Today, I am delighted to be a part of the Blog Tour for Hannah Beckerman’s newest release, The Impossible Truths of Love.
First things first, the Blurb!
From bestselling author Hannah Beckerman comes a moving story about memory, secrets, and what it really means to feel that you’re one of the family.
When Nell’s father makes a deathbed declaration that hints at a long-held secret, it reignites feelings of isolation that have plagued her for years. Her suspicions about the family’s past only deepen when her mother, Annie, who is losing her memories to dementia, starts making cryptic comments of her own.
Thirty-five years earlier, Annie’s life was upended by a series of traumas—one shock after another that she buried deep in her heart. The decisions she made at the time were motivated by love, but she knew even then that nobody could ever understand—let alone forgive—what she did.
As the two women’s stories unravel, a generation apart, Nell finally discovers the devastating truth about her mother’s past, and her own.
In this beautifully observed and emotionally powerful story of identity, memory and the nature of family, Hannah Beckerman asks: To what lengths would you go to protect the ones you love?
Having read one of Hannah Beckerman’s previous novels, I was excited to dive into her newest release, The Impossible Truths of Love, knowing it would be good. However, I didn’t realise it would be that good, that I would devour it in one sitting! Nell’s father whispers a statement to her, on his deathbed that stays with her. Unfortunately, he is unable to ever clarify the meaning. She watches her mothers mental health deteriorate, due to dementia, and the odd little comments she makes, cause Nell to stop and think. I am not sure exactly how to word this review, without giving away the story too much, but suffice to say, my reader detective antennae pricked up, as soon as I realised there was something hidden, and there were several ideas running through my mind, as to what the outcome would be. Some were close, some not so close, but the twists – WOW! All I can say is that there is always right and wrong in any decision we make. Sometimes love is the reason we make those decisions. Can any decision made with parental love in mind, ever be wrong? Of course, they could, and this novel explores that in a way that tugs at the reader’s heartstrings. Nell’s discoveries and trauma are told in a parallel storyline to her mother Alice’s, in a Then and Now format of chapters. Each layer is unwrapped and reveals another piece to the jigsaw puzzle of Nell’s life, rather like an elaborate Pass The Parcel. I truly loved this book, and it will be one that stays with me for a long while. Stunning read! Thanks to FMCM Associates and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hannah Beckerman is an author, journalist, event chair and broadcaster. In the UK she writes for a range of publications including The Observer and The FT Weekend Magazine, and appears as a book critic on BBC Radio 2 and Times Radio. She regularly chairs at literary events and panels across the UK and has judged numerous book prizes including the Costa Book Awards.
Before becoming a writer, Hannah was a TV and film producer both in the UK and the US.
Today, I have the pleasure of being a part of a very special release day!
Our very own, Sacha Black, has done it again with another cracker of a non fiction release, following on from her gems, 13 Steps To Evil, 10 Steps to Hero, and an absolute favourite of mine, The Anatomy of Prose.
This time we welcome 8 Steps to Side Characters!
Now, Sacha has guided us, in her inimitable way, through how to create the most evil kind of villains and those flawed, yet strong heroes, so it stands to reason that we need some guidance about how to handle all those other characters that make up the bones of our books… so here we have it!
Wanna know more about what it’s all about? Here’s the blurb:
Do your characters fail to bring your story to life? Are they flat, boring or have no depth? Is your story lacking a little cohesion or sparkle? In 8 Steps to Side Characters, you’ll discover:
+ A step-by-step guide for creating side characters that bring your story alive + The main types of side characters and what you should do with them + The key to crafting character depth that hooks readers + How to harness your character’s voice to deepen your reader’s experience + Tips and tricks for using details to enhance characterization + Methods for killing characters that will help deepen plot, theme and story + Dozens of ideas for creating conflict with your side characters + Tactics for differentiating characters and making them feel real to your reader + Character archetypes and functions + The most common pitfalls and mistakes to avoid
8 Steps to Side Characters is a comprehensive writing guide that will help you create the side characters your story needs. This book is packed with tips and tricks for polishing characters for writers at any level.
If you want to power up your characters, eliminate dull and lifeless archetypes, and perfect your characterization, this is the book for you. By the end of this book, you’ll know how to strengthen your characters to give your story, prose and plot the extra something special it needs to capture a readers and fans for life.
If you like dark humor, learning through examples and want to create better side characters, then you’ll love Sacha Black’s guide to crafting supporting roles with intention, purpose, and power. Read 8 Steps to Side Characters today and start creating kick-ass stories.
After I read my ebook arc, I was quick to get in there with my request for a signed hard copy of this beaut, too and it will be well thumbed, I can promise you!
Some authors, you just know you are going to read and enjoy. And one of those, for me, Sacha Black, has done it again with her next writing craft special, 8 Steps To Side Characters. I’ve loved her previous guides to writing Villains, and Heroes, and the Anatomy of Prose was just ENLIGHTENING! You know you’re reading a real (Sacha) Black beauty when the first chapter in the book is called F*ck The Rules! Her colourful language embodies all that is Sacha, ensuring a read full of laughs, snorts, and ‘A-ha!’ moments! There is so much in the book to help you craft your side characters into solid people that readers will understand, and how to use them to push the story forward. Side characters are fantastic literary devices, but you really do need to know the nuances of how to use them, and also, it’s important to know what kind of side character you are writing… yup, there are several types. Sacha has it all covered! What a fantastic resource that had me questioning all my side characters, past and present – in a good way. You can always count on Sacha for a dose of ‘Real-talk’ writing advice. And one of my favourite lines, which I can just hear her saying… (I listen to Sacha’s podcast, so her wonderful British lilt is ingrained in my mind!) “Don’t be an @sshole – they’re full of sh!t rather than words”. I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And… she doesn’t just have the Textbook available, as always there is an acompanying Workbook, too. She’s a whip-wielding task master, that Sacha…! But, honestly, if you want to hone your craft, what better way than to work through the exercises designed to strengthen your craft?
What are you waiting for? Get yourselves out there!
Oh, and if you want more, check out Sacha’s Social Media. There are a whole host of mini tip videos that have been posted over the last few days, and for the next few days, Sacha has some fantastic interviews lined up.
As part of the launch week, I’ll be interviewing nine authors all about their side characters, their favorite side characters from books and films as well as their tips for creating better characters. And I’ll be doing that all LIVE on instagram every night at 8pm from the 30th July to the 8th August.
Sacha Black
Friday 30th July – Mark Lefebvre from Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing Podcast
Saturday 31st July Jeff Adams from Big Gay Fiction podcast
Sunday 1st August Katlyn Duncan YouTuber and author
Monday 2nd August Daniel Willcocks, my Next Level Authors cohost, book coach and horror authors
Tuesday 3rd August Crys Cain, host of Write Away, cohost of TASM and author
Wednesday 4th August Kristina Stanley, CEO of Fictionary.co
Thursday 5th Helen Scheuerer author of fantasy
Friday 6th Miranda Bridges romance author
Saturday 7th Elaine Bateman urban fantasy author and staff writer at Indie Author Magazine
Sunday 8th August – if I haven’t collapsed, will be a solo show from me.
Are you a fan of Dystopian fiction? Fancy a bit of Antipodean adventure?
Well, come join me as I start off the blog tour for Kate Mildenhall’s newest release, published by Harper Fiction, The Mother Fault.
The Blurb
Mim’s husband is missing. No one knows where Ben is, but everyone wants to find him – especially The Department. And they should know, the all-seeing government body has fitted the entire population with a universal tracking chip to keep them ‘safe’.
But suddenly Ben can’t be tracked. And Mim is questioned, made to surrender her passport and threatened with the unthinkable – her two children being taken into care at the notorious BestLife.
Cornered, Mim risks everything to go on the run to find her husband – and a part of herself, long gone, that is brave enough to tackle the journey ahead.
From the stark backroads of the Australian outback to a terrifying sea voyage, Mim is forced to shuck off who she was – mother, daughter, wife, sister – and become the woman she needs to be to save her family and herself.
I’m not sure what I was expecting when I requested this book, but when I began reading I realised it was very different to my usual reading genre. Dystopian fiction is not really my thing, However, when you couple an unknown genre with a topic I love, which is motherhood, and family, and the lengths said mother would go to for hers, then you get a pretty good read. I was intrigued from the off, and seeing the development of Mim’s character, as she tries to save her family, made for a great read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
About the author:
Kate Mildenhall is a writer and teacher, who lives on the outskirts of Melbourne with her young family. She has taught in schools, at RMIT University and State Library Victoria, and volunteered with Teachers Across Borders in Cambodia. Her debut novel, SKYLARKING, was published in Australia by Black Inc. in 2016 and in the UK by Legend Press in 2017. Skylarking was longlisted for the Voss Literary Prize 2017 and the Indie Book Awards 2017.
Kate has received residencies at Varuna, the Writers House and at Bundanon.
With friend and author Katherine Collette, Kate co-hosts The First Time podcast, a podcast about the first time you publish a book.
I am delighted to invite my dear friend, and blog sis, Marjorie Mallon, to my blog today to let you all know about the re-release of her first novel, Bloodstone: The Curse Of Time Book 1. It has recently been picked up by a publisher, been given a makeover of sorts, and is back out there, in the book wild, and I, for one, am thrilled for Marje, because she has worked so hard for this! I read it the first time round, and I’ve also had a sneak peak at a very early draft of Book 2. Lots of fun in store for readers!
Let me pass you over to Marje!
Thank you so much Ritu for being part of my impromptu blog tour for my re-release of Bloodstone, The Curse of Time Book 1.
Next Chapter Publishing – YA fantasy The Curse of Time series:
Bloodstone – The Curse of Time Book 1
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Fifteen-year-old Amelina Scott lives in Cambridge with her dysfunctional family, a mysterious black cat, and an unusual girl who is imprisoned within the mirrors located in her house.
When an unexpected message arrives inviting her to visit the Crystal Cottage, she sets off on a forbidden path where she encounters Ryder: a charismatic, perplexing stranger.
With the help of a magical paint set and some crystal wizard stones, can Amelina discover the truth about her family?
A unique, imaginative mystery full of magic-wielding and dark elements, Bloodstone is a riveting adventure for anyone interested in fantasy, mythology or the world of the paranormal.
A tremor shook my body, and my teeth chattered. My ears rang with the sound of the earth cracking below my feet. It meant that I had left it too late to run. My eyes fell downwards as the world tilted on its axis, and the realisation came to me that the only way out was via a slide that suddenly appeared at my feet.
With one glance, I could tell the slide had a definite beginning but no visible end. I placed a tentative step onto the slide. The minute I touched it, I knew there was no time for fear. I swallowed hard and plunged into the darkness, sliding into oblivion. Every emotion I possessed had compressed into mere seconds—a momentary adrenalin rush. Sensations continued like the aftermath of the wildest rollercoaster ride. Fuelled by fear, it sent my senses reeling, the ultimate blood-pounding, stomach-churning thrill.
I slipped down the slide and landed on a stone floor, yet it cushioned my landing like a silky feather down quilt. No longer afraid of the shadows, I felt welcomed, at home. With wide-eyed astonishment, I took in the magnificent interior of the Crystal Cottage. Gems in a myriad of welcoming shades—purple Amethyst, white Quartz, red Jade, blue Topaz—covered the walls. A riot of colours reflected in the facets of the crystals, which welcomed me with their brightness. This magnificent display promised more, luminous lights twinkled and burst forth from each separate gem in a firework-like extravaganza. I gasped. My breath caught in my throat, and I glanced down at my hands. They were sparkling as if they had touched an enormous glitter ball. A crystalline light bounced off the walls of the cottage, finding a resting place on my face. The brilliant light caressed me.
My heart filled with wonder at this miraculous event and I wished the exquisiteness of the moment would last forever. I willed this spectacle to carry on and on, but the glowing display tapered off. The colours became darker, and glimmers of the crystals’ bright lights darkened to a menacing black, then lightened to a grey, washed-out colour before turning a muddy brown.
In horror, I could feel the skin on my face puckering like an orange peel stripped of all moisture. My body shivered, and I shook. I stirred in my sleep, suspended in the haze of the dream. I struggled to remain, not wanting to leave the beauty and comfort of the Crystal Cottage. So I remained, floating in the abyss, fearful but longing to find out more.
In my dreamy state, I lifted my head and looked up. All I could see was the strange creature a short distance above me, standing as if he waited, but for what I could not tell. He held a ladder—two long ropes connected by short crosspieces made of skin and bones—which he dangled down. I grimaced, but with no other choice open, I reached out and latched onto the gruesome ladder device. The creature hoisted me out, and we stood side by side, motionless for a second. We exchanged no words. Once again, I felt the ground beneath my feet shudder and crack wide open into a large gash of exploding brown earth. I stepped back, afraid of the black void looming in front of me. I shrieked as I observed the creature as he plummeted into the depths of the earth, the whole time reaching his arms out towards me as he fell.
My alter ego is MJ – Mary Jane from Spiderman. I love superheros!
M J Mallon was born in Lion city Singapore, a passionate Scorpio with the Chinese Zodiac sign of a lucky rabbit. She spent her early childhood in Hong Kong. During her teen years, she returned to her father’s childhood home, Edinburgh where she spent many happy years, entertained and enthralled by her parents’ vivid stories of living and working abroad. Perhaps it was during these formative years that her love of writing began inspired by their vivid storytelling. She counts herself lucky to have travelled to many far-flung destinations and this early wanderlust has fuelled her present desire to emigrate abroad. Until that wondrous moment, it’s rumoured that she lives in the UK, in the Venice of Cambridge with her six-foot hunk of a rock god husband. Her two enchanting daughters have flown the nest but often return with a cheery, heart-warming smile to greet her.
MJ’s writing credits also include a multi-genre approach: paranormal, best-selling horror, supernatural short stories, flash fiction, and poetry. She has worked with some amazing authors and bloggers compiling an anthology/compilation set during the early stages of COVID-19 entitled This Is Lockdown and later she wrote a spin off poetry collection, Lockdown Innit.
She’s been blogging for many moons at her blog home Kyrosmagica, (which means Crystal Magic,) where she celebrates the spiritual realm,her love of nature, crystals and all things magical, mystical, and mysterious.
Her eclectic blog shares her love of reading, reviewing books, writing, and photography: https://mjmallon.com/
To always do what you Love, stay true to your heart’s desires, and inspire others to do so too, even if it appears that the odds are stacked against you like black hearted shadows.
Her favourite genre to write is
Fantasy/magical realism because life would be dull unless it is sprinkled with a liberal dash of extraordinarily imaginative magic!
What a thrill to be able to help spread the word about a fabulous book!
I was asked to be a part of the blog tour for Geraldine Verne’s Red Suitcase, the second novel by Jane Riley, and after reading the blurb, I jumped at the chance!
Here’s the Blurb
His dying wish was to set her free. So why does she feel so trapped?
Jack had two dying wishes: that his wife scatter his ashes somewhere ‘exotic’, and that she not give up on life once he was gone. He intended to spur her on to new adventures, but despite clinging to her red suitcase, Geraldine Verne hasn’t left the house for three months.
It takes an accident for Geri to accept help from her friends, but when Meals on Wheels arrive she is mortified. Yet heartbroken volunteer Lottie brings with her more than cottage pie and custard. Like Geri, she too is struggling to cut loose.
As a gloriously unlikely friendship blossoms, Geraldine begins to feel a long-lost spark of life and a newfound confidence. Perhaps what both women needed most, after all, was each other.
I was thrilled to be asked to read an arc of Jane Riley’s second, book, not least because the blurb hooked me right away. The grief of losing someone is intense, and we all deal with that grief in different ways. Geraldine Verne, or Geri to her friends, is floundering. She is lost without her soulmate, Jack. Upon his passing and subsequent cremation, she finds herself unable to let go of his ashes, and rather than display the urn on her mantlepiece, as some do, she finds solace in wrapping Jack up in special mementoes and placing him in a red suitcase they used to travel with, using it as both a physical and emotional crutch. An accident forces her to rethink her ideas, as she is suddenly in need of help. More help than ashes and a wheelie suitcase can provide her. My heart went out to Geri. A woman in her later years, with nothing more than her husband’s remains, and his collection of butterflies as her support. The way she shut everyone out, in order to wallow in her grief, really hit home with me. But I loved the way her saviour came in the form of a Meals on Wheels volunteer, and now, despite their age difference, and background, they actually helped one another accept the way their lives were going to be. Grief can hit us duer to the loss of a loved one, who has passed away, as well as one who has left us and our life, whilst still living theirs, and this book explores that whole topic in a very sensitive, yet entertailing way.
Hi, I’m Jane Riley!
I was born and raised in New Zealand. After graduating from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in French and English literature, I headed to Europe to practise my French, got waylaid in Germany and ended up in Australia.
I have had a varied career in public relations, publishing, freelancing as a writer and editor, and launching an online e-commerce business, which involved writing a design blog interviewing makers and creators. When The Likely Resolutions of Oliver Clock was published, I achieved my dream of becoming a full-time author.
I live in Sydney with my husband, an energetic but scared-of-heights Australian cattle dog-staffy cross, and two daughters old enough to not be living at home anymore. I volunteer as an English language tutor for the Adult Migrant English Program, am learning the piano and teaching myself Italian.
But I Smile Anyway... 