There’s ‘nowt’ like going home to Yorkshire

There is a beauty in the towering mills of the town, and I am ‘chuffed t’bits’ Yorkshire is still welcoming newcomers that will enrich the town’s future.

There’s ‘nowt’ like going home to Yorkshire. Because I haven’t lived in Yorkshire for over twenty years, I love to identify what is the same and how it is changing. However, I can always rely on the warmth of the people and a hearty welcome.

The signature Yorkshire warmth was commented on in a programme of Hairy Bikers recently when Si and Dave visited Yorkshire Dama Cheese shop in Sowerby Bridge. Razan Alsous, a pharmacist, came to the UK from Syria with her husband and family and set up the cheese factory where she makes Haloumi cheese and other products. Razan explained how welcome she and her family had been made to feel in Yorkshire. After hearing Razan’s story, we stopped off the visit the shop. We were greeted by a very enthusiastic employee who loved the products and convinced us to buy a selection of cheeses.

The squeaky cheese selection

On returning home to Cardiff, we sampled the halloumi cheese which is labelled a squeaky cheese. Little did we know that a taste sensation awaited us. We fried the cheese in a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkled the cheese with smoked paprika and served on some banana bread I made earlier in the day. The combination of sweet and savoury really worked, and the cheese did squeak. Perfect comfort food! We also bough ricotta and have frozen it so we can use it during the festive season.

The combination of sweet and savoury really worked, and the cheese did squeak.

The shop is tucked away in the mill town of Sowerby Bridge. There is a beauty in the towering mills of the town, and I am ‘chuffed t’bits’ Yorkshire is still welcoming folk that will enrich the town’s future.

My version of Sue’s banana bread is delicious.

Recipe for banana bread provided by author Sue Bentley

It’s super easy.

Here goes.

Mash five very ripe bananas then add one beaten egg and I teasp. Vanilla.

In another bowl combine one and a half cups of any plain flour, 1 teasp. Bicarbonate of Soda, half a teasp. Cinnamon, Half a cup of chopped walnuts, dash of salt.

Mix dry ingredients into banana mixture. Stir to combine don’t over mix.

Pour into lined loaf tin.

Bake for 40 to 60 mins on Gas mark 4.

Let cool and enjoy! When using cups as a measure just choose a medium sized one and use the same cup to measure everything.

Have fun xxx

 

Please see all my Handbag Adventures and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

 ‘Golden afternoon light’ and shadows lurking in my handbag

The Little Theatre by the Sea 

 

Rosanna Ley

 

 

 

 

For me, reading should enable me to escape, to travel and to inhabit another world.  And I was on that plane, travelling to Sardinia, with Faye taking in the sight of the ‘islands, rocky bays, boats moored in the almost circular harbour and turquoise water that looked more like the Caribbean.’  Instantly, seduced by Ley’s scene setting: I settled back to enjoy the journey.  I expected paradise but it wasn’t that simple.

As an armchair traveller, the only baggage I carried was high hopes for a romance with a perfect setting, and I was not disappointed.  I walked along ‘…cobbled streets lined by tall skinny houses painted every shade of vibrant turquoise to deep ochre’ and I was lost in the vibrant colours of the Mediterranean.   My senses were piqued by the ‘sweet, pungent smell of roasted peppers, tomato and garlic exiting every doorway.’  Lost in paradise, I meandered through the Ley’s setting and basked in the ‘golden afternoon light’, with Faye.

Beneath the beguiling canvas of Deriu there are shadows lurking.  Faye feels ‘a dark underbelly to this place’.  Ley’s story explores the shadows and searches beneath the surface of the paradise.  The Little Theatre is a symbol of: the town’s history, culture, the secrets and the way that the heart can wither if unloved.

‘The ravages of time and damp had left the theatre looking tired and unloved.’  And the ‘ravages of time’ have left scars on the community.  The Volitis morn for, Giorgia, their missing daughter. Pasquale still pines for the dream of a loved one that he could never obtain.  Time has taken Alessandro and Marisa’s parents, thus inspiring them to transform the theatre into a memorial.  Over time, the theatre has hidden secrets and even sheltered people from danger.  Faye’s parents, back in the UK, have also hidden a marriage that has been ravaged by time and secrets.  The theatre seems to be a symbol of the lives that also need to be restored.

If Faye is to restore the theatre, then she must understand what the theatre means to the people of Deriu.  However, it is uncertain if she will be able to succeed in the task that she has been given by the Rinaldis.  Alessandro Rinaldi is like a brooding Italian Healthcliff who seems wild and tormented by a mystery.  Surely, this is the beautiful hero with ‘navy eyes’ will fall in love with Faye.  Alessandro can be compassionate and mysterious, and Faye’s confusion is imprinted on the scenery that is ‘a jumble of roots and flower-ladden terraces; vines twisting around pergolas. Purple jasmine blossoming in a haze.’  Indeed, Faye’s feelings for Alessandro seem to be in a haze and the tension is overwhelming.  The interaction between Alessandro and Faye successfully drives the narrative.

The insight into Faye’s parents helps the reader to understand Faye.  There is a clever juxtaposition of what seems to be the end of a relationship compared with a potential new relationship.  Faye’s parents, Ade and Molly, both embark on an emotional journey.  These characters provide some poignant reflections on love and marriage.  Ade, who has been looking for adventure, realises ‘…it was the minutiae of life that kept couples together’.  Ley’s exploration of the way a marriage can veer out of control is thought-provoking. Molly’s epiphany is beautifully washed away in a memorable scene. Rosanna Ley examines how honesty is key in any relationship be it an established relationship or a new one.

Rosanna Ley

Faye’s parents live in a cold climate, by the sea, and are reserved and hide their feelings.  The villagers of……. live in a warm climate and they seem permanently angry.  The Sicilians are a ‘proud race’, they ‘shake their fists’ and ‘talk at the same time’.  It is difficult for Faye to understand the villagers but she must find a way if she is to be accepted.

An intriguing story about new beginnings, love, dreams and secrets.

 

Click here to buy on Amazon

 

Please see all my reviews at Books in Handbag or My Reading and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

Twelve Steps to Apple Soufflé Heaven

Apple Soufflé Heaven

I love reading the books in my Handbag Gallery, but sometimes I need a sweet treat.  During the glorious apple season, I love to bake an Apple Soufflé.  Warning!  This is heaven and highly addictive.  I would like to share twelve steps to heaven with you.

Soufflés are often considered to be the pinnacle of home baking and guaranteed to win you a lot of fans and happy friends. The most difficult aspect of making a good soufflé is in making a very thick custard stirred with a drop of patience. If you can get the hang of this, then you should be able make a great soufflé every time.

Ingredients
250 ml whole / full-fat milk
100g caster sugar
40g plain flour
3 medium-sized apples
juice of 1 Lemon
4 eggs
1 vanilla pod (or vanilla extract if don’t have)
6 ramekins
softened butter for ramekins

  1. First make the custard. Add the milk and 50g of the caster sugar to a pan and heat. The milk needs to be hot but not boiling and check that it doesn’t get a skin on it.
  2. As the milk is heating, separate 2 eggs. Keep the egg whites aside in a bowl for use later. In a different bowl add the 2 egg yolks and the other 2 eggs, the flour and the seeds from the vanilla pod. Beat together well with a wooden spoon. Tip: chopping board, split the vanilla pod with a large sharp knife. Turn the knife slightly on its side and flatten the pod out and the scrape the seeds out. Put the used pod into a jar with sugar in and it makes a beautifully fragrant and flavoured sugar for future use!
  3. Pour hot milk into mixture of two egg yolks, two eggs and flour

    When the mixture is smooth, pour in the hot milk into the bowl with the mixture and mix well. Then pour this back into the pan and onto your cooker on a medium heat. Keep stirring. Take care to not over-heat the pan as this can cause it to split. Stir until it becomes very thick, stiff but still smooth, without lumps.

    Take care to not over-heat the pan as this can cause it to split.

    Tip: If you are unsure or nervous turn the heat down and stir for longer. Stirring continuously will help stop lumps and the custard splitting. When done leave aside to cool for about 30 minutes.

  4. Whilst it is cooling, peel and core the apples. Dice into very small pieces and put into a small bowl and cover with the lemon juice.
  5. Pre heat your oven to 190 degrees C / 375 F or Gas Mark 5. No fan required.
  6. Whisk up the two egg whites until soft peaks

    Take the bowl with the egg whites, that have been set aside, and add the remaining 50g caster sugar. Whisk the egg whites until you have stiff, glossy peaks. This takes a few minutes.

  7. Get the ramekins and wipe the insides with some of the softened butter. Tip: I usually find this easier with a small piece of greaseproof paper.
  8. Stir until it becomes very thick, stiff but still smooth, without lumps. Tip: If you are unsure or nervous turn the heat down and stir for longer.

    Add the diced apples to the cool custard and mix in.

  9. Then add the egg whites to this custard and apple mixture and fold in. Tip: Add in a 3rd of the egg whites and mix it in vigorously first. Then add the remainder and then fold this in more gently with a spoon to keep more of the air in.
  10. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins, up to the rim. Smooth of if needed with either your fingers or a knife.
  11. Place the ramekins onto an oven tray and bake for 15 minutes, until risen and firm.
  12. Souffle Heaven

    Remove from the oven and serve immediately in the ramekins.

 

 

 

I confess, I abandoned my writing to watch the Great British Bake Off.  I fancied my chances at writing a book of recipes.  It took quite a lot of time to make the soufflés, take the photos and write the recipe. I hope you will try the recipe.  Please share any of your baking successes.  Happy baking!

 

Please see all my food related posts on Writing on a Plate and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Happy Hour with Charli and Sophie

Jena and Jessie and the great escape of their characters

Did you ever wonder if your favourite book characters would like to take a break from the control of their authors, escape from their own book worlds and create their own adventures? Do you suppose they would like to meet new friends and have fresh experiences? Let’s listen in as Sophie, from You Can’t Go It Alone and Charli from The Golden Age of Charli series, meet and take a vacation from their book lives.

Sophie: Thank for you opening your home and your heart to me. I’ve had a splendid time here in Ohio.

Charli: I’m so glad your author sent you here! I don’t know if Ohio was on your list of top ten places in the world to see, but I’ve tried to show you my favorite places.

Sophie: Yes, we’ve done so much, and we’ve laughed and smiled even more. Aside from some minor differences, you say “yard”…

Charli: You say “garden”. You write the dates wrong…

Sophie: Ha! I jolly well do not! You eat dinner too early…

What happens when British and American characters meet for a Happy Hour

Charli: Really? But you have that lovely accent, so you win!

Sophie: Ah, you Americans like to win!

*Charli sings Anything You can Do, I can Do Better!*

Charli: Ok, enough…should we tell our secret…

Sophie: Our secret? Oh, you mean that secret…of course …

Charli: Do you think Readers know that book characters can really do anything they want? That’s our big secret- we can have lives outside our books and go places and do things anytime we want!

Sophie: I love our secret! As long as we can get Jessie and Jena, our authors, to write it…we can do it! We can go from your house near Cleveland to you other house by the lake and then be back in time for tea!

A Happy Hour rather than tea in America

Charli: I call it Happy Hour- I like adult beverages better than tea…but we can also have any type of food or drink we want- if we give our writers a nudge, they can create any kind of meal we want!

Sophie: Indeed. So, let’s enjoy! TO YOUR HEALTH. Tea for me, please.

Charli: Ha! This morning my husband Pud asked what we had planned for today and I told him you were helping me with a tea this afternoon. And he said, “No, my tee time is this morning at 10 am.” 

He must have heard me choking on my hydration water. “What’s so funny?” he said.

Charli and Sophie’s happy hour

I said, “Not ‘golf tee”, Sophie and I are having a ‘tea’ time. You know, cups, yummy tidbits.” 

I didn’t know if Pud heard me because he was heading to the garage. He called back to me, “That reminds me. I should make sure I have tees in my bag. Have fun today. You must really like Sophie, because you never golf.”

Sophie: We’re getting in to the Swing of things, aren’t we? It’s FORE o’clock so we’d better get started.

Step inside Sophie’s world in Wales

Charli: We have many tempting treats. I told my writer we want sushi, snacks, desserts, all my favorites. Please take more! So after all our fun, do you miss Delfryn? 

Sophie: Travel is great, but I do miss home.  Vine Cottage is the first home Jack and I have bought together. The cottage needs lots of work but will look great.  Delfryn is so peaceful that it calms me down after a hard day’s teaching.  The school in a busy town so it’s great to drive back home.  Trees arching over the road to Delfryn take me back into my haven.

I am often greeted with the delicious aroma of Italian food when I pass the gorgeous Olive Tree café.  Just thinking about Delfryn makes me homesick.  I miss walks in the countryside and the peaceful presence of Delfryn Abbey.

*Sophie pauses then stifles a laugh. *

How I love to sit in the abbey grounds and watch the ‘birdies’. Oh, I’m getting into the swing of this.

* Charli throws back her head, laughs and sips her tea *

Charli: Wow! I hope you use some large binoculars to see those eagles and albatrosses on the local golf course.  

I’m sure you miss your family, too. I know family is important to you. What else is important to you at this point in your life?

Jessie Cahalin’s You Can’t Go It Alone

Sophie: …yes…I love how you have cultivated relationships with not only your kids, but your extended family, too. Since we’ve been in Delfryn I’ve been getting to know Jack’s family.  Jack’s mother used to terrify me, but she has been fiercely supportive of us going through the fertility treatment.  I wish I’d told her earlier.  Max, Jack’s father, is ill and Delfryn is good for him.

*Sophie sighs*

I wish Max and Jeanie lived closer, so we could keep an eye on them.  Oh, and there’s my brother-in-law, Marcus.   He’s irresponsible yet lovable at the same time.  He knows when to listen and support.  I wish he knew what he wanted in life.  He likes Olivia, but he has a girlfriend back home.  Trouble is, he’s a bit lost and needs a job that uses his creativity and love of music. Marcus is young and hasn’t figured out what he wants to do with his life – too much time on his hands.  And what I like about you Charli, is that you still have goals. Wait, that didn’t sound quite right.

Charli- Tee hee- yes, I’m always buzzing around with ideas. We’ve chatted about this before, you know, you are so easy to talk to, but when my husband retired, it took us a few years to get our relationship back on track; we really didn’t have anything in common after his work and travel stopped. But now…

Sophie: You two are so cute together. You remind me of my dear in-laws, Jeannie and Max.  They’ve been travelling around in a camper van and enjoying life.  It’s great to see them together.  I think they are treating their camper van adventure as a second honeymoon.  Jeanie embarrassed Jack when she pointed out the bed in the van and said there was ‘plenty of room for manoeuvre’.

*Placing hand over her mouth, Sophie giggles*

Jeanie and Max’s new found hippy freedom scares the hell out of Jack but they make me laugh.  He’s worried about their sudden lack of planning and need to travel. I can understand them wanting to enjoy their retirement.

I guess I thought that all retirees liked to travel? Do you and Pud have travel plans?

Charli: After Pud retired, we spent several years zooming around the country, having fun with our nieces and nephews. We don’t have any plans right now. We’ve talked about driving through Europe or going to Japan. I’d like to take my kids on a cruise.

I know you had quite the time in Paris. Kinda like Pud and me in Cancun!

Sophie: We had a splendid time in Paris.

*Sophie nudges Charli*

Paris is the city of love, but Paris in January is absolutely freezing.  Although I wore layers and layers the cold seeped through to my bones.  Thankfully, Jack kept me warm in the evenings.

*Sophie pauses then laughs*

Wow.  I can’t believe you get me to confess this stuff.  I’ve found out that it helps to talk about how you’re feeling.  It was as I was stuck in a bunker unable to carry on with my life.

You see, I want children but have realized I’ve got so much to be grateful for.  Jack and I love each other and have a good life.  I also get so much pleasure out of helping others.

Charli: Oh, I need some more of this.  Thanks for sharing some of your special recipes with me. Do you need more tea?

Sophie: Don’t mind if I do, Charli.  I’ve exhausted my golfing puns and do prefer a tea caddy to a golf caddy – unless he’s handsome.

Confession time! My ability in sport is seriously below par. In the early days of our relationship, Jack constantly organised for us to meet with his tennis buddies.  What a disaster!  I bought all the right tennis gear but genuinely couldn’t hit the ball.  He was furious because he thought I was trying to destroy the game. The more I tried to hit the tennis ball, the more I stumbled on the grass. My perfect white outfit was covered in grass stains and my hair looked like a bird’s nest. Following the game, we saw Jack’s ex.  I pretended we’d had such a difficult game, but he won in the end. Later I found out that she’d been watching the game.  Oh well, at least my outfit was better than hers, and I bought a matching handbag.

Charli: Nothing like a darling purse and a snappy pair of shoes. Sophie, I know I’m going to sound old saying this, but the years do go by so fast! When I was about your age, the saying was “Don’t trust anyone over thirty!” It was the dawning of the Age of Aquarius…

*Sophie and Charli break into song and a few moves*

Oh, my poor knees! Thirty seemed old, but 50 or even 60…yikes! Turns out, I having even more fun now! Pud and I were always so Type A, lots of goals and lists, budgets and plans. Now, we take time to smell the chocolate and drink the vodka! Did I tell you about the time last year Pud and I were in Chicago, and I was soaking in the swanky marble garden tub in our suite (thank you hotel points!) and I cooed to Pud, “Oh, Cabana Boy…I need you… come here my darling boy…”  My visions of splashin’ and passion had a soggy ending. We still laugh though! And then there was that time in Cancun, when Pud massaged me with samples of a new body oil…can you imagine all green? How sexy!

Sophie:

Let’s tell Jessie and Jena that you must come over to the UK.  I’d like to show you around Delfryn.  We could go for an afternoon’s wine tasting in the local vineyard to continue our chat.  I’d ask Rosa, from the Olive Tree, to make us an Italian picnic feast.  I’m sure Jeanie and Max would lend us the vintage camper van to tour around the area.

Charli and Sophie escape to Jena’s lake house, Ohio.

When I spotted Jena’s Forever Young boat online, I laughed at the beautiful message – there was an instant connection. Jena’s character, Charli, and my character, Sophie are a generation apart but share a love of life.  The characters are fun, friendly and content with the simple things in life.  I hope you enjoyed listening in to their meeting.  I’d like to introduce you to my new and brilliant American friend, Jena. C Henry. Every interaction I have with Jena makes me smile, and I feel as if I have known her forever!

Jena C Henry’s Golden Age of Charli books

Meet Jena C. Henry

Jena C. Henry is an active, high-energy gal who is a wife, mother, non-profit volunteer and bon vivant. She created the fiction book series, The Golden Age of Charli, to encourage, entertain and share her joy of living and laughing. 

Jena is a book lover. She is passionate about connecting with authors and readers. Jena is delighted to read, and review books and she features many reviews and book promotions on her website. Jena also presents writing workshops to help creatives achieve their dreams of writing a book and publishing it.

Jena C. Henry holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Akron School of Law. Now retired, she and her husband live in tropical Ohio where they enjoy their two adult children and extended family, friends and darling dog.

When she is finished tidying her house, Jena likes to relax on her front porch and read and write. She enjoys fine dining, traveling to visit family, and lounging by lovely bodies…of water.

I can’t wait to read Jena’s books and indulge in positivity! 

Contact Jena
Amazon Universal  author.to/JenaBooks
Website: http://www.jenabooks.com/book/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenabooks
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jena.c.henry/
Google Plus https://plus.google.com/110683677816270622079
YouTube channel  Jena C. Henry https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLicS_dElaiY2qhhafiLQ?view_as=subscriber
Links to my book trailers. One is 30 seconds, one is 60 second
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZLp93LwXuQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRdgxX9ZPbE

 

Please see all my adventures at Handbag Adventures and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Sadie’s Wars: Powerful and Deeply Moving

This historical saga of an extraordinary Australian pioneer family continues into a new generation

I have been idle for two days and it is Rosemary Noble’s fault. I travelled from innocence to experience with her character, Sadie.  She had my ear as soon as I walked into this thrilling family saga.  This hard-hitting, realistic document of challenging times deals with: propaganda, inequality, domestic violence and loss. Insight into Australia and England placed me in the centre of the historical periods.

Strategic juxtaposition of Sadie’s life during World War One Australia and World War Two Grimsby is brilliant.  Noble explores how our experiences make us react in the future thus providing depth to Sadie’s character.  Wounded by past troubles, Sadie makes decisions that made me want to sit her down and give her advice.  Tempting questions hang artfully in each chapter of this novel.  The trajectory of the plot is driven by the intense drama: the action never stops.

A photo of Sadie (she is the standing bridesmaid). This is the only one I have. She is a bridesmaid for her brother, Joe and his wife, Olive. Grandma Jane is sitting next to her. (I found this photo on the author’s website).

I moved from the air raids and community spirit in Grimsby to Sadie’s privileged life in Australia. Neither the ‘uninterrupted sky changing from purple to cobalt’, nor the ‘endless grey skies’ of Grimsby can shelter Sadie from the harsh reality of life. In her innocent years, she is brainwashed by war propaganda then learns about the impact on people as she moves through her life.   Sadie is raised to ‘obey your father until you marry then obey your husband.’  Like her contemporaries, the social straightjacket causes Sadie pain.  Noble shows the inequalities between men and woman at the turn of the century and contrasts it with changing attitudes in post Second World War Britain.  Historical events, attitudes and politics are artfully woven into the narrative fabric of the novel.

Chateau Yering as it is today

Details of a wealthy life in Australia at the turn of last century intrigued me.  I lingered on the verandas and looked at the ‘rich grassland and vineyards as far as the eye could see, framed on by majestic mountains.’ I admired Sadie’s wardrobe of beautiful clothes but realised her wealth and over-protection of her father made her more vulnerable. At every turn, I felt empathy for the young Sadie who is isolated by her ignorance.  ‘Her marriage seemed like a distant dream and her husband merely an actor in it’, and I wanted to chat with Sadie.  Noble explored love so beautifully in the novel.  There is an enchanting, exciting love story, as Sadie learns what real love means.

The wiser, experienced Sadie charmed me.  I sat with her as she waited to discover if her sons would return safely from the RAF. Noble takes the reader into the heart of air raids in Grimsby.  The air raid provides a backdrop to the inner turmoil Sadie suffers, and all these emotions are vividly connected to experiences of the past. Events in post-World War One Australia were shocking.  An intelligent, powerful and deeply moving novel from Rosemary Noble.

About the Book

An astonishing tale, spanning continents, where truth is stranger than fiction. This historical saga of an extraordinary Australian pioneer family continues into a new generation.
Sadie is brought amongst the vineyards of the Yarra Valley whilst her work-obsessed father reaps riches from the boom years before the Great War.
With post-war depression looming, Sadie’s only option is to flee from her disastrous marriage, seeking refuge in Cleethorpes, a small seaside town in northern England.
Years later, when her sons are in RAF Bomber Command, she receives a letter from her long-lost brother which forces her to confront the past and her part in her family’s downfall.
Can old wounds be healed?
Will she find new love?
Will this second war destroy everyone she saved?

Rosemary Noble is the author of Sadie’s Wars and the Currency Girls Trilogy. This is her favourite writing spot.

About Rosemary

Rosemary worked as a college and university librarian and has a life-long love of social history and reading. Researching family history led to an interest in Australia where Search for the Light ends and provides the setting for the sequel, The Digger’s Daughter. A third book in the Australian series, Sadie’s Wars, is now available.

Rosemary is a member of Arun Scribes Creative Writing Group and a member of CHINDI (Network of Independent Authors). Her third book, Ranter’s Wharf is set in England during the first half of the nineteenth century. In odd moments, she writes flash fiction for Paragraph Planet and Drabble.

For more information read my interview with Rosemary here or visit Rosemary’s blog at https://rosemarynoble.wordpress.com/

 

Please see all my book reviews and book excerpts at Books In Handbag and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Escape to a Medieval Castle with Ella Matthews

Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales.

Do you fancy a trip to medieval Britain and an encounter with a warrior knight? If you do, then let me introduce to Ella Matthews who has just released Under The Warrior’s Protection. Ella is a member of my local Romantic Novelists’ Association writing group. I was keen to discover more about how her role as a commissioning editor prepared her to become an author for Mills and Boon.

Did you dream of becoming an author when you were a child?

When I was a child I wanted to be an actress. There are two problems with this: I’m very shy and I’m a terrible actor. I thought that writing books is what other people did, so although I loved reading it never occurred to me that I could be an author too.

You were a commissioning editor for many years.  Was it difficult to make the transition from editor to writer? What were the key pointers you had in mind when you started to write?

There is quite a lot of cross-over with my editor role and writing and because I was so immersed in the publishing world it was quite easy to transition from one to the other. As a commissioning editor you are always thinking of the commercial appeal of the books you work on and that was one of my focuses when I was putting my first manuscript together. I’d love to say that my experience as an editor made getting rejection letters easier because I know it’s not personal but sadly, that’s not the case.

‘A story filled with drama, danger and fabulous characters that had me hooked.’
Anna’s Book Blog

Under the Warrior’s Protection is set in the medieval period.  Why did you select this period in history and how do you research the era?

I find it quite hard to research the medieval period. There is so much that’s unknown so I try and make an educated guess based on the research I do (mainly visiting castles and reading lots of books). My biggest concern is that I miss something and a reader picks it up.

I picked this time period because I’ve always wanted to live in a castle and this is the closest I’m going to get.

How many times do you draft a book before you send it to your editor?  How many rewrites do you go through before the book is ready to release into the wild?

I go through a lot! I would say that, on average, I draft individual scenes about eight times before I’m happy with them. When I’ve finished the manuscript I will probably go through it another four times before I send it to my editor. Victoria will then get back to me with any changes she wants before it’s sent to a content editor who makes sure I haven’t written something crazy, like eating pizza at a medieval feast. After that, it’s the proofs and then finally it’s released into the wild.

The hero of Under the Warrior’s Protection is an influential Earl and his fortress is based on Caerphilly Castle.

Where do you get your ideas from?  Do you find perfect medieval heroes and heroines walking our streets when you are out and about? If yes, then please give us a delicious example.

Gosh this is a hard question! I had the idea for the first book in the House of Leofric series so long ago that I’ve forgotten where the idea came from. All the other ideas for my medieval books have come from writing the other books. So, I had the idea for Under the Warrior’s Protection when I met the heroine, Katherine in my first book. She was a minor character, who caught my attention. Her story unfolded in my head as I was standing by the photocopier at work.

I’m terribly unobservant and I sort of walk around in my own bubble, so I never get my heroes and heroines from real life. Quite a few of my heroes seem to have Chris Hemsworth’s physique though!

Your novels always have distinctive settings.  The latest book is set in a medieval castle.  Is it based on a real castle and did you visit medieval castles to inspire you?

The castle, which features in all the House of Leofric books, is based on Oystermouth Castle in Mumbles (well worth a visit when Swansea opens back up again!). The hero of Under the Warrior’s Protection is an influential Earl and his fortress is based on Caerphilly Castle. I’m lucky to live in Wales where there are a range of medieval castles to visit.

What is the biggest challenge when writing a historical novel? 

It has to be finding out the correct information. The medieval period lasted for several hundred years and so what was true at the beginning was not necessarily the case by the end. My novels tend to take place in the middle and I’m very nervous about the fiction not matching up with reality. That’s why my locations are fictitious and there are no real people from history in my novels. I might be braver in my next series!

What clothes do your characters own and are there any interesting, unfamiliar garments?

Clothing is another big challenge when writing medieval novels. When I started researching this time period I was surprised at just how colourful their clothing was. I think the women’s outfits aren’t wildly different to modern day women’s maxi dresses. My heroes tend to wear knight’s clothing because their everyday outfits were similar to the women’s and I don’t want to cause confusion.

Is your heroine, Katherine, a modern woman?  Introduce us to Katherine and tell us what she would think of the way women dress and behave today.

Until the start of my novel, Katherine has led a very restricted life under the confines of an increasingly violent mother. She craves adventure and stability. I think she would be thrilled by how women behave today. She’d particularly love the freedom to travel anywhere in the world. If she lived now I think she would be a marine biologist! I do think she would be shocked by the mini skirt, though!

Your novels are presented as wonderful romantic escapes.  What should readers expect to find in your novels?

Strong, confident alpha males and feisty, forward-thinking women who experience adventure and romance.

What do the readers say about your novels? 

‘A story filled with drama, danger and fabulous characters that had me hooked.’

Anna’s Book Blog

‘This story…is full of angst, humour, and passion. Prepare to be romanced by another great author who is going on my favourites list.’

The Eclectic Review

‘This couple’s story kept me entertained, engrossed and I loved them more, the further I read.’

Goodreads review

Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else). Ella Matthews lives and works in beautiful South Wales. When not thinking about handsome heroes she can be found walking along the coast with her husband and their two children (probably still thinking about heroes but at least pretending to be interested in everyone else).

 

Please see all my author interviews at My Guests and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

Enigmatic Dual-Time Guernsey novel in my handbag 

Anne Allen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having departed from a grey, rainy day in London, it was a thrill to arrive in Guernsey.  A blue sky greeted me in Guernsey, and the cool breeze was refreshing.  A taxi took me to the quaint St Peter’s Port. I met Anne at The Old Government House Hotel, a cosy homely hotel with spectacular views.  Looking around, I tried to imagine how the building may have been used by the Germans, during World War Two.  My imagination slipped into scenes presented in novels and I shivered.  Fortunately, Anne greeted me, and her charming, sunny disposition and instantly brought me back to the present.

I wore my jeans and green Ralph Lauren jacket, while Anne wore jeans and a gorgeous grey leather jacket and carried a tan leather handbag. My green leather bag was crammed full of my notebook, kindle and snacks for the journey.  We sat in two comfortable brown leather armchairs, near a beautiful piano.  The room was cosy, despite the glamorous chandeliers twinkling above us. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the Renoir painting like the one found in Anne’s novel.  We chatted happily as we waited for the tea.  Grabbing Anne’s latest novel, ‘The Betrayal’, from my handbag, I asked Anne to tell me more.  

Jessie:  This is a beautiful place and it is difficult to imagine how Guernsey when it was occupied by the Germans.  Please, tell me more about your novel.

Anne: ‘The Betrayal’ is two intertwined stories; the first focusing on Leo, who loses everything in the German Occupation of Guernsey. The second concerns Fiona, who sixty years later, becomes caught up in what happened to Leo after the mysterious find of a Renoir in a Guernsey basement.

Jessie:  Where did you get the inspiration for your narrative in ‘The Betrayal’?

Anne: From two historical events that took place in Guernsey. The first was Renoir’s visit in 1883, when he stayed for a few weeks and painted numerous local scenes; in particular Moulin Huet on the south coast. These paintings are quite well-known and at least one is in a major museum. The second event was the forced deportation of Jews from Guernsey – and Jersey – by the Germans to concentration camps during WWII.

Jessie:  German occupation must have been terrifying for the inhabitants.  I look forward to reading your novel to capture a sense of the atmosphere.  Can you read an extract from the novel?

Anne removed her novel from the coffee table and selected a passage instantly.

Anne: ‘His heart lurched, hating to see her like this. Before he could say anything, she went on, ‘I can’t leave you here on your own, Leo. Anything might happen to you if…if the Germans do come.’

Jessie:  Great choice!  You build up the tension and make me want to read more.  Indeed, the passage is also anchored by the enigmatic front cover. I was searching for your reviews on the plane and found the following:

“To sum up, this is a wonderful novel, with tons of pace where pace is needed, and a setting so lovingly described, it is almost a character in the book. I am happy to recommend this story, in fact, all of them, to anybody who enjoys a well-plotted mystery populated with convincing and always credible characters.” A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review

Anne found some Amazon reviews on her phone.

Anne:

“I just finished the book–could hardly put it down! Another winning story from Anne with history, romance and intrigue” Amazon review 5*

“Really enjoyed this book. I almost didn’t put it down. Wonderful twists and turns with a lot of wonderful descriptions of Guernsey” Amazon Review 5*

Jessie:  Having seen the wonderful setting via the plane.  Could you read your description of the setting?

Anne:  The warm sunshine felt good and deep breaths of salty air soon had her striding out towards Moulin Huet Bay. The yellow flowers of the gorse, shading pink campion and yellow celandine, made a bright contrast against the deep green of the grass and Fiona felt her spirits lift a little. Cliff walks had played a large part in her childhood and youth. Her parents considered them an integral part of the weekends and school holidays. They always started from Soldiers Bay, within easy reach of their home in Colborne Road. The path led them close to Blue Bell Wood, a delightful sea of blue in spring and one of Fiona’s favourite places.

Jessie:  The setting is wonderful and does ‘lift my spirits.’.  I adore a book where you feel transported to the time and place.  I can understand why Renoir was inspired to paint in Guernsey. I notice the novel is part of a series.  How does ‘The Betrayal’ fit into the Guernsey Series?

Anne:  All six books in The Guernsey Novels series are standalone stories but they share characters who featured in previous books. It’s like reading about a small town, when people know each other and turn up when needed. Each book has fresh main characters to add to the mix and to prevent readers becoming bored! My ‘fans’ tell me they love recognising characters from previous books in the series, making them feel at home

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing ‘The Betrayal’, and did you miss any of the characters?

Anne: Relieved – and exhausted! It had taken me months longer than anticipated to finish but I was pleased with the result. Characters do get under your skin and I miss Fiona and Michael in particular. The joy of writing books in a series is that characters can pop up again, so it might be au revoir not goodbye.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family. 

Anne: I would be honoured if Barbara Erskine, the writer of so many wonderful time-slip books, would deign to read my humble offerings. Any words of advice and/or encouragement from her would be gratefully received.

Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?

Anne: It’s a page-turner and with short chapters, so easy to pick up and read when you have a moment to spare.

Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

Anne: “Leopoldine drowned with her husband, aged 19, in September 1843.” For my next book, ‘The Inheritance’, set partly around Victor Hugo’s time in Guernsey.

Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Anne: Getting noticed by potential readers. There are millions of books available to choose from these days making it almost impossible for an unknown writer to be noticed in the crowd. Now I have a series of six books to my name, it’s becoming a little easier.

Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Anne: To write as if for myself, not to worry if anyone will ever read my words.

More about Anne…

…Anne is a retired psychotherapist who finally got the chance to write when her three children flew the nest.
… loves history and exploring old houses, visiting places of archaeological interest on her travels.
…won a holiday to The Gambia early this year and had a wonderful time.

The enigma and setting of ‘The Betrayal’ left me wanting more, and I was delighted to receive a copy of the novel. I look forward to travelling back to Guernsey via the novel. 

Following the interview, Anne took me on a tour of St Peter’s Port.  The cobbled streets greeted us as we walked towards the gardens.  It is no surprise that this port has been deemed one of the prettiest ports. We walked to George Road, the lodging house where Renoir stayed during his visit to Guernsey.

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

 

Characters Trapped in the Mind of a Book Blogger

Please visit my website at jessiecahalin.com  

This week has been a busy adventure for @BooksInHandbag.

I have been communicating with fictional characters and trying to get into their world.  I feel as if have been residing in a corner of my mind that is neither reality nor fiction and it’s a great place.

Leah, from Just for the Holidays, has been sending me postcards about her dilemma out there in France, and other characters from the books that I am reviewing have asked for help.  Annoyingly, the author, Angela Petch is also travelling to Leah’s holiday destination and she has been trying to get into the heart of the gossip.  I am sure that Angela wants material for her next book.

I have been desperately trying to get out to France to support Leah, but it is proving to be quite a challenge.  Locating a ferry ticket has been an absolute nightmare, holiday shopping has been horrendous and I am petrified of driving in France.  As I write, I am planning how to get out there to Leah and find out what is happening.  It is difficult because I can sense that she doesn’t want me to go out there for some reason, but doesn’t want to offend. I need to see Leah face to face. It is a concern that Angela will hunt out any gossip and spill the beans in her next novel.  Despite my reservations about driving in France, I will just have to get on with it and race out there.

Must stop!!! Someone is knocking at the door and the next-door neighbour’s dogs are going mad.  Who is it?  I can see a camper van outside. I will be back soon…

It’s me…I am back again.

The characters from my debut novel You Can’t Go It Alone were knocking on my door. Sophie and Jack have arrived in a camper van and they have said that I can borrow it for the journey to France.  It is so typical of Sophie and Jack to think of others when they are going through so much.  However, I don’t know why they have changed the lovely tangerine orange colour to a yukky pale blue.  I might have to take them up on their offer, if I can find an available ferry crossing.

I hope that I get to France on time!

It’s frightening as the characters, from the books, are taking over and I am not sure what is reality and what is fiction: all I do is write, write, write the events of my day.  It’s great fun, and it’s amazing to connect with the creative minds of other authors.  I may never have to face reality again thanks to Twitter and the power of the imagination. The author Linn B Halton has just messaged me to say that there ought to be an ‘Authors Anonymous’ to assist with our addiction to writing.

Are the characters, in the books that I am reviewing, taking over my life?

Please visit my website jessiecahalin.com to find out more about these authors.

#PostcardsJFTH

 

Shipshape and Polly fashion in my handbag

The Trouble With Love

Rosemary Dun

 

 

 

 

 

This novel took me over the Severn Bridge to Clifton in Bristol – my favourite area of the city.  The characters and setting were so real that I am convinced that I have met them in Clifton.  I am sure that I have seen Polly Park.

On one occasion, there was a striking woman wearing a ‘fifties inspired dress’ and ‘a cute cardigan decorated with teapots’.  She was muttering to herself as she walked along the riverside in Bristol.  She was heading towards her charming houses that ‘sat on a man-made island flanked by the River Avon … floating harbour behind.’  Another time, I spied a flamboyant character in one of the vintage frock shops.  She smiled at me as I checked out the beautiful dresses.  This time she was wearing ‘Joe Brown embroidered cropped jeans and a Desigual gypsy top, and up-do and red bandana.’

Clifton Bridge

We have often lingered in a Bristol restaurant located on the harbourside and wondered who lives in the quirky, colourful houses that seem to stand proud in their protest against a grey sky. Now I believe that the barges docked in Bristol were sheltering Spike and Polly until they came out to admire ‘the surprising spring weather having cleared to bestow an evening warm with promise.’  Reading this book, I had experienced an overwhelming sense of déjà vu because Dun’s style of writing places the reader into the heart and soul of the characters: it feels so real as if you have been there before.  It was often difficult to leave the characters and I found any excuse to return to my book with a cup of tea and a stack of Polly’s Jammie Dodgers.

Polly is an endearing character full of humour, vulnerability, strength and determination.  She is stranded on an emotional island, unable to commit, as her character has been shaped by her Bohemian mother turned celebrity chef. Polly delights in Bristol and is aware of how its maritime and smuggling past lurks in every corner.  It is a delight to meet the pseudo pirate who hijacks Polly’s heart and keeps their love hidden inside a treasure chest.  The reader waits for the love to be retrieved from the treasure chest.  Dun tugs your heart, pulls at your emotions and tickles you with humour as you yearn for a happy ending.  But the experienced reader is all too aware of ‘The Trouble With Love’ and is uncertain if Polly will find her happy ending.

The novel is skilfully written and there is a depth to the characters.  One is made to deconstruct the characters’ psyche and fully understand what drives them.  Dun steers a course through the scenes that are beautifully constructed and filmic in style.  The close-ups on Polly’s thoughts ensure that there us empathy with her doubts and dreams. Who could resist her humorous perspective throughout? How cool to have the insight into the mind of Polly – the performance poet who can see humour in all situations.  Polly’s honest, humorous internal dialogue sparkles throughout the novel.

The narrative resonates with the beats and rhythms of the colourful language but forget the scansion of traditional poetry:  let the ebb and flow of life and love run its course. The story is packed full of delicious moments like one of Polly’s Jammie Dodgers.  And if one steps back then there are also some contemporary issues. Read the story and find out how partners impact on friendships.  Observe how a child impacts on the life of a free spirit.  Explore the dynamics of a close female relationship when the friend is in a same sex partnership. Meet Polly’s adorable little girl who is the beating heart of the novel.

There is so much to discover about all of the characters in this lovely book so I will leave it to you to get absorbed in the scenes. You will have to explore the tangle of emotions and confusion of love.  Pull up a chair, light the fire and watch as it ‘settles into a sociable glow’.  Listen to Polly, her friends, family and lovers as they chat about their desires.

Enjoy the brilliantly paced narrative and the witty, perfectly drawn characters.

Click to buy on Amazon

 

Please see all my reviews at Books in Handbag or My Reading and see my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

The Vineyard in Alsace slipped into my handbag, with ease

The Vineyard in Alsace

Julie Stock

The Vineyard in Alsace slipped into my handbag, with ease. It was ‘fantastique’ to escape with a book that whispered, ‘bonjour chérie’ until it was completed.

 

Click to buy on Amazon

As I soon as I opened the book, I was ‘passing through luscious green vineyards in the shadow of the pine clad Vosges mountains and among the gurgling rivers and streams’.  On reaching the destination, it was time to open a bottle of chilled pinot blanc and savour the story.

The novel can boast a vineyard, a dilapidated chateau, glorious food and all the ingredients of a delicious romance – something to make you tingle.  Fran leaves her dominating, cheating fiancé and finds my ideal job in a vineyard, but she does not know that it is owned by, Didier, a former lover.   Besides the dream job, Fran is to live in a ‘heavenly’ fairy-tale cottage. Have I tempted you to read yet?  As Fran says, ‘thank goodness for fate’ and I say let’s drink to the reassuring destiny of a romantic novel.  But do all the roads lead to happiness?

Didier is a ‘gorgeous’, warm-hearted and intelligent man and Fran is also intelligent confident and ‘beguiling’.  They are thrown together again by circumstances but can the fairy-tale last forever?  Didier is a dedicated father and his daughter, Chloe, is his priority.   Chloe is brought to life beautifully throughout the story; the reader can delight in the simple pleasures of a child’s world.

Didier is passionate about the vineyard and cooking so let’s hope that his passionate nature bodes well for this romantic novel.  The story will set your ‘heart racing’ as the story unfolds but the harmony may be broken when there are so many others to consider? Will the chateau cast its magic spell on the inhabitants of the estate, or will the villains return to torment their dreams? Is the prince charming too good to be true?  All will be revealed in the novel as it winds its way towards autumn and the grape harvest.  The author will guide you through her narrative with her warm, inviting style.

The novel presents some interesting facts about the winemaking process and the wine-tasting.  However, I wanted to taste the wine and get involved in the harvest.  I can guarantee that you will want to reach for a good bottle of Alsace wine, some quiche, peach tartes and ponder second chances. You will also taste delicious words such as: pinot blancs, Gewurztraminers, Flammekueche and Kugelhopf sponge.

Is it time for you to take a chateau, a vineyard and add the magic of France.  Perhaps you will pack a romantic picnic but you ‘certainment’ won’t be disappointed if you want to let contentment dominate your senses and comfort your soul.

Please see all my reviews and blog at jessiecahalin.com

A stolen painting in the pocket of my large handbag

Popular author, Anne Allen, released ‘The Betrayal’, on 22nd October.  ‘The Betrayal’ is the sixth book in the Guernsey Series.  Anne Allen has kindly selected an exclusive extract for Books in my Handbag.  The dual-time novel unfolds in the present day and during World War Two.  It is set against the backdrop of the German deportation of the Jewish community, in Guernsey, and involves a stolen Renoir painting. 

Treachery and theft lead to death – and love. 

‘The Betrayal’ is tense, powerful and spellbinding.

Anne will introduce her new novel, present an extract and tell you more about the intricate narrative.

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to present my latest in the Guernsey Novels series, ‘The Betrayal’.

This extract is from the beginning of the book and is the prelude to the modern part of the story, giving you a taste of the tension throughout the book.

Keep a copy of the book in your bag to dip into whenever you have a moment, you won’t regret it!

Happy Reading☺

Anne x

Presenting the extract:

Guernsey 2011

Something was wrong. The alarm didn’t blast out as he pushed open the back door of the shop. Standing still, he heard a noise. Someone was in the shop. Or more accurately, the basement. Nigel paused as he closed the door quietly behind him, his heart hammering against his ribs as he debated what to do. Whoever was in there knew how to disable a burglar alarm otherwise lights would be flashing and a discordant wail would be piercing the air. Best to shut them in the basement and call the police. Following the thought, he crept into the main shop, guided by the dim light coming through the rear window. His eyes adjusting to the dimness, Nigel tried to pick out the area where a rug should cover the trapdoor. For a moment he wondered who could have known about the basement, only discovered a few weeks before when they completed the renovations and replaced the flooring. Odd. And why the basement when the shop was full of valuable antiques?

Crouched at the edge of the hole, light from a torch casting shadows below, he was about to push the open door downwards when a hand snaked up and grabbed his arm.

More about ‘The Betrayal’…

Teresa Bichard and her baby are sent by her beloved husband, Leo, to England as the Germans draw closer to Guernsey. Days later they invade…

Leo, of Jewish descent, is betrayed to the Germans and is sent to a concentration camp, never to return.

Teresa returns to find Leo did not survive and the family’s valuable art collection, including a Renoir, is missing. Heartbroken, she returns to England.

Nigel and his twin Fiona buy a long-established antiques shop in Guernsey and during a refit, find a hidden stash of paintings, including what appears to be a Renoir. Days later, Fiona finds Nigel dead, an apparent suicide. Refusing to accept the verdict, a distraught Fiona employs a detective to help her discover the truth…

Searching for the true owner of the painting brings Fiona close to someone who opens a chink in her broken heart. Can she answer some crucial questions before laying her brother’s ghost to rest?

Who betrayed Leo?

Who knew about the stolen Renoir?

And are they prepared to kill – again?

What do the reviewers think of ‘The Betrayal’?

‘I am a huge fan of Anne Allen’s Guernsey series in which various locations are lovingly described. With the ‘suicide’ of her twin brother, this book has an orally different feel as Fiona tries to get to the bottom of it. With an undiscovered Renoir and links to WW2 this book has a much darker feel to it.’ Julie Ryan

‘Great characters and of course a love connection with a happy ending.’ Karen’s World

‘Having read Anne’s last book, Echoes of Time, I couldn’t wait to read her latest, and I wasn’t disappointed. The novel alternates between WW2 and 2011 and is set on the beautiful island of Guernsey. The Betrayal features twins, Fiona and Nigel, who discover a Renoir within the walls of their antique shop in 2011. When Nigel is found dead, and suicide is suspected, Fiona refuses to believe that her brother would end his own life and she sets out to uncover the truth. Unravelling the mystery will carry her on a journey back to 1940, and to the dark days of the German Occupation and the deportation of Jews.’ S. Charlton

And finally…

A late-comer to writing, Anne was a psychotherapist in a previous life.   Readers are lucky that Anne decided to tell her stories. Anne admits her characters do get under her skin and she misses Fiona and Michael, in particular. I look forward to discovering more about the characters and solving the mysteries presented by this delicious time-slip novel.

You can find out more about Anne Allen here.

 

Please see all the specially chosen extracts at Book Extracts and my blog at jessiecahalin.com. 

 

Cutting, snipping and editing with Angela Petch

via Cutting, snipping, editing…

 

Angela Petch interviewing me about editing

When Dreams Came True for Jan Baynham

Jan hard at work in her writing room in Wales.

When people follow their dreams, I must find out more.  Having retired from a career in education, Jan Baynham recently gained a publishing deal with Ruby Fiction.  I am delighted she agreed to chat to me about her writing adventure and offer the benefit of her experiences.

Jessie: When did you first dream of becoming a writer?

Jan:  I came very late to the party! It wasn’t until I retired that I thought about writing fiction. As a teacher and latterly as a Teacher Adviser for English, I’d always enjoyed teaching writing and taking part in Shared Writing but had never thought seriously about writing for myself. To start, I joined a small writing group at a local library and from there I took a short story course at Cardiff University run by a published author. I began submitting my stories to competitions and several are published in anthologies and on-line.  A themed anthology of those early stories, “Smashing the Mask and Other Stories’, will be launched by Black Pear Press on October 10th.  Back then, unless they were Flash Fiction pieces – a genre that I love! – I found it harder and harder to keep to the word counts required for some of the competitions. It soon became clear that I preferred to write much longer stories with multi-layered characters, detailed settings and more involved plots. I undertook a novel writing course with the same tutor and that was when my dream of becoming a published novelist began. That was five years ago and enrolling on Lynne Barrett-Lee’s course was the best decision I ever made.

Jessie:  Wow!  I am impressed you retired from one successful career to embark on another challenge. How did you feel when you secured a deal with Ruby Fiction?

Jan: At the beginning of May, I accepted and signed a contract with Ruby Fiction for three books. The first, ‘Whispering Olive Trees’, will be published in digital and audio in 2020. I was – and still am! – thrilled and still can’t quite believe it. I know there’s a lot of hard work ahead but working with my editor at Ruby is something I’m looking forward to very much. I shall give it my all.

Jessie: What is Whispering Oliver Trees about?

The view over the sapphire sea from the fictional island of Péfka where the novel is mainly set

‘Whispering Olive Trees’ started out as a short story that did quite well in competitions by being long-listed. After re-tweaking, it was eventually published as ‘Whispers in the Olive Trees’ on Alfie Dog Fiction. But I knew there was a longer, more involved story there and my characters were begging to tell me more. The novel is now completely different. Mainly taking place on a fictional island, Péfka, in southern Greece, in 1965 and 1987, the dual time-line novel explores the relationship between a mother and daughter, forbidden love – due to cultural differences – and a search for true identity. Alexandra, known as Lexi, is a young woman grieving after the untimely death of her mother, Elin who has bequeathed her diary to her. Through reading the diary, Lexi discovers secrets in her mother’s past and a part of her life she knew nothing about. She travels to Greece to find out the truth, and then understands why tension has always existed between her and her father. Once she knows who she really is, she can move on with her own life and find true happiness. I’m hoping the novel will appeal to female readers who enjoy family sagas and reading about relationships, the dynamics of family life, secrets, romance and a touch of crime. Having a Greek uncle and having made many visits there, I am passionate about novels set in Greece and the country itself. I hope that will come across to my readers.

Jessie:  Intriguing to know you have a Greek uncle and this inspired the story.  I adore stories with secrets.  The novel sounds like a great escape and it is no wonder you wanted to write the novel.  You have been determined to secure a publishing deal. I knew you would manage it.  What process did you go through before you were successful?

Olive trees grow everywhere on the island. The whispering of the leaves in the
breeze remind Lexi she is not alone.

Jan: Thank you for your confidence, Jessie. Yes, I was as determined as I could be. I think the main reason for the determination was that I didn’t have the confidence to self-publish and I am full of admiration for those writers who do so successfully. The first thing I did was to apply for a place on the RNA’s wonderful New Writers’ Scheme. I cannot praise the scheme highly enough. The three reports I have received from my readers so far have been very constructive, encouraging and detailed with helpful advice. Before submitting to any publishers, I have considered the points made and given my novels another thorough edit.

Wherever Lexi goes, she is met by an abundance of vibrant bougainvillea, tumbling over garden walls.

I took note of those publishers to whom you may submit directly without an agent. As each rejection came back, it was noticeable that instead of a standard ‘Thanks, but no thanks’ I soon started getting positive feedback with comments about what they liked about the writing and why they couldn’t make an offer. It was at this stage, the ‘nearly but not quite’ stage as one editor put it, I knew that if I took on board the advice I was getting, that maybe I would get published. A glimmer of hope! I hoped that each new submission was better than the previous one because of the help I was getting. That’s not to say I didn’t have self-doubt and wondered how long I should keep trying. That was where my group of writing friends, Sue, Catherine and Vanessa came in and gave me the kick start to begin submitting again!

Jessie: What advice would you give to fledgling authors seeking their first publishing deal?

Jan: Keep going! Get yourself a pair of wide shoulders, preferably with 80s style padding! I tell myself it’s a rejection of the writing and not of me as a person. I’m a ‘bottle half-full’ person and whenever I receive any written feedback, I have a little ritual. Especially with my NWS readers’ reports, I highlight all the positive comments and compliments in one colour and then do the same for the suggestions for improvement, criticisms, flaws etc. in another highlighter pen. We are notoriously bad at just focusing in on what’s wrong with our writing, aren’t we? If I agree with the points to correct or improve, I make them into a list and tick them off as I edit.

Choose to submit to publishers who are accepting submissions without an agent and who are accepting novels in your genre. Make sure you read the submission guidelines ‘to the letter’. They all vary. The same applies to the query letter. If you are submitting to an agent, however, maybe look for those who are building a list.

Even very experienced writers will say they are still learning. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned, and hopefully improved as a writer, from attending conferences, training days and workshops. Lancaster 2019 will be my fourth RNA Conference and as well as the organised lectures, workshops, the 1-to-1 industry appointments, the camaraderie of the other delegates, I’ve always come back enthused and ready to start writing again.

My last piece of advice would be to build your social media presence before you start submitting to publishers. It is often a question they ask and want to know how you will be able to promote yourself and your novels. My blog is now five years old and I started it when I started novel writing. It’s a way of sharing my writing journey and also supporting fellow authors by promoting their books and hosting guest interviews. On Twitter, for example, I’ve ‘met’ lots of supportive writers and we like and re-tweet each others’ news and books. It’s even better when we meet in person.

Jessie:  You give lots of valuable advice, and I have now experienced the value of the Romantic Novelist’ Conference.  I agree that social media is a wonderful way to communicate -it’s where I met you.  Why is it important for new writers to meet up with other writers rather than only communicating on social media?

Jan: Although I’m an advocate of building up a presence on social media, nothing beats meeting up with other writers, face to face. Writing can be a very lonely occupation and I think it’s so important to get away from the computer to mix with other writers. I still meet up with two writing friends I met on the short story ‘Telling Tales’ course. We meet for lunch every few weeks and bring along Flash Fiction pieces to share and critique. Our Cowbridge Cursors ‘group of four’ meets up less regularly than we used to due to family, work and other commitments, but when we do it’s as if we’ve never been apart. Our RNA Chapter meets every month and through that I’ve met some lovely writers. It’s been so good to share a Writing Retreat Day and a Writing Workshop with them this year. We talk about our WiPs and I always come away feeling better about my writing.

Jessie: The Chapter meetings also give me a great writing boost.  I am so pleased to be part of the South Wales and West Chapter. Aside from writing, I know you have a very interesting hobby.  Can you tell me more about Eddie Stobard?

You’ve asked about my unusual hobby. It’s not something I broadcast for fear of being judged as a bit of an ‘anorak’. It all came out when I was coming home from my first Conference with my four writing buddies, the CCs. The M6 is a haven for Eddie Stobart spotters like me. Every time we came alongside one of the green, red and white beauties, I was busy making notes on my phone ready to transfer to my Eddie Stobart Spotter’s Handbook when I got home. Imagine the disbelief and ribbing I got! This year, I now have a brand new Eddie Stobart truck named after me – ‘Janet Eleanor’, H8529, Registration No. PX68ZKE.

Jan offers honest advice for authors seeking that first publishing deal, and I am sure her story will resonate with all authors.  I look forward to the finished novel.  Best of luck, Jan! 

Jan’s contact details:
Twitter – @JanBayLit
Facebook – Jan Baynham Writer
Blog – www.janbaynham.blogspot.co.uk

 

Please all my author interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

Slipping back to 499 AD with Julia Ibbotson

Julia posting her guest post to Books in Handbag Blog

Julia Ibbotson contacted me and offered me the opportunity to slip into 499AD and meet the characters of her latest novel. Lady Vivianne is from 499AD and Dr Viv DuLac living in the present day. In A Shape on the Air, the worlds of these two women collide to create a fascinating narrative.  Fascinated by the concept, I asked Julia to explain more about her novel.

Dear Jessie,

My latest novel, A Shape on the Air, is about two women, divided by centuries, united by a quest for truth. Dr Viv DuLac, a medievalist, is devastated when her partner Pete walks out (and with her best friend too) and it seems that she is about to lose everything. Drunk and desperate, her world quite literally turns upside down when she finds herself in the body of the fifth century Lady Vivianne. Lady V has her own traumas; she is struggling with the shifting values of the Dark Ages and her forced betrothal to the brutish Sir Pelleas, who is implicated in the death of her parents.  Little does Viv realise that both their lives across the centuries will become so completely intertwined. Haunted by both Lady Vivianne in 499 AD and by Viv’s own parents’ death and legacy, can Viv unlock the mystery that surrounds and connects their two lives, 1500 years apart, and bring peace to them both?

Meet Lady Vivianne

As with all authors, my characters’ voices ring around my head as I write. So I’ll imagine the women speaking for themselves and this is how they might have introduced themselves to you …

Meet Lady Vivianne …

It is the year of Our Lord 499, I am fifteen and I have a problem.  I am betrothed, against my will, to the odious Sir Pelleas, yet I am not unaware of the glances of my childhood friend, Sir Roland. It was my late father, kind as he was, who took in the tattered cast-out Saxon child Pelleas, thinking him to be a potential successor as chieftain of our settlement in the midlands of England.  Back then, it was not so usual for a woman to succeed to the chieftaincy, and anyway I was not expected, my dear mother being cursed to be childless. But she had used her pagan rituals to try to conceive, and I was the result. They named me Lady Vivianne.

I will never forget the day that my parents died, burned in the fire that destroyed our sacred hall. Sir Pelleas said that it was the tallows on the altar. But yet I knew that was not so.  And as I grew towards my sixteenth year and Pelleas had already persuaded the council in the mead hall with his military prowess to confirm him as chieftain, he was appointed my ‘protector’ and my suitor.

I hate him. I hate his brutish ways and his raucous drunken friends as they feast and carouse and stink in my father’s hall that used to display rich tapestries and religious icons, a backdrop to the travelling scōps with their beautiful poetry.

I will do anything, anything at all that is in my power, to rid myself of Pelleas and this terrible betrothal. And I have powers, like my mother, Lady Nymue, the lady of the lake, believe me …

The inspiration for Dr Viv

Meet medievalist Dr Viv DuLac …

… I get home to my apartment a couple of nights ago, totally unaware of what that night would bring. I’d had a hard day at the university where I teach medieval studies. Maybe it’s tiredness but I think I hear my dead mother’s voice in my pounding head and the name ‘Lady Vivianne’.  But my mind is full of my partner Pete’s treachery. I still cannot believe that he would stoop so low. Going off with one of my best friends and then having the gall to try to sell the apartment from under me. I’d like to hate him, but it’s not so easy to dismiss those years, is it? Are there no decent men left? I’d do anything, anything at all, to keep my beloved home and to be safe. But instead I drink far too much red wine and make for the lake where something is drawing me …

A Shape on the Air

As their lives become intertwined, the quest for truth intensifies. How is Lady Vivianne connected to Dr Viv’s parents’ death and the centuries-old mystery they tried to uncover?  By the way, Jessie, my WIP (The Dragon Tree) is the sequel to A Shape on the Air, and will be published later in 2020.

With love,

Julia

Website/blog   https://www.juliaibbotsonauthor.com
Facebook          https://www.facebook.com/JuliaIbbotsonauthor
Twitter              @JuliaIbbotson
Pinterest           http://www.pinterest.co.uk/juliai1

About Dr Julia Ibbotson

Acclaimed, award-winning author Julia Ibbotson is fascinated by the medieval world and concepts of time travel. She read English at Keele University, England (after a turbulent but exciting gap year in Ghana, West Africa) specialising in medieval language, literature and history, and has a PhD in socio-linguistics. She wrote her first novel at 10 years of age, but became a school teacher, then an academic as a senior university lecturer and researcher. As well as medieval time-slip, she has published a number of books, including memoir/history of food (The Old Rectory), children’s medieval fantasy (S.C.A.R.S), a trilogy opening in 1960s Ghana (Drumbeats), and many academic works. Apart from insatiable reading, she loves travelling the world, singing in choirs, swimming, yoga and walking in the countryside in England and Madeira where she and her husband divide their time.

 

Please see all my guest’s posts at Mail from the Creative Community and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

Living the Dream

Jane Cable invited me to share my writing dream with Frost Magazine.  I am honoured to join the company of wonderful sister scribes.

https://www.frostmagazine.com/2020/03/sister-scribes-guest-jessie-cahalin-on-living-the-dream/

Woolf Scholar’s Novel Choice

Maggie Humm

‘Without a doubt, Lullaby will be one of the most unsettling, absorbing, un-put-downable novels of 2018,’ according to Professor Maggie Humm.  Intrigued, I invited the internationally acclaimed Woolf scholar to tell me more about Lullaby by Leila Slimani.

It was a delight to receive mail from Maggie Humm, as all her academic books were once crammed into my student rucksack. I am honoured to step aside so that Maggie Humm can challenge us with her review of a novel from a newly-refreshed sub-genre of literary fiction.

Leila Slimani Lullaby

Lullaby Leila Slimani

As Match of the Day might say ‘leave the room if you don’t want to know the result.  Lullaby recounts an apparently simple scenario. Louise, a nanny of indeterminate age, is hired by Paul and Myriam, a successful middle-class Parisian couple, to care for their two children, baby Adam and Mila.  Louise is tiny, with immaculate finger-nails, constantly wearing the Peter Pan collared blouse of the novel’s cover. Soon she transforms her employers’ lives for the better: the children adore her, she unobtrusively cooks, cleans and anticipates all their desires and needs. The kind of woman you’d never spot in a crowd.

In flashback, and through multiple characters’ interactions with Louise, we come to understand and empathise with her past: a loveless childhood, poverty, and domestic and sexual violence. Unusually, and intriguingly, these features are not presented as completely explanatory reasons for her final violent act – the murder of the two children. Myriam and Paul are occasionally caring and thoughtful employers whose actions to some extent compensate for Louise’s past traumas. And their kindness becomes the problem. Louise is desperate to live full-time with Paul and Myriam, to have them ‘adopt’ her. Until she kills.

‘…isolation from other nannies in the park’

Although none of the stories are told in first person we inhabit the minds of differing characters almost in real-time at key turning points: the nanny’s sensual exploration of the apartment where she will kill; her physical disgust with men during sex; her isolation from other nannies in the park; the warmth and beauty of a Greek island holiday with her employers and children. This ‘sticky mess’, as Heiser says, takes over our emotions and our  bodies. We can feel Louise on our skin, even taste what she eats.

Lullaby joins a newly-refreshed sub-genre of literary fiction recreating real-life crime, exemplified by another best-selling French novel Emmanuel Carrère’s The Adversary; combined with a women’s fiction genre of apparently affectless short sentences as in Elizabeth Strout’s My Name is Lucy Barton

‘It could be any Western urban capitalist city.’

These novels focus on the gap between what we think we know and what we experience in the diurnal life of the novel – a technique often characterised as metamodernist. That is, novels which deal with structures of feeling after postmodernism. Lullaby appears intensely intimate – narrating the lives of each person in the lead up to murder. But, as a metamodernist novel it also portrays (very subtly) ways of feeling and thinking about contemporary issues: immigration, poverty, homelessness or the threat of homelessness, women’s bodies and misogyny played out in the physical geography of Paris. It could be any Western urban capitalist city.

Lullaby is also a woman’s novel (although not without interest to male readers hopefully). Clothes, jewellery, cooking and meals, women’s physical differences from men, are all as significant as actions, and trigger and shape actions in many cases. For example, Louise takes the children out to dinner one evening hoping that her employers will be able to have sex undisturbed, and produce the new baby that Louise needs to retain her place. The children are disconcerted by being dragged around strange streets to eat and when they return Louise discovers that the wife went early to bed alone. Louise’s ensuing anger (hidden from Myriam and Paul) contributes to the build-up to murder. The significance of meals and fashions were themes of the great modernist writer Virginia Woolf, but what makes Lullaby essentially metamodernist is the way in which Lullaby displaces and undercuts notions of the feeling subject by the continual unknowingness of motive and desire. Rather than arriving at a resounding ending – a Joycean ‘yes she said, yes she said, Yes; or Woolf’s Lily Briscoe’s ‘I have had my vision’ (note the present perfect containment),  Lullaby ends with the reader alongside the female detective, re-enacting the murder. In The Adversary the narrator leaves behind the protagonists, drives back to Paris, deciding ‘that writing this story could only be either a crime or a prayer.’ Lullaby forces the reader to become Louise ‘who takes a knife from the cupboard,’ and to recreate the murder ourselves in our minds.

Without a doubt, Lullaby will be one of the most unsettling, absorbing, un-put-downable novels of 2018.

Manuscript of Talland House is waiting for a front cover

Maggie Humm is an Emeritus Professor, University of East London. An internationally-acclaimed Woolf scholar, the author of 14 books both for an academic and general readership, the last 3 focused on Woolf and the arts, the topic of Talland House – her debut novel. Talland House was shortlisted for the Impress and Fresher Fiction prizes 2017 (as Who Killed Mrs. Ramsay?). A short story ‘Cult Love’ was ‘highly commended’ by the National Association of Writers’ Groups (2018).

Maggie Humm’s debut novel Talland House was shortlisted for the Impress and Fresher fiction prizes 2017 (as Who Killed Mrs. Ramsay?).

Talland House will be released soon.  Maggie’s manuscript is waiting for a front cover but even the manuscript looks tempting.  Maggie will send a photo of her book in a handbag when it is available.

In the meantime, here is an overview of the novel:

Talland House   

The Royal Academy, London 1919. Lily Briscoe has a painting displayed. She’s put her student life in picturesque St. Ives behind her: her friend and substitute mother Mrs. Ramsay disliked Lily’s portrait of her it seemed; Louis Grier, her tutor, didn’t seduce her as she’d hoped. Ten years on she’s been a suffragette, a nurse in WWI, and now a successful artist. But then Louis appears at the exhibition. He tells Lily that Mrs. Ramsay died suddenly and Lily has to investigate. And she realizes that she still loves Louis.

 

Please see all my guests’ posts at My Guests and my blog and website at jessiecahalin.com.

 

Ian Wilfred’s Latest Novel Paired with Greek Wine

Ian looked so relaxed as we chatted, soaked up the sun and enjoyed the sea view.

Shirley Valentine made me giggle in my twenties, and now I am old enough to be Shirley.  I still dream of sipping wine, seated at a table, with a sea view, in Greece.  Imagine my delight when Ian Wilfred invited me to Greece to discuss his new novel.  I joined him on his island of Holkamos.  We drank wine and ate a marvellous picnic of feta cheese olives, tomatoes and stuffed vine leaves.   Ian looked so relaxed as we chatted, soaked up the sun and enjoyed the sea view. He wore shorts polo shirt and flip flops, and his new novel, Secrets We Left In Greece, was stored in a black bag.

 

Jessie:  Ian, it is great to finally meet you.  You provided the very first photograph for my Handbag Gallery.  You have written two books since then.  Please tell me about your latest book Secrets we left in Greece.

Norfolk is wonderful but holidays in Greece, with my husband and family, inspired the setting of the latest novel.

Ian:  It was a pleasure to make the connection via the Handbag Gallery.  My photograph was on a local Norfolk beach, as I just love the sea.  Norfolk is wonderful but holidays in Greece, with my husband and family, inspired the setting of the latest novel.  It is a story of old secrets and new memories on the Greek island of Holkamos.

Miriam had something on her mind and it needed sorting. What she had planned wouldn’t go down well with her daughter Heather and Granddaughter Amy, but there was no going back; the tickets were booked she had to face the island again.

Jessie:  It sounds like a fabulous escape.  Why should your readers be tempted to buy this novel?

You only get one chance to live your life. Escape to my Greek island Holkamos with Miriam, Heather and Amy; support them on their journey of self- discovery

Ian: You only get one chance to live your life. Escape to my Greek island Holkamos with Miriam, Heather and Amy; support them on their journey of self- discovery. Pack your passport, settle down in the sunshine and listen in to their secrets. My characters learn life is not a rehearsal, and it’s time to move on.  Sometimes, you need to escape to a paradise island in order to remove the rose-tinted glasses.

Jessie: What do the reviewers say?  Were they intrigued to find out the secrets?.

Ian:  Have a look at the reviews here in Netgallery.

‘Solid chick lit…it doesn’t take itself too seriously.  You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and say, ‘Oh no! Definitely a fun weekend read.’ Shirley Anne, Reviewer

‘Love fiction set in Greece. This was a light, enjoyable read.’ Anita T, Reviewer

‘Amusing, believable characters on a voyage of discovery.’

Jessie:  Please can you read an extract from Secrets We Left In Greece?

*** Ian retrieved the novel from his black bag.  The vibrant front cover looked so inviting.

Ian: ‘Paul they were happy times-  no one died, and I have lots of special memories of my holidays on Holkamos, I just don’t want to go back, I’ve moved on from that’.

‘What’s that, Amy?  Why do you need to move on from something that brings back happy memories what happened?’

Jessie:  How did you feel when you had finished the novel?  Did you miss any of the characters?

We drank wine and ate a marvellous picnic of feta cheese olives, tomatoes and stuffed vine leaves

Ian: Jessie, I loved writing it and I felt really good. Once I finished, I couldn’t wait to send it off to my editor, Nancy. I sort of missed the character Cleo. In all my other four books, my main characters have been over fifty, but Cleo was only twenty. I wanted to take her story further. You never know, I might revisit Cleo one day if she invited me back to the island.

Jessie:  Who would you like to read your book and why?  This could be another author, someone famous, a friend or a member of your family.  

Ian: Just someone who chooses to read it. I don’t give my books to family or friends to read, but if they want to that’s lovely but very scary. I shout and promote them on Twitter but have never asked a blogger to read because that’s even scarier.

Jessie:  Why should I keep your book in my handbag?
Ian: This book is an essential edition to a British handbag as it will give you sunshine on a grey day. Travelling to Holkamos will chase away those rainy-day blues, and you’ll be in the company of great friends.  Each time you read this book, you’ll be tempted to open a bottle of Greek wine.

Jessie:  What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?

The last sentence in my notes for Secrets We Left In Greece is – take out the middle H from Holkhamos and call the island Holkamos as that sounds better. On Sunday, I wrote: ‘Olive Sarah or Billy ?’

Jessie:  What is the biggest challenge for an author?

Ian: My biggest challenge is TIME.  I write and work full-time. Family and friends are fed up with me saying I would love an eight day week. Have you got an extra day of the week in your handbag?

Jessie:  Very funny!  I probably have more than a day’s worth of junk in my handbag.  What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?

Ian: This is easy. Write every day even if it’s only 200 words, as this keeps the story fresh in your head. Read and watch everything Milly Johnson has to say about writing.  Milly Johnson’s Author Tips are the very best.

Ian Wilfred is 50+ but in his head he will always be 39. He lives on the Norfolk coast with his husband and west highland terrier. His perfect day would be to walk the dog on the beach, drink lots of coffee and write, but in real life after walking the dog, Ian goes off to work.

His debut novel ‘Putting Right The Past’ was published in 2013 and set on the island of Tenerife. ‘The Little Terrace of Friendships’ was published in March 2017, and Ian’s third book ‘A Secret Visitor to Saltmarsh Quay’ was published in November 2017.

You can follow Ian on Twitter at @ianwilfred39 (he will always be 39).

Chatting to Ian made the sunshine.  If you fancy an escape then buy his latest book. Are you ready to find out some secrets?  Promise you will leave the secrets in Holkamos. 

 

Please see all my interviews at My Guests and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

 

Treasure the World Around You

An ancient solitary tree beckoned me to attempt a footpath through a wheatfield

Walking has been a gift throughout this year. I feel fitter and healthier because we have walked over twenty miles a week. During the jaunts, we have discovered new destinations in our local area and opened our eyes to the natural world; ever-changing light also worked its magic.

I had no idea how many local lanes we ignored during twenty years of living in beautiful South Wales. Adventures were confined to the familiar tourist destinations, yet there were places on the doorstep. We discovered a lane in Michaelstone that leads to a footpath across farmland. An ancient solitary tree beckoned us to attempt a footpath through a wheatfield, and we were rewarded with a view of the Somerset coast. Once we reached the tree, we encountered a man following the same route. He made us aware of the original road ancient travellers used to reach London, and we considered how landmarks such as trees would have been landmarks in ancient times. As the man talked, he looked out to sea because his ancestors used to live in Somerset in the eighteenth century, and said he felt connected to them. Was he waiting for them to return? He seemed to disappear very suddenly into the distance.

It felt as if nature had conspired to present us with a glimpse of a Monet painting.

Though we have walked the same routes many times now, seasons and sightings of wildlife have rewarded us with different perspectives. Previously, we may not have had time to see the dragonfly waiting on a tree or spot bees on flowers. We never really paid attention to the livestock in the fields close to the house, or the progress of crops in the farmer’s fields. During the dark days of lockdown, we searched for colour and found it in our garden. Bluebells stood proud at the back of our garden and enhanced the character of the tiny shed. Furthermore, alliums planted in autumn 2019 presented vibrant displays throughout the spring and summer, attracting bees, insects and birds.

When Lockdown eased, we were able to visit Dryham Park in South Gloucestershire and could not believe our luck when we were able to get close enough to photograph deer in the park.

When Lockdown eased, we were able to visit Dryham Park in South Gloucestershire and could not believe our luck when we were able to get close enough to photograph deer in the park. The presence of these magnificent creatures had a calming effect. Dyffryn House, closer to home, tested us with torrential rain when we visited but we endured it and captured images of the rain sparkling on lily pads. It felt as if nature had conspired to present us with a glimpse of a Monet painting.

Our lives have been fraught with challenges, but seasons have remained constant and soothed us. Wildlife continue to keep themselves busy with their daily lives and remain calm until they sense a predator. There is so much to see in your local area if you look closely.

Bluebells adorned the back of our garden and enhanced the character of the tiny shed

All the best for 2021!

Have you discovered hidden treasure in your local area during lockdown?

 

Please see my writer’s gym workout, all my Handbag Adventures and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

Inspiration for a Tuscan Girl

I am honoured that Angela wrote a letter to explain the inspiration behind Tuscan Girl. Sit back and enjoy a writer’s tour of Italy.

Bestselling author, Angela Petch, released ‘Tuscan Girl’ last week.  I started to read the novel on a stormy Saturday night and awoke at dawn to finish the book.  Lost stories of war, hidden treasure and buried memories gripped me. As a writer, I wanted to learn how this talented author manages to weave such captivating stories. I am honoured Angela wrote a letter to explain the inspiration behind Tuscan Girl.  Sit back and enjoy a writer’s tour of Italy.

In the Tuscan Apennines, where I spend six months of every year, I can step out of our front door straight into wild countryside. Our area is less populated after post war exodus, when people left for work abroad and in big cities and so I come across many ruined houses along the mule tracks that crisscross our hills and valleys.

Each abandoned dwelling holds a potential story and my imagination goes into overdrive, trying to guess what might have gone on within these walls, now strangled with weeds.

Many of the old houses are being eaten up by old man’s beard

When I was seven years old, my father accepted a job in Rome as deputy head of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They were formative years and I picked up Italian like a little sponge. I’ve wheedled out stories behind these houses by chatting to elderly friends and through my research. We are lucky to have the national archive of diaries in nearby Pieve Santo Stefano and I’ve spent hours poring over handwritten resources.

Bruno sitting outside the house owned by his son, who had just returned from collecting wild mushrooms.

One of my friends is Bruno Vergni, one hundred years old last January 13th. I met him seven years ago on one of my hikes. I stopped to chat as he pruned an apple tree and, to my huge surprise, he responded in English. He explained that he had been a POW in Nottingham, having been captured in Libya early in the war.

I researched more about Bruno’s war and he is now one of the main characters in “The Tuscan Girl” (albeit tweaked with my own ideas). He now lives with his son, but in my story I have placed him in one of the semi-deserted hamlets called Tramarecchia.

Pieve Santo Stefano holds Italy’s collection of diaries – a wonderful resource

A favourite walk is up to the beautiful Alp of the Moon, (1,400 metres). We stopped to picnic by a pile of stones and read a sign posted by the local partisan association.  Up here, in the summer of 1944, a group of young men planned their resistance missions. After researching and meeting a local historian, Alvaro Tacchini, more ideas for my book were gleaned.

An abandoned chapel, two houses on the outskirts of the village, empty because of a brothers’ squabble, the outline of a Medici fortress… all ruins waiting to be written about in future books.

Angela’s explanation connected me to Alba who treks around the remote Tuscan villages and rebuilds the ruins in her paintings.  She discovers ‘The paths…like arteries leading to the heart of new stories.’  I enjoyed treading these paths with Alba and look forward to more stories.

 

Please see all my guests’ posts at Mail from the Creative Community and my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

All Aboard the Runaway Creative Train: The Year of the Handbag

In March, I discovered my husband had published my manuscript on Amazon. Clutching the lilac handbag, I went into a bit of a panic.  The delete button on my laptop did not remove the book from Amazon. There was no chocolate in the house, so I ignored him by reading a book.   Little did I know, he’d presented me with a ticket to begin a creative writing journey via social media.

While waiting to board the creative train, I watched YouTube footage about how to engage in social media. I wish I had known about Neetsmarketing rather than shouting at the lovely people who were trying to explain.  Fortunately,  there was light at the end of the tunnel, Sue Moorcroft was the first person to accept my friend request on Twitter.    Her response to my book review and ideas to promote ‘Just for the Holidays’ lit the creative spark, and she helped me to understand Twitter. The sound of the whistle jolted the pistons in my imagination.

Once I had boarded the creative train, some wonderful people waved me off. The first review request came from Angela Petch.   Her reaction to my review of ‘Now and Then in Tuscany’ fuelled the creative enthusiasm and the train started to increase pace.  She also agreed to join me in a whacky race to meet up with Sue Moorcroft’s character, in France.  Angela introduced me to Patricia Feinberg Stoner and Rosemary Noble.  Rosemary ‘Ranter’s Wharf’ made me rant on behalf of my ancestors. Patricia’s book is funniest book I have ever read about becoming an accidental expat, in France. It was a great day when Patricia sent me her ‘Rude Book of Limericks’, and I realised she had quoted me on her front cover.

I crashed into the inspirational Diane Need, in the Midlands, when my creative ideas were heading in all directions.  Diane’s heart-warming, fun novel was a great read on the journey.  Jan Ellis asked me to review one of her books and sent me a book parcel, and this was the ticket to my new collection of books. Jan is currently writing a blog post about the contents of her handbag, and I know it will be amusing.

On my creative journey abroad, I stopped off to meet Patricia Furstenberg. She took me on a magical journey back to my childhood through her children’s books.  She is also my Twitter guru and is Queen of the Hashtags.  At her stop, Patricia introduced me to Jennifer from ‘Jennieration’.  Jen is a ‘fearless thinker’ who delights in language, culture and creativity. Jen’s daughter, Ella, is the youngest author in my Handbag Gallery, and she wrote a wonderfully creative guest post.

While speeding along the tracks of creativity, I met Carol Cooper.  And I was thrilled when she came up with the idea of interviewing the interviewer.  She looked inside my handbag and made me reflect on my journey. Angela Petch also asked me questions about the editing journey.  At this point, I reached a bit of a crossroads, I had neglected my writing.  The blogging train had been gaining speed and getting out of control.  I decided to get off at the next stop and visit my book again.

Locked in my study, in ‘Editingland’, I couldn’t resist interacting with Wendy Clarke.  I stopped over at ‘Silent Night’ to present an extract, and found Wendy incredibly supportive.  She featured me in her blog, and wrote a generous blog post about how to use software to market a book.  What a wonderful stopover!  I would never have found out about this if I had not boarded the creative train via social media.

Finally, I realised the creative train isn’t out of control.  Sometimes, one shouldn’t worry too much about the final destination, but one does need to interact with others on the journey.  ‘You Can’t Go It Alone’ so I recently asked Angela for support. Angela will talk to me about my editing next year.  My interactions with Adrienne Vaughan and Jan Brigden also gave me a lovely boost on my journey.  Caz Greenham, the children’s author, has convinced me that Eric Seagull exists. I now live inside the creative world with authors. It was lots of laughs with the hilarious Lisa Mary London.  However, it was frightening inside the Dutch woods and the world of Imogen Matthews’s characters.  She is mailing a guest post to Books in Handbag about how she stumbled on a forgotten World War Two.  I will be travelling back in time to the seventeenth century with Anna Belfrage.

Having established my seat on the creative journey, my role as blogger has gained pace in 2017. Thanks to the response of the writing and reading community, I have had a wonderful year. My role as an ‘accidental’ blogger and supporter of writers has pushed me towards an exciting, unknown destination. Each day, I open photos of handbags and develop more interactions with wonderful authors.  Next year, I will launch an initiative for readers with Anne Williams. I hope that many others will hop aboard the new initiative to celebrate reading.

While writing about my journey, Judith Barrow has just tweeted that she has ‘enjoyed being part of the journey’.  The people I have met on my journey have made the whole adventure worthwhile, as I get to peer through the window at their writing world.  Sue Bentley’s friendly comments always make me smile as I head towards my unknown destination.

A big thank you to everyone for supporting my blog – your enthusiasm has fuelled my creativity and put me on track. Have a wonderful Christmas! Best wishes for 2018! Hope you will join me for more adventures in 2018. 

For me, this has been the creative year of the handbag and new friendships!  How can you sum up your year?  The Year of …

 

Please see all my adventures at Handbag Adventures and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.