Sharing her Five Photos with me today is writer Carrie Elks. Carrie is the author of several novels, including the Love in London series, and the more recent Shakespeare Sisters series. I’m delighted that she’s agreed to share her pictures, and her memories, with us today. Over to you, Carrie.  

I adore photos. Old ones, new ones, digital ones; it doesn’t matter what form they come in, I love them. I think it’s because every photograph tells a story, a snapshot in time, and they never fail to fire up my imagination. So, here’s the story of my life in 5 different images!

PHOTO 1 – MY MUM ON HER WEDDING DAY

My parents have all their wedding photos in a big white album, and when I was little my mum used to let me look through it, as long as I promised not to touch the prints themselves. This one of my mum is one of my favourites, I think because she looks so happy. Even though I wasn’t there on the day, I like to imagine it was a wonderful event.

PHOTO 2 – MY FAMILY

This second photograph is of my husband and two children. My family mean the world to me, and it’s reflected by just how many photos I have of them. My husband and I met when we were at university in Nottingham, and since those early days we’ve managed to pack in a lifetime of adventures. From moving to Geneva, and then later to Washington DC, we’ve had a wonderful time together. This photograph was taken at the Hoover Dam in 2008, on our way to the Grand Canyon. It always makes me smile.

PHOTO 3 – MY DOG

This is my dog, Plato. He’s a 3 year old black pug, and he is full of mischief. Being a writer can be quite an isolated pursuit, but having him curled up at my feet while I tap away at my keyboard makes it feel a bit less lonely. He’s a very affectionate dog, and much prefers sleeping on my lap to being in his bed. And if I’m honest, I prefer it too!

PHOTO 4 – MY BOOK

This photograph is of me holding my first book, Fix You, in a local Tesco store. It was the first time I’d seen it in a shop, and I was a mixture of elated and embarrassed at having my photo taken. Looking back I should have been just elated! I’ve seen some of my books in other stores since, but this really was the first time I thought that I might be able to call myself a writer.

PHOTO 5 – MY DREAM CITY

My final photo is a bit of a cheat – it’s a collage (sorry Sharon!). We visited Venice back in 2016 and I fell completely in love with the city. I loved the history, the buildings, the aperol spritz – and of course I loved eating Chicletti (Italian Tapas) as the sun went down. One day I’d love to stay there for a few months and write a book. In the meantime I’ll just content myself with looking at the photos!

I’ll forgive you, Carrie. Great idea to make a collage! I loved all your photos and really enjoyed reading about the stories behind them. Thank you for sharing them with us today.

Carrie Elks writes contemporary romance with a sizzling edge. Her first book, Fix You, has been translated into eight languages and made a surprise appearance on Big Brother in Brazil. Luckily for her, it wasn’t voted out.
Carrie lives with her husband, two lovely children and a larger-than-life black pug called Plato. When she isn’t writing or reading, she can be found baking, drinking an occasional (!) glass of wine, or chatting on social media.

You can buy Carrie’s latest book, Absent in the Spring, here.

Here’s how to find out more about Carrie and her books:

Visit her website.
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