Keris Stainton's Blog, page 100

Like Bees to Honey

I'm over on Catherine Ryan Howard's blog today. Catherine is at Caroline Smailes's blog. And so it only seems fair that I write about Caroline here, thus completing the circle! Wheee!

Caroline's latest book, Like Bees to Honey, is out at the end of May. I absolutely can't wait to read it. Mainly because it's written by Caroline, who is wonderful, but also because it's set in Malta and I love Malta.

My first ever holiday abroad was to Malta (I say it was 1977, my sister reckons it was 1976). I r...

10 Days Giveaway: Kate Brian's PRIVATE series

I just started to type 'Can you believe it's only 10 days until my book's out…' but then I remembered that… IT'S ALREADY OUT! So it's my last giveaway. Well, the last in the countdown giveaways anyway – I'm sure I'll still be giving books away since I get sent so many and like to share.

So. To celebrate the publication of MY FIRST NOVEL, I'm giving away twelve books. To one person. Because the twelve books are all in the one series. The fabulous Private series by Kate Brian (I know there's...

Any questions?

I'm not going to blog about my blog tour every day because that would get boring for all of us, but I just wanted to mention that today I'm answering questions at The Mile Long Bookshelf. Ask a question in the comments and I will answer it. Oh yes I will.

I've absolutely loved visiting the different blogs this week. If you missed any of my "stops" you can catch them below (and I'll stick them in the sidebar too, when I get a chance). Visiting lots more blogs next week. And the week after...

I *heart* Amtrak posters

Ah, the glamour of a rail journey… Me and D actually took the train from Seattle to Chicago in 2001. It took 48 hours and was NOT glamorous. The brochure had promised reclining seats with pictures showing people sleeping peacefully, blankets pulled up to their chins. In reality, the seats didn't recline and I had to wander off in search of an empty bench seat so I could actually lie down and I was woken by someone loudly breaking wind. No, it wasn't me! Probably.

Anyway, I *do* love these...

Wanting Wednesday: Michelle Mason cushions

Lovely Anne-Marie found some gorgeous (and expensive) US cushions and now I've found some gorgeous (and expensive) UK cushions.

By Michelle Mason, they make me smile just looking at them. Not convinced I could ever pay £45 for a cushion, but if I was going to, it'd be one of these.

Della Says: OMG!… is OUT NOW!

I started my blog tour today (at Me and My Big Mouth) and in the comments, @Pierre_el said that Amazon had Della in stock. So I hopped straight over to Amazon and found that he was RIGHT! And then my friend Emma forwarded me the email she'd had from Amazon, confirming that her copy should be with her by the 28th. And then someone else said they'd been told the 23rd. And then someone said… THEY'D ALREADY RECEIVED THEIRS!!!

I'm not ashamed to say I went a bit (very) giddy. I was shaking. My...

OMG! I've got a book coming out! Part seven.

Many exciting things to report! First of all, my book is out in the world! Not in the shops just yet, but there has been a mailing and people have received it and some of them have read it. Eep. Lovely Jenny from Wondrous Reads received both Della Says: OMG! and Luisa Plaja's Swapped by a Kiss in the same post and tweeted a photo. I was thrilled because I've known Luisa for years, we did a writing course together aaaages ago and then we were in the same online writing group and we founded

20 Days Giveaway: Three Nicholas Sparks books

Just 20 days until my book comes out. TWENTY DAYS!

So here's another giveaway. The above three Nicholas Sparks books (Dear John, The Last Song, The Lucky One).

And what do you need to do to be in with a chance of winning? The usual. Leave a comment below and tweet for an extra entry (remembering to include @Keris so I know you've done it). (So few people have blogged or Facebooked for extra entries, I'm not going to bother retyping that. Yeah, okay, cutting and pasting that. What can I say...

Proust had his madeleines*…

I have an early memory of coming out of a newsagent's in my old home town – it was one owned and run by friends of my aunty and it's not there anymore, hasn't been for a long time – and opening a packet of chocolates. In my memory, the packet is white and features a picture of an owl wearing a mortarboard, along with some other animals (a giraffe?) standing around a blackboard on which sums are written. Maybe. That's the entire memory, but it comes with a vibe. An early 70s, carefree...

Believe…

There was a knock at the door. I ignored it (I'm not well). Another knock. David ran down the stairs and opened the door. And came in with a big box…

Oh. Em. Gee.