Happy Birthday to Me! Happy Birthday to Me! etc etc. And secondly, Happy Birthday to the paperback edition of Sweet Nothing which is out this week. In honour of these twin excitements I have put together a little present for one of you lovely reading type people out there. And here it is: 
We have got a copy of Sweet Nothing (to be signed, of course), a fab tote bag, a Midsummer Dreams notebook and bookmark, and because Sweet Nothing and Midsummer Dreams are both published by Choc Lit, there will almost certainly be some chocolate added to the haul as well. So what do you have to do to be in with a chance of owning all of these lovely things? Well you need to enter a little competition. This is how: Simply add a comment below, telling me which Shakespeare play you’d most like to read a contemporary adaptation of and why? I’ve done Much Ado About Nothing and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Which play would you like to see as book 3 in the 21st Century Bard series? The best idea and reason, based on my entirely subjective opinion, wins.
Here comes the dull bit… this competition is open from 0:01am to 11.59pm BST on August 6th 2015. It’s open to anyone 18 or over with a British or Irish postal address where the prize can be sent. One entry per person. One prize pack available. Winning entry will be selected on Friday 7th August. Good luck!
Would you risk everything for love?
Independent, straight-talking Trix Allen wouldn’t. She’s been in love once before and ended up with nothing. Now safely single, Trix is as far away from the saccharine-sweet world of hearts and flowers as it’s possible to be.
Ben Messina is the man who broke Trix’s heart. Now he’s successful the only thing rational Ben and free-spirited Trix see eye-to-eye on is the fact that falling in love isn’t part of the plan. But when Ben’s brother sets out to win the heart of Trix’s best friend, romance is very much in the air. Will Trix gamble everything on love and risk ending up with zero once again?
Sweet Nothing is a fresh and funny retelling of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, set in the present day.
alison may 
I’d love to see a modern adaption of my favourite Shakespear play “Anthony and Cleopatra” because it has such a complex lead character in Cleopatra. Also because it is hard to fit it into one of the different categories of Shakespearean plays because it contains history, romance, tradgedy and also comedy. I think this could be a challenge you are up for Alison xx
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The Merchant of Venice! The play holds a particular affection from me as I once had to do a reccie of it at Stratford for a potential conference outing. The audience all howled with laughter when Antonio bared his chest for Shylock to take his pound of flesh, as the actor was so boney and you could see all of his ribs.
On the conference visit proper, we had a private reception and a drunken man barged his way through the room causing quite a disturbance. This man later appeared on stage as the Duke, but didn’t make the final curtain call! At this performance Antonio only undid his shirt to avoid the laughter!
Had to enter the comp for chance of chocolate, yummy notebook and, of course, your book.
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Taming of the Shrew…as its the only Shakespeare play I really enjoyed as Kiss Me Kate. Except with the reverse…have the man as the shrew and the woman using her moxy to get her man. Howard Keel was so gorgeous and manly. Happy birthday Alison. All the best people have their birthdays in August (cough mine is on the 12th.)
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I’d love to read a modern version of Taming of the Shrew to see how you would cope with the fiery relationship between Kate and Petrucchio and the modern problem of ‘taming’! Loved the wonderful BBC modernisation a few years ago with the gorgeous and amusing Rufus Sewell.
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The Tempest, it has to be The Tempest. I was first drawn to read the play by Mary Stewart’s brilliant novel This Rough Magic which refers to it constantly. Recently visited Corfu, re-read This Rough Magic and then had to re-read The Tempest too! You can do it Alison – and it would defnitely require a visit to Greece 🙂
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I’d say Hamlet – but that is more my territory than yours. 🙂 Happy birthday from one Leo to another .
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As You Like It – retitled as “Whatever!”
Because its a. a comedy, and b. funny!
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I love the language of The Scottish Play… but that’s not exactly a feel good romance, is it? Erm, how about Twelfth Night?
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I personally love Mac… opps, sorry, the Scottish play. All that witchcraft and murder. But it’s not gong to be a rom com, is it?
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It’s got to be Othello for me I’m afraid. Studied it at A level and saw some cracking performances of it. And challenges are good 🙂 Have a fabulous birthday, Alison x
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How about A Comedy of Errors? The twin thing could be fun… If a little crazy!
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I too studied Othello at A Level and loved it, especially Iago’s scheming – so clever. Happy birthday, Alison, and congratulations on the paperback release. And what a beautiful cover xx
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Oh, I like Sally’s’ idea of A Comedy of Errors. Has to be that for me. Congratulations on your double celebration, Alison. I LOVE the notebook. 🙂 xx
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Measure for Measure is gloriously dark, with a theme that’s highly relevant for today – who judges the judges? Congratulations to you both. xx.
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Reblogged this on Novels Now and commented:
Open only today 6th August, BST, folks, Scratch your head and then scratch an answer across on Alison May’s blog. Great prize for the winner, Ts&Cs – read them carefully.
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Hi Alison, re-blogged on Novels Now. Hope you get lots of entries. How about The Tempest? I like islands. Anne Stenhouse
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Thanks for reblogging Anne. Much appreciated xx
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There are some great suggestions already but nobody has yet suggested Twelfth Night, one of my favourites. The twists and turns of the plot, with characters dressing up as members of the opposite sex and then falling in love, is worthy of a modern comedy. I’d love to see a modern twist on it.
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Many of my favourites have already been mentioned but as teenager I fell in love with Marc Antony in Julius Caesar, and wept when he said ….”Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
I come to bury Cæsar, not to praise him.
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones.”
I also love historical novels set in Rome !
Happy Birthday x
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Comedy of Errors for me too, Alison! Happy Birthday and Happy Book Birthday too! Congrats aplenty, as they say! 🙂 Xx
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I feel rather embarrassed to admit this but the only Shakespeare play I know is that ‘Scottish Play’ as I read it at school – not a very good choice for a rom com though!
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I don’t think anyone’s mentioned Romeo and Juliet. Everyone remembers the intense emotions of their first love as a teenager and how parental disapproval makes that love all the more exciting. Or may be you could twist it around and have middle-aged couple falling in love and their children trying to keep them apart. Only problem is, you probably need a happier ending!
Have a great birthday!
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Measure for Measure. It’s got nuns in it. Who doesn’t love a good nun story?
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I would love to see you use your creativity writing and imagination to write the story of ‘Comedy of Errors’. I have just recently watched an Indian film based on the Shakespeare’s version and it was hilarious. I would love to see you do your magic on the character of twins in the play.
PS. Not worried about the chocolates but would love to have your book.
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For me it would have to be a modern version of 12 th night or Julius Caesar, 12 th night because a modern version would be interesting and julius Caesar because love Rome and the ruins could play a big part in a modern day twist
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Love’s Labour’s Lost because it’s the natural prequel to Much Ado.
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Definitely Twelfth Night. Poor Malvolio with his yellow crossed garters thinking he’s Top Dog. The higher they climb the harder they fall. Now there’s a new theme that’s shouting out to be brought up to date!
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Hope you had a wonderful birthday 🙂
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