Mary Mae Lewis has always had a passion for travel and writing.
Her long-held dream of a life in Spain was finally achieved when, along with her husband Chris and pet dog, Josh, they set off for sunnier climes in a converted Liverpool transport bus.
But there’s been many bumps in the road, thanks to husband Chris’ reluctance to retire and recent hiccups caused by Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Now Stoke-on-Trent born Mary has written an entertaining memoir called Don’t Stop The Fiesta!
Part travel log and part autobiography, the book went on sale in mid-September.
Travel is a way of life for Mary, who currently divides her time between her Spanish coastal home in Almeria province and Wolstanton, Newcastle-under-Lyme.
Achieving her Spanish dream follows on from stints living in Grand Cayman and Malawi for Mary and husband Chris.
“I always wanted to see what the world had to offer and was lucky that Chris was of a similar mind,” said Mary. “We’ve worked in Grand Cayman and Malawi, where Chris taught for two years before becoming workshop manager on a tea estate.
“But, on returning to Wolstanton, I still wanted to realise my dream of a home in Spain. Eventually, we got there, with the help of an old single decker bus and now life is split between two countries.
“There’s been a lot to learn along the way and I’ve written Don’t Stop The Fiesta! partly as an autobiography, but also a a guide to help anyone looking to relocate overseas. Setting up home in Spain hasn’t been without its challenges, for example, it takes time to get used to the change in pace of life. and the locals passion for manana – pushing everything forward to tomorrow – can lead to some frustrations. Then there’s my engineer husband, Chris, who will never retire and still enjoys time in his engineering workshop in Stoke-on-Trent.
“Of course, we didn’t bargain on Brexit and the difficulties that has now caused. Then the pandemic, has meant our trips to Spain have been on hold of late. It’s all detailed in Don’t Stop the Fiesta!”
Mary’s no stranger to writing. She published her first novel, Where There’s A Will, There’s A Woman, in 2017, a semi-autobiographical saga of a young, working class, Potteries girl, who marries into a very different Welsh family and faces a battle over a family Will.
In Grand Cayman, Mary Mae worked as a reporter for the island’s weekly newspaper and as a copy writer and account executive for the monthly magazine, The Northwester.
In Malawi, she was Secretary of the local Golf Club and produced a monthly newsletter with all the local expat news.
Don’t Stop The Fiesta! is aptly named, as Mary and Chris are determined that nothing will put an end to their casa life of sea, sun, music and parties. This jam-packed book is a non-stop rollercoaster of a read; the pace never slows down, even when family ties pull the couple back and forth to the UK.
Don’t Stop The Fiesta is available from Amazon – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dont-Stop-Fiesta-Mary-Lewis-ebook/dp/B09GGB6KGJ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1632081803&qsid=259-2432449-2901711&refinements=p_27%3AMary+Mae+Lewis&s=books&sr=1-1&sres=B09GCVNSS1%2C154898082X
ENDS
Notes to Editors: Mary is available for interview. Please contact her on 07714419126. She will be holding a launch event at her home on Saturday. Please contact her if you want to go along to talk to her there.
News Release written by Nigel Howle, Howle Communications Ltd, telephone 0776 2043436, email [email protected]