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About a Book


Ask an author which of their own books is their favourite and I suspect it’s like asking a parent to say which child they love best; it can’t be done. Turning the Tide will always be dear to me because it was my first full-length novel and it earned me a publishing contract. I’m proud of Move Over Darling because I wrote it during a very tough period with Stuff Happening externally and a crippling lack of self-confidence internally. Getting through that long dark night of the writing soul taught me a lot. Oh, but I did love writing Book 3!

I loved returning to Little Spitmarsh, the setting for Turning the Tide, I loved seeing what Harry and Matthew had been up to and I loved my new heroine and hero. And fortunately, phew, everyone at Choc Lit loved them too and I was offered a new contract faster than I dared hope. One thing they didn’t love, though, was the title, so my working title went out the window and a new one was born, Follow a Star.

Then I waited for my cover. Now, cover design is an art I can only admire as it’s something I can’t pretend to understand. We all know a bad cover when we see one, but a good one? I had a choice of four designs to choose from and could have lived with any of them, but v.1 was deemed the favourite. And with a couple of tweaks and some sparkle, there was my girl, May, contemplating her future, just as I imagined her. Amazing!

Follow a Star is part of Choc Lit’s 2014 selection so won’t be out until early next summer, but Move Over Darling is currently on promotion in the Amazon Kindle summer sale at 99p and $1.51



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Comments

Maggie Christie said…
MOD is definitely my favourite so far (I love a good soundtrack and well, phwoar Gethin), but then I did really love TTT and I can't wait to revisit Little Spitmarsh in FAS. Great cover (but sooooo long to wait!) Will you be continuing the three word title theme with book 4?
28 July 2013 at 05:21
Jane Lovering said…
It is such a beautiful cover - and I'm sure what's inside will be just as exciting! 2014 seems a long way away, but I bet it will be here in a flash.
28 July 2013 at 05:38
Chris Stovell said…
Mags, your enthusiasm for MOD gave me hope at a very tense time and I'll always be grateful for that! I have something a bit different in mind for Book 4 and, at the moment, a two word title... but what do I know?! x

Do you have a favourite novel, Jane, from your growing body of work? I loved VSoM (well, I loved them all of course, but especially that one!) so am really looking forwards to 'Falling Apart'.
28 July 2013 at 07:51
Elizabeth Musgrave said…
I loved Move over too, although I had hugely enjoyed TTT! Just look, you too have a growing body of work! How fabulous.
28 July 2013 at 11:05
Linda Mitchelmore said…
Whoops, I commented and then friend the lot....silly me. So, take two....I've read both your books now and while Move Over Darling is my fave of the two I loved the setting of Little Spitmarsh and will be more than happy to return there for a little while It's great when the writing flows and you get such a great response as you have done with Book Three.....on with the next now. Congratulations.
28 July 2013 at 14:43
Chris Stovell said…
I still have to pinch myself, Elizabeth - back in the Green Duck days it's something I only dreamt of!

Thanks, Linda, and how kind of you to read both. Here's to our 2014 babies!
29 July 2013 at 02:30
Deborah Carr (Debs) said…
Congratulations, Chris. I love the Choc Lit covers, they're always so beautiful. I can't wait to read FAS and love the thought of revisiting Little Spitmarsh!
29 July 2013 at 14:09
Chris Stovell said…
Thank you, Debs - I'm so pleased with the cover and I really enjoyed writing this one too.
29 July 2013 at 14:17
Frances said…
Chris, I do like that cover design for the new novel, and am now impatient to read it, to find out what's been happening to those Little Spitmarsh folks.

Now...let me click over to email a message to you and Tom.

xo
29 July 2013 at 16:19
Flowerpot said…
Oh how exciting - I was thinking of you the other day as I was interviewing someone in a setup very similar to Little Spitmarsh!
30 July 2013 at 03:19
Preet said…
Oh my goodness! I LOVE the cover! I can not wait to get my hands on this book!
30 July 2013 at 06:28
Chris Stovell said…
Frances, thank you - and for your lovely email, am about to reply! x

Sue, we're taking Ma up to the East Anglian coast this summer so I'm looking forwards to revisiting one of the places that inspired Little Spitmarsh.

Chanpreet, I'm so pleased! As you can tell, I really enjoyed this one. Thank you!
31 July 2013 at 03:27
Unknown said…
What a gorgeous cover Chris, can't wait to read the book!
8 August 2013 at 08:15
Unknown said…
What a gorgeous cover Chris, can't wait to read the book!
8 August 2013 at 08:16
Chris Stovell said…
... is the right answer, Janice! Thank you :)!
13 August 2013 at 00:39
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