Janice Horton's Blog, page 27

Paperback Books and The Festival of Romance

This week, while my lovely editor is working away on Voodoo Child (planned launch date 31stOctober) I’ve been busy preparing and formatting the paperback editions of Bagpipes and Bullshot and Reaching for the Stars. This means I’ll have ‘real’ books to offer alongside my ebooks at last and I’ll be able to carry paperback copies with me when I do my personal author appearances.   Bagpipes and Bullshot and Reaching for the Stars will be available to order from Amazon sites very soon if you’ve been waiting to read my full length novels in paperback! These are the paperback covers!     It’s only four weeks to the Festival of Romance in Bedford! (8th-10th November) I’m going to this event for the first time and I’m really looking forward to spending the whole weekend talking about books and celebrating romantic fiction.

There are some fabulous events planned – check out the websiteand grab your tickets now.
I’m really looking forward to meeting up with writer friends I already know really well, those I have been friends with online for ages but haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet in person, and catching up with what’s going on in the romantic fiction industry - as there will be publishers and agents and editors to chat to about such matters.
I’m speaking at the Coffee and Cake morning on Saturday 9thNovember at The Lane, Bedford. I’m also looking forward to attending the Festival of Romance Ball on the Saturday night!
Are you going…?
Do let me know so we can say hello!

Romantic meetings and writerly events…

Happy Friday everyone – I’ve had a an even busier week that usual as I’ve been out and about on writerly business. On Monday I was invited to the famous and very romantic location of Gretna Green for a meeting. It was wonderful to catch up with writers I already know well through the Writers Scotland Group, to be reintroduced to one or two I’d met before through the Romantic Novelist’s Association, and to meet some new lovely writer peeps. The meeting was interesting, involving romance writers, commercial enterprise, media and PR, but as it was a preliminary talk, I don’t think I’m at liberty to tell you exactly what it was all about just yet - so I’ll tell you more when I can!
After lunch and the meeting itself, a few of us had a tour of the famous blacksmith’ shop and the wedding room and had our photo taken in front of the wedding anvil!

In this photo: myself, Lynda Denton, Eileen Ramsay and her husband Ian,
Michelle Styles and Gwen Kirkwood
 
The Marriage Anvil at Gretna Green  On Tuesday, I was invited to speak about my writing and my life as a writer at the first meeting of the season for the Dumfries and Galloway Tangent Club in a private room at a restaurant in Thornhill. It was an honour to be asked to talk to these lovely ladies and I was right to suspect that when I got there, it being a local group of professional and business women, that I would already know many of them. We had a glass of wine, friendly conversation and lots of laughs, and we also had a lovely dinner. I felt my talk went well, as the atmosphere in the room was so relaxed and warm. I rounded off my talk with a short reading from ‘Reaching for the Stars’ and we had a quiz/competition - the winner being the first correct answer drawn by the restaurant owner! On Wednesday, I was asked if I was interested in doing a talk and a writer’s workshop on the afternoon of Sunday 20th October at an Arts and Crafts Weekend being held at a local village Hall. I thought it sounded like another good opportunity to get out and about and to meet people interested in reading and books. So I accepted. All of this is of course great practice for the Festival of Romance event in Bedford on the weekend of the 8th/9th & 10th of November, which I am attending as an author. I’m speaking at this event on the Saturday morning at the ‘Coffee and Cake’ event. Tickets are on sale now at the Festival website. The rest of this week I’ve been writing and reading, attending online book launches, and following some exciting blogs. It’s a very busy and exciting time to be a writer!!
Haste ye back here next Friday!

Running along...

As a writer, I’m often sat at my desk for most of the day and I find that long periods of time spent at my computer causes me lots of problems. I get sore eyes (I have to wear reading glasses at the computer) and I get a stiff neck (I find myself hunching over the keyboard sometimes) and I have had a few painful bouts of repetitive strain syndrome in my shoulders and wrists. And all that’s before we go anywhere near the expanding waistline and bottom syndrome!
I've always enjoyed taking a brisk mid-morning walk on most days, but now I’ve stepped things up a bit and I go for a run. Running loosens up my muscles, fills me with oxygen, and helps me to either think or to empty my mind – whichever is needed the most. I run for three miles in a circuit around the cottage and, now that I’ve being doing this for a few months, I sometimes manage five miles!
This morning’s run was particularly enjoyable. Autumn has arrived here in my part of Scotland. It was dry and mild and the leaves on the trees are just starting to turn golden. Mushrooms and toadstools lined the verges of the lanes along my route and the brambles are ripe and asking to be be picked and made into jam.
I had my phone camera to hand today and took these photos. I thought you might enjoy them too.

My running route away from the cottage  Woodland Toadstools   Love these colourful ones - so pretty - but probably highly poisonous!
The high stretch of land between the Nith Valley and the Lowther Hills

 

A rewarding view from the top of the tough uphill stretch!
 
 Looking over Durisdeer and the Lowther Hills
  Brambles in the hedgerow - but no time to stop and pick them!

  The home straight!
I have a busy week ahead filled with writer’s meetings and speaking events. Why not check out my Author Facebook Page which I update several times a week with all my writer news, authorly views and book reviews!
Haste ye back here next Friday!


Voodoo Magic!

Today I’m revealing the new look covers for my voodoo romance series of Kindle novellas!
 
The voodoo isn’t over for Nola! Voodoo Child is out next month and is the third part in Nola and Louis’s story. The first two parts ‘How Do You Voodoo?’ and ‘Voodoo Wedding’ have both received some fabulous reviews.
Reviews include those from Love Reading Love Books who said How Do You Voodoo? was ‘A Five Star Read’ and Book Reviewer Jenny in Neverland has this week listed her favourite books on Feed My Read and How Do You Voodoo? is one of them!
PRIZE DRAW: I’m offering a reader a pre-release peek – a V.I.P. Advance Review Copy – in a prize draw for all those peeps who ‘Like’ my Facebook author page between now and Voodoo Child ARC release day.  I love to blog on a weekly basis but my FB author page is where I share all my latest news and views and writerly gossip several times a week - so if you would like to be one of the first to read Voodoo Child and also find out what I’m working on next...click here and LIKE my FB Page! Thanks and haste ye back here next Friday!

New season - a contemporary new look!

 I'm rolling out a totally NEW contemporary look to all my Kindle book covers and social media pages for the new season - with paperbacks available soon! Let me know what you think?     Janice xx  

#FF Friday - Festival and Fringe!

 
Last weekend, my lovely friend Dina and I did what we have been talking about doing for years – we spent a long weekend in Edinburgh together doing The Festival, The Tattoo, and The Fringe. We had THE most amazing time. We did everything – including lunch at The Witchery, The Tattoo at the Castle, the ultimate Book-Fest (bumping into Neil Gaimen), Stand Up Comedy, Shows, chatting with Radio DJ Johnny Walker and pop diva Kiki Dee (who asked if I was from Liverpool – lol!) to finish off with a tour of Edinburgh’s old underground vaults with torture museum and spooky stuff all thrown in and then to clubbing at the famous Old Town Cowgate at Cabaret Voltaire. A weekend never to be forgotten!
Lunch at The Witchery by The Castle
Left: Neil Gaimen signing at The Edinburgh Book Festival  The spooky Ghost Tours and Edinburgh Underground Vaults The amazing Edinburgh Royal Military Tattoo Haste ye backJanice xx 
 

Friday... again?

I’ve had my head down all week catching up on all sorts of things – so much so that I could not believe today was Friday – again.
I’ve been busy writing 1000 words a day of ‘Voodoo Child’ and I must admit that so far I’m having a ball with this stage of Nola’s life. This is a follow on novella to ‘How Do You Voodoo?’ and ‘Voodoo Wedding’ and in it Nola and Louis are expecting their first child. Of course, this time next week, I could be wailing and moaning that it’s all a load of junk but so far I’m having a lot of fun and the writing is going well. My editor is expecting to edit this book at the beginning of October and I’m planning a publication date of around 31st October. Wish me luck!
I’ve also been working hard on behalf of Loveahappyending Lifestyle Magazine, for which I edit the Bookshelf Reviews feature.  After attracting over two and a half million hits on our website we now want to give our visitors even more reason to return to us day after day. We are planning to grow the website again in the Autumn and hope to publish the very best articles in a high quality downloadable emagazine. Our features will include everything from interior design to recipes, but the ‘heart’ of our project will still be book reviews for our own featured authors in our Bookshelf Reviews feature.    
I’m currently looking for one or two more book blogger reviewers to join us at Loveahappyending Lifestyle magazine and so if you love reading and have a book blog and are interested in applying please get in touch with me directly at janice@janicehortonwriter.co.uk.
 I’ve been out and about promoting my latest title this week too – a with a mini book tour for ‘How To Party Online’ and you can read my guest spot at: Talli Roland’s Blog, Brook Cottage Books, Dizzy C’s Little Book Blog for online party advice and top tips!



  
Haste ye back here next FridayIn the meantime, be my friend on Facebookfor regular writerly news and/or be a tweetheart and follow my daily authorly updates on Twitter at @JaniceHorton

Winners of the Party On event!

 

I just want to say how fabulous yesterday was! I laughed and gasped and ooo'd and swooned at all of your fabulous and clever photos and pictures throughout the day and it was so much fun. What lovely party peeps you all are! Well - all the entries have now been collated from all those who took part yesterday and have independently drawn by my two strappingly handsome sons who are home at the moment. I do wish there were prizes for every single one of you who made my day yesterday by taking part in the Party On event. The Winners! 
Without further ado the winners are Linn B Halton for her Animal Party Game entry of 'Mr Tiggs'. Heidi Cosmochicklitan for her Cocktail Party Game entry of 'Cocktail on the Beach' and Angela Simons Barton for her Hollywood Red Carpet Game entry of Johnny Depp. Each win an exclusive How To Party Online Notebook! If you ladies would like to email me at: janice@janicehortonwriter.co.uk with your postal addresses I'll send them straight out to you.     
   The main prize of a £10 Amazon Voucher for posting a 'Party Photo' of your own goes to Awen Thornber who posted this fabulous photo and is a such a worthy winner that I was delighted when her name was drawn! Please email me Awen and I'll have the gift voucher emailed to you straight away. Thanks again everyone!  


 I'd LOVE it and appreciate it if you could spread the word to your friends and associates about the How To Party Online ebook for Kindle and if you sign up to my newsletter on my Blog (pretty please!?) them I'll be able to let you know when it's out in paperback too. Thanks again everyone!
   At the moment I’m featuring on Dizzy C’s Little Book blog with a summer fun interview that features reading, writing and holidays. There are photos of my Scottish country cottage and my hens and there is an international giveaway for one of my Kindle books! Click here for the link. I read an Interesting post on 'Between The Lines' blog this morning on book marketing - and was pleased to see a lovely mention of my How To Party Online book. You might also find it an interesting read. Click here for the link. I was also delighted to see a new book blogger review for my first novella ‘How Do You Voodoo?’ on Books4U this week. Nikki says: "A superb novella from author Janice Horton. An interesting storyline about a character who thinks she has it all but learns there is something missing." You can read the rest of this review by clicking here. Haste ye back here next Friday!    

The #partyon Facebook Party - Wednesday 31st July 2013

Hi everyone -  I’m getting into party mode to launch my non fiction title ‘How To Party Online’ with a party event being hosted on Facebook which is also planned to spill over to Twitter and Pinterest. I’m looking forward to seeing your friendly faces and would absolutely love it if you could pop over to attend. Please check out the party event page – I’ll be there all day on WEDNESDAY 31ST JULY from 8 till Late.
https://www.facebook.com/events/324400584360645/      THE PARTY ITINERARY   All Day on Wednesday 31st July – from Early until Late on the Party On Facebook Event Page post up your own Party Photo. ALL party peeps who post a photo of themselves at a party (any type of party you choose) will be in the draw for Amazon Vouchers! Then... 
At 10am: The Cocktail Party – This game will start on the Party On Facebook Event Page at 10am and will continue throughout the day. The idea is for you to post a picture on the Facebook Party Page (from the internet or it can be one of your own). Or alternatively, you can pick one from my ‘Cocktail Party Game Board’ on Pinterest and then post it to the Party On Facebook Event Page.  The next thing is to choose a name for your cocktail. You should make up an exotic/ funny/unusual/delicious/weird sounding cocktail name. If you want to you can even share your own recipe for it! You can also Tweet using the hashtag #partyon.      ALL entries in this game will be in a draw for an exclusive How To Party Online notebook
1pm: The Animal Party Game– This game will start on the Party On Facebook Event Page at 1pm and continue for the rest of the party. The idea is for you to post up a picture of a party animal on the Facebook Party Page (from the internet or it can be one of your own). Or alternatively, you can pick one from my ‘Animal Party Board’ on Pinterest and post it on the Party On Facebook Page. You can also Tweet using the hashtag #partyon.




 
ALL entries in this game will be in a draw for an exclusive How To Party Online notebook
3pm: The Hollywood Red Carpet Party– This game will start on the Party On Facebook Event Page at 3pm and will continue until the party ends. The idea is for you to choose which fabulous Hollywood star would escort you on the red carpet. Please post up a photograph of the star of your dreams on the Party Page or alternately choose from my ‘Hollywood Red Carpet Party Game Board’ on Pinterest and post it on the Party On Facebook Page . You can also Tweet using the hashtag #partyon



  ALL entries in this game will be in a draw for an exclusive How To Party Online notebook  PLUS: Throughout the day and in between partying I promise virtual party food, music, prizes and lots of very REAL fun! 

Do join the party over on Facebook and/or Tweet using the hashtag #partyon
Haste ye over there…!
 

The 777 Challenge

I’ve been tagged by my lovely friend Emma Calin in the 777 challenge. The rules... Go to Page 7, 70, or 170 of a current Work in Progress or recently published work and choose either the first complete paragraph or 7 lines of dialogue to share. Paste to FB and tag 7 other authors to do the same.Here is a paragraph excerpt from Page 7 of ‘How To Party Online’You might be under the impression that to be successful online, you have to have an established social network in place, but that’s not strictly true. I started promoting online without a pre-existing social platform and did so successfully. In this book, I aim to show you how you too can produce measurable results from your very first online party and, while you are working towards building up your social network, how to make it fun.And on Wednesday 31st July I’m hosting an online party to officially launch ‘How To Party Online’ and love you to join me on the day. Before then do pop over to the party page on Facebook and check it out. I promise fun and prizes!  Click HERE to check out the Facebook Party Page       How To Party Online has been chosen by Thornberry Publishing as recommended reading for all authors and writers.

Early Reviews on Amazon “This book explains, step-by-step, how to prepare for a book launch and do it with style!”
“Janice also adds a very nice personal touch. It's like getting help from a friend.”
“I'll be consulting it many times as I plan future online promotional parties.”
“This e-book will quickly become a staple on every author's ereader.”   How To Party Online is available exclusively for Kindle on Amazon UK and Amazon.com Party On! I pass this challenge onto: Linn B Halton Kit Domino Carol E Wyer Rosemary Gemmell Melanie Robertson King Joan Fleming Sara Bain