Stormy Nights Reviewing & Bloggin': I KNOW YOU, DON'T I? & Giveaway

I Know You, Don't I?

by Bethany Askew

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GENRE: Women's Fiction / General

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BLURB:

When Carly Spurway is mistaken for old school friend Caroline Westminster, she has the chance to re-invent her life.

As the lines between fantasy and reality become blurred, the web of deceit Carly weaves around herself for protection threatens instead to trap her.

But what has happened in her past to make Carly want to escape? And is Caroline’s life as perfect as Carly thinks it is?

This story explores how well we really know the people we have relationships with; the different versions of the truth we tell ourselves and others; and the impact of the past on the present.

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Why I Like to Write

I’ve always loved reading and been interested in what makes writers write their books and novels in a certain style. Some writers, for example, explain everything to their reader step by step, introducing their characters to us by minute observation and advancing chronologically through their stories. This is particularly true of the classic novelists like Trollope and Austen. These writers often tend to use their own experiences to tell their stories, rather than relying solely on their imaginations.

Then there are the writers—particularly the contemporary ones—who rely totally on imagination, building fantastical worlds and stories. And the ones who rely on a bit of both: a bit of imagination applied to a more mundane story. These writers are often brave with their timescales and characters, darting around from present day to past, allowing us to work out gradually what makes their characters tick and what is going on in the story.

So, why do I love writing? Well, I’ve always enjoyed telling a story. I used to love it in English Language, when they wanted an essay for homework. Or a poem. I like expressing myself. And I like observing real life and incorporating real-life incidents into my stories. My husband hates it when I listen in to other people’s conversations when we’re out for lunch or coffee, but this is the way I learn about people and about what makes them do the things they do.

Writing is the only thing I can do which is completely mine. It’s my own little world that I can escape into whenever I want, day or night. When I’m working on a book, it’s always at the back of my mind even when I’m not actually physically writing it.

I like to write about women's lives and relationships, and am particularly interested in women's position in society, their role as wives and mothers, and the effects of marriage and divorce on family life.

Poetry is a different way of expressing myself. More lyrical than prose, less structured than a novel. Words and phrases fly into my head. Getting them into some sort of order can be challenging, but it’s satisfying when it’s done. A bit like doing a crossword puzzle. I find I go through phases with poetry, sometimes writing a lot, sometimes very little. Because they can be any length, from a few words to several pages, they take up less of a writer’s time than a short story or a full-length novel. I find they are often a good way to free up my mind when I’m stuck for ideas on a longer project.

So, when one project finishes, another one beckons. There’s a sense of relief and achievement when you finish writing a book, but a sense of loss as well: nothing to channel your creative energies into for a while, no waking in the night with a brilliant idea for the next phase of the story. But then another idea comes to you. You mull it over in your mind, think of a few characters, the plot begins to form, and before you know it, you’re off on a new story.

Excerpt:

Carly wakes up with a feeling of excitement. Something has happened. What is it? Then she remembers: Mark Exton. She reaches for her phone almost before she realises what she is doing. No new messages. Obviously he doesn't want to appear too keen.

She dithers about what to wear that day, just in case he turns up at work, though the chances of him doing that are infinitesimally small. She does her make-up and hair carefully too and it must show, because Madison says “You look nice today” when she arrives. Carly blushes and looks at herself in the mirror when she gets back to her testing room. Madison’s right. There’s a glow in her face, a sparkle in her eyes. All this for a man she’s only just met, and she’s not sure whether she wants to see again after today. But this is why people have relationships, isn't it? For the excitement at the beginning, not the tedium that comes with familiarity.

She lets a day go by and is just composing a reply to Mark’s message when another one arrives:

“Fancy meeting up for a pub lunch? I can pick you up if you let me know where and what time.”

“Thank you, I’d like that,” she replies. “Thursday okay? I can meet you at one fifteen. The car park by The Crescent?”

REVIEW:

This is more than a 5 star book! Highly recommended! If you start this book be prepared to finish it in one setting. This is a page turner well written.. holy crap type of books! The characters are amazingly put together as well as the plot. The twist is crazy! And the end... will surprise you!

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Bethany Askew is the author of six novels: The Time Before, The World Within, Out of Step, Counting the Days, Poppy’s Seed and I know you, don’t I?

She has also written a short story, The Night of the Storm.

Bethany likes to write about women’s lives and is particularly interested in their role in society, their positions as wife and mother and the impact of marriage, children and divorce on family dynamics.

Bethany was born and brought up in Somerset and has lived there all her life. A Dispensing Optician by profession, she was able to fulfil her lifelong ambition to be a writer when she retired from employed work seven years ago. She is married and has four grown-up children and six grandchildren.

Links

www.bethanyaskew.co.uk

www.onactiveservice.co.uk

Facebook: Bethany Askew Novelist

Twitter: @AskewBethany

Publisher’s Author Page: https://www.wallacepublishing.co.uk/bethany-askew.html

Amazon UK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Know-You-Dont/dp/1999613678/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Bethany+Askew&qid=1603832764&sr=8-1

Amazon USA

https://www.amazon.com/I-Know-You-Dont-ebook/dp/B08KQGX83X/

Barnes and Noble:

https://m.barnesandnoble.com/w/i-know-you-dont-i-bethany-askew/1137848773