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I never intended to write a series
When readers asked about a follow-up to my debut novel, Sugar and Snails, I was surprised. Although I had thoughts about how my character, Diana, might have developed since 2004 when the novel is set, I didn’t plan to explore them in fiction. My perspective turned on its head shortly after I submitted my third…
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Matilda Windsor on Bookable Space podcast
I’m interviewed by Yvonne Battle-Fenton for her podcast, Bookable Space, about my novel Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home. I also read three extracts, one from each of my main characters’ points of view. Yvonne asked me about the inspiration for this novel and what it was like drawing on familiar settings: Cumbria where I grew…
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I’m interviewed on Hannah’s Bookshelf
What a delight to be interviewed again on Hannah’s Bookshelf on North Manchester FM. This time the focus is on Lyrics for the Loved Ones, the follow-up to Matilda Windsor is Coming Home, which Hannah and I discussed on the programme in August 2021. Hannah was curious about what it was like to return to…
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An evocative and uplifting journey
I’m truly honoured that book blogger Yvonne Gill has taken such care with her review of Lyrics for the Loved Ones. Not only has she beautifully articulated her response to the novel – both her reservations and appreciation – she’s shared some of her favourite quotes from the text. I’m delighted that, overall, she found…
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Lyrics for the Loved Ones is in a league of its own
I’m truly honoured that book blogger Veronika Jordan loved Lyrics for the Loved Ones. In fact, it’s one of her favourite books of the year: At times very emotional, at others filled with warmth and humour, it’s so beautifully written, it’s stunning. It will stay with me for a long time and is one of…
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7 things I’d like readers to know
Different readers will find different things in a book and the author doesn’t always know best. Nevertheless, I’ve drawn up a list of seven things I’d like potential readers to know about my novel, Lyrics for the Loved Ones. Find out more in my post on the website Female First.
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A mature, sensitive portrayal of a life equally squandered and well lived
I was immediately impressed by the author’s ability to convey exactly what her characters are thinking and feeling. Equally skilful is the use of dialect to create both setting and character. Linda Hill
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Written with insight and sensitivity
Thanks to Cathy Ryan for this wonderful review. Anne Goodwin portrays Matty beautifully and in a way that endears her to the reader, both in the confusion of her thoughts and also the rarer moments of clarity. Her skull is a cutting room, celluloid clippings strewn across the floor. She plunges in, gathers armfuls, splices…
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From Jane Eyre to Matilda Windsor
I’ve been leading a walk through Jane Eyre territory for years but last month was the first time anyone asked me where Mr Rochester, the owner of Thornfield Hall, got his wealth from. I couldn’t remember what Charlotte Brontë tells us in the novel but assumed – as did the woman who asked the question…
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Never too old to make a difference, never too late to learn
Readers aren’t being rude when they refer to the heroine of my latest novel as a funny old woman. As she approaches her hundredth birthday in a care home, her youth has long gone … Read about my elderly heroine on the wonderful book blog, Being Anne:
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It is a delight to read
The title is a quote from Annie’s review of Lyrics for the Loved Ones, but also applies to the author’s (i.e. my) response to discovering such positive reviews. Here’s a quote from Left on the Shelf book blog: I have read many, many books over the years and Matty remains one of my favourite characters.…
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Vividly illuminates recent inequalities, with humour and humanity
Caroline Lodge, co-author of The New Age of Ageing and Retiring with Attitude, has been on a quest to find books that depict older people, especially older women, as real humans, with the full range of emotions and experiences. She has now reviewed over sixty, and has also questioned assumptions about older women writers, on…
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Chatty novel of interesting characters and life
“There is a lot going on in this novel, which was a little overwhelming at times, however the inclusion of the impact of recent events (such as the Windrush scandal) on the lives of ordinary people, got me talking to others about this book – which is always a good sign!” Read Emma’s review.
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Finding the humour in a tragic life
Fiction is a branch of the entertainment industry, so even serious novels need to raise the occasional smile. But even though there were moments of comedy in my first two novels, I wouldn’t have thought humour was my strong suit. That changed with my third novel, Matilda Windsor Is Coming Home, published in 2021. It…
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Lockdown Literature
Although lockdown literature is not – yet – officially a genre, I’m not the only author who found inspiration in the changes wrought by the Covid pandemic. In my recent guest post for Shiny New Books, I’m sharing my reflections on some of the novels I read as I was drafting and editing mine. I’m…
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Parent-child relationships are an integral theme
I’m delighted to reference Stephanie Jane’s thoughtful review of Lyrics for the Loved Ones. “Matty herself is a lovely character to spend time with and I loved being part of her world.” Read the full review on My World Reads
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Matty is the cement that binds it all together
Here’s a taster of a lovely new review of Lyrics for the Loved Ones. Click the link below to read the full review. Anne Goodwin has the knack of striking that balance between injecting an element of lightheartedness into the narrative without diffusing the gravity of the situations. Neither does any one thrust swamp another.…
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Matty is inspired by Trooping the Colour
As mentioned in an earlier post, British Royal family had a lavish ceremony earlier this month and millions of fans from around the world joined in. But I was focused on a milestone in a much more modest House of Windsor as my fictional Ms Windsor becomes a three-book series. In my new novel, Lyrics…
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Weaves together a symphony of voices
On the eve of publication, I’m pleased to share another review of Lyrics for the Loved Ones. Jennie Rosenblum has picked out the themes of identity, love, loss, and the power of music for special mention, along with Matty’s alternative nomenclature. Read her full review here
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A witty but emotional tale
I’m pleased to share another blogger review of Lyrics for the Loved Ones. Follow the link to see what Jenny Lou has to say about my latest novel.