Tag Archives: Carol Thomas Author

Review of Lorraine Wilson’s Poppy’s Place in the Sun

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The blurb:

Sometimes you need to lose yourself to find your way home…

With only her trusty dogs Peanut, Treacle and Pickwick by her side, Poppy Kirkbride could be forgiven for having doubts about her move to a quiet village in rural France. But as the sun shines down on her ramshackle new home, Poppy knows she’s made the right decision. A lick of paint, and some TLC and her rustic farmhouse will be the perfect holiday retreat – Poppy’s dream come true.

Poppy is welcomed by her fellow villagers, except for brooding local vet Leo Dubois, who makes it clear Poppy isn’t welcome in his village – or his life! Leo might be gorgeous, but Poppy won’t be told what to do by an arrogant Frenchman – no matter how kind and gentle he is to her dogs!

Determined to stay, Poppy tries to understand the enigmatic Frenchman better. But as the two get closer, Poppy sees another side to Leo – a man with heartbreak of his own. Falling in love with Leo is easy, but can he ever return Poppy’s love? And what would this mean for her dream life and place in the sun?

Published by: Harper Impulse
Genre: Romantic Comedy

My review:

Beautiful countryside to escape to, and a cute cast of four-legged sidekicks. I enjoyed the Chalet Girl series and so was excited to read Lorraine Wilson’s latest novel. With not a hint of snow in sight, the setting was idyllic. The beautiful French countryside provided the ideal backdrop for Poppy to start to build her new life; something she tackles with admirable determination, despite the adventure not starting out as she planned. Her dogs were cute, good listeners and perfect companions.

When a moody, handsome neighbour appears, who then turns out to be a vet (and to own a dog too), you know romance is going to follow. The plot builds steadily, and while the friendship between Poppy and Leo is slow at times, the reasons are revealed with a backstory that adds depth to Leo’s character.

I liked the cast of supporting characters and the way most enriched Poppy’s new life.

Lorraine Wilson always writes steamy scenes well, and while this book is slower paced than some of her previous novels, if you are a fan, you won’t be disappointed 😉

Click here to buy the book.

About the author:

Lorraine Wilson writes flirty, feel-good fiction for Harper Impulse – a Harper Collins imprint – and is unashamedly fond of happy endings. She loves hearing from readers and feels incredibly grateful to be doing the job she always dreamt of.

She splits her time between the South of France and Cambridgeshire and is usually either writing or reading while being sat on, walked over or barked at by one of her growing band of rescue dogs.

You can find Lorraine online via Facebook and Twitter.

Thank you for the fun read Lorraine,  my reviews are added to Amazon UK and Goodreads. x

Review of Angela Petch’s Tuscan Roots

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The blurb:

In 1943, in occupied, war-torn Italy, Ines Santini’s sheltered existence is turned upside down when she meets Norman, an escaped British POW.
In 1999, Anna Swilland, their daughter, starts to unravel Italian war stories from diaries left to her after her mother’s death. She travels to the breathtakingly beautiful Tuscan Apennines, where the family saga and romance unfolds.
In researching her parents’ past, she will discover secrets about the war, her parents’ hardship and herself, which will change her life forever…

My review:

A fascinating, well-crafted read, I would recommend.

Having studied literature and history (particularly women’s history), Tuscan Roots combined two things that fascinate me; a well-crafted tale and an insight into a woman’s life who otherwise might have been forgotten from history.

Tuscan Roots is, on one level, a tale of two love stories, set a generation apart, as we follow the lives of Anna and, through the letters and writings she has been left, Ines – Anna’s late mother. And yet it is also so much more.

I soon found myself engaged in the lives of the lead characters, both past and present, English and Italian. The story was beautifully told, with emotive language describing the landscape, both in Tuscany and in post-war England, weaved into the narrative.

Ines’ diaries are heartfelt and honest, giving an insight into her hopes and dreams, as well as the turmoil she ultimately finds herself in. To a modern audience, as to her daughter Anna, Innes’ decisions can seem frustrating at times. However, as you read her story, learn her motives and gain a greater understanding about the circumstances of the life she finds herself in, you cannot help but feel for her – and the men and women of her generation.

While Anna’s journey through the novel is less dramatic than that of Innes’ it is a wonderful tale of self-discovery, of learning who she really is and of discovering the Tuscan Roots her mother ultimately got to share with her.

A great read, with characters who will stay with you long after the book is closed.

Click here to buy the book.

And don’t miss the sequel Now and Then in Tuscany:

A lovingly researched account, based on true stories, about Giuseppe Starnucci, a young Italian boy, at the start of the twentieth century, as he journeys on foot with shepherds from his mountain village in the Tuscan Apennines to the coast. His adventures are tracked by his great grandson one hundred years later and we learn of present day problems mirroring those of his ancestors. A story of hardship, secrets and romance which brings to light the customs and people of rural Tuscany in a troubled period of history, when the dominance of Mussolini is always lurking in the background. The author’s literary style has been praised as: “a great combination of a true account and fiction.” This is sequel to the author’s first novel, “Tuscan Roots”, praised by Julia Gregson for its “vivid, natural and direct…writing. Moving and interesting with lovely touches of humour.” Both of these family sagas about Tuscany are stand-alone.

Click here to buy the book.

About the author:

Angela Petch is a prize-winning author who lives six months of the year in Tuscany and the remaining half year in Sussex, England. She lived in Rome for six formative years, where her passion for Italy was born. “Tuscan Roots” is her first novel and a sequel was published in April 2017: “Now and Then in Tuscany”. Angela Petch also writes short stories that appear in national magazines in Great Britain. Both books are written in English but have Italian content. Angela is also a member of the Chindi Authors group, known for celebrating and helping independent authors, and a member of the Arun Scribes writing group.

This Autumn, September 11th-18th 2018, you can join Angela Petch and experienced writing tutor Sonja Price in beautiful Tuscany for a week long writing retreat. Be inspired by fellow writers and the beautiful location.

For more details contact Angela via: Facebook | Twitter | Blog

Thank you for the great read, Angela. I look forward to reading Now and then in Tuscany. My reviews are posted on Amazon UK and Goodreads x

 

Review of Helen Christmas’ Visions

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Visions by Helen J. Christmas

The Blurb

Visions is a psychological thriller mystery set in rural England. The year is 1985. It’s been 12 years since Eleanor escaped London, discarding the fragments of her tragic past to discover a new life. She is hiding in a remote country village, a place where she truly believes she will be safe.

Her neighbour, James Barton-Wells is desperate to save his beautiful historic country house from ruin; but this has attracted the attention of a wealthy property developer from London whose seemingly altruistic offer to bankroll the restoration masks a sinister game plan. Jarred by suspicion, Eleanor consults her friend, Charles Bailey. Charlie has his own story – fearful that Perry Hampton is the man who undoubtedly ruined his future.

Against all odds, the characters are drawn together in a battle to save Westbourne House, oblivious to the menace that surrounds them. Yet it is not until Eleanor comes face to face with a deadly adversary, she finally understands the dangers that threatens those she loves.

Can Eleanor unravel the clues that conceal an evil crime from the 70s? This book will draw you into a world of suspense with shocking psychological twists you will never see coming…

Visions is book 2 of the ‘Same Face Different Place’ series. 

Genre: Thriller / Suspense / Psychological
Publisher: Chichester Publishing

Guest review by Amelia Thomas:

Visions’ is part two of the series, ‘Same Face Different Place’. I had enjoyed the first in the series, Beginnings that was set in the 1970s, and so I was looking forward to this, and discovering what happened next to Eleanor.

Time had moved on to the 1980s. It took me a while to get into the story once more as I got to grips with the time shift and how Eleanor had moved forward with her son, Elijah.

While some of the story is slower and more descriptive, it still had dramatic elements that gripped me and made me read on. The ending particularly picks up pace. With scenes of sex, crime, violence, and assault the novel can be graphic at times, but this is in the context of the action of the gangland criminals, of the time. I enjoyed the historical aspect of this novel and the references to the decade, which Helen Christmas adds in through the action of the story.

Click to buy the book.

Same Face Different Place, the series: Beginnings | Visions | Pleasures | Retribution Phase One | Retribution End Game (See my review of Beginnings here.)

About the author:

Helen J. Christmas lives on the south coast of Sussex with her husband. With a love of writing since childhood, she started her decade spanning thriller series Same Face Different Place in 2011. Her first book Beginnings, set in 1970s London, combines romantic suspense with a hard-hitting conspiracy thriller. Writing is something she juggles around family and social life.

Helen is self employed and enjoys running the web design company, she and her husband set up from home. They have no children but enjoy the company of a faithful border collie and a fluffy white cat. Helen confesses to have got most of her ideas for writing, whilst walking Barney along the beach.

Discover more about Helen J. Christmas and the Same Face Different Place Series here: website | blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Helen is also a member of the Chindi Authors group known for celebrating and helping independent authors.

Thank you, Helen!

Amelia’s review has been added to Amazon Uk x

Guest Post: Creating book trailers with Helen J Christmas

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To celebrate Helen Christmas being the Chindi Authors‘ Author of the Week, she is joining me on my blog to talk about creating book trailers for her thriller series, ‘Same Face Different Place’.

And so over to Helen …

“Making a trailer has been on my mind for a number of years, having been inspired by the YouTube trailers created by other authors, so here is the story behind my own.

“‘Beginnings’ the first book of my series ‘Same Face Different Place,’ combines a gripping crime thriller with a romantic suspense. I was trying to depict a dark and sinister atmosphere based on the criminal underworld of 1970s London.

“I took some photos in East London around the dockland area; for example one scene is a chase across the East End, where the two main characters, Jake and Eleanor, find sanctuary in a park for a while. I used this as my starting point, focusing on shady patches of trees, tunnels and bridges, just the type of places you would have to duck and dive if you had a criminal gang pursuing you. I also took photos of Waterloo Station, in which another exciting ‘ambush’ scene happens in the story.

“Next I needed a young couple to play the fated ‘Eleanor and Jake’ so asked my nieces (13 and 17 at the time) if they would step in, along with one of their male friends. Together we spent a fun afternoon doing the photo shoot. Carys wore a short black dress and boots, (just like Eleanor when she escapes with Jake from an East End brothel) and I even bought a long dark wig for effect.

“The next stage was to use photoshop, to superimpose the best shots onto a background, quite an engrossing task but worth it. Here are some of the pictures I used to make those images.

“Waterloo Station. One of the first scenes, showing ‘Eleanor’:

“My niece, Carys enacting the role (cut out using photoshop). The resulting scene of Eleanor’s capture:

“These stairs are actually from Morrison’s car park, Bognor. Scene of Eleanor escaping (I also had to create a shadow):

“So I had all my images worked out, the trailer script and the music. But the next part I struggled with. I tried using Flash to put it all together but this is old technology and the resulting YouTube video was very poor. The only solution I found was to make an image slider for my website with the same text and pictures, but this still couldn’t be published on YouTube.

“Finally, (some four years later) Carol and I met up in Haskins café and spent a most enjoyable morning creating the trailer in i-Movie.

“Carol showed me how she put together her trailer and so I’ll hand back to Carol to share the stages used to create a book trailer in iMovie …”

I use iMovie. It is easy to use on any Apple device, once you know how, and the end product is easy to download and share across social media channels.

The process (this is what works for me):

  1. Have the script prepared: A shorter version of the book blurb tends to work well as you will have already worked on that and prepared a piece of text to entice readers.
  2. Gather photographs that relate to the script: I use Istock or similar where I can create a board of pictures I think will work. I screen shot them to try them in place before I purchase them, otherwise expensive mistakes could be made. Of course you could use your own photographs (as Helen has) too, but they need to be good quality clear pictures.
  3. Have videos ready: I like to add bits of video as I think it brings the trailer to life. For the trailer for my first novel Crazy Over You, I purchased a bit of video I felt fitted well. For The Purrfect Pet  Sitter I was more prepared. I had recorded my dog running, a shot I knew I wanted to use, and had videoed the Littlehampton fireworks when researching the book. Video clips can be expensive and so using your own saves money.
  4. Select your music: There are many sites offering music suitable for trailers, search royalty free music.

Put it all into place:

  1. In iMovie select projects and movie (not trailer or theatre) and import the images and video.
  2. Once there, you can begin dragging and dropping the images into your movie; adjust the amount of time you want each to be shown and how you want them to appear, I like the movement created by using the ‘Ken Burns’ option on images. (I aim for the final trailer to be around a minute and a half).
  3. Use the text options to add captions to your photographs or to insert titles.
  4. Insert transitions to move smoothly between slides.
  5. For uploading to Amazon you need to have a still image that stays for a few seconds to start the trailer off; this will be your trailer thumbnail on your author page.
  6. Add your music and adjust timings of your clips and the piece of music to suit your trailer. You can trim the music to size, fade in and out and so forth.
  7. Having trouble? Do a Google Search for the problem you are encountering. There will be step by step guides and videos to help!
  8. Saving, downloading to your device and uploading to social media is easy with the share button.

Helen continues,

“Thus, after my cup of tea with Carol, by the end of the day, I had created my first ever book trailer for Beginnings and successfully uploaded it to YouTube.

“I had so much fun doing this and it was wonderful to get together with Carol and spend some time with her to create it. But I didn’t stop there. I was on a roll now and couldn’t wait to create another trailer for ‘Visions’, the second book of the series:

I didn’t use actors for this one but I did purchase a few stock images from 123RF.com. Eleanor is older in this story as depicted by the young woman walking up a hill and the movie is also little longer.

“Quite a few people have said the trailer makes them want to read the book which makes it a very worthwhile exercise. Book trailers are another useful marketing tool for authors and easy to share across social media as well as adding to your Amazon and Goodreads author profile.”

About Helen J. Christmas:

Helen is self employed and enjoys running the web design company, she and her husband set up from home. They have no children but enjoy the company of a faithful border collie and a fluffy white cat. Helen confesses to have got most of her ideas for writing, whilst walking Barney along the beach.

Discover more about Helen J. Christmas and the Same Face Different Place Series here: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

To purchase books from the Same Face Different Place series: Beginnings | Visions | Pleasures | Retribution Phase One | Retribution End Game

Thank you, for sharing your experience of creating book trailers Helen and I am glad to have been able to help! Enjoy the rest of your time as Chindi Author of the Week. x

 

An interview with Caroline James.

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Today, I am delighted to welcome fellow Ruby Fiction author Caroline James.

Thank you for agreeing to join me on my blog Caroline and for answering my questions, aimed at discovering more about you and your novel, The Best Boomerville Hotel.

An absolute pleasure and many congratulations on the publication of your fabulous book, The Purrfect Pet Sitter, I loved it!

That’s very kind of you, and I am so pleased you enjoyed it. Congratulations to you too on recently getting your ‘Best Seller’ badge for the Best Boomerville Hotel. For those who haven’t yet encountered your fabulous novel, give us your elevator pitch:

Thank you for the lovely compliment. I’m not good at elevator pitches – my elevator always heads the wrong way. But here it is:

Let the shenanigans begin at the Boomerville hotel …

Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have a vision – a holiday retreat in the heart of the Lake District exclusively for guests of ‘a certain age’ wishing to stimulate both mind and body with new creative experiences. One hotel refurbishment later and the Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business!With an array of colourful guests there’s bound to be laughs aplenty, but could there be tears and heartbreak too and will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?

Your characters are all a touch eccentric, can I cheekily ask which you most identify with, and why?

People who know me say I am a ‘Jo’ – the owner of the hotel who likes to people please and make everyone happy. But I think there is a touch of ‘Hattie’ in me too. She is the hotel manager, larger than life and extremely naughty.

The Boomerville Hotel encourages its residents to be open-minded and try new things. What three things have you tried in life that you would recommend to others?

Trekking the Inca Trail for days then climbing, exhausted, on my knees up a steep incline to the Dawn Gate to watch the sun rise over the hidden city of Machu Pichu. Magical, spiritual and quite simply amazing.

Zip-wiring across a damn in China. Seriously dangerous, as the harness appeared to consist of a leather belt belonging to the elderly Chinese gentleman who hooked me onto the wire. A once-in-a-lifetime thrill – the thrill being that I was still alive and breathing as I hurtled head first into the water at the other end.

Sushi. I always hated it until I was taken to a lovely restaurant in Barbados, to a table by the water’s edge and as the Caribbean Sea rolled over soft white sands the chef made the most delicious platter of fresh seafood sushi and I was completely and totally hooked. Like a love story in my mouth.

I adored Bunty, and know she was based on your own dog. Tell us a little about her:

Many years ago, a partner gave me a chocolate brown Labrador puppy called Meg. He disappeared not long after, proving the point that a partner is not for life nor just for Christmas. But Meg became my new love and we were inseparable. I decided to breed her and eight gorgeous puppies arrived. Meg was a terrible mother and I had a real job on my hands. As the puppies were rehomed there was one who stayed glued to my side. Bunty was the naughtiest of the bunch and always causing mischief. I fell head over heels for Bunty and she stayed with me and Meg. Thirteen years on, two years after we lost Meg, we said our final goodbyes and I vowed I’d never have a dog again. It was just too painful.

Adorable Bunty!

Cumbria makes a beautiful setting, was there a reason for choosing it as the home for the Boomerville Hotel and as a foodie, have you visited L’Enclume?

I used to own a country house hotel in Cumbria and this was the setting for my fictional hotel, Boomerville. I loved that hotel and spent some of the happiest years of my life there. Writing about it is easy, stories soon come. A hotel is a revolving door and there are always multiple scenarios that trigger the imagination. L’Enclume is a lovely restaurant and I have been fortunate to dine there. Such a talented chef and imaginative food.

I saw on your recent blog post that you are working on a sequel – how exciting! Was Boomerville always going to be part of a series and what can we expect from the next instalment?

I am very fortunate to have received some cracking reviews for The Best Boomerville Hotel and readers who contact me say they want more of the same. I am currently writing another ‘Boomerville’ and this time we travel to Southern Ireland where Jo has bought a new property to create an Irish Boomerville. Expect lots of Irish craic and shenanigans as the guests get on board. I never intended this to be a series but if something works, why change it?

Five for fun:

1) Tea or coffee? Coffee, strong and black.
2) Cinema or theatre? Theatre, I love a live show.
3) Paperback or Ereader? Ereader – I like reading in bed with all the lights out.
4) High heels or pumps? High heels, Carol, we girls must strut our stuff!
5) Starter or desert? Tricky, I’ve changed my eating habits drastically in the last six months and after a lifetime of sugar addiction now astonish myself by saying, ‘Starter please’.

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Best Boomerville Hotel; here is my review:

Light, easy reading with likeable characters, and laughs along the way!

Set in the beautiful countryside of Cumbria, the newly refurbished Best Boomerville Hotel is the ideal location for this eccentric cast of fifty-somethings looking to revitalise their lives. And with courses ranging from life drawing to sessions with the Shaman, there is never a dull moment.

It took me a few chapters to get to know the characters, but as their individual (and often quirky) personalities became established I had no problem distinguishing who was who. I loved Hattie, who was a formidable woman with a big heart and a close eye on the action at the hotel. She certainly added to the fun and provided many laugh out loud moments. Bunty was an absolute bonus, I have a soft spot for chocolate Labradors, and she sounded Labradorable (pardon the pun)!

By the end of the novel, the characters felt like old friends, and I was willing them towards their happy-ever-after. The Best Boomerville Hotel is a story of friendship, drama, love and laughter, it was my first Caroline James read, but it won’t be my last.

Links to buy The Best Boomerville Hotel: Kobo | Ibooks/Google | Itunes | Amazon

About the author:

Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that features in her novels. She is based in the UK but has a great fondness for travel and escapes whenever she can. A public speaker, consultant and food writer, Caroline is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association and writes articles and short stories and contributes to many publications. In her spare time, Caroline can be found trekking up a mountain or relaxing with her head in a book and hand in a box of chocolates.

Find out more about Caroline James and her novels here: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Blog

Thank you so much for joining me, Caroline. I loved reading your answers and hearing about the amazing adventures you’ve had. Your words about Bunty were very moving, and reminded me of my gorgeous boy, Benson. Your sequel sounds like lots of fun, I look forward to reading it.

My reviews are posted on Amazon and Goodreads x