Description
A collection of twenty short stories. The Visit was commended for the 2011 John Walter Salver competition and Jane was also awarded second prize in 2015 for her story Undelivered. Several of her pieces have been adapted for radio. “An eclectic collection of stories exploring human relations” “Tearooms, picnics, weddings and romantic encounters abound”.
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1. Tea at the Opalaco
2. Lettuce and Lettice
3. Over Buttered Scones
4. The Christmas Fare
5. The Picnic
6. Tin Wedding
7. Where the Bee Sucks
8. Michael’s Time Out
9. A Seasonal Tale
10. Sangria
11. Something Unspoken
12. The Golden Snapdragon
13. Miss Henry
14. Incident at a Bus Stop
15. The Visit
16. 5 Gresham Place
17. Faking it
18. Home is Where the Heart is
19. Undelivered
20. Frozen in Time
About Jane
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David Stroud –
A delightful collection of short stories! Each one so different, each one taking you by surprise. There’s never a dull moment here. The action and dialogue, so true to life, carry you along effortlessly. You can’t help but be impressed by such imagination and subtle humour. I don’t know about tea at the Opalaco, but I really enjoyed reading these stories with my coffee at Pret a Manger!
AnneS –
‘I bought your book ‘Tea at the Opalaco’. In fact, I have just finished it. I really enjoyed the stories, especially as I rarely read fiction. I learnt a lot through reading your book. Thank you so much.’ Jill (retired journalist)
AnneS –
I enjoyed reading Tea at The Opalaco which is the latest book written by Jane Lockyer Willis. I thought the stories most entertaining & varied with good descriptive writing. They certainly held one’s attention & were a good commentary on the foibles of life!
I’d certainly recommend it as ‘a good read.’ – Mary Mumford
AnneS –
In Tea at the Opalaco, the author has put together a collection of astutely observed, and well written pieces. These not only provide good, satisfying reading but take the reader into twists of the human psyche that might otherwise pass unnoticed. – Rodney Newham
AnneS –
Jane Lockyer Willis has delighted with an eclectic mix of short stories in Tea at the Opalaco and other stories.Tales full of real life characters, bruised by upbringing or hiding feelings behind a veneer of socially acceptable behavior then rebelling and throwing off the conventions, ghostly happenings and much more. I particularly liked Tin Wedding – though I, like Robert, swear to being able to tell marg from butter!
A thoroughly enjoyable read. – Leslie Boulis
AnneS –
Thoroughly enjoyed these delightful, satisfying stories, written with a humorous edge. – Ron Nicholl
AnneS –
Two anonymous reviews submitted to the publisher:
** An eclectic collection of stories exploring human relations
** Tearooms, picnics, weddings and romantic encounters abound
AnneS –
A broad selection of short stories with varied themes that hold the interest of the reader. In short, a very enjoyable book. – Jon
AnneS –
A delightful collection of stories dissecting mostly middle-class mores which, on the one hand, offer them the respect they deserve and, on the other, hang them out to dry. The playing field is often Miss Marple country and the level of shock at the revelations modest by any standards . . . but the characters are beautifully drawn and the depth of impact on those involved can be devastating. And there are gems amongst them. The Visit – don’t we all have an Isobel in our lives? Something Unspoken – where in fact there are all sorts of things that have gone unspoken; it took me two readings to unravel them all. Miss Henry – I am certain she taught me too. 5 Gresham Place – well, no modest revelations there, far from it! Amongst the herbaceous borders and cream teas there is something for everyone. Well worth the download. – John Hughes – Author
AnneS –
A delightful potpourri by a writer who captures the reader’s imagination with each narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed each and every twist and turn.
A.L
AnneS –
‘Loving your short stories: so clever, amusing and entertaining.’
Margaret B.
AnneS –
‘I have been sorting through my plays and books and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed your Tea at the Opalaco stories. A lovely mix of short stories and particularly liked the title piece, 5 Gresham Place and the variety of situations and people.’ E. Tyers
AnneS –
Review By Simon Fine (www.sixtyplusurfers.co.uk , March 2020)
It is invariably a pleasure to have the opportunity to read short stories. They are the perfect alternative to lengthy novels for those of us who prefer our fiction in a single sitting.
I find that I can relish every sentence and appreciate the skill of the writer in developing the characters and the plot. I also enjoy the variety of tales in a collection of short stories with the bonus of unexpected twists in each story line.
Tea at the Opalaco by Jane Lockyer Willis is a fine example of such a collection of twenty short stories. Jane describes her book as “An eclectic collection of stories exploring human relations.”
Each story is distinctive, having its own individual characters, mostly quirky, often flawed with a unique backcloth to each tale, though the majority are set in traditional middle class settings such as a tearoom, a country house and a picnic.
It is difficult to choose my favourites, but I did particularly enjoy The Picnic, a delightfully snobbish affair which was the perfect event to host intrigue, infidelity and ultimate embarrassment. I also thought that 5 Gresham Place featured some wonderfully deceitful characters and a crescendo of comedy mixed with tragedy.
Each of the twenty stories is skilfully crafted, full of imagination and revelations. The stories drew me in with colourful characters, witty dialogue and a curiosity to know what happened next.
Many characteristics of deplorable behaviour are to be found here; deceit, envy, conflict, infidelity, lust and revenge to name but a few. Jane’s imagination and her ability to craft an intriguing story make Tea at the Opalaco a thoroughly enjoyable collection.
The Visit was commended for the 2011 John Walter Salver competition and Jane was also awarded second prize in 2015 for her story Undelivered. Several of her pieces have been adapted for radio.