Now, I may be right or I may be wrong, but I believe that One Night Stand is one of the few, if not the only, romantic comedy novels to be published that are set in Reading.
If I am wrong, please correct me. Maybe there’s a whole sub-genre of which I’m not yet aware.
Anyway, I decided to set the story in Reading for three very simple reasons. One was that I wanted something different from all the rom-coms set in London and New York and exciting places like that.
The second was because of my heroine, Eleanor, the erotic comedy writer. I wanted her to be dissatisfied with her life–her job during the day writing smut, her job during the evenings tending bar in a dodgy pub, her lacklustre love life, her mysterious and far too exciting sister June, her boring mother Sheila, her best friend Hugh’s penchant for bringing home a new blonde or redhead every night. A part of that was being dissatisfied with where she lived. Now Reading is actually a quite nice place to live, but it does have its down sides, and Eleanor sees them all. It’s part of her emotional journey to learn about where she lives and to discover that she’s part of the community.
The third, simplest, and possibly the most compelling reason, was that I live in Reading and I was really, REALLY pregnant and I could barely haul myself out of my chair to go to the bathroom several million times a day. There was no way I was going to go research some exotic location for this story.
Reading it was.
Where’s your favourite setting for a romance? Ever read a good one set somewhere just a little different–or perhaps somewhere very, very normal?
Only you and Jasper Fforde, Julie… have you noticed how visitors from the US get really happy when they see signs in Reading like “Butts Dry Cleaning”–off topic, I know. I’m longing to read this book!
Happy new year!
My favourite sign in Reading is for the tattoo parlour across from the station, Tat2-U, which reads something like this: Kappy’s Kustom Tatooing: We Put The “K” in “Quality”.
Julie
I don’t blame you not wanting to research while pregnant. While I was ‘with child’ I remember my dh taking me to Oxford for a surprise evening out. As soon as we got there I threw up and he had to bring me straight back home to the Midlands! But I must say, now I’m not pregnant (I do hope not), I love writing about places I’ve been on holiday or want to go to and using those as a setting. Sometimes it even inspires me to do what the heroines do too…
I don’t really have a preference for settings, but it is exciting to read a book that is set in a location I know. It’s like seeing my local town centre on the news or something! I also like to read a book where the location is almost a character in itself, or when it reflects the feelings/journey of the *actual* characters.
Wasn’t SWFW set in Reading? I’ve only been to Reading twice — to each of the Millennium/Copthorne hotels.
Jess x
Phillipa, oh no! Throwing up in Oxford. What a pain. I haven’t read Wish You Were Here yet but I think the setting of Decent Exposure was beautifully done.
Jess, I like reading about places I know too. It gives you a little bit of extra pleasure actually picturing the characters there.
Spirit Willing started off in Reading with the heroine predicting a train crash. Actually this book is connected to that one in a very roundabout way, in that Eleanor hires a private detective called Sophie who is the heroine of my NEXT book, Honey Trap, and who meets up with Max DeMilo and Gina from Spirit Willing. Honey Trap begins in Reading, too.
I’ve just got your newsletter. I’m definitely going to buy ONS this week, can’t wait to read it.
As for locations in books – I really love them to be outside of London.
I loved Phillipa Ashley’s Decent Exposure set in the Lake District and I love how Cathrine Alliott always uses a rural village setting.
I’ve never been to Reading, so look forward to learning all about it.
Best of luck with the paperback launch
I love the opening to SWFW. It’s totally gripping. (the rest is pretty good too. LOL)
PS About the wonderful tattoo parlour name. saw one in Erdington called ‘OUCH’ on saturday.
And do you have a stylish little tattoo you would lke to tell us about Julie? Um?
LOL – Of course, Reading is very historical – links to the Tudors etc- but yes, I think you may be the pioneer in Reading based romance fiction.
Wagons HO!
Yes, I have been eating sugar – last of mince pies. Sorry.
i’ve been reading, that is reading, not Reading, Philippa Gregory books set in Tudor times and tho i’m not hot on history the settings are always great and you get such a feel for the place…and talking of feelings..re-George M…not do it for me, but that’s good, because if he does it for others then they can have him and leave me a bigger share in David T.
Oh yes, it only started there because she was on tour, wasn’t she? I remember now. Actually, I got a bit excited when she went to Milton Keynes because that’s not far from me; it’s where I go when I want to go big-department-store-style shopping
I like reading about characters who have appeared in previous books, too. Another reason to take ONS off my Amazon wishlist and put it in my shopping basket.
Jess x
I’ve got ONS. *wiggle* Hardback AND paperback…. *feeling smug*
Settings? I dunno – anything Mary Stewart every did was truly wonderful. Hadrian’s Wall country, the South of France… I truly think it’s not the local detail that matters so much as the feel of the place – that’s the settings holy grail.
How did Fecklet’s jabs go, by the way?
Jess x
Hooray, Sally, I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you Phillipa, and I love the OUCH!
No, no tattoos Ray-Anne, I am far too conscious of the rapid aging of my skin and the consequent effects on a tattoo. Yay for sugar!
LOL Fran at the bigger share of David T! I’ve never read Philippa Gregory though she’s come highly recommended.
Jess, Carole Matthews writes romantic comedies set in Milton Keynes, you should check her out! She’s a fantastic writer.
Fecklet’s jabs went fine, Jess, thank you. He cried for about thirty seconds when the needle went in and then he was all right.
Anna, I agree with you about Mary Stewart. I also agree that setting is a mood, rather than an actual place. I sort of made Reading more dingy than it is in several places in One Night Stand, because I wanted to reflect the heroine’s feelings of not being happy there.
I actually just read a book with a wonderful setting–The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets by Eva Rice. It’s set in this amazing decaying stately home, and I could just see it. It reminded me of I Capture the Castle.
Good news about Fecklet
I haven’t read Carole Matthews but will try one, thanks! I also have *I Capture the Castle* on my bookshelf but I haven’t got around to reading it yet.
Jess x
Reading rocks – and I loved SWFW.
Talking of shops with odd names, I live in a town in Spain which has a jewellry shop called Spleen. Nice.