PRESS RELEASE – AUGUST 2021
ANYONE FOR A G&T? LOCAL AUTHOR CELEBRATES RELEASE OF SUNNY BEACH READ WHICH INSPIRED UNUSUAL RESEARCH TRIP
Worcester-based author Morton S. Gray prides herself on the thorough research which sets her seaside-based romance novels apart from the rest – and her upcoming book, Sunny Days at the Beach, is no different, taking the author on a fascinating trip to a gin distillery …
Being the author of six books, you’d have thought that Morton S. Gray might not have much spare time for anything other than writing. But Bewdley-based Morton is a woman of many talents with a multitude of eclectic hobbies and skills, ranging from genealogy to crotchet. It’s perhaps not surprising that the characters in her contemporary romance novels come from a similarly diverse range of backgrounds and professions – and, as research is another one of Morton’s strong points, she always makes sure her novels stand up to scrutiny, whether the subject is police procedure or crystal healing!
Morton’s latest book, which will be published in paperback by Choc Lit at the beginning of August, is no different. But where did Sunny Days at the Beach (9781781894569) take her in the name of research?
“The idea for this novel was born when I read an article featuring a small craft gin distillery in Landscape magazine. I was fascinated by the processes, the shiny equipment and particularly the botanical flavourings used. My husband was unknowingly treated to my essential research trip for his birthday, when we went on a tour of the Silent Pool distillery in Surrey! A gin maker seemed an ideal hero to set against my feisty Borteen craft centre owner, Mandy.”
We wonder where Morton’s research will take her next!
As you might expect from the title, Sunny Days at the Beach is a great beach read – but, like all of Morton’s books, it also deals with some real-life issues, and there’s an intriguing hint of mystery too. It follows the character of Mandy Vanes, who has always had a bit of a “party girl” reputation in the small seaside town of Borteen where she lives and works. Mandy is starting to feel like it’s time for her to grow up – and when a vulnerable teenager approaches her for help, that’s exactly what she has to do, and quickly. But then an added complication is thrown into the mix when gin distillery owner Graham Frankley comes to town with some unexpected news …
Sunny Days at the Beach is the latest paperback release in Morton’s ‘Borteen Secrets’ series. The books focus on different characters in the fictional seaside town, so can all be read as standalone and in any order. Whilst Borteen is made up for the purposes of the series, Morton admits that it’s now so real to her “that I can walk around its streets in my head and I have a hand drawn map of the town on my study wall.”
Sunny Days at the Beach is released on 3 August and is available from all good book shops and online retailers.
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