Today The Blonde Plotters are having a chat with Jenny Kane, the author of Another Cup of Christmas
Jenny Kane
Hi Jenny, thanks for popping by to visit us. Please can you tell us a bit about Another Cup of Christmas?
Another Cup of Christmas is the first of three seasonal sequels that follow on from, Another Cup of Coffee (the first novel in the ‘Another Cup of…’series)
Although it carries on the story of Amy, Jack, Kit and friends from the novel, Another Cup of Christmas can be enjoyed as a bit of festive feel good fun in its own right.
Based in the Pickwicks Coffee House in Richmond, the story revolves around a charity auction and the burgeoning romance between the cafe’s newest waitress, Megan and a young man called Nick- who she’s never met…
And the inspiration behind it.
I just loved writing Another Cup of Coffee so much that I didn’t want it to end. Plus- I spend my life in coffee shops (I even have my own writing desk in one) So, when the chance came to keep the story going- and to make it festive as well (I LOVE Christmas), it was too good an opportunity to miss.
The idea of an auction was inspired by a real coffee shop based auction I attended several years ago- it was a great deal of fun, and raised lots of money.
Are you traditionally published, a hybrid, or an indie? What are your favourite aspects of being traditionally published/a hybrid/an indie and what would you change about it?
All three. I learnt very early on that it’s dangerous to have all your eggs in one basket when it comes to publishing. It’s a world were writers are at the bottom of the pile. We are often made promises that are broken, disheartened and bewildered. Not that all publishers are like that- not at all – but sadly many forget that we are people, not just book producing machines that can afford to live on 12p an hour.
Therefore, keeping all options open seemed like a good survival plan- and it has certainly worked for me so far.
I am blessed with the clout of a traditional publisher for my Jenny Kane work, the flexibility of a hybrid publisher for me Jennifer Ash books (medieval murder mysteries) and the full control of self publishing as Kay Jaybee (erotica).
It would be great if traditional publishers allowed more consultation about our work when it came to covers and marketing, and it would be wonderful if hybrid publishing was cheaper and self publishing had gate keepers to stop the thousands of unedited books landing in Amazon and diluting the product base – but maybe that’s all wishful thinking!
Can you tell us a little about your route to publication?
It was a complete accident. Thirteen years ago I was sat in a cafe in Scotland. My youngest child had just gone to school for the first time and I had three hours all to myself for the first time in six years. I was sat with a giant sized black coffee and a Mars Bars scone, when an idea popped into my head. I do not know where it came from. It was for a very naughty erotic story. I wrote it on the napkin I’d been given.
It was three months later before I had the courage to send it to a publisher, who, to my surprise, actually took it. If that story hadn’t been accepted, I doubt I’d ever have written anything else. However, that set of 2500 words became the first of 40 short stories, which gave me the confidence to try a novella, and then a novel.
Once I’d managed that, via a series of Indie erotica publishers around the world, I chanced my arm and had a go at writing contemporary women’s fiction. Luckily for me, I found a tradition al publisher who was willing to take me on, and so the Another Cup of…series was born.
That was six years ago now. Since then I’ve branched out into medieval crime (as Jennifer Ash),  have started to write audio scripts for ITV, and set up a business teaching creative writing to hopeful novelists.
I’m a very lucky writer. (And I don’t need time to sleep anyway!)
What have you learnt that you wished you’d known when you started writing and what would be your biggest tip for a new writer?
It’s the most fun- but incredibly hard work.
Never give up. You have to get close to the very edge of disaster before the good stuff happens- be brave and hang in there.
Many thanks for inviting me over to chat today.
Happy reading, Jenny x
Bio
From the comfort of her cafe corner in Mid Devon, Jenny Kane wrote the contemporary women’s fiction and romance novels, Romancing Robin Hood (2nd edition, Littwitz Press, 2018), Abi’s Neighbour (Accent Press, 2017), Another Glass of Champagne (Accent Press, 2016), and the bestsellers, Abi’s House (Accent Press, June 2015), and Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013).
She has also written 3 novella length sequels to her Another Cup of…..books: Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014), and Christmas at the Castle (Accent, 2016). These three seasonal specials are now available in one boxed set entitled Jenny Kane’s Christmas Collection (Accent, 2016)
Jenny is also the author of quirky children’s picture books There’s a Cow in the Flat (Hushpuppy, 2014) and Ben’s Biscuit Tin (Hushpuppy, 2015)
Jenny Kane is the writer in residence for Tiverton Costa in Devon. She also co-runs the creative writing business, Imagine.
Book Blurb
Five years ago the staff of Pickwicks cafe in Richmond were thrown into turmoil when their cook and part-owner, Scott was involved in an accident. With help from his wife, friends and the staff at the local hospital, he bounced back.
Now Pickwicks is preparing to host a special Christmas fundraiser to thank the hospital. Pickwicks waitress Megan and Nick, the ward’s administrator are put in charge to organise the whole thing. Megan and Nick’s emails start out as harmless practicality but soon turn flirtatious … Can you actually fall for someone you’ve never met?
As the fundraiser draws closer, Megan finds out that Nick is bringing someone, did she imagine the whole thing…
(Accent Press, 2013)
Available from Amazon and all good eBook retailers
Links
All of Jennifer and Jenny Kane’s news can be found at www.jennykane.co.uk
@JenAshHistory
@JennyKaneAuthor
Jennifer Ash https://www.facebook.com/jenniferashhistorical/
Jenny Kane https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011235488766
Imagine www.imaginecreativewriting.co.uk
