Interview with Caroline James

I am very excited to see that Boomerville is back. Please tell us a little about your latest novel Boomerville at Ballymegille:

Boomerville at Ballymegille is a standalone read following the success of my novel, “The Best Boomerville Hotel.” Newly opened Boomerville Manor is a retreat for ‘guests of a certain age’ and an eclectic mix gather for the opening weekend to enjoy a celebratory party together with some interesting, off-the-wall courses.

It is set in Ireland, what drew you to this location?

I’ve spent some time in Southern Ireland and love the friendly people and their sense of humour and ‘craic.’ What’s not to love about the beautiful countryside, fabulous coast line, wonderful food and drink? It’s a perfect location for a story. Ballymegille is a fictitious village, south of Cork, close to a fishing port which was based on my memories of glorious Kinsale (pictured below), a town that is a must for any tourist visiting the area.

That looks great, I’ve been to Dublin but would love to explore more of Ireland. Hattie was a beloved character in your previous novels, does she, or any other returning characters make an appearance in this book?

Ah…. Hattie! Larger than life and full of fun, she is a character that haunts me. Yes, Hattie is along for the Irish ride, so to speak, and as ever, up to her usual mischief, causing mayhem wherever she goes. I sometimes think that Hattie should pop her clogs but that may upset too many fans of the character. Jo is back too, the owner of Boomerville, but there is a new guest list that includes Melissa, an ex-cabaret singer running from her abusive husband, and Bill, a bachelor bullied from beyond the grave by the ghostly voice of his mother. The Boomerville Babes are an ageing female aquatic team and if they were to ever set up classes near me, I would join them in a heartbeat. Great fun with plenty of female loyalty as the story unfolds.

I can’t resist a dog, and I’ve spotted one on your promotional posts, who is the four-legged star of this novel and how much was his character influenced by your gorgeous Fred Westie?

Great question. I can’t write a book without a woofer appearing in the story. The puppy in the promotional posts is Teddy, a dog that Hattie reluctantly adopts. His history is chequered but he endears himself to everyone. He is completely ficticious and nothing like the rascal that lives with me. Fred Westie, our three-year-old, who is a little devil and always in trouble, but I love the bones of him.

If you can say without revealing too much of the story, what was your favourite scene to write?

I always like the build-up to a tense scene. On the surface all is going well at Boomerville’s opening party but there is an underlying event, created by a despicable character, that changes the course of the book. I love taking the reader on a roller coaster of emotions and hope that this part of the story does exactly that, creating a page-turning experience right through to the end.

Finally, what can we expect from you next?

Boomerville is going Greek. I am taking Jo and Hattie to Bassaloniki, a fictitious island in the Ionian Sea, where they will open a temporary retreat for the summer months. With a new cast of guests and curious locals, I am loving the writing process and yearning to return to the beautiful islands, for further research, when it is safe to travel again.

Thanks so much for hosting me on your lovely blog Carol and happy reading everyone xx

You’re most welcome, thanks so much for stopping by. I can’t wait to read your fab new book!

Discover more about Boomerville at Ballymegille:

Here’s the blurb:

Join Hattie and Jo as they head to Southern Ireland to open Boomerville Manor, a holiday retreat for guests of ‘a certain age’. There’s Irish craic and shenanigans aplenty for the colourful cast of characters as everyone gathers for the grand opening.

Meet Melissa, an ex-cabaret singer running from her abusive husband, and Bill, a bachelor bullied from beyond the grave by the ghostly voice of his mother. Along with local bobby Harry the Helmet, ageing aquatic team the Boomerville Babes, eccentric artist Lucinda Gray, and heartthrob Finbar Murphy, they gather in Ireland and the fun begins. But murder is in the air and there’s mischief afoot. Will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?

Set in the beautiful Irish countryside, ‘Boomerville at Ballymegille’ is a heart-warming story of friendship, fears and new beginnings.

Click to buy: Boomerville at Ballymegille

About the author:

Best-selling author of women’s fiction, Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that often features in her novels. She is based in the UK but has a great fondness for travel and escapes whenever she can. A public speaker, which includes talks and lectures on cruise ships world-wide, Caroline is also a consultant and food writer. She is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association, the Society of Women’s Writer’s & Journalists and the Society of Authors and writes articles and short stories, contributing to many publications. In her spare time, Caroline can be found walking up a mountain with Fred, her Westie, sipping raspberry gin and relaxing with her head in a book and hand in a box of chocolates.

Find out more about Caroline James and her novels here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Amazon Author Page

Today, I am delighted to welcome fellow Ruby Fiction author Caroline James.

Thank you for agreeing to join me on my blog Caroline and for answering my questions, aimed at discovering more about you and your novel, The Best Boomerville Hotel.

An absolute pleasure and many congratulations on the publication of your fabulous book, The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I loved it!

That’s very kind of you, and I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Congratulations to you too on recently getting your ‘Best Seller’ badge for the Best Boomerville Hotel. For those who haven’t yet encountered your fabulous novel, give us your elevator pitch:

Thank you for the lovely compliment. I’m not good at elevator pitches – my elevator always heads the wrong way. But here it is:

Let the shenanigans begin at the Boomerville hotel …

Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have a vision – a holiday retreat in the heart of the Lake District exclusively for guests of ‘a certain age’ wishing to stimulate both mind and body with new creative experiences. One hotel refurbishment later and the Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business!With an array of colourful guests there’s bound to be laughs aplenty, but could there be tears and heartbreak too and will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?

Your characters are all a touch eccentric, can I cheekily ask which you most identify with, and why?

People who know me say I am a ‘Jo’ – the owner of the hotel who likes to people please and make everyone happy. But I think there is a touch of ‘Hattie’ in me too. She is the hotel manager, larger than life and extremely naughty.

The Boomerville Hotel encourages its residents to be open-minded and try new things. What three things have you tried in life that you would recommend to others?

Trekking the Inca Trail for days then climbing, exhausted, on my knees up a steep incline to the Dawn Gate to watch the sun rise over the hidden city of Machu Pichu. Magical, spiritual and quite simply amazing.

Zip-wiring across a damn in China. Seriously dangerous, as the harness appeared to consist of a leather belt belonging to the elderly Chinese gentleman who hooked me onto the wire. A once-in-a-lifetime thrill – the thrill being that I was still alive and breathing as I hurtled head first into the water at the other end.

Sushi. I always hated it until I was taken to a lovely restaurant in Barbados, to a table by the water’s edge and as the Caribbean Sea rolled over soft white sands the chef made the most delicious platter of fresh seafood sushi and I was completely and totally hooked. Like a love story in my mouth.

I adored Bunty, and know she was based on your own dog. Tell us a little about her:

Many years ago, a partner gave me a chocolate brown Labrador puppy called Meg. He disappeared not long after, proving the point that a partner is not for life nor just for Christmas. But Meg became my new love and we were inseparable. I decided to breed her and eight gorgeous puppies arrived. Meg was a terrible mother and I had a real job on my hands. As the puppies were rehomed there was one who stayed glued to my side. Bunty was the naughtiest of the bunch and always causing mischief. I fell head over heels for Bunty and she stayed with me and Meg. Thirteen years on, two years after we lost Meg, we said our final goodbyes and I vowed I’d never have a dog again. It was just too painful.

Adorable Bunty!

Cumbria makes a beautiful setting, was there a reason for choosing it as the home for the Boomerville Hotel and as a foodie, have you visited L’Enclume?

I used to own a country house hotel in Cumbria and this was the setting for my fictional hotel, Boomerville. I loved that hotel and spent some of the happiest years of my life there. Writing about it is easy, stories soon come. A hotel is a revolving door and there are always multiple scenarios that trigger the imagination. L’Enclume is a lovely restaurant and I have been fortunate to dine there. Such a talented chef and imaginative food.

I saw on your recent blog post that you are working on a sequel – how exciting! Was Boomerville always going to be part of a series and what can we expect from the next instalment?

I am very fortunate to have received some cracking reviews for The Best Boomerville Hotel and readers who contact me say they want more of the same. I am currently writing another ‘Boomerville’ and this time we travel to Southern Ireland where Jo has bought a new property to create an Irish Boomerville. Expect lots of Irish craic and shenanigans as the guests get on board. I never intended this to be a series but if something works, why change it?

Five for fun:

1) Tea or coffee? Coffee, strong and black.
2) Cinema or theatre? Theatre, I love a live show.
3) Paperback or Ereader? Ereader – I like reading in bed with all the lights out.
4) High heels or pumps? High heels, Carol, we girls must strut our stuff!
5) Starter or desert? Tricky, I’ve changed my eating habits drastically in the last six months and after a lifetime of sugar addiction now astonish myself by saying, ‘Starter please’.

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Best Boomerville Hotel; here is my review:

Light, easy reading with likeable characters, and laughs along the way!

Set in the beautiful countryside of Cumbria, the newly refurbished Best Boomerville Hotel is the ideal location for this eccentric cast of fifty-somethings looking to revitalise their lives. And with courses ranging from life drawing to sessions with the Shaman, there is never a dull moment.

It took me a few chapters to get to know the characters, but as their individual (and often quirky) personalities became established I had no problem distinguishing who was who. I loved Hattie, who was a formidable woman with a big heart and a close eye on the action at the hotel. She certainly added to the fun and provided many laugh out loud moments. Bunty was an absolute bonus, I have a soft spot for chocolate Labradors, and she sounded Labradorable (pardon the pun)!

By the end of the novel, the characters felt like old friends, and I was willing them towards their happy-ever-after. The Best Boomerville Hotel is a story of friendship, drama, love and laughter, it was my first Caroline James read, but it won’t be my last.

Links to buy The Best Boomerville Hotel: Kobo | Ibooks/Google | Itunes | Amazon

About the author:

Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that features in her novels. She is based in the UK but has a great fondness for travel and escapes whenever she can. A public speaker, consultant and food writer, Caroline is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association and writes articles and short stories and contributes to many publications. In her spare time, Caroline can be found trekking up a mountain or relaxing with her head in a book and hand in a box of chocolates.

Find out more about Caroline James and her novels here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Thank you so much for joining me, Caroline. I loved reading your answers and hearing about the amazing adventures you’ve had. Your words about Bunty were very moving, and reminded me of my gorgeous boy, Benson. Your sequel sounds like lots of fun, I look forward to reading it.

My reviews are posted on Amazon and Goodreads x

Carol Thomas

Author

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Boomerville is Back! An interview with Caroline James.

An interview with Caroline James.