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
