Visit Morton's Blog Post...

I was invited over to Morton S Gray's blog today to talk about The Neighbour on Post Office Lane... 

Here's a link to the post HERE

Out 30 August 2026! Not long now! 

3-Book Contract With Sapere Books

I've had to keep this a secret for a couple of weeks now, and hold in all my excitement by sitting on my hands, and not posting on social media.

But yes, finally I can reveal why I was drinking Champagne at the weekend!

I've signed a 3 book contract with Sapere Books!

Mega EXCITEMENT!

And I'd been saving this bottle for a long time! I have been dying to open it - let me tell you!

It's been three years since I last had a book published and I was starting to doubt myself and my writing. This really couldn't have come at a better time for me.

I can't wait to be working with Sapere's team and starting sharing my Kittiwake Cove series.

I've found that my favourite Italian restaurant in Weston is delivering. So this weekend, I might just have to treat myself to a slap-up Italian meal! I have plenty of prosecco so I think this calls for another bottle of bubbly.

You will need to be a little patient, as the first of the Kittiwake Cove series won't be out until Spring 2021. But all good things come to those who wait, huh?

Right, I'm off, I have a book to write...

Fake Friday With Lisa Hill #TuesNews

Today I have the lovely author Lisa Hill on my blog. Her debut novel, Meet Me at Number Five is published by Choc Lit on the 20th June 2017. 

Lisa and I first met, way back in 2011 at the RNA Conference as wannabe authors and have been friends since. We have quite a lot in common, especially both being mothers to boys. (Lisa has three, I stuck at two). 

I am thrilled to have Lisa on my blog as a published author! And I can't wait to read her book. 

Hello Lisa. Tell me, which of your characters is your favourite, and why?

So, Meet Me at Number Five is about heroine, Grace, who is desperate to have a baby but four days before she is due to start her first round of IVF her husband, Charlie, announces he’s got another woman pregnant and also heroine, Hennie, who is Grace’s cousin and is a single mum who has renounced men because all the hot ones take one look at the children and look away and those who aren’t frightened off by the children are dull. Hennie lives with Grace and Hennie’s Nana, Clara, who is the matriarch of the family; a septuagenarian racehorse owner who likes to live the high life. Clara is by far my favourite character; she is glamourous, forthright, kind and loves to be the puppeteer and meddle in everyone’s affairs (nothing like me, of course).

Did you manage to get the first book you wrote published, or is it tucked in a drawer somewhere?

No, the first book I ever wrote was called Meant to Be. I was a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association’s New Writers’ Scheme and it received a fantastic critique report but after going on a writing retreat with Julie Cohen I could see why it didn’t work so I rewrote it entirely and entitled it Heart in the Right Place. It’s set in Yorkshire and is about a heroine called Lottie who is the daughter-in-law in a family of estate agents and is desperate to have more than a part-time role whilst looking after her three kids. When the famous period drama actor, Tom Thorpe, arrives on the scene and offers Lottie the opportunity to act as a Relocation Agent for celebrity friends of his, it drives a big wedge between Lottie and her husband Drew and they go on a journey to overcome their differences. Heart was shortlisted in the 2015 Choc Lit Search for a Star competition and, having edited it some more, is currently under review with Choc Lit again so hopefully my original heroine, Lottie, will have her time in the limelight very soon.

Do you have a favourite author?

Yes and she knows how much I love her! I started reading Jill Mansell when I finished my A-Levels in 1998 and pretty much spent the entire summer reading her back catalogue. I think she is an inspiring author; I love her ability to make her stories about some quite serious subjects but with a light hearted tone too. She’s extremely talented. My favourite novel is Head Over Heels and it eventually inspired me to try and write a novel of my own.

Tea or coffee?

Coffee! I never drink tea; if you cut me open I swear caffeine would spurt forward!

I think this is why we get on so well. Our love for coffee! 

Starbucks or Costa?

Not fussy, especially if someone else is paying ;) Cappuccino every time which is a bit strange seeing I only every drink black coffee at home.

Thanks so much, Lisa, for popping over to my blog. Congratulations with the publication of your debut novel and good luck with the sales and reviews! 

Author Bio:

Lisa grew up in the village of Bussage, near Stroud, in the Cotswolds until she returned to Cheltenham as a teenager. She is married to her very own hero, Matt, and has three sons, Hamish, Archie and Laurence. Her first encounter of a romance author was chats over the garden wall between her father, Godfrey, and Mrs Cooper from the neighbouring village of Bisley. It came as quite a surprise in later life to find that Mrs Cooper was in fact Jilly Cooper! Lisa’s writing inspiration now comes from other Cotswolds authors including Jill Mansell and Katie Fforde.

Lisa writes contemporary romance with a light-hearted tone. What interests her most is people, their interactions, emotions and relationships. It’s probably why her career to date has been based in property; she confesses herself that she is ‘naturally curious’.

When she’s not busy writing, helping Matt run his electrical empire, or being her sons’ taxi service Lisa enjoys running with her gun dog, Sparky. They are both currently training for the Stroud half-marathon although Sparky’s motivation lies much more in chasing bunny rabbits.

Lisa is a graduate of the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme and attributes this supportive and informative scheme to her winning the Choc Lit Search for a Star competition 2016 with her debut novel, Meet Me at Number Five.

Blurb:

What if finding happiness was a race against time?

Grace Cavendish knows a thing or two about horses – but what she doesn’t know is that her husband, top horse racing trainer Charlie Carrisbrook, is having a literal ‘roll in the hay’ right under her nose.

When the painful truth is revealed Grace has no choice but to move in with her highly-strung grandmother Clara and cousin Hennie; a single mum who has renounced men (at least that’s what she says!)

Determined to start again, Grace takes a job at the local restaurant, Number Five. And whilst serving up coffee and cake is a far cry from the stables, she enjoys it – especially as she gets to work alongside the rather scrumptious Sam Whittaker.

But the past is racing to catch up with Grace. Can her life still be a romp to victory or will a devastating secret stop her dead in her tracks?

Amazon UK: goo.gl/xc4Dxd
Amazon: goo.gl/cnirgC
Kobo: goo.gl/XHd8dC
iBooks: goo.gl/16tMWo
Choc Lit: goo.gl/FYD8kF

Author Links:

Twitter: @lisahillie
Facebook: goo.gl/bcjhE1
Website: www.lisahillwriter.wordpress.com

Guest Post: Jenny Kane

Introducing Abi

By Jenny Kane

Many thanks for letting me nip by to talk about my Cornish romance, Abi’s House.

Let me introduce you to Abi Carter.

Thirty-two years old, short, petite, and almost fragile to look at, children’s illustrator Abi Carter is much stronger than she looks. She has to be. For only six months ago her husband, Luke, who’d been twelve years her senior, suffered a totally unexpected fatal heart attack.

Although she misses the Luke she had first known, the Luke that Abi had been living with for the past few years had no longer been that man. With each promotion in the city, he’d become more money and status obsessed. Abi hadn’t been able to keep up- she hadn’t even wanted to.

Now, guilt ridden because she can’t miss Luke as much as she think she ought to, Abi decides it’s time to walk away from the city life that was making her so unhappy and follow a childhood dream. A move that is going to take a hell of a lot of guts and determination...

Blurb

Newly widowed at barely thirty, Abi Carter is desperate to escape the Stepford Wives-style life that Luke, her late husband, had been so keen for her to live.

Abi decides to fulfil a lifelong dream. As a child on holiday in a Cornwall as a child she fell in love with a cottage – the prophetically named Abbey’s House. Now she is going to see if she can find the place again, relive the happy memories … maybe even buy a place of her own nearby?

On impulse Abi sets off to Cornwall, where a chance meeting in a village pub brings new friends Beth and Max into her life. Beth, like Abi, has a life-changing decision to make. Max, Beth’s best mate, is new to the village. He soon helps Abi track down the house of her dreams … but things aren’t quite that simple. There’s the complicated life Abi left behind, including her late husband’s brother, Simon – a man with more than friendship on his mind … Will Abi’s house remain a dream, or will the bricks and mortar become a reality?


Here’s an extract to whet your appetite...

...Nerves and an inconveniently accompanying wave of guilt hit Abi as she pulled into Taunton Deane services. With the border that divided Devon and Somerset a few miles away, Abi could feel the enormity of the step she was contemplating starting to disturb her concentration.

Making a beeline for a desperately needed cup of coffee, preferably with a side order of something unhealthy and smothered in chocolate. ‘Although not a bloody muffin,’ she muttered under her breath.

Abi couldn’t stop thinking about what her brother-in-law had said when she’d finally given in an answered one of his calls. Had Simon been right? He’d talked to her as if she’d flipped, and had suggested rather forcefully that the trauma of Luke’s untimely death must have had more of an effect on her mental health than they’d all initially thought.

Abi hadn’t been able to stop herself from laughing at the time, assuring Simon that she was very sane, thank you very much, and that if she didn’t like Cornwall, she’d be trying other locations, but that was her business and not his, or his parents. To both humour him and shut him up, and because ultimately it really would be useful, after much consideration, Abi had decided to tell Simon she’d accept his help with ensuring a seamless and tidy sale of the house if he was still willing.

Abi had been quite proud of herself, as Simon had given her his fervent promise that he’d keep an eye on the house sale while she was away, with no expectations or agenda. Now however, as she queued for her overpriced drink, Abi couldn’t help listening to a treacherous voice at the back of her head telling her Simon might be right. Perhaps her leaving was just a delayed knee-jerk reaction to Luke’s unexpected death.

Luke may not have been the best husband in the world, and she didn’t miss being put down in public for one minute, but at the same time she’d never once doubted that he’d loved her. It was more that he always acted as if he wished he didn’t.

Every day since his death it was becoming harder to remember how she’d let herself be changed from a successful businesswoman (who had admittedly been acting her socks off to portray a strong image and hide the true shy persona beneath) to the mousy wife who’d do anything to avoid the look of disappointment in her husband’s eyes when she failed yet again to live up to his expectations. I did love him, and I do miss him, but …

Abi looked out of the window, trying not to let another stab of emotion get the better of her as she watched a happy family of four, all holding hands, cross the car park. Had she been so naive to dream that she and Luke could have a family like that one day?

Despite their age difference, Luke had always given Abi the impression that he wanted children – until about a month after their honeymoon. They’d been eating in a restaurant, and a family had come in with a baby that wouldn’t stop crying. Luke hadn’t been just indignant, he’d been plain rude to the parents about their inability to keep the infant quiet. All the way home he’d ranted about how families shouldn’t be allowed in restaurants with babies, and preferably with no one under sixteen. When Abi had stuck up for them, saying that there was no way anyone could predict when a baby would cry, and that having children in restaurants from a young age helped teach them good manners and social interaction, she had been cut short with a cold look, a look she would become all too familiar with over the next few years.

A look that was followed by Luke informing her that there was no way they were ever having a creature that behaved like that! And that had been that. All conversations about having a family were closed, and every attempt Abi made to resurrect the discussion met a brick wall of silence.

Was she really striking out for a better life on her own terms, or was she running away from the hurt Luke had brought her when he was alive, and again now he was dead? Could she even do this? Determined to remain calm, Abi found a semi-clean table and sat by the window, staring out blankly across the sea of parked travellers’ vehicles.

She looked down at her drink ruefully. Luke certainly wouldn’t approve of her drinking coffee from a paper cup. After his mega-promotion at work, even drinking from a mug rather than a bone china cup and saucer was only something to be done when circumstances allowed no superior alternative.

Continuing to watch the chatting couples, groups of friends, and families move about the car park, tears started to gather at the corners of Abi’s eyes. By allowing Luke to take over every aspect of her life, she’d missed out on so much. She hadn’t meant to be so feeble – but with Luke …

With a sustaining sip of caffeine, Abi knew she’d been miraculously given another chance. She wished it had come about in another way, but nonetheless, it was a chance, and she was not going to waste it.

Abi suddenly had a strong desire to do all the things Luke would never have approved of. She wanted to mess up her salon-perfect hair, maybe get a tattoo, go out of the house without make-up, make friends …

...she wanted a house she could wear shoes in without anyone having apoplexy about dirty footprints on the carpet. She wanted a home that felt like a home, not a place that was on the verge of expecting royalty, or an impromptu visit from Homes and Gardens magazine.

Daydreams of long costal walks and lazy cliff top meanderings, maybe with a dog (one with long hair that would get all over the furnishings!) filled Abi’s head as she knocked back the remains of her coffee...

I hope you enjoyed that. If you’d like to read on, then you can buy Abi’s House in either paperback or as an e-book from all good retailers, including-

Accent Press- http://www.accentpress.co.uk/Book/12915/Abis-House

Amazon-Kindle-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane-ebook/dp/B00UVPPWO8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711175&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane



http://www.amazon.com/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane-ebook/dp/B00UVPPWO8/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711253&sr=1-2&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane


Amazon Paperback

http://www.amazon.com/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane/dp/1783753285/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711253&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane



http://www.amazon.co.uk/Abis-House-Jenny-Kane/dp/1783753285/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426711343&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+House+Jenny+Kane

And from 4th May you can buy the brand new sequel- Abi’s Neighbour!!

(Pre-order available now!)

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Abis-Neighbour-Jenny-Kane/dp/178615028X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487006698&sr=1-1&keywords=abi%27s+neighbour





https://www.amazon.com/Abis-Neighbour-Jenny-Kane/dp/178615028X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1487006868&sr=1-1&keywords=Abi%27s+Neighbour+by+Jenny+Kane

***

Many thanks for letting me pop by to chat, Teresa,

Happy reading,

Jenny.

Bio

Jenny Kane is the author of the full length romance novels Another Glass of Champagne (Accent Press, 2015), Abi’s House (Accent Press, 2015), the contemporary romance/medieval crime time slip novel Romancing Robin Hood (Accent Press, 2014), the best selling contemporary romance novel Another Cup of Coffee (Accent Press, 2013), and its novella length sequels Another Cup of Christmas (Accent Press, 2013), and Christmas in the Cotswolds (Accent, 2014).

Jenny’s sixth full length romance novel, Abi’s Neighbour , will be published in May 2017.

Keep your eye on Jenny’s blog at www.jennykane.co.uk for more details.

Twitter- @JennyKaneAuthor

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/JennyKaneRomance?ref=hl

Jenny also writes erotica as Kay Jaybee and historical crime as Jennifer Ash.

Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage Paperback #Shelfie #Competition

Yesterday was the paperback publication day of Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage. Of course I had to pop into my local Sainsbury's to see if my book was there - as you do! I got my very own #shelfie.

I knew I should have put make-up on that morning!

My mum.

Anyway, as my friend and I snapped selfies/shelfies, and she kindly told two bewildered women what we were doing, and that I was the author of the book on the shelf, one asked if I'd sign a copy for her. Nothing like a bit of book signing on your publication day!

My mum found the book today in Andover, visiting my brother. Another friend has confirmed Epsom. And in Staines, my hometown :D

It's been great having friends post their #shelfies. The paperback is in 500 Sainsbury's stores. You may think I'm joking - I want to find them all! (With your help, of course).

Taken in Kidderminster by Morton S Gray

I thought I would run a competition to win a signed copy of Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage.

How to enter: Post your photos of your #shelfies (preferably with you in it) and tag me, either on Facebook or Twitter and I'll add you into my draw. I will include all those who have been posting so far. And please make sure I've seen it - nag me if you have to. I will like, comment or retweet.

Competition will close Friday 12th May (my mum's birthday).

Facebook: Teresa F Morgan page

Twitter: @Teresa_Morgan10 

If you use Instagram, I'm the WitteringWoman but make sure you tag on FB or Twitter too.

Remember to tell me which Sainsbury's you're in, too!

(I'm half tempted to buy a map and stick pins in the areas to see who is the furthest from me lol!)

Please feel free to follow me on Twitter and Facebook.

Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage Blog Tour

It's started!

This week is my book blog tour for Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage. 

Today I'm on Cosmochicklitan's blog, talking about my writing process.

Follow me (@Teresa_Morgan10) or Harper Impulse on Twitter for the future blog tours. Or I will be adding the links to My Blog Visits page. 

Only 3 more sleeps until the paperback release... :D

Book Review: The Second Chance Tea Shop by Fay Keenan

I don't leave book reviews on my blog any more... but I wanted to leave you this one. Fay and I met over a year ago on Twitter, and have become writing buddies, helping each other brainstorm our books. I was delighted to read Fay's book finally, and it really is a treat! Enjoy.

The Second Chance Tea Shop by Fay Keenan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

This is Fay Keenan's debut novel, and what a treat! Great characterisation, lovely little details, enchanting setting and an emotional journey for the characters and the reader.

With Matthew being the brooding hero and having concentrated most of his energy into the family business before his head gets turned by Anna, this was like a modern day version of North and South, only set in Somerset around the cider industry.

Knowing the area that Little Somerby is based on, and the landmarks described in Somerset, this was such a delight to read. I can’t wait to read the next book set in this charming village.


View all my reviews

Blog Guest Fay Keenan

Today I have Fay Keenan on my blog talking about writing and her debut novel, The Second Chance Tea Shop. 

Fay and I met on Twitter, and living locally to one another meet regularly to discuss the voices in our heads. It's great to have someone close by to talk writing with over a Costa. 

Fay, have you always wanted to be a writer?

Always – from the moment I could pick up a pen.

Did you manage to get the first book you wrote published, or is it tucked in a drawer somewhere?

My first ‘book’ was 70,000 words of Quantum Leap fanfiction, written in the summer after my A Levels! Other people went on holiday; I wrote a book! The only copy I still have (signed by Dean ‘Al Calavicci’ Stockwell) is in the attic.

My Twitter style question: Describe your hero in 140 characters.

Tall, dark, brooding, cautious Somerset cider maker with a huge heart and a lovely daughter.

My Twitter style question: Describe your heroine in 140 characters.

Kind, widowed cake maker with a three-year-old daughter and a weakness for cider.

What’s so special about your hero that makes your heroine fall in love with him?

He represents the safety of home but also the excitement of a new love. Once won, his heart is yours forever, and she adores that. He’s also tall, dark and handsome (of course!!).

Why do you like writing romance?

Because I love not just happy endings but the journey to the happy ending. There’s something wonderful about how characters get to the point where they’ll live happily ever after.

Which of your characters is your favourite, and why?

Meredith, my hero’s daughter, without a doubt. She’s a lovely teenager who’s remarkably undamaged by her experiences.

What do you read while you write, or don’t you?

I read constantly; old favourites and new novels. Anything from Stephen King to Elizabeth Gaskell.

Do you have a favourite author? Jilly Cooper!

What’s the best bit of writing advice you’ve ever received or read?

Don’t force it. Let your characters speak for themselves.

What things inspire you to write? Location, music, film or even in a book?

I’m inspired by places (my books are set in Somerset) but music can get me thinking of scenes I’d like to write, and films and books have always inspired me, too. In short, anything!

Are you nervous about friends reading your book?

A lot of them read it at the drafting stage, so not as nervous as I could be!

How would your best friend describe you in 140 characters? (Another Twitter question).

Dreamy, forgetful and mostly good natured. But terrible in the mornings!

Do you love or hate Facebook?  I like it, within reason! I see it as a good place to write comedy.

Tea or coffee? Tea first thing, coffee after.

Starbucks or Costa? Costa – it’s where Teresa and I first met in real life!

I remember it well, Fay :D

The Second Chance Tea Shop Blurb: 

Following the tragic death of her beloved husband, Anna Hemingway decides it's time for a fresh start. So Anna and her three-year-old daughter Ellie move to a picture-perfect cottage in the beautiful village of Little Somerby, and when she takes over the running of the village tea shop, Ellie and Anna start to find happiness again. 

But things get complicated when Matthew Carter, the owner of the local cider farm, enters their lives. Throughout a whirlwind year of village fetes and ancient wassails, love, laughter, apple pie and new memories, life slowly blossoms again. But when tragedy strikes and history seems to be repeating itself, Anna must find the strength to hold onto the new life she has built.

This beautiful, life-affirming debut novel marks the beginning of the Little Somerby series, and promises to make you smile, cry, reach for a cream tea, and long for a life in the perfect English countryside.

Bio:

Fay Keenan was born in Surrey and raised in Hampshire, before finally settling in the West Country. When Fay is not chasing her children around or writing, she teaches English at a local secondary school. She lives with her husband of fourteen years, two daughters, a cat, two chickens and a Weimaraner called Bertie in a village in Somerset, which may or may not have provided the inspiration for Little Somerby.


Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2l0gGtn
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2l0pnnn
iBooks: http://apple.co/2l0rdF3
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2ly3YQC
Twitter: @faykeenan
Blog: www.faykeenan.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/faykeenanauthor

Sainsbury's To Stock Wisteria Cottage

I received some fantastic news on Monday - Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage paperback is going into Sainsbury's! 500 of their stores!

This mean the release date for the paperback has been pushed back to the 20th April 2017 now. But this is just such exciting news.

However, my excitement was squashed (just a little) by the fact that I'd thought I'd lost my current work in progress which is 30,000 words in. I have never felt so sick. Amazingly I didn't cry. But I didn't feel like celebrating Monday night :'(

Luckily, a friend's husband, who I will forever thankful for, managed to retrieve the documents off the memory stick (which meant today I could continue working on it).

It's been one hard lesson, but my MS is now filed in all sorts of places, including Amazon Drive and MS OneDrive. I have decided I will save my royalties to upgrade my PC as it's getting antiquated now, and I could do with the latest version of Office etc.

Anyway, back to Sainsbury's! I would love to see 'Shelfies' of my book and I am considering running a competition, but more on that later.

The Backdrop To Wisteria Cottage

I write stand alone contemporary romance stories, not sequels. I have been asked if I'll write a sequel to Plus One is a Lucky Number (Cassie really has a story to tell) and One Fine Day (Ruby and Brett's story could be expanded...) but as yet, I haven't got to those... if I ever will.

However, I did set Meet Me at Wisteria Cottage in Tinners Bay which is where Plus One is a Lucky Number is set. In fact, there are a couple of characters from Plus One who feature in Wisteria Cottage. My main antagonist in Plus One is a bit of thorn in Harry's side in Wisteria Cottage.

And to tie in my other novel, I have Maddy's parents based in Clifton, Bristol, which was the back drop One Fine Day. Sadly no cameos there though.

Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage is available to pre-order on Amazon here... it releases 6th April. So if you haven't read my previous novels, you could always read those while you wait for the 6th April!

Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage blurb:

Is this a chance for a fresh start?

After her house is set on fire, Maddy Hart’s gorgeous neighbour, Harry Tudor – ex-firefighter turned landscape gardener – comes to her rescue. He invites her to stay at his place during the investigation, but living with Harry soon has Maddy hot under the collar!

Wary after a bad experience with her ex-boyfriend, Maddy decides to slow things down with Harry by moving out. She can’t believe her luck when a friend offers her the temporary haven of Wisteria Cottage, but somehow she’s not surprised to discover Harry’s been employed to landscape the cottage’s garden. Is fate is trying to tell her something?

Another Reason To Celebrate!

Today I received a belated birthday present. My agent sent over my contract for my third book, Meet Me At Wisteria Cottage, with HarperImpulse.

It's all very exciting, and still very surreal, but it does mean the third book that I've written will be published. Which means it gets shared with readers (who I hope will love and not hate).  That always feels good.

It has been just over 3 years now since my first book was published with HarperImpulse. I have always worried that the story ideas may run out. However, I have another two contemporary romance books brewing... plus a fantasy one... and maybe one day I'll get back to writing my vampire story... And then there are a list of silly plot bunnies in my OneNote file too, so I maybe okay for a while.

The Boss says I should start writing the online dating novel I have floating around in my head, as long as he doesn't feature in it. Ha ha!

I worry about the day I may have to return back to work full time. Will I get time to keep on writing? Will all these ideas get written, and published?

I've got a couple of years before I need to worry about it all yet, so maybe, tonight I should just open a bottle of bubbly and celebrate the beginnings of another book and that I am able to do something I thoroughly enjoy - writing.

Cheers!

The Worst Part Of Writing

Have I told you how much I hate writing a synopsis? I haven't written many, so don't feel at all comfortable or confident in writing them. And it feels so alien to how you write, because you're talking about your characters, and it feels much more telling, not showing.

How long does a synopsis need to be?

Do I really need to tell all the twists?

And then when I read it back I question the story I've written!

This is definitely the worst part about writing. And do you write it before or after you've finished your first draft? I tend to write it after, as my storyline likes to change as the characters decide to do things differently to my original plan.

So I now have the fun job of writing my synopsis for my third novel, which I'm in the process of editing. It all feels a bit more worrying too, because I'm out of contract, so will Harper Impulse like this novel? My goal is to try and get this novel out there before Christmas if I can as I'd love to see it in print next year. This will keep me on target of a book a year then.

In the meantime, the characters in potentially what may be my fourth novel keep talking to me. So it looks like I'm going to be writing them next. They've just demanded it really, even though I had thought of other storylines I wanted to tackle, this one 'Cinderella meets James Bond' just keeps growing inside my head.

With the digital release available, there are more fan vids for The Man From UNCLE now, and Illya and Gaby are my inspiration for book 4. (I can't wait to get my Bluray copy).

November Already?

Just lately I've been feeling a whole lot better about myself. I still beat myself up that I'm not writing enough, or editing - I am about to do this as soon as I've finished this blog post - but generally, in life, I'm in a really good place.

So the kids still send me barmy at times with their bickering and ignoring me. (How many times I have to tell them their dinner is on the table is beyond a joke!) But I have my house, which I am slowly adding to and personalising, and I AM a published writer, and my job isn't even that bad too - although I still die inside when a customer comes to the counter with a bag full of parcels. (Boring!)

As a Libra, I need balance, and I think I've found it. My anxiety at times peaks, and I worry (Is it really November already? Do I really have to think about Christmas shopping?) but generally, I'm good.

I have a great set of friends, and my family are good to me. There are days where I do not know where I'd be without my dad. My garden always looks amazing, and he helps me so much with jobs around the house.

We also have Rio now. He is a budgerigar. We've had him four weeks. And he's a chirpy chappy. Eventually, when he is tamer, he will be allowed out of his cage. But I want to get him really friendly and used to us first.

So the big question is, do I want to start dating again? And at the moment, the answer is still no. I still don't feel ready for the bullshit... but also, I really don't need a man in my life right now. I've got Henry (Cavill)... Tom (Hiddleston)... and even Armie (Hammer)... And they're enough :)

Henry Cavill & Armie Hammer - The Man from UNCLE
I love this picture so much!

Right, back to the editing....

Fake Friday with Rhoda Baxter

It's been a while since I've had a guest visit my blog, and so today I have Rhoda Baxter returning to promote her new book - Please Release Me. 

Hello, Rhoda! So.... 

If you weren’t a writer, what would you be instead?

Chocolate taster. Or maybe a bookshop ‘character’ who doesn’t actually do any work, but hangs out in the armchair in the bookshop, drinking tea, chatting and recommending books to people. I’m doing lots of reading and eating chocolate to keep my eye in, in case the opportunity comes calling…

Oh, that does sound like a fantastic job. Doesn't pay so well though... 

If your latest book was made into a film, who would you want to play

• Your hero? Ben Wishaw. Oh yes.

(I need to check out this guy... I have no idea who he is).

• Your heroine? I’ve got two heroines in my book. For Sally, Keira Knightley. For Grace Ayesha Dharker (Grace is mixed race and I pictured her as a kind of taller version Ayesha Dharker).

Have you ever read a book that you’ve wanted to throw against the wall?

Oscar and Lucinda. I simultaneously love and hate that book. It’s wonderfully well written and I cared about the characters SO MUCH. And then… that ending… gnnnnh. I’m going to have to go have a lie down until smoke stops coming out of my ears. Excuse me.

Oh, I haven't read that book... maybe I won't now, if the ending isn't so satisfying... 

What do you like to achieve in your writing?

I want to make people laugh, pause and then think. I think I understood a lot about how other people felt by reading. I want the same thing to happen with my books. I write comedy because I’d rather have fun people talking in my head than grim ones. That said, they have very angst-ridden lives sometimes.

The Wuthering Heights debate – do you love or hate Heathcliff?

Oh, I don’t like him. I think he’s a wrong ‘un. Don’t like Cathy much either – wild wicked slip of a girl.

Phew! I agree. She's probably the reason Heathcliff became so vile. This book isn't a romance, it's a tragedy.

What’s your favourite TV show?

At the moment, it’s The Big Bang Theory. I’m very fickle though. Next week it’ll be Firefly again.

From TV, books or film:

Who is your favourite all time hero?

Easy. Willy Wonka. He’s a genius. He’s a millionaire. He looks like Johnny Depp under all that make up… and… He owns a chocolate factory. (I’m assuming he pays the Umpa Loompa’s decent rates and is a good employer, obviously.)

Who is your favourite all time heroine?

Amelia Peabody Emerson from Elisabeth Peters’ books. She’s an archaeologist, amateur medic and a total kickass lady. She and her husband Radcliffe get up to all sorts of adventures.

Some fab answers there! Thanks so much, Rhoda, for taking the time to answer the questions for my blog. 

Please Release Me

Buy link: myBook.to/PleaseReleaseMe

The very silly Lego book trailer: https://animoto.com/play/DBE2BHWxYkaRBiFK2Yehww

Blurb:

What if you could only watch as your bright future slipped away from you?

Sally Cummings has had it tougher than most but, if nothing else, it’s taught her to grab opportunity with both hands. And, when she stands looking into the eyes of her new husband Peter on her perfect wedding day, it seems her life is finally on the up.

That is until the car crash that puts her in a coma and throws her entire future into question.

In the following months, a small part of Sally’s consciousness begins to return, allowing her to listen in on the world around her – although she has no way to communicate.

But Sally was never going to let a little thing like a coma get in the way of her happily ever after …

I will be donating 50% of my royalty earnings to Martin House Children's Hospice http://www.martinhouse.org.uk/

My website link: www.rhodabaxter.com

Twitter: @rhodabaxter

Bio:  Rhoda Baxter likes to write about people who make her laugh. In real life she studied molecular biology at Oxford, which is why her pen name might sound suspiciously similar to the name of a bacterium.

After trying out life in various places, including the Pacific island of Yap (it’s a real place!), Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Didcot, she now lives in East Yorkshire with one husband, two children and no pets or carnivorous plants. She has a day job working in intellectual property and writes contemporary romantic comedies in whatever spare time she can grab.

She can be found wittering on about science, comedy and cake on her website (www.rhodabaxter.com) or on Twitter (@rhodabaxter) or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/RhodaBaxterAuthor).

Two Years As A Published Writer

Two years today, I became a published writer!

An author.

And to make it feel even more real, I'll be book signing in Waterstone, Weston-super-Mare today! (29th August 2.30pm)

I started writing in 2006 as a hobby, and then decided I wanted to improve a little, so signed up to the Writer's Bureau in 2009. From then on, I've been wanting to write professionally.

As those of you know, who follow my blog, my dream came true in 2013. On Thursday 29th August 2013, Plus One is a Lucky Number was released as an eBook with Harper Impulse, a HarperCollins imprint.

I was offered a two book contract. TWO books! Yes, I nearly fell off my chair as I read the email too!

I published as Teresa F Morgan because someone had already self-published as Teresa Morgan. I don't have a middle name so the F stands for my maiden name, Frewing.

What's it feel like two years on?

Well, I'm still pinching myself if truth be told. It does feel really good. Okay, the reality is I still can't give up the 'day' job. (Oh how I give a little chuckle when I get asked if I'm going to be rich and famous! We can't all be the next J K Rowling I'm afraid... Or Lee Child...) Although, some of my day job is looking after the kids, and I think I have that job for a lifetime. That doesn't pay so well either.

What have I learnt?

Not to rely on the royalties! Ha ha!

And not to take to heart the reviews... the bad ones that is.

To agree to shorter book titles. I am loathed to shorten Plus One is a Lucky Number to Plus One sometimes. But it is a bugger to tweet about! It takes up so many characters - when you only have 140.

And not to stress about advertising too much. The best thing I can do is carry on writing. So yes, I am working on my third book which I hope to get published next year. (Progress will resume once kids are back at school though.)

I claim to be no literary genius... I write brain candy for women, i.e. romance. Although as an article I read the other day suggested, I shouldn't discredit myself for only writing romance. I usually joke I'm not clever enough to write crime, however, hopefully my readers agree too, I am clever enough to explore the relationship of two human beings, and the complexity of it.

If you would like to find out more about my books, here are the links below.

Plus One is a Lucky Number

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon UK

Amazon US

Harper Impulse

Add on Goodreads

Kobo

One Fine Day

Amazon UK Paperback

Amazon UK Ebook

Amazon US

Kobo

Add On Goodreads

Harper Impulse

Book Signing in Waterstones

Début book signing in 2014

I'm so excited to announce that I will be doing another book signing in Waterstone's, Weston-super-Mare on Saturday 29th August at 2pm.

There will be copies of both of my books available (due to a little bit of a muddle from last year I believe, and 20 copies of Plus One is a Lucky Number arriving at their store in February - boy, were they pleased to see me).

So if you can make it, please come along! I will appreciate the support.

What I have learnt from last time is to have a pad, to check spellings of names if they want the book personalised, and have plenty of sweets!

I feel really lucky, because I know some Waterstone's stores are unable to allow book signings, but my store have been so supportive. Put the Saturday, 29th August in your diary!

Blurb: One Fine Day

Just a boy standing in front of a girl…

Actor Steve Mason has it all … gorgeous looks, the perfect starlet girlfriend hanging on his arm and his name on every Hollywood producer’s lips. That is, until it turns out the ‘perfect girl’ is actually a perfect PR stunt! Dumped and with his name plastered across every tabloid headline, Steve decides to head home to England, questioning if he’ll ever find a woman who genuinely loves him for who he is, and not just his place on the Sexiest Man Alive list.

It’s been fifteen long years since Ruby last saw her big brother – but the new LA version of Steve complete with designer wardrobe, California tan and an American accent is too much to bear – Ruby hardly recognises him and decides it’s time to get her brother back!

With Ruby’s help, Steve goes undercover as he plays the part of a regular guy who leads a regular life. And then one perfectly fine, ordinary day he meets lovely, funny, down-to-earth Lydia. But when Hollywood comes calling, will Steve be able to leave both Lydia and his little sister behind?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK Paperback ~ Amazon UK Ebook ~ Amazon US ~ Waterstone's ~ Kobo ~ Add On Goodreads ~ Harper Impulse

Blurb: Plus One is a Lucky Number

The wedding favour...

Sophie’s going to a wedding where the invite is strictly plus one… but with her single girl status not exactly fitting in with the bridesmaid dress code, and the best man being none other than the ex she would rather forget, Sophie needs a favour and she needs it fast!

Luckily for Sophie, her dreamy but distant co-worker Adam Reid owes their mutual friend James big time…and his gorgeousness more than fills the role of the ‘Perfect Boyfriend’!

As they take off to the sunny shores of Cornwall for the wedding weekend, it’s not long before pretence leads to passion and Sophie and Adam must decide; is their relationship real or is it all for show?

Buy Links:

Amazon UK Paperback ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon US ~ Waterstone's ~ Harper Impulse ~ Add on Goodreads ~ Kobo

Magical Weddings with Aileen Harkwood

Hey, it's the weekend, and I have Aileen Harkwood on my blog today talking writing, romance and magical weddings... 

Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Almost from the moment I understood books existed. Okay, maybe a little after that, since my first book was Green Eggs and Ham. I remember going to the school library in first and second grade and picking out books about the Salem witch trials. I was fascinated by them. Today, I’m writing fantasy romances with witches!

Did you manage to get the first book you wrote published, or is it tucked in a drawer somewhere?

Oh, Lord, I cringe at the idea of reading that thing. I mean, when I was seven I wrote my first “book,” but I’d call it more of an illustrated coffee table type thing (i.e. lots of drawings in crayon). My first attempt at a novel was in high school, written entirely in longhand. Some really, really bad science fiction.

My Twitter style question: Describe your hero in 140 characters.

Compassionate, charmingly brutish warlock with a heart that never gives up on love, and a power that will surprise everyone. Aragorn eyes.

My Twitter style question: Describe your heroine in 140 characters.

Repressed and introverted, yet ready to break out of her shell and find love. A witch with an old soul, brown hair and red eyelashes.

Why do you like writing romance?

Because it’s an emotionally lush genre. I like, no, I love getting swept away by a story.

Which of your characters is your favourite, and why?

Whichever character I happen to be writing at the time. They’re your babies. You have to love them all. Ideally, you should love them all equally.

What do you read while you write, or don’t you?

Yes, but never fiction. When I’m writing, I’m deep into a world of my own making, and need to stay that way. As soon as I finish with a story, I typically binge read for several days to a week.

Do you have a favourite author?

Cliché as it might be, my favorite will always be Jane Austen. I think of her as the mother of the romance novel.

What do you do with a paperback once you’ve read it?

Except for Austen’s books, plus Richard Bach’s Illusions, all paperbacks get donated to Goodwill when I’m done with them. Sad fact is, however, I almost never read “dead tree” books any more. Everything is on my Kindle Fire.

What advice would you give to new writers?

It’s the same advice I hear a lot of writers give, read. I would add to this, however, don’t just read within the genre. Don’t live solely on a steady diet of romance. Read other things, too, other genres, literature, poetry, the classics. Narrative nonfiction is especially helpful in teaching how stories happen in the real world. They aren’t always as neat and tidy as we like them to be in our HEA romance world. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying a romance novel should sound like Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, or should end with the boat sinking and everyone dying as happened in Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm. Rather, by reading things completely outside your own writer’s wheelhouse, you can bring back elements to inspire your own fiction, for instance, the cunning way an author wrote a humorous confrontation between two characters, or the way another writer was able to infuse emotion into an action sequence.

What things inspire you to write? Location, music, film or even in a book?

A lot of the time it’s setting inspiring me. Judging by comments I’ve heard at conferences, romance editors tend to believe setting is an extraneous luxury authors can’t afford, but I like to make sure my stories are well-set. Even if most of the description never makes it to the page, if I know where I am, I’ll know what the characters are looking at, and the physical sensations they experience.. It grounds the story for me, makes it more real.

What is next on your agenda after publishing your (first) book?

My contribution to the Magical Weddings box set, The Last Wedding at Drayhome, is a standalone novella, but also functions as a prequel to the Breens Mist Witches series. Spell Touched, is the first of five books in Breens Mist Witches, which follows the same hero and heroine throughout all five novels. Wedding Spell, which releases this September, is the first of a four book series, Breens Mist Weddings, each a standalone novel. I introduced most of the heroines who appear in this second series in Drayhome.

Thank you for having me on your blog, Teresa. Enjoyed these questions!

Thank you, Aileen for taking the time to answer my questions! Good luck with the Magical Weddings box set. 

THE LAST WEDDING AT DRAYHOME by Aileen Harkwood

Never underestimate the power of a witch and warlock in love who have nothing left to lose...

Every witch and warlock in Breens Mist, Oregon has one main talent that guides their destiny. Colleen McColly’s gift is to be caretaker and voice for Drayhome, a magical estate with a mind of its own. Sent under the guise of helping to prepare for a wedding, warlock Terry “Ax” Paxton has orders to evict Colleen, and end Drayhome’s century-plus-reign as the heart and soul of Breens Mist. It’s a duty against which Ax rebels, not just because it’s wrong, but because he and Colleen have a connection of their own, raw, passionate and too many years denied.

About Aileen: 

Aileen Harkwood is a Readers’ Crown finalist who lives in the Southern Rockies. The Last Wedding at Drayhome is the prequel to two concurrent series of fantasy romances, Spell Touched: Breens Mist Witches, Book 1, and Wedding Spell, first in the Breens Mist Weddings series, due out in September 2015. She’s passionate about green chile and the mysteries hiding in antique photographs.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aileenharkwood

Twitter: @AileenHarkwood

http://aileenharkwood.blogspot.com

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MAGICAL WEDDINGS: 15 Enchanting Romances

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1GEDBPe

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1ewV9SE

Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1dyBCRp

B&N: http://bit.ly/1dAAdtJ

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1SrS6us

iTunes: http://apple.co/1RcL2Ai

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1emycBp

If you love ghosts, witches, time travel--anything paranormal--military romance, historical romance, or romantic comedy, don't miss this engaging boxed set!

--All stand-alone stories (no cliffhangers)

--Includes 14 New Releases written expressly for this set!

Whether real or only in the hearts of the bride and groom, the magic of weddings is undeniable. And irresistible! As these 15 enchanting happily-ever-afters by bestselling and award-winning authors prove.

From sweet to spicy, the romances bundled into this set cross time and unite hearts, cast spells of laughter, battle wedding jitters and fight back tears, while weaving love’s hopeful magic throughout 1400 pages.

Her Wedding Wager by Leigh Michaels, National bestselling and Award-winning author of over 100 novels. Celia's doomed to an arranged marriage—unless she can win the most important bet of her life!

The Last Wedding at Drayhome (Breens Mist Witches) by Aileen Harkwood. Never underestimate the power of a witch and warlock in love who have nothing left to lose.

The Dress by Eve Devon. Two couples, 400 years apart. From a masquerade ball in Venice 1615 to a wedding in England 2015, can a dress laced with magic weave its spell through the fabric of time?

Second Chance Bride by Raine English, USA Today bestselling and Award-winning author. She thinks she's marrying the man of her dreams, until a telepathic rescue dog leads her to someone else... Will this bride-to-be say "I do" to the wrong man?

Two Hearts Surrendered by Tamara Ferguson, Bestselling and Award-winning author. Will two warring hearts be strong enough to survive the ultimate battle?

Something Borrowed, Something Blue by Lynda Haviland. She has a wedding to crash—until love gets in the way!

Heart of the Secret (Witches of Lane County) by Jody A. Kessler, Bestselling and Award-winning author. A 500 year-old curse, a witch who will do anything to marry her one true love, and the heart of a secret that will either divide them or bring them together…forever.

The Jealous Love of a Scoundrel by Jane Lark, National bestselling author. How do you fight a calling that comes from your soul?

A Wedding Across the Winds of Time by Bess McBride, National bestselling author. Darius and Molly found each other Across the Winds of Time. Now, it's time for their wedding!

Kiss This by L.L. Muir, National bestselling and Award-winning author. You never expect the florist to catch the bouquet…

Caution is a Virtue by Jennifer Gilby Roberts. How much is too much to risk for love?

Loving Lindy by Jan Romes. In order to become the bank's new Vice President, Gunther Justin has to be "settled." With Lindy McPherson posing as his fiancé everything is set to go off without a hitch—until real feelings get in the way.

With this Kiss by Heather Thurmeier. Does a simple kiss have enough magic to reunite lovers?

Real Magic by Elsa Winckler. She's the bridesmaid, he's a best man. Will the magical evening stay just that or will it turn out to be real after all?

The Wedding Guests (A Tassamara Short Story) by Sarah Wynde. When unexpected guests attend Akira and Zane's wedding, lives will change forever. But for better or for worse?

#HIFortnight - Do You Remember? by Mandy Baggot

Recently I finished reading Mandy Baggot's Do You Remember? And so for part of the #HIFortnight I thought I would give Mandy Baggot a HarperImpulse Author Spotlight post.

Do You Remember? - First Love. First Loss. Last chance?

2005 was the most traumatic year of Emma Barron's life. It was the year her mother died and the year she met Guy Duval. Eight years on, she's an English teacher with a doting boyfriend and a young son. Life's been hard but now it's comfortable. She's settled and content...so why would she risk it all for another chance with the man that broke her heart?

Guy's an international renowned footballer newly signed to a top UK team. But behind the confident facade is a man determined to drown the horrors from his childhood with fame, success and money.

Unable to confide in her best friend, Ally, Emma tries to hold her life together as her heart is pulled apart. Did she turn her back on love too soon? Neither of them know what really happened on 5 September 2005 and as events are slowly revealed can anyone cope with the truth?

My short and sweet review - 5 stars! 

What a gem of a read with some lovely twists. :)

I loved the past and present stories of Emma and Guy entwined. This worked really well in my opinion. Easy, enjoyable read.

About:

Mandy Baggot is a romantic fiction author. In 2012 she won the Innovation in Romantic Fiction award at the UK’s Festival of Romance. Her self-published title, Strings Attached was also short-listed for the Best Author Published Read award.

Also in 2012 she signed with American publishing house, Sapphire Star Publishing, who produced her novels, Taking Charge and romantic suspense, Security.

In June 2013 she signed a two book deal with Harper Collins' digital first romance imprint, Harper Impulse.

She is a regular contributor to writing blogs and on-line magazine, Loveahappyending Lifestyle http://www.loveahappyending.com/.

Mandy loves mashed potato, white wine, country music, World’s Strongest Man, travel and handbags. She has appeared on ITV1’s Who Dares Sings and auditioned for The X-Factor.

Mandy is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and lives near Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK with her husband, two daughters and cats, Kravitz and Springsteen.

Website: www.mandybaggot.com

Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/sjq4v

Amazon US: http://ow.ly/sjqbM

Twitter: http://twitter.com/mandybaggot

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mandybaggotauthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2968625.Mandy_Baggot

Loveahappyending Bookshelf: http://loveahappyending.org/mandy-baggot/