Jane McGowan catches up with local author Fliss Chester, co-owner of wine merchant Taurus Wines
It is often said that everyone ‘has a book in them’. Fliss Chester certainly did. The only problem was that, with the all-important book deal safely signed, her publishers were so impressed that they demanded she write another two – and quick.
“My first novel, Snowballs, truly was a hobby and took 10 years,” she explains. “My second, Summer in the Vineyard, had to be done in three months.”
Fliss and her husband Rupert Pritchett run the award-winning Taurus Wines, near Bramley. The success of the business, insists Fliss, is all down to her other half – she merely does a bit of “marketing tinkering” – but her knowledge of wines and the industry was to prove a great help when it came to doing her research.
Summer in the Vineyard focuses on Jenna, a young woman at a crossroads both professionally and personally. On a whim she takes a job in France and what ensues is a summer spent flirting and drinking herself into a tricky situation.
“I have been lucky enough to go on a few wine buying trips with my husband and I’ve seen how vineyards and wineries work. Hopefully it makes things a bit more realistic for the readers. I want them to feel that they’re really there, in Bordeaux, with the sun shining down and the grapes ripening.”
Fliss wanted to be a writer from early childhood and spent a lot of time reading. She names fantasy overlord Terry Pratchett as her all-time favourite before collapsing into a fit of giggles.
“But that’s a long way from the stuff I write! I read a quote from him once that said: ‘Being a writer is brilliant – you get to sit down all day and you don’t have to do any heavy lifting.’ I thought that was great and just the job for me.”
After discovering Jilly Cooper during her teenage years – which throws a little light on her own fun romances with a dash of sex thrown in – Fliss found herself very much amid the Riders set when she landed a job on Country Life. But the desire to become a fully fledged novelist was still burning bright and, with a lot of encouragement from her then future husband, she decided to give it a go.
Snowballs was set during a girly winter break amid the slopes, and while Fliss was considering self-publishing her labour of love, a friend urged her to find an agent. Ever the conscientious wordsmith, Fliss hired an copy editor to ensure that the manuscript was in tip-top condition before arriving on the agent’s desk.
“I wanted it to be the best it could be, so I called in a professional to help. That is something I would recommend and one of my only tips. Fresh eyes are always necessary, so you should ask people for their opinion, no matter how painful it may be.”
Fliss is now cracking on with her third novel. And as her life as an author progresses, she has had to step back from Taurus Wines.
“We ran a crowdfunding scheme last year and raised nearly £250,000 from our lovely customers, so we have been able to expand. We have a great new shop and a new member of staff, so I can pass on a bit more work. I am so lucky it’s our own business.”
Fliss and Rupert live in Hascombe, near Godalming, and while Fliss used to love the bustle of London life, she now only shops in Godalming and Cranleigh and enjoys the hospitality of The White Horse.
“It’s a fantastic local pub. Everyone goes there, from 20-somethings to 70-somethings, and it has a great atmosphere and great food. It’s walking distance too.
“We love living here. It’s a seven-minute commute across lovely countryside and we feel lucky to be part of such a rural but cosmopolitan community.”
So could the villagers of Hascombe be appearing in print some time soon?
“Oh my goodness, there are so many great stories in the villages,” says Fliss with relish. “I’d love to write about what goes on, but I’d never be able to show my face again.”
Summer in the Vineyard is published by Orion, £8.99; available from amazon.co.uk
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