Tag Archives: Author

Eileen Wharton – Q&A

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Eileen F Wharton

Eileen F Wharton

Eileen Wharton is an Oscar winning actress, Olympic gymnast, and Influencer. She also tells lies for a living.

Her first novel was published in 2011 to worldwide critical acclaim. And she’s won awards for exaggeration. It did top the Amazon humour chart so she’s officially a best-selling author. She writes children’s books, comedy, women’s fiction and crime novels.
She currently has five ‘lively’ offspring ranging from thirty-four to fifteen years of age, and has no plans to procreate further, much to the relief of the local schools and police force.

She lives on a council estate in County Durham. She is hearing impaired, is allergic to cats and has a phobia of tinned tuna. She’s retired from arguing with people on the internet.

Eileen can be found at:
Twitter: @WhartonEileen
Instagram: @eileenscribblings
Facebook: @eileen.whartonwriter

Tell me what inspired you to write your (debut) novel?

I’d just left my husband and was living in poverty with four children. My phone had been cut off because I couldn’t afford to pay the bill and I wrote the first chapter as therapy. I entered it into a competition run by author Wendy Robertson and Bishop Auckland Library and was shocked when it was highly commended. The winning entries were added to an anthology which was read by a commissioning editor at Hodder who loved my story. It inspired me to write the rest of ‘Shit Happens.’

What came first the characters or the world?

I usually hear a voice (Yes, I know it makes me sound unhinged) and from the voice comes a character and then the world.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

Like trying to pull a basketball through a toilet roll tube. I could paper the Angel of the North with my rejection letters. It took me five years to finish it and by then the commissioning editor who loved it had moved on. I got lots of great feedback but no bites until it was seen by the wonderful Ed from Byker Books. They published it as an ebook initially and then as a paperback when the ebook sold well. I’ll be forever grateful to Andy Rivers (amazing writer btw) for my first big opportunity. I still owe him a pint!

How long did it take to write?

Oh I just answered that. Five years, but in my defence I was working, doing a degree and I had four kids.

Do you have a writing playlist? If so do you want to share it?

No, I can’t listen to music when I’m writing. I find it a distraction. I like absolute silence so I take my hearing aids out.

How many publishers turned you down?

I’ve lots count. So so many. They’ll be sorry one day! 😉 I’ll be more famous than JK and I’ll sweep past them at award ceremonies with my nose in the air, telling my entourage to tell them I’m too important and busy to speak to them but they could email me. Then I’d ghost them for eighteen months before sending a standard rejection which says:
Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to work with you but I’ll have to politely decline I’m afraid. Of course this is subjective and other rich and famous authors may feel differently. However, too bad suckers!

What kind of reactions have you had to your book?

Most of my books have had excellent reactions. The reviews are really good for the most part. Sales have been good. The latest has been a little disappointing. I’m not sure why it hasn’t taken off yet because I think it’s my best to date.

What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?

Someone gave me a one star review saying they were going to print it out and use it as toilet paper. HAHAHA! Another man gave Shit Happens one star and he gave a commode five stars. I thought that was hilarious.

What can you tell us about your next book?

It’s a contemporary comedy about a young woman who’s trying to navigate being a working mother while dating and dieting.

Do you take notice of online reviews?

Absolutely. The readers are the most important people. I welcome constructive criticism and I enjoy reading what others have to say about my books. One star reviews are never constructive but they’re often really funny.

Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?

I’ve written in a few different genres: crime, women’s fiction, humour, children’s books, romance. So yes, I’m game for anything (Well anything legal)

What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?

I used to be a teacher but I left in July. I love Mondays now.

Which author(s) inspire you?

Honestly too many to mention but I was first inspired by my big brother, Stephen, who’s a brilliant writer. He wrote stories when I was a kid that fired my imagination. In my early twenties I read Pat Barker’s ‘Union Street’ and ‘Blow Your House Down’ and it was the first time I’d seen people from council estates featured in contemporary literature. It made me think I could write stories about people like me, for people like me. I always knew that one day there would be a book on the shelf with my name on it.

Which genres do you read yourself?

I read most genres. I love anything from picture books to crime novels; literary fiction to contemporary romance. I like books which make me laugh, shock me, and make me cry.

What is your biggest motivator?

The desire for success. I’m not sure what that looks like because I keep moving the goal posts. The initial goal was to be published. I achieved that. Then I wanted to write full time. I’m doing that. Next I’d like an agent and a big publisher, Netflix deal, and Hollywood movie. BAFTA and OSCAR. You have to dream big.

What will always distract you?

My kids and my phone.

How much (if any) say do you have in your book covers?

None initially but I’ve since helped design some of them. Blanket of Blood was illustrated by the exceptionally talented Graham Stead, and Emmy Ellis designed the cover of my latest psychological thriller, ‘Hear Me Cry.’

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, I’ve always loved reading. My parents took us to the library every week when we were kids and I loved choosing new books and having them stamped. I was competitive at school when it came to moving through the reading schemes, and I used to bump into people and lampposts because I always had my head in a book.

What were your favourite childhood books?

So many! I loved Enid Blyton, The Twins at St Clare’s and Mallory Towers. The Mystery books series fuelled my love of crime literature early on. The Narnia books. I loved Judy Blume’s ‘Blubber’ and ‘Are you There God? It’s Me Margaret’, Judith Kerr’s ‘When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit.’ ‘The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole age 13 ¾’ by Sue Townsend and ‘This Is David Speaking’ by Stephanie Ward.

Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

I love all bookshops, particularly ones with a café where I can smell coffee and write. I can lose days of my life in there. It’s given me an idea for a children’s book series. Hang on while I go and write it down before I forget it. I love the smell of books, the feel of them, everything about them. My name is Eileen and I’m a book sniffer.

What books can you not resist buying?

Novels. I have more than I’ll ever be able to read yet I still can’t go in a book shop without buying one. I also have Kindle Clickitis. It’s a very painful condition.

Do you have any rituals when writing?

No, I’m not a ritualistic kind of person. I write best when I’m at my desk in my writing room with the phone turned off and the family tied up and gagged.

How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?

I’ve never counted but it’s a lot. I have many author friends and I try to read at least one of each of their books. My latest son always buys me books for birthdays and Christmas and he’s chosen very well so far. I’m still getting through my Christmas gifts.

What is your current or latest read?

I’m currently reading ‘Skin Deep’ by Liz Nugent. I’ve only discovered her recently and I’ve devoured all of her books. Before that it was Alice Feeny, and KA Richardson. I usually have about seven books on the go at once. I’ve just started Miriam Margolyes autobiography. I don’t read many biographies but I love her so I’m making an exception.

Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?

The next one by Susie Lynes, Alice Feeny, Liz Nugent, C.J Tudor, and KA Richardson.

Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?

No, it’s all top secret. If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you. But if you want to start a rumour I’m going to be working with Idris Elba that’s up to you.

Any events in the near future?

Dinner with Idris Elba.

and finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?

I like being able to kill people who annoy me 😉

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.

Chrissie Sains – Q&A

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Chrissie Sains

Chrissie Sains

Chrissie Sains grew up in Billericay, Essex, where she spent her childhood seeking adventure and finding trouble. Described by her teachers as having a “lively imagination”, Chrissie’s escapades include her attempted rescue of the school’s pet fish and the discovery of a dead body in a field that turned out to be two tyres under a sheet. She has swum with sharks, scuba-dived shipwrecks and sky-dived from a plane. Chrissie has a background in marketing and events but now writes full time and is a graduate of the Golden Egg Academy and a member of SCBWI. Along with the Jam Factory books, she is the co-author of I Got This, with Cara Mailey. She lives in Essex with her husband, two bookworms and two rabbits.

Chrissie can be found at:
Website: www.chrissiesains.com
Twitter: @CRSains
Instagram: @chrissie_sains
Facebook: @Chrissiesainsauthor

Tell me what inspired you to write your (debut) novel (book)?

I wrote An Alien in the Jam Factory for my god-daughter who, like the main character Scooter, has cerebral palsy. She wanted to see a character experiencing similar challenges to her own having a fun adventure. I spent a lot of time with her developing Scooter and the Jam Factory – she even came up with the idea of the Hand-Bots (a Wallace and Gromit style giant robotic pair of hands who help Scooter to complete tasks in the factory)!  


What came first the characters or the world?

It started with the characters – they leapt onto the page. The world wasn’t far behind though; my kitchen floor was littered with drawings of maps and inventions within a few days of starting out on the idea.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

It was SO tricky! An Alien in the Jam Factory was the fifth book that I’d written (though the first to be published). I had lots of (very kind) ’No Thank yous’ from various agents and publishers before I was lucky enough to see my book on the shelves of a bookshop.  


What kind of reactions have you had to your book?

I’m absolutely thrilled by the reactions I’ve had to the book. I’ve had parents of children who have cerebral palsy get in touch to say not only that their child has loved reading Scooter’s adventures but that it’s also led to some great conversations with other children about disability and representation – that really means a lot. Parents have also gotten in touch to say that it’s the first book that their reluctant reader child has ever read all the way through. Many teachers have really embraced the series and used it to create some fabulous work in class, which has been very humbling to see.  But most of all, it’s seeing children giggling as its read to them. A parent sent me a video on social media of their child belly-laughing as they read An Alien in the Jam Factory, which was amazing!

What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?

In my school author visits, I often spark a conversation about the books that turned us into readers. Last week one boy told me it was ‘An Alien in the Jam Factory’ that had turned him into a reader. Also, that he likes it better than (the utterly hilarious) Diary of a Wimpy Kid – I nearly cried!

What can you tell us about your next book?

Slugs Invade the Jam Factory is coming out on 6th April and we’re heading back to the jam factory for a very slimy adventure! A dastardly slug called Mucus Vane wants to turn the factory into a slug cafe and wellness spa – it’s up to Scooter, Fizzbee and the team to stop him!


What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?

I was an events planner and organised big corporate parties. I once had a Cirque Du Soleil act hanging from the top of the temperate house in Kew Gardens and I’ve turned St Paul’s crypt into a house of illusions. It was lots of fun and very creative.


Which author(s) inspire you?

Every author! It’s a wonderful job but it can also sometimes be a tough job – there’s a lot of stepping out of the comfort zone, learning new skills and overcoming fears, not to mention the perseverance and resilience it takes to get published in the first place! I have a huge respect for every author out there!

What is your biggest motivator?

My family – they believe in me more than I do! I’ve always loved telling stories but I never thought I had the skills to write them down (I wasn’t exactly top of the class at school). They persuaded me to give it a try and still show so much enthusiasm for every project I embark on. I wouldn’t be a published author without them and it’s always in the back of my mind that I want to do them proud.


Were you a big reader as a child?

I was a big reader from the age of ten or eleven, until then I was less enthusiastic. I had a great teacher in Year 6 who inspired a passion for reading in me (and my whole class) by making reading part of our class community. I’m so grateful to her – if it wasn’t for Miss Wilson, I probably wouldn’t be an author now! 


What were your favourite childhood books?

Anything by Roald Dahl – I loved his books! I also really enjoyed reading poetry with my mum from ‘When We Were Very Young’, I love the poem, Daffadowndilly’s and The Bears and the Squares.


Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

Oh, such a tricky question – that’s like asking if I have a favourite child! 

I’ve made great friends with Tash and Jim from Chicken and Frog bookshop (where my daughter also works) and Jacqui at Jacqson Diego.


Do you have any rituals when writing?

I use the Pomodoro technique and do forty-minute writing sprints followed by a twenty-minute break. I can do five or six of those in a day and get quite a lot written. I also require a steady flow of tea and biscuits as well as my noise-cancelling headphones and my bullet journal to make notes and sketches.


What is your current or latest read?

I’m currently reading Montgomery BonBon by Alasdair Beckett-King – I absolutely love it! “Murder is frowned upon” – hehe.


Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?

I’m working on the fourth Jam Factory book at the moment, but watch this space for something new!

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.

Ian Eagleton – Q&A

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Ian Eagleton

Ian Eagleton

Ian is the director of The Reading Realm. He is also a content creator and resource writer for various educational organisations, including The Literacy Shed and Authorfy. Ian has taught in primary schools for 13 years and during this time has been a member of the senior management team, a phase leader, and literacy co-ordinator. He has an NQPSL, which focused on improving reading. Ian has also run staff training and writing workshops for children. He especially enjoys sharing picture books, poetry and creative writing activities with the children he teaches.

Ian can be found at:
Twitter: @MrEagletonIan
instagram: @ian.eagleton

Tell me what inspired you to write Glitter Boy?

Glitter Boy began life as a picture book called Mr. Hamilton’s wedding and gradually grew and grew! It weas inspired by my own experiences of homophobic bullying in secondary school and my career as a primary school teacher. I used to hear a lot of kids say, “Oh, that’s so gay!” to describe something as ‘rubbish’ and it really bothered me. My husband and I had just adopted our little baby boy too, so I was thinking a lot about the relationship between fathers and sons and this is a thread that’s explored throughout the story.

Essentially Glitter Boy is about the impact bullying has on an 11 year old boy called James. James lvoes singing, dancing, poetry and Mariah Carey! The book explores how James overcomes feelings of being on the outside, of being vilified and whispered about, and of being told he isn’t good enough. It’s a hopefully, joyous book about standing up for yourself, friendship, and LGBTQ+ history and pride.

What kind of reactions have you had to your book? What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?

The reactions have been amazing! I always find it such a nerve-wracking process! I think releasing any book out into the world is a rollercoaster of emotions. There’s all the gruelling work that goes into the book, the excitement of publication day, the worries about school visits, and the concerns about how an LGBTQ+ middle grade book will be received. However, I did get to go onto ITV News and talk about Glitter Boy, homophobic bullying, and Section 28. This was a real highlight for me! The best thing has to be hearing from young readers though – it’s so special when your book speaks directly to someone and they find it a comfort. Lots of people in the LGBTQ+ community have reached out to me to tell me how much they loved Glitter Boy and that means an awful lot.

What can you tell us about your next book?

I have lots of books coming out over the next few years! Sadly, I have to keep it all quiet at the moment though! I have two more picture books coming out this year which I’m really excited about. I’ve also signed with some new publishers who I’ll be working on more LGBTQ+ inclusive fairy tales with and I’m just feeling my way into a new middle grade book, which is going to be very different to Glitter Boy. I feel so incredibly lucky!

What did you do before you became a writer?

I was a primary school teacher for thirteen years and loved it! However, towards the end of my teaching career I was struggling with exhaustion and my mental health and knew I needed to take a break. Teachers work so incredibly hard and ii think I was completely burnt out. The nights of marking books and weekends of planning and inputting data were just too much for me and the job has changed a lot since I first started teaching. I have a huge respect for anyone who works in education nowadays. I still enjoy visiting schools with my writing workshops and working alongside children and teachers. A great school can really energise and uplift you and visiting a school is a wonderful way for me to connect with my young readers.

Ian Eagleton

Which author inspires you?

So many! As part of my job writing resources for Authorfy I get to read lots of middle grade books every week. I particularly admire Elle McNicoll although she INFURIATES me! How is it that each of her books is better than the last? How does she manage to show such control over so many different genres! How is she so good?! But in all seriousness, I was also really lucky to meet Elle at an event and she was very kind and chatted away to me when II was feeling very nervous. I’m also a big fan of Dom Conlon, Dean Atta and Jay Hulme – I think their poetry is so beautiful, insightful and honest.

Which genres do you read yourself?

I love crime thrillers and whodunnits! I always remember my mum having a huge bookshelf of murder mystery books and I loved reading John Grisham and Agatha Christie as a child. There are so many wonderful crime thrillers that have kept me up all night, glued to the edge of my seat. It’s so much fun trying to decipher all the red herrings and work out any clues which are peppered in the story along the way and I LOVE to be tricked and have the wool pulled over my eyes. A friend recently recommended The Whisperer by Donato Carrisi, which completely terrified me! I’ve also enjoyed The Sanatorium and The Retreat by Sarah Pearse, which were exciting, eerie, and atmospheric.

What is your biggest motivator?

I would probably say my biggest motivator is wanting to see change. It infuriated me for many, many years that there was very little LGBTQ+ inclusivity in children’s books and I wanted to reach out to younger members of the community and show them that they deserve to be included in the literary space too. It’s so important that children see different types of families and relationships in the books they read. I think a lot of my writing is spurred on by a stubborn defiance to make space for the LGBTQ+ community and really push the boundaries. Now that I have a son of my own, it’s also become really important that he sees his family structure in books and feels included too.

Were you a big reader and writer as a child? What were your favourite childhood books?

I HATED reading as a young child. It involved lots of Roger Red Hat books and ii thought they were so boring! However, I did love being read to. My mum read to us every night and I have fond memories of this, of feeling warm and cosy as we listened intently to my mum’s soothing voice whisk us away on all sorts of adventures. I loved the Alfie and Annie-Rose books and anything by Shirley Hughes. It wasn’t really until I was ten that a teacher called Mrs Perry guided me to Matilda by Roald Dahl and the Supergran series by Forrest Wilson. From that moment on I adored reading!

Mrs Perry also encouraged lots of creative writing – she would often give us a starter and then just leave us to write away. Or she might give us some characters and challenge us to weave them into an exciting story. I loved listening to her read every day, on the carpet. I remember vividly giggling away to Rebecca’s World by Terry Nation. I also fondly remember being sat at the Listening Station, headphones on, escaping into the magical, snowy world of The Enchanted Horse. There was also lots of drama, plays, acting and art in her class, which I loved and freedom to create – one day, Mrs Perry allowed me to write a story for the younger children in the school on the new school computer. She applauded my use of repetition and the next day I waited with baited breath as the computer painfully, slowly, gradually coughed my story out, over the course of an entire day. What a feeling!

I then spent a lot of my teenage years devouring all sorts of books by Philip Pullman, Judy Bloom, Paula Danziger, R.L Stine, and Iris Murdoch.

Now, I spend my days reading lots of children’s books and get to call it work! We really are in the ‘golden age’ of children’s fiction. I’ve particularly enjoyed Asha and the Spirit Bird by Jasbinder Bilan, The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell, Scavengers by Darren Simpson, The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson, The Star-Spun Web by Sinead O’Hart, The Peculiar Peggs of Riddling Woods by Samuel J. Halpin, and Kate Wakeling’s beautiful collection of poetry Moon Juice.

What do you hope young readers take away from Glitter Boy?

I hope readers of all ages take away a sense of how damaging bullying of any form can be and how negatively it impacts on people’s mental health. I also really hope they are set off on their own journey to find out more about LGBTQ+ history and maybe do some research into some of the trailblazers and icons mentioned in the story who have fought for our rights. Most of all I hope they get a sense that change is possible, that we can be accepting of others, that we can live freely and happily and that treating others with respect and kindness is just so important. Perhaps they might even decide to put some Mariah Carey songs on at full blast and dance their socks off!

Finally, can you describe Glitter Boy in three words?

Hopeful, joyful, defiant.

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.

Jacey Bedford – Q&A

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Jacey Bedford

Jacey Bedford

Jacey Bedford is a British writer of science fiction and historical fantasy. She is published by DAW in the USA. She has seven novels, out: the Psi-Tech and Rowankind trilogies, and her most recent novel The Amber Crown, a historical fantasy.

Her short stories have appeared in anthologies and magazines on both sides of the Atlantic, and have been translated into Estonian, Galician, Catalan and Polish.

In another life she was a singer with vocal trio, Artisan, and once sang live on BBC Radio4 accompanied by the Doctor (Who?) playing spoons.

Jacey can be found at:
Website/mailing list: www.jaceybedford.co.uk
Blog: jaceybedford.wordpress.com
Twitter: @jaceybedford
Instagram: @jacey_bedford
Facebook: jacey.bedford.writer
Artisan: artisan-harmony.com

Tell me what inspired you to write your (debut) novel?

Ah, that’s a question that has to be answered by a question. What do you call a debut novel? My first-published novel, Empire of Dust was not the first novel I wrote, nor was it the first I sold. The first I wrote is still on a back-burner. The first I sold was Winterwood, a historical fantasy. By that time, I’d written seven complete novels, and my editor also bought Empire, which was science fiction/space opera. For my first three book deal I sold Winterwood, Empire, and a yet-to-be-written sequel to Empire (which became Crossways). It just so happened that DAW had a gap in the publishing schedule for science fiction in 2014, but if they’d gone with Winterwood first, it would have had to wait until 2015 – so my debut novel was Empire of Dust. As to the inspiration… it was a prequel for the two novels that are still on the back-burner, but set 1000 years before them. At that point it could have been a standalone, or the start of a trilogy (which it became). I’m still hoping to revisit those two unpublished novels because I still think they have legs – though obviously I’ve learned a lot since I wrote them, and revision would reflect that.

What came first the characters or the world?

Characters. Always characters. I usually start off with characters-in-a-situation, and take it from there. The world is often flexible in the early stages of writing. My latest book, The Amber Crown, is a historically-based fantasy. When I first got the idea, I could have set it in any number of different settings, either real-world, generic medievaloid, or it could even have been a second-world setting. In the end I settled on an alternative version of the Baltic States around the 1600s, though I mucked about a fair bit with history. I’d just been reading about the Northern Crusades, which is what made me latch on to that region, though it’s not set during that timeline. I have a friend who doesn’t like reading science fiction or fantasy and I just keep telling her that they are all stories about people in situations interacting with other people, whether it’s medieval Italy or modern-day New York. Look how many versions of Romeo and Juliet there are, from Shakespeare to Shakespeare in Love and West Side story.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

I sold my first short story in 1998, and my first novel didn’t come out until 2014, so my overnight success took sixteen years (not counting the time it took to sell my first short story). Getting an agent was the first hurdle. My first agent (acquired on a recommendation from Anne McCaffrey) was so easy to get that when we parted company, I didn’t realise how difficult it was going to be to get another. It took NINE years. That was largely my fault because I was subbing to a single agent at a time and some of them were taking months to reject me (or simply not replying at all). Then my lovely second agent retired from agenting with Winterwood still circulating publishers. I knew DAW hadn’t seen it, so I sent it to their slushpile with a recommendation from one of their authors… and I sold it. On the back of that I got a new agent, too. The secret is persistence. I could have given up at any time during those sixteen years, but I didn’t.

How long did it take to write?

I wrote the first draft of Empire of Dust – 70,000 words – in about a month. Then I spent years revising it – writing other novels in the meantime. Eventually it ended up at 240,000 words. It changed shape and size many times during various edits, so altogether it took years to get to the 173,000 word final version.

What can you tell us about your next book?

It’s a YA book based on the Tam Lin story as depicted in the folk ballad about a knight captured by the Queen of Fairies and intended to be her tithe to Hell. He is saved by the love of a mortal. I’m not giving away spoilers, you can find the ballad on the internet, but I hope I’m bringing something different to it. The ballad is set in the medieval period, but I’ve set it partly in the modern world (England) and partly in the land of Fairy.

Do you take notice of online reviews?

I try not to. I’ve been lucky to have no real stinkers (that I’ve noticed). The golden rule is never to respond to a review whether you think it’s justified or not.

What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?

I sang for twenty years with the vocal trio, Artisan, touring all over the world, UK, USA, Canada, Australia. We didn’t do much in Europe, just Belgium and Germany a few times, because our words were important and so we preferred to stick to countries that spoke English as a first language. (www.artisan-harmony.com) When we ‘retired’ from the road, I started a music booking agency, securing gigs for (mainly folk) musicians in the UK. That’s ongoing.

Which author(s) inspire you?

Oh, I don’t know. I like any number of authors, but I didn’t discover most of the ones I read today until after I started writing. I suppose I read Andre Norton and Anne McCaffrey in my twenties. One of my current favourites is Los McMaster Bujold. I love her Vorkosigan books, but my favourite book of all time is her fantasy, The Curse of Chalion. It’s the book I would grab as I ran screaming out of a burning building.

Which genres do you read yourself?

Fantasy, science fiction and the occasional historical novel. I’ll read dark fantasy and Grimdark, but I draw the line at pure horror. I can’t watch horror movies either. Regency romance is my guilty pleasure.

What is your biggest motivator?

A deadline.

How much (if any) say do you have in your book covers?

I’ve been very lucky. DAW has always asked for my input, and I even got to suggest the artist (Larry Rostant) for my Rowankind trilogy.

Were you a big reader as a child? And what were your favourite childhood books?

I could read fairly fluently by the time I was three and I joined the local library as soon as I was old enough. I was only allowed two books a week, but when we discovered I could use some of my parents’ tickets I used to get five books a week. I loved pony books. One of my favourite writers was Monica Edwards who wrote about children and ponies having adventures. Her characters were very real to me. I would read anything with a horse on the cover, which was how I found C.S. Lewis’s The Horse and His Boy – my gateway book into fantasy. And then in my teens I read my way through the Gollancz yellow jackets – the science fiction books: Arthur C Clarke, Isaac Asimiv, James Blish, Bob Shaw. I wish I’d kept a list of what I read. They’ve all faded into a hazy memory now.

Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

Sadly, my part of the UK has no specialist bookshops, so there are only the chain bookshops in cities which I hardly ever visit. These days I mostly read on Kindle because I can make the print bigger. My favourite actual bookshop is halfway around the world – Bakka Phoenix in Toronto, which I used to visit regularly when we were on tour in Canada.

How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?

I call it my Strategic Book Reserve. Probably about sixty or seventy actual physical books, but I have hundreds of unread books on my Kindle. (We’re just talking about fiction, right?) I buy books for research in dead tree format because dipping in and out of a Kindle book is more problematical.

What is your current or latest read?

I’m reading T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead ,and I just finished The Dead Dragon Job by Anne Lyle. I post all the fiction I read on my reading blog on Dreamwidth. (https://jacey.dreamwidth.org/) – though I also have a writing blog at WordPress. (https://jaceybedford.wordpress.com/)

Any events in the near future?

After several years of keeping my head down because of Covid I’m booked into the UK Eastercon in Birmingham in April. I’m really looking forward to being on panels again, and seeing a bunch of friends. I’ll be attending a writing retreat in May for a week, and the Milford SF Writers’ Conference in September, which is a workshopping week with other published writers. For my sins I’m the Milford secretary, so I’m one of the organisers. (www.milfordSF.co.uk). Incidentally, Milford is launching an anthology called Eclectic Dreams at Eastercon in order to help fund our Writers of Colour bursary. I have a story in that,

and finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?

I love the freedom science fiction and fantasy gives me to make up stuff for pleasure and profit. I like playing in new worlds, or in old worlds reimagined. You write what you read. I’ve always been more interested in swashbucklers and spaceships than in police procedurals and kitchen sink dramas. Funnily enough I often manage to get a horse into my books somewhere – even the space operas – which probably harks back to those pony books of my childhood and my many years of hanging around stables.

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.

Louise Walters – Q&A

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Louise Walters

Louise Walters§

Louise Walters studied for a Literature degree with The Open University between 1998 and 2010. She took Creative Writing and Advanced Creative Writing courses during the final two years of the degree, and she says that writing her first novel, Mrs Sinclair’s Suitcase, has been one of the most positive experiences of her life.

Louise can be found at:
Website: louisewaltersbooks.co.uk
Twitter: @LouiseWalters12
Instagram: @louisewalterswriter

Tell me what inspired you to write your novel?

It’s my fourth novel and the inspiration came from two things. One was an article in a local newspaper, years ago, which I cut out and kept. It was about a local hermit who used to go into town once a week to shop. Rumour had it that he had been betrayed in love by his own brother. The second inspiration was from even further back. As a teenager I stayed on an estate in Devon, in a holiday cottage. It was called Wiscombe Park and that is the inspiration for Rowan Park in the novel.

What came first the characters or the world?

The world, really. The action takes place on the fictional estate and in the nearby fictional seaside town, also based on a real town: Beer, in Devon. I thought about the characters for a long time… the novel has been on the needles for ten years or so.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

I only ever got my first novel trade published. The other three have been independently published at my indie press, Louise Walters Books. I sent The Hermit to twenty agents. Then I said to myself, enough is enough, and decided to bring it out at my indie press. A book deal would have been great financially. So it was worth a try.

How long did it take to write?

On and off, ten years or so. Mostly off, to be truthful! But it’s been around in my head, and on various laptops, for a decade.

How many publishers turned you down?

No publishers because I couldn’t get an agent! I tried one indie press, who rejected it with lots of encouragement, as did several of the agents.

What can you tell us about your next book?

I have 12k words so far and it’s the first in a planned saga, or series of novels, about the fortunes of a working-class family and their hangers-on, set over about thirty years. That’s the current plan. I have all the characters and the odd thing is I hardly had to think about them. I started writing it earlier this year, and there they were. Mainly inspired by my own families, on my mum’s side and my dad’s. I’ve sort of mashed them up into one big family.

Do you take notice of online reviews?

Yes and no. I don’t take them to heart. Or try not to. Everyone has an opinion and they are entitled to express it. I love the good reviews, of course!

Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?

Yes, I think so. I’d love to have a go at a ghost story.

What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?

I’ve had a lot of jobs over the years! Currently I’m a freelance editor, providing manuscript reports and developmental edits for hoping-to-be-published writers. This is my day job, really.

Which author(s) inspire you?

Lots! I’m really enjoying Kate Atkinson’s work. Joyce Carol Oates is great, perhaps my biggest inspiration. And I love Taylor Jenkins Reid at the moment. Making my way through these writers’ work is a total reading joy.

Which genres do you read yourself?

Mostly literary fiction with a plot. Joyce and Kate do literary-fiction-with-plots really well! Taylor is a little more commercial, but I’m well aware of the work involved in writing good commercial ficiton. In some ways it’s much harder then writing literary fiction. I take my hat off to writers who can pull off good commercial novels.

How much (if any) say do you have in your book covers?

The Hermit

The Hermit

I have been working with the wonderful Jennie Rawlings since I started Louise Walters Books. I usually supply Jennie with a brief from me and the author, with our vague ideas of what the cover might look like… then Jennie does her own thing. Her ideas tend to be much better than mine or the author’s! I am however now turning to a single, generic, cover design for any books I may publish in the future. The Hermit is the first to carry this “brand” cover. I hope it will work out OK. I’ve had to completely re-think my publishing. DIY is the only way forward, realistically. It’s a constant financial struggle to run an indie press.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes. I read all the time. It was a source of comfort, and still is. I can’t imagine life without reading.

What were your favourite childhood books?

I wasn’t really into fantasy like Roald Dahl, not much. I loved the Chalet School Books, Ballet Shoes, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women… realist and literary-ish stuff. Penelope Lively was a favourite as a child, and she is now too. Moon Tiger is my favourite novel.

Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

I used to work at the Old Hall Bookshop in Brackley, Northamptonshire. It was the inspiration for the bookshop in my debut novel, Mrs Sinclair’s Suitcase. So that is my favourite bookshop. I also love Foyles on Charing Cross Road in London. It’s like a book cathedral. Blackwell’s in Oxford is always a great place to visit.

Do you have any rituals when writing?

No, none at all. I write when I can, and love it when I do. But no rituals. I’m quite workaday about my writing.

How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?

Currently around a dozen. Usually is! I try not to overwhelm myself with too big a pile. With my publishing and editing work, reading-for-pleasure time is quite limited. How ironic is that?

What is your current or latest read?

Currently reading Big Sky by Kate Atkinson. I have a little literary crush on her private investigator, Jackson Brodie. Yeah, I know… ridiculous…!

Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?

I would love to complete a first draft of my new novel in 2023. That’s the goal. 12k words down, another 80k or so to go.

and finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?

My reading. I love literary, realist stories, with good plots and characters. Always have, always will.

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.

Lizzy Barber – Q&A

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Lizzy Barber

Lizzy Barber

Lizzy Barber studied English at Corpus Christ College, Cambridge University. After ‘previous lives’ acting and working in film development, she is now the Head of Brand and Marketing for a restaurant group, working with her brother, a restaurateur.

Her debut novel, MY NAME IS ANNA, was the winner of the Daily Mail crime writing competition.

She is currently hard at work on her next thriller. Lizzy lives in London with her husband, George, food writer and strategy consultant.

Twitter: @ByLizzyBarber
Instagram: @ByLizzyBarber
TikTok: @ByLizzyBarber

Tell me what inspired you to write your (debut) novel?

I had been working on a literary fiction novel for a long time which was based on my grandmother’s life in Tel Aviv, Cairo and London, but I became increasingly stuck with it. This sounds a bit bizarre, but around the time there seemed to be a rash of news stories about women who had been kidnapped and escaped – Natasha Kampusch, Elizabeth Smart, Josef Fritzl – and of course there was the looming disappearance of Madeleine McCann. It made me wonder what it would be like if a child had been kidnapped at a very young age – so young that they had forgotten who they really were – and only began uncovering their true identity as a young adult. The idea became ‘My Name Is Anna.’

What came first the characters or the world?

Absolutely the characters. I have a background in theatre, and love getting under a character’s skin.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

I took quite an unusual route to publication! I had mentioned the idea for My Name Is Anna to my mum, and had began to write it when she mentioned that she’d seen a competition in the newspaper searching for the next crime writer. I’d sent short stories to competitions before and never won anything, but I took a chance, and a few months later I heard the news that I had won the Daily Mail / Penguin Random House First Novel Competition! The prize included publication of my novel by Penguin Random House and representation by my now agent, Luigi Bonomi. It was an absolute fluke and a bit of a dream come true.

How long did it take to write?

Having a publisher lit a fire under me – I’d only written about 25 thousand words when I won the competition – so I finished it in about 6 months. The next ones have been a fair bit slower…

Do you have a writing playlist? If so do you want to share it?

I can’t write to music, weirdly, I find it too distracting. Conversely, I like to have chatter or general noise around me, and I’ve always worked in coffee shops, even when I was doing my degree. If I’m at home, I’ll listen to podcasts, or put something familiar on like The Gilmore Girls.

What kind of reactions have you had to your book?

I had some lovely reviews for My Name Is Anna, in particular the late Times reviewer, Marcel Berlins, who called it ‘splendid.’ I was very proud of that. I know some readers were disappointed with the epilogue though, which I made deliberately open-ended, and that’s something I’ve taken on board for future novels.

Out of Her Depth isn’t out until the 28th April but it’s brilliant to already see it getting a lot of enthusiasm from advanced readers, who seem to love the Tuscan setting and unlikeable characters.

What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?

A 1 star Amazon review from ‘golfie’. Subject line: Never judge a book by its cover, that’s my motto. book was purchased by my husband.

What can you tell us about your next book?

Out of Her Depth is published on the 28th April. It’s the story of Rachel, an unassuming young woman who gets a Summer job in a luxurious pensione in the Florentine hills, and finds herself thrust into a world of privilege. The book touches on desire, lust and toxic friendships… and, of course, because it’s thriller, what happens when these things collide, and everything goes wrong…

Do you take notice of online reviews?

Absolutely. I’m a glutton for punishment.

Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?

Like many other authors, I have a draw of unfinished manuscripts and would definitely like to flex my muscles elsewhere in the future, but at the moment I still feel I am learning and growing as a thriller writer.

What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?

I’ve dabbled in acting and film development, but for the past eleven years I’ve worked with my brother overseeing the Brand and Marketing for our restaurant group, The Hush Collection. I think what I realised when I made the move into writing is that what I really love doing is telling stories, and all of these roles have that in common.

Which author(s) inspire you?

Emily Bronte, Daphne du Maurier and Patricia Highsmith. More current names are Taylor Jenkins Reid, Emily St. John Mandel and Lisa Jewell.

Which genres do you read yourself?

I’m a completely itinerant reader – anything with an exciting plot and intriguing characters

What is your biggest motivator?

Hearing people have enjoyed my books

What will always distract you?

A-ny-thing. I am very easily distracted. Right now I am supposed to be finishing a structural edit, but this seemed way more fun

How much (if any) say do you have in your book covers?

To be honest, I was quite surprised when I published My Name Is Anna that I had so little say. I think I had assumed, rather naively, that it would be a collaborative process, but as I have learned more about the publishing industry I have realised how much more there is to selling a book than an author’s preferences. Having said that, both my agent and I raised queries about the first cover proposal for Out of Her Depth, and I’m so glad we did because I’m very much in love with the revised, final result. I think it’s about picking your battles, and raising concerns if there’s a real reason to.

Were you a big reader as a child?

The biggest. When we’d go on holiday, half my suitcase would be taken up with books. I’m the youngest child in my family with a huge gap, but they’d always cart me along to restaurants because I’d just sit in the corner reading.

What were your favourite childhood books?

I loved Goosebumps, Christopher Pike and the Point Horror series (you could tell where that was going…). I was also a huge fan of Jacqueline Wilson, and I was ten I wrote my first ‘novel’ in the vein of her books. It was sixty pages with illustrations and I was incredibly proud of it.

Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

I think BookBar, near where I live in Islington, is an incredible business. They are so passionate about books and authors, and have really raised the bar for what a bookshop can be.

What books can you not resist buying?

Dystopian fiction – particularly ones with a feminist angle. I’m a sucker for a ‘not so distant future’

Do you have any rituals when writing?

…Apart from procrastinating? I work for the restaurants Monday – Wednesday and I write Thursdays and Fridays, so I have to be quite strict with myself. I like to go for a long run on Thursday mornings to clear my head and getting into ‘writing mode’ for the next couple of days, then I’ll shower and take my laptop down to the coffee shop (Redemption Roasters in Camden Passage – thank you for all the caffeine) for the rest of the day.

How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?

Too many to contemplate. I keep a list on my phone and I’m constantly updating it

What is your current or latest read?

I’m about to go on holiday, so I have a few on my list, starting with The Sanctuary by Charlotte Duckworth, which looks fab.

Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?

This is Gonna End in Tears, by Liza Klaussmann. I just loved her last two books.

Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?

I’m just finishing off the edits for A Girl Like That, my next book, which is out in 2023. And then it’s on to the next one, which is very early days, but is going to touch upon modern day cults…

Any events in the near future?

Nothing finalised, but there should hopefully be some events for Out of Her Depth…watch this space.

and finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?

I love unravelling a mystery. It doesn’t have to have a mind-blowing or shocking ‘twist,’ but I just enjoy getting to the bottom of something, the satisfaction of finally having uncovered a secret…

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.

Sarah Manvel – Q&A

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Sarah Manvel

Sarah Manvel

Sarah Manvel is author of YOU RUIN IT WHEN YOU TALK (Open Pen, 2020). She is also the Rotten Tomatoes-approved chief critic for Critic’s Notebook as well as a film, book and art critic for sites including Minor Literatures, Filmotomy, Bookmunch, Curator Magazine and Kamera. She lives in London, and on the internet as @typewritersarah on Twitter and @cairdiul on Instagram.

Tell me what inspired you to write your debut novel?

After my divorce I decided to share my baby steps back into dating with my friends on Facebook. I was feeling pretty isolated and thought that amusing updates about the frogs I would kiss on the way to meeting my gender-irrelevant Charming One would help me feel closer to them. Instead of that working out, the bad dates and irritating encounters piled up, which meant more posts for my friends. They kept telling me my stories were so hilarious I should write a book. I scoffed, as I had neither plot nor happy ending. But then a few things happened that made me realise I could pull YOU RUIN IT WHEN YOU TALK together, and so I did. It was very cool of my friends to recognise my genius first. They still paid retail price for it, though. What else are friends for?

What came first: the characters or the world?

The world, which is the dating scene in London from 2013-2020 as experienced by a thirty-something bisexual foreign female immigrant. The characters are all inspired by people discovered in my adventures therein.

How hard was it to get your first (debut) book published?

Not especially. I had the idea for the book in my head and when I discovered Open Pen was doing another call for novelette pitches, I got in touch. The publisher asked to see my manuscript, so I sent that over, and he emailed back a few hours later saying he wanted to publish it. I am aware it’s usually a little more complicated than that. It was very cool of the team at Open Pen to recognise my genius so quickly.

How many publishers turned you down?

None. YOU RUIN IT WHEN YOU TALK is a novelette and not many publishers work with them. I feel very lucky that Open Pen and I were genius enough to find each other.

What kind of reactions have you had to your book?

Publishing in a pandemic means that it feels like I’ve had very little reaction. I’ve only been able to participate in three in-person events since it came out, and those went well, at least to my face. Everyone has been very nice to my face, probably because they are so intimidated by my beauty. What they are saying behind my equally beautiful back I have no idea, although I did see a tweet by someone who said that on more than one occasion while reading YOU RUIN IT WHEN THEY TALK they had to physically stifle a scream.

What’s the favourite reaction you’ve had to your book?

A young man approached me at one of those in-person events and told me he brought a copy of YOU RUIN IT WHEN YOU TALK as an icebreaker for the young woman he was on a first date with. I was horrified, but what do I know, because it worked like a charm and they have been together for around a year now. My offer to stand godmother to any children they might have is perhaps putting the cart before the horse, but I mean it sincerely. At the very least I think their babies should be named after me.

What can you tell us about your next book?

I have two finished full-length novels desperately seeking agents and/or publishers. One is called SAINT JUDE’S PARADE and is about the ridiculous adventures in a circus share house in Belfast at the time of the Good Friday Agreement. The other is called MORALE, WELFARE AND RECREATION and is about an American military brat in 1991 who runs away after her family makes her an unwilling participant in their own personal war. I just need someone to take a chance on them! I am delightfully modest about my own abilities! You won’t regret it much!

Do you take notice of online reviews?

As someone who writes online reviews for a career, I think everyone should pay attention to them. As an author clamouring for attention on the world’s overflowing shelves, I have had so few of them of course I do. Luckily so far almost all of them have been correct, too.

You Ruin It When You Talk

You Ruin It When You Talk

Would you ever consider writing outside your current genre?

I have had a fifteen-year career as a film critic and sometimes review books and art as well as my fiction writing, some of which is hysterically funny and some of which is incredibly depressing. I think writing across genres keeps you sharp and I don’t understand why more people don’t.

What did you do before (or still do) you became a writer?

I began my career as a recruitment advertising copywriter in the days when you still found a job by circling ads in the newspapers. I was not treated right by my male colleagues – my entire team, including my managers, had a group bet about who would sleep with me first, and when I complained I was told I needed to get a sense of humour – so when I lost that career, I wasn’t too sorry. I have since pivoted into a much better career, but it’s one I keep strictly separate to my writing. That secrecy makes that sound like it’s exciting. My friends, you have no idea. Either I work in an office, or from home. Sometimes there’s a mess in the kitchen no one cleans up. It’s much worse when that happens at home.

Which genres do you read yourself?

I have a serious second-hand book habit and I like to think I read a little bit of everything. Because I buy almost everything used I also tend to be ten years behind the curve. But my reading life and my writing life are like Jennifer Lopez’s eyebrows: sisters, not twins.

What is your biggest motivator?

Revenge.

What will always distract you?

Hot sex with someone I fancy. It has been in annoyingly short supply lately.

Were you a big reader as a child?

My mother is a librarian. I didn’t have much of a choice in that!

What were your favourite childhood books?

The possibilities for being ridiculously pretentious here are endless. So I am going to modestly confess that it is the novel I wrote the summer I was thirteen, about two kids with a pet dragon who fight crime. Rimbaud can kiss my arse. Exactly one dot-matrix copy of it still exists, which I cannot bring myself to re-read, in case that’s when my genius peaked. I should probably treat it like that Wu-Tang album and auction it off. Any millionaires who want to jump the queue, get in touch.

Do you have a favourite bookshop? If so, which?

The Oxfam in Greenwich market, London; Skoob in the Brunswick Centre, central London (if anyone feels like buying me one of those flats get in touch); San Francisco Books, Paris; Atomic Books, Baltimore; Orca Books, Olympia, Washington; Dog Eared Books, San Francisco. The bookshops in which I have seen YOU RUIN IT WHEN YOU TALK with my own eyes are pretty special to me, too.

What books can you not resist buying?

Considering the very real risk I have of dying like Leonard Bast, I don’t think I should give any examples.

Do you have any rituals when writing?

First I shed my clothes and take a milk bath by the light of the silver moon. Then I summon a baby goat into the milk bath and slit its throat with the bejewelled dagger I won in battle after several years of training with the nuns at the kung-fu monastery in the mountains. As the baby goat makes an incredible mess I recite the sacred chant (currently “Wet Ass Pussy”) that awakens the nine muses. The muses descend from Mount Olympus and draw me into a frenzied dance, which is very tough to do when you’re ten women crowded into the bathroom, but we manage it; the nudity helps. I then make them clean up the blood and guts in fear of the landlord while I get dressed and sit in front of my laptop. Fortunately by now the muses have a sense of humour about it. The local goats not so much.

How many books are in your own physical TBR pile?

Almost two thousand. I’m very cool.

What is your current or latest read?

Apart of the ones I am reading to review, I am currently in the middle of A Time of Gifts by Patrick Leigh Fermor (a memoir of how he walked from Holland to Istanbul in the 1930s, which makes me feel more like an idiot hayseed with every page; I obviously love it) and Ice and Fire by Andrea Dworkin, which is one of the lighter junkie novels I’ve read. Next up I am trying to choose between Milorad Pavić, Angela Carter, Mikhail Bulgakov or Julia Quinn.

Any books that you’re looking forward to in the next 12 months?

For reading, too many to name, but probably the Julia Quinns. For writing, I have a couple ideas starting to take shape. If you’re an agent I would love to go into details.

Any plans or projects in the near future you can tell us about?

Hot sex with someone I fancy, hopefully.

Any events in the near future?

Please get in touch about events in the near future! I am very funny, intimidatingly beautiful and pay my own train fare!

And finally, what inspired you to write the genre you do?

The dates during which I had no idea whether it was more appropriate to laugh or cry.

If you want to help and support this blog and my other projects (Indie Publishers and Indie Bookshops) you could become a Patreon which would help pay for my hosting, domain names, streaming services, and the occasional bag of popcorn to eat while watching films.

If you can’t support with a monthly subscription a tip at my Ko-Fi is always appreciated, as is buying things from my Ko-Fi Shop.

You can always email me on contact@bigbeardedbookseller.com with any suggestions.