The Fifty Bookish Questions Book Tag

January 15, 2016January 15, 201627 Comments

Helllllo readers, it’s Friday which means it’s time for another book tag *cheers.* I found this really lovely tag on the fantastic blog that is Life of a Female Bibliophile. It’s a lot of questions so I’m going to keep this short and simple! My review requests box should be back open as of this week so if you do want your book read and reviewed by me whack me over an email. I’ve come up with a new booking in service so fingers crossed can keep it all super nice and tidy. Without delay – onto those fifty bookish questions

1. What was the last book you read?

The Hollow by Arielle Leclair, see my review from yesterday!

2. Was it a good one?

Yes, although a fantasy it was an exciting read with some good plot-twists and strong characters.

3. What made it good?

Well done Lizzo answered that in the last question – good tale, good characters, good writing style.

4. Would you recommend it to other people?

Yes, especially if you like fantasy books!

5. How often do you read?

If I’m not in a reading slump then most days – especially if I’m on a train/bus/in the bath.

6. Do you like to read?

Quite obviously.

7.What was the last bad book you read?

Bad book? Maybe Transmission by Hari Kunzru. Overall the book was really brilliant but the ending just didn’t work for me.

8. What made you dislike it?

Once again not reading the questions beforehand – the ending just lacked clarity and strength. It made me feel a little grumpy when I made it to the end.

9. Do you wish to be a writer?

Yes and no. I think I would love to be a writer but then I’ve tried a number of times and I’m 99.7% sure I’m not that great at it.

10. Has any book every influenced you greatly?

Lots of books have definitely influenced me – I couldn’t name them all here, but yes is the answer.

11. Do you read fan fiction?

I don’t no – I’m not saying I never will but it’s yet to appeal really.

12. Do you write fan fiction?

Nopppppe.

13. What’s your favorite book?

I can never answer this question because I haven’t read all the books yet! There a few that are close to my heart including The Book Thief, The Harry Potter series, 1Q84, The Chocolate Run, and Remember to Breathe by Simon Pont.

14. What’s your least favorite book?

I think Great Expectations by Charles Dickens – just didn’t click with me!

15. Do you prefer physical books or ready on a device (like a kindle)?

I do love my Kindle but physical books are much better for me.

16. When did you learn to read?

I think maybe 4/5. I just kind of started reading, I didn’t really learn letters or sounds I just kind of started talking and then reading.

17. What is your favorite book you had to read in school?

I hated the book at the time but The Great Gatsby is now one of my favourite books. I unfortunately never got the chance to read Of Mice and Men during education, but I finally got round to it this year and really enjoyed reading it.

18. What is your favorite book series?

I think maybe Harry Potter – I don’t read a lot of book series because a lot of them fall into the fantasy genre which I struggle with but HP was wonderful and still is.

19. Who is your favorite author?

Nope. Just nope.

20. What is your favorite genre?

It always used to be historical fiction but this year I have read a lot more YA and crime/thrillers so I’ll go with a mash up of all three. (Although cannot lie I do love a trashy romance every once in a while!)

21. Who is your favorite character in a book series?

I really really like Aoname from 1Q84 – she’s potentially the complete opposite of me but there’s something about her quiet, still nature that I really love reading about. Other than that maybe just pipping her to the post is Lisbeth Salander (might be the name of my first child – might.)

22. Has a book ever transported you somewhere else?

Yes, that’s what books are supposed to do I think anyway.

23.Which book do you wish had a sequel?

Remember to Breath by Simon Pont – it was a book that got me through I really difficult time in my life and I’d love to get that feeling again. It really is a brilliant book and the perfect sarcastic witty mix. Perfect reading.

24. Which book do you wish DIDNT have a sequel?

I honestly can’t think of one but then again I don’t read a lot of series of books.

25. How long does it take you to read a book?

Depends how busy I am and how much I’m enjoying the book. I also have a terrible habit of starting a book, and then starting another. I’ll finish book two and start another, (book three) and I’ll completely forget about the first book. This is namely why after six or so months I still haven’t finished 1Q84.

26. Do you like when books become movies?

It really depends on the book I think – there are some that I have really loved and some that haven’t really worked. I love the Harry Potter films and although they do miss bits out of the books I think they’re pretty spot on. I still refuse to see The Book Thief – I’m terrified it will spoil the book for me.

27. Which book was ruined by its movie adaptation?

I think perhaps One Day – I think I read the book before the film just so I could see the film (sometimes I can be a bit of a book snob!) The film was just okay – the book however was utterly fantastic.

28. Which movie has done a book justice?

I’m going to say PS I love you. I really really adore the book and I nearly prefer the film. It is such a brilliant adaptation and so wonderfully done. I’m a big fan and I still can’t make it through without crying!

29. Do you read newspapers?

Every so often – I do read the Guardian online if that counts.

30: Do you read magazines?

Not anymore – I used to regularly read Look but it’s been a while since I picked up a copy!

31. Do you prefer newspapers or magazines?

It depends what I’m reading them for. If it’s for political articles or the like I’m unlikely to pick up Cosmopolitan or if I’m looking for a way to treat dry hair The Times isn’t really going to help me!

32. Do you read while in bed?

Yes. All. The. Time.

33. Do you read while on the toilet?

I don’t actually – my Dad though, he’s a sod for it and if you need to get in there for any reason don’t hold your hopes up it could be while. (Probably TMI soz.)

34. Do you read while in the car?

Yes, although I have to be careful because I suffer with car sickness which really isn’t pretty.

35. Do you read while in the bath?

Yes, although not very often. I’m not a big ‘bath person,’ and although this may sound a little odd often get in after Mumma B or Char has had a bath because I don’t like it too hot and I don’t stay in the bath for very long so yes, but not for lots of reading – and I do often drop the books in or get my wet fingers all over the pages. (Sad face.)

36. Are you a fast reader?

Yes.

37. Are you a slow reader?

Erm no. ^

38. Where is your favorite place to read?

Oddly it’s on trains. I know this obviously doesn’t happen too often but I do like reading on trains the best. There’s something really relaxing about it for me and I find myself getting more in tune with my reading.

39. Is it hard for you to concentrate while you read?

Sometimes – recently I’ve had a couple of month long reading slumps which has been really horrible and it’s been impossible but if my phone is on airplane mode and I’m comfy in bed or in the bath and there’s no music on I’m normally pretty fine.

40.Do you need a room to be silent while you read?

Yes, I never used to, but now music does really distract me.

41. Who gave you your love for reading?

Even from a very young age I was taken to the library, read to and I loved to tell stories. When I was at nursery I had to be bribed to go outside – I would much rather have stayed in reading.

42. What book is next on your list to read?

The Silk Worm by Robert Galbraith.

43. When did you start to read chapter books?

I think maybe the age of 7. I found reading came to me very easily and was allowed to read longer books from quite a young age.

44. Who is your favorite children’s book author?

Roald Dahl and Jacqueline Wilson.

45. Which author would you most want to interview?

J.K Rowling – I have so many questions! That or Ian Probert that would be pretty cool.

46. Which author do you think you’d be friends with?

Rainbow Rowell I think or John Green!

47.What book have you reread the most?

The Chocolate Run by Dorothy Koomson.

48. Which books do you consider “classics”?

I guess books in the literary cannon although I think it’s good to add more contemporary books too.

49. Which books do you think should be taught in every school?

Books that get people READING. A mixture of contemporary and classics and books that young people will enjoy. I hated Gatsby and Enduring Love as a student and yet now, as an older reader they resonate with me – I think it needs to be more balanced.

50. Which books should be banned from all schools?

I don’t think books should be banned from schools unless they are really inappropriate. Books tell a story about the world and they help to open people’s eyes to the world. Books are wonderful things and they should be enjoyed by all.

There you go, fifty questions and a seriously long post! I’m going to leave this open to anyone who wants to complete because it is so goddamn long. Tag me if you decide to complete this monstrous tag or tweet me @littlebookblog1!

The Infinity Dreams Award!

January 8, 2016January 8, 20168 Comments

Helllllo readers, it’s Fridaaay and that means it’s time for a wonderful blog tag. I haven’t done one of these in a little while but thought it would be something a little bit different and you get to learn lots more facts about me which may or may not be an exciting thing. I want to take a minute to thank Giovanna at ‘Book Coma’ for nominating me! I came across her blog quite recently but it really is excellent so check it out herrrrrre.

Rules:

~~Thank and link the blog that nominated you~~
~~Tell us 11 facts about yourself~~
~~Answer the questions that were set for you to answer~~
Nominate 11 bloggers and set questions for them

11 Facts About Me:

(as always these will likely be utterly weird and random)

I have vitiligo which means I have white patches on parts of my skin, currently only four in total. The most recent patch (which is currently growing) is in my left arm-pit.

I only recently got Netflix because I’ve never watched a huge amount of television but I currently have been binge watching episodes of Prison Break. Goddamnit why has it taken me so long to watch – but now I have four seasons to watch and it is just – the best.

I’m currently suffering from insomnia and feel like I’ve tried evvverything to sort it. If anyone has tips for sleeping please comment below.

I recently bought my first pair of jeans in over two years and they are the best – they go with everything and I get to wear the coolest socks. #holla.

I currently have ombre hair. I had never dyed my hair until about a year ago – now I’ve gone blonde, dark brown, black, purple, and now a purple-ginger mix. I look more like a university student than I ever have before.

I currently live in a house with 7 boys and one other girl and it’s not as much as a nightmare as you might think it would be (did that sentence make sense?)

I currently have a bruise on my right fore-arm and I have no bloody clue how it got there. (Probably wine.)

I think the best Pringle flavour is Salt and Vinegar, shortly followed by Prawn Cocktail.

My favourite food is probably mashed potato but I never ever eat it, because I can’t make it very well and this makes me sad on an almost daily occurrence.

11 days before Christmas I got struck down my respiratory lung infection which was the worst thing ever. I hate being ill and not being allowed to do anything but I did discover Prison Break so – swings and roundabouts.

Finally, I recently gave blood for the very first time and found out I have blood type A+.

TIME TO ANSWER SOME MORE QUESTIONS.

How many books have you read this year? I have read just over 100 books this year. I’m going to use Goodreads properly in 2k16 so I know exactly how many because it currently says I only read 14 which is not true at all but I always forget to log my books!

Are you doing the 2016 Goodreads Reading Challenge? If So, how many books are you planning on reading? Ah I see, well done Lizzy don’t read all the questions before you start to answer. Yes I will be and I would like to read 100/120 ish books this year but that seems like a big challenge.

Who is your favorite Author? You can’t ask that to a book blogger – gah I don’t know. I have a big thing for George Orwell at the moment (although not 1984.) He’s not my favourite but he’s definitely up there!

If you could interview anyone from your life living or dead, who would it be? Caitlin Moran – #idol.

If you could live ANYWHERE in the world, where would it be? I think maybe Denmark – it’s utterly gorgeous and the perfect temperature for a human that isn’t too great in hot weather but does like a little sunshine.

If you could speak any other language, which one would it be? Italian – I’m not sure I would want to live there but I love the language and the country for holiday trips. I’ve been all over Italy and I adore it.

Do you have any pets? Yes – two little Maurices (ie bunnies) called Lola and Barbeque. We bought Barbie from another bunny owner so we didn’t name her but, she’s called that because of the brown tufts on the back of her neck.

(This is Lola)
Do you have any siblings? I do have a sister called Char Balds but she is basically my bestest friend to be completely honest with you. We’re like two peas in a pod and put us together and there will definitely be trouble.

(This might be my favourite photograph of us ever – #TBT long-haired Lizzo.

Do you play any instruments?

I play the cello and have done since I was 7/8 I believe. I still play now and I will insert a very hilarious photograph of my cello face.

What is your favorite food? MASHED POTATO or lasagna, chips and peas.

Have you ever broken a bone? Not yet (touches wood)

I Nominate:

1) Diane at Ladies Who Lunch Review, etc.

2. BR Kyle at Ambiguous Pieces

3. Prettyme67 at bookaddict101

4. Rachel at Bargain Book Bliss

5. Hajra at Another Ramble

6. Aimee at Red Headed Book Lover

7. Day Time Reading

8. Bronagh at Bronaghs Beauty and Books

9. Ryan at Ryan’s Book Review

10. Klinta at Book Owly

11. Sarah at Sarah’s Bookshelf

AND MY QUESTIONS ARE

What is your go-to Dominoes order?

Where would I find you on a normal Saturday afternoon?

Tell us a memory that makes you super-duper happy?

Tattoos? Do you have any, want any, thought of ever having any?

Who is your go-to blogger when you need a pick-me-up read?

Twitter or Instagram?

What key rings do you have on your keys?

Reading place of choice – bed, bath, window sill, cloud? Let me know!

Dream Job? (example burger tester)

Favourite reading tip?

Favourite book of 2K15?

Gah, apologies for this super long post – it took forever! Hope you enjoyed and I cannot wait to see the answers from all the wonderful nominees!

25 questions nobody asks tag

October 23, 2015October 23, 201510 Comments

Helllllo readers, it’s one of those day where I’m a little booked-out and I wanted to do something completely different and I stumbled across the 25 questions nobody asks tag and thought it sounded like a little bit of fun. Enjoy.

Do you sleep with your closet doors closed or open?

Why would you sleep with the doors open? (Unless there’s too much stuff to shut them – maybee then) I definitely sleep with the closet doors shut to keep the monsters in.

Do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels?

Yes, I’m a terrible person.

Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?

Normally the sheets are falling off everywhere, I’m a terribly restless person.

Have you ever stolen a street sign before?

No, but I did witness one of my intoxicated friends pick up a sold house sign and dance with it before falling over with it. Those were the days.

Do you like to use post-it notes?

Not really, I prefer lists or big sheets of paper with lots of ideas. Post-it notes just get lost or stuck to one of your limbs. Sexy.

Do you cut out coupons but never use them?

I never cut out coupons but I think maybe I should – I just don’t really have/make time for it.

Would you rather be attacked by a bear or a swarm of bees?

I think bees, I’m not sure whether I would survive a bear attack really.

Do you have any freckles?

Yesssss all over the bridge of my nose and my cheeks!

Do you always smile for pictures?

DUCK FACE. Nah, I often do a couple of funny faces or a cheeky teeth smile.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

I think bad emailing practice; think how you would feel if you opened that email and it was horrible. I don’t like rude people very much.

Do you ever count your steps when you walk?

Allllllll the time, but I always lose count so there’s no point. Maybe it’s relaxing?

Have you ever peed in the woods?

Yessss

Have you ever pooped in the woods?

Three letters: DOE

Do you ever dance when there is no music playing?

Yees, who doesn’t do a cheeky celebration dance once in a while? #holla

Do you ever chew on your pens and pencils?

Yep, and last week I saw someone chew on a pen I had chewed. I need to stop that, tis gross.

How many people have you slept with this week?

Well I always sleep in bed with Eeyore, so I guess one?

What size is your bed?

Doubleeee bed, although when T sleeps in it it might as well be half a single. Bloody starfishing.

What is your song of the week?

Kind of really loving Down Town by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Is it ok for guys to wear pink?

It mean if it brings out the colour in their eyes then of course.. anyone can wear whichever colour they wish.

Do you still watch cartoons?

C’mon, Disney films, everyone watches them and if they don’t then they should. Stat.

What’s your least favourite movie?

Anything realllllllly scary!

Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?

I would buy things with it…sorrrrrrrrry

What do you drink with dinner?

Alllll of the wine.

What do you dip a chicken nugget in?

Barbecue sauce m8.

What is your favourite food?

MASHED POTATO. With tiny sausages if possible.

There you go: 25 questions nobody asks probably for good reason but just a little bit of fun. I now tag..

Bronagh at Bronagh’s Beauty and Books

The Pastry Book Tag

September 4, 2015September 4, 20154 Comments

It’s Friddddaaay *cheers* which means not only is it the weekend, but I have another book tag for you which is always a brilliant way to round off the week. I’ve been nominated for quite a few bookish awards in the past weeks but due to my utter adoration of the GBBO, I thought that the Pastry Book Tag was a little fitting for today’s posting. This tag was devised by Áine at ‘writing on a vintage typewriter’ which you should get have a wander through because it’s a lovely little blog. But first, pour yourself a cup of tea, grab a hob-nob and settle down for some bookish/cakey answers.

Croissant: Name a popular book or series that everyone (including you) loves.

The Harry Potter series by J K Rowling

It has to be really doesn’t it?

Macaron: Name a book that was hard to get through but worth it at the end.

Odd choice for this one but,

The Summer of Secrets by Sarah Jasmon

When writing books that move between time periods, they need to be spelled out to the reader so we don’t end up wondering where they are. This book did that and it took me a chapter or two to work out where I was. Although I found this book difficult to connect to I was glad to finish this.

Vol-au-vent: Name a book that you thought would be amazing but fell flat

Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes

So I didn’t think this book would be amazing but I thought it would be an enjoyable and easy read. Turned out to be pretty horrible and tiresome.

Pain au chocolat: Name a book that you thought would be one thing but turned out to be something else.

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath.

Although I didn’t know what to expect when reading this, what I did read wasn’t what I was expecting. Saying that, this was a book I really enjoyed and found intriguing to read. I recommended this to T to read and he thought it was something very different from what he tends to read. Thumbs up all round I would say.

Profiterole: Name a book or series that doesn’t get enough attention.

Pearshaped and Leftovers by Stella Newman

I adored both of these books and am yet to read the newest (but I’m sure I’ll really enjoy reading it.) I just don’t see these books darting around the ‘bloggersphere’ all too often and they are brilliant comforting, homey reads.

Croquembouche: Name a book or series that’s extremely complex.

Wolfhall by Hilary Mantel

I really struggled with this book and it was such a disappointment. I always think if a book needs a character list at the beginning you’ve got a pinch too many. I read a good chunk of this book but gave up before I got half way. I need to try again because I thought her book ‘An experiment in Love’ was brilliant.

Napoleon: Name a movie or TV show based off a book that you liked better than the book itself.

This one is so difficult but I pick

50 Shades of Grey by E L James

Both were pretty awful but this trumped the book by a mile.

Empanada: Name a book that was bittersweet.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

This book was so sad but the tale was wonderfully and honestly told and the ending is just bittersweet through and through.

Kolompeh: Name a book or series that takes place somewhere other than your home country:

Madrid Metro by Abigail Kloss-Aycardi

This book is quite obviously set in Spain. It’s a short and sweet read which you can see my review of here.

Pate a Choux: Name one food from a book or series that you would like to try.

I think a foaming tankard of Butterbeer would do me nicely. TYVM.

I thought this tag was really special; no wishy-washy questions it’s a change from writing ten facts about yourself. There’s not that much to know about me. Brilliant tag, I now pass the cake onto Nicole at Sorry I’m Booked to complete said tag. *Cheers*

Get to know me tag: twenty-one questions!

June 5, 2015June 5, 201519 Comments

Hellllllllo,

So many of you know quite a few things about me, I mean we’re two years in and I’ve shared a lot more on mylittlebookblog than I ever thought I would. However I fancied doing a more personal blogger tag and I stumbled upon the ‘get to know me tag.’ So I thought I would give it a go. As always if you fancy filling this tag in, comment below or tweet me @littlebookblog1. Would love to hear your answers; for now, onto the tagggggg.

1. Are you named after anyone? I don’t believe so…. both my parents are teachers so names were a little difficult to agree on based on the number of children they both had taught. My middle name however is Thomson which is my mothers maiden name which is a little lovely.

2. When was the last time you cried? I think it would have to be last Friday watching the film ‘Man-Up’ ironically. I am a sucker for a movie that makes me cry a little and this one definitely made me shed a tear, or two.

3. Do you have kids? ….not yet

4. If you were another person, would you be a friend of yourself? I think so. I’m a pretty happy-go-lucky, up-beat, sarcastic, book loving human being, what’s not to love!

5. Do you use sarcasm a lot? God no… me? really?

6. Will you ever bungee-jump? Yesss… but you would maybe need to find someone to push me off the top

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7. What’s your favorite cereal? Rice Krispies. Snap Crackle Pop is ma lyfe.

8. What’s the first thing you notice about people? I think the eyes. Windows to the soul and all that.

9. What is your eye colour? Swampy Green.

10. Scary movie or happy endings? Happy endings all the way.

11. Favorite smells? Freshly cut grass or cinnamon crunch.

12. Summer or winter? Winter. I love layering multiple cardigans, woolly hats, mittens, gloves, winter boots. Ergh tis a wonderful season.

13. Computer or television? Can I have both?

14. What’s the furthest you’ve ever been from home? I travelled to Borneo in Malaysia in 2011, at 11,425 miles away from home that would definitely be the furthest.

15. Do you have any special talents? I’m a grade eight cellist…that means something right?

16. Where were you born? Northampton, England. Yes m8.

17. What are your hobbies? Binge watcher of Supernatural, learning to cook, compulsively shopping, researching and writing about books and reading on my blog, writing about art annnnnd obsessively travelling to Laaaaandan

18. Do you have any pets? Two mini-lop rabbits named Barbeque (Barbie) and Lola (Lolly.)

19. Favorite movie? Titanic. Hands the f down.

20. Do you have any siblings? Yes…. one bloody awesome younger sister who is also one of my closest friends

21. What do you want to be when you grow up? Successful and happy would do me wonderfully

There we go, twenty one questions about yours truly. I now tag Helen at ‘in which Helen’ to complete said tag!

Q+A with Michael Obiora, author of Vivian’s Couch

February 23, 2015February 23, 2015Leave a comment

Good afternoon readers an incredibly exciting Q+A for you today. Recently I have become a bit of a Twitter devotee and I’ve been trying to use it as a tool to find new authors and converse with writers about their books. After posting my review of Vivian’s Couch I tweeted the author Michael Obiora and after a few messages we discussed the possibility of a Q+A and a guest posting. I had quite a few questions and in return Michael has sent some incredibly detailed and interesting answers.Thank you to Michael for being such a wonderful author to work with cannot wait to see more of your writing in the future!

1) Where did the idea of a therapists couch being the main host of the book come from? It’s an interesting premise was it so you could bring in such diverse character profiles?

Vivian was the anger management therapist of the protagonist in my debut novel, Black Shoes: Reality Check. Even though she wasn’t the lead in that story I started to fall in love with her. I enjoyed communicating through her. So I made a note to myself to have her as the lead in a future story. I also always liked the idea of attempting to tackle the challenge of writing through a female character. I knew it would be difficult because my style of writing is very much influenced by me being an actor – an is in I write through a character. As an actor you’re stepping into another person’s shoes. When I started writing I found it helped to apply this to my characters’. But the challenge for me when writing Vivian’s Couch was understanding that as a man, I don’t necessarily see everything in the world in the same way a woman does.

Vivian’s Couch was also an opportunity to explore the world of therapy – a world I’m familiar with as I saw a therapist when I was nineteen years old. The main idea was to show that no matter what we look like, how much money we have, whether we are famous, male, or female, we all have problems. We all need help at times. And therapy is still a taboo subject. I also wanted to use Vivian’s Couch as an opportunity to highlight depression in sports – athletes (and celebrities in general) are put on a pedestal and looked upon as superhuman, but with the football player character (Kieran) we get to see that his life is in no way easier than anybody else in the book.

Vivian’s Couch wasn’t necessarily ever meant to be about diversity. It’s set in London so it would have been unrealistic if the characters didn’t have different backgrounds. And for me, purely from a storytelling point of view, I can’t think of anything more boring than characters who all look the same. It doesn’t make sense to me.

2) Some of the themes and events in the book are quite dark, was it always supposed to be quite a gritty book or was it something that came about as the plot progressed?

I didn’t set out to write a gritty story. But the fact that therapy is a huge theme in the book meant that inevitably it was going to go to dark places. Depression, mental health – these are dark subjects. As I continued to write of course the plot changed directions many times – as is always the way. So when I finally put it together I wanted to make sure that as well as being informative, it was entertaining – readers have access to so many other means of entertainment that one owes it to them to keep them interested. And I also wanted to make sure that as many people as possible could relate to it – and I’m so happy to say that I’ve received letters and messages from people of all backgrounds telling me that this is the case. It’s actually been quite emotional. So that’s where the grittiness came in – any story that reflects an aspect of real life is likely to have gritty elements.

3) Out of the main characters, who was your favourite of the bunch to write about and why?

My favourite characters in the book are Vivian and Rupal. This is because even though none of them are necessarily the leads, I think they have unique voices. Also, writing through them has made me even more determined to write through more female character’s. It’s a challenge, and I think I’ll be a better writer for it.

4) Is there anything in the book, now that it’s finished that you would change? Either a storyline ending differently or maybe some of the characters? It’s always nice to see whether an author still agrees with the final book as a finished piece.

I definitely wouldn’t change anything aboutVivian’s Couch – of course it could have been longer but I told the story I wanted to tell. And as the book doesn’t have a definite ending – which was deliberate because part of the message in the book is life goes on – hopefully readers can draw their own conclusions. I’m thinking of running a competition where I ask readers to write a chapter about what happens next!

With my first novel, Black Shoes, I re-published under my own imprint last year. That was five years after it was originally published, and the Reality Check version does have an alternative ending.

5) When I wrote the review I described it as a ‘real reflection of modern day life.’ Was this the main message of the story, being an almost fly on the wall style narrative. Or was it more a political message you wanted the book to convey seeing as diversity and discrimination do also feature in the book?

Thank you for describing the book in that way. I agree with that description. I wouldn’t describe myself as political person. I think you’d struggle to find a black person who sees mentioning race as being political. Race is something that affects me every single day because as a black man I’m unfortunately defined by the colour of my skin – and that has absolutely nothing to with me. I’m referred to as a “black actor,” where as Tom Cruise is an actor, not a “white actor”. So I think there will always be references to race in my contemporary fiction because as much as many people don’t want to admit it, it’s sadly still a very current issue. And frankly, I think it’s quite rare to get a black person’s perspective on it. Here in the western world, when we read about it in the papers, or hear about it on the news it’s very rarely being reported by a black person.

Also, if you notice in the book, Freddie and Rupal mainly open up about the discrimination they suffer while on the therapist’s couch, as opposed to in public. Over the last few years I’ve noticed more and more that discrimination is an issue that’s swept under the carpet – sometimes even by the victims. And that’s terrible. So I subtly wanted to put that in the book. For all you know, you have an ethnic friend who suffers from that type of abuse on a regular basis but doesn’t talk to anybody about it, and of course that’s tragic – how can we move forward if we don’t communicate?

I’ve also noticed that people get uncomfortable when talking about race – many white people are afraid of insulting an ethnic minority, and they actually seem to have a different idea of what racism is. Also, some ethnic minorities either don’t want to upset their white friends, or colleagues, or they think nobody understands so there’s no point.

So I feel I found a way to shoe-horn these issues into the book without scaring anyone away, and making them think, “this book is a polemic about race – I’m out of here!”

6) I’ve read that Vivian’s couch is a prequel to your first novel Black Shoes. I haven’t read the first book but was it something you wanted to discuss more when finishing the book or was it a planned endeavour?

Vivian’s Couch is the prequel to BlackShoes: Reality Check – there are crossover characters and interesting links. I never set out to write a prequel but as I was working on my second book I saw that I could find a way to link them together. They are both very different stories, though, and hopefully Vivian’s Couch readers will go back and read the first book now.

7) Finally, you are a talented actor, which would you rather be known first for acting or being an author?

I think I’m a better actor than I am writer at the moment, so if I had to choose I’d say I’d prefer to be known as an actor. But I’m more proud of my writing than my acting because I don’t find writing easy – it’s lonely, and takes a lot out of me. And I must say that I’ve never felt a greater sense of artistic achievement than I felt when I published my two books. Ultimately to be known for anything as an artist is a wonderful thing, so either way I’m grateful for how it’s all gone. It really makes me want to continue working hard every day.

Links:

Website

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Q+A with Karen Long on her book The Vault

February 19, 2015February 19, 20153 Comments

Good afternoon readers, earlier this month I kicked off the blog tour for the wonderful Karen Long and her dark but incredibly exciting book The Vault which you can see here. After reviewing the book and writing the review I had so many questions I wanted to ask so I must admit this guest post is a little selfish because I really wanted some answers. However I thought that this would also work as a brilliant Q+A for you to read too. If you can’t tell from my review I loved this book and cannot wait to see what Karen comes up with next, I was so consumed by this book if you are a fan of crime and thriller books, or just looking for something new to read I would definitely recommend!

Where did the idea of plasticising the victims come from? It’s quite a terrifying concept, was it just an idea, or it did come from seeing something?

I had watched a couple of documentaries on Gunther von Hagens’ ‘Bodyworld’s’ exhibition and was fortunate to be able to see the show twice. It had also shown in Toronto in 2005. What struck me most about it was the beauty and accessibility of the human form. Here were real people, presented as pieces of art; people who continued to exist, albeit in a completely different form, after their deaths. They no longer possessed an identity, as their names had long since disappeared into anonymity but they had a ‘reality’ to them and I could see just how desirable an idea that was. To own someone who could never decompose, who never judged, argued or betrayed you could be, to an individual who spent his working life amongst the valued dead in a museum, a very tempting concept. This was an idea I had played around with in ‘The Safe Word’, so obviously something that resonates with my own peculiar personality.

How easy was it to research the process needed to go through the stages of plasticising or was it a more fictional description?

As far as I can tell there is very little that can’t be gleaned from the Internet and the process used by von Hagen and the history of embalming provided a wealth of papers. There are a great many proprietary chemicals used in the process but there are available equivalents, simpler compounds such as acetone, which appear to the same job. I imagine myself in the shoes of my psychopaths; once I understand what they want I try to imagine how they are going to achieve it a) with their current knowledge and skill base b) within the confines of their environment c) without being detected. So, yes the processes are scientifically accurate but under these particular circumstances are not completely successful. I hasten to add that I have, at no point, attempted the plastination of any person either living or dead.

When writing the book did you start at the ending and work backwards or was it a forward thinking process. I always wonder with thrillers/crime books whether the ending is completely decided or whether it comes through writing the book.

I am a very linear writer. I do the ‘What if?’ and then plan a broad outline and then chapter one. I haven’t a particularly structured idea as to how it will play out because the characters haven’t really come to life at such an early stage. Sometimes I’ll get a flash of where I want to head to but it’s disappointingly
a-z.

There are a number of extremely taboo themes covered in the book, was it always intended to be so dark in terms of subject or did lend itself to being more so as you kept writing?

Crime fiction is about the darkness of the soul. The very worst that can be done by and to another individual is the taking of life, everything else is survivable mentally and physically. I am not interested in revenge as a motive but rather the intricacies of a twisted mind; the sort of minds that don’t share common human values and follow their desires and internal narratives with a total disregard to the lives and happiness of others. I am very aware of and uncomfortable with ‘torture porn’ and am careful not to aggrandise or titillate with the subject of sado-masochism, necrophilia or murder. I think I have a darkness within me and need to explore these feeling through a dramatic medium.

Eleanor is a complex character, how did you plan out all the interweaving emotions that affect her throughout?

Eleanor’s strength and weakness is that she is a mirror to the murderers she hunts. To catch them she needs to understand them; to understand them is to be tainted by them. Every time she gets an insight into their desires, she steps closer to catching them and moves further away from her humanity. I see it as a game of chess. Every move has it’s cost and consequence.

What do you have planned next for writing? Is there another book on the cards, because I want to read it!

I love hearing that readers want the next book! It’s easy to work in a vacuum and have no real idea whether what you’re writing is wanted or enjoyed. I’m onto the third book, ‘The Cold Room’ at the moment. It’s about the same characters but hopefully has a new twist on Eleanor’s story.

So there you go, a very detailed and interesting set of answers to my questions! If you want to see more click the links below or get in touch using the comment box! Finally a huge thank you to Karen for being such a wonderful and utterly lovely author to work with. Cannot wait to see more of your writing! 😀 ❤

Links

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Question and Answer with Mae Wood on her book Risking Ruin

February 5, 2015February 5, 2015Leave a comment

Good afternoon readers and happy Thursday! It’s nearly Friday which means it’s nearly the weekend and I’m very excited to be travelling to London on Saturday so this makes me very happy. I’m still a little off book reviews although I’m steadily reading still. I think for this week I’m going to stay away from reviews, just for a little longer and then bring you a wonderful book on Monday; well that’s the plan. Back in January I brought you a review of Risking Ruin my Mae Wood which you can read here. I thought we would follow that with a lovely little Q+A session; enjoy.

When writing Risking Ruin, how much do you draw from your own life?

I am an employment lawyer like Marisa, so I hear about all sorts of workplace craziness. Many of the allegations of workplace harassment in the story are drawn from events I’ve read about in court papers. Marisa and I have the same job, but our lives differ greatly from there. I’m married and a mother. I’ve never been as career-focused as Marisa is, but I know plenty of women who are. I don’t draw from my life per se, but I do draw from stories of my career-minded friends who are in their 30s and struggling through (or have struggled through) awful dating situations. Trust me, that woman at the head of the boardroom table closing a billion dollar deal or speaking in front of thousands at a MacWord-style conference still has self-doubt. I know. I’m her “ordinary” friend and I get the emotional phone calls.

When is your moment to write?

I like to write in about 2 to 3 hour long blocks, but I’m fine with interruption. Typically, this means I write during my child’s bath time and her nightly viewing of Peppa Pig and while she’s up and down for hour or so after I put her to bed, demanding water, more blankets, less nightlight, etc. (Every parent knows what I’m talking about.) That said, by the time I sit down to write, I know where I’m going. I’ve muddled through the next steps in my head while driving home and preparing dinner.

Where are you up to with the sequel?

Tentatively titled “Surviving Bitsy,” the sequel picks up where “Risking Ruin” left off. Marisa and Trip are in the plane on the way to St. George. Let’s just say that Trip’s unilateral decision to “solve” the problem in their relationship is not well-taken by Marisa at first. I’ve written about the first 20%, including Marisa getting to meet Trip’s mom Bitsy and John returning to the story. Marisa’s firm has hired him to babysit her and make sure her relationship with Trip doesn’t mean that the firm loses Branco’s lucrative business.

You’ll note that “Risking Ruin” did not end with an “I love you” or an exchange of rings. For me the most interesting bit in any relationship is getting from “Let’s date exclusively” to “Can I live without you?” “Surviving Bitsy” follows Marisa as she navigates being Trip’s proper girlfriend and them trying to blend their lives together. As for the title, Bitsy is Trip’s mom. But this isn’t a Monster-In-Law type story. Quite the opposite. I can’t wait to get it wrapped up and released late summer!

Do you intend to keep the chick-lit / contemporary romance balancing act for the sequel? Is it difficult?

I love Chick-Lit. Bridget Jones’ Diary spoke to me in my 20s and I’ve never looked back. What I love about Chick-Lit is what I find missing in a lot of contemporary romances — personal growth by the heroine in the face of a real-to-her-life challenge in the form of a career change, money problems, or just her beliefs. Classically, think Pride and Prejudice. Many Chick-Lit stories are love stories at base, but I view them as Chick-Lit because of the tone. I love humor. I love puns. I love to verbally spar. I also crave honesty. For me, it’s not love unless your cheeks hurt after a date because you’ve been smiling and laughing so much. I do intend to keep the same light and honest tone the for the sequel.

It’s no secret that you write under a pen name. Do you let your family read your work? What if they asked?

My husband detests “Risking Ruin”! He doesn’t understand the genres of Chick-Lit or romance at all. He’s read though the first sex scene and then just couldn’t tolerate it any longer. I don’t take offense. I’d rather go on a 10 mile hike in the middle of summer than read the five volume biography of Lyndon Johnson he currently has his nose in. Our tastes in pleasure reading differ and that’s fine with me. Nonetheless, he’s my biggest cheerleader in this project and extremely proud of me.

My family has no clue I’ve written a novel. However, my two closest friends I consider family. They read my work as a serial. When I get a few chapters pulled together, they gobble them up and then tell me what they like, don’t like, and want more of. It’s partially their fault there is sex in Risking Ruin. So blame them if you think it’s too much!

As for them asking to read my book, my sister would roll her eyes. My mother would be super supportive and probably really like it. And no one wants their father reading sex scenes they’ve written! (Okay, probably someone wouldn’t mind, but I’m from the South where daddies and daughters pretend sex doesn’t exist.)

So there you go, a little more of an insight into the lovely Mae Wood and her book risking ruin which you can buy a copy of here: Amazon

Would You Rather: an interview with Ian Probert

January 19, 20154 Comments

Good afternoon on this rather dry and fine afternoon from Stoke-On-Trent. It might interest you to know that it was the two year anniversary of my blogging history yesterday. However being incredibly busy yesterday I didn’t have any time to do a nice post for you; so this year we’re going to celebrate it on the 19^th of February which is rather fitting because I am sharing with you a wonderful guest post Q+A from an author quite close to my heart; Ian Probert. I’ll provide links but earlier this year I reviewed the book Johnny Nothing and was a little hooked. Since then I’ve had the utter joy of helping a little to promote this wonderful book.

Now in true rotten style we decide to forgo the stereotypical Q+A questions and bring you something a little more entertaining. A would you rather set of questions; this is something me and my sister love playing although normally slightly less horrible then these questions. If you haven’t heard of it (I’m sure you have) basically it makes you choose between two equally rotten outcomes and then you explain why. These answers are better than I could have expected; before we launch into them make sure you check out all the links below especially the competitions (I shouldn’t say this because I’d quite like to get my hands on a signed print of the book illustrations because they are rather wonderful) however go and check everything out and let me know what you think of the book! Enough of me rambling; enjoy!

1) Would you rather: Have nacho cheese dust constantly attached to your finger tips or sweat mayonnaise?

A tricky opener. Let’s see… Nacho cheese dust could be good – obviously it would get in your eyes and ears but that wouldn’t be too much of a problem. It would certainly add a little much needed zest to one’s nasal secretions when attending nasal secretion tasting parties. And Lords knows what effect it would have one’s butt hole.

To be able to sweat mayonnaise would also not be too bad. Would that be low fat mayonnaise or high cal? I can think of no finer thing than to be able to go for a long run and then return covered in gloopy mayonnaise. It could do wonders for my sex life as well. Mayonnaise it has to be.

2) Would you rather: Have constant hiccups or a constantly blocked nose?

Freaky. How could you possibly know that for the last year I have been suffering from a blocked right nostril? I won’t bore you with my long and sorry tale but suffice to say I was eventually diagnosed with having a polyp the size of my thumb growing in my nasal cavity. Unpleasant? You bet. A really, really horrible thing to live with. The surgeon’s knife seems the only way out for me, which is a real drag.

Hiccups? Well I once saw a documentary about somebody who had been producing horrible annoying noises out of their mouth for over thirty years. I think it was called ‘The David Cameron Story’. Only joking. Not really. This guy was so unhappy he tried to commit…Hic… Suicide… Hic…It’s… Hic… Reallly… Hic… Annoying… Hic… Isn’t… Hic… It?

Suicide, sorry, hiccups win.

3) Would you rather: Have fingers are long as your legs or legs as long as your fingers?

Well having stubby little legs is a little too close to home to me. I belong to the Thalidomide generation of the 1960s. When I was growing up it was not at all unusual to have several poor sufferers of this terrible condition in the classroom. Among those I remember was a very pretty girl whose name escapes me who had terribly malformed hands. There was also another boy I remember, whose name, in a cruel twist of irony, was Jeremy Limb. He had practically no arms and would go around kicking people who made an issue of it. I Googled him a while ago and apparently he’s become very good at backgammon or something.

I was extremely lucky because my mother was actually prescribed Thalidomide but instead of taking those evil pills she threw them down the toilet. There but for the grace of God, etc, etc.

So it would have to be long groovy fingers in this case. I’ve always wanted to be able to play next door’s piano while watching Celebrity Big Brother. And after all, Edward Scissorhands is a bit of a gothic sex symbol isn’t he? (That’s the second time I’ve mention sex in three questions. Is this bloke obsessed?)

4) Would you rather: Lick the pavement or snort a spoonful of pepper?

In my college years I was rather prone to stuffing all sorts of substances up my nose (this probably explains the polyp). And I think on one occasion I did actually snort chilli powder. This is not an experience to be taken lightly, I can tell you that for nothing. And just as it did to Homer in an episode of The Simpsons, the chilli really did transport me to a higher plane. It was an acid trip for people who couldn’t afford tea bags, which pretty much sums up the vast amount of students whom I went to college with. Therefore pepper would most probably be mere child’s play for me.

Licking the pavement? Not for me, I’m afraid. If I want to put something in my mouth that tastes of cat bogies, white dog poo (why do you never get white dog poo these days?) and old tramp’s burst boils I’m perfectly capable of cooking something up myself.

Pepper is on the podium.

Annnnd finally…

5) Would you rather: Look like Gollum or speak like Gollum?

Well I’ve met quite a few people who talk like Gollum – including Andy Serkis, who has a child at my daughter’s school – and it’s not an attractive quality. You can be the most handsome man in the world but if you talk like Mike Tyson you quickly lose any physical advantages.

Now looking like Gollum I can empathise with. Because beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, isn’t it. A lot of people have said that I look like Gollum, and frankly when they do I take it as a compliment. Thing is, however good looking you are you will eventually end up looking like something that Joan Collins dragged in. It’s obviously better to be beautiful inside like you, Lizzie. It’s a lasting quality.

Do I hear the sound of angels singing? Looking like Gollum is perfect for me.

Isn’t he a sweetie; to be honest we disagreed on almost all the answers to the questions however my answers were a little less eloquent and I still cannot decide on the Gollum question. Now to treat you even more we have a little except from the book and all the links you could ever imagine to go get stuck into. Thank you once again to Ian Probert; not only is he a wonderful author who I love working with on guest posts and reviews but he always manages to put a smile on my face no matter what we’re discussing. I cannot wait to work more with him in the future! Enough from me I’ll let Ian do the talking with this wonderful except.

….

Bill had a shaven head and was wearing a blue tracksuit. He was almost seven feet tall and built like an outdoor toilet made of brick. Bill didn’t realise this but he was a distant descendent of Neanderthal Man. He had only one eyebrow – one long bushy eyebrow that reached right across his forehead. He looked like what you might get if you force fed a member of Oasis with a half-tonne black plastic sackful of steroids.
And if you were brave enough to be present when he took off his tracksuit you would discover that his back was so covered in hair that he was able part it with a comb. If Bill had had more of an interest in fashion, he might even have considered giving it a curly perm and perhaps a few extensions
On his right arm, Bill had a tattoo which simply read ‘Bill’. This was in case he woke up one morning and forgot who he was. This was actually less unlikely than you might imagine because standing next to him was his twin brother. His name was Ben and he was identical to Bill in every way except that the tattoo on his arm read ‘Bin’ (the tattooist was either South African or not a very good speller). He was wearing a red tracksuit.
Bill gave Mr. and Mrs. MacKenzie the tiniest of smiles and managed to grunt ‘hello’. Ben gave the couple exactly the same tiniest of smiles and also managed to grunt ‘hello’.
The two men were standing protectively close to Johnny. They were so large that in the confines of Johnny’s bedroom they looked like giants, which they were. They were so enormous that each of them had their own postcode. They were so gigantic that they had their passport photos taken by satellite. They were so humungous that you could spend all day thinking up rubbishy jokes about how big they were and never adequately describe just how indescribably, earth-shatteringly ENORMOUS they were. By no stretch of the imagination could you call them small (unless, of course, you were a lot bigger than them).
The pair of Goliaths were having to stoop slightly so as to avoid head-butting the ceiling, which actually even looked a little scared itself. They were a terrifying sight. Even scarier than a school trip to a Weight-Watcher’s nudist camp.
There was a long, pregnant silence in the room like this:

This eventually gave birth to an even longer post-natal silence, which, in the interest of preserving the rain forests or the battery on your Kindle, I shan’t demonstrate.
The four grown-ups eyed each other nervously. Bill and Ben looked at the Mackenzies like they were looking at insects that could be squashed into pulpy insect juice any time they so desired.
The Mackenzies looked at Bill and Ben like they were looking at two giant skinhead Neanderthal bully boys who had just appeared from nowhere in their recently and unexpectedly decorated council flat.
Johnny looked a little scared.
Finally Billy Mackenzie managed to get his mouth working a little and spluttered: ‘Who are you?’ And then: ‘What do you want?’
There was another long silence – let’s call it a pause – while Bill and Ben looked at each other as if trying to decide who was going to answer. Finally Bill spoke: ‘You the boy’s parents?’ he demanded in a voice that sounded like an angry rhino with horn-ache. Although if he was clever enough he would have realised that this was a rhetorical question.
There was yet another long silence (you’ll be relieved to hear that this is the last silence you’re going to get in this chapter) before Billy Mackenzie mumbled ‘Yes’.
‘We’re Johnny’s bodyguards,’ continued Bill. ‘We’re here to make sure that everything’s hunky dory.’
‘Hunky dory?’ Mrs. Mackenzie suddenly found her voice. ‘What do you mean ‘hunky dory”?’
Now Ben spoke: ‘What my brother means to say,’ he explained. ‘Is that we’ve been – how shall I say – contracted – to make sure that this young feller’s affairs are in order.’
‘Get out of my house!’ interrupted Mrs. Mackenzie, suddenly feeling a little braver, although she had no idea why.
Bill and Ben looked at each again for a moment. They did this almost as much as your mum looks in the mirror. Or you dad looks at websites that he shouldn’t be looking at. ‘First of all,’ said Bill, ‘This isn’t a house – it’s a flat.’
‘And second of all,’ said his brother. ‘We ain’t going nowhere. And neither are you.’
‘Johnny who are these men?’ Mrs. MacKenzie asked her son, ignoring the two giants.
‘I’m sorry mum but…’ Johnny started to speak but Bill cut in like a pair of scissors that chops sentences into bits.
‘…What the young feller means to say is that the fun’s over.’
‘The fun’s over?’ repeated Felicity MacKenzie numbly.
‘That’s right,’ continued Ben. ‘You’ve had a right old time. You’ve been spending his money like it’s your own. You’ve been ripping the poor young feller off. And we’re here to put a stop to it. From now on things are gonna be different.’
‘I’ve had enough of this,’ said Mrs. MacKenzie. ‘Nobody speaks to me like this in my house…’
‘Flat,’ corrected Ben.
‘Nobody speaks to me like this in my flat. Billy, call the police!’
As usual Billy MacKenzie did as he was told. He reached into his pocket for his mobile phone. Before he had the chance to even turn it on the gigantic frame of Bill was towering over him.
‘That an iPhone?’ asked Ben.
‘Erm… Yes,’ said Billy, who could only watch as the huge man took it from him and with one hand crushed it into a chunk of buckled metal and shattered touch screen.
‘I think it’s broken,’ said Ben. ‘You ought to take it back to the Apple store. Tell ‘em that you’re not getting a decent signal.’
‘Right!’ cried Mrs. MacKenzie. ‘We’re leaving! You’ll be very sorry you did that. I’ll fetch the police myself!’
Now the giant frame of Bill was standing in front of her. He was holding something in his hand that looked a little like a child’s toy space gun.
‘Know what this is?’ he asked. Although once again he wasn’t clever enough to recognise that this was a rhetorical question.
Mrs. Mackenzie regarded the object for a moment. Then she shook her head. Whatever it was she guessed that it was not intended to provide pleasure, happiness or fulfilment. Anything that has a trigger and a barrel and goes ‘bang!’ seldom does.
‘Come on Billy!’ she said. ‘We’re leaving!’
Bill stood in front of her blocking the doorway. ‘Not so fast,’ he said, not so slowly. ‘It’s called a Taser. See this little trigger at the front? If I press this it’ll give you a small electric shock. It won’t hurt you…Well not too much anyway.’
Bill raised the object and gently touched Mrs. MacKenzie on the arm. There was a loudish bang and a flash of blue neon light and Mrs. MacKenzie collapsed groaning to the floor. She was conscious but wasn’t able to move her arms and legs
‘Oh my gawd!’ said Billy Mackenzie bravely charging out of the room in terror. He got as far as the stairs before there was a second flash. He, too, crumpled to the floor. Bill dragged him back into the bedroom by the scruff of his neck.
Johnny Nothing got to his feet and stood over his two parents. He looked anxious. ‘Are they… Are they… OK?’ he gasped.
‘Don’t you worry yourself,’ smiled Ben. ‘Give em a few minutes and they’ll be right as rain.’
‘But they’ll think twice before they try to run off again,’ said his brother.

Blurb:

“Great new kids book alert! My two are in hysterics reading Johnny Nothing by Ian Probert (and I am too).” Jane Bruton, Editor of Grazia

“Oh, Wow! Dark, sordid, grotesque and hilarious are only a few words I can conjure up to describe this hilarious book.” Lizzie Baldwin, mylittlebookblog

Critics are comparing Ian Probert to Roald Dahl. And Johnny Nothing we have a modern successor to Charlie And The Chocolate Factory. Johnny Nothing is best-selling author Ian Probert’s first ever children’s book – although adults are enjoying it too. The story of the poorest boy in the world and the nastiest mother in the universe, the book is earning rave reviews. Children and grown-ups are all laughing at this incredibly funny kids book.

Take a look for yourself:

http://geni.us/3oR8

To celebrate the paperback launch of Johnny Nothing we are offering a free Kindle copy of the book to the first 100 people who Tweet the following message:

@truth42 I’m reading Johnny Nothing by Ian Probert. http://geni.us/3oR8 #YA #Kindle #kidsbooks

The first ten readers who answer the following question will also receive a signed print of one of the book’s illustrations.

Q: What is the tattoo on Ben’s arm?

Send your answers to truth42@icloud.com

Links

Amazon http://geni.us/3oR8

iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/johnny-nothing/id908777441?mt=11

Book promo http://youtu.be/xaWO4tR4oj0?list=UUzLRcpNMLRKKtJhes1s1C7w

WordPress http://ianprobertbooks.wordpress.com

Website http://ianprobert.com

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/716683635030173/

Twitter @truth42

Author biography

Ian Probert has been scribbling down words ever since he learned to spell the phrase: ‘Once upon a time…’. He is the author of Internet Spy, Rope Burns and a bunch of other titles. Internet Spy was a bestseller in the US and made into a TV film. Rope Burns is a book about why books shouldn’t be written about boxing. Ian has also written things for a shed load of newspapers and magazines. When Ian was a student he used to write lots of letters to the bank manager.

Q+A with mylittlebookblog

December 17, 20149 Comments

Good afternoon readers,

I haven’t done one of these for a while but I thought it would be really lovely to do a little Q+A for you basically where you can ask me anything about my reading habits, my thoughts on an author, maybe on my favorite genre of book or maybe just something you’ve been wanting to ask me? Either comment them at the bottom of this post or send me an email at mylittlebookblog2014@gmail.com and once I have a couple I’ll post my responses!

Best

Lizzy 😀 ❤