January blues

It's that time of year when everyone gets the blues. Bills are in, money is short. All the work that didn't get done in December hits your desk and it's cold. But, on the upside, the days are getting lighter, snowdrops are open in my garden, PLR (Thats a small sum of money paid by govt to compensate for library loaning) has been announced and the holiday brochures are out.
I'm planning to crack on with Radio Gaga to get this last 10k done - I always procrastinate at the end of a single title. Then, I need to polish and submit my Easter short. I got a nice surprise to find A Cornish Christmas in Amazon's top 100 Romance short stories yesterday which was a real boost. I love writing the fun short novella's and I'm so pleased people seem to be enjoying them.
My Mum got a kindle for Christmas which means that because she can adjust the font she can now read all my books that weren't available to her before. She called last night to tell me she'd read Renovation, Renovation, Renovation. Gulp! Luckily for me she loved it and said she'd read some bits out to my dad and they'd been laughing out loud at some of the lines.(In a good way)

Renovation, Renovation, Renovation - another fab review!

Thanks to the lovely Nikki, for her review of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation here at Books4U She said, 'A haunting story, about life and death living together in an old run down cottage. Which is well written and the human spirit shines through to create a beautiful story.'

Review for Renovation, Renovation, Renovation!

One More Page reviewed Renovation, Renovation, Renovation! Squee! They said 'Renovation, Renovation, Renovation is a quick read that kept me engrossed and I really enjoyed the originality of the ghostly element to it. The book had the perfect level of spookiness for me and is an ideal Halloween read for chick lit lovers!' How fab is that!

Boo!!!

Welcome to everyone visiting for the Spookalicious blog hop! Leave a comment for your chance to win a pdf of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation or Cue Me In.

A fun romantic comedy with a unique twist that kept me hooked from beginning to end -- Gemma Halliday, bestselling author of the High Heel mysteries

Overworked, over budget and just so not over him! Kate would like an engagement ring from Steve but instead he's lumbered them with a thirteenth renovation project, and doing up Myrtle Cottage disturbs a ghost from the English Civil War who has romance troubles of her own. Available from Amazon and as paperback March 5th 2012

Fae Heath wants to be on TV, but not just any show. She wants to be on Ghost UK. She intends to win the contest to find the next presenter. Tall, slim and blonde and access to a haunted Welsh Castle on Halloween – how can she fail? Coming THURSDAY 20th OCTOBER from Astraea Press

Two very different tales for the Autumn and beyond!
Winners drawn October 25th To 'HOP' to another blog on the tour click the link on the right.

Where am I today?

I'm with the lovely Ju GO HERE chatting about romantic fiction and giving away a copy of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation

Renovation, Renovation, Renovation on Tour

Today I'm visiting my lovely talented author friend and fellow romance diva, Kate Pearce. Stop by and say hello and you could win a copy. Go Here!

Whoo hoo! It's out!

FROM UK AMAZON and from AMAZON.COM Nook following later!!!

Pre release party!

Fingers crossed Renovation, Renovation, Renovation will be available in e book tomorrow/Monday. My publisher thinks they've uncovered the cause of the glitch and the powers that be hopefully will get it fixed. So, while we're waiting, meet some of the people in the book.

Hi, I'm Kate, and my doofus very ex-boyfriend, Steve bought this mouldering money pit of a cottage instead of the beautiful barn that he was supposed to have bid for. Needless to say we're no longer together but thanks to the property crash until Myrtle Cottage is sold then I have to stay here - all our money went on this dump.

Hi, I'm Steve, Myrtle Cottage is a great investment, an incredible 15th century cottage in a prime location with acres of land. I can't believe that Kate can't see what a great deal it was or that we broke up over it. Women! I'll never understand them.

I'm Lou, Kate's sister - can you believe those two? If you ask me, and someone should, they're still crazy about one another - when they're not arguing of course. I've got my own problems to worry about though.

There are people in my home, strange shadow people in strange clothes. I am afraid I may be mad or perhaps 'tis a punishment for my sins. (Mary Ann)

Now you've met some of the people - how about a contest? Tell me your ghost experiences and I'll draw some people from the comments for a prize of a download of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation when it releases. Contest will close Tuesday 9am GMT

Visiting...

Today I'm being hosted by the lovely Debs Carr.Over Here Drop by to hear what she thinks and for another excerpt.

Are we nearly there yet?

I'm so sorry there isn't a preorder link up for the e book of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation yet. My publisher has been working hard to try and sort out the glitch but you know what technology can be like. It might even be Monday or Tuesday before it gets resolved. The preorder for the paperback is on Amazon Uk so maybe something is happening. For my lovely US readers - I'm hoping we can get things sorted soon.
In the meantime how about an excerpt?
Overworked, over budget and just so not over him! Kate would like an engagement ring from Steve but instead he's lumbered them with a thirteenth renovation project, and doing up Myrtle Cottage disturbs a ghost from the English Civil War who has romance troubles of her own.

A small heap of rubble littered the ancient grey tiled floor in the no man's land area of the kitchen. The room was deserted. Only the dirt and a pile of unwashed mugs in the sink showed the enemy had been there. I knew he must still be inside the cottage as his van was parked outside, but for now it was safe to enter.
Orange plaster dust crunched under my shiny office court shoes as I made my way to the fridge. A layer of grime coated the once pristine white appliance I’d chosen with such loving care twelve months and three houses ago. The interior however was thankfully dust-free with shelves clearly marked in blue and red tape.
When Steve and I first separated and things had turned ugly I’d marked the shelves. The blue shelves - mine - were stacked with neatly labelled Tupperware. The red ones - Steve’s - were bare except for an opened packet of dried up ham and an out of date box of eggs.
(C) Nell Dixon 2011

Countdown!

Yep, Renovation, Renovation, Renovation releases this week - paperback to follow March 5th 2012. This weekend there'll be a big release party here with lots of giveaways, excerpts and fun so make sure you stop by.
Today I'm guesting Here with the lovely Australian author, Maggie Nash. Where I'm sharing a couple of my research pics and talking about writing what you don't know.

Ta- dah!

Coming September 28th to a e book retailer near you and in paperback March 5th 2012
After renovating twelve houses in seven years Kate wanted a ring on her finger and the forever house.
Instead of her dream home and her dream man, she get’s house number thirteen, Myrtle Cottage. A crumbling seventeenth century money pit.
Trapped by the credit crunch on yet another renovation project with her now very ex boyfriend, Steve, will she ever find the forever love she’s after or will it just be more renovation, renovation, renovation?

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.

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.

This month's catch up!

This year is zooming by much too fast. I have lots of lovely things coming up. Be My Hero is out in audiobook in August, Animal Instincts is released in German in September, Brief Encounters will be in print in September and, best of all, Renovation, Renovation, Renovation will be out as an e book in September and March 5th as a print book!I'm so excited.
Writingwise at the moment I'm pushing on with the novella as I really want to get it done and start shopping it over the summer. I'm into the final third of my next book for Myrmidon, and I've now got a synopsis and a couple of chapters on the project I'm totally not supposed to be working on at all.
So it's pretty busy right now. I'll be sharing a few tid-bits from Renovation, Renovation, Renovation over the next few months and I've some fabulous guest bloggers lined up for you too.

A bit of a catch up!

I've been a bit of a bad blogger lately. My excuse is that time seems to be whizzing past and I have been horrendously busy. Things are moving swiftly with Renovation, Renovation, Renovation - edits are due anytime soon and yesterday I saw some of the cover concepts - all of which are gorgeous and different and lovely. As soon as I get the official release dates I'll be shouting about them on here. I'm halfway through writing the second contracted book for Myrmidon so I'm having to pick my way through the various complicated plot threads at the minute to make sure i don't end up with holes.
I'm also still writing Sour Grapes, my shorter novella. I have the next week off from the day job so I may do some more on that then. That's also half done. Then there's my secret, not supposed to be writing it at all book. All I'll tell you is that it's Jane Austen inspired contemporary rom com.
The belles have been busy too with my eldest dd sitting her AS level exams, and the two younger ones taking part in the annual dance show, plus my middle dd working with her theatre group ready for the summer festival.
I'm really looking forward to a week just puttering about, tinkering with my wips and tidying up the house. It'll be so nice not to have to rush around everywhere.

A huge big thank you

to everyone who has emailed, facebook messaged, twittered, myspaced and called me about the sale of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation to Myrmidon. I'm so very lucky to have so many lovely, generous and supportive friends.
Here's a little snippet of what the story is all about:-

After helping her live-in partner, former boy-band singer turned property developer, Steve Ricardo, renovate thirteen houses in seven years, Kate Michaels has had enough. When Steve impulsively purchases house number fourteen – the rambling and run-down Elizabethan Myrtle cottage – by using all their capital without consulting her, it’s the last straw. Kate had been expecting a romantic proposal and an engagement ring, not another renovation project. This time, as far as she’s concerned, the relationship is finished.
The only snag being that, with all their money tied up in Myrtle cottage and the property market on the skids, Kate has no choice but to stay in the house with Steve until the renovations are complete and the house is sold. Kate already dislikes the cottage, but when she starts to hear footsteps, snatches of conversations and music which is definitely of another era it really sets her nerves jangling. Wasps' nests, spiders and mice are one thing; ghosts are something else completely.