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!

Valentine's Day Treat 3

Patricia Kiyono's Aegean Intrigue
Someone has been stealing priceless Greek artifacts and it's Alex Leonidis' job to uncover the thief. His prime suspect is beautiful archaeological graduate student, Francie Vasileiou. His plan is to join in an archaeological dig and catch her in the act. All he has to do is keep his mind on his job, and not on the way his lovely suspect warms his heart. He's learned the hard way not to trust fragile-looking women who seem to need his help.

Francie wants to get her PhD and become an archaeologist, like her famous father. The sudden invitation to participate in a dig on the beautiful Greek island of Paros is a wonderful opportunity. She has no time for distractions like Alex, the handsome Project Director. Experience has taught her to stay clear of handsome, charismatic Greek men.

On the shores of the Aegean Sea, Alex and Francie work together, searching for treasures from Greece's past. While pursuing their goals, they discover some of the truths they had believed to be carved in stone may have been flawed.
Available from: Astraea Press Amazon and B&N

Valentines Day Treat 2

Minna has a secret. Her father, ex-dragon jockey Wynn Westerfield, will forever hold a grudge against wizards. Because it was a wizard who caused his career-ending accident, Minna struggles to hide her incredible magical powers from him...and from the world.

Evan Valentine has attended a prestigious magical academy on scholarship, although he's managed to conceal that fact from everyone. He's on the fast track to success with his apprenticeship to wizard Thaddeus Bartholomew, and Evan's carefully constructed life doesn't include a certain beautiful girl whose powers rival his own.

Although Minna and Evan don't realize it yet, their destinies have been intertwined for years. When a threat arises, Minna and Evan must travel to another reality to retrieve a dangerous magical artifact. Can Minna and Evan learn to work together, despite their mutual mistrust? Or will their explosive romantic attraction lead to disaster?

Minna & The Valentine is available at:Amazon and B&N as well as other fine online bookstores.

Valentine's Day treats

Astraea is not only giving away a free book every day this month to celebrate it's birthday but also has some fabulously romantic reads for Valentine's Day like THE KEY TO LOVE – Meg Mims!

Artist Jennette Jacobson clashes with a handsome visitor at a gallery show. He claims that artwork is just “more junk to dust.” Ouch. When she finds a small metal object on the floor, she uses it later in a new collage.

Her world soon crumbles with family problems and a friend’s betrayal. And wouldn’t you know that the same hunky guy claims he lost an important key the night of the show! When Steve Harmon offers to buy Jenn’s work, she refuses to sell. He’ll just trash it to free his precious key... Or is it possible that key will unlock her future happiness?

Available from Astraea Press B&N
and of course Amazon

Treat yourself to a lovely romantic read!

Things I just don't get

Okay, maybe with an impending birthday it's my age but there are an increasing number of things that I just don't 'get'.
One of them was featured in my morning paper today.
Hair extensions - There were these horrendous pictures showing the damaged scalps of various women who had actually ponied up good money to do this to themselves. I mean what is the logic behind it? Think about this...
Hair extensions are human hair - from someone elses head (ugh, shudder) The main supply is from temples in Asia where the hair is sold. This hair is then glued or heat sealed onto your own hair - often using latex based materials (hello Toxins) or fastened with tiny metal clips. The process of putting it in and out damages the hair folicles causing scalp trauma and people develop bald spots from where clumps of hair are tugged out due to the weight of the extensions (Scalp traction)
Bits of someone elses hair shed constantly.
How is any of this attractive? Can imagine a bloke running his hands through his girlfriends hair and it either coming away or ehe's encountering glue, metal, hair spray etc. Romantic? No.
So is it me? Actually, don't answer that, I'm not going to be rushing to my hairdresser for these anytime soon.

Six below freezing

That was definitely what Poppy, my little car, said the temp was this morning as I drove eldest to get her train to college. It makes me so thankful I live in an age of central heating and indoor plumbing.
Exciting news! Astraea press have acquired Easter Holiday - this is my new short and sweet novella set in the fictional town of New Bay, Cornwall. It'll release mid to end March and gives you the chance to catch up with old friends and meet new ones in the form of Posy and Noah. It's Astraea's birthday too this month - check my sidebar for a link to their blog - they are giving away a different book every day for the whole of February. Perfect if you like delicious clean reads.
There is a wonderful view from my window this morning across the fields, everything is white and stiff with frost and the sky is that translucent blue tinged with pink gold. The little Welsh rough cob ponies look a bit miserable by the side of the pond, all huddled together around the hay bales. I'm trying to get some feeling back in my feet before I venture out again for more groceries. Yet again there is nothing in the house to eat! Teenagers -grr.

Fabby Friday!

Brief Encounters is now just 99p on AMAZON for a short time. So if you haven't got a copy of our collection of short stories, two by me, two from Phillipa Ashley and two from Elizabeth Hanbury, then go get a copy! It's also available as a paperback - the perfect birthday, valentines or mothers day gift.
The other reason it's a fabby Friday is Elizabeth Hanbury, my friend and fellow coffee crew member has sold her book, A Bright Particular Star to Astraea Press. Four publishers wanted to buy and having read the book I can understand why. It's a gorgeous regency romp with a delicious hero and a minx of a heroine. Astraea Press recently had a NYT bestseller with another regency author so have a strong name for selecting beautifully fabulous regency tales for their list. A Bright Particular Star will be out in May and I can't wait!

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)

Writing

I thought I'd better give you all an update on where I am with my writing since New Year! I've almost half a brand new short and sweet story done which I hope will be right for Astraea Press. It's another New Bay set story so a couple of previous characters step in and out of the pages but the focus is on the outskirts of the town on a farm. It has a very lovely farmer called Noah and a city girl turned reluctant camper called Posy. Poor Noah is being tugged in all directions thanks to his matchmaking sister, Emma.
I've just 10kish left to go on Radio Gaga so that should be wrapped up in the next six weeks. Nice timing as Renovation, Renovation, Renovation gets closer to making it's print debut at the beginning of March.
I've managed to fit a bit of reading in too! Quite an achievement when I'm helping eldest belle revise for her A2 exams.

Chugging along

Eldest, middle and youngest
It's too early in the New year for me to think about the usual goals for the year. I never attempt my getting fitter, maintaining/losing weight until the middle of the month. That gives time for the goodies to go and life to settle down. This year is extra slow as my eldest belle will be 18 on Wednesday!
I can't quite believe the years have gone by so swiftly. She arrived by C section on a cold January day - overdue and breech, her hips stuck firmly in my pelvis so her hips were dislocated. She spent the first six months of her life encased in double nappies and a huge plastic casing to hold her joints in place.
It certainly surprised the vicar at her christening when I handed her over and instead of a squishly little baby he encountered the huge plastic splint. People were very weird when I was out with her too - one woman followed me all around the supermarket one day and threatened me with social services as eldest had been crying and the woman could see the splint. I swear she took my car reg as I pulled away.
Now she's all grown up, learning to drive, taking her A levels and planning her university course.
Happy Birthday, eldest!