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!

Passionate Harvest is FREE just for today!

My wonderful publishers at E-Scape Press have agreed to let me give away copies of Passionate Harvest! So just for today hurry along to Smashwords and use the coupon code TX42B. Please be aware Passionate Harvest is NOT one of my sweet titles!

The Belles

The last few months have been pretty stressful here at the Nell household. All three of my teenagers were sitting exams. I'm thrilled to say that the eldest belle got all her A levels and the place she wanted at the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester where she'll study environmental and heritage land management. The middle belle took her english language GCSE a year early and has passed with a C! The youngest belle, who was 14 in May took an extra GCSE in film studies and got an A, plus she took her Biology and Physics GCSE's early too and got B's. Well done to all of them for all their hard work and a large gin for me for having felt as if I'd sat everyone of those flipping exams myself!

Guest blogger - Julie Day

A warm welcome to fellow RNA member and writing friend, Julie Day. Here's a little bit about her! I live in SE London and am a full-time writer. I have been writing for 19 years and have had published reader letters in health and writing magazines, short stories in small press magazines Creature Features and Crystal, and my first children's fiction book was published in 2009 called Rosie and the Sick School, about healthy eating at school with magical elements. I have recently self-published two YA ebooks in a series called ‘The Guardian Angels’. Just published my first romance enovella called ‘One Good Turn’. Julie's latest book - One Good Turn is just out on Smashwords and should be on Amazon anytime soon.

Here's a bit about it and a small excerpt to whet your appetite. Fifty-five year old Geraldine Simmonds has died and gone to Heaven, but there’s a catch. She has to earn her place in paradise by making her ex-boyfriend Keith a happier and loving man again. With the advice of her acrobatic helper Coco and a sprinkling of heavenly magic, Geraldine not only wins back Keith but becomes a better person herself. The Boss above approves her request to be allowed to return to Earth to help relatives who need a nudge to get their lives back on track and fall in love once more. Here's a taster Through the expanse of white, Geraldine Simmonds gazed down at the sombre group of people below her. She frowned. Only one of them was crying, her niece Mandy. She heard, ‘Oh, Aunt Geraldine, why did you have to die? I was going to help you find some good in your life.’ Geraldine blinked back a tear. ‘You were the good thing in my life, Mandy,’ she muttered. She watched the group of people leave the graveside and climb into their cars. ‘Where are you going?’ Mandy asked her relatives. ‘The wake is at my flat.’ ‘We’re not coming. We only came cos you asked us to. Bye, Mandy,’ one of them replied. What sort of relatives were these, that didn’t want to say a proper goodbye to her, Geraldine wondered. Oh, Mandy. You being there for me is enough. As the scene faded, she sighed. Some relatives they were. She was well away from them. Horrible, mean people, she thought; especially when she heard a sob from Mandy. * * * The scene changed. The whiteness appeared once more and a flash of bright gold like a shiny new ring shone round Geraldine then. What the...? She blinked to focus on her new surroundings. Her eyes widened as huge pearly gates appeared. And standing guard by them was a tall man with a beard, holding a long golden stick with a ball on the end. ‘Are you Geraldine Simmonds?’ the man asked. Geraldine just nodded, dumbstruck as she realised where she was. ‘Thought you were.’ ‘Am I where I think I am?’ ‘Yes. You have reached Heaven. I’m Head of Security. In charge of all missions and tasks as well as guarding this place.’ Then Geraldine heard a deep, smooth voice. One she didn’t think she’d hear again. It shouted: ‘Get me that apple. Now!’ ‘Oh my, that sounds like…’ ‘Your ex, Keith. Yes, it is.’ ‘He never used to be like that. What’s made him so nasty?’ ‘I believe he’s missing you.’ ‘Missing me? But we’ve not been together for three years.’ ‘Well, your name keeps cropping up when he talks.’ ‘Oh.’ She felt her eyebrows lift as he said this. How could they? Wasn’t she meant to be dead? You can get your copy of One Good Turn HERE

Holiday!

We're off tomorrow to Wales for a lovely two weeks on the Cerediggion coast staying near Aberaeron and New Quay. We plan to go to the beach, watch the bottle nosed dolphins and the seals. We hope to eat Bara Brith and walk along the Welsh coastal path, metal detect on the sand and shop in Aberystwyth. We hope to see Red Kites and avoid the Olympics. I have my kindle loaded and Miss La is also suitably stocked with books. I will have no net access so if it's urgent it'll have to wait till I'm home. Hopefully there'll be some sunshine!

Grab a bargain!

All Astraea titles by me are just 99c or 77p for a limited time - so pop over to Amazon or B&N and stock up! Now is your chance to get all of the Cornish New Bay Series for a bargain price - Making Waves, September Song, A Cornish Christmas,Easter Holiday, New Bay Wedding and Dangerous to Know and Cue Me In too!

What we did in Penrith

This weekend was the annual romantic novelist association conference. This year we were back in Penrith. The conferences are always superbly organised by the wonderful Jan Jones and Roger Sanderson and this was no exception. The campus was jammed to the rafters with writers, editors and agents. I arrived on Friday afternoon and shared a taxi in with Jude Roust and another lovely friend from Twitter. Accomodation was in the student houses which have single bedrooms clustered around a communal kitchen. In my house I had Anna Louise Lucia, Biddy Coady, Julie Cohen, Liz Fenwick, first time conference attender Rose, and Kate Walker with her lovely hubby, Steve, aka the Babe Magnet. Steve and Kate celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary with us so it made the weekend extra special. It was lovely to be with friends and so nice to have time to catch up properly. My housemates appeared to have cornered the world wine market and stashed it in our fridge which always helps. I met up with my good friends Sandra and Ann for a belated celebration of Sandra's special birthday. Conference opened with a celebration of everyones good news, contest wins, agent signings, book sales etc and then a panel, ably chaired by the wonderful Janet Gover, which considered book translation and the international market. We had a delicious dinner, served by the incredible staff who were all so pleasant, patient and helpful they made the weekend a delight. After that it was kitchen party time! It was lovely to meet conference first timers, including Abbi, our youngest conference goer at sweet 16. I'm sure the poor girl is now corrupted for life - hopefully someone covered her ears when she met some of the erotica authors! Saturday had some fab workshops, I went to Maggie Seed, who gave a brilliant talk on submitting to Pocket Novels before giving my workshop on editing. Jan had warned me to expect a lot of people but the room was jammed! They were a fantastic group as always asking lots of inciteful questions and every handout disappeared - and I had a lot of handouts! In the afternoon I talked with Kim Young, one of the editors for Mira, which was great fun and very interesting. I then went to listen to Moira from Book review site Vulpes Libres. That was another good talk. By then I was a bit socialed out and needed a break so went back to the house kitchen where I spent a lovely hour with Biddy, Julie, Liz and Anna just chatting about books, writing, workshops, Pixar, and wine. The gala dinner was fab and I got to chat with Sally Clements who had come over from Ireland, and some of the other romaniacs, including Romy, who had come all the way from South Africa. After dinner, Sandra, Ann and I ended up in the Scottish kitchen with a group of lovely writers from north of the border where we chatted away for the rest of the night. Sunday bought sunshine and a fbulous funny talk from Jane Wenham - Jones, a great workshop on sex in YA books with Tamsyn Murray and a session with a life coach before it was time for lunch. I spent lunch with Cally Taylor and Rowan Coleman before we all headed for the station and the journey home. Another fab weekend gone too soon.

RNA Conference 2012

Tomorrow I'm heading off to Penrith for the Romantic Novelist's Assoc annual conference. Last year was the first one I'd missed for years. This year I'm giving a workshop on editing - how to tweak, polish and shine your manuscript. My lovely editor at Astraea Press - Kay Springsteen Tate has generously shared some of her material with me and having had a an 'oh my God, what am I doing' moment yesterday, I think I'm now prepared. I love the conference as it gives me chance to catch up with old friends, make new ones, talk writing and drink wine for a whole weekend. What's not to love? The workshops are great and this years programme looks fantastic. Support from other writers is what makes romantic novelist's so special. I can honestly say I have always had nothing but support and help from my fellow authors and it's a pleasure to be in their company. Today I get to meet Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury, my fellow coffee crew members for lunch and a catch up. We have heard the Queen is visiting nearby, hope we're not anywhere she could eavesdrop on our conversations. Mind you, Prince Phillip might enjoy them!

Guest Blogger - Liz Fenwick

I'm delighted to welcome Liz Fenwick to the blog today. Liz is a long time writing friend and fellow RNA member and her first novel, The Cornish House is out now! Writer, ex-pat expert, wife, mother of three, and dreamer turned doer....born in Massachusetts, and after nine international moves now live in Dubai with her husband and two mad cats. She made her first trip to Cornwall in 1989, bought her home there 7 years later and although she lives in Dubai, her heart is forever in Cornwall, creating new stories. her debut novel THE CORNISH HOUSE is published by Orion and German, Dutch, Portuguese and Norwegian editions are being prepared.

When artist Maddie inherits a house in Cornwall shortly after the death of her husband, she hopes it will be the fresh start she and her step-daughter Hannah desperately need.

Trevenen is beautiful but neglected, a rambling house steeped in history. Maddie is enchanted by it and determined to learn as much as she can about its past. As she discovers the stories of generations of women who've lived there before, Maddie begins to feel her life is somehow intertwined within its walls.

But Maddie's dream of a calm life in the countryside is far from the reality she faces. Still struggling with her grief and battling with Hannah, Maddie is unable to find inspiration for her painting and realises she may face the prospect of having to sell Trevenen, just as she is coming to love it.

And as Maddie and Hannah pull at the seams of Trevenen's past, the house reveals secrets that have lain hidden for generations.

Excerpt... It was nearly eleven and Maddie had been behind the wheel of the car for over eight hours. She yawned and forced her eyes open wider. Slowing the car she approached yet another blind bend. Moonlight silhouetted the twisted trees against the sky. Their tortured shapes rose from the hedges, forming a tunnel. It seemed to be closing in around them. A shiver went down her spine. The engine stuttered.

“Come on old girl. It can’t be much further to Trevenen, and once there, both you and I can have a much deserved rest.” Maddie stroked the dashboard. Smoke seeped from the edges of the bonnet.

She glanced at her stepdaughter asleep in the passenger seat. Hannah looked sweet with her blonde hair in spiky disarray. She changed position and a tattoo appeared on the teen’s arm. Maddie shook her head. Hannah had disobeyed her. She’d had to call on all her patience reserves when Hannah had displayed it last night. Maddie had just let it go. She too had been a teenager. However she’d obeyed her parents.

Turning her attention back to the road, Maddie knew if the map was accurate they must be near their new home Trevenen. This, of course, assumed she’d followed it correctly and she’d no idea whether she had or not. The last thing she needed was to be stranded on a remote country lane.

When she’d visited the house back in April, the solicitor had driven her there. It hadn’t seemed confusing then, but maybe she hadn’t been paying attention as well as she should have. That was no surprise. She hadn’t done anything as well as she should have since her husband, John, had died.

1. Most authors are also big readers. Do you read the same genre that you write? and which book has influenced you most in your desire to be a writer? I love reading and I do read in the same genre that I write, but not when I am writing a first draft…don’t want to find I have lost my voice and begun using another person’s. I’m not sure any one book has influenced me to be a writer. I have always had stories going on in my head and eventually I felt the need to put them onto a page and share them.

2. Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing your book? A total panster – I begin with a title, a heroine, a setting and hope I will come out the other side with a complete story.

3. If you were giving a dinner party which four fictional characters would you most like to invite and why? This is so tough…OK starting with the most recent – Matthew Clairmont the Vampire from The Discovery of Witches, Professor Snape from Harry Potter, Julian from Regency Buck, and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice…but can I have them one at a time please…

4. What are you working on next? I’m working on my next book, August Rock, for my publishers in the UK. It, like The Cornish House, is set on the Lizard and is about Judith who flees her wedding in the States when she realizes she is living life my other people’s directions…but what happens when she starts taking control?

Available from Amazon and all good etailers Hardback also available - paperback to follow. Many thanks Liz for visiting and agreeing to be interviewed!

Guest Blogger - Tracy Krauss

Tracy Krauss is an author, artist, playwright, director, worship leader, and teacher. Originally from a small prairie town, she received her Bachelor’s Degree at the University of Saskatchewan. She has lived in many places in northern Canada with her husband, a pastor, and their children. They currently live in Tumbler Ridge, BC.

Published works include four romantic suspense novels: AND THE BEAT GOES ON, where archeological evidence for creation comes at a heavy cost; MY MOTHER THE MAN-EATER, the story of a ‘cougar’ who takes on more than she bargained for; PLAY IT AGAIN, about an unlikely match during the 1980s rock n’ roll scene; and WIND OVER MARSHDALE, where strong spiritual forces rock a seemingly peaceful prairie town. She also has several stage plays in print. Visit her website for more details. http://www.tracykrauss.com

Marshdale. Just a small farming community where nothing special happens. A perfect place to start over… or get lost. There is definitely more to this prairie town than meets the eye. Once the meeting place of aboriginal tribes for miles around, some say the land itself was cursed because of the people’s sin. But its history goes farther back than even indigenous oral history can trace and there is still a direct descendant who has been handed the truth, like it or not. Exactly what ties does the land have to the medicine of the ancients? Is it cursed, or is it all superstition? Wind Over Marshdale is the story of the struggles within a small prairie town when hidden evil and ancient medicine resurface. Caught in the crossfire, new teacher Rachel Bosworth finds herself in love with two men at once. First, there is Thomas Lone Wolf, a Cree man whose blood lines run back to the days of ancient medicine but who has chosen to live as a Christian and faces prejudice from every side as he tries to expose the truth. Then there is Con McKinley, local farmer who has to face some demons of his own. Add to the mix a wayward minister seeking anonymity in the obscurity of the town; eccentric twin sisters – one heavily involved in the occult and the other a fundamentalist zealot; and a host of other ‘characters’ whose lives weave together unexpectedly for the final climax. This suspenseful story is one of human frailty - prejudice, cowardice, jealousy, and greed – magnified by powerful spiritual forces that have remained hidden for centuries, only to be broken in triumph by grace.

Tracy kindly agreed to be interviewed as part of her stop here: 1. Most authors are also big readers. Do you read the same genre that you write? and which book has influenced you most in your desire to be a writer? Actually, I don’t write my favourite genre which is spec fiction or Sci-fi. When I was a teen all the girls my age were reading YA romances while I was heavy into Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan – all 30+ of them...) I was in love with Spock and had Star Trek posters in my room instead of the latest teen idol. My tastes really haven’t changed. I love a good Spec/ Sci-fi/ Fantasy/ Paranormal book with a really twisted ending. The irony is, I don’t write in this genre. I write Romantic Suspense, but I do try for an element of surprise at the end. After what I just said, it probably sounds out of sync to say that Lucy Maude Montgomery’s Anne series may have inspired me to follow my writing dreams. Anne is a strong heroine who loved to write and followed her dream by submitting her stories. There are so many inspiring authors it’s hard to pick one. I think I was also inspired early on by C.S. Lewis and Margaret Atwood. Lewis for his imagination and Atwood for her ability to tell her story her way.

2. Are you a plotter or a pantser when it comes to writing your book? I always start off as a ‘plotter’. I like to create detailed character sketches and I outline the basic plot. Then as I get going, things evolve and change so a lot of the ‘panster’ comes into play as well. I go through multiple rewrites, that’s for sure.

3. If you were giving a dinner party which four fictional characters would you most like to invite and why? Sherlock Holmes, Spock, Lizzy Bennett, and Festus the fool from ‘Twelfth Night’. All of them have a very keen intellect and while the first two are sparring over details and technicalities, Lizzy and Festus could make fun of them with sharp witted comments. It would be fun to watch. Of course, I’d probably have to invite them out somewhere since I really don’t enjoy throwing dinner parties and they might not like my cooking. (I’d like the sharp witted comments directed at one another, not my culinary abilities.)

4. What are you working on next? I’ve got two novels that need polishing up and which I hope to submit to my agent by the end of the summer. I’ve also got three new stage plays coming out sometime this year, so I’ll be busy promoting those. I also have a children’s book which I’ve illustrated which I’m in the process of shopping around.

Thanks, Tracy, that was fun and the book sounds great. You can get Tracy's book from: AMAZON or you can find her on Facebook or Her website.

Exams end in sight!

Thankfully this should see the last of the belle's exams. Eldest takes her last A2 paper today, Middle dd takes her drama assesment and youngest finishes off her film studies and science exams. I feel as if I've sat all of them! Mr Nell and I left them all hard at work on Saturday and escaped for a few hours. Where did we go to spend some couple time after barely seeing each other for almost a month? Mr Nell took me to look at touring caravans. Caravans we can't afford and aren't planning on getting till the belles have left home. On the plus side he did buy me lunch - and cake. I refused to go unless cake was involved. A huge thank you to everyone who's been downloading my New Bay Cornish series. I know thee weather hasn't been great but I'm still surprised that my Christmas title is still top of your pops. If you've read and enjoyed them please consider leaving a review on Amazon, B&N or Goodreads or your own blog. I've been taking a few days off from writing to plan mynext projects and to catch up on my own reading. How do you all like to spend your down time?

#APparty

Come and join the fun on Twitter - look for #APparty. We're there from 5-8GMT 1-3EST today! To win a pdf of New Bay wedding as part of the party giveaway leave me a message with your email addy in the comments telling me your best party trick. I'll draw the best tomorrow - Wednesday at 8pm GMT

June Catch up!

I can't believe it's almost halfway through the year already!The belles are all busy with exams. Eldest is sitting her A levels and hopes to take up a place at the Royal Agricultural College in the Autumn - Fingers crossed! Middle belle is sitting some GCSE papers a year early. Youngest belle is sitting science and an extra GCSE in film studies 2 years early. It's stress city right now. Add in Middle dd's dance show and theatre commitments - she's in Great Expectations next month at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton - and it's a bit busy here. Writing wise New Bay Wedding has just released - the latest in the Cornish short and sweet series. Radio Gaga is finished and I'm deciding what I want to do with it. My special collaborative project is also done now in draft form, I just have to polish and send it to an editor. Now I need to prepare my editing workshop which I'm delivering at the RNA conference in Penrith in a couple of weeks time and work on another very short little project before I get back to the book ideas I want to get done before Christmas. Life wise my hip and back have deteriorated and I'm waiting for the results of X-Rays and test to see if I can hold off the surgery for a few more years. More finger crossing! The day job is very busy with lots of new work coming on stream and our constant quest to maintain funding. Keeps us all busy and out of mischief! What about you? What are you all up to these days?

Releasing Tomorrow! New Bay Wedding, A Cornish short n sweet

Releasing tomorrow! The next of the New Bay short n sweets - A perfect short read for Summer! 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? Here's a snippet! “To our best man and chief bridesmaid.” Noah grinned at them and raised his glass to chink it against theirs. “Cheers!” Emma dutifully lifted her drink for the toast. True to form Ian managed to knock her glass so hard with his that half of her drink slopped over the rim of her glass and onto the table. “Oh, Emma, your jeans are soaked.” Posy pulled some tissues from her bag. “I’ll get a cloth.” Ian’s face turned a deeper shade of crimson and he jumped from his seat to beg a towel from the bar staff. Ian rushed back with a small cloth towel and began to dab ineffectively at the wet patch on Emma’s thigh. “Sorry, Em.” “It’s okay.” She took the towel from him and soaked up as much of the spilled cider as she could. How Ian had ever managed to become a vet she would never know. Whenever she met him he either trod on her, spilled something down her and, on one memorable occasion, he’d managed to set her hair on fire. He was a one man walking disaster area and her brother had asked him to be his best man. (C) Nell Dixon 2012 Available from Astraea press and all good e-tailers Don't forget you can meet the people of New Bay, Cornwall in Making Waves, September Song, A Cornish Christmas and Easter Holiday.

New Bay Wedding

Coming soon - those of you waiting for the next short n sweet Cornish book. Here's the cover for New Bay Wedding! 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?

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)