Category Archives: Book Blogs

My Book Writing Journey #WritersLife #WritingBooks

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Hi there, welcome to my little corner of the World Wide Web.

I LOVE reading about writing journeys. They are normally filled with perseverance, bravery, an endless love of words, a lot of daydreaming, blood, sweat and tears.

Reading an author’s writing journey is my go-to for when I am lacking motivation. If you are thinking of writing a book or are in need of some motivation read on.

Here is my journey.

  1. 2013. I turned 40 and decided I wanted to achieve a life long ambition. Since a small child I’d wanted to be an author. However life had got in the way. By the time I was 40 I was reading more books than I was having hot dinners and I wanted to write my own. A few things gave me cause for concern: I didn’t come from a journalism background, I didn’t have a degree or masters in Creative Writing (I had a degree in something unrelated), I didn’t know any writers or authors and I did not have a clue what I wanted to write about. Feeling overwhelmed, I put my ambition to the back of my mind and tried to forget about it.
  2. 2014. For Christmas 2013 my husband bought me a 12 week creative writing course at my local university. He was not going to watch me give up on a dream. It was part time and one evening a week. With a belly full of butterflies, a brand new pencil case and a notebook I went along. The course was great and it proved to me I could write something. The thought of writing a book felt like a huge mountain so I decided to master the art of writing regularly. At one of the sessions the tutor had recommended setting up a blog. A week later I would creep upstairs on a wet Sunday afternoon and set up THIS blog.

3. August 2015. I had been blogging for a year and had actually come to enjoy writing what I called my list posts. I tried to make them funny. They were mainly lists based on being a stressed out mother and a newbie writer. To my surprise I was nominated for the ‘Funniest Blog’ Award at the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards 2015. It was voted for by the online community. To my absolute SHOCK and AMAZEMENT – I won. Dark pic of me below holding up my winners t-shirt.

4. 2016. Once I’d mastered the art of list posts I decided to write something. My blog series – The Diary of Roxy Collins was born. Each week I would write a fictional extract from her diary. Roxy was like Bridget Jones but older with three failed relationships behind her, three children to raise by herself, a lot of heartbreak and the most adorable landlord ever – Brian. Once I’d stuck Roxy on my blog I decided to upload her onto Wattpad. At that time I knew nothing about Wattpad. I hoped it would reach a few readers. This was how the first few weeks went on Wattpad. I had 10 followers and 4 of them had liked my story. I was so proud of myself.

Six months later and Roxy’s diary had been included as part of a featured Romance Author campaign. She gained me 70k followers on Wattpad, 270k reads and gave me so much validation. I even went and turned her into a podcast. This was recorded in my daughter’s shoe cupboard with a microphone and a gin & tonic on a Friday evening.

5. 2017-2019. I decided to start writing my first book. It was based on an idea which had been bubbling away at the back of my mind for some time. My husband had run the London Marathon to celebrate 10 years being cancer free. As he did his training he started carrying round with him a little red notebook to record his training schedule, leaving us all instructions on the fridge and creating wall planners to get us all organised. This sparked the idea for my novel – Instructions For Falling in Love Again.

6. June 2019. After a LOT of agent rejections (40+) I decided to self publish Instructions. Self publishing was also a lot harder than I thought. My goodness I learnt a lot about launching a book, self promotion, social media, proofreading, reviews and being an author. It was a steep learning curve for me and my lovely non writer friends who gave up a birthday weekend to proofread my book. My two non writer reader friends showed real promise at proofreading 🤣 Big shout out to Sue whose birthday it was. The book launched and I was so proud of myself.

Writing a novel proved harder than I thought. During those 2 years I shoved it in the drawer a LOT and wrote other stories. I also kept begging my non-writer friends who read romance books to read it and give me feedback. I have very honest non-writer friends 🤣 and their feedback was interesting – but it was what I needed. They didn’t hold back and I remember one friend titling her feedback email to me (third revision of book) with – WHAT HAVE YOU DONE??? Sigh! But looking back I think the feedback and gaps in writing it plus the constant revisions really helped it to become a book.

7. 2019 – 2022. These were my book blogging and bookstagram years. I experienced a LOT of rejections on two books (40+ on each book) during this time. They were rejections but I got a good number of full requests for the full novels so I felt like I was improving. That’s the weird thing about rejections for books – there are different levels of rejections.

Book blogging became a distraction. It also was really valuable as it forced me to read a lot of books and review them. This really helped my writing. I started to see what makes a good read, what makes a romance novel successful and how authors structure their books. In hindsight this period in my writing life was very important and despite all the rejections – this was when I started to grow in terms of writing ability.

I also carved out a space for me and my writing in my house. Books become things which would make me smile even when I was being deluged with rejection emails. They kept me going in the bleakest of rejection hours. It would have been so easy to give up during these years, but I carried on. Each time I felt like quitting I would look up at them and say to myself, ‘that author never gave up!’

8. 2021 – 2022. I got to work with two literary agents on two different books. One offered me representation and I was over the moon. It was a dream come true. Sadly my book did not sell on submission but the experience was so valuable. My agent and I parted ways amicably and I was very grateful for her commercial knowledge, wisdom and approach to critiquing a draft novel.

9. 2023. I submitted a manuscript to Bloodhound Books and prayed to my bookshelves. Bloodhound Books had published a few of my favourite romcom authors so I knew they were a great publisher.

10. 2023. The best news ever arrived! My new novel is due out in September 2023 and you are going to LOVE it!

The moral of this story / journey is – never give up!

If you are a romance author and interested posting your own writing journey on my blog let me know. Get in contact with me by leaving a message on my blog, via DM on Twitter or Instagram.

Things Which Book Lovers Can Relate to #MondayBlogs #Booklovers 📚❤️

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I am on a book reading high at the moment. Some great books have come my way and I thought would do a book related post in celebration.

Here are some things book lovers can relate to:

  1. When someone asks you to pick out your favourite book from your entire book collection and they are still waiting for you to answer an hour later.
  2. At a social gathering someone wants you to tell them about the book you are reading. Little do they know you are LOVING the book you’re reading. An hour later, you’re still talking about this book and they have wandered off to talk to someone else.
  3. The pain of struggling with a book for 300 pages and then being rewarded with a terrible ending.
  4. When someone questions whether you can read a book in a day…
  5. People who borrow your books and return them dog eared and tea stained.
  6. Trying to remember a time in your life when you didn’t have a reading pile / list.
  7. Coming out of a bookshop empty handed and announcing to loved ones you must be sick.
  8. When someone tells you the ending of a book you’ve been wanting to read for ages.
  9. Reading a good part of your book in the bath and your glasses keep steaming up.
  10. When someone you know reads the same book as you and questions how anyone could find the fictional love interest attractive. You haven’t been able to stop thinking about that sexy love interest and have had several sleepless nights re-reading the book’s spicy chapters.
  11. Loved ones who sneak their books onto your bookshelves without conforming to your colour coding or design and think you will never notice.
  12. The stress of not being able to find a book mark.
  13. Starting a book with expectations of it changing your life.
  14. Being haunted by the thought, ‘I didn’t bring my book / kindle with me.’
  15. When someone says – ‘it’s just a book..’
  16. When you see one of your best ever reads on a shelf in a book shop and you give it a knowing smile.
  17. Reading your way through grief.
  18. The good plot twists aren’t the ones that are wild left turns out of nowhere, they’re the ones that make all the other little things that didn’t quite add up before suddenly click.
  19. Wondering how those characters from that fab book you read last year are doing now
  20. When you try to explain..’I have been crying for the last I don’t know how many chapters…’

Author Interview – Bettina Hunt @BeautySwot #romance #amwriting

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A few creative moons ago I read, Without a Hitch, by a romance author called Bettina Hunt. From the start of the book I loved her humour, her relatable characters and her take on romantic comedy. I went onto read one of her other novels; A Tempting Trio, and laughed so much at her hilarious book I nearly fell off my chair. Since then I have become a bit of a Bettina Hunt author superfan. She still hasn’t managed to shake me off – lol.

In real life she’s one of the funniest people I know and always makes me smile. Now that her fabulous new book, High Heels on the Beach, is out I have persuaded her to come on my blog.

I thought it would be fun to do an author interview so you can all find out more about Bettina Hunt.

Please welcome one of my favourite romantic comedy & women’s fiction authors, Bettina Hunt.

Hello, thanks for having me on your blog, it’s such an honour!

  1. Bettina – can you tell us about yourself?

Such a difficult first question, Lucy!

I’m a forty something writer of romcoms and women’s fiction. I have two young boys and I can tell you that homeschooling them during Covid was certainly not an easy thing as one thing I’ve never wanted to be is a teacher, huge respect to those who are!

I used to work in product management however, at one time I was thinking of becoming a lawyer… that attention to detail that I learnt during my law degree has held me in good stead 😉

As a gemini I have so many interests, I can be known to be indecisive but the one thing I knew was that I always wanted to write in some capacity. I started writing a blog about beauty and afternoon tea when I was at home with my eldest boy and then added a Friday Column so that I could share my poetry and short stories. My first book – A Tempting Trio – was originally a short story on my blog.

I’ve published four books and partially written another five. My ultimate dream is to have at least one of my books made into a film. I would also love to be part of a comedy writing team, writing either comedy sketches or a sitcom (i’m not fussy!) Sharon Horgan is one of my favourite writers and she’s written two of my favourite TV Shows – Catastrophe and Motherland. Most recently I’ve become obsessed with the BBC ONE series This Is My House. It’s a brilliant concept, so entertaining and funny.

Just before lockdown I also discovered Schitt’s Creek which is the ultimate heartwarming, feelgood comedy series. With perfectly written characters that evolve beautifully as the series plays out I laughed and cried. It’s the best series ever.

  1. Tell us about your new book?

High Heels on the Beach is a heartwarming contemporary romantic comedy set in both London and the fictional seaside town of Sunny Bay. It tells the story of Becca who’s used to letting her bestie make decisions for her in a twist on the Choose Your Own Story books that they used to read. When her world comes crumbling down, Becca realises she needs to stop relying on others and take control of her own destiny. Her planned voyage of self-discovery is thwarted by the need for her to return to the one place she’s been avoiding, home. In Sunny Bay she’s forced to take on the running of the family’s B&B, bringing her face to face with old flames and adversaries and meeting a host of colourful residents at the B&B. The story follows Becca’s emotional journey and her struggle between the pull of her old corporate life and a new life in Sunny Bay.

  1. Where did the idea for the book come from?

I actually got the idea when I was on holiday in Spain. I was looking around at the people by the pool and wondered how many of them were not looking forward to getting back to their jobs and the idea spiralled from there. I had planned to start writing it during NanoWrimo in November, however I felt compelled to write as soon as I got home and wrote 30,000 words during the Summer Holidays.

  1. When you are not writing books what do you like doing?

Most of this hasn’t been possible since COVID struck but … I love going out for afternoon tea, eating out and enjoying cocktails. I love going on mini breaks. I love the theatre, the west end shows. I love watching comedy shows on TV to lift my spirits. And I LOVE to sing 🙂 just for me mostly although I do lip syncs on Instagram too.

  1. Best piece of writing advice you have ever been given?

You have to turn on the tap to let the water flow AND you can’t edit an empty page.

  1. How long have you been writing books?

I wrote my first full book in 2015 but i’ve always had ideas bouncing around in my head. Still do. Every day in fact. Especially when I’m doing the washing up or in bed, trying to sleep.

  1. What book are you reading at the moment.

I’m reading a romcom (not much of a surprise there!) called The Summer Job by Lizzie Dent. It’s made me laugh out loud so that’s a good sign.

  1. Who are your favourite authors and why?

I love Lucy Vine for making me laugh out loud. Milly Johnson’s books are like a cuddle, warm and funny with fantastic characters. John Grisham for page turning suspense – My favourite book of his was The Runaway Jury. More recently I’ve discovered JP Delaney for thrillers. But honestly I read so many wonderful books that I wish I could give them all a shout out.

9.Favourite social media channel?

Twitter I think – I love how instant it is and I love to talk and chat, connect with people 🙂

  1. Favourite romance film?

How can I choose! I love romantic films and even better if they make me laugh… But if I really, really, had to choose – Okay I have 3 films in mind.

Some Kind of Wonderful made me cry buckets and has some fantastic lines in it. My two favourite romcoms are Sweet Home Alabama and You’ve Got Mail. I could happily watch all three over and over again.

Decision shy Becca is used to her best friend making decisions for her, but after a disastrous 30th birthday, London living Becca realises she needs to stop relying on others and take control of her own destiny.

With her life plans in tatters, she’s forced to return home to the quiet seaside town of Sunny Bay and the family’s B&B, where the bedrooms are covered in chintz and her mother is still serving up culinary delights from the 1970s. Adamant that she’s not staying, Becca embarks on a soul-searching trip to Europe.

She’s barely stepped foot abroad before a family crisis sees her back in Sunny Bay and in charge of the B&B. Coming face to face with old flames and adversaries, Becca’s reminded why she left and is determined to get back to her old life in London.

But when the mysterious Madame DoTell, fortune teller to the stars, insists that home is where the heart is, Becca begins to wonder if she should listen…

If home is where the heart is, where is home?

High Heels on the Beach is a light-hearted and fun packed Summer tale perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk.

Book purchase link: click here.

#BookReview #2021reads Beneath Cornish Skies @KateRyder_Books

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Firstly I am back after my festive blogging break and I would like to wish all of you a happy and healthy 2021. I have some amazing stuff lined up for my blog this year. Lots of fab books to be reviewed, loads of funny writing tales, some inspiring guest bloggers, and news of my next book 😯 More details to follow so watch this space.

Secondly, I will be posting a writing related post on here tomorrow.

Thirdly I am back with a FABULOUS read for you – ❤️ this book from Kate Ryder. If this isn’t on your 2021 to be read pile – get it on there!

Here’s the blurb:

Beneath Cornish Skies


To an outsider, Cassandra Shaw’s life looks perfect. She lives in a beautiful, luxurious house in the English countryside, with a handsome, wealthy boyfriend who insists she needn’t do a day’s work in her life. But Cassie knows that something is not right. Her boyfriend has grown colder, treating her more like a housekeeper than a future wife. And her time feels empty and purposeless.

Cassandra has always been riddled with insecurities and self-doubt, but, just for once, she decides to take a chance on a new beginning. She answers an advert for a live-in nanny, dog walker, cook and all-round ‘Superhuman’ for a family living in a rambling manor house on the rugged North Cornish coast. The work is hard and tiring, but Cassie has never felt so fulfilled.

As Cassie learns to connect with the natural beauty unfolding around her, Cornwall starts to offer up its secrets. Soon, Cassie starts wondering if she was drawn to this isolated part of the coast for a reason. Why was she guided to Foxcombe Manor? What are the flashes of light she sees in the valley? Is it her imagination or does someone brush past her? And who is the mysterious man living deep in the woods?

A beautiful romance with a hint of ghostliness, Beneath Cornish Skies is for anyone who has ever longed to start their lives again.

Here’s my review:

Wow – what a read!

This book is breathtaking in terms of setting and atmosphere. Kate Ryder does an amazing job in whisking you, the reader, away to the beautiful northern coast of Cornwall and the stunning Sussex Downs. if you are struggling with lockdown and need fictional escapism – read this. I felt like I was there.

I loved this book because it had all the ingredients for a great story, one heroine who needed to reclaim herself, one troubled and mysterious potential love interest a large serving of gorgeous scenery, a spoonful of romance and a sprinkling of Cornish magic.

Cassie is the heroine and her experiences at the hands of her controlling partner, David, tugged at my heartstrings. I loved her journey of self discovery which started after she replied to a magazine ad.

The romance is slow burn but I think that was needed as this story was more about Cassie finding her authentic self again after years of David’s controlling ways.

There are a few twists and turns in the story which kept my interest too.

This was just the sort of inspiring book I wanted to read.

Purchase Link – https://amzn.to/364FTKy

Author Bio –
Kate Ryder is an award-winning, Amazon Kindle international best seller who writes timeslip and romantic suspense in a true-to-life narrative. On leaving school she studied drama but soon discovered her preference for writing plays rather than performing them! Since then, she has worked in the publishing, tour operating and property industries, and has travelled widely.

Kate is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Authors. In 2017, she signed a 4-book contract with Aria (digital imprint of award-winning independent publisher, Head of Zeus).

Summer in a Cornish Cove, a contemporary romantic suspense set on the Lizard Peninsula, gained her a nomination for the RNA’s 2018 Joan Hessayon award, while its standalone sequel, Cottage on a Cornish Cliff, reached the heady heights of #2 in Kindle Literary Sagas.

‘Secrets of the Mist’, a mysterious timeslip romance, not only achieved #1 Kindle best seller flags in the UK, Canada and Australia, but also reached #49 in Amazon UK Paid Kindle. In the original, self-published version (The Forgotten Promise) it was awarded the first Chill with a Book “Book of the Month”.

Originally hailing from the South East of England, today Kate lives on the Cornish side of the beautiful Tamar Valley with her husband and a collection of animals.

Social Media Links –
Author website: http://www.kateryder.me
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KateRyder_Books
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kateryder.author
Instagram: @kateryder_author

Don’t miss tomorrow’s writing post – it is a cracker!

#BookReview That Night in Paris #romance @sandybarker

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I loved Sandy’s first book, One Summer in Santorini and I didn’t think she’d beat that in terms of reader enjoyment but…I was wrong. Oh my goodness – That Night in Paris is now my favourite (sorry Sandy x).

On this blog I like to create new lingo so I think the phrase – ‘I’m going to do a Cat Parsons’ – should be what we say when we want to run away from the problems in our life and go wild. Cat Parsons is our inspirational figure as she went on a fabulous holiday, made some new friends along the way, drank beautiful wine, ate wonderful food, laughed a lot and had a spot of romance in a gorgeous destination.

This is how I see this new exciting phrase being used (post lockdown obviously):

Friend 1: ‘what are you doing this weekend?’

Friend 2: ‘Well, I need to get away from my life right now so I’m going to…do a Cat Parsons.’

Friend 1: *Gasp* ‘Nooooooooo! You’re going to do a Cat Parsons?”

Friend 2: *Nodding* ‘Yes, I think everyone should do a Cat Parsons in their life.’

Friend 1: ‘Gosh I’m so envious.’

Friend 2: ‘I know you are!’ *Squeal*

Here’s the blurb

Note to self: don’t sleep with your flatmate after a curry and three bottles of wine… especially if he’s secretly in love with you and wants you to meet his mum.

Cat Parsons is on the run. She doesn’t do relationships. After ten years of singlehood even the hint of the ‘L’ word is enough to get Cat packing her bags and booking herself onto a two-week holiday.

A European bus tour feels like a stroke of genius to dodge awkward conversations at home. But little does Cat realise that the first stop will be Paris, the city of love itself.

Joined by new friends, Cat has got two weeks, eight countries and a hell of a lot of wine ahead of her. As they discover hidden treasures and the camaraderie of life on the road, will Cat find a new way of looking at love?

Discover the beauty of Europe’s most romantic cities in this uplifting and laugh-out-loud novel for fans of Samantha Parks, Alex Brown and Mandy Baggot.

Here’s my review:

I thought the romance and travel plots were great but for me the standout was the way this book brings to life Cat’s relationship with her new friends on the coach trip. Sandy writes female friendships really well and I loved how each bus bestie had a backstory and a reason for taking this life changing coach journey; Lou and her divorce, Jaelee and the love for her best friend who had just got married and Danielle whose best friend did not invite her to her wedding. I loved the bond these women forged, how they didn’t try to put each other down and how they were like a rock for each other. I also loved Mama Lou‘s hugs What took this book to the next level was that each of these women learnt something about themselves during this coach trip. It wasn’t just Cat who had a life changing experience.

The surprise meeting with friend from childhood Jean-Luc, who was an exchange student and stayed with her family in Australia, was brilliant. He’s grown into a really gorgeous man and YES I had feelings for him. At one point I wanted to move Cat out of the way and ask whether he fancied spending a fictional night in Paris with me instead.

The travel plot was fabulous and it does make you want to go see some of these places. Sandy weaves in so much detail with each place her characters visit and at times you do wonder whether Sandy should host a TV travel show.

This book was brilliant escapism!

Have you ever done a Cat Parsons? 🤣

Click here to find out more about That Night in Paris.

Sandy has kindly done a quick Q&A if you fancy getting to know her better:

Author Photo Sandy Barker

When and where do you prefer to write?

I work fulltime, so I tend to get up early (between 5am and 6am) to get in a couple of hours of author biz before work. A lot of the time that will be writing or editing, but it also includes engaging with other authors and social media―both of which are an important part of being an author.

And I am very fortunate to have my own writing space, a study with my desk and a little couch in case I need a break. It’s also where we keep the wine fridge, though I assure you, that’s just a coincidence.

Do you have a certain ritual?

I tend to check emails and social media sites before I get to writing―although, this can be dangerous as it is a wonderful distraction, especially when I’m in the editing stages.

Is there a drink of some food that keeps you company while you write?
Tea! I consume two or three giant mugs of tea as I work in the mornings. I should dedicate my next book to tea.

What is your favourite book?

This is such a hard question as I imagine it is for any author. I love To Kill a Mockingbird. When I was an English teacher, I taught it many times and found something new with every read. But I also write contemporary romance, so I’ll choose the book that sparked something in me and made me want to write, which was Lindsey Kelk’s first book, I Heart New York. Reading it was a catalyst for my own writing career (thank you, Lindsey!)

Do you consider writing a different genre in the future?

Yes! I am in early talks with another author about pairing up to write a dark contemporary drama/thriller.

Do you sometimes base your characters on people you know?

I do! Many of my characters are inspired by people I know. The main character in That Night in Paris is inspired by my sister, Victoria. And many characters I write are a composite of people I know.

Do you take a notebook everywhere in order to write down ideas that pop up?

I should! If I get a great idea while I’m out and about, I will type a note into my phone.

Which genre do you not like at all?

This is also a tricky question for me, because I read broadly. As well as romantic fiction, I love crime thrillers, contemporary fiction, (some) literary fiction, SciFi, historical fiction, and even biography or autobiography. I suppose I don’t read much fantasy, though I never say never, because there are some incredibly written fantasy stories out there.

If you had the chance to co-write a book. Whom would it be with?

Fiona Leitch. She writes these incredibly funny crime thrillers and I’m hoping our idea to write something darker (for both of us) will pan out.

If you should travel to a foreign country to do research, which one would you chose and why?

I write travel fiction, so travelling and research are important to my work―I only write about places I’ve been to. I have a trip to Scotland planned in July as my 5th book is set partially in Edinburgh. I loved our trip there in 2018 and want to refresh my memories before I write that part of the book―such a great city!

Many thanks for having me!

Thank you Sandy and I am honoured to be part of such a great book blog tour.

That Night In Paris Full Tour Banner

10 Lessons I Learned From 6 Years of Blogging #Blogger

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This is a strange time to be living in right now. The world feels like it’s in chaos. So, this week I have decided to write about something which gives me strength and makes me positive; my blog.

I am a few weeks away from my 6th year blogging anniversary. Still can’t believe I have been blogging for that long. What started out as something to give me a break from my squabbling children, rugby mad husband and boisterous pets on wet Sunday afternoons has turned into a big part of my life.

Here are 10 lessons from my 6 years of blogging:

1. Blogging is like a fertile creative soil and other things grow from it. This is the thing which has surprised me. My blog has grown and nurtured so many creative projects; my Roxy Collins diary which went super crazy on Wattpad, my Roxy Collins podcast which I recorded whilst locked inside my teenage daughter’s cupboard every Friday after a few gin & tonics, my novel, my book blogging and a LOT of short stories.

2. My happiest times have been when I stopped caring about blog stats. When I wrote The Diary of Roxy Collins as a weekly serial I never gave two hoots about my blog stats. This was one of my best times as a blogger. There’s something in this because when I recorded my podcast deep inside my daughter’s shoe cupboard and put each episode live I didn’t care about stats or numbers. I had so much fun. It lit me upside. Like someone had turned on a light. It was only when I started looking at my blog stats and podcast data that the good times ended.

3. The bad blogging times have been signals in disguise that I need to change direction. Looking back now I can see this more clearly. However, when you are fed up with blogging and can’t face turning up to write a post each week it’s hard to see. All my bad blogging times have been the start of change.

4. Blogging breaks are marvellous things. You don’t have to quit blogging, you just need a break. I am so glad I found blogging breaks and took them. It’s so nice to come back after a few months feeling rejuvenated and created.

5. Blogging is a stress buster. Writing a blog post is for me one of the best ways to relieve stress.

6. Blogs are like trees. They take years of nurture and love to grow. They will chart your creative journey and they will one day bear creative fruits. These fruits might not bring you fame and fortune but they will be of great value to you in other ways. The great thing about life is that you won’t be able to see their value straightaway. One day you will stop and think – ‘wow – that blog post changed my life.’

7. Getting my blog links to work was one of my biggest struggles. Oh my goodness – other bloggers struggle with SEO rankings and branding. Me – well I struggled with copying, pasting and inserting a link into a little box for 2 YEARS! 🙈

8. My blog has been a great teacher. Its taught me about all sorts of things like checking for typos, grammar and resilience.

9. Fictional characters who were born inside my blog posts will never leave me. Roxy Collins – I will do something with you. I promise ❤️

10. I have met some fabulous and life changing people on my blog. They have been a huge part of my journey and without them I wouldn’t be here today.

Thank you to everyone who reads, comments and shares my posts week in and week out. You are all fabulous. 🌸📚

If you don’t have a blog and want something creative to do during these strange times, I would strongly recommend starting one. Blogs are great stress busters, they make excellent journals and you never know what might come of it 📚

#BookLaunch #BookReview Marriage Unarranged @RituBhathal #Romance #ChickpeaCurryLit

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I am ridiculously PROUD to be part of the team for the LAUNCH OF THIS WONDERFUL AUTHOR’s DEBUT ROMANCE NOVEL – Marriage Unarranged.

Oh my goodness what an honour!

I was one of the beta readers for this FAB book and this is such a gorgeous debut.

So proud of you, Ritu!

Congrats from all of us at BlondeWriteMore 😍

Here’s the blurb:

Chickpea Curry’ Lit — Chick Lit with an Indian twist!

It all started ended with that box…

Aashi’s life was all set.

Or so she thought.

Like in the Bollywood films, Ravi would woo her, charm her family and they’d get married and live happily ever after.

But then Aashi found the empty condom box…

Putting her ex-fiancé and her innocence behind her, Aashi embarks upon an enlightening journey, to another country, where vibrant memories are created, and unforgettable friendships forged.

Old images erased, new beginnings to explore.

And how can she forget the handsome stranger she meets? A stranger who’s hiding something…

Here’s my review:

If you are looking for an uplifting romance plot, a great cast of characters, a good sprinkling of humour and a glimpse of true India – this book is for you!

My heart went out to the main character Aashi. Her broken engagement is heartbreaking to read and I wanted to reach inside the book and hug her.

The trip to India with her best mate and her brothers is inspired as its during this trip Aashi starts to find herself. This book is crammed with vivid descriptions of true India and I thought it was a refreshing setting for a romance book.

Ritu has done a fantastic job on bringing the smells and sounds of the markets, the rickshaw journeys and the kaleidoscope of colours to life.

I will say this – the romance in this book will make your heart flutter!

A fabulous read and congrats to Ritu xx

This book is now live and just a click away!

http://getbook.at/MarriageUnarranged

Ritu Bhathal

Here’s how to connect with Ritu:

Author.to/RituBhathal
myBook.to/PoeticRITUals
http://getbook.at/MarriageUnarranged

Author Bio

  • Ritu Bhathal was born in Birmingham in the mid-1970s to migrant parents, hailing from Kenya but with Indian origin. This colourful background has been a constant source of inspiration to her.
  • From childhood, she always enjoyed reading. This love of books is credited to her mother. The joy of reading spurred her on to become creative in her writing, from fiction to poetry. Winning little writing competitions at school and locally encouraged her to continue writing.
  • As a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and teacher, she has drawn on inspiration from many avenues to create the poems that she writes.
  • A qualified teacher, having studied at Kingston University, she now deals with classes of children as a sideline to her writing!
  • Ritu also writes a blog, http://www.butismileanyway.com, a mixture of life and creativity, thoughts and opinions, which was awarded first place in the Best Overall Blog Category at the 2017 Annual Bloggers Bash Awards, and Best Book Blog in 2019.
  • Ritu is happily married and living in Kent, with her Hubby Dearest, and two children, not forgetting the fur baby Sonu Singh.

 

Blog Tour Banner

 

Author Interview – Ritu Bhathal @RituBhathal #Books #RomanceReaders #Bookish

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Ritu Bhathal’s debut romance novel, Marriage Unarranged, is being launched on 9 February. I am struggling to contain my book excitement as my blog is taking part in the go-live celebrations on Sunday and I was one of the lucky few to beta read this book.

As I think this clever lady is going to be very successful with her books, she’s already created her own genre – Chickpea Curry Lit – Chick Lit With An Indian Twist, I thought it would be nice to interview her over a chai latte.

Also when she’s famous I can say she came on my blog and get some kudos for interviewing a future star *sigh*

So, we’ve both got our chai lattes in fancy cups and Ritu’s made us some home cooked nibbles (she makes amazing cakes!) which I am struggling to stop devouring. We are ready for a natter. Let’s begin.

Ritu, welcome to BlondeWriteMore! Tell us about yourself

Well, as you know, my name is Ritu, and at this moment in time, I am days away from being a published author!

But that’s not the whole of me. I’m a British Indian woman, born in the mid-seventies to Kenyan born Indian parents who moved to Birmingham, in the early seventies. I grew up with a true smorgasbord of cultures around me, having a massive extended family already living here, and enjoying the colourful Indian traditions and culture, interspersed with trips to Kenya, and absorbing the culture there. Of course, being born here, I was also immersed in British life too. A true East/West mix, that’s me!

As a child I was sent to an all girl’s private school from the age of three all the way to the completion of my A-levels, at 17. Having such inspirational people around me, teaching me, made me want to be a teacher, which I did in fact end up becoming.

My mother is an avid reader, so I was always, and still am, found with my nose buried in a book. I do love a good book.

I studied, met my now-Hubby Dearest in my last year of university, and we planned our wedding, but not before I had a taste of a few other jobs, pre-teaching. I worked as an assistant manager in a designer clothing boutique in Kingston-Upon-Thames – an experience that, had it been available in those times, would have made for a fantastic reality show! Seriously, the customers! The stories!

Then I ended up in the bank for around 4 years. Marriage meant I relocated to Kent, and I had nine years in a marketing company, before finding my way back to the job I had actually trained to do, teaching.

In between all this, I dabbled in writing, and started a blog which pushed me to write more.

So, right now, you find me as a wife, mother to a teen and a tween, a feline fur baby, Sonu Singh and two feathered ones, Heer and Ranjha, a teacher, blogger, and writer!

Plenty of fodder for the imagination there!

 

Where did the idea for the book come from?

When I started writing this story, it was the year 2001. The working title was Wedded Stress. I was in the midst of planning my wedding and the urge to write was strong. I was entering into a perfect marriage, but what would happen if someone was all set up for the same, and things go belly up? That was the catalyst, but there was no planning at that stage. I started writing, and just wanted to see what happened. I wasn’t even sure if it would be a book length story, or just something short. (At over 86,000 words, I’m sure you will agree that it is most definitely not short!)

But life happened, and marriage, followed by trying for a family, having kids and raising them, meant that my idea languished on a floppy disk for a long while. I remember finding it, one day a couple of years after starting. I loaded it up, and thought, ‘I can do something with this.’ Hubby Dearest was most supportive, and he even bought me my first laptop so I could carry on making my dream come true. Then, it got shelved, again and when I started my blog, that was when the true writing started. When feedback from the first couple of chapters came in, I was encouraged to start writing properly, but time was a huge issue. I ended up using the month of August in 2017, to really write properly, and even used a plan. By this time, I had realised that pantsing a whole story might not be wise. It wasn’t complete, yet, but it was a real story with a beginning, a middle and I knew what the end would be.

And it got rechristened to Marriage Unarranged.

After a few months, I managed to finish it, and here we are now, in the year 2020, and I have a completed, and published book!

 

How long have you been writing?

I have always loved to write, from a young age. I was always telling stories, and when people stopped listening, I started writing them down, instead. At that time, I had no aspirations of becoming an author, but I loved the reading and writing process. I won a couple of school writing competitions and that boosted my confidence.

My real writing, I would say started around five years ago, when I became serious about something that started as a flippant comment about having a book with my name on it. I managed that, with my poetry anthology, Poetic RITUals, but it was this story that really wanted to be told that pushed me to learn more about the writing and publishing process, and finally got me to where I am today.

 

Can we expect more books from you?

I hope so, yes!

During the writing of Marriage Unarranged, many characters popped into the story, and began to want to tell their story. I had to control myself a little, but the feedback I received from beta readers hinted at the fact that they would love to read more about certain people they had met in the book.

And so, another two fiction books in the same genre, (coined Chickpea Curry Lit – Chick Lit With An Indian Twist) have been planned, focussing on other people from Marriage Unarranged. Now I just need to make the time to write them!

I have also got ideas and words for three possible children’s picture books. All I need to do is finish the rhymes for the last one, and then I need to look for an illustrator. That’s something I need to research.

Sigh. The life of an author is not just creation, but perpetual education…

Thank you, again, Lucy! I do hope your readers choose to enjoy learning about Aashi and her journey.

Marriage Unarranged.

Here’s the blurb:

Aashi’s life was all set.

Or so she thought.

Like in the Bollywood films, Ravi would woo her, charm her family and they’d get married and live happily ever after.

But then Aashi found the empty condom box…

Putting her ex-fiancé and her innocence behind her, Aashi embarks upon an enlightening journey, to another country, where vibrant memories are created, and unforgettable friendships forged.

Old images erased, new beginnings to explore.

And how can she forget the handsome stranger she meets? A stranger who’s hiding something.

If you want to check this book out here’s the info you need:

Blog Tour Banner

 

In other news, on BlondeWriteMore on Thursday I have such a treat for all writers of romance. One of my FAVOURITE authors – ZOE MAY has written me a gorgeous guest post titled – 5 Things Your Female Character Needs To Have. 

I am honoured to have all these wonderful people like Ritu and Zoe wanting to come on my blog x

#BookReview Make It Up To You @Lucy_K_Author #TuesdayBookBlog #Romance

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I think author Lucy Keeling rocks for a number of reasons:

  1. She’s called Lucy.
  2. She writes witty romance.
  3. Her insta stories where she talks to her followers everyday from her car are fab! Check out Lucy’s instagram because this lady always makes me smile on a morning before I shuffle into work.
  4. Her debut novel which I am reviewing below is one of my best Romcom reads from 2019.
  5. She’s part of the UK RomChat team and loves a good tweet.

This book, Make It Up To You, will transport you into the world of make-up artist, Sophie Timney and online make-up tutorials.

I have two teenage daughters who are GLUED to watching makeup tutorials on YouTube and they make me watch them (in an attempt to teach me how to apply makeup. At forty something my makeup skills are sadly lacking and anything other than a quick finger dab in something sparkly is a challenge), so I could relate to this book.

Here’s the blurb:

What do mascara wands and gardening shears have in common?

Absolutely nothing! At least that’s what wannabe beauty influencer Sophie Timney thinks when her friend Polly suggests involving her brother Marcus in Sophie’s make-up tutorials. She needs more views, Marcus needs promotion for his gardening business – in Polly’s mind joining forces will help them both. Sophie isn’t so sure.

Because Marcus Bowman has a habit of getting under her skin in a way that no exfoliating face scrub ever could. But, as the views and comments on her videos begin creeping up, it becomes increasingly obvious that Sophie’s subscribers like Marcus, and what’s even worse is that Sophie might be starting to feel the same way…

Here’s my review:

When the story opens Sophie is having a bad day as she thinks she’s uploaded the wrong makeup advice video and she’s fretting because her followers are not increasing.

I really warmed to Sophie. She’s passionate about her makeup advice tutorials and will do whatever it takes to make it a success.

Her relationship with Marcus is funny. They bicker and argue whilst this gorgeous romance grows between them. Sophie thinks he’s cheeky, wonders what fake tan he’s using and gets frustrated when he makes a tea for himself. He enjoys winding her up, thinks she can be a bit of a diva and can’t stop thinking about a kiss they once shared.

This book gave me lovely warm tingles especially around Marcus ❤️ He is gorgeous and it really was a delightful read.

Lucy Keeling has written a fab novel about what happens when career paths and romantic urges are bound together. She’s thrown in some fab female relationships for good measure and drizzled over a good helping of love.

If you want to find out more check out this book here.

It is perfect with a cup of coffee and a pastry!

#Lucy Mitchell

Important news:

Tomorrow I will be back with a fantastic book cover reveal. 

Watch this space!

#BookReview One Summer in Santorini #TuesdayBookBlog #BookTour @sandybarker

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Warning: Sandy Barker’s One Summer in Santorini will whisk you away to a beautiful place with some fabulous characters, it will tug at your heart strings and leave you gasping for more!

After finishing this book you will find yourself doing one or more of the following things:

1. Ignoring your bank balance, Love Island, the ongoing Brexit saga and locking yourself away to browse Greek sailing holidays on the Internet.

2. Frantically pinning gorgeous pics of Greek islands and handsome men lounging on boats on Pinterest.

3. Upgrading your work daydreams so that they now feature sailing boats, windswept hair, deck shoes, kissing in a cabin and looking at the sky through a cabin ceiling hatch while lying in the arms of a handsome man. After reading Sandy’s book, gazing out of the office window or staring blankly at your Greek islands themed computer screen until you start to dribble will become a major part of your day.

4. Waking from a lovely night’s sleep to find your loved one, looking agitated and wanting to know why the hell you were murmuring, ‘you handsome American boy,’ in your sleep.

5. Getting yourself in a fluster over pinning pics of sexy silver foxes on Pinterest.

This book is pure escapism. After you will feel like you have been away on holiday and enjoyed a little bit of holiday romance.

❤️

I do love books where you get to go abroad in your head and live out someone else’s life. I am just going to take a moment to appreciate the genre of holiday romance fiction.

If I was back out there (single) and on a gorgeous foreign sailing holiday, surrounded by hot men and getting the flutters for someone I would have the following worries:

Sunburn, sunstroke, my sweaty neck, my salmon pink face, staying hydrated, cocktail hangovers, sea sickness, crab stick breath, eating too much of the local cuisine, insect bites, over sharing after too many cocktails, anxiety over whether my handsome holiday suitor will want to kiss me, his kissing technique being better then mine, white bikini strap marks, how I look in swimwear, sweating into my dinner, wondering whether I will fancy him in his budgie smugglers, hoping I will impress him with my swimming style, praying he enjoys swimming alongside someone who generates a lot of sea froth, worrying whether I bought enough holiday contraception in Tescos, how much storage space I will have in the cabin and over thinking about my holiday romance lasting when we get back.

The beauty of holiday romance fiction is that all of the above has been sorted! You don’t even need your factor 50, a sunhat or your bikini. All you have to do is sit back in your armchair, relax and tell your loved one to either put the kettle on or run the hoover over the lounge carpet.

Enough of all this holiday talk!

Here’s the blurb:

Sarah has had enough of men. It’s time to rekindle her first true love – travel – so she books a sailing trip around the Greek islands with a group of strangers.

The very last thing Sarah wants is to meet someone new, but then a gorgeous American man boards her yacht… And when she also encounters a handsome silver fox who promises her the world, she realises that trouble really does come in twos.

Will Sarah dive into a holiday fling or stick to her plan to steer clear of men, continue her love affair with feta and find her own way after all?

Here’s my review:

Sarah is an inspirational character. She’s one of those characters who you read about and think, ‘I wish I’d had the bottle to go off travelling on my own and join a sailing boat full of strangers after one of my relationships ended. It would have been better than sitting on my own, eating a kebab while listening to my ‘break up’ playlist and crying into my cat’s fur.’

I like Sarah’s independent streak, her fun side, her sweet relationship with her sister Cat and the way she makes friends instantly with everyone on the boat.

The camaraderie on the boat between all the holiday makers was fun. Sandy Barker has pulled together a unique cast of interesting characters.

The delicious flirtations with both Josh and James draw you deeper into this book. There’s a lot of soul searching going on with Sarah but there’s also a lot of chemistry, arm tingles, twinges, a flip flopping stomach and an aching heart. 💓

Just so you all know I am #teamJosh

James is very attractive but there is something about this handsome American and his incredible kisses that does it for me.

This book is a lovely read. It is set in a beautiful location, has an amazing set of characters and the romance will make you demand more from Sandy Barker!

Don’t worry about not being able to get away this summer, Sandy Barker will bring Santorini to your sofa!

Here are those all important links:

Amazon Australia – click here

Amazon U.K. – click here

Amazon US – click here

Kobo – click here

Catch up with Sandy on her website – click here

Three Things I Like About This Author:

1. She’s a regular at the #UKRomChat Twitter events on a Monday night. If you enjoy reading or writing romance you should check it out. Sandy is an expert at coming up with a thought provoking GIF!

2. Her passion for travel comes through in her writing. This girl has had lots of foreign adventures and weaves her own experiences into her books.

3. She calls herself a coffee snob!

I feel honoured to have been part of this amazing book tour. Thank you, Sandy xx