Cover Reveal!

We are back again with another exclusive interview and cover reveal

Bella Brightside is a multi-published, award-nominated romance author who writes under several pen names and had commercial success with her novel The Last Charm. Owned by a husband, large family and two naughty beagles, she drinks too much coffee, buys far too many books and spends her nights wondering how a sentient village would behave.

Before we delight you with the cover reveal for this uplifting women’s fiction novel with a magical twist, we wanted to have a chat with the author herself and find out a little more about the inspiration behind this novel and the author who wrote it.

Can you tell us where you got the inspiration from for this novel?

I always describe my writing inspiration as being like a mosaic made up of lots of tiny different ideas. They tend to be drawn from a combination of what ifs, topics, news, books, songs, films, overheard conversations, life experiences, trips abroad etc

In terms of this book, I read and enjoyed both The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley and Call of the Penguins by Hazel Prior in quick succession in 2021 – 2022. I loved the friendships and dynamics in the former and the bolshy octogenarian heroine in the latter, and at the same time was reading a non-fiction book about kindness and had just rewatched Last Christmas which has a love story but also great community spirit.

Coincidentally, I stumbled across an article about a town called Roseto in America, where a scientific study in the 1960’s found the residents were experiencing healthier lives due to strong bonds. I’m also a Human Resources professional by day, so am passionate about the importance and benefits of diversity, inclusion and belonging.

It wasn’t long before I was daydreaming about a tiny fictional village on the Dorset-Hampshire border where a group of strangers with broken hearts come together to form a community… with a magical twist.

There are so many fabulous and fantastical novels on the market now and many with fabulous covers, can you tell us about some of the elements of this cover that you love the most?
One of the best parts of releasing an independent project is the creative control. I had a very specific vision for the cover in terms of the market, the sub-genre (women’s fiction with a magical twist aka magical realism), season, colours and the most important elements of the novel to include.

Diane Meacham has done an amazing job in translating my brief into a visual representation of the story, and my favourite elements include the ombre background, Beaubrook Manor, the sparkles to draw out the magic, and of course, the gorgeous roses!

The writing process for authors varies wildly, and we are always interested to hear a little about what makes our favourite writers tick – tell us a little about your process, do you listen to mood music when writing?

Honestly, it’s a mixture. Since around 2020, I’ve created a playlist for each novel which ties into different scenes or moods. I tend to play it on loop while writing and I’m often adding to it as I draft. In fact, The Last Charm playlist (as Ella Allbright) is in the back of the book and on Spotify for people to listen to.

However, Magical Beginnings in Little Beaubrook doesn’t have a playlist. For some reason, I wrote most of it in silence and because there are four different character viewpoints, it felt like there might be conflicting styles and choices. However, the playfulness I usually find in the musical aspects/references in my novels is instead drawn out in the magical elements of Beaubrook Manor and the tiny tumbledown village it overlooks…

This isn’t your first novel – you released the popular Love London series and then had the success of The Last Charm – can you tell us a little about your journey?

I started out writing category romance in my early twenties and had a close call with Mills & Boon, but writing took a back seat with family responsibilities and career progression over the next decade.

Following a serious illness in 2008 – 2009, which stole over a year of my life and resulted in surgery, I came back to writing in 2010.  The illness was a sharp reminder that life is short, and if you have a dream, you owe it to yourself to pursue it because tomorrow is never guaranteed. I gave up watching TV soaps (I had three children under ten at that point, and have always had a full-time job) and started writing short-form fiction and non-fiction.

When I began placing in competitions, it gave me the confidence to start writing a romance novel and join the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme (NWS). It’s an incredible probationary membership which includes receiving a manuscript critique – a brilliant opportunity to hone your craft – and the chance to build a writing community.

I met my HarperCollins editor at an RNA conference and was offered my first book deal a few months later. Since then, I’ve published three short stories, five novellas and three novels across different pen names, and have written three other books. I’ve also been a reader for the NWS for the past ten years because I’m passionate about giving back to the writing community and helping aspiring authors.

You have been published since 2014, but this journey certainly has its ups and downs. Can you tell us what you would say has been the best thing about being a published author?

Reading and writing are how I make sense of the world, so the best thing about being a published author is the utter joy of crafting stories and sharing them with people. It’s an absolute privilege to hear from readers, and I always do my best to reply quickly.

Knowing that something you’ve written has resonated, or taught someone something, or had some kind of positive impact on their life – whether that’s offering entertainment or escapism – still blows my mind. Literature is one of the most important ways we can remind ourselves what it is to be human – no AI or future technology can replace that connection, or the stories passed down through generations.

This book is due out on 5 March next year as an eBook and paperback, just in time for spring and on World Book Day – how excited are you to have this book out in the wider world?

There are lots of activities planned over the next few months for this novel, and I’m so excited to release it into the world in March. I can’t wait to share the story of this very special place and people, with readers.

So – without further ado – we can now show you, in all its glory, the fabulous cover for Bella Brightside’s sparkling debut, Magical Beginnings in Little Beaubrook.

Magical Beginnings in Little Beaubrook will be published in paperback, ebook and kindle unlimited on March 5th 2026 – but you can click here now to pre-order.

If you would like to know more about Bella Brightside – you can check out on Facebook here or on Instagram here.