STORYWRAPS: The Book Bar is open

Raising the bar on reading!

Welcome to "The Book Bar." A beautiful space for you to order up your favourite drink and listen to guest authors, illustrators, musicians, anyone really, who loves books. If quiet is what you are seeking you can take your drink and wander to the back of the bar and enter the room entitled, "Booked!" This room is specifically reserved for those who want to curl up in a big comfy chair by the fireplace and get lost in their own story with little or no distractions. Others may join you there, but all-in-all it is a space created just for you and your book to enjoy each other's company.

This is the perfect venue to discover new books, relax yourself, have discussions about books, meet new people of like-minds, and of course make some new friends.

I would like to highlight some great drinks for your enjoyment from time to time.

I want you to meet to-day's author, Perrin Briar:

Perrin Briar is an English author best-known for his Blood Memory series, black comedy Keeping Mum, and revenge tale Square. He was born in Huntingdon, grew up in Norfolk, graduated from Bournemouth, worked in London, and then chucked it all in to live in South Korea.

Prior to writing he worked as a TV researcher, teacher, stock counter, chocolate factory worker, and many (many!) others. These days he writes about whatever grabs him, and loves starting new writing projects he hopes will grab readers too.

He has written for BBC radio, and worked in the production and development departments of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

Sign up to his newsletter and get three free books, news of forthcoming new releases, competitions, special prices, advanced novel previews and exclusive email-only serial story Skip!

- See more at: http://www.perrinbriar.com/about/#sthash.5PYBNEyd.dpuf

The Happy Feel good Novel of the Year!

"Would you do anything to protect your inheritance? When modern-day Scrooge Hetty Loveridge saw the opportunity to exploit an inheritance tax loophole for her children, she took it.

She needed only live seven more years.

One week shy, she keels over, dead.

Peter and Kate get more than they bargained for as they attempt to fool the tax man into believing their mother is still alive.

At the heart of this fast-paced and hilarious tale is a story about family, redemption, and hidden secrets.

-source: perrinbrair.com

As for me?

I loved the cover. It drew me in right away...it's perfect for the content inside and such fun. I started reading the book, then I just had to keep on reading until I finished up the whole thing. I connected with the well-developed characters and their lifestyle. I laughed out loud on occasions, raised my eyebrows in some, and had my heartstrings affected by the romantic encounters that Perrin created for me, the reader.

I particularly loved the twists and turns, the catalysts, that kept me flipping those pages to find out what was next. (Perrin and I seem to have the same sense of humour, a little on the dark side). Keeping Mum is black comedy at its best. The way he is marketing the book is interesting too. You can download part one from his website (or Amazon) for free and then if you want to read the rest of the book you can click on Amazon and purchase the whole book there. That's kind of neat isn't it? It's your choice.

Catch up with Perrin on his website:

* perrinbrair.com

* on Twitter

* On Facebook (give him a like please, I am sure he would like that)

An interview with Perrin by me...

Book Bar Q&A

Rapid fire questions!

1. What is your dream car?

I’d have to go for the DeLorean. What other car can travel in time?!

2. Do you prefer a sit down meal or a picnic?

Picnic. Hopefully if the weather is good enough for a picnic it’ll be good to go for a long walk and an adventure too!

3. Do you prefer to give a gift or receive one?

Definitely give. Receiving a gift sometimes makes me uncomfortable – especially when I don’t know what it is, and if it’s something I have to make up an excited expression for (I’m the world’s worst actor. I’d be seen through within thirty seconds).

4. Are you left-handed or right-handed? ( I was a school teacher so I like that question)

I am right-handed. Something I learned recently, according to a Ted lecture only ambidextrous people can claim to be more creative than others. Something to do with a greater amount of left and right brain interaction?

5.What is your favourite all-time drink? Alcoholic or Non-alcoholic! No matter.

Easy one. Milkshakes! I love all flavours.

Serious stuff:

1.What was your favourite book to read as a child?

Anything by Roald Dahl. I must have read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Danny, The Champion of the World about a hundred times… I read them again last year.

2.Were you a "budding" novelist in grade school or discover your talent later on in life?

Honestly, it’s a mixture of both. I’ve always enjoyed stories in their various formats, but it’s only with the ability to self-publish that I took being a novelist seriously. I’ve never liked the idea of having to jump through hoops for someone, to be what they expect. I’ve always understood that writing isn’t just an art form, but a business.

I think I’ve always wanted to write. I remember my 6^th or 7^th birthday when my parents came into my bedroom, waking me up, and gave me a typewriter with a ribbon wrapped around it. I was so excited. It looked like something from a fantasy story. The keys were hard and I had to jab at them with my tiny digits. I got blisters on the end of my fingers, but I kept at it, and now I have mighty fingers!

A few years later I got an electronic typewriter, and typing became much easier after that. Unfortunately I managed to turn some kind of setting on that meant I could only type up to the middle of the page before it refused to write further… With no internet I couldn’t figure out how to turn it off!

I got my first computer when I was 15. I finally decided that I wanted to be a storyteller when I was 18. I think my journey to becoming a writer coincides with the evolution of my writing tools.

3. How did you choose the title of your book?

I made a list of a few dozen options and got rid of them one by one until I only had Keeping Mum left. I think the best titles communicate a lot more than just a name. They should indicate a tone, a genre, several layers of meaning. Keeping Mum does that for my story.

4. Did you write yourself into any of the characters?

I think it’s impossible to not have some part of myself in virtually all the characters, but I didn’t intentionally do so. I kept writing until the characters started talking to me, and let them tell me what they wanted to say and do.

5.What other authors do you like to read?

I love to read any author who can spin a tale that makes me excited every time I reach for their book. I admire Agatha Christie’s sparseness, the way she focuses on what’s important and ignores the rest. But I also enjoy Wilbur Smith’s beautiful prose and his strength in description. There are as many reasons I like to read a book as there are authors to read!

6. Do you have another book bubbling inside your brain crying to get out?

I have many, in fact! Ideas aren’t a problem for me. Every day I read news from various sources and each time I get an idea for a story I write it down. I now have hundreds! Sometimes it’s just a particular word I think would be a great title for a book and I’d be excited to write, or it’s a whole concept for a book.

Keeping Mum actually came from a news item I read. It was about a brother and sister whose mother had passed away. They took turns in dressing up as her to claim her pension money. These were obviously not likeable people, so I changed the whole set up so that the mother actually wanted her kids to pretend like she was still alive. That helped with empathy and didn’t seem so bad to me. I also increased the stakes and make it into a comedy.

Do I have many other ideas similar in tone or style to Keeping Mum? Yes. The trouble is getting around to them!

7.Anything else you would like to share about yourself to our readers?

A life lesson, really. If there’s something you want, you have to pursue it with all your heart. I’ve wasted a lot of time in delaying what I wanted to do. If there’s something you want to do, do it now. Don’t wait until tomorrow, or next week, or next year. Do it now.

I write in a variety of genres, but if there is one thing that links them all it is that my characters are proactive, they get out there and do things. Sometimes they end up going on an adventure along the way. That’s how I feel with writing. I’m on an adventure. If you get time, pull up a chair join me :)

Happy hour humour...