.png)
.png)
Welcome to the charming village of Foxmore
Tucked away in a hidden corner of the stunning Welsh countryside, Foxmore nestles in the bottom of a pretty valley with a river flowing through it, and is surrounded by tree-clad hillsides with dramatic mountains rising above.
I had fun drawing a map of the village, and it also helps me keep all the locations straight in my head, otherwise I forget what is where!
_edited%20(2).jpg)
I usually do some research before I start writing, which also gives me some inspiration, and I based Foxmore loosely on these places. The high street is Usk in South Wales, and the valley is Dinas Mawddwy, at the lower end of the Snowdonia National Park. The village green is actually Aldbourne, in Wiltshire, and the inside of the pub is The Bear in Crickhowell - a place I've eaten in many times and can highly recommend if you are ever in the area.
The Books in the Series
I drew inspiration for the cottage that features in The Corner Shop on Foxmore Green from this quaint cottage which is available to rent from Airnbnb and is actually in Dinas Mawddwy itself. If I had the money, I'd want to buy it just like Huw did, because I've fallen in love with it, too.
%20(2).jpg)
Downstairs
​Upstairs - just look at the view from the bath!
This lovely shop is the inspiration behind Rowena's corner shop. It's called Natural Weigh and can be found in Crickhowell.
%20(1).jpg)
I wish there was one of these lovely shops on every high street!
Owen lives in a camper van (and a very nice van it is, too). I have been inside a few and that way of life really appeals to me - although I'm not too enamoured of Owen's method of showering!
​
Car boot sales are an integral part of this story, and I've spent many a happy hour dibbling around stalls in fields - and I've come away with many a bargain.
​
Etta, the dachshund, is a real sweetie, and naughty, too. I have a soft spot for these little dogs with bags of personality - and the smooth-haired ones are so soft and silky that I could stroke one for hours!
​
Pen's Pantry also plays a part in the book - as does Pen herself, although I don't envy her or Harriet trying to work the coffee machine.
.png)
And here are some more images that were in my mind as I wrote the book - but I won't go into detail because... spoilers!!
I found the milkshake giftset on Etsy, and it formed part of one of my subscriber only giveaways.
The Allotment on Willow Tree Lane is particularly close to my heart because of my own love of gardening. I just wish I was as good at it as Ceri.
Before I began this book, I had a firm image in my head of what Damon looked like, and I think out of all the male main characters I have written so far, he is the one I am in love with the most. He is such a contrast, I feel.
.png)
The gardens of Plas yn Rhiw are stunning and well worth a visit of you're in the area.
And finally, here are some Welsh words and phrases that you'll hear all over the country
This is by no means an exhaustive list (we Welsh have loads of seriously odd words and phrases) but it'll give you a flavour.
Daps – plimsolls, usually the sort that primary school children wear when they do PE. Although daps can also refer to trainers.
Lush – can mean anything from food being delicious, to someone being sexy, or even kind.
Drive – short for ‘driver’, and is what a bus driver is called. You get off a coach, you say ‘Thanks, Drive.’
Stunnin’ – spectacular, wonderful, impressive.
Bangin’ - great, fantastic.
Tampin’ – seriously annoyed.
Cwtch – rhymes with butch. Both a noun (give me a hug/cuddle) and a verb (eg to cuddle under a blanket on the sofa e – Welsh version would be ‘cwtch down on the settee for a bit’).
Cariad – love, darling.
Butt – short for buttie, which means mate.
Buttie – sandwich (confusing, isn’t it!).
Tidy – eg, ‘There’s tidy’ – means that’s good, eg, ‘That’s a tidy bit of kit.’
Alright? - a form of greeting, like hi or hello – Typically ‘Alright, butt?’ Also used as ‘Alright or wha?’
Buzzin’ / gompin’ / boggin' – all mean the same thing: smelly or stinky, but can also mean ugly,.
​
Chopsy – someone who doesn’t stop talking, or someone who is cheeky and impudent.
Dwt – the w is prounounced the same way you’d say the oo in foot. Means tiny, small eg; ‘she’s only a dwt’.
Hangin' – very drunk eg, I was hanging last night. ‘Blotto’ and ‘steaming’ also mean the same.
Mun – doesn’t really mean anything, but is often added to sentences as a kind of emphasis eg, come on, mun, stop it. Presumably originally came from the word man.
Mam – mum, mom, mother / mammy – mummy, mommy.
Grancha/bamps/bampi – grandpa, granddad, grandfather.
​
Sorted – taken care of, resolved, handled eg ‘Don’t worry, it’s sorted.’
Twp – can mean several things… mad, idiotic, not very intelligent.
Now in a minute – eg I’ll do it shortly/soon.
I’m not being funny – usually a sentence starter when the speaker is about to say something that may be offensive eg ‘I’m not being funny, but she wears some weird clothes.’
There's lovely – that’s nice.
My lovely – term of endearment similar to ‘love’.
Over by there – over there.
Come by here – come here.
Jip – ache, pain, physical discomfort, as in ‘My knee is giving me a bit of jip.’
Gutsy – greedy.