An Exciting New Romcom Series - Guest Post Liz Eeles

This week, I'm delighted to welcome back to Wendy's Writing Now good friend and talented author, Liz Eeles. Not only do we share the same publisher but Liz lives in the next town from me which is lovely. The first in Liz's new romantic comedy series, New Starts and Cherry Tarts at the Cosy Kettle, was published this week by Bookouture. Publication week is always a busy time for authors but Liz kindly spared me a few minutes to answer a few questions. Hopefully her answers will whet your appetite for her new novel.

Can you remember where you were and what you were doing when the idea for New Starts and Cherry Tarts at The Cosy Kettle first came to you?

Not really – which isn’t a great start on question 1! I wanted to write about the beautiful Cotswolds, where I grew up, and knew the book would have a romance at its heart. But the rest – the bookshop, the café, and how my main character, Callie, grows in confidence and stops being such a people-pleaser – came to me gradually.

What three words would you use to describe your novel?

Funny, heart-warming and romantic.

How long did it take you to write?

I wrote a pretty rough first draft in about four months and spent another month re-writing it, before it was in a fit state to start going through the edits process. Having a deadline really helps me to sit down, stop faffing about and get on with it.

Do you think it’s easier to write a series than a standalone novel?

That’s hard for me to judge because my first three published books are also a series, set in Cornwall – though all three can be read as standalones. Writing a series is probably easier in some ways because your characters and setting are already established by the time you get to books 2 and 3. And it’s great to have the space to develop characters and stay with them for longer. But it can be tricky if you resolve a character’s problems in book 1 and then have to come up with more problems for them in book 2 or 3. I always feel a bit mean putting them through another trauma!

Who was your favourite character to write?

Definitely Stanley, Callie’s granddad. He’s just had his eightieth birthday and has decided to become his ‘true self’ before it’s too late. This involves saying what he thinks, taking on challenges from wild swimming to parachute jumps, and becoming an eco-warrior. He was great fun to write and I’m delighted when readers say how much they love him.  

When you write a character, do you have an image of a real-life person in your head?

Not really, though Josh, the handsome hero in my first Cornwall trilogy, ended up looking rather like Richard Armitage in the TV series North and South, which was absolutely fine by me.

What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

Getting away from my computer and out into the open air helps to blow away the cobwebs. I live on the south coast, so I walk a lot by the sea with friends and enjoy having a good natter. And I love watching telly and can often be found binge-watching box sets.

What does your family think of your writing?

They’re all very supportive, especially my husband who always reads an early draft of my books - I’ve introduced him to the genre of romcom. He’s also very long-suffering as publication day approaches and my anxiety levels start rising! 

Any advice for budding authors?

Don’t listen to that little voice in your head which says: You’re really rubbish at this writing lark, you’re wasting your time and will never get anywhere. I’ve realised that published authors – even those who sell loads of books – can suffer from anxiety about whether they’re good enough. So, keep going and seek informed and constructive feedback on your work, rather than listen to your inner critic.

What next for Liz Eeles?

More Cosy Kettle books! I’m editing the second book in the series at the moment, and the third and final book - which will be a Christmas story - is all mapped out. Now all I have to do is write it!

After yet another failed romance, twenty-six-year-old Callie Fulbright is giving up on love. She’s determined to throw all her efforts into her very own, brand-new café: The Cosy Kettle. Serving hot tea, cherry tarts and a welcoming smile to the friendly locals proves to be the perfect distraction, and Callie feels a flush of pride at the fledgling business she’s built.

But her new-found confidence is soon put to the test when her gorgeous ex reappears in the quaint little village. She’ll never forget the heartache Noah caused her years ago, but when they bump into each other on the cobbled streets of Honeyford she can’t help but feel a flutter in her chest…

As Callie and Noah share laughter and memories, she starts to wonder if this could be her second chance at happiness. But when Callie discovers that someone is mysteriously trying to ruin the café’s reputation… she has an awful suspicion that Noah knows who’s involved.

Was she wrong to ever trust him again? And can she find out who’s behind the lies and rumours, before it’s too late for the Cosy Kettle?

You can buy New Starts and Cherry Tarts at the Cosy Kettle here:  AMAZON

About Liz

Liz Eeles writes funny, feel-good romantic comedies set in the Cotswolds and Cornwall. She was brought up in Gloucestershire so the Cotswolds are 'home', and she fell in love with Cornwall during family holidays there as a child.

Liz worked as a journalist for years and brought up a family on the south coast, all the while writing fiction on the quiet. After being short-listed in a couple of national novel-writing competitions, her dream of being a published author came true when she was signed by Bookouture.

Website                Facebook             Twitter

Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea - Guest Post Liz Eeles

I've said before how delighted I am to invite writing friends onto my blog to celebrate their successes and today is no exception. Author Liz Eeles lives very close to me on the South Coast and and we met through the RNA New Writers' Scheme. Last month Liz's debut romantic comedy, Annie's Lovely Choir by the Sea, was published by Bookouture and I thought it would be nice to find out more about Liz, her writing and her road to publication.

We’re in a lift. Sell me your novel before we reach the ground floor.

Romantic comedy Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea is Long Lost Family meets Poldark with a touch of Gareth Malone thrown in. City girl Annie struggles to adapt to life in a Cornish village with the great-aunt she’s only just met. Salt Bay is wet, windy and practically Wi-Fi-free and Annie is determined to escape – but then she learns of a local tragedy and resurrects the village choir in a bid to bring the community together.

Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea is set in Cornwall. Why this county?

I love Cornwall and it was the ideal location for Londoner Annie who feels like a fish out of water but gradually falls for the place and its people. I’m particularly fond of the Penzance area so that’s where I set the fictional village of Salt Bay. This necessitated a week-long holiday in Cornwall – for research purposes, obviously.

Do you base any of your characters on real people?

No, they’re all made-up though, in my head, handsome Cornish teacher Josh looks like a cross between Aidan Turner and Richard Armitage. A couple of people have said that Annie sometimes reminds them of me, which I’m taking as a compliment even though she’s rather sweary and has commitment issues.

How long did it take you to write the novel?

Not as long as my first novel, thank goodness, which took AGES because I kept faffing about with it. That book is now shut away in a drawer where it belongs. I was far more focused when it came to writing Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea and, in all, it took about a year from starting the first draft to having a completed version of the book that was published last month. 

Are you a pantster or do you plot?

Plot, definitely. Without a fairly tight framework, I write myself into a corner and end up banging my head on the desk. Having said that, there’s enough flexibility in my plot for storylines to develop unexpectedly as I write and sometimes head off at tangents. So maybe there’s a tad of pantsing mixed up in there.

Do you have a special time for writing? How is your day structured?

I probably should have a special time for writing each day but I’m horribly unstructured. My plan is to write in the morning but life gets in the way and I sometimes find myself notching up my word count at midnight. The only time I’m properly focused is when I’m on a tight deadline – then, I write all day until my eyes go blurry.

What did you find most difficult when writing your novel?

The most difficult thing was letting the novel go at the end, when it was written, edited and ready to be published. I always think it can be improved so doing a final read-through, accepting it was finished, and stepping back was painful. Even though I’m proud of the book and how well it’s doing, I can’t bear to read it now it’s published.

I know that you are in a choir yourself.  Can you tell me a little about it?

I’ve loved singing since joining my school choir and singing in Gloucester Cathedral – I went to an all-girls school and we got to sing with a local boys’ school which might explain my initial enthusiasm. Now I belong to a choir in my home town near Brighton and we sing everything from Mozart to Les Miserables. Choirs can bring communities together, as well as being great fun, and I wanted to get that across in my novel.

You secured a publishing deal with Bookouture without having an agent -  do you think that the role of a literary agent is as important as it once was?

As a debut author, I don’t feel I can answer that with any authority. All I know is that I’m doing ok without an agent, though I wouldn’t rule out trying to nab one in the future.

What next for Liz Eeles?

I’m very happy with Bookouture and have signed with them to write three books in the Salt Bay series. Right now, I’m working on a Christmas sequel to Annie’s Lovely Choir by the Sea which is due for publication around October time, with book three out next Spring. After that, who knows? Lots more books, I hope.

You can buy Annie's Lovely Choir by the sea here

You can follow Liz on Facebook here

or on Twitter here: @lizeelesauthor

Liz began her writing career as a journalist for newspapers and magazines before moving into the health sector as a communications manager and press officer. The low point of her career was abandoning an interview with Cliff Richard after two questions because she was about to faint – her excuse is that she was newly pregnant at the time.

Liz is from Gloucestershire but now lives by the sea in West Sussex with her husband and grown-up daughter. She spends a lot of time meaning to meditate, avoiding exercise, and missing her son who lives in London.