Nicola Marsh's Blog, page 48
January 28, 2012
SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY: Tag Team
It has been too long since I participated in the SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY fun!
Here's a snippet from my romantic suspense short TAG TEAM, available FREE everywhere!
Fox is a Victoria Police Special Ops leader, Lee is in the Australian Defence Force Tactical Assault Group (TAG) and specialises in biological warfare.
A major threat to Melbourne had just come through and two people with a past are forced to work together.
Was there anything the ball-breaking wonder woman couldn't do?
A brief pounding on the door had his eyes snapping open in time to see her stride into his office, her expression a study in polite professionalism, her eyes eerily blank, as if she didn't know him.
Intimately.
"You cut your hair," he said, throwing his pen on the stack of monotonous paperwork in front of him, pissed at her intrusion yet glad for the distraction.
Coralee Keaton might be a pain in the ass to work with but her taut body, long legs and impressive D cup more than compensated for the grief.
"You cut your surveillance on the Ebola job."
For more fab book snippets, check out SIX SUNDAY.
January 26, 2012
READER REVIEW: Busted in Bollywood
I'm loving the wonderful reviews coming in for BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD.
I've been pretty lax during school holidays not being online much, so haven't really posted many. Am hoping to remedy that!
Here's the latest:
Busted in Bollywood is a wonderfully magical story with charming characters, rich imagery, and a romance that will leave you breathless!
•I loved the friendship between Shari and her best friend Amrita. Their witty banter was hilarious to read about and the way they supported and cared for each other was heart-warming!
•Another character that was awesome is Amirta's auntie Anjali. Her obsession with food meant mouth watering descriptions of delicious Indian cuisines (warning: do not read on an empty stomach!) and her love for popular TV shows made her a fun and quirky character.
•As with all romantic comedies there is a swoon worthy guy that even now after finishing the book I cannot stop thinking about! The chemistry between Shari and Drew was insane, their constant banter and flirting had me smiling throughout!
•The colourful descriptions of India had me both fascinated and intrigued. I felt as if I was there with Shari on her journey of self-discovery. The plot was face-paced and unique, and as Shari begins to learn more about her Indian roots we're swept into a vivid atmosphere with Indian traditions, mad traffic, and the smell of diesel fuel!
Busted in Bollywood is a fabulous read from USA best selling author Nicola Marsh!
Huge thanks to THE PAGE TURNER for taking the time to read and review.
January 25, 2012
Tag Team #1 on Amazon bestsellers list!
January 24, 2012
Digital Book World Conference
The Digital Book World conference is happening right now in NYC and the information coming from it is fantastic!
If you're on Twitter, follow #dbw and #dbw12
And BOB MAYER is providing great wrap-ups and excellent insights as always on his blog.
If you're on Twitter, follow #dbw and #dbw12
And BOB MAYER is providing great wrap-ups and excellent insights as always on his blog.
January 23, 2012
January 22, 2012
Bargain bundle
An absolute bargain bundle, featuring 12 full length novels from Harlequin authors such as Michelle Reid, Kate Walker, Sarah Morgan, Carol Marinelli, Kate Hardy, Olivia Gates, Debra Webb, Carla Cassidy, Dana Marton, Kim Lawrence, Ally Blake, and me! (my Hot Nights with a Playboy, a favourite book that didn't get USA release.)
That's 12 novels for just over 5 pounds!
Check out this amazing value e-bundle here
January 20, 2012
WEEKEND BOOK CLUB: Liz Fielding's Little Book of Romance Writing
Welcome Liz Fielding to give us a brief insight into her brand new writing reference book, LIZ FIELDING'S LITTLE BOOK OF WRITING ROMANCE.
Begin your story at a moment of crisis, a point in time when your character's life is about to change for ever.
— Mollie Blake's Writing Workshop Notes from Secret Wedding by Liz Fielding
Mollie Blake is a woman who knows what's she's talking about. Well, obviously, I created her back in 2000 for my novella, The Secret Wedding.
How I wish I'd had someone like her around when I was starting out on my writing career. Someone to take me by the hand and ease me through the process of getting the story in my head onto paper. Explain about conflict, the importance of emotion, creating characters that the reader will care about. Alas, twenty years ago there were few "how-to" books to turn to in the UK, the internet had not been invented and I'd never heard the words "critique partner". I didn't actually know anyone else who was writing. I was on my own.
I learned by doing, by writing, being rejected, reading the writers I wanted to emulate. It was a long, slow and very steep learning curve but the one thing you need if you want to be a writer is single-minded determination. My fourth submission, An Image of You, was published in 1992 and, since then, I've had a wonderful career with more than sixty books in print.
My Little Book of Writing Romance is a straightforward writing romance primer. It's the book I wish I'd had when I was fumbling through my first attempts at writing fiction and I launched into the world this week as a hand in the dark to new writers struggling with the stuff it took me years to learn. And when you make it into print, email me to share the joy.
Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance is available from
PS – Molly Blake's story, The Secret Wedding, is available as a free online read or you can download it for .99c from Amazon.
This is the kind of book I wish had been around when I first started writing ten years ago and was totally clueless!
As I turned the pages I found myself nodding often, as Liz provides excellent tips and examples for:
-dialogue
-deep emotion
-POV
-conflict
-grabbing the reader on the first page
-creating a four-dimensional world
-a satisfying ending.
This is a great writing resource, highly recommend.
Buy at Amazon US & Amazon UK
I have Liz's latest FLIRTING WITH ITALIAN lined up to read next on my TBR pile.
What are you reading this week?
January 17, 2012
Free book!
Everyone likes a freebie so I'm giving away a free book!
My Special Ops short story TAG TEAM is now free on Amazon.
Go grab it and tell your friends!
It's a story I'd love to develop into a series one day, the characters spoke to me that much. And the heat...phew!
Let me know what you think.
January 16, 2012
AWW Challenge Review: Shift by Em Bailey
This is my first review as part of the Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012.
It has been a long time since I sat down and read a book cover to cover in one sitting, but that's exactly what I did with Shift.
Once I started I couldn't put it down.
Didn't see the major twist coming AT ALL and I always see the twist!
Riveting and creepy and goosebump-inducing, this stayed with me long after I went to bed in the wee small hours.
Quick summary: Olive is a teenager with mental health issues following the break up of her parents' marriage. She's instantly appealing and likable.
Then there's Miranda...the new girl at school who is beyond scary.
This psychological thriller warns of the dangers of letting anyone, even your friends, get too close. Spine-chilling!
Yeah, Olive does some stupid stuff sometimes by deliberately walking into dangerous situations but it didn't matter because I was totally hooked by the plot and couldn't turn pages fast enough to discover more.
Highly recommend.
It has been a long time since I sat down and read a book cover to cover in one sitting, but that's exactly what I did with Shift.
Once I started I couldn't put it down.
Didn't see the major twist coming AT ALL and I always see the twist!
Riveting and creepy and goosebump-inducing, this stayed with me long after I went to bed in the wee small hours.
Quick summary: Olive is a teenager with mental health issues following the break up of her parents' marriage. She's instantly appealing and likable.
Then there's Miranda...the new girl at school who is beyond scary.
This psychological thriller warns of the dangers of letting anyone, even your friends, get too close. Spine-chilling!
Yeah, Olive does some stupid stuff sometimes by deliberately walking into dangerous situations but it didn't matter because I was totally hooked by the plot and couldn't turn pages fast enough to discover more.
Highly recommend.
January 15, 2012
WRITING TIPS: Question to ask before 'what if?'
Another great blog post today from Larry Brooks over at
STORYFIX.
'The Question you should ask before 'what if?'
Thought-provoking.
'The Question you should ask before 'what if?'
Thought-provoking.
