Money raised goes to the British Red Cross, to go to residents affected by the fire.

There are also many other lots in the auction, offered by authors, agents and publishers, if you want to offer a helping hand to the victims.

For me…

Firstly, I think it is the rugged nature of the landscape. Unlike other British seaside resorts, such as Bournemouth or Southport. There is an air of danger, with the unruly cliffsides and weather. It has such a thrusting, jagged coastline. And I think this lends itself to my idea of the people – more specifically the men – who might live there. Rugged themselves. Outdoor types. A touch of the wilderness about them. Nature-lovers.  Hmm – just the perfect material for a passionate and romantic hero you might want to get down and dirty with. Ahem!

Secondly – in contrast to my first point, I think it is the “cosy factor”. The image I have in my head of afternoon tea shops. Scones. Jam. Cornish pasties. Fish and chips. Comforting food and drink like mead or scrumpy. Whereas other seaside resorts fill my mind more with images of arcades and kiss-me-quick hats. Cornwall has retained a strong sense of authenticity and makes me think of beautiful sunsets and views of seals. A British coastline at its best.

Thirdly, with the strong accent and its position in the far South-west, Cornwall almost feels like a separate part of England. This gives it a little bit of the exotic. Ironic for me, because, Cornwall, whilst it is mild, often attracts the heaviest and most frequent downpours and when I was seven it rained constantly during our summer holiday there – we never holidayed in Great Britain again!

Finally, its history. Tales of pirates and smuggling. Castles and more castles. This gives Cornwall an aura of being a place where you can still life live in the raw, without the sophistication of modern technology and rules and regulations. A place where you can have an adventure and might meet a lover who takes you totally by surprise. It certainly takes the life of my new book’s heroine in a new direction.

So if you fancy a moving, romantic read set in this beautiful corner of the world, why not preorder Breakfast under a Cornish Sun Kate Golightly has two weeks to find the Poldark look-alike of her dreams. Will she succeed? How does Cornwall surprise her? Find out this summer!

Cathy, tell me, how are recipes relevant to the Wickham Hall Story?

I have always included recipes in each of my series as the stories lend themselves so well to food of one sort or another! Wickham Hall is my new series based around the goings-on in a stately home which is open to the public. For me, a day trip to a beautiful hall is never complete without a slice of cake in the café. Wickham Hall has the Coach House Café where lots of the action happens and so it was natural for me to include lots of lovely cake recipes – your glittery scones fit in perfectly!

Ooh, afternoon tea in a stately home – sounds perfect! And what is your favourite afternoon cake?

My favourite would probably be a slice of Victoria sponge with strawberry jam and fresh cream in the centre. Yum!

Yum indeed! What about eating cake at home – are you a good baker or have you had any disasters?

I class myself as a good family baker, i.e. I cook for the family but I’d never be tempted to do anything fancy! I’ve had plenty of disasters, usually arising from me not reading the recipe properly and missing out something vital like sugar!

Well, best of luck with the book, Cathy – the cover is absolutely adorable.

If anyone would like to know more about Cathy Bramley, please check out her website here!