Morton S. Gray's Blog, page 16

Spring Breeze by Angela Barton

This week I’m pleased to welcome Apricot Plotter and friend, Angela Barton, who is about to launch a new novel, Spring Breeze, set in World War Two. Over to Angela …

Hello Morton

Thank you for your continued generosity in supporting authors on your blog. I’m delighted to have been invited back to share the news about the publication of my next book, Spring Breeze. (Publication date is 30th September 2022)

As with my first historical fiction novel, Arlette’s Story, I’ve included an actual event from World War 2 in my story. One reason is that I love researching, but the main reason is that I hope, in some small way, that Spring Breeze will help to keep the memory of what happened in Europe not so very long ago, alive.

Although it’s only a part of my story, I’ve written about the roundup of Jewish families in the Vélodrome d’Hiver (winter stadium). Operation Spring Breeze took place in July 1942. Over thirteen thousand Jewish citizens, including four thousand children, were rounded up in Paris and kept in horrendous conditions in the stadium. After several days in stifling temperatures, without water or food and in unsanitary conditions, they were transported in cattle trucks to concentration camps. Could a more contradictory and erroneous name have been chosen by the Germans for such cruelty?

Despite this heart-rending subject, there are hard fought victories in my story. There is incredible bravery shown by ordinary citizens, selflessness shown in the face of danger, friendships that shine through adversity and proof that love can always find a way in the most desperate of circumstances.

There are scenes where people who lived through those times make an appearance. My protagonist meets an old friend in church, the author Irène Némirovsky, and my hero is ordered to raid the apartment of a painter he admires, Pablo Picasso. A greedy, darker character from history also makes an appearance, Hermann Wilhelm Göring, the Nazi military leader and German politician.

Spring Breeze takes you on a trip around Paris, visiting the Tuileries Gardens, the Jeu de Paume museum, the Eiffel Tower, the Moulin Rouge, the banks of the River Seine, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe and also the miles of underground tunnels beneath the city – the catacombs.

I’m thrilled to have received some early feedback from the advanced reader copies that have been sent out.

“I started it last night and I’m hooked. I was reading till 4am. The best one yet!”

“Five stars without a doubt.”

“The courage of ordinary people is powerfully portrayed in this story.” 

If you would like to pre-order Spring Breeze, you can do so here: https://mybook.to/eSpringBreeze

About Angela Barton

Angela Barton was born in London and grew up in Nottingham. She has three grown up children and loves to spend time with her eight-year-old twin granddaughters and a new baby granddaughter born Christmas 2021.

Angela is passionate about writing both contemporary and historical fiction and loves time spent researching for her novels. She lived in France whilst writing Spring Breeze and explored Paris and its catacombs for research.

In 2018 Angela signed publishing contracts for three of her completed novels. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association, a reader for their New Writers’ Scheme, a member of the Society of Authors and also Ellipses and Ampersands’ fiction critique group.

Angela is busy writing her fifth novel set in France during WW2. Her next story takes us away from the capital to the Pyrenees bordering Spain.

In addition to writing, Angela also relaxes by making jewellery, and also landscapes using free motion sewing. She has a small online gift business at www.buttonmooncreations.com

Social Media links:

Website angelabarton.net

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/angela.barton3

Twitter https://twitter.com/angebarton

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.co.uk/abarton3862/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/authorangelabarton/

About Spring Breeze

Paris, June 1940. The enemy has entered the city and Matilde Pascale hopes to sink into the shadows for the entirety of the war. However, when tragedy strikes it changes everything and Matilde focuses on revenge in order to fight back against the Nazis and their heinous crimes against humanity. But life sometimes takes a bizarre twist and it seems that love has a way of infiltrating the most impenetrable of boundaries. A common purpose drives two enemies into each other’s arms and together they discover the capacity of their combined strength.

Book links:

Spring Breeze:  https://mybook.to/eSpringBreeze

Magnolia House: https://mybook.to/MHPB

Arlette’s Story: https://mybook.to/ASPB

You’ve Got My Number: https://mybook.to/YGMN

Once again, huge thanks for hosting me and my new book, Morton.

Ange x

Thank you, Ange. Next Monday is the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and it didn’t seem appropriate to post my usual author feature blog. Instead, I will put my own tribute to the Queen on my blog later next week. Jenni Keer, who was due to be featured next week has asked me to delay her post until October. 

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

News From The Apricot Plots Authors

I regularly feature Apricot Plots authors on my blog but thought it would be nice to do an update post for the members of the group. You can find Apricot Plots on Facebook here and Twitter here. Behind the scenes this group of authors is a huge source of support and that in itself is worth celebrating.

Just a few words about each author:-

Angela Barton

Angela Barton, has a new book releasing on 30 September 2022. Her new novel, Spring Breeze, is set in Paris during World War 2.

The enemy has entered the city and Matilde Pascale hopes to sink into the shadows for the entirety of the war. However, when tragedy strikes it changes everything and Matilde focuses on revenge in order to fight back against the Nazis and their heinous crimes against humanity. But sometimes life takes a bizarre twist and it seems that love has a way of infiltrating the most impenetrable of boundaries. A common purpose drives two enemies into each other’s arms and together they discover the capacity of their combined strength.

Spring Breeze is available for pre-order now, at https://mybook.to/eSpringBreeze

Watch out for Angela Barton on my blog next week.

Angela Petch

Angela is about to submit her latest book to her editor so watch this space. Her novel The Postcard From Italy set in Italy in 1945 was published earlier this year by Bookouture.

Carol Thomas

When I asked Carol for an update, she said – 

My fourth novel, A Summer of Second Chances, is currently available in The Works for a very bargain price. It has been lovely hearing from readers who have purchased and enjoyed it. I’ve been sharing their photos posing with the book in various stores around the country on my Facebook page. The novel is also available as an eBook and paperback from all good bookstores. And I am hoping it will one day appear as an audiobook too, but that is in the hands of my publishers, Choc Lit. 

It has been lovely to see the Lisa Blake (Purrfect Pet Sitter) series doing well at the library and I love the fact that Maybe Baby (Lisa Blake series #2) is also available in large print. Both books are also available as eBooks, paperbacks and in audio.

I have not written as much as I would have liked to over recent months. Working full-time as a teacher, having three children still living at home – who I love spending time with – and my weekends being taken up with being a mum-taxi has taken their toll. I do know I just need to get on and write; it’s the only way to complete a manuscript. And I do have three stories started. This, though, is the consequence of chasing the shiny – regularly starting something new rather than persevering with one story. My husband likes to point out to me that three of my four novels have been subject to me writing them in two different ways up to around 30,000 words, ha-ha. Perhaps it is part of my process – whatever it is, it is not time efficient.

To give myself a proverbial kick, I have got back out doing events. In August I did a successful book stall in aid of Cancer Research UK and I will be at the UK Southern Book Show on December 3rd in Arundel, West Sussex. Wish me luck!

Morton Gray

I think I’m finally getting back into the swing of things after a very strange phase of my life, see previous blog posts here and here, so again, watch this space.

Julie Houston

Julie is just finishing her latest novel to send to her editor and next book due for publication by Aria, The Village Vicar is available for pre-order to be released on 19 January 2023.

Jane Cable/Eva Glyn

Jane/Eva is beavering away in the background to bring readers more of her superb novels. She has been taking several research trips this year, which are the key to the authenticity of her books. An Island of Secrets, set in Yugoslavia in WW2, was released earlier this year by One More Chapter.

Caroline James

After publishing The Spa Break earlier this year, Caroline reports – I am writing a new book for One More Chapter (Harper Collins UK) called The Cruise, which will publish summer of 2023. I have also been busy with talks at various events from WIs to women’s groups and festivals.

Vicki Beeby

Vicki’s latest book, A Wrens’ Wartime Christmas, was published by Canelo on 25 August 2022. This is the second in the series about three Wrens working in a naval signal station in Orkney. The third book will be released in the first half of 2023.

What a lovely array of novels by the Apricot Plots authors! I have read many of them and can hand on heart say that they are great reads!

Over the next few weeks look out for features including Angela Barton, Jenni Keer, Celia Anderson, Kate Ryder and Suzanne Snow.

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

Journey Back To Creativity by Morton S. Gray

Thank you for all of the lovely responses to my blog last week. As it was so well received, I thought I would continue to blog my personal journey in the hopes that it might help someone else in a similar situation.

I mentioned in my last blog post that I am finding it difficult getting back into my writing (and a lot of other things) after current events, but over the past week I have been trying something different. Years ago, I read a book by Julia Cameron – The Artist’s Way and in it she recommends a tool called The Morning Pages. She asks you to write three pages of longhand writing daily in a stream of consciousness – in other words write whatever comes out. This brain drain approach has at least been helping me to clear out the circular thoughts I’m currently plagued with.

The idea is that all of the petty stuff that circulates in your brain stops you from being creative. You have to be careful as you are doing this though to just write and not to censor your words as you do it – just keep your pen moving across the page.

I’ll share a little extract from mine to give you the idea –

Feeling lost. Up one day and down the next. Today I feel close to tears all the time and don’t know what to think. Need a holiday where I can relax, preferably by the sea. Need to walk on the sand to soothe my soul, need to hear the waves and smell the salt…

Also, as part of exploring different writing genres, I signed up last minute (ten minutes before the course started!) for an online course on historical fiction and spent two hours imagining life from the point of view of a woman in the English Civil War. It was fun and thought provoking.

I also had fun helping some writing friends produce little promotional videos for their books. Like this one on Twitter. (click to view).

I recognise that getting back on track will take time, but I’m nursing myself through it. Let me know if you have tried The Morning Pages, or indeed if you give it a go.

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

Reading and Musings by Morton S. Gray

In the middle of July, I attended a very enjoyable Romantic Novelists’ Association conference in Shropshire. It was a real tonic catching up with old friends and making new ones. I even had a new author photograph taken.

I’ve read and am reading some great books – Sue Moorcroft’s new Christmas book A White Christmas on Winter Street (to be published 27 October 2022) was very enjoyable and I’m currently devouring Vicky Beeby’s A Wrens’ Wartime Christmas (to be published 25 August 2022). Next up is Kate Ryder’s Into a Cornish Wind (to be published 28 September 2022) and L J Ross’ The Creek (published 29 July 2022).

However, I somehow don’t seem to find as much time for reading as I used to – does anyone else find that time flies these days or am I just getting old lol?

I lost my mother at the beginning of July and the aftermath of that is still a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions and administration. My mom needed a lot of support over the last eight years as she battled dementia and so time for her was built into my week, meaning that I have lost my normal routine and I now need to reinvent myself. It’s a very strange feeling, as if my anchor has been cut and I know I need to take some time for myself for a while.

I already know that I will be doing more craft courses as I’d got out of the habit and I love learning new things. More writing is also on the cards, but I’m tempted to take a completely different direction (or two).

I did think for a while that my creative writing side wouldn’t recover from the recent emotional weeks, but then I found words creeping into my notebooks again. I thought I’d share this little extract that made me laugh. My mother’s carer and I had a little joke, actually caused by a typo on one of her text messages. If something was strange at my mother’s we would blame an imaginary man called Simon. Simon left the gas on, Simon unplugged the phone, Simon ate the disappearing food…

This, in a very rough state, is what appeared in my notebook …

It was a very surreal experience, greeting people at her mother’s funeral. She stood alone in the entrance to the modern crematorium shaking seemingly endless hands. The mourners were a mix of close family, extremely distant family she had a job recognising, friends of her mothers, some she had met and some she hadn’t, her mother’s cleaner, carer, gardener and window cleaner and then a man she couldn’t place at all.

‘Hello,’ he said. ‘My condolences.’

He had a captivating, almost cheeky smile and a dimple in his cheek. Fiona gulped. ‘I’m sorry I don’t recognise you?’

‘I’m Simon. Your mother sent me to look after you …’

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

Where I Write by Lynn Forth

It’s always lovely to feature a good friend on my blog. Lynn Forth has just published her fourth novel, Secrets of the Chateau and she is going to tell us about where she writes. Over to Lynn …

Thank you, Morton for inviting me on your blog today.

I am very lucky to have ‘a room with a view’ to write in.

My upstairs study has a wonderful open view over fields, hills, a local bluebell wood and a small lake. Because we are on a hill, there is a vast expanse of sky which is constantly changing. And clouds …I love clouds and recently discovered the word for cloud lover which is nephophile. Daydreaming out of the window, I often see shapes and animals and cities in the sky when I should be writing.

But it is in these daydreams that I also see the locations for my books. Unlike my view, they are always sunny and always abroad somewhere.

Places are important and I like to take all my heroines out of their comfort zones and plonk them somewhere foreign where they have to rely on themselves and in the process begin a journey of self-discovery.

My Yorkshire heroine, Jane in Love in La La Land ended up in Hollywood and found her principles compromised by the seedy goings on. I enjoyed evoking the flashy shallow trappings of the film world.

Then I was inspired to write Love, Lies and Café au Lait by my own personal experience of delight when I visited Nice for the first time. I loved the French Riviera, so I was able to really identify with my Accrington Annie when she arrived in that super-sophisticated city and tried to fit in.

I used very local settings at the beginning of my third novel, The Girl Who Used To Be Me. My heroine Kate is located in Birmingham and visits the surrounding countryside with her new boyfriend including the Clent Hills …which I can see from my study window. Eventually she escapes a difficult relationship by going to the Costa del Sol. There she meets Reen, with a garden full of pink plastic flamingos …a bit like me now. Flamingos seemed to have taken over my life.

Once again, the Costa del Sol is an area I know well after frequent visits to my parents when they lived there. I was able to visualise the locations for when Kate lives there and empathise with her feelings of joy at the bright colours and the warmth of the sun, captured, I think, by the cover of the book.

And in my latest novel, Secrets of the Chateau, I returned to my favourite city of Nice. I wrote it in lockdown and was able to visualise the shining arc of the Bay of Angels and smell the lavender scented hills.

So, all my books have transported me to these wonderful sunny places …and all from my little, very untidy, desk

About Secrets of the Chateau

A château in France, with fairy-tale turrets. What’s not to like?

Sophie Stewart loves her job. Working for Alex Conroy who owns an exclusive hotel chain is a dream – as is the man himself!

So why does she panic at the thought of visiting Alex’s proposed new hotel, a dilapidated chateau with fairy-tale towers, in the glamorous south of France?

Must she reveal her past to uncover the secrets of the château?

But Alex has secrets too.

Buying link for Secrets of the Château : https://mybook.to/9vH26E

About Lynn Forth

Lynn Forth went to live in Accrington when she was 11 and still has the accent to prove it.

An abiding fascination with books and people led her to study English and Psychology at University. After a rewarding but all-consuming career as a College Lecturer, she escaped to fulfil her lifelong ambition to write novels, using many of her accumulated insights into what makes people tick.

She now writes uplifting romantic comedies full of sparky dialogue and strong characters.

She is fond of setting her heroines adrift in new sunny, locations where they have to rely on their own resources. The novels always have a strong sense of place and some serious themes are tackled with the lightest of touches. Amidst the banter and fun, her characters discover their true selves…and love.

An avid reader, she runs two book clubs and, as a bit of a movie buff, she enjoys the discussions at a local Film Club. Although not a big exercise fan, she enthusiastically participates in the fun and music at her Zumba sessions and at home encourages a riotous array of flowers in her garden.

Lynn lives in Worcestershire, England with her family and writes in a room with a view of big skies, wooded hills and a distant lake.

To keep in touch with Lynn you can use the following links:

Website: lynnforthauthor.wordpress.com.

Twitter: @lynnforth

Instagram: @lynnforthauthor

Facebook Page:  https://www.facebook.com/lynnforthauthor

Lynn’s books are available as both eBooks and paperbacks from Amazon on the following links:

Love in La La land : myBook.to/LoveinLaLaLand1

Love Lies and Café au Lait :  mybook.to/LoveLiesandCafeauLait

The Girl Who Used To Be Me :  mybook.to/TheGirlWhoUsedToBeMe

Secrets of the Château :  https://mybook.to/9vH26E

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

Where I Write by Anni Rose

This week my guest is Anni Rose who writes for Choc Lit. Her latest novel in her Recipe for Life series is Recipe for Mr Super. Anni is going to tell readers about where she writes. Over to Anni …

Hi Morton, thank you for inviting me on your blog today to talk about where I write. 

Usually I write in my study, it’s perfect, my extremely talented sister made all the furniture for it, so everything is the perfect height for me. It’s my safe place. It’s where I test out all my ideas. I have a very comfy rocking stool, which I love, made by said sister. Lucky really, because writing sessions can often be lengthy. However, they are always accompanied by my two writing buddies and Rocky gets the chair. He’s definitely the boss in our relationship!  Not that I mind because they have to listen, without complaint, to endless read-throughs. 

My desk is big enough that I can spread out and often I do, particularly when I’m in-post-it notes mode— I blame Julie Cohen—to get to grips with an idea. And I can get up and shut the door and know everything will be just where I left it. I also have endless piles of notebooks filled with bits I thought at the time “would come in useful”. I save everything but rarely use more than about a half of what I collect. I do try to start a new notebook with each book, otherwise it can be frustrating when you need to refer something quickly. These days I also find the camera and notes app on my phone useful, particularly if I’m out and about.

I was going to say if I ever, but it’s more when, I get stuck with an idea then I might take my two writing buddies for a walk or if I need to write a particular scene then I will try and go somewhere where there’ll be a similar atmosphere, so I can get a feel for what my characters might be experiencing. 

I love background noise when I’m writing, but not the radio or something I need to concentrate on, so I am quite often playing music. I have a built in CD rack next to my desk and although I tend to listen to music on my phone or laptop these days, I have a definite favourite shelf within easy reach on the days when I need them. Everything from Elgar’s Violin Concerto to Bruce Springsteen, Gretchen Peters and … Boyzone.

I have two of my favourite pictures on the walls in my office. I try not to believe it’s because no one wanted them hanging on any other wall in the house. One is my first creation ever, and between you and me, it’s probably an all-time best. Art was never something that came naturally to me, which probably explains why my parents felt the need to frame this one at the time.

The other thing I should mention which is an essential part of my desk and writing process is my mug of tea. English Breakfast, nothing else. Yorkshire preferably, a dash of milk, two sweetex and I am happiest when it comes in an endless supply.

Thank you for having me on your blog today, Morton, it was great fun talking to you. 

Thank you, Anni. I also need tea to hand when I’m writing, but these days I tend to favour white tea. My doggie writing companion is much smaller than yours and very white. Good luck with the new book. Mx

About Anni Rose

Born and raised in Berkshire, Anni emigrated to Wiltshire six years ago, where she lives with her husband, sister, two dogs, a cat and Midge, the grey speckled hen.

As a child, she could usually be found either reading or writing fiction, producing reams of stories over the years.

On leaving school, the need to earn a living sort of got in the way and her writing was limited to financial reports or employees’ handbooks, but a local writing course and an encouraging group of writing friends re-ignited the fiction flame many years later and Anni went on to have several short stories published in various magazines.

Anni would describe her writing these days as mainly modern romantic stories with a healthy dollop of humour thrown in. Away from writing Anni can usually be found behind a camera, walking the dogs, enjoying one of her husband’s curries or one of her sister’s bakery treats.

You can catch up with Anni on her website: www.anniroseauthor.co.uk

Twitter – @AnniRoseAuthor

 Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/anniroseauthor

About Recipe for Mr Super

Recipe for Mr Super is Anni Rose’s third book in her Recipe for Life series published by Choc Lit Publishing Limited. Recipe for Mr Super: A heart-warming, fun romantic comedy. Perfect for summer reading! 

Where’s a hero when you need him?

In Autumn Rigden’s case, enjoying semi-celebrity status on the other side of the world. Although Nick Flynn is no superman – talented horse rider and Super Sportstar of the Year he might be, but he has a habit of leaving Autumn in the lurch when she needs him most.

Anyway, Autumn is too busy with her new career to care about Nick. Okay, so she’s had to give up her OIympic dressage dream, her childhood home and beloved Shetland pony – and all to the benefit of Gordon, Nick’s money-grabbing father. But Autumn’s new ambition is to become an heir hunter extraordinaire, and with a promising commission and only a few weirdos demanding she prove they’re related to royalty, she’s all set.

But when Mr Super returns, will Autumn find that forgetting about horses and the Flynns is harder than she could have ever imagined?

Book buying links:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3HnqF4d

Apple: https://books.apple.com/gb/book/recipe-for-mr-super/id6442886544

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/recipe-for-mr-super

Google: https://bit.ly/3zAhsnf

Nook: https://bit.ly/3ObydsS

Website: https://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/recipe-for-mr-super/

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3HqpPDG

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

Bella Osborne – What I Do When I’m Not Writing

This week I’m pleased to feature good friend, Bella Osborne. Her latest novel A Wedding At Sandy Cove has just been released by Avon (I saw it in the supermarket yesterday!) Bella is going to tell readers what she does when she’s not writing…

Thanks for having me on your blog, Morton!

For a start I’m probably meant to be writing when I’m doing any of the things I’m about to tell you about! Sometimes I am very focussed when it comes to working on my books and other times not so much. 

I love to plan holidays. I obviously love going on holidays too but the build up to them is almost as much fun for me. My absolutely favourite place to go is Disney. Planning is essential to a stress-free Disney break so I map out what we’re doing every day of our holiday months in advance and book restaurants as soon as possible. But it’s not just Disney I get excited about. We’re off to Scotland this summer and I was over the moon to find all the brilliant things we could do like rock climbing, quad biking and a trip on the steam train that featured in Harry Potter! And all of them bookable in advance!

When I’m not planning holidays and eating biscuits (my other favourite pastime which deserves a whole post of its own) I enjoy cooking with my daughter. We can sit and peruse cookbooks for ages deciding what we want to cook. We divide up the tasks so even something a bit fiddly is easier with two of you preparing it. It’s always lovely to spend time with my daughter and as she transitions into adulthood it’s great to be able to grab these moments. 

Our garden is also a release site for rescue hedgehogs so we have lots of visitors every night. We also rescue any that turn up in poor condition and were thrilled to save a very rare blondie hedgehog on Boxing Day. We have old regulars who have been coming since they were released as little more than hoglets and many who are just passing through. I enjoy checking the camera each day to see who has paid us a visit.

About Bella Osborne

Bella has been jotting down stories as far back as she can remember but decided that 2013 would be the year that she finished a full-length novel. Since then, she’s written a number of best-selling romantic comedies and book club reads and won the RNA Romantic Comedy Novel of the Year Award 2022.

Bella writes feel-good fiction with friendship at its heart. She likes to find the humour in the darker moments of life and weaves these into her stories. She lives in The Midlands, UK with her husband, daughter and a cat who thinks she’s a dog. 

For more about Bella, visit her website at www.bellaosborne.com or follow her on social media:

Twitter – https://twitter.com/osborne_bella

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BellaOsborneAuthor/

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/bellaosborneauthor/

About A Wedding At Sandy Cove

Escape to Sandy Cove, where the scent of summer and the sound of wedding bells are in the air!

Ella makes brides’ dreams come true – there’s no dress she can’t make perfect with her sewing skills and some sparkle. But Ella’s own love life is no fairy tale. Recently dumped, surrounded by fussy brides and with the prospect of wearing a hideous brown bridesmaids dress to her friend’s wedding, Ella feels more alone than ever so agrees to go on a blind date.

A mix up on the night introduces her to Kit. 

Kit is definitely not the man she was supposed to meet, but he could end up changing her life in ways she never thought possible…

A perfectly funny, feel-good summer romance that will whisk you away to sandy beaches and a seaside wedding. Fans of Cathy Bramley, Katie Fforde and Milly Johnson will adore Bella Osborne.

A Wedding At Sandy Cove is available in eBook, audiobook and paperback.

Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3mib8Zv

Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3m8dYjY (Not available in the US until 11th October 2022)

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3PZvHrp

Apple: https://apple.co/3x54wTw

Bookshop.org: https://bit.ly/3GKhvhU

Thank you for joining me on my blog, Bella. It was lovely to see you at the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference earlier this month! I’ve put my review of A Wedding At Sandy Cove below. Mx

Morton’s Review – A Five Star Fun Read

I have loved all of Bella Osborne’s books and wasn’t surprised that I loved this one too. There is a lot going on in this book with quite a few characters and twists and turns which towards the end of the book took me by surprise.

Just like Ella, I was a bridesmaid numerous times and never thought I would be a bride, but to work in the bridal industry must make that thought even harder. Love her cat, Pirate and her friends, Lucy and Brittany who can see her flaws but want the best for her.

Easy to read and to relate to. Full of laughter and at times more serious issues. I was hoping throughout that Kit and Ella would get together. Quirky and fun like Bella’s other books.

Bargain Alert:

My sixth novel for Choc Lit, Summer at Lucerne Lodge is currently only 99p if you haven’t read it! Buy it – here

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

What Do I Do When I’m Not Writing? by Nicola Pryce

                                                

My blog guest this week is Nicola Pryce. Her latest novel in the Cornish Saga Series is The Cornish Captive. Today, Nicola is going to answer the question – What do I do when I’m not writing? Over to Nicola …

Hi Morton, thank you for inviting me on to your blog. It’s lovely to be here. The answer is, I’ll be sewing.

I’ve always loved sewing. I won a prize at school for needlework but my skills are limited compared to so many of my friends. I love basic patchwork and tapestry and I enjoy making fancy dress costumes for my grandsons. I’ve recently made a spate of roman blinds but my favourites must be lavender bags and patchwork hot water bottle covers. I just can’t be without the next project.

I made my wedding dress but I don’t make clothes anymore. My latest project is to get back to my dolls house. I made it from a kit eighteen months ago and I’ve decorated it to match our house. I’ve made the bedding and cushions, I just need to make the curtains and blinds. You can see I’ve tried to match the patchwork quilt.

With my love of sewing, it’s not surprising that I base my books round a dressmaking establishment though, given the choice, I’d rather be one of the wealthy ladies visiting the shop than the seamstresses working there! In 1793 the light would have been dreadful and the hours long but I would have loved handling the fabrics and sorting the ribbons and lace.                               

Madame Merrick, the senior dressmaker in my book Pengelly’s Daughter, is based on a French dressmaker, Rose Bertin, who was Marie Antoinette’s dressmaker. When the émigrés fled the terror their dressmakers, including Rose Bertin, followed. Many went to London but some stayed in Cornwall and Devon. The new, lighter materials of tuille and silk, together with the change of fashion from heavy corsets and full brocade skirts to higher waists and slim silhouettes, made them easier to sew. Previously, tailors had been involved in the sewing of women’s gowns but suddenly they were redundant. How wonderful was that!

I love researching the fabrics and embroidery used in the late eighteenth century and spend hours collecting photos for my Pinterest pages. The detail is truly incredible. In The Cornish Dressmaker my heroine Elowyn Liddicot makes poor William Cotterell wait two hours while she perfects the art of ribbon embroidery (see above) and I can’t help making all my heroes wear beautifully embroidered waistcoats. I love to imagine my characters sewing together, and I love that I can create a feminine sphere where aristocratic ladies can relax and enjoy female companionship – maybe even meet a rather dashing ship’s captain in the linen cupboard … as in The Captain’s Girl!

So maybe the answer to your question what do I do when I’m not writing is that I’m sewing, but while I’m sewing I’m with my fellow seamstresses in a warehouse above a shipyard listening intently to all the gossip and imagining I’m taking a sip of Madame Merrick’s rather strong punch!

Sounds amazing and makes me want to read your books or be there with you! Mx

About Nicola Pryce

Nicola Pryce is published by Atlantic Books and is represented by Teresa Chris. She trained as a nurse at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, loves literature and history, and has an Open University degree in Humanities. She is a qualified adult literacy support volunteer and lives with her husband in the Blackdown Hills in Somerset. She and her husband love sailing and together they sail the south coast of Cornwall in search of adventure.

Pengelly’s Daughter is her first novel, then The Captain’s Girl, The Cornish Dressmaker, The Cornish Lady, and A Cornish Betrothal. The Cornish Captive was published in January 2022.

Nicola is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Historical Writers’ Association.

Do visit her website for more information about her books at   http://nicolapryce.co.uk

Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nicolaprycebooks/

Instagram at Nicola Pryce-author (@nicola_pryce_author) • Instagram photos and videos

Twitter at @NPryce_Author

Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.co.uk/nicolapryceauth/

Goodreads at https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15249833.Nicola_Pryce

Nicola’s latest book is The Cornish Captive

Cornwall, 1800.

Imprisoned on false pretences, Madeleine Pelligrew, former mistress of Pendenning Hall, has spent the last 14 years shuttled between increasingly destitute and decrepit mad houses. When a strange man appears out of the blue to release her, she can’t quite believe that her freedom comes without a price. Hiding her identity, Madeleine determines to discover the truth about what happened all those years ago.

Unsure who to trust and alone in the world, Madeleine strikes a tentative friendship with a French prisoner on parole, Captain Pierre de la Croix. But as she learns more about the reasons behind her imprisonment, and about those who schemed to hide her away for so long, she starts to wonder if Pierre is in fact the man he says he is. As Madeleine’s past collides with her present, can she find the strength to follow her heart, no matter the personal cost?

The Cornish Captive: Nicola (Author) Pryce: 9781838954598: hive.co.uk

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

What I Do When I’m Not Writing by Chris Penhall

I’m treating you to another Ruby Fiction author this week, as Chris Penhall, who has just released The House on the Hill – A Summer in the Algarve, tells us what she gets up to when she’s not writing. Over to Chris …

Thanks for inviting me onto your blog to talk about what I do when I’m not writing, and as my new novel, The House on the Hill – A Summer in the Algarve, is based at a yoga and mindfulness studio in Lagos in Portugal, it indicates at least some of the things I do when I’m relaxing!

I love Lagos in Portugal’s Algarve, and so visit there a few times a year, which is something I’ve been doing for a long time. I relax as soon as I see the runway at Faro Airport and am basically already a blob by the time I get out of the car in Lagos, in time for a few days or weeks of doing nothing but: swimming, ambling, eating, drinking, reading, socialising…and repeat… till the end of the holiday.

I also do yoga, but not as regularly as I should. I am a great fan of Body Balance classes, which are a mixture of Tai Chi, Pilates and yoga, and love the way I feel after I’ve done a few sessions. This is one of the things that prompted me to set my story in a yoga and mindfulness studio – Layla Garcia, the owner is very organised and apparently serene, but there’s a lot going on beneath the surface of what looks like a perfect life. When I’m standing on one leg in tree pose I know I look pretty relaxed and in the moment, but I can assure you what’s going on in my head is anything but, generally.

I also love to dance. I have been a very enthusiastic social salsa dancer for very many years, and I’ve taken up tap dancing too. And as for Zumba…you should see my face when the Samba version of Take on Me by Aha comes on! There is also a little bit of that enjoyment in the book, as it is so much a part of my life. In fact, I have recently taken part in my first ever dance show – a very short run (three nights!) on stage at the local theatre, performing to Alexander’s Ragtime Band as part of the dance school’s annual show. I’ve never done it before, and it was absolutely wonderful, if a little frightening. And I did it entirely for the sake of it, as I’m never going to be a professional dancer! Oh, the joy of doing something I love entirely for myself is so very liberating. I’m looking for the next thing too – but nothing too demanding. Or stressful. Definitely not stressful. Maybe I’ll try Hot Yoga. Or Paddle Boarding again. Or I could just read a book.

About Chris Penhall

Chris Penhall won the 2019 Choc-Lit Search for a Star competition, sponsored by Your Cat Magazine, for her debut novel, The House That Alice Built. The sequel, New Beginnings at the Little House in the Sun was published in August 2020. Both are available in paperback, e-book and audio and are part of the Portuguese Paradise series. Finding Summer Happiness, which is set in Pembrokeshire in South-West Wales is available in e-book, audio and paperback, and The House on the Hill – A Summer in the Algarve, the third novel in the Portuguese Paradise series, is published in e-book on 28th June 2022.

Chris is an author and freelance radio producer for BBC Local Radio.

She also has her own podcast – The Talking to My Friends About Book Podcast in which she chats to her friends about books. Good title!

A lover of books, music and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.

You can find more information about her on www.chrispenhall.co.uk

or follow her on Twitter: @ChrisPenhall

Instagram: christinepenhall

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisPenhallWriter/

About The House on The Hill

A Summer in the Algarve

Layla is calm, in control and is definitely not about to lose her serenity for the man next door!

Surely it can’t be hard to stay peaceful at one of the oldest yoga and mindfulness retreats in the Algarve, surrounded by sea, sun and serenity? Mostly, owner Layla Garcia manages it – with the help of meditation and plenty of camomile tea, of course.

But keeping her grandparents’ legacy alive is stressful, and Layla has become so shackled to the work that, for her, The House on the Hill is fast becoming ‘The Fortress on the Hill’.

Then writer Luke Mackie moves to the villa next door, bringing with him a healthy dose of chaos to disrupt Layla’s plans, plus a painful reminder of a time when she was less-than-serene. But could his influence be just what Layla needs to ‘dance like no-one’s watching’ and have the fun she’s been missing?

Buy it here: https://smarturl.it/x4u6oz

Thank you for this post, Chris. I want to stow away in your suitcase please. Mx

A couple of things from me: I didn’t manage to share my blog from last week as much as I normally would, so please take a look at Joanne Boden’s post from last week if you haven’t already – here

Bargain Alert: My sixth novel for Choc Lit, Summer at Lucerne Lodge is currently 99p if you haven’t read it! Buy it – here

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.

Where I write by Joanne Boden

This week I’m joined by Choc Lit author Joanne Boden as she celebrates the publication of A Vacancy for a Village Vet and tells readers about where she writes. Over to Joanne …

Hello Morton and thank you so much for inviting me back on your blog to celebrate the publication of A Vacancy for a Village Vet, my second novel with Choc Lit. It’s lovely to be back!

I don’t have a writing room, or even a writing corner. I don’t have a writing shed. We have a shed but it’s full of garden tools and pots and other bits and pieces. 

I don’t have a designated writing spot at home, but luckily for me I prefer to write in different places dotted about the house, depending mainly on the time of year, who is at home and what mood I am in. As long as I have my laptop and notebooks, all is good…

The Kitchen Island

My favourite place to write during the daytime is at the kitchen island. We are very lucky as the kitchen is nice and bright. So I usually perch on the stool at the kitchen island and set myself for a few hours of writing. There are plants on the island and Bozo the junk model monster who keeps me company. It’s also the perfect place as the coffee machine is right behind me. I usually play music while I write and at the moment I have a country music playlist on the go. I always have my notebook within easy reach, either to look up some scribbles I’ve made or if I need to make a note of an idea. 

The Dining Table

I’ll sometimes write at the dining table, just for a change of scenery. Again this room is nice and bright and I can look out into the garden. Recently I’ve been able to see the baby starlings on the feeders. 

The Sofa 

If I write during the evening then I usually curl up with a blanket over my lap on the sofa with my laptop. I tend to go over what I’ve written that day. I also sometimes draft out the scene for the next day, or jot down other ideas or changes that need to be made. I am usually sitting next to my youngest son’s toy dog, Sammy , and toy cat, Sven. 

About Joanne Boden

Joanne lives in Lancashire with her husband and their two sons. When she is not busy writing, she likes to take her boys to the local museums, cafes, and walks in the countryside.

Joanne has published 4 non-fiction works aimed at parenting children on the Autistic spectrum, based upon her experiences as a mother of an autistic son. She has also self published a contemporary romance novel, Picking Up the Pieces.

Joanne writes contemporary romances with gorgeous heroes. Escape to Little Bluewater Bay was her debut novel with Choc Lit.

Social media and website links:-

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/JoBodenAuthor

Twitter https://www.twitter.com/JoBodenAuthor

About A Vacancy for a Village Vet

From big city high-flyer to little village vet …

Hannah and Daniel were teenage sweethearts, but then Daniel left their sleepy village of Middlefern and his grandfather’s veterinary practice behind for the bright lights of London.

Now, fifteen years later, the prodigal grandson has returned to temporarily take over the village practice with a veterinary qualification and his dog, Sammy, in tow. Daniel is ready for rabbits with tummy aches, guinea pigs who’ve lost their squeak, plenty of cow complaints and a whole lot of memories – both good and bad. But is he ready to see Hannah again?

Of course, a high-flying city vet like Daniel was never planning to stay in Middlefern for good – especially given his history with the place. But could another, even more important, vacancy convince him to change his mind?

Buying links:

mybook.to/VacancyForAVet or

Choc Lit https://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/a-vacancy-for-a-village-vet/

Thank you, Joanne and good luck with your new book. Mx

Tha nk you for visiting my blog – Morton S. Gray – Author. I hope you enjoyed this post. You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Summer at Lucerne Lodge published as an eBook, paperback and audio download too – Amazon Check on my Choc Lit author page for other purchasing options here 

Christmas at the Little Beach Cafe published as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and Choc Lit for other options.

Sunny Days at the Beach is now available as an eBook, audio and paperback – Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Nook Books, Google Play and at Choc Lit for other options.

Christmas at Borteen Bay is available as both an eBook and audio download – Amazon Kindle, Audio, Apple iBooks, Kobo and Choc Lit for other buying options.

The Truth Lies Buried is available from all eBook platforms – Choc Lit, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, Apple iBooks  and also a s a paperback and audiobook.

The Girl on the Beach published by Choc Lit is available as a paperback and from all eBook platforms –Amazon Kindle, Apple iBooks, Kobo, Barnes and Noble and Google Play.