Q&A - Would You Rather? with Christina Jones - Blog Tour

I have been a massive fan of Christina Jones for as many years as I can remember, having read the majority of her books.  So it is a great pleasure and privilege for me to be on the blog tour for Summer at Sandcastle Cottage, which is out today! 

A couple of years ago when it was first released I read the short story prequel Christmas at Sandcastle Cottage, and in a weird twist of fate I managed to re-purchase and then re-read it only a couple of weeks ago, so I'm primed to read Summer at Sandcastle Cottage  and eager to see more of these characters, as soon as I get a spare moment.  

But without further ado, let me hand over to Christina Jones, and her answers to my incredibly fun, but rarely used Q&A - Would You Rather?

Hello, Rachel – lovely to be here on your Random Reads – thank you so much for inviting me – and on publication day, too! And yes, this is all very random indeed… however, it does look like fun – so I’m in – and here we go! 

1) Would you rather live under the sea or in space?

Ooh, I’ve got no head for heights, so it’d have to be under the sea. I love swimming and I’ve got a lot of wayward hair, a rubbish singing voice, and chunky thighs – so I’m practically a mermaid anyway… 

2) Would you rather only read your genres you write in, or all other genres for the rest of your life?

 *Whisper* I rarely read the genre I’m published in… I always think everyone does it better than me (I’m always years behind with trends and fashion and stuff like that so my poor heroines always have to be too broke or too hippie to care about such things) so I’d get disheartened, or, even worse, I might be tempted to copy… so, I’ll stick with crime and thrillers – neither of which I will EVER write.

3) Would you rather ride a camel or an elephant?

I’ve ridden both (my dad was a circus clown, it kind of went with the territory) but there are so many animal welfare issues here and this is not the place for them, so I’ll just say – neither now, ta.

4) Would you rather eat sweet or savoury food? 

Don’t! I torment myself with this sort of thing! I’m a vegetarian and just love both! It really comes down to could I live without chocolate? No. Could I live without cheese? No. So… basically, I’m a dinner and pudding girl in equal measure – and Don’t Make Me Choose!

*I'm full on belly laughing and evil laughing at that answer*

5) Would you rather pick all future books to read by their covers only, or their blurbs?

Blurbs. I’d be fine with blurbs. As long as I knew it wasn’t going to be too gory and the dog didn’t die, I’d be ok.

6) Would you rather go skiing or sit by a beach on holiday?

I LOVE the snow! However, I have no sense of balance whatsoever and again, no head for heights, so not skiing. I’ve never been and the music to Ski Sunday reminds me of long, boring afternoons and having to go to school/work the next day… So, a massive YES to beach holidays – I love the sea and the sand and everything about beach holidays – ideally in Jersey or Cyprus, but I wouldn’t say no to a week by the sea in Firefly Common, either.

7) Would you rather go to the cinema or the theatre?

The theatre every time. I‘m pretty rubbish even with films on the telly – I lose the thread and tend to drift off – I’m even worse in the cinema – I usually fall asleep – you know, it’s dark, warm, practically empty, comfy chairs, popcorn on tap - all sugar and carbs… But the theatre – all that spectacular live-as-you-watch/listen! Real people, real music, in real time! Wow! So exciting! No chance of me falling asleep in the theatre – ever. 

*Couldn't agree more with you there Christina, and I have to say in this current climate it has shocked me how much I rely on live theatre and entertainment to keep me feeling remotely normal. Bring back the theatre!*

8) Would you rather read e-books, audiobooks or physical books?

For ages I resisted having an e-reader. My husband bought me one for a Christmas ages ago and I was adamant I’d never use it; I was a traditionalist, I loved the sight, smell, feel of a paperback book… I wasn’t ever ever ever going to read from a screen… Then we went on holiday and I thought well, ok, it would make sense not to lug my usual half-a-suitcase full of books when I could load them onto the Kindle just for the holiday… And that was it! I’ve been an e-book addict ever since. I’ve worn out three Kindles since that first time. And, oh, the bliss of finishing a book in the middle of the night, finding nothing else in the house that takes your fancy, skimming through an online bookstore and clicking – and like magic – a book! Bliss!

9) Would you rather be rich but unhappy or poor and happy?

Poor and happy – I have been, am now, probably always will be – who knows…?

 10) Would you rather play or watch sports?

Oh, lordy – if you really knew me… I’m lazy. I can’t and won’t run. I’m not competitive. I’m the least sporty person in the entire world. I was in the orange team in the Mixed Infants. It was segregation, yes, but necessary. We in the orange team were completely incapable of anything even slightly athletic. Happily, the orange team mentality stayed with me throughout my school years. Joyously I was never picked for anything even slightly sporty.  I watch some sport – I love football, loathe tennis, don’t understand cricket or rugby but watch both, but will never, ever take part in Playing Games.

11) Would you rather always have to tell the truth, or always have to lie?

I’m such a rubbish liar – so it would have to be always tell the truth – which isn’t always kind or easy. But lying is not my forte – not really from a moral point of view but because I always go red and I always over-egg the lie so that it’s clear it’s a lie anyway…

12) Would you rather only be able to whisper the whole time, or shout the whole time?

Whisper! I’m not a shouty person. Nothing more to say – whisper - here.

13) Would you rather always be late or always be unprepared?

Eeek! I’m paranoid about never being late. I always make sure my husband thinks we should be somewhere at least an hour before we really need to be – he’s a shocking last-minuter – I’ll happily turn up ages early for things with every single eventuality (including earthquake and/or kidnap) prepared for.

14) Would you rather have your own luxury car, or private plane?

Ignoring the carbon footprint issue here – it would have to be a plane. I love flying! I think it’s magical – especially the bit when you burst through all the cotton wool clouds and up into the blue, blue sky… I passed my driving test when I was 17 but I haven’t owned or driven a car for years. My cars were only ever a means of getting around – I’m not a petrol-head or even remotely interested in whether cars are luxurious or not. But give me my own pretty Lear Jet with my own handsome pilot – and that’s a different story.

*Can I share your Lear Jet and / or just the pilot, please?!*

15) Would you rather be aged 10 or 30 forever?

I actually like growing older and all the changes and different people it brings into my life, so no, not for ever – not either of those ages – but I’d like the ability to go back to being 10 on a whim, whenever I felt like it, and for everyone I loved to still be alive and for the life and happiness and freedom and love I had in my childhood to be there. I had the best childhood and growing-up years. But 30 – not a chance! I was very ill when I was 30 – it took a long time to be well again. I hated being 30!

16) Would you rather look like a fish or smell like a fish?

Hahahaha – neither, obviously. But as this is a must choose one situation then I’d prefer to look like one. Preferably an attractive-ish one – tropical and colourful – like an angel fish or something – certainly not dead-eyed and pouty like a cod… (Sorry, cod!).

17) Would you rather be an only child or have siblings?

I’m an only child – but was never a lonely one. I never wanted siblings because, well, I had them next door. We lived in a row of council prefabs in a village – and every family was the same age, all the children were the same age – we all met as babies and for 17 years until the prefabs were demolished, we grew-up together – the boys next door were my “brothers” – stayed my brothers all through their lives (they both died far too young from cancer and broke my heart). We shared our lives – all of us. I grew up with the loveliest, gentlest parents – and a whole road of “siblings” – most of whom are still my friends today. It was blissful. I was very lucky.

18) Would you rather lose your keys or forget your mobile phone?

Oh goodness – not my keys! The cats would be locked in the house! They might starve in the time it took to a) find my keys b) my husband to get home c) my neighbour gives me back the spare key she keeps for me. I’d far, far rather lose my mobile – I never remember where it is anyway… I’m not in love with my phone. I still have my wind-up clockwork Nokia from aeons ago – and I use it! I do have a smart phone as well, I’m not a total dinosaur – but it has a mind of its own and I have sausage fingers and never seem to push the right buttons – haha – that’s the allegorical story of my life there! 

19) Would you rather have free books for life or free food for life?

Oh, books! Definitely books! And despite me being an e-book addict now, we have books everywhere in this house! Everywhere! I read all the time – I learned to read long before I started school and I’ve never stopped. Yes, I’m also a gannet but I think I’d be able to find someone else to feed me if I needed it – I couldn’t rely on anyone else to supply me with books.

20) Would you rather give up social media or alcohol?

Alcohol every time! I love social media and anyway *whisper* I don’t drink…. Well, very rarely… on holiday, at Christmas, out for a meal… that’s about it. I’m not tee-total or anti-booze – but I was a career barmaid for most of my life – and nothing, but nothing, puts you off alcohol more than chucking out time on a Saturday night when you’ve been on your feet for at least 8 hours, when everyone has told you they love you umpteen times in the last half an hour, and then when you call last orders there’s always a table of teachers who snaffle four pints each and you know you’ll be there until the small hours waiting to clear up and go home… 

I've been laughing my head off while reading these answers Christina.  A massive thank you for answering my completely random assortment of questions.  

And of course Happy Publication Day Day. 

If you have loved this insight into Christina Jones' then please take a look at the details of her new book coming up below and then also follow along with the rest of the blog tour too, where I'm sure there will be some reviews of this fabulous sounding book! 

Purchase From Amazon UK

After trials, tears and a torturous break-up, Kitty Appleby has finally found where she's meant to be. Tumbledown Sandcastle Cottage, in the delightful seaside village of Firefly Common, is home, and Kitty's eccentric band of friends and neighbours are enjoying a glorious summer.

There's just one tiny little problem. Sandcastle Cottage doesn't belong to them. And Mavis Mullholland, Kitty's landlord, is on her way home from her round-the-world cruise . . .

Kitty can't bear to lose the community that's welcomed her in. But secretly, she can't bear to leave Sandcastle Cottage without finding out more about the mysterious and enigmatic Vinny . . . Why can't she stop thinking about him, when she's faced with losing everything?