Elaina James

Last month I volunteered at Capital Crime in London. It was a wonderful experience to be part of this incredible and successful inaugural event. The line-up was excellent, and tough decisions had to be made as to which events to attend. In the mornings I worked on the registration desk, welcoming the visitors, handing out passes and goody bags and providing them with directions and information. I really enjoyed my role and it was great to work alongside the other enthusiastic volunteers. There was a definite buzz of excitement about the event, which created a fantastic working environment. In the afternoons I was free to attend the sessions, and so I crammed in as many as I possibly could! Here’s a brief overview of the events I went to: ·         The Psychology of Tension – Mark Edwards and Lisa Jewell in conversation with Clare McGowan. I met Clare in the summer at the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference when I attended her workshop. She’s an excellent tuto

The Oyster Catcher - Jo Thomas* Who hasn’t day dreamed at some point of packing it all in and heading off for a completely fresh start somewhere new and exciting? Though for Fi it’s less of a day dream and more of a living nightmare.   This was a gripping and charming read, that I couldn’t put down. I was desperate to know what would happen to Fi and the oysters she had developed a love / hate relationship with.   Jo has a wonderful way of making her descriptions come to life and I could clearly see the beautiful (yet rainy) coastline . I was really routing for Fi throughout the novel and I loved the eclectic cast of characters in this quaint and unusual little town.   Fi’s past contains a secret that she’s too embarrassed to share. But her determination to do the right thing, outweighs her desperation to remain hidden in the background. I loved Fi’s character arc, and was cheering her on as she went on a journey of self-discovery and tested the bound