Caroline James on Hattie Goes to Hollywood + Giveaway
Today we welcome author Caroline James to discuss her book Hattie Goes to Hollywood, the first in a new series of crime mysteries. Plus, Caroline is generously offering 5 ebook copies for worldwide giveaway!
Hattie Goes To Hollywood was a change of direction for me.
To date, I’ve written romantic comedy and my novels have featured in the best-selling charts on Amazon. But as I sat down to write what should have been a follow-up to my latest book, The Best Boomerville Hotel, I found that the words wouldn’t come and the writing dried up.
I’ve never found writing easy and came to it later in life. It was always my dream to write, but having messed up my school days, I never thought I’d be good enough. My career went in another direction and I had success, but the writing demon never left me. Now, six books later, many of them Amazon best-sellers, I still struggle to glue my rear to a chair and write but when I do, it is the best feeling ever.
Hattie Goes to Hollywood is set in a fictional village surrounded by a holly wood, in the beautiful county of Cumbria which is often known as the Lake District in Britain. I had a great deal of fun placing the lead character, Hattie, in a setting where there had been three recent suicides. Hattie is loud, brash and nosy but she has a heart of gold and takes to sleuthing like a duck to water. She also acquires a pet duck called Drake, who appears to have physic powers and helps her out when she least expects it. I hope readers enjoy this book which is the first in a stand-alone series of Hattie and her investigations.
For several years I ran a pub in Cumbria and later a country house hotel, environments where every day is a revolving door of new visitors. A pub or a bar is often like the confessional and the host learns how to be discreet. I never knew who was crossing the threshold and some of the hair-raising events made perfect scenes to inspire my stories. My novels are often described as feel-good reads and in these very difficult days I think we all need to be cheered up at times with a novel that is a roller coaster of emotion but ends on a high. Very like the roller coaster of life.
This book is published through a new company called www.thepublishhub.com which has been set up by authors to enable authors to take control and get published. As a writer who is both a traditional and a self-published author, I am really thrilled to be involved. When I started writing eight years ago, I had a zillion rejections and had to learn very quickly. It was lonely and soul-destroying at times but my first self-published novel did well and led to my writing career. It is great to give something back to the industry by helping aspiring authors. The aim of The Publish Hub is to encourage people to realise their writing dreams.
Hattie Goes to Hollywood is out now.
Hattie Goes to Hollywood Synopsis
A Cumbrian Village…
Three suicides…
A red-hot summer…
Join super-sleuth Hattie as tempers and temperatures rise in the Cumbrian village of Hollywood. With mischief and shenanigans aplenty, will Hattie discover the truth?
A funny and intriguing mystery – the first in a new series by best-selling author, Caroline James
When recently bereaved Hattie Mulberry inherits her aunt’s dilapidated cottage in the village of Hollywood in Cumbria, she envisages a quiet life. But retired hotelier Hattie is bored and when her neighbour asks her to investigate a suspicious suicide, Hattie’s career takes a new direction and H&H Investigations is born. During the hottest summer for years, Hattie discovers there have been three recent suicides in Hollywood and she determines to find out why. Temperatures rise as she throws herself into village life and, with mischief and shenanigans aplenty, Hattie has her work cut out. But will she establish the truth?
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Get your copy of Hattie Goes to Hollywood from:
About the Author, Caroline James
Best-selling author of women’s fiction, Caroline James has owned and run businesses encompassing all aspects of the hospitality industry, a subject that often features in her novels. She is based in the UK but has a great fondness for travel and escapes whenever she can.
A public speaker, which includes talks and lectures on cruise ships worldwide, Caroline is also a consultant and food writer. She is a member of the Romantic Novelist’s Association, the Society of Women’s Writer’s & Journalists and the Society of Authors and writes articles and short stories, contributing to many publications. Caroline also runs writing workshops.
In her spare time, Caroline can be found walking up a mountain with her two Westie dogs or relaxing with her head in a book, sipping raspberry gin and eating chocolates.
Check out Caroline’s website or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook.
Book Giveaway
Caroline has very generously offered 5 ebook copies to giveaway worldwide. Entries close midnight 19 April 2020. See entry form below.
You can improve your chance of winning by:
- retweeting this Tweet
- sharing this Pin with your followers on Pinterest ; and
- sharing this Facebook post (incl. entry link) with your Facebook followers
The lucky winner will be randomly selected and announced on our Facebook Page.
SORRY ENTRIES CLOSED.
