Time to pack my bags and meet Sandy Barker in Greece to discuss One Summer in Santorini. The story and setting of One Summer in Santorini are magical and perfect for anyone seeking an escape. Indeed, this charming novel started life as a love letter to Sandy’s partner and all will be revealed in the interview.
Sandra: When Sarah Parsons takes her broken heart to Greece, the last thing she wants is to meet someone new, so what happens when she meets, not one ‘someone’, but two? Ten days, two men and one big decision.
Jessie: What have the reviewers said about your novel?
I have been blessed with wonderful reviews. Phillipa read the novel and said, ‘Made me want to pack my bags for the Greek islands this instant.’ I couldn’t be more delighted with the response to my debut novel. Other readers have also been so generous, and it has lifted my heart. Here are two wonderful reviews:
‘I absolutely loved this book. The descriptions of the islands and Greece made you feel like you were there — like you could smell the sea, taste the food and feel the sun on your face.There was a lot to love about this book. I loved the message that we can find happiness in the ordinary! This was a super cute beach read! There is also a lot of flirty and fun times as well! I will be checking out other books by Sandy Barker!’ ‘One Summer in Santorini by Sandy Barker is an irresistibly charming read set in the stunning Greek Islands, and I found myself transported to the idyllic locales in every single page. This is simply a lovely book that I just devoured in a single afternoon. Full of flirtation, sun-kissed beaches, and plenty of cocktails, what is not to love?’
Here is Sandy swimming in Greece.
Jessie: Read me an extract to tempt the reader.
Sandy: I know the perfect scene to tempt you.
“Hello,” I said.
“Hi,” he replied. So far it was an excellent conversation.
My witty repartee had completely dried up, so I figured I’d get straight to the point. “Are you on the sailing trip?”
Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?
Sandy: I cried when I finished the first draft of this book — full on sobbing, ugly crying. It was relief and pride and a sense of ‘Oh my, I just wrote a whole book’. I didn’t really have time to miss the characters, though, because I started editing almost immediately — and after that, I started writing the sequel.
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.
Sandy: I started writing this book as a love letter to my partner, Ben, who I met on a pier in Santorini as we were about to embark on a sailing trip. When I handed it to him to read, I was a little nervous, but he loved that it was inspired by our real-life love story.
And I’m excited that two of my favourite authors, Paige Toon and Lindsey Kelk, have said that they’re looking forward to reading it. They’ve both inspired me with their incredible writing.
Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?
Sandy: It will make you laugh out loud and we all need a little bit of laughter to take with us wherever we go.
Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?
Sandy writing in Bali
Sandy: “I can’t remember the last time I saw you in the light of day without a face full of makeup.”
This is from my fourth book, which is set in Bali. It’s tentatively titled, One Summer on Sabbatical.
Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?
Sandy: Beyond getting the words on the page — you can’t edit an unwritten manuscript — I’d say it’s finding the best way to get your work out there and in the hands of readers.
Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?
Sandy: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever give up. Perseverance is just as important as the writing. A few weeks before I was contacted by Avon Books to say that they loved my book and wanted to publish it, I had a rejection from a publisher which knocked me sideways. You never know when the ‘yes’ will come.
Jessie: Before you go, tell us a little about yourself:
I’m a writer and traveller with a lengthy bucket list and cheeky sense of humour. My aim in life is to go, see, taste and do – and then write about it.
As an author, I write the heart – what makes it sing, what breaks it, and how it mends – and many of my travel adventures have found homes in my novels.
It was a treat to meet the author, Sandy Barker, who is a traveller with an adventurous spirit with an endless bucket list. She is curious and funny and finds pleasure in the small things. She’s also been known to ‘steal’ anecdotes and travel tales and find a place for them in her books.
Creative author of young adult fiction and builder of new worlds, Sue Bentley, is featuring on my blog today. Her novel Second Skin is a fascinating exploration of world inspired by Native Americans. Sue explores what happens when two races collide. Jessie: What inspired you to write Second Skin?
Sue: I found 500 Nations and Empire of the Summer Moon totally fascinating. The books made me think about the dynamics that happen when races collide; how complex the whole thing is and how tragedy so often follows. The visuals in the 500 nations were compelling and inspired me to wonder about the people I saw on those pages. It’s always been stories about individual people in impossible circumstances that intrigue, move me and get me thinking. So the genesis of Second Skin sparked when I read Empire of the Summer Moon, and met Quanah Parker, last great chief of the Comanche and mixed-blood son of the famous and tragic pioneer woman Cynthia Anne Parker.
I found 500 Nations and Empire of the Summer Moon totally fascinating
Jessie: Tell us what happens in Second Skin
Sue: Second Skin is a stand-alone novel, currently number one in a new series entitled Bridge-of-Fire. The main character, Aledra, in one of a race of shapeshifters called The Drakkoni. While outwardly human in form, some of the Drakkoni harbour a secret. Like others of her race Aledra has a soul-double hidden deep inside her, and can switch between two-personas or skins, hence the title, Second Skin. The Drakkoni are the fierce and proud conquerors of a beautiful wild continent named Esra, and are hated by the oppressed indigenous people.
Jessie: What do we need to understand about your main character?
Sue: There is a mystery surrounding Aledra’s birth which makes her different amongst her own kind. Young Lady Aledra Jewel-Wing, to give her full title, has been brought up on a remote farmstead and allowed to run wild. She’s a little selfish and has all the prejudice of her people for the conquered subjects over which they rule. As she experiences more of life she learns some hard lessons. At the beginning of the book, Aledra is making her first journey to the famed citadel of her people, where it’s planned she’ll live at court, with its pretty jealousies, suffocating rules and restrictions. But things go badly wrong and she’s left with no choice but to become a fugitive and run for her life.
One of my own mono prints, in which I saw two flaming moons. These also added a detail to my world building. Two moons rise above the continent of Esra, in Second Skin.
Jessie: Your settings are always so vivid. How did you construct the setting of your fantasy world of Esra?
Sue: When building the world for this book I wanted it to seem very different, but also familiar, a place we can all relate to. The landscape of Esra is vast and still largely untouched by farming or mechanisation, many people are nomadic. The native people are made up of different tribes, each with spiritual and cultural links to three powerful main nations; a structure similar to that of Native Americans. In the narrative we experience Esra from the viewpoint of one young man from a single tribe. Jubal Craw, a young warrior of the Yupek tribe, is in hiding at the start of the book, having just witnessed the bloody slaughter of many of his people by a rogue Drakkoni warrior.
Jessie: How did you convey the conflict between two cultures?
Sue: There’s obvious conflict between the main characters, Aledra and Jubal, with their different experiences of growing up, their beliefs and unique world views. Their love, hates, motivations and prejudices mirror the larger conflict of their respective races and of people fighting for the same land. Exciting things happen at the interface between two colliding cultures, which is one of the things that inspired me to write Second Skin. There’s great potential for drama, love, and violence in misunderstandings!
Jessie: Is there any romance in the novel?
Sue: There is a strong thread of romance running through Second Skin, but maybe not in a conventional form. There are many ways of expressing love apart from the obvious fluffy-pink-hearts variety. I felt very emotional when I wrote some of the key scenes and I hope this comes through in the writing. My characters have some tough times with many obstacles to overcome, and some gritty and bloody moments. But there’s loyalty, tenderness, self-less action and moments of humour too, all of which I enjoy in the books I read.
Jessie: Your novel sounds complex. Who was your audience when writing Second Skin?
Sue: People sometimes ask if I have a particular type of reader in mind when I’m writing. I don’t, I write for myself. If I write the sort of things I enjoy reading, hopefully others will enjoy them too. My tastes in reading change with the seasons and with my mood, which is probably why I like to vary themes and settings. I read some contemporary novels, but my main passion has always been for historical novels, particularly set in Victorian times. If people enjoy one of my books, I hope they’ll simply think of it as a ‘Sue Bentley’ and want to read another title. Some other authors who write across the genres and successfully produce different novels all the time are Joanne Harris, Ken Follett and Tracy Chevalier, I enjoy their books enormously.
Jessie: You are very creative and your story sounds unique. What inspires your stories?
Sue: One thing continues to inspire me. Books, books, books. They have been there through good and bad times and even been my salvation when the writing well occasionally runs dry. I became hooked on reading at an early age and enjoyed becoming lost in the imaginary worlds of books. In some ways they seemed ‘safer’ than people – and a lot more interesting. The real world has always seemed a scary and complex place, making sense of it can feel overwhelming at times. It’s a mad and wonderful world and it’s easy to feel out of control. In my books I’m in charge – until I finish a novel and let it out to fly free into the world. Or to soar on high like a Drakkoni having shifted into their soul-double and spread their wings.
Jessie: Is Second Skin similar to We Other?
Sue: I began writing Second Skin while waiting for my previous novel, We Other, to be published. We Other is a modern reworking of a fairy tale, quite gothic and very dark in places. Second Skin is similar in that it contains magical beings – oh and is also really quite dark in places! I’ve been told by some readers that they’ve never read anything like it. Time will tell…
Second Skin is available worldwide in Ebook and paperback.
We Other now has a gorgeous new Anniversary book cover. It’s also available worldwide through Amazon.
Jessie: Before you go, I have to ask you about the programme made about you by ITV.
Matthew Hudson – presenter/editor and Gary Mabee – cameraman/director.
Sue: It’ll be shown during the 6pm ITV Anglia news programme. In essence it’s a ‘local girl made good’ story. I told them I was the most successful author you’ve never heard of! They loved my bookshelf containing copies of my books – translated into over 20 languages. We sat in my office for a cosy chat about how I began writing, and if I’d ever dreamed I’d write so many books and bring so much enjoyment to young readers in particular. (I hadn’t!) The best sort of interview is with a good presenter and a cameraman who know what they’re doing. These two were brilliant. All I had to do was get over my nerves and talk about myself – my favourite subject!
Meet Bruce and Rebecca and let them welcome you to Elsworth kitchen.
Though I’m a Yorkshire lass, it never ceases to amaze me how friendly the folk are and how natural it is to have a good old natter with strangers. When I met Rebecca, one of the proprietors of Elsworth Kitchen, it was like stepping into a friend’s new home. She gestured for us to grab a seat in the café and was very patient when we wandered around the place searching for the best spot.
Cosy interior of Elsworth Kitchen upstairs (photo from Elsworth Kitchen FB page)
In truth, there wasn’t a ‘best spot’ to grab as the entire café restaurant is well designed and every nook and cranny is welcoming. I wasn’t surprised to discover Rebecca has a degree in Art and Design. I couldn’t resist sitting in the Naughty Corner and loved the way Rebecca engages in her design as a talking point. On this occasion we were only ordering hot drinks. I suffer from allergies and sometimes it is simply too much hassle to eat out. However, I am delighted to report that Rebecca was keen to make provisions for dietary requirement in a friendly manner that did not make me feel like a foodie allergy freak. Nothing was too much trouble!
Rebecca’s husband, Bruce, is the chef and has wealth of experience, including working with working under acclaimed Michelin-star chef Nigel Haworth. Indeed, Bruce came out of the kitchen to explain that the menu is constantly evolving, and he shapes the menu according to feedback. Rebecca and Bruce’s approach appears to be a dynamic approach to dining where they will not churn out the same menu each year. I think I have just discovered the latest trend in dining and it’s about time. At Elsworth Kitchen, food and folk matter, and you’re invited to have a good natter with friends, family and the Elsworth team.
The kitchen at work
Thursday lunchtime was buzzing and was filled with the sound of happy customers savouring the food. Is there a better accolade than the chorus of ‘mmm’ as people tuck into their great grub? And I have to say it was also wonderful to watch the chefs in action. Some of them listened into the conversation and one chef came to engage in discussion. For me, the philosophy was ‘we care about you and we can tempt you with food’.
The lunch menu is well considered and not over brimming with too many choices: always a good sign. Seasonality sings throughout the menu. But what impressed me is that there was a confident and relaxed approach to the food and flavours in the language of the menu.
This dessert is calling me back to Skipton.
I will revisit Elsworth Kitchen because I know it is real food, served by real folk with a real attention to detail and hospitality. I am not surprised that they have received two awards in less than a year. Wishing Rebecca and Bruce the very best of luck. It certainly receives a Books in Handbag Award for hospitality, and I can’t wait to return.
What do you want for breakfast? I’ll have everything on the menu.
In the meantime, I could not resist finding out more about Rebecca and Bruce’s story. After their lunchtime service, they took the time to have a good old chinwag. As a writer of romance fiction, I was bursting to ask my first question.
Jessie: Where did you meet and was it love across a crowded kitchen?
Rebecca and Bruce: We are both from Skipton, so we have known each other a long time. Owing to our dedication to running different restaurants, our paths didn’t really cross until much later in a local pub. Having similar interests, especially both being big foodies, we would spend our time exploring different European cities and their culinary specialities.
Jessie: Great to hear that food brought you together. This means that Elsworth Kitchen was meant to be, so what should customers expect to find at Elsworth Kitchen?
Rebecca and Bruce: A warm Yorkshire welcome is the first thing that will greet you at Elsworth Kitchen. We offer casual dining in a relaxed environment. In terms of the décor, we spent days trawling through auctions, fairs and reclaim yards to find unique pieces for the restaurant. We have also designed the layout so the kitchen area is open enabling guests to see the team at work. Plus, as we are new parents ourselves, so we have made a special effort to make children feel welcome; there is even a mini kitchen to keep the budding mini chefs busy.
At this stage they politely broke off to greet guests and ensure they had a hearty welcome. And then Rebecca helped some parents with pushchairs find a suitable place. I was impressed.
Jessie: You have been open one year and I see you already have two awards. Share one review that made your heart sing.
Joy as Bruce and Rebecca and their team receive an award. In the first year of business, Elsworth Kitchen received the Yorkshire Evening Post Oliver Award and the Skipton Business Award 2019.
Rebecca: Bruce’s cooking style is local, seasonal, hearty and full of taste. I know it’s great food and we have a loyal customer base. Though it’s always wonderful to receive independent feedback. A review that stands out is:
‘Now I’m a real foodie and I love to be wooed by food!! And this place it’s a food lovers heaven!! My friend and I came after having heard great reviews in just the short time it’d being open. The reviews met the expectations and it’s now a firm favourite of mine and a great addition to Skipton’
Jessie: Wow! That is praise indeed and I imagine this restaurant will become an institution in the town. Having a new family and new restaurant must be exhausting for you both. What do you cook at home?
Rebecca: A good old Chicken Dinner with, of course, Yorkshire pudding
Jessie: If invited, what would you cook on Saturday Kitchen?
Bruce: Our signature black pudding dish, the black pudding is made in the traditional farmhouse way and I serve it with homemade smoked beans, slowly cooked ham hock, poached free range egg and finished with our bourbon glace.
Jessie: Who would be your dream dinner guests?
Rebecca and Bruce: Marco Pierre White and Tommy Cooper, now wouldn’t that be a fun night.
Which restaurant do you dream of visiting one day and why?
Bruce: It would have to the famous restaurant Jules Verre, which happens to be in Paris and located halfway up the Eiffel Tower. Say no more!!
Who is your favourite author?
Rebecca: We collect many cook books, old and new, from Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain to Nose to Tail Eating: A Kind of British Cooking by Fergus Henderson.
If you are in Yorkshire, then I recommend you visit Elsworth Kitchen. Rebecca and Bruce explained, ‘We are an independent restaurant situated in the beautiful canal quarter of Skipton.’ You will receive a hearty welcome and great food. Take a peek at the website for more photographs of the stunning food.
Enjoy the Scandinavian landscape presented in this vintage postcard
Meet a Danish opera singer and artist, Hanne Holten, who couldn’t stop writing until she completed her debut novel. Snares and Delusions explores myths, class and women’s situation in a time when their place was defined by their husbands. Hanne agreed to write to her readers and present an extract of her unique novel. As I discovered more about Snares and Delusions, I could not resist asking additional questions.
The protagonist, Hedda, faces her life — and death — in dreams and nightmares. The feisty teenager develops into an independent woman through traumatic events and brief moments of romance.
The extract is a central scene in the book where Hedda faces her abusive and — by then — insane husband. This is a pivot point that determines her future in both positive and negative ways.
Dreams and nightmares, Norse Mythology, romance, terror and the story of a life — all in one book that fits snugly in a handbag — what’s not to love?
Best wishes,
Hanne x
Jessie: What genre does your book fit into and is the writing like any other author’s style?
Hanne: Basically, Snares and delusions is a historical novel of a literary cast. It may fit into other genres too, it certainly has elements of myth, suspense, humour, and drama. Is my style like another author’s? I’m not sure. I can think of a few authors who have written similar subjects, for instance, John Irving in Avenue of Mysteries, and Kazuo Ishiguro in The Buried Giant.
Jessie: The content of your novel seems challenging. Would you agree with this statement?
This portrait in Sepia’ presents Hedda, as I imagine her at the time of the extract.
Hanne: I’d have to agree with that. It is set in a period when men had absolute power over women, and my heroine, being dead set on winning her independence, takes up the challenge. Also, it deals with death, with pain, and nightmares on different levels.
Jessie: What have your readers said about this unusual novel?
Hanne: The reviews have been positive. Here are some quotes I have enjoyed:
‘Such a wonderful book.’
‘The writing style is detailed and is teleporting you directly into the story and its surroundings.’
‘Go for it! You will love it!’
Jessie: This novel sounds unique, challenging and intriguing. Can you tell me more about the novel that takes Hedda to hell and back?
Hanne: The combined forces of opium and pain brings her face to face with her life. From rural Sweden in the late nineteenth century, over Silkeborg to the Danish Capital, and during the Great War, she experiences love and loss, poverty and betrayal.
Hedda gives up everything to win independence. She soon discovers that this is one thing to wish for and another to achieve. Life handles her roughly, but can she develop strength of character? Will she pay for her freedom in ways she doesn’t anticipate?
Jessie: Reviewers have praised your style of writing. Please give us an extract to introduce us into Hedda’s world.
Hedda and her daughter
Inside the study, the French windows swing back and forth in the breeze. The curtains hang half off their pole, and there are mounds of twigs and moss on the tables. Most of Conrad’s books lie on the floor. Every surface is covered in bird droppings, and the stench makes Hedda gag. She enters the room step by step and whimpers when she crunches a mouse-carcass under her foot.
Out of the blue something grabs her hair. Hedda yells and waves her arms to dislodge the creature but it claws at her hands. She can’t see anything but feels its wings, flapping around her head. The bird screeches, pecking at her skull. She screams, but falls silent, as Conrad enters through the open French windows. He carries an axe, and a raven perches on his shoulder. He turns his back on Hedda and takes place at his desk.
Then he whistles sharply. The other bird leaves Hedda and lands on his free shoulder. Conrad gets to his feet and grasps the claws of one of the ravens. He decapitates the sooty bird, using the desk as a chopping block. Wood splinters and wing feathers fly in the air, as the other raven tries to escape through the open window. Conrad throws the axe with uncanny precision, and the raven drops to the floor with a thumping noise, surrounded by broken glass from the window.
Hedda still screams. She tries to quell the sound with her hands, when Conrad turns towards her.
Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?
It was hard to let go of Hedda, so hard that she features in my second book, soon to be published. Hedda isn’t the main character, and this isn’t a series. Still, there is a connection in time and setting between the two books.
How has your life as an opera singer and artist impacted on your writing?
No doubt, my life influences my writing. It is difficult to say whether my singing or painting has made a direct impact, but I tend to have a visual idea of the scenes as I write them. I also plan to write a book where the protagonist wants to be an opera diva.
About the Author
HM Holten
Hanne Holten was an opera singer and a painter who couldn’t stop writing. So far, that resulted in her debut novel, several poems, and a work in progress that explores of the history around and after the Great War.
She grew up in Denmark but lived and worked in London for fifteen years. A few years ago, she left the UK for Germany. After graduating as an opera singer, she turned to teaching. This way she acquired an eye for details that helped her developing Snares and Delusions.
Anne Williams is a shining light in the bookish community and is a best friend to authors, bloggers and readers. Her kind and generous spirit is remarkable, and it is no wonder she has won many awards. I was intrigued to know more about Anne and what inspired her love of reading. Having invited Anne to my Bloggers’ Café, we settled down for a good chat about her childhood memories, reading and her life in Cardiff. We shared a pot of tea for two and a generous plate of Welsh cakes. We chatted for hours and she gave me some tantalizing facts about her life.
Jessie: Anne you work tirelessly to support authors, and we don’t know what we would do without your support. I’d like you to relax, have a cuppa and tell us more about yourself. Tell us about your childhood in Bangor and your fondest memories. Do you speak Welsh?
Anne: Lovely of you to say so, Jessie – while it’s lovely to be able to give authors my support and a bit of exposure, it’s got more to do with the fact that I just love books and reading, and love talking about them whenever I get the chance!
The view from her parents’ house in Port Dinorwic
I actually come from a small village between Bangor and Caernarfon: in those days it was called Port Dinorwic (it’s where they used to load and ship the slate from the quarry), but it’s now been renamed Y Felinheli. I don’t speak Welsh, sadly – although my dad came from the village, my mum was from Swansea and an English-speaker, so we never spoke Welsh at home. I can understand conversations though, translate things into English and watch the occasional programme on S4C.
My memories are all about family really. We lived in a converted schoolhouse until my O-level year (that’s what people took before GCSEs!), when we moved to mum and dad’s new-build dream house, overlooking the Menai Straits. I had a brother, Nigel, who was eight years younger than me – and was the constant pain little brothers often are (very sadly, he died a few years ago from a heart attack – by then, we were friends again). After we moved house, all I can really remember is an awful lot of studying – I desperately wanted to read English at university (I got there!) and to spread my wings a little.
Jessie: Did your parents inspire your love of reading? If not, who did inspire the beginning of your reading journey?
Anne loves the quote from Maya Angelou – “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Anne: My mother’s always been a reader and taught me to read and enjoy books before I started at the village school aged 3 (maybe I was a bit of a prodigy!). I remember us having floor to ceiling bookshelves in the alcoves in the lounge: I read the books, my brother used them as a climbing assault course. And then I had my library ticket and can remember looking forward to choosing my five books a week into my late teens. I was always the child who preferred to sit in the corner with a book rather than get involved in the rowdy stuff – I was also painfully shy, and I think the books were a bit of an escape (and they probably still are!).
Jessie: You told me you lived in Cardiff thirty years ago. What was Cardiff like three decades ago. Where did you like to go? Were there lots of bookshops? What advice would you give to your younger self living in Cardiff?
This is the Cardiff that Anne remembers
Anne:I went to university in Hull, did my growing up and really didn’t want to go back to a small village – and I didn’t have to because I joined the Civil Service and they posted me to Cardiff. I was in my twenties, remember – reading took a bit of a back seat (the need to dissect and analyse had dampened my book enthusiasm a little) while I got on with having fun with friends and discovering the opposite sex. I don’t remember book shops – at that time, I was keener on music and searching out vinyl, and there was a great shop on the Hayes (long gone) where I spent many happy hours. I spent a lot of time in and around the Chapter Arts Centre in Canton – at that time it was a pretty amateur set up, but a great place to see obscure art-house films, wander the gallery, eat vegetarian food (rather exotic at the time!) and to meet friends in the bars. There were the many clubs and bars too, of course – a couple of hours’ sleep was plenty then, and the hangovers weren’t as bad. It was the era of the New Romantics, and I do remember a few outings to the Casablanca in the Docks – and the many places where you could get happy hour cocktails (not a modern phenomenon). Advice? I wouldn’t have listened anyway…!
Jessie: You visited Cardiff recently. How has Cardiff changed?
Anne sat in this coffee shop in Cardiff Bay. This place is very different to her memories of the Docks in the era of the New Romantics.
Anne: While all the landmarks are still there, it’s really changed beyond all recognition. The city centre I remember is no more, totally swallowed up by that enormous shopping centre – but it was nice to see that the quirky arcades have been cared for and are still full of those fascinating little shops and cafes. Docklands was a bit of a no-go area back in the 80s, and that’s certainly changed – and I very much liked the new waterfront development. They always say you shouldn’t go back though, don’t they?
Jessie: Do you miss Wales now that you live in Yorkshire?
Anne: I haven’t lived in Wales since the mid-80s – I lived in Wigan, worked in Manchester, for over ten years before I moved here. I visited North Wales regularly when my parents still lived there, but never had a hankering to return. I guess home is anywhere you can be happy, and I haven’t regretted for an instant making Yorkshire mine.
Jessie: I am in awe of the number of books you read and the quality of your reviews. How do you balance reviewing and blogging with the rest of your life? How long does it take to review a book?
Anne: Thank you! When I was still working, I’ll admit it was difficult – I have the greatest admiration for bloggers who can balance life, work and blogging – and I only took things up a gear after I retired. There was a time when it seemed to have become my new full-time job: I’ve eased off a little with the need to care for my mother, and three or four posts a week now feels about right. My reviews take ages, if I’m honest – I’m a bit of a perfectionist and want every review to be as good and complete as I can make it. I probably spend four mornings a week writing posts, and then a little more supporting others on Twitter, being sociable on-line, and doing the necessary admin. The reading’s no hardship – I’m not really much of a TV watcher so I read in the evenings and in bed and can sometimes manage an occasional treat of an afternoon.
Jessie:What makes a good review? Do you have a review structure, or does it depend on the book and your inspiration?
Anne:I don’t really know what makes a good review, but I do seem to have accidentally landed on a shape that works for me, and hopefully for others. I rarely tell the story – I get annoyed when I find myself doing so, because the author does it so much better. And I’m quite paranoid about spoilers – totally unforgivable, and not really that difficult to avoid. My reviews are really just my personal reaction to a book: I’ll mention whatever I particularly liked (and sometimes things I liked less), but the emphasis is always on how a book made me feel. And the only reviews you’ll ever see on Being Anne are of books I’ve enjoyed – I don’t enjoy everything, but then I stop reading and pick up another.
Jessie: You must receive lots of books in the post. Where do you store all the review copies you receive?
Anne: Do you know, I actually don’t receive that much book post these days – I’ve asked the publishers I work with to stop sending them. My eyesight is worsening with age, and I find it so much easier to read on my kindle – but don’t ask me how many books are in my kindle library! Although a lot of the books I read are gifted or downloaded from netgalley, I can’t resist buying even more – probably at least twice as many as I receive. I had my bedrooms decorated last year, and decided I needed to do something about my 4000+ unread books, spread over half a dozen bookshelves. Most went to the library, and some to charities, and it really didn’t hurt (much) – I now have just one (large) bookshelf for my signed copy collection.
Jessie:Besides reading, what other hobbies do you have?
Anne: To be honest, I don’t really have other hobbies. I enjoy theatre, cinema, concerts (of all kinds, with a newly found love of classical), museums and galleries, and visit as often as I can – but everything else I do tends to be book and reading related, including running a real-life book club. For the last couple of years, I became an almost full-time carer for my mum, who has vascular dementia: now she’s being far better cared for in a home, I visit or take her out every other day, but I’m just getting used to the idea of having “spare time” again, and really must do something about revitalising my social life! I also always used to go on two major holidays a year – US, South America, Africa, the Far East – but that’s been just impossible recently. For now, I’ve decided to explore the UK a little – three book-related stays already planned for this year, and a few more I need to get round to sorting out.
Jessie: If you wrote a book what genre would you write in? Have you got any characters hassling you to tell their story? What names would you give you the leading characters?
Anne: I did have plans, didn’t I? I don’t think it’s ever likely to happen – and if it doesn’t, I don’t think I really want it enough. Genre-wise, I think it’d be women’s fiction – maybe romance, perhaps with some travel included, and definitely with older characters. But I’ve never really come up with a story that’s made me enthusiastic to develop it further – and I’ve definitely never got anywhere near coming up with names!
Jessie:Finally, is there a famous quotation about reading that resonates with you?
For instance, I often quote C.S Lewis:
‘We read to know we are not alone.’
Anne: Not really about books and reading, but I do love the quote from Maya Angelou – “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” And that works pretty well for books too, doesn’t it?
Anne has been nominated for an award at the Annual Bloggers Bash Awards. Voting closes on 24th April at 9pm. https://annualbloggersbash.com
Ideas come from all over. I began my new book, Summer on a Sunny Island, after visiting Malta with my brothers and sister-in-law for a service kids’ reunion.
To celebrate three years of Books in my Handbag Blog, I invited a special guest to join me. Sue Moorcroft was the first guest on my blog three years ago and is renowned for her captivating escapist fiction. I asked her about her latest novel, Summer on a Sunny Island, and where she finds her stories and characters. Get the kettle on, join us for a chat and let’s indulge in a short break to Malta where sparks are flying.
Jessie: When did you get your big break in writing?
Sue: Securing my agent Juliet of Blake Friedmann. She sold two books to Avon, HarperCollins and they got the first, The Christmas Promise, to #1 on UK Kindle in December 2016.
Jessie: Did you dream of becoming an author when you were a child?
Sue: Yes. I was six or seven when I realised someone created what went between a book’s covers and decided I’d like that to be me.
Jessie: Have you ever been tempted to chat to readers if you see them buy your book in the supermarket?
Sue: I was once in W H Smith in St Pancras Station, talking to a friend where A Christmas Gift stood on the shelf. A lady picked up a copy. I froze but my friend said, ‘Would you like to meet the author?’ We chatted and took photos and members of staff joined in and another guy came up and said he knew me from columns I wrote for Writers’ Forum. It was a lovely experience. Ideas come from all over. I began my new book, Summer on a Sunny Island, after visiting Malta with my brothers and sister-in-law for a service kids’ reunion.
Jessie: You have written an amazing number of novels. Where do you get your ideas from? Are you constantly searching for characters?
Sue: I made Rosa’s mum and Zach’s dad army kids who’d lived on the island. Another spark was a sweet anecdote I heard about a celeb cook, which made me make Rosa’s mum a food writer. Zach’s troubled past comes from my memory of a guy at school. Part of Rosa’s from something that happened when I worked in a bank. I’m lucky to have a plotty head that weaves together things I remember/hear about.
Jessie: 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?
Sue: Two or three drafts before I send the book in. Then comes a structural edit (probably another two drafts), a line edit and a copy edit. Sometimes two of these edits are combined into one.
An uplifting, happy read that will raise your spirits and warm your heart!
Jessie: Your novels always have distinctive settings. Did you visit Malta before you wrote the latest novel, Summer on a Sunny Island?
Sue: I was brought up there for several years and return whenever I can. Last year, with Summer on a Sunny Island in progress, I visited four times! I wrote about a quarter of the first draft there, which was an enriching process.
Sue: Characters standing at a crossroads in their lives; online gambling; young people pulled into the wrong crowd; family dynamics; negative equity traps; responsibility.
Jessie: The opening lines of your novels always hook me. Please share the opening lines of Summer on a Sunny Island.
‘Rosa twirled her wine glass, trying to choose her words over the chatter and clatter of Gino’s pavement café and the rumble of traffic along the seafront road. Here in the busy area of Sliema, old buildings outnumbered the new and the promenade was filled with people selling harbour cruises to tourists. Rosa preferred Ta’ Xbiex, where she was staying, about a mile along the coast, with its traditional stone villas. Sliema’s air was punctuated by the sound of car horns but in Ta’ Xbiex you could sometimes catch the mellow sound of church bells rising into the blue sky above the boats bobbing on the sparkling sea.’
Jessie: I am so grateful to you for writing such great escapes. What do you read when you want to escape?
Sue: I read in the area I write – authors such as Jules Wake/Julie Caplin, Kathryn Freeman, Rhoda Baxter, Christina Courtenay – and romantic suspense such as Toni Anderson, Suzanne Brockmann and Linda Howard. I also love books on Formula 1!
Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times and international bestselling author and has reached the coveted #1 spot on Amazon Kindle.
Jessie: What message would you like to give to your dedicated group of readers?
Sue: THANK YOU. There are few things give me more pleasure than readers enjoying my books. And thank you, Jessie, for inviting me onto Books in my Handbag!
As an international bestselling author of escapist fiction, Sue Moorcroft is the perfect writer to visit my blog. As I can’t travel, I fancy an escape to Malta because we need an ‘uplifting happy read’ at the moment.
Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times and international bestselling author and has reached the coveted #1 spot on Amazon Kindle. She’s won the Goldsboro Books Contemporary Romantic Novel Award, Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award and the Katie Fforde Bursary. Sue’s novels of love and life are currently released by publishing giant HarperCollins in the UK, US and Canada and by an array of publishers in other countries.
Her short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.
Born into an army family in Germany, Sue spent much of her childhood in Cyprus and Malta but settled in Northamptonshire at the age of ten. An avid reader, she also loves Formula 1, travel, time spent with friends, dance exercise and yoga.
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!
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 anotherchallenge. 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!
Meet Natalie in one of her favourite coffee shops.
I met the ancestor of a Viking and she is very friendly. Alas, she didn’t arrive in Cardiff in a longboat, but she did have stories to tell me about her beautiful Norway. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Natalie Normann, a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association (RNA), who resided in the South Wales and attended the local writers’ group. Natalie will release Summer Island in September and it is set in Norway. I always love travelling to other countries via books and wanted to discover more.
Jessie: Natalie, I’m sad you have returned to Norway and won’t be in the local RNA meetings. It’s nice to have some time to chat. Tell me, have you missed Norway and what did you love the most about Wales?
Natalie: I fell in love with Wales and Cardiff the first time we were here which was two years before we moved. There’s so much fascinating history – even Norwegian history! I’ve already used some of what I learned, in my current historical romance series, by moving the characters to Cardiff in 1919. I had great fun with that. Also, I was surprised and pleased at how friendly people are in Wales. I’ve made great friends and I hope to get back. Next time I’ll either drive myself or hire a driver so we can explore more of Wales.
Jessie: I’m so impressed you have secured a publishing deal with One More Chapter. What is Summer Island about?
Natalie: Summer Island is about taking the time to find out what makes you happy in life.
Summer Island is about taking the time to find out what makes you happy in life.
Ninni is recovering from a bad break-up and the island is her favourite place in the world. It’s where she goes when she needs to take a break.
Jack is a chef at a posh restaurant in London. He finds out that his biological father has left him a farm on a Norwegian island. At first he thinks it has to be an internet scam, he’s never met his father, but when he quits his job over an argument with his boss, he decides to go and see what this is all about.
Jessie: What inspired you to write this book?
Natalie: I have a thing for islands. I love them. Norway is always praised for the fantastic mountains and the gorgeous fjords, but we are actually one of the countries in Europe with most islands. People have lived on them for generations and it’s a way of life. I wanted to see if I could capture some of what makes summers in Norway special and the island is perfect for that.
Harbour view at Utsira island, outside Haugesund. ‘I wanted to see if I could capture some of what makes summers in Norway special and the island is perfect for that.’
Jessie: Give us an insight into the setting and why you think we should all visit Summer Island?
Natalie: Summer Island is the kind of place you wish you could go to when your heart is broken. A place to heal, even. Everything is so busy these days and on an island things slow down. You have time to think and just be. Right now, when we all have to isolate and we are more or less in lockdown everywhere, an island seems like the place you want to be. I wouldn’t mind, myself.
Present a 35 word extract from your novel that will tempt a reader.
‘And here I was thinking Norwegians were so hospitable,’ Jack said, clearly enjoying himself. He made no sign of leaving.
‘You’ve read the wrong guidebook, I’m afraid.’ Ninni pulled the computer closer to her.
Jessie: Which characters would you like me to meet the most on Summer Island and why?
Natalie: That’s a tough question. I’m fond of all of them. Maybe Alma. She’s the heart of the island, the one who keeps everything together. She grew up in a time when the men; the fathers, husbands and sons, went away at sea for months at the time, even years, and women stayed home to take care of the homestead and the family, handle the finances and whatever challenges they had to face. Alma is tough and kind, she doesn’t put up with anything, and shows her love by feeding people she cares about. I like her.
Traditional pier and buildings at Utsira.
Jessie: Did any of your characters misbehave when you were writing the book?
Natalie: Not misbehaving, but some of them certainly surprised me. I didn’t have them all ready before I started to write, so some characters was unexpected. Like the hippies, for example. They just showed up one day while I was writing something else.
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.
Natalie: Family and friends have mostly read it already,. I would love if it Milly Johnson read it. I picked up her book «The perfectly imperfect woman», to read on the train to my very first Romance Novelist Association conference. This was my first Milly Johnson book and I decided to read it because there was a Norwegian in it. I loved it, and when I met her in the lunch line at the conference we chatted, I asked her to sign my copy, and she was funny and friendly. Made me less nervous about the whole conference. And also, I know she loves Norway.
Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?
Natalie: I think if you want a break from the stress and worries, it can give you that. I hope so.
Jessie: What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?
Natalie: I have several of those, usually one for each project. On the most recent it says: research Foundation doctors.
Jessie: What is the biggest challenge for an author?
Natalie: To finish that first draft, so that you have the confidence of having a whole story. Then what you need is perseverance. Stick with the writing. And when I say that, I mean finish the manuscript, do the revisions, the editing, the submissions and even when it seems there’s nothing happening, keep going. There are some writers who write a book, gets it published and becomes an overnight success. For most writers, it’s a long game. And the only way to be writer and to be a better writer, is to write.
Jessie: What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?
Natalie: My first editor told me this. She bought my first short story and wanted me to polish it, rewrite, actually. She told me that what I feel when I write is what the reader will feel when they read it. I try to remember that, so that if I’m bored when I write, I know readers will be too. It also helps when I really don’t want to ‘kill my darlings’, but I know I have to.
Natalie used to be a translator of fiction and non-fiction. She studied literature and history at Uni, and used to read romance novels in the hallways. It was frowned upon by her professors and the other students, of course. She loves to travel and she has lived in Spain, England and Wales – and hope to go back soon. I really do hope she can return to Wales very soon as the Cardiff group of writers ( Cariad Chapete) miss her and her lovely sense of humour. I can’t wait for the release of her novel Summer Island and have already preordered it.
Are you ready for a Christmas novel with a difference? Having heard about Evonne’s Christmas romantic suspense novel, I had to ask more questions about What Happens at Christmas. We grabbed a corner of the café in Waterstone’s, and Evonne intrigued me with the promise of lots of twists and turns in the narrative. It is time for a Christmas book with a kidnapping from Evonne. Don’t worry, I think Santa is safe!
Jessie: I love to listen about the stories you are developing. You always get so involved with the characters and the research. Tell me about your Christmas book, What Happens at Christmas.
What Happens at Christmas is a festive themed romantic suspense
Evonne: What Happens at Christmas is a festive themed romantic suspense – so as well as the traditional things, like mince pies, carols and snow, it also has kidnapping and some nasty villains. Some of the festive things – a particular carol that is sung at a crucial moment, and the freak snow storm that I organised for the Brecon Beacons, are components of the plot – if you are looking for something a bit different in a Christmas read, it might be for you.
Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?
Evonne: It’s always a bit of a wrench to finish a book, even when you know you have left your characters in a good place – all except the villains, of course. You have spent many months with them and you know all their secrets. I especially enjoyed keeping company with Lori and Drew, and I do have a sort of idea for another plot that would involve them. As they now have their HEA, it would need another couple for the developing love story though, so we shall just have to wait and see on that.
Jessie: Did any of your characters misbehave when you were writing the book?
Evonne: Always. They talk back, they refuse to do what you expect them to do, they do things that are totally incomprehensible and only make sense fifty pages later, they complain about the plot … Some of my more alpha heroes refuse to talk at all. I’ve got used to it now. At least no-one has yet refused to fall in love with the right person. Yet.
You will find yourself transported to this setting. It is the Brecon Beacons in Wales.
Jessie: Why should I keep your book in my handbag?
Evonne: you are looking for something a bit more edgy for a seasonal read, What Happens at Christmas has suspense and danger along with the love story. The hero, Drew, is a writer who has a dare-devil streak. It gets him into some serious trouble, which Lori, the heroine, helps him out of, with the assistance of her four year old niece. A large part of the book is set at Christmas, but the story travels over the space of a year, during which time the character’s lives change considerably. I like to think Drew learns that he shouldn’t throw himself into things quite so recklessly. There are actually two very different Christmas celebrations in the book. Two lots of Christmas magic, and Lori finds that in between, some of dearest dreams have come true.
Jessie: Two lots of Christmas magic is perfect. It’s sound as if you have the story all wrapped up and ready for the readers. I am intrigued about your next project.What is the last sentence written in your writer’s notebook?
Evonne: It’s not exactly a sentence in a note book, it’s a post-it note, and it’s a time line for the names and ages of a set of characters. I love time lines. I always have to work out the ages of everyone who features significantly in the book, and how they relate to each other. One of my writer’s quirks. This one was a bit of a mystery when I found it, but I have now worked out that it relates to the hero and his two older brothers, in a novella that I hope will be out for Christmas 2020.
Jessie: I notice you’ve written four books and have lots of experience of writing. What is the biggest challenge for an author?
Evonne: For me, it’s keeping up the quality of the work. I want to give the reader the best possible experience inside the covers of a book that I can manage. I want each of the stories to be different, but all of them exciting and enjoyable. If I can create a page-turning book, that the reader can’t put down, then my work is done. That’s the aim, anyway.
Peek inside the world of Evonne’s writing world.
Jessie:What is the best advice that you have received as a writer?
Evonne: ‘Keep going!’ A lot of other writers will say the same. You need stamina and persistence, when the rejections pile up. It was a long time, and many experiments in genres, before I found out what I really wanted to write, and finally got a publishing deal. During that time I learned a lot about the craft of writing, and I have to thank the Romantic Novelists’ Association for the help and encouragement I received. Once you have a deal, you also learn a lot from having a professional edit. It’s flattering and scary to have the attention of an expert focussed on your work.
Evonne writes romantic thrillers and romantic comedies. Her first published novel, Never Coming Home, won the Joan Hessayon award for the best debut novel of the year, presented by the Romantic Novelists’ Association. She likes writing about romantic locations, food, art, architecture, pretty clothes, shoes, nasty villains, brooding heroes and independent heroines. You can find out more about her books and her writing on her website.
Contact details and book links
You can find Evonne at Her blog http://evonneonwednesday.blogspot.com where she talks about writing and books and history and life and interesting places and research and anything else that comes into her head, every Wednesday.
On Twitter @evonnewareham
On Facebook as evonnewarehamauthor
Or you can contact her through her website www.evonnewareham.com
