Category: Interview/Q&A

Blog Tour/Q&A: The Lido Girls by Allie Burns

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I’m delighted to co-host today’s stop on the blog tour for The Lido Girls by Allie Burns. And I’m thrilled that Allie has agreed to talk about the book, its inspiration and her approach to writing.

WinThe Lido Giveaway PrizesPlus there’s an absolutely fantastic giveaway with a chance to win a fabulous prize consisting of a Boden beach towel, St Tropez fake tanning face bronzer and a signed postcard – worth £40.  To enter click here.

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The Lido GirlsAbout the Book

Escape to the inter-war years in this emotional story where opportunity can be found at the pool-side in your local lido… Perfect for fans of Pam Evans and Gill Paul

Change is in the air… London, 1930s: Natalie Flacker is tempted by the glamour of the new keep fit movement, but when she is dismissed from her prestigious job in PE she loses the life she so carefully built. Echoes of the war’s destruction still reverberate through her life, and now she is homeless, jobless and without prospects.

But connections made on a summer holiday, with her best friend Delphi, create opportunities. When Natalie is offered a summer job at a lido at the seaside, she jumps at the chance. But is she up to the challenge of taking on a group of unfit women in need of her help?

Set against the backdrop of the beginnings of the pioneering keep fit movement; this is a feel-good reminder of just what’s possible when you find the courage to follow your heart.

Spend a very British summer with The Lido Girls!

Format: eBook (384 pp.)                 Publisher: HQ Digital
Published: 2nd October 2017         Genre: Historical Fiction

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find The Lido Girls on Goodreads

Interview: Allie Burns, author of The Lido Girls

Without giving too much away, can you tell me a bit about The Lido Girls?

The Lido Girls is a heart-warming story of friendship set in the interwar years. Natalie gets caught up in a scandal at her prestigious physical education college and loses her job as a PE teacher. She goes to the coast with her best friend Delphi and when she takes on the Lido Girls she has high hopes for a fresh start. But first Natalie must find the courage to face up to her own fears and realise what she truly wants in life.

Where did you get the idea for the book?

I had some lessons to overcome my fear of going underwater and before I knew it I was swimming all of the time and reading anything and everything about swimming. There was one book, Waterlog by Roger Deakin, that had a section on lidos in Britain in the 1920s and 30s and there was just something about that period and the heyday of the British seaside resort that really captured my imagination.

The Lido Girls is set between the wars. What were the challenges in creating an authentic picture of life in that period?

There was a real divide between the rich and poor at the time. My main characters are middle class and comfortably off so I wanted to get across that whilst parts of the country were strolling along the promenade and cutting loose in the dance halls, in other parts of the country people were experiencing poverty and high unemployment.

How did you approach the research for the book? Do you enjoy the process of research?

This was the first time I’d written historical fiction, or carried out a research project, and so I think I got carried away and probably did more research than I actually needed to do. I read and learned so much that didn’t make it into the book, but I was fine with that because I was fascinated by so much about the era .

I visited quite a few museums and archives and I found talking to the volunteer historians the most rewarding aspect of the research because they were so passionate and knowledgeable about their specialist areas.

If The Lido Girls was to be made into a film, who would you love to see play Natalie and Delphi?

I tried to imagine who could play Natalie and Delphi in a film while I was writing the novel and I really struggled. The closest I could manage was a younger Cate Blanchett for Delphi, but I really couldn’t think who could play Natalie. Instead, for my inspiration, I cut out some photos from old magazines of two women who looked close to how I’d imagined them to look.

Do you have a special place to write or any writing rituals?

I have a desk, but I tend to move around the house while I write. The dents in the sofa are probably a big clue as to where I do most of my writing. If the weather is nice I like to write in the garden, but the glare from the screen makes it quite hard to see what I’m writing. In terms of rituals, the only one I have is that I need to write in silence because I get too distracted by background noise.

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think I ever really believed I could become an author and so for a long time I enjoyed writing just for the sake of writing. When I did decide to take it seriously and try to write a novel I spent quite a long time going on courses and improving my craft and then even more time making false starts with novels. It was worth persevering and ignoring the pessimist on my shoulder though.

Which other writers do you admire?

I really enjoy Lionel Shriver’s stories, characters and prose and I love the way she’s her own person and does and says what she likes. I’m also a huge fan of Anne Tyler – I love the relationship dynamics she creates.

What are you working on next?

I am currently working on my second book which is due out with HQ Digital next August. It’s also an interwar years novel, set at the close of World War 1. This was such a difficult time for the country, and for many women who suddenly lost their new-found freedoms and jobs to make way for the returning men.

Finally, if you had to sum up The Lido Girls in three words, what would they be?

Uplifting, friendship, fitness.

Allie BurnsAbout the Author

Allie lives in Kent with her family and two tortoises.

When she’s not writing for business or penning her Women’s Historical Fiction, Allie enjoys swimming and yoga. She has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and The Lido Girls is her debut novel.

She is currently working on a second interwar years novel, which is due for publication in the summer of 2018.

Connect with Allie

Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads

 

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Interview: Untangling the Black Web by T. F. Jacobs

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My guest today on what Cathy Read Next is T. F. Jacobs, author of Untangling the Black Web, an exciting political thriller involving corruption in the US medical system. I’m thrilled to bring you an interview with the author in which he talks about the inspiration behind the book and his approach to writing.

WinAnd T. F. Jacobs is offering one lucky reader the opportunity to win their own copy of Untangling the Black Web – paperback (US) or ebook (INTL).

To enter the giveaway click here.

The giveaway closes 12.00am GMT on 19th November 2017

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Untangling the Black WebAbout the Book

When David’s wife dies at the hands of a corrupt medical system, David is out for justice. With his skills as a lawyer and his position inside the biggest health insurance company in America – American True Care – he plans to bring down the system, from the inside.

David begins to work his way up the company while recruiting a clandestine team to build a covert case against American True Care. But this is a dangerous game and the players have ties to the highest levels of government. Propped up by lobbyists, senators, congressmen, and even the White House, American True Care will do whatever it takes to keep hold of its power.

As the web of deception and danger tightens around David and his team, they begin to realize that to win they have to risk it all – even their lives.

Format: eBook, paperback (252 pp.)   Publisher:
Published: 10th October 2017               Genre: Thriller

Purchase Links*
Amazon.co.uk ǀ Amazon.com
*links provided for convenience, not as part of any affiliate programme

Find Untangling the Black Web on Goodreads

Interview with T. F. Jacobs, author of Untangling the Black Web

Without giving too much away, can you tell me a bit about Untangling the Black Web?

I’d love to. Untangling the Black Web is about a man, David Higgins, who works for the largest health insurance company in the US. When his wife dies due to questionable medical practices that aren’t covered under his insurance plan, David decides to take on the system from the inside. He puts together a team of insiders and begins to work his way up the insurance company to a lobbyist position, where he works with senators and congressmen. But these are powerful people with dangerous ties. It becomes a race to build an incriminating case he can take to court before he and his team are found out.

What was the inspiration for the book?

There are some big issues in healthcare across the world and specifically in the US, and a lot of the issues stem from areas most people don’t focus on. I wanted to raise awareness about some of the things happening behind the scenes in regards to lobbying, contract loopholes, unregulated costs, lack of transparency, etc. I also wanted to make sure I presented these issues in a fun and exciting manner that made people interested in reading it.

The US health care system has been in the news a lot recently. Was it difficult tackling an issue that is the focus of such political debate?      

Yes! A big yes to this question. Everyone has their opinion on the matter one way or another. I was very careful to take a middle approach that didn’t take a political side one way or another. We can still raise awareness to the issues without taking sides, and I hope I did that in an entertaining way.

You’ve chosen an arresting title for the book. How did you come up with it?

Thank you, the title was one of the first things that came to me. The American Healthcare system is so complex with so many interconnected pieces, that to me, it seems like one big, dark spider’s web.

What was the biggest challenge you encountered when writing the book?

The research was a challenge for me. I like to write fast and exciting stories, and often the research slows me down. There was a lot to get right when it comes to healthcare, doctors, insurance, and lobbying.

Untangling the Black Web is your first published novel. Can you tell us about your writing journey?

Untangling the Black Web is actually my second book. My first is in a much different genre, and the two reader bases don’t mix. But as far as the process goes, I wrote the book in a little less than a month. For some reason everything was flowing. I went through two editors, and then started looking at how to get it out. I reached out to a few agents and actually had several requests to read the manuscript, but something I kept hearing was that Amazon publishing and self publishing dominate the market for political thrillers and other thrillers of the likes. So I found out about Kindle Scout, which is a competition if you will, where writers can submit their books, and after a 30 day campaign, Amazon will give you a definitive yes or no. Somewhere between 1-3% of books end up being selected for a publishing contract through the Amazon Imprint, Kindle Press. I was hopeful, but not optimistic given the odds, but a couple days after the campaign I was ecstatic to learn they’d selected Untangling the Black Web for publication.

To what extent has your background in marketing and advertising been helpful when promoting your book?

Marketing is everything when it comes to a book’s success. There are all sorts of avenues to pursue, like social media, search engine ads, blogs, and grassroots getting the word out. The book has done well so far, but my goal is to gather as many readers as possible, so there is still a ways to go.

Do you have a special place to write or any writing rituals?

I try to write in the first hours of the day before the day fully begins. Writing at home can be difficult because of how easy it is to get distracted, so I prefer to get out to a park or coffee shop.

Which other writers do you admire?

Blake Crouch is great when it comes to keeping you turning the pages. The late Stieg Larsson of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series is one of my all time favourites. I also enjoy psychological thrillers like Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Such rich characters.

What are you working on next?

I’m actually working on a psychological thriller that I’ve just finished and am starting the editing process on. I’m super excited about it, so we’ll see what happens.

Thanks for those fascinating answers to my questions.  I’m sure the lucky winner of the giveaway will be thrilled to read Untangling the Black Web. 

T F JacobsAbout the Author

T.F. Jacobs writes stories, that as a reader, he’d want to pick up and never put down. Fast-paced stories tackling hot-button issues with twists and turns to keep you guessing till the end. Before focusing his career on writing, he worked in marketing and advertising. When Jacobs isn’t working on a book, you’ll find him at one of Southern California’s many beautiful beaches.

Connect with T. F. Jacobs

Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Goodreads