The Heights - Louise Candlish

He thinks he’s safe up there. But he’ll never be safe from you.

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Shad Thames, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him.

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.

You know this for a fact.
Because you’re the one who killed him.

My Review:

The Heights is a fascinating psychological thriller based on how the effects of one incident can tear people apart and how the sense of overwhelming despair and grief can turn into obsession, compulsion and become a desire for the ultimate revenge. It’s dark, emotionally charged and crikey it’s addictive reading, I couldn’t put it down for a second.

The characters in The Heights are intense, but understandably so, I think they were excellently written. Ellen is consumed by the need to have revenge on the person who took away her son. She is a mother on a mission, and I understand her motivation. She is determined to do whatever it may take; her family is the most precious thing to her, and she will not have anyone get away with ruining it.

This story is mostly narrated by Ellen in the form of a memoir, and this really engaged me with how she felt, her side of things whereas just telling this story – I may not have felt so strongly about everything she does. Her ex-partner Vic is also introduced as a second narrator and this allows us to see not only what happens from a different point of view, but we see a different perspective of Ellen.

This book takes you on your own moral journey, looking at what you think is right, fair and if justice is ever deemed as done in a victim (families) eye. Would you be happy with any sentence, would you be compelled to seek your own revenge? Would your emotions drive you to the point of obsession?

The author is a firm favourite of mine, I eagerly await how she is going to thrill us next. I enjoy the characters she creates, the twists and turns she cleverly orchestrates into each storyline so to ensure nothing is ever as straightforward as we assume.

'The Heights' is a fast paced and dynamic, you will be captivated from the start but will be taken on quite the ride. It’s an intelligent, twisty, thriller – I highly recommend, you will not be disappointed.

2020 : A little round up (and massive SO LONG to this year!)

 

As we come to the end of 2020, I wanted to take a moment of reflection and express gratitude. It's been quite the year hasn't it - you do not need me to remind you of why. We've lived through something unprecedented, the history books will talk of this time and despite the absolute awful dark days, the heart breaking losses, the pain, anxiety and desperation - there has been love. Love and kindness. I've seen people coming together like never before, going above and beyond expectations, pushing through their own circumstances and doing things for others without hesitation. I've seen that people are...good. 

My 'day job' is in a secondary school and to see this year through the eyes of those 11-18 year olds has been astounding, the way they see things very clearly and adjust to situations has warmed my heart. They talk about their worries, they speak out against what they believe is wrong, they come up with solutions that, quite frankly, leaders of the country should take some notice of and mostly without fuss. I've often thought along the rocky road of 2020 that some adults could do with the approach our young people have had. They have struggled, some more than others but this year has impacted them all in one way or another. For some damage done may be tough to overcome but I have no doubt that we as educators and pastoral teams can support them and their families, that our communities can ensure these young people continue to grow and learn while feeling secure and cared for. 

As for me, this year I've turned to what I love the most to get me through the tough times. BOOKS!!  I've sought escape from the reality we faced and the constant barrage of news, updates and scaremongering in the covers of some absolute wonderful reads. Two hundred and seventeen of them in fact - wow. 

I think many of us had a period of time where we couldn't pick up a book or couldn't concentrate long enough to get into anything properly but I'm SO pleased it didn't last long, books have really helped keep me sane. Books have eased anxieties and filled time where I over thinking and worrying; they've transported me to different times, places and allowed an escape from reality. 

I've been seeing many people pull together lists of Top Ten books etc but I'm not 100% sure I can narrow them down. I recently posted a pic on Instagram (@comfychairblog) of some of my "Top Reads" and already feel like I should include so many more. Take a look at my selection:

I want to say THANK YOU to authors. 

Thank you for giving us readers the chance of escape, for creating worlds for us to 'exist' for periods of time and just relax, enjoy and be free of the every day stresses and worry we have felt.  Books are always a brilliant way of educating ourselves - seeing new things, experiencing other cultures and lifestyles. They are entertainment and fun, action packed, heart warming. We can be on the edge of our seat or cosied up, crying with emotion. 

In November I had many authors take part in a Q&A and it was brilliant to be able to highlight so many lovely, talented people. Using the tiny little platform I have to shout about these hard working authors is something I will continue into 2021. If you follow me on Twitter (@TheComfyChair2) you will see me regularly banging on about wonderful authors, new releases as well as old favourites. I'm very lucky to have met some wonderful book loving people, made booktastic friends and been able to communicate with the very authors I've loved reading. What a gorgeous community to be involved in. 

I'm going to end this by saying I hope you all have a great New Year. I'm looking forward to the great new books, the brilliant old books, the authors, the friendships and hopefully a lot more events "in person." 

Leaving you with the full 217 books I read this year - Any bets on how many I will read in 2021?

 

A Christmas Wedding at the Castle - Eliza J Scott

 

Do you believe in fate? Livvie Weatherill does…

This time last year, if anyone had told Livvie Weatherill she’d have fallen in love and would be making plans for her Christmas wedding to Zander Gillespie, she would have laughed in their face. If they’d gone on to say they’d be planning to have their wedding at the imposing Danskelfe Castle, she’d have laughed even louder!

But it would seem fate had plans for her…

Since moving to the pretty moorland village of Lytell Stangdale Livvie is happier than she’s ever been. She’s living with Zander and she’s working at her dream job as a wedding dress designer at Romantique with her friends, Kitty and Violet. It’s fair to say, she’s enjoying immersing herself in village life, from romantic walks in the countryside, to meeting friends at the quaint Sunne Inne. And she can’t think of anything better than rounding off the day cosying up with Zander.

Life is sweet.

Her blossoming friendship with Freda Easton, the endearing but reclusive elderly lady who lives down the lane, has taken everyone by surprise. But Freda has a secret and, in a turn of events no one could predict, she finds herself grateful for Livvie’s fierce loyalty, cementing their friendship further.

Just when things seem to be running smoothly, a face from the past arrives on the doorstep casting a shadow over Livvie’s wedding plans. Adding to the drama, an icy blast of Arctic air brings heavy snowfall to the village, covering the moors in a thick blanket of snow.

Is their love strong enough to withstand the challenges thrown at them? Will they get their magical Christmas wedding?

Join Livvie and Zander – and all the usual characters – for a sparkling Christmas full of love and laughter in Lytell Stangdale.

My Review:

It’s an absolute pleasure to be back in Lytell Stangdale with some of our favourites. Lovely to see old friends but nice to focus on Livvie and Zander’s wedding.

Yet again, we are whisked to the Yorkshire Moors to a village full of community spirit, where everyone is keen to support, love and help each other. If you haven’t read any of the previous books, they can be read as standalones, but you’d be in for a real treat if you did read them too.

I thoroughly enjoyed catching up on this gorgeous romance. The book takes us through from proposal to hen night to planning all the finer details. Livvie has her heart set on the beautiful castle but does an on-going problem involving her friend cause an issue that can’t be rectified?

Will Livvie settle for second best for her wedding or will she persevere in planning the dream wedding?

It’s wonderful to read this cosy story, a treat to wrap up warm and enjoy. It’s set at Christmas but it is not Christmas heavy, a sprinkling of festive feeling of course – just enough! Livvie sets about supporting the village recluse, her friend and in helping her discovers more than ever bargained for.

A gorgeous, romantic tale of love, friendship and looking beyond what is in front of you. With characters you will take to your heart,  I highly recommend this and any other read by Eliza J Scott. 

Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Christmas-Wedding-Castle-heartwarming-feel-good-ebook/dp/B08M48P9BB

US - https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Wedding-Castle-heartwarming-feel-good-ebook/dp/B08M48P9BB

Author Bio:

Eliza is proud to be a member of the RNA. She lives in a village in the North Yorkshire Moors with her husband, their two daughters and two mischievous black Labradors. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found with her nose in a book/glued to her Kindle or working in her garden, fighting a losing battle against the weeds.
When she's not reading or gardening, Eliza also enjoys bracing walks in the countryside, rounded off by a visit to a teashop where she can indulge in another two of her favourite things: tea and cake.
Her biggest weakness is ginger biscuits dunked in tea.
Eliza is inspired by her beautiful surroundings and loves to write heartwarming romance stories with relatable female characters. She enjoys exploring the dynamics of female friendship, with a key feature of her books being how women pull together and support one another when things get tough.
Eliza's novels will always have happy endings.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: Eliza J Scott – @ElizaJScott1

Instagram: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscott

Facebook: Eliza J Scott - @elizajscottauthor

Blog: www.elizajscott.com

Bookbub: www.bookbub.com/authors/eliza-j-scott

Amazon Author Page: UK:  www.amazon.co.uk/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

                                        US: www.amazon.com/Eliza-J-Scott/e/B07DMQWPMH

Q&A with Emma Jordan

 Welcome to The Comfy Chair Blog.. with Emma Jordan 

I’m a huge travel and live music fan, having seen artists around the world, across all genres including Andrea Bocelli (Malta) Muse (6 countries including Helsinki), Stereophonics (every chance I get) and New Kids on the Block (UK and USA).  I love country music, and finally visited Nashville last year, for the week long CMAFest - listening to 60 hours of live music across 5 days, AND American breakfasts are my nirvana.  

I love hearing from readers, too and am mostly found on Twitter or Instagram going by the name of @dgtlwriter 

1. What was your favourite childhood book/author? 

I practically lived in the libraries near home and in school from an early age, and I always sought out Point Horrors and Sweet Valley Highs.  I also loved reading Judy Blume books; I’m a definite child of the early 90s. 

 2.                What inspired you to start writing and how long has it taken you to get to this point? 

Being surrounded by books the logical next step was having a go at writing.  Each summer school holidays I’d force my sister and cousin to write magazines and bind handwritten dictionaries together.  

I studied history and literature at uni, and after a little time away from education, working in offices, I trained as a teacher, and gained an MA, so I’ve always been an academic writer.  When I started to travel in my mid-20s a notebook was as essential to travel as my passport, and I have always loved writing diaries.  The idea for the first novel in my romance series, Everything Except You, came from my love of travel, music and eighties films, and I spent a couple of years with the characters until September 2019, when I  published the story of Lucy and Cain, who think they have everything they need, until they meet.  The second book in my romance series, Everything and Nothing, was published in July 2020, with a Christmas novella due out in December. 

 3.                Describe your writing space - neat and ordered or creative chaos? 

In the last couple of years, as my daughter has reached Juniors in primary school, and we have more space, I’ve finally got a writing room at home, overlooking Dartmoor, which we call the craft room - I now keep a relatively tidy square of space around my computer, but the deeper I get into editing, the more biscuit tins and bars of chocolates join me at the desk, creating a confectionary cityscape. 

 4.                What is the easiest and hardest part of the writing process? 

I love planning, creating strong characters that I live with for a while, before committing their story to paper.  I have an online diary, where I offload non-writing thoughts, and rough writing goals in the early days, then a second document of character notes and plot, so I can keep track of hair and eye colour, music and films the characters love, their own families.  I have to visualise my characters really well during the planning stage, so that writing is easier.  I pretty much love writing the first draft, too, watching the word count grow.  

   The editing is probably the most difficult aspect of writing, but I know this is where the story starts to emerge.  I used to hate this stage, but I read a blog from author Emma Cooper who outlined her editing process, and I absolutely love her work - I proper ugly-cry until 4 in the morning when I’m binging on her books, but I ABSOLUTELY LOVE that she’s made editing a bearable process.  I now have about six steps I follow, from consistencies, through to line edits, and have a brilliant friend who loves editing who reads through my work pointing out errors I just can’t see.  Then I order an author copy and curl up on the sofa with my book and a highlighter to read as a reader.  Then I’ll download to Kindle to check how it reads, before publishing.  On every page I have to have those feel-good moments of prose that mean I’ve written a book that I just can’t put down.  

 5.                Which other authors are you influenced by?

I devour books by Marian Keyes, Emma Cooper, Stephen King, Lindsey Kelk and Sophie Kinsella.  I love the way their stories keep me turning the page.  Marian’s dialect is fantastic and her messages are so emotive.  Emma’s stories of love will see me sobbing frequently; Stephen King’s books are great from seeing the story from different character’s viewpoints.  And Misery is probably one of my favourite books, again about a series of romance books.  Lindsey’s and Sophie’s romance series’ just remind me of great holiday reads, and how readers always love escaping.   

   I really do love a romance series, and there are some great self-published romance writers who I know create page-turning stories for me to run away with, such as Melody Anne, Melody Grace, and a New Zealand author, Serenity Woods.  I’ve discovered a new writer recently, Isabel Jordan (no relation) and I love the sass she brings to her characters.  I love self-publishing for the speed at which I can write and publish, and then there’s the Canva fun I can have during book promotions, which is almost as fun as meeting new readers on social media! 

 6.                What does literary success “look” like to you?

First of all, I have to write the book I can’t put down.  I love when readers get in touch to tell me how much they love my characters and writing, and I know that is down to the editing process.  I want to make the sentences as beautiful as I can, inspired by the prose of Mark Twain, or Laurie Lee, who both had a hypnotic way with words.  

   Success can mean millions of readers know a book’s name, or it is made into a film, but there are more hard working authors than professional book clubs and awards available - marketing shines upon and elevates a book, zeitgeist is the wind that flaps the pages in front of those millions of readers.  

 7.                How do you select the names of your characters?

I have a thirty year career as a reader, music-lover and film addict; names are everywhere.  I like to play around with names of minor characters in my novels to have a little fun; country artists have turned up, favourite film characters, and beloved literary characters, such as children Charlotte and Emily, named after the Bronte sisters.  

 8.                Do you hide any secret ‘messages’ in your book that only a few people will understand? 

If you’re a music fan, especially of country music, you will recognise lyrics and artists more than most readers.  If you’re new to the genre of Nashville music, follow the advice of my lead characters who will point you to the way of excellent three minute stories. 

 9.                If your book was to be made into a film/TV programme, which actors would play which role? 

Whichever actors my readers want to put in their mind when they’re reading my books!  I know some writers create Pins and Instagrams of their characters, however, I haven’t done that yet.  Maybe I’ll save that for my next romance series. 

 10.            What do you hope your readers take away from your book?

The idea that love is everywhere, between family and friends as well as central characters.  I want readers to remember the romance scenes of one character listening to another, bringing them their favourite drink, getting caught - and rescued -in potentially dangerous situations, being prepared to walk away for love, and accepting love when it’s right in front of them.  I can’t help but set my books in so many locations, across the UK, USA and Asia,  that I hope travel memories are evoked, or itineraries planned, too.  

Lastly, Jenn (The Comfy Chair) likes to enjoy a good read snuggled up with a cup of tea and piece of cake... what cake or sweet treat would you suggest to accompany your book? 

Oh, I’m always surrounded by sweet treats.  When I’m reading I love a giant chocolate chip cookie, or a decadent peanut butter cheesecake, or gooey chocolate fudge cake by my side.  You’ll want a hand free to keep turning the pages of my Love is Everything series :)  

Everything, Except You and Everything and Nothing are the first two published novels in my romance slow-burn happy ever after series, Love is Everything, available on Amazon.  

In Everything, Except You, Lucy and Cain have everything they could want, except each other.  Their lives are heading in different directions, but touring Musician Cain has fallen hard for Academic Lucy.  Can he peel away each of the protective layers Lucy has wrapped around herself, and help her to see their possibilities? 

In the follow-up novel, Everything and Nothing, Lucy’s sister, Elle has just begun her dream job at an art gallery, and has achieved everything she has ever worked for.  She can have anything and everyone she wants, except Cain’s drummer, Jam.  A chance mistake at work, a bar challenge and they end up living in Thailand together, discovering connections deeper than they realised.  

My Christmas novella, revisiting old friends and delving into new love,  Everything at Christmas, is due to be published in December 2020.  Expect love, romance and lots of Christmas experiences. 

Q&A with Juliet Greenwood

 Welcome to The Comfy Chair Blog... Juliet Greenwood

Juliet Greenwood has always been fascinated both by her Celtic heritage and the history of the women in her family. Her great-grandmother supported her family by nail making in Lye, in the Black Country, and her grandmother worked as a cook in a large country house.

After graduating in English from Lancaster University and Kings College, London, Juliet worked on a variety of jobs to support her ambition to be a full-time writer. These ranged from running a craft stall at Covent Garden to workshops in story-telling, along with spells of teaching and charity fundraising, and more recently as a freelance editor and proofreader.

Juliet now lives in a traditional quarryman’s cottage between the mountains and the sea in beautiful Snowdonia, North Wales, and is to be found dog walking in all weathers, always with a camera to hand. Her second book for Orion ‘The Girl with the Silver Clasp’ will be published in September 2021.

1.      What was your favourite childhood book/author? 

I adored Rosemary Sutcliff, and her historical novels like ‘The Eagle of the Ninth’ and ‘The Shield Ring’. I loved the way the stories took me away to another time and place and made me really feel what it was like to live there, along with an element of adventure that took me right away from school and everyday life.  

2.      What inspired you to start writing and how long has it taken you to get to this point?

I was such a bookworm as a child, I soon started to make up my own stories. I can clearly remember writing my first novel aged ten, a historical epic set in Saxon times. My ambition was always to be a writer, but I failed miserably in my first attempt when I was in my twenties.  That was when I discovered that just reading and studying literature isn’t enough to be able to write a book, you need to have lived a bit of life too! So life, earning a living and all the rest took over, and it was just over fifteen years ago that I decided it was now or never and seriously go for it. Since then, I’ve gradually built up my experience, from magazine stories to being published with a small press, and I finally managed to get an agent and a two-book deal with Orion last year. I’m really thankful for that experience. There are so many skills to be learnt for writing a novel, as well as all the practical publishing aspects like dealing with the various edits and publicity, I was so glad I was (fairly!) confident I knew what I was doing when I started working with Orion. It’s been quite a journey!

3.      Describe your writing space - neat and ordered or creative chaos? 

I live in a traditional quarryman’s cottage on a hillside at the edge of a Welsh village in Snowdonia. My office is in the ‘crog’ loft, a small space in the attic where the children would have slept in Victorian times. I’m lucky that a previous owner put in a window, so I have a view over my garden and towards Anglesey, with amazing sunsets. Because it’s so tiny I try to keep it fairly organised. It starts that way when I begin a new book, but by the end it’s tending towards my natural penchant for creative chaos, when discarded notes are strewn on every surface for my cat to sit on and all the coffee cups somehow disappear. It used to be my totally private space (the stairs are as steep as the original ladder), but now I have to keep some kind of order for zoom calls, so one corner retains some semblance of neatness – I just have to remember not to adjust the computer so anything else can be seen!

4.      What is the easiest and hardest part of the writing process? 

I find the easiest is the first draft. Mine are always like rough sketches for a painting, just blocking out the story and are always utterly and embarrassingly dire, but the good thing is it doesn’t matter. I go right the way through without stopping, even if a character changes sex or a new one appears out of nowhere. The pressure is off because it’s the version no one will ever see and anything can happen and nothing about it is fixed. I find the hardest part is the editing, the bit when you bash that original brilliant idea (which by now feels like the worst in the world) into shape. It might be the hardest, but this is the part I love, especially when it gets towards the end and I start getting input from my editor. It’s such a buzz when the amorphousness of the first draft takes shape and all the niggles are banished, and finally a book appears. It’s a long, meticulous and exhausting process, but also hugely satisfying. And chocolate is obligatory, naturally.

5.      What does literary success “look” like to you?

When I see readers have enjoyed my books! And when I can feel that I am growing as a writer with the new book, as well as stretching myself in new directions, trying to be the best I can be. My ultimate aim is to become a full-time writer and make my living from what I love doing best – that looks like the best literary success to me!

6.      How do you select the names of your characters?

I make sure they fit in with the period – and the period in which they were born, of course (easy to forget). Then the most important thing is to make sure they can’t be confused with each other, which is mainly making sure they don’t have the same first letter or sound too similar. So I make lists of the letters I haven’t used and go back through my lists again. Some characters appear with a name that’s just perfect, which is wonderful – even when it means I have to change the others around again!

 

7.      What do you hope your readers take away from your book?

I love Hester, the heroine of ‘The Ferryman’s Daughter’, my first book for Orion. She is fiercely protective of her family, but also utterly determined to follow her dream, despite the constraints of her time and the arrival of WW1 that changes her world forever. Hester was largely inspired by the history of women that, until recently, has been largely forgotten, or seen as irrelevant. All those amazing women who were inventors, artists, mountain climbers, nurses under fire and spies behind the front line in WW1, as well as those who kept the world turning at home whatever life threw at them, and became business woman and career women when marriage was no longer an option, so creating the opportunities we have today. Hester was also inspired by the determination of my own grandmother and great-grandmother to escape poverty and take control of their lives. She is a hugely positive and resilient character - I hope my readers are cheering her on all the way, just as I was. I unexpectedly found her an inspiration myself, when the pandemic appeared just as the book was in its final stages. Whenever I had a wobble, I had the strongest sense of not wanting to let Hester down. Whatever life throws at her, Hester picks herself up, dusts herself down and carries on, more determined than ever. It’s a female trait that should definitely be celebrated.

 

Lastly, Jenn (The Comfy Chair) likes to enjoy a good read snuggled up with a cup of tea and piece of cake... what cake or sweet treat would you suggest to accompany your book?

 

It has to be a slice of the exquisite apple cake made by Hester, who is a passionate cook. The recipe is included at the back of the book and comes from a friend, who has a magical way with flavours. It has a touch of lemon running through and is the best apple cake I’ve ever tasted. Especially when accompanied by clotted cream, of course!

The Ferryman's Daughter 

1908: Hester always loved her mother best, her father had always been a hard man to like, spending more time (and money) in the local than with his family. After her mother's sudden death, followed by an injury forcing her father to give up his job as the ferryman, Hester is placed in the position of care-giver for her young brother and sister. 

As the years pass Hester must row the ferry night and day to keep them all from starvation, while her hopes of working in a kitchen and one day becoming a cook, slip further and further away. 

But just how far is Hester willing to go to make her dream a reality? And as the threat of war comes ever closer to the Cornish coast, will it bring opportunities or despair for Hester and her family?

Available HERE

Q&A with Lynne Shelby

 Welcome to The Comfy Chair Blog... Lynne Shelby, author of ' The Summer of taking Chances.'

I write women’s fiction/contemporary romance. When I’m not reading or writing, I can usually be found exploring a foreign city, writer’s notebook, camera and sketchbook in hand, or in the audience at the theatre.

I live in London with my husband, and I have three adult children who live nearby.

1.      What was your favourite childhood book/author?

My favourite childhood book was Prince Caspian by C S Lewis, which I originally read when I was seven and re-read many times. I enjoyed all the Narnia books, but this was this was first one I came across – I remember seeing it in a bookshop, and thinking that the cover, with a boy galloping a horse through some woods, looked very exciting. Like so many children, I fell completely under the spell of a story about a magical land where animals could talk.

 

2.      What inspired you to start writing and how long has it taken you to get to this point? 

I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t writing. I have a vivid memory of writing a story when I was five about sheep escaping from a field – although it was only three sentences long! When I was fourteen I submitted a novel I’d written to a publisher, and although they didn’t publish it, a kind editor sent me a letter encouraging me to go on writing – I’m so glad I took her advice. It was, however, several decades – and half a dozen manuscripts in different genres – later, that I ‘discovered’ romantic fiction, and realised that this was what I wanted to write. In 2014, I spotted a nationwide competition with the prize of publication for a women’s fiction/romantic novel, which I entered and won with the ms that became my debut novel, French Kissing, which was published in 2015.

 

3.      Describe your writing space - neat and ordered or creative chaos

When my children were young, I wrote anywhere – in a car waiting for them to come out of ballet class, or in the kitchen while I was cooking – but when my eldest moved into her own flat, her old bedroom became my writing room, where I now have a desk set up under a window, and shelves for books. When I first start writing a novel, my desk is set out neatly, with just my laptop, a coffee mug and a couple of objects that I’ve chosen to inspire my story, but as I write, it becomes ever more cluttered, with pens and papers scattered across its surface, while post-its with my scribbled notes spread from my cork notice board to all around the walls, and reference books pile up all over the floor. I do tidy up the room between writing each draft of a book, but it soon returns to a state of creative chaos.

 

4.      What is the easiest and hardest part of the writing process? 

The hardest part for me is getting to the end of a first draft. Advice for authors is to write a first draft as fast as possible without editing, but I must admit that I can’t always prevent myself from tweaking it as I go along – although this is something I’m consciously trying to avoid doing in my current WIP. The easiest part is the editing. I find it great fun to add details and colour to a story.

 

5.      What does literary success “look” like to you?

For me, literary success is having people read and enjoy a book I’ve written. When I see that someone I’ve never met has gone to the trouble of writing a glowing review or when someone comments on social media how much they’ve loved one of my novels, I’m a very happy author.

 

6.      How do you select the names of your characters?

My main characters tend to rock up in my head fully formed with their own names, demanding that I tell their story. For minor characters I choose names that I like, although I try to avoid picking the names of family or close friends. I find it fascinating how names go in and out of fashion, and I always check which names were popular in the year my characters were born.

 

7.      Do you hide any secret ‘messages’ in your book that only a few people will understand?

I don’t have secret ‘messages,’ but I do sometimes put in an anecdote that a friend will recognise from being present at the event I’m describing.

 

8.      If your book were to be made into a film/TV programme, which actors would play which role? 

It’s a dream of mine to have one of my books made into a film! Several members of my family and a lot of my friends are actors, so I’d suggest to the casting director that they play my characters.

 

9.      What do you hope your readers take away from your book?

I hope that when my readers reach the last page of my books they are satisfied that my characters are where they meant to be.

 

Lastly, Jenn (The Comfy Chair) likes to enjoy a good read snuggled up with a cup of tea and piece of cake... what cake or sweet treat would you suggest to accompany your book? 

Genoa fruit cake, please – my favourite!

The Summer of Taking Chances

‘Ten years from now, imagine where we might be…’

When Emma Stevens was seventeen, she and Jake Murray were both living in the small seaside village of South Quay, dreaming of glittering careers on the stage. Jake left the village to go to drama school, and the following year, Emma planned to do the same…

Ten years later, Jake is living in London, a successful and well-known actor, while Emma is still living a quiet, uneventful life in South Quay, working in a local hotel. Then Jake returns to the village for the summer…

AVAILABLE HERE - OUT NOW!!

Q&A with Jaimie Admans

 Welcome to The Comfy Chair Blog.... Jaimie Admans, author of 'The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane.'

Jaimie is a 35-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, watching horror movies, and drinking tea, although she’s seriously considering marrying her coffee machine. She loves autumn and winter, and singing songs from musicals despite the fact she’s got the voice of a dying hyena. She hates spiders, hot weather, and cheese & onion crisps. She spends far too much time on Twitter and owns too many pairs of boots. She will never have time to read all the books she wants to read.

1.      What was your favourite childhood book/author? 

Judy Blume, no question! I don’t know how old I was when I read my first book by her, but I’d guess around eight or nine, probably a bit young to be reading them, but I found that her books really spoke to me and talked about issues that I had and didn’t realise that other people had them too! My absolute favourite book of hers is Tiger Eyes, which found me at a tough time when I was around twelve, and that was the first time I really connected to a character and felt like the book was written about me.

 

2.      What inspired you to start writing and how long has it taken you to get to this point? 

I have no idea what inspired me to start. I grew up wanting to tell stories and was always playing around with words and starting stories in different genres, but I think things changed when I started reading romantic comedies and realised that I loved them and that was the kind of thing I wanted to write. As for time, I wrote my first whole novel in 2006 (it was beyond dreadful!) and had no aspirations to get published, I was just doing it because I loved it. I self-published a few books in 2012, and then got my first ‘proper’ publishing deal with a novella in an anthology in 2015, and then my first book deal in 2016, and now I’ve got seven books out and two more scheduled for next year!

 

3.      Describe your writing space - neat and ordered or creative chaos? 

I actually have two – one is an exercise bike desk in the bedroom, it’s literally an exercise bike with a desk for a laptop instead of handlebars, and when I’m feeling lazy (most of the time, to be fair!) I sit in an armchair in the living room with my little netbook on my lap!

 

4.      What is the easiest and hardest part of the writing process? 

Easiest is planning a book when all the ideas come at once and unexpected things slot together and it all feels fresh and exciting, quickly followed by the first draft, which is the main thing I absolutely love – just getting to escape into another world and live a different life for a while. The hardest part is definitely revisions, when my editor has read the first draft and sends me a letter detailing everything that’s wrong with it, and gives me a few weeks to fix it! I don’t mind them in the sense that I know they make the book better overall, and having someone else look at it and tell you what works and what doesn’t is invaluable, but the process of having to pull apart a book, add things and take things away, and then re-stitch it back together in a way that somehow still makes sense is so daunting for me!

 

5.      Which other authors are you influenced by?

All the other incredible authors who write in my genre, some of whom I’ve been lucky enough to get to know through social media. To see people struggling through first drafts and plodding through revisions, and still produce amazing book after amazing book is inspirational and reminds me that no matter how challenging something is, I can get there too!

 

6.      What does literary success “look” like to you?

That’s a good one because I think the goalposts move as you move on in your career, if that makes sense? When I started out, all I wanted was a book in paperback, when I got that, I wanted the paperback to be in a shop, and then another paperback in another shop, and so on. Once you get one thing, you always want more. Amazon Top 100 for one book, but then you want it for the next book as well. Generally, I think the ultimate success is just finding readers who love your books, who talk about your books, who wait for your new releases, who really ‘get’ what you’re trying to say and love your characters as much as you do!

 

7.      How do you select the names of your characters?

Baby name websites are brilliant! Sometimes characters appear in my head with their names in tow and I know what their names will be before anything else, but more often than not, I end up trawling baby name websites trying to find something that fits (and that I haven’t used before!) Also, whenever I hear a name I like, I write it down in the hopes that it will fit a character at some point in the future!

 

8.      Do you hide any secret ‘messages’ in your book that only a few people will understand? 

I do! There are a couple of certain phrases that I try to sneak into each book in one way or another, and I also try to shoehorn in references to my previous books, usually in the most vague way possible, but I love knowing readers who’ve read them both will get the references!

 

9.      If your book was to be made into a film/TV programme, which actors would play which role? 

James is easy because I pictured an actor while I was writing, and that’s Peter Porte – he’s a gorgeous actor who does the Hallmark-type made-for-TV movies, and Nia’s a bit more difficult because I pictured a real person when I was writing, but I’d like Nia to be played by someone a bit quirky, I think Zooey Deschanel would be the perfect fit for her!

 

10.  What do you hope your readers take away from your book?

That you’re never too old to believe in the magic of Christmas! And that nutcrackers are awesome and everyone should have one!

 

Lastly, Jenn (The Comfy Chair) likes to enjoy a good read snuggled up with a cup of tea and piece of cake... what cake or sweet treat would you suggest to accompany your book? 

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! I’m going to say Peppermint Bark seeing as it’s mentioned a lot in the book, and I made a lot of batches of it while writing for ‘research purposes’!

The Little Christmas Shop on Nutcracker Lane

Ebook is out now, paperback released on10th December

After making a wish to finally find Prince Charming, Nia accidentally knocks over and breaks a human-sized nutcracker and runs away. When she returns to pay for the damage, she stumbles across a man in exactly the spot where she left the broken nutcracker. A very gorgeous, very charming man. But he couldn't actually be the nutcracker... Could he?

Available HERE

For more information check out:
jaimieadmans.com

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