Twenty questions with... Shelli Rosewarne (GIVEAWAY)

I am delighted to welcome Shelli Rosewarne onto my blog today, author of Love Reawakened which is available now for pre-order ahead of its release tomorrow.

So... stick the kettle on, pull up a seat and let's get to know Shelli better with a round of twenty questions...oh, and keep an eye out for the giveaway at the end ;-)

ACT ONE – all about you…

Shelli Rosewarne had always had a dream in the back of her head about wanting to be a writer, from the time she was handing in ten page stories at primary school and driving her teachers crazy. However, like with so many things, life and paying the bills got in the way and she worked in various jobs from call centers to shops to offices. She eventually realized that life is too short not to try and follow your dreams, and has since had her first stand alone novella published with Breathless Press, along with several submissions in anthologies, another novel contracted for later in the year and various works in progress in the pipeline. Yup, she's having to pinch herself as well! She currently lives in Edinburgh with her long-suffering fiancé and slightly psycho cat. When not writing she loves reading, music and photography.

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I loved writing at school but it was never exactly pushed as a viable career option! After college I didn't write anything for a long time, I think more down to lack of self confidence and fear that I wouldn't be able to write anything good. Then I ended up taking a short Creative Writing class, started scribbling and just didn't want to stop!

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

Not really. I suppose like most writers I have a lot of other commitments so while I would love to be able to write every day between set hours then sadly that very rarely happens. When I do write I'm a complete pantser – and that is actually one of the things I love most about writing. It's like going along on the journey with the characters and most of the time I have no more idea what's going to happen than they do.

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

It would be hard to pick one I think. I've always read a huge amount of fantasy and romance, so when I discovered authors like Sherrilyn Kenyon and Christine Feehan combining the two that was a big influence for me.

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

I think probably the main one is that writer's write! For a long time I kind of wanted to write but I would constantly put it off – I think I was too worried that whatever I wrote wouldn't be 'perfect' or as good as the authors I love. In the end I bit the bullet, started writing and of course it was nowhere near perfect (or even reasonably good at that point!). But it was a start – and once I did start then I could practice and work on my writing and edit, edit, edit. :)

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know?

Erm, let's see... I'm a bit of a fantasy and sci-fi geek. I'm also a wedding photographer, so I end up surrounded by romance :) Plus, I'm a huge Rockband fan – my neighbours are probably not!

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

To be honest, I'm not that into gadgets. I do love my laptop so that would have to be one. Does chocolate count as a luxury or a necessity?

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

Click here for excerpt

Emma needs to find an escaped zombie!

With lives on the line, the only person who can help is the man who broke her heart.

Emma Strachan is a professional witch and quite frankly a zombie raising should be all in day's work. Now, though, something has gone horribly wrong and with lives on the line Emma is forced to turn for help to the one person she never wanted to see again.

When Emma Strachan shows up on Garret's doorstep he knows she must be in trouble – after all nothing else would bring her to his door. Still, he never imagined a zombie gone rogue, or that the blazing attraction between them would be as strong as ever.

As Emma and Garret risk their lives to track down the missing zombie can they put aside past insecurities and trust in each other – before it's too late.

7) Congratulations on your recent release of Love Reawakened, what was your inspiration for writing Emma and Garret's story?

I originally saw a call out from Breathless Press for zombie-themed submissions. I'm actually a complete wuss when it comes to things like that – I have to watch horror films from behind the sofa! – so my first thought was 'not for me'. But an idea kept nagging at the back of my mind and before I knew it I was jotting down a few ideas and was up to chapter three :)

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?

Most of it actually flowed really well – some bits even too well as some of the secondary characters kept trying to take over! The end was a little tricky as I knew it wasn't going to have a conventional happy ending from some points of view and that was quite hard to balance.

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk?

It was very quick! Because I'd been dawdling a bit to commit to the initial idea by the time I actually started writing it properly there were only a few weeks left before the deadline so it was fully written in less than a month and subbed immediately. I kept noticing mistakes in it for days afterwards but luckily my lovely editor still accepted it and didn't complain about the red pen needed all over the first copy :)

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

Shocked gasps came from behind her, but the vibrations were already running through the ground. Quickly she smeared the blood around the edges of the circle. The energy was rising now; waves spreading out as she could feel the hairs on her arms standing up and tiny tremors through the soles of her shoes. She drew a final symbol in the blood on the gravestone itself, the rough stone grazing her fingers and making the lines awkward.

"Patrick Connell rise. Come from your grave at my command, rise from your sleep at my bidding."

The earth in front of her practically bubbled now, and then it parted and a tall figure emerged. Neil almost shrieked behind her but her attention stayed focused on the corpse in front of her. He was newly dead and so perfectly preserved. In fact, gazing at him, you would barely know the difference if you saw him walking down the street. She was quite proud. She didn't do this spell much, but this was a damn good raising!

"Patrick Connell, you have been raised at my command. You will do as I say and nothing more, bound to me by blood and magic. Do you understand and obey?"

The corpse looked at her, surprising clarity in his deep blue eyes. She didn't think she'd ever raised one this 'new' before and it was actually a little disconcerting how alive he looked. He'd obviously been a handsome man, tall with broad shoulders, thick dark hair, strong jaw, and quite startling eyes. Then he opened his mouth and said a single word.

"No."

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Love Reawakened, to make us rush out and buy it?

It has a sassy witch, a slightly battered round the edges necromancer, some action, romance, *ahem* slightly steamy scenes and a zombie cat called Mittens. What more could you want? :)

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now?

Lots of exciting things going on at the moment! I'm actually currently a finalist in the Piatkus Entice Romance Writing competition. The next stage is all down to public vote, so if anyone would like to drop by and if you like my chapters then put a vote in, I would really appreciate it.

http://www.piatkusentice.co.uk/competitions/writingcompvote/

Apart from that, I'm working on a shifter novella with a bit of a Red Riding Hood twist, and some of the secondary characters from 'Love Reawakened' will be getting their own story soon as well.

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Complete panster!

14) Secret Seven or Famous Five? (please tell me you know them!?)

Of course I do! Famous Five definitely, I was a bit of a tomboy when I was a kid so I always related to George, and I loved Timmy the dog.

15) Digital books or print books?

Hmm, that's a toughie. I must admit that I do have a soft spot for print books, there's just something about the feel of them in your hands. That said, I can't deny the convenience of digital (especially after holidays where half my suitcase would be full of books!), not to mention the extra opportunities to be published because of digital books and the fact that the cheaper price can make readers more inclined to try new authors. I do think there's room for both!

16) Tea or coffee?

I'm a little weird because I don't drink either. I am a Diet Coke addict though so still get my caffeine fix!

17) Cats or dogs?

Well, since my cat is currently half sprawled across the laptop, I think I better say cats :)

18) Extrovert or introvert?

Introvert, though I have my moments.

19) Save or spend?

I'm usually skint so it rarely comes up :)

20) Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook. I am trying to get into Twitter more but I just don't get it as much. Maybe I just need a 'twitter for dummies' session.

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Shelli, I wish you every success with your new release and congratulations on being chosen as one of three finalists in the Piatkus Entice Romance Writing competition. Remember folks, there is still time to vote for her entry, Psychic Shadows.

Lieutenant Shannon Dempsey had always known she was different, that she could see and hear things that others couldn’t. When she finds a frightened boy at the scene of a murder, it leads her to a mysterious man who may hold the answers she’s been seeking all her life.

Forced to work with David, Shannon can’t deny the blazing attraction between them or the lure of someone who finally shares her talents. But what is the shadowy agency that David works for, and what is their connection to the murder she’s investigating? Can he really provide answers, or just danger?

To discover even more about Shelli Rosewarne, and to keep up with her latest projects, you can visit her at:

Facebook   Twitter   Blog

Buy it now…

Release date: October 11 2013
Published by: Breathless Press

Breathless Press
On Amazon etc from Friday!

Giveaway…

Just leave a comment and you'll be entered into my Rafflecopter giveaway. Prizes include a zombie themed mini book bag, a spooky halloween phone cover and a witchy (and lavender scented) keyring – who said scary can't be cute! I'm also giving away a free copy of Love Reawakened in the ebook format of your choice. Good luck :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Win Your Name in 'Christmas Is Cancelled... Again'

Work on the second book in the Christmas is Cancelled series—Phil's story—is about to get underway, and you could be a part of it.

How would you like your name immortalised in print?

As a thank you for all the support I have received, I am offering one lucky reader the chance to name a character in Christmas Is Cancelled... Again. 

It can be your name, or a name of your choice (unless your chosen name is the same as one of the existing characters, in which case we'll need to get creative) and there will also be an acknowledgement in the front of the ebook too.

Entry is free, no obligation and no strings attached; you don't even have to jump through any flaming hoops—unless you want to, of course—but you will have the option of unlock bonus entries to boost your chances of winning.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Twenty Questions with... Carmen Falcone

I am delighted to welcome Carmen Falcone back onto my blog today, author of Heating Up Hawaii, recently released from Breathless Press, as well as A Vengeful Affair, released by Entangled Publishing last Summer (click here to read my review).

Hi, Aurelia! Thanks so much for having me over your coveted blog ;) 

ACT ONE – all about you…

Carmen Falcone learned at an early age that fantasizing about fictional characters and places beat doing Math homework any day. She traveled the world, achieved a B.A. in Tourism in her hometown in Brazil and was soon invited to work in the USA, where she met her Swiss husband. She’d always dreamed of becoming a published writer, and after her daughter was born, she revisited that dream of writing – this time, unwilling to give it up. She lives in Austin and enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her family and three high energy pugs.

1) Have you always been a writer or is it something you fell into?

I’ve always been a closet writer. I used to write a lot when I was a teenager, then had a long writer’s block. Fortunately, I found my way back into writing a few years ago and haven’t stopped ever since.

2) Do you have a particular writing style or ritual?

I usually like to warm up by checking the news (and by news I mean celebrity gossip websites!) before I dive into writing.

3) Is there a book or an author that has influenced you in your writing?

I read a lot of romance novels by Jacqueline Baird growing up, and always enjoyed her style. She always wrote fast-paced stories filled with passion.

4) Is there one piece of writing (or life?) advice that has stuck with you, or that you would like to share?

Write no matter what. The long writer’s block I endured taught me to use writing as a way of expression and never go too long without doing it.

5) Can you tell us three things about yourself that we probably don’t already know? 

If you read my blog or follow me on twitter, that’s a hard one! LOL. I’m the youngest of six, I lived in California for a year and I’m not circumcised (Sorry, couldn’t resist!).

6) What five luxury items or gadgets would you hate to be without?

iPhone, iPad, kindle, pop corn, laptop. I said pop corn to make sure you were paying attention ;)

ACT TWO – all about your new release…

There is just one person standing between Penny Ashbrook's dream of opening her own PR business or being stuck at her job: the formidable Luc Leoni - her first lover, and the man who lets nothing and no-one get in his way. Seeing him after so long brings all the hidden emotions after a life altering break-up to surface. Pain, denial...and lust.

Luc has made many sacrifices for his career, including Penny Ashbrook, the woman who set his aspirations back a year. But now she has returned and is more alluring than ever. After all these years, he thought a self-made billionaire like himself could master everything, but to resist the strong pull toward the one woman he can't have is an impossible task.

When this unlikely pair is reunited they will have to face the many challenges set in their way, especially an attraction that has only heightened with time and a deadline quickly approaching. Can their new bond surpass old—and new—fears?

7) Congratulations on your recent release of Heating Up Hawaii, what was your inspiration for writing Penny and Luc’s story?

Thank you! I always enjoyed the reunited lovers trope, and was dying to give it a try.

8) Did the story flow from your finger tips or did some scenes take a bit of cajoling?

I’ve made quite some changes from the first draft to the final one, but they all made the story stronger. I think. Please buy it and let me know J

9) How long did it take for the initial spark of the story to make it onto the page and then onto the publisher’s desk? 

It’s hard to know, because I was in between projects and didn’t write this one straight through.

10) Do you have a favourite paragraph or sentence from your story that you would like to tantalise us with?

Sure! I love this section when she sees Luc again after eight years apart, at a networking event.

“But this man… He took a step in her direction, the setting sun illuminating his face as he moved out of the shade. She glanced at him like her eyes were old-fashioned camera lenses, capturing his features in slow motion and adjusting to his figure. His lips, sensual and rich like his clothes, twitched. As soon as her gaze collided with his, her heart skipped a beat for a few seconds only to resume and pound its way out of her beige linen dress.

Luc Leoni.

It couldn't be, could it? To see him again after all these years.

Oh, but it was…”

11) Over to you, what can you tell us about Heating Up Hawaii, to make us rush out and buy it?

Heating Up Hawaii is a sexy contemporary novella filled with sexual tension, strong emotions and compelling characters. If you like reunited lovers, office romances or vacation romances, you’ll enjoy this read!

12) What can we expect from you next? Is there something you are working on right now? 

I have an Entangled Indulgence releasing in December, and I just finished Heating Up Las Vegas, the sequel. I also have a couple of other projects in the works.

QUICK FIRE ROUND – it’s pop quiz time…

13) Plotter or pantser?

Pantser.

14) Secret Seven or Famous Five? (please tell me you know them!?)

Say WHAT? LOL!

15) Digital books or print books?

Digital all the way, baby.

16) Tea or coffee?

I’d have to say tea. I must be the only Brazilian who hates coffee!

17) Cats or dogs?

Dogs.

18) Extrovert or introvert?

Extrovert.

19) Save or spend? 

Spend! ;)

20) Facebook or Twitter?

Facebook

And that’s a wrap!

Thank you so much for taking part, Carmen, I wish you every success with your latest release.

To discover even more about Carmen – and believe me, you want to! – and to keep up with her latest projects and shenanigans, you can visit her at:

Author Website ∙ Goodreads
Twitter ∙ Facebook ∙ Blog

Buy it now…

ISBN: 978-1-77101-962-0

Heat Rating: 3

Word Count: 38240

Release Date: May 3, 2013

Breathless Press

Amazon

Amazon UKNook/Kobo coming soon

Excerpt…

Only a few more months. Penny Ashbrook pressed her folded arms on the metal rail of the rooftop bar. She looked at the pallet of orange, yellow and pink colors dipping into the background as the sun set behind the Dallas skyline. A few more months, and she'd be debt free - and not just monetarily.

Although each day would stretch into the length of a decade, she knew she could handle it. Hell, hadn't she done just that for the past six months? She'd kept her head high and chin up even though her boss's passive aggressiveness often drove her crazy. She'd pretended not to listen when small-minded coworkers whispered behind her back. At thirty, wasn't she too old to be the talk of the office?

With a sigh, she stood straight and squared her shoulders. The much-awaited networking happy hour was not the place for a therapy session. She glanced around her. A sea of people occupied the large outdoor area. Elegantly attired men and women sought new contacts and hot leads while munching on caviar hors d'oeuvres and overpriced liquor.

She decided to stare at the blinding sun one more time, in hopes of extracting enough energy to walk around and get moving. After all, her client list wouldn't just materialize in front of her, would it? She'd had to fight hard and strong to get where she wanted to be.

"Penny, I've just run into an old friend of yours," her boss, Charles Dawn, told her while his fingers lightly touched her elbow. He prompted her to turn toward him and the tall, broad-shouldered man standing next to him.

Penny flashed her signature smile and squinted to get a sharper view of the man in front of her. An oversized palm tree shadowed him.

She guessed he was at least six feet two, which put her at a disadvantage at only five feet six. His dark gray designer suit looked tailor-made to fit the planes of his large chest, and good God, legs that went on and on.

Old friend? She couldn't remember having friends that looked this intimidating—old or current. If she was honest with herself, the few friends she had, all vanished like dust after she'd called off her wedding.

But this man... He took a step in her direction, the setting sun illuminating his face as he moved out of the shade. She glanced at him like her eyes were old-fashioned camera lenses, capturing his features in slow motion and adjusting to his figure. His lips, sensual and rich like his clothes, twitched. As soon as her gaze collided with his, her heart skipped a beat for a few seconds only to resume and pound its way out of her beige linen dress.

Luc Leoni.

It couldn't be, could it? To see him again after all these years.

Oh but it was...

Penny stared into his two-colored eyes—one lighter than a clear blue sky and the other reminiscent of murky seas. Yes, even they were ambiguous.

"Luc." She cleared her throat, and noticed a couple of fine lines around his mismatched pair.

"Penelope." Luc's velvety voice was like a warm caress. His French accent alone lured women to drop their underwear by his bedside. His deep pronunciation of her name hadn't changed... Pen-ay-looh-paay.

Penny stiffened her back, offered him a professional handshake under Charles Dawn's ambitious grin. Although she wished she could kick Luc Leoni where he deserved, she had to swallow her resentment and go along with it.

Luc took her hand in his larger one, and heat coiled low in her stomach. But instead of a professional handshake, he pulled her closer with a swift movement and leaned down. He kissed her on one cheek, his warm lips brushing gently on her skin. The whisper of a touch between his stubbled chin and her other cheek belted a wire of electricity into her system.

Penny smelled his earthy masculine cologne, where rich woodsy notes blended with a light citrus. Luc Leoni was a fantastic gift wrapping for an unworthy product.

He stepped back.

This can't be my imagination... The hot breeze ruffled a few lustrous black strands of his hair, warning her that it was all too real.

"What a small world," Charles said. "I did fail to ask where you two know each other from."

New Contract Signed!

Did somebody mention signing a contract for a SERIES?

Three books, including a PRINT version?

You may just want to pop by my website for the big announcement :-D

The 'Next Big Thing' Blog Hop

I was absolutely convinced that I had already done the 'next big thing' blog hop, but, having scanned through all of my blog posts, it would appear not.

How strange?! 

So what is the 'next big thing' blog hop?

The idea is for me to answer ten questions about my book, and then tag other authors in order to continue the 'hop', not unlike the frog hopping from one lily pad to the next.

I was tagged by Brandi Kennedy (along with Jacinta Maree), and looking back along the trail of lily pads, I can see Brandi was tagged by Michelle Turner, who was tagged by Ferris Robinson, who was tagged by Patricia Zick, who was tagged by Lynn Thompson, who...no, I'd probably be here all day if I listed all of them.

As you can see though, the hop is never ending. The beauty of it is, aside from Jacinta, I hadn't come across any of these authors nor their books until I was introduced to Brandi for this blog hop.
Like a newly planted tree, the roots are of the blog hop are bedded into the ground, giving the tree a firm footing and allowing the branches to spread even wider and reach more people.

But enough with the rambling and the excessive use of poetic license (please excuse the verbal diarrhoea, it's been the half-term school holidays and I've not managed any writing all week so my brain is rebelling), I shall finally get on with it.

Ten questions about...

Matilda 'Tilly' Carter didn't think her day could get any worse, but even Christmas had just been cancelled.

The one girl Dean Watson has sworn never to have—never even expected to see again—just flared back into his life and into his home—his sanctuary—like she belonged there. Christmas would certainly be more bearable with Tilly around though…

As the chinks in Dean's armor appear, Tilly seizes the chance to win her knight once and for all. She's not about to take no for answer—not this time—but Dean must resist, even as his heart rebels and temptation threatens to undermine his resolve.

Win or lose? Love or honor? Which will Dean choose? Assuming he gets a choice…

1: Was Christmas is Cancelled always the title of this book, even when it was a work in progress?

Christmas is Cancelled became 'A Resolution Too Far' for a while, when I was having to try and make it fit a New Year call-out, but it reverted to Christmas is Cancelled. I still love my title, so much so, the sequel will be called Christmas is Cancelled... Again!.

2: Where did the idea come from for the book?

I saw a call-out by Entangled Publishing for holiday themed stories up to 15k words. I stared at the blank screen long enough to get a spark and it took off from there. The first half was definitely writing by the seat of my pants, but by then, I knew the characters and could roughly outline the rest. It was a shock when Dean confessed his past, that's for sure!

3: What genre does your book fall under?

It is a Christmas-themed contemporary romance.

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I don't know! I really don't watch much TV and rarely get to the cinema. Sorry. When I was writing the book though, I had the young Hugh Jackman as inspiration for Dean but with a twist. Tilly would need to be a feisty redhead, although when I was writing her, I used Alyson Hannigan for inspiration.

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Christmas is Cancelled is a contemporary romance set in the UK during the Christmas holiday and is based around a chance reunion with Tilly and her older brother’s best friend, Dean, at a time when Tilly’s carefully constructed world has collapsed around her, as well as being a tale of unrequited love, or at least that’s what Tilly thinks.

6: Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

My book was immediately contracted by Breathless Press and released in December 2012.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I started on the eve of May 30th, then put it aside on July 16th. The characters had other ideas though, so I picked it up again on August 28th and after a frantic couple of days submitted it to Breathless Press on September 1st. All in all, it looks like under three months then, with only evenings, weekends, and snatched moments to write, fitting in around my young children who will always come first.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

There is a touch of Harlequin/Mills & Boon feel to my story, with a dash of suspense and mystery, and some pretty hot - but non-explicit - love scenes making it more of a sexy romantic read but using the Christmas holiday as the turning point. I guess it could be compared with other Christmas romances of that ilk, but I couldn't actually name one for you right now.

9: Who/what inspired you to write this book?

There wasn't any particular inspiration for the story, but the location was very much inspired by the beautiful area in the UK I call home. Local readers may recognise the inspiration for some of the landmarks and scenery described.

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

If you're looking for an erotic read then this isn't it, but if you're looking for a good old romance, one that will make you smile, sit on the edge of your seat, and sigh with content, then this could be just what you're looking for. You don't even have to take my word for it, just check out the reviews on Amazon and Goodreads.

So there you have it!

If you like the sound of my debut novella, you can buy Christmas is Cancelled right now using the links below. If you'd like more information, you can find it on over my website where you can also read the first chapter for free...

Buy it now...

ISBN: 978-1-77101-938-5

Word count: 40,458 / Heat level: 3 (steamy, but non-explicit)

Breathless Press (all formats/currencies)

Amazon

Amazon UK

All Romance eBooks

Bookstrand

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble (coming soon)

iTunes (coming soon)

Tag-time...

The time has come to tag some other authors so first up is Carmen Falcone, my fabulous crit partner, because I want to hear lots more about her latest book and what else she's been up to. (And just because I'm evil, she hasn't got a clue this is coming, unlike the others :-D )

Website   Blog   Facebook   Twitter

Next up is Téa Cooper, who has been a great support to me since I started this writing lark and most definitely helped me get up to speed quickly.

Website   Blog   Facebook   Twitter

And last, but by no means least is Emma Mills, who not only writes WitchBlood, one of my favourite YA paranormal series with both witches and vampires - and did I mention angels and zombies? - she is also a friend and fellow local author.

Website/blog   Facebook   Twitter

Take it away lovely ladies!!

(And thank you all for adding a touch of glamour to today's blog post. Wowsers!)

I'm going on a Book Blurb Blitz!

I'm off on my virtual travels again soon, so keep your eyes peeled over the coming days if you want to be in with a shout of winning a $20 dollar Breathless Press gift card (that could actually buy you quite a few books, you know!)


Check out the Blurb Blitz hosts' blogs, which I'll also be sharing the links to, so 'like' me on Facebook or 'follow' me on Twitter if you don't want to miss out on your chance to enter and win.

Even better, I get to travel with friends - hurrah!!

And here is where we'll be stopping off, so remember to pop by and say "hi", but please bear in mind that some of these blogs may be of an 'adult' nature.

Jan 28:  Stephanie's Book Shelf
Jan 28:  STOP 2  Urban Girl Reader
Jan 29:  Erzabet's Enchantments
Jan 29:  STOP 2  Musings From An Addicted Reader
Jan 30:  Of Kink, Romance, and Writing
Jan 30:  STOP 2 Wendi Zwaduk
Jan 31:  See Jane Publish
Feb 1:  Donna's Blog Home

Good luck!

Giveaway: The Captain's Christmas by Leona Bushman

The Captain's Christmas
by Leona Bushman

Buy links below

While on a rescue mission, Faraway must save her ship from pirates before they destroy her Christmas.

Captain Faraway Hastings sets off on what she thinks is a regular rescue mission, even if it did have the bad timing to be on Christmas. Disparate reports from the medical officer and captain of the downed ship cause her to look more closely at the situation.

Ethan Roarke, lieutenant commander and chief medical officer, is frustrated with the time it's taking for help to come. When he learns that his captain has neglected to inform their rescuers of the dire straits his people are in, he's angry and concerned. But worse, his loyalties are now torn between his captain who lied and the one trying to save them.

When Fara and Ethan meet, the attraction is immediate and strong despite the circumstances. Can Fara and Ethan discover the pirates hidden amongst them before they kill everyone on the ship? Or are they doomed to miss out on their chance of a Merry Christmas?

Scroll down for excerpt & giveaway

About the author...

Leona Bushman

Leona Bushman lives in Eastern Washington with her husband and children writing, painting, gardening, running, camping, or just reading or crafting. She also loves to swim but rarely gets a chance to as she's busy chasing after the three of five children still left at home. Sassy and saucy, she can be found writing about her trials and errors as a mom and writer at the following places:

Blog    Website   Facebook

If you want more of her, she's found on Twitter as often as not at @L_Bushman just follow and don't be a spammer. She follows back if you look like a real person. Besides werewolves, she also likes zombies, vampires, dragons, and fairies. You're likely to catch her attention if you talk to her about any of the above. Or sports. She loves sports but rarely gets a chance to indulge that love. So speak up! Disclaimer: Watch out, she bites :D

Books currently out with Breathless Press:

The Ulfric's Mate: Book 1 in The War of the Weres series
Ravaged Anthology

Rick Sexed Up the Doc (Naughty Nursery Rhyme) 

Excerpt from The Captain's Christmas...

"I assure you, my people can count. And the tally with the last group waiting below is," she pushed some buttons on her wrist unit. "Seven hundred twenty eight men, women, and children. Would you like the breakdown?"

"I'm telling you. I have a complete list of our manifest here, and there are less than six hundred people, sir."

They stared at each other. "Well," she said after a beat of silence. "It seems we have ourselves some stowaways. Possibly—likely—dangerous ones."

"The other ship. I didn't think about it, but there were two main directions that the largest groups came from. That means," he stopped and looked to see if she'd had the same thought.

"That means, Lieutenant Commander Medical Officer Ethan Roarke, that as I'd suspected before landing my first shuttle there, the enemy is amongst us."

"Why would they do that? Why would my captain not tell me or you?"

"You know him better than I, but my take is he's trying to protect us. That, in his opinion, telling us would put us in more danger than not knowing. I happen to disagree. Knowledge is power in my experience."

"And mine," he replied. "It's not like him to withhold this type of information from me. He'd normally want me to be apprised so I can adequately prepare my medical team for the right kind of injuries. Have you asked the first officer?"

"No. I will do so once everyone's on board."

"He's in sickbay from injuries during the walk."

"Thank you for the information. In the meantime, keep your eyes and ears open. It goes without saying that I don't like having an enemy on my ship."

"Any more than I like that my captain may be responsible for allowing it to happen." Somehow, during the last part of their conversation, their voices had become quieter, as if they were afraid of being overheard. He'd placed himself so they were practically touching by the last word. When she said ship, a puff of air had landed on his lips. Their closeness made the tone of his response sound intimate as he dropped his volume in reaction to her closeness.

"I don't like hotheaded medics," she whispered.

"And I don't like pushy, bossy captains," he replied just as softly.

"Then you're going to hate me," she said and kissed him.

Buy links...

Breathless Press

Amazon UK

Amazon
All Romance eBooks
Bookstrand

Giveaway...

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The Road to Publishing: Release Day

It's here!

It's FINALLY here!!!

I'll try and keep this brief, as I seem to be turning up all over the place with the blog tour posts, reviews, unexpected guest blog spots (keep your eyes peeled for a recipe today) and book spotlights, etc.

Yes, in case you hadn't guessed... it's release day.

I've had a good amount of pre-orders on my publisher's site, and then yesterday I appeared on All Romance Books, and Bookstrand. Just as I was shutting down for the night last night, I happened to look at Amazon and was live on there too. This morning, I've gone live on my publisher's, so if you pre-ordered a copy, you can now go back in and download if (and thank you!).

So, now I just have to sit and watch the reviews come in - so far, so good from the ARCs that went out - and see who adds Christmas is Cancelled to their Goodreads bookshelf, whilst trying not to stalk my sales figures too much. And because you're all special here on my blog, here's a little treat for you... you can read the whole first chapter here.

Speaking of sales, here are the all-important buy links:

Breathless Press
Amazon
Amazon UK
All Romance Books
Bookstrand

Links for Barnes & Noble, and iBooks will follow when they go live, but they could be a few days.

If you do happen to buy my book, I hope you like it - actually, I hope you LOVE it - and please consider leaving a review for me.

The Road to Publishing: Pre-Order!

Don't you just love this, despite the spelling mistake...

Aside from a little update to my 'All Set' post, I haven't really shouted on here that my book is now available to pre-order.

Yes. It's happening... IT'S REALLY HAPPENING!

You can now pre-order Christmas is Cancelled over at my publishers website, in your preferred choice of digital format, from ePub, to mobi (kindle), to Lit, PDB, PDF, Sony and Rocket. There is also a choice of currencies: US Dollar, GB Pound, Euro, Canadian Dollar and Australian Dollar, which hopefully covers the majority of readers.

And a huge thank you to those who have bought Christmas is Cancelled already, although, sometimes I wish I didn't have real-time sales figures!!

Christmas is Cancelled will get onto Amazon sometime on or after its release on December 21st, but will take a while to get onto Barnes & Noble, and iBooks. I shall share links as when they go live.

Christmas is Cancelled is also up on Goodreads, and I'd be delighted if you could add it to your virtual shelf to help spread the word. Click 'add book' and you won't even have to leave the page (I think!)

My paranoia of reviews is also building up nicely, with a number of review sites/blogs accepting Christmas is Cancelled for review, with special review copies winging their way to them right now. EEK!

Are you all following me on my blog tour, by the way, it's been fun getting out and about? You might just want to keep your eyes peeled for some giveaways whilst I'm off on my travels...

The Road to Publishing: Cover Art

Did you see the big reveal earlier?

I was so excited when my cover art landed in my inbox. It is fabulous with a huge, great capital F.

So, just in case you missed it on my News page, here you go...

Out December 2012

Do you like it?

The Road to Publishing: Edits

Sunday morning saw the arrival of my first round of edits.

You can probably imagine my trepidation at opening the MS Word document, waiting as it loaded and filled my screen.

Yikes... track changes... lots of them. As well as a lot of yellow highlights. And then there were the editor's comments. Gulp!

First things first, I read it all through from start to finish - the track changes and comments, not the manuscript - to see where I had 'gone wrong' and to try and figure out just how much I had to do.

Which was when I got a rather pleasant surprise - being called 'a delight' by my editor should have given me a clue but hey, it's my first time and I wasn't sure what to expect. Upon closer inspection, I realised it was all minor things, like curly apostrophes instead of straight ones (which I really need to find the checkbox for). Aside from a few 'awkward' or 'run on' sentences, my biggest problem was repetition; you don't want to know how many sentences started with either 'he' or 'she', or how many times I used 'but'.

The content itself? No problems it would seem... WOW... can you imagine my happy dance yet?

So, the first thing I did was accept the track changes for all the niggly, silly things. Great... job done. No issues there. Then it was back to the beginning to work through the modifications required... not quite as straightforward, trying to find different ways to open a sentence without using he or she all the time. I did it though, fixing my awkward or run on (overly complex, long-winded) sentences as I went through.

A last read through and it was all done so I sent it back to my editor, but then my round two edits appeared in my inbox too. There were only a few track changes though, taking no time at all and I sent them back straight away. Sometimes there can be third or fourth round edits but apparently my writing is 'very tight' and I'm done.

Now it's been passed over for 'line edits', whatever they are, and that should be the final tweak for my book. After that, I'll need to nail down the blurb and my author bio etc, and hopefully get a release date. All I need now is my cover art and I happen to know it is with the cover artist and should be done this month.

It's coming together very nicely indeed, even if I do say so myself.

The Road to Publishing: Contract

It's official!

The contract has been electronically signed, sealed and delivered...

 All rights reserved by frankselmo
WANA Commons

And I have a confession to make! I found it in my spam folder; it had been sitting there for a couple of days - oops! - but it's signed now.

So what happens next?

"Your editor will be in contact with you shortly to get an editing schedule hammered out. They should also send you a pre-edit checklist to get your manuscript prepped for the editing phase. During edits, our Art Director will send you a cover art form for your input on what the cover should look like. After edits, there will be a round of Line Edits and a round of proofing before it's handed in to layout to produce the multiple formats we sell."

GULP!

I also need to work on an author bio, but at least I've got the cover art request out of the way. It looks like I'm in for an interesting - and most likely hectic - couple of weeks or so getting the revisions and edits through and sent back but I can't wait to see my story take shape and get better with each stage!

In the meantime, I'm cracking on with Their Last Goodbye so that I have something to follow Christmas is Cancelled sooner rather than later. It's not like I can expect a Christmas book to sell all year round now, can I? Back to the grindstone then. But yeah, I'll admit...

I love it!!

The Road to Publishing: Cover Art Request

Dreamstime image

Just a quickie to let you know the next stage of Christmas is Cancelled seems to be racing along at a fair pace. 

Last night I received a cover art request through from Breathless Press. How unreal is that? Especially as I haven't actually received the contract yet.

The Art Director needed details and any thoughts I had about my cover, along with a short summary of the story and any relevant links or images. I answered all of the questions, hopefully with enough information, and inserted my images then hit 'send'. 

Now the wait begins but I really can't wait to see what the experts come up with for my book cover...

Thank You For Your Support! (Quick Update)

Wow! Thank you all so much for your wonderful messages! I'm really touched that so many of you have left comments, both here and Facebook, and sent texts etc. (See blog: Drumroll please... if you have no idea what I'm talking about.)

It still seems unbelievable that I'm on the next stage of my writing journey already - my writing career, in fact! - but I suspect it's all going to get a little bit crazy over the next couple of months as the revisions fly in. I can't wait to see what my cover will look like as Breathless Press do really great artwork and, in my opinion, produce some of the best covers in the business.

Anyway, I can now confirm that Christmas is Cancelled will be published in December as an ebook so I hope you'll all be poised to purchase a copy - whether you have a ebook reader or not (there's an app for everything now if you have a smartphone or computer, so no excuses) - and become a proud owner  of my debut novel.

EEK!

Drumroll please...

It seems quite crazy to think that this time last year, I wasn't writing romance - I wasn't actually writing my Young Adult story either come to think of it - but then, early in October, the idea for a Cinderella themed story was born and took hold. I plotted it all out, scene by scene, I came up with my characters and their GMC (goals, motivation and conflict) and then figured out that I should probably learn 'how' to write - just a slight hold-up(!) - and then, of course, try to put what I learnt into practice.

Even back in those very early days, I knew I had to start building a support network and an online platform, should I ever actually get anything written, so, on the 18th October 2011, I came up with my pen name and created my Facebook page - the same day that I put pen to paper to plot out my Cinderella tale, in fact. Within a month, I had created this blog as well, to plot the progress of my writing journey and also share my passion for reading. (I've discovered I really love blogging and it's a delight to see my page-views clocking up and repeat visitors coming back so thank you.)

At about the same time as creating this new alter-ego, I stumbled across the new talent competition that Mills & Boon were running, called New Voices, but I'd already missed the cut-off for the first stage so even if I'd managed to get anything written, I was too late. But that didn't stop me from joining the M&B New Voices group on Facebook where I have since met so many talented writers, both published and aspiring, and hope that I can count many as friends. I've also met two fabulous authors, Téa Cooper and Carmen Falcone, who have been invaluable as critique partners. Oddly enough, they are on opposite sides of the world with me in the middle, so a big hooray for the internet!

So why is all of this starting to sound like an acceptance speech for the Oscars, I hear you cry?

Well... you see... in the space of ten months - ish - (and with the support of my husband and the understanding of my friends), I have gone from not writing anything at all, to writing something publishable. Yes, I know there was the contract offer a couple of months ago, but at that point I hadn't even finished a manuscript. Now, not only have I finished a manuscript, last week I submitted it in full to Breathless Press for their Holiday Cheer call-out (see blog post: A Week of Submission).

Breathless Press website

I am delighted to announce that my 40k word novella, Christmas is Cancelled, has been snapped up by Breathless Press. Yes, I am going to be published and can strike the 'aspiring' from my job title and become a fully fledged author. Woo hoo! I was going to wait until the contract was signed but that will be a couple of days and it didn't seem fair to keep you hanging on. I don't have any further details right now, but you can rest assured I will be posting updates as and when I can.

Taking up writing has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, and to think I'm only dabbling when I can at the moment, attempting to hone my skills, until Little Miss starts school full-time next year. It's safe to say I have smashed the writing part of my New Year's Resolutions though and it doesn't actually feel real yet...

(ETA: See blog post: Thank You for an update)

A Week of Submission

No, we're not talking BDSM here, we're talking about sending your little creations out into the big wide world of publishers and opening yourself up to the very real possibility of rejection.

Gulp!