Sunday, August 23, 2020

Guest blogger - Morton S Gray

I know that Helena Dixon loves Devon and doesn’t need much excuse to disappear there. She always says it is about research for her books though ;-). When she invited me to feature on her blog to celebrate the launch of my fourth novel for Choc Lit, Sunny Days at the Beach, I started to think about my favourite places by the coast. I couldn’t live further from the sea if I tried, but always love a walk on a beach to recharge my batteries and my soul. I’ve limited myself to listing four favourite seaside places ... 1. Woolacombe, Devon – My eldest son and I always had an annual holiday in Woolacombe. We didn’t like the main beach, but loved Barricane beach with its rock pools and streams. We loved it so much that at one time I was considering relocating to the seaside town. 2. Llandanawg, North Wales – When my best friend had a caravan at Llandanawg, my youngest son and I used to go and stay with her. The beach is lovely with a bonus view of Snowdon. The guy at the little café writes very amusing Facebook posts about the weather each day, check out Y Maes Café. I have fond memories of beachcombing. 3. Bamburgh, Northumberland – We have had some of our all-time favourite family holidays at Bamburgh. We love the town, love the beach and having a castle to look at makes it even more special. Can’t beat a meal at The Lord Crewe Arms either! 4. Llanbedrog, North Wales – This is our new favourite place! We have only been here once last year, but will return. The beach isn’t as big as Bamburgh’s, but still great for beachcombing and collecting seaglass. The café at the art gallery Plas Glyn Y Weddw is fantastic and the gallery worth a visit or two. We loved wandering across the headland to Abersoch, which has another fantastic beach and town. One of the questions I get asked quite often is where my fictional seaside town of Borteen, where all of my published novels for Choc Lit are set, is located. The honest answer is that it is purely fictional, set on the east coast of England, but a genuine mix of all of the seaside places I have loved over the years. About the Author – Morton S Gray Morton lives with her husband, two sons and Lily, the tiny white dog, in Worcestershire, U.K. She has been reading and writing fiction for as long as she can remember, penning her first attempt at a novel aged fourteen. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and The Society of Authors. Her debut novel The Girl on the Beach was published after she won the Choc Lit Publishing Search for a Star competition in 2016. This story follows a woman with a troubled past as she tries to unravel the mystery surrounding her son’s new headteacher, Harry Dixon.​ Morton’s second book for Choc Lit The Truth Lies Buried is another romantic suspense novel, The story of Jenny Simpson and Carver Rodgers as they uncover secrets from their past. Christmas at Borteen Bayis Morton’s first Christmas novella. It is set in her fictional seaside town of Borteen and follows the story of Pippa Freeman, who runs the Rose Court Guest House with her mother, and local policeman Ethan Gibson, as they unravel a family secret as Christmas approaches. Morton previously worked in the electricity industry in committee services, staff development and training. She has a Business Studies degree and is a fully qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master. She also has diplomas in Tuina acupressure massage and energy field therapy. She enjoys crafts, history and loves tracing family trees. Having a hunger for learning new things is a bonus for the research behind her books. You can catch up with Morton with the following links:- Website and blog at www.mortonsgray.com Twitter @MortonSGray Facebook page – Morton S. Gray Author - https://www.facebook.com/mortonsgray/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/morton_s_gray/ About the Book – Sunny Days at the Beach From party nights at the pub to sunny days at the beach ... Craft shop owner Mandy Vanes has always enjoyed a commitment-free singleton lifestyle — in fact, she’s well-known for her wild ways in her small seaside town on the coast. But when local teenager, Nick Crossten, turns to her for help, Mandy has the opportunity to prove she can be a responsible adult. Although things get tricky when gin distillery owner Graham Frankley comes to town with some unexpected news. Could this mean that Mandy the party girl is finally ready to grow up? Buying Link for Sunny Days at the Beach - https://www.choc-lit.com/dd-product/sunny- days-at-the-beach/

Monday, July 06, 2020

Murder on the Dance Floor

I'm excited to share my cover reveal for Murder on the Dance Floor https://t.co/lJhccqAfTb

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Not long now!

Murder at The Playhouse releases on June 30th! I'm so excited to be sharing this story with you all. Book 4, Murder on The Dance Floor has just had it's first round of edits and I'm looking forward to seeing the cover art. Kitty and Matt fans will love this one! I'm just starting book 5 which will be Murder at Christmas with a return to Enderley Hall! So lots going on.

Monday, May 18, 2020

Murder At Enderley Hall is a best seller!

Lovely to see Murder at Enderley Hall gaining orange best seller flags in the USA and Canada lately. Thank you too for all the lovely letters and emails I've had from readers saying how much they are enjoying Matt and Kitty's adventures. Lots of you asking if they will get together! You'll have to wait and see on that one. I've just completed the first draft of book 4. No fixed title yet. As soon as I know I'll post about it for you.

Monday, May 04, 2020

Celebration!

I'm thrilled to announce that I've signed a new 2 book contract with Bookouture for my historical cozy crime mystery series!

Friday, April 03, 2020

Special Offer

With Murder at Enderley Hall now available and Murder at The Playhouse available for preorder my lovely publishers are offering my UK readers the chance to grab the ebook version of Murder At The Dolphin Hotel for just 99p for a limited time!

Friday, March 13, 2020

Murder at The Playhouse

The scene is set for murder… and Kitty Underhay’s partner has been cast as the killer. Woohoo! We’re delighted to reveal the cover for @NellDixon's MURDER AT THE PLAYHOUSE (A Miss Underhay Mystery)! Out June 30th but you can pre order your copy here: geni.us/B085QNNFWHCover

Saturday, February 29, 2020

Life and things

Well, a lot has happened since my last post. I finally had my left hip replaced a week ago so am busy mastering the elbow crutches at the moment. Many thanks to everyone who has bought and reviewed Murder at The Dolphin Hotel and preordered Murder at Enderley Hall. Your support and love for Miss Kitty Underhay is hugely appreciated. I'm thrilled to be able to confirm that the title of the 3rd book is Murder at the Playhouse. I can't wait to be able to share the cover as it's fabulous! In the meantime, I did an interview with lovely Clare https://clarerhoden.com/2020/02/28/murder-is-a-cosy-treat-with-helena-dixon/

Monday, February 03, 2020

February Already!

Structural edits are back with my lovely editor for book three. The title is still to be confirmed. I've been calling it Murder on the Eleventh Tee but we're considering Murder at The Play House since a lot of the action is centered around the Pavillion Theatre in Torquay. It's very sad these days to see such a beautiful building all closed up. I really hope they will find a new purpose for it and return it to it's former glory. This shows the interior in the late 1920's

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Who remembers these?

Structural edits have arrived for book 3, but I found these little beauties for my research. Who remembers collecting cigarette cards and putting them in albums? I remember them from the seventies but these are from Kitty and Matt's era.

Saturday, January 18, 2020

PLR

Huge thanks to everyone who has borrowed any of my books from the library. Libraries are so important and it made me so happy to see that so many of you are able to read my books or listen on audio through them. Don't forget you can ask the library to order them in if you can't find them there. Many are available in large print too.

Thursday, January 09, 2020

Audio book news!

I'm very excited to say that the wonderful Alex Tregear is going to narrate the audio book for Murder at Enderley Hall. She did such a brilliant job with Murder at The Dolphin Hotel so I know this is going to be fab. If you like audio books but haven't tried it yet click one of these links. UK: zpr.io/taWwH US: zpr.io/taWwf Happy Listening!

Thursday, January 02, 2020

Milestones

I always believe that it's important to celebrate the small achievements in life. When I signed my contract for Bookouture my lovely daughters got me a pandora bracelet with a bead that says 'a dream is a wish your heart makes'. This is a quote from one of my favourite Disney films, Sleeping Beauty. Today I added this lovely blue 'wave' bead to mark Murder at The Dolphin Hotel's successful release.

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Happy New Year!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me on my publishing journey this year! Thank you to my wonderful readers, the bloggers. and reviewers. My fabulous publishers and editors, copy editors, proof readers and cover artists. My incredible agent, the publicists and everyone who has shared my posts and retweeted for me. I truly love and appreciate all of you and look forward to bringing you some more reads for 2020

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Merry Christmas

Wishing all my wonderful readers a Happy Christmas! Thank you for reading and reviewing my books xxxxx

Friday, December 06, 2019

Murder at The Dolphin Hotel is a bestseller!

Whoo hoo! Murder at The Dolphin Hotel is officially a best seller! Out December 11th but preorder just 99p here:https://t.co/iHGhwOmmNW

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Cover reveal and preorder for Murder at Enderley Hall

An escape to the country… ends in death. Summer 1933. Fresh from the discovery that she has family living nearby, Kitty Underhay has packed her carpet bag, commandeered a chambermaid and set off on a visit to stately Enderley Hall. She’s looking forward to getting to know her relatives, as well as the assembled group of house guests. But when elderly Nanny Thoms is found dead at the bottom of the stairs after papers of national importance are stolen, Kitty quickly learns that Muffy the dog’s muddy paws on her hemline are the least of her problems. Calling on ex-army captain Matthew Bryant for assistance, Kitty begins to puzzle out the mystery. And when more shocking murders follow, the stakes are raised for the daring duo as never before. Which of the guests stand to gain from the theft of the documents? And which, as the week progresses, stand to lose their lives? Get your copy now! geni.us/B0825Z6KBRCover

Friday, November 29, 2019

Murder at the Dolphin Hotel

Releasing December 11th, and available for preorder right now at all the Amazon's - my debut book as Helena Dixon. This is the first book of a series set in 1930's Dartmouth featuring Miss Kitty Underhay and her fellow sleuth, Captain Matthew Bryant. A room with a view… to murder June 1933. Kitty Underhay is a modern, independent woman from the top of her shingle bob to the tip of her t-strap heels. She prides herself on the reputation of her family’s ancient hotel on the blustery English coast. But then a body is found, rooms are ransacked and rumours begin to circulate that someone is on the hunt for a valuable stolen ruby – a ruby that Kitty’s mother may have possessed when she herself went missing during the Great War. Before she can do more than flick a duster, Kitty finds herself in the midst of a murder investigation. When the local police inspector shows no signs of solving the shocking crimes plaguing the hotel, Kitty steps briskly into the breach. Together with ex-army captain Matthew Bryant, her new hotel security officer, she is determined to decipher this mystery and preserve not only the name of her hotel, but also the lives of her guests. Could there be a cold-blooded killer under her own roof? And what connects the missing jewel to the mystery from Kitty’s own past? A classic page-turning murder mystery! Fans of Agatha Christie, Elizabeth Edmondson and T.E. Kinsey will love this unputdownable whodunnit.