And at last, to my final short story - set on the beautiful island where most of the action in A Girl Called Summer takes place. Here we meet Summer herself, a few weeks before the novel begins. She's having a steamy, clandestine affair with her (unmarried) boss, but starting to feel extremely uncomfortable about it. A rare night out in Ibiza Old Town, followed by a blissful Good Friday barbecue on the beach with her family and friends, force her to ask herself what she's doing with her life.  Summer is ready for something more...

OK, so it's over a month since my launch at the wonderful Daunt Books in Holland Park, which was fab, so a little late to blog, but there was so much to do post-publication, and then two weeks in Ibiza to celebrate - a bit like the honeymoon after the wedding! Anyway, here I am, with my parents and brother Nick - and gosh, don't we look civilised? A Girl Called Summer is dedicated to Nick, because he's a brilliant writer himself and basically started my writing career by paying for me to do a journalism course. When I called him to let him know I'd come top - yayayy! - almost exactly ten years ago, he was singing 'Born to be Wild' in a karaoke bar in Indonesia. On his own. On a business trip. Massive respect bro, and enormous love!

Me signing A Girl Called Summer.

AND... A truly romantic story. 

This lovely couple, Jim and Marilyn York, walked into Daunts off the street that evening, as Marilyn used to be a librarian, and they both love bookshops. They were travelling around Europe on their honeymoon, both having been married - and sadly widowed - before, Strangely, yet with wonderful serendipity, they first met as flower girl and ring bearer at the wedding of Marilyn's uncle and Jim's aunt on the 14th June, 1950 - that is, 64 years ago! (I've only just realised that bit - they really don't look old enough, do they?). I asked them to send me the full story, and, a week or so ago, once they'd returned from their travels, Jim did. This is it

Thank you Jim, for getting back to me, and best wishes to both of you for a very happy future together. It was an absolute delight to meet you both xxx

Last week, my short story London Nights was published, but I didn't get around to blogging about it because I was - guess where? - Ibiza! Anyway, it's the third of my four short stories revolving around A Girl Called Summer, and it features Bella and Andy trying to get everything packed up for their move to Ibiza, while simultaneously arranging their Farewell to London/Daisy's first birthday party that evening. Throw in missing builders, screaming babies and an interview with a wonderfully indiscreet ex-Cold War spy and you're in for a rollicking read!