Real or Faux?

Although it’s November 12^th already, this is my first blog of this month so I will be introducing you to another new author in my Between the Lines feature a bit later in this blog. Today it is Claire Seeber whose latest book, The Parents was published a couple of weeks ago. There will be an opportunity to win a signed copy… thank you, Claire.

But first, the title of my blog is ‘Real or Faux?’ and you’re probably wondering what I’m referring to. Well, as we’re now exactly six weeks away from Christmas Day we have started the conversation about Christmas decorations and more specifically ‘the tree’! In the past, we have always had a real tree, but this year Chris and I are wondering if we should go ‘faux’. To be honest, I’m not sure whether I think having an artificial tree is any more environmentally friendly than chopping down a real tree; I’m sure there are pros and cons for both. Our main problem is that we have a vaulted ceiling in our family room, so we need quite a tall tree for it not to look dwarfed in the space.

This was last year’s and at just over eight foot tall was the perfect height, but it took up a lot of floor space and now that we’ve moved our old sofas from the lounge into the family room there isn’t as much space to play with. We are completely undecided, so feel free to leave your thoughts below in a comment while you are entering the competition to try and win Claire’s book!

Talking of floor space, Baxter was certainly very comfortable stretching out on our new rug in the family room when we looked after him on Sunday while his ‘mummy and daddy’ were at a dance competition with Reece’s daughter, Amber. I’m sure he wasn’t quite that relaxed at the vet’s yesterday when he had his castration operation.

I like to think that his ‘brother’, Milo was checking that he was okay when he returned home sporting his ‘cone of shame’, but I have a feeling he might just have been getting close enough to whisper, ‘loser’!!!

So, before we find out a bit about Claire Seeber and her latest book, I have a little book news of my own. Two of my titles have been selected to be part of the Kobo 30% off Bookouture books deal running from the 11^th – 25^th November. It’s not showing as a lower price, but a promo code will be applied at checkout, and it applies in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

I’m really pleased that What He Did (written as JG Roberts) has been chosen. Little Girl Missing, the first book in the DCI Rachel Hart series has featured in both Kobo and Amazon deals previously, but this is a first for What He Did, the second in the series. It is actually my highest star rated book on Amazon with 94% of the 255 ratings/reviews 4 or 5 stars, for which I am most grateful.

The other selected book is My Mother’s Secret, so if you haven’t read that one yet it’s a chance to buy it with a 30% saving from Kobo.

By the way, if you are signed up to receive my free newsletter the next one will be heading your way on Wednesday before I head off to my post-op follow-up appointment with my neurosurgeon… keep your fingers crossed for me.

I have had loads of positivity heading my way from friends and work colleagues including this plaque from my friend Debbie Flint (a fellow QVC presenter and author) which I’ve had to make space for on my downstairs loo wall!

Back to the newsletter though, it will have news about a special Amazon promotion for The Woman on the Beach, which has now reached 945 ratings/reviews – thanks so much if you’ve left one.

The latest review from T. Jeffrey simply says,

‘I liked everything about it.’

Once again, I was The Woman on the Beach when we popped down to the Dorset coast for a few hours on Tuesday. It wasn’t exactly bikini weather, but it was so lovely having a walk along the front and filling my lungs with fresh sea air – just what the doctor ordered! There’s no doubt that I’m a beach bum at heart, which makes the success of The Woman on the Beach even sweeter.

So, almost time to hand over to Claire Seeber in Between the Lines, but first the chance to win a signed copy of her latest book, The Parents. Just leave your answer to the upcoming question in a comment at the bottom of this blog before midnight on the 26^th November and the winner will be randomly selected on the 27^th (which just happens to be my son’s birthday!)

As you will discover, Claire had a crush on John Taylor from Duran Duran. Which James Bond film did Duran Duran write and perform the theme tune to?

1. Live and Let Die
2. Quantum of Solace
3. A View to a Kill

Good luck and now, here’s Claire.

 

Q & A session with Claire Seeber

Posted on Nov 12th 2021

1. What was your first job after leaving full-time education?

When I left full-time education I became an actress – which largely meant being a waitress!  Not a waitress in a cocktail bar, though, which was the first single I ever owned (Human League pop-lovers), a little French deli/ café in Blackheath village, which sold the most amazing cakes but had really mean manager/ owner – the manager once made me clean the loo with a toothbrush.  Talk about a power trip!  Me and the chef used to hide behind the counter and eat a patisserie cake in one mouthful pretty much!  That’s a fine art ….I had some decidedly dodgy jobs in PR as well, having to dress in tiny short skirts and sell raffle tickets at business parties / Earls Court Exhibition Centre… I was in The Bill too.  And some ads.  And a stand-in for Brigitte Neilsen at Pinewood – you’ll prob have to look her up!

2. Who was your first crush – real life or famous?

First serious crush – John Taylor from Duran Duran!  Sad but true: I was convinced I would marry him.  Ah the delusions of youth.  My mates like to remind me that I used to kiss his picture in the girls’ changing room.  I’ve blanked that memory though.  And, of course, I never even met him!

 
3. What was your first piece of creative writing outside of school/college/uni?

Um…I wrote a screenplay called Babylicious about 3 young women in different stages of either having babies or wanting/ not wanting them, in 2003/4.  It was quite good.  I got a commission to write an ep of BBC’s Doctors off the back of it, but then they said I was too outlandish because I wrote about having scabies – which I’d caught in Cuba.  So that fell apart and I wrote a book instead which sold – Lullaby, 1^st psych thriller.

4. Do you have a favourite tipple, alcoholic or otherwise?

Favourite tipple?  I’m not that big a drinker, to be honest, in my middle age, but how long have you got because I’m quite picky!  I love a rhubarb gin & tonic, I love Breton cider which is hard to get here though I’ve found a dealer, I mean a source.  Sometimes an Aperol Spritz in the summer, a nice Chardonnay (very Bridget Jones.) In the winter though, I love a whisky mac by a fire – it reminds me of my granny!

5. Are you a cat or dog person?

I have both – cat Freddie and rescue dog Colin (a basset lurcher).  I guess if I had absolutely had to say one, I’d probably say dogs as I love going out walking with Colin. Please don’t tell the cat though, he’s grumpy enough already!

I guess I admire the qualities of cats, but dogs are adorable.  

 
6. What is your favourite TV show or series from the past twelve months?

Gosh that’s tough because I’ve watched SO MUCH TV during the pandemic.  I did love Succession, though think it’s getting a bit samey now in Season 3.  I loved White Lotus, except for the end.  We watched 3 seasons of Good Girls on Netflix though it got a bit silly, and The Last Kingdom!  I like Brassic, & a bit of Bake Off – though not the same without Mary, Mel & Sue.  Is that too many? 

7. Do you have a favourite holiday destination or special memorable holiday?

Cornwall is my go-to place in the UK, I love the coast-line, the sea and huge skies, the food, the beaches and the wildness of it – I have family there so I’ve been going all my life.  I love Italy – had a great holiday with my boys when they were little in Puglia, but I prefer Umbria & Tuscany because I lived there briefly when I was 18.  My dad’s Austrian so I should say the Alps, where he’s from. Innsbruck – famous for a ski jump.  I do like looking at snow!

 
8. Do you like to read in the same genre as you write?

I used to love reading books a bit like mine, but after writing them for 15 yrs (yes really!) – even before they were a ‘thing’, I’m keen to read other genres. I love a bit of memoir / biography and I like contemporary and historical fiction too…I still love Nicci French books though.  Always read them.

9. How do you deal with negative reviews?

Hmmm good question!  I try not to take negative reviews personally – it’s not worth getting upset (though it’s hard not to mind when someone is very critical or even nasty).  I do firmly believe horses for courses so not everyone will agree with each other over what a good story/ book is …Do I try and see the POV of them? That’s interesting – I read of JoJo Moyes changing her books because of the reviews and she became a huge best seller (with something like her 9^th book), but I’m not sure that would work for us all!  I do think reviews are becoming harsher, the world’s an angry place right now – and some reviewers are becoming more cruel.  I think it would be good for everyone to remember that it’s only their own point of view – not a fact if they don’t like something!  I studied drama and I did dramatic criticism as part of my degree, there’s a way of writing a review that doesn’t have to be nasty I think!

10. Cast your mind back to when you were thirteen and complete the following sentence:

When I grow up I want to be…oh, definitely an actress.  At 13 I was – weird but true – taking myself to see Shakespeare at the RSC. Seems odd now!  I used to queue at stage doors, I had Judi Dench’s autograph (and she had a trolley full of booze!). I wanted to be a model for a bit because my granny was one in the 1930s, but I’m supremely unphotogenic and not nearly gorgeous enough.  I think there was definitely something going on about me wanting to be seen because I came from quite a disrupted home, my parents split when I was 5.  I wish I had wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer or an astronomist, something a bit more meaningful!  Now I’m a counsellor as well as an author though!

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My heart is still pounding… I can confidently say this is one of the best psychological thrillers I’ve ever read… An easy 5 stars… The plot twists are gut wrenching. This is perfect for fans of Big Little Lies” Goodreads Reviewer, 

The other parents all seem so perfect. But it’s not long before I realise: I should have never made friends with them…

I knew it wouldn’t be easy for my kids to adjust when we moved to a tiny village where they didn’t know a soul. But after the death of my husband, we needed a fresh start.

Suddenly, we’re outsiders. I know the only way we’ll be accepted is if I throw myself into my new life, so when my son joins a local club, I volunteer to help along with the other parents.

Before moving here, I didn’t know people like this really existed; their lives seem too perfect to be real. Although my own life couldn’t be more different, they welcome me into the fold. For the first time since my husband died, I feel like I made the right decision for my family…

That is until I overhear something that tells me these other parents aren’t as perfect as they seem. Something that turns my world upside down again.

My secret has already ruined my life once. I thought the truth had died with my husband… I should have known that it wouldn’t be buried for long.

A completely addictive page-turner about the secrets and lies hiding beneath seemingly perfect lives. Fans of Big Little Lies, Lisa Jewell and Louise Candlish will be absolutely hooked by this pacy read with a jaw-dropping twist you just won’t see coming.