Still Pinching Myself

A few days on and it still feels very surreal. I have a book published.

By Harper Collins!

I tell almost every customer I serve at my 'little shop' job that I'm an author.

My mum sent me a card which arrived on the day, then that night I had a couple of writery friends over - they are my friends but they too are writers. We met through a local writing group but sort of strayed from that to meet regularly under our own steam. I drank champagne, they had coffee (as they were driving). I'd also made mini Eton Mess for us. Yesterday I bought myself some flowers because every author has flowers to celebrate her publication, yes?

Now I'm in the process of putting together a press release, and I sent a letter to the editor of Writing Magazine. My little shop has its own 'staff' newspaper which I'm going to try and get into too. This is where my marketing qualification and my Writers' Bureau course are helping me - although still not sure I've written a great press release.
It's all about finding your angle. So far I've come up with HarperCollins signs Weston-super-Mum. Or is that too cheesy?

In the meantime, I'm over on Liz Fielding's blog here. Liz is one of my favourite Mills and Boon authors, with her sweet romances that sizzle. She's also part of my RNA Chapter group, so it's lovely to meet up with her every six weeks or so - I try not to have a fan girl moment and remain cool.

And if you want to read more about me, I am also on AJ Nuest's blog who is a fellow author.

Right, back to the press release and blog questionnaires...

Book Review: The Last Woman He'd Ever Date by Liz Fielding

The Last Woman He'd Ever Date by Liz Fielding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Real life really has got in the way with my reading, and hence I took much longer to read this than I should have.

It was a little slower at the beginning (or that could have been me), and I wouldn't say it's 'beaten' my favourite of Liz Fielding's novels, however, still a good read. Liz does have a way of making the characters sizzle together, which I always enjoy.


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Sorry - short (but sweet I hope!) book review.

Book Review: Flirting With Italian by Liz Fielding

Flirting With Italian by Liz Fielding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As per usual, Liz Fielding does not disappoint. Engaging, charming characters with a flavour of Italy.

Even without the sex on the page, this sweet romance has sizzle factor. A sensual, flirty and fun read. There is a gentle comic element that Liz does so well - there is some great dialogue between her two characters.

Liz manages to get the emotions and passion and all those tingly feelings that go with romance and love amazingly on to the page.



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Next book!? I'm afraid Charlaine Harris' Deadlocked is going to have to jump the to-be-read queue!

Book Reviews And Their Benefits

I'm going to tie in two blog posts into one! Mainly, because I've finished the book I was reading last night, and although it was a good book; a Mills and Boon Blaze - an enjoyable hot read. There's not much else to say about it.

Becky Black covered on her blog once about authors thanking for reviews left for their books, etc. (Gosh, I'm mentioning Becky a lot lately :D). And it gets into a bit of a discussion, are you leaving a review as a reader or writer.

I always leave a review on Goodreads, for me as a reader than anything else, and for other readers too. And because it has the handy widget I transfer over to my blog, giving my blog posts different content from time to time.

I have occasionally transferred these reviews to the Mills and Boon site, and Choc Lit, and even Amazon, but it's rare, because it's just time consuming!

Hot fighter pilot cover!

Well, I received an email from Mills and Boon the other day asking if they could use part of a review I'd left on their site for a RIVA book, on the author's new book. It will get edited down to fit their requirements, but my name will be put on her book! Hundreds and thousands of books! (Depending how well it sells I suppose). They will send me a copy of the book as a thank you - I love free books! - so don't fear, I'll be posting pictures when it arrives! Plus, it means I get another RIVA to read and review!

So, below is the book review for my last book (I'll be honest, because of time, and I didn't really have that much to say about the book, it's short and sweet this time).

Oh, and this is the actual cover... can't seem to find it anywhere to get my librarian friend on Goodreads to change it. 

Think I'll pick up Liz Fielding's Flirting With Italian next.

The Daredevil. Kira Sinclair by Kira Sinclair

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This is a Mills and Boon Blaze, and it is HOT!



It's an enjoyable read, and interesting that it's the hero who's having to convince the heroine that they're meant to be together.



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Book Review: Little Book Of Writing Romance by Liz Fielding

Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance by Liz Fielding

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Every wannabe romance writer should read this book!

I'm a big fan of Liz's style of writing, how she makes the romance sizzle between the hero and the heroine, even in a 'sweet' romance - so to have a 'how to' book by Liz is just fab!

There are loads of examples included to help illustrate Liz's points. It really is useful.

Unlike some 'how to' books that you can start getting bored with, switching off, this book reads effortlessly. It was nice to read snippets of books I have read, and be reminded of why I loved them so much (Tempted By Trouble being one). It's also pointed out I have so many more books of Liz's to read.

Thank you, Liz, for writing such a great book and sharing your expertise.

And can I just say, I really do love the cover of this book!


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RNA Conference Virgin No More!

I'm coming down from my RNA Conference high!

It was my first conference, and I had this on my name badge so that everyone knew to be extra nice to me. But really, it didn't need to be there. Everyone I met were truly fabulous people. You knew you could sit yourself down and start chatting to anyone of them - well, that's what I did anyway!

The whole weekend, from start to finish, was amazing. I've met so many wonderful writers, and not taken nearly enough photographs! I've come home inspired, and a little overwhelmed.

This was my room. Having never been to university, I did feel like a fresher (is that what they're called?). I did turn the fridge off the second night because that kept me awake. I'm a woman who needs silence to sleep in! 

In the goody-bags were four free books, a large bar of Green and Blacks (yes, I'm now following!) and lots of other useful stuff. The Green and Blacks did get devoured rather quickly.

This is Vanessa Savage, who I buddied up with on Friday afternoon upon arriving. We swapped numbers and lived in the blocks next to one another, and agreed to meet for breakfast and the evenings, so that we knew we'd never have to enter a room alone. We'd send text messages like, "Ready whenever you are." Luckily, a lot of the workshops we were together in, too.

Vanessa is in the New Writers Scheme with the RNA, and has an agent. I wish her the best of luck with her book!

I was extremely fortunate to meet lots of published writers. But of my two favourites are Sue Moorcroft and Liz Fielding  - I tried not to act too stalkery around them!

Here's a lovely picture of Sue and I, as we managed to sit together for the Gala dinner. I had a wonderful time talking to Sue - thanks so much for putting up with me!

It's a bit pink, but I don't think my mobile phone helped, plus there was pink lighting.

Earlier that day, I'd sat in Liz Fielding's talk about humour and emotion. It was fascinating to see hear how Liz worked.

I've learnt so much from this whole conference my head will explode, and hoping that this can be delivered in my writing. I need to thank Jane Holland at Embrace for giving me ten minutes of her time, and showing me how to improve my first chapter of The Wedding Favour! I'll get working on that tonight.

Real special mentions to Morton Gray and Ellie Swoop - such a shame you could only come for the day. Next year, you'll have to weekend it - even if it is in Penrith! Really lovely to meet you and put faces to names at last.

And to name a few more mentions; Talli Roland, Mandy Baggot, Rachel Brimble and Alison Knight ... and so many, many more.

Oh and I never did get Rachel Lyndhurst to sign something for me.

You're all gorgeous, talented women - thank you for making my weekend special.

Book Review: Wild Justice by Liz Fielding

WILD JUSTICE by Liz Fielding

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I have mixed feelings about this book. I am likely to write spoilers and so for the sake of my blog (when I paste this over) read no further if you don't want them.



*** spoilers below ***



Firstly, it's by one of my favourite Mills and Boon authors, Liz Fielding, and it has sex on the page! And very good that was too... uh, hum.

It was written very much in Liz's style. I wasn't disappointed in that. Generally, I really enjoyed this story. There is a real spark of conflicts between Fizz and Luke - these two know how to love and hate one another. I would have probably given it four stars, but it has a couple of things that niggled and frustrated me as I read.

Firstly Fizz doesn't find out (or realise) that Melanie is related to Luke, to the point it felt contrived. Fizz is an intelligent woman. She would have worked it out sooner - or someone really would have said something quicker - that Melanie was Luke's niece. Fizz believes Melanie is Luke's much younger girlfriend.

It was a nice conflict, to stop Fizz's feelings for Luke, but for me it went on a little too long. There was so much else going on to get these two at each other's throats, this didn't need to be so overdone.

Another niggle for me was Fizz's quick forgiveness of Luke. Luke has stood there, hell bent on revenge, and demoralised her, implying terrible things to her character he's misinterpreted. A week later, he turns up, as if to carry out his threat. They start fighting, then the next thing, they are (at last) making love. I liked the love-hate relationship, but felt Fizz let Luke in too quickly after some very cruel words. For me, he didn't work very hard to earn his forgiveness. Seriously, what he implied about Fizz, she should never have let him near her again!

I'm not sure if I believed this quick turn around in trust. I wasn't sure if as the reader I was deliberately being confused that Luke was still up to tricks in seeking his revenge, or he was truly trying to win back Fizz's love.

Otherwise, I enjoyed these two squaring up to one another - they had some wonderful battles. This book contained a lot of passion and emotion, plenty of conflict - which I love. I will be looking out for the other two books to this Beaumont Brides Trilogy.

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Book Review: Tempted By Trouble by Liz Fielding

Tempted by Trouble by Liz Fielding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I've become a big fan of Liz Fielding's writing over the past year, and she never disappoints. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Liz has a way of making her two characters sizzle on the page with sexual and sensual tension.

There are great amounts of flirting in this book! Who doesn't love flirting?

Being a Riva, I did wonder how far the 'sex' would go. This again is very much a Liz Fielding style book - it's more a Cherish/Romance rather than a modern/heat, but if you like Liz's style, you'll love this book... in fact this could be her hottest one (I've read) so far.

Where the book lacks 'sex', it still has its sizzle. It does not disappoint. There was so much tension, these two characters needed the ice cream to cool down - and so did I!

I loved both characters with their flaws, and how Liz got them together with a wonderful, unique third character - Rosie the vintage ice cream van.

Tempted by Trouble is a witty, sexy and fun read, with moments of effective emotion.

And as a friend (Becky Black) has commented, I am just LOVING the Riva book covers.

(On a side note, I went to a wedding recently (yesterday) which had an ice cream van there - and I thought of Liz and Tempted By Trouble as I ordered my ice cream).

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Do You Need Romance Writing Advice?

Liz Fielding is giving advice on writing romance over on her blog, first post Ask An Author and I thought I would share!

Liz provides some really great advice and if you've never read one of her books I urge you to! Liz has a way of making her characters sizzle, they're so sensual and the tension mounts between her hero and heroine... and because she writes for Cherish/Sweet genre for Mills and Boon, you never see the bedroom! It's fade to black, or the door closes. But with Liz's stories, you don't need to - the sexual tension and the frustration is the interesting bit and she has the reader hooked fabulously.

I'm waiting for my Tempted By Trouble to arrive! And can't wait. Liz's latest book. The Riva's I've so far read have had some hot bedroom scenes, so I'm interested to see how far Liz has taken her 'romance'. 

I do worry The Wedding Favour doesn't quite put Sophie and Adam together quick enough, and so I did make Adam show up at the pub in chapter one, before James finds Sophie's wedding invitation. Will definitely go back and see if I can get to this sooner again... sometimes the setting can come a little later. I do need Sophie to jump off the page, and get the readers hooked.

Steve doesn't meet his love interest until later on in Perfect Isn't An Option. And Ruby, his sister, plays a heroine type role of her own. But the key is, when I go back to the editing, that the reader falls for Steve and wants to continue reading his story... right?

Neither of my books fit Mills and Boon genres but I'm hoping they'll find their place in the romance/contemporary world of fiction... one day.

Book Review: The Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding

The Bride's Baby by Liz Fielding

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Unfortunately this book didn't really have the same sensual sizzle factor that I know Liz Fielding can achieve. 



Its plot was also frustrating.  If the two of them had just been honest in the first place and talked to one another, the misunderstanding would have been resolved a lot early on.  If you're not a lover of these sorts of plot lines, then this book might not be for you.



That said, still a nice read - albeit frustrating at times. I wanted to clonk the two character's heads together!



I always like the character's Liz creates and these were no different.  Whereas Liz's heroes are normally compassionate, I'd say Tom McFarlane is possibly a harder, more alpha male character, but shows a softer side later in the book - which was good, because I'm not always a lover of the hard, ruthless Alpha types. 



I did get to download this book for free through my Kindle, so I have no complaints really - it is still an enjoyable read.   



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Book Review: Becoming The Tycoon's Bride by Patricia Thayer & Liz Fielding

Becoming the Tycoon's Bride by Patricia Thayer

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book has two stories - and I will leave reviews accordingly.

(I can't seem to find these books on Goodreads singularly - I usually like to leave links on those too).

The Tycoon's Marriage Bid by Patricia Thayer

4 Stars

Started reading 12 Feb 2011, finished 13 Feb 2011 - I believe these are shorter stories (this was only 96 pages - 9 chapters plus an epilogue).

I really did love the fire and the chemistry between this hero and heroine.  I really liked Ellie, she was feisty and Hugh had a good battle on his hands, which caused a nice conflict - we like conflict!  From the off, Ellie had her guard up, seeing Hugh as the enemy.  But Hugh's weakness was his instant attraction to Ellie.  I also enjoyed how her grandfather helped meddle a little with their relationship.

It didn't quite have the sizzle sensual factor that Liz Fielding pulls off, but there were some tender and emotional moments for a short story.  An enjoyable read.



Chosen As The Sheikh's Wife by Liz Fielding

4 Stars

Started reading 13 February (I think, finished 16 February 2011

Again, another short story, only 87 pages.  In fact, I would have liked this story to be a little longer.  I know Liz is just great for her frustratingly good sensual, tender touch to the pages - frustrating in the sense you want the hero and heroine to just get it on - and this story in some ways lacked it a little, due to its length.

But you can't not love Sheikh Fayad al Kuwani, from the instant he's on the page with Violet, he's her protector, a true hero.  A real prince charming!

Liz is always great at making her strong heroes the loving, caring types.  It's hard to put my finger on it, but I've read so many where the heroes are verging on being bullies, whereas hers know what they want, and want to get it, yet they have a tendency to sweep the heroine off her feet, seducing her, in their 'how' to get it.

Great story, shame it was a bit short. I would have liked to have seen more of Violet and Fayad together as husband and wife, before the true marriage ceremony.  The beginning of the last chapter was more narrative, telling, rather than showing (but I realise that it's due to the length of the book and maybe just me wanting to be indulged).  However, there is a twist and a lovely seductive ending to this story, which made me wish it was a Blaze!

As for the book on the whole, I've read two-in-one romances, and always found one story to be weaker than the other, possibly even disappointing, yet both of these books did deliver the romance factor - at least for me!  I enjoyed both stories.



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Book Review: Mistletoe and The Lost Stiletto by Liz Fielding

Mistletoe and the Lost Stiletto by Liz Fielding

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I don't know how Liz Fielding does it.  This is a cherish; sweet and tender romance - but the pages sizzle with sensual, sexual tension more so than some of the hotter romances in the M&B genre I've read.  Loved it.



This really is a fairy tale story come true.  Lovely, light and fun, too.  It gave me some laugh out loud moments, and a lump in the throat, with real, believable characters.



I liked the Twitter/Tweeting ideas that ran through it, too  







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3 books down on my 40!

Book Review: SOS: Convenient Husband Required by Liz Fielding

SOS: Convenient Husband Required by Liz Fielding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This premise for a story is something I really like.  The conflict of 'pretending' when deep down they both still love one another, (or fall in love with one another) but because they think the other is 'pretending' they won't open up.  I can't read enough of these. 



As usual, Liz Fielding really does create great tension and is sensual in her writing.  It's tender, so we don't get to see anything behind the bedroom door, but leading up to it is so much fun! Intense, sexy.  She writes down to earth characters, so there's a hint of realism, you can connect with the people on the page.



The conflict was realistic, there were some small twists, which helps the hero with his realisations.  I loved it!  Hated putting this book down.



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Book Review: A Wedding At Leopard Tree Lodge by Liz Fielding

A Wedding at Leopard Tree Lodge by Liz Fielding

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was another great story by Liz Fielding. I love the way she writes, it's sensual and tender, and that sometimes makes it more exciting than reading a Mills and Boon in the desire/heat genre.



At first I wasn't so sure on Josie's 'look', but it grew on me.  I enjoyed the snappy dialogue.  What I do like in romance is the conflict, and the fights, and this had it.  The teasing and retorts between one another worked for me.  It had a lovely setting to add to the romance.  Gideon's character was instantly likeable, and some nice comedy with his bad back.  He was strong but not overpowering or too forceful.  



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29 out of 40 read :D

Another Book Review...24 Books Down 16 To Go

 Christmas Angel for the Billionaire by Liz Fielding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I was thrilled to see that this book is the other side of the story to Her Desert Dream where Lydia goes off under the guise of Lady Rose and falls in love with the Sheikh Kalil (forget his surname now!).

This is the story of Lady Rose, aka Annie trying to have a few days as life of an ordinary woman.  Using the few days that she has while Lydia, her double, is in a far away land keeping the press happy and off Annie's back.  And luckily for Annie she falls into the arms of George Saxon.

It was told as sensually and beautifully as Her Desert Dream.  This is tender romance.

I really like Liz Fielding's writing style.  Not truly sure how to describe it and give it justice.  Just kept me wanting to read more and more.

I loved the frustrations and conflicts between the hero and heroine.  Maybe it's just me but I love a good fight, where they get to kiss and make up eventually.

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