Anita Loughrey's blog. This is my journal about my experiences and thoughts on writing. As well as news about me and my books, it includes writing tips, book reviews, author interviews and blog tours.
For more information about me and my books see my website: www.anitaloughrey.com. Follow me on Twitter @amloughrey, Facebook @anitaloughrey.author and on Instagram @anitaloughrey
I am happy to announce today is my stop on the Ice Cream Boy blog tour.
My stop on the tour is a book review.
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Title: Ice Cream Boy
Written by: Lindsay Littleson
Published by: Floris Books
Blurb
Twelve-year-old Luca Verani has his future all mapped out: who needs school when he’s going to take over his family’s ice cream cafe? But then his aunt announces she’s selling the struggling business and Luca realises that his nonna’s memory is disappearing. Plus, he’s starting high school and one of his best friends Sitara is being targeted by racist bullies. As Luca’s worries pile up, will his dreams melt away?
Ice Cream Boy is a heart-warming novel from Lindsay Littleson, author of Carnegie-nominated Guardians of the Wild Unicorns. Full of authentic dialogue, gentle humour and true-to-life characters, this engaging middle-grade novel explores the thoughts and feelings of children affected by dementia.
Review
This is a a great book that sensitively deals with dementia in a way young children are able to understand and empathise with. Our main protagonist, Luca considers himself the class clown and sometimes his behaviour in class is questionable. His character arc is excellent and we certainly see Luca mature over the course of the book not only with his attitude to school and his father, but also with his future career prospects, realising he has so many options he can consider.
He is dealing with a lot at home as his grandma is gradually becoming more forgetful and confused. His mother is away working a lot and his estranged dad lives in Italy. The issues of racism are well portrayed and I particularly liked the emphasise on how the children do not have to act like their parents and can make their own choices.
In fact, there is so much to love about Ice Cream Boy and the way family relationships are explored making this book a highly relatable and compelling read.
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About the Author
Lindsay Littleson is an award-winning middle-grade author from Glasgow, Scotland. Her books include Carnegie-nominated Guardians of the Wild Unicorns, The Secrets of the Last Merfolk and Kelpies Prize-winning The Mixed-Up Summer of Lily McLean, which was also longlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Books Prize.
Inspired by many happy years as a primary teacher, Lindsay’s books have been praised for their believable characters and authentic dialogue. She currently lives in Renfrewshire, Scotland.
In this compilation there are eighteen fantastic retellings of East Asian folktales, myths and legends that have been handed down by word of mouth through the generations. There is an important introduction explaining what countries are included as part of East Asia and why, including what beliefs have influenced them. This gave an overview of East Asian traditions and anthropological insights. The Author’s Note goes on to explain the differences in names across the region and the reasons behind their pronunciations.
These eighteen stories have been divided into five distinct chapters: Origin and Discovery Tales, Festival Stories, Animal Tales, Tales of the Good Wise and Brave, and lastly Ancient Love Stories. Within each chapter each story has its own introduction and useful explanation of the story origins. For me the addition of the source of the story enriched the reading experience and makes this book a useful educational resource for schools and libraries. Each story heading is accompanied by beautiful black and white illustrations by the talented Jocelyn Kao.
Eva Wong-Nava kept me hooked until the very last page. She touched on the virtues and vices of human nature and captured the essence of these enchanting traditional stories, making them totally accessible to children today. I enjoyed her sensational, lyrical writing style ideal for the 8+reader and the subtle cultural details within each story. These stories give an insight into people’s way of life past and present and I was personally able to compare and contrast with my knowledge of Cypriot folktales from my own culture with their Turkish, Greek and Lebanese influences.
Many highlighted societal beliefs and traditions such as the Korean tale, Mr Mole Find a Husband for his Daughter, which vividly displays the quest of a father to find a suitable husband for his daughter, conveying the significance of arranged marriages still prevalent in many cultures today. Others have a lesson attached in the style of Aesop’s Fables such as the Mongolian story, The Not-So-Very-Clever Wolf.
East Asian Folktales Myths and Legends truly is a celebration of the rich cultural heritage of East Asia. This brilliant collection of diverse tales will not only entertain but make you think. A great read.
You can buy copies of Asian Folktales Myths and Legendsby Eva Wong-Nava and Jocelyn Kao from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.
Cress Watercress is written by Gregory Maguire and Illustrated by David Litchfield. It was published by Walker Books.
A classic in the making, Cress Watercress is a lavishly illustrated woodland tale with a nostalgic sensibility and modern flair, from the author of the novel Wicked, which inspired the hit musical. Gregory Maguire turns his trademark wit and wisdom to an animal adventure about growing up, moving on and finding community.
When Papa doesn’t return from a nocturnal honey-gathering expedition, Cress holds out hope, but her mother assumes the worst. It’s a dangerous world for rabbits, after all. Mama moves what’s left of the Watercress family to the basement unit of the Broken Arms, a run-down apartment oak with a suspect owl landlord, a nosy mouse superintendent, a rowdy family of squirrels and a pair of songbirds who broadcast everyone’s business. Can a dead tree full of annoying neighbours, and no Papa, ever be home?
In the timeless spirit of E. B. White and The Wind and the Willows – yet thoroughly of its time – this read-aloud and read-alone gem for animal lovers of all ages, features an unforgettable cast that leaps off the page in glowing illustrations by David Litchfield.
Gregory Maguire
Gregory Maguire is the author of the incredibly popular books in the Wicked Years series, including Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, which inspired the musical. He is also the author of several books for children, including What-the-Dickens, a New York Times bestseller, and Egg & Spoon, a New York Times Book Review Notable Children’s Book of the Year. Gregory Maguire lives outside Boston.
David Litchfield
David Litchfield started to draw when he was very young, creating comics for his older brother and sister. Since then, his work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, and books and on T-shirts. His first picture book, The Bear and the Piano, won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. He is also the illustrator of Rain Before Rainbows by Smriti Prasadam-Halls and War Is Over by David Almond. David Litchfield lives in Bedfordshire.
Praise for Cress Watercress: …the story strikes a resonant chord: Like Cress, we must all continue to seek pleasure and connections in a dangerous and uncertain world. – The New York Times
David Litchfield’s illustrations have such bright, glowing colours that even the nocturnal scenes seem bathed in light. – The Wall Street Journal
A hungry fox, a sneaky snake, a blundering bear, and “human beanpoles” add drama and suspense to Cress’ mini adventures, which are luminously depicted in Litchfield’s color illustrations. . . this novel of family and friendship will please fans of animal fantasies. – Booklist
The Pirates of Darksea must be one of the best books I’ve read this year. Max Reid’s big brother, Christopher, sends a message in a bottle to the pirate Captain Thomas O’Malley asking if he and Max could go on an adventure with him in the magical realm of Darksea.
Two years later Squawk the Parrot brings an invitation to join them on their pirate ship, The Stolen Sunrise, but Christopher is ill in hospital being treated for cancer. Max decides to go in his brother’s place in the hope he will be able to discover a magical miracle to cure his brother. When he arrives on The Stolen Sunrise, Max discovers Captain Thomas O’Malley has died and his sister Eliza O’Malley is now captain and sent the invitation.
Max befriends the cook’s sister, Ruby and together they embark on an epic quest to save Darksea from being munched by the Dreadmaker and its evil captain Red Fin who is on a mission to get rid of all the stardust in Darksea.
The characters are all well constructed and believable from Max’s motivation for leaving home to Squawk’s hilarious banter. I particularly liked the way the sibling relationship is explored from many different angles such as Ruby’s relationship with her elder brother and how he watches out for her and Max’s desire to save his elder brother taking on a big brother role. But what makes The Pirates of Darksea stand out for me is how all the main characters are being affected by grief and the effect this has on their behaviour. Catherine Doyle cleverly demonstrates how people cope with grief in different ways to how Eliza sleeps a lot and has found it difficult to take on the role of being Captain, to Max’s fear of seeing his brother so ill so is unable to visit him in hospital.
The Darksea world has also been crafted to perfection with the different islands with their magical quirks vividly described. At the launch, I bought another copy of the book as my proof copy did not have the map which for me is a major part of reading the book. Checking where the islands were and the order they were visited so I could work out The Stolen Sunrise’s route added to my enjoyment of the book.
I would highly recommend this book to all KS2 readers who love adventures.
I’m thrilled to welcome Victoria M. Adams to the blog today as part of her blog tour to celebrate the release of her new novel The House at the End of the Sea.
Saffi doesn’t want her new life, living with her dad, little brother and old-fashioned grandparents in their B&B by the sea. She is grieving for her mum and longs for things to go back to normal.
But this new home is anything but normal: the walls change colour, a face appears in the mirror, and the pantry is suddenly filled with fancy food. When a party of extraordinary visitors arrive at midnight, Saffi begins to realise that her family has a dark, magical secret. It will take all her bravery to discover the truth and find a way into another world…
For this tour I am doing an author interview.
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Tell us your inspiration for The House at the End of the Sea.
There are two origin stories for The House at the End of the Sea. One is a lifelong love of all things legend and fairy tale. Bits and bobs of existing medieval ballads found their way into this book, from Tam Lin to Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I also took inspiration from children’s stories like The Dark is Rising or Tom’s Midnight Garden. But the immediate genesis was the gift given me by a friend, part of her grandmother’s Victorian ornament collection, a small silver bowl with a Persian Qajar-era coin mounted in the base. I thought to myself, ‘How did a coin from nineteenth century Persia find its way into an ornament collection of a woman living in Wales?’ No one knew. So this story began.
What are the underlying themes of The House at the End of the Sea?
If I had to sum it up: ‘Stay uncomfortable.’ The book looks at grief and loss on a personal level, but also colonial histories. The main character, Saffi, has a mixed heritage, Iranian on her mother’s side and British on her father’s. Her British side includes the added complexity of shady family dealings. She has to confront this truth, which other members of the family would rather avoid through denial or shrugging off responsibility. The story asks: ‘Would you rather live with your eyes shut or face the truth, however difficult?’
What is your schedule like when you are writing a book?
I fit writing around a few other activities – teaching, translation work, script work. So really there’s no set schedule – I write when I can. Sometimes a couple of months will go by before I have time to go back to the novel. I always miss it by then!
How did you develop your characters and hone their voices so children can identify with them?
Usually, I’ll think of real people to serve as a template for a character. Sometimes I make an amalgam of people, or put in bits of my own experience. For the main characters in this book, I used some of my own experience for Saffi and based her brother Milo on a little boy I used to know. Birdy is also a mix of two people, though getting his ‘voice’ in dialogue required separate research into accents and speech patterns in East Yorkshire. It’s a particular regional accent, soft compared to some accents in Leeds or Sheffield. I love it.
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
Pants all the way. It’s absolute mayhem. If I have to write an outline it quickly falls apart.
The House at the End of the Sea pulls at your heart strings. What is the first book that made you cry?
Thank you for saying so! I grew up on the books of Paul Gallico, who managed to traumatise me with books like Jennie, about the world’s most excellent cat (spoiler, it ends sadly), and Love of seven Dolls. DO NOT GIVE THESE BOOKS TO YOUR IMPRESSIONABLE EIGHT YEAR OLD. The scars, ye gods. Oh, and Watership Down. RABBITS DIE.
Is there anything else you would like to tell readers about The House at the End of the Sea?
While the story is self-contained, there is space for a sequel and more explorations of the fairy realms. I really do hope I may visit again.
What are your social media links where can people find out about you and your books?
Victoria M. Adams spent her childhood bouncing between Cyprus, Canada and the US with her Iranian mother, trying to achieve first place in the ‘Most Visas Acquired Before Age Eighteen’ sweepstakes.
As an adult, she carried on the nomadic family tradition by adding France and New Zealand to the mix, where she worked as an animator, copywriter, tutor and story coach, in no particular order. Somewhere along the way, she acquired a BA in Film and an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck College. She currently teaches Creative Writing at City Lit and shares her London home with two humans and a feckless cat.
You can discover more about Victoria M. Adams and her books on her instagram @victoriamadams1
I would like to thank Bee from Kaleidoscopic Tours for inviting me to take part in this tour. Thank you.
To follow the rest of the tour take a look at the tour schedule below:
It is with great pleasure I join the blog tour for Kate Foster and her latest book The Bravest Word.
My stop on this amazing tour will be a book review.
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Title: The Bravest Word
Written by: Kate Foster
Cover by: Thy Bui
Published by: Walker Books
Blurb
A rescue story of love and trust between a boy and a dog from the talented author of Paws.
Matt is a football superstar. He can handle anything. Except lately his chest feels empty and his head is screaming. He can’t concentrate in school or enjoy football anymore, and he is so, so tired. When Matt stumbles across an abandoned dog, there’s no doubt in his mind that he has to save him. But maybe the dog isn’t the only one who needs help.
Review
Matt used to love football but now it makes him anxious and he no longer wants to play, he wants to be alone and avoids his friends, homework is a chore and he feels tired and listless all the time. He does not understand why life does not hold any joy for him anymore. Even his favourite computer game has lost its appeal.
The Bravest Word is an intense emotional portrayal of depression written by someone who has experienced it from the overwhelming sadness, fear and guilt to the physical tightness in the chest and aching limbs. The character development is strong and realistic. I found reading this book to be quite emotional on so many different levels. It is excellently written and covers this more prevalent than recognised mental health issue with sensitivity and compassion, which will help young readers to understand and feel empathy. This book is a positive step in building awareness for a condition that is often overlooked.
Matt and his father find a dog tied and abandoned on their walk and decide to bring it home. Matt agrees to car for the dog, which he names Cliff after his grandad. He reads up about the dog’s behaviour online and recognises that Cliff has dog depression. Matt recognises that some of Cliff’s behaviour and reactions mirror his own and he begins to realise all the tiredness, anger and tears are symptoms of depression.
By highlighting these symptoms, The Bravest Word, will help others to recognise similar symptoms in themselves and others and will be in a better position to help, or will hopefully encourage them to ask for help.
A beautiful compassionate book. I hope to see more from Kate Foster in the future.
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About the Author
Kate Foster is an award-winning children’s author of middle grade fiction originally from a small town in the southeast of England and now living on the stunning Gold Coast in Australia with her family and second-hand dogs.
She is passionate about encouraging and teaching a wider understanding of autism and mental illness via a positive approach and representation in both her books as well as her presentations and talks.
It is with great excitement I join the blog tour for The Time They Saved Tomorrow by Steve Nallon. My stop on the tour is a book review.
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Title: The Time They Saved Tomorrow
Written by: Steve Nallon
Cover Design by: Eilidh Maclennan and Amy Turnbull
Published by: Luath Press
Blurb
He can’t lie, he can’t harm but he can save lives.
After their dramatic escape from the devastating fire at the Old Coach Inn, the Swidger railway tunnel takes William Arthur and Granny on to London for what appears to be a new adventure … or is it?
Dark forces that seeks out William Arthur are at play, leading our young hero to doubt his future as a SWIDGER. But then he is given a mysterious red book by an old man with a white beard. William is told to protect it with his life – yet the pages are blank.
A sudden catastrophe changes everything and William and Granny must somehow find a way to put the world back to what it was. Could the blank pages of the mystery red book somehow be the key?
Only time will tell
Blurb for The Time They Saved Tomorrow
Review
The Time They Saved Tomorrow is the second book in The Swidgers series and contains themes of courage, determination and hope. The concept of this series is ingenious in that time can be manipulated by the Swidgers who possess the power prevent disasters and save people from certain peril. But there are those who want to use their power for more devious schemes.
Book Two is set in London with a backdrop of the underground and features many iconic locations to ground the action as well as a mysterious ghost train. William Arthur is given a mysterious red book but the pages are blank. He embarks on a quest to unlock the pages to discover more about the secrets of Time and his own skills, whilst being pursued by The Man in the Macintosh Coat.
Different Swidgers have different skills but all are connected by Time.
‘Aloysois… The Swidger of Time Stopped… You, Alicia… The Swidger of Time Past… And Echo, who hears the world as it is lived… The Swidger of Time Present. But someone’s missing… The Swidger of Time Future… You said, we must look to the past to see what lies ahead. But who is it from my past that will show me my future tonight?’
Quote from The Time They Saved Tomorrow by Steve Nallon
In places it does get a little confusing in that time is not linear and so much is going on but I enjoyed this. My favourite scenes are when we see William using his skills, such as when he unwittingly splits time into alternate time paths and has to endeavour to fix it and when Granny is possessed and turned into a snake.
I loved the way this book encompasses a multitude of scientific theories from Einstein’s relativity, multiple realities and Godel’s Spacetime. Steve Nallon’s expertise at accents and intonation really shines through in the dialogue and William’s voice.
Seeped in science fiction The Time They Saved Tomorrow is a fun and entertaining read.
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About the author
STEVE NALLON has been a writer and performer in the world of comedy for over forty years. Steve began his performing life with his own comedy act on the Northern Working Men’s Club Circuit in Yorkshire back in the 1970s.
After gaining a degree in Drama and English at the University of Birmingham, Steve became a founding member of the cult satirical comedy series Spitting Image, where for over a decade he voiced many of the programme’s most iconic characters, including Margaret Thatcher, Roy Hattersley, Alan Bennett and The Queen Mum.
Steve’s acting work now ranges from theatre, film and television, to video games, puppetry and audiobooks. As a playwright and comedy writer, Steve has a considerable body of credits to his name, including plays and series for BBC radio, three one-man theatre shows and the satirical book I, Margaret, which he co-wrote with the novelist Tom Holt. Over the years, Steve has contributed to numerous periodicals such as The New Statesman and Musical Stages, and is a much sought after speaker on the lecture circuit for his insightful and amusing talks.
You can follow on X @SteveNallon and on Instagram @stevenallon
To follow the rest of the tour take a look at the schedule:
I would like to thank Kelly at Love Book Tours for inviting me to join this blog tour. Thank you.
I am so pleased to welcome Radhika Sanghani to the blog today as part of her The Girl who Couldn’t Lie blog tour.
The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie is a middle grade an hilariously funny comedy farce, released by Usborne on the 9th May 2024.
Blurb
A fresh, funny story about white lies, brutal honesty and a bangle with special powers, from award-winning journalist and author Radhika Sanghani.
Priya Shah lies. A lot. She pretends everything in her life is perfect, so she doesn’t disappoint anyone.
But when she puts on a bangle left to her by her Ba – the one person she was always honest with – she finds herself unable to tell a lie.
Priya is mortified. She tells her dad she hates his cooking, she tells Dan Zhang about her huge crush on him, she shares her best friends’ secrets at school. She can’t get the bangle off, and she can’t stop the truths pouring out of her.
As more things go wrong, and Priya’s truth-telling spirals out of control, can Priya learn to be honest without hurting the people she loves?
My stop takes the form of an author interview.
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Tell us a little about yourself and the inspiration for The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie.
Hello! I’m a writer and The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie is my first children’s book. The inspiration came from me thinking about what kind of book I would have liked to read when I was younger. That’s when the character of Priya Shah came to me – I would have REALLY related to her when I was 12! – and the idea came from there.
Why did you decide to write a book about white lies for children?
I am a big believer in radical honesty. I no longer lie in my personal life – not even white lies – and it has drastically improved my life. I wanted to write a book that encourages children to think about honesty, and to realise that speaking their truth can strengthen their relationships and lead to a happier, more honest life.
How did you make the transition from journalism to writing for children? Explain how you broke into the market.
I’ve been a journalist for 12 years, but I’ve also published four novels for adults in that time. So I was already an author, and when I had my idea for a children’s book, it wasn’t such a challenge to move into this market. I was lucky in that my agent Madeleine Milburn also had an amazing children’s agent working for her – Chloe Seager – and she’s helped me make it all happen!
In your opinion, what makes a great children’s book?
For me, a great children’s book is full of honesty, relatability, humour and definitely a sense of mystery/the unknown!
Which part of The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie was the most fun to write?
I loved writing the comedy parts about when things start to go wrong for Priya when the magic bangle forces her to stop lying. But I also had a lot of fun writing the scenes with her best friends Sami and Mei because they’re both really funny characters.
What writing advice would you give to people aspiring to be a children’s book writer?
I would say to keep on writing – the more you write, the more you have to put out in the world, to see what lands! And also to have fun with it. My favourite thing about children’s novels is that you don’t have to be so serious – I love that my books can be a little bit magical and humorous.
Is there anything else you would like to tell readers about The Girl Who Couldn’t Lie?
Just that I think anyone of any age could enjoy it – especially if you relate to Priya’s people-pleasing tendencies, and this sense of lying to make other people feel better!
I’d love to hear what you think of TGWCL if you read it!
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About the Author
Radhika Sanghaniis an award-winning features journalist, acclaimed author, screenwriter, influential body positivity campaigner and a 2020 BBC Writers Room graduate.
Radhika writes regularly for the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, Elle, The Guardian, Grazia, Glamour and Cosmopolitan; was recently featured in Italian Vogue as well BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour and is a regular guest on Sky News and Good Morning Britain. She is also a TedX speaker on body positivity, a yoga teacher and runs a charity initiative with AgeUK fighting loneliness in older women.
I would like to thank Bee from Kaleidoscopic Tours for inviting me to take part in this tour.
To follow the rest of the tour take a look at the tour schedule below:
You can buy copies ofThe Girl who Couldn’t Lie by Radhika Sanghani from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org which supports local, independent bookshops.
I am delighted to welcome you to my stop on the Into the Lion’s Mouth blog tour, to celebrate the success of the ninth place finalist for the Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award, Nancy McConnell.
The BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists and one overall winner.
If you want some more information about BBNYA, check out the BBNYA Website https://www.bbnya.com/ or take a peek over on Twitter @BBNYA_Official. BBNYA is brought to you in association with the @Foliosociety (if you love beautiful books, you NEED to check out their website!) and the book blogger support group @The_WriteReads.
Into the Lion’s Mouth is a superb historical fiction novel aimed at the middle grade age range and was published on September 7th 2021.
Here is the blurb:
Blurb
Venice is sinking, so they say.
And so are Nico’s chances to prosper in the most glorious city in the world. Nurse Francesca is threatening to send him to a farm to pick olives, he has failed at two apprenticeships, and one of the most powerful men in Venice would like to sink Nico’s lifeless body into the darkest canal. Orphans have very few options and Nico might be forced to choose the one he most wishes to avoid, leaving Venice behind forever.
My stop on the tour consists of an author interview .
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Tell us a little about yourself and the inspiration for Into the Lion’s Mouth.
I’m a teacher, writer and photographer. I think being creative is the very best thing for my soul. I always wanted to be an author and publishing Into the Lion’s Mouth fulfilled a lifelong dream for me.
About ten years ago I was fortunate enough to take a trip to Venice. I knew absolutely nothing about it before I went but was completely captivated by the magic of this unique city. While touring the Doge’s Palace, which features heavily in the book, I was overwhelmed by the idea that there must be so many stories to tell about things that happened there. When I got home, I started reading everything I could about Venice. I just knew I had to find a story to write about it. The idea of Nico, an orphan, trying to make his way in the city grew from a tradition the Venetians had of heading into the streets during the election of a new doge and bringing a street urchin into the palace to participate in the election. That seemed like a good start to a story, I began to imagine how something like that could change the life of the child who was chosen.
What does being a Book Bloggers’ Novel of the Year Award finalist mean to you?
It means a lot. When I first entered the contest, I was most excited by the idea that more people would read my book! That’s why writers write. I never expected to make it so far in the competition. It’s hard for indie authors to reach new audiences and the contest has helped others find the book. But also, it feels wonderful to know that people appreciate my work, and that it can stand up to some stiff competition.
Into the Lion’s Mouth is an intriguing historical novel set in late fifteenth century Venice, during the Renaissance. Did you have to do a lot of research into this period? What was the most unusual research you had to do? I did TONS of research. I knew nothing about the time period or the area. I read a lot and was fortunate enough to connect with the author of a comprehensive book on the history of Venice who gave me some great advice. Also I found a copy of a book about the orphan’s hospital and was inspired to create the character of Lisabetta based on a letter I read in the book. My editor also wanted to expand the prison escape scene so I read Casanova’s own account of how he escaped from the Leads, and used that as the basis for Nico’s escape.
Do you have a particular place you like to write?
My favourite place to write is on my back patio. I love the sound of nature; it just makes my heart happy and puts me in the right creative space. Unfortunately, I can only do that in the summer so in the winter, it’s with my laptop on my lap on my couch with a fire in the grate. I think I just need cosy to write.
Is there an aspect of writing and publishing you wish someone had told you when you started out?
Um, everything. I was super green (and probably still am) when I was lucky enough to find my publisher. I wish someone had told me that I was a legit writer even before my book hit bookshelves. I didn’t realize the scope of how much marketing is required to make a book successful and I could have started that much sooner than I did.
Would you like to share anything else about Into the Lion’s Mouth?
I wrote three other novels before I wrote this, but I knew it would be the one from the very beginning of the writing process. Even so, it took me six years from when it was finished to be able to hold my book in my hand.
One more practical thing about the book that I tell everyone is to read the author’s note last.
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Author Bio
Nancy McConnell grew up in a little family, in a small town on the outskirts of a bigger city. Besides her family, the two things she loved most in the world were: reading and playing pretend. When she grew up, reading was allowed but playing pretend was sometimes frowned upon.
Since that was the case, she decided to write books so that the stories running around in her head would still live. In between writing stories, marrying her college sweetheart, and moving to a new country, she had her own little family and settled in another small town on the way outskirts of a much bigger city. Some things never change. When not writing, Nancy can be found puttering in her garden, taking photos or baking.
You can purchase a copy of Into the Lion’s Mouth anywhere you buy books. But Nancy would like to encourage people to buy from their local independent book shop. If they don’t have it on the shelf, you can order it and that supports the most people, or you can order online from sites like uk.bookshop.org a website which supports local, independent bookshops.
You can read reviews of Into the Lion’s Mouth by Nancy McConnell here:
Much To Do About Writing 