All The Difference by Kaira Rouda

Kaira Rouda, author of Here, Home, Hope, takes us back to Grandville in her newest release, All The Difference. We are introduced to a number of new residents and someone has a secret. Unlike Rouda’s first novel, this one is darker and mysterious. Throughout the novel we not only learn about these new characters there are also flashbacks for one young girl and we don’t know who it is.

Three women entangled with the same two men makes for some pretty interesting reading. There is Laura, a tv anchor who has no intention of sticking around Grandville. She is waiting to break into a big city television station and she isn’t afraid to step on anyone’s back she needs to in order to get her to the top.

Then there is Angie, Laura’s roommate. She knows what she wants out of life too and she’s willing to lay on her back to get her dream life. Angie appears to be young and a little naive, but she doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process of finding her Mr. Right.

Last there is Ellen. Ellen is making a home for her and her husband and wishing for a baby of her own. Poor thing is married to a tomcat that doesn’t really care if she likes it or not. Ellen realizing her dreams might not come true decides to go back to work and find happiness. The only thing these three women have in common are two men—two men that will change their lives!

Kaira has written another great book! I really enjoyed All The Difference. I will say at the beginning there are a number of characters and situations setting up, I did struggle with getting everyone straight at first. By the time I was finished reading I couldn’t help but feel like Grandville is a little like Knots Landing (ok aged myself a little). I hope Rouda continues to visit Grandville and we get to see more and more out of these characters! I loved the dual mystery going on in the story. Who is having the flashbacks and was there a murderer? The more I read the harder I found putting the book down. A recommend! And you don’t have to read Here, Home, Hope first, but I also recommend you read it!

I wanted to take a moment and thank both Kaira Rouda and Samantha at Chick Lit Plus. When I first began reading All The Difference I got a call telling me my dad had cancer. I was really having a hard time concentrating and needed to make a visit home to see him and get a sense of what was going on. Needless to say, I was unable to keep my blog tour date for the book. Both Samantha and Kaira were very sweet to me and I greatly appreciated it.

Reviewed by: Laura Kay

http://www.kairarouda.com/

It’s a Man’s World by Polly Courtney + Giveaway

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em…that is Alexa Harris’s’ motto. When challenges to join the all male team of lad mag, Banter, Alexa decides to the play the games the boys are already playing.  She soon begins to question if she has gone against her own morals and if there will be a price to play.

When I started It’s a Man’s World I was unsure of what to expect. I believed this book to be a man vs. woman story.  A story about a woman trying to make it in a man’s world.  There was so much more to this story.  It’s a story of Alexa making her mark in a man’s world. Alexa quickly became the woman I could cheer for and hope to succeed.  Alexa puts up with a lot of sexist gags and jokes by her male staff at Banter.  I found myself wonder if my skin would be tough enough to handle the situation with the same toughness Alexa does.  Fortunately, Alexa has great support in her friends, Leonie and Kate.  They tell her how it is, but offer her a shoulder to lean on through her nine months time at the lad magazine.

There were parts of this book that had my total attention and I could not stop reading.   There were also parts of the book that seemed to go very slow.  But over-all It’s a Man’s World was very entertaining.  It is not a typical chic-lit book.

Reviewed by: Charlotte 

http://www.pollycourtney.com

Now you want to read it, huh? Well here's your chance to win a copy! This giveaway is for US only, sorry! Leave your name and email address in a comment below for your chance to win and don't forget to welcome our new associate blogger, Charlotte! The giveaway will close  May 22 at midnight EST. Good-luck! 

THE 5 W'S OF POLLY COURTNEY

I'm very excited to introduce Polly Courtney to A Novel Review! Polly is the author of five books including It's A Man's World! 

WHO? Who are you? 

I’m an engineer by training, although I never worked in this field. I started my career in the City, which is where I got my first inspiration for a book. Golden Handcuffs – the lowly life of a high flyer was my first novel, based on my own personal experiences as an investment banker. Since then, I’ve been a writer and never looked back. I no longer write autobiographically, although all of my novels tend to feature real-life stories in some way. My novels are light-hearted, but they usually revolve around a serious theme, such as gender inequality, racism or class.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?

I play football (soccer) – not with great skill, but with lots of enthusiasm. I play right wing for a local side, Old Actonians, where I also attempt to play tennis. In winter, I become a snowboard bum for a couple of weeks and in summer I splash around on a surf board. I’m still waiting for the sponsorship call from Ripcurl.

I also play in an all-girl string quartet, which formed part of the inspiration for my fourth novel, The Fame Factor. We got together in freshers’ week at university, ten years ago, and we play gigs up and down the UK.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

I discovered my passion for writing accidentally – whilst working in a large American investment bank. I felt so strongly that the life I was leading was not the one I’d been sold on the graduate milk-round that I needed to warn other young people about what it really entailed. That was what went on to become my first novel, Golden Handcuffs.

WHERE? Where do you write?

I write on my little laptop, on a desk in the bedroom. It’s probably not very healthy to eat, sleep and write in one room, but I make sure I get plenty of breaks and exercise to keep me sane (and to keep my limbs working!).

WHY? Why do you write?

I find it therapeutic to carve out a story from fragments of reality, social issues and experiences I’ve had. It’s even more rewarding to hear from fans who say that they can relate to my work or that my books have helped them to see things differently in their own lives. Aside from that, I love the research stage, when I get to meet all sorts of interesting people with different perspectives on the world we live in.

Thank-you so much for joining us here at A Novel Review, Polly! Wow, you sure do keep yourself busy! If you would like to get to know more about Polly and her other books you can visit her at her website http://www.pollycourtney.com/about.htm. Make sure to come back later this week to read the review on her book It's A Man's World and your chance to win a copy!!!

These Girls By Sarah Pekkanen

Cate, Renee and Abby are These Girls. They are three girls you can’t help but fall in love with. All three girls have history, baggage…things they are hiding…things they don’t want to talk about. Each girl has her own story, and their three stories overlap each other until they are braided together forming a strong friendship.

The smart, sexy and talented Cate believes her career is like a house of cards, if someone figures out her lie her career will fall apart. With a new promotion at Gloss, Cate feels she has something to prove the boy’s club and to herself. As her career seems to hit some bumps in the road, Cate recognizes she is missing what is going on right in front of her.

Renee wants no needs to get the promotion as the beauty editor of Gloss and she is willing to do whatever it takes. Even if whatever it takes means drastic measures to ‘fit’ into the idea of what a beautiful person must look like. The beauty of Renee is a beauty she doesn’t seem to see in the mirror. She is fun, funny and loving. Anyone would want to be her best friend, but she doesn’t realize her true beauty.

Abby had been happily working as a nanny and fallen in love with the little girl in her charge, Annabelle. Out of nowhere, Abby rushes into the story as a mystery--you will pull one layer after another to finally unveil her pain.

The more and more I read the deeper emotionally I connected to all three characters. I don’t always relate to characters or maybe to just one, but I related on some level to all three women! I think what surprised me the most, was while reading These Girls I felt as if I was becoming part of the friendship that was blooming. They became my friends. A definite recommened!

I just have to add this one line that JUMPED out of the book, “I think the hardest things to talk about are also the most important things to talk about,” (Pekkanen 306) expresses why we need good friends. Now go grab yourself a copy of These Girls!

Update

Hi everyone!

I'm sure some of  you have noticed things have been a little slow here lately. I'm sorry about that. I have a review I need to write and a book I'm finishing up. My dad has been sick and I've been pretty stressed about the situation. I just returned home earlier today from visiting him and hope to get back into a routine, while we wait for final test results on my dad. Prayers needed. I hope to get emails out to all my giveaway winners by the end of the week, thank-you so much for your patience during this time!!!

THE FIVE W’S Of Rachel Burke + giveaway

Very excited to have Rachel Burke on A Novel Review today! She has a new e-book out Sound Bites: A Rock & Roll Love Story, which sounds like an amazing read! So let's get to know:

THE FIVE W’S Of Rachel Burke

WHO? 
I’m a staffing consultant by day and a Hollywood socialite by night. I grew up in Boston and fell into the world of recruiting when I was barely out of high school, although deep down I was always a creative person. Eventually, I began devoting all of my spare time to writing, as it was always my number one passion.

When I wasn’t utilizing my spare time to write, I was spending it traveling to Los Angeles, where I knew I would eventually end up. Since I’m also an avid lover of music, nightlife and the outdoors, L.A. is the perfect spot for me.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?
I love yoga, running, watching live music, exploring new restaurants and nighttime spots, reading, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.


WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I discovered murder mystery novels when I was about ten years old, and would spend hours holed up in my bedroom with stacks of R.L Stine books. I started writing my own novels shortly thereafter, and I always felt as though it was my true passion in life.

WHERE? Where do you write? 
I typically curl up in my bed with my laptop to write. I need complete silence with zero distractions in order to concentrate.

WHY? Why do you write?
I think everyone has a true purpose in life – for some it’s running a business, for others it’s writing music. For me, it was always writing stories. Storylines just developed in my imagination and flowed onto paper effortlessly. And although I’ve explored other talents, writing was always the one talent that I had 100% confidence in. The writing industry is a tough business because there is a lot of rejection, but no matter how many agents turned down my book proposals, I never became discouraged because I knew I was a talented writer. The last thing I’d ever want is to wake up twenty years from now and realize I had a talent and a passion that I’d never pursued. And honestly, at the end of the day, there’s nothing else I’d rather be doing.

Thank-you so much for joining us Rachel! I am so not a night person! I can't help but love how you are so aware of wanting to make sure you live without regret when it comes to your writing...inspiring! Really. Makes me realize I should get more serious about my own writing. I appreciate you sharing. Now some exciting news to my followers! Rachel has offered up an ebook copy of her new book:

Sound Bites: A Rock & Roll Love Story by Rachel Burke

(description of book from Amazon.com):

Renee Evans has a knack for trouble. After walking in on her best friend and boyfriend in bed together, twenty-five year-old Renee flees sunny Los Angeles and her dream job as a music journalist and returns to her hometown of Boston – only to meet Dylan Cavallari, the mysterious, aspiring musician who lives in her apartment building. Dylan’s piercing gaze and womanizing demeanor make him exactly the type of guy that Renee should steer clear of – which is most likely the reason she falls for him. But when Renee’s troublesome ex comes back and threatens to drive her and Dylan apart, Renee is forced to face her past and save her relationship with Dylan before it's too late.

Sound Bites dramatizes what happens when Renee finds herself caught between a painful past and an uncertain future. Happiness turns out to be within her grasp, but it all depends on whether she can trust herself enough to make the right decisions. Sound Bites is a novel about love, friendship, betrayal, forgiveness, and the power of music to help you find your way.

Sounds awesome doesn't it! Now is your chance to win!

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews On audio book

A few months back, I won an audio copy of Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews. I have only listened to one other audio book before and it was non-fiction. I couldn’t imagine listening to a novel. It seemed so odd. My sister on the other hand swears by them. She loves getting downloading them onto her ipod for long cars trips. You see, I’m very visual. When I read a book it’s not just words on a page, but a movie playing in my head and there is no way…no way a book read to me would allow me this same experience. I am here to admit how wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. I was. I absolutely loved listening to an audio book! The book was read by Isabel Keating, who was phenomenal! I mean I couldn’t get over how wonderfully she was able to transform all the voices! I found myself looking for reasons to get into the car just so I could listen! I am planning on making a trip to the library and seeing what they have and I’m going to put another book on my iphone so I can listen to it while running (ok—walking) or driving in the car!

Three best friends find themselves in their thirties and only seeing each other when someone dies, these friends decide they need to get together and really catch up! Renting a beach house for the month of August together—and no boys allowed is just what is needed! What they each weren’t planning on is how much they needed each other, as they are all struggling with chances in their lives.

Ellis, the planner, is suddenly without a job and now beginning to wonder what happened to her life—or what life she had now that she was jobless, without a man, and not sure what to do next. The beautiful Julia seems to have everything any woman could want in life, but is plagued with feelings of inadequacy. Last there is sweet Dorie. Dorie, who is all sweet and southerly has just been betrayed in the worst way.

Throw in a hot sexy landlord, Ty Bazemore who is hiding from financial troubles, himself and Maryn Shackleford a stranger running from her husband. What you end up with is an absolute fun summer must read or in my case listen!

I hadn’t read Andrews before, but man am I a fan now. I can’t say I really connected to anyone character, but loved how they all rounded each other out. I loved how they’d chat about old boyfriends and their parents while laughing it up and playing cards. I mean gesh, I wished I could have hung out with them for the month! I found myself laughing out loud and smiling as their story played out. There is just something about books about girlfriends! I mean just fun fun fun. They were right there for each other and didn’t put up with each others…attitudes. There is a budding relationship in the book and loved how it played out. The addition of Maryn or augh Madison…was great. I loved how Julia was looking out for her girlfriends, but at the same time how Dorie would chastise her.

I think what I loved most, was how I really didn’t know how all the stories were going to end up. Sure I had a few suspicions, some were right and some were wrong and for me that is some great story telling. A definite recommend!

THE FIVE W’S Of Devan Sipher + Giveaway!

When I started writing book reviews, I loved writing about what other authors had written. A chance to express some of my thoughts to an audiance in the hopes of sharing how passionate I am about some of the books I've read. I am finding more and more my most favorite part about my blog is my Q&As. I find myself compleltely inspired by their answers to the questions. I hope you do as, well.

Today I'm lucky enough to introduce you to Devan Sipher, author of The Wedding Beat. Devan has been the writer for the Vows column for The New York Times for five years. Let's get to know

The Five W's of Devan Sipher

WHO? Who are you? The man behind the book.
Well, the man behind the book has much in common with the leading man within it.  The Wedding Beat is loosely based on my experience as a single guy writing the Vows wedding column at The New York Times (always the wedding columnist, never the groom).  I’m also a native Californian who grew up in the Midwest and considers New York my home.  And they have yet to invent a flavor of ice cream that I would not eat at any hour of the day.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?
I enjoy running along the Hudson River.  Living in New York, I find it really important to remind myself regularly that I live on an island.  I also take long walks (on the sunny side of the street).  I spend too much time on Facebook and Twitter.  I admit to watching “American Idol” (but only the top 10).  I’m currently studying Italian.  And I’m a big reader.  I try to get through the Times every day, and I’m currently reading one book on my phone and have another on my nightstand.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve been writing since I was in elementary school.  I remember writing a thriller when I was in fifth grade.  It was probably only twenty pages, but it seemed like a full-length novel at the time.  I continued writing through college (though mostly shifted to playwriting), but I decided not to pursue it as a career and instead went to medical school at the University of Michigan.  However, I found myself jealous of people who weren’t afraid to do what they were most passionate about.  So I took a leave of absence from medical school.  For two years.  As Gavin, the protagonist of The Wedding Beat, says: “If you leave a door open long enough, you start to feel a draft.”  So I officially resigned from medical school and got a Master of Fine Arts at New York University.  At the time, my degree combined with a buck-fifty would buy me a subway token.  And rent in New York isn’t cheap.  So I took a detour again, doing work over the years in information technology, computer graphics, advertising and book editing, and all along I wrote on the side.  Until one day, I decided I didn’t want to live a bifurcated life anymore.  I was either going to earn money as a writer, or I wasn’t.  So I quit my job, and four months later I started working at The New York Times.  It was mostly luck, but I’d like to think it also had something to do with knowing what I wanted.

WHERE? Where do you write?
I write in what is theoretically the dining room of my apartment.  However, it’s a Manhattan-sized dining room, which means it’s about the size of a walk-in closet (and not a particularly large walk-in closet).  However, it’s large enough for spinning in my chair and staring at the walls.  When I’m stuck, I take a shower.  On bad writing days, I take a lot of showers.  There’s something about being in the shower that eliminates my mental inhibitions.  I’ll let the Freudians analyze it.  All I can say is that it works.

WHY? Why do you write?
When I took my first writing course in college, my professor said you should only be a writer if you have to be.  If there was anything else you could be happy doing, then you should do it.  At the time I thought that was rather glib advice.  But now I repeat it regularly.  While there are many things I enjoy doing (and have done).  There’s nothing that makes me happier—or torments me more.  In my book, I quote Thomas Mann’s line “A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”  Writing’s a compulsion.  An addiction.  Both malady and cure.  But when it’s going well, it makes me feel the euphoric sensation that I’m living my life to my full potential.

Thank-you so much for joining us here at A Novel Review, Devan! I really enjoyed your responses and found the quotes you mentioned very inspirational. I've written them down and hung them in my makeshift office/dining room.

Giveaway Time

http://www.devansipher.com/

Here is a taste of Devan's book The Wedding Beat (taken from Goodreads)

Sometimes the best man isn't even in the wedding party...

Gavin Greene is a hopeless romantic. He's also a professional one: He writes the wedding column for a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, covering A-list parties from coast to coast. But there's a thin line between being a hotshot reporter on assignment...and being a single guy alone on a Saturday night at someone else's wedding.

Everything changes on New Year's when Gavin meets Melinda, a travel writer with an adventurous spirit. A moonlit stroll across a Manhattan rooftop seems to seal the deal. But she slips away.

Gavin crisscrosses New York City to find her again, navigating stressed-out brides, gossip blogs, a budget-cutting boss and his daft but well-meaning parents. Along the way, he learns that there's something worse than losing the woman of his dreams: having to write an article about her wedding.

Sounds like a really great read, doesn't it! Well here's your chance to win a copy!

• This giveaway is for US only, sorry!
• No PO Boxes
• Leave me a comment telling me a favorite memory of a wedding (yours, some one elses, or even from a book/movie)
• Leave your email address so I can let you know if you win
• I'd love for you to follow me here, on twitter and/or facebook, but you don't have to!
• I'd love your vote (if you enjoy the content of my blog) for the Independent Book Blogger Awards if your a goodreads member (NOT A REQUIREMENT) there is a link to vote at the top of the page :)

The giveaway ends April 25 midnight EST. Good-luck!

other giveaways going on at A Novel Review

Guest Blog by Kat Lieu + giveaway

Kat Lieu is a best-selling young adult novelist on Amazon.com. She is also a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Certified Lymphedema Therapist. She runs a tween/teen empire, Nummyz Productions, bossing around her sister, the amazing Graphics Designer Eve Lieu, their Programmer Kyo, and Kat's web designer/fiancé Jake. Nummyz Productions creates original Flash games for girls and provides them with a safe community, love advice, free stories, and support. Nummyz Productions publishes books and ebooks. Kat's company has also created websites for celebrities of The Young and the Restless (Kate Linder) and Flash games for multi-million dollar company LittleMissMatched.

I have never been able to plan out a story on pen and paper. In the past when I had tried to brainstorm ideas or plot out an entire novel, I never succeeded in finishing my intended story. Authors often say it's easier to plan out a novel first and use methods such as the Snowflake or Kiser Methods. I tend to write better when I don't plot and plan. I allow the words to flow out of my brain to my typing fingers. This doesn't work the same way when I try to write a manuscript with pen or paper. There's is something hypnotic about typing that just works for me. A computer keyboard is like a piano for me. Instead of producing beautiful music, a keyboard helps me string lovely words together.

And call me crazy but my characters control their thoughts, dialogue, and action. When I'm writing, it's like I have a mild case of multiple personality disorder. If my character is excited, I find myself jumping out of my seat. When my characters are happy, I'm all smiles. And when they're sad, I'm sad. Two years ago when I was writing an emotional breakup scene, I was depressed for a week. When I am filled with a million emotions, even the negative ones, words flow out of me fluidly and quickly.

Where does my inspiration come from? Everywhere. Almost all stories are structured like a hill. Action rises, there's a plateau period, then a climax point, and a resolution that resembles a climb downhill. Prose, characterization, and feelings the authors evoke make their stories unique. Creative and funny dialogue makes characters unforgettable. I have an especially strong bond with one of my characters, Mina Lin from my novel Maid for Me. Even when Mina faces a million obstacles and hardships in life, she fights for a better day. Mina, like many of my other characters, inspires me to write. You will see her again in my upcoming publication, Maid for Me, Too, the sequel to Maid for Me.

Thank you, Laura, for hosting my guest blog post. Happy reading and writing everyone, and good luck!

Very cool! Thanks for stopping by today, Kat!  I am lucky enough to kick-off an ebook giveaway of 5, yes 5, ebooks from Kat! Make sure to leave a comment below with your email address. This giveaway will close on April 17, midnight EST. Good-luck everyone!

You can learn more about Kat:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/nummyz
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Nummyz

other giveaways going on at A Novel Review

Girl Unmoored By Jennifer Gooch Hummer + Giveaway

Apron Bramhall (yes that’s her name, Apron) is a girl unmoored. She recently suffered the loss of her mom, and now her father is preoccupied with his new girlfriend “M”, and her bff, Rennie has dumped her for a chance to be more popular. What Apron really wants is someone to save her…and who better than Jesus. More like Mike, an actor who plays Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. Mike and his boyfriend Chad show up in Apron’s life when she needs it the most. They are there for her when no one else seems to be. They hire her to help them out in their flower shop. The biggest truth is Apron seems to be the only one who understands what love really means and everyone around her needs her to help guide them back to safe waters.

What a great book. I personally find coming of age books to really be hit or miss and this was a hit. Apron is one of those characters you just can’t help but root for and I can honestly say I was frustrated by the adults around her. But here’s the thing, all the adult characters were so well written that as an adult you get that they are struggling with their own lives and problems.

I simply fell in love with Apron. As a momma, I just wanted to wrap my arms around her and be there for her. My heart just broke for her, as she was trying so hard to maneuver all the troubled waters of her life. Most of the adults in her life never stopped to really see how she was fairing. I found Girl Unmoored to gives a glimpse into a young girl’s life during a turbulent time in her life, and how we as adults become so involved with ourselves we forget to check in with those around us.

I laughed, I cried, I loved Girl Unmoored.

When I closed the book, I couldn’t help but hope Jennifer Gooch Hummer writes about Apron again!

THE FIVE W’S Of Carol Mason + giveaway

Congratulations to our winner, AM!

For the month of March, novelist Carol Mason, best-selling author of The Love Market, Send Me A Lover and The Secrets of Married Women, is donating 50% of all net proceeds from her Amazon E book sales to Breast Cancer foundation. If you wish to support the cause you can buy any or all of her three E books on Amazon.com for $2.99 each, or 2 pounds UK, then send proof of purchase to her via an email at her website. See www.carolmasonbooks.com for more details.

I've told you how Carol is generously donating to Breast Cancer Research this month, so I thought it would be fun to get to know Carol a little better and invited her over. I'm thrilled to introduce:

The 5W's of Carol Mason

WHO? 

I’m a Brit from Northern England (home of flat caps, chip butties, and great beer). But when I was 21 I met a Canadian while traveling in Canada, I married him 4 years later, and we’ve lived in Vancouver ever since. I write the kind of books I love to read – absorbing contemporary stories about women’s marriages, loves, lost loves, friendships, etc. Books that – I hope – many women can see examples of themselves in.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?
It’s funny, but even if I’m not writing, I find I’m on the Internet reading about books, looking for new great ones to read, reading online newspapers, looking for new book ideas. But the thing I love to do the most is cooking. So if I’m not searching for all of the above on the Internet, I’m usually printing off recipes. I’ve got millions of them stashed all over the house. I’ve bought binders to start organizing them but the task feels too overwhelming. I usually end up trying out about 1% of them – but like my ever-growing collection of shoes – it’s good to know I have them in my vicinity should I choose to take them for a test drive. I love classic food well made. I’m not crazy on too many fancy ingredients in one dish. I am afraid of the addictive power of a genuinely fabulous home-made dessert.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
Always. Though I don’t quite know where I came from. I come from a line of housewives and blue collar workers. I was never one of those kids who wrote stories and entered competitions but the idea that I could write still lurked there in me. I tried it out when I was in my mid-twenties. Wrote two really bad Harlequin romances (because I thought they’d be easy to write and easy to get published). How wrong I was! Then my house got burgled, the computer stolen, and the books – which I had not backed up – went along for the ride. I thought that was a sign that I should give up. But the idea of novel writing never went away. So I tried it again 5 years later. I had to work very hard to get published. 3 books. 3 years. Then my agent sold The Secrets of Married Women to Hodder & Stoughton. It was the happiest day in my life. Even happier than my wedding day because I wasn’t the centre of attention. I didn’t have to be on my best behavior. I could freak out in the privacy of my own home.  And of course, there was champagne…

WHERE? Where do you write? 
There’s a spot in my home at the top of my stairs, under a skylight. When we bought the house, the previous owners had just stuck a sofa there. It felt like a space that needed a purpose. I have a huge desk and a Himalayan Crystal Salt lamp and an essential oil burner. And then there is the random detritus of my life and my husband’s life, and even the dog’s life, that seems to gravitate there – odd socks that the dog brings me, nail files, dry pens, belts, receipts from my bags and pockets, cassette tapes, my husband’s spare change… I fantasize that one day I will own an ocean front pile and the consequent view from my window will inspire me to effortlessly write 3 novels a year, all international bestsellers, and all made into Hollywood movies. Because we all have to have our dreams.

WHY? Why do you write?
I write because I’m a bit of a rollercoaster person. I love highs, will take the lows, but hate the bit in-between. And most of the other jobs I’ve done have made me flat inside – I’ve just felt blah about them and then usually blah about my life as a result. With writing, yes it can be frustrating, and depressing even when it’s not going well, and you’re on a deadline, and you can’t seem to make a story work. But when it does work, or when you get a brilliant idea for a book, the joy is beyond compare. I am no longer massively excited to see my books in stores or see my foreign translations in my book case – though of course that is all good. But it’s the actual craft of writing that does it for me. I love feeling that I am becoming a better writer with each book, and that I’m more and more sure of the stories I want to tell. And what’s thrilling is that I can write about literally anything! Plus, of course, even though the writer’s life can be lonely sometimes, I’m lucky not to have a boss breathing over me, and office politics to deal with, and no on cares if I wear the same pair of pants three days in a row….

Carol Mason is the author of The Secrets of Married Women, Send Me A Lover and The Love Market – all recently re-released as Kindle E books, for $2.99. This March, buy her books and 50% net proceeds from sales will go to breast cancer. See www.carolmasonbooks.com for more details

Thank-you so much for joining us and sharing! I can't help, but think an amazing ocean view would somehow inspire me that, I too would write effortlessly!

Not only is Carol generous enough to donate 50% of all net proceeds to Breast Cancer, but she is also going to giveaway a print copy of THE LOVE MARKET! Want to win? Leave a comment below with your email address. This giveaway is for US/Canada only. The giveaway will close on March 28 midnight EST. You will have 48 hours to respond to my email or I'll pick another winner! Good-luck! And remember if you don't win, you can order any of Carol's book listed above and help a great cause at the same time!

Other giveaways going on

THE FIVE W’S Of Gillian Duffy + ebook giveaway

Congratulations to our winner Margaret! 

I just love doing Q&A's and getting a glimpse of who writers are. Today, Gillian Duffy author of The LA Commandments, is visiting A Novel Review. Let's get to know:

THE 5W'S OF GILLIAN DUFFY

WHO?
Hi everyone. I’m Gillian, I’m from Dublin, Ireland, and I’m a full-time university student.  I returned to college to study English and History in September 2010 after I’d been made redundant from my management job in Operations and Logistics (not very interesting I must add).  At the time it was a shock to the system, but in hindsight I wouldn’t change a thing.  I was serious about writing and what could be better than studying the work of the world’s best authors and poets.  I’m really enjoying my course and if I know half as much as my lecturers by the time I’ve graduated I’ll be happy.

WHAT? What do you enjoy doing other than writing in your spare time?
I’m a massive music fan (I enjoy most types - I’ll even listen to Jazz if my Nana makes me!) and going to concerts is one of my favorite things to do.  I saw The Kings of Leon, White Lies, Paul Weller, Guns N Roses (their entire 3 song set), MGMT, Florence and the Machine and Fleetwood Mac last year and I hope to outdo that line-up in 2012.  I saw Snow Patrol last week (great gig) and I’m going to see Noel Gallagher on 17thFebruary.  I’m also a major film fan, so if I’m not in the cinema I’m watching DVDs or Sky Movies.

I played the drums as a teenager (I say ‘played’ - ‘battered’ might be a more fitting description) and I’m hoping to learn how to play the guitar this summer.  If you’re in Dublin this year and you hear a screeching discord escaping from an apartment complex that will most likely be me torturing my sister’s guitar.
I also love travelling.  My favorite holiday so far was a trip to California in 2008.  That was when I was inspired to write The LA Commandments.

WHEN? When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always loved stories (whether they come from a book or the screen) and when I was young I loved reading Roald Dahl, especially George’s Marvelous Medicine.  I spent many Sunday afternoons as a child in my Nana’s watching Darby O’Gill and the Little People (over and over again!), so books and films have always been really important to me.  Back then, my Mum or my aunt Linda would take me to the cinema most weekends, so I think they instilled that love of story in me.

I’ve always had an active imagination and in primary (elementary) school my teacher was always telling me to stop day-dreaming out the window.  I tried to transfer some of those day-dreams onto the page when I was about nineteen, but studying and being a teenager took over.  Then everything changed in 2008 when I visited California on a family holiday.  That’s when I was inspired to begin writing seriously.  I had my eureka moment driving through the Mojave Desert; I pictured my characters leaving recessionary Ireland for California to create their American Dream.  When the idea of the novel came to me it was a great feeling – I felt like anything was possible.  All that sun must have had my serotonin levels maxed out! Soon after that trip I began the first draft of The LA Commandments and I haven’t stopped writing since.

WHERE? Where do you write?
At home at my kitchen table.  It faces a wide, ceiling-to-floor window, which fills the room with lots of light (and sun, if the Irish weather is having a good day).

WHY? Why do you write?
I write because it makes me happy, and there’s no better feeling than hearing that someone has enjoyed your novel.  When I began writing seriously I felt like I’d been given a new lease of life – I’d finally found what I wanted to do.  For me, creating character, plot and setting is really enjoyable. There’s no doubt that it can be difficult sometimes, but the positives outweigh the negatives ten-fold. Now I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.

Recently I hadn’t been writing as much as I usually do (two little things called Christmas and exams got in the way) and it wasn’t until I restarted editing my second novel that I realized how much I’d missed it.  It gives me a great sense of accomplishment and the feeling you get from doing something that you really enjoy is indescribable.  Confucius sure knew what he was talking about: ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’

Thanks for reading,
Gillian x

Thank-you so much for joining us here on, A Novel Review, Gillian! Wishing you the best of luck with The L.A. Commandments. 

(from Amazon.com) Joanne Kavanagh and best friend Suzie pack their bags and swap dreary, depressing Dublin for the cool Californian coast. Both are determined to start a new life in the land of opportunity, leaving behind the recession and their complicated families.

They make a pact at the airport to stick religiously to the ‘LA Commandments’, a list of ten ‘Thou Shalt Nots’ for their new life in LA, including ‘Thou Shall Not Fall in Love,’ but when Jo befriends sexy, shy musician Marc, and Suzie falls for womanizing bar-man Chris, not only are the commandments at risk of being broken, but also the girls’ hearts…

With all California has to offer —sunshine, shopping, killer nightlife, and drop-dead-gorgeous men, will the girls stay faithful to the LA Commandments?

Doesn't it sound like a great read? Well I'm thrilled to be able to offer an ebook copy! So this giveaway is international! Make sure to leave a comment with your email address below. I'd love for you to be a follower and to subscribe by email, but you don't have to! This giveaway will close on March 28, midnight EST.

http://www.bookrepublic.ie/authors-d/206-gillian-duffy

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-LA-Commandments-Gillian-Duffy/216096721754655?ref=ts

other blog giveaways

The Devil's Scribe by Alma Katsu

 Simon & Schuster is releasing The Devil's Scribe by Alma Katsu a new e-book short. Alma's debut novel The Taker  was selected by the American Library Association as one of the top ten debut novels of 2011. It also made the extended bestsellers list in the UK.

After decades of running from her past, Lanore McIlvrae returns to America for the first time in 20 years to confront the source of her fear. The year is 1846 and Lanore—Lanny—has just landed in Baltimore after a long transatlantic crossing. That very night, she meets an “unattractive man with a high forehead and sunken eyes, and a tiny, pinched mouth like a parrot’s beak” who claims to write stories so dark and unsettling that he could be the Devil’s Scribe. His name? Edgar Allan Poe. Has Lanny finally met her match in this macabre man…or is it the other way around? 

Fan Pack Giveaway for The Taker by Alma Katsu!

Congratulations to the winner C.E. Hart!

On March 27, The Taker will be released as a paperback!

The Taker picked up some nice accolades, including being selected by the American Library Association as one of the top ten debut novels of 2011. It also made the extended bestsellers list in the UK and is off to a great start in Italy following the February 16th release

"True love can last an eternity . . . but immortality comes at a price. . . ."
On the midnight shift at a hospital in rural Maine, Dr. Luke Findley is expecting another quiet evening of frostbite and the occasional domestic dispute. But the minute Lanore McIlvrae--Lanny--walks into his ER, she changes his life forever. A mysterious woman with a past and plenty of dark secrets, Lanny is unlike anyone Luke has ever met. He is inexplicably drawn to her . . . despite the fact that she is a murder suspect with a police escort. And as she begins to tell her story, a story of enduring love and consummate betrayal that transcends time and mortality, Luke finds himself utterly captivated.

Her impassioned account begins at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same small town of St. Andrew, Maine, back when it was a Puritan settlement. Consumed as a child by her love for the son of the town's founder, Lanny will do anything to be with him forever. But the price she pays is steep--an immortal bond that chains her to a terrible fate for all eternity. And now, two centuries later, the key to her healing and her salvation lies with Dr. Luke Findley.

Part historical novel, part supernatural page-turner, "The Taker" is an unforgettable tale about the power of unrequited love not only to elevate and sustain, but also to blind and ultimately destroy, and how each of us is responsible for finding our own path to redemption. (Taken from Goodreads.com)


To celebrate the paperback release of "The Taker" by Alma Katsu, she has offered up this amazing fan pack!

The pack includes a proof of the trade paperback cover, a spoofy wine label made for The Reckoning, bookmarks, post-it notes and a Reckoning pen, and a copy of the book. (All pictured except for the book.)

I have personally read tons of reviews on The Taker and I read so many bloggers who said they didn't think they'd enjoy cause not their normal reading genre, but ended up loving it!  So now is your chance to win this fantastic fan pack! All you need to do is comment below and leave me your email address. This giveaway is for US/Canada only (No p.o. boxes) I'd love for you to follow my blog by GFC or subscribe by email, but not a requirement! This giveaway will close March 27, so if you don't win you can run out and grab it in paperback! Good luck!

Other giveaways on A Novel Review

A Totally Rad Giveaway

Later this month, I will be reviewing Girl Unmoored by Jennifer Gooch Hummer. I can't wait to share it with you! So you may ask yourself, "Why is Laura posting about a book she is about to review?" Great question! And the answer is way better! Jennifer is having a giveaway over on her blog!

Now through April 6th, when you comment about Girl Unmoored on Jennifer’s blog at www.jennifergoochhummer.com, you’ll be automatically entered into a drawing to win a tote bag stuffed with gifts that blend the hottest 2012 e-reader with totally rad ’80s memorabilia and more! And if you purchase the book (print or e-book) and forward your receipt confirmation to contests@sparkpointstudio.com, your name will be entered to win 10 TIMES! That’s 11 chances to win the following awesome prizes:
-              A Kindle Fire, just in time for spring break lounging!
-              DVDs of Best Of 80s movies to celebrate the year of Girl Unmoored, 1985
-              Copies of Jennifer’s Top 5 YA books: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie; She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb; Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson; The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty; and The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
-              A gift card to 1-800 Flowers in honor of Apron’s summer job at Mike and Chad’s flower shop, Scent Appeal

The winner will be notified and announced the week of April 23rd.

What are you still doing here! Get over there and comment! Oh wait maybe you want to get those 10 extra chances by ordering her book! Well here's a link! Good luck! Make sure to come back by March 29 to read my review!