Holiday Blog Party: Saturday - It's Trans-Atlantic Cruise Time!

Welcome to Day Seven of my Holiday Blog Party to celebrate the online launch of my book of short stories, Postcards and Suntan Cream. Each day this week I've visited one of my favourite holiday destinations where these summery stories take place.
Today, I'm sailing home across the Atlantic, so join me with a  Pina Colada on the pool deck to celebrate!
I meet lots of interesting people on my travels, who spark off  story ideas, so I always make sure I have my notebook handy.

Here are the glass elevators, the white grand piano and the Dixieland band which feature in one of my favourite stories, Sailing To Be With You.
This atrium also is the setting for The Woman With The Long Hair.
To find out what happens, you will have to read my book . . .!

All you have to do to join in my Holiday Blog Party is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give a link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed paperback copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for my final holiday destination tomorrow!

Holiday Blog Party Friday - Key West, Florida

Hello again! I've just jetted over to Key West, Florida. I'm here at Ernest Hemingway's house to celebrate the online launch of my new book of short stories, Postcards and Suntan Cream with a Holiday Blog Party, showcasing the holiday destinations that I've used as a background to my stories.
Visitors come Key West to see the sun set from Mallory Dock, and to visit Sloppy Joe's Bar and the other favourite haunts of Ernest Hemingway, such as Dry Tortugas where he would fish for giant tuna and marlin.
My story here is The Importance of Being Ernest which I hope you'll enjoy reading as much as I did writing it!

All you have to do to join my Beach Blog Party is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give a link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed paperback copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for my next holiday destination tomorrow!

Holiday Blog Party: Thursday - Capri

I've just got the ferry from Positano to Capri. Gracie Fields used to live here and Mariah Carey has a villa on the island now. It's also famous for the visits of Jackie Kennedy Onassis who is said to have begun to wear large sunglasses here to avoid the paparazzi. I definitely look very Jackie O in mine!!!
If you've been following my blog this week, you'll know that I'm hosting a Holiday Blog Party to celebrate the launch of my book of short stories, Postcards and Suntan Cream.

Here is the beautiful majolica tiled floor of St Michael's Church in Anacapri, the higher town, which features in A Ring Around Capri. It's lovely to get out of the heat and wander around the wooden walkway to admire the intricate illustration of the story of Adam and Eve.

Each day I've been blogging about one of my favourite holiday destinations which form a backdrop to my stories.

All you have to do to join in is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give a link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed paperback copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for my next holiday destination tomorrow!

Holiday Blog Party: Wednesday - Positano

Ciao! The sun's shining brightly in Italy today. I'm here on my tour of the places that inspired me to write the summery stories in my new book, Postcards and Suntan Cream, so come and join in my Holiday Blog Party!
This story, Sea Change, arrived fully formed one morning as I had dreamed the whole thing. Very unusual for me. However, I needed a location, and having a beach and a ferry port, Positano fitted the bill perfectly.

 The coast road to Amalfi winds down to the seafront, and up again through the town. It's virtually impossible to get a parking space, so I made Anna and Will live in one of the houses on the steep cliffs, and walk to the beach.

Each day I'm blogging about one of my favourite holiday destinations which form a backdrop to my stories.

All you have to do to join in is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give a link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed paperback copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for my next holiday destination tomorrow!

Holiday Blog Party: Tuesday - Camping in France

Cheers! I've crossed the Channel today to one of my favourite campsites in France, and the weather's looking much better! Do help yourself to some of this delicious Côtes du Rhône from the Intermarché.
If you've been following my trip this week, you'll know that I'm visiting the holiday destinations that inspired the stories in my new book, Postcards and Suntan Cream.

I've been camping in France, not to mention Italy, Germany and The Netherlands, for many years with Eurocamp. Back in 1990, I remember helping to unpack the first fridges for the tents! Before that there was only a large cool box with an ice pack that you exchanged each day at the campsite shop. How things have changed since then, now most accommodation is in mobile homes which may even have air conditioning!
My story, La Vallée d'Amour is set in Alsace. It's not so hot and crowded as the South of France in summer, but that's where Kate really wanted to go. . .

Each day I am blogging about one of my favourite holiday destinations which form a backdrop to my stories.

All you have to do to join in is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give a link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed paperback copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for my next holiday destination tomorrow!

Holiday Blog Party: Monday- The British Seaside

 Welcome to my Holiday Blog Party for the online launch of Postcards and Suntan Cream!
Today we're at the British seaside, Weston-super- Mare to be exact, famous for its low tides and wide expanses of sand and mud!
As you can see the sun is at least shining, although it's a bit windy. Never mind, let's go and have a coffee.
Two of my stories are set at the seaside: Love Me Do and the title story: Postcards and Suntan Cream. Funnily enough, they are both set in the Sixties, the heyday of the British seaside holiday.
These days, Weston is on the up with its brand new Grand Pier, which even has a covered walkway so you don't get wet on the way to the amusements!

Find out if Molly wrote this in the sand!

Each day I will be blogging about one of my favourite holiday destinations which form a backdrop to my stories.

All you have to do to join in is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for tomorrow's destination!

Join my Holiday Blog Party to win a copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

As Father Christmas says, after he's delivered all the presents in Raymond Briggs' brilliant book, 'It's time to be thinking about me holidays!'
And if you've taken down your decorations and Christmas is all over in your house, why not join me this week at my Holiday Blog Party? It's to celebrate the online launch of my new book of short stories with a summery theme:  Postcards and Suntan Cream which is featured in the latest edition of Writing Magazine.
Each day I will be blogging about one of my favourite holiday destinations which form a backdrop to my stories.
All you have to do to join in is:

• Leave a comment on my blog
• Write about a favourite holiday destination on your blog
• Give a link back to my blog

On Sunday, January 13th, 2013, at 6pm GMT, I will put all the Holiday Party Bloggers' names in my sun hat, and the first out will receive a signed paperback copy of Postcards and Suntan Cream!

So get blogging, and watch out for my first holiday destination tomorrow!