Tag Archives: Canelo

Review of T.A. Williams’ Far From Home.

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I am delighted to share my review of T.A. Williams’ latest novel, Far From Home.


The Blurb:

The secrets of the past will unlock her future…

Working in the fast-paced foreign exchange market in Canary Wharf, Amy never expected her job to drive her to collapse. With her doctor advising she take a month off work, when Amy receives a solicitor’s letter informing her of a surprise inheritance in Italy, the timing couldn’t be more perfect.

But who on earth has left her a house in the sleepy Tuscan hills?

As she gets to know the town and its inhabitants, Amy discovers more about the mysterious man who named her in his will. Shocking family secrets come to light, leaving Amy questioning the life she knew.

The town of Sant’Antonio holds more than just secrets. Here, Amy meets Adam, a renowned TV journalist whose documentaries take him to dangerous places. But as their attraction grows, so do Amy’s worries. Her life is in England, while Adam’s is untethered and under constant threat…

An emotional, heartwarming love story full of family drama and quirky locals.

My review:

T.A. Williams’ latest novel, Far From Home, is a heartwarming tale of personal discovery. The story follows Amy, who unexpectedly inherits property and a substantial sum from a mysterious benefactor in Italy. As she unravels the mystery of her benefactor’s identity, Amy embarks on a journey that leads her to uncover deeper truths about herself. The narrative is enriched by charming characters, a beautiful setting, a tight-knit community feel, and the delightful presence of a black Labrador – a signature element in Williams’ books. The romance in the novel develops slowly, culminating in a satisfying and uplifting conclusion. However, the story’s heart lies in Amy’s leap of faith and growth throughout the novel. With its enchanting Italian setting, engaging plot and gorgeous Labrador, Far From Home is a delightful sunny read.

Discover more and purchase here. 

About the author:

T.A. Williams says, “I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

“The fact that I am now writing romantic comedy is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations and, as a writer, I obviously have to go there in person and check them out first. I love my job…”

Discover more about T.A. Williams and his work here: Twitter | Website | Facebook

Thank you to T.A. Williams for another great read – including a Labrador, of course! Thank you, also to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources, and Canelo for the advance copy of Under a Siena Sun.

This review is posted on NetGalley, Amazon UK, Goodreads and Bookbub. xx

#WritingWednesday with Vicki Beeby: Point of View.

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Today’s #WritingWednesday tips come from historical fiction author Vicki Beeby as she talks about point of view. Thanks so much for stopping by Vicki, over to you …

Point of View

As someone who does only the most rudimentary planning before starting a novel, my first drafts are a big old mess and need several rounds of edits before they’re ready to send out. Once I’ve edited for consistency and character arcs, one of the aspects I examine more closely when on the polishing phase is viewpoint. In each scene I check that the writing is consistent with the character whose point of view (POV) the action is seen through. Below are the main things I look out for.

Think about the character whose eyes we’re seeing a scene through when writing a description. For example, one person might describe a car as old, sporty looking and white, another would say it was a Mark III Ford Capris 3.0S and someone else might say it looked like the car from the TV series The Professionals. They’re all descriptions of the same car, but different characters will perceive it differently. If they don’t know much about cars, they would probably use the first description; a car enthusiast the second. A younger person probably wouldn’t think of The Professionals, so the age of your character could also be a big factor in the associations they make when describing something. How you describe something depends upon your POV character’s perception, not your own.

Think about whose point of view you are in before describing emotion or sensation. The POV character will know probably how they are feeling, so you could just state if they are sad, cold, etc. However, you need to find another way to get emotion and physical feelings across for any character being observed by the POV character. Take this example: Jack walked into the pub and saw Kate standing by the bar. Kate was angry.We’re in Jack’s POV here, so how does he know Kate was angry? Rather than saying she was angry, I should have described what makes Jack come to that conclusion. She could be scowling, kicking the legs of her bar stool or perhaps he can hear what she’s saying that gives it away.

This is similar to the above point about emotion, but taking it a step further. How intuitive is your character? You can give the reader the clues about how a non-POV character feels, but does the POV character interpret them correctly? Again, that will depend on the character. Taking the example of Jack and Kate again, maybe Jack sees Kate slam her money down on the bar so hard it makes the drinks rattle. However, he’s so obtuse he doesn’t work out that she’s angry. Maybe he just thinks she’s a bit clumsy, even though the reader will have worked out Kate is fuming. How accurately a character interprets a situation depends upon their personality.

Don’t forget that imagery is also filtered through the POV character. For example the hero of my current WIP is a musician, so I’ve used musical imagery at times when writing from his viewpoint. It’s fine to describe him watching the heroine’s fingers tapping out arpeggios on the table top, whereas someone who wasn’t musical wouldn’t think that way. If a particular metaphor or simile isn’t right for the character thinking it, it has to go, however much you might like it.

I can’t write about point of view without mentioning head-hopping. If you’re not familiar with the term, it means skipping from one point of view to another in the same scene. While this isn’t necessarily wrong, you should always have a reason for doing so. When editing do check you haven’t unintentionally slipped into another viewpoint. The example with Jack and Kate in point 2 is an example of unintentional head-hopping. Always ask yourself whose eyes you are watching the scene through and check the point of view doesn’t suddenly switch unless you mean it to.

Thank you for the great tips, Vicki. xx

Don’t miss Vicki’s new release, Christmas with the Ops Room Girls:

When there’s so much to be afraid of, can May help bring festive cheer to the Ops Room?

After failing to help evacuee siblings whom she witnesses being separated, May wishes she’d had the confidence to speak up. When Jess suggests a pantomime to boost morale on the station, May is desperate to help – but is held back by her own insecurities.

With her low self-esteem also affecting her relationship with Squadron Leader Peter Travis, May is fed up with being her own worst enemy and decides to take charge of her destiny. But the past she ran from plus a crisis with one of the evacuees throw May into the midst of a drama that will test all of her newfound confidence.

May, Jess and Evie must work together once again to help each other through the challenges of war and of their own hearts.

This heartwarming WAAF saga is perfect for fans of Daisy Styles, Kate Thompson and Rosie Clarke.

Book Links: Amazon | Apple | Kobo

Discover more about Vicki and the Ops Room Girls series here.

About the author:

Vicki Beeby writes historical fiction about the friendships and loves of service women brought together by the Second World War.

Her first job was as a civil engineer on a sewage treatment project, so things could only improve from there. Since then, she has worked as a maths teacher and education consultant before turning freelance to give herself more time to write.

In her free time, when she can drag herself away from reading, she enjoys walking and travelling to far-off places by train. She lives in Shropshire in a house that doesn’t contain nearly enough bookshelves.

Discover more about Vicki Beeby (who also writes as Tora Williams) and her work here: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Apricot Plots

Review of T.A. Williams’ Under A Siena Sun.

Blog Tour Review, Book Review, , , , , , , , ,

I am delighted to share my review of T.A. Williams’ latest novel, Under A Siena Sun.

The blurb:

Lucy needed a change of scene. She didn’t expect the change of a lifetime.

Doctors Without Borders has been Lucy Young’s life for the past four years. After being rescued from a conflict zone, she’s making a change from saving lives under gunfire to practising medicine in safe, serene Siena.

Now treating wealthy patients at a private clinic, she’s never felt less comfortable. She’s used to helping those in dire need – not those in need of a nip and tuck. Her turmoil grows when she encounters injured tennis star David Lorenzo, whose smiles make Lucy forget her aversion to the rich.

She’s soon falling for the sportsman but is she losing herself in this world of excess? All she’s ever wanted was to help the underprivileged, so can her future lie in Siena at the clinic – with David?

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Canelo

My review:

After the unusually dramatic and gripping opening comes the sunny escape to Siena. I always enjoy T.A. Williams’ books and this was no exception. I was transported to beautiful Siena through the sumptuous setting. I liked all the characters, though lead character Lucy’s wrangle with her conscience made me question the depth of her commitment and feelings for David at times. I adored Boris the Labrador – it wouldn’t be a T. A. Williams read without a gorgeous dog to make you smile!

Overall, it was a lovely, escapist read, that will transport you to Siena. Great for all those who like a female lead who will stand up for her beliefs, no matter what the stakes.

Buy the book: Amazon | Kobo

About the author:

T.A. Williams says, “I’m a man. And a pretty old man as well. I did languages at university a long time ago and then lived and worked in France and Switzerland before going to Italy for seven years as a teacher of English. My Italian wife and I then came back to the UK with our little daughter (now long-since grown up) where I ran a big English language school for many years. We now live in a sleepy little village in Devonshire. I’ve been writing almost all my life but it was only seven years ago that I finally managed to find a publisher who liked my work enough to offer me my first contract.

“The fact that I am now writing romantic comedy is something I still find hard to explain. My early books were thrillers and historical novels. Maybe it’s because there are so many horrible things happening in the world today that I feel I need to do my best to provide something to cheer my readers up. My books provide escapism to some gorgeous locations and, as a writer, I obviously have to go there in person and check them out first. I love my job…”

Discover more about T.A. Williams and his work here: Twitter | Website | Facebook

Thank you to T.A. Williams, for another great read – including a Labrador, of course! Thank you, also to Rachel of Rachel’s Random Resources, and Canelo for the advance copy of Under a Siena Sun.

This review is posted on NetGalley, Amazon UK and Goodreads. xx

Chatting to Vicki Beeby on the release of The Ops Room Girls.

Author Interview, , , , , , , , , ,

Congratulations on your three book deal with Canelo and the release of The Ops Room Girls! I love the cover and as it has just landed on my kindle, I’m looking forward to reading it.

Thanks, Carol, and thanks for giving me a spot on your blog!

To get us started, please tell us a little about your novel:

When working class Evie Bishop must seek a new future for herself, she is inspired to contribute to the war effort and joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops Room plotter. Posted to a fighter station, Evie befriends two other WAAFs – shy, awkward May and flirty, glamorous Jess. The three girls band together to overcome challenges, navigate new romances and keep their pilots safe in the skies. But the German bombers seem to know more than they should about the base’s operations, and soon Evie, May and Jess are caught up in a world more dangerous than they ever imagined…

It sounds great. What was the inspiration behind the story?

I’ve always been a fan of old World War Two films, and often wondered what the women were doing in RAF films who could be seen in the background, placing blocks on a map. When I started researching for a novel about WAAFs, I remembered these women, and discovered that they were called ‘plotters’. Their role was to plot incoming enemy aircraft so that squadrons could be directed to intercept them. I immediately realised this was the perfect role for my maths-loving heroine, Evie, and so the story developed around Evie and her friends serving in an RAF fighter station during the Battle of Britain.

I do enjoy books about friendship and when I interviewed you previously, for VE Day, I was hooked when you mentioned the three women in your story. I’d love to know more about each of them:

I love books about friendship, too, and I’m having a great time writing about Evie, May and Jess who each have their own book in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force series.

Evie Bishop is a maths geek, quiet, serious and very independent. She’s also a rather driven character—she spent her childhood in pursuit of her dream of getting into Oxford and has never had any real friends. I really enjoyed writing about how she falls for a certain handsome pilot and blossoms under the friendships she makes in the WAAF. Which brings us to…

…May Lidford. She’s tall, awkward and shy. She joined the WAAF to escape her bullying father and was posted to the Motor Transport section. As a result of her downtrodden past, she suffers from a lack of backbone, and it’s going to take a lot of encouragement from Evie and Jess to get her to stand up for herself.

Finally, there’s Jess, who is very different from the other two. She was an actress before she joined the WAAF and is glamorous, confident and a complete flirt. While she says she joined up to meet pilots, she might have had other reasons, which will become apparent over the course of the series.

There’s a brief mention of romance in the blurb, how strong is the romance element? 

There’s romance for all three of my heroines, and I would say it’s a significant part of each book. However, your question has really made me think because I changed my mind about the prominence of the romance sub-plot during the progress of book one. I set out to focus far more on the romance, with May and Jess being only minor characters. However, I fell in love with the friendship as I wrote, and Jess and May took a more prominent role than originally intended. I would now say the friendship carries an equal weight with the romance storyline, if not stronger. I’d love to find out what readers think!

Writing about the past necessitates detailed research, have you discovered any surprises along the way?

It’s always the little details that I enjoy discovering. I was particularly amused to learn that the WAAFs were issued knickers as part of their uniform—enormous black (or navy—I’ve read conflicting reports) monstrosities with elastic at the legs as well as the waist. They were universally hated and called ‘blackouts’.

Oh goodness, they sound like my horrid high school PE shorts!

With the book out just yesterday (whoop whoop) I know it’s early days, but are there any early reviews you could share that have truly made you smile?

I’ve been blown away by the reviews on NetGalley and from other authors who were sent ARCs. One in particular that made me all emotional was from the author, Terri Nixon, this part in particular:

“I can’t say enough about the gorgeous writing – such a smooth, effortless style, allowing the reader to sink into the story of these girls and their frightening, but rewarding, new world. We live every moment with them, from the panic and uncertainty of a desperately important new job, to the crumbly, cinnamon-sweetness of a Chelsea bun, to the bone-trembling impact of an enemy shell.”

Wow, what a great review and here’s the blurb:

When Evie’s dreams come crashing down, she’s determined to still make something of herself in these trying times…

It is 1939 and working class Evie Bishop has received a scholarship to study mathematics at Oxford when tragedy turns her life upside down. Evie must seek a new future for herself and, inspired to contribute to the war effort, joins the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force as an Ops Room plotter.

Posted to a fighter station on the Sussex Coast, Evie befriends two other WAAFs – shy, awkward May and flirty, glamorous Jess. Faced with earning the approval of strict officers and finding their way in a male dominated world, the three girls band together to overcome challenges, navigate new romances and keep their pilots safe in the skies.

But the German bombers seem to know more than they should about the base’s operations, and soon Evie, May and Jess are caught up in a world more dangerous than they ever imagined…

And those all important links to buy: Amazon | Kobo | Google | Apple

Thank you so much for stopping by Vicki and I wish you every success with The Ops Room Girls and the rest in the series. xx

About the author:

Vicki Beeby writes historical fiction about the friendships and loves of service women brought together by the Second World War.

Her first job was as a civil engineer on a sewage treatment project, so things could only improve from there. Since then, she has worked as a maths teacher and education consultant before turning freelance to give herself more time to write.

In her free time, when she can drag herself away from reading, she enjoys walking and travelling to far-off places by train. She lives in Shropshire in a house that doesn’t contain nearly enough bookshelves.

Discover more about Vicki Beeby ( who also writes as Tora Williams) and her work here: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Apricot Plots

Join me next week when author Gina Hollands shares a Feel Good Friday read! xx

Stories that will make you smile: Kirsten Hesketh

Author Interview, Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , ,

A big welcome to Kirsten Hesketh, as she shares an uplifting extract from her exciting debut novel, Another Us. 

Hello Kirsten, how are you keeping in this strange new world? Do you have a top tip to promote wellbeing?

Hello Carol. We’re all OK thank you and I hope you are too. I’ve found myself in the slightly strange position of having a fuller house than normal as daughter’s A levels have been cancelled and my son is home from university. Also having my debut come out next week in this very strange new world takes some getting used to. Part of me wants to celebrate this lifelong dream coming true and part of me feels that that is so totally inappropriate with everything else that is going on – so I flip between the two.

I don’t have any real tips to promote wellbeing save to say that as emotions and moods can change so quickly, it’s best to take it one day at a time. I have also found my daily walks in the beautiful Chilterns to be a life-saver.

Can you tell us a little about the story?

My latest novel is also my debut novel and it is being published by Canelo on May 14th. Another Us is the – hopefully – ‘funny, compassionate and poignant’ story of a marriage under pressure. Emma and Daniel’s son, Jack, has just been diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and Emma is horrified to discover that 80% of such marriages are doomed to fail. Can she save her own marriage against the odds?

It sounds a great read, could you share an uplifting extract?

Sure. This is the beginning of the book – which I hope fits the bill:

‘Mum?’ Jack stopped stirring his Coco Pops and stared at the plumber. Chocolate milk dripped from his spoon and Jack blotted it with the forearm of his sweatshirt. ‘Mum, why is that man so ugly?’

The moment hung, poised, like the one droplet of brown milk about to plop off the edge of the table. 

Of course, it had to happen now; on a Monday morning when I hadn’t engaged my brain and there was breakfast to finish, teeth and hands to clean and bags to gather before school. And it would be thisparticular Monday morning, September 14th. The date that had been eyeballing me from the calendar for weeks. At least Freddie, our teenager, had already taken himself off to school. He would have cackled with loud, delighted laughter and made the whole thing twice as bad.

If that was possible. 

What were the options?

Think, Emma.

Think!

Plan One: ignore the question and move on. But eight-year-old Lily was rigid with appalled fascination and the plumber was staring at me in mute humiliation, so this was unlikely to do the trick.

Plan Two: the whispered apology. ‘So sorry. Jack tends to blurt stuff out. Tells you how it is.’ No. No.Definitely not an option. Jack was right; the plumber was – how could I put this nicely? – aesthetically challenged. Bald pate. Receding chin. Protruding teeth. How on earth could I say anything without making it twice as bad?

Plan Three: ‘Jack, sweetie,’ I said. ‘You must stop calling everyone ugly. It’s getting very boring.’

That was quite clever.

But Jack just screwed up his face. ‘Don’t lie, Mum,’ he said. ‘I’ve never said it before.’

The plumber gave us all a ‘look’ and went upstairs without a backward glance. 

There was no Plan Four.

With a teenager with Aspergers I think it sounds a great read. We’ve had this situation when my daughter told a close family member they were fat 🙂 I’ve preordered my copy and can’t wait to read it. Find out more and preorder Another Us here.

What can we expect from you next?

Something quite different. I’m thrilled to have signed a two book deal with Hodder for a story set in London during the First World War. The first will be published in 2021.

Oh Wow! Congratulations, how exciting.

Thanks so much, Kirsten, for stopping by and best of luck with Another Us and your WWI story.

About the author:

Kirsten Hesketh has a background in advertising and now runs her own consultancy specialising in psychological interviewing and focus groups. Over the past 25 years, she has interviewed the Great British public on everything from Rolos to razors.

Married with a teenage son, daughter and two exceptionally fluffy moggies, Kirsten is also a keen amateur archaeologist and loves to spend her weekends hacking through the mud on a local Roman dig. She is also a staunch supporter of Wycombe Wanderers – especially when they are winning!

Another Us is her debut novel.

Discover more about Kirsten and her work, here: Facebook | Twitter | website | Sister Scribes.

Don’t miss author Lucy Keeling, sharing an extract from her latest novel, on Friday 15th May! xx