Tag: family

Happy Birthday Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed!!

On October 14, 2024

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog, Romance, The Potting Shed

Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed is a year old!!

Following on from the adventures of Maddie, Ed, Sabi, Jo, Jem, Sara, and the team at The Potting Shed garden centre, Misty Mornings sees the arrival of some brand new characters, a new café, and a face from Ed’s past…

Blurb

Don’t miss out on this lovely book by #1 Kindle bestselling author Jenny Kane.

Welcome back to The Potting Shed! As Maddie and Sabi re-open the doors of their family-run garden centre. Business is booming, and it’s time to give back to the community that has kept The Potting Shed afloat, by opening the Forget-Me-Not dementia café.

But, as the doors to the café open, Sabi is offered the chance of a lifetime, that could take her away from The Potting Shed for weeks, café manager Jo’s frail, elderly mother is taken ill, and Maddie’s partner, Ed, takes a job in a faraway city just when Maddie needs him more than ever. A new member of staff is desperately required – who will join Sara, Jo and Ivan as the busy autumn season fast approaches?

Available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and Waterstones as an ebook or paperback.

You can also buy an audiobook of this story: Amazon UK, Amazon US.

(Although Misty Mornings is the third book in this series, it can be enjoyed as a standalone read.)

Here is an extract from the story – welcome Belle, a new friend to The Potting Shed.

Belle swept a swathe of deep purple curls from her face and glared into the mirror that hung in the hallway of her little home.

Smudging some concealer under her eyes, she re-examined her complexion.

‘I don’t know why you’re trying to hide those spots, Mum.’ Niall bounded down the stairs, his long thin legs, out of proportion to his short body, as if only half of him was having a growth spurt at once. ‘They’ll go on their own soon – that’s what you tell me about mine.’

‘That’s because you’re a teenager. You’re supposed to have spots. I’m thirty-five! Spots just make me feel old.’

Niall stood next to his mum and stared into the mirror. ‘Your skin’s so dark, they’re hardly visible. Now, if you were white, it’d look like mini satellite dishes had landed on your face.’

‘Thank you for that vote of confidence – not!’ Belle couldn’t help but chuckle at her eldest son’s teasing expression.

‘I was being nice!’

‘By telling me that the spots on my chin, which I saw as annoying, but small, are actually huge.’

‘Why are you trying to hide them anyway?’

‘I’ve got an interview on Monday. I was practising looking nice.’ Belle wrinkled her nose. ‘I’m not sure anyone will hire me to work with food if I have three volcanos on my face!’

Niall gave his mum a hug. ‘You’ll ace it. Every café needs a woman with bright purple hair.’

‘Do you think I should wash out the dye?’ Belle tugged at her mass of curls. ‘Or I could dye it black, or…’

‘Mum! I was joking. It suits you. Just put on your best tie-dye dungarees and you’ll be perfect.’

‘I’ll be wearing a pair of trousers and a shirt and jacket.’

‘Boring.’

‘Sensible.’ Belle left out a pent-up breath. ‘I’m panicking aren’t I.’

‘Just a bit.’ Niall sat on the stairs and glanced up at his mum through a mess of black curls. ‘Are you okay? I mean, do you need this job or just want it?’

‘Both.’ Belle smiled, hoping her eldest child wouldn’t notice the worry that was always in her eyes these days.

‘If you get the job and have to be at work while we’re at home, me and Milo will be okay.’

‘Budge up.’ Belle perched onto the stair next to Niall. ‘It’s obvious that that’s what’s bothering me, huh?’

‘That you’re worried about Milo – or about not being there for him – yeah.’

‘I worry about you too.’ Belle put an arm around Niall’s shoulder.

‘I know.’

Always conscious of inadvertently laying more responsibility on her older child than she meant to, Belle thought of Milo. He’d always been more of a handful than his brother and had taken the defection of their father three years ago hard, whereas Niall had seen it as a sad inevitability.

‘If I get the job, I won’t be home until almost five every day.’

‘I know.’

‘But what if…’

Niall got up and looked down at his mum. ‘I’ll make sure Milo gets home from school and does his homework.’

‘But you shouldn’t have to. You have your own…’

‘I don’t mind, Mum. Honestly.’…

As with many of my novels, serious subjects are covered as the characters go along. From the challenges of having relatives with dementia, to the practical difficulties of long distance relationships, Maddie and the gang face every day head on – while being determined to give something back to the community that has supported them while The Potting Shed grew from a small nursery, to the much larger affair it has become.

Obviously, I don’t want to give away any spoilers here – but I can promise the dogs (Florrie and Sheba) will be as much fun at the end of the novel as they are at the beginning. As If I’d kill the dogs! (Readers do email me asking me not too!).

If you’ve not read Frost Falls at The Potting Shed and Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed, you can catch up on the friends previous dramas via eBook, audiobook or paperback from all good retailers.

I’m off to raise a birthday cuppa to the final story in my #thepottingshed #series!

Happy reading,

Jenny x

For the love of Arthur

By Jenny Kane

On July 11, 2024

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

Over the years I’ve developed something of a reputation for the inclusion of older characters in my contemporary fiction. Without conscious thought on my behalf, I always seem to develop plotlines that involve pensioners – and I love it!

Bert and Mabel in my #MillGrange series are enduringly popular- and Stan in my #Cornish novels has carved a little place for himself in many of my reader’s hearts.

When it came to writing Summer at Sea Glass Cove, I found myself drawn, once again, to an older character – but this time he was not entirely of my own creation.

Arthur – retired fisherman and passionate collector of antique gaming pieces (especially chess pieces) – was inspired by my daughter, Lucy.

Lucy and I were sharing a scone and coffee moment in a local café, as we often do when she is visiting. I had just written, ‘The End’ on the final novel in #ThePottingShed series, and Lucy asked what I was going to write next. I outlined my idea for Summer at Sea Glass Cove – but at this stage, I only had a plot, locations, and my three lead characters, but I knew it needed another dimension.

My daughter looked at me as if I was crazy – not uncommon – and told me I needed to get an older dynamic because, and I’m quoting Lucy directly here, “you’re really good at doing the oldies, Mum.”

Within minutes – the time it took me to get up and fetch her a second scone – Lucy had invented Arthur, his husband Jeff, and their cat, Shark. And – I have to say – they are my favourite characters in the book. Not just because my daughter helped bring them to life, but because there is something magically endearing about them. As I wrote them onto the pages, I knew they’d be the sort of chaps that would make solid friendships with people of all ages and walks of life.

When Lauren, marine archaeologist, and the novel’s main protagonist, first meets Arthur, she’s in the Museum by the Sea (run by Phil and Sally) – they are chatting about The Vissen – a wreck that Lauren is currently excavating:

EXTRACT:

…‘Welcome to the best museum in the county.’ Arthur’s eyes twinkled. ‘Pleased to meet you.’

‘Likewise.’ Lauren returned his generous smile. ‘Sally said you’re a regular here.’

‘Once a week, every week since I was a kid.’

‘Really?’

‘Yep. Missed the odd visit when I was at sea, mind.’

‘A fisherman?’

‘Man and boy.’ Arthur brushed down his navy jumper. ‘Was it the top that gave it away? Seen better days but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it.’

Lauren laughed. ‘It does give off that sea fisherman vibe. Aren’t you a bit hot though?’

‘My body stopped bothering to keep me warm the second I reached seventy-five. This jumper will see me out.’ He started to chuckle. ‘Unless Jeff throws it away while I’m not looking!’

‘Jeff?’

‘My husband. He hates me wearing something so tatty. When I point out that I’m looking rather tatty myself these days, he rolls his eyes and goes to talk to the cat.’

Phil laughed. ‘I don’t know how he puts up with you.’

‘Nor me.’ Arthur tapped the tray before them. ‘Now then, Lauren, what do you make of this lot?’

Stepping forward, Lauren lowered her coffee cup and looked at the artefacts spread out before her. ‘Gaming counters!’

Arthur’s eyebrows rose so high, they were almost hidden by his navy cap. ‘I’ve not heard those two words spoken with such enthusiasm before.’

Knowing she ought to keep the discovery of the Vissen’s chess pieces to herself, Lauren went to pick up a pawn. ‘May I?’

‘Certainly.’ Exchanging a glance with Arthur, Phil asked, ‘You know about these things, Lauren?’

Cradling the bone pawn in her palm, Lauren admitted that she did, and asked, ‘Where’s this from?’

‘It was washed up on Lyme Bay.’ Arthur picked up another piece. ‘I think this one’s from the same set. Possibly a queen – maybe a bishop. The sea has worn it too much to say for sure. I’d put my pension on it being Tudor though.’

‘Do you know about chess sets then, Arthur?’ Lauren laid the pawn down next to a collection of pottery dice.

Sally burst out laughing. ‘That’s like asking if the Pope reads the Bible.’ …

If you’d like to find out what happens next – and why chess pieces are so important to Lauren and her new friends – you can find Summer at Sea Glass Cove in all good bookshops and online retailers, including:

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Kobo

WHSmith

Waterstones

BLURB

Welcome to Sea Glass Cove!

Marine archaeologist Lauren Sunshine is used to life on the go. Her suitcase is always packed ready to explore the country’s underwater heritage so when a shipwreck is found off the Dorset coast, she is thrilled to be leading the excavation team.

Philippa Silver, ‘Phil’ to the folk of Sea Glass Cove, has devoted her life to the Museum by the Sea. But funding is tight, and despite subletting half of the museum to her best friend Jules’s sea glass shop, she fears for the museum’s future.

Phil hopes the wreck discovery could bring more visitors – but there’s a problem – the museum’s too small to house its treasures. Thankfully, new friend Lauren seems as determined as she is to save the museum.

But, when Phil’s brother Ollie catches Lauren’s eye, she begins to wonder if she has more than one reason to be interested in life at Sea Glass Cove…

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Happy Birthday: Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed

By Jenny Kane

On April 1, 2024

In Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Romance, The Potting Shed

Bluebells Season at The Potting Shed is a year old!

Bluebells is the second book in #thepottingshed #series.

To help celebrate it’s birthday, Bluebells Season at The Potting Shed is one of Amazon’s Monthly Kindle Deals until the end of April!!

Blurb

Maddie and her sister Sabi are back at The Potting Shed, but are their troubles over?

Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed is the sequel of Frost Falls at The Potting Shed, part of a new series by #1 Kindle bestselling author, Jenny Kane, that revolves around a family-run garden centre.

Spring has arrived at The Potting Shed and things seem to finally be going Maddie’s way. Her relationship with lovable lawyer Ed is going well and the business is thriving with the help of her new friend Jo and his bright orange coffee van.

But troubles are just around the corner… The upgrade of The Potting Shed from a nursery to a garden centre is at a critical point – turning part of Maddie’s business into a building site, and just as she has to temporarily move out of her home, a major garden centre announces its grand opening only twenty miles away.

With money running out Maddie and her sister Sabi must think fast – they only have until the end of bluebell season to save The Potting Shed…

Here are the novel’s opening lines…

MARCH – Chapter One

Maddie’s breath caught in her throat as she saw the glass panel fall towards the gravel path. A vision of half of The Potting Shed’s new greenhouse roof being reduced to smithereens flashed through her mind as a workman dived forward and caught it a split second before it hit the ground.

‘I can’t watch this anymore.’ Maddie turned her sister. ‘It took us so long to decide whether we should splash out on a greenhouse for my herbs or not, I don’t want to look again until it’s up. It’s too stressful.’

Sabi gave the two men the full force of the haughty glare she reserved especially for tradesmen. ‘Let’s go inside. We’re supposed to be talking battle plans for the nursery’s expansion, and I for one could murder for a cup of tea.’

‘You know the greenhouse’s roof wouldn’t have smashed, don’t you?’

‘Logically, yes.’ Maddie placed the biscuit tin in the middle of the kitchen table. ‘No point in paying for reinforced glass if it’s not going to do its job, but instinct still told me it was going to break.’

‘Have you worked out which herbs you’re going to grow yet?’

‘Almost.’ Maddie glanced down as Florrie’s wet nose nudged at her hand. ‘Yes, I know you want a biscuit, but you’ve already had one, and they aren’t good for you.’ She ruffled the puppy’s black and white fur, before returning to the point. ‘I’ll start by increasing production of the herbs I already grow. All the favourites: thyme, mint, chives, parsley, and such. But I also want to produce some less common varieties too. See if I can tempt people to be braver in their tastes. Borage definitely – it’s good in a jug of Pimm’s; maybe some caraway and chervil.’

‘Not coriander and dill? I use all of those – and basil of course.’

Maddie’s eyebrows rose. ‘You mean Henry uses all of those.’

‘Yes, well, it’s hardly my fault if my husband loves to cook.’

‘You’re a lucky woman, Sabs.’ Patting her sister’s arm, Maddie selected another biscuit. ‘But I’ll leave out those particular herbs for now. They tend to bolt if you don’t keep on top of them, and as we can’t afford to employ any more staff, I want to keep things low maintenance.’

Sabi delved a hand into her massive handbag, pulled out a state-of-the-art tablet, and opened it at a list of jobs that needed doing. ‘Maybe we should have ordered a bigger greenhouse.’

‘Anything bigger wouldn’t have fitted between the first polytunnel and the path to the car park.’

‘I still can’t see why it couldn’t have been built on the scrap of land at the far side of the nursery.’

‘Light.’ Maddie bit back the temptation to ask Sabi how many times they needed to have this conversation. ‘While the rear of The Potting Shed does enjoy the sunshine, overall, it’s lighter at the front of the nursery for longer each day.’

Sabi grunted reluctant acceptance of the situation as she pulled a cookie from the tin, brushing a crumb away as it hit her tablet’s screen…

If that extract has whetted your appetite, you can order your copy of Bluebell today.

Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and Waterstones.

Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed follows Frost Falls at The Potting Shed, and precedes Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed.

Happy Reading,

Jenny x

OUT NOW: Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed

By Jenny Kane

On September 14, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, Romance, The Potting Shed

I’m delighted to be able to announce that the third book in #thepottingshed #series is OUT NOW!

MISTY MORNINGS AT THE POTTING SHED

BLURB

Don’t miss out on the third lovely book in the brand new series by #1 Kindle bestselling author Jenny Kane.

Misty Morning is now available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, Nook and Waterstones as an ebook or paperback.

You can also preorder the story in audio format: Amazon UK, Amazon US.

It was so much fun going back to The Potting Shed to continue the adventures of Maddie, Ed, Jo, Sara and co. In book three there are new characters to meet – the lovely Belle, Jo’s mother Iris, and the not so nice Tristan!

Florrie, the lively Springer Spaniel/Border Collie cross, is still running rings around everyone, and the children’s gardening group, The Little Acorns, are on fine form as they make home grown smoothies in The Potting Shed’s newest attraction – the Forget Me Not Café.

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter today, you’ll be able to hear some readings, and keep up with all the new release news.

It’s always a bit nerve wracking when a new novel is launched. There is a real fear of failing your readership – so I always have to psyche myself up before I read reviews. It was therefore, with great relief, that I found some wonderful reviews awaiting me when I looked at my page on NetGalley.

I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to review. I can’t state enough how important reviews are. If you like a book, do your favourite authors a favour, and pop a little review on Amazon or Goodreads – or whichever platform works for you. While a poor review will break a writers heart (it really does), a good one can make the difference between them being asked to write another book, or not.

I’ll leave you with a few of those lovely reviews. I couldn’t be more thrilled with them.

PRE-RELEASE REVIEWS

‘Oh my, this book gave me such warm and fuzzy feelings! The friendships, love and community caring is literally the backbone of this story and it means everything! I will reread this again. I loved it. And the thought of a dementia cafe is genius! This needs to happen!’ Netgalley

‘I really need to learn that “I’m just going to read a few chapters” of a Jenny Kane book always becomes “I couldn’t put it down and read it all in one day”. I have loved this series from the beginning and it continues to deliver heart-felt and sweet stories. …’ Netgalley

‘Fantastic to be back at the Pottering. Can read alone. Lovely having Belle as a new character. The cakes sounded yummy. Tristan was a character and a half. I loved the twists with him. Happy and sad tears in the book. Maddie is a fab boss. Jenny Kane is a lovely writer.. Dementia is such a difficult subject and it was covered so well.. A great read. Loved it.’ Netgalley

‘Misty Mornings at the Potting Shed, what a sweet, warm installment in the series. I liked reading the progress of the characters – their personal and professional lives getting more and more towards their goals.
It is a warm friendly read, perfect for cosy winter days or just for some good ol reading time.’ Netgalley

‘What a sweet, cozy, heart warming story! This wasn’t what I expected…it was so much better! It really was a feel good community story that brightened my day. I loved the plant aspect, our characters, and the vibe to this.’ Netgalley

‘Thoroughly enjoyed the 3rd instalment of The Potting Shed series. Although this could be read as a stand alone it makes more sense if you have read the first 2. This develops the characters further and get to know Jo better and meet Sara properly. If you haven’t read 1 and 2 then I definitely recommend them and also this one. Great summer reading and escapism.’ Netgalley

‘I truly love this series. I have read all the books and I adore the characters. Even the slightly annoying one has made it into my heart (I won’t mention her name). The author has created a world at the potting shed that I wish I could live in. When they are looking for help to run it, I want to volunteer! They do not even have to pay me. I would love work in the café and to care for the plants also!
I enjoy stories that have characters of various ages, and this book has that quality. Several teens are instrumental to the story as well as some older folks.
This book is a great continuation of the series. Quite a bit happens in these pages, but as always in a sweet romance, all is good by the final page. I really needed an escape from real life and I thank the author, Jenny Kane for providing a place to regain my faith in people. I look forward to future books in this series and am hoping that they will be some!’ Netgalley

‘Jenny Kane has done it again. This was a lovely addition to the “Potting Shed” series. This was absolutely delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating from start to finish. The characters were charming and witty. I highly recommend this fun and quick read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.’ Netgalley

Have a lovely day everyone.

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Uplifting Reads: Bluebell Season Bargain!

By Jenny Kane

On July 1, 2023

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, Jenny Kane, The Potting Shed

It is with great pleasure that I can announce that Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed has been selected to be one of Aria Fiction’s UPLIFTING READS for this summer!

BLURB

Maddie and her sister Sabi are back at The Potting Shed, but are their troubles over?

With money running out Maddie and her sister Sabi must think fast – they only have until the end of bluebell season to save The Potting Shed…

During July and August, you’ll be able to pick up Bluebell Season and a selection of other fabulous fiction from Aria for ONLY 99p.

You can find all of these books here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/page/51C3B798-921C-4365-9551-DA199058599C

Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed follows Frost Falls at The Potting Shed, and precedes Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed.

Each book can be read as a standalone as well as part of the series.

If you prefer a paperback, Bluebell Season is available from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Kobo, and Waterstones and all good retailers. Or if you’d like to listen to Bluebell in audio format, it can be purchased from Amazon UK and Amazon US

REVIEWS FOR BLUEBELL SEASONS AT THE POTTING SHED

“….I loved the way that everyone pulls together and does all they can to make the potting shed a success, but do they manage to open the extension on time to save it or was it all a waste of time and effort?
A really good read, good characters and plot line.” readsandeats15

‘Get into this story from the very first page. Well worth 5 stars, shame it can’t be more.’ NetGalley reviewer

‘It was so good to be back meet up with the characters at The Potting Shed… I look forward to reading how the characters lives progress as well as Maddie and Ed’s relationship following his promotion…I recommend this book.’ NetGalley reviewer, ***** stars

‘A great sequel to the 1st book… A lovely read, was great to catch up with all the characters. I hope there is a 3rd book.’ NetGalley reviewer, ***** stars

‘A charming and heartwarming story set in the idyllic English countryside… engaging and uplifting, with a satisfying sense of closure that will leave readers feeling warm and content. Overall, “Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed” is a delightful read that celebrates the joys of friendship, community, and following your dreams.’ NetGalley reviewer, ***** stars

‘I loved this! It was so great to be back at The Potting Shed with Maddie and Ed… A brilliant book from start to finish.’ NetGalley reviewer, ***** stars

‘I read Frost Falls at The Potting Shed, thoroughly enjoyed it, and couldn’t wait to read the next in the series. I must say, it was as good as the first. I felt like I was visiting old friends the moment I dived into the first page… If The Potting Shed was real (it actually feels as though it is) I would love to pay it a visit!’ NetGalley reviewer, ***** stars

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Opening Lines with Kellie Butler: The Broken Tree

By Jenny Kane

On August 15, 2019

In Blog, Fiction, Historical fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog

It’s Opening Lines time again.

This week I’m delighted to welcome Kellie Butler, with the first 500 words from her brand new novel, The Broken Tree.

Hi, my name is Kellie Butler and I’m back again for another installment of the first 500 words from my new book The Broken Tree. Thanks so much for having me back, Jenny!

The Laurelhurst Chronicles family saga follows the Cavert family from the beginning of the Second World War through the mid-1970s. It centers on siblings Lydie Cavert and her brother Edward. My initial inspiration for this series was writing about trauma from the perspective of an adolescent that endures a lot of things we go through in life and then some. Every family has secrets, and her family certainly has a bevy full. I draw inspiration from classic film, television, literature, and historical research.

For the third installment in the series, I was initially inspired by a camping story a friend of mine from Lancashire told me about lightning striking a tree up on Pendle Hill. It reminded me of a story I had heard long ago of a tree holding the curse of a young boy who was shunned by his community for the practice of divination, even though he had made his community wealthy. If the tree ever broke or fell, the curse would come alive. It inspired me to research the Lancashire Witch Trials and craft a story of how events from those times during the summer of 1612 would affect the Cavert family in the late 1950’s.

Here’s the blurb of this captivating story of love, loss, and betrayal.

An anxious homecoming. A three-hundred-year-old curse. A betrayal that threatens to tear the Cavert and Bainbridge families apart. Welcome home to Laurelhurst.

Lancashire, Summer 1959. Fifteen years ago, Lydie Cavert Bainbridge left the dark memories of her youth at Laurelhurst Manor behind her.

Now thirty-two, an expectant Lydie returns with her family of five with two goals: to protect her children from her horrific experience at Laurelhurst and to spend a peaceful summer before the arrival of her fourth child.

When Lydie comes across an ancient oak tree split in the middle on the edge of the estate, an old secret from three hundred years ago involving an enemy is revealed, along with specters of the past she had hoped to leave behind.

As the tree casts a shadow upon the house and loyalties are tested, Lydie must choose between the love she holds for her family and the love for her brother. Can the Cavert family stay together, or will splinter like the tree found on the moors?

***

First 500 words…

On a balmy June afternoon in 1959, the waters of Morecambe Bay shimmered in the sun. Yet underneath the surface, danger lurked for any unfortunate person who might have misjudged the swift currents and shifting sands, as five of Lancashire’s rivers emptied into the bay. Lydie had relayed to her husband, Henry, the stories she had heard in school of fishermen who had perilously misjudged the sands and lost their lives in search of a bountiful catch of cockles. She had warned him on their way towards the beach not to venture too far from the shore, as some areas of the bay contained quicksand. Henry took the story to heart.

Lydie lounged on a blanket while Henry played with their three children—Robert (Bobby), Eleanor (Nora), and Soon-Li (Suzy). While the children were far away from danger, Lydie still placed an instinctive hand upon her pink gingham shirtdress. She was four months pregnant, and she barely showed.

Henry tossed a frisbee while he kept a watchful eye on all three tots. Lydie’s lips curled into a smile as she watched his tall, trim body, lean muscles rippling underneath his short-sleeved white cotton shirt and khaki shorts. His short, golden brown hair, still cut in the same sleek cut he had sported since his Ivy League days, appeared like caramel in the sun. Lydie knew she was blessed to have such a wonderful husband. She heard many stories in the beauty parlors and at the occasional bridge game she attended with young mothers. Stories of husbands who told their wives they were working late in the city while they were actually out carousing around. She knew two women in her neighborhood who sat alone many a night without a word from their husbands.

The years hadn’t always been easy. Only three months after they had married, almost nine summers ago, the army had drafted Henry into service in Korea under the Doctor’s Draft of 1950. Within months, Henry had left for several weeks of basic training and by the time they had rung in 1951, he had been on a flight west, missing their first anniversary together.

Henry’s homecoming came at the end of summer in 1953. Lydie had met him at Idlewild Airport in their Buick Roadmaster and drove him to a cabin just north of Ithaca near Tannenhough State Park. After a surprise welcome home party, they had spent a week making up for lost time. Bobby and Nora were conceived on a hot August night by the shores of Cayuga Lake. The sound of the lapping waves had lulled them to sleep after their ardent lovemaking. The twins arrived in 1954, and Suzy, who was the same age as the twins, became a part of their family in 1955.

Lydie watched their beautiful twins as they joined another group of children in play. Suzy and Henry retreated to the blanket. Now in the late afternoon sun, she smiled on her happy family and reached over to hold …

***

If you want to read more, go to http://getbook.at/brokentree for the paperback and Kindle editions. You can also purchase the eBook through Barnes and Noble, Kobo, iBooks, and other retailers at this link: https://books2read.com/u/3JJkxE. Thank you very much for reading!

About the Author: Kellie Butler is the author of The Laurelhurst Chronicles, which has received excellent reviews. A freelance writer and paralegal, she lives in a quaint small town in the southeastern United States. She enjoys hiking, cooking, knitting, reading, and walks with her dog, Chip. Visit her website www.kellierbutler.com to connect with her on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram) and to sign up for her newsletter.

***

Many thanks for joining us today Kellie,

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Opening Lines from Colette McCormick: Not My Brother’s Keeper

By Jenny Kane

On May 30, 2019

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog

Opening Lines is back!

What better way to kick off a new season of these popular blogs than with a blog tour post.

Please welcome Colette McCormick to my site with the first 500 words (exactly) of her novel, Not My Brother’s Keeper as part of her

Book Blog Tour.

Thank you so much to Jenny for inviting me to share the first 500 words of my new book Not My Brother’s Keeper with you.

In this book, brothers Robert and Tom each tell their side of the story surrounding what happened after Michelle became pregnant. Family ties are stretched and some bonds, once broken can never be repaired. Although the story is set in northern England, it is the people rather than the place that is important.

I have two sons and while this story was inspired by them it is not about them. It all started with a throw away comment that the younger one made when his older brother left home. He probably didn’t realise what he had said but it was enough to get the cogs moving and Not My Brother’s Keeper started to form.

Blurb

My brother, not my responsibility

Robert and Tom are practically identical – same height, same hair, equally good looking – but Tom never had the same confidence as his older brother, and for that reason, he is in awe of him.

When Robert’s girlfriend, Michelle, tells him that she’s pregnant, Robert disappears leaving Tom to clean up his mess. As Tom spends time with Michelle, reassuring her that she is not alone in this, the both begin to fall in love.

But is Michelle settling for second best?

Is Tom losing himself in what should have been his brother’s life?

Sixteen years later, without warning, Robert comes home and Tom has to find the courage to stand against the brother he idolized.

***

First 500 words…

As brothers went, there wasn’t much to distinguish Robert and Tom Ellis from any other set of brothers that had gone before them or since.

With a little over two years between them, they grew up playing together, learning together, and even occasionally fighting together. As little boys they were each other’s best friend.

As older boys the bond of brotherhood – though still strong – became stretched as new friendships were formed. By the time they were both at secondary school, they were brothers who looked out for each other’s welfare, though they had little in common.

As adolescents, when raging hormones turned cherubs into demons, the stretched bond strengthened again; they were two boys standing together against parents who had forgotten what it was like to be young.

As young men, they established who they really were.

ROBERT

I don’t know what you want me to say. I was just a normal kid.

I liked my mates, I loved football and I hated school.

The only thing that I liked about school was the break times, which I spent either playing footie with my mates or round the back of the gym doing whatever the girl I was with would allow me to. My kid brother was the academic one in the family and more than one teacher said that I should take a leaf out of his book. No chance. The only lesson I liked was the one that Mr Dawson taught in car mechanics but it wasn’t really a lesson at all, more of a hobby class really; a bit like chess club.

My best mate at school was a lad called Craig Jenkins. We started on the same day and were in the same class all the way through. He was a massive lad – wide as well as tall – and he liked school even less than I did. We sometimes used to wag off and go into town together. He had a sister called Michelle who was in our Tom’s year. I think they did Maths together.

Me and Craig lost touch a bit after we left school. He got a job on a building site and I started working for Bill Deardon who had a garage behind North Road. We made new friends and didn’t have the common bond of hating school anymore. I still saw him sometimes when I was out, especially if I was in the Big Tree on a Friday night but we weren’t as close as we had been.

I loved my job. I mean, I know I spent the first six months making tea and watching what the other mechanics did, but Bill said that that was the way I would learn. I think I’d been there almost a year before I got my hands on anything under the bonnet of a car but I had learned a lot from watching the others and Bill was pleased with what I could do. I came across Craig’s sister again in the summer…

***

You can Buy Not My Brother’s Keeper on Amazon

Bio

Originally a city girl, Colette has made her home in a one of the many former mining villages in County Durham. When not working as a retail manager for a large children’s charity she will more than likely be writing, even if it’s only a shopping list. She also enjoys cooking, gardening and taking the dog on long walks in the countryside near her home. She has been married for almost forty years and has two grown up sons.

Facebook Author page

@colettemcauthor

Colette McCormick on Books and Life in General

***

Many thanks for dropping by to share your first 500 words from Not My Brother’s Keeper, Colette.

Wishing you a successful blog tour.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Opening Lines: Full Circle by Regina Timothy

By Jenny Kane

On January 10, 2019

In Blog, Contemporary fiction, Fiction, Jenny Kane, Opening Lines Blog

Opening Lines time is here!

This week I’m delighted to welcome Regina Timothy to my blog with the first 500 words of her contemporary novel, Full Circle.

Blurb

Eight years after the 9/11 attacks, Samia-Al-Sayyid an Iraqi immigrant is living a quiet life in New York City after she fled her home to avoid imminent death.

She works hard for her cold, heartless, high-strung boss, loves her seventeen-years-old-son, and cherishes the close friendship she has formed with her best friend Susan.

Nothing can go wrong, or so she thinks – until the estranged brother she left back in Iraqi shows up on her door step. Then she finds herself in a cab, on her way to the hospital to identify her son, a terror suspect who has blown the city, and with it her boss’ husband, and her best friend’s son. With everything lost, she is forced to flee to Iraq where she confronts her past. Will she make peace with her past? Can she get forgiveness for all the damage she has caused?

Full Circle is a contemporary fiction tale of friendship, family, and hope. It explores the devastation of loss, the great capacity to forgive and the lengths our loved ones will go to protect us.

Here are the first 500 words (exactly)

15^th November 2001

Three months had passed. Three months since Samia received her last paycheck. Three months since the attack that robbed her of the little haven she had created for herself and her ten-year-old son, Aazim. Three months since she stood in her old employer’s study and with horror saw the twin towers crumble into nothing, and with them Mercy’s only daughter Carol.

She could picture that day in her mind like it was yesterday. Tuesday, 11^th September 2001. It had been a beautiful sunny morning when Samia rode the elevator to the sixth floor of her employer’s apartment building in Greenwich Village on 42 West 9^th Street.

But all that changed the minute she stepped into Mercy’s home office and found her pacing up and down the floor, phone in hand. “Carol, Carol can you hear me?” she yelled over the phone. She glanced at Samia as she placed the coffeepot on the table and motioned her to stay. She covered the mouthpiece with her hand and whispered, “Something’s happened to Carol.”

“What?” Samia asked as her heartbeat quickening. Her eyes fell on a photo of Carol on Mercy’s desk. It was the same photo Samia had in her living room along with hers and Aazim’s; a headshot taken in an open field on a windy day, her wheat-colored hair mussed, and a gentle smile playing on her cherry lips as her sea blue eyes looked straight into the camera.

Samia turned to Mercy, who walked up to the phone base and put the call on speaker. Her heart thumped painfully in her chest, and she felt icy cold fear coursing through her veins.

“Baby, can you hear me?” Mercy’s voice crackled with emotion.

“Yeah,” Carol answered. She coughed and sputtered for a few minutes. “Something has happened, Mom; something is wrong.” Carol stammered. “I… I don’t know what, but there is rubble and dust everywhere. The ceiling above us fell in. I don’t know what is happening.”

“Stay calm, everything will be okay,” Mercy said as she paced in front of the large window overlooking the balcony opposite the desk. “Where are you now?”

“I’m in an office under a desk,” Carol responded before another bout of coughing took over.

“Are you hurt?”

“I… I don’t think so; let me check.” Silenced ensued before she came on again. “No, I’m not hurt.” They heard a groan and movement. “Help!” Carol shouted. “Somebody help me! Mom, I think someone’s out there. I’ll go see, hold on.”

“Okay, baby, just be careful,” Mercy replied. She stopped in front of the telephone listening to Carol shuffle things out of her way and crawl from under the desk. “Oh my God!” Carol exclaimed. Mercy stared at Samia, who stood frozen on the other side of the desk as they waited for Carol’s voice.

“Oh my God!” They heard Carol’s voice again.

“What’s wrong?” Mercy froze.

“It’s horrible, it’s just… I think I saw a person’s hand. And there is a gaping hole in…

***

You can buy Full Circle from all good retailers, including- http://amzn.to/2EdNl5L

Bio

Regina lives in a picturesque village in Kenya where she enjoys amazing landscapes, exotic wildlife, and beautiful sunsets and sunrises. She always had active imagination. By chance, she started blogging in 2010, which rekindled her love for writing and telling stories. When not writing she enjoys watching classic movies (she’s a movie buff), going to the theater and auto shows.

You can join her on the following platforms:

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17539626.Regina_Timothy

Librarythings – https://www.librarything.com/profile/Regina-Timothy

Twitter – https://twitter.com/gina_wann

Blog – http://reginatimothy.wordpress.com

***

Thanks for your great opener Regina.

Don’t forget to come back next week for some words from Chris Chalmers.

Happy reading,

Jenny x

Mum, Nan and Nan: Thank you

By Jenny Kane

On October 14, 2016

In Blog, Contemporary Romantic Fiction, News

Officially, I have been a writer for the past twelve years. Deep down however, I suspect I have always been a writer; I have certainly always been a creative person. How could I not be, when I was influenced from childhood by both of my grandmothers who were both physically incapable of doing nothing, and had imaginations that would have made Roald Dahl proud?

From a very early age I remember watching my maternal Nan performing plays, poems, and comedy sketches on stage for the WI, all of which she’d written herself.

I vividly recall sitting in the audience of one charity production where my Nan’s poem, ‘Hats’ was performed to shrieks of laughter and delight. I was only ten years old, and as I sat and laughed alongside the rest thinking how wonderful it would be to be able to make people happy like that- if only I wasn’t so shy…

My paternal Nan on the other hand, was a knitter extraordinaire. There was literally nothing she couldn’t produce out of wool with just the aid of a pair of needles and a decent drama to watch on the TV at the same time. I never saw her glance at what she was knitting, and I certainly never saw a pattern. The jumpers, gloves, toys, or whatever she was making, seemed to magically appear at a speed that would be the envy of any conjurer.

Both my grandmothers loved to read, but neither of them had any time for books that contained waffle. If a story didn’t grab them instantly it was jammed back onto the library shelf before the second page got so much as dabbed with a damp finger.

Standing in Princes Risborough, getting restless while book after book was dismissed with the words “If you ever write a book, make sure you get to the point faster than this lot!” ringing in my ears became a regular feature of my grandparental visits. This advice stayed with me, and I have always made an effort to grab my reader’s attention before the end of the first chapter. I have to confess, that as a reader, I’m now just as picky as my Nan’s were. I am notoriously hard to please!

A love of words, crosswords, and word puzzles in general- usually completed at a coffee shop table with my Nan- was something that was very much part of my childhood. This love of words and puzzles was inherited by my Mum, and has been passed on to me as well. It is perhaps not surprising then, that as I spent a great deal of my childhood (and indeed my adulthood) playing with words in cafes, I ended up writing a series of stories set in the fictional Pickwicks Coffee Shop. (Another Cup of Coffee, Another Cup of Christmas, Christmas in the Cotswolds, Christmas at the Castle, and Another Glass of Champagne)

My bestselling novel, Abi’s House (pub. Accent Press, June 2015), was written in dedication to my grandparents. Set in the Sennen Cove area of Cornwall, Abi (recently arrived from London), creates a new life for herself not far from Penzance, where my paternal grandparents lived.

On Abi’s arrival in Cornwall, she meets Beth, a young woman who has recently inherited her grandfather’s cobblers shop. My maternal grandmother’s family owns Wainwright’s Shoe Shops in Buckinghamshire, where I spent many hours with both my Nan and my Grandad, who was the company’s chief cobbler!

Both of my grandmothers influenced my writing, and the way I approach the production of my stories, more than they ever knew. Their creativity and encouragement (my maternal Nan was forever telling me I’m make my mark on the world with words, long before I even contemplated trying my hand as a writer), has carried on into the next generation, with my Mum, an excellent artist and needlewoman, cheering me on.

And now, proving that the creative gene is strong on the female side of my family, my daughters have picked up the baton, and both have had poetry of their own published already!

Look out world- the next generation is on its way!

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

Tag: family

Misty Mornings at The Potting Shed is a year old!!

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Bluebells Season at The Potting Shed is a year old!

Bluebells is the second book in #thepottingshed #series.

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I’m delighted to be able to announce that the third book in #thepottingshed #series is OUT NOW!

MISTY MORNINGS AT THE POTTING SHED

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It is with great pleasure that I can announce that Bluebell Season at The Potting Shed has been selected to be one of Aria Fiction’s UPLIFTING READS for this summer!

During July and August, you’ll be able to pick up Bluebell Season and a selection of other fabulous fiction from Aria for ONLY 99p.

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