WORK WIFE BALANCE
'This is well-written, very funny and I raced through it, occasionally squealing in horror at the antics of Kate’s colleagues. It’s also a joy to read about a strong woman with a big job and fiery opinions, a nice antidote to the sugary sweet sort of chick lit.' DAILY MAIL
Kate King is furiously flailing to keep afloat. As her team bicker, finger-point and cheat their way through rumours of sackings and site closures, her ill-tempered husband is becoming increasingly embittered and secretive. Kate knows she must address his petulant question: “Surely there’s more to life than this?” but all her energies are required to dodge the corporate bullets constantly fired in her direction. Under pressure from an attractive, younger colleague, Kate is also concerned by her sudden invisibility to the opposite sex and the alarming appearance of back fat. Disturbingly, beige knitwear has started to call to her from the shelves of M&S.Growing more and more suspicious of her husband’s activities, pressure builds on Kate both at work and at home until her turbulent year reaches its climactic end. Can she continue to balance precariously between work and marriage, or is one end of the scales going to hit the ground with a resounding thud?
Kate King is furiously flailing to keep afloat. As her team bicker, finger-point and cheat their way through rumours of sackings and site closures, her ill-tempered husband is becoming increasingly embittered and secretive. Kate knows she must address his petulant question: “Surely there’s more to life than this?” but all her energies are required to dodge the corporate bullets constantly fired in her direction. Under pressure from an attractive, younger colleague, Kate is also concerned by her sudden invisibility to the opposite sex and the alarming appearance of back fat. Disturbingly, beige knitwear has started to call to her from the shelves of M&S.Growing more and more suspicious of her husband’s activities, pressure builds on Kate both at work and at home until her turbulent year reaches its climactic end. Can she continue to balance precariously between work and marriage, or is one end of the scales going to hit the ground with a resounding thud?
POT-BOUND
Pot-bound is the sequel to Jo's bestselling novel, Work Wife Balance. (Spoiler alert!)
Since discovering the Wonderbra and facial wax strips, Kate King has never been short of a partner. Now, having reached the age of looking forward to a dull evening, she finds herself single, following her husband’s admission of an affair with a conniving colleague.
Under intense pressure at work and becoming increasingly isolated, Kate finally succumbs to Internet dating but stumbles across a minefield of pretence, exaggeration and downright lies. Having ended his relationship with The Trollop, The Ex begins to circle. Disillusioned with her dating experiences, Kate is tempted to return to her old life. Will she be capable of spreading new roots amidst the harshness and turbulence of her existence, or will she forever be twisted around into knots?
'Kate is a wonderful character, believable, likeable and with a nice line in funny put-downs.' Daily Mail
Since discovering the Wonderbra and facial wax strips, Kate King has never been short of a partner. Now, having reached the age of looking forward to a dull evening, she finds herself single, following her husband’s admission of an affair with a conniving colleague.
Under intense pressure at work and becoming increasingly isolated, Kate finally succumbs to Internet dating but stumbles across a minefield of pretence, exaggeration and downright lies. Having ended his relationship with The Trollop, The Ex begins to circle. Disillusioned with her dating experiences, Kate is tempted to return to her old life. Will she be capable of spreading new roots amidst the harshness and turbulence of her existence, or will she forever be twisted around into knots?
'Kate is a wonderful character, believable, likeable and with a nice line in funny put-downs.' Daily Mail
MIXED RECEPTION
Mixed Reception completes the Kate King trilogy.
Kate King should be an extremely contented woman. Her new man is good with his hands, she has a change of career at the prestigious Hi! Hotels leisure chain and she still fits a size twelve, albeit in elasticised sweatpants.
But all is not well.
A long-term sufferer of agro-phobia (fear of parenthood), Kate struggles to forge a relationship with her new partner’s child. Her attempts to bond with the little boy only serve to traumatise him, while her prospective in-laws do their best to thwart any progress Kate makes.
The team at Farzyk Hall provide little comfort, with Reception a hotbed of malicious gossip and extra-marital affairs, while the penny-pinching hotel directives drive guests to distraction. To make matters worse, a shapely love rival is lurking, perky bits primed and ready to fire the minute Kate trips up.
As her troubles multiply, Kate begins to wonder if any relationship is really worth the constant torment.
Kate King should be an extremely contented woman. Her new man is good with his hands, she has a change of career at the prestigious Hi! Hotels leisure chain and she still fits a size twelve, albeit in elasticised sweatpants.
But all is not well.
A long-term sufferer of agro-phobia (fear of parenthood), Kate struggles to forge a relationship with her new partner’s child. Her attempts to bond with the little boy only serve to traumatise him, while her prospective in-laws do their best to thwart any progress Kate makes.
The team at Farzyk Hall provide little comfort, with Reception a hotbed of malicious gossip and extra-marital affairs, while the penny-pinching hotel directives drive guests to distraction. To make matters worse, a shapely love rival is lurking, perky bits primed and ready to fire the minute Kate trips up.
As her troubles multiply, Kate begins to wonder if any relationship is really worth the constant torment.
UPSTAIRS AT DEREK'S
- Upstairs At Derek's
When he finds a bundle of letters hidden amongst his late father’s belongings, Colin is devastated to discover that the letters are addressed to him, written by Sarah Shaw, Colin’s first love. His only love. Reeling from his father’s betrayal, he resolves to track Sarah down, but as the search uncovers further secrets and heartache, Colin begins to wonder if he should have left the past in the past.
Upstairs At Derek's is currently exclusive to Amazon Kindle.
FOGGY'S BLOG ... meet the call centre legend!
Meet Foggy:
Hello! I am Morten Astley Fogarty – call centre worker and all-round entertainer. Although I have an extremely rewarding career answering the phones at Perypils Insurance (customers are always telling me what a total brick I am), my ambition is to perform on the stage. I am, after all, named after two of the greatest singers of the 1980’s.
My colleagues are a wonderful bunch and are always doing little things to brighten my day. Only yesterday, I returned from lunch to find they’d re-arranged the letters O, K, N, B on my keyboard. We always have such fun!
I am delighted to be able to share my unbelievable journey with you via my incredible blog.
Foggy's Blog is free to download in all e formats from Smashwords and via Amazon Kindle.
A paperback version is also available from Amazon.
Hello! I am Morten Astley Fogarty – call centre worker and all-round entertainer. Although I have an extremely rewarding career answering the phones at Perypils Insurance (customers are always telling me what a total brick I am), my ambition is to perform on the stage. I am, after all, named after two of the greatest singers of the 1980’s.
My colleagues are a wonderful bunch and are always doing little things to brighten my day. Only yesterday, I returned from lunch to find they’d re-arranged the letters O, K, N, B on my keyboard. We always have such fun!
I am delighted to be able to share my unbelievable journey with you via my incredible blog.
Foggy's Blog is free to download in all e formats from Smashwords and via Amazon Kindle.
A paperback version is also available from Amazon.
A VERY FOGGY CHRISTMAS
Morten Astley Fogarty – updated! Insurance complaint handler, part-time barista and all-round entertainer. My career at the Perypils call centre has really taken off since my colleagues all voted for me to leave the team and transfer to complaints; I was chuffed to bits at being chosen! I love helping our customers resolve their concerns and as I’ve only received three death threats so far, I’m clearly doing something right.
On Sundays, I work with an extremely talented Chef, Joe, who trained under the calming influence of Gordon Ramsay. Joe’s party-trick is to hurl his bread knife through the kitchen hatch towards my head. He always deliberately misses, of course; we do have such fun!
My girlfriend, Myra, is a wonderful actress and our director has tried her in lots of different positions. I know Myra is desperate to secure a leading part in our Christmas production, The Wizard of Oz and she has been scouring eBay for ruby slippers, size 9. Let’s hope she continues to satisfy the director!
A Very Foggy Christmas is free to download in all e formats from Smashwords and via Amazon Kindle.
A paperback version is also available from Amazon.
On Sundays, I work with an extremely talented Chef, Joe, who trained under the calming influence of Gordon Ramsay. Joe’s party-trick is to hurl his bread knife through the kitchen hatch towards my head. He always deliberately misses, of course; we do have such fun!
My girlfriend, Myra, is a wonderful actress and our director has tried her in lots of different positions. I know Myra is desperate to secure a leading part in our Christmas production, The Wizard of Oz and she has been scouring eBay for ruby slippers, size 9. Let’s hope she continues to satisfy the director!
A Very Foggy Christmas is free to download in all e formats from Smashwords and via Amazon Kindle.
A paperback version is also available from Amazon.
Christmas Lites V11
Christmas Lites V11 is a festive compilation of short stories contributed by a variety of authors.
ALL royalties are donated to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Jo's story is entitled: The Spirit of Bonhomie
Kindle and paperback versions are available from Amazon.
Published December 2017
