Blog Tour: Guest Post from Bella Osborne, author of The Ottercombe Bay Series

I am very excited to be part of the Ottercombe Bay blog tour today. The second part of this series came out last month, the next part is out on 5th April in the UK and part 4 is out on 14th June. I have a fabulous guest post from Bella Osborne but first here's what this series is all about. You can click here to order part 1 now!

Escape to the Devon coast, with Part One of a brand-new four-part serial from the author of Willow Cottage.

Daisy Wickens has returned to Ottercombe Bay, the picturesque Devon town where her mother died when she was a girl. She plans to leave as soon as her great uncle’s funeral is over, but Great Uncle Reg had other ideas. He’s left Daisy a significant inheritance – an old building in a state of disrepair, which could offer exciting possibilities, but to get it she must stay in Ottercombe Bay for twelve whole months.

With the help of a cast of quirky locals, a few gin cocktails and a black pug with plenty of attitude, Daisy might just turn this into something special. But can she ever hope to be happy among the ghosts of her past?

And now I'll had you over to Bella! Don't forget to check out the other blogs on the tour as well!

My favourite things about the seaside

Hi Catriona, Thanks for having me here, I’m excited to be on your blog today and to chat about my favourite things about the seaside.

1. Holiday – If I’m at the seaside it usually means I’m on holiday and that is one of my favourite things. I always countdown to my holidays. I love exploring new places and spending fun time with my family. Some of our best family memories have been made on holiday.
2. Sand – Yes, I know it’s a pain when it gets in your sandwiches and your crevices but other than that sand is a beautiful thing. The feel of it as it cushions every step and as it seeps between your toes. I like to run it through my fingers and to study the myriad colours of the tiny pieces that have been shaved off ancient rock. Every tiny piece has been here for thousands of years – how amazing is that?
3. Sea glass – I’m not talking about the recently littered beer bottle but the small pieces of glass that have been worn smooth by time as they’ve been battered and lapped by sea and sand. I always feel like I’ve found a piece of treasure when I spot a piece of sea glass glinting in the sun and love trying to find an elusive blue piece.
4. The sound of the sea – There is something soothing to the soul about the sound of waves as they gently break on the shore. Perhaps it’s the eternal rhythm of something that has always been and will always be, I’m not sure, but it definitely has a calming effect on me.
5. Skimming stones – Who doesn’t love doing this? Hunting down the best flat stones and lining up with the waves like it’s an Olympic sport before flicking your wrist and sending the stone bouncing across the waves. Four bounces and above always gains you huge respect with the kids.
6. Sea air – There is something refreshing about the sea air. Not when it’s gusting at you with a force ten gale behind it, but when things are calm. My Grandma was always convinced that you slept better after a day by the sea and I’m inclined to believe her. Whether that’s because of some magical ion combination or because you’ve been charging about playing cricket with the kids I don’t know but it works.
7. Rock pools – I love having a wander on the beach at very low tide and exploring the rock pools. They are full of magic from the trapped starfish, pretty shells and the odd crab trying to quickly bury itself in the sand.
8. Ice-cream – I love ice-cream anytime, anywhere but there is nothing as delicious as ice-cream by the seaside. There’s an ice-cream shop in Hunstanton where we always go because they have some amazing flavours (Jaffa cake is my favourite) and it’s always a holiday highlight to sit on the sea wall and savour it.