I am delighted to be on this blog tour today for 4th Book Birthday celebrationĀ ~ thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources for organizing.
Genre: Womenās fiction
Publication Date: August 31, 2025
Estimated Page Count: 216
Standalone First Book in the Hummingbird House series
Interview:
Tell us a little about yourself
Jane Harvey is a pen name. My birth name is Dreena Collins, and I also write under that, but the genres of my two personas are quite different and differentiated by having these two names.
I was born and raised on the island of Jersey, in the Channel Islands, which is just 9 by 5 miles. I studied and worked in Wales for a while before returning to Jersey at the age of 28 to work in teaching. I specialised in English and Additional Needs before moving into the charity sector around four years ago.
I live with my spouse and teenage son. We have a white Lhasa Apso called Sherman, who is definitely a character and the boss of the house!
How did you come up with the plot of this book?
This novel actually grew out of a short story I wrote about two people who lived close by but kept missing each other. The reader got to see both charactersā lives and knew they could help and support one another if only they could meet. They kept passing in the corridor or just missing one another, until the last line of the story.
The Landlord of Hummingbird House isnāt quite the same (as the tenants are constantly meeting and interacting) but it is also based on people coming and going, and because the book tells different chapters from different points of view, the reader has the benefit of knowing that they could help each other, or perhaps that they might befriend each other, if only they know. We also know their secrets and misjudgements of one another, and so itās about first impressions and how they can be wrong if we make snap judgements.
Whatās your writing process?
Writers talk about āplottersā and āpantstersā (where pantsters fly by the seat of their pantsā¦). For a long time, I described myself as a plantster ā somewhere in between. I donāt write epic fantasy where I have to world-build, create languages and maps, and often, part of the development of the story is only very loosely formed in my mind before I start.
However, recently I have come to realise that I am definitely a plotter by most peopleās definition!
By the time I start writing, I know the main characters and their motivations well, and I always know the key plot points, and the ending. I then use a spreadsheet to loosely map out the chapters, adding a rough word count per chapter and a few sentences about the key points. Finally, I check the narrative arc to see if all the beats āhitā in the right places. So yes, I suppose I am quite an organised plotter! However, thatās not to say I am completely rigid. Mid-way, things often get a bit messy and muddled, and my characters also sometimes go off script.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
I donāt think we always have time to have inspiration hit us like a bolt of lightning. While I have sometimes been startled by an amazing idea, as if from nowhere, thatās not my usual experience. Instead, I think we need to be adept at spotting the kernels of ideas. The potential, rather than forcing it or desperately seeking something.
Stories often come to me when I can let my mind drift. Driving a regular route, washing my hair, etc. Sometimes itās the setting, sometimes the twist, but often the character that comes first. Occasionally, itās simply an odd little phrase or an unusual word that grabs me ā perhaps that becomes the storyās title in the end ā and it all unfolds from there.
Be willing to work. Not everything you write will be good, and a lot of it will need revision and a brutal, critical eye. Read a lot, with a critical eye. Force yourself to break habits.
I would also say: donāt wait. There will never be a perfect time to start writing, and the more time you spend practising, the better you will be.
When you arenāt writing, what do you like to read?
I have very diverse tastes, depending on my mood. On holiday, Iāll often choose contemporary fiction, āchick litā as well as psychological thrillers and mysteries. But I also read a lot of āupmarketā (book club) and literary fiction. Most often, I read indie books written by friends or acquaintances ā and that can be any genre. As long as characterisation is strong, I don’t mind! My favourite author is Margaret Atwood, but I also enjoy people such as Marian Keyes.
I adore nineteenth-century literature such as Jane Austen and the BrontĆ«ās and don’t mind admitting that I will re-read these for comfort. I actually referenced (or paid homage to) a few of the classics in The Landlord of Hummingbird House – and I also hope I have turned a few of the tropes on their head.
Book blurb:
Book 1 of 4 in the heartwarming Hummingbird House series.
April needs somewhere to live – and peace and quiet to heal her wounds. The tenants of Hummingbird House have other ideas.
When April moves into Hummingbird House, she is intrigued by her mysterious landlord, Dai.
With a bruised heart and a distinct lack of furniture, she spends the summer getting to know the other occupants. As she smartens up her home and makes peace with her recent past, she befriends Paul, a solitary ex-chef, and Betty, an elderly lady who lives in the basement flat.
But Hummingbird House holds many secrets, and the relationships of the tenants are not as straightforward as they seem. April learns some shocking truths one eventful night and realises that victims and villains can look the same.
The Landlord of Hummingbird House explores unlikely friendships, unexpected love interests, and family relationships. Here, everyone is in need of a second chance – and appearances can be deceptive.
Purchase Links
Author Bio ā Jane Harvey is a pen name. āJaneā crafts fun fiction for the thinking woman, where she enjoys exploring unexpected friendships and writing happy endings. In ‘real life’, her (prize-winning) fiction is a little bleaker.
She was born and raised on the beautiful island of Jersey, CI, and lives with two males and a dog.
Social Media Links ā
Instagram.com/jane_harvey_novelist
Facebook.com/jane_harvey_novelist
Bluesky: @dreenawriting.co.uk
Thanks for stopping by!
Other ways to connect with me ā¬
