Bouquet of Thorns

On a travelling scholarship in India, Sarah's brother has left her in charge of his run-down wine bar, telling her to sell it if she can. Waitressing in the evening as well as trying to establish her own flower shop during the day is more than she can cope with, however, and when she starts to fall out with the customers she knows it's time to stop. Then the owner of the biggest hotel in town offers to buy it and, fingers crossed, she hopes her troubles will soon be over. Unfortunately for Sarah, they are only just beginning. Working long hours, using the profits from her own business to prop up the wine bar, and trying to pacify her disgruntled boyfriend, she is too tired to think straight as she lurches from one catastrophe to the next. And even worse is the fact that Sean Marlow, with his Viking warrior beard and piercing blue eyes, always seems to be at the bottom of them.

Born and educated on the south coast of England, Sheila Claydon has gradually moved northwards across the UK. Now living in northwest England on a stunning stretch of unspoiled coastline, she finds walking a constant source of inspiration as well as a counterweight to the sedentary life of a writer. Interspersed with her writing is a long and varied career in health, education and employment. She likes to think she is a better writer because of those experiences, and also admits to basing some of her characters on people she has worked with in the past. Her motto is a quote by the late Ray Bradbury: 'First, find out what your hero wants. Then just follow him.'- She starts with plots, chapter outlines, characterisation, each time she starts to write a new story. Then the hero takes over and she follows him instead...'