Book Spotlight with Notes | featuring “An Accidental Royal Kidnap” (Royally Funny, Book One) by Paul Mathews

Posted Tuesday, 8 December, 2020 by jorielov , , 0 Comments

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Hallo, Hallo dear hearts!

Every so often I start to wonder if I need to switch things up a bit in my readerly life – seeking out different branches of literature and/or different perspectives within the genres I read the most regularly. I tend to vacillate if I focus too much on drama rather than adding in doses of comedy as well. With comedy it is always a very fine line for me to find the ‘right’ story which suits my readerly interests as I am just as particular when it comes to which comedies in film or television I’ll watch as well.

I tend to go for the comedies which have a lot of heart threading into the backbone of the storyline and a lot of character growth for the lead and supporting cast. I like to stories which evolve through the journey we’re spending with the characters – good or bad, the journey has to showcase a portion of their lives we feel is worth immersing ourselves into to find the ending satisfying. When I first learnt of this story, I had intended to interview the author – however, as those plans fell away, I decided to host an extract and spotlight instead.

One of the benefits of interviewing or hosting an extract for a novel you’re considering to read yourself is giving your readers a chance to see if the story fits their readerly interests, too. Conversations help see inside the writer’s process whilst extracts or even fuller chapter samplers (most of which can easily be found online) give us a chance to see a snippet of an author’s style and note how their style might progress if we were to read the full version of the novel. I felt this beneficial as a reader and I hope you do as well. Especially if like me you’re sometimes on the ‘fence’ of knowing which author you’ll love reading and which author might not be your cuppa tea.

I’d love to hear your thoughts about this extract and if you regularly seek out either blog tours to read extracts and/or if you read chapter samplers online for the same reasons I do myself? Likewise, if you read Contemporary Humour & Satire or Dark Humour novels set in Contemporary settings – I’d love to hear your thoughts on behalf of these kinds of stories as well. Which writers are your top favourites and which novels would you recommend for me to check out?

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Book Spotlight with Notes | featuring “An Accidental Royal Kidnap” (Royally Funny, Book One) by Paul MathewsAn Accidental Royal Kidnap
by Paul Mathews

When London schoolteacher George Nearly wakes up one Sunday morning to find a dishevelled young woman sprawled on his living-room rug, claiming to be a princess, his plans for a peaceful day at home recovering from his 39th birthday party disappear faster than a French monarch’s head during a revolution. And when the feisty royal accuses George of kidnapping her, his very ordinary life is turned completely upside down, as the party princess takes root in his apartment, causes royal waves among his friends and family, and demands to go walkabout on the streets of London. It’s blue-blooded British comedy by unofficial royal appointment in this hilarious, and often surreal, regal romp that’s guaranteed to raise a laugh from Balmoral to Buckingham Palace!

Genres: Contemporary (Modern) Fiction (post 1945)



Places to find the book:

Add to LibraryThing

ISBN: 979-8697647615

Published by Self Published

on 24th November, 2020

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This is a self-published novel

Available Formats: Trade Paperback and Ebook

Converse via: #Contemporary Humour, Dark Humour

About Paul Mathews

Paul Mathews is a quite funny guy who ditched the London rat race to follow his dream of becoming a comedy novelist and never again having to be told what to do by anyone who isn't a blood relative. His sharp, satirical - often surreal - sense of humour was honed after twenty glorious years in the UK Civil Service: long-lunching, cracking jokes & trying his best to look busy. He gains inspiration from his love of pubs, good food, Earl Grey tea, four-legged animals & the quirks and quibbles of British life.

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Enjoy reading this extract from “An Accidental Royal Kidnap”:

An Accidental Royal Kidnap promo badge provided by Love Books Tours and is used with permission.

To stimulate those parts of my brain that have yet to fully comprehend my situation – which is most of them – I imagine I’m dictating an email to you for onward transmission to my closest confidantes:

‘Subject: Your Advice Needed. First paragraph. Dear so-and-so. I hope you are well. I am writing with regards to the female royal I have discovered this morning on my prized rug and am seeking advice from those who may have more of a clue than I do about what procedures I should be following in these particular circumstances. New paragraph. Has this sort of thing ever happened to you? Think very carefully before answering. If you’re reading this after waking up, please check all your rugs before responding. If you don’t own a rug, imagine you do and inspect the general area where you might place it.’

The woman shifts her position and groans softly before returning to her silent sprawling. Reassured that she isn’t about to vomit all over my floor’s pride and joy, I continue with my dictation.

‘New paragraph. Cast your mind back to all those bleary-eyed days when you arose from a post-party stupor and stumbled around your home as if navigating an indoor assault course. Did you ever climb over any royal obstacles on your way to the bathroom, dodge one of the Queen’s cousins as you hunted for the ibuprofen, or have to leap over a prostrate princess to avoid crashing into the hideous IKEA coffee table your mother bought you but you’re too frightened to donate to a charity shop in case she never speaks to you again? If so, please respond and provide details. New line. Yours sincerely, George.’

I inhale deeply, as if I’ve accomplished a great task. My subsequent lack of brain activity suggests I haven’t. Maybe I’m addressing the wrong audience. Yes. I should be asking you for advice.

So, what do you think? What should I do? And what shouldn’t I do?

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The situation as it is being presented is absolutely hilarious! Except it also begs to know ‘more’ just before and just after this extract leaves us in suspense for more details! For instance, would he really send the email or is just trying to mentally be thorough with plausible routes of action to take if and when he has the courage to deal with the present situation placed on his path? It begs further questions, too, how did she gain access to his flat? Did they know each other outside of this and if not, how did she end up in his flat? That’s what I keep going back too — how does someone end up in your residence without having prior knowledge of them? Did they break-in? Did a doorman take them to the wrong residence?

However which way she arrived, you have to admit, ‘what comes next’ might make or break the story because it has to be a reason which is believable – at least for me! And, then there’s the title and the synopsis too – further clues about what is going on overall and it lends your curiosity a lot of good fodder to consider all the lovely angles the author could direct this novel.

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I’m wicked happy to be a host for:

Love Books Tours Host badge provided by Love Books Tours and is used with permission.Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

This blog Tour is courtesy of:

An Accidental Royal Kidnap blog tour badge provided by Love Books Tours and is used with permission.Follow the tour via @LoveBooksGroup

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 I look forward to reading your thoughts & commentary!
Be sure to leave notes, takeaways and commentary to let me know if this has been a story on your bookish radar and/or if it is one you’re going to be adding to your own TBR! I’d love to hear your thoughts about this kind of story and others you might have already read on similar themes.

Fun Stuff for Your Blog via pureimaginationblog.com

NOTE: Similar to blog tours wherein I feature book reviews, book spotlights (with or without extracts), book announcements (or Cover Reveals) – I may elect to feature an author, editor, narrator, publisher or other creative person connected to the book, audiobook, Indie film project or otherwise creative publishing medium being featured wherein the supplemental content on my blog is never compensated monetarily nor am I ever obligated to feature this kind of content. I provide (98.5%) of all questions and guest topics regularly featured on Jorie Loves A Story. I receive direct responses back to those enquiries by publicists, literary agents, authors, blog tour companies, etc of whom I am working with to bring these supplemental features and showcases to my blog. I am naturally curious about the ‘behind-the-scenes’ of stories and the writers who pen them: I have a heap of joy bringing this content to my readers. Whenever there is a conflict of connection I do disclose those connections per post and disclose the connection as it applies.

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{SOURCES: Book cover for “An Accidental Royal Kidnap”, synopsis as well as the tour badge were all provided by Love Books Tours and are used with permission. Post dividers and My Thoughts badge by Fun Stuff for Your Blog via Pure Imagination. Tweets were embedded due to codes provided by Twitter. Blog graphics created by Jorie via Canva: Stories in the Spotlight banner and the Comment Box Banner.}

Copyright © Jorie Loves A Story, 2020.

I’m a social reader | I tweet my reading life

About jorielov

I am self-educated through local libraries and alternative education opportunities. I am a writer by trade and I cured a ten-year writer’s block by the discovery of Nanowrimo in November 2008. The event changed my life by re-establishing my muse and solidifying my path. Five years later whilst exploring the bookish blogosphere I decided to become a book blogger. I am a champion of wordsmiths who evoke a visceral experience in narrative. I write comprehensive book showcases electing to get into the heart of my reading observations. I dance through genres seeking literary enlightenment and enchantment. Starting in Autumn 2013 I became a blog book tour hostess featuring books and authors. I joined The Classics Club in January 2014 to seek out appreciators of the timeless works of literature whose breadth of scope and voice resonate with us all.

"I write my heart out and own my writing after it has spilt out of the pen." - self quote (Jorie of Jorie Loves A Story)

read more >> | Visit my Story Vault of Book Reviews | Policies & Review Requests | Contact Jorie

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Posted Tuesday, 8 December, 2020 by jorielov in Blog Tour Host, Book Spotlight, Love Books Tours, Sampler Chapters &/or Excerpt of Novel




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