Taking a short break!

Chick Lit Uncovered will be taking a short break (due to novel edits!) and will return in a month for more reviews and plenty of  new summer reads!

However, Uncovered will be taking part in International Chick Lit Month, so head on over to read posts from chick-lit authors around the world throughout the month of May.

BOOK NEWS: The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance by Kirsty Greenwood

The Vintage Guide to Love and Romance is the next novel from Kirsty Greenwood, author of Yours Truly, and the founder of fab chick-lit website Novelicious.com. (And isn't the cover gorgeous?) Party girl Jess is forced to get help from her grandmother Matilda, who's also having a hard time. Until Matilda's 1950s life-guides give them both the opportunity they need...

Jessica Beam is a girl who knows how to party. Only lately she's been forgetting to turn up for work on time. Or in clean clothes. Down on her luck, out of a job and homeless, Jess seeks the help of her long-lost grandmother.

Things aren't going well for Matilda Beam, either. Her 1950s Good Woman guide books are out of print, her mortgage repayments are staggering and her granddaughter wears neon Wonderbras.
When a lifeline from a London publisher arrives, the pair have an opportunity to secure the roof over their heads - by invigorating the Good Woman guides and transforming modern, rebellious Jess into a demure vintage lady.

The true test of their make-over will be to capture the heart of notorious London playboy Leo Frost and prove that Matilda's guides still work. It's going to take commitment, nerves of steel and one seriously pointy bra to pull this off . . .

BOOK NEWS: Always the Bridesmaid by Lindsey Kelk

Fans of Lindsey Kelk's hilarious romantic 'I Heart' series will be thrilled to know that Lindsey's new novel will be published next month. Always the Bridesmaid will be released in May, in which perpertual bridesmaid Maddie finds herself juggling her own life with those of her friends...

Everyone loves a bridesmaid - except Maddie, who’s perpetually asked to be one.

Everyone loves a wedding - except Maddie’s best friend, who’s getting divorced.

And everyone loves the way Maddie’s so happy behind the scenes - except Maddie herself.

One best friend is in wedding countdown while the other heads for marriage meltdown. And as Maddie juggles her best chance at promotion in years with bridezilla texts and late-night counselling sessions, she starts to wonder – is it time to stop being the bridesmaid?

BLOG TOUR: Interview with Elle Field, author of Lost

Last year we spoke to the lovely Elle Field about her novels Kept and Geli Voyante's Hot or Not. And yesterday saw the release of Elle's latest book, Lost. Lost is the sequel to Kept, focusing on Arielle Lockley (and there'll be a third book in the series released later this year!) Elle has stopped by on her Lost blog tour to answer our weekly questions...

So, what have you been up to since we last spoke to you?
Working hard on getting Lost finished, the second book in the Arielle Lockley series. I've also transitioned from being an author with a day job who writes when she can, to an author who spends half the year working in a day job and half the year writing books. I'm thrilled to have more time to write.

Can you tell us more about your latest book, Lost?
Of course! Lost begins two months after the end of Kept, and Arielle is busy planning her shop launch in London, as well as her wedding to Piers. With a new-found foe interfering with her business decisions, not to mention haughty wedding planners and loved ones facing personal struggles, Arielle needs to figure out what's important before all is lost.

What are you reading at the moment?
I'm on a bit of a crime thrillers spree at the moment, and am working my way through Black Wood by S.J.I. Holliday and Prey by James Carol. Chick-lit wise, I recently read Tied Up with Love by Amelia Thorne. I really loved it!

Are there any authors who have inspired you?
It's great to see authors who were originally self-published getting traditional publishing deals or being hybrid authors. It's even better to see that they are doing so well! Rachael Lucas, Anna Bell, Talli Roland and Cathy Bramley, to name a few, are all so inspirational.

What kind of research did you do for your latest novel?
As Arielle is planning on opening a shop in London, I did lots of research into the retail rental market in London and had fun thinking up her dream shop. This involved research trips to Camden Lock, the King's Road and Covent Garden, as well as trawling through estate agent websites to get an idea of the costs involved. Some places were asking for £250,000 per year, and that was just for the rental charge! I also had to research what it would be like to plan a wedding , picking out dresses and venues for Arielle's big day to Piers, which was a lot of fun. I stuck to online research and bridal magazines as I didn't want to attend wedding fairs and boutiques, not being engaged myself!

What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
I really liked sharing Ob's voice - he writes the prologue and epilogue - and I also enjoyed including a new character who makes trouble for Arielle's business plans. It was lovely to catch up with the characters of Kept again, even though some of them don't have a very happy time throughout the book.

What are you working on next? 
I'll be working on the next, and (probably) final book in the Arielle Lockley series. Found will be out later on in the year, and it may share more of Ob's perspective this time round. I also want to finish writing The Dirtification of Tabitha-Rose, especially since Tabitha has a big part in Lost - in fact, part of her plotline in Lost came out of The Dirtification of Tabitha-Rose. I really love how my characters cross over and pop up in my other books.

Thanks, Elle!

Lost is available in paperback and Kindle format now. If you haven't yet read Kept, the first book in the Arielle Lockley series, buy it here.

You can find out more about Elle Field by visiting her blog or Facebook page, or following her on Twitter.

About Lost

"I'm starting to realise that age is just a number, but Tabitha pointed out I'm only saying that because I'm twenty-five, engaged, and have my life together. (Touch wood things stay that way.)" 

Arielle is back! OK, she's not on her way to becoming the next Coco Chanel, her childhood dream, but she is one way step closer to running her very own shop with her business partner, Felicity. 

She's also planning her perfect romantic wedding to fiancé, Piers, and Arielle is starting to believe that she's finally found her place in the world... 

Of course life is never that straightforward. 

With a new-found foe interfering with her shop decisions, not to mention haughty wedding planners and loved ones facing personal struggles, will Arielle figure out what's important before all is lost? 

About Elle 

Elle Field lives in London with her boyfriend and their cat. She enjoys exploring new places, watching musicals on the West End, and eating her way around London’s culinary delights.

Her first novel Kept was released in April 2013; Geli Voyante’s Hot or Not followed in October 2013. Lost, the sequel to Kept, is out now. Look out for the final book in the Arielle Lockley series, Found, towards the end of the year.

Giveaway!

Enter below to win a paperback set of the Arielle Lockley novels!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

BOOK NEWS: Career Game by Louise Mensch

After her addictive book Beauty, Louise Mensch (otherwise known as Louise Bagshawe) is back this summer with new novel Career Game. Released in June, the novel focuses on Topaz and Rowena, characters from Louise's previous novel Career Girls.

Topaz Rossi and Rowena Krebs are live and kicking. In more ways than one. Music wonder Rowena Krebs is so huge she's now in the Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame. Right at the top of Musica Records. Her old rival, now best friend, Topaz Rossi is a magazine guru in New York, heading up American Magazines. Bright and energetic as the city itself. But things are changing: Rowena senses a shift both in business and on the home front. And Topaz can't work out why the circulation figures are dropping. Something's up. Paradise is a place that can bring trouble... 

UNCOVERED INTERVIEWS: Sue Shepherd

This week we're joined by Sue Shepherd, author of newly-released romantic comedy Doesn't Everyone Have a Secret? in which the lives of three people are about to collide. Not only are all three keeping secrets, but they're also being watched over by guardian angels who are trying to steer them in the right direction! The novel is available now, and after finding about the book we just had to ask Sue more about it...

Tell us about your latest novel in 15 words or less.
Three people with a secret to keep and the angels tasked with caring for them.

What inspired you to write Doesn't Everyone have a Secret?
The idea for the book came about a good few years ago actually. When my children were younger I did a couple of creative writing courses with the author Sophie King. I really enjoyed the courses, those two hours on a Thursday night were very precious to me; they were a chance for me to simply be ‘Sue’ for a while. One night I left my house late, as I so often do, and, because I didn’t want to miss anything I drove a bit too fast through dark country lanes. Fortunately I still arrived safely. We started the class with our usual piece of flash fiction; this is where you simply take ten minutes to write whatever pops into your head. I decided to write a rather irreverent piece about an angel who had been assigned ‘Sue Shepherd’ to watch over for the day. I named the angel Angela and in my short piece of fiction she was complaining that ‘Sue’ was a nightmare to look after. It was just a short jokey piece but the rest of the group liked it and they encouraged me to try expanding on the idea and thus, ‘Doesn’t Everyone Have a Secret?’ was born. The more I wrote, the more I found that the human characters wanted to tell their own secrets and the angels gradually gave the story over to them, but the original idea is still very evident and the angels are an integral part of the book.

Where do you do most of your writing?
I like to write in the lounge. I’m happiest when everyone else is out and I have a silent house and a permanently refilled cup of tea.

What is your favourite book?
I think I’d have to say, The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. I have always adored time travel films and books.  I’m a great lover of a paradox and the fact that the first time Clare meets Henry is not the first time Henry meets Clare is a delightful concept.

Which part of Doesn't Everyone have a Secret did you enjoy writing the most?
I loved writing the funny sections, especially the family humour. However, who wouldn’t enjoy the risky bits? Living dangerously through Steph was great fun.

Who is your favourite literary heroine?
I’m not entirely sure she can be classed as a heroine, but my favourite fictional female is most definitely Charlotte from "Charlotte Sometimes" by Penelope Farmer. Charlotte time travels back more than forty years and finds herself in the shoes of Clare. I remember reading this novel as a child and feeling both scared for Charlotte and a little excited at the same time. This novel most definitely ignited my love of ‘all things time travel’ and I’ve read it on many occasions as an adult since.

Do you have any tips for readers who are looking to become published writers?
Don’t be afraid to show your work and take criticism on board. Ask friends to read your draft. If possible join a writing group. Feedback is invaluable. You can hide away and write forever but ultimately you need to stick your head out from under the parapet and take a chance. I was incredibly nervous when Corazon Books read my first draft but ultimately it was the best thing I could have done. By sharing it I was able to get suggestions of ways to improve it that I would never have thought of. If someone gives you advice take it with an open mind and be prepared to make changes.

Are you working on anything else at the moment and if so, can you tell us?
Yes, I have already begun work on my next book. As my children are older now I have a lot more time to write so I’m hopeful that my second novel will be finished considerably quicker than the first. I’m often asked if the second book is a follow on from ‘Doesn’t Everyone Have A Secret?’ But, I can confirm it’s a completely different story based on a totally different idea. This one is about parallel worlds - a subject I love almost as much as time travel. I’m currently about a third of the way through. A couple of friends have had a look at my ‘work in progress’ and they really like it; they say it’s a very similar mix of humour and grit. I’m really enjoying getting to know my new characters; I just have to keep alert and not confuse my two worlds!

You can find out more about Sue Shepherd at her website.

Doesn't Everyone Have a Secret? by Sue Shepherd
Doesn't Everyone Have a Secret? is a romantic comedy about three very different people, each with a secret, whose lives collide in unexpected ways. 

Steph is a harassed mum who's considering an affair with her children's sexy headmaster. Penny is trying to deal with a crush on her boss, OCD and a sad secret from her childhood. And Mike is a vicar who is being blackmailed for his secret, although it's not all that it seems! 

Meanwhile, all three are being watched over by their own guardian angels, who try to push them in the right direction and help move their lives along - but not always successfully... 

BOOK NEWS: The Chateau on the Lake by Charlotte Betts

The beautiful new historical novel by Charlotte Betts, The Chateau on the Lake, will be released in early May, is set in the time of the French Revolution and follows teacher Madeleine who travels to France in search of her family.

1792. As a teacher at her parents' Academy for Young Ladies in the heart of London, Madeleine Moreau has lived her life sheltered from the outside world. But on the night of a dazzling Masquerade, tragedy strikes and she is left alone in the world. Desperate to find the family she never knew, Madeleine impulsively travels to France in search of them. But with war around the corner, and fearing for Madeleine's safety, the enigmatic Comte Etienne d'Aubery offers her protection at his home, Chateau Mirabelle. Chateau Mirabelle enchants Madeleine with its startling beauty, but it is a place of dark and haunting secrets. As the Revolution gathers momentum and the passions of the populace are enflamed, Madeleine must take control of her own destiny and unravel events of the past in order to secure a chance of future happiness. The Chateau on the Lake is an enthralling historical novel set during the time of the French Revolution; rich, evocative and immersive. If you love Philippa Gregory and Joanne Harris, you will adore Charlotte Betts.