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Not seen me for a while? Join My Newsletter …
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Not seen me for a while? Join My Newsletter …

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

Hello lovely subscribers! Caroline James here….

I haven’t posted here for sometime and if you would like to keep up to date with my news, please join my NEWSLETTER which updates each month with book news, competitions and giveaways. I promise not to bombard you!

Sign up today and you will receive a copy of the newsletter in your email box in the couple of days.

Sign up here: Caroline’s Newsletter

To celebrate the forthcoming publication of The Arctic Cruise, this month there is a fantastic opportunity to win a FREE 10-day cruise to see the Northern Lights – courtesy of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Harper Collins Publishers.

Yes! Someone will win this fabulous holiday and having experienced the cruise myself I can promise you it is a memorable and wonderful experience.

I’m also celebrating a wonderful trip to Egypt where I enjoyed a cruise on the Nile whilst researching for my next novel The Nile Cruise. I know you will enjoy sharing this trip with me and hearing all the news.

I had the pleasure of being shown around the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, including the room where Agatha Christie stayed and wrote Death on the Nile. What a treat this was! More in the next couple of days in my newsletter…

There are four feel-good discounted books in the newsletter which you can add to you reading list for Christmas,

so do enjoy a bargain while you can! Have you read Atticus Arnott’s Great Adventure? Set during Christmas in Spain it is a lovely festive read. Grab a copy now before the price increases.

99p BARGAINS

This will be my last post here, but it’s not goodbye. I hope you’ll continue the journey with me by joining my newsletter—I’d love to have your company each month.

I wish you every happiness this Christmas season and send my very best wishes for the year ahead. May 2026 be a truly special year for you all, and thank you for your continued support. Without readers, there would be no writers.

With my love to you all,

Caroline xx

Books by Caroline James

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What Makes Me A Writer

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

I am delighted to share this post that appears on the wonderful blog of the talented author, Morton S Gray.

In the post I discuss my journey to writing best-selling novels after being told at school that I would never be good enough…

To the teacher who told me I would never be a writer – Just look at me now!

Remember to follow your own personal dream – you have to have a dream to make a dream come true. To those aspiring writers, also remember that it is never too late to write a novel.

Happy writing and reading everyone,

With my love

Caroline xx

What Makes Me A Writer By Caroline James
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The French Cookery School book tour continues…

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment
#ThreeTwoOne quick-fire questions with Caroline James #author of The French Cookery School | @rararesources @0neMoreChapter_ @CarolineJames12

My new novel The French Cookery School is currently on an online book tour and above is an example of posts on the blogs that host the tour. The book is receiving fantastic reviews and I am so grateful to every reviewer and reader who takes the time to post their thoughts.

This from the wonderful award-winning book reviewer Anne Williams: “This was a book I totally adored…” continued…

The French Cookery School is currently on a limited time deal on Amazon: THE FRENCH COOKERY SCHOOL (FOR ONLY 99P!)

I loved researching and writing this story after being inspired by an actual cookery school week many years ago with the talented celebrity chef Valentina Harris, in the Charente region of France.

In The French Cookery School, while shopping in a market, Fran tries ‘Tourteaux Fromage’ – a type of cake with a burnt top 🍩 Sadly, she didn’t like it.

I was inspired to write this after trying them myself in a market in Chauvigny. I have to say it is an acquired taste …

In The French Cookery School the characters enjoy many outings when away from the kitchen and I thank everyone I met in France last summer who inspired the story. France is a very beautiful country.

Happy reading everyone

With love

Caroline xx

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As 2023 draws to a close…

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

Thank you for sharing another year with me. I hope that 2023 has been kind to you all. It was a good writing year for me with the tremendous success of my novel The Cruise, an Amazon Top Ten Best Seller within weeks of publication. So many of you contact me to say that you have enjoyed the book; many say the novel has inspired you to go on a cruise or read it while cruising. It has been a joy to read your kind messages. I am delighted to say that a major cruise line has stocked The Cruise, and I will be setting sail with them in March, to the Mediterranean, to host a book club and talks. More to come…
 
Promotion
 

 

In the UK, The Cruise is currently being promoted for 99p. Please use the link below to take advantage of this offer.
 
The Cruise
 
New Novel

My next novel, The French Cookery School, will be published in April 2024. For many years, I was a media agent, representing celebrity chefs. I fondly remember a cookery school in France run in the summer months by the talented chef Valentina Harris. The venue was Le Manoir du Touvent – a grand old farmhouse and the childhood home of the former French President Mitterrand. Positioned on the edge of the Charente region, it inspired me to write The French Cookery School 

Isn’t the cover gorgeous? Big thanks to the clever creative team at One More Chapter for Harper Collins.
 

Mix together a group of mature students
Add in a handsome host
Season with a celebrity chef
Bring to the boil at a luxurious cookery school in France!

Whip out an apron, grab a wooden spoon and take a culinary trip to La Maison du Paradis,
the idyllic French Cookery School!

 
You can pre-order The French Cookery School here:
 
The French Cookery School
 


I had a wonderful time in the summer, heading back to France to research the book. My favourite towns were Chauvigny and Montmorillon and  you will find out more about these places in the book.
 

 
Author Talks
 
2024 brings more talks for my diary, and I look forward to getting out and about and meeting many of you. For details of my talks, please visit my website:
 
www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk


Family time
 

In October, I was fortunate to head off to Canada to spend time with family and my precious grandchild, Willow. I especially enjoyed visiting the Amish towns in Ontario and have to tell you that the Amish ladies bake the best butter pies in the world! I loved them.
 

 
Just for fun
 

In the book I am currently writing, there is a delightful collie dog who needs a name. Click on my Facebook page and comment with your choice and the chosen name will be credited to you in the book. Alternatively, you can email me.

 
Caroline James Author Facebook
caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk


Working holiday 

As I write, I am in Spain, enjoying a working holiday in the winter sunshine. The Costa Blanca is quiet at this time of year and so unspoilt. Together with Fred, our Westie, I am taking lots of beach walks as I plot and plan another novel. 

Wherever you are, I am sending my warmest wishes and hope that 2024 brings you and your loved ones good health and happiness.
 
With love
Caroline xx

 

 Books by Caroline James

Following French Footsteps
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Following French Footsteps

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

Hello, lovely subscribers!

I do hope that your summer is going well.

The winner of last month’s giveaway is Diane McLean, and her goodies are on the way.

Check my Facebook page for news of the next giveaway. 

Summer seems to be passing so quickly this year. After a gloriously hot June where the halcyon days seemed endless, July came in with day after day of heavy rain followed by an equally mixed August. 

Leaving the weather behind, I travelled to France in July to research my new novel. Just a working title so far, but it involves friendships and food, two of my favourite topics to write about. I’ll introduce new characters, and an old favourite may also pop up on the pages. I can say that the story is based in a lovely old house surrounded by fields of sunflowers, and at this time of year, it was such a pleasure to drive through miles and miles of yellow gold. Grown for the oil, which is supposed to be healthier for the French than their rich, creamy butter.

Excellent markets are found in most towns in France, and I found my favourite in Chauvigny. The medieval town also has five castles, so I had a fascinating day mooching around. In Le Mans, visiting the cathedral was a breathtaking and spiritual experience. What a magnificent building it is. More of France in future posts.

I attended The Book Party in Blackpool and met with other others and many wonderful readers and book bloggers. It’s a great event and such fun. The next is in Birmingham in December, so if you are in the area and love anything bookish, look out for that.

In early August, we took Venus (my office on wheels) to Anglesey and almost got blown off the island. More rain for most of the week, and winds made nighttime feel like we were at sea. But it is a lovely island, and Fred had a blast, meeting new furry friends and enjoying lots of walks. 

The Cruise continues to do extremely well and has received thousands of ratings on Amazon in such a short space of time. Thank you sincerely, each and every reader who takes the time to do this. It means a great deal and helps so much. Thanks, too, to all the lovely readers who contact me to say how much they’ve enjoyed the book. I am delighted to say that an audio version is currently being recorded. I can’t wait to listen to that and let you have details. I love audiobooks!

The Cruise

Thanks too to all the readers who send me photos of The Cruise actually on a cruise, or whilst they read on holiday. It makes me smile when I see where my novel is travelling to.

The Cruise

I cut the last of the sweetpeas in the garden today.

This little flower has a beautiful scent and is my favourite summer bloom.

Wherever you are and whatever your summer has brought to you, I wish you good health and happiness and look forward to catching up again soon.

With love

Caroline 

xx

BOOKS BY CAROLINE JAMES

(Don’t forget that many of these books are on Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime – bargains too!)

A sunny hello – Hola!
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A sunny hello – Hola!

Caroline James Author2 Comments

I apologise for wishing you a late but very happy, healthy and enjoyable 2023.
 
I am late because I am currently in Spain on a working holiday. We set off in December and travelled slowly through France to enjoy Christmas in the sunshine on the southern Costa Branca. It has been a lovely trip, and I am enjoying doing lots of research for a future novel. 

 
France was extremely cold and sightseeing involved layers of warm clothing as we headed south. But the sun shone, and the trip was terrific despite lots of frost and ice.

 
This part of Spain where we are right now is very Spanish, and at this time of year, there aren’t any tourists to speak of, just folk like us enjoying travelling and winter sunshine. I am astonished to see some of the motorhomes that come and go. Mobile mansions! Especially those with German number plates. One day I noticed a set-up that involved an outdoor gym, BBQ and lounging area, and I almost expected to see a disco ball appear with a pop-up dance floor!

 
Fred is with us and getting used to being away from the comforts of his home. He is a great little dog and good company. Not one to get wet, Fred has discovered that he loves the long stretches of beach here. But when the waves come in, he has perfected his ‘dressage pony’ trot to ensure he keeps clear of the surf.
 

We were fortunate to be in Alicante for the start of The Ocean Race. This yacht race goes around the world, covering thirty-seven thousand nautical miles over six months. Alicante gave the teams a tremendous send-off, and I am enjoying watching the race online as it progresses.

 
A trip to the mud baths at San Pedro was fun too. The mud there is from the salt lakes, and said to be one of the healthiest places in the world. Spread it on your body, bake it in the sun, then rinse it off and feel like a million dollars! Any aches and joint pains have disappeared.
 
My new book, The Cruise, will be published in April. Cover reveal and more news to follow. I so enjoyed writing this book as I took the characters to the Caribbean on a cruise of a lifetime, and the trip was a journey along memory lane for me.

 
The Spa Break is going well. Thanks to you all for reading, and I hope it provides a little escapism in these colder or not-so-cheery months.



THE SPA BREAK

If you’d like a trip to a Boomerville Hotel and see what shenanigans the guests are getting up to with managers Jo and that rascal Hattie, Boomerville at Ballymegille is currently on promo at only 99p/99c on Amazon. Hattie is about to appear again in a future book, so watch this space.



BOOMERVILLE AT BALLYMEGILLE


Sending love to you all from sunny Espana.
Happy reading,

Caroline xx

Caroline James Author

We’re having a heatwave! Giveaway!
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We’re having a heatwave! Giveaway!

Featured Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

Hello everyone…

July has been very mixed in the UK, and the heatwave with record temperatures didn’t last long!  For a few days it bought the country to a standstill in some areas, but as the month came to an end, the rain fell hard in lovely Lancashire, where I live. Fred, my Westie, despite being brushed and ready, is not keen on getting wet…
 

 GIVEAWAY
 
The newsletter this month begins with a giveaway. Would you like to virtually jet off to Barbados with a lovely feel-good read? 
 

Coffee Tea the Caribbean & Me was Thomson Holidays InFlight Magazine’s recommended summer read, and I am offering a personally signed copy. Simply head over to my Facebook page and comment on why you’d like to win, or you can email your comment to me. Please use the links below:

 
Caroline James Author Facebook
caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

The winner will be announced on 12th August. Open internationally.
Last month’s giveaway winner was BETHAN DAVIES who is now enjoying her virtual Spa Break and goodies.

MAJORCA
 

I had a trip to Majorca. Puerta Pollensa is a lovely area in the north of the Island, and it was a very relaxing break. But I came home and tested positive for Covid not long afterwards and have been quite unwell in the following weeks. The second time for me with the dreaded virus. I hope you have managed to steer clear, but if not, please take good care and look after yourselves.

HARPER COLLINS SUMMER PARTY
 

I was thrilled to be invited to the Harper Collins Summer Party. It was a grand affair in the garden at the Victoria and Albert Museum in Knightsbridge, London. I spent the evening chatting with many lovely authors and folks from the world of publishing, including some famous names and celebrities.
 

 
THE SPA BREAK IN PAPERBACK
 

My new novel, The Spa Break, came out in paperback on July 7th, and I thank everyone who has read it. Your reviews are massively appreciated, as are your comments on social media. The book seems to have ticked the box for both young and older readers. If you have yet to visit The Spa Break, I hope your virtual stay will leave you happy and uplifted as you make friends with Bridgette, Emily, Serena and Marjory. They all have life-changing experiences during their stay, and as I am a great believer in coming out of your comfort zone, especially as we get older, I hope their exploits will encourage you too.

THE SPA BREAK

 
 SWIMMING

Covid kept me out of the water, but happily, I am back, and my swims in the local lake and the sea when the tide is high have been such a joy.
 

 
TALKS

I am ploughing through my talks this year and was delighted to be asked to speak in Preston last week. It was a full house and a very lively audience, many of whom stayed to chat afterwards at my book signing. Thanks to everyone who came along on the day.

 
NEW NOVEL

As August begins, I shall be hard at work on my new novel. The Cruise will be published next year by One More Chapter (Harper Collins UK), and I am enjoying creating new characters for you to meet very soon. Would anyone like to read more adventures of Hattie & Jo from the Coffee Tea series? I feel they are just waiting for me to put pen to paper, so they can get up to more escapades. Do let me know. I love to hear from readers.

I hope these months find you well and happy, wherever you are in the world.


With love and happy reading

Caroline xx

BOOKS BY CAROLINE JAMES
 

Your personally signed copy of The Spa Break
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Your personally signed copy of The Spa Break

Featured Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

To celebrate paperback publication day on 7th July we have a lovely giveaway. Would you like your very own personally signed copy of THE SPA BREAK (plus goodies!) 

To be in with a chance to win a signed copy of The Spa Break, simply click the Facebook link below:

Win a signed copy of The Spa Break

Or you can send an email to caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk commenting why you’d like your very own copy.

The winner will be drawn on 7th July – so why not celebrate with me and enter now!

Good luck!

With love

Caroline xx

The most fun you’ll have all year!

A weekend at the spa will leave four old friends with a whole lot more than they’d bargained for…

The glossy brochure promised a serene experience of total tranquillity and rejuvenation, but what best friends Bridgette, Emily, Serena and Marjory get is a weekend that upends their lives!

There for a girls’ weekend to celebrate Bridgette’s impending seventieth birthday, the spa soon has these spicy sexagenarians realising that there are unexpected benefits to age and experience, and that over the hill certainly doesn’t mean out of the game…in any respect…

THE SPA BREAK

Books by Caroline James

Caroline James Author

Happy Jubilee Weekend
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Happy Jubilee Weekend

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

As the weather begins to warm up, we’re heading into a very special commemorative weekend here in the UK as her majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her platinum Jubilee. Flags will be flying all over the country as street parties take place and a whole host of events get underway. Our Queen is an incredible lady, and I wish her many more years of good health and happiness.

GIVEAWAY

To celebrate the occasion, I am giving away two personally signed copies of the best-selling Boomerville books, The Best Boomerville Hotel and Boomerville at Ballymegille. Go to my Facebook page to enter on the link below:

Boomerville Giveaway

Or you can email me at caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk stating why you would like to win the books. 

The winner will be drawn on Jubilee Sunday, and the giveaway is open internationally. The winners of last month’s giveaway for chocolates and a cuddly Fred the Westie were Jill Doyle and Georgie Moody. Congratulations to both.

JERSEY

Following the publication of my new novel, The Spa Break, I recently had my own spa break on the lovely island of Jersey in the channel islands. I stayed at The Club Hotel & Spa, which is in St Helier and a perfect location to visit all the attractions of this pretty island. To my joy, I discovered an outside lido on the beach that had a retaining wall enabling swimming in the clear salty water.

Jersey is renowned for its fabulous seafood, with the clean crystal waters of the gulf stream flowing alongside. The restaurants live up to their reputation for fresh fish cooked to perfection. 

There is history wherever you go in Jersey. Evidence of the German occupation of the island during World War II is far and wide, and they celebrate Liberation Day on the 9th of May each year. The coastal walks are fantastic, with many lighthouses, pretty coves and wide sweeping beaches to stroll along. It is a perfect place for a holiday.

I can’t wait for the paperback of The Spa Break to be published on 7th July. There’s nothing quite like holding your book baby in your hands. Don’t forget that it is available as an ebook on all platforms and is currently on offer in some countries. 

The Amazon link is The Spa Break.

Thanks to everyone who has kindly left a review. Reviews mean a lot to an author.

FREE READ

If you’d like a FREE  read this weekend, my novella JUNGLE ROCK is yours from 1st to 5th June. Here’s the blurb, so sit back and relax with a feel-good read …

JUNGLE ROCK 

Handsome young chef Zach Docherty is feeling the heat. Following an exposé in a national newspaper, his fiancée Poppy Dunlop has broken their engagement. Heartbroken at the thought of life without Poppy, Zach drowns his sorrows. When his agent suggests that Zach becomes a contestant in a reality TV show, Jungle Survival, he reluctantly agrees. Plunged deep in the jungle into a bizarre mix of talent and trials, Zach meets glamour model Cleo Petra, and the cameras go crazy. Will Zach survive and be crowned Jungle King? Or will his latest exploits push Poppy further away…

Whatever you are doing this Jubilee holiday and wherever you are, I wish you much happiness.

Stay safe and well.

With love

Caroline xx

BOOKS BY CAROLINE JAMES

The Spa Break by Caroline James – Blog Tour
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The Spa Break by Caroline James – Blog Tour

Caroline James AuthorLeave a comment

A lovely review for The Spa Break …

likeherdingcatsblog's avatarHerding Cats

Thank you to Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources for organising this tour and to Caroline James, One More Chapter and Netgalley for a copy of this novel in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.

Giveaway to Win a Fred the Westie soft toy and a personalised box of chocolates (UK Only)

*Terms and Conditions –UK entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the…

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