Tag Archives: Joffe Books

Writing Wednesday with Emma Bennet: Utilising YouTube.

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, Writing Wednesday, , , , , , , , , , , ,
I am very happy to welcome author Emma Bennet to my blog for an interesting #WritingWednesday post about utilising YouTube as a writer. Over to you, Emma …

I discovered YouTube years ago for tutorials on how to fix stuff and productivity videos (my slightly weird obsession), but it was only after watching for quite a while that I stumbled upon the little corner of YouTube known as Authortube. About six months after that, I started my own channel and haven’t looked back!

Authortube is home to videos made by writers for writers and is the most amazing free resource. It costs absolutely nothing to subscribe to any of the many channels on YouTube and yet there are many benefits to checking out at least some of them.

The most obvious sort of video that will help you as a writer is how-to videos. These can really be divided into how-to videos concerning writing craft, and how-to videos about actually publishing your book.

In terms of writing craft, Brandon Sanderson’s lecture series is probably the most famous video available on YouTube, but you’ll also find writing advice from best-selling authors on hundreds of channels. YouTube University at its finest!

How to publish your book videos are possibly the most useful resource on YouTube for aspiring authors. Authors who have been there, done that, and got the t-shirt share their wealth of knowledge in both traditional and self-publishing, with both general advice and step-by-step tutorials, helping you to avoid the many pitfalls in the industry.

The next form of videos for writers are vlogs, where other writers share their experiences, either with their actual writing or with writing-related activities like author signings for example. Writing can sometimes feel like a lonely old business, and these vlogs show you that others are going through the same things and maybe offer some ideas of stuff you can try. I particularly enjoy a good writing challenge vlog!

Finally, we have live writing sprints. These are usually scheduled so you can plan which to join, but replays can also be enjoyed. There’s generally some chat from the host and cohosts, if there are any, and then timed writing sprints take place. You can comment on live chat, and it’s a great way to get accountable for your writing.

What I love most about Authortube is the community. The support I have found there since starting my own channel, particularly during live writing streams, is unparalleled and I have made writing friends for life from all over the World. We cheer each other on and help one another out and I don’t know what I’d do without them now.

My own YouTube channel, which is a mixture of tips and tricks for writers, book recommendations, author life vlogs and live writing streams, can be found here.

About Emma’s latest book:

Sometimes life doesn’t go exactly to plan . . .

London accountant Sophie unexpectedly becomes the stand-in mum for her estranged sister’s eight-month-old baby, Alana. She didn’t even know she had a niece! She’s wildly out of her depth.

Then her life is turned upside down all over again by the appearance of a Thor lookalike on her doorstep. Apparently, six-foot surfer Samson is Alana’s father. And he also just discovered the existence of this adorable baby.

Sophie is not prepared to hand over her niece to an equally clueless stranger, so they come up with a plan: Sophie and Alana will move into Samson’s spare bedroom in Brighton until they work out what to do.

As they settle into changing nappies and nighttime feeds, Sophie finds it hard to ignore the way her heart somersaults whenever Samson looks at her. But he already has a girlfriend, who’s made it very clear that Sophie and Alana are in the way.

The more Samson and Sophie bond with little Alana, they can’t ignore the obvious attraction between them. But can they put their feelings aside and stick to the plan?

Discover more and purchase here.

About the author:

Emma grew up and lived in London, before falling in love and moving to Wales to marry her own hero. Emma now lives with her husband, four children, and many animals a few miles outside of a small Welsh market town. She can often be found in rivers attempting to control two overexcited chocolate labradors.

Discover more about Emma Bennet and her books here: website | Instagram | TikTok | Facebook | Twitter 

Thank you so much for introducing me to Authortube, Emma. I am sure other writers will benefit from your great post, too. (Oh, and I also adore Labradors; next time you stop by, I would love to hear about yours.) xx

Location, Location, Location: The Sicilian Secret.

Book Review, Guest Post, Location!, , , , , , , , , ,
Today, I am delighted to welcome the lovely Angela Petch to my blog as she discusses the location of her latest novel, The Sicilian Secret. Over to you, Angela …

I always feel readier to write if I know where exactly I am setting my characters. My latest book, published April 23rd, has Sicily as an important location. Luckily, I lived on this beautiful island in my 20s. Quite some time ago. So, a reminder was needed. In May last year my husband and I visited the south-eastern corner, to research where the allied landings had taken place on the night of July 9th to 10th 1943 in Operation Husky.


What a coincidence that fifty years ago I had lived only a stone’s throw from this beach when I was working for a construction company. Little did I realise that one day I would revisit this coastline, not to swim and waterski as in the past, but to gain a better picture of where my characters would land and do battle.


I had read about this event but I hadn’t understood how hard the terrain had been for troops to negotiate and some of my descriptions were altered afterwards. The cliffs were higher, the sea pounding onto tufa rock, sharp and treacherous underfoot. A very hostile environment. I took video footage for publicity but it was impossible to hear my words over the raging wind. James Holland in his excellent book, Sicily ’43, describes the “heavy swell” and choppy seas, how “vomit filled the flooded bottoms of the LCA.” (Landing craft). There was confusion in the darkness and standing on the cliffs in that buffeting wind made it so much easier for me to later revise my chapter.


Fortune smiled on this author when I had started to speak to a young Sicilian. Like us, he had been turned away from the footpath leading to the cliffs by an officious security guard. We chatted. I told him how disappointed I was; how I was writing a book partly set in World War Two and to my delight he opened the boot of his FIAT and produced several history books. He was passionate about the events of war along this particular corner of coastline. His grandfather had fought on that very night and his accounts had sparked a deep interest ever since.

‘We’ll wait a little until the guard has gone off duty and then I’ll take you to see the remains of the barracks and guns.”

Gold dust. He guided us down steps into bunkers, the walls still relatively clean after eighty years, some bearing lines of propaganda written by Mussolini’s men. There were bullet and shrapnel holes in the walls and all of a sudden my head was filled with the sounds and scenes of battle. Giovanni was invaluable to me that windy afternoon and we have remained friends.


Reading through my words for Carol’s blog, it sounds as if I have written a history book. Yes, there are real events woven into The Sicilian Secret, but the story is fictitious. It features the oldest story: of love. There is intrigue, loss and a mystery to solve. My characters may not have really existed but I hope they feel real to readers. They do to me and that is partly because I have set them in real locations.

Thank you so much for the wonderful post, Angela. Your characters certainly felt real to me and I am happy to share my review below. xx
About the book:


Italy, 1943. With war raging across the rugged cliffs and turquoise waters of his beloved Sicily, Savio’s pen scrawls desperately across the page. His letter must be sent in secret – or his life will be in terrible danger…

England, present day. Paige is devastated when her reclusive but beloved Aunt Florence dies – the only family she’s ever known. Inheriting her crumbling cottage, Paige finds an unfinished note. ‘I am sorry, Paige. It’s time to tell you everything. It all began in Sicily…’

Beside the note is a faded envelope – addressed to a woman called Joy – with an Italian postage stamp from 1943. The letter inside is made up of Roman numerals and snippets of sentences written in Italian. But who is Joy? Was someone sending a coded message? Paige is desperate to piece together the truth. But she soon discovers it will change everything she’s ever believed about her aunt, and her family history.

1943. Lady Joy Harrison may have grown up in a manor house, but she’s determined to fight for what’s right and use her fluent Italian to help the Allies. Breaking code on a long night shift, Joy reads a secret message that makes her wholebody shake. A dark-eyed young man she once loved is in terrible danger on the shores of Sicily. Was the message sent by him? And will she ever see him again – or will the war tear them apart for good?

An absolutely heartbreaking and stunning timesplit historical novel about how wartime secrets can stretch across the generations, and the incredible bravery of ordinary people in the darkest of times. Fans of The Nightingale, Fiona Valpy and Lucinda Riley will be captivated.

My review:

Angela Petch’s latest novel, The Sicilian Secret, intertwines the gripping narratives of a World War II romance and a family mystery discovered in the 1970s. I liked and became invested in the characters and felt compelled to read on as they navigated love, loss, and intrigue as the story unfolded.

The author’s meticulous research shines through, enriching the narrative with immersive historical detail. The writing vividly captures the essence of war and the alluring charm of 1970s Sicily. The plot kept me engrossed from start to finish, though I wanted a little more insight into how things developed for the characters after the final chapter. (Perhaps I did not want to let the story go.)

The Sicilian Secret is a compelling dual-timeline novel with an engaging blend of romance and mystery. I greatly enjoyed it.

Discover more and purchase here | audio link.

About the author:

Published by Bookouture, Angela Petch is an award-winning writer of fiction – and the occasional poem.

Every summer she moves to Tuscany for six months where she and her husband own a renovated watermill which they let out. When not exploring their unspoilt corner of the Apennines, she disappears to her writing desk at the top of a converted stable. In her Italian handbag or hiking rucksack she always makes sure to store notebook and pen to jot down ideas.

The winter months are spent in Sussex where most of her family live. When Angela’s not helping out with grandchildren, she catches up with writer friends.

Angela’s gripping WWII novels set in Italy are published by Bookouture. While her novel, Mavis and Dot, was self-published and tells of the frolics and foibles of two best-friends who live by the seaside. Angela also writes short stories published in Prima and People’s Friend.

Discover more about Angela Petch and her writing here: Facebook | Twitter | website | Amazon | Instagram

Want a free romance read for the weekend? Download The Purrfect Pet Sitter free on Kindle today (26/4/24) available here.

Morton S. Gray: Writing Romance.

Guest Post, Writing & Reading, , , , , , , , ,
This week, I am delighted to be joined by my good friend Morton S. Gray as she talks about writing romance. Over to you, Morton…

Thank you for having me on your blog, Carol. My seventh romantic novel, A New Arrival in Borteen Bay, was published on 23 January 2024 with Choc Lit Publishing, an imprint of Joffe Books.

I sometimes find it quite funny that I’m listed as a romance author. Very often, when I’m writing, I get so carried away with the mystery or the plot of a book that when it comes to the editing stage, I’m often asked to make it much more romantic. I guess it’s the other relationships that make up the story that interest me most.

It’s also a source of fascination to me that we only see people as they appear in front of us, as they are right now and not their history or backstory. We all have our own path through life that makes us who we are, and I think that’s what intrigues writers.

For example, someone looking at me will see a happily married woman with an older son with a lovely partner who has just made me a grandma and a younger son at university. The fourteen years as a solo parent working full time after my divorce from my first husband isn’t visible on the surface at all, and yet those years have had such a huge influence on who I am as a person. But then, taking that a step further, my second marriage is why I believe romance is possible and second chances do come along. I personally have probably lived the plot of many a romance novel!

To give a bit more insight into my take on romance, I thought I would share my favourite romance film, novel, and song. However, it’s tough to choose just one for each of these, so I will give you a selection for each.

Film: Finding You, The Holiday, The Wedding Date.

Novel: Wintercombe by Pamela Belle, Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon, Starting Over by Sue Moorcroft (I’ve read all of these titles many times over).

Song: Breathless by The Corrs, Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift.

Thank you for your post, Morton. Despite watching a lot of films, I haven’t seen Finding You, so I will check it out. I do remember you recommended Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts to me, and I greatly enjoyed reading it, too, as I have each of your romance novels.

About A New Arrival in Borteen Bay: 

FALL IN LOVE WITH AN UTTERLY IRRESISTIBLE, BRAND-NEW ROMANCE ABOUT FRESH BEGINNINGS AND LETTING GO OF THE PAST.

Skye knows it’s now or never. It’s time for her to reveal herself to the father she’s never met.

So she hops on a plane from Dublin to the English seaside town of Borteen.

But between the father she’s just getting to know and her worried mother, Skye realizes that the past is never that simple as a whirlwind of secrets turns their world upside down.

And now Skye has Adam, the hunky guy next door, to contend with. He’s determined to show her there’s room in her life for love.

Skye thinks they’re better off as friends, but Adam has other ideas. Even when she reveals a secret of her own.

Will Skye allow history to repeat itself? Or will she let go of the secrets of the past and open herself up to the future?

This uplifting and feel-good romance is perfect for fans of Beth Moran, Shari Low, Jessica Redland, Sue Moorcroft or Isabella Connor.

Purchase or discover more here: A New Arrival in Borteen Bay

My review:

I enjoyed returning to the enchanting setting of Borteen Bay and spending time in the company of Buzz, Skye and Adam. While Adam’s actions sometimes seemed impetuous, I felt this was explained as I discovered more about his character and motivation. For me, Buzz was the real star of the story, emerging as a compelling figure with his poignant creation of a labyrinth on the beach, only for it to be erased by the tide – encapsulating both the fragility of life and the enduring spirit of optimism (something he certainly embodies). As the characters come together, the narrative weaves their individual stories, creating a tapestry of resilience, healing, and acceptance. It’s a lovely, gentle read to cosy up with.

Morton’s books are a delight to read and always have a great hook. If you are looking for a new series to fall in love with, I recommend checking them out: The Secrets of Borteen Bay

About the author:

Morton S. Gray lives in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember and penned her first attempt at a novel at the age of fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Morton worked for many years in the electricity industry, developing and training staff. She is a qualified hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She enjoys crafts and 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 here: website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Meet Three Characters from The Secret Sister.

Guest Post, Meet Three Characters, , , , , , , ,
It is always a pleasure to welcome Jan Baynham to my blog, but I am especially delighted today as I have recently finished reading her wonderful book, The Secret Sister, from which she is going to share three characters. 

Thank you, Carol, for inviting me onto your lovely blog to introduce three characters from The Secret Sister. Any author will tell you that by the time a novel is published, the characters in the story have become firm friends and we know everything there is to know about them.

Firstly, I’d like to introduce you to Sara Lewis; we meet her right at the beginning of the novel as she accompanies her little boy, Aled, to school on his first day. Her abusive husband, Fred, is away undergoing army training before being posted abroad for active service. They live with Fred’s mother at Graig Farm in the rural mid-Wales town of Pen Craig, and we very soon learn that she is unhappy living with her insufferable mother-in-law. Coming from an academic background, Sara is estranged from her own parents, having got herself pregnant at sixteen by a much older Fred. She was flattered that the local bad boy should have eyes for her and was taken in by his charms. She does have support from her elder sister, Menna, who offers her a lifeline in the form of working in the office of her building business, much to the disapproval of Fred’s mother. When news comes through that Fred has been killed in training, although sad for their little son, she is secretly relieved that she will never have to suffer any more abuse. A group of Italian Prisoners of War begin work on building an extension to the office where she works and there is an immediate attraction between her and one of the builders. Despite knowing that fraternisation between the prisoners and local women is forbidden, their love grows.

The prisoner she falls for is handsome Carlo Rosso from Porto Montebello in Sicily. As he writes to his mother when he first arrives at the prison camp, there are hints that Carlo carries a secret. He is one of several POWs who leave the camp each morning to work either on local farms or on building sites. Before being conscripted into the Sicilian army, he was a painter specialising in ecclesiastical art. Because of this, he is chosen to lead a team to transform an old Nissen hut within the grounds of the prison camp into a beautiful Italian Chapel where the prisoners may worship. There was no money allocated for the task, so it was down to the ingenuity and creativity of the prisoners to use found and natural materials to do this. As his and Sara’s relationship develops, they are both in danger for being found out. He stays in Pen Craig when the war ends and works for a local builder.

The final character I’d like to introduce you to is Claudia Rosso, the daughter of Sara and Carlo. She is very close to her father and has followed him into the world of art by studying painting. She is heartbroken when her beloved papà is critically injured in an accident at work. When she holds his hand as he takes his last breath, he whispers the name of Giulietta. Like her mother, she knows nothing about his life in Sicily but learns from Carlo’s friend that he had been wrongly accused of a wrongdoing and that is why he could never return to Sicily. Claudia travels to the island in search of the truth in order to try to find out who Giulietta is and to clear her father’s name. What she finds is a shock and she has to find ways of dealing with the discovery.

The characters were a joy to create, and I hope readers will enjoy their stories.

About the book:

The Secret Sister

Wales, 1943.

Sara Lewis should be heartbroken when her husband doesn’t return from war. But he was never the kind husband she hoped for. And now she’s stuck with her cruel mother-in-law on the family farm. Sara must do what is best for her young son. So she leaves the farm for the safety of her sister’s home.

Despite herself, she begins to notice Carlo, an Italian prisoner of war. Longing looks soon turn into love letters and a connection neither of them can sever.

But fraternisation between the prisoners and local women are forbidden. As their love grows, so does the danger all around them . . .

Twenty-five years later, their daughter holds her father’s hand as he takes his last breath and whispers a name: Giulietta.

But who is Giulietta, and who are the young woman and baby in an old photograph?

The secrets of the past collide as the family are shaken to their very core, forced to revisit memories they’d rather forget to uncover the truth.

Links to purchase: Amazon UK | Amazon.Com

My review:

In this wonderful novel, I was transported between two captivating timelines and immersed in the rich tapestry of Wales at the end of WWII and 1960s Sicily. The author’s skilful storytelling effortlessly evokes a brilliant sense of time and place, bringing the contrasting settings alive with vivid detail.

The narrative introduces us to Sara, trapped in an abusive marriage, and Carlo, an Italian prisoner of war whose forbidden love defies the odds in post-war Wales. Fast forward to 1968, and we follow Claudia, their daughter, as she unravels family secrets in Sicily, where she also meets the charming Alessandro.

Romantic, heart-wrenching, and heart-warming, “The Secret Sister” is a captivating tale of love, resilience, and the enduring bonds of family (I greatly enjoyed the bond between Sara and her sister, Menna). Baynham’s meticulous attention to setting enriches the narrative, bringing both Wales and Sicily to life in a way that resonates long after the final page is turned. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel from beginning to end.

About the author:

Originally from mid-Wales, Jan Baynham lives in Cardiff. After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, Jan joined a small writing group in a local library where she wrote her first piece of fiction. From then on, she was hooked! Her stories and flash fiction pieces have been longlisted and shortlisted in competitions and several appear in anthologies both online and in print. In October 2019, her first collection of stories was published by Black Pear Press. Fascinated by family secrets and ‘skeletons lurking in cupboards’, Jan writes dual narrative, dual timeline novels that explore how decisions and actions made by family members from one generation impact on the lives of the next. Setting and a sense of place play an important part in all of Jan’s stories and as well as her native mid-Wales, there is always a contrasting location. She is published Choc Lit, an imprint of Joffe Books.

Having joined the Romantic Novelists Association in 2016, she values the friendship and support from other members and regularly attends conferences, workshops, talks and get togethers. She is an active member of her local Chapter, Cariad.

Find out more about Jan Baynham and her novels here: Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Bookbub

Paws and Prose with Anni Rose.

Guest Post, Paws and Prose, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Today, I am very happy to welcome fellow Choc Lit (Joffe Books) author Anni Rose to my blog – especially as she is here to talk about her adorable dogs. Over to you, Anni …

Thank you for inviting me on to your blog today to talk about my pets and my writing. I know we both have a soft spot for Labradors. I had a yellow Lab, Henry, from the age of about eight and was delighted, more recently, when work commitments finally meant I could have another dog.

These days my constant writing companions are Brian, a Labrador with absolutely no brains at all. He sleeps on his back and usually with his tongue out! And likes to carry two balls or two sticks around. He hasn’t really got the idea of fetch or drop but will sit and stare at you happily with two balls in his mouth. Then we also have Rockstar, a Romanian street dog, who came to us after a major operation to put pins in both back legs. He’d been hit by a car and left on the side of the road for dead and was the inspiration behind Miss Phyllis in my fourth book, Recipe for Mr Ideal.

We’d never homed a rescue dog before and it was a very daunting prospect, we knew nothing of his history, only that he would need patience, time and a huge amount of love. I can still remember the day when this terrified creature turned up. Three years on, he has settled in beautifully, he still has a very odd gait – the pins are still in his leg, but these days he will happily jump in and out of the car or to catch treats. In fact, there is little he won’t do for cheese or bacon – a dog after my own heart!

He is, however, very much the boss in this house. A fascination with shoelaces, he can untie the trickiest knot and has his favourite chairs in the house – don’t try and sit one of them! If it ever comes down to a battle of wills, it’s best to give in gracefully, Rocky can be very stubborn, but he is immensely protective of Brian, and he has stripped the squeaker out of all Brian’s balls (for which we are very grateful!)

All my books have at least one animal; I feel they add more depth to the story. They are as important to me as my hero and heroine and always fun to write.

I like to be able to picture all my characters before I start writing a book, and the dogs, cats or horses are no exception. But, when I say that none of my human characters bear any relation to somebody, living or dead, the animals always do.

Charlie Brown in Recipe for Mr Super was really a Shetland Pony with a thing about Wellington boots and who upended me more times than I care to remember. Dragon was a beautiful horse with asymmetrical hips who needed constant vocal reassurance when faced with a jump. Elvis from Recipe for Mr Banksy was a tribute to our two previous black Labradors, who we lost during Covid before Rocky and Brian came along. Up and coming books have a Lurcher-Weimaraner cross called Fergus, who I met on a walk one day, and a Harlequin Great Dane called Colin. Then there’s also a book in the pipeline with more to come from Miss Phyllis.

I love having animals around me. They get me out for walks in the morning without complaining, whatever the weather, and are both great cuddlers. What’s more, they never complain when I read chapters to them over and over again. Who could ask for more?

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog Carol, and I look forward to reading more about Luna in your books to come. Anni x

You are very welcome, Anni. It was lovely to hear about your dogs. They are both gorgeous; Brian is, of course, Labradorable! Thank you for the great post. x

Anni Rose’s books are all available via Amazon.

About the author:

Born and raised in Berkshire, Anni Rose emigrated to Wiltshire six years ago, where she lives with her husband, sister, two dogs, a cat and Midge, the grey, speckled hen.

As a child, she could usually be found either reading or writing fiction, producing reams of stories over the years.

On leaving school, the need to earn a living sort of got in the way, and her writing was limited to financial reports or employees’ handbooks, but a local writing course and an encouraging group of writing friends re-ignited the fiction flame many years later, and Anni went on to have several short stories published in various magazines.

Anni would describe her writing these days as mainly modern romantic stories with a healthy dollop of humour thrown in. Away from writing, Anni can usually be found behind a camera, walking the dogs, enjoying one of her husband’s curries or one of her sister’s bakery treats.

Discover more about Anni Rose and her work here:  Website | X (Twitter) | Facebook