Elaina James

Whenever you meet new people standard 'getting to know you' questions crop up. I hate those questions. Possibly because my answers, the real ones anyway, tend not to be all that standard. If someone asks who’s your favourite singer I know what my friends would say: Elton John, Maroon 5 or Bon Jovi. The person asking the question would probably nod in approval, because even if they weren't their favourite artist they could understand the answer. They are all well-known great artists. These answers conform within the parameters of expectation. Mine answers… well, not so much. I love country music. Are you raising an eyebrow at me right now? Don't worry you're not alone. It's actually the standard response I get. Admitting to be a country music fan when you live in the UK is a little unusual. Don't get me wrong, I'm not alone, but I just have never found another fan in a work environment. However, my music tastes aren’t restricted to o...

My plan was to publish the second instalment of The Grown-Up Gap Year blog today. But then I read a comment about the RNA on twitter and my blog took a bit of a detour this week. In the article the author praises the writing association she has joined. Good on her. I’m happy for her. I know how lonely and isolated writing can be, and how amazing it is when you discover that you are not as alone as you thought. It’s a truly indescribably wonderful feeling when you find a group where you belong. But to slate another writing association purely on hearsay and rumours is, in my opinion, completely unnecessary and unacceptable. Many of us write across genres. We network with different groups. We chat on Facebook, twitter and in person whenever we get the chance. It doesn’t matter what group we are part of, or not part of. We are writers. We are united by a shared love of books and a passion to write. What else matters? I’ve been a member of the Historical Novel Society, the SWW...

The Grown-Up Gap Year - The Plan I told myself, when I took my career break, that I would blog each week to chart my experiences. Well, it didn't exactly happen. As in, not at all. But, one of the things this break has taught me is that it's never too late. So here goes… It all began in summer 2018 when Katie Fforde contacted me to tell me she had selected me as a recipient of the Katie Fforde Bursary for 2019 . I was stunned, honoured and unbelievably excited. I can’t even begin to describe the magnitude and mixture of emotions that I felt reading her email. There were a lot of tears, combined with lots of jumping up and down while squealing. Yep, all at the same time. Which paused only for periodic re-reading of the email, just to make sure I hadn’t miss read it, because after all, it’s Katie Fforde and she couldn’t possibly have picked me, could she? Well, apparently she did. And in February this year I was awarded with a trophy to prove it. Though, I have to ...

Today I'm joining in with the celebrations for the launch of A Convenient Marriage.  The book spans 17 years, and author, Jeevani Charika, asked the question; 'If you could talk to your younger self from 20 years ago, what would you tell them?'  For me the answer is simple, after a year of huge changes I would tell my younger self that one day she would be living her dream. She'd move to the coast, be writing books and running her own jewellery business. Of course, she wouldn't believe me. To be honest, it still surprises me too.  But what this last year has taught me, is to expect the unexpected. To seize the opportunities that come your way, even when they are scary.  But most importantly always follow your heart, even when it seems like the craziest thing to do. It's amazing where you end up when you do! Blurb: It was the perfect marriage… until they fell in love. Chaya is a young woman torn between her duty to family and her ...

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...

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 te...

I'm so excited to announce the launch of my handcrafted jewellery collection, with my Elaina James Jewellery store opening on Etsy next week. My designs are available in customised colours and lengths, and I'm always up for a challenge if you have a specific style or idea in mind... I also make handcrafted clay charms, with a range of book, graduation, wedding, skating, and other charms available. Here's a quick example of some of my designs: