Today you are in for a treat! My guest for Hot Holidays! is Caroline James!
Caroline James was born in Cheshire and wanted to be a writer from an early age. She trained, however, in the catering trade and worked and travelled both at home and abroad.
Caroline’s debut novel, Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy & Me shot to #3 on Amazon and was Ebook of the Week in The Sun newspaper. Her second novel, So, You Think You’re A Celebrity… Chef? has been described as wickedly funny: ‘AbFab meets MasterChef in a Soap…’ Caroline has owned and run many catering related businesses and cookery is a passion alongside her writing, combining the two with her love of the hospitality industry and romantic fiction. She is currently writing a TV script and accompanying book about the life of a well-known chef and has recently ghost written a celebrity publication. Her third novel, Coffee, Tea, The Chef & Me will be published in 2015. When she’s not running her hospitality business and writing, Caroline can generally be found with her nose in a book and her hand in a box of chocolates. She also likes to climb mountains and contemplate life. She is a member of the RNA and The Society of Authors and Feature Editor for Loveahappyending Lifestyle Magazine.
ES: Where did you spend your last holiday and why did you choose to go there?
CJ: I went to beautiful Barbados to visit and catch up with friends and family. (photo below)
ES: What’s your favourite type of holiday?
CJ: I don’t have a favourite and just enjoy whatever comes my way from trekking up mountains to lying on a beach. I love a good sprinkling of culture too and am fascinated by different ways of life.
ES: And least favourite?
CJ: Anything that has the words ‘all inclusive’ attached to it.
ES: Where did you spend your best holiday and what made it so memorable?
CJ: It’s hard to say that any one holiday was the best. I make the most of them all but I especially enjoyed New York with my son. We laughed, got merry and flew around the city seeing all the sights for several days and generally had a fabulous time together. It was a long time since I’d been to New York and it had changed; the city felt safer and welcoming with a sense of solidarity since 9/11. It was a very special trip.
ES: Have you ever had any holiday or travel disasters?
CJ: In another life I worked for an American courier company and travelled a lot on their behalf to check out their routes. I’ve been snowbound for days in remote USA drinking Southern Comfort with customs officers, had engine failure mid-air on two occasions and slept on many an airport floor. All part of the job – I loved it.
ES: Tell us about a place you long to visit and the reasons why.
CJ: Ihave been planning a trip to Tibet for some time and haven’t yet got round to taking it. Trekking in the mountains needs a certain amount of physical stamina and I need to train for such an experience. I love mountains and find them a very spiritual place to be. In younger days my contemporaries headed off to Kathmandu and I never made it but I will. It’s on my bucket list.
ES: Who’s your favourite travelling companion(s) or do you prefer your own company?
CJ: It depends on the holiday. I love to travel with my sister or my best friend. We know each other so well and can predict each others moves, whims and fancies and always end up laughing for the whole trip which is fabulous. But if I’m working I like to travel alone and focus on getting the job done. I never mind travelling alone as it’s often easier to chat to people (because you have to) and find out more about the place you are visiting.
ES: Ever had a holiday romance?
CJ: I may have (smiles). What happens on the island stays on the island! My most romantic holiday was on a small island in Greece with a man I got engaged to within moments of meeting. I can still feel the balmy Ionian breeze and smell the scent from the almond trees in the grounds of our bougainvillea covered cottage on the beach as a turquoise sea lapped the shore. It was a perfect moment in time to be stored in the memory bank for the days when I can no longer travel.
ES: How would you spend your dream twenty-four hours with no travel restrictions?
CJ: I’d collect my loved ones in limos and hire a Lear-jet to hop over to a luxurious castle in Tuscany, for a day filled with good food and delicious wines and their wonderful company. Places are magical but it is people that make the memories special. Oh and I’d ask Andre Bocelli to serenade us during dinner.
ES: What tip or piece of advice would you give to holidaymakers and/or travellers?
CJ: Arrive at the airport with happy expectation and maintain that mood throughout your trip. Delays happen – hotels aren’t always great, vehicles break down and suitcases go missing but having a strop about things solves nothing and you end up ruining your holiday. It all comes good in the end so enjoy every precious moment of your treasured time away, even the uncomfortable moments when nothing seems to go how you’d expected. Smile and the world smiles back.
ES: I think that’s great advice, Caroline and I couldn’t agree more. Thank you so much for joining me.
Caroline contemplates the sunset in Barbados
Great advice Caroline about if something doesn’t go to plan. So many people seem determined at times to not enjoy a holiday. Why would you do that? Lovely to learn more about you. And still jealous that you got to stay in the same hotel in Barbados as I did, but your stay was much more recent! Maybe one day we might share a rum punch there, then we could island hop via a chartered boat to meet Elaine in Antigua. Now that sounds like a plan! xx
Just say the word, ladies! X
Am shouting ‘the word!’ ladies… Caribbean here we come? Thanks so much Elaine for hosting me on your blog. Happy holidays everyone, hope they are all ‘HOT’ 🙂
Hmm! I feel a plan coming on….. Could be another book about two writers and a reviewer who go on holiday to the Caribbean…. Thank YOU, Caroline, for coming on x