How I nearly met Colin Firth

Some of you know I've had a rather hectic time of it lately with my day job. We have been very fortunate to be listed for some big awards for our work. This has meant a couple of flying visits to London. This week it was to the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel for the Guardian/Observer ethical awards. So, last night duly poshed up in my new maxi dress I toddled off to London to meet one of my colleagues for the big event. Colin and his wife Olivia are on the judging panel along with other luminaries like Ben Fogle, Deborah Mearden etc and in the other categories for the awards we knew Jamie Oliver and Hugh Fearneley Whittingstall were shortlisted. Vogue also sponsors an award and we knew lots of the 'beautiful people' would also be present. Colin presented an award last year so we had our fingers crossed we might be lucky. Sadly we didn't win our category but we did get to meet some lovely people and it gave us the chance to promote our work - which for us was the whole reason we went. Colin wasn't there but his wife, Olivia was. She looked very lovely in a pale lime green maxi dress patterned with scarlet poppies and the cutest handbag I've seen in ages - like a little red shiny box the size of a coffee mug. Because she came and stood right next to me I can also tell you she smells very lovely. We did get to stand right by Ben Fogle who looked very dapper in his suit - including a waistcoat - which must have been hot as everyone else was melting in there. We were also privilegdged to hear Katy Tunstall sing live right in front of us and she too had been mingling with us riff-raff at the start. Fashions were amazing - I loved the lady with the leather handbag styled to look like a chicken, the man in smart suit with thick crepe soled shoes patterned in bright white stars and the lady with the Navy silk shoes covered in bright green polka dots.The gentlemen in dinner suit jackets and brightly coloured board shorts were also very striking. We were in London for less than 3 hours before we had to catch the train back but a very interesting evening.

What a week!

Thanks to everyone who came along to the on line launch event on Facebook for Passionate Harvest. It was fabulous to see so many of you there. There will be some more opportunities to win copies soon for those of you who haven't bought your copy yet. The day job is keeping me out of mischief too as we're hugely busy. On Wednesday our team went to the National Trust's inaugural Octavia Hill awards at St Martin-in-the-fields in London. We were second in our category out of over 300 entrants. Thank you again to everyone who voted for us. In the few hours before our train back we slipped into the National Gallery to ogle some pictures. I got a postcard of the one chap - a Monsieur de Norvins painted by Ingres in 1811. At first glance he reminded me of Mr collins from Pride and Prejudice but there was something about his eyes. He had the eyes of a man who has seen too much and is trying to hold on to his humanity and inner self. I must look him up and find out more about him.THIS IS HIM if you want to take a peep. We ambled past the House of Commons through the Bangaladesh demo, paused to watch a Bollywood movie being filmed in Trafalgar square and sat by the Thames for a while to cool off before heading home. This week is equally mad - it's exam season for the belles. Mocks, GCSE's (early!) and A levels. Tomorrow if you're near Brownhills library at 2pmish then Phillipa Ashley and I are reprising our I love Lucy act with a talk about books, publishing, life and anything you might want to ask us. Wednesday is mega exciting - it's another trip to London for another awards event for the day job. I now possess a blue maxi dress for the event which makes me look like a galleon in full sale. Youngest belle refused to let me buy the purple one because she said it made me look like Barney the dinosaur. The reasons for the excitement - 1) it's in a posh place with very posh people. 2) Vogue, the Guardian and the Observer are involved and 3) There is a possibility that Colin Firth may even be there. I promise I'll tell you all about it when we get back!

Passionate Harvest is out!

Passionate Harvest is officially out today. It kind of snuck out early yesterday while I wasn't looking so some of you lucky people snaffled a copy early! Passionate Harvest is slightly different to some of my other books. Most of you know me for writing romantic comedy, Janet Evanovich style humerous suspense or for my clean read stories. Passionate Harvest has a slightly different feel. It's a little more literary womens fiction, sexier and emotional. Hopefully it still has the same touches of humour and warmth that many of you have told me you enjoy when you read one of my books. I really love this story. I enjoyed writing it. It was one of those rare stories that just flew out of my fingertips and onto the page. I really, really hope you'll get the same pleasure from reading it. You can get a copy from: AMAZON.COM AMAZON UK SMASHWORDS ALL Romance E books I want to say a special thank you to my critique partner Kimberley Mennozzi who is an absolute rock and a wonderful author in her own right. And to the Coffee Crew, Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury who give me so much support. Passionate Harvest wouldn't exist without you. Big Love to Julia at E-Scape Press too for the gorgeous cover and being so enthusiastic about the story!

Passionate Harvest - releasing May 21st

I'm getting quite excited now about the upcoming release for Passionate Harvest on May 21st. (A week today! eek!)To whet your appetites here's a little sneaky excerpt! Dominic paused on the step of Maggie’s house for a moment before pushing the bell. He’d lain awake half the night trying to work out all the different options for the future of the vineyard in his head. Despite sacrificing his sleep, he still had no answers. Whichever way he looked at it, whether Lucy decided to stay and work for a year or, if she decided to abandon her inheritance, the outcome couldn’t be good. He scarcely had time to lift his finger from the bell push when the door opened. “I’m all set.” Lucy lifted her lightly tanned arm to show him her sweater and bag. “Are you wearing flat shoes?” A flash of dismay crossed her face. “These are the best I’ve got with me. Obviously I only packed a few things.” She raised one leg to display a slender foot encased in a denim blue canvas wedge heeled shoe. “You’ll have to be careful when we walk beside the vines. The ground is uneven.” He opened the passenger door of the car for her. Lucy might have very pretty feet but he could only hope she wouldn’t twist her ankle in a rabbit hole in her impractical shoes. “Did Nick tell you anything about the vineyard?” He glanced at her. The morning sun streamed in through the side window lighting up her honey blonde hair like a halo. “He talked about it quite a lot. How many bottles he expected to get, about the shop and the craft place he had planned in the barn.” He heard her sigh, “I can’t believe he left me his shares though. It was a longstanding joke of his that he’d leave me a drink in his will, but this is crazy.” She shook her head as if still unable to take it all in. “He never mentioned his intentions to you?” Nick certainly hadn’t said anything to him. Dominic hadn’t liked to ask too much even when he could see Nick’s health was failing. He’d tried to bring the conversation round to it a couple of times but Nick would simply clap his hand onto Dom’s shoulder. ‘All taken care of. Nothing to worry about, I promise.’ He risked another peep at her as the traffic slowed. Her eyes were downcast and she worried the skin of her bottom lip between her teeth. “No, never.” She shook her head again and her hair shimmered in the sunshine like molten gold. (C)Nell Dixon 2012

Being busy

My appologies for being absent for so long. Somehow I ended up copyediting four books all at once and I have a tight deadline for another short piece. The eldest belle has now passed her driving test and with all three of the belles sitting various exams and tests, rehearsing for plays and dance shows, running business (eldest)and the plumber being here ripping out our aged ensuite bathroom it's been a tad hectic. I promise I'll make it up to you all soon. In the meantime - hoist by my own petard and proving what a big fibber I am, go HERE to visit my writing friend Liz Fenwick's blog to discover my resolution for this year (and you can see how crap I am at keeping it)

Passionate Harvest

Here's the fabulous cover for Passionate Harvest, my upcoming release from E-Scape Press. I love this cover it has just the right feel for the story which is warm, passionate with a more women's fiction feel than some of my other stories. (For those of you who like my clean reads please be aware that this title isn't! :) My next clean reads title will be A New Bay Wedding out in June with Astraea Press.) Passionate Harvest will be releasing MAY 21st!

Lucky 7 meme

Have been tagged by my lovely friend Kate Hardy on a meme. Rules: go to p77 of your current work, 7th line down, and paste the next 7 sentences. Then tag 7 others.
Hmm, well Radio Gaga isn't edited so this may be dodgy but here goes!

I could only hope that once Fred and Merv had witnessed my horrific mass slaughter of innocent veg they would change their minds. I arranged to come back later in the week armed with a trowel and wellies and said goodbye to Fred.
I reckoned there was time for me to grab a coffee and a bacon butty to go from the corner café before I reported in to the radio station for the next stop on the ‘Let's Torture Chloe Campaign’.
The café was packed when I arrived. It seemed to be the favourite haunt of every construction worker within a ten mile radius. I hunkered into my fleece and tacked on to the end of the queue.
“Hello Chloe, I didn’t expect to see you here.” I turned to find Ben standing behind me looking far too good for a cold, damp spring morning.

Not sure who to tag as I think lots of people may have done this already - so if you haven't and you're reading this then consider yourself tagged!

Sunshine and showers

Luckily we had more sun than rain on our few days break to Devon. Now I'm home I'm frantically trying to catch up. Hopefully I'll put some pics up later when eldest belle downloads them from the camera. We had a lovely time doing not very much. We went to Exeterand made some new friends at Marldon and also the lovely owner of Fables bookshop in St MaryChurch.
I came back to the wonderful news of a new contract with Astraea Press for A New Bay Wedding - this will be the fifth book in the short and sweet collection of Cornish stories. A New Bay Wedding follows Noah's sister Emma's story. Noah and Posy were the stars of Easter Holiday. It's a very romantic story and who can resist a wedding?
It should be out around June.
Here's the blurb!
Emma has been busy organizing her older brother’s lovelife but now Noah plans to turn the tables on his meddlesome match-making sister. But is Ian the best man for this very particular bridesmaid?
Hopefully, Passionate Harvest - my nonsweet book - will be releasing next month from E-Scape Press. Edits are due through anytime and I can't wait to see the cover and share it with you.

Guest Blogger - Elizabeth Hanbury

A warm welcome to my friend and fellow Coffee Crew member - Elizabeth Hanbury. Liz has a fabulous new book out that's flying up the Amazon charts on both sides of the Atlantic. Which is no surprise to me or to Phillipa Ashley, our other coffee crew member as we were lucky enough to read it ahead of it's release.
If you love regency romance then run, don't walk, and grab your copy now.
Here's the blurb!
What happens when a rebel meets a runaway?

He’s not looking for love...

Confirmed bachelor Theo Cavanagh is dashing and free-spirited. Not for him a career in the clergy, the military or politics - he’s more interested in wine and horses. But when Theo happens upon a pretty but thoroughly exasperating young fugitive, he soon finds himself caught up in her adventures, and in a passion that can’t be denied.

She has to search her heart...

Unconventional Sophie Devereux is more comfortable climbing trees than the social ladder. An audacious escape from scheming relatives is only the start of Sophie’s mission to achieve a long-held dream, but Sophie carries a secret that inspires hatred, envy and greed. She can’t outrun the danger that stalks her, or her powerful response to Theo which leaves Sophie shaken to the core and questioning her deepest, most enduring desire.

Get your copy at Amazon UK
Amazon.com

Sweet Saturday Sample

I haven't done this before so thought I'd get it done early in case I do it wrong!
Here's my sweet Saturday sample - it's from Easter Holiday - my latest release.

Noah spotted Posy’s bright pink tent later that afternoon as he walked to the campsite office. He shook his head with disbelief at the garish canvas nestled against the verdant green of the hedgerow. He strode into the camp reception.
“I see your newest arrival managed to get her tent set up then.” Noah grinned at his sister.
Emma peeked through the window and then smiled back at him. “Posy’s never been camping before.”
“I know, she told me that when I was hauling her out of the back field.”
His sister raised her eyebrows. “She was very grateful.” A dimple appeared in her cheek. “And of course she is very pretty.”
“I didn’t pay any attention. I was too busy wondering what kind of person comes camping in heels.”
Emma laughed. “The kind who’s coming out for a drink with us tonight.”
Noah glared at his sister.
“Don’t look at me like that! She asked where she could get a nice meal that didn’t cost the earth, so I said we were going to the pub later and did she want to come with us.” Emma busied herself tidying up a stack of papers on the desk.
“I hope this isn’t one of your attempts at matchmaking,” he warned. His sister was fond of introducing girls into his life. Now most of her friends were settled or married, she’d started looking further afield for potential sisters-in-law.
She pursed her lips, never a good sign.
(C) Nell Dixon 2012
Other New Bay titles include: Making Waves, September Song and A Cornish Christmas
Available Amazon.com
Barnes and Noble
Amazon. UK

Release Day!

Cornish farmer, Noah Penwarren is sworn off city girls, especially deceitful ones. Posy Carmichael is a city girl through and through. When romantic sparks start to fly will Posy’s secret end their Easter romance before it’s even begun?
Out Today - Published by Astraea Press and available from all good e-tailers!
Amazon US
Amazon UK
NOOK

Here’s an excerpt!
Posy flinched as she eased the car forward into the rut she’d been trying to avoid. Behind her, the tent poles and pegs clattered and rattled as she jolted along to the gap in the boundary. She placed the car in reverse and backed into the entrance of the field ready to turn around.
The rear wheels skidded on the muddy grass. Posy changed into first gear and hoped she would manage to get out ahead of the tractor she could hear approaching down the narrow track. To her dismay the wheels of the car spun around as she revved the engine, failing to gain any purchase on the soft ground.
“Noooooo.” She moaned and gave the accelerator a last desperate nudge. A fine spray of mud shot from the back of the car to coat the back bumper and window.
The blue nose of a tractor chugged into view and stopped in front of her. Posy sucked in a breath. The way her day was headed she’d probably get told off now for trespassing. She lowered the window as the driver of the tractor dismounted from his cab and came over to her.
“I take it you’re stuck?” The man bent so his head was level with her window.
“I was trying to turn round.” Posy had a glimpse of dark blue eyes and a rugged jaw before the owner of the tractor stood leaving her with a view of green farm overalls.
“I’ll pull you out with the tractor.” His voice sounded resigned as if he were used to tugging stranded motorists from the entrance to his fields every day of the week.
Posy opened the car door and went to get out. Her shoe sank in the soft earth, with a soft, squelching sound.
“Do you want me to help?” She wobbled on one leg trying to extricate her foot from the sticky gloop.
“You’re fine. Just stay in the car and put it in neutral with the handbrake off when I tell you.”
She slipped back into her seat and tried to scrape the mud from her shoe onto the car mat. The previously unsmiling lines of his mouth had now softened into the hint of a grin as he began to attach the rope to the front of her car. Clearly, he found her encounter with the mud amusing. If she hadn’t felt so mortified at being stupid enough to get both lost and stuck Posy might have considered her rescuer attractive.
© Nell Dixon 2012

Easter Holiday releasing Thursday 22nd March!

Cornish farmer, Noah Penwarren is sworn off city girls, especially deceitful ones. Posy Carmichael is a city girl through and through. When romantic sparks start to fly will Posy’s secret end their Easter romance before it’s even begun?

All being well, Easter Holiday will be releasing on Thursday!
You can read it as a standalone or why not read Making Waves, September Song and A Cornish Christmas to get to know the people of New Bay before the release!

Something for the weekend?

I can't believe another week has gone by so quickly! This weekend is our 'getting ready for the caravanning season' weekend. We're going off for a couple of days to Broadway in the Cotswolds. The house and fish sitters are in place and the van is sort of packed. So if I'm not around for a day or so that's why. The pic is of one of the last times we stayed there - amazing hot air balloons really close to us - very nice to sit and watch. Hoping it will be dry and not too cold. It's Mother's Day on Sunday here in the UK. The last Mother's day I had in the caravan - it snowed!
Writing-wise, A New Bay wedding, which I'm hoping will be this summer's new short and sweet story, is almost done. Just one and a bit chapters left to go. Then I may be working on a new project which I'm squeezing in with some friends before I carry on with the rest of my scheduled writing.
Thank you to everyone who leaves me nice comments about my books on my Facebook pages. It's much appreciated. If you have time to leave a Nook or Amazon review that would also be fab or a click on the like button on the book page on Amazon.

Friday again? So soon?

Snoopy always makes me smile. It's been another busy week, mainly with the belles and their assorted events. Exam results, dance shows, descisions about colleges etc. My day job is busy too. We're expanding our project and there is a lot to get done on top of our already frenetic workload. Thankfully we've a fantastic team. Writing wise I'm anticipating two lots of edits shortly and hopefully my new covers. I've seen the one for Easter Holiday but don't have the final version yet. It looks great though and will fit right in with my other Cornish covers. I'm halfway through writing the fifth book in the New Bay set - this one is a summer book and has a wedding at it's centre! Once that's done I'll edit Radio Gaga - my single title and get it polished and fit for people to read.

Coming soon!

Phew, it's been a busy week. I've been sorting out contracts and organising release dates with my publishers. Here's the schedule so far for 2012

Easter Holiday - out this month with Astraea Press. This is the fourth book in the Cornish New Bay collection.

Passionate Harvest - out end of March, start April with E-Scape Press. This is the vineyard book. It's not a clean or sweet read :)

A New Bay Wedding - This is pencilled in as I haven't finished writing it yet (Blush) but all being well this will be the fifth Cornish book out in June from Astraea Press.

Be My Hero - This is available as an audiobook from Audiolark right now but is releasing again as an ebook from Astraea Press in September. This is one of the Mayer series - linked to Dangerous to Know which is already out.

The Cinderella Substitute -Again currently out as audiobook only and will be releasing again as an e book in November - this is linked to Dangerous to Know and Be My Hero.

Hopefully if I get busy there will be more releases to come this year but for now there are some oldies, some newies and I promise there are goodies in that lot!
Happy Reading!

Monday, Monday

I can't believe it's almost the end of February. This year is scooting by faster than ever. The snowdrops are out in my garden and the tree pollen is stirring so for the next few weeks I'll be taking hayfever meds. Once the cherry blossom is off the trees I'll be fine again but until then I'll be feeling sorry for myself and sneezing my head off.
Writing wise I'm having a fab start to the year with the sale of Easter Holiday and Passionate Harvest - there are two more sales hopefully in the pipeline too to satisfy those of you who've been asking about my remaining two out of print novellas. Radio Gaga is done - finally and is sitting for a while before I do my big read through, adit and polish. I'm working on another short and sweet for my Cornish series and I still have my Jane Austenish project and an idea I want for my next single title. Plus I'd like to write the story of Dominic's brother, Jake from Passionate Harvest.
So many stories in my head and so little time to write!

Guest Blogger - Judy Jarvie

I'm thrilled to be hosting Judy Jarvie - Judy is a former fellow Moonlit author and a good friend. Hopefully we'll be able to meet up again this summer at the RNA's conference. And, now that E-Scape Press have accepted my book - Passionate Harvest - Coming soon! We once again are sharing a publisher - yay!
Even better than that this weekend you can read Judy's fabulous book, Nanny Behaving Badly, completely FREE!
So grab it while you can!

Here's Judy to tell you more about it.
Why you might like it? It’s set in wintertime Edinburgh in a coffee bar where the chemistry's hotter than the beverages. It has a rally driving hero Lyle who’s a delicious dark brooding mocha choc delight. And a nut brittle heroine, Maddie who somehow always manages to get into trouble. A recipe for fun and sparks.


Maddie Adams hopes for a smooth ride in her new temporary coffee shop job so she doesn’t mean to make the worst impression possible with the handsome café owner, Lyle Sutherland. His suggestion that she becomes his son’s replacement nanny shocks them both. When attraction and passion are unleashed between boss and sassy super nanny, Lyle’s secrets and a shock pregnancy challenge old wounds.
You can download it free here AMAZON UK or HERE AMAZON>COM
To find out more about Judy and to get her other books why not visit her At her website Look out for her blog site and friend her on facebook!
Happy Reading!

Astraea's Birthday Treat

Astraea are celebrating their first birthday by giving a different book away every day this month. Today it's your chance to grab a free copy of Cue Me In. Go HERE and get your free code! Did I mention it was free?
This is my Bridget Jones meets Scooby Doo kind of story and is a fun spooky tale. Happy Reading!

Passionate Harvest!

I got some great news yesterday, my short novel, Passionate Harvest has been acquired by E-Scape Press and will be out as an e book in a couple of months time. This one is too smexy for my lovely sweet publisher and I wanted to make sure it went to a good home :)
I wrote the story last summer and the characters just had a mind of their own when it came to their story.
Here's the blurb!
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 how I pictured my hero - Dominic - there was something about the eyes.

Still in the mood for romance?

Meet my guest Sherry Gloag and read about her fabulous new novella - His Chosen Bride
Prince Henri Gasquet is happy to let his father, the king, choose his bride for him until he meets Monica Latimer.
Monica Latimer is not prepared to risk letting any man close enough to learn about her Gift. A gift that normally has men running for the hills when they find out about it.
Excerpt

She lost track of time until the flames caught her attention once more. They flickered from orange to gold, to silver, to white.
A flurry of snowflakes masked the flames and for a second Monica watched the most beautiful, pristine snow-scene she’d ever seen. Her lips curved in longing. How she’d love to get a toboggan and slide down that slope. She knew where it was, and had done just that many times in her childhood, first with her parents and then, in clandestine manner, with her brother. Sneaking an old tin tray from the back of her mother’s walk-in pantry, she’d then grabbed Billy’s hand and they’d rushed out the back gate, heading for the lakeside track that led up into the hills.
Darkness, dense and thick with grief dropped over the scene. Startled and disconcerted by the strength of emotion emanating from the vision Monica shifted to her knees, ready to stand, when a voice, a deep male voice, sharp with fear called out her name.
“Monica!”
She knew she’d never heard the voice before, and yet—it was as familiar to her as the image she saw in her mirror each morning.
“Help me, Monica.”
Desperate for more clues, she searched the darkness within the flames until it sputtered and faded. With a curse she jumped up and ran for the phone. With her outstretched hand hovering over it she halted and let her hand drop to her side once more. What could she say? What would the police or rescue team think of her if she called them and told them she’d seen a vision of a man in distress?
They’d laugh in her face and classify her as a lunatic. Well, maybe not. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d contacted them with positive information but something—an instinctive gut reaction told her what she’d seen this time hadn’t happened yet.
His Chosen Bride is available from Amazon B&N, Astraea Press and all other good e-tailers!