Difference between revisions of "Features"

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Check out the full lists of [[:Category: Interviews|interviews]], [[:Category: Lists|top tens]] and [[:Category: Comments|articles]].__NOTOC__<!-- Remove -->
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Check out the full lists of [[:Category: Interviews|interviews]], [[:Category: Lists|top tens]] and [[:Category: Comments|articles]].
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2023
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|summary= We've seen some really good self-published books this year: they're up there with the best of traditional publishing.  Here's our top ten, in alphabetical order, by author.
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To O H Robsson
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Jeffrey Dunn
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|summary=Sue thought that [[The Spark by O H Robsson]] was a rewarding read for those who like to get to know their characters - and that it was likely to tempt you into planning a holiday in western Norway.  She had quite a few questions when the author popped in to see us.
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|summary=Jill enjoyed [[Radio Free Olympia by Jeffrey Dunn|Radio Free Olympia]], a story blending prose and poetry with themes of ecology, folklore, love and loss. She didn't think it was the easiest read, but a rewarding one.
 
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|title=May 2013 Newsletter
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|title=How To Write a Fantasy Novel: The Full Guide
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|summary=Hi, hello and how are you?
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|summary=Fantasy has always been our way out of the real world's limitations. It's a space where magic is real, mythical creatures roam, and heroes go on epic quests. This genre is loved by people of all ages and backgrounds. It allows us to explore new worlds and face unimaginable challenges, all without leaving our homes.
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What are you reading? And is it any good? Choosing books is tricky, isn't it? Nobody chooses a book they think they'll hate. It can be even more tricky for reviewers, who have less choice in the books they read. We try to do things a little differently here at Bookbag. Our reviewers choose their own books from our review-copy stock. So they choose, mostly, the books they think they'll like. This does mean that our reviews are skewed to the positive - but it does mean that fans of chick lit are reading reviews by people who also enjoy reading chick lit, not by people who enjoy snotting all over it. So we think our policy leads not only to a happy place for its contributors, but also to a place where niche fans can find reviews by their peers. We like this policy, but we can see why some people wouldn't. And that's why Michael Deacon's hilarious [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/10049454/Dont-make-fun-of-renowned-Dan-Brown.html take-down of Dan Brown] over at the Telegraph made us laugh this month.
 
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But what if you could do more than just visit these magical lands? What if you could create your own? This is the magic of writing a fantasy novel. You have the power to build worlds with your words. You can turn simple ink and paper into landscapes that readers can explore.
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Clive Lawton
 
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|summary=Jill really enjoyed [[Flowers From Fukushima by Clive Lawton]], a haunting story of two survivors in a Japanese post-disaster wasteland. She and Clive ha a lot to talk about when he popped in to see us.
 
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So, get ready for an adventure. This journey is not just about castles and wizards. It's also about the craft of writing. You'll learn to use language and imagination to make a rich, varied story. And who knows what unexplored realms you'll discover along the way?
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Andy Robb
 
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|summary=Robert loved the live-action role playing in [[Geekhood: Mission Improbable by Andy Robb|Geekhood: Mission Improbable]] and he had quite a few questions for author Andy Robb.
 
 
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|title=Emily Murdoch Talks To Bookbag About The Way To Fairyland
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|title=How Can Reading Improve Your Vocabulary: Best Practices
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|summary=Emily Murdoch Talks To Bookbag About The Way To Fairyland
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|summary=Reading is one of the most effective ways to improve your vocabulary. Not only does it expose you to new words and their meanings, but it also allows you to see them used in context, which is essential for understanding and using them correctly. With the rise of language learning apps, such as Promova, many people have turned to technology to improve their vocabulary. However, reading remains a tried-and-true method that has been used for centuries.
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|summary=Emily Murdoch talks to us about the tenuous balance between the head and the heart for an author.
 
 
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|title=Phil Earle Talks To Bookbag About Book Covers
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|title=3 Things You Didn't Know About Ghostwriters
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|summary=Phil Earle thought that he knew about the perfect cover for his book, until the booksellers told him otherwise.
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|summary=How much do you know about ghostwriters? These professionals lurk in the shadows of the publishing industry (both self- and traditional publishing), with most members of the public having only ever heard of them because of the Pierce Brosnan film. Given the awkwardness a lot of people feel toward ghostwriters, it's no surprise that there are a number of misconceptions about what they do, so I'm hoping to clarify three important things in this post.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Will Hill
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Conrad Delacroix
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|summary=Robert gave five stars to teen novel [[Department 19: Battle Lines by Will Hill|Department 19: Battle Lines]] and he had quite a few questions for author Will Hill when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Sue really enjoyed [[The Lensky Connection by Conrad Delacroix|The Lensky Connection]], a thriller set primarily in Russia.  She had quite a few questions for author Conrad Delacroix when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
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|title=April 2013 Newsletter
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2022
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|summary=It ''still'' doesn't feel like spring, does it? A bright and breezy greeting is rather beyond us this month. We have gone into a slough of despond about the weather - and the loss of most of the soft fruit that ''should'' have been coming from our gardens this summer. Meh.
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|summary=We're constantly amazed at the quality of the self-published books which come our way and we've seen some real gems in 2022. Here they are, in alphabetical order, by author:
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On the upside, Granta have produced their list of the best of young British novelists for the twenty-teens. You can see who they are [http://www.granta.com/Archive/123  here]. Do you agree with the choices? If not, who would have been your choices? Everyone on the list is getting a turn on Radio 4's [http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01s0f63 Book at Bedtime] at the moment. We don't listen at bedtime any more, but we always catch up on iPlayer. Gotsta love the good old interweb, aintcha?
 
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To SJ Griffin
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|title=3 Things You Should Know About Literary Agents
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|summary=Jill thought that [[The Vanguard by SJ Griffin]] was an enjoyable post-catastrophe mystery thriller with enough twists and turns to shake a stick at with a super, unexpected ending and absorbing characters. She and SJ had plenty to chat about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.  
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|summary=If you're all set to publish your novel, it might be time to [https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-find-a-literary-agent/ get yourself a literary agent]. Since you're essentially picking the person responsible for presenting and marketing your book to the world, this is no easy task. When you've sent your [https://blog.reedsy.com/guide/how-to-write-a-query-letter/ query letters] and started getting responses, these tips will help you choose the right person for you.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Graham Thomas
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|title=Lolita Book Review: Most Important Things to Know
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|summary=Jill enjoyed [[Maria & The Devil by Graham Thomas]].  It's a dark revenge fantasy with a western flavour in which themes of revenge, strong storytelling and evocative descriptions of landscape and setting combine to create a thoroughly enjoyable read. There was planty to chat about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Lolita, a highly controversial book, is not subject to bans in American schools. Here are the most important things you need to know about it.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Janine A Southard
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|title=Stylish Restaging of The Crucible is All Show and No Substance, According to Reviews
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|summary=Jill thought that [[Queen & Commander (A Hive Queen Novel) by Janine A Southard|Queen & Commander]] by Janine A Southard was an enjoyable space opera and a fun read with plenty of potential to take the disparate central characters further.  She had a few questions for Janine when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=The Crucible is a tragedy that’s been debated and discussed for many years. Its current running in theaters has received a rather intriguing review. Keep reading to find out more.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Laura Jarratt
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|title=How Bar Modeling Makes Word Problems Easy in Singapore Math
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|summary=Robert loved [[By Any Other Name by Laura Jarratt]] and thought it just as good as her debut [[Skin deep by Laura Jarratt|Skin Deep]], so he was delighted when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
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|summary=Singapore Mathematics is a unique way of presenting this science. Parents and teachers will be able to understand and explain to children the simplest mathematical processes using images.  
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Mac Carty
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|title=Finding More Time For Reading
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|summary=Sue found [[The Vagaries Of Swing (Footprints on the Margate Sands of Time) by Mac Carty]] thought provoking  and she loved the humour. There was quite a lot she wanted to discuss with the author when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=If there is one thing that a lot of people could benefit from having more of in their lives, it's [[A Bookbagger's View:What it's like to be a reviewer|literature]]. Plenty of us have gone through this experience of suddenly finding that we are not reading as much as we used to. There are a lot of possible reasons for this, and it's something that you might be able to approach in a number of ways if you want to make sure that you are getting back into reading again. But one of the most important parts of this is probably that you are able to find enough time for reading, and that can be harder than you might initially think.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Mark Lingane
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown and Randall S Peterson about Disaster in the Boardroom: Six Dysfunctions Everyone Should Understand
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|summary=Ani really enjoyed Mark Lingane's genre-busting novel [[Beyond Belief by Mark Lingane|Beyond Belief]] and she had quite a few questions for him when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Sue was absolutely riveted to [[Disaster in the Boardroom: Six Dysfunctions Everyone Should Understand by Gerry Brown and Randall S Peterson]].  It's brilliantly readable but rather frightening: people's lives and livelihoods could be in the hands of company boards which are dysfunctional.  Sue wanted to know more.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Luisa Plaja
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2021
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|summary=One of our favourite authors, [[:Category:Luisa Plaja|Luisa Plaja]] has been involved in something rather exciting. She popped in to bookbag Towers to tell us all about it.  
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|summary= We thought that 2020 was a strange year but 2021 has been equally so. Once again we've been amazed by the quality of self-published books which have come our way. Last year's top ten consisted of eleven books (maths never was our strong point...) but this year we're going to have to make it a baker's dozen as we really couldn't split them apart. Here they are, in alphabetical order, by author...
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Lauren Oliver
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|title=How to Write a Standout Book Review in a Saturated Market
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|summary=Robert thought that [[Requiem by Lauren Oliver]] was an absolutely stunning read and the best in the Delirium trilogy.  As you can imagine they had a lot to chat about when Lauren popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Book reviews are a crucial tool for the reading community — it’s via these that opinions are exchanged, ideas discussed, and recommendations found. But though the growth of book review sites is promising for readers, a saturated market also means that it’s getting increasingly difficult to make your mark as a book reviewer.
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If you’re looking for ways to freshen your voice and make a stronger impression, I’ve got a few tips that might help. As an avid reader of book reviews, I’ve noticed that the ones that stay with me usually follow these three guidelines.
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Justin Huggler
 
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|summary=Ani was ''very'' impressed when she read [[Burden of the Desert by Justin Huggler]] and there was a great deal to discuss when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gail Carriger
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown, Andrew Kakabadse and Filipe Morais about The Independent Director in Society|summary=Sue was an enthusiastic reader of [[The Independent Director in Society: Our current crisis of governance and what to do by Gerry Brown, Andrew Kakabadse and Filipe Morais|The Independent Director in Society: Our current crisis of governance and what to do]] and she had several points she wanted to discuss with the authors when they popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Robert enjoyed YA novel [[Etiquette and Espionage by Gail Carriger|Etiquette and Espionage]] by Gail Carriger, famed for her adult  [[Soulless: The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger|Parasol Protectorate]] series and he was keen to chat to her when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
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|title=March 2013 Newsletter
 
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|summary=Oh, oh, oh. OH! It is March. And it is snowing. What is going on? Snow, fun though it is, does not belong in March. Daffodils belong in March. Where are the daffodils? Meh. Snow aside, how are you?
 
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|title=The CILIP Carnegie Medal 2013
 
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|summary=We've reviewed the books on the shortlist. The winner will be announced at an afternoon ceremony at the Natural History Museum on Wednesday 19 June 2013.
 
 
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|title=Joe Craig Talks To Bookbag About Words, Death and Dilemmas
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|title=Comic Books Where the Bad Guys Won
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|summary=Joe Craig popped ito Bookbag Towers to tell us 'What I’m thinking when I think I’m learning about my audiences (but I’m probably not)'!
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|summary=Comic books and movies, in general, have been given the portrayal of good; always winning and saving the day. however, thanks to the creativity of writers, we have a few writers of comics who have managed to alter this unsaid rule, 'evil wins at the end of the day'. While it may not be a great thought to bear in mind, it is still something a bit fascinating to dwell on. And, we believe that it is a breath of fresh air to discover that we have something different from the cliché where the hero always emerges as the victor.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Antony Wootten
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown About Making a Difference: Leadership, Change and Giving Back the Independent Director Way
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|summary=Sue thought that [[Grown-ups Can't be Friends with Dragons by Antony Wootten]] was the perfect book for the child who struggles with childhood and can't seem to do anything right.  It's not just a good story - there's a subtle message that life will improve. Sue had quite a few questions for Antony when he popped into Bookbag Towers
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|summary=Gerry Brown is so keen to see people geting involved that there's a free digital [https://www.degruyter.com/view/title/580618 download] of this £42 book.
 
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|title=Romantic Novel of the Year 2013
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2020
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|summary=When the categary winners were announced on 26 February [[:Category:Sophie Kinsella|Sophie Kinsella]] was awarded a lifetime achievement award for ''her continued contribution to the wordl of romantic fiction''.
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|summary= In this strangest of years we've been delighted by the self-published books we've read and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres. We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author...
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The five category winners compete for the overall prize which will be announced at the RNA summer party on 16 May.
 
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Marie-Louise Jensen
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander
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|summary=Robert thought that [[Smuggler's Kiss by Marie-Louise Jensen|Smuggler's Kiss]] was an excellent historical adventure with a feisty, resourceful narrator and a wonderful supporting cast.  He was keen to chat to author Marie-Louise Jensen when she popped into Boobag Towers.
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|summary=Sue was so impressed by [[The Radical Innovation Playbook: A Practical Guide for Harnessing New, Novel or Game-Changing Breakthroughs by Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander]] that she wished that she had a good business idea of her own so that she could use the book.  Perhaps that was what she was talking about when Olga and Allen popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Holly Smale
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Andrew Hampshire
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|summary=Robert enjoyed [[Geek Girl by Holly Smale]] and he had plenty of questions for her when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Technology can seem frightening to people who don't have the background. In [[Creating Value Through Technology: Discover the Tech that Can Transform Your Business by Andrew Hampshire|Creating Value Through Technology: Discover the Tech that Can Transform Your Business]] Andrew Hampshire discusses the tech that can add quantifiable value to your business and how to get the most out of it.  He and Sue had a lot to chat about when he dropped into Bookbag Towers.
 
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|title=Daniela Sacerdoti Talks To Bookbag About Her Love Of Reading
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|title=Stand Up to Bullying With a Pulitzer Prize Winner
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|summary=Robert was impressed when he read [[Dreams (Sarah Midnight Trilogy) by Daniela Sacerdoti|Dreams]], the first of the Sarah Midnight Trilogy by Daniela Sacerdoti and we were delighted she popped ito Bookbag Towers to tell us about her love of reading.
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|summary=In every generation, there are kids who become bullies. They bully their siblings, neighbor kids, and their classmates. They seem to believe that other kids look up to them and respect them. That is self-delusion, as most adults are aware, but kids don't have the experience to properly judge what is respect and what is merely fear.
 
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|title=February 2013 Newsletter
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|title=From Sci Fi to Reality: How Dreams Turn Into Innovations
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|summary=Here's a fun piece of book-related news, especially for those of you living in the capital. On the 24th March the National Literacy Trust is organising the first ever UK Fun Run to be run exclusively for an educational or literacy focussed charity. The race will take place in London’s Victoria Park and begin at 11am. With a ''Where’s Wally?'' theme they are hoping to attract a wide range of participants, young and old, from the book-loving community. 1 in 6 adults in the UK have poor literacy which impacts their standard of living, independence and mental wellbeing, so you can see it's a really great cause. Find out more [http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/support/fundraising_and_events/fun_run here].
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|summary=The gap between sci-fi and reality is not so big anymore. You don’t have to go that far back in time to see huge developments in technology. For example, the smartphone has been around for over 10 years now, but if you don’t have one in today’s society, you’d either be seen as crazy or just out of touch.
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To J E Ryder
 
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|summary=Sue hadn't really intended to stay up until four o'clock in the morning reading [[Blood Pool by J E Ryder]] but once she got into the story she ''had'' to know what happened next.  When J E Ryder popped in to Bookbag Towers Sue had quite a few questions for her.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Patricia Watkins
 
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|summary=Sue thoroughly enjoyed [[The Wayward Gentleman: John Theophilus Potter and the Town of Haverfordwest by Patricia Watkins|The Wayward Gentleman: John Theophilus Potter and the Town of Haverfordwest]] and she was delighted when author Patricia Watkins popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
 
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|title=Paula Weston Talks To Bookbag About Her Dream Dinner Party
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|title=5 Great AI books to read in 2020
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|summary=We were very impressed by [[Shadows by Paula Weston]], a book that promises thrilling plots, chemistry between the sassy lead characters and action and delivers. When she mentioned her dinner party we ''had'' to know who's been invited.
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|summary=Artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded into one of the most important technologies in human history. It comes with so many benefits, from improving the efficiency of simple, basic tasks to helping to solve advanced problems by quickly analyzing large data sets.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Laura Lam
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|title=A Baker's Dozen of Books to Keep the Kids Occupied When They Can't Go Out
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|summary=Robert thought that Laura Lam's [[Pantomime by Laura Lam|Pantomime]] was nearly as impossible to review as it was to put down and that this enthralling fantasy was a stunning debut. We ''had'' to have a chat with Laura.
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|summary= Are you running out of inspiration for what to do with the kids when they can't go out? We've come up with a baker's dozen of books to give you some brilliant ideas.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Arthur Plotnik
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2019
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|summary=Robert thought that [[Better Than Great by Arthur Plotnik]] was truly better than great and a fifty-carat, finger-licking-fabulous book which flies in the face of mediocrity.  We ''had'' to chat to the author.
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|summary= We've seen some cracking self-published books this year and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres.  We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author...
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|title=January 2013 Newsletter
 
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|summary=Hi! Hello! Happy New Year! We hope you had a marvellous festive season, weren't in trouble with floods and are about to be happily snowballing rather than in trouble with the white stuff.
 
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We have some great news!
 
 
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|title=Annabel Pitcher Talks To Bookbag About Her New Year Resolutions
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|title=Desiree Villena Talks To Bookbag About 5 Key Tips for Writing a Critical-Yet-Fair Book Review
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|summary=We fell for Annabel Pitcher when we read [[My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece by Annabel Pitcher|My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece]] and we knew that she was one of our favourite authors when we finished [[Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher|Ketchup Clouds]].  She popped into Bookbag Towers to tell us about her New Year resolutions.
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|summary=Writing a book review isn't difficult, you know, but there are a few things you need to keep us in mind.  Desiree Villena gives us five tips.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Natasha Farrant
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melanie Martin
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|summary=We loved [[The Things We Did for Love by Natasha Farrant]] so there was lots to chat about when the author popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=|summary=In [[War and Love: A family's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam by Melanie Martin|War and Love: A family's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam]] Melanie Martin reconstructs what happened to her family in occupied Amsterdam in WWII.  It's a highly compelling if occasionally shocking read.  Days after she finished the book Sue could not stop thinking about what she had read and was delighted when the author agreed to chat with her.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Eve Ainsworth
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|title=Framing the Brexit narrative: immigration, myths and public perception
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|summary=Jill's cheeks ''ached'' when she read [[The Blog of Maisy Malone by Eve Ainsworth|The Blog of Maisy Malone]], so we were really looking forward to a chat with her when she popped into Bookbag Towers.  
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|summary=Loobna Joomun looks at how Brexit is likely to affect the publishing industry - and the wider country.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To R Julian Cox
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|title=8 ways to motivate yourself to write, right NOW by Jessica Jarlvi
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|summary=Sue was impressed when she read R Julian Cox’s eco-thriller [[Shadow on the Sun by R Julian Cox|SHADOW ON THE SUN]], an elegant conflation of fact and fiction which kept her on the edge of her seat.  She and Julian had quite a few things to chat about when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
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|summary=Ever felt that you've hit a brick wall with your writing? Jessica Jarlvi has eight tips yo get you writing again.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Damian O'Brien
 
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|summary=Words have long fascinated Zoë and after reading [[If Houses Why Not Mouses? by Damian O'Brien]] she had quite a few questions to ask the author when he called in to Bookbag Towers.
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Guy Booth
 
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|summary=Sue realised that [[The Arthur Moreau Story by Guy Booth|The Arthur Moreau Story]] by Guy Booth could be read on two levels - and that both were terrifying.  When Guy popped in to Bookbag Towers there were questions to which we needed answers!
 
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{{newfeature
 
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|title=Nefertaru's Story by Deborah White
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|title=Greg Hickey Talks To Bookbag About The Old Guard of Dystopian Fiction
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|summary=This is the story of Nefertaru, a dancer and priestess at the temple of Sekhmet in Ancient Egyptian times. She appears briefly in both [[Wickedness by Deborah White|Wickedness]] and [[Deceit by Deborah White|Deceit]] but is at the heart of the plot of both novels. Sekhmet was the divine consort of the god Ptah, who in later Ancient Egyptian history became merged with the god Thoth.
+
|summary=Where do you go when you move beyond classics like ''1984'' and ''Brave New World''?
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=lists
 
|category=lists
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|title=Richard and Judy Book Club Spring 2013
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2018
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|summary=Richard and Judy have chosen some very good books for us - now we just want spring to hurry up and arrive!
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|summary= Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2018 was difficult as we're constantly surprised at just how good some self-published books are.  Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author...
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=comments
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Rosanne Licata
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|title=James Donald Talks To Bookbag About The Death Of Norman Breyfogle
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|summary=Jill thought that [[Blood Bonds: The Caravan by Rosanne Licata]] was enchanting, romantic and a multi-faceted story.  There was plenty to chat about when Roseanne popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=One of the finest storytellers you've never heard of, who died in September 2018 at the age of 58.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Andy Briggs
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melissa Leet
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|summary=We're really pleased to present an interview with Andy Briggs, author of the excellent [[Rise of the Heroes (Hero.Com) by Andy Briggs|Hero.com]] and [[Council of Evil (Villain.Net) by Andy Briggs|Villain.net]] series and of the superb [[Tarzan: The Greystoke Legacy by Andy Briggs|Tarzan reboot]] (we can't wait for book 3 in February!) amongst his many other talents!
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|summary=Sue was impressed when she read [[Landslide by Melissa Leet|Landslide]] by Melissa Leet and was surprised to find that it was a debut novel. She had quite a few questions for Melissa when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To A R Yoba
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|title=Faiz Kermani talks to Bookbag about how a blue frog is helping Malawi's vulnerable children to live safe, healthy and happy lives
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|summary=[[They Call Me... Montey Greene by A R Yoba|They Call Me... Montey Greene]] is a exciting crime crossing Italy and France and ending up back in the USA.  We managed to catch Abdul as he popped into Bookbag Towers - and we had a few questions for him.
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|summary=Every child has a right to medical care
 
}}
 
}}
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|category=comments
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Patrick Kingsley
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|title=Abi Silver Talks To The Bookbag About A Few Of Her Favourite Things
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|summary=We loved [[How To Be Danish: From Lego to Lund. A Short Introduction to the State of Denmark by Patrick Kingsley]] and when he popped into Bookbag Towers there were quite a few questions we wanted answering!
+
|summary=''We could definitely make a flying car – but that's not the hard part. The hard part is, how do you make a flying car that's super safe and quiet?'': Elon Musk
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}}
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To HM Castor
 
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|summary=We loved HM Castor's [[VIII by HM Castor|VIII]] - the story of Henry VIII and we were fascinated by what she had to tell us when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To A K Hill
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Daniel Peltz
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|summary=We were quietly impressed by [[A Mediocre Man by A K Hill|A Mediocre Man]] and particularly by the way that it touched on so much which is wrong with our world without ever being depressing.  When author A K Hill popped in to Bookbag Towers we had quite a few questions for him.
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|summary=Sue wasn't expecting to enjoy a novel about a ''building'', but was surprised by just how compelling she found [[The Indomitable Chiesa di Santa Maria by Daniel Peltz|The Indomitable Chiesa di Santa Maria]].  There was a lot to chat about when author Daniel Peltz popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=newsletters
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|category=lists
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|title=November 2012 Newsletter
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|title=Top Ten Self-Published Books 2017
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|summary=Hi, hello and welcome! The dreaded Christmas shopping season is rapidly approaching. In fact, by the time this newsletter goes out, you'll probably be stuck in already. So we'll say what we say to you every year: don't forget to buy at least one person at least one book! If you're stuck for ideas, you could always look at our [http://www.thebookbag.co.uk/reviews/index.php?title=Category:Lists lists] section. You'll find many of our favourites, all organised in a way that makes it easy to find a good book for any recipient, no matter their age or interests. We hope you find great gifts for everyone on your list - literary or not - and that you receive some great gifts yourself. And we also hope that the entire shopping experience doesn't make you lose the will to live.
+
|summary= Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2017 was one of the toughest jobs we did all year and involved a great deal of discussion. Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author...
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stefan Bachmann
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Chit Dubey
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|summary=Three years ago a young man emailed to ask if he could review for us.  Normally we wouldn't have considered him - he was fifteen and we don't like putting commercial pressures on people who are still at school.  He lived in Zurich and we don't post books outside the UK.  There was just one thing that we couldn't pass.  He wrote like an angel and over the course of a year Stefan gave us some [[:Category:Reviewed by Stefan Bachmann|wonderful reviews]].  We're not surprised that he has a deal with a major publisher but we are delighted and we certainly were not going to pass the chance to ask Stefan a few questions.
+
|summary=Sue was quietly impressed when she read [[21 Doors to Happiness: Life Through Travel Experiences and Meditation by Chit Dubey]] as it chimed with her personal view of life.  She was delighted when Chit Dubey popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
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{{newfeature
 
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|title=Savita Kalhan Talks To Bookbag About The Long Weekend – The Unused Quote
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|title=Melita Thomas Talks To Bookbag About The King's Pearl: Henry VIII and his Daughter Mary
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|summary=We were impressed by [[The Long Weekend by Savita Kalhan|The Long Weekend]] and Savita had an interesting story for us when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary= Melita Thomas tell us that Mary was a true Renaissance Princess
 
}}
 
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|title=Louisa Reid Talks To Bookbag About All Kinds Of Nasty
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte
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|summary=We thought that [[Black Heart Blue by Louisa Reid|Black Heart Blue]] was incredibly powerful and more than a little bit frightening.  Louisa Reid popped into Bookbag Tower to tell us about ''All Things Nasty''.
+
|summary=Peter thought that [[The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership by Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte|The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership]] was the best book on leadership he'd ever read and he couldn't resist asking authors Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte quite a few questions when they came to Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=interviews
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Cath Crowley
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs
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|summary=This has been an incredible year for YA contemporary books, and James would be hard-pressed to choose his favourite. A strong contender, though, would be the long-awaited UK release of Cath Crowley's [[Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley|Graffiti Moon]], an enchanting story of one incredible night. It's lyrical, romantic, and full of wonderful characters. He was absolutely thrilled to be able to talk to Cath Crowley about it!
+
|summary=Luke thought that [[Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs]] was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose. There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=interviews
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Danaan Elderhill
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona
−
|summary=Danaan Elderhill brought a little magic into our lives with her book [[The Magic Book of Cookery by Danaan Elderhill|The Magic Book of Cookery]].  We had quite a few questions for her when she popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised [[Sorting the Priorities: Ambassadress and Beagle Survive Diplomacy by Sandra Aragona|autobiography]] of life as a diplomatic spouse.  There was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
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|category=interviews
 
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Adam Hamdy
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence
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|summary=[[Battalion by Adam Hamdy|Battalion]] is an action-packed adventure set some twenty yeas into the future.  It's a thriller in the true sense of the word and we'd only just caught our breaths after finishing the book when author Adam Hamdy popped in to see us.
+
|summary=Sue was delighted when she read [[The Cossack by K J Lawrence|The Cossack]] as it restored her faith in the thriller genre.  When the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready!
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=newsletters
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|category=interviews
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|title=October 2012 Newsletter
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell
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|summary=Woohoo! Jill's personal favourite, [[Bring up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel|Bring up the Bodies]] won this year's [[Man Booker Prize 2012|Booker Prize]], making Hilary Mantel the first woman AND the first Briton to win twice. We are very happy about that, as we are about Mantel's rehabilitation of Thomas Cromwell. Which of the shortlist would you have chosen?
+
|summary=Sue found Start Burrell's book [[Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records by Stuart Burrell|Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records]] an inspiring, feel-good read. She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
−
 
 
−
And now, we suppose, thoughts will turn to Christmas. Will you be buying books as gifts? How about a [[Amazon Kindle|Kindle]]? The Kindle Fire is out later this month. Are you going to buy one? We're still thinking about it but will let you know what we think if and when we plump for one. You let us know, too. We'd be interested to hear your views.
 
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=comments
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|category=interviews
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|title=Luisa Plaja Talks To Bookbag About Contemporary Series for Young Adults
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart
−
|summary=When I read this great post about series at [http://www.yacontemporary.com/2012/09/where-are-ya-contemporary-series.html YA Contemporary], my first thought was, ''But I have shelves full of YA contemporary series! Surely there are lots of memorable ones still being published?''
+
|summary=Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in [[My Name is Sam by Wes Stuart|My Name is Sam]] and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Rob Keeley
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan
−
|summary=Last year we were delighted by Rob Keeley's [[The Alien in the Garage and Other Stories by Rob Keeley|first collection]] of short stories.  This year it was a real pleasure to read [[The (Fairly) Magic Show and Other Stories by Rob Keeley|The (Fairly) Magic Show and Other Stories]].  We had quite a few questions to ask him when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
+
|summary=Sue giggled like a child when she read [[Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen]]: it's a good story with some valuable lessons.  It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
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|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephanie Burgis
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram
−
|summary=We've been thrilled by Stephanie Burgis' ''Magick'' series and delighted that she was able to find the time to pop into Bookbag Towers to have a chat with us.
+
|summary=Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author, Annie Ingram.  She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her [[Conversations with Kammie by Annie Ingram|book]].  There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=comments
 
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|title=Keren David Talks To Bookbag About Choosing Archie Stone As The Narrator Of Another Life
 
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|summary=It's always fascinating to find out what makes an author write a book in a particular way.  We've loved Keren David's series about Ty Lewis since we first read [[When I Was Joe by Keren David|When I Was Joe]] so the opportunity to chat to her about the [[Another Life by Keren David|third book]] in the series was not one we were prepared to miss.
 
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}}
 
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{{newfeature
 
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|category=newsletters
 
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|title=September 2012 Newsletter
 
−
|summary=Hello, hi, how are you? Suffering from Olympic and Paralympic withdrawal? We are. What was your favourite moment? We had so many, we simply couldn't pick just one. And even for bookworms like the team at Bookbag Towers, a summer of sport was a welcome complement to reading. But we are back to normal service now. And to that end, we've been perusing the Booker the shortilist. You can find all it [[Man Booker Prize 2012|here]], together with all the titles on the longlist. It's too close to call a winner, but you're sure to find something you want to read. Take a look!
 
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}}
 
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{{newfeature
 
{{newfeature
 
|category=interviews
 
|category=interviews
−
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To David Croydon
+
|title=The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago
−
|summary=Back in the eighties David Croydon was one of the founders of a sales promotion agency and 'The Unprincipled' tells the story of the twelve years from the agency's founding through to its sale.  We've thought long and hard about finding just one word to describe the book but we really can't do better than 'scurrilous'.  You're best not suggesting that we can have more than one word!  When David popped into Bookbag to chat to us we had quite a few questions which we felt needed an answer.
+
|summary=Ani was quietly moved by [[Returning Home by Stephan Santiago|Returning Home]] and there were several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us.
 
}}
 
}}
  
−
Check out the full lists of [[:Category: Interviews|interviews]], [[:Category: Lists|top tens]] and [[:Category: Comments|articles]].
+
Move to [[Recommended Resources]]
−
 
 
 
[[Category:Features|*]]
 
[[Category:Features|*]]

Latest revision as of 12:01, 29 December 2023

Check out the full lists of interviews, top tens and articles.

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2023

We've seen some really good self-published books this year: they're up there with the best of traditional publishing. Here's our top ten, in alphabetical order, by author. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Jeffrey Dunn

Jill enjoyed Radio Free Olympia, a story blending prose and poetry with themes of ecology, folklore, love and loss. She didn't think it was the easiest read, but a rewarding one. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg How To Write a Fantasy Novel: The Full Guide

Fantasy has always been our way out of the real world's limitations. It's a space where magic is real, mythical creatures roam, and heroes go on epic quests. This genre is loved by people of all ages and backgrounds. It allows us to explore new worlds and face unimaginable challenges, all without leaving our homes.

But what if you could do more than just visit these magical lands? What if you could create your own? This is the magic of writing a fantasy novel. You have the power to build worlds with your words. You can turn simple ink and paper into landscapes that readers can explore.

So, get ready for an adventure. This journey is not just about castles and wizards. It's also about the craft of writing. You'll learn to use language and imagination to make a rich, varied story. And who knows what unexplored realms you'll discover along the way? Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg How Can Reading Improve Your Vocabulary: Best Practices

Reading is one of the most effective ways to improve your vocabulary. Not only does it expose you to new words and their meanings, but it also allows you to see them used in context, which is essential for understanding and using them correctly. With the rise of language learning apps, such as Promova, many people have turned to technology to improve their vocabulary. However, reading remains a tried-and-true method that has been used for centuries. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg 3 Things You Didn't Know About Ghostwriters

How much do you know about ghostwriters? These professionals lurk in the shadows of the publishing industry (both self- and traditional publishing), with most members of the public having only ever heard of them because of the Pierce Brosnan film. Given the awkwardness a lot of people feel toward ghostwriters, it's no surprise that there are a number of misconceptions about what they do, so I'm hoping to clarify three important things in this post. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Conrad Delacroix

Sue really enjoyed The Lensky Connection, a thriller set primarily in Russia. She had quite a few questions for author Conrad Delacroix when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2022

We're constantly amazed at the quality of the self-published books which come our way and we've seen some real gems in 2022. Here they are, in alphabetical order, by author: Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg 3 Things You Should Know About Literary Agents

If you're all set to publish your novel, it might be time to get yourself a literary agent. Since you're essentially picking the person responsible for presenting and marketing your book to the world, this is no easy task. When you've sent your query letters and started getting responses, these tips will help you choose the right person for you. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Lolita Book Review: Most Important Things to Know

Lolita, a highly controversial book, is not subject to bans in American schools. Here are the most important things you need to know about it. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Stylish Restaging of The Crucible is All Show and No Substance, According to Reviews

The Crucible is a tragedy that’s been debated and discussed for many years. Its current running in theaters has received a rather intriguing review. Keep reading to find out more. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg How Bar Modeling Makes Word Problems Easy in Singapore Math

Singapore Mathematics is a unique way of presenting this science. Parents and teachers will be able to understand and explain to children the simplest mathematical processes using images. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Finding More Time For Reading

If there is one thing that a lot of people could benefit from having more of in their lives, it's literature. Plenty of us have gone through this experience of suddenly finding that we are not reading as much as we used to. There are a lot of possible reasons for this, and it's something that you might be able to approach in a number of ways if you want to make sure that you are getting back into reading again. But one of the most important parts of this is probably that you are able to find enough time for reading, and that can be harder than you might initially think. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown and Randall S Peterson about Disaster in the Boardroom: Six Dysfunctions Everyone Should Understand

Sue was absolutely riveted to Disaster in the Boardroom: Six Dysfunctions Everyone Should Understand by Gerry Brown and Randall S Peterson. It's brilliantly readable but rather frightening: people's lives and livelihoods could be in the hands of company boards which are dysfunctional. Sue wanted to know more. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2021

We thought that 2020 was a strange year but 2021 has been equally so. Once again we've been amazed by the quality of self-published books which have come our way. Last year's top ten consisted of eleven books (maths never was our strong point...) but this year we're going to have to make it a baker's dozen as we really couldn't split them apart. Here they are, in alphabetical order, by author... Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg How to Write a Standout Book Review in a Saturated Market

Book reviews are a crucial tool for the reading community — it’s via these that opinions are exchanged, ideas discussed, and recommendations found. But though the growth of book review sites is promising for readers, a saturated market also means that it’s getting increasingly difficult to make your mark as a book reviewer.

If you’re looking for ways to freshen your voice and make a stronger impression, I’ve got a few tips that might help. As an avid reader of book reviews, I’ve noticed that the ones that stay with me usually follow these three guidelines. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown, Andrew Kakabadse and Filipe Morais about The Independent Director in Society

Sue was an enthusiastic reader of The Independent Director in Society: Our current crisis of governance and what to do and she had several points she wanted to discuss with the authors when they popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Comic Books Where the Bad Guys Won

Comic books and movies, in general, have been given the portrayal of good; always winning and saving the day. however, thanks to the creativity of writers, we have a few writers of comics who have managed to alter this unsaid rule, 'evil wins at the end of the day'. While it may not be a great thought to bear in mind, it is still something a bit fascinating to dwell on. And, we believe that it is a breath of fresh air to discover that we have something different from the cliché where the hero always emerges as the victor. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gerry Brown About Making a Difference: Leadership, Change and Giving Back the Independent Director Way

Gerry Brown is so keen to see people geting involved that there's a free digital download of this £42 book. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2020

In this strangest of years we've been delighted by the self-published books we've read and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres. We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander

Sue was so impressed by The Radical Innovation Playbook: A Practical Guide for Harnessing New, Novel or Game-Changing Breakthroughs by Olga Kokshagina and Allen Alexander that she wished that she had a good business idea of her own so that she could use the book. Perhaps that was what she was talking about when Olga and Allen popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Andrew Hampshire

Technology can seem frightening to people who don't have the background. In Creating Value Through Technology: Discover the Tech that Can Transform Your Business Andrew Hampshire discusses the tech that can add quantifiable value to your business and how to get the most out of it. He and Sue had a lot to chat about when he dropped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Stand Up to Bullying With a Pulitzer Prize Winner

In every generation, there are kids who become bullies. They bully their siblings, neighbor kids, and their classmates. They seem to believe that other kids look up to them and respect them. That is self-delusion, as most adults are aware, but kids don't have the experience to properly judge what is respect and what is merely fear. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg From Sci Fi to Reality: How Dreams Turn Into Innovations

The gap between sci-fi and reality is not so big anymore. You don’t have to go that far back in time to see huge developments in technology. For example, the smartphone has been around for over 10 years now, but if you don’t have one in today’s society, you’d either be seen as crazy or just out of touch. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg 5 Great AI books to read in 2020

Artificial intelligence (AI) has expanded into one of the most important technologies in human history. It comes with so many benefits, from improving the efficiency of simple, basic tasks to helping to solve advanced problems by quickly analyzing large data sets. Read more...

Booklists.jpg A Baker's Dozen of Books to Keep the Kids Occupied When They Can't Go Out

Are you running out of inspiration for what to do with the kids when they can't go out? We've come up with a baker's dozen of books to give you some brilliant ideas. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2019

We've seen some cracking self-published books this year and they're all books which compare well with traditionally-published books in the same genres. We really couldn't narrow the choice down any further - so this year's top ten consists of eleven books and here they are, in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Desiree Villena Talks To Bookbag About 5 Key Tips for Writing a Critical-Yet-Fair Book Review

Writing a book review isn't difficult, you know, but there are a few things you need to keep us in mind. Desiree Villena gives us five tips. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melanie Martin

In War and Love: A family's testament of anguish, endurance and devotion in occupied Amsterdam Melanie Martin reconstructs what happened to her family in occupied Amsterdam in WWII. It's a highly compelling if occasionally shocking read. Days after she finished the book Sue could not stop thinking about what she had read and was delighted when the author agreed to chat with her. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Framing the Brexit narrative: immigration, myths and public perception

Loobna Joomun looks at how Brexit is likely to affect the publishing industry - and the wider country. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg 8 ways to motivate yourself to write, right NOW by Jessica Jarlvi

Ever felt that you've hit a brick wall with your writing? Jessica Jarlvi has eight tips yo get you writing again. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Greg Hickey Talks To Bookbag About The Old Guard of Dystopian Fiction

Where do you go when you move beyond classics like 1984 and Brave New World? Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2018

Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2018 was difficult as we're constantly surprised at just how good some self-published books are. Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg James Donald Talks To Bookbag About The Death Of Norman Breyfogle

One of the finest storytellers you've never heard of, who died in September 2018 at the age of 58. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Melissa Leet

Sue was impressed when she read Landslide by Melissa Leet and was surprised to find that it was a debut novel. She had quite a few questions for Melissa when she popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Faiz Kermani talks to Bookbag about how a blue frog is helping Malawi's vulnerable children to live safe, healthy and happy lives

Every child has a right to medical care Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Abi Silver Talks To The Bookbag About A Few Of Her Favourite Things

We could definitely make a flying car – but that's not the hard part. The hard part is, how do you make a flying car that's super safe and quiet?: Elon Musk Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Daniel Peltz

Sue wasn't expecting to enjoy a novel about a building, but was surprised by just how compelling she found The Indomitable Chiesa di Santa Maria. There was a lot to chat about when author Daniel Peltz popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Booklists.jpg Top Ten Self-Published Books 2017

Choosing the top ten self-published books we read in 2017 was one of the toughest jobs we did all year and involved a great deal of discussion. Here's our final top ten in alphabetical order by author... Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Chit Dubey

Sue was quietly impressed when she read 21 Doors to Happiness: Life Through Travel Experiences and Meditation by Chit Dubey as it chimed with her personal view of life. She was delighted when Chit Dubey popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookcomments.jpg Melita Thomas Talks To Bookbag About The King's Pearl: Henry VIII and his Daughter Mary

Melita Thomas tell us that Mary was a true Renaissance Princess Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte

Peter thought that The Ten Golden Rules of Leadership was the best book on leadership he'd ever read and he couldn't resist asking authors Elizabeth Fox and Martin le Comte quite a few questions when they came to Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Gabe Riggs

Luke thought that Punk Love Foucault by Gabe Riggs was an intense, emotional and visceral read that illuminates and educates with a strong voice and clear, capable prose. There was a lot to talk about when Gabe popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Sandra Aragona

Sue loved Sandra Aragona's lightly-fictionalised autobiography of life as a diplomatic spouse. There was a lot that she wanted to ask about when Sandra popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To K J Lawrence

Sue was delighted when she read The Cossack as it restored her faith in the thriller genre. When the author, K J Lawrence, popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us, Sue had quite a few questions ready! Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stuart Burrell

Sue found Start Burrell's book Twelve Times To The Max: One Man's Journey to, and Recollections of, Setting Twelve Verified World Records an inspiring, feel-good read. She wanted to know more when Stuart popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Wes Stuart

Luke enjoyed the combination of compellingly-written science fiction which blends themes of innocence and growth with some well depicted moments of horror in My Name is Sam and he had quite a few questions for author Wes Stuart when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To B C R Fegan

Sue giggled like a child when she read Henry and the Hidden Treasure by B C R Fegan and Lenny Wen: it's a good story with some valuable lessons. It was a real pleasure to chat to writer B C R Fegan when he popped into Bookbag Towers. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Annie Ingram

Very few people believe that dogs can talk so it was something of a relief when Sue met author, Annie Ingram. She has lengthy conversations with her cocker spaniel Kammie and has shared them with us in her book. There was a lot to talk about when she popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

Bookinterviews.jpg The Interview: Bookbag Talks To Stephan Santiago

Ani was quietly moved by Returning Home and there were several points she wanted to discuss with author Stephan Santiago when he popped into Bookbag Towers to chat to us. Read more...

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