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.

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