A Moment With: Ellie Campbell

Pam, one half of the sisterly writing duo who writes under the pseudonym Ellie Campbell, talks about her favourite novel. Over to you, Pam.

My favourite book is Compromising Positions by Susan Isaacs.

I sound like an old record when I talk to people about this novel but it’s always by my bed when I need cheering up.  Written by Susan Isaacs it tells the story of Judith Singer – a Long Island ex-journalist now housewife who turns super-sleuth when she finds out that the local dentist has been murdered.

It’s got such fabulous humour all the way through and yet there’s a believable plot. Susan’s writing is phenomenal, witty, full of twists and turns, funny, insightful.  You can turn to any page and in seconds you’ll find yourself laughing out loud, or identifying with the lead character. As the book goes on, Judith can’t leave the investigation alone and keeps putting herself in dangerous circumstances.

There’s also a good part of the novel that deals with some very real life issues.  Judith’s basically bored in her marriage.  Her husband works long hours.  Their sex is tepid, predictable and routine.  She loves her children, misses her career, and her only emotional support comes from her feisty, clever best friend, Nancy Miller.  Enter the romantic interest – a hunky young lieutenant who’s in charge of the murder investigation.  As her dull self-righteous husband, Bob, gets increasingly annoyed by Judith’s meddling with murder, the marriage threatens to crumble under the strain and Judith is forced to choose between her passionate love affair and her family.

I love that there is danger and excitement in this book without being too graphic (I get queasy), that anyone can read it without being offended, that it has a great romantic story and an unpredictable, yet funny, mystery in there. It is one of those books you can’t put down once you start and one I thoroughly recommend.

About Ellie Campbell:

Ellie Campbell is the pen name of sisters and collaborators, Lorraine Campbell and Pam Burks. One is based in the UK, the other the USA, they write together via e-mail, Skype and phone. Their novels include, Looking for LaLa, To Catch a Creeper and How to Survive Your Sisters. Their latest novel, Million Dollar Question was released in April 2015. For more information, visit Ellie’s website: http://chicklitsisters.com/

To read my interview with Ellie (Pam and Lorraine) click here: https://www.novelkicks.co.uk

Check out Ellie’s books over at The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com

To view Million Dollar Question over on Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk and Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com

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Laura

I’m Laura. I started Novel Kicks in 2009. I wanted a place to post my writing as well as give other writers like me the opportunity to do the same. There is also a monthly book club, a writing room which features writing prompts, book reviews, competitions, author interviews and guest posts.

I grew up by the sea (my favourite place in the world) and I currently live in Hampshire. I am married to Chris, have a cat named Buddy and I would love to be a writer. I’m trying to write the novel I’ve talked so much about writing if only I could stop pressing delete. I’ve loved writing since creative writing classes in primary school. I have always wanted to see my teacher Miss Sayers again and thank her for the encouragement. When not trying to write the novel or writing snippets of stories on anything I can get my hands on, I love reading, dancing like a loon and singing to myself very badly. My current obsession is Once Upon a Time and I would be happy to live with magic in the enchanted forest surrounded by all those wonderful stories provided that world also included Harry Potter. I love reading chick lit. contemporary fiction and novels with mystery.