I have another man, and my husband is fine about it…..:-)
I think the fact that I made him up is what’s sealing the deal…
Hello everyone, and thank you for sticking with me thus far. It’s been a rollercoaster that’s for sure.
Next week, the sixth book in The Tour series will be published and I’m delighted.
Download here for automatic delivery of Kayla’s Trick next week to your device
This whole series (which was never intended to see the light of day as one book, let alone a series) began in 2012 when I spent a winter writing a story about a tour guide. In another lifetime, I took groups, of Americans mainly, around our beautiful country. I loved every second of that job, basically being on holidays all the time, staying in castles, eating amazing food, seeing our magical home through the eyes of others, what’s not to love?
So often, I would regale the people on my bus with stories, (we are a nation of storytellers, everyone here has any number of yarns they could bend your ear with at a moment’s notice,) and the people on the tours would say to me, this should be in a book or a movie or something.
So without thinking for a moment it would turn into anything, I began writing about Conor. And the rest as they say, is history, But he was real to me from the first day.
Listening to someone else’s dreams is deathly boring we all can agree, but if you’ll indulge me I think this demonstrates what Conor means to me.
I have this recurring dream, that I walk into the ballroom of a hotel here in Cork and gathered in groups are all of the characters I’ve created over twenty two books. Before I enter I can hear the sounds of a party, everyone chatting and having fun. Then, when I enter, they all stop talking and look at me, not necessarily with hostility, but not exactly friendly either, as I walk up the centre of the room, feeling distinctly uncomfortable. There, on the right are the Robinswood families, the Murphys and the Keneficks, Carmel and Sharif and all of those people in another group. Then The Bannons and The Liebers and Brauns all gathered in another corner. The 1916 crew, Mary and Rory and Mrs Kearns, are all standing just watching me. The twins from Dunderrig and Solange, while Patrick, Hugo and Liam are at the bar, The nuns are at a table, having tea and enjoying the cool Irish weather, a change from the Australian heat, Catriona and her father sit facing the centre of the room, and of course at the top, the loudest and biggest group are all the people from the various tour books. Fr Eddie sneaking a cream bun, Corlene in a tight leopard print dress, Dylan and Laoise holding their instruments, Bert and Patrick, Declan and Lucia, Grenville King, all the gang from Bubbles Bar, and Billie Romano with Noah and her Dad. Artie and Joe are kicking a football to each other.
In the dream, I’m nervous and self conscious, and finding it hard to swallow, until I see him, and then there’s this huge sense of relief. There is Conor, standing beside the stage, smiling. And I walk to him, and he gives me a big hug and says ‘Its ok, none of us would be here if it wasn’t for you.’ and then I feel alright.
I never know what I’m going to write about until I sit down to do it. I am so grateful for this lovely man, he always seems to come up trumps, for readers and for me, and I’m so lucky that he wandered into my imagination.
Many of my male former colleagues believe he is based on them, all of my female colleagues know he isn’t. 
But he’s back, and I love having him around. So next Friday, he’ll be back in your life too, in the form of my new book, Kayla’s Trick, in both paperback and ebook. My advance team have been very supportive and enthusiastic and many claim it was the best one yet, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.
In the meantime, I’m off to Galway tomorrow on a staycation with the extended family. (Conor is coming too, and my husband is ok with that – he’s understanding that way…) lol.
Have a great week,
Le grá agus buiochas,
Jean