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Nancy R Hinchliff
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Operatic Divas and Naked Irishmen: An Innkeeper's Tale Paperback – June 6, 2017

by Nancy R. Hinchliff (Author)
4.2 out of 5 stars 22 ratings
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In 1994, at the age of 64 with no business experience and very little start-up money, Nancy Hinchliff buys a turn-of-the-century mansion in Louisville, Kentucky and turns it into a charming Victorian Inn. Through sheer tenacity, she learns the business while successfully coping with one mishap after another. An admittedly asocial retired school teacher, she reinvents herself as an Inn keeper. The reader is drawn into this humorous and engaging tale as the author wields her way around cantankerous contractors, harrowing housekeepers, and no shortage of strange and interesting guests and events. Through her collected stories, Hinchliff gives readers a personal, in-depth, and honest look at what it’s like to be an inn keeper as she candidly describes her twenty-year journey of self discovery.
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  1. Print length
    240 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    She Writes Press
  4. Publication date
    June 6, 2017
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1631521942
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1631521942
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The Amazon Book Review
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“…a witty and moving story which truly captures the sense of wonder, self-discovery, and adventure that unfolds when one throws caution to the wind and ventures out into the world alone.” —D. Cameron, Stone Head Press
“…engaging, interesting, and admirable.” —Brooke Warner, publisher of She Writes Press
"For anyone who has ever thought about running a Bed & Breakfast, Operatic Divas and Naked Irishman offers a hilarious birds-eye view behind the Victorian curtains... with mouth-watering recipes woven through-out, the author shows us just how much you can do with a little daring tenacity in the face of a lonely retirement." —Katharine Hollister, editor, Beatdom Magazine
“Vivid storytelling with a great purposes . . . you’ll love this!” —Chris Brogan, author and CEO owner of Media Group Inc.
“When Nancy Hinchliff opens a bed and breakfast in Old Louisville, Kentucky, she soon discovers the Victorian neighborhood she will call home comes with an assortment of curious residents, including quirky locals and unsavory characters. Her memoir is an all-around enjoyable and amusing read.” —David Dominé, author of Voodoo Days at La Casa Fabulous
“A light and fun read, often heartwarming and inspiring . . . and [gives the reader] a look into what it is like to be a strong, independent woman facing life’s challenges one guest at a time. Wonderful, historical information about Old Louisville, with an honest, behind-the-scenes look at an often glorified business.” —Nina Burns, owner of Hoosier Doggy Pet Sitting
“Operatic Divas and Naked Irishmen is brave, funny, entertaining, and educational. I loved [Hinchliff’s] wit, marveled at her courage and tenacity, and rooted her on throughout.” —Teresa Rhyne, author of The Dog Lived (and so will I)
"Moving into the hotel trade at any time is quite a feat, but at the age of 64 and in an unfamiliar city, Nancy Hinchliff regales the reader with the hilarious ups and dramatic downs as she turns a rundown period house into a Victorian inn to be proud of. Nancy provides us with an honest, and undeniably charming, account of the struggles and triumphs of her time as an innkeeper. It is a revealingly personal account of what it took to get her business and her new home off the ground, and ultimately how it enriched her life. Each chapter recounts a different experience in her journey—hiring/firing/more hiring of staff, the demands of eccentric guests, and the occasional naked Irishman to spice up the mix—along with a delicious, related recipe. I’ll definitely be trying the Grand Marnier French Toast. Operatic Divas and Naked Irishmenis an engrossing, warm and delightful read that I was reluctant to put down. An excellent book to lose yourself in." —Fiona Phillips, writer, editor

About the Author

Nancy Hinchliff holds undergraduate degrees in music and education and graduate degrees in music, science of education, and special education. She is certified to teach English, music, geography and history. She taught in the Chicago public school system for twenty-five years, and in the school of education at the University of Illinois in Chicago. She has been writing all of her adult life—mostly journal articles, essays, and creative non-fiction—and has been published in newsletters, local magazines, and as a guest on several blogs. In 2008 she coauthored Room at the Table, a cookbook written for the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky, for which she won their president's award. Hinchliff is now a member of the Burlington, VT Writer’s Workshops and is working on her second memoir.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ She Writes Press
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 6, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 240 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1631521942
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1631521942
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.9 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 22 ratings

About the author

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Nancy R Hinchliff

Nancy R Hinchliff

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Ms. Hinchliff holds undergraduate degrees in music and education and graduate degrees in music, science of education, and special education. She taught in the Chicago public school system for thirty-five years, and in the school of education at the University of Illinois in Chicago.

She has been writing all of her adult life―mostly journal articles, essays, and creative non-fiction―and has been published in newsletters, local magazines, and as a guest on several blogs. In 1995, she retired from teaching and opened a Bed and Breakfast in Louisville, Kentucky, which she ran on her own for twenty years.

In 2008, she co-authored Room at the Table, a cookbook written for the Bed and Breakfast Association of Kentucky, which won their president's award for excellence. In June of 2017, she published her debut memoir, Operatic Divas and Naked Irishmen: An Innkeeper’s Tale, available at Amazon.com. Her second book, Roxie and Alfred: A Historical Memoir, will be released later this year.

Recently she decided to try her hand at writing fiction and is finishing up the first draft of a novel titled The Other Side of the Family, a story based on the paternal side of her family, whereas Roxie and Alfred, a memoir, is about the maternal side. They could very well be said to be companion works.

Ms. Hinchliff presently resides in Essex Junction, Vermont, where she lives near her family and writes full time. You may read about her and her work on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nancyhinchliff author or on her official author’s site at www.NANCYHINCHLIFF.com/

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
22 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Allan B. Morris
    5.0 out of 5 stars What a joy to read about Ms
    Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    What a joy to read about Ms.Hinchliff's escapades as a B & B owner ! Her experiences as the owner of a beautiful OLD Victorian mansion which, in itself, could be the source of book material, shine a light on a service industry that is often not appreciated for its complexities. Hinchliff weaves the structural struggles with her century old mansion in and out of her account of colorful guests and her constant endeavors to find long term help. The recipes in the book are an added bonus and I hope there will be many more tomes from Ms. Hinchliff!!~ As a first effort, she knocked it out of the park!
    One person found this helpful
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  • Nicole
    5.0 out of 5 stars . . . . Craving adventure and an escape!!!
    Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    I highly recommend this book for anyone who craves adventure or an escape from their own world!!! Filled with adventures, tales of people she met along the way, and witty humor; the author shows you that it is never to late to live your dreams to the fullest and reach for the stars. I highly recommend this page turner to all of you who love to dream big, but are a bit weary to jump into fulfilling them. Let Nancy's experience help give you the courage, enthusiasm, and inspiration you need.....it truly did for me.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Carol A. Stanley
    5.0 out of 5 stars Though there are so many stories about the comings and goings there were different things that I enjoyed. First of all I love the gutsiness of ...
    Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Very often when people leave reviews they praise the content in general. To me a book is how I resonate with the contents. Though there are so many stories about the comings and goings there were different things that I enjoyed. First of all I love the gutsiness of the the author. Her spirit of adventure is daunting. I loved her honesty about relationships many of us would not face. And I enjoy reading new recipes that I might try at some time. Definitely worth reading for sure.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Tracy O. K.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Nancy Hinchliff tells a wonderful tale with a cast of fascinating characters
    Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Nancy Hinchliff tells a wonderful tale with a cast of fascinating characters. This story will remind readers that it's never too late and you're never too old to take on a new challenge.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Story Circle Book Reviews
    3.0 out of 5 stars Some great moments.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 28, 2017
    Format: Paperback
    Who hasn't fantasized about running a bed and breakfast? These daydreams generally pop up right after a weekend in a charming little place, or after touring through an old mansion. A misty film falls over reality and visions of fresh baked scones float past, It must have been something like this that inspired Nancy R. Hinchliff to switch gears—and climates—at a time when most people are looking forward to cruises, punctuated with a little gardening. At age sixty-four, thrice divorced, she moves out of Chicago and heads for Louisville. Does she know anyone in Louisville? Only an on-again, off-again friend, Maggie, who barely seems to notice her friend's relocation.

    Inevitably, the dream of a bed and breakfast crashes almost at once. Not only is the house Hinchliff buys—a once elegant mansion—woefully unsuitable for a modern bed and breakfast, but the neighborhood is not-quite-ready-for-gentrification. Her first employee is a junkie. Her first guests eat her out of many days worth of food—in one day. She needs five rooms to break even, but only has four.

    Although she has the energy of a cyclone, Hinchliff is not a natural at being a hotelier. In her own words, she's "asocial" and a "perfectionist with OCD tendencies," who proves a demanding boss. With candor, she admits to some monumentally dumb moves: opening a bed and breakfast without knowing that the neighborhood is unsavory, getting contractors without contracts, hiring that first employee—the junkie—from a chance encounter on the street. No references even requested. Still, she soldiers on.

    In the twenty years she owns the inn, she runs through a lot of employees. Bryan, the lovely young man with a gentle touch for divas; Kari who can't seem to finish a single task, but wants to buy the inn; Quentin, a spoiled momma's boy, and others. As with many small business owners, Hinchliff can't keep the good ones and hates to fire the bad. In her spare time, she writes, blogs and networks. She breaks her foot, finds some more employees, soldiers on. Then, in her eighties, she packs it up—but keeps writing.

    The book has some interesting stories and even some recipes. What it lacks is a sense of joy or connection. Hinchliff came to Louisville with little sense of the city, and aside from learning about the Kentucky Derby, she never seems to want to be a part of the place. Her inn could be anywhere.

    I never got the sense that she liked the city or running a bed and breakfast. Louisville was a place, and the inn was a challenge, an Everest to climb, and she did it. Her guests were more necessary inconveniences then welcome visitors. Even the ones she professes to like, like the befuddled Mr. Block, are ultimately more nuisance than anything else. She loved learning about Victorian and decorating the inn, which was, apparently, reason enough to do it.

    This sense of disconnection is exacerbated by the structure of the book. It is episodic and non-linear, common enough for memoir. The author shares little of her life before or even during her time as an innkeeper. She mentions she has two daughters, is estranged from one and "best friends" with the other, and that's about it. Married and divorced three times. she gives us no sense of her marriages. She spends several chapters sniping about Maggie, her Louisville friend. Why did she pack up thirty years of Chicago life to move to a city where Maggie was the only person she knew? (Maggie and Nancy's friendship ends in a fight over a comforter.) Instead of exploring that, she spends a chapter assessing the multiple failures of a housekeeper, Jason.

    She never shares why she was planning to move to Austin with her daughter, or much of anything else about her family. We never learn her other daughter's name, let alone what caused the rift between them.

    The last few chapters are largely complaints and self-congratulations, and the assertion that she would do it all again. Why? Because she did it once, she beat the odds. Almost as an afterthought, she picks up a thread from the first chapter—how she passed on her mother's poor parenting to her own daughters—but by this point, we've already formed our impressions. Don't get me wrong: I admire a woman who takes her retirement fund and plunges into a new venture. I want to like her. At least, I'd like to know about her. Hinchliff, however, plays it close to the vest.

    In the end, I settled for some interesting stories and pretty good recipes that left me wanting more.

    by D Ferrara
    for Story Circle Book Reviews
    reviewing books by, for, and about women
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Nancy
    2.0 out of 5 stars Lots Recipies, Little Charm
    Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2022
    Format: Kindle
    Retired teacher opens Bed and Breakfast in St. Louis; so far so good. Then comes a tirade against a personal friend which one can only interpret as some sort of therapy for the author. Recipes are good though.
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  • Trina
    5.0 out of 5 stars This book is addicting!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2019
    Format: Paperback
    I have a soft spot for memoirs and this book was such a great read. It is inspiring to say the least and why I recommend to anyone who thinks either age, money, or (insert excuse here) is keeping them from fulfilling their dreams.

    Don't let the dismal cover dissuade you. I do admit that this cover is definitely lacking in appeal. In fact, I would have never picked it up if it wasn't recommended by a friend. Since it is about tales of a Bed & Breakfast owner, it should have a quaint Victorian house on the cover. With that aside, it is addicting.

    At 64 years old, Nancy Hinchliff decides to turn a 100-year old Victorian mansion in Louisville, Kentucky, into a B&B. The author does a wonderful job of allowing us into her life during this time. Nancy is not an outgoing person so you can imagine opening a B&B can hold some struggles for her to overcome but she doesn't let anything stop her. She loves to cook and that shows in the mouth-watering recipes included at the end of each chapter. We see tidbits of her life prior to opening the B&B, why she is single, and why she continues a tumultuous friendship with Maggie. Then there are the problems with maintaining a 100-year old house and hiring competent staff that won't steal from her. Plus, some of the guests that stay will make you wonder how she stayed sane during her 20-years as owner.

    After running the B&B, Nancy has reinvented herself again as a writer in Vermont. I look forward to reading more of her work.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Susan Zutautas
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Book
    Reviewed in Canada on September 6, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I found Operatic Divas and Naked Irishmen to be a wonderful and very entertaining book. You know when you come to the end of a book, and you’re so sad that it has ended, that it is a book you totally enjoyed. I love the unique way in which the author placed recipes throughout the book. I would highly recommend this book if you’re looking to read something very entertaining.
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