Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Monday, November 26, 2012

Guest Blogger - Keira Kroft

A warm welcome to my guest Keira Kroft.

Here is Keira's bio - Keira carries a vet assistance degree. Her love for animals is as great as her love of people. She gives a percentage of her personal book sale profits to the animal welfare league. Residing in a quiet suburb in the outskirts Chicago with her husband and daughter she spends any spare time she has working with her cats Scamper and Sawyer, to achieve total world domination, one shared Twinkie at a time. Her passions include Reading, Writing, Football, Comic Books and Family.

Here's the blurb for her latest release - Glow in the Dark

Women melt around smokin’ hot Chicago fire fighter Jake Gilroy like butter in a hot pan, getting him dubbed the clichéd and rather false moniker…“the ladies man”. Yet, he never had an interest in anyone, until he meets Corey. She’s different and doesn’t seem to be turning into a pool of goo around him. He wants her and must have her. But she is already taken so he can’t have her…can he?

At first Corey Nolan is resistant to Jake’s advances until a series of events proves that the love between her and her dead beat boyfriend have dissipated a long time ago. It’s then that she begins to think that she and Jake just might have a chance at something real. Until—it becomes clear that someone is stalking her and killing off the people she loves and that her need for Jake may be more than desire—it may be a matter of life and death...

An an excerpt!

Jake slid his fingers down her arm and across her wrist. A spark lit through her. She gasped and her gaze locked with his. She made no attempt to draw away. Corey couldn’t…she didn’t want to.

“How is it?” He glanced at her scraped and bruised elbow.

Coming out of the trance, she lifted her arm and showed him the slight injury. “Oh, it’s fine.”

“I would have been over sooner, but the other guys got you, and I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed.”

Corey couldn’t conjure up a response. What he said, and how he said it, turned her knees to jelly. She felt like the high school girl who was just noticed by the popular jock. She couldn’t stop staring at his soft, dark brown eyes, even though a sensible voice in her head told her to just walk away and forget him.

“I’m very sorry. But I really have to go.” She peeked around his massive chest to the men beyond. “It was so nice meeting you guys,” she called over, waving. She turned to pick up her bike, then pushed it along and hopped on.

“Stop by anytime,” she heard Jake yell behind her.

She smiled but didn’t turn around. Glancing at her watch, she’d realized she was supposed to have started her first day of work eight minutes ago. Fear made her pedal faster.

She hoped she hadn’t lost the job already. But what if she did? How would she pay rent? How would she feed Molly?

Glow in the dark is available from: Amazon.com as e book and also as a paperback. Perfect for Christmas for the keen romance reader!

Keira loves to hear from readers and you can find her here:

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Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving Bloghop

Along with some of my lovely colleagues at Astraea Press I'm taking part in this Thanksgiving Bloghop. There are lots of prizes on offer and some great authors to be discovered, and, although I'm obviously not American I think we should all take time to be thankful for the special people in our lives.

*Five things I'm thankful for.

1. My faith - I rarely speak about my faith or the part it plays in my life but I am thankful.

2. My family - Mr Nell and the belles and my wider family. I am so very lucky and blessed.

3. My Friends - I have fantastic friends - some I've known for many years, some I've never met in person but who are dear to me.

4. Books - Without books the world would be a darker, narrower place. Many times a book has helped me through a difficult time in my life.

5. Life - With all it's ups, downs, bad times, great times and challenges I'm thankful that I am me and I live now with people I love.

Finally, last but certainly not least I'm thankful for the people who buy my books, read my stories and who let me know that they are enjoying them. I appreciate all of you very much.

Leave me a comment and your name will go into a draw for a chance to win a pdf of The Cinderella Substitute - drawing will be at the end of the hop on November 23rd.

Here’s the blurb! In the two years since the tragic car crash that killed his fiancée, Nathanial (Nate) Mayer has successfully avoided another relationship. His family and especially his twin sister Nathalie are worried. Jennifer (Jenni) Blake is Nate’s personal assistant. Hired after the accident, she has her own problems to deal with, including the deaths of her adoptive parents and the debts incurred by their nursing care. But those difficulties pale into insignificance when Jenni finally traces her birth mother…

Now the next important bit! The next stop on the Blog Hop is to WENDY Go take a look and enter her contest - Happy Hopping and Happy Thanksgiving!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Passionate Harvest - FREE! this weekend!

Yes, you read it right. Passionate Harvest is FREE this weekend - a special gift from the fabby E-Scape Press to coincide with The Festival of Romance!

Please be aware Passionate Harvest is NOT one of my sweet reads! Nursery nurse Lucy Morgan, unexpectedly inherits half a Somerset vineyard with conditions and a co-owner attached.

Unwilling co-owner Dominic LeFevre, doesn’t want or need a new business partner, especially one who knows nothing about wine.

With Lucy having left behind her old life, and love in Tenerife, she has twelve months to convince Dominic that she’s exactly what both he, and the business, need.

Here’s an excerpt!

Dominic waited until he was on an open stretch of road before cranking up the volume on the CD player and belting out his favourite rock band. He couldn’t believe he’d come so close to kissing Lucy. God, how stupid would that have been? He rubbed a tired hand at the back of his neck in an attempt to ease the tension in the muscles there.

She’d looked so sad and tired with her borrowed tee shirt sliding off one slim shoulder revealing more of the tan on her soft skin. He hadn’t done a great job at convincing her to take up her inheritance. A five mile route march in blatantly unsuitable shoes and allowing his dog to maul her and ruin her clothes maybe wasn’t the best way to commence a business partnership.

“Way to go, Dom.” He muttered to himself. Mutley gave a small whine of agreement from the back of the car.

“And some help you were too.” Dom shook his head.

His mobile phone vibrated in the back pocket of his jeans as he pulled the car to a stop outside his cottage. He glanced at the screen and let the call go to voice mail. The vultures had started circling as soon as Nick’s death announcement had appeared in the press. A couple of them had even approached him about a partnership whilst he’d been at the funeral trying to commend themselves to him.

It had been partly why he’d been so angry with Lucy when she’d arrived late. At the time, not knowing the full story of her connection with Nick, he’d assumed she was yet another one of those waiting to pounce on the business. Mr Fullwood had hinted to him that Nick had left Lucy an interest in the vineyard. He hadn’t known it would be the entire fifty per cent of the holding. At the time he’d assumed it would be simply a couple of shares.

© Nell Dixon 2012 Available FREE Amazon.com and here at AMAZON UK

Friday, November 16, 2012

Guest Blogger - Iris Blobel

A warm welcome to Iris Blobel, a fellow Astraea author to talk about her fabulous new release - Innocent Tears.

Becoming a parent can be daunting at the best of times, but for Flynn, a business lawyer in Melbourne, it almost pulls the feet from right underneath him. He’s become a father to six-year-old Nadine literally overnight! He had no idea about her existence, and the news throws him into chaos, even more so when he is asked to take over custody. With the help of Emma, an employee at the hotel where Nadine and her grandparents are staying, and his parents, Flynn tries to do the right thing. Yet, the right thing in his eyes differs from his parents’, and Emma is voicing her opinion as well. And right in the middle is little Nadine, still grieving the loss of her mother and finding a wonderful friend in Emma. There’s no doubt she’s afraid where and with whom she will settle. But in the end, it’s a letter Flynn receives that helps him figuring out what to do.

Here's an excerpt!

“My Mum is dead.” Somewhat startled by this statement, Emma peeked over the reception desk into beautiful green eyes that belonged to a cute little girl with brown curly hair and a freckled button nose. She couldn’t help but smile. There was something in the girl’s eyes that held a hint of mischief and curiosity, as well as some sadness, and Emma was drawn to her instantly.

“Nadine!” The stern voice of an elderly woman approaching the reception caused Emma to nearly jump out of her skin. The girl stiffened with eyes wide open. “My apologies for that,” the woman said to Emma, though her expression didn’t actually reveal any signs of apologies. The woman’s face reflected a life of bitterness, the lines appearing deep and weathered.

Emma smiled. “No need to.”

An elderly man joined them, and after a brief nod of acknowledgment she asked, “May I help you?”

“Yes. We would like to check in. Gibbs. William and Teresa Gibbs,” the woman replied.

Emma typed the name on the keyboard, and while she waited for the details, she smiled at the girl, and asked, “Holidays?”

Nadine’s face spread into a small smile, but it was enough to show she had her two top teeth missing. “And I see the tooth fairy has been to see you recently.”

“Excuse me–” Mrs. Gibbs glanced at Emma’s name badge. “–Emma. Can we proceed with the check-in please?”

“My apologies, ma’am.” Emma read the details on the screen, made a few notes and turned around to activate the automated door card in the back office. All the while, she felt Mrs. Gibbs’ glare on her and instinctively pulled on her navy uniform skirt feeling slightly uncomfortable. Emma sighed inwardly.

In her early twenties and she still lacked confidence in what other people thought of her. Tucking a lock of her curly, tawny hair behind her ear, she tried to keep a positive attitude because, after all, she loved working at the “All Stars” Hotel in Melbourne. It was something she always wanted to do – to greet people to this beautiful city, and make their stay as comfortable as possible. And she was often told how popular she was with staff and guests alike for her positive attitude, her generous heart and kind spirit.

“Ma’am, that’d be room five-o-two. If you go to the right over there, take the lift to the fifth floor and follow the hall to the near end, you will find room five-o-two on your right.”

Teresa Gibbs took the card from Emma and turned it in her hands.

“Ma’am, you slide that into the door instead of a key. I’m happy to ask someone to come with you and show–”

“I’ll be fine thank you.” And Mrs. Gibbs turned to go.

Emma leaned across the counter and smiled at Nadine. “Enjoy your holidays,” she said and winked. “And come see me sometime to tell me about the tooth fairy.”

“We’re not on a holiday,” the girl said in almost a whisper. “We’re here to meet my dad.” Then she hopped off after Mr. And Mrs. Gibbs, who Emma assumed were the little girl’s grandparents. Emma wondered about that remark and then remembered what the girl had said about her mother. She watched as Mrs. Gibbs rushed her husband and Nadine into the lift, and the door slid shut.

A familiar voice startled her. “Emma! Come on, stop dreaming.”

Emma turned around and saw her colleague Jack standing next to her. She smiled. “Jack! Where’ve you been?”

He lifted one side of his mouth. “Morning tea.”

“Are you for real? You’ve been gone for an hour.”

Grinning, he ruffled her hair. “Another bad hair day?”

She gently pushed him away and rolled her eyes. “You’re avoiding the subject!”

With raised eyebrows he asked, “Which subject?”

She poked her tongue out at him. Why should I care if he gets into trouble!

“Miss Gallagher!” The familiar authoritative voice came from behind them.

Emma startled and with heat creeping up her cheeks she slowly turned, only to see her boss standing behind her. “My apologies, Mr. Morgan,” she said with a tilt of her head. Deep inside she cursed Jack. Out of the corner of her eye she saw him attending to a guest. Typical of him to leave her to vices. Leo Morgan’s square jaw tensed visibly. A man in his midforties, he was still handsome with his olive skin. Even though the hair showing the first signs of grey around his temples, it suited him well and emphasised his blue eyes. He took a deep breath and stepped slightly closer. “Listen Emma,” he whispered. “I only hear good things about you. People like you and you have a good–” he paused seemingly trying to find the right word, “–let’s call it repute. But there’s a certain standard here, and I need you to uphold that. Are we understood?”

She nodded. “Yes, sir”

“Good. Now, go and do your job and whatever it is between you two, keep it outside the hotel.”

She stood straight. “But there is nothing–”

“Miss Gallagher!”

“Yes, sir. Understood.”

Emma turned around and checked-in the next few guests. It was only after she had finished her shift that she was able to talk to Jack.

“Thanks for getting me into trouble again.”

Jack placed his arm around her, and gave her a kiss on her forehead. “Sorry for that. But you seem to attract this guy.”

“Yes, and it’s exactly every time when I muck up, his focus seems to land on me.”

“You’ll be right. How about dinner at my place?”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Jerk!”

He grinned, and held his arms up in defence. “What?”

Where you can buy “Innocent Tears” Amazon Amazon UK Barnes & Noble Where you can find Iris Blobel online: Official Blog: http://www.iris-b.blogspot.com Twitter @_iris_b: Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4067254 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/irisblobel

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Guest Blogger - Lisa Greer

Thanks for having me as your guest today, Nell!

Just by way of introduction, I'm Lisa Greer, and I write gothic romance and romance. On occasion, I also write sweet romance as Lorraine James. This coming year, I’m doing something different—a Kickstarter project. I really enjoy writing serials, and I like rolling them out as serials were meant to be done: in quick succession. These are mini-stories with cliffhangers at the end. They compose a larger tale—in this case, a spooky one set in the mid-1800s that follows the inhabitants of the Sorrowmoor estate. I love to include all kinds of gothic romance tropes in my work like secret chambers, diaries, curses, ghosts, spooky graveyards, family secrets, heroines in distress, Byronic heroes, and more. If that's your speed, I think you'll enjoy these serials.

The goal I’ve set for funding for the project is where it needs to be to cover the rewards, cover art, editing, formatting and other expenses. And it is pretty reasonable for a Kickstarter project goal from what I can tell. I want to have enough money to complete the project in a way I’m happy with and in a timely manner, and most importantly, to give value to readers. That isn’t always possible unless as an author, I have control over the publishing process. That’s where my project, Sorrowmoor, comes in. I’m planning at least twenty historical gothic romance serials over the course of 2013. My motto is under-promise and over-deliver in terms of what I’ve outlined for the serials. So, it’s likely I’ll have more than twenty serials or that they’ll be lengthier than the minimum of 2000 words each. These will land in backers’ inboxes (unless backers don’t want them in that format), and I’ll also put the serials in a combined e-book edition with a fabulous cover and a print edition that looks equally great. I’m planning lots of other cool stuff, too!

So, how can you get some good reads and back the project? If you have a dollar, that’s a start. There are all sorts of levels to back Sorrowmoor, so please take a look. If you don’t like gothic romance (which is romantic suspense, just with paranormal elements), you can support the project and gift your rewards to a friend who will enjoy these serials. It’s like a year-round Christmas gift.

I appreciate the backing I have so far, and I’m really excited about this project! Check it out if you have a minute, and tell a friend who might enjoy reading these stories. You can see the video about Sorrowmoor and learn more here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1394602435/sorrowmoor-historical-gothic-romance-in-serial-for#project-faqs

Thank you all for reading and supporting my endeavors as a working writer!

Friday, November 02, 2012

The Cinderella Substitute is out!

Here’s the blurb! In the two years since the tragic car crash that killed his fiancée, Nathanial (Nate) Mayer has successfully avoided another relationship. His family and especially his twin sister Nathalie are worried. Jennifer (Jenni) Blake is Nate’s personal assistant. Hired after the accident, she has her own problems to deal with, including the deaths of her adoptive parents and the debts incurred by their nursing care. But those difficulties pale into insignificance when Jenni finally traces her birth mother… Available from all good etailers including: AMAZON UK and AMAZON.COM