Hollywood, Bollywood, Cannes and…Ischia. The island off the coast of Naples where An Italian Island Secret is set isn’t the first place most people would associate with the film business, but Ischia has hosted some of the world’s greatest movie stars. Think Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law and Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley and Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra. And it is no exaggeration to say that the arrival of the film industry played as big a part in the history of the island as any of its armed conquerors.

During the first half of the 20^th century Ischia was poor and undeveloped lacking in proper roads and good sanitation, its population dependent upon agriculture. But after the Second World War the island’s rugged, unspoilt beauty began to attract artists and writers such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s author Truman Capote who stayed for several months in simple lodgings. This in turn led to the coming of the cinematographers and a rash of films were made in the 1950s starring such icons as Burt Lancaster and Gina Lollobrigida. Filming wasn’t always an easy task. Due to the lack of modern transport, the great Italian director Vittorio De Sica commuted to his film set on horseback as late as the 1960s.

The influx of film crews changed the face of the island and the fortunes of its inhabitants forever. People left the fields to work as extras earning more in a week than they usually did in two months. Boat owners ferried goods and people around the island charging many times their usual rates.

The glamour of the movies made Ischia fashionable. Five-star hotels opened attracting celebrities like Audrey Hepburn which fuelled the tourist boom. Today tourism is still the island’s major source of employment though inexplicably it is now largely other Italians who visit Ischia whilst the rest of the world flocks to nearby Capri.

In my new book, An Italian Island Secret, Alessia and her grandmother Ornella return to Ischia where Ornella once worked on the set of the fictional 1950s movie Castello D’Amore. Ornella and her ill-fated younger sister Maria fell under the spell of damaged starlet Sonia and her heartthrob husband Maurilio, changing their lives in ways they could never imagine. Meeting film journalist, Roberto, in the present day, Alessia begins to unravel her grandmother’s secrets.

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Then, on my daughter’s ninth birthday, everything changed. I’d been for an ultrasound and follow up CT-scan to investigate some troubling symptoms. I had a house full of nine-year-old girls, having a build-a-bear party, and my five-year-old son also had some friends over, when I received a call from the hospital. Hearing that I had kidney cancer is something I’ll never forget. I wanted to break down and cry, but I had to put on a brave face for my children, and so did my husband. In truth, we were both terrified and had no idea of the repercussions on our lives. The thing that terrified me most was the thought of dying and leaving my children behind without their mum. They were far too young and they needed me to be there for them.

I went through the longest two weeks of my life waiting for the operation to remove my kidney and the tumour within it. Although my brilliant consultant reassured me the cancer was at an early stage and that I had every chance of a complete recovery, nothing was certain until I’d had the operation and the follow up tests needed to confirm the prognosis. There was some unforeseen drama during the operation, when my lungs collapsed, and my poor husband was beside himself waiting hours longer than expected for news. I felt incredibly lucky when my next scan confirmed I was cancer free, and the experience changed my life in many ways. I resigned from my job and became a part-time university lecturer, giving me more time with my children, as well as the opportunity to finally pursue my dream of writing a book.

I’ve often thought about the agony of not knowing whether I’d live long enough to see my children grow up, but for a long time I didn’t feel ready to delve into those emotions and write about them. Tragically, in recent years, I’ve lost some friends to cancer. It’s made me think about how I might have reacted if things had been different and I’d had to face the reality of leaving my children behind. I couldn’t imagine not knowing who my husband might meet in the future, and having no say in who would become a mother figure to my son and daughter as a result. A woman who would be there for both their biggest moments, and all the routine aspects of their lives. It’s that thought which inspired A Mother’s Last Wish. Writing it was painful at times, but it reminded me once again just how lucky I am. The novel is dedicated to three wonderful women who had to leave their beloved children behind, and to my beautiful children who are now both adults. I’ll never forget how blessed I’ve been to see them grow up.

The post The inspiration behind A Mother’s Last Wish: A blog by Jo Bartlett appeared first on Boldwood.

It takes more than a single lightbulb moment to create a book. One idea can sustain a short story, but a novel of 80,000 words or more needs layers, sub plots and a breadth of characters and moments of action. The Man She Married inched its way into my mind when the opening scene came to me while driving. I wanted to slam my foot onto the break to stop immediately,but first checked the rearview mirror, to see a lorry close behind so obviously I didn’t. But my brain asked-what if I hadn’t checked?

What if, why, who, how, where-are all questions that I use to tease the story out of my subconscious. In this case-who was driving, why did they feel the need to stop, where were they coming from, where were they going to, where were they at the moment and why were they so distracted that they didn’t check the mirror? And then-what happened next and how were they going to deal with that?

Psychological thrillers require high stakes and moments of drama and so my next stage was to see just how much hot water I coul put my characters and see how they react and then create why/how for that, in order to give a well rounded character and back story. People’s behaviour and motivation are both what make them interested and keep a reader engaged and so even if I don’t keep everything about them in the final version, I can usually always answer why they did something or reacted in a certain way. In theatre, I used to “hotseat” a character in order to know what toothpaste they use, what side of the bed they sleep on, what their favourite flavour of ice cream is, so that you can know them inside and out and really know why they do what they do.

With The Man She Married, I started with the accident. Which then brought in the amnesia.This then led to the relationship with Beth’s husband being difficult for reasons we want to find out. Another why, another layer. I then added circumstances that brought the characters to this moment in time and let the drama play out.

This is how I tend to put together a story-and I hope that you enjoy answering the questions I ask, as you read The Man She Married.

Pick up your copy of Alison’s brand new book The Man She Married here: https://mybook.to/themanshemarried

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My Tudor protagonist is Anne Brandon, the daughter of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk and stepdaughter of Princess Mary Tudor, the youngest sister of Henry VIII and the Dowager Queen of France.

In my books, I like to surround my heroines with friends. Part of my research involved searching the shadows of other people’s tales to discover who had a connection to Anne Brandon that might lead to a friendship. One of the most prominent possibilities was Anne Boleyn.

The two girls met in 1514 at Mechelen, the court of Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy in the Netherlands. Anne Brandon was seven years old and Anne Boleyn was approximately twelve. They were there to be educated as courtiers and it seems possible they became friends. After two years, Anne Brandon was summoned home but Anne Boleyn remained until December 1521.

I have a scene where the young women are reunited at the Christmas court of 1521. A period of calm before the storm of Henry falling in love with Anne Boleyn and all the upheaval and difficulties this would cause.

Whether the two Annes did know each other and were friends, I will never know but I hope they approve of me using their shared younger years as an inspiration for their possible friendship when life became difficult for them both.

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When I was writing The Cobbler’s Apprentice, a small cobbler shop I remembered from childhood, came to mind. It was known as ‘Eggaford’s’. I’ve no idea who the family who
owned it was, but it was one of only a few cobbler shops in the town at that time during the seventies.

Visiting Eggaford’s with my mother when she dropped off any shoes for repair, caused me to inhale the evocative smells of leather and shoe dye. To this day, I still love the smell of leather. If I close my eyes, I can conjure up the aroma of my new leather school satchel that we purchased there when I moved up to the big school.

The shop was on a different level to the street. Upon entering, it was necessary to take a few steps down to get to the counter, where two men were busy at work there. I wonder now, in light of my story, if one of them was some sort of apprentice to the other.

I have a family connection to the building (adjacent to the Parish Church mentioned in the workhouse series of books.) The entire premises was once known as Three Salmons Inn, a coaching inn where people slept on beds of hay. It was owned by Edmund Harman who was my 4 X great grandfather’s brother. Edmund was a wealthy man who owned various properties in the area and a plaque was erected to him at the side of Eggaford’s describing him as ‘gentleman of the town.’

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A Love Like No Other is a personal story and one close to my heart, but it is by no means autobiographical. The book follows the fictional characters of Pippa, Georgie, Sienna and Connie as they navigate the complexities and challenges of love, marriage, commitment, infertility, motherhood and society’s pressure to get married and start a family. Each woman has their own struggles and desires that are often polar opposite of what the other longs for. The shared experience of fertility treatment unites Pippa and Connie in hope and heartbreak, while Pippa’s younger sister Georgie struggles with motherhood and marriage. For Pippa’s best friend, a family and getting hitched is the last thing independent and career-minded Sienna wants.

I started writing this book in 2014 as a way to come to terms with an emotionally intense couple of years of my own going through fertility treatment. We undertook four cycles of ICSI at the Bristol Centre of Reproductive Medicine and although we were one of the lucky ones, the experience took its toll on us physically, mentally, emotionally and financially.

A lot of the book was written with my laptop perched on my knees while our much-longed for son slept in my arm, and as the ideas formed I knew the story would benefit from a balance of perspectives. Until my thirties, I was never someone who was desperate to have children. In my early twenties I remember desperately hoping I wasn’t pregnant, and yet a decade later I experienced the heartache of months then years of negative pregnancy tests when my husband and I were trying for a baby before we embarked on fertility treatment. Because of that I understood both sides and created characters who desired different things.

Much like Pippa writing The Hopeful Years blog, I found it cathartic to weave my own experiences into the book, so although the characters are fictional, the experience of IVF/ICSI is true to life and the emotions come from a real place – the uncertainty and despair, the heartache of miscarriage, the bittersweet news of friends and family announcing their pregnancies, along with the stress of holding onto hope only for it to be dashed in the cruellest way.

At its heart, A Love Like No Other is a poignant story of hope that explores the themes of motherhood, relationships, family drama and identity while shining a light on the often difficult and emotionally fraught journey of infertility a subject which isn’t talked about openly enough. In a small way, I hope A Love Like No Other can help change that.

Read Kate’s latest novel here: https://mybook.to/alovelikenoother

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There’s nothing quite like getting a pie in the face to make the audience laugh, is there?

Many moons ago, in my other life, I was company assistant stage manager for the pantomime at the Fulcrum Theatre in Slough. Charlie Drake was topping the bill in Aladdin, and my husband and his brother were appearing as the policemen.

My main duties were setting the props, one of which was filling a shopping trolley full of sweets for Charlie’s first entrance. He would stride out on stage, utter his catchphrase ‘Hello, my darlings,’ and throw them out into the audience. Kids – and adults – would leap from their seats to catch them. It’s a great way to get the audience on your side!

Another of my tasks was to fill a large dresser with custard pies for the slosh scene. Stan Simmons who was appearing as the Grand Vizier came to give me and another member of the stage crew lessons in how it was to be done.

This is how many of the old variety tricks are passed on – not written down but shown – if you’re lucky.

We had a kettle, a pile of shaving sticks, paper plates, food colouring and a piping bag.

The soap sticks were grated into a bucket and boiling water, straight from the kettle, was poured over them. We added a little food colouring – and then whisked. The manual whisk was damned hard work and soon replaced by an electric drill with whisk attachment.

Once it reached the required consistency the ‘custard’ was piled onto plates and shaped to look like cakes and trifles. Red custard filled a piping bag, and cherries and berries were added. I often thought of the people who got the pies in the face. It was soap after all and stung the eyes, but it looked fantastic, and being the right consistency stuck to their faces, dramatic and comic effect achieved as they wiped it from their eyes. Those old pros really suffered for their art, I can tell you.

A few years later I effectively ‘retired’ when I had my son. Mr B was in panto in Croydon, and I stayed at home – until I got a phone call.

‘We’re making custard pies for the slosh scene and the crew can’t get it right. Can you come down and show them how it’s done?’

How could I ignore such an emergency call.

The next day I was on the train, headed for the Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon to demonstrate the art of making proper slosh!

The panto was Dick Whittington starring Pete Murray, Nicholas Parsons and Helen Shapiro and I used it as inspiration for the panto in The Seaside Girls Under Fire. It has a ship and lots of dirty rats – what more could you ask for!

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Morwenna is in her sixties. She lives in Seal Bay, Cornwall, in number 4, Harbour Cottages, with a splendid view of the ocean. Her ex, handsome fisherman Ruan Pascoe, lives across the road at number nine, but that’s a whole different story.

Morwenna works at the library in the mornings, and in her family business, the Proper Ansom Tearoom, in the afternoon. The library is haunted by Lady Elizabeth Pengellen, a ghost who full-time librarian Louise is convinced helps Morwenna solve crimes, although feisty Morwenna thinks she does it with the help of her family, friendly police officer Jane Choy and her cat Brenda.

She is often seen riding her electric bicycle; she goes wild swimming with the SWANS, and is very much at the heart of the Seal Bay community. Her romance with suave London surgeon Barnaby is progressing slowly. He’s a lovely man, but is he the right one? Morwenna cannot seem to forget Ruan, who always seems to turn up when she needs him.

In the third novel in the series, The Cream Tea Killer, Morwenna investigates the death of a dear friend. It appears to be an accident. But things are not at all what they seem…

Lamorna, Morwenna’s mother, is in her eighties. She adores men but seems to have no luck in love. In Bloodshed on the Boards, she fell for actor Daniel Kitto, and that ended badly. But she is a fiercely loyal Cornishwoman who defends her family and, despite complaining, isn’t afraid to do her stint in the family tearoom. She is very close to Elowen, and probably a bad influence.

Tamsin, in her late twenties, is Morwenna and Ruan’s daughter. As well as being a single mother, she runs the tearoom. She is just as feisty as her mother and grandmother. Tamsin wants nothing more than to be a good mother to Elowen. Since a romance in Foul Play at Seal Bay, Tamsin hasn’t had a boyfriend, although she and her friend Becca enjoy an occasional wild night on the town while Elowen has a sleepover with her grandmother.

Elowen, Morwenna’s granddaughter, is six years old and a handful, a ‘little heller.’ At this point in the series, no-one knows who her father is, although when Tamsin came back from a holiday pregnant, the new baby was welcomed without question. Elowen says,

‘Billy in my class said he’d heard that my mummy went to the carry out on holiday and she came back with me in her belly.’

Morwenna said, ‘She went to the Caribbean on holiday and came back with you in her belly.’ She ruffled Elowen’s hair. ‘That’s OK.’

Elowen is loved and yet, despite her experiences in Foul Play at Seal Bay, Morwenna and her family are firm about how they raise her. She desperately wants a dog, but isn’t allowed one until she proves herself grown up enough, and that means consistent good behaviour.

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It’s always been my dream to spend Christmas in Paris when the City of Lights transforms into a festive winter wonderland. Christmas markets pop-up in every arrondissement selling a variety of gourmet food and festive offerings, such as vin chaud, spiced aromatic mulled wine to warm your hands as you peruse the stalls with the nutty scent of roasted chestnuts hanging heavy in the air. There are twinkling Christmas lights as far as the eye can see. Skaters swishing by on ice rinks. Musicians playing jaunty Christmas carols. The city is dressed in its best decorations.

There’s also the joie de vivre of visiting the most romantic city in the world as snowflakes dust the gargoyles who perch high above the city, keeping it safe. Paris is always a feast for the senses but more so at Christmastime when the city really comes alive, especially in the evenings. 

When I wrote Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel I spent a lot of time researching festive activities for my cast of characters to participate in. I became swept away by just how much there is to do in Paris to celebrate the holiday season. Here is a list of my favourite Christmas offerings if you’re travelling to Paris or plan to one day… 

Christmas Markets

La Marché de Noël Notre Dame on the Left Bank is one of my favourite pop-up Christmas markets. It’s central to everything and jam packed with vendors selling food, artisanal creations, regional gastronomy, including every type of French cheese you can imagine, sausages and comfort food that that will make your mouth water. There are drinks, gifts, Christmas decorations, cosy woolly scarfs and hats, chocolates, sweets and so much more. Even Pere Noël makes an appearance and there are lots of activities for kids, like storytelling and colouring in competitions. It is truly magical when coupled with the stunning back drop of the Notre Dame Cathedral and the lapping of the River Seine in the distance. 

If you’re feeling more adventurous then head to Tuileries Marché de Noël across from the Louvre. Don a pair of ice skates and glide around a Parisian rink. Every Christmas the Tuileries Garden is transformed into a festive market featuring Swiss-style wooden chalets, serving festive fare and warm drinks. Not only is there an ice-skating rink but there’s also a Ferris wheel that gives you a bird’s eye view of the stunning city below. As always, you’ll be assailed by the scent of French food so make sure you go when you’re hungry! 

If you’re prepared to explore a bit further out then I suggest you go to La Défense de Noël, a giant Christmas village and hidden gem in the business district. This is where the locals go! You’ll find food, gifts and festive scenes such as Maison de Pere Noël, Santa’s House. There are nativity scenes, performers and DJs in the village square as well as lots for kids. While it might be further to travel it’s definitely worth it for the quality on offer, the huge expanse of activities and the stunning view of the business district skyline. 

A Christmas Tree to Remember

A trip to Galeries Lafayette in the 9th arrondissement near Opera Garnier is a must. The upmarket French department store is famous for its Christmas tree and window displays. The beauty of this Christmas tree is the Byzantine Dome ceiling that sits above and almost steals the show. There are over 20,000 lights in their displays and customers are treated to a sound and light show every thirty minutes. It’s the perfect place to buy a Christmas ornament to take home as a keepsake to remember your holiday. 

A Light Stroll  

The Champs-Élysées, arguably the world’s most beautiful avenue, becomes even more enchanting at Christmas when the hundreds of horse chestnut trees that line both sides are adorned with millions of twinkling Christmas lights from The Place de la Concorde to the Arc de Triomphe. There is plenty to do and see as you take a stroll down the avenue, including La Patiniore, an ice-skating rink, Christmas markets, cafés and restaurants including Ladurée, a patisserie famous for their macarons. 

Prisms of Light

A visit to Sainte-Chapelle royal chapel is good any time of year but particularly so at Christmas when they offer a classical music Christmas programme. Sink into the sounds as you’re bedazzled by the jewel-like beauty of the 13th century stained-glass windows. It’s like being inside a kaleidoscope; a breathtaking experience and one you won’t forget. 

A Jurassic Garden 

Every year there’s a new theme at the Jardin des Plantes, the botanical gardens in the Latin Quarter who offer the Winter Festival of Lights, running from November to January. This year they’re showing the Jurassique en voie d’Illumination where the open-air park comes alive with illuminated creatures from the Jurassic era in this immersive outdoor festival under the glittering stars of Paris. This epic display of illuminated art is a must-see for all ages. 

There is so much more to see and do in Paris during the festive season! If you’d like to read about the Christmas shenanigans my characters get up to in Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel you can find the book here.

Follow the Boldwood blog as I’ll be posting more Paris hidden gems soon! 

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There is an abundance of Christmas markets in Paris, and it should be no surprise they’re packed with gastronomic delights that are a feast for the senses and have the added bonus of being kind on the budget. It’s almost impossible to choose what to eat so make sure you go when you’re hungry as you’ll be spoilt for choice. Here’s a selection of my favourite delectable morsels you’re likely to encounter…

1. 1. Vin Chaud. Aromatic spicy mulled wine that also serves to warm the hands as you wander the market. 
   2. Châtaignes grillées. Roasted chestnuts. The smoky, nutty snack are a must and you’ll find them everywhere during the festive season. 
   3. Tartiflette, originating from the French Alps, is essentially a potato bake on steroids. It’s layered with reblochon cheese, salty lardons, onions and creamy potatoes. 
   4. Choucroute Garnie, an Alsatian sausage dish served with sauerkraut, salted meat and potatoes.  
   5. Chocolat chaud, hot chocolate is next level in Paris! 
   6. Crêpes au sucre, thin and delicate, served simply with sugar and butter.
   7. Galettes, oh so good! Crispier than a crepe and filled with sweet or savoury delights.
   8. Raclette, ooey gooey melted cheese served over charcuterie, cornichons, or potatoes. A must for any food lover. 
   9. Beignets, deep fried donut-like balls of goodness. One is never enough. 
   10. Canelés, a small pastry filled with rum custard and has a crunchy sweet caramelised outer shell. They might look unassuming but they’re a taste explosion. 
   11. Bretzels, another Alsatian classic, hot soft and buttery, best enjoyed when still warm. 
   12. Pain d’épices, spiced bread that is so comforting it conjures the very essence of Christmas.

Parisian Christmas markets are an experience in themselves. There’s so much to see and do and taste! If you’re holidaying there I recommend trying to visit as many markets as you can. The food on offer is high quality and you’re truly spoiled for choice. Bonne Journée! 

Get your copy of Christmas at the Little Paris Hotel 🇫🇷❤️

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