My InspiratioN
For Thorndale and Halesmere
The Cottage of New Beginnings
My inspiration often begins with the setting and Thorndale was born out of a memorable walk through Arncliffe, Kettlewell and the hamlet of Hawkswick in the wonderful Yorkshire Dales. Whilst walking I discovered a cottage at the end of a quiet lane, its path to the front door running straight through the garden. This gave me the idea for Annie’s house, along with the river running through Kettlewell, and the green in Arncliffe as the village in my mind began to take shape.
The Garden of Little Rose
My second book is set partly on a Hebridean island, inspired by the Isle of Gigha, which I named Alana. The hotel where I imagined Flora staying can be found on Eriska, and it’s on my bucket list! The fictional name of the abandoned house and ruined garden around which my characters fall in love becomes clear as the story progresses, as does the connection to Thorndale. The house and its garden were inspired by Hill of Tarvit in Fife and you might just find a copy of the book in their gift shop!
A Summer of Second Chances
Daisy and Ben are two characters new to the Thorndale series and they venture into the Cumbrian fells, another place which is very close to my heart. I visited the places they did and saw their story unfolding before me, even though I didn’t join in with all of their experiences! If you read the book then you’ll discover their connection to a movie, and it’s one that I love. Check out the trailer for a glimpse: The Man from Snowy River.
A Country Village Christmas
Olivia and Tom’s story takes place around an old bookshop, and my new characters are getting to know one another whilst sharing a house. There’s a festive books theme, new old traditions and two people finding a way to live their lives a little differently. Christmas is a favourite time of the year and one of our family traditions is watching White Christmas whilst we’re decorating our tree.
Looking ahead ….
I’m delighted to be writing Love in the Lakes for Canelo, a new series set in Cumbria around the fictional Halesmere House. The first book is a festive novel about a successful chef clashing with a landscape architect, and will be published in August 2022, followed by two more books in 2023. I still have a Connemara story in my mind and am looking ahead to that and a Lancashire series in the future. It is a joy to write about people falling in love in such places and I hope this helps set the scene for you.
