would pick Cole from my Molly Fyde series. If I could be with any of them, I would pick Molly. I just love their relationship. It's based on mutual respect and admiration. 

Do you become so wrapped up in your writing that your spouse wonders if they're married to you or one of your characters?

Not really. My wife loves it when I write. I get quiet.

What type of book do you like reading? Is it the same genre as you write?

I mostly read non-fiction. Science, history, philosophy, psychology. The stuff I'm not smart enough to write. 

What lengths do you go to to convince us readers that your book has the X factor?

I don't know that I do. I just write what appeals to me. I want to be moved by books. I want to learn from them. So that's what I aim for. 

How do you feel when a reader points out the spelling mistake(s) you have made?

I love it! I thank them, and then I fix it.

What do you like most about visiting forums?

The sense of community. Learning from peers and from readers. They are great places to unwind. 

What is on your near horizon?

I can barely see two days ahead. I just flew back from Seattle, where I gave a few talks, and now I'm at the airport to rush up to NY to record an audiobook. And then I'm off to Taiwan for a book fair. I get back, have one night at home, and then it's the Savannah Book Fair. That's just my next few weeks. 

Where can we find you for more information?

www.hughhowey.com. But I'm hard to avoid. I get around.

Vagabond Sky by Mark David Welsh

Wow, what a corker of an epic quest.  Conner, an IT consultant from East Anglia, is running a bar in some strange world of dwarves and elves and no sanitary facilities.  We don't know why or how he is there.  He goes off on a quest with his mate Prince Hieronymus just because he feels like going on holiday.  Of course, it's not going to be a picnic.

What can I say, I loved this book.  It's gently comedic with some laugh out loud moments.  We get hints as to Connor's past.  The book is told in first person POV in short chapters.  With most of them ending on mini cliffhangers and the chapter titles announcing what's going to happen, such as "Chapter 18, It was a Time for Heroes. Unfortunately, I was there too" this felt like Saturday morning episodic television.  I kept thinking "just one more chapter".  I had the time left in chapter mode switched on on my paperwhite, just so I could see how many minutes each one was and thinking "only 3 minutes, I'll read one more"

This is a big chunk of a book, over 400 pages and it didn't seem a chore.  Each adventure the gang had followed on nicely.  The characters were well rounded, even the lesser ones.

This is definitely my favourite book this year so far :)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HKGNA72/?tag=jookuf-21

Interrogating Kath Middleton

From reader to reviewer to drabbler to author, what's next for Kath?

How do you strike the balance between writing something you want to write and writing something that people want to read, in terms of the compromises you make, if any?

As a new author, I never even considered that I was writing for an audience.  I’m sure that will change!  I have one book published at the moment, one in the editing stage and another still being written.  I’m afraid I still haven’t got into that author mind-set of writing what I think people will want to read.  I’m still writing what I want to say.

What excites, attracts or appeals to you about the genre(s) you write in.

I’m not sure I have a genre.  I write about people faced with unthinkable things.  Then I see how they react – how they survive.  I’m an optimist and I think there’s something admirable in people’s ability to overcome horrible things.  The first book is set in early mediaeval times and the next two in modern times, so I don’t think you could categorise them together at all.

Do you have a box, drawer, folder etc where you keep thoughts and ideas for future stories? Such as names you have come across, bits of dialogue, ideas, characters - even if you have no idea when you might use them?

No.  I have a big echoing skull though, and I just rake stuff out of there!  For each story, I have an outline plan on my computer but I don’t always follow it all that closely.

How do you manage plot bunnies (ideas that invade your mind that aren’t usually helpful to the story you’re writing but breed like...er...bunnies)?

My first venture into ‘authorship’ (as against submitting the occasional short story to anthologies) was with Jonathan Hill.  I contributed some drabbles (100 word stories) to his second book, Beyond 100 Drabbles.  This is a wonderful thing to do with a bunny – turn it into a tiny, stand-alone story!  It makes use of the idea and ties it up and gets it out of your current book!

How much of you is in your characters? Which of your characters is the you that you’d most like to be? Or be with ?

That’s a bit difficult to judge.  I’m sure there’s some of me in Maude from Ravenfold.  There’s a character in my next book that I’m very fond of – but it wouldn’t work out!

Do you become so wrapped up in your writing that your spouse wonders if they're married to you or one of your characters?

I do realise when I’m answering my husband and I stop mid-sentence, that I’ve actually been trying to think of two things at once.  We’ve been married a long time, though.  He copes with my obsessions!

What type of book do you like reading? Is it the same genre as you write?

For reading, I’ll have a go at most things.  I really don’t like ‘icky’ romance though.  Sweet stuff with improbably happy endings.  As I’ve said, I’m not sure I write in a genre myself.

What lengths do you go to to convince us readers that your book has the X factor?

Haha!  As someone who never expected to write, let alone to be read, I am rubbish at this.  I sent a link to a good friend recently, as she’s shown an interest in what I was doing, but I said, ‘I don’t think it’s your kind of book, though.’  As a marketing ploy, that has a long way to go!

I’m not sure an author can convince people, other than making the best job you can of the book, and writing a short but enticing blurb.  Shoving your book up people’s noses and telling them how brilliant you are is probably counter-productive.  People have to discover for themselves if it’s their kind of book.

How do you feel when a reader points out the spelling mistake(s) you have made?

You know what they say, ‘Pobody’s Nerfect!’   Chastened, and grateful – and in a rush to correct it!

What do you like most about visiting KUF/GR/forums?

Goodreads UK Amazon Kindle Forum has been my home from home for a couple of years, and I’ve been a member of KUF for just about a year. I’ve been there as a reader and have found some fantastic authors and lots of keen fellow readers to swap recommendations with.  Nobody was more surprised than I was to discover I was writing a book.  However, I now have a network of friends there who will tell me the truth!

What is on your near horizon?

My second novella, shorter than Ravenfold – and I here exclusively reveal the title – Message in a Bottle.  I’m also writing a third and until I finish it, I have no idea how long that will be.

Where can we find you for more information?

I doubt that there is more information!  What you see is what you get – but I have an Amazon author page http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kath-Middleton/e/B00H1WWW2E and there’ll be more about my own writing as it’s published, on my blog.  http://www.ignitebooks.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html

Ravenfold by Kath Middleton

At first look this seems to be a story about a young girl called Romelda, however this book turns into a lot more.

Set in ye olden days where women are nobodies, Romelda is married off to the Lord of the land and her life as a happy child is over.

This story is quite sad and miserable, but is very well written.  There's not much happiness, so the few happy moments stand out.

I liked the way the story was written.  I've not read the book of Princess Bride, but I "heard" the grandfather's voice telling the story as Peter Falk's voice in that film.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HPBC0NM/?tag=jookuf-21

War and Piste by Alex Thomas

War and Piste is the fictional(?) tale of Poppy's season as a ski rep at an Austrian resort.  From the minute she arrives, she's thrown in at the deep end as rep after rep leaves.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot.  In fact I was sad to get to the end as I felt I was saying goodbye to friends I'd grown to like a lot.

I liked the background stuff to being a rep.  As a holidaymaker, changeover day is tiresome, as a rep, it must be ten times worse.  The author, whilst not going into too much boring detail, gets over these long days with humour.

I liked the friendships and the romances that happened in this story.  Most characters were well rounded in their descriptions and had depths to them.

For me this was a thoroughly enjoyable story and I'd like to know what Poppy did next.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005VUU0YU/?tag=jookuf-21

Bolt out of the Blue by Rick Haynes

Bolt out of the Blue was an unexpected delight to read.  I'd picked it up without paying much attention to what it was about and then had the pleasure of meeting Bolt, a white rabbit.

This is a story of hardship, of a family business being run down due to financial decisions, but the discovery of Bolt the rabbit and his joining the family and making friends with the dog bring happiness to the family and some good luck.

This is a very nice story for both old and young alike.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CEQT2HU/?tag=jookuf-21