Writing

Now, listen here…

I’m not going to lie, the idea of audiobooks had never really appealed to me. What was the point? They couldn’t possibly give me the same satisfaction as reading a physical book, holding it in my hands, turning the pages, losing myself in the story. Then one day I received an email, a free thirty-day trial on Audible. I can never resist a freebie, so I gave it a go. The first book I downloaded was a disaster. It bored me. I couldn’t concentrate. I wasn’t enjoying the story. I hated the experience, even though everyone was raving about the novel, even though it was going to be made into a film! Every author’s dream. But I simply couldn’t get into it. I kept drifting off, thinking about other things, then losing the gist of the story when I eventually fell back into the loop. No, I said to my husband, it’s not for me. However, a few days later I decided to give it another try because you can exchange a book and pick another, and low and behold, I loved it!

I can now be found listening to books whilst I’m floating around the house with a fluffy duster, scrubbing the bathroom until it sparkles, or doing the loathsome ironing. It just makes all the household chores …. Okay, steady on, nothing will make housework enjoyable. But listening to books does make time fly.

So, I’m now an audiobook fan. Admittedly, I don’t enjoy them as much as reading but I like them and they do have their place. So, why the initial hatred? It was a combination of several things really. And now that I know my preferences I tend to choose wisely. The narrator is important. If I don’t like the voice, I can’t listen, even if the book is a bestseller, even if I love the author’s work. And, as with reading, the story and the voice of the author has to grab me from the onset, perhaps even more so with audiobooks, because you need to concentrate that little bit more and can easily be distracted.

I listen to audiobooks mostly when I’m doing household chores, or on a long walk. But friends have told me that they listen whilst they’re driving, during their commute, whilst they’re pounding away on the treadmill, knitting, cooking, gardening, or even doing a jigsaw puzzle. There definitely is a place for audiobooks in my life, and the bonus is that I can now have two or three books on the go – a paperback, a kindle and an audiobook. Happy days.

If you fancy having a go, Audible run a 30 day free trial offer and, listen to this (no pun), you get to keep the book you download during the trial period regardless of whether you keep your subscription or not. After 30 days you will have to pay the full price of £7.99 per month. I do enjoy being a member of Audible and they do have good offers at regular intervals, including some great free podcasts. I’ve listened to Derren Brown’s Boot Camp and Real Crime, so far.

Kindle Unlimited is also worth looking into. It offers 1000s of audiobooks as well as ebooks, and they’ve always got free offers going on.

If you don’t fancy a subscription, you can listen to books for free from your library. Ask them for a passcode and download the Libby app. Libraries have many fabulous audiobooks on offer. You get to listen for seven days. If you don’t finish within that time, you can borrow again, providing no one else is waiting for it. If you’re a member of Netgalley, or if you’d like to sign up, they offer reviewers audiobooks too.

You can listen to audiobooks on your phone, iPad, tablet, or computer. I usually listen on my iPhone or hook it up to Alexa. If you decide to give it a try, hope you enjoy!

The Cornish Connection by Amanda James

5* REVIEW

Nancy Cornish, a waitress in a Cornwall cafe, has a fascinating talent – she can see and talk to dead people and can object-read (delve into people’s past by holding an item that belongs to them.) Charlie, her DS husband, is dismissive of his wife’s psychic abilities. But then one day something extraordinary happens – she helps him solve a crime. Nancy quickly realises her vocation in life is to help people via her gift. So, to Charlie’s surprise and utter dismay, she hands in her notice at the local café and sets up as a PI – psychic investigator, working from her summerhouse in the garden.

The Cornish Connection by [Amanda James]

This novel delivered on all levels for me. I was looking for something different, something heartwarming yet exciting, and I found it right here.
Nancy, the narrator, hauled me in and kept me turning the pages eagerly. I thought the paranormal aspect of the story was beautifully executed. The characters are colourful and believable. The plot is mysterious and suspenseful, and the writing is excellent.

The Cornish Connection is an intriguing and beautifully composed tale, which held my attention from beginning to end. If you’re looking for a heartwarming read and bit of escapism, then this is the book for you. Can’t wait for the next instalment.

The Cornish Connection is available on kindle and in paperback from Amazon. And it’s on offer this week for just 99p!

Dear Sun…

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Dear Sun,

Well, I don’t know what to say to you anymore. You just drop by whenever you feel like it, raise my hopes, then go off to Spain, Greece, or wherever takes your fancy. And don’t get me started on Cyprus. It’s 35c over there today. Thirty-five! I mean, how could you? You spend all summer with them. Every year! I hardly ever see you.

Yes, I have tried self-tanning lotions but they’re all fake. FAKE, I tell you. What? Which incident with the sunbed? I don’t…oh, wait a minute. Ahem. That was ages ago, it meant absolutely nothing. I was desperate, wasn’t thinking straight. Yes, I know they can hurt you, thank you very much. Look, it was just a one-off, okay? I didn’t even enjoy it. I mean, you’re always letting me down, aren’t you? Promising to show up then sending all that gust and rain in your place. It’s too much to bear. I’ve had to go into therapy, you know. Me! Can you believe it? They’ve even put me on vitamin D supplements.

Of course, I know you’re worshipped worldwide, but what about us in poor old Blighty, hey? We’re your biggest fans, you know. Straight into our skimpy shorts and summer dresses at the mere sight of you, revealing our pale skin to the world. In fact, whenever you turn up we take to the socials proclaiming our joy of your arrival. What do you mean I complain when you’re here? I’ve never…oh, hang on. That’s only when you’re a bit full-on. You must admit, you can be a bit over-generous and muggy, can’t you? I mean 38c in London, it’s unthinkable. 40° last summer. We were melting. I could barely type, and you kept me up all night with all that heat. I mean, is a cool breeze at night too much to ask for? No, a fan won’t do, I can’t sleep with all that noise. Open all the windows? You really are being silly now. What if a bat or insects fly in and chew all my toes off while I’m asleep? What then, hmm?

Anyway, I’ve had enough of your excuses and quite enough of your downpours, to be honest. I don’t think I can cope with this anymore. I’m leaving you for a light lamp. No, don’t try to stop me! My mind’s made up. Yes, yes, I’ll see you around. Bye.

P.S. I love you.

My Writing Style

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When I got my book deal, I immediately texted my husband to tell him the good news. Naturally, he was over the moon for me. Messages flew between us with the final one, from him, saying he’d bought me a gift to celebrate. His words made my heart melt. How lovely of him to be so considerate and supportive. I waited anxiously for him to come home, wondering what it could be. I’d been eyeing a Michael Kors wristwatch in the shop window for quite some time. But no, that was too expensive. Maybe it’s a perfume, I thought, or a lovely bottle of something sparkling for us to celebrate with. When he finally walked through the door with a huge whiteboard under his arm, I must admit, I was a little underwhelmed. Hmm…I thought, not quite romantic. But I was wrong to think this because it was a very romantic gesture. It proved that he listens to me and cares about my craft. Why? Because I’m a planner, not a panster.

I envy authors who start with a blank page and go on to write brilliant novels without any sort of preparation because I can’t get excited about a story until I know the ending. I’ve always been like this, even with my short stories. Once I know what’s happening, created my cast and worked out the plot, then, and only then, will the words flow. Admittedly, the novel does often change as the story unfolds, but I generally stick to the original plan, editing as I go along.

I usually finish a book in three drafts. But while I used to scribble everything down in notebooks, on post-its and on scraps of paper, I now use my whiteboard, and everything is in one neat place. How amazing is that? I still use notepads and scraps of paper because it’s just a writer thing, but my main story is drafted on the whiteboard, chapter by chapter, scene by scene, which includes dates and times. It rests against the wall behind my desk. So whenever I’m unsure about anything, instead of rummaging through draws looking for sheets of paper etc., I simply spin round on my chair and voila, the information I need is right there in front of me. I used it religiously as I penned my second novel, No Way Back, published on 21^st September 2017 by Urbane Publications. I then wiped it clean and used it again to draft the sequel. And I hope to get lots more use out of it in the future!

How Music Inspires Me When I’m Writing

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Many people ask me where I get my inspiration from when I’m writing my novels. Inspiration comes in many forms, but personally I find listening to music while I’m out running a great source, especially on lovely warm, sunny days. But even when I’m pounding away on the treadmill at the gym (okay, huffing and puffing as close to the air-con vent as possible), I’m always listening to music and often thinking about my WIP – the protagonist, the cast, the chapter I’m working on. Some of these melodies help me to create a vivid picture in my mind about the characters and their lives, the scenes, the highs and the lows, the cliff-hangers. Yes, music is a very powerful source.

With this in mind, I decided to create a compilation on Spotify of some of the songs that represent my second novel, NO WAY BACK. Several of the tracks on this collection are songs that I listened to while I was working on the book, some of which moved me to the core. In fact, two of them made me cry. They still do! A few of the tracks are mentioned in the story, such as Dancing Queen by Abba and Shape of You by Ed Sheeran. And some simply embody the story in a way that takes the characters and their lives beyond the pages of the book.

I’m sure you’ve guessed why Red High Heels by Kellie Pickler is on the playlist just by looking at the cover, and the blurb might explain why Want You Back by HAIM is on there, too. But you might be baffled by the inclusion of Zorba the Greek. I won’t spoil it for you but the story starts in Cyprus, and when you read the first chapter you’ll realise why this particular track is so significant to the story and why it has centre stage on my playlist.

So, without further ado, here’s NO WAY BACK, the book soundtrack. You can listen to it on Spotify for free but you will have an ad popping up every half hour, and you can’t download this or any other playlist onto your phone or computer unless you’re a paying subscriber.

I hope you enjoy the songs on my literature inspired playlist and that they give you an insight into the story and the characters in my novel.

No Way Back is now available on Kindle and in Paperback