The Boardwalk by The Sea (Summer Sundaes)
by
Georgina Troy
Q&A
Q&A
Blog Tour
&
COMPETITION!
What a fabulous cover this is, a lovely, summery feel - shame our Summer hasn't lived up to expectations! Today on the Blog I have a Q&A with the Author. I can certainly relate to the Christmas present she got as a child, a typewriter! I got one as well and can still remember it and I loved it and I used to type stories all the time on it!
Blog Tour Author Questions
Hi. Thank you so much for agreeing to answer some questions on my blog about your writing.
Firstly, please could you tell readers a little about yourself?
My name is Deborah Carr and I was deputy editor for the online review site, Novelicious.com for nine years. I write historical romances and thrillers (my first thriller is nearly ready to be published). These books are written in my own name and my contemporary romance series are written as Georgina Troy. I live on the island of Jersey with my husband, two children and three nutty rescue dogs.
My first series, The Jersey Scene, was published by Accent Press. Book one, A Jersey Kiss was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) and finalist in the Joan Hessayon Award for new writers 2015.
The Boardwalk by the Sea, book 1, Summer Sundaes was published on 15 July 2017. You can sign up to my mailing list for behind the scenes info and bookish prizes.
My WW1 historical romance, Broken Faces, written as Deborah Carr, was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition 2012. I’m one of The Blonde Plotters, a collaboration of three Jersey authors, Gwyn GB, Kelly Clayton and me. We’re very excited to be taking part in the Jersey Festival of Words later this month.
When did you first realise you wanted to be a writer?
When I was about seven Father Christmas gave me a children’s typewriter for Christmas. I’ve been dreaming about being a published author ever since. In my dreams, I’m sitting overlooking a pretty cottage garden as I ponder over my next novel during the day, while wearing glamorous dresses to glitzy literary parties at night. Reality is more about editing, wearing comfortable clothes and tripping over one of the dogs each time I get up to answer the door/phone/make yet another cup of tea.
What did you do as a job before becoming a writer?
I was Company Secretary at Play.com and worked in the finance industry.
How do you carry out the research for your novels?
Most of my books are set on the island and regardless of whether the book is historical or one of my contemporary romances I like to include something about Jersey that the reader might not know. I love researching these things by visiting places on the island or speaking to locals about an experience they might have had. The island was occupied
by the Nazis during the Second World War and the oldest resident on the boardwalk (Summer Sundaes) did something heroic during The Occupation.
In my historical romance, Broken Faces, I found the studio (or where it was during the Great War) in Paris. To walk up the stairs where hundreds of facially disfigured men had gone a hundred years before to the studio for plaster casts to be made of their faces so that masks could be made to cover the damage to them was something I’ll never forget.
Which aspects of your writing do you find easiest and most difficult?
The easiest is falling in love with my heroes. (My poor husband, I always have a crush on some fictitious character or other). The most difficult is deciding who the hero will be/what he’ll look like, how he’ll act, building him from scratch.
What are your writing routines and where do you do most of your writing?
I love getting up early, having breakfast with the dogs and then making a second cup of tea and switching on the computer. I read the previous day’s work and that inspires me to carry on with the story.
I have a shed – which was the Office Category winner in the 2009 Shed of the Year competition – and write either in there or in my office in the house if it’s very cold.
When you're not writing, what do you like to read?
I love to read anything by Christina Jones or Harlan Coban and recently devoured Big Sexy Love by Kirsty Greenwood. I like so many books, it’s difficult to choose but mainly contemporary or historical romances, interspersed by psychological thrillers. I’m lucky enough to read the other Blonde Plotters’ books before they’re published. Gwyn GB’s first book, Islands was based on Jersey and reminded me of so many places/things from my teenage years and her latest book, Lonely Hearts had a brilliant twist I didn’t see coming. I adore Kelly Clayton’s books, too. Her next book Blood on the Rock will be out in October, I believe. It’s the third book in her DCI Jack Le Claire Mystery series, I love them.
How important do you think social media is to authors in today's society?
It’s something all authors need to do, but it’s great fun having immediate contact with readers, bloggers (who are so supportive of authors) and other writers. I’ve learnt so much from the people I’m friends with/follow and have made some really good friends along the way. That said, I realise it can be a darker place for some people, but thankfully for me it’s a fun place where I can interact with others while sitting at a desk. It can be a bit very distracting though…
Could you tell the readers a bit about your latest book?
Summer Sundaes, the first book in a series of four books based in a fictional seaside village known as, The Boardwalk by the Sea. The series covers one year. Each book is set during a season in that year and focuses on one of four girlfriends who live on or near the boardwalk. There is a mystery running through the series that is solved in the last book.
Book One is Sacha’s story. Sacha runs a retro beach café on the boardwalk, the Summer Sundaes Beach Café. Two years previously she discovered her boyfriend was being unfaithful so left him and deciding to change her lifestyle completely, left her job in finance and took over one of her father’s cafés. She’s loving her life running the café, mixing with the locals and holidaymakers and living in the tiny flat above the café. When her glamorous godmother asks her to accompany her on a trip to Rome she agrees.
Her godmother arranges for a tour guide, Alessandro Salvatore, to show Sacha the sights, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, etc. She discovers there’s more to Alessandro than just being utterly gorgeous. He has his own plans as well as the ability to disrupt Sacha’s life. There are rocky times ahead! However, they aren’t the only ones with issues and Sacha and Alessandro need to find a way to put their differences aside to help someone else.
Which of your characters would you most like to be and why?
Right now, I like the idea of being Sacha. I love the beach and have always secretly yearned for a little beachside café. The thought of sleeping with the sound of the waves lapping against the sea wall under my bedroom window, like Sacha does, is rather nice. Dreams for a few minutes.
Is there anything else you would have liked to be asked?
When can we expect to see book 2 being published?
Book two will be out in Spring 2018. The book is called Autumn Antics and is about Sacha’s friend Bella, a part-time hand model who runs a small antique business from her living room on the boardwalk. She’s in love with someone she can’t have…
Thank you so much for your time in answering my questions. (Thank you for hosting me on your blog). Georgina x
Series: The Boardwalk by the Sea, Book 1
Author name: Georgina Troy
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romance
Release Date: 15 July 2017
Publisher: Green Shutter Books
Wipe off your flip flops, it’s going to be a bumpy ride...
When Sacha Collins, cafe owner and sundae-maker extraordinaire, meets Italian archaeologist, Alessandro Salvatore in Rome, she's grateful to him for being her tour guide. Now he’s turned up in the seaside village where she lives, known locally as, The Boardwalk by the Sea and is setting up a gelateria in direct competition to her retro Summer Sundaes Café.
She's only been running her café for two years since taking over from her father. Until now the only other shops on the boardwalk have been a wool shop, an antique shop and a second-hand
book shop. These have helped rather than hindered her custom. How will her creative sundaes made from fresh Jersey ice cream compete with his delicious Italian gelato?
Sacha is worried. Is there enough custom for both businesses to thrive? Who is behind the strange changes being made on the boardwalk? And when the oldest resident on the boardwalk is threatened with eviction can Sacha and Alessandro come together and find a way of helping her?
For a peaceful little boardwalk overlooking one of the quieter beaches on the island, there's an awful lot going on and some of it is going to lead to big changes.
About Georgina Troy
Georgina Troy is the pseudonym of author Deborah Carr. Her first book, A Jersey Kiss was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) and finalist in the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers 2015.
Her WW1 historical romance, Broken Faces, written in her own name, Deborah Carr, was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition 2012. She lives on the island of Jersey with her husband, two children and three rescue dogs. Her books are published by Accent Press and Green Shutter Books. Georgina is a member of The Blonde Plotters.
Georgina’s new series, The Boardwalk by the Sea, includes four standalone novels about friends, Sacha, Bella, Lexi and Jools. Each book is set in a different season. The girls live on or near a small seaside village known locally as The Boardwalk by the Sea and all of them make an appearance in the books throughout the series but each book will focus on one of the friends.
Summer Sundaes (book 1)
Autumn Antics (book 2) - due Spring 2018
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GeorginaTroyAuthor/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeorginaTroy
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7224225.Georgina_Troy Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ofbooksandbeaches/ Google+ https://plus.google.com/117042212386862550212 Website: http://www.deborahcarr.org/
About the Author
Georgina Troy is the pseudonym of author Deborah Carr. Her first book, A Jersey Kiss was a finalist in the Contemporary Romance Category of the Romantic Novel of the Year Awards 2016 (RoNAs) and finalist in the Joan Hessayon Award for New Writers 2015.
Her WW1 historical romance, Broken Faces, written in her own name, Deborah Carr, was runner-up in the Good Housekeeping Novel Writing Competition 2012. She lives on the island of Jersey with her husband, two children and three rescue dogs. Her books are published by Accent Press and Green Shutter Books. Georgina is a member of The Blonde Plotters.
Georgina’s new series, The Boardwalk by the Sea, includes four standalone novels about friends, Sacha, Bella, Lexi and Jools. Each book is set in a different season. The girls live on or near a small seaside village known locally as The Boardwalk by the Sea and all of them make an appearance in the books throughout the series but each book will focus on one of the friends.
Summer Sundaes (book 1)
Autumn Antics (book 2) - due Spring 2018
COMPETITION
A character in Autumn Antics (book 2) named after someone the winner nominates, i.e themself/family member.
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Love that boardwalk at The Mumbles in South Wales!
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