It’s been ages since I had a guest on the blog so welcome to writing buddy and talented Choc Lit author, Morton S Gray. Over to you, Morton, tell us all about your latest book …

My fourth novel for Choc Lit Sunny Days at the Beach is published on 18 August 2020. The main characters in the book are Owl Corner Crafts owner, Mandy Vanes, gin distiller, Graham Frankley and teenager, Nick Crossten, but there is also a feline star – Merlin the cat!

It’s actually one of the only ways I can get close to a cat, as I’m actually terribly allergic to them in real life!

(Me too, Morton!)

We meet Merlin early in the novel…

“When they arrived at Mandy’s house, her black cat was mewing on the doorstep. The neat, clean semi was in stark contrast to the run-down terraced house in which Nick had been living with his mother. 

‘You’ve got a cat?’ exclaimed Nick, with more animation than she’d seen from him all day, apart from when he ate the pastries at the café. 

‘Meet Merlin. He doesn’t always like strangers though, so beware of his claws …’ Nick sat on the doorstep, his belongings at his feet and fickle Merlin welcomed the new member of their household enthusiastically with purrs, as he rubbed his sleek body against Nick, to the lad’s obvious delight and Mandy’s surprise. 

‘Never been allowed a pet.’

‘Well it looks as if Merlin has adopted you already.’

She gulped at the words she had just used, but thankfully a glance at Nick suggested that he hadn’t registered their meaning and what the situation Nick found himself in could mean.”

Merlin, my fictional cat, befriends abandoned teenager, Nick. Mandy is both pleased and dismayed as the animal starts to sleep on his bed instead of hers.

I like including animals in my books, but you do have to remember the responsibility of being a pet owner even if it is a fictional animal. For example, when Nick and Mandy go away for the weekend, I had to make sure that Merlin was being fed and looked after. Readers are very quick to pick up if you neglect fictional pets.

Every time I wrote a scene with Merlin in it, I laughed as my real-life little dog, Lily goes absolutely mad if she sees a cat. She makes a very particular whimpering noise and runs towards the animal. I dread to think what would happen if she managed to get close, but I get the impression Lily just wants to play. (I’m not sure a cat would feel the same way!) The two cats next door are much bigger than Lily.

About the Author – Morton S Gray

Morton lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors.

Her debut novel The Girl on the Beach was published after she won the Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Starcompetition in 2016. This story follows a woman with a troubled past as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her son’s new headteacher, Harry Dixon.

Morton’s second book for Choc Lit The Truth Lies Buriedis another romantic suspense novel, The story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is Morton’s first Christmas novella. It is set in her fictional seaside town of Borteen and follows the story of Pippa Freeman, who runs the Rose Court Guest House with her mother, and local policeman Ethan Gibson, as they unravel a family secret as Christmas approaches.

Morton previously worked in the electricity industry in committee services, staff development and training. She has a Business Studies degree and is a fully qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She also has diplomas in Tuina acupressure massage and energy field therapy. She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books.

You can catch up with Morton with the following links:-

Website and blog at www.mortonsgray.com

Twitter @MortonSGray

Facebook page – Morton S. Gray Author – https://www.facebook.com/mortonsgray/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/morton_s_gray/

About the Book – Sunny Days at the Beach

From party nights at the pub to sunny days at the beach …

Craft shop owner Mandy Vanes has always enjoyed a commitment-free singleton lifestyle — in fact, she’s well-known for her wild ways in her small seaside town on the coast.

But when local teenager, Nick Crossten, turns to her for help, Mandy has the opportunity to prove she can be a responsible adult. Although things get tricky when gin distillery owner Graham Frankley comes to town with some unexpected news.

Could this mean that Mandy the party girl is finally ready to grow up?

Buying Link for Sunny Days at the Beach – https://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/sunny-days-at-the-beach/

Huge thanks for coming onto the blog, Morton! I loved hearing all about Merlin, Lily, Mandy and Nick. Good luck with the book!

Love,

Georgia x