Today I am over the moon to welcome amazing author Alice Peterson to my blog. Her latest book, If You Were Here, is out now and to celebrate she stopped by to answer all my bookish questions. 

Hi Alice and welcome! First of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Thank you for having me Alba. The first thing I’d say is I never expected to be a writer. I was always ‘Alice, the tennis player’. Aged 18, and ranked amongst the top 10 juniors in the country, I was about to go to America on a tennis scholarship – when I felt pain in my right hand. This pain then spread to my whole body and I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Overnight I never played tennis again – a sadness that will always be with me. But I fought hard to rebuild my life – by telling my personal story and then becoming a novelist. 

Your new novel, If You Were Here, is an emotional and inspiring story. Can you tell us a bit about it? What inspired this idea?

Because of losing my tennis and my battle to live with RA, I am drawn to writing stories of adversity and celebrating the power of the human spirit. If You Were Here was inspired by one of my mother’s friends who told me she had Huntington’s Disease, a genetic and hereditary condition that damages the nerves tissues in the brain and spinal cord. This was terrible in itself, but what really drew me to wanting to write about this was the fact she hadn’t yet told her son that he too had a 50% chance of inheriting HD. It made me wonder how I’d react if I were to find out in my 20s I was at risk. Would I want to take a test to see if I had the gene or not? Basically, how much do we want to know about our future - that’s what really grabbed me… If You Were Here asks all these questions, and really focuses on family and friendships and how they endure tough times too. And finally, there is a ‘will they, won’t they’ love story, which I loved writing… eeking it out to the very end! 

Characters in your stories are always complex and feel very real. How do you research your characters? Do you talk to experts, go to places where they go too, base them on real people?

The heart of my novel comes from truth, so while I haven’t written my mother’s friend’s story, it feels real as I write about things that happen to people in everyday life. I was really fortunate that two HD charities put me in touch with people who were willing to tell me about their experiences. I also was hugely helped by a Consultant Clinical Geneticist called Dr Nayana Lahiri, who told me all about the genetic counselling process and the fears and hopes of all those she meets who are at risk of carrying the gene. I found the research compelling. It was moving to hear so many different stories. 

Which character do you hold closest to your heart? And which is the one most similar to you?

I adore Peggy, who is Flo’s grandmother. While she might be flawed – she admits she has made so many decisions that she has come to regret, I love how she finds the strength to accept her past and fight for her future, and Flo’s. Her character came alive on paper – I could hear her voice, see her face– I really do feel as if she is real. The one most similar to me is Flo. I really put myself into her shoes and kept on thinking ‘what would I do?’

How does your writing process go? Do you plan everything first or you just start writing and let your characters talk to you? I have to say your stories always make me cry, do you also cry while writing them?

No, I do months of research first. I never plan or plot my books chapter by chapter – I probably should as often I need to do major revision – but I know, inside-out, my characters and I have a beginning, a middle – and an end. This doesn’t mean it doesn’t change – I talked to my agent and editor so much about how to end If You Were Here – all of us having different opinions. But essentially, I know what motivates my characters, I understand their hopes and fears and what they’d do in certain situations, so with all the research behind me, and a loose structure, I just write. I cried a lot writing this story. There is one scene, towards the end, which made me cry every single time I read it, or revised it. I’m wondering if you cried in that scene too. I hope so… 

Could you recommend us a novel that you have read recently and has stayed with you?

After The End by Claire Mackintosh. This book deals with everyday life too – it’s about an impossible choice a mother and father have to make about their son, and how this choice threatens to tear their family apart. It really does make you wonder what you’d do if you were in the same position as them. It is heart-breaking, uplifting and beautifully written. 

And finally, are you working on a new story already?

In the last year I have been doing a foundation counselling course, and am looking to begin a degree this September, as counselling as always been something I’ve longed to do – and I feel it could really help my writing. I do have an idea for a new book and have done some research, and all I can say is, like If You Were Here, it’s inspired by real people and real life…

Blurb: If You Were Here is a moving and emotional story about facing a life-altering dilemma head-on and summoning the courage to cope with it' JILL MANSELL

'A beautiful story about living life to the fullest and having the courage to overcome adversity' PAIGE TOON

When her daughter Beth dies suddenly, Peggy Andrews is left to pick up the pieces and take care of her granddaughter Flo. But sorting through Beth’s things reveals a secret never told: Beth was sick, with the same genetic condition that claimed her father’s life, and now Peggy must decide whether to keep the secret or risk destroying her granddaughter’s world.

Five years later, Flo is engaged and moving to New York with her fiancé. Peggy never told her what she discovered, but with Flo looking towards her future, Peggy realises it’s time to come clean and reveal that her granddaughter’s life might also be at risk.

As Flo struggles to decide her own path, she is faced with the same life-altering questions her mother asked herself years before: if a test could decide your future, would you take it?

An emotional, inspiring and uplifting novel, IF YOU WERE HERE will break your heart and put it back together again. The brand new novel from the acclaimed author of A Song for Tomorrow, perfect for fans of Hannah Beckerman, Dani Atkins and Jill Mansell.

Today I am delighted to host the Blog Tour for the heart-breaking story Missing Pieces, by debut author Laura Pearson. She has stopped by to answer all my bookish questions, and if you continue reading, you'll also find my review:

Hi Laura and welcome. First, could you tell us about yourself?

Hello. Thanks for having me. Well, I live in Leicestershire with my husband and our two children, who are four and very nearly two. I’m thirty-eight. I’ve worked on and off as a copywriter and editor for years. I’ve spent many years in London and one in New York. And I’m a writer.

Your debut novel, Missing Pieces, is a heartbreaking story. Can you tell us a bit about it? What inspired this idea?

It’s about an ordinary family and the way its members are affected by a life-altering tragedy. The first part focuses on the immediate aftermath of the three-year-old daughter’s death and the second part takes place twenty-five years later, when the ripples are still being felt. 

I wrote it about six years ago but the idea’s been around for longer than that. I was writing a novel years ago about a woman who was writing a novel and whose main character came to life, and there was a strand in it about her having lost her sister in childhood. I think that was the start of it. The letters the eldest daughter writes to her lost sister came first and everything else eventually slotted around that. 

In the story there are three very different women, a mother and her two daughters. How would you describe each of them in a few words? 

Linda, the mother, is a bit of a dreamer whose plans haven’t worked out but who was content with her ordinary life until she lost her daughter.

Esme, the eldest daughter, is a woman who’s never been able to properly move beyond losing her sister. She lives a sort of trapped existence, until she decides to face up to what happened.

Bea, the youngest daughter, has always felt shut out of her own family because they lost Phoebe before she was born. She’s broken away from them and is strong, but she’s vulnerable too.

Which one did you feel closer to while writing this book? 

I love them all, but I think my heart is with Esme. She’s the character who came first, and I’ve lived with her for a really long time. 

I expect many readers will cry when reading Missing Pieces, but would you describe it as life-affirming too?

I hope it is. It’s definitely got a lot of sadness but I think it ends on a hopeful note. 

Missing Pieces is your debut novel, but is it the first book you have written?

It was the second novel I completed. My first needs some big edits but that is also going to be published by Agora in the future. 

What can we expect from you next?

My next novel will hopefully be coming out early next year. It’s called I Wanted You To Know and it’s about a mother and daughter who only get to spend a year together but still have a huge impact on one another’s lives.

About the Book:

Title: Missing Pieces

Author: Laura Pearson

Published: June 21st 2018 by Agora Books

Amazon | Amazon UK

Blurb: What if the one thing that kept you together was breaking you apart?

All Linda wants to do is sleep. She won’t look at her husband. She can’t stand her daughter. And she doesn’t want to have this baby. Having this baby means moving on, and she just wants to go back to before. Before their family was torn apart, before the blame was placed.

Alienated by their own guilt and struggling to cope, the Sadler family unravels. They grow up, grow apart, never talking about their terrible secret.

That is until Linda’s daughter finds out she’s pregnant. Before she brings another Sadler into the world, Bea needs to know what happened twenty-five years ago. What did they keep from her? What happened that couldn’t be fixed?

A devastating mistake, a lifetime of consequences. How can you repair something broken if pieces are missing?

Missing Pieces is Laura Pearson’s debut novel. 

Review: Missing Pieces is a tragic story of loss. When the worse happens to Linda, she loses the will to live. There is no happiness or light anymore in her life, just guilt. For me, it was difficult to read about Linda's story as it is a very sombre and dark one. But even if I cannot even begin to imagine what it must feel like to go through what she went through, I think the author's portrait of loss, grief and depression felt very real and raw. 

The second part of the book focuses in Linda's daughter, Bea. It's been more than 20 years since the tragedy that made their family crumble but it still feels like a dark cloud above them. They've never talked about it openly. For Bea, it's time to finally uncover all their secrets and be a family again. I found this second part more engaging than the first as I became more invested in the story, I cared about these characters and I was rooting for them. 

It was heart-breaking to read what happened to this family and how it affected them. In my opinion, Missing Pieces is hard to read but worth it. Beautiful writing and very good character building. I'll definitely be looking out for Laura Pearson's next story.

I love Joanna Bolouri's books because her stories are always hilarious and very original. I recently read her latest book, Relight My Fire, and today it's an absolute pleasure to welcome the woman herself in the blog for a bookish Q&A:

Hi Joanna and welcome! First of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi, I’m Jo! I’m a Taurus and I recently turned forty which didn’t go well for anyone involved. I’ve been writing books for around five years now and Relight My Fire is my forth novel.

Your new book, Relight My Fire, although it can be read as a stand-alone, catches up with the characters of your fantastic debut The List. For those new to the story, how would you describe Phoebe and Oli?

Phoebe and Oliver are childhood friends who fell in love. They’re a couple who thrive on passion and honesty, but humour is the key to their success. They really make each other laugh.

How did you feel going back to these characters? Is it more difficult to write about known characters or brand-new ones?

I think there’s a certain expectation in place when your return to previous characters, so it can be tricky making sure you stay faithful to what’s already been written. With newer characters, anything is possible.

Can we expect more stories with these characters?

Possibly but right now I’m more interested in creating new characters. I’d never say never but I’m in no rush to write them at the moment. 

If you could switch places with a character from one of your books for a day, who would it be and why?

I’d quite like to be Emily from The Most Wonderful Time of the Year because she has a hot, rich, younger boyfriend and I don’t.

How does your writing process go? Do you plan everything first or you just start writing and let your characters talk to you? I have to say your stories always make me laugh out loud, do you also laugh while writing them?

Thank you! My process is one that involves a lot of scribbling in notebooks, pacing and talking to myself before anything actually happens. I always have an idea of where it’s going to go but that often changes the more I write and get to know the characters. I do make myself laugh, sad as it sounds but if I don’t find something funny, I won’t put it in the book.

Could you recommend us a novel that you have read recently and has stayed with you?

I read Wonder by R. J Palacio and I cried lots. It was beautifully written. I also had to stop reading Catherine Isaac’s You Me Everything because it was so good, I wasn’t getting any work done. I find it hard to read another author while I write as it put me off, so it’s top of my list when I’ve finished my next novel.

About the Book:

Today is my stop in the Blog Tour for The Fear and I'm over the moon to welcome author CL Taylor to the blog for a Q&A. Her psychological thrillers are always a highlight of my bookish year and The Fear is no exception, gripping, tense and so unexpected!

Hi and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Alba, thanks for inviting me to visit your blog. I’m C.L. Taylor, otherwise known as Cally, and I’m the author of five psychological thrillers and one young adult thriller (all of them published by HarperCollins). I live in Bristol with my partner and our six year old son. 

Can you now tell us a bit about your new book, The Fear?

The Fear is about three women whose lives are changed forever as a result of meeting one man, karate teacher Mike Hughes. When Lou Wandsworth, the girl he ran away to France with when she was just fourteen, returns to her home town to clear her late father’s house, the three women’s lives intersect, and more than one of them are in danger.

Reviews seem to agree that The Fear is your best book yet. What do you think makes this story so special and shocking?

I am absolutely thrilled that reviewers think The Fear is my best book yet. The Fear is slightly different from my other books (where women find themselves in strange or dangerous situations) because Lou actively goes after Mike, to confront him for what he did to her when she was fourteen. She’d the strongest, most pro-active female character I’ve written so far, although she’s also quite vulnerable. I also write from the point of view of Wendy and Chloe, the other women in the book and I think what makes the book quite powerful is that each of their stories are gripping and unusual and, when they all meet for the first time…well, that would be telling. 

Characters in your stories are always complex and feel very real. How do you research your characters? Do you talk to experts, go to places where they go too, base them on real people?

Thank you, that’s a huge compliment. When I start writing my books I normally know what each character wants (their goal), what their flaw is and what they fear. I spend a lot of time thinking about their past. What happened before the stories starts that made them the way they are? We’re all the result of our childhood and the relationships we’ve had since, whether we like it or not and I spend a lot of time thinking about my character’s pasts. They evolve as I write them and I am always surprised by the person they become. I had no idea when I started writing The Fear, for example, that Wendy would turn out to have such a twisted sense of humour! 

Which character do you hold closer to your heart? And which is the one most similar to you?

My all-time favourite character is Wendy. She was an absolute delight to write. I literally never knew quite what she was going to say or do next and I smiled a lot when I wrote her scenes. All of my main characters are a little bit like me in some way but the character most like me is probably Claire Wilkinson from The Missing. She’s a mother, a people pleaser and she puts her family’s happiness before her own. She’s also a little bit of a control freak, like me.

How do you feel coming back to the adult psychological thrillers after your latest YA release? Do you write both genres in the same way or do you take different approaches?

I’m very lucky in that I get to alternate between adult psychological thrillers and YA thrillers. My adult thrillers are much more emotionally taxing as I tackle much darker themes so I almost need to brace myself emotionally before I start writing one. I go to much darker places in my head. My YA thrillers are about three quarters of the length of the adult books and, whilst I still work as hard to plot and research them, I can have more fun whilst writing the action scenes and I really enjoying tapping into the fears and preoccupations of my teenaged self. 

And finally, can we expect another book from you soon? Do you have any more YA stories in the pipeline? 

This year is another busy one for me as I’m currently writing my sixth psychological thriller for adults. Then, almost as soon as I’ve completed my edits etc, I need to start writing my second YA thriller. I recently spoke to my YA editor and she signed off on my idea. It’ll be quite different from The Treatment and I can’t wait to start writing it. 

About the Book:

Title: The Fear

Author: CL Taylor

Published: March 22nd by Avon

Amazon | Amazon UK

Today I'm delighted to welcome author duo Marilyn Livingstone and Morgen Witzel, who write under the pseudonym AJ MacKenzie and have just published their latest novel, The Body in the Boat.

Hi Marilyn and Morgen and welcome. First of all could you tell us a bit about yourselves?

We’re both from Canada, though we’ve lived in Britain for over 30 years, and we’ve been married for…[counting on fingers] 38 years this year. We met while we were at university in Canada, and discovered among other things that we both love writing. The rest, as they say, is history (and we both have more than one degree in history .

When not writing, we do various things. Marilyn makes the occasional foray into the world of academic medieval history, is a trustee of a multi-academy trust and also sings with an acapella group called The Briars (look them up on Facebook – they are great 😉). Morgen writes really dull non-fiction books about business and lectures occasionally at business schools in Britain, France and Slovenia. We’re both very fond of many different types of music, we travel whenever we can, often to places where we would like to set novels (which often are places with warm weather and good food – strange coincidence, that). We’ve also written some non-fiction history together, and have a book on the Battle of Poitiers coming out later this year.

I'm very curious to know more about how your writing process goes. Is it easy to work together? 

It is easy to work together, perhaps surprisingly so! It helps that we know each other well and know how each others’ writing minds work. At the beginning of a project we spend a lot of time talking and thinking and trying things out, sometimes at home, sometimes walking on Dartmoor or on the beaches in North Cornwall. Fresh air is very good for the creative processes! We bounce ideas off each other, pick up each others’ trains of thought and then sort of weave ideas together. We also sometimes work separately and email ideas to each other even though work in adjacent offices. We are also often working on more than one project at a time.

After that, we sit down to write. There’s no set formula, we don’t write alternative chapters or anything like that. Who writes what depends on a) who has the time to do it, and b) who feels strongly about a particular scene or chapter and wants to grab it. Sometimes one of us is particularly good at writing in the voice of a certain character, while the other is drawn to write the descriptions of extreme cold. 

Once we have a first draft together, one of us then runs a rule over it and makes sure it all fits together and has a single voice and tone. Then comes a process of picky editing, where we both sit down with the manuscript and read it aloud to each other, looking for flaws and hopefully catching most of them.

The process is never the same twice. Each book evolves in a slightly different way. That’s one of the things that makes it all so fascinating, and fun.

How do you research the period for your novels? Do you think that in historical fiction, the time period and setting is as important as the story itself?

Time and setting are very important, of course, but they can’t be allowed to dominate. The story is the most important thing, and too much period detail can easily swamp a good story. 

That said, however, the Romney Marsh landscape was one of the inspirations for the Hardcastle and Chaytor mysteries. The thought of setting something in that bleak, isolated place was immensely appealing, so we looked around for a set of stories that would suit it. Places with extreme landscape often breed a particular type of ‘enclosed’ community which always an interesting thing to write about. We already knew the Marsh fairly well, and knew a little about the time period as well, but we did some more background research to help us find some realistic stories. Walking through the Marsh even today bring its uniqueness into strong focus.

After that, we did a lot of the research as we went along. The planning and writing process kept throwing up things we needed to know about, but thanks to the miracle of the Internet, it is much easier to find them. Need to know what a revenue cutter looked like, or what date the Battle of Camperdown was fought, or what the price of gold was in the 1790s? The information is only a few mouse clicks away. We waited until the questions arose, and then went looking for the answers. There are also many excellent contemporary diaries and letters that help to colour the language and setting; we use these as well as the electronic resources. Follow visits to particular places are a great thing too, especially if you can visit at the correct season. We discovered on one visit that a house that we wanted in a specific spot in Hythe actually exsited and was perfect for our purposes.

Tell us a bit more about The Body in the Boat. How did you come up with the idea for this story?

The first idea came out of the background research we mentioned earlier. One thing which kept popping up in historical timelines was the Restriction Act, a government measure that heavily restricted the trade in gold and also introduced small denomination paper banknotes, £1 and £2 for the first time. We read a little about the reaction to this, and the financial crisis in the country generally, and started thinking about possibilities. What opportunities did the Restriction Act open up for smugglers and other criminals? What might people have done to get around the law? And then, once they were in danger of getting caught, to what lengths might they go to protect themselves? Combine gold, greed, desperation and some ruthless and dangerous criminals, and out of the mix a story begins to emerge. We felt that a story about corruption in financial circles would also have a resonance with our readers 😉 

For readers who are new to the series, what do you think make these books special?

Goodness, that’s a tough question. It’s hard for us to say what makes the books special because we are so close to them, but we think – hope? – that people read them for a combination of interesting plots, fascinating characters, the wild beautiful landscape and the sense of atmosphere, of time and place. We want to make readers feel like they are actually there, living through events along with the characters, experiencing the late eighteenth century and the dangers and tensions of that perilous time. If we have done that, even for a few people, then we will be very happy!

Finally, what are you working on now? Do you plan to continue working together?

Absolutely! We’re working on several projects at the moment, another historical novel set in 1905 about anarchists, and based partly on real events – one section takes place during the mutiny on the battleship Potemkin – and also a modern-day mystery novel set in Brittany. This is another case of the landscape inspiring the story; we love Brittany, and the idea of setting a book or a series there has always appealed. We have a good heroine for the story, too, a young Englishwoman whom we really like. She’s a real one-off, there’s no one quite like her out there in fiction, and we’re really excited about taking this project forward.

About the Book:

Title: The Body in the Boat: A Hardcastle and Chaytor Mystery

Author: AJ MacKenzie

Published: April 5th 2018 by Zaffre

Amazon | Amazon UK

Happy Publication Day to Patricia Wilson! Her new book, Villa of Secrets, is out today! And to celebrate I am delighted to welcome Patricia to the blog for a very interesting Q&A:

The ebook comes out today, 22nd of February, and the paperback, will be in the shops, supermarkets, airports, Amazon and WH Smiths on the 2nd of May

Q: Villa of Secrets is about two sisters who unlock their heroic Grandmother’s secrets of Nazi occupied Rhodes. Can you tell us a bit more about it? 

A: Actually, I came across some information, quite by accident, that I found hard to believe. When I started to ask people about what happened here, there was a certain reluctance to talk. Then someone said I was putting myself in danger. If I printed this story, Villa of Secrets, I might be shot! Wow! There was no way I was going to ignore the information I’d discovered after that. There’s still a bit of a rebel in me!

Q: You live in Rhodes yourself, where the story is set. How did this place inspire the book? 

A: Rhodes is one of the most beautiful Mediterranean island, and it has a very tumultuous history. The city is a UNESCO world heritage site, full of amazing architecture and archaeology. But besides all that, I came across this dilapidated villa… Wow! I stared at it for ages, imagining the story it had to tell. 

I lived on the island of Crete for over twenty years, love the Cretans! Big hearted people with a simple and robust love of life. I thought the Rhodians would be the same, but they’re not. The people of Rhodes are far more cosmopolitan. The island is quite different too, much more modern. So when I saw this villa, semi derelict… and completely silent… I was quite mesmerised by it.

Q: How did you research Villa of Secrets? Did you have the opportunity to talk to locals?

A: I think the trick to getting to the bottom of a story, is not to ask too many questions, but to listen to what people have to say. Elderly people sitting in a kafenion are a wealth of information about the past.

It’s quite incredible the things local people have told me. Invaluable, personal stuff that I’m not going to find in Wikipedia. 

When I discovered what happened here, well to be honest, I was astounded! Rhodes was Italian at the time of my novel, and the Greeks had a hard time here too.

Q: Why did you decide to start writing Historical Fiction in the first place?

A: As I said, Greece has an amazing past, over the centuries it has been very multicultural. Most people don’t realise how small Greece is. I mean, regarding actual square miles, Greece and England, not including Wales and Scotland, are almost the same size. Like most people, I’ve always imagined Greece to be many times larger than England. 

Gathered in this small country is such a wealth of history. Ancient Greece is fascinating enough, but modern history is also rich and interesting. Having said all that, it wasn’t a conscious decision to write historical fiction. 

When I lived in Crete, I dug a machine gun up in my garden and was fascinated by the story behind it… and so my first book, Island of Secrets, was born. 

To be honest, you barely have to scratch the surface of a Greek island to find something worthy of a story. Only last week, here in Rhodes, I was doing some gardening when I dug up several bullets.

Q: Are you already working on your next novel?

A: Absolutely! This next one involves a female archaeologist, Lizzie McGuire, Santorini, and Crete. Love, sacrifice, smuggling, and murder, all take place in the Mediterranean sunshine. This story came about when I dug up a piece of pot in my garden Near Agios Nikolaos in Crete. I showed it to an archaeologist, and then my imagination came into play. I mean, it’s so mysterious… it’s got markings… thrilling. I wonder what’s behind it? I wonder what it means? When I find out, so will my readers.

Once again, thanks for inviting me, Alba. I do hope your followers let me know what they think of Villa of Secrets, three words on amazon are worth their weight in gold. Best wishes, Patricia.

Thanks Patricia for stopping by, I am now very intrigued by these beautiful Greek islands and their secrets! 

About the Book:

Title: Villa of Secrets

Author: Patricia Wilson

Published: February 22nd 2018 (ebook) and May 2nd 2018 (paperback) by Zaffre

Amazon UK

This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is author Katey Lovell:

Hi Katey and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Alba! I'm an author who writes novels about relationships - friendships, families and romance. Joe and Clara's Christmas Countdown is my third full-length novel.

Your latest book, Joe and Clara’s Christmas Countdown, is about a boy who is not a big fan of Christmas and a girl who absolutely loves it. Tell us a bit more about them and what sparked this idea.

I wouldn't say Clara is based on me, but I definitely do love Christmas so maybe there are parts of her that are! Joe has previously been a fan of Christmas, but since the loss of a loved one over the festive period he's found December a struggle. Throughout the book Clara is keen to remind Joe exactly why the season is so special. I wanted to write about an advent countdown and remind readers that amidst the joy of Christmas there are also those struggling - whether that's because of health, bereavement, financial worries... and before long I had the nugget of an idea for the story!

In Joe and Clara’s Christmas Countdown, Clara gives Joe a special Christmas gift every day. From these gifts, which one of the most original or special?

Some of the gifts are very traditional - candy canes and Christmas books - but one of the most original is a fortune telling fish!

Talking about Christmas presents. Which book is on top of your wish list this year?

I became vegan at the start of the year and would love some simple vegan cook books for Christmas - Lucy Watson's looks great! I'd also like the Bodiposipanda book about body confidence because, like many people, there are times I'm unhappy in my own skin. Hopefully that book would help me appreciate how marvellous my body is!

Do you ever make your own gifts for your loved ones?

I have in the past, mainly scarves and tree decorations. These days I'm far less creative - although one friend did specifically ask me for a copy of my book for Christmas!

Any recommendations for presents for bookworms (that are not books)?

There are so many great presents for book lovers, but my recommendation would be clothing from the Out of Print website or bookish candles from Flickerink on etsy!

And finally, if you could spend Christmas with a fictional character, who would you pick?

Ooh, this is a toughie! I think I'll have to say Mrs Weasley because I quite fancy a homemade jumper!

Thank you for having me, Alba, it's always a pleasure. Happy Christmas, everyone!

Thank you so much Kate for stopping by and sharing some Christmas cheer with us! 

Connect with Katey:

Twitter: @Katey5678

Facebook: Katey Lovell

About the Book:

Title: Joe and Clara's Christmas Countdown

Author: Katey Lovell

Published: October 13th 2017 by HarperImpulse

Amazon | Amazon UK

This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is author Bella Osborne:

Hi Bella and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi Alba, Thank you for having me on your blog today, it’s lovely to be here. I live in Warwickshire, England with my husband, daughter and a cat who thinks she’s a dog and I write romantic comedy novels that have a bit of a gritty side too.

You have a new story, Ottercombe Bay, out later this month of December. I see it's the first part of a serialised novel. Tell us a bit about what it'll be about.

My fourth novel ‘Ottercombe Bay’ is set in a fictional Devon seaside town. It’s the story of Daisy who is forced to return to Ottercombe Bay when a relative leaves her something unusual in their will. As the place where her mother died the town holds sad memories as well as a number of questions for Daisy, so she must come to terms with her past before she can make something of her future. With a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with lots of attitude, there’s more to the sleepy town than Daisy remembers.

Ottercombe Bay is being released as a four part e-book serial. Part one is out 28th December with the others following at six week intervals and the paperback of the whole story will be published summer 2018.

Now that Christmas is fast approaching, let's talk Christmas presents. Have you bought all your presents already or you'll have to squeeze a last minute shopping trip on Christmas' Eve?

I’m a big forward planner so my Christmas shopping is all done, there’s just the wrapping to do which is the part I really love. There’s nothing more festive than sitting down by the fire with a glass of Baileys and a Christmas film whilst being knee-deep in wrapping paper and bows! And I usually have a the cat to ‘help’ me too!

Which book is on top of your wish list this year? 

There’s a few on my list this Christmas but I think the one I’ve been itching to read is Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, because everyone’s been talking about it this year.

Is there a movie or a book you always revisit during the holidays? 

Yes! I always watch Love Actually (I’m a huge Richard Curtis fan) and Home Alone on the run up to Christmas. I also love to dig out the Royle Family Christmas Specials because they are so funny and I really miss the series.

Who's your Favourite Christmas Villain from these? 

- The Grinch

- The angry elf in Elf

- Old Man Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life

- Scrooge in a Christmas Carol

That’s a tricky one but I’ll go with Scrooge because he’s such a Christmas icon and it’s a story I enjoy whether it’s reading the book, watching the black and white Alastair Sim film or the Muppets musical version.

And finally, if you could spend Christmas with a fictional character, who would you pick?

That would have to be Harry Potter, who wouldn’t want to spend Christmas at Hogwarts and have a jumper knitted by Mrs Weasley?

Many thanks for having me on the blog. Here’s wishing you and all your followers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Thank you so much Bella for stopping by and sharing some Christmas cheer with us! 

Connect with Bella Osborne:

Twitter: @osborne_bella

Facebook: Bella Osborne

About the Book:

Title: 

Author: Bella Osborne

Published: December 28th 2017 by Avon

Amazon | Amazon UK 

Blurb: Escape to the Devon coast, with Part One of a brand-new four-part serial from the author of Willow Cottage.

Daisy Wickens has returned to Ottercombe Bay, the picturesque Devon town where her mother died when she was a girl. She plans to leave as soon as her great uncle’s funeral is over, but Great Uncle Reg had other ideas. He’s left Daisy a significant inheritance – an old building in a state of disrepair, which could offer exciting possibilities, but to get it she must stay in Ottercombe Bay for twelve whole months.

With the help of a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with plenty of attitude, Daisy might just turn this into something special. But can she ever hope to be happy among the ghosts of her past?

This year, for my Christmas feature, I've invited several authors and book bloggers for a fun Christmas Interview. My next guest is author Sarah Bennett:

Hi Sarah and welcome to Alba in Bookland. First of all, can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Hi! Firstly, let me thank you so much for inviting me to feature on your blog, I very much appreciate it. I’m a military spouse, writing full time from home. Home is wherever the RAF send us, currently Buckinghamshire, but we are hoping to find our forever home in 2018 so we have somewhere to finally put down some roots.

Your latest book, Christmas at Butterfly Cove, is your third book set in Butterfly Cove. Tell us a bit more about it.

The series focuses on three sisters. Each one is the main focus of a different book and Christmas at Butterfly Cove is about Nee, the youngest of the three. She’s an artist who’s hit rock bottom, both professionally and personally and the book follows her in the lead up to, and over the festive season as she tries to comes to terms with the chaos in her life.

Would you like to spend your own Christmas at Butterfly Cove?

Absolutely! I had so much fun creating the place, and it feels almost real to me now. My favourite thing about it is that each of the guest rooms are themed so you can stay in a cosy country cottage, the calming forest room, the bright sunny beach room or the opulent harem suite. I couldn’t just visit once though, I’d have to go back and try them all! The series revolves around family, and Mia, the eldest sister and owner of Butterfly House is a real nurturing spirit. I’d love to sit in front of the log fire with a cosy blanket on my knee and a plate of homemade mince pies. 

Actually, talking about where to spend Christmas. Would you rather spend it on a turquoise water beach with a cocktail in your hand or in the Polar circle surrounded by husky puppies? 

Both sound wonderful for different reasons. I think I’d go with the Polar adventure though as I absolutely love the snow and maybe I’d get lucky enough to see the Northern Lights.

Is there a movie or a book you always revisit during the holidays?

I’m a real sucker for a feelgood film, so I love the classics. Something that needs a hanky, but ends happily so things like It’s a Wonderful Life, or Little Women.

Do you cook during Christmas or let others cook for you? If you do, what's your star dish?

I’m more of the assistant cook than the main chef. Mum does all the hard stuff and I do the trimmings. My speciality (if you can call it that) is making tuna melts for Christmas Eve supper. It’s a quick and easy meal and not too heavy before the full blow-out of Christmas Day.

And finally, if you could spend Christmas with a fictional character, who would you pick?

Ooh, that’s a tough one. I’m not sure I’d enjoy the lack of modern conveniences, but I’d love to spend Christmas with Jo March and the other Little Women gathered in their cosy parlour and singing songs around the piano.

Thank you so much Sarah for stopping by and sharing some Christmas cheer with us! 

Sarah Bennett Author Bio

Sarah Bennett has been reading for as long as she can remember. Raised in a family of bookworms, her love affair with books of all genres has culminated in the ultimate Happy Ever After – getting to write her own stories to share with others.

Born and raised in a military family, she is happily married to her own Officer (who is sometimes even A Gentleman). Home is wherever he lays his hat, and life has taught them both that the best family is the one you create from friends as well as relatives.

When not reading or writing, Sarah is a devotee of afternoon naps and sailing the high seas, but only on vessels large enough to accommodate a casino and a choice of restaurants.

Sarah is the author of the Butterfly Cove trilogy, published by HQ Digital UK. You can also look forward to a new series coming in 2018, set in the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Bay.

Connect with Sarah:

Twitter: @Sarahlou_writes

Facebook: Sarah Benett Author 

About the Book:

Title: Christmas at Butterfly Cove

Author: Sarah Bennett

Published: October 6th 2017 by HQ Digital

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | iBooks

Blurb: All she wants for Christmas…

When talented artist Nee Sutherland returns to Butterfly Cove for her sister’s wedding, it’s only a matter of time before she has to face her own bridegroom – Luke Spenser – the man she impulsively married, then left in the middle of the night.

Nee hasn’t picked up her paintbrushes in months, a part of her is broken. She knows Luke might never forgive her, leaving him was the biggest mistake of her life – but could coming home for Christmas be the best decision she’s ever made?

Maybe all she needs is a little Christmas miracle…

A delightfully feel-good festive romance, perfect for fans of Trisha Ashley, Rachael Lucas and Hilary Boyd.