Monday, August 22, 2016

It's a Wonderful Life



So here is the new and lovely cover for my latest book, It's a Wonderful Life, which is coming out in November. Woohoo! I am particularly excited about this book as it is my TENTH published novel, which is a little bit mindblowing. It only seems five minutes since I got the never to be forgotten phone call that told me finally I had reached my dream of becoming a published author, but it is in fact ten years. In this time I have gone from being a mum of four children aged ten and under, to a mum of teenagers, with two adults in the house. Which is why nowadays you'll find me writing far more about the trouble with teens, then the complications of looking after small children.

However, part of the inspiration for It's a Wonderful Life derives from a reaction to those years slogging away at the coalface of motherhood. I have often joked - particularly on family holidays, when as one of my children so eloquently put it once, "the trouble with family holidays is too much family" - that I would love to run away from home. When you are always having to be the responsible one, the one in charge, it is extremely seductive to dream about chucking it all away and going and doing what you want for a change... ... and that was where the idea for the new book came from.

My heroine, Beth, has a successful career as a picture book artist, but with her children growing older and away from her, and feeling stifled by her daily routine, she starts indulging in a What If... daydream, made ever so slightly more dangerous by her meeting up again with an old flame who broke her heart back in the day. She's daydreamed about him on and off over the years, but never expected to meet him again. IF you had a secret fantasy (and COME ON, don't we all? I do but I'm never telling in a MILLION years)and he/she turned up out of the blue, what would YOU do?

Particularly when this happens...

"My heart is thumping as he comes over to me, looking gorgeous as usual. This is horrific. At a moment when I should be concentrating on my family and my husband, my secret crush is standing before me. Fantasies should stay fantasies, not walk into your kitchen looking hot as hell."

The other inspiration I had for this story was thinking about family Christmases, and what happens when they go disastrously wrong. (I can remember one spectacular one in my family where my dad and his brother argued violently and swore never to see each other again). So my story starts with Beth's family gathering for Christmas as usual only for her parents to drop a huge bombshell which will impact on everyone for the whole of the next year. Throw in Beth's husband, Daniel, dealing with his estranged father, two grumpy teenagers, and Beth's sister, Lou,reeling from being rejected (again) by her latest girlfriend, and I hope I've managed to create a story, about love, loss, wasted chances and the ties that bind.

I had a great time writing it, so I really hope you enjoy reading it!

And thanks to all my readers new and old, who have bought my books over the last ten years. There's no point being a writer beavering away at their computer, if no one actually picks up what you've written, so I am immensely grateful, and I hope you continue to keep reading!

6 comments:

Edward said...

You probably can get the vitamins and minerals you need from smart food choices. According to national studies, most Americans have enough healthful foods available to do that, yet they may not. Super Fast Keto Boost

Lara said...

There is a key component in your working out at the gym that affects your body to choose to burn fat or sugar as you are working out. The body gets energy in two forms one is sugar and the other is fat, to be burned during your work out and how the body picks and develops that choice will be base on how you breathe during your work out.Keto Trim 800

hassan said...

Customer Helpline Australia affected person treatment options to reduce readmissions. The implementation of connecting qualified companies started out earlier this 12 months. To completely guide organizations to move closer to qualification the office of countrywide Coordinator for HIE (ONC) has certain nearby schooling centers (TN rec) who help companies with academic tasks in areas like HIT, ICD9 to ICD10 education and EMR transition. Qsource, a non-earnings health consulting company, has been chosen to oversee TNrec. To make sure sustainability it's miles crucial that
https://customerhelplineaustralia.com/

Health said...

Keto Meal Plan organization representatives who would really like to be involved in a public speak about fitness issues confronted by your network, and bring them to the attention of nearby fitness experts for a solution. You can be one of these tremendous folks who volunteer and assist by way of imparting unfastened fitness screenings on fitness tests, immunizations, blood stress and more. edical institution Week activities in their announcements so greater human beings come to recognise about it. Host an focus occasion Plan and host a neighbor. http://ketomealplan.reviews/

Lilian Wale said...

There are some natural remedies that can be used in the prevention and eliminate diabetes totally. However, the single most important aspect of a diabetes control plan is adopting a wholesome life style Inner Peace, Nutritious and Healthy Diet, and Regular Physical Exercise. A state of inner peace and self-contentment is essential to enjoying a good physical health and over all well-being. The inner peace and self contentment is a just a state of mind.People with diabetes diseases often use complementary and alternative medicine. I diagnosed diabetes in 2010. Was at work feeling unusually tired and sleepy. I borrowed a cyclometer from a co-worker and tested at 760. Went immediately to my doctor and he gave me prescription like: Insulin ,Sulfonamides,Thiazolidinediones but Could not get the cure rather to reduce the pain but brink back the pain again. i found a woman testimony name Comfort online how Dr Akhigbe cure her HIV  and I also contacted the doctor and after I took his medication as instructed, I am now completely free from diabetes by doctor Akhigbe herbal medicine.So diabetes patients reading this testimony to contact his email     drrealakhigbe@gmail.com   or his Number   +2348142454860   He also use his herbal herbs to diseases like:SPIDER BITE, SCHIZOPHRENIA, LUPUS,EXTERNAL INFECTION, COMMON COLD, JOINT PAIN, EPILEPSY,STROKE,TUBERCULOSIS ,STOMACH DISEASE. ECZEMA, PROGENITOR, EATING DISORDER, LOWER RESPIRATORY INFECTION,  DIABETICS,HERPES,HIV/AIDS, ;ALS,  CANCER , MENINGITIS,HEPATITIS A AND B,ASTHMA, HEART DISEASE, CHRONIC DISEASE. NAUSEA VOMITING OR DIARRHEA,KIDNEY DISEASE. HEARING  LOSSDr Akhigbe is a good man and he heal any body that come to him. here is email    drrealakhigbe@gmail.com    and his Number +2349010754824

Sarah James said...

I like your blog it's amazing really
Harley-Davidson® Victory Lane Leather Jacket | Harley-Davidson® Men’s Triple Vent System Combustion Leather Jacket | WWE Goldberg HD Motorcycle Harley-Davidson Leather Jacket |Harley Davidson Leather Jackets Mens Brown |Harley Davidson Leather Biker Jacket |Harley Davidson Motorcycle Jackets Votary Color blocked Leather Jacket | Men’s Passing Link Triple Vent Leather Jacket Harley Davidson | Harley Davidson Men ASTOR Windproof Reflective Black Leather Jacket
Thank you