There is a distinct kind of exhaustion that strikes the moment you launch a book into the world. By late August my brain was completely fried, so I did what any weary author would do and dragged myself off to a corner of the UK I had never visited before.
It’s rather embarrassing that in all my years on this earth (I’ll keep the exact figure quiet, acting like an old-school Hollywood actress who never reveals her age), Cardiff had eluded me. My husband was even worse; he had never set foot in Wales at all, which is quite an achievement given the size of the UK.
We embraced the traditional British August bank holiday spirit and headed straight for Barry Island, a lovely peninsula with a great beach, bustling arcades, rollercoasters, a big wheel and no fewer than five fish and chip shops (possibly more).
For anyone outside the UK, Barry Island owes much of its fame to the sitcom Gavin & Stacey. Sitting in the sunshine with noisy gulls soaring overhead, eyes glued to our vinegar-soaked chips while a fellow visitor jokingly called his partner “Sugartits” (a classic line from Dave Coaches), stepping away from the desk felt divine. It was a blissful break from staring at my Amazon sales rank.
I have loved Gavin & Stacey since it first aired in 2007 right through to the final Christmas special in December 2024. Watching the 2019 Christmas special, after writing three of my Highland novels (Highland Fling, Highland Heart and Highland Wedding), I realised how much the show had shaped my work:
- Small, close-knit community? Oh, aye.
- Eccentric, endearing neighbours? Absolutely.
- A tourist spot with a charmingly nostalgic feel? Tick.
- A fierce sense of Celtic identity? Tick again.
Although we didn’t venture into the arcades (despite the cardboard cut-outs of Nessa beckoning from every entrance), the penny pushers always bring to mind my journey as an author. Rows of two-penny pieces balance on the edge, stubbornly refusing to budge. Meanwhile, I pour in time, energy and money, waiting for an avalanche of royalties to cascade down and instead, walking away with a single plastic token and a cheap novelty spider.
Rubbish analogies aside, the past nine months have been tough. Between the state of the world, losing my sister unexpectedly, putting one cat to sleep due to a tumour and nursing another through an abscess, all alongside my mum’s ongoing dementia, the weight has been heavy. I miss my mum, my sister and my dad, who passed away sixteen years ago. I often wish I could share things with him or that he had lived to see my books published. The one small comfort is that he was spared the pain of my sister’s illness.
Our trip to Cardiff, featuring a tour of Cardiff Castle to marvel at its delightfully over-the-top Gothic Revival décor and a visit to BBC Wales, was precisely what the doctor (who doubles up doing PR for Wales). Taking in new sights and hearing the beautiful Welsh language and accent refilled the creative tank. I wrote while we were away and have kept that momentum going ever since.
Now for a bit of cheeky promotion! If you would like to help offset the cost of castle tours, ride tickets, fish and chips and a few glasses of Prosecco, my novel Highland Proposal is available to purchase now.
If you are looking for a free read, my publisher Vinci Books is running a promotion on a hockey romance: In The Defensive Zone with my Enemy by Dineen Millar. It delivers brilliant enemies-to-lovers chemistry, quick banter and plenty of heart.
Here’s what it’s about: After losing his mother, a disillusioned defenceman walks away from hockey to raise his younger sister. Returning to the ice as captain of the Florida Sun Kings, he immediately clashes with the photojournalist assigned to cover the team. He has been burned by reporters before, but as distrust turns to attraction, keeping her on the other side of the blue line becomes impossible.
The free promotion ends on 7th September, so catch it while you can!
What is your favourite way to recharge when life gets overwhelming? Are you a seaside-and-chips person like me, or do you prefer escaping into a good book? Let me know in the comments!
P.S. We ate fish and chips at the Hungry Shark on Barry Island, and it was exceptional… Also, a quick shoutout to the BBC tour: the licence fee is worth every single penny.
Emma Baird is an award-winning writer, specialising in romcoms and fiction that focuses on relationships, and a type 1 diabetic. She is also the co-author of The Diabetes Diet, co-written with a doctor. Most importantly, she is the guardian of one very spoiled cat…
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My son was very keen to visit Cardiff mainly due to the Dr Who Torchwood connection. He had no one to go with so I went too. It was a sunny, hot, dry September weekend and it was like the Mediterranean. Everyone was outside eating and drinking and having a great time. We did an organised tour via TripAdvisor that covered all the Dr Who stuff, Cardiff Castle, and two other castles and Landaff Cathedral and Cardiff Museum. Another day we went a boat trip and Bute Park and the Barages. We went to the cinema and the covered shops. There are a lot of Portuguese bakeries with their marvellous custard tarts. (which I can’t eat!). I loved it. I’m glad you had a great time as well Emma.
Now I want to go back because we didn’t do the cathedral or the boat trip. When I did the tour of BBC Wales, there was an exhibition of costumes worn on Dr Who. As always with these things, the costumes looked as if they belonged to tiny, very thin people!
I’ve always liked the sound of the name “Cardiff.” And I suspect I’d enjoy being in Cardiff too. Maybe one of these days . . .
There’s a big craft beer scene there, Neil, that you might enjoy!