The Run-Up to Sophie’s Run

I declare the manic season open!

Oh yes, this is going to be my four weeks of madness ahead of the launch of Sophie’s Run, and I am very excited about it all. Here’s a little sneak peek at what will be happening, and I’ll bring you posts with updates as I go along, of course.

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First of all, let me remind you what Book 2 is all about; here’s the blurb:

Sophie’s Run

Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…

Who says that the road towards true love is straight and even?  Sophie is certainly discovering that it is anything but.

So she has finally found the man of her dreams!  Well… she knows who he is, even though she hasn’t actually quite met him yet.  But she misses her opportunity, and then her life goes crazy.  Rock star and ex-fiancé, Dan, keeps getting in the way of her new romance—even if he is just trying to be helpful.  A fire, an impromptu mini-trip with Dan, and a dreaded wedding later, Sophie is still struggling to meet the love of her life.  Then, just as she is getting it together with her perfect man, best friend Rachel commits an act of unspeakable betrayal.

Sophie has had enough.  Confused and distraught, she decides that it is time for radical change.  Surprising herself and shocking her friends, she embarks on a secret journey eventually gets her life back on track.

Where is Sophie’s Run now?

Right at this very moment, Sophie’s Run is at the printer. Squeee! I’m hoping to get my trembling fingers on paper back copies of my second book in the next two to three weeks, and you’ll be the first to know when they get here!

In addition, the book is also being formatted for e-publishing in all the various formats so we will be all singing-and-dancing on pub day. (Pub day being 7 February 2013, in case I hadn’t mentioned the date lately).

What kind of launch party will there be for Sophie’s Run?

A fabulous one, to put it simply! Plans are afoot to launch this baby live on air over at Siren 107.3 FM with Alex Lewczuk and various Special Guests on the eve of publication, 6 February, from 5pm to 7pm. Let me hear you say, Hell Yeah! More details to follow when I have the line-up complete.

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In addition, I’ll also be hosting a lightning-signing event at Welton library at 10 a.m. on 7 February, so if you’re in the area, drop by! You can visit my blog all through the day of 7 February to take part in the party. And if that’s not enough, I’ll also be hosting a Facebook party so that absolutely everybody can take part!

Will you be taking Sophie’s Run on tour?

Why, of course! And, more importantly, I’ll be taking YOU with me ~ on a tour of geographic and culinary discovery, just like a rock star. The schedule is nearly finalized, 90 per cent of the blog posts have been written, and I will post more details right here on this blog very soon, watch this space.

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And of course, while I’m getting this all organized, I also have a duty to Sophie and Dan to finish their story, so I’m typing away at Book 3, Sophie’s Encore. #norestforthewicked, right? It’s gonna be awesome!

Will you join me on tour? Are you ready to party?

CentreStage: COVER REVEAL for LOST TO YOU by A.L. Jackson @aljacksonbooks

Welcome to CentreStage!

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Today, I have a very special post for you…

Cover reveal:
LOST TO YOU
by A.L. Jackson

Yes, my fabulous Sapphire Star Publishing sister, the one and only A.L. Jackson, has swiftly, lovingly and efficiently written a novella, Lost to You, the Prequel to her best-selling romance, Take This Regret.

Ready for the cover?

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GOOOORGEOUS! Huge congratulations on a mesmerizing and totally intriguing cover, A.L. Awesome! Now let’s hear the blurb…

People come into our lives. Some stay, and many go. Some build us up, while most tear us down. They become our friends, our enemies, our lovers, our tormentors.

Christian Davison came into mine, and I knew I’d never be the same.

To Elizabeth Ayers, New York City had always been a dream. She’s worked her entire young life to make it here.

Groomed to one day take over his father’s law firm, attending Columbia University was Christian Davison’s only option.

Neither wanted anything more until they sat across from each other at a café table after being paired as study partners.

Christian wants her, but Elizabeth knows better than to give into their intense attraction. Yet there is little she can do to stay away.

Lost to You, the prequel to the bestselling romance, Take This Regret. A New Adult novella, recommended for readers 17+. It’s unnecessary to have read Take This Regret to enjoy Lost to You.

And best of all… Lost to You is out in e-book format on 31 January!!! Can’t wait! Congrats again and Rock On!!!

Here I Go Again

It’s Music Monday!

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And it’s exactly one month to the date of the release of Sophie’s Run!! Whoooop ~ how excited am I? So to honour my rock star additcion and to get YOU in the mood for my second book, I will be posting some of my most favorite rock songs over the next four weeks.

This one is a classic. Enough said!

IF, for whatever reason, this official video does not work in your country, try following this link to another version. 🙂

Are you ready for Sophie’s Run?

Rock on!

Hall of Fame Double Book Launch Party: Gary Kassay and Amy Gregory

Roll out the red carpet!
Bring out the champagne!
It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!

Hall of Fame

It’s only the third of January and already we have cause for celebration! Yes, it’s a double launch day over at Sapphire Star Publishing today. Give it up for my brother-and-sister-in-publishing, Gary Kassay and Amy Gregory, who are both launching their second books today. Over to you guys!

Gary Kassay presents:
Murder by Prophecy!

First I want to thank one of my fellow authors from Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky Wells, for inviting me to say a few words on the release of the second book in the Duke Becker Series. It and the first book are available on Amazon.com paperback and Kindle, Amazon.co.uk paperback and Kindle, Barnes & Noble.com and in many other places.

My first book was titled Murder in Silence and it follows a specialized group of Detectives that work out of Special Investigation Homicide for the NYPD.  The unit is headed by Inspector Duke Becker, a man who doesn’t wear a rumpled trench coat, suck on a lollipop or is wealthy and doing the job for kicks.  Becker is a cop, plain and simple who catches killers…no matter what it takes.

In his squad is an eclectic group of detectives, all who have a specialty that helps Becker in solving high-profile, unusual murders that occur in the City of New York.

Murder in Silence has Becker and his squad facing a killer who is targeting police officers. The police officers appear to have nothing in common, didn’t serve together and did not know each other either on or off the job. There are no witnesses or clues to the brutal murders except for two clues that don’t seem to make any sense.  The victims are killed by having their throats torn open but…the wounds are surgically clean and the part of the throat torn out is never recovered.  The second mysterious clue is that saliva from the canine family has been discovered in the wounds, and the saliva is from different animals. Becker and his squad must discover not only who the killer is but the motive behind the killings.

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The second book in the series is titled Murder by Prophecy and is a story about revenge that will spark feelings in anyone with a heart.

A man is falsely imprisoned and while in prison, his wife, son and daughter are brutally killed by a crazed addict.  But the addict is not the true culprit.  If not for a certain group of men, more concerned with making a buck instead of basic human rights, this man would not have gone to prison and his family would not have died.

The Chief of the NYPD receives poems…prophecies of death and calls in Becker and his squad to unravel the mystery.  Becker knows there is more to the story than the Chief is revealing. He must work the homicides, the deaths of prominent men, killed in brutal and different ways without the Chief’s help and still keeping his job.

Becker has an outstanding record for solving homicides but it just may be that this time he will be outwitted.  The race is on to discover who the Prophet is, why he is killing men in so many brutal ways and who is next on the Prophet’s list.

The Ex-Cop-turned-Crime-Writer: about Gary Kassay

Gary Kassay, author of the Duke Becker Series, is a former member of the NYPD Transit K-9 Unit.  Besides a career as a Police Officer, he has been the owner of a commercial photo company, an X-ray tech for humans and animals, and a TSA employee. He now resides in Casper, Wyoming with his wife Raella, three dogs, and one black cat.

When Gary is not working on the next installment of his Duke Becker series, he enjoys spending quiet times with his wife, writing the Duke Becker series, reading, and when there isn’t snow on the ground, a good round of golf.

You can follow Gary on Twitter and on Facebook, visit his website or blog. Gary also has an author page at Sapphire Star Publishing and a Murder in Silence fan page on Facebook.

Crime written by an ex cop: the epitome of ‘write what you know’! Do you have any questions for Gary? Let’s hear them…

Racing to Love ~ Jesse’s Soul:
The fabulous Amy Gregory continues her story…

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Jesse Frost lived the life most men would kill for. Fast bikes, fame, money, and looks. He hadn’t thought much about those things throughout his career. He was just an easy-going guy from Texas who always worked hard for everything he got in life. He’d been the shy guy in school, so when the prom queen found him years later, he thought he had finally made it. Her mirage, however, left him empty and certain there was no one that wanted him just for the man inside.

Emery Kincaid has a last name that is revered in their world. A woman in a man’s world and succeeding, Irish through and through, she has the temper and sass to boot and a reputation that precedes her. She has remained strong because she’s had no other choice. The pain she masks runs deep and hiding it is the only way she can survive.

Thrown together and forced to be in each other’s space day in and day out, sparks start to fly—from chemistry and the brakes she tries desperately to throw on. Without a doubt, Jesse thinks he’s found her, but the girl that stole his heart has a stubborn streak a country mile wide.

What Jesse doesn’t know could break his heart. Hiding her true feelings for him is the only way for Emery to protect him and in turn—herself. She barely made it out the first time. If she let Jesse in and he walked away…well, that’s a risk her heart can’t take.

“By expertly weaving the lives of all her “boys” into the story, the end will
leave you smiling through your tears. Racing To Love ~ Jesse’s Soul puts Amy
Gregory in the number one spot on the podium!” ~Katie Mettner

Racing to Love ~ Jesse’s Soul is available in Amazon.co.uk Kindle and paperback, Amazon.com Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble and many other places. Rock on!

Awesome! I love a great romance and I can’t wait to get tucked into this second part of Jesse’s story!

 About Amy Gregory…

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Amy Gregory leads an incredibly active lifestyle in Kansas City with her husband and their three fantastic kids who keep them running in three very different directions.  When she’s not rushing her oldest daughter to tumbling, her youngest daughter to music lessons, or sitting track-side watching her son practice motocross, she’s taking the few minutes in between to scribble the next pages in her Racing to Love series.  When asked, “When do you have time to write?” Amy Gregory giggles.  “In bits and pieces,” she says.

Amy is known for her snarky, off the cuff sense of humor, which you’ll find shining through in the characters she’s created.  I’ve spent my whole life trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and now I’ve finally found it. – Amy Gregory

Find out more about Amy on her blog, or on her Sapphire Star Publishing author page.  Amy is also on Goodreads and you can find her on Twitter and Facebook.

Crime and Romance! Open that champagne, my friends, and let’s toast these two amazing authors!  HAPPY LAUNCH DAY !!**Cheers** 

Happy New Year!

Hooray, it’s the start of another year. I love new beginnings!

Wishing you all a
Safe,
Happy,
Healthy,
Successful
and all-round Wonderful
New Year 2013!

Firework photomontage

Image by Billy Hicks (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

Go on them, let’s hear them… your New Year’s Resolutions. I’ll start. Here are mine.

1) Write More Books!!

2) Work smarter, not harder.

3) Lose that weight (yeah, right… but hey, I can aspire to greatness, right?).

4) Join a choir.

5) Keep rocking!!

Your turn!

Nicky’s Top Tunes of 2012

It’s Music Monday!
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I hope you all had a fabulous Christmas! Today is the last day of 2012, and the last Monday at that! So what better day to post my favourite tunes of 2012? Sit back and relax!

(Oh… here’s a little quiz for you! ONE of these songs was contributed by my children, at their express insistence. I wonder if you can spot which one it is?)

That’s quite a mix, huh? It’s certainly been an interesting musical year. We have rock, pop and… other stuff. Awesome!

I’d love to hear your top tunes of 2012 ~ as always, keep it official! Rock on! 🙂

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 18,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 4 Film Festivals

Click here to see the complete report.

Merry Christmas! Music Monday proudly presents: Rocking Around the Christmas Tree! And: SSP’s Merry Jubilee

Happy Christmas!

It’s Music Monday… a day late in honour of Christmas!!!
PLUS: an AWESOME Sapphire Star Publishing
festive sale and give-away!!
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Well… it’s definitely the season to be jolly, so I’m offering today one of my all-time favourite festive tunes. It’s got the word ‘rocking’ in the title… It’s got to be a good one, right? I hope you get into the spirit but wait… before you get dancing, I just wanted to say a big Thank You for all your support across 2012; for your comments and tweets and shares, for your time and interest in my ramblings on this very blog, and for your patience.

 

Blogging wouldn’t be any fun without you ~ And I look forward to many more fabulous posts with your input during 2013!

 

And now it’s time to dance… but don’t forget to read on for the SALE and GIVEAWAY news!

 

 

If this video clip won’t play in your country… try this link instead. 🙂

 
 

SSP’s Merry Jubilee
From Christmas to New Year’s, we’re celebrating YOU with $0.99 books and a chance to win an iPad 2!
 
Stuff your stocking with some of Sapphire Star’s hottest books for just $0.99… Plus, DON’T miss your chance at winning an iPad 2, details below (Rafflecopter)
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The Mistaken by Nancy S. Thompson
Carter’s Treasure by Amy Gregory
When We Collide by A.L. Jackson
The Restaurant @ The Mill by Linn B. Halton
Sophie’s Turn by Nicky Wells
Taking Charge by Mandy Baggot
Dangerous Embrace by Dana Mason
The Quintessential Gemini by Linn B. Halton
Murder In Silence by Gary Kassay

 
 

And here’s your chance
to win that iPad:

Contest runs through Rafflecopter with entries for:

~Tweeting or FB sharing which SSP book they picked up for $0.99, shared from their Amazon page. 10 points

~Share SSP’s Merry Jubilee post on Facebook 5 points

~Post list of books on blog 5 points

~Like SSP on FB 2 points

~Tweet about the giveaway 2 points

~Share the funniest gift you’ve ever received on SSP FB page 1 point

~Share your New Year’s resolution on the SSP FB page 1 point

Simply follow this link:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas and a safe, happy and prosperous 2013 ~ Rock on!

Official Giveaway Rules:
Giveaway Prize:  One (1) Apple® – iPad® 2 with Wi-Fi – 16 GB – White. No purchase necessary. This contest is void where prohibited by law. Entrants must follow Rafflecopter instructions. One (1) winner will be picked via Rafflecopter and will be notified by email within three days of end of contest. If a winner is unreachable after seven (7) days, or if that winner is unavailable for prize fulfillment, an alternate winner will be selected.  Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Contest entrants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of the contest commissioners, which are final on all matters pertaining to the contest. Entrants grant to Sapphire Star Publishing the right to use and publish their name online. All results posted are unofficial until winner responds to e-mail notification. Contest ends on January 2, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. PST.

Frohe Weihnachten und ‘n Guten Rutsch!

Wishing you all a
Very Merry Christmas and a Fabulous New Year 2013~

May all your wishes come true!

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Thank you all for your support and enthusiasm during the past year. It means the world to me, and as far as I am concerned… You all rock. So keep rocking, and I’ll see you in 2013!!

~Nicky

Twinkle, twinkle, my blog got a star!

I’ve been given a star!

Wow! As if I wasn’t in the Christmas spirit already… now I’ve been awarded a shiny, twinkly star by the lovely Vikki Thompson.  Yes, Vikki thinks I’m deserving of a Blog of the Year 2012 award.

I say ~ Awesome, and Thank You, Vikki!

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What is the Blog of the Year 2012 Award?

Here are the description and rules, which I have lifted straight from the originator’s very cool blog ~ hope that’s ok, and thank you!

Do you know a blog that deserves an award? Do you have special blogs that you love to read? Which blogs do you bookmark and follow? Would you like to give them an award this year?

Then the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award is for you!

The ‘rules’ for this award are simple:

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserve the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Awardhttp://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/   and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

5 You can now also join our Facebook group – click ‘like’ on this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook group and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

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Yes – that’s right – there are stars to collect!

Unlike other awards which you can only add to your blog once – this award is different!

When you begin you will receive the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!

There are a total of 6 stars to collect.

Which means that you can check out your favourite blogs – and even if they have already been given the award by someone else – you can still bestow it on them again and help them to reach the maximum 6 stars!

My Thank You goes back to the blogger who nominated me…

Give it up for the lovely Vikki Thompson at The View Outside! (Vikki has collected six stars, by the way ~ she totally rocks!)

…and I’d like to pass the honour on to some of my favourite blogs:

Tobi at Forget The Housework, I’m Reading

Kate at Me, My Books, and I

Lou Graham

Nancy S. Thompson

Nova at My Seryniti

Rea Book Review

The fabulous Romaniacs

Anneli at Words from Anneli

Wishing you all a starry, twinkly and happy Christmas and… keep blogging through 2013!