Marie Laval's Blog, page 4
July 11, 2017
The Romance of the Lake District by Helena Fairfax
I am delighted to have author Helena Fairfax on the blog today. I always love Helena's romantic stories, and I am very much enjoying reading her latest novel, FELICITY AT THE CROSS HOTEL, a wonderful romance set in the spectacular Lake District, which was released last Friday.
Hello Helena and congratulations on the release of your novel. I have to say that I absolutely love your cover!
The Lake District has just been designated a World Heritage Site by Unesco, and deservedly so. I am lucky to live not too far away and try to visit at least once a year. We went to Coniston last August and absolutely loved it, even if we had a bit of a misadventure when walking up The Old Man, but that's another story...
Tell me, why did you choose to set your romantic novel in the Lakes?
Is there a better setting for a romance novel than the Lake District? With its spectacular landscape, its green mountains and the shining lakes, Cumbria has been inspiring writers for centuries. In the nineteenth century Cumbria inspired a whole school of poets – the "Lake Poets" of the Romantic Movement. The most famous of these poets is Wordsworth. Nearly every school child has heard of Wordsworth's host of golden daffodils, and in some ways his poetry has become devalued because it's now so often quoted. But actually, even in his day Wordsworth had his critics. Byron once said of him, "What will any reader out of the nursery say to such namby-pamby?"
To be honest, I have to agree with Byron about the "namby-pamby". I find Wordsworth's poetry a bit too simplistic and a little childish in its optimism. Here is the last verse of "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
It's strange that Wordsworth wrote mainly about the gentle beauty of the Lake District– the dancing daffodils - when there is also so much that's dark and dramatic. Besides the romance of the landscape, the setting of the Lake District is also perfect for a novelist because a soft, sunny day can swiftly turn threatening. Patrick Cross, the hero of my novel, is grieving the death of his friend, who died because of an act of recklessness while diving in the still, green waters of the lake. There have been many deaths in the mountains and lakes of Cumbria, and in my book I've dwelt on the contrast between the beauty and the danger of the landscape.
Derwent WaterIt's a shame that nowadays some parts of the Lake District are inundated with tourists, and the roads in summer are very often clogged. But it's only in recent times that the Lakes have become a tourist destination, and there are many quieter areas that have remained unchanged for centuries. Alone in this magnificent landscape, away from the traffic, you can't help but feel a part of a long, long history of the soil that stretches back thousands of years.
Lots of people have fallen in love in this wonderful setting, but there are some exceptions. Bill Clinton was famously moved to propose to Hillary for the first time by the shores of Ennerdale Water, but she turned him down. Obviously there are some people who remain unmoved by the romance of the Lakes!
Ennerdale Water, scene of Bill Clinton's proposal, Trevor Harris via Wikimedia CommonsWill love blossom for Patrick Cross and Felicity Everdene, the hero and heroine of my novel? Here is the blurb to Felicity at the Cross Hotel:
A quaint hotel in the Lake District. The Cross Hotel is the perfect getaway. Or is it?
Felicity Everdene needs a break from the family business. Driving through the Lake District to the Cross Hotel, past the shining lake and the mountains, everything seems perfect. But Felicity soon discovers all is not well at the Cross Hotel …
Patrick Cross left the village of Emmside years ago never intending to return, but his father has left him the family’s hotel in his will, and now he's forced to come back. With a missing barmaid, a grumpy chef, and the hotel losing money, the arrival of Felicity Everdene from the notorious Everdene family only adds to Patrick’s troubles.
With so much to overcome, can Felicity and Patrick bring happiness to the Cross Hotel … and find happiness for themselves?
Author Biography :
Helena Fairfax is a British author who was born in Uganda and came to Englandas a child. She's grown used to the cold now which is just as well, since these days she lives in an old Victorian mill town in the north of England, right next door to the windswept Yorkshire moors. Helenawalks this romantic landscape every day with her rescue dog, finding it the perfect place to dream up her heroes and her happy endings. Subscribers to Helena's newsletter receive news of free stuff, competitions with prizes, gossip, and links to cool websites she's been looking at when she should have been writing.
Thank you very much for being my guest today, Helena. I had no idea Bill Clinton has proposed to his Hillary in the Lake District! Congratulations once again on your release. Felicity at the Cross Hotel is a wonderful read.
Amazon universal buy link for Felicity at the Cross Hotel: http://mybook.to/FelicityCH
Social Media Links
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cR_m71
Website: www.helenafairfax.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HelenaFairfax/
Twitter https://twitter.com/HelenaFairfax
Pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/helenafairfax/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/helenafairfax/
Hello Helena and congratulations on the release of your novel. I have to say that I absolutely love your cover!
The Lake District has just been designated a World Heritage Site by Unesco, and deservedly so. I am lucky to live not too far away and try to visit at least once a year. We went to Coniston last August and absolutely loved it, even if we had a bit of a misadventure when walking up The Old Man, but that's another story...
Tell me, why did you choose to set your romantic novel in the Lakes?
Is there a better setting for a romance novel than the Lake District? With its spectacular landscape, its green mountains and the shining lakes, Cumbria has been inspiring writers for centuries. In the nineteenth century Cumbria inspired a whole school of poets – the "Lake Poets" of the Romantic Movement. The most famous of these poets is Wordsworth. Nearly every school child has heard of Wordsworth's host of golden daffodils, and in some ways his poetry has become devalued because it's now so often quoted. But actually, even in his day Wordsworth had his critics. Byron once said of him, "What will any reader out of the nursery say to such namby-pamby?"
To be honest, I have to agree with Byron about the "namby-pamby". I find Wordsworth's poetry a bit too simplistic and a little childish in its optimism. Here is the last verse of "I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud":
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
It's strange that Wordsworth wrote mainly about the gentle beauty of the Lake District– the dancing daffodils - when there is also so much that's dark and dramatic. Besides the romance of the landscape, the setting of the Lake District is also perfect for a novelist because a soft, sunny day can swiftly turn threatening. Patrick Cross, the hero of my novel, is grieving the death of his friend, who died because of an act of recklessness while diving in the still, green waters of the lake. There have been many deaths in the mountains and lakes of Cumbria, and in my book I've dwelt on the contrast between the beauty and the danger of the landscape.
Derwent WaterIt's a shame that nowadays some parts of the Lake District are inundated with tourists, and the roads in summer are very often clogged. But it's only in recent times that the Lakes have become a tourist destination, and there are many quieter areas that have remained unchanged for centuries. Alone in this magnificent landscape, away from the traffic, you can't help but feel a part of a long, long history of the soil that stretches back thousands of years.Lots of people have fallen in love in this wonderful setting, but there are some exceptions. Bill Clinton was famously moved to propose to Hillary for the first time by the shores of Ennerdale Water, but she turned him down. Obviously there are some people who remain unmoved by the romance of the Lakes!
Ennerdale Water, scene of Bill Clinton's proposal, Trevor Harris via Wikimedia CommonsWill love blossom for Patrick Cross and Felicity Everdene, the hero and heroine of my novel? Here is the blurb to Felicity at the Cross Hotel: A quaint hotel in the Lake District. The Cross Hotel is the perfect getaway. Or is it?
Felicity Everdene needs a break from the family business. Driving through the Lake District to the Cross Hotel, past the shining lake and the mountains, everything seems perfect. But Felicity soon discovers all is not well at the Cross Hotel …
Patrick Cross left the village of Emmside years ago never intending to return, but his father has left him the family’s hotel in his will, and now he's forced to come back. With a missing barmaid, a grumpy chef, and the hotel losing money, the arrival of Felicity Everdene from the notorious Everdene family only adds to Patrick’s troubles.
With so much to overcome, can Felicity and Patrick bring happiness to the Cross Hotel … and find happiness for themselves?
Author Biography :
Helena Fairfax is a British author who was born in Uganda and came to Englandas a child. She's grown used to the cold now which is just as well, since these days she lives in an old Victorian mill town in the north of England, right next door to the windswept Yorkshire moors. Helenawalks this romantic landscape every day with her rescue dog, finding it the perfect place to dream up her heroes and her happy endings. Subscribers to Helena's newsletter receive news of free stuff, competitions with prizes, gossip, and links to cool websites she's been looking at when she should have been writing.
Thank you very much for being my guest today, Helena. I had no idea Bill Clinton has proposed to his Hillary in the Lake District! Congratulations once again on your release. Felicity at the Cross Hotel is a wonderful read.
Amazon universal buy link for Felicity at the Cross Hotel: http://mybook.to/FelicityCH
Social Media Links
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cR_m71
Website: www.helenafairfax.com
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HelenaFairfax/
Twitter https://twitter.com/HelenaFairfax
Pinterest https://uk.pinterest.com/helenafairfax/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/helenafairfax/
July 6, 2017
Author Jenny Twist takes us to beautiful Morocco!
I am continuing my tour of Africaand the authors of the romantic suspense anthology ESCAPE TO AFRICA, which will be released by the World Romance Writers on July 14th as an ebook, and on July 15th as a print book.
Let your wild side free and Escape to Africa! Come along on an adventure through these 6 stories brought to you by 6 best-selling, award-winning authors.
You’ll uncover tales of an undercover operative in Casablanca, a safari guide in the Serengeti, students on holiday in Morocco, time-traveling agents in Tripoli, vengeance in Algeria, and deadly secrets in Carthage. Each of these stories will captivate you with love, danger, intrigue, and excitement. What better way to Escape?
Hello Jenny and welcome. What were your initial thoughts about the theme for the anthology?
When World Romance Writers told me the theme for the next anthology was to be romantic suspense set in Africa, I told them I couldn’t do it since I know nothing about Africaand I don’t even know what romantic suspense means. Then one of my friends said, “I know for a fact you’ve been to Morocco. You’ve got pictures of it all over your Face Book page.” I felt like a complete twit.
Of course I know Morocco. I’ve been there twice and loved it both times.
The problem was it sort of didn’t feel like a foreign country. For a start it’s practically just down the road from me. I live half-way up a mountain in Spainand on a clear day I can see the Rif mountains of Morocco poking over the horizon.
The other thing is that the part of Spain I live in was ruled by the Moors for hundreds of years and was, in fact, the last Moorish stronghold when the Christian monarchs finally drove them out. Our buildings, our landscape and much of our culture was shaped by the Moors. So when I went to Morocco, I found it very familiar.
The major difference was that everything was miles cheaper than in Spainand that you can’t have a beer with your lunch. The only place you can drink alcohol is in tourist hotels. That is, in fact, for me, the only thing that prevents Moroccofrom being a paradise.
Casa Joya, Jenny's houseHow lucky you are to live in such a beautiful place, and in a hot climate. Having suffered many Lancashirerainy and grey summers, I can only envy you! What you tell us about the setting of your story?
Tangiers is a typical tourist town, full of shops, restaurants and hotels. The hotel where we stayed was a delightful example of Old Raj splendour gone to seed. Beautiful carved wooden panelling, a huge sweeping ‘Scarlet O’Hara’ staircase sweeping down beneath a gorgeous stained glass skylight. The reception rooms and bars were luxuriously furnished. It was all a little shabby but somehow endearing.
However, upstairs was rather different. At some point someone had had the bright idea of refurbishing all the bedrooms in formica and white plastic. Even the headboards and bedside tables were plastic. This gave you the uncomfortable feeling that you were in a Wendy House.
The pianist in the bar was a total delight. I won’t describe him here, since he figures in the story and I don’t want to spoil it. Just take it from me we had one of the most entertaining nights ever.
Moroccan market, courtesy of PixabayWe didn’t go on any of the wonderful tours on offer in the hotel lobby, nor did we accept the services of any of the ‘guides’, so perhaps our experience wasn’t typical. We just wandered through the streets, shopping and stopping to eat from time to time. I bought two leather handbags, my friend bought a djellaba (the loose, flowing, Kaftan-like garment beloved of tourists) and my husband bought a pair of bright orange slippers with those pointy toes that curl up at the end. I’ve never seen them since. I wonder what happened to them?
They sound like the kind of fun slippers a genii might like! Where else did you visit in Morocco?
Blue door, ChefchouenLater we visited Chefchouen . . . it was a joy. The town was founded by Jews driven out of Granadaby the Christian monarchs. It is typically Spanish with narrow, winding, cobbled streets lined with stalls, a Moorish fort and a delightful place by the riverbank where the women still do their washing. I was told they all have washing machines but for large or heavy things, such as carpets, they still go to the river. Indeed, when we went we saw all the carpets hanging over the walls to dry.
But the really amazing thing about Chefchouen is that the houses are painted blue! This is nothing to do with Smurf films. Legend has it that that was the Granadastyle and they brought it with them.
Granada is not painted blue now, so maybe Chefchouen is your only chance of seeing what Granadamight have been like under the Moors.
ChefchouenI would go back. I intend to go back. The next time we have guests who are staying long enough to make it worthwhile I want to go again. It seems a shame not to share it. Meantime I have written about it.
I was lucky enough to read your fast-paced romantic suspense story before anybody else, and I really enjoyed it!
Incidentally I still don’t know what romantic suspense is. I googled it and nobody else seems to know either with any degree of confidence. Therefore I have written a sort of thriller with a romance in it and introduced as much suspense as I could.
I would be really grateful for comments on this when the book comes out.
I am sure you will get lots of compliments on your story, Jenny. Thank you very much for being my guest on the blog today.
Here is the blurb for Jenny Twist's story - An Object of Desire
Two students on holiday in Morocco discover that two sinister looking characters are following them. They meet an attractive man who offers to take them to their next destination. All seems well until one of the girls disappears.
ESCAPE TO AFRICA is available for pre-order at the special price of £0.99 here
Let your wild side free and Escape to Africa! Come along on an adventure through these 6 stories brought to you by 6 best-selling, award-winning authors.
You’ll uncover tales of an undercover operative in Casablanca, a safari guide in the Serengeti, students on holiday in Morocco, time-traveling agents in Tripoli, vengeance in Algeria, and deadly secrets in Carthage. Each of these stories will captivate you with love, danger, intrigue, and excitement. What better way to Escape?
Hello Jenny and welcome. What were your initial thoughts about the theme for the anthology?
When World Romance Writers told me the theme for the next anthology was to be romantic suspense set in Africa, I told them I couldn’t do it since I know nothing about Africaand I don’t even know what romantic suspense means. Then one of my friends said, “I know for a fact you’ve been to Morocco. You’ve got pictures of it all over your Face Book page.” I felt like a complete twit.
Of course I know Morocco. I’ve been there twice and loved it both times.
The problem was it sort of didn’t feel like a foreign country. For a start it’s practically just down the road from me. I live half-way up a mountain in Spainand on a clear day I can see the Rif mountains of Morocco poking over the horizon.
The other thing is that the part of Spain I live in was ruled by the Moors for hundreds of years and was, in fact, the last Moorish stronghold when the Christian monarchs finally drove them out. Our buildings, our landscape and much of our culture was shaped by the Moors. So when I went to Morocco, I found it very familiar.
The major difference was that everything was miles cheaper than in Spainand that you can’t have a beer with your lunch. The only place you can drink alcohol is in tourist hotels. That is, in fact, for me, the only thing that prevents Moroccofrom being a paradise.
Casa Joya, Jenny's houseHow lucky you are to live in such a beautiful place, and in a hot climate. Having suffered many Lancashirerainy and grey summers, I can only envy you! What you tell us about the setting of your story?Tangiers is a typical tourist town, full of shops, restaurants and hotels. The hotel where we stayed was a delightful example of Old Raj splendour gone to seed. Beautiful carved wooden panelling, a huge sweeping ‘Scarlet O’Hara’ staircase sweeping down beneath a gorgeous stained glass skylight. The reception rooms and bars were luxuriously furnished. It was all a little shabby but somehow endearing.
However, upstairs was rather different. At some point someone had had the bright idea of refurbishing all the bedrooms in formica and white plastic. Even the headboards and bedside tables were plastic. This gave you the uncomfortable feeling that you were in a Wendy House.
The pianist in the bar was a total delight. I won’t describe him here, since he figures in the story and I don’t want to spoil it. Just take it from me we had one of the most entertaining nights ever.
Moroccan market, courtesy of PixabayWe didn’t go on any of the wonderful tours on offer in the hotel lobby, nor did we accept the services of any of the ‘guides’, so perhaps our experience wasn’t typical. We just wandered through the streets, shopping and stopping to eat from time to time. I bought two leather handbags, my friend bought a djellaba (the loose, flowing, Kaftan-like garment beloved of tourists) and my husband bought a pair of bright orange slippers with those pointy toes that curl up at the end. I’ve never seen them since. I wonder what happened to them? They sound like the kind of fun slippers a genii might like! Where else did you visit in Morocco?
Blue door, ChefchouenLater we visited Chefchouen . . . it was a joy. The town was founded by Jews driven out of Granadaby the Christian monarchs. It is typically Spanish with narrow, winding, cobbled streets lined with stalls, a Moorish fort and a delightful place by the riverbank where the women still do their washing. I was told they all have washing machines but for large or heavy things, such as carpets, they still go to the river. Indeed, when we went we saw all the carpets hanging over the walls to dry. But the really amazing thing about Chefchouen is that the houses are painted blue! This is nothing to do with Smurf films. Legend has it that that was the Granadastyle and they brought it with them.
Granada is not painted blue now, so maybe Chefchouen is your only chance of seeing what Granadamight have been like under the Moors.
ChefchouenI would go back. I intend to go back. The next time we have guests who are staying long enough to make it worthwhile I want to go again. It seems a shame not to share it. Meantime I have written about it.I was lucky enough to read your fast-paced romantic suspense story before anybody else, and I really enjoyed it!
Incidentally I still don’t know what romantic suspense is. I googled it and nobody else seems to know either with any degree of confidence. Therefore I have written a sort of thriller with a romance in it and introduced as much suspense as I could.
I would be really grateful for comments on this when the book comes out.
I am sure you will get lots of compliments on your story, Jenny. Thank you very much for being my guest on the blog today.
Here is the blurb for Jenny Twist's story - An Object of Desire
Two students on holiday in Morocco discover that two sinister looking characters are following them. They meet an attractive man who offers to take them to their next destination. All seems well until one of the girls disappears.
ESCAPE TO AFRICA is available for pre-order at the special price of £0.99 here
June 30, 2017
Alicia Dean on Africa, Romance and Acacia Trees!
Welcome to Alicia Dean, one of six authors featuring in ESCAPE TO AFRICA, an anthology of romantic suspense stories to be released as an ebook on July 14th and print book on July 15th. This is the third anthology by the World Romance Writers, and I am delighted to have stories in the first anthology and Escape to Africa too.
Let your wild side free and Escape to Africa! Come along on an adventure through these 6 stories brought to you by 6 best-selling, award-winning authors.
You’ll uncover tales of an undercover operative in Casablanca, a safari guide in the Serengeti, students on holiday in Morocco, time-traveling agents in Tripoli, vengeance in Algeria, and deadly secrets in Carthage. Each of these stories will captivate you with love, danger, intrigue, and excitement. What better way to Escape?
Hello Alicia, and welcome. Can you tell us a little about your story?
Of course. The story is called Dying to Love You. Here is the blurb:
After dying for the third time, unloved and unlovable Autumn Baines is running out of chances to avoid purgatory. For her latest life, she’s sent to the Serengeti, where she’ll have to perform a selfless act and find someone to love her. She sees her chance with the arrival of widowed father Logan McBride and his teen daughter.
Faced with an opportunity to make a tremendous sacrifice, she’ll have to decide…can she forego her eternal happiness to give them theirs?
What an intriguing storyline! What went through your mind when you agreed to take part in the anthology?
When I agreed to write a story in Africa, I was a bit intimidated. I was unfamiliar with the continent, and to be honest, uninterested. I knew I wanted a place where safari tours were available, and I landed on the Serengeti. I set about researching and my apathy soon became amazement.
You must have done a lot of research. What interesting facts did you come across?
I learned all sorts of interesting facts about the people, the animals, and even the plant life. Some of the facts made it into the story, others did not. One fascinating tidbit that I really wanted to use, but couldn’t make work, was about the Castor Bean plant. Many West African tribes used the poisonous beans from the plant as a lie detector for handing down decisions in court. The accused would be fed numerous beans. If God miraculously allowed them to live, it meant they were innocent. If they died (which I imagine was the most common outcome), that would ‘prove’ they were witches or possessed by demons. Uh, yeah, that sounds fair. I still might use it one of these days… Uh, in a story, not on a person. J One tidbit I did mention in the story, which I thought was fascinating, was about the acacia tree. This is taken directly from my story, the best way to explain. J
Its hook-shaped thorns act as a deterrent against grazers. Despite the thorns, some herbivores still feed on the trees. The trees can release a toxin known as tannin, which can be lethal to animals if ingested. Acacia trees also have another chemical defense system, whereby they release a chemical called ethylene, which ‘warns’ other acacias in the vicinity. Within fifteen minutes, all the neighboring trees increase the tannin levels in their leaves, making the area unappetizing to tree-grazing animals. Giraffes tend to eat downwind from the trees, in the hope that the trees do not alarm each other. They usually only graze for a short time before moving on to the next tree. Trees warning one another? Didn’t God create an incredible world?
That's absolutely fascinating indeed! Thank you very much, Alicia, for being my guest today.ESCAPE TO AFRICA is available for pre-order at the special price of £0.99 here
June 23, 2017
Round Robin: The importance of researching characters...
Thank you so much for including me in your 'round robin' this month to talk about June's topic: How do you go about developing your characters for a story? How much time do you spend or does it just happen in the writing process? What inspires it?
I write romance, which is a character-driven genre. For me, the most important in a romance novel is the characters, the conflict and the chemistry between them. If readers care about your heroine and fall in love with your hero (or vice-versa!), then they'll want to turn the pages to find out what happens to them, and how they overcome challenges to find happiness together. If your characters aren't believable or endearing enough, then you run the risk of losing your reader, no matter how exciting your plot, that's why it is so important to spend some time thinking about the characters and developing their personality, their background, and motivations.
Photo courtesy of PixabayWhat makes an endearing heroine? You may be tempted to turn her into the kind of woman who trips over every five minutes, keeps blurting out silly comments or believes every lie people tell her. Or into a weak, self-pitying one you want to shake when she gets taken advantage of again. Or again portray her as a harsh, uncaring, and ambitious woman who will trample all over others to get at what she wants. Characters, like people, are complex. It's all right for a heroine to be distracted or have a few silly moments, or to appear cold and unfeeling at times, as long as her she has good reasons to be like that.
Her moods, and the way she reacts to events are down to her background and the past experiences which shaped her personality, as is her ultimate goal, which will become apparent as the story unfolds.
What about the hero? In a romance novel, heroes have to be confident and successful, although that doesn't necessarily mean rich - I personally have had enough of billionaires! I mean, how many of them are there around? He too has a story, a secret buried deep in his past which made him what he is today. He doesn't have to handsome, but he needs to have a strong presence. He must be someone the heroine, and the reader of course, can fall in love with. You don't have to describe him in detail - the reader needs to form their own impression of him, by seeing how he moves, listening to his voice, and feeling his anger or his ambition.
I remember once attending a romance writing workshop and the tutor saying in a very dismissing way that no reader could possibly dream about a man dressed in a cardigan holding the heroine's hand whilst gazing at the stars. Really? Since then (that was a few years ago), cardigans have become quite fashionable for young hipster men, and what's wrong with holding hands whilst looking at a summer night sky?
Although I am by nature what is called a 'pantser', I always have a good idea about what happened in my characters' life to shape their personality and make them what they are, and that involves carrying out some basic research.
One of the books I regularly re-read is 'On Writing Romance' by the brilliant Leigh Michaels. She advises writers to compile lists about their hero and heroine. For example, what is their worst nightmare or what would their dream holiday be? What are their most important material possessions, why, or what would they save if they could only rescue one thing from a fire? (actually that reminds me of one of my favourite films - Leap Year). What would they like to change about themselves - and the world? What are their favourite foods and drinks? What do they like to wear, not to wear? What job do they have, or what is their ideal job? And the list goes on.
Photo courtesy of PixabayOften, the basic research into my characters starts with finding the perfect name. I look through lists of names from different geographical areas over different periods until I find the name that clicks. The surnames too have to be consistent with my characters' personality. I will confess here that one of my secret resources for finding surnames are maps, especially maps of Dorset and Somerset, where hamlets and villages often have unusual and often poetic names, perfect for my characters' surname. I love maps!
I realised recently that many of my villains had surnames starting with 'M' - Malleval, Mortemer, Morven, Melville (all name places, by the way!) - although I'm not sure what that means...I once received a critical review of my very first historical romance, Angel Heart, from a reader who complained that my protagonists' name were 'too French', 'too complicated' and too 'old-fashioned'! Well, the characters were French, and the story was set in the early nineteenth century. I couldn't call them Sharon, Mike or Bailey, could I? Yet I supposed the reader had a point. If you can't pronounce your hero or heroine's name, or if they sound too exotic, you might be put off...
Finding names is all very well, but what about the setting of the story, or your characters' living space? Unfortunately it's not always possible to visit the setting of the story, walk through an old cottage or a manor house, and get that 'first-hand' experience of the place.
Lovely fountain in Provence
My hometown Lyon, FranceI can say that out of all the settings for my novels and short stories, the only ones I have personal experience of was Provencewhere I used to holiday as a child, and where I have returned since with my children, and Lyon where I am from originally.
I therefore find the internet invaluable. I love Google Earth, real estate websites, YouTube clips of towns or tourist sites, and television programmes I can watch at leisure on my laptop. I also listen to music from the area where my story is set to get in the mood. While writing my historical romance The Lion's Embrace I listened to Tuareg and Algerian music, and it was wonderful.
Photo courtesy of PixabayAnd when writing my Dancing for the Devil Trilogy, which is set in Scotland, I had Scottish folk songs on all the time. In fact, that's how I found the titles of the three short books that form the trilogy: The Dream Catcher, Blue Bonnets and Sword Dance, which are titles of traditional Highland dances.
Photo courtesy of PixabayThe first purchases I make when I start a new novel are always a road map and a good travel guide of the area where the story is set. I love maps...did I mention that already?
To conclude, I can say that I find research essential, useful and incredibly enjoyable - too enjoyable at times. I often find anecdotes which send me to a totally different direction than the one I had planned originally. I am also aware of my limitations and the last thing I want is to get some important detail so wrong that I will lose all credibility with readers.
I hope you enjoyed reading my post. Please click on the links below to visit the blogs taking part in the Round Robin!
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.wordpress.com
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
Marci Baun http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich http://wp.me/p3Xihq-YV
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com
I write romance, which is a character-driven genre. For me, the most important in a romance novel is the characters, the conflict and the chemistry between them. If readers care about your heroine and fall in love with your hero (or vice-versa!), then they'll want to turn the pages to find out what happens to them, and how they overcome challenges to find happiness together. If your characters aren't believable or endearing enough, then you run the risk of losing your reader, no matter how exciting your plot, that's why it is so important to spend some time thinking about the characters and developing their personality, their background, and motivations.
Photo courtesy of PixabayWhat makes an endearing heroine? You may be tempted to turn her into the kind of woman who trips over every five minutes, keeps blurting out silly comments or believes every lie people tell her. Or into a weak, self-pitying one you want to shake when she gets taken advantage of again. Or again portray her as a harsh, uncaring, and ambitious woman who will trample all over others to get at what she wants. Characters, like people, are complex. It's all right for a heroine to be distracted or have a few silly moments, or to appear cold and unfeeling at times, as long as her she has good reasons to be like that. Her moods, and the way she reacts to events are down to her background and the past experiences which shaped her personality, as is her ultimate goal, which will become apparent as the story unfolds.
What about the hero? In a romance novel, heroes have to be confident and successful, although that doesn't necessarily mean rich - I personally have had enough of billionaires! I mean, how many of them are there around? He too has a story, a secret buried deep in his past which made him what he is today. He doesn't have to handsome, but he needs to have a strong presence. He must be someone the heroine, and the reader of course, can fall in love with. You don't have to describe him in detail - the reader needs to form their own impression of him, by seeing how he moves, listening to his voice, and feeling his anger or his ambition.
I remember once attending a romance writing workshop and the tutor saying in a very dismissing way that no reader could possibly dream about a man dressed in a cardigan holding the heroine's hand whilst gazing at the stars. Really? Since then (that was a few years ago), cardigans have become quite fashionable for young hipster men, and what's wrong with holding hands whilst looking at a summer night sky?
Although I am by nature what is called a 'pantser', I always have a good idea about what happened in my characters' life to shape their personality and make them what they are, and that involves carrying out some basic research.
One of the books I regularly re-read is 'On Writing Romance' by the brilliant Leigh Michaels. She advises writers to compile lists about their hero and heroine. For example, what is their worst nightmare or what would their dream holiday be? What are their most important material possessions, why, or what would they save if they could only rescue one thing from a fire? (actually that reminds me of one of my favourite films - Leap Year). What would they like to change about themselves - and the world? What are their favourite foods and drinks? What do they like to wear, not to wear? What job do they have, or what is their ideal job? And the list goes on.
Photo courtesy of PixabayOften, the basic research into my characters starts with finding the perfect name. I look through lists of names from different geographical areas over different periods until I find the name that clicks. The surnames too have to be consistent with my characters' personality. I will confess here that one of my secret resources for finding surnames are maps, especially maps of Dorset and Somerset, where hamlets and villages often have unusual and often poetic names, perfect for my characters' surname. I love maps! I realised recently that many of my villains had surnames starting with 'M' - Malleval, Mortemer, Morven, Melville (all name places, by the way!) - although I'm not sure what that means...I once received a critical review of my very first historical romance, Angel Heart, from a reader who complained that my protagonists' name were 'too French', 'too complicated' and too 'old-fashioned'! Well, the characters were French, and the story was set in the early nineteenth century. I couldn't call them Sharon, Mike or Bailey, could I? Yet I supposed the reader had a point. If you can't pronounce your hero or heroine's name, or if they sound too exotic, you might be put off...
Finding names is all very well, but what about the setting of the story, or your characters' living space? Unfortunately it's not always possible to visit the setting of the story, walk through an old cottage or a manor house, and get that 'first-hand' experience of the place.
Lovely fountain in Provence
My hometown Lyon, FranceI can say that out of all the settings for my novels and short stories, the only ones I have personal experience of was Provencewhere I used to holiday as a child, and where I have returned since with my children, and Lyon where I am from originally. I therefore find the internet invaluable. I love Google Earth, real estate websites, YouTube clips of towns or tourist sites, and television programmes I can watch at leisure on my laptop. I also listen to music from the area where my story is set to get in the mood. While writing my historical romance The Lion's Embrace I listened to Tuareg and Algerian music, and it was wonderful.
Photo courtesy of PixabayAnd when writing my Dancing for the Devil Trilogy, which is set in Scotland, I had Scottish folk songs on all the time. In fact, that's how I found the titles of the three short books that form the trilogy: The Dream Catcher, Blue Bonnets and Sword Dance, which are titles of traditional Highland dances.
Photo courtesy of PixabayThe first purchases I make when I start a new novel are always a road map and a good travel guide of the area where the story is set. I love maps...did I mention that already?To conclude, I can say that I find research essential, useful and incredibly enjoyable - too enjoyable at times. I often find anecdotes which send me to a totally different direction than the one I had planned originally. I am also aware of my limitations and the last thing I want is to get some important detail so wrong that I will lose all credibility with readers.
I hope you enjoyed reading my post. Please click on the links below to visit the blogs taking part in the Round Robin!
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.wordpress.com
A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
Marci Baun http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich http://wp.me/p3Xihq-YV
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com
May 28, 2017
Welcome to The Vineyard in Alsace by Julie Stock
Hello Julie and welcome to the blog. As a French native, I am always delighted to read novels set in France, and even more delighted when the location is a little different. Alsace is a beautiful region but I must say that I haven't read many novels set there yet.
I absolutely love this cover. Can you tell us a little about the novel?
The Vineyard in Alsace is a second chance at love story between Fran and Didier who were in love at university but split up when she went to take a job in London. She returns to Alsace after her fiancé cheats on her and finds herself working on Didier’s vineyard. Little by little, they fall in love all over again but they have to overcome a few obstacles obviously before they can have their happily ever after.
A vineyard... How lovely! Can you tell us a little about you?
I’m a contemporary romance author and to date, I have independently published two novels. Setting is especially important to me so my first novel, published in 2015, travelled between Dorset and Nashville, and my latest one is set on a vineyard in Alsace in France.
I love to travel but most of the time, I live in Bedfordshire with my family.
Tell me, Julie, where do you get your ideas for your stories?
So far, my books have been inspired by my love of travel and also my interests. So my first book was about singing and country music, and my love of all things Nashville! My second book came about through my love of Franceand the French language, and also the fact that I used to work for a mail-order wine merchant some years ago. My next book is set in a restaurant – can you see a pattern emerging?!
Yes indeed! In three words - What kind of man is Didier, your hero?
Aidan Turner lookalike!
In three words - What kind of woman is Fran, your heroine?
Determined, independent, loving.
What is the one thing you absolutely need to write? (quiet, music, an empty house?)
I need to know where the story is going! I’ve just been suffering from a bit of a block but today, I came through it and now I can see where I’m heading again.
I am a complete pantser, so I can sympathise when you say you get stuck sometimes. I often have to backtrack and change everything. What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on my next book – the one set in a restaurant - and I’m about a third of the way in. I have written an outline but things never quite seem to work out the way I plan... I have my plot planned and I know who my main characters are but my characters always seem to take the plot a different way!
WORD ASSOCIATION FUN TEST!
day light; busy; time.night awake; darkness; quiet.
winter dark; cold; long.
summer sun; rain; salad.
romance heart; happiness; together.
writing joy; hard; achievement.
music essential; happiness; singing.
hair grey; nightmare; short.
love family; music; food.
ring wedding; union; eternity.
Thank you very much, Julie, for being my guest today, and I wish you lots of success with A Vineyard in Alsace.
Thank you very much for having me as a guest on your blog, Marie.
Blurb Is there really such a thing as a second chance at love?
Fran Schell has only just become engaged when she finds her fiancé in bed with another woman. She knows this is the push she needs to break free of him and to leave London. She applies for her dream job on a vineyard in Alsace, in France, not far from her family home, determined to concentrate on her work.
Didier Le Roy can hardly believe it when he sees that the only person to apply for the job on his vineyard is the same woman he once loved but let go because of his stupid pride. Now estranged from his wife, he longs for a second chance with Fran if only she will forgive him for not following her to London.
Working so closely together, Fran soon starts to fall in love with Didier all over again. Didier knows that it is now time for him to move on with his divorce if he and Fran are ever to have a future together. Can Fran and Didier make their second chance at love work despite all the obstacles in their way?
The Vineyard in Alsace is a contemporary romance set against the enticing backdrop of the vineyard harvest in Alsacein France.Amazon
EXCERPTFran
‘Here, you can have this back!’ I wrenched my engagement ring from my finger and flung it in the general direction of their naked bodies, huddled together under the sheet on the bed. Our bed. ‘I obviously won’t be needing it any more.’
‘What the hell, Fran?’ The thunderous look on Paul’s face as the ring pinged against the metal bedframe almost made me doubt myself. I closed my eyes briefly. Don’t let him control you. You are definitely not the guilty party!
I took one last look at him and then I turned and ran. I kept on running, as far and as fast as my legs would take me, blood pounding in my ears, my long hair whipping around my face. The whole time my mind raced with thoughts of his double betrayal.
Eventually, my body couldn’t take any more and I stopped on the pavement near an underground station, doubled over and panting from the effort. Once I’d got my breath back a bit, I gave Ellie a call. She picked up on the first ring.
‘Hey, Fran, how are you?’
That question pushed me over the edge into full-blown sobbing and once I’d started, I couldn’t stop.
‘What’s the matter? Where are you? Is Paul there? Talk to me, please!’
‘Hold on a minute,’ I managed to choke out, wiping my face on the sleeve of my t-shirt. ‘I’m at the Tube station and I need a place to stay. Paul…Paul…well, there is no Paul and me any more.’
I heard her sharp intake of breath before she said, ‘Of course you must come here. Will you be okay on your own or do you want me to come and get you?’
‘No, I’ll be okay. I should be about half an hour. Thanks, Ellie.’ I rang off and made my way down into the depths of the Tube, grateful that I would have somewhere to stay so I didn’t have to go back home tonight. Afterwards, I couldn’t remember finding my way to the platform. I was so distracted by all that had happened and in such a short space of time but the next thing I knew, I was squashed into a seat on a crowded rush-hour carriage, trundling north on the Northern line.
No-one spared me a second glance on the train. It was oddly calming to be sitting among complete strangers in my misery and to know I didn’t have to explain myself. I wrapped my arms protectively around my body. Why on earth had Paul done this to me? I wracked my brain as the train rattled on, but I could make no sense of it.
When I arrived at Ellie’s, she scooped me into her arms at once for a hug, which only made me start crying again. She patted my back comfortingly, and eventually the tears subsided.
‘Why don’t I get us both a drink and then you can tell me everything that’s happened?’
Author Bio
Julie Stock is an author of contemporary romance from around the world: novels, novellas and short stories. She indie published her debut novel, From Here to Nashville, in February 2015 and has just published her second novel, The Vineyard in Alsace. A follow-up novella to From Here to Nashville is also in progress, as well as the next novel.
She blogs regularly on her website, 'My Writing Life.' You can also connect with her on Twitter and via her Facebook Author Page.
She is a proud member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors.When she is not writing, she works part-time for a charity as a communications officer, and freelance as a web designer and supply teacher. She is married and lives with her family in Bedfordshire in the UK.
I absolutely love this cover. Can you tell us a little about the novel?
The Vineyard in Alsace is a second chance at love story between Fran and Didier who were in love at university but split up when she went to take a job in London. She returns to Alsace after her fiancé cheats on her and finds herself working on Didier’s vineyard. Little by little, they fall in love all over again but they have to overcome a few obstacles obviously before they can have their happily ever after.
A vineyard... How lovely! Can you tell us a little about you?
I’m a contemporary romance author and to date, I have independently published two novels. Setting is especially important to me so my first novel, published in 2015, travelled between Dorset and Nashville, and my latest one is set on a vineyard in Alsace in France.
I love to travel but most of the time, I live in Bedfordshire with my family.
Tell me, Julie, where do you get your ideas for your stories?
So far, my books have been inspired by my love of travel and also my interests. So my first book was about singing and country music, and my love of all things Nashville! My second book came about through my love of Franceand the French language, and also the fact that I used to work for a mail-order wine merchant some years ago. My next book is set in a restaurant – can you see a pattern emerging?!
Yes indeed! In three words - What kind of man is Didier, your hero?
Aidan Turner lookalike!
In three words - What kind of woman is Fran, your heroine?
Determined, independent, loving.
What is the one thing you absolutely need to write? (quiet, music, an empty house?)
I need to know where the story is going! I’ve just been suffering from a bit of a block but today, I came through it and now I can see where I’m heading again.
I am a complete pantser, so I can sympathise when you say you get stuck sometimes. I often have to backtrack and change everything. What are you working on at the moment?
I am working on my next book – the one set in a restaurant - and I’m about a third of the way in. I have written an outline but things never quite seem to work out the way I plan... I have my plot planned and I know who my main characters are but my characters always seem to take the plot a different way!
WORD ASSOCIATION FUN TEST!
day light; busy; time.night awake; darkness; quiet.
winter dark; cold; long.
summer sun; rain; salad.
romance heart; happiness; together.
writing joy; hard; achievement.
music essential; happiness; singing.
hair grey; nightmare; short.
love family; music; food.
ring wedding; union; eternity.
Thank you very much, Julie, for being my guest today, and I wish you lots of success with A Vineyard in Alsace.
Thank you very much for having me as a guest on your blog, Marie.
Blurb Is there really such a thing as a second chance at love?
Fran Schell has only just become engaged when she finds her fiancé in bed with another woman. She knows this is the push she needs to break free of him and to leave London. She applies for her dream job on a vineyard in Alsace, in France, not far from her family home, determined to concentrate on her work.
Didier Le Roy can hardly believe it when he sees that the only person to apply for the job on his vineyard is the same woman he once loved but let go because of his stupid pride. Now estranged from his wife, he longs for a second chance with Fran if only she will forgive him for not following her to London.
Working so closely together, Fran soon starts to fall in love with Didier all over again. Didier knows that it is now time for him to move on with his divorce if he and Fran are ever to have a future together. Can Fran and Didier make their second chance at love work despite all the obstacles in their way?
The Vineyard in Alsace is a contemporary romance set against the enticing backdrop of the vineyard harvest in Alsacein France.Amazon
EXCERPTFran
‘Here, you can have this back!’ I wrenched my engagement ring from my finger and flung it in the general direction of their naked bodies, huddled together under the sheet on the bed. Our bed. ‘I obviously won’t be needing it any more.’
‘What the hell, Fran?’ The thunderous look on Paul’s face as the ring pinged against the metal bedframe almost made me doubt myself. I closed my eyes briefly. Don’t let him control you. You are definitely not the guilty party!
I took one last look at him and then I turned and ran. I kept on running, as far and as fast as my legs would take me, blood pounding in my ears, my long hair whipping around my face. The whole time my mind raced with thoughts of his double betrayal.
Eventually, my body couldn’t take any more and I stopped on the pavement near an underground station, doubled over and panting from the effort. Once I’d got my breath back a bit, I gave Ellie a call. She picked up on the first ring.
‘Hey, Fran, how are you?’
That question pushed me over the edge into full-blown sobbing and once I’d started, I couldn’t stop.
‘What’s the matter? Where are you? Is Paul there? Talk to me, please!’
‘Hold on a minute,’ I managed to choke out, wiping my face on the sleeve of my t-shirt. ‘I’m at the Tube station and I need a place to stay. Paul…Paul…well, there is no Paul and me any more.’
I heard her sharp intake of breath before she said, ‘Of course you must come here. Will you be okay on your own or do you want me to come and get you?’
‘No, I’ll be okay. I should be about half an hour. Thanks, Ellie.’ I rang off and made my way down into the depths of the Tube, grateful that I would have somewhere to stay so I didn’t have to go back home tonight. Afterwards, I couldn’t remember finding my way to the platform. I was so distracted by all that had happened and in such a short space of time but the next thing I knew, I was squashed into a seat on a crowded rush-hour carriage, trundling north on the Northern line.
No-one spared me a second glance on the train. It was oddly calming to be sitting among complete strangers in my misery and to know I didn’t have to explain myself. I wrapped my arms protectively around my body. Why on earth had Paul done this to me? I wracked my brain as the train rattled on, but I could make no sense of it.
When I arrived at Ellie’s, she scooped me into her arms at once for a hug, which only made me start crying again. She patted my back comfortingly, and eventually the tears subsided.
‘Why don’t I get us both a drink and then you can tell me everything that’s happened?’
Author Bio
Julie Stock is an author of contemporary romance from around the world: novels, novellas and short stories. She indie published her debut novel, From Here to Nashville, in February 2015 and has just published her second novel, The Vineyard in Alsace. A follow-up novella to From Here to Nashville is also in progress, as well as the next novel.
She blogs regularly on her website, 'My Writing Life.' You can also connect with her on Twitter and via her Facebook Author Page.
She is a proud member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and The Society of Authors.When she is not writing, she works part-time for a charity as a communications officer, and freelance as a web designer and supply teacher. She is married and lives with her family in Bedfordshire in the UK.
May 11, 2017
Find Me at Willoughby Close by Kate Hewitt
It's been a busy week for me on the blog! Today I am delighted to welcome talented author Kate Hewitt and her novel FIND ME AT WILLOUGHBYCLOSE, which is part of the Willoughby Close series but can be read as a standalone. I really enjoyed the story and you can find my review below. There is also a great giveaway at the bottom of this post, so don't miss out!
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Release Date: 14/03/2017
Series – Willoughby Close #3 (can be read as a standalone)
Welcome to Willoughby Close… a charming cluster of cozy cottages, each with a story to tell and a happy ending to deliver…
Harriet Lang had the perfect life, so she's left reeling when everything is taken from her in one fell swoop. Suddenly, Harriet learns her beautiful farmhouse in the Cotswolds is double-mortgaged, her husband Richard’s been unceremoniously fired—and he’s become a little too close to his young, sexy assistant.
Harriet moves into Willoughby Close with her three children, trying to hold her head up high. With the help of her neighbour and newfound friend Ellie Matthews, Harriet starts to rebuild her life--but dipping a toe in the dating pool feels strange and meanwhile her children are struggling in different ways. She wonders if starting over is really possible...
Then Willoughby Close begins to weave its healing magic on both her and her children, and Harriet begins to see a way forward. She even starts to date sexy local vet Tom Roberts--but when Richard reappears in her life, wanting to make amends, Harriet must make the painful decision about how much of the past can be forgiven—and what kind of future she is fighting for.
My Review :
I must confess that I didn't Harriet very much at first. She lives in a dream house furnished and decorated by an interior designer. She spends money without ever looking at price tags, drives a huge four wheel drive, organises PTA fund-raising events, and ferries her children to after-school clubs every evening of the week. All she seems concerned about is appearances and fitting in with the other 'yummy mummies' of her beautiful Cotswolds village. When she finds out that her husband has been having telephone conversations at night with his sexy young secretary, that he was fired from his high-pressure job in London and that they have to drastically change their lifestyle, all she does is complain, wallow in self-pity and worry about keeping up appearances. She doesn't ask herself if she was in any way to blame for their marital or financial problems. And then I realised that Harriet doesn't like herself much either, or at least she doesn't like what she has become over the years. Once she and her three children move into their small cottage at Willoughby Close, and as they adapt to their new, smaller, shabbier surroundings, to the lack of money and life without Richard, Harriet starts to think back to the days when she and Richard first lived together - the days when they didn't have much money but shared plenty of love and laughter. Her outlook on herself, on her marriage and what is really important shifts and it's as if a new person - or rather the old Harriet - emerges.Kate Hewitt's writing style is very lively and engaging. The author certainly knows how to bring her characters to life, and once I started reading I really wanted to find out how it would all end. I now would love to find out what happens to Harriet's neighbours at Willoughby Close, and I will be reading the other stories in the series.Find Me at Willoughby Close is a an engaging journey of self-discovery, and reminds us that money, a beautiful country house and all the latest 'in' accessories aren't important, and in any case not more important than love and family. EXTRACT
“Come on,” Harriet said now, as she climbed resolutely out of the car and gave them all as cheerful a smile as she could. “Let’s check it out.”
The movers had already come; Harriet had marked what furniture to take from their house to Willoughby Close, and it had been a depressingly small amount. The big, bespoke kitchen table wouldn’t fit, and the huge dresser with all the pottery she’d collected over the years wouldn’t either. In fact, at least two-thirds of their furniture was going into storage, which was expensive, but Harriet couldn’t bear to lose all of it along with the house. They’d need it when Richard got his job, and they bought something bigger.
She’d spent hours and hours, weeks and months, selecting all the furniture for the house, with the help of the expensive interior decorator who had more or less held her hand through the entire process. She’d bought tasteful antiques interspersed with fresh modern pieces, carpets and kilims from various holidays, watercolors and oil paintings of places that were meaningful to them. Sophie had once said, with admiration that bordered on envy, that Harriet’s house could be featured in Country Life.
And so it would again. This was a blip, damn it. Things were going to get better. Richard was going to find a job, he’d said so, and they’d get back their house or buy an even better house, and she’d live there without him, happy and defiant. Or something like that. She couldn’t picture specifics yet, but she couldn’t stand the thought of the rest of her life looking like… this.
The children trooped silently behind her as she fumbled with the keys and then opened the door to number two. The smell of fresh paint and emptiness hit her like a smack in the face. It was the smell of fresh starts, and she didn’t want one.
She stepped inside, reaching for the lights. Although it was only four in the afternoon it was already getting dark, the skies heavy and low with gray clouds. Spring felt a long way off, despite the fact that it was mid-February, and the spattering of snowdrops interspersed with an early crocus or two that she’d seen on the drive in.
“This is it?” Mallory’s voice rang through the empty space, scornful and incredulous. William kicked at the skirting board, scuffing the pristine white paint. Chloe stuck her thumb in her mouth.
“Yes, this is it,” Harriet said, trying to pitch her tone somewhere between firm and bright. “It’s lovely, isn’t it?”
BUY LINKS
AMAZON
KOBO
iBOOKS
GOOGLE BOOKS
About the author:
Kate Hewitt is the author of over 65 novels of women’s fiction and romance. Whichever the genre, she loves telling a compelling and emotional story. An American ex-pat and former New Yorker, she now lives in a small market town in Wales with her husband and five children. You can learn more about her books and life at http://www.kate-hewitt.com. Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KateHewittAuthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/katehewitt1
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1269244.Kate_Hewitt
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katehewitt1/
Blog: http://www.acumbrianlife.blogspot.co.uk
Website: http://www.kate-hewitt.com
GIVEAWAY
1stPrize - £10 Amazon Gift Card
2ndPrize – a print copy of MEET ME AT WILLOUGHBY CLOSE (book 1)
GIVEAWAY OPEN INTERNATIONALLY<a class="rcptr" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/disp..." rel="nofollow" data-raflid="4be03017232" data-theme="classic" data-template="" id="rcwidget_9wh4ltxj">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>
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May 10, 2017
Abi's Neighbour by Jenny Kane
Hello, Jenny and welcome!
Thank you for inviting me along today on Day 4 of my Abi’s Neighbour blog tour!Abi’s Neighbour, the second novel to feature Abi Carter, is set in the Penwith region of Cornwall; an area which included Lands End, Penzance, Sennen, St Just, and a myriad of beautiful villages in between.
I really enjoyed Abi's House, so I was delighted to return to Cornwall for Abi's Neighbour! Cornwall is a very beautiful county. I have only been there once for a short holiday but I would love to return one day. How important is the Cornish setting in both novels?
I have no doubt that the Abi’s House, the first of my two ‘Abi’ novels, did so well because of the gorgeous Cornish setting. This got me to thinking about what it would be like to introduce a character into Abi’s life that really doesn’t want to be in Cornwallat all. A character who doesn’t like the seaside or anything to do with it.
Blurb for Abi’s Neighbour
Abi Carter has finally found happiness. Living in her perfect tin miner’s cottage, she has good friends and a gorgeous boyfriend, Max. Life is good. But all that’s about to change when a new neighbour moves in next door.
Cassandra Henley-Pinkerton represents everything Abi thought she’d escaped when she left London. Obnoxious and stuck-up, Cassandra hates living in Cornwall. Worst of all, it looks like she has her sights set on Max.
But Cassandra has problems of her own. Not only is her wealthy married lawyer putting off joining her in their Cornish love nest, but now someone seems intent on sabotaging her business.
Will Cassandra mellow enough to turn to Abi for help – or are they destined never to get along?
Complete with sun, sea and a gorgeous Cornwallsetting, Abi’s Neighbour is the PERFECT summer escape. Buy links-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Abis-Neighbour-Jenny-Kane/dp/178615028X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487006698&sr=1-1&keywords=abi%27s+neighbour
https://www.amazon.com/Abis-Neighbour-Jenny-Kane/dp/178615028X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487006868&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+Neighbour+by+Jenny+Kane
Tell me, Jenny, how did you come up with Cassandra' character?
Cassandra Henley-Pinkerton was so much fun to invent and write about. She is a complicated lass to say the least- not to mention perfectly made up, dressed, confident and successful. Your basic nightmare!
Cassandra finds herself in Sennen, in the house next door to Abi, hiding from her lover’s wife. A million social miles from London, she is out of her depth for the first time in her life- and to make things worse- there’s no Wi-FI!
She also hates the seaside.
What? Really? How s that even possible? Everybody loves the seaside!
Well- umm...confession time- I’m not keen on it either! I like seaside villages and wandering along coastal paths and everything else about the seaside- but not the actual beach. I hate the way sand gets everywhere, and how the seagulls attack the litter bins, and seaweed- I can’t stand seaweed....so I sort of know where Cassandra is coming from. Although, I hasten to add, I’m not like her in any other way!!
It’s going to take a miracle for Cassandra to adjust to Cornish life...
Author Bio
Jenny Kane is the author of the full length romance novels Abi’s Neighbour, (Accent Press, 2017), Another Glass of Champagne (Accent Press, 2016), Abi’s House (Accent Press, 2015), the contemporary romance/medieval crime time slip novel Romancing Robin Hood(Accent Press, 2014), the best selling contemporary romance novel Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013), and its novella length sequels Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014), and Christmas at the Castle (Accent Press, 2015).Keep your eye on Jenny’s blog at www.jennykane.co.uk for more details.
Jenny also writes erotica as Kay Jaybee and historical crime as Jennifer Ash.
Social Media Links
Web site – www.jennykane.co.uk
Twitter- @JennyKaneAuthor
Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/JennyKaneRom...
Amazon Author Page - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jenny-Kane/e/B00HYZIL1E/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1492502979&sr=8-2-ent
Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7255618.Jenny_Kane?from_search=true
Thank you ever so much for hosting my blog today Marie.
Happy reading everyone. I hope you enjoy all the stops on my tour.
Jenny xx
You are very welcome, Jenny. Congratulations on the release of Abi's Neighbour and good luck for the rest of the blog tour!
May 9, 2017
THE OTHER SIDE by Kaylor Ward
I am delighted to welcome author Kaylor Ward to talk about her writing and her novel THE OTHER SIDE, a fascinating read to be released on May 14th 2017 by Parker Press Publishing. There are fantastic prizes to be won, including a Kindle Fire! Scroll down to the bottom of the post to enter.
Hello Kaylor, and thank you very much for being my guest! Can you tell us a little about you?
I did always want to write, but it never really occurred to me that I could. I don’t know why that was the case. I think, looking back, it was because on some level I didn’t think I understood people enough to write, which is very strange, because I now know that I have incredibly good insight and awareness of both myself and others.
I did science A levels and a degree in engineering, or all things! I was a dreadful engineer. I lasted four months in my first job before transferring to the marketing department. I have spend most of my career working for myself as a business consultant and coach, and it is the coaching part which has had most impact on my writing. There is a lot of psychology to being a good coach, and I studied it at masters level. As my writing develops, getting inside the human psyche and condition is my passion.
I also had a pretty traumatic experience with my first marriage when my husband upped and left when my son was just ten months old, and he never came back. This inspired Manic Mondays, my first novel, which was based on a different woman, Catherine Blake whose husband did the same thing.
My writing is about broken family life and people struggling to rebuild and hold onto the people who matter. There are also light moments in my writing, so maybe bittersweet is a good word to use. So, you can begin to see how my writing ideas work. When I hear a story about a broken family, a man fighting to see his child, a woman accused of being mentally unstable, domestic abuse, etc (the list is endless) I start to think about the psychology of that.
What is THE OTHER SIDE about?
The Other Side is a novel of love and loss with a strong element of psychology running through it. Our hero, Rick, and our heroine, Lauren, struggle with their inner worlds as they fight to keep their outer worlds together. Family bonds and love are both their strength and are also their failure.
The couple are both in their second marriage, and their first marriages and the baggage that entails has a huge influence on their lives. They are left an allotment by a family friend, and against Lauren’s initial best judgement, they take it on. They throw themselves into the ‘good life’ with high spirits, and all is well until a new family move into one of the cottages on the other side of a high stone wall that borders their allotment.
Rick is working on the allotment one day when he hears the voice of a woman calling the children in for dinner. He recognises the voice as his ex wife, and the woman who forced him to leave his children behind seven years ago. As Rick sinks into a world of obsession, Lauren believes that Rick is repeating what happened to her in her first marriage, and is having an affair.
As they struggle with their separate journeys, the twist at the end is both shocking and heartbreaking.
This story sounds fascinating. What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working a sequel to The Other Side. I’ve not written a series before, so I thought it might be good to try. Side By Side is the next episode in Lauren’s life as she is once again thrown into a situation that she cannot fathom, and she finds herself caught in a web of distrust and fear as she fights to keep her family together.
Choosing the names of my characters is one of the things I enjoy the most when writing a new story. What about you? How do you chose the name of your characters?
I find this really tricky. I know what not to name a character, and so when the family sits round the table making suggestions I’m like an ace tennis player bouncing it right back at them, with a ‘thanks, but not quite’, and then someone will come up with something, and I’ll give them a thumbs up. I write contemporary fiction, and so names need to be current and also fit the age of the character. A name needs to fit the expectation of my readers as well, so it does need plenty of consideration. I also try to pick names (not always, though) that are likely to last, and not immediately age, so I ask my twenty year old son and teenage daughter if they know people with the names – that’s how Lauren came to be named, and Jack, and Kate, and Beth. Rick’s name found him, so although none of the children know anyone called Rick, it fit him.
What comes first when you are thinking of a new story - the plot or the characters?
The idea for a story, usually comes with that – the initial idea, and it will usually be prompted by something that I see firsthand, or am told by someone, or something that I hear about. So, I think that it’s definitely the plot that comes first.
I start to think about the experience from different angles, and ask myself, ‘What it would be like if that happened?’ and, ‘how would those people react, behave and deal with that as a situation, and what if there was a twist here and there that they didn’t see coming?’ And then I’m up and running.
Thank you so much, Kelly, for being my guest today. I wish you a lot of success with THE OTHER SIDE.
And now for the Word Association Fun Test!
winter – fire, walks, mud!
summer – sea, boats, sky
writing – freedom, passion, creativity
music – guitar, singing, festivals
love - loss, family, bonds
Author Bio
Kaylor Ward, originally from London, now lives in South Wales. She worked for many years as a management consultant and trainer, writing part-time until her first book was published under the name, Michaela Weaver (Manic Mondays). She has studied creative writing at Masters level, and in addition to her writing she is a qualified Writing Coach. Michaela is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association, and a reader for their New Writers' Scheme. Michaela writes cross genre contemporary fiction with psychological twists often about the darker side of family and domestic life.Facebook www.facebook.com/kaylorward
Twitter @kaylorward
THE OTHER SIDE
Genre: Contemporary Fiction (Jodi Picoult meets Clare Makintosh)
Release date: 14th May 2017
Publisher: Parker Press Publishing
Blurb
Lauren is locked in a cell. She knows she shouldn’t be there.
When Lauren and Rick are left an allotment they embark on a lifestyle change that is supposed to bring their step-family closer together. They embrace the chance for a slice of the good life, fresh air and family times together. Lauren and Rick are in love and happy but sometimes their past issues surface. For Lauren it’s the affair that her first husband had before he left her. For Rick it’s the children he was alienated from and forced to leave behind seven years ago.
One day a new family move into a cottage behind the allotment. That day changes everything. That day they start falling apart.
You can buy THE OTHER SIDE here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Side-His-Obsession-Heartbreak-ebook/dp/B06Y1PMC61/ref=la_B06Y1SW33C_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491400546&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/Other-Side-His-Obsession-Heartbreak-ebook/dp/B06Y1PMC61/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491837170&sr=8-1&keywords=the+other+side+kaylor+wardfor US
Excerpt
Prologue
The door shut with a cold, hard slam sending harsh metallic echoes around her. Her eyes shot warily from left to right as she raked her fingers through her hair and tried to make sense of her situation. She was in a cell. She had asked them not to lock her in, but they hadn’t paid her any attention. Where there had been a face a few seconds ago, there was now a slammed metal door with peeling grey paint showing the cracking blue paint beneath. She hated confined spaces. They told her there was a buzzer if she needed anything. Needed anything?
Panic welled in her chest, her throat and her brain as the grey walls and the naked single white light closed around her. Breathe...breathe...slow...down... This was not the place for a panic attack. Not here, not today. She was alone. She had to get through this. Focus...focus... Think yourself somewhere else.
She thought of her daughters, their smiles and their joy. She lay on the hard thin plastic mattress on the concrete bed, and pulled a thin blue blanket over her head to block out the light, to block out the room, and to block out now.
Giveaway
Prizes
Kindle Fire!
Lolita Wine Glass from Jack's wine bar
Bottle of Vino from Jack's
Scarf from Puffin Island
Just Follow the link to enter the Competition
http://kaylorward.com/index.php/kaylo...
And as if that wasn't enough... There is a free six week writing course for everyone run by Kaylor Ward herself! Here is the link to access it
http://kaylorward.com/index.php/free-...
February 15, 2017
336 Hours by Rachel Cathan
Welcome to Rachel Cathan and 336 HOURS today, a book ‘based on the author’s true life experiences, and a humorous and poignant diary about one woman’s quest to be a mother.’ Don't forget the giveaway at the end of this post!
Release Date: 13thFebruary 2017
Publisher: SilverWood Books
The next 336 hours will be tough. No, the next 336 hours will be really tough…
I feel like an Olympian, waiting to see whether the years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication are finally going to pay off, or whether my body is about to fail me at the last hurdle and make me wonder why I ever hoped I could win.
My best friend is pregnant, my single friends are planning their pregnancies and, after five long years of tests and investigations, I’m coming to the end of my third – and supposedly final – IVF treatment. There are 336 hours to survive before I’ll know if I get to join the motherhood club. That’s 224 waking hours of pure psychological torture. 112 sleeping hours to stare at the ceiling and wonder, what the hell am I going to do with my life if it turns out I can’t have kids?
Based on the author’s true life experiences, 336 Hours is a humorous and poignant diary about one woman’s quest to be a mother.
Extract: They should have IVF farms for women like me to book into at times like these; pretty padded cells with flat-screen TVs and row upon row of feel-good DVDs and relaxation CDs, and beautiful gardens and luxury bathrooms with hot taps that would never heat up to embryo boiling temperatures, and gigantic rocking chairs so that we could legitimately sit and rock ourselves backwards and forwards for hours on end without looking completely crazy in the process. BUY LINK AMAZON UKAMAZON USSilverwood Books
RACHEL CATHAN is a writer from Bedfordshire. In 2001, a mutual friend introduced her to a part-time pub DJ in Southend-on-Sea. A month later, they had moved in together, around seven years later they tied the knot, and a little while after that – just like so many couples before them – they made the exciting and terrifying decision to start a family. And then, like a growing number of couples today, well...not a lot happened. Throughout the subsequent years of fertility investigations and failed treatments, Rachel kept a diary of her experiences, and it’s from these first- hand encounters in the world of infertility and IVF that her first book, 336 Hours has been adapted. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/336Hours/?ref=aymt_homepage_panelTwitter: https://twitter.com/rachelcathanGoodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33350325-336-hours?from_search=true.Blog: http://www.rachelcathan.co.uk/rachels-blog/Website: http://www.rachelcathan.co.uk
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GIVEAWAY
2 ECOPIES OF THE BOOKhttp://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4be03017213/
Release Date: 13thFebruary 2017
Publisher: SilverWood Books
The next 336 hours will be tough. No, the next 336 hours will be really tough…
I feel like an Olympian, waiting to see whether the years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication are finally going to pay off, or whether my body is about to fail me at the last hurdle and make me wonder why I ever hoped I could win.
My best friend is pregnant, my single friends are planning their pregnancies and, after five long years of tests and investigations, I’m coming to the end of my third – and supposedly final – IVF treatment. There are 336 hours to survive before I’ll know if I get to join the motherhood club. That’s 224 waking hours of pure psychological torture. 112 sleeping hours to stare at the ceiling and wonder, what the hell am I going to do with my life if it turns out I can’t have kids?
Based on the author’s true life experiences, 336 Hours is a humorous and poignant diary about one woman’s quest to be a mother.
Extract: They should have IVF farms for women like me to book into at times like these; pretty padded cells with flat-screen TVs and row upon row of feel-good DVDs and relaxation CDs, and beautiful gardens and luxury bathrooms with hot taps that would never heat up to embryo boiling temperatures, and gigantic rocking chairs so that we could legitimately sit and rock ourselves backwards and forwards for hours on end without looking completely crazy in the process. BUY LINK AMAZON UKAMAZON USSilverwood Books
RACHEL CATHAN is a writer from Bedfordshire. In 2001, a mutual friend introduced her to a part-time pub DJ in Southend-on-Sea. A month later, they had moved in together, around seven years later they tied the knot, and a little while after that – just like so many couples before them – they made the exciting and terrifying decision to start a family. And then, like a growing number of couples today, well...not a lot happened. Throughout the subsequent years of fertility investigations and failed treatments, Rachel kept a diary of her experiences, and it’s from these first- hand encounters in the world of infertility and IVF that her first book, 336 Hours has been adapted. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/336Hours/?ref=aymt_homepage_panelTwitter: https://twitter.com/rachelcathanGoodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33350325-336-hours?from_search=true.Blog: http://www.rachelcathan.co.uk/rachels-blog/Website: http://www.rachelcathan.co.uk
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GIVEAWAY
2 ECOPIES OF THE BOOKhttp://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4be03017213/February 9, 2017
True Colours by Elly Redding
I am delighted to welcome Elly Redding with her contemporary romance TRUE COLOURS today. Don't forget to enter the great giveaway by clicking the link at the bottom of the post. Good luck!
TRUE COLOURS
BY ELLY REDDING
Genre: Contemporary RomanceRelease Date: 25 November 2016Publisher: SilverWood Books
Could you ever trust again – the man who broke your heart?Kate Fenton thought she’d got the answer to that question all neatly sewn up. Ever since she went to Saul Preston’s Londonart gallery, a month before their wedding, and found him with his assistant – who looked as if she was in the middle of a game of strip poker.Now, three years later, she’s no longer so sure. Saul’s back in her life with a new proposition – accompany him on a trip to Majorcaas his interpreter. It’s an offer Kate can’t refuse, even though she knows she should. Successful and rich, he’s just the sort of client her translation company is trying to attract – even if he is her two-timing ex!Saul’s never gone in for second chances. He’s never had the time, but he knows exactly what he’s doing when he suggests the trip to Kate. As gorgeous and infuriatingly easy to fall for as ever, he’s determined to rekindle their past. And he’s only got 3 days to do it…
‘True Colours’ – Winner of The Festival of Romance’s New Talent Award 2014
From award-winning author Elly Redding comes a fresh, effervescent, passionate romance that reunites Kate, a London career girl, with Saul, her seriously successful, rich and gorgeous, ex-fiancé. He’s already broken her heart once, so maybe accepting his business proposition isn’t such a good idea. But sometimes decisions just aren’t that easy. As the chemistry between them bubbles with renewed vigour, Kate is sorely tempted. Can a leopard really change its spots – or is she just deceiving herself, with the man who broke her heart?
“A wonderfully warm romance, with lots of emotion and passion, and a generous sprinkling of delicious wit. I loved this story!” – Joanne Walsh, author
EXTRACT
“Go away,” she shouted frantically reassessing her options.
“I don’t really think you’re in a position to make demands, do you, trapped as you are? Unless, of course, you’re thinking of taking up abseiling. In which case, may I advise restraint? You’re on the fourth floor. You’re afraid of heights and I’m not standing in the right place to catch you.”
Good. It would ruin the whole point of the exercise if he was. She didn’t tell him that though. Instead she suggested he make an appointment, that if he wanted to see her, he should do what everyone else did.
“But I’m not everyone else, am I? I’m the guy who’s still considering suing you for breach of contract.”
“Contract - what contract?”
“Your promise to marry me.”
“You bastard.” It was the first thing she could think of to say, but she thought it summed up the situation perfectly. “In which case, may I suggest you contact my lawyer? I think you’ll find I’ve a very strong case for a counter claim. Or has something conveniently slipped your memory? Let me give you a clue. She had an amazing pair of breasts.”
BUY LINKS
Available in Kindle and Paperback!
AMAZON UK
AMAZON US
ABOUT ELLY REDDING
Elly Reddingwas born in Londonbut now lives in Bedfordshire with her husband. Having originally written screenplays, her first novel, ‘True Colours’, won the Festival of Romance’s New Talent Award in 2014. She enjoys tap dancing and watching the waves, although not necessarily at the same time!
She keeps in touch with her readers on Twitter – @ellyredding, and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/EllyReddingAuthor/
Website: ellyredding.com
Giveaway An ecopy of the book!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/4be03017211/
![[image error]](https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jwOChxGIwms/WKSFze2-YkI/AAAAAAAAB1E/iUPsmZU6_dgEK9xMhrQOBSDrPRAJb3TNgCLcB/s1600/336%2BHours%2BTour%2BBanner.png){kind=link}