Interview with Sarah Webb & 'The Memory Box' giveaway!

This morning I posted my review of Sarah Webb's new novel 'The Memory Box' (click here to read it), which was released today! It's a lovely, warm read which I recommend to every chick lit fan, so definitely add this one to your to-read list! I was lucky enough to get the chance to ask Sarah some questions about her new release; you can read the short interview below!

 

 

Can you tell us something about your new novel, ‘The Memory Box’?

The Memory Box is the story of an Irish woman, Pandora Schuster who on the eve of her thirtieth birthday discovers that she may have her mum’s heredity cancer gene, Breast Cancer Gene 1. This sends her into a complete tail spin, and makes her question her life and also the future of her nine-year-old daughter, Iris. Pandora is a single mum and she has never told Olivier, her ex-boyfriend that he has a daughter. So she travels to Paris to find him, with disastrous consequences.

 

Where did you find the inspiration for the plotline of ‘The Memory Box’? Did you incorporate any of your own life experiences in the book?

I’m not sure where the story came from to be honest. I’d read about the breast cancer gene and it just fitted this story. The characters grew and developed as I wrote the book and some of their passions are also my passions – art, family, Paris.

I was a single mum for seven years, so I understood Pandora’s struggle to work and look after her daughter, Iris only too well.

 

Which character in the novel did you most enjoy writing about and why?

Pandora Schuster, the main character. She’s strong and runs her own business, while looking after her daughter and her sister at the same time. I like giving my characters a challenge.

 

You’re not just an author of novels for adults, but have also written children’s fiction. How and why did you decide to start writing fiction, and did you start with writing for children or for adults?

I started writing for children. My first book was called Kids Can Cook and was published in 1996. I’ve written 34 books since then, 10 novels for adults and many books for children. I love writing for all ages and in many different genres. I hope I can continue to do so for many years to come.

 

The Memory Box’ is the second novel that focuses on the Shoestring Club. Can you give us a tiny hint on whether we will be able to read more about Pandora, Jules and the other Shoestring ladies in the future?

I won’t be revisiting the characters for the foreseeable future, but never say never!

 

Do you have any tips for aspiring writers?

Yes:

1. Read – all great writers are great readers. It teaches you so much about plotting, characters, structure and good writing.

2. Write. A lot of people say that they’d love to write if they had the time. Make the time. Stick your bum to the chair and get on with it!

3. Write as often as you can, that way the story stays fresh in your mind.

4. Finish your book. The world is full of half-finished novels.

5. Never give up. If you truly want to be a writer, don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way. And if you fail the first time around, if your first novel is rejected, learn from the experience and write another.

My favourite quotation is this: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

It goes for all things in life, including writing.

 

And last but not least, if you had to describe ‘The Memory Box’ in just three words, which words would you pick?

It’s always hard to describe your own work but I’ll give it a go – how about honest, heart-felt and warm.

 

** GIVEAWAY of Sarah Webb's 'The Memory Box'***

 

I am very pleased to let you all know PanMacmillan has kindly provided me with 2 copies of 'The Memory Box' to give away to some lucky readers! This giveaway is open to UK & Ireland residents.

 

Check out the synopsis of 'The Memory Box' below:

 

Pandora Schuster is about to turn thirty but that’s the least of her worries. In Dublin she has just been tested for a hereditary family illness and, expecting the worst, is desperate for her ex-boyfriend and father of nine-year-old Iris to be a part of her daughter’s life. There are two major problems: Olivier Huppert lives in Paris and he has no idea that Iris even exists. So when Pandora secretly tries to find Olivier during her Parisian birthday weekend, it all ends in disaster.

 

As the agonising weeks until her test results crawl by, Pandora manages to find some distraction with her kind and sensible boyfriend, Declan, and with her fellow Shoestring Club members as they time-share a fabulous new designer dress. Yet matters of the heart are not easily forgotten and Pandora is determined for Iris to know the truth about her handsome, charismatic father. So she creates a memory box filled with photos, letters and mementoes of the magical time she spent with Olivier in Paris.

 

But when the past and the present start to collide Pandora finds herself having to choose between her head and her heart...

 

In order to be in with a chance, please comment on this post explaining for whom you would make a memory box and what kind of things you would put in it, while also leaving your name and e-mail address. 

 

This giveaway ends on the 20th of September 2013 at midnight (UK time). Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified the day after. Good luck! :)

 

Review: 'The Memory Box' by Sarah Webb (2013)

Pandora Schuster is about to turn thirty but that’s the least of her worries. In Dublin she has just been tested for a hereditary family illness and, expecting the worst, is desperate for her ex-boyfriend and father of nine-year-old Iris to be a part of her daughter’s life. There are two major problems: Olivier Huppert lives in Paris and he has no idea that Iris even exists. So when Pandora secretly tries to find Olivier during her Parisian birthday weekend, it all ends in disaster.

As the agonising weeks until her test results crawl by, Pandora manages to find some distraction with her kind and sensible boyfriend, Declan, and with her fellow Shoestring Club members as they time-share a fabulous new designer dress. Yet matters of the heart are not easily forgotten and Pandora is determined for Iris to know the truth about her handsome, charismatic father. So she creates a memory box filled with photos, letters and mementoes of the magical time she spent with Olivier in Paris.

But when the past and the present start to collide Pandora finds herself having to choose between her head and her heart...

One of the best things ever has to be book post. I love receiving packages with books in them; packages promising lovely new stories to get lost in! Several weeks ago I received a package I wasn’t expecting, and I pulled out a review copy of Sarah Webb’s latest release, ‘The Memory Box’ (thanks so much for sending me a copy, Lucie!). By simply looking at the title and the cover, I already had a feeling this would be a novel I’d definitely enjoy. Sarah Webb is not an unfamiliar name, but I had never read any of her novels before, so I was quite curious to start reading, hoping my expectations would match reality!

Pandora Schuster lost her mother to cancer when she was just a teenager, which resulted in Pandora and her sister growing up with their father and the help of their grandmother. Now, Pandora’s thirtieth birthday is nearing, when she is unexpectedly contacted by a former friend of her mother who happens to be a doctor. She tells Pandora about a breast cancer gene she might have, which would increase the risk of her getting the same disease that eventually ended her mother’s life. Pandora decides to take a test to see if she has the gene or not, while at the same time it makes her think about her daughter, Iris, and the father she never met, Olivier. Pandora plans a birthday weekend to Paris, to track down Olivier and convince him to play a role in Iris’ life. Yet, things don’t go exactly as planned, and Pandora soon finds herself back home, not only worrying about her test results, but also about her boyfriend Declan, the Shoestring club, and the question of whether to continue to make sensible decisions or to simply follow her heart...

I absolutely love the idea behind the Shoestring Club; a group of women who can’t afford expensive dresses, but in order to be able to wear them after all, they share. I think this is a brilliant idea, also one that brings people with a shared passion for beautiful clothes together, and I’d love to be part of a group like this. ‘The Shoestring Club’, which was released in 2012, is actually the first part of the Shoestring series, followed by ‘The Memory Box.’ I didn’t read the other novel, but this didn’t influence the reading experience in any way. Sarah Webb explains everything and there wasn’t any moment in the book when I felt like I was missing bits of the story. ‘The Memory Box’ includes some fabulous characters, like Pandora and her entire family (I especially loved her grandmother, Bird, and little Iris), and after reading this novel I am even more excited about being able to pick up a copy of ‘The Shoestring Club’, to discover more about some of these fascinating characters!

The idea of a memory box (in this case, Pandora’s box, which is of course a great play of words) immediately spoke to me. I’ve always been fascinated by memories and capturing events and emotions by saving little things that remind you of that particular moment in time. The novel deals with quite some heavy and emotional things, but Sarah Webb manages to keep the tone light and pleasant. I also loved how there were different storylines; especially Alex and Markham’s plotline was really enjoyable to read. Overall, ‘The Memory Box’ is a warm and touching novel, a perfect read to help ignore the wet and colder Autumn weather that is coming up!    
 
Rating:8,5/10

 

 Keep an eye on this blog for an interview with Sarah Webb and a chance to win a copy of 'The Memory Box'!

September 2013 releases to look forward to! (Part 2)

As I already let all of you know in my previous post, September 2013 has many great releases in store for us. So, don't feel too bad about the upcoming end of the summer, because no matter the weather... A good book can make any day just that bit brighter! :)

Amanda Brooke - 'Another Way to Fall' (12th of September 2013)

What would you do if you could write the story of your life?

After battling a brain tumour twenty-nine year old Emma thinks she is in the clear, but her world comes crashing down around her when she is told her fight was in vain, and there is nothing more the doctors can do.

Realising that she won’t now have time to achieve the things she dreamed of, Emma decides to write her perfect life in a story. She imagines all the things she would have done, the places she would have seen, the husband she would have shared her life with and the family they would have raised. And, mysteriously, as she writes her story, she starts to notice that some of her dreams seem to be coming true.

Now with a real love in her life, and her fading hope burning brighter, reality and fiction start to become blurred. As she writes their life-long love story Emma dares to believe that anything is possible, but can she really change her fate?

Why so excited? --> For the past couple of weeks, I've been hearing lots of things about Amanda Brooke's upcoming release, 'Another Way to Fall', and it has got me quite excited! I adore the cover of the novel, the blue is gorgeous and I love the overall design of it. However, the blurb has also definitely caught my attention. I think all of us recognise the feeling of dreaming about a perfect life, and the idea of writing a story down and it then becoming reality... I'm quite curious to find out what is going to happen to Emma and her story!

Sarah Webb - The Memory Box (12th of September 2013)

Pandora Schuster is about to turn thirty but that’s the least of her worries. In Dublin she has just been tested for a hereditary family illness and, expecting the worst, is desperate for her ex-boyfriend and father of nine-year-old Iris to be a part of her daughter’s life. There are two major problems: Olivier Huppert lives in Paris and he has no idea that Iris even exists. So when Pandora secretly tries to find Olivier during her Parisian birthday weekend, it all ends in disaster.

As the agonising weeks until her test results crawl by, Pandora manages to find some distraction with her kind and sensible boyfriend, Declan, and with her fellow Shoestring Club members as they time-share a fabulous new designer dress. Yet matters of the heart are not easily forgotten and Pandora is determined for Iris to know the truth about her handsome, charismatic father. So she creates a memory box filled with photos, letters and mementoes of the magical time she spent with Olivier in Paris.

But when the past and the present start to collide Pandora finds herself having to choose between her head and her heart...

Why so excited? --> I love the sound of 'The Memory Box'! As soon as I read the blurb I already found myself wondering what Pandora's test results will tell her and whether she will be able to contact her daughter's father, Oliver. It already seems like this novel has all the necessary ingredients to make it a thoroughly enjoyable read, even including a touch of the fabulous city of Paris, so I can't wait to read this!

Emylia Hall - 'A Heart Bent Out of Shape' (12th of September 2013)

For Hadley Dunn, life so far has been uneventful - no great loves, no searing losses. But that's before she decides to spend a year studying in the glittering Swiss city of Lausanne, a place that feels alive with promise. Here Hadley meets Kristina, a beautiful but elusive Danish girl, and the two quickly form the strongest of bonds. Yet one November night, as the first snows of winter arrive, tragedy strikes.

Hadley, left reeling and guilt-stricken, beings to lean on the only other person to whom she feels close, her American Literature professor Joel Wilson. But as the pair try to uncover the truth of what happened that night, their tentative friendship heads into forbidden territory. And before long a line is irrevocably crossed, everything changes, and two already complicated lives take an even more dangerous course...

Why so excited? --> I'm one of the lucky people who received a review copy of 'A Heart Bent Out of Shape' and I'm really looking forward to reading it! The story sounds quite mysterious, and I'm already intrigued by the tragedy that has gripped Hadley. I really enjoy switching between genres every now and again, and I can't wait to get stuck into a bit of suspense like this novel promises!

Nicholas Sparks - 'The Longest Ride' (24th of September 2013)

Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old, in poor health and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together – how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can’t possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local rodeo, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward -- even life and death – loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans -- a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.  

Why so excited? --> I am a really big fan of Nicholas Sparks' novels. His love stories are amazing and I think all of you will be familiar with at least one of them, also thanks to the great film adaptations that have been made (The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, The Lucky One, The Last Song). I'm so excited we are treated to a new novel next month, I can't wait! Ira, Ruth, Sophia and Luke sound like a collection of fascinating characters and I'm looking forward to reading more about them and the way they are connected to one another!

Ernessa T. Carter - 'The Awesome Girl's Guide to Dating Extraordinary Men' (24th of September 2013)

Four women. Two years. A friendship to last a lifetime.
The only things that Sharita, Thursday, Risa, and Tammy have in common are their disastrous love lives. But the year three of them turn 30 will be different, they swear!

Sharita, a plump and conservative accountant wants to make partner at her firm and find the man of her dreams. Thursday, the daughter of a formerly chart-topping political rapper, wants to stop being a serial one-month stander, and settle down into a stable life with a stable boyfriend. Risa, a skinny and audacious electronica punk rocker, wants to finally land an album deal, which she feels is the only way to win back the heart of her on-again of off-again closeted girlfriend. And after getting fired as the spokesmodel for her family’s hair company, sweet and gorgeous Tammy wants to prove that she has what it takes to make it on her own.

None of these women get what they want, but over the course of two years, they get exactly what they need. And that proves to be the best thing after all.

Why so excited? --> 'The Awesome Girl's Guide to Dating Extraordinary Men' has an awesome title, a great cover, and a blurb that has already got me excited! I really enjoy stories about groups of friends, and Sharita, Thursday, Risa and Tammy already sound like a great collection of characters. A book that seems perfect for all the chick lit fans out there!

Abby Clements - 'Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream' (26th of September 2013)

Amelia has a dream: toasting chestnuts by the fire with her husband Jack in their own cosy cottage. Their real life is another world - a cramped one-bedroom flat in Hackney. But when life takes a surprising turn, removal vans are soon heading to the Kent countryside.

They soon realise the cottage makeover is a far bigger project than they'd anticipated. On top of that, there's Amelia's newly loved-up mum and her tearaway half-sister, Mirabel, to contend with - pushing Amelia and Jack's marriage to breaking point.

Amelia begins to strip back the wallpaper and fittings in the cottage and discovers the story of the cottage's previous owner - and a hidden secret. As Amelia's ideas about love and family change, will her fireside dream finally come true?

Why so excited? --> I think most of you will have read or heard about Abby Clements' May 2013 release, 'Vivien's Heavenly Ice Cream Shop', and if you have, you will most likely be excited about this upcoming release! Abby Clements is treating us to another fabulous book this year, and 'Amelia Grey's Fireside Dream' sounds like the ideal Autumn read, if you ask me! 

Which September novels will you be picking up in the upcoming weeks? Happy reading!