Today I’m delighted to revisit my interview with Audrey Davis which was first posted in August 2019. It’s been brought up to date to include Audrey’s latest titles. Audrey writes sparkling romantic comedies with a dark edge.
Audrey Davis is a Scottish-born former journalist, now resident in Switzerland. Her newspaper career saw her cover events in Northern Ireland and the Falkland Islands, as well as working for a London-based movie magazine writing reviews and carrying out interviews.
She self-published her debut romantic comedy novel A Clean Sweep in June 2017, following an online Open University course in Writing Fiction. Since then she has published four full length novels.
Apart from writing, Audrey enjoys travel and spends a lot of time in Edinburgh. She is an avid cook, watcher of scary movies and reluctant gym-goer.
Over to Audrey:
Which five pieces of music/songs would you include in the soundtrack to your life and why?
Anything by Abba. The faintest hint of Dancing Queen or Mamma Mia and I’m busting moves and warbling like Agnetha (or maybe Bjorn).
Random one. Safety Dance by Men Without Hats. Brings out the latent maypole dancer in me.
Another obscure one. Lean On Me by Red Box. Reminds me of my mum (who died when I was 23). Will one day be the closing number of the soundtrack to a book I haven’t written yet.
Sorrow by David Bowie. Had the privilege of seeing him live twice. And sorrow doesn’t describe how I felt when I learned of his death. A true legend.
Speaking of legends, the one band I wish I’d seen on stage is Queen. Like Bowie, Freddie Mercury shone bright and died too soon. So many songs to choose from, but I Want To Break Free and its deliriously bonkers video is right up there.
What five things (apart from family and friends) would you find it hard to live without.
My toiletries. It’s a standing joke among friends that my bathroom cabinet resembles a suburban branch of Boots. New serum/hair masque/suck-them-bags-up eye cream? I fall for them all, and end up with enough stuff to rejuvenate a small, wrinkly village. Do they work? Well, I am actually 95 …
Wine. Oops. Probably negates the above. But I do love wine. And a spot of bubbly when the occasion warrants.
My wok. I cook a lot, and nothing beats a pile of chopped, peeled and fragrant bits ready to toss in that baby and emerge a steaming pile of deliciousness.
My iPad/keyboard combo. I’m writing this on my terrace and it’s cooler (been upper 30s
recently) and the lovely Apple people gave me a new keyboard for free when the old one failed. Great for travel, shame it doesn’t auto-produce amazing books.
Marks and Spencer. It’s had its ups and downs, fashion-wise, but I know I’ll always get a decent multi-pack of knickers and bras that fit.
Give five pieces of advice to your younger self?
Don’t let bad stuff force you into bad decisions. I lost both my parents when quite young, and felt alone, afraid and vulnerable.
Trust when people tell you you’re talented. As a cub reporter, I doubted myself every step of the way. I knew I could write, but – even now – when someone praises my book, I suffer from imposter syndrome.
Don’t smoke. Just, don’t. I still do (a throwback to the 80s and the sweaty newsroom, filled with a haze of Benson & Hedges and deadlines to be met). I’ve tried hypnotherapy, acupuncture, vaping and the latest tobacco sticks that heat rather than burn, but it’s a battle I haven’t yet won.
The amazing hair you had in the eighties might not be *quite* the same in later life. OK, I was a perm addict but now I’m more wispy than wanton Bananarama wannabe.
It’s OK to grow old(er). And it’s OK to be grumpy and not agree with people who piss you off. And it’s absolutely OK to speak your mind, because those who truly love you will deal with it.
Tell us five things that most people don’t know about you
I’m an advanced scuba diver who almost died in Vanuatu when I had a panic attack and nearly shot to the surface from a WW2 wreck. Luckily, my guide got me to calm down before I did something stupid.
I met Phil Collins on a Swiss ski slope and approached him with the words: ‘Phil Collins, I presume?’ Amazingly, he still chatted to me for half an hour and gave me his autograph.
I have two boys, born in Singapore and Australia, and I could easily have stayed in Oz. Loved it, but OH didn’t feel the same.
I am pretty outgoing on the surface, and use humour as a barrier, but I’m also quite shy and prone to anxiety. Cracking jokes is second nature; warding off the ‘black dog’ is a constant battle.
I absolutely adore scary movies, especially zombie ones. The Korean film ‘Train to Busan’ is one of my all-time favourites.
Tell us five things you’d still like to do or achieve.
Tricky one. I’ve never really thought of a bucket list. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to many countries and experience some amazing sights. But if you push me, I might say –
Go on another safari with my husband and boys. Perhaps back to Kenya/Tanzania where I’d take copious notes for the basis of a book (head like a sieve, these days!)
See the gorillas in Rwanda, and channel my inner Sigourney Weaver. Without the tragic ending, obviously.
Take my boys back to the countries of their birth. They left when they were very young, so have very few memories apart from old photographs and VHS tapes we had transferred on to DVD.
I’m going to Japan with the family in October for the Rugby World Cup. Initially, it wasn’t a country I ever yearned to see, but as I hear more and more stories from friends, I think it will be an unforgettable experience. Apart from the actual rugby (not really my thing).
Finally, I’m proud to be an indie author, but I would love if a publisher would take a chance on me. I write because I love it, and so many people have enjoyed my books, but gaining more exposure (and sales) would make me a happy little bunny.
Audrey’s Books
(NB This post features Affiliate links from which I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases)
A Wish for Jo (Cranley Wishes Book 2)
Jo Milligan’s café — A Bit of Crumpet — is her pride and joy.
But icing cakes and baking pastries in the sleepy Scottish village of Cranley isn’t hitting the sweet spot.
Jo longs for some excitement in her life. The arrival of gruff stranger Harvey Quinn doesn’t fill her with joy. Nor does the appearance of an unlikely assistant with an unexpected gift … and a serious attitude problem.
Genie Aaliyah grants Jo three wishes, but coming up with ideas proves challenging.
As Jo grows closer to Cranley’s newest resident, secrets threaten to derail their relationship.
Can Jo find a way to cook up a happy ending, or do the ingredients add up to a recipe for disaster?
A Wish for Jinnie (Cranley Wishes Book 1)
Love, magic lamps and bonnie Scotland… what more can a girl want?
After being dumped by her fiancé, losing her job and ending up in a sleepy Scottish village, Jinnie Cooper is determined to get her life back on track. First order of business: working for the charismatic Sam Addin at his run-down antique shop.
When Sam gifts her a few items, including a battered old lamp, little does Jinnie know what’s in store.
Magic and mayhem ensue when the lamp’s occupant takes up residence in her humble cottage, with her new ‘housemate’ possessing the uncanny knack of putting his pointy-slippered foot in it.
With the possibility of her wishes coming true, Jinnie realises she doesn’t know what she wants—and the clock is ticking…
Torn between two very different men, Jinnie’s running out of time. Can wishes really come true?
Lost in Translation
Switzerland. The land of cheese, chocolate and … cheating husbands.
Of course, not every man in the country is doing the dirty on their wives. And Dom would never cheat on Charlotte, would he?
But a glittery card and furtive phone calls have cast a shadow over their ten-year marriage. It’s hard enough navigating twisty Alpine roads and speaking a foreign language, never mind dealing with doubts about Dom’s fidelity.
Add to the mix concerns about her best friend, Ruth, and a bumpy encounter with an arrogant German, and Charlotte’s far from convinced being an expat is for her.
Can she embrace a new way of life or are some mountains just too difficult to conquer?
Embark on a journey filled with laughter, tears and lessons in love. Sometimes you have to seize the day…
The Haunting of Hattie Hastings
Hattie Hastings is living a simple but happy life with husband, Gary, and son, Johnny.
But her world is turned upside down when Gary is killed in a freak accident. How will she carry on without her childhood sweetheart by her side?
Turns out, Gary missed the sign for the afterlife and pops up unannounced at the most inopportune moments.
Gary has a mission — although he’s not quite sure what it is yet — and it involves Hattie.
Meanwhile, Hattie needs to come to terms with his ghostly comings and goings, as well as convince family and friends of his return.
There’s also the small matter of best friend Cat’s ex-husband trying to worm his way back into her life. And Hattie’s beloved mum is battling her own demons…
A Clean Break
A marriage in tatters. An affair that threatens to blow their world apart. Meet Emily and Jim and discover their lives in the poignant and thought-provoking prequel to A Clean Sweep.
A Clean Sweep
Love comes around when you least expect it. Fifty-something widow Emily isn’t looking for romance. Nor is she expecting a hunky twenty-something chimney sweep on her doorstep.
Daughter Tabitha knows her relationship isn’t quite right, while her boss – Abba-loving Meryl – thinks she’s found the real deal.
Emily’s sister Celeste has the perfect marriage. Or does she?
Susan is single, overweight and resigned to a life of loneliness. There was the one who got away, but second chances are for other people.
Buckle up for a rollercoaster ride of emotions in a book that will grab, your heart, make you smile and wish you had a chimney to sweep.
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