Linda Middleton – Things We Need to Say

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This week, I’m delighted to welcome fellow Choc Lit author, the lovely Linda Middleton, to my blog. She’s here to talk about her third and latest book, Things We Need to Say, set in London and continuing the story from her debut, Things They Never Said.

For as long as she can remember, Linda has loved getting lost in a good book. As a child, library visits were filled with excitement about what new story she would discover next. A passion for cooking led her to study Hotel Management at university in London—a city she’d always dreamed of living in—and she stayed there for nine years before returning to her native Cheshire, where she lives today with her husband and two grown-up sons.

When the catering industry lost its sparkle, Linda tried her hand at other roles, from managing a bookshop to working in secretarial positions. In her spare time, she began writing—first short stories, several of which were published in women’s magazines, before setting her sights on becoming a novelist.

In late 2022, Linda sent her debut novel, Things They Never Said, to Choc Lit (now part of Joffe Books). To her delight, it was accepted and published in June 2023. Her second novel, First Impressions, followed in August 2024, and her newest release, Things We Need to Say, arrived in August 2025.

Welcome Linda, thank you for dropping in today to talk about your new book. I loved it and was delighted that we were revisiting some characters from book one. But before we get started, I like to offer my guests something to eat and drink. So tea, or coffee?

Oh Cappuccino please.

And I’ve been attempting Kouign Amann lately – which is currently my absolute favourite case, and best described I think as a buttered layered, caramelised gateaux. It’s amazing and I’m getting there, are you up for a slice?

That sounds delicious but very dangerous!

Any recommendations from Jay as to how I can get the butter to stay within the pastry when I roll it out, would be most welcome!

I think Jay would say that if the butter starts to ooze out, repair the pastry cracks and then chill in the fridge for a while before continuing to roll.

We ought to say something about the book:

Things We Need to Say

Don’t let The One become The One Who Got Away.

Emma thought she had her life figured out – the career, the love, the future. But her career feels like it’s going nowhere, and her once-perfect relationship with Jay is beginning to unravel. She fears that the life she envisioned is slipping away.

Jay has always dreamed of running his own restaurant. But he never imagined that in chasing success, each step forward would pull him further away from Emma.

As cracks in their relationship deepen, Emma and Jay realise that their love story wasn’t as perfect as they once believed. There are things they’ve never said to each other – things they must confront if they’re to save what they once had.

If they don’t take control of their own happiness, they might lose the one thing they can’t afford to – each other.

Emma and Jay are about to discover that finding where you truly belong means letting go of everything you thought you knew about love . . . and yourself.

I love writing series, because I never feel like I’m ready to say goodbye to some of my characters when I finish a book. Did you enjoy going back to meet your characters and taking their stories forwards?

I loved Jay and Emma in Things They Never Said and always wanted to develop their story. Also lots of readers said they wanted to see what happened next with Liz and Alex, so this was a good way to give the readers what they wanted whilst also allowing another couple to have their chance at love. I did find it a difficult story to write though, because Jay and Emma were already in a relationship so it wasn’t a traditional boy meets girl romance. I think I got there in the end though, and so far the reviews are good, so that’s a relief!

What comes first when you start something new – story, plot, characters, location?

That depends. In Things They Never Said, the story came first. I knew I wanted to set something in function catering, and for me it had to be London where I lived when I was working in the industry. But I also wanted my love of Cheshire to come through, so Liz’s background had to be there. As Things We Need To Say was a follow on, I would say it was the characters who came first as theirs was the story I wanted to tell.

Plotter or pantser?

I really wish that I was a plotter, but I’m afraid I just can’t do it. I try but then I just have the urge to write. I usually get to the middle and run out of steam and then I have to go back to the beginning, see what I’ve written so far and focus on what the characters’ story arc need to be. In every story there should to be two sets of conflicts, internal and external. So this is the stage when I can work out what the characters’ flaws are, what they need to overcome and how they can reach their goals. Only once I have that can I put the external conflict in (the obstacles which stop them achieving what they need). Even then I can’t plot to the end, so I figure out what’s going to happen a few chapters at a time, write those and then repeat. It’s not the most efficient way of writing, and I wish I could do it differently so I need to figure that one out.

I know you were involved in hotel management for a while, was writing Emma cathartic?

It certainly took me back to my youth when I first qualified and was working in the industry. I think Emma will go a lot further than I ever did though. I still remember the buzz of the service and the camaraderie amongst the staff, but I don’t think I have the stamina for that anymore. My ambitions these days are very much sitting at a desk focussed!

Do you still have a regular writing routine/place? I know last time we chatted you mentioned the pacemaker.press website to record your progress, do you still use this?

I wish I had a regular routine. I work three days a week and the other two days are supposed to be writing days but family life and often medical appointments have a habit of getting in the way. I mainly work in the downstairs spare bedroom but it doesn’t get the sun and is often cold, so then I decamp to the dining room which is sunny but so much noisier. When I’m in the writing stage I definitely use pacemaker.press. I’m a goal driven person and it’s great to see the word count growing. It’s also brilliant at keeping me accountable as if I don’t step up its easy to see.

I loved the idea of the TV competition for this book, which pushed Jay to his limits, and I adore steak and oyster pies. We have a butcher within easy reach who has been making these for as long as I can remember, and at least one would definitely be on my last meal list. But last time we spoke, I seem to recall you not liking oysters, so if you could only have one more meal, what would you choose?

My favourite meal at the moment is duck breast with asparagus and dauphinoise potatoes.

I was intrigued Yorkshire pudding wasn’t mentioned at Jay’s grandmother’s lunch, was that a deliberate decision?

Oh no! I didn’t even realise. I’m mortified as I love a good Yorkshire Pud.

In Jay’s house are roast potatoes, crisped to within an inch of their life or golden brown?

Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, the only way they should be.

You talk about his great-grandmother’s cookbook. I have a cookbook that belonged to my grandmother that is stuffed with cuttings from various papers and her notes about recipes. Do you have a similar recipe book handed down and can you share any snippets from them?

No, unfortunately I don’t. I have started to create my own with our family favourites, but whether it would be of any interest to my boys I don’t know. Perhaps when they live in their own houses.

What would be comfort eating for you?

Spaghetti and meatballs with loads of garlic bread.

I get the impression these characters have more stories that need to be told, are you planning on writing them?

I’m not sure. I don’t want to bore readers with the same characters, but if I did, I think Tia might have a lot to say.

What’s next from the Middleton pen?

I’m in the middle of writing a trilogy. Its set in a small hamlet on the outskirts of Chester, called Heathfield Court. In these books I really want to create a sense of community, where people help each other out in times of adversity. The first book focuses on a café in Heathfield Court, the second follows the inhabitants of the neighbouring manor house, Heathfield Hall, as they set up an events management business. The third I hope will involve a cookery school, so again, still very much within the catering industry.

Thank you, Linda, for coming on to my blog today, and good luck with the release of Things We Need to Say. Ax

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog, it’s been a pleasure talking to you. And thank you too, so much for your support.

Social Media links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/linda.middleton.735