Writing Life, Summer '16

Well, that was a busy summer!

Drum roll and applause - I have managed to write a book from scratch in four months, as well as just about keeping up with the day job and the family! So, The Cosy Christmas Teashop is now at the final editing stages and is about to be born in October (e-book) and early November (paperback). It’s a festive sequel to The Cosy Teashop in the Castle, so we get to see lots more of Ellie, Joe, the Claverham Castle cast, and the beautiful countryside of my home county of Northumberland.

Other exciting news is that The Cosy Teashop has been available across the UK in Sainsbury’s – my mother knew I had really made it then!! It was weird and rather amazing seeing it there in my local supermarket, I must say. I felt like grabbing a trolley-pushing passer-by, saying “It’s mine, that’s my book!” but feared they might just think I was the local loony. I couldn’t resist telling the lad on the checkout mind. Still feels very surreal.

And, I am now about to hit Germany with The Cosy Teashop (in translation) newly titled as “Rosen, Tee und Kandiszucher” which means “Roses, Tea and Candied Sugar”. The cover is of the most pretty flower-topped cupcakes. I’ll post an image when I get my copy of the book. So I’m going all European too.

What’s next? Last edits on the Christmas novel. Take a little breather, I hope. And then, I have already written a poignant, love story set at two side-by-side cottages on beautiful Bamburgh Beach, so I’ll be working on making that as good as it can be and hope that will be published for 2017. Watch this space…

And a little advice, if you are writing and as yet unpublished, keep going! Remember that I was where you are now, just a couple of years ago – it took me ten years of writing and then submitting to find a publisher (don’t panic, it can happen sooner than that too!). So don’t give up hope - keep writing and enjoy what you write, be inspired, find some writing friends for support, allow yourself to be disheartened if you get knock-backs, that is only natural, but pick yourself up, learn from it, and persevere. Good luck!

Best wishes,

Caroline x