Be My Hero is award nominated!

I recieved an email from InD’Tale magazine which said 'We went to extensive labor to create and present the most credible and prestigious award in the industry today. Our three round system of elimination covers every facet - highly reviewed, loved by fans, and critiqued by qualified judges. No other award system today begins to compare, making the RONE award the very highest of honors bestowed on a book in the publishing industry.Because your book, Be My Hero, received the high review rating of a 4 star or better, it has continued to the second, public voting phase for the 2012, RONE Awards. In this phase the readers will be narrowing down the contestants to 4 - 6 finalists in each genre by choosing the books they love best.'

Eek!!!!!!

Pretty, pretty please take a few minutes and vote for me. I know I won't get through this round but it'll save me from feeling like Billy no mates. VOTE HERE

The finalists in this round will then be read and judged by a group of professionals in the industry to determine the very best in indie and small published books of 2012. They will then be awarded the prestigious RONE award, itself, at the formal ceremonies, August 9th, at the Golden Nugget Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It's so lovely when someone really gets your story and I knew this was a tough story. The heroine has a very real life dilemna so it wasn't your typical romance. I'm thrilled to bits that the reviewer loved it and it's up for this amazing award!

Behind the scenes of Be My Hero

I'm guesting and giving away more copies of Be My Hero today over at FLY HIGH as a guest of the lovely Maria. There is quite a story behind Be My Hero - one that is very personal to me and my family. Pop over and take a look.

I'm visiting Kate Hardy today!

My lovely friend, Kate Hardy is celebrating the publication of her 50th book! I'm guesting there today and you could win a pdf of Be My Hero!Go over and congratulate her!

Be My Hero - Out today!

Nathalie Mayer is thirty-four. On the surface she is an attractive, happy, single, successful woman running her own bridal business. Despite her line of work and her obvious delight in other people’s weddings, including that of her twin brother, Nate. Nathalie has always declared that a settled relationship is not for her. There has only ever been one man whom Nathalie felt she could love. Evan Davies is back in town after a six year absence. Last time he was here, he and Nathalie had tentatively begun to take their friendship to a different level. Now he’s home again and has the reason for his sudden departure from six years ago with him – his daughter, Polly. Available on Amazon UK And Amazon.com And here on Nook book

Be My Hero - releasing September 4th

Available once more as an e book September 4th from Astraea Press. It's also available as an audiobook from Audiolark and will soon be available as a large print edition too!

Be My Hero audiobook - out tomorrow

Be My Hero – available as an audiobook July 19th from AUDIOLARK

Nathalie Mayer is thirty-four. On the surface she is an attractive, happy, single, successful woman running her own bridal business. Despite her line of work and her obvious delight in other people’s weddings, including that of her twin brother, Nate. Nathalie has always declared that a settled relationship is not for her. There has only ever been one man whom Nathalie felt she could love.
Evan Davies is back in town after a six year absence. Last time he was here, he and Nathalie had tentatively begun to take their friendship to a different level. Now he’s home again and has the reason for his sudden departure from six years ago with him – his daughter, Polly.

The shop bell jangled again and a delivery man came in with an enormous basket of dark red roses.
“Oh, aren’t those gorgeous!” Gemma and Karen exclaimed together.
“Delivery for a Miss Nathalie Mayer?” The man read from a clipboard he carried in his other hand.
“Tali, they’re for you,” Gemma breathed.
“Wow, you must have an admirer?” Karen’s face was alive with curiosity.
Nathalie quickly took the basket from the man. “Thank you.” She moved away and rested the flowers on the counter. Karen and Gemma crowded around as the delivery man left.
“Open the card,” Gemma urged.
“Who are they from?” Karen asked.
Nathalie’s hand trembled as she slid the small white card from the envelope, even though she already knew who they must be from.
“Evan!” Karen announced in a triumphant voice before Nathalie had a chance to hide the card from view.
Nathalie pushed the card into the pocket of her jacket. “Can you take these through into the back of the shop please, Gemma?”
Gemma looked puzzled. “I’ll put them in your office.”
“Just friends, hmm?” Karen queried.
“The flowers were a thank-you for something I’d given his daughter,” Nathalie fibbed. She didn’t want Karen to spread her private life all over town. Unfortunately, she had a feeling it might already be too late. Karen had drawn her own conclusions.
“Are you bringing him to my rehearsal dinner?” Karen asked.
“I told you, no. We aren’t on those kinds of terms.” Nathalie felt herself flush.
“Well, those flowers look to me like the kind a man sends to a woman when he wants to be on those sorts of terms.” Karen picked up her handbag ready to leave. “Dark red roses? Please. Those are the flowers a woman gets the morning after a night well-spent with a man.” She nudged Nathalie’s arm. “And you look as if you didn’t get much sleep last night.” She swept off out of the shop.
©Nell Dixon 2011
http://www.nelldixon.com
Romance with Heart

Here, there and everywhere

The audiobook version of Be My Hero is being released on July 19th by the fabulous AUDIOLARK This is an early release so caught me a little on the hop. Normally at this time of year I'd be at the RNA conference but it's so crazy here at the moment I wasn't able to go. My youngest belle left for Germany at midnight last night. My middle daughter is at a full day dress rehearsal for her upcoming play and then I need to get her case ready as on Monday morning she's off on an arts week residential doing drama for the week. I've prepped and edited then submitted two books to two different publishers this weekend and now need to crack on with my contracted book before my edits for Myrmidon hit and my critiquing work picks up for the summer.
I suppose somewhere I need to find time to clean my house too.

Pushing on

I'm pushing on with the edits for Passionate Harvest this weekend so I can get it out the door to the editor. Fingers crossed for a sale - although it will depend on it being right for them. I have some other houses that I think it could work for if not but I have a lovely opportunity to work with people I've wanted to work with for ages so I just hope I've got it right.
I just got the audio proof for be My hero so I'm looking forward to hearing that. Audiolark did such a wonderful job with The Cinderella Substitute. Check them out if you like audiobooks!
Then it's on with my other contracted book and the secret project.
The belles have a packed weekend. My youngest is off to Germany at midnight on Saturday and my middle daughter has a full day costume rehearsal Sunday for her upcoming play and then she's off for the week to her residential drama course.
For the first time in years I'm missing the RNA conference, which makes me very sad, but finances this year are too tight and the belles have so much on I really couldn't swing it. I'll be there next year though as I think I'll probably be giving a workshop.
I'll really miss seeing everyone and hearing all the gossip and news.

This n that

Just under five chapters to go before I finish the first draft of Me, You and Him. Hopefully on Wednesday night I'm going on a real proper ghost hunt. It's at a private house and invitation only so should be brilliant for my research ready to write the ghostbusters scene.
Eldest dd is on her final week of her GCSE exams - geography and French left to go and then it's preparation for the Prom.
House is still a tip - it looks worse now than it did before I started the annual clean out because of all the displaced stuff while we're sorting and cleaning. Never mind, it'll get done eventually.
I feel a little better - hip and back is still fragile and I still feel tired but not quite as bad as I felt last week. I promise I'm slowing down - really, truly I am.
New series of Big Brother has started and yes, you guessed it, I'm watching. I love Big Brother in every cringeworthy moment. Loving the mole. Not keen on Scabby, Beyonce and Corin.
And finally my other big news - Be My Hero is going to be available from Audiolark as a audiobook. I am so pleased about this as this is the book closest to my heart. It was a very personal book that tackled a difficult subject. Nathalie the heroine, doesn't get the convienient standard solution to her problems but she does get a man who really is worthy of her. I can't wait to hear it.

And the verdict is...

I have osteo arthritis in the joint, at the moment it can last a bit longer but I will need a new hip at some point. It all depends on how quickly it deteriorates. I also have trochanteric bursitis and it's this that's causing the pain. My consutant put my pain level at 8 out of 10 and reckons he can bring it down to 2 out of 10. Obviously he can't get rid of it completely because the osteo arthritis will still be there.
I have to go in as a day case on the fourth of Feb for steroid and anaesthetic injections into the joint, this will be followed up with physio to put some movement back so I'l be able to climb stairs and stuff again - yay! I'm sure none of this will be fun but it will be so nice to be out of pain.
It also means I'll be able to work - yes! That and my nice new little automatic car will mean I'll be back to normal soon - well, as normal as I ever get.
Other nicer news yesterday was a lovely review from Brenda at The Romance Studio who has given Be My Hero four and half hearts.
Read it here

Tatton Park

We also visited Tatton Park. We went for the afternoon and just visited the gardens, The picture above is of the Japanese garden. There is also a fernery, an african hut and an italian garden. The deer park is also well worth seeing and the girls were thrilled to see so many deer wandering freely in the grounds.
The site we stay on at Chirk, Lady Margaret park is also rich with wildlife. The rabbits are everywhere and aren't in the least bit afraid. We also had a deer come right to the back of our caravan while we were there early in the morning.
Mr Nell and eldest dd are away in the caravan now, they decided to take advantage of the sun and are in Malvern. The littles didn't want to go as they like being spoilt by their grandparents whilst I'm at work.
I've finished another chapter of Blue Remembered Heels and I'm onto the next. I feel like Dory in Nemo except I'm 'Just keep writing, just keep writing.'
I did get a wonderful review yesterday for Be My Hero from Once Upon a Romance.
HERE
Robyn, the reviewer said : Nathalie and Evan are a couple that you root for from page one. As much as they fight their attraction to each other, it simmers beneath the surface at all times. I enjoyed the romance because I found it to be a little more intellectual than most. I enjoyed watching all of the psychology of Natalie and Evan working out their past…and maybe their future. This is a story with a deeper kind of love than just sexual magnetism.

If you like an old-fashioned romance set in modern settings, I think this would be the perfect book for you.

So now you know - I'm intellectual!

Nineteen!!!!

Yay! Be My Hero is at 19! My lovely editor i.m'd me last night while I was brainstorming with Lis to tell me. She also said The Cinderella Substitute had re-entered at 103 - wow! Cinderella got to 13 first time around so that's amazing.
Lots of meetings and audits this week - sigh. Hoping to get more writing done. I'm 21k into Blue Remembered Heels now so thats good. No other news to report on Charlie. Marrying Max is out next week as an e book - very excited about that. Remember you have till the 18th if you haven't entered Mine and Jessica Raymond's contest for A Taste of Summer yet. Drop by our websites and enter.
With Jessica and Judy's babies imminent I'm waiting on baby news as well as book news!

I 'heart' fictionwise

The last couple of days have been really busy. I've been on my own at work again and it's tiring covering someone elses work as well as your own. Then I heard that my December release had been put back til January. I know it's only a month but it was a bit disappointing.
No news on Charlie - almost 6 weeks now and my nerves are in shreds.
But then I looked at Fictionwise to see how Be My Hero was faring and it's at 21!!! Yay, holding it's own against some very big names.
Plus, the nicest part, was all the votes from readers were great and good!!!
Now my day seems much brighter.

Be My Hero

Be My Hero is out on Fictionwise! Currently it's at number 35 in the romance chart and yesterday I got a fabulous four cup review from Maura at Coffeetime Romance. You can read the full review here: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/BookReviews/Bemyhero.html

She said 'I really enjoyed this story of love lost and found. Tali, especially, is a great character. She survived her heartbreak of years before, and tried to get on with her life. Evan is a less likable character at first, but makes every effort to overcome Tali’s fears. He left without a word six years before damaging Tali’s confidence and really in effect ruining any chance she had of having a child. Her medical condition has progresses to a point where she is going to have a hysterectomy and it cannot be easy to see Evan and his six-year-old daughter, the daughter that they should have had together. The other characters of the story are well written and Polly is especially likeable with her princess fixation. I really enjoyed reading about how this couple overcomes their past to find a happier future.'

This is a story that meant so much to me, I cried as I wrote it and it's dedicated to the very special people at Birmingham Women's Hospital and my consultant Mr Afnan.

Be My Hero is available at fictionwise or at http://www.moonlitromance.com

P.S A special hello and welcome to all the Colin Firth fans who've been stopping by.

Yay

Be My Hero is now available in print. http://www.moonlitromance.com

I also recieved a signed copy of Jessica Hart's Barefoot Bride. Guess what I'll be reading as a reward once I finally finish this medical partial? I just have a couple of hundred words to add and it'll be on it's way to Jessica for her opinion.

Tonight is weigh in night at weightwatchers - place your bets as to how much I've lost.

Just sometimes...

My internet server provider is up to it's tricks again. I'm hoping this will stay on long enough to let me post. If you've emailed me and I haven't responded it's because I can't. I can recieve but not send - well certainly nothing more than a one line sentence if the wind is in the right direction.
I've recieved my confirmation from M&B so Charlie is sitting there waiting. Making Waves is almost complete and I have lots of things firming up for my new medical.
Be My Hero is due out in just over two weeks time and my edits after much cussing over the lack of email send facility should now be with Laura.
Cable tell me they should have this fixed next week - I won't hold my breath.