Posted on by Joanne
I’m delighted to be joined by Ceril Campbell today, author of Circle of Secrets. Circle of Secrets was published earlier this month by Matthew James Publishing and available now in hardback, audiobook and digital editions: full details below. Thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours for the opportunity to take part in the book tour. Over to Ceril to tell us more.
THREE things about my latest book
Circle of Secrets takes you back to the 1980s, in the outwardly glamorous international world of fashion and modelling, where there was a hidden dark side.
It was a very different world back then. Mobile phones and social media didn’t exist. Hedonism and sexism, and unacceptable behaviours went unchallenged.
This book has everything. There’s glamour, sex, heartbreak, a jet set lifestyle and true love amongst other things.
TWO of the characters in my book
It’s difficult to just pick two characters. The book focuses on a long-standing circle of close friends. Now in their thirties, each of them has their own life to lead — a storyline, if you will. They are all strong, yet their vulnerabilities are tested to the max. As unexpected challenges appear, disrupting their seemingly stable and perfectly happy lives, long-buried secrets will be uncovered, and reputations and relationships are destroyed.
Jade, is the main protagonist. She’s a stunningly beautiful, young and innocent teenager, unaware of her adoption at birth. After she is scouted to be a model and sent to Milan, her life is turned upside down — an emotional rollercoaster from which she is unable to escape.
Within the circle of friends, all of whom have kept their own and each other’s secrets hidden over many years, is Simon. Juggling his transatlantic long-term relationship with a major, male, Hollywood film star (who cannot be outed as a gay man as it’s the 1980s and the era of the AIDS crisis), with his work as a celebrity makeup artist and a secret life as a drag queen performing in a Soho nightclub. Simon is kind, gentle, confident, and incredibly successful in his career, but in his personal life, his insecurities, neediness, and constant doubts about his relationship become self-destructive.
Life has strange twists and turns in store for all this circle of friends, but especially for Jade and Simon.
ONE good reason why people should read your book!
A follow-up to my 2021 debut Secrets in the Dark, Circle of Secrets takes the reader to all of the 80s fashion hotspots. From London to LA, Monaco to Marbella. However, there’s a stark reminder of what lurks beneath the surface of this supposed glamour.
I am flattered that my writing has been compared to that of Jackie Collins and Jilly Cooper, with bold, glamorous settings, and a narrative that doesn’t shy away from darker themes and storylines. I hope that Circle of Secrets hooks you in, that you’ll root for the characters, and keep turning the pages until the end of their rollercoaster journey.
I’ve covered some difficult subjects in Circle of Secrets — some of which may trigger — but it will take you on an emotional journey. Sometimes life can be dark, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. However, I do like to write a book that brings the reader joy with a happy ending.
Full Book Details
In the glamorous world of fashion, fame, and power, beauty hides blemishes and success conceals scars.
When a young model disappears in Europe, her absence begins to expose the hidden fractures beneath the industry’s most glamorous elite. While a circle of friends, whose worlds – built on ambition, betrayal, and silence – begin to crack and truths that could destroy them all claw their way to the surface.
At the height of the hedonistic 1980s, from the polished veneer of the modelling world in London and Milan, to the freedom of Soho where identities blur, lives begin to unravel. Mothers haunted by loss, beautiful women desperate to bury their past, and powerful men entangled in guilt, desire, and control.
Circle of Secrets is a stylish, character-driven drama of glamour and deception, exploring how far people will go to protect the lies that define them.
Buying Link: Circle of Secrets
About the Author
Ceril Campbell has always been passionate about fashion.For over thirty years she has worked as a celebrity stylist, fashion commentator and expert on TV and radio with her own magazine columns and features. Her debut novel, Secrets in the Dark, is not autobiographical in any way, but is inspired by her insider knowledge of the glamorous world of celebrity.
Ceril is now a broadcaster and motivational speaker, helping clients with lifestyle, image, life change, self-esteem, positive body confidence and mental wellness. Ceril has also written self-help books, including Discover the New You: Celebrity Stylist Secrets to Transform Your Life and Style. She lives in London and has two adult children.
To find out more about Ceril, visit her website https://www.cerilcampbell.com, and follow her on Twitter and Instagram @cerilcampbell.
