Getting to Know Selwyn by Caroline James
My guest this week is Caroline James. Caroline has been enjoying amazing success with her latest novel The Cruise, published by One More Chapter, firmly in the top 100 Kindle chart for many weeks now. I loved this book and will include my review at the bottom of the post.
I would also like to add my congratulations to Caroline as a new deal with One More Chapter was announced yesterday for her novel The French Cookery School and I look forward to reading this new romcom too.
Caroline is going to talk about one of the main characters in The Cruise, Selwyn …
Getting to know Selwyn
‘Don’t worry, ’bout a thing, because every little thing gonna be all right.’
Caroline James introduces us to one of her favourite characters from The Cruise and explains why she enjoyed writing about him.
Very many thanks to you, Morton, for inviting me to your lovely blog.
When I begin planning a new novel, it takes a good amount of time to write the outline and develop the characters. One of my favourite characters in my novel The Cruise is a gentleman by the name of Selwyn Alleyne. I call him a ‘gentleman’ because to me, he is, in every sense of the word. Old school, courteous and kind.
Selwyn came to me in a song. I was listening to Bob Marley sing Three Little Birds and found myself, eyes closed, dancing around my kitchen and singing the chorus, ‘Don’t worry, ’bout a thing, because every little thing gonna be all right.’
Suddenly, I was walking along a Caribbean beach at sunset and a man was walking towards me. Arms outstretched and smile wide, he was singing the song too. I heard the name ‘Selwyn’ whisper in my ear and instantly, my character was born.
I had been worrying about my story line but here was a man with roots in a place I knew well that would form the setting of the novel. I had to include him and as the song ended, I sat down and began to write.
I have always been interested in the social history of the Windrush Generation and this was an opportunity to write about it. Fictionally, Selwyn’s parents came from Jamaica, arriving on the Empire Windrush, in 1948. They arrived at Tilbury docks and settled in Lambeth to make a new life in Britain. Selwyn was born in Lambeth in the 1950s, making him the perfect age for of mid-sixties at the time that my novel, The Cruise, set sail.
I visualised Selwyn growing up in a cramped two-up and two-down terraced house, and despite lack of space, enjoying a very happy family life. His father became a bus driver and his mother a nurse and Selwyn is immensely proud of his parents courage to move to a strange and often, at that time, a not so welcoming country. His father had been a gunner in the RAF and thought that Britain would be the promised land.
Selwyn has recently lost his wife, Flo and in this short extract, inspired by Bob Marley’s song, Sewlyn is leaving home to head off on The Cruise.
Extract From The Cruise
Selwyn hadn’t told the congregation at Lambeth Baptist Church about his holiday but had mentioned it to Pastor Gregory after the previous Sunday service. The pastor appeared anxious when he learnt that Selwyn intended to overcome his grief by going on a cruise.
‘It may be too early for you to follow this path,’ Pastor Gregory said, frowning. ‘I’d recommend a more religious retreat.’
But Selwyn had no intention of changing his mind. He knew that Florence, or Flo as he’d liked to call her, would be frowning from above, her bulky body braced, arms folded, lips pursed, and eyebrows raised beneath her Sunday-best bonnet. Silent in words but deadly in meaning.
‘May the Lord go with you,’ Pastor Gregory said when he realised that Selwyn was determined, ‘and as you trust in Jesus in your hours of need, may the memory of your wife never dim, through your thoughts and actions, prayers and meditation.’
Sitting in the back of the cab as the driver turned off the motorway and headed to the airport, Selwyn tapped his fingers on the side of his hand luggage. Pastor Gregory had no need to worry about the memory of Flo ever dimming. Concealed in an old Typhoo Tea tin, Flo’s ashes were packed securely in Selwyn’s case and would accompany him on his journey.
Music played on the cab’s radio, and Selwyn leaned forward to look out the window and watch flights overhead. ‘Every little thing, gonna be all right,’ The cheerful voice of Bob Marley sang out.
‘Isn’t that the truth.’ Selwyn smiled and began to sing along too.
* * *
About The Cruise
Three women.
One widowed.
One unmarried.
One almost divorced.
All aged 63, but not ready to give up on life!
Leaving behind the heartache, guilt and disappointment of their real lives, three friends decide that now they’re in their sixties, it’s time they finally did something for themselves!
Swapping Christmas turkeys and BBC reruns for crystal waters, white sandy beaches and smooth golden rum, Anne, Jane and Kath throw caution (and tradition) to the wind as they set sail on a luxury two-week Christmas cruise around the Caribbean.
Will the three friends find the comfort and joy they seek aboard the Diamond Star?
Huge thanks again to Morton, for hosting, and happy reading everyone.
Warmest wishes,
Caroline xx
Caroline James always wanted to write, but instead of taking a literary route, followed a career in the hospitality industry, which included owning a pub and a beautiful country house hotel. She was also a media agent representing celebrity chefs. When she finally glued her rear to a chair and began to write, the words flowed, and several novels later, she has gained many bestseller badges for her books.
Her latest Amazon Top Ten bestseller, The Cruise, is described as: ‘Girl power for the over sixties!’ Caroline’s hilarious novels include The Spa Break and The Best Boomerville Hotel, depicted as ‘Britain’s answer to the Best Marigold Hotel’.
She likes to write in Venus, her holiday home on wheels and in her spare time, walks with Fred, her Westie, or swims in a local lake. Caroline is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association, the SOA and the Society of Women’s Writers & Journalists She is also a speaker with many amusing talks heard by a variety of audiences, including cruise ship guests.
Books by Caroline James:
Contact Caroline on the following links:
Twitter: @CarolineJames12
Insta: Caroline James Author
Thank you Caroline! Below is my review of The Cruise:-
Facebook: Caroline James Author
Morton’s Review – Five Stars
What a fun read!
I got attached to all of the characters in this book, well maybe not Dickie, but particularly Selwyn and Jane. Each character has their own story to tell and this carried me along through the book. I have not been on a cruise, but would like to at some point in the future.
With amusement, intrigue and sadness too, this book has something for everyone. I love Caroline James’ way of storytelling and the fact she uses older characters.
Thank you for visiting my blog. For those of you who haven’t yet read any of my books yet, the good news is that all of the six published titles are currently only 99p or available free on Kindle Unlimited.
I also hope to have news of a new addition to The Secrets of Borteen Bay series shortly.
Last week I was featured on the Choc Lit / Joffe Books blog. You can read my question and answer session here.
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, Twitter and Instagram.
Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
