Travels with My Teapot (or Tea Ladies, Arise!)

This is, quite simply, GOLD! Your style of writing comes across as effortless - which essentially means that it is equally effortless and enjoyable to read! This is exactly the kind of light hearted read that becomes a bestseller. I'm insanely jealous! I don't think I can offer any form of critique whatsoever other than a rambling rave - this is so clever,*funny*, original and well written I have no doubt it will be a success! Thanks for providing entertainment on my lunch break :)
All the best! Backed with enthusiasm!!!

I found this book on Philip Gilliver’s bookshelf and as I liked his work so much and your premise was so enticing, I thought I’d have a peek.

I’m so glad I did, this is absolutely priceless! I’ve just finished the whole thing – and want more. It starts well and continues so, very funny and beautifully drawn characters. The dialogue is lovely and the cryptic notes between the tea ladies, fantastic. Some of your sentences are very long which, from reading other people’s reviews of other books, I wonder if you may have to re-work(?) – but they worked fine for me. There are just so many lovely observations and I started to note those I particularly liked, but there are just too many: “...most of them believe an aphrodisiac is a flower...”, “molten flow of indignation”, the cow who was “in a field of her own”, self-destructing pizzas.

You have given me a real laugh and huge pleasure so I hope that it get’s the Ed’s attention as it deserves, Carolyn.

This reminds me of Douglas Adams, particularly Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, and that was a work of genius so I think you're onto a winner here! Great writing, backed unreservedly.

Alternate universes in teapots...

I knew it!

The Snack Van of Doom is new to me, though. It's hilarious. I like this, simply put. Quirky, and clean. I don't know what kind of audience there is for something so...weird...but who cares, I'm shelving it.

What fun, Miranda! Wonderfully British and quirky, and just sheer enjoyment. I've read all eight uploaded chapters.

Shelved.

...more pleased with herself than usual...
...Sunday Gingkco in Clarbuck's...hmm!!!
...lifting it aloft...
...For once Sid struggeld...ssssorry!'... = is this alliteration deliberate?
...an Arctic Weeble?
I think this should be targeted at the younger reader...am I right? I think this is generally well written but a little wordy in places...there is some contradiction between the tone of the narrative and the way the characters speak...a bit of polishing and this will really shine!
Best wishes
Stewart

Dear Miranda
This is slapstick on paper (if that's not an oxymoron!) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The pace is good (almost a bit too fast in places - I thought a couple of the scenes were just a bit too fleeting) and the characters are both eccentric and - just! - believable. Good luck with this - I hope you can keep the humour as taut all the way through.
Best wishes,
Brian

This is, quite simply, GOLD! Your style of writing comes across as effortless - which essentially means that it is equally effortless and enjoyable to read! This is exactly the kind of light hearted read that becomes a bestseller. I'm insanely jealous! I don't think I can offer any form of critique whatsoever other than a rambling rave - this is so clever,*funny*, original and well written I have no doubt it will be a success! Thanks for providing entertainment on my lunch break :)
All the best! Backed with enthusiasm!!!

This is, quite simply, GOLD! Your style of writing comes across as effortless - which essentially means that it is equally effortless and enjoyable to read! This is exactly the kind of light hearted read that becomes a bestseller. I'm insanely jealous! I don't think I can offer any form of critique whatsoever other than a rambling rave - this is so clever,*funny*, original and well written I have no doubt it will be a success! Thanks for providing entertainment on my lunch break :)
All the best! Backed with enthusiasm!!!

You're already published so I am just SHELVING you.

Though I have been a very active member for over a year, I can still use your comments on my book when you get the chance. Every little bit helps. Cheers!

JC
The Obergemau Key

This is a wonderful story. I like books that are about older adults rather than the mass of teenagers featured on this site; they allow an author to give them a better background and so much more depth than is possible with younger characters. Your idea of organized tea drinkers is clever plotting; so clever this makes me think of the beginning of a series or a TV sit-com. I'm adding this to my shelf. Burgio (Grain of Salt).

Brilliant idea! I was reading Coffee at Kowalski's and caught a glimpse of this. So clever. You've created a tempest in a teapot, not just a cup!

This is fun, quite silly, irreverent and at times plain daft. Just the thing to brighten up a cold dull day. the writing is good, the concept is loony enough to attract attention, the pitch is enticing and interesting, all in all I wish more stuff like this was available. After all we can read heavy meaningful stuff, lovey dovey stuff and nasty mean stuff but we really need lots of lots of pure entertainment. Well done backed with a giggle and a wish for good luck with it.

You'll never sell this on the other side of the Atlantic, not without a glossary.
It is delightful and so charmingly funny. I did really laugh out loud over T-CO-ZEE and T-CAD-E.
For orginality, this takes the biscuit and I don't mean party rings.

If I said that I backed this book because I thought it said "Tea Ladies Arse" you would think I was juvenile, so I won't even admit that was what caught my eye. :o)

I liked it.

Good luck !

Pete

I would love to read this, but not currently able to get it...some technical problems apparently. I will out this on my watchlist for later...I love the concept of the tea ladies rising up!

George Fripley.

An original, very funny idea. You move straight into the heart of the plot with Lottie's gift, her discovery of the teapot, and then Seymour's insult to Helman. Your characters are lively, three dimensional, and a delight to read about. But you are not only funny. In addition, you deal with some very important subjects, and you make us think, while not becoming sentimental or overly serious. Your style is witty and smooth, and your dialogue is realistic and natural. You give each character an individual voice, so that we can usually tell who is speaking without information. This is a book to enjoy. Backed.
Gerry McCullough,
Belfast Girls.

I found this book on Philip Gilliver’s bookshelf and as I liked his work so much and your premise was so enticing, I thought I’d have a peek.

I’m so glad I did, this is absolutely priceless! I’ve just finished the whole thing – and want more. It starts well and continues so, very funny and beautifully drawn characters. The dialogue is lovely and the cryptic notes between the tea ladies, fantastic. Some of your sentences are very long which, from reading other people’s reviews of other books, I wonder if you may have to re-work(?) – but they worked fine for me. There are just so many lovely observations and I started to note those I particularly liked, but there are just too many: “...most of them believe an aphrodisiac is a flower...”, “molten flow of indignation”, the cow who was “in a field of her own”, self-destructing pizzas.

You have given me a real laugh and huge pleasure so I hope that it get’s the Ed’s attention as it deserves, Carolyn.

Miranda

Fabulous pitch....I....Years ago I worked for a company where the tea lady/cleaner, humming and singing away to herself let 4 burglers into the building, showed them upstairs and waltzed off to tidy her trolley...Two hours later when we all got in, we had no computers....lol.....

OK.

Your lengthy speech qualifiers sometimes left me breathless....eg.
even more incredibly pleased with herself than normal......just say......pleased with herself.
his mind already being beckoned elsewhere by a multitude of more exciting things at the car boot sale......just say.....his mind drifting...

Your dialogue is interesting and simplistic, but the lengthy qualifiers mean it's too long before the next person speaks.....

I read your opening out loud....Try it, and let me know if you agree / disagree.

Great story and a very original premise......Will read more.....Shelved

This reminds me of Douglas Adams, particularly Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, and that was a work of genius so I think you're onto a winner here! Great writing, backed unreservedly.

Travels with my Teapot...

Now that I've read your partial, I'm wondering when HC will pick this one up, too.

Besides being seriouly funny, the story moves along at a perfect pace. Guaranteed to be a page-turner.

Shelved, of course.

Cheers,
Sheryl
IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES (would love your honest reactions, especially now that you'll be able to call yourself a published novelist very shortly)

Travels with my Teapot...

Well, if the quality of your writing in your Avon novel is anywhere near the quality of the writing in this one, I can certainly see why you were picked up out of the slush pile!

C. 1 is wonderfully funny, from beginning to end. I only have one suggestion and I'm not even sure it's a good one, but here it is: I'd delete "trust me" ...felt like author intrusion, which is certainly a comedic technique, but I don't think you need it, and it might distance the reader just a bit.

Reading on...

This looks like a terrific book, Miranda. On my WL!

Best to you,
Justis Call
Prestidigitations

I giggled as I read...what a great read! I love a good pot of tea...think there's a chance at being a secret agent, too? Well written.

Miranda,

I hope you will not take offense when I say: What I silly book.

Seriously, if I can use that word of this book, maintain such silliness without losing the audience is no simple matter. You didn't lose me. You did make me laugh. Often.

It's not just silliness for silliness' sake either, there is a story here and one that's well written. You change point of view with ease, each view-point distinguisable but the voice (okay the silliness) providing a constancy.

I couldn't stop smiling as I read this. I'm giving it a quick spin on my shelf.

Miranda!
Your James Bond cover meets Monty Python (NOBODY expects a tea cup lady, and the Ministry of Civilised Society...Ministry of Silly Walks), meets T-CUPS (sounds like a cheap bimbo flick, ala D-Cups). What a juxtaposition of adventure and craziness...in multiple dimensions.
Great tongue in cheek humour for a totally cheeky story. I would buy this gladly.
On my shelf, Miranda.
Jeff

Alternate universes in teapots...

I knew it!

The Snack Van of Doom is new to me, though. It's hilarious. I like this, simply put. Quirky, and clean. I don't know what kind of audience there is for something so...weird...but who cares, I'm shelving it.

Very silly! Very knowing! I love the characterisation and the pitch really made me want to know what madness you'd come up with!
Ed (Mutant Toe)

Travels with My Teapot

Hi Miranda, This is great, you used the word effervescent to describe Lottie's character and outlook on life and that sense is weaved magically into every sentence. What I really like about your writing Miranda is that there is a sense that every sentence is tightly stuffed, plump, not bursting with unnecessary words, but agentic, doing their job of moving the story along. I learnt a lot reading this, the floating, comedic narrator voice works well and Sid and Lottie are great characters. It reminded me of the whimsy of some of Victoria Wood's stuff, the only reason I can think that this is dropping in the charts now is that you don't have time to read enough to get the backings to lift it up.

I will come back to read some more, but backed for now - Andrew W.

Very good. I really enjoyed your style of writing. It's fast, lively and brings the characters to life well, without ever slowing down the pace of the story. I did notice that one or two of your sentences were too long for me. The beginning of the third paragraph was a good example. I've been guilty of long sentences in the past. I think they're a natural side effect of wanting to keep a good pace. Nowadays, I go back and scan the prose again, watching for them and pruning them. That way, I don't lose the creative flow, but keep the prose easy for the reader. Starting a paragraph with a verb is also tricky (the third paragraph again). It is a way to keep the pace up, but it can put the reader off.
On the plot front, I was a bit concerned we'd only got a introduction to a special teapot by the end of chapter one. Is it possible to trim the prose a little, and bring an event forward in the story? That would be help keep the reader hooked.
I hope this doesn't sound too critical. I really enjoyed the style and I'm keen to read more. It's going on my watchlist and my bookshelf as soon as I find some room. Cheers! - Adrian Ellis (Copper Book).

Hi Miranda,
I thoroughly enjoyed this, it's just my sort of thing. I found it highly entertaining, a lot of fun. I read more than I meant to ;-) and have zero nitpicks. On my shelf and good luck with it!!
Bests,
AnnabelleP
(Adelaide Short)

I do rather like this. I've read the first uploaded part, and I have to say that it has grabbed me. I can't say it is the type of book that I would normally chose to read, but something about the writing style and the dialogue caught my attention, so I feel I owe it a little deeper read, and I shall keep reading.

-Jenny-

This has Carry On feel to it. I kept picturing Sid James as the older brother and Joan Sims as Lottie. When you think of it the tea lady is a bit like a spy, after all it is they that have all the great gossip in the office. I wouldn't say what I read was hilarious but it is certainly humorous. You have an easy to read style which lends its self to this kind of story well. WLed

Miranda,

Cracking stuff! I love the tea lady/secret agent premise, and your writing is fluid, witty and engaging. I enjoyed the unexplained nods to the parallel world in which the story takes place such as 'ghaf', and all told there was a definite Jasper Fforde feel to the whole thing.

Well worth shelving, so I have!

All the best

Stanny (The Bibble)

Dear Miranda, Travels With My Teapot is great fun - lovely comic storytelling and beautifully engaging characters. It is a bit like the fictional companion to Nicey & Wifey's "Nice Cup Of Tea And A Sit Down"! Lovely stuff. Thank you, Andrew.

Miranda
This is fun. What wonderful tea ladies. Love the names. T-Co-Zee. Your characters are great. Your writing clear and easy to read. I am enjoying it so much I can’t really find anything bad to say about it. It is so tongue-in-cheek. So different. This is good.
Well done. Shelved.

Hi Miranda,
This is such fun, light, witty, delightful turns of phrase - 'Snack Van of Doom' / 'to be asked what to do was practically suicide' /' getting one to work as an ultra Dimensional Travel Portal...' / ' Clarbucks' - lovely. / 'T-CO-ZEE' / 'T-CAD-EE' etc.
Onto my shelf, M.
PS I'd value comment /reaction to Munro's Choice, thanks, M.

What fun, Miranda! Wonderfully British and quirky, and just sheer enjoyment. I've read all eight uploaded chapters.

Shelved.

The first chapter is splendid - draws the reader into those glorious Sunday congregations. Some flawless interaction between the characters. Quirky and cool.

It becomes a little tricky to keep up with the quick switch between different characters in chapter two, coming across as fairly overloaded. It never falls from point and it certainly arrests my curiosity.

well done - fab idea, love the idea of undercover teahouses j- James Bond eat your heart out!
Cover is great too. Well written in my view. good luck
tennispal

Hello Miranda,

Heh. This looks like fun.
Two chapters in; it IS fun.
I’m going to pop it on my shelf for a while and hope you will give us more.
Regards,

Hi, Miranda--
Well, let me just contribute to the praise which has already been lavished on the Tea Ladies. There's so much more here than just fear of getting something a little extra in your tea: imagination and intrigue, and that's just in the figuring out exactly what's going on. Snappy dialogue, memorable characters, cinematic cutting back-and-forth--I felt as if I got a good workout while reading.
And, last but not least, it's funny as all ghaf.
Most certainly on the bookshelf, and will return for a second cup.
--Jason

Ch 2 is just as good. Glad I backed it. Two things though:

Jock's 'podgy' hand? Is it supposed to be pudgy or is this a Britishism I don't know?

'Spelman revelled in the fact of his emerging ...' You call him Helman everywhere else.

I'll be back for the next chapter later.
Tru

LOL! I actually did laugh out loud twice, three times if you count the one while I was reading your blurb. And I only got through the first chapter (karate class is calling). Are you channeling Douglas Addams? No, too female. Either way, I'm shelving this one.

Tru

Oh, but I'm in love. This just bowls along, full of wonderful weirdness at every turn. I think you handled the intercut between Helman and Callaghan in Ch. 2 just splendidly. Super cinematic. The breezy style recalls Jasper Fforde a little bit, but your style is less contrived, I think, and just from the little bit I've read, I found it easier to get into. Really, it's an effortless read. I can think of so many people who would adore it.

The only thing I can think of by way of (possible) improvement is that I would like to know just a teensy bit more about Middle-Minds and Non-Glips before Seymour tells his story about the interview. It's not totally necessary and it would be a pity to mess with the cracking pace you've set up here, but one sentence maybe?? Maybe Dillinger can handle it? There are a lot of place-names and stuff slipped in here and there, really deftly I thought. Anyhoo, this is really really good.

I don't know if you care, but if it's supposed to be like the tree, it's spelled ginkgo. Weird eh? I'll be happy to plug this in the forum and will be back shortly (after I finish this TON of work) to read the rest, all the best, Maria.

Ooh I like this! Very cleverly done - it's funny, well written and engaging. I like the font...yeah, random I know. Anyway, this is a very fun and delightful read and certainly warrants a place on the old Shelf. I'm gonna give the people i shelved today 24 hours and will pop yours on tomorrow night! Nice cover btw!

Oli

Hi again MIranda,

you just can't get more British than this, and I think you're doing an even better job than you did at Kowalski's. Shelved!

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat? Only in the 400's? Fixing that *right* now.

This is excellent, silly, cleverer than you realise fun.

I love it.

Backed on the cover alone, but the writing is pretty good too. Holt meets Fleming in Horrowitz's back garden. Sunny and *very* British. Superb.

Miranda, this is truly wonderful. Shelved for the utterly delightful combination of flawless, effortless prose and tongue-in-cheek. Not to mention the central, though so often overlooked, role played by teapots in civilised society.

(Let me reassure you that I began work on "Marcus Trefoil and the Tea-Cosy of Doom" long before I came across this; when I post it, if it even REMOTELY approaches being found worthy to serve as a companion volume to 'Teapot', I shall count myself blessed indeed.)

This is as delicious as tea and crumpets and just as endearingly British too..... I love it. I've stuffed it back up on my shelf which may not do heaps of good for your rankings, but passing traffic may help. You're versatile and very talented, as with your other book Coffee at Kowalski's, the characters positively leap off the page at me. Lovely.... a Sunday afternoon, snuggle in the armchair before a roaring fire book...... just perfect.

I saw this on the Pitch Me section of the forum. It's very enjoyable and has just the right amount of silliness.
some quibbles:
When you say 'trust me' she smoothed -- do you mean soothed - smooth felt a bit odd to me.
I would watch duplicate words close together (one of my biggest problems) for instance, yuo say 'his obvious ignorance' and then 'it was immediately obvious'
How old are they? They seemed to be on their own at the fleamarket, so I thought they were a bit older, or maybe the sister is?
I do enjoy your choice of words, like when you say 'face like a wet weekend'

This is brilliant - hilarious...weird, too...what an imagination you've got :-)

Sorry but I have no constructive criticism to offer you...not even any punctuation nitpicks (I usually resort to those when the writing's so good I have nothing else to say!). Your writing flows beautifully. I love it.

I'll be back to read the next four chapters sometime soon. In the meantime, it's going on my shelf and I'm going to make a pot of tea...

Good luck with this, Miranda - I'm sure it's going to whizz up the charts :-)

Miranda

This is a jolly read and very engaging. The dialogue is especially good and the story flows well. Very promising.

Hi Miranda,
This was just my cup of tea- sorry but someone was going to say it so it might as weel be me. Following a quick perusal of the forums where there's a deal of posturing and plugging going on (and none of it on my behalf!) I decided to retreat to where I feel more at home and look for a good comedy to read. And I found 'Travels'. What a great idea and what great things you've done with it. It is a plot worthy of the golden age of British spoof movies with a healthy helping of cynism sprinkled over the top. I'm not sure to what absurd ends you are going to take this plot but I just wish you'd posted more so i could have been with you to finish.
As well as the glorious premise, there are some absolutely gfreat linguistic flourishes- I loved all the names for Society and Obituaries and thought both 'a whiter shade of sallow' and 'face like over-stewed prunes' were brilliant.
How on earth do you manage to do the transitions between place and time so well? i read each about three times trying to work out your secret but still couldn't manage it. Only one minute suggestion- did you mean 'bedroom's third floor window' ?
Loved it. It has cheered me up immensely. Thanks for posting travels. It gets a place on my revolving bookshelf out of sheer gratitude.
Jak

And the cover is brilliant. Who deisgned it?

Miranda! Even with a raging stomach ache which I've had all night I thoroughly enjoyed this, or rather what I've read so far which is the first two and a bit chapters (Big Sister the boss is watching). I absolutely love the humour in this, its a blooming British comedy sci-fi isn't it! Only in Britain can the Tea lady be the hero! I think this is utterly brilliant and I can truthfully see this going the full stretch!
Well done orkid!

Phiz