A dispatch from my sick bed

Plus book news and reviews

I’m ill. Again. I’m writing this with a Lemsip in hand, a box of tissues on my desk and a sinus headache that feels as though my skull is slowly shrinking while everything inside my head is expanding. I’ve felt this way for two weeks.

Since my son started at nursery last September we’ve had a hit rate of at least one illness per month. Chickenpox, stomach bugs, Covid, flu, tonsillitis, norovirus and now this cold thing that feels like the plague and just will not go away.

Just as soon as we’re over one bug my toddler totters on home with another virus. One small blessing is that he at least seems to have developed a more robust immune system and tends to recover fairly quickly. But I find myself taking much longer to get back on my feet, usually between 10 days to two weeks or more.

One of the things I hate about the relentless cycle of illnesses is how boring it is. I’m bored of being stuck in the house, unable to do anything but the bare minimum. I’m bored of feeling like my life is on pause because every time I start trying to get back on track (I could maybe start exercising again! Or see friends! Or do that project I’ve been wanting to start!) I get knocked back again and go into pure survival mode. And I’m sick of talking about being ill. But the reason I am talking about it is because I think I’m far from alone in struggling so much, especially this winter.

So many people I speak to say they’re also going through the same thing. That the bugs seem worse and more frequent this year. I feel melodramatic complaining about another cold but the fact is, feeling ill all the time for whatever reason sucks. It drains you and can make it hard to feel positive. And it’s something so many people live with all the time, whether recurring bugs like we’re experiencing in our household or more serious chronic ill health.

So if you’re also feeling rubbish, and maybe feeling like no one wants to hear about it, then this is just to say that I see you. I see you quietly dragging yourself through rather than walking with a hop and a skip.

Whenever I’m feeling ill or low I feel even more grateful for books. Books that can take us outside of ourselves when we might be stuck in bed, that make us feel connected when we may be on our own. Thank goodness for books.

It’s one of the reasons I feel so proud to write uplifting, feel-good fiction. The thought of someone choosing to read one of my books when they’re feeling poorly and it bringing them comfort just like the novels I’ve read whilst unwell have lifted my spirits, then it feels like all the hard work that went into writing that book was absolutely worth it.

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Events and updates!

I’m excited to have a number of events coming up where I’ll be talking about my new book The Vintage Shop of Second Chances.

• 28th March, 7pm, a free online event with Dorset Libraries.

• 29th March, 7pm, a Facebook Live with The French Bedroom Company’s online book club. You can join the book club here.

• 13th May, 12:30pm, Walcot House, Bath as part of The Bath Festival. I’ll be in conversation with Lauren Bravo whose debut novel Preloved is set in a charity shop. We’ll be talking about our books and our shared love of all things secondhand!

• 8th June, 7pm, Sturminster Newton, as part of the Sturminster Newton Literary Festival. There will also be prosecco and a vintage fashion show!

I have now submitted the first draft of my fifth novel to my editor and am waiting for their feedback. It’s always a mix of relief and apprehension handing over a new book. There’s the anxiety while you wait to hear what they think but also the comfort of knowing that something that started out so solitary (me sitting at my laptop typing away) has now become a collaborative effort.

I have an exciting announcement to share with you about this book next month - watch this space!

What I’m reading

I was so excited to read Jojo Moyes’ latest novel Someone Else’s Shoes and it did not disappoint! I love Jojo’s knack for creating well-rounded female characters and stories that are at the same time emotional, pacy and funny. The concept of this one is great: two women from very different worlds accidentally switch bags (and shoes) at the gym and that one simple mistake changes both of their lives forever. I loved the cast of characters and thought the depiction of depression and its impact on a family was particularly beautifully done. After reading this one I went back for a re-read of Me Before You and of course wept, again, despite knowing how it would end!

For a very different kind of read I raced through Oh, Sister by Jodie Chapman, a proof I was lucky to receive which comes out in April. It’s an unflinching story of feminism, religion and friendship, told through the lives of three women. It was at times hard to read but there were also the most perfect lines that I found myself underlining as I went. I really enjoyed Jodie’s first novel, Another Life, too.

Having come to Mhairi McFarlane’s wonderfully funny, moving and believable books very late, I’ve been going on something of a binge, reading as many as I can get my hands on. So far I think Mad About You might be my favourite if only for the ending which was so wonderful and uplifting it had me cheering. One of the great things about coming to an author late is the excitement of having their whole backlist to dive into! I feel very excited to have an early copy of her next book (Between Us, out in April) to start next.

If you’re looking for other reading recommendations then here’s a little reminder that I have saved several lists of books I’ve loved here. I’ll keep adding books as I read them so if you’re ever after a recommendation then do have a browse!

Writing advice

This section is for any aspiring writers who might be reading this (I find that people who love reading books often dream of writing them too - it’s how I started out after all!).

I’m really enjoying my new role as a writing coach at The Novelry and this week had the pleasure of interviewing superstar author Beth O’Leary for them. I love this blog she wrote about her writing process - such brilliant insights and tips for any aspiring writer.

And another article that I read recently and loved was this piece about finding the love for writing again after losing your way. It really made me smile and has some brilliant ideas if you’ve hit a bump in the road with your writing.