The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope – Alice May | Blog Tour | Author Guest Post | #TheMidLifeTrialsof Annabeth Hope @AliceMay_Author  @BookGuild @rararesources

Two very different worlds are about to collide.

Feisty country girl Annabeth Hope has sworn off men since her ex abandoned her. Juggling three resentful step-teens, a hyperactive toddler, a smallholding, and a herd of rescued llamas, she has her hands full.

With the roof about to collapse on her crumbling New Forest home, she is desperate to find a way to hold her patchwork family together. The last thing she needs is an attractive distraction moving in next door.

Burnt-out inner-city doctor Rick Mahon has left London and his medical career behind in a moment of professional crisis. A malpractice lawsuit is on the horizon, and the cancel culture mob are snapping at his heels. His plan to stay under the radar is thrown off course when he meets his new neighbour and sparks start to fly.

Annabeth and Rick couldn’t be more different, but maybe they hold the key to each other’s happiness…

“What more could we want from life? Family, friends, llamas, and hope…
“An excellent read.” Jenny Kane, author of the bestselling Mill Grange Series.

My thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for the tour invite. The Mid-Life Trials of Annabeth Hope is published by The Book Guild Ltd and available in ebook and paperback formats (28 October 2024). Thank you to Alice for the guest post and extract below which I hope you enjoy.

Writing difficult teens in The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope
by Alice May

When my daughter read an early draft of the Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope, I was stunned when she assumed that Annabeth’s tricky step-daughter Daisy (16 and complicated) was based on her. Nothing could be further from the truth. If Daisy was inspired by anyone, you need look no further than me. Daisy is difficult, defensive and moody, just like I was at sixteen. Heaven knows how my parents put up with me. They deserve a medal.

Nevertheless, she was a delight to write. All that teenage angst, gave me so much scope to say outrageous things and strop off (only in print, of course). I loved her interactions not only with her step-mother Annabeth (Beth for short), but also her siblings; older sister Rose (19), twin brother Jack (also 16), half-sister Grace (3), and Paddy the dog. I never quite knew what was going to happen when Daisy was in a scene. I just had to keep writing and watch it all unfold.

The following excerpt occurs about a third of a way into the book, when Beth has made the mistake of suggesting that Daisy apply for a Saturday job advertised at the local craft shop. As an arts and crafts enthusiast, Daisy would normally have jumped at such an opportunity. If only her ‘wicked’ step-mother Beth hadn’t been the one to mention it…

Daisy sawed her toast and marmite in half, making the kitchen table shake and tea threaten to slop over the rim of her mug. Her lip curled as she muttered, ‘Sending kids out to work isn’t legal. It’s not Victorian bloody England anymore, is it?’

‘It was only a suggestion,’ said Beth, ‘and watch your language.’ Fortunately, Grace was busy chatting to her unicorn and tearing toast into little pieces to sneak under the table for Paddy and wasn’t listening

Daisy leaned towards her brother. ‘Did you hear, J?’

Jack yanked an earbud out. ‘Hear what?’

‘She,’ Daisy pointed her knife at Beth, ‘wants me to get a job.’

Jack raised an eyebrow. ‘Doing what?’

‘Craft shop in the village.’ Daisy got up to throw her uneaten toast in the bin.

Beth rummaged through the basket of clean underwear on the kitchen counter, looking for Grace’s second pink sock. ‘I just thought you might be interested. Forget I spoke.’

Jack leaned back, making his chair creak. ‘But, Dais, I thought you liked all that crafty cra… um, I mean… well, don’t you?’

‘That’s not the point.’ She threw her knife down with a clatter and crossed her arms. ‘Mum would never say I had to get a job.’

‘Be fair. I didn’t say you had to—’

‘She’ll be sending Grace up chimneys next.’ Daisy waved at the ornate brickwork over the Aga.

Grace examined the chimney breast with interest.

‘No, I—’ Beth shut her eyes and counted to ten.

Rose leaned both hands on the back of a chair. ‘We’ve no idea what Mum would or wouldn’t do. She might think a craft job would work well with your art and textiles A levels.’

Daisy huffed. ‘No one gets it, do they?’ She shoved her plate away, jumped to her feet and left the room. Grace scrambled to follow, her unicorn tucked under one arm. Paddy glowered at Beth before dashing after them both.

‘Great,’ said Jack, scraping his chair back from the table as he stood up. ‘Well done, Beth. Now, she’ll be a pain in the butt all day.’

‘That, brother dear,’ muttered Rose, ‘is the least of our problems.’

I hope you enjoyed reading that excerpt as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Love

Alice

A former GP surgery manager, school librarian and art teacher, Alice May is mum to four not-so-small children. She is married to the most patient man on the planet, and they live in the New Forest. Alice started writing in 2016 and she enjoyed playing with words so much that now she can’t stop.

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