It’s that time of the week again and I’m delighted to welcome Julie Ryan to Bloomin’ Brilliant Books for today’s Author Influences.

Which authors/books did you like to read as a child?
I grew up on Enid Blyton. Thanks to her Famous Five series I discovered the love of a good story and the sheer escapism of reading is just as enjoyable today.

Were you good at English at school? Did you like it?
I was pretty good at English although I struggled a bit with Shakespeare and poetry. I think because I read a lot, grammar and spelling were never a problem but at school my first love was French.

What genres do you like to read? Have they had an impact on the genre you write?
I love historical fiction, romance, crime and thrillers. In fact I would say that my writing is a combination of all those genres. Reading most definitely influences me as a writer.

If you were to write a different genre what would it be and why?
I’ve never written proper historical fiction and I think that’s because I know, despite all the research, some bright spark will spot a bloomer. However, the historical aspect is becoming stronger in my romances so who knows in the future?

Did any author’s work encourage you to pick up your pen and write and if so who, what and why?
I’ve always been interested in Greece but one day, long before I actually visited the country I came across The Magus by John Fowles. I was blown away by the magic and mystery he managed to convey. Not long afterwards I got a job as a language teacher in Greece. That was the beginning and I had no idea then how important the book and Greece would become in later life.

Are there any authors who, as soon as they publish a new book, you have to get it?
There are a few – Victoria Hislop, Kate Morton, Philippa Gregory, Kate Mosse – all brilliant writers whose next work I always look forward to.

Which books have you read that have made you think ’Wow, I wish I had written that’ and what was it about the book?
Last summer I read The Summer of Impossible Things by Rowan Coleman. Not only is it well-written but it encompasses many of the themes of my own writing except that she does it so much better. It has time travel, alternative futures, great characters and sense of place. It has quickly become one of my new favourites.

Have any of your plots/characters been influenced by real life events/people? (Be careful, I don’t want you getting sued!)
The story of Jenna in Jenna’s Journey was loosely based on my own experiences. As a writer, no one character is based on a real person but there are many influences that come together to create a new character. I love it once the character comes ‘alive’ and starts telling me as a writer what to do.

Huge thanks for taking part, Julie.

The first in Julie’s Greek Island Series, Jenna’s Journey is out now. Here’s what it’s about:

Heading to the Greek Isles without telling husband or friends is heady medicine for a failing marriage. Seduced by Grecian sun and sky, Jenna innocently obtains an ancient urn that tangles her into a web of a criminal world more sinister then she could ever have imagined. Romance is always afoot in the Greek Isles and Jenna gets a large helping with the seductive Nikos.
Twenty-five years later, Allie takes this same journey in a story that spans 25 years and intertwines the lives of mother and daughter. Twisty as the streets in a Greek island village, full of unexpected characters and threatening villains, Jenna’s Journey will keep you turning pages far into the night.

About Julie Ryan

Julie Ryan’s roots are in a small mining village in South Yorkshire. After a degree in French Language and Literature, wanderlust kicked in and she lived and worked in France, Poland, Thailand and Greece. Her spirit enriched, her imagination fired, Julie started a series of mystery romances, thrillers set in the Greek Isles.
Jenna’s Journey is the first novel in Julie Ryan’s Greek Islands Series, a series she did not set out to create but which took on its own life and grew, rich and fascinating. This is the first of three published so far and promises to delight readers looking for the hidden dark sides of dream vacations in the Greek Isles.

In a new venture, Julie’s latest book is a short rom-com called Callie’s Christmas Countdown.
A prolific and well-known book review blogger, Julie does her writing and reviewing from rural Gloucestershire, where she lives with her husband, son and dippy cat with half a tail.

Website/blog for book reviews
http://www.allthingsbookie.com/
Blog
http://julieryanbooks.blogspot.co.uk
on Facebook
and on Twitter @julieryan18

I’m thrilled to be joined by crime thriller author Karl Holton for this week’s Author Influences.

Which authors/books did you like to read as a child?
As a small child (going into junior school), everything I read at school at this age is long gone from my memory; mainly because I know that I really didn’t like children’s stories. I had four books at home that I loved; one named Fascinating Facts that covered a huge range of subjects written around 1970. I also had a Greek mythology storybook; an enormous old encyclopedia written around 1930 and a copy of Treasure Island. I still have the originals of the last three in my library today.

Were you good at English at school? Did you like it?
I wouldn’t describe myself as good and I really didn’t like the vast majority of what we were forced to read at secondary school. I just didn’t enjoy writers like Hardy, Austen or the Brontës. I struggled with Chaucer and Dickens was just about ok. On the positive side, I have always loved Shakespeare from the moment I was introduced to it, particularly the tragedies.

We read many one-off books and some of these I enjoyed (i.e. Orwell) but we were never allowed to choose what we read. Once I realised there were writers that I wanted to read that school would never introduce me to, I spent most of my time reading them.

What genres do you like to read? Have they had an impact on the genre you write?
Right now, I’m rereading a bunch of great classic books I’ve never had the time to reread. I’m also reading quite a bit of non-fiction, especially if I think it offers something interesting in research terms. So, I do read subjects like true crime, mathematics, science and history.

The two things I love reading are philosophy and poetry. These have had the most impact on me since I started choosing what to read and certainly do impact my writing. If you read what I write and you have an idea what to look for you’ll see it strewn throughout. My characters, particularly Danny Benedict (given elements of his back-story), think in these terms. So his thoughts and dialogue are injected with it.

If you were to write a different genre what would it be and why?
I would really like to try Science Fiction. I was so obsessed with this when I was really young it is something I have locked away in my mind.

History is a subject I’d love to dedicate time to at some point.

Did any author’s work encourage you to pick up your pen and write and if so who, what and why?
I’ve never known anyone who writes so there’s no one that I knew personally.

If I was picking one single author that’s an inspiration it would be Agatha Christie. I know some parts of her writing aren’t that popular given modern taste but when it comes to twisting plot arcs she is the queen.

Are there any authors who, as soon as they publish a new book, you have to get it?
No one still writing; the authors I focus on to that level are all dead but there’s so many of them it will take me a lifetime to even get close to reading everything by them to a reasonable depth.

Which books have you read that have made you think ’Wow, I wish I had written that’ and what was it about the book?
There really is quite a few that I’ve read and a massive number that I know I haven’t. If I was forced to pick one piece of fiction it would be The Stranger (L’Etranger) by Albert Camus. I first read this at seventeen and I’d already read quite a bit by associated philosophical writers. This was an example of me choosing something school would never let me read. Reading this is life changing when you understand, even at a simple level, what he is saying to you.

I need to add something else … anything by Dylan Thomas.

Have any of your plots/characters been influenced by real-life events/people? (Be careful, I don’t want you getting sued!)
Yes, I use real events in my plots quite a bit. I’m more than happy to employ the Agatha Christie approach and steal from reality.

I also use very real locations. For example, if someone looked carefully they would spot that I use actual buildings and properties. I find it enhances the authenticity of the moment in the narrative.

Thanks for taking part, Karl. I really enjoyed reading your responses.

Karl Holton is the author of the Shadow Series. Book one, The Weight of Shadows, was published on 26 July 2017. Here’s what it is about:

When you have spent your life in the shadows, what would you do at the dying of the light? Three years ago the best murder detective in London is blamed for the death of his colleague and kicked out of the Met. A man with secrets buried in the past and present returns to London, the city that started the mysterious career which made him a billionaire. The two need each other. But they have no idea how much. A gripping crime thriller mystery with twists from the beginning to end.

Book two, The Wait For Shadows, was published on 28 December 2017. Here’s the blurb:

An assassin wants revenge but doesn’t know who to kill. A drug dealer wants revenge without the muscle to kill. A ‘wild beast’ can help them both. Can anybody stop it? The last six days in ‘The Weight of Shadows’ were just the beginning. Danny Benedict and the whole team must get ready — it’s day seven. The second book in the ‘Shadows Series’. Every morning you can watch the sunbeams glitter, certain you no longer need to wait for shadows.

About Karl Holton

Karl Holton is a crime thriller author. His first book, The Weight of Shadows, came out on Amazon on Kindle and paperback in July 2017. This was the first book in a crime thriller mystery series, known as the ‘Shadows Series’. The second book in the series, The Wait for Shadows, came out in December 2017.

Karl previously worked in financial markets for over thirty years, before deciding that he had to write. He couldn’t leave this dream any longer.

He lives in Surrey with his wife and two children.

Website = http://karlholton.com
Twitter = @KarlHolton
Goodreads Author Page
Email =
Amazon UK – The Weight of Shadows
Amazon UK – The Wait for Shadows

 

 

 

 

 

Hello and welcome to this week’s Author Influences. I’m joined by the lovely Barbara Quinn for today’s book chat.

Which authors/books did you like to read as a child?
The Nancy Drew series captivated me. So did Anne of Green Gables, Little Women, and Alice in Wonderland.

Were you good at English at school? Did you like it?
English was always a favorite. I loved learning about historical times and delving into fantastical journeys such as Jules Verne’s undersea adventures in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

What genres do you like to read? Have they had an impact on the
genre you write?
I mainly read a lot of fiction. Yes, it does influence my writing! Good stories spur me on to make my own better.

If you were to write a different genre what would it be and why?
I’ve written in several genres including paranormal, fantasy, chick lit, and women’s fiction. I’m working on a steampunk story which is a new and challenging genre. I tend to go where the muse takes me. A women’s fiction is also brewing.

Did any author’s work encourage you to pick up your pen and write
and if so who, what and why?
Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland enthralled me as a child and through my teens. The wonderful characters came alive in my mind and made me want to travel down my own rabbit holes.

Are there any authors who, as soon as they publish a new book, you
have to get it?
Anne Tyler is always a favorite.

Which books have you read that have made you think ’Wow, I wish I
had written that’ and what was it about the book?
The Great Gatsby has been a huge influence and always sets the bar for my own writing. The deceptively simple language reminds me to stay away from adjectives, adverbs, and other weakening words. And the story itself shows there can be a fascinating tale in any situation.

Have any of your plots/characters been influenced by real life
events/people? (Be careful, I don’t want you getting sued!)
For sure real life events and people influence me! My latest novel, The Summer Springsteen’s Songs Saved Me, is set at the Jersey shore in the heart of Springsteen country. The novel is a tribute to the healing power of music and Springsteen’s songs in particular. You don’t need to love Springsteen to enjoy it! The story is about a woman who finds a way to move forward after suffering losses. Music helps her heal. Each chapter is titled with a Springsteen song and that song is woven into the fabric of the chapter.

Another book, The Speed of Dark, a coming of age tale, opens with a young boy encountering a girl with magical powers as they ride their bikes in the fog spewing behind a DDT truck. It’s hard to believe now, but we used to do that when I was a kid growing up in the NY suburbs! I liked the idea of something special arising from that poisonous cloud.

Massive thanks for taking part, Barbara. You have mentioned some of my much-loved books here.

Barbara’s latest book The Summer Springsteen’s Songs Saved Me is out now. Here is what it’s about:

Arriving home to catch her husband with his face between the long, silky legs of another woman is the last thing Sofia expects—and on today of all days.

So, after scratching an expletive into his Porsche and setting the cheating bastard’s clothes on fire, she cranks up her beloved Bruce and flees, vowing never to look back.

Seeking solace in the peaceful beachside town of Bradley Beach, NJ, Sof is determined to start over. And, with the help of best friends, new acquaintances, a sexy neighbor, and the powerful songs of Springsteen, this may be the place where her wounds can heal. But, as if she hasn’t faced her share of life’s challenges, a final flurry of obstacles awaits.

In order to head courageously toward the future, Sofia must first let go of her past, find freedom, and mend her broken soul.

About Barbara Quinn

Barbara Quinn is an award-winning short story writer and author of a variety of novels. With roots in the Bronx, Long Island, and Westchester, NY, she currently resides with her husband in Bradley Beach, NJ and Holmes Beach, FL. Her travels have taken her to forty-seven states and five continents where she’s encountered fascinating settings and inspiring people that populate her work. Her many past jobs include lawyer, record shop owner, reporter, process server, lingerie sales clerk, waitress, and postal worker. She enjoys spending time with her son and his family and planning her next adventure. She wants to remind everyone that when you meet her, SHE’S NOT SHOUTING, SHE’S ITALIAN.

Website Link: baquinn.wixsite.com/BarbaraQuinn

Instagram: authorbarbaraquinn

Twitter Name: BarbaraQuinn

Welcome to another Author Influences, I’m delighted to be joined by Ross Greenwood this week.

Which authors/books did you like to read as a child?
Anything and everything. All my dad’s books, even some of my mum’s. Worryingly I’m still a bit partial to the odd romantic saga set in Liverpool now.

Were you good at English at school? Did you like it?
I was one of the fastest to learn to read but then wasn’t particularly interested in reading Shakespeare and The Classics. I wanted action and easily accessible gore, not the colours of the drapes in pre-renaissance England.

What genres do you like to read? Have they had an impact on the genre you write?
I can read anything and like to mix it up. I like the odd bit of fantasy and science fiction but it’s quite hard to find fantastic books, whereas I think there are loads of great crime and thriller writers out there.

If you were to write a different genre what would it be and why?
Science Fiction. I love Star Wars and Alien, and would love to do something in that style.

Did any author’s work encourage you to pick up your pen and write and if so who, what and why?
Orson Scott Card’s twist in Ender’s Game got me going. I also loved the way Wilbur Smith transported you to a different time and place.

Are there any authors who, as soon as they publish a new book, you have to get it?
I followed the Clan of the Cave Bear until the end but not generally in the past. Since signing with Bloodhound I’ve read more crime series books so I do now, and I also enjoy their thriller writers’ latest efforts.

Which books have you read that have made you think ’Wow, I wish I had written that’ and what was it about the book?
Oddly short books tend to stick in my memory. Some of Paolo Cuehlo’s are fantastic in their simplicity. I loved Of Mice and Men when I got round to it. I also like to read the odd life enhancing book such as The Power of Now and The Celestine Prophecy again to keep me grounded.

Have any of your plots/characters been influenced by real life events/people? (Be careful, I don’t want you getting sued!)
Yeah, loads of my first book and plenty in others. I tend to be able to write quickly and more profoundly when drawing on past memories. Then they can be tweaked so they are more emphatic. This will hopefully stop them recognizing themselves and issuing the afore mentioned writ!

Thanks for taking part, Ross. 

Ross’s latest book Fifty Years Of Fear is out now. Here’s what it’s about:

Could you forgive murder? What if it was something worse? A childhood accident robs Vincent of his memories, causing him to become sensitive and anxious around others. His differences attract bullies, and he comes to rely heavily on the support of his family. After the devastating loss of his parents, a remarkable woman teaches him to embrace life and, little by little, he realises the world is far more forgiving than he imagined. When fragments of his memory return, he begins to unravel his past. Who was his mother? What kind of a man is his brother, Frank? And why does death surround them? Fate is cruel. History is dark. Things are not as they seem. Perhaps he should have stayed at home.

About Ross Greenwood

I was born in 1973 in Peterborough and lived there until I was 20, attending The King’s School in the city. I then began a rather nomadic existence, living and working all over the country and various parts of the world.

I found myself returning to Peterborough many times over the years, usually when things had gone wrong. It was on one of these occasions that I met my partner about 100 metres from my back door whilst walking a dog. Two children swiftly followed. I’m still a little stunned by the pace of it now.

Lazy Blood was started a long time ago but parenthood and then four years as a prison officer got in the way. Ironically it was the four a.m. feed which gave me the opportunity to finish the book as unable to get back to sleep I completed it in the early morning hours.

The Boy Inside followed and my latest book, Fifty Years of Fear, came out in October. Each book has different themes; Loyalty, Choices, and Forgiveness. The odd character crosses over but they can be read in any order.

Please feel free to get in touch:

www.rossgreenwoodauthor.com