Guest Post Archives - Jessie Cahalin Writes

Imogen Matthew’s Talking Book

Owing to the rise in popularity of audio books, talking books are now featuring in the Handbag Gallery. Improved digital technology has made the audio book more accessible to readers. I invited bestselling author, Imogen Matthews, to explain how she transformed her words into a talking book with the help of a BAFTA nominated actor. Imogen has charted her book’s journey into the audio world.

At the beginning of this year, I decided to turn my novel, The Hidden Village, into an audiobook, but had no idea where to start. The audiobook market, I’m told, is booming, especially among young people who like to listen to books on their commute, in the gym, when out cycling and running or at home preparing a meal.

Amazon’s ACX (http://www.acx.com/) can take you through the process step-by-step and made it sound fairly straightforward. They would help with everything, from finding a narrator to providing guidance on how to produce my audiobook and getting it distributed onto Amazon and other distribution channels. So far so good. ACX has a big database of narrators all waiting to audition for your book and all you have to do is decide the type of voice, tone and accent you want for your book. I listened to a few narrators and although there was nothing wrong with any of them, I didn’t feel the right connection I so wanted for my book.

In the meantime, some other options arose, which sounded a great deal more exciting. Early on, I had the chance to work with a well known British stage and TV actor and was blown away by his audition…but work got in the way and he simply couldn’t commit as he was on tour in a musical until June. Maybe he’ll be free for my next book?

Liam Gerrard narrated the audio version of The Hidden Village

My disappointment was short-lived after I was introduced to Liam, a BAFTA nominated actor, who has narrated dozens of books. Together with his audiobook producer, the delightful Catherine, an Englishwoman based in the US, they have created and produced my audiobook, and I couldn’t be more pleased.

Working with Liam was a dream. We had several phone conversations in which he asked me searching questions about the narrative, characters and foreign words. He took the job seriously and must have read my book multiple times to get under the skin of each of the characters (of which there are many!). I trusted him to go away and narrate the whole story, which I then listened to, all 9 hours and 37 minutes, over the course of a weekend in April.

It was a very strange and wonderful feeling hearing the words I’d written being brought to life by an actor. Liam added layers of meaning and tension to the story I honestly hadn’t realised were there. It made me realise that my role, as an author, is merely to tell the story – and from then on in, the reader/narrator takes over.

The Hidden Village is available on Amazon (on audible) and iTunes

I did think of asking Imogen to present the audio version of her article. What do you think of audio books?

About Imogen:

Imogen Matthews lives in Oxford, England and is the author of two romantic fiction e-novels. The Hidden Village is her first historical fiction novel. Born in Rijswijk, Holland, to a Dutch mother and English father, the family moved to England when Imogen was very young. She has always enjoyed holidays in Holland and since 1990, has gone regularly with her husband and two children to Nunspeet on the edge of the Veluwe woods. It was here that she discovered the story of the hidden village, and together with her mother’s vivid stories of life in WW2 Holland, she was inspired to write her next novel.

The Hidden Village

Wartime Holland. Whom can you trust?

Deep in the Veluwe woods lies Berkenhout, a purpose-built village of huts sheltering dozens of persecuted people. But the Germans can find no proof of its existence. The whole community pulls together to help the Berkenhout inhabitants adjust to a difficult new life and, above all, stay safe.

Sofie, a Jewish Dutch girl, struggles to adapt to living in Berkenhout, away from her family and friends. As weeks turn to months, she’s worried they’ll abandon her altogether. Young tearaway Jan likes to help, but he also enjoys roaming the woods looking for adventure and fallen pilots. His dream comes true, until he is found out. Henk is in charge of building the underground huts and organizing provisions to Berkenhout, but his contact with the Germans arouses suspicions.

Whom can you trust? All it takes is one small fatal slip to change the course of all their lives forever.

Smugglers, Secrets and Suspense with Rosie Travers

The ‘gold’ postbox is in the village of Hamble in Hampshire, very close to where Rosie currently lives. It was painted gold after the 2012 Olympics for the cyclist Dani King who grew up in the village.

Author of Theatre of Dreams, Rosie Travers, knocked at the Handbag Gallery door with news of a new novel. The local landscape of Hampshire inspired Rosie Travers to write Your Secret’s Safe With Me. During walks along the riverside, her imagination became caught up in possible stories and intrigue. It is always a pleasure when a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association contacts me to help celebrate a new release, so I invited Rosie to tell me more. She posted a wonderful letter from her golden postbox.

My new novel Your Secret’s Safe With Me explores the intricacies of family relationships and the consequences of keeping secrets. Pearl and Becca are a mother and daughter who have a successful professional working partnership. The family dynamic changes when romantic novelist Pearl announces her surprise engagement to Jack, a man she has only just met, and uproots Becca and her brother Freddy from their busy lives in London to her new fiancé’s home on the south coast.

It makes perfect sense to set my stories in familiar locations. I currently live in Hampshire, close to the River Hamble, a renowned sailing centre. The River Hamble is a busy, bustling place, but a little further along the coast at Beaulieu in the New Forest is another river, quieter and more isolated. Both rivers have historic boat-building pasts but are now bordered by luxury homes and frequented by leisure seekers, on and off the water, with picturesque riverside walks.

River Hamble inspired Rosie’s second novel: Your Secret’s Safe With Me.

My fictional village of Kerridge encompasses a tight-knit rural riverside community, a little light nautical industry – fiancé Jack’s family-owned marina business, and a salt-marshy wilderness and nature reserve. It is an amalgamation of these two locations together with others nearby, and although the story centres on the changing relationship between mother and daughter, I obviously needed sub-plots and additional situations to test my characters’ resolve. This is where the natural habitat came into play.

Smuggling isn’t confined to Poldark country, and sadly modern day smugglers trade in far more dangerous goods than illicit contraband and kegs of rum. As I observed sleek shiny white motor cruisers and yachts gliding upstream on my regular riverside walks, my writer’s enquiring mind kicked in. I began to speculate who or what might be onboard and wondered how easy it would be, with a few more isolated creeks and remote hiding places, for some unscrupulous ‘sailors’ to conduct some illegal activities. My over-fertile imagination quickly envisaged a situation where unsuspecting newcomers to the local community could unwittingly become caught up in some treacherous intrigue. Throw in a former lover and past heartache for Becca, a wedding and a baby, and the story started telling itself.

The overriding tone of the novel is light-hearted, but the river winding through Pearl and Becca’s new surroundings became symbolic of their evolving relationship. Everything seems calm at first, but as the river reveals its hidden dangers, family secrets submerged for many years threaten to bubble to the surface.

Presenting Rosie’s latest novel in the Handbag Gallery

As a writer, I am always interested in how authors seek inspiration. I like the sound of this novel and the hidden secrets. I wonder if all will end well. More about Rosie Travers:

Rosie grew up on the south coast of England and after initially training as a secretary she juggled a career in local government with raising her family. She moved to Southern California with her husband in 2009 and began a blog about life as an ex-pat wife which re-kindled a teenage desire to become a writer. On her return to the UK she took a part-time course in creative writing and following some success in short story competitions she joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme. Her debut novel, The Theatre of Dreams, was accepted for publication by Crooked Cat Books and officially launched on in August 2018. Her second book, Your Secret’s Safe With Me, is published on 18 February 2019.

Contact details:
Website: https://www.rosietravers.com
Twitter @RosieTravers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosietraversauthor
Instagram: rosietraversauthor
RNA Profile: https://romanticnovelistsassociation.org/rna_author/rosie-travers/

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

Dear…Anybody?

Fran Clark writes as Rosa Temple, and she spends her days creating characters and story lines while drinking herbal tea and eating chocolate biscuits. Fran is an indie author and an author with HQ Digital. When Fran told me one of my favourite programmes ‘Escape to the Country’ inspired her latest novels, Dear … Anybody. I had to find out more.

I was born and brought up in London. Like many Londoners, I took for granted that I lived in one of the most visited and popular cities in the world. London, to me, was always ever just Home. To be honest I never took advantage of all the city had to offer, but in time I got tired of living there. Though I lived in a swanky complex of flats by the River Thames, it was still a complex of flats. I couldn’t handle living in such close proximity to my neighbours – lovely though some of them were.

I never ventured out much unless I had to. I hardly saw friends and family. Everyone was just so busy and it seemed that no one had time for anything apart from buying the latest consumer luxury and binge watching Netflix.

For about 10 years I’d been addicted to the television programme, ‘Escape To The Country’ and my passion for open spaces and tranquillity just grew and grew. My London friends and family thought I’d get bored if I left London, they thought I was crazy and were certainly going to miss me. And I’d miss them, but there was something missing in my life. Let’s face it, a quiet cottage in the country would be ideal for a writer!

Sydney, the heroine of the novel, uncovers hidden truths, secret loves and the possibility of romance lies in wait behind the counter of her favourite coffee shop.

I found the perfect cottage in the Herefordshire countryside, my youngest set off for uni and my husband I left London.

Sitting at my writer’s desk, I dreamed up the idea for Dear…Anybody? the story of London girl, Sydney, who moved to the countryside from London, but for her it was out of necessity. Sydney adapting to country life, discovering a strong sense of community and enjoying a healthier lifestyle with fresh air and a slower pace of life all came from my experience of life in the country. I watch Netflix an awful lot less now and I always take a morning walk along the country lanes. Not forgetting the trips to the farmer’s market.

My original ideas for Dear…Anybody? intertwined a love story with weird and sinister goings on in the fictitious village of Bridley. The published version does include one or two mysteries to solve, but eventually became a novel about love, friendships and finding your true home. I hope you enjoy reading it!

“I enjoyed this book about secret love, uncovering hidden truths and turning around your life for the best. A light read that warms the heart to the end.” Isabell, Dreaming With Eyes Open Reviews

A mother of two, Fran is married to a musician and recently moved from London to Herefordshire. To date, Fran has penned and self published four publications as Rosa Temple; Sleeping With Your Best Friend, Natalie’s Getting Married, Single by Christmas and Sleeping With Your Best Friend.

HQ Digital (Harper Collins) has published three books in Fran’s pseudonym, Rosa Temple. The first was Playing by the Rules in February 2017 followed by Playing Her Cards Right on 28^th August 2017 and Playing for Keeps on 12^th February 2018.

Presenting Jan Baynham’s Debut Novel

A secret left behind in the summer of ’69 …

Secrets buried like treasure in novels always tempt me. When I discovered Jan Baynham’s novel, Her Mother’s Secret, I wanted to find out more. Set in Greece in 1969, Her Mother’s Secret is the just the ticket to travel to glorious Greece. I invited Jan to tell me more about her debut novel and why she chose to bury a secret in the pages.

I have always been intrigued by family secrets and the fact that these sometimes do not come to light until after a person has died. I read of someone who was sorting through her mother’s things after her death and found a diary. In there, the young woman learned about a part of her mother’s life she knew nothing about. The ‘what ifs?’ started in my head and Her Mother’s Secret started to evolve. At the time, I’d been reading a novel where the rustling in the trees sounded like whispers and inanimate statues took on the form of ghosts of the people they represented. Perhaps the whispering could show the presence of a past family member. Always fascinated by the bond between mothers and daughters, this was basis for my story. Very often, the close relationship between mothers and daughters means that they would know things about each other no one else would. I wanted to explore how my character, Alexandra, would feel when she found out about her mother, Elin’s secret life. How could her mother have kept this from her? How would she feel? I needed Elin to have been able to keep her secret from everyone, even her own mother, until she died.

Having visited many times and being struck by the wonderful palette of colours seen in every landscape, Greece was my obvious inspiration

I decided that Elin would be an artist, having just finished art college. She travels to Greece to further her painting skills and while there, something happens that she never mentions again. I chose a setting where the colours would be more vibrant and intense perhaps than in her home country of Wales. Having visited many times and being struck by the wonderful palette of colours seen in every landscape, Greece was my obvious inspiration. Elin’s daughter, Alexandra, arrives on Péfka, a small island off the Peloponnese in Southern Greece, to follow in her mother’s footsteps to find out what happened there twenty-two years earlier. No wonder you loved it here, Mam. The colours alone make it an artist’s heaven, she thought. Péfka is purely fictional and is not based on one particular place; it’s an amalgam of areas I’ve visited – a beach or street here, a taverna or workshop there where I’ve met characters when getting out into Greek villages. Every holiday has inspired me with contributions to create characters and settings that are hopefully authentic showing the climate, the vivid colours of the sea and the flowers as well as the warmth of its people.

Every holiday has inspired me with contributions to create characters and settings that are hopefully authentic showing the climate, the vivid colours of the sea and the flowers as well as the warmth of its people

More about Her Mother’s Secret

It’s 1969 and free-spirited artist Elin Morgan has left Wales for a sun-drenched Greek island. As she makes new friends and enjoys the laidback lifestyle, she writes all about it in her diary. But Elin’s carefree summer of love doesn’t last long, and her island experience ultimately leaves her with a shocking secret …

An artist travelling to Greece in 1969 evokes endless opportunities for secrets. I can’t wait to escape to Greece with the promise of Her Mother’s Secret. I wonder what Alexandra, Elin’s daughter, will discover when she visits Greece twenty two years later…

Her Mother’s Secret will be published by Ruby Fiction on 21^st April and is available to order now.

Jan Baynham

After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, Jan joined a small writing group in a local library where she wrote her first piece of fiction. From then on, she was hooked! She soon went on to take a writing class at the local university and began to submit short stories for publication to a wider audience. Her stories and flash fiction pieces have been longlisted and short listed in competitions and several appear in anthologies both online and in print. In October 2019, her first collection of stories was published. Her stories started getting longer and longer so that, following a novel writing course, she began to write her first full length novel. She loves being able to explore her characters in further depth and delve into their stories. She writes about family secrets and the bond between mothers and daughters. Set in the last year of the 60s, ‘Her Mother’s Secret’ takes you to sun-drenched Greece, her favourite holiday destination.

Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Cardiff with her husband. Having joined the Romantic Novelists Association in 2016, she values the friendship and support from other members and regularly attends conferences, workshops, talks and get togethers. She is co-organiser of her local RNA Chapter.

You may find out more about Jan here:

Twitter: @JanBaynham https://twitter.com/JanBaynham
Facebook: Jan Baynham Writer https://www.facebook.com/JanBayLit/
Blog: www.janbaynham.blogspot.co.uk

Slice of a Modern Love Story

Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children.

Claire Huston has been a friend of Books in Handbag for many years. I have enjoyed following her blog Art and Soul because she presents some lovely, simple recipes and she is always so positive. I was delighted to learn she has written a romance and wanted to discover more. I invited Claire to talk about her novel.

Claire: My debut novel, Art and Soul, is a cheerful modern love story.

There’s no problem Becky Watson can’t fix. Except her own love life…

An expert in solving other people’s problems, single mum Becky is hired to help artist Charlie get out of his creative slump. But when she starts falling for her client, she’s forced to wonder: will she be able to fix her own love life?

To add some extra sweetness to the slow burn romance, the story features several delicious cakes. As part of my ongoing baking adventures, I set myself the challenge of making all the cakes which appear in the book. Here are a few of them…

Old school sponge cake with white icing and multi-coloured sprinkles

A classic and the favourite cake of Charlie, the hero of the story. A generous slice of this light, fluffy sponge brings back fond memories of his school days.

Chocolate fudge cake with chocolate buttercream

This is Becky’s favourite cake. She enjoys scoffing a restorative slice while having a good gossip with her best friend, Ronnie, who owns a cake shop.

Cappuccino cake with caramel buttercream

With life-fixer work being thin on the ground, Becky has been making ends meet by working behind the scenes at upmarket weddings to prevent problems and make sure the bride and groom’s big day goes off without a hitch. This deliciously sweet coffee confection is the cake chosen by one of the happy couples Becky is hired to help.

This deliciously sweet coffee confection is the cake chosen by one of the happy couples Becky is hired to help

Make these cakes!

If you fancy making any of these cakes, you can find all the recipes and over a hundred more on my website: www.clairehuston.co.uk

Introducing Claire Huston

Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children. Art and Soul is her first novel. A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for all the cakes mentioned in Art and Soul at

Claire: My debut novel, Art and Soul, is a cheerful modern love story.

Old school sponge cake with white icing and multi-coloured sprinkles

A classic and the favourite cake of Charlie, the hero of the story. A generous slice of this light, fluffy sponge brings back fond memories of his school days.

Chocolate fudge cake with chocolate buttercream

This is Becky’s favourite cake. She enjoys scoffing a restorative slice while having a good gossip with her best friend, Ronnie, who owns a cake shop.

Cappuccino cake with caramel buttercream

Make these cakes!

If you fancy making any of these cakes, you can find all the recipes and over a hundred more on my website: www.clairehuston.co.uk

Introducing Claire Huston

Claire Huston lives in Warwickshire with her husband and two children. Art and Soul is her first novel.
A keen amateur baker, she enjoys making cakes, biscuits and brownies almost as much as eating them. You can find recipes for all the cakes mentioned in Art and Soul at www.clairehuston.co.uk along with over 100 other recipes. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.

You can also follow Claire’s baking and writing endeavours on social media: linktr.ee/clairehuston_author

Get the book

And if you’d like a copy of Art and Soul, you can get one here. This is also where she talks about and reviews books.

You can also follow Claire’s baking and writing endeavours on social media: linktr.ee/clairehuston_author

An English Country Cottage and Simple Pleasures

Folks, I am suffering from cottage envy. Author, Helen Christmas sent me pictures of her chocolate box cottage, with an English country garden. She has an enviable writing room, with a view. The colours of her summer garden will lift your spirits. Indeed, Helen’s sunny letter provided me with the desire to write and the need to purchase a new home. I invite you to retreat to Helen’s life, in the country, via her blog post. Let’s dream about the idyllic writer’s life…

My husband, Peter and I are blessed to live in a 17th century thatched cottage passed down through five generations. We not only love our home but live near close to Bognor seafront. I escaped the rat race in 1999 by which time we had set up a small website design business at home. In summer we spend time maintaining our walled back garden, growing vegetables whilst sharing our home with a beautiful white cat, named Theo (after Peter’s Great Great Grandfather) and doting border collie, Barney.

In summer we spend time maintaining our walled back garden

In the time I have lived here, I’ve become fascinated with the conservation of period property as we endeavoured to protect our cottage. We did come up against the might of our local council who purposefully made planning applications difficult. In fact there was one planning officer in particular whose underlying duplicity astounded me and was perhaps the inspiration behind some of the scenes in my book series, ‘Same Face Different Place,’ a mystery thriller which spans 4 decades.

I began my writing journey in 2011. Working from home gave me the freedom to reflect on life, especially when walking Barney along the beach; such musings included the various social changes I’d observed. I remember the 70s when Labour were in government and despite the power of the trade unions and strikes, there was more camaraderie. People looked out for each other. Next came the 80s. As a student, it was an exciting time, the clothes, the outrageous styles and the music; a time when everyone craved more money but sadly, it turned into an era of greed. With less compassion in society, it makes me wonder if people forgot life’s simple pleasures, something that our home has made us appreciate. It made me want to write a novel that embraced all these different decades.

I have always loved reading and cannot deny the influence of certain authors: Leslie Pearse for her loveable characters and unforgettable stories; Martina Cole who opened my eyes to a world of psychopathic gangsters. But most poignant of all was Ken Follet’s ‘Pillars of the Earth’ a saga which explored the conflict of Medieval times and the impact wielded by men in power.

Going back to my own writing, once started, I began to get up at dawn to get at least a couple of hours in before work. Much of my writing takes place in our peaceful office with Barney curled up at my feet and nothing but the cry of gulls on the beach.

Whilst thinking about my writing space, there is just one more thing I would like to mention; there is a very special picture in the office of Peter’s ancestors, all of whom lived in this cottage. In fact this inspired a particular scene in my second book ‘Visions.’

In fact this inspired a particular scene in my second book ‘Visions.’

The misty faces of three generations (including their father, just a baby at the time) added an element of comfort to the atmosphere and even though the sepia-toned picture contained an eerie quality, it emitted the sense that someone was watching over them.

I definitely feel something when I gaze at that picture; it breathes a sense of nostalgia into my world and feels very reassuring, which is wonderful for a writer…

Helen is certainly blessed with inspiration, and it is wonderful she appreciates her life. Helen writes romantic suspense. She has written a saga spanning decades. Her work sounds fascinating. Interesting, how the environment and experiences make us and inspire us. Many thanks to Helen for writing to my blog.

About Helen

Helen J. Christmas lives on the south coast of Sussex in a very old thatched cottage with her husband. With a love of writing since childhood, she started her decade spanning thriller series ‘Same Face Different Place‘ in 2011. Her first book ‘Beginnings,’ set in 1970s London, combines romantic suspense with a hard-hitting conspiracy thriller.

Writing is something she juggles around family and social life. Helen is self employed and enjoys running a web design company from home with her husband, accompanied by their faithful border collie and a fluffy white cat.

We have busy lives and among my many hats, I am a writer, a blogger, photographer and website designer. I love networking with other authors and readers and when I’m not engrossed in work, I enjoy gardening, cooking, reading books, films and fine wines.

The Series: Same Face Different Place

Same Face Different Place is a mystery suspense thriller, set across 4 decades. The first book ‘Beginnings’ is based in 1970s London against a backdrop of organised crime and police cover-ups. Part thriller and part romance, it has been likened to books by Martina Cole and Kimberley Chambers and received some pleasing reviews.

The next part of the saga, ‘Visions’ resonates through the 80s, packed with nostalgia from the music and fashion to the politics under Margaret Thatcher’s government.

Book 3 ‘Pleasures’ continues where ‘Visions’ left off, a thrilling coming of age story, where the younger generation are drawn to designer drugs and raves. This book ends with a dramatic trial at the Old Bailey, where pieces of the mystery are unpicked and justice is served…

But nothing is straight forward with this complex cast of characters; as the main heroine, Eleanor, must once again protect her family from the evils of her enemies. The final episode, ‘Retribution’ concludes with a terrifying campaign of revenge and is published in 2 parts, ‘Retribution – Phase 1’ and ‘Retribution – End Game.’ With the characters reunited in an epilogue in 2012, I am pleased to say, the series was completed in summer 2017.

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

OK Boomer: Meet Jean and Laura

During lockdown, I missed coffee shops and the luxury of eavesdropping on conversations as I searched for characters. Fortunately, I discovered the OK Boomer podcast. I now listen to Jean and Laura chat about US life while I sip my coffee in Wales. Perfect! I learn so much about Millennials and the US way of life, but I enjoy the connections between our cultures. Anyway, these blogs cheer me up, so I wanted to share them with you. I invited Jean and Laura to tell us more about their podcast.

Jean: Jessie, thank you so much for inviting The Real Jean and Laura to your lovely blog. And thank you for listening to our podcast, OK Boomer. We want everyone to be happily OK. My little sister wanted to start a podcast and we developed OK Boomer. ‘OK Boomer” has become a dismissive act of ignoring a comment a Boomer says. Instead of feeling upset or put off by eye rolls, we are here to gently remind Millennials and Boomers we are all OK! Let’s laugh and lean in together. So here we are! Let’s get to know each other.

Meet Jean

I have lived my entire life in Tropical Ohio. My goal is to make friends with everyone in the world. I enjoyed careers in Speech Therapy and Law, but my favorite job titles are Wife and Mom. I also answer to “Can You Help me find My…”

I am currently a writer, blogger, book reviewer, bon vivant and encourager. I wrote a fiction series, The Golden Age of Charli that showcases the problems and praises of family life and retirement, mixed with a few surprises. As writers say, I am a work in progress.

I am now in the penultimate stage of my life and I’m exploring the world of retirement. My husband and I are still searching for those matching soaker tubs.

Meet Laura

I don’t always feel the Tropical but have also lived my entire life in Grey Skies, nothing but Grey Skies Ohio (thankfully grey is a popular color these days). I do truly love my Beautiful Ohio which does have sunny days and can’t imagine moving, mostly because I have too much clutter to ever sell my house.

My various jobs have included human resources, substitute teacher, website/app creator for Wear This One and realtor, but my life and loves always revolve around my faith, family, now five children, friends, neighbors and a very patient husband. This world indeed is very good.

Life is short and why not try various hobbies and careers while I can still move and function, somewhat! I never learned a good golf swing, can’t hit a tennis ball, crafts are nonexistent and not a big reader, but alas I can talk, travel and eat!

I have no intentions of retiring or slowing down ever. Our motto is retire and do what? My goals are to keep moving, set foot in all fifty states, learn to bake a perfect coconut cake and find humor along the way.

Jessie: I think the OK Boomer sisters are funny, hopeful and positive. I love the jolly title sequence music at and the way you introduce yourselves. Tell the readers what you chat about

Jean: Great, thanks. Here’s the start of one of our podcasts- to give you an idea!

Hello Hello! I’m Jean…

And I’m Laura and we are here to encourage all you Boomers, Millennials and everyone in between to be happily OK together!

Hi Jean, How are you?

I’m feeling ok, but right away I have to start off with a question for you. Ready? We had a great reason for naming our podcast OK Boomer. What was it exactly? Do you remember?

Well, luckily I’m on my fourth cup of coffee. Oh Jean that seems so long ago. I think it was our kids were using the expression “OK Boomer” and we thought they were just being nice, fun and positive, like “Hey Ok you are a Boomer!” So we thought that would be a fun name for our podcast.

Like a pat on the back! Ok Boomer! Wham!

Yes, a positive affirmation. I’m Ok. You’re Ok!

But we decided to look up “Ok Boomer” on the Google machine and we were a little horrified to realize it was actually a derisive term. Like it’s “an eye-rolling, silly old person, you know nothing” comment.

(Jean says “OK Boomer” in a contemptuous way.)

It’s all in the expression and the eye-rolling.

But, that is not what we mean- our way is to be positive and encouraging.

Yes we want to be happily ok together, with ourselves and with our Millennials.

So we should get the Nobel Prize?

I never thought of that! Maybe we could. For bringing Millennials and Boomers together!

Drop in and listen to a podcast here:

Episode 15: Willy Nilly we’re still OK, and Boomer be Careful of what you Say!

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ok-boomer-podcast/id1495424567?i=1000476749247

We’d love for you to listen to us. Keep the comments coming! You can find our podcast episodes at OKBoomerPod.com or on any of your favorite podcast apps. We are also on

Twitter and Instagram at @OK_BoomerPod

Jessie – your readers might also like Episode 14: Awful Waffles and Playful Porcupines. We discuss our American view of British cream teas.

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

A copy of my novel is available here.

Beautiful Tribute to a Friend

A beautiful, moving letter arrived in my mailbox. Angela Petch sent me a letter she had penned to her late friend, Olga. Inspired by her friendship with Olga, she has composed a glorious seaside adventure about two heart-warming, hilarious characters called Mavis and Dot. Mavis and Dot will be released on 14^th November. Proceeds from sales of the fun novella will be donated to a cancer charity. It is my privilege to share Angela’s moving letter with you.

Dear Olga,

Instead of thinking too much about what I’m going to write to you, I’ll just dive in. Otherwise I’ll get maudlin and I only want to remember you with smiles.

When you stayed with us in Italy and you were already ill, in about five minutes you painted a water colour of tomatoes we were about to eat for lunch. It still hangs in Il Mulino.

Call me silly, but each Christmas I still pull out your beautiful home-made cards. When you stayed with us in Italy and you were already ill, in about five minutes you painted a water colour of tomatoes we were about to eat for lunch. It still hangs in Il Mulino.

You were talented. I laughed my head off when you were kind at my attempts – remember the day you held an art class and I tried to sketch your free-range chickens? They wouldn’t keep still, and I scribbled them out. Everybody thought I’d produced abstract art, when it was my temper. I can’t draw, but I write. And when I sent you my first Mavis and Dot story, you sent me an illustration. It’s in the front of Mavis and Dot, dedicated to you. (I’ve added Wendy Whiting’s name. She died of cancer a couple of months ago. You would have liked her – she was a painter too.)

Olga and Angela all dressed up: a special friendship.

We were Mavis and Dot when we went on our charity shop hunts – struggling up high streets with our goodies in various towns around Suffolk where we both lived, hamming it up. Our children were young, and it was an escape for us to have these days out. I hope you like the adventures I’ve given our two personae. In the novella, you do your art, but as a life model; we find a hideous bargain or two… do you remember that sketch we did together at your summer party, when we dressed up as Mavis and Dot, entering stage with our winter overcoats and shopping trolleys? And ending up doing a strip tease. We were dressed in huge plastic bags of a particular bargain store we used to haunt. Whenever I hear Shirley Bassey’s “Big Spender”, I smile at the memory.

And when I sent you my first Mavis and Dot story, you sent me an illustration. It’s in the front of Mavis and Dot, dedicated to you

We both loved days at the seaside. Once, with daughters in tow, we embarrassed them by stripping to our undies and jumping in to the waves; their shocked cries of “Mummm” encouraged us further.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I’ll finish with a poem I wrote at a party held in your honour not long after you left us. Big hugs and I hope you enjoy Mavis and Dot.

And we were there.

September sun warmed stubbled, Suffolk fields
The sky leant down and kissed the earth with warmth;
Woodsmoke spiralled up with laughs and squeals and times remembered.
Everyone shared, linked memories of
A girl who was there.

Not there to sit inside the tepees
That cocooned the lovers, friends and young;
Not there to dance upon the beer-stamped floor,
To music coaxed from eager, nervous hands.

She may have slipped in quietly
To welcome us with summer’s long-lost rays
Or been the breeze that fanned the brazier’s picture flames
And gently shook her father’s tree…

But she was there
In stories of her kindness and her gifts;
And she was there
In daughters’ eyes or silhouette or turn of phrase.
In ideas whispered to the man she loves,
Who magicked them to being.
And she was there because she always is
And always shall be.
How could she not?

And we were there.

Call me silly, but each Christmas I still pull out your beautiful home-made cards.

The wonderful friendship is conveyed in Angela’s magical words. Angela is a wonderful lady and her words brighten my day: her sensitivity and humour are amazing. She has a very special place in my heart, because I blogged my very first review about one of Angela’s novels. Since reading Now and Then in Tuscany, Angela has become one of my favourite authors. I would not have discovered Angela without my own accidental blogging adventures. I can’t wait to share my review of Mavis and Dot very soon.

Since getting to know Angela, I have followed her writing journey. She has published numerous stories in People’s Friend and is about to embark on her second publishing deal.

About Mavis and Dot

A warm slice of life, funny, feel-good, yet poignant. Introducing two eccentric ladies who form an unlikely friendship. Meet Mavis and Dot – two colourful, retired ladies who live in Worthington-on-Sea, where there are charity shops galore. Apart from bargain hunting, they manage to tangle themselves in escapades involving illegal immigrants, night clubs, nude modelling, errant toupees and more. And then there’s Mal, the lovable dog who nobody else wants. A gently humorous, often side-splitting, heart-warming snapshot of two memorable characters with past secrets and passions. Escape for a couple of hours into this snapshot of a faded, British seaside town. You’ll laugh and cry but probably laugh more.”This book is quirky and individual, and has great pathos…[it] will resonate with a lot of readers.” Gill Kaye – Editor of Ingenu(e). Written with a light touch in memory of a dear friend who passed away from ovarian cancer, Angela Petch’s seaside tale is a departure from her successful Tuscan novels. All profits from the sale of the books will go towards research into the cure for cancer.

“…Clever, touching and powerful writing… Embark on a series of adventures with Mavis and Dot but prepare yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions.” Books in my Handbag.

More from Angela

I live in the beautiful Italian Apennines for several months each year. Such an inspiring location.

My love affair with Italy was born at the age of seven when I moved with my family to Rome where we lived for six years. My father worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and he made sure we learned Italian and visited many places during that time.

Later on I studied Italian at the University of Kent at Canterbury and afterwards worked in Sicily, where I met my husband. His Italian mother and British father met in Urbino in 1944 and married after a war-time romance.

I wanted to write “Tuscan Roots” not only for my amazing mother-in-law, Giuseppina, but also to make people aware of the courage and hospitality shown by families of our Italian neighbours in our corner of war-torn Tuscany.

This is my first novel and is a story about ordinary people who lived through extraordinary times. (Please note it is a revised version of “Never Forget”). I have just been signed by BOOKOUTURE for a two-book deal and one of these will be a slight re-write of “Tuscan Roots”. I am so proud to be a part of this publishing “family”, as they describe themselves.

A sequel to this book was published at the end of April 2017. “Now and then in Tuscany” features the same family that appeared in “Tuscan Roots”. The background is the transhumance, a practice that started in Etruscan times and continued right up until the 1950’s.

My research for both these novels has been greatly helped by my kind Italian, country friends, who have vivid memories of both the Second World War and the harsh times they endured in their childhoods.

Italy is a passion but my stories are not always set there. My next book is about two fun-loving ladies of “a certain age” who live by the seaside in Sussex and get up to all kinds of adventures. Watch out for Mavis and Dot! They will be launched on December 1st 2018 at St Paul’s Centre, Worthing, West Sussex.

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

Packing for a Trip to the Past

What would you pack if you regularly visited the seventeenth century? On this occasion, you really wouldn’t have anything to wear. Our staple of jeans and a t-shirt would be provocative in the seventeenth century. Author, Anna Belfrage, regularly sends her characters back in time, and I was intrigued to discover how she helps her heroine, Alex, to pack for another era. Where does a writer start when dressing characters for another era? Alas, I would have to begin by abandoning my handbags as they didn’t exist.

I am handing over to Anna Belfrage, author of The Graham Saga, and her costume department. Anna’s novels have allowed her to fulfil her dream of becoming a professional time traveller.

Dressed for Success in the Seventeenth Century

One of my series, The Graham Saga, is set in the seventeenth century for a variety of reasons, none of which have anything to do with the prevailing fashions of the time. While others may go “ooh” and “aaah” at the paintings of dashing cavaliers adorned with lace and ribbon, I like my men in breeches and a simple linen shirt, a no-nonsense coat worn atop, which is probably why my hero, Matthew Graham, dresses like that. Well, it may have something to do with his convictions as well. After all, Matthew is a devout member of the Scottish Kirk, and he and his brethren have little liking for fripperies.

Where Matthew was born and bred in the 17^th century, his beloved wife, Alex(andra) Lind, grew up in our time. In difference to many of us, she never had a hankering for living in the past, but sometimes impossible things happen, which is how she ended up in the 17^th century, wearing jeans.

“I like her djeens,” Matthew says, his gaze lingering on her legs. “But, aye, you’re right: she can’t wear them here. Seeing her thus revealed is only for me to see.” (He has a certain amount of cave-man tendencies does our Matthew. Blame it on the times…)

So instead, Alex has to start by donning a shift. This is a long linen garment that reaches halfway between knees and ankles, it has long sleeves and a neckline with a drawstring. It serves as a combined nightie and underwear. (Forget about a silky negligee when in the mood for some action which is why I recommend nudity for seduction). This shift is worn until it can almost stand on its own – laundry is a heavy task.

On top of the shift Alex wears stays. Okay, so they’re not as bad as those sported by Scarlett O’Hara but once they’re laced they have a somewhat inhibiting effect on her movements. Stockings in scratchy wool are rolled up the legs to thigh-level and gartered into place. Petticoats help keep Alex somewhat warm, ending just above the ankle. A bum roll, heavy woollen skirts, a bodice and an apron complete the outfit. Let me tell you, this weighs a lot. It is difficult to run in full skirts. Or climb a tree (which is a bad idea anyway, as women shouldn’t do something as indecorous as climb a tree).

At this point Alex stops to inspect herself – she has a small looking glass, lucky her. The collar is tied into place, the hair is braided back and coiled into a tight bun before being covered by a linen cap. A woman without a cap is a sinful thing indeed! By the door are the shoes – they might be a pair of latchet shoes, but they might just as well be clogs. Actually, maybe using clogs is the better choice – at least they keep the feet dry!

“I’m not wearing all that,” Alex told me the first time I presented her new wardrobe for her. “I’ll stick to my jeans—and my underwear.”

“No, you won’t.” Matthew shakes his head. “To go around dressed like that is to attract unwanted attention. And should anyone find out you’re from the future…” he mimes a sliced throat. Too right: either you conform, or you risk sticking out like a sore thumb and potential witch. Not good in a time and age where witches are still being executed.

Alex sighs. “Fine,” she says, throwing me an angry look. (She blames me for throwing her back in time. She rarely thanks me for gifting her with the rather wonderful Matthew.) “But just so you know, the moment I get back, I’ll be in jeans again.”
Back? I share a look with Matthew. Alex isn’t going back. After all, while time travelling is a rare occurrence, time travelling with a return ticket is even rarer!

Sir Anthony van Dyck and Lord Bernard Stuart

Presently, Anna is hard at work with The King’s Greatest Enemy, a series set in the 1320s featuring Adam de Guirande, his wife Kit, and their adventures and misfortunes in connection with Roger Mortimer’s rise to power.

When Anna is not stuck in the 14^th century, chances are she’ll be visiting in the 17^th century, more specifically with Alex and Matthew Graham, the protagonists of the acclaimed The Graham Saga. This series is the story of two people who should never have met – not when she was born three centuries after him. A ninth instalment has just been published, despite Anna having thought eight books were enough. Turns out her 17^th century dreamboat and his time travelling wife didn’t agree…

Anna can be found on her website, on Facebook and on her blog. Or on twitter and Amazon.

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

Another Chapter in the Writing Life of Angela Petch

Angela is following the steps of the shepherds when they left the mountains each winter.

When I was taking my very first steps to create my Books in my Handbag Blog over three years ago, I had the good fortune to meet Angela Petch online. I have always followed Angela’s wonderful writing journey as she moved from indie author to a Bookouture author. It is my pleasure to present the next chapter in her writing life. I am handing over this blog to Angela who is sending words to you from her beautiful home in Tuscany.

Three years ago, I appeared on a blog for the first time in my life. New to Twitter, my eye was caught by a handbag icon next to an unusual name: Books in my Handbag. I have a weakness for handbags. Living in Italy, that’s only natural.

As I had very recently published my second indie novel, Now and Then in Tuscany, I contacted the blogger and sent a copy, thinking that I would never hear back. I was fairly new to social media but my indie author friends were slowly introducing me to the writing community and I had to make a start.

The kind and sparkly angel who is Jessie Cahalin sent me a review some days later and it made me cry. Good tears. She liked it. She got what I was trying to put over. I was overwhelmed. I printed her words out and pinned them to my noticeboard by my desk. I can’t describe what confidence it gave me to continue

I am now published by Bookouture, a digital publishing company that I also discovered on Twitter. And the book that Jessie helped me promote has the new title of ‘Tuscan Memory’.

Now and Then in Tuscany is the original cover

Tuscan Memory is the new cover produced by Bookouture

A Tuscan Memory is set in Italy between the two world wars, it traces the journey of a young country boy, Giuseppe, who flees from a traumatic episode and joins the annual trek from the Tuscan Apennines down to the coast, with shepherds and cattle drovers. During this five-month period, he finds himself. The story runs concurrently with modern day, when Giuseppe’s great grandson (also experiencing difficulties at school) is looking into his family history for a school project. I have threaded in love stories, a family mystery and the history of the transhumance in our area of Tuscany where we live. It stopped in the 1950s but my elderly friends still talk about it. I walked part of the route as one part of my research (photo). The shepherds’ journey lasted ten days.

Bookouture has taken over the aspects of writing that I find so hard: the technical side of formatting the book, designing the cover, preparing the novel so that it is shipshape and ready for publication and – what I find hardest: the essential marketing. Bookouture have several editing processes and this part is vital for pulling the book together. When you are indie, it is hard to be objective and Beta reader friends are sometimes too kind, so it is wise to pay for a good editor. My second commissioned book, The Tuscan Girl, reached number 6 in the USA Kindle charts last week and has sold over 100,000 copies to date. There is no way I could have managed those sales when I was an indie author, but there are highly successful indie authors out there who manage their own marketing very well. Readers and bloggers unite all authors with their love of great stories.

This is the kitchen featured in Tuscan Memory

So, I would like to offer huge thank you to Books in my Handbag for helping me along the way and extend my gratitude to all sparkly bloggers and readers. We couldn’t do it without you.

Here is what I thought of the original version of ‘Tuscan Memory’:

‘The novel unlocked secrets of the enchanting holiday destination of Tuscany. I have often wondered who had once walked along the ancient tracks, and who once lived in the ancient dwellings that nestle in the mountains. As the title suggests, the reader delves into rural Tuscany as it is now and as it was back then at the beginning of last century. The reader has the privilege of meeting characters from the different generations and it is satisfying to fit the jigsaw together. It is a cleverly crafted narrative, in which there are emotional parallels in the lives of the characters from the past and the present. This is a story of love wrapped up in an insight into rural history and customs of Tuscany.’

Angela is a wonderful writer. She has inspired me pursue my own writing journey via the Romantic Novelists’ New Writers’ Scheme. In the last two years, I have written two books and I am waiting to publish them. Alas, I no longer accept review requests, but I do enjoy interacting with authors. I can’t wait to find out how the Bookouture editor has shaped the novel that connected me to Angela Petch.

More about Angela

Angela Petch shares her year between the Tuscan Apennines and West Sussex.

Her love affair with Italy was born at the age of seven when she moved with her family to Rome. Her father worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and he made sure his children learned Italian and soaked up the culture. She studied Italian at the University of Kent at Canterbury and afterwards worked in Sicily where she met her husband. His Italian mother and British father met in Urbino in 1944 and married after a wartime romance.

Her first book, Tuscan Roots was written in 2012, for her Italian mother-in-law, Giuseppina, and also to make readers aware of the courage shown by families of her Italian neighbours during WW2. Signed by Bookouture in 2018, this book was republished as The Tuscan Secret in June 2019. The Tuscan Girl followed in February 2020.

Now and Then in Tuscany, was self-published in April 2017 and features the same family. The background is the transhumance, a practice that started in Etruscan times and continued until the 1950s. Bookouture has since acquired the rights, and under a new title, A Tuscan Memory was be released on September 7th 2020. Research for her Tuscan novels is greatly helped by her knowledge of Italian and conversations with locals.

Although Italy is a passion, her stories are not always set in this country. Mavis and Dot, published at the end of 2018 and sold in aid of research into a cure for cancer, tells the story of two fun-loving ladies who retire to the Sussex seaside. They forge an unlikely friendship and fall into a variety of adventures. Ingenu/e Magazine describes it as: “Absolutely Fabulous meets Last of the Summer Wine… a gently hilarious feel-good book that will enchant and delight…”.

A prize-winning, Amazon bestselling author and member of the RNA, she also loves to travel and recently returned to Tanzania, where she lived at the start of her marriage. A keen tennis player and walker, she enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren and inventing stories for their entertainment.

Her short stories are published by PRIMA and the People’s Friend.

Links
Blog: https://angelapetchsblogsite.wordpress.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaJaneClarePetch
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Angela_Petch

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

A copy of my novel is available here.

Ta-dah! It’s a Children’s Book of Poems

It is time to present another bundle of fun from bestselling children’s author, Patricia Furstenberg. Well, I have waited and waited to present the cover of ‘As Good As Gold’ and ta-da…

As Good As Gold

Celebrating the simple things in life as seen through the eyes of our old time favourite furry friends, ‘As Good as Gold’ is a volume of poetry revealing the talent and humour we always knew our dogs possessed.

A book with an enormous heart for readers of all ages, it includes 35 poems and haiku aaccompanied by expressive portraits of our canine friends.

Dogs are full of questions, yet they are famed sellers of innocence especially when it comes to explaining their mishaps and often foolish effervescence through ponderings such as ‘Why IS a Cat Not Like a Dog’, ‘As Brown as Chocolate’, ‘Silver Stars and Puppy Tail’ or, best yet, ‘Dog or Book?’

Written for their human companions, by dogs, these poems are an ode to the best of times, celebrating the beauty of a life spent waging one’s tail.

Words of Inspiration from Patricia

As engaging as a tail wag

Her thoughts would be obvious, “dog or book?”

When a puppy runs down the hill, hair and ears and tongue in flight, tail wagging madly, heading straight for the row of ducks, what goes through his mind? When a dog wakes up in the middle of the night, washed by the light of a chatty moon, what exactly does he say when he howls? Caught in the rain or chasing a balloon, surprised by the new cat brought in the house or amused by a frog – a dog’s findings and adventures are countless.

I have been lucky enough to share my life with eight dogs so far. Sometimes, when I would enjoy myself lost in the pages of a book my dog would suddenly press his head on my knee, sigh profusely and… look away as soon as I would bookmark my page to give her my attention: “what is it, girl?” Her thoughts would be obvious, “dog or book?”

She was my chocolate girl, as her fur was a silky brown

I still remember the time one of my dogs found a bag of dry tea that she scattered all over the living room. Dogs can’t and should not eat chocolate, yet she was my chocolate girl, as her fur was a silky brown

We tend to say “this is my dog” or “we have a dog” – yet isn’t it a tad far from the truth? For we do not own the dog, it is rather the canine that owns us, conquering our hearts from the moment he first sets paws in our homes. There was never a fairer, nor a more loving ruler of a kingdom.

There was never a fairer, nor a more loving ruler of a kingdom

So, you see, it was to be expected that such a book will come to life.

A collection of poems and Haiku written for dog lovers, by a dog lover and titled As Good as Gold

Book Links:
Amazon UK
Amazon US
Goodreads

Author LINKS:
Author Website: http://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Patricia-Furstenberg/e/B018QGC570/
AmazonUS: https://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Furstenberg/e/B018QGC570
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Patricia_Furstenberg
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatFurstenberg
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaFurstenbergAuthor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciafurstenberg
Pinterest www.pinterest.com/patfurstenberg

or:

Author Website
Pat’s books on Amazon UK and Amazon US
Pat on Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest.

Patricia Furstenberg, best selling author

About Patricia

Patricia Furstenberg came to writing through reading. She always carries a notebook and a pen, although at times she jots down her ideas on the back of till slips or types them on her phone.

Patricia enjoys writing for children because she can take abstract, grown-up concepts and package them in humorous, child-friendly ideas while adding sensitivity and lots of love. What fuels her is an exhilarating need to write and… coffee: “How many cups have had this morning?” “None.” “Plus?” “Five cups.”

She is a Huffington Post contributor and pens the Sunday Column for MyPuppyclub.net as well as dabbing in freelancing. After completing her Medical Degree in Romania, she moved to South Africa where she now lives with her husband, children and their dogs.

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

The Tenacity of Lesley Field and her Writing Journey

Discovering an author’s writing journey always intrigues me. I met inspirational Lesley Field at the Romance Novelists Association Tea. Lesley gave me the courage to pursue another adventure for my own characters. It is an honour to present Lesley’s story.

Every journey starts somewhere and mine started with a cup of tea, a magazine and a short story I’d just read. I thought, I could do that.

I had the pleasure of meeting Lesley Field at the RNA Tea.

A short while later I came up with a story-line, sat down at the laptop and started to write. It was supposed to be a short story but it soon became more. In May I was in our local Smith’s and there was a lady doing a book signing. I hovered, as one does, and eventually plucked up the courage to approach. She asked if I wrote so I told her about the book I had finished and submitted to Mills and Boon. I asked if this was her first book, she kindly told me no, it was her 18^th. That was my foot in mouth moment. It turned out the lady was Val Wood, Hull’s answer to Catherine Cookson. She gave me a lot of lovely tips and said to let her know how matters progressed. A rejection came from Mills and Boon, I had no idea of what publishers required back then. I e-mailed Val Wood to let her know. She told me not to give up and to keep submitting.

Val Wood gave me a lot of lovely tips and said to let her know how matters progressed.

About 6 weeks later I received an e-mail from Val inviting me to attend the next meeting of her Romantic Novelists Association Chapter, The Flying Ducks. I learned about the New Writers Scheme (NWS) and managed to get on this in January 2013. By this time I had written a further contemporary novel, so submitted this for critique. When the critique arrived I thought, well this is it. If they say its rubbish I know I can’t write. But they didn’t. I had a very good critique, and the reader commented I had the tenacity to succeed.

So, I could write contemporary, but could I write historical? I sat down and had a go. I submitted that book to MuseItUp publishing and in 2014 received a contract from them. That novel, “Dangerous Entrapment,” was shortlisted for Historical Novel of the year 2016 by the RNA.

Saunders-Lies and Deception is set in Banff in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

You may wonder what happened to the first novel I wrote in 2012. Well, in 2013, while on a coach tour in America, the plotline for a sequel to that book came to me. In fact it wouldn’t leave me alone. So I wrote that. Then a third plot line came along. I now had three books in a series, which is my Saunders series. The first book, “Saunders Lies and Deception,” was published in May 2018.

With 4 books published and 4 more contracted, my journey continues…

Biography

Lesley Field is an award nominated author of Romantic Novels and should not be confused with any other writer of the same name.
Lesley lives in North Yorkshire, often described as “God’s own county.” Before retiring she spent her working life pursuing personal injury claims. Now at a time when she should be thinking of early nights and cocoa, she finds herself writing somewhat “hot” novels. Her first published novel “Dangerous Entrapment” was her first historical novel. She also writes contemporary novels which are usually based in Canada, which she calls her “heart home.” Having achieved publication so soon after starting to write she hopes that, “Dangerous Entrapment,”(1st book in the Duchess in Danger series) is just the beginning.

About Lies and Deception

This is the background for “Saunders-Lies and Deception” and the adventure that inspired the writing journey

Set in Banff in the heart of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. A magical place in the winter and a hub for tourists in the summer. Come and meet the Saunders family. With prestige and money you would think they had everything, but a dark secret lies hidden, a secret that is about to be uncovered, and the lies and deception will change the family forever. Follow Sarah and Jeff’s journey in Book 1. Sarah had everything, a handsome loving husband, a young son, then suddenly it was all snatched away. Defeated by outside forces, she made a new life for herself. But never forgot the life she once had. Risking everything if she was discovered, she returned to Canada, and crept back into Banff like a thief in the night. The last person Jeff thought to see was Sarah, but walking down the aisle at his son’s wedding, he saw the one person he had never expected to see again. When his eyes met hers shock quickly turned to anger. Tracking her down was easy, then he had one question. Why? The answer was not what he expected, nor one that he could believe. Or could he? He was everything she once wanted, and he gave her everything she needed. Except one thing, trust. Could she believe what he said now? Could she risk being hurt again? Can the lies and deception be overcome? Book 1 in the Saunders Series, “Saunders-Lies and Deception.”

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

Stumbling Across History with Imogen Matthews

In November, I received some mail from Nunspeet, Holland. Imogen Matthews posted an article to Books in my Handbag Blog, during her annual holiday. On opening the email, I was delighted to read about how she stumbled upon history and the real hidden village.

Imogen Matthews is the author of The Hidden Village, an intriguing historical fiction, and it is a pleasure to hand over my blog to her, today.

The real hidden village and why I wrote a novel about it

The Pas-Opweg: Inspiration for the front cover of The Hidden Village

The woods are perfectly quiet at this time of year and the only sound is our bikes crunching over fallen beech nuts. We’re on the long straight avenue of tall beech trees arching upwards to meet in the middle. Their leaves still cling on, burnished gold by the sun’s setting rays. It’s a scene I never tire of. At the crossroads, we stop briefly to take photos, as we always do, and carry on towards the hidden village. We know it well after discovering it only a few years ago.

Signpost to Het Verscholen Dorp -the real hidden village

I always look forward to our annual holidays in Nunspeet, where we stay in gezellig holiday houses tucked away in the woods. We know all the cycle routes that track across the heath, past improbable sand dunes and along narrow paths leading deep into the woods.

At least, we thought we did until one day back in 2011, we cycled past a large boulder with something written on it. I stopped to discover it was a memorial stone to the local community who had sacrificed so much to help people persecuted by the Germans in World War 2. I was astonished to learn this piece of history. In 21 years of cycling holidays, no one had ever mentioned this place, nor had I ever read anything about it.

Across the path was a sign to Het Verscholen Dorp, Dutch for hidden village. It wasn’t easy to see what was there, which was probably the point. We followed a rough path through the trees and ahead of us was a hut of some sort, only partly visible. The roof was covered with moss, vegetation and branches to look like the ground beside it. It was a reconstruction of an underground hut that had stood on this spot.

These huts were as dark and secluded as the one shown here, designed to be invisible to the naked eye. Whole families lived inside these cramped spaces and many were so relieved to have somewhere safe to live that they were prepared to put up with less than perfect conditions.

After discovering Het Verscholen Dorp, I was enthused to find out more, but there was very little written material or information on the internet. This made me even more intrigued: so few people today know about what happened on this spot that I wanted to write my own story visualising the events and their effect on these brave people. I knew I didn’t want to write a historical account, but a narrative based on imagined characters who flee to safety inside the village and others who put their own lives at risk to help them. The reality was that there was a huge community who devised the plans to build the village, clandestinely helping to bring people there and provide them with everything they needed, including food, clothing, medicines books and news from the outside. It was remarkable that this village stayed hidden for so long from the Germans patrolling these woods. They suspected something was going on but were unable to uncover the village however hard they tried.

Every year we go back and I walk around the “village” which today consists of three underground huts. There would have been more back in 1943-1944, housing nearly 100 Jewish men, women and children, fallen English and American pilots, Dutch men who resisted going to Germany to work for the Germans and other nationalities looking to escape the Nazis. People were in hiding all over the Veluwe woods, in farmhouse attics, cellars, outbuildings and other purpose-built dwellings, but this was the only organised village.

Today, the woods are a haven for people looking to escape busy lives in towns and cities. The Veluwe is a popular holiday destination, but deep in the woods it’s always tranquil. I imagine how quiet it must have been 74 years ago, although for many the peace was tempered by an undercurrent of threat and fear.

In my story, Tante Else and her helpers do all they can to keep up people’s spirits by visiting every Sunday with coffee, cakes and news.

Tante Else put down her basket and took out a packet of coffee and a cake wrapped in a tea towel. The smell of cinnamon filled the room. She must have baked it that morning. Everyone crowded round to see and soon the hut filled with chatter and laughter.

‘It’s real coffee,’ cried Corrie, taking a deep sniff as she spooned it out into the pan. Tante Else smiled, but wouldn’t let on where she’d obtained such a rare commodity. None had tasted real coffee for months. Everyone had grown sick of the ersatz stuff made from roasted chicory that didn’t taste at all like coffee, just burnt. The smell of coffee filled the air and its effect was as intoxicating as alcohol.

Soon their conversation becomes subdued as Liesbeth, Oscar and tante Else bring them the news from outside. Sofie, just 16 years old, has recently moved to the village and is having difficulty settling in and following all the rules.

‘They’re forcing Jews to wear a big yellow star when they go out. Everyone and anyone can be stopped and searched and if they don’t have ID on them, they’ll be arrested. Every day we’re hearing about people disappearing,’ said Liesbeth.

‘My uncle was arrested in Amsterdam last month. He only just avoided being sent to Vught. Father’s been so angry about this. It’s why he wants this village to be a success,’ said Oscar quietly.

‘This is why it’s best you’re here for the time being. I hope you understand now why we have these rules, which might seem petty, but are for everyone’s safety,’ said tante Else, whose gaze landed on Sofie.

It was too much to bear. Sofie looked away…

Contact Imogen at:

https://twitter.com/ImogenMatthews3

https://m.facebook.com/TheHiddenVillagenovel/?locale2=en_GB

Visit my Author Chat Room to meet Imogen Matthews. Please see my review of The Hidden Village at My Reading.

Please see my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

A Feast of Christmas Stories

‘A unique collection of stories that warm the heart but avoids sentimentality. Wit and humour sparkles in the stories.’ Lady Bracknell.

As the festive season approaches, I have been looking for books that capture the Christmas spirit. My concentration levels have suffered recently so I have found short stories to be the perfect escape. It is wonderful to read a complete story each night. Having discovered ‘A Feast of Christmas Stories’, I asked Patricia Feinberg Stoner, contributing author and editor of the anthology, to capture the essence of the magical collection.

With the nights getting darker and longer, and Christmas approaching fast, it’s time to seek out books to curl up with by the fire. ‘A Feast of Christmas Stories’ is an anthology of seasonal tales with a Sussex flavour, produced by the authors’ network Chindi.

In this book of sixteen short stories you will find something to please every taste, with contributions from best-selling authors such as Beryl Kingston, Carol Thomas and Angela Petch, as well as less well-known but no less accomplished writers.

If ghosts are your thing, sample ‘Moon Shadows’ by Bruce Macfarlane, ‘Stranger on the Shore’ by Angela Petch, and ‘Tiny Tim and the Glittery Reindeer’ by Christopher Joyce. If you prefer dragons, take a look at Christmas through the eyes of the Knucker, a local beast who’s a lot less fierce than his reputation suggests.

Alan Readman’s ‘Side by Side’ and Phil Clinker’s ‘Christmas Repeats’ are set in very different eras and locations, but both will have you reaching for the tissues.

Two sisters feature in two very different tales. The many fans of Beryl Kingston’s novels will love ‘The First Christmas of the War’, a poignant tale of sibling rivalry, while ‘Pudding’ by Lexi Rees is a truly feel-good story with a succulent Sussex Pond Pudding at its heart.

What would Christmas be without presents? Maralyn Green and Susanne Haywood have very different takes on the subject. Susanne’s heart-warming ‘The Gift’ reminds us that Santa so often goes unappreciated, but ‘The Christmas Present’ by Maralyn Green – easily the sauciest story in the book – suggests an indulgence every lady of a certain age might hope to find in her stocking.

For a taste of crime at Christmas, look no further than Peter Bartram’s ‘The Mystery of the Phantom Santa’. Peter is the author of the much-loved ‘Crampton of the Chronicle’ series of cosy mysteries, featuring Colin Crampton, intrepid crime reporter. In the final story of the book, Colin is desperate to find a news story on Christmas Eve which doesn’t involve elves and mistletoe and Santas. With strange goings-on in the alleyway, Colin’s reporter’s nose soon detects that the stranger in the fur-trimmed, scarlet-hooded cloak is no merry bringer of gifts for children. Suffice it to say, Crampton gets his story.

Please see all my Guests’ Posts and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A Wedding on the Riviera – Evonne Wareham

A return to the Riviera on the trail of a runaway groom …

Evonne Wareham is an established member of my local writing group, and I am honoured she wanted to visit my blog to celebrate her latest release, A Wedding on the Riviera. As the idyllic cover suggests, the novel has its share of love and romance but beware that Evonne has quite a reputation for killing off her characters too. Besides celebrating her new release, Evonne agreed to offer some writing tips.

Thank you to Jessie for inviting me here to talk about some of the nuts and bolts of writing and celebrate the publication of my fifth book, A Wedding on the Riviera. It’s a romantic suspense set, as you might have guessed, on the French Riviera.

Evonne is an award winning Welsh author of romantic suspense – more crime and dead bodies than your average romance.

I was a long while learning my craft before I made it to publication, and I heard a lot of advice along the way. Writers are often told that a book should have a theme, and it is also well known that there are certain plot ideas, or tropes, that are especially popular with readers. In a crime novel about a detective investigating drug smuggling the theme might be developed with a sub plot of a family member battling addiction. The reader then sees both sides of the story. Tropes are particularly popular in romance writing, and there are quite a lot of them – the marriage of convenience, the secret baby, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, a fake relationship, trapped together somewhere inaccessible, wounded hero/nurse. I’m sure you can think of others. And then there are the fairy tales – Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast are the most popular. As I write romantic suspense, I’ve often wondered what I could do with Little Red Riding Hood.

Actually, I always claim that I don’t do themes or tropes. I usually start out that way, but they creep up on me anyway. Never Coming Home, my first book, somehow came to be about lost children – those that are missing, but also the dysfunctional backgrounds of my hero and heroine. What Happens at Christmas had the classic festive trope of hero and heroine trapped together by a snowstorm. I arranged a freak weather event in the Brecon Beacons for that.

This is the kind of viewed that inspired Evonne to write about the Riviera.

Wedding on the Riviera is in essence a friends to lovers book – Ryan is a professional escort and Nadine his best client. Getting past the barrier of Ryan’s professionalism is only the first hurdle I erected for them. When they get involved with a group of friends in a plan to catch a con man, things take a darker turn, but also provide the opportunity to get closer. And thinking about it, there is also a fake relationship buried in there somewhere, but I mustn’t give any more away.

Themes and tropes are an excellent way for a writer to consciously add structure to a book, but you might find they are there, even if you didn’t plan it that way.

Evonne is an award winning Welsh author of romantic suspense – more crime and dead bodies than your average romance. She likes to set her book in her native Wales, or for a touch of glamorous escapism, in favourite holiday destinations in Europe. She is a Doctor of Philosophy and an historian, and a member of both the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Crime Writers’ Association.

Media
Twitter https://twitter.com/evonnewareham
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/evonnewarehamauthor/
Website www.evonnewareham.com
Blog www.evonneonwednesday.blogspot.com

Book Description

A return to the Riviera on the trail of a runaway groom …
When out-of-work actor Ryan Calder attends a wedding as the plus-one of successful businesswoman, Nadine Wells, he doesn’t expect to get in a scuffle with the groom.

But Ryan has a good reason. He recognises the groom from another wedding where the same man made a quick getaway, taking the wedding money and leaving a heartbroken bride in his wake. It seems he’s struck again, and Nadine’s poor friend is the target.

Ryan and Nadine decide they can’t let it happen to another woman, so with a group of friends they hatch a plan that will take them to the French Riviera, hot on the heels of the crooked groom. But could their scheme to bring him to justice also succeed in bringing them closer together?

Inside the Handbags of The Foyles Bookshop Girls

As the Great War takes hold is there room for what lies ahead in The Foyles Bookshop Girls’ handbags? The Foyles Bookshop Girls is a story about love and friendships, which are tested as war grips the country. The girls, in age order, are Alice, Victoria and Molly and have been friends for most of their lives. When they invited me to peek inside each of their bags I was surprised at what I discovered.

Alice doesn’t overfill her bag, leaving a space in the corner for hope; hope that the men she loves will return safe and sound from the Great War.

Alice’s hand bag, a colourful tapestry, contained a comb, Kirby hairgrips, a small black purse, keys, a sewing kit, a lace trimmed handkerchief, a small black velvet box containing pearl earrings, nail scissors, a gold pen, the latest book she was reading and receipts for books that she’s purchased. Alice doesn’t overfill her bag, leaving a space in the corner for hope; hope that the men she loves will return safe and sound from the Great War.

Victoria’s bag is bursting at the seams with the responsibility of holding everything inside.

Victoria’s handbag is plain black and used to belong to her mother. The contents of her bag were a comb, keys, sewing kit, a plaster, a worn white cotton handkerchief with her initials embroidered in the corner, a well-thumbed second hand paperback book, some yellowed tickets, a dried flower pressed between two pieces of off white paper in an envelope with a photograph of a young man, a small torch, a shopping list with money off coupons, old receipts and a photograph of her parents. Victoria’s bag is bursting at the seams with the responsibility of holding everything inside. It has been crammed with everyday items and treasured belongings leaving no room for hope, faith or love.

Molly’s handbag contains things to make her feel better, to improve her, to try to rid her of the guilt that is hidden amongst the finery it holds.

Molly’s handbag is peacock blue with glass beads hanging down from it. Her bag contains silver bangles, a compact, a small pot of rouge, a white cotton handkerchief, a small glass bottle filled with perfume, loose hairclips and bands, a black coin purse, which has her notes screwed up and forced inside. A half eaten chocolate bar, a nail file, comb and a pad and pen. Molly’s handbag contains things to make her feel better, to improve her, to try to rid her of the guilt that is hidden amongst the finery it holds.

Elaine’s guest post demonstrates she knows her characters inside out. The characters’ handbags reveal so much about these characters and make me want to delve into their worlds. I can’t resist walking into a bookshop. The Foyles Bookshop Girls is ‘a delightful story of friendship, love and hope during the dark days of WW1. Elaine Roberts is a bright new star in the world of sagas’
About Elaine

Elaine Roberts had a dream to write for a living. She completed her first novel in her twenties and received her first very nice rejection. Life then got in the way until circumstances made her re-evaluate her life, and she picked up her dream again in 2010. She joined a creative writing class, The Write Place, in 2012 and shortly afterwards had her first short story published. She was thrilled when many more followed and started to believe in herself.

As a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, progressing to full membership from the New Writers Scheme, and The Society of Women Writers & Journalists, Elaine attends many conferences, workshops, seminars and wonderful parties. Meeting other writers gives her encouragement, finding most face similar problems.

Elaine and her patient husband, Dave, have five children who have flown the nest. Home is in Dartford, Kent and is always busy with their children, grandchildren, grand dogs and cats visiting. Without her wonderful family and supportive friends, she knows the dream would never have been realised.

Blurb

London, 1914: one ordinary day, three girls arrive for work at London’s renowned Foyles bookshop. But when war with Germany is declared their lives will never be the same again…

Alice has always been the ‘sensible’ one in her family – especially in comparison with her suffrage-supporting sister! But decidedly against her father’s wishes, she accepts a job at Foyles Bookshop; and for bookworm Alice it’s a dream come true.

But with the country at war, Alice’s happy world is shattered in an instant. Determined to do what she can, Alice works in the bookshop by day, and risks her own life driving an ambulance around bomb-ravaged London by night. But however busy she keeps herself, she can’t help but think of the constant danger those she loves are facing on the frontline…

Alice, Victoria and Molly couldn’t be more different and yet they share a friendship that stems back to their childhood – a friendship that provides everyday solace from the tribulations and heartbreak of war.

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

A Wing and a Prayer : M. W. Arnold

M. W. Arnold is celebrating the release of his saga novel – A Wing and a Prayer. When I discovered the novel is about women pilots, I had to find out more. I invited Mick Arnold to tell me why he decided to write A Wing and a Prayer.

‘How many people do you know who say, often as a throwaway, I could write a book! Then go on to say, if only I had the time.

‘A Wing and a Prayer’ isn’t one of those books. However, it also wasn’t planned. A couple of years ago, I wrote and had my first book published, ‘The Season for Love’, a contemporary Women’s Fiction story. I followed this up with a bout of ill health which lasted the best part of two years. Good author friends suggested it would help to write something new, instead of taking up an unfinished project. The theory was, by going for a new, unrelated project, I could take myself somewhere I hadn’t been before. It worked.

‘Strong female characters and the true British stiff upper lip to keep calm and carry on in order to find out what happened! This book was more than a wonderful story, it was also a history lesson and I just loved it!’ Amazon Reviewer

Write what you know; is also said. I love history and the same day this was suggested to me, I caught a program on television about the women (men did the same job) pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary who ferried aircraft to the operational squadrons. Now, that sounds interesting, I thought. So, I spent the whole of the rest of the day scrolling through the internet for anything along the same lines.

I’m usually a pantser but on this occasion, I found myself planning out a saga novel. I’d only ever read a couple but with help and suggestions, again from the same friends, I knew what it needed to read like. Quicker than I’ve ever done, this novel came together and the The Air Transport Auxiliary Mystery Club was born! I didn’t set out to write a mystery into the story of how four girls from different parts of the world find a way of living and working together, yet the first scene in the story sets the scene with one of the girls sisters being found dead in the cockpit of a Tiger Moth biplane!

I served for over sixteen years in the Royal Air Force, travelling all over the world and, of course, the United Kingdom. Some of the bases I served on were once visited by these brave people I’ve written about and I feel honoured to play a small part in keeping their story alive and in, perhaps, bringing it to a new audience. Their bravery needs to be heard about and with this story, the first in the ‘Broken Wings’ series, I hope to be able to perform this task I’ve set myself.’

M W Arnold lives near Northampton, UK and is known to his family and friends as, Mick. He was in the Royal Air Force for 16 years, visiting many different countries and very much enjoying himself. If he ever meets the Queen, he will have to thank her. He began writing as these characters needed their own voices. For a few years now, he’s been a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, a wonderful group of writers who’ve welcomed this bloke into their fold with open arms.

Please see all my Guests’ Posts and also my website and blog at JessieCahalin.com.

A copy of my novel is available here.

Jill Barry’s Writing Adventure

She is a talented, multi-genre author who has helped many aspiring writers to realise their dreams.

Recently, I listened to Jill Barry, a local Welsh author, chat with Roy Noble on BBC Radio Wales. Captivated by Jill’s life story, I could not resist inviting this bestselling author to my blog for a chat. She is a talented, multi-genre author who has helped many aspiring writers to realise their dreams. As a former Butlin’s Red Coat, hotel receptionist and air hostess, Jill has collected characters and stories. She writes pocket novels for D C Thomson so you have probably seen her name on the newsstands. The House Sitter, published by Headline Accent, is Jill’s first novel in a different genre.

Jessie: Jill, you have topped many kindle charts with your romance and historical romance novels, but The House Sitter is very different. Is there any romance in your latest novel?

Jill: The House Sitter is a psychological suspense but does have a frisson of romance. I had lots of fun plotting the twists and turns. The central character is quite nasty, and she surprised and intrigued me.

Jessie: Tell me why I should keep your novel in my handbag.

Jill: I am not sure you will be able to keep The House Sitter in your handbag for very long, Jessie. You will be keen to reach the end.

Jessie: Choosing novels is one of the greatest pleasures in life. I always feel as if I am waiting to drop myself into another world. I admit I do feel a little scared of The House Sitter as the title is so evocative. Read the blurb of The House Sitter and give me a glimpse of the novel.

Jill: The year is turning, and in The Sugar House, deep in rural mid-Wales, change is also afoot. When retired couple, Eddie and Suzanne Deacon plan a return to England, they’ve either forgotten an important promise made to a longstanding friend or had no intention of keeping it.

This photograph was taken in the remote mid-Wales village where Jill used to live. The building in the background is the old church and in my mind forms part of the view from the house where Eddie and Suzanne Deacon live and which they have put on the market.

Jessie: Wow! The House Sitter is steeped in mystery. You have me hooked. Can I trouble you for an extract, please?

Jill: Of course, Jessie. I am always delighted to introduce my books to new readers with large handbags.

“Do you mean now?” Ruth eyed the slice of mountain range visible through her window, its distant peaks veiled in misty cobwebs.

“The sooner the better, to be honest. We have some important news, though I’m afraid it’ll come as a shock.”

Jessie: Oh, my goodness, I am on the edge of my seat now. What have your readers said about The House Sitter?

Jill: My pleasure! I have been very pleased with the reviews.

‘Spine-chilling with an undercurrent of mystery and deceit.’

‘An impeccably plotted tense tale, The House Sitter explores what lengths people go to in desperation. Deceitful and dark, it’s a great novel to curl up with on these toe-nipping winter evenings. Just be sure to lock your door…’

‘What Barry does best is to allow the reader to laugh at the ridiculous in her characters as well as to make them care, even perhaps slightly for the unbalanced Ruth, who appears lonely and vulnerable beneath her confident façade.’

Dylan the black cat belongs to Ruth Morgan, the house sitter.

Jessie: How did you feel when you had finished writing your book, and did you miss any of the characters?

Jill: I was sorry to leave Ray and Bethan’s story unfinished as I found their unspoken attraction for one another intriguing. My book group read the novel and all wanted to learn the result of that pent-up longing! So, a sequel could be on the cards…

Jessie: Did any of your characters misbehave when you were writing the book?

Jill: The plot revolves around house-sitter Ruth’s horrendous behaviour and sometimes I felt surprised when up popped another malicious prank.

Jessie: Who would you like to read your book and why? Jill: I’m a great admirer of author Harriet Meg Evans and have been in touch with her via social media. Harriet very kindly asked when my novel was due out and it would be amazing if she decided to read The House Sitter.

Of course, I do expect to tempt my usual readers with something a little different. I am going to be bold and say most readers love to indulge in mystery and suspense.

Jessie: You have every right to be bold, and you have certainly tempted me to purchase a copy of this book. I am so impressed with the way you have explored a new genre.

Jill: It is wonderful of you to say so, Jessie. Maybe The House Sitter could inspire authors who long to write outside their usual genre into challenging themselves by writing something different.

Jessie: Writing stories seems to be in your heart and soul. I imagine your notebook is a trusty companion. Please, do tell me the last sentence in your notebook.

Jill: Tabitha disguises herself as a boy, deeming it safer than remaining in female guise.

Jessie: You certainly have an eye for a great story. Once again, I am hooked. I don’t know where you get all your ideas from. You must be constantly writing. What is the greatest challenge for you as an author?

Jill: For me, it’s concentration. Yes, even though I enjoy writing! There are so many distractions and social media, whilst valuable, is a hard taskmaster. I know many other authors feel the same.

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

Jill: The best advice I’ve ever received as a writer came from my former tutor, Menna Elfyn. Her wise words were: ‘No piece of writing is ever wasted’.

Jessie: This really helps me as a fledgling author. I will save those deleted scenes use for a rainy writing day. Perfect! Before you go please tell us one secret about yourself that may surprise us.

Jill: Long before I thought of writing outside the romance genre, I volunteered as a role player for trainee police officers. So, I’ve experienced being handcuffed, have been locked in a cell, also sampled a cup of police canteen tea!

About Jill Barry:

Jobs like hotel receptionist and cabin crew provide magic moments and help inspire my writing. Since settling back in Wales, I’ve joined writers’ groups, gained my MA degree, also tutored and mentored. I hope to continue entertaining my readers and to walk, read and bake, plus keep up with my wonderful friends.

Contact Details

Facebook:       https://www.facebook.com/JillBarryBooks/
Twitter:        @barry_jill
Website:        www.jillbarry.com
Link to The House Sitter

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

A copy of my novel is available here.

Jo Lambert on Creating a Sense of Place

I love to celebrate authors who have connected with me over the years. Jo Lambert lives east of Bath, and she has written an impressive seven books. Books are a destination for readers, and Jo creates a powerful sense of place in her romantic suspense novels. I invited Jo to tell me about the inspiration for the sense of place in her writing.

A SENSE OF PLACE – Pure imagination, reality or a little of both – what’s best for you?

As an author it’s not only about developing the plot and creating the characters, it’s also getting the setting right. Whether you are writing a psychological thriller or contemporary romance set in the city or the suburbs – or maybe like me, using a rural/small town community – creating the perfect backdrop can occasionally throw up some problems. That is why personally I’ve always found it easier to base my fictional locations on actual places.

My first novel When Tomorrow Comes was set in rural West Somerset. For this I used my own experiences of village life. Of course it’s not just using familiar places, it can also include buildings such as houses, pubs and hotels. They can all be used to help the writing process. In Summer Moved On and Watercolours in the Rain, set in South Devon village of Lynbrook, The Bull Inn is actually based on a local village pub I still visit. Similarly Lynbrook Hall is a real place about five miles away from the pub. It was for sale while I was writing and the on line estate agent’s photographs were a bonus in helping create my fictitious manor house.

Set in Cornwall Shadows on the Water is a story of family ties, lost love and tangled loyalties

My current novels are set in Cornwall. For A Cornish Affair, I used a hotel I’d seen while staying in Richmond. It was totally right for the one central to the book which sat on a cliff overlooking a small coastal fishing village. And for my latest novel, Shadows on the Water, I’ve taken parts of Fowey and Dartmouth and blended them into the estuary town of Kingswater.

Another useful aid is Google Map. In one of my novels my character was in Verona, a place I had visited several years before. During her stay she had gone on walkabout in the city. Apart from The Arena and Juliet’s Balcony I had a very hazy memory of our day trip there. Luckily Google Map came to the rescue. It enabled me to ‘walk’ in her footsteps and describe the things she was seeing, giving the whole scene a far more authentic feel.

In the end, of course, it depends very much on individual preference. Some writers are happy to use their imagination while others set their stories in real places. And then there are those like me who ‘borrow’, taking reality and remoulding it to suit the story they are writing. It’s all about what works best for you really.

I also enjoy the freedom to create a new village based on places I have encountered in my travels. The place wraps itself around my characters and listens to their hopes, dreams and sadness. Jo Lambert has recently released Shadows on the Water. Set in Cornwall Shadows on the Water is a story of family ties, lost love and tangled loyalties. I look forward to visiting Jo’s destination.

Jo Lambert is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and the Society of Authors. She has been writing since 2008

More about Shadows on the Water

After the tragic death of her fiancé, Ava Warren is slowly rebuilding her life. She has a supportive family, great friends and a job she loves, managing holiday letting company Estuary Escapes in her home town of Kingswater. Another relationship is the last thing she wants or needs. Until one evening she meets Alex Penhaligon.

Alex’s father Sam owns Heron’s Gate Vineyard and Alex has recently returned from California, where he has been working for the past five years. A case of mistaken identity gets them off to a bad start. But discovering his error, Alex is anxious to make amends and soon persuades Ava that he’s not quite as arrogant as she thinks he is. As their friendship begins to turn into something much deeper, Ava wonders whether she can at last put the past behind her and make a new future with Alex.

But someone is watching. A man who not only thinks Ava should be his but also holds a long term grudge against Alex. And he’s determined to get his own way irrespective of the lengths he has to go to or who gets hurt in the process.

Social Media Links –
Website: http://jolambertbooks.com
Blog: http://jolambertwriter.blog
Twitter: @jolambertwriter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jolambert185
Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/jo-lambert-6 4644530
Instagram: jolambertwriter185

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

A copy of my novel is available here.

Travelling back to my childhood with word magician, Patricia Furstenberg

Patricia Furstenberg is a bestselling children’s author and her work is an absolute joy. My interactions with her over the last couple of months have been an inspiration. I was honoured when she asked if I would reveal the covers of her new trio of books. As an avid reader, I believe that the children’s authors are word magicians and dream weavers. Once upon a time, children’s stories commenced my lifelong reading journey thus they have a special place in my heart. Children’s writers inspire the future readers and writers.

I know that Patricia will inspire children aged three to seven years with her trio of stories: ‘The Lion and the Dog’, ‘The Elephant and the Sheep’, ‘The Cheetah and the Dog’. These stories are simple tales of friendship inspired by true stories from the animal kingdom. Without minding their differences diverse animals become friends, helping and supporting each other. They share food and shelter, they give each other moral support and, of course, they have lots of fun together! It is my pleasure to reveal the covers of these stories here today. Instantly, the covers present you the promise of a magical world of animals. Patricia’s stories are popular because they entertain and educate: they can be used as a starting point for discussion with children. I am sure that adults will enjoy the stories as much as the children.

One is never too old to read a children’s story! I had great fun reading ‘Joyful Trouble’, and realized the depth of what Patricia achieved with her books. I am astounded at how much Patricia writes and wondered what motivates her. Having interviewed and interacted with this prolific writer of children’s fiction, I invited Patricia to tell me more about her writing. I wanted to know how she works her magic to get children reading and how she educates through her stories.

Patricia Furstenberg on the magic of animals in children’s stories #Guestpost

Children’s love of stories comes from an innate desire to discover the truth, supported by their confidence that they will succeed in this endeavour because they feel protected in the safety of their lives. I like to think of children’s books as a magic trick. You have the instant surprise and joy, yet in the long run, besides the lingering amazement and awe, there are countless benefits. Reading improves a child’s vocabulary, thus his self-esteem. Reading is linked to EQ (Emotional Intelligence); a high EQ can positively assist a child in a bullying situation. Reading improves child-parent bonding as well as a scholar’s concentration and his academic excellence.

Writing for children is an attractive challenge which I enjoy tremendously. Take a real life situation, add lots of imagination, dress it with metaphors, throw in at least one animal character and sprinkle with humour. Let it rise. Bake it with love and serve it with bright illustrations. It will keep kids entertained for years. And ideas for new kids’ stories are everywhere; tucked away in my memories, like Puppy, my latest book release, or hidden gems in the nature surrounding us like my first book, Happy Friends. The more I write, the more ideas I discover.

Animals are very important in children’s lives. From an emotional level, as they teach youngsters empathy and responsibility, to a more cognitive one. So many life lessons can be taught if we sugar-coat them in a puppy or bunny shape. The same goes for Young Adult books. Think of Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, a sheer lesson about the will to live and how our perception of reality changes when beasts are involved, whether they are imaginary or not. Animals always do unexpected and extraordinary things in order to survive and often they become a symbol of our most profound fears and battles; yet animals never judge. My second book, Joyful Trouble, tells the story of a Great Dane enlisted in the Royal Navy during WWII. This dog wins the hearts of all soldiers and residents of Simon’s Town, South Africa, through his sheer loyalty and love. I like to think that Joyful Trouble reached Bestseller status on Amazon UK and US in its category through his likeable personality and uplifting presence.

Sometimes beasts have their own path to follow, as well as dance with Belle. Other times animals succeed in bringing humanity into a story where people act mercilessly. Dumb Witness, Agatha Christie’s thriller, presents a most softened Hercule Poirot solely through his interactions with Bob, the fox terrier that holds the definitive clue. Perhaps reading this crime novel by Dame Christie was one of the turning points in my life. But it wasn’t until much later that I decided to put pen on paper and write children’s books focused on animals. Animals make for such versatile characters. George Orwell’s Animal Farm, where “some animals are more equal than others,” although it is a satire on the Soviet Union under the Communist Party rule is still relevant to the present political scene of many countries around the world.

At times, an animal pops up in a story because of cultural perceptions, such as in Jerome K Jerome’s witty Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog). Other times the animal itself brings the fiction to life, if you think of Dion Leonard’s wonderful Finding Gobi or of my next trio of children’s stories The Lion and the Dog, The Elephant and the Sheep, The Cheetah and the Dog. Some stories ask to be written, others just wait to be discovered, you must just pay attention. And where there is an animal with a history to tell, there are usually more waiting in line. For most beasts live in packs, helping each other. A little bit like the Twitter community J where we follow and support one another, taking strength from numbers.

Take a look at one of Patricia’s articles about encouraging boys to read.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/patricia-furstenberg/how-to-get-boys-to-read-in-5-easy-steps_a_22491122/

http://Author.to/PatFurstenberg

Author Website: http://alluringcreations.co.za/wp/

Huffington Post SA http://www.huffingtonpost.co.za/author/patricia-furstenberg/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatFurstenberg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatriciaFurstenbergAuthor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/patriciafurstenberg

Please see my review of Joyful Trouble, the interview with Patricia Furstenberg and my blog at jessiecahalin.com.

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: