Ivy lane blog tour with Giveaway!

Cathy Bramley has very kindly written an exclusive guest post for me. Thanks so much Cathy! I am currently in the middle of reading Ivy Lane and Love it! 


Ivy Lane Winter – The Cosy Conclusion To My Seasonal Series by Cathy 

Writing my Ivy Lane series has been such a treat. The series follows a year on the allotment, as Tilly Parker takes on a neglected plot in order to create a new start and a new life for herself. Each part of the story has brought me joy, but perhaps the part which has been the most special is Ivy Lane Winter, the fourth and final part.

Each seasonal story has a theme and the storyline takes the reader through to a mini conclusion of that part, so that although the reader knows that there is an overarching story, there is a resolution of sorts. The theme of Spring is friendship, Summer is about romance and the theme of trust permeates throughout Autumn. By Autumn, Tilly has learned to trust her friends and her own instincts and eventually reveals her painful past. This meant that in Winter, which has the theme of hope, I could move Tilly forward towards a brighter future, the promise of love and attempt to bring about happy ending to the whole series.

There is something magical about writing a story set against a wintry backdrop. I don’t know whether it’s the starry nights, the fairy lights twinkling in windows or the overall festive cheer which seemed to fill Tilly’s story during this part, but whatever it is, it made my spine tingle and my eyes fill up with tears on many an occasion.

Readers are at the heart of everything I do and the reaction I have had on email, Facebook, and Twitter, to Tilly’s story has been completely overwhelming. As soon as each part of the series has been published, I’ve waited with baited breath as comments and reviews have appeared online.

Coming to the end of writing the series was sad and I know that readers feel the same way too; I’d grown to love so many of the Ivy Lane community that I didn’t want to say goodbye. But as I began to write part four, something unexpected happened: a new character appeared out of nowhere. I plan my novels in quite some detail, but even so, my characters constantly surprise me and one of the surprises in Winter was the arrival of Freya Moorcroft as a waitress in the café. I adored her immediately and wanted to know more about her.

A few weeks after I’d handed Ivy Lane over to my publisher, an idea for a brand new serial occurred to me featuring Freya as its main character. So although the new series, Appleby Farm, is stand-alone, the magic of Ivy Lane continues. It’s not goodbye to all my Ivy Lane friends, it is simply au revoir. And that, I’ve decided, is a much happier way to finish the series!

I have been lucky enough to be able to offer an international giveaway, all you need to do is enter via the rafflecopter below. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Christmas Fireside Stories - Margaret Dickinson

Christmas Fireside Stories: A collection of heart-warming Christmas short stories from six bestselling authors by Margaret Dickinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Snuggle up by the fire with this festive collection of Christmas short stories from six bestselling authors . . .

Christmas at Briar Farm by Diane Allen

Christmas preparations are in full swing at Briar farm as the Bainbridge family get ready for a traditional 1960s Christmas - with all the trimmings.

Kate's Miracle by Rita Bradshaw

It's Christmas 1919 in the north of England and things are looking bleak for Kate and her two small children. That is until Kate discovers the strength of friendship and community at Christmas time . . .

The Gift by Margaret Dickinson

Christmas Eve, 1914. A moment of hope unites soldiers on both sides of the trenches as the spirit of Christmas reaches those divided by war, and an act of generosity changes one man's life forever.

Christmas at Thalstead Halt by Annie Murray

The station master at Thalstead Halt has the unexpected task of sheltering snow bound passengers, in the run up to Christmas 1886. And that's not the only unexpected occurrence at Thalstead Halt . . .

You'll Never Know Just How Much I Love You by Pam Weaver

Christmas Eve, 1943. The post office at Goring-on-Sea is up against bitter winter weather but nothing can stop an emergency delivery, or the power of true love at Christmas time.

A Wounded Christmas by Mary Wood

Can friendship, humour and a Boxing Day party help to ease the heartaches of 1942? A heart-warming story featuring characters from the saga novel Proud of You.

This collection includes delicious Christmas recipes recommended by the authors



I know it's February, well actually March, but even though these are essentially Christmas stories this book can be read any time of the year and give you a real warm glow. Written by 6 authors all the stories have a Christmas theme running through them, perfect for snuggling down in your duvet on a cold winters' night. All the stories are well written and worth the read, I particularly liked The Gift by Margaret Dickinson and A Wounded Christmas by Mary Wood; the first is about 1914 soldiers in the trenches and how one act of kindness from a German soldier saves the life of a British soldier. Really very poignant and relevant to the 100 year anniversary which has recently been celebrated.

The second is about Christmas celebrations during the 2nd World war in 1942 with a party on Boxing day that is organised in a hospital for wounded officers and staff. For a short time it allows everyone to forget the horrors of war, loved ones lost and facing an unsure future and gives everyone a few hours of fun. Quite a different slant on war than the first story but none the less poignant in its' own right showing the effects of those in the trenches, those that came home wounded and those that didn't come home at all and how lives were changed forever.

All the stories in this book manage to make you feel hopeful at the end of them, either in the spirit of heroism, friendship or hope for the future. A book that really does give you a warm glow after reading and may introduce you to authors you have not read before. A good 4 stars for this collection which has been thoughtfully put together so that each story compliments the others.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this in exchange for an honest review.

Pictures or it didn't happen - Sophie Hannah

Pictures Or It Didn't Happen by Sophie Hannah
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Would you trust a complete stranger?

After Chloe and her daughter Freya are rescued from disaster by a man who seems too good to be true, Chloe decides she must find him again to thank him. But instead of meeting her knight in shining armour, she comes across a woman called Nadine Caspian who warns her to stay well away from him. The man is dangerous, Nadine claims, and a compulsive liar. Alarmed, Chloe asks her what she means, but Nadine will say no more.

Chloe knows that the sensible choice would be to walk away - after all, she doesn't know anything about this man. But she is too curious. What could Nadine have meant? And can Chloe find out the truth without putting herself and her daughter in danger?



I love quick reads, they allow you to experience authors you may never of read before and you could discover a really great one.

Sophie Hannah is an author I have heard a lot about but have never read one of her books. This was the perfect opportunity for me to experience her writing style in a Quick Read.

This book had all the aspects that could have made it great, unfortunately I was let down by it. I found it to be a little silly and disappointed with the plot.

Chloe and Lorna's relationship was great,I also liked Tom, I did think his behavior was a little strange - this seemed to be further into the book I got. I loved the first few chapters and I found the book to be an incredible easy read; the chapters were short, this was perfect for short time I had as I was able to continue with the story.

Unfortunately as time went on I began to get a little fed up with the read as I thought it was a little unbelievable.

This was my first experience of Hannah and to be honest I am still undecided as to whether I would read another by her.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

Travel Tag



This morning when I woke up and saw that jennyinneverland@WordPress.com had published a travel tag, I knew I would have to join in with this one as I love travelling so much. I would like to thank Wanderness as she made the tag up! I hope you enjoy reading my answers.

1. What was the last country you visited?

The last country I visited was Norway, I went on a cruise last summer. I am however going away in 27 days to Las Vegas so I can't wait for that! 

2. How many countries have you visited?

Now I have been very lucky when it comes to travelling and have visited a lot of places, I think I have currently been to 56 countries and 2 US States.

3. What is your favourite place on the planet that you have been to?

This is a really tricky question to answer when you have been to a lot of Amazon  places. I think if I could only choose 1 I would pick Singapore. It is such an amazing place and has so much to offer. I do not like to return to places as there are so many other places in the world to explore. But if I had to go back somewhere this is where I would choose. 

4. Favourite place in your home country?

As a child I spent most of my summer's at my grandparents, they lived in Cornwall so we ended up exploring this in depth. This still remains my favourite part of the UK. 

5. If you could board a plane right now, where would you go?

Well as I am going  Vegas in a few weeks I guess that's it! 

6. What’s your cup of tea – tropical island getaway, snowy ski break or city exploring trips?

I like exploring cities, however I also like to make sure I have some time to unwind and relax. There  is not a better place to do that except for a tropical island. I am very keen on the Caribbean for their laid back attitude and drinking cocktails on the beach! 

7. What are your top 3 hand-luggage must haves?

1, my kindle. 

2, a good book. 

3, my bikini! 

8. Any travel tips to share?

I would say don't be afraid to go somewhere different. There are many beautiful places out there to be discovered. 

9. Most embarrassing moment abroad.

I was on holiday in Malta and I went swimming with dolphins, which is something I had always wanted to do, when the dolphin pulled me along I lost my bikini bottoms! So top tip, if you go swimming with dolphins make sure you wear a swimming costume oppose to a bikini! 

10. Biggest disappointment.

We never let ourselves get too disappointed with a holiday, mainly for the reason we explore unusual places, which are not always tourist destinations. We take each place as it comes. 

11. Nicest surprise.

We were on our honeymoon on a cruise over Christmas one year. On Christmas day we were invited to eat with the captain at his table, we then enjoyed a completely free night with VIP treatment, private booths to watch the show and other things. 

12. Three places at the tip of the travel bucket list.

I am not finding any of these questions easy! 

1, India

2, Japan

3, French Polynesia

13. Favourite food discovery.

I used to be a very fussy eater but the older I have got the better my taste buds are! I found an amazing beef dish while I was in China, I have never been able to get it again since I returned home as we were unsure what it was. It was hot and spicy and just amazing! 

14. Why do you travel?

I travel as it gives me a sense of freedom, I have a large passion for travelling and there is nothing else I would rather be doing in the whole world. 

15. What 3 things would you take on holiday/travelling if you could?

There is only one thing I wish I could take and that is my cat, I miss her dreadfully where I go away, especially if it's for a long time. Other than that I think I have everything I need. 

16. Have you picked up any phrases from travelling?

No, I am a bit useless when it comes to languages! 

17. What two places would you not go back to and why?

We have decided that we would not go back anywhere as there are so many places in the world to explore, so I will flip the question round. If I had to go back to two places they would be, Canada and Singapore. 

18. Your dream travel companion?

I am really lucky I get to travel with mine every time I go away, that's my husband. To be honest I would not want to explore the world without him. 

19. Most surreal travel moment?

Hmm, I guess the Ffords are pretty amazing in Norway. Or seeing Niagra Falls partially frozen, or walking behind Angel Falls in Venezuela. 

20. Three people you would like to see do this tag

Anyone can join in 

Weekly Wrap Up - 1/3/15

I cannot believe that today is the 1st of March!!! Seriously this year is going quick, however I seem to always be saying that these days, I think it is something that happens as you get older. Anyway I am really excited as this month I am going to Las Vegas!!! Arghhhh I am seriously excited! I can't wait!!! Anyway back to the books....

This week I have been sent:

This week I have bought: 

Paper Towns  - John Green

Books I have read this week:

The books I have read all have reviews and they will be on the blog soon so look out for that!

Thanks for stopping by at The Book Corner, I loved  hearing what you have got this week so please leave a comment to let me know.

7 Days - Eve Ainsworth

Seven Days by Eve Ainsworth
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Life is hard for Jess. School should be a safe place but at the moment it's everything Jess dreads, and it's made even more difficult by the threatening presence of Kez. Kez lives in a nicer part of town but her life isn't any sweeter. The only place she finds comfort is knowing she is better off than Jess - or so she thinks.

My mum read this one for me, here is her review:

Not your usual easy read in terms of entertainment value; this is a thought provoking novel taking an inside view of a bully and a victim. Written in dual narrative the novel is set over 7 days and gives the reader a glimpse of life during this period of two teenagers the bully (Kez) and the victim (Jess). I was asked to review this book by the author and saved this for half term (I work in a Secondary school) as I wanted to read it in one go. I had no trouble motoring through this and finished in a day; once I had started I found it difficult to put down.

Essentially the book follows the lives of the two main characters through a seven day period of being bullied (Jess) and being the bully (Kez). I found that I could easily relate to both characters through personal experience and as an observer in the job I do at a Secondary school. I found I was thinking about students in the school and matching them to the characters in the book, a sure sign that Eve Ainsworth has managed to get the characterisation just right.

Right from the start you know that something will happen to one of the main characters - the first page is a letter indicating that the writer is going to end it all. From that point on I needed to know whether it was the bully or the victim which kept me hooked and it was not apparent which way this would go until almost the end of the book.

Although the characters are not that well developed you do get a sense of what their lives are like and why they react in the way that they do, what is important to them at their age and how they discover what is really important in the great scheme of things. Parts of novel will resonate with many people, circumstances and situations that happen in families affect those family members in a variety of different ways which shapes the people they become. In this case you could understand both points of view and how both victim and bully justified their actions and became they people they were. Kez has issues and deals with them by bullying those she believes are weaker than her to make herself feel better. Jess lacks the support she needs at home and falls into the victim bracket easily so is a prime target for Kes. The link between them both is Kez boyfriend Lyn who also happens to be an old friend of Jess who sticks up for her.

I liked the way Eve Ainsworth used the popular texting style in her book which again will appeal to youngsters as they are continually on their mobiles texting each other at any given opportunity. Eve shows how social media has added to bullying in such a public way and the damage it can do. The importance of being part of a group and a sense of belonging are very strong in this book which is so true of teenagers and how those who are a bit different or individual are looked on as being geeks or strange and ostracized. Her writing shows her understanding of teenagers and the often painful journey they make growing up, their need to belong and be accepted by their peers, and in this book how they learn that things are not always what they appear to be.

I hope teenagers are tempted to read this book as I know they will relate to it but equally it is an enjoyable if not often hard to read novel for adults as well.

Well done Eve a good debut novel.

I would like to thank Eve for sending this in exchange for an honest review.

Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays by Lucy V Hay

Writing & Selling Drama Screenplays by Lucy V. Hay
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It may be drama features that win the most awards and kudos from critics, but in the current marketplace you're unlikely to sell a drama screenplay in the way you would a genre script. Breaking down the nuts and bolts of what differentiates drama from genre, Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays will consider questions such as: What is 'emotional truth'? What separates stereotypical and authentic characters? What are the different types of drama feature screenplay? How do we make these films, when there's 'no money'? What are the distribution opportunities for dramas? Exploring the ways in which drama and authenticity work, it will empower screenwriters to make their own story and character choices, so they can write and also help to package, finance and even make their own drama features. Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays will include detailed case studies of produced dramas made on both shoestring and bigger budgets, and industry insights from their writers, directors and producers. It looks in-depth at Scottish BAFTA-winning Night People, the iconic coming out movie Beautiful Thing, the touching New Orleans drama Hours, starring the late Paul Walker, and the ambitious true story of Saving Mr Banks, based on the battle of wills between Mary Poppins author PL Travers and Walt Disney himself. It will also discuss films such as Brokeback Mountain, American Beauty, The King's Speech, Juno, Erin Brockovich, Changeling and Girl, Interrupted.


Writing and Selling Drama Screenplays is a very informative read and essential for anyone thinking about writing for the silver screen, whether it be Drama or any other genre.

The book is filled with great tips and tricks of the trade, it also gets the reader used to seeing filmic terms and language.

It is nicely formatted and laid out in 12 chapters (including preface) and has a handy resources section at the end of the book full of information on where you can go to further you screenwriting talents, it also lists competitions, industry contacts etc, that you can send your screenplays to.

This is not just a 'how to' book as it says 'there is no right way to tell a story' it is a book that offers guidance and encourages you to reach for your potential.

Having read screenwriting books before this one written by Lucy V. Hay actually sounds like it has come from someone who knows what they are talking about.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.