Zara Stoneley- Welcome to Tippermere! HARPER IMPULSE FORTNIGHT

Zara Stoneley visits Books with Bunny today as part of Harper Impulse Fortnight.  She's talking about the inspiration behind the fictional town of Tippermere, setting for her novels Stable Mates and the forthcoming Country Affairs.

I love it when readers get in touch to chat about my books, and one thing that’s been special about ‘Stable Mates’ is the huge number of people who’ve wanted to know more about Tippermere – and live there!

Tippermere is special, and I absolutely it. Sadly it’s a fictional place, but it is a mix of some very real villages and small towns I know in Cheshire, so I thought I’d give you a brief run down. If you want more pictures then I’ve finally given in to temptation and set up a Pinterest account -  https://www.pinterest.com/zarastoneley/country-affairs/, I feel incredibly lucky to live in such a beautiful place with inspiration on the doorstep. Please pop over and let me know what you think – and if you’ve already read Stable Mates, I’d love to know if my images match the ones in your head.

Tippermere is set in the heart of Cheshire, and is a small English village. The glorious Tipping House Estate bears more than a passing resemblance to Lyme Park (remember Pride and Prejudice?), and the wonderful village pubs, with open log fires and hop adorned beams, were inspired by two pubs I regularly visit! This description, found in the front of Stable Mates tells you more –

Welcome to tranquil Tippermere, set deep in the Cheshire countryside. Home to Lords and Ladies, horsemen and farmers.

Set on the highest hill, keeping a close eye on the village and its inhabitants, lies Tipping House Estate. In pride of place is the grand Elizabethan style mansion, sweeping down in front of her are immaculate gardens, well-kept parkland and rolling acres that spread as far as the eye can see.

Follow the stream down to the flat below, and nestling between copses and lakes, you find Folly Lake Manor and the sprawling grounds of the bustling Equestrian Centre. The country lane in front wends its way between high hedges to the village green, the church and two village pubs. Then fans out into tributaries, follow them further and you find a small eventing yard, a scattering of country cottages and rambling working farms.

Take the road north eastwards, travel on a few short miles and soon the elegant village of Kitterly Heath unfolds before you - a village whose origins were recorded in the Domesday Book. At one end of the ancient high street a solid 14^th Century church stands sentry, with an imposing school at the other, and all around sprawl the mansions old and new that house the rich and famous.

 

The neighbouring village of Kitterly Heath is a complete contrast to Tippermere and was inspired by Alderley Edge and Hale. Its single main street is cram packed with wine bars, restaurants, designer shops, beauty salons, plus wonderful delicatessens and butchers which stock local produce. Money is no object in Kitterly Heath, the majority of the cars are Bentley, Ferraris and Jaguars, with the occasional luxury 4X4, and the houses are incredible, some restored mansions and others newly designed architectural masterpieces – the one thing they all have in common is they’re impressive! The village is old, but most of the money is new with footballers, rock stars and bankers hidden down long private driveways, behind impressive security systems.

If you’d like to find out more, then keep an eye on the posts about Tippermere on my blog http://www.zarastoneley.com/tippermere/welcome-to-tippermere. New posts will be added soon! And of course, read Stable Mates and Country Affairs if you’d like to meet the residents J

About Zara -

Bestselling author Zara Stoneley lives in deepest Cheshire surrounded by horses, dogs, cats and amazing countryside. When she's not visiting wine bars, artisan markets or admiring the scenery in her sexy high heels or green wellies, she can be found in flip flops on the beach in Barcelona, or more likely sampling the tapas!

Zara writes hot romance and bonkbusters. Her latest novels, 'Stable Mates' and ‘Country Affairs’, are fun romps through the Cheshire countryside and combine some of her greatest loves - horses, dogs, hot men and strong women (and not forgetting champagne and fast cars)! 

She writes for Harper Collins and Accent Press.

Latest release – Country Affairs

'A great treat for readers who love their books jam-packed with sexy men and horses.' Bestselling author Fiona Walker

Welcome back to Tippermere for the wedding of the year…

Scatty but loveable Lottie Brinkley is famous throughout the village for her disorganised personality so when she steps up to plan the perfect wedding the only likely outcome is disaster.

And when her globetrotting, love cheat of an ex, Todd, literally crashes the wedding on a not-so-noble steed things definitely look set to take a turn for the scandalous! As rumours of why he’s back spread through the village quicker than the stable girl can drop her knickers, is Lottie's future with sexy eventer Rory Steel about to fall at the next fence?

With a wave of unexpected pregnancies, steamy shenanigans in the hay and a farrier with more than shoeing horses on his mind, will Lottie ever be ready to take on the coveted title of Lady of the Manor and restore the Estate to its former glory?

As the heart of the village, Tipping House Estate, makes its move into the 21st Century, pulses start to race in a novel packed full of charm, hunky stallions (the guys that is), and a daring plan that just has to succeed...

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