Jessie Cahalin – A Gift for Maisie Bloom

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I’m delighted to be welcoming Jessie Cahalin to my blog today to talk about her new book – A Gift for Maisie Bloom – the story of a newly qualified teacher who becomes an accidental sleuth and falls in love.

Jessie is a Yorkshire author living in Wales, UK. Wales and words have a special place in her heart, and she wants everyone to meet the characters who’ve been hassling her for years. Penning women’s fiction is Jessie’s dream job, but she also enjoys writing travel articles and features for her blog. Besides writing, Jessie adores walking, talking, cooking and procrastinating. Oh, and she believes you can’t have too many notebooks.

Hi Jessie, thanks for stopping by my blog today to talk about your new book, can you say something about it?

A Gift for Maisie Bloom is the story of a newly qualified teacher who becomes and accidental sleuth and falls in love.

You’re not supposed to fall in love when investigating your aunt’s disappearance.

When Maisie Bloom inherits her aunt’s cottage in Yorkshire, life is perfect, including her two love interests. But when mysterious mail and blog posts arrive, she discovers Aunt Ada was investigating the disappearance of a prolific author in Paris. Was it murder? Soon Maisie is hot on the trail.

But can you sleuth in Paris without falling in love?

‘Refreshingly different! Laugh-out-loud humour laced with whimsy, eccentric characters and delightful glimpses of the Yorkshire countryside and romantic Paris. Will Maisie find what she is searching for? I so enjoyed the journey. I love the pearls of wisdom sprinkled in this lovely story.’ Angela Petch – Bestselling author

I have to say I loved it, it was a lovely easy read. I don’t want to give too much away, but really enjoyed the way you added depth to the romance with the hint of mystery. First things first would you like a tea or coffee? And maybe a piece of cake?

I’d love coffee, please. Yorkshire tea used to be my preference, but I have been converted to coffee. The aroma of the coffee shops won me over, and they are great places to collect characters, stories and, of course, try a tempting slice of cake.

Okay, I have to ask – Gin and tonic drizzle cake – do you by any chance have the recipe?

Ada, from A Gift for Maisie Bloom, invented the gin and tonic drizzle cake for Nora and Camellia. I’m sure you’ll remember the scene. You simply add a glug of gin and tonic and lemon juice to the icing and sponge mixture. Delicious, zingy and uplifting, but if you follow Ada’s recipe, she doesn’t use enough eggs. If you don’t want the cake to sink, then simply adjust Mary Berry’s lemon drizzle cake recipe.

I know one question that I’m often asked, is where did the inspiration for a story come from, so I’m going to ask you the same. Where did this idea come from?

When chatting with my niece, the idea for an aunt with a secret popped into my head. I love writing romances and enjoy escaping to cosy TV mysteries, and one day Maisie’s Aunt Ada hijacked me to tell me her secrets. Once I met Maisie, her niece, she made me smile with her perspective on life. A Gift for Maisie Bloom had to be set in Yorkshire because it was an opportunity to go home for a research trip. I did intend to visit Paris, but the pandemic put an end to that. But it was a dream to build my own idyllic village populated with quirky and colourful characters who gate-crashed the story.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?

Both! I plot my books meticulously, but the characters never seem to behave themselves. Once the characters come to life, they surprise me with their antics, and we often argue about what they are supposed to be doing. I have been known to talk out loud to the character when writing in a coffee shop – thankfully, in this digital age, everyone appears to be talking to themselves.

Do you have a structured writing routine?

On my writing days, I start to write at 9am, ensuring I spill out those words for a couple of hours. And it amazes me how the characters take over my typing. I always set aside time for lunch and a walk, allowing time to reflect on my narrative. In the afternoon I edit my words, adding colour and getting the story into shape. This usually leads to more words. But I leave myself with notes and thinking points for the next day of writing. My brain often fixes plot holes when I am not at my laptop, so I have to grab my pen and capture those ideas before they are forgotten. Notebooks are strategically placed in every room, but they always seem to disappear, and I am convinced they end up in the same abyss as those missing socks.

I know you said earlier, you didn’t think you can ever have too many notebooks – how many do you have on the go at the moment? I’m asking for a friend you understand, she says shutting down the web-page she’s been staring at for the last twenty minutes, admiring their new, reasonably priced dusty rose coloured one!

Can a writer have too many notebooks? Mae West said, ‘Too much of a good thing is wonderful’: I have a veritable mountain of notebooks. I tried to count the beauties, but it was impossible because it upsets my Jenga like stacking systems.

I Googled Heatherbridge and didn’t find it, but it does sound like a lovely place to live. Imagine you’re an estate agent for a minute, what would be three selling points of the village?

Heatherbridge is an idyllic Yorkshire Dales village nestled in the valley of Heatherdale, and the nearest train station is in Skipton. The village benefits from a great selection of independent shops and an active community. It is an ideal place for people who enjoy the outdoors and tranquillity, but there is never a dull moment …

What made you decide to set part of the story in Paris? Is this somewhere you know well?

I used to live in Folkestone, and this is very near to Ashford where you can catch a train to Paris. It became a regular adventure. A friend told me that each time you visit Paris you fall in love with the place a bit more, and this was true for me. I found Monmâtre enigmatic, probably because it attracted some famous creatives in the past.

I love, love, loved the hustle and bustle of the artists’ square, delighting in the characters and imagined stories. Monmâtre is also known as a village of Paris and has its own vineyard. I wanted Maisie to experience the joie de vivre of Paris as I did when I was a newly qualified teacher, embarking on a blossoming romance.

Because I wrote the Paris section during lockdown, I visited via GoogleMaps and photos online. I spent hours watching tourist films, snooping around the streets and peering up at the apartments, thinking – what if…

Maisie Bloom reviews books – what type of books would she definitely not want to find on her to-read-pile?

Maisie Bloom reads anything that sweeps her away, so she does not want to leave the characters. Obviously, romances and cosy mysteries are her absolute favourites and she will indulge in crime thrillers of pushed. However, she does not like anything too sinister and point-blank refuses to read anything that gives her nightmares.

Oh, me too! And what about you, what’s on your reading pile at the moment?

I love destination fiction with an enthralling plot and real characters. My last read was Lizzie Lamb’s Winter Highland Star, and it was an utterly charming escape to Scotland. I have just found A French Affair by Jan Baynham on my Kindle, so can’t wait to dive in.

Finally, before we go, a little bird told me that you’re planning on taking us back to Heatherbridge soon. What’s next from the Jessie Cahalin stable?

I am writing A Surprise for Bethan Lovejoy (working title). This novel is set in Heatherbridge again, and we meet Bethan whose husband died unexpectedly. Bethan is sad about Harry’s death but furious with him for leaving her in a pickle with the business. Circumstances surrounding the death do not add up, leading Maisie to investigate … But will the local sleuths be a help or a hinderance? And why would Bethan fall in love again when her husband broke her heart?

Thank you so much for stopping by and chatting today and good luck with publication and I can’t wait to read the next in the series. Ax

Jessie book and social media links are below:

Book Links

Kindle UK: https://amzn.to/4i9aqsQ