Carrie Elks's Blog, page 14
June 22, 2015
Cover Reveal – Over the Fence by Melanie Moreland
Over The Fence
by Melanie Moreland
Date of Publication: August 2015
Synopsis
There are so many ways to fall in love in today’s world. Besides the usual bars and blind dates, you can meet someone from any part of the world via the computer. The scope is endless. Possibilities abound, if that’s what you want.
But what happens when you aren’t searching for love, and it shows up—way closer than you ever expected?
Two neighbors—strangers— with one thing in common—they share a fence.
But is that the only thing they share?
Nathan Fraser lives a solitary life, never letting anyone get too close. It’s safer that way.
Kourtney Whyte hides from the world and behind her work, too afraid to really live her life to the fullest. Rejection is what she knows best.
But one night, the sound of her soft voice and the tantalizing aroma of her evening meal, prove too enticing for Nathan to ignore.
So begins their unconventional relationship—talking, learning, texting, and gradually opening up to one another, all over the fence.
That is, until the day Nathan braves the high fence to protect Kourtney from her past, and changes everything forever.
Can they move forward together, without the buffer of the fence?
Or will their pasts prove to be too much of a barrier?
Other Books by Melanie
Amazon – http://tiny.cc/5t7lzx
Barnes & Noble – http://tiny.cc/ou7lzx
Amazon – http://tiny.cc/lv7lzx
Barnes & Noble – http://tiny.cc/0v7lzx
About the Author
Melanie Moreland lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her husband and four children. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.
Known as the quiet one with the big laugh, Melanie works for the sporting teams of a local university. Her (box) office job, while demanding, is rewarding as she cheers on her team to victory.
While seriously addicted to coffee, and somewhat challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties and socialize, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.
Melanie delights in writing a good romance story with some bumps along the way, but is a true believer in happily ever after. When her head isn’t buried in a book, it is bent over a keyboard, furiously typing away as her characters dictate their creative story lines to her even more inspired tales, for all to enjoy.
Connect with Melanie
Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Tsu
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Blogs Participating
June 21, 2015
Six Reasons that Dads are Amazing #fathersday #dads
Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads (and single mums) out there! I’d like to take a moment to wish my own, very lovely, Dad a very happy day, and to tell him how much I love him.
Dads are amazing because…
1. They don’t care if you get dirty. In fact, they positively encourage it!
2. They show you what unconditional love looks like, and teach you not to settle for anything less.
3. They tell you not to wear that short skirt when you go out, then secretly whisper that you look beautiful anyway
4. When your heart is broken, they cuddle you even when they don’t know what to say.
5. When you have children of your own, they do it all over again, but better. Especially because they’ve had so much practice!
6. And finally, my Dad is the best dad of all because he makes me feel loved and cherished.
Love you, Dad. And come on over, I’m lighting the barbecue at 12 xxx
June 16, 2015
What’s Your Superpower? – Romance Weekly #LoveWriteChat Blog Hop – 16th June 2015
This week Susan Scott Shelley has asked us the following question: You’ve been gifted with a super power. Which would you choose? Why?
I’ve been thinking a lot about the answer to this one over the past few days. Depending on the time of day–and what I’m doing at the time–the answer would vary immensely. Sometimes I’d like to be Laundry-Woman, able to clean ten loads of dirty clothes with the shake of my pretty, manicured hand. Other times I’d like to be Word-Girl, able to speed through a manuscript, putting 80,000 perfect words onto paper without batting an eyelid.
When my children are sad, I’d like to be Magnificent-Mum, able to magic away all their tears and make everything better. And when I get home from work after a long day at work, I’d love to be Chef-Tastic, able to whip up a gourmet-level meal using just two eggs and an old piece of bread.
But actually, when I stop and consider all of these, I don’t think I really need those powers. Laundry may not be fun, but with a washing machine and a tumble dryer (things my grandmother would have killed for) it isn’t exactly taxing, either. And when my kids are sad, sometimes a hug is all they need. I may not make all their problems disappear, but I make them feel better, and that’s good enough for me.
Word-Girl, that super-writer who speeds through a manuscript without breaking a sweat? Maybe she’s missing out on that wonderful feeling when you suddenly make a breakthrough with a plot point, or that simple pleasure of patting yourself on the back when you’ve managed to write 2000 words on a good day.
So rather than accept a superpower, I think I’ll just be glad I’m me. I make mistakes, things take some time, but life is pretty damn good anyway!
So those are my thoughts, I hope you enjoyed reading them and let me know what you think. Do you like your stories to have a message? Let’s hop over to J.J. Devine’s blog and see what she has to say.
June 9, 2015
Novels and Themes – Romance Weekly #LoveWriteChat Blog Hop – 9th June 2015
This week Ronnie Allen has asked us the following question: What is the theme in your novels, recurring or in one, that sends a message about an issue in society to help people? Was it developed by you intentionally, or did it evolve through the characters and plot?
What an interesting question! When I’m writing a story I don’t think I explicitly go into it intending to explore certain themes, although since my current books are all set in London it’s hard to avoid some of the issues that affect contemporary society. There are so many problems that affect people in cities (as well as the suburbs), from gang-culture and poverty, to drug use and discrimination as well as the pervasive effect of mental illness and depression, and some of these themes are explored in my novels.
In Coming Down, the plot scented around a Drug-Abuse clinic in central London, where the heroine–Beth–is a volunteer working with the children of addicts. Having taken drugs herself when she was younger, and seen the terrible effects that overdosing can have, she’s more aware of the issue than most. Coming Down, I hope, sends the message that although for some there may be a brighter future, the issue of drug abuse (particularly when mixed with poverty) isn’t going away, and while it may not be possible to solve the problem, treating people with kindness and determination can go a long way to manage it.
Mental Health is another issue that I’ve explored in my books. In Fix You, the heroine (Hanna) suffers from depression brought on after her mother’s death. This also leads to panic attacks, and having suffered from these myself, I can confirm that they are absolutely horrifying to experience. Similarly, in Broken Chords (my latest book) there is post-date depression, which is so common among new mothers, and although it wasn’t something I suffered from myself, I saw a close friend go through the detrimental affects that this can cause.
More than anything, I hope that my books send the message that there should be no stigma attached to mental illness. It’s something that affects both rich and poor, men and women, and we shouldn’t be ashamed to seek help. Having suffered myself, and found help through counselling and the support of family and friends, I’d urge anybody who is feeling the same to seek assistance, to find support and most of all, not to beat yourself up over it. Mental Health disorders should not be stigmatised, and I truly believe we should all strive to understand and support those who are going through them, just as we would support people going through any illness.
So those are my thoughts, I hope you enjoyed reading them and let me know what you think. Do you like your stories to have a message? Let’s hop over to Leslie Hachtel’s blog and see what she has to say.
June 7, 2015
GIVEAWAY – Win a Canvas Shopper signed by lots of great Romance Authors!!
Following my trip to the Tattooed Bad Boys Author signing in April, I have an awesome giveaway for you! While I was there I managed to get this canvas bag signed by a whole host of attending authors including:
Abbi Glines,
Samantha Towle,
Nina Levine,
Ker Dukey,
Lesley Jones,
Natasha Preston,
Amy Davis,
Laura Barnard,
Jade West,
Susan Elle,
D.A. Keane,
Jami Kay,
Marie Coulson,
L.A. Cotton,
T.A. McKay,
Bethan Cooper,
Sarah Elizabeth,
K.L. Shandwick,
D. Breeze,
Kirsty Anne Still,
Ava Manello,
Amity Cross,
Carrie Elks
If you want to get your hands on this bag, it’s simple, all you have to do is enter the rafflecopter by clicking the ‘enter’ button below. No purchase is required, and the giveaway is open worldwide. Closing date is June 24th 2015.
June 2, 2015
Flash Fiction Challenge! Romance Weekly #LoveChatWrite Blog Hop – 2nd June 2015
Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.If you’ve arrived from J.J. Devine’s Blog, hi and thanks for clicking!
This week Fiona Riplee has given us the following challenge:
Write a flash fiction of 250 words or less about a long lost love. Include the words: hammer, chisel, and coping saw.
Here’s what I’ve got for you…
The first time Ellie met him he was covered in blood. An industrial accident, Trent had said, something to do with a chisel and a coping saw. Not that she’d paid much attention; her focus was on suturing his wound and trying to ignore the persistent hammer of her heartbeat. Even after five years on the job, there was something about blood that made her dizzy. Her mom always told her she wasn’t cut out to be a nurse.
“You’re all sewn up.” She’d looked into his blue eyes. “Try to keep it dry for a few days.”
“Let me take you out to dinner to thank you.” It didn’t sound much like a question, in spite of his words. He’d taken her to a diner, around the corner from the hospital, offering her food as wholesome and down-to-earth as he was. When they went dancing, he’d held her close, smelling of warm cologne and sawdust.
She’d loved every minute of it.
That was back in November of ‘41, less than a month before Pearl Harbor, before life changed forever. Only a few weeks later, she was cleaning blood off more young men than she cared to think about, and that date with Trent Martin was little more than a saw-dust scented memory.
Somewhere among the casualties and the battles they’d lost touch. Ellie got married — a handsome marine who gave her two beautiful children — but she couldn’t help but wonder what happened to the gruff carpenter with the deep blue eyes.
She never did find out.
(255 words – I cheated a bit!!)
Thanks for reading. Now let’s hop over to Veronica Forand’s blog and have a read of her flash fiction.
May 26, 2015
Romance Weekly #LoveChatWrite #LoveWriteChat – 26th May 2015
Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.If you’ve arrived from Kate Robbins’ Blog, hi and thanks for clicking!
This week Jeanne McDonald has asked us to answer some questions about how it feels to be an author.
1. Describe the moment you first felt like a true author, not an aspiring one.
I think it has to be when Fix You was published. About a month before the publication I was interviewed on my local radio station, which was a lot of fun, and then I was interviewed for my local paper. For the first time I was getting messages from people who had read the book and lived it, and was also seeing the book hit the bestseller list on both Amazon and the iBookstore. It was then that I realised there were lots of people out there buying my book and it felt magical!
2. Name 3 authors who inspire you.
Marian Keyes
The first is Marian Keyes. I loved her writing since I first read her book, Watermelon, back in the 90s. Her stories are well written and a lot of fun to read, but they don’t shy away from addressing issues such as addiction, marriage problems and even the loss of loved ones. As a person with a platform, Marian also speaks out in support of those with mental health issues, which she does amazingly well. She suffers from depression and her openness and willingness to share her own experiences has taken away some of the stigma this disease carries.
The second author I’m inspired by is George Eliot. A woman who wrote books at a time when mostly men were published, she nevertheless managed to find a way around this, by using a man’s name as her pseudonym. In an era when women were only supposed to write light-hearted romances, Eliot addressed political and philosophical questions in her fictions, and was described as among the greatest western writers of all time.
Daphne Du Maurier
Daphne Du Maurier is my third choice. The opening pages to Rebecca—where she describes a dream about a long-abandoned Manderley—is one of the most beautifully written passages I have read. Evocative and forbidding, she manages to foreshadow the psychologically disturbing plot of the book with a few carefully chosen words.
3. Describe your favourite fan moment.
Some of my favourite memories of the past year have been the lovely messages I have received from Brazilian readers. They are always so lovely and enthusiastic, and with the help of Google translate I’ve managed to have some lively conversations about my book!
Thanks to Jeanne for asking some fun questions. Now let’s hop over to Collette Cameron’s blog and read her answers!
May 18, 2015
Release Day Blitz – The Truth Be Told by Jeanne McDonald
Release Day Blitz
The Truth Be Told (Book 3)
Series: The Truth in Lies Saga
Author: Jeanne McDonald
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Design: Jada D’Lee Designs
Release Date: May 18, 2015
From the moment Andrew Wise and McKenzie Evans first met, they tried to fight the magnetism that pulled them together. No matter how hard they struggled with their feelings, their love was a force so strong that neither of them could deny it.
The news of Olivia Hamilton’s pregnancy, and the understanding that Drew is the father, led McKenzie to flee with the hope of rectifying her secret betrayal of falling in love with her best friend’s boyfriend. However, when Drew showed up and declared his undying love for her, McKenzie could no longer deny the truth. She and Drew were destined for each other. McKenzie now has no choice but to face Olivia in order for her and Drew to move on with their lives together. Secrets and lies may have kept them apart, but now, in the light of the truth, their legacy shines as pure as their love.
For as long as Drew can remember, there has always been tension between him and his father, Jonathan. This time is proving no different. Since sharing the truth of his past with McKenzie, Drew is emboldened by her unwavering love and acceptance of the man he is. He’ll do anything necessary to protect the woman he loves and the life he’s come to understand she deserves. With Jonathan and Olivia teamed together to rip them apart, Drew and McKenzie, along with the aid of some unexpected allies, must join forces to overcome the obstacles that will inevitably come their way.
In this much anticipated final installment of The Truth in Lies Saga, Drew and McKenzie will unite together to conquer the past, face the future, and uncover the truth in lies that threaten to destroy them. Love brought them together and love will set them free.
Amazon ~ B&N ~ Smashwords
Amazon ~ B&N ~ iTunes
Jeanne McDonald is an author, a mother, a wife, a student of knowledge and of life, a coffee addict, a philosophy novice, a pop culture connoisseur, inspired by music, encouraged by words, and a believer in true love. When she’s not spending time with her family, she can be found reading, writing, enjoying a great film, chatting with friends or diligently working toward her bachelor’s degree in literature. A proud Texan, Jeanne currently resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with her family.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon | Google+ | Smashwords
Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Truth Be Told
by Jeanne McDonald
Giveaway ends June 18, 2015.See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
May 12, 2015
Romance Weekly #LoveChatWrite #LoveWriteChat – 12th May 2015
Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all….. About our writing of course! Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.If you’ve arrived from Elizabeth Jannette’s Blog, hi and thanks for clicking!
This week Xio Axelrod has asked us to answer our questions on behalf of one of our characters.
So for this, I choose Richard Larsen, the gorgeous hero of Fix You, and Sempre Foi Voce
1. What’s your favourite word?
Well that’s easy. Hanna, obviously. When I fall asleep every night that’s the name on my lips.
2. What is your fondest childhood memory?
When I was five my dad bought me a sailing boat. Not a full size one, obviously, but a toy one. We used to set it off in the lake beside our summer home. One day it got caught by a gust of wind and carried out into the middle of the lake. Without even thinking, my dad stripped off, dove into the water and swam out to save my toy. That’s my favorite memory.
3. What one thing in your past do you wish you could do differently?
I wish I hadn’t let Hanna leave, we wasted too much time, too many years. Oh, and I wish I’d invented Facebook!
4. Vanilla or Chocolate?
Wait… are we talking about milkshakes or sex? Ah well, let’s go for chocolate anyway.
5. If you could have lunch with one famous person (alive or not) who would it be and why?
Babe Ruth, because the Yankees rule and don’t try to tell me otherwise.
Thanks Richard! Now let’s hop over to Susan Scott Shelley’s blog and see where her character wants to take us.
May 4, 2015
Why I Love Love
Why I Love Love by Carrie Elks
I’m a romance junkie. There, I’ve said it. I adore reading stories where love overcomes all the obstacles, spanning time and distance, and bringing together couples who – at first sight – seem to have nothing in common at all.
In my new novel, Fix You, Hanna Vincent falls in love with a man who not only lives thousands of miles away from her, but is also on another level when it comes to social status. Though the odds are stacked against them (not to mention the plot twists) over a period of years she is drawn against her will to the handsome, successful American who has captured her heart.
Theirs is a relationship that shouldn’t work, and in fact it doesn’t for a long time. Hanna has a job and a life in London, while Richard is tied to New York by a combination of loyalty and dedication, not to mention a multi-million dollar corporation that takes up all of his time. From a purely intellectual point of view they should both cut their losses.
Of course they don’t, and that’s the beauty of love. It doesn’t always make sense. It’s messy and emotional and can get in the way of all your best laid plans.
It certainly did for me. Falling for the funny, gorgeous boy who lived down the road when I was at university didn’t make sense at all. I was there to study, to make connections, and to start working on the political career I always thought I’d have. Instead I spent most of my time with the clever, crazy physics student who twenty years later is still the love of my life.
We’ve had our share of obstacles. For two years we lived on different sides of the country, trying to keep our relationship going at a time when mobile phones and social networking were still in their infancy. But love can act like a glue, sticking things together when you feel like everything is falling apart. It breaches barriers and crosses borders, and couldn’t give a damn whether you’re ready for it or not.
I think that’s why love is so much fun to write about. You can take two characters who think their lives are going in a certain direction then turn them upside down with a simple chemical attraction. It’s exciting to watch the fall out, to see them try to deny their feelings, and pretend that love isn’t going to make them change their paths. Some characters struggle more than others, but in a perfect romance, eventually they have to give in to the inevitable.
For me, that’s the happiest ending of all.
Fix You is available from the following retailers:
AMAZON UK | iBOOKSTORE | KOBO | NOOK | GOOGLE PLAY
