Tinsel Street - the lowdown

 When Kitty O'Brien moves into Tinsel Street with her daughters, just before Christmas, she throws a drinks party and invites her neighbours. But while Kitty is bringing the community together, her own life is falling apart. (Part of the blurb from Tinsel Street)

Tinsel Street is a story about community, friendship and love. Let's face it, gone are the days when people knew who their neighbours were. We might know them by sight, but do we know their names? Do we know anything about them? Apart from the two friends in Tinsel Street, Vera and Alison, Tinsel Street is much like any other road where people pass each other and maybe say hello, but that's it. Kitty wants to change all that. It's what she does, and it's a distraction from her own problems. Yet in the end she has to confront them.

Tinsel Street is set in a fictional town called Willesby, near to the city of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Some of the scenes in the book take place in Peterborough. I spent a few days in there checking my locations and taking lots of photos. Why did I pick that city? Well, I was going to choose Ipswich, but I already had a story located near there, so I plumped for Peterborough. I really liked the city when I visited. There is lots to do, and it has a river (always a plus with me as I love rivers). Suddenly my characters came to life more when I could see where they walked, even though only a handful of scenes are set there. It gave me a feel for the area, and I had time to explore Flag  Fen Archeological Park, a 3000 year old Bronze Age settlement, as well as other places in the city itself.

Flag Fen (replica building)

The book took five years to get to publication, including three years in the writing. I began it in the run-up to Christmas and then ran out of steam after festivities, and didn't return to it until the next Christmas. In the end, I had to bite the bullet and write at non-Christmas times to get it finished. Otherwise I might still be writing it! Then there was the editing, rewrites and more editing before sending out into the world. And here we are. Finally, a book in my hands. Actually, a box of books! It was the most exciting thing to open that box and see my story in book form. It is something I dreamed about for years, yet never thought would actually happen.

So, who are these characters of mine who have become my friends? Here is a little about the major characters of Tinsel Street:

• I've already mentioned Vera and Alison. Alison loves to bake and thinks it is the cure for all ills. The two friends spend time together and often frequent the local cafe for cake and teacakes! 
• Arnold is retired, but has a special job at Christmas....which he hates! He is grumpy and dislikes the dog next door with a vengeance. He keeps himself to himself, but someone wants to change that.
• The owner of the dog, called Mitzy, is Sally, and she has her own problems. Something that happened in her past is both a struggle and a delight, and she doesn't know which way it will go.
• Jamie is the paperboy, a kid with his head firmly on his shoulders, except when it comes to Keya, the daughter of Mr Patel, the corner shop owner.
• Mr Patel sees all and has his eye on Christmas for making extra cash and having a traditional English Christmas dinner with his wife, his parents and his children. They have other ideas.
• Ellie works at Drayton's Department Store and is in the doldrums after a break-up with her boyfriend. She is not looking for a new love interest, but with all the parties suddenly happening, will she find someone?
• Jo has lost everything. Can he fall much lower? Well, this is Tinsel Street and maybe people are learning from Kitty as the residents are beginning to pull together.

Some other little nuggets:

• My favourite characters to write were Vera and Alison (Alison in particular) and Arnold. 
• One of my beta readers really loved Sally's story. 
• There is a lot of humour throughout. 
• Each character has a story.
• This is a feel-good contemporary Christmas story.

The book comes with a playlist (see my Publishing History page for the link, or if you come to my book launch on 12th November, the bookmarks have a QR code).

I hope you have enjoyed this delve into Tinsel Street. I've tried not to give any spoilers. If you want to know my characters' stories and whether Kitty sorts out her own problems, you'll have to read the book!

A few photos of Peterborough from my trip in May 2023:

Locations: Where Jo does his busking (above)
and the bell (right) gets a mention in the book

Peterborough Cathedral

Searching for a location

River Nene

Central Library gets a mention too

On location - a writer's research tool

 

Queensgate Shopping Centre, Peterborough

I made the decision to visit the location where I have set a few scenes for my next book. Although the majority of the scenes take place in a fictional place, this place is set a few miles outside Peterborough. Of course I did some research on the internet, but you can't beat visiting the place yourself. So, I booked three nights away to check out various locations.

Why Peterborough? Well, I've never been there, but it had been on my list for a while. It wasn't my first choice, but then I realised I'd already set a story in my original choice (unpublished as yet), so I didn't want to repeat it. Peterborough wasn't that far from my original choice, as the crow flies.

Being in Peterborough has helped me sort those few scenes that take place in the centre of Peterborough. I soon realised one scene wouldn't work in its present form. The location was wrong. A few other scenes would also need tweaking. It was good to know what other buildings were nearby and the various entrances/exits of shopping centres. This visit was a good chance to fix the place in my mind and see my characters there. I took photos of the locations and I can still picture the places in my head.

Exit onto Green Square (Queensgate)

Rivergate Shopping Centre leading to Asda (to the left)

I enjoyed Peterborough and visited a number of other places in the city. These might also come in handy should I ever write a sequel! The trip has allowed me now to set one scene in a place (thought not visited...I do have a map) I can now describe, thanks to the Tourist Information Centre.

I've yet to make the amendments to the manuscript. However, before I left for Peterborough, I had completed the first BIG edit, sorting out the plot (I hope) and making other edits that needed to be made. The manuscript is also longer by approximately 15,000 words. The next phase is to read through the whole document and see if still gels together while adding the amendments from my location visit. After that I think I shall run off the pages and do another read through to see if I need to make any other changes.

This particular work has been something like five years in the making. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever get it finished. I've written an 80,000 word draft novel in less time. However, I really believe in this, so however long it takes doesn't matter.

Queensgate

Rivergate

And just so you don't think I spent all my time photographing shopping centres, here are a few other photos I took. I think I may well have a return visit sometime, because I had a good time and found a couple of great cafes!

Thorpe Meadow

Guildhall (detail)

Stained glass window, Peterborough Cathedral

Central Library and theatre