“Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”
Malala Yousafzai
Thanks for that quote, Spidey. That Malaa is one wise young woman.
I’ll be honest. I am still shattered.
Two weeks off work, and even though we haven’t done anything over the top, personal circumstances have left me less rested than before.
Am I excited to go back?
It’s a busy big term, as you can guess.
On top of the main job of educating the children, we have a couple of short weeks due to bank holidays, including the one for the King’s Coronation. Then there is the writing of reports, the assessing of children at the end of the year, progress meetings, as well as, for me, the huge task of looking at the new entrants to our school, due in September, filtering through them, contacting the parents, and trying to allocate classes for them, looking at transition activities for our current children, to ease them into the world of Year One, after their Reception year, as well as meeting the children who will be in our hands, after. ( And I hear there are chances of more strikes from certain unions, which, though for important causes, doesn’t make our lives any easier in the present moment…)
I am already looking at that May half-term, two-week break with joy! (Which will be busy, too, since Lil Man’s A-levels will start, and there is the small matter of book two being released in the middle of it!), and then the summer vacation, another six weeks later!
But, honestly, I am not wishing the time away. I love being with the children but could do without the paperwork and red tape.
Still, at least I have the breaks to look forward to!
So, Peeps, how do you get over the back-to-work blues?😊
These are a few and more beyond, but which one to choose?
Monobrow.
Because I just looked in the mirror and nearly scared myself with the overgrowth in the brow area before reassuring myself that I wouldn’t scare my class on Monday as I have a beautician’s appointment tomorrow…
Today, I am thrilled to welcome a dear friend and fantastic author, Lizzie Chantree to chat about her latest release, The One That He Wants.
Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Lizzie! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. I know you like to meet with fellow writers over a cuppa!
I can offer you an English brew, or, if you fancy a little something different, I can always brew up some masala tea… or a coffee if you please? Or maybe a hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows? Let me know. Snacks a plenty, too, from biscuits to something spicier!
Hi Ritu. Firstly, congratulations on your own brand new book! I can’t wait to read it. I do love English breakfast tea, but my weakness is a frothy latte. I would never say no to a snack, and although I try to eat healthily, I have a bubblegum drawer in my writing studio! Just don’t tell my children. Lol 😁
Aah, thank you so much, Lizzie. Yes, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind my end! But you know what that’s like! Let me grab you a latte, then and a few nibbles!
Right. So, let’s get started! I’d love to know where your writing journey started, Lizzie. Tell me what made you start to write novels.
I began writing as a kind of therapy. My youngest child was unwell for many years (she’s fine now), and I needed a way to keep myself awake at night to listen to her breathing. I decided to write a book, of all things! I filled it with the sunshine and laughter that was missing from my life at that time. I then hid it in a cupboard for five years until my daughter’s health began to improve. We now know she has contact allergies.
I am glad she is okay…. Children being unwell is one of the hardest things to comprehend. Now from that time you have a huge amount of stories under your belt!
Do you have a favourite of all your books?
I love them all, but my first, Babe Driven, is close to my heart. Writing that book helped me to get through a tough time in my life and my daughter proudly tells anyone who will listen that she was the catalyst for my new career, which is true!
I think your first book will always be something special, even if it never sees the light of day, especially as we know how tough it is to write any sort of book!
And, talking of writing, where do you like to write?
I adore writing by the sea or anywhere with cake, coffee and a great view. The landscape inspires me, and my pen seems to flow across the page. I often write the first 20 thousand words of my manuscripts by hand and enjoy the feel of pen and paper connecting to create something new.
I have often seen your posts of you out and about. Nature is just so inspiring! I have to admit to not being able to handwrite, as, despite bing a teacher, any writing of length makes my handwriting begin to look like a doctor’s and I can’t read it back!
I know you have a colourful past with business, too, with your lifesaving (or face-saving for many woman!) product Runaway Spray! Did that come before or after your writing started?
Before I began writing, I ran a retail and wholesale business for over fifteen years and designed my own product ranges. I invented Runaway Spray when I attended a very unusual university. We did a ‘four year in one’ course. 8am until 8pm every weekday. It was based in London and called, The School Of Communication Arts. I loved it there! They took around 35-40 students a year, and I was one of the youngest. It opened my eyes to design and marketing and showed me how to utilise my creative ideas. I was completely in awe of everyone there, as most had already been in creative industries for at least a few years. I joined straight from arts college.
That is an amazing achievement!
And to top it off, you do so much for the writing community with your fantastic Facebook group, Lizzie’s Book Group, which I love, as well as running the #CreativeBizHour conversation on Twitter on Mondays. How do you do all of this, on top of writing?
I do get tired! I also really love what I do, which helps. My mind is always looking for new avenues for creativity, so chatting to fellow creatives is an absolute pleasure and if I can share knowledge, then that makes me happy too. When I came into this industry, I didn’t know anyone or anything about publishing. Other authors and creatives took me under their wing and showed me where to find resources. I taught myself a lot under their guidance. If I can do it, anyone can! Networking was key to this success.
The creative community can be amazing, when you find your tribe, I agree, 100%. It was definitely because of my first community, formed on my blog that I got the confidence to decide to publish my poetry book, then Marriage Unarranged, with so much support and advice from this wonderful blogily I had found.
Before I go off on a totally different tangent, let’s chat about your latest book, The One That He Wants, book two in the Cherry Tree Series. I loved the first, and this one too! (Review is below!) Where did the idea come for this business park-related series?
Thank you for taking the time to read and review this book. I really appreciate you! Loved it!
The setting of Cherry Blossom Lane came naturally because Cherry Blossoms represent rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. The stories focus on a group of old school friends and the notorious Taylor ‘Heartbreak Brothers’ who live in their old town. There are invisible threads linking them all together throughout the series, but they all find ways to support, lift up and encourage each other, even if they sometimes fall in and out of love.
I love Sasha, the main character in this book, too. She is outwardly filled with so much confidence and advice, yet finds it hard to apply the same to herself! And she is a hot chocolate aficionado, too. Are you a hot chocolate fan, too?
I’m actually allergic to chocolate! I love that Sasha is unapologetic about who she is. She lacks confidence at times, but refuses to change for anyone – especially Oliver Taylor. A lot of it is bravado, but she learns about herself throughout the book, and I think the bit of self-reflection doesn’t do her any harm.
And, I already know there will be a third book, which I cannot wait for! But what else do you have in the pipeline? Any tidbits you want to share?
Thank you! I am excited to finish writing book three of my Cherry Blossom Lane series. I have also written a prequel to my Little Shop by the Sea series, which will be offered to my newsletter subscribers. The prequel is about the main character, Genie, before American heartthrob, Cal, crashed into her world. It was a lot of fun to write. Next up after that, is a book that I cannot wait to jump into. It’s set in London along a bustling riverside and based around assumptions, misunderstandings and sizzling romance!
How exiting! You know I’ll be there, ready to read!
I’m currently working on a series of seminars that I will be running this year in Essex, to help writers with their book marketing, launches and planning. They will be based on my book, Networking for Writers, but will include extra content. Book marketing can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be scary or expensive. It just needs a little imagination and a network of support. I run writing buddy sessions each month with fellow romance author, Chris Penhall, in Fete Graysyard Café in Chelmsford, Essex, where we encourage new and experienced writers to get words onto paper. If anyone is nearby, join in!
You truly are an awesome, encouraging person, Lizzie with so much creativity within you! I look forward to hearing more about the seminars, too!
Thank you so much for visiting, Lizzie. It’s been a pleasure.
Thank you for inviting me, Ritu.
My pleasure 😊
Peeps, there is more to come from lovely Lizzie so make sure you sign up for her newsletter!!
Now, as I mentioned before, I read The One That He Wnnts not long after it came out! Here’s the Blurb and my Review.
The Blurb
An exciting new romance read, from the author of, My Perfect Ex. After years of longing for a life that is just out of her reach, Sasha decides to take fate into her own hands and jump feet first into an exciting new job with her best friend Poppy. Now things are finally back on track, it’s time for Sasha to help plan a wedding and to start dating again… anyone but the best man, that is. When charismatic Oliver Taylor, best man and one of the town’s renowned ‘heartbreak brothers’ asks Sasha to be his plus-one for the wedding to escape the unwanted attentions of a mutual friend, circumstances beyond her control mean she has to accept. But then social media superstar, Devon comes onto the scene and starts shaking the foundations that Ollie is trying to rebuild. Will the past hold her back from an exciting new future, or will Sasha be brave enough to follow her heart? A irresistible, romantic story of enemies to lovers. Scroll up and one-click to lose yourself in the Cherry Blossom Lane series, today.
The One The He Wants, is the second book in a series of exciting romance novels set in Cherry Blossom Lane, by Lizzie Chantree.
I was absolutely into Cherry Blossom Lane with book 1, so I couldn’t wait to be reunited with the characters and learn more about what was happening with Sasha this time! And Lizzie Chantree did not disappoint. It was wonderful to see Poppy again, follow the lead-up to her wedding, and watch with intrigue the development of Sasha’s self-confidence and her romantic life. Ollie is the Taylor brother in the picture this time round, and he is certainly a complex character. There were plenty of ‘Will they? Won’t they?’ moments as different characters introduced themselves as prospective spanners in the works! I love how the intrigue has been built for the next book… And cannot wait for it to be out!
International bestselling author and award-winning inventor, Lizzie Chantree, started her own business at the age of 18 and became one of Fair Play London and The Patent Office’s British Female Inventors of the Year in 2000. She discovered her love of writing fiction when her children were little and now works as a business mentor and runs a popular networking hour on social media, where creatives can support to each other. She writes books full of friendship and laughter, that are about women with unusual and adventurous businesses, who are far stronger than they realise. She lives with her family on the coast in Essex.
Her motto is to always do what you love, stay true to your heart’s desires, and inspire others to do so too.
Lizzie is extremely active on Social Media, so if you want to follow her somewhere, I am sure there is something to your taste in this list!
Allow me to introduce to you the next release from best-selling author Teresa Driscoll, Tell Me Lies. Oh, what a good read!
The Blurb
From bestselling author Teresa Driscoll comes a chilling thriller of past secrets and present terror. Deep in a rural hideaway, it’s only the owls watching them…right?
After a betrayal that sent their marriage into freefall, Hannah and Sam are desperate for a fresh start with their eight-year-old daughter Lily—and where better than picture-perfect Owl Cottage in beautiful Cornwall. But something about the holiday home stirs dark memories for Hannah…
When she finds dead creatures on the doorstep and hears mysterious knocks at the door, Hannah can’t help wondering whether someone is messing with her—or whether the past she’s been running from has finally claimed her sanity.
As the disturbing events at Owl Cottage seep out into the local community and the police become involved, Hannah turns to Sam for help, but when he dismisses her worries, she wonders if she was wrong to ever trust him. Are the memories making her paranoid, or is this something more sinister than she dares imagine?
I’ve not read Teresa Driscoll’s books before, but this one had me hooked and on the lookout for her other books! Hannah is in a bit of a mess. She suffered huge trauma as a child and teenager, and just when her life was settled with her husband, Sam, and daughter, Lily, something pulls the rug from under her feet. To start afresh, the small family take a holiday and settles in what seems like an idyllic cottage named Owl Cottage. Perfect for Hannah, who loves owls. The thing is, idyllic rarely stays as such. Strange things begin to happen, causing Hannah and her family to begin to regret coming. Told mainly from the POV of Hannah, with some switches to Sam, Maud, Hannah’s mother, and the DI in charge of the eventual case. We also meet Hannah’s neurotic friend Amy and her handsome, but a bit smarmy, husband Adam. Her mother is worried. She can see her daughter in free fall, and knowing what has happened in the past, she’s concerned about what Hannah might do. Sam is tense, not knowing what impact his actions will have on his wife. The DI in charge of what should be a simple sudden death case ends up unearthing a lot more than that. I read this fairly quickly and was invested from the beginning. I could feel the anxiety and confusion in Hannah throughout. She did become a bit self-absorbed at times, but considering all she had been through, it’s not a surprise.
About the Author
Teresa Driscoll is a former BBC TV news presenter whose psychological thrillers have sold nearly two million copies across the world. Her first thriller I Am Watching You hit Kindle Number 1 in the UK, USA and Australia and has sold more than a million copies in English alone. Teresa writes women’s fiction as well as thrillers and her work has been optioned for film and sold for translation in more than 20 territories. For decades Teresa was a journalist working across newspapers, magazines and television. Covering crime for so long, she was deeply moved by the haunting impact on the relatives, the friends and the witnesses and it is those ripples she explores now in her darker fiction. Teresa lives in glorious Devon with her family and blogs regularly about her ‘writing life’ on her website, http://www.teresadriscoll.com.
But I Smile Anyway... 