Jacqueline Carpenter is the author of the novels Louisa, Joan & Nancy. I first met her at a quiz in a local bar in Los Alcázares in Murcia, Spain.
Jacqueline Carpenter.
Sometime in 2017, I walked into The Celt Bar in Los Alcázares, on a Friday evening for a drink. I walked to the bar ordered a pint & was asked by the barman if I was going to enter the quiz as they were about to start. Next to me, sitting at the bar was Jacqueline & her then-husband, Dinksy, they invited me to join them to do the quiz.
We had a great laugh, but alas we didn't come even close to winning the quiz, I believe we had a chance to win a bottle of wine for being the worst team, but we somehow managed to not win the bottle for this either.
We became friends that night & used to bump into each other in different bars & restaurants in Los Alcázares. We would sometimes arrange to meet for a coffee at La Encarnacion on the beachfront. I remember meeting there once for a tostada & coffee & Jacqueline became concerned about my leg. It was very swollen & I was having trouble walking, she insisted on walking with me to the surgery, to make sure I got an appointment to see the Doctor. Luckily for me, I saw the Doctor & he was able to give me antibiotics to treat the infection I had in my leg.
Jaqueline has now written three books & I have read & enjoyed reading all three of them. Indeed she gave me a signed copy of a preprint version of her second book, Joan, which I treasure & have on a bookshelf in my apartment.
Jacqueline organised three competitions to win restaurant vouchers for each of her books. She kindly asked me to judge the competitions, to pick a winning photograph for each of the books that she had written & I enjoyed looking at all the entries & picking a winner each time.
Jacqueline recently returned to the UK to live, to be closer to her family. She will be missed by all of her friends in Spain & I am very proud to be able to call her a friend.
Books, written by Jacqueline Carpenter.
Louisa.
Louisa is fifteen & living a contented, happy life in London. The Second World War is threatening their peace of mind. Will they all have the strength to survive?
Joan.
A heartwarming tale of family life set in England during the 1950s.World War Two is over & Great Britain is celebrating. Join Louisa, her lovable family & quirky friends for an exciting decade in their lives as they encounter love, happiness, sorrow, deceit, strength & human kindness.
Nancy.
It's the swinging sixties & life in Great Britain is soaring ahead with fabulous fashions, sensational music, a booming economy & newfound freedom for all. Join Louisa, her lovable family & quirky friends for a thrilling decade as they experience love, laughter, sorrow, success & female strength.