Category:

'Paperback writer...'

7/6/2012

'Paperback Writer...'

'Paperback writer, paperback writer.
Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look? '

Guess which Beatles song keeps running around my head this morning?

Yes, it's happened. The paperback edition of Catching the Eagle is now available to buy on amazon and from The Book Depository, The Guisborough Bookshop and selected branches of Waterstones. Price £12.99.

The Daily Mail gave it the thumbs up back in January....why not take a look yourself?

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YouTube video of 'Catching the Eagle'

18/5/2012

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YouTube video of 'Catching the Eagle'

Fantastic News!

Earlier this year, genes reunited encouraged me to make a promotional video about my novel, Catching the Eagle which is, of course, based on the true story of our criminal ancestor. I have been a member of genesreuinted since 2003. Their organisation helped me to research our family history and uncover valuable information about the main characters, Jamie, William and Cilla Charlton.

Thanks to lot of help from the wonderful (and very patient) Dave Cocks of Redcar RNLI, I made a video and now genes reunited have linked it to their website for their eleven million members.

On top of this, they are posting the news on their face book page on Saturday. I would be really grateful if anyone with a face book account could leave a comment beneath the post when it appears in order to keep it near the top of the page. Thanks a lot.

Face book page for Saturday: http://www.facebook.com/genesreunited

You can view the video on YouTube by following the link below.
Enjoy!
"Catching the Eagle - How one family's true crime past became a novel"

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Book signing @ Waterstones, Newcastle, Emerson Chambers

11/1/2012

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Book signing @
Waterstones, Newcastle,
Emerson Chambers
Blackett Street
Saturday 14th January, 1-3pm

I am looking forward to returning to Northumberland this weekend for my book signing in the county's largest branch of Waterstones - I just hope that the weather remains mild. I have heard rumours that at this time of year when we drive through the Tyne Tunnel, we come out the other side into a different weather system. ;)

Waterstones organised a great press release about the event last week.

http://www.journallive.co.uk/culture-newcastle/book-reviews/2012/01/07/chance-to-meet-karen-charlton-and-barry-stone-61634-30075059/

I'm looking forward to meeting Barry Stone as well. :) The more tips I can pick up from other authors, the better.

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Library Talk at Skelton Library on Wednesday

9/1/2012

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**Talk about Catching the Eagle at Skelton Library on Wednesday**

There may still be chance to grab yourself a ticket for my appearance at Skelton Library on Wednesday 11th January. They cost £2 and all proceeds are going to to the library. It starts at 10am and is scheduled to finish at mid day.

Apart from reading from Catching the Eagle, I will also be talking about how we uncovered our family black sheep, Jamie Charlton, and how I turned his dramatic story into a novel and secured a publishing deal.

Looking forward to meeting you there.

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'Catching the Eagle' reviewed in The Daily Mail

5/1/2012

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***Catching the Eagle* reviewed in *The Daily Mail***

Wow! And Wow again!

I've just got word from my publisher that Catching the Eagle has been favourably reviewed in The Daily Mail! The review has just leapt up on their website and we think that it will appear in tomorrow's newspaper.

It is fabulous, fabulous news. The link is below and I've copied and pasted the review into this post:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-2082654/HISTORICAL-FICTION.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

CATCHING THE EAGLE BY KAREN CHARLTON
(Knox Robinson Publishing £19.99)
A break-in at the steward’s office at Kirkley Hall in Northumberland on April 3, 1809, became a cause célèbre when local man James Charlton was accused of stealing over £1,100.

Acquitted at his trial following a huge public outcry, his family thought it the end of the matter. But he was later re-arrested and transported on the evidence of a convicted burglar, whose death sentence was subsequently commuted.

Charlton’s novel, based on true events surrounding her husband’s ancestor, is the first in a projected trilogy.

Told with gritty realism, Catching The Eagle is a suspense-filled page-turner, which spares nothing in its descriptions of the hardships and injustices suffered by the poor at the turn of the 19th century.

Its ending leaves the reader poised perfectly for the next volume - for which I can hardly wait

Kathy Stevenson

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/books/article-2082654/HISTORICAL-FICTION.html#ixzz1icd9Funx

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Short Story: February 1809

27/12/2011

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Short Story: February 1809

This is just a reminder to anyone who has finished reading their Christmas copy of Catching the Eagle - and cannot wait for the sequel. If you would like to read more about Jamie, William and Cilla Charlton and the other characters in Catching the Eagle, then please check out the FREE short story I wrote for my publisher's website:

http://www.knoxrobinsonpublishing.com/product_info.php?products_id=104

February 1809 is both a prequel to Catching the Eagle - and a stand alone short story. It introduces the characters and provides more background information about the real events which preceeded the robbery at Kirkley Hall.

I hope you enjoy it.

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Booksignings

22/12/2011

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Book Signings...

I've got three in the bag now - two at branches of Waterstones and one for The Guisborough Bookshop. Does that make me experienced enough to comment? Probably not. But I'm going to comment anyway. :)

I was quite nervous when I crept into Waterstones Middlesbrough for my first official book signing two weeks ago. I kept fiddling with the lovely new red pen my Dad bought me for book signing. But I shouldn't have worried; the staff were lovely and I soon got into the swing of it. In fact, when I think about it, I've never met an unpleasant person in a bookshop - customer or member of staff. Bookshops just don't attract the chavvy types, do they? Everyone in these hallowed vaults is cheerful, helpful, literate and - as it turned out - prepared to listen for a few minutes to the ramblings of a nervous, new author.

Before my first signing I did a little research on the Internet. I was unsure what to expect so I thought I'd google the experience and prepare myself. There wasn't much on t'internet but I did find an interesting article from another author on: 'The Etiquette of Book Signings.' It seems that this jaded lady has a problem with rowdy queues, members of the public who always want her to read their own half-written novels and several individuals who didn't know when to stop talking and move on.

Gosh, I thought. Crowd control. It is going to be like being back in the classroom, surrounded by noisy and demanding individuals, all shoving their work under my nose for marking.

No, it wasn't. Maybe Martina Cole or Stephen King occassionally have experiences like this...but the above is definitely not the experience of an unknown newbie like me. There were not been any rowdy queues awaiting my arrival in Waterstones. I didn't come home with an aching wrist from signing my name two hundred times. Nor did anyone pass me a dog-eared manuscript and a red pen...

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Teesside Book Launch @ Middlesbrough Library

13/12/2011

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TEESSIDE BOOK LAUNCH @ MIDDLESBROUGH LIBRARY

Chris, Ross and Beth pose with me for the Middlesbrough Gazette photographer

Friday 9th December 2011: Flanked by my wonderful family, loyal friends and several members of the public who had all braved the freezing weather, we arrived at the beautiful library in the centre of Middlesbrough for my Teesside book launch. The first job of the night was an interview with a reporter from the 'Middlesbrough Gazette' and a photo session.

Talking about the research and discovering the skeleton in the family closet

Then I moved to the main table to talk about how Chris and I had discovered the family 'black sheep' and how I had turned the story of Jamie Charlton into a novel.

Reading Chapter Eleven

Helped by my good friends Jill and Sam (his excellency, the Cultural Attache for Boosbeck) we read a few extracts from Catching the Eagle and I answered questions from the audience. In the background, was an great slide show prepared by my daughter, Beth.

Book signing

Finally, there was time for chatting with our guests and signing a few copies of the novel.

It was a lovely evening which I thoroughly enjoyed. I sincerely hope that everybody else enjoyed it as much as I did.

Thanks to Jill and Sam for helping me with the reading; to Iain Wolstencroft for the photographs and to Sara Dennis of Middlesbrough Library for organising the event.

Photos courtesy of Iain Wolstencroft

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The 'Eagle' is published

8/12/2011

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The 'Eagle' is published

OMG. What an amazing day.

This morning when the alarm went off at 6.25 am I woke up a published author.

Did I wake up with a metaphor on my mind? With ink-stained fingers or the appalling dress sense normally associated with writers? No. I've always allegedly had 'questionable' dress-sense. ;)

I woke up as normal, had a couple of cups of tea and then drove through the dreadful wind and rain to the day job. Here, I was instantly embroiled in a passionate debate about how we as a school can manage our limited resources and do the best for our students. I was on 'duty' and had a full days teaching ahead. No time to relish my literary achievement.

Then at 11.10am we led our Year Ten classes (that's fourth years, for all of you who are still in the 1980's) into the gym for their 'controlled assessment.'

Samantha O---, one of my 'liveliest' young ladies shoved a red envelope into my hand.

'Open it, Miss,' she whispered as the exam was about to start.

I waited until they were settled and then picked up the envelope.

'To Kazza: Miss Charlton' it read. It was a congratulations card - but not only from Sam. She had gone to trouble of getting at least half the class to sign it. I was really moved - and was very conscious that the little darlings were not concentrating on their exam - but were watching my reaction instead.

In that one lovely gesture the kids had shown why so many of us come into teaching in the first place - and why we stay. If a group of noisy but talented, frustrating but loveable, group of 14/15 year old teenagers can appreciate what today meant to me, then there is still plenty of hope for the young people of today. It is a privilege to be working with them. I will treasure that card for the rest of my life.

But the excitement was not over yet...

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Live Radio Interview

7/12/2011

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Live interview with Karen Charlton on BBC Radio Newcastle at 4.30pm - tomorrow - 8th December

Blimey! What a frantic few days!

Today I set out to write my speech for the Book Launch on Friday and finish of another blog post requested by my publisher.

Instead I've been jumping all over phoning Radio stations!

The big news is that tomorrow at 4.30pm I will be doing a live interview on BBC Radio Newcastle about how I researched and wrote Catching the Eagle.

Apparently, BBC Radio Tees are also interested in interviewing me so watch this space for details. For a lady just recovering from a streaming cold a live interview is going to be fun - I guess I'd better stock up on Day Nurse!

The official publication date is tomorrow for Catching the Eagle, and although we all know that naughty amazon have been selling if for some weeks now, it is still a very exciting time for us. I am determined to enjoy every minute of it.

Other news this week is that I have had a great feature published in The Northern Echo newspaper and I ahave also been featured on this blog:

http://bookinglyyours.blogspot.com/2011/11/guest-author-karen-charlton.html

Please don't forget that my Teesside Book Launch is this Friday at Middlesbrough Library 7 - 9 pm.

Looking forward to meeting you there. :)

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'Paperback writer...'

'Paperback Writer...'

YouTube video of 'Catching the Eagle'

YouTube video of 'Catching the Eagle'

Book signing @ Waterstones, Newcastle, Emerson Chambers

Library Talk at Skelton Library on Wednesday

**Talk about Catching the Eagle at Skelton Library on Wednesday**

'Catching the Eagle' reviewed in The Daily Mail

***Catching the Eagle* reviewed in *The Daily Mail***

Short Story: February 1809

Short Story: February 1809

Booksignings

Book Signings...

Teesside Book Launch @ Middlesbrough Library

TEESSIDE BOOK LAUNCH @ MIDDLESBROUGH LIBRARY

The 'Eagle' is published

The 'Eagle' is published

Live Radio Interview

Archives

Categories

'Paperback Writer...'

YouTube video of 'Catching the Eagle'

Talk about Catching the Eagle at Skelton Library on Wednesday

Catching the Eagle reviewed in The Daily Mail

Short Story: February 1809

Book Signings...

TEESSIDE BOOK LAUNCH @ MIDDLESBROUGH LIBRARY

The 'Eagle' is published

Archives

Categories

**Talk about Catching the Eagle at Skelton Library on Wednesday**

***Catching the Eagle* reviewed in *The Daily Mail***