Gone by Anna Bloom

I asked my guest, Anna Bloom, to tell us more about the location for her latest novel, Gone. Imagine my delight when she shared her memories of Cornwall, a place I long to visit. Over to you Anna.

Hi, and thank you for taking part in my Gone Blog Tour.

I always set my books somewhere that feels special to me, or has had significant importance in my life. My first series of books were set at my University, and while I changed things around slightly, I took great joy in re-creating the setting for my readers.

With Gone, I dug a little deeper into my personality and history. I wanted it to be somewhere truly special where I believed life-changing events could happen, and for me one of those places is Cornwall. It’s somewhere that I love and when I’m there it feels like home – even though I’ve never lived there. All my oldest, fondest memories are tinged with the golden sands that Cornwall provides.

You see I live in London, UK. It rains, a lot. Rain, rain and then a little more rain. Not always a downpour, but damp and frizz inducing at best.

When I was a child, from a toddler onwards my parents always took us to Cornwall on holiday. My parents were never wealthy and we were never the kind of family that would jet set to foreign sands, but they were particularly skilled at jamming the car full of all our belongings and driving five hours to the Cornish coast. And that’s where the magic happened, every year without fail. The sun would shine, the sea would be perfect, the days would be long, the Pasties would be delectably crumbly, with just the perfect sprinkling of sand and for me it was the best holiday I could ever wish for.

Years later when my sister and I were nearly grownups and had left home we started going away for holidays on our own. Guess where we went? Yep, Cornwall. It was even better then, the sun still shone, the sea was still perfect, although maybe a little cooler, and this time the cider was leg numbingly awesome.

When I met my husband and in the early tentative days of dating suggested a holiday, guess where we went? Oh yes, Cornwall. Even more cider was consumed on that holiday.  We even looked at getting married there, but sadly the logistics didn’t work out.

For me Cornwall is a place of magic possibilities. Two weeks in Cornwall can feel like two weeks where anything is possible. So when I wanted to write a story about two lost souls who meet and help heal each other, there was only one feasible setting I could give it. The Golden beaches of St Agnes, the most beautiful village in the world, where the sun shines, the heather grows on the cliff tops and the cider still makes your legs numb if you drink enough of it.

I’m now looking at taking my own children there so they can crate their own magical, childhood memories running along the same beaches that I ran on in times gone past and I’m sure that they are memories that they will never forget either.

Available at

Amazon
 
Amazon.UK

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Rebecca Walters is haunted by past tragedies and the names that people call her. When her parents take her to Cornwall for two weeks and she meets local artist Joshua Adams, Rebecca starts to understand that her future is what she can make it. But when her past secrets start to catch up with her will Rebecca fight to remain the girl she's found or will she run from a past that won't stay Gone.


Excerpt

“Josh, come on! Don’t be such a girl.” 

I grind an elbow into warm sand as I lean up to find out who Josh is, and why he is a girl.

Instantly I feel on edge. There are six guys running down the beach, surf boards under their arms.

I don’t want to talk to anyone, or even be seen by anyone. I was just looking for some peace and quiet.

I should have stayed in my room. That way I can’t hurt anyone and no one can hurt me.

I breathe a sigh of relief as five of the guys dive straight into the sea, completely ignoring my exposed spot on the sand. Then I offer myself a rueful laugh as I realise that these people are used to seeing strangers on a beach. I won’t hold any interest for them, yet. Not until they realise who I am and the rumour mill starts up again. I will be long gone by then.

It’s the bastard thing about Social Media. It’s impossible for people not to find out who you are. No matter how much you might want them not to.

Facebook is the bane of my life. I know I’ve made mistakes. I don’t need status updates about it.

I wonder which label will attach itself to me first?

I’m a girl with lots of labels and I’m not talking about current fashion trends.

Allowing myself a slow exhalation of air I repeat the words that are currently keeping me going. I will be gone soon. Soon enough.

I watch as the six guys splash through the waves. They keep their wetsuits rolled down and give me what would be an arresting eyeful of toned abs, if my eyes weren’t distracted by something else. The sixth one.

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Anna Bloom is a contemporary romance writer with the sole writing ambition of writing about life as it happens. Dedicated to real characters, real problems and real romance Anna writes tales to stir your heart and head. Combining a busy schedule of looking after two young children, working in a local school and writing swoon worthy romance for Mature Teen readers, she also spends a lot of time imagining kissing hot guys and talking to the voices in her head- all in the name of her art.

@annabloombooks

https://www.facebook.com/AnnaBloomBooks


www.annabloomwrites.com

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Anna will be awarding a $50 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a signed copy of GONE and the author's back catalogue of ebooks to a randomly drawn host.

a Rafflecopter giveaway