The Book Insider

  • TM Logan reveals foundations for ‘The Dream Home’ and how to build a thriller

    TM Logan reveals foundations for ‘The Dream Home’ and how to build a thriller

    “I really like to dive into each scene, put myself into the middle of it”

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    TM Logan has another bestseller on his hands with The Dream Home and the successful author has revealed the processes he goes through to bring his riveting thrillers to life, as his new novel storms The Sunday Times Top Ten.

    Speaking to The Book Insider, Tim said that he likes to inhabit the spaces he creates in the edge-of-your-seat thrill rides, so that he can get a real feel for how it would be for his characters in his books.

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    When asked whether he is living the story as he develops it on the page, Tim said: “I try to, yes. When I’m writing a first draft I really want to dive into each scene, put myself in the middle of it as if I’m there, seeing what my characters see, smelling the smells, hearing the sounds of what’s going on.

    “So I like to block out everything in the outside world for a few hours each day while I’m doing that. Noise-cancelling headphones and a long ambient music playlist are a big help in that regard. When the writing is going well, it feels amazing – an hour can go by like ten minutes.”

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    With The Dream Home being Tim’s eighth nerve-jangling thriller and over two million copies of his novels sold so far, it would seem that he has the recipe for a good story off to a tee. But how quickly does a story idea come to him? It would seem that the ideas have to germinate and grow inside before he takes it and runs with it.

    Tim said: “Stories tend to start small for me. So I might have a single idea, just one scene from a story, or a situation, and then I build it out from there. So with The Dream Home, for example, it was just that scene of a new homeowner discovering a hidden room in his house.

    “With The Mother, it’s a woman standing in court and being found guilty of a crime she didn’t commit. And then from there, I’ll build it out, spend a few weeks thinking about it, making notes, planning some of the broad arcs of story and character.”

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    Tim added about this process: “So while the initial idea might take only a minute to write down, I normally spend four to six weeks on the overall planning and developing stage before I start writing.”

    With the story beginning to take shape, what are the ingredients of a good thriller? Tim explained all that he needs in his books to give him the best chance of being well received by readers and to ensure that he stays on top pf his game.

    TM Logan revealed: “I love reading thrillers, it’s my go-to genre. For me, a good thriller needs a good, compelling hook that grabs you early on, ideally in the first few chapters, a relatable story and interesting characters that I want to spend time with – whichever side they’re on. I also like stories that have pace, that move things forward quite quickly, and stories that surprise me. Whether that surprise is in the form of character, or story, or place – an interesting twist is always to be savoured.”

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    With a well-earned reputation as a story maker of high repute, there is now a level which Tim must reach so as to not let himself down. For a while, the story might not feel like it is his.

    Tim told The Book Insider: “Whenever I’m writing a first draft it always feels very raw, very new, very unvarnished compared to the previous books that are out there, published already.

    “But that’s natural, I think. Because a first draft is normally quite rough and ready at the beginning, before it goes through two or three rounds of edits. Imposter syndrome is real! At least it is for me.”

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    With an imposing back catalogue of work, and a number of bestsellers among them as well as TV adaptations, is Tim now at a point in which there is pressure to produce another blockbuster novel? He admits there is some pressure but there comes a point when it is fingers crossed and hope readers will buy it in their droves and love, once again, the story he has told.

    Tim revealed: “The pressure tends to build around publication time, as you don’t have any more opportunities to work on the book and improve it. For a few months beforehand there’s a sense of build-up and of course you want to write a book that people will enjoy.

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    “I know I have a great team at my publisher and that really helps, as they are doing a lot of work behind the scenes in terms of retailers, promotion, positioning etc. But yes, there is a certain amount of hope and expectation and crossed fingers every time that it might make the bestseller chart.”

    The Dream Home is out now in hardback from Zaffre – buy it HERE.

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  • AJ West reveals the fury that propelled him on ‘The Betrayal of Thomas True’

    AJ West reveals the fury that propelled him on ‘The Betrayal of Thomas True’

    “I had to tell the story… I was too angry to let it be”

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    After AJ West won the 2022 HWA Debut Crown award for the best first novel by a historical fiction writer for The Spirit Engineer, it could be argued that the ‘difficult’ second book had become a whole lot harder following that accolade.

    Fortunately, AJ has been driven by an anger and determination to tell the story of the 18th century Molly Houses and has another triumph on his hands with The Betrayal of Thomas True, which comes out on 4th July from Orenda Books.

    Speaking to The Book Insider, AJ reveals the inspiration behind his latest historical drama and why he dipped into the life and times of Molly Houses.

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    AJ said: “As a gay man, I’ve always been keenly aware of our shared history, what little of it has been recorded. I was lying in bed one day, listening to a Radio 4 programme called Tales From the Old Bailey, when an episode came on about the trial and hanging of three men at Tyburn.”

    AJ went on to explain what grabbed him when listening: “They had been arrested at Mother Clap’s Molly House on Field Lane in London – which would one day become the site of Fagin’s lair in Oliver Twist – then imprisoned at Newgate, awaiting trial.

    “In the trial, a number of people gave testimony saying that a milkman named Gabriel Lawrence was an upstanding fellow and shouldn’t be executed, but the jury condemned him regardless.”

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    AJ added: “It seemed such a pathetic, cowardly, cruel act and stayed with me ever since. I had to tell that story for my second novel, I was too angry to let it be.”

    Writing historical fiction can prove problematic, especially when looking back several hundred years and wanting to ensure that the story is historically factual, even if the story is fictional but just as difficult are the financial implications of writing ‘niche’ stories, so, what are the problems an author of historical fiction faces?

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    AJ said: “Well I can’t speak for anyone else but personally, I find it difficult to get by financially. The fact I write slightly unusual historical stories has meant that my advances are quite small for years of work and many thousands of hours toiling away.

    “That’s not an entirely awful thing because firstly, I am genuinely grateful to be published and both my publishers have done a brilliant job with my books – and it also means I start earning royalties on day one of publication.

    “Still, that’s maybe fifty pence a book when all’s said and done and you don’t have to be Einstein to know that ain’t much over two or three years unless you sell many tens of thousands of copies.”

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    AJ continued: “The key, I’m learning, is to carry on by hook or by crook until you’ve written a few books, then hopefully the combined income adds up to something vaguely sustainable. But it is a terrible struggle and frankly quite frightening.”

    AJ said that there is a lack of support from the government for those who want to be an author. He said: That isn’t necessarily particular to historical fiction of course, but I think the market and publisher demand for the genre, combined with the sheer weight of research and writing, can make the lack of financial support – and lack of government support – particularly tough.

    “I simply can’t write my books in a few short weeks or months, because I want to create something original and authentic every time, and that requires a big investment, digging through archives and old books to find the heart of the story. Still, I write for the love of writing and, I have to say, the joy I get when people read my stories. I call it magic, and that’s how it feels.”

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    While finances are a concern, AJ admitted there was something more important than having coffers in the back, though that is always in the back of his mind. AJ said: “Much more important than money… though a deep sense of contentment would feel better if it weren’t tempered by a constant lurking dread.” In case I haven’t hinted hard enough – please buy my books and tell people about them.”

    It has often been said the for an author, writing the book is only 50% of their working life, as promoting the book which entails attending author events can take up a lot of their time. It also means that the author has to come away from the keyboard to meet their readers face-to-face, which can be daunting for many. Fortunately for AJ, he has had a background in the media which has also seen him appear on television.

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    Speaking to The Book Insider about the transition from writing alone to meeting the readers, AJ said: “I don’t find public speaking as daunting as most authors because my background is in TV and radio presenting. When you’ve stood outside court houses at the end of a murder trial or indeed walked into the Big Brother house, you get a thicker skin.

    “That being said, audiences at author events can be a little frightening because I’m aware they are quite brainy and possibly half-cut on wine.”

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    Despite this, the contact with those who enjoy his books is something that AJ relishes. He added: “I enjoy author events though, from book festivals and bookshop signings to The Book Party, a relaxed social event for readers and writers I set up with my co-founder, Vic Hyde.

    “For me – and I mean this most sincerely – meeting readers is the best thing about being an author, so nerves or not, I always encourage my more shy novelist friends to overcome their understandable reservations and accept invites whenever and wherever they come.”

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  • Dan Malakin reveals inside story to new thriller ‘The Wreckage Of Us’

    Dan Malakin reveals inside story to new thriller ‘The Wreckage Of Us’

    “It’s all about generating new ideas. I read a lot, often a novel a day”

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    Dan Malakin has been a rising star among thriller writers and his stock is set to rise even higher with the publication of The Wreckage of Us on 6th June from Viper Books.

    Dan’s new novel will be his third after The Regret (2019) and The Box (2022), which both kept readers in suspense as their narratives played out. Speaking to The Book Insider, Dan has revealed what are the ingredients to a good thriller that keeps those reading on the edge of their seats.

    Dan begins by stating one of the biggest problems which faces a writer of psychological thrillers: “There are so many new thrillers coming out, thousands each year, and only so many possible crimes – it’s hard to make something original and engaging based on the plot or the setting alone.”

    The Wreckage Of Us by Dan Malakin
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    There is a way though to may your story stand out and Dan revealed: “That’s why character and voice are so important. When you’re spending three hundred or more pages with someone, it’s important that you find them engaging. You have to want to spend all those hours listening to them.”

    With character being a driving factor, there is also the twist and turns to consider for a roller coaster ride. Dan added: “In the best thrillers, a strange psychological trick occurs where you grow to care about them as you would real people. Obviously having a killer twist at the end which re-frames everything that’s gone before also helps!”

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    One of the main issues when it comes to writing a book is having the story to tell. Dan says that this is a process used to let grow naturally from an initial seed in your mind but since becoming published, has had to make it as much of the process as the writing of the novel.

    Dan said: “Back before I was a published author I used to have a rather more ethereal take on this: get the seed of an idea from the wafts of the world, allow it to germinate quietly in the mud bed of your mind, carefully tend to it as it grows in strength, and hopefully at the end of this you have a finished first draft. Now I realise that generating ideas is as much of a process as writing itself.”

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    Dan added that reading and true crime documentaries all play into the melting pot of ideas. He told The Book Insider: “I focus on that process between drafts. In the weeks or maybe a month while the latest draft cools down, it’s all about generating new ideas. I read a lot, often a novel a day; I nail those Netflix true crime documentaries; I’m making notes constantly. Then it’s back to the next draft.”

    So, with this in mind, how long does a story gestate in his mind before he starts committing it to paper, so to speak? It can take a few months to start forming, though he’s not afraid to change tact from original plans.

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    Speaking about his new novel, The Wreckage Of Us, Dan said that it was a “culmination of three ideas I’ve had swirling for a while.” Expanding more on how it took form, he revealed: “I was actually planning on writing a completely different book, but then from nowhere those three ideas merged together; the skeleton for this book appeared almost fully formed.

    “I ran it past my agent who agreed it was better than what I’d been planning to write. The next couple of months were spent sketching an outline; I started writing straight after new year.”

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    One of the more trickier aspects of story writing can be having the ending and how that will be. Fortunately, Dan knows where he is going with his stories and says that he has the ending planned before he sets off on writing.

    Dan said: “Before, in the glorious ethereal days, I used to think that perhaps it was better not to have the ending. That something more original than I could ever plan would rise from my unconscious during the labours of the first draft. Experience has shown that, at least for me, it’s better to know where you’re going before you set out.”

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    Taking the step to becoming an author is a dream for many and Dan shared what it is like to be termed an author. He said: “Not what you expect. Yes there’s pride in completing a draft or holding a printed book, but it’s also stressful and pressured and time consuming, especially as I have a young family and still work full time.

    “If I didn’t love writing so much I’d probably not do it. But I do love writing, I love reading. There is nothing I enjoy more than settling in for the evening with a book I can’t put down, and nothing more thrilling than imagining someone enjoying one of my books in the same manner.”

    The Wreckage Of Us is published on 6th June by Viper Books.

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  • How Samantha Leigh brings ‘Joy’ with Northodox debut

    How Samantha Leigh brings ‘Joy’ with Northodox debut

    “Sammy Leigh wrote through Covid lockdown to eventually produce her debut novel”

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    Samantha Leigh is celebrating her debut novel, Joy, being published with Northodox, which she embarked upon writing after studying creative writing at university before the Covid lockdown brought a premature ‘slowing down’ of her creativity, which was reignited as the country began functioning again.

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    Speaking to The Book Insider, Samantha reveals her writing process and how it has been to be published by Northodox, who celebrates northern writers, as Joy hits the shelves of bookshops with her contemporary tale of romance in the LGBTQ+ community.

    Samantha said: “Overall, Joy took around four years from start to finish. I began my MA in Writing in 2019, which I started with one page and a vague idea of what I wanted to write. After I graduated, I found time around my full time job to work on the book, and eventually got it finished.”

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    She said that the lockdown held up progress but she soon picked up her pen again and finished her debut novel. Samantha continued: “This all sat smack bang in the middle of Covid years too, where I think I went a whole six months without writing a single word, so that didn’t help the time line.

    “To anyone out there trying to write a novel, I can’t stress how important it is to set aside time every day just to get a little something from your brain to paper.”

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    Speaking about the process of finding a publisher, Samantha admits that she struck it lucky reasonably quickly in the process. She told The Book Insider: “I contacted a few different agents before getting in touch with any publishers, as that seemed like the smartest and safest route to go down.

    “I got around five or six rejection emails from agents before I just decided to contact a publisher by myself. I got super lucky, as Northodox requested my full manuscript not long after my submission.”

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    There was joy for Samantha that Joy was taking a huge step to being published. She said: “I was absolutely over the moon when I got the email, and for the longest time (even a little bit now), I’m still expecting them to turn around and say ‘just kidding’, but, so far, so good…”

    Samantha has now began her next novel, with the experience of Joy hoping to take her to new levels. She said: “I have started work on a second novel. I learned a lot from writing Joy, and I feel being able to look back on the whole experience is really going to inform how I approach the new one.

    “I’m doing my best to set aside writing time which I’m being stricter with, and have made sure to plan out my big twists and turns before starting to write. Joy was very much a ‘start writing and see where the characters take you’ situation, but that came with a lot of uncertainty, so I’m trying to do the opposite this time around.”

    You can download Joy by Samantha Leigh HERE.

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  • Author’s incredible secret offer during signing is claimed by lucky reader

    Author’s incredible secret offer during signing is claimed by lucky reader

    “It was a bit of fun to liven up the signings”

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    An offer made by an author when signing her books has finally been claimed some three years after the novel was published.

    Sara Sheridan garnered great acclaim for The Fair Botanists, which was Waterstones Scottish Book of the Year after it was released in 2021 but her story of intrigue, which was described as “completely enchanting” by The Scotsman, has taken on a new journey of its own after her secret message to a reader was found in a bookshop.

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    While signing copies of the book, Sara decided to make one copy a special edition by writing alongside her signature, a promise to the new owner of the book for something exciting in the future.

    Sara wrote on the title page: “Choosing this copy? Email me on [Sheridan’s email address] & I’ll send you a free copy of my next book”

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    Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Sara revealed to her followers that she has now received an email from the lucky reader who purchased that copy of The Fair Botanists.

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    Posting a photo of the page that she had signed with the message, Sara wrote on the post: “Ages ago I wrote this in a copy and hid it in a bookshop …. today the prize has been claimed!”

    There was quite a reaction to post with many hailing it as a brilliant idea, to which Sara told the commenters that it was a “bit of fun to liven up the signings….”

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    This led to another person commenting that the idea was like a “message in a bottle”, to which Sara replied: “Just exactly this …. the lady who got it received the book as a present from her son…. perfection!”

    The joy of books is always something that brings happiness but a book with the promise of another, for free, is something which will be cherished forever.

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  • Taylor Adams says ‘It’s quieter moments that build true suspense in thrillers’

    Taylor Adams says ‘It’s quieter moments that build true suspense in thrillers’

    ‘Taylor returns with a roller coaster ride that pitches author against reader, with bloody consequences’

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    Taylor Adams had a huge hit with No Exit (2107) with it being published in 32 languages around the world and being adapted for TV in a Hulu Original film.

    The book became a phenomenon with TikTok playing its part in spreading the word as No Exit was picked up by followers of BookTok, which has also fuelled the rise of Colleen Hoover to multi-million copy bestseller.

    Taylor has returned with another roller coaster ride for readers with The Last Word which pitches the author against the reviewer with bloody consequences.

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    Speaking to The Book Insider, Taylor explains how he keeps control of his adrenaline when writing such a fast paced story.

    How do you keep yourself in check so that you don’t get carried away?

    Taylor told us: “It’s a delicate balance, and it takes me numerous rewrites to feel the story’s pace out. Excessive action can be numbing and even tedious, so I’m very careful about how and when I dole it out.

    “Action and suspense are opposites in a way, so I try to map the story out with long stretches of uncertainty and delayed conflict (suspense), occasionally interrupted by sharp jolts of resolving conflict (action).

    “It’s the quiet moments that build true suspense and if that groundwork is there, a story can feel action-packed – even if it’s just a few characters and a beach house.”

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    After having such a huge success with No Exit, there was one of two ways that it could have gone for Taylor – pressure to repeat its popularity or to throw off the shackles with the knowledge that a bestseller was in the bank.

    Taylor said: “There has certainly been pressure, but I think it’s largely self-imposed. I’ve tried to learn the right lessons from No Exit’s success without falling into the trap of repeating myself.

    “Hopefully with The Last Word I’ve delivered on the things readers enjoyed in my past work while also leaning into the wildness and meta humor that makes this particular tale so appealing to me.”

    Taylor continued to explain: “A few years ago an author I admire once gave me some great advice – to simply try to make each book the best version of itself that it can be – and that’s what I aim to do each time.”

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    With TikTok expected to be influential on the sales of The Last Word, as it was with No Exit, Taylor said that the social media site is a great way for people to discover a love of reading.

    Speaking about its growing influence, Taylor said: “I think any way that books can reach readers is well worth engaging with, especially nowadays when we all have so many options for our entertainment.

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    TikTok and other social media platforms have made it much easier for positive word of mouth to spread, which can really help authors ‘break out’.”

    There was a word of warning though, with Taylor admitting: “Of course, negativity spreads just as rapidly, so I’d encourage readers to not let the echo chamber talk them out of picking up a book they might love.

    “Some of my absolute favourite reads lately have been quite polarising on the internet!”

    Buy The Last Word by clicking HERE.

  • Milly Johnson: “Real-life situations are perfect inspiration even if they lead to dark thoughts”

    Milly Johnson: “Real-life situations are perfect inspiration even if they lead to dark thoughts”

    ‘I’ve started book number 22 and all I had was a it being set in a shop at a location I have used before’

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    What is for certain, with book number 22 being written as you read this, bestselling author Milly Johnson knows how to spin a yarn.

    Real-life incidents can light a trail in her mind to another story which will enthrall readers once it has made it to the page, even if it might take a darker route than first imagined.

    Milly has told The Book Insider how she puts together a winning novel in the wake of more success with Together, Again which was released in paperback at the beginning of March.

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    Milly said: “I’ve just started book 22 and all I had to work with was that it was set in a shop in a location that I’ve used before.

    “I’ve been too busy to do anything on it other than make that initial decision and pen a first page but in the meantime my head has started to spin a story and I can only liken it to a stick being put in a candy floss machine and the sugar strands starting to weave together.”

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    Wih this philosophy in action, Milly admits she has had some success.

    She continued: “A few more bits have ‘stuck to the stick’, a big one after I was recently at a dinner party and was speaking to a lovely gent with a health problem and my brain started to think ‘oooh – this would be a good storyline’.

    “So I have a bit more substance to my candy floss, enough to start my book in earnest.”

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    Milly said that she was now ready to crack on with her new novel and told The Book Insider: “I have two lead characters and intend to bring in others from another book, and I have a location. And an old murder – I like a bit of dark in my books – and I will do my usual trick of just setting off my story with those elements in mind.”

    Milly added that the process was still a little flying by the seat of her pants, so to speak, and admitted: “One word will go down in front of another 100,000 times and hopefully they’ll all be in the right direction.

    “Because I don’t plan, I can only hope that I can pull it out of the bag for the 22nd time.”

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    Milly also shared why her books are so relatable to her readers, saying that it is the situations she writes about are what many would encounter.

    The bestselling novelist said: “My books are full of real life instances because I write primarily about life and the things that bind us.

    “Take my last three books which have been about grief: losing a partner and joining a grief counselling group where there are people who are also grieving.

    “One woman is grieving the loss of her dog whom she loved more than she ever loved a human, and that is no less a grief. One man is grieving his mother and another wants to grieve but can’t and another is wrestling with the way their partner died, with lots of unanswered questions.”

    Other real-life situations inspired other stories for Milly, as she looked to draw readers who had experienced similar circumstances.

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    She continued: “Then I wrote a book about a woman in the ‘sandwich generation’ as I am myself and I knew it would resonate with a lot of people looking after elderly parents, worrying about their children and also trying to fit in some semblance of a life for themselves as well.”

    Speaking about Together, Again, Milly said: “My last book was about a narcissistic mother and I also knew that would hit a lot of nerves because not everyone who can have children, should have them.

    “I always try and have my finger on the pulse of what will have a broad appeal as well as entertain.”

    Buy Together, Again by clicking HERE.

  • Nikki May on how a ‘long, loud lunch’ inspired award-winning debut

    Nikki May on how a ‘long, loud lunch’ inspired award-winning debut

    ‘Wahala has attracted TV producers who want to bring it to the small screen’

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    When Nikki May had a long, and loud, lunch with Nigerian friends in London, little did she know while eating and drinking that she was sparking ideas in her brain that would lead to her writing an award-winning novel that is in the process of being made into a major BBC drama.

    Born in Bristol before being raised in Lagos, Nigeria, Nikki is now back in the West Country, living in Dorset, and basking in the glory of her debut novel, Wahala, winning the Comedy Women In Print New Voice Prize 2023 as well as a host of rave reviews.

    Speaking to The Book Insider, Nikki explains how Wahala came about and what it feels like to attract major TV producers who want to adapt the story for the small screen.

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    Nikki said: “I moved to Dorset in 2005 with the grand idea of writing a book. But a blank piece of paper is incredibly frightening and it took me twelve more years to get started.

    “Inspiration struck after a long – and very loud – lunch with friends at a Nigerian restaurant in London. As I boarded the slow Waterloo-Crewkerne train, I felt myself code-switch out of Nigerian me, into English me and started thinking about my two cultures.”

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    This idea started to blossom in Nikki’s mind and she continued to explain: “I started writing and sketched out the first scene before I got home. Sometimes you just need the right trigger and that was mine.”

    Nikki found that despite thinking she had nailed the story, it was only later that after a few edits, that it truly started finding its way towards where she hoped it would go.

    Nikki continued: “I always knew my book would have people like me in it – mixed-race and middle-class – characters whose lives include jollof rice, carjacking, and cornrows in the same breath as ubers, focaccia, and ski holidays.

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    “But the plot for Wahala was a long time coming. My first draft was exceptionally dull, all the wahala (trouble) came in the edits.”

    Not long after the book hit the shelves, the TV executives came knocking and before long there was an auction for the rights to her debut novel and Nikki was in disbelief at what was happening.

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    She told The Book Insider: “I’m still pinching myself! Getting my book published was my only goal. So when Wahala went to a nine-way auction in the UK and a six-way auction in the USA, it was dream-come-true stuff.

    “The TV thing was a complete shock. My agent partnered with a superstar agent in LA and in two surreal weeks during lockdown I had zooms with an Oscar-nominated actress, a Hollywood film director, and a raft of production companies.”

    Nikki continued: “It was so crazy – I’d change out of dog-walking clothes and wellies, slap on a bit of lipstick and listen to amazing people tell me about their vision for my book on screen.”

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    In the end, the decision was made for Nikki by the quality of the producer’s TV CV, which included some of the biggest shows of recent years.

    Nikki said: “I chose Firebird Productions because Liz Kilgariff, my producer, is amazing. She did Bodyguard, Luther and The Cry and really gets my story and my characters. 

    “It was greenlit by the BBC before it even came out in hardback and the script is currently being adapted by BAFTA-nominated Theresa Ikoko.”

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    Nikki admitted that it is a project that she hasn’t had to take a leading hand in and is pleased to let those who know about TV adaptation to go for it.

    The award-winning novelist continued: “Truth is, I don’t actually have much to do with it, my team is being incredibly collaborative and keeping me in the loop, but they are the experts and I trust them completely.

    “Everything in publishing and TV takes forever but the current expectation is to start shooting in January 2024, so hopefully I’ll have exciting stuff to share on casting later this year. Watch this space!”

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    With the story being transformed into a TV show, was this on Nikki’s mind when she wrote Wahala? It would seem that the visual offering of television did help her form some of the situations in the book.

    Nikki said: “I’ve worked in advertising all my life so I do tend to think of scenes quite visually. I also find I write better when I know everything about a scene – what the room looks like, where people are sitting, what the view outside the window is, et cetera, which makes the whole business much more visual, and maybe that translates to the page.

    “I definitely watch way too much TV and my goal for Wahala was to write a brown version of Big Little Lies ­– so knowing it’s going to be turned into six-part BBC series is just wonderful.”

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    The success of Wahala has come at a time when Nigerian authors have come to the fore in the UK and Nikki has been celebrating seeing her slice of Lagos life in London being mentioned alongside some of her peers.

    She told The Book Insider: “Nigerians have always punched above their weight in literary times, I think storytelling is in our DNA. I grew up reading Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka, and moved onto Sefi Atta and Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche.

    “In some ways, their greatness made it harder to get started –  how does my little entertaining book fit in with such important tomes!

    “But there is room for ALL the books – important ones and funny ones and I think it’s wonderful how many new Nigerian authors are being published. My current faves are Oyinkan Braithwaite, Ayobami Adebayo and Femi Kayode.”

    Buy Wahala by clicking HERE

  • Joanne Harris: “A series of characters and a lifetime of experience shaped Broken Light”

    Joanne Harris: “A series of characters and a lifetime of experience shaped Broken Light”

    ‘I’m not governed by the constraints of genre’

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    Ever since Chocolat became the breakthrough novel for Joanne Harris in 1999, she has been one of the best-loved and most consistent storytellers of her generation.

    Joanne is back again this year with Broken Light and it is another departure for the revered novelist, though she insists that she is not governed by the constraints of genre when she puts pen to paper.

    Two years after psychological thriller, A Narrow Door, Joanne has explained how her stories develop to The Book Insider and her thoughts on what she has produced with her new novel.

    Speaking about how she begins a story, Joanne said: “I would never start anything without knowing I had a story to tell, but although I always have a reasonable idea of the direction I’m going in, I don’t always know what I’ll meet on the way.

    “I find that ideas and developments often occur to me during the process of getting to know my characters, and by keeping the narrative fluid I stand a better chance of surprising the reader.”

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    With Broken Light, Joanne believes she has achieved her plans for the story and that the book was already in her when she started pouring it out onto the pages.

    Joanne continued: “I didn’t start with a blank page. I started with a series of characters, a lifetime’s experience, and some ideas in search of a story. I think I found it.”

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    With France being the background to some of her most successful novels and her love of Norse mythology bringing a different path and readership, she told The Book Insider that she would be interested in entering the world of graphic novels but will let the publishers decide which genre her works fits in.

    Joanne said: “That’s not really how I work: I don’t really acknowledge genre, except as a useful sales construct. I write the story I want to write, and let the publishers determine what genre it belongs in. But in terms of media, I’d like to work with illustrators again.

    “I’d like to write a graphic novel. And I’d like to work with a dance company to translate some of my work into dance.”

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    After being a successful novelist for nearly 25 years, what measures does Joanne use to quantify whether a book has been a success? It would seem that the parameters of “success” are not really counted in a monetary way.

    Joanne said: “I don’t really think in those terms. ‘Success’ is so dependent on what it is you’re trying to achieve – is it to chart? To make money? To open hearts and minds? Those things are largely out of my hands.

    “I prefer to concentrate on what I can control, which is writing the best and most honest book I can.”

    Buy Broken Light by clicking HERE.

  • Janice Hallett says Fairway Players ‘subconsciously lured her back’ for The Christmas Appeal

    Janice Hallett says Fairway Players ‘subconsciously lured her back’ for The Christmas Appeal

    ‘I hadn’t thought about it until I was asked about writing a Christmas novella’

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    After selling The Appeal by the truckload on both sides of the Atlantic, Janice Hallett has returned to the lives of The Fairway Players to provide another slice of murder and tragedy, just in time for Christmas.

    Speaking to The Book Insider, Janice said that the amateur dramatics company of her debut novel had drawn her back to them and she realised that there was another story wanting to burst out from behind-the-scenes of the drama group.

    Had it been her intention to return to the characters of The Appeal? Janice hadn’t seen it on her writing horizon to begin with. She told us: “Not at all. I didn’t give the prospect a second’s thought until my editor asked if I’d ever fancied writing a Christmas novella.

    “Even then I didn’t give it a second’s thought, but said I’d think about Christmas – it was August at the time – and see what happened.”

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    Once she started the process of bringing The Christmas Appeal to life, Janice found that there was definitely more to be unearthed about her original characters.

    The bestselling author explained: “As soon as I began, I realised I’d subconsciously written something from the point-of-view of a character in The Appeal.

    “It was strange, as if The Fairway Players were drawing me back to them, because once I started, I couldn’t stop. It was like visiting old friends, or returning to your childhood home.

    “I relished the whole experience, especially finding out what’s been going on in the drama group since the events of The Appeal, which was set mostly in 2018.

    “Some things have changed in those four years, some stayed the same, but everyone is involved in the Christmas charity panto… until a body is found.”

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    It has not been the only item on Janice’s writing agenda as there has also been talk of The Appeal and The Twyford Code being adapted for TV.

    Janice said that the process has begun, though there is a long way to go before we get to see them come to life on the small screen.

    Janice said: “The road to adaptation is long and winding. I’ve written pilot scripts for both The Appeal and The Twyford Code, but that doesn’t mean either are close to broadcast, or even filming.

    “You need a lot of luck and prevailing winds before something is green-lit, and we’re nowhere near that stage yet – with either project. If everyone could keep their fingers crossed, that would be wonderful!

    The [Mysterious Case of the] Alperton Angels has also been optioned, but very recently. I hope, at some point, to write the pilot for that too.”

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    So, what next for Janice? With a collection of bestselling novels and nominations for crime writing awards, does she know where she will be going next?

    Janice told us: “There are always several different ideas bubbling under at any one time. The next full-length novel has been on my mind for a while and I’m still not entirely sure which idea will win through in the end.

    “At the moment I still need to do the structural re-write of The Examiner, so once that’s out of the way, I’ll turn my thoughts to the next one.

    “Meanwhile promotional work fits in around the writing – and it’s a balancing act. Getting out, meeting readers and booksellers is one of the joys of being an author, but unless I get down to writing, they won’t have anything to read or sell!”

    Buy The Appeal by clicking HERE.

    Pre-order The Christmas Appeal by clicking HERE.