Welcome, Elaine, and make yourself at home. You know where everything is. Here’s your tea. Yes, of course builders tea. I know how you like it. So, let’s talk about your latest Teashop Girls book, out for publication in paperback and ebook tomorrow.

Well, you certainly hit the ground running with this one! I love a prologue. It’s a mechanism I know you’ve used before. Is that always going to be the case now, and why?

Hello again, Natalie!

Thank you so much for hosting me; it is now a tradition that I visit your blog for a chat with each book. I’ve brought along cream eclairs to have with our tea.

I love reading prologues as they tend to add to the tension and intrigue in a new story. I love reading prologues as they tend to add to the tension and intrigue in a new story. Although prologues can give a secret from the past my favourites are the ones set in the future that give a nibble of what will happen – without giving away the plot. 

Who can resist an éclair? Thank you very much.

The Teashop Girls at War has a huge cast and every one of them is different. I know you keep notes and that many have appeared in previous books, but can you tell us again how you manage to maintain so many different personalities.

My characters seem to multiply before my eyes! I’m wary of moving to the next book in a series and not have an old character that is much loved by readers not appear. I would soon be receiving irate emails. Apart from that I too want to know what they are up to. With each of my series I started with three friends, but they have families, colleagues, and then husbands appear. Yes, one or two will be centre stage, but the others will be around to lend a helping hand. I could never write a series with different characters in each book as that just wouldn’t happen in real life – and my stories are about people in realistic situations. If you walk into the Lyons teashop in Margate during the war you would expect to see the girls working there – unless they were off on a secret mission…

It was interesting to see Tom again. Not a nice man but a very good plotline. Did it present itself or did you have to ‘look’ for it?

At one point I felt sorry for Tom, but then he did something so awful I decided he needed to have his come uppance. Lily has always thought that one day Tom would appear and tap on her on the shoulder then proceed to make her life hell. Thank goodness for her friends who were there to help; especially when his dastardly deed misfired.

You gave us many hints along the way but in spite of that I was surprised at Mildred’s role (I don’t want to give any spoilers). Anya’s part throughout was more overt but nevertheless constantly evolving and really interesting. Can you expand and compare (also without spoilers) or have I given you an impossible task?

As soon as Mildred walked into my first book in her wellies and oily overalls, I just knew she would have hidden depths and would be a friend to depend on at all costs. What happens in the future with Mildred will be interesting. Anya’s task was more straightforward as all she wants is to have Henio home and will do anything to make that happen whereas Mildred is simply serving her country to bring about an early end to the war…

I love that you use Henry’s pedigree name for one of your characters. Aside from your beloved Polish Lowland Sheepdog – the Polish connection didn’t escape me either – are there others who are based on people you know?

Owning our Polish Lowland Sheepdog, Henry has introduced us to many lovely Polish people as well as fans of the breed from other countries. Henry has his twelfth birthday in September so no longer attends shows but we meet everyone on social media. Being bred in France from Polish decent means Henry’s pedigree name and that of his ancestors gives a nod to the past. The Polish version of Henry is Henio – a perfect name for Anya’s brave husband.

Have I used names of other people I know? No, not really although I have used many of my dogs’ pet names in other books and a lovely lady named Rita Binks was a character in The Patchwork Girls after her daughter-in-law won a competition to be a character in my book and she gave the place to Rita.

As for other characters – that would be telling…

Thank you for the reminders about our trips to Ramsgate in your letter at the end. We had some good times, didn’t we. My next question is, of course, what else do you have in store for us?

We must return to Ramsgate for another writing retreat as it feels an age since we all got together. They were good times.

What’s next? We are back at Woolworths in October for A Christmas Wish at Woolworths. All I will say is never trust your neighbours!

Currently I’m writing another Woolworths book set in WW2 – yes, some of our regular characters will make an appearance.

Another trip to Ramsgate sounds wonderful.

It’s been a pleasure as always, Elaine. Thank you for joining me. 

Thank you so much, Natalie.

Elaine xx

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