Sue Bentley's Blog, page 2

Hello readers and fellow bookaholics.
Firstly apologies for not posting for a while. I'm delighted to tell you that after a rocky road, We Other is now in e-book and on .99 promo until 6th June - Pre-order on Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Other-Sue...
*Diary Date* My blog tour begins a week from today on 24th May. Very excited about this! Lots of first-time content, book excerpts, Q&As, reviews and 3 never-before-seen videos. It's been hard work providing so much material for 42 bloggers but I've loved every minute of it. I'm so delighted that all of these wonderful bloggers are taking part. Hope you'll join us and enjoy the experience. We Other Follow me on Twitter @suebentleywords for full details, regular updates and comments. I'm now on instagram @therealsuebentley

I've finished the first draft of Second Skin, but it still needs some work before it's ready to fly out into the world on dragon wings, so I will be getting back to that soon. May has turned out to be all-around, mad-busy. I enjoyed a shared author event with Steven Neil @TheBooksmithUK last Saturday. The coffee and cakes were great! For the third year running I'm thrilled to be presenting the Library Award prizes on Monday 21st May at Northampton College, in this the 10th Anniversary year of the awards, along with special guest the new Mayor of Northampton.
I will also be appearing at Festival Of Books on Sat 28th May - at 900 year old Delapre Abbey in Northampton NN4 8AW. Hope some of you will come and say Hi! Full programme here:
https://delapreabbey.org/delapre-abbe...

Finally - my website is getting a face lift. It's a work in progress but check in for regular updates. A newsletter will be added shortly. I'm presently at work on a short story for a Writers' Group meeting a week on Friday - so better get to it! Have a wonderful Summer of reading and bookish things everyone. Wishing you sunshine, sparkles and bright thoughts - Sue Bentley

Happy New Year lovely bookaholics. Haven't been in touch for a while, 'Life' got in the way, as it sometimes does. 'nuf said, I have lots of exciting things planned over the next months. Delighted to announce that the e-book of We Other, will be out soon. I'll keep you posted. There will be celebrations, glitter and much blowing up of balloons! I'm looking forward to taking part in the Twitter readathon of the late Ursula le Guin's Wizard of Earthsea. It's going to be amazing to do this, throughout Feb - starts Ist of the month - with regular reading prompts from the organiser (not me). And a fab inspired art event on Twitter to go along with it. Please feel welcome to join in at #ReadingEarthsea. Sharing the love with others makes the enjoyment of a book so much richer. This is the very best of our bookish Twitter experience. And extends the delight in books on the fab, interactive and comprehensive Goodreads site. Mwah! I loved taking part in #TheDarkIsReading over Mid-winter to Twelfth Night - when thousands of people worldwide read Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising - and along with #TheArtIsRising with inspired, wonderfully diverse artwork and photos. On a personal note - at long last -I'm nearly ready to send Second Skin to my dear and lovely new Beta reader. Have also been busy writing posts for some generous book bloggers - what would we authors do without their support? They are all wonderful. So keep your eyes peeled for details. I'm also open to friendly approaches from Book Blogger/Reviewers/fans of reading to discuss/ write about any aspect of the craft of writing, books, reading, Q and A etc etc. Contact me direct on [email protected]. I'll be waiting. Have a great week in book, Goodreaders x

Today I am thrilled to be a guest on @BooksInHandbag talking to Jessie about my inspirations/interests and motivation in writing We Other.
http://jessiecahalin.com/book-another...

After all the nerves and stage fright like you wouldn't believe, Sunday 8th Oct dawned warm and clear. On arrival at Althorp we were taken to the library - surely the most beautiful 'green-room' anywhere - with its thousands of first editions. Althorp has long-standing literary connections. Lovely Bernie Keith - radio star and interviewer for my event arrived. After a brief chat it was out to the marquee and hundreds of Magic Kitten/Magic Puppy fans. I needn't have worried - the parents and young readers were fabulous. The interactive audience wolf calls during my reading of Cloud Capers could have been heard in London! Fabulous. Bernie was as quick-witted and hilarious as he is on his radio show and the time flew by. Waterstones even sold out of all my books for younger readers before the event. I also sold lots of copies of We Other - my first YA novel. You can read an extract from it here. http://publishingpush.com/blog/the-ot...
So proud to sign a copy of We Other for Lord Spencer. He kindly gave me a copy of his newest book To Catch a King - which I'm looking forward to reading, as history is a passion of mine. Also loved meeting fellow authors, Louise Jenson. Jane Isaac, Revd Richard Cole - Northampton has so many talented writers. Kate Williams's event - was a great opportunity to soak up more fabulous history, which Kate really brings alive with lots of fine detail. All in all a simply magical festival, in the most amazing setting and we couldn't have been made more welcome by Lord Spencer and all involved.
Coming down from cloud nine into the real world I'm now reading through my hard copy of Second Skin with red editing pen in one hand and cup of tea in the other. Hoping to get on with making PC edits soon, and completing a top copy. Also making notes for my NanoWrimo book. I have ideas, sketchy characters, sort of a plot. It's coming together. Just have to fill it all out and do some research before the get-go on 1st November. Working title is Digging Deeper. Hoping to design a cover and post it on the site soonish. Somewhere in all this there should be time to eat, read and write content for my website update...
Good luck with your preps fellow Nanowrimo-ers in Northampton/Milton Keynes area. Hope to connect with some of you on the facebook site and in person/at events. Also you can follow me on https://facebook.com/suebentleyauthor https://twitter.com/suebentleywords

Have a great weekend everyone

Really enjoyed meeting the members of the YA reading group at Irchester Library today. It's a first for me to have We Other chosen as September's book choice. We had a lively discussion and it was a novelty to talk about the characters and plot of this book to an older audience. I write fiction for YA and Adults as well as younger readers. ( the chocs and wine will go down very too, thanks librarian Alan! An unexpected treat.) My Magic Kitten/Puppy/Ponies/Bunny series are aimed at 5-9 years, but I get readers of up to 12 years coming to events and telling me they still love the books - which is so sweet. The books we enjoy in childhood will always hold a special place in our hearts. I've bought out of print copies of some I remember with great fondness. Especially books of fairy stories.
I'll be at Althorp Literary Festival, next week, on Sunday 8th Oct at 10.30am talking about Magic Kitten etc. And then presenting the awards for the Althorp, in association with Northamptonshire County Council, short story competition, with some great prizes from sponsors Waterstones. All very exciting. It's brilliant that Althorp are having a Children's Literary Festival for the first time ever. I'm expecting great things. Long may it continue. You haven't got your tickets yet? There's just time. Here's the link. http://spencerofalthorp.com/product/s...

Well I'm probably mad to think I can write 50,000 during the month of November, with a novel still to finish editing and a new short story to write each month for the Writers Group, but I always work best under pressure. So I took a deep breath - and signed up yesterday. It's good to take on a challenge now and then and something good is bound to come of this. Maybe not a finished novel - that's unrealistic - unless you're one of those genius authors who write a perfect first draft. If you are, I take my hat off to you. There are very few writers/authors who can produce a perfect piece of work without hours and hours of editing, buckets of coffee, bitten nails and epic eye-strain. You can do it? Congratulations. Jealous, me...erm a bit. Who am I kidding - of course I am! Maybe you'll add me on the Nanowrimo site as your buddie or join the Northampton FB page for it? I could do with the support when I'm crying into my tea. My user name is SusanBentleyReads. See you in Nov. Right - just have to work out what the heck I'm going to write about...

Jamrach's Menagerie by Carol Birch

My rating: 5 of 5 stars






View all my reviews

Hi all

Just a short chat today. I'm very excited to have been featured on Jamie Marchant's blog. Jamie and I met on Twitter. This is a first for me, so a big thank you to Jamie. I won't say much more, but here is the link so you can read it yourself. And if you like what you read the link to Amazon is below it.

I'd welcome any feedback or thoughts. Thanks for your time book lovers and bookaholics. Happy reading!

http://jamie-marchant.com/sue-bentley...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/We-Other-Sue...

Hi all - readers and book lovers.

Still busy,busy,busy. Approaching a finished first draft of Second Skin - have given myself the end of Summer as a deadline. How will I tell it's the end of Summer in UK - hmmm. Tricky! Have been doing lots of Magic Kitten events over the past 3 months. Love meeting young readers and their Mums and Dads. Always have a fun time doing readings and sharing tips for short stories, building character etc. But glad to have solid writing time to myself now, until a couple of We Other events coming up this Autumn. More details nearer the time. Why can't I write shorter adult books? I'm trying - Second Skin is not as long as We Other. But I just seem to have a lot to say - and I also love reading a book I can really get my teeth into. They say write what you love to read..

Hot of the Press - I'll be at Althorp Literary Festival in October - check their website for details. More about that later...
Wishing all bookaholics a wonderful weekend. Everything is better with a book xx

Story-telling this Sunday Museum Garden, Wollaston, (opposite Dr Marten factory shop ) Northants 2pm. Come meet me and hear about Flame the Magic Kitten. Bring along your fave Sue Bentley books to be signed too.