Jenny Kane & Jennifer Ash

Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

Everyone loves a Cornish read…

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On April 20, 2026

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane, News, Romance

I’ve been a regular visitor to Cornwall all my life. It’s not surprising then, that I’ve written five novels based in the county: A Cornish Escape and its sequel, A Cornish Wedding, as well as my recent cosy crime novels, The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives, The Fish and Chips Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder, and a third, as yet unannounced, chip shop mystery.

While all of these stories fall neatly into the #feelgood fiction range, the first two lean towards #romance and #friendship – without being in anyway twee! A Cornish Escape and A Cornish Wedding follow the adventures of Abi Carter, who is about to start a #newlife by the sea.

Blurb- A Cornish Escape

Perfect for fans of Jenny Colgan, Phillipa Ashley and Cathy Bramley, this summer romance is sure to warm your heart.

Abi’s life is turned upside down when she is widowed before her thirtieth birthday. Determined to find something positive in the upheaval, Abi decides to make a fresh start somewhere new. With fond childhood memories of holidays in a Cornish cottage, could Cornwall be the place to start over?

With all her belongings in the boot of her car but no real plan, a chance meeting in a village pub brings new friends Beth and Max into her life. Max soon helps Abi track down the house of her dreams but things aren’t as simple as Abi hoped.

Can Abi leave her past behind and finally get her happy ending?

(Previously published as Abi’s House)

Here’s a ‘Tiny Taster’…

It was the muffins that had been the last straw. As Abi sat nursing a glass of wine, she thought back to the events of an hour earlier with an exasperated sigh.

Hurrying towards the church hall, Abi parked Luke’s unnecessarily large and ostentatious Porsche 4×4, and headed inside with a stack of Tupperware tubs in her arms. With her handbag slung over her shoulder and her key fob hanging from her teeth, Abi precariously balanced her load as she elbowed the hall door open.

Although she was twenty minutes early, Abi had still managed to be the last to arrive, earning her a silent ‘tut’ from some of the executive wives who were adding the finishing touches to the tables that surrounded three sides of the hall, and sympathetic grimaces from everyone else.

Acting as though she hadn’t noticed the air of disapproval, Abi made a beeline for the cake stall and plastered her best ‘this is for charity so be happy’ expression on her face. Polly Chester-Davies, an exquisitely dressed woman whom Abi always thought of as ‘Perfect Polly’, was adding doilies to plates, making the stall look as though it was stuck in a timewarp.

‘Ah, there you are, Mrs Carter, I’d given you up.’

Biting back the desire to tell Polly she’d been working, and was in fact early anyway, Abi began to unpack her wares, ‘Here you go, two dozen chocolate muffins without frosting, and two dozen with frosting, as requested.’

Polly said nothing, but her imperious stare moved rather pointedly from Abi’s face to the chocolate muffins already in position on the table, and back again.

Her disdainful expression made Abi mumble, ‘Are you expecting to sell lots of chocolate muffins today then?’

‘No, Mrs Carter, I am not. Which is precisely why you were instructed to make chococcino muffins.’

It had been that ‘instructed’ which did it. In that moment Abi felt an overwhelming hit of resentment for every one of the orders she had gracefully accepted from this Stepford harridan of the community.

For almost three years Abi had been doing what this woman asked of her, and never once had she said thank you, or commented on how nice Abi’s cooking was. Probably, Abi thought as she compared her own muffins with those provided by Perfect Polly herself, because mine don’t look like they could pull your fillings out. Nor had any reference ever been made to the fact that she would have to catch up on her own work in the evenings, after helping out with whichever good cause she’d been emotionally blackmailed into supporting this time. Not that Abi was against supporting a good cause, but this was different. These women didn’t raise funds for whichever charity was flavour of the month out of the goodness of their hearts. They did it because it was what they should be seen to be doing. It went hand in bespoke glove with being the wife of a successful man…

Available as a paperback or in eBook format, you can buy your copy of The Cornish Escape from all good book retailers, including:

Amazon UK 

Amazon.com 

If you enjoy A Cornish Escape, Abi’s adventures continue in A Cornish Wedding.

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

 

Opening Lines with Hannah Claire: The Book Lover’s Bucket List

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On April 18, 2026

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Opening Lines Blog, Romance

I’m delighted to welcome Hannah Claire to my blog today with the #openinglines of her debut novel: The Book Lover’s Bucket List.

This a particular pleasure for me, not because this is such a fun read, but because Hannah is a former #novelinayear student, turned friend. I could not be more thrilled to be hosting her today.

Publication is scheduled for 24th April, which is National Bucket List Day. How perfect is that!!

Blurb

A bucket list to change her life.

Gabriella Brookes has spent years quietly loving Zach Osborne, knowing he only sees her as his best friend’s bookish little sister. He’s charming, successful, and only back in their Derbyshire village for the summer before his next big move.

When Gabby stumbles across her long-forgotten teenage bucket list, Zach proposes a deal: together, they’ll tick off her book-inspired challenges, if she helps him complete a few fun tasks of his own.

What starts as a perfectly sensible plan quickly turns into something far more complicated, when real life refuses to stay neatly tucked between the pages.

But as Zach’s past resurfaces and his future pulls him away, Gabby is forced to face a harder truth: dreams don’t come true if you only ever read about them.

Ticking off the challenges was meant to be easy.
Admitting what your heart wants is the real risk.

A cosy, small-town romantic comedy about courage, love, and rewriting your own ending.

Here are the first 500 words:

Chapter One

It was late afternoon at Millbrook Library, and the only sounds were the hushed murmuring of voices, the turning of pages and the occasional clank from the ancient heating pipes. Gabriella Brookes cast her eyes over the display she was working on and gave it a nod of approval. Every summer they had a table for recommended holiday reads and, this year, Gabby was determined to make it bigger and better than ever. She adjusted the bucket and spade, sprinkled a little more sand around and reached for the large stack of books she had selected.

As far as Gabby was concerned, one of the best bits of her job managing the library was helping people find the perfect book for their current need or mood. For the summer Read Yourself Happy display, she had chosen novels set in far-flung and exotic locations, as well as sweet English villages beset by murders; some laugh-out-loud comedies and twisty, turny thrillers and, of course, a handful of swoon-worthy love stories with gorgeous romantic heroes. All novels you could relax with, and enjoy a much-needed break from reality. Too much reality was definitely a bad thing, Gabby decided, appraising the display.

‘Looking good,’ her colleague Ange called out as she walked over and joined Gabby at the table. ‘Perfect for the weather.’

She nodded to the large arched windows, which gave a great view of the rain lashing down on the usually bustling marketplace of Millbrook. The chocolate-box-pretty village high in the Derbyshire Dales was beset with heavy grey clouds, the trees around the square bending in the wind. The market was devoid of locals and tourists alike, everyone seeking refuge from the storm instead of browsing the stalls. The traders were huddled inside their coats trying to stay dry, though Gabby could see some of them packing up early, giving up hope of more shoppers when the weather was so terrible.

‘I love that you chose today of all days to do the holiday reads table,’ Ange went on. ‘It’s the worst weather we’ve had in weeks. We should be displaying blankets and hot water bottles, not seashells and ice cream.’

Gabby took a cuddly seagull from her box of supplies and sat it next to a stack of romantic comedies.

‘It’s the middle of June. There should be a bit of sun, at least. That’s why the display was on the list for this week.’

‘And if it’s on Gabby’s list, it has to happen,’ Ange teased. ‘Shame the weather didn’t get the memo. Though you know that sand will get everywhere, right? We’ll be hoovering it up from now until Christmas.’

Laughing, Gabby tucked a stray dark-blonde curl that had escaped from her ponytail behind her ear. She liked working with Ange. At thirty-nine, Ange was ten years older than Gabby, and while the two women were very different, they had bonded over their shared love of books. Ange was loud, confident, and liked to wear the brightest clothes she…

***

If that has whetted your appetite, then you can pre-order Book One in the Millbrook series (published by Dove Peak Press) now: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GX33FZ34 

Bio

Hannah has always been a bookworm, loving nothing more than escaping into fictional worlds. She can’t walk past a bookshop without adding to her already-overflowing To Be Read shelves. She writes contemporary romantic novels set against the beautiful landscape of the Peak District in Derbyshire, close to where she lives.

A firm believer in the power of love stories to offer comfort and escape, Hannah writes books that celebrate connection, hope, and the magic of second chances — stories designed to bring a little joy into busy lives.

She lives with her husband, their three children, two cats, and one very bouncy dog who still hasn’t worked out that squirrels generally don’t want to be her friends.

Hannah loves long sunny days spent outdoors and rainy afternoons spent indoors — ideally under a cosy blanket with a good book. Her favourite things include sparkly nail varnish, candles, bubble baths, and chocolate, and she remains convinced that there is no such thing as too many notebooks.

Many thanks Hannah.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

AUTHOR EVENT@ DOGBERRY & FINCH, OKEHAMPTON

By

On April 14, 2026

In Contemporary fiction, Cornwall, cosy crime, Fiction, Jenny Kane, News, The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

I’m delighted to have been invited to the lovely, Dogberry & Finch Bookshop, to talk about my brand new series:

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

I’ll be chatting about the series, my writing life in general, and answering any writing related questions you may have, as well as signing books.

Tickets from the bookshop on online via this link: https://buytickets.at/dogberryfinchbooks1/2110775

I’d love to see you there!!

Jenny x

Tiny Taster: Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange

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On April 13, 2026

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Fiction, Mill Grange, Opening Lines Blog

With Spring making its presence felt, I thought I’d share a tiny taster from the third novel in the #MillGrange series:

Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange.

Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange

BLURB

Helen Rogers has been lying to herself over her feelings for Tom since the moment they met. And for good reason; not only are they colleagues, working together with the archaeology groups at Mill Grange, but her sabbatical is almost over and she’ll soon have to return to Bath.

Tom Harris knows he’s falling in love with Helen. How could he not? She’s smart, kind and great with his son Dylan. But with his ex-wife suddenly offering him a chance to spend more time with Dylan, and the staff of Mill Grange about to host a wedding, everything else has to be put to one side. Even his feelings for a certain archaeologist.

As Helen’s time at Mill Grange runs short, the two are forced to consider what matters most…

Set in the beautiful Exmoor countryside, on the border of Devon and Somerset, Spring Blossoms, continues the story of Thea, Shaun, Sam, Tina, Mable and Bert – as well as Helen and Tom, who were newcomers to the house in Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange.

Here’s a tiny taster…

‘Do you honestly think I’ll need eighteen pairs of knickers? It’s the Cotswolds, not the Kalahari.’

Thea scooped the entire contents of her underwear drawer onto the bed as Shaun flung open a suitcase.

‘No, I think you’ll need thirty pairs or more, but as you only have eighteen, then pack them.’

‘Seriously?’ Thea eyed some of her older undies with suspicion. The greying fabric had been consigned to the back of the drawer to be used in emergencies only, although now she thought about it, she wasn’t sure what that emergency might be. An archaeological excavation in the middle of nowhere, perhaps?

‘You know what it’s like on a dig. Laundry facilities only happen to other people. A flushing toilet can be a luxury sometimes.’

‘Won’t the local village have a launderette?’

‘It’s the Cotswolds, Thea. The people who can afford to live there don’t need launderettes.’ Shaun winked. ‘I tend to wring out my smalls in the nearest public toilet sink or a bucket of cold water.’

Thea laughed. ‘I used to do that when I was a student on excavation.’ Stuffing every pair of socks she owned into the suitcase, she added, ‘Age has softened me!’

‘You’ve got used to manor house living, that’s what it is.’ As Shaun threw a pile of t-shirts onto the bed, he caught a glimpse of anxiety crossing Thea’s face. ‘I was…

***

You don’t have to have read Midsummer Dreams at Mill Grange or Autumn Leaves at Mill Grange, to enjoy Spring Blossoms, although you’d probably get more from the story if you have. The final book in the series, Winter Fires at Mill Grange, follows hot on  Spring Blossoms’ heels.

If you would like to buy an e-copy, paperback or audio version of Spring Blossoms at Mill Grange, you can purchase a copy from all good retailers, including…

AMAZON
KOBO
APPLE
WATERSTONES
BARNES & NOBLE
GOOGLE PLAY
WHSMITH

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Cover Reveal: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and The Campervan Murder

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On April 8, 2026

In Contemporary fiction, Cornwall, cosy crime, Fiction, Jenny Kane, The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

With the first novel in The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives out in the world, I can now reveal the cover for Book 2 in the series!

I love what the fabulous design team at Hodder & Stoughton have come up with for:

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and The Campervan Murder!

Blurb

Don’t miss the next instalment in the Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Series, available to pre-order now!
It’s been a busy summer for the Fish and Chip Shop Detectives as they get drawn into their next investigation, hook, line and sinker…

The bustling streets of Mousehole are home to Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, where Maggie and Ryan dish up the best fried goods Cornwall has to offer – and solve a crime or two.
When a villager is found dead, Maggie and Ryan rapidly find themselves deep in a new mystery.

But as the case unfolds, it becomes clear that something strange is simmering beneath Mousehole’s serene surface. The enigmatic owner of the chip shop, Mr Robbins, is nowhere to be found. And when Maggie and Ryan search his campervan home, they find it already unlocked and completely ransacked…

Where is Mr Robbins? Is his disappearance linked to the murder? As the fish and chip shop detectives face a boatload of questions, can they catch the killer before someone winds up dead?

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives
Forty-eight-year-old Maggie is a lover of puzzles. When she’s not working at Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, she can be found on her sofa, nursing a cup of tea and solving the latest mystery thrown at the detectives in Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders and more. Maggie’s found a firm friendship with Ryan, a newcomer to Mousehole. When he’s not busy sleuthing, Ryan enjoys nursing a pint at The Mariner pub. Together, Maggie and Ryan serve the best fish and chips – and solve crimes as The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

The Setting
Mousehole is a picturesque fishing village in Cornwall, known for its scenic harbour, winding streets, and tiny sandy beach. It’s also home to Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, the only chippy in town. Tourists and locals alike enjoy a battered cod whilst admiring the calm waterfront. And if you want a side of gossip with your food, make sure you get to the chip shop at exactly 6 o’clock, where you’ll find local pensioner Harry, who is always up for a natter…

Published on 11th June this year, you can already preorder your copy from all good retailers, including:

Amazon.co.uk: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder: A brand-new and utterly addictive cozy crime British mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Book 2) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store 

Amazon.com: Amazon.com: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder: A brand-new and utterly addictive cozy crime British mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency Book 2) eBook : Kane, Jenny: Books

Kobo: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder eBook by Jenny Kane – EPUB | Rakuten Kobo United Kingdom

Amazon.de: Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency series – Book 2: A brand-new and utterly addictive cozy crime British mystery (The Fish and Chip Shop Detective Agency) : Kane, Jenny: Amazon.de: Books 

Waterstones: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives and the Campervan Murder by Jenny Kane | Waterstones 

If you haven’t yet read Book 1: The Fish and Chips Shop Detectives, you’ve plenty of time to do so before the second story in the series comes out. (You don’t have to read the first story to enjoy this one.)

Happy preordering,

Jenny x

Opening Lines: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

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On April 4, 2026

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Cornwall, cosy crime, Fiction, Jenny Kane, The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

It’s time for an #openinglines blog and, as you’d expect, this time I’m sharing the first 500 words from my brand new #cosycrime novel:

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives.

BLURB:

Don’t miss this brand-new cozy crime mystery series, perfect for fans of Clare Chase and Peter Boland – available now!

There’s some fishy business happening in the idyllic Cornish village of Mousehole. As a killer begins to make waves, can these new amateur detectives solve the mystery?

Maggie Tyson loves living in the utterly charming village, Mousehole. She spends her days walking the local coastal paths, solving the latest crossword puzzle, and working in the small town’s only fish and chip shop.

Looking for a fresh start, Ryan Stepney is in desperate need of a job, and stumbles across a vacancy at the chip shop.

When a body is found by the harbour, shock ripples through the village. And as Ryan was the last person seen talking to the victim, he becomes the number one suspect in the investigation.

Maggie is certain that her new colleague had nothing to do with the murder, so swaps her apron for a magnifying glass, and starts to investigate herself.

Can Maggie prove Ryan’s innocence and reel in the killer, before they strike again?

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives by Jenny Kane

FIRST 500 WORDS:

Chapter One:  Monday, June 2nd

Maggie wrapped a serving of fish and chips in paper and passed the aromatic package across the counter. There was something about her latest customer that made her give him an encouraging smile. He seemed lost.

‘Here you go, me’andsome. Best fish and chips for miles.’

‘Thanks.’

Offering up the card machine so that he could pay, Maggie nodded towards the rucksack at his feet. ‘On your holidays?’

‘No. Well, sort of.’ He shrugged, the movement giving him the air of a scarecrow swaying in the wind.

Judging the lad to be of a similar age to her daughter, Izzie, Maggie experienced a maternal pang. ‘Sort of?’

‘Yeah.’ He threw her a shy grin as he turned away, giving the shop door a firm tug as he closed it behind him.

As soon as he’d left the warm environment of Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, Maggie, found herself speculating about her latest customer.

Student maybe… Here on holiday with his mates after his exams, but they’ve had a row and he’s taking some time out… Picking up a cloth and a bottle of sterilizing spray, she wiped droplets of vinegar off the counter. Or he’s fallen out with his girlfriend and he’s after a bit of headspace.

Smiling to herself, Maggie pictured her daughter joining in her musings. She and Izzie had always enjoyed people watching; guessing what other people were like as they sipped coffee in the local café, or sat on the harbour wall, observing Mousehole’s nonstop supply of tourists as they meandered by.

Checking the time on the large, fish-shaped wall clock above the counter, Maggie headed to the front door and turned the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’, before calling through to the office beyond the serving counter. ‘Mr Robbins, I’m closing up.’

The short grunt that greeted this news, was all she needed to remove her apron, unpin the white boater from her head, and hang them both on a hook inside the office door.

‘I’ll see you at six.’ Maggie waited for the second grunt of acknowledgement she knew her boss would give her before she left.

Eric Robbins – known to everyone as Mr Robbins, (with an emphasis on the mister, as though he felt very protective of the title), was seated in his usual position. Hunched forward, his palatial buttocks wedged into a blue plastic chair, he had a pair of black-rimmed designer glasses hooked over his cauliflower ears. The 1960’s design of the spectacles served to emphasise, rather than diminish, the line of his repeatedly broken nose. One hand rubbed continuously at his stubbly chin, while the other scrolled through whatever it was he was studying on the tablet propped up in front of him. He wore a crisp white apron and a white fabric boater, despite only rarely stirring himself to interact with the frying of anything, let alone to engage in conversation with a customer.

In ten years of working as Mr Robbins’ assistant in…

If you’d like to know what happens next, you can buy this cosy crime adventure from all good independent book shops, ebook/audio retailers, inc.:

Publication Day: The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

By

On April 2, 2026

In Contemporary fiction, Cornwall, cosy crime, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

TODAY’S THE DAY!

I’m delighted to announce that, The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives, has been published today!!

This, the first in three novels (so far), is set in the Mousehole region of Cornwall, and features the unstoppable Maggie Tyson and her young friend, Ryan Stepney…

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives by Jenny Kane

Blurb

Don’t miss this brand-new cozy crime mystery series, perfect for fans of Clare Chase and Peter Boland – available to pre-order now!

There’s some fishy business happening in the idyllic Cornish village of Mousehole. As a killer begins to make waves, can these new amateur detectives solve the mystery?

Maggie Tyson loves living in the utterly charming village, Mousehole. She spends her days walking the local coastal paths, solving the latest crossword puzzle, and working in the small town’s only fish and chip shop.

Looking for a fresh start, Ryan Stepney is in desperate need of a job, and stumbles across a vacancy at the chip shop.

When a body is found by the harbour, shock ripples through the village. And as Ryan was the last person seen talking to the victim, he becomes the number one suspect in the investigation.

Maggie is certain that her new colleague had nothing to do with the murder, so swaps her apron for a magnifying glass, and starts to investigate herself.

Can Maggie prove Ryan’s innocence and reel in the killer, before they strike again?

***

I will be travelling across the SW of England over the next year, talking about this new series.

Here are a few of the dates and venues so far. If you’d like to come and say hello, it would be great to see you! (Some dates are still to be arranged – I will update the list as and when I can.)

15th May, 5.30 p.m.      Author talk/signing at Dogsberry and Finch Bookshop, Okehampton

5th June, 2-4 p.m.          Author talk at Tavistock Library, Devon

June                                  Author talk/signing at Black Cat Books, Launceston, Cornwall.

25th June                          Author talk at Ivybridge Bookshop, Devon

July                                    Author talk at Penzance library, Cornwall

18th Aug                            Cosy crime panel – Torbay Lit fest, Devon

The Fish and Chip Shop Detectives

Forty-eight-year-old Maggie is a lover of puzzles. When she’s not working at Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, she can be found on her sofa, nursing a cup of tea and solving the latest mystery thrown at the detectives in Death in Paradise, Midsommer Murders and more. Maggie finds an unlikely friend in Ryan, a recent graduate who has just moved to Mousehole and is trying to figure out what to do with his life. Together, they serve up the best fish and chips Cornwall has to offer, with an occasional helping of mystery solving on the side.

The Setting

Mousehole is a picturesque fishing village in Cornwall, known for its scenic harbour, winding streets, and tiny sandy beach. It’s also home to Robbins’ Fish and Chip Shop, the only chippy in town. Tourists and locals alike enjoy a battered cod whilst admiring the calm waterfront. Mr Robbins, the owner, is notoriously private – no one knows much about him. Perhaps that’s another mystery for our Fish and Chip Shop Detectives to solve…

Here are a few of the fabulous pre-release reviews I’ve had from Netgalley

“New series. New to me author. Loved the Cornwall setting. Massive fish and chips fan. Enjoyed the mystery. Great characters. Looking forward to more in this series.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“This cozy crime mystery had me hooked from the first pages… At no point could I put it down before I knew who done it.” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“One of my favourite books of the year” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 “An absolute treat for cozy mystery fans! The setting was atmospheric, the mystery intriguing, and the ending tied everything up beautifully” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 “A cozy mystery so delicious you can almost taste the tang of the salt and vinegar!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Had me hooked from the first page’ Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jenny visiting Mousehole Harbour

You can buy this cosy crime adventure from all good independent book shops, ebook/audio retailers, and…

Writing Workshops – May/June

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On March 22, 2026

In Imagine, writing tips

This Spring 2026, I’m adding a set of daytime workshops to my list.

If you’re interested, then read on for details:

The following friendly workshops are ideal for beginners to fiction writing, those who want to have fun with words, and anyone who has written in the past and wishes to polish up their skills.

(Aged 16 and above)

Tuesday 19th May – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

            Who will you write about? Character development in fiction

 

Tuesday 26th May – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

            Where will you write about? Location building in fiction

 

Tuesday 2nd June – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Plotting your fiction. How to plot and order your fiction.

 

Tuesday 9th June – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

When in Time? Placing your fiction in time: past, present or future.

 

Tuesday 16th June – 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Editing and proofing your fiction. Perfecting and polishing your work

Each workshop can be booked individually, or you can register for the complete series.

There are 6 places per workshop. A minimum of 3 students is required to run each class.

The workshops are run via a Zoom link (video and sound).

Advance booking is essential.

£35 per person, per workshop. Payment taken a week before each workshop.

£5 deposit on initial booking.

Payment for the first workshop is taken on acceptance to the series. This acts as a non-returnable deposit. After which, you pay as you go.

All you need on attendance is a pen, paper, and a smile.

There will be a five minute comfort break halfway through each workshop.

Email me at imaginecreativewriting@gmail.com to reserve a place.
See you there!
Jenny xx

Opening Lines with Jan Baynham: The Stolen Sister

By

On March 5, 2026

In Fiction, Historical fiction, Opening Lines Blog, Romance, saga

I’m welcoming the super lovely, and ultra-talented, Jan Baynham to my place today to share the #openinglines from her brand new novel: THE STOLEN SISTER

Thank you for inviting be back to your lovely blog, Jenny.

Introduction

The Stolen Sister is my sixth novel. It has all the features which readers are coming to expect of my books – a dual timeline, contrasting locations, family secrets and two love stories. In this novel, there is also the theme of grief, resilience, sibling relationships, romantic love, a search for identity and reconciliation. It’s set in beautiful Crete in 1963 and again twenty years later, as well as rural mid-Wales. The Stolen Sister is the story of Greta, a young Welsh painter who arrives in the fictional town of Fáros Limáni to join an art commune. In 1984, her daughter Zoë travels to Crete to carry out her mother’s dying wish to have her ashes scattered into the sea there even though she knows nothing of her mother’s connection with the island. Through my words, I hope I’ve been able to take the reader on a virtual trip to this stunning island, as seen through Zoë’s eyes as she returns to the place of her birth for the first time.

Matala caves

Blurb

Lost letters. A secret Greek love affair. A daughter’s search for the truth.

Crete, 1963. Young artist Greta Ellis arrives at the sun-soaked port of Fáros Limáni, ready to paint and explore the beautiful Greek island.

There she meets passionate local, Andreas Papadakis, and Greta is swept up in a world of colour, freedom and forbidden love. But when tragedy strikes, Greta is forced to make an impossible choice that will change the course of her life — and her heart — forever.

Wales, 1984. After the death of her beloved mother Greta, silversmith Zoë Carter receives a sealed letter that upends everything she thought she knew. Greta’s dying wish is for her ashes to be scattered in Crete, a place precious to her . . . but somewhere she had never spoken of.

Searching through her mother’s belongings, Zoë uncovers a series of letters. Written in Greek and dated the year before she was born, they reveal a passionate love affair. And a tragedy that tore it apart.

Determined to know the truth, Zoë travels to Crete to follow the trail left behind in her mother’s letters. Through the olive groves and whitewashed villages of Crete, she begins to piece together a story of love, betrayal and loss — and discovers that her family was never what it seemed.

Perfect for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton, Dinah Jefferies, Santa Montefiore, Fiona Valpy, Barbara Davis, Angela Petch, Karen Swan or Anita Chapman.

First 500 Words

Prologue

North West Crete, 1967

Greta forced herself to smile as she watched her handsome new husband join in with the traditional Greek dancers, his blue eyes sparkling as he swayed his hips and dipped in time with the others as they circled the dance floor. The haunting sound of the bouzouki music filled the busy taverna above the noise of the fun and laughter of the diners. Since arriving in Crete four years before as a naive art student, she’d heard the instrument played many times but tonight there was something unnerving about the music. It seemed dissonant to her. Something wasn’t right.

She quickly dismissed the feeling when her three-year-old daughter wriggled down from her lap.

‘Me dance, too.’ Even though she could hardly keep her eyes open, the little girl ran towards the dancers who stopped and clapped, welcoming a laughing Greta and her daughter to join John in the circle. They all sidestepped and dipped, then kicked each leg in time to the music.

The meal at the taverna, situated a few miles out of Fáros Limáni, was to celebrate John joining his wife and daughter to make a new life together and to thank their American friends, Bill and Nancy, who’d helped them settle. John had left his temporary teaching job in Heraklion for a permanent post close to where they were going to live.

Returning to sit down at the table, Greta pulled the little girl onto her lap, loving how she snuggled into her and fell asleep, safe in her mother’s arms. She always looks so like her father as she sleeps. The same long dark lashes, the same beautiful face.

She looked at a smiling John, sitting next to her. How she loved her new husband! She couldn’t believe how lucky she was that life was good again . . . so why did she have a niggle of foreboding?

‘Someone’s exhausted. Shall we go?’ John stood and held out his arms to take the little one from Greta. Bill and Nancy stood to go with them.

They took the coastal road back to the port. Relieved John was driving slowly round such sharp bends and that the road was deserted, Greta relaxed into the seat behind him.

‘Not far now, sweetheart.’ John glanced in the rear mirror at the little girl fast asleep between Greta and Nancy.

A wall of rock loomed in the headlights.

Greta screamed. ‘John!’

John yanked the steering wheel in order to try to take the hairpin bend he’d been distracted from. ‘Holy shit! Hold on!’ Searing pain shot through the whole of Greta’s body as the car crashed into the cliff. She heard the thud of John’s head slamming down onto the centre of the steering wheel. Unable to move, deafening noise engulfing her — screams, the horn blaring continuously, her daughter wailing, panic in voices.

‘Oh, God.’ Bill shook his friend. John didn’t respond even as Bill shook him harder. Choked, he said, ‘I’ll get Greta out first. You lift the…

Here are some of the amazing reviews for Jan’s incredible work.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The most compelling, evocative, heart-wrenching book I have ever read.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Captivating and emotional . . . A top, top, must-read.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘One of the best sagas I’ve read in a very long time.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A novel that will transport you to Greece, with its sensory delights of sights, sounds and flavours.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘The vivid imagery used to paint Greece is stunning and made me feel as if I was there. If you enjoy a multi-layered novel brimming with secrets, you’ll adore this story.’

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Historical fiction at its best.’

You can buy The Stolen Sister from all good retailers, including:

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stolen-Sister-powerful-emotional-historical-ebook/dp/B0GN9Z34YH/ref

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Sister-powerful-emotional-historical-ebook/dp/B0GN9Z34YH/ref 

BIO

Originally from mid-Wales, Jan lives in Radyr, on the outskirts of Cardiff. After retiring from a career in teaching and advisory education, she now writes historical fiction and sagas. Fascinated by family secrets and ‘skeletons lurking in cupboards’, Jan writes dual narrative, dual timeline historical novels that explore how decisions and actions made by family members from one generation impact on the lives of the next. Setting and a sense of place play an important part in all of Jan’s stories and as well as her native mid-Wales, there is always a contrasting location in sunnier climes. She is published by Joffe Books/Choc Lit. She enjoys meeting up with other writers, especially members of her local Cariad RNA Chapter as well as when attending talks and workshops.

X- @JanBaynham https://twitter.com/JanBaynham

Facebook – Jan Baynham Writer https://www.facebook.com/JanBayLit/?locale=en_GB

Instagram – janbaynham https://www.instagram.com/janbaynham/?hl=en-gb

Threads – https://www.threads.com/@janbaynham

Blog – Jan’s Journey into Writing https://janbaynham.blogspot.com

Amazon Page – Jan Baynham https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Jan-Baynham/author/B085DC6BKR?ref 

Many thanks for sharing your work with us today, Jan,

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

Opening Lines: The Outlaw’s Ransom

By

On February 24, 2026

In Blog, crime, Fiction, Historical fiction, history, Jennifer Ash, medieval, News, The Folville Chronicles

This week, I thought I’d dip into my earliest Jennifer Ash novel, and share the opening lines from The Outlaw’s Ransom.  

Here’s the blurb to The Outlaw’s Ransom-

When potter’s daughter Mathilda is kidnapped by the notorious Folville brothers as punishment for her father’s debts, she fears for her life. Although of noble birth, the Folvilles are infamous throughout the county for using crime to rule their lands—and for using any means necessary to deliver their distinctive brand of ‘justice’.

Mathilda must prove her worth to the Folvilles in order to win her freedom. To do so, she must go against her instincts and, disguised as the betrothed of Robert de Folville, undertake a mission that will send her to Bakewell in Derbyshire, and the home of Nicholas Coterel, one of the most infamous men in England.

With her life in the hands of more than one dangerous brigand, Mathilda must win the trust of the Folville’s housekeeper, Sarah, and Robert Folville himself if she has any chance of survival.

Never have the teachings gleaned from the tales of Robyn Hode been so useful…

OPENING LINES:

Mathilda thought she was used to the dark, but the night-time gloom of the small room she shared with her brothers at home was nothing like this. The sheer density of this darkness enveloped her, physically gliding over her clammy skin. It made her breathless, as if it was trying to squeeze the life from her.

As moisture oozed between her naked toes, she presumed that the suspiciously soft surface she crouched on was moss, which had grown to form a damp cushion on the stone floor. It was a theory backed up by the smell of mould and general filthiness which hung in the air.

Trying not to think about how long she was going to be left in this windowless cell, Mathilda stretched her arms out to either side, and bravely felt for the extent of the walls, hoping she wasn’t about to touch something other than cold stone. The child’s voice that lingered at the back of her mind, even though she was a woman of nineteen, was telling her – screaming at her – that there might be bodies in here, secured in rusted irons, abandoned and rotting. She battled the voice down. Thinking like that would do her no good at all. Her father had always congratulated his only daughter on her level-headedness, and now it was being so thoroughly put to the test, she was determined not to let him down.

Stretching her fingers into the blackness, Mathilda placed the tips of her fingers against the wall behind her. It was wet. Trickles of water had found a way in from somewhere, giving the walls the same slimy covering as the floor.

Continuing to trace the outline of the rough stone wall, Mathilda kept her feet exactly where they were. In seconds her fingertips came to a corner, and by twisting at the waist, she quickly managed to plot her prison from one side of the heavy wooden door to the other. The dungeon could be no more than five feet square, although it must be about six feet tall. Her own five-foot frame had stumbled down a step when she’d been pushed into the cell, and her head was at least a foot clear of the ceiling. The bleak eerie silence was eating away at Mathilda’s determination to be brave, and the cold brought her suppressed fear to the fore. Suddenly the shivering she had stoically ignored overtook her, and there was nothing she could do but let it invade her…

You can buy The Outlaw’s Ransom: Book One of The Folville Chronicles, for your Kindle or as a paperback from-

Kindle-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07B3TNRYN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519759895&sr=8-1&keywords=the+outlaw%27s+ransom

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B3TNRYN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1519760741&sr=8-1&keywords=the+outlaw%27s+ransom

Paperback-

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Outlaws-Ransom-Folville-Chronicles/dp/1999855264/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520007697&sr=1-2&keywords=the+outlaw%27s+ransom

https://www.amazon.com/Outlaws-Ransom-Folville-Chronicles/dp/1999855264/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1520007771&sr=1-1&keywords=the+outlaw%27s+ransom

(Please note that if you have read Romancing Robin Hood by Jenny Kane and Jennifer Ash- then you will already be familiar with the story with The Outlaw’s Ransom)

Happy reading,

Jen xx

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