A very warm welcome to Jan Brigden as she celebrates the release of her novel, If I Ever Doubt You.

Hello Jan, how are you keeping in this strange new world? Do you have a top tip to promote wellbeing?

Well I’m a bit of an introvert so have found the peace and solitude quite comforting. I’m used to my own company as most writers are. My husband Dave can’t work at the moment so the two of us have been on some soul-soothing and very scenic walks. We live in a town but it’s amazing how many green and fairly secluded walks there are on our doorstep. I miss all my family and friends.  Mum and Dad are safely cocooned at home for their own protection. When I feel a dip in my mood, I console myself with knowing that when we’re liberated from this crazy, unnerving experience, we’ll all have the biggest hugs ever.

My top tip to promote wellbeing would be to not let those pesky negative or worrying thoughts spiral. Don’t dwell on the what ifs, let them pass and focus on the now/reality.

That sounds like a good idea to me!

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I loved As Weekends Go, and so was super excited to hear you were releasing a sequel, tell us a little about your latest novel:

If I Ever Doubt You is the sequel to As Weekends Go but can be read as a standalone novel. It follows the ongoing relationship between small town divorcee Rebecca Dunning and big league professional footballer Alex Heath. How will Rebecca cope with the reality of living a life so different from her own; the pre-judgement, the jealousy, the doubts and fears? Alex may be unstereotypical given the reputation of some of his fellow footballers, but can their love survive the emotional turbulence of outside influences?

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OO it sounds great, could you share an uplifting extract?

They resurfaced an hour later with Alex declaring that he was taking Rebecca for a late lunch at Hawksley Manor – a statement that set her off jumping around the bedroom partly with joy, her staple reaction to any potential revisit, especially alone with Alex – and partly to freshen up, dress and get out of the apartment in half an hour so they stood some chance of arriving there before lunchtime service ceased in the main restaurant. York’s outer ring road traffic could be monstrous.

The staff at Hawksley Manor would no doubt accommodate them even if they rocked up late, as had previously happened at a different establishment, much to Alex’s embarrassment; another thing Rebecca loved about him – his refusal to exploit taking advantage. She knew he was neither naïve nor hypocritical enough to think his name, position and profession couldn’t open doors and opportunities or that he hadn’t, on occasion, utilised and enjoyed those very privileges, but the less gushing and fawning he could maintain in his day-to-day life, the better.

Rebecca loved Hawksley Manor’s long, tree-lined drive, the sight of the fountain sparkling up ahead, the sound of it tinkling as they drove around it and into the car park, the majesty of the manor itself never failing to lift the hairs on her arms.

Our special place.

How often during the darkest moments of her divorce, the endless tears and doubts and fears, the brave faces, the ache in her belly for Alex whenever they’d parted, never really knowing for sure if the two of them could sustain their unity, had she taken comfort in the memories of that magical weekend they’d first set eyes upon each other, images of them together, every look, every conversation between them, the chemistry, how her mind, heart, and gut had screamed its significance. It made her shudder with horror to think that if she’d never accepted Abi’s original invitation to spend the weekend there, she and Alex would never have met.

‘Penny for your thoughts?’ Alex said to her now, cutting the engine and laying his hand over hers in the lap of her coral tie-dye sundress.

She smiled across at him from the passenger seat. ‘What do you think?’

He nodded, glanced ahead through the tinted windscreen at the manor, and squeezed her hand. ‘Great minds think alike.’

To buy: Amazon | Kobo | iBooks

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If I Ever Doubt You is my current read, what can we expect from you next?

I am currently working on a Christmas novella which I hope to have submitted in time for this year’s festivities, fingers crossed. If not, next year’s. I’m also outlining a third contemporary novel.

That sounds great, best of luck with it, and every success with If I Ever Doubt You. Thank you for stopping by. xx

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About the author:

Jan Brigden lives in South East London with her husband and motley crew of cuddly toys. Jan’s written for pleasure from a young age; short stories for classmates, odes for workmates, fun quizzes for family and friends, progressing to the contemporary uplifting dramas she writes today.

The idea for her debut novel, As Weekends Go, sprang from a script she composed as part of a creative writing course assignment via The Writers Bureau. The novel went on to be published by award winning UK independent publishers Choc-lit after winning their Search for a Star competition.

Jan’s latest novel, If I Ever Doubt You, also published by Choc Lit, is the sequel to her debut.

An avid reader, reviewer and all round book devotee, Jan is also one eighth of online writing group The Romaniacs who successfully self-published an anthology of short stories and flash fiction entitled ‘Romaniac Shorts: Fashionably Brief’.

Discover more about Jan Brigden and her work here: Twitter | Facebook | Website

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Don’t miss Morton S Gray, when she stops by to share an uplifting extract on May 29th. xxx

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