Sophie Neville, author of 'Funnily Enough' is short-listed for The Virginia Prize for Fiction 2022

Launching the 2nd Edition of 'Funnily Enough' by Sophie Neville

 

In 1991, after collapsing while directing a comedy in London, I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue and sent home to my family by the BBC doctor. He told me to keep a dairy. 

Twenty-one years later, a self-published version of this true story became a bestseller on Amazon reaching No 1 in Humour on Kindle. It won a literary award, was hailed by the Daily Mail and serialized in iBelieve magazine.

A few year later, Jilly Cooper gave me an endorsement:

'This charming, funny, beautifully illustrated book would make anyone feel better.'

I have recently brought out a 2nd edition with additional illustrations. It makes light, holiday reading.

Since my condition was triggered by Asian 'flu, I'm tentatively hoping it will help those suffering from symptoms of long Covid  

or anyone in need of an uplifting story with a happy ending.

'Funnily Enough'

paperback or Kindle copies from Amazon.co.uk ~ Amazon.com 

ebook £2.23

with colour illustrations, also available from Kobo ~ Smashwords ~ iTunes Books ~ Nook/Barnes&Noble

If you have an ebook of the first edition, you should be able to reload it free of charge

Author Sophie Neville has been longlisted for The Virginia Prize for Fiction, 2022

 

One of Sophie Neville's unpublished historical novels has been longlisted for The Virginia Prize for Fiction with seven other writers.  The bi-annual literary competition is open to women of any nationality from any country, so it has been a great honour to be included.

Sophie Neville

The competition is hosted by the award-winning publisher Aurora Metro Books who list Virginia Woolf along with their other ground-breaking writers such as Germaine Greer, Benjamin Zephaniah, Meera Syal, Sarah Waters, Kit de Waal, Philippa Gregory, AS Byatt, Claire Tomalin, Suchen Christine Lim and Jean-Claude Carriere.

'A Girl Called Redemption' is about a bright Tanganyikan girl who finds unexpected humour working as a cook on the tropical island of Zanzibar in the heady days leading up to Christmas 1963. The plot twists like the alleyways of Stone Town as revolution and the threat of conjugal slavery separate her from the man she grows to love. 

To read more about Sophie, please see her website here 

 

 

Sophie Neville has a new novel short-listed in the Eyelands Book Awards 2021

 

Author Sophie Neville has been short-listed for an Eyelands International Book Award for an unpublished historical novel. The results are out on 30th December, with an awards ceremony to be held in Athens in 2022.

Here is Sophie's profile in their listing, which can be found on the Eyelands website here

Sophie is featured on the video about 2.30 minutes in:

Eyelands International Book Awards sponsored by Strangedays Books

The 2nd edition of 'Funnily Enough'

 

Thirty years after keeping her original diary, Sophie has brought out a second edition of 'Funnily Enough', adding a few illustrations from a sketchbook kept the year before.

A flower is a flower but it was uncanny how many of the sketches threw light on themes within the book. Sophie was always yearning to travel more widely and explore southern Africa.

She had been falling asleep with the light on, even when she was working in London.

It's all too easy to overlook the important things in life or spend enough time with your family.

The sad thing was that she never realised how seriously she was being courted by eligible young men.

Distractions came in many shapes and sizes.

Urgent tasks superseded the importance of spending time with people.

and then she went down with Asian 'flu, which hung around for a long, long time.

But her friends never gave up on her.

She never stopped sketching, 

often drawing the otters,

And the good Lord gave her peace.

If you already have an ebook copy of 'Funnily Enough', you should be able to re-download this second edition free of charge. You can see inside the first few pages on the Amazon site here.

The new edition of the paperback is available from Amazon for £7.99

Write Well: A Handbook for Christian Writers

The Association of Christian Writers have just launched a fabulous anthology with a chapter on entering writing competitions by Sophie Neville. The publishers, Instant Apsotle say, 'Everything you could ever want to know about the craft, trade and experience of Christian writing can be found in this book!' It is almost edible.

'A celebratory Jubilee Compendium marking fifty years of the Association of Christian Writers (ACW), Write Well commemorates and continues its incredible work, with fifty reflections from fifty diverse contributors. Industry experts, prominent authors and dedicated members offer encouragement and practical advice, from writing your first words and avoiding distractions, to getting published and marketing your work.'

Complied by Amy Scott Robinson, the anthology was also edited by Jane Brocklehurst, Jane Walters and Rosemary Johnson.

Kindle copies are available from Amazon UK here Paperbacks are available direct from the publisher for £9.99 Contact Instant Apostle here

Family-Talk

Family-Talk is a wonderful project set up during Lockdown to unite families. The idea is to record memories to pass down to the next generation.

You can hear Sophie Neville being interviewed here

Family-Talk is available to anyone wishing to have their life story recorded. It is great for those who wish to leave a heart-warming conversation with someone from a different generation within their family. Technology is available to connect a group of people on one line within the UK or abroad.

All recordings are GDPR privacy compliant ie they are strictly confidential. 

A  professional audio engineer ensures best possible quality sound. 

Hour-long interviews can be recorded over the phone or via WhatsApp on a Thursday and sent to you via We Transfer.

The service is completely free of charge. If you would like to be interviewed, please email Barbara at hello@family-talk.co.uk

More information can be found on the website:  www.family-talk.co.uk