Pippa Croft's Blog, page 5

Paperback publication day & RNA party!

The Second Time I Saw You is out in paperback worldwide today and yesterday, I headed to London to celebrate with my author friends. Conveniently, woo hoo, it was also the RNA Winter Party.

Sadly, our Coffee Crew writing buddy, Nell Dixon couldn’t join us due to a family event, so Georgia Hill and Elizabeth Hanbury and I had to make the best of it.

We set off at the crack of dawn and got an early train to London, and as the carriage was so busy we had to restrain ourselves and avoid our usual discussions on writing sex scenes.

Once we arrived, we headed straight to the Embankment Pier to join our Bateaux London lunch cruise on the Thames. The weather was very kind to us and we had a fantastic, relaxing and informative cruise – accompanied by a three course meal. As it was a special occasion and we don’t get out much, we decided to push the boat out (see what I did there?) and have some champagne.

I have been longing to see the WW1 poppy display at the Tower of London but thought I was too late, so you can imagine the thrill of finding out that a lot of the poppies haven’t been removed yet. The sight of thousands of them arrayed around the Tower is moving and really brings home the terrible cost of the Great War in human lives. It was a very reflective moment and made us all realise how incredibly lucky we are to have the freedom to enjoy our day, and how much we owe to those who gave their lives for our future.

After that, the mood shifted as we went to the Waterstones Piccadilly bar to meet up with author friends and my agent Broo and her business partner David. Then it was onto the Royal Overseas League for more get togethers, networking and wine.

Liz Hanbury, Kate Johnson, Alison May and Jan Sprenger

Marilyn Rodwell, Bella Osbourne, Elizabeth Hanbury

John Jackson and Talli Roland

Finally, we shared a taxi home with Bella Osbourne and Bernadette O’Dwyer, during which some stories were shared that had us literally crying with laughter. Their company on the train home made the one hour delay more than bearable.

I’m also sharing a photo of me with my first book in WH Smith – another moment I’ll never forget. It’s on the shelves of most branches now.

Me with my first paperback in WH Smith

The day my dream came true

This morning, my 10 year dream came true.

Today, my novel is published as a Penguin paperback.

The First Time We Met – book #1 in the Oxford Blue series – should be in stock or available to order from all good bookshops and online stores today. It should also be on the shelves of Tesco next month.

Yesterday, my author copies of book 2 in the series also arrived. It’s been a few years since I had a UK paperback and I’d almost given up on the idea, frankly, with the increasing pressure on retail shelf space for books. I don’t quit easily, I may rant and moan, but I keep on going, probably because I can’t imagine ever doing anything except writing.:)

I started writing ‘fiction’ almost 10 years ago to the day on a fanfic site. Could I ever have imagined that a decade later, I’d be published by penguin? Or have a movie made of one of my books. Well, of course you imagine it, you fantasise about it – but you never actually believe it will come true.

Now it has, how do I feel? Well, is it Ok to say that this morning is pretty much one like any other? I’m sitting here in my pyjamas, alone, knowing that I need to get to work on my next book. All the business of being a published author is occupying my mind: sales, reviews, promotion, writing a new book, what can I cook for dinner…

I’ve been working on the series so hard, for so long, I don’t think I’ve had tme to step back and really take it in. Once all three are out in paperback, I’m having a ‘proper’ launch party in London for all those family, friends, authors and bloggers who’ve supported me.

For this evening, I may allow myself a cocktail. Or two.:)

My friend, Liz suggested this one.

If you’re outside of the UK, you should be able to get it from all good bookshops or your favourite online store. It’s already been spotted in Malaysia by Kevin from I Heart Chick Lit. Thank you, Kevin.

The Second Time I Saw You is out on November 20 and Third Time Lucky will be published on December 4th.

Most importantly, I want to give a huge thank you to the Penguin sales team, as well as the marketing and editorial staff.

I couldn’t have done it without them, or my agent, Broo Doherty, or my author buddies, Nell Dixon and Elizabeth Hanbury or the loving support of my wonderful family.

Thank you all for helping to makd my dream possible.

The joy of being a BookBub special offer

Trust me, even the most dramatic plot can never match up to the rollercoaster ride that is publishing.

Last night, I had the most unexpected but fantastic surprise when I went on Twitter to find:

1. The First Time We Met is on special offer at $1.99 across Amazon US, Barnes & Noble Nook and other sites, and

2. It had been selected by the recommendation site, BookBub, and emailed to zillions of romance readers in the US.

The result is that this morning it was 683 in the US Kindle charts and an Amazon Romantic Erotica best-seller.

And then my agent called with some even more good news that I’d hoped for but definitely wasn’t counting on.

It had been a frankly gloomy week on all fronts but now it’s going to be a very sunny Friday and I’m looking forward to seeing a friend for a birthday coffee (hers, not mine) and othe friends for lunch.

You know what, I’m going to celebrate, not with champagne, but with a photo of my latest crush, hunky Captain James from the BBC series Our Girl!

Have a great weekend y’all!

Win a signed advance paperback of First Time We Met

Look what the postman brought on Saturday morning!

I haven’t had a paperback in print for a while now and so we marked the occasion with photos and – later – cocktails and champagne.

All three books in the Oxford Blue series will be available in paperback over the next month or so.

The blog tour for Third Time Lucky starts today with Brook Cottage Books and you can enter the competition to win one of two copies starting HERE.

The glamour of Publication Day

My glamorous Publication day breakfast.

Well, today’s the day – publication day for Third Time Lucky. The whole Oxford Blue series is now out in ebook.

What am I expecting? The postman won’t be able to get down the driveway, naturally, because of all the bouquets, bottles of champagne and cards. And I’ll be so busy, getting a mani-pedi, hair do and make-up for when my publisher sends a limo to whisk me off to London for my TV interview.

Er. Not quite! The reality is I treated myself to a cup of tea and a Buck’s Fizz without the fizz… see above.

I even made my own tea as Mr B had to rush out to his real job.

But no complaints. Today is still very exciting – it’s the culmination of 18 months of work, long days spent alone, making stuff up basically and then rewiting it all.

And I did have a wonderful bouquet from Penguin when the first book came out, and cards, chocolates and a lovely cake from a book blogger friends and family

As for today? I’m off to the pub with my author mates at lunchtime, then Mr B and I will be sharing a bottle of champagne this evening.

Best of all, my daughter’s coming home for the weekend and we’re all going out to dinner to mark the occasion.

And of course, I’ll be around on Twitter and Facebook all day – so come and say hello!

I am, of course, very grateful for any reviews on Amazon, Goodreads ratings, Likes of reviews on said sites – they really DO make a difference and they make me smile so THANK YOU for joining me on my journey over the past year. I’ll probably drive you all every madder for the next few weeks… let’s get this party started (with lunch at the pub!)

PS My blog tour starts with Brook Cottage Books next week – more on that later.

The great Alexander Hunt debate

Ben Aldridge as Captain James from Our Girl (BBC)

Just who do you see Alexander Hunt? If you had to cast him in a movie or TV series, who would you choose?

When I first started the book, I pictured him as Max Irons from the White Queen and more recently, the Oxford-set satirical thriller, Riot Club (sorry about the um… blood…but if you read Third Time Lucky, then…)

Then there’s the hotter than hot Tom Mison – who was perfect as the special forces captain in Salmon Fishing in the Yemen.

But now, I’m leaning another way – towards Ben Aldridge who plays Captain James in the new BBC series, Our Girl. I’m hooked.

Captain James – Ben Aldridge in Our Girl (Lacey Turner as Molly Dawes)

So many Alexanders, so little time…

PS If I haven’t mentioned it before Third Time Lucky e book is out THIS THURSDAY – final part of the seres. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Paperback publication date change

Two entries from me in two days… what can be the matter?

Well, a few hours after I posted yesterday’s piece I heard from Penguin that the paperback of First Time We Met has been slightly delayed until November 6th. Paperback of Second Time I Saw You is still scheduled for November 20th, with Third Time Lucky on December 4th.

The good news is that the e book of Third Time Lucky is still going to appear next Thursday, October 9th.

I’d arranged to meet my author friends to celebrate. I won’t be cancelling the party; I’ll just be having two!

Looking back, looking forward – only 10 days to go to Third Time Lucky

The beach in front of the St Martin’s Hotel, Isles of Scilly.

Morning all,

I write to you all from a still warm and almost sunny heart of England where we have had the most glorious Indian summer. I’ve been on my travels over the past three weeks to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly where we had the most unexpectedly beautiful weather.

The family has also been celebrating two birthdays – my grown-up daughter’s and my husband’s father who was 80. Their birthdays are only a week apart and I can still remember us taking my newborn daughter round to see my father in law all those years ago.

We got out all the old photo albums in preparation for my father in law’s 80th and compiled a new album of special moments in his life. We smiled a lot – but it was sad to see people who are no longer here.

Of course we spent ages wistfully sighing: how young we were, how slim we were. Still at least most of us are still here!

So, the holidaying is over.

In just TEN days time, on October 9th, the final book in the Oxford Blue series, Third Time Lucky, will be published as an e book worldwide. Plus, on the same day, The First Time We Met is going to be available in paperback.



There’s be a blog tour and there will be Actual Signed Paperbacks to be won – I’ll publish the details here.

I still can’t believe that I have been published by Penguin and I’m eagerly awaiting my author copies.

I’d like to say it’s a dream come true, except I never would have dared to dream it when I first started writing so I’m going to try and make the most of every moment.

I’ll be back very soon with the tour details.

Phillipa

Second Time I Saw You shortlisted for Festival of Romance Awards

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Woo hoo, The Second Time I Saw You has been shortlisted for Best Ebook at the 2014 Festival of Romantic Fiction Awards. This is the third year in a row that one of my books has been up for an award so I’m doing a happy dance.

Awards organiser Sarah Taylor said: “With the highest number of entries the awards have had in their four year history, the standard this year was exceptionally high with many highly rated novels not making the shortlists. The breath and depth of quality writing in romantic fiction should be celebrated and that’s what these awards are all about.”

Congratulations and good luck to all those who made it to the final lists! And now, on with the shortlists…

Best Romantic Read

Two Weddings and a Baby by Scarlett Bailey (Ebury)

The Memory Book by Rowan Coleman (Ebury)

The Cornish Stranger by Liz Fenwick (Orion)

After The Honeymoon by Janey Fraser (Arrow)

The Unpredictable Consequences of Love by Jill Mansell (Headline Review)

One Hundred Proposals by Holly Martin (Carina)

The Wedding Proposal by Sue Moorcroft (Choc Lit)

The Proposal by Tasmina Perry (Headline Review)

One Step Closer to You by Alice Peterson (Quercus)

Best Historical Read

The Downstairs Maid by Rosie Clarke (Ebury)

Monsoon Mists by Christina Courtenay (Choc Lit)

The Maid of Milan by Beverley Eikili (Choc Lit)

The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans (Quercus)

Crosscurrents by Jane Jackson (Accent Press)

Home For Christmas by Lizzie Lane (Ebury)

A Rose in Flanders Fields by Terri Nixon (Carina)

Queen of Bedlam by Laura Purcell (Myrmidon)

Best Short Romance

Don’t Tell Penny by Anna Bell (Quercus)

Taming Her Italian Boss by Fiona Harper (Mills and Boon Cherish)

A Western Heart by Liz Harris (Choc Lit Lite)

Just You by Jane Lark (Harper Impulse)

The Right Side of Mr Wrong by Jane Linfoot (Harper Impulse)

Grand Designs by Linda Mitchelmore (Choc Lit Lite)

The Bookshop on the Corner by Rebecca Raisin (Carina)

Best E-Book

The Second Time I Saw You by Pippa Croft (Penguin)

The Wedding Cake Tree by Melanie Hudson (Choc Lit)

Summer at Castle Stone by Lynn-Marie Hulsmann (Harper Impulse)

Dear Lizzie by Annie Lyons (Carina)

The Guestbook by Holly Martin (Carina)

Room For Love by Sophie Pembroke (Carina)

The Oyster Catcher by Jo Thomas (Headline)

Doubting Abbey by Samantha Tonge (Carina)

Best Author Published

Mary Bennet by Kate Allan

Sweet Occasions by Linn B Halton

Drumbeats by Julia Ibbotson

Fairlights by Jan Jones

Christmas Yves by Nicola May

A Change of Heart by Adrienne Vaughan

The First Time We Met only 99p for one week only!

Hot news!

The First Time We Met is on a special offer of 99p for one week only!

Grab it HERE.

The Second Time I Saw You is also reduced to £1.99 for a week – Get yours HERE:

All I can say, is grab them while you can!

It’s also my birthday weekend and the sun is still shining here in the UK so what could be better?

P x