This coffee shop, in Cardiff Bay, is one of my favourite writing places.
This coffee shop, in Cardiff Bay, is one of my favourite writing places. I like to abandon my laptop for a notebook and pen. There is something reassuring about forming every single letter with my biro. With the onset of autumn, I remembered a blog post I forgot to publish last October, because I had been absorbed in the agony of the editing process. I wrote this post when editing You Can’t Go It Alone.
My imagination roams free in this setting.
Once my coffee cup is empty, I let the pen wander across the page. Hoping to catch some dialogue from the unsuspecting customers, I listen with my best writer’s ear. I am happy here in this café suspended above the water. Alas, the sound of my beeping phone collides head on with my imagination. I stop writing and must look at the email from an insurance company. I wonder if writers had less distractions prior to the digital age, so I google ‘writing quotations’.
Virginia Woolf pops up on my phone, but she doesn’t look happy and she says:
Sitting on the dock in the Bay wasting words
‘Lock up your libraries if you like; but there is no gate, no lock, no bolt that you can set upon the freedom of my mind.’
Obviously, Virginia never had to cope with the disruptive influence of a mobile phone. I decide my imagination has been temporarily locked by my phone: it is a twenty first century condition called ‘beepitis’. Fortunately, I do not need to re-boot my imagination as it starts up again. I am trying to re-work a menacing scene in my book. Hoping to get inspiration, I look at the murky water from the window. Despite the distracting background noise, I make a list of adjectives. The shopping list of words stares at me, defying me to write something coherent. It is useless!
I decide to drive home via Cardiff Docks to gather some words for a scene in my novel. It is a sinister setting.
I decide to drive home via Cardiff Docks to gather some words. I drive off absorbing the atmosphere of the autumn’s day and watch the leaves dance across the road. Almost forgetting to stop at the red light, I look out for the sign to the docks, but realise I am driving over a new road. I hate the massive construction with barriers at each side. Finally, I drive through the docks and stop to pull over to make some notes for finishing touches to a scene. I am considered with suspicion. I ignore the onlookers and write until my car beeps me to tell me there is something wrong with a filter.
Clearly, I need ‘a room of my own’ to write.
Time to go home to my laptop: time to find ‘a room of one’s own’, time to sculpt my manuscript and stop wasting time and listing words. The truth is the book is almost done but I don’t want to let the characters live their lives without me.
My book costs less than the price of a coffee and will last longer.
You Can’t Go It Alone has been available since May. I have been delighted with the reviews. Reviewers have enjoyed visiting Delfryn and getting to know the inhabitants. The agony of the editing process was worth it, as it helped readers to connect. In celebration of my thirteenth review, I am reducing the cost of the kindle format next week. Of course, I would be delighted to receive more reviews. My book is less than half the price of a coffee and will last longer. Indeed, one reviewer wrote:
‘An intricate, thoughtful story of real people whose life will continue long after the author has typed the end’ Perdisma, Amazon reviewer
Here is a snapshot of my most recent reviews:
Reviewers have enjoyed visiting Delfryn and getting to know the inhabitants.
‘It’s a roller-coaster of a novel in which the beautiful Welsh countryside and weather take a leading role. I was gripped by these characters, and by Cahalin’s fascinating touches.’ Professor Maggie Humm
‘The author has a real feeling for character and place… Her ideas around plot and how a story unfolds are original, and well executed, with a good balance of lightness and shade.’ Welsh Annie, top 500 Amazon Reviewer
You Can’t Go It Alone is available on Amazon.
‘The author is not afraid to face life’s most challenging problems head on. What appeals about the novel is that she does not ‘go on crusade’ but underpins these problems with a deep, rich humanity …’ John Broughton, author
‘Complex and vivid tapestry of a story’ Jena. C. Henry, USA author, blogger and reviewer
‘As a debut novel, You Can’t Go It Alone is an accomplished read. Eloquent, moving and packed with vivid imagery…’ Audrey Davis
We traversed the huge reception area to explore the warren of walkways, all undercover.
The Hay Festival tent welcomed us in all its fabulous, festive glamour. Camping could be an option for holidays, if tents were presented like this bookish village. We traversed the huge reception area to explore the warren of walkways, all undercover. Uninhibited by an event schedule, I took in: the shops, food hall, cafes, bars, live music and restaurants.
An overwhelming sense of calm dominated the entire experience so far removed from loud music and food festivals. Bookworms snuggled in every nook and cranny digging into their latest treasure. If people looked up, they smiled at fellow readers.
One bookworm carried a bag with the logo: ‘imagine the world’.
I wonder how many book destinations were spinning around in the atmosphere as people relaxed into their imaginations? As bookworms travelled around the tent, there was no pushing and shoving or frayed tempers. Everyone queued with grace while using the time to read. One bookworm carried a bag with the logo: ‘imagine the world’. Instantly, I inquired where to purchase the bag, she explained a route through the warren to the Hay Bookshop.
On route to the Hay Bookshop, I spotted glorious illustrated menus of bookish events.
On route to the Hay Bookshop, I spotted glorious illustrated menus of bookish events
I long to attend Benjamin Zephaniah’s poetry reading but knew I couldn’t stay until 10pm. His ‘Dance hall style, big mouth chanting’ hooked me when I listened to his performance at university. Instead, I searched for a book of Benjamin’s poems in the bookshop. Distracted by the authors signing books, I took photos of the marvellous queues waiting. How wonderful to meet the readers personally and realise your writing has connected. For me, the queues of readers inspired a little envy. ‘One day’, I whispered to myself before making a purchase.
‘You Can’t Go It Alone’ sat in a deckchair, sheltered by my umbrella, and soaked up the atmosphere.
Welsh rain poured mischievously in the open areas but no one worried. Readers sat with the umbrellas sheltering their books as they sipped coffee and wine. Deckchairs waited patiently for the sun to arrive. My book attended the festival and demanded a look around. ‘You Can’t Go It Alone’ sat in a deckchair, sheltered by my umbrella, and soaked up the atmosphere. A delightful woman, from California, came over to meet my book. She also had a selfie with my book and said she would look up Books in my Handbag Blog. I do hope she reads this post, as the impromptu meeting was a highlight of my day – she was so kind and enthusiastic. I wanted to tell her more about Sophie, Rosa, Olivia and Pearl but stumbled on my words.
A delightful woman, from California, came over to meet my book.
Following the visit to the bookworms’ tent, we strolled into the village of Hay. On the road to the village front gardens were teeming with flowers, coffee, cakes, books, journals, bric-a-brac, home-made jams and clothes. We bought freshly baked Welsh cakes from an improvised stall on a gate post. The Poetry and Prosecco experience captured my curiosity.
A Prosecco shack was under construction, as I looked at a stall with poetry and handprinted cards and messages. Francesca Kay, a performance poet, presented her poems in hand designed seed packets.
Francesca Kay
She wants her poems to present a seed of an idea and had no intention of presenting the poems in a book. Poems are presented on cards, in matchboxes and anything that inspires her. Francesca’s first printing press lived in her kitchen and now she has an entire studio. For Francesca, the printing ink is a language, and she waxed lyrical how the ink makes different impressions on various surfaces and in various conditions. Indeed, she explained ‘making an impression’ originated from the printing process. Her stall of tactile tweets was so much to take in, I couldn’t decide what to buy. The creative challenge to the conventional printed book forced me to reflect on my determination to see my book in print.
Her stall of tactile tweets was so much to take in, I couldn’t decide what to buy.
Perhaps, I need explore the spoken word. Maybe, I could commission Francesca to print some quotations from the book. Who knows?
I will return to Francesca’s website, and I will return to the Hay Festival. The whole experience made an impression on my creative appetite. People encountered made the adventure unique. I may not have met with Benjamin Zephaniah, but I did meet a performance poet who was printing her work using her own language.
How wonderful to meet the readers personally and realise your writing has connected. Cressida Cowell greets her readers.
While writing this blog post I received reply to a tweet from one of the festival marshals. Ironically, he met with Benjamin Zephaniah and said, ‘He brought poetry to life for me as a young teen, some time ago, it was so great to meet him. And he was so friendly and lovely too!’ I am satisfied to have received this insight, as it reinforced my impression of the poet.
I took in: the shops, food hall, cafes, bars, live music and restaurants
I wonder what impression I would gain of the festival if I spent a couple of days there and experienced the atmosphere in the evening. I would like to attend some of the formal events, in the future, but have realised the festival is so much more than a bookish wonderland I expected to find. The Hay Festival is a festival of creative minds and the logo ‘imagine the world’ has captured the magic.
The accidental viticulturists: Judith and Colin Dudley at Parva Farm Vineyard
People who follow their dreams make my heart sing: people who find their dreams accidentally make my heart sing and dance.
On moving in to Parva Farm, Judith and Colin discovered vines on the neglected, bracken infested land. The vines planted in 1979 survived, so they decided to cultivate them, without any prior knowledge of viticulture. The first yield, in 1998, produced fifty six bottles, then in 2006 they went on to produce eleven thousand bottles. We have marvelled as an abandoned vineyard has been brought to life to produce award winning wines.
They adapted their farmhouse to include a shop and wine tasting room.
Colin and Judith grow a variety of grapes including: Bacchus, Seyval Blanc, Muller Thurgan, Pinot Noir and Regent. They adapted their farmhouse to include a shop and wine tasting room. Tours of the vineyard, with excellent views of the abbey, are available for the more adventurous. There is always a warm welcome! We have visited Parva Farm Vineyard for two decades because we like to hear about the latest developments in their narrative. Their achievements seem like a dream, but behind the scenes, I am sure there is a great many ups and downs. Judith and Colin’s story has attracted visits from Countryfile and the Hairy Bikers. This delightful, industrious couple battled on quietly to become the first vineyard in the area. The vineyard, on the hillside, can be seen for miles and is testimony to their determination.
We have marvelled as an abandoned vineyard has been brought to life to produce award winning wines.
Nowadays, Judith and Colin tend the vines and keep sheep on their land – they have exceeded their dreams. These accidental viticulturists have become experts at nurturing the vines, but they accept that some years one will have bad years: they cannot control the Welsh weather
Authors can take inspiration from vine growers. The story is nurtured, pruned and cultivated.
Award winning sparkling wines at Parva Farm Vineyard
Sometimes the narrative flourishes like the healthy vine, but on other days there are too many off shoots to the narrative. On other occasions there is a drought of ideas. It is essential to keep working and chasing the dream, as there may be a dream waiting around the corner.
If one is struggling, then you could take a break and visit some people who can infect you with their enthusiasm. As a reward for your labour, you could reach for a bottle of the Regent wine. It tastes of cherry pie and vanilla and will warm your heart.
I confess, a visit to Tintern and the vineyards did contribute to the inspiration of my fictional Welsh village of Delfryn
I confess, a visit to Tintern and the vineyards did contribute to the inspiration of my fictional Welsh village of Delfryn. In my novel You Can’t Go It Alone, Olivia and Marcus walk to a vineyard and taste some wine.
‘As Olivia and Marcus trekked along the river, they searched for a sight of the vineyard. Sunlight danced on the river and caressed the trees. Signs of moss and water damage clung to the row of houses on the opposite side of the road. The spring sun glowed on Olivia’s skin, as she stopped to glance towards the proud Delfryn Abbey. Olivia turned around to point out the vineyard on the hill. Neat rows of naked vines yearned for the heat of the summer sun. The steep hill leading up to the vineyard distracted from her favourite view of the village. Buoyed by the promise of wine tasting, Marcus rushed ahead while Olivia struggled to breathe. The gravel crunched as an old pickup truck climbed up the hill in front of them; a cloud of dust made Olivia cough until she almost fell over.’
The young Marcus, in my novel tastes the wine and his observations remind me of the Tintern wine.
As a reward for your labour, you could reach for a bottle of the Regent wine. It tastes of cherry pie and vanilla and will warm your heart.
‘The Seyval Blanc is citrusy, light and refreshing. I prefer the Pinot Noir and the flavours of red berries. Oh, and the hint of vanilla.’
Cheers, Judith and Colin and thank you for the inspiration!
I urge you to visit Parva Farm to sample Welsh wines, sparkling wines and cider – you won’t be disappointed.
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!
The tangled vine around the door of Vine Cottage is laden with fairy lights.
It’s Christmas Eve in my fictional village of Delfryn, and you’ve arrived in front of a row of quaint cottages made of Welsh slate. A garland of holly and pine is artfully arranged above the doors of the three cottages. The tangled vine around the door of Vine Cottage is laden with fairy lights. No one answers the door, so you decide to check the address stored on your phone. Reaching into your pocket, you find an envelope marked ‘Christmas Turkey Recipe’.
Once you are inside Vine Cottage, Sophie makes you some hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon, ginger biscuits and marshmallows. She returns to the pile of presents, wrapping paper and bows. ‘I’ve got so much to do,’ she complains.
Reaching into your pocket, you find an envelope marked ‘Christmas Turkey Recipe’.
Jack searches through recipe books and asks you, ‘Do you have a failsafe recipe to cook tomorrow’s Christmas dinner? I’ve bought a free range turkey from Delfryn Farm but haven’t had time to perfect a recipe.’
You realise the magical significance of the envelope found in your pocket. ‘There’s a recipe inside of this envelope,’ you soothe then hand over the envelope.
This will take around 4 to 4 ½ hours.
Ingredients
Turkey 3-4 kg (including giblets)
Bottle of dry white wine or sparkling white wine
Variety of fresh herbs (such as Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Marjoram, Bay Leaves) – 3 handfuls
4 Juniper Berries
Pinch of Saffron
½ pack of butter (leave out at room temperature before using)
1 pack Bacon (225g) – preferably streaky
2 lemons
Salt and Pepper
Beef Dripping / Fat or Goose Fat
Water
Potatoes for Roasting (such as Maris Piper, King Edwards) – approx. 1kg for 4 people
Variety of Root Vegetables (such as Parsnips, Carrots, Squash, Sweet Potato, Swede, Turnip) – approx. 1kg for 4 people
Wholegrain Mustard – couple of spoons
Cornflour – 2 or 3 teaspoons
Method
Take the turkey out of the fridge at least an hour before cooking
Remove the giblets from the cavity of the turkey and place in a pan with 2/3 wine. Add a handful of the herbs (no need to chop), the Juniper Berries and the Saffron, some salt and pepper. Put on a slow simmer. May need to top up with water as it dries out.
Peel and chop up the root vegetables and place in a large baking tray (needs to deep enough to take juices that will come out of the turkey). Chop up a handful of herbs quite finely and add these, the remaining wine, juice of 1 lemon, salt and pepper. Then add some water to just cover the vegetables.
Chop up the remaining herbs and mix in with the softened butter
Pre-heat the oven to 165 C / 325 F / Gas Mark 3 (with a fan) or 180C / 350 F / Gas Mark 4 (without a fan)
Take the turkey and gently prise the skin slightly apart from the meat (but do not remove it). Take the herb butter and spread it between the meat and the skin as far as you can. This will help to keep the turkey moist whilst cooking.
Then take the rashers of bacon and spread over the top of the turkey. This will help to protect and baste the turkey further.
Place the turkey onto the tray of vegetables and cover with aluminium foil and place in the oven and cook for approx. 3 hours (A larger turkey will be at least ½ hour longer)
After approx. 1 ½ hours, whilst the turkey is cooking, peel and chop up the potatoes for roasting. Place the potatoes into a pan, cover with water, add salt and bring to the boil. Boil for around 15 minutes or until the potatoes start to break up slightly. Strain them and leave to dry out for a few minutes.
Whilst the potatoes are boiling add the beef dripping or goose fat to a roasting tray and put in the oven. Heat the oven to 220 C / 425 F / Gas Mark 7.
After 2 ½ hours, you will need to remove the foil and the bacon, so that you can brown the turkey skin
When the potatoes have dried, and just after the foil has been removed from the turkey, remove the hot roasting tray with beef dripping or goose fat from the oven and add the potatoes. Stir well to coat the potatoes and return to the oven. Ideally the potatoes will break up slightly, but don’t worry if they do not. This adds lots of crispy bits. Cook for about an hour or until golden brown and crispy at the edges.
Remove the turkey when cooked, cover with foil and rest for half an hour. To test the turkey, pierce the turkey and check that the juices are clear. Add any juices that come from the resting turkey to the sauce (there may be a lot!). N.B. The potatoes should still have ½ hour to cook.
Strain off the liquid from the turkey and roast vegetables and place in a large frying pan.
Strain the stock from the giblets and add it to this pan.
Add the remaining wine, some grated peel from the final lemon and the juice of that lemon.
Boil the sauce rapidly and reduce it down. Taste the sauce to see if reduced enough. If it tastes watery or weak, leave to reduce longer. Skim any fat off the top and put aside in a bowl (to use later or discard). Put in into a jug to serve.
Mix the cornflour with a few teaspoons water and add to the sauce to thicken it, stirring well whilst doing it. Add the mustard to the sauce. Add some extra pepper.
Serve
Once you are inside Vine Cottage, Sophie makes you some hot chocolate with a hint of cinnamon, ginger biscuits and marshmallows.
This recipe is a gift from Delfryn. Thank you so much for stepping into Delfryn and my blogging world. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to my lovely readers and friends. May your dreams come true in 2019. In the meantime, happy reading and writing. Thank you for your support and friendship! You are all bright stars shining as I continue my writing adventure and it wouldn’t mean anything without your kind words. So let’s raise our glasses to kindness this Christmas and New Year.
‘This is the debut novel and it is a complex and vivid tapestry of a story’
When you first see the cover of this book, I hope you like it as much as I did. Are you intrigued? A woman stands, alone and at a distance, surrounded by calm water, an expansive horizon, and a clearing sky. What does this tell you and what does the title, You Can’t Go It Alonemake you think? What about the tagline- love, laughter, music and secrets…?
These features draw you into the story, don’t they?
Debut author Jessie Cahalin has created a lovely book world that blends good story telling with positivity and love. This book is what is called “character-driven”. These intriguing and captivating characters are ready to share their stories with you. The characters range from birth to the end of life. You will be drawn to their problems and secrets, hopes and dreams.
My sparkling five stars are in cyberspace
What ties them all together are two things: their village and the new arrival- Sophie, the main character. While Sophie has her own struggles, she is a caring and nurturing person and she becomes the “glue” for her family and friends.
“…join me in a toast to Sophie She is such a great addition to this community and has brought us together.”
The characters are well rounded; they do interesting things and they think about life in interesting ways. One of my favorite characters is the young neighbor girl, Daisy. She is about five years old and is at that magical age where an adorable little girl blooms and changes into a big girl. The author is spot-on with her depictions of Daisy- she abounds with energy, exuberance, and joy.
Readers will also enjoy the family of Rosa and Matteo. And I wanted to ride around the countryside with Jeanie and Max in their camper van Molly.
As an American, I enjoyed “spending time” in the village of Delfryn, in Wales. “Waiting patiently above the luscious green hills, the autumn sun looked down on the nineteenth century church.” Through the book, I “saw” the lovely scenery, mountains and historic sites, and I “visited” with friends at the charming local café. “Let’s go to the Olive Tree tonight”, was a frequent and happy exclamation. I even spent a day or two in Cardiff!
I highlighted many parts of the book and I am sure that readers will find their own favorite parts and they will bond with the characters just as I did. This book shows us the ups and downs of life. We see that family and friends can smooth the road by rejoicing in the good times and sharing their love in the harder times. I cared about the characters and I know readers will, too.
A message washed ashore with my review.
Love and romance waft their way into the story, too. The romance is mostly sweet, but there is a bit of spice, “The unmade bed became their island, clothes strewn on the floor as if washed up on the shore.”
This is the debut novel and it is a complex and vivid tapestry of a story. First books can be somewhat like the little girl Daisy- loveable, engaging, but with a few growing pains. Author Cahalin is on her way to becoming a gifted storyteller. It seems the author has planned more books so that is good news for the fictional folks of Delfryn and good news for readers! Enjoy!
A vast, grey building stood proud amongst other worn buildings.
Cardiff Bay discarded its gloss, as I walked through an alleyway to reach Octavo’s Bookshop and Bar. A vast, grey building stood proud amongst other worn buildings. A large bar dominated the entrance to Octavo’s Bookshop and Bar. Confronted with: a coffee machine, rows of cakes, books and a selection of alcoholic beverages, I had found heaven. Seating was placed in every area of the shop thus combining reading and socialising. I couldn’t decide whether to install myself in one of the lazy reading areas or sit at a table.
I had found heaven
A table near a shelf of gifts for writers beckoned me. Having ordered my Americano, I read the lunchtime menu and selected A Tale of Tuna Cities: a tuna melt. The blank page of my notebook glared at me. I attacked it with a confessional statement: ‘I need to start another story’. Time to move on from debut novel. ‘Where do I begin?’ I asked my notebook.
Pearl’s letter to Jim appeared on my notebook. I have sent my characters out into world, but they haunt me. Remnants cornices, the bar and size of the rooms prompted me to visualise Pearl in this place during the seventies.
Where do I begin?’ I asked my notebook.
Sat at a battered table, she removed her red gloves and started to tug at the beer mat. Her sleeves soaked rested in a puddle of beer. Though she waited to find out more details of the audition, she thought of Jim reading her letter.
A familiarity about the place transported me into Pearl’s world. I couldn’t get Pearl out of my head. I had to find out more about the history of the place. I felt certain the building must have been a pub at some time in the past; a sense of history nudged my imagination.
I searched for a seventies photo of Bute Street and it looked familiar. Indeed, the street looked exactly like the place Pearl visited in my book.
I discovered the building is the oldest surviving building in what was known as Tiger Bay. Tiger Bay was also the home of the wonderful legend – Shirley Bassey. Originally, the location of Octavo’s Bookshop was the Bute Dock Hotel. I searched for a seventies photo of Bute Street and it looked familiar. Indeed, the street looked exactly like the place Pearl visited in my book. I could hear Pearl’s footsteps echoing down the alleyway, as she searched for her B&B. I stumbled on the place I created for my book, and Pearl asked me to go back and tell her story in another novel.
Octavo’s Bookshop is a welcoming, calm bookish environment that invites the customer to linger, read and create
Before paying, I looked around the shop and spotted a poster telling me ‘We are on the same page’, perhaps this was another message from Pearl. On leaving, I received a new bag and a gift, because I spent over five pounds. Octavo’s Bookshop is a welcoming, calm bookish environment that invites the customer to linger, read and create. I had a wonderful time exploring the books on offer. The staff are proud and enthusiastic about the bookshop.
Handbag clasped at my side, I strode with confidence from Octavo’s Bookshop and back to Cardiff Bay. My literary travels often take me down numerous side streets and alleyways that echo with past lives. Two young men stubbed out their cigarettes before commencing a conversation. Darkness lingered in the alleyway and puddles. Looking ahead, I refused to shiver. A seventies mini pulled up, and I spotted Jim, Pearl’s husband.
Jessie’s novel ‘You Can’t Go It Alone’
‘On opening the car door, Jim called, ‘Pearl.’ A passing truck muffled his voice. Heavy traffic prevented Jim from crossing the road for a little while. Jim peered in each alleyway. Then he heard the clip, clipping of heels on the pavement. Distant echoes stopped. Where had Pearl gone? He increased his pace. Loud voices echoed. As he got nearer, he recognised Pearl’s voice, but it was shrill and ugly and strangled with fear.’
Love, music and secrets are woven together in this poignant, heart-warming narrative.
Set in a Welsh village, the story explores the contrast in attitudes and opportunities between different generations of women. As the characters confront their secrets and fears, they discover truths about themselves and their relationships.
The reader is invited to laugh and cry, with the characters, and find joy in the simple things in life. Listen to the music and enjoy the food, as you peek inside the world of the inhabitants of Delfryn.
Let Sophie show you that no one can go it alone.
Who knows, you may find some friends with big hearts…
Jessie Cahalin
About Jessie
Jessie is word warrior, bookish blogger and intrepid virtual explorer. She loves to entertain with stories, and is never seen without her camera, phone, notebook and handbag. Fellow authors have deemed her ‘creative and quirky’ and she wears these words like a blogging badge of honour.
Having overcome her fear of self-publishing, she is now living the dream of introducing the characters who have been hassling her for decades. Her debut novel, You Can’t Go It Alone, is a heart-warming tale about the challenges women still face in society. The novel has light-hearted moments and presents hope. As C. S. Lewis said, ‘We read to know we are not alone.’
Connecting with authors via her Books in my Handbag Blog is a blast. She showcases authors’ books in the popular Handbag Gallery and has fun meeting authors in her virtual world. Communicating with her authors still gives Jessie a creative buzz.
Jessie Cahalin hails from Yorkshire but lives in Wales with her husband. She loves to travel the world and collects cultural gems like a magpie. She searches for happy endings, where possible, and needs great coffee, food and music to give her inspiration.
