It is time to set sail on The Holiday Cruise today for its Book Birthday Blitz. Author Victoria Cooke has agreed to answer some of my questions in a great author interview. First, however, here's a little about the story:
As if it weren’t enough to be cheated on by her husband of
ten years, Yorkshire lass Hannah Davis is losing her beauty salon business too.
Luckily, her big sister is there to pick up the pieces, but Hannah is desperate
to find some independence.
Impulsively, Hannah applies for a spa job…on a cruise ship!
Christmas in the Caribbean, springtime in the Mediterranean, what’s not to
like? But, despite being in her thirties, Hannah has never done anything on her
own before, and she’s terrified.
As the ship sets sail, Hannah has never been further from
home…or closer to discovering who she is and who she wants to be.
Welcome to Books, Life and Everything. Thank you so much for
agreeing to answer some questions on my blog about your writing.
Thank you so much for featuring me on your blog.
Would you like to start by telling us a little about
yourself and how you started as a writer?
I’m an ex-teacher who left teaching to go into business.
After years of writing factual resources, business documents and teaching
materials I really wanted to turn to creative writing. After my second child
was born, I didn’t really need to go into the office as much and my maternity
leave gradually morphed into writing time. I’ve always been imaginative and
have enjoyed reading and writing since being a child and when I had the chance
to give it a go I went for it.
What is it about the romance genre which attracts you?
I’ve always loved romantic comedy books and movies. I love
the ‘feel good’ aspect of them and the fact that the happy ever afters are
almost obtainable for us regular people. You can put yourself directly in the
shoes of the protagonist and whilst those cute storylines don’t always happen
to us in real life, we can still buy into them.
Without spoiling the plot, please could you tell us a little
about The Holiday Cruise?
The protagonist, Hannah, finds her world starts to fall
apart when she discovers her husband is leaving her. Unable to cope, the
business she’s worked hard for starts to suffer and she basically hits rock
bottom. After a chance meeting with a bubbly cruise ship worker, Hannah decides
to grab the bull by the horns and apply for a job on the waves too. Her cruise
journey takes us to some fantastic destinations and we meet a host of colourful
characters including love interest, Ben.
How did you choose and research the locations in The Holiday
Cruise?
I’m fortunate to have been on several cruises before and
most of the destinations in The Holiday Cruise, have been ports of call I’ve
visited in the past. I wanted to showcase the beautiful beaches of the
Caribbean and the stunning cities of The Mediterranean which were amongst my
favourites. There were just a couple of destinations I hadn’t visited, but
because I wanted realistic itineraries had to include them. To research these
places, I read lots of travel blogs, watched documentaries and YouTube videos
and read traveller reviews.
People watching is part of the joy of being on a cruise for
me. Do you feel the same and did you base any of your characters on anyone you
have met?
I love people watching too. Some of the characters in the
book were based on people I’ve come across (not necessarily met). Sometimes, I
might just overhear a snippet of conversation, and build my own interpretation
of that person from a sentence they’ve said. It may not represent them
realistically but might be something I can form a character from.
The Holiday Cruise is perfect holiday reading! What do you
like to read when on holiday?
Thank you – that’s wonderful to hear. I like light or easy
reading on holiday. I read romantic comedy, chick lit or thrillers usually.
Do
you have any current writing projects which you can share with us?
I do. I’ve just finished my fourth book, It Started with a
Note, which is a romantic comedy set in France. Like The Holiday Cruise, it’s a
journey of personal growth, but also a physical journey where the heroine walks
the path of her WWI war-hero great-grandfather after finding some letters from
him in the loft. There is a cast of colourful characters (I can’t wait for you
to meet Martha) and a handsome hero to help her on her way.
Thanks for these great answers, Victoria. You've whetted our appetite for It Started with a Note.
My Thoughts
If ever a book is a great holiday read, this has to be it. As the cruise ship sails through the Caribbean and Mediterranean, you can't help but want to escape with it. As the boat moves on, Hannah and Ben set about moving their lives on too and looking for second chances. I found Hannah's relationship with her sister most interesting, as she rebelled against being mothered and you have to wait to see if Hannah can come to terms with what her family mean to her.
There is humour to be found in the crew and guests who you meet on the ship and in fact, the descriptions of the cruise ship, and the ports visited, have a credible and realistic feel. You can empathise with Hannah and the people she meets and I found her developing sense of independence to be totally believeable. This is a warm and feelgood read which makes for an enjoyable escape.
In short: A sparkling holiday escape.
About the Author
Victoria Cooke grew up in the city of Manchester before
crossing the Pennines in pursuit of a career in education. She now lives in
Huddersfield with her husband and two young daughters and when she’s not at
home writing by the fire with a cup of coffee in hand, she loves working out in
the gym and travelling. Victoria was first published at the tender age of eight
by her classroom teacher who saw potential in a six-page story about an
invisible man. Since then she’s always had a passion for reading and writing,
undertaking several writers’ courses before completing her first novel, 'The
Secret to Falling in Love,' in 2016.
Thanks to Victoria Cooke and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book, the interview and a place on the event.
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