This week I’m delighted to host an extract of The Arctic Cruise by Caroline James. I was fortunate to be able to read an advance copy of this delightful book and I will post my review at the end of the blog post, but needless to say I loved it!
My thanks go to ever generous Morton, for hosting me on her wonderful blog.
In this extract of The Arctic Cruise, Leticia, Joy and Henry, guests on the Emerald Dream, are attending an art class, hosted by the artist in residence, eccentric Lucinda Green …
***
‘All on your own?’ a voice rang out, and a halo of vivid red hair sprang into the room.
Lucinda Green’s thick green eyeliner appeared to have missed the mark, giving her a reptilian look. She wore well-worn dungarees over a thin white vest, the straps of the bib casually unfastened and hanging loose. It was clear to Leticia that Lucinda had chosen to forgo a bra and didn’t care who noticed. She held a cigarette holder in one hand and removed a short stub, tucking it casually in a pocket.
‘Blasted rules,’ Lucinda mumbled. ‘One can’t have a fag inside, and I’ve been up on deck. Almost froze my tits off.’ She tapped the cigarette holder on a table and, reaching into her vest, tucked it neatly beneath one breast. ‘The old pencil test,’ Lucinda said, catching Leticia’s curious look. ‘Back in the school dorms, amongst body-conscious teenage girls, it was the ultimate benchmark. If the pencil fell to the floor, it meant your chest was still defying gravity,’ she gave a nonchalant shrug. ‘Sadly, I made peace with gravity years ago and could probably get a whole case of the buggers under there now.’ She placed her hands on her sagging breasts, shoving them upwards.
Leticia thought that a decent bra would eliminate the problem but decided to keep her thoughts to herself.
‘Grab an apron while you wait,’ Lucinda instructed, then turned to busy herself, placing a canvas on each easel.
The room began to fill, and budding artists entered, taking their seats with nods and smiles to each other. Leticia was delighted to see Joy hesitantly standing in the doorway, and she waved to beckon her over. ‘You’re here!’ Leticia smiled. ‘Have you done much painting?’
Joy placed her bag down and inched onto a chair at a nearby easel. ‘I’ve dabbled in watercolours, but that was a long time ago.’
Suddenly, Lucinda clapped her hands. ‘That’s enough gossiping,’ she called out, ‘we’re here to work, not chatter like fishwives.’ She showed the class where to gather paint and brushes and, instructing them to watch her work, she began.
‘I want you to imagine the silence of fresh snow,’ she said as her brush touched the canvas. ‘Think of pale blue light suffusing the mountains.’ As she daubed paint, she explained how to block in the land, the sky, and the snow. ‘This is Norway in winter. Feel how it looks and let your imagination run free.’
There was a polite cough in the doorway, and Henry appeared. ‘Apologies,’ he muttered as he stepped into the room and slid onto a seat. ‘Lunch lingered longer than I calculated.’
Lucinda walked over to Henry and glared at the new arrival, wagging her brush. ‘We’re not interested in your dietary habits, and if you turn up late again, you’ll be barred.’ She hoisted her left breast, smoothed her vest, and almost blinded Henry with a cotton-covered nipple as she turned.
Leticia and Joy exchanged amused glances and when Lucinda’s back was turned, Leticia gave Henry a double thumbs up.
‘Use broad strokes, not too tidy, and don’t worry about the detail yet. But remember, acrylic paint dries fast, so trust your instincts.’
Lucinda instructed everyone to begin, telling them that, in between assisting them, she would pause to add to her own work and explain the techniques she was using.
An hour passed, and the room was silent with quiet concentration, broken only by the sound of the clink of water jars and the gentle rasp of brushes stroking canvas.
Lucinda wandered around, her cigarette holder clenched between her teeth as she issued advice, both cruel and kind. Returning to her own easel, she demonstrated the method of adding a line of dark pines and a red cabin far away in the distance. ‘Snow isn’t just white,’ she said, ‘and it is soft. Use grey or violet in the shadows to capture the mood.’ She stood back to study her work before telling the class to continue.
Standing by Henry’s easel, Lucinda pursed her lips. ‘It’s not a bloody postcard to mail home to your mother,’ she rudely commented. ‘You’re overthinking it. Be a bit wild!’
Another hour passed, and when stewards appeared with refreshments, Lucinda concluded the class. ‘Well, you’ve all had a go,’ she said, ‘and some of it isn’t bad, but I doubt that many of you will want to take your efforts home.’
‘I rather think that’s for us to decide,’ Henry piped up.
But Lucinda merely shrugged, and turning to the table where the stewards had placed laden trays, she picked up a glass of wine. ‘None of the tea and cake nonsense in here,’ she said. ‘If anyone fancies a livener, help yourselves.’
Chairs scraped back as the artists dived towards the drinks, almost knocking over easels, such was their haste.
‘Ah, that’s hit the spot,’ a silver-haired woman sighed as she guzzled a glass of chardonnay. ‘I’m sure I’d paint better after a drink.’
Lucinda raised her glass. ‘Indeed, Picasso drank absinthe and look where that led him.’
In minutes, the class had transformed, and as everyone admired each other’s work, the room took on a new energy.
‘I think my mountains are having an identity crisis,’ Leticia said as she stared at pillow-like blobs of paint on her unfinished work.
‘My fjord is slipping off the canvas,’ Henry added and sipped an excellent malt whisky.
‘Climate change,’ Leticia nodded. ‘It’s a melting glacier, very contemporary.’
They both agreed that Joy’s fishing village nestling on the edge of a fjord was excellent.
Across the room, guests gathered around one man’s painting, where bold, indistinguishable purple sprawled across the space. ‘The Northern Lights,’ he declared proudly, with the confidence of a man committed to his vision.
‘Ah, yes . . .’ someone murmured, as puzzled eyes looked on. ‘Very interpretive.’
‘A splendid abstract,’ Lucinda cut in, swigging her third glass of wine. ‘Nature is wild, just like this painting …’
***
About Caroline James
Caroline James is the celebrated author of later-life fiction, including THE CRUISE, the #1 best-seller that has captivated cruise ship passengers worldwide, earning its reputation as Girl Power for the Over-Sixties! Caroline’s vibrant storytelling stems from her colourful career. Before becoming a full-time writer, she carved out a fascinating path in the hospitality industry, owning a charming country house hotel and a lively pub. As a media agent, she worked closely with celebrity chefs, giving her an insider’s perspective on the glitz, glamour, and grit of the culinary world. When she finally turned her focus to writing, she discovered her true calling, penning best-selling novels that have garnered her legions of fans.
About The Arctic Cruise
Will the Arctic wonderland work its magic this winter?
Joy never imagined stepping aboard a cruise ship without her husband, Tom. Now widowed, Joy wonders what her voyage on the Emerald Dream will hold – and as it glides through breathtaking Norwegian fjords, she longs to believe in happiness again. However, she carries a secret that could unravel her fragile hopes if it ever came to light…
Elsewhere on deck, as the sun dips below the horizon and the polar night sets in, Henry, a lifelong bachelor, is living his dream of seeing the Northern Lights. Having long since given up on love, he now dedicates himself to his passion for photography. But when he meets Joy, is it more than the aurora borealis that catches his eye?
As they embark on a snow-dusted adventure which takes them from bustling ports to reindeer-drawn sleigh rides, will Joy and Henry find the courage to embrace love again? Or will hidden truths sink the possibility of a new beginning?
A heartwarming, feel-good voyage of self-discovery, romance and second chances.
Buying Link : The Arctic Cruise
Other Books by Caroline James:
To contact Caroline you can use the following links:
Website : www.carolinejamesauthor.co.uk
Twitter: @CarolineJames12
Facebook: Caroline James Author
Instagram: Caroline James Author
Morton’s review of The Arctic Cruise:
Five Stars – What a delightful book. I thoroughly enjoyed my Arctic cruise. Loved Joy, Leticia and Henry in particular. Some funny moments, plus sad, serious and poignant ones. You could really tell that the author had really been on a similar cruise.
I even got so wrapped up with the characters that I dreamed I was actually on the cruise one night!
Bravo, Caroline. Thank you for sharing the above extract with my readers and I can’t wait for the next book.
The Secrets of Borteen Bay boxset here.
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Published by Choc Lit an imprint of Joffe Books
Morton S. Gray - Author 
Morton – many thanks for hosting The Arctic Cruise on your lovely blog and for your extremely kind review – I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the story. Wishing you and your followers many happy reading hours, warmest wishes, Caroline James xx
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More than welcome! 🥰
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