FUNKY FRIDAY - With Book Reviewer Monique Mulligan

Today I welcome avid reader and book reviewer, Monique Mulligan. You can find her at Write Note Reviews.

Monique, what made you start a book review blog?

I started blogging about January 2012 after I left my job as a newspaper editor. I’d been fortunate enough to review books while working in media, so I just made a few calls to my contacts and went from there. I was looking for a way to combine two loves - reading and writing. At the time I thought book blogging was such an original idea, but I quickly discovered my mistake! Now I review regularly for about 10 publishers in Australia.

What are your favourite books to review and which type make you want to chuck them at the wall?

I really enjoy contemporary women's fiction and crime/suspense/thrillers, and lately I've been loving historicals. I don't enjoy sci-fi and rarely read fantasy. Books that are poorly written, repetitive, try too hard or contain gratituous violence annoy me. I started reading a new release by an incredibly successful writer at the weekend and you know what? I'm not going to finish it. It's repetitive, overly descriptive and I just can't get into it; the formulaic writing style annoyed me and yet, how do I argue about writing with someone who has made millions? I also find books written in the present tense irritating ... I don't know why.

How do you sweeten the pill if you hate a book or do you say it as it is?

I usually request books from publishers that I think I'll like, but sometimes I do get it wrong or the book doesn't live up to what I expected (either from the blurb, other reviews, hype or so on). We all have different tastes - sometimes a book just doesn't work for you. If the book is OK and there are good and bad points, I'll say what I liked and note a couple of things I didn't, but in a respectful way. Respect is important because a lot of work has gone into it. If I have nothing nice to say at all, I don't say it. Then again, I probably wouldn't finish a book I really didn't like. In that case, I'd choose not to review it and consider a Sunday Shout Out to the publisher.

As an avid reader and reviewer, would you ever put pen to paper yourself?

Yes, that's the plan. Still working on that goal ...

Tell us about your ideal week as a reader/reviewer.

My first thought was that I'd be able to read and review whenever I wanted without interruptions, but then I would miss out on all the other wonderful things in my life. If I could establish a routine, that would be ideal, but since reviewing is a hobby, it has to fit in with the rest of life (and sometimes take tenth place to all the other priorities).

If you were offered a squillion pounds to never read another book again, would you take it?

No. I couldn't.

Thanks for joining me today, Monique. It was good to chat.

Check out Monique's website or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.

* * * NEWSFLASH * * *

OK, not so newsy any more, but just to remind you that my latest novel, 'TABBY & KAT' has now been released into the big bad world. Have you got your copy yet?  If so, let me know what you think - or, better still, please leave a review!

Take a letter, Miss Misfit ...

I’ve seen the new craze going around where bloggers write snippets of letters that they know they will never send - just to get stuff off their chests.

I like this idea so I’m jumping on the bandwagon and churning out a few of my own.

Remember, these are my personal thoughts - if you can’t relate or don’t agree, piddle off and write your own.

Dear Employers

You are totally passing my husband by because of his age.  This means that you have lost out on one of the most decent and hardest workers I have ever known.

But that’s fine.  It means I’ve had him around me for longer and SOON, when everything goes OUR way, he won’t be looking for your poxy jobs anyway.

Dear Husband

You are the best (and more) than I could ever have wished for.  Every day with you brings a smile and I feel totally cherished as you promised all those years ago.  Times have been tough but together we can face anything.  I owe you an Aston Martin with bows and nipple tassels!  One day …

Dear Doubters

School phobia is very real.  This is the last time I hope I ever have to say this but it is not naughtiness, petulance, mollycoddling, ‘trying it on’, hating school - NONE of those things.  Live through it with a child or see someone experience a full-blown panic attack and then get back to me.  A slap doesn’t solve everything and this condition has not just been brought to the public’s attention because of sodding ‘Emmerdale’.  Get a grip!

Dear Son

How proud I am of you that you would come through such a difficult time and turn it into a positive - to be happy to chat to newspapers/radio and appear on TV in the hope of helping another child who is going through the same thing.  I think that says an awful lot about you.  Weird, whacky, a mind of your own and someone who will go far.

Dear Readers

Thank you so much for taking a chance on me and (mainly) loving what I do.  Every great review makes me smile so broadly, I wish you could see me when it happens.  Your words mean the world to me and spur me on to write more.  The support that you give me via blogs, email Facebook and Twitter is one of the greatest feelings ever.  Thank you.

Dear People who harm children, animals, the old or vulnerable.

No punishment is enough for you.  You will rot in hell.  Enough said.

Dear Putney Mums

You’ve been talking, I know you have.  That’s fine.  It was always going to happen.  There is no ONE individual represented in my books.  You are not Character A or Character B - but if you recognise a sprinkling of your traits in any of the people within the books’ pages, are you nice or nasty?  YOU decide!

Dear Daddy

Not your fault I know, but no girl should lose such a lovely dad at eighteen.  You are in trouble when I reach the Pearly Gates - listen out for the shouting!  Thank you for being the best and making your presence felt every day in some small way.

Dear PPI

STOP ringing me!  I don’t have any money due to me!  Do you not think I would have taken it if I had?

Dear Friend in Scotland

You are a mess and I am ashamed of you.  Thirty years of friendship is about to go down the pan as I stand by your husband and your son.  The alcohol needs to take a back seat and you have to remember that, first and foremost, you are a mother.  You have gone from ‘one classy lady’ to a candidate for the Jeremy Kyle show.  Stop and think what your parents would be saying.

Dear British Summer

We haven’t seen you for a while.  About three years?!  Get your bum into gear and hit us with a humdinger this year.  I have books to write and a garden to write them in.  What I don’t have is a passport, money to go overseas or the time to travel - I need you to deliver to my front door and this time, if you don’t, I will be writing a strong letter to The Times - enough’s enough.

Dear Family

Your mother/grandmother is not getting any younger.  Things can be left until they are too late and nobody wants that.  Do they?  We are ALL guilty in our own ways for being where we are, every one of us, and I think she deserves more.  Every single member of my family who reads this should take stock and ask themselves some questions.  Every single one.

Dear Blog Readers

Phew!  Bit of a marathon this week, wasn’t it?  If you made it this far, go and grab a cuppa or a glass of something lovely (depending on the time of day - I’d hate to encourage early boozing) and while you’re at it check out my books on Amazon!  Gotta keep that leaky old roof over our heads!