crime fiction

Author Interview – Wendy H Jones – A Right Cozy Historical Crime

March 6, 2026 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Wendy H Jones and Lynsey Adams (Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog) for images for this interview. Many thanks to the other authors in the anthology for their author head shots. Other images created in Book Brush using their images or Pixabay ones.

It is with great pleasure I welcome back Wendy H Jones to Chandler’s Ford Today. As part of a book tour organised by Lynsey Adams of Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog, I quiz Wendy about the latest book to come from Wendy’s publishing company, Scott and Lawson – A Right Cozy Historical Crime. This volume is part of a series of Right Cozy crime books (the others so far are A Right Cozy Christmas Crime and A Right Cozy Culinary Crime).

Tags: A Right Cozy Historical Crime, anthology, author interview, creative writing, crime fiction, historical fiction, history in story form, mixing fictional genres, Scott and Lawson Publishing, short stories, Wendy H Jones

Meeting Miriam Drori: Loyalty and the Learner

October 11, 2024 By Allison Symes 2 Comments

Image Credits:- Many thanks to Lynsey Adams from Reading Between The Lines Vlog and to Miriam Drori for supplying author/poster photos, book cover pictures, and to Miriam specifically for images relating to the world of her stories with additional information given in the captions. One image taken as a screenshot from Miriam’s website. Other images were created in Book Brush using either Pixabay images or photos provided by Miriam/Lynsey. Screenshots were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Miriam Drori to Chandler’s Ford Today. Miriam and I met at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick in August and it was lovely to chat in person. We took part in the Open Prose Mic Night there.

Tags: blog tours, book launches, book marketing, creative writing, crime fiction, Jerusalem Murder Mystery Series, Loyalty and the Learner, Miriam Drori, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, the writing life, writing crime, writing routines

Behind The Curtain with Anita D Hunt

September 27, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Lynsey Adams for supplying book cover, blog tour, and author pics. Many thanks to Anita D Hunt for supplying images from Cornwall relating to Behind The Curtain. Images of Anita from The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by Keith Hinchy. Other Swanwick images were taken by me, Allison Symes, as was the screenshot of Anita’s fascinating memory workbooks. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay images with some directly from Pixabay.

It is with great pleasure I welcome debut novelist and fellow Swanwicker, Anita D Hunt, to Chandler’s Ford Today. Anita’s novel, Behind the Curtain, is a domestic noir published by SpellBound Books.

The novel was launched at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick following its release in paperback on 2nd August. Anita had the joy of signing copies in the Book Room, almost literally hot off the press.

Tags: am reading, am writing, Anita D Hunt. Behind The Curtain, author inspiration, blurbs, book blog tours, book launch, Cornwall Writers, creating characters, crime fiction, domestic noir, Lynsey Adams, marketing, Reading Between The Lines Book Vlog, Spellbound Books, The Writers' Summer School - Swanwick, themes, writing groups, writing journey

Author Interview – Val Penny – Hunter’s Rules and Book Blog Tour Organiser interview – Lynsey Adams

July 26, 2024 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Val Penny and Lynsey Adams for author, book cover, and blog tour pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One image directly from Pixabay. Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is with great pleasure I welcome back Val Penny to Chandler’s Ford Today. Val is renowned for her DI Hunter Wilson mysteries and the latest one in the series, Hunter’s Rules, is now out via her new publisher, SpellBound Books. This interview forms part of a blog tour organised by Lynsey Adams (of Reading Between The Lines Book Vlog).

For this post, I will be putting a couple of questions to Lynsey about organising blog tours and what authors need to think about before approaching blog tour organisers.

I’ll also be discussing Val’s new book with Val. We all hope you find this interesting. There will be plenty of useful tips and advice here.

Tags: book blog tour, book launch for Hunter's Rules, crime fiction, DI Hunter Wilson Series, Harrogate Crime Festival, Hunter's Rule, Lynsey Adams, Spellbound Books, tips for writers re book blog tours, tips on book blog tours, Val Penny, writing series novels

Author Interview: Val Penny – Hunter’s Secret, Advice on Writing a Series, and Blog Tours

October 13, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:- Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Many thanks to Val Penny for supplying book and author photos and some fabulous shots of Edinburgh. Photos of The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is always a joy to welcome authors to Chandler’s Ford Today and it is especially lovely to welcome back Scottish crime writer, Val Penny. I interviewed Val in June. She is a busy soul with a new book out and a new role at The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick as well.

She also has huge experience of blog tours which form a major marketing “foundation” for many authors when it comes to launching new books. More on that shortly. Val’s latest book is Hunter’s Secret, the latest in her fabulous DCI Hunter Wilson series (also known as the Edinburgh Crime Mysteries so no prizes for guessing where the setting is!).

Tags: advice on writing a book series, blog tour, book launch, crime fiction, Hunter's Secret, preparing for publication day, publication news, Spellbound Books, The Writers' Summer School at Swanwick, Val Penny, writing series

Val Penny – Author Interview and News Update

June 9, 2023 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Val Penny for supplying author and book cover pictures and some wonderful shots of Edinburgh. Photos connected to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

It is with great pleasure I welcome Scottish crime writer, Val Penny, back to Chandler’s Ford Today.

Naturally, she has been busy since we last spoke and is now on the Committee for The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick as well.

Committee service is voluntary, but it can be rewarding. Most writers like to give back in some way. This is one way to do just that. The school couldn’t run without its volunteers.

So over to Val with the questions.

Tags: am reading, am writing, author news, classes, creative writing, crime fiction, detective series, fiction, publication news, Spellbound Books, The Writers' Summer School, Val Penny, workshops

Val Penny: The Hunter Wilson Series and Blog Tours

August 19, 2022 By Allison Symes Leave a Comment

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Val Penny for supplying author pictures and book cover shots. Other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or were directly from Pixabay. Photo of Val Penny taken at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School taken by me, Allison Symes.

It is a pleasure to welcome back Scottish crime writer, Val Penny, to Chandler’s Ford Today. The latest book in her Hunter Wilson series, Hunter’s Chase, is out on 20th August. (This will be the day after the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School finishes this year, which is where I first met Val).

Val Penny about to share excellent advice on Promoting Your Work at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School.

So I thought I’d chat to Val about the joys and trials of writing a continuing series with the same lead character and about blog tours – what they are, how can you organise them, and so on.

So with no further ado, it’s over to Val. Welcome back to Chandler’s Ford Today, Val!

Tags: am reading. writing community, am writing, blog tours, crime fiction, crime writer, marketing, The Edinburgh mysteries, The Hunter Wilson series, Val Penny, writer

crime fiction

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Wendy H Jones and Lynsey Adams (Reading Between the Lines Book Vlog) for images for this interview. Many thanks to the other authors in the anthology for their author head shots. Other images created in Book Brush using their images or Pixabay ones.

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Image Credits:-

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Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Val Penny and Lynsey Adams for author, book cover, and blog tour pictures. Other images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. One image directly from Pixabay. Screenshot taken by me, Allison Symes.

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Image Credits:- Some images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos. Many thanks to Val Penny for supplying book and author photos and some fabulous shots of Edinburgh. Photos of The Hayes Conference Centre, Swanwick were taken by me, Allison Symes.

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Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Val Penny for supplying author and book cover pictures and some wonderful shots of Edinburgh. Photos connected to The Writers’ Summer School, Swanwick, were taken by me, Allison Symes. Other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos.

Share this:

Image Credits:-

Many thanks to Val Penny for supplying author pictures and book cover shots. Other images were created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos or were directly from Pixabay. Photo of Val Penny taken at the Swanwick Writers’ Summer School taken by me, Allison Symes.

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