But I Smile Anyway…

An extra special guest! How exciting!

Today, I am hosting the wonderfully talented Nicola May, an author who has shown how you
can make it successfully as a self-published one!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Nicola! Now, the first thing we do is get the
drinks sorted.

How lovely to be invited, thank you.

Before I get all flustered and fangirly, let me get you a drink. What I your preference? I have
all the usual hod beverages available, as well as a mean masala tea, if you wish to try!

Aw, no need to get fangirly, I am just a girl who writes words in order, sometimes in a good
way. I am also very basic in my beverage requirement. I love a plain old cup of English
Breakfast tea. Preferably, PG tips, please.

And we can’t go further without nibbles. What would you like? I have fresh donuts (sorry, I
didn’t make them!) or some shortbread cookies, made by my own fair hand!

Ooh, your homemade shortbread please. One of my favourite biscuits. Thank you. What are
you having?

It’s getting a bit nippy here, so I think a Chai Latte for me.

I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. When
did you realise you wanted to write, and how was your journey to becoming a
published author?

I actually didn’t start writing until my thirties. I was working in PR at the time and
was very much a party girl. I was dared to run a half marathon and I thought it would be
quite funny to create a comedy diary of events throughout my tough training. Amazingly, I
completed the run, but didn’t finish the diary. It did, however, give me the writing bug and
I completed my first novel.
My journey to becoming a published author has been very varied; jumping from self-
published to traditionally published. I have had my best success on my own. In fact, The
Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay got to #1 on the Amazon Kindle store.

Such an amazing achievement! Well done for that. You are a source of inspiraton for many writers out there. 😊

And do you have a favourite out of all your published books, so far?

I think it has to be the book I mentioned earlier, it is a heartfelt story of a cockney girl who
inherits a shop in Devon from a mystery benefactor. It is a love story combined with a
mystery and is also special, as the success of it enabled me to give up the day job as a
Corporate Events Manager and write full time.
I hear you have a new book underway too, Ritu? The Rishtay Series sounds so interesting,
please do tell me more.

Thank you for asking, Nicola. Yes, I am in the midst of writing the third book, continuing the stories of the Gill family. This time my focus is on infertility, and. itis quite a tough write, as we had our own struggles, so I am trying not to write my own story, but use my experiences, as well as those of many women (and men) I have spoken to, to bring the topic out in a sensitive manner. Rishtay means repationships, so I love exploring those in detail in all my writing.

Now, I always ask this one, but could you tell me where you like to write? Do you have a
writing room/desk, or are you a writer who likes to take their laptop/notepad out and
about?
I love to write in bed on my laptop, under the duvet, whatever the weather!

Sounds perfect! I’ve done the same, but I think I would end up with a Ritu-shaped dent in my bed if I did that all the time, so I am lucky to have a little writing room!

Have you ever written a book that you feel will never see the light of day? I know I
have a few half-written ideas, but nothing I finished, completely, then set to one side!

I started writing a couple I set aside, but my recent book A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane
Market has taken on one of those old ideas. I had a thought way back about somebody
changing their identity and seeing how they are perceived when they are not quite so
beautiful on the outside.

I have read at least two of your series, so far, and I love the community feel to them.
What was your inspiration for these books?

Aw thank you so much. I love Devon and Cornwall where both the Cockleberry Bay and
Ferry Lane Market Series are set, and it was easy to capture the magic of them from my
holiday experiences down there. I also was a child of the 70’s and feel that at the time my
street really did have a community feel to it. I think that is something that is lacking in a lot of
areas now and I wanted to capture that down in both of my fictitious towns.

And you do a fabulous job!

Now, today we are here to have a chat about your newest release, A Holiday Romance
in Ferry Lane Market. I have enjoyed all the books so far, and was honoured to have
been able to read an advanced copy. (Review, below, Peeps!) It is always a joy to pick
up the new book in a series and know you will be immersed in a new story, but will
get the updates on favourite characters from previous books. Where did the idea for
Sabrina and her story come from? I think I would hate to be in the spotlight like that!

Thank you. I really enjoyed writing it. Sabrina is a soap actor who changes her identity to
escape her previous life. A life of being hounded and trolled by press and public whenever
her life takes a downward turn. I got trolled on a very minor level, recently but it made me
think about how it really must affect people in the public eye who experience it a lot. I also
wanted to explore how looks conscious everybody is these days. By Serena changing her
appearance it is interesting to see how she is perceived and how she feels about that. I have
friends who used to be in a huge British police drama quite a few years ago, so I was able to
dig into my memories of how their celebratory status was perceived.

I was so happy to read the ending… I won’t add too much to spoil it for prospective
readers, but how does it feel to write about old favourite characters in newer books?

A reader asked me to bring that old favourite character back, and I listened! Aren’t they great? I had a bit of a soft spot for them myself to be honest.

I think that will be my last Ferry Lane Market book. However, my dad, who is my cover artist
just sent me a wonderful painting that looked very much like Cockleberry Bay, so maybe, just
maybe you should watch this space…

Good luck with this latest release, Nicola! And as they say, never say never!

I love this style, thank you Ritu and your book series sounds fantastic.

Thank you for saying that and , you are most welcome, Nicola. It was a pleasure having you visit!

Thank you so much for having me, this is all marvellous x

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my lovely guest, Nicola May!

The Blurb

To escape a public scandal, a jilted actress journeys to Ferry Lane Market

When soap actor Sabrina Swift loses her way due to a public scandal, she packs up her life, heads to Cornwall and finds herself running a gift shop in the quaint and quirky Ferry Lane Market.

Changing her looks and identity to keep her anonymity, the newcomer starts to make friends and enemies as she walks a frosty path in the established marketplace community.

And as rumours start circling that the outside market is going to be shut down, Sabrina is not only ensconced in an unexpected love triangle but is also faced with a difficult decision that could alter both her life and those of the inhabitants of Hartmouth forever.

Charming characters and a beautifully written setting make for a delightful and uplifting tale that explores themes of self-discovery, belonging and the importance of following your heart.

My Review

A Holiday Romance in Ferry Lane Market by Nicola May
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do love a good series, especially when you can revisit memorable characters, as well as get to know new ones, and Nicola May is brilliant at creating those kinds of characters.
The Ferry Lane Market Series is great, and I was thrilled to be back with the wonderful people who make up the community.
This time, the newcomer is Sabrina Swift. Sabrina is a well-known TV actress, running away from a disastrous wedding day.
She assumes a different identity as she tries to settle within the community, with only a handful of people knowing the truth, as she comes to terms with the deceit of her almost-husband, Dom.
An opportunity to take a stall part-time seems too good to be true, but the market inspector sells it to her.
As she settles, the old favourites we know from previous books, like Bella, Star and Kara, all make their appearances and help Sabrina, or Jilly, as they know her, to start up her successful stall.
But that would be too simple and boring to read, wouldn’t it?
The threat of being found out, an illicit affair, hiding things from people she becomes close to. Everything takes its toll on Sabrina.
A great cast of characters and some well-shaped antagonists, too, made me fume as I read the things they did!
I loved the story, and I was thrilled with the ending. There are some characters you don’t forget, and seeing them have a happy ending makes me smile. Kinda hoping there will be more…

Here is the buy link for #AHolidayRomanceInFerryLaneMarket

And here’s a little about Nicola and her other books.

Nicola May is a rom-com superstar. She is the author of seventeen romantic comedies, all of which have appeared in the Kindle bestseller charts. The Corner Shop in Cockleberry Bay became the best-selling Kindle book in the UK, across all genres, in January 2019, and was Amazon’s third-bestselling novel in that year. It spawned three sequels, followed by the hit Ferry Lane Market trilogy.

Follow Nicola:

Linktr.ee/nicolamay

www.nicolamay.com

i:author_nicola

t: @nicolamay1

f: NicolaMayAuthor

A new guest! How exciting!

Today, I am hosting the lovely Fiona Leitch, whose books I have wanted to read for a while,
but as you all know, my TBR is a teetering pile! Still, I went off and prioritised a certain series
in September…

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Fiona! Now, the first thing we do is get the
drinks sorted. I have all the hot drinks available. Let me know what you fancy! Tea, coffee, masala chai, hot chocolate…?

Ooh…now I’d normally go for a cup of tea, but I had my first masala chai a few weeks back and it was delicious, so I’ll have one of those, please!

I know Jodie is a bit of a chef, in the series, and I don’t proclaim to have all the skills,
however I do make a mean carrot cake! Care for a slice?

I never turn down cake, especially when they have vegetables in them and can be therefore counted as one of your five a day. Carrot cake is basically health food.

I have to agree! 😀

I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. When
did you realise you wanted to write, and how was your journey to becoming a
published author?

Probably like most writers, I loved English at school and I was always writing stories as a child. However, I’m also a dreadful show off, so writing took a back seat when I decided I wanted to be an actor instead. I did half(!) of a drama degree at Goldsmiths in London, but I soon realised that I would never be cast
as a leading lady – comedy sidekick, maybe. So I decided to write my own roles. That led to me writing comedy sketches, and even doing one solitary stand up comedy gig (which was absolutely terrifying), after which I decided I’d stick to writing funny stuff, rather than performing it. I started as a screenwriter, because I didn’t realise how hard it was to get stuff made. I resisted the urge to write a novel for a long, long time, because it’s so many words! But after a couple of years of ALMOST getting a TV sitcom made, and ALMOST getting a film made, I was persuaded by fellow writer and all-round good egg Carmen Radtke to adapt one of my favourite scripts into a novel. And that’s how my debut, ‘Dead in Venice’, came about. It was published by Audible after I entered it in their Crime Grant contest, and the rest, as they say, is history…

And do you have a favourite out of all your published books, so far?

I will always have a massive soft spot for ‘Dead in Venice’, as it was my first born and I didn’t
know any of the so-called rules, and just wrote exactly what I wanted. But in terms of
which one I think is the best, I’m most proud of the one that’s just come out, the sixth
book in the Jodie Parker series, A Cornish Seaside Murder. It feels a bit more serious
in terms of storyline than some of the others, whilst also (I think) still being funny.

I always ask this one, but could you tell me where you like to write? Do you have a writing room/desk, or are you a writer who likes to take their laptop/notepad out and about?

I wish I had a writing room! But I’ve never had one. I wrote my first four books sitting on the sofa with the TV on (watching ‘Homes Under the Hammer’ and ‘Bargain Hunt’, lol) and my laptop on my knees. I’ve now got two sofas to choose from, one of which is still in front of the telly, and the other in our front room which doesn’t have a TV set, so that’s where I sit when I want to do some ‘serious’ writing.
To be honest I would probably end up writing here even if I did have a study, as it’s comfortable, I’m surrounded by my books and art and plants, and it’s near the kettle!

Have you ever written a book that you feel will never see the light of day? I know I have a few half-written ideas, but nothing I finished, completely, then set to one side!

I do have several finished but currently unpublished books, which I HOPE others will get to see, but who knows. My first three books were based on screenplays I’d written, and one of these, ‘Lost in Berlin’, is a kind of spy/crime/romance novel based around the techno clubs of Berlin. I absolutely love it, but I think if I ever want it published I’ll have to do it myself. I’ve got a police/romance novel set in Outback Australia, plus another Melbourne-set novel I co-wrote with the marvellous Sandy
Barker, which we’ll pitch in Australia when we get time away from our contracted series. So who knows? Hopefully they will see the light of day at some point!

I love the romantic current that runs through your series. I know you like to write the cosy crime kind of novel but have you ever wanted to write one that is of a totally different genre?

I actually didn’t even know what cosy crime was until I started writing the Jodie Parker series. ‘Dead in Venice’ was a crime/romcom mash up, so a bit different. One of my other self published books, ‘Falling in Louvre’, is more romcom than anything else, although there is a crime element in it. I do have a half
written romcom (which will get finished once my contracted books are done!), which does still have a bit of a mystery in the story. I think I’d be hard-pressed to write a straight romcom or romance, and I don’t really have any desire to write stuff like sci-fi or fantasy, even though I occasionally read it.

Now, I invited you over to have a little chat about the Nosy Parker Series! I consumed it in September. What fun! Made me want to visit Cornwall! Can you tell me about your inspiration for this series?

After I wrote ‘Dead in Venice’, One More Chapter/HarperCollins asked me if I could write them a cosy mystery series. They had gone through the bestselling books in the genre at the time, and they gave me a list of tropes that they thought would be good to include. But I hated most of them! They
suggested having an amateur detective, a craft of some type (they actually suggested a knitting circle!), a cute pet, and a rural location. So I came back with an ex-cop (so unofficial but most definitely NOT an amateur), a caterer (so she had an excuse to travel around and meet different people), a farty dog, and the Cornish seaside. And they said yes! I lived in Cornwall for a while, so setting it there was a no-brainer; it’s a beautiful place, and I know it well as I still have family there. I like TV cop shows and I like to think I’d have been an alright detective – I think a lot of it is common sense and logic – so I didn’t want to write about a complete amateur, making stupid mistakes and constantly almost getting themselves killed. And I love cooking!

Are you a closet chef, like Jodie?

I am! Baking is kind of my happy place. If I’m having a bad time or feeling a bit rubbish, I put some music on and bake something. Following a recipe and actually making something is really good for clearing the mind. It’s almost Zen, but it’s better than meditation as there is cake at the end!

A little bird tells me that another Cornish Mystery will be landing soon enough… care to share any titbits about it, and any other projects you have on the horizon?

I’m currently working away on book 7, ‘The Cornish Campsite Murder’, which is set around a music festival on the north coast of Cornwall. It features ageing rockstars and a food truck selling pies called Pie Hard. After that it’s on to book 8, which revolves around a big day in the lives of Jodie and Nathan… I do have an idea for another Christmas book in the series, but I should probably run it by my publisher before I start telling people about it!

Well I think we hare honoured that you even hinted at it! And I can’t wait for the next one, now I have the Nosey Parker bug!

Thanks, Ritu! Fun questions. I enjoyed that!

You are most welcome, Fiona. You will have to come back when it hits release date for the next one!

And here’s a little about Fiona and her other books.

Fiona Leitch is an author, screenwriter, and enthusiastic tea drinker. She’s written for
football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves, and was a stalwart of the low
budget TV commercial until her debut novel, the darkly funny ‘Dead in Venice’, was
published by Audible as part of their inaugural Crime Writing Grant. She now writes the
Jodie ‘Nosey’ Parker cosy crime series for HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter, because
she loves thinking about Cornwall, food, and murdering people (not necessarily in that
order). Since launching in 2021 the series has been translated into French, Italian, German
and Czech. She is a sucker for a happy ending (though not for the victim, obviously), a
romantic subplot, and the odd cheesy pun.
After living in London, Cornwall and New Zealand she’s finally settled in sunny Norfolk,
where she enjoys freaking out her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days
walking on the sand dunes of Great Yarmouth with her family, and working out ever more
twisty ways of killing people.

Follow Fiona:

Facebook

Instagram

Website

Another return guest! How exciting!

Today I have been honoured with another repeat visitor, and this time, we have the gorgeous Sandy Barker joining us to discuss her newest release, the first in a new series, Match Me If You Can, and signing with a new publisher, Boldwood Books!

Hello, and welcome back to But I Smile Anyway, Sandy! Let me get you set with a drink. What would you prefer?

As you know, I have all the usual offerings; tea, coffee, hot chocolate, or even a glass of bubbles if you prefer, since a couple of my recent guests have felt it appropriate to enjoy a glass of prosecco while visiting.

Oooh, I’d love a glass of bubbly – thank you!

And, in honour of their mention in the book, I tried to bake those Greek cookies… I hope they turned out okay!

There has been a lot going on since you last visited, including your signing with Boldwood Books. Congratulations for that, to start! Can you talk us through the process of how you ended up with a different publisher?

Well, thank you – that is so sweet. I had just submitted my last book for One More Chapter, The Christmas Trip, and I was chatting with my agent about ‘what next?’ I’d had these ideas for a handful of contemporary romcoms based in a city but wasn’t sure what would connect them.

Then I came up with the idea for a series set around a matchmaking agency and thought about which publisher might like it. I’d been a huge fan of Boldwood Books since they started 4 years ago, so we pitched to them, I met the lovely Emily Yau, my editor, and they offered me a deal. A dream come true.

I even saw on your social media that you have been doing a little dog-sitting! Have you ever had a dog, or pet, of your own?

I had mostly cats growing up and one dog when I was in my teens. My partner and I have had three cats together, and both love dogs, but we’re thinking of a move at the start of next year, so we have been offering to pet sit to get our fill ‘furbaby’ time.

What about you? Any furbabies at home?

We have the infamous Sonu Singh, our Punjabi cat! He’s been with us for a good 8 years and is my noisy furry muse!

Right, let’s get back to that book in question. Firstly, I love the title, Match Me If You Can. Does the title come first for you, or is that something you think about after writing the story? Or is it something suggested by the publisher, your agent or someone else? For me, so far, all my titles have been my choice, though I did start with my first book being called something totally different until I finished it, and along with some of my beta readers, thought it didn’t quite fit. The second and third, I knew before even starting the books!

Book titles are sometimes so hard! I envy you knowing your titles even before you start. And your titles are so clever too.

This book went through several working titles, none of which were a fit, and then Emily sent over a shortlist. Every title the team at Boldwood suggested was far better than anything I came up with. Match Me If You Can was a firm fave right away.

Even though you still managed to sneak a little travel in there, this series is a bit different, isn’t it? What was the inspiration behind setting your book, and the subsequent ones, in a matchmaking agency?

It is! Most of my books have heavily featured travel but I wanted to make this series a lot more centred around people’s daily lives and relationships. Though, as you said, I snuck some travel in there because I am still passionate about it and will always include it in my stories somehow.

And the matchmaking agency idea came when we were in the throws of the longest and strictest lockdown in the world (in Melbourne) and I watched back-to-back seasons of Call My Agent. I loved the idea of having a cast of regulars that readers could come to know and love as well as the love interests in each book. And I’ve always been obsessed with matchmaking. Have you seen ‘Indian Matchmaker’? I heart Sima so much!

Yes, I watched that series, both the first and the second series, in binge fits! Obviously, being Indian, the whole premise intrigued me, not least because I hadn’t had an arranged marriage! But Sima Aunty is definitely a character and a half!

I have to say, your fictitious agency reminded me of the typical Indian arranged marriage way of pairing couples up, and for the most part, they aren’t a bad thing, I guess. There was a much lower divorce rate among those couple who chose to fall in love after a much-researched arranged marriage. Would you have ever contemplated an agency if you hadn’t found your Ben?

By the time I met Ben, when I was 37, I’d sworn off men and was resolved never to find anyone to have that special relationship with. I probably wouldn’t have discounted matchmaking – though my friends certainly gave it a good (amateur) try for a few years!

How about you? How did you two meet?

We met at University! I was in my final year and Hubby Dearest still had a couple of years to go. Within a few months, we knew we wanted to be together, so it was a case of how we approached our parents to let them know! I guess the biggest plus point was that we were both Sikh, so that would always be acceptable, and the rest, as they say, is history!

Poor Poppy has quite a conundrum on her hands through this story; the old ‘forbidden love’ thing going on. If she were your friend, what advice would you give her? Follow your heart, or stick with the rules of your job?

I’m a ‘follow your heart’ kind of gal. I have often ‘broken the rules’, leaving good jobs to travel around the world or moving to another country to live with my long-distance boyfriend, even though we’d only spent 3 months (actually) together over that 2 years. I think rules can sometimes hem us in.

What about you? Would you have told Poppy to follow her heart or the rules?

I would definitely have told her to follow her heart! I was telepathically trying to send messages to a fictional character as I read the story!

I was lucky enough to be a very early reader of Match Me If You Can, and I loved it! (And thank you for the mention in the acknowledgements. I was touched!) The taster chapter at the end of book two whetted my appetite 100%! Will that be your next release?

First, you are so welcome for the thank you. Your advice really helped lend authenticity to two of my fave characters, Ravi and Jacinda, our hero’s closest friends.

Have you ever used a cultural sensitivity reader for any of your books? I’ve done that a few times as I want to be respectful and ‘get it right’.

I used a couple of sensitivity readers for Straight As A Jalebi, because I am not a homosexual Punjabi male, and I wanted to ensure I was not writing stereotypes or insensitively. Thankfully the feedback I got was positive, and it made for a better story, knowing I was hitting the right emotions.

And yes, the taster at the back of Match Me If You Can is, indeed, Book 2 in the series! It hasn’t got a title yet but I LOVE writing this book. It is set in the world of fashion, which has been so much fun to write. And Poppy is back as the matchmaker. It will be out in Feb next year.

Good luck with this latest release, Sandy and I cannot wait for the second one to drop!

As always such a thoughtful set of questions – and thank you again for reading it and having me on your gorgeous blog.

You are most welcome, Sandy. It is aways a pleasure having you visit!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Christmas Trip so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my fabulous guest, Sandy!

The Blurb

Welcome to the Ever After Agency – a clandestine organisation offering bespoke solutions to romantic problems. Whether you’re looking for the love of your life, a fresh romantic start, or just want to keep up appearances, the agency can tailor a solution to meet your needs. When Tristan Fellows walks into the agency, Poppy Dean knows she’s in for a challenge. A typical bachelor, Tristan has no intention of falling in love, but in order to receive his 30-million-pound inheritance, he must find himself a wife before his 35th birthday. This may be Poppy’s hardest case yet, but even the most arrogant of men can sometimes warm a woman’s heart…

‘With smart banter and swoony moments against a backdrop of Greece, Edinburgh and London, Sandy Barker gives us another brilliant romcom and joyful read.’ Pernille Hughes

‘A wonderfully warm and witty will they/won’t they romance. Match Me If You Can is a perfect romantic read.’ Kathleen Whyman

My Review

Match Me If You Can: An utterly hilarious, will-they-won’t-they? romantic comedy from Sandy Barker for 2023 by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Match Me If You Can is a fantastic start to a new series by one of my must-read authors, Sandy Barker.
I was not disappointed at all with the story’s premise or how everything unfolded.
Poppy works at an extremely exclusive match-making agency, catering to the elite and people who need a helping hand with finding suitable life partners.
Her latest client, Tristan, is a difficult one.
He’s not keen on marrying but has found himself in a predicament where he forfeits a huge inheritance if he doesn’t marry by a certain age.
She takes him on a journey of introductions, some of which are horrifying but extremely entertaining, before finally finding the one in the most unexpected place.
I was immersed in the story from the off and cannot wait for more in the series to come out!

These are the buy links for #MatchMeIfYouCan

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Amazon CA

Audio:  The Reading House  | iBooks | Glassboxx

eBook: Kobo | iBooks | Nook

Angus & Robertson

Waterstone | Foyles 

And here’s a little about Sandy and her other books.

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.

Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The series continues in Paris, Sydney, and Bali with Tuscany the final destination in the series. Sandy’s novels The Christmas Swap and The Christmas Trip celebrate her favourite time of the year, and her romcom, The Dating Game, is set in the (fascinating) world of Reality TV.

Follow Sandy:

Tweets by sandybarker

https://www.facebook.com/sandybarkerauthor

https://sandybarker.com/

https://www.instagram.com/sandybarkerauthor/

What fun! We are on part three of Book and a Brew with Ritu!.

Today, I am beyond excited to have a fangirl moment as brilliant romance author Sandy Barker pops over for a visit! I’ll have you know it took a little time to align our body clocks and timings to work with the UK/Australian time difference, but we managed!

We’ll talk about her latest release, The Christmas Trip, a sequel to the fantastic The Christmas Swap. as well as plenty of other bookish and writerely things!

Hello, and welcome to But I Smile Anyway, Sandy! Let’s get you set with a drink, first. What wonderful warm drink can I interest you in?

I can offer you a typical English tea, or, if you fancy a little something different, I can always brew up some masala tea… or a coffee if you please? Or maybe it is mulled wine we should be sipping since we are talking all things Christmas with your new release out! Let me know. I have my usual samosas and pakoras, and I even baked some of my grandmother’s delicious three-ingredient butter shortbread biscuits, which I thought would be particularly fitting for our catch-up!

First, thank you so much for having me. It’s great that we can finally catch up. Now, normally I’d say a cup of tea – but mulled wine is on offer? I think I have to say yes to that, and I LOVE shortbread biscuits, so yes, please!

Now you’ve got your drink and a nibble, let’s get started.

I always love to find out more about where a fellow author’s journey started. Can you tell me a little bit about how you came to be published, Sandy? I ‘met’ you via the RNA. Were they part of your journey?

Absolutely, the RNA has been part of my journey. I self-published my first book back in December 2017, right as we were about to leave Australia for a one-year sabbatical. We moved to Bali first, and it was there I wrote book 2 in the series. By the time we got to the UK in August, I’d self-published book 2 and was writing book 3. That’s where I discovered the incredible writing community that centres around the RNA. I joined the New Writer’s Scheme for 2019 at the same time I was pitching to agents and publishers in the UK.

When we landed back in Australia in January 2019, I got a publication offer for my first self-published book – the one that became One Summer in Santorini. Off the back of that offer, I secure my brilliant agent, Lina Langlee, and we’ve been building my writing career ever since. I am very grateful for the support of the RNA community, particularly as I started my writing journey. It was a thrill to get to the 2022 conference this year and meet many of my contemporaries in person!

Sandy, you have managed to amass a total of 8 books released since 2019. I am in awe! (Considering it took me near enough twenty years to get my first finished and published…) Where do your ideas come from? I know you love travelling, and foreign shores feature heavily in all your books.

Travel is definitely a strong inspiration for my stories and often the starting point. With Bali, for example, I thought, ‘Who in the Holiday Romance series can I send to this incredible destination?’ That’s when I had the idea of giving a supporting character from That Night in Paris, Jaelee, her own story with most of it set in Bali.

With The Dating Game, which also features travel but is more focussed on the machinations of a reality TV dating show, I was writing recaps of The Bachelor for my colleagues – we were in a sweepstake together during the height of the COVID lockdowns and it was a fun way to connect with them. Those recaps sparked the idea of sending a recapper on the show undercover. That was a blast to write.

And what about you? Where do you get your ideas?

Thank you for asking! My writing tends to find its roots in my own, to be honest. I like to write about life, and situations that are often not openly discussed within our Indian community, with a twist that will engage readers from all backgrounds. It’s always fiction with an educational element, if you like, as many readers of my first novel, and some blog posts always comment on what they have learned about our culture, after reading.

Sandy, is there a favourite book out of the eight of yours that are out there?

I have a soft spot for book 5 in the Holiday Romance series as I got to bring everyone back together and write Tuscany! That was also during lockdown – Melbourne being the most locked down city in the world over the past few years – so it was great escapism to write about such a beautiful destination. But I think The Dating Game is my funniest book.

Do you have a fave of mine, Ritu?

That is a tough question, Sandy! I have enjoyed them all, but I think the Christmas Swap was a particular favourite, because who doesn’t love a bit of festive fun?

Now, I’m a nosy parker, you know. I like to see where others process their creative magic. Where do you like to write? (If I’m not mistaken, I am sure I saw you with a standing desk on one of your social media posts!)

I do have a standing desk, something necessitated by neck issues and headaches I’ve had for twenty plus years.

Ouch!

I typically get up between 5 and 6 in the morning and write or edit for a couple of hours before switching gears to my day job. A couple of years ago, I also went part-time – 4 days a week instead of 5 – and I treat Fridays as a workday – but for my author job. Sometimes, it’s fun to get out and take my laptop to a place with a view – the beach or a winery – and hole up there for a day of writing.

I have such trouble finding time during the term to write because my teaching job uses up all my reserves, and as I have a commute, driving around an hour every day, on top of my working hours, the holidays and weekends are my time to create, the way I want. Maybe one day, I might drop a day, too! But I think that is a while away, yet! (Because I do love my day job, too…)

Where’s your favourite place to write?

I love writing in my writing nook at home, but I’d love to be one of those authors who can camp out at a cafe, bashing out the words, while people-watching and finding even more inspiration! Alas, time and my other life as a teacher as well as a big family person mean that I have very little time for whimsical ideas like that… one day, though. I am scoping out local cafes to have a try!

I’ve read each one of your books, so far, Sandy, and loved them all. Have you ever written a manuscript that is sat, hiding on your desktop, or idling on a USB stick, that you haven’t had published, for whatever reason?

I think we all have at least one of those – hee hee. I do have a few story ideas that are ‘trapped’ in various notebooks and I have a short story (about 15k words) that I’d like to develop into a full-length novel one day. But it’s very different from the romcoms I write. And thank you for the kind words about my books. I’ve got Marriage Unarranged loaded up on my Kindle and can’t wait to get into it – it looks like such a fun read. Thank you so much, Sandy! I hope you enjoy it when you get around to reading it. If your TBR is anything like mine, I know it’s a slog to fit all that reading in around life and writing, too!

Before I warble on about all manner of other things, let’s bring it back to the book of the moment, The Christmas Trip, and top up that mulled wine! This is a sequel to the fantastic The Christmas Swap, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And, lucky me, I got to read an ARC of The Christmas Trip, which was equally wonderful. Did you always plan for a sequel, or was it something that was borne after seeing the way readers lapped up these characters?

I didn’t plan on a sequel when I wrote the first book, but a lot of readers who read The Christmas Swap wondered ‘what next?’ for the May Ladies – Chloe, Lucy and Jules – so I had a think and ended up writing The Christmas Trip, bringing them all back together. I also wanted to set it in a location that was unique to these characters. I love Hawaii and wrote about Maui in A Sunset in Sydney, so I decided to set this book on the island of Kauai.

Have you ever had Christmas in a warm part of the world?

I have! We celebrated in Kenya a few times, growing up, as my parents were both born there, so it would coincide with the odd visit. However, it was never Christmas as we knew it, since all the times we were out there at that time, we were celebrating another family wedding! At least four, I think, and turkey and all the trimmings were a distant dream! But Pops and Mum always bought our presents along, and we would have our Christmas dinner at home when we got back!

I must ask… are you a Christmas geek? And what is Christmas like, for you, Down Under? I know we rarely get a white Christmas over here, but it is even less likely for you!

I am a complete Christmas geek. The Christmas Swap actually came about because I wanted to write about some of the Christmases I’ve had in the past – including in England and Colorado. Here in Australia, it’s typically a hot day, so we sip champers and eat seafood. I always make a pavlova too. That sounds great! I have family in Perth. Maybe, one day, we can try an Aussie Christmas, with them!

What about you? What do you and your family do for the holidays?

If we are home, despite being Sikh, we always celebrate Christmas the traditional way. As a child with my parents, and now, either at my in-laws or at our home, with the turkey and full trimmings! I love getting the tree up on the 1st December, but have to station it in a place where Sonu Singh, our cat, cant chew off the branches, or bat off the baubles! There are less wrapped presents underneath too, nowadays, since the kids are teens and they prefer an envelope with cash!

Now, back to your bookish plans, Sandy…

I may be being cheeky here, but are there any plans for a part three? If not, what do we Sandy Barker-ites have to look forward to, from you, next? I hear there may even be a collaborative offering in the pipeline…

Not sure about a part 3 for the May Ladies – maybe one day. At the moment, Fiona Leitch and I are putting the finishing touches on a co-authored project we’ve been working on in between other books. We call it Big Little Lies meets Gone Girl. It’s a sexy suburban noir thriller set in contemporary Melbourne. I am also working on a labour of love – a dramedy set in Sydney called Tilly Finnegan, Begin Again. I’m about 1/3 of the way through that. And I have started a new rom-com series. I can’t say much about that at the moment, but it will be a lot of fun to explore a range of romantic tropes throughout the series.

So what are you working on next?

I’m currently editing book 2 in The Rishtay Series, due for release in June 2023, and working on the ideas for book 3! (Honestly, I can’t believe there is more than one book in me!)

Your collab with Fiona sounds amazing, and Tilly Finnegan, Begin Again, too. (I am now singing Michael Finnegan under my breath, I’ll have you know! Earworm!)

Now, much as I’d like to keep supping wine with you, I know you have a busy schedule, what with it being publication day, Sandy! Thank you so much for taking the time to pop over and visit! I can’t wait to do it again!

Thank you SO much. What fun questions! 

Good luck with the release, Sandy! I loved reading The Christmas Trip, and I know others will love it, too!

So much to look forward to, from Sandy (and Fiona Leitch, too!). I can’t wait!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of The Christmas Trip so please find my review below, as well as the buy links and some more information about my fabulous guest, Sandy!

The Blurb

It’s a year on and our three May Ladies are all loved up but still living worlds apart.

Chloe has had a whirlwind year amongst the glitz, glamour (and demanding work) of Hollywood. She’s taken on the role of Assistant Producer on the film, ‘An Extraordinary Woman: The Eloise Capel Story’, Archer’s passion project and as Archer’s girlfriend, she’s now schmoozing with A-listers.

Jules is immersed in her Melbourne life, working for a non-profit and sharing an increasingly crowded flat on the waterfront with flatmate, Ash ― and their frequent visitors: Ash’s boyfriend, Davo, and Jules’ love, Matt, and his dog, Dexter. She’s considering moving out on her own, only Matt keeps hinting at Jules moving to his vineyard down south.

Lucy, meanwhile, is stuck in long-distance-relationship hell. While her career is flying high ― a promotion and frequent trips to the US for work ― her relationship with Will has stalled. She doesn’t want to be a part-time girlfriend, finding their time apart agonising, but Will seems perfectly content.

When Archer’s planned Parisian proposal at Christmastime is derailed by an ash cloud over Europe, he hatches a plan to bring all six of them together for a Christmas ― and a marriage proposal ― to remember. In Hawaii!

Join the May Ladies and their loves in the most beautiful destination yet for a Christmas filled with mayhem and misunderstandings, and rocking romance around the Christmas tree!

My Review

The Christmas Trip: A gorgeous Christmas romance to escape with in 2022 by Sandy Barker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I always love a chance to revisit characters who made an impression the first time round, and knowing we were meeting the May Ladies again was a thrill in itself.
I love Sandy Barker’s stories. Modern romances with a bit of heat but a lot of love and plenty of hiccups along the way!
This time our ladies are firmly ensconced in their relationships, but so busy the year has flown by with not much chance to be together.
The effects of an ash cloud result in the three of them being together again, for Christmas, on a beautiful tropical island with their plus ones by their side.
Lucy, Chloe and Jules have plenty to keep them occupied, as each is weaving their way through the maze of long-term relationships. Still, we also meet some great new characters, like Leilani, the housekeeper, or Mama to all, and the immature but intriguing Audrey.
And there is always a little drama to keep the action going!
The descriptions of the idyllic Hawaiian island where they spend Christmas make me want to jet off on holiday too!
I really enjoyed the story, and I’d be more than happy to hear a little more about how they get on in the future!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter, for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

These are the buy links for #TheChristmasTrip

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon US

Kobo| iBooks | Nook | Google Play

And here’s a little about Sandy and her other books.

Sandy is a writer, traveller and hopeful romantic with a lengthy bucket list, and many of her travel adventures have found homes in her novels. She’s also an avid reader, a film buff, a wine lover and a coffee snob.

Sandy lives in Melbourne Australia with her partner, Ben, who she met while travelling in Greece. Their real-life love story inspired Sandy’s debut novel One Summer in Santorini, the first in the five-book Holiday Romance series with One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins.

The series continues in Paris, Sydney, and Bali with Tuscany the final destination in the series. Sandy’s novels The Christmas Swap and The Christmas Trip celebrate her favourite time of the year, and her romcom, The Dating Game, is set in the (fascinating) world of Reality TV.

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