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Happy Halloween!

Stay safe and have fun if you are trick or treating over the weekend. My pumpkins are ready, and there’s a bag of goodies for any little persons who may call by.

LAKE DISTRICT

It is the gorgeous time of year when the trees are beautiful shades of oranges and reds and living so close to the Lake District, it is a perfect time to visit. I lived in this area for several years and it has been the inspiration for many of my books. In autumn, the crowds are fewer, and the weather is still mild. 

GIVEAWAY 

I have a giveaway today for a copy of my latest novel The Spa Break and a lovely mug to enjoy a tipple while reading this feel-good novel. To enter, head to my Facebook page on the link below and comment on why you like to win. Or you can email me at the address below. Good luck!

Caroline James Author Facebook

Email: caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Entries by 31st October 2022 when the winner will be drawn.

The winner of the summer giveaway was AMANDA GANNON from FLORIDA

THE SPA BREAK

RIDE THE NIGHT

I’ve been out and about on my bike and enjoyed a recent ‘Ride the night’ in Blackpool. Cyclists arrived from all over the region to ride the sixteen miles back and forth on a traffic-free promenade and enjoy cycling through the lights. It was great fun and attracted what felt like thousands of participants. The sunset was stunning too.

AUDIBLE BOOKS

If you enjoy listening to audible books, why not snuggle down this Halloween with Hattie Goes to Hollywood. It is a cosy mystery with my readers’ favourite character, Hattie, who takes over  her new role as the ‘Miss Marple of the village of Hollywood.’ This book was my first cosy mystery, and if any of you have read it and would like me to write more, please get in touch. There may well be another Hattie mystery coming soon. 

HATTIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

FREE AUDIBLE BOOK

I have THREE FREE audible credits for the first newsletter subscribers who email me and say why they’d like to listen to Hattie Goes to Hollywood. So hurry and drop me a line!

Email: caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

NORTHUMBERLAND

Northumberland on the east coast of England has been calling recently, and I’ve enjoyed a couple of interesting trips. It is a beautiful part of the country, with long sandy beaches, gorgeous castles and quaint and interesting towns. I highly recommend a visit if you have days to spare and don’t forget to try the Lindisfarne mead on Holy Island.

FAMILY

My precious granddaughter, Willow, has occupied my time with some wonderful visits. This precious girl is overcoming so many odds and growing up quite beautifully. Never did I imagine that being a grandmother could be such a joy.

CHILDREN IN READ

Every year the Children In Need charity is helped by fundraising by the wonderful Paddy Heron and his team in an event named Children In Read. Authors contribute signed copies of their novels; everyone can bid in an auction to win a copy. My contribution to Children In Read this year is for a personally signed copy of The Spa Break and a Spa Break Mug. So, don’t be shy; use the link below and place your bid. All proceeds go to this fantastic charity. 

Please place your bid here:

Children In Read – Caroline James

There’s never a dull moment in life, and I want to thank the brilliant team on the cardiac care unit at the Royal Lancaster Hospital, who recently looked after a loved one who is doing well thanks to their care. As the saying goes, you never know what you have until you almost lose it. 

Please keep your loved ones close and stay safe and well this autumn.

Happy reading

with love

Caroline xx

BOOKS BY CAROLINE JAMES

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November News and Promo Books

Another week in lockdown here in England.

VIRTUAL HUGS

I live in an area that has been in ‘Tier Three’ for some time, with the highest rates of Covid19 and it feels as though we have been isolating for a long time now, in addition to the current nationwide Lockdown. I am fortunate that I work and write from home but I so miss the contact with others face to face, to meet up for a coffee, a chat and a hug. For those of you, like me, unable to see relatives, especially anyone who is ill or going through a difficult time, I’m sending out a big virtual hug to you all.

BOOK PROMO

We’re giving you an early Christmas offer, my ‘Coffee Tea’ series is currently reduced to only 99p/99c per book. These books have received very generous, wonderful reviews by kind readers and are described as feel-good fiction with lots of twists. So treat yourself – grab a coffee and something delicious to munch and snuggle down for a duvet day of reading.

Download Coffee Tea the Gypsy & Me (and ‘Chef’ and ‘Caribbean’)

ONLINE COURSES

Have you been trying any online courses during this difficult time? I am a WI member and discovered that the very clever ladies who organise speakers have put scores of classes and talks online. I had three blissful hours listening to the life story of artist Freda Khalo as we learned how to paint a watercolour in her style. I’m not very good, but I really enjoyed giving it a go.

CHRISTMAS BAKING

Christmas is approaching, have you started to prepare? I haven’t done a thing. Its difficult to plan as family members who have to isolate through illness will not be joining, even if we are out of Lockdown over Christmas. But I will make a Christmas cake this weekend and if it turns out well, will post the recipe in the next newsletter. I’ll make a pudding too.

Have you got a favourite Christmas cake recipe? Do share it, send me an email: caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk – I love to try your recipes and will credit and add to my website if they turn out well.

BOOMERVILLE AT BALLYMEGILLE AUDIO BOOK

The audio version of my latest book Boomerville at Ballymegille is now in production and it has been great fun working with narrator Gill Mills again. She is a wonderful actress/narrator and seems to completely ‘get’ my characters. It is fascinating to hear ‘Hattie’ being bought to life again and all the old friends from Boomerville. As the author, I almost feel as though I am listening to someone else’s book!

I hope that the sun is shining in whatever part of the world you are reading this.

Please stay safe, keep well and look after each other.

Happy reading,

With love

Caroline xx

BOOKS BY CAROLINE JAMES

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Happy Easter, chocolate, reading and Free audible book.

Happy Easter Everyone

To everyone who is self-isolating and in lockdown, I send my love and also prayers for those who are suffering from Covid-19. These are dark days for all across the world and I hope that you are coping and keeping your spirits up.

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Its Easter weekend – a celebratory time for being with family or friends for both religious and social events. We had a very special birthday and anniversary celebrations in our family and by the wonders of modern technology managed to all get together for an online ‘pub quiz’ and a bit of fun to lighten the loss of not being together.

CHOCOLATE

I made Easter chocolate bars this year for the family and sent them by mail. Unfortunately, I got a bit mixed up so many apologies to the singles who received family packs and vice versa. Does anyone else find that their brain is scrambled at the moment?

EXERCISE

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I’ve been out on my bike for bursts of daily exercise. We live in a rural area and I am so grateful that I’m able to do this. The countryside is beautiful at this time of year and weirdly quiet with no planes, trains or vehicles.

GIVEAWAY

 

Many people in lockdown are enjoying a good read. My books are available on Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime if you want to have a FREE read. For those who enjoy AUDIBLE, I am giving away 10 copies of my new book Hattie Goes To Hollywood. You can enter on Facebook by going to the link below:

FREE AUDIBLE BOOK HATTIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

HGTH AUDIBLE

Or please email to be entered into the draw. Just say why you’d like to listen to the book.

caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk

Winners will be announced and contacted by 20th April. Good luck!

BAKING

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With more time at home, I’ve been baking and we enjoyed hot cross buns straight from the oven on Good Friday. It also reminded me of my childhood when Mum would come up the stairs early in the morning with a tray of warm, buttered buns and a pot of tea and my sisters and I would snuggle up in bed eating the sticky delights.

WRITING

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I was ‘author of the day’ this week for an online site and if anyone is interested in my writing journey, have a look at the article here:

“Murder, mischief and shenanigans”

Please look after yourselves in these troubled times lovely friends and readers, as we travel through this difficult journey together.

Sending you my love and good wishes.

#StaySafe

With love

Caroline xx

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Keep safe, New Audible book, Competition

With the news getting more and more disheartening each day, I am sending this post hoping that you are all safe and healthy and steering clear of this terrible Coronavirus. My bookings for talks and guest speaking at events over the next few months are cancelled and these difficult times will affect us all.

If we do have to spend more time at home, it might be an opportunity to catch up on reading. I’ve just read a fabulous book by Jenny Éclair called Moving. It’s the first book I’ve read by this very clever comedienne and author and I will certainly read more. I love audiobooks and Liz Nugent’s Skin Deep had me gripped. What a great book to listen to, perfectly narrated, chilling at times with a lead character that you loathe but can’t help but follow.

AUDIBLE BOOK

I’m thrilled to tell you that my new novel Hattie Goes to Hollywood is now out as an Audiobook and you can download it here:

HATTIE GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

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Hattie Goes To Hollywood

The narrator is Gill Mills. Gill is a former BBC broadcaster and journalist who now divides her time between family, narration and fiction writing. It was great fun working with Gill on the project and listening to my characters come to life is a strange but very rewarding experience. I hope that you enjoy this audible version, reviews have been brilliant and many listeners and readers are telling me that it is my best book to date.

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COMPETITION

As a thank you, I have a competition this month to win a gorgeous cuddly ‘Drake’. Drake is Hattie’s pet duck in the book and follows her everywhere, even helping her to sleuth when needed. If you would like to win Drake please head over to my Facebook page:

CAROLINE JAMES AUTHOR

WIN A DRAKE HGTH

If you’re not on Facebook – simply drop me a line (caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk) telling me why you’d like Drake to come and live with you. The winner will be drawn at random on 22nd March (Mother’s Day in the UK) and announced in next month’s newsletter. Good luck!

RECIPES

I’m thinking of creating store cupboard recipes if we have to stay at home during the Coronavirus outbreak and if you have any that you’d like to share, please send them to me and I’ll publish the best here.

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Do take great care of yourselves, your friends, family and those who are alone.

With warmest wishes and love

Caroline xx

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BOOKS BY CAROLINE JAMES