Quick Reads
16 June 2008
Yes, being an author is not quite like other jobs. I sometimes think it is the world's best part time occupation. Then I realise that at other periods it is like holding down two or three positions at once.
Even between books - which is where I am now - there can be lots to do. Plus the itch in the back of your mind where your next novel will grow. If you don't scratch it too soon, that is.
I've been working on the usual things - blogs, press articles, interviews and so on. Also, I am writing a Quick Read. So I thought I'd just tell you exactly what that is.
If you visit the Quick Reads website, you will discover that:
Quick Reads are short, exciting books by bestselling authors and celebrities for adults who are new to reading, have lost the reading habit, or who prefer a quick read. Quick Reads are available from many supermarkets, bookshops and online at just £1.99.
They are really good. Happy Families by Adèle Parks was the winner at the Quick Reads Learners' Favourite Award 2008. It goes like this:
Lisa is forty-two, divorced and a mum of three. For the past year, Lisa has been going out with Mark, who is five years younger than her. Lisa really likes him but she worries that one day he will leave - just like her ex-husband did. On top of everything else, Lisa feels really tired and moody, and has put on weight. She thinks it’s the menopause but could there be another reason for how she’s feeling?
Lisa’s life is about to change in a big way but does she want Mark by her side? Does he even want to be there? With the help of her family and friends, Lisa starts to believe that a second chance of love and happiness might just be possible…
Adele says she wrote Happy Families with a particular audience in mind - 'adults who have lost or never had the reading habit'. Accepting the award, she said: 'Everybody who gets involved in Quick Reads is committed, we all want to make a difference, and so I’d like to accept this award on behalf of all those who have worked on this terrific project.'
I'm basing mine on a story that didn't make it into the final cut of Labyrinth. I hope people like it.
A quick read from the Labyrinth and the Sepulchre ...
