‘The tide of Christmas visitors washed me down the High Street.’
Eva Glyn is celebrating the release of the paperback edition of The Missing Pieces of Us on my blog today. The Missing Pieces of Us is one of those novels that will gain a special place in your heart. I have invited Eval Glyn to introduce her novel and present an extract.
The Missing Pieces of Us tells the story of Robin and Izzie, who meet twenty years after their brief affair, only to discover their memories of it are completely different. Here we meet Robin for the first time, a homeless man and a far cry from the young graduate Izzie would remember:
The tide of Christmas visitors washed me down the High Street. The Salvation Army band was gathered near the Buttercross, the trumpet player’s scales rising into the air and mingling with the scent of roasting chestnuts. Further on, the traffic lights glowed into the leaden morning – red, yellow, green. The colours were coming back.
The paperback of this book is released on 14th October.
Opposite the bus station tourists streamed from a coach. I pressed myself against the railings of the park but in truth I need not have bothered. I seemed to have perfected the art of creating an empty space of at least a yard around me. Despite being invisible. One day I’d laugh about it – I hoped.
The Itchen was in full spate. A drake huddled on a flat rock, hunkering down to avoid the wind but finding himself splashed by the freezing waters instead. The gardens rising up on the other side of the river were stripped for winter, naked branches shivering. A single holly bush stood out, glossy green, a miserly few berries left by the birds. Red and green… Colours again. They pierced the fog in my mind, even as my body battled the cold.
I knew when the colours had started. I was on the steps of the Buttercross, nursing the empty paper cup. I turned it in my hand, royal blue with a firmament of Christmas stars. Izzie. A heart-stopping moment of joy, confusion, then shame. But all the same I couldn’t tear myself away. I waited for her there every morning, just in case. I could still taste the coffee – bitter, hot, and strong.
Although Welsh by birth, Eva Glyn now lives in Cornwall with her husband of twenty-six years. She loves to travel, and more often than not her books are inspired by a beautiful place and the secrets it could hide. The Missing Pieces of Us is her first book for One More Chapter, an imprint of Harper Collins. and is set in Hampshire. Her second, The Olive Grove, was inspired by a heart-breaking story she was told while on holiday in Croatia.
Eva Glyn on her travels.
Eva also writes as Jane Cable and can be found on Twitter @JaneCable and on Instagram as @evaglynauthor.
Reading this book is like delving into a large slice of Tiramisu: a pick me up dessert with a bitter sweet balance of perfection.
Embark on a series of adventures with Mavis and Dot but prepare yourself for a roller coaster of emotions. Humour and adorable, eccentric characters present a commentary on modern Britain. Reading Angela Petch’s ‘Mavis and Dot’ is like delving into a large slice of Tiramisu: the pick me up dessert with a bitter sweet balance of perfection.
Like a quintessential seaside town, Mavis and Dot have Britishness stamped through their charming identities. Though they are as different as builders’ tea and Lapsang Souchong, they are both women of a certain age from the same generation. The contrast between this couple of friends makes them so endearing you don’t want to leave them. Beneath the façade of flamboyant Mavis and straight-laced Dot, there are secrets and loneliness. Loneliness is a cruel companion who can be banished with the warmth of a cuppa and chat. Peel away the faded glory of Mavis and Dot to reveal their secrets and warm hearts. I guarantee this story will warm your heart.
‘Mavis and Dot’ celebrates the eccentricities of Britishness but appeals to everyone.
Wonderful humour is presented through the characters and the author’s powers of observation. I was drawn into the story with Mrs Gallsworthy whose ‘cameo necklace dangled like a climber hanging on for dear life over a precipice.’ We have all met these characters, yet only Petch could capture this personality so beautifully. Humour is contrasted with pathos to form a vivid impression of the characters’ lives. Mavis’s only photo of her lover is a framed photo of an image cut out of the funeral order of service, but she manages to search for some joy in the sadness. Her penchant for Italian men, fuelled by her liaison with her lover, takes Mavis on a challenging journey of discovery.
‘Women of a certain age from the same generation.’
Dot describes Mavis as ‘the salt of the earth’. Mavis’s kindness opens a new world for Dot. Though Dot has her own eccentricities such as sleeping on cushions with the windows open: an eccentricity that is both funny and sad. Dot’s reflections on love made me giggle when she compares falling in love to catching mumps. She explains, ‘… it’s fine catching mumps when you’re young but it’s tricky when you’re older. It hits you harder.’ Hilarious observations hit you throughout the narrative but digging deeper often creates a lump in your throat. For instance, the scene where Mavis models for a group of artists captures the combination of humour and poignancy perfectly.
The unlikely friends enjoy shopping in charity shops while seeking sanctuary in the various tea shops. It was comforting to settle in ‘the cosy fug’ of the cafés while they search for a ‘a large helping of happiness’ as they shelter from the storm of loneliness. Both ladies are from an era that ‘learned to keep their feelings buttoned up’. One hopes they will help each other to find out more about themselves. The house doesn’t have to be ‘too quiet’ if you open your door to others.
This clever, touching and powerful writing leaves you thinking. Life can’t be all fairground rides and candyfloss: visiting the seaside is different in the mature years, yet it is possible to make the most of it. Happiness can be sought in the company of others, but when alone we must comfortable with ourselves. Reading this book will provide the comfort of nostalgia, cake and a good old fashioned giggle with these characters. I loved this celebration of life painted with vivid brushstrokes of humour.
Angela Petch is a #1 bestselling author who also writes for People’s Friend. All proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to a cancer charity. ‘Mavis and Dot’ celebrates the eccentricities of Britishness but appeals to everyone.
Meet the author who is going in search of more adventures for Mavis and Dot.
I’m an award-winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem. In 2018, I was contracted by Bookouture with a two-book deal. The first, a slightly amended version of “Tuscan Roots”, will come out in June 2019. A brand new second Tuscan novel is scheduled for Spring 2020.
Every summer I move to Tuscany for six months where my husband and I own a renovated watermill which we let out to holidaymakers from across the globe. When not exploring our unspoiled corner of the Apennines, I disappear to my writing desk at the top of our converted stable.
In my Italian handbag or hiking rucksack I always make sure to store notebook and pen, for I never know when an idea for a story might strike and I don’t want it to drift away.
The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of our family live. When I’m not helping out with grandchildren, I catch up with writer friends and enjoy walking along the sea, often quite moody in the winter months but inspiring. I’ve lived abroad for most of my life, including several childhood years in Italy. After graduating with honours in Italian at the University of Kent at Canterbury, I worked for a short spell for The Times, before moving to new employment in Amsterdam. The job relocated to Sicily, where I met my half-Italian husband. We married near Urbino and then went to live for three magical years in Tanzania. Wherever I travel I store sights, sounds and memories for stories I feel compelled to record.
The extract I have chosen is when understudy actress Emily arrives at the theatre, all set for yet another quiet night in her dressing room, drinking tea and devouring the latest copy of Hello! But tonight, fate has other plans…
The Start of Something Wonderful will make you laugh, cry and inspire you to step out of your comfort zone – the perfect travelling companion to have in your handbag.
Happy reading, love & laughter,
Jane x
I chose this extract because it typifies the unpredictability of Emily’s new career path and the many unexpected scrapes she finds herself in.
Be careful what you wish for …
I am beginning to worry. There’s a dark side to my character emerging that I didn’t know was there.
Emily heads for the bright lights of London’s West End – but is it too late to reach for the stars?
Whilst I’m naturally over the moon and grateful for this understudy job, as the weeks go by, I’m becoming a teensy-weensy bit frustrated. I know the part now, and whilst I may not have starred in my own TV series or graced the cover of celebrity mags, dare I say it, I think I could play the role just as well. Does that sound conceited? Day after day, week after week, the waiting, the hoping …
Wishing someone to be struck down with laryngitis or a mild tummy bug is one thing, but willing someone’s foot to get trapped in a revolving set is something else entirely. Evil. I’m horrified that I’m capable of such a thought.
I breeze through the stage door, clutching the latest copy of Hello! and a bag of Jelly Babies.
‘Evening, Arthur. Dressing room ten, please.’
‘Reckon you’ll no’ be havin’ much time for readin’ the night, doll,’ he wheezes, glancing at my magazine as he hands me the key.
‘Mmm?’ I say, signing in, then checking my pigeonhole, mind elsewhere.
‘It’s no’ for me to say,’ he says, hoisting a shaggy eyebrow.
I slowly start to climb the spiral staircase, calling in at the greenroom on the way for a brew.
‘Company manager’s been looking for you,’ grunts one of the lighting guys from behind his Autocar magazine.
‘Right. Thanks,’ I say breezily, spilling milk everywhere, my stomach dropping ten floors. Surely not? I mean, I saw Sophie barely two hours ago. I watched her performance from the darkness of the stage-right wings and she was on fine form, giving her ‘I-love-you-but-we-must-part’ speech.
It’s never too late to follow your dreams…
It was at that point that I’d decided to make a break for it. Technically, I’m not supposed to leave the building until the curtain comes down, but I’ve religiously watched and mouthed every performance from the wings of Brighton’s Theatre Royal, to this, our final fortnight at The Dukes in Edinburgh. With just five minutes of the matinée left, what could possibly happen to her?
Mistake no. 1: leaving theatre early
Mistake no. 2: gorging on all-you-can-eat buffet
Mistake no. 3: succumbing to large glass of house red
Mistake no. 4: ordering garlic bread
Mistake no. 5: forgetting to switch on mobile phone
Mistake no. 6: arriving five minutes late for ‘the half’
‘… so, the silly cow’s been whisked off to A&E to have it x-rayed. You know what this means?’ says Simon, our company manager, running his hand nervously through his mop of unruly hair.
An eerie sensation ripples through my body. I feel a stab of guilt. My visualisation powers have taken on a telekinetic life of their own, like in some Stephen King horror film. I hadn’t intended anything serious to happen – just a minor ailment, something to lay her low for a week, a cold perhaps, allowing my agent sufficient time to arrange invitations and tickets for casting directors and producers.
I swallow hard and force my lips into a weak smile. There is an expectant silence. This is the stuff of Hollywood musicals: the leading actress is taken ill, and the understudy has to take over at short notice.
I can do it. I’ve been practising for months, says the heroine, with an assured toss of her pretty head. Bravo! More! A star is born! This is the moment I have waited for, longed for all these weeks, these seventy-two performances, so why do I now have this overwhelming desire to flee the theatre and catch the first National Express coach out of town? Well, apart from my all-consuming guilt, the auditorium will be packed to the rafters with legions of excited fans waiting to see Sophie Butterfield and her co-star, Rick Romano, give their highly acclaimed, headline-grabbing performances as star-crossed lovers, Constance and Enrique.
The fact that their on-stage passion has spilled over into reality has fuelled the public’s imagination. The House-Full sign is now a permanent fixture on the pavement, while armies of eager punters camp outside in all weathers, hoping for returns.
Exquisite pairing! The chemistry between Romano and Butterfield is electric. Beg, steal or borrow a ticket! ~ The Billingham Gazette
This romantic duo sets the stage alight. You’d be mad to miss it! ~ The Yorkshire Evening Post
So I may sit in my dressing room, stuffing my face with Hobnobs and tea whilst reading trashy magazines.
‘You up for it?’ Simon asks, knowing full well it doesn’t matter whether I’m ‘up for it’ or not. Why else have I been travelling up and down the country, getting paid £500 per week plus touring allowance? So I may sit in my dressing room, stuffing my face with Hobnobs and tea whilst reading trashy magazines, or to be allowed to finally finish reading Doctor Zhivago, which I started back in 2010?
Nah – if it’s all the same to you, Simon, I’d rather give it a miss.
About the book:
It’s never too late to follow your dreams… Forty-year-old air stewardess, Emily Forsyth, thought she had everything a woman could wish for: a glamorous, jet-set lifestyle, a designer wardrobe and a dishy pilot boyfriend. Until she realises he’s cheating on her… Catapulted into a mid-life crisis she wishes she’d had earlier, she decides to turn her life upside-down, quitting her job and instead beginning to chase her long-held dreams of becoming an actress!
Leaving the skies behind her, Emily heads for the bright lights of London’s West End – but is it too late to reach for the stars?
What the reviewers say:
‘A perfect antidote to all the bad things in the world.’ ~ Jen Med Book Reviews
‘An inspiring novel about female determination.’ ~ Chapter and Cake
‘Perfect for fans of Marian Keyes and Sophie Kinsella.’ ~ Culture for Kicks
About Jane:
Jane Lambert preparing for a show
Jane taught English in Vienna then travelled the world as cabin crew before making the life-changing (and slightly mad) decision to become an actress in her mid-thirties. She has appeared in Calendar Girls, Deathtrap and The Curious Incident of the Night-time in London’s West End. She is currently writing her second book and a six-part comedy drama for TV.
How did you feel when you finished the book?
My book was my therapist when I was going through a painful divorce. Through my writing I re-discovered my sense of humour and my self-esteem.
I felt something positive had been born of a sad situation. The book symbolised the new, strong, happy, independent me.
The extract is light-hearted and amusing. I immediately engaged with the narrative voice. The best of luck to Jane with this novel. I hope this will be The Start of Something Wonderful for her writing career.
Turning my back on the white Welsh hills, I shovelled snow from my never ending drive. Longing to escape the cold, I dreamed of a tropical destination. Once inside, drinking my tea, I would plan a holiday. The postman parked his van across the drive and handed me some mail. My eyes focused on a postcard from the South Pacific. It was as if someone was reminding me to book that holiday. Author, Joanne Nicholson had sent me a postcard from her cruise. Later that week, Joanne emailed her reflections on the cruise.
Dear Jessie,
I dreamed of a tropical destination
I’ve just arrived back from a cruise of the South Pacific, where I lazed around as we floated above a crystal clear azure sea. My favourite pastime was people watching, and whilst sneakily gazing at the crowds I made these key observations:
People love books. There was barely a sun lounge that wasn’t taken by someone engrossed in a book. It’s so great to see fellow bibliophiles.
People want to love and be loved
People want to love and be loved. There were lots of events for singles to mingle aboard the ship. They were all looking for the person that would rock their world, with whom they could sail off into the sunset.
People love kids. There were over 1,000 kids on board and they had relatives swooning all over them. They looked so cute posing for a photo with Shrek, spontaneously dancing in the corridors or wearing their ice cream all down the front of their shirts.
Joanne Nicholson Positive
These reflections reminded me of my latest novel ‘Positive’ where Ruth is single and desperate to settle down and have a child. When she launches herself into online dating without success she decides it’s time to take matters into her hands and try to have a child on her own. She has the support of great friends that help her cope with her rollercoaster ride of emotions.
As an Australian author of contemporary women’s fiction, my novels are a light easy read (perfect for your handbag). They all focus around the dynamics of relationships, not necessarily with partners but with other important people in their lives.
In my novel ‘In Another Life’, Lily does a past life regression to see if she is connected with her late mother only to find she was male and her Dad was her brother. She then researches her regression and finds that her little sister from a previous life is now an old lady. She can’t help but meet her to see if they share a connection across lives.
Joanne Nicholson Intuition
In ‘Intuition’, Chloe learns she has the skill to read minds. What starts out as a lark, where she no longer has to take people on face value, turns her life upside down when she discovers her husband fantasizes about other women and her best friend has a crush on her husband.
Cheers from down under,
Joanne
About the Author
Warm, sunny greetings from Joanne
Joanne Nicholson is an Australian author who juggles parenting four kids with trying to exercise, socialise, manage sporting teams, complete mundane chores and write. She loves boating, reading, pilates, listening and playing music, playing basketball and spending quality time with family and friends. She has published two women’s fiction novels, ‘Intuition’ and ‘In Another Life’; a YA novel ‘Music Score’ and short stories, ‘Horrorscopes’ and ‘Spirits’.
Joanne’s novels deal with dynamics of relationships, but reviewers say the novels are lighthearted. The novels look thought-provoking and tempting. I have no idea how this author manages to write and juggle her life – she must be very dedicated to her writing.
