Julia Roberts Author

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Behind the Smile

We all have stuff going on in our lives that we hide behind a smile. Usually that works for me but, I’m not going to lie, November has pushed me to breaking point. It was always going to be a difficult month with Audrey’s funeral and the looming fifteenth anniversary of my dad’s death.

This was the final photograph I took of him, splitting his sides at my mum’s attempt to blow out the eighty-one candles on her birthday cake which were rapidly melting the buttercream icing. It’s a memory I treasure.

And of course, it was the first Armistice Day in my lifetime without the Queen as our monarch. This image which appeared on my Twitter feed really resonated with me. Two human beings, regardless of their country of origin, shaking hands. And if we could have looked into their eyes, I’m certain we would have seen the question, ‘What are we fighting for?’

The world seems such an angry, unhappy, dissatisfied place at the moment, as though we’ve lost the ability to be thankful for what we have and to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us for free if we just open our eyes and look. The sense of community that developed during the darkest days of the pandemic, that gave so many of us hope for a kinder, more compassionate and caring future seems to have evaporated and been replaced by an ‘every person for themselves’ attitude. I know it’s not true of everyone, but it is the overriding sense I get at the moment, and it makes plastering a smile on my face each morning all the harder.

That said, Chris and I, took the decision to return to Javea from where we had to return in such a hurry in October after the travel insurance company, Aviva re-imbursed us for our previous abandoned trip. They were very kind and understanding, for which I applaud them. Neither of us was sure whether it was the right thing to do, but we didn’t want our most recent memory of Javea which we’ve had such a fondness for over the past eighteen years to be one of sadness and negativity. It was the right thing to do for both of us, even though the trip was shorter than the original one due to work commitments.

We were able to visit the restaurants we had planned to in October and were also fairly lucky with the November weather which is unpredictable in Spain. We had some cloud and rain, but it wasn’t cold and we did a lot of walking next to the sea filling our lungs with the sea air. We even managed to sit on the beach a couple of times, indulging in our picnic lunch of olives, cheese, peanuts and French bread and listening to the audiobook of The Dilemma.

We had started listening to it on the way home from Audrey’s funeral as a distraction for us both, and after a couple of listens in Spain, we finally finished it on the car journey back from having my CML blood tests done at UCLH last week. I’m currently waiting for the results measuring the level of disease in my body, but all the other results were within normal parameters, so things look as though they are still under control. Again, I must compliment Daphne Kouma on her wonderful narration – I’m hoping she will be booked for my next novel if I ever get around to writing it.

I’m struggling to write at the moment. Sometimes, the words pour out of me when I’m feeling anxious or stressed, but not this time. Much as I want to lose myself in my next emotional novel my head doesn’t want to play ball and you can’t force these things.

Speaking of playing ball, we now have two house guests staying with us. Milo, our daughter’s cat, has been with us for almost two months, (our wonderful neighbour, Sarah fed him while we were in Spain) and we now also have Quin, our son’s dog ‘on holiday’ with us while they are having repair work done on the roof of their house. As a Dachshund/Jack Russell cross, he can be a bit ‘barky’ with noises he doesn’t recognise and to be honest it’s given us a reason to take some long walks around Virginia Water which are as good for the soul as they are for our fitness. As a cat owner for years, I didn’t realise the social aspect of ‘taking the dog for a walk’. On the whole, dog owners seem to be a friendly bunch… a lot friendlier than this swan who hissed at Quin’s attempts to be friendly!

Actually, just nipping back to Javea for a moment, I have a funny cat story to share. We were staying in a hotel which used to be called the El Rodat but is now under new management and renamed, Ritual de Terra. Our hire car was parked in front of our room but on a higher level meaning we hadn’t noticed until we got into the car to go out for dinner that there was a cat curled up on the bonnet! We tried to coax him off, but he was having none of it and only jumped down when I started to reverse the car out of the parking space. As cat lovers, we decided to buy a bag of cat treats in case it happened again. The following night, ‘cat’ was curled up on someone else’s car bonnet refusing to move despite them beeping the car horn, so the treats came in handy. And the next morning, ‘cat’ was not alone. He must have told his friend ‘ginger’ about the English couple who were cat lovers!

And that brings me neatly to the competition from last month’s blog. It was lovely to read all your ‘ginger cat names’ and the reasons behind your choices. I almost plumped for ‘Pumpkin’, suggested by Claire as he was the ginger cat who featured in my first DCI Rachel Hart novel, Little Girl Missing. But in the end, I chose Amber as it is the name of my daughter’s stepdaughter. Anna, Jean and Karon all suggested it, but it was Karon whose reason resonated with me. Amber represents courage and Karon needs that to try and cope with her anxiety. Wishing you well Karon, and hope you enjoy both The Dilemma and the chocolates.

And I have more Hotel Chocolat chocolates to give away this month along with your choice of one of my books. We’re back to a simple multiple choice question this month with a Christmas flavour.

What is the Christmassy sounding name of the main character in my Liberty Sands trilogy?

Is it:

  1. Joy
  2. Holly
  3. Ivy

Leave your answer in the comments section below before midnight on Friday 16th December and that will give me chance to get the prize to you before the BIG day!

Before closing, I hope those of you who took advantage of the free download offer I did on Christmas at Carol’s will enjoy reading it – hopefully it will get you in the festive spirit if you are not already. If you missed the offer, it’s only 99p to buy and watch out soon for a free download offer on the sequel, Carol’s Singing.

Much love until next time

Julia xx  

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Comments

  3. Hi Julia,
    The name is Holly.
    Having read Christmas at Carol’s and Carol’s singing, I am looking forward to book no 3 in the series 😊
    Hope your results are in your favour.
    Happy Christmas to you and your family.

    Reply

  7. Hi Julia the answer to the competition is Holly.
    I must say I agree with you about the general negativity affecting everyone just now. Difficult times for us all but we must try to remember there is much to be thankful for and look forward too.
    Glad to hear your results were good and fingers crossed the blood tests will be fine too X

    Reply

  31. Hi Julia
    The Christmassy sounding name of the main character in your Liberty Sands Trilogy of books is 2. Holly.
    Christmas this year will be sad and different for you and your family Julia, but you’ll all have wonderful memories to draw on x

    Reply

  34. Hi Julia,
    The answer is 2: Holly

    Hope you and all your family and loved ones have A Very Merry Christmas 🎄 xx

    Reply

  39. Hi Julia
    Its b; holly
    The liberty sands books are one of my favourite reads. Perfect.
    Merry Christmas to you and your family xx

    Reply

  42. Hi Julia the answer is Holly. Thought provoking blog, thank you. Best wished for Christmas and New Year to you and your’ family x

    Reply

  43. Hi Julia
    The answer is Holly.I love reading your blog, missed them on QVC and didn’t know you have them on your website.
    Merry Christmas and a happy new year.It’s a sad one for me as I lost my brother at 55 in January.Take care x

    Reply

  49. Hi Julia, the answer is Holly. Hope you and your family have a lovely Christmas and a very happy new year. Looking forward to the new book! Xxx

    Reply

  56. The answer to the competition question is: 2. Holly.

    I agree that the world seems to have become a more negative place lately, with so much doom and gloom on the news too. I have been volunteering a lot in recent weeks and it has helped me to realise that kind and caring people do still exist and not everyone is out for themselves. It’s been good to surround myself with optimistic people who are trying to make this world a better place.

    Reply

  59. Hi Julia,
    Hope you and your family have a good Christmas and all the best for the coming new year.
    The answer is Holly
    Take care of yourself
    Alison xx

    Reply

  61. Holly
    Merry Christmas Julia and thankyou for giving us the chance to win your lovely competitions.
    I would dearly to have a copy of 100 lengths of the pool

    Reply

  63. Hi julia.answer is Holly..i hope you and your family have a lovely christmas and a very happy and healhy new year.with love and best wishes Beverley.x

    Reply

  67. Dear Julia, just to say thank you for the freebie of both books of Christmas at Carol’s & Carol’s singing, i had purchased them both before., but will enjoy reading both over Christmas as they are still on my kindle,😊 in a quiet corner somewhere, wishing you and your family peace and love this Christmas lots of love Marion 🥰🥰 xx

    Reply

  68. Holly is the answer, sorry about your news. Death and funerals do make us focus our minds in many ways. My dad died last year and miss our Sundays together. I found the remembrance service hard this year. Tears poured but felt alot better after.
    Wishing everyone well for Christmas and a happy new year

    Reply

  79. Hi Julia, Firstly I want to say Happy Christmas and I hope 2023 brings you everything and more that you wish for and more.
    Answer is Holly

    Reply

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