February 26, 2010 5:22 PM

Jane Austen books from Canongate

Here's some news for any Jane Austen fans - UK publishers Canongate have released two great titles based on the work of Austen: parody Pride and Promiscuity and Jane's Fame.

Pride and Promiscuity: The Lost Sex Scenes of Jane Austen is a hilarious short story collection from Arielle Eckstut. Here's the info:

In 2002, an amateur Jane Austen scholar, while staying at a Hertfordshire estate, stumbled upon a hidden cache of manuscript pages and made an extraordinary literary discovery - lost scenes from Jane Austen's novels that reveal an altogether different dimension to her oeuvre. Pride and Prejudice's Bingley sisters appear as Sapphic seductresses; Mansfield Park's incest subtext becomes manifest; and Darcy gets more than his shirt wet. This incisive parody of academic study is sure to astonish and delight mischievous Austenites.

Jane's Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World by Claire Harman focuses on Jane's life, fame and literary career. Click here to find out more about the book and Claire herself.

Part biography and part cultural history, this splendid book not only tells the captivating tale of Jane Austen's life, but also her literary legacy. The slow growth of Austen's fame and the changing status of her work and what it stands for in English culture is a story of personal struggle and family dynamics as well as a history of critical practices and public taste.

To visit the Canongate website, click here.

Posted by Elle Symonds on February 26, 2010 in Book News, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 19, 2008 10:34 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Katherine Center

Last month Keris raved about Katherine Center's debut novel, The Bright Side of Disaster, and also reported on her second novel, Everyone is Beautiful, which will be released early next year. Her books have some stunning covers, except the UK one naturally, we have a fab interview with her here and her website is lovely too. So with all this gushing, we have to know more. This week the spotlight is on Katherine Center.

On her website it says Katherine always intended to be a writer, and as you read through her biography you can see that is absolutely so. Her whole life appears to have centered around words and writing.

She started as a child with lists and journals, then moved on to write poems and a column for her school newspaper, along with short stories. At college she majored in English, continued to write her stories and won a prize for her novella. She then went on to win a fellowship with the University of Houston and their creative writing programme, teaching English and gaining an MA in Fiction. She also co-edited Gulf Coast.

Since then she has taught creative writing and worked in a book shop. See what I mean about being constantly surrounded by words?

Katherine has been named as one of seven new writers to watch by BookPage. Her third novel is to be called Get Lucky. Apparently she is now starting on her fourth. And she has two young children. I am seriously impressed.

More Spotlight

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 19, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 12, 2008 11:03 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Martina Cole

Now I know Martina Cole is not a chick lit author but she has come to my attention as I've been sent her new book, The Business, to review. Whilst I don't think I could read it at the moment, being pregnant my dreams are extremely vivid enough without reading about gangland crime, I will have a go once the baby pops out. I am, however, fascinated by Martina's own story on how she became a full time bestselling writer. So this week, the spotlight is on her.

The more I find out about Martina, the more inspired I get. She was born and raised in Essex in 1959. She has had what many people would call a hard life, her first boyfriend was a bank robber, her parents died when she was young and she became a single mother living in a carpet-less council flat at the age of nineteen. But she doesn't regret any of it.

She began writing her first novel, Dangerous Lady, at the age of twenty but put it in a drawer for a decade. The turning point came when the old lady she was nursing (Martina was an agency nurse by then) told her it wasn't the things she did but the things she didn't do that she'd regret. She immediately bought an electronic typewriter and, over the next six months, redrafted her story. She sent it to an agent and bam, received a phone call from him wanting to sign her up. This was 1992. Since then she has written a book almost every year.

Her books have been described as violent, but she reckons this wouldn't be such an issue if she was a man. She has also been accused of romanticising violence, but she begs to differ. My books show the causes of violence and its after-effects. You've got to talk to male authors about romanticising violence.

So besides not wanting to regret the things she didn't do, what else drives her? Simply that, like many other successful writers, I just write something that I'd want to read.

To read more I got much of my information from this interview in The Times and from Martina's website.

Martina Cole's books.

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 12, 2008 in Crime / Mystery, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

November 5, 2008 11:13 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Andrea Levy

Andrea Levy and her book Small Island, published in 2004, has returned to our attention recently with the news that BBC One has commissioned an adaptation.

I haven't read the book, although it has been on my list for some time (and I must read it before next autumn which is when it will be screened), but it intrigues me, so this week I'm shining the spotlight on Andrea.

Born in Britain, Andrea Levy is the daughter of Jamaican parents who sailed over to England in 1948, searching for a better life. She grew up as a black child in a predominantly white country, so has an unusual perspective on the country of her birth. She neither felt totally included in society nor an outsider. It is this unique perspective which has been explored in her books.

Andrea, now living and working in London, began writing in her mid thirties. After attending writing workshops she, like many other people when they begin to write, wrote books that she wanted to read.

The awards she has won include the Arts Council Award, the Orange Prize for Fiction, Whitbread Novel Award and Commonwealth Writers Prize.

You can find more information on her website.

Bibliography

Every Light In The House Burnin' (1994)

Never Far From Nowhere (1996)

Fruit of The Lemon (1999)

Small Island (2004)

Posted by Helen Redfern on November 5, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 29, 2008 9:00 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Philippa Gregory

Since reading The Other Boleyn Girl recently one of my new favourite authors is Philippa Gregory and,  subsequently, I've bought a few more of her books.

I admire Philippa not just for her writing but for the huge amount of research she undertakes for each novel. This week then, the spotlight is on her.

Philippa was born in Kenya in 1954 but then moved to England. Gaining a BA in history she went on to gain a PhD in 18th Century Literature. Her first novel, Wideacre, was written as she completed her PhD and went on to be a world wide bestseller.

Philippa has written an amazing amount of books (see here) but her fictional biography started with Earthly Joys and Virgin Earth - based on a father and son during the English civil war. This historical fiction style went on to create The Other Boleyn Girl, a huge bestseller, published in 26 countries and winning a number of awards. It was adapted for the BBC then went on to become a film. I've also heard that The Boleyn Inheritance is in production and Constant Princess is a four part drama.

Philippa contributes to newspapers and magazines, is a frequent broadcaster and regular contestant on Round Britain Quiz for Radio 4. She is also the Tudor expert for Channel Four's Time Team.

Philippa's most recent book is The Other Queen. Her next book will centre on the War of The Roses. She has started the research and it will probably be a trilogy.

Spotlight Archive

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 29, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 22, 2008 11:07 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Julie Buxbaum

I read The Opposite of Love a few weeks ago and thought it a great debut novel. I really admired Julie's writing style and I'm looking forward to her next one. As she is a debut novelist and because her book is being made into a film, I think we should know more about Julie, so this week the spotlight is on her.

Writing a book was on Julie's major life to do list, so when she quit her job as a litigation lawyer she cracked on with it straight away. Finishing work in mid-January her book was written, in rough draft, four months later.

So how did she get to this point? Well, born in 1977 she grew up in Rockland County, New York. Studying political science, philosophy and economics at university she graduated and went on to Harvard Law School. Once she had graduated from there she worked as a litigator at a large law firm in New York, working silly hours. She eventually moved to LA then decided that law wasn't for her. Or in her words she was bored out of her mind. So she quit.

In The Opposite of Love she wanted to explore the consequences of delaying grief. The book has been well received and has also been sold to 20th Century Fox with Anne Hathaway playing the lead.

Julie Buxbaum's website.

Spotlight Archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 22, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 15, 2008 11:14 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Caroline Smailes

Is it too sensationalist or dramatic to say that Caroline Smailes is an idol of mine? Yes? OK, maybe not my idol then, but she has been a huge inspiration to me since I changed my career to being a writer nearly two years ago. She is part of a blogging group that I'm also part of and I have watched with fascination as she embarked on her journey from being a creative writing student to becoming a published novelist over the last eighteen months.  She has now just released Black Boxes, her second novel, so I thought it high time I put her in the spotlight.

Caroline studied English Literature at university and went on to specialise in Linguistics. (This knowledge of language is demonstrated in both her novels.) In 2005 she was about to embark on a PhD in Linguistics, but a chance viewing of the Richard and Judy programme changed all of that. She saw an interview about someone who described herself as a "nearly woman". Not wishing to be described as a "nearly writer," Caroline decided to change her life.

Bravely she cancelled her PhD place and enrolled on an MA in creative writing. Here she wrote her first novel, In Search of Adam, set up a blog and a website, and life, for Caroline, has never been the same since.

Her blog (an incredibly honest account of the highs and lows of being published) was discovered by The Friday Project (now an imprint of HarperCollins) and a publishing deal was offered. In the last few weeks Black Boxes, Caroline's second novel, has been released. She has also published a novella, which relates to In Search of Adam, called Disraeli Avenue, with profits going to One in Four, a charity for people who have experienced sexual abuse.

Caroline's books are hard-hitting and unflinching in the subjects she covers. In Search Of Adam talks about child abuse and Black Boxes about post-natal depression. The subject matter contrasts starkly with her beautiful and descriptive writing.

Caroline Smailes Author Interview

Bibliography

In Search of Adam

Disraeli Avenue (a novella)

Black Boxes

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 15, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 8, 2008 12:47 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Julie Cohen

Julie is one of the many talented authors who write under the Little Black Dress imprint. Her book, One Night Stand, was the first LBD book I read and, as I had preconceptions about the brand (silly me), was surprised at how much I enjoyed her novel. So this week I thought it about time I shone the spotlight on Julie.

In addition to writing for the Headline Little Black Dress imprint, Julie also writes for Harlequin Mills & Boon. Growing up in Maine, Julie would sneakily read romance novels in the library and wrote her own versions of well known books, but with added romance.

With a honours degree in English from Browns University, a year at Cambridge University in the UK changed her life as she fell in love with the country (perhaps it was our weather?) and came over to live in Reading and study for her postgraduate degree in English Literature at Reading University. She now teaches English at Secondary School whilst also writing her novels.

Apparently, she also holds seminars on how to write sex scenes. For more information see her website and her blog.

Bibliography

Many Mills & Boon Modern Extra Titles

Spirit Willing Flesh Weak

One Night Stand

Honey Trap

Spotlight Archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 8, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 1, 2008 10:54 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Noel Streatfeild

I don't know much about Noel Streatfeild, other than she wrote one of my favourite books of all time, which has subsequently been turned into a beautiful film, so I thought I'd shine the spotlight on her this week. And once more, as I often am by these spotlight profiles, I am amazed and impressed at how much this lady managed to achieve in her lifetime.

One fact which impressed me the most was that during World War II, when her flat was demolished and she did a huge amount of voluntary work, she still managed to write four adult novels, five children's books, nine romances and various articles and short stories.

Born on Christmas Eve in 1895, she was the daughter of a vicar. She also had another four siblings, until tragically her sister Joyce died when she was only two years old from TB. Noel was twenty when her parents gave birth to another girl. As a family they lived in Amberley in Sussex, then Eastbourne, moving around as part of her father's job.

When she left school she enrolled at The Eastbourne School of Domestic Economy. Then World War I started. She worked in the kitchens voluntarily at a hospital for wounded soldiers and also wrote two plays as part of the war effort. Then, when the war ended, she studied at the Academy of Dramatic Art. And so began her touring as part of various acting companies around the UK, South Africa and eventually Australia. At the same time she began a writing correspondence course.

By 1936 she had written five adult books and considered herself a writer of adult fiction. However a publisher asked her to write a story for children about the theatre and Ballet Shoes was the result. It was a best seller and is to this day her most popular book.

Noel died on 11 September 1986.

Her bibliography is huge.

To see a list of her children's books go here

To see a list of her adult books go here

To see a list of her romances go here

She has also written plays and autobiographies.

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on October 1, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (5)

September 24, 2008 12:51 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Isabel Wolff

Isabel first broke into the novel writing scene when she was writing her column, Tiffany Trott, for The Telegraph in the late 1990s. This led, some weeks later, to HarperCollins requesting she turned the column into a book, and she has continued, from strength to strength with her eighth novel, A Vintage Affair, out early next year.

Born in Warwickshire, she read English at Cambridge, and became a struggling actress for five years. She applied for a job with the BBC and worked as a producer for the BBC World Service, moving on to report on news and current affairs.

Isabel wrote freelance for The Spectator, The Evening Standard and The Daily Telegraph. The latter commissioned her to write a column, called Tiffany Trott. Tiffany Trott  a humourous take on a thirty something woman trying to find Mr Right, was based (loosely) on herself. Her subsequent novels have all been romantic comedies about self deceiving women...who fail to acknowledge the mess they are making of things.

Bibliography

The Trials of Tiffany Trott
The Making of Minty Malone
Out of the Blue
Rescuing Rose
Behaving Badly
A Question of Love
Forget Me Not

Posted by Helen Redfern on September 24, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 17, 2008 12:06 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Jane Porter

One of the (many) great things about this job and this site is that you can discover authors that you wouldn't normally come across. Jane Porter is a fine example of this. An American author, originally from California, her titles and covers were the sort of books I would steer clear of as they are about mothers. Nothing disrespectful about that but personally as a mum myself I don't always want to read about a subject so close to home.

But Jane's perceptive take on women and their families in Mrs. Perfect had me hooked right from the beginning, so this week I decided to shine the spotlight on her. 

Jane has written four titles under the genre of modern chick lit and numerous titles under the banner of Harlequin Presents. The latter are stories with powerful, sexual alpha male heroes, an independent heroine, a glamorous setting and an element of fantasy. Completely different to her modern lit ones (except for the independent heroine I should think).

After travelling extensively, and gaining a degree from UCLA in American Studies and a Masters in Writing from the University of San Francisco, she now lives in Seattle with her two boys. She has worked in sales & marketing and has been a director of a non-profit organisation as well as teaching English to junior high and high school students.

Jane has been a finalist for the RITA award from the Romance Writers of America in 2002 and 2003. Her book Flirting with Forty has been made into a TV film with Heather Locklear.

Bibliography

Mrs. Perfect

Odd Mom Out

Flirting with Forty

The Frog Prince

Go here to see Jane's Harlequin Presents books

Jane Porter interview

Posted by Helen Redfern on September 17, 2008 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 10, 2008 11:06 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Karen Quinn

If I were Karen Quinn I would probably still be squealing with excitement. Not just because she has had three books published, but also because her debut, The Ivy Chronicles, has been picked up be the movie people with the starring role rumoured to be Sarah Jessica Parker. This is the stuff of dreams, right? And it was all predicted by a psychic.

Growing up in Denver, Karen went on to become a lawyer, but realised it wasn't for her after she fell asleep during a trial. She then went on to work for a credit card company in advertising, working her way up to Vice President. Until she was downsized.

Not knowing what to do next a psychic told her to relax as something big would happen for her soon. So she partnered a friend, setting up a business which helped families in Manhattan get their children into the right schools. (This went on to provide material for her first novel). When she left this business she visited another psychic, who also told her a big change was coming up. But what could she do in the meantime whilst waiting for this "big thing?" Well, she sat down and wrote a novel. In three months.

She showed it to an editor, who liked it, but then lost interest after page 100. So she spent another two months working long days editing it. She showed it an agent, primarily for advice, but the agent liked it so much she offered to represent her. There was a bidding auction, until finally it was sold to Viking. Ah ha. So this was the big thing the psychics were talking about.

Since then she has written two more novels, Wife in the Fast Lane and Holly Would Dream and has helped out unofficially with the script for The Ivy Chronicles.

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on September 10, 2008 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 3, 2008 2:43 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Tess Gerritsen

I find Tess Gerritsen as intriguing as one of her books. Educated at Stanford she then trained as a doctor at the University of California. Whilst on maternity leave she began to write and that is when her second career began to take off.

Her first novel, a romantic thriller, was published in 1987. She wrote a total of nine romantic books, before settling into the medical thriller genre. Her first of these, Harvest, won nationwide acclaim. So far she has written ten from this genre, including the Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles series with a new one coming out soon.

I love her books. I've not read any of her romantic ones (though I should) but I have read the medical thrillers which I thought I never would (or could). The main characters are women. Gritty courageous women at that. She has won Best Romantic Suspense Novel with The Surgeon which is the first novel featuring the plucky Jane Rizzoli.

She has a website and blog which gives a fascinating insight into the world of a published writer.

Jane Rizzoli/Maura Isles Series (read in order)

The Surgeon (2001)

The Apprentice (2002)

The Sinner (2003)

Body Double (2004)

Vanish (2005)

The Mephisto Club (2005)

Medical Thrillers (read in any order)

Harvest (1996)

Life Support (1997)

Bloodstream (1998)

Gravity (1999)

The Bone Garden (2007)

Romantic Suspense Novels

Call After Midnight (1987)

Under The Knife (1990)

Never Say Die (1992)

Whistleblower (1992)

Presumed Guilty (1993)

In Their Footsteps (1994)

Peggy Sue Got Murdered (1994)

Thief Of Hearts (1995)

Keeper Of The Bride (1996)

Posted by Helen Redfern on September 3, 2008 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 27, 2008 8:35 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Lucy Diamond

We're a bit of a fan of Lucy Diamond here at Trashionista, so with her second recently released novel doing so well, I thought this week we would turn the spotlight on her.

Click on to her website and you'll find Lucy is just a pseudonym. Lucy's real name is Sue Mongredien, but she is known by this name as a popular children's author and has a different one for her adult books as she didn't want to cause any confusion.

Not only has Lucy published two novels but she has a huge range of children's books out there too. She also has a bridal column on Trashionista's sister site, Bridalwave and a blog here. She is one busy writer.

Born in Nottingham, Lucy went to university in Leeds before settling into the world of publishing. After having children her life of working and socialising and shopping was replaced with domestic chores, breast-feeding, nappy-changing and Tumble Tots. So she enrolled on a writer's evening class with the University of Sussex and Any Way You Want Me was born out of one of the dialogue exercises they were set. The rest, as they say, is history.

Bibliography

Over You (out now)

Any Way You Want Me

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 27, 2008 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 20, 2008 11:22 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Polly Williams

I have yet to read The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy by Polly Williams but I have read her second and third books, The Bad Bride's Tale and A Good Girl Comes Undone. Whilst I didn't enjoy the former I certainly did the latter so I thought I'd find out a little bit more about this author.

Polly grew up in Oxford and, like many writers I profile in this spotlight series, she studied English at university. She then went on to become a successful journalist.

Polly set up a fashion magazine called Scene at the young age of twenty three and became the editor. She then went on to work for Punch, You, In Style, The Sunday Times and The Independent as a style writer and celebrity interviewer. When I did a google search on her she is mentioned as the talented freelancer Polly Williams.

At the age of thirty one she thought it high time she started the novel she'd been talking about writing, so jotted down ideas. Then, after her baby was born, six weeks prematurely, she carried on writing. When she realised she couldn't find a book to read about the contradictory and messy business of being a new mum in the twenty first century she set about writing The Rise and Fall of a Yummy Mummy which became a bestseller.

Polly Williams Interview

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 20, 2008 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 13, 2008 12:40 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Sheila O'Flanagan

I didn't know this but (by my reckoning) Sheila O'Flanagan has written thirteen novels and two short story collections. That is impressive.

Sheila turned to writing in her thirties after a successful career in financial services. She has always had a great love for reading and writing, but it wasn't until she was in her thirties that she sat down and wrote a complete book.

She hadn't wasted her years before this either. Born, educated and currently living in Dublin, Sheila began her career in the financial sector and worked her way up to become the first (and only, I believe) female chief dealer in the country. This was on top of playing badminton. She now plays at competition level for the Irish veteran's team.

After writing her first book, she was offered a publishing deal minus the advance, as long as she wrote a different book. So she did. It wasn't until quite a few books later that she was able to give up her day job, leading to the impressive amount of novels she has now written.

Her latest, Someone Special, is out in hardback now. A review will be coming soon.

Bibliography

Someone Special

Bad Behaviour

Yours, Faithfully

Connections (short story collection)

How Will I Know

Anyone But Him

Too Good To Be True

Destinations (short story collection)

He's Got To Go

My Favourite Goodbye

Far From Over

Suddenly Single

Isobel's Wedding

Caroline's Sister

Dreaming of a Stranger

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 13, 2008 in Irish Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 6, 2008 9:46 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Kate Atkinson

Winner of the Whitbread Book of the Year Award in 1995 for Behind the Scenes at the Museum (beating off Salman Rushdie and Roy Jenkins), Kate Atkinson's writing career began with writing short stories for magazines. In 1986 she won the Woman's Own short story competition.

Born in York in 1951, Kate studied English Literature at Dundee University and then went on to research a postgraduate doctorate on American Literature.

In addition to the six novels she has now had published, she has also written a short story collection, Not the End of the World in 2002, and two plays. Nice in 1996 and Abandonment in 2000.

Her sixth novel, When Will There Be Good News?  is out in hardback this month. In it we see the return of Jackson Brodie, the detective hero. He can also be seen in Case Histories and One Good Turn.

Kate also contributes to newspapers and magazines.

Bibliography

Behind the Scenes at the Museum 1995

Nice 1996

Human Croquet 1997

Emotionally Weird 2000

Abandonment 2000

Not The End of the World 2002

Case Histories 2004

One Good Turn 2006

When Will There Be Good News? 2008

Posted by Helen Redfern on August 6, 2008 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (4)

July 30, 2008 10:27 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Audrey Niffenegger

Writing about Clare Abshire from The Time Traveler's Wife for this week's heroine, I came across a lot of  information about the author, Audrey Niffenegger which I thought fascinating, so I thought I'd share it with you.

Like Clare, Audrey is an artist as well as being a writer. She also teaches writing, letterpress printing and fine edition book production. Her visual novels, paintings, photographs and prints are shown at the Printworks Gallery in Chicago.

The Time Traveler's Wife started life as one of her visual novels. Audrey had the title first, but soon realised that this was a story that couldn't be told by painting alone, so she chose the traditional route for this story instead. Five hundred plus pages later, it was published after a bidding war in 2003 to resounding success, and after four and a half years in the making.

The story is so complicated in the way it jumps around in time, that you wonder (or at least I do) how Audrey could have put it together in the first place. Well, after starting with the title, she then wrote out the end, then the middle and finally the beginning. She also storyboarded the whole thing, very similarly to the way the artists do for a visual animated film, and moved the pages around a lot. "At one point it was assembled in a completely different order," she has admitted.

The Time Traveler's Wife is Audrey's debut novel and has spent over twenty weeks in The New York Times bestseller list. The rights have been sold in many countries, and as we now know the film rights have been sold with the film now in post production stage, to be screened in December.

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 30, 2008 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 16, 2008 2:02 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Martina Reilly

A qualified drama teacher, Irish author Martina Reilly has also written adult fiction as Tina Reilly and teen fiction as Martina Murphy. As if that doesn't keep her busy enough Martina has also written for the Evening Herald and occasionally writes for the Irish Independent Weekend magazine, along with writing plays, acting in plays and having two children.

Martina's writing day is  from 10am to 1:30pm every day whilst the children are in school. Everything goes into her laptop. She doesn't use notebooks as she believes if the idea is good enough she'll remember it and also edits as she writes so by the time she has finished (her last book took eight months) the book is "clean" and ready to go [via Sarah Webb's website].

Bibliography

*Writing as Martina Murphy

Free Fall

Dirt Tracks

Fast Car

Live Wire

*Writing as Tina Reilly

Flipside

The Onion Girl

Is this Love?

Something Borrowed

Wedded Blitz

Wish Upon a Star

*Writing as Martina Reilly

All I Want is You

The Summer of Secrets

Her ninth adult book, Second Chances, is out in October 2008.

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 16, 2008 in Irish Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 9, 2008 12:02 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Joanne Harris

I find Joanne Harris quite fascinating, or at least the writer part of her. I love the way she writes (as described on her website), the covers of her books are so different and the titles! - Chocolat, Blackberry Wine, Five Quarters of the Orange, The Lollipop Shoes, I find them so evocative. I am currently reading Chocolat after aborting it on first attempt, I think I read it too soon after watching the film and couldn't separate the two, and I'm now really enjoying it.

So what can I tell you about Joanne? She was born in Barnsley in 1964 to an English father and a French mother. She went on to become a teacher and whilst she was teaching she had three novels published - The Evil Seed, Sleep, Pale Sister and Chocolat. Since then she has had published a further seven novels -she writes a book a year - a short story collection and two cookery books along with Fran Warde.

She has won a variety of British and International awards and has been published in over forty countries. Chocolat has been made into a successful film.

She was born in her grandparent's sweet shop and her life has always been surrounded by food and folklore as her great-grandmother was said to be a witch and healer.

Joanne is extremely secretive about any work she has in progress, often not even telling her agent and has more than one project on the go so she can jump from one to the other.

Bibliography

The Evil Seed (1989)

Sleep, Pale Sister (1993)

Chocolat (1999)

Blackberry Wine (2000)

Five Quarters of the Orange (2001)

Coastliners (2002)

Holy Fools (2003)

Gentleman and Players (2005)

The Lollipop Shoes (2007)

Runemarks (For children and young adults) (2007)

Jigs & Reels (Short story collection) (2004)

The French Kitchen (Cookbook) (2002)

The French Market (Cookbook) (2005)

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 9, 2008 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 2, 2008 10:45 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Maggie O'Farrell

Maggie O'Farrell, author of four novels, says she can't imagine life without writing in it. She was born in 1972  in Northern Ireland and grew up in Wales and Scotland. She has worked as a journalist, most notably as Deputy Literary Editor of The Independent on Sunday, and was twenty four when she started writing what was to become, After You'd Gone.

After You'd Gone then went on to win a Betty Trask Award and The Distance Between Us won the 2005 Somerset Maugham Award.

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox, her fourth novel, was going to be her debut, but she struggled and temporarily abandoned it for After You'd Gone.

Her work has been translated into over 16 languages and in 2007 Waterstones named her as one of the top twenty five authors of the future.

There is an interview on her website where she talks about her writing.

Bibliography

After You'd Gone (2000)

My Lover's Lover (2002)

The Distance Between Us (2004)

The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox (2006)

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on July 2, 2008 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 25, 2008 1:00 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Sophie King

Whenever I feel I haven't the time to fit everything into my day I should think about Sophie King. She is one busy woman. Not only does she have three fictional books published with her fourth coming out in September, she has also written non-fiction books (under her real name Jane Bidder), is a creative writing teacher, a journalist with articles published in The Times, The Telegraph, Woman and other national publications, she writes short stories, has speaking engagements and appraises manuscripts. Oh and she also writes a newspaper column. Phew.

After graduating from university, Jane trained as a journalist for the Thomson Organisation (previous owners of The Times). She then went on to a trade fashion magazine, Features Editor of Parents Magazine, then Features Writer of Woman's Own before becoming freelance after she had her children.

She is runner up of the Harry Bowling Award and was winner of the Romantic Novelist's Association's Elizabeth Goudge Award in 2004.

Her books are aimed at anyone "who can identify with a chaotic family life". That's me then.

Bibliography

The School Run (2005)

Mums @ Home (2006)

Second Time Lucky (2007)

The Supper Club (out September 2008)

How to Write Short Stories for Magazines (non-fiction out July 2008)

Spotlight archives

Posted by Helen Redfern on June 25, 2008 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 18, 2008 12:30 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Sarah Addison Allen

Both Keris and I (along with many Trashionista readers) loved Garden Spells, the debut novel by Sarah Addison Allen, so I thought I'd find out more about her.

Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina she has a B.A in English Literature which she describes as like "being able to major in eating chocolate". Her father is a retired journalist and she credits him as the reason she became a writer. Meanwhile Sarah's great aunt tried to shape her and her sister into ladies, but in Sarah's words "we're just a little bit wild". Possibly like their mother who, aged fifty, dyed her hair red and got her nose pierced.

Sarah started writing seriously in 1994 and although she sold a few small things, it wasn't until twelve years later in 2006 that Garden Spells was sold. It was supposed to be a simple story, not magical at all, "but then the apple tree started throwing apples". It has been released in fourteen countries.

The Sugar Queen is her new book (already out in the US) but it isn't a continuation of Garden Spells. She does mention however, the possibility of a sequel or prequel to Garden Spells in the future. In 2009 her third book, Quintessential Carolina: Barbecue and Cake will be released.

She has a lovely shiny website where I got a lot of this information. Check out the home page - it made me crave a Wham bar.

Related posts: Spotlight archive

Posted by Helen Redfern on June 18, 2008 in American Authors, Book related, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 24, 2008 5:16 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has written historical romance, contemporary women's fiction and romantic comedy.

She received the Romance Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and has won numerous other awards including Borders Best, the American Library Association Genre Fiction Award,and a clutch of RITAs.

However, according to Susan's blog, she started to write "completely by accident".

Susan left her high school teaching job when her first son was born to stay at home. Her best friend lived nearby and the two used to swap books and talk about what they liked and didn't like.

One day, for a laugh, they decided to write a book together. They submitted the first half to Dell and got an offer. Just like that! Susan says: "I never tell this story at writers' luncheons for  fear I'll have to duck flying french rolls."

The book was historical romance, titled The Copeland Bride and published under the pen name Justine Cole.

Afterwards, Claire decided to follow her own ambition of attending law school.  However, Susan had well and truly been bitten by the writing bug and she set about learning how to write a book on her own.

The result was published under her real name - Susan Elizabeth Phillips - and she hasn't looked back since.

Susan lives in Illinois with her husband Bill. She has two grown up sons and is a keen walker.

Bibliography:

Risen, Glory (1984)
Glitter Baby (1987)
Fancy Pants (1989)
Hot Shot (1991)
Honey Moon (1993)
It Had To Be You (1994)
Heaven, Texas (1995)
Kiss an Angel (1996)
Nobody's Baby But Mine (1997)
Dream a Little Dream (1998)
Lady Be Good (1999)
First Lady (2000)
Just Imagine (2001)
This Heart of Mine (2001)
Breathing Room (2002)
Ain't She Sweet? (2005)
Match Me if You Can (2005)
Natural Born Charmer (2007)

Related posts: Spotlight archives

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 24, 2008 in American Authors, Book related, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 2, 2008 9:53 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Christina Jones

Christina Jones was born in Oxford and grew up in Berkshire. According to her website, she lived in a very happy, tight-knit, working class community, and has drawn on the idea of close community for her writing.

Christina wrote short stories and articles while working in a series of random jobs - everything from factory worker to night-club dancer. Apparently, she was sacked from nineteen of her twenty-seven jobs for writing at work!

Luckily, it all paid off. Christina joined the Romantic Novelists' Association (RWA) in 1993 and was voted runner-up in the New Writers' Scheme in 1995 with Dancing in the Moonlight - a 40,000 word novella. At the RWA Awards Lunch, an agent suggested to Christina that she try full-length fiction. She wrote Going The Distance, which was sold straight away and chosen for the 1997 WH Smith Fresh Talent Promotion.

Things you may not have known about Christina Jones...
Her father was a circus clown.
Not only is she an avid fan of horse racing, but her grandfather was a jockey.
She has seventeen rescue cats. You can read all about them here.

Bibliography
Dancing In The Moonlight (novella - originally published by My Weekly Story Library)
Going The Distance
Running The Risk
Stealing The Show
Jumping To Conclusions
Walking On Air
Nothing To Lose
Tickled Pink
Hubble Bubble
Seeing Stars
Love Potions
Heaven Sent

Related posts: Spotlight archives

Posted by Sarah Painter on April 2, 2008 in Book related, British Authors, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (4)

March 19, 2008 2:32 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Jojo Moyes

I only heard about Jojo recently - her book Silver Bay was shortlisted for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award (look out for the review coming tomorrow!) but when I did my research, I discovered she's been writing books since 2002 and Silver Bay is actually her fifth.

She won the RNA Novel of the Year Award in 2004 for Forbidden Fruit and was short-listed in 2006 for The Ship of Brides.

Jojo was born in 1969 in London. Prior to writing fiction, she worked at The Independent for ten years, including stints as Assistant News Editor and Arts and Media Correspondent.

Jojo now writes books full-time and lives on a farm in Essex with her journalist husband and three children, plus some "badly-behaved animals including an ex-racehorse and several rescued battery hens."

Jojo's third child, Lachlan, was born profoundly deaf. He had cochlear implant surgery and Jojo wrote about his (and her) experience of this for the Mail On Sunday.

Want more? Well, since it's you...Jojo has a blog and has just announced the title of her next book - Night Music. It's due out this summer and this is the blurb from Amazon:
The Spanish House has long been known as an architectural folly to locals, and is now nearly derelict to boot. When its reclusive owner dies intestate the Spanish House is left to his city-dwelling niece. For Isabel, recently widowed, the house is a potential lifeline -- the only hope she has of providing for her two children. But for neighbour Matt McCarthy, the house is revenge -- on the family who ruined his father. For his wife it's the key to the perfect family life, while a struggling property developer sees in it a whole new future. As desires clash and intertwine, lives and loves are demolished -- and the Spanish House becomes a true folly indeed...

Jojo's Bibliography:

Sheltering Rain
The Peacock Emporium
Foreign Fruit
The Ship of Brides
Silver Bay

Related posts: Spotlight archive

Posted by Sarah Painter on March 19, 2008 in Book related, British Authors, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

January 22, 2008 5:21 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Louise Wener

You may remember Louise Wener as the lead singer of Brit Pop band Sleeper. I certainly do (I have happy memories of dancing to them in grungy nightclubs during the 90s), so I was intrigued to hear that she has a new career as a novelist.

In fact, I'm kind of behind the times; her fourth book is due out in June (titled Worldwide Adventures in Love).

I read a very well written article by Wener on motherhood in the Guardian and made an instant pact with myself to try one of her books. Okay, so I haven't quite got that far - but The Half Life of Stars is in my to-be-read-pile.

Louise was born in 1967 in London. She lives there still with her partner and daughter. And she supports West Ham United.

I found it surprisingly difficult to find out much more about Louise (post-Sleeper) - she really needs a shiny new author website...

The books:
Goodnight Steve McQueen
The Big Blind (since re-reased as The Perfect Play)
The Half Life of Stars (look out for the Trashionista review coming soon!)

Related posts: Spotlight archive

Posted by Sarah Painter on January 22, 2008 in Book News, Book related, British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 21, 2007 11:56 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Rachel Gibson

Rachel Gibson is a New York Times bestselling author. She writes contemporary romances for Avon Books and Little Black Dress (in the UK).

Four of her novels were named among the Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year by Romance Writers of America and she has won numerous awards, including Border’s Bestselling Romantic Comedy and the RITA Award for the Best Single Title Contemporary of the Year.

When she's not writing, Rachel likes shopping for shoes, boating with her family and - her guilty 'secret' - watching Judge Judy with her cat.

Rachel says she doesn't have a choice about being a writer, it is just something she has to do: "Like a lemming jumping into the sea."

Carry on over the cut for Rachel's bibliography.

Simply Irresistible
Sex, Lies and Online Dating
Secrets of a Perfect Night (anthology with Stephanie Laurens and Victoria Alexander)
I'm in No Mood for Love
See Jane Score
Lola Carlyle Reveals All
The Trouble with valentines Day
Daisy's Back in Town
True Confessions
Truly Madly Yours
It Must Be Love
Tangled up in You

Did you know? Rachel writes a weekly blog here.

Stop Press! Rachel's next book is 100 Bad Dates and it will be out in the Spring of 2008.

Related posts: Spotlight archive

Posted by Sarah Painter on November 21, 2007 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

March 6, 2007 11:57 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Louise Harwood

Louise Harwood was born in Shrewsbury and grew up on a farm.

After graduating from Durham University in 1989, she moved to London and did various temp jobs in the media. After working her way up through the ranks of a literary agency, she moved to Random House Publishing as an editor.

She left after having her first child and wrote Calling on Lily. Since then she has had two further novels published and her fourth, Hippy Chick, is out in July.

She lives in Oxfordshire with her husband and two sons.

Carry on over the cut for Louise's bibliography.

Calling On Lily
Six Reasons to Stay a Virgin
Lucy Blue, Where Are You?

Posted by Keris on March 6, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 27, 2007 11:38 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Alison Pace

I loved Alison Pace's first two books and I'm really excited about her new book, Through Thick and Thin, due out in August.

Alison holds a degree in Art History from American University in Washington, D.C. and received a graduate certificate in American Art from Sotheby's Institute in New York. She has worked at Sotheby's and has also been an independent fine art researcher.

Never having taken her writing seriously before, when Alison finished If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend she decided to look for an agent. Her debut was followed by Pug Hill and her writing has also appeared in The Bark magazine where she is a contributing editor.

Alison lives in New York City with her cute dog (disappointingly not a pug).

Carry on over the cut for Alison's bibliography.

If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend
Pug Hill

Related posts: Alison Pace's books of the year / Chick lit authors' favourite TV shows

Posted by Keris on February 27, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 13, 2007 8:01 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Adele Parks

Imagine my surprise when I realised we hadn't featured Adele Parks, one of the most successful authors of the last ten years!

Adele Parks was born in the North-east of England and read English Language and Literature at Leicester University.  After university she spent a year teaching English in Italy.

Back in the UK, she moved to London and started a career in advertising. After moving to Botswana for a couple of years, she continued in advertising and, in her spare time, wrote Playing Away, partly as a way of coping with five deaths in her family, including her grandfather.

Adele sent an incomplete version of Playing Away to an agent who asked to see the whole thing. Adele spent the next six months writing the rest of the book, which subsequently became the biggest selling debut of the millennium!

Adele has enjoyed five subsequent bestsellers and has been published in fourteen different countries. Her seventh book, Young Wives' Tales, will be released in April.

Adele lives in Guildford, Surrey, with her husband and son, and is working on book number eight.

Carry on over the cut for Adele's bibliography and some more book cover snaps!

Playing Away
Game Over
Larger Than Life
The Other Woman’s Shoes
Still Thinking Of You
Husbands

 

Posted by Keris on February 13, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

February 6, 2007 3:28 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Alison Bond

Our interview with Lisa Clark reminded me that we loved Alison Bond's two books here at Trashionista, but I don't know anything about her. So I thought I'd make her the subject of this week's spotlight.

A graduate of Bournemouth Media School, Alison worked in the film industry for seven years before taking six months off to concentrate on writing a novel.

That novel was How to be Famous, published in 2005 and followed by The Truth About Ruby Valentine.

Alison lives in London.

Hmm. Didn't actually learn much there, did we? I'll keep on it.

Read about Alison's favourite things here.

Posted by Keris on February 6, 2007 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 30, 2007 1:36 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Fiona Walker

Born in 1969 in West Berkshire, Fiona Walker read Theatre Studies at university before going on to work in advertising.

During six weeks off work to recuperate from a kidney infection, Fiona started writing because she couldn't find anything she wanted to read. She gave up her job to finish writing the book which became French Relations and was published in 1993 - thus predating an awful lot of the books credited with being the first chick lit book.

Fiona has now written nine novels and lives in the Cotswolds.

Carry on over the cut for Fiona's bibliography.

French Relations
Kiss Chase
Well Groomed
Snap Happy
Between Males
Lucy Talk
Lots of Love
Tongue in Cheek
Four Play

Check out Fiona's lovely website.

Posted by Keris on January 30, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Romance, Series, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 23, 2007 4:22 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Elizabeth Noble

This week's spotlight shines on one of the most popular new chick lit authors, Elizabeth Noble.

Born in 1968, in Buckinghamshire, Elizabeth spent part of her childhood in Toronto, Canada. After returning to the UK, she attended Oxford, graduating in 1990 with a BA (Honors) in English language and literature.

Over the next six years she worked in the editorial, marketing, publicity, and sales departments of several big publishing houses.

After her marriage in 1996, she took a career break to have her two daughters. When her youngest was ready to go to nursery school - and under the threat of having to go back to work - Elizabeth wrote a hundred pages of The Reading Group, which subsequently sold at the first attempt on the basis of 100 pages and a synopsis.

Published in January 2004, The Reading Group went straight to the number one in The Sunday Times’s bestseller list and has since sold almost a quarter of a million copies in the UK.

Elizabeth has followed her debut with The Tenko Club (which was nominated for the RNA Romantic Novelist of the Year Award 2005) and Alphabet Weekends. She lives with her husband and children in Surrey.

Carry on over the cut for Elizabeth’s bibliography and the chance to win a holiday in Vegas!

The Reading Group
The Tenko Club (called The Friendship Test in the US)
Alphabet Weekends

US readers can have a go at winning a weekend for two in Las Vegas on Elizabeth’s American website.

Did you know? Elizabeth’s favourite modern author is Armistead Maupin. "I read the entire Tales of the City series in about a week fifteen years ago, and I re-read them every few years. I love them more every time." [via HarperCollins]

Find out about more of Elizabeth’s favourite books here.

Posted by Keris on January 23, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 16, 2007 12:25 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Morag Prunty

I've chosen Morag Prunty for this week's spotlight because I've just discovered something that made me go, 'Whaa?' More about that later ...

Morag was born in Scotland in 1964 to Irish parents. At the age of 21 she became the youngest ever editor of a national UK magazine when she took over at Looks magazine (remember that?). She then edited More! and Just Seventeen before moving to Ireland to re-launch Irish Tatler.

Her first book (a non-fiction handbook for teenage girls, called Boys) was published in 1993. Her first novel, Dancing with Mules, was published in 2001 and she has since published five more.

She now lives in the historic village of Killala in County Mayo on the west coast of Ireland with her husband and son and writes full time.

So why the ‘Whaa?’ you ask. Carry on over the cut and find out (along with Morag's bibliography).

Because Morag's most recent novel is Recipes for a Perfect Marriage. By Kate Kerrigan. Yes, Kate Kerrigan is Morag Prunty. I had no idea until I saw this (spot the difference):

Left: UK cover; Right: US cover

(If you all knew about this already, please don't mock me.)

Dancing with Mules
Wild Cats And Colleens
Disco Daddy
Poison Arrows
Superstar Lovers
Recipes for a Perfect Marriage

Posted by Keris on January 16, 2007 in British Authors, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (1)

January 9, 2007 10:28 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Chris Manby

I can't believe we haven't had a look at popular and prolific British author, Chris Manby.

Chris Manby grew up in Gloucester and published her first short story in Just Seventeen magazine at the age of fourteen. After studying psychology at Oxford, Chris met a New York psychic who told her she would write seven novels. Her first, Flatmates, was published two years later. Her eleventh, Marrying for Money, was published at the end of last year. (At least the psychic was part right!)

Chris now lives between London and Los Angeles and writes full-time.

Did you know? That as well as the novels under her own name, Chris has had several erotic novels published under the pseudonym Stephanie Ash.

Carry on over the cut for Chris's bibliography.

Flatmates
Second Prize
Deep Heat
Lizzie Jordan's Secret Life
Running Away from Richard
Getting Personal
Seven Sunny Days
Girl Meets Ape
Ready or Not
The Matchbreaker
Marrying for Money

See Chris talking about Girl Meets Ape at Meet the Author.

Posted by Keris on January 9, 2007 in Book related, British Authors, Recent Release, Romance, Series, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 2, 2007 4:08 PM

SPOTLIGHT: E Lockhart

Since E Lockhart's book The Boyfriend List was our favourite young adult book of 2006, it seemed fitting she should be our first spotlit (exclusively) young adult author.

First things first - the E stands for Emily!

After attending both an art school and a prep school, Emily - like Megan Crane - went to Vassar before going on to attain a doctorate in English Literature at Columbia.

Her first YA book, The Boyfriend List, sold on proposal and Emily followed it with Fly on the Wall (the story of a girl who is turned into a fly and can observe her classmates unnoticed) and The Boy Book (a sequel to The Boyfriend List). Emily’s fourth book, Dramarama, will be released in May.

Carry on over the cut for Emily’s bibliography.

The Boyfriend List
Fly on the Wall
The Boy Book
Dramarama coming soon (as is a review!)

Did you know? Emily’s favourite chick flick is Gregory’s Girl! [via Lara Zeises]

Posted by Keris on January 2, 2007 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Spotlight, Young Adult | Permalink | Comments (3)

December 26, 2006 2:00 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Melissa Bank

I realised too late that Melissa Bank’s The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing should have been included in the Top 10 chick lit precursors after reading a 1999 Salon.com interview that included the question, "Do you think its getting lumped together with these single-women books is pure marketing, or does this signal an emerging genre of young women's fiction?" - so I’ve decided to shine our weekly spotlight on her instead.

Born in 1960 in Philadelphia, Bank holds an MFA from Cornell University. While working as a copywriter, she refusing promotions, telling her boss she was only interested in a writing career. She won the 1993 Nelson Algren Award for short fiction and her stories have been published in numerous distinguished publications.

The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing - a collection of interlinked stories - took Bank 12 years to write, but it was worth it, it became a bestseller both in the US and the UK. And, as we told you back in September, the movie version, starring Sarah Michelle Gellar is due out next year.

Five years later, Bank followed The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing with The Wonder Spot and found herself in the centre of a controversy when author Curtis Sittenfeld’s review of the book began, "To suggest that another woman's ostensibly literary novel is chick lit feels catty, not unlike calling another woman a slut - doesn't the term basically bring down all of us? And yet, with The Wonder Spot, it's hard to resist." Ouch.

Carry on over the cut for Melissa’s bibliography.

The Girls’ Guide to Hunting and Fishing
The Wonder Spot

Read about Melissa’s favourite books, music and films at Barnes & Noble

Spotlight archives

Posted by Keris on December 26, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

December 19, 2006 1:45 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Joshilyn Jackson

Inspired by the fact that Diane adored both of her books (and even chose Between, Georgia as her favourite book of the year), I thought I'd shine this week's spotlight on Joshilyn Jackson.

Joshilyn was born and raised in the Deep South of the US. After dropping out of college to pursue a career in acting, she worked in regional repertoire and travelled with a dinner theatre troupe, but after a few years realised she preferred writing plays (including Another Snow White and Screwing Lazarus) to acting in them.

She went back to college to study English literature and graduated with honors from Georgia State. After moving to Chicago she earned an MA in English from the University of Illinois. She then taught English at the same university, before returning to her home town and marrying the boy next door.

Joshilyn says she's been writing for as long as she can remember and - even though novels are her first love - her first success was with short stories. She says now, “It took seven years and three manuscripts from the day I grew enough of a spine to take a serious run at a career in fiction to the day I sold my first book.”* This book was gods in Alabama and it was a bestseller, as was her second novel, Between, Georgia.

Joshilyn lives just outside of Atlanta with her husband, their two children, and a cat named Franz Schubert, and is currently at work on her next novel, The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, the story of a good mother who is visited by a drowned girl's ghost.

*[via Barnes & Noble]

Carry on over the cut for Joshilyn's bibliography.

gods in Alabama
Between, Georgia

Did you know? Arlene Fleet, the main character in gods in Alabama, briefly appeared in a short story Joshilyn wrote ten years ago. It's called Little Dead Uglies and you can read it on her website.

and

Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants is one of Joshilyn's favourite books.

Related posts: Joshilyn Jackson arrested! / Joshilyn Jackson video

Posted by Keris on December 19, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Modern Fiction, Opinion, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 28, 2006 12:26 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Sarah Mason

Having just learned that she's got a new book out next year - and because we've loved all of her books so far - I thought I'd shine this week's spotlight on Sarah Mason.

Aged 25, Sarah started an enormously successful company importing gourmet popcorn from America (she was once voted one of the top five British entrepreneurs). She started writing after selling the business.

Her first novel, Playing James, was published in 2002 and Sarah became the first-ever first-time novelist to win the Romantic Novelists' Association Romantic Novel of the Year award. Playing James was followed by The Party Season and High Society. (All three books got a 5 out of 5 rating from Trashionista!)

Sarah's new novel, Sea Fever, is due out in July 2007 and is described by her publishers as "Sun, sea, sailing, and sex ... [following] the scandal, gossip, drama and fun of an America's Cup regatta."

Sarah lives in Cheltenham with her husband and daughter.

Carry on over the cut for Sarah's bibliography.

Playing James
The Party Season (Party Girl in the US)
High Society (Society Girls in the US)

See Sarah talking about High Society and The Party Season on Meet the Author.

Posted by Keris on November 28, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Prize Winners, Romance, Series, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 21, 2006 2:18 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Kate Harrison

This week's spotlight shines on British novelist, Kate Harrison.

Kate was born in Wigan but, due to her father's job, spent much of her childhood travelling around Britain and Europe (she attended more than 13 schools and lived in the Isle of Man, St Helens, Bramhall, Bracknell, Camberley, Newbury and Holland!).

While studying journalism at college in Portsmouth, Kate won the ESSO Young Journalist of the Year competition. She then held various positions at the BBC (including on-screen reporter, producer and director), but after attending an Arvon Foundation writing course, Kate started writing a novel.

At a writing conference, Kate won the ‘opening to a novel competition’ and landed a publishing deal and an agent on the same day a few weeks later!

Old School Ties was published in Autumn 2003 and chosen for WH Smiths Fresh Talent promotion. It was followed by The Starter Marriage and Brown Owl's Guide to Life. Kate's fourth book, The Self-Preservation Society, will be out next year.

Kate has recently left the BBC to write full-time and you can read about how she's getting on here.

Carry on over the cut for Kate's bibliography and more.

Old School Ties
The Starter Marriage
Brown Owl's Guide to Life

See Kate talk about The Starter Marriage at Meet the Author.  

Posted by Keris on November 21, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 7, 2006 11:09 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Lani Diane Rich

Since this is NaNovember, I thought I'd shine the spotlight on my original NaNo inspiration, Lani Diane Rich.

After leaving Syracuse University, Lani moved to Alaska and had various jobs including theater reviewer and freelance marketing consultant - also something to do with fish, which we won't go into!

In 2002 she decided to take part in NaNoWriMo (which we'll hear more about in Lani's forthcoming guest blog). The result was Time Off for Good Behavior. After returning to Syracuse with husband, cat and two young daughters in tow, she took part in NaNoWriMo again and produced the first rough draft of the book that would become Maybe Baby.

Along with writing more than a book a year, Lani teaches beginning television production part-time at Syracuse University. Her next book, The Fortune Quilt, is out next year.

Carry on over the cut for Lani's bibliography.

Time Off for Good Behavior
Maybe Baby
Ex and the Single Girl
The Comeback Kiss

Lani has also contributed to the following essay collections:

Flirting with Pride and Prejudice
Getting Lost
Welcome to Wisteria Lane

Read our interview with Lani and stay tuned for a Time Off for Good Behavior giveaway.

NaNovember archives / Spotlight archives

Posted by Keris on November 7, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, NaNovember, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 31, 2006 5:34 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Adriana Trigiani

Diane's controversial review of Adriana Trigiani's Queen of the Big Time inspired me to spotlight her this week (Adriana, not Diane).

Born and raised in Big Stone Gap, Virginia (yes, really!) to a large Italian family, Adriana graduated from college and moved to New York City to become a playwright. After founding and performing with an all-female comedy troupe, Adriana worked as a writer/producer on TV shows including The Cosby Show.

In 1996, she wrote and directed a documentary, Queens of the Big Time. She then wrote a screenplay called Big Stone Gap, which a friend suggested she turn into a novel. Hugely successful, Big Stone Gap was followed by sequels Big Cherry Holler and Milk Glass Moon. Adriana's other books Lucia, Lucia, Queen of the Big Time and Rococo have all been New York Times bestsellers.

Adriana is adapting and directing the film version of Big Stone Gap and has also written the screenplay for Lucia, Lucia. She lives in New York (in Greenwich Village, no less) with her husband and daughter (whose name is Lucia!).

Along with her sister, Mary, Adriana has written a cookery book memoir called Cooking With My Sisters. Listen to an interview with the Trigiani sisters here.

Carry on over the cut for Adriana's bibliography.

Big Stone Gap
Big Cherry Holler
Milk Glass Moon
Lucia, Lucia
Queen of the Big Time
Rococo (see Adriana talking about Rococo here
Back to Big Stone Gap/Home to Big Stone Gap

Did you know? Adriana has also worked as a cook, nanny, house cleaner and office temp.

Posted by Keris on October 31, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Romance, Series, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (1)

October 24, 2006 5:31 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Lauren Weisberger

This week we turn our attention to arguably the most successful chick lit author of the last few years - Lauren Weisberger.

Lauren was born in 1977 in Scranton, Pennsylvania. After graduating from Cornell University in 1999 she backpacked around Europe and Asia before moving to New York to work as Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, Anna Wintour. Amazingly, it was the very first job she applied for.

This experience inspired her first novel The Devil Wears Prada, which was published in 2003 to great fanfare and enormous popularity. It was subsequently made into a film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway (see what we thought of it) and is soon to be a TV series too!

Lauren's second novel, Everyone Worth Knowing (for which she received a $1million advance), was published in October 2005 and was also a New York Times bestseller, despite the general consensus being that it's not quite as good as her debut (USA Today declared it "a major letdown").

Lauren lives in New York and is working on her third novel (yep, another $1million advance).

Continue over the cut for her bibliography and more

The Devil Wears Prada
Everyone Worth Knowing

Click here for a list of Lauren's favourite books.

Did you know? Lauren's a huge fan of Grey's Anatomy (like some other of our favourite authors!)

Posted by Keris on October 24, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Fashion-Lit, Modern Fiction, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 17, 2006 12:24 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Tony Parsons

I thought it was about time we branched out with our spotlight and tried a male author. Nick Hornby is arguably the originator of "Lad Lit", but Tony Parsons certainly took the concept and ran with it.

Born in Essex in 1955, Parsons started out as a writer for music paper the NME before turning freelance and writing for publications including The Face, Marie Claire, The Daily Mail, Arena, The Guardian, Elle, The Daily Telegraph, The Spectator, The Sunday Times, GQ and Red along with a couple of books of cultural and music criticism and a few failed novels.

He famously (or perhaps infamously) married Julie Burchill, a fellow NME journalist, and they had a son, Bobby, before divorcing acrimoniously (in fact, I'd say they took acrimonious to new levels). This relationship was the inspiration behind his fourth novel Man and Boy which became a publishing phenomenon, selling two million copies in 36 countries.

Parsons' subsequent novels - One for My Baby, Man and Wife and The Family Way were all number one bestsellers. His most recent book is Stories We Could Tell. Writing in the Guardian newspaper, Suzie Mackenzie said Parsons books 'are characterised by an utterly personal choice of subjects - parenthood, friendship, love, betrayal, men trying to juggle their commitments - and an utterly personal way of telling them.'

He has now re-married, and lives in London his second wife, Yuriko, and their daughter, Jasmine. He still writes a popular, if controversial, column in the Daily Mirror.

Related posts: Can men write romantic fiction? / The Family Way

Carry on over the cut for Tony's (fiction) bibliography.

Man and Boy
One for My Baby
Man and Wife
The Family Way
Stories We Could Tell

Did you know?

Man and Boy was made into a TV movie starring Ioan Gruffudd

Parsons also wrote Bare, the 1990 authorised biography of George Michael. (They were friends at the time, but fell out when an interview Michael had given to Parsons was published in the Daily Mirror, apparently without his permission).

Posted by Keris on October 17, 2006 in British Authors, Modern Fiction, Prize Winners, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

October 10, 2006 1:46 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Wendy Holden

Pun queen Wendy Holden was born in Yorkshire and read English Literature at Cambridge University. After graduation, she became a journalist writing for Tatler, Harpers and Queen, The Sunday Times and The Sunday Telegraph.

Her debut novel, Simply Divine, was inspired by her experiences on the glossies and was an immediate hit. After Bad Heir Day was another huge success, Wendy gave up journalism to become a full-time novelist. Her third novel, Pastures Nouveaux (called Farm Fatale in the US, it's one of Shanna Swendson's favourites), was followed by (confusingly) Fame Fatale (called Gossip Hound in the US), Azur Like It and The Wives of Bath. Her latest book The School for Husbands, has seen her titles getting cute new covers (in the UK).

Wendy Holden lives in London and Derbyshire with her husband and two children.

Inexplicably, we've never reviewed any of her books! We will set that right forthwith!

Carry on over the cut for Wendy's bibliography.

Simply Divine
Bad Heir Day
Pastures Nouveaux/Farm Fatale
Fame Fatale/Gossip Hound
Azur Like It
The Wives of Bath
The School for Husbands

See Wendy talking about Azur Like It here

Posted by Keris on October 10, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Fashion-Lit, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Recent Release, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (3)

October 3, 2006 2:17 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Dorothy Koomson

This week the spotlight is on Dorothy Koomson.

Dorothy started out writing, editing and subbing for various women’s magazines and national papers including Red, New Woman, Marie Claire and The Guardian. She spent her evenings writing novels and occasionally trying to get them published.

Her first book, The Cupid Effect, was published in 2003, but it was when her third book - My Best Friend's Girl - was chosen for the Richard & Judy Summer Reads promotion that she really hit the big time (My Best Friend's Girl was subsequently voted 2nd favourite of all the Summer Reads. Victoria Hislop's The Island was first.)

She now lives in Sydney and South London and works full-time on an Australian women's magazine.

Her fourth book, due out next year, is called Marshmallows For Breakfast and is about a woman who returns from Australia to England and ends up sharing a house with a divorced father and his two children.

Click over the cut for Dorothy's bibliography.

The Cupid Effect
The Chocolate Run
My Best Friend's Girl

Did you know?
Dorothy says her books aren't chick lit because "None of my main characters are desperate to find a man or have romance and weight loss as their main goals in life." [via the Richard & Judy Book Club]
But we know there's more to chick lit than that, don't we?

Posted by Keris on October 3, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Richard and Judy, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 26, 2006 12:21 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Emily Giffin

This week's spotlight shines on a new chick lit superstar, Emily Giffin.

Emily was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and got a law degree before moving to New York where she worked in litigation. 

After moving to London just after 11 September 2001, Emily gave herself six months to make a go of writing.  Within a year she'd not only found an agent and signed a two-book publishing deal, she'd also got married.

A return to the US was followed by the birth of identical twin sons, Edward and George, and her first book Something Borrowed was followed by Something Blue (featuring the same characters, but from a different perspective).  

The recent release of her third novel Baby Proof has confirmed Emily's popularity.

The movie rights to Something Borrowed have been sold (to both Drew Barrymore's and Reese Witherspoon's production companies) and Emily apparently wants Patrick Dempsey to play Dex (I'm totally on board with this suggestion!).

Did you know? Emily was student manager of a basketball team whose members included actor Marc Blucas who played Riley in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Continue over the cut for Emily's bibliography (but don't forget to read our interview with Emily).

Something Borrowed
Something Blue
Baby Proof

Posted by Keris on September 26, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, Modern Fiction, Movie News, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (5)

September 19, 2006 9:41 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Liz Young

Well this week I've attempted to shine the spotlight on Liz (sometimes known as Elizabeth) Young, but she turns out to be an enigma, wrapped in a mystery, shrouded in .. well, you get the picture.

All I could find out was the following:

Elizabeth Young started writing after a variety of jobs that included being part of an airline cabin crew, modelling for TV commercials in Cyprus and working for the Sultan's Armed Forces in Oman. She has two daughters and lives in Surrey with a fat cat, a barmy spaniel and a saintly other half.

And that tiny bit of info was cobbled together from about five different sources! But her books are popular (and have had great reviews here, as you'll see over the cut) so does anyone - anyone! - know anything about her?

Carry on over the cut for Liz's bibliography.

Asking For Trouble (which was re-released as The Wedding Date)
Fair Game
A Girl's Best Friend
Making Mischief

See what we thought of the film version of Asking For Trouble, The Wedding Date.

Posted by Keris on September 19, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (8)

September 13, 2006 12:44 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Andrea Semple

This week the spotllight's on British author Andrea Semple.

Hailed as 'the new Marian Keyes' (even though the old one's still going strong), Andrea Semple worked in PR, as a journalist, and in nightclub management in Ibiza before taking three months off to write her first novel, The Ex-Factor. She swiftly landed a two-book deal and wrote her second, The Make-up Girl, in nine months.

Aged 28, she lives in Leeds with her boyfriend, author Matt Haig. She's got a great website full of chick lit info ("Write like a girl") and author interviews and also publishes a handy writing tips newsletter.

Oh and she's written a fab defence of chick lit.

Did you know ... she has a namesake who teaches "the art of sensually and erotically undressing"?

Carry on over the cut for Andrea's bibliography.

The Ex-Factor
The Make-up Girl
The Man From Perfect

Posted by Keris on September 13, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Girly Stuff, Modern Fiction, Romance, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 5, 2006 9:38 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Helen Fielding

I was amazed to find that we haven't yet shone our light on the chick lit queen herself, Helen Fielding!

Helen was born in Yorkshire in 1958 and gained an English degree from Oxford. She worked as a BBC TV producer and journalist and before attaining moderate success with her first novel Cause Celeb, but it was Bridget Jones who made her really famous.

Bridget originally featured in an enormously popular column in The Independent and The Daily Telegraph. The columns were then collected into a best-selling book, Bridget Jones's Diary, and a sequel, Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, and the chick lit phenomenon we've grown to love was born (imagine a time before chick lit; dark days indeed).

Both books were made into incredibly popular films (see what we thought of the first and the second) starring Renee Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth.

Helen's first book after Bridget Jones, Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination, was of course released with enormous fanfare, but was a critical and commercial disappointment (though what wouldn't be after Bridget Jones's Diary sold 10 million?!).

Helen now lives in Los Angeles (with neighbours said to include Jennifer Aniston, Keanu Reeves and Leonardo DiCaprio) with her partner, comedy writer Kevin Curran, and their two children (a boy and a girl) and is, apparently, semi-retired, though there are rumours of a third Bridget book.

Continue over the cut for Helen's bibliography.

Cause Celeb
Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason
Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination

Posted by Keris on September 5, 2006 in Book related, British Authors, Modern Fiction, Romance, Series, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 29, 2006 10:35 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Meg Cabot

This week's spotlight's on the incredibly prolific Meg Cabot.

After completing a fine arts degree at Indiana University, Meg moved to New York and got a job as the assistant manager of an undergraduate dormitory at New York University (like the character in this book). Her first published book was a historical romance written under a pen name - Patricia Cabot - because she didn't want her grandmother to read the rude bits. She's also written as Jenny Carroll and Meggin Cabot.

She really made her name with The Princess Diaries series for teens and has now published almost forty novels for both adults and teens. She also wrote early versions of the screenplay for the Disney film, Ice Princess.

Following September 11th she moved from New York to Key West with her husband and their one-eyed cat, Henrietta.

Continue over the cut for her bibliography (and, trust me, you really want to see this one!).

Adult chick lit

The Boy Next Door
She Went All the Way
Boy Meets Girl
Every Boy’s Got One
Size 12 Is Not Fat
Queen of Babble (review coming soon!)

Adult historical romances

Where Roses Grow Wild
Portrait of My Heart
An Improper Proposal
A Little Scandal
A Season in the Highlands
Lady of Skye
Educating Caroline
Kiss the Bride

The Princess Diaries - teen series

The Princess Diaries
Take Two
Third Time Lucky
Mia Goes Fourth
Gimme Five
Sixsational
Seventh Heaven

Mediator - teen series

Love You To Death
High Stakes
Mean Spirits
Young Blood
Grave Doubts
Heaven Sent

Missing - teen series

When Lightning Strikes
Code Name Cassandra
Safe House
Sanctuary

Teen historical romances

Nicola and the Viscount
Victoria and the Rogue

Teen chick lit

All-American Girl
Ready or Not: An All-American Girl Novel
Teen Idol
Avalon High
How to Be Popular

Did you know?
Meg's plans for world domination now include branching into manga. The sequel to Avalon High will be released as a three-book manga series, called Avalon High: Coronation.

Posted by Keris on August 29, 2006 in American Authors, Girly Stuff, Romance, Series, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (4)

August 22, 2006 10:08 AM

SPOTLIGHT: Anna Maxted

This week's spotlight is on Anna Maxted.

Anna has a degree in English from Cambridge and started out as a reporter for the Jewish Chronicle. She became a freelancer, writing for various publications, notably Cosmopolitan and FHM, for whom she wrote a sex column (like one of the main characters in her latest book - A Tale of Two Sisters).

Following the sudden death of her father, Anna wrote a piece about her grief. It received an overwhelming response and Anna was approached by agents and publishers to write a novel. This novel was the wonderful Getting Over It. She has since written four more novels combining chick lit humour and serious issues such as rape and anorexia.

Anna now lives in London with her husband, Phil, and their two sons.

See a specs-less Anna talking about Being Committed here.

Continue over the cut for Anna's bibliography.

Getting Over It
Running In Heels
Behaving Like Adults
Being Committed
A Tale of Two Sisters

Did you know Anna has also written three non-fiction books including How to Have Him Begging for More: 100 Ways to Drive Your Man Wild in Bed!

Posted by Keris on August 22, 2006 in British Authors, Modern Fiction, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

August 15, 2006 12:58 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Belinda Jones

This week's spotlight is on a real Trashionista fave: Belinda Jones.

Belinda's first job in journalism was on the Postman Pat comic. She went on to spend four years at "more!" magazine which included co-presenting the "Mr more! 94" male model contest. After turning freelance she wrote for magazines including Elle, FHM, Cosmopolitan and For Women (remember that?!).

In 1997 she moved to Los Angeles and in 2001 her first novel Divas Las Vegas was published to great success. She now lives in Las Vegas, but spends much of her time travelling to research her fabulous books (and to find men which you can read about in On The Road To Mr Right). She is currently researching her sixth novel - The Love Academy - for which she's returning to Italy, only this time to Venice and "George Clooney-adjacent Como". Honestly, she's got the best job.

Continue over the cut for Belinda's bibliography

Divas Las Vegas
I Love Capri
The California Club
On The Road To Mr Right
The Paradise Room
Cafe Tropicana

Did you know ... Belinda also wrote Peter Andre's official biography and a Peter Andre Annual?

Posted by Keris on August 15, 2006 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (3)

August 8, 2006 4:17 PM

SPOTLIGHT: Lisa Jewell

This week the spotlight shines on Lisa Jewell.

Lisa wrote her first novel as a bet. In 1993 she was made redundant from her job in the fashion industry and found herself unemployed for ten months before her redundancy money ran out and she had to take a job as a receptionist. After a few months in that job, Lisa decided to take evening classes in Creative Writing at her local Adult Education College. She found that she absolutely loved it.

Soon afterwards while on holiday with friends, the conversation turned to Nick Hornby's book "High Fidelity" and how easy it must have been to write (Lisa now accepts that probably wasn't the case!). When a friend asked her what she really wanted to do with her life, she confessed that she'd like to write a female version of "High Fidelity". Her friend promised to take her out to her favourite restaurant if she did it so she started the book that became "Ralph's Party".

Carry on across the cut for Lisa's bibliography.

Ralph's Party
Thirtynothing
One Hit Wonder
A Friend of the Family
Vince & Joy

Posted by Keris on August 8, 2006 in British Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 18, 2006 11:50 AM

SPOTLIGHT : Jennifer Weiner

This week the spotlight is on Jennifer Weiner.

Weiner studied at Princeton University, majoring in English and taking a  number of creative writing courses. Upon the advice of one of her lecturers, John McPhee, she moved upon graduation into the world of journalism writing a range of columns, focusing especially on issues relating to Generation X. At the same time she continued writing, having short stories published in Seventeen Magazine and Redbook.

In 1995 Weiner moved to write fulltime for the Philadelphia Inquirer, whilst continuing to write freelance pieces for a range of publications. It was during this time that she began to write her first novel, 'Good In Bed'. This was published in 2001 to widespread acclaim and became and international bestseller. Weiner quickly followed this up with three further books in the following five years, up to this year's successful 'Goodnight Nobody'.

The rights to 'In Her Shoes' were sold to Fox 2000 and the film was released in 2005 starring Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette. The rights to 'Good In Bed' have been optioned by HBO, but so far the show is still classed as 'in development'.

Carry on across the cut to see Jennifer Weiner's bibliography.

Good In Bed
In Her Shoes
Little Earthquakes
Goodnight Nobody

Also see what we had to see about the movie adaptation of 'In Her Shoes'.

Posted by Jenni on July 18, 2006 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (3)

July 11, 2006 11:46 AM

SPOTLIGHT : Jodi Picoult

This week the Spotlight focuses on Jodi Picoult. Many people became aware of Jodi Picoult's writing when "My Sisters Keeper" became a runaway success when it became the book everyone was reading. Many of the same people however aren't aware of the fact that this was in fact her 11th hit novel.

Jodi Picoult studied creative writing at Princeton, but upon graduating worked in a series of jobs that offered financial security. It was after she married and became pregnant with her first child that she returned to the idea of being a writer, and she put pen to paper. The result was 'Songs of the Humpback Whale', her first novel. Since then she has continued both to have babies (she is now the mother of 3 children) and to write books, with 'The Tenth Circle' her most recently published book. Her next novel will be '19 Minutes', and she is rumoured to be writing for 'Wonder Woman' next year.

Jodi Picoult's books are widely considered to be filling a niche within the writing world currently, she writes about hard hitting issues in such a way that you can't help but find yourself still thinking about the book hours and even days after you've finished reading.

Carry on over the cut for Picoult's bibliography.

Songs of the Humpback Whale
Harvesting the Heart
Picture Perfect
Mercy
The Pact
Keeping Faith
Plain Truth
Salem Falls
Perfect Match
Second Glance
My Sister's Keeper
Vanishing Acts
Tenth Circle

See what we had to say about Salem Falls and Tenth Circle.

Also check out Jodi Picoult's website where you can download her podcasts.

Posted by Jenni on July 11, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 4, 2006 1:08 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Louise Bagshawe

Thsi week's spotlight is turned onto Louise Bagshawe. After completing her formal education at Oxford University, Louise worked in the record industry. At the age of 23 she decided to stop working so that she could devote her time to writing full time, a move that definitely paid off.

Louise's first novel, 'Career Girls' was published in 1995 and to date she has a total of 13 books to her name, along with a contribution to 'Girls Night In'. Her most recent novel, 'Sparkles' has been met with the acclaim this bestselling author has become accustomed to.

Outside of writing Louise has a strong interest in politics, and is a member of the Conservative party's candidates' list.

Career Girls
The Movie
Triple Feature
Tall Poppies
Venus Envy
A Kept Woman
When She Was Bad...
For All The Wrong Reasons
The Devil You Know
Monday's Child
The Go-To Girl
Tuesday's Child
Sparkles

See what we had to say about 'Mondays Child' and 'The Movie'

Posted by Jenni on July 4, 2006 in American Authors, Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 27, 2006 8:09 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees

This week's spotlight is turned on the successful writing partnership of Josie Lloyd and Emlyn Rees.

Both Josie and Emlyn had previous writing success before they formed their partnership in xxx. Josie published 'It Could Be You' in 1997, and Emlyn published 'The Book Of Dead Authors' in the same year. He had one further solo success in 1999 with the novel 'Undertow'. They first wrote together in 1998 with the successful 'Come Together'. To date they have 6 books written and published together, and are currently working on number 7.

Their partnership is one of the most successful currently on the bookshelves. You can easily reach the end of the book and realise that you haven't got a clue who wrote what!

Carry on across the cut to see their full works.

Come Together
Come Again
The Boy Next Door
Love Lives
We Are Family
The Three Day Rule

Posted by Jenni on June 27, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 20, 2006 1:02 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Jenny Crusie

This week we're turning the spotlight onto Jenny Crusie.

Jenny has devoted much of her life to the arts, studiying for degrees at all levels in areas including Professional Writing, Criticism, Literature and Fiction. During her studies she worked as a teacher at all levels in the education system, teaching arts subjects. Whilst studying and teaching she also married and started a family.

Jenny's first book was sold to Silhouette in 1992. It was the novella 'Sizzle' - an effort she no longer likes. The publication was delayed, and ended up being her second published novel. Her next six books were all published by Harlequin, at this time she also wrote two novels for Bantam's Loveswept imprint. She then moved to writing for St Martin's Press, to date she has published 6 single title novels with them. Her most recent release is 'Don't Look Down' a collaboration with Bob Mayer that was spawned after they met at a confererence.

Continue over the cut to see Crusie's full bibliography.

Published by Silhouette
Sizzle - 1994

Published by Harlequin
Manhunting - 1993
Getting Rid Of Bradley - 1994
Strange Bedfellows - 1994
What The Lady Wants - 1995
Charlie All Night - 1996
Anyone But You - 1996

Published by Bantam Loveswept
The Cinderella Deal - 1996
Trust Me On This - 1997

Published by St Martins Press
Tell Me Lies - 1998
Crazy For You - 1999
Welcome To Temptation - 2000
Fast Women - 2001
Faking It - 2002
Bet Me - 2004
Don't Look Down - 2006 with Bob Mayer

See what we had to say about 'Welcome To Temptation' and 'Dont Look Down'

Posted by Jenni on June 20, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 13, 2006 10:05 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Freya North

After last week's review of 'Chloe' got a lot of you debating whether her books were brilliant or utterly dire, we decied it was about time we turned the spotlight toward Freya North.

Freya North began writing in 1991, turning her back on a PhD scholarship to pursue her dream of becoming an author. This first book was Sally, and despite many rejections she began to write Chloe as soon as she finished Sally. It was a spark of tenacity that got Freya noticed - she submitted some of her work along with a selection of quotes from reviews, all entirely fictional. This ruse came off, and a contract was hers.

To date Freya has written 8 novels, with a 9th currently in progress. Carry on across the cut to see the full list of these books.

Sally
Chloe
Polly
Cat
Fen
Pip
Love Rules
Home Truths

See what we had to say about Chloe here.

Posted by Jenni on June 13, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

June 6, 2006 6:37 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Katie Fforde

This week's Spotlight is turned on the author Katie Fforde.

One of the UK's best writers of country tales, Katie Fforde has been writing for the last 11 years. Before becoming a writer she ran a narrow-boat hotel with her husband, before living the country life in Wales. It was after a move to Stroud, Gloucestershire and the birth of the couples third child that she picked up her pen and began to write.

Fforde's first book was "Living Dangerously", published in 1995. Since then she has had a further 11 books published, with the most recent being "Practically Perfect". Her books tend to be a perfect mix of country idiosyncracies and great characters, which result in highly enjoyable reads.

Carry on over the cut for the full list of Katie Fforde's books.

Living Dangerously
The Rose Revived
Wild Designs
Stately Pursuits
Life Skills
Thyme Out
Artistic Licence
Highland Fling
Paradise Fields
Restoring Grace
Flora's Lot
Practically Perfect

Read what we had to say about 'Stately Pursuits' and 'Restoring Grace'

Posted by Jenni on June 6, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 30, 2006 6:41 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Cecelia Ahern

Cecelia Ahern is the focus of this week's spotlight. Possibly one of Irelands brightest prospects, she has reached the number 1 slot in both the Irish and UK bestsellers lists with all three of her currently published books.

Cecelia Ahern began her writing career at the age of 21, after completing a degree in Journalism and Media Communications. Her first novel, "PS I Love You" was one of the bestsellers of 2004, and featured in Richard and Judy's "Summer Book Club". She followed this up with "Where Rainbows End" in 2005, and "If You Could See Me Now" was released at the end of 2005. She has also written short stories which have featured in a range of collections, and a novella called "Mrs. Whippy" published in the "Open Doors" series.

There was an announcement at the recent Cannes Film Festival that Richard LaGravanese will direct, and Wendy Finerman will produe the movie version of her debut novel 'PS I Love You' which will star Hilary Swank. Walt Disney Pictures have also optioned "If You Could See Me Now" which they plan to make a musical version of with Hugh Jackman as its star.

Carry on across the cut to see the list of her books.

PS I Love You
Where Rainbows End
If You Could See Me Now

Short stories published in the collections:
Irish Girls Are Back In Town
Girls Night In 2
Short and Sweet
Ladies Night In 4
Moments

Mrs Whippy - novella for Open Door Series

See what we had to say about PS I Love You and Where Rainbows End.

Posted by Jenni on May 30, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

May 23, 2006 5:18 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Jane Green

This week we turn the spotlight onto one of the most controversial authors we've ever featured on Trashionista. Yes I can only be talking about Jane Green. No other author has caused the level of debate that she has - we've come to think of her as being a little like Marmite... you either love her books or hate her books.

Jane Green began her writing career as a journalist, before she read Nick Hornby's "High Fidelity". Inspired by this she gave up her job and began to write her first novel "Straight Talking". Soon after this was completed she met her now husband and moved to his native America where they currently have 4 children. Not content with raising 4 under-5's, Green has continued to churn out bestsellers - her bibliography currently stands at 10 books, plus a co-written collection of Christmas themed short stories.

The reason people either love or hate Jane Green's books is often the same, she creates very honest and flawed characters.  Many of us can identify with at least one character within each book - its whether we see something we like or not that tends to shapen our opinion of the book.

Carry on across the cut to see the full list of Jane Green's books.

Straight Talking
Jemima J: A Novel About Ugly Ducklings And Swans
Mr. Maybe
Bookends
Babyville
Spellbound
To Have and to Hold
The Other Woman
Family Ties
Life Swap

This Christmas - a collection of short stories written with Jennifer Coburn and Liz Ireland.

See what we had to say about Jemima J, Mr Maybe and Life Swap.

Posted by Jenni on May 23, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (4)

May 16, 2006 10:26 AM

SPOTLIGHT : Janet Evanovich

This week, we turn the spotlight on the woman leading the way in chicklit crime books - Janet Evanovich.

Whilst the majority of people know Janet Evanovich for her series of books featuring Stephanie Plum, she began writing far before the first of the Plum novels was released. After unsuccessfully submitting many short stories for consideration, it was her manuscript for a simple romance book that got picked. This lead to her writing three books for the Second Chance at Love imprint, followed by nine books for the Loveswept imprint. Bored with romance, Evanovich decided to turn her hand to crime and after two years of research Stephanie Plum was born. The Plum series currently stands at eleven books with the release of number 12 to appear this year. There is also a short story and novella written about Stephanie.

Thats plenty of books you might think... but no thats not the end of Evanovich's writing. One of her books for Second Chance at Love was called Full House. In 2002, Janet and her friend Charlotte Hughes re-released an updated and improved version of Full House which was to spawn another series of romantic adventures - the series currently stands at 6 books with number seven in the offing.

So there you have it. Carry on over the cut to see Janet Evanovich's extensive bibliography!

Second Chance At Love (written under the pseudonym Steffie Hall)
Hero at Large
Foul Play
Full House

Loveswept (written under the pseudonym Steffie Hall)
Thanksgiving - being re-released on October 31, 2006
Manhunt - re-released on December 5, 2005
Ivan Takes a Wife - re-released on January 25, 2005 as Love Overboard
Back to the Bedroom - re-released on August 1, 2005
Smitten - being re-released on July 25, 2006
Wife for Hire
Rocky Road to Romance - re-released on August 31, 2004
Naughty Neighbor

The Plum Series
One For the Money
Two For the Dough
Three to Get Deadly
The Last Peep - short story in the Mary Higgins Clark anthology The Plot Thickens
Four to Score
High Five
Hot Six
Seven Up
Hard Eight
Visions of Sugar Plums -holiday novella
To the Nines
Ten Big Ones
Eleven On Top

The Full Series (co-authored with Charlotte Hughes)
Full House
Full Tilt
Full Speed
Full Blast
Full Bloom
Full Scoop

Other books
Metro Girl

You can read what we had to say about 'One For The Money' and the re-released versions of 'Ivan Takes A Wife / Love Overboard' and 'The Rocky Road To Romance'.

Posted by Aigua Media on May 16, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 9, 2006 2:00 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Jenny Colgan

This week's spotlight is turned on Jenny Colgan. Originally from Prestwick in Scotland, jenny is now married and has a son. The family currently live in London. Jenny began her working life as an administrator in the NHS, before turning her hand to cartooning and stand up comedy, before attempting her first novel. This was of course 'Amandas Wedding' and as a novelist she has never turned back.

The beauty of many of Jenny Colgan's books is their sheer simplicity. Even when she attempts plot devices such as time travel she never pushes the boundaries too far, and the unbelievable begins to feel actually quite believebale.

Carry on across the cut to see the list of Jenny's novels.

Amanda's Wedding
Talking to Addison
Looking for Andrew McCarthy
Working Wonders
Do You Remember The First Time published in America as The Boy I Loved Before
Where Have All The Boys Gone? working title for this was Postcards From the Hedge
West End Girls due out in the UK in July 2006

See what we had to say about 'Where Have All The Boys Gone'.

Posted by Aigua Media on May 9, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (0)

May 2, 2006 2:00 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Sophie Kinsella

This week we turn the Spotlight onto the creator of one of Britain's best loved series, Sophie Kinsella.

The first thing to say about Sophie Kinsella is that... well... she doesn't really exist! She is in fact a pseudonym for the also successful author Madeleine Wickham.

Madeleine lives in Surrey with her husband and sons, and began writing whilst working as a financial journalist. Her first novel was 'The Tennis Party' which was released in 1995. She proceeded to release a novel each year until 2001, a current total of 7 books. She began to write under the name Sophie Kinsella during this time beginning with 'The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic' (in the US this was released as 'Confessions of a Shopaholic') in 2000. This was the beginning of a hugely popular series which currently contains 4 novels, though Sophie is currently working on the 5th. Under the name Sophie Kinsella, she has also released two stand alone novels.

The popularity of Madeleine / Sophie's comes from her ability to create captivating stories and to combine these with hugely endearing characters. Whilst under her pen name Madeleine tends to stick to slightly lighter books than under her own name, the basics of a good plot and well developed characters is the same no matter what name the book is written under.

Carry on across the cut to see the bibliographies of both Madeleine Wickham and Sophie Kinsella, and for details of a Shopaholic competition.

Madeleine Wickham:
The Tennis Party
A Desirable Residence
Swimming Pool Sunday
The Gatecrasher
The Wedding Girl
Cocktails For Three
Sleeping Arrangements

Sophie Kinsella:
Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic also as Confessions of a Shopaholic
Shopaholic Abroad also as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan
Shopaholic Ties the Knot
Can You Keep A Secret?
Shopaholic and Sister
The Undomesticated Godess

***PLUS*** The official Sophie Kinsella website is currently running a competition in which you can get your name in the next Shopaholic. To enter go here.

Posted by Aigua Media on May 2, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (1)

April 25, 2006 10:55 AM

SPOTLIGHT : Marian Keyes

This week we turn the Spotlight on one of Ireland's best loved chicklit authors, Marian Keyes.

Marian Keyes began writing in 1993, but kept short stories, believing she would never write a novel. However when she submitted a selection of her short stories to a publisher she mentioned that she had begun a novel - they asked to see it. And so Marian began to write what was to become her first hit, 'Watermelon', published first in Ireland in 1995. From there the name Marian Keyes began to grow and grow, becoming synonymous with successful Irish writing.

Marian Keyes' books centre around strong characters experiencing common modern problems - most people can put themselves firmly in the lead character's shoes. What is perhaps even more important though is the focus on strong family values, each character draws on the support of their family network - whatever its structure.

Carry on over the cut to see a list of Marian's novels, and the multimedia routes some of them have taken.

Watermelon - made into a TV movie
Lucy Sullivan is Getting Married - made into a 16 part television series
Rachel's Holiday
Last Chance Saloon - filmed for a French audience under the name Au Secours J'ai Trente Ans
Sushi For Beginners
Angels
The Other Side of the Story
Anybody Out There>

Under The Duvet
Further Under The Duvet / Cracks In My Foundation - both books are collections of Marian's journalism and were published with all royalties from Irish sales going to the Simon Community, a charity supporting the homeless.

Marian also continues to write short stories and feature articles for various magazines - keep your eyes peeled!

We here at Trashionista have reviewed 3 of Marian's books - check out what we thought of Watermelon, Angels and The Other Side of The Story.

Posted by Aigua Media on April 25, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)

April 18, 2006 5:20 PM

SPOTLIGHT : Jill Mansell

In todays' new feature we turn the spotlight on one of our favourite authors. This week it is the turn of Jill Mansell.

Jill worked at the Burden Neurological Hospital in Bristol, England for many years before giving it up to write full time. She still lives in Bristol along with her patner and their children. Her books have graced the bookstores now for the last 15 years. Her first novel was 'Fast Friends' published in 1991. Since then she has written at least one book every year, with the exception of 2005. Get the full list of her works over the cut.

Fast Friends - 1991
Solo - 1992
Kiss - 1993
Sheer Mischief - 1994
Open House - 1995
Two's Company - 1996
Perfect Timing - 1997
Mixed Doubles - 1998
Head Over Heels - 1998
Miranda's Big Mistake - 1999
Good at Games - 2000
Millie's Fling - 2001
Staying at Daisy's - 2002
Nadia Knows Best -2002
Falling for You - 2003
The One You Really Want - 2004
Making Your Mind Up - 2005

Jill Mansell specialises in stories about real people who by some twist of fate or other end up facing slightly unexpected events. She deals with real life issues such as unwanted pregnancy, adultery, and getting older with ease in books that are highly readable and enjoyable.

We here at Trashionista have reviewed Solo - check out what we said about it here.

Posted by Aigua Media on April 18, 2006 in Spotlight | Permalink | Comments (2)