These are a few of my favourite things...

Handful of favourites! 

Here we are once more, another Friday evening. Typically I have left it to the last minute to get this post uploaded. That's me, always on the last minute. And unlike me I didn't have chance to write this longhand first, it's been a busy week all in all. So forgive me if there are any mistakes, I'm literally winging it!

I hope you've all had a fabulous week? As always, thankyou for all your lovely messages, and thankyou to those who messaged me about 'Murphy's Mother.' I have passed on your comments to my resident book reviewer! I must say, I think she did a marvellous job considering it was her very first post. Can't wait to read more!

So over the last few weeks I've noticed that many bloggers post 'favourites' specials. Usually a collection of all the lovely items they've bought and loved over the previous month. With that in mind I decided to do my own favourites post... but with a twist. As I haven't really given much insight into 'me' yet, I decided to share with you just a few of my 'general' favourite things. If you enjoy this post I may do a follow up in future so please do let me know what you think.

Here we go... Sit back with a brew (or glass of wine) and enjoy...

 Books

It goes without saying that books are at the top of my list, or at least very high up on it! I've loved reading ever since I was a child. I've pictured only a few of my most loved reads here as it would have been impossible to list them all. Two of the books featured have huge significance for me. The first is an Enid Blyton novel. It was Enid's books that sparked something inside of me at the grand old age of seven. I think I knew there and then that I wanted to be a writer. I certainly filled a lot of notepads with stories. Every Birthday and every Christmas I'd ask for new stationery. However it would be a long time before I would get really serious about it.

'Watermelon' by Marian Keyes was the next 'life-changing' read. I can't put into words why exactly, just that it inspired me to pick up a pen and take my writing more seriously. I found my 'niche' so to speak. (And a love for all things chick lit.) This is one of Marian's best novels and I totally recommend it.

Friends

Friends are a hugely important aspect of life and I'm lucky that I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Without them I wouldn't be the person I am today. Many a time they've been there to pick me up when I've had a down spell or what I like to call a 'slump.' Some of my favourite memories are of the laughs and good times I've shared with them. Girls... You rock! 

Perfume

I don't class myself as being very materialistic but I do however have a love of perfume! There's something about it that makes me feel better about myself. The first 'real' perfume I ever bought was with my first pay check at nineteen. I splashed out on a bottle of Chanel Allure which has since become my signature scent. My second favourite perfume is Marc Jacobs Lola (shown above). As you can see it's empty but the bottle is so pretty I just can't bring myself to throw it out. I tend to like heavier, musky perfumes that make me feel glamorous!

Cath Kidston

I absolutely adore Cath Kidston. Full of craft and sewing items it's my kind of place. If you can't find me in Waterstones then you'll more than likely find me in here! This photo was taken outside the Manchester store which is the nearest to where I live. (Hint. Please get one in Preston!!)

The Great Outdoors

One of my favourite places to be is outside. The Lake District in particular! If I could live there I probably would. Maybe one day hey? I find being outdoors both incredibly therapeutic and inspiring.

Wine and Music

Who doesn't like the odd glass of wine? I love nothing more than curling up at the end of a long, hard day with a glass of white wine or pink fizz. 

Music plays a big role in my life. I have hundreds of cds. I play them in the car, at home, when I'm relaxing and when I'm writing. If I need to lift my mood or feel inspired I usually reach for my Taylor Swift collection! I'd like to stake claim at being her number one fan but I'm sure there are plenty more Swifties out there saying exactly the same thing! 

Sewing

The snowman tree decorations (pictured) were made the Christmas eve just gone. I was teaching my eight year old nephew. His is on the left handside. He did a beautiful job don't you think? I've loved sewing ever since I discovered a needle and thread aged six or seven. Every year I now make a Christmas Stocking as a gift for a family member or friend. If you've read my 'about me' you'll already know this, but one of my dreams is to have my own fashion line and at some point a bridal shop. But you know what they say!? Dreams do come true! Watch this space...

Krispy Kreme

Krispy Kreme doughnuts... Enough said!!

Writing

 

Last but not least... Writing. I guess you could say writing is in my genetic makeup. I take a pen and pad with me EVERYWHERE! And if I don't have a notepad to hand, I usually end up with handfuls of scribbled post-it notes stuffed into my pockets! I never let a creative moment pass me by. 
I do love this photo as I think it sums me up perfectly without any words! My nephew caught me unawares. I tend to get lost in my own little world!

I could go on but I don't want to make this post too long. At some point I'm going to do a Q&A post to answer all your questions. If you want to ask something and you don't mind it featuring on GGD then please email me, tweet me or leave a comment below.

Catch you all in another week... Until then, have a lovely weekend! xxx

Introducing my new resident book reviewer...

'Murphy's Mother'

As you'll have gathered by now, (if you've read my last three posts) I usually only upload on a Friday evening. However, due to requests from lots of you lovely readers, I've decided to share a special mid-week post tonight!
Going by the name 'Murphy's Mother,' my new guest blogger's identity is a well kept secret. She will be sharing book reviews with you on a fortnightly basis. A bit like Jennifer Niven, she is loveliness personified so I hope you love her as much as I do... But be warned, like the Simon Cowell of the music industry, or the Anne Robinson of the quiz show world, Murphy's Mother is the sharp tongued protagonist for the book trade. She tells it like it is and although sometimes seemingly harsh, she will always give you her honest opinion. She does afterall want you to get the best out of your reading experience.
If you have a question or any feedback then please email me and I'll be sure to pass it on. GGD xx

Over to you Murphy's Mother...

Dear fellow readers

After all the hype surrounding the likes of 'Gone Girl' and 'Fifty Shades of Grey,' I decided enough was enough and wanted to express my own opinion as it would seem to me that the rest of the book critic world has gone slightly mad. Have they even read Gone Girl? I guessed the plot three pages in!

Don't get me wrong. There are some amazing writers out there (Tess Gerritsen is a fine example) but I also don't want you wasting your precious leisure hours reading drivel when you could be reading something actually mind blowing! Prior to buying Gone Girl I read so many rave reviews which now leaves me to think perhaps these people never even opened the book in the first place let alone read it in it's entirety. In truth there isn't many books in life I've given up on, but over one hundred pages in and I just couldn't justify wasting anymore of my time! This did surprise and disappoint me as I usually love crime fiction and I hate to let a book defeat me.

Never one to end on a negative, I have read some lovely and heart warming books which are altogether more thought provoking. Authors such as Victoria Hislop, JoJo Moyes and Lucy Diamond are firm favourites and I look forward to sharing these reviews with you in the near future. Until the next time... Many Thanks

Murphy's Mother xx


Have you read Gone Girl? Tell us what you thought of it in the comments box below.

Next post from girlgonedreamer coming this Friday...

All The Bright Places - Interview Part Two

Photo by Justine Machin.

 

Interview with Author of 

'All The Bright Places' Jennifer Niven. 

Part Two.

So last week was my first ever official blog post in which I reviewed 'book of the moment' All The Bright Places. Firstly I would just like to take this moment to address ALL of you, to say thankyou for your lovely messages. I have tried to reply personally to as many as possible, hope I didn't leave anyone out! Your support really means the world to me especially after what I consider a slightly anxious start. It took me about three hours to click the 'publish' button. Then again, it's taken me years to brave going 'public' with anything full stop! So huge thanks. 

Secondly, last week I also shared 'Part One' of my Jennifer Niven Author interview. I hope you enjoyed it. From the positive feedback I've had so far I'd say you all seem to be HUGE Jennifer fans! 
Sorry it took so long but the wait is now over... You finally get to read the rest! All I can say is I like to get things 'just so' and in my defence, it is apparently a Virgo's prerogative to be a perfectionist! As I briefly mentioned in my last post, some of the content should be right up any aspiring writers' street! There's also some questions thrown in there purely for fun. The good sport that Jennifer is... She answered every single one! So here it is... Enjoy!

The interview continued...

GGD: How did you find your own 'voice'?

JN: I really think I’m finding it with each book. It’s something that’s evolving over time. The more stories I write, the more I experiment with different ways to tell stories and the more I shape my voice.

GGD: Have you had to sacrifice anything you love in order to write full time?  

JN: Time with friends, movies, dinners, weekends. I work a lot, but I do try to make time for fun and friends because it’s important to be balanced.

GGD: In your interview with Elisa Zied, you said the book was originally titled 'You Make Me Lovely.' I can't imagine it being called anything else other than 'All The Bright Places!' Especially as Finch & Violet end up discovering their own 'bright places.' Did you have to do a re-write for the content to fit with it's new title? 

JN: I really didn’t. After I changed the title I realized that it could have been named All the Bright Places all along because it just… fit.

GGD: You wrote ATBP in six weeks! Wow. That's quite a feat. How did you manage your average day?


JN: I wrote and wrote, sometimes eight hours a day, sometimes more. I wrote on weekends too. But none of that is unusual for me because even when I’m not in the throes of writing a book, there are still hours of work to be done every day.


GGD: You mention on your website that 'You should write the thing that you're burning to write.' All The Bright Places seems to epitomize that one sentence. You have openly admitted that Finch is just like a boy you used to know. How hard was it for you to tell this story bearing that in mind? 
 

JN: It was hard and then it got easier. The hardest thing was sitting down and thinking about how to tell this very personal story. But once I began writing, much of it just poured right out.


GGD: The quote in the beginning of ATBP is one of my favourites... Ernest Hemingway 'The world breaks everyone, and after, many are strong at the broken places.' What made you choose this quote out of the thousands possible? 


JN: I credit what I call creative serendipity. I stumbled across the quote after I'd decided which story to write but before I began the actual writing. I can't remember now if I found it in a book or online, but when I read those lines I got goosebumps. Usually I keep a little folder of possible epigraphs and I don't choose one until I finish writing a book. But in this case, I just knew that was it.

GGD: What is the best piece of writing advice you've ever been given?

JN: There are three pieces of advice that tie for best. When I was first starting out, an actress named Madge Sinclair told me, “Writing, like any art form, takes soul stamina.  You have to be prepared to commit to it, want it more than anything, honor your gifts, and stick it out through thick and thin.” One of my high school English teachers once wrote “pure economy of word” at the top of a paper I wrote, and that has stuck with me ever since. My tendency was to overwrite, and that bit of advice has helped me remember not to do that. The last bit of advice is from my mother, who was also an author. She used to say, “You can’t freak out and write a book at the same time.”
 

Jennifer Niven

GGD: What was your biggest challenge when writing ATBP?

JN: Writing through the tears. The story was very personal to me, and because of that I carried it around with me for years but never wrote anything about it. Honestly, I wasn't sure I would ever be able to. But then I decided to try, figuring no one needed to know if I discovered I couldn't do it- and one chapter led to another and another... But some moments in the book were definitely sadder and harder for me than others, and sometimes I wrote while crying. 


GGD: One question I'm particularly intrigued to know the answer to, is why did you switch to young adult fiction for this story? I personally read both adult and YA but don't you worry that ATBP might be overlooked by the huge adult reading market out there?   

JN: I just felt in my bones that this particular story would be best told as YA. First, teen mental health needs to be talked about much more openly, and I hoped my book might encourage that discussion. Second, because the real-life story that inspired it happened when I was in my twenties. I knew making the characters high school age would give me the distance I needed to write it. I've never written thinking about this market or that one, in terms of selling the book or who will read what. I'm more concerned with writing the story as organically as possible. (Great answer Jennifer!)


GGD: What did you most enjoy about writing ATBP?

JN: Finch was a lot of fun to write. Before writing All the Bright Places, I’d been working for five or six years on a series of novels told from the POV of a heroine named Velva Jean Hart. I love Velva Jean—she’s feisty and adventurous and funny—but I was ready to write from the POV of a new character. Finch’s voice just came right out from the very start, almost fully formed. I also had a lot of fun writing Finch and Violet together, especially as they started to fall in love. 

GGD: Many a writer tells how their characters take on a life of their own... As you wrote and developed Finch and Violet, is their anything about them that surprised you?
  
JN: The characters really do take on a life of their own. Finch was inspired by my ex-boyfriend, but before I knew it he became his own separate person, and I stopped seeing him as anyone but himself. Violet was funnier and livelier than I first expected. In the first draft of the first few chapters, she was kind of shy and quiet and just... there. But gradually I discovered a slightly snarky, cynical side, and I went back and reworked the early chapters accordingly.

GGD: How did you write or get 'inside' Finch's head to show the reader the mental turmoil he was experiencing?
 
JN: I really just wrote the story I knew. Years ago, I knew and loved a boy, and that boy was bipolar. I witnessed up-close the highs and lows, the Awake and the Asleep, and I saw his daily struggle with the world and with himself. 

Name your own bright place... Home. Anywhere my fiancé and cats are. And Los Angeles, where I live. I’m madly in love with my city!

Person who most influenced your writing... My mother.

All The Bright Places is taking the world by storm...

Favourite bookstore... All of them. But I have a soft spot for Waterstone’s Picadilly because of the reception they gave me for my first book—they created a giant ice sculpture! I also love Avid Bookshop in Athens, GA, Book People of Moscow, Idaho, Book Soup in Los Angeles, and A Great Good Place for Books in Oakland, CA. I want to live in them.

Tea or Coffee... Decaf ginger tea with lemon.

Alternative profession... International rock star detective, a profession I dreamed up when I was little. In lieu of that, maybe an actress, a forensic anthropologist, or an archaeologist. 

Secret desire... To make out with Jared Padalecki.

Favourite Song... "Dancing Queen"

Author... My mother, Penelope Niven. My next favorite is Flannery O'Connor.

Book... 'In Cold Blood' by Truman Capote. 

Film... I love Charlie Chaplin's City Lights because the ending KILLS ME every time. But there are so many movies I adore, everything from Bridesmaids to the Thin Man series to Gone with the Wind.

Magazine... Other than Germ lol...!! Hello Giggles or Jezebel.

Favourite type of research... I'm completely fascinated by family history and family tree stuff, although I don't have much time to devote to it. I also love digging around in musty old archives.

Age when you knew you wanted to be a writer... Four or five.

Natural hair colour... My natural hair color is like a mood ring. Depending on the lighting, it could look reddish-gold, light brown, or dark brown.

Twitter or Facebook... Instagram! :)

X-Factor or Dancing with the Stars...'Dancing with the Stars' because it was my mom's favorite show. 

Winter or Spring... Definitely Spring!

Cat or Dog... Cat! Three actually. I like dogs too, but I'm allergic.

Song that defines All The Bright Places... I actually have playlists—one for Violet, one for Finch, and one for the book itself (Violet's playlist: You Start Here. Finch's Songs That Will Change the World. All the Bright Places soundtrack)— but if I were picking just one song, it would be one that a reader ( @BFelsmann ) sent me recently. “All the Beautiful Things” by Eels. It’s sad and lovely and sweet and haunting. Simple yet powerful. Poignant. And I love the words. 

Using one word, summarize 'All The Bright Places!' Honest.

Lifelong ambition... To do exactly what I'm doing now...

 

And there you have it. That's a wrap. It was truly a pleasure interviewing Jennifer. If any of you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments box and I'll be sure to pass them on.

One of my Prize Winners sent me this photo! Faye with her copy of ATBP in Thailand

 

Next week's post is going to be something a bit different. However, for all you book lovers out there, my next interview will be with Andrew Males, Author of '26 Miles To The Moon.' (Photo below.) I'd love to tell you more right now, but both Andrew and I would hate to steal Jennifer's thunder. This is HER moment to shine! 

Huge thankyou again to Jennifer for doing this. I wish her every success with her forthcoming novel! xx

Hope you all have that Friday feeling! Enjoy your bank holiday weekend and I'll see you again - hopefully - same place, same time, next week! xx

Relevant links:

Germ Magazine www.germmagazine.com

Eleanor and Violet www.eleanorandviolet.com

Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/JenniferNivenWrites?ref=ts

Twitter and Instagram handles @jenniferniven

Header photo taken of illustration (Sarah Watts, 2015) and edited using basic photo edit on HTC.

If you have a favourite Author please do share with everyone in the comment section below. I do love a good recommendation and you never know... I might feature them in a future post :)

 

Twitter @andrewdmales