UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Jessica Goodwin

Jessica Goodwin’s romantic novel Clarissa Jean, Homecoming Queen, was released earlier this month. The book focuses on Claire Bradshaw, who returns to her small hometown when her relationship ends, being reunited with the life she left behind. It sounds like a great read, so needless to say, I asked Jessica to stop by for a quick Q&A…

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less. 
Girl returns home to small town, tries to fit back in, falls in love.

What inspired you to write Clarissa Jean, Homecoming Queen?
Social media. What really amazes me is that the people I talk to the most on Facebook are people that I didn't really hang out with or have a lot in common with in high school. I kind of wanted to write about how sometimes, the people you were mean to, overlooked, or ignored in high school can end up being some of the nicest people you come to know as an adult. You might not have had much in common as kids, but as you get older, you realize there are more important things that can bring people together. I'm a sucker for a "love where you least expect it" storyline.

Where do you do most of your writing?
My husband and I recently bought and remodeled our house so we have this great office with a massive desk that we share... but since #BabyGoodwin came along, I usually write during naptime wherever he is. A lot of times I'm just on the couch with my laptop!

What is your favourite book?
SO MANY. I'm so all over the place. I love authors like Emily Giffin, Jane Green, and Elin Hilderbrand. I like thrillers like Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. And I love historical/biographical fiction like Loving Frank (Frank Lloyd Wright) and The Paris Wife (Hadley Richardson, Hemingway's first wife.) And since having a baby, I've been reading a lot of parenting books like Bringing Up Bebe and Strong Mothers, Strong Sons.

Which part of Clarissa Jean, Homecoming Queen did you enjoy writing the most?
Getting back into the writing groove. When I found out I was pregnant in the fall of 2014, writing went out the window. We bought a house, we moved, the baby came... Once everything settled down, I got the itch to start writing again, and haven't stopped. I recently quit my job as a teacher to write full time. It was a little scary and intimidating at first, but I am loving every second!

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
It all started with Bridget Jones. I remember being so excited to read about someone like me... someone who worried about dating and stressed about her weight and work and all that. It was nice to see her "grow up" in Mad About the Boy all those years later because I feel like I matured right along with her.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Find writers online and on social media to buddy up with and learn from. Don't use social media as a big "BUY MY BOOK!" soapbox. Be a real person on social media. Befriend other writers, book bloggers, editors, and reviewers. Use a professional editor. And keep at it, even when it seems hard or your dreams seem out of reach. You can't be a writer if you don't write.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
These days, I'm doing a lot of writing for sites like Baby Gaga, Scary Mommy, and Mommy Effect. It's gotten me thinking that I'd like to write some sort of humorous parenting memoir someday. Parenting can be exhausting and stressful and frustrating at times, but it's also so wonderful and beautiful, and there are some times where all you can do is just laugh and smile and soak it all in while you can. I'm also contemplating a sequel for Clarissa Jean.

Thanks, Jessica!

You can find out more about Jessica Goodwin at her Amazon author page, website, writing blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Clarissa Jean, Homecoming Queen by Jessica Goodwin
When Claire Bradshaw decides to end her dead-end relationship of several years, she only has one place to go - back home to the tiny town of Palmetto Park. Claire keeps bumping into people from her past as she struggles to shake her "better than everybody" reputation, make peace with her enemies, and even attempts to rekindle an old flame. Claire gets to know her old friends all over again and gets to know more about herself as she starts over - right back where it all started.

NEW RELEASES: The Girls by Lisa Jewell

The Girls is the new novel from bestselling author Lisa Jewell (Before I Met You, After The Party). Published last year, the novel is now available in paperback. It’s a gripping story set in London which asks the question, just who can you trust?

Dark secrets, a devastating mystery and the games people play: the gripping new novel from the best-selling author of The House We Grew Up In and The Third Wife. You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people's houses. You've known your neighbours for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really? Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible? Utterly believable characters, a gripping story and a dark secret buried at its core: this is Lisa Jewell at her heart-stopping best.

BOOK REVIEW: Strictly Between Us by Jane Fallon

Jane Fallon has remained one of my favourite authors ever since reading Getting Rid of Matthew. The novels which followed, including Got You Back and The Ugly Sister, were just as addictive (although I have yet to read Foursome - why haven't I read Foursome?!) and so I'd been looking forward to Strictly Between Us for some time.

Tamsin and Michelle have been best friends since their teenage years. Now in their thirties, and in varying stages of relationship (Tamsin single, Michelle happily married with the dream of soon starting a family), they still remain incredibly close. Pretty, sweet Michelle and handsome, confident TV exec Patrick appear to be the perfect couple. That is, until Tamsin hears a workplace rumour that Patrick is having an affair. It’s a rumour that she simply can’t forget about.

Willing to find out the truth behind the office gossip, Tamsin quickly confides in Bea - her incredibly loyal assistant - about the situation. Soon, Tamsin is hatching a plan to catch out her best friend’s husband, using (a very reluctant) Bea.

When Bea reports that nothing at all happens, it’s a relief for Tamsin. Until she does something unforgivable, landing herself in a situation that proves very, very hard to get out of.

Meanwhile, Bea has a plan of her own. And why would Tamsin suspect anything? Tamsin can trust Bea with her life…

What follows is a fantastic story that’s extremely hard to put down, though that’s to be expected of Jane Fallon. She has a real talent for witty yet dark novels with brilliant twists. Which is why it’s hard to review this novel fully – I don’t want to spoil the story. That said, at first I didn’t quite like Tamsin. However as the story continued, and I grew to like her. A bit of an anti-hero, if you will. Initially her selfishness was evident, and even more so through the eyes of Bea. However, later I started to like her, and figured that she learnt her lesson in the end.

If you like an edgy read full of secrets, then I would definitely recommend this book. Strictly Between Us is a great read – I finished it very quickly and then wished I’d paced myself a bit. I’m already waiting for Jane’s next offering.

Rating: 5/5

BOOK NEWS: The Week I Ruined My Life by Caroline Grace-Cassidy

The Week I Ruined My Life is the upcoming novel from Irish writer and actress Caroline Grace-Cassidy. Released in June, the book takes an interesting look at a failing marriage and realities one can face.

Ali Devlin never had any doubts when she glided up the aisle to marry her childhood sweetheart, Colin Devlin. But two beautiful children and twelve years can change all that. Ali can no longer relate to the man she fell in love with. He is there, everyday, a committed father but in her eyes, a failing husband. A civil word is hard to find and the vows she readily took are becoming more and more difficult to fulfil. When she decides to go back to work after being a stay at home mother for years, things in the marriage go from bad to worse.

Reigniting her passion for the arts, Ali finds her dream job at the City Arts Centre and despite Colin’s protests that she is neglecting her family and her perpetual guilt as a working mother, she stays in the job. And when she meets artist-in-residence Owen O’ Neill, she can’t help but compare him to Colin. He is everything her husband isn’t any more: attentive, funny, respectful, caring, charming and undeniably sexy. There is chemistry but Ali isn’t the type of woman to have an affair – or is she? Unsure of everything in her life, a work trip to Amsterdam brings it all to a head.  

Life can spiral on a moment with the realisation of what is truly important in our lives. As events dramatically and unexpectedly unfold in front of her, Ali realises what were the only important things all along. Now it’s time to stand on her own two feet, whatever the consequences.

NEW RELEASE: Mothers and Daughters by Minna Howard

Mothers and Daughters by Minna Howard is one of the exciting new releases from Aria. It follows newly-widowed Alice, who has to navigate a life full of new changes, and some secrets, too.

Alice finds herself suddenly widowed in her early forties, leaving her with an empty house and a lonely heart. 

Laura and Evie, her twenty-something daughters announce their separate and unexpected news, which ploughs Alice straight out of grieving and into the prospect planning a wedding and becoming a reluctant – yet glamorous – granny, to not one, but three grandchildren.

Frank, an old family friend returns to give his godchild Laura away at her wedding. 

A whole host of secrets unfold that rock the family's foundations and set Alice free to finally begin a new, exciting chapter of her life with no regrets. 

BLOG TOUR: Faith Hogan

Today we're joined by the lovely Faith Hogan, whose novel My Husband's Wives was published on May 1st. The book focuses on four woman who are brought together in a rather unlikely way...

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
Hi Elle, it’s lovely to be here, on Chicklit Uncovered to tell you a little about My Husband’s Wives!

It is a contemporary story of love lost and found, of jealousy, misunderstanding and new beginnings.

What inspired you to write My Husband's Wives?
The book began with the premise of what if? I liked the idea of a world turning on the opening of a front door. It is however very much a character driven book, so really, the four women of the story brought it to its conclusion far more than I did.

Where do you do most of your writing?
Now, I write in a home office. It is upstairs and surrounded by bedrooms and the only window is a sky light, which reduces the distractions. I had my choice of rooms when the kids were small and they didn’t have the where with all to choose where they wanted to be. For the novels, I need a quiet space to call my own. Planning and working on more than one project at a time takes the kind of organisation that could eat up my time if I had to set up fresh every time I came back to the desk.
I quite envy people who write in cafes, but I couldn’t see that working for me, I know too many people and I could imagine I’d spend my time chatting or worse eating cake all day!

What is your favourite book?
Where to start! The book I loved as a teenager was Ivanhoe. I also loved Emma and Pride and Prejudice. I grew up on mysteries mostly, so I devoured Agatha Christie and Sherlock Holmes.
In the last few years, I really enjoyed Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey and Eggshells by an Irish writer Catriona Lally. I adore Alan Bennet – then again, who doesn’t and my agent pointed me in the direction of Kate Morton, Frances Brody and Anne Tyler, all of whom I’ve really enjoyed recently.

Which part of My Husband's Wives did you enjoy writing the most?
It had to be Annalise. I had such fun with her. For me, her voice was so clearly in my mind that there were times when I knew I should get up and leave the book behind but she just would not let me go. Unfortunately, the publishing business is such that some of her had to succumb to the brutality of my electronic scissors, but still, I feel I know her and enjoyed her best of all. Would we be friends if she were real? We live in different worlds, but she’s one of those people that yes, I think when we’d meet we would laugh a lot.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
This is easy – it has to be Emma. I think, she’s a little like Annalise… (perhaps that should be the other way round!)

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Like many ‘new’ writers, I have a stack of work that I felt ready to publish many times over the years. Again and again, my agent said that the right publisher would come along. It is (once the writing is half decent,) often a question of timing, but it is worth waiting for the right person to pick up your manuscript.

There is no greater joy than being told that a publisher wants to sign you and my advice is, if you have someone who knows the business, listen to them. If they know what they’re talking about and they have a track record, then pay attention to what they tell you. It’s worth waiting for a little while to work with good people – after all, it’s in your interest to place your book in the best hands possible.

On the other hand, don’t take to heart what people who haven’t the first clue about publishing have to say to you. There are more writer’s forums and courses and creative weekends out there now than you can shake a hat at. Make sure, if you’re spending money that the person giving the course has some track record, that they are published and have achieved some sort of success. Otherwise, you’re better off going out and purchasing a copy of Stephen King’s ‘On Writing,’ or Betsy Lerner’s ‘The Forest for the Trees.’

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
I have Book 2 due with the publishers at the end of May. So it’s in good shape, but there’s always something to be done! I’m really excited about it. It’s a completely different story again with a back story that brings you to a different age!

And, I have an idea for Book 3… now, there’s a woman whispering in my ear and I have a feeling life is just about to get a bit more interesting for her…

Thanks for having me to visit on Chicklit Uncovered, I’ll be keeping an eye out for new releases and reviews!

Thanks, Faith!

My Husband’s Wives by Faith Hogan
Better to have loved and lost, than never loved.

Paul Starr, Irelands leading cardiologist, dies in a car crash with a pregnant young woman by his side.
United in their grief and the love of one man, four women are thrown together in an attempt to come to terms with life after Paul. They soon realise they never really knew him at all.

The love they shared for Paul in his life and which incensed a feeling of mistrust and dislike for each other, in his death turns into the very thing that bonds them and their children to each other forever.
As they begin to form unlikely friendships, Paul's deaths proves to be the catalyst that enables them to become the people they always wanted to be.

About Faith Hogan

Faith Hogan was born in Ireland.  She gained an Honours Degree in English Literature and Psychology from Dublin City University and a Postgraduate Degree from University College, Galway.  She has worked as a fashion model, an event’s organiser and in the intellectual disability and mental health sector.

She was a winner in the 2014 Irish Writers Centre Novel Fair – an international competition for emerging writers.

Her debut novel, ‘My Husband’s Wives,’ is a contemporary women’s fiction novel set in Dublin. It will be published by Aria, (Head of Zeus) on 1st of May 2016.   She is currently working on her next novel.

Contact Faith Hogan

Faith Hogan’s debut novel, ‘My Husband’s Wives,’ is published on 1st of May 2016 by Aria (Head of Zeus). It is currently available to pre-order on Amazon and all good E-reading sites. Faith lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, children, a very fat cat called Norris and a selection of (until recently!) idle writerly mugs and cups.  Follow Faith on Twitter at @gerhogan or like her on Facebook.comFaithhoganauthor/ or, if you’re really interested, you can catch up with her on www.faithhogan.com.

NEW RELEASES: The Nearness of You by Sareeta Domingo

The Nearness of You by Sareeta Domingo is released today (review coming soon!) What would you do if the person you love was in love with your best friend?

Falling in love isn't a choice.

Since the moment they met, Ryan and Taylor have shared an unspoken bond. Taylor's drawn to Ryan more strongly than she thought possible and for some reason only he seems able to lift her out of the darkness in her past. 

But Ryan is with Marcy - her best friend. 

Marcy stood by Taylor when everything else had fallen apart, and Taylor refuses to risk their friendship now. Somehow she needs to resist what she's feeling. Yet, when Marcy leaves for a few weeks just as Ryan moves in to their shared flat, the tension grows to unbearable proportions. As the line between right and wrong becomes blurred, Taylor will have to decide whether she can - or should - turn away from what might be the love of her life.

Evocative, moving and heartrendingly romantic, this is a story about real life, true love and the power of friendship.