ROMANTIC FICTION MATTERS

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To launch Frost magazine’s support for #RespectRomFic, Sara-Jade Virtue, Brand Development Director, Fiction, for Simon & Schuster UK explains why the campaign is important and reveals her favourite romance books.

There is NOTHING I enjoy as much as a Big Love Story. Preferably on the page rather than on a screen, whether the love is of the romantic, familial or friendship kind, I adore j’adore and have done all my adult life.

Which is why I feel so passionate (no pun intended) about the #RespectRomFic movement I’m leading, and why it’s so important to me. For far too long the contribution to the literary landscape of the books written by the authors writing in the Romance & Saga space has been at best ignored, at worst dismissed. And yet these are the books that dig into the very heart (every pun intended) of the human condition, love. Love is what makes the world go round and these ten novels from my all time favourite dessert island reads list, show love in all its glorious forms – escapist, romantic, heart-warming, heart-breaking, laugh out loud funny, moving, poignant and painful.

Lily and the Octopus (Steven Rowley) – a heart-breaking, charming and unforgettable novel about life, love and long walks.

These Days of Ours (Juliet Ashton) – a gloriously irresistible romance about what happens when the person you love can’t be yours.

Letters to the Lost (Iona Grey) – a poignant, absorbing and tender story of love and loss.

Together (Julie Cohen) – a bold, breath-taking and compelling love story that manages to be as complex as it is compelling.

Rescue Me (Sarra Manning) – heartfelt, funny and wonderfully uplifting, this is total joy from start to finish.

The Last Letter From Your Lover (Jojo Moyes) – passion, loss and romance, and arguably in my Top 3 Favourite Novels Of All Time.

Seven Days in June (Tia Williams) – an extraordinary novel that manages to be both utterly hilarious and completely heart-breaking.

The Photographer of the Lost (Caroline Scott) – a vivid story of forbidden love and longing, this took my breath away.

When We Were Young (Richard Roper) – incredibly moving, hilariously funny, utterly heart-breaking.

The Man I Think I Know (Mike Gayle) – redemption, love, trust and second chances. Incredibly moving, funny and clever.

The stats back up the importance of romantic fiction too – here are some figures taken from publishing industry bible, The Bookseller, with the numbers provided by Nielson.

In 2022 Romance & Sagas had its second best year ever at £53m, only bettered by the Fifty Shades bonanza of 2012 (£68.3m).

This is way up from the more normal value of £25m, which is still seriously significant in terms of the market as a whole.

These figures exclude love stories coded as General & Literary Fiction, for example Taylor Jenkins Reid’s The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (£2m), Marian Keyes’ Again Rachel (almost £1m), Elena Armas’ The Spanish Love Deception (£851k) and Beth O’Leary’s The Road Trip (£459k).

The Sunday Times bestseller list has no category for romance, yet in 2022 the top twenty contained no fewer than six books that could be regarded as romantic fiction; four by Colleen Hoover, including the top selling novel of all, It Ends with Us, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and The Paper Palace by Miranda Cowley.

 

 

 

DEA Agent Plunges Readers Into Seedy World of Trap Houses and Police Corruption in New Book

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The Quiet Houses: Fall of the Narcs immediately caught my attention and I’m glad it did. Not only is it a fascinating story of the beginning of Jeff Moore’s career as an undercover detective, but it is a true insider view. Jeff is a fantastic writer and his empathy and compassion comes through on the page. You can tell he is a good person. Thankfully he shared his interesting life with us. 

The Quiet Houses: Fall of the Narcs is based on real events and keeps you hooked from the first page. Jeff and Tammy make an unusual, yet fascinating partnership. This book is perfect for true crime fans. I loved it and I cannot recommend it enough. 

DEA Agent Plunges Readers Into Seedy World of Trap Houses and Police Corruption in New Book

Based on real events, The Quiet Houses: Fall of the Narcs traces the remarkable career of DEA Special Agent Jeff Moore, who captured the world’s oldest and most successful drug cartel mule, Leo Sharp — the story of which became the inspiration for Clint Eastwood’s blockbuster movie, The Mule.

 

The Quiet Houses follows Jeff’s employment journey from redundant graphics designer to patrol officer to undercover detective in a corrupt, Kansas City, Missouri, narcotics unit led by Sgt. Ryan Shale, who has aligned himself with a large-scale drug trafficker in a symbiotic relationship of profit and police protection.

 

Embarrassed by Jeff’s sub-par results on the streets, Ryan forces Jeff to work alongside an unmanageable but streetwise informant named Tamera Josephine Mack. The unlikely pair embarks on a surreal odyssey infiltrating as many drug houses as possible to conduct undercover street level drug buys of heroin and cocaine. They encounter lost souls and violent men during their journey.

 

Jeff’s relationship with Tammy is exceedingly contentious yet entertaining.

 

“My experiences with Tamera Mack were almost too unreal to believe, which served to create an incredible story I wanted to tell,” Moore said. “In my career, I have met some of the most interesting and nefarious people in the world.”

 

Tammy opens Jeff’s eyes to a world he has never seen, and he is forced to redefine his purpose, and accept his failures and fears. Through self-preservation, Tammy and Jeff look past stereotypes and social differences, and form a deep friendship.

 

However, Ryan Shale’s unrelenting corruption knows no limits, as he uses his criminal contacts to steal drug and money seizures off the streets while eliminating adversaries. Eventually, Jeff and Tammy find themselves in Ryan’s crosshairs. In a final battle of cat and mouse, a surprise ending unfolds with Tammy and Jeff fighting for their lives with all the players under one roof.

 

About the Author

DEA agent Jeff Moore’s 2014 New York Times interview regarding his capture of the world’s oldest and most successful drug cartel mule, Leo Sharp, became the basis for Clint Eastwood’s movie, The Mule. In the movie, Eastwood portrayed Leo Sharp and actor Bradley Cooper portrayed agent Moore. Prior to working for DEA, Moore spent a year as an undercover narcotics police detective buying crack cocaine and heroin from drug houses throughout Kanas City, Missouri. Currently, DEA agent Jeff Moore works in Detroit, Michigan.

 

The Quiet Houses: Fall of the Narcs is available here. 

Publisher: Allestone Publications

Release Date: August 28, 2022

ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8218053260 (Paperback)

ISBN-13: ‎ 979-8218057091 (Hardcover)

 

The Sound of Being Human: How Music Shapes Our Lives

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I’m a lifelong lover of music. I’m pretty much always listening to it. I believe music is healing, it’s one of the things that make life worth living. I have always thought it has a lot of benefits and now I know I’m right. 

The Sound of Being Human is part memoir, part scientific study and part music history. It is a deep and soulful read by an important music journalist, Jude Rogers. She has interviewed every musician worth knowing and knows her stuff. I learned a lot from this brilliant book and I cannot recommend it enough. 

The Sound of Being Human explores, in detail, why music plays such a deep-rooted role in so many lives, from before we are born to our last days. At its heart is Jude’s own story: how songs helped her wrestle with the grief of losing her father at age five; concoct her own sense of self as a lonely adolescent; sky-rocket her relationships, both real and imagined, in the flushes of early womanhood; propel her own journey into working life, adulthood and parenthood; and look to the future.

Shaped around 12 songs, ranging from ABBA’s ‘Super Trouper’ to Neneh Cherry’s ‘Buffalo Stance’, Kraftwerk’s ‘Radioactivity’ to Martha Reeves and the Vandellas’ ‘Heat Wave’, the book combines memoir and historical, scientific and cultural enquiry to show how music can shape different versions of ourselves; how we rely upon music for comfort, for epiphanies, and for sexual and physical connection; how we grow with songs, and songs grow inside us, helping us come to terms with grief, getting older and powerful memories. It is about music’s power to help us tell our own stories, whatever they are, and make them sing.

The Sound of Being Human is available here.

Three Romance Novels To Read Now

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Secretly Yours by Tess Bailey.

This is the first Tess Bailey book I have read and, damn, now I believe the hype. It’s fun, deep, rom-com steaminess. Secretly Yours is a fun book with so many layers and excitement that I raced through it. Brilliant.  

From #1 New York Times bestselling author and TikTok favorite Tessa Bailey comes a steamy new rom-com about a starchy professor and the bubbly neighbor he clashes with at every turn…

Hallie Welch fell hard for Julian Vos at fourteen, after they almost kissed in the dark vineyards of his family’s winery. Now the prodigal hottie has returned to their small Napa town. When Hallie is hired to revamp the gardens on the Vos estate, she wonders if she’ll finally get that smooch. But the grumpy professor isn’t the teenager she remembers and their polar opposite personalities clash spectacularly. One wine-fueled girls’ night later, Hallie can’t shake the sense that she did something reckless—and then she remembers the drunken secret admirer letter she left for Julian. Oh shit.

On sabbatical from his ivy league job, Julian plans to write a novel. But having Hallie gardening right outside his window is the ultimate distraction. She’s eccentric, chronically late, often literally covered in dirt—and so unbelievably beautiful, he can’t focus on anything else. Until he finds an anonymous letter sent by a woman from his past. Even as Julian wonders about this admirer, he’s sucked further into Hallie’s orbit. Like the flowers she plants all over town, Hallie is a burst of color in Julian’s grey-scale life. For a man who irons his socks and runs on tight schedules, her sunny chaotic energy makes zero sense. But there’s something so familiar about her… and her very presence is turning his world upside down.

Secretly Yours is available here.

The Ex Next Door by Jo Platt.

If you want to immerse yourself in a pacy romance with characters you love, and others you can hate, then grab a copy of The Ex Next Door. A smart idea well executed. 

Thank you, n(ex)t.

After burst pipes destroy Esme’s city-centre flat, she temporarily relocates to a delightful and small cottage in a village on the edge of town. The change is a big one, but Esme soon settles in and, as the art gallery she co-owns with her business partner, David, continues to thrive, life is sweet.

Until Elliot – an ex whom she hasn’t seen or spoken to for years – moves in next door, along with his perfect new girlfriend, Morgan. Suddenly, Esme’s past is right on her doorstep, or at least just over the fence.

When Elliot and Esme decide to keep their former relationship a secret from those around them, their subterfuge sets off a chain of events which not only forces Esme to re-evaluate her past relationship with Elliot, but also puts her friendship with David under the microscope and under pressure.

A laugh-out-loud romance of second chances and near misses, perfect for fans of Mhairi McFarlane and Jenny Colgan.

The Ex Next Door is available here.

The Corner Shop on Foxmore Green by Lilac Mills.

I loved this wholesome and happy novel. It’s a lovely story about community and love. Single mum Rowena lives in a beautiful village  with her daughter Nia. She has hopes and dreams and you root for her. Perfect for lovers of romance. 

Can a new shop change the village’s future – and Rowena’s?

Single mum Rowena is always looking for ways for her and Nia, her four-year-old daughter, to live more sustainably. So when she visits a zero-waste shop in Cardiff, she’s inspired to start one up in her home village of Foxmore, where local businesses and artisan shops are a core part of the community.

For Huw, it’s love at first sight when he bumps into Rowena the day he moves to Foxmore. But a series of misunderstandings keeps the two from getting closer, and now a conflict of interest over Rowena’s shop might put a stop to any fledgling romance…

When a figure from Rowena’s past makes a surprise appearance, both her shop and her relationship with Huw are suddenly under threat. Can Rowena still realise her corner shop dreams and find love?

A gorgeously fun and feel-good cosy romance, perfect for fans of Sue Moorcroft, Holly Martin and Suzanne Snow.

The Corner Shop on Foxmore Green is available here.

Tips For Choosing Your Next Holiday Destination

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Does planning a trip stress you out? Don’t worry, it’s perfectly understandable. Figuring out where you want to go in order to get away for a while is the most important, yet difficult aspect of making holiday plans. This guide by Inn on the Square will help you understand what you should consider when deciding on a destination. 

 

Think about the length of your trip 

Certain people only enjoy getting away for a weekend. Others choose to take more days off and enjoy their holiday to the fullest. The length of your trip depends on both your personal preference and how long you can afford to be gone for. This is why you should make sure that your wishes and destination match. If you can and want to go on a longer holiday, you may wish to find somewhere that offers enough entertainment and attractions. 

 

Take your interests into consideration

Another crucial aspect that you should definitely take into consideration is what you really want to do while away. You may just wish to relax and unwind by the beach or the pool. You might want to do some exploring in a place you’ve never been to before. Whether you wish to stay active and engage in fun activities, visit new places, or get some rest while sunbathing, there’s always a destination that can suit your needs and requirements. 

 

Ask family members for recommendations

Asking friends and family members for suggestions and advice when it comes to holiday destinations is always helpful. If you know for a fact that your parents love to travel and have been to many different places, then they’ll surely offer some great insights. They can inspire you to choose your next getaway.

 

Research and ask around

Apps and websites are also useful as far as holiday ideas are concerned. Turning to online advice is a practical way to find out about various destinations and types of accommodation. Reading reviews will help you know where to go and what to avoid in order to have a good time away, but don’t overthink your decision. 

 

Trust your instincts and simply go for it

You know very well what you like and dislike. If you have always wanted to go to a certain place or you would like to revisit a destination you loved, listen to your instinct. The worst thing that could happen is that the place won’t be as great as you pictured it to be or that it’s not as good as you remembered.

 

Even so, it’s still worth trying. You are going to enjoy your holiday anyway. It is your time away from work, responsibilities, and stress after all. No matter what you think of the place when you first get there, just remember that this is your time off and that you should make the most of it. Both revisiting and exploring something new are great ways to unwind and relax. A change of scenery is always a good idea, as it helps you stay balanced. 

 

The Story of the Businessman & The Fisherman by Alex Bannard Wellness and Wellbeing editor

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At this time of year, many of us who have set lofty new year’s resolutions or intentions are realising we may have over-stretched ourselves. I am prone to doing the same. However this year I was very mindful that in January we are still very much in the depths of winter. Taking a lead of nature, still in wintering, hibernation mode, I chose to avoid setting my new year’s intentions until I had give myself the space & time to rest & restore in January.

Then recently I was reminded of this lovely story, the story of the businessman & the fisherman which really helped to put those intentions in perspective and I wanted to share it with you.

A successful young businessman decided to take some time off from his hectic schedule and head out to the the most beautiful place he knew to get away from it all. That evening he was walking by the sea when the most stunning sunset he’d ever seen stopped him in his tracks.

He heard a voice nearby say, ‘Nature’s gift.’ and noticed an old man fishing nearby also admiring this beautiful sunset.

Noticing the old man’s impressive catch lying by his side he commented on the successful day’s fishing. The old man smiled & invited him to join him, saying he was just about to make a fire & cook the fish for dinner.

The young man was thrilled by the invitation & settled down next to the man as the glorious reds & oranges in the sky were being replaced by the night sky scattered with stars, shimmering like diamonds.

As they settled in to enjoy their dinner under the night sky, the young man reflected how delicious the fish was & unable to help himself, his business mind kicked in. He suggested that the old man might like to bring 2 lines next time so he could catch even more fish.

‘Why would I do that?’ the old man asked.

The young businessman replied, ‘So you can sell the extra fish in the market.’

‘But why would I do that?’ asked the older man.

‘Well because you could expand, buy a small boat, a net & catch even more fish.’

‘But why would I do that?’ the old man asked again.

‘Because you could grow your business, make more money, more profit, employ your friends & grow a small business.’

‘But why would I do that?’ asked the old man again.

‘Because with luck on your side your business could grow into a huge business.’

The old man, still not convinced said, ‘But why would I do that?’

The businessman replied, ‘Because if you had a fleet of fishing boats & a big business, you could get other people to run your business so that you can spend your days here in paradise just fishing.’

I love this story, such a lovely reminder that often we are striving for exactly what we already have.

Does this story resonate with you? How are you honouring wintering, slowing down, taking time for yourself?

If you would like more information on how to practice mindfulness, meditation & yoga check out Alex’s website: alexbannard.com

For free resources check out:

Facebook group: Mindfulness & Yoga for Self-Care: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MindfulnessYoga4Relationships

YouTube channel: https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UCQlKZJ7MeyYc6lqkv6seISw

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexbannard/

 

 

Week 28 believe it or not, in the Columbia Community Association saga, and things are roaring along

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The CCA tell Margaret that they are bursting with pride at the news that their very own Danielle Meighan has been nominated for the 17th National What’s on 4 kids National Children’s Activities Awards 2023 for her Diddi Dance. ‘Although we will all be cheering her on, Dani will always be a winner in our eyes,’ said Marion, and Frost Magazine heartily agrees – bravo Danielle.

                       

Monday morning was kick started into the good times when Dave delivered a donation of a huge supply of tea bags, coffee and 48 bottles of water from Equans who seem to have taken CCA to their hearts. The CCA is more than grateful.

The girls from Cultural Spring, Emma, Emma and Melanie were, Marion explained, a delight to chat to. They have great plans for the future and how the CCA can work together delivering a vast array of entertainment for the benefit of the community.

Goodness, look how the CCA even train the Kiddiwinkles at the centre. Marion told Frost Magazine how Lily, who sounds a charmer,  has now started to sign in. Just as well the CCA is thinking of ordering a stock of books for the little people, though perhaps there are children locally who have outgrown theirs?

 

What a great sport the CCA Chair, Dianne, is. She agreed to be a model for her daughter Samantha who is working towards Level 3 make up Artistry at the National Beauty Academy. Samantha, you did a grand job. By the way,  Dianne is a huge asset to the CCA, as she is always there to lend a hand, (or face – just saying) in any situation. The makeover put Margaret in mind of the beloved Dad’s Army. ‘Don’t give them your name, Pike.’ What a sublime series.

                        

Another piece of brilliant news: the CCA received notification that ACT, contractors for the external work on the centre, would start, and indeed they came. Hurrah. Straight down to business too.  

Yet more people visited to see if the project was running to order: Surveyors, Principle Designer, Electrical Engineer and uncle Tom Cobley and all and what with workmen arriving on the dot of eight, Piccadilly Circus has nothing on the CCA. 

Geoff, New site Manager from Equans popped in to say hello, accompanied by the lovely Tom. The team didn’t waste much time in making him feel welcome and even earmarked him for future Bob a Jobs. (Voluntary of course) Run, Geoff, run while you can. 

                           

‘All activities within the centre are operating as normal and everyone is absolutely delighted with progress,’ Marion reports, but …

Oh no, Dom.  Oh, really Dom? The shame. Whatever made you think for one moment you would get away with it, while sleuth Miss Marple – sorry, Miss Marion Taylor, was on cupboard patrol? She, with a nose for chocolate biscuits like no other, discovered your hidden hoard.  A huge FAIL bonny lad. All choccy biscuits gone now. Enjoyed by many. (Only joking. They wouldn’t dare – they know you would test for fingerprints).  Everyone, we present the evidence…

So, another brilliant week for the Columbia Community Association. Bring on next weeks fun, frolics and sheer hard work. 

Information: Columbia Community Association  Columbia uk Community Forum

Memories of Brady Square

 

 

 

WRITERS ON THE ROAD: CHARLIE COCHRANE

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Imagine a castle. A castle that was confiscated by Henry VIII after he’d chopped off the owner’s head. A castle that may not have been “knocked abaht a bit” by Cromwell, but which went seriously downhill after the civil war. One that was restored in the 19th century and may—rumour has it—have been where they hid the crown jewels during World War Two. Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Better still, it’s a place where you can stay because it’s now a hotel, so it provides a tremendous venue for an author who writes historical novels and who wants both inspiration and an opportunity for immersive research. That’s my story about why we’ve stayed there several times and I’m sticking to it.

There’s nothing better than experiencing the era you write about, albeit at several removes. Work a sash window and see how tricky—and draughty—they can be. Trot up and down a spiral staircase and discover how that fight scene you had in your mind could physically never work. Stand next to a thick stone wall and see how much cold the thing radiates. While none of the detail might make its way into your story, it’ll give you a clearer idea of what your characters experienced in their everyday lives and why, for example, people wore bed socks and night caps, because their rooms would have been so flipping freezing.

Research is little use unless it turns into or backs up a story, so inspiration for what that story will be is the other factor writers can find when on the road. The Cochrane family first stayed at Thornbury Castle back in 2006, which was just before I started work on my first murder mystery. I needed a family home for Jonty Stewart—one of my pair of amateur sleuths—and it was obvious that Thornbury had to provide the template for it. I could so clearly see the characters occupying the place in its new guise as The Old Manor, especially the glorious walled garden which is a little jewel of colour and tranquillity. That garden was the setting for some significant scenes, and the strange grey cat we encountered there had to be incorporated, especially when the staff said he didn’t belong to the hotel or to any of the local houses. This mysterious moggy became a ghost cat who had inhabited The Old Manor since the time of Shakespeare and may just have been the “harmless, necessary cat” the Bard refers to in The Merchant of Venice. A small thing, maybe, but the kind of element that can enrichen a story and provide a useful thing for your characters to chat about while you’re fleshing them out.

Real life occurrences can spark a fictional equivalent, too. That rumour about the crown jewels being stored at Thornbury Castle…where would you hide such valuables? In a hidden vault, surely. What else could you hide there? A body. All of a sudden there’s a story up and running. In my case, it inspired the cosy mystery The Case of the Undiscovered Corpse, which is part of my 1950s Alasdair and Toby series. (Imagine two actors who play Holmes and Watson onscreen and off and you’ve got the idea.)

I’d always advise aspiring authors to keep their eyes and ears open and their imaginations ready to be launched, whether they’re on their travels or simply in the local supermarket. So often I hear fellow authors talk about the tiny seeds—a snatch of conversation overheard, an interaction observed or a place visited—which have subsequently developed into full-grown stories. Be alert!

 

Link: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Undiscovered-Alasdair-Cambridge-Fellows-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0BHLN5HB8