Have you seen the interviews that cast and directors give when a new film or TV series is about to be released? I love them! I love getting an insight into the characters, locations and behind-the-scenes stuff of a new film. So, that got me thinking: why not have a go myself?
How many times have you read a book and wanted to delve further into the world the author has created? That happens to me all the time. Also, having spent a year or more of writing my books, I love getting the chance to chat about them (you may have noticed…) This is what happens when you finally unleash an author from her writing office into the big wide world!
So, I’ve filmed a series of vlogs about Somewhere Beyond the Sea – talking about the characters, the locations I chose for the book and what it was like to write the book. I’m also going to give you some exclusive snippets about hidden gems in the book, who I’d cast in the movie version (*coughs* *looks around for any film producers in the area*) and what it was like to be involved in the amazing audiobook version of my story.
Here’s the first: Meet SEREN MACARTHUR. (She rocks!)
Happy watching – and let me know what you think in the comments below! xx
(I’m not singing this time, promise!) I’ve just been sent the finished audiobook of Somewhere Beyond the Sea and it’s absolutely blown me away…
On Monday I went down to the studio in London to record some author bits for the audiobook and I could tell from the team that they were excited by the work Clare CorbettandJonathan Bailey have done reading Seren and Jack’s chapters in the book.
But I wasn’t prepared for how amazing it would be.
Here’s the thing: probably most people don’t know that I studied Drama at university and for a long time my ambition was to be an actor. It didn’t happen (two awful auditions put paid to that idea – remind me to tell you about them some time…), but I have never lost my love of drama, film and theatre. When I write, I see it in my head like a film. I remember a writer telling me once that writing books is the best way to fulfil a secret acting ambition – we give ourselves all the best lines through our characters. In my case I think that’s true! So where I couldn’t appear on a physical stage, I create a stage – a TV screen, a film screen – on the page instead.
When words on the page are brought to life by performance, magic happens. I read all my books aloud when I’m editing – particularly when I’m doing the final proof edit. If the rhythm is wrong, especially for dialogue, I always work out the right one by speaking it first. I write with a particular rhythm in mind – it’s very similar to writing music. The beats have to be right, the light and shade placed correctly, otherwise it clunks and is difficult to read.
So when I listened to the two opening chapters featured in the Soundcloud clip below, I knew where all the beats were. It’s scary waiting to see how someone else has interpreted your words! And what happened next was magical. Every beat, every rhythm, every point of emotion and humour, wistfulness and pain were hit perfectly – and there was more, too: nuances in the dialogue that I hadn’t anticipated, moments where I was drawn closer to the characters as they spoke, moments that made me giggle. It was like hearing my story for the first time and I couldn’t believe I wrote that. I wrote that! Wow!
I dream of one day writing a script that’s produced as drama, either for TV or film. Listening to Clare and Jonathan’s performances of my words has made me think that it might yet be possible. Somewhere Beyond the Sea is written from Seren and Jack’s alternating perspectives and is the closest to a monologue/Talking Heads-style story I’ve ever written, so to hear it spoken and performed so perfectly has made me so proud of what I’ve created.
Being very British I’ve often downplayed pride in my work, but I’m changing that, starting now. Somewhere Beyond the Sea is my heart and soul and I’ve poured everything I’ve got into it. I am so utterly proud of it. And the way that Clare and Jonathan have not only respected my words but illuminated them, given them breath and life, is an absolute gift. Often as an author the mountain-top moments are few and far between, but this is one of those pinch-me-I’m-dreaming moments where it all comes together.
Want to hear what’s reduced me to tears and made me grin like a LOON all afternoon? Click this link to hear the first two chapters of the Somewhere Beyond the Seaaudiobook, starring Clare Corbett as SEREN and Jonathan Bailey as JACK. Prepare to fall in love!
I’ve just returned from a week in St Ives and it was heavenly! The best bit was taking my shiny new book, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, to the place where the story idea began, two years ago. While I was there, I filmed a vlog because my life it’s been ages since I last posted one…
This year has been completely rollercoaster-y – for reasons I’ll be able to share with you soon. Lots of stuff going on, good and bad, plus lots of plans for the future that I hope to see happen. More on that in forthcoming posts here. It’s all good, though!
So, without further ado, here is my brand new, sparkly seasidey vlog! I take you around some of the locations featured in Somewhere Beyond the Sea (more to come in future vlogs, too), talk about my inspiration for the characters and tell you why this book and the town where it’s set are so special to me. (And if it whets your appetite for Somewhere Beyond the Sea, you can preorder it here and here…) Now, snuggle up and get ready for a little trip to beautiful St Ives. Happy watching, lovelies!
2018 is going to be a corker of a year for great stories. My next novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, publishes on 14th June, but for this post I’m wearing my reader hat. I’ve been really lucky to read some amazing books that will be published this year, so here are my Top 5 recommendations for 2018…
I’ve only included books I’ve actually read in this list, and will of course squeak about more as I read them, but these are my absolute favourites of what I’ve read so far:
I loved every minute of this dark, twisty, Scandi-thriller. You’re right there in the bleak, claustrophobic town surrounded by dark forests, so much so that you can almost see clouds of your own breath in the wintry landscape as you read. Will’s writing is compelling and his lead character Tuva Moodyson is a star in waiting. Get in on this awesome series right at the beginning and prepare to be swept away! Published 4th January by Point Blank/Oneworld
Reading a Joanna Cannon book is like being welcomed into the most magical sweet shop and being invited to sample a treat from every jar. Her writing is delightful and evocative, with characters you can picture immediately. This book is warm, heartbreakingly honest but ultimately uplifting. 84-year-old Florence, whose story the book follows, will make you laugh, cry and want to hug her. There’s a mystery and a secret to uncover, too. Wonderful storytelling – a book to savour! Published 11th January by The Borough Press.
As a big fan of Luca’s Murphy and Rossi series, I was chuffed to bits to be able to read his first standalone novel. And my life, what a book! Part horror, part crime-thriller, this story grabs you and won’t let go until the highly-charged, terrifying conclusion. Don’t read just before you go to sleep because this story will give you nightmares! I love Luca’s writing and this is his best book yet. Published 8th March by Simon & Schuster.
This book had me gripped from beginning to end and is simply breathtaking. What I love about Cally’s writing is that she makes you side with characters you suspect you maybe shouldn’t be rooting for. I’ve read plenty of psychological thrillers over the last two years, but nothing as dark and multiple-twist-laden as this. It’s shocking, compelling and packed to the bindings with action. Masterful stuff! Published 22nd March by Avon/HarperCollins.
A sign of a really wonderful book for me is when I want to hug it at the end. With this book, I was pretty much hugging it from the start and rationing pages towards the end because I didn’t want it to finish. Mike’s writing is warm, honest, unflinching in its observation but most of all gloriously uplifting. The story of James and Danny’s friendship – and the redemptive power of trust and love – absolutely had me in its spell. It’s real, compelling, funny and completely stole my heart. This one is very special and my favourite book for 2018 so far. Published 19th April by Hodder & Stoughton.
Thanks so much to the wonderful authors and publishers (Point Blank/Oneworld; The Borough Press; Simon & Schuster; Avon/HarperCollins; and Hodder & Stoughton) for sending me advance copies of the above books.
Reading has become my salvation and sanctuary in a really testing year as an author – thankfully I’ve been spoiled for choice for awesome books in 2017. There are lots of ‘best books’ lists, so here’s mine. Some books I was lucky to read as advance copies, most I bought myself. Not all of the books in my Top Twelve below were published in 2017, but I read them this year, which is why they are included. So, without further ado, I proudly present my 2017 Books of the Year:
Unconventional – Maggie Harcourt I read this as a proof at the beginning of 2017 and completely fell in love with it. Maggie Harcourt’s writing is sublime – at turns funny, touching and clutch-at-your-heart-and-sigh romantic. Her book-within-a-book is downright genius, too. On a personal note, Unconventional was the one that made me fall in love with reading again after a very dry spell that followed losing my dad. It’s a gorgeous, uplifting, original and thoroughly unputdownable book and is pretty damn perfect.
The Killer on the Wall – Emma Kavanagh I’m a self-confessed huge fan of Emma Kavanagh and have loved every one of her books. The Killer on the Wall is a twisty, psychologically dark crime thriller that tests your loyalties as a reader to the beautifully drawn characters. I loved how Emma drew me into the story and gradually twisted everything around me. It’s so filmic, too – I could picture every location, every scene and every character. Loved it!
The Last Beginning – Lauren James I hadn’t read any of Lauren’s books before I was asked to take part in a reader event with her at the beginning of this year, so I read The Last Beginning before I met her and am now a firm fan! Clever, funny, mind-bendingly brilliant, this is an across-the-ages tale of true love and mystery. What I love most is the way Lauren’s characters grab you from the first page – you’re right in there, rooting for them.
Crooked Kingdom – Leigh Bardugo This is the first of Leigh Bardugo’s books I’ve read and I completely fell for her storytelling. It’s like a heist movie in a fantasy world – a band of outlaws out to get justice against an evil villain. I hadn’t read much fantasy for a while, so picked up Crooked Kingdom to redress the balance and my life, what a ride! Cool, gorgeously written, pacy and hugely compelling.
Then She Was Gone – Luca Veste In recent years I’ve become a fan of crime thrillers, first reading Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels, then Ann Cleeves’ Vera and Shetland books. I’m a huge fan of the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast (I even have a t-shirt!), which introduced me to the Murphy and Rossi series by Luca Veste. I read Then She Was Gone on holiday in Cornwall in January and it completely hooked me. You know a book is good when you carry it round with you all day, using any opportunity to sneak a read! I adore Murphy and Rossi and love how Luca draws you into their personal lives. Edge-of-your-seat, twisty awesomeness!
The Boy Who Saw – Simon Toyne I’ve been a fan of Simon Toyne’s books since his debut Sanctus and love his new Solomon Creed series. This is the second book featuring the mysterious protagonist and it’s fantastic. A mystery, a thriller with a touch of the supernatural, The Boy Who Saw is gripping and twisty and so pacy you feel you’re hanging onto the book for dear life. What I love most about Simon’s thrillers is that they are peopled with characters who feel real – not just two-dimensional plot devices. And I really want to hug Solomon, poor lamb. He’s been through a lot…
Hold Back the Stars – Katie Khan Do you remember the scene in Sleepless in Seattle where Sam’s sister cries retelling the story of An Affair to Remember? Well, Hold Back the Stars by Katie Khan has that effect on me whenever I talk about it. It’s an achingly gorgeous, utterly original love story set in space and I loved every word. Writing for a living can make it difficult to fully enter into books, so I love it when I’m completely swept away like I was with this story. Absolutely wonderful.
The Summer of Impossible Things – Rowan Coleman When Rowan Coleman told me she was going to write a time-travel novel, I was so excited. I knew it would be brilliant, but what I wasn’t prepared for was how beguilingly beautiful and affecting The Summer of Impossible Things would be. Luna’s journey to unravel the mystery of her mother’s life – and the huge questions it poses to her own – is utterly compelling, heart-breaking and uplifting. And that ending… Wow!
Together – Julie Cohen Julie Cohen has long been one of my favourite authors. With every book I think she can’t possibly better it, but every time she does. Togetheris no exception – in fact, I think it’s her masterpiece. I was very lucky to read an early version and it blew me away. The story of Robbie and Emily is told in reverse, from the day Robbie dies to the first time they meet. What follows is a powerful, brave and heart-breaking story of love against the odds and a terrible secret that both binds them together and threatens to tear them apart.
The Plea – Steve Cavanagh I don’t often read a book in less than a week, but I devoured The Plea in three days (a personal record for me this year!). It’s a legal thriller with a twist and a lead character who knocks all the others out of the park. Eddie Flynn is brilliantly world-weary, chasing his own demons as much as the bad guys and thrown into so many life-or-death situations I don’t know when he even finds a second to breathe! I loved this book and Steve’s writing is sublime.
The State of Grace – Rachael Lucas Easily the most original voice of the books I read this year, fifteen-year-old Grace draws you into her world in The State of Grace. Navigating life is challenging enough for a teenager, but when you have Asperger’s and you’re falling in love it can be a rollercoaster. What I loved most about this book is the insight it gives into Grace’s view of the world – and how it makes sense. It’s a celebration of her life and her worldview and is honest, rip-roaringly funny and touching. Loved, loved, loved it!
Calling Major Tom – David M. Barnett The term ‘UpLit’ was coined this year (yuck!) and while I don’t like it or the way the literary media seem to think they’ve created the genre (they haven’t, some of us have been writing uplifting stories for years!), there are some books published this year that are truly uplifting. Calling Major Tomabsolutely fits the bill. I was sent an early proof of this book and it completely stole my heart. Packed with fantastic characters and stuffed to the ginnels with brilliant Northern humour, David’s story of a marooned astronaut and the family who reach out to him is the one I can’t stop thinking about. It’s life-affirming, emotional, laugh-out-loud funny and reduced me to tears with its fantastic conclusion. I’ve loved all the books I’ve read in 2017, but Calling Major Tom is my Book of the Year.
Which books have you enjoyed this year? Which should I add to my reading list for 2018? I’d love to know your thoughts. Leave a comment below or tweet me!
Coming soon – the five books I’m recommending for 2018!
It’s been flippin’ ages since I last vlogged – apologies! But I’m making up for it with some extra-special Christmassy vlogs for #24DaysofSparklemas…
Here is the first one – a very festive vlog with twinkly lights, hot chocolate, tinsel, a little bit of singing and even some REAL SNOW! I have the very rare gift of having this December off: my festive e-novella Christmas in St Ives is already out and sparkling away on virtual bookshelves and all the edits and proofreading on my next novel, Somewhere Beyond the Seahave been done months ahead of its June publication date. So, I’ve been making the most of it by having lots of fun with Bob and Flo – and this vlog shows you what we’ve been up to, including our annual family Christmas light safari where we go hunting for as many twinkly lights as we can find…
Do you have a question you’d like me to answer in the next Sparklemas Vlog? Leave a comment below this post, or tweet me @wurdsmyth, or leave a comment on my Instagrampage or Facebookauthor page (click the links to take you there).
So grab a hot chocolate, sprinkle on an extra handful of marshmallows (go on, you deserve it!) and enjoy this little four-minute slice of Wurdy festiveness! xx
Everybody has their favourite Christmas film. You know the ones: the moment the opening titles appear you’re there – the Christmas feeling and the snow and the feel-good factor guaranteed. I love the big-hitters – The Muppet Christmas Carol, White Christmas, Elf…
But there is another kind of Christmas movie that’s become my slight obsession (sorry, Bob). I’m talking the made-for-TV, preposterously festive variety. And this year, I’m making it my mission to watch one every day until Christmas.
So here is WURDYWATCH – my odyssey into the always snowy, small-town-cutesy, irrepressibly romantic world of TV Christmas movies!
WURDYWATCH starts here, folks!
Before we begin, let me say that my love for these films burns bright. I’m not out to criticise them or mock anyone who, like me, finds them irresistible. I love these movies for their unashamedly festive approach, their innocence, and their inherent belief that everyone is capable of goodness deep down, and that Christmas can bring magic into our lives. Yes, the acting may be hilarious at times, the scripts may contain gems that will have you chuckling long after the end credits roll and the plots might be as flimsy as Christmas wrapping paper, but there’s always magic, positivity and moments of uplifting loveliness. Personally, I think we need more of that in our lives.
So, my first WURDYWATCH treat is Angel of Christmas (Hallmark Movies 2015)
Where to begin? Well, it’s the story of Susan, a newspaper copy-editor who longs to be a proper writer. She hates Christmas (we find out why later) but is challenged by her editor to find her a ‘magical, authentic, personal, emotional holiday story’ that will be the lead article on the Christmas Day edition of the newspaper. She’s given 3,000 words (probably half the newspaper, but hey, details schmetails) and a laptop that only types in 14 point (really big letters) and sent off to fulfil her dream.
On the way she meets hunky painter Brady (who we never see painting but always has an adorable blob of paint on his brow, even at a gallery launch). He’s a free spirit, happy to live in the present – the polar opposite to Susan, who is career-led, driven and ambitious. They strike up a friendship after a couple of chance meetings and when Susan tells him about the story she has to write, he volunteers to be her ‘Christmas coach’, schooling her in all things emotional, sparkly and festive…
You see? You’re hooked already, aren’t you? Well, hold onto your picture-perfect bobble hats, lovelies, it gets better…
Susan tells her Christmas-loving (and wise) parents about her mission and they give her quite possibly the scariest looking wooden Christmas angel you’ve ever seen. Honestly, this thing would give you nightmares. Behold:
ARGH! That aside, there is a lovely, true – and mysterious – family story attached to the angel. (A story! Just what Susan needs!) In the 1920s, Susan’s great-grandfather moved to New York from a small town and fell in love with an actress. He promised her he would return in a year to prove his love and planned to propose to her. A talented woodworker, he made a Christmas angel in the image of his true love – the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen (aww!). But when he proposed to her, she turned him down, sending him back to the small town where he then met Susan’s great-grandmother when he tried to donate the angel to the local church. The story is that the angel is then responsible for every couple in her family meeting and falling in love.
Hence two unshakeable laws about TV Christmas movies:
1. FAMILY MATTERS – reconnecting with family, gaining wisdom from them and following long-held traditions are all important messages. There is nearly always a wise family member – Wise Mom, Wise Dad, Wise Grandpa-who-looks-suspiciously-like-Santa – who utters a key line from the movie. So here, Wise Mom and Wise Dad give the angel to Susan and say: ‘This little angel brings people together.”
2. WOOD WINS – in most TV Christmas movies, something made of wood proves to be key to solving a mystery/resolving a dispute/bringing people together. In this case, the whopping great, slightly scary Christmas angel that Susan carries with her everywhere (it must weigh a ton!), but also a wooden log cabin and an old wooden writing desk (no spoilers, you’ll have to watch it to find out why these are vital to the story!)
So Susan sets out to discover who the actress was that inspired her family’s heirloom…
Of course, Brady gets involved (adorable paint-splats and all) and the scene is set for a burgeoning romance. But – but! – there’s also a possible challenger for Susan’s affections! The dastardly Derek (played by the exquisitely named Tahmoh Penikett) is a hot-shot reporter at the newspaper and is everything Susan believes she is (and everything free-spirited, adorably paint-splattered Brady isn’t…) He hates Christmas! He has goals! He wears a suit! As Susan ponders the Christmas angel’s power to find her true love, could Dastardly Derek be The One after all?
I won’t spoil it for you by telling you if Painting-Not-Painting Brady or Boo-some Cad Derek wins Susan’s affections, but what I will say is that this film ticks so many boxes in the perfect Christmas movie list. Cute skating scene where they almost kiss? Tick! Christmas tree shopping? Tick! New York in the snow, carol-singing, the Rockerfeller ice rink and Christmas tree? Tick, tick, tick! Susan and Brady also discover their families share a strange Christmas tradition – the Christmas tree is always outside (“..so it can look up to see God…”) Is this a sign? I’ll let you find out!
There are surprise gifts, a twist I honestly didn’t see coming and Susan’s emotional journey which at moments is genuinely touching. And there’s snow, happy families, love and, of course, a little bit of Christmas magic on a Christmas Eve finale.
For the first movie of WURDYWATCH, this one’s a belter!
More coming soon – and if you liked this one, please leave a comment below or tweet me @wurdsmyth on Twitter. Happy Holidays! xx
Here, in all its sunny gorgeous glory is the cover for my ninth novel,Somewhere Beyond the Sea, out on 14th June 2018!
I’ve been so excited to share this cover with you because it completely captures the feel of the story. Seren MacArthur and her chocolate Labrador Molly on the front, heading down to the beach to hunt for seaglass. And the beach is actually Gwithian Beach, which plays a vital part in the novel, with Godrevy Lighthouse in the distance. The back cover is going to have a gorgeous surprise on it, too, so I’ll tell you about that very soon…
Somewhere Beyond the Sea features characters from the prequel, Christmas in St Ives and is by far and away the best book I’ve written so far. I loved every stage of writing this book, set in my favourite place in the world. It’s an unashamedly romantic love story, warm and uplifting, with a cast of characters I hope you’ll love as much as I have.
You can preorder Somewhere Beyond the Searight now – and, for a sneak-peek of the characters and the first chapter of the novel, the prequel novella Christmas in St Ives is available now.
I’m absolutely thrilled with the cover – what do you think?
Come back tomorrow for another 24 DAYS OF SPARKLEMAS exclusive… Every day between now and Christmas Eve I’ll be sharing all kinds of sparkly goodies. Don’t miss a present this December!
…it would need a stonkingly good trailer! I’ll reveal my perfect cast for my Christmas e-novella Christmas in St Ives in a few weeks, along with lots of other goodies – news coming soon! – but for now, here’s my very own book trailer that I made myself…
What’s the story of Christmas in St Ives? In this short trailer I hope to give you a little taster of what’s in store in the book. It’s my most festive story yet and I’ve packed it with all the things I adore about Christmas and the wonderful town of St Ives. It’s also a prequel to my ninth novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, (which is published on 14th June next year but is available for preorder now), so you’ll meet the characters from that book, plus get a sneaky-peek at the first chapter, a whole seven months early.
So sit back, relax, grab some popcorn or a cuppa and enjoy my Christmas in St IvesBOOK TRAILER! (Turn the sound up, too!) Enjoy! xx
It’s less than a week until my very first Christmas novella, Christmas in St Ives, is published – eek! So in this week’s vlog, I’m going to tell you what you can expect from the story…
I’m so proud of this novella and I had an absolute blast writing it. I like to think you can tell as a reader when the author has enjoyed writing a story, so I hope you get that sense with Christmas in St Ives. It was also lovely to write a prequel to my next full-length novel, Somewhere Beyond the Sea, to be able to extend that world and really bring the characters alive. Both my novella and the novel are available for preorder now – Christmas in St Ives is published on 19th October, Somewhere Beyond the Seawill be published on 14th June 2018 (and we’ve included the first chapter of it in the back of the novella, so you’ll get a sneak-peek eight months early!)
Enjoy this week’s vlog – and ask me a question for next week by leaving a comment below!
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