The Books that Made Me by Sinead O'Hart

Today I am delighted to have a guest post from Irish author Sinead O'Hart. Sinead's debut novel Eye of the North is published by Alfred A Knopf in the U.S. It is aimed at Middle Grade readers and is currently enjoying some rave reviews on amazon and goodreads. The novel tells the story of  Emmeline, when her scientist parents mysteriously disappear she must take ship to a safe house in Paris. On board she befriends a scruffy orphan boy; Thing but before she reaches safety Emmeline is kidnapped by Dr Bauer and Things sets off to rescue his new found friend. It's a fantasy adventure which will appeal to fans of Shane Hegarty, Dave Rudden and E.R. Murray 

The Books That Made Me

THE CHILDCRAFT LIBRARY/WORLD BOOK: When my brother and I were kids, back in the distant 1980s, our parents invested in the best encyclopedias they could afford. I loved them, particularly the sturdy, colourful Childcraft books; some of the illustrations in my most-read volumes remain bright in my memory to this day. I first encountered Beowulf and Gawain and the Kalevala here, along with the work of Snorri Sturluson - this probably lay behind my decision to study medieval literature at university, many years later, as well as shaping the kind of stories I love to read and write. 

ELIDOR, by Alan Garner: My older cousin gave me her copy of Elidor when I was about eight, and it was the first book I remember reading which pinned me to the pages and refused to let me go. It settled into a corner of my mind and has lived there ever since. Feeding into my budding love for mythology, folklore and medieval-ish things, this is a book I still read at least once a year, and which I recommend to everyone!

THE LITTLE PRINCE, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery: The book which inspired me to create my first story (a sequel, complete with my own illustrations, which is probably best lost in the murk of my childhood), this beautiful, meditative story is one which helped to form my way of thinking about love, words and the world. It will always be precious.

A WRINKLE IN TIME, by Madeleine l'Engle: I recently re-read this (along with another childhood love, THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH by Norton Juster) and, while it hasn't aged very well in some respects, in others it reminded me why it was, and is, such a pivotal book. It showed me the power of a strong heroine, the breadth and depth of a timeless story, and opened my mind to science-fiction and speculative fiction. I will always go back to it for inspiration, and to relive the wonder I felt when reading it for the first time. (It's also the first book I remember buying for myself, with my own money, and it cost the grand sum of three pounds ninety-nine pence!)

THE HOUNDS OF THE MORRIGAN, by Pat O'Shea: This was a present from my father when I was eleven, and there aren't enough words to describe how profoundly it shaped me, both as a reader and a writer. Its vivid imagery, perfectly realised characters and dialogue - which are so authentically Irish, yet somehow universal, too - and fantastic use of mythology, folklore and history, not to mention its absurd hilarity, meant it became one of the foundations of my mind. 

WYRD SISTERS, by Terry Pratchett: I could choose any (or all) the Discworld novels here, but I mention this one because it was the first one I read. I saw its amazing cover art, by Josh Kirby, some time in the late 80s, and made my dad buy it for me despite his misgivings. I read it, cover to cover, and didn't understand a word - but I knew I liked it, and that one day I would understand, so I put it away until I grew up a bit. I read it again when I was older and loved it so much I collected everything Sir Pterry wrote, and he became my biggest literary influence. 

Thanks so much to Sinead for taking part. You can keep up to date with the author at her blog    https://sjohart.wordpress.com/


Buy the book HERE

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O.

The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O. by Neal Stephenson and Nicole Galland combines historical fiction, science fiction and a touch of magic

LISA REDMOND

Renowned speculative fiction author Neal Stephenson and acclaimed historical fiction author Nicole Galland have collaborated on an intriguing project combining science fiction, historical fiction and a touch of magic. The result is The Rise and Fall of D.O.D.O., a wickedly funny novel about the endless possibilities of time travel. The achievement is no mean feat when the authors have had to combine not just ideas but genres. However it seems that for them the desire to tell a great story outside of any thought of genre made the collaborative process a great deal easier.

“Happily we were generally always on the same page about what made a good story and how best to tell it,” Stephenson and Galland reported. “We’ve found it to be a pretty natural marriage of minds, since the story itself is a merging of scientific speculation and various historical periods. When we were on a book tour we joked about inventing anecdotes of conflict or tribulation just so we’d have something interesting to say about our process. It was really pretty organic and we both enjoyed it.”

NICOLE GALLAND, PHOTO BY ELI DAGOSTINO

It certainly seems that the authors had a great deal of fun with the book. They have used a variety of narrative techniques in the novel in order to capture the voices of a number of narrators from different time periods and with differing personalities; these include letters, diaries, emails, circulars and even at one point epic poetry. I asked them why they chose this format. “Several reasons. It lets us short-cut through what would feel like a lot of exposition. We’re following the show-don’t-tell rule. Also, the medium is sometimes literally the message. Instead of (for example) lengthy descriptions of the bloated bureaucracy that develops in the contemporary setting, you see examples of that bureaucracy – emails, after-action reports, personnel files, PowerPoint presentation. It’s the equivalent of a film cross-fade. Also, it was fun.”

The central premise of the book is that magic and science are opposing forces and so cannot coexist. The authors chose 1851, the year of the Great Exhibition, as the date when magic faded from existence; this is established through the research carried out by the main characters. I asked the authors why they felt this particular date was so significant. “The Great Exhibition of 1851 displayed, in one concentrated bit of space-time, the world’s greatest technological and scientific advancements – and therefore it makes sense that it would have an exponentially dampening (i.e. snuffing) effect on magic.”

NEAL STEPHENSON, PHOTO BY BRADY HALL

This is a big book and the authors have put a lot of effort into creating numerous characters, government departments and the thoroughly realised historical eras that the various time-travelling characters visit. These visits gave the authors ample opportunity for culture clashes leading to misunderstandings, danger and even changing the course of history. Because the possibilities for adventure are really limitless with time travel I was keen to learn of any planned sequels and spin-offs. “If you’re asking about a full-length novel sequel, watch this space.” However if you have already read the book and can’t wait for the sequel you will be happy to learn that the authors have created an online hub. “There are already a few online historical “equels” to D.O.D.O. (not a sequel or a prequel, but stories that take place “off-screen” during the five-year span of D.O.D.O.), and these can be found at the URL getbound.io. They are written by other writers but we’ve vetted them and like them a lot.”

About the contributor: Lisa Redmond is a writer, reviewer and lover of books. She is currently working on a novel about 17th-century Scottish witches. She blogs about books, writing and women in history.

This article originally appeared on The Historical Novel Society Website. You can read the original here.

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/the-rise-and-fall-of-d-o-d-o-by-neal-stephenson-and-nicole-galland-combines-historical-fiction-science-fiction-and-a-touch-of-magic/

Corpselight by Angela Slatter Blog Tour

I am delighted to be involved in the blog tour for Corpselight by Angela Slatter which is the second volume in the Verity Fassbinder series. If you haven't already read the first book Vigil then get it and read it now, for your own good. This is a gritty urban fantasy set in Brisbane featuring Verity a half Normal, half Weyrd so she has a foot in each world but since she works for the Weyrd council she spends a lot of time dealing with Weyrd and weird stuff. Working for the Weyrd council is a bit like working for the city council only more dangerous and with greater probability of encountering tails and fangs. Verity is tough, brave, super strong, pigheaded, cynical, smart thinking and soft hearted. Imagine Phyrne Fisher transplanted to modern day Brisbane and clothed in doc martens, jeans and leather jacket except on top of all that, in this instalment Verity is also heavily pregnant. As Verity investigates mysterious drownings across the city and does some snooping for an insurance company she is targeted by some muderous kitsune and goes into early labour, luckily she is rescued by a mystery woman, who it turns out has a past very much entangled with Verity's. The storytelling is top notch; it's fast paced, wickedly funny and delightfully dark and the plot is never rushed, even though there is a huge amount of story and information conveyed. Each character is properly fleshed out and well rounded and there are twists that you just won't see coming. This is a perfect read for fans of Rivers of London or the Dresden Files or for any reader that likes their comedy razor sharp and their heroines daring, caring and devil may care.
The book is being launched in the UK/Ireland  and Australia simultaneously so the blog tour is international which is really exciting and includes many bloggers who took part in the blog tour for Vigil last year, because Angela Slatter is the kind of author that inspires fandom. Details of the rest of the blog tour are below, just click to enlarge and you can read my review of Vigil HERE

Spandex and the City by Jenny T Colgan Blog tour

Spandex and the City is the second novel from Jenny T Colgan, the pen-name of bestselling and award winning romance writer Jenny Colgan. It's a fairly flimsy disguise especially as the author's lovely, smiling face adorns the back of the book and I'm guessing there are two reason Ms Colgan is hiding her science fiction alter-ego in plain sight; firstly because she is utterly unashamed of her passion for and interest in stories about superheroes and time travelling doctors and secondly because she wants you to try her delightful genre mash-up and admit that you like it too. I am a big fan of science fiction, fantasy, comics, superheroes and romance so the idea of this book really intrigued me. It's a bit like Bridget Jones falling in love with Superman and it's as wild, funny and laugh out loud as that description sounds.
Holly Phillips is hungry for a job in journalism she wants to write about exciting things, but for now she's working in the PR section of the Mayor of Centreton's office writing boring press releases about subway repairs and traffic disruption. One Friday night while clubbing with best friend Gertie she is rescued from a villain by the city's resident superhero Ultimate Man and throwing her over his shoulder he exposes her underwear to the world. Just hours later her image has gone viral and she's become "Panties Girl". Holly just hopes that interest will die down and that'll be the end of it but as an evil super villain tries to attack Centreton again and again Holly just can't help bumping into Ultimate Man and before she knows it, they are on a date, well sort of.
This is a delightful and funny romantic comedy which has some deep moments and some truly laugh out loud moments. I really loved it. Jenny T. Colgan is a smart, sassy writer who knows her genres and yet breaks all the rules to create something new. If you've wondered how Lois Lane puts up with being Superman's girl and all the drama that entails then you'll love Holly's story. Perfect for fans of Superheroes, contemporary romance and Doctor Who.
Available now from Orbit in paperback. Thanks to Clara Diaz for a copy of the book and a chance to take part in the Blog tour.

More new books to be excited about in 2017

2017 is proving to be an absolutely top notch year for books. Not only are there new books on the way from some of my favourite historical fiction authors Bernard Cornwell, Ken Follett, Hazel Gaynor and Diana Gabaldon as well as new books from fantasy authors Philip Pullman, Celine Kiernan, Frances Hardinge and Ilka Tampke there are all of these lovelies to look forward to also.

Just Published 

The bestselling author of The Bees returns with a powerful environmental thriller about friendship and obsession. Perfect for fans of Rosamund Lupton and Peter May. Out now 4th Estate.

Lucy Atkins third novel features a TV historian, a Victorian diary and a web of secrets and lies. This sounds just amazing. Out now Quercus Books

Rebecca Mascull has just released her third novel and it features women pilots in Edwardian England and the Great War. I am really looking forward to reading this. Out Now from Hodder Books. For fans of Katherine Webb and Helen Dunmore.

A new book from Carol Goodman always makes me sit up and take notice and this one seems intriguing as it features a spooky, possibly haunted house in the Hudson Valley, which is having a menacing impact on the couple who have taken it on. This is out now from William Morrow. Goodman is a must read for fans of Gothic thrillers.

Coming in June

The second book from Irish author of YA fiction Moira Fowley-Doyle. Rose, Ivy, Hazel and Rowan hope that a mysterious spellbook will help to find the things they have lost; big and small but slowly they begin to wonder if its actually revealing secrets that were never meant to be told. Out on June 1st from Corgi Children's part of PRH. 

The new novel from Rowan Coleman features Luna; a young woman reeling from the impact of her mother's death. Somehow Luna is transported back to 1977 and meets her mother as a young woman. Can she save her from suicide? I have heard wonderful things about this novel which is being called spellbinding and heart-breaking. Out on 29th June from Ebury Press (PRH)

The companion to This Savage Song brings V.E. Schwab's Monsters of Verity series to a thrilling and high-octane conclusion. Out on June 13th from Titan Books.

Coming in July

The first book in the Midnight Queen trilogy is released in paperback this summer. It features an alternative 19th Century England fully of myth, magic and intrigue. It's ideal for fans of Susanna Clarke, Genevieve Cogman and V.E. Schwab. (Alison & Busby)

The second book in Angela Slatter's Verity Fassbinder series is coming this July and I cannot wait. I adored the first book about Verity's adventures. Verity is a paronormal investigator with a difference. For fans of Lisa Tuttle, Jim Butcher and Ben Aaronovitch. Read my review of the first book HERE

Coming in August

First and foremost I have to mention this book by the brilliant Hazel Gaynor. It will be published by William Morrow Books in the US and Canada in August but fans on this side of the Atlantic will have to wait a little longer. There will be a special early edition for Ireland in September and a paperback for the UK next March. (Harper Collins) I actually feel like I have been waiting for this book for so long as I read about it in the Bookseller when Hazel signed the deal for this book. This will be Hazel's fourth novel and is the tale of the sisters who convinced the world that they had photographed fairies in their garden. Hazel is a wonderful writer her books are the ultimate comfort read. This is a story I cannot wait to explore. 

Taking inspiration from some classic horror and science fiction this book features Mary Jekyll on the hunt for clues to her father's past. She seeks the aid of Holmes and Watson and crosses paths with women who are the creations of a secret society of power crazed scientists. It sounds utterly thrilling and will be released by Saga Press NY in August

The second book in Lisa Tuttle's dazzling new paranormal crime series sees Jesperson and Lane travel to Norfolk to investigate the curious death of Mr Manning and the strange shrieking pits. I am really looking forward to revisiting these characters and just look at that cover. Read my review of the first in the series HERE  (August Jo Fletcher Books)

A thrilling debut from an Irish author about a young girl kidnapped and taken to the icy north. This looks perfect for fans of Abi Elphinstone and Emma Carroll. From Alfred A Knopf in August. 

and Finally coming this September 

A new book from Frances Hardinge. Yay. All I needed to hear about this were the words dark historical tale. This is set during the English Civil War and features a family cursed to carry the souls of seven ancestors.  Makepeace Felmotte inherits not only those angry men but the spirit of a bear and it is this strength that she uses to escape. Sounds amazing. Macmillan 21st September.