Tag: aspiring author

Author Showcase, Book Review, Writing Tips and Tricks

Publication Day! Author Q&A: THE LIARS’ CLUB by Jamie Lee Fry

Rebecca Millar
Jamie Lee Fry’s latest novel The Liars’ Club
is out today.

🥳📚Happy Publication Day to The Liars’ Club, the latest psychological thriller by Jamie Lee Fry.

Jamie and I first worked together on her debut psychological thriller, The Pretty Ones, back in 2021, and it was an utter pleasure to work with such a talented author on so strong a manuscript. Therefore, when Jamie got in touch to say that she was almost finished her next novel, I couldn’t wait to jump on board.

It’s often said that although writing your first book is hard, the second one is the hardest. Of course, you’re a more experienced writer, but with that experience comes expectation and the pressure that goes with it. But with The Liars’ Club, Jamie Lee Fry has taken on the second-book challenge and delivered a gripping story with aplumb.

For fans of Spiderhead, Station Eleven, and The Circle, you won’t want to miss this twisting psychological thriller.

The Liars’ Club by Jamie Lee Fry

HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO TO KEEP YOUR SECRETS HIDDEN?

Max Jennings is broken and damaged.
He’s built a new life to protect himself.
Then Max meets the charismatic and handsome Ben Matthews, who offers him a life-changing experience; a club that will fix him.
And Max can’t help but be intrigued.
But soon, Max realizes this club comes at a high price.
And the premiums are murder.

Available now in ebook and paperback!

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Author Showcase, Writing Tips and Tricks

Author Q&A: MUIR’S GAMBIT and the Spy Game Trilogy by Michael Frost Beckner

Rebecca Millar
Michael Beckner’s MUIR’S GAMBIT
is out now.

When I worked at Penguin Random House, I was privileged to meet some pretty cool people, but never did I actually brush with Hollywood!

That was until Hollywood scriptwriter Michael Frost Beckner, most famous for his film Spy Game, starring Robert Redford and Brad Pitt, emailed me about his latest project! Having been savvy enough to retain the novelisation rights to the blockbuster hit, he wanted me to work with him on his project of publishing the Spy Game story in book form as he expanded the world of Nathan Muir and Tom Bishop. The result, a set of riveting and compelling espionage thrillers that will have you gripped!

Out now all three books in the trilogy, the first being Muir’s Gambit, are perfect for the espionage reader (or film buff) in your life! And I’m excited to say that Michael took time out of his busy publishing schedule to sit down and chat about his new project the challenge of taking the big screen down to the written page.

Scroll down to read an exclusive interview with below!

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Author Showcase, Book Review, Writing Tips and Tricks

Publication Day! Author Q&A: ALL IN by Jeff Smith

Rebecca Millar
Jeff Smith’s debut novel ALL IN
is out today.

🥳📚Happy Publication Day to ALL IN, the debut crime novel by Jeff Smith.

When Jeff first approached me, I knew I had to work on his manuscript when he told me he was a crime scene investigator based in Las Vegas. One of the reasons that I work in crime, suspense and thriller fiction is because, as children, my sister and I were essentially brought up on crime television programmes, whether that be Midsummer Murders, Poirot, Jonathon Creek, but every Saturday night at 9pm was the holy grail: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Of course, there were the spin-offs, but none were as compelling as the original series set in Las Vegas. Its The Who soundtrack brings back so many memories!

Anyway, when Jeff, Grissom-like in his wisdom, approached me, saying he’d written a novel using his CSI knowledge, I just had to be involved. And his main character, Kailyn Logan, an embalmer by trade, is a sassy and strong-willed lead with far too in-depth a knowledge of how long a body takes to rot! With characters that intrigue and plots that grip, this a new series that you just have to dive into!

Jeff was brave enough to offer his time to answer some burning questions about making the leap from CSI to published author, so scroll down to read an exclusive interview with the author!

ALL IN by Jeff Smith

Kailyn Logan is an embalmer who spends her days preparing the dead for the last leg of their journey through this world. Even though she loves her job, she’s become disgruntled with it. But she’s about to discover that caring for the departed is simpler than wrestling with the living.

Seeing an opportunity for something different when a long-time friend makes a chilling request for her help, she starts down a path that turns out to be very different from what she was expecting.

Helping her friend exposes Kailyn to a dangerous legion of men who would have no remorse for killing them if their business is compromised. Kailyn’s personal and work life are turned upside down as she tries to figure out who is on her side and who wants to kill her.

Available now in ebook and paperback!

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Author Showcase, Book Review, Writing Tips and Tricks

Publication Day! Author Q&A: OVER HER DEAD BODY by Tim Adler

Rebecca Millar
Tim Adler’s latest novel OVER HER DEAD BODY
is out today.

🥳📚Happy Publication Day to OVER HER DEAD BODY, the latest psychological thriller by Tim Adler.

I was delighted to work with Tim on the manuscript for his latest psychological thriller, OVER HER DEAD BODY. When Tim first approached me, I was utterly flawed by the hook of the novel and just had to be involved in bringing this manuscript to publication. Described as BEHIND HER EYES meets THE SILENT PATIENT, this is a gripping read for any pyschological thriller fans out there!

Tim was kind enough to sit down and chat to me about the writing process of OVER HER DEAD BODY, his writing approach, as well as the benefits of working with others while writing, so be sure to scroll down to read an exclusive interview with the author!

OVER HER DEAD BODY by Tim Adler

There are three sides to every murder: your side, my side and the truth

When police arrest Keisha Adeane for the murder of her abusive husband, all the evidence points to her guilt. But she claims her husband was in fact murdered by a nurse from the NHS psychiatric hospital where she was sectioned as a teenager.

To find her husband’s killer, Keisha must smuggle herself back inside the secure unit she spent years trying to escape from.

Available now in ebook!

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Author Showcase, crime reading month, Writing Tips and Tricks

Crime Reading Month: Author Q&A: BAD FOR GOOD by Graham Bartlett

Rebecca Millar
BAD FOR GOOD by Graham Bartlett is published by Allison & Busby on 23 June 2022 in hardback at £16.99 and is also available as an eBook

Now, you may have heard me mention Graham Bartlett before, and yes, that’s because Graham is is the former DCI turned crime-fiction advisor, who is is the fountain of knowledge for all things police procedure – my go-to for all my authors who’ve got procedure problems! However, although he spends his days advising authors, he’s not a stranger to putting pen to paper himself, having a couple of non-fiction titles under his belt, but I can’t believe that it’s only recently that Graham thought he’d give fiction a try.

I am utterly honoured to have received an advanced copy of Bad for Good, Graham’s debut crime fiction novel. Set in Graham’s own old haunt of Brighton and Hove Police, we meet DI Jo Howe as she tackles a city poised on the edge of a vigilante takeover and corruption disaster. Hooked already, aren’t you?

Well, Graham was kind enough to take some time out of his busy publication preparation to chat to me about the move to fiction and how his knowledge as a former police officer himself helped him. Scroll down to read an exclusive interview with the author, and I’m also giving away an advance proof copy of the book over on my Instagram, so if you want to get your hands on a copy BEFORE pub day, be sure to check it out!

Bad for Good by Graham Bartlett

 How far would you go? 

The murder of a promising footballer and, crucially, the son of the Brighton’s Chief Superintendent, means Detective Superintendent Jo Howe has a complicated and sensitive case on her hands. The situation becomes yet more desperate following devastating blackmail threats. 

Howe can trust no one as she tracks the brutal killer in a city balanced on a knife edge of vigilante action and a police force riven with corruption.

Bad for Good by Graham Bartlett is published by Allison & Busby on 23 June 2022 in hardback at £16.99 and is also available as an eBook 

Read on for an exclusive interview with the author, and be in for change to win an advance copy!

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Publication Day! Author Q&A: NEVER TOO LATE (Sebastian Clifford #3) by Sally Rigby

Rebecca Millar
Sally Rigby’s latest novel NEVER TOO LATE
is out today.

🥳📚Happy Publication Day to NEVER TOO LATE, the latest in the Sally Rigby’s Sebastian Clifford Private Detective series.

I was so thrilled to be asked to work with Sally on this project, not only because it’s set in my home county of Leicestershire, but also because Sally’s a smashing writer!

Whether you’re new to Sally’s writing, or a die-hard fan, this is a fantastic crime read. And if you’re fan of Sally’s Cavendish and Walker series, you’re in for a treat, as your favourite duo make more than just a cameo in this novel. But fear not, if you aren’t familiar with the series, this is just as gripping a detective novel, all the same!

Scroll down to read an exclusive interview with the author!

NEVER TOO LATE: A Midlands Crime Thriller (Detective Sebastian Clifford – Book 3) by Sally Rigby

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Author Showcase, Book Review, Writing Tips and Tricks

Publication Day! Author Q&A: THE LONG WEEKEND by Gilly Macmillan

Rebecca Millar
Gilly Macmillan’s latest novel, THE LONG WEEKEND is out today.

Over the Christmas holidays, I’d reached a bit of a rut in my personal free-time reading, with so many novels feeling a bit generic, but as soon as I picked up The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan, I was hooked and I could barely put it down. Despite the fact that I read psychological thrillers by the bookcase-load, the latest novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author feels fresh and the characters and voice so authentic! (Her best, yet, perhaps!?!)

Set in a holiday home on the wilds of a Northumberland moor, this is a tense and gripping exploration of the toxicity and fragility of friendships and the secrets that people hide from each other. Longtime fans of Gilly’s writing are going to love this novel – this one certainly does! – but also I’m sure it’s going to inspire many more readers to pick up Gilly’s books.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Gilly on one her previous books, The Nanny, so I was delighted to be part of the blog tour for The Long Weekend. Despite being super busy preparing for publication day, Gilly was lovely enough to answer some of my burning questions on how the novel came to be, but also how she always gets her legendary twists so right!

Scroll down to read an exclusive interview with the author!

The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan

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