About the Book
Book: Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay
Author: Kate Darroch
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Release date: October 29, 2023
The story of an alcoholic former journalist, Eric, who is trying to straighten out his life and give up drinking, and Lily, a woman haunted by memories of domestic abuse, who meet and miracle in gorgeous Welcombe Bay. Both are coping with serious life problems, and neither is looking for romance. But lasting love is looking for them. Can these broken souls overcome their emotional and financial challenges, and help each other to heal through the transformative power of their love and faith?
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About the Author
Kate Darroch lives on the picturesque Devon coastline, where she combines her passion for cozy sleuths and her experiences of life as it’s lived in many countries to create compelling Travel Cozies.
Màiri Maguire, a Scots Irish teacher from 1970s Glasgow, heroine of debut novel, “Death in Paris”, has earned Kate many international book awards, including Readers Favorite Gold Medal for Humor, consolidating her reputation as a notable author. Kate hopes her readers will enjoy Màiri’s adventures as much as she enjoys Father Brown, Sherlock Holmes, and that old, old movie, the Perils of Pauline.
Next, Kate created Huntingdon Hart, a dry, witty, prescient, multi-millionaire, tongue-in-cheek cross between James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, who’s in love with a much older woman.
Kate’s most recent work is the Christian Second Chance for Lasting Love series, Sweets By the Sea, a saga of Recovery and Redemption; which her readers say is even sweeter than Màiri’s adventures.
More from Kate
If you want incident-crammed stories that seamlessly integrate Christian values, you’re in the right place. Why is that? Because my own Christian faith is a seamless part of my life. How can you separate everyday life and faith? Don’t ask me, because I can’t.
I wrote Màiri Maguire to make people laugh during a dark time; and I wrote Eric and Lily to give hope and understanding to the families of addicts in recovery, to shine a light on thought processes and emotions which are opaque to most of us; and which those of us with a friend or loved one in recovery would like to understand better. Because I’m a storyteller, not a counsellor, I also tried to tell you a story that would make you both laugh and cry, a story worth taking time to enjoy. I hope that you will decide to spend a little time with Eric and Lily, and that you will find the expenditure of your time to be worthwhile.
Interview with the Author
- What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
One of my dozen or so favorite authors is Jane Austen, and many of my family members live in “Austen country”, Basingstoke & Deane. In the shopping mall in Basingstoke town centre there’s seats in the shape of books, named as Jane Austen books, with little introductions to her stories and characters, it’s super fun.
Every Spring, there’s a marvellous week-long literary pilgrimage in Austen country. There are guided walks, taking in much of the countryside described in her books. Seminars are given in the house where Jane Austen lived, which is now a museum. Last year there was a wonderful workshop on creating period dresses from paper, given by an artist who makes outfits of the period from paper and exhibits them in prestigious art galleries. It was superb. I hope that next time the week-long event is held, both my sister and my niece will join me in participating.
- What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
I think that Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keys, is a stunning literary tour de force which is massively under-appreciated in the sense that many people haven’t heard of it, despite the book being made into a film (which usually guarantees instant fame). There are several versions, a short story, a novella, a novel. My favorite version is the novella.
I think that this book suffered by being brought out as a work of Science Fiction rather than mainstream, because although it took the Science Fiction audience by storm, it has much wider appeal. Charlie, the main character, is a low IQ developmentally delayed man who desperately wants to be able to read “proper”. He participates in a scientific study aimed at raising IQ and what happens to him then is both heartbreaking and astonishingly inspirational.
- What was your favorite childhood book?
101 Dalmatians wins in a walk. It’s a wonderful story for parents no less than children. I’m not going to spoil it for you with extensive quotes, but this one gem I cannot resist.
The villains have attempted and failed to steal the puppies. They withdraw in confusion.
Here’s the quote:
“… they limped off as best they could (it is very difficult to limp properly when you have been bitten in both ankles).”
- How do you select the names of your characters?
Lily, the heroine of Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay, is named for my dear departed mother. Eric Bell was my first pen name.
Màiri, the heroine of Death in Paris, was originally named Maggie, as a tribute to a beautiful family moment with the younger of my two sons. An author friend pointed out that there was an earlier female sleuth called Maggie Maguire and advised me to change the name. I thought long and hard.
Miss Maguire is Scots Irish, and Màiri is both a Scots and an Irish name. Scots pronounce it ‘Mareee’, the Irish pronounce it ‘Moyra’.
I love Màiri because she’s so flawed, at one and the same time she’s very kind and thoughtful but she’s also censorious; intuitive and yet practical; generous but a little greedy. So it seemed to me appropriate that Màiri, who is a creature of contradictions, whose conduct is often quite unexpected, should have an ambivalent name to match my sense of who she is.
Huntingdon Hart came to me one morning as a Gift from God, whole and entire.
He’s a spoof character so I wanted to give him a spoof name. I asked my readers what Hunt’s surname should be. There were spoof suggestions, but I fell for Hart, which was suggested by the lovely Ami, my first and most loyal reviewer.
- Who is the author you most admire in your genre?
In the Christian Women’s Fiction genre, I admire Roxanne Rustand, whose stories seem to me to have both sweetness and depth – and plenty of suspense!
Blog Stops
Stories By Gina, June 22 (Author Interview)
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, June 23
Artistic Nobody, June 24 (Author Interview)
Holly’s Book Corner, June 24
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, June 25
Guild Master, June 26 (Author Interview)
Texas Book-aholic, June 27
For the Love of Literature, June 28 (Author Interview)
Locks, Hooks and Books, June 29
By The Book, June 30 (Author Interview)
An Author’s Take, July 1
Blossoms and Blessings, July 2 (Author Interview)
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 3
A Reader’s Brain, July 4 (Author Interview)
Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, July 5 (Author Interview)
Pause for Tales, July 5
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kate is giving away the grand prize package of a $50 Amazon gift card and an eBook copy of the four books in the series: Cookies & Eggnog from Welcombe Bay, Thanksgiving in Welcombe Bay, Christmas in Welcombe Bay and New Beginnings in Welcombe Bay!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/2c06e/thanksgiving-in-welcombe-bay-celebration-tour-giveaway