Novel set in USA, VIETNAM and JAPAN
Talking Location with… author Janice Horton. The Caribbean
5th April 2017
#TalkingLocationWith… author Janice Horton, who takes us to the wonderful Caribbean.
I’m a hopeless romantic and I have wanderlust in the extreme, so love to write and to read novels set in fabulous locations. I’ll happily travel anywhere – in real-life or between the pages of a book – for a romantic adventure.

Janice on Neptune’s beach border
Luckily, I have a real-life hero, who also believes that love and escapism are vital elements for a good read and for a happy life. Almost four years ago now, once our three children had grown up and left home, my husband and I decided to downsize and take some time off to explore the Caribbean.
I was looking for exactly the right setting for my novel ‘Castaway in the Caribbean’ and eventually I settled on the British Virgin Islands or the BVI’s as this chain of islands are known.
While I was there, I even got to sail off Tortola in a wooden sailing boat that had been used in the filming of the original Pirates of the Caribbean movie. On land I explored white sand beaches and lush green tropical rain forests and discovered beautiful waterfalls. I used all these experiences, including meeting pirates on carnival day, as valuable research for the book.
It was from our rented home in the Caribbean that I completed the novel ‘Castaway in the Caribbean’ which to my great joy was a number one Amazon bestseller and shortlisted in the prestigious Love Stories Awards in London later that same year. I couldn’t attend on the night – and I didn’t win – but being shortlisted for the award with five other authors whom I regard so highly has been the highlight of my career so far.
Six months later, we returned to the UK only to sell all our material possessions in favour of going back to the Caribbean for a while and then travelling around the world.

Research at the Pearl Farm
Since then we have been travelling full time, living out of a backpack or an apartment or a simple hut, wherever we happen to find ourselves. Happily, I can work as a writer wherever I am in the world while my husband pursues his passion for scuba diving. As you might expect, travelling to amazing locations influences my writing and allows me to research and to write the kind of gritty escapist books that I love to read – a romance story where the hero and heroine must take risks and leave their comfort zone to really get to know one another and fall in love.
Some places in the world we visit for just a few days, some we stay a few weeks and some places we fall in love with
and end up staying for several months. I’ve also set my next novel ‘Island in the Sun’ (to be released later in 2017) in the Caribbean, taking inspiration from a beautiful island just off the coast of Honduras, where we lived all last summer.
Interestingly, while we were there and I was researching hurricanes for the new book, a real-life hurricane warning was issued for our island. I had planned to spend the day writing about a hurricane but never actually expected to get first hand experience of one!
Other exciting research for ‘Island in the Sun’ involved exploring a pearl farm. I took a tour and found out exactly how cultured pearls are grown, which I found absolutely fascinating.
When I’m not writing romantic adventure fiction, I write lifestyle and travel features for magazines. I’ve had work published in magazines like ‘Prima’ in the UK and ‘Friday’ in Dubai and I’ve also been involved in BBC Scotland’s Write Here Write Now project. I’m a regular blogger on janicehorton.co.uk and you’ll also find me on Facebook and Twitter. I also write Romantic Comedy Fiction under the pen name of Janey Travis.
Book Blogger reviews for Castaway in the Caribbean
“Adventure, danger, romance and a backdrop to die for are all thrown in the mix to create a read that’s just perfect for whiling away a lazy summer afternoon.” BestChickLit.com
“The pace of the plot was great. I loved the settings, they really did come alive for me. The waterfall and the cave scenes took my breath away.” Jera’s Jamboree Book Blog
“If you want a fun adventure that is fast paced and mentions Treasure Island then this is for you.” Comet Babe’s Books
“A very entertaining and fun read. Another great addition to the world of fiction by Janice Horton.” The Book Maven.
“A lively romantic adventure, a nice and easy read that I found hugely entertaining, and enjoyable.” Books4U
Connect with Janice via her website, Facebook, Twitter and her Author Page on the Romantic Novelist’s Association. And buy “Castaway in the Caribbean” here
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For more books to transport you to the Caribbean, just click here.