What is the title of your latest release?
THE TIME HOP COFFEE SHOP
What’s the “elevator pitch” for your new book?
A jaded actress, once famous for starring in TV coffee commercials, finds that drinking a cup of "magical" coffee takes her to Mapleville — the idyllic, make-believe town from the commercials.
How did you decide where your book was going to take place?
I usually set my novels in the North West of England where I live. However, THE TIME HOP COFFEE SHOP has two settings. I based its other location on warm, cosy coffee commercials I’ve seen. In Mapleville, the sky is blue, everywhere is clean, people are beautiful and friendly, and the coffee always tastes great.
Would you hang out with your heroine in real life?
Yes, definitely. I think I’d find Greta Perks funny and fascinating. She starred in the iconic Maple Gold coffee commercials ten years ago but has since found herself out of favour in the acting world. I bet she’d have some fun stories to share from behind the scenes.
What are three words that describe your hero?
Tenacious, nostalgic, perfectionist
What’s something you learned while writing this book?
I’m not a fan of hot drinks, so I had to learn how to make filter coffee in a pot.
Do you edit as you draft or wait until you are totally done?
I always edit as I go along. I try to work my way through the whole story, but it never works. I sometimes edit my first chapters 50 - 100 times, refining the story until I’m happy with it. Only then can I move along.
What’s your favorite foodie indulgence?
I love warm crusty bread with thick butter, a selection of strong cheeses, and a few grapes so I don’t feel too unhealthy.
Describe your writing space/office!
I flit from space to space. In the summer I tend to work in my little writing shed in the garden, but it’s too cold in the winter months. That’s when I work inside the house. Even though I’ve been a writer for ten years, I haven’t yet found the perfect spot, and I move from room to room. Sometimes I go out to a local café, pub, bookshop or library for a few hours and write there instead.
Who is an author you admire?
I really admire Mary Shelley. She was only in her late teens when she wrote Frankenstein and created one of the most recognizable and memorable literary characters ever. The book was published in 1818 (updated by Mary Shelley in 1832), decades before Dracula was released in 1897, making her a real trailblazer. Also, I share the same birthday as her, in late August.
Is there a book that changed your life?
The one that kickstarted my love of books is EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON by Kay Nielsen. It’s a book of Danish fairy stories that I received as a gift when I was a child. I loved the beautiful illustrations and reading the stories. They influenced my third novel, THE LIBRARY OF LOST AND FOUND.
Tell us about when you got “the call.” (when you found out your book was going to be published). Or, for indie authors, when you decided to self-publish.
I was actually in bed, late one afternoon, feeling poorly. I got the call to say that Italy had snapped up THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER, and I remember feeling happy but also very dazed. The book actually sold in five countries before I got offers from the UK and USA and is now published in 25 territories.
What’s your favorite genre to read?
I tend to read thrillers when I’m writing, rather than my own genre of uplifting, commercial fiction. I find them pacey, twisty and a palate cleanser when I’ve finished writing for the day.
What’s your favorite movie?
I love Iron Man. It might seem like a strange choice, but the script is brilliant, and I love the story of how a billionaire arms dealer sees the error of his ways and creates an iron suit to become a superhero. It’s funny, smart and exciting, and Robert Downey Jr. and Jeff Bridges are great to watch.
What is your favorite season?
I’m only fully happy in summer. I like wearing a dress and sandals and feeling the sun on my skin, not having to think about scarves, coats, hats and gloves. My mood is lifted between May and September, then sinks a little for the rest of the year.
How do you like to celebrate your birthday?
I like doing something nice and simple. Last year my son (nearly 20, currently at university) came to the seaside and we spent the day on the beach watching a kite festival, followed by Italian food in a nice restaurant. It was lovely.
What’s a recent tv show/movie/book/podcast you highly recommend?
I watched a charming, gentle film called The Ballad of Wallis Island, about a lottery winner who invites his favorite two folk singers (an estranged couple) to stay with him, in the hope he can reunite them. It’s very funny and uplifting.
What’s your favorite type of cuisine?
I like Mexican. I’m a fan of spicy food and would happily add chili peppers to everything I eat.
What do you do when you have free time?
I have a small, energetic dog and I like walking her on the beach, hopefully stopping off for a soup or sandwich for lunch. I also like buying clothes from charity shops and upcycling them to wear.
What can readers expect from you next?
I’ve just started writing my ninth novel. I’m very excited about this one, especially as it features something I love - making and mending clothes.
A Novel
Welcome to the Time Hop Coffee Shop, where wishes can come true…
Greta Perks was once the shining star of the iconic Maple Gold coffee commercials, the quintessential TV wife and mom. Now fame has faded, her marriage is on the rocks, her teenage daughter has become distant and Greta’s once-glittering career feels like a distant memory.
When Greta stumbles upon a mysterious coffee shop serving a magical brew, she wishes for the perfect life in those past Maple Gold commercials. Next thing she knows, Greta wakes in the idyllic make-believe town of Mapleville, where the sun always shines and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and second chances fill the air. Given the opportunity to live the life she dreamed, Greta is determined to rewrite her own script. But can life ever be like a coffee commercial? And what will happen when Greta has to choose between perfection and real life, with no turning back?
Fantasy | Women's Fiction Contemporary [ Park Row Books, On Sale: December 9, 2025, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9780778305675 / eISBN: 9780369748416 ]
PHAEDRA PATRICK is the author of Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone and The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper, which has been published in over twenty countries around the world. She studied art and marketing, and has worked as a stained-glass artist, film festival organizer and communications manager. An award-winning short story writer, she now writes full-time. She lives in Saddleworth, UK, with her husband and son.
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