Tag: Books

Loving a Good Love Triangle

Loving a Good Love Triangle

sandybarker

I love a good love triangle. I love reading them and watching them, and I love writing them, especially the romcom version.

Where the non-comedic love triangle will often explore deeper, darker themes of heartbreak, loss and forever wondering ‘what if?’ – not just for the person who is left alone, but also for the person who makes the choice – the romcom version allows a ‘lighter touch’, finding the humour in the situation.

In The One That I Want, book 3 in the Ever After Agency series, I had a great time exploring the love triangle trope, especially as for some time our heroine, Greta, has yet to meet one of the love interests. He’s Greta’s first match with the matchmaking agency and it’s terrific fun (for us) when she develops an attraction to a man she’s never met, based solely on a biography and a photo. With her imagination running wild, her bestie questions whether he can live up to the version of him she’s created inside her mind.

Cover of The One That I Want A man and a woman stand in front of a window; London in the background; both are holding takeaway coffee cups

Another aspect of love triangles I enjoyed exploring was the complexity of making the ‘right’ decision – the one that will have readers cheering our heroine on and shouting, ‘Yes!’ 

Wanting to make the right decision comes with a hefty dose of conflict, as well as to-and-froing between the two love interests. And even when Greta decides which man she wants – in true romcom fashion – the path to finding love becomes even trickier, making for an even juicier read.

For those who loved Season 2 of Bridgerton (or the book it was based on, The Viscount Who Loved Me), Anthony’s internal conflict – him wanting to make the ‘right’ decision – was a battle between duty and desire. This battle was compelling – often comedic, but also leading to some of the sexiest (but not raciest) scenes of the season.

I also enjoy when the love triangle leads to the main character’s growth and development, with both love interests bringing out something special in the main character. As readers and viewers, we see this play out in one of my favourite romcom series, Bridget Jones’s Diary.

There’s Daniel Cleaver, the sexy bad boy who awakens Bridget’s sexuality, sassiness and grit – a downturn in their relationship prompts her to quit her ho-hum job and get into television. And, of course, Mark D’Arcy is the curmudgeon, who despite all outward appearances tells Bridget he likes her ‘just the way you are’ (swoon). Bridget is transformed by her relationships by both men, gaining both confidence and self-acceptance.

And if you haven’t seen the latest movie, Mad About the Boy, there’s a whole new love triangle. It’s also BRILLIANT by the way.

In The One That I Want, Greta becomes much more self-aware about what she does – and doesn’t – want from a relationship, largely from her interactions with both love interests. 

I hope you enjoy reading Greta’s romantic escapades and I’m sure you will love who she eventually chooses. I did.

Catching up with Author Nina Kaye

Catching up with Author Nina Kaye

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Thrilled to have one of my dearest author friends back on Off the Beaten Track, marking the publication of her passion project Lucky Number. And what a gorgeous cover!

Welcome back, Nina. Tell us what inspired you to write Lucky Number?

I honestly can’t remember where the idea to have a broken-hearted lottery winner came from. It’s so long ago now! I think it’s perhaps as simple as it just came to me and I loved the idea of addressing the age-old question of ‘can money buy happiness?’ It’s not inspired by personal experience sadly. However, from a practical/writing perspective, Lucky Number is probably the most important book I’ve written (to me anyway). It was the first one I ever wrote and I call it ‘my rehab book’ because I started writing it as a way of rebuilding my cognitive capabilities after a significant health event in my life. The inspiration to put fingertips to keyboard and actually write it rather than just having the idea floating around my head came about very unexpectedly. This excerpt from my Acknowledgements sums it up nicely:  

‘I wanted my life back and it felt like an impossible challenge. That was, until a conversation with an ex-boss of mine, Mel MacIntyre, during which she asked if I was using my time off sick from work to write the book I’d always wanted to write. At first, I was thrown by her question. I was far too unwell for that. But her words stayed with me and the seed that she planted grew into something special, helping me to identify what was missing from my recovery plan: ‘physio’ for my brain.  So, I started writing – just ten to fifteen minutes at a time. It was gruelingly difficult and painful to even sit at a desk, but the thing about me is that I can be a determined little bugger. I kept at it, and as I wrote, it got easier and I could write for longer – until eventually I had written my first ever novel: this book, ‘My rehab book’ or if I’m allowed to be a little dramatic, perhaps even the book that saved me. Because it didn’t just help me recover some of my cognitive capabilities, it gave me a renewed sense of self-belief when I badly needed one.’

So, while the book itself doesn’t have headline-grabbing inspiration behind it, Lucky Number has great personal meaning to me and I always wanted it out in the world. And it is now part of a two-book series (the sequel is called Another Lucky Number).

I note that you’ve gone down the independent publishing route with Lucky Number. Can you say a bit more about that?

Yes, of course. Lucky Number was originally called As Luck Would Have it – in fact, I self-published it back in 2016 (or thereabouts) and then took it down from Amazon six weeks later because I was offered representation by a literary agent (I was also querying at the time). However, despite it being the book that got me an agent, it was never bought by a publisher because it didn’t sit cleanly within any genre. I did get great feedback on it though, and that spurred me on to write more books and eventually become successful in getting traditionally published.

As the series still doesn’t have a clear genre (though there is a delicious romance thread that runs right through it), I decided to put it out there myself and have a proper stab at the indie publishing route this time. Though I love being traditionally published author and all the opportunities and learning that comes with that, I’m someone who enjoys being creative without boundaries and this independent approach allows me more of that. I’m also a doer and being in control of my own destiny quite suits me. I’ve enjoyed taking these stories in the direction I wanted them to go, managing the design of my covers and creating my promotional posts such as the one for my cover reveal. In fact, I’m currently doing the same with a children’s book I’ve written, the main characters of which are based on a couple of clay models I also made during my ‘rehab’ period. I will self-publish that too, hopefully this spring.   

It might seem like an odd move to some but it’s actually been a very deliberate one and one that has been great for my mental wellbeing and sense of fulfilment. I am by no means walking away from the traditionally published route and I guess if I were to have to put a label on my situation, I’ve gone ‘hybrid’.

What’s your most recent read that you’d like to recommend?

This is always a difficult question for me to answer. And if I’m totally honest, one that makes me feel a bit ashamed (though I know I shouldn’t). My cognitive issues, which are part of my health condition make reading difficult for me. I know, that sounds bizarre coming from an author (hence the shame), but I think it’s important to talk about these things. Writing is far easier for me and editing is also not too bad because it’s an active rather than a passive activity. I guess it must use different parts of the brain. But reading is a real challenge – I’m slow, I often struggle to take in the words and I find it difficult to concentrate if I’m not editing at the same time. I even find it challenging reading back my own work, which I’m already familiar with, so tinkering with my work as I go is really the only way to keep myself focused.

Previously, I put a lot of pressure on myself to read the books of other authors to support them and try to keep up (and I really do want to support my fellow authors) but it was creating stress for me and I was becoming over tired, and after my last covid infection I had to admit defeat. I haven’t stopped reading altogether, but I have accepted that it’s something I can’t do a lot of, especially when I’m already working with my own texts. That said, I adore stories and storytelling so I watch TV programmes and films – it’s my way of relaxing. I also recently made a great discovery. As long as I’m doing something to keep my brain active (washing dishes, cleaning, etc), I am able to listen to (and actually take in) audiobooks for short periods – and I really enjoy that.

Sorry, that really was a long way around a short cut! To finally answer your question, an audiobook that I recently listened to and really enjoyed was Mhairi McFarlane’s Between Us. Mhairi’s rise to fame coincided with the worst period of my health issues, so despite hearing great things about her books, I had never read one. And now I’m a fan, like so many others.    

What has been your author highlight over the past year?

I honestly think it’s been my shift towards taking the reins myself on some of my writing projects. It has given me such a boost.

What are you working on now?

Currently, I have a few things on the go. I’m getting Another Lucky Number ready for publication. I have the children’s book I mentioned that I am working on – the aim being to publish that this spring under a different pen name. I’m also about to start querying agents to seek representation for a non-fiction book I’ve written, and I’m working on the second book in a romance series I’m writing as well. It’s a juggling act and obviously not everything is in play at once. 

What do you hope readers will take away from Lucky Number?

I hope it will leave them wanting more because there’s a second instalment. 😊 Sorry, I had to add in a wee plug there. It’s generally a light-hearted easy read, but as with all my books, there is some poignancy and there are some more serious themes hiding in there. I think there’s an opportunity to reflect on the question of money and how important it really is to our happiness, as well as the important role of elderly people in our world and the benefits of having real experiences, not just doing everything virtually.

More about Lucky Number

Her numbers have come up, but can money really buy her happiness?

Emma is stuck in a rut. Her boss is a bully, she’s missed out on a promotion at work and her partner is a sanctimonious git – not that she knows it until he heartlessly dumps her, leaving her homeless. In an unexpected twist of fate, Emma finds herself with a winning lottery ticket. She thinks a bulging bank balance will make all her problems disappear, and the first thing she’s going to do is have some fun by living like a millionaire for a week.

With romance off the agenda for the foreseeable future, a newly carefree Emma embarks on the experience of a lifetime. But between a series of run ins with a handsome yet irritating stranger and finding herself involved in one disaster after another, her life is soon unravelling again.

Will Emma realise that money doesn’t solve everything? And can she untangle herself enough from the mess she’s in to take a chance at real love?

Order Lucky Number here
My thoughts on Lucky Number

Lucky Number is Nina Kaye’s answer to the question ‘Can money really buy me happiness?’ and she does a stellar job in exploring what we think will help us achieve happiness and those aspects that actually form the foundation of happiness – relationships with loved ones.

There are lots of twists and turns as Emma discovers what really matters, wonderful supporting characters, including a very scrummy travel agent, and plenty of Nina Kaye’s trademark humour and poignancy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About Nina Kaye

Nina Kaye writes warm, witty and uplifting reads with a deeper edge. She has previously published Stand Up Guy, Just Like That, One Night in Edinburgh, Take A Moment and The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating. Nina lives in Edinburgh with her husband and much adored side-kick, James. In addition to writing, she enjoys swimming, gin and karaoke (preferably all together in a sunny, seaside destination).

Follow Nina

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Thank you again, Nina, and huge congrats on Lucky Number.

Publication Day for I Knew You Were Trouble

Publication Day for I Knew You Were Trouble

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My latest book baby is out in the world today. I Knew You Were Trouble is the 5th and final book in the Ever After Agency series, which I started writing in November 2022 for Boldwood Books. If you’ve yet to pick it up, I’d recommend starting with Book 1 Match Me If You Can, which introduces Poppy Dean, matchmaker extraordinaire, and the cast of characters who continue throughout the series.

This one is a revenge romcom, our villain a spoilt, conniving ‘trust fund baby’ who collects fiancées like he’s making a human charm bracelet. Our heroine Kate discovers this when fiancée number two’s brother, the scrummy Dutchman Willem, shows up on her London doorstep to tell her his sister is engaged to her fiancé. Follow that?

What ensues is a deliciously fun romp revealing a third fiancée who lives in Verona, jet-setting between cities to uncover, then fix this mess, a revenge plot involving Kate’s former matchmaker Poppy, and a will-they-won’t-they, it’s-really-a-bad-idea romance emerging between Kate and Willem.

I set it in London, like the rest of the series, as well as Amsterdam and Verona, inspired by my own travels and my little homage to three destinations that featured in our 2024 sabbatical.

I absolutely LOVED living in Amsterdam. We housesat for friends over the summer, giving us time to immerse ourselves in the city and providing inspiration for a setting and a love interest. It’s such a vibrant, beautiful city and many of the locations in the book are places we went to.

We also spent time in Verona, our first trip there, and I fell in love with it. I’d already planned to include it in this book, but walking the streets, eating the incredible food, engaging with the culture and history… those parts of the book practically wrote themselves.

And the revenge plot? That idea came early on, but we wanted to leave it until later in the series as Poppy is matchmaker, not a vigilante. And yes, Poppy features in this book as she does in every other book in the series, her point of view giving us insight into the love story – almost like a narrator.

I really hope you enjoy this book. And for series readers, I’ve prepared something special, an epilogue for each of the five couples. I’ll be posting it soon, or you can have a sneak peak here. WARNING! Major spoilers for this book, so don’t read it first if you don’t like spoilers.

It Just Takes One Yes

It Just Takes One Yes

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It only takes one yes to start a writing career. Never give up on your dream.

As a pre-teen, I started sneaking my mum’s Mills & Boon novels from her bedside table. By my teen years, she was handing over Jackie Collins and Shirley Conran, and I was devouring Sweet Dreams and Sweet Valley High books, feeding a four-books-a-week reading habit.

My love of books, and particularly romance novels, was ingrained by the time I reached adulthood, and I have read widely across the genre for years, occasionally delving into writing, but not producing anything long-form or concrete until I had an epiphany in early 2013.

I was visiting my sister in London, and on her bookshelf was Lindsey Kelk’s I Heart New York. I consumed it in half-a-day, then picked up the next and the next in the series. Three days later, I’d read all five (there are now eight), and as I finished I Heart London, I knew. I wanted to write romantic fiction―specifically, travel romances.

On paper, ‘travel romance novelist’ was a perfect fit for me. I was an avid traveller and had been blogging about it for years. I was also a hopeful romantic, a lifelong romance reader, an English major, and a Drama and English teacher, so I knew about style, structure, grammar, characterisation, dialogue, and genre.

All I had to do was get to work.

My first foray into writing travel romance caught the attention of an agent here in Australia, but when I sent him the full manuscript, he replied with ‘this isn’t your first novel, it’s your fifth’. Apparently, I had too many characters, timelines, and plotlines, and I heeded his advice to ‘go away and write a single, linear narrative’.

Inspired by my real-life ‘meet cute’―meeting my partner, Ben, on a pier in Santorini, just as we were about to embark on a sailing trip around the Greek Islands―I started writing, diverging from real life by introducing a second love interest to the story, the silver fox.

On completion, I went back to the agent and he signed me, shopping my story, which he called, ‘Eat, Sail, Love’, to all the Australian publishers. But as excited as he was to introduce them to a fresh new voice in Australian romantic fiction, no one wanted my particular take on contemporary romantic comedy. My agent had reached the end of his contact list and we parted ways amicably.

Dejected, I wondered if I would ever find my publishing home, or if my manuscript was destined to sit gathering dust. It was only after we returned from another sailing trip in Greece, that I seriously considered self-publishing. Re-energised, I edited my manuscript, paid for cover art and a copy edit, and self-published at the end of 2017. My book baby was out there in the world!

And the timing was perfect. In early 2018, Ben and I embarked on a one-year international sabbatical, which gave me ample time to write the follow ups to my first book. We started the year in Bali, then moved to the US, the UK and Portugal.

When we were in the UK, I came across UKRomChat on Twitter and joined a passionate community of romance authors. It was while engaging with that community that I started considering British publishing houses.

While I self-published book two in the series and wrote book three, I queried UK publishers. After each rejection, I honed my synopses and query letters and reminded myself that I only needed one ‘yes’.

But before I knew it, I was home in Melbourne and back to ‘real life’, hunting an apartment and a job. Could I be happy returning to my profession in adult education and being a part-time novelist who self-published one or two books a year?

Despondency kicked in when I realised that I would never achieve my goal―my dream―of becoming a fulltime novelist.

Not long after, 6 years ago today in fact, I received an email from an imprint of HarperCollins in the UK. It was my one yes. With that offer on the table, I reached out to my agent of choice, Lina Langlee, and after reading my debut, she agreed to represent me (hooray!).

Since my one yes, I’ve published 12 books with 2 publishers (plus 1 audio publisher), sold more than 250,000 copies in English and have translations in 4 languages (and counting). I’ve also written Book 13 (under contract) and 2 side projects.

And I am now a fulltime writer. It really does only take one yes. Never give up on your dream.

Are you following me?

Are you following me?

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Hello lovely readers!

Just touching base to see if you are following me in all the places you will hear my bookish news, including price drops and new releases and cover reveals.

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Happy reading!

Cover Reveal! Shout Out to My Ex

Cover Reveal! Shout Out to My Ex

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So excited to reveal the cover for my next book with Boldwood Books, Shout Out to My Ex.

Out February 14, 2024

Illustrated Book Cover: Background of a large clock; Man and woman, both dressed well and with dark hair, left and right facing off, the woman with her hands on her hips. Match Me If You Can by Sandy Barker; Tagline: A fortune at stake and the clock is ticking...

About the book

Fashion designer, Elle Bliss, is unlucky in love.

She’s still hung up on her first love, Leo, who ended things abruptly, then mysteriously disappeared – and a decade on, no one else can measure up.

But Elle’s all-time dream of showing in Paris Fashion Week is about to become a reality, and she has no time to dwell on her dismal love life. That is until Leo – now going by Lorenzo – comes back into her life.

A celebrated up-and-coming shoe designer, ‘Lorenzo’ is nothing like the man she fell in love with. Rude, brash and with an ego the size of Paris, he’s too caught up in his own celebrity.

But as they constantly cross paths in the city of love, Elle begins to question how much of ‘Lorenzo’ is an act – a persona for the cameras. Because deep down, she can see glimpses of the man he was, and feelings from all those years ago become impossible to ignore…

Join Elle in the most romantic city in the world in this laugh out loud enemies-to-lovers romance, perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Emily Henry.

Praise for the Ever After Agency series

‘…another brilliant romcom – a series set in a matchmaking agency is a match made in heaven and I am fully signed up!’ ~ Pernille Hughes

‘Sandy Barker’s books are the bookish equivalent of a perfect serve: two parts romance, one part humour with a generous dash of escapism. I can never wait to dive in!’ ~ Nina Kaye

‘Full of fun – a fast-paced, exciting new series with love, heart, friendship and joy.’ ~ Kim Nash

‘You can’t really go wrong with a Sandy Barker romcom – charm, romance and humour.’ ~ Julie Houston

‘I love Sandy’s writing and end up falling in love with all of her heroes!’ ~ Katie Ginger

‘…warm, witty and wonderfully romantic. Knowing there are more to come definitely makes me happy ever after.’ ~ Kathleen Whyman

‘This series is witty, fun and, of course, wonderfully romantic.’ ~ Anita Faulkner

Out February 14 Preorder now

Catching up with Author Anna Foxkirk

Catching up with Author Anna Foxkirk

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I am delighted to welcome Anna to Off the Beaten Track, We’ve been connected on social media for several years and got to meet in person at a recent Romance Writers of Australia meet-up and she was so much fun to hang out with. And now to our catch-up…

Welcome Anna. Tell us what inspired you to write Alice and the Impossible Game?

The travel bug – for me, it’s chronic! A constant itch. I’m making that sound painful, but actually IMHO there’s nothing better than visiting somewhere new and experiencing life and culture away from my ‘ordinary’. I’m fortunate to have lived in a lot of amazing countries (Fiji, Kiribati, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Indonesia, Germany, France, Australia) and visited a whole lot more, so perhaps it’s not surprising that traveling and holidays are going to feature my stories. Plus, I’d already written my novella, Alice in Wanderlust (the prequel to Alice and the Impossible Game) pre-Covid as part of my Passport to Love series. During the pandemic writing and reading became even more important to me as they were my only means of escape when we were stuck in lockdown. The only problem was that there was a lot of angst in my first draft – not exactly romcom – so although I knew I wanted to write a road-trip romance, I had to throw it out and start again. The writing process has taken longer than ideal, but I can’t wait to share it with everyone on 1st March 2024, and sometimes the most challenging journeys reap the greatest rewards, don’t you think?

When did you start writing seriously?

Seriously? Most of the time, I try NOT to write ‘seriously’ or at least not to take myself and my writing too seriously. If I did, I think I’d shut down and not write anything. Long story short –  my dad was a published author and although I aspired to write from a young age, I didn’t think it was possible to become a published author. I knew how hard it had been for him. However, I’ve always loved to write even when it was a hobby and just for me.  When my husband and I made the big leap and moved to Australia ten years ago, I decided to give NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month – when writers attempt to bang out 50k words in a month) a crack. I successfully wrote my first 50k (of drivel) which I thankfully then lost after lending a friend my laptop which she accidentally wiped –  talk about a blessing in disguise. But it showed me I could write more than just a bad first chapter. After that, I think the event which changed my perspective about becoming a published author was attending the Romance Writers of Australia Conference in 2016 and realising that I was no different to anybody else and my dreams were possible if I just stuck with them.

What do you love most about being an author?

The awesome writing community in Australia – there is so much strength and succour to be gained from the support and friendship of fellow authors. As I mentioned previously, I also love the escapism of writing: all the stress and responsibilities of real life fall away because I get so wrapped up in my creative world. I love that feeling…Unfortunately, my family don’t love and are long-suffering about the very late and often cremated dinners I create…

What are you working on now?

Final editing of Alice and the Impossible Game. A super exciting Christmas anthology project with 12 other AMAZING romcom authors for next year, but my lips are sealed and stapled for now. And also a new contemporary celebrity-collides- with- smalltown series called Rush to Stardom…

Nothing like juggling multiple balls to keep you on your toes!

What do you hope readers will take away from Alice and the Impossible Game?

Well, my author tagline is love, laughter and happy ever after, so those things are what I always try to bring to the page. But for this book in particular, the notion that nothing is impossible (within reason, of course – I’m never going to be a ballerina!). If you believe in yourself and commit whole-heartedly to your goals and aspirations, you’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish. That doesn’t mean we get everything we want in life, but if we keep believing and keep working hard, we get a whole lot more than if we lose faith in ourselves and give up. Who was it that said, The harder I work the luckier I get? They were bang on.

I couldn’t agree more, Anna. And I cannot wait for Alice in Wanderlust (great title, by the way) and that anthology!

More about Anna

Born in Fiji, Anna has spent most of her life trotting round the globe living in some far flung places such as the islands of Kiribati, Kathmandu in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Anna served as an officer in the British army for seven years, including four operational military tours in war-torn Bosnia and living in Edinburgh Castle. Anna’s love of adventure, romance and humor blaze a trail through her stories. Nowadays, when she’s not writing or reading, Anna enjoys a quiet(ish!) life teaching English and humanities to secondary school students, swimming, hanging out at the local yacht club, and sampling the many delicious wines of the beautiful Mornington Peninsula where she lives. What you probably don’t know and don’t want to know…Anna is a wannabe cowgirl and line-dancing tragic. It’s a work in progress…

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About Alice and the Impossible Game

Alice’s gap year travel plans in Australia are scuppered on New Year’s Eve when her identical twin sister, Tilly, (aka Twister) bails and returns to the UK without apology or explanation. In a supreme effort to get Tilly back on board (and to find out why on earth she left), Alice reluctantly agrees to Tilly’s Impossible Game. But Alice never counted on Guy, the hot lead singer of Aussie band, RiffRaff, being part of the package.

Guy’s not interested in any sort of commitments other than his musical career and the future of his band, RIffRaff…oh, and his next musical gig which happens to be at his brother’s wedding. As well as being a key member of RiffRaff, Tilly had promised to be his plus one…Now she’s gone missing, he needs to find a substitute and fast.

Alice is in a fix. Travelling alone and compelled to follow the rules of her sister’s Six Impossible Things Game her life is spiraling out of control.

Guy needs a fix. A bandaid for his band and his fragile ego and a hostile-as-hell wedding situation…

But the Impossible Game looks like it might just play HAVOC with both of their best laid plans. And the only thing you should believe¾there is likely to be some collateral damage…

Pre-order Alice and the Impossible Game

Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon UK

And catch up on the prequel, Alice in Wanderlust, now!

Thank you so much for joining us, Anna!

Catching up with Author Karen Louise Hollis

Catching up with Author Karen Louise Hollis

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Today, I’m pleased to welcome Karen Louise Hollis to Off the Beaten Track. Her latest book is called Starting Again in Silver Sands Bay.

Book cover: Illustration of a woman and child walking towards the sea on a grassy hill with wildflowers

Tell us what inspired you to write Starting Again in Silver Sands Bay?

I was doing one of the RNA writing courses – Jessica Redland’s Writing A Novel or Series in a Coastal or Country Setting. I had published my first novel Welcome to Whitlock Close in 2022 and I wanted to write Book 2 in the series, but had lost my mojo, so I hoped the course would inspire me to get back to it.

Instead, it inspired me in a totally different way. The idea of a coastal setting took me back to our family holidays in a static caravan in Ingoldmells, near Skegness, in the 1970s and ‘80s and this whole story came to me while I was on the course – the characters and everything.

It is a romance between a fifty-year-old single mum and a 48-year-old single dad who both have eleven-year-old children. Being in my fifties myself and a single parent, I basically wrote something I’d like to read myself.

When did you start writing seriously?

I’m not really sure. I first self-published a poetry collection in 2003, but that was for family and friends really. I had a book traditionally published in 2010 and again in 2015, they are both factual books linked to Doctor Who – the first a memoir of my experiences going to conventions, the second a biography of the actor Anthony Ainley. That’s been my most commercially successful book.

When I split up from my ex four years ago, I realised I needed to take my writing more seriously. I’ve been writing gymnastics books for many years, but had never finished a novel. I became a full-time carer for my mum, so knew I had to work from home. Taking inspiration from the wonderful Chick Lit and Prosecco Facebook group and from connecting with authors online, I got some great tips and completed my first novel in 2021. One of those was to write every day and that’s something I have found really helps me to keep going. I try to write 1000 words per day.

What do you love most about being an author?

The writing really! I love having ideas and being able to share them with people. I get to know and love my characters and I want other people to discover them too. I love it when someone has read my book and we can chat about the characters like they’re real people!

When I did my recent blog tour for Starting Again in Silver Sands Bay, some of the reviews were just amazing, I could tell they’d really connected with the book and the characters. When someone just exactly gets what you’re trying to say, that’s very special.

What are you working on now?

I was working on a cosy mystery series featuring an elderly man (based on my dad) and his elderly dog, who help the village policeman solve crimes. But sadly, Dad’s dog died in real life and I haven’t been able to go back to it yet – but I will do.

So I’m currently writing a novel about two elderly women who live next door to each other. During the pandemic, they had their interconnecting back garden fence taken out, so they could have socially-distanced conversations to help with the loneliness and isolation. It’s now the present day and they still meet outside and chat, about small and big issues and things happen, which I won’t go into. But I love these women, it’s a joy to visit them every day in my head and write down what they’re doing and saying!

What do you hope readers will take away from Starting Again in Silver Sands Bay?

It’s a second chance romance, so I hope it will give hope to people who are single in middle-age. Both the main characters, Becki and Dan, have had difficult times, but meeting each other proves to them that there still is time for them to find love.

I also hope readers will enjoy an old-fashioned seaside caravan holiday through my book, a bit of nostalgia. Although it’s set in the present day, the caravan site is a bit basic and old-fashioned. But we all love the beach, an amusement arcade and a chip shop, don’t we? Simple times.

Well, thank you so much for sharing that with us, Karen.

Tell us a little more about you.

Author photo - smiling woman with straight red hair and a fringe wearing pink lipstick and a pink blouse

I was born in Lincoln, England in 1969. I loved writing from an early age, being the daughter of two journalists. I am a mum to five children and have three grandchildren. I have had over twenty books published and have written about a variety of topics including motherhood, poetry, Doctor Who and gymnastics. My first novel Welcome to Whitlock Close came out in 2022, with this latest book coming out earlier this year.

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More about the book

Becki is fifty and a single mum to eleven-year-old Jemima, after being widowed five years ago.
Dan is forty-eight and a single dad to eleven-year-old Freddie, after his wife left him five years ago.
They have both given up on love.
But when they all go to Silver Sands Bay on the Lincolnshire coast for the summer, will they be able to put the past behind them and find love again?

Buy the book

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Cover Reveal for Aimee Brown: Stuck With You

Cover Reveal for Aimee Brown: Stuck With You

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Aimee Brown’s 3rd installment in her series for Boldwood Books is out August 9th and here is the GORGEOUS cover!

As with Books 1 and 2 in the series, (He Loves me He Loves Me Not and Love Notes – both highly recommended), this is a romcom with a heart of gold set in Portland, Oregon (a gorgeous city and one we visited often when we lived in Seattle).

Blurb

Jade Monroe has finally found the man of her dreams. 

Or has she? Despite them being newly engaged, her fiancé Conner has suddenly gone radio silent. And even though her family are all giving her the same advice, (he’s just not that into you) she’s not convinced.

River Matthews has always been his authentic self, without apologies. Honest to a fault, light-hearted and a little lonely. Currently he’s the last single standing in his group of friends and he’s starting to feel his clock ticking. He’s got close to happily-ever-after before, but now it’s once-bitten-twice-shy, and the only way he’s going to find love is if he takes a chance.

The wisdom goes that if you just stop looking, your perfect partner will appear, but who will be there when Jade and River stop searching for ‘the one’?

Sexy, sassy and downright irresistible, the brand-new friends-to-lovers romance perfect for fans of Sariah Wilson, Lindsey Kelk and Abby Jiminez.

Preorder here

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Congratulations, Aimee – can’t wait to read this one!

Catching up with Nina Kaye on publication day

Catching up with Nina Kaye on publication day

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It is a great pleasure to have Nina Kaye back to Off the Beaten Track.

Nina is a favourite author, particularly her heartwarming take on romance. I absolutely loved Just Like That (you can see my quote on the cover). Jess and Nick are a pair! Both are battling with their own demons and find that a little communication can go a LONGGGGG way. These two flawed but layered characters are dealing with real issues in realistic ways, and I was cheering for them both from the sidelines. I also fell in love with Rana, one of the supporting characters. This read has heart, humour and romance – the perfect read for a chilly Aussie winter or to take on summer holiday if you live north of the equator.

Now let’s hear from Nina…

Tell us what inspired you to write Just Like That?

There were a few things that came together to form this storyline. Anyone who has read my previous books will know that I write more than romance. I write about characters who face change and adversity in their lives, and how they overcome these challenges, finding love along the way.

In Just Like That, my main character, Jess, experiences a huge shift in her life when her brother unexpectedly has a stroke and she takes on the responsibility of being his carer. Having experienced a life altering change when my own life was suddenly shattered by a debilitating illness, I was acutely aware of the impact and pressure it put on those closest to me. This was one source of inspiration for writing about someone taking on caring responsibilities. The other was just how important and overlooked the role of a caregiver is, and I felt there was a need for people in this situation to be more represented in fiction.

Another source of inspiration for Just Like That was a documentary series I watched about sun bears and how, like so much of the world’s wonderful wildlife, they are endangered. It saddened me to learn how they’re illegally hunted for their bile and how they’re losing their natural habitat. In that series, the presenter followed the story of a baby sun bear, which had been rescued after its mother was killed by poachers. The cub was so adorable in the way it tumbled around and treated the presenter like it’s play partner. It really captured my heart. The idea of the wildlife park and Nick the grumpy head keeper/love interest came from that.

A final source of inspiration relates to the setting. Just Like That is set in my home city of Edinburgh and the beautiful countryside and coastal towns of East Lothian, where I’ve been fortunate enough to spend quite a bit of time in recent years. East Lothian, which is just a short drive from Edinburgh, provided the perfect setting for the wildlife park and for Jess to go on her journey of self-discovery to find her happy ever after. 

What’s your most recent read that you’d like to recommend?

I think I’ll share my current read, which is Under a Greek Sun by Mandy Baggot. It’s about a young woman, Eve, who visits her friend Abby on the beautiful Greek island of Corfu. Eve’s looking forward to some much-needed downtime, but things don’t go quite to plan. She ends up leaving for her break with her troubled brother, Ben, in tow, then discovers Abby has multiple jobs on top of running the local animal sanctuary, leaving little time for them to chill together. Between her worries about Ben and not getting a moment to relax, Eve’s starting to wonder if this holiday is going to deliver on its promise, but there’s one thing – or more accurately – one person who can offer a glimmer of hope: Gianni, the gorgeous Italian. He has his own family challenges, so maybe it’s not the right time for either of them to be thinking about love. Or maybe there’s an opportunity to find some common ground and for a beautiful summer romance to blossom… Obviously I haven’t finished it yet, so I’ll need to find out!

This book actually has some similarities to Just Like That, in that it features family struggles and romance with a backdrop of cute animals. It’s also got everything I love in it. A strong storyline, a fabulous setting, characters I care about and some great humour. I’d already highly recommend it! 

(Note to reader: I loved Mandy’s book too!)

What has been your author highlight over the past year?

I’d say it’s been securing my two-book deal with Canelo for Just Like That and Stand Up Guy, which will be my next novel to be published. Having this contract has allowed me the opportunity to grow my writing career further and to keep improving my writing skills as I go. I learn best ‘on the job’ so I love working with my editor, Emily Bedford, who always offers such great ideas for how I can improve my stories. I’ve also had a couple of smaller highlights in the last few months in getting my first audiobook deals. Just Like That will be my first novel to be published in audio, so I’m really looking forward to hearing how the narrator brings the story to life.  

What are you working on now?

I’ve just submitted my next novel, Stand Up Guy, to my editor for review. It’s due out in January next year and I’ve really enjoyed writing it. It’s another Edinburgh based story, this time about a lonely young woman who invites a stand-up comedian to stay with her when she learns that his dream of making it big at the Edinburgh Festival has come to grief. It’s written with my usual style, combining humour with poignancy – my aim being to create all the feels, offering some moments of reflection as well as an entertaining read. 

What do you hope readers will take away from Just Like That?

Just Like That is a story of change and self-discovery as well as a romance, peppered with light-hearted moments and humour, so I’m not looking for readers to learn any serious life lessons from it. But what I do hope they will take away is that real life isn’t picture perfect. It’s messy – with complicated relationships, miscommunications and vulnerabilities we don’t always want to share. We all make mistakes and we can choose to be forgiving of others who do the same. And we all deserve to have love in our lives, regardless of the challenges we’re faced with! 

More about the book…

Is fur-ever on the cards for these enemies-at-first-sight?

Jess is smashing her Edinburgh events management job right now. Her boss is talking about a promotion, her clients love her and other companies want her. But all of that comes to an abrupt halt when her brother has a sudden stroke. Jess doesn’t think twice about stepping in as his carer, but her boss is not so understanding.

Demoted to managing low-end events, Jess is less than thrilled to be assigned to a small animal park in need of raising funds. She’s even less happy when she clashes with arrogant head keeper, Nick. He’s frustrated with her squeamishness; she thinks he’s a lech. Nick wants a baggage-free life; Jess has so much drama going on, even the Kardashians can’t keep up.

But maybe saving the animals of East Lothian Wildlife Park will help these op-paw-sites find some common ground…

Where to get the book

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Amazon CA | Waterstones | Foyles | Google Play | (and all your favourite book retailers)

More about Nina Kaye…

Nina writes warm, witty and uplifting romances with a dollop of humour. Life is not straightforward and she likes to reflect this in her writing – by creating realistic characters with complex lives who can learn along the way. Her debut novel, The Gin Lover’s Guide to Dating was published by Orion Dash, followed by Take A Moment, which was inspired by her own life, and One Night in Edinburgh with Canelo. Just Like That is her fourth novel and her fifth, Stand Up Guy, will follow in January (both also with Canelo). All her novels are set in her hometown of Edinburgh and really bring the city to life.

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