Talli Roland

Rooftops, Pyramids and Boats, Oh My!

2012-01-27T14:33:00.002Z

Happy Friday, everyone! Are you sick of Egypt yet? No? Good, because I have some more photos to show you! I'll give you a break on Monday (I'll be busy gallivanting around Alexandria) but I'll be with you in spirit.

Since recovering from my revolutionary activities in Tahrir Square (it must be said, I'd never make a true revolutionary -- I fainted after one hour there; I'm such a softie), we've indulged in a few other Cairene delights. Today was the best, though: we had our own tour guide through Old Cairo, climbed up rickety ladders to rooftops, and peeked into beautiful buildings normally off limits.

The rooftop of a building in Old Cairo, where merchants used to unload their wares, then stay in the accommodation. All those 'cubes' are the open-air terraces of the individual lodgings.

A street in Old Cairo.

Me in front of a traditional window -- the women could see out, but no one could see in.

Twin minarets.

Feluca on the Nile!

No caption needed!

This is my third time to the Pyramids, and I've never seen them so deserted. A handful of locals and tourists were there. but nothing like last year.

Have a great weekend, everyone! I'll see you on Wednesday.

Talking About a Revolution

2012-01-25T19:16:00.001Z

I've just returned from Tahrir Square! And WOW, what an amazing experience. Despite being a writer, words fail me. So I'll show you in photos instead.

Egyptian flags clog the air in Tahrir Square.

Me! The slogan on the wall behind me says: 'You can kill me but you can't kill my voice.'

An effigy in the square.

Mr TR waves a flag.

A young revolutionary.

Students sing and dance on a wall built by the military.

Excuse me while I go take my post-revolutionary shower! Happy Wednesday, everyone.

New Beginnings

2012-01-23T10:00:00.002Z

Hello from Cairo! The title for this post seems very apt, since not only is today publication day for Rebecca Emin's New Beginnings (more on that below), but it's also the opening of Egypt's first elected parliament since the 1950s.

What a change there's been in Egypt since my last visit here in December 2011. In just one year, people who were depressed and pessimistic about the future of the country have transformed into upbeat and optimistic. Gathering around the television this morning over a takeaway breakfast of tamaya (falafel) and fool (er... not sure any description can do this dish justice), there was palpable sense of pride as we watched the first session open.

From chats last night with a man in his sixties who led a group in Tahrir Square -- and was so close to the police he even grabbed a tear-gas canister after it was lobbed his way -- to mannequins in shop windows holding up revolutionary signs, the city has come alive again. The revolution has brought with it a whole host of problems and challenges, but as the one-year anniversary approaches, Egypt's citizens are finally looking forward to their future.

Now all they need is wine. Ha!

Now on to another New Beginning! Today is publication day for Rebecca Emin's wonderful YA novel. Hop over to Rebecca’s blog Ramblingsof a Rusty Writer to find all of the details of how she is planning tocelebrate today, or you can read some reviews of the book itself on Amazon.co.ukor Amazon.com. You may like to visit someof the other blogs helping Rebecca to celebrate today too.

AboutNew Beginnings

Sam Hendry is not looking forward tostarting at her new school. Things go from bad to worse as the day of trutharrives and all of her fears come true... and then some.

When Sam meets a different group of people who immediately accept her as afriend, she begins to feel more positive.

With her new friends and interests, will Sam finally feel able to face thebully who taunts her, and to summon up the courage to perform on stage?

Here's to new beginnings of all sorts!

Pulling Teeth with Pliers... Or, Writing a Great Synopsis

2012-01-20T08:40:00.000Z

It's Friday! *does Friday dance involving flailing of arms and awkward hip swings* Want to know something even better than Friday (no, not wine)? Tomorrow, I'm off to the sunny climes of Cairo for two weeks! Not to worry, though, I'll still be blogging as much as I can, as per usual. While my in-laws go off for hours in Arabic I haven't a hope in hell of understanding, I'll be tucked in the corner, tapping away at my lovely little laptop. We are still planning our regular outings to the Pyramids, the market, Memphis and Alexandria, so I will have plenty of photos to share.

Now. Onto more serious things: the dreaded synopsis. If you're not a writer, consider yourself very lucky that this is something you've escaped. For me, it's like pulling out my own teeth with rusty pliers while someone hammers nails into my eyeballs. Oh yes, it's just that much fun. Luckily, today I've got Crabbity Bat (her words, not mine) and absolute writing genius Nicola Morgan here to talk about her new book, Write a Great Synopsis.

Take it away, Nicola!

Hello Talli andTalli’s lovely readers!

Thank you so muchfor letting me visit again. I’m very honoured and in recognition of that I’vebrought some champagne. *pops cork* Cheers!

Since most or manyof your readers aren’t writers, I thought I’d say something that might interestboth groups.

Writers gethorribly vexed about synopses. Many ofus (not me, tbh) would rather eat witchety grubs than write one, and yet quitehappily sit down to write a 100,000 word novel. Thing is, making a few wordswork well is hard. Blaise Pascal famously apologised (in French) for writingsuch a long letter, saying he didn’t have time to write a short one. Andthere’s a real truth in that. And what writers have to do is turn a 100,000word thing into something very short– maybe 600 words – and that’s veryhard.

On the other hand,Tolstoy said, “No book should be too complex to explain to a barmaid.” (Veryrude to barmaids, imo.) Indeed, Anna Karenina may be long but it’s far fromcomplex – omit the farming, and there’s very little left to go in the synopsis.

Actually, I alsothink it might be easier for a reader to produce a good synopsis of a book thanits writer. In fact, one of the things I recommend to writers in Write a GreatSynopsis (WAGS!) is to forget your book, or forget the details. If you forgetthe details and sequences, what you’re left with is the core – what and whoit’s about and how the story ends, bringing the memorable driving forcestogether.

Writers, pleasestop worrying! WAGS covers everything about synopsis-writing, clearly andreassuringly. At the end of it I believe you truly will say to yourself, “Don’tpanic – it’s only a synopsis!

And readers, nexttime you pick up a new book, spare a thought for the poor writer who almostcertainly had to write a sparkly synopsis before getting the deal!

Thanks forlistening, everyone. I’d be really interested to hear your thoughts.

Would yourather write a book or a synopsis?

NB: all commentersbelow (by Feb 15^th) will be entered into the Big WAGS Competition,with chances to win a critique of your synopsis by the Crabbit Old Bat herself!One comment per person on each blog – though you can add to your chances bycommenting on the other posts on the tour. Details of all stops on the tourwill appear on my blog (Help!I Need a Publisher!) as they go out.

Details about thebook, including buying options, here. The linkdirect to Amazon UK is here; Amazon.com is here. And it’s stupid cheap tillthe end of January!

Thanks, Nicola!

Well, I'd much rather write a book than a synopsis. A zillion times more! How about you? Have a great weekend, everyone!

Fish Out of Water

2012-01-18T13:17:00.000Z

Okay, yes, I know that's a corny cartoon, but I couldn't resist!

Despite being here in London for almost eight years now, sometimes I still feel like a fish out of water (minus the scales, the gasping for breath, and the bulging eyes).

When I wrote Build A Man -- where the main character is a recent American transplant -- many of those feelings just came pouring out, surprising me. The strangeness of my new home still lingers.

Jaffa Cakes. I couldn't resist putting these in my novel, even though I'm not a fan. They're orange and chocolate cookies. . . and they're definitely not my favourite, although they're beloved by many a Brit!

Oceans of Tea. My word, these people can drink tea. From 'builder's tea' (strong with lots of sugar) to posh loose-leaf tea, you're never far from it!

Drinking Outside. Oh, I love this one. You can drink outside the pub, in the park, skipping merrily down the street . . . sadly, you can no longer drink on the Tube (not that I'd ever do that, of course). I still get a little frisson of excitement that I'm doing something wrong whenever I crack open a bottle in public.

Posh British Accents. There are several British accents I'm not so keen on, but I'm fascinated by the plummy tones of the upper-class.

Architecture. Coming from North American cities where many buildings resemble either glass boxes or a sprawling mansions, I'm still in awe of the lovely, neat terraces lining the London streets where I live.

Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? What struck you as strange?

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

Hunter and Gatherer

2012-01-16T11:51:00.001Z

See that lovely couple, laughing merrily as they shop their way down the high street? Yeah. That will never be me and Mr TR. Why? Because, over the past eight years together, we've discovered we have very different approaches to shopping.

This past weekend, we took to High Street Kensington to buy gifts for our annual pilgrimage to Cairo, coming up this Saturday (eep!). And, like every year before, I steeled myself to spend a few hours browsing, comparing, discussing . . . thank God for hip flasks!

You see, Mr TR is a shopper at heart. He loves to trot into every shop and examine its contents, whether relevant or not. On the other hand, I prefer the 'in and out' method. Decide what you want before hand, swoop in, grab it, and get out (after paying, of course, ha!). The faster, the better. In fact, when I go shopping, sometimes I play a little game to see how fast I can pop to the shops and return home again. Dithering drives me insane.

I'm the hunter. He's the gatherer. Can you say role reversal?

What kind of shopper are you? And do you bring your hip flask along for the ride?

The Ex-Factor

2012-01-13T12:37:00.001Z

Well, well, well. Hello, Friday! How did you get here so quickly? Sleepless nights, nose-blowing days, and wine-scoffing book launches served by barmaids dressed as nurses will do that to you, I suppose. (A massive congrats to Mark and Louise, and a zillion thank yous for the invite!)

Now, I know I said I wasn't going to do much promo this year, but when you have someone as fab as Jen Daiker . . . how could I say no? Jen's celebrating the success of her first published work, and I couldn't be happier to have her here.

Take it away, Jen!

Let’s talk exes. (I keep the spicy talk for Talli because Iknow she can handle it).

A lot of us go through life gathering a few exes beforewe find the one. Some of them did thedumping, and some you dumped. Eitherway, they ended.

What happens with the ones that we never established? Younever sat down and fully broke up… (texting, phone call, or over an email don’tcount as break ups because those are just cruel <-- though sometimesnecessary).

My short story, Snowbanked,is about a small town girl in search for something bigger. What she gave up wasa man she truly loved, but neither of them were willing to compromise.

My hubby and I experienced something like this. We justweren’t ready to truly commit, we still lived selfish lives. It wasn’t until wereconnected we realized that we’d left love behind. I hoped one day I’d get toshare this story and when Still Moments Publishing (http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com)the Snowbound Hearts Anthology I knew it was the perfect setting to share astory of love lost until love was gained.

There are three additional stories in this fun anthology.It’s a perfect way to let love andsnow stay a little longer in all of our hearts! Here’s the dirt on what you’llfind inside, Snowbound Hearts!

Sophie’s SnowDay by Jillian Chantal
A snowstorm can be a life changing event. Just ask Sophie.

Snowbanked by Jennifer Daiker
Returning home can hold the best surprises, especially when love isinvolved.

The White Lion by Maggie Devine
When Pub owner Sophie Ashford clashes with the new Lord of the Manor, ShaneSmith, a secret past is unearthed and a new love erupts...

Winter Twilight by Shannon O'Brien
Can a secret, up and coming rock musician reawaken a young woman's passionwhile she fumbles her way through a strange city and new life?

This is my first published works and I’m elated! I’d lovefor you to add it to your TBR list over at Goodreads OR stop by Still Moments Publishing (ebook store: http://www.stillmomentspublishing.com/p/ebook-store.html)and buy your copy! Or just feel free to stop by Unedited to say hello to me and my crazy antics.

Thank you, Jen! Have a great weekend, everyone.

In 'Da Hood

2012-01-11T13:25:00.001Z

I know. That doesn't really work with my voice, does it? Ah well, I tried. So . . . happy Wednesday! You'll be delighted to hear I slept well last night. I'm delighted, anyway!

As I trotted to the library last night to return my overdue library books (£30 in fines, thank you very much), I was reminded what a fantastic neighbourhood I live in -- and what a past it's had.

Famous philosopher John Stuart Mill lived down the street. Today, we back up our work (well, sort of, in my case), but there was nothing to help poor John when his maid tossed a stack of his writing into the fire, thinking it was scrap! Ouch.

I grew up torturing my family with Clementi tunes on the piano, so it's fantastic to pass by his old house almost every day! I still picture him turning over in his grave whenever my fingertips touched the keyboard.

Agatha Christie! Almost my next-door neighbour! Need I say more?

Okay, I admit it: I'm not a massive fan of Joyce; bit wordy for my liking. But I do admire his sentence construction and that's quite an honour for ol' James, I'm sure.

So there you have it! A little bit of neighbourhood history. And who knows, maybe one day there will be a blue plaque on my residence: Talli Roland, famous wine drinker with liver extraordinaire. One can but dream.

What would yours say?

Sleepless in Notting Hill

2012-01-09T13:52:00.000Z

Happy Monday, all! Yes, it's my first full day back at the Writing Desk after a lovely long vacation, and I'm dragging my butt to my office chair with all the enthusiasm of a child to a plate of broccoli (I'm sorry -- that's all I could come up with).

Why? Because last night was one of those nights. You know, a night when you lie, staring wide-eyed at the ceiling as your mind swirls aimlessly from one topic to another, wishing the man beside you would STOP SNORING so you'd have a hope in HELL of getting some sleep! Ahem.

Much as I'd like to, I really can't blame it on the snoring. I often go through cycles of sleeplessness, and I've devised my own little handy-dandy ways of coping.

1. Move to another location, if possible. A change is as good as a rest -- hopefully! If nothing else, at least the dragging-your-arse-to-the-sofa might tire you out. Extra bonus: the clatter and clang as you alter locales will likely awaken your significant other, so the two of you can experience sleeplessness together! Hey, it may not be quality time, but it's all about quantity. Or not.

2. This is a particular favourite of mine: if you live in an old building like me, entertain yourself by imagining all the previous inhabitants. How many people have died in this exact same room? Or even . . . been murdered here? What grisly secrets could this room hold? The aftermath of the resulting spurt of adrenaline will leave you exhausted for sure.

3. Still awake? Why not contemplate, for hours, turning on the light and reading, but never actually do it? Instead, toss and turn, simply because it's much more invigorating.

4. Count the whoosh of the night buses as they fly down the street. Similar to the sheep method, but minus cute fluffiness and with squealing brakes instead of gentle baaing.

By now, you should either be asleep -- or it should be morning. The long night is over. Now to get through the day . . .

Have a great one!

Back on Track!

2012-01-06T13:30:00.001Z

Well, hello there! I'm back in sunny (!) London after my almost three-week vacation in Canada. It's great to be home -- especially after such a fabulous time away. Thanks loads to everyone who dropped by and commented on my random posts (and the guest posts) while I was away!

This year, I've decided to take my blog back to its origins of fun topics, London miscellany, and wine. Over the past few months, I fear it's become a bit too focused on promotions. Having had such tremendous support from others, I want to return the favour and help out everyone who asks. But . . . I just can't, without turning my blog into something else entirely. I'm going to try to limit guest posts to once a month, and while I'll still do shout-outs for people, I want to get this back to a more reader-centric place. So! That's one of my resolutions. I hope you all understand, and I'm sorry I can't accommodate everyone who asks.

So what did you get up to on your vacation? Here are a few snapshots of mine:

Snow! We actually had a white Christmas.

Looking out over Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley.

Cutting down the Christmas Tree.

Taking a photo at Hall's Harbour (and freezing, in the process!).

Yes. A phone box in a Nova Scotia vineyard!

A lobster club sandwich. Does it get any better? I think not.

So, there you have it! Before you go, can I point you here?

Happy weekend, everyone!

The Indie Book Fair: Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000Z

Happy New Year, everyone! I wish you plenty o' Twizzlers, wine and more!

I'm back on my regular blogging schedule later this week, but Susan Kaye Quinn's indie book fair was just to good of an opportunity to pass up.Take a gander, if you like... Plenty to choose from!

Did you find a new Kindle, Nook, or iPad under the Christmas tree? Browse the Indie Book Fair and find a new ebook to break in that reader! These great new books were released Nov 2011-Feb 2012 by Indie authors, priced right so that taking a chance on a new author doesn’t have to break your wallet. (Check out the previous Internet Book Fair for other great Indie finds.)

[Indie = self-published or small-publisher, for the purposes of this post, because no matter how we’re published, we’re all in this together, trying to get the word out about our books]

Note: Links are given for Amazon, but most authors publish across all e-book formats. Click on the author’s name for additional purchasing options, including paper copies.

For Your Browsing Pleasure

Contemporary (Adult)

Build a Man by Talli Roland (Chick Lit)

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job. $0.99 on Amazon

The Golden Sky by ElisaHirsch (Memoir)

The night I met Cade I never would’ve thought that two years later, after we were homeless street musicians in Hawaii, we would have a little girl and another baby on the way. Our son was born with the type of birth defects that make televangelists cringe. The “death home” gave him a really nice funeral, the kind I’d never wished to attend. We lost it after that, totally cemented in our grief. Cade got into drugs, joined a rock and roll band, and I kicked him out of the house. That was how I met: Earl (an old man and unlikely best friend), the “big sag” (a middle aged woman who still flashed folks), Todda (the stripper next door), and Chris (a cowboy who fell in love with me). It wasn’t until I killed a rogue skunk, and my daughter nearly choked on a fry, that I gave my husband another chance. But could our marriage recover from the death of our son? $2.99 onAmazon

Someone Else’s Fairytale by E.M. Tippetts (Contemporary Romance)

Jason Vanderholt is the hottest actor under thirty with legions of screaming fans. Chloe Winters is a college student who hasn't gotten around to watching most of his movies. When they meet by chance, he is smitten, but it just isn't her fairytale. In fact, it could be her worst nightmare as her past, attracted by the bright lights of the media, comes back to haunt her. $0.99 on Amazon

Historical Romance(Adult)

The Duke’s Divorce by Anne Gallagher Available late January 2012

A simple trip to the Scottish Highlands finds the Duke of Cantin with a bride he does not want. With her impeccable beauty and fiery disposition, Fiona takes Society by storm. As their prearranged divorce proceedings draw near, can Fiona change his mind? Check author's website.

Literary Fiction

String Bridge by Jessica Bell

Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage—and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits ... $6.99 on Amazon ALSO: Music Sample!

Mystery

Sherwood Ltd. by Anne R. Allen

Sherwood. The name immediately conjures up images of Richard Greene, Michael Praed and Russell Crowe. Or maybe that sly fox in the Disney version. Only, in Anne R. Allen's latest rom-com mystery the fox is a coyote and there's no Robin Hood. Or is there? In her usual inimitable fashion Allen peels back the layers, one hilarious subplot after another, until you just never know what's real and what's not. Rather like the Robin Hood legend. When the Manners Doctor, Camilla Randall, flies into Robin Hood airport with a suitcase in one hand and a book contract in the other she thinks she's leaving all her problems behind and is about to start a new life. If you look very carefully you may just spot the Sheriff of Nottingham, Maid Marian and even Little John hidden away. But as for Robin Hoodhimself... You'll just have to read it and find out. $2.99 on Amazon

Short Stories and Anthologies

The Initiate (Cloud Prophet Trilogy) by Megg Jensen (YA Fantasy)

Over a thousand years ago, the gods left Eloh's people and took their magic with them. To win back their favor, her people sacrifice ten female initiates every ten years. No has ever survived. There has never been a Chosen One. Forced into becoming an initiate, Eloh will try to find a way to beat the odds, stay with her boyfriend, and survive the fires that threaten to consume her. But will her lack of faith in the gods and her disbelief in their magic doom her to a painful death? $0.99 on Amazon

Eight by Karly Kirkpatrick (YA Paranormal Short Story Collection)

Prepare to be thrilled and chilled by Kirkpatrick's eight short tales in EIGHT. These eight stories, while short, pack a big punch. There are demon spirits, zombies, and even some human baddies. Each story comes complete with author's commentary. It also includes the previously unreleased short Grenades. $0.99 on Amazon

{CoverComingSoon} In His Eyes by The Indelibles (YA Anthology) - Available February 14th

Just in time for Valentines Day, The Indelibles bring you a one-of-a-kind young adult anthology! Twenty original short stories, all from the point of view of our favorite male characters - some are old flames from our novels and some were dreamed up especially for this anthology. Let these imminently crushable, swoon-worthy guys show you what romance looks like – in his eyes. Add to Goodreads TBR

The contributors to IN HIS EYES include award winners, frequent “Top 100” placers, and hot 2011 debut authors: S.R. Wells, C.K. Bryant, Elle Strauss, Susan Kaye Quinn, Jessie Harrell, Magan Vernon, Lisa Nowak, Heather McCorkle, RaShelle Workman, Ali Cross, Karen Amanda Hooper, Cory Putman Oakes, Laura Pauling, Stacey Wallace Benefiel, Sarra Cannon, Katie Klein, Cheri Lasota

Transcendent: Tales of the Paranormal byLani Woodland, Melonie Piper, Rita Webb, Wendy Swore, Melanie Marks, Heather McCubbin and Evan Joseph (YA Anthology)

Discover the secrets of a siren, fly with a hawk girl over the mountains of Montana, and flee supernatural party-crashers as the décor comes to life in this magical journey through paranormal stories. Along the way, watch for ghosts in a haunted house, or ride through the moonlight with a stranger. Save a comatose boy who has lost his soul, and don’t forget to bring your garlic and wolfsbane—you never know when the shadows will snag you. Transcendent includes eight stories of magic, love, death, and choice by some of the newest names in young adult fiction. $0.99 on Amazon

Young Adult

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn (Paranormal/Science Fiction)

When everyone reads minds, a secret is a dangerous thing to keep. Sixteen-year-old Kira Moore is a zero, someone who can’t read thoughts or be read by others. Zeros are outcasts who can’t be trusted, leaving her no chance with Raf, a regular mindreader and the best friend she secretly loves. When she accidentally controls Raf’s mind and nearly kills him, Kira tries to hide her frightening new ability from her family and an increasingly suspicious Raf. But lies tangle around her, and she’s dragged deep into a hidden world of mindjackers, where having to mind control everyone she loves is just the beginning of the deadly choices before her. $2.99 on Amazon

Bound by C.K. Bryant (Paranormal Romance)

When a photo shoot ends in tragedy, Kira discovers her best friend, Lydia,has been keeping a secret. Knowing the truth, and accepting it, will change Kira’s life forever and thrust her into a world of ancient curses, magical objects, and savage enemies. What happens next will challenge everything Kira knows about her world, herself and the shape-shifting warrior she’s falling in love with. No longer the timid mouse her mother accused her of being, but a woman who finds the mental and physical strength to endure and survive. $3.99 on Amazon

Become by Ali Cross (YA Urban Fantasy)

Sixteen-year old Desolation Black wants nothing more than to stay in Hell where it’s cold and lonely and totally predictable. Instead, she’s sent back to Earth where she Becomes the evil she despises and the good she always feared. When Desi is forced to embrace her inner demon, she assumes her Choice has been made—that she has no hope of being anything other than what her father, Lucifer, has created her to be. What she doesn’t count on, is a reason to want to change—something she’s never had before—a friend. $3.99 on Amazon

Exiled by RaShelle Workman (YA SF Romance)

Worlds divided them. Chance brought them together. Only love will save them. An alien princess exiled to Earth. An arrogant boy. One week to get back to her planet or she'll die. And, her only chance for survival? She must help the boy find his soul mate. Piece of cake! $0.99 on Kindle

The Secret of SpruceKnoll by Heather McCorkle (Urban Fantasy)

Following the tragic death of her parents, Eren Donovan moves to Spruce Knoll to live with an aunt she’s never met. Little does Eren know the entire town of Spruce Knoll is filled with “channelers”—a magical group of people who immigrated to the small Colorado town when they were driven out of their own lands. Channelers are tied to the fate of the world. As the world slowly dies, so do they—and they alone have the power to stop the destruction of Earth. Soon, Eren learns she not only lives among them, but she is one. When she meets local boy Aiden, his charm convinces her that being a channeler may not be all bad though. $4.99 on Amazon

Destined by Jessie Harrell (Retelling)

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined. $0.99 on Amazon

Darkspell by Elizabeth Mueller (Paranormal Romance)

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary . . . until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magickal realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own. Will love prove thicker than magick? $3.99 on Amazon

Untraceable by S. R. Johannes (Thriller)

Grace has lived in the Smokies all her life, patrolling with her forest ranger father who taught her about wildlife, tracking, and wilderness survival. When her dad goes missing on a routine patrol, Grace refuses to believe he’s dead and fights the town authorities, tribal officials, and nature to find him. One day, while out tracking clues, Grace is rescued from danger by Mo, a hot guy with an intoxicating accent and a secret. As her feelings between him and her ex-boyfriend get muddled, Grace travels deep into the wilderness to escape and find her father. Along the way, Grace learns terrible secrets that sever relationships and lives. Soon she’s enmeshed in a web of conspiracy, deception, and murder. Andit’s going to take a lot more than a compass and a motorcycle (named Lucifer) for this kick-butting heroine to save everything she loves. $2.99 on Amazon

Rival Demons (Book 5 of the Peachville High Demons Series) by Sarra Cannon (Paranormal Romance) Available January 20th

After narrowly escaping death at the hands of the Order of Shadows, Harper finds herself thrust into the strange and beautiful world of the shadow demons. But crossing through the portal doesn't mean she is safe. The Order of Shadows is determined to bring her home and transfer the Prima line to the Harris family. They send their most vicious hunters after Harper. Hunters who will not stop until they have found their prey. Determined to keep her safe, Jackson takes her deep into an underground world filled with dangers of its own. Here, Harper will begin a journey that will teach her more about herself and her own path than she ever imagined possible. Add to Goodreads TBR

The Legend of Victor Standish: Under a Voodoo Moon by Roland D. Yeomans (Urban Fantasy/Romance)

Can love kill? Yes ... if you love a ghoul who hungers for your flesh only slightly less than she does your heart. Yet to the lonely street orphan Victor Standish, who has risked his life for a meal, to find love (even for one magical French Quarter night) is worth dying in the morning. $2.99 on Amazon All profits go to the Salvation Army.

Getting Sideways (Book 2 in the Full Throttle Series) by Lisa Nowak (Contemporary)

Getting shipped off to live with his uncle Race was the best thing that ever happened to fifteen-year-old Cody. Then a wreck at the speedway nearly ruined everything. Cody’s making every effort to get his life back on track—writing for the school paper, searching for the perfect girlfriend, and counting the days until he gets his drivers’ license—but there’s no escaping the nightmares that haunt him. A chance to build his own car seems like the perfect distraction. Until Cody realizes he’ll have to live up to Race’s legendary status. But that’s the least of his worries, considering he doesn’t have his dad’s permission. All he has to do is the impossible: keep Race from discovering his lie until he can convince his dad that racing’s safe. Yeah, sure. That’ll be easy. $3.99 on Amazon

Tangled Tides by Karen Hooper (Sea Monster Memoirs)

Yara Jones doesn’t believe in sea monsters—until she becomes one. When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious. Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people—until he falls for Yara.The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process—or she might open the gateway to a love that’s deeper than the oceans. $4.99 on Amazon

Here by Denise Grover Swank (SF Romance)

Sixteen year old Julia Phillips buries herself in guilt after killing her best friend Monica in a car accident. Julia awoke in the hospital with a broken leg, a new talent for drawing and false memories of the accident, in which she dies and Monica lives. The doctors attribute this to her head injury, but no one can explain how a bracelet engraved with her name ended up at the scene of the accident. A bracelet no one has ever seen before. Classmate Evan Whittaker paid Julia no attention before the accident, let alone after. Now suddenly he’s volunteering to tutor her and offering to drive her home. She can't ignore that his new obsession started after his two-day disappearance last week and that he wears a pendant she’s been drawing for months. When the police show up one night looking for Evan, he begs Julia to run with him, convincing her that Monica is still alive. Julia agrees to go, never guessing where he’s really from. $2.99 on Amazon

The Veil by CoryPutman Oakes (Paranormal Romance)

Seventeen-year-old Addison Russell is in for a shock when she discovers that she can see the invisible world of the Annorasi. Suddenly, nothing is as it appears to be—the house she lives in, the woman who raised her, even the most beautiful boy in town all turn out to be more than what they seem. And when this strange new world forces Addy to answer for a crime that was committed long ago, by parents she has never known, she has no choice but to trust Luc, the mysterious Annorasi who has been sent to protect her. Or so he says . . . $7.99 on Amazon

Embrace by Cherie Colyer (Paranormal Romance)

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find theanswers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. $6.99 on Amazon

Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos (Paranormal Romance)

Unrest stirs deep in Scotts Valley. Filled with uncertainty, Julia anxiously awaits Nicholas’ return. Phil, holds the pieces of Julia’s fragile psyche together, secretly hoping Nicholas stays away forever. But Alora secretly conspires to reclaim her talisman and strip Julia ofeverything she holds dear. Little do they know, a war is coming and more than one vampire would like to see the Prince of Vampires overthrown. Can Julia bargain with fate? Find out how it all ends in this explosive grand finale of The Talisman Trilogy. $3.99 on Amazon

How to Date an Alien by Magan Vernon (Science Fiction)

High school senior Alex Bianchi's estranged father gets her an internship at Circe Operations Center to pad her college applications. But Circe isn't your typical military base. It's an alien-run operation center and not all of the aliens are friendly, especially the one that tries to kill Alex on her first day. When Ace, a dark-eyed Caltian, enters and saves the day, she can't help but be drawn to him. Can these star-crossed lovers survive when they're on the brink of intergalactic war? $2.99 on Amazon

Fireseed One by Catherine Stine (Science Fiction/Thriller)

Fireseed One is a journey into a tricked-out near-future earth where 18 year-old Varik has inherited a vast ocean farm, following the suspicious drowning of his Marine biologist father. When Marisa, a beautiful and devious terrorist, destroys the world's food source, Varik is forced to travel to a lethal hotzone, teeming with dangerous nomads and a strange cult to search for a magical hybrid plant that may not even exist. The catch? He must take Marisa along, the only person who seems to know way, way too much key information. $2.99 on Amazon

The Missing by M.A. Leslie (Paranormal)

Eight-year-old, Ethan Doyle is just a normal kid whose biggest problem in life was to fight for the attention of his busy parents from his older twin siblings. But, after his aunt and uncle tragically die, his family takes in his teenage cousin, Kelsey, and moves to a spooky old, manor house in a new town. At first, everything seems fine, but when he begins to see and speak to a spirit named Lucas, his biggest problem becomes, just staying alive. Lucas was ten years old when the spirits of the house came to him and asked him for help setting their spirits free. Unfortunately, he never made the deadline and as a result the spirits took him and made him a part of the house as well. As he soon finds out, the only way he can save his own soul is to save the souls of the missing boys in the house. With his own deadline in place, Ethan enlists the help of his cousin Kelsey to solve the twenty-year-old mystery of THE MISSING. $0.99 on Amazon

Princess Kandake by Stephanie Jefferson (Fantasy) Available February 1, 2012

In Nubia a woman can be whatever she chooses. At 14, Kandake knows exactly what she chooses...Prime Warrior of Nubia. But her grandmother has said that she will follow her father on the throne. Refusing to abandon her warrior dreams she continues to train. When her brother is kidnapped, Kandake learns she must be both queen and warrior to win his release! See Author's Website

Middle Grade

Blink of a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs (Fantasy)

Discovering she’s connected to dragons is one thing, but when another dragon is caught hanging out in the fifth grade, Meia thinks things couldn’t get any worse. Is she ever wrong! Trouble is brewing in the cosmos and Deglan believes this new dragon holds the answers, but his hopes are crushed when the leader of the exiled dark dragons ambushes them. The fate of the dragons and possibly the whole world falls to Deglan and Meia as theysearch for the only creature powerful enough to send the dark dragons back into the abyss. What they encounter along the way makes the adventure worth fighting for. $6.99

Paperback preorder

Many thanks to Susan Kaye Quinn for organising this! Have a great week, everyone.

Christine Murray: Why I Read Chick Lit

2011-12-29T06:00:00.000Z

Well, I'm probably still eating and drinking right about now, so I give you . . . a guest post by Christine Murray!

Over to Christine, on why she reads chick lit ('coz she's a smart lady, is my guess).

Thanksso much to the fabulous Talli for letting me hog her blog for a day!

I’vealways been a book worm. My parents would rather read a book than do just aboutanything else, and unless I wanted to stare at the wall or talk to imaginaryfriends (and I had several, by the way) I had to get into books.

I read voraciously. I can’t go anywhere withouta book in my bag, and I get edgy if I don’t have at least five more books linedup for after I finish my current one. I would rather read about a party thanactually go to one. You know that famous quote by Lily Bollinger ‘I drinkchampagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad’? Substitute drink champagne for readbooks and you’ve got me. My husband has been making some comments lately aboutthe size of my book collection, and suggesting that I get rid of some. As ofyet he hasn’t given me an ‘it’s me or the books’ ultimatum, but if it came toit I can’t guarantee that books wouldn’t win out.

Reading is such a large part of my life, thatwhen I stopped reading completely in summer 2009 it should have set off alarmbells. If it did I didn’t notice it. My energy levels were at an all time low,and after a lot of worry and a battery of tests I was eventually diagnosed withfibromyalgia, a sister illness of chronic fatigue syndrome. I read a widevariety of genres before I got sick, but when I was getting back into readingafter diagnosis I found that chick-lit was the perfect style of book to cheerme up.

I think what I really love about chick-lit isthat it doesn’t take itself too seriously. And that, in my humble opinion, ishow I think women deal with problems. No matter how bad the situation, we tendto pick the most ludicrous part of it and use it for comedic effect when wetell friends about it. It’s how we cope. That sense of irreverence and humouris what I think makes the genre so popular. Whenever anything really awfulhappens to me, I always feel better when I reach the point where I can laughabout it with friends. Chick-lit offers us a portable instantly accessible wayto distraction and a giggle. Plus, no matter how knotty the problem, howeverludicrous the situation, we know that our heroine will have if not a happy everafter, than at least a satisfactory ending it.

And writing it is almost more fun than readingit!

About Storms in Teacups

ALEX is a journalist who has alwaysdreamed of working for a glossy women’s magazine. Instead, she finds herselfworking for Dublin’s most notorious tabloid newspaper, rewriting press releasesand covering for her colleague Jodie, a well-connected neurotic who stillhasn’t figured out how to use an apostrophe

ROSE thinks that she has life sorted. She lovesher job as a teacher in a disadvantaged school, and has just moved in with hergorgeous actor boyfriend, Daniel. The only clouds on her horizon are aheadmaster with a passion for new-age team-building and a stack of envelopesthat she refuses to open but can’t quite bring herself to throw out.

SHANNON feels like she’s stagnating. When she graduatedat the top of her class from drama college everyone thought it would be just amatter of time until she got her big break. Instead, she pays the bills withparts in small plays and some low rent television shows. Now she’s in herthirties, is it time she gives up on her dreams and get a proper job?

When a scandal shakes up the lives of all three women, will they manageto stay true to their dreams? Or will the betrayal of one man change theirplans for good?

Christine Murray is a journalist and writer fromDublin, Ireland. She has a passion for both coffee and cocktails and thinks theespresso martini might be the most underrated invention of all time. She liveswith her husband and chocolate Labrador in semi-organised chaos.

Thank you, Christine!

Reaching for the Stars!

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000Z

Well, right about now, I reckon I'm probably lying comatose and pleasantly stupefied on a sofa, so I've taken the liberty of pre-scheduling this post. Luckily, Janice Horton is on hand! Take it away, Janice.

Janice Horton’s new novel ‘Reaching for the Stars’ is about a Scottish celebrity chef called Finn McDuffwho is media stalked and disillusioned after winning his third star and losinghis third wife. He decides he’s had enough of all the food campaigns, the TVcookery shows, the constant frenzy surrounding his private life and, aftergiving up all his accolades and closing down his restaurant, he disappears.

With the enfant terrible of the kitchen missing, tworival newspapers, having lost their media meal ticket, compete against eachother to whip up further public curiosity in the missing chef.

Tocelebrate both the launch of Reaching for the Stars and Christmas, Janice issharing her special Scottish Christmas Cake recipe with us!

ScottishChristmas Cake Recipe

You'll need the following:

12oz Plain flour
1 Teaspoon mixed spice
24oz Mixed dried fruits

4oz Glace Cherries
8oz Butter
8oz Soft brown sugar
6 Eggs,

2oz Nuts
1 Tablespoon black treacle
1 bottle of whisky

Sample the whisky to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whiskyagain. To be sure it's the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.Repeat. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffybowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again. Make sure the whisky is stillOK.

Cry another tup. Tune up the mixer. Beat two leggs and add to the bowl andchuck in the cup of dried fruit. Mix on the turner. If the fired druit getsstuck in the beaterers, pry it goose with a drewscriver. Sample the whisky tocheck for tonsisticity.

Next, sift twocups of salt. Or something. Who cares? Check the whisky. Now sift the lemonjuice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon the sugar or something. Whateveryou can find. Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don't forgetto beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out of the window. Check the whisky againand go to bed.

Merry Christmas!

‘Reaching for the Stars’ is available in e-book formatnow at the special launch price of just 99p

Amazon

: link to follow

Amazon

: link to follow

Links:

Janice Blogs at: www.janicehortonwriter.blogspot.com
Janice is a www.loveahappyending.com author
Follow her on Twitter @JaniceHorton
Facebook Author Page: http://on.fb.me/nbaWed
Amazon.co.uk
Amazon.com

About the author: Janicelives in

Scotland

and writes romantic novels with humour which are, for the most part, inspiredby the beauty of the heather-filled glens around her country cottage. WhenJanice is not writing novels, she write lifestyle articles and has had workpublished in national and international magazines and regional newspapers. Sheedits The Review Chair for theinnovative reader/writer website Loveahappyending.com and is also thebestselling author of humorous romance ‘Bagpipes& Bullshot’.

Thank you, Janice! And have a fantastic Christmas, everyone.

Tale of a Tree... and Squee!

2011-12-20T14:39:00.001Z

Yesterday we tramped out in the woods to get our Christmas tree. It was a wonderful day!

The woods.

The search begins.

The perfect tree.

The saw comes out.

The tree is felled.

Taking home the tree.

And there you have it! The tale of a tree. And now on to the squee!

Two of my novels, Build A Man and Watching Willow Watts, have been long-listed for Trashionista's book of the year. It would be fab if you could pop over and vote! No registration or anything needed - just click the book and hit the button. Thank you, thank you. Virtual rum and eggnog for all!

Have a great week!

Holiday Inspiration

2011-12-14T09:31:00.002Z

I've been bad. Very, very bad -- no bloggy Santa for me this year! I've been running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get ready for my impending departure, and I'm afraid I haven't had much time to blog hop these past few days. *hangs head* I can't wait for January when things will hopefully be calmer!

Anyway, today I'm thrilled to have two wonderful writers visiting, talking about their inspiration behind the stories in Madness Under the Mistletoe (Amazon, Nook, Smashwords), an anthology in which I'm participating. D.D. Scott and Tonya Kappes are both chock-full of energy and, as co-founders of The Writers' Guide to EPublishing, they're super helpful people, too.

First up, Tonya! Take it away...

Definition of superstition: Noun 1. An irrational belief arising from ignorance or fear. 2. The way Maggie Greenlee lives her life…

Yes, this is the first line my novel, Never Tell Your Dreams Before Breakfast. I absolutely love this novel. No matter what authors say, there is a little bit on themselves in every one of their novels. And I’m no different.

My Grandberry Falls series set in the fictitious town of Grandberry Falls, is less than fictitious. It’s actually based on my small hometown. And if you know anything about small towns, there is a lot of superstition. From which house is haunted, lifting you feet up as you drive over railroad tracks. It’s just something that is ingrained in you.

A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS, in the MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE anthology, is the prequel to my third Grandberry Falls novel, Never Tell Your Dreams Before Breakfast. I wanted to give everyone a glimpse into what it is really like in a real small town, superstition and all. Starting with the Greenlee family seemed like the right place.

Maggie Greenlee, like me, was raised on superstitious beliefs, and it’s hard to explain those to potential boyfriends or husband in Maggie’s case. Sometimes they understand your crazy beliefs and sometimes they call you crazy! Either way, superstition is so ingrained in your soul, it’s nearly impossible to try to live your life without it. I NEVER leave a house/store/restaurant through a different door than I came in. It would simply mean bad luck and anyway I can ward it off I will.

I thought it would be fun and funnier to write a book about a small town girl who moves away to a big city where she finds love and happiness. Or so she thinks, because you know she’s been trying all her life to get out of that small town.

What happens when she does land that great job, hunky and rich Hampton boyfriend who thinks her superstition is childish? Well, it turns out that the Greenlee’s traditional Christmas is turned upside down when Maggie brings her “other” home! A SUPERSTITIOUS CHRISTMAS is a fun tale of family and what true happiness really is.So next time you have a dream...be sure to never tell it before breakfast!

I write fun humorous fiction, some with romance and some with a little mystery. More than anything I love to connect with readers! I'm a huge fan of them and LOVE getting to know them. I love to make readers smile, and remember not to take life to seriously. KARMA plays a big role in my life, and I believe in being kind to everyone, even if they aren't kind back. I'm addicted to coffee, McDonald's Diet Coke, and Red Hots Candy. I'm the co-founder of The Writer’s Guide to E Publishing (thewritersguidetoepublishing.com) where we give writers the true grit on what helped us sell more books, and reach more readers. When I'm not writing about quirky characters and even quirkier situations, I'm busy being the princess, queen and jester of my domain which includes my BFF husband, three teenage boys and two dogs.

Now over to D.D. Scott!

Hello to all of you in Talli Roland Land!!!

I'm thrilled to be here with y'all today and also thrilled to be partnering with Talli in our superfab Christmas Anthology MADNESS UNDER THE MISTLETOE.

One question I get a ton from my readers and fans is "What inspired you to write this book?"...so here's the superfab fun scoop for my contribution to Madness Under The Mistletoe - Hullabaloo and Holly Too: Without a doubt, Hullabaloo and Holly Too came from my luuuvvv of all-things-Whoville...as in The Grinch's Whoville!!! I go beyond gaga for Whoville! In fact, I'd love nothin' more than to live in a for-real Whoville. Cindy Lou Who would be my BFF!!!

Because of that little fixation, I asked myself (and my muses too) the proverbial "What If"...

What If my Cozy Cash Mystery hero and heroine - Roman Bellesconi and Zoey Witherspoon, who are very Will and Kate gone Bond, James Bond - spend the holidays in their very own Whoville?! And not just any Whoville... What If their Whoville is along the fabulous shores of Lake Michigan AND is also home to Zoey's parents, who suffer from a Delusional Disorder in which they believe they're Santa and Mrs. Clause?!

So with that over the moon quirky-fun premise, I went to work creating Hullabaloo and Holly Too!

I also like to explore social issues in my humorous mysteries, so I decided to also make this story very "Green". Yep, as in Save The Earth kinda Green. How did I do that? Well...Zoey's dad George Witherspoon - aka Santa Claus - is also an inventor, among other very odd things. Anyhoo...he's in the process of developing a revolutionary new reindeer diet food. Why? Because his reindeer have an emissions problem from eating too much cabbage on Christmas Eve. BUT...there's one other big-time problem too...
Father Time has been phone-hacking Santa, and is doing everything he can to stop Santa's progress. That's it...the Behind-and-Beyond My Books Scoop regarding Hullabaloo and Holly Too! Y'all are welcome to take a Sneak Peek at the story on my online home D. D. Scott-ville!!!

Thanks beyond bunches for hosting me today, Talli! And Happy Holidays to all of you from my home to each of yours!!! --- D. D. Scott

D. D. Scott is a Bestselling Romantic Comedy and Humorous Mystery Author and a Writer’s Go-To-Gal for Muse Therapy, plus the #1 Amazon Bestselling Author of Muse Therapy: Unleashing Your Inner Sybil and the co-founder of The Writer’s Guide to E-Publishing, your destination site for Everything E-Publishing. You can get all the scoop on her, her books, her Muse Therapy Online Classes and Live Workshops, plus juicy tidbits too from D. D. Scott-ville http://ddscottville.blogspot.com .

Thank you, ladies. And now, I really am going! Yes, for real this time. I'll likely drop in with photos and a few guests posts, but normal service will resume after the 3rd of January.

Have a very happy Christmas and/or holiday season, everyone!

I Do It All for the Water Vole

2011-12-13T13:31:00.001Z

Happy Tuesday! I don't usually post on Tuesday, but today I'm happy to do so for your friend and mine, the water vole.

A special edition of HeatherMcCorkle’s The Secret Of Spruce Knoll is releasing from Compass Press thismonth and she’s doing a special tour to go along with it. The special part, apercentage of the proceeds from every special edition sold (in every format)between its release date and 12-12-2012, will go toward Heather’s favoritecharity that protects endangered species. Her goal is to make at least $10,000for the charity.

Of course there are prizesduring the tour which goes from December 1^st through the 17^th.Prizes include a symbolic endangered species adoption of the winner’s choice (a$50 donation by Heather to the charity for the endangered species of thewinner’s choice, and cute stuffed animal for the winner!), signed copies of hernovels and great swag. For full details, and to enter, go here. http://heathermccorkle.blogspot.com
For the tour Heather has askedeach blog host to pick their favorite endangered species and she will tell us afun or interesting fact about that animal.

Heather: As you know, but many of my yank friendsmay not, the European water vole is protected by the United Kingdom. Theseadorable creatures are extremely short-lived. Whether in captivity or the wild,they tend to die after only two years. Now that's a lifespan that requires abucket-list early on!

Buy links:
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Spruce-Knoll-Channeler-ebook/dp/B006BL0WR8
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1104704572?ean=2940013508736&itm=1&usri=the+secret+of+spruce+knoll%3a+a+channeler+novel

Thank you, Heather! Have a great Tuesday, everyone.

Making Your Dreams Happen

2011-12-12T12:13:00.000Z

Guess what? I'm still here! I take off for Canada on Thursday, so you'll still have three glorious whole days of me until then. :)

Today, I'm proud and thrilled to announce that one of the nicest people I've met in the writing world -- Mel Sherratt, of High Heels and Book Deals -- has just published her début novel, Taunting the Dead. Mel is unfailingly supportive and always there to lend a hand. Apart from being lovely, she's a fantastic story-teller and an incredibly gifted writer. Mel's been so, so close to having her novel published (you can read her story over on her blog), and if ever there was a writer whose work deserves to be read, it's her.

‘Gritty and atmospheric, Mel Sherratt knows all about the dangers that lurk within those mean streets.’ Niamh O’ Connor, best selling author of If I Never See You Again and Taken.

Statistics say nine out of ten murders are committed by someone the victim knows. So when Steph Ryder is found dead with her head caved in, Detective Sergeant Allie Shenton begins investigations close to home, starting with the victim’s family and friends.

As each one lies to cover up their actions on that fateful night, Allie becomes convinced husband Terry Ryder has something to hide – and he’s not the only one. Powerful, ambitious and charming, Allie’s attraction to the successful businessman grows with each interrogation, risking both her job and marriage. Can Allie uncover the truth before her life not only falls apart, but before she ends up a victim, too?

Only 99p/ 99 cents! If you like crime and mystery (heck, even if you don't!), I can guarantee you'll enjoy it. A big congrats to Mel, who really deserves success.

Have a great Monday, everyone!

Happy Ever After

2011-12-09T12:13:00.001Z

Well, TGIF is all I can say! It's a sunny day here in London with a brilliant blue sky... the perfect day to end an exciting and crazy week! I want to say a big thanks to everyone who popped by Wednesday to help build the perfect man in celebration of my new novel. You can see the fine specimen here.

So what's next? Well, on Monday, I'll be launching a new novel! Ha -- not. Seriously, I really appreciate everyone's support and help this past year with my many launches and everything that's happened. It's been one heck of a year, and I have to say, it's a wonder I didn't turn into an alcoholic with all the various ups and downs. I tend to only talk about the 'ups', but in any author's life, let me tell you, there's a helluva lot of stress.

But hey! Moving swiftly on! I couldn't have asked for better people along for the ride, so thanks. Next week, I'll be taking off to the wilds of Canada for three weeks. I can't wait to eat, eat, eat . . . and have I mentioned eating? I'll be on blogcation until January 4th, although I might drop in to post some photos and such. The time has come for me to just breathe and relax. And man oh man, I'm exhausted.

If you're looking for something to read over the holidays, can I be so bold as to suggest Tears, Laughter and Happy Ever After? It's a collection of previously published short stories, and I've read it in its entirety. It's a fabulous read, and perfect for this time of year. Here's my review:

Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After

It's rare that I happen upon an anthology where I've loved each and every short story. Well, I'm pleased to say 'Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After' is the welcome exception! Helen Hunt's wonderful story 'A Single Strand of Spaghetti' drew me in, and I didn't stop until I'd made my way through the collection, detailing everything from a hellish blind date to a hair-raising tale of premonition. Well crafted and beautifully written, each story is a gem. Featuring well-known novelists and previously published writers, I highly recommend this collection.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Build Your Perfect Man!

2011-12-06T19:07:00.001Z

Roll right up, ladies! (And men, because . . . well, it's fun!) Today, in honour of the official ebook launch of Build A Man, I'm giving you the chance to create your ideal partner. Just complete this tongue-in-cheek poll over at the mock Beauty Bits blog. The fictional blog features in my novel and also holds polls to help readers build the nation's perfect man.

Tomorrow, I'll unveil the final composite as chosen by my poll participants! Should be... interesting. I must admit, I had to giggle at some of the options as I put together the poll.

If you'd like to read the novel, Amazon UK has kindly discounted it the bargain price of 72p! It's also available on Amazon.com, Kobo and Barnes & Noble, and it will be out in paperback next year.

I'm also visiting wonderful YA author and blogger Emma Pass today; One More Page is interviewing me about Christmas and holding a giveaway; and Chick Lit Plus has reviewed Build A Man!

And that's not all. Oh no it's not. Chick Lit News and Reviews is also talking to me today about my future plans, among other things. Yay! And I'm also at Susan Kaye Quinn's, chatting about Christmas in a foreign land. I'm even hiding behind your bedroom door, so check me out there, too!

I want to say a giant thank you to everyone who has read or reviewed my novels this year, helped me spread the word, bought my books, and generally been amazingly supportive! This year has been a whirlwind and I couldn't have done it without you.

Head to the poll here. It's fun! I'll give you wine! :)

UPDATE: YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS

AND FEAST YOUR EYES ON THE PERFECT MAN HERE.

A Room with a View

2011-12-05T11:42:00.001Z

Hope everyone had a good weekend! You'll be pleased to know I had a fantastic time in Bloomsbury, tooling about the streets and pubs (and managing to land flat on my face in front of the Holborn Tube, but that's another story).

So, it's another week, and the launch of Build A Man is coming up on Wednesday! Yay! Drop by to vote in an interactive poll to design the perfect man. And if you're a man, well . . . you can still play along. :)

As I mentioned before, my office looks out onto a very busy street where there are always plenty of buses, vans and cars passing. In a reprise of a post last summer, I thought I'd give you a taste of some of the adverts and slogans passing by.

Here we go!

(Oh God, there appears to be a big traffic jam at the moment.)

Help Me Escape . . . Mercedes Benz. On the side of a double-decker bus. These ads seem to be on almost every bus! If I wanted to escape, I wouldn't be buying a Mercedes Benz, I tell you that much.

Gorgeous Hire (Tables, Linens, Glasses). On a white van. It is the Christmas season, isn't it? I've seen party hire vans everywhere lately.

Rentokil, the Experts in Pest Control. I love how they haven't put two l's in 'kil' to try to make it look nice. It's pretty obvious what the purpose is . . . especially when half the van is painted blood red.

Horrible Bosses, Rent and watch on YouTube. On the side of a double-decker. Who knew you could rent and watch movies on YouTube? I certainly didn't.

Big Bus Tour: Sightseeing Tour of London. On an open-top tour bus. Yes, I live right on a bus tour route. It certainly makes for interesting times when you're sitting on the balcony having a drink with people snapping your photo. The one time I can be a star!

A Load of Rubbish. Ha - on the side of a rubbish truck that looks like it's over-full! Love this one. A load of rubbish, indeed.

And another traffic jam. I think I'll stop there for today. But tell me, what should I do to entertain the bus tourists now caught up in the jam outside? Throw them copies of my books? Flash them?

Oh, before I forget, Laura over at Daily Dodo is running a Secret Santa! Head over to join in the fun.

A Little Lamb

2011-12-02T15:15:00.001Z

Happy Friday, everyone. You'll be pleased to know my new espresso machine has got quite a workout this week and is now thoroughly broken in!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on Wednesday's Willow post. I'm pleased to announce the winner of of the paperback copy is KimB, with two 'w' words! Yay Kim! Just email me your address (talliroland AT gmail.com) and I'll get the book in the post to you. More fun coming next Wednesday for the launch of Build A Man, wheeeeee!

This week, I've also been over at DD Scott's blog, talking about the museums behind the inspiration for my story, 'Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts'. DD is a wonderfully supportive whirlwind of a writer, so pop by to say hi if you get a chance. And at the Writer's Guide to E-Publication, where I post on Tuesdays, we're looking for help with nominations. Drop by to see what the heck I'm on about. There's some great resources on there for anyone looking to learn more about the ins and outs of epublishing. Finally, at Chick Lit Club, there's a chance to win an e-copy of Build A Man. Oh gosh, sorry. That's not all. This week at Novel Kicks, there's an interview with me.

Yeah. I'm tired of me, too.

So how about a bit more me, ha? Well, tomorrow, I'm off to the RNA London Chapter's Christmas Party. We meet every month at a wonderful pub in Bloomsbury called The Lamb.

The Lamb pub.

Gorgeous, eh? It's located on Lamb's Conduit Street, which is partly pedestrianised and filled with lovely independent shops and boutiques. The pub was built in the 1720s, and just look at those 'snob screens'.

They're glass panels located at shoulder height, so customers could order more drinks from the bartender without being seen. Ah, to have lived in those times.

Want to see what I'll see tomorrow afternoon? Take a stroll down Lamb's Conduit here. Have a great weekend, everyone! I'll see you on Monday!

Marilyn Lives!

2011-11-30T12:38:00.001Z

Well, she lives in my novel Watching Willow Watts, which is out in paperback today! Whoop! If you're outside of the UK, you can order with free shipping and delivery from The Book Depository.

To celebrate, I'm giving away a free copy here -- if you'd like to be entered, just tell me your favourite word that begins with 'w'. No explanation needed! Just type it into the comment box.

And the winner of the giveaway on my Facebook page is Christine Stanley. Congrats, Christine!

And now, just to torture you more, here is the video as me as Marilyn. Look away now. LOOK AWAY!

Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

Back Off, Mr Hero!

2011-11-28T11:12:00.001Z

Monday! Wheeeee! We got a new espresso machine this weekend. Can you tell? Today, I'm over at Nas Dean's, talking about why I love strong heroines. And giving away books! Pop over if you get the chance.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. There's lots of exciting things happening this week. Wednesday is the paperback launch of Watching Willow Watts, and I'll be drawing the winner of the Facebook contest as well as holding a giveaway of a few other books and such.

This weekend, both Kim the Bookworm and the wonderful Deniz Bevan reviewed Build A Man. Many thanks to you both! And on Saturday, I was over at Victoria Lagnehag's, talking about plotting. Phew! How's that for some linkage?

A final one before I go: Wendy Ewurum has just opened Fabulosity Galore, an online bookstore. Head over and see what she's got!

Now I'm going to go have some more ESPRESSO! Tell me, what gets you going on an Monday morning?

Persistence and Crabbit Bats

2011-11-25T13:34:00.001Z

It's Friday! It's sunny! It's warm! It's better than summer! (As sad as that may sound, if you knew what a normal British summer is like, then you'd know it's true.) Before I forget, DJ Kirkby's Kindle competition is drawing to a close soon, so head to her blog before it's too late.

It's been pretty quiet in blog-land, so I hope all my American friends are enjoying their Thanksgivings! In the spirit of warmth and fuzziness, today I want to share a post from a truly inspirational writer, Nicola Morgan.

Nicola blogs over at Help! I Need a Publisher, and if you haven't checked out her practical, no-nonsense, extremely helpful site, get over there and follow her now! She was one of the first writing blogs I happened upon when I first set out to write full-time, and I can't tell you how much her advice helped me through the years. I've had the pleasure of meeting her a few times, as well, and she's absolutely lovely (although she'd love you to believe she's the Crabbit Bat from Hell).

I could rave on for a bit, but Nicola's own words are much more powerful than mine ever could be. In advance of republication of her first novel, Mondays Are Red, Nicola has shared Part 1 of her writing journey -- a twenty-one year quest to be published. Yes, twenty-one years. Pop over and read it now.

Talk about persistence, huh?

How long would you persist? I have to say, I'm not sure I'd have the guts to go on for twenty-one years. Then again, maybe I would . . .

(I have a funny feeling I'm supposed to be posting something for someone today, but I have no idea what that is at the moment. If it's you, I'm very sorry!)

Wednesday Smorgasbord... and Carma (with a C!)

2011-11-23T13:13:00.001Z

It's Wednesday, and it's a bit of smorgasbord here today. So much is happening that my head is practically spinning (cue visions of The Exorcist). I'm thrilled to be a stop on the Dark Carma blog tour, but first a few little things to get out of the way. *deep breath*

My dear friend (as gooey as that sounds, it's true) India Drummond has released a new novel, Azuri Fae! It's a fantastic read and I highly recommend it to one and all. Over on Chick Lit Reviews, there's a lovely review of Build A Man and a chance to win an ebook copy. And something must have been in the air yesterday (yay!), because I received two other nice reviews from Books 4 You and Dot Scribbles. Many thanks to all the wonderful book bloggers -- and YOU -- who are taking the time to read my latest novel!

And I want to wish my American friends a very happy Thanksgiving. I'm thankful to have met so many wonderful people through this blog! Right... now over to the real star of today.

Today, I'm pleased to feature Exiled by RaShelle Workman. I have to admit, I've got serious cover envy. Isn't it gorgeous? I haven't read it yet, but it's on my ever-expanding TBR list!

The blurb:

Stubborn, sixteen-year-old Princess Venus of Kelari wants one thing, to become immortal, that is, until someone exiles her to Earth, kills her irrihunter and takes her family.Now she wants revenge.

First she’s got to get home. But before she can return to Kelari, the Gods have commanded her to help an arrogant boy named Michael find his soul mate. Only she doesn't know the first thing about love.

Rather quickly, her inexperience with human emotion is obscured by other matters—alien-controlled psychotic teens that are out to kill her, and a government group that is set on capturing and dissecting her.

Worst of all, Venus will suffer a painful death-by-poisoning, thanks to Earth’s atmosphere, if she remains on the planet longer than one week.Still, Venus is a Princess and she's got a plan. Surely, with her help, Michael will fall in love with a human. But time is running out and Michael is falling for the wrong girl—her.

Buy Exiled at Amazon, Smashwords, or Barnes and Noble Watch the trailer here.

RASHELLE WORKMAN lives with her husband, three children and three dogs. When she gets a quiet moment alone, she enjoys reading about faraway places. And, in case you were wondering, yes, she does believe there is other life out in the Universe. Check her out on all these sites: Goodreads, Twitter, Facebook, Blog.

See you Friday!

Abandoned Bears, Chocolate... and Monday

2011-11-21T11:43:00.001Z

Somehow, it seems to be Monday. Don't ask me how that happened! Now, I'm back to reality as I start work on Construct A Couple, the sequel to Build A Man.

This weekend was all blue skies, honey-coloured sun (I think that image works), and perfect autumn temperatures. So, I thought I'd leave you with a few photos from my various outings around the city!

Yummy chocolate fountain on the South Bank.

The Christmas Market on the South Bank.

A poor abandoned bear left in a tree in Hyde Park. Aw...

Hyde Park Christmas Market. Hard to feel festive when it's sunny and fifteen degrees!

The sun sets on Hyde Park's Serpentine Lake.

Look what came in the post! (yes, I know it's upside down but I'm too lazy to fix it).

So there you have it! My weekend in a nutshell. What did you get up to?

Shoes, Sausage, and Sore Head

2011-11-18T13:02:00.001Z

Happy Friday! I'm feeling a bit delicate today after last night's festivities, so I'm going to point you in the direction of Madeleine Maddocks' blog, where there's an interview with me and a chance to win some books! I'm in awe of her lay-out skills, I must say.

And I leave you with a few photos from last night. Have a great weekend, everyone!

The wonderful venue: the library at The Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Shoes, shoes, shoes!

What can I say, I'm pure class.

Tell me, do you like cocktail sausages as much as I appear to here? Have a great weekend!

Open Minds, Diamonds, and Fate

2011-11-16T14:23:00.001Z

Happy Wednesday! First of all, thanks so much to everyone for all your kind words on Monday's post. It means a lot, and I'm thrilled to be able to share all this with such great blog buddies!

It's been a while since I've done a reading round-up, so below are some of my most recent reads.

The Lady's Fate by Anne Gallagher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I don't read many historical romances, but this novel by author Anne Gallagher has convinced me to try more. The chemistry between Violet and Haverland is so strong it's almost palpable, and Gallagher uses this to give readers some unforgettable steamy kissing scenes!

With plenty of well developed characters (my favourites being Lady Olivia and young Jane) and lots of plot twists, 'The Lady's Fate' is an engaging, atmospheric read. I can't wait to read more from Gallagher.

View all my reviews Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I haven't read a lot of YA, but Susan Kaye Quinn's novel 'Open Minds' has certainly convinced me to delve into more. The whole concept of the book is fascinating: a society where people can read each other's mind with ease... and then, a subsection of 'mutants' who can control those minds. The plot is original and engaging, and the main character is believable and likeable, despite her hard shell. I can't wait for the second in the trilogy.

View all my reviews House of Diamonds by Karen Jones Gowen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

House of Diamonds follows two sisters. One is on her way to achieving her dream of being a writer, despite the chaos in her busy household and her frequently absent husband. The other is struggling to keep it together whilst her newborn clings to life in the hospital. Author Karen Jones Gowen plunges readers into the daily details of each household, holding us at close range and never letting go. The intensity of emotion -- from frustration and fear to joy and faith -- is palpable throughout.

Tomorrow is a very exciting day for me, since I'm donning my silver dress, brushing my hair, and slipping into my party shoes for the Romantic Novelists' Association Winter Party! I'll see you on Friday, when hopefully my head won't be hurting. Until then, have a great week!

November, Four Years On

2011-11-14T13:00:00.001Z

Happy Monday, everyone. It's misty and grey here... the perfect day for a little (indoor) reflection. Four years ago this month, I left behind my corporate life and made the jump to full-time writing. Okay, so it was really more of a desperate scramble (if you've ever read my story about the errant BlackBerry, you'll know what I mean), but still!

Looking back, it was a definite leap of faith. I'd trained as a journalist, so I knew I had the mechanics of writing somewhat conquered. But could I write fiction, a completely different kettle of fish? I'd never written a full-length 'adult' novel. In fact, the last oeuvre I'd penned was at age thirteen. Eep!

Motivated by fear, I sat at my desk and started writing. Eighty thousand words and a few months later, and my first novel was complete. Cue copious rejections! And repeat for novel number two and three and four... and five.

Thankfully, along the way, I met a publisher who contracted me to write a London travel guide, 24 Hours London. Although this wasn't fiction -- and not my dream -- I was thrilled to finally tell people that YES! I had something published! My book was in the shops, I got the Mayor of London's endorsement, and things were finally moving.

And move they did! Since that first London book, I've published four other books: 24 Hours Paris, The Hating Game, Watching Willow Watts, and Build A Man. From a standing start four years ago, sometimes I can't believe what the past few years have brought -- and I couldn't be more thankful.

So has that leap of faith paid off? I think you know my answer!

(Many thanks to Sharon Mayhew for inspiring me to write this post.)

String Bridge Chart Rush!

2011-11-11T10:41:00.001Z

Happy Friday, all! A big thanks to everyone for the lovely congrats on Wednesday's post, and an equally big thanks to everyone who has purchased a copy of Build A Man, ahead of its December launch. Yay! Yesterday, I was over on writer Rebecca Emin's blog. Pop over and comment for a chance to win a copy of Build A Man.

But enough about me!

Today is THE day to help Jessica Bell's debut, STRING BRIDGE, hitthe bestseller list on Amazon, and receive the all-original soundtrack, Melody Hill: On the Other Side, written and performed by the author herself, for free!

All you have to do ispurchase the book today (paperback, or eBook), November 11th, andthen email the receipt to:

jessica.carmen.bell(at)gmail(dot)com

She willthen email you a link to download the album at no extra cost!

To purchase the paperback:

Amazon USA

To purchase the eBook:

Amazon USA

Amazon UK

To listen to samples of the soundtrack, visit iTunes.

If you arenot familiar with String Bridge,check out the book trailer:

I've read Jess's book, and it's a very powerful novel. I started in the morning, and I couldn't put it down until I'd finished. 'String Bridge' follows the story of Melody, a frustrated wife and mother who somehow finds herself miles away from the person she used to be -- and from the person she wants to become. Author Jessica Bell paints a claustrophobic vision of life where domesticity becomes a ever-diminishing prison cell. With gripping prose and terse dialogue, 'String Bridge' is a powerful debut novel from a very talented writer.

More Rave Reviews for String Bridge:

“Jessica Bell’s STRING BRIDGE strummed the fret of myveins, thrummed my blood into a mad rush, played me taut until the final page,yet with echoes still reverberating. A rhythmic debut with metrical tones ofheavied dark, fleeting prisms of light, and finally, a burst of joy—just aswith any good song, my hopeful heartbeat kept tempo with Bell’s narrative.” ~ Kathryn Magendie, author of Sweetie and Publishing Editor of Rose & Thorn Journal

“Poet andmusician Jessica Bell's debut novel String Bridge is a rich exploration of desire, guilt, and thedifficult balancing act of the modern woman. The writing is lyrical throughout,seamlessly integrating setting, character and plot in a musical structure thatallows the reader to identify with Melody's growing insecurity as her worldbegins to unravel … String Bridge isa powerful debut from a promising writer, full of music, metaphor, and just ahint of magic.” ~ Magdalena Ball, author of RepulsionThrust and Sleep Before Evening

“Jessica Bell is a brilliant writerof great skill and depth. She doesn't pull back from the difficultscenes, from conflict, pain, intensity. She puts it all out there, no holdsbarred, no holding back. She knows how to craft a scene, how to developcharacter, how to create suspense. This is an absolutely brilliant debut novel.I look forward to reading hernext novel, and next and next.” ~ Karen JonesGowen, author of Farm Girl, Uncut Diamonds and House of Diamonds

Connect with Jessica:

String Bridge: http://www.stringbridge.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/jessica_bell
Website: http://www.jessicacbell.com/
Blog: http://thealliterativeallomorph.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.jessica.bell
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MsBessieBell
Publisher: http://www.luckypress.com

Please TWEET and/or FACEBOOK this post using #StringBridge. Have a great weekend, everyone.

From Euston, With Love

2011-11-09T15:05:00.001Z

It's the middle of the week, and would you believe the clouds of doom (i.e., rain) have cleared and it's now actually sunny in London? It's a miracle!

I want to say a giant thank you to everyone who has bought and reviewed Watching Willow Watts, because today I found out Amazon has chosen my novel as a 2011 Top 100 Customer Pick in Kindle Books! Whoop! And it's all down to customer reviews... so I really can't say thank enough for taking the time to support me.

And as a little treat, I leave you with this wonderfully romantic video (fast-forward to 2:00 for the romance!). Enjoy, happy Wednesday, and thank you, thank you!

Build A Man, Any Man...

2011-11-07T13:34:00.000Z

Where oh where did the weekend go? Mine passed in a blur of editing, editing, and... yes, more editing. And disaster of disasters, we actually ran out of wine last night. Travesty!

Build A Man launches one month from today on Kindle and other e-book platforms. It's hard to believe it's coming so quickly. Review copies are going out today and tomorrow, but... actually, it's already live on Kindle at a reduced price of 98p/ 99 cents ahead of the launch, so if you want to grab a cheeky copy now, then go for it (Amazon.co.uk;Amazon.com). Yay!

Pricing is a bit of a thorny issue on Kindle. Karen Jones Gowen has written an excellent series of posts on what her publishing company has discovered. One of the things I love about Kindle is the flexibility to change prices as much as you like, so I've decided to start off with a lower price to hopefully drive sales in the beginning. Then, once I'm in Amazon's system and have links to other books, I'll look at my pricing again. I think dropping the price for a limited period of time is also a good strategy to 'revive' a book.

Well, my eyes are glazed over from staring at my little laptop for hours this weekend, so I think I may trot down to High Street Kensington and indulge in a spot of shopping! Or, more likely, I'll snooze on my sofa...

Have a great day, everyone!

Gossip, Glitz and... Wine

2011-11-04T13:36:00.001Z

It's Friday, oh yes it is! And wow, am I glad it's the end of the week. I've just come back from an autumnal run through Hyde Park in a bid to clear my head for yet more edits this afternoon, and every last bit of me feels exhausted. I'm not even sure I can patter over to the kitchen for chocolate, that's how bad it is.

But one more day of edits, and then Build a Man will pretty much be ready to send out to reviewers. Thank you to everyone who has volunteered -- I really appreciate it. If you'd like a copy for review, still plenty of time to let me know! And have I mentioned that over on my Facebook page, you can enter to win a paperback copy of Watching Willow Watts by naming one of Marilyn's husbands? To see the wall, just like the page if you haven't already, and scroll down to the second status. The paperback launches at the end of November, and I can't wait to hold my pretty pink book in my grabby little hands.

So... phew. Does anyone else feel like this autumn has been a bit of a whirlwind? Or for me, more like a tornado -- I've barely managed to retain my sanity (actually, that's still open for debate). In other news, Mr TR has finished filming, and has now joined me in the wonderful world of edits. If you like chopping, swearing and murdering words and/or scenes, our flat is the place to be!

What about you? What crazy thing have you been up to this autumn? And please don't say editing. Lord knows that ain't crazy. I want gossip! I want glitz! I want... wine.

National Identity and Leg Hair

2011-11-02T11:35:00.000Z

Happy Wednesday! Before I hand over to Michele Gorman to talk about leg hair (it keeps you warm, you know), a small announcement: my story 'Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts' is out now in Madness under the Mistletoe, which you can buy for $2.99 from Amazon and other ebook vendors now. Yay!

Right, now over to Michele. Michele is the author of Single in the City, a book I flew through and greatly enjoyed. It's recently launched in the US, and I highly recommend it for a fun and fresh read.

Take it away!

National identity is a bit like leg hair inwintertime. We’ve got no reason to notice it unless it’s about to go ondisplay.

When I moved to London nearly 15 years ago, I had no choicebut to show my legs, metaphorically speaking. Being a newly landed Americanhere, everyone noticed.

This surprised me at first. After all, wespeak the same language, watch British films and read British books. We followthe same fashion trends and like the same food. Don’t we?

Well, no. The differences were stark. Theywere immediate. And they tripped me up at every turn.

It wasn’t only my accent or word choice. Ifailed even at non-verbal tasks. Thanks to the British compulsion to walk onthe left I risked knocking foreheads with everyone I tried passing in the street.We’d meet, shuffle right, look embarrassed (me) or angry (them), meet, shuffleright, repeat, till one of us hit the building or fell off the kerb. There wasno doubt that I wasn’t a Londoner.

And when I did open my mouth, well, thesimplest of conversations were fraught with misunderstanding. Not only did Ispeak in American at a decibel level that startled listeners, I often hadentire conversations in which neither participant had any idea what the otherwas talking about. I once spent 20 minutes trying to understand why my friend suggestedwearing a vest under a blouse, while she tried to understand why I’d wear it ontop … Vest in American is a waistcoat in English. Vest in English is a stringtop/camisole in American. These nuances got me every time, sometimes with withhumiliating consequences. Are you starting to see a theme here? Want to know mymost humiliating moment? Oh all right then. Soon after I arrived I volunteeredfor a charity walk at work, which included goody bags full of useful stuff. Ipulled out one item, announcing gleefully (and at full volume), "Wow, Ireally need a fanny pack!" That got the attention of the 100 or so tradersin my office. British friends, you'll be sniggering already. American friends,"fanny" means, er, lady parts. I’d just broadcast my need for a good,ehem, packing. Incidentally, the traders’ responses needed no interpretation.

These were daily reminders that I wasdifferent to the inhabitants of the city I’d chosen to call home. Which causedme to think a lot about my identity. Was I an American living in the UK? Well yes,certainly at first. I identified with America. Britain was alien. But as yearspassed and I decided to make Londonmy home for the future, I started to think of myself as British too. In 2006 Ibecame a dual citizen, swearing oath to Queen and country yet still welling upat hearing The Star Spangled Banner.

Now I can (almost) speak both languages andwalk without risk of concussion. I understand cricket as well as football, whichis to say, not very well. I rail at the politicians in both countries and haveintroduced pumpkin pie to my baffled friends. I guess that makes me a Britamerican.

Michele Gorman’s debut novel, Single in theCity, follows the misadventures of 26 year old American Hannah, who lands upon England’sgentle shores with no job, no friends and no idea how she’s supposed to buildthe life she’s dreaming of. Armed with little more than her enthusiasm, shecharges headlong into London,baffling the locals in her pursuit of a new life, new love and sense ofherself. You can buy the novel on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Michele is on Facebook and Twitter, too.

Thank you, Michele. That fanny pack thing makes me laugh every time! Have a great week, everyone. I've been slaving away on edits and I hope to stick my head above the parapet soon.

All the Magic in the World

2011-10-31T13:05:00.002Z

It's Monday, and since the clocks changed here last weekend, I was all bright-eyed and busy-tailed this morning. Now... not so much. Still, it's Hallowe'en and I may rouse myself to buy a cupcake in celebration. One needs one's sweets!

This week, I'll be busy putting the finishing touches on Build a Man before sending it out to reviewers next week. Yay! I've already imposed on many of you, but if you or your nearest and dearest would like an e-copy in any format that suits for review, just let me know in the comments or drop me an email (talliroland AT gmail.com). I know how busy everyone is, so any help is ever so greatly appreciated.

Right, now on to today's post! In honour of Elizabeth Mueller’s release of her debut novel Darkspell, I’m supposed to finish the phrase ‘If I had all the magic in the world, I’d…’

Well, hmm. First of all, who'd want all the magic in the world? Can you imagine the responsibility? How many people would be bugging you, all the time? It would be a nightmare. But for the purposes of the question -- and ending poverty and such aside -- I'd give everyone a Kindle and fill it with all their favourite reads. Why? Because in my humble opinion, lots of people are too quick to dismiss e-readers without really giving them a try. Don't get me wrong; I do like paper books. But I also love my Kindle as a fast, convenient and cheap way of reading. I've bought and read more books this year than ever before, and I suspect many other e-book readers are the same.

Advert over! Just call me the benevolent Kindle Fairy Godmistress.

What about you? What would you do with magical powers?

Review from YA Book Babes:

Winter Sky believes she is everything ordinary…until she is kissed by Alex Stormhold. As seer of the Stormhold Coven, Alex is sworn to be Winter’s protector against the darkness that hunts her. Violently thrust into a magical realm she always thought impossible, she stumbles upon a disturbing secret of her own.

Darkspell doesn’t fit into a typical YA genre box. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the most original books I’ve read this year. A richly woven drama unfolds as young Winter Sky meets two handsome and mysterious neighbors, both fighting for affection.

But one boy, the boy of her dreams—literally—has already won her heart. But in short order her life is turned upside down as she enters the Stormhold world, a coven of magic users (I’m hesitant to use the world witch/wizard here. This is really something very different) where she is being hunted by the Shadoweaer. Suddenly everything is in jeopardy as she searches for her gift and fights to keep the boy she loves.

Elizabeth Mueller gives a great story, full of normal teen angst without tipping the scales to be annoying, she keeps us guessing, dropping nuggets for us throughout the story, but never tipping her hand. Combine that with the fantastic use of illustrations that give it almost a graphic novel feel as we read, and this is easily a five star read. I can’t wait to pick this up in paperback and you should too! Mueller is a great addition to the YA world and I can’t wait to see what comes next from this talented writer!

Everyone Says I Love You... Except to Me

2011-10-28T11:52:00.002+01:00

It's Friday! I don't even know where this week has gone, but I'm happy to report I'm slowly catching up on things, phew.

Today, I'm pleased to have the wonderful Cally Taylor on my blog. Cally's second novel, Home for Christmas, is due out shortly. I've recently finished it, and it's a fantastic, heart-warming, perfect holiday read with characters everyone can easily relate to. I'd definitely recommend it.

Over to Cally!

Everyone can remember their first kiss andmost people, unless they were particularly drunk, can remember when they losttheir virginity. But how about the first time a boyfriend or girlfriend said 'Ilove you'? How old were you? Fifteen? Eighteen? Twenty? Older?

Ihad to wait until I was twenty-three to hear those precious three little wordsfor the first time. It wasn't that I hadn't had boyfriends - I'd had three bythat point, but none of them had ever told me they loved me.

Firstwas Casper*. We were 15, at different boarding schools and would sneak out atnight to meet on the Malvern Hills for elicit snogs. Casper was astonishinglyhandsome and very intelligent but when he sent me a beautifully eloquent letterover Christmas holidays, telling me how much he enjoyed our time together, Ifreaked out that he was getting too 'heavy' and finished things. He neversaid‘I love you’ (hardly surprising considering..).

Nextup was Jake. I was 18 and spending my gap year sharing a house with a bunch ofstrangers in Worcester while I did a secretarial admin course. He was a friendof one of my housemates - 23, a chef and rode a motorbike. I fell hard and fastand so, it seemed did Jake, initially at least but as we approached the fateful3 month mark (what is it about 3 months and make or break moments inrelationships?) he started to pull away. When he finished with me he said itwas because I was going to uni that autumn and he didn't want to get hurt. Henever said I love you.

Mythird relationship was with Ben. I was 21, had spent my 3 years at uni single(apart from the odd dalliance) but was still hanging around Newcastle, helpingout at Drama Society while I tried to get a job. Ben was a second year statsstudent who was in the Music Society with a friend of mine. She was convincedwe were perfect for each other and set us up on a blind date. We got onstormingly and were together for 3 months (there's that time frame again!) whenBen decided to give up his course, move back to Sussex and wave goodbye to ourrelationship at the same time. He never said I love you.

Notlong after Ben and I split up I moved to London and got a job. The years rolledby and, before I knew it, I was nearly 23 and still hadn't heard those threelittle words. How come everyone else I knew had been told 'I love you', but notme? Just like Beth in my novel 'Home for Christmas' I started to worry thatmaybe there was something intrinsically unlovable about me.

So,what would you think if I told you that the Internet was directly responsiblefor me FINALLY finding love just a couple of months after my 23rd birthday? Wouldyou judge me if I told you I flew to the Netherlands, without telling anyone,to spend the weekend with 20 year old Frank, a man I'd only ever talked toonline? And that, 48 hours after we first hugged hello, he told me he loved me(and I said it back)? And that he spent Christmas with my family and we datedfor nine whole months before I realised that...

But that’s another story!

How about you tell me about the first timeyou were told 'I love you' instead...

*All names changed to protect the ~~guilty~~innocent

Talli says: How's that for a cliffhanger? I want to know more about Frank! Thank you, Cally. Here's more about Cally's book:

Beth Prince has always loved fairytales andnow, aged twenty-four, she feels like she's finally on the verge of her ownhappily ever after. She lives by the seaside, works in the Picturebox - acharming but rundown independent cinema - and has a boyfriend who's so debonairand charming she can't believe her luck! There's just one problem - none of herboyfriends have ever told her they love her and it doesn't look like Aiden'sgoing to say it any time soon. Desperate to hear 'I love you' for the first timeBeth takes matters into her own hands - and instantly wishes she hadn't. Justwhen it seems like her luck can't get any worse, bad news arrives in thedevilishly handsome shape of Matt Jones. Matt is the regional director of amultiplex cinema and he's determined to get his hands on the Picturebox byChristmas. Can Beth keep her job, her man and her home or is herromantic-comedy life about to turn into a disaster movie?

‘Home for Christmas’ by Cally Taylor willbe published by Orion paperbacks on 10^th November and is availablefor pre-order from Amazon.co.uknow. Cally can also be found on her blog, Facebook, Twitter or website.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Why I'll Never Say a Book is Crap

2011-10-26T14:38:00.001+01:00

How about that photo to get your day started on the right track? Ha! Well, it's Wednesday, it's raining, and I've just awoken from a tiny nap. Hope your week is going well!

If you read enough Amazon reviews, chances are you'll come across phrases like 'I don't know how this book got published', 'load of dross', 'could have been written by a three-year-old' and so on.

While I'm the first to say that every customer is entitled to their own opinion, I would never decry any novel as 'crap'. Why? Well, if there's one thing I've learned over the past few years, it's that readers' tastes vary widely. What's rubbish to one person may be 'the best book ever' to the next. What's boring as all get-out to someone might be the most exciting story known to humankind to another.

I feel the same way about genres. Although many types of books don't appeal to me, I'd never say one genre is more worthy than another. That would be like me saying vegetables are a waste of supermarket-shelf space just because I don't like them. Silly, eh?

What genre would you like to see gain more appreciation or shelf-space? And do you like veggies? :)

I'm All Out of Love

2011-10-24T13:20:00.001+01:00

Yes, it's true. After a heady weekend at the Festival of Romance, I'm definitely not feeling the Monday love this morning. However, it's all worth it, because it was such a nice weekend. A Regency county home, lots of lovely writers, a ball with chocolate, wine and jazz... honestly, can one really ask for more?

Helen Hunt gives the first session of the conference, a very informative hour on writing short stories.

Friday kicked off sunny and cold, and the short journey north of London flashed by in a hangover-induced haze. Note to self: do not drink with Twitter pals the night prior to a conference! I managed to rouse myself to take part in a self-publishing panel that morning. Several fascinating panels and one chocolate-tasting session later, and the day was done.

Festival Goers! Back row: Celia, Nell, Fiona, Sarah, Liz. Front: Catherine, Sue.

Saturday dawned not quite so hungover, thank goodness. Although I tried my best to get out of the author fashion show (Marilyn, anyone?), the MC was a tough taskmaster and a few hours later I found myself parading in front of a packed room in full Marilyn gear. Thankfully, I was joined by fellow authors dressed as chickens to waitresses, and we were all very well received!

The short-list for Best Romantic Read: Carole Matthews, Fiona Harper, Sue Moorcroft, Me!, Juliet Archer

Later that evening, we all dressed in our finery for the Ball and awards ceremony. A big congrats goes out to Sue Moorcroft, who won Best Romantic Read, and Jean Fullerton, the winner of Best Historial Read. I was honoured to have been short-listed.

Sunday, I crawled home and collapsed on the sofa. And I'm still in recovery! Excuse me while I go lie down... Have a great Monday, everyone.

Results Not Typical

2011-10-21T06:30:00.000+01:00

FRIDAY! And I'm not here, actually -- I'm out and about being romantic at the wonderful Festival of Romance! I can't wait to wear my new dress. Yes, I'm that shallow. I admit it.

Today, Irish author and blogger Catherine Ryan Howard is holding down the fort. Catherine has successfully self-published her non-fiction travel memoires, and has recently released her first novel. Known for her tell-it-like-it-is, down to earth personality, Catherine's here to bust a few self-publishing myths.

Take it away, Catherine.

Five Misconceptions About Self-Publishing

1. It’s easy.

Oh yeah, sure it’s easy, if by easyyou mean twelve-hour stints, week-long formatting migraines and at least onemoment per day when you feel like you’re drowning in the depths of a blackabyss where no one is ever going to buy a single one of your books again...Well, maybe that last one is just me. But self-publishing is not easy – at least, it’s not if you doit right. I have encountered hundreds of self-publishers since I started onthis misadventure and I can say with some authority that all the successfulones have something in common: they take it seriously. They treat it like abusiness they’re starting up; they’re an entrepreneur and the book is theirfirst product. And what would you expect to have to go through to get abusiness off the ground? Long hours, caffeine-induced insomnia, stress, pain,tears, blood – you get the idea. When you hear of someone uploading their book toAmazon on Friday and buying a house in cash on Saturday, read beyond theheadlines – you’ll usually find via the author’s blog that this “overnight”success actually took five years. As the physicist Richard Feynman reportedlysaid, “If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understandquantum mechanics.” Well, I definitelydon’t understand quantum mechanics but I do know this: if you thinkself-publishing is easy, you aren’t doing it right.

2. It’s a get-rich-quick scheme.

Somehow I’ve managed to drag myselfaway from polishing my gold-plated Louboutins and counting my many millions towrite this paragraph... oh, wait. I’m almost 30 and I live in a bedroom thesize of a telephone box at my parents’ house. Yes, we’re all very proud. You can make money self-publishing but if you do a) you’ll be one ofthe lucky ones and b) it’ll take a lot ofhard work to get to that point. Keep in mind that every minute of every daysomeone is self-publishing their book – maybe even every second of every day.(Maybe even every nanosecond...) And howmany self-publishers can you name who have sold enough books/made enough moneyto work their way into the news? My dear point, I believe I just made you.

3. “It’s Only Camping!” Syndrome or The Idea That Crap is Acceptable at 99c

Some years ago I had the misfortuneof working as a campsite courier on the south-west coast of France. Part of ourjob was to clean the customer accommodation – large tents, mobile homes andchalets for which people paid vast sums of money to stay in and pretend theywere roughing it. Whenever anyone complained about a stain on the floor or dusty window, we’d shrug and say, “What dothey expect? It’s only camping!” Unfortunately, some people have adopted asimilar attitude about self-publishing. I mean, you’re only charging 99c foryour novel, right? So you’re hardly going to spend a couple of hundred on aprofessional design, and you’re definitely not going to spend four or fivetimes that getting your book edited, copyedited and proofread, right? That’sjust crazy talk! People aren’t expecting much for 99c, are they? Well, um, yes,they are – they’re expecting a book.And books generally come correctly formatted, in English that makes sense andwith a cover that doesn’t look like several house pet enthusiastically vomitedupon it during the production process. If your book is poop, you might wellsell a few thousand copies of it – but you won’t sell anywhere near as manycopies of your second book, if you manage to sell any at all. When I hearself-publishers protesting that they “can’t afford” to get the basics done, Ineed to sit on my hands to refrain from strangling them. (And I’m a niceperson, generally-speaking). If you can’t afford to self-publish, don’t self-publish! Skipping a professionalcover design, editing and proofreading will, in the long term, be the mostexpensive thing you ever do because it will cost you sales. It might even nipyour self-publishing career in the bud right at the start.

4. 99c e-books only sell because they’re 99c.

Do you need to pay your phone bill?Well, all you have to do is sit down for a few hours, poop out (by way of yourkeyboard; keep it clean, people!) 70,000 - 100,000 words, upload it to Amazon,set the price to 99c and then sit back and wait for the phone bill money tocome a-rolling in, my friend. I mean, that’s how it’s done, isn’t it? Upload,set at 99c, sell millions, repeat as required. Yes, somehow people have got themistaken impression that 99c equals #1 bestseller. They either express this ina derogatory way (“Well of course he’s sold a gazillion books – he’s onlycharging 99c for them!) or put a positive spin on it (“My novel is so greatthat people will be exploding from the joy induced by getting it for a mere99c!”) but whatever way they say it, they’re wrong. A low price can help sell abook, but it won’t do it all by itself. To confirm this, just look up some 99cself-published novels on Amazon and check out their sales ranks. Or, publishone yourself. You’ll soon find out.

5. You have to do it because all agents and editors are horned demonswho meet once a month to drink pig’s blood and entertain each other withstand-up based on our worst query letters, and if there’s any chairs spare theysell tickets to Amazon, chain bookstores, Apple, etc.

There are many different reasons toself-publish. I self-published because I had a book that didn’t have anexisting market, but I was able to make one; it’s the kind of book that even ifit was traditionally published today wouldn’t do well on the shelves, but I’vesold over eight thousand copies of it. Talli is self-publishing her next bookbecause she’s recognised that she has the ability to replicate the success ofher previous books on her own, and so doesn’t need the traditional model for itto do well. My blogging friend Roz Morris self-published one of my favouritewriting books, Nail Your Novel,because it was too short to be a traditionally published book. I think thesereasons reflect that we’re smart, bright, organised women who know a thing orthirty-six about selling our own books, and are as hard-working as we arerealistic. (Ladies, you can pop those fivers in the post now...) We make, if Imay so and I think I will, very good self-publishers. But if you’re gettinginto this because you can heat your house for winter by burning your rejectionletters, or because you’ve taken a business decision personally, or because andat least three literary agents have a restraining order out against you and youwant to SHOW THEM ALL, you’re not going to succeed. Spite doesn’t sell books,and bitterness doesn’t make me want to read your blog. Plus, you scare me abit. So stop wasting your energy hating on an industry staffed by lovely peoplewho love books (just not yours – oooh,burn!) and put it into being a good self-publisher instead. Simples.

About Catherine:

Catherine Ryan Howard is a 29-year-old writer, blogger and enthusiasticcoffee-drinker. She currently lives in Cork, Ireland, where she divides hertime between her desk and the sofa. She blogs at www.catherineryanhoward.com.

About Results Not Typical:

The Devil Wears Prada meets Weightwatchers and chick-lit meets corporatesatire in the debut novel from Catherine Ryan Howard, author of the bestsellingmemoir Mousetrapped: A Year and A Bit inOrlando, Florida. Through their Ultimate Weight Loss Diet Solution ZoneSystem, Slimmit International Global Incorporated claim they’re making theworld a more attractive place one fatty at a time. Their slogans “Where You’reFat and We Know It!” and “Where the Fat IS Your Fault!” are recognised aroundthe globe, the counter in the lobby says five million slimmed and their shareprice is as high as their energy levels. But today the theft of their latestrevolutionary product, Lipid Loser, will threaten to expose the real secretbehind Slimmit’s success...The race is on to retrieve Lipid Loser and saveSlimmit from total disaster. If their secrets get out, their competitors willput them out of business. If the government finds out, they’ll all go to jail.And if their clients find out… Well, as Slimmit’s Slimming Specialists know alltoo well, there’s only one thing worse than a hungry, sugar-crazed, carb addict– and that’s an angry one. Will the secret behind Slimmit’s success survive theday, or will their long-suffering slimmers finally discover the truth?Available now in paperback and e-book editions. Buy from Amazon UK or Amazon.com .

Have a great weekend, everyone!

What Colour Scarf Are You?

2011-10-19T11:12:00.000+01:00

Happy Wednesday, lovely people! The sky is a brilliant blue in London today, the air is crisp, and it's one of those days that makes you want to don a long russet-coloured scarf, shiny leather boots, and skip down the street on the crunchy leaves. I might do just that later today! If I can find a russet-coloured scarf.

Since I'm lazy and feeling rather lax ce matin (and yes, I quite enjoy lapsing into foreign languages randomly), I thought I'd give you a little update on what I've been doing.

Edits for Build a Man are almost done (yay!), and you can check out the first chapter here. I've also been busy tidying up my novella, Miracle at the Museum of Broken Hearts. It's for a Christmas anthology I'm doing with American authors Tonya Kappes, D.D. Scott, and L.A. Lopez, and I'm pretty excited about pairing up with such great writers. Due out American Thanksgiving, here's the blurb for my little tale:

When chief romantic Rose Delaney scores her dream job at London’s quirkiest new attraction, The Museum of Broken Hearts, she thinks she’s got it made. Sure, it’s a little depressing dealing with relics of failed relationships each day, but Rose is determined not to let it break her ‘love conquers all’ spirit. After discovering the museum’s handsome curator is nursing a broken heart of his own, Rose steps in to fix it. Can Rose heal the rift in time for the holidays, or will this Christmas crush her fantasies forever?

And, last but not least, you can enter to win a copy of Watching Willow Watts and read about what makes me laugh over at Chick Lit Central!

Have a fabulous day, everyone. What coloured scarf would you wear to go dancing down the street on a lovely autumn day?

The C Word

2011-10-17T12:26:00.000+01:00

Ah yes, control. (Which C word were you thinking of?) :) Today, I've divided myself in two and I'm at Pauline Barclay's blog and over at Phillipa Ashley's, talking about one of the main reasons I've decided to go it alone. I love being in control! Pop over if you get the chance.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine passed in a blur of theatre, wine, films and dance. It was quite the cultured couple days, I must say. Can I ask you to spare a thought for Mr TR, who starts directing his new film this week? It's a massive undertaking and he could do with a few good vibes sent his way.

I'll keep this short and sweet, as this week is as manic as the last. Have a great Monday, all!

Friday! Get in the Culloden Spirit!

2011-10-14T11:53:00.000+01:00

Where on earth has this week gone? Mine has passed in a blur of art galleries, dinners out, hair dye (yes. It's now R-E-D! My scalp will thank me later, and it was time for a change), theatre and editing. I'm exhausted!

Thank you for bearing with me; I've been trying to get around to visit as many people as possible in the meantime. And next week, I have a wonderful writer pal from Spain visiting, then it's off to Hunton Park for the Festival of Romance. I've purchased a new dress for the Ball and awards (The Hating Game is short-listed - wish me luck!).

So, with all of this going on, I hope you'll forgive me for being brief today and head over here, where I'm in the Gulf News! Gosh, I get around.

Today is Matt from the QQQ's Pay it Forward Blogfest. All you need to do is choose three blogs, and encourage others to pop off and follow. Mine are India Drummond ('coz she's given me loads of support and her posts always make me laugh) and Help! I Need a Publisher, for invaluable advice.

Number three is for writer Anita Davidson. I've known Anita from when I first started blogging under a different name, and she's beyond lovely. Her latest is called Culloden Spirit.

Carrie Gordon's season in her native York was an unqualifiedsuccess, until the young man who paid her so much attention married someoneelse. When her family takes a summer trip to her father’s ancestral home in theScottish Highlands, her handsome Scottish cousin, Duncan McRae, takes animmediate dislike to Carrie, mainly due to her father’s plans to refurbish CairInnes castle which is in need of extensive repair beyond the means of itspresent owner and resident, Iain McRae.

Carrie feels the vacation will be a disaster until she discovers a strangeyoung man while exploring the derelict castle, However, she soon learns RuairiMcRae is not what he seems, and the battle he intends to fight was lost by hisclan a hundred and fifty years before.

Will Carrie be able to accept that she cannot be part of Ruairi’s world? Andwhen the Roma arrive to camp on Bucks Meadow as they do every summer, who isthe beautiful gypsy girl Duncan won't talk about?

Sounds fab, doesn't it? Happy Friday everyone, and have a great weekend!

21st Century Dodos!

2011-10-12T07:17:00.001+01:00

How's that for a blog post title?

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Today, I'm delighted to have Steve Stack (aka Scott Pack) here to talk about his new book, 21st Century Dodos. Scott is the publisher of The Friday Project (HarperCollins) and also blogs over at Me and My Big Mouth. Dodos provides a look at extinct or soon-to-be-extinct aspects of the British way of life, and as someone who hasn't grown up here, it's fascinating.

Before I turn it over to Steve, just a quick link to give you: yesterday, I was over at The Writer's Guide to E-Publication, wondering about the divide in sales between Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. Pop by if you get the chance!

And now, over to Steve!

Thelovely Talli has invited my on to her blog but on the condition that I mentionshoes.

Ishould probably explain. A couple of weeks ago there was a bit of a debate onTwitter about some press article or other that dared to suggest that allwomen’s fiction, the author probably called it chick lit, was about shoppingand shoes. Quite rightly, Talli and other writers of fiction aimed at a femaleaudience were up in arms and keen to point out that the genre, such as it is,covers the whole spectrum of human existence and isn’t just about shoes andshopping.

Andthen I piped up to point out that shoes do actually get mentioned quite a lot.

Whichis why I have to mention shoes while I have here. I have now done so twice.

Hopefullythat now buys me a few paragraphs to plug my new book. A book, I hasten to add,which contains not one mention of footwear. It does have 134 entries on otherthings though. It is a collection of (hopefully) humorous pieces about the manyinanimate objects, traditions, experiences and other stuff that are in dangerof becoming extinct. I call them, and the book, 21^st Century Dodos.

Giventhat Talli is someone who has come to our shores from abroad and has adoptedthe UK as her home, I thought this entry about the playing of the nationalanthem in cinemas might be quite apt.

Talli,you must stand until the end of this blog post.

---

Rightup until the late 1970s, the national anthem was played at every screening incinemas up and down the land. Patrons were expected, but not actually forced, toobserve the anthem by standing throughout. Originally, itwould have been played at the end of the film, but that tended to lead to afrantic rush for the exits while the credits were rolling (if you’ve ever seenthat Dad’s Army episode, then you’ll know what I mean). It was latermoved to the beginning so that unpatriotic scallywags would be immediatelyidentifiable by their insistence on staying seated. Cue lots of tutting fromolder cinema-goers.

Iam guessing that the tradition came to an end when the number of people sittingthrough the anthem far outnumbered those standing to attention. Or perhaps whenmultiplexes started popping up in out-of-town shopping centres. Or when mostpeople stopped giving a tinker’s toss about royalty and the fine heritage ofthis great nation. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t happen any more.

---

See? Fascinating! Thanks, Steve. If you'd like to follow along on the blog tour, yesterday Steve was here and tomorrow he'll be here.

What disappearing aspect of your culture/ daily life would you like to hang on to?

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-10-10T12:42:00.001+01:00

It's weekends like this past one that I really miss being back home in Canada. Today is Canadian Thanksgiving, a time of the year when the leaves are glorious and it's usually the perfect weather for a family gathering. Sigh!

Here are a few photos of my homeland, from last autumn.

(The last one is my Mum, Dad and Mr TR trotting along the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.)

I have a very busy next couple weeks with friends visiting and a conference, so although I'll be posting as usual, I may not be blog-hopping quite as much! Bear with me; I'll be back with a vengeance come the last week of October.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Renovation, Ghosts and Boy Bands

2011-10-07T12:11:00.000+01:00

Phew, it's Friday! What a week. I'm thrilled today to have the wonderful Nell Dixon here, talking about her new novel, Renovation, Renovation, Renovation. As someone with a mini-crush on Phil Spencer and all things property, I have to say the title intrigued me instantly. Nell is a fellow RNA member and a generally lovely person!

Take it away, Nell.

Renovation,Renovation, Renovation is a contemporary romance with a twist. One of theresidents at Myrtle Cottage, a fifteenth century house is a rather mournfulghost called Mary Ann. She was resident during a turbulent period of Englishhistory when Oliver Cromwell was coming to power and civil war raged throughoutthe country. Mary Ann’s story becomes entwined with that of Kate, the currentowner bringing glimpses of the past into the present.

I’vealways been interested in old houses and the human stories they tell about pastresidents. My great, great aunt Lizzie was a renowned medium in Victorian times– apparently she was famous for her skills at reading tea leaves – and all thewomen in that side of my family are very sensitive to extraordinary happenings.This, combined with the present economic catastrophes affecting property saleswas the catalyst for the book.

As part of my research I was lucky enough to beinvited to a séance and cleansing of an ancient cottage. I got to watch themediums at work and talk to the owner of the cottage. It was fascinating stuffand hopefully added authenticity to the story.

Here's an excerpt for you:

Amovement in the undergrowth outside caught my eye and the sight of my cat, MrFlibble making his way through the long grass towards the orchard at the sideof the house bought a smile to my face. Mr Flibble was the one good thing thathad come out of my seven-year relationship with Steve. Seven years, thirteenhouses and all I had to show for it was a broken heart, a half-ruined house anda one-eyed cat I’d rescued from a dumpster.

Atheatrical cough from the direction of the kitchen door alerted me to Steve’spresence in the kitchen.

Ididn’t bother turning round. “Is there any hot water left?”

“Thetank’ll fill up if you give it half an hour.” Steve sauntered past me crossingthe neutral zone to reach his red-labelled cupboard. His hair was still wetfrom the bath and he hadn’t bothered to dress before coming downstairs. Insteadhe had wrapped one of the dark blue bath towels that my mother had given us asa gift two Christmases ago around his waist.

“Youcould get dressed before you come down here.” As soon as the words were out ofmy mouth I wished I could take them back. It was pointless saying anything likethat to Steve. He’d do it all the more if he thought it would annoy me.

Backin his boy band days I would have found seeing Steve half-naked sexy, and wewould have made love amongst the dust and debris of the kitchen. Thousands ofscreaming teenage Danger Line fanswould have killed to take my place. Now having him roam around clad in only atowel was just one more of his annoying habits.

Overworked, over budget and just so not over him! Kate would like an engagement ring from Steve but instead he's lumbered them with a thirteenth renovation project, and doing up Myrtle Cottage disturbs a ghost from the English Civil War who has romance troubles of her own.

Available from Amazon UK and Amazon.com.

Thanks, Nell. So, over to you! Have you embarked on any massive renovation projects, in life or in building?

What I've Been Reading

2011-10-05T13:07:00.000+01:00

A big thank you to everyone who commented on my post on Monday. It was a big decision for me, and I was thrilled to have loads of people chiming in with their support! I was also on the Writer's Guide to E-Publication yesterday, talking about my decision-making process. It's a great site for anyone wanting to learn more about the world of self-publishing. Check it out if you have an interest -- I'll be there every Tuesday.

And if you're looking for a new blog buddy, head over to Coffee with Marcie and say hi! She's new to the blogosphere.

It's been a while since I've done some book reviews here, so I figured I'd do a little update on some books I've read recently.

Following the Whispers - Creating a life of inner peace and self-acceptance from the depths of despair by Karen Walker
With a frankness and honesty, Karen Walker details her life from childhood to adult, revealing how she overcomes great obstacles to reach personal acceptance. Told in a clear, matter-of-fact manner (no self pity anywhere to be seen!), one can't help but be pulled into this brave and forthright memoir. Definitely worth a read.

Invisible by Jeanne Bannon
Written in a fresh and fun voice, 'Invisible' by Jeanne Bannon tells the story of overweight misfit Lola, who has the uncanny ability to become invisible at any given moment. The story moves along at a swift pace, and I enjoyed watching Lola learn to accept herself -- and deal with the temptation of revenge. A very enjoyable read.

The Arranger by L.J. Sellers
'The Arranger' is my first LJ Sellers novel, and given how impressed I was with this futuristic, fast-paced narrative, it certainly won't be my last!

I was fascinated by Sellers' creation of a national competition called The Gauntlet, kind of a ramped-up version of a military obstacle course. Add one ex-cop who's older and tougher than the other competitors and throw in a lot of intrigue, and you have the makings for a fantastic thriller.

Can't wait to read more of Sellers!

Backpacked: A Reluctant Trip Across Central America by Catherine Ryan Howard
I read and loved 'Mousetrapped', so when I heard Catherine had a new book out, I couldn't wait to dive in. I wasn't disappointed -- Catherine takes the same dry wit and self-deprecating humour along for the ride in 'Backpacked', the story of her travels through South America. From nearly falling off a horse on a vertical volcano ride to a a bevvy of eccentric -- and sometimes downright threatening -- characters along the way, reading this travelogue made me feel like I'd gone on the journey myself. Highly recommended for anyone who loves reading about the extremes of exploration without actually having to endure the discomfort.

CLOCKWISE by Elle Strauss
'Clockwise' by Elle Strauss is a fun, fresh read. Featuring an awkward teenage girl who accidentally time travels, the novel follows her adventures as she struggles to cope with both the past and the present -- and drags her crush along with her! The narrator's voice is sharp and witty, and you can't help identifying with her insecurities. A fantastic read for anyone, adolescent or adult.

House of Diamonds by Karen Jones Gowen
House of Diamonds follows two sisters. One is on her way to achieving her dream of being a writer, despite the chaos in her busy household and her frequently absent husband. The other is struggling to keep it together whilst her newborn clings to life in the hospital. Author Karen Jones Gowen plunges readers into the daily details of each household, holding us at close range and never letting go. The intensity of emotion -- from frustration and fear to joy and faith -- is palpable throughout. Although generally I'm not big into 'faith' novels, Gowen weaves this into the narrative in a natural and subtle way, and it added to the fabric of the families' life.

Have you read any of these? Have a great Wednesday, everyone!

My Next Novel, and Why I'm Publishing It... Myself

2011-10-03T13:11:00.000+01:00

Happy Monday! It's been a glorious summer weekend in London -- over 30 Celsius! Sunny! Joy!

So, I've got some news. Some rather big news for me! First of all, I have a new novel, Build a Man, coming out on December 7th as an ebook, and in paperback in the new year. If you're on Goodreads, you can add it here.

I'm really excited about this one, because it's told in first person (a departure for me from the first two novels), and because I absolutely love the main character, Serenity, and Jeremy, the man she 'builds'. Also, having worked in a spa with many wealthy clients about, well . . . I feel I had a very good grounding to accurately portray the setting. And look at the lovely cover India Drummond custom designed for me (If you're looking for a great designer, she's your gal.)

Here's a bit more about Build a Man:

Slave to the rich, rude and deluded, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. Unfortunately, every pitch she sends out disappears like her clients' liposuctioned fat, never to be seen again. Then she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- giving Serenity a story no editor could resist.

With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success, even going undercover to gain intimate access to Jeremy's life. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and Serenity is ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, she must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

But the truly exciting bit for me is that I'm self-publishing this. It's a decision I've thought long and hard about over the past few months, and I've come to the conclusion that for me, this is the right option. Brace yourself for a rather lengthy explanation!

I finished writing Build a Man about a year ago, but put it on the back-burner to release The Hating Game with Prospera Publishing, a small independent publisher. Between launching my first novel and getting started on Watching Willow Watts (also under contract with Prospera), I finished up edits on Build a Man. I wasn't sure exactly where I wanted to go with the MS, but I'd met some lovely agents along the way and submitted the novel to them. There was interest, revisions . . . time passed, but ultimately I was told the chick lit market in the UK was saturated and publishers weren't taking on many (if any) new authors for that genre.

I had a decision. One: I could submit Build a Man to Prospera, who might publish it. Two: I could submit to another small publisher directly. Three: I could continue submitting to agents, in hopes of getting a big publisher. Four: I could go it alone.

One: Prospera has been brilliant -- I had a great editor there who was very easy to work with, supportive and understanding. I would never in a million years regret working with them, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them. But as the majority of my sales are on Amazon -- and in ebooks -- I didn't see why I couldn't hire a cover designer and a professional editor (in this case, the wonderful Caroline Smailes, a bestselling novelist herself) and keep all my profits.

Two: Any small press struggles with bookshop distribution, and I already had a very good situation at Prospera. One of the things I'd decided was that I wouldn't leave Prospera for another small press.

So, that left two decision points: try to get an agent and hopefully a big publisher, or go it alone.

Three: Let's say I was lucky enough to get an agent. Would they be able to sell my novel? How long would it take? And if they did sell it, how long would I have to wait until it was published? All things considered, the fastest would probably be a year -- if I was super fortunate. In one year, I could write three novels and have them bringing in revenue. Not only that, I've already made off one e-book (The Hating Game) what big publishers might offer me as an advance for two or three books. The financials just didn't add up.

So, that left going it alone as the logical choice for me. I can control my output. I can build up my readership on my own timeline. And I can keep the revenues! I truly believe readers don't care who or what has published a novel, as long as it's an engaging, high quality story. That's what I'm looking forward to delivering.

Have I abandoned my dream of being published by one of the biggies? No, and I'm certainly not one to say that traditional publishing is dead, and self-publishing is the only way. It's different for everyone, and this is the choice I've made. I have learned there is more than one way to achieve a dream. Right now, my dream is to have as many readers as I can, as quickly as possible. And for me, that means self-publishing.

Is it a risk to walk away from a very good relationship with a great publisher? Yes, of course. But business is business, after all, and I need to think of my writing as a career. I've never been one to stick at a comfy job just because it's comfy. I like the element of moving forward; trying different things. And we parted on amicable terms, so who knows what the future holds?

Things are changing fast in publishing. It's exciting for everyone, and I can't wait to see what's ahead!

Clock Watching!

2011-09-30T12:40:00.000+01:00

It's Friday and oh my winey goodness, London is HOT! Perhaps this is the summer we never had? Whatever it is, I'm certainly not complaining... but let me tell you, wine o'clock is coming early ce soir! A picnic in the park is definitely in order.

Today, I'm over on Amlokiblogs, talking about my next novel (official announcement on Monday, yay!) and various other bits and bobs. Sign up to the Rule of Three challenge over there for a chance to win a copy of Willow. And in other yay-worthy news, to celebrate being short-listed for Best Romantic Read, The Hating Game ebook is now on for a reduced price of 98p and its US equivalent.

Now over to the lovely Elle Strauss, who is celebrating the launch of Clockwise!

Chick litIsn’t Dead and Why chick lit is Needed in YA

RecentlyI read somewhere that chick lit was dead. Obviously no one told the verytalented Talli Rolland that! And I’mwith Talli, there will always be room on the shelf for chick lit now that thegenre exists.

Iremember when it didn’t. I have very clearmemories of a younger me scouring library shelves wondering why no one wroteRomantic Comedy. It did great at the boxoffice as movies, but nothing came close to it on the shelves.

Ithink that’s why I read a lot of mysteries back then. Besides liking mystery,it was the only genre that had a “cozy” line.

Thencame Bridget Jones’ Diary by HelenFielding . Oh my gosh—finally! That’s what I was talking about! She opened thedoor to a whole new genre. Which filledup fast. Maybe too fast, thus the “dead”talk.

Butnot in YA. With the rush of Paranormaland Dystopian, and don’t get me wrong, I like me a bit of Paranormal andDystopian, anything on the lighter sideseems to be getting not much more than a sideways glance. Not everything, a few choice nuggets aregetting through, like the spy books by Ally Carter.

SometimesI think chick lit gets a bad rap. Like it’s just meaningless fluff, and flirtywords. And maybe there is some likethat. But just because something is light and fun, doesn’t mean there can’t bea, a thought provoking deeper message of substance.

So,I say, let’s keep chick lit coming—both in women’s fiction and YA. Becausesometimes you just need to read something that makes you smile and go, ahh.

Clockwise is launching electronically this week and it’s only 2.99 on Amazon , £2.17on Amazon.co.uk! To celebrate, Elle Strauss is giving away five debut booksby authors that you can meet on her blog tour which is happening now.

LOSINGFAITH by Denise Jaden

THECLEARING by Anne Riley

THESECRET OF SPRUCE KNOLL by Heather McCorkle

PERILOUSby Tamara Hart Heiner

THEHATING GAME by Talli Roland

Howto win? Sign up for Elle’s newsletter to enter. For extra entries just commenton any blog inthe tour. The more blogs you visit and comment on the more chances you haveto win. Fivebooks, five days, five winners!

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Sunny London Skies

2011-09-28T14:33:00.000+01:00

Wheeee! It's Wednesday! Thank you all for your lovely words on my award short-listing -- I'm still happy dancing, which I can assure you is not a pretty sight. The official press release is here!

There are some days the world just seems to love London, and today is one of those days. It's sunny, about 25 C, and my parents are in town -- we've been busy exploring Little Venice, Camden Market, Primrose Hill, Regent's Park and Marylebone. A few photos from our travels are below.

No 'real' post today since I'm in lazy mode and I need to rest up for dinner tonight (tough life, I know), but I am in the hot-seat over at Cally Jackson's blog. Pop by if you get a chance!

Primrose Hill, looking down on London.

A boat on the Grand Union Canal.

Little Venice.

Have a great day, everyone!

Top of the Morning!

2011-09-26T15:57:00.000+01:00

Just picture me saying that with an Irish twang... :)

Bad accents aside, I am feeling pretty tops right now. Why? Because I just found out The Hating Game has been short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the upcoming Festival of Romance Awards! Okay, so the novel might not be your typical romance, but to me (and hopefully to the judges) nothing is more romantic than two people who decide to be together not because they need to be, but because they want to be. I'm so thrilled to be in the running with the likes of Carole Matthews, Fiona Harper, Sue Moorcroft and Juliet Archer.

And just look where I found out the good news:

The Treetop Walkway at Kew Gardens -- 180 steps up!

In the treetops! Fabulous location for great news, eh? And even better, Mama and Papa TR were by my side -- they're here in London for a visit after a rainy few days in Scotland. We spent a lovely morning at Kew. Here are a few more photos:

The Mediterranean Garden.

Kew Palace.

And in other news, I've been over at lovely Mariam Kobras' blog, spouting off about... you guessed it, chick lit! And the winners of Kate Walkers' Bedded by the Greek Billionaire are Glynis Smy and Janice Horton! Kate decided to throw in an extra copy -- thank so much, Kate. Congrats, ladies.

I won't be around much until Thursday when M&P TR head back to Canada, although I'll try to visit as much as possible! Have a fantastic Monday, all.

Greek Billionaires and Handsome Strangers

2011-09-23T12:11:00.000+01:00

I'm suffering from severe attacks of the sleepies these days, so a big TGIF! Before I pass you over to the wonderful Kate Walker (who has a very relevant and timely post on covers), I want to give a giant shout out to Leigh T Moore. She's just opened up an editing business, so if you're looking for someone experienced to cast an eye over your MS, she's your gal.

I also want to say a big thank you to everyone who has and is continuing to spread the word and review Willow! I'm so thrilled to be a part of such a wonderful group of supporters.

So, here's fellow RNA and romance writer extraordinaire Kate Walker, on 'Finally Getting the Book Cover I Wanted'.

One upon a time, as all good stories should begin, my editor wouldask me to contribute some ideas for the way the cover of my book should lookwhen it was finally produced. I used to think long and hard aboutthis – describe my hero very carefully, give glowing descriptions of myheroine’s beauty, the style of her hair . . . I’d give a scene that Ithought would look great, something atmospheric, sensual, passionate. Hopefullysomething that would really represent the book I ‘d written. But when thecovers finally appeared, often it seemed that – well, either I hadn’t writtenthe book I thought I’d written, or the art department didn’t see my story– or my characters in quite the way that I thought they should.

There was my very first book – The Chalk Line (1984) . The herowas described as having jet-black hair - I got an ice-cold blond .Admittedly I’d asked for a snow scene, but I’d never imagined that the weatherwas going to bleach my hero’s hair quite so badly! Then there was TheGolden Thief. (The hero, an actor named Leigh Benedict was the ‘GoldenThief’ of the tile –he was meant to be gorgeous – tall, blond, devastating. ARobert Redford in his heyday type. Hmmm – what I got was RR well past hisheyday – or perhaps it was Robert Redford’s older, fatter, uglierbrother. And his heroine wasn’t quite the young, fabulousblonde I’d hoped for either. In fact I did rather wonder if she was meantto be the hero’s mother, rather than the sexy, passionate love of hislife.

Fast forward a few years and there was Wife ForA Day ( 1998)– obviouslybeing the wife of my hero Ronan Guerin, even if just for a day, had all beentoo much for Lily! Her hair – her strange, wild, crazily bouffant hairhad turned totally grey or again perhaps that was his mother the hero wastrying to force feed with a strawberry.

I began to wonder if I really had written the book I thought Ihad. Or were my heroes developing some strange mother fixation? I’mstill forced to wonder at times because the cover of SicilianHusband, Blackmailed Bride (2007) seems to show a mother – in abridal dress – together with her tall – v-e-r-y tall . . er –husband? No, he only looks about 16. Or perhaps I’ve got it wrong againand I really wrote a story about a cougar heroine and her 16 year old toy boy?

There was my first ever sheikh book – DesertAffair (2002) - and I was truly sheikhen when I saw the cover. My sonthought someone had spilled ink all over the book - and for everafter this one was affectionately known as The Blob because of the big darkstain that spread across the cover. It doesn’t look too bad in thepaperback, but believe me, when it was in a hardback edition with the topof what is now clearly a towering sand dune cut of by the title and my name, itjust looked exactly like – The Blob. The title was a little iffy too –you see, DesertAffair was actually set mostly in London – in a wild, fiercesnowstorm. But what with the Blob and DesertAffair, it sold pretty well!

I tried everything I could – I wentinto even more lyrical and detailed descriptions, I cut picture out ofmagazines, I pointed out just who had been my inspiration for the hero ofeach book (Hugh Jackman as a Spaniard, Hugh Jackman as an Italian, HughJackman as an Argentinian. None of them looked at all like HughJackman). My very first cover in the ‘new style’ covers that cameout recently – The Proud Wife (2011) really wasn’t bad at all – it featured a glamorous, beautiful woman – it was a stunning photograph. But –well, my heroine was a passionate, voluptuous heroine, fiery and feisty, notthe glacially calm creature on the front of this book.

So when my latest book – The Return of The Stranger - the one that’s out on 2ndSeptember (4th October if you’re in America) was accepted, I reallyjust gave in. A tall dark hunk was my hero – the book is inspired by WutheringHeights so I probably added ‘gipsyish’ or some such. Nothing more. And I didn’t hope too hard and I got . . . .

Perfection! That’s my hero justas I imagined him – he’s dark and sexy . . . and everyone I’ve shown thiscover to loves him. There’s no blob, no sign of his mother . . . it’s justHeath Montanha - the hero of TheReturn of the Stranger, very close to the way I’d imagined him. There’sa moral to this story – say little, keep it zipped – and hope, just hope thatsomeone in marketing has read the book and decides to give it the cover itdeserves.

For now, I’m happy – so I’ll settlefor that

THERETURN OF THE STRANGER

Standing high on thewindswept moors, the lone figure of Heath Montanha vows vengeance on the womanwho destroyed the last fragments of his heart...Lady Katherine Charlton has never forgotten the stablehand withdangerous fists and a troubled heart from her childhood. Now the rebel is back,his powerful anger concealed under a polished and commanding veneer. When tenyears of scandal and secrets are unleashed, with a passionate, furious kiss,Heath's deepest, darkest wish crystallises...Revenge - and Kat - will be his!

Amazon UK, Mills & Boon, Ebookat Harlequin, Amazon, M&BAustralia

Website, Blog, Facebook Author Page created by Romance BookParadise Promotions.

Kate is generously giving away one copy of her novel, Bedded by the Greek Billionaire (pwoar!) to a lucky commenter (commentator?). Thank you, Kate! Happy weekend, everyone.

Let Them Eat (Cup)cakes

2011-09-21T13:51:00.001+01:00

It's Wednesday, and it's hard to believe the week is half-over! A big thanks to Arlee Bird for his review of Willow, and a shout-out for a lovely new blogger Emma Pass, whose YA dystopian is due out in 2013. Pop by and check out her blog if you get the chance.

On to today's topic! I debated blogging about this, because there's already been so much discussion about it -- at least on this side of the Atlantic. Not to mention, I'm getting pretty tired of defending my chosen genre of chick lit.

So I'm not going to rehash the event that's led to me write about this. Instead, I want to ask why women writers, in particular, need to defend what they write. Do we see popular male writers like Nick Hornby defending their humorous, light fiction? No, we do not. Do we see men apologising for throwing in multiple football references, the same way woman do with shoes or cupcakes? No. And do male readers complain that black and red covers are limiting their readership? Um... negative.

So why do women writers need to do this? Why are we constantly having to justify what we write, the appearance of our novels, how they're labelled... and on and on? What's the next step, to apologise for having breasts? Bah!

There is nothing wrong with liking pink. Shoes. Cupcakes. Or even NOT liking any of those things, but wanting to read stories that are relevant to modern women. Yes, I understand packaging and marketing everything with one set of 'symbols' can be grating, but we shouldn't let our constant defence of the labels overtake the fact that we're proud of what we write, and that we write entertaining novels that connect with our readers (at least, I hope I do!). How about being on the offensive?

Let's focus on the positive, and let the critics eat (cup)cakes.

(Now I want a cupcake...)

Odds 'n' Sods

2011-09-19T12:17:00.000+01:00

Happy Monday, one and all! Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was fabulous, filled with lovely pubs, great wine, rain (booo!) and fantastic reads.

And now it's a fresh new week. I'm half-way through my novella called Miracle in the Museum of Broken Hearts for a Christmas anthology with some other wonderful writers. I have to tell you, it's so good to be writing again after months of editing!

There are a few things on the Talligenda today, so let's get down to business. First up, the winners from my launch day contest!

The winner of a selection of Marilyn stuff is... Leigh T Moore!

The winner of an ebook of Willow is... Rachel Brimble!

The winner of a £10 Amazon gift certificate is...Teresa Morgan!

Congratulations! I'll be in touch shortly. And thanks so much to everyone, again, who took part.

Oh, would you like a look into my brain? (Yes, I know. Scary.) Gird your loins... and, er... other bits, because at Nik Perring's blog today, you can peer inside the void.

Onto the next item! Hilarious, fantastic rom-com writer Tonya Kappes has started her own blog recently. Head over and say hi if you get the chance.

And last but by no means least, fellow Canadian writer Isabelle Lafleche has recently launched a book trailer for the US release of her novel J'Adore New York. Have a look!

And that's Monday done, phew! Have a good one.

Miniskirts and More!

2011-09-16T12:51:00.001+01:00

Happy Friday, everyone. Wow, what a week!

Before I get started on the miniskirts (don't worry, I'm not going to make you watch a video of me in one), I want to say thanks again for making my launch day so fantastic! Somewhere along the way, I ended up agreeing to wear my Marilyn costume in an author fashion show at the Festival of Romance. The reality of the costume ain't pretty, so if you're going, consider yourself forewarned!

A few links to share from the past couple days: first up, I'm on High Heels and Book Deals talking about my Freedom Shoes. Dance, baby, dance! There have also been lovely reviews of Willow at Bookersatz, One More Page, Kim the Book Worm, Surrounded by Books, and Thoughts in Progress.

And you can win an ebook of Willow at One More Page and Chick Lit Plus.

Phew!

Well, this wasn't just launch week for me. Today is the launch of the fabulous Carol Wyer's Mini-Skirts and Laughter Lines! It sounds like a fantastic read, and Carol is such a warm and lovely lady. I'm a guest in one of her 'rooms' (she's got a fab house party going on!). Drop by and say hi and congratulations if you get a chance.

I'm still working away on putting everyone's name into the bucket for launch day prizes -- so many people took part (yay! thank you!) it's proving quite the task. I hope you don't mind waiting until Monday.

So until then... have a fab weekend, everyone!

How to Say...

2011-09-15T11:36:00.001+01:00

...a big enough thank you? I don't think I can put into words how thrilled, grateful and overwhelmed I am with all the wonderful support I received yesterday from bloggers, Tweeters and Facebookers. It was amazing, and it made my launch day another incredible experience.

I hope I've got around to everyone to say thank you, but if I've missed anyone, please know how much I appreciate your participation! Yesterday was a bit of blur, as I went from Twitter to Facebook to blogs when I could, and back again. I tried to make it through all the amazing 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be' entries last night, but I ended up collapsing in a heap on the sofa around 10:30 pm.

But what amazing blogs people posted! From Glynis Smy's hilarious video, to Gina Dickerson's fab Lady Gaga, to Jabba the Hut, astronauts, cartoon characters, artists, Buffy, Lenny's brave mongoose... wow! I learned so much about loads of fascinating characters. It was fantastic.And to have Pam Reader live tweeting as she read Willow -- so much fun!

And although my goal was mainly to spread the word about Willow, I'm pleased to report my novel cracked the top 100 of Amazon UK on release day and was number 2 on Movers & Shakers (and it's actually still at number 3 right now!). And all down to the people I've been luckily enough to meet here, on Facebook and through Twitter.

So, how to say a big enough thank you? Well, I really can't. But my heart is full. *wipes tear*

(Winners of the Amazon gift cert, ebook and Marilyn stuff will be announced Friday.)

Yay! It's Watching Willow Watts Launch Day!

2011-09-14T06:21:00.002+01:00

I can't believe the day has finally come. After months of struggle, blood, sweat, and wine-soaked tears, launch day for my second novel, Watching Willow Watts, is here!

If you're so inclined, you can buy a copy of Willow on Amazon UK for £1.71, or on Amazon.com for $2.99. Paperback coming in November!

Right! Now that's out of the way, let's get started on the fun stuff. First up, my Marilyn Monroe vlog (cringe!). Since in the novel, Willow becomes an overnight sensation after a YouTube video of her Marilyn Monroe impression goes viral, it seemed only fitting I go on YouTube, too. I apologise in advance!

Have you survived? Hope so! Because today is the 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be...' web splash! Almost 150 bloggers have signed up to post about who they would be, if they could choose anyone. Pop by and visit other participants, if you have a chance. I can't wait to see who everyone has chosen!

So who would I be, if I could be anyone? I wouldn't be Marilyn, that's for sure. I would be Emily Carr. Now, chances are you haven't heard of her. I actually had to Google the name to make sure I had it correct. She's a Canadian landscape painter, born in the late 1800s. Back in the days before I'd heard of Cezanne and Monet and anything else, I remember staring at her paintings and thinking: wow. I loved the colours and the vibrancy.

Carr was also a writer, although I didn't know it at the time. I remember seeing a photo of her and her easel in the midst of the Canadian wilderness, and I thought: 'I want that'. That solitude; that absorption. That dedication to art and creation.

Defying the role of women at the time, Carr is a true Canadian icon. But more than that, she's a true creative.

So... the million dollar (pound!) question. Who would you be, if you could be anyone? And even if you're not posting, feel free to Tweet (with the tag #watchingwillowwatts) or Facebook (tag @Talli Roland) to be in with a chance to win prizes!

A million thank yous to everyone supporting me today. I can't say it enough -- it means the world to me.

One Thousand and One Thank Yous!

2011-09-12T14:02:00.001+01:00

I already know it's going to be a great week. Why? Because my blog has now topped one thousand followers! I'd like to thank everyone over the past year and a half who has read, commented and supported me and my novels. It means the world to me.

*sniff sniff*

Okay, enough sap for a Monday! Today, I'm over at fellow RNA'er Nell Dixon's blog, talking again about why I don't talk about writing. (I seem to talk a LOT about not talking, though!) And I've spent the past hour or so recording my vlog, resplendent in my Marilyn wig and dress. Oh yes. Drop by Wednesday (launch day!) to see it and cringe.

And I'd be remiss, of course, if I didn't mention launch day and the 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be...' web splash this Wednesday! Even if you're busy that day and can't post, you can still tweet, FB or G+ it! Use the tag #watchingwillowwatts or tag me on FB and G+ (Talli Roland) so I know you've taken part, and you can be entered in the draw for priiiiiizes! Fingers crossed it all goes to plan!

Until then, I'd like to know: what funny piece of writing advice would you give to someone?

Mine would be this: Never keep a full packet of Twizzlers within arm's reach of the laptop. The aftermath is not pretty.

Lush, Links, Love

2011-09-09T10:02:00.003+01:00

One of our friendly bottles of wine, posing in the Jardins Luxembourg.

Phew. I'm back from Paris, where there was plenty of wine, bread, wine, cheese, wine... my liver is in recovery! Plenty o' fun was had by all, except perhaps by the men we forced to open our bottle of wine in the grocery store. Oh, the humiliation.

A few quick things! If you'd like to win an ebook copy of Willow, you can enter at Chick Lit Club or Chick Lit Reviews.

This week, I've also been lucky enough to be a guest over at Christa's wonderful blog. Drop by to say hi and for the chance to win a copy of The Hating Game! And over at The Naked Hero, I'm stripping off a Frenchman. Go on, take a peek. You know you want to! :)

A massive thanks to everyone taking the time to read, review, sign up for my launch... I really appreciate it! And as you know, well, next week is going to be an exciting one for me. So I'm going to gather my energy and say have a fantastic weekend.

See you Monday!

Introducing: TalliMarilynstein

2011-09-07T02:00:00.000+01:00

I'm not actually here. I'm in... *pause for dramatic effect*... PARIS! Yes, my friends, as you read this, I will be stuffing myself silly with every croissant and macaron (not macaroon) I come across, skipping merrily down the cobblestones streets with a little red beret perched jauntily on my head. Hm, I think that's all the stereotypes I can work in for now.

So I'll keep this short, with a small reminder (not like you need it, with the way I've bleated on) that Willow's launch party is one week from today. Still loads of time to sign up to post on 'If I Could Be Anyone, I'd Be...'. Now's your chance to be whoever you want.

And to celebrate the one-week milestone... I give you a brand new creature, TalliMarilynstein! Yes, I've been having loads of fun playing around with my Marilyn wig and dress for an upcoming vlog (shudder) -- it's hours of entertainment, I tell you. Why Marilyn? In the novel, Willow's Marilyn Monroe impression gets spotted on YouTube and catapults her to insta-fame. The only problem? She's so not Marilyn material (kind of like me)!

Holy hair!

I'm trying for a cheeky look but it's not really working...

Well, at least I had fun! :) A bit too much, quite possibly...

I Do Read Other Things...

2011-09-05T02:00:00.000+01:00

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, and to all my North American friends... have a great Labo(u)r Day. Just a quick announcement: if you'd like the chance to win an ebook copy of Watching Willow Watts, just head over to Chick Lit Reveiws and fill out the tiny tiny form. :)

I talk a lot about how much I love chick lit, but I didn't spring from the womb as a fully formed chick lit reader. (Surprising, I know.) In fact, it wasn't until my late twenties and after I'd moved to London that the chick-lit bug really bit. I remember wandering into bookshops and being surrounded by lovely pretty covers... sigh!

But as much as I enjoy chick lit, that doesn't mean it's the only thing I read. Growing up, I loved science fiction by Monica Hughes and historicals by Janet Lunn. As an English Literature student, I read -- and enjoyed -- almost everything from every era (a big BLAH to Restoration comedies, though. Not my kinda humour.).

Now, I have a particular fondness for non-fiction. I'm currently reading and loving an ARC of Backpacked by Catherine Ryan Howard, I've got Karen Walker's Following the Whispers on my list, and I enjoyed Ann Best's In The Mirror.

This year, I've also read and enjoyed Alex Cavanaugh's science fiction novel CassaStar, Stephen Tremp's action-packed book Breaththrough, Karen Jones Gowen's House of Diamonds and Jessica Bells' literary fiction, String Bridge.

So, yes. I love chick lit. But I do read other things!

How about you? Do you stick with one genre, or are you open to most anything?

Live It, Love It

2011-09-02T11:12:00.004+01:00

Welcome to all BBQ'ers arriving from Karen's! Please say hi so I can visit with you, too. :)

Today I feel like a chicken who's been injected full of caffeine then had its heard cut off! My best friend from Canada arrives this weekend, and while we have a fun week planned of wine, wine and PARIS, I've got about five zillion items to cross off my to-do list. Spending an hour yesterday playing with my new Marilyn get-up (oh, yes) was not exactly time well spent, either.

A few links to share with you before I pass you over to today guest blogger, the wonderful Shirley Wells! First off, I was on Fabulosity Reads yesterday talking about why I love chick lit, and at The Naked Hero spouting off on why I love London. There's a new review of Willow here, and a nice one of The Hating Game here (I almost forgot I wrote that novel, ha!). Phew. That's everything, I think.

Oh! My favourite donut-loving, writer friend India Drummond's Ordinary Angels is available again on Amazon! Yay!

And now... over to Shirley!

Thank you, Talli, for inviting me to your utterly gorgeous home. I’ll try not to drop crumbs or spill anything while I’m here.

For those of you who don’t know me, let me say that Talli and I are practically identical. We both write. Talli writes wickedly humorous books and I write mysteries, but it’s close enough. We both love wine. Talli gets mistaken for super-model Agyness Deyn and … well, I’m working on that.

What else is there to know about me? Well, I’m an internet addict. I’m still not sure how that happened, but thanks to Facebook and Twitter, I can give you daily weather updates for Florida, Lanzarote, Arizona or just about any place you could want.

Am I jealous of these exotic locations? Well, yes. And no.

I was born in the Cotswolds, but I’ve lived in Cyprus where I wrote several holiday romances, and in Orkney where I continued writing romance. I still remember my horror when Mr W’s job changed. He was promoted and we needed to move to the north of England. “No,” I cried. “It’s nothing but whippets, flat caps, and racing pigeons. It’s always raining. And it’s all grimy old mill towns. There’s a reason people say it’s grim up north, you know.”

Despite my pleas, I had to move north. And I love it. It has a beauty all its own. I live out in the countryside, amid the rolling Pennine Hills. Instead of walking along picturesque beaches, I take the dogs across bleak, windswept moors.

When a heavy mist falls, it can get quite spooky on those hills and instead of working out the storyline for my next romance, I began to think “Hey, this would make a great place to hide a body” or, more often, “What was that noise?”. Instead of the happy-ever-afters I’d been writing for years, my mind was turning more and more to crime.

In 2006, I wrote my first crime novel and my eighth has just been accepted. So although I turn a particularly unattractive shade of green when I see white sandy beaches and hear of 30 degree temperatures, I know that moving to Lancashire was the best thing I ever did.

What about you? Do you love where you live?

Thank you again for having me, Talli. (And don’t worry, the whippets are house-trained.)

Having had several hundred short stories, ten serials and ten novels published, Shirley Wells is finally getting the hang of this writing lark. Her latest Dylan Scott mystery, DEAD SILENT, is available from Carina Press, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and all good e-retailers. Connect with Shirley via her website, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook.