Becky Sharpe Book We Critiqued Gets Rave Review from Historical Novel Society

Hope readers don’t mind my dropping in this HNS review of a book critiqued by Fiction Feedback as my blog post. We were very impressed by David James’s literary yet very readable sequel to Vanity Fair – we have a paperback copy on the Fiction Feedback ‘published’ shelf – and it’s great to see we aren’t the only ones who like it. It’s a bit racy – but compared to a certain famous book–now–film, it’s pure vanilla sauce.

Historical Novel Society reviews are well regarded, so worth a look?

The Confessions of Becky Sharp by David James: Review by Anne McNulty in HNS Reviews http://historicalnovelsociety.org/reviews/the-confessions-of-becky-sharpe/

Fans of William Makepeace Thackeray’s novel Vanity Fair and its unforgettable anti-heroine, Becky Sharp, will delight in David James’s smart, intensely readable, funny, and surprisingly moving take on that classic novel’s plot. In the pages of James’s novel, Becky Sharp (the semi-tragic Lady Crawley) jumps to center stage and tells her own story, culminating in her marriage to Rawdon Crawley, her disastrous affair with Lord Steyne, and her own take on the decidedly scandalous characterization Thackeray gives her throughout his book.

James fills the whole narrative with great pathos, glints of humor, and some very perceptive echoes and warpings of his famous template, all the while imbuing Becky herself with all the caustic intelligence Thackeray gave her, but a good deal more humanity. Without doing excessive violence to the continuity of Vanity Fair, he manages to give his unforgettable heroine the one thing Thackeray pointedly denied her: a kind of triumph. Readers who are familiar with Vanity Fair will love this book, but even readers who are not will find it an intelligent and fast-paced story. As a literary pastiche, it could hardly be bettered.

Find & buy online

Best Books We've Edited in 2014

We’ve edited a fair few books that have made it to market in 2014 and it seems appropriate in the dying days of the year to give the very best of them a mention. Have a look and see if anything catches your fancy; I’ve provided links to where you can buy them.

Note: Fiction Feedback has not been paid in any way for these honourable mentions: they're honest-to-goodness recommendations.

George Valentine’s Retirement Plan

A fabulous satirical romp, taking in the worlds of politics, PR and music with characters as varied and fascinating as the worlds they inhabit. Original and well written, this is a treat of a comedy with bite. A book you’ll be keen to recommend to your friends, and a debut author to remember.

By Laurence Cooper

http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=2731

Ignoring Gravity

A book about identity, and about why who you are makes a difference, whether you want it to or not. The story connects two pairs of sisters separated by a generation of secrets. Finding her mother’s lost diaries, Rose discovers she is not who she thought she was and has to adjust her view of herself and of those close to her. It’s not an easy journey for Rose, but it is an intriguing read.

By Sandra Danby

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ignoring-Gravity-Haldane-Identity-Detective-ebook/dp/B00O3D2PFI

Art of a Small Camera

We edit non-fiction as well as fiction, and this revolutionised my approach to taking photos on my phone and with my pocket automatic. Great results!

By GS Tyler

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Small-Camera-photography-smartphones-ebook/dp/B00LD69ZQ0

Limited Liability

The third of the Jenny Parker novels – a Manchester accountant caught up in a seamy world of money laundering, people trafficking and payday loans, not to mention kidnap and violence. If you don’t believe accountancy can ever be exciting, this is the edge-of-the-seat book for you, harnessed to a spiky, feisty character you really want to win through.

By DJ Harrison

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Limited-Liability-3-Jenny-Parker/dp/190960710X

And finally, a thriller we’ve not edited but we’d like to recommend…

Jason Monaghan, writing as Jason Foss, has seen his archaeologist thrillers re-issued as ebooks by Endeavour this winter. They’re all good fun, and my stand-out favourite is Lady in the Lake. Called in by an insurance company to check claims that a discovered sword is Excalibur, cynical archaeologist Dr Jeffrey Flint gets sucked into a world of myth and folklore…and modern-day murder. A pacey, expertly plotted read for fans of archaeological mysteries and Arthurian devotees alike.

By Jason Foss

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lady-Lake-Jason-Foss-ebook/dp/B00R4PFW6Q/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

To find out more about our editing services, contact edit@fictionfeedback.co.uk or check out the relevant page on our website: http://www.fictionfeedback.co.uk/proofing_and_editing.php

Carys Bray who wowed us at Write Now is shortlisted for Costa Book Awards

I’m perosnally delighted by the news that Carys Bray, who captivated us with her talk at Chorley Writers’ Circle event Write Now on 15 November, has had her first novel A Song for Issy Bradley shortlisted for the First Novel category of the Costa Book Awards 2014. Carys enchanted everyone on Saturday with her unassuming approach and her story of unlooked-for publishing success.

Speaking from beneath my Chairwoman of Chorley Writers’ Circle hat, we knew it was a coup at the time, securing Carys as one of our four speakers. I for one was very impressed by her novel and another of the Circle’s committee, Jeanette Greaves, knew Carys as a fellow short-story writer and asked her to come. We’re very pleased she did.

Carys, from Southport, was amazed at the publishing furore her novel caused as several top publishers fought for the rights. The book is set here in Lancashire, and is about a Mormon family trying to cope in the wake of tragedy. I found the book achingly sad and yet hopeful, wistful although at times very funny, and elegantly written. It was a pleasure to meet the author behind the book, and I’m thrilled that Carys has been shortlisted for one of the most prestigious awards in literature. Fingers crossed that she’s on the winners list come January.

I’m pleased to report that Write Now was an all-round success. The other three speakers were just as entertaining and informative. Hannah Sheppard, a literary agent from London, gave useful advice about how to find and approach an agent that’s right for your manuscript. A number of attendees were able to talk to Hannah informally after her speech about submitting their work to her. Hannah recommended using professional critique services such as Fiction Feedback for authors looking to lick their novel into shape before submitting to an agent or publisher. (Use the link at the top of this blog to visit our site or click www.fictionfeedback.co.uk)

Kevin Duffy, owner of independent publisher Bluemoose Books, entertained his audience with riveting stories of the publishing world and also gave forthright views on the chances of unknown authors getting a publishing contract with the large companies. He talked about how Bluemoose’s approach to publishing – putting the quality of stories first and foremost – and again several attendees got the chance to pitch their work.

The fourth speaker was Dave Harrison, of Open Circle Publishing. Dave, who has written several crime novels featuring Manchester accountant Jenny Parker, told his audience about his own career as a writer. He also shared various fascinating facts and figures about self-publishing in particular, and about how to give yourself the best chance of sales. He explained more about how Open Circle, at www.opencirclebooks.com have benefitted from the help of a bestselling author, and have now launched an author services arm offering top quality production, editing and distribution services to authors. Open Circle are holding a self-publishing seminar in January, and also sponsor Chorley Writers’ Circle.

Write Now was a fabulous event. Thanks to all four speakers and our enthusiastic audience who made it so.

For more info on the Circle, see the website www.chorleywriters.org.uk

Carys Bray (L) with me, Dea Parkin, at Write Now