Morton S. Gray's Blog, page 6
October 7, 2024
My Favourite Place by Chris Penhall
As the weather is starting to feel distinctly autumnal and the temperature has definitely dropped, I am grateful that we are going to be whisked away by Chris Penhall to somewhere warmer, as she tells us about her favourite place.
Chris is the author of The House That Florence Left published by Choc Lit Contemporary Romance: A Joffe Books Company, out now in paperback and released as an ebook on 9 October 2024. Over to Chris …
Hi Morton
Thank you for inviting me onto your blog to talk about my favourite place.
Although, as a caveat, I do have quite a few favourite places – my hammock set in my garden, for instance, several cafes, the gorgeous venue in London where I occasionally dance salsa, Rome, Three Cliffs Bay, Dover Beach in Barbados where I can watch turtles bob in the sea from the sand…..I could go on (and on, and on and on…) but I won’t)
One of my very favourite places is Lagos in Portugal’s Algarve, which is where my new novel, The House That Florence Left is set. I have been visiting there a few times a year now for a long, long time and it feels to me almost like a second home.
It’s also grown and changed a great deal since my very first visit, which was way back in the last century, but a lot of things remain the same. The narrow-cobbled streets of the old town, huddled inside the ancient walls, vibrate with life, dotted with cafes, restaurants and independent shops; but take a turn left or right, and you immediately leave the buzz behind, meandering along quiet lanes lined by old, white-walled houses.
OLD TOWNI love both sides of Lagos.
Morning yoga on Meia Praia followed by a galao (the Portuguese version of a latte and mentioned often in my Portuguese novels due to my extensive research on the subject) is a delight. An early evening amble along the boardwalk behind the beach towards the lagoon is just perfect, watching the sea shimmer and glow in the distance. Plus, there a lot of places dotted along the route that are perfect for a galao. Or a chilled glass of Vinho Verde. Again, extensive research etc, etc.
MEIA PRAIABoat trips from the Marina sweep along the coast, to the golden grottoes of Ponte de Piedade, or further west towards Cape St Vincent. A trip out into the Atlantic to spot dolphins is a favourite, or for the more intrepid, there’s kayaking out from Praia de Batata next to the fort. One of my favourite things to do in the summer is take the tiny ferry – the Vai Vem – across the river from the town to Meia Praia. It takes about a minute….and while I’m talking about the river, just standing on the Marina walking bridge watching the boats come and go is a lovely way to pass the time, especially if you are eating an ice cream….
VIEW FROM MARINA WALKING BRIDGEThere are buskers, and stalls, and chatter and laughter. There is music and food…oh the food….cataplana (Portuguese fish stew in a copper pot), barbecued fish, takeaway Chicken Piri Piri, pasteis de natas, and petiscos (the Portuguese version of tapas). I don’t think I’ll ever manage to eat at all the cafes and restaurants on offer, but I’d say it’s’ worth trying….
And of course, swimming. Swimming in an outdoor pool under the blue sky. Or attempting to paddleboard off Meia Praia beach. This experience was called upon for a scene in The House That Alice Built. I was very, very, very bad. But oh, it was a lot of fun. I have done it since with much more success – this time on a lake in the UK, with no waves or tide. I didn’t fall in once during the whole three-hour session, which was the opposite of what happened in Lagos! These days I just sit on the beach and watch the windsurfers, surfers and paddleboarders filled with admiration.
And dancing. The bar on the beach that has live music on a Sunday evening in the summer is a joy. And a little bit mad.
Did I mention the storks?
Sigh….
Quick, where’s my passport?!
About Chris Penhall
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, and has since written 5 more books.
She has worked for BBC local radio for many years, producing programmes, sometimes talking on air, and producing 4 one-hour radio documentaries about salsa and comedy. A very, very long time ago, she worked for BBC Radio 4 – where she spent some time working on a programme called Bookshelf, (which was about books!) and for Radio 1 before leaving, trying new things for a few years, and ending up back working in radio again! She is also a podcast and content producer – working for Jibba Jabba Pods as an Associate Producer on the Richard and Judy Book Club Podcast from 2011 to 2020, and has her own community radio programme, called Books and Tunes.
Chris has also interviewed authors at Essex Book Festival events, was a judge on the BBC Essex radio play competition for two years and with the Essex Book Festival for the Essex Gardens Trust Beth Chatto Writers Prize 2022.
A lover of books, music and cats, Chris is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She also loves hammocks, but hasn’t mastered the art of getting in or out of one with elegance and style at all.
She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.
You can find more information about her on her website: https://www.chrispenhall.co.uk/
or follow her on
Instagram: @christinepenhall
or Facebook as ChrisPenhallWriter
About The House That Florence Left
ESCAPE TO PORTUGAL FOR SUMMER SUN AND SECOND CHANCES.
Could an unlikely inheritance be the secret to Bella’s happiness?
Bella Cresswell likes her life organized. But when she inherits her great-aunt Flo’s house in the Algarve, her life gets decidedly disorganized.
She flies to Portugal hoping for a quick sale and to return home. Except there is a clause in the will stopping her. Before she can sell the house, Bella must ‘make it better’.
As she tries to fix up the dilapidated property, Bella discovers the faded walls are filled with the memories and secrets of Florence’s vibrant life. And, as she looks further into her great-aunt’s time in Portugal, she realises, there’s more to making it better than she first thought.
Soon Bella finds herself caught up in the charm of the lively Portuguese village, the eccentric and friendly locals and her handsome, yet mysterious, neighbour, Hugo.
But when it’s time to sell and say goodbye will Bella be able to return to her old life?
Or will she discover that some things are meant to be held onto forever?
Buying Link : amzn.to/3XWBJPK
Other publications by Chris Penhall below –
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
September 29, 2024
Who Is The Real Sarah Gate?
My blog is back after a summer break and I am delighted to welcome Sarah Gate whose debut novel Before You Say Goodbye was published by Choc Lit Contemporary Romance: A Joffe Books Company on 26 September 2024. Sarah is going to tell us more about herself and her book …
I’m so grateful to be given this space to talk about myself for a bit. That isn’t something that comes easy to me, not when I’m talking to a big audience, but I’m having fun learning.
I’ve been writing since I was a teenager and a feminist activist since my early twenties, so it was only a matter of time before those two worlds collided. That’s happened in my debut novel, Before You Say Goodbye, which is a romance novel written through a feminist lens. That doesn’t mean the characters are perfect or preachy, they’re prone to making mistakes, they’re hypocrites like everyone else, but I am hoping their story and the lessons they learn might make people think. My Amazon page says, ‘When you’re reading my books, I want you to feel like you’re putting the world to rights over a cuppa with a friend’. That’s the best way I’ve found to describe my writing, so I think it’s a sentiment worth echoing here.
As I said, I’ve been writing for a long time, but ‘Who is the real Sarah Gate?’ is a question I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer. Still, I’ll give it a go.
Here are a few of my favourite things.
Animals
I love animals more than anything else. Every type of animal, I’m really not fussy. I think they’re far sincerer and well-meaning than humans and if I had more space I’d fill my life up with them. I currently have two dogs (I recently lost one) and two hamsters, but it’s my dream to own a vegan B&B, where we serve delicious plant-based food and stroke animals all day.
Taylor Swift
My sister and I are huge Taylor Swift fans. I find the lyrics to her songs so relatable it hurts. As a writer, I’m incredibly inspired by the way she uses her own personal experiences and feelings in her songs to evoke a response from other people without giving too much away. That’s certainly something I’ve tried to do in my debut novel. I want people to read it and — even if they can’t relate to it all — I’d love them to see some of their own thoughts and feelings somewhere within the pages.
Feminism
If you have TikTok, you might have seen me discussing feminism on my account @feministforeveryone. I used to write a feminist blog, but was urged online by an activist friend two years ago, and — though I hated it in the beginning — I’m used to putting myself out there now and talking to an audience about the issues and challenges facing today’s women. I have met so many incredible women and heard so many gut-wrenching stories because of my work there, and it inspires me to keep going. Those women are also some of the biggest champions of my novel. Thanks, ladies!
Women in General
I am obsessed with girlhood and its beauty. I love the way women show up for each other. The way we’re unafraid to be our authentic selves. The way we champion each other and celebrate each other. I love the global sisterhood and the way we love each other. I used to say I wasn’t like ‘other girls’, but now I know I am, that it’s nothing to be ashamed of, that being a woman is special, and I wouldn’t change being part of this sisterhood for anything.
The North East
I’m from Hartlepool in the North East of England. I grew up on the beach. I spent so many years running away from this place — I’ve lived in Venice, Holland and Morocco — and then I came home because of Covid and now I can’t imagine being anywhere else. That might change in the future, but for now I’m enjoying being close to my sister, my ‘Mam’, and my very young nephews, Franklin and Bennett. My town is a town bursting with community spirit and I’ll never take it for granted again.
About Sarah Gate
I was born in Hartlepool in 1988, right by the sea. I grew up on the beach, and that love of the ocean inspired me to spend some time living in Venice, Italy, and Essaouira, Morocco, for periods of my life. Both stints inspired my writing in different ways.
My time in Morocco also strengthened my love of dogs. I happen to think they’re the greatest thing in the entire world, and I spend a lot of my life trying to rescue them from the streets and rehome them.
When I’m not writing in front of my log burner, I’m trudging through the countryside with my doggies, enjoying this glorious and underrated part of England.
My ultimate goal is to write compelling characters and stories you can’t stop thinking about.
About Before You Say Goodbye
Before You Say Goodbye is my debut novel. It’s a romance novel written through a feminist lens. I’ve been writing since I was a teenager, but this was the first manuscript I’ve ever finished. I started writing it six years ago on a flight from Venice to the UK. Its main trope is love at first sight, but there’s some friends to lovers thrown in there, too. It’s also about strength, resilience, friendship and love.
What is says on the back of the book –
Autumn has found the love of her life.
Now she has to say goodbye.
When lonely author Autumn meets shy musician Bowie in New York, they fall head over heels and into their forever.
But not everyone gets their happily ever after.
Bowie has just six months left to live. And just like that, Autumn’s entire life has been rewritten.
Embraced by his loving, unconventional family, Autumn returns with Bowie to England to live out the rest of his life by his side. But over the course of that summer, the decisions Autumn makes will help her move on, even after love and loss.
Decisions, it emerges, that were orchestrated by Bowie before they said goodbye.
Buying Link : Here
To connect with Sarah, you can use the following links –
Website: www.sarahelizabethgate.com.
Twitter/X: @SarahGate
Instagram: @sarah.gate.writer
TikTok: @feministforeveryone
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
August 27, 2024
Is It Nearly Christmas?
Christmas has been on my mind over the last few days! It’s one of those times of year that you dread or love, often in equal measure. And is it me, or are we bombarded with reminders to buy things for Christmas much earlier these days? I mean it’s August for goodness’ sake.
I’ve already had letters from charities containing their Christmas card, wrapping and gift selections for this year. Companies are starting to announce their Christmas advent calendars, to entice you to buy them before the competition gets to you first. I crochet and the patterns appearing in the pattern stores online are starting to be Christmassy to allow you time to make them and of course the Christmas novel selections are starting to appear for pre-order and on the prepublication review sites.
Even my favourite maple tree in the garden has begun to drop its leaves, reminding me that the seasons are changing.
Every year, I promise to get organised with presents and cards earlier, but inevitably I end up with a last minute rush. Thankfully, I have a husband who cooks Christmas dinner, so I don’t have to worry about that.
So, I fell for the advertising and ordered my favourite page-a-day calendar 2025 for myself, my sister and my friend, before they ran out of stock.
We have had a lot of changes in our family this year, so who knows what we will be up to and who will be with us or where we will celebrate Christmas. I hope that things will be clearer by then.
If you are looking for Christmas reads, don’t forget my novels by the way, two are blatantly Christmas novels, Christmas at Borteen Bay and Christmas at the Little Beach Café, but even The Truth Lies Buried and A New Arrival in Borteen Bay have Christmas references too – just in case you want to get yourself in the mood early … It almost makes me want to write another Christmas book.
Maybe this year I won’t fight the Christmas preparations, after all they are a sort of constant in my changing world.
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
August 20, 2024
Focus On The Truth Lies Buried and Some Book Recommendations
I’ve had a very strange experience over the last week. Following on from my post on 5 August 2024 about my first novel The Girl on the Beach, where I shared the first chapter on my blog, I moved on to look at my second novel The Truth Lies Buried. Intending to look at the first chapter and maybe share that too, I had the slightly weird experience of carrying on reading.
It was almost as if I was reading someone else’s work. Bear in mind this novel was first published in 2018. I found that the book contained lots of references to things that had happened in my life, even the dustbin lorry that crashed into our house in 2016 was referenced!
So, I was happily reading and enjoying my own work and reliving memories included in the pages. Of course, readers picking up this title will have no idea how many of the story elements are real and how much is fiction.
I’m still recovering from the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference (the subject of last week’s blog). It seems to have taken a long time to catch up with lost sleep and to process all that I learned from the workshops, but it was a very positive experience overall.
I thought I’d finish today by recommending a couple of books, apart from my own (Lol), that I’ve enjoyed lately.
Maggie in the Middle by Debbie Viggiano
Maggie in the Middle -A poignant and moving romantic comedy
When Maggie King turned sixty, she thought her life complete.
Now she’s sixty-one, and everything has gone horribly wrong.
Husband Greg has abruptly upped and left leaving Maggie bewildered. But there’s no time to question his departure because her ancient parents are all-consuming.
Once fondly referred to as the Golden Oldies, they’re now the BOBs – Bad-Tempered Old Buggers.
Sister Freya is never available to help, and Maggie is rapidly reaching the end of her tether.
She wants her life – and husband – back.
Instead, she’s trapped in what has been coined the Sandwich Generation – supporting both children and parents – except this particular sarnie is in danger of falling apart.
Maggie needs to learn that when life is like a club sandwich, it needs the best ingredients – and that includes lashings of love and some knee-trembling romance!
I really enjoyed this title but with the benefit of hindsight, as my mother who had dementia passed away two years ago now.
New Dreams at Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton
A surprise inheritance will open the doors to her future, and also the past…
When Aunt Meg leaves her cottage to Anna Redding in her will, Anna immediately packs up and heads to Polkerran, the Cornish fishing village where she was so happy as a child.
With ambitions to turn the cottage into a B&B, a job working for the enigmatic historian, Oliver Seymour, and the return of her childhood crush, Alex Tremayne, it seems the stars have all aligned for Anna.
But Aunt Meg left behind a mystery for her to solve, and a shock discovery reveals she may be living a dream that isn’t really hers to hold. Can Anna rescue the new life she’s made for herself? Who in Polkerran can she really count on in her time of need?
Cass Grafton has a skill to draw you into the close knit community of Polkerran with all of its support systems and gossip network. I really enjoyed this rollercoaster of a romance.
Some late night reading hours occurred, as I read the book very quickly wanting to know what would happen and was even shouting at my kindle in certain places when I disagreed with the decisions heroine, Anna was making.
Thoroughly recommended for anyone who has ever wanted to start a new life in a new location. Great read.
So this week’s recommended reads:
Maggie in the Middle by Debbie Viggiano buying link here.
New Dreams at Polkerran Point by Cass Grafton buying link here.
The Truth Lies Buried by Morton S. Gray buying link here.
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
August 12, 2024
Warning – Writer Out and About
I spent last Thursday to Sunday at the RNA (Romantic Novelist’s Association) Conference, held at Royal Holloway University in Egham, London. Special thanks to Janice Preston for driving and to all of the people who have slaved away in the background and at the venue to make the conference possible – it was fantastic. What an inspiring, tiring and friendly time.
The conference sessions I attended were amazing and definitely got my creative juices going, especially Tugging at the Heart Strings by Jessica Redland, Recipe for a Romcom by Virginia Heath, What’s Your Hook by Fiona Lucas, How to Make and Use Book Trailers by Melissa Addey, How to Write Romantasy by Alex Weston and Book Marketing for Introverts by Anna Caig. I came away buzzing and it will take me a few days to settle down.
I didn’t sleep particularly well and there was a lot of walking around the amazing campus (no shortage of step count!), let alone dancing at the disco, so I need to sleep a lot over the next few days. The university staff were amazing in keeping everything running in the background too. I took lots of photos of the venue, but was too busy talking to take many of people lol. Thankfully the Birmingham contingent had photos taken.
Left to right – Victoria Walker, Sally Jenkins, Mick Arnold, Helen Kendall and Morton Gray
Left to right – Morton Gray, Helen Kendall, Sally Jenkins, statue, Mick Arnold, Victoria Walker and Janice Preston
But I think most importantly, it was lovely to connect with fellow writers, too many to name, some of whom I’ve known for many years now and some I made new friends with at the conference. I stood at the side of the disco, thinking of my late friend, Lynn Forth, who would have loved it, but also reminded of why I like attending these events – the sheer friendliness, comradeship, love and laughter!
RNA Photograph taken at the start of the conferenceThe icing on the cake was finding out that I shortlisted in the conference attendees only first chapter competition! Squee!
Memories of a lovely few days and my heart is full 
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
August 5, 2024
Focus on The Girl on the Beach
My first novel The Girl on the Beach was published by Choc Lit in 2017 after the book won The Choc Lit Search for a Star Competition in 2016. I was laughing at the weekend as I was focussing on novel beginnings and I started to read The Girl on the Beach and carried on reading just as if I hadn’t actually written the book myself! So, if you haven’t read this novel of mine, I’m giving you the start in the hope it encourages you too to read the rest …
Chapter One
How did she know him?
The headmaster, John Williams, began to introduce the man. ‘Harry Dixon meet Ellie Golden, the inspiration behind our art competition. Harry will be taking over from me as headmaster in September and has agreed to help you decide who wins today.’
Rapidly searching her memory, Ellie shook Harry Dixon’s hand. He had the physique of a rugby player, his dark hair cut short and straight. She didn’t recognise the name, but the huge brown eyes and the cleft in his chin, almost hidden in short stubble, were somehow so familiar. She felt strangely uneasy.
He smiled, displaying even, white teeth. Did she imagine he was holding back, not smiling wholeheartedly? Did he recognise her too?
‘Have we met before?’ she asked, aware that her throat was suddenly dry.
‘I don’t think so. I would have remembered.’
The words brought heat to her face. His voice was warm and deep, clear in tone, but with a slight burr of an accent. She turned to examine the display to hide her blush. The exhibits were arranged on tall baize-covered panels at the back of the cavernous school hall. Each picture had a number with the Art Exposium competition logo, a stylised “A” and “E” with a swirl of paint joining the letters. ‘We’d better get on with the judging, there’s a lot to look at,’ commented Ellie, trying to recover her composure.
The scoring sheet she’d typed up the previous evening seemed overcomplicated this morning, with its profusion of tick boxes. In her confused state, the columns merged and blurred. She knew she must sound prim and school-marmish, and look it too. What had possessed her to wear this suit? It was the one she’d once used for job interviews, grey and boring, even teamed with the scarlet silk shirt and pearl necklace. A clear case of dressing as she thought she should, rather than how she really wanted to. Focus, Ellie. She fought to bring her mind back to the competition, away from Harry Dixon and his identity. He was so good-looking and she still didn’t know why she recognised him. Those eyes! Stop it, Ellie.
Examining the painting in front of her, she began to score it against her chosen categories. It was bright and used colour well, even though the brush strokes were a little primitive. The title didn’t really fit the picture. Her mind drifted again to the cleft in Harry’s chin. It was so distinctive that she couldn’t have mistaken him for anyone else, could she? Recognition teased at the edge of her brain and she put her comments on the wrong line of the score sheet. For goodness’ sake, it’s number three, not number four. Stay on track, what is the matter with you?
She scrubbed at the score sheet with the rubber on the end of her pencil and re-marked the boxes correctly. Harry’s voice cut into her inner turmoil.
‘That’s a pretty scientific rating system for a children’s art competition.’
‘I like to be thorough and fair.’ She worried he’d noticed her confusion.
Harry’s nearness as he looked over her shoulder made the hairs on the back of her neck stand to attention.
‘I’d rather judge by eye. I can already see the winner.’
Ellie moved away a little, so she could turn to glare at him. ‘Maybe, but every artist deserves a fair review. You haven’t looked at all of the exhibits yet.’
‘I must confess to having a sneaky look round earlier. You follow your system and when you’ve finished, I’ll tell you which one I think is the winner. Bet I’m right in a fraction of the time.’
Her pencil pushed deeper into the paper, almost in danger of making a hole. Was he laughing at her? The arrogance of the man. She wondered if he had a degree in fine art too.
‘I didn’t realise there were two judges.’
‘They probably didn’t expect me to appear at the school before next term. As I take over as headmaster after the summer break, I suppose they felt obliged to include me as I’m here today.’
Ellie’s son, Tom, attended the school, so she had a particular interest in the staff members. Tom, her darling. He’d coped very well with all the changes in his life, moving to a new area, new home, new school and occupying himself for all the time it had taken her to establish her gallery. It made it all the more important that she discovered how she knew this new headmaster. His aftershave was subtle, but spicy, reaching across the gap between them. Attraction and wariness began to fight within her.
‘Are you from the Borteen area?’
‘No, miles away.’
The way he averted his eyes and didn’t elaborate raised her suspicions again. He definitely wasn’t comfortable answering questions about himself, but then she didn’t enjoy talking about herself either. Had she seen his face in the press or on television? Perhaps he’d been a competitor in one of those cooking competitions she loved watching so much. He didn’t look like a cook, but appearances could be deceptive.
They moved around the display board and Ellie spotted tables laid out beyond.
‘How lovely. They’ve entered ceramics and sculptures too.’
She went over to take a closer look.
Harry trailed after her.
Reaching out her hand to caress a large pot just at the same time as he did, their fingers brushed against each other and she leapt back as if she’d been stung. He didn’t show any sign of having noticed, but ran his palm disconcertingly over the glaze. She watched mesmerised. His fingers were strong, his nails short. Ellie wondered what it would feel like to have those fingers touching her hair.
What was happening here? She’d schooled herself not to react to men in this way. It was difficult to regain trust once it had been destroyed.
‘How come you were chosen to judge this competition?’ There was challenge in his voice now, but the hint of a smile in his expression.
She stopped ticking her score sheet. ‘I’ve been working with the art groups at the school for the past year. I’m the sponsor of the Art Exposium competition.’
Passing Harry a leaflet from her clipboard, she wished the art competition had been a purely altruistic idea, but the truth was that it enabled her to put her name and work in the path of the parents, grandparents and all the staff of the school. She needed to raise the profile of her gallery as much as possible if the business was going to thrive.
Harry scanned the leaflet.
‘You’re Golden Design?’
‘Yes, Ellie Golden, artist.’ She chastised herself for doing a silly little curtsey to accompany the words.
‘What’s your style of art, Ellie Golden, artist?’
His head was on one side, his tone sarcastic again, but his smile suggested he was flirting with her. She was pleased and disconcerted all at the same time.
‘Abstract acrylics and large ceramic pieces mainly. I’m inspired by the sea and the hills around here.’
He read aloud the address of her studio from the leaflet. ‘That’s off the High Street, isn’t it?’
She nodded, trying to gauge his thoughts from the dark brown eyes. His eyelashes were impossibly long. She dragged her focus back to the score sheet and realised she’d marked her entry against the wrong number yet again. She was usually meticulous about detail. What has got into you, Ellie Golden?
‘I’ll have to come to your gallery and have a look at your work. The walls in my flat are looking a bit sad and bare at the moment.’
‘You’ve moved to Borteen already?’
‘Yes, I want to get familiar with the area before September. Are you a local?’
‘No, I moved here after my divorce.’ The words were out of her mouth before she’d censored them and she kicked herself for telling him that. It felt as if she’d told him she was single and open for offers. Harry Dixon was infuriatingly attractive, but she still couldn’t shake off the sense that they’d met before.
***
Ellie Golden could be dangerous. Harry felt as if she was asking questions to whittle away at his painstakingly constructed story. Still, he’d have to convince a lot more people in September and he should be used to this by now. She’d recognised something in him, of that he had no doubt. He didn’t remember meeting her before, but there was a niggling feeling that it could have been in that time he couldn’t remember, his black hole…
She didn’t have the look of any other artist he’d seen. He knew he was stereotyping, but he always pictured them as flowing bohemian types, wearing smocks, with a dab of paint behind the ear. She appeared prim in her business suit and looked more like his idea of a librarian, if her blouse hadn’t been scarlet. She’d no doubt dressed this way because she believed the judge of a competition should wear something formal. He imagined her carefully controlled tawny hair cascading around her face, daubed in the blues and greens she was using to paint. He had a thing about wild hair. A quiver of interest sparked through him as he noticed the silver highlights in her blue eyes. Steady, mate, don’t get too interested. Remember you need to get on with your job and stay in the background the rest of the time. Safer.
‘Harry, have you had a chance to look at these sculptures? Some very talented work here – really impressive for eleven to sixteen year olds.’ Her voice was full of genuine excitement.
He turned, after what he knew was a slight hesitation. Would he ever get used to that name, Harry? Why had he chosen that? It still gave him such a shock, when he pulled out his credit cards and his driving licence to see it. Even his degree certificate had been changed. They’d done a thorough job.
Ellie regarded him with that tight-lipped annoyed air he’d seen several times already. He’d drifted off into his thoughts and hadn’t a clue what she’d said to him. He realised her hair had begun to escape its clip and had the promise of the wildness he’d imagined. A ripple of anticipation spiked through his body.
She abruptly put down her clipboard and rearranged it, as if she’d read his mind and sensed the effect the stray curls were having on him. Phew, that was better, less tantalising.
Touching a purple pot to distract himself and get back in control of his mind and body, he marvelled at the silkiness of the glaze.
‘Is this the type of pottery you sell?’
‘No, these are made from coiled clay. I throw pots on a wheel.’
Her long fingers were unadorned by rings, her nails clipped short. The image of those hands manipulating clay caused another shiver down his spine. It was only a short hop in his mind to her touching his own skin. Whoa!
She took ages over her scoring. Harry had given up following her around the hall. He was impressed by the number of exhibits, but there were few that inspired him. Instead, he sat by the window, watching the dynamics of the schoolchildren at break time. The younger ones playing ball, the older ones hanging around in groups practising looking bored and disinterested. This world would soon be his responsibility. He relished the thought of belonging somewhere again.
‘Finished!’ Ellie announced. ‘Come on then, I’m intrigued, which piece did you choose for first prize?’
Harry got up and went to the first display board they’d viewed. ‘Number fifteen.’
‘Oh, no! That one can’t win.’ He could swear that her face went white.
‘Why not? It’s by far the best.’ He examined the canvas more closely. The title was “Fireworks” and it clearly depicted a sky full of colourful explosions above the buildings of a town, possibly Borteen. The perspective of the buildings and the reflections of the fireworks in some of the windows showed real skill. Harry could almost believe himself to be an observer of the scene.
‘I agree, but it was painted by my son, Tom, so it can’t win. It would look like favouritism.’
‘Won’t Tom be upset not to have his talent recognised?’
‘He’ll understand and I’ll put it right with him later.’
She was messing with her hair again. Harry turned to stare at her son’s picture as he fought down his interest. In his view, the canvas stood out like a beacon amongst the other work.
‘He’s obviously got your artistic genes. What about if I make a special award?’ He grinned at Ellie.
‘There’s really no need.’
‘Yes, there is. His picture is definitely the best here.’
She stared at him, curiosity written all over her features.
He reminded himself he needed to be wary and wandered off to look out of the window again. Break time had finished and the school yard stood empty.
***
After a never-ending lunch with John Williams and the school governors, Ellie and Harry sat next to each other on the stage in front of all of the pupils of the school. Ellie tried to spot her son in the faces before her. Harry’s leg brushed against her skirt. Her awareness of him was so heightened that she could feel the warmth of him, smell his subtle aftershave and settled her own breathing to the rhythm of his. She tried to look at him without turning her head and noticed he had a slightly deformed ear. It looked like a rugby injury.
He reached out to scratch his knee and she saw a strange mark above his wrist. It covered a section of his lower forearm.
Unbidden, a vision floated into her mind of a tattoo above a strong hand, a surf board, sandy legs…
She stiffened in shock and examined Harry more closely. No, it was impossible. It couldn’t be him. He met her gaze and she was sure she could sense alarm in his expression. Her heart began to drum. She looked away, stared unseeing at her clipboard, tried to focus on her score sheet, but it was next to impossible given the turmoil inside her.
John Williams stood and welcomed Harry and Ellie as the art competition judges, talked about Ellie’s gallery in the centre of town and her work with the school and introduced Harry as his successor from September. The young people sat silently in rows in front of her, oblivious to her confusion. In a few moments, she would be asked to announce the winners of the competition. A scream bubbled inside of her and she fought to control it.
Would she be able to speak, now that she knew for certain?
His name wasn’t Harry Dixon. It was Ben Rivers and Ben Rivers was dead.
About The Girl on the Beach
The father of Ellie’s son died before he was born.
So how is she face to face with him now? And why is he staring back like she’s a stranger?
Single mother and artist Ellie Golden has moved to the seaside town of Borteen Bay with her fourteen-year-old son Tom. They’re leaving their troubled past behind them.
When Ellie meets her son’s new headmaster, she stops dead in her tracks. He’s none other than Tom’s father, Ben Rivers.
But he died fourteen years ago.
And when she confronts him, he has no idea what she’s talking about. He says his name is Harry, not Ben. He really seems to be telling the truth — but how can that be?
Harry’s presence is deeply unsettling, but their chemistry is immediately undeniable.
And both Ellie and Harry carry emotional scars they must fight to overcome if they’re to find happiness together.
But a dangerous figure from the past is watching and biding his time.
And now the past is catching up to them.
But can they outrun it? And who is Harry, really?
Buying Link for The Girl on the Beach – https://mybook.to/newgirl
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
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Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
July 29, 2024
Who Is The Real Angela Britnell?
This week I’m joined by Angela Britnell, author of The Back of Beyond Book Club published on 27 June 2024 by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books. Angela is going to tell readers more about herself …
Thank you, Morton for inviting me to visit your blog today. We’ve been fellow Choc Lit authors for several years now and I hope one day we can actually meet in person although of course that will involve a significant amount of travel on our parts as I live just outside of Nashville, Tennessee now and have done for a long time.
As a girl growing up in a small village in Cornwall I could never have imagined the path my life would take but in a way it all came about because I had no clue what I wanted to do when I left school! I knew what didn’t want and that was most of options suggested, particularly to girls at that time – university, teacher training, nursing. I had the desire to leave Cornwall and see more of the world but wasn’t sure about getting a job of some sort in London or wherever on my own. Then we had a careers presentation at my Sixth Form College from the RAF and when I saw a young woman in her smart uniform talking about her job I was immediately interested.
To cut a long story short – not something most writers are great at – I didn’t end up joining the WRAF but the WRNS instead. Luckily at that time women in the Royal Navy didn’t go to sea as I’ve always been prone to seasickness! After serving in several different UK establishments I was assigned to a foreign draft post in Denmark and the rest is definitely history. I met my own tall, dark handsome stranger (Richard was a US Naval aviator based at the same NATO headquarters) and yes, reader I married him. Forty-one years, three sons and four grandchildren later we’re fortunate enough to still be adding chapters to our own trans-Atlantic romance.
Becoming an author was another accidental path because I can’t claim to have had a burning desire to be a writer since I was a child although I’ve always been a voracious reader and able to lose myself in a good story. A short creative writing class taken more to escape my three small boys for a few evenings of adult interaction started me off and now I can’t imagine doing anything else. I can’t remember now who it was but I recently saw another author describe their books as “comfort reads” and that struck a chord with me because that’s what I hope my own readers experience through my stories.
So reading this back I can see that that some of the most influential things that have happened in my life didn’t come about because I planned them but through being open to possibilities that came my way. I hope I always stay that way because who knows what might come next!
(Fascinating, Angela and yes, I’d love to meet you one day too. Mx)
About Angela Britnell
Angela grew up in Cornwall and returns frequently from her new home in Nashville, Tennessee to visit family and friends, drink tea and eat 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 four 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.
If you’d like to find out more about Angela follow her on
Facebook: www.facebook.com/angelabritnell
Twitter/X: www.twitter.com/angelabritnell
Instagram: www.instagram/angelagolleybritnell
About The Back of Beyond Book Club
Although I’ve now had many books published there’s something special about ‘The Back of Beyond Book Club’ because this story captures my love for Cornwall and books in general more than anything else I’ve written. Putting together the book list that the club would read was almost an indulgence and led to me re-reading several old favourites in the name of research. This book is definitely one for all the book-lovers out there and I hope it might inspire some of my readers to discover new authors or re-discover old ones.
The Back of Beyond Book Club – my brand-new, escapist novel of summer 2024 is full of romance, healing and hope.
A fresh start – It’s been a year since book editor Melissa Martyn’s husband passed away. Now it’s time to write a new chapter for herself. And so she is welcomed back to the cozy Cornish village of Penworthal. Her close-knit group of girlfriends even start a book club to get Melissa back into the swing of things in Cornwall. It seems she’s met with open arms by all but one.
A chance for forgiveness – English literature professor Nathan Kellow blames Melissa for the death of her husband — his best friend. But Nathan has a secret. He has always been drawn to Melissa. And now he hates himself more than ever for the feelings he’s desperate to quash. Keeping the barrier between himself and Melissa firmly in place is the easiest way to do that.
A love that could heal all – But Melissa and Nathan soon bond over their shared love of books, drawn together by the mutual attraction they’ll do anything to deny. Especially to each other. Because they fear they’re doing the unforgiveable . . . Falling in love. Is fate offering Melissa and Nathan a second chance at a happy ending, or is this going to be a heartbreak they’ll never forget?
Buying Link for The Back of Beyond Book Club – https://mybook.to/backofbeyondbookclub
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
July 22, 2024
Who Is The Real Chris Penhall?
This week it’s the turn of Choc Lit/Joffe author Chris Penhall to tell us more about the person behind her books. Chris is not only a great author but very generous to other authors too – check out her radio slot Books and Tunes on West Wilts Radio. Her latest release is Finding Summer Happiness. She has given me a very interesting and enjoyable post …
Hi Morton
Thanks for inviting me to say a few words about my book, Finding Summer Happiness and to talk about Who Is the Real Chris Penhall….
I write stories about quirky, independent women which are set in places that I love. It means I can sit and imagine and take myself off to these gorgeous landscapes (where it only rains for dramatic purposes) wherever I am working and whatever the weather is like.
So, here are a few facts about me.
The coast
Finding Summer Happiness is set in Pembrokeshire, close to the coastal path. I was born in Neath in South Wales, and beaches were very much a part of my life as I grew up. We would go to Aberavon, Rest Bay in Porthcawl, Oxwich or Rhossili on the Gower Peninsula and would also go further afield sometimes, including to some glorious beaches in Pembrokeshire. My love of seascapes and beaches has continued all my life, which is one of the reasons so many of my novels are set overlooking the ocean. I also love to swim – particularly in open air pools – although I’m most often found in my local indoor pool. Isn’t swimming in an outdoor pool in the rain fantastic? I went to the mixed pond on Hampstead Heath a couple of years ago with a friend – it was raining heavily when we met at the tube station, but we decided to go anyway. It was still raining when we arrived on the heath, but it stopped as soon as we stepped out of the changing rooms. It was the height of summer, but the rain had put a lot of people off, so there were only about five of us swimming. It was an absolutely magical experience, and one I based a chapter on in my novel, Summer in Your Eyes. (In my world absolutely no experience is wasted!)
Dancing
I love to dance. For many years in my youth, I was a rather frustrated and self-conscious dance around my handbag at discos kind of girl. But somewhere inside me – the little girl that tried dancing for a term aged 7 (and let me tell you – in my own mind – absolutely shone during our troupe’s rendition of Me and My Shadow) – I was waiting for something to be unleashed. That came many years later – as a young, widowed mother needing an escape – in the form of salsa. Not the food, the dance. I was hooked. I was not good. But I was hooked. I’m still not good. I am, however, very enthusiastic. And although I no longer go as often as I did, I still don my salsa shoes and screech around to Latin music about once or twice a month. Its absolute heaven.
Dancing was also the catalyst for me putting my first creative writing out to people who didn’t know me. I stared putting together The Salsa Diaries which were occasional web posts based on my somewhat ‘unique’ take on the dance scene. I even did one as a comic strip – From Salsa Hick to Salsa Chick, that one was called. They were quite well received, and I’ve kept a few of them on my website. I also made three radio documentaries about the salsa scene for BBC Essex, so I suppose you could say it fed my feet, my soul and my creativity.
I also took up tap dancing about five years ago. I have passed two exams and appeared on stage at the local theatre in the annual show and have often wondered why it took me so long to find it! Tap is quite difficult though isn’t it…or is that just me? In last year’s show I even got to wear a sailor’s hat for our routine to Anything Goes. I didn’t realise that should have been on my list of things I’d love to do, until I did it. I can’t recommend it enough. (I’m talking about the sailors’ hat…)
Painting
I have recently taken up painting and I absolutely love it. I go to a group on a Thursday evening where we paint, and chat and drink tea and I get so much more out of if than I ever thought I would. I love the fact that I have got so much to learn and can lose myself in it completely. I also have a few completed paintings under my belt, one of which is on my wall. I’m very proud of it!
Bears
For many years I used to accompany Pudsey Bear out and about in Essex for BBC Essex’s Children in Need Day output. Sometimes I would be presenting our features live on air as we drove around the county. Sometimes I was just helping him get from A to B and generally being supportive, kind, and making sure he got regular cups of tea. I have accompanied him on so many things including Christmas Light switch ons, school visits, and a toy parade…and I can’t single anything out as my favourite. But doing a commentary on a Guinness World Record attempt on the most number of High Fives in a minute by a clown, which took place on a school field, where he was followed by Pudsey Bear trying to run after him has to be one of the most surreal…
About Chris Penhall
Chris Penhall writes uplifting stories set in gorgeous places.
She won the 2019 Choc-Lit Search for a Star competition, sponsored by Your Cat Magazine, for her debut novel, The House That Alice Built. It is the first in the Portuguese Paradise series of books, followed by the sequel, New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun and The House on the Hill – A Summer in the Algarve. The books can be read as stand-alone novels, too.
She has also written two stand-alone novels, Finding Summer Happiness and Summer in Your Eyes.
Born in South Wales, she has also lived in London and in Portugal which have all provided inspiration for her novels.
She has worked for BBC local radio for many years, producing programmes, sometimes talking on air, and producing 4 one-hour radio documentaries about salsa and comedy. A very, very long time ago, she worked for BBC Radio 4 – where she spent some time working on a programme called Bookshelf, (which was about books!) and for Radio 1 before leaving, trying new things for a few years, and ending up back working in radio again! She is also a podcast and content producer – working for Jibba Jabba Pods as an Associate Producer on the Richard and Judy Book Club Podcast from 2011 to 2020, and has her own community radio programme, called Books and Tunes.
A lover of books, music and cats, Chris is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She also loves hammocks, but has still to master the art of getting in or out of one with elegance and style.
She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.
You can find more information about her on her website: www.chrispenhall.co.uk
or follow her on Twitter/X: @ChrisPenhall
Instagram: @christinepenhall
or Facebook as ChrisPenhallWriter
About Finding Summer Happiness
Even the best laid plans can go awry . . .
Successful business-woman Miriam Ryan appears to have it all — Director of a popular catering company in London, she is famed for her high-profile events.
But like anything that is picture perfect, there are cracks under the surface. Worn out with constant catering and entertaining, Miriam retreats to the Welsh village where she spent carefree summers as a child.
When Miriam arrives she finds her quiet solitude disrupted by her welcoming neighbours keen to include her in village life. Not only that, but the cottage she has rented comes with an overlooked condition: a supper club she is expected to run!
Through the weekly dinners Miriam gets to know the villagers, especially a grumpy but gorgeous astronomer who has a habit of turning up when she least expects it.
Soon she realises that maybe it’s time to allow a little bit of summer happiness into her life.
And Miriam is about to discover that you won’t find happiness without breaking a few eggs . . .
Buying Link for Finding Summer Happiness – https://geni.us/summer-happiness-fbt
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
July 15, 2024
Who Is The Real Angela M Sims?
A lovely post for readers this week as Angela M Sims author of The Rose of Florence tells us more about the real Angela behind her books …
Hello Morton and thank you for hosting me once more on your blog. I love this topic, and I think it’s a valuable one to share. That sounds very self-important, doesn’t it? What I mean is that most authors aren’t the typical scatty old women with beads, scarves and cats…although I do have a nice selection of beads…and quite a few scarves…and a couple of cats! Many people may want to write but feel they don’t fit the “type”, and I fell into that trap for a long time. My message to anyone with an urge to get words on paper is to just do it. There is no author “type”. Let me tell you why.
I’ve been in clinical work for over forty years, and it has given me the most wonderful career I could hope for. I never wanted to be a nurse or a doctor, but loved working with patients, science and diagnostics. I worked in the cardiology dept of our local University Hospital for 25+yrs. I eventually joined the University of South Wales as a senior lecturer, and I now teach chiropractic students, as well as leading a bone density scanning service. So, I see patients and students – best of both worlds.
Like many people, my professional role has been a big part of who I am for most of my life. It’s a far cry from fiction writing, which finds me immersed in the intricacies of Renaissance Florence…art, history, intrigue and so many stories!
It must be said – my family is the most important thing to me. My husband and I have two grown-up daughters, a beautiful granddaughter and (in the last six weeks!) a gorgeous grandson. As everyone knows, at home, we take on yet another role, that of carer, cleaner, cook and counsellor, and it’s a role that I feel very privileged to be given. It’s not all one-way traffic, though. I’m very lucky to have a very supportive family. They encouraged my writing, gave me time and space, and cheered me on to publication.
But where did that come from? As our girls grew up and became more independent, my husband and I started to travel, and I began as an interested tourist, nothing more. If you’ve been to Florence, or indeed any part of Italy, you’ll know how captivating it can be, and I soon became a collector of books…guidebooks, history books, art books. It seems that the “real me” had an undiscovered passion, and as I gradually reduced my work hours to create a better work-life balance, this passion was given the space and air to ignite. I started to write, and Angela M Sims was born! (I had to include the middle initial, not to be pretentious, but because there is an American actress called Angela Sims and I didn’t want us to be confused with each other.) It still feels very formal to me.
So, I’m used to being called Angela, Ang, Mam or Nani, and each one of those individuals is a big part of the real me…but as I learn more about the craft of writing and work towards my second novel, I’m beginning to feel that Angela M Sims, who lay undiscovered for a very long time, is actually an important part of the real me too, and she is very welcome.
Thank you again, Morton. This has been fascinating blog to think about and to write. I wonder how many of us think about who we really are. Do you have an undiscovered part of the real you?
About Angela M Sims
The Rose of Florence was borne of a love for the history, art and city of Florence, which grew over many years and frequent visits to this beautiful city. It’s what inspired me to start writing.
My background is in healthcare, having worked in the field of cardiology for many years. I have been a University lecturer since 2010, and I still have a clinical role. I live in Cardiff, South Wales, with my husband. I have two grown-up daughters and two wonderful grandchildren. At every opportunity, I travel to Italy to eat, drink and absorb the wonderful atmosphere. I like to call that research!
To keep in touch with Angela you can use the following links:
Facebook: Angela M Sims – Author (@angelamsimsauthor)
Instagram: @angelamsims1
Website: https://angelamsims.co.uk
About The Rose of Florence
1478: Gianetta and Matteo have a happy life, working in service to the wealthy Rosini family. They are used to entertaining rich and powerful members of Florentine society in Palazzo Rosini, where Lorenzo and Giuliano de’ Medici and Botticelli are regular visitors. Even when the Medici brothers narrowly escape the Palazzo with their lives (an accident, surely?), Gianetta and Matteo can’t imagine that the growing unrest in the streets of Florence would ever spoil their happiness.
When a bloody conspiracy erupts in the heart of Florence, in the city’s beloved Duomo, nobody is left unaffected by the aftermath. When the family hear that Matteo is among the conspirators, Gianetta knows that her life will never be the same…
You can get your copy of The Rose of Florence here:
https://angelamsims.co.uk/order-here/
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
July 8, 2024
The Joys Of Wearing Fancy Dress by Marie Laval
Author of A Paris Fairy Tale for Choc Lit/Joffe Books Marie Laval joins me on my blog this week. It’s fun to find out more about fellow writers and this time, Marie is going to talk about dressing up!
Thank you so much, Morton, for welcoming on your blog to reveal something your readers may not know about me … my love for dressing up!
A few weeks ago I was fortunate to see Taylor Swift in concert in Liverpool with my daughter. She is a massive fan and I was tagging along to keep her company. I even thought I would get bored when I heard that the concert lasted three hours and suggested bringing a book. Little did I know that I would enjoy myself so much that I would dance the whole evening!
Taylor Swift, June 2024, Anfield, personal photoOne of the best things that evening – apart from Taylor Swift’s great music, fantastic stamina and stunning showwomanship – was to hear the crowd sing every single line of her lyrics and see people of all ages all dressed up and having fun. I was expecting to see lots of girls wearing cowboy hats, silver boots and lots of sequins, of course, but what I hadn’t anticipated was all the teenage boys joining into the fancy dress fun too, complete with pink hats and sequins face jewellery, and the famous friendship bracelets too. My daughter was wearing a green outfit with some fake ivy wrapped all around her, which she told me referred to one of Taylor Swift’s songs, but I had only gone in boring jeans and a shirt, which made me feel underdressed and quite left out. Not only did I only know the lyrics to one song, but I wasn’t even wearing anything special…
Taylor Swift, June 2024, Anfield, personal photoWhen I was growing up, my mum and her friends used to have regular fancy dress parties. They had so much fun, dressing up as rabbits or cavewomen whilst we children looked on, wondering how grown-ups could have such a good time and not care that they looked silly.
My mum (centre) and two close friendsI think I inherited my taste for dressing up from them. Every year for World Book Day teachers and children dress up at school as their favourite book character. A couple of years ago I actually won the best teacher award for my Cruella Devil outfit. Not only did I have a wig and fake Dalmatian fur stole, but I actually ‘became’ Cruella and pretended to snarl and snap at the teenagers and chase them up and down the corridor all day… and they kept coming back for more.
Me as Cruella!Last November I went several times to our local Whittaker Park Museum to see a fantastic art show by artist Ruby Tingle. She wore beautiful ball gowns (every time a different one), and was helped by two characters, one of them dressed as The Frog. During her artist talk, the man inside The Frog costume – a university professor – told us how dressing up helped him during a particularly difficult period of his life. He regularly goes out in town as The Frog and says it helps him connect with people of all ages in a way he could never do as himself.
Ruby Tingle Afterlife show at the Whittaker Park Museum, Rawtenstall, personal photoI may not plan to wear anything as extreme as this frog costume but if I ever go to another Taylor Swift concert, I will make sure I am all kitted out to be able to properly join in the fun!
Love, love your Cruella Devil outfit! Mx
About Marie Laval
Originally from Lyon in France, Marie has lived in the Rossendale Valley in Lancashire for the past few years. She writes both historical and contemporary romance. Her contemporary romance novels include best selling contemporary romantic suspense novels LITTLE PINK TAXI and ESCAPE TO THE LITTLE CHATEAU, which was shortlisted for the 2021 RNA Jackie Collins Romantic Suspense Awards, as well as A PARIS FAIRY TALE, BLUEBELL’S CHRISTMAS MAGIC and HAPPY DREAMS AT MERMAID COVE. The five romances now feature in a box set ESCAPE INTO ROMANCE. Marie also contributes to the best selling MISS MOONSHINE anthologies together with eight author friends from Authors on the Edge.
You can get in touch with Marie on Facebook or Twitter
About A Paris Fairy Tale
ESCAPE TO THE CITY OF LOVE IN THIS INCREDIBLE ROMANCE FULL OF AMOUR AND ADVENTURE.
Workaholic and socially awkward art historian Aurora Black has been hired by a Parisian auction house. They want her to authenticate a legendary medieval manuscript lost over a century ago. She meets journalist Cédric Castel, who is nearly hot enough to melt her seemingly icy exterior . . . Aurora clashes with him immediately. But even though she’d never admit it, Aurora is a romantic at heart. She secretly dreams of Prince Charming and the knights’ missions in her medieval manuscripts.
Cédric is on a mission to uncover art thieves in the city. But what does this have to do with Aurora? The closer Aurora gets to Cédric, the more they struggle to hide their increasing attraction to each other. Life for Aurora isn’t about fairy tales and happily ever afters, but maybe just this once, it can be?
Buying Link for A Paris Fairy Tale : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paris-Fairy-Tale-stunning-uplifting-ebook/dp/B0CBMVBXRF/ref
Buying Link for box set : https://www.amazon.co.uk/Escape-into-Romance-Box-Set-ebook/dp/B0CLKZ27MQ/ref
Thank you for visiting Morton S. Gray’s blog.
My latest release is A New Arrival in Borteen Bay
Sign up to my blog to receive weekly updates below:
About The Secrets of Borteen Bay Series
Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe
Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post.
You can also find me on Amazon, Facebook, X Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
