Author Archives: layeredpages

Searching For Caption Wentworth by Jane Odiwe

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I’ve just finished a really good book that I was asked to review: Searching For Captain Wentworth by Jane Odiwe. I have to say, I felt very lucky to have been given the opportunity to read the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The baseline of the story revolves around a young woman named Sophie Elliot who is adrift in life and in her career and hoping to restart her writing career by staying in Bath, England in the townhome owned by her family. She is fascinated with Jane Austen and when she learns that the townhome is next door do the one that the Austen’s lived in when they were staying in Bath, her decision is finalized.
What follows is an interesting journey backwards and forwards through time as Sophie mysteriously passes back into time in the body of her cousin who is living next door to the Austen’s and has befriended the young Austen ladies. Sophie becomes more and more entwined with the story of her cousin and her friendship with Jane and her sister – and brother, Charles.
In modern times, she befriends her neighbor, Josh Strafford, who happens to be working on an exhibit about Regency Bath, including displays on the Austen’s. As Sophie bounces back and forth between time, she begins to have feelings for both Josh and Charles, which she fears will lead her to heartbreak on both fronts.
The story is cleverly woven between the past and present and quickly draws you into both times. You hope that Sophie finds love with Charles Austen in the past AND with Josh Strafford in the present. You wonder how the events in the past have shaped the current and what changes may occur based on Sophie’s actions in the past. Will she affect the future? What will happen with Charles? What does Josh feel about her? Is she just a friend or more to him?
Odiwe does an excellent job of portraying Regency England and the customs and challenges young women of that era faced. I was enchanted by her portrayal of Jane Austen as a spunky, creative young woman bound by duty and honor – and most women of that age were. I’ve visited Bath before and the descriptions she used in the book were true to my memories and took me back to the visits, wandering the streets and walking through the Pump Room.
She handles the time-travel relatively well, and I think, does a good job of portraying Sophie as someone who tries to sort out whether what is happening is a dream or if it is real – and which reality is really real?
I would most definitely suggest you read the book, even if you are not a Jane Austen fan, you’ll enjoy the story line and be enchanted by the characters.
 
 
Lois Houston
Review Team Member
 

Darcy’s Decision by Maria Grace

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Having renewed my acquaintance with Jane Austen by rereading several of her masterworks including Pride and Prejudice in the last year, it was with joyful anticipation I began to read Maria Grace’s Darcy’s Decision. I was not disappointed! Grace’s delightful tour de force introduces the reader to Austen’s Darcy as he inherits Pemberley and works toward becoming its best master ever. I simply could not put it down. I found myself reading long into the night trying to figure out how Darcy would handle the most delicate matter concerning his young sister Georgiana. A quick glance at the chapter titles gives the reader a good idea of the challenges Darcy will face. Such chapter titles include: To Whom Much is Given; Bad Company corrupts Good Company; and Folly is Bound Up in the Heart of a Child.

The characters postively leap from the pages! They are alive and interesting. They are people the reader wants to get to know better.

Grace has an eye for detail and a knack for recreating Austen’s world. I heartily recommend her books to Austen fans everywhere! I am eagerly awaiting more in this series.
 
 
Author Michele Kallio
Review Team Member

Layered Pages Book Reviews

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Wow! What a wild ride! When I was first asked to review Lost and Found, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Service Dogs? Kidnappings? Autism? Medical drama? I was a little concerned about how all of those were going to relate to one another, but my concerns were unfounded because once this story got rolling, I was completely swept away. Shojai melded all of these things together in a nearly seamless flow.

Written in third person, the narration alternates between different perspectives. The primary character, September Day, has a past that colors a lot of her decisions. Although details about her past were slow in coming, by the end of the story, her character really comes full circle, and I felt like I really understood her and her motivations as a character.

The secondary characters were well-rounded too. Officer Combs, a cop battered by undeserved scandal, added a great layer to the story without falling into the romance trap, which was really refreshing. The most refreshing thing, however, was the service dog Shadow’s perspective. I thought that it was really sweet & endearing, and it really did seem like how a dog would speak if they used words. Shojai’s knowledge of canines shines in Shadow’s narration.

The plot itself was full of tension, suspense and several nail-biting moments. All of the events felt believable but still held that “I can’t believe it” feeling. Two of the most intriguing aspects of the plot are the treatment & life of those with an autistic child and the German Shepard service dogs. I really appreciated how well she handled the autism aspect. It was tasteful and conveyed respect for those with autism and those who care for them.

If you are looking for suspense & crime drama with a twist, then Lost and Found is a read for you. 4 stars.

Beth Bulow
Review Team Member



Maria Grace’s novella The Future Mrs. Darcy is a variation of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It introduces the readers to the Bennet family in a way that clarifies the character and foibles of the family. Grace has a knack for recreating Austen’s world and breathing life into her characters. The Future Mrs. Darcy is the second in THE GOOD PRINCIPLES series which is aptly named. I found myself reading long into the night to see how the Bennet family would deal the recalcitrant Lydia. While the storyline is different from Pride and Prejudice, Grace remains true to Austen’s creations. I found it quite fun to see favorite characters in a different story. I am looking forward to reading more in the series. I heartily recommend The Future Mrs. Darcy to Jane Austen fans everywhere.

Author Michele Kallio
Review Team Member

The Grave Blogger, Donna D. Fontenot’s first novel is a clever, fast paced and extremely twisted psychological thriller. Drawing on her upbringing in a cajun household in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the author was able to clearly capture the essence and flavor of small town life near a bayou. Cleverly intertwining her personal passions of computers and blogging, she has created a unique and realistic main character with a intriguing and unusual occupation.

Raya Landry, the main character is a freelance writer and professional blogger, who researches and investigates cold cases for true crime websites. While researching her newest cold case, Raya has a curious and disturbing flashback of a brutal and horrific slaying of an entire family. Discovering that she is the lone survivor, Raya embarks on a journey to solve the twenty year old homicide case, despite the possible risks of becoming the killers next target.

Overall the book was a fantastic page turner that was very hard to put down. The characters were believable, yet a bit quirky at the same time, which kept the reader wanting to know more.

Throughout the novel, each character was given its own voice and the reader was able to experience the world through their eyes. Especially fascinating is the killer’s perspective. The killer is extremely twisted, diabolical, and merciless – toying with the victims and psychologically torturing them, before ultimately ending their lives. As often is the case, the villain has the most disturbing and compelling role.

At the conclusion, the author leaves open the opportunity for a possible book two in the adventures of a true crime blogger. Looking forward to more novels from this impressive new author.  
 
Emily Pryer
Review Team Member
 
 
 

How I hadn’t heard about this book before now, I have no idea. Now I feel that it is my duty to let others know about it. This was an exciting story about survival in the most extreme circumstances.
Grace’s father is missing, and presumed dead. But she feels that he’s still out there somewhere. It just might take some time to find him in the thousands of acres of wild where he disappeared. Her years of wilderness training couldn’t be more useful.

My favorite part of this book is the writing style. S.R. Johannes has a unique voice which is carried through her characters. Each one, either hero or villain, is a perfect fit with their surroundings.
Each chapter begins with a survival skill, but as the book progresses, the tips become less wilderness safety, and more paranoid and defensive, giving clues to the direction of the story. There is certainly no lack of suspense. I could feel the puzzle pieces fitting together, each clue leading to the bigger picture.

So, help me spread the word! Untraceable is a great read! 4 Stars!!

Lindsay Galloway
Review Team Member

More reviews coming up tomorrow here on Layered Pages! Stay tuned!

Stephanie
Layered Pages

Review: The Cross and The Dragon by Kim Rendfeld

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The Cross and The Dragon is a tale of love in an era where war and blood feuds plague Francia in 778. Alda is a willful fifteen year old who has fallen for Hruodland  a prince in the King’s court. With a vow of vengeance hanging in the air from Hrouland’s sworn enemy Ganelon, King Charles army invades Hispania. Alda wants to keep her beloved from harm, she gives him a charmed dragon amulet that she wears from her homeland. Can the amulet keep her beloved safe? Will Ganelon have his revenge on his enemy?
The Cross and The Dragon is the magical journey of love and war. The story is beautifully written, inspired by legend, and thoroughly researched, The Cross and The Dragon is a must read for all those who enjoy historical fiction. For those who normally wouldn’t pick up an historical fiction novel, The Cross and The Dragon is a fast read that will captivate the reader. The story is addictive and I found myself not wanting to put the story down. The strong characters found in Alda, Hroudland, and their families command attention and put you right into the heart of Francia and King Charles court. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the The Cross and The Dragon Rendfeld has created a historical fiction masterpiece. I look forward to reading the books that she writes in the future!
I am giving this book 4.5 stars!

Rachel Massaro
Review Team Member

New & Upcoming Book Releases 2012

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October-December 2012
 
The Queen’s Secret by Vitoria Lamb is released this week on the 27th, paperback edition on Amazon UK
 
 
 
 
Coachman by Sue Millard-October 1st
Sons and Daughters by Karen V.Wasylowski-October 1st
Hidden Gifts by Elena Welch-Aitken -October 1st
A Dangerous Inheritance by Alison Weir-October 2nd
How To Tame A Willful Wife by Christy English-November 6th
The Gilded Lily: A Novel by Deborah Swift-November 27th
The Emperor’s Conspiracy by Michelle Diener-November 27th
The Widow’s Redeemer by Philippa Jane Keyworth-December 1st
The Lady of Secrets: A Novel by Susan Carroll-Decmeber 11th
The Plum Tree by Ellen Marie Wiseman-December 25th
 
 
2013
 
The Forgotten Queen by D.L Bogdan-January 29th
The Chalice by Nancy Bilyeau-March 5th (in North America, the sequel to the Crown)
Roses Have Thorns: A Novel of Elizabeth I by Sandra Bryd- April 9th
 
 
I will be posting more 2013 releases in December. If you would like your upcoming book featured on Layered Pages, please email me at layeredpages@yahoo.com
 
 
 
Stephanie
Layered Pages
 
 
 


Wednesday Reviews

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Wicked Sense  by  Fabio Bueno
On the Goodreads scale: 4 out of 5 stars.
 
I really enjoyed this book, which was surprising to me. I am usually not a fan of anything that falls within the paranormal genre. This book was definitely a paranormal book that I can enjoy. It is a cute story about two kids, Skye and Drake. Skye is a witch, sent to Seattle to track down the “Singularity”, a super witch. Drake falls for her, and together they try to save Skye’s coven from untold harm. I really appreciated the fact that the book wasn’t 100% supernatural stuff, and what was there was written very well. It was easy for someone like me to really enjoy this book. I liked the story, which I thought was very cute, but not the typical annoying sweetness of most YA books. It took me no time at all to get into this book, and it was a quick read. What helped me to be able to enjoy this book was its setting. It is set in Seattle, not some mystical world. The characters act like everyday people with the exception of a few having magical powers. It wasn’t so far out there that I couldn’t get into it. I also enjoyed that it was written from both Drake and Skye’s perspectives. This is a great YA book – easy to read, and easy to enjoy.
 
By Laurin Hawkins
Layered Pages Review Team Member






Folville’s Law by David Pilling

Folville’s Law is a book set in 13thCentury England and describes the advancement of Eustace Folville, an outlaw who grabs power due to the dismal law and order situation in the country. He and his rivalry with John Swale, a knight working for the Despensers are the focus of the series. With a background story of the return of Queen Isabella with Roger Mortimer to England and King Edward’s downfall, this is a fast paced story that manages to hold the reader’s interest constantly.

The book constantly presents the story from different viewpoints with each chapter. But this does not confuse the reader and adds to the charm of the book. The characters are well etched out and have a strong background and give an impression of going somewhere. The author has a way of writing that manages to keep the reader reading.

There are however some weak points in this book. Even though the characters are well developed, I did not empathise with any of them or even develop any strong feelings for them. This might result in some readers not able to sustain interest beyond a certain point in the story.

The book seems well researched and gives a good feel of the times it is based in. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in the period, or this genre.

My rating 3.5 / 5

Kavitha
Layered Pages Review Team Member
 

 
 
 

Wednesday Reviews

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I haven’t read many books that take place during the Italian Renaissance and I was delighted to receive this book from Donna Russo Morin for review. I believe this period of time the arts were at its strongest and most sought after. Great artist come from this period. Donna does a brilliant job showing this. This story takes place in Florence. Battista an “art collector,” is really an agent for King François of France. Battista is collecting sought after pieces of art for François that leads him to Aurelia.

Aurelia is a lady of privilege who longs for freedom and adventure. She gets her chance when she helps Battista escape the palace she lives in after he tries to steal a piece of art. Together they embark on a journey for the relic he must find for the King of France. Throughout the story they travel to other cities in search for clues while visiting an artist, Michelangelo, a friend of Battista along the way.

This story is enchanting. There is a particular scene that reached out to me. It was a scene where Battista and Michelangelo were toasting and they raise their goblets and Michelangelo says, “True painting never will make anyone shed a tear. Good Painting is religious and devout in itself. Among the wise nothing more elevates the soul or raises it to adoration than the difficulty of attaining the perfection-with sculpture-which approaches God and unites itself to Him.”  So eloquently put.

Donna has such a way of words and writing about her characters. You feel like your right there beside them. You experience the same adoration as they do for art.  I admire their passion and their sense of adventure. Her descriptions of the arts and the palaces are breath-taking. So much that you can imagine them as described

I especially enjoyed the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. For example, “In that book which is my memory, on the first page of the chapter that is the day when I first met you, appear the words,” Here beginneth a new life.” –La Vita Nuava.

 I stumbled on a few words I was unfamiliar with and had to stop to look up a few pronunciations and definitions. I almost rated the story three and a half stars. However, since the story-line and plot was solid, and I love the characters, I rated it four stars!
 
Stephanie
Layered Pages

Jo Ann Butler’s debut historical fiction novel, Rebel Puritan, is inspired by her 8th great-grandmother, Herodias Long. Butler blends historical fact and fiction in Rebel Puritan so seamlessly the reader never feels the novel is semi-biographical.

Herod Long is 12 years old when tragedy strikes her family. Her family, farmers in Burlescome, England, are near destitution when her father and oldest brother perish from the bubonic plague. Herod, her mother and brother, Will, are left with a holding they cannot work by themselves.

This dilemma is resolved by Herod’s mother, who invites her oldest daughter and her family to work the farm. Unfortunately for Herod, her mother’s plans do not include her. Herod and her mother have an acrimonious relationship. Herod is a bit of a dreamer and her mother has no fondness for dreamers.

Herod, another mouth to feed and an unreliable worker, is sent to London to serve her mother’s sister. Herod knows what happens to girls who are bonded out or sent away – few return home.

Herod arrives in London to discover Alice Clark, her mother’s sister, is a cold woman. Herod is considered little more than a slave 6 days a week, working from dawn til sunset for a woman who complains incessantly and threatens to turn her out penniless for the next infraction. Servitude to this miserly and cruel aunt is Herod’s future for the next five years.

Puritanism, the tentacles of which were newly arrived in Burlescome, is firmly entrenched in London. Herod attends church all day Sunday with her aunt and uncle and chafes under the extremism.

It is important to understand Puritanism as it effects much of Herod’s life. Puritans were a group of Protestants who were unhappy with the Church of England. They believed in following the laws set out in the Bible without deviation. They also believed in the doctrine of predestination – God has chosen at birth the Elect who will enter heaven and those who are not of the Elect are damned for eternity. No one knows whether they are the chosen, therefore, Puritans worked hard for the glory of God.

It was a harsh lifestyle. The premise of Puritanism was to strip away all material and traditional aspects of the Church of England and practice extreme piety. Puritans were under constant scrutiny by fellow congregation members. Deviation from piety was dealt with swiftly by disapproval and discipline. Hell, fire and brimstone was the primary sermon.

Persecution in England prompted a massive immigration to New England, where communities were formed. These communities adhered to principles of Puritanism strictly. Those found in contravention were subject to banishment, corporal punishment and even, in some cases, death by hanging.

Now back to Herod. Her aunt and uncle operated a tailor’s shop. One day when she was minding the counter, a young man came in. Herodios was enthralled and contrived to establish a relationship. This is the man she would marry in great haste (without divulging her true age of 13) so she could escape and immigrate to New England.

Life in New England and with her husband isn’t the deliverance she craves. Scraping a living off the land is harsh and her husband, John Hicks, brutal. Puritanism reigns. Herod becomes friends with dissenters within the community, liaisons with repercussions.

Rebel Puritan is a novel of a young girl who struggles to find dignity and freedom within her world; a world in which women have few rights and are subject to male domination. Her efforts bring both success and tragedy. But her determination never fails.

Herod and her world come to life through Butler with her imaginative and gritty details. For example, I felt I lived through Herod in a dugout home on a treed lot in a small community in New England where every action was scrutinized.

Butler is skilled at evoking the realisms, hardships, hard-won victories and inevitable decisions a woman faced in 17th Century England and America. The numerous characters who populate Rebel Puritan have flesh and bones.

I recommend Jo Ann Butler’s Rebel Puritan without reservation. I eagerly await receipt the continuation of Herod Long’s life in Reputed Wife, to be released later this fall.

My rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Most Excellent)

 Darlene Elizabeth Williams

 http://darleneelizabethwilliamsauthor.com/hfreviews/rebel-puritan-by-jo-ann-butler-historical-fiction-novel-review/
 

 
My first impression of the books was that the farm looked charming, but boring. I’m glad I was wrong! Lost Nation, Iowa is everything you would expect from a small farm town in Iowa. It’s a town where everyone knows your name and your business. However, that doesn’t stop the dynamic Francesca from dancing to the beat of her own drum. Lucinda Sue Crosby has created a memorable set of characters with depth and style for this summer love story. Francesca’s granddaughter relives the best summer of their lives with colorful flare as the duo embark on adventures completely unbecoming a lady of the 1940’s. At the same time, the book also gently probes the cultural taboos of the time while the young Sarah begins coming of age.

The story is well developed and engaging. As a summer beach read this is wonderful and I was moved to tears by the close of the book. I found the descriptions to be full and vivid. The mystery within the story adds a nice touch. It was well constructed and not completely predictable. The cover art however, was a huge disappointment. I think that this was a missed opportunity. After all the wonderful events that unfold within the pages, a more engaging cover would have been good. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a lite beach read, as well as those with an interest in the 1940’s. 
 
 
Brandy Strake 
                                                 

 
 

Review: The Secret Keeper by Sandra Byrd

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The Secret Keeper is the first of Sandra Byrd’s books I’ve read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Sandra brings a new and rare story of Katheryn Parr. She is a person in English history that I have not read much about and now I’m intrigued by her. This story is told by Juliana St. John’s perspective, a daughter of a Knight.

Juliana’s mother expects her to marry the son of one of her father’s business men. But when Sir Thomas Seymour, brother of the late Queen Jane, comes to town in regards to the affairs of her father’s estates and happens to pass by a church and sees Juliana reading, he feels that she would be perfect as a member of Katheryn Parr’s household, the lady he loves. He sends her to Katheryn Parr’s household and she accompanies Katheryn to King Henry VIII court. They quickly become friends and Juliana becomes a loyal ladies maid to her. She looks to Katheryn as a sort of mother and Katheryn is kind and loving towards her in that regard.

Meanwhile King Henry VIII falls in love with Katheryn and wants to marry her. Despite loving Sir Thomas Seymour, she marries Henry and becomes the sixth and final wife to Henry and is doting to his children. She loves them and in many ways brings them closer to their father. She is a good Christian, intelligent, delicate yet strong, elegant, kind and very giving. It is her desire to influence Henry in matters of the realm and religious beliefs and she gets herself in a sticky situation when she supports Anne Askew, a reformer. This puts herself and her ladies in danger.

Juliana is also vulnerable to the court life, less noticeable, and less protected. She fall’s victim to a man at court who basically threatens to lie, spread harmful gossip about her and her mistress if she told anyone about his assault on her. Juliana also keeps a secret that could possibly bring her harm if the wrong people found out, a secret of prophecy.

 Sandra writes about Juliana’s assault, sensitively and doesn’t go into great detail. She leaves it to the reader to imagine what happened and I’m glad she wrote it this way. I’ve read scenes in books before were it was so graphic; I had a hard time picking up the story   and continuing on.

 I found that I liked Sandra’s portrayal of King Henry in this story. I saw a side of him I don’t normally see in other books that I’ve read. I don’t know if it was because by the time he married Kate, he was completely worn out or he felt he didn’t have to worry anymore because he had an heir? Or was it because of his health? He seemed to focus more on his beliefs and the reformation during this time and had a softer side towards his children. He even goes off to war and leaves Katheryn to rule in his stead while away.

I rated this story a solid five stars! I absolutely admire Sandra’s style of writing, the story was easy to follow along and she did not go off on long-winded details that I find tedious to read. She gives you a wonderful view of the court life during the time of the English Reformation. The story-line is believable, the plot engaging. All of her characters gave support to the story and was well developed. They all played a special part, even the ones that were in the background, which I find helps to make the story flow better. She has done extensive research for her story and it shows. I highly recommend this story to anyone who wants to read about Katheryn Parr and this period of time in England’s History.
 
by Stephanie
Layered Pages


I have an interview with Author Sandra Byrd on October 22. Make sure to mark your calendars! You won’t want to miss it!


 

Review: The Miracle Inspector by Helen Smith

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A refreshingly original piece of literature, The Miracle Inspector will spur you to think in new ways. Helen Smith has created a world where women are so marginalized in futuristic London that they cannot leave their homes without full body coverings. Although the setting is in the future, the story is not set so far in the future as to be unbelievable or unrecognizable which only serves to further invest the reader in the journey.

While weaving the separate strands of this story into a cohesive tapestry Smith endears us to the main couple through her descriptions of their everyday lives, thoughts, and dreams. Simultaneously, an understanding of Lucas’s family history evolves among the pages revealing a tumultuous, if slightly scandalous, past. The details of Lucas and Angela’s planned escape from this new London smacks of accounts of refugee outflows from war torn third world countries. It is this rendering of a modern western society reduced to “an oppressive place where poetry has been forced underground, theatres and schools are shut, and women are not allowed to work outside the home” which spurs thoughts on how life could change in an instant if we allow fear to overcome rationality.

Smith has won a well-deserved Arts Council Award for The Miracle Inspector. I would recommend this book to readers looking for an unconventional love story, or those interested in themes about overcoming oppression. Also, for the descriptions of poetry and art, this book would appeal to those with an interested in performing and activist arts.

Brandy Strake
Layered Pages Review Team Member

Interview with Author Sarah Bower

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What a honor it is to interview Author Sarah Bower. Sarah is an International Best Selling Author of, The Needle in the Blood & The Sins of the House of Borgia.
Sarah, I really enjoyed reading your novel, The Needle in the Blood. Could you please tell us a little about your book and what interested you the most about this story?

I’m glad you enjoyed reading NEEDLE, Stephanie, and thanks again for the lovely review you posted on Layered Pages. As I’ve written elsewhere, the Bayeux Tapestry is something we take very much for granted in the UK. It’s like the wallpaper to our history, if you like. What originally made me sit up and take notice of it in a different way was a TV show hosted by Simon Schama, in which he described one famous image in the Tapestry, of a woman and child fleeing a burning house, as being the first image in western art of what war does to civilians. That was the starting point for my novel. It then began to take more concrete form when I discovered that, although very little is known for certain about the Tapestry (making it fertile ground for the fiction writer!), current thinking suggests it was made in England, by English embroiderers, but for a Norman patron. It seemed to me that this created interesting tensions for me to explore.


Were there any challenges in researching for your novel?

I studied medieval history at university, so the historical research wasn’t quite so much of a challenge as finding out about the mechanics of how the Tapestry was made. I can scarcely sew on a button, so learning about medieval embroidery (because Tapestry is a misnomer – the work is, in fact, an embroidery) was a steep learning curve for me! That said, researching the life of Odo was also problematic because he is quite a shadowy figure in history despite his high profile at the time of the Norman Conquest. There are no full-length biographies of him, and little of his correspondence survives, just one or two letters between him and Archbishop Lanfranc. We don’t even know for sure when he was born or where he grew up. In another way, however, this made him a perfect protagonist for the novel because it enabled me to invent far more freely than if he had been a better documented historical figure.



Were there any scenes you found more difficult to write than others?

Oh, the sex scenes! They are always the hardest for me. I recently heard an interview with John Banville, in which he described the difficulty of writing sex scenes as being the bridging of the gap between noble sentiments and absurd actions. I don’t think I could put it better myself. I’m relieved, and flattered, that readers have, on the whole, been kind about this aspect of the novel because, with a hero and heroine like Odo and Gytha, sex was clearly going to play a central role in their relationship, even though I struggled, at first, to force them into a more abstemious mould. On average, I think each sex scene took me about two weeks to write – and that was just the first draft! I guess they take about two minutes to read. Nor do I find that aspect of writing gets any easier with practice.


Did writing this story teach you anything and what is it?

Although published after SINS OF THE HOUSE OF BORGIA in the US, NEEDLE is my first novel, and in that respect, it taught me a lot about the need for resilience, patience and self-belief if you are to complete a novel successfully, and then find a publisher for it. I had no idea how tough both these things are until I embarked on the process!

Regarding the specific subject matter of this book, it served to remind me that we have been a multicultural society here in the UK for well over a thousand years. If only more medieval history was taught in our schools, perhaps people would be less anxious about and more welcoming of those who still come here from all the different corners of the world and contribute so much to making us who we are. That is one reason why I chose to write the book in a way which tries to be even-handed to both conquered and conquerors, acknowledging that both sides were traumatised by the experience, and both have contributed hugely to our language, culture, law, politics and social structure.


Who designed the book cover?

The US edition cover was designed in-house, I believe, by my publishers. I think it’s gorgeous and am absolutely delighted with it.


Who is your publisher?

Sourcebooks Landmark, who also published SINS OF THE HOUSE OF BORGIA.


What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel or about writing in general?

As I have indicated in an earlier reply, I think the biggest challenge of writing a novel is the time it takes. Each of my novels has taken me, on average, three years to complete, from beginning the background reading and planning to having a final draft I think is good enough to be shared with readers. This knowledge makes getting started quite a difficult and nerve-wracking experience. I do rather envy writers I know who can complete a book in months rather than years. I’m afraid I rarely write in the white heat of inspiration but creep along at a snail’s pace, groping in the dark and hoping I find the right way. A tutor on my creative writing MA course once said, ‘Only write a novel if everything else fails,’ a sentiment with which I am in total accord! Writing novels is incredibly difficult. On the other hand, there is great reward and excitement to be had from engaging with readers who always find things in your work you didn’t know were there and thus give your book a kind of life of its own which is so much more than you can give it yourself as the author.

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

I’m not sure I really believe in writer’s block. Writing is my job. Do lawyers or nurses or refuse collectors get blocked? No. So why should professional writers be any different? Of course, it’s not always easy to gear oneself up for the imaginative effort involved in novel writing, but if that’s the case, I generally find I have some other kind of writing to do, or writing-related work such as teaching and mentoring other writers. For the imaginative work, I do think one has to be attuned to one’s emotional and mental state, even one’s physical health, in order to be prepared for the obstacles these things can throw up. One has to be aware that on a good day one might write a thousand words or more, but on a less good day it might be just a sentence.
That said, I know some writers do experience blocks in a very real sense, so perhaps I’ve just been lucky so far!

What is your next book project?

I have a contemporary thriller in the pipeline, and have just begun work on a companion piece to it. Although the new book will be more of a love story than a thriller, they have in common the fact that both are about people whose identity is different to the one they were born with and how this affects their lives. Both are also set on the east coast of England, the new one near Whitby, where Dracula landed of course!

What advice would you give to an aspiring author?

Well, if everything has failed and you find you have no option, you need patience, resilience and bloody-mindedness if you are going to keep going and succeed. You also need to be able to divide yourself into the writer, working in private, possibly not washing or even getting dressed for days, and the public persona who has to get out there, don the killer heels and lipstick, and sell her wares. In this regard, I find it helps to think of myself as a small marketing company set up to sell the novels of Sarah Bower. That way I can put some psychological distance between myself as writer and myself as a public figure. The business side of writing is assuming more and more importance for most of us as the publishing industry fragments and fewer and fewer novelists can expect to be published via the traditional route, by a big publishing house with a team of editors and marketing staff to put behind the book. We are increasingly having to become our own editors, proof readers and salespeople.

What is your favourite quote?

Oh dear, this is a difficult one, there are so many good ones and I have so many different favourites. So let’s go with the quote from Olive Schreiner’sFrom Man to Man which I use as an epigraph to THE NEEDLE IN THE BLOOD: ‘Has the pen or pencil dipped so deep in the blood of the human race as the needle?’

Bio:

Sarah Bower is a prize-winning novelist and short story writer. She is a regular contributor to the Historical Novels Reviewhistoricalnovelsociety.org/magazines/ , Ink, Sweat and Tearswww.inksweatandtears.co.uk/, andWords With Jamwww.wordswithjam.co.uk/. She works as a mentor to other writers, and teaches creative writing at the University of East Anglia, the Open University and the Unthank School of Writing. She holds an MA in creative writing from the University of East Anglia where she is now based in her role as co-ordinator of the mentorship scheme for literary translators run by the British Centre for Literary Translation.

Sarah is the author of THE NEEDLE IN THE BLOOD and SINS OF THE HOUSE OF BORGIA (originally published in the UK as THE BOOK OF LOVE) Her work has been published in eight countries. She lives in Suffolk, in Eastern England.

Sarah tweets @SarahBower and you also may find her on Facebook.

Thank you Sarah for the pleasure of an interview! It was an honor! 

Stephanie


Thank you, Stephanie, for asking me. It’s been a pleasure to answer your questions.

Sarah