It was awesome that I was able to inveigle Carol Drinkwater into chatting with me – she is, without doubt, a very genuine and engaging person. Having listened to and been enthralled by her audiobook series about her very own olive farm, it was a delight to hear her voice for real.
As an author, Carol is prolific with some 25 of her books being published. Somehow she has managed to continue being involved in acting and making films. Knowing the work ethic that is required, it is truly an astonishing achievement.
Carol’s My Story series fascinated me. Taking one person from an era, such as the Edwardian times, and relating the story of that person as if they existed is a true talent. These books have been, and continue to be, used in schools throughout the world to bring history to life. It is a mercy that Carol likes to research topics as it is a daunting task, on top of which the character has to be brought to life.
There are unknown parts of the Mediterranean and the south of France. It was intriguing to find out that Carol is looking at creating a series around these secret places. The only downside to that is the fact that then too many people will get to know about them! That said, I am totally on board with the idea and really hope that it happens.
The latest book from Carol is One Summer in Provence. For anyone who enjoys romance, with its necessary ups and down plus, of course, secrets set in the backdrop of Provence then they are definitely going to find this a wonderful read. A book that is perfect for whiling away the hours languishing under a parasol. It will be an undoubted success having already received great reviews. I am hoping there will be an audio version with Carol’s dulcet tones making for an another perfect listening experience.
The Olive Farm series of books recount Carol and her husband Michel’s real experiences bringing a dilapidated olive grove, and its equally dilapidated house, back to life. They have since increased the property size, there are 300 olive trees alone. In the books there is an Algerian gardener, Quashia, for whom you can’t help developing an affection and who worked for Carol and Michel for over 25 years. Sadly, he passed away this year.
I have no idea how Carol keeps the olive farm going, her writing on track, the acting and filmmaking on track, but I am glad that she does.
You can keep up with Carol – Website | X.com | Pinterest
All images courtesy Carol Drinkwater