Tag Archives: Choc Lit

#WritingWednesday with Morton S. Gray: Five top tips.

Guest Post, Writing Wednesday, , , , , , , , , ,

Following the release of her latest novel, Christmas at the Little Beach Café  Morton S. Gray shares her five top writing tips.

Congratulations on the fab new release Morton, I can’t wait to read it. And thank you for stopping by in your busy week. All that remains for me to say is, over to you…

Having recently finished my fifth novel, here are my five writing recommendations:

Allow time for musing – I find that if I allow my mind to wander, especially if I’ve just been thinking about the book I am writing, or want to write, then other things occur to me seemingly by magic. I even find that if I’m listening to music relevant lyrics seem to jump out of the songs and I can use these as writing prompts.

Always try to have something in your book that amuses you even if it isn’t a humorous book, so that when you have edited the manuscript so many times you are absolutely sick of it, you can still find something to smile about.

Carry a means of writing down ideas with you at all times, be that a notebook and pen, dictaphone or a phone app. You never know when inspiration might strike and it is all too easy to think you will remember the thought and then kick yourself later for not writing it down.

Feed your mind – sorry, I don’t mean chocolate – I mean learn new things whenever you can. You never know when you can use something in a book. My forays in early 2020 were into weaving and soap making!

Save pictures that inspire you. For example, many of my characters have been based on photographs from clothing catalogues and magazines. My mother commented the other day when I ripped a page out of a flyer we were recycling – ‘Do you want to buy that jumper as a Christmas present?’ The answer was – ‘No, this guy would make a great hero.’

About Morton S. Gray:

Award winning author of five romance novels, Morton S. Gray lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Books by Morton S. Gray (click the titles to discover more, or to purchase):

Newly released, Christmas at the Little Beach Café is already gaining great reviews. Here’s the blurb:

Run away to the little beach café this Christmas …

Five years ago at Christmas, solicitor Justin Sadler made the decision to leave his comfortable existence behind and move to the coast. Since then, he’s tried his best to ignore the festive season and, as he sits in the little beach café and reflects on that fateful night when his life was turned upside down, he expects his fifth Christmas alone to be no different to any of the others since he made his escape.

But when he encounters a mystery woman on the beach, he soon realises he may have found a fellow runaway and kindred spirit. Could Justin finally be ready to move on and let Christmas into his life again?

Morton’s debut novel The Girl on the Beach was published after she won the Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Star competition. This story follows a woman with a troubled past as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her son’s new headteacher, Harry Dixon. The book is available as a paperback and e-book.

Her second book for Choc Lit The Truth Lies Buried is another romantic suspense novel, The book tells the story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past. This book is available as an e-book, paperback and audiobook.

Christmas at Borteen Bay was Morton’s first Christmas novella. It is set in her fictional seaside town of Borteen and follows the story of Pippa Freeman, who runs the Rose Court Guesthouse with her mother, and local policeman Ethan Gibson, as they unravel a family secret as Christmas approaches.

Bestselling Sunny Days on the Beach, is her fourth novel for Choc Lit. Again set in Borteen, this book is the story of what happens when craft shop owner, Mandy Vanes takes in an abandoned teenager, Nick Crossten and the repercussions when Graham Frankley, a gin distiller, arrives in town to say he has received a letter telling him he is Nick’s father.

You can find out more about Morton and her work here: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Apricot Plots

An interview with Evonne Wareham.

Author Interview, , , , ,

Welcome to my blog, Evonne, and huge congratulations on your new release, A Wedding on the Riviera. Please tell us a little more about it:

Hello – thanks for inviting me onto the blog.It’s nice to pay visits to other members of the Choc-lit/Ruby family.

Where shall I start? Well, I write romantic suspense for Choc-lit. The romantic suspense genre, for those who have not met the term before, combines a thriller element and a fully fledged love story – more dead bodies than your average romance. As you can guess from the title, this one is at the lighter end of the spectrum, although I do write grittier ones as well. This is the second in what I hope will be a ‘Riviera’ Series. The first was Summer in San Remoand it had an enemies to lovers plot, with a mystery to solve, and of course my hero and heroine ended up in San Remo, on the Italian Riviera.

What prompted you to write this story?

When I finished writing the first book I’d enjoyed it so much that I knew I wanted to do it again.  Jake, the hero of that book, has just taken over a detective agency in Bath, and it was a good starting point for more stories. I’m planning that each book will be self contained, with a new heroine and hero, but also with the chance to catch up on characters from previous novels. Once I’d decided that, it was a matter of finding a story. I’d read a couple of ‘runaway bride’ books and started to think about turning that around, and making it a runaway groom. I thought it would be fun to make him a villain – I have to confess, I do like writing villains. That gave me the idea that he should be a con man, making off with the wedding expenses. I then needed a hero who could identify him, which led me to someone who would attend a lot of weddings, which gave me a professional escort – my hero, Ryan – who would, of course, be at this particular wedding with his favourite client, my heroine Nadine. The detective agency came in by way of a sting to try and catch the thief, and we were off and running.

I love the setting, what made you decide upon this location? (And I hope you got to visit for research.)

As it was going to be a Riviera book, that came with the package. I have a bit of a weakness for glamorous settings and I do like to write about places where the sun shines – I hate the cold – so I had no trouble with that. The plot of A Wedding on the Riviera is a little darker than Summer in San Remo, but still with plenty of glitz and glamour, this time in the South of France. I had a lot of fun planning the wedding to end all weddings at a villa outside Nice, which was the bait to lure the con man. I did have a holiday on the Riviera booked in May when I was going to soak up atmosphere and take lots of pictures to use for blogs and location tours… but of course, that didn’t happen. I’m hoping to make it next year.

Without giving too much away, who is your favourite character and why?

It is difficult to choose. I have a new hero and heroine, but we also see quite a bit of Cassie and Jake, the central couple from Summer in San Remo, and I did enjoy showing the reader how their lives had moved on. For a favourite, it’s hard to decide between Ryan and Nadine. I like writing male characters, as it is challenge to get into the hero’s head. One of the big plusses for writing for Choc-lit is that they expect authors to write both points of view, and I find developing the story from both sides fits me perfectly. I have a lot of respect for Nadine as a character, as she had to take on running her husband’s family business when he died unexpectedly, and she is quite brave being in the forefront of taking on the con man who, I am glad to say, is a very unpleasant individual, under a smooth exterior.

What can we expect from you next?

I have a box full of partial manuscripts, a lot of them of the darker kind, which I do want to get back to, but for the moment I’m staying on the Riviera. The next one will be set on the Italian side of the border, in Portofino, which is a very glitzy location indeed. I’m building a villa and creating a garden for that one. I’m also researching Riviera Four. For some reason the hero is an Egyptologist – yes, I know – so I have to find out about Egyptology. I’m trying to talk him into being an art historian instead, but I’m not having much luck so far. His heroine works for the detective agency, and has a cameo part in A Wedding on the Riviera, so it will be interesting to see her take centre stage and get her man, even if he is being stubborn at the moment. I have a feeling that there may be a significant character trait emerging here…

About the book:

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?

Links to buy: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks | Barnes and Noble

About the author:

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.

Social media links:  Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

Feel Good Friday with Chris Penhall.

Author Interview, Guest Post, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Rounding off my Feel Good Friday posts, I am delighted to welcome Chris Penhall, as she shares an extract from her new novel New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun.

Hello Christine, thank you so much for stopping by.

Thanks for allowing me to be part of your blog.

You’re very welcome, anytime. In light of the year we’ve all been experiencing, I am asking each of my guests to share a top tip to promote wellbeing.

Events in 2020 have certainly proved that looking after ourselves and taking care of our general wellbeing is hugely important when things around us seem overwhelming and out of our control.

My top tip to promote wellbeing is to do something that takes your mind away from the day to day routine. I am an enthusiastic salsa dancer and have recently taken up tap – when the music is playing, all I can think about is the melody and the beat, and the rest of the world disappears for a while. But it could be anything like that  – cooking, swimming, yoga, an uplifting film, or a long walk by the sea.  I do them all!

That’s great advice, and I love that you are doing salsa and tap! I know some exciting things have happened for you this year too, with the release of your latest novel. Please tell us a little about it.

New Beginnings in the Little House in the Sun is the sequel to my debut novel, The House That Alice Built. Set in Cascais near Lisbon in Portugal, it follows Alice after she has finally dealt with the issues she had with her bullying ex and her beloved house in London.  She heads back to Portugal full of plans for the future, but a few surprises along the way put her relationship, work, and the dream of owning a house in the sun into question. So, what does Alice do next?

I loved The House that Alice Built, it really transported me to Portugal at a time when I was in much need of a holiday, so I am looking forward to New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun. And I am delighted to say, you are sharing an extract:

This is the day after Alice arrives in Portugal having left London for good, excited to view a new house.

As Alice walked out into the morning sun the following day, she rummaged in her bag and made sure she still had the house details. The trees dappled patterns on the grass and swayed gently in the spring breeze. Everything smelt fresh and floral and alive. Her mind fizzed with excitement as she hurried through the back streets of the old town to the square. The birds sang happily, and the white, purple and pink of the spring flowers burst from verges and window boxes.

She heard the clink of china from a kitchen window as cups and plates were moved, a family chattering noisily over breakfast, and then she skirted around a workman painting a wall a bright, luscious yellow. As she walked closer to town, the cobbled streets widened slightly and she could see more people moving around, beginning their day. She loved Cascais first thing in the morning, when the cafés were just setting up and the shops were about to open.

Oh my goodness, you have such a wonderful way of depicting a sense of place. I love it. And for readers wanting to join Alice in her escape to Portugal, here are those all important purchase links:  The House that Alice Built | New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun

So where will you be taking us next? What are you currently working on?

I’m working on my third novel now, which is set in the UK this time. It’s about Miriam, a successful businesswoman who rents a house by the sea for a 6 month break away from everything. However, due to an administrative error, she finds that the solitude she is looking for is in short supply.

That sounds fun. Finally, before you go, I like to ask all of my guests five quick fire questions for fun:
Mountains or beach – Beach
Cinema or Netflix – Cinema
Trainers or heels – I wish I could say heels, but if I’m being honest, it’s trainers!
Favourite season – summer
Who would you give your last rolo to? – Keanu Reeves, of course. (Very good choice!)

Huge thanks for rounding off my Feel Good Friday posts with such a wonderful extract, Christine. And a very big thank you to all of the authors who have stopped by over the summer to share  their top tip for wellbeing and an extract from their novel. I really appreciate it! xx

About the author:

Chris Penhall won the 2019 Choc-Lit Search for a Star competition, sponsored by Your Cat Magazine, for her debut novel, The House That Alice Built. The sequel, New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun is published on 25th August 2020.

Chris is an author and freelance radio producer for BBC Local Radio.

Born in Neath in South Wales, she has also lived in London and in Portugal, which is where her two novels are set. It was whilst living in Cascais near Lisbon that she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was many years later that she was confident enough to start writing her first novel, and many years after that she finally finished it!

A lover of books, music and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.

You can find out more about Chris and her work here: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook 

 

 

Feel Good Friday with Morton S. Gray.

Author Interview, Guest Post, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Welcoming the return of Morton S. Gray to my blog, as she shares her latest novel Sunny Days at the Beach, a fabulous feel-good Friday read:

It’s lovely to have you back, Morton, and I know you have shared your top tip for wellbeing with us before, but for those who missed it, perhaps you could share what you’ve discovered during lockdown: 

 I discovered that a daily long walk of at least 10,000 steps helps my wellbeing tremendously. I am always in danger of telling myself that I don’t have time to spare for my walk, but I have now recognised that it is a necessity and not a luxury. The added bonus is that I actually lost weight during lockdown, which I gather not many people can claim.

Now, to the exciting news! You have a new book out and I can’t wait to read it. Please tell us a little about Sunny Days at the Beach:

Sunny Days at the Beach was published on 18 August 2020. My fourth novel for Choc Lit, Sunny Days at the Beach is a contemporary romance with more than its fair share of intrigue and mystery. The book features Mandy Vanes, who runs Owl Corner Crafts in my fictional seaside town of Borteen. Mandy arrives at work one morning to find teenager, Nick Crossten sitting on the craft centre steps. Nick is distraught as he tells Mandy that his mother has left him home alone and gone off with her boyfriend to start a new life. As if that wasn’t enough, gin distiller, Graham Frankley arrives on the scene and tells the pair that Nick’s mum has written to him to say that he’s Nick’s dad!

Here’s the blurb:

From party nights at the pub to sunny days at the beach …

Craft shop owner Mandy Vanes has always enjoyed a commitment-free singleton lifestyle — in fact, she’s well-known for her wild ways in her small seaside town on the coast.

But when local teenager, Nick Crossten, turns to her for help, Mandy has the opportunity to prove she can be a responsible adult. Although things get tricky when gin distillery owner Graham Frankley comes to town with some unexpected news.

Could this mean that Mandy the party girl is finally ready to grow up?

It sounds great, and I remember Mandy as a minor character from previous Borteen books and so I’m excited she has her own story.

Here are the links to buy Sunny Days at the Beach: Amazon | Choc Lit

Please do share an extract from the story:

Nick glanced up as Mandy approached. His face looked ashen, just as hers had been in her morning reflection and his eyes were hollow and dark ringed too. He was shivering in the cold air.

‘Nick? What’s up?’ She tried to sound bright, even though her heart lurched as she could tell something was terribly wrong.

‘Mum’s gone.’

‘Gone? What do you mean gone?’ All thoughts of herself, her reflection in the mirror and even her sore head fled.

‘Met a man and left with him.’ The unhappy youth shrugged and looked away, as if he didn’t want her to see his expression.

‘But she can’t just leave you. Can she?’

He looked back at Mandy, his eyes full of tears. ‘Well, she has.’ He shrugged again.

‘Are you absolutely certain? She’s not just gone on holiday?’

‘She’s gone, Mand. Gone forever. Said horrid things to me before she went.’ His thin shoulders began to shake, no longer able to hold back the sobs. Mandy didn’t quite know how to react. You thought twice about putting your arm around someone else’s child these days. ‘But who’s going to look after you? Did she at least leave you some money? A phone number for emergencies?’

‘Nope.’ He gulped the bleak word out through his emotion. ‘Said I didn’t deserve anything, that I could support myself with my “poncy” art. Left her keys on the table, took her suitcases and slammed the door.’ He looked up at Mandy, blatant fear in his eyes. ‘What do I do now?’

Mandy sank down to sit on the step next to Nick and an ache started up in her chest in response to his woeful expression. ‘First of all, Nick, your art is wonderful. Never let anyone say otherwise. And you, young man, deserve the best the world can give to you.’

Nick had always appeared scruffy and slightly neglected, but this was the first time she’d seen him looking beaten down by life. He’d always had a ready smile before.

‘What about your dad?’ Her tone sounded falsely bright even to her own ears.

‘Never known a dad. Mum always says I haven’t got one.’

Mandy resisted the obvious retort that he must have been fathered by someone and wondered how Nick’s mother could have been so cruel to her son to say such a thing. She felt a spark of determination growing inside of her. ‘We’ll work this out together. You can come and stay with me for now, until we decide what to do.’

Aw, goodness, that’s moving and I hope life takes a turn for Nick. I know you are always busy but I hope you are finding time to write too, what can we expect from you next?

My next book is a Christmas novella set once more in my fictional seaside town of Borteen. This one features the Borteen solicitor and a woman he meets by chance on the beach.

I loved my last Christmas trip to Borteen, so I will look forward to it. Before you go, please could you answer five of my quick fire questions:

Mountains or beach (though I expect we can guess)? Beach every time – a walk on the beach is good for my soul.
Sweet or savoury? Unfortunately sweet – I love puddings, cakes, chocolate, etc.
Tea or coffee? Coffee, not instant, proper coffee of course.
Trainers or heels? Haven’t worn heels for years, but I tend to wear walking shoes rather than trainers.
Favourite season? Autumn – I was born in September and I often wonder if that’s why I prefer the autumnal days and cooler temperatures.

About the author:

Morton lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Her debut novel The Girl on the Beach was published after she won the Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Starcompetition. This story follows a woman with a troubled past as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her son’s new headteacher, Harry Dixon. The book is available as a paperback and e-book.

Morton’s second book for Choc Lit The Truth Lies Buried is another romantic suspense novel, The book tells the story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past. This book is available as an e-book, paperback and audiobook.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is Morton’s first Christmas novella. It is set in her fictional seaside town of Borteen and follows the story of Pippa Freeman, who runs the Rose Court Guesthouse with her mother, and local policeman Ethan Gibson, as they unravel a family secret as Christmas approaches.

Morton previously worked in the electricity industry in committee services, staff development and training. She has a Business Studies degree and is a fully qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She also has diplomas in Tuina acupressure massage and energy field therapy. She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books.

You can find out more about Morton and her work via: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Apricot Plots

Feel Good Friday with Angela Britnell.

Author Interview, Guest Post, , , , , , , ,

I am delighted to welcome Choc Lit author, Angela Britnell, as she celebrates the release of A Summer to Remember in Herring Bay.

Thank you so much for joining me, Angela, before we get chatting about your new book, I’d love to know if you have a top tip to promote wellbeing you’d like to share?

For me the key is balance – I love my writing but make sure to carve out space for my water aerobics classes, volunteering at my local library, travel and most importantly spending time with my family and friends. Being a Granny is my favourite job!

Great tip and I love being a Granny, too!

This is an exciting week for you. Please, tell us a little about your latest novel, A Summer to Remember at Herring Bay (I love the cover by the way):

When Essy Havers travels to Cornwall from her home in Nashville she hopes to find out why her mother is reluctant to talk about her childhood in Herring Bay, why she left for America and most important of all why she never went back. Ruan Pascow is back home in Herring Bay after years as an architect in London and unsure of where his life is headed next. When Essy’s persistent questions involve the secret behind his own father’s disappearance they come into conflict, a conflict made harder by their undeniable attraction to each other.

That sounds great. Please share a ‘feel good’ extract:

Ruan and Essy are enjoying a day out away from their problems and he’s taken her to the Jubilee Pool in Penzance…

‘Let’s get in the geothermal pool. It was all over the news when they opened it a couple of months ago and I’ve been wanting to come and test it out.’

‘You sure getting hotter is a good plan?’ A wicked smile tugged at her lush mouth. ‘We might need to get a room tonight at this rate.’

‘Might?’ When their eyes locked it sent his heart into overdrive. Beads of sweat glistened on Essy’s skin and the heat bloomed the scent of the tropical sun cream he’d slathered on her earlier.

‘Yeah, might.’ She trailed a finger down and teasingly rested it in the middle of his chest. ‘Keeping our options open raises the stakes.’

‘They aren’t high enough already?’

‘Play along, it’ll be more fun and that’s what we’re supposed to be having today.’ Her husky voice throbbed with the challenge.

‘Pool. Now.’ He tugged on her hand. ‘You’re dangerous.’ The only answer he received was a peal of rich laughter as he half-dragged her towards the pool.

Gosh! I love the steamy tension in that scene. Here are the links to buy: Amazon | Kobo | Choc Lit

I know you always have another writing project in mind, so what can we expect from you next?

I’ve just finished writing a Christmas novella titled Mistletoe and Moonshine and will be working on a spring book next.

Wow!

Finally, I like to get all of my feel-good Friday authors to answer five quick fire questions for fun: 

Tea or coffee? Tea – PG Tips or Earl Grey when I’m feeling reckless.

Trainers or heels? Trainers now, too many high heels when younger.

Hotel or hostel? The fanciest hotel I can afford.

Favourite season? Spring, I love all the flowers and the temperature usually suits me perfectly.

Who would you give your last Rolo to? They’re not my absolute favourites so probably anyone who asked for it but if we were talking about a Crunchie or Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Raspberry squares the answer would be different!

OO I had to look up what they were, they look very tasty 😉

Thank you so much for stopping by in your busy week. Best of luck with your new novel, Angela. I look forward to reading it. xx

About the author:

Angela grew up in Cornwall, England and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee to visit family and friends, drink tea and eat far too many Cornish pasties!

A lifelong love of reading turned into a passion for writing contemporary romance and her novels are usually set in the many places she’s visited or lived on her extensive travels. Thanks to over three decades of marriage to her wonderful American husband she’s a huge fan of transatlantic romance and always makes sure her characters get their own happy-ever-after.

She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, the Romance Writers of America and the Music City Romance Writers. Her first novel ‘Truth and Consequence’ was published in 2006 and she’s now had over 30 novels published internationally and several short stories in women’s magazines.

If you’d like to find out more of what Angela gets up to (Advance warning: this may include references to wine, chocolate, Poldark and the hunky Aidan Turner) check out: Twitter |  Facebook | website | Instagram |