I’m joining the blog tour today for For the Love of Grace by Andy Blackman, due for publication by Clink Street Publishing on 27th September. With thanks to Rachel Gilbey of Authoright, I have a guest post from the author on his favourite books. Let’s take a look at the blurb for this one…
Grace Backer had a life full of tragedy. But despite everything, she raised her son, Tom, with her secret intact. Tom is a prodigal child, destined to escape the slums of the East End of London for a better life; circumstances will make him flee his loving mother and their home much sooner than expected. Tom starts a new life in Odessa, Russia, and with the help of new-found friends starts a business. At last, he is finally accepted into a new and loving family, but one which holds its own dark secrets.
A chance meeting with the son of a duke of the realm leads to close friendship and a new business partnership. When Tom decides to move his company to London and have his regal new friend run it, the firm thrives. However, not everything is as it seems, and Tom’s business soon conceals dangerous secrets of its own. Years later, when Tom finally decides to return to London, he is a wanted man, one hunted by the intelligence agencies. If he is finally to be reunited with his beloved mother and his best friend, he must fight to put the past behind him. But keeping secrets is never easy.
One you like the look of? Here’s Andy talking about his favourite books and authors:
I have always been an avid book reader, and over the years I have had many favourite authors and books, so picking a top five is quite a difficult task, but I will try. My first has to be the author Wilbur Smith: I have always found his style of writing compelling and his descriptions within his books, are sometime most vivid and you can actually picture the places of them in your mind’s eye. I especially enjoyed the Courtney family struggle in Africa, his writing draws you in, so his books are hard to put down.
My second author that I admire is Clive Cussler: his Dirk Pitt novels are again well written and very graphic and you always seem to root for Dirk to succeed. My third is Dan Brown: I find his books compelling, and well written, what I brilliant about his books they are always well researched and very factual, and mostly always controversial so he is definitely in my top five.
My fourth author has to be Jeffrey Archer – perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea, but I find the diversity of his books most refreshing as he does not stick to one theme, his book are a nice light read with always a twist.
And for my fifth, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck: this was the first book I read in school, and the book kicked started my love of reading. I found the book so well written that even today I still remember the story. I think a good author or book, should be one that years later you can still remember and recall.
Thank you Andy. I must admit there’s not a great deal that links our favourite books – but I will admit to secretly rather enjoying some of Jeffrey Archer’s books too!
(For US readers, Andy’s book will be available through Barnes & Noble.)
About Andy Blackman
After serving in the British Army for over twenty-five years in the Parachute Regiment, Andy Blackman today lives in Bedworth, Warwickshire and works within in the IT sector. In his spare time he can be found visiting his three daughters and grandchildren.