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Sharon Ibbotson joins my Christmas Countdown!

Book Review, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , ,

Rounding off my Christmas Countdown, I am delighted to welcome author Sharon Ibbotson, as she chats about her latest novel, Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery!


I’ve already read and enjoyed your book, Sharon, but for those who haven’t, how will your characters be spending the festive season?

Well, given that my hero Cohen is Jewish, and my book called ‘Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery’ the answer is that they won’t be celebrating Christmas! Cohen mentions in the book that they tend to order Chinese food on Christmas day (something I’ve done myself in the past) and watch a Christmas movie (something I always do!) but that otherwise the day passes without any noteworthy celebration. This year Christmas day coincides with the fourth night of Hanukkah however, so I can imagine my characters gathering around the hanukiah and saying the first and second blessings before lighting the Hannukah candles. They might then sing some traditional songs or eat some latkes (a sort of fried potato cake, very delicious!) or, given Cohen’s embittered demeanour (before he meets my heroine, I mean) he might just drink and wish the holidays away…

And to entice readers further, here’s the blurb:

Hanukkah days, Christmas nights and strawberry ice cream …
Cohen Ford is a man who could do with a little bit of sweetening up. It’s no surprise that when he walks into The Great Greenwich Ice Creamery on a typically gloomy London day before Christmas, he insists on a black coffee rather than his childhood favourite – strawberry ice cream.

But then he meets River de Luca, the woman behind the flavours. After their first encounter, Cohen begins visiting the ice creamery every Tuesday, gradually learning more about the intriguing River. Could her influence encourage cynical Cohen to become the man who embraces Christmas, Hanukkah and even strawberry ice cream?

Genre: Romance
Published by: Choc Lit

And my review:

A lovely, heart-warming original story. I liked the characters of Cohen and River (great names too) and enjoyed watching their relationship develop as they learned to communicate and face the challenges that came their way. I have never read a Hanukkah romance before and greatly enjoyed this one. It was a refreshing story – in more ways than one, as there was plenty of delicious sounding ice-cream mentioned too.

Click to buy the book: Choc Lit | Amazon | Audio

Now, I am intrigued to know how you will be spending this festive season; does the Ibbotson household embrace Christmas, Hanukkah or even strawberry ice-cream? (Do you see what I did there?)

Well, there will be about twenty of us together on the day, all squeezed into my Mum’s house in Newcastle. My husband’s family are Christian, so he’ll take his Dad to church, but we’re not Christian on my side and so don’t celebrate the religious aspect of Christmas. For my sisters and I, the holiday is more an excuse to spend time together. We’re a family of people who appreciate food and drink, so we tend to start with coffee before hitting the prosecco hard and not looking back. The kids will play and we’ll talk and spend time cooking, and we might all watch a film together. My sister has a dog (I’m not allowed one at home yet sadly as my husband has cats) so I’m hoping I’ll get to take her out for a walk on Christmas Day (hint, hint Jules!)

Oh, I do love a family get together, and I hope you get to go for your dog walk. Before you go, I wonder if you would answer five questions from my festive selection?

Naughty or nice? I’m always nice, lol. But I can be occasionally naughty if the situation calls for it!

Mince pie or Christmas pudding? I love a mince pie! They give them out at my local coffee shop so I eat far too many of them too.

Favourite Christmas film? Home Alone. My son is nearly eight and loves it, and I could listen to him laugh all day long.

Black forest hot chocolate or gingerbread latte? Gingerbread latte. But it would have to be decaff, soy, and sugar free, so I don’t tend to indulge these days disappointingly.

First Roses flavour to disappear from your tub? I miss the coffee flavour desperately. That was always the one that went first for me.

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas Countdown, and I wish you and your family a fabulous festive season. xx

About the author:

Sharon Ibbotson is Australian but has lived in the UK for nearly twenty years. She started writing romance when she ran out of Sweet Valley High movies to read. She lives in London with her husband and two kids. Her professional background is in marketing and she has a degree in anthropology and gender studies from the University of Edinburgh. She loves reading and writing regency romance novels, especially those with a more gothic and darker tone.

Discover more about Sharon and her work, here: website | Twitter | Facebook

Thank you so very much to all of the wonderful authors who have taken part in my Christmas Countdown, it has been a lot of fun to get to know you all a little more. And I would like to take this opportunity, once more, to wish you all a very happy Christmas. xx



Kitty Wilson joins my Christmas Countdown!

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , ,

Today, I am excited to welcome author of the wonderful Village School series, Kitty Wilson, to my Christmas countdown!

Welcome to my blog Kitty, I would love to know how your characters will be spending Christmas…

Alice and Dan both live in Penmenna and they LOVE Christmas. With Alice being a teaching assistant in the school and Dan the local vicar, this story sees the two of them working together to make the school’s Nativity play something truly special, even though at times it looks like the production may get a little out of hand.

Meanwhile, Alice is secretly trying to pull together a special choir to march down the aisle on Christmas Eve as a festive surprise for Dan whose church choir has dwindled down.

At the same time Dan’s Granny Annie has moved into the village for the Christmas period and has very firm ideas of exactly what she wants to happen for Christmas, and will stop at nothing to have her festive dreams come true.

Christmas is certainly a very special, and very busy, time of year for Penmenna.

It sounds great, and to tempt readers further here’s the blurb:

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Penmenna…

Teaching assistant Alice has sworn off men, which is fine because with Christmas coming she’s super busy organising the school Nativity. This should be a blast with the help of close friend and village vicar, Dan – if she can ignore those more-than-just-a-friend feelings she’s developed for him…

Dan is happy to help Alice – his secret crush – but not only is his beloved Granny Annie about to be made homeless, the church choir has disintegrated and he’s battling some dark demons from his past.

With meddling grannies and PTA wars thrown in the mix, can Alice and Dan overcome their past hurts to move forward? Will they be spending Christmas together as friends… or something more?

A festive feel-good romance perfect for fans of Tilly Tennant and Holly Martin.

Buying links: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay | The Village School series

With your characters having a fabulously festive time, I’d love to know how you will be spending this Christmas…

Christmas has always revolved around my children but with me now officially being an empty nester, and them both likely to be working on the day itself, things are going to be quite dramatically different this year.

In the past it has been a mad frenzy of baking and making in preparation. Lots of the things referenced in Christmas Wishes come straight from our Christmases, glitter footprints up the stairs from fireplace to stocking, bells as Santa’s sleigh crosses the skies, Christmas carol services, parties and gallons of mulled wine.

This year will probably be considerably quieter, I shall sneak off down the motorway at some point to celebrate with all my friends in Cornwall and cook a Christmas dinner for the children (which means I get two Christmases) when they are free but the day itself will be quite quiet; myself, my partner and my mum will eat far too much and lie around groaning as the dog expectantly jangles his lead. I’m looking forward to it.

I hope you enjoy your quiet Christmas, and I love the fact your own Christmases inspired the festive fun in Christmas Wishes. Before you go, Kitty, I have to ask you to answer five quick questions from my Christmas selection (when I say “have to”, I think everyone has realised by now, it is because I am nosey and loving these answers):

Naughty or nice? Naughty…every time!

Real or artificial Christmas tree? Real, I love the smell of a real tree and the excitement of choosing it.

Favourite Christmas song? No prizes for originality but it’s The Fairy Tale of New York, largely because it was the one the children and I would sing super loudly together every time it came on the radio. I also have a sneaking love for O little Town of Bethlehem.

Sprouts or no sprouts? Yes, yes, yes to sprouts. Cooked with pancetta and chicken stock make these a huge family favourite. Hmm, you’ve actually managed to make them sound appealing, hehe!

Best cracker prize? The little red fortune telling fish – despite it seemingly only having one setting (curling up) we all love this. I am with you on this!

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas countdown and I can’t wait to read Christmas Wishes! xx

About the author:

Kitty Wilson lived in Cornwall for twenty-five years having been dragged there, against her will, as a stroppy teen. She is now remarkably grateful to her parents for their foresight and wisdom – and that her own children aren’t as hideous. Recently she has moved to Bristol, but only for love and on the understanding that she and her partner will be returning to Cornwall to live very soon. She spends most of her time welded to the keyboard, dreaming of the beach or bombing back down the motorway for a quick visit! She has a penchant for very loud music, equally loud dresses and romantic heroines who speak their mind.

You can follow Kitty, and find out more about her work here: Facebook | Twitter 

Don’t miss author, Sharon Ibbotson, joining me on Monday 23rd December with her novel, Hanukkah at the Great Greenwich Ice Creamery! xx

Kirsty Ferry joins my Christmas Countdown!

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , ,

Today, I am delighted to welcome Choc Lit author, Kirsty Ferry, as she joins my Christmas countdown!

Welcome to my blog Kirsty, I would love to know how your characters will be spending Christmas…

They’ll be having an extended celebration – if Zac can reach Ivy in time! She’s in Glastonbury, just around about the Winter Solstice. So they might get involved in the celebrations there, by climbing the Tor and visiting the Chalice Well. Then, if, say Ivy heads up to the Isle of Skye where Zac lives, they might have a more traditional Island Christmas, with church, food and drink, the company of good friends, a pub or two and finish it all curled up in front of a roaring fire at Zac’s converted croft. It’ll all be revealed in the book!

OO, it sounds fabulously festive and to tempt readers further here’s the blurb:

How far would you go to be with the one you love at Christmas? How far would you go to be with the one you love at Christmas?

The Isle of Skye is a magical place, especially at Christmas, and there’s no place Zac Fallon would rather be. But whilst Zac has everything he needs on Skye, there’s still something missing – and that something is a somebody called Ivy McFarlane.

Ivy used to work with Zac but then spread her wings and moved to Glastonbury. He’s missed her ever since. Now it’s almost Christmas and Zac realises that the Ivy shaped hole in his life is too big to bear. So starts his festive mission to the mainland – but will he be back in time to spend Christmas in Skye? And, more importantly, will Ivy be with him?

Buying links: Amazon | Audio

With plenty going on for your characters in the lead up to Christmas, I’d love to know how you will be spending this festive season…

The celebrations will start on Christmas Eve, when we will go to the Family Crib Carol Service at our local church with a big group of friends. The kids have all grown up together and remain very close. Every year we get a photo of them in the same place outside the church. Then we will go home and watch Muppets Christmas Carol and order in a Chinese. Then drink prosecco and wait for Santa – putting out his prosecco, a mince pie and a carrot for Rudolph. Christmas Day we will visit my parents, then come home for lunch. The after that it’s pjs, chocolate, trashy tea, more prosecco, chocolate and relax!

I love the fact that Santa gets prosecco at your house; I must work on the fact that my children leave him milk 😉 Before you go, Kirsty, I’d love you to answer five quick questions from my Christmas selection:

Mince pie or Christmas pudding? Mince pie – I can wolf on down on the hoof, therefore I don’t have to invest any time in sitting down and eating properly.

Favourite Christmas film? Tough one. Either Elf or Muppets Christmas Carol.

Black forest hot chocolate or gingerbread latte? Gingerbread latte. If I had a black forest hot chocolate during the day I’d fall asleep!

First Quality Street flavour to disappear from your tub? Runny caramel, then chewy caramel then strawberry creams.

Who did you play in the school nativity? I can only remember being in one. I was an angel, complete with tinsel halo.

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas countdown and I wish you and your family a fabulous festive season! xx

About the author:

Kirsty Ferry is from the North East of England and won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition in 2009 with the ghostly tale ‘Enchantment’.

Her timeslip novel, ‘Some Veil Did Fall’, a paranormal romance set in Whitby, was published by Choc Lit in Autumn 2014. This was followed by another Choc Lit timeslip, ‘The Girl in the Painting’ in February 2016. ‘The Girl in the Photograph’, published in March 2017, completes the Rossetti Mysteries series. The experience of signing ‘Some Veil Did Fall’ in a quirky bookshop in the midst of Goth Weekend in Whitby, dressed as a recently undead person was one of the highlights of her writing career so far!

Kirsty’s first timeslip novel ‘The Memory of Snow’, commended in the Northern Writers’ Awards, is set on Hadrian’s Wall, with the vampire tale ‘Refuge’ set on the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. She has also put together a collection of short stories, a non-fiction collection of articles and writes Gothic Fiction under the pen name Cathryn Ramsay.

Kirsty has had articles and short stories published in Your Cat, Peoples Friend, Ghost Voices, The Weekly News and It’s Fate, and her short stories appear in several anthologies. She was a judge in the Paws ‘n’ Claws ‘Wild and Free’ Children’s Story competition in 2011, 2013 and 2014, and graduated from Northumbria University in December 2016, having achieved a Masters with Distinction in Creative Writing.

You can follow Kirsty, and find out more about her work here: Facebook | Twitter | website | blog

Don’t miss author Kitty Wilson, joining my Christmas Countdown, on Thursday 19th December! xx

Sue Moorcroft joins my Christmas Countdown!

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , ,

Today, on my Christmas countdown, I am joined by Sunday Times Best Seller Sue Moorcroft, whose latest Christmas book, Let it Snow, has been described as a fab festive read!

Welcome to my blog Sue, Let it Snow is definitely on my Christmas reading list, to get me in the mood, I would love to know how your characters will be spending Christmas…

Isaac knew he’d probably be running The Three Fishes while Tubb’s away in Switzerland, and he is, but he’s somehow ended up with his ex, Hayley, living there too. He also has Doggo the dalmatian to keep him company but neither of those are the one he wants to be with. It’s not until Christmas morning that he realises that Lily, instead of coming in to make gingerbread men for the Christmas Day pub lunch, has disappeared. Lily is with family. Very newly discovered family. And they give her an opportunity she thought she’d never have.

Oh you’ve got me hooked and I see the blurb is equally as intriguing:

This Christmas, the villagers of Middledip are off on a very Swiss adventure…

Family means everything to Lily Cortez and her sister Zinnia, and growing up in their non-conventional family unit, they and their two mums couldn’t have been closer.

So it’s a bolt out of the blue when Lily finds her father wasn’t the anonymous one-night stand she’d always believed – and is in fact the result of her mum’s reckless affair with a married man.

Confused, but determined to discover her true roots, Lily sets out to find the family she’s never known; an adventure that takes her from the frosted, thatched cottages of Middledip to the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland, via a memorable romantic encounter along the way…

Buying links: Kindle UK | Kobo UK | Apple Books | paperback or at your favourite book shop or supermarket | audio

With plenty going on for your characters in the lead up to Christmas, I’d love to know how you will be spending this festive season…

In the first half of December I’ll be visiting Sweden with my lovely author buddy Christina Courtenay ( who also writes as Pia Fenton). My Winter 2020 book will be at least partly set in Sweden and Christina has kindly invited me to go with her to visit her mum, who lives in south Sweden. We’ll be having a few days in Stockholm too and I’m looking forward to Christmas markets, the old town, ice hockey and a moose safari. (Note to self: try and do some Christmas shopping while there. Swiss chocolate went down a storm last year and I don’t think anyone will mind repeating the exercise with Swedish chocolate.)

When it comes to Christmas itself I’ll be having a quiet time at home with family except for one day between Christmas and New Year, when a whole lot of Moorcrofts will descend to eat, drink, be merry and talk a lot. We refer to this as the Gathering of the Clan, although none of us has any Scottish blood. I think it’s a testament to the strength of my family ties that I can’t remember anyone missing the Moorcroft Gathering, whether it’s held at my house or my brother’s.

Wow, your trip to Sweden sounds wonderful, and perfect to combine research and Christmas shopping (I’m guessing you’ll have to sample the chocolate too). So a busy time ahead but I can’t let you go without asking you five questions from my Christmas selection:

Who did you play in the school nativity? Angel Gabriel.

What a great picture! In case you couldn’t spot her, Sue is the very happy looking Angel Gabriel facing the camera in the back row.

Real or artificial Christmas tree? Glass! I’ve just bought a tiny, handmade glass tree with little baubles. I suppose the answer is ‘artificial’ but that doesn’t give the right impression.

Must read Christmas book? Notting Hill in the Snow by Jules Wake

Cracker hat or no cracker hat? No cracker hat.

First Quality Street flavour to disappear from your tub? Green triangle.

Thank you so much for joining my Christmas countdown and I wish you and your family a fabulous Moorcroft Gathering! xx

About the author:

Sue Moorcroft is a Sunday Times and international bestselling author and has reached the coveted #1 spot on Amazon Kindle UK. She’s won the Readers’ Best Romantic Novel award and the Katie Fforde Bursary, and has been nominated for several others.

 Her novels, short stories, serials, columns, writing ‘how to’ and courses have appeared around the world.

Discover more about Sue and her work via: Website | Blog | Facebook profile | Facebook author page | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn

Don’t miss Choc Lit author Kirsty Ferry, joining in by sharing a Christmas read and some festive fun, on my blog on Thursday 16th December. xx

Jane Cable joins my Christmas Countdown!

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , ,

A HUGE welcome to my good friend and fellow Apricot Plotter, Jane Cable, as she joins my Christmas Countdown!

It’s lovely to welcome you to my blog, Jane. With Christmas fast approaching, your post and novel offer a timely reminder that, for some, this can be a difficult time of year …

The Faerie Tree opens at Christmas and it’s a desperately sad time. Izzie is newly widowed and she and her daughter are facing their first Christmas alone. But when Claire takes her mum for a festive latte to cheer her up, Izzie bumps into a tramp and is sure she recognises him.

“So who do you think he is, Mum?”
“Someone I knew before I started my teacher training. I was filling in time selling stationery and he was the office manager at one of the big firms of solicitors.”
“Office manager? Wow – I wonder what happened to him?”
I shrug. “People’s lives change. The last time I saw him he was wearing a suit.” But it’s a lie and I know it; Robin was naked – his face buried in a pillow, our duvet twisted around his legs.

Robin spends Christmas on the streets and Izzie spends it thinking about the past. So on Boxing Day she sets out to find him.

I’ve read The Faerie Tree and this emotive scene has stayed with me since. For those who would like to know more, here’s the blurb:

In the summer of 1986 Izzie and Robin hold hands under the Faerie Tree and wish for a future together, but hours later tragedy rips their dreams apart.

In the winter of 2006 Izzie spots a down-and-out on the streets of Winchester – a man who looks very familiar.

The Faerie Tree pieces together Robin’s and Izzie’s stories as they try to create a second chance. But why are their memories of their brief affair so different? And which one of them is right?

Buying links: Amazon 

It’s been fascinating for me (and I hope the followers of my blog) to discover how the authors stopping by will be spending Christmas, so I have to ask you, Jane, how will you be spending this festive season?

Since moving to Cornwall we always spend Christmas at our beach house on the north coast. We never let it out over the festive season because it’s so wild and wonderful we just want to be there.

For the last few years we’ve had friends to stay, but this year we’ll be on our own so we can have a leisurely start to the day. But at eleven o’clock we’ll be on the beach, cheering on our neighbours who brave the sea for a festive swim. Every year I say I’ll join them and (so far) every year I’ve found an excuse not to.

After that we’ll pop back home to put the joint (usually rib of beef) in the oven, then it’s off over the cliffs to the pub. It’s normally packed to the rafters for a couple of hours and it’s great to catch up with everyone. We’ll have our meal in the late afternoon and then will probably curl up on the sofa at watch a Christmas favourite, like Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather.

I don’t blame you for avoiding the dip in the sea, and I love the sound of the festive catch up in your local (great picture). Before you go, I must ask you to answer five of my festive selection of quick fire questions:

Black forest hot chocolate or gingerbread latte? Gingerbread latte – every time. We even buy the gingerbread syrup from Starbucks so we can make them at home. I haven’t forgotten I’ve promised you a Black Forest Hot Chocolate though 😉 I forgot to claim this on our recent meet up – you know that means we’ll have to do it again!

Must read Christmas book? Heidi Swain’s. Her Wynbridge novels are so stuffed full of Christmas they’re addictive and over the last few years have become an important seasonal tradition for me.

Favourite Christmas song? Fairytale of New York – it’s festive yet subversive, sentimental and cynical, all at the same time. It’s the only song I’d ever attempt at karaoke – Shane MacGowan’s part, of course.

Who did you play in the school nativity? I was almost always the narrator, and when we progressed to nine lessons and carols I normally read the last lesson. I remember being an angel once when I was very small, but I think I bent my wire coat hanger halo.

 Angel, fairy or star on top of your Christmas tree? Owl.

Thank you so much for stopping by my blog, and though I am sure we will chat again before Christmas arrives, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a very merry festive season. xx

About the author:

Jane Cable writes romance with a twist of mystery. She enjoys Christmas far more now she’s moved to Cornwall where they do it so well.

Discover more about Jane and her work, here: Facebook | Twitter | website | Apricot Plots | Sister Scribes .

Don’t miss author Sue Moorcroft, joining my Christmas Countdown, on Thursday 12th December! xx