Devon


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1512" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/shelley-cox.jpg" alt="Author of Genesis Flood, Shelley Cox" class="wp-image-57539" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/shelley-cox.jpg 1512w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/shelley-cox-800x794.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/shelley-cox-1000x992.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/shelley-cox-768x762.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/shelley-cox-529x525.jpg 529w" sizes="(max-width: 1512px) 100vw, 1512px" /></figure>



<p>If you&#8217;ve always wanted to write a novel and haven&#8217;t yet got round to it, then meet your muse. Newbie North Devon author Shelley Cox has just released her debut novel, <em><a href="https://www.bookguild.co.uk/bookshop/book/558/genesis-flood-US8Q/">Genesis Flood</a>, </em>(Troubador, published 28 July, £9.99)<em>, </em>which follows two women whose lives collide in the aftermath of a devastating tsunami. </p>



<p>Shelley was inspired by her own terrifying experience when her brother went missing for 24 hours in the aftermath of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1524" height="2386" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951.jpeg" alt="Genesis Flood by Shelley Cox, book cover" class="wp-image-57540" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951.jpeg 1524w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951-511x800.jpeg 511w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951-639x1000.jpeg 639w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951-768x1202.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951-981x1536.jpeg 981w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951-1308x2048.jpeg 1308w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/thumbnail_9781915603951-335x525.jpeg 335w" sizes="(max-width: 1524px) 100vw, 1524px" /></figure>



<p>Thankfully, he turned up safe, but having long dreamt of writing her own novel, her husband’s prostate cancer diagnosis (as well as her own breast cancer diagnosis) made her realise that life is too short to just dream. <em>Genesis Flood</em> is the result, and you can take if from us &#8211; it&#8217;s a totally gripping read. Plus, we have <a href="https://www.instagram.com/muddy_devon/?hl=en-gb">three copies to give-away</a>!</p>



<p>While you wait for your copy to arrive, let&#8217;s find out about a bit about Shelley and her manor, shall we? She lives in beautiful North Devon with her husband of thirty years, a place we&#8217;re always keen to hear more of.</p>



<p>Help us set the satnav, Shelley! Where do you love locally, and why?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-kipling-tors-westward-ho"><a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/devon/bideford-bay-and-hartland/bideford-bay-and-hartland-kipling-tors-walk">Kipling Tors</a>, Westward Ho!</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor.jpg" alt="Sign for Kipling Tor, Devon" class="wp-image-57541" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Kipling-Tor-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>As a writer, I love literary connections. When I need writing inspiration, I head to Kipling Tor &#8211; a steep and rocky outcrop in Westward Ho! that forms the start of a walking trail along the North Devon coast path. The Tor is named after Rudyard Kipling (author of <em>The Jungle Book</em> and the poem<em> If</em>) who spent his school days in Westward Ho! He and his friends would spend time on the Tors smoking cigars and pipes and reading books, providing inspiration for another of his books: <em>Stalky and Co</em>. While writing my own book, <em>Genesis Flood</em>, I spent many early mornings walking the Tor, gazing out to sea, taking in the flora and fauna and allowing my imagination to create characters and scenes as I walked.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="http://www.beautifulnorthdevon.co.uk/abbotsham-cliffs-and-greencliff.html">Abbotsham Cliffs and Greencliff</a>, Abbotsham</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1125" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Trigger-fish.jpeg" alt="Trigger fish on a mantelpiece" class="wp-image-57542" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Trigger-fish.jpeg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Trigger-fish-800x600.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Trigger-fish-1000x750.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Trigger-fish-768x576.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Trigger-fish-700x525.jpeg 700w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>A few miles further down the coast from Westward Ho! are the beautiful, almost secluded, beaches of Abbotsham and Greencliff. They can only be reached by foot, which means few people tend to venture there, making it a perfect place to completely unwind. Genesis Flood is partly set in a fictional village called Abbotscliff (a portmanteau of Abbotsham and Greencliff) and the scenery described in the book is based on this beautiful part of the North Devon coastline. In the book the main protagonist mentions finding a message-in-a-bottle and a perfectly preserved trigger fish, both of which are real-life beach combing finds of mine on those beaches, and they now adorn my mantelpiece!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088812717252&amp;sk=photos&amp;locale=en_GB">The Woolly Surfer Café</a>, Westward Ho!</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1500" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer.jpg" alt="Interior of Woolly Surfer Café, Devon" class="wp-image-57543" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-1000x1000.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-500x500.jpg 500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/Woolley-Surfer-1100x1100.jpg 1100w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>This is a newly opened café come art-and-craft gallery, and I love it. The owners, Tony and Andi, thought long and hard about what would serve the community best, and decided to use the space not only to serve hot and cold drinks and delicious homemade cakes, but also to support the many talented local artisans in the area. It is a perfect place for a casual meet-up with friends where you can also indulge in a little retail therapy as you browse locally produced artwork and crafts, clothes and books (including my own, Genesis Flood). I personally can’t wait to try out the newest addition to their menu – cheesy scones with pickles. Perfect.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://numbereightrestaurant.com">Number Eight</a>, Bideford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1080" height="968" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/number-8.jpeg" alt="Dish from Number Eight Bideford" class="wp-image-57544" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/number-8.jpeg 1080w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/number-8-800x717.jpeg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/number-8-1000x896.jpeg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/number-8-768x688.jpeg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/number-8-586x525.jpeg 586w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><figcaption>Pic credit Number Eight, Bideford</figcaption></figure>



<p>Number Eight, on the edge of the river Torridge, is a truly special, small and intimate fine dining restaurant, run by couple Chloe and Joshua. There is just one menu – a taster menu that changes monthly, or sometimes weekly. Through his menu, the very talented chef Joshua guides you on a gastronomic journey, a celebration, of the best produce that the season and local area has on offer. There is a long waiting list for booking a table, which means that when you book, you have no idea what the menu is going to be. I personally love that it takes away the need to choose; all sense of responsibility dissolves. You are looked after. Your busy life is rewarded. You need do nothing more than decide what you would like to drink (and even that decision can be removed if you opt for the wine pairing menu!).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://palladiumclub.uk/index.html">The Palladium Club</a>, Bideford</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="972" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/350108429_209169194806945_6624884899088376987_n.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57545" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/350108429_209169194806945_6624884899088376987_n.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/350108429_209169194806945_6624884899088376987_n-800x518.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/350108429_209169194806945_6624884899088376987_n-1000x648.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/350108429_209169194806945_6624884899088376987_n-768x498.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/350108429_209169194806945_6624884899088376987_n-810x525.jpg 810w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption>Pic credit The Palladium Club</figcaption></figure>



<p>It is small, it is dark and maybe even a little dingy, but this hidden treasure of a music venue makes me feel like a teenager again. Often packed with people of all ages and persuasions enjoying the pumping atmosphere, it reminds me of small venues in the 80s/90s: a bar, a pool table and a place for a band or DJ all in one room. It is small enough to make it feel like a house party – a real up-close and personal experience – but with a professional set up and sound system that attracts well established and respected industry artists.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a href="https://www.masqueradebarnstaple.com">Masquerade</a>, Barnstaple</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1.jpg" alt="drag act at Masquerade, Barnstaple" class="wp-image-57549" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1-768x768.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1-525x525.jpg 525w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/devon/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2023/07/masquerade1-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>Pic credit Masquerade, Barnstaple</figcaption></figure>



<p>I haven’t got around to visiting this place yet, but the reviews are great. Masquerade is a reservation-only lounge, bar and club, with an enormous, shimmering-sequin door sign that does more than just hint at the fun and glamour that awaits inside. It plays host to regular DJ and drag nights, boasts impressive cocktail and wine lists, and warns that if you don’t dress to impress you will not be allowed entry. Nothing casual about this place! I haven’t had a fun night out with the girls in what feels like forever, and I definitely intend to book a night here soon. Who knows, maybe it will provide inspiration for a character in my next book!</p>



<p><strong>Fancy getting your mitts on Shelley&#8217;s new novel? Hop over to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/muddy_devon/?hl=en-gb">Muddy Devon&#8217;s instagram</a> for your chance to win a free copy of Genesis Flood. We have three copies, worth £9.99 each, to give away!</strong></p>



<p></p>


Muddy meets North Devon thriller writer, Shelley Cox

You may also like