I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t somewhat overwhelmed to be releasing my eighth book today. When I launched my first novel onto the world, I didn’t dare dream that six years later, I’d have produced seven more books. And yet here I am. Hooray!
Although this isn’t perhaps quite the genre you might expect from me. DEAD HOPE is a thriller, a fusion of crime, suspense and yes, a touch of romance. I suppose it was inevitable that I’d go down this road eventually, given that I read crime and thrillers by the truckload; but for those of you who know the funny, dreamy, romantic side of me and my writing, this may be a surprise. But don’t be deterred, this is still me writing. You’ll recognise my voice and my lovely light touch at every step of the way, and I promise the story will draw you in and pull you along just the same.
DEAD HOPE was a real labour of love. (How’s that for irony?) The experience of writing this book was a bit like being told at your twenty week scan that you’ll be having a girl and then delivering a boy, kicking and screaming. Conceived under the title “Deep Cover”, this novel was born as a romantic comedy: what happens if you take the rock star out of his glamorous habitat and throw him in the real world with no money (or at least not very much), no perks, no music, and a normal nine-to-five job?
And yet what emerged, after many a transformation, was a thriller, a suspense, a crime novel that doesn’t feature a male rock star but instead focuses on the plight of the daughter of a rock star couple (I like my unexpected twists!). And the comedy was subsumed by the urgent desire to find out what happened to the rock daughter’s parents nearly two decades ago.
It was interesting and challenging to write this book. I researched a lot of things about the police system, the court system, sentences, and forensics, all in the name of bringing you the best, most plausible story I could possibly put together. And here it is, today, the result: DEAD HOPE!
Cat Hope doesn’t want to go to prison. She needs a job, and she needs it fast: judge’s orders.
Kay Mahon, office worker by day and hacker by night, is on the run from a past life that he’d rather not remember.
When their paths cross, they begin to investigate the truth behind the deaths of Cat’s parents, the successful rock star couple Jackie and Adam Hope. Little do they know that their quest is putting Cat in grave danger.
Yes, indeed. Thank YOU! If it weren’t for you and your imagination giving my stories pictures and wings, then there wouldn’t be any point in me writing them. I’m thrilled (see what I did there?) that you’re part of my journey, and I thank you for coming along for the ride. I hope you enjoy, and I’d love to hear what you think of DEAD HOPE. 🙂
Cat Hope doesn’t want to go to prison. She needs a job, and she needs it fast: judge’s orders.
Kay Mahon, office worker by day and hacker by night, is on the run from a past life that he’d rather not remember.
When their paths cross, they begin to investigate the truth behind the deaths of Cat’s parents, the successful rock star couple Jackie and Adam Hope. Little do they know that their quest is putting Cat in grave danger.
Are you hooked? Well, that’s great news, because I’ve just treated you to a preview of the blurb for my upcoming release, my amazing new thriller/suspense titled DEAD HOPE. And I’m terrifically excited about this new release, not only because it seems a long time since I last shouted about a brand new Nicky Wells book, but also because it shows you the results of a completely new and quite different journey for me: a gentle venture into the dark and murky world of thrillers, of crime, of psychological drama, not to mention trauma. But of course, it is still me who wrote this book, so you’ll find a touch of romance and definitely a positive outlook in the story. Because you know me: I’m a glass-half-full-kinda girl.
Release day for DEAD HOPE is 23 February 2017, which is only 16 short days away. But now that I’ve got you hooked, it would be unfair to simply make you wait. So instead, you can enter a giveaway to win one of two signed paperbacks of DEAD HOPE, and you can enter right now. Just hop on over to Goodreads and sign up.
The giveaway is strictly pre-launch only and will close on 22 February 2017, so on release day itself, you will already know if you won. Or not! And of course at that point, the Kindle edition will be yours to purchase as well as the paperback one, so you won’t have to wait any longer then. How’s that?
Now then… wouldn’t you just LOVE to win one of these? And signed to boot?
So here’s three cheers for DEAD HOPE and best of luck to you all. Feel free to tell your friends about the giveaway (and the book, while you’re at it), and I hope to see you all during the book tour organised by the awesome JB Johnston of Brook Cottage Books, which will start on 27 February and bring more opportunities for prizes.
Roll out the red carpet! Open the champagne! It’s time to enter the Hall of Fame!
Huge congratulations to my Sapphire Star Publishing sister and hugely talented author, Nancy S. Thompson, as she celebrates her first book birthday with the launch of The Mistaken!
Can I just say upfront that I absolutely adore the title of Nancy’s novel. It is so clever and intriguing, and perfectly perfect, and I’ve adored it ever since it was announced. Awesome!
Introducing: The Mistaken
Tyler Karras is an honest man, a transplanted Brit living the American dream, but his charmed life takes an unexpected turn when his brother, Nick, is coerced into joining ranks with San Francisco’s Russian mafia. Ty intervenes to secure Nick’s freedom, yet only succeeds in incurring their wrath. With no choice but to accept Nick’s new life, Ty returns to his own, but his dreams are dashed when his wife—pregnant with their first child—is killed, the victim of a reckless crime.
Despondent and bitter, Ty macerates his grief in alcohol. From the depths of the bottle screams a voice, howling for vengeance. His target is a stranger, the woman who drew his wife toward her death. He doesn’t know her, but he’ll find her, and when he does, he will make her pay, for a deal has been struck with Nick’s Russian associates, enslaving her into a life of sexual bondage. But as Ty moves forward in a cloud of alcohol, he mistakes the wrong woman for his intended victim, and now all his plans have gone straight to hell.
With his eyes made clear by the stark reality of his mistake, Ty is driven, compelled by remorse and a relentless sense of guilt to make amends and protect Hannah Maguire, the innocent woman whose life he has derailed. He vows to keep her safe and out of the Russians’ hands, but they’re holding Nick as leverage to force Ty to complete their deal. Once again, he must fight to free his brother, miring all three lives in further jeopardy. But Ty can’t do it all: save the girl, his brother and his own soul. One of them must make the ultimate sacrifice.
Nicky says: I am hooked. Tell me more…
Sit back and enjoy: Excerpt of The Mistaken!
Tyler dropped my hand and turned away from me, sitting straight along the edge of the sofa. With his elbows resting on his knees and his fingers steepled between his nose and upper lip, he struggled to find the right words. Unable to sit still, he stood and paced the floor.
“Hannah, I’ve explained that you—by proxy, of course—have a price on your head, that you’d been sold already. I’ve been trying to get you out of this deal, but these people Nick and I are mixed up with are reluctant to renegotiate. They’ve already received payment from their client and are just waiting for me to deliver you to them. I’ve explained to Nick’s boss, Alexi, that I’d made a mistake, that I had misidentified you, that I had the wrong girl.”
Ty shook his head and kept his eyes pinned to the floor.
“From the beginning, Alexi knew I was intending retribution against Erin, and since he would directly benefit from it, he was only too willing to accommodate me, but essentially, he doesn’t care about the reasoning behind the plan. All he cares about is that I owe him his, uh…merchandise. Merchandise he’s already sold and been paid for. He only cares about closing the deal. I told him I would repay the price his boss, Dmitri, had accepted, with interest, and he could refund the money to his client. But he’s not willing to do that. Nick said it’s not about the money for Dmitri, it’s about power. They can’t allow themselves to be screwed with, to look weak.”
He stopped pacing, stuffed his hands in his pockets, and stared out the window.
“I told Alexi I would never turn you over—an innocent girl—to be used that way. At this point, I couldn’t even do that to Erin.”
Tyler’s focus wavered and he choked up. He looked down at his feet and continued, his brow knitted tightly together.
“We argued over this point for some time without coming to an agreement, so Alexi felt… He felt it…necessary to secure some kind of…insurance policy—leverage, you might say—to compel me to complete the deal by our prearranged deadline.”
Tyler dropped his hands to his sides and tightened them into fists. He glanced over his shoulder and looked me in the eye.
“Hannah, Alexi has my brother, and he will kill him if I don’t comply.”
Nicky says: Fantastic! I can’t wait ~ I’ve got my Kindle copy right here and am dying to get reading. As no doubt you feel the same, dear friends and readers, here’s the vital info:
Nancy is an interior designer with her own business since 1997. A California transplant, she currently lives with her husband of 21 years near Seattle, WA. They have one son together, a college freshman at ArizonaStateUniversity. She was recently contracted as a freelance editor for Sapphire Star Publishing.
Visit Nancy’s blog, follow, and leave a comment during her book tour between October 18th & November 1st for a chance to win an ARC of The Mistaken. Plus, 5 runner-up winners will each receive an ebook copy.
Last but not least ~ Praise for TheMistaken and a fabulous trailer
“A deliciously slow burn that builds to a ferocious crescendo, Nancy S. Thompson’s THE MISTAKEN kept me riveted until the very last page. Tyler Karras is a complex and flawed protagonist, and his redemptive journey makes him the perfect anti-hero. This psychological suspense is a standout, and I can’t wait for Thompson’s next book.” ~ Jennifer Hillier, author of CREEP and FREAK
“Nancy S. Thompson’s debut novel, The Mistaken, is a first-rate thriller full of hair-raising twists and turns. Pursued by the police and the Russian mafia in San Francisco, brothers Tyler and Nick Karras are fascinating, fully-drawn, desperate characters. The action is non-stop. Thompson’s taut, intriguing tale of revenge, mistaken identity, kidnapping and murder will keep you enthralled and entertained.” ~Kevin O’Brien, New York Times Bestselling Author of DISTURBED and TERRIFIED
“Fast-paced and emotionally gripping – once the ride begins, you won’t stop reading until it ends.” ~Alex J. Cavanaugh, author of CASSAFIRE and CASSASTAR
Huge congratulations on your launch day, Nancy. Wishing you every success and a huge amount of sales!!! Rock on… 🙂
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Nicky Wells: Love & Thrills 