Earlier this week I wrote about Holiday Magic, a new anthology of heart-warming stories for the Christmas season by the World Romance Writers group of authors.
Today I’m delighted to welcome one of the authors, Jenny Twist, who is here to talk about her story, Marion. I met Jenny through our last anthology, Letterbox Love Stories. The World Romance Writers is an international group of authors, and so it was a really nice surprise to find Jenny grew up just up the road from where I lived in Yorkshire!
Welcome back to my blog, Jenny, and thanks for dropping in!
CHRISTMAS IN OXFORD
In 1979 I moved from the industrial North of England to study in Oxford. After the grey skies and grubby streets of Manchester it seemed like a paradise – a place of sunshine and hope – a place of enchantment.
Unlike Cambridge, where the colleges are on one side of the river and the more modern commercial district on the other, Oxford mixes up the old and new with a cheerful disregard for symmetry or style. Ancient colleges rub shoulders with shops, pubs and museums. Even in the heart of Oxford’s busy shopping centre you are only a few steps away from cobbled streets lined with ancient buildings sporting gargoyles on their roofs. You can live there for years and then one day take a different turn and find yourself facing a doorway with a pair of grotesques supporting the lintel – something you had never noticed or even suspected before.
The colleges all have their ghosts and legends. There are peculiar rituals that date back to mediaeval times and beyond. It is easy to imagine that magic can still happen in this place.
So when I was asked to write a Christmas story set in a ‘playground of the rich’, my thoughts strayed to my old alma mater. OK, Oxford isn’t exactly a playground of the rich. Rich people go there – as tourists, as students, but not to gamble or sail yachts. I don’t even know whether there are any casinos in Oxford. If so, I never came across them. And I know for a fact there are no yachts. Oxford is about as far away from the coast as it is possible to be in England.
But they come, the rich. They come to wander round the colleges. They come to see the Sheldonian Theatre and the Radcliffe Camera. They send their sons to be educated here.
So I thought I could probably get away with it. It’ll have to do, anyway. I’ve never been to a proper playground of the rich in my life. I wouldn’t know how to start.
My story, Marion, is about a rather unworldly Oxford don who is still mourning his beloved wife and is trapped in the past. This year, for the first time since her death, he celebrates Christmas at home and invites his family to stay. He and his grandson decorate the tree and write letters to Santa Claus. Jim doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, but in a moment of madness he writes his dead wife’s name on his letter.
Will she come? If she does, will she be a living human being or a ghost . . . or a corpse?
Perhaps she will come. This is Oxford, after all, where magic can still happen.
Holiday Magic is available from Amazon, Nook and other online retailers.
Jenny’s Social links:
Jenny Twist / Facebook Author Page / Goodreads Author Page / Amazon Author Page / Twitter
Helena Fairfax 
What a great post, Jenny – how could anyone not want to know what happens next! It’s years since I visited Oxford and I’d love to go back and explore properly.
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It’s years for me, too, Rosemary. The countryside round about is very beautiful, too. Thanks so much for dropping in!
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Thank you so much for hosting me, Helena. You’re such a star! xxxxx
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Thanks for dropping in, Jenny! Looking forward to reading your story – and the whole anthology!
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I got quite nostalgic myself writing the blog. I had some very happy times there.
I went back last year to visit some of my lovely friends. It doesn’t seem to have changed very much. XXXX
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Sounds like an intriguing story in an intriguing place. Looks like we have one more spot to visit in England.
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It’s well worth a visit, Ken, if you ever get the opportunity. They call it “the city of dreaming spires”. Hope you do get to visit some day. Thanks very much for dropping in!
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As someone who was an adopted “Yorkshire lass” (I did my MA at USheffield) but who visited Oxford, I can relate to all of this!
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I hope you enjoyed your time in Yorkshire! I always love visiting Sheffield, and I’ve seen some great plays and shows at the Crucible. Jenny’s post has really made me want to visit Oxford again, too! Good to meet you. Thanks for dropping in!
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Hi Mes
As a Yorkshire lass who became an adopted Oxfordian (is that a real word?) I’m pleased to meet you. xxxx
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I don’t think that I’ve ever been to Oxford. Having read your intriguing post Jenny, I will definitely have to visit. Enjoyed the introduction to your story too.
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I thought it was a great introduction, too, Debbie. Thanks so much for dropping in!
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I think you’d love it, Debbie. xxxxx
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Hey, Helena. Nice to meet you, Jenny. Love the story line. Sounds like you’ve got a “Seasoned Romance.” I’m a member of a FB group of authors who write romances for characters 40 on up. You might be interested. I’m going to have to get the book to find out what happens. :) I’ve shared, Helena.
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That sounds a great group, Marsha. I’ll have a look for it. Thanks so much for dropping in, and for sharing Jenny’s post. Appreciate it. Have a great weekend!
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I’m really interested in this, Marsha. I write about older romance quite a lot. Can you give me a link to your site? And thank you so much for sharing. So pleased to meet you.
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Jenny has a wonderful way with words. She’s made me wish for a visit to Oxford as well sometime. I’ve read Marion and it is a delightful, heartwarming story. The ending is very gratifying, indeed.
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Oh, I love a good ending, Gemma! Looking forward to reading all the stories. Thanks for dropping in!
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Thank you, Gemma. You’re so supportive! xx
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I really enjoyed visiting Oxford when I was in England 15 years ago. Reading this brought back memories from that trip. I love reading holiday stories and just bought the anthology. Thanks for sharing.
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Jenny’s post brought back happy memories for me, too, Kimberly. I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The anthology looks a great read. Thanks so much for dropping in, and thanks for downloading Holiday Magic. Hope you enjoy the stories!
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Hi Kimberly. How lovely to have reminded you of good memories. Thank you for buying the anthology. I hope you enjoy it. Love Jenny
xxx
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SHADOWLANDS, set in Oxford, remains my favourite film and reminds me of the best things in life…
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I love that film, too, James. Anthony Hopkins is one of my favourite actors. Thanks for dropping in!
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Hi James. I haven’t seen Shadowlands. I’m off to investigate it now. Thank you xxxxx
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Wonderful tidbit about your story. Thanks for sharing, Jenny!
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My pleasure, Oddlynn. Pleased to meet you.ç
Love
Jenny
xxxx
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Loved this story! We’ve just paid several visits (virtual) to Oxford, via Shadowlands and every last one of the Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis episodes.
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I love Inspector Morse, Mary! James Christie also recommends Shadowlands (see comment above) and I’ve yet to see it. It sounds a great film. Thanks very much for dropping in, and for your comment!
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Hi Miki
I really MUST get hold of Shadowlands. I watched all the Morse episodes over and over again. I love John Thaw. Also Lewis and Endeavour. Have they reached your neck of the woods yet? Both offshoots of the original series.
Rather disturbing if you know Oxford well. They come out of a pub and into the wrong street.
The pub Morse and Lewis frequent most often is the Turf Tavern, which is the pub where Marion and Jim drink mulled wine and sing Christmas carols in the story,
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