Here I am, from left to right, with Holly, author Kitty French (I was thrilled to meet her for the first time) and Rachel Gilbey. Rachel was one of the bloggers who attended the coffee and cake event with me at HarperCollins HQ last week and is now firmly part of my writerly squad!

Below I was just about to leave lovely ladies Elaina James and Carla Burgess. We had some hilarious conversations and I think most of my eyeliner ran away. Carla – on the right – is a fellow HQDigital author, so it was fascinating hearing about her experience with the same publisher. And Elaina is an aspiring author, whom I very much admire, writing alongside a full-time job. It reminded me of how tough it can be, along the journey to publication. But as I said several times, yesterday, no writer friend of mine has ever failed to get published, as long as they have remained determined and not given up.

It was great to meet Bookaholic Holly again (the glamorous one, on the right, below!) Holly, we are going to need photos of your new puppy!

Of course, there is always one that gets away – someone you have a great conversation with but don’t get their name. I had such an interesting chat with one author. Her life has been amazing and would make the perfect crime/thriller novel, from a really unique angle that, as far as I know, hasn’t been written yet. I encouraged her to put her experiences into a fictional setting and pen that bestseller! I hope she does.

With a dry mouth but happy heart I ended back in the fabulous New Street station/shopping station and – of course – had a coffee. Appropriately, as this week sees the release of my latest novel The New Beginnings Coffee Club. Thanks to everyone at the get-together who wanted to know about this story. I hope you enjoy it!

Finally, here is one of the new friends I made – a lovely lady, Abbie Osborne.  (I look a bit wild-eyed in this photo – and that was before the Americano!) Check out her thriller The Puppet Master!

I caught up with lovely authors, Bella Osborne and Tilly Tennant (catch their latest books by clicking on their names)…

and super bloggers, Joanne Robertson and Annette Hannah…

Christie provided plenty of drinks, plus a buffet and it was great to have  a day out with my husband who, along with the other men, shot bemused glances at the ladeez swooning over “Gary” !

If you fancy treating yourself to Christie’s latest book, you can buy it HERE.

Below is the blurb:

It’s Evie’s birthday and the start of a year she’ll never forget. An emotional story of love, friendship and grabbing life by the horns.

Evie’s job has always been her safe haven. As a librarian in the little town of Becton she loses herself in books – after all it’s far easier to read about other people’s problems than set about solving her own.

Then, one birthday, everything is turned upside down. A mysterious parcel containing a beautiful book with a poignant inscription arrives for Evie. It’s the beginning of a new chapter for Evie and she’s inspired to try and find her real mother.

Evie’s search leads her to meet handsome author Noah Jones. Charming and intelligent, Noah seems the perfect catch but what Evie doesn’t realise is that he is hiding something – a key to Evie’s past.

As Evie gets closer to Noah and discovering her mother, she must take a giant leap of faith. Can she embrace the new and make this her year of taking chances? And if she does, will she get her heart broken?

A romantic, funny and poignant story of living life to the full and finding love in the most unlikely of places. Fans of Debbie Johnson and Cathy Bramley will adore this book!

So I thought it appropriate to ask her some very summery questions! First of all here’s what the book is all about:

Fall in love with the gorgeous seaside town of White Cliff Bay this summer and enjoy long sunny days, beautiful beaches and… a little romance. 

Darcy Davenport is ready for a fresh start. Determined to leave a string of disastrous jobs and relationships behind her, she can’t wait to explore White Cliff Bay and meet the locals. 

When Darcy swims in the crystal clear waters of the bay, she discovers the charming Rose Island Lighthouse. But it’s not just the beautiful building that she finds so intriguing… 

Riley Eddison doesn’t want change. Desperate to escape the memories of his past, he lives a life of solitude in the lighthouse. Yet he can’t help but notice the gorgeous woman who swims out to his island one day. 

Darcy is drawn to the mysterious and sexy Riley, but when it seems the town is trying to demolish his home, she soon finds herself having to pick sides. 

She’s fallen in love with White Cliff Bay. But is that all Darcy’s fallen for? 

Pull up a deck chair, sink back with a bowl of strawberry ice cream and pick up the summer read you won’t be able to put down. 

You can get your copy of Summer at Rose Island here and its only £1.99 at the moment.

So, Holly, great to have you here – now to find out all your summer secrets!

1. What is your favourite, foreign summer holiday destination?

I don’t know if I have a favourite as I never go back to the same place I’ve visited before, but one of the most beautiful places I’ve visited was Zakynthos, everything felt so peaceful there, the sea was so blue and warm, the views were incredible, the people were so friendly and the food was amazing. I’d definitely like to return there one day.

2. What do you think a summer holiday in Britain offers, that you can’t get abroad?

The ease and convenience of getting to your destination without hours on a plane, or hours waiting around an airport, the familiarity of the food and the language, the quaint little seaside towns, the friendly locals, the cheap cost, the cute b&bs with the full english breakfasts.

3. Favourite summer holiday meal and drink?

Fish and chips whilst sitting on the pier or on the sea wall, probably with a can of coke. There’s something about the taste of fish and chips when you are on the seafront, it tastes infinitely better.

4. Touring or sunbathing holiday?

Oh that’s hard, I love a good relaxing, do nothing but read and sleep holiday but I think I prefer a holiday where I get to see the sights, either on day trips or by moving around to different locations.

5. Your summer holiday fantasy hot hero would be:

Sexy sailor – a girl in every port

Fit fisherman – up for romantic jaunts in his boat

Lush lifesaving guard – ready to pull you from the waves whenever necessary

English Benedict Cumberbatch bookish type – sits in the shade,  ready to woo you with reading poetry at any point.

or finally

Romantic restaurant owner hoping to win you with his award-winning garlic bread!

That’s hard too, I love food so someone who can cook or at least have someone who can cook for him would be a definite plus in my books, but there’s something very sexy, at least in my mind, about a rugged fisherman so I think I’ll have to go with that.

Well best of luck with the book, Holly, and thanks for dropping by!

Holly lives in sunny Bedfordshire in a house with round windows. She studied media at university which led to a very glitzy career as a hotel receptionist followed by a even more glamorous two years working in a bank. The moment that one of her colleagues received the much coveted carriage clock for fifteen years’ service was the moment when she knew she had to escape. She quit her job and returned to university to train to be a teacher. Three years later, she emerged wide eyed and terrified that she now had responsibility for the development of thirty young minds. She taught for four years and then escaped the classroom to teach history workshops, dressing up as a Viking one day and an Egyptian High Priestess the next. But the long journeys around the UK and many hours sat on the M25 gave her a lot of time to plan out her stories and she now writes full time, doing what she loves.

Holly has been writing for 6 years. She was shortlisted for the New Talent Award at the Festival of Romance. Her short story won the Sunlounger competition and was published in the Sunlounger anthology. She won the Carina Valentine’s competition at the Festival of Romance 2013 with her novel The Guestbook. She was shortlisted for Best Romantic Read, Best eBook and Innovation in Romantic Fiction at the Festival of Romance 2014.

Follow her on Twitter @hollymartin00