Exclusive Cover Reveal and Giveaway: A House Full Of Secrets by Zoe Miller..

I am delighted, and honoured, to be the first to share the cover of Zoe Miller's latest novel, A House Full of Secrets.  I also have a copy of the book to giveaway to one lucky reader, to be posted on publication day, 3rd August. To be in with a chance of winning this first edition, please enter via rafflecopter link below. Open INT and closes on 7th July. Good Luck!

*Drum Roll Please*

THE BLURB

When Londoner Vikki receives an invitation from Niall Blake to join him for a weekend at his family home in a remote part of Ireland, she hopes it will be the perfect opportunity to turn their friendship into something more significant. But Niall has a different reason for his proposition …

As the weekend takes a sinister turn and Vikki discovers more about Niall, his estranged older brother Alex and his over-compensating sister Lainey, it becomes clear that the family harbours a long-buried secret. But who is out to destroy them? Could it be one of their own? And why did Niall invite Vikki along for the weekend?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zoë Miller writes contemporary fiction laced with mystery and intrigue. She is married and lives on the south side of Dublin, close to the foot of the Dublin Mountains. She has two daughters and a son. Zoë has been writing since childhood, when she loved reading so much that she felt compelled to write stories herself. Before having the time to devote to writing novels, she had short stories and feature journalism published. Zoë has successful eight novels published by Hachette Books Ireland, including The Compromise, A Husband’s Confession, A Question of Betrayal and Someone New.

  You can contact Zoë at www.zoemillerauthor.com, or Twitter @zoemillerauthor, or Facebook.com/zoemillerauthor.

A House Full of Secrets is published by Hachette Ireland on 3 August 2017 and in UK PB in Feb 2018. You can pre-order your copy via amazon link below:

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Blog Tour: 'The Reunion' by Roisin Meaney. Author Feature and Review.

I am kicking off the blog tour for the PB edition of The Reunion by Roisin Meaney. Huge thanks to the author for her blog feature and to the publishers for inviting me along for the ride. Check out the other stops on the tour this week.


There is also a giveaway running over on twitter @margaretbmadden. See pinned post to enter. Open INT. Good Luck!

AUTHOR FEATURE

Home Sweet Office

  

The best part about working from home? You can stay in pjs all day and meet nobody. The worst part about working from home? You can stay in pjs all day and meet nobody.

It’s complicated.

In 2008, with four published novels under my belt, I took the quantum leap and gave up my permanent, pensionable teaching job to become a full-time writer. My parents, both former teachers, threw up their hands in horror at the thought. For me, it wasn’t such a big deal. Granted, I was taking a bit of a risk: despite my third novel having ascended the year before to the giddy heights of number one in the Irish charts (staying there for all of one memorable week) I was far from a household name in the literary world. Despite having had the incredible luck in 2002 to win a two-book publishing deal on the strength of the first three chapters of my first offering, I was still very much a newbie among Irish female writers of contemporary fiction.

On the other hand, I was single with no family to support, nobody to feed and clothe but myself – and I’d long been a fan of the charity shop, where you could kit yourself out from head to toe and have change from a tenner. I’d also been lucky enough to buy my house before prices had leapt into the stratosphere, so my mortgage was what estate agents would describe as bijou. My third trump card was that my aforementioned (horrified) parents lived a ten-minute stroll from me, so in the event of imminent starvation all I had to do was lift the phone and request that my mother add half a dozen spuds to the dinner pot. In short, I needed very little to live on, and I was young(ish) and blessed with an optimistic disposition, so I quit the classroom and became a bone fide fulltime writer.

Nine years on, I’m still here. Still writing, still solvent. Still not a household name, and certainly not well off in monetary terms, but my fourteenth novel is about to hit the shelves, and each new book garners a few more readers, and my publishers since book three (Hachette Books Ireland) are showing no signs of losing interest.

And as for working from home, it’s been wonderful. I took to it right away. I’m pretty organised – years of teaching will do that to you – so I found it easy enough to plan a schedule each time a new book was called for. After that, it was just a matter of nailing down a plot – a month or so of hair-tearing and sleepless nights, but it got done – and then parking myself in front of the laptop every morning once breakfast was dispensed with, and hoping for the best.

Thankfully, the schedules were followed and the books emerged. I discovered quite early on that there’s nothing like a deadline to concentrate the mind. It’s one thing to rail against setting boundaries on creativity, but when it’s a case of ‘deliver the manuscript or don’t get paid’, creativity becomes amazingly obliging. To date I’ve met all my first draft deadlines, and coped with the joys of editing the subsequent drafts, and with each new publication I’ve settled more happily into the routine of working from home. 

And here’s what I’ve learnt.

Not having to set an alarm is psychologically great. I say psychologically because I’m a rubbish sleeper and wouldn’t know a lie-in if it smacked me in the face with a pillow. It’s just the idea of not having to wake up at a given hour that puts a smile on my face when I wake up an hour before that – and the smile widens in direct proportion to how heavily the rain is smacking against the bedroom window.

Following on from that, staying half the day, or the whole day, in pjs isn’t really what it’s cracked up to be. I rarely do it now, and when I do I feel obscurely guilty, and in nagging need of a shower – and of course Murphy’s law decrees that on those rare occasions the doorbell will definitely ring, and I’ll have to present myself in all my unwashed dishevelment to the caller. 

Lidl on a Monday morning is a very different animal to Lidl on a Friday evening. Shopping, particularly Christmas shopping, becomes a whole lot easier when you can choose what time to do it.

The fridge morphs into your enemy when it’s ten paces from your office. Since telling myself not to snack has as much effect as telling myself to go to sleep, I’ve had to adjust what the fridge contains: the prospect of bingeing on a bowl of carrot sticks or eating an entire cucumber in one sitting holds surprisingly little appeal. Mind you, my fruit bowl empties at an alarming rate – but it’s fruit, which everyone knows has zero calories.

I thought I’d miss the workplace interaction more. As long as I make sure I meet up regularly with pals after hours – not a problem – I’m happy to spend my days alone. Although now and again I tuck the laptop under my arm and head out to a coffee shop, just because I can.

I’m trying not to sound smug. I suspect I’m failing. The truth is, I love my life. I love working from home, making up stories and getting paid for it. I hope I can keep doing it till the day I keel over and stop breathing – and if that happens when I’m at the office, I’ll die happily.

MY REVIEW

Opening a school reunion invitation brings feelings of uncertainty for sisters, Caroline and Eleanor Plunkett.  Do they want to return to their past?  Caroline is now a successful designer, splitting her time between the UK and Italy.  Eleanor is stuck in a rut, overweight and struggling to connect with her husband and son.  Both women may have been born to the same parents, but their lives began to split while they were still in their teens.  Can facing up to the past help them improve their present, or is going back the wrong thing to do?

It's funny how two siblings can end up in completely different situations.  Caroline was the studious one, destined for a career in academia,  whilst younger sister Eleanor was the more fun-loving of the two; more interested in her boyfriend and having a laugh with her mates.  However, one fateful evening changes their paths in life.  Caroline soon finds herself pushed away from the family home and Eleanor's boyfriend dashes all hopes for her own future.  In the midst of all this change is the girls mother, who is more concerned with the goings-on of her neighbours than of her own two daughters.  Secrets are kept, lies are told and damage is done. 

Roisin Meaney has a way of telling a story that makes you feel like you are in a room with the characters, hearing them chat to each other, rather than reading words on a page.  From very early on in the novel, there is a feeling of genuine concern as to how these two girls will handle their own stories.  Caroline is the victim of the most despicable crime, yet is treated as if she is to blame.  Her mother takes control of the situation and God help anyone who tries to object.  A distance cousin, Florence, steps up to the plate and becomes Caroline's saviour.  A wonderfully warm and quirky character, she has a delightful presence throughout the novel.  Back in Ireland, Eleanor is weighed down with personal grief and is scared to face up to her past.  Her story is addressed further into the book, with memories unfolding which help to explain her distance.  

The Reunion is a book about families and how they can sometimes be fractured and displaced.  The keeping of secrets, the hiding of home-truths and the attempt at showing a united front are not always the right approach to take.  Most families have drama within their folds.  Sometimes admitting your flaws is the only way to gain solidarity.  By using two sisters, both with hidden traumas, the author has created a novel which is both endearing and astute.  The dual time frame is very cleverly used and every single character adds something to the overall narrative.  Florence is fantastic and her group of older-generation friends are a breath of fresh air.  Her bijoux cottage sounds like a place that we would all love to visit, with its mis-matched decor and charity shop finds.  Added to the narrative are Caroline's trips to Italy, with its stunning surroundings, warm family get-togethers and an air of change. 

It's easy to see why Roisin Meaney is one of Ireland's best-loved authors.  She has a way of bringing her characters to life, making them part of your world as you move from chapter to chapter.  Should you spot this on a bookshelf, grab a copy.  This is what female fiction is all about. 

***********************

The Reunion is published by Hachette Ireland on 6th April and is available in PB and ebook format. You can pick up your copy in all good bookshops, or order via the amazon link below:

Book Review - 'Falling Softly' by Maria Duffy.

Holly is getting ready for an extra-special Christmas.  Her boyfriend, David, has proposed and the groundwork for the wedding has begun.  He is a great guy, who clearly adores her, but something is missing. Why can she not get excited about the big day?

Josh's girlfriend is pregnant and they are moving into their new home before the baby arrives. She is stunningly beautiful and he would do anything to keep her happy.  But small cracks are beginning to show and the house move brings up some unexpected challenges.  Not least the fact that he is now across the road from Holly, who he used to date...

Who hasn't wondered what their first love is up to? The powerful connections that young adults experience can sometimes be exaggerated in our memories and rose-tinted glasses are often used. But how would you cope if you ended up seeing that special someone on a daily basis and the feelings resurfaced?  Holly and Josh find themselves hiding their past romance and keeping their feelings under wrap.  Holly has doubts about her impending marriage and her fiancee (and his needy mother) begin to get on her nerves.  At least she has her job in a local veterinary practice to keep her sane.  Josh's model girlfriend, Stephanie, is high maintenance and struggling with her pregnant status. Josh can't wait to become a dad and tried to instill some enthusiasm into the expectant mother.  It's not as easy as he thought and bends over backwards to please her, despite some of her dodgy decisions. As Christmas looms, the two households struggle to build up the seasonal spirit as memories come knocking on their doors.

Maria Duffy is one of Ireland's best known writers of female fiction and this is her sixth novel.  Each one is written with a gentle touch and a warm tone.  In Falling Softly we meet two characters with a connected past, who are about to embark on their individual futures.  Their unexpected reunion throws some serious spanners in to the works and their memories resurface.  Duffy interlaces the past and the present, whilst using supporting characters to create the overall atmosphere.  This is not a Christmas book, just one that happens to take place over the festive period.  The writing is charming and both Josh and Holly are endearing. Their respective partners are well drawn upon, with Stephanie being a particularly nasty piece of work. David's mother is a classic, controlling mother-in-law and I think I would hide behind the sofa if I thought she was on her way over to my house.  This is an enjoyable read, ideal for the holidays.  It has some sparkle, some sadness and a dash of hope. Ideal for fans of Cathy Kelly and Claudia Carroll.

Falling Softly is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in TPB. You can order your copy, with 17% discount and Free Worldwide Postage, HERE. The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

Blog Tour - 'Someone New' by Zoe Miller. Author Feature and Giveaway.

Thanks to Hachette Ireland and Zoe Miller for inviting me on the Blog Tour for Someone New.  I have a copy of the book to giveway to one lucky reader.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck! 

A suspenseful and sophisticated new novel from the author of A Question of Betrayal and A Husband's Confession, perfect for fans of Lesley Pearce.

Someone New

by Zoë Miller

In her heart, Grace knows the perfect, reliable, good-looking Gavin isn’t right for her. Then she meets Danny. Unpredictable and spontaneous, he turns her world upside down. All of a sudden, Grace is seeing life differently and doing things she never thought she’d do.

But tragedy strikes when Danny dies in a motorbike accident, shattering Grace’s world. As she struggles to come to terms with her loss, she becomes more and more convinced that she’s being followed – sighting a motorbike exactly like Danny’s everywhere she goes. And she starts to wonder if Danny’s death was really an accident.

When she finally voices her suspicions to her family and the police, though, no one seems willing to believe her.

Meanwhile Grace feels ever more under threat as sinister things begin happening to her. What was Danny hiding from her?  And what kind of danger is she in now?

AUTHOR FEATURE FROM ZOE MILLER

I’d like to say a huge thank you to Margaret Madden for featuring Day 3 of the Someone New blog tour as a guest post on her blog, Bleach House Library.  Today it’s all about the importance of secondary characters and what they can bring to the story.

I usually write my stories in the third person as opposed to first person. It means I am telling the story through more than one pair of eyes. There are advantages and disadvantages to both forms. First person means the story is told on a more immediate and intimate basis, and can feel very natural, which in turn can be very compelling to both write and read, but you are restricted to writing the novel from only one person’s point of view. I find I prefer to use two or three different viewpoints in which to explore every dimension of the story and turn the spotlight onto all aspects of the character. These viewpoints also help to give the reader a more rounded sense of each person and to appreciate different sides of the story. You can switch from one person to another and from scene to scene in a way that racks up the tension. But no matter what style you choose, you do need to have one main protagonist, who touches everyone else to some degree and from whom most elements of the plot will develop and evolve.

In Someone New, the main character is a woman called Grace Bailey. Thirty years old, and as the novel opens, at odds with herself and her life, she was the person through whom I decided to tell the story, but in order to show different aspects to Grace and enlarge on various angles of the plot and broaden the scope of the narrative, I needed a secondary character, someone to act as a counter balance to Grace.

Enter Lucia, Grace’s older sister.

It was fun getting to know the kind of person Lucia was so that she could act as a contrast and bring out a different side to Grace.  Lucia evolved in my mind’s eyes a total foil to Grace, she appears to be everything Grace is not; brainy, highly organised, sparkling and brilliant, neat and petite in her figure and her clothes, running a successful career and the kind of house that fully reflects that success, besides being married to the rather wonderful Robert. Already we can see how having an older sister like this might have an effect on a younger sister’s life and the decisions she makes, before we’ve even got to any of the plot points.

The make-up and actions of secondary characters, when they are set side by side with the main character, can be a catalyst for drama and conflict in itself with the contrast between them and their divergent approach to life. They can also help in deepening our understanding of the main protagonist. They are not merely there to pad out a story but to play an important role in helping to enhance the plot and strengthen our engagement with the protagonist.

In Someone New, I enjoyed pitching Lucia and Grace together on the page. What I liked about them as sisters is that, although they are very different people, they were there for each other, particularly Lucia in the role of big sister to Grace when the bottom fell out of her world.  Although Lucia seems to be fully capable of micro-managing her life in an effortless fashion, underneath that perfect front we see a very human side to her as she reacts to her sister’s distress, feeling a sense of helplessness swamping her, the sight of Grace’s white face sending panic fluttering around her.

Secondary characters must develop in their own right, and Lucia is not featured in Someone New solely to heighten our understanding of Grace, but she has a story of her own to tell, because after we see the first glimpses of her as a vulnerable human, we soon discover there is more going on beneath the surface of that sparkling lifestyle than you might expect!

Thank you Margaret, for having me on your blog!

Zoë xx

About Someone New

In her heart, Grace knows the perfect, reliable, good-looking Gavin isn’t right for her. Then she meets Danny. Unpredictable and spontaneous, he turns her world upside down. All of a sudden, Grace is seeing life differently and doing things she never thought she’d do.

But tragedy strikes when Danny dies in a motorbike accident, shattering Grace’s world. As she struggles to come to terms with her loss, she becomes more and more convinced that she’s being followed – sighting a motorbike exactly like Danny’s everywhere she goes. And she starts to wonder if Danny’s death was really an accident.

About the author

Zoë Miller was born in Dublin where she now lives with her husband. She began writing stories at an early age. Her writing career has also included freelance journalism and prize-winning short fiction. She has three children.

Her previous novels include A Question of Betrayal, The Compromise, A Family Scandal and Rival Passions. 

www.zoemillerauthor.com    
@zoemillerauthor
Facebook.com/zoemillerauthor

Someone New is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in TPB and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with 12% discount and Free Worldwide Postage, HERE.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

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#RandomRecommendation Giveaway - Janet E.Cameron 'Cinnamon Toast and the End of The World'.

Today's #RandomRecommendation is a novel that I read a few years back and still think of regularly.  I have a signed copy to giveaway for one lucky reader.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below to be in with a chance.  Good Luck!

MY REVIEW

It's 1987 and Stephen Shulevitz is finishing high school in Nova Scotia, listening to The Cure, smoking dope and drinking vodka, along with his classmates.  He is preparing for college, his mother is upset at the thought of him leaving and he is carrying around a huge secret.  He is gay.  Although some people have suspicions, he has yet to announce it and the thought of it scares him. The other problem he has is that he is in love with his best friend, Mark, who is homophobic.

This book surprised me. I had expected an average tale of high school angst and coming of age cliches.  I was so wrong!

Janet E Cameron has turned the story of Stephen into one of the most pleasurable reads of this genre I have come across.  Her writing is sharp, clever and up to date. The characters are likeable, believable and endearing.  Stephen's mother and father are ex hippies who separate early on in his life but play a pivotal role in his teenage years. Lana, who is a great friend to Stephen since they met years before is also an ever present force in his life.

The author brings us along with Stephen as he struggles through some difficult times; in school, at home and socially.  Mark and Lena surround him with friendship and patience when times are tough and Stephen fears he may lose this closeness by telling the truth.

This novel is just wonderful.....An ideal read for anyone aged 14 upwards although be aware that there are some references to sex and drug use, but only in a minor way.

Highly recommended!

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Book Review - 'The Privileged' by Emily Hourican.

I received a copy of this title, via netgalley.com, for review purposes.

Three girls, from three different backgrounds, become best friends in their exclusive school.  Stella is the middle-class bright spark, Laura is the only child of a bohemian artist and Amanda is the beautiful and lively offspring of New Money parents.  Although they have virtually nothing in common, the girls are inseparable, until the arrival of a cocky stranger at their end of term party...

Approaching adulthood is a little like jumping off a long pier and hoping for the best.  Stella, Laura and Amanda have never doubted that their friendship would withstand University and eventual careers.  As with most teenagers, they presumed that their bond was unbreakable.  There was always the chance that they would head in different directions when their jobs dictated, but none of them expected the change to occur before they had even finished college.  How did this all happen so fast?

This is a novel I found hard to categorize.  Not female fiction, not grip-lit, not psychological drama and not quite literary fiction.  There were definitely moments of all these genres within the pages of The Privileged, but then the moment was gone and a new chapter would change the course.  The writing is wonderful, full of heady atmosphere and genuine affection, and the story pulls you along at a nice, steady pace.  There was just something lacking, or perhaps the narrative was stretched out a bit too much.  There was an implication that one event was the catalyst of the girl's fallout, but really this was not the case.  They had nothing in common from the start and Amanda was never going to follow the paths that Stella and Laura would.  The drink, drugs and sex angle is nothing new and any tabloid paper could tell the real-life story of girls like Amanda.  Amy Winehouse, Paula Yates, or even as far back as Marilyn Monroe.  All of these women were damaged before meeting the men who would topple them over the edge.  Amanda was destined to fall.  It is just doubtful that her two friends would have remained her friend for as long as they did.  

An enjoyable read, with a leaning toward literary fiction, but just too long. The author's writing style is her strength and I look forward to reading book two...

The Privileged is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in PB and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with 15% discount and Free Worldwide Postage, HERE.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

Book Review - "The Reunion" by Roisin Meaney.

I received a copy of  this title, via netgalley.com, for review purposes...

Opening a school reunion invitation brings feelings of uncertainty for sisters, Caroline and Eleanor Plunkett.  Do they want to return to their past?  Caroline is now a successful designer, splitting her time between the UK and Italy.  Eleanor is stuck in a rut, overweight and struggling to connect with her husband and son.  Both women may have been born to the same parents, but their lives began to split while they were still in their teens.  Can facing up to the past help them improve their present, or is going back the wrong thing to do?

It's funny how two siblings can end up in completely different situations.  Caroline was the studious one, destined for a career in academia,  whilst younger sister Eleanor was the more fun-loving of the two; more interested in her boyfriend and having a laugh with her mates.  However, one fateful evening changes their paths in life.  Caroline soon finds herself pushed away from the family home and Eleanor's boyfriend dashes all hopes for her own future.  In the midst of all this change is the girls mother, who is more concerned with the goings-on of her neighbours than of her own two daughters.  Secrets are kept, lies are told and damage is done.

Roisin Meaney has a way of telling a story that makes you feel like you are in a room with the characters, hearing them chat to each other, rather than reading words on a page.  From very early on in the novel, there is a feeling of genuine concern as to how these two girls will handle their own stories.  Caroline is the victim of the most despicable crime, yet is treated as if she is to blame.  Her mother takes control of the situation and God help anyone who tries to object.  A distance cousin, Florence, steps up to the plate and becomes Caroline's saviour.  A wonderfully warm and quirky character, she has a delightful presence throughout the novel.  Back in Ireland, Eleanor is weighed down with personal grief and is scared to face up to her past.  Her story is addressed further into the book, with memories unfolding which help to explain her distance.  

The Reunion is a book about families and how they can sometimes be fractured and displaced.  The keeping of secrets, the hiding of home-truths and the attempt at showing a united front are not always the right approach to take.  Most families have drama within their folds.  Sometimes admitting your flaws is the only way to gain solidarity.  By using two sisters, both with hidden traumas, the author has created a novel which is both endearing and astute.  The dual time frame is very cleverly used and every single character adds something to the overall narrative.  Florence is fantastic and her group of older-generation friends are a breath of fresh air.  Her bijoux cottage sounds like a place that we would all love to visit, with its mis-matched decor and charity shop finds.  Added to the narrative are Caroline's trips to Italy, with its stunning surroundings, warm family get-togethers and an air of change.

It's easy to see why Roisin Meaney is one of Ireland's best-loved authors.  She has a way of bringing her characters to life, making them part of your world as you move from chapter to chapter.  Should you spot this on a bookshelf, grab a copy.  This is what female fiction is all about.

The Reunion is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in TBP and ebook version.  You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage and 13% discount, HERE.

The ebook version can be purchased via amazon link below:

Book Review - "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Roisin Meaney.

I finally grabbed a copy of this, after Christmas, and was delighted to plonk myself down by the fire and get my Christmas reading on...

Tilly is on a mission.  Onboard a flight halfway around the world, she is trying to find answers.  The questions have only just surfaced but time is not on her side.

Laura is in a dark place.  A recent illness has caused her life to change and she fears it will never be the same again.  Despite the love of her family, she struggles to wear a smile these days.  

Can the two strangers bring each other some comfort or is distance more than a measure of miles?

This is Roisin Meaney's twelfth female fiction title and her words are by no means drying up.  Although marketed as a Christmas book, this could be read at anytime of the year.  It is a novel of hope, the concept of family and new beginnings.  It tells the stories of two very different girls, yet with something in common.  They have had polar opposite lives, in vastly different countries, yet have both been hurt by the same man.  They may not realise it, but they could do with each other.  Tilly is lost and alone, with childlike innocence that she needs helps growing out of.  In contrast, Laura could do with some of her innocence back.  She has battled demons and is struggling to come out the other side.  The Irish author combines the two strong characters with a more abstract, geographical one: Roone, a small island off the coast of Ireland.  Here the reader learns that sometimes things happen for a reason, not always fathomable...

Roisin Meaney has a knack of bringing Ireland to life, even if it seems a bit cliché.  The ramblings of the islanders may seem extreme, but I have heard many a conversation similar in cities, as well as villages.  We Irish love to talk!  The sense of community is also realistic, as many have seen over the past few weeks during the floods in Ireland and the UK.  There is also a calm certainty to the relationships formed throughout the book.  There is no need for bells and whistles, or grand gestures of romance or thrills.  The everyday lives of the characters are more than enough.  We all know you can have Prosecco and Macaroons, but sometimes a fruit scone and a cup of tea is all you need.  Likewise with a good book.  No matter what the season is, the key is to sit down, relax and escape into another world for a bit.  Maybe with a scone and a cuppa on the side...

A lovely, warm read.  Ideal for fans of Freya North and Jane Greene.

I'll Be Home For Christmas is available, with Free Worldwide Postage and 13% discount, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

'A Question Of Betrayal' by Zoe Miller. Author feature and Giveaway.

I am delighted to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for Zoe Miller's A Question of Betrayal.  There is a copy of the paperback edition of this title up for grabs, so just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!

THE BLURB

A Question of Betrayal: Ever since the deaths of her adored parents, Carrie Cassidy has avoided risk and commitment, fearful of bringing something precious into her life only to lose it again. So now she finds herself working in yet another uninteresting job, and the love of her life, who wanted more than she could give, has left her. Will she ever move on?
Then, a mysterious woman visits Carrie and reveals a secret that forces her to delve into her mother's past. As Carrie learns more about the woman she thought she knew, she finds herself looking at her own life and wondering if she's living it the way her mother would have wanted her to. Meanwhile there is someone watching Carrie who would rather the past stay buried . . .

AUTHOR FEATURE

When writers need to put the right words together…

Carrie Cassidy wasn’t looking for love when she met Mark at her cousin Fiona’s wedding. She’d known the joyful day would be difficult, as it was so at odds with the way her life had come to a full stop, and watching her radiant cousin glide up the aisle on her proud father’s arm reminded her sadly that her beloved father was no longer around and would never escort Carrie up the aisle.  It was no wonder she glugged too much champagne and kept seeing him every time she turned around – the tall, skinny groomsman with the messy black hair and sexy eyes. She caught him watching her from across the room like a heat seeking missile, and knew he was also catching her watching him. Later, Mark took her hand and whirled her out onto the dance floor under the colourful strobe lighting. They danced as if they’d known each other forever, and it was the start of their heady, whirlwind romance.

Mark was the lover who shored up all the corners of Carrie’s life with his presence, his jokes and friendship, and most of all his love. He had adventures planned for both of them that would take a lifetime to complete, but his wonderful plans ground to a halt when Carrie refused to get on a plane, even for a short trip to Paris. After all, her beloved parents died in a plane crash. Mark tried a different tactic. He texted her little messages and put them on post-it notes, placing them around the house for Carrie to read, affirming messages that said:

Carrie is sitting in the departure lounge, looking forward to her flight

Carrie feels good as she walks up the steps to the plane…

Carrie is calm and relaxed boarding the plane…  

It was Henry Ford who famously said words to the effect that whether we think we can or think we can’t, we’re right. If we consider that something is impossible, well then, for us it is impossible. If I told myself it was impossible to write two thousand words a day, chances are I’d never achieve that word count. Whereas if I not only told myself the opposite, but planned to do that, there would be a far greater likelihood that I’d largely succeed. In the constant chatter going on at the back of our heads, the messages we send ourselves are all-important and can mean the difference between getting things done or not at all. In most professions and walks of life, persistence and self-belief are key ingredients in achieving any kind of success, but they are crucial in the business of writing. Writers work alone for long periods at a time, and unlike being in an office with supportive colleagues sitting a few feet away, ready with an encouraging smile or helpful comment if you’re having a bad day, writers have to rely mainly on themselves to get on with it, and that’s where self-belief and positive, affirming messages are so important. At a writing workshop years ago I was told that while it was difficult to get published, it wasn’t impossible. Those words stayed with me, inspiring me and keeping my fingers moving across the laptop keys. We put words together to create all sorts of magical and mysterious worlds, why shouldn’t we put the right words together to encourage ourselves onwards and upwards?

As to whether Mark finally persuaded Carrie to board the plane with his boosting messages, the answer in in the book!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Zoë Miller writes contemporary fiction laced with intrigue and drama. She is published by Hachette Books Ireland and her latest book, A Question of Betrayal, is now out in paperback. When Zoë’s not escaping into her writing world, she juggles her time between her family and the day job. Find out more at www.zoemillerauthor.com, Facebook/zoemillerauthor, or follow Zoë on Twitter @zoemillerauthor.

A Question of Betrayal is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in paperback and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

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"The Game Changer" by Louise Phillips.

I received an ARC of this title from Hachette Ireland...

Dr.  Kate Pearson is back.  Entering a  new stage in her life, she has taken time off work to spend her days with her son and new partner.  However, the clinical psychologist in her does not take long to surface when she receives strange notes at her home.

Meanwhile, a murder in New York is linked in someway to a death in Dublin and Kate's father is among the names linked with the victim's past.  When she hears of her father's involvement in a research group back in the 1980s, it brings back some long suppressed memories.  But can she remember enough to connect her traumatic childhood with the present-day death?  

DI Adam O'Connor is dealing with some strange disappearances.  A random mixture of adults have chosen to leave their friends, families and homes but not before withdrawing large amounts of cash from their bank accounts.  While they all leave messages to assure their safety, the DI is unconvinced.  All the missing had been attending spiritual guidance and meditation classes, setting off alarm bells for O'Connor and his team.  Is there something more sinister at play?

This is Louise Phillips fourth crime thriller book featuring Dr. Kate Pearson and DI O'Connor.  They are now living together and trying to find their feet as a couple, as well as parents to their respective sons.  Kate is on a sabbatical but is not switching off so well.  Anonymous notes are delivered to their home and are causing her many sleepless nights.  Adam is tied up with a transatlantic murder inquiry and is not telling her the whole story.  The missing persons list is growing and growing, yet there doesn't seem to be any signs of foul play.  Just a lot of missing cash.  Why does Kate feel so scared and unsure of herself?  Is her past finally catching up with her, without her even remembering what happened back then?

This is a novel of twists, turns and roundabouts.  A new roadway is discovered around every corner and you just don't know what is around the bend.  You think you are finally getting somewhere, then, bang....a new sign appears.  There are many markings on the map of this story,  but can you trust your judgement?  Can you believe what you see?  

There are really two main threads to this novel.  There is the mystery of Kate's past and the Irish connection to a New York murder, then the story of the missing persons and their reasons for leaving.  Kate and Adam seem to be ships passing in the night and their earlier electricity has now faded to a glow.  They both seem far too set in their own individual ways to work well as an equal couple, ready to give up a piece of themselves or their chosen careers.   The chapters on individual characters, who have left their homes suddenly, were the strong ones in this book.  Each person has a reason for leaving.  They are vulnerable and prime-picking for users of clever mind-games.  Phillips cleverly shows how minds can be moulded when a person is at their weakest.  The idea of 'belonging' or of being 'understood' is so strong that some people will not see what is blatantly obvious to a more content and centered person.  

 There are facts, figures and real-life examples dotted through the novel, perhaps unnecessarily, but it is up to the reader whether to read more into the real-life stories or not.  The chapters are short and snappy, flicking back and forth between Kate, The Game Changer and a host of other characters.  Louise Phillips is not afraid of shocking her readers.  Once again, there is murder and mayhem along the bumpy ride.  This is a crime writer who is not afraid to lead her readers off the beaten path...

The Game Changer is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in  TBP and ebook format.  You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, here.  The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

  

#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 14 - "The Game Changer" by Louise Phillips. Exclusive extract and Giveaway.

I am very proud to be able to show you all an exclusive sneak peek of the first four pages of Louise Phillips latest crime thriller, The Game Changer, published on 3rd September 2015. 

  

  As a tribute to my author friend, I have organised some special giveaway swag for Bleach House Library followers.  There are two mugs and a notebook up for grabs, with one of the first copies of The Game Changer being sent to one lucky reader, hot off the press!  Just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Remember, there are separate links for each giveaway.  Good Luck!

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What if you went missing and couldn’t remember anything?

When criminal psychologist Dr Kate Pearson was twelve years old she was abducted, but she has no memory of the time she was held.

Over twenty years later, an anonymous note is pushed under her door …

I REMEMBER YOU, KATE

And suddenly Kate’s distant past becomes her present.

When Kate discovers that her parents lied to her about the length of time she was missing, she is forced to question everything about her childhood.

Could the suspected suicide of an ex-master in Dublin and a brutal murder in New York be connected to her abduction all those years ago?

And was her father involved?

While Kate delves deeper into the recesses of her memory to uncover the truth, a murderous cult leader is bearing down on her.

The GAME CHANGER is out for revenge. Someone has to pay for the sins of the past.

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Bleach House Library Exclusive:  The first four pages of The Game Changer by Louise Phillips

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There is also a glimpse at some of the acknowledgments from The Game Changer, which say a little bit about the authors relationship with writing the story:

"WRITING IS ALWAYS AN EXPLORATION, AN ENTRY into a world that doesn’t exist until you create it. It is a challenging, rewarding and at times daunting experience, and one in which you never know the full extent of the journey unless you have travelled the entirety of it.

Like my previous novels, Red Ribbons, The Doll’s House and Last Kiss, The Game Changer started out with an impetus of an idea. I was intrigued by the manipulation of the individual in group environments and how the innocent are not always best prepared for this.

Writers study people. It is part of our DNA. Which is why over the last few years, looking at group behaviour has fascinated me. Like a lot of things in life, being part of a group can be both a positive and negative thing depending on the dynamics of the grouping, the people involved, and how an individual fits in. This was my starting point for The Game Changer and it certainly framed the story. However, as the writing progressed, the novel became so much more than that.

Our parents are one of the biggest influences in our lives, and within this story, the sins of the father rippled through the narrative in a way that as the writer I didn’t expect." 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dublin-born crime author Louise Phillips won the Ireland AM Crime Fiction Book of the Year Award for The Doll's House, her bestselling second novel, in 2013. Red Ribbons (2012) and Last Kiss (2014), which also feature criminal psychologist Dr Kate Pearson and DI O'Connor, were each shortlisted for the award.

Louise's work has been published as part of various anthologies and literary journals. She has won the Jonathan Swift Award, was a winner in the Irish Writers' Centre Lonely Voice platform, and her writing has been shortlisted for prizes such as the Molly Keane Memorial Award and Bridport UK. In 2015, she was awarded a writing residency at Cill Rialaig Artists' Retreat in Kerry and was also a judge on the Irish panel for the EU Literary Award.

The Game Changer is her fourth novel.

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The Game Changer will be published by Hachette Ireland on Sep 3rd 2015 and will be available in TBP and ebook format. 

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#IrishFictionFortnight - Day 14 - "Two Fridays in April" by Roisin Meaney. Author Feature and Giveaway.

Thanks to the author, there are two copies of her latest title up for grabs for #IrishFictionFortnight.  Just enter via rafflecopter link below.  Good Luck!

THE BLURB

It's Una Darling's seventeenth birthday, but nobody feels much like celebrating. It's been exactly a year since the tragic death of her father Finn, and the people he left behind have been doing their best to get on with things. But it hasn't been easy.

Daphne is tired of sadness, of mourning the long life she and her husband were meant to share, but doesn't quite know how to get past it. And she can't seem to get through to her stepdaughter - they barely speak any more, so Daphne knows nothing of the unexpected solace Una has found, or of the risk she's about to take.

When Una fails to appear for birthday tea with her family, Daphne suddenly realises how large the distance between them has grown. Will she be given the chance to make things right?

Author Feature

Over the years I’ve discovered that there are two little words that let writers get away with blue murder. Know what they are?

‘It’s research.’

This little phrase has allowed me to bake and sample a limitless variety of cupcakes (Love in the Making), sign up for a Life Drawing class (The Things We Do for Love), spend time on Valentia Island (One Summer, After the Wedding, I’ll be Home for Christmas), audition for, rehearse and perform in several amateur dramatic productions (Half Seven on a Thursday) – you get the picture.

Research can be the bane of your life as a writer – the amount I had to do for Something in Common, which spanned twenty-three years, nearly killed me – but it can also come in very, very useful indeed. It can provide you with the perfect excuse to travel (note to self: set next book on Caribbean island), to indulge in what might otherwise seem like frivolous or time-wasting pursuits (evening classes, baking sessions, people-watching, eavesdropping) and to poke around in other peoples’ lives to your heart’s content, as long as you call it research. I’ve interviewed just about everyone, from doctors and nurses to guards and farmers and accountants and lawyers and bakers, and as a rule I’ve found that most people are delighted to be asked, and don’t consider you nosey at all if you say you need the information for your next book.

There are, of course, some questions you can’t ask. ‘Tell me about married sex,’ I said once to a gang of my friends. ‘Does it get stale, do you have to spice it up, do you find yourself looking in other directions, what?’ Never having been married myself, I needed some insight into what it’s like to go to bed with the same man every night for several years. We were out for dinner, everyone was relaxed, we’d known each other forever and they’d all been married for quite a while.

Did they share their experiences, knowing I wasn’t looking to be titivated, and my question was on a purely need-to-know basis? Not a bit of it. To a man, or rather to a woman, they clammed up. I got nada. Some subjects, it would appear, are taboo, even in the interests of research.

And then there are other subjects that simply don’t lend themselves to being broached. The theme of Two Fridays in April was bereavement, and how people cope with losing someone dear to them, and how they eventually learn to live with their loss. Despite the fact that thankfully I have had limited personal experience of bereavement to date, I interviewed nobody for this. I couldn’t bring myself to ask someone to open up on what I was afraid might be too painful a topic. How could I know how someone might react, or what sadness I might cause by inadvertently thoughtless questions? So I made it up, using what little information I could garner from the media, or the Internet, or other third party sources on the subject, and hopefully I pulled it off.

Two Fridays in April went into Australia, via Hachette’s sister company over there. It was the first of my books to get an order from there, which I was delighted about. I’ll be Home for Christmas, the book I’ve just finished writing, and which is due to be published in October, features a character from Australia who travels to the island of Roone a few days before Christmas.

I’ve never been to Australia, so when I decided to include an Australian character in I’ll be Home for Christmas I had to interview some Australians who have made Limerick their home. I wanted to find out what their first impressions of Ireland were, and what differences stood out when they arrived here, and of course I also needed a lot of information about life in Australia. As usual, people were happy to talk, and I learned a lot about Down Under – and now I want to go there.

No problem. I’ll set a whole section of my next book there, and then I’ll have to go. Purely for research purposes, you understand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR            

Roisin Meaney worked as a teacher in Ireland and an advertising copywriter in London before becoming a fulltime writer of books. To date she is the author of eleven bestselling adult novels and two children’s books, and her works have been translated into many languages. On the first Saturday of every month she tells stories to small children in her home city of Limerick’s main library, passing on her love of books and reading to the next generation. Her twelfth adult novel is due on the shelves in time for Christmas. She’s a fan of chocolate, cats, the sun and Bananagrams.

www.roisinmeaney.com

Twitter: @roisinmeaney

Two Fridays in April is published by Hachette Ireland and is available in paperback and ebook format.  

You can order the paperback, with Free Worldwide Postage, here, while the ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

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