Alison Stuart's Blog, page 20

Joyce Proell's BURNING TRUTH: Excerpt and Giveaway

I am passionate about supporting other historical romance writers and BURNING TRUTH by Joyce Proell is my kind of book:  a cross genre historical romance with a touch of a murder mystery. This is the second book in the Cady Delafield mystery series. The first book is A DEADLY TRUTH

Joyce is on a whirlwind book tour and I am one of the lucky stops along the way. 

She will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.

To enter the Rafflecopter just click HERE: 
ABOUT BURNING TRUTH

There’s no shortage of deadly deeds in 1881 Chicago as school administrator Cady Delafield and entrepreneur Doyle Flanagan plan their wedding. When one of Doyle’s workers is brutally killed he must use his considerable power to stop a mysterious enemy bent on destroying his reputation and business empire. But as Cady and Doyle struggle to keep their marriage on track, the murder victims might not be the only casualties.

Excerpt from BURNING TRUTH
April, 1881
 “Why, it’s outrageous!” Cady Delafield said with a laugh.
In the soft glow of the carriage lantern, she glittered in the familiar way which delighted Doyle to his very core. He’d missed seeing her bright smiles and playful attitude absent these past few weeks.
“It’s almost midnight,” she added and crimped her mouth in mock disapproval, but failed to mask her teasing. “Surely, Mr. Flanagan, you aren’t serious about traipsing about in a lumber yard near the docks at this time of night?”
“It’ll only take a minute.” Happiness strummed through his body with each hopeful sign of her recovery from the recent tragic events. She was plucky, determined and stubborn. But the death of three women and seeing a man blow his head off left a person altered. He knew this for a fact. He’d watched the man pull the trigger too.
“Besides.” He dropped a hand over his chest affecting a bit of melodrama. “Aren’t you the least bit curious to see where the master potentate, the supreme leader, the Great Poohbah—”
“Oh, please.” She thrust up a palm forestalling any more joking. “Great Poohbah, indeed!”
He chuckled and angled his long legs on the carriage seat so his knee leaned against hers. It struck him as unbelievable he’d known her only five weeks. Time enough to fall in love and fall he did with both feet crashing through the floor. His familiarity and ease with her made it seem as if they’d been the best of friends since childhood. Soon, when he believed the horrific events were behind them, when she no longer complained of nightmares or jarring flashbacks, when the world was again solid beneath her feet, he’d propose marriage. The notion made him smile.

BURNING TRUTH is availabe from Amazon, Champagne Books, Barnes and Noble  and Kobo
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ABOUT JOYCE PROELL
Joyce grew up in Minnesota and attended college and grad school in Chicago. After working in mental health, she retired at a young age to write full-time. Her first book, Eliza, was published in 2012.  A Burning Truth is the second in the Cady Delafield series. When she isn’t writing mysteries or historical romances, she loves to travel, walk, read, and do crossword puzzles. She and her husband make their home in rural Minnesota in her very own little house on the prairie. To find out more about Joyce, visit her website or Facebook page. 
DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER and be in the running to win a $20 Amazon voucher!  CLICK HERE!


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Taking tea with... Lyn Horner and some very polite cowboys...

Ty Hardin A few weeks ago my front hall was crowded with highlanders and today it is cowboys. I love cowboys - does anybody remember BRONCO?  I had a huge crush on Ty Hardin...but perhaps I am showing my age! (See gratuitous image of object of crush!)

My tea guest is Lyn Horner,  hails from Texas and writes Western historical romances with a difference (a touch of the fey!) and hails from Texas. 
Lyn is offering a giveaway (details at the end of the post)
A huge Texas “Howdy” to y'all. (Boys! Watch those spurs on my Persian rug!).  Lyn, are you a tea drinker and if so do you have a preference as to how it is served?

Thank you, Ms. Stuart. I’m delighted to be here and, yes, I love tea. May favorite is herbal mint, but I also enjoy Earl Grey.
At first glance you appear to write Western Historicals, but what I like about your books, Lyn, is that you are yet another of my writer friends who has crossed the genres… Yes, they are Western Historicals but there is a strong element of paranormal.   What have you found are the pros and cons of writing across the genres?
Crossing genres is fun. I love adding a glimmer of psychic magic and Irish myth to my western romances. It lends a sense of mystery to the stories and makes them unique. However, it also makes them a harder sell. Some readers love that dash of something different while others don’t. A few have complained that there’s not enough of the paranormal element. Can’t please them all!d
You have written a series of books (The Texas Devlins) which follow the fortunes (and loves) of three Irish siblings who come to the frontier country, bringing with them a touch of the Irish “faerie”. What was the inspiration behind this series?
True, as descendants of a secret line of Irish Celtic Druids, Jessie, Tye and Rose Devlin each possess a special psychic talent. Jessie has the gift of second sight, an ability to look into the future. In ancient times she would have been called a Druidess or Vate. In Darlin’ Irish , Jessie heads west in search of a man she’s seen countless times in prophetic dreams. My own experience with such dreams (scary, not romantic) inspired me to give her that gift. This in turn led me to endow her brother and sister with their own particular gifts.

Tye Devlin, oldest of the three sibs, is an empath. He literally feels other people’s emotions, a painful gift he has learned to block most of the time, though not when he crosses paths with a certain Texas cowgirl in Dashing Irish . Tye’s psychic power is straight out of science fiction. An episode in the original Star Trek TV series inspired me to give him that talent.
Baby sister Rose Devlin possesses the most spectacular power. She is able to heal with her mind by laying her hands on the afflicted person. Think of all the reported incidents of such healing, whether true or fake, and you’ll know where I got the idea for Rose’s gift. This ability draws leads a half-breed cowboy named Choctaw Jack to kidnap her in DearestIrish.
You are an indie published author:  What drove that decision and what are main advantages/disadvantages you have found in the experience?
I tried for years to sell my first book, originally titled Darlin’ Druid, to a traditional publisher. I had no luck, even when agented. Disillusioned, I took time off from writing to pursue my interest in genealogy. Then, in 2010, my dear friend and critique partner Sharla Rae urged me to look into Amazon’s Kindle publishing program. I did, and I self-published Darlin’ Irish in November 2010. Dashing Irish came out a year later, a prequel novella titled White Witch in early 2012,and Dearest Irish in April 2013.
The advantages of going indie are twofold. First, I have control over what I write. If I choose to cross genres, I can. Second, there are no gate keepers (editors, agents, publishing houses) to stand between me and the reading public.
Disadvantages are pretty much the same but in reverse. I don’t have an agent or editor to tell me when I take a risky turn with my stories, although I do have fantastic crit partners. Equally important, I’m not backed by a publishing house, meaning I must do my own book formatting, cover creation, uploading to various retail sites and, most time consuming of all, my own marketing. True, I can hire people to do these things, but that costs money and I’d still have to do a lot of book promotion. One thing to keep in mind, though: publishers don’t help much with marketing these days unless you’re a top tier author. (AS: so true!)
I can’t let you go without mentioning cats.  I am owned by two - the Kat brothers, Toby and Oliver, who I adore and like to think adore me but you wrangle six of them, how did you come to be adopted by so many felines and what led to the writing of “Six Cats in My Kitchen”? 

LOL! You got it right, we don’t own our cats, they own us. Actually, I’m mom to only three of the little darlings nowadays. The original six have all gone to kitty heaven, although they live on in my heart. My current brood are foundlings, just as all but one of the others were (AS: All my best cats found me!) . What led me to write about them? Well, I carried a lot of built up emotional baggage. Putting it into words while talking about how I came to have six cats, and the role each played in my family, served as a catharsis. Besides, I enjoyed sharing my furry children with readers. Lyn and her furry companions DEAREST IRISH
Dearest Irish (Texas Devlins, Rose’s Story) is the third book in a western romance trilogy set in the 1870s. This unique series features three siblings who descend from a hidden line of Irish Celtic Druids. Each possesses a rare psychic talent they hide for fear of persecution. Dearest Irish stars Rose Devlin, youngest of the three. Rose has an extraordinary ability to heal with her mind, a secret gift that has caused her great pain in the past. She also harbors another secret, one she can’t share even with her brother and sister, one that threatens her chances of ever finding love.Choctaw Jack, a half-breed cowboy introduced in Dashing Irish (Texas Devlins, Tye’s story), straddles two worlds, dividing his loyalties between his mother’s people and the family of a friend who died in the Civil War. Like Rose, he keeps shocking secrets. If they ever come to light, he stands to lose his job, possibly his life. Yet, he must risk everything to save someone he loves, even if it means kidnapping Rose.As Jack spirits Rose away into the heart of the Indian Territory, she comes to accept his reason for abducting her but fears his nearness and the unwanted feelings he stirs within her. Along the way they’re tested by natural forces and individuals, both white and red, who revile Jack and scorn Rose for riding with him. But far greater challenges lie ahead. Rose’s healing power and courage will be pushed to their limits, while Jack finds the greatest risk he faces is caring too much for his lovely paleface captive.
About Lyn Horner: Lyn Horner resides in Fort Worth, Texas– “Where the West Begins” – with her husband and several very spoiled cats. Trained in the visual arts, Lyn worked as a fashion illustrator and art instructor before she took up writing. This hobby grew into a love of research and the crafting of passionate love stories based on that research.Lyn’s Texas Devlins trilogy blends authentic Old West settings, steamy romance and a glimmer of the mysterious. This series has earned Lyn several awards, including two Reviewers Choice Awards from the Paranormal Romance Guild, the most recent for her 2013 release, Dearest Irish . She is now at work on her next book. Visit Lyn's Website for more information.

GIVEAWAY:  A free Kindle copy of Texas Devlins 4 Book bundle. This is a boxed set of the trilogy plus the prequel novella. Anyone who would like to enter the drawing should either leave their email address with a comment or contact me direct: lynhorner@outlook.com  

Writers Life: Some thoughts on Plagiarism

“I use Grammarly's plagiarism scanner because you are only cheating yourself!”


As writers we live in fear of plagiarism...our hard fought words appearing under another writer's name. Plagiarism is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as: “the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own.”

We are told “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” and if we are honest with ourselves we are probably all guilty of the occasional spot of plagiarism… the unattributed cut and paste from Wikipedia for example. I think, and this is the lawyer in me, true plagiarism requires “mens rea” and “actus reus”… a guilty mind and a guilty act. It is the deliberate act of setting out to take someone else’s work and pass it off as your own. In my time on the committee of a writing organisation I have seen it myself… a book where the characters names were changed and odd bits where the original said “gold” changed to “silver” but in all other respects the SAME book, the same words. The plagiarising author had taken someone else’s book and passed it off as their own. That is pure,unadulterated plagiarim!

Some famous plagiarists:

STEPHEN AMBROSE: In 2002 Ambrose, a highly respected historian and writer, was accused of plagiarising the work of a little known historian, Thomas Childers. In 1995 Childers had written a history of a B24 Bomber crew Wings of Morning: The Story of the Last American Bomber Shot Down over Germany in World War II. Ambrose acknowledged the book in the bibliography to his own book, The Wild Blue: The Men and Boys Who Flew the B-24s over Germany but it was discovered by Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard that large slabs of Childers book had been reproduced by Ambrose without attribution. Further investigations by Mark Lewis of Forbes.com revealed that other Ambrose books contained blatant examples of plagiarism, a career that began with his own college thesis. Sadly all this emerged just before Ambrose died of cancer and he was never held accountable. However his long, and distinguished career, was forever tainted by the stain of plagiarism.

This chart comes from the Weekly Standard's article about Ambrose, written by Fred Barnes

Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article_17198_5-great-men-who-built-their-careers-plagiarism.html#ixzz2sadBQNb3


KAAVYA VISWANATHAN: Kaavya hit the headlines in 2006, as a young Harvard student, when her book “How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild, and Got a Life” hit the NYT best seller list. A $1million book deal and movie rights were on the table and then the allegations began to surface. Huge chunks of work from Megan McCafferty were found in the book. Kaavya apologised saying she had been a huge fan of McCafferty at school and hadn’t realised how much she had “internalised her words”. That may have been plausible had not other chunks of work by Sophie Kinsella also been found in the book. Viswanathan was allowed to complete her studies and now practices as a lawyer. 
TS ELIOT: (and this for me is a personal disappointment because he is one of my favourite poets) Eliot's greatest work “The Waste Land” is largely plagiarised from the work of a lesser known poet, Madison Cawein. Cawein’s poem, also title “The Waste Land” was published in the same issue as one of Eliot’s and contains metaphors that appear word for word in Eliot’s poem of the same name. Cawein could take cold comfort in the fact Eliot also plagiarised Shakespeare and other poets in the same poem! Such flagrant “borrowing” from other work has long been justified as poetic allusion to the work of the other authors. Cawein died penniless, unacknowledged and unappreciated while Eliot remains one of the world's "greatest" poets.


Sadly in these days of the world wide web and the pressure produce books to feed an increasing appetite for “instabooks”, it is all too easy to borrow bits and pieces from all over the place and pass them off as your own cleverness. 

Don’t do it… just don’t! 

You are cheating yourself and you are violating another author’s work in a way that is similar to a physical violation. I have seen examples of blatant plagiarism where the only things changed were the names and although it was not my own writing (thank heavens!), it sickened me. When you are found out, you will be publicly humiliated and your reputation for integrity will be destroyed. No one will ever take your writing seriously again. Is it worth it for the sake of a few bucks?

And it's not just books... blogs for example. I have seen a friend's blog post reproduced almost word for word by another blogger without attribution. That is plagiarism.

So to avoid plagiarism:

Always attribute your sources in blogs and journal articles (as I have done below)If you have written a piece of fabulous purple prose and you have an uneasy feeling it may not be original, use something like Grammarly's plagiarism scanner.If you are under pressure to produce a book and the quick way out is to do a quick cut and paste from another person's book... just stop and think! Writers take plagiarism very seriously. If you are found out you will be subject to a disciplinary hearing and expelled, your reputation trashed. It is particularly stupid to think readers won't notice. If you are writing in a genre specific area, hard core readers will know!
For more information on famous plagiarists: http://www.cracked.com/article_17198_5-great-men-who-built-their-careers-plagiarism.html and http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2012/08/21/5-famous-plagiarists-where-are-they-now/ and http://www.onlineclasses.org/resources/top-10-plagiarism-scandals-of-all-time/ )

Taking Tea with...Maggi Andersen (excerpt and giveaway!)

It is always a pleasure to welcome a writer of gentility and refinement such as today’s guest, MAGGI ANDERSEN. Maggi is a fellow writer of cross-genre historical romance novels. If you like your Regency stories with a good dose of adventure, then Maggi is the writer for you. 
GIVEAWAY:  Maggi is giving away an e-book copy: A Baron in Her Bed –The Spies of Mayfair Series (Book One) for a commenter who can answer this question:  WHO IS LADY SIBELLA'S SISTER? (hint - the answer is in the excerpt!)
My dear Ms. Andersen come in, and let me pour you a cup of tea.  Do you have a favourite blend that I can provide for you?
Thank you so much for inviting me, to tea, Ms. Stuart. We drank nothing but tea in our house. My mother’s parents were both English. Tea is one thing I could never give up. English or Irish Breakfast tea is my usual fare. I like a good strong brew, with a dash of milk. I’m fussy about the cup too, no mugs for me. It has to be fine china. (AS:  Of course... George - the Wedgwood please!)
Today is Valentine’s Day… What does this day mean to you and do you have anything planned?
Celebrating the print release of Taming a Gentleman Spy with a glass of bubbly I expect. (AS:  I would join you but I am enduring Febfast at the moment... George - the sparkling grape juice!)
You are primarily known for your Victorian/Regency set Historical romances (some with suspense and mystery) but there is more to you than that. You also write contemporary mysteries/suspense set across the world and some Young Adult as well.   Following on from my recent discussion with Anna Lee Huber about writing cross genre fiction?  Would you describe yourself as a ‘cross genre author’ and if so how would you define the genre and what are the pros and cons of writing across the genres (and sometimes all in the same book)?
Being a ‘cross genre author’, used to make it hard for an author to be published in the past. Not so today. I find it impossible to define my genre. Historical romantic suspense, or contemporary young adult romantic suspense, or contemporary romantic suspense with a dash of mystery? JPublishers are growing more accepting of books which aren’t sharply defined by genre, because they can often be fresh, exciting and innovative. In the end, I write what fires my interest, because if I don’t, it’s dull.
You now write full time… what did you do in your life before writing?
When I left school, I worked in a bank, which I didn’t enjoy much because it wasn’t a creative pursuit. Although I did learn to add up huge columns of figures. After I married, I did a course in home decorating, worked in a decorating shop, which I found uninspiring because most of the customers were very conservative, and I suspect I am not. I later worked as a secretary in my husband’s law office, renovated homes and created gardens while raising three children. I also went to university and studied two degrees as an adult student.
Who or what sparked your interest in history and what was the inspiration behind your “Spies of Mayfair” series?
I was a great reader as a child and young adult. I read all the Georgette Heyer novels and still return to them. She paints a fascinating Regency world inhabited with great characters. Victoria Holt did the same with her Gothic Victorian novels. I also read crime and mystery novels. And the first book I wrote was murder mystery with a touch of romance. I was writing adventure tales when I was in primary school. Who knows where that came from? Writing is a mysterious process.
 I love to discover quirky historical facts and learn more about the way people lived back in the past. At a time which wasn’t so far removed from our own to be unrecognizable. So much change took place in the Georgian, Regency and Victorian periods. It is reflected in the art, architecture and fashion too, which are my interests.
John le Carréis a favorite author of mine and I love James Bond movies. It was during the Regency period that Britain’s spy network moved closer to the MI5 of today. The first of these spies was a diplomat, Lord Stuart de Rothesay. He served during George IVs rein. I wanted to write a blend of romance and intrigue incorporating the social mores of the Regency era. The Regency was a brief, elegant period in history, full of colour, danger, and inhabited by men and women who are almost larger than life. So I wrote the Spies of Mayfair. 
Maggi and her kookaburra friends!You are a great supporter of the RSPCA and live with your own private menagerie (including a lawyer husband).  Tell us a little about the animals in your life?
We recently lost our beloved cat to cancer. At present, I’m feeding the local wildlife and the birds. We plan to rescue another pet or two when we return from holidays. I also belong to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Australia. Last year it celebrated 30 years of finding ways to help rescue and protect animals. They do terrific work.
TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY - THE SPIES OF MAYFAIR
John Haldane, Earl of Strathairn, is on an urgent mission to find the killer of his fellow spy. Has the treasonous Frenchman, Count Forney, returned to England to wreak havoc? Or has someone new landed on English shores to stir up rebellion in the Midlands? After visiting the young widow of one of his agents, Strathairn strengthens his resolve. A spy should never marry. And most certainly not to Lady Sibella Winborne, with her romantic ideas of love and marriage. Unable to give Sibella up entirely, he has kept her close as a friend. And then, weak fool that he is, he kissed her... Lady Sibella Winborne has refused several offers of marriage since her first Season years ago -- when she first set eyes on the handsome Earl of Strathairn. Sibella's many siblings always rush to her aid to discourage an ardent suitor, but not this time. Her elder brother, Chaloner, Marquess of Brandreth, has approved Lord Coombe's suit. Sibella yearns to set up her own household. She is known to be the sensible member of the family. But she doesn't feel at all sensible about Lord Strathairn. If only she could forget that kiss...
TAMING A GENTLEMAN SPY is available on AMAZON and all reputable on line ebook stores.
ABOUT MAGGI ANDERSENMaggi Andersen lives in the countryside outside Sydney, Australia, with her lawyer husband. Her study overlooks the creek at the bottom of the garden where wild ducks gather. In spring, motorists have to stop to allow mother duck and ducklings cross the road. Kookaburras, currawongs and a variety of other birds visit for a feed. After gaining a BA in English and an MA in Creative Writing, and raising three children, Maggi now indulges her passion for writing.
She writes in several genres, contemporary and historical romances, mysteries and young adult novels. You’ll find adventure and elements of danger in everyone.
More information on her website, blog, Twitter (@maggiandersen) and Facebook (Maggi Andersen Author)
An excerpt from TAMING THE GENTLEMAN SPYLinden Hall Yorkshire, 1818

            “I trust we’ll bag a few birds on the moor tomorrow, Chaloner.” John Haldane, the 4th Earl of Strathairn, glanced at the guests enjoying the Hunt Ball in his ballroom. Bright chatter rose in the warm smoky air as decorative ladies mingled with the more soberly dressed gentlemen. “My chef plans a grouse dish flavored with juniper berries for our dinner.”             “Excellent.” The Marquess of Brandreth raised his glass. “We will be out at the crack of dawn, I daresay.” He took Strathairn’s arm and drew him into a quiet corner. “I don’t wish to strain a friendship I value, John, but I must offer a word of advice.”             “Oh?” Strathairn eyed him warily. He had liked Chaloner better before his father died. The man seemed to lose his sense of humor after inheriting the title.             “You are often seen in Sibella’s company. Don’t get too fond of her.”             Strathairn moved his shoulders in a shrug of anger. He glanced over at Sibella in her white muslin, talking earnestly to Mrs. Bickerstaff. “Your sister is intelligent and good company. I enjoy our conversations. Nothing strange about that.”             “I struggle to believe it is just that. I may not be privy to the details of the work you perform for the military, but rumors do float about the House of Lords. You must admit that due to those circumstances alone, you would not make her a good husband.”             Chaloner’s determination put him in mind of a robin with a worm. Useless to argue. With a sigh, Strathairn acknowledged that he only strove to protect his sister from possible hurt. “No need for concern,” he said. “I have no wish to marry your sister, or anyone else for that matter. I do intend to ask Lady Sibella to dance, though. Unless you think my waltzing with her will ruin her reputation.”             Chaloner huffed out a laugh and rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t enjoy having to say this to you, John, but it befalls me as head of the family. Sib has a love of home and hearth. She looks for a husband who will sit by the fire with her at night. That isn’t you, is it?”             “She deserves the best, and no, it isn’t me, Chaloner.” *            After a fruitful day in the fields shooting grouse, Strathairn and his guests made their way over the lawns to the Hall.             The gamekeeper, beaters and handlers departed for the stables with the hounds while servants came to take the birds to the kitchen.             On the terrace, Lady Sibella, in a gown the color of lilacs, sat playing cards and drinking tea with the other women in the late afternoon sun. Strathairn mounted the steps, carrying his shotgun over his shoulder, intent on returning it to the gunroom. “I trust you ladies enjoyed your day?”             “We did, my lord.” Lady Sibella’s sister, Viscountess Bathe, smiled. “Or at least those of us who have not lost our pin money at whist.”             “I see you had a successful day, my lord.” Lady Sibella eyed his gun with a faint shudder. “I saw your kill on its way to the kitchens.” He smiled. “I hope you’ll enjoy our efforts once served in a tasty sauce.”             “I expect I shall. It’s contrary of me, isn’t it?” Lady Sibella frowned up at him. “But please don’t suggest that all women are so.”             He eyed the expectant faces of the other ladies and held up his hands with a laugh. “I wouldn’t be so bold.”             “Perhaps you would like a cup of tea, Lord Strathairn.” Lady Sibella gestured to the teapot a servant was refilling with hot water. “You must be thirsty after your arduous day.”             She well knew how much he hated tea, for he’d been forced to drink it at a morning call at their house in Eaton Place. She had naughtily offered to pour it into a potted plant when her mother was distracted by another guest.             Her playful smile was delicious, and he couldn’t help grinning back. Aware of the sharp-eyes on him from around the table, he shook his head. “I’m afraid I must decline for I’m not fit for company. But, thank you.” He bowed and entered the house leaving them to resume their card game.
            Strathairn cleaned his gun and left it on the rack in the gunroom. He’d enjoyed Lady Sibella’s friendship like no other lady of his acquaintance. Her humor seemed so in tune with his and he often found she understood his thoughts before he expressed them. Damn Chaloner, he was such a stickler for convention.
Just a reminder:  Maggi is giving away an e-book copy: A Baron in Her Bed –The Spies of Mayfair Series (Book One) for a commenter who can answer this question:  WHO IS LADY SIBELLA'S SISTER?

A story for Valentine's Day... Elise Ackers

"Seated amongst all that beauty, Reese stared at the front of the last yellow envelope. As expected, her Valentine’s Day had been nothing of note. These letters – these love letters to strangers – were the only points of light in an otherwise overcast day. She wished that there were other letters out there. If not thousands for just as many wanting, deserving hearts, then just the one, intended for her." (Excerpt from DEAR STRANGER by Elise Ackers)

Add caption As Valentine's day is almost upon us... it's my great pleasure today to welcome a fellow Escape Artist, Elise Ackers with a preview of her Valentine's Day novella - DEAR STRANGER

Elise is giving away three e-copies of Dear Stranger in her Rafflecopter giveaway... Just click HERE to enter Rafflecopter.


DEAR STRANGER

A beautiful love letter to the most troublesome of holidays...

Soft-hearted Reese Ahearn is single for Valentine’s Day. Again. But that’s not going to stop her from spreading the holiday’s sentiment on the streets of Melbourne with short, sweet, anonymous love letters, left for strangers to find.

The last thing she expects, however, is a reply…

Buy on Amazon, Escape Publishing and all reputable online digital bookstores

About Elise:

Elise K. Ackers is a romantic suspense and contemporary romance author based in Melbourne, Australia. She is a 2013 Romantic Book of the Year finalist, print and ebook published with Penguin Australia, Destiny Romance and Escape Publishing, and known to do some pretty strange stuff in the name of research. 
For more about Elise and her wonderful books, visit her WEBSITE.
Read an excerpt from DEAR STRANGER

AND DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY: Click HERE

Taking Tea with... Jason Aaron Baca

It is a truism that we do judge books by their covers and this is more than evident in romance fiction. That cover has to be "just right"... I know myself what a tortuous business it is finding just the right image and how devestating it can be when you feel that the image does not reflect the story. In the world of independent book publishing there is now a service industry of editors, formatters, designers... and cover models.
Ms. Stuart's gentleman guest today is Jason Aaron Baca, who is the gallant hero on many a romance cover.  She must confess to being in a little bit of a flutter and may spill the tea while pouring it... and if you hear girlish giggling...
Mr. Baca, do take a seat?  Do you drink tea or do you prefer a coffee?
I’ll take the tea with a little honey please… thank you for letting me come sit in with you. (AS: My pleasure!)
I see from your website that you dislike boring questions so the challenge is on to find some interesting questions for you… Let’s start with how you got into the modeling business and what was the break that drove you towards being a cover model?
I got into modeling by accident. I was on location for a movie where I’d been a double for one of the main actors. The photographer of the film had pulled me aside and asked if he could take a few shots of me. It turned out to be my first big break into modeling. From there fast forward a good 8 years and my career was all but over when I’d happened to walk into a book store that had romance novels. I glanced over at one and saw a guy that looked a bit like me. I thought, hey wait a minute! This is something I’d never gotten involved in… From there, my mind was totally focused… It was in my heart, in my eyes , in my mind and it became part of my entire body. And it was at that moment that I wanted nothing more then to be a Romance Cover model!
I imagine it takes hundreds of shots to produce that one “money shot”. Can you describe a typical shoot?
Yes , you are correct, it does take quite a few shots to get that one that has all the great qualities the cover artists look for.. The lighting is just right, the attitude fits, the overall feel of the shot. There are so many photos that just don’t make the cut. And as far as how the shoots typically go, it’s hard to say because each photographer does things differently. Some will take shot after shot after shot in split seconds while others make sure the lighting is just right or get me to move more to the left or flex.
You have some wonderful ‘intimate’ shots with female cover models which are perfect for use on a romance book.  To get a reader to “buy in” to the relationship that is portrayed in the shot (sensual/tender/romantic), how do you and your fellow model approach these sort of shots?
Well it’s basically a business agreement the co-model and myself have. We meet with the photographer and art director and they give us some concepts to look over then we get into our positions and they take the shots. We both know that if they are going to have any useable material then we have to act as though we are in love or desire one another. A lot of people see these shoots of me in intimate poses with the models think we had a romantic involvement of some kind, but these are the people that don’t understand romance cover modeling so it’s strange to them. Its just like it would be strange to me to get onto a motorcycle and try to drive up a steep hill that is a ½ mile long in 15 seconds. See that to me is strange, but to those that are professionals, they are passionate about it. 
Do you have any idea how many covers you now appear on?
As of today 196 with about 7 pending. I still have a long ways to go to reach my ultimate goal in the business…
As a small boy if someone asked “What do you want to be when you grow up?” what was your reply?
A professional baseball player. And that dream stayed with me all through my high school and college years in the sport.
Finally, if someone is interested in purchasing your photos for possible book covers, where would they go?
They would go to my website http://jasonaaronbaca.deviantart.com  when they see something they want, they then look over my instructions in the journal section of the site.  
And all about Jason...   Jason began his short film career in Nash Bridges (1996) in 1996. He continued acting and residing in the Bay Area before moving on to modeling. He was discovered by a photographer on location for I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) where he had been doubling for Freddie Prinze Jr.. Jason went on to pose for some of today's top magazines including Industry , Men's Workout, Men's Fitness, YMLA Magazine, Hong Kong Silk, Joe Boxer Int., For Women UK, InStyle Magazine, Playgirl, and many others. He has been linked to actress Jennifer Love Hewitt as well as a former Miss Florida.
In 2005, Baca began modeling for romance novel covers. As of Jan 2014, he has graced the covers of over 196 romance and sci-fi novels. Jason is known best for his candid interviews with numerous author blogs expressing his concern for smooth skin and maintaining good health.
In 2011, he appeared in Men's Fitness Australia, Exercise & Health Magazine, Men's Workout, Optimyz Fitness,Natural Muscle Magazine and Scene Bay Area doing various interviews on how to stay fit and younger looking.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS OF MAKING A GOOD COVER OR THE LIFE OF A COVER MODEL... JASON WILL BE ONLY TO HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM!

Banished Love by Ramona Flightner - Blog Tour

It's a thrill to be a stop on the Goddess Fish tour for Ramona Flightner's debut historical romance, BANISHED LOVE.  Congratulations, Ramona and may it be the first of many!

Enter the Rafflecopter draw for the following prizes:
• One randomly chosen commenter will win a $50 Amazon/BN.com gift card.• Two randomly chosen hosts will each receive a $25 Amazon/BN.com gift card.
CLICK HERE TO ENTER: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43459/

And now to BANISHED LOVE  - A suffragette torn between loyalty to her class and her love for a working man...

BANISHED LOVE
Free-Spirited…Clarissa Sullivan dreams for more from life than sipping tepid tea in stifling parlors in Victorian Boston. She defies her family’s wishes, continuing to teach poor immigrant children in Boston’s West End, finding a much-needed purpose to her life.
Radical…As a suffragette, Clarissa is considered a firebrand radical no man would desire. For why should women want the vote when men have sheltered women from the distasteful aspects of politics and law?
Determined…When love blossoms between Clarissa and Gabriel McLeod, a struggling cabinetmaker, her family objects. Clarissa’s love and determination will be tested as she faces class prejudices, manipulative family members and social convention in order to live the life she desires with the man she loves.
Will she succeed? Or will she yield to expectations?'

BUY LINK FOR BANISHED LOVE:  AMAZON

ABOUT RAMONA...
Ramona Flightner is a native of Missoula, Montana. After graduating from Tufts University 
with a B.A. in Spanish, she earned a Masters degree in Spanish Literature from the University of Montana. Her Master’s thesis, Chilean Testimonial Literature: the collective suffering of a people, highlighted her continued interest in the stories of those who were at risk of being forgotten or silenced.           She studied nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and graduated with a Master’s in Nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has worked for ten years as a family nurse practitioner providing care to the poor and under insured at two community health centers, first in Wilmington, Delaware and now in Boston, Massachusetts.           An avid reader, she began writing three years ago. She enjoys the demands of research and relishes the small discoveries that give historical detail to her books.           Ramona is an avid flyfisher and hiker who enjoys nothing better than spending a day on a remote Montana river, far from a city. She enjoys research, travel, storytelling, learning about new cultures and discovering new ways of looking at the world. Though she resides in Boston, Massachusetts, Ramona remains a Montanan at heart.          Her dreams are to see the plains of East Africa, marvel at the wonder of Petra in Jordan, soak in the seas of the South Pacific, and to continue to spend as much time as possible with her family.

Find out more about Ramona and her books at her Website, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest
And an excerpt from BANISHED LOVE...

BANISHED LOVE follows Clarissa Sullivan on her journey of self-discovery as she learns what she cannot live without.
“You’ve known my beliefs for some time,” I croaked out.
“A schoolgirl’s idealism,” she snapped. “Nothing to be acted on.”
Mrs. Chickering cleared her throat, as though to remind Mrs. Smythe she remained present. “I think it takes a tremendous strength of character to have beliefs and then actually act on them,” she said with her own fervor. “I would hate for women to lock away their desires for a better world once they leave school or marry. They, as women, have lives, have hopes and dreams for the future, independent of what a man might want.”
“How dare you come into my house and tell me that what I have is not sufficient?” Mrs. Smythe gasped.
“I am saying no such thing, Mrs. Sullivan,” Mrs. Chickering replied. “I believe you need to understand that your stepdaughter has beliefs and aspirations that are different from yours.”
“Aspirations that include the vote?” Mrs. Smythe scoffed. “Men have voted in the past, they will continue to vote, and I have no desire of it. I feel as my husband does on all things to do with politics, so it would only be giving the same politician two votes rather than one. There’s no purpose to women having the vote.” Her eyes flashed, true enmity in their depths as she glared at Mrs. Chickering. “And didn’t we women of Massachusetts show you suffragettes we didn’t want the vote in’95? No one voted for women to become enfranchised then, and they won’t now.” She sighed loudly, as though trying to calm herself.
“An aspiration for independence?” Mrs. Smythe continued, unable to stop speaking. “Are you telling me that someday it should be lauded, hoped for, that young women become independent and have no need for marriage? No need for children? How could that ever be a hoped-for future? You and your group want too much for women. Women should focus on their home, on creating a moral, upstanding environment in which to raise children. She will want for nothing if she has such a home,” Mrs. Smythe argued.
“So I suppose women should remain tied to the kitchen stove with children at their ankles, and a husband who might, or might not, come home with a paycheck as their only recourse?” Mrs. Chickering countered. “Relying on the benevolence of men to write laws and enforce them without women having any involvement in the legislative process? Sitting at home knitting, hoping that men will ensure that our rights are protected? That is all you envision for women? Nothing more?”
“It has been enough for generations. I do not know why it should need to change now,” Mrs. Smythe snapped, banging down her teacup with such force I thought she might crack it.
“Was that enough for you in your first marriage, Mrs. Sullivan?” Mrs. Chickering asked, pinning her with an intense gaze.
BUY LINK FOR BANISHED LOVE:  AMAZON

And don't forget to visit the other stops on the tour and enter the Rafflecopter prize draw! CLICK HERE TO ENTER: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e43459/

Taking Tea with... Whitney KE

My tea guest this week is an Australian writer with the soul of an Irishwoman (and an intriguing pen name) - Whitney K.E.  She has brought with her something called a "Rafflecopter" for a $25 Amazon gift card so do be sure to enter it, or wind it up or whatever you do with a rafflecopter... details are at the end of the post!

Come in and find a seat, Whitney (just move those books…).  Now, before we start to chat, what is your choice of tea?
Do you have a coffee flavoured one hehe? (AS: George...coffee!)
I am intrigued by your name (which I assume is a pen name) … Whitney K-E. What is the story behind this particular choice of soubriquet?
My full name is Whitney Keevers-Eastman. And it looks ridiculous on a cover as its way too long hehe. Nothing exciting really. 
You are a self confessed Ireland-holic.  I've not a drop of Irish blood in me but I would love to visit Ireland.  What is your favourite part of Ireland (AS makes notes )?
I was over there this time last year. Looking at my diary, I’m currently in Killarney, one of my favourite places in Ireland and it also happens to be the town in which my romances take place. I love the whole of Ireland to be honest. I plan on going back as I feel I haven’t seen nearly enough of it.

When you’re not writing, what is a typical day in your life?
I work in retail, meeting interesting people and daydreaming of handsome Irishmen hehe. When I’m not working you can find me reading, at the beach, drinking coffee and although I haven’t been lately, working with my horse.
Your second story, DECEIVE ME IN IRELAND has just come out.  What was the inspiration for this story?
Deceive Me in Ireland is the second novel in my Irish series. What Happens in Ireland is my first. My inspiration? I always planned to write Cara and William’s story. It is dedicated to my sister and I hope she finds a few messages in there that I have in there. My love for Ireland is always an inspiration, but this story is mainly character driven. I loved playing with William in What Happens in Ireland. I just couldn’t ignore him any longer!

Deceive Me in IrelandBy Whitney K-E
"Never call a Kerry man a fool until you're sure he's not a rogue."
Her cousin, Kate had warned her about the Irish charm. And Cara had been foolish enough to ignore her. In Ireland to be Maid of Honor in Kate’s wedding, Cara hasn’t a clue that the handsome Irishman who is seated next to her is the infamous brother of her cousin’s fiancé. And William O’Reilly doesn’t plan on telling her. Not yet, anyway.

Silver-tongued and devilishly handsome, William had Cara wondering if he is the same man she met on the plane. Should she give him a chance or heed her cousin’s warning and keep him at a distance? 

The same unique and quirky characters from What Happens in Ireland come together again to celebrate the wedding of Kate and Jack in the fresh and humorous sequel, Deceive Me in Ireland.

Like Kate Barrow, her cousin Cara discovers that resisting the charms of an Irishman isn’t as easy as it seems. William O'Reilly is as silver-tongued as his brother, Jack and determined to make the woman realize his worth. And her own.                                        
Add Deceive Me in Ireland to your Goodreads list!
Deceive Me in Ireland will be available in ebook on Itunes, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashword and All Romance Ebooks!
And a little bit about Whitney K.E.
Filled with a passion for writing and a love for romance since the age of fourteen, Whitney can’t imagine anything else she’d rather be than an author. The owner of a grumpy thoroughbred gelding and a frisky mini foxie, Whitney lives on the east coast of Australia, spending most of her time day-dreaming about handsome heroes and turning caffeine into novels.
After travelling to the Emerald Isle, Whitney fell for the Irish charm and wrote her first novel, What Happens in Ireland. You can read more about her novels and the woman herself on her website or connect with her on facebook.
Website: http://www.whitneyk-eauthor.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitney.keauthor
HMTL FOR RAFFLECOPTER: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Taking Tea with... Vonda Sinclair (and a bunch of hunky highlanders)

My front hall is full of large highlanders (all clamouring for whisky) who appear to  be accompanying this Friday's tea guest, best selling and award winning writer of Scottish romantic historicals, Vonda Sinclair.
If you can just push through them, Vonda; George has brought through the tea trolley. What is your preference (or would you prefer a bit of the whisky and haggis to share with those delightful men you have brought with you)?
Hi, Alison! Thank you so much for inviting me (and my Highlanders) to your lovely home. Hello, George, so nice to meet you. I'm not much of a pure whisky drinker. I'd love to have some Bruadar if you have it. It's a liqueur made in Scotland with whisky, honey and sloe berries. Far more tasty (to me) than whisky. If you don't have that, I'll take some green tea. As for the haggis, it will be gone in two minutes in the presence of these hungry Highlanders.
I have a confession to make, Vonda, the romantic skirl of bagpipes just makes my ears hurt… so despite my Scottish antecedents (and Stuart, while my pen name, is also a family name), I am probably a disgrace to my clan… what is it about Scotland that draws you?
Glencoe Oh wow, there are so many wonderful things about Scotland that I love. The friendly people, the beautiful, breathtaking landscapes (usually featuring a castle by a loch) of the Highlands, the food. I love visiting all the historic and prehistoric sites. Walking through the towns, on a pebble beach, or hiking in Glencoe is an adventure (AS:  I have to agree with you there - I have wonderful memories of the King's House Hotel with the mist wreathing the valley) . 
Aye, if you're too close to the bagpiper, your ears can hurt, for the pipes are loud and shrill (AS:  Formal mess dinners in the Army killed the bagpipes for me, Vonda!) . But at a distance, with the chill Highland wind whipping, there is naught lovelier than the skirl of bagpipes. I love to bring the romance of Scotland and the bravery of the Highlanders to life in my books. (AS:  I was in a little town hidden in the high country of Victoria last year and we woke to a lone piper high above the town. It was chilling and haunting at the same time so I retract what I said about bagpipes...they have their moment!)
When you are not lost in your beloved highlands, are you writing full time or do you have a “day job” that keeps you grounded in reality?
I'm fortunate and thankful to write full time. I have the best job on earth and the perfect job for me. Since I was a child, getting lost in my own imagination was what I enjoyed most. I tried many jobs over the years before I was published, but I was miserable in most of them. Writing is definitely the thing for me. :)
Would you agree that the love affair with men in kilts began with Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series or does it go further back? Is it here to stay and do you think “Scottish Historical Romance” is now an established  sub genre of historical romance in the same way as “Regency Historical”?
Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series got me hooked on hot Highlanders. :) And I read several Highland historical romances before her books came out. I'm a huge fan of romance. Yes, I think Scottish historical romance is here to stay and it's a reader favorite. It's easy to see why. Scotland has some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. And who can resist a fierce Highland warrior in a kilt who is so loving and protective of his lady?
You’ve written 5 books in your award winning and Amazon best selling series of “Highlander” books. What is the link between the series and are there any others to come?
Yes, there are more books to come in the Highland Adventure series. I'm writing the next one now (My Rebel Highlander) about Rebbie, a sexy, entertaining Scottish earl who has been in the last four books as a secondary character and friend of the heroes of those books. Rebbie loves to tease and needle his friends, but he also helps them. 
The books are connected by family and friend relationships. The heroes of My Fierce Highlander and My Wild Highlander are brothers (Alasdair and Lachlan). The hero (Dirk) of My Brave Highlander is the friend of Lachlan. The hero of My Daring Highlander (Keegan) is the cousin of Dirk. The heroine of My Notorious Highlander (Jessie) is the sister of Dirk. Rebbie is best friends with Lachlan and Dirk. That was probably as clear as mud. LOL Each book stands alone and they can be read in any order, but it's probably best to read them in order to appreciate the relationships between all the secondary characters. Readers tell me they enjoy seeing what's going on with the heroes and heroines of the earlier books as I revisit them as secondary characters in later books. Books 3, 4 and 5 are more closely connected because some of the villains are the same. I also have plans to write about Isobel's brothers. She is the heroine in My Brave Highlander and she has five gorgeous brothers who all need to find wives. :)
MY NOTORIOUS HIGHLANDER
Chief Torrin MacLeod vows to possess and wed the spirited lady who stole his heart the previous winter. But Lady Jessie MacKay wants naught to do with the dangerous warrior, no matter how devilishly handsome and charming he is. When Torrin arrives unexpectedly at Jessie's home, along with Gregor MacBain, a man Jessie was formerly handfasted to, she is thrown off-kilter. She never wanted to see either man again, but now they are vying for her hand. Torrin promises to protect her from the devious MacBain, but how can she trust Torrin when she has witnessed how lethal he is?
The more time Torrin spends with the strong and independent Jessie, the more determined he is to win her heart. Once she allows him a kiss, he feels her passion flame as hot as his own. After she knows Torrin better, Jessie finds herself falling for the fearsome Highlander. But the odds are stacked against them. The sinister MacBain is bent on kidnapping Jessie, making her his bride and killing Torrin, while Jessie's conniving younger brother, Haldane, is determined to use Jessie to take over the castle in his older brother's absence. Jessie fears she can never be with the man she loves, while Torrin will do everything in his power to ensure they are together forever. In his heart, she is the only lady for him. Castle Stalker

    And some more about today's delightful guest, VONDA SINCLAIR 
Vonda Sinclair’s favorite indulgent pastime is exploring Scotland, from Edinburgh to the untamed and windblown north coast. She also enjoys creating hot Highland heroes and spirited lasses to drive them mad. Her books have won an EPIC Award and a National Readers' Choice Award. She lives with her amazing and supportive husband in the mountains of North Carolina where she is no doubt creating another Scottish story.Find Vonda:  My website , Be my friend on Facebook , Like my Facebook Page, Follow me on Twitter,  Join my Newsletter
AND VONDA IS OFFERING A GIVEAWAY OF MY NOTORIOUS HIGHLANDER... drop by and tell us what kind of Highland hero is your favourite?  
(AS:  ooh... Connor Macleod from the Higlander movie is my fave...and no, I am not a fan of Jamie from Outlander/Cross Stitch - I loved the first book but never got into the subsequent stories)

How I Became an Australian...or how I nearly became a Kiwi...

Ripper, bonzer, beauty...it's my turn to be part of the great AUSTRALIA DAY BLOGHOP. I'm as chuffed as a kookaburra with a beak full of sausage, straight off the barbie. Thank you to the wonderful Annie Seaton for her hard work in herding a bunch of wayward Aussies into some semblance of order!




"I am... you are... we are Australian..."
That song , “I am Australian” has a particular poignancy for me and never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
In October 2002 we were living in Singapore. My husband was already commuting to his job in Melbourne but I had remained in Singapore to allow my eldest son to finish his schooling at the Australian International School. The Year 12s were a week off finishing their exams when the Bali bombings occurred. Of the 202 people killed at Kuta Beach, 88 were Australians. Nothing, short of war, could have had such a devastating affect on Australia. A week later and it could have been half of the young people from the AIS who had been planning “schoolies” in Bali. As it was the Singapore Rugby 7s had been playing in a tournament on Kuta and several members were killed, many injured. We all knew someone who was directly affected.
The Australian High Commissioner opened up the High Commission to the Australian expatriate community for a memorial service. The place was packed, a community united by shock and grief. The High Commissioner spoke of the importance of “tribe” and how the tribe comes together in times of trouble and sadness. The Australian school choir sang “I am Australian”. Men and women, larrikin Aussies all, wept. It was in that moment I really understood what it was to be Australian.
You see I was not born Australian, although through a quirk in my family tree, I should have been. My great great grandparents were Australian born and bred, tracing their lineage back to 1798 - to a country that had been settled by Europeans for less than 10 years. I can point to my convict roots and make claim to being Australian “royalty” but whatever their own reasons my great+ grandparents decided to “return” to England in the 1860s and that particular branch of the family settled into comfortable middle class life in London.
I was therefore born a “British” citizen at the end of the British Empire, in the dying days of colonial life, in Nairobi, Kenya. My mother had been born in Kenya where her father had gone as a colonial civil servant in the 1920s and my father, following a long and divergent route, had decided to end his British army career in a country he fell in love with and, I suspect, mourned to his dying day. Independence came in 1963 and my parents decided that modern Kenya held no future for their children but where to go? They could not bear the thought of returning “home” to a country neither of them had lived in for twenty years and to which they felt no allegiance. So they decided to have a look at New Zealand.
A good military man, my father was all booked for his reconnaissance trip to the land of the long white cloud. He even had an introduction to then Governor of NZ. It looked like I would live out my life pronouncing my name “Ulison”. Unfortunately I gave him mumps and the trip had to be cancelled. Months passed and he decided perhaps Australia might be worth a look so off he went, returning with a stuffed koala bear and favourable reports. There was a large expatriate community of ex Kenyan colonials in Perth and that would be where we would move. The one city he had nothing good to report on was a miserable, cold city on the bottom of the country, where all the pubs closed at 6.00pm. If we lived nowhere else we would not, he declared, ever live in Melbourne.

My travel diary for the move... showing indications of the writer I would become... Kilmanjaro -  "Its splendour showing radiant against the blue sky..." Mauritius on route to Perth We had to meet with a visiting member of the Australian parliament to prove, we suspected, that my mother (and indeed my brother and I!) was white. The late 1960s marked the dying days of the "White Australia Policy" and my mother's own birth in Kenya may have aroused suspicions! 

In July 1968, as approved migrants travelling under the General Assistance Package Scheme (not quite ten pound poms but pretty close!), the move was made and our little family transposed from Nairobi to Perth. I had studied Australia at school in Nairobi and I knew all about the Ord River scheme (yes, really!) but it was something of a disappointment to find that kangaroos did not live in the back yard of our rented house in Subiaco. In fact my parents might as well have moved me to the moon.  I am not sure I even spoke the same language as the girls at St. Marys Church of England Grammar School. 

A forlorn Perth school girl 1968In my first few months in Perth I survived the Meckering earthquake and  the running of some sort of horse race in far off much derided Melbourne which necessitated the Grade 5 girls clustered around a radio at the end of the school grounds during lunch hour (for the record, the 1968 Melbourne Cup won by Rain Lover). I can't say those early days in my new country were very happy. I was definitely the odd one out.

Dad couldn’t find work in Perth. My parents carefully eked out savings were beginning to run out and despite strident advice from my mother’s father (always a plain speaker), they decided it had all been a terrible mistake and we would move to South Africa. We were booked on the next boat to South Africa when a job opportunity came up in ... Melbourne. The passage to South Africa was cancelled and we moved to the cold miserable city where the pubs closed at 6.00pm.
I loved Melbourne from the moment we stepped into a taxi at the airport. I blossomed at my new school. I made lifelong friends. There were a few adjustments to be mad... a nasty moment in my first week at my new school when it was discovered I didn’t know the National Anthem (God Save the Queen) and disparaging notes were sent home to my mother. (BTW I can still sing the Kenyan national anthem!)
An Australian with the paper to prove it! My life in Kenya slipped into the furthest recesses of my mind and on 21 November 1977 at the age of 18 I became an Australian - I even have the piece of paper to prove it. Actually we all became Australians, even my father who grumbled at the inequity of being made to swear allegiance to the same monarch he had served as a British Army Officer for 15 years. However not for us, the public ceremonies where you are presented with a gum tree or a wattle with much singing of the National anthem (the newly minted Advance Australia Fair to which NO ONE knew the words). Dad arranged for private, oddly impersonal, meetings with a public servant in a gloomy office somewhere in the city. Mr. Albert Terence Stuckey “Migration Officer” signed me off as having sworn the the proper oath of allegiance and I was officially Australian, completing a circle begun by my convict ancestress in 1798.
One last tie bound me to my British citizenship. I still had a British passport. In 1984 I married an Australian and the unmitigated bureaucratic nightmare of travelling internationally with a spouse on a different passport forced my hand and I surrendered my passport. I was now 100% Australian and the mother of two little Australians.
It is only when I speak, that the well enunciated vowels of a colonial past slip out and betray my non-Australian background. I can’t change the way I speak. That will be with me forever, but for those who think I do have an English accent - stick me in England and you will see that what I have is a peculiar accent that is neither English nor Australian but the product of both.
My 3 year sojourn as an Expat in Singapore sealed the deal (despite the accent becoming more pronounced!). I loved being an Australian abroad. I may have been a member of the British Club but it was in the company of Aussies - at the opening of the Sydney Olympics, at Melbourne Cup functions, watching the AFL Grand Final with the airconditioning way down and wrapped in scarves, putting on an Australia Day morning tea for the ExxonMobil spouses… and standing with my tribe at the ANZAC Day dawn service or weeping while the children sang “I am Australian” at the Bali Memorial Service -  that I really understood what it was to be Australian. Dinky di, true blue Australian...
MY GIVEAWAY:  As you probably know I mostly write historicals set in the seventeenth century, long before Australia was "discovered" but I yearned to write a book with an Australian character, that reflected the experience of being an Australian. In GATHER THE BONES I have an Australian heroine, Helen Morrow, and I am giving away a copy of this multi-award nominated, Amazon best seller to a lucky commenter who can tell me their favourite fictional Australian (is it Crocodile Dundee? Edna Everidge? errr... how many fictional Australians do we have???). AND DON'T FORGET MY LATEST BOOK:  CLAIMING THE REBEL'S HEART is now out now on AMAZON and where all good ebooks are sold. 

AND LASTLY, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, PLEASE ENTER THE BLOG HOP'S OWN RAFFLECOPTER CONTEST. A $100 Amazon voucher and other prizes are on offer. Entry below!!!

Happy Australia Day on the 26th January
Alison