But I Smile Anyway…

Today, I am so happy to have a lovely writer friend, Emma Jackson, who I got to know better through the Facebook group Chicklit & Prosecco, visit my blog to talk about writing and her newest release, Witch You Weren’t Here!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Emma! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or maybe a masala chai? I’m not sure I can cast any spells, but a good Chai can feel like drinking something magical!

It really can! I would love a chai, thank you. It’s my favourite when I am letting myself have caffeine. The spices just give it a warm, comforting feeling. Do you drink it all year around or keep it for the cosy autumn and winter seasons?

I tend to drink it more in the colder weather, but it is my drink of choice if we are out and about at a coffee shop! (Secret… I don’t drink coffee!)

Since we’re going masala tea, I can offer you some homemade samosas, or a fresh batch of cookies baked by my daughter this morning. (I promise, there is nothing ‘extra’ in there!)

Lol! Thank you for clarifying that – I wouldn’t want to make an impulsive mistake (like Kay in Witch You Weren’t Here). And yes, cookies, would be lovely, please. What are you having?

I’ll join you with a chai, too!

So, could you tell me a bit about your journey to becoming a published author, Emma?

It feels a bit like my journey started as soon as I could read and write. I always loved writing stories as a child and it was my dream to become an author. I took a bit of a detour when I left school and entered the workplace, but an Open University Creative Writing course ignited the spark again and I started writing my first novel in about 2008. Neither that one or my second completed novel were picked up by the agents or editors I submitted to, but when my eldest daughter was about a year old, I went to see the Christmas lights switched on at Alfriston, a beautiful little village near where I live, and I was inspired to write a festive romance. It took me six years to complete during children’s naptimes and around having my second daughter, and in 2019, after putting it through the New Writers Scheme of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, I submitted it to the newly launched digital-first imprint Orion Dash, who offered me a publishing contract!

That is brilliant! And reminiscent of my journey, writing in snatched moments and taking forever to finish that magical draft!

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have published so far?

This is such a difficult question because I love each of my books for different reasons…A Mistletoe Miracle was my debut, Sleepless in Sicily was actually a complete revision of my very first novel and I poured a lot of raw feelings into that about social anxiety, which I suffer from myself…Witch You Weren’t Here was simply a joy to write…but there’s something about Summer in the City that I do really have a soft spot for. Maybe because it released at the beginning of the lockdown in 2020 and my publisher was on furlough, so I feel like it never really had the publication day it deserved or found the same readership as my other books. It’s like the runt of the litter, and yet it’s full of so many things I enjoy, with bantering enemies-to-lovers set against a vibrant New York setting, and – a little like Witch You Weren’t Here – it has a plot, which takes the characters into a lot of fun and challenging places. I’d love to relaunch it one day if I suddenly have a breakout hit! Are you able to pick a favourite out of your books?

I know it was a cruel question to ask! I only have two to choose from, as such, but because they. aretied into the same series, It is so hard to differentiate between them! I would say Marriage Unarranged will always be that special one, since it was my first!

Do you have a special place where you do all your creating and writing? Somewhere away from the craziness of family?

Unfortunately not! Working around the craziness of family is definitely a necessity. Now both my kids are at school, I do get a few hours during the day to concentrate on words, and I tend to move around my house with my laptop, depending on what mood I’m in. We’ve just had our kitchen renovated, so I’m looking forward to using the new island as a workspace, which is conveniently close to the kettle! I still might be a little bit jealous of the gorgeous workspace I saw you showing off a little while ago on TikTok. It looks so peaceful and comfortable. Has it been helping with your productivity?

It is wonderful to have a space that you can carve out as your own, so I know I am blessed. It has made things easier, in that everything in share I need it, including my storyboard, and lots of motivational quotes, but I can just as easily unplug and go to the garden or my bedroom, if I need to, too!

Romance is a genre close to my heart. What pulled you towards writing romance?

Mainly, how much I love reading it! It can be such an overlooked and misunderstood genre. The comfort of knowing there will be a “happily ever after” or “happily for now” is just one element, and it means that stories can range from cosy to dramatic, while giving the reader reassurance that things will turn out alright in the end. I also love the way it dives into relationships of all kinds – not just the romantic ones. Love of any description is at the centre of the human experience, so I really struggle to understand why stories which explore relationships are seen as “fluffy” or “unimportant” just because they’re optimistic. I’ll stop there before I start ranting!

Let’s get back to your latest release, Witch You Weren’t Here. A witchy romance, with a road trip thrown in! I loved this! Why witches? Do you have an interest, or an affinity towards magic?

Apart from the fact I was raised on The Worst Witch and Sabrina the Teenage Witch, (Me, too!) I love fantasy romance and the idea of using magic systems to explore real-life issues. I also love the way things in the past, which might be put down to “magic”, have been explained by science now, so who is to say what we’ll find out in the future is actually possible…or what technology we’ll invent which can enable us to do things we once thought were impossible? And I definitely think there is a lot to be said for finding the benefits of natural remedies and valuing nature, as well as observing folklore and how those myths and legends relate to important lessons society wanted us to learn.

Would you have considered a romance with a witchy person?

Having a partner like Harry who could magically wash my clothes for me, or avert a car accident or conjure a magical umbrella during a storm would definitely be appealing! What magic would you love yourself or someone else to be able to do?

Oh, someone who could magic away the housework and magically add extra hours to the day. No, scratch that, maybe magic up a clone who I could send to work, so I can stay at home writing and reading. That would be perfect!

I love to be nosy and ask this. What is next for Emma Jackson? Any sequels, or new projects you can tell us about?

I am currently working on the second book in the Witch You Weren’t Here world – it has different characters, on their own journey towards love, but Harry and Kay will definitely be making an appearance!

That sounds wonderful! I can’t wait to read it when it is done!

Well, thank you so much coming over, Emma, it has been a pleasure!

Thank you so much for having me today. 😊

The Blurb

One hurricane. Two stranded witches.
Sparks are bound to fly…

Kay knows three things to be true: a witch who cannot control their powers is dangerous, she needs to make it home for her brother’s wedding, and Harry Ashworth is the last person she ever wants to see…

But after visiting the witching community’s equivalent of IT support to try to fix her misbehaving magic, a hurricane hits and her flight home is cancelled!

Not only is Kay stranded, but she’s stranded with Harry – her infuriatingly handsome and charming childhood friend, who broke her heart when they were teenagers.

Except Harry is a frustratingly powerful witch so working together might be their only way to get back home. And the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore what is simmering under the surface.

Soon it becomes clear that Kay’s magic isn’t the only thing she doesn’t have control of…

YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHORS LOVE WITCH YOU WEREN’T HERE!

‘Fun, sweet and sexy’ SARAH HAWLEY – Author of A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon

‘If you love witchy romcoms, this one’s for you! Fun and fast-paced, with enemies-to-lovers sharing only one bed, and plenty of magical twists along the way.’ KATE JOHNSON – Author of Hex Appeal

‘It cast a spell on me from the first page with its bewitching brew of angst, charm and romance’ M.A. KUZNIAR – Author of Midnight in the Everwood.

Buy Link: Witch You Weren’t Here by Emma Jackson | Orion – Bringing You News From Our World To Yours (orionbooks.co.uk)

My Review

Witch You Weren’t Here by Emma Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Witches, road trips and romance.
What a fun mix to create a fantastic read!
Kay is a witch, born to a witching family from the heart of an established witching town.
However, she isn’t feeling the witchiness. Unable to control her magic, she takes the opportunity to visit a specialist in these magic malfunctions in Prague while on a work trip there.
She didn’t expect to be held up there in a huge storm threatening all of Europe while trying to get back to England ASAP to attend her brother’s wedding.
Oh, and then there’s the matter of her unexpected companion for the journey back, an old friend and childhood crush, Harry, a fellow witch.
The story is set over a couple of days, as they battle all manner of obstacles to reach the wedding.
What can I say? I truly loved this whole story. I bet we all wish for a little magic in our lives. Oh, to cast a little spell to make the weather more favourable, get certain chores done, or even get that person to like you… But reading about Kay and Harry’s difficulties, despite having these powers, made me think that nothing is ever that simple.
Their momentous journey back to the UK is evidence that no amount of magic can solve every problem!
The evolving relationship of Kay and Harry that is set over a couple of days actually spans years, dating back to their youth, when Kay had a bit of an unrequited crush on her brother’s mate… and certain situations left her feeling rather raw, and a bit of a failure. This unexpected meeting brings all manner of feelings back to the surface, spiced with faulty magic!
And that’s only from Kay’s side! Who knows if Harry is even interested?
A thoroughly enjoyable witchy read!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing for an ARC.

About the Author

Emma is the author of the Best Selling A MISTLETOE MIRACLE and a contender for the Joan Hessayon Award 2020. She has been a devoted bookworm and secret story scribbler since she was 6. When she’s not running around after her two daughters and trying to complete her current work-in-progress, Emma loves to read, bake, catch up on binge-watching TV programmes with her partner and plan lots of craft projects that will inevitably end up unfinished. Emma is also co-host on the SFFRomCast, a podcast dedicated to celebrating fantasy and sci-fi romance. Season 5, which features deep dives into six popular SFF romance tropes, releases in September https://linktr.ee/SFFRomCast

Her next book, WITCH YOU WEREN’T HERE, is a witchy rom-com full of misbehaving magic, brother’s best friend angst, and only one-bed shenanigans. It’s due for release on 12 October 2023 in eBook, paperback and audiobook and will also be available on Kindle Unlimited.

You can find out news about Emma by following her on social media here: https://linktr.ee/ESJackson and for giveaways or short stories, you can sign up to her newsletter here: https://tinyletter.com/EmmaSJackson