Tag Archives: Carol Thomas

An interview with Christine Stovell.

Author Interview, Book Review, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today, I am delighted to welcome Choc Lit author Christine Stovell to my blog. Thank you for agreeing to join me Christine and for answering my questions, aimed at discovering more about you and your novella, Moonbeams in a Jar.

For those who haven’t yet encountered your wonderful, stand-alone novella, Moonbeams in a Jar, give us your elevator pitch:

Control-freak Chloe and adrenaline-junkie Ryan have fallen hard for each other, but neither is willing to compromise their lifestyle until fate intervenes in the form of their dogs, Wilma and Fred.

This was my first visit to your fictional seaside town, Little Spitmarsh, and I loved it. If Chloe wrote a postcard home, how might she describe the location?

“No wonder so few people have heard of Little Spitmarsh! It’s a really isolated seaside town divided from its neighbours by miles of salt marsh and hemmed in by the sea. I love the sense of loneliness about the landscape, but apparently the place was struggling to survive until a smart restaurant opened. There’s a story that the woman who runs the boatyard here was bitterly opposed to the guy who opened the restaurant but now they’re married! These days, Little Spitmarsh retains its salty character but also has a smattering of galleries, cool vintage shops and even an annual film festival. For me, though, the backwaters here will always be very special; in winter the raw north wind can cut you to the bone, but in summer the sky over the marshes shimmers with heat and birdsong. Most importantly, of course, it’s the place where I first met Ryan!”

I enjoyed Chloe’s trip to Hong Kong and recently read that you visited with your hubby. For those planning to go what three romantic musts, would you recommend?

Yes, you’re right – it was a fabulous holiday of a lifetime to a city of dramatic contrasts. Anyone who reads Moonbeams in a Jar might spot one or two of my favourite romantic musts, but it won’t spoil the story to tell you that I absolutely loved crossing Victoria harbour on the Star ferries, especially under a full moon. Seeing the city in the glow of first light from our hotel room was rather wonderful as was soaring through the sky in a crystal cable car. Like Chloe, I also had my fortune told… but I’m still waiting for fame, wealth and the shedloads of sales for my books I was promised. I suspect the fortune teller might have been pulling my leg just a little.

Where did the inspiration come from for your swoon-worthy leading man, Ryan Green?

I honestly don’t know! I can say, hand-on-heart, that I never set out to ‘create’ a leading-man and I only meet them when my heroines do. I was delighted to meet Ryan as he happens to be rather lush, lucky Chloe!

I have a soft spot for dogs, real and fictional. Wilma, the dachshund, and Fred, the basset hound, were both great contributors to the action. Were they based on furry friends in your life?

Wilma and Wurst, a dachsie who makes a guest appearance in my novella, Only True in Fairy Tales, both share character traits with Zorba (pictured above) a miniature dachshund who was the great dog love of my life. He was a renowned hunter and destroyer of footwear and was the only living creature to stick his nose in Dad’s slippers and survive. It broke my heart when we lost him.

What a great picture, Zorba looks a fabulous character and I completely understand the heartbreak of your loss.

Finally, five for fun:

  1. Sweet or savoury? Dark chocolate – I’m an addict!
  2. TV or radio? Spotify; I love a good Spotify-fest
  3. Paperback or e-reader? E-reader – I know that causes people a sharp intake of breath, but I’m a fast reader and I like having lots of books at hand to choose from.
  4. Posh frock or joggers? Skinny jeans and running leggings (not at the same time!).
  5. Sun or Snow? Sunshine all the way.

My review:

Moonbeams in a Jar is a lovely story, with likeable lead characters, great settings, and dogs (always a plus)!

I hadn’t read Christine Stovell’s previous Little Spitmarsh stories, but it didn’t matter, I soon felt right at home in the seaside town. I was drawn to the characters, especially the rather lovely Ryan who has plenty of swoon appeal.

I particularly enjoyed the trip to Hong Kong, not just because it was delightfully romantic but also because it was an unexpected location. I read many romance novels and haven’t been transported to this setting before. It was a real treat as the author brought the city to life and wowed me with its charms.

As a novella, this was the ideal length for reading en route to my holiday and made my time away start with a smile. A fab little holiday read!

Publisher: Choc Lit
Genre: Contemporary romance, novella

Links to buy the book Amazon UK | Amazon.Com | Kobo | 

About the author:

Winning a tin of chocolate in a national essay competition at primary school inspired to Christine Stovell to become a writer. Setting off, with her husband, from a sleepy seaside resort on the east coast in a vintage wooden boat to sail halfway round Britain provided the inspiration for her ‘Little Spitmarsh’ series of novels, but never cured her seasickness although she continues to sail.

As well as writing long and short contemporary romantic fiction and poetry, Christine has written features for various magazines and is a regular contributor to The English Home magazine.

Christine lives on the beautiful west Wales coast where long-distance running helps her plan her plots. Half marathons, she thinks, especially when the going gets tough, are like novels; both begin with small steps.

You can discover more about Christine and her writing here: Blog | Twitter | Facebook |

Thank you for taking part in my Q&A and for the great read, Christine. My reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. xx

 

Umbria here I come!

Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s incredible to think that when I started my blog in January, I was talking about trying new things and my trip to Umbria for Sue Moorcroft’s writing retreat. Well, now that retreat is just days away, eeek!

On our recent family holiday to France, I tested out my summer clothes; I wore shorts on two occasions and a skirt on another. Like my body, my general wardrobe is best suited to autumn and winter. With the exception of the Chindi bookstall at the Arundel Festival, which sees me standing outside for ten days in August to raise funds for Cancer Research, I avoid the sun and usually hide in the shade. So Umbria at the end of June will be interesting!

Testing out my summer wardrobe in Samoëns, France. The legs are hidden but I have shorts on, honestly!

Last week, I attended the Romantic Novelists’ Association lunch for the southern chapter. It was lovely to get together with other authors and to chat about books. I drove and gave Sue Fortin a lift. Sue is a USA Today and Amazon best selling author who writes mystery, suspense and romance; she has also been on the Umbria writing retreat before. With this in mind, I seized the opportunity to ask her a few all-important questions, such as: Will I have all day access to tea making facilities? How hot was it? And will I need any posh clothes?

Her answers – yes to tea, it’s very hot but there is shade, and no to the posh clothes – were helpful. However, she also mentioned that she had a scorpion in her room one night! Despite the fact I worked in primary schools for many years, where mini-beasts always seem to loom large on the curriculum, bugs are not my friend. Wish me luck, and I’ll let you know upon my return how I fared.

The lovely ladies of the RNA Southern Chapter: Back row – Rosie Travers, Sue Fortin, Me, Lyn Liles, Rosemary Ann Smith, Charlie Place (book blogger). Front row – Charile Cochrane and Liv Thomas.

In other news, in case you haven’t seen me shouting about it, I have an office. It is located in Arundel and from my window I can see a lovely expanse of higgledy-piggledy rooftops as well as the castle above the tree line. It is peaceful and a great working base. The only issue is that Arundel has many cafés and I start every morning opening my window to the smell of bacon sandwiches. I like bacon sandwiches, so I don’t mind, but it does make my tummy rumble.

My office view, on a day I was sure I was being watched!

My current work in progress is at 12242 words. This is a sequel to The Purrfect Pet Sitter, which my publisher suggests should be a novella (30000-70000 words). I hope to get a good chunk of it written while on the retreat. It will be a challenge, as I haven’t written one before – sequel or novella – but I am quite excited by it.

I have another work in progress, at around 11000 words, which I am ignoring while I work on the sequel. This will be a contemporary romance with new characters, that will be a full-length novel (around 85000 words).

With three festivals coming up with the Chindi Authors I must focus my time to get all of this done. To find out more about the events we are hosting during the Littlehampton Arts Festival and the Festival of Chichester take a look at the events page of our website, where you will also see that for the third year running, we will be supporting Cancer Research UK throughout the Arundel Festival.

Finally, I am off to the cinema tonight to see Book Club it looks a good laugh. But I am also interested because I read a very good book, years ago by Sophie Hart, called The Naughty Girls Book Club, her characters were great and the story well constructed. This book, on a similar theme, will be hard to beat, but it will be interesting to see how this new film compares.

Anyway, next time I write a post I will have been to Umbria, my children and puppy will have hopefully forgiven me for deserting them for a week, my husband may have recovered, and my work in progress should have dramatically increased. I’ll let you know how all of that goes.

In the meantime, I have a couple of book reviews to share over the coming week and an interview with Choc Lit author Christine Stovell, who talks about her new novella, Moonbeams in a Jar. xx

 

Review of Tracy Bloom’s The Last Laugh

Book Review, , , , , , ,

The blurb:

Jenny discovers her days are numbered at the same time she discovers her husband is having an affair…

Frankly, she had enough on her plate already. Two tricky teenagers, her mother’s constant complaints, friends who aren’t up to the job and a career which has been spiralling downwards since she won ‘Sunseeker Tour Rep of the Season’ twenty years ago.

And now this. Enough is enough! Jenny vows to keep both revelations a secret. She takes her life into her own hands and decides to live as she did when she was happiest… in 1996. She plans a spectacular 1990s themed party in place of a wake that she herself will attend. But will she be able to keep her secrets for long enough to have the party of a lifetime?

Publisher: Bookouture
Genre: Literary humour

My review:

I am a Tracy Bloom fan, when I first saw this book advertised I wasn’t sure how the subjects would fit with Tracy’s fabulous down to earth, rom-com style, and so wasn’t sure I would enjoy it. Well, it turns out I was proved wrong for doubting it would be anything but great and should have trusted in Tracy’s fabulous storytelling ability.

Once I started I couldn’t put it down; it was compelling reading. Soon after I had finished, I tweeted: ‘Gosh, wow, crying, laughing, frustrated, touched and well and truly hooked from start to finish.’ This sums up my reading experience.

The Last Laugh was beautifully written, relatable, and a great read. It was all the things I love about Tracy’s other books while tackling deeper subjects – the things that happen that are beyond our control, and can turn life round in an instant.

Click here to buy the book:

About the author:

Tracy Bloom started writing when her cruel, heartless husband ripped her away from her dream job shopping for rollercoasters for the UK’s leading theme parks, to live in America with a brand new baby and no mates. In a cunning plan to avoid domestic duties and people who didn’t understand her Derbyshire accent, she wrote her romantic comedy, No-One Ever Has Sex on a Tuesday. This debut novel went on to be successfully published internationally and became a #1 Best Seller.

You can find Tracy via her website | Facebook | Twitter

Thank you for the great read Tracy, my reviews are added to Amazon Uk and Goodreads. x

Review of Lorraine Wilson’s Poppy’s Place in the Sun

Book Review, , , , , , , , , , ,

The blurb:

Sometimes you need to lose yourself to find your way home…

With only her trusty dogs Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick by her side, Poppy Kirkbride could be forgiven for having doubts about her move to a quiet village in rural France. But as the sun shines down on her ramshackle new home, Poppy knows she’s made the right decision. A lick of paint, and some TLC and her rustic farmhouse will be the perfect holiday retreat – Poppy’s dream come true.

Poppy is welcomed by her fellow villagers, except for brooding local vet Leo Dubois, who makes it clear Poppy isn’t welcome in his village – or his life! Leo might be gorgeous, but Poppy won’t be told what to do by an arrogant Frenchman – no matter how kind and gentle he is to her dogs!

Determined to stay, Poppy tries to understand the enigmatic Frenchman better. But as the two get closer, Poppy sees another side to Leo – a man with heartbreak of his own. Falling in love with Leo is easy, but can he ever return Poppy’s love? And what would this mean for her dream life and place in the sun?

Published by: Harper Impulse
Genre: Romantic Comedy

My review:

Beautiful countryside to escape to, and a cute cast of four-legged sidekicks. I enjoyed the Chalet Girl series and so was excited to read Lorraine Wilson’s latest novel. With not a hint of snow in sight, the setting was idyllic. The beautiful French countryside provided the ideal backdrop for Poppy to start to build her new life; something she tackles with admirable determination, despite the adventure not starting out as she planned. Her dogs were cute, good listeners and perfect companions.

When a moody, handsome neighbour appears, who then turns out to be a vet (and to own a dog too), you know romance is going to follow. The plot builds steadily, and while the friendship between Poppy and Leo is slow at times, the reasons are revealed with a backstory that adds depth to Leo’s character.

I liked the cast of supporting characters and the way most enriched Poppy’s new life.

Lorraine Wilson always writes steamy scenes well, and while this book is slower paced than some of her previous novels, if you are a fan, you won’t be disappointed 😉

Click here to buy the book.

About the author:

Lorraine Wilson writes flirty, feel-good fiction for Harper Impulse – a Harper Collins imprint – and is unashamedly fond of happy endings. She loves hearing from readers and feels incredibly grateful to be doing the job she always dreamt of.

She splits her time between the South of France and Cambridgeshire and is usually either writing or reading while being sat on, walked over or barked at by one of her growing band of rescue dogs.

You can find Lorraine online via Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you for the fun read Lorraine,  my reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x

Review of Angela Petch’s Tuscan Roots

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The blurb:

In 1943, in occupied, war-torn Italy, Ines Santini’s sheltered existence is turned upside down when she meets Norman, an escaped British POW.
In 1999, Anna Swilland, their daughter, starts to unravel Italian war stories from diaries left to her after her mother’s death. She travels to the breathtakingly beautiful Tuscan Apennines, where the family saga and romance unfolds.
In researching her parents’ past, she will discover secrets about the war, her parents’ hardship and herself, which will change her life forever…

My review:

A fascinating, well-crafted read, I would recommend.

Having studied literature and history (particularly women’s history), Tuscan Roots combined two things that fascinate me; a well-crafted tale and an insight into a woman’s life who otherwise might have been forgotten from history.

Tuscan Roots is, on one level, a tale of two love stories, set a generation apart, as we follow the lives of Anna and, through the letters and writings she has been left, Ines – Anna’s late mother. And yet it is also so much more.

I soon found myself engaged in the lives of the lead characters, both past and present, English and Italian. The story was beautifully told, with emotive language describing the landscape, both in Tuscany and in post-war England, weaved into the narrative.

Ines’ diaries are heartfelt and honest, giving an insight into her hopes and dreams, as well as the turmoil she ultimately finds herself in. To a modern audience, as to her daughter Anna, Innes’ decisions can seem frustrating at times. However, as you read her story, learn her motives and gain a greater understanding about the circumstances of the life she finds herself in, you cannot help but feel for her – and the men and women of her generation.

While Anna’s journey through the novel is less dramatic than that of Innes’ it is a wonderful tale of self-discovery, of learning who she really is and of discovering the Tuscan Roots her mother ultimately got to share with her.

A great read, with characters who will stay with you long after the book is closed.

Click here to buy the book.

And don’t miss the sequel Now and Then in Tuscany:

A lovingly researched account, based on true stories, about Giuseppe Starnucci, a young Italian boy, at the start of the twentieth century, as he journeys on foot with shepherds from his mountain village in the Tuscan Apennines to the coast. His adventures are tracked by his great grandson one hundred years later and we learn of present day problems mirroring those of his ancestors. A story of hardship, secrets and romance which brings to light the customs and people of rural Tuscany in a troubled period of history, when the dominance of Mussolini is always lurking in the background. The author’s literary style has been praised as: “a great combination of a true account and fiction.” This is sequel to the author’s first novel, “Tuscan Roots”, praised by Julia Gregson for its “vivid, natural and direct…writing. Moving and interesting with lovely touches of humour.” Both of these family sagas about Tuscany are stand-alone.

Click here to buy the book.

About the author:

Angela Petch is a prize-winning author who lives six months of the year in Tuscany and the remaining half year in Sussex, England. She lived in Rome for six formative years, where her passion for Italy was born. “Tuscan Roots” is her first novel and a sequel was published in April 2017: “Now and Then in Tuscany”. Angela Petch also writes short stories that appear in national magazines in Great Britain. Both books are written in English but have Italian content. Angela is also a member of the Chindi Authors group, known for celebrating and helping independent authors, and a member of the Arun Scribes writing group.

This Autumn, September 11th-18th 2018, you can join Angela Petch and experienced writing tutor Sonja Price in beautiful Tuscany for a week long writing retreat. Be inspired by fellow writers and the beautiful location.

For more details contact Angela via: Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Thank you for the great read, Angela. I look forward to reading Now and then in Tuscany. My reviews are posted on Amazon UK and Goodreads x