Category Archives: CentreStage

CentreStage with Jo Lambert~Getting in the Groove with Plenty of Music and… E L James!

Posted on December 19, 2012 | 9 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases fabulous authors from around the world. These authors might tell you about their books, their lives, their pets, children or canal boats… or their inspiration. Inspiration is quite a popular theme, as it is one of the most frequently asked questions for any author. “What inspired you to write…”

Today, the fabulous Jo Lambert talks about an unexpected (by me, that is) combination of inspiration. Jo and I have known each other in Cyberspace for… oooh…. eons! It wasn’t until I moved to Lincoln that I discovered that Jo practically used to live round the corner from me (relatively speaking) down in Bath. We missed the chance to meet and rock out together to one of our joint favourite bands, so Jo is visiting virtually today to make up for lost time. Take it away, Jo!

Whatever captures my imagination…

Great to be here and many thanks for inviting me to join you on Centre Stage. As you know we have two big things in common – a trilogy (although I’ve already finished mine) and a love of modern music. So I thought while I’m here I’d chat about what have been for me two very important influences.

Whoop! I’m all ears.

I don’t think the Behind Blue Eyes trilogy could have been written without the aid of all the great music from that the sixties – a time I was also growing up in a provincial town much the same as Ella and Matt. A lot of the trilogy is therefore autobiographical and was easy to write. Of course it was an extra-ordinary decade too, a cultural revolution – the clothes, the new-found freedom young people were experiencing, not forgetting the music. Because one of the central scenes for thebooks is a club called The Mill, the trilogy is peppered with references to popular songs of the time and creating a playlist to use to accompany my writing also provided me with an instant personal connection.

For instance, ‘Hello-Goodbye’ by the Beatles, brought back memories of a twenty-first birthday party I attended and ‘My Generation’ by The Who reminded me of my college days. With all this music going on in the club, it wasn’t surprising, therefore, that I soon decided to incorporate a rock band into the storyline. A natural development as it seemed to me that romance and music were beginning to go hand in hand.

Between Today and Yesterday, the sequel to the Behind Blue Eyes trilogy, set in the late eighties, featured another rock band called Rosetti, but this time I kept song references to a minimum. If there were any, they were purely fictitious ones which were performed by the band. Somehow it seemed this story did not need the same treatment as the trilogy as all the principal characters were mature grownups. My playlists were there, of course, full of songs I had picked out which were relevant to the narrative, only now the music was purely for listening purposes. Once again romance and music were combined in this story, albeit in a slightly different way.

For my fifth novel – The Other Side of Morning – which I’m currently in the process of writing, I’m still in music mode – If I had to describe it I guess I would call it the sequel of the sequel. We’re now in the mid-nineties and this time Rosetti’s front man has become a big solo star with an ego to match. The music is still there but the story itself has been influenced by – you’ll never believe it – E L James! No, I’m not about to write a novel about BDSM, but I did read ’50 Shades’. It was Christian’s intense possessiveness with Ana that made me want to write a novel which dealt with obsession. And so the new book centres on a three-way love affair, one woman loved by two very different men and an obsession so strong that it ends in devastating consequences for all three of them. Once again music tracks get only a rare mention in the book, the playlists I listen to, as with Between Today and Yesterday, are the key to the writing and one of the main influences has been a band I know you’re a great fan of – Dare.

*Nicky cheers and dances* Indeed!!!

And the future? Well at present my energies are totally taken up with writing the current book. However, there will obviously be another book in the pipeline by this time next year. Whether it will be a continuation of the lives of the families who live in Little Court Manor or something completely different I’m not sure, but one thing I can guarantee is that it will definitely involve romance and music!

Excellent news! Just my cuppa, then. Rock on!

Once again thank you Nicky for having me here and good luck with Sophie’s Run.

Why, thank you, Jo, it was my pleasure having you here today. Thank your for a fabulous post and I adore all your covers, btw. You have such a strong brand: totally awesome.

Now tell us where we can find you…
Ok, then… I have a blog, of course, and a website. I’m on Twitter as @jolambertwriter and I’m on Facebook, too. You can find my books on Amazon!

About Jo Lambert
Jo Lambert lives in Bath, Somerset with her husband, small grey cat Mollie and Bridget, a white MG Midget affectionately known as her husband’s ‘other woman’.

So then: music and hot stuff…. what gets YOU in the mood for writing? And readers ~ can you tell what inspired an author when you read their books?

9 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged Behind Blue Eyes, CentreStage, E L James, Inspiration, Jo Lambert, Music

CentreStage with Libby Mercer ~ Wake up to the new Chick Lit: Complex characters, plot twists and darker, deeper themes

Posted on December 16, 2012 | 23 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases fabulous authors from around the world. These authors might tell you about their writing, their lives, their inspiration or… their love for the underdog! Today, it is my great pleasure to welcome the fabulous Libby Mercer! Libby and I met on Facebook (or was it Twitter?) and we got chatting.

Libby has just launched her latest novel, Unmasking Maya, and to celebrate, she she talks about her unconditional love for Chick Lit. Take it away, Libby!

Wake up to the new Chick Lit: Complex characters, plot twists and darker, deeper themes…

I’m proud to call myself a chick lit author, and I feel honored to fly the chick lit flag. What’s more, I have no problem with the term “chick lit”. It’s cute, it’s catchy and it’s fun. Much like the books are. Okay, so deep down I have a slight problem with the term. As Bethanne Patrick pointed out in an article on The Huffington Post, “it’s an infantilization.” This is true. But one must choose one’s battles and I feel this is something I can live with. If I took offense at the term “chick lit” I’d have to object any time my peers (women in their thirties) mention “getting together with the girls”.

What I do have a problem with is people’s misconceptions about the genre – and I’m referring not only the general public here, but to agents and editors as well. For years before I was published, I spent a great deal of time on writers’ websites and can’t count the number of times I read a post warning aspiring authors not to use the term when approaching agents or editors. “The kiss of death” it was called. “Call it contemporary women’s fiction instead,” people advised.

In one case I know of, an editor was hell-bent on eliminating all chick lit elements in a manuscript and replacing them with standard romantic elements. When the author said it was her intention was to brand herself as an author of chick lit/romance hybrids, the editor responded by saying, “Chick lit is a derogatory term… (It’s not) as well written as women’s fiction. So I’m not sure why you think following a chick lit formula is good writing, unless all you want to do with your career – if you plan to have one – is copy other authors who are already marginalized.”

Marginalized? Really? Jennifer Weiner has over 11 million copies of her books in print in 36 countries. Sophie Kinsella passed the 5 million sales mark back in 2010 and currently has just under 415,000 “likers” on Facebook, including me. It seems clear that there is a substantial audience out there for stories about fun, modern young women, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why the publishing industry is so reluctant to capitalize off of it.

I fully believe the already considerable audience could be much wider if it weren’t for the public’s misconceptions. I recently spent a couple of hours on Goodreads, going through reviews of books in the chick lit genre, and I came across several reviews that included statements such as: “For a chick lit novel, this was surprisingly intelligent” or “I can’t believe this is really a chick lit novel because it actually has a cohesive plot.” It seems to me that most people still think chick lit is all about cocktails and stilettos, when it’s long since evolved to include complex characters, plot twists and darker, deeper themes. And the characters are rarely obsessed with material goods these days. Well… except for Becky Bloomwood, everyone’s favorite Shopaholic.

Another thing that irks me to no end is the tendency to lump every book written by a woman (apart from obvious literary works by authors such as Margaret Atwood) into the chick lit genre. I’ve recently read articles by reputable book reviewers who have cited both The Help and Fifty Shades of Grey as being examples of chick lit books. Are you kidding me? And I cannot begin to understand why no one apart from me seems to have a problem with Marian Keyes being classified as a chick lit author. Her books are deeply moving, intense, dark and haunting. I read chick lit to fulfil my need for light-hearted escapism. I read Ms. Keyes’s novels to go on an emotional roller coaster ride, fully prepared to stay up all night to finish them and feel raw afterwards. And she writes chick lit? Really?

I hate to say it, but I think all these issues surrounding the chick lit genre come down to good old-fashioned sexism. Why else would Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series not be shelved in the same section of the bookstore as John Grisham’s novels?

Sarah Sentilles wrote a fascinating article for Harvard’s Divinity School newsletter in which she states, “Genres are gendered, a practice fuelled by the perception that women’s writing is essentially different than men’s. It seems, for example, to be common practice to call memoirs about religion by women “spiritual memoirs” and memoirs about religion by men “books about religion” or “searches for meaning”.

Jennifer Weiner – who is totally our genre’s Che Guevara – put it well when she said, “I think it’s a very old and deep-seated double standard that holds that when a man writes about family and feelings, it’s literature with a capital L, but when a woman considers the same topics, it’s romance, or a beach book – in short, it’s something unworthy of a serious critic’s attention.”

And speaking of the critics…

Feminist, author and journalist, Lakshmi Chaudhry, wrote, “Unlike the gods of the literary establishment who remain predominantly male – both as writers and critics – their humble readers are overwhelmingly female.” Overwhelmingly is right. According to surveys conducted in the US, Canada and Britain, women account for a whopping 80% of the fiction market. Isn’t that amazing?

In a perfect world, books in the same genre by both male and female authors would be shelved together. You’d be able to find both John Grisham and Janet Evanovich in mystery/thrillers. Sophie Kinsella would be shelved in the comedic section along with P. G. Woodhouse. And Marian Keyes would sit just down the aisle from Yann Martel in the literary section.

Failing that, we could always work on popularizing the term “dick lit”. Calling these books “lad lit” is weak. Let’s work on phasing it out. Like “chick lit”, the term “dick lit” is cute, it’s catchy and it’s fun. And it’s also a little naughty – more fun! It’s not as if there aren’t any books and authors out there who would fit beautifully into this category. To help you understand what I’m envisioning, I have to share this quote I found written by review blogger, Jodi Chromey. She says, “Dick lit [is] like chick lit but with rock & roll instead of shoes.”

Nick Hornby is the obviously the quintessential dick lit author, but also Mike Gayle and Joshua Braff have written several books that would fit perfectly into the genre. Dominic Knight’s Disco Boy would be another candidate for ultimate dick lit reads, as would Rudolph Delson’s Maynard and Jennica. All of these books deal with issues that the modern man faces in his career, family, friendship and love relationships, often told in a comedic or light-hearted voice. Sound familiar?

It may be unrealistic to expect women to have more of an influence on how the publishing industry is run (although it shouldn’t be. Hello? 80%) but we can start by using the term “dick lit” whenever and wherever it applies. After all, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

About Libby Mercer

Born and raised in the Midwest, Libby Mercer’s adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she’s since lived in Boston, NYC and London. San Francisco is the city she currently calls home. For several years, Libby worked in fashion – first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper. She also dabbled in design for a while. Even through the crazy fashion years, Libby never let go of her dream of being a published author, and has since developed her signature writing style, crafting quirky chick lit/romance hybrids. Fashioning a Romance was her first published novel, and Unmasking Maya will be her second. Libby has a third novel, The Karmic Connection, scheduled for release in 2013.

Visit Libby on her blog, on Goodreads, Twitter or Facebook. Libby has an author page on Amazon, and you can find Fashioning A Romance there too!

Stop press!

News has just come in that Unmasking Maya is now available to download! Get your copy on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk ~ hooray!!

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

Nicky claps loudly: GREAT POST, thank you! Thought-provoking, inspiring and attention-grabbing. Well done, I couldn’t have said it better myself. And now, dear reader, over to you…

Go on, tell us: Where do you stand on Chick Lit?

23 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged book launch, CentreStage, Fashioning A Romance, Jennifer Weiner, Kindle, Libby Mercer, Marian Keyes, Nick Hornby, Sophie Kinsella, Unmasking Maya

CentreStage with @KatieMettner ~ And The Rhythm Is Going to Get You!

Posted on December 11, 2012 | 11 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage features amazing authors from around the world. These authors might share with your stories about their lives, their writing, what inspires them and what brought them to write in the first place. Today, it is my enormous pleasure to welcome the amazing Katie Mettner to CentreStage.

Katie is truly an inspiration in every conceivable way, and most certainly in the ‘keeping your spirits’ up department. Even with a stinking cold or a splitting headache, Katie sends out happy vibes and positive tweets at all times.

Oh yes, and that’s how we bumped into each other, in Twitterland. Over one of her funny and laugh-out-loud little tweets. We connected, and have been sending each other hugs and laughs ever since. Katie shares with us today how she reclaimed music in her life, and why and how it inspired her to write Sugar’s Dance. Tap-tap-tap it away, sweetie!

Katie writes:

What part of music is the most important to you?

That might seem like a strange question to some, but it’s really quite simple. What part of the music, the rhythm, the melody, the lyrics or a combination of them, is most important to you? When you turn on the radio what part does your ear and your heart grab first?

For me it’s always been the rhythm, what my feet want to do when the first few bars play. It’s about if the rhythm makes me happy, sad or relaxed.

When I first sat down to write Sugar’s Dance, I hadn’t listened to music in nearly 10 years. Why? Because when I turned the music on my feet wanted to dance, but they couldn’t, so every song made me sad. I found that if I just didn’t listen to music then that part of my soul didn’t hurt. Going from dancing almost nightly to sitting in a wheelchair left that part of me in a bit of an upheaval.

Then in February 2011 I was laying in a hospital bed and a nurse decided she was going to put on some music to help me sleep. She called it her “Lullaby CD”. Well, as much as I protested she refused to listen and since I was lying in the bed with only one leg at that moment, I didn’t see a way to get up and turn it off. So I laid there and listened and a voice floated out across that speaker. I wonder what my face would have looked like had I had a mirror because it was the most astounding voice I had heard since dancing the night away to Frank Sinatra.

I quickly yelled to the nurse who came running in and I asked who was singing. She got a really funny look on her face and said, “That’s Michael Bublé”, as though I should already know that. I didn’t, but I will tell you suddenly I knew that I was missing the next Frank Sinatra and I wondered what else I was missing.

Did the rhythm make me want to get up and dance? Absolutely! Could I? No, but I found hope in that CD that I would again. And so it played all night long and I heard Enrique and Lady Antebellum and Taylor Swift and Goo Goo Dolls and finally that part of my heart that was locked up against the strains of a rhythm was unlocked again. When I got home from the hospital I downloaded every album I could find of Michael Bublé and set about writing Sugar’s Dance.

My favorite part of the book is when Agent Walsh, Sugar’s bodyguard, tells her she’s an anomaly. I share it below:

“You are an anomaly Tula.” He said between bites.
I looked up surprised at his words.
“Excuse me?”
“An anomaly; a contradiction.”
“I know what anomaly means. I’m curious why you say that.”

He had finished his omelette and was leaning back in his chair sipping his coffee. “I’ve been here, what about eighteen hours and I have heard Annie Lennox, Taylor Swift, Ace of Base, Billy Joel, Goo Goo Dolls, Michael Bublé, Bruno Mars, Lady Antebellum, Garth Brooks, Allison Krauss, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Enrique and some dude playing the piano.”
“George Winston.”

He arched an eyebrow at me. “So you know your music. I still don’t see your point.” I put my fork down and copied his posture.

“Your choice of music alone is, confusing.”
“I didn’t think I was going to have justify my music choices for this arrangement.” I took a sip of my coffee begging the Lord to give me strength.
“I never said you did. “

See this is the reason I don’t date. Men drive me crazy. They can’t seem to carry on a normal conversation in a normal manner.

“It was just an observation really, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know you better since we will be spending a lot of time together.”

He took a drink of his coffee his green eyes glinting at me from above the rim waiting.
“I’m a dancer.”

His eyes traveled across me again. “Yes. I can see that.” He was assessing me with his eyes, again. I probably should have been put off by the way he looked at me, but for some reason I couldn’t seem to get too worked up about it. “So that’s the whole answer. You’re a dancer?”

I sighed, “Music to me is about the rhythm. It’s about what my feet want to do when the first few bars play. It’s about if it makes me happy, sad, angry or lonely. It’s about whether I want to throw caution to the wind and swing or if I want to be pulled up tight and waltzed around the floor. For me music will take my mind off the bad stuff, let me be creative or relax me after a long day. It’s about what memories it brings back and what memories it makes. If I couldn’t dance music would simply be notes, but when I dance it becomes my soul.”

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

And so what part of the music is the most important to me? The rhythm, because without rhythm I didn’t move anywhere, but with rhythm I found the strength to share Sugar, someone who has also known the feeling of not being able to dance and then the feeling of rebirth by waltz through the darkness into the light.

Let’s find out more about Katie’s second book Sugar’s Song!

Everybody needs a little Sugar!
When I am afraid, I will trust in you. Psalm 56

Love is a many-splendored thing and no one who knows this better than Tula “Sugar” DuBois. As the New Year breaks over her lodge on the frozen shores of Lake Superior, Sugar is wrapped in the arms of the man she loves, dancing in the New Year with her brother and his new wife.

Enter the mysterious Lillie who comes to the lodge for Christmas break seeking safe haven. No one knows her secrets and she’s determined to keep it that way. Having had secrets to keep Sugar is compelled to love and protect Lillie, determined to give her the strength to reveal what she’s hiding before it’s too late. When Lillie comes face-to-face with her past will she let revenge steal her future?

Sugar calls upon all who love Lillie to dance a dangerous samba to save the young girl before she is delivered to the Father by evil… As the tulips sprout through the snow covered ground there is new love, new hope and new life, and together they will share Sugar’s Night…

And last but not least, introducing the fabulous Katie Mettner herself, properly…

I grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin and moved to the Northwoods as a young adult where I now reside with my husband and three children. My love affair with Lake Superior began when I met my husband, Dwayne, and he drove me across the bridge one snowy November day with my nose pressed up against the glass. It was in that moment the scene was set for my breakout novel!

As a young adult I enjoyed ballroom dancing and spent many hours on the dance floor, and like Sugar I didn’t let my physical limitations hold me back very long. I’m happy to report that I’m back on the dance floor again! My stories are a reflection of my love for family intricately woven with life experience. When the gales of November blow early you can find me at the computer with a cup of joe, listening to Michael Bublé and working on Sugar’s next adventure….

Find Katie and her books on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Katie has a website, and she dances on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads.

Nicky says: Katie, thank you for a wonderful post and for introducing yourself and Sugar. I’m positively dancing here. Please come back soon!

And over to you, dear reader. What part of the music ‘does’ it for you? Me, I’m a voice-and-lyrics kinda girl…

11 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged CentreStage, Gloria Estefan, Katie Mettner, Miami Sound Machine, Michael Buble, Music, Rhythm, Rhythm Is Going to Get You, Sugar's Dance, Sugar's Song

CentreStage with Jennifer M Eaton ~ For the Love of Christmas

Posted on December 4, 2012 | 12 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage features fantastic authors from around the world. These authors might talk about their books, their writing, their lives or any other experience that takes their fancy. Every feature is unique in format and style, and today is no exception!

It is my enormous pleasure to welcome the amazing Jennifer M. Eaton today. Jennifer and I ‘met’ in the blogosphere and I love following her blog. She is so full of energy that it leaves me breathless, and her sense of humour is wicked. Today, she’s here to celebrate the launch of the For the Love of Christmas Anthology featuring her Christmas romance, Connect the Dots!

HUGE congratulations and… Take it away, Jennifer!

The Inspiration of Music ~ Where Does it Come From?

When do you listen to music?

My house is almost always filled with music. My husband loves it, and grew up with a love of classical as well as contemporary styles.

Growing up, my house had very little music in it. Music just wasn’t important in my parents’ lives. Even radio was always “talk radio” when we were in the car. It wasn’t until my friends started playing their radios that I started forming my own opinions on music. (Which ended up being main stream-pop.—what everyone else in my school was listening to.)

Now, while I still can’t get in to opera and some of the other stuff he listens to, I have “grown” in my musical tastes thanks to my husband. I even find inspiration in the “mood” that music fuses into your psyche.

But “mood” can be a distraction as well as an asset. For instance, while I write, I cannot listen to anything with WORDS in it. Hearing someone else’s words distracts from the words flowing on my own page.

However, when I’m driving, I PREFER music with words. Since I am normally alone when I drive, the words keep me company (and I don’t have to be embarrassed when I song along).

I know writers who ALWAYS listen to music when they write, which I find interesting, because I only turn on music when I need to drown out the noise (or talking) around me. Otherwise, I prefer silence when I write my stories. I’ve always wondered if I’d been bought up with music in my life, as my husband was, would I feel differently about that.

When do you listen to music? Does music “contribute” to your life?

Wow, what a great post, Jen ~ thank you! Well, I’ll go first then in answering your question! 🙂 You already know how much music matters to me. I never listen to music while I write, whether it’s with or without words; I find that the mood I need when I write changes so quickly that music can’t keep up with it. However, when I do listen to music, lyrics matter; I find I can’t connect with the music if the lyrics don’t speak to me!

About Jennifer M Eaton and Her Work

Jennifer Eaton lives on the East Coast USA with her husband, three boys, and a pepped up poodle. She hosts an interactive website aimed at making all writers the best they can be. You can also find Jennifer on Twitter.

Her Dystopian novelette “Last Winter Red” is available as part of the “Make Believe” Anthology from J.Taylor Publishing. Her Christmas Romance “Connect the Dots” is available as part of Still Moments Publishing’s “For the Love of Christmas” Anthology. Both are available in ebook format from Amazon.com, Barnesandnooble.com and Smashwords.

You can find Make Believe on Amazon and Barnes & Noble right now!

And you can find Connect the Dots in the following places as of now:
SMP Library; SMP eBook Store; Smashwords

Last Winter Red

In search of a husband, Emily leaves the safety of the city and risks her life stepping into the outside world. What she finds there will question the foundations of everything she believes in.

Connect the Dots

Jill has no idea what she wants for Christmas, but when it looks like her best friend Jack is going to get exactly what he asks for, Jill makes a Christmas wish that will change both of their lives forever.

Wow, awesome covers and I am thoroughly intrigued! Will be checking these anthologies out post-haste *scurries to grab Kindle*

Congratulations again, Jennifer, and over to you, folks: Tell us about your musical writing habits…

12 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged Anthology, CentreStage, Christmas Romance, Connect The Dots, For The Love of Christmas, Jennifer M Eaton, Release Day, Still Moments Publishing

CentreStage proudly presents: COVER REVEAL for Never Alone by Linn B Halton

Posted on November 28, 2012 | 38 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases amazingly talented authors from around the world. These authors might share with you their inspiration for writing, news about their books or… their brand new, hot-of-the-press book covers!

Today, it is my enormous pleasure to welcome my loveahappyending.com friend and go-to-person for all things authorly, the fantabulous Linn B. Halton, with the cover reveal for her next bestseller, Never Alone!

Cover reveal for Never Alone
and Top Tips for keeping your man happy!

I’m doing a fab splash around some wonderful blogs and websites to celebrate a brand new shiny cover, hot off the press. This story is full of heart and a young woman, Holly Atherton, who doesn’t want to say ‘yes’ to having that wedding ring placed on her finger. Even though Will is the love of her life and absolutely gorgeous!

Never Alone is being released in January 2013 and it’s a story of true love, but as we all know the path is never easy. Keep reading to find out how you can win an advance copy to be sent out in December 2012.

Before I tell you all about Holly’s story I wanted to ask my lovely host, the fabulous and talented rock-chic author, Nicky Wells, what top tip she has for keeping a partner happy. Of course, I couldn’t ask that question if I wasn’t prepared to spill the beans myself….

Set aside ‘together’ time, whether that’s an evening out or a short-break away, as long as it’s romantic! Think of it as a date, or if you are going away together re-kindling your ‘affair’. Don’t let ife get in the way!

So, Nicky, what’s your little secret?

I’d say… Recognize the lovely inner child in your man! Thank him for helping out around the house or in the kitchen (and for God’s sake don’t let him see you go round after him doing the job properly!), and let the little temper tantrums and niggles wash right over you… Bliss.

Thank you, Nicky, duly noted (soooo true!) and added to my growing list of ‘Ways to Please Your Man’ – sounds like a new book to me! Ha! Ha!

Holly Atherton has a seemingly perfect life, until suddenly it all beings to unravel. She has spent her life living up to other people’s expectations of her, trying to please them.

She has it all – the affluent family who dote on her, a job she loves in her father’s business, and the perfect boyfriend. Will is a successful entrepreneur and they are about to start enjoying a lifestyle many can only dream about. His latest business deal will see them with homes in the UK and Los Angeles.

But what if you wake up one morning and find yourself wondering whether the path you are on is the one you are supposed to be taking? Is she too caught up in pleasing her parents and Will to take her future into her own hands?

When Holly’s psychic sensitivity begins to surface she doesn’t know how to handle it. Vivid dreams seem too real to ignore and she finds herself ‘talking’ to Nick, the recently deceased brother of her best friend, Celia.

Just having someone to whom she can offload what she’s feeling helps and she feels happier moving forward with Will into their exciting new future and all seems well… the rest is coming soon!

TAKE PART!!
Thank you for helping me to celebrate this cover reveal.
Simply leave your TOP TIP for keeping your man happy and 6 names will be randomly selected from the blogs taking part to receive an advance ecopy of Never Alone in December 2012.

Festive wishes to everyone! Linn

Awesome! HUGE congratulations on a fabulous cover and I can’t wait to read the story of Holly, Nick and Will. Rock on!

Visit Linn B Halton

Website
A loveahappyending.com author
Signed by:http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/linnbhalton
Twitter: @LinnBHalton
Facebook: Linn B Halton
Romantic Novelists’ Association page

Amazon.co.uk (buy)
Amazon.com (buy)

Congrats again to Linn and… let’s hear your top tips for keeping your man happy!

38 Comments

Posted in Authors @ Sapphire Star Publishing, CentreStage

Tagged CentreStage, cover reveal, Gift, Linn B. Halton, loveahappyending.com, Never Alone, Psychic, Top Tips

Music Monday meets CentreStage: Richard Holmes brings Inspiration For Breakfast and The Clash

Posted on November 26, 2012 | 13 comments

Music Monday meets CentreStage
as I hand over my blog to the one-and-only Richard F. Holmes today.

Be prepared for music and astral inspiration!

Take it away, Richard!

First of all, Nicky, I’d like to honour Music Monday on your blog. Here’s a tune by The Clash that inspires me:

Moreover, this version of Louie Louie by The Clash represents a great bit of three-minute escapism for me. Sadly, you’ve got to click through to listen to this song but it is totally worth it.

Awesome!! But now, Richard, on to your REAL purpose for being here… 🙂

Thank you Nicky. I must say it’s a pleasure to be here.

Why thank you, Richard… so can you tell us about your latest book?

Yes, it’s called Inspiration For Breakfast and it’s a compilation of wisdom quotes that I felt compelled to put into book form, and I’m really grateful to you for showcasing it today on my official launch day.

As you may well know I really love inspirational quotes; I find that they can really fire you up and get you going and I just felt it was something I needed to do. I had already published one new book this year and republished my first five pieces of work as two revamped paperbacks, but I found myself wanting to do something else before the year’s end, and Inspiration For Breakfast is the result of that. I got the idea and just sat on it for weeks, but once I decided to go ahead with it, it was finished very quickly.

Was there any particular source you gathered all these quotes from?

A few really; I just love Eastern Philosophy, so the first section is dedicated to Easter Philosophy quotes. Then there is a section on Marcus Aurelius quotes; Marcus was one of only five Roman Emperors to have been considered “good”. There is also a section on Greek Philosophy quotes and a section on miscellaneous quotes from all kinds of people as diverse as Audrey Hepburn and Winston Churchill.

Who would you say your book was for specifically, Richard?

Literally anyone and everyone Nicky; young and old, male and female; anyone at all who is looking for a little bit of inspiration.

That sounds great, and I understand that Inspiration For Breakfast is not the only project you have been busy with?

Yes that’s correct, firstly I decided that my Kindle version of Angelic Wisdom Trilogy needed sprucing up a little, so I engaged the services of our very own Stephanie Keyes’ company, Sycamore Road Design, to create a new cover for me, and here it is…

It’s beautiful, Richard! Well done, Steph!

To celebrate the new cover reveal I am hosting a free giveaway on Amazon Kindle of Angelic Wisdom Trilogy, and anyone interested in downloading a copy can find do so from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com (available on 26 November and 27 November 2012).

As well as that I have just released my latest CD, Mantra For The Soul. This is a project that I am particularly excited about, and I also have someone working on a new backing track for one of my older meditation CDs that is already in production, and if things go to plan the finished article will seem like a completely new project only much better. Finally, I have an idea for another CD in the new year that should turn out to be the best of the bunch. So, all in all, exciting times!

My goodness, what a lot of achievements: congrats! Thanks for joining me today, Richard, and sharing your exciting news with us. But before you go, how about one of your favourite quotes from the book?

It would be a pleasure, Nicky, and thanks again for having me as a guest on your blog!

“Love is the strongest force the world possesses and yet it is the humblest imaginable” – Mahatma Gandhi

About Richard Holmes… by Richard Holmes!

I am a medium and clairvoyant and also the author of 8 spiritual books and producer of 6 meditation CD’s that have helped to change the lives of many people from all walks of life. Only 12 years ago I was still struggling with an alcohol problem that was threatening to take my life in a very negative direction from which there would have been no return. These days I use the same principles that enabled me to turn my life around and apply them to my client’s individual needs. I help people replace the old negative mindsets, that keep them rooted in the past, with new positive thoughts and attitudes that enable them to get what they dream about having and being in their lives.

By drawing on my own life experience I help people to grow and realise their true worth and potential; helping them to express themselves in ways that make them feel happy and fulfilled. People contact me when they are at a crossroads in their lives or when they feel they are stuck in a particular negative situation. It may also be because they are experiencing grief due to the loss of a loved one or they may simply be in search of some guidance of a spiritual nature.

Whatever the reason, I always aim to make people feel at ease so that they can enjoy the experience. I also help people to realise the gifts of clairvoyance, mediumship and healing that are present within themselves. This can be on a one-to-one or group basis and is achieved through guided meditation and other methods of inner work.

Find Richard

Visit Richard on his website or at loveahappyending.com, find him on Facebook, or follow him on Twitter.

You can buy Richard’s books on amazon.co.uk, amazon.com and smashwords.

Huge congratulations to Richard ~ and a Big Thank you for bringing us Inspiration For Breakfast. Wishing you all the best of luck and every success!

13 Comments

Posted in CentreStage, Music Monday

Tagged Angelic Wisdom Trilogy, CentreStage, Clairvoyant, Free Kindle Promo, Inspiration for Breakfast, Mahatma Gandhi, medium, Music Monday, Richard Holmes, Stephanie Keyes, The Clash

CentreStage with Ali Bacon: How The Treatment Room was really A Kettle of Fish

Posted on November 20, 2012 | 16 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases fantastic authors from around the world. These authors might write for you about their lives, their books, their inspiration or… their book titles. Or even beauty treatments! Today, it is my great pleasure to welcome my fabulous friend and fellow loveahappyending.com author Ali Bacon.

Ali talks about her novel and how it changed from bearing a descriptive title to something quite lyrical and evocative. Well, I think it’s lyrical and evocative at any rate. But let’s hear it from Ali herself:

The Treatment Room: beauty, truth and depilation!

Hello Nicky, how amazing to be alongside the great writers who’ve been here recently. I’m kind of sidling out on to the stage and taking a nervous bow as that spotlight is leaving me a bit dazzled. In fact I’ve just been reading the fabulous Sue Moorcroft’s article about feet, and it made me think about how a rather strange topic got into my coming-of-age-novel, which is now called A Kettle of Fish but started life as The Treatment Room .

Nicky *waves* Hi Ali, don’t sidle on the stage ~ walk out with confidence! It’s lovely to have you here and I am intrigued already… from The Treatment Room to A Kettle of Fish, wow. Tell us more!

Depilation, unwanted hair and the removal of such – something all of us as members of the fairer sex we have all had to consider. At various times I’ve been down all the avenues, from the dreaded creams (back in the day they smelled of perming lotion – yeuch!), DIY wax strips (it’s not that easy to get rid of all the wax but be sure to steer clear of family pets until you do!) until the need to maintain my dignity without splashing too much cash led me to patronise various local ladies who provided this service from their own homes.

Smooth legs required!

As someone who was self-employed at the time, it struck me that this was a nice little trade, but on the other hand would I have wanted to do it myself? Isn’t there a touch of the macabre in ripping off leg hair as an occupation? And how would the rest of the family feel about giving houseroom to a messy and slightly unsavoury occupation?

Nicky: LOL, I know what my lot would say!

All of that was ages ago (Veet is so much improved, don’t you think?!)…

(Nicky *interrupts rudely, clears throat* Actually… no! I had the most awful experience with Veet just before my wedding. I spent nearly an hour lying in a vinegary bath to get rid of the worst side-effects. I won’t go into any more details but I haven’t used it since. Your home-based ladies sound MUCH safer!)

…but it obviously stuck in my mind and when I found myself dealing with my heroine’s mother, it all came flooding back. Lorraine is the most complex character in the novel. She needs to invoke our sympathy, but not our out-and-out support. Is she hard done by or just needy? Is she on Ailsa, our heroine’s, side, or her own? On the practical side, she’s plagued by ill-health and can’t go out much. And without a husband or partner on the scene, she must need some kind of an income. It was a no-brainer, I gave Lorrraine a white coat and an aura of sugar paste. The Treatment Room was born!

Nicky: Cool. An aura of sugar paste… hmmm, I like the image!

You’ll guess by now that my novel is not a love story (although romance does play a part) but nor is it (I’m glad to say!) horror, and so the first title was dropped. It has been described as ‘a roller coaster family drama’ and I hope the new title reflects its feisty heroine and twisty plot. And there are a few fish in there, but definitely no pedicures!

Nicky: Feisty heroine and twisty plot and fish… who needs pedicures with all this thrown in the mix already? I have A Kettle of Fish on my Kindle and now I really can’t wait to get started! Now that we know about your book, tell us about you!

A bit about Ali

I was brought up in Scotland and will always be a Scot at heart but I’ve lived in the West Country for so long that I do think of Bristol as home. I started writing quite late (I hope not too late!) in life but I have now given up doing anything else apart that is from golf (glory, despondency, mud!) ballroom dancing (where instead of sweet nothings my partner whispers in my ear slow, quick-quick, slow) and singing in a choir, although so far the lovely Gareth Malone has failed to appear and transform me into a diva. So that leaves the rest of the time for staring at a computer screen and trying not to check my Twitter and FB feeds. Yes, the life of a writer!

Nicky: Ah, I miss Bristol. Can’t believe we didn’t meet up while I was still down there. And really can’t believe you missed the lovely Gareth when he was down there!!! Thank you for visiting today and making such a dashing entrance. Now all that remains is to let us know where we can find you and your books.

A Kettle of Fish is available from Thornberry Publishing in Kindle edition and from Ali in print edition.

You can visit Ali on her blog and website and follow her on Twitter.

Awesome! Do you frequent Treatment Rooms or are you a home-based beautifier? And what do you make of A Kettle of Fish?

16 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged A Kettle of Fish, Ali Bacon, Bristol, CentreStage, Coming of Age, Gareth Malone, Kindle, loveahappyending.com, The Treatment Room, Thornberry Publishing

CentreStage with Jessica Strassner: Introducing the Semi-Sequel, One of the Guys

Posted on November 15, 2012 | 12 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases fabulous authors from around the world. These authors might tell you about themselves or their books, their writing habits or their authorly inventions. Today, it is my great pleasure to welcome fellow loveahappyending.com featured author and great virtual friend, the lovely Jessica Strassner. Jessica has just finished writing her latest book, a sequel of sorts… a semi-sequel, so to speak, to her fantastic novel, The One Who Got Away. I adored The One Who Got Away so I can’t wait to read on! But hold on, a Semi-Sequel? What’s that all about?

Take it away, Jess!

Introducing… Jessica Strassner!

A little bit about me… I recently packed up my flip-flops and moved from sunny Florida to Washington, DC. I live with my wonderful boyfriend who makes my coffee every morning and bakes me cookies. I love anything that sparkles. I could eat cereal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I like just about any kind of music and love going to concerts, even though I have no musical ability whatsoever. If I’m writing, my headphones are on and the music is turned up loud!

My three novels (Here We Go, The One Who Got Away, One of the Guys) are all available on Amazon.com.

Jessica talks about her latest book ~ a Semi-Sequel!

One of the Guys is a “semi-sequel” to my last book, The One Who Got Away. I’m calling it a “semi-sequel” (Is there such a thing? If not, I just made it a thing.) because it continues the story of Lucy and Jackson, but is told more from the viewpoint of their best friend, Kate.

When I finished The One Who Got Away, I kind of left things hanging, because I wasn’t sure how I wanted Lucy and Jackson’s story to continue. Plus, Kate was one of those secondary characters that I liked writing, and I thought she needed a story of her own! Readers can find out more about what happens with Lucy and Jackson, and now they get to learn about Kate, too!

In the book, Kate is helping Lucy and Jackson plan their wedding while attempting to juggle a few romances of her own. Everyone questions when it will finally be Kate’s turn to walk down the aisle, but she can’t even manage to hang on to a boyfriend! She does have several options, though. There’s Chris, the smooth, sexy photographer. And then there’s Max, the boy next door “friend with benefits…” Kate can’t help but wonder – is it possible to date one of your guy friends? How about two? At the same time? Which one of the guys will she choose?

Visit, follow or watch!

You can find Jess all over the place. She has a website as well as a blog. She has author pages at amazon and lovehappyending.com. You can follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook. And there’s also a fabulous video called New covers!

Huge congratulations, Jess! I adore the cover and can’t wait to get reading to find out how the story goes on.

Semi-Sequel… I’m intrigued! How do you address the challenge of continuing a previous book without writing an outright sequel?

Readers, what do YOU think of sequels, semi or otherwise?

12 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged CentreStage, chick lit, Jessica Strassner, Kindle, loveahappyending.com, One of the Guys, Romance

CentreStage with Sue Moorcroft ~ The Attractions of Feet

Posted on November 7, 2012 | 12 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases fantastic authors from around the world. These authors might share with you stories about their lives, their writing, their books, favourite anecdotes or inspiring disasters (yes, we’ve had those too!). Today, it is my greatl pleasure to welcome outstanding novelist and fabulous friend, Sue Moorcroft!

The Attractions of Feet

When I was considering what to write about in this post I thought: feet.

Then I thought: nobody wants to read about feet.

Then I thought: I hope they do! Because I’ve made the heroine of Dream a Little Dreama reflexologist …

Liza Reece has been a reflexologist for a while because she was in All That Mullarkey, the sister of the heroine, Cleo. When I decided to give Liza her own book, because she was just too naughty and fun to leave in Secondary Characterland and readers had asked about what happened to her, I had to choose whether to keep her as a reflexologist or retrain her for a new career. It seemed easiest to do the former but I wondered whether I could make reflexology interesting/fun.

Then I thought about doing the research – i.e. having reflexology treatments – and my mind was made up. Reflexology it was.

I contacted a local reflexologist, Joan Innes of Moulton Therapies, and booked some treatments, during which she would help me with my research. It tested my powers of concentration! I love reflexology treatments and kept finding myself drifting away on passing clouds as Joan worked, having to forcibly remind myself that I was there to learn what Liza needed to know, and how my hero, Dominic Christy would react to having his feet done. Particularly by Liza.

I ended up developing a strategy of going in with a list of questions or emailing them after because during the treatments I really did … just … let … go.

As a footnote – ho ho – after my first treatment, Joan told me that she picked up a reflex in my right eye. I shrugged it off and said I’d had damage in my left eye but she repeated that she’d picked up the right. Months later, it was discovered that I had a haemorrhage in the back of my right eye …

I decided that reflexology could be a very cool career indeed. I gave Liza a practice in the grounds of a posh hotel (which didn’t work out quite as she’d planned), battling to introduce pamper sessions, hen nights and various whizzy ideas that horrify stodgy centre manager, Nicolas. Reflexology suits Liza as she’s a girly girl and likes being in girly environments. She likes seeing people come in looking tense or flustered and float out after their treatment laid back and floaty. Reflexology suits Dominic a lot less, because he doesn’t really care for having his feet touched. Until he meets Liza. Then, suddenly, he’s a regular client.

The other feet-based research I did for Dream a Little Dream was to have a fish pedicure. For anyone who hasn’t tried this, you put your feet in a tank of fish and let them eat the dead skin off. So I booked a session, paid my £10 and put my feet in the water – and it was weird! My instinct was to yank my feet back out and count my toes because the fish (garra rufa) pounced as if they hadn’t been fed for a year. But it wasn’t as if they were piranhas and once I got used to the tingly, tickly, electric shocky feeling, it was quite nice – in a sort of, ‘I don’t think I’ll bother with this again’ way.

For quite how ‘feet fish’ come into Dream a Little Dream … I’ll leave that to you to find out.

Thank you, Nicky, for letting me take Centre Stage.

Thank you, Sue, for visiting CentreStage and for sharing this amazing context around Dream a Little Dream. I am a bit sceptical where reflexology and such like come into play, but your story has me totally intrigued. As for the fishy pedicure… I nearly had one last week but I chickened out at the last minute! I really enjoyed your visit and hope to welcome you back again soon. Meanwhile, best of luck with the launch of Dream a Little Dream!!

Dream a Little Dream

What would you give to make your dreams come true?

Liza Reece has a dream. Working as a reflexologist for a troubled holistic centre isn’t enough. When the opportunity arises to take over the Centre she jumps at it. Problem is, she needs funds, and fast, as she’s not the only one interested.

Dominic Christy has dreams of his own. Diagnosed as suffering from a rare sleep disorder, dumped by his live-in girlfriend and discharged from the job he adored as an Air Traffic Controller, he’s single-minded in his aims. He has money, and plans for the Centre that don’t include Liza and her team.

But dreams have a way of shifting and changing and Dominic’s growing fascination with Liza threatens to reshape his. And then it’s time to wake up to the truth …

Ooh, me again, sorry to interrupt! I have Dream a Little Dream on my Kindle and I am eager to get reading ~ sounds just like my cuppa and I quite often dream a little dream myself. If you want to have a look-see, find the book here!

About Sue Moorcroft

Sue Moorcroft writes romantic novels of dauntless heroines and irresistible heroes for Choc Lit. Her last book, Love & Freedom, won the Best Romantic Read Award 2011 at the Festival of Romance and her most recent, Dream a Little Dream, is out now. She’s a Katie Fforde Bursary Award winner.

Sue also writes short stories, serials, articles and courses and is the author of Love Writing – How to Make Money From Writing Romantic and Erotic Fiction (Accent Press). She’s the head judge for Writers’ Forum fiction competition.

Check out her website and her blog ~ and you’re welcome to befriend Sue on Facebook or Follow Sue on Twitter.

Now then, folks: hands up (or should that be feet up) who’s had a fishy pedicure?
And what’s your little dream? We’d love to hear it! 🙂 xx

12 Comments

Posted in CentreStage

Tagged CentreStage, Choc Lit, Dream a Little Dream, Fishy pedicure, Kindle, Reflexology, Sue Moorcroft

CentreStage with Susan Buchanan ~ Even professionals seek professional help in The Dating Game

Posted on November 6, 2012 | 12 comments

Welcome to CentreStage!

CentreStage showcases fantastic authors from around the world. These authors might share with you stories about their books, their lives, their writing or anything else that takes their fancy. We’ve had picture posts and music posts, interviews, guest posts and all manner of exciting things. So grab a cuppa and a slice of cake as I welcome the fabulous Susan Buchanan!

Susan has just launched her second novel, The Dating Game, and she is chatting with her main character, Gill McFadden, about… well, the dating game. Take it away, ladies!

Taking the plunge… going dating the professional way!

S: *makes sweeping hand gesture to introduce her guest* Today we meet Gill from The Dating Game. She has just taken the plunge and joined a dating agency for professional people.

S: Hi Gill, and thanks for joining us

G: Pleasure

S: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself? I believe you work in Recruitment?

G: That’s right. I have my own agency, in Glasgow, which specialises in Engineering and Sales and Marketing roles. I set it up about 3 years ago.

S: That sounds exciting, but I’ve heard it’s a very cut-throat industry. How are you coping with the recession?

G: It is a very difficult industry to be in and now more than ever with 40 candidates chasing every opportunity. It’s very disheartening when you see good candidates fail to get employment. But on the flip side it’s very rewarding when I place a good candidate in the right role. It is, however, the bane of my social life. I set up the agency just as the recession started and the job situation, as you know, has only got worse and worse. That means I have to work more and more hours to make a success of things.

S: I imagine that must be difficult when you’re in a relationship, or trying to find a partner.

G: *sighs deeply* Yes, that’s about the long and short of it. Most guys can’t live with the hours I’m putting in. They want all my attention focussed on them and quite frankly, that’s when you meet a good one. I thought New York was the city where it was meant to be difficult for single women, but Glasgow must come a close second. Plus, the very idea of having time to try and meet someone is just laughable. By the time I’ve finished work (I am here from 7am to 9pm most days) all I want is a hot shower, dinner and bed. Although it would be nice if there was someone to share the bed with.

S: That doesn’t sound a very satisfying an existence…

G: *gives an ironic laugh* You’re telling me! In more ways than one, I can tell you! The problem is because I don’t have time to go and meet guys in the normal way; pubs, night classes, rambling clubs, even work colleagues (although I don’t recommend that) the only dates I’ve been on in the last few years are blind dates set up by my friends, Lisa, Angela and Debbie.

S: Oh right, so how have those worked out for you, and what did you think of the whole blind date experience?

G: Well, I think the fact that I’ve just joined a dating agency speaks for itself. But generally they consisted of men who spoke about themselves all night, didn’t ask anything about me; were more interested in their appearance than anything else and bitched about their past relationships/wives. And those are the ones I’m not too embarrassed to tell you about!

S: Okay. So, did you ever think ‘stuff this, I’m better off just being single’?

G: Sure, loads of times. And for the most part I do like being single. I don’t need a man in my life. I make good money, have a nice flat, lovely car (Audi) great friends and am very close to my brother and his family. But sometimes, just sometimes, I wouldn’t mind having someone that I could tell about my day when I come in from work, that I could laugh at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival with or who would go to a classical music concert with me. Plus, there’s the physical side of things…

S: So would you say it was the ‘physical side of things’ that led you to join Happy Ever After?

G: No, although if I meet the right person, I’m not ruling that out, at all! It’s been so long since… I mean, it would be great just to be shown some male affection. I do miss that. But I’ve thought long and hard about it, and I want a relationship. I don’t necessarily want kids and marriage and all that, but I do want to be with someone that enhances my life.

S: So, tell us about the dating agency? How does it work? Is it expensive?

G: *looks a fraction uncomfortable* Well, I saw the ad on a bus. It’s really expensive actually. £400 joining fee.

S: Four hundred pounds?

G: Yes, and that was a half-price offer. Then it’s £40 a month direct debit. They say you should expect 20-35 introductions in a year for that.

S: I should think so, at that price! That will certainly weed out the time wasters. I must ask, did you tell the complete truth on your dating profile?

G: *hesitates* Well, mostly. Everyone likes to present the best side of themselves, don’t they? I didn’t put I spoke fluent French or anything, but I may have exaggerated a few things. Doesn’t everyone?

S: Hmm, interesting. So, what’s the state of play now?

G: I’ve received three profiles. Two look great, the other, I’m not so sure. I’m meeting my friend Debbie later to go over them.

S: Well, Gill, I wish you the best of luck. Three sounds quite promising. Hopefully you will find your ideal date in that lot.

G: Yes, well, I’m going to reserve judgment until I decide whether to meet them or not, although one in particular I have to say, is definitely my type. Fingers crossed, but I don’t want to get my hopes up just yet.

S: Will you come back and tell us how you got on?

G: Of course. I just hope it’s good news.

S: I’m sure it will be. Good luck and thanks for agreeing to this interview

G: You’re welcome and I think I’m going to need that luck!

Nicky says: Wow, good luck, Gill, and I look forward to reading about your dating experiences!! 🙂

About Susan Buchanan and The Dating Game

Susan Buchanan lives in Central Scotland with her partner, Tony. The Dating Game is her second novel, released 2nd Nov 2012. Sign of the Times, her first novel, was published in Mar 2012. She will shortly start work on her third novel, due for release Spring 2013.

Here exclusively is Susan Buchanan talking about The Dating Game:

The idea for The Dating Game came from a friend who had joined a dating agency for professional people in Glasgow. Although none of the escapades or experiences Gill has in The Dating Game are those my friend had, the seed was sown! How does a busy, career-oriented woman in her late thirties, find a guy, and not only a guy, but the right guy? I wanted the relationships she had had and the dates she would have, to be as realistic as possible. As I love travelling, I always incorporate at least one foreign country into my books. You’ll have to read The Dating Game to find out where it is!

When I read, I love to read books about foreign parts that I have visited – it immerses me more in the story. I wanted to do the same in my own novels. I love reading, always have – romantic fiction, crime, contemporary drama, pretty much everything.

Visit Susan on Twitter @susan_buchanan or on Facebook, or check out her blog. The Dating Game is available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com; Sign of the Times is also available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. Happy reading!

Susan has a fantastic launch give-away going on her blog; you could win one of 54 Kindle books by 54 different authors (including yours truly! 🙂 ) so it’s well worth checking out. Visit Susan’s launch party for details!