The Twenty-One-Year Contract: Sequel to Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox by L. B. Griffin
About The Twenty-One-Year Contract
The Twenty-One-Year Contract: Sequel to Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox
Historical Romance
2nd in Series
Setting - 1950s London
Wild Rose Press (May 9, 2022)
Paperback : 382 pages
ISBN-10 : 1509239723
ISBN-13 : 978-1509239726
Digital ASIN : B09THQKFJS
Historical Romance
2nd in Series
Setting - 1950s London
Wild Rose Press (May 9, 2022)
Paperback : 382 pages
ISBN-10 : 1509239723
ISBN-13 : 978-1509239726
Digital ASIN : B09THQKFJS
Kathleen Gray — talented, a little wild, at times rebellious, but always popular — has a fun, easy life in rural Somerset, with a doting family.
Suddenly, they are gone, everything is changed, and she has only Uncle Jack. Try as he might, he cannot be father and mother to her — he has a business to run and his own life to manage.
Kathleen takes a chance and becomes Kate Westfield, fending for herself in London, with a new life built on her hopes and dreams and new friends. She could hardly have imagined that one of those friends has a shoebox full of answers.
About the Interview with L. B. Griffin
When did you catch the writing bug? I love the notion of writing being a bug. It certainly is. I guess although I can pinpoint a tragedy in my life at the age of eleven when a friend died, I was already writing. The real bug of not being able to stop writing came when my children were born. I told them stories and wanted to put them on paper. My eldest, Kelly, when she was five and without me knowing took one of the stories to school and the teacher read it to the class. To say at the very least I was surprised when the teacher came out especially to thank me for sharing and the children were buzzing around asking for more. I’ve written children’s stories, but they were only for my children.
Besides Author, what other job titles have you held? Oh goodness, how long have you got? I’ve done a ton of jobs. Working was essential to pay the bills and I had to organise myself around the children as we didn’t have any money to pay for their care or have family around. So here goes a few and not in any order: I cleaned in school kitchens and on building sites. Bar work, childminding, I was a PA, I taught for over 20 years and then became a social worker. I loved all of it. All of them are such characters and were fun to be with.
When you’re not working, what fills your time? I’m lucky, I retired. the last job being a social worker. I decided to hang up my paid work as I’d come to retirement age. Forty plus years was enough, which meant I didn’t have to write around the full time paid job anymore. Very strange. Now I’m lucky enough to be a grandmother so I help out with a bit of childcare. We’ve a great group of friends who we socialise with. I’ve joined a walking netball group, and soccersize to keep fit, and do loads of walking with my husband. We also love to travel. My husband has been diagnosed with myeloma – this has been hard, but we are enjoying life as much as we possibly can.
If your life were made into a movie, is it a comedy or drama? Who plays you? I think I’m in a constant state of flux, one moment drama which turns straight into a comedy and right back into drama again. Who would be me in that role? Someone gorgeous like Julia Roberts. I wasn’t blessed with looks, and as for mixing in that kind of gene pool! I’ve always wondered what it would be like to wake up, look in the mirror and say ‘wow, you look great,’ instead of the total opposite.
What is your favorite childhood memory? Being with my gramps. He was my saviour.
What advice would you give to your younger self? Good question. Maybe read more. Stop talking and start learning. Be brave and join the Red Cross.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has happened to you? Oh dear. So much to be embarrassed about. Um. Okay, it was funny but for a sixteen-year-old and working for a huge engineering firm as an office junior it was mortifying. The elastic on my underwear – knickers went. We weren’t well off. You wore everything to death. Anyway, I’m standing there taking coffee orders from all these men, and my knickers drop to the floor. Seriously. What’s a girl to do? I stepped out of them, picked them up as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and took the order with me.
What is your greatest achievement? My children. Keeping my husband all these years – 48 of them and of course getting published.
What makes you laugh? My kids and grandchildren. My husband. My friends. Everything. I laugh when I shouldn’t. I see quirky when others don’t understand. I have little episodes running through my head of what could happen next. Yet my writing has more of a serious quality.
What is your greatest extravagance? Laying in bed way after nine in the morning with a cup of tea.
What are your pet peeves? Bullies. War. Monstrous dictators. Are these peeves? Life’s too short.
Tell us something about yourself that no one else knows. Now if I do that everyone will know. Okay, only one other person does know this and that’s when we went scrumping together. (stealing apples from an orchard).
What is always in your fridge? Milk. My husband loves the stuff.
What is your most treasured possession? My grandmother's locket. It’s a broach and locket in one. It is Victorian but made of base metal and has no monetary value, but I love it.
What is your favorite movie? TV show? Gosh, there are so many. You’ve Got Mail. It makes me cry. I’ve watched it loads. Even my husband likes it. Well, who doesn’t like Tom Hanks.
What is your favorite song, and why? A Thousand Years - it’s a tearjerker.
What did you eat for breakfast? Did you make it yourself? Porridge. I always make it myself.
Describe your perfect day. Being with my family, watching them enjoy one another’s company and sharing a good meal. Though that’s not in my house because my cooking is worse than Bridget Jones. Honestly.
About L. B. Griffin
L.B. Griffin was born and raised in the UK. She is married and came out of retirement when she received a contract for her debut novel. Griffin loves to write stories to touch people's hearts, She draws upon social issues that are often hidden in deep drawers but readers can identify with. Her women don’t see themselves as courageous, strong, or survivors, but they certainly are.
Her debut, Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox, has received superb 5-star reviews, amongst them Whispering stories and VINE VOICE reader/blogger Michelle Ryles singing high praise: ‘Incredibly well-written, Secrets, Shame, and a Shoebox is a magnificent debut. It's poignant, disturbing and a heart-warming page-turner that has left me chomping at the bit to continue Harriet's story.’
The sequel and also standalone, The Twenty-One-Year Contract, is already receiving fantastic 5-star reviews such as: VINE VOICE "This book will have you laughing, crying and cheering."
L.B. Griffin continues to turn silent stories into courage, hope, and survival. Be warned, she is a self-confessed chocolate-raisin and strawberry addict!
Facebook www.Facebook.com/lynngriffinauthor/
Twitter www.twitter.com/lbgriffinauthor
Website www.wifeinthewest.com
TOUR PARTICIPANTS
May 10 – Ascroft, eh? – CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 10 – Indie Author Book Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 10 – Christa Reads and Writes – REVIEW
May 11 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 11 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT
May 12 – View from the Birdhouse – REVIEW
May 12 – #BRVL Book Review Virginia Lee – SPOTLIGHT
May 13 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT WITH EXCERPT
May 13 – Reading Is My SuperPower – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 14 – FUONLYKNEW – SPOTLIGHT
May 14 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
May 15 – Jane Reads – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
May 15 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
May 16 – Novels Alive – REVIEW
May 16 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST
May 16 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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