Win a cracking copy of ‘Doing Nothing’ – The Sequel to ‘Under the Clock.’
By Shelley Hinchliffe-Reece
Well, six months from publication of ‘Under the Clock’, I have a sequel! Wow, still trying to get my head around that. Two books out within six months is quite something for me.
I hadn’t planned a second book at all when writing ‘Under the Clock’. It was a one off as far as I was concerned but so many asked for more. Readers had connected with the characters so much, I was astounded!
I started writing again in March this year. It was Lockdown that prompted the beginning of it. I imagine it was the same feelings for many people who were self-employed. My husband had no more work, it just stopped without much warning and I was petrified with two kids to feed and not knowing at the time if any help would come from the government.
The anxiety and panic left me sleepless for nights on end, feeling like I couldn’t breathe sometimes with worry.
I found my escape. Every night I would sit for hours writing again. Sending myself back to 1981 and another lifetime where I didn’t have all the responsibilities to worry about. Burying my head in the sand basically!
The words just flowed and amazingly it was written within three months. Oh boy, it helped me so much to escape and get through a very difficult time. I’m so glad I got my head down and did it.
So, what is this one all about? Well, ‘Under the Clock’ was of course the journey from the small town to the city and the pact to meet old friends all those years later. ‘Doing Nothing’ is a continuation of life after meeting your old flame and best mates from back then.
What happens when there is still a connection with an old love and the devastation it can have on relationships in the present. Part fact and part fiction again just like the first book.
Despite the chaos that comes, the friends take us back to their memories of times together, growing up in 1981 and ‘Doing Nothing’ but hanging out together, getting up to the usual teenage antics of sex, drugs, alcohol, petty crime and crazy banter.
This book is filled with laughter and pain and a continuing love for 2-tone music along with other great sounds from the era.
‘Doing Nothing’ has been well and truly skanking out the door in it’s first couple of weeks with amazing messages of love for it so far and five star reviews.
My plan now is to write a finale to the story and make this a trilogy. I have a new book title in my head and much of it written in my mind. I just need to find time in my crazy life to get it down on paper. Easier said than done with a family to run and now an ‘Under the Clock’ music and nostalgia Facebook page which has taken off hugely and demands a lot of my time. It’s full of wonderful people, many of them my readers who make me laugh every day. It’s a great place to be for me, bringing a lot of happiness.
I’ll just try to find time to breathe now and then inside my chaos and try to continue doing what seems to be making others very happy!
Keep Skanking!
Shelley Hinchliffe-Reece is writer who lived the Ska dream back in the day. Married to Gray, the mum of two penned her first novel at the age of 52. Under the Clock – A Two Tone Themed Novel, and Doing Nothing, can be purchased direct from Amazon by clicking here.
Thanks to Shelley for writing exclusively for Mrs SVJ – the community blog of Sue Vincent-Jones. Sue is a journalist, editor, and communications specialist who blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a quirky, and queer, girl done good.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.