I'm reviewing No Place to Lay One's Head...

... by Françoise Frenkel and published by Pushkin Press

First published in France under the title Rien où poser sa tête by L'Arbalète Gallimard in 2015, this book has finally been translated into English and other languages.  And not before time in my view.  
This little tome has had something of a chequered history.  The very first edition appeared in Geneva and was published by J-H Jeheber in 1945.  There is only one known review of the book dating from 1946.  And when you take that into account, it is remarkable that this text is still available to us today.  Had it not been for a discovery of an original edition of the book at a flea market in Nice a few years ago, this little gem might never come to my, or anyone else's attention.
Françoise Frenkel, born in Poland in 1889, was of Jewish extraction.  She studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and, following her marriage, worked in Berlin as a bookseller.  She set up her shop in 1921 with the intention of selling only French literature, periodicals and newspapers to the ex-pat community.  Her small shop was remarkably successful, to begin with.  But as the politics within Germany changed through the 1930's, as the rise of Nazism began to take hold, her business and her own life came under threat.
She travelled to France in her search for safety, but under the occupation and the divisive Vichy regime, she found no real security.  This book, written when she finally made her escape to Switzerland, is an account of her life during France's darkest period of history - Les Années Noires.
It's a beautifully written journal, that leaves you in no doubt about the difficulties of living under the Nazi regime - the constant questions and interviews; the constant worry of what or who might be around the next corner; forever looking over ones shoulder and never being sure exactly who you can really trust.
I found the narrative compelling and I was swept along in the ebb and flow of emotion as Françoise recounted her experiences.  At times I had to stop and think and, on other occasions, her story brought tears to my eyes.  It's a gripping personal account and I am especially pleased that one copy was found in that flea market.

Françoise Frenkel died in 1975 in Nice.

What Price Good Manners...

My brother James and me have recently returned from France.  Our journey home was mostly uneventful apart from one particular campsite where we had the dreadful misfortune to meet Mr and Mrs Insulting.

Let me explain.  Having arrived at this particular site, we were only staying the one night, Monsieur very kindly showed us where to park.  And, clearly having taken account of my delicate skin, he put us in a lovely shady spot under a large tree.  What a nice man!

Now the passports were in their usual place under the camping equipment so, after James had put up the tent, I had to trot down to the office to register properly.  As I got there I noticed that a campervan with English plates had arrived and that the occupants were inside the tiny room.  Naturally, having impeccable manners myself, I waited outside.  When their business was complete the couple emerged and I wished them a hearty 'good afternoon.'  For which I received nothing other than a look of disdain.  I gave them the benefit of the doubt and assumed that they had probably had a difficult journey.

My business completed I emerged from the office to hear Monsieur directing the new arrivals to their spot.

“You see the English car over there on your right, you can park on the far side of—”

“Oh, we don't want to be near the English,” said Mr Insulting.

Monsieur glanced at me and realised I had overheard.  He nodded to me and I began to walk back to the tent.

“You own a campervan,” said Monsieur. “I own a camping site. Let me decide.”

I had to agree with him. What a very nice man!  Back at the tent, I mentioned the incident to James.

A few moments later, when I was settled with my book under our lovely shady tree, I saw the campervan heading our way.  Mr Insulting pulled into the spot next to us.  Now, I can do disdain myself, exceptionally well, when I have to.  And this was one of those occasions, for which only the tent flap flip, delivered with complete and utter disdain will do.  I executed the move perfectly and returned to my book.

As Mr Insulting came round to where we were sat to plug in his electricity cable, James said, “You’ll be all right parked next to us.  We’re not English, we’re from Yorkshire. Just like you are.”

It was then that I looked at their number plate carefully.  
So, Mr and Mrs Insulting from Scarbrough, I hope your manners will have improved by the time you return to the UK.

Author and friend, Nancy Jardine, makes a welcome return...

... to the blog this week. Hello Nancy and thanks for being here and I believe you have some tips for us about writing using multiple points of view (POV)...

NJ  My first contemporary mystery, Monogamy Twist, was very basic – hero and heroine, with very minor secondary characters supporting the quirky Dickensian-style plot.  My first historical novel, The Beltane Choice, was similar though there were a couple of very strong secondary characters. However, in terms of POV across the novels there were only two each time. By the time I had gone through some gruelling rounds of edits for those two novels, I felt I had largely cracked the writing of different viewpoints.

Just after The Beltane Choice was published, a reviewer asked when the sequel would be published.  I was stunned! I hadn’t considered a sequel, or even a series for that matter.  However, I’d given secondary character Brennus of Garrigill a raw deal in The Beltane Choice.  He then became the focus of Books 2 and 3 of my Celtic Fervour Series since his story is a convoluted and fairly long one.  Across Books 2 and 3, Brennus is joined by two other main characters: fellow-Brigante Ineda; and an Ancient Roman officer named Gaius Livanus Valerius (Ineda’s captor).  Leila is a strong secondary character in Book 4, but I decided three POVs were enough to handle, so her part in the tale is told via the POV of Brennus.

As I wrote Books 2 and 3, I needed to come up with something that saved me from confusing the POVs.

Ø      One simple strategy was to use the common tactic of having one character’s POV last for a complete scene, or a complete chapter.

Ø      A second, and it’s probably not original – I used a different colour of font for each character throughout the typing of the manuscript.

Seeing each chapter in a particular colour also meant that when I minimised the pages to a 10% or 25% view, I could see how the balance of viewpoints was going across the whole story.

From that point forward, my manuscript writing life has been one of COLOUR. 

Agricola’s Bane, Book 4 of the series, is told across five different viewpoints. My Garrigill clan members Nith and Enya are balanced by the main character of General Agricola, Commander of the Roman legions.  Two other Garrigill clan members, Ruoridh and Beathan, play smaller though still main character roles.  I’ve used five different font colours in my manuscript which have hopefully kept me straight regarding the consistency of POV as I created the story.  I’m now eagerly awaiting editor feedback on how those five viewpoints have worked out.  Look out for Book 4 being published soon with Ocelot Press.

Book 5 is on the drawing table and will be the full story of Beathan.  He’ll be joined by other main characters, the number as yet, undecided.  What I can say is that Agricola will re-appear in Book 5, though his role will be less than in Book 4.  Those two will be joined by a mystery Garrigill clan member. Whatever the number of main characters, I’ll be using different font colours to keep my POV straight!

  

My POV tip is a simple one, but perhaps the readers of this post can suggest other useful techniques?

... about the author Nancy writes contemporary mysteries; historical fiction and time-travel historical adventure.  Her current historical focus is Roman Scotland, an engrossing pre-history era because her research depends highly on keeping abreast of recent archaeological findings.

A member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the Scottish Association of Writers, the Federation of Writers Scotland and the Historical Novel Society, her work has achieved finalist status in UK competitions.

She lives in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with her husband but life is never quiet or boring since her young grandchildren are her next-door neighbours.

You can follow Nancy on her Blog  her Website  Facebook  Time Travel Page  Twitter  and on  Goodreads   You can find her books Here

   

Please welcome, friend and author, Jane Bwye...

... who is Going It Alone with a new business-like approach.  Thanks for making time in your busy schedule to be here, Jane.  But I have to say I'm intrigued...

JB   Thank you for having me, Angela, and for providing me with food for thought.  You told me that when you got your first book contract, you “very stupidly” thought that was the end of the story.

AW  Hmm, that is so true.

JB   I, too, made that mistake, before feeling guilty for sitting back and savouring the moments instead of trying to show my appreciation to my publishers for investing their time and money in me.

For years I’d dreamed of having a book published.  For years I struggled to write one, learning as I went along. Writing a novel is very different from producing articles and short stories for magazines.  And after 72 rejections, I very nearly gave up.  Then I landed a contract with the Crooked Cats.  I don’t think we can blame ourselves too much for wanting to take a breather.
AW  No, you're probably right.  But, 72 rejections!  I would have given up!

JB   But now is the time to (temporarily) put aside our creative talents and focus on a new, business-like approach to life.  Completely out of our comfort zone.  It’s a whole new direction, but a vital move, if we want to do ourselves justice.

It’s not all that difficult once you decide to commit and learn to take one step at a time.  It’s never too late to learn.  And once you start, you will most likely realise that you have already taken some of those steps.

My latest challenge has been to change direction to non-fiction.

Going It Alone follows the basic structure of a simple business plan, applicable to any type of business, anywhere.  And because I love telling stories, it is illustrated with anecdotes taken from the experiences of my clients.

If we stick together, we authors will never feel alone, and if you read the book you will realise that we have a head-start on most run-of-the-mill businesses because we’re natural dreamers.  I show you how to “dream” in a business-like way at the beginning of the book.

I have been a business start-up mentor for the past fifteen years and I intend to practice what I preach when it comes to price:

Don’t Undersell Yourself!

However, advantage can be gained by making an introductory offer.

You can buy Going It Aone for £$0.99 if you pre-order the book by following this Amazon universal link:  Going It Alone

You are welcome to join in the online launch celebrations on Wednesday 15^th August 2018; click Here to say you’re going.

...about that author  Jane Bwye lived for 55 years in Kenya.  She has been an intermittent free-lance journalist for most of her life and has written several books.  Her large family, scattered over three continents, are a good excuse for her to indulge in travelling.  A former teacher, and owner of several small businesses over the years, she works as a business mentor for small business start-ups.

You can follow Jane on her Amazon Author Page and on her  Website

Please welcome, friend and author, Jo Fenton...

... to the blog this week.

AW  Hello Jo and thanks for being here.  Tell me, what is your current release?

JF   Last week I launched my debut novel, The Brotherhood a psychological thriller based in a religious sect.

AW   What first got you into writing and why?

JF   I’ve had stories in my head for as long as I can remember, but only started work on my novel when I heard about NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in the autumn of 2011. The kids were old enough to not need quite so much attention, and my husband thought it was a good chance for me to write the book he was convinced was lurking somewhere inside me.

AW  You write Contemporary crime novels.  Is it all imagination or do you also undertake research?

JF   A large part of it is imagination. I find it’s less limiting to have an imaginary setting for instance, but there are some things that are rooted in fact, and I like to be accurate. I did a lot of research into cults, miracles and the technical aspects of the murder in The Brotherhood. I dread to think what the police would make of my browser history!

AW  And what about other types of writing?  Have you ever dabbled with short stories, for instance, or other genres?

JF   I have dabbled in a few short stories and flash fiction, but nothing that I felt was worthy of publication. I also like playing with poetry occasionally but just for fun.

I have an idea for a historical crime novel lurking, but there are a few other projects to be done first. It will probably need to wait until I can write full time, as that will require significant amounts of research.

AW  Famous authors, such as Roald Dahl and Dylan Thomas, had a special space for writing.  Do you have a writing ‘shed’ of your own?

JF  I work from home a lot for my day job in Clinical Research, so I have an office in my house. It’s my working space, so I find it quite easy to concentrate in there. I can write anywhere though, as long as it’s not too obviously moving – trains and cars are rubbish, as I get travel sick. Hotel rooms, libraries and coffee shops are generally good places to write.

AW  Finally, if you had a whole afternoon to yourself and could choose to spend it with any one individual, living or dead or a character from a book, who would it be, and what would you want to discuss?

JF  I would love to spend an afternoon chatting to Stephen Fry. He’s such an interesting man, and I would happily discuss everything from Abba to Georgette Heyer novels to QI to mental health issues with him.

about the book...When a young woman becomes pregnant in a religious sect, how far will she go to escape the abusive leader and save the people she loves?

The Brotherhood – safe haven or prison?

After her parents’ sudden death, a grieving Melissa falls back on her faith and into the welcoming arms of a religious sect. Captivated by their leader, Dominic, she leaves her old life behind and moves to the countryside to join them.

But life in The Brotherhood is not as safe as it first appeared. When engineer Mark joins The Brotherhood, Melissa finds herself conflicted between her growing feelings for him and her crush on Dominic. With their leader's initial encouragement, Melissa and Mark grow close.

But as her haven becomes a prison, Melissa's newfound happiness is destroyed by Dominic’s jealousy. How can she escape and save the ones she loves?

about the author... Jo grew up in Hertfordshire. She devoured books from an early age, particularly enjoying adventure books, school stories and fantasy. She wanted to be a scientist from aged six after being given a wonderful book titled “Science Can Be Fun”. At eleven, she discovered Agatha Christie and Georgette Heyer and now has an eclectic and much-loved book collection cluttering her home office.

Jo combines an exciting career in Clinical Research with an equally exciting but very different career as a writer of psychological thrillers.

When not working, she runs (very slowly), and chats to lots of people. She lives in Manchester with her husband, two sons, a Corgi and a tankful of tropical fish. She is an active and enthusiastic member of two writing groups and a reading group.

You can follow Jo on Facebook  Twitter  and on her Website

Friend and author, Sue Barnard...

... makes a very welcome return to my blog today.

AW   Hello, Sue and thanks for being here.  

SB   Hello, Angela, and thank you for inviting me.

AW  And you're going to share a favourite scene from your latest novel which is...

SB   Heathcliff (yes, that’s THE Heathcliff) is a Wuthering Heights spin-off novel which suggests what might have happened to him during the three years when he disappears from the original story.  Published by Crooked Cat Books, it is officially released on 30 July 2018, to coincide with the bicentenary of the birth of Emily Brontë.

I’ve chosen the following scene for two reasons. Firstly, it’s one of the very few scenes in Heathcliff which can be read in isolation without giving away too many spoilers.  Secondly, I’m particularly fond of it because it virtually wrote itself.  It was as though the characters were standing behind me having this conversation – all I had to do was write down what they were saying.

The scene takes place on the Ellen May (a sailing lugger) just off the coast of northern France.  The narrator is Heathcliff himself, whilst the other speaker is a Cornish fisherman called Matthew Trelawney.

“French? Was that the language you were talking just now?”

He nodded. “I’ve been doing this trip for quite a few years, and in that time I’ve learned enough to speak to the natives fairly well. I once became quite friendly with a French lady…” His voice trailed off and he stared out to sea.

“How friendly?” I ventured.

“Friendly enough to know that I wanted to marry her,” he said, his voice quiet with emotion.

“May I ask why you didn’t?” I replied, equally quietly.

“She chose to marry someone else.” His voice had an edge which betrayed the pain he obviously still felt. “Someone who could offer her wealth and rank. She clearly valued those things far more than love and honour.”

“I know exactly how you feel. That happened to me too.”

Trelawney looked up, clearly surprised. “When was this?” he asked.

“A few weeks ago, back in Yorkshire. We’ve known each other almost all our lives, and I’d always thought she loved me as much as I loved her. I couldn’t imagine a future without her, and if I’m honest with myself I still can’t. But her brother has always hated me, and the final straw was when I overheard her telling one of the servants – one of the servants, for Heaven’s sake! – that it would degrade her to marry me.”

Trelawney laid a brotherly hand on my arm. “Was that why you came to Liverpool?”

“Yes. I just knew I had to get away. I didn’t care where I went, and boarded the first coach I found. That was where it happened to be going.”

Trelawney sighed. “Your story sounds very similar to mine…”

...about the book  “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now…”Cathy’s immortal words from Wuthering Heights change Heathcliff’s life.  At just seventeen years of age, heartbroken and penniless, he runs away to face an unknown future.Three years later, he returns – much improved in manners, appearance, and prosperity.But what happened during those years?  How could he have made his fortune, from nothing?  Who might his parents have been?  And what fate turned him into literature’s most famous anti-hero?For almost two centuries, these questions have remained unanswered.  Until now…

You can follow Sue on her  Blog  on Facebook  Twitter  Instagram  and  Goodreads You can get the book  Here

Crooked Cat Summer Sale is now on...

Loads of books for sale at 99p/99c or equivalent.  Mysteries, Romances, Thrillers, Contemporary Fiction... Check it out... 

Shhh! Don't tell anyone else I said this... but my own books are also included in the sale and Merle is being featured on Tuesday, July 24th 2018 at www.ebooksoda.com. Check it out for free and bargain ebook deals!