It is up for preorder now and also on NetGalley for early reviewers!

Here is the blurb!

One lost suitcase. Two strangers. And a notebook that will change lives.

For almost fifty years, sisters Dolly and Greta have lived together – getting each other through the good times and the bad.

Except this year, Greta isn’t there and Dolly is feeling lost and alone. In memory of her sister, Dolly heads to the lost luggage auction where she and Greta go each Christmas. But her bid reveals a gift she never imagined.

Amongst the clothes is the notebook of a reclusive woman who has hardly been outside for an entire year, but who isn’t ready to give up on life. The notebook’s contents resonate with Dolly. With the support of her neighbours, retired Leroy and eleven year old Flo, Dolly decides to take on the year of firsts Phoebe had planned.

But, can you have a year of firsts when you’re seventy-two? And is Dolly ready to discover the notebook’s secrets, or are some secrets better left lost at the airport?

Under One Roof will be out 9th February 2022 and is already up for preorder! It’s a multigenerational women’s fiction story about an estranged family, treasure hunt and it has ’80s elements.

I can’t wait to share this story that I loved writing.

Here’s the blurb!

Perfect for fans of Beth O’Leary and Paige Toon.

One forgotten discovery will change three women’s lives for ever…

Robin hasn’t been home for decades. After running away to London, she never expected to see her cantankerous mother, Faye, again. But when Faye has a fall, the two women are thrown together once more.

The years apart have not made their hearts grow fonder and the ground between them is unsteady. Then Robin finds an unopened scroll – the last of the treasure hunts her much-missed father used to take them on every Sunday. A hunt he believed might change everything.

Yet, not even this gift from her beloved father can smooth the way until Robin’s daughter, Amber, arrives to meet her grandmother for the first time.  Amber is determined that the decades-old mystery be solved.

Can a 30-year-old treasure hunt really ‘change everything’?

His song, I’m Still Standing, makes complete sense to me now – on a personal level, but also with regards to my career.

Aspiring and published authors, from time to time, consider giving up.  I certainly have. It’s a roller coaster of a career (an overused phrase but true), what with the highs and lows that come with Amazon rankings, reviews, rejections, lost and gained contracts, and awards. And due to the rise of ebooks, more publishing avenues and great quality self-publishing, it is more competitive than ever.

Like many addicts, Elton’s behaviours were driven by a sense of not feeling loved – of not being good enough. And certainly the latter plagues me when it comes to my career. Therapy, as part of my treatment, made me realise I wasn’t just aiming to be the best author Sam Tonge could be – I was struggling to be THE BEST AUTHOR EVER. A goal I was never going to score.

It’s got me thinking – after everything that’s happened in my life over recent years, why am I still standing here, as an author? Because whilst it didn’t cause my personal problems, the pressures and expectations (admittedly some of them self-imposed) certainly didn’t help.

Apart from that innate drive in me to write and to want to write, I’ve managed to pinpoint three things that have helped me navigate the hard times.

Surrounding myself with the right people

This is CRUCIAL – speaking as an addict and an artist. It’s really important to surround yourself with people who believe in you…especially when you don’t. And if there is someone in your life who doesn’t fit this remit, you need to ask yourself why you are letting them in. Distance yourself from negativity. And people who make you feel as if you’re a failure – in any way. You don’t have anything to prove to ANYONE, except your conscience and yourself.

I currently belong to a great writing group online. Sure, we moan – that’s important, we all need to air disappointments and gain reassurance from realising we aren’t the only one going through difficult times. But the group is also full of positivity and camaraderie.

The Romantic Novelists Association offers a friendly, helping hand to aspiring and published authors alike.

Over the years I’ve also accumulated wonderful writer, reader and blogger friends whose interest and encouragement keep  me going, probably without them even realising it.

An agent that suits you is also so important. Mine, Clare Wallace from the Darley Anderson Agency, has offered incredible support since I signed with her. She’s helped me keep perspective. Lets me know when I’m being overly negative (that’s important). She’s helped me keep an eye on the long-term so that any current difficulties don’t end up being catastrophised. And Clare is approachable. For me that’s the single most important quality an agent can have. If I’m worried about anything, however small, or on a downer about something that might appear to be minor or irrational to anyone else, it’s important for me to feel I can express that.

I’ve been fortunate with my agents and publishers – but if you have a publisher, agent, writing friend, anyone who is making you feel that you aren’t good enough, you need to have a long think about why they are in your life and whether that needs to change.

Maybe you don’t need to give up being an author. Maybe you just need to give up certain aspects of your writing career, and gain new ones.

Flexibility 

The photo below shows the first novel I wrote after getting sober.

I didn’t have it in me, at the time, to write another romcom. I’d had nine published but just couldn’t create more comedy after the gruelling process of getting treatment. Now and then I considered giving up my career altogether. However instead I mooted to my agent the idea of writing dark women’s fiction. She was super supportive and so I wrote Forgive Me Not – the story of a recovering alcoholic who goes home to make amends.

And now, a couple of years on, and most unexpectedly, I’ve found myself writing romcom again  and I’ve just signed a new contract, with a new publisher, Aria Fiction, and have a Christmas one coming out in October!

So sometimes, it might not be that you need to give up – simply changing direction might make you feel differently.

For example years ago, before my first agent and deal – I’d felt like giving up as my novels were being subbed and getting nowhere. But instead of giving up I started writing short stories for women’s magazines. I sold nearly 100 in the end and this massively boosted my confidence and helped me, I’m sure, finally get that novel publishing deal.

Authenticity

Being true to yourself – sounds naff, doesn’t it? But it’s a major part of recovery and, in my opinion, a crucial tool for coping with difficult times during a writing career. When my problems were at their worst, in 2016, they were also secret. I put on a front. I doubt many people looked at me, the author, and thought I had alcohol issues and eating problems. In fact, I know that’s the case due to the surprise people have expressed since I’ve been open.

I was bright and breezy. And it became a huge strain. I felt as if I had this persona to live up to. As if I were leading a double life. And that’s when life started to feel impossible.  I am a bright and breezy person but it’s not the whole me and it’s felt like a massive relief, since getting treatment, to share more sides of my personality and not just one.

So, for me, it’s been very important to put my heart and myself into my brand. I blog about mental health now. I tweet about sobriety and eating issues. And still all the other things like the baking I love and movies – but the picture is fuller now. And if I’m having a bad day, Twitter might know about it! And that’s fine. It’s real. Not having to put on a front helps when times get tough.

So if you are thinking about your brand my advice would be (and it sounds obvious) make it ABOUT YOU. Don’t tweet motivational quotes, for example, (I love them!) or pictures of cake if they aren’t really your thing and you just think doing so will get you followers – tweet about your own passions instead. And having a tough day? There are plenty of suitable gifs around to express that and no doubt many people will relate!

This way you won’t feel you have anything “to live up to”.

Just keep it real.

Having said all of this…

Don’t automatically dismiss your desire to give up

Yes, I am still standing, when it comes to being an author. But, perhaps, one day, that won’t be the right thing to do. Giving up your career or aspirations doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Failing would have been not to try in the first place. Yes, I’d love a movie deal for one of my books. I don’t imagine that will ever happen! But at least I’ve tried.

I still have the odd day when I want to give up. Sometimes the social media work seems overwhelming. It’s hard not to compare yourself to other authors and wonder why Hollywood hasn’t come knocking. A bad review can make you question your talent. My eating disorder issues still rear they head, especially when I take an author photo. Being “out there” as an author can be challenging from that point of view.

Yet there are so many aspects of my career I absolutely love. The writing itself. The fact I feel as if it’s what I was born to do and I’m fulfilling my destiny. And I enjoy meeting so many amazing readers and bloggers on social media. People telling my my stories have, in some small way, had an impact on their lives. I love the generosity and humour of fellow writers. I feel enormous pride about the books I’ve had published. I have a sense of achievement.

But life is not just about one career – there are other ones out there to bring in money and a sense of personal satisfaction.  Life is also about people. Travel. Hobbies.

Giving up doesn’t mean something has been lost. It just means you’ve gained experience, learnt about yourself and now, perhaps, it’s time to try something new.

You are still you. At the core. The person close ones love. That’s what matters.

Regardless of whether your manuscripts stay under the bed, or you are the next JK Rowling, you are still good enough.

However, some still lurk in the shadows, flexing their fork in my direction and things came to a head, recently, when I was shortlisted for the prestigious Romantic Novelist Awards  – a huge honour. Indeed, when I first heard I’d been nominated in the romcom category for my 2018 romance One Summer In Rome  I was absolutely ecstatic… but the evening itself presented a huge challenge to someone like myself with a history of  body dysmorphic issues.

The thought of being in any way the centre of attention and – abject horror – having professional photos taken, filled me with dread. As did the challenge of finding a suitable outfit – something I imagine many of the nominees can relate to.

But with the support of my husband, and the company of my wonderful and understanding agent, Clare Wallace from Darley Anderson, not only did I get there – I thoroughly enjoyed the event. After I’d said hello to a few people my anxiety started to slip away and much chat and laughter took place. And I now feel more brave about attending any such event in the future.

At the beginning of my writing journey none of this was a problem and I enjoyed many author get-togethers, seeing them as nothing but fun and important for my career. But then my mental health took a downturn, brought back some issues from thirty years ago and I am still fighting them – and am determined to get back to where I was before, seeing every invitation to a launch or blogger get-together or publishing party for what it should be… an exciting and enjoyable aspect of the business I am in.

When the official  photo came in I got control of the self-critical thoughts and forced myself to post the image online.  And this is what CBT therapy is all about – facing your fears. The more you do the thing you are afraid of, the more you can accept that your concerns are unfounded.

Yes it’s hard. Scary. Especially when others may not understand your concern over something that appears trivial or irrational to them, particularly if you’ve become good at putting on a cheerful veneer. But the feeling of achievement you’ll get, if you push yourself, is second to none.

It’s not easy being a woman – or man, for that matter – in today’s society. Some of us may feel we have to have great jobs. Be brill parents or children. Perfect partners. That we’re supposed to look like celebrities and gain hundreds of likes on social media. And this is an area I explore in my  new novel Knowing You, that was published yesterday. Violet works in publishing and due to an upset in her private life starts to question just how successful an editor – and woman – she is. And this leads to a shocking twist at the end. I’m thrilled with the fantastic reviews coming in and humbled to see that her story is resonating with readers…

So if you’re struggling at the moment, mental health wise, and CBT therapy is an option, I would definitely recommend it.

You can do this.

Or if you are simply nervous about taking the plunge in certain areas of your life, go for it. Afraid you will get rejected if you send out that submission? There’s only one way to find out. Anxious about joining that book club you’ve been invited to? Go ahead. Without a doubt every member will have felt like that on their first night.

Whatever your fear is, there is only one true way to tackle it.

And that’s to stare it straight in the face.

Next week I’ll be blogging about the mental health challenges I’ve faced over the last couple of years that brought about this new direction. I reached a point where I said to my agent I just don’t think I can write romantic comedy any more. It’s not in me. The spark has gone. Deep within I felt a seriousness, a weight, even though my mental health was improving. And a kind of clarity that something inside me had shifted and my writing needed to reflect that.

That’s the thing. Us authors write from the heart. I’ve passionately written all of those nine previous books but just didn’t have the same motivation as the weeks became months in 2017. It would have been impossible. Which is kind of ironic as I’d always thought of myself as a very commercially-minded author, but if you’d offered me a million pounds I couldn’t have come up with the goods.

However I did have an idea for a book with characters I could relate to. A mental health problem can create turmoil within a family – and with friends and sometimes the community, as is the case with the protagonist Emma in Forgive Me Not… before I knew it I’d sketched out character profiles and a plot.

But the story wasn’t funny. The main thrust of it wasn’t romantic. I wasn’t sure how my writing style would fit this new genre. I wasn’t sure if I was up to writing in a new way with no one-liners, nor a humorous tone. I didn’t know if my readers would follow me along my new path.

But I had to do it. So with the guidance of my incredible agent I started. And it was tough. The first draft virtually needed to be scratched and I almost gave up. But a writer’s heart is a powerful tool. It kept nudging me and eventually I began again with renewed passion.

It was a nerve-wracking process sending out the manuscript to editors and a particularly emotional moment came when I read the email in which my new editor, Michael Bhaskar, expressed his passion for, and belief in, my new project. With his expertise the manuscript was polished further. When I saw the fantastic cover the Canelo team created everything fell into place and I felt that this genre was where my work – at the moment anyway – should be.

Now the whole creative process for that story is over I can see that the new book is still “me”. I feel there’s an underlying warmth that is the signature of my previous books. And I’m absolutely thrilled with the early reactions I’ve had to Emma’s story. It’s early days but perhaps this is going to go okay!

So, I guess what I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to follow your heart. I’ve always believed that someone’s greatest achievements don’t come from the comfort zone and that an author must continually set themselves challenges. It is too easy to become complacent, especially if you find a degree of success. Although that doesn’t necessarily mean changing genre – for example, in One Summer In Rome a character is blind, and it took research and care to write their story. And my author friends and favourite writers never cease to amaze me with the innovative story after story they come up with.

It’s been a scary twelve months. I’m an author with bills to pay, it’s my career, and I have a lovely loyal readership for my comedy writing. One might say this change of direction is something of a risk. Yet I feel it’s too easy to become pigeon-holed as a writer. I recently attended an evening with Matt Haig who has written fiction, non-fiction, children’s stories… and I find that very inspiring. I’ve written many stories from a child’s point of view for The People’s Friend magazine and have often felt a hankering to write a novel for youngsters. And now I’m thinking well… why not?

Humans change over time – I’m not the same person I was twenty, ten, five or even two years ago – so it’s perhaps, naive, to expect our writing not to change as well.

It is up on NetGalley for those who’d like to request an early copy to review and will soon be up on retail platforms.

Meanwhile, here is the blurb to whet your appetite until it is published by Canelo on 23rd July! The story is set in Manchester.

Forgiveness can be hard to come by… An unputdownable new novel from bestseller Samantha Tonge

 How far would you go to make amends?

When Emma fled her home at Foxglove Farm, she’d let down and hurt those who cared for her most. But now, two years later, she’s ready to face up to her past; she’s ready to go back.

But Emma’s unannounced return causes more problems than she could have foreseen. The people she knew and loved aren’t ready to forget, let alone forgive. And the one person she wants to reconnect with the most, her mother, can’t remember who she is.

Just as Emma starts to rebuild trust, an uncovered family secret and a shocking past crime threaten her newly forged future…

Sometimes simply saying sorry isn’t enough.

Perfect for readers of Ruth Hogan or Amanda Prowse, this is an extraordinary and unforgettable novel about running away from yourself – and finding a way back.

My debut contemporary women’s fiction novel – Forgive Me Not – will be published 23rd July.

When Emma flees her home, Foxglove Farm, she has already let down everyone closest to her. Two years later, having lived on the streets and gone through rehab, she is back; back looking for forgiveness. But family secrets threaten everything. The truth has long been buried. And the only thing harder than saying sorry, is finding the willingness to forgive…

A second novel will follow February 2019.

I am so excited to share these stories, both of which are very close to my heart.

Michael Bhaskar, Publishing Director at Canelo said ‘Samantha’s books have long been on our radar at Canelo. She is quite simply a superb writer and in this novel, an extraordinary departure, she takes her writing to a new level. Impactful, unforgettable and deeply moving, Forgive Me Not will blow readers away. We can’t wait to work with her on this’.

Read the full press release here!

So what does a hero need to make my heart flutter and pulse rate? In my new release, Breakfast under a Cornish Sun, there are two heroes to whet your appetite and I’ll use them to demonstrate my five top favourite traits. And I’m not talking about physical appearance as women are very varied in what turns them on. Take Lucas in my new book – he is the perfect Poldark lookalike, with his raven curls and swarthy complexion and is an instant joy to Kate Golightly, who headed to Cornwall in search of this fictional hero. Whereas Tremain, on the other hand, is stockier with super short fair hair.

No, personality transcends looks every time when it comes to longstanding sexiness. And Lucas with his dangerous dark looks and couldn’t-give-a-damn attitude demonstrates the first trait I find irresistible. It’s not very PC to say, but I love a streak of arrogance, because this shows confidence. There is nothing more sexy than a man who is self-assured and unprepared to change just to please others.

Secondly, however, I need a degree of vulnerability that explains this cocksure behaviour, otherwise that utter confidence tips into becomes unattractive. Take Tremain, the other gorgeous man Kate Golightly meets when she visits Cornwall. He is surly. Unsociable. A man of few words. Appears rude sometimes. Yet when he does speak his statements seem loaded with emotion and hint at a tragic past only a special woman could get him to share. This vulnerability makes the hero a challenge – can the protagonist persuade him to open up? Because opening up makes a hero seem even braver.

Thirdly, oh yes, I need heaps of passion and both Lucas and Tremain have fire in their eyes. Because passion hints at a sense of recklessness which, in good measure, means the difference between an average and breathless kiss. Passion means danger. Pleasure. Spontaneity. All the ingredients for a memorable encounter that will get readers turning the page.

Fourthly and equally important to passion is compassion. I need a hero who cares for other living things than himself. And in Breakfast under a Cornish Sun this is one quality that will help Kate decide if her future is with either of these two Cornish hotties. I won’t give too much else away, other than to say her chosen one takes a while to work out.

Finally – urgh, this is hard. Which trait to select?! There are so many other qualities I seek in my perfect fictional man. Tenderness. Strength. Humour. Sincerity… in fact I think that answers my question. Complexity. Complexity is everything when creating the perfect hero. Us women and readers like a challenge, right? So we want a hero who is going to take a whole book to work out. And both brooding Lucas and troubled Tremain have deep-seated reasons for their demeanour and behaviour. This makes them realistic and relatable and – I hope – hotter than ever.

So, I thought it would be fun to ask Cathy Bramley some quick foodie questions about her scrumptious book and its tasty heroes.

Hello Cathy! So, first things first… what is your favourite comfort food?

Scones with blackcurrant jam and clotted cream.

Great answer! Or perhaps… plumberry jam? How did you think of the name Plumberry, I love it!

I wanted something which had a foodie ring to it but without actually being food. I thought I’d invented it but it appears in the Urban Dictionary and means awesome!

Appropriate as this books is pretty awesome! What is your fail-safe comfort food recipe?

My own cottage pie which includes red lentils and cinnamon for extra flavour.

Sounds yummy! So, your new book has two tasty leading men – would you prefer to go out to dinner with gorgeous young dad Gabe or dashing Irish chef Tom?

I agonised over this one! But I think I’d like to go with Gabe. He deserves a night out and diner with Tom might be stressful if he’s pedantic about food!

Finally, your main character, Verity, loves a fish finger sandwich – what is your go-to fast food?

If I’m making it myself I spread pesto, a little bit of grated cheese and a handful of spinach on a wrap, fold it in 4 and toast it in the panini grill – gorgeous!

Gosh, my mouth is watering now. I’d better go get some comfort food for myself! Thanks for popping in, Cathy.

So, if you fancy a comforting read, for fans of food and romance, go treat yourself to The Plumberry School of Comfort Food!

Here is the blurb:

Verity Bloom hasn’t been interested in cooking anything more complicated than the perfect fish finger sandwich, ever since she lost her best friend and baking companion two years ago.

But an opportunity to help a friend is about to land her right back in the heart of the kitchen! The Plumberry School of Comfort Food is due to open in a few weeks’ time and has rather gone off the boil. It needs the kind of great ideas that only Verity could cook up . . .

But as Verity tries to balance stirring up publicity, keeping their top chef sweet and soothing her aching heart, will her move to Plumberry prove to be a sheer delight . . . or a recipe for disaster?