Pauline Barclay : Yesterday Uncovered 2000 to 2018 with Jasmine Sea by Phillipa Nefri Clark

This month on Yesterday Uncovered we slip back to 2000 to 2018

Sitting, in the shade, on a recliner at the side of my pool is Phillipa Nefri Clark, the author of Jasmine Sea, so please help yourself to a glass of chilled bubbly, a plate of tapas, then make yourself comfortable and enjoy slipping back to the 2000s.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I live just outside a small country town in Victoria, Australia. I also live in my imagination, where characters jostle for my attention, and worlds invent themselves. Although living near a mountain range, I truly am happiest with my feet in the sea and a beach to myself.

What inspired you to write about the 2000s?

My Christie Ryan Romantic Mystery Series is set in a range of eras, spreading from the 1850s to 2018, but with the common thread being the latter. I love dual timeline stories and putting Christie into the present allowed me to use her as my portal into the past.

Tell us little about the story and its plot without giving too much away.

Jasmine Sea follows where The Stationmaster’s Cottage ended, only a few months along. Christie is settling happily into her new life in River’s End and the relationship of her dreams. But, her ex still wants the land her cottage occupies for his development plans, and his methods put people she loves into danger. She must face terrible risk in order to keep them safe. The story explores more of her childhood, and has a strong suspense theme.

Is any part of the story based on facts / real events?

No. Just my imagination.

Are any of the characters based on someone real or are they pure fiction?

A few have elements of people I know, mostly the really sweet ones.

If research was necessary what did this involve?

There is a yacht in this story so I spoke at length to a coastguard captain to ensure I could write with confidence about certain scenes. This highlighted to me the amazing work they do in our waters.