Tag Archives: A Summer of Second Chances

Feel Good Friday with A Summer of Second Chances.

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What a week! A Summer of Second Chances is out in the world, as an ebook, and early reviews are making me smile.


Publication day was a lot of fun, with support from my family and writing friends as well as my work colleagues. I was thoroughly spoilt and LOVED my book cover cake, gorgeous flowers and other (mostly edible) goodies!

It is always nerve-wracking waiting for reviews to begin to appear, but I can confirm, A Summer of Second Chances has ten lovely reviews, at the time of writing, on Amazon UK. Reading them has left me with a big smile. Here’s a little taster; you can check out more here: Amazon reviews.

I am so pleased that readers are enjoying my characters and the beautiful setting of Dapplebury – based on Arundel, for those who know or have visited the historic town in the South of England.

I have a blog tour coming up soon so no doubt I’ll be nervous again then too, as my book will be reviewed by thirty wonderful book bloggers via Rachel’s Random Resources. I’ll be sure to share what they have to say.

And if you have some how missed me shouting about A Summer of Second Chances this week, here’s the blurb:

Does first love deserve a second chance?
Ava Flynn sometimes feels like the clothes donated to her charity shop have seen more life than her, but ‘maximum dedication for a minimal wage’ is what it takes to keep her mother’s beloved wildlife charity, All Critters Great and Small, running – especially in the village of Dapplebury, where business is certainly not booming.

But when Ava’s first love, Henry Bramlington, returns to the village, suddenly life becomes a little too eventful. Henry escaped Dapplebury many years before, but now he has the power to make or break the village he left behind – All Critters Great and Small included. Can Ava trust the boy who ran away to give both her and her charity a second chance?

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Available as an ebook: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay | Nook |
Coming soon in paperback and audio (sorry I don’t have exact dates for this yet, but await news from my publisher).

If you read A Summer of Second Chances, I would love to know what you think. Reviews, on the site from which you purchase the book, mean an awful lot to authors and help them and their work get noticed.

In other book news, the paperback of Maybe Baby is currently in The Works. It has been spotted and purchased from various stores, including Rustington, Littlehampton, Bognor Regis, Bournemouth and in Wales (sorry, I am not quite sure which town that was in). It is so lovely to hear from readers who have seen it on the high street. It is not currently on their website, but if it is not in your local store, they should be able to order it in for you.

Finally, don’t forget to join my newsletter for more book news, competitions, giveaways and more. Sign up before May 1st for a chance to win a copy of The Purrfect Pet Sitter. The first newsletter will be landing in inboxes this week!

#WritingWednesday with Carol Thomas: Character Juxtaposition.

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Character Juxtaposition

Juxtaposition is a great way to highlight differences between characters. Used appropriately, it can also invite comparisons – these comparisons allow the author to explore their characters more fully. Similarly, the reader is lead to consider the opposing characters more deeply as they observe not only their actions within the novel but also their interactions.

While authors often like to bring juxtaposing leads together (opposites attract and all that), I like to explore female friendships within my novels and often have them as the opposing characters to see what they bring out in each other.

Crazy Over You

In my novel Crazy Over You, Abby Turner has been married for fifteen years when she discovers her husband has had an affair. In contrast to Abby, her best friend, Melissa, is engaged and soon to be married. The pair are at different stages of life and facing different points of change in their relationships. Writing the scene where Abby attends Melissa’s wedding enabled me to explore Abby’s feelings about love and marriage in light of all she has been through. It makes for an honest, thought-provoking and engaging read that challenges the reader to consider their own feelings on Abby’s situation.

The Lisa Blake Series

In the Lisa Blake series, The Purrfect Pet Sitter and Maybe Baby, Lisa has been in a difficult relationship. After suffering a loss, she returns to her hometown, reuniting with her once best friend, Felicity, who is married with four children. Her life is busy and hectic. Felicity and her husband have their own problems to solve while Lisa is embarking upon a new relationship while dealing with issues from the past. I loved exploring Lisa and Flicks’ developing relationship. The juxtaposition works, especially as their differences mean they complete each other in ways only true friends can.

A Summer of Second Chances

In my latest novel, A Summer of Second Chances, the heroine, Ava Flynn, is running a charity shop to support her mum’s beloved charity, All Critters Great and Small. In contrast, her best friend Mary is a wildlife officer who appears to have life sorted. In juxtaposing these characters, I explored their strengths and vulnerabilities. In the village of Dapplebury, despite popular belief, things aren’t always what they seem. I enjoyed exploring the motivations and emotions of these characters through their support for each other.

(A Summer of Second Chances is out on April 27th 2021 and is now available for preorder.)

In summary …

Exploring the interplay and interactions between juxtaposing characters helps the author and, importantly, the reader understand those characters on a deeper level. It allows the character to experience and comment on situations they might otherwise not encounter. Drafting out juxtaposing characters or situations is also a good writing exercise!

Join my newsletter before the 1st May 2021 to enter to win a signed paperback of The Purrfect Pet Sitter.

 

Exciting book news!

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I am very excited to share the news that my new book, A Summer of Second Chances, is now available for preorder.

It is due for release on April 27th 2021 in ebook format, though I believe the paperback will be released at the same time, or soon after. I will update on Facebook and Twitter when I know more.

Here’s the gorgeous cover by Choc Lit’s cover designer, Berni Stevens. I am so pleased with it. I am a little bit in love with the chocolate Labrador, who is called Granger in the story, and I so want to move in to Dapplebury House.

 Here’s the blurb:

Does first love deserve a second chance?

Ava Flynn sometimes feels like the clothes donated to her charity shop have seen more life than her, but ‘maximum dedication for a minimal wage’ is what it takes to keep her mother’s beloved wildlife charity, All Critters Great and Small, running – especially in the village of Dapplebury, where business is certainly not booming.

But when Ava’s first love, Henry Bramlington, returns to the village, suddenly life becomes a little too eventful. Henry escaped Dapplebury many years before, but now he has the power to make or break the village he left behind – All Critters Great and Small included. Can Ava trust the boy who ran away to give both her and her charity a second chance?

Preorder available here: Amazon (other retailers following soon)

In case you are wondering why it is being released by Choc Lit and not their imprint Ruby Fiction (as the Lisa Blake series was) the answer is simply that this book fits the Choc Lit criteria of being written from both the female and male perspective. It was a lot of fun to write.

To find out more about the inspiration behind A Summer of Second Chances, take a look at my Pinterest board. When I start to write, I like to collect pictures for inspiration. Gathering them together helps me focus on the mood and connections within the story. Here are just a few of the pictures you will find. 

I hope you like the look of A Summer of Second Chances. This is always a nerve-wracking time waiting for early reviews to come in. Thank you to all those who have preordered already; your support is hugely appreciated.

In other book news, Maybe Baby is now available in ebook, audio and paperback. The eagle-eyed among you may spot the paperback in some stores on the high street as shops begin to open their doors on April 12th. 

And finally, please sign up for my newsletter, it would be great to have you on board:

Thank you for reading. xx