Our Last Summer: What Inspired The Book?

It was actually a previous book of mine that inspired the story of Our Last Summer.

I was walking my dog, Luna in 2021 when I started to think about a summer-themed time-travel book, along the lines of my festive time-travel rom com, The 12 Christmases of You & Me. Instead of woolly hats and turkey with all the trimmings, there'd be sunshine and beer in pub gardens. Elodie would travel back to 12 summers of her past. It would be called The 12 Summers of You & Me and while in the festive time-travel rom com it is a photo being taken that sends the protagonist back home to the present, there would be a trigger that sent Elodie to the past: the bong! of the assistance button on a plane.

I didn't know why she was on a plane yet. I didn't know what lessons she'd learn from visiting her past self, but the seed of the idea was there. The seed grew. Things changed. Elodie wouldn't be travelling back 12 times (which made my title unusable) but that initial trip on the plane with the bongs! remained and I love the story that emerged.

I wonder if there's a autumn-themed time-travel story to be told. The 12 Halloweens of You & Me, for example...

A summer that changed everything. A second chance to put things right.

Four years ago, Elodie Parker left the village of Little Heaton where she’d lived for her entire life. She hasn’t been back since.

Now, with her little sister’s wedding looming, she’s going home again. It should be a time for celebration, but there are things Elodie left behind she’s not ready to face. Not least the love of her life, Tomasz. The man who, if Elodie is really honest, she still loves.

But something magical happens on the flight. As turbulence hits, Elodie is thrown back into the past. It’s eight years ago, the day she met Tomasz for the very first time. Before everything went wrong and Elodie ran away forever.

Can Elodie find a way to change the past – and get the happy ever after she longs for?

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