Isabella May's Blog, page 4
August 15, 2018
Who Invented CHURROS?
Churros are taking the world by storm. In a VERY good way. These simple, yet complex (for eating them is a ritual in itself) donut-like strips of dough can now be enjoyed in so many countries outside of Spain – dunked in rich, velvety chocolate sauce, sprinkled with sugar, or both. Even The Great British Bake Off has tried to reinvent them… and I must admit to cringing when I watched that particular episode, for the humble churro is not to be messed with!
But where did they come from?
Well, the answer to that enigma is: Nobody really knows – at least not for sure. As with so many culinary greats, many are those who lay claim to their origins. But here are two of the most popular theories, both of which I love the idea of:
1: Shepherds
Spanish shepherds are said to have conjured up a simple cake-like treat as a substiute for bread. This concoction could be coiled (for maximum churro serving capacity!) and cooked in a frying pan over an open fire – which would certainly have given their working day in the mountains one hell of a bolster.
2: From China (via Portugal) with Love
According to some historians, it was the Portuguese who brought the churro back home to the Iberian peninsula with them, upon trading with China. For a similarly (salty) fried flour stick, called Youtiao is enjoyed in this specific part of Asia. The Portuguese simply omitted the salt (although a freshly made churro does contain a small amount of salt in its base mix), and decided to pair it up with a sweet topping (chocolate and/or sugar) instead.
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One thing’s for sure: Just writing this is making me hungry!
I hope you are regularly having YOUR churros and eating them…
August 8, 2018
The Benefits of an Emergency
I’m a naturally cheerful Pollyanna-esque person *most of the time*, but I am human, too. And last week, when a beast of a fire raged perilously close to our home, waking us at 3.45am in an unexpected burst of fight or flight (jump into the sea or chance the highway in the car), positivity went pretty pear-shaped.
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We were out of the house with two frightened kids, water, passports, inhalers, wet tea towels, and money in about 7 minutes – I will confess to grabbing my make-up bag too (I know, some habits die hard and I was sprinting past the bathroom). The above hastily grabbed photo is what greeted us at the top of our urbanisation. We were lucky. Very lucky. Minutes after we fled, police sirens wailed around our complex for everybody to get the hell out. Thankfully, my husband woke to an insane bonfire smell, shook us out of our sleep and ran for the car to bring it closer to the house so we could escape.
It’s unbelievable to think that four hours later we could return home, particularly since 54 hectares went up in smoke, particularly since fire planes and helicopters are prohibited from operating in the night here in Spain. The firefighters were our Guardian Angels that night; ours and many other residents’ and holidaymakers’. Other than a generous coating of soot and ash, and no power for two days thanks to the mangling of the power cables, we, and our house, were unscathed. Amazingly nobody got hurt in this fire – other than emotionally. It’s definitely harder to settle at night, harder still to get back to sleep when you catch a whiff of the charcoal remains in the air and the wind has changed direction, reminding you of the vast crater on the other side of the road.
And yet, there are gifts to be found:
-The community rallying together and strangers becoming friends.
-A renewed appreciation for the simple things in life like running water and a roof over your head.
-A carpe diem attitude having come so close to potential death.
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Don’t get me wrong, I was (and still am) incandescent with rage that presumed drug traffickers could put so many peoples’ lives in danger for their selfish needs (to create a smokescreen and exchange gear while the rest of us panic). I don’t have enough expletives. I also don’t have enough concrete proof that this is the definitive version of events… although the mysterious 4 x 4 hauled from the sea on our beach that very afternoon – with all its backseats ripped out – is dubious to say the least. I still have my moments of anger, especially when my daughter starts to panic. She already suffers from anxiety, and none of this has helped.
But then like a cork holding itself under water, sure and naturally enough, I bounce back up again and look for the good. That’s just me. I have an innate need to reach for one better feeling thought at a time until my vibe is higher again and life is looking rosy.
Later that week, and earlier this week, I didn’t hesitate to take a couple of the aforementioned carpe diem-style opportunities that ‘just happened’ to come my way. Out of everything good comes something bad. My irrational fears have gone up in a puff of smoke, and I’d like to think I’ll use this perspective again and again when they rear their ugly heads.
Sometimes we need to experience what fight or flight is really inhabiting our DNA for…
August 3, 2018
Meet The Author: Megan Mayfair
I am beyond excited to have fellow Crooked Cat Book author, Megan Mayfair grace the blog today. Megan is one of the loveliest and most supportive authors I have met since starting out on my writing journey. And her debut novel, The Things We Leave Unsaid is no exception.
Imagine my surprise when I was asked to endorse it!
‘Steaming with emotion, percolating with comedy and romance.’
And that’s no exaggeration…
Megan and I both share a love of hygge, hip and trendy coffee shops (plus the cakes that decorate them), so I now have an even greater pull to visit Mebourne, Australia, where she lives.
Take it away, Megan and please tell us all about your gorgeous book:
About The Things We Leave Unsaid (and coffee)
The Things We Leave Unsaid is about two women, Clare and Tessa, both of whom work at Double Shot, a fictitious café in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
Why a café?
Let’s face it there are a lot of books about cafés – who doesn’t love reading about delicious cakes? It’s a nice, feel-good topic. But for me, the setting has a couple of important meanings:
Firstly, Melbourne has a very strong café culture. World Barista Champion Pete Licata, from the United States said “It’s nearly impossible to find a bad cup of coffee in Melbourne.” And I tend to agree. Coffee is such a strong part of Melbourne’s history and culture. The setting, I hope, gives readers a little taste of the Melbourne food scene.
Secondly, the café is important for my characters. It’s Tessa’s pride and joy. She’s had a tough time with her family – her mother has been going through hell and her father ran off to Rome some years before. All her focus and ambition is purely in her café. It’s her family. It’s her life.
For Clare, the café is a stop-gap. It’s a place to work. She’s moved to Melbourne for her husband’s job and when she was unable to find a job in public relations, she ended up working with Tessa. But ultimately, the café is good for her. It helps her grow as a person.
Finally, in terms of the story, we see many important events happen over coffee. And that’s no accident. Our opening scene is in a café where Tessa dumps a boyfriend – and she makes the observation that the ritual of having coffee is one that makes secrets tumble out, gossip relished and feelings revealed. She’s seen this in her own café and we see it happen several times in the Things We Leave Unsaid – several important conversations happen over coffee.
What those conversations are, I won’t spoil the surprise, but it’s safe to say that Tessa’s observation is extremely accurate.
About me
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I’m a Melbourne-based writer who likes fiction with a dash of family intrigue, a sprinkling of comedy and a spoonful of romance.
Mum to three kids under seven, I write around my own chaotic family life, as well as teaching and working in public relations. Generally, all these activities are fueled by copious amounts of coffee and most of my writing takes place in my local coffee shop, staffed with extremely supportive baristas.
I love collecting scarves, the smell of new stationery, torturing myself at pilates and a bit of #bookstagram.
My debut novel is The Things We Leave Unsaid, published by Crooked Cat Books. This will be followed by Tangled Vines and The Problem with Perfect over 2018 and 2019. I’ve also written a couple of short stories and regularly blog interviews with other authors on my website.
The blurb for The Things We Leave Unsaid
Is it the things we don’t say that haunt us the most?
Clare is anxious to start a family with adoring husband, Pete. When she takes on the seemingly simple task of obtaining her late mother’s birth certificate, she finds herself in a family history search that will challenge everything she thought she knew about her life.
Scarred by her parents’ ill-fated marriage, Tessa lives by three rules – dating unavailable men, building her café into a food empire, and avoiding her father. However, when her carefully planned life is thrown into chaos, Tessa is forced to decide which of these rules she’s willing to break.
As Clare and Tessa’s paths cross and their friendship grows, can they both finally unlock their family secrets in order to realise their futures?
Contact:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meganmayfairauthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mayfairmegan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meganmayfairwrites
Website: www.meganmayfair.com
Blog: www.meganmayfair.com/blog
Purchase The Things We Leave Unsaid: https://mybook.to/leaveunsaid
August 1, 2018
10 Fun Ways to Increase Your Twitter Followers
Look, I’ve only been on Twitter for a year (in this incarnation of myself as an author, anyway), but in those twelve months I have learnt a LOT. I have also organically grown my number of followers from 0-5K. No mean feat for a newbie to my profession. No mean feat for a relatively unheard of writer with a small independent publishing house!
I’ve had nothing more to rely on than my personality (and oft daft sense of wit), my interests, and yes, my books and the subjects I write about.
Well, I’m going to pat myself on the back anyway…
I’ll apologise in advance for crafting this piece mainly around the writing theme, but most of these tips are interchangeable and transferable, so no matter what lovely things you are trying to offer the world, hopefully something in the list below will make it that bit easier.
1: Stop posting solely about your product!
You knew it was coming.
It’s obvious, but it’s true, and so it HAS to be hint number one: Nobody wants to see consistent posts about your books. It is such a TURN-OFF.
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I get tired just thinking about it. And yet so many writers do this… including those signed up with prolific publishing houses who don’t need to do as much marketing as the rest of us!
Why?
We all know you can write, and yes, it’s lovely to hear that your book is now 99p/free on Kindle Unlimited/appearing on a book blog tour with a gazillion stops.
But for crying out loud, intersperse this regurgitated news with something, anything… even a picture of your dinner would make a refreshing change!
You’d never have written a story without an imagination, so don’t leave it behind when it comes to social media.
I know I’m being harsh. But I’m only being cruel to be kind. I promise you’ll see BIG changes if you integrate this point alone!
2: Beef up your personality and let it shine
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Aim for the 80/20 rule when it comes to those blatant ‘buy my book’ posts. I’m not usually one for accepting the marketing status quo because I love to break the rules – and this definitely doesn’t apply the week of your launch date for your brand new work of art – but Tweeps (Twitter People – aka. Your Audience) really do want to follow that interesting and unique personality of yours 80% of the time.
Be yourself. Chat about the funny and interesting daily occurrences going on around you. Chances are they will resonate with somebody. Keep it light and fun if you want to attract those uplifting followers, heavier if you want followers with whom you can engage in topical debate.
Add a GIF to spice things up. Post pictures of your holiday/throwbacks of the past/the sunflower that’s just bloomed in your garden/your recent disaster of a bake. Book selfies from your readers are fun too… just maybe not every hour of the day!
3: Follow Your Tribe
If you are a baker, follow other bakers.
If you are into clean-eating/pilates/knitting/crafting/Love Island/cheesy pop music, follow those people (as you can probably tell, they are not *quite* my tribe!).
If you love to garden, follow avid gardeners.
If you are an amateur actor, follow others who do the same.
The beauty of Twitter, as in the REAL world, is there is room for all of us. A quick read of somebody’s Twitter status can tell you a lot. As can a deft scroll down their last couple of days of tweets.
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But remember: judge not, that ye be not judged!
In other words, this is also a good point in time to make sure your own Twitter status is enticing…
4: Run a Competition
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Stay authentic and keep it related to the things you write about. I regularly organise giveaways that fuse with the subjects found in my books. It’s a great way to attract new followers but over and above all of that, I genuinely enjoy the ripple of kindness (only because it’s an affordable giveaway… I’m not too sure I’d feel the same if I’d set up a competition to win a brand new car!)
5: Try to avoid too much negativity…
… and the dreaded getting embroiled in heated Twitter debates (unless you are Joanne Harris, you’re unlikely to get away with it and it will only lose you followers!)
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6: Avoid retweeting others all of the time
Your followers want to hear what YOU have to say. Yes, Matt Haig produces some awesome material on Twitter. Yes, it’s incredibly re-tweet worthy.
But it isn’t you.
It’s fine to share something that resonates, but try to maintain a balance.
I know so many people who stop following Twitter accounts simply because they aren’t generating any original material of their own, but parroting out others’ news.
There is only ONE YOU on this Universe. You are that unique. A fingerprint among a billion stars. Your tweets matter, dammit!
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7: Create a hashtag for a weekly themed hour or attend a weekly themed hour
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Friend and fellow author, Lizzie Chantree is a great example of this. Lizzie co-runs #CreativeBizHour every Monday evening from 8-9pm GMT. This is an hour long slot when creatives get together, share ideas and the things they have been up to over the past seven days, retweet, follow and support one another. It’s fast and furious (in a good way) and a LOT of fun!
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8: Head to Canva and make some inspirational memes
Not everyone has time. Not everyone feels inspired. But if it is your cuppa, Canva is a wonderful place to create unique material. And for the basic package it is free!
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9: Perfect Your Status
I’ve hinted at this already in point 3, but it’s really important you make YOU stand out from the crowd. Far too many Twitterers use the same old wishy-washy, two-a-penny words in their statement. Your status is your USP, so milk it!
One of the most important things is to keep this polished like not so much a stone, but marble. Adapt it as necessary as and when things change.
I have my third novel being published next month so now declare myself an ‘Author of Fantastical Foodie Fiction’ as opposed to listing each book title. That would now take up way too many precious Twitter characters.
It’s important to remember that some Twitter users will be on a handheld device, meaning they will not see your entire status in a follower list. Get the things you want to be shouted loudest at the beginning of your status. In the example below, Stillbirth Mum is certainly not my smallest priority in my life, but talking with other bereaved parents on Twitter is something I don’t do as often as talking about books, writing, foodie thoughts and Glastonbury (the town I grew up in), so I list those things first. That way, at a quick glance when potential new followers are reading through a glut of statuses, they can make a snap decision as to whether I sound like I’m one of their tribe – or not…
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10: Laugh
Use whatever form of (politically correct, preferably clean) humour you can find to brighten someone else’s day. I’m no comedienne, for sure, but my novels contain a romcom thread and I can’t help but tweet daft things every few days. Here’s an example:
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Who doesn’t like a little self-deprecating humour?
So there you have it.
My 10 Fun Ways to Increase your Twitter Followers – which are you using already and which sound the most fun?
Oh – and feel free to add to this list in the comments below, because a Twitter share is definitely a Twitter care!
WIN ONE OF SIX SENSATIONAL BOOKS!
Happy Wednesday!
I was supposed to post this on Monday morning but Sunday night we were evacuated from our home after a wildfire got frighteningly close to us… and since then we have had no power for two days. But finally, I am back online.
Onto happier subjects now:
I am SUPER excited to announce that I’m running a giveaway with some fellow Crooked Cat Books authors this week. We will be giving away a paperback copy of our books to one winner each…
That means YOU could be one of our six lucky winners!
To enter, just check head to Twitter, follow EACH us on Twitter and RT the giveaway tweets, which will go out at different times during the five days that the giveaway is running.
Good luck everybody!
Ts & Cs can be found on lizziechantree.com
And remember: you don’t need to wait for the competition to grab your copies if you can’t wait to read them 
July 26, 2018
The Female Food Apology Saga
I haven’t blogged in ages. In my defence I have been writing novels stuffed with decadent food (again). And yet, here I am apologising for my ‘inadequate’ female behaviour. Honestly, I’m not sure a male would bother. Which is somewhat ironic given that unnecessary female sorry-ing is the very subject of this article.
Picture the scene. It’s probably a familiar one:
You’re in a cafe with a female friend or family member. The waiter waltzes over to your table to take your order. You’ve made damn sure the first thing you scoured was the cake list and the special’s board, pairing it expertly thereafter with a coffee. Because, well, you’ve come out to a cafe, a place which is stocked floor to ceiling with mouthwatering cake. Why would you deprive yourself of something delicious to eat?
You order the Triple Red Velvet Layer Cake. It’s a beacon of delight, calling out your name ‘neath the buffed and polished cloche cover in the hygge-display cabinet bedecked with fairy lights. You ask for a Machiatto to go with it. Your stomach growls in anticipation. Your body wants this. You have listened to it. It is happy. Soon it will be happier still.
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But then your friend delivers the lead balloon which sets the tone for the entire catch up:
‘No cake for me, thanks. I’d better be good.’ She might even insert a pair of irritating air speechmarks at this point. ‘I’ll just have a regular coffee.’
On a table nearby you’ll likely hear another permutation thereof among a group of girlfriends, or a mother and daughter or a trio of sisters:
‘Ooh, I really shouldn’t. It’s a bit naughty. I’m off on holiday in a couple of weeks and need to squeeze into that dress.’
Outside on the terrace it’s the same old story again. A family group are on holiday. The men have no issues selecting their snacks and smacking their lips, no matter their stature, but there will be at least one female dithering over the ‘should I’s?’ that are circling round and round in her head; looking to her other half/sister/brother/father/mother/Grandma/son for permission.
Permission to eat a cupcake/brownie/cookie/wedge of Red Velvet Layer cake!!!
When do we let this become our lives?
To add insult to injury, the waiter will then return to our table with the cutlery… bringing a flippin’ spare set for the friend who has turned down the cake opportunity.
‘Just in case you want to share!’ he’ll say.
If you’re anything like me your eyes will grow to the size of incredulous saucers and you will do a double take at this unbelieveable action, gathering up the spare knife and fork and returning it to him immediately in its cute napkin bundle: ‘Er… nice try but I don’t really think so. This is my cake, and mine alone! Don’t even think about suggesting halving or quartering or any other divvying up of my portion because my friend is intent on missing out…’
It’s not a remark he hears very often because his eyes take on the size of flying saucers now, and he looks at me as if I might well be an alien.
Actually, I’m hamming my performance up a bit there. But I do hand back the knife and fork. And I’m not joking. Not so much to spare the unnecessary washing-up. But to make a point which I hope said friend/sister/mother/cousin/auntie will take on board.
Like I asked before. When do we let this become our lives?
Not as young children, that’s for sure. No, it starts with the glossy magazines and the prancing supermodels in the pop videos. It starts when we witness our female role models drinking Slim Fast for their supper. It starts when the senior female figures in our lives by-pass the dessert trolley.
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This is why I write about food and females enjoying it with wild abandon. This is why I applaud the Nigellas and the Ruby Tandohs and The Baking Nanas (the latter lady is Twitter Queen of beautiful bakes) who embrace eating what we love and loving what we eat.
Next time you hear the calorie police creep up on you in a cafe, STOP.
If you genuinely want the chocolate eclair/jam donut/portion of churros, eat it – but eat it without justification. Just because you are a woman with a penchant for a sweet treat, it doesn’t mean you need to proffer an explanation… or a get out clause.
Those dreams about our daughters shattering glass ceilings will only come true if we stop passing down the same old story of female dis-empowerment – in ALL of its guises. It’s time to write a new chapter.
*Disclaimer* – this article refers solely to those of us who don’t suffer from anorexia, bulimia and other eating disorders, as well as diabetes and food intolerances.
July 23, 2018
Meet The Author: Rosie Travers
I am delighted to be chatting with the wonderful debut novelist, Rosie Travers today on the blog. It’s not every day an author has the honour of endorsing a book, and I was blown away when Rosie asked me if I’d provide a quote for her story’s beautiful cover:
“A witty and colourful treat!”
And it REALLY is. Without further ado, here is Rosie to tell you all about it:
About The Theatre of Dreams
The wonderful thing about being an author is being able to re-write history – my inspiration for The Theatre of Dreams is the historic Lee Tower which was once situated on the sea front at Lee-on-the-Solent in my native Hampshire. The Art Deco complex was constructed in 1935 and originally comprised a cinema, ballroom, restaurant and 120ft observation tower. The buildings were demolished by the local council in 1971, which today seems a travesty in a town with so few amenities. The site is now a car-park. I spotted a commemorative notice about the tower and my imagination was captured!
I’ve set my novel in a fictional south coast resort, and exchanged a multi-purpose entertainment complex for a small family run theatre. My main characters, the elderly but devious Kitty Keaton, disgraced musical theatre actress Tara, and bankrupt architect Dominic Flynn, are united in their desire to save an iconic local landmark, but each has a very different motive.
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About Me
I grew up in Southampton on the south coast of England and loved escaping into a good book from a very early age. As a teenager I landed my dream job working in a book shop, and spent much of my spare time scribbling numerous short stories and novels, none of which I was ever brave enough to show anyone. Sadly, the real world then took over and my writing habit was put on hold for marriage, mortgages and motherhood. In 2009 I moved back out of the real world and across the Atlantic to Southern California when my husband took up a three year overseas work assignment. Life as an ex-pat wife wasn’t quite as glamorous as I’d first envisaged, so to fend off the loneliness and homesickness, I began a blog about our life in Los Angeles, which re-ignited my creative juices.
When I returned to the UK I undertook a creative writing course, always intending to turn our US adventures into book, but it never happened. Instead, boosted by a couple of competition successes I concentrated on short stories, until another overseas assignment followed – this time to the Netherlands, and I thought, what better way to fill those long, grey, damp Dutch winters than by writing a novel.
The Theatre of Dreams will be published by Crooked Cat Books on 1 August 2018.
http://MyBook.to/theatreofdreams
Official Blurb
Musical theatre actress Tara is down on her luck and in desperate need of a job.
When terminally-ill octogenarian Kitty invites her to take over the running of her former dance academy in the old-fashioned resort of Hookes Bay, Tara thinks she’s found her guardian angel.
But it soon becomes very clear Kitty is being far from benevolent. Too late, Tara realises helping Kitty will signal the end of an already tarnished career, unless she can pull off the performance of a life-time.
Contact Info
Website: www.rosietravers@hotmail.com
Twitter @RosieTravers
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rosietraversauthor
Instagram: rosietraversauthor
July 8, 2018
If You Love Me I’m Yours – Lizzie Chantree’s Brand New Book!
Welcome, Lizzie!
Congratulations on the release of your latest novel today, ‘If You Love Me I’m Yours’. Having fallen in love with your last book, ‘Ninja School Mum’, I cannot wait to dive headfirst into this one.
Hint, hint: EVERYBODY should go out and buy this one immediately – preferably both of them!
I’m also excited to host you today as part of your blog tour. So spill: tell us some fun things about your writing process:
1: I write my books without a plan! I tend to outline chapters and then make it up as I write. I love writing this way, as I feel like I’m reading the story as I write it.
2: I try to set writing goals, but almost always ignore them. I love to write in bustling cafe’s or when other people are in my writing studio. I find it inspiring to be around people.
3: I write all of my books by hand, in A4 green writing books and then type them up onto my computer. This takes a while, but I really enjoy expressing myself by writing by hand. My handwriting is atrocious though as I write really quickly!
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Social media links:
Website: https://lizziechantree.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.chantree.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizzie_chantree/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7391757.Lizzie_Chantree
Universal book buy link: viewbook.at/IfYouLoveMe-ImYours
Author Bio:
Award-winning inventor and author, Lizzie Chantree, started her own business at the age of 18 and became one of Fair Play London and The Patent Office’s British Female Inventors of the Year in 2000. She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now runs networking hours on social media, where creative businesses, writers, photographers and designers can offer advice and support to each other. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex. Visit her website at www.lizziechantree.com or follow her on Twitter @Lizzie_Chantree
https://twitter.com/Lizzie_Chantree.
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Book blurb:
‘If you love me, I’m yours…’
Maud didn’t mind being boring, not really. She had a sensible job, clothes, and love life… if you counted an overbearing ex who had thanked her, rolled over and was snoring before she even realised he’d begun! She could tolerate not fulfilling her dreams, if her parents would pay her one compliment about the only thing she was passionate about in life: her art.
Dot should have fit in with her flamboyant and slightly eccentric family of talented artists, but somehow, she was an anomaly who couldn’t paint. She tried hard to be part of their world by becoming an art agent extraordinaire, but she dreamed of finding her own voice.
Dot’s brother Nate, a smoulderingly sexy and famous artist, was adored by everyone. His creative talent left them in awe of his ability to capture such passion on canvas. Women worshipped him, and even Dot’s friend Maud flushed and bumped into things when he walked into a room, but a tragic event in his past had left him emotionally and physically scarred, and reluctant to face the world again.
Someone was leaving exquisite little paintings on park benches, with a tag saying, ‘If you love me, I’m yours’. The art was so fresh and cutting-edge, that it generated a media frenzy and a scramble to discover where the mystery artist could be hiding. The revelation of who the prodigious artist was interlinked Maud, Dot and Nate’s lives forever, but their worlds came crashing down.
Were bonds of friendship, love and loyalty strong enough to withstand fame, success and scandal?
June 24, 2018
Costa del Churros: Take a Dip
I live in Spain. I love to write about my surroundings. As well as food. We mustn’t forget the food.
My first two novels, Oh! What a Pavlova and The Cocktail Bar were heavily inspired by the town I have spent most of my life in: Glastonbury. In fact, I owe so much of my creativity to that mystical, spiritual hub of unconventionality! But that’s a whole other story…
So when I first began to jot down ideas for Costa del Churros, I have to confess, I wondered how it could ever compete.
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But the mountains and the sea in this part of the world (mostly sunny Andalusia) conspire to draw in some of the most colourful people you will EVER meet.
Four of those women (as well as the inimitable Carmen, their flamenco teacher) grace the pages of my third novel with the lovely Crooked Cat Books. Full of flaws and hailing from the most juxtaposed backgrounds, Belinda, Julia, Laura and Georgina’s lives change in ways they could barely have imagined, once the region’s beloved dance unites them in the most surprising way.
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Without further ado, here’s a sneaky peek of the blurb:
The rain in Spain doesn’t mainly fall on the plain…
Brits abroad Belinda, Julia, Laura and Georgina need more than the sweetness of churros with chocolate dipping sauce to save them from their unsavoury states of affairs.
Cue Carmen Maria Abril de la Fuente Ferrera, the town’s flamboyant flamenco teacher! But can she really be the answer to their prayers?
One thing’s for sure: the Costa del Sol will never be the same again.
Although it’s not published until 19th September, fear not: you can pre-order your copy via Amazon already!
Here’s the link: mybook.to/costadelchurros
Gracias… y hasta luego!
June 8, 2018
Kindred Spirits: Westminster Abbey
I LOVED Crooked Cat author, Jennifer C. Wilson’s Kindred Spirits, The Tower of London! Here is a writer who intuitively knows how to make history exciting… making it quite literally come to life. As I have told her before, I wish she could have time traveled back to my boring high school History lessons. How very different they would have been!
But the next best thing to that is having Jennifer join me today on my blog, especially as it’s launch day for title three in the series: Kindred Spirits Westminster Abbey.
But enough of me. Let’s hear more about that book, and a brief overview of the collection, from the talented author herself:
Kindred Spirits:
In the Kindred Spirits series, we meet the ghosts of historical characters, in a range of contemporary settings. Have you ever wondered what Richard III and Anne Boleyn might have in common, what Mary, Queen of Scots is getting up to now, or what happens when the visitors leave some of the most popular attractions in the country? Well, here’s your chance!
In the third of the Kindred Spirits series, we visit Westminster Abbey, and I hope you enjoy meeting a new community of ghosts. Mind, with modern travel so easy these days, a few faces we’ve already encountered might just show up too…
About Kindred Spirits: Westminster Abbey
On hallowed ground…
With over three thousand burials and memorials, including seventeen monarchs, life for the ghostly community of Westminster Abbey was never going to be a quiet one. Add in some fiery Tudor tempers, and several centuries-old feuds, and things can only go one way: chaotic.
Against the backdrop of England’s most important church, though, it isn’t all tempers and tantrums. Poets’ Corner hosts poetry battles and writing workshops, and close friendships form across the ages.
With the arrival of Mary Queen of Scots, however, battle ensues. Will Queens Mary I and Elizabeth I ever find their common ground, and lasting peace?
The bestselling Kindred Spirits series continues within the ancient walls of Westminster Abbey.
Praise for the Kindred Spirits series
“A light hearted, humorous, and at times tender read which you’ll enjoy whether you like history or not.”
“This light-hearted, imaginative read is a new take on historical fiction but make no mistake, this is not only a fun read but an educational tool.”
“A brilliantly unique idea from a distinctive new voice in fiction.”
About Jennifer
Jennifer is a marine biologist by training, who developed an equal passion for history whilst stalking Mary, Queen of Scots of childhood holidays (she since moved on to Richard III). She completed her BSc and MSc at the University of Hull, and has worked as a marine environmental consultant since graduating.
Enrolling on an adult education workshop on her return to the north-east reignited Jennifer’s pastime of creative writing, and she has been filling notebooks ever since. In 2014, Jennifer won the Story Tyne short story competition, and also continues to work on developing her poetic voice, reading at a number of events, and with several pieces available online. Her Kindred Spirits novels are published by Crooked Cat Books and available via Amazon, along with her self-published timeslip novella, The Last Plantagenet? She can be found online at her blog, and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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