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.
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.
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.
We are motoring through November, and I cannot believe that 2024 is slipping away so quickly. I remember getting my driving licence many years ago, as a teen, and seeing that it was up for renewal in 2020. I never imagined I’d get this far! By the time this drops into your mail, I will be recovering from knee replacement surgery, so on a wing and a prayer, I am looking forward to racing around again in the new year.
NEW NOVEL
I am thundering through the final draft of The Cruise Club, which will be published in 2025. So many of you have asked for another ‘cruise’ book, to follow The Cruise, and my publisher agreed. You can expect to see this book online, in bookshops and on a supermarket shelf very soon. There is a new set of characters, taking in the Mysteries of the Mediterranean on the familiar Diamond Star ship, but comedian Dicky Delaney is back, alongside Fran and Sid Cartwright from The French Cookery School.
GIVEAWAY
I have a lovely GIVEAWAYin this newsletter. To enter, simply comment on my Facebook page (or, for those not using Facebook, email me below) saying why you’d like to go on a cruise. A draw will occur on 15th December, in plenty of time for Christmas. The gift is a personalised box of Lily O’Briens chocolates and a signed copy of The Cruise.
I travelled to Canada in October to meet my beautiful new granddaughter, Mika Mei, and my lovely Willow, Mika’s sister. It was a great family holiday. Willow and I made a Halloween house and piping took forever, but she loved the result.
Ontario is beautiful in the fall. I enjoyed exploring quaint towns and gorgeous farmer’s markets, and my favourite pastime was browsing antique and vintage fairs.
HALLOWEEN
Halloween is crazy in Canada, and we had two days of trick-or-treating. It is fascinating to see how much effort is put into decorating houses, and the community spirit and warm welcome that the children receive is heartening.
I found this fabulous model of a cruise ship which lit up. I would have loved to have brought it home and styled it as the Diamond Star (from The Cruise), but it weighed very heavy and would have been impossible.
TORONTO ZOO
We went to Toronto Zoo, a wonderful experience, and met Charles, a fifty-two-year-old Western lowland silver-backed gorilla. Charles was very sleepy and, unlike other gorillas around him, didn’t move around. We were terribly saddened to learn that Charles died the next day, and the initial diagnosis was heart failure. Given that the life expectancy of most Western lowland gorillas is between thirty and forty years in the wild, it is a real testament to the zoo for the care he received that this gorgeous creature had such a long and happy life. RIP, Charles – you will be sorely missed.
FREE READ
If you want a quick read,JUNGLE ROCK is currently FREE! But only for a few more hours…. Please snuggle down, put your feet up and enjoy a romp with much-loved characters Jo and Hattie as Jo’s son Zach becomes a contestant in a reality TV show down under.
99P BARGAINS
Don’t forget that THE SPA BREAK and THE FRENCH COOKERY SCHOOL are currently at a bargain price of 99p each in the UK. For later-life comedy and fun, fill your boots with reading!
TALKS
I’ve wrapped up my talks for 2024 and will start again in mid-January 2025. Thank you to everyone who comes to listen to me. I hope I inspire and entertain in some small way. It’s so good to get out and meet everyone.
RECENT RECOMMENDED READS
I’ve really enjoyed these three books. I realised I’d read the Jo Jo Moyes a good while ago but still enjoyed it immensely. Have you got any recommendations? Do drop me a line 🙂
INTRODUCING ATTICUS…
Christmas is fast approaching, and given that my knee is recovering, we won’t be setting off with Venus and heading to the sun this winter. I shall miss my Christmas day swim in the Mediterranean and enjoying walks with Fred, the Westie, on a sunny beach, but there’s always another year.
I’ve written a book called Atticus Arnott Goes Camping, which tells the story of Atticus, a seventy-year-old who sets off to Spain in his vintage Westfalia Camper with his collie dog called Ness. I love this book and can’t wait to share Atticus’s travels with you in 2025 – watch this space!
Wherever you are in the world, I hope this finds you safe, secure, in good health and happy. As always, lovely subscribers, thank you for all your support. I love my job, and your kind words and messages keep me going when my mind is blank, and I can’t write another word. Your encouragement means so much and helps me write on.
As Winston Churchill said, ‘When you find a job you love, you’ll never work again.’ I hope you found yours. With my love Caroline xx
Hello everyone! hope that the sun is shining wherever you are in the world, and that your summer is going well. Here in Lancashire the weather is very mixed, with hot sunny days one week and cold damp days the next.
Beautiful Cornwall
I have been on my travels and, in May, set off in Venus (my office on wheels) and headed to Cornwall to research a possible novel. I haven’t been to Cornwall for ages, and it is a gorgeous county. I especially liked swimming in the sea at Bude because the sea pool there, on the beach, is filled when the tide comes in. Cream teas are a must in Cornwall and I was treated to a lovely birthday tea with scones and clotted cream.
In May, I also got an invite to the House of Lords for a luncheon to celebrate the 130th anniversary of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists. It was a great event, hosted by the society’s president, Baroness Floella Benjamin.
I loved a mixed bag of genres and below are my very recent reads. Steve Cavanagh blows me away, his books are gripping, always contain lots of twists and are meticulously researched. If you like legal dramas, get a copy now.
I listen on audio at every opportunity when doing housework, driving etc and have been enjoying Marrying the Mistress by Joanna Trollope – I read this years ago but it is just as good today, as are all her novels.
Shelley Read – new to me but I couldn’t put this down. It is beautifully written and reminded me a little of Where the Crawdads Sing. A stunning book, little wonder this amazing debut has been optioned as a film.
Recent Reads
Canada
I went to Canada in June and had a fantastic trip, travelling from Toronto to Prince Edward County. We stayed in a house on the lake near the town of Picton, and I took the opportunity to swim each day, despite the icy water. The county has great towns, including Bloomfield, Wellington, and Picton, and very arty and hipster places with fabulous shops and eateries.
The countryside is green and lush, and I enjoyed visiting the breweries offering great food and family activities. Ever the ‘tatt’ hunter, I can’t resist an antique store, and there are some great finds in the many barn-like vintage stores that appear on the roadside. I am heading back to Canada in October and feel a book may be bubbling away in my head, so more research is required!
Writing
My writing has gone well this year, and after returning from Spain in January, you won’t be surprised to hear that a new romcom based on the Costas will soon (fingers crossed) be on the way. Readers keep asking me when I will write a follow-up to The Cruise, and I can say, “Watch this space…”
Publisher Party
I was delighted to attend my publisher’s annual party at the wonderful Victoria & Albert Museum in London. It is always a great event and a good opportunity to catch up with other authors.
The French Cookery School is receiving fabulous reviews, so big thanks to you all for those. I am told that it is my best book to date. I have to say that I did fall in love with the characters when writing about their exploits in France, especially Fran, a loveable lady from Blackpool who gets far more than she bargains for when she sets off for a gourmet experience at the gorgeous La Maison du Paradis. This book is available at 99p in the UK, so grab that bargain.
This month’s giveaway is a copy of The Spa Break together with a personalised mug, personally signed to the lucky entry that is drawn on 28th July. To enter, add a comment on my Facebook page: Caroline James Author Or email me here: caroline@carolinejamesauthor.co.uk Just say why you’d like to receive the gift.
That’s all from me. Please keep safe, well and happy. Spread kindness, embrace joy and have a wonderful summer.
Wishing you all many happy reading hours. With love to you and yours.Caroline xx
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:
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.
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.
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:
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…
January is drawing to a close and here in Lancashire in the north west of England it has been an unusually mild month. Living close to the Lake District in Cumbria I’ve enjoyed the short drive to park then wander, for some happy dog walks with Fred, our Westie. My favourite lake is Ullswater, and you can see from these photos how beautiful it is. On a misty January day, the lake and mountains have an ethereal quality of their own. All the seasons are glorious and it’s no wonder the area is famed for producing so many poets and writers.
The Lake District in Cumbria
BOOK NEWS
I am delighted to say that my new novel, The Spa Break is publishing in a few weeks and you can pre-order it today at the promo price of only 99p (the promo price may differ in each country). The ebook will automatically land on your e-reader on publication day. The paperback will follow a few weeks after the ebook.
The publisher is One More Chapter (HarperCollins UK) and I was thrilled to be contacted last year by Charlotte Ledger, the Publishing Director, who had an idea for a novel and asked me if I would expand her thoughts and write the book. The Spa Break finds four friends on a relaxing weekend away to celebrate a big birthday. But as the days unfold, 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. I loved bringing new characters to life and I hope that this feel-good, funny novel will be one that you enjoy.
The Spa Break Ladies
Emily, Bridgette, Marjory and Serena are entertaining characters and I hope that I will be writing more about their escapades in future books. If this newsletter lands in the hands of any book reviewers, please get in touch for an ARC copy.
CURRENTLY READING
I’m enjoying reading novels by Marius Gabriel and am currently reading The Parisians. He has a wonderful ability to mix fiction with history during WWII, when Paris was occupied. Using real characters in his novels, especially from the world of fashion, such as Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, he brings the stories to life. Clever writing and highly recommended.
GIVEAWAY
This month I have a signed copy of Hattie Goes to Hollywood to giveaway. To enter please go to my Facebook page or you can email me using the address below. Just comment why you would like to receive the book and you will automatically be entered into the draw. Good luck!
I haven’t written my blog for some time and apologise to anyone who has missed a monthly update on my books and writing, or new recipe or two. The last twelve months have been the most difficult time of my life, with my beloved sister, Cathy, having been diagnosed with terminal cancer, to her death on 6th May.
Too soon and so badly missed, she was not just my sister and best friend but also my writing inspiration. As a late starter, from the very first word I ever wrote, she was with me. Encouraging me to glue my behind to a chair and get my fingers tapping out ideas on a keyboard. We plotted each novel together, shared the first draft, the highs and lows of publishing and drank champagne on news of a book’s success. She was my critique and my greatest fan, the one who urged me to write on and take my work seriously. As I sit here, I wonder how on earth I shall pick up the pieces and write again.
But I will. Because that is what Cathy would want me to do.
So, as I begin a new chapter in my life without my darling sister, the page turns and a new book is born. I am up and running again and the words are flowing and I am sure that my beautiful girl is waving her magic writing wand and willing me on.
To all of you who have lost someone close in these difficult and trying times, I send you my sincere love and raise a glass to their memory.
Cathy – my sister and best friend
Books & offers
FREE
All of my books are free to read on Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Prime and you can find them by using the link below:
Method: Whiz all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Freeze.
TIP: If you have bananas that are going black, don’t throw them away. Simply freeze and use in this recipe (or a banana bread recipe). Bananas that have been frozen taste sweeter which means you won’t need to add as much sweetener. You can use any frozen fruit such as strawberries, raspberries or blueberries. Best of all, this ice-cream is ready to eat as soon as you’ve made it!
For the kids: use lollipop trays and freeze
I hope that the sun is shining wherever you are in the world and that life is treating you well. May you stay safe in the pandemic affected areas. Have a great summer.
Publication day has arrived! I am thrilled to tell you that my new novel, Boomerville at Ballymegille is now available as an e-book and paperback (audible coming soon) and you can download it here:
The pre-publication reviews are wonderful and I’d like to say a huge thank you to all the bloggers and reviewers who are taking part in the online book launch over the next two weeks.
Boomerville is back!
Join Hattie and Jo as they head to Southern Ireland to open Boomerville Manor, a holiday retreat for guests of ‘a certain age’. There’s Irish craic and shenanigans aplenty for the colourful cast of characters as everyone gathers for the grand opening.
Meet Melissa, an ex-cabaret singer running from her abusive husband, and Bill, a bachelor bullied from beyond the grave by the ghostly voice of his mother. Along with local bobby Harry the Helmet, ageing aquatic team the Boomerville Babes, eccentric artist Lucinda Gray, and heartthrob Finbar Murphy, they gather in Ireland and the fun begins. But murder is in the air and there’s mischief afoot. Will the residents get more than they bargained for at Boomerville?
Set in the beautiful Irish countryside, ‘Boomerville at Ballymegille’ is a heart-warming story of friendship, fears and new beginnings.
WINNER OF THE ‘TEDDY’ COMPETITION
DRUM ROLL…
I decided that as so many readers entered the draw to win a lovely ‘Teddy’ from Boomerville at Ballymegille, and because your entries were so wonderful, that there will be THREE Teddy puppies heading to new owners. Congratulations to LINDA, KELLY AND KAREN who will all be getting an email confirmation today.
The puppies look forward to their new homes!
PROMO
And because its publication day there is of course a lovely PROMO for you.
You can download the follow up to Boomerville at Ballymegille for only 99p/$1.30 until 15th October by following the link here:
It’s that time of year when TV viewers in the UK can watch a show that comes around every November, titled, “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!” A group of British and American celebrities are sent to a jungle camp for a reality TV show. They face some grisly tasks during their time in camp and ultimately, the public vote for the winner.
I’m not a fan of reality TV but this show always amuses me and a while ago, it inspired me to write a novella:
“HE’S DOING WHAT?” Hattie said. She had a mouthful of shortbread and a mug of coffee in her hand and stopped in her tracks as she watched Jo stare at her mobile phone.
“Zach’s going into the jungle. He’s a contestant on Jungle Survival.”
“Oh my.” Hattie smiled and wiped a spray of crumbs off her chest.
“He’s at the airport with Bob; they’re about to board a plane.”
“Well I never.” Hattie put her mug on the desk and stared at her friend. “How do you feel about that?”
“Astonished.”
“It might do him good.”
“Or not.”
“Fancy a bracer?”
“Start pouring.”
Cradling mugs of coffee, laced with a good slug of brandy, Jo and Hattie sat in the conservatory and looked out at the garden beyond.
“It doesn’t seem five minutes since he was a little boy running all over this lawn with his brother,” Jo said as she stared across the neatly manicured grass.
“And now he’s running off to Australia.”
In the distance, a group of guests appeared from the meadow, where a clairvoyance course was being run in an old gypsy caravan. Originally horse-drawn, the caravan was Jo’s pride and joy, brightly painted with little wooden steps. It was a perfect setting for an intimate group.
“Another successful event,” Hattie said as she watched the beatific expressions of the participants as they drifted down the garden, confident that the spirits of their dead granny and Rover, the family pet, were beside them, whispering and woofing encouraging words from beyond.
“I wish I could see into Zach’s future,” Jo replied. “I hope he’s not making a terrible mistake.”
“Well, if he is, he’s picked the right place to make it. That show’s watched by millions. Perhaps we should run something similar here?” Hattie closed her eyes and began to plan out a jungle camp, set in the meadow. “The old ‘uns would love it! Prancing about like Bear Grylls, cooking over an open fire, sleeping under the stars. It has ‘winner’ all over it.”
“It has mass suicide all over it,” Jo replied, “hyperthermia and food poisoning.”
“Think of the low overheads. We could bring Wonder Boy in to teach them how to skin a rabbit or two, a bit of camp-fire bonhomie and all that stuff.”
“Hattie, will you please be serious. My son is currently on his way to the other side of the world, where he’ll be exposed to any amount of danger; he’s emotionally vulnerable and I’m worried about him.”
Hattie sat up and opened her eyes.
“Oh, get a grip,” she said. “Can you imagine what he’s getting paid for this stint? How can he possibly go wrong? They’ll have him stripped down to his six-pack before the opening credits have run. He won’t even need to open his mouth and the phone lines will be pulsating as fast as every female viewer’s heart. Your Zach has made his finest career move yet.” Hattie reached for Jo’s empty mug. “Get that grumpy expression off your face and let’s send him good luck wishes for his arrival in Australia.” She stood and glanced at the group in the garden. “Perhaps we can get that lot to send him a mystical sign.”
As Jo watched Hattie walk away, she felt cross. She knew that Hattie was right, but Jo had a niggling feeling that Zach’s trip wasn’t going to run as smoothly or as successfully as everyone expected. A mother had an instinct about her offspring, but in this case, Jo hoped that her instincts would be proved wrong.
Whenever I get together with other writers there is often a debate that starts with the question, ‘Do men read romantic fiction?’ As an author of this genre it is fascinating to know where my readers come from, their age, reading tastes and of course gender.
I gave a talk in a library recently and having arranged my book display, I stood back whilst waiting for the audience to take their seats. A man, whom I’d noticed in the computer area, came forward and started flicking through the books. He made some derogatory comments about never reading ‘chick lit’ and ‘fluffy silly stories with no depth,’ and I was amused to listen to several ladies, who were already seated, engage him in conversation, telling him he was cynical and should listen to my talk. Later, when I was book signing, guess who bought three of my books? Yes, the cynic who never reads romantic fiction.
Below are a couple of comments that have been mailed to me recently, by men:
“After over half a century of only reading murder mystery novels I was drawn to the book cover of The Best Boomerville Hotel. I certainly did not regret my choice. What a wonder and so very well written, this book caused me to go to bed an hour earlier than usual just to read it in peace. Thank you, Caroline, for such a great read. Hattie has got to be the person I would love to get drunk with and have a curry.”
And this from a gentleman on Amazon:
“I’m a man, 71 and read the 4 books in the set and thoroughly enjoyed all and found them very moving, each difficult to put down and I read into the night, 5 stars to Caroline”
I’d like to think that my work appeals to both women and men and aim to write books that have a serious message, taking the reader up and down emotionally as well as providing plenty of love interest.
What do you think? Are you a male who reads romantic fiction or a female who has an opinion on this subject? I’d love to hear your thoughts, please comment below.
Caroline James Author 