Start of the school holidays

I have all three belles home for the six week hols. They all have differing plans. Eldest is tied up with driving lessons and card making workshops. Middle belle is involved with Everybody Dance Now, the big millenium festival of dance and drama in Wolverhampton. Youngest belle always has plans, most of which revolve around her hectic social calendar.
I'm counting down the days to my holiday - ten days in Devon coming up in the next few weeks. Before then though I seem to have landed myself with a load of work. I have four submissions out there, edits coming this week on Renovation, Renovation, Renovation, a deadline galloping towards me for the next contracted book and in the midst of this my brain thinks it would be a good time for me to write a childrens story.
I don't write children's stories. The only other one was Bertie the Christmas Beetle which I wrote for my neice in December - yet now I have a 1k fairytale called the Emperor's Gold Fish. I have no idea if they are any good or even what on earth I could do with them.

Guest Blogger - Phillipa Ashley

Phillipa is a good friend of mine and a fabulous writer. A while ago, just around December, at one of our coffee crew meetings, Check out our blog she mentioned she had this manuscript lying in a drawer. When she let us read it, we couldn't believe she'd left it to play with the dust bunnies for so long. Now it's out for everyone to read - hurrah! It's a wonderful warm, sexy, read with a lovely heroine and one of Phillipa's trademark to-die-for heros.
Here's the blurb:
The road to heartbreak is paved with honorable intentions…

After a year dealing with her mum’s health scare and the end of a bad relationship, Keira Grayson was looking forward to kicking up her heels at her best friend’s wedding. Until she kicks off her (spare) knickers in front of the trifecta of perfection. Tom Carew. Son of an earl, honorable doctor and possibly the hottest man on the planet.

One look at Keira’s delightful embarrassment, and Tom’s hormone meter spins off the charts. Trouble is, his bags are already packed to return to the jungles of Papua New Guinea. He has patients waiting—and amends to make for a terrible choice that left devastation in its wake.

They both reason that indulging in a one-time dinner date won’t hurt…until their inhibitions melt away in the heat of their lethal sexual chemistry. Leaving Keira wondering if a sizzling fling is just what the doctor ordered, or another prescription for relationship disaster. And Tom fighting a battle against inner demons that could shatter both their hearts.

Warning: This book contains a hot aristocratic doctor, sparky heroine, new uses for a chaise longue, a steamy shower scene and a knicker-ripping encounter in a four-poster bed.
Don't you love the disclaimer!!!
Available from all good etailers including Samhain Publishing and Amazon
And for those of you who still love print - a print version will be available in a few months time!

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.

Sale!

Making Waves and Dangerous to Know are on sale! Yay! Only 71p for Making Waves - wow!
Dangerous to Know – Available NOW from Astraea Press Amazon and all good online book stores! http://www.astraeapress.com
ON SALE http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-To-Know-ebook/dp/B004W82K04/ref=sr_1_8?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1309788328&sr=1-8 only $2.30 ! Hurry!
Jerome Mayer is tall, dark and dangerous to know. Normally Gemma would run a mile, but with a freshly broken heart maybe it’s time for this good girl to take a walk on the wild side. However the danger to them both turns out to be more than just emotional when someone objects to their attempts to uncover a corrupt land deal.
“Dangerous to know.”
Nathalie’s words about her elder brother, Jerome, resonated in Gemma’s mind.
“Strawberries taste better when they’re dipped in chocolate.” Jerome suggested and dangled one near her mouth.
Gemma licked her lips, a gesture that was purely automatic. It felt very warm inside Nathalie’s sitting room and she struggled to draw enough air into her lungs.
Why had she decided the best way to get over being dumped yet again was to boost her confidence by flirting with Jerome? The corners of his deep blue eyes crinkled and she knew he found her naïve attempts at flirtation amusing.
Gemma leaned forward and took the fruit from his fingers with her teeth. She chewed and swallowed as Jerome’s pupils darkened in the soft light from a nearby lamp.
“You’re right. It makes all the difference.” Even to her own ears her voice sounded husky.
He smiled and her heart skipped a beat. “Well, there’s more if you want some.” His fingertips were coated in melted chocolate from the fountain that stood in the centre of the platter of fresh fruit.
His words held the unmistakable note of challenge. Gemma sucked in air. This was not a good idea. She was in too deep. She tried not to stare at his fingers or imagine the taste of his skin. Phew, she felt hot…
“Gemma, Tali says could you come and be on the photo she’s taking?”
Gemma blinked and tore her eyes away from Jerome. Polly, Nathalie’s little stepdaughter, stood waiting in her pink party dress.
“Of course, where is she?”
“She’s in the hall. She said to get you as well, Uncle Jerome.”
“Lead the way then, princess.” Jerome wiped his hands on a napkin and leaned forward to murmur, “Later,” in Gemma’s ear. His words fell soft and intimate on her hot face and her heart rate quickened.
© Nell Dixon 2011

‘This story had me going from the very start. I was curious to find out what was going to happen to them and if Gemma would finally realize all she needed to do to feel better was be true to herself. I like the way Gemma figures things out even though it takes a while. I also like Jerome being so careful about things. He is a sweetie. I enjoyed this book a lot and eagerly anticipate the next one by this author.’ 4 Coffee cups – from Coffeetime Romance reviews
http://www.nelldixon.com Romance with Heart to read the first chapter and to join my quarterly subscribers newsletter!