L.T. Marshall's Blog, page 37

Carrero 8 playlist is ready!!

It’s live….wonder if it leaves you guessing how book 8 is going to go!!!

1  Rihanna – Love The Way You Lie (Part II)

2    Jessie J – Who You Are








3    Melanie Martinez – Pity Party







4    Cassadee Pope – Wasting All These Tears







5    Danielle Bradbery – Try







6    3 Doors Down – Here Without You

7    Selena Gomez – Same Old Love

8    The Script – Breakeven

9    Cassadee Pope – I Am Invincible







10  Maroon 5 – Won’t Go Home Without You







11  Jessie J – Flashlight (from Pitch Perfect 2)







12  [image error] Demi Lovato – You Don’t Do It For Me Anymore







13  Kesha – Woman  ft. The Dap-Kings Horns






14   Britney Spears – Womanizer







15  Christina Aguilera – Fall In Line ft. Demi Lovato







16  Shawn Mendes – In My Blood






17  Kesha – This is me






18   I’m Gonna Show You Crazy – Bebe Rexha







19  Avril Lavigne – My Happy Ending








20  Shontelle – Impossible








21  Danielle Bradbery – Worth It








22  Ruth B. – Lost Boy







23  Selena Gomez – My Dilemma







24  Bebe Rexha – I’m A Mess







25   Jordin Sparks, Chris Brown – No Air ft. Chris Brown







26  Alan Walker – Alone LYRICS







27  Maroon 5 – Wait
















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Carrero origins….

I am often asked in interviews and live videos about where Carrero began, what inspired me and such, and even though I have written many blog posts before, I feel like it’s always good to come back to the subject now the series is still growing and finding new directions to move.

It’s no secret that the original three books were inspired by a very well known trilogy, after I stumbled across the first of the movies on a duvet day while I was poorly. I was channel surfing and thought ‘screw it’ there’s nothing else on.

Having been someone who never followed the hype of books, I had refrained from reading Fifty Shades of Grey at all. So I had no idea what it was even really about until very late in 2016 after the first film was already on Sky TV. I just had no interest to be honest as it did not sound like my kind of book at all. My sisters and friends had yapped my head off in adoration of them and , well, me being the stubborn ass I am, refused to read them based on that alone. LOL

I had been in a reading slump for almost two years, nothing grabbing my attention and life had a way of just getting in the way of ever thinking of doing it. I hadn’t written in almost twenty years, so unbeknownst to me… that movie was about to change my life.

I watched it, confused because it did not seem to be what I thought it was about. I waited for the ‘shocking scenes’ the ‘abuse’ of Ana…..and well…..it was tame as hell. It was nothing of what I had heard and it piqued my interest to find out what happened next. I am someone who hates not seeing something through to the end!

So I thought the books must have a lot more in them that might be distasteful – because for all the hype and uproar to make out they are a sordid mess of abusing a woman into a BDSM relationship, there has to be more. I looked them up on amazon, got the first and read it that night. Always one who is determined to have a full rounded view before making an opinion.

I devoured all 3 in two days, all from my little sick bed and I never looked back. And now I own my own little collection!

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Now I am not going to get into a  debate over whether you like them or not… believe Ana is abused or not…. because to be honest, your opinion cannot colour my  connection to the books and the story I read. I didn’t see anything in those books which alarmed me, but what I found was a kindred.

I connected to Grey immediately. I felt like I understood him and what made him tick, in all his messed up vulnerable glory and it started an ember of fire inside of me. The misunderstood Dom and his longing to control life because he had none as a child. I saw myself in him (minus the red room….and the spanking.) I had a childhood that was not picture perfect and I myself have certain shared traits with Grey that have taken a lifetime to heal and overcome. I got him…. almost like looking in a mirror in some aspects and I think that is what the books had that the movie did not. I actually liked him more than Ana and my longing to see him released from his own personal hell was something I could relate to.

Over the weeks I reread them a couple times, cured my reading slump and yet I couldn’t get certain points out of my head. Couldn’t get the basic plot to stop haunting me…and that darn movie play list. Which I still listen to.

When I wrote as a teen there were certain subjects that were taboo…child abuse (although Virginia Andrews seemed to do well despite a lot of harsh criticism) and sexual abuse…. I just felt like having a victim as the hero of a romance with a HEA… it just opened up my mind like a lightening bolt. That somehow I had been mulling over, and waiting all this time for someone to say ‘be brave and do it’ for a pioneer to show me how. I guess in that respect I look up to Miss EL for exactly that reason. She just did not care about the lash back – she was a self made celeb after self publishing ( a route I never even considered) and her books were captivating in all their raw beauty. They weren’t perfectly written, or even amazingly done by publishing standards…… but they were something. To me they were brilliant! And a story which sticks with you and plays on your mind, is something all writers aspire to achieve.

She never claimed they were a masterpiece at all, but she is a storyteller and I read between the lines in her plot. I connected. And that is what makes them awesome.

Everyone connects to different things in life, see’s different perspectives.

My issue with writing romance in my teens was two things. One I had not enough life experience to make them count, and two – I didn’t want to write fluffy romance with no grit. I was a huge fan of Jackie Collins growing up and loved her frank and confident attitude to sex and dynamic characters.  The way she threw in really shocking topics and diversity and was not afraid to do so. I think I saw that same spark in E L James and that’s what drew me in. That same bold way in which she didn’t seem to fear what she put in her books. She wanted a sexy BDSM plot line and she did it.

I think it was that more than anything which kick started my little passion to go back and write again. I felt like I could do it, with an understanding of certain factors I felt were never explored in the books and the knowledge that it could be done, with great success. And I set myself a challenge to write a trio, rather than a standalone which is what I had always written. It was a personal goal and not really any ideas of grandeur or thoughts of the books ever really being read by many people.

As an ode to those books and the fact it truly is what started a series, I littered many little ‘In’ jokes and references to Fifty Shades through the first several books. Fans have spotted them and we have had many a discussion around these and the humour behind them. They have eagerly looked for them with every new release , although now we are onto book 8 I must admit, I have run out of them LOL. I guess, much like me, I am progressing away from the origin of the series and growing as they do. Leading me on a Carrero path and I am exited to see where it goes.

My books are definitely not a replica or comparison to Fifty….

Our plots are not similar in any way… although we do have certain things which are alike.

Lifestyle… Billionaires… abuse.

That’s where it ends.

The series has grown and become so much more than just a trilogy, with an idea. The first three books fuelled a second three, and now I am weeks away from releasing the second part to a third trilogy. It has grown with me and although the theme remains the same as the originals, my books are becoming so much more than I ever dreamed they would. I can see my own improvements myself and each book just gets more accomplished.

The previous books inspire the next ones, so they feed one another. I find new characters walk in somewhere and somehow seem to stand out as the next in line for a story. I guess if that continues then the series will never end.

BUT – I honestly can say E L James is still a role model for me.

She was fearless, she pursued what she wanted to write and she put it out there, even with lash backs and criticism. She pioneered the way for women to write sexy books and self publish, and that for me was huge! And through it all, she has remained down to earth and approachable.

I can only dream that one day I match her success… because whether you like her books or not – you have all heard of them and know exactly who she is!!

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Pict author release – The Victoria Lie

RELEASE DAY – The Victoria Lie by Sarah Marie Graye





>>> BUY HERE <<<

ZOE wants to end her life. But she can’t just leave a note. She needs to say goodbye to boyfriend JAMES and best friend ALISON.

TORI is waiting in the wings to fill the space ZOE will leave behind, wanting to claim both JAMES and ALISON for herself.

But with ZOE still alive and ALISON’s childhood friend RUBY now on the scene vying to fill the gap, TORI realises she has her work cut out.

Just what lengths is TORI willing to go to in order to claim ALISON and JAMES for herself?

And what does any of this have to do with BETH and FAYE?

>>> BUY TODAY <<<

Let’s talk book piracy!

So recently a website hit the headlines because it lost it’s battle against copyright infringement after being served legal take down notices by publishing companies and authors galore, and was closed down. This website specialised in obtaining copies of books and giving them to readers via digital download for free, passing about current and back dated copies of books from best sellers to current popular reads. This website had a huge following and books into the thousands.

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These being books by some bestsellers, some not, mostly a lot of indie publishers and not hugely famous authors. None of these people (including me with my books) had given their permission for their intellectual property to be used and distributed in this way – it was in fact – piracy. And yes, I also served this website several notices for the copies of ALL of my books.

Now the reason I am writing about this is because of the huge backlash from the general public, in what they think is the removal of a service. The idea that writers should not write with a view to being paid for their work, but for the enjoyment of the writing. This myth that somehow you are screwing big publishing companies and not the authors themselves when committing book piracy.

As an author who has both self published and trad published books can I just point out the following –

Yes, we do it for the love of writing, but why the hell should that not mean we make a living from it so we can do it full time? Why is expecting to earn from your craft so ‘despicable’ in the eyes of so many readers? Your logic is severely flawed.

Whether trad published or not, most of us are commission based, meaning we only get paid for physical sales. That means when a site takes our books and distributes them for free, then we do not get paid anything for all that hard work. And unsuspecting readers who know nothing about piracy download books they may have otherwise bought, thinking it was above board and no harm to their favourite authors.

Unless you write an insta-hit that gets huge attention, like Harry Potter or 50 shades, then you can pretty much forget big bucks as a writer going the trad route. Most Authors (even bigger names) cannot earn enough to call it a full time job. A lot of Indie authors too , do not see any sort of big return as for some reason, writing is a craft which is still not appreciated among the creative community. Publishers have only started to change their view in terms of what we are paid as Indie publishing brings in higher wage packets.

You pay artists, musicians, actors and film makers galore…praise them, don’t begrudge them the right to be paid – why is it any different for authors?

We put our heart, souls and sometimes mental health into what we produce, sometimes taking YEARS to write one single book. We do it because we love it, but then so does any one who pursues a specific career, undergoes training and hopes to climb the ranks in their chosen profession. Do you think scientists followed that path for any other reason than a genuine love for what they do? Car designers? Fashion designers? Anyone in the creative industries?

All those block buster movies you pay big bucks to go see… all started in a  writers head.

How about this if you are so adamant that we do not deserve to be paid- the worlds writers rebel, stop writing, put down pen and remove all traces of every book we have ever written worldwide and hide them away instead. To be kept for ourselves, seeing as we do not deserve the right to be paid for them. How would you feel about our love for writing then? I mean I wrote it for myself so why should I let anyone but me read it. That’s your logic, not mine.

You pay for other things you enjoy – why not books?

They are not a right, they are a pleasure and we do not need to give you them at all.

Artists get paid for prints so don’t even tell me that copying a digital file leaves the original in tact and isn’t an issue. Another argument I see all over. We are in the age of digital media where our sales come from those copies. Would you prefer if we physically wrote out singular copies of books and sold them hand to hand? That way we wouldn’t have any old Joe copying them without a lot of effort and our books would never stray into the hands of thieves. Just because something is easy to copy, does not mean you are entitled to take it. I am pretty sure I can duplicate plenty designer items…does that mean I can then make them in a crap tonne and give them to everyone I know? I think I would probably get a knock from trading standards or some seriously legal notices from the owners of the originals.

Yes it is true that a lot of free book scourers will never actually pay for a book anyway and it does not actually affect physical sales, but so what? That is MY property and I have a right to protect it in any way I want, and if a reader does not respect me enough to pay for what I write…well I am not fussed if they read it. I would rather they did not to be honest. Which is my right after all.

Can’t afford books? Another argument I have seen in defense of book theft – use libraries, follow authors for free promo days and giveaways. Join review groups that are endorsed by authors , join net-galley, book bubs or any number of legal sites who actually help us rather than steal from us. There are a ton of ways to get free books which actually help promote and boost book sales and are fully endorsed by both publishing companies and authors. Stop using excuses and seek them out.

Saying I am not entitled to earn from my writing is a cop out to justify theft!

If I didn’t earn then I simply could not produce the books I do every year. I would spend all my time working to feed my family and pay the bills, and the books you seem to think are so easy to come by, would remain in my head, pouring out randomly over the years in stolen moments between work and life.

Earning a wage enables me to do my job – as a writer. It enables my readers to get multiple books from me a year. The sales enable me to market, network, pay for editing, cover design and so much more than just feeding the children at my table.

AND I DESERVE TO BE PAID FOR THAT!

 

Now, let me see you write a book and then have the same opinion when your beloved website duplicates what you are trying to sell and passes it about for free without your permission…then we can talk.

 

#stopbookpiracy #stopjustifyingtheft

 

 

 

 

 

 

Manchester Author Event 2018

What a weekend it was, and I am still recovering. Rather than bore you with a long recreation of my weekend at the signing I will list the highlights and let the pictures tell you a thousand words.

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So we left Scotland……

The 5 hour journey was riddled with pit stops and hot flushes as both freakish hot weather and a sick bug over took me, and I ended up taking a nap mid-drive and being the worst company ever. Ross was probably just happy I shut up for an hour and left him in peace LOL. I did however recover enough to carry on and enjoy the weekend.

I got to stop in at the same services as the Rangers Reserve Squad in full uniform though, which was fun and got to the event before our car decided to stop coo-operating completely. Yes it decided to have a tantrum and not start at all, all weekend. We made it to the Arndale shopping center for some last minute bits before it refused to re-start. Luckily our hotel was a 4 minute walk away. We stayed in the same hotel as the event – Park Inn Radisson In Manchester.

We all met up at a Weatherpersons near the hotel and had ourselves a little author mini party with lots of dancing on the Friday night. Sweating in casual clothes, making a fun spectacle of ourselves and pretty much having a wicked time. Much love to the group from that night who made it so epic. There was around 15 -20 of us who managed along for it.

Saturday was a full day of sunny smiles and more heat, after I slept in and had to get my sidekick Jackie to taxi all the merch from our poor stuck car to the event! We had a non stop brood of visitors coming through all day and the lunch laid on by the hotel was gorgeous. I met so many fab folks and talked myself hoarse while running around like Challenge Annika and gushing out impromptu live videos. We also sold out of books very quickly, due to my book order not arriving and gave away promo packs galore all day.

A mad dance to end the night as we all attended the masquerade ball, and I lost our masks somewhere between the venue and the car LOL. A buffet sit down meal fit for kings, great company and a DJ to take all our song requests. This was the best part of the event and a way to wind down and say goodbye until next time.

…… and then a hectic Sunday of AA car repairs, non stop jolts home in case it happened again and internet issues. We managed it in under 5 hours from hotel to home and I have never been so glad to sit on my own couch. I am still, days later, exhausted but it was well worth it.

I would say the whole weekend was memorable anyway!!!

I am just glad we got enough pictures to remember the fun times! And enough live videos on my page to make sure you got to be a part of it too.

And… I already booked my table for next year so I can honestly say, it was worth every second of it.

 

 

Book Review: The Carrero Contract by L.T. Marshall

Love this review x

Shuffle Bookbox

Published: 30/07/2018
309 pages
Format: Kindle

Camilla Walters thought she had come to the end of the road when fate caught up with her. No where left to run or hide, on the verge of becoming fish food at the hands of drug runners she owed a lot of money to. 
That was until fate brought her Alexi, head of the family Carrero – The unexpected hero who saved her ass and changed her life in one easy manouvre. 
Who knew she would have to sign her soul over to the devil in a bid to stay alive and in doing so, lose her heart and mind in the process? 
This is not your typical hearts and roses story – Let the games begin and the war commence. 

Being big fan of

The Carrero series

, I’ve waited patiently for that stroke of midnight to receive my copy of

The…

View original post 364 more words

The influences in my writing.

This week a couple of readers and I were discussing influences in books we read when we were younger and as a writer I am aware that certain things moulded me early in life. Of course my life experiences have a lot of input when I write my books, drawing from what I know is the most powerful tool I have. Second to that my love of psychology really helps when trying to decide how my characters should act or scenarios play out, and my obsessive people watching in life prepared me for a lot of scenarios that I myself had not gone through. However, I cannot deny that the books I have read through my entire life has moulded on some level the writing I produce now.

It was when looking back at books which still stand out to me to this day that I noticed that three authors probably had the biggest impact on what I became. These are not the only books i read, or the only authors. I mean mills and boon had a huge role in how I viewed sex and love, so I guess I should include them in my backlist of ‘what tainted my mind’ LOL

So I want to share with you my teen obsessions and the books which I am now scurrying to eBay to own once more for my Carrero bookshelf. I feel these books in some vague way became a part of what is in the essence – My Carrero .

 

Jackie Collins –

she showed me how to be fearless when writing gritty and sexy books. I admired her grab life by the balls and don’t give a shit what critics say. I loved that as a woman back then, she was not ashamed to show her mature sexuality or share it with the world. She wasn’t afraid to write about the things people considered taboo and although I didn’t LOVE all her books, I have to say, I loved most of them. She is still to this day my idol as a writer and will always hold a place in my heart.

The book – Rockstar

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‘Music was their business – pleasure was their game.

Rock Star blows the lid off the hard-driving lifestyles of today’s music superstars.

Kris Phoenix – The legendary and wildly sexy guitar hero,

Bobby Mondella – Black soul superstar with a past,

Rafealla – An exotically beautiful girl who comes between them with a vengeance.

Rock Star takes you on a dangerous trip through the jungle of broken dreams and blackmail, hit records and hit men…a jungle of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll.

Rock Star is a love story that burns.’

 

Danielle Steel –

Okay so she was not one of my favourite authors to be fair but this one book stayed with me and I can see how the softer romantic in me was fed with her work. I guess my wholesome parts and path to real love (with added heartbreak and realism) came from this softer more gentle writer. I do still to this day feel like my love of family sagas started here.

The book – Family album

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‘Through forty years—from Hollywood’s golden days in World War II to the present—Faye Price would create first a career as a legendary actress, then a family, and finally she would realize her dream of becoming one of Hollywood’s first woman directors. But nothing was more precious to Faye than her five children. In a changing world, a milieu where family values are constantly challenged from without and within, the Thayers would face the greatest challenges and harshest test a family can endure, to emerge stronger, bound forever by loyalty and love. It is only when Faye is gone that they can each assess how far they have come, and how important their family album is.’

Virginia Andrews –

So this woman fed my dark soul and I completely connected to the heroines in the centre stories of these books. Pain is a part of life and no one shows heroines with true inner strength the way she did. The fearless guts to write about abuse and incest and make them a hit , just blew me away. This particular series spoke to me on many levels and I feel like my modern day Camilla has some vague connection to Heaven Leigh.

The Casteel Series

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So those are my teen books, which carry the main essence of Carrero – gritty, sexy, sometimes dark but always at the root – a family who is bonded by love.

Guess they got to me more than I thought.

One last ode to one set of books I didn’t mention. Scoff at me all you like. These are the Marmite of books – you either love or hate them and they pushed my ass back into the writing world with a boom. I thank E.L. James, for showing me that women can do it for themselves when they have faith in their story. Write what you want, write what makes you happy. Love your characters in all their flaws. Sometimes it’s not about the skill and your education – sometimes you just have a story to tell.

 

~~~ RELEASE BLITZ ~~~ The Carrero Contract

~~~ RELEASE BLITZ ~~~

Official book release – 30th July 2018

The Carrero Contract – Selling Your Soul

By L.T.marshall

Book 7 , best selling – ‘The Carrero Series’

Buy Link: getbook.at/CarreroContract1

Blurb –

Camilla Walters thought she had come to the end of the road when fate caught up with her. Nowhere left to run or hide, on the verge of becoming fish food at the hands of drug runners she owed a lot of money to.

That was until fate brought her Alexi, head of the family Carrero – The unexpected hero who saved her ass and changed her life in one easy manoeuvre.

Who knew she would have to sign her soul over to the devil in a bid to stay alive and in doing so, lose her heart and mind in the process.

This is not your typical hearts and roses story – Let the games begin and the war commence.

Author bio –

Author.to/LTMarshall

Leanne Marshall is a Scottish born and bred romance writer with more than the average person’s life experience. She has been a torrent of wild things, including singer in a girl band, animal rights activist and charity owner – worked in radio and offered jobs in TV.

A passionate, restless soul, who has always found peace in writing, the only way to calm that fiery spirit.

She uses her wit and dark humour to her advantage in her works and has been an avid reader for most of her life. Her influences vary, but from early life and a teen stint in journalism, she applies logic to most of her plot lines, is a self-confessed research fiend, and likes a lot of psychology behind her characters actions.

She currently resides in Central Scotland with her two children and Fiancée of 13 years, making waves in the book world with her signature ‘WTF moments’ she likes to apply in each story, hints of humour and devastating emotional rollercoaster rides.

Quote from L.T.Marshall – ‘Writing has always been an escape for me, loving that no matter what you are doing, where you are – you can create ideal fantasy and get lost in someone else’s life. I love nothing more than drawing a reader with me on a journey that tortures your every emotion before the grand exhale.’

www.ltmarshall.blog for all links and updates.

Email – enquiries@ltmarshall.blog

The Carrero Series to date

Book 1 – myBook.to/TheCarreroEffect

Book 2 – myBook.to/CarreroInfluence

Book 3 – myBook.to/CarreroSolution

Book 4 – myBook.to/CarreroHeart1

Book 5 – myBook.to/CarreroHeart2

Book 6 – mybook.to/CarreroHeart3

The Carrero series bonus books

Jake’s view – myBook.to/JakesPOV

Arrick’s view – myBook.to/ArricksView

Official book release – 30th July 2018

The Carrero Contract – Selling Your Soul

By L.T.marshall

Book 7 , best selling – ‘The Carrero Series’

Buy Link: getbook.at/CarreroContract1

Blurb –

Camilla Walters thought she had come to the end of the road when fate caught up with her. Nowhere left to run or hide, on the verge of becoming fish food at the hands of drug runners she owed a lot of money to.

That was until fate brought her Alexi, head of the family Carrero – The unexpected hero who saved her ass and changed her life in one easy manoeuvre.

Who knew she would have to sign her soul over to the devil in a bid to stay alive and in doing so, lose her heart and mind in the process.

This is not your typical hearts and roses story – Let the games begin and the war commence.

Author bio –

Author.to/LTMarshall

Leanne Marshall is a Scottish born and bred romance writer with more than the average person’s life experience. She has been a torrent of wild things, including singer in a girl band, animal rights activist and charity owner – worked in radio and offered jobs in TV.

A passionate, restless soul, who has always found peace in writing, the only way to calm that fiery spirit.

She uses her wit and dark humour to her advantage in her works and has been an avid reader for most of her life. Her influences vary, but from early life and a teen stint in journalism, she applies logic to most of her plot lines, is a self-confessed research fiend, and likes a lot of psychology behind her characters actions.

She currently resides in Central Scotland with her two children and Fiancée of 13 years, making waves in the book world with her signature ‘WTF moments’ she likes to apply in each story, hints of humour and devastating emotional rollercoaster rides.

Quote from L.T.Marshall – ‘Writing has always been an escape for me, loving that no matter what you are doing, where you are – you can create ideal fantasy and get lost in someone else’s life. I love nothing more than drawing a reader with me on a journey that tortures your every emotion before the grand exhale.’

www.ltmarshall.blog for all links and updates.

Email – enquiries@ltmarshall.blog

The Carrero Series to date

Book 1 – myBook.to/TheCarreroEffect

Book 2 – myBook.to/CarreroInfluence

Book 3 – myBook.to/CarreroSolution

Book 4 – myBook.to/CarreroHeart1

Book 5 – myBook.to/CarreroHeart2

Book 6 – mybook.to/CarreroHeart3

The Carrero series bonus books

Jake’s view – myBook.to/JakesPOV

Arrick’s view – myBook.to/ArricksView

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Pre-order, Pre-order, Pre-order.

I have two books up for pre-order this month and you can get them by clicking the links.

First the audio book for The Carrero Effect is live, and can be ordered for release on July 27th!!!

getbook.at/audiocarreroeffect

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And of course, as you know – book 7 is on pre-order until July 30th!!!

getbook.at/CarreroContract1

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Win an ARC of book 7 – pre-release

This is your chance to win an advanced reader copy of book 7 before it is even live!

To do so visit the Facebook post and comment .

Its that easy.

3 readers can win , so get over and enter!!