🍴 Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Julie Shackman

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Julie Shackman to Sunday Brunch

Welcome, Julie. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch? 

Oh, something tasty like Eggs Benedict.

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz? 

Definitely a good old pot of English breakfast tea. I am rather a tea fiend!

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio? 

I suggest either at the kitchen table or out on the patio if the weather is good. I love getting lots of fresh air.

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so, do you have a favourite piece of music? 

I am really into my music. I usually listen to music when I’m writing. My favourite band is Fleetwood Mac.

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today? 

What a great question! It would have to be Trisha Ashley, Sophie Kinsella, Jenny Colgan and William Shakespeare. All of these ladies are superb at creating such loveable (and not so loveable) characters and world building. As for Shakespeare, my all-time favourite play of his is Twelfth Night and I just think he must have been such a fascinating character and the first real romcom writer.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch? 

Oh dear! I have a few. It would either have to be Who’s Afraid of Mr Wolfe by Hazel Osmond or The Giver of Stars by Jo-Jo Moyes. They are both so beautiful and captivating.

Quercus
2011

When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you like to read but haven’t had time for ...yet! 

I read somewhere a long time ago, that you can’t be a good writer if you’re not a good reader and I think that is so true. I read every day and always have a book on the go. I have rather a large TBR pile and am determined to read them all!

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

 It is often from a piece of music, or overhearing a piece of conversation. I find I often come up with ideas when I’m out walking Cooper, our two-year-old little rescue dog.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer? 

Before Covid struck, I used to go and sit in a local tea shop every day, but since then, I have had to adapt. Usually, I write sitting looking out of the sitting room window or in my office. I think overall, I maybe find it a little easier to write in winter, especially if its cold and snowy outside!

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so, how do you bring back focus on you writing?

 If I have a deadline, then I’m usually ok, but if there isn’t a deadline hanging over me, I find it easy to procrastinate and spend too much time on social media! I find that sitting reading a good book, will often make me refocus and remind myself that I should be getting on with it!

Give us four essential items that a writer needs? 

Perseverance – You never, ever, ever give up. If somebody had told me three years ago, that I would be published by HarperCollins, I would never have believed them. 

Secondly, optimism – Keep writing, keep reading and keep going. Don’t be despondent. A published writer is an unpublished writer who never gave up. 

Next, I would say, a desire to read. As I said before, you learn so much from reading and see from other authors what works and what doesn’t. 

Lastly, imagination. Write the sort of book you would want to read. If you do that, your enthusiasm will shine through and if you enjoyed writing it, then the reader will have enjoyed reading it.

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress? 

My latest novel is called The Cottage in the Highlands and is book three in the Scottish Escapes feel-good romance series from the HarperCollins imprint One More Chapter.

Harper Collins
1 December 2022

When Leonie Baxter finds herself out of a job and out of a relationship, she’s at her wits end. Her life has just been turned upside down and she needs a plan, fast.

By chance, on a walk with her rescue puppy, Leonie stumbles across a striking house in the woods; fully furnished but unoccupied. As a journalist, she is determined to find out more, after all, reporting is in her nature.

But her attempts are thwarted by Lily Cruickshank who lives in the cottage next door. Why won’t Lily help Leonie? And who is the mysterious Flynn Talbot, whose letter Leonie finds inside the house?

And in uncovering the secrets of the abandoned house, will Leonie open her own heart and let love back into her life?

More about Julie

Julie Shackman is a former journalist from Scotland, who has always wanted to write feel-good romance. As well as being an author, Julie also writes verses and captions for greetings card companies. Julie admits to having an obsession with stationery and handbags. She is married, has two sons and a Romanian rescue pup, Cooper. The Cottage in the Highlands is Julie's seventh novel.

Julie where can wee follow you on Social Media ?

Twitter @G13Julie

Instagram

Facebook

Website

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​

🍴Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Jessica Stilling

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Jessica Stilling to Sunday Brunch

 

Welcome, Jessica. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch?

I love eggs Benedict, but that’s kind of messy to bring to a brunch, so let’s go with some French pastries, pain au chocolat, beignets or macaroons.

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

Definitely a strong Americano, though I’d feel bad about being such a bad stereotype of myself.

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

We’re outside on the patio, maybe overlooking a city… like Paris! Let’s gaze out at the Eiffel Tower and be incredibly uppity about literature and classical music.

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so, do you have a favourite piece of music?

I love Sibelius, his seventh symphony is my favourite because you can hear the sleigh bells on the frozen Finnish tundra. Or there’s some Bob Dylan playing. You can’t go wrong with Bob Dylan. Sometimes I like to listen to something harsher, like Green Day or Nirvana, Audioslave or Rage Against the Machine, but those are not Brunch listens.

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

Virginia Woolf is there, most definitely, and I think I’d like to see her husband Leonard as well. That couple always fascinated me, and I’d like to see them in action. I don’t know if I’d be able to eat, with Virginia around, but that’s okay, I’d go hungry for her. Who else… I’d like to meet Hemmingway. I don’t know if I’d like him, but I think he’d be interesting company. Also, Virgil, I’d love to pick that brain of his. My love of Iceland would want Halldor Laxness there. I’d love to chat with Zadie Smith, Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou as well. I like woman with deep voices who speak slowly and calmly. They don’t rush, they know you’ll lean in and listen.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

The Waves by Virginia Woolf. Always the Waves. I could read The Waves cover to cover and go right back and read it again and love it just as much.

Penguin
2000

When are you writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

I try to be reading something all the time. I used to read during my forty-five-minute subway commute to work when I lived in New York City, but now I try to get some reading done on my lunch break. I believe authors should always be reading and not just for work, for fun. How can we capture a reader’s eye if we are not readers ourselves?

I have always wanted to read Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past. I believe there are many circles where I have pretended to have read it. It’s just so long…I keep telling myself when I retire, I’ll read Proust.

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

There are a few different novels hiding in every aspect of life from one’s childhood to one’s job, to one’s absolute best or worst experiences. I change them, I turn characters and situations on their heads, I usually change the settings, but life is awesome, and writing gives me a chance to really explore it.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

I write at home, at my desk. Said desk used to overlook New York City but now it overlooks a bit of farmland in Vermont. I see my barn and the mountains in the distance, the chickens are usually wandering around outside (chickens are hilarious to watch). It’s lovely. I can write other places. I’ve been known to write on vacation or when I’m staying with family. I need quiet though, and peace. I cannot write with other people around, especially if they are making noise, so I don’t generally write in public.

Summer writing is nice because the days feel slower and they are longer, but the light is better in the winter. I have a couple of skylights and the way it slides across my floor is really quite lovely on a January morning.

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so, how do you bring back focus on your writing?

I am so easily distracted, and I have to watch out for that. Social media can be a real time suck. Whenever I get stuck, I’ll tell myself, ‘Just one Buzzfeed article and then back to writing,’ and sometimes it’s more like three or four Buzzfeed articles before I go back. Sometimes it’s a deadline that gets me focused. Sometimes I just have to tell myself that, ‘You are a writer, this is what you do, this is what you love, even if it’s hard, so get back to it.’ It’s funny because with most things, when I get stuck, it's really hard to get back to it, but not writing, never writing. I always go back to writing.

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

A Room of One’s Own: Virginia Woolf was correct when she said that in order for a woman (or anyone) to write they need time, and they need a room of their own. Without the time carved out to write, without a space to do it in, writing does not get done. There are a lot of equity issues that stem from this, and I’ve had times in my life when I had to scratch and claw for that time and that space, but if writing is your passion, you make it happen.

A workshop: a good workshop, full of people the author connects with, people who are not afraid to criticize when it’s needed, but who will ultimately have the author’s back, is worth its weight in gold. My workshop has been invaluable to me. We’re six people, we’ve been workshopping once a month (give or take) for six years now, so we really know each other, and we really get each other’s work. I do not know what role they played for me in my past lives, but I feel like I knew these people and we were close, these people were important, because they’re so important to me now.

Travel: See the world. See more than the four walls of your home and your town. Venturing off the beaten path can be so rewarding and so inspiring. Don’t worry about comfort, go outside your comfort zone. If you want to be comfortable your whole life, you will miss out on so much. Truly seeing how others live is a great way to live a second or third lifetime within your own.

Publishing Industry Knowledge: This sounds silly, because it’s not about writing, but it’s about what happens after you write. I know so many writers who write something good, but don’t know how to query an agent or understand the ins and outs of the publishing industry and it can stall their development. Get to know people who work in publishing, read articles about the industry. Yes, writing is an art and a passion, but publishing is a business and it’s really hard to get your work out there without understanding the business. You can write one, maybe two good books without this know-how, but after a while, the constant rejections can get to be too much and that’s where getting to know this industry is so important.

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

Between Before and After follows Indie film director Sebastian Foster, son of the famous author Regina Foster, as he embarks on a project to turn his mother’s award-winning novels into films. As he works on his third film in the project, a biographical novel that takes place in Paris and deals with the traumatic death of Sebastian’s five-year-old sister, the project and aspects of Sebastian’s personal and private life start to break down. Sebastian is confronted with a man from his past who holds the purse strings as far as funding for his films is concerned. He also learns that his mother has more secrets than he realized and as he dives deeper into this project, he learns that there was so much more to his sister’s tragic death than he realized. As the past starts to unravel before him, Sebastian must confront his issues with his mother and his desperate need to recreate a past that may not have been as idyllic as he remembered.

More about Jessica

Jessica Stilling grew up In McHenry, Illinois, a small town nestled between endless cornfields and sprawling Wal-Mart Mini-Malls. Jessica Stilling is a feminist. She is Not a Capitalist. And She really has a thing for Vikings. Jessica would move to Iceland in a heartbeat if they would have. She moved to New York City to attend The New School University and stayed in said city for fifteen years. Stilling is a graduate of the City University of New York’s MFA program. She has worked at The Francis Goldin Literary Agency and the Global City Press, a small press out of City College. Stilling has taught Creative Writing at The State University of New York, City College, Queens College, The Gotham Writer’s Workshop and The New School. Her work has appeared in many publications including Ms. Magazine, Bust Magazine, The Writer Magazine, Wasifiri and The Warwick Review. She is the author of ten novels, five literary novels under the pen name Jessica Stilling and five young adult fantasy novels under the pen name JM Stephen. Her novels include The Weary God of Ancient Travelers, Betwixt and Between and The Beekeeper’s Daughter. She currently lives in rural Vermont with her two children, a dog, a cat, and something like 20 chickens, 7 of which are roosters.

Jessica, where can we follow you on social media?

Twitter @jessicastilling

Facebook page

Website

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🍴Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Caroline England AKA C E Rose

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Caroline England to Sunday Brunch

AKA C E Rose

Welcome, Caroline. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch?

Now this question is certainly food for thought! I love nuts of all shapes and sizes so give me anything nutty and I’m in heaven. How about a granola with mixed nuts and seeds, honey, Greek yoghurt and berries? Yum!

 

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

A pot of English tea but it has to be Yorkshire. As Sean Bean says ‘Do it for Yorkshire!’

 

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

Outside on the patio would be nice, please. But you’ll need to bring alone some sunshine!

 

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so do you have a favourite piece of music?

I love a bit of Oasis or the Stereophonics, but you might not want to listen to me joining in, so how about we go for a something soft and uplifting like Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World.

 

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

Seeing as my CE Rose books have a hint of the gothic, I’ll bring along Daphne du Maurier

 

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

Rebecca, so I can chat to Daphne about it!

Virago
2003

 When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

I don’t have as much time to read as I’d like, but I get stuck in to as many as possible on holiday. The other day I realised that I still haven’t read the latest Jackson Brodie escapade Big Sky!

 

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

Much of mine comes from my fervid imagination, but like most authors I get nuggets of ideas from the news, TV, films, eavesdropping on conversations, talking to strangers etc

 

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

I always write at my desk in my study. I don’t have a seasonal preference for writing but if it’s a sunny day I’ll be tempted outside. I have tried writing on my laptop in the garden but it isn’t ideal!

 

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so how do you bring back focus on your writing?

I’m onto any edits like a shot, otherwise I’ll fret! I procrastinate some things in life but when it comes to writing, I’m a goody two-shoes swat!

 

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

Praise and validation! I suppose a computer and the internet come in handy too 😊

 

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

My last CAROLINE ENGLAND psychological suspense, vicarage-set THE SINNER came out in the summer and is steadily getting some amazing reviews.

Piatkus
2022

The blurb is:

EVERY SAINT HAS A PAST

To the unsuspecting eye Dee Stephens has a perfect life as the vicar's wife: a devoted marriage to her charismatic husband Reverend Vincent, an adoring congregation and a beautiful daughter.

EVERY SINNER HAS A FUTURE

But beneath the surface, Dee is suffocating. Vincent is in control, and he knows her every sin. Desperate, Dee escapes into a heady affair with Cal, an old schoolmate.

EVERY CONFESSION HAS A PRICE

But is Cal the saviour she thinks he is? What dark secrets does he harbour? And to what lengths will Vincent go to when he uncovers the truth?

Then my next CE ROSE psychological thriller THE SHADOWS OF RUTHERFORD HOUSE will be out on the 10th November. 

Hera
10 November 2022

The blurb is:

Darkness lies at the heart of this family…

In 1959 Milly starts her new life as a housemaid at Rutherford House, working for the aristocratic Rutherford-Percy clan. Entranced by her new mistress, Vivienne, she becomes deeply embroiled in the household and the keeper of dark secrets the family conceals beneath the mansion’s grand exterior.

In the present day, Christie is working as a psychiatric nurse when she meets troubled patient Lillian Percy, Vivienne’s granddaughter and heiress to Rutherford House. They soon bond over the loss of their mothers – Lillian’s died when she was a child; Christie’s mysteriously disappeared over twenty years ago – and Christie finds herself increasingly fascinated by Lillian’s family and their imposing ancestral home.

As Christie learns more about the Rutherford-Percys, she finds a shocking clue that could help her uncover what happened to her own mother. Desperate for answers, Christie puts her job, her family and even her very life on the line. But how much of the truth does she really want to know?

 

Caroline, where can we follow you on social media?

Website

Twitter @CazEngland

Facebook

Instagram

TikTok

Linkedin

Thank you for taking part in Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo.

Thank you so much for having me!

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🍴Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Lilly Brock

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Lilly Brock to Sunday Brunch

Welcome, Lilly. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch? 

I would bring a Victoria Sponge Cake. Whipped cream and jam are sandwiched between the layers. I would use plum jam made from the plums off our tree. This cake is presented to one of my characters in my historical fiction novel series, “Intrepid Journey”, Book 6. Queen Victoria loved a slice of cake with her afternoon tea, thus becoming her namesake. My character adores Queen Victoria. It’s 1864, and baking powder had recently been invented which was used in the sponge cake. The cake was described as two sponge cakes filled with cream or buttercream, then dusted with sugar on top. It was also referred to as a Victoria Sandwich Cake. It’s absolutely delicious. I have posted the recipe on my website.

This is a picture of one that I made
I simply couldn't help myself!

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

A must–English Breakfast tea served in a pretty teapot, and I would enjoy drinking my tea from a delicate teacup with saucer.

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

Since there are still sunny days here in October, we should sit outside on the patio. From this vantage point we will look upon the trees, now cloaked in colourful foliage.

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so do you have a favourite piece of music?

Yes, let’s relax with some smooth jazz piano music.

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

“Gone With The Wind” is one of my all-time favorite historical romance books, so I would invite Scarlett O’Hara. I love her strength and willful personality. She has been the inspiration for my character, Samantha, a Southern Belle during the Civil War, in my novel series.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

I would like to bring my 1979 time-worn paperback book “A Woman of Substance” by Barbara Taylor Bradford. This was Bradford’s debut novel in 1979 with more than 30 million copies sold. The author tells the story of her character, Emma Harte, who rises from servant girl to becoming an international power and one of the richest women in the world. I have to say this book was a major inspiration for me when I created my own business in 1980 from which after 38 successful years, I have retired. While I loved my business immensely, I’m thrilled to be pursuing my long-awaited moment in time to write stories.

1979

When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

After reading and devouring the World War II novel “Nightingale” by Kristen Hannah, I plan to read her book “Four Winds”, which is set around the Great Depression shortly after the Great War. The author happens to come from my neck of the woods, the Pacific Northwest.

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

I have always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people and the decisions they make in life. I love engaging with the projects I work on, diving headfirst into the research, investigation, and production of stories I feel are worth writing about. I would call myself a curious and proactive author, always interested in preserving history.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

I have two special places which offer me quietude and serenity as well as a beautiful view of the mighty Columbia River and snow-capped Mt. St. Helen’s. In the wintertime, my laptop and I settle in the cosy nook by the fireside, and in the summertime, I love to write on our sun porch while basking in the morning sun.

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so how do you bring back focus on your writing?

Since I am very goal-oriented, staying focused isn’t a problem. I always establish a daily word count goal. This works extremely well for me. It’s rewarding to meet the goal or go beyond. If my word count does exceed my goal, I look at it as a credit toward a day that I might miss the goal. Life happens! Right? Even if I’m not physically writing, my mind continues to work on the storyline. I’m afraid I become quite obsessive with my characters and storyline. My books and I are as one, lol.

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

A quiet, serene space, a comfortable chair for writing, Scrivener on my laptop, and a Thesaurus.

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

Last month, I published Book 6 of my historical fiction novel series, “Intrepid Journey: Crosswinds”. This is the continuing saga of my fictional Bennett family. The storyline begins in 1835 in Book 1 when the three Bennett brothers migrate to America from England. They begin their life in New York City. They marry and the Bennett family is born. Time passes and it’s 1855 when they learn about the offer of free land in the Pacific Northwest. The family decides to take a chance and embark on a voyage from New York City to the untamed Washington Territory via the little known water route on a side wheeler paddle steamship. They endure many hardships along the way. The series follows the family as it grows. The characters come to life as we not only watch them overcome the many challenges and hardships of that time with courage, fortitude, and loyalty, but also their moments of laughter, sadness, and romance. Historical events are woven into the storyline. In Book 6, the Civil War finally ends in 1865, but not without touching the family.

Crosswinds

A perilous escape. An uncertain outcome. A test of courage.

A French warship attacks the Mexico city, Mazatlán, and holds it hostage, thwarting Alberto De Leon’s plans to return to his family in California. No one can get in or out. Trapped, he’ll stop at nothing to win his freedom. But when he attempts a daring escape, it goes terribly wrong. He’s now a man on the run with a bounty on his head.

Jane Bennett’s nephews–Union officers–are captured and endure deplorable conditions in a Confederate prison camp. Finally, the Civil War ends and all prisoners of war are released. When the two brothers and hundreds of other soldiers board a ship to go home, they have no idea what fate has in store for them. Many will never see home again.

Dark clouds and uncertainty descend upon the Bennett clan as the chaos of two wars threatens the lives of those they hold dear. Will the family be strong enough to face what lies ahead?

Crosswinds is the sixth book of the sweeping Intrepid Journey historical fiction series. If you enjoy seeing the past come alive, compelling characters, and a dash of romance, then you’ll love Lilly Robbins Brock’s engaging tale.

 

More about Lilly

Lilly Robbins Brock was born in Olympia, Washington where her pioneer family homesteaded in the late 1800s. She loves history and one of her passions has been researching her family tree. Learning about the past lives of her hometown inspired Lilly to write her historical fiction novel series, Intrepid Journey, Book One: An Untamed Frontier, Intrepid Journey, Book Two: Perils in Paradise., Intrepid Journey, Book 3: A New Dawn, Intrepid Journey, Book 4: Twists of Fate, Intrepid Journey, Book 5: Changing Tides, and now Intrepid Journey, Book 6: Crosswinds. She is presently working on Book Seven to continue the story of the Bennett family saga. Lilly has also written three nonfiction memoir/biographies to honor three members of the Greatest Generation who served our country during World War II. The first book, Wooden Boats & Iron Men, is about a PT sailor and his love of PT boats. The second book, Ever A Soldier, tells the story of a soldier who saw action on the European front. The third book, Victory On The Home Front, is the story of a Rosie the Riveter and her husband who was a fighting Seabee. Lilly and her husband are now retired. They live in a quiet country setting on the shores of the Columbia River in Cathlamet, Washington, which has become the perfect place to pursue her lifelong desire to write stories, and where she wrote her first book, Food Gift Recipes From Nature’s Bounty.

Lilly, where can we follow you on social media?

Facebook Author Page

Facebook Personal Page

Instagram

Website

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🍴Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Rosie Hendry

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Rosie Hendry to Sunday Brunch

Welcome, Rosie. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch?

Some lovely cheeses, salads, apples, grapes and freshly baked bread.

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

A pot of peppermint tea for me please!

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

Outside if the weather is dry or if not around the kitchen table.

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so do you have a favourite piece of music?

No, we’d be talking too much to listen to music!

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

Milly Johnson, Cathy Kelly and Erica James. I’ve met all three and they are lovely. It would be such a treat to have brunch and a good chat with them.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

The Honey Queen by Cathy Kelly, which she has already kindly signed for me.

2013

When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

I read every day and often have two books on the go, one in paper or hard back format, the other as an ebook on my kindle. I’d like to read more of the classics, such as Thomas Hardy and Dickens as I haven’t read many of them. I did A level English literature where we had to pick books apart and analyse them in such detail that it has put me off classic books for so long.

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

I often get ideas while I’m doing research and come across wonderful gems of real-life social history which are inspirational. Personal histories in books or recorded interviews are a wonderful place to discover things that don’t make the history books. I stumbled across the idea for The Mother’s Day Club while doing some research for another book. When I read a woman’s account of how she was evacuated as an expectant mother on the day war was declared, it was one of those spine-tingling moments perfect for storytelling. It was such a powerful image, and I’d had no idea that expectant mothers were evacuated, so I knew it would make a great story.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

I write in various places, sometimes sitting or standing at my desk, other times in the garden or out and about. I’ve written in the car and sitting by the sea. It depends if I’m writing by hand or straight onto my computer. I can write year around, although there’s more of a temptation to go outside in the summer.

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so how do you bring back focus on your writing?

Sometimes it’s hard to focus, especially if it’s a tricky scene that won’t flow well. After the first few chapters I don’t write in sequence and this helps to keep me focused. I choose a scene to write which appeals to me that day. As a planner I have the book plotted out and the scenes pinned on a board so I can pick one that suits me to write. That helps the work to flow more easily. That said, there are some days when I get stuck and find it best to go out for a walk and come back to it afresh and hopefully the words will flow.

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

Imagination, resilience, self-belief and a love of writing – you just have to do it because the stories keep on coming to you.

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

I have just finished a Christmas novella – A First Christmas at Rookery House – which is now with my editor. The story takes place in December 1939 and focuses on Hettie and expectant evacuee mother, Gloria. It was fun to get to know them and explore their back story in more depth. It should be out sometime in November.

2022

October 1940

When VAD nurse Evie narrowly avoids being killed in an air raid during the Blitz, it propels her to make a life-changing decision to break free of her troubled and unhappy life. She escapes to the Norfolk countryside to start afresh, with a job at the newly opened Great Plumstead Hall hospital, and a wonderful new home at Rookery House.

The community of Great Plumstead welcomes more evacuees to the village – mothers and children bombed out of their London homes. Sisters Prue and Thea, along with members of The Mother’s Day Club, help the new arrivals settle in, while continuing their work for the war effort by holding knitting bees, socials and doing WVS work.

Evie is happy in her new life – she loves living at Rookery House and enjoys her job at the hospital, despite working for the difficult Matron Reed. But when a patient arrives who knew her in her former life, Evie’s new-found freedom and happiness is in danger. Will the secrets of Evie’s past be revealed, and the problems from her old life return to trouble her once more?

More about Rosie

Award winning author Rosie Hendry lives by the sea in Norfolk with her family. A former teacher and research scientist, she's always loved reading and writing. She started off writing short stories for magazines, her stories gradually becoming longer as her children grew bigger.

Listening to her father's tales of life during the Second World War sparked Rosie's interest in this period and she's especially intrigued by how women's lives changed during the war years. She loves researching further, searching out gems of real life events which inspire her writing.

When she's not working, Rosie enjoys walking along the beach, reading and is grateful for the fact that her husband is a much better cook than her

Rosie, where can we follow you on social media?

Twitter @hendry_rosie

Facebook 

Instagram 

Website

Rosie, thank you for taking part in Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo.

Thank you so much for inviting me to Sunday brunch!

Follow us on Twitter @Jaffareadstoo #SundayBrunchwithJaffareadstoo

🍴Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo ~ Daphne Denley

On this quiet Sunday morning why don't you put the kettle on, make your favourite breakfast and settle down for Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo

I'm delighted to welcome Daphne Denley to Sunday Brunch

Daphne, welcome to Jaffareadstoo. What favourite food are you bringing to Sunday brunch?

Boiled eggs with toast soldiers – yum!

Would you like a pot of English breakfast tea, a strong Americano, or a glass of Bucks Fizz?

Definitely English Breakfast or Assam Tea.

Where shall we eat brunch – around the kitchen table, in the formal dining room, or outside on the patio?

Outside on the patio if sunny or the kitchen if wet.

Shall we have music playing in the background, and if so do you have a favourite piece of music?

If outside, just the birds, bees, lawnmowers and workers sounds are good.

If inside then I think a bit of “Easy” (like Sunday morning), by The Commodores would be very fitting.

Which of your literary heroes (dead or alive) are joining us for Sunday Brunch today?

Laurie Lee. Lived in Slad, Stroud – not too far from me. We can discuss our favourite walks and a bit of poetry.

Which favourite book will you bring to Sunday Brunch?

Jane Eyre. One strong and inspirational lady.

Penguin Classics
2003

When you are writing do you still find time to read for pleasure? And is there a book you would like to read but haven’t had time for …yet!

The Diary of Anne Frank. Just can’t believe I haven’t read yet. Saying this now, I really do need to make time.

Penguin Classics
2019

Where do you find the inspiration for your novels?

Well, not quite at novel status as yet. However, poetry is a way of life for me. The inspiration is life itself and the prospect of the afterlife too. Every thing, person, feeling, smell, sight, sound and emotion can spark the will to write.

Have you a favourite place to settle down to write and do you find it easier to write in winter or summer?

My writing is generally not planned. I get a thought and could be driving the car. I then repeat in my head until I can pull over and scribble down. I could be working, I could be in between dreams in bed. I have been known to wake myself up at that stage and write 3 or 4 poems off the cuff. It could be an emotional or sad situation, like the queen’s funeral that I need to deal with, so feelings and thoughts are put to paper in that instant.

However, if someone gives me a subject. Although I won’t sit and think or put time aside. The thoughts of the subject will be rattling around in my head. When I get a good inspiration or line, I will then normally write the poem straight off.

I find it hard to go back and edit my work afterwards, apart from the grammar. As then if it is messed with, it is not totally true to the moment and my initial, reactive and instinctive thoughts, of which are normally the best.

When writing to a deadline are you easily distracted and if so how do you bring back focus on your writing?

Luckily, deadlines are not forced upon me so far. It would then be writing for the sake of it, rather than when it is felt.

Writing is a way for me to express an emotion and sometimes therapy. Like talking to a close friend, I can share my innermost feelings, but with poetry can reach a far bigger audience.

It’s nice when people recognise and familiarise with what you see, believe and experience or have shared past situations. I then also feel like I've helped others as well as myself.

My first book of poetry, Moments, was a truly emotional collection of poetry. Directly from the heart, head and soul. So many people related to their own experiences when reading and I couldn’t have ever imagined the amazing response I received.

My work isn’t seasonal, as in winter or summer. It is all year round. However, I tend to write more when I am moved by something or we are at the peak or extreme of a situation. So easier when we have say for instance a very hard winter's day – or someone has upset me!

Give us four essential items that a writer needs?

For me – Pen, paper, smart-phone (with notes section and access to an online dictionary/thesaurus) and book or folder to keep all work together.

What can you tell us about your latest novel or your current work in progress?

Some of my poems have been included in a marvellous new collection of short stories and poetry, published by Crumps Barn Studio.

Spooky Ambiguous, is full of scary and intriguing writing, guaranteed to make you think, stand the hairs up on your arms and give shivers down your spine. This fabulous book of ghosts, ghouls, vampires, zombies, witches and werewolves is out in perfect timing before Halloween and those Autumnal October days.

Crumps Barn Studio
2022

Work from 15 talented authors from around the UK, with complimentary lustrations throughout, has been selected to offer the perfect collection for the daring readers.

I found the subject of Halloween so exciting. It took me back to my youth and my thoughts into dark places, I seldom dare not enter.

I was over the moon to have my poetry included.

Having read everyone’s work and travelled from front to back. I think the book reads very well.

This book aside, currently, I continue to creatively write poems as the mood or situations arise. The subject matter is very diverse and anything goes.

I hope to have enough soon to put a new collection together, so please watch this space 😊

Bumble

Lastly, I want to say thank you to everyone, for being there, reading and commenting on my work. This encourages me to continue writing, which gives me so much pleasure.

Huge thanks to Jaffareadstoo, for giving me this platform to share with all you wonderful readers, reviewers, bloggers, authors and poets. It has been great fun and an honour to be included in this weeks fab Sunday Brunch Writers Questions on the blog.

Thank you – Daphne x

Daphne, where can we follow you on social media? 

Twitter @daphnedenley 

Facebook

Instagram

Thank you for taking part in Sunday Brunch with Jaffareadstoo.

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