Sand, Sun, Sea and Surf

Surfer Kieran

Back from my holidays, and I know I've been neglecting my blog, so I thought I would post some photos of my inspiration for Tinners Bay, which is a seaside town that features in most of my books (and I'm in the process of writing a series which Tinners Bay will feature).

Last year we changed our holiday location to Woolacombe, and although we thoroughly enjoyed our holiday, except for the naff weather, we missed the beach.

Woolacombe has a gorgeous beach, but where we were staying meant not being able to visit without taking the car down. It was a bit of a trek, so didn't get there every day, especially as the weather wasn't great.

Surfer Ben

However, in Polzeath, where we stay, the beach is only a short walk. So if it's miserable, we can head down for an hour or two, and if it's glorious sunshine we can stay there all day. High tide was growing later each day, so we ended up being on the beach later each evening actually.

We were on the beach every day!

When we first arrived, and walking the beach, the boys both said, "I've missed Polzeath." And so had I, if truth be told.

Revisiting Polzeath has kind of hit a reset button for me personally too.

I've made myself a promise that I must try to visit each year with the boys, while they're still children at least, and funds permitting. I paid for a surf session for them both, (it'll help with some research for me too) and they took to surfing with surf boards (rather than body boards) easily. In fact, the only reason they came out of the water - other than the boards needing to go back - was because they were bloody knackered!

Anyway, here's some photos I promised. I have put some on my Facebook page, but thought I'd share here too.

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

It's one of those blog posts again. The one where I apologise profusely for neglecting my blog.

I have been busy though. And it is the summer holidays!

Firstly, I have to report that my big boy left primary school. This is his first and last day picture!

What a difference!

I have given him a mobile phone, and although it feels so wrong for an 11-year-old to own a phone, it is rather handy. And he does text me cute stuff.

At the start of the summer holidays, while the boys were off on holiday with their dad, I went to Alcudia for a week with a good friend.

We had a fabulous holiday. It was the most chilled out, cocktail induced break I've had. Gwen and I had such fun, it was sad to come home.






Upon my return, I was dashing to London to meet with my lovely, gorgeous editor, Charlotte Ledger to discuss books, and to let me nose around the new building. I have touched the Harper Collin's wall of books!

I was chuffed to bits to see one of my books on the shelf too!

We had a great lunch, with cocktails (keeping me in the Alcudia spirit) and it was inspiring to brainstorm ideas about my next couple of books.

You'll have to watch this space on the writing front (not that I've got much done during the past few weeks).

The rest of the holidays have so far been catching up with family, a visit to Center Parcs, Slimbridge. (The swans are shrinking! Oh, wait, my kids are getting bigger...)

We have steam trains on the agenda, among other things. And I only have two weeks left to squeeze it all in... Don't even think about September being around the corner and the start of school! :-O

I promise to be a better blogger. But sometimes, real life does get in the way.

Want To Hold On To Summer That Bit Longer?

As an author I always fear I'm not doing enough - writing, promoting, advertising... You name it, I worry about it.

At the moment, Plus One is a Lucky Number is 99p on Amazon.co.uk. And therefore, is probably 99p on all other good ebook sites too.

As I have this blog, and I need to put a post out there, and really I'm quite within my rights to advertise my own book, I thought I would.

If you'd like to hold on to summer that bit longer, fancy a wedding, romance, sun, sea and surf.... then this maybe for you.

Blurb: Plus One is a Lucky Number

The wedding favour...

Sophie’s going to a wedding where the invite is strictly plus one… but with her single girl status not exactly fitting in with the bridesmaid dress code, and the best man being none other than the ex she would rather forget, Sophie needs a favour and she needs it fast!

Luckily for Sophie, her dreamy but distant co-worker Adam Reid owes their mutual friend James big time…and his gorgeousness more than fills the role of the ‘Perfect Boyfriend’!

As they take off to the sunny shores of Cornwall for the wedding weekend, it’s not long before pretence leads to passion and Sophie and Adam must decide; is their relationship real or is it all for show?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Waterstones

Harper Impulse

Add on Goodreads

Kobo

‘If you like Jill Mansell and romantic comedies, you will enjoy Plus One is a Lucky Number.’

5 Stars by BookBabe - 'Everyone’s worst nightmare – Sophie is going to a wedding with no suitable ‘plus one’ in sight! Adam is persuaded to fill the position (who wouldn’t want him!) and fun and games ensue as the long weekend unfolds. As two work-focused individuals act out the part of a loving couple, there are enough twists to keep the reader turning those pages, with some great laughs. One to curl up with for a bit of romantic fun!'

Summer Holidays Recap

Mijas

I thought I would take a look back at the summer holidays, which seem to come round quickly, just like Christmas, and then when they arrive, have flown by.

Apex Park

Every year I make plans how to fill my time with the kids, and depending on the weather, I never quite get to do half of it.

Admittedly, the boys are with their dad the first two weeks at the start of the holidays which allowed me this year to jet off to Spain for a few days. When they returned, I had four weeks to entertain them.


Well, this is the list of things we have done:

It's been parks, bike rides, the Cheddar Gorge, walking, climbing, zorb fighting, Slimbridge - feeding the swans and ducks, meeting/making new friends...

Zorbs - Apex Park

Costa coffees, hot chocolates, museums, train rides...

1 of 70 Shaun's - Dolly

Hungry Horses for tea...

Tytensfield with Dad for his 70th

More train rides to Bristol, Shaun The Sheep hunting, selfies, a visit to Nanny Sylvie's (where they did cinema and more parks), castles, steam trains, National Trust houses, 70th birthdays...

Board games, lunch at Za Za Bazaar, and a book signing...

The last Shaun - Starstruck! 

And ending with the theme park Devon Crealy, adding roller-coasters, log flumes, water chutes and drop slides, and Glamping, where we've cooked on a wood-burning stove and made camp fires, roasting marshmallows, and played football with newly made friends until dark.


Sadly, I couldn't put all of the photos on my blog...

Glamping

Yeah, I think I'm ready for the boys to go back to school.

34 In The Shade

Beach - Wednesday!

If you follow me on Twitter and Facebook you'd have learnt of my excitement about travelling to Spain for a few days.

I returned late Thursday, rose for work Friday, and then out with friends, and then worked again this morning. Nothing like burning the wick at both ends! I have now finally sat down and caught up with social media.

I had three nights and three days in Spain, flying out late Monday night.

To be honest, the plane ride was just as important to me as I love flying. I haven't been on a plane in over 10 years. The last time I flew was from Filton to Toulouse with work (Airbus). I had been 4-5 months pregnant, carrying Ben. So when my cousin invited me and 'my new passport' out to visit them, I flew at the opportunity :)

Mijas - Thursday am

I don't have huge amounts of holiday days available to take this year, and what I have got, I need to cover with childcare. But the boys were with their dad, and I thought I needed to get away. It was like drawing a line under the last 7 months. If I didn't do it now, it would be another year before I got the chance.

On the Tuesday I had to entertain myself. I took to reading in the shade a lot as it was 34 degrees Celsuis - in the shade! (I've been telling people this a lot since I've returned!) Spain are currently having a heat wave. Wednesday was spent with my cousin and her partner on the beach (Fuengirola) - taking brief dips in the sea - without a wetsuit! - avoiding the Medusa Jellyfish, then showering, then sitting back in the shade drinking ice cold beers. Thursday, a little more confident of the area, I spent the morning in Mijas, then went back to the public pool in the afternoon. It's a refreshing reward after a long walk up a mountain!

View from Mijas

The flight over wasn't too exciting, except I was talking to a handsome Spaniard (and sadly his girlfriend, although she was lovely too lol!) the whole flight. On my return, it was dark, and flying out of Spain was fabulous, seeing pockets of fairy lights on the ground. Somewhere on the horizon which could have been Spain or France, there was a thunder storm going on, and I could see these clouds light up in the dark, and forks of lightning. I was supposed to be reading my book, but found myself watching the sky.

And, believe it or not, as we came into the UK, it was clear too, so I saw Bristol all lit up. I could see car headlights going along roads. It was like looking down on miniature villages but at night. I couldn't work out where we were flying over, but I'm assuming we cut across Cornwall, and flew up the Bristol Channel as the (nearly) full moon lit up the sea.

And I'm now back to reality... and not even hitting 20 degrees C :'( And it's rained on my washing. Welcome back to the good old British Summer.

The Cave :)

Summer Holiday Antics and Book Signings

In between Jill Mansell & Lindsey Kelk :)

Dear Lord! I'm neglecting my blog again.

In my defence, it is the school holidays!

And there is only a week left then they are back to school.

I'm not sure if I've got the uniform ready or what. I'm not even sure if they need new school uniform. Tough if they do. I've spent all my money entertaining them.

The boys were with their dad for the first couple of weeks, and in that time I did manage to do my book signing. I wrote the experience up and posted it on the Harper Impulse blog. So check that out too!

It was great! I sold out. I had lots of support from friends. The hardest part was knowing what to write inside the book when signing it.

Below are some of the photos - proof I have been entertaining the kids!

Fact's The Way To Do It, Lad!

I have lots more but I haven't had a chance to download them from my camera yet. But you can see we've been fairly busy. We've seen steam trains, a Victorian home, fairground rides, a Gromit and fed swans. We've played rounders on the beach and even paddled, albeit a bit cold (it's felt like February not August).

I know I'll be glad when the kids are back at school. I'm in need of a rest. Plus, I might actually get back into the habit of writing. All these day trips out are very tiring, and not so good when it comes to trying to write words to a story. The kids have been having late nights, and I've been following very shortly after. September I will write, honest.

GWR Steam Train Museum

Brean Leisure Park

An afternoon on the beach... albeit a bit cold

And of course, Slimbridge. 

Watering Cans and Sprinklers

In the beginning... 

I've been meaning to post on my blog about my garden for like ALL Summer!

Now it's a miserable November, and we are gearing ourselves up for Christmas, I thought I'd cheer us up with some summer sunshine!

Dad has been out there planting bulbs which my garden sorely missed in Spring, so I thought I'd (finally) share the transition of my small garden.

My ever helpful eldest (sometimes)

Can't leave Dad for 5 mins...

I'm still trying to encourage the birds to come in to my garden. I don't know if it's because it's small, or the season is just all wrong this year with the birds... but I will persevere.

I have a thing for watering cans...

Anyway, here is some of the photos I took of my garden as Summer took hold. I would love to share all of the photos I have taken, but I think the post would go on for too long. :)

Apologies for the higgledy-piggledy way the pictures have posted. This is a pet hate of mine on Blogger at times!

Plants!

Summer House still standing... 

Summer House and new paving. 

Summer sprinklers and garden fun!

View from Summer House. 

View from kitchen door, with washing out!

What a difference the sun makes, too. It will be interesting next Spring to see what bulbs pop up. I have to thank my Dad for this garden. I really can't take the credit.

Summer Holidays Are In Full Swing

Therefore I will be a little quiet on my blog. The boys are playing late, while I type away - it is the holidays! I'm trying to decide whether to take them out tomorrow or not, but they seem happy to stay at home. So I'm wondering if I should save the day trips for later on in the holidays when they are bored of the house.

In the meantime, to keep myself busy on my blog, I am trying to line up some awesome authors to come visit my blog.

Here's my guest list so far:

Rachel Brimble, who is the organiser of my RNA Chapter group. Rachel Lyndhurst who has become a good writing buddy of mine. Annalisa Crawford said she'd pop by too. I've just got to pull my finger out and send them over some questions.

In the meantime I await my line edits for my début novel.... which actually might get a name change. After three years of calling it The Wedding Favour, it may get something a bit more chick-lit-ee.

I even have a publication date we're aiming for, so it's all getting exciting. I won't announce anything just yet... just watch this space!

Enjoy the sunshine! I'm sure it won't be around for much longer...

The Last of Our Holiday Antics

Day 7 & 8: Friday 31st May & Saturday 1st June

Fish and Chips, and Trampolining 

This was our last full day in Polzeath. We would be heading home the following day. We woke to the sun shining, and it was getting warmer - mildly. Again, we donned the wetsuits and surfed with the high tide in the morning. In fact the sea was still coming in.

Kieran decided he would surf that morning but he didn't go too deep, having lost some of his confidence.

After an hour of surfing, we returned to the caravan for lunch. Then Dad and I took the boys back down to the beach where we played cricket and they mucked around in the pools left behind by the tide. We had well earned fish and chips for tea.

Before the holiday, I'd found my old Whot cards and packed them. It became our holiday's game this year - dominoes forgotten! Ben and Kieran mastered the game - it is really easy! - and it filled our evenings nicely - or maybe excitedly with the eagerness to win - before settling down to watch Spring Watch on the TV.

Grandad Ron

Saturday was equally as good weather wise, and although Mum and I had the cars all packed up and ready to go by 10am, we spent another morning on the beach. The boys wanted to trampoline again - the bouncy castle was boring now. (I remember the holidays when we had to do the bouncy castle every morning before getting on the beach!) They had one last go, practising their somersaults, and then we hit the road around 4pm.

I couldn't believe the lack of traffic! We made it home in good time. Was it really half-term week?



I had tears in the car initially, and when we got home, too. Ben always gets sad when we leave a place we're holidaying at. I used to feel the same sad feeling when I left Woolacombe as a child. Leaves a heavy, empty place in your heart for a bit. Maybe it's a good sign that we enjoyed our stay?

We intend to return next year. I've provisionally booked the caravan! The caravan site is located so near to the beach that the cars never have to move unless we go for a day trip. We just like it too much to want to change.

With these newly purchased wetsuits, I'm hoping to take the boys to Woolacombe (as it's a bit closer to me than Polzeath) in the summer holidays coming up, for a day trip or two, just to keep their surfing skills up. Ben was really getting the hang of it.

What I miss about this holiday: The beach life, the landscape, the sound of the sea, and the ice creams.
What I don't miss: The narrow doors in the caravan, seagulls waking me up walking on the caravan roof and the bed I slept in.

Holiday Antics - Everybody Go Surfin'

Day 6: Thursday 30th May - Surfs up!

The way the tide was working, it was coming in during the morning. High tide being around 10-11am. Perfect for getting the surfing out of the way and not having to walk miles up the beach. That tide does go out a long way!

Kieran decided he wanted to stay at the caravan with Nanny Sylvie - the last time he'd surfed he'd had a couple of near-drowning wave-tumbling experiences which may have knocked his confidence (so Dad thought).

Therefore, Dad, Ben and I, like proper surfers, donned wetsuits, and carried our surf boards (boogie boards) to the beach. All we had in belongings were our flip-flops which we left by a wind-breaker of a family already set up on the beach for the day. When we returned - an hour later - it was hunt the wind-breaker as more had arrived on the beach.

Again, it was too cold to stay sitting on the beach and the boys wanted to have a go on the trampolines. I have some excellent videos of them somersaulting... one day I'll learn how to upload them!

Later we came back to the beach to do rock pooling. At 4pm, the tide was well and truly out and there are lots of rock pools to search through. As you can see by the pictures the sun was always out... however, it doesn't capture the chilly wind.

Holiday Antics - Riding Along...

Day 5: Wednesday 29th June - The Camel Trail

This year I purchased a bike rack so that we could take the bikes on holiday, and they proved invaluable. The boys loved the freedom of cycling around the caravan/campsite, and it kept them out of our hair at times, too.


We always do the Camel Trail and knowing it was half-term and would be busy, having our own bikes saved us money, and allowed us to choose the day we'd like to cycle without worrying about booking bikes.



Dad, the boys and I cycled from Wadebridge to Padstow. Wednesday was supposed to be the 'roughest' day for the rest of the week. We still saw the sunshine but it was cloudier and very windy. The nice thing about Padstow is that it can be quite sheltered in the harbour.

We arrived just in time for lunch, so bought some pasties and found a bench over looking the sea and harbour to eat. We then let the boys play in the park before taking a trip up to a house I've forgotten the name of now, where we had a drink. (It's Prideaux Place - I googled! - I will say, we didn't go in the house itself, just sat outside, in the tearoom, and enjoyed the views - there were deer in the field opposite.)

The cycle trip is over 5 miles Wadebridge to Padstow.  So the boys cycled over ten miles that day. Well done, boys!