Publication Event ~ Giveaway ~ Short Story~ Friendship~ The Big Event by Anne John-Ligali. #TheBigEvent

I would like to welcome everyone to the launch day event for a short story by Anne John-Ligali.  It’s special because it has special significance to me personally!

I have met some amazing, supportive and incredible people as part of an online fandom, proof positive that online friendships, can go on to become real life friendships you will treasure forever!

So this post is dedicated to them. They know who they are!

The Big Event

You are cordially invited to the party of the season where you’ll meet Constance and friends in action.

Constance Jeffries is excited when she gets the chance to meet up with virtual friends at a get-together in a London hotel. She’s been tweeting and messaging her lovely friends for years and feels they must be just as excited to finally meet her in person too. Or so she hopes.

The Big Event is first part in a short story series about the importance of ‘real’ friendships and how it’s the little things that matter the most.
A Gorgeous Venue, A Room Full of Friends, What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Review

I would like to thank the author and blog tour organiser Rachel Gilbey for the ARC of The Big Event in return for an honest review.

This short story is a funny, modern day ode to friendships and how we often meet those that come to mean so much to us in an this age of social media, on sites such as Facebook and twitter.

Sometimes we get to meet them these ‘friends’, but it is not always what we expect. Constance, the heroine of this story, attends a meet-up in London with ‘friends’ she has only previously chatted to online.

Tender and funny, it is written by a writer that understands that online friendships don’t always survive real life meetings, but that at the same time, can blossom into deeply supportive lifelong friendships.

It is a very entertaining read, which had me nodding with understanding and laughing out loud at other points.  Constance is a adorable character, full of warmth and you will find yourself smiling as she negioates the minefield that sometimes makes up such social interactions.

This story is very personal to me because I attended such an event, after chatting to a group of friends online for many years.  We were brought together by a shared love of a TV couple and went on to follow the actors that played them in all their subsequent projects.  We laughed, chatted, went to Panto and laughed again. Many years later we are still laughing and chatting, meeting in exotic places like Brighton, London, Canterbury, each others living rooms, or and I shouldn’t forget stage doors all over the country.

They are lifelong friends whom I will cherish always. They have brought my life many blessings and I love them for it.

Why not read The Big Event and take a chance with Constance, I did and loved it.

This review is dedicated all the Constance Jeffries’s of this world, all Chryedans and Marc and Johnny.

The Big Event can be purchased from Amazon.

**** Giveaway ****

As part of this launch event there is a fantastic giveaway, you can win Sparkly Afternoon Tea for Two at Vertigo 42 in central London and one e-copy of The Big Event.

To enter and for full terms and conditions, please follow the link for everything you need to know.

 

Author Bio 

Anne John-Ligali is a writer and the founder of Books and Authors UK, a popular website featuring author interviews and book reviews.  She loves all things books: reading, writing, going to book events, and meeting other book lovers. She has written a series of short stories and is currently writing her first novel.
When Anne is not writing, she is likely to be at soft play with her kids, taking long evening walks in Hyde Park, making green smoothies, window shopping, or having a pampering session at her local beauty salon (whenever she gets the chance). She can also be found watching box sets (albeit with a bit of shame at still having to catch up on Scandal, Grey’s, and Downton).
Originally from Peterborough, Anne now lives in London. After moving to London, she studied graphic design at the University of Arts and has held a number IT administration jobs in the city. Anne continues writing and aspires to write more women’s fiction books, a non-fiction book and several children’s books.

Anne John-Ligali can be followed on the following social media sites.

Author blog/ Twitter/ Author Facebook/Instagram

 

Blog Tour ~ Review ~ Novella ~ The Last Post by D K Duncan.

It’s April 1918. May Keaps is a twenty year old ambulance driver stationed at The Front. As if transporting hideously wounded soldiers, sleep deprivation and constant shell bombardment weren’t enough, she becomes unwittingly entangled in the untimely death of a young captain, Tobias Fairfax.

Newly-arrived in Northern France he was found with a discharged pistol by his side; rumours on the battlefield were that it wasn’t an accident and he had taken the coward’s way out, committing suicide.

Whatever the explanation, Tobias left a dangerous legacy that puts May in the line of fire. But she is not the only one with a reason to want to uncover the truth. And in a world where life can be extinguished in the blink of an eye, May might regret her search for answers…

The Last Post is the haunting introduction to the May Keaps series.

Review

Many thanks to BK Duncan, Bloodhound Books and blog tour organiser Sarah Hardy for the ARC of The Last Post in return for an honest review.

This novella by BK Duncan is a triumph of writing, she has taken a story that is exciting and very moving and formed into a short but utterly compelling read.  We are transported back to the horror of the First World War and the brave actions of our heroine May Keeps, as she seeks to know if Tobias Fairfax died by accident or took his own life. What is mystery behind his life?

Mary is a triumph of a character, brave, kind and determined.  Her determined actions under fire, endeared me to her and has me excited for her future adventures.

I could feel the noise and chaos of war in the pages of this finely tuned novella. The noise of the bombs, the battles raging between the trenches and behind the lines was described with great skill by the writer. It almost felt like you where there with May, caught up as she was in a battle for daily survival.

I can’t wait to read more of Molly’s adventures and I’m excited to follow her in future novels.  This a great introduction and a tempting treat,

The Last Post can be download for free from Amazon

Author Bio 

BK Duncan is the pen name Ruth Wade has adopted for the May Keaps series of historical crime novels.

Born on a steam railway and brought up on the South Coast of England, such beginnings were destined to leave BK Duncan with a love of vintage transport, crashing seas, and Art Deco architecture.

Following a career encompassing developmental learning and change-management consultancy she now combines producing her own work with lecturing part-time in creative writing in colleges and academies in Cambridge and Oxford. Her two great passions are longbow archery and the Argentine Tango. Sadly, she is not nearly as accomplished at either as she’d like.

BK Duncan also writes historical crime novels as Ruth Wade.

The author can be followed on these social media sites.

Pinterest/ Twitter/BK Duncan’s page on Ruth Wades website.

Blog Tour ~ Review ~ Charlie Poon’s Pomes by Robin Hawdon and Illustrated by Wendy Hollie.

Unable to find good funny poems to read aloud to his grandchildren – other than the seventy year old A.A. Milne classics – British playwright Robin Hawdon sat down to write some himself. The result is this collection of thirty hilarious and touching poems, beautifully illustrated by Wendy Hoile, which recount the exploits of young Charley Poon – every parent’s nightmare – and his eccentric menagerie of nursery animals. The poems cover everything from youthful games and exploits, to the problems of growing up, to the ups and downs of school and family life, and the joys of country and seaside holidays. Parents and grandparents will be delighted to have something new and entertaining with which to occupy those tricky lights-out bedtime moments.

Review

Many thanks to Robin Howden, Clink Street Publishing and blog tour organiser Rachel Gilbey for the ARC of Charley Poon’s Pomes in return for an honest review.

This is a delightful, charming and funny set of poems that will delight parents and children alike.

I found myself smiling as I read each one and I knew this is a collection of poems I would love to read to the little people in my life.  They capture the innocence of childhood, its sense of adventure and wonder of the world around it.  From poems about Charlie’s toys, his pet mouse, the joy of being next to the sea and the mystery of a parent’s obsession with exercise, Robin Howden gives us a delightful collection of poems that children will delight in being read to them or reading them alone.

They read beautifully and the language flows smoothly when being read aloud, which is important if they are to engage a child’s attention and hold their attention.

The illustrations also deserve a special mention.   They capture the essence of the poems with a sense of warmth and love for the poem’s themselves.  They bring them to life, are colourful and utterly delightful. Any child is going to love the sense of adventure they convey.

Why not buy them and read them to your children and grandchildren?

Charley Poon’s Pomes can be purchased from Amazon.

Author Bio

Dividing his time between Bath, Australia and the South of France, actor, playwright and grandfather Robin Hawdon has enjoyed a successful forty year career in the entertainment industry. During the early years he was a regular face on British TV — appearing in many series and co-starring with Michael Crawford in ITV’s ‘Chalk and Cheese’ and starring in a number of films. He has trod the boards as Hamlet, Henry V and Henry Higgins in Pygmalion and in leading roles in London’s West End. Later his love of writing dominated his career and he is now recognised as one of the UK’s most prolific comedy playwrights —with productions including The Mating Game which has played in over thirty countries and Don’t Dress For Dinner which ran in the West End for six years before playing on Broadway and around the English speaking world. Many of his plays are published by Samuel French and Josef Weinberger. Robin has also directed a number of stage productions, and in the 1980’s founded the Bath Fringe festival, and subsequently became Director of the Theatre Royal Bath, England’s premier touring theatre. He has written several novels including A Rustle in the Grass, published by Hutchinsons in 1984 and republished recently by Thistle. A second novel, The Journey was published in 2002 by Hawthorns and a third, Survival of the Fittest, by SBPR in 2013. His first foray into children’s literature,

The author can be followed on these social media sites.

His webpage/ Twitter

Blog Tour ~ Review ~ LGBT characterisation ~ Blood Rites by David Stuart.

1980s Yorkshire. DI Paul Snow has a personal demon. He is a homosexual but is desperate to keep it secret, knowing it would finish his career in the intolerant police force. As this personal drama unfolds, he is involved in investigating a series of violent murders in the town. All the victims appear to be chosen at random and appear to have no connection with each other. After the fourth murder, he is removed from the case for not finding the killer but continues investigating the matter privately. Gradually, Paul manages to determine a link between the murder victims, but this places his own life in great danger. Can Paul unmask the killer as he wrestles with his own demons?

Review

I would like to thank author David Suart, the publisher and blog tour organiser Abbey Fairbrother for the ARC copy of Blood Rites in return for an honest review.

I have been keen to include books featuring LGBT themes and characters on my blog and so I’m excited to be able to review Blood Rites on Booksaremycwtches.

Firstly I would like to say that this book is a thrilling read!  It has a first rate storyline that will have you clinging to the edge or your book or kindle.  I was hooked throughout and left utterly shocked in places as the story into a delved into the delusional mind of the story’s killer.

Characterisation is top notch.  The novel’s killer is creepy, delusional and yet at the same time calm and seemingly rational. It makes him fascinating and compelling to read about, you find yourself repulsed and drawn to him at the same time.  He is certainly not going to be a character you will find it easy to forget about, because he gets under your skin.

Special mention must go to my favourite character, DI Paul Snow, who to protect his career in the police feels he must live as a closeted gay man.  Writer David Stuart interweaves his reasons for living publically as a straightman and examining the internal and external drama’s this causes for him and those he gets close to. He is a fascinating character, who made me feel sad and frustrated for the life he was forced to live by his colleagues and his own fears.  I was utterly engaged by his story and the drama’s that surround him and he is a character that will stay with me for some time.

If your looking for a really good thriller with a lead character who will steal your heart, but a killer who will repel you, then Blood Rites is the book for you.

You can purchase Blood Rites from Amazon

Author Bio

David Stuart can be followed on Twitter

David Stuart is the author of seventeen novels, numerous non-fiction works and is a film historian and expert on Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. He is a member of the national committee of the Crime Writers’ Association and has edited Red Herrings, their monthly publication, since 1999. He also edited Sherlock, the crime fiction magazine for ten years from 1996 to 2006 and is an invested member of the Baker Street Irregulars and has also also contributed many short stories to various anthologies including Crime in the City (Do Not Press); Murder Through the Ages (Headline); The Mammoth Book of Comic Crime (Robinson); The Dickensian Whodunits (Constable); Crime Scenes (Wordsworth); and The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime 2014(Constable & Robinson).

David Stuart is the author of two one-man plays about Sherlock Holmes, starring Roger Llewellyn and directed by Gareth Armstrong. The first, Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act premiered at Salisbury Playhouse in 1999 and toured for ten years and the second, Sherlock Holmes: The Death and Life, premiered at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, in March 2008 to excellent reviews. Both plays have been recorded by The Big Finish on audio CD.

 

He was born in Huddersfield, where he lives with his wife, Kathryn. He studied English at Leeds University and was a teacher for twenty years before becoming a full time writer.

Blog Tour ~ Review ~ The Bedtimeasnaurus by Mike Bayliss and illustrated by Megan Egan.

A charming collection of gorgeously illustrated poems to encourage fun and bedtime bonding between parents and their children.
The bright pink flamingoasaurus spends its day standing on one leg looking for something to eat. The round and delicious tomotoasaurus sings a tune while soaking up the sun. These are just two of the imaginative and amusing dinosaurs dreamed up in The Bedtimeasnaurus, the sometimes naughty and always hilarious poetry collection for children by Mike Bayliss.
Developing the idea for over thirty years while working on other projects , Bayliss was encouraged to publish his collection after being diagnosed with stage IV non – Hodgkin lymphoma in April 2017, using his work as a positive outlet for his energy as he worked to battle the illness.
Complimented by charming illustrations, opportunities for kids to draw their own dinosaur creations and simple quizzes on each of the characters, The Bedtimeasnaurus not only provides an entertaining read for young children before they go to sleep but also offers a valuable chance for parents to connect and engage.

Review

Many thanks to the author Mike Bayliss, Clink Street Publishing and blog tour organiser Rachel Gilbey for the ARC of the Bedtimeanaurus in return for an honest review.

I’m passionate about inspiring in children a love of books and reading.  For me the books should be colourful and for the very young children simple and enjoyable to read.  They should also come from a place of love.  The Bedtimeanaurus is fun to read and beautifully illustrated, fulfilling my wish list for any child’s book.

Each page features a poem about a different dinosaur from Greedy-asaurus to my favourite, The Flamingo-asarus.  The poems are short, memoriable and funny, which is perfect for this reading age.

An added bonus are the pages at the back of the book where the child can name and draw his own Bedtimeasnaurus. Charmingly there is also a page where parents and child could write their own poem to go with their illustration and  a fun quiz to do as well.

It all adds up, when accompanied by Megan Egan’s eye catching illustrations, to a fantastic read for young readers and their parents.

The Bedtimeasnaurus can be purchased from Amazon

Author Bio 

Born in Walsaill West Midland, UK, Bayliss is an entrepreneur that owns companies in several industries including building supply and property development. He also owns Bespoke Brewery, which opened in 2012 and has since won a number of awards for its craft beer. He lives with his wife and three children in Forest Dean, UK. This is his first book.

The author can be followed on the books Facebook page.

Blog Tour ~ Review ~CWA Anthology of Short Stories Mystery Tour. Edited by Martin Edwards.

Crime spreads across the globe in this new collection of short stories from the Crime Writer’s Association, as a conspiracy of prominent crime authors take you on world mystery tour. Highlights of the trip include a treacherous cruise to French Polynesia, a horrifying trek in South Africa, a murderous train-ride across Ukraine and a vengeful killing in Mumbai. But back home in the UK, life isn’t so easy either. Dead bodies turn up on the backstreets of Glasgow, crime writers turn words into deeds at literary events, and Lady Luck seems to guide the fate of a Twickenham hood.

Showcasing the range, breadth and vitality of the contemporary crime-fiction genre, these twenty-eight chilling and      unputdownable stories will take you on a trip you’ll never forget.

Contributions from: Ann Cleeves, C.L. Taylor, Susi Holliday, Martin Edwards, Anna Mazzola, Carol Anne Davis, Cath Staincliffe, Chris Simms, Christine Poulson, Ed James, Gordon Brown, J.M. Hewitt, Judith Cutler, Julia Crouch, Kate Ellis, Kate Rhodes, Martine Bailey, Michael Stanley, Maxim Jakubowski, Paul Charles, Paul Gitsham, Peter Lovesey, Ragnar Jónasson, Sarah Rayne, Shawn Reilly Simmons, Vaseem Khan, William Ryan and William Burton McCormick.

 

 Review

Many thanks to editor Martin Edwards, publisher Orenda Books and blog tour organiser Anne Cater for the ARC copy of the CWA Anthology of Short Stories in return for an honest review.

I’m the first to admit that i’m not a big reader of short stories, they tend to leave me feeling a little disatisfied.  I prefer full length novels I can loose myself in!

Well I am converted!

This incrediable selection of stories is perfect reading material.  All the stories are exciting, edge of the seat reading.  Like perfectly formed fruit, they wet your appetiate for more from each writer, but leave you satisfied and utterly spellbound at the same time.  Think of this book like a Christmas Advent Calender, full of delicous treats, for each story is a perfectly formed present in minature and you get to keep opening up more and more as you read on.

I loved each and every story and will be gifting it to a few friends who love crime writing this Christmas, because I know they will love it.

Special mention needs to be made to the editor Martin Edwards whose skill has combined so much talent onto one book.

When you have finished reading this anthology of short stories, why not visit the Orenda books website to find more exciting crime filled reads.

The Anthology of Short Stories Mystery Tour can be purchased from all good book sellers including Amazon and Waterstones.

 

Blog Tour ~Guest post ~ The Future Can’t Wait by Angelena Boden.

The Future Can’t Wait is a contemporary novel set in multicultural Birmingham against a background of growing radicalisation of young people sympathetic to Islamic State. Kendra Blackmore’s half Iranian daughter Ariana (Rani) undergoes an identity crisis which resullts in her cutting off all contact with her family. Sick with worry and desperate to understand why her home loving daughter would do this, Kendra becomes increasingly desperate for answers – and to bring her estranged daughter home….

THE FUTURE CAN’T WAIT – The book I had to write

I’m always impressed by authors who draw on their fecund imagination for their novels, particularly those who can conjure up spell-binding tales of fantasy and horror, transporting the reader away from the mundane if only for a few hours.
I’m more inclined towards weaving issues of real life into my fiction, spinning controversial themes in a way that makes the reader ponder and question. To think that they might want to debate them with me is a real driving force. It means the book has twanged a nerve. I am always open to answering courteously posed questions by email or on social media.
I wasn’t so much inspired as compelled to write my second novel, partly as way of coming to terms with a situation I’d had to face but also because many people can relate to some of the supporting issues in the book; empty nesting, helicopter parenting, anxiety driven behaviours (addiction) and empty relationships which trundle on because it’s the easiest option.
The thrust of the book is to show how even the most compliant of daughters (and sons no doubt) can trigger a conflict with the mother, indeed may need to, in order to break away. Normally this is a gradual process which is accepted by both sides, even though it brings a degree of upset to the mother who feels abandoned. In some cases though, it is a violent fracture caused by extreme measures.
My aim in writing The Future Can’t Wait was to show an example of this and Kendra’s reaction to it. I wanted to get readers, especially women, to ask themselves the questions; What would I have done? Was Kendra rational or reasonable in how she handled it? What could/should she have done?

It’s easy for us to be armchair critics peering into the lives of other people, shaking our heads in astonishment. The story of Rani and Kendra is a reflection of my own situation from 2011 – 2016 and yes, I did respond in a similar way. Crazy maybe but a drowning woman will cling to an octopus if there’s a chance of survival. So, the main theme was inspired by personal experience which I wanted to share.
Women and mothers are expected to behave in a certain way, according to the child-rearing experts and psychologists. If you’re not capable of giving unconditional love then you’re not a proper parent. Hmm. Show me where it says that in the secret manual.
Young adults keep secrets or as my daughters made clear from the age of fourteen, ‘It’s private.’ They’re not obliged to share anything with you. That’s worrying especially in these days on online grooming. Tech savvy, they know how to secrete their lives behind layers of passwords and whatever else they know how to do. I wanted to introduce an element of this into the book to show how easy it is to overreact to something we don’t understand. Rani is half Iranian like my own daughters. She belongs to the Persian society at the university. It’s not a quantum leap for Kendra to think she’s being brainwashed in some way. This fear is highlighted by references to the world news during 2015/16. I think this aspect of the book was influenced by the disappearance of some young women to join ISIS in Syria. Hard working, respectable students whose parents swore they knew nothing about it.
I remember my Mum thinking I was into something dark and devious when I suddenly announced I was going to Vancouver to live and that was pre-internet days. She was like a Dachshund going through my things, sure in the knowledge she would find something to back up her conspiracy. The truth came out many years later. She didn’t want me to leave home.
While the writing the book drew on many painful memories, it also gave me quality time to reflect. I was angry that my daughter did to me what Rani did to her mother but the big question will always be, Why? That remains unanswered.
It takes a long time to mend a fractured relationship and it requires a lot of soul-searching and a willingness to apologise in order to make peace. My daughter was the one to take small steps of reconciliation despite my refusal to soften my heart to her. Not after what she’s done was my mantra for a long time. Yeah. What sort of mother does that make me? I know.
She didn’t give up. Knowing how much I wanted a little dog, she announced one day that she’d bought one for the family and asked if I would look after him one week while she was away. My heart came out of the freezer.
Now we are on an adventure to create a new relationship all thanks to our newest family member, Raffi.

Author Bio

Angelena Boden (M.Soc.Sc PGDE) has spent thirty five years as an international training consultant, specialising in interpersonal skills and conflict resolution. She trained in Transactional Analysis, the psychology of communication and behaviour, her preferred tool for counselling and coaching.

Since retiring from training, she runs a coaching practice in Malvern for people who are going through transition periods in their life; divorce, empty nesting, redundancy or coping with difficult situations at work, home and within the wider family.

Angelena has two half Iranian daughters and has extensive experience of helping mixed nationality couples navigate problems in their marriages.

She is the author of The Cruelty of Lambs, a novel about psychological domestic abuse. Her new book, The Future Can’t Wait tackles the breakdown of a mother and daughter relationship within a cross cultural context. It is published by Urbane Publications and is out in November 2017.

Angelena Boden can be followed on the following social media sites.

Website/Twitter /Facebook

 

Blog Tour~ Review ~Whiteout by Ragnar Jonasson

Two days before Christmas, a young woman is found dead beneath the cliffs of the deserted village of Kálfshamarvík.  Did she jump, or did something more sinister take place beneath the lighthouse and the abandoned old house on the remote rocky outcrop?

With winter closing in and the snow falling relentlessly, Ari Thór Arason discovers that the victim’s mother and young sister also lost their lives in this same spot, twenty-five years earlier. As the dark history and its secrets of the village are unveiled, and the death toll begins to rise, the Siglufjordur detectives must race against the clock to find the killer, before another tragedy takes place.

Dark, chilling and complex, Whiteout is a haunting, atmospheric and stunningly plotted thriller from one of Iceland’s bestselling crime writers.

Review

My thanks to the author Ragnor Jonasson, publisher Orenda Books and blog tour organiser Anne Cater for the ARC of Whiteout in return for an honest review.
It can be hard sometimes to find the right words to describe why you liked a book. I struggled hugely to express my feelings towards some of America’s greatest works of literature when I was studying at Aberystwyth University. It was often worst when I really enjoyed the story. My thoughts scattered and all over the place, mirroring my often disordered thought processes. One of my favourite lecturers described my resulting writing style as a cross between well thought out theory and a frustrated Mills and Boons writer. So forgive me if this review gets a bit dramatic and chaotic!
I was drawn from page one, by the clever use of landscape to create a tense and riveting read. The house in the deserted village of Kalfshamarvik, seems to perch alone, buffeted by the coastal winds and waves that pound the shore. What should be a safe haven against the elements for those that live there, seems to trap them and ghosts from the past within its walls. It’s become a prison, where death stalks those that have buried secrets that can no longer be contained and which threaten to engulf them in a powerful whirlpool of ever expanding danger.
The characterisation is also superb. Right up to the very last page of Whiteout, Ragnar Jonasson takes the perceptions you have begun to build up about the characters and smashes them into tiny little pieces. I was convinced I had some idea of who did what, when and why! I was even prepared for a little game of cat and mouse by the writer, but not for the way he turned everything on its head and left me utterly gobsmacked. He has created a collection of characters that are individually fascinating, but when grouped together form a assembly worthy of comparison to some of the great Agatha Christie set pieces.
Importantly I think this book works well as a standalone novel, even though it is part of a series. I have not read the others, but I didn’t feel I missed out, or lost anything by not being more familiar with the main characters. Though If you can, I would always recommend reading the other books, because it if they are as good as this one, then you’re in for a real treat.

 

You can purchase Whiteout from Amazon and Waterstones.

 

Author Bio 

Ragnar Jónasson is author of the international bestselling Dark Iceland series. His debut Snowblind went to number one in the kindle charts shortly after publication, and Nightblind, Blackout and Rupture soon followed suit, hitting the number one spot in five countries, and the series being sold in 15 countries and for TV. Ragnar was born in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he continues to work as a lawyer. He also teaches copyright law at Reykjavik University and has previously worked on radio and television, including as a TV-news reporter for the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service. Ragnar is a member of the UK Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) and set up its first overseas chapter in Reykjavik. He is also the co-founder of the international crime-writing festival Iceland Noir. From the age of 17, Ragnar translated 14 Agatha Christie novels into Icelandic. He has appeared on festival panels worldwide, and lives in Reykjavik with his wife and young daughters.

 

Blog Tour ~ Book Giveaway ~ See What I Have Done by Sarah Schmidt.

I am incredibly excited to be able to run a book giveaway, for Sarah Schmidt’s stunning See What I Have Done. 

To be in with a chance of winning one of five paperback copies, go to the pinned post on my Twitter feed and favourite the tweet or leave a comment on this blog post.

Good luck everyone, this is definitely a book that should be on your reading lists.

The competition will close at 5pm on Monday evening and is open to UK residents only.

Haunting, gripping and gorgeously written, SEE WHAT I HAVE DONE by Sarah Schmidt is a re-imagining of the unsolved American true crime case of the Lizzie Borden murders, for fans of BURIAL RITES and MAKING A MURDERER.

‘Eerie and compelling’ Paula Hawkins
‘Stunning’ Sunday Times
‘Gripping… outstanding’ Observer
‘Glittering’ Irish I

 

Just after 11am on 4th August 1892, the bodies of Andrew and Abby Borden are discovered. He’s found on the sitting room sofa, she upstairs on the bedroom floor, both murdered with an axe.

It is younger daughter Lizzie who is first on the scene, so it is Lizzie who the police first question, but there are others in the household with stories to tell: older sister Emma, Irish maid Bridget, the girls’ Uncle John, and a boy who knows more than anyone realises.

In a dazzlingly original and chilling reimagining of this most notorious of unsolved mysteries, Sarah Schmidt opens the door to the Borden home and leads us into its murkiest corners, where jealousies, slow-brewed rivalries and the darkest of thoughts reside.

See What I Have Done can be purchased from Amazon

Author Bio

Sarah Schmidt is a librarian from Melbourne. Her debut novel is See What I Have Done, a re-imagining of the unsolved American true crime case of the Lizzie Borden murders in which Lizzie was tried but never convicted of the murder of her father and step-mother, and the case remained unsolved. Sarah became obsessed with the Borden story after reading about it by chance in a second-hand bookstore and her passionate research has even taken her to stay for several nights in the Borden house.

Sarah Schmidt can be followed on Twitter at @ikillnovel

 

 

Cover Reveal ~ The Big Event by Anne John-Ligall.

Welcome to the cover reveal of an exciting new short story by Anne John-Ligall, which will be published on 30th November. 

So sorry about this, but I’ve just been informed by the author that there were minor errors with her blurb. If you can use this version instead of the one with the media kit I would really appreciate it.

You are cordially invited to the party of the season where you’ll meet Constance and friends in action.

Constance Jeffries is excited when she gets the chance to meet up with virtual friends at a get-together in a London hotel. She’s been tweeting and messaging her lovely friends for years and feels they must be just as excited to finally meet her in person too. Or so she hopes.

The Big Event is first part in a short story series about the importance of ‘real’ friendships and how it’s the little things that matter the most.

You can pre-order The Big Event from Amazon Uk.

You can also watch  a ytube trailer by following this link.

 

About The Author

Anne John-Ligali is a writer and the founder of Books and Authors UK, a popular website featuring author interviews and book reviews.  She loves all things books: reading, writing, going to book events, and meeting other book lovers. She has written a series of short stories and is currently writing her first novel.
When Anne is not writing, she is likely to be at soft play with her kids, taking long evening walks in Hyde Park, making green smoothies, window shopping, or having a pampering session at her local beauty salon (whenever she gets the chance). She can also be found watching box sets (albeit with a bit of shame at still having to catch up on Scandal, Grey’s, and Downton).
Originally from Peterborough, Anne now lives in London. After moving to London, she studied graphic design at the University of Arts and has held a number IT administration jobs in the city. Anne continues writing and aspires to write more women’s fiction books, a non-fiction book and several children’s books.

The author can be followed on following social media sites –

Author blog.

Author Twitter Account.

The author’s FB page.

Instagram page

Author blog site

Blog Twitter sites

Blog FB page