All posts by Melanie

Authors, Blog Tour, Book Launch, Crooked Cat, Novels, Rosemary Gemmell, Scotland

THE HIGHLAND LASS by Rosemary Gemmell ~ BLOG TOUR

March 14, 2015 Melanie 18 Comments

Blurb

Eilidh Campbell returns to her Scottish roots from America with one main aim: to discover the identity of her real father. But her mother’s past in Inverclyde is a mystery with family secrets, a book of Robert Burns’ poems with a hidden letter and a photograph link to the Holy Loch at Dunoon when the American Navy were in residence.

Staying with her childhood friend, Kirsty, while searching for answers, Eilidh begins to fall in love with handsome Scot Lewis Grant, but just how free is he? Together they trace the story of Highland Mary and Robert Burns, with its echoes to her mother’s story. From Dunoon, to Ayrshire and culminating in Greenock, Eilidh finds the past is closer than she realises.

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Buy Links

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Highland-Lass-Rosemary-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00TOTER6Q

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Highland-Lass-Rosemary-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00TOTER6Q

Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/Highland-Lass-Rosemary-Gemmell-ebook/dp/B00TOTER6Q

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I’m thrilled you were able to stop in here at Celtic Connexions on your blog tour, Rosemary. There’s so much I want to know about The Highland Lass among other things.

Thank you so much for inviting me to be your guest today, Melanie. It’s lovely to be here and next best thing to sharing a cup of tea with you in person.

You write in a variety of genres – short stories, articles, novellas, and novels. Do you have one you prefer over the others?

I used to think I preferred writing short stories, until I started getting into longer fiction, and now the short stories are more infrequent. So I probably prefer longer fiction, whether novellas or novels. I do, however, enjoy writing articles every now and then as they employ a completely different, more analytical part of the brain and I find them a good rest from the imaginary world of fiction.

Your latest novel, The Highland Lass, holds a special place in your heart. Most of it is contemporary but there are some historical chapters in Highland Mary’s voice. Is she, or perhaps Robbie Burns, a part of the family secret Eilidh has come to Scotland to discover?

The main thrust of the story is that Eilidh has never known who her real father was and needs to try and find the answer. After her mother’s death in America, she discovers a secret love letter in her mother’s book of Burns’ poems signed by the letter R and a photograph that suggests a link to the American Navy at the Holy Loch. Her mother always maintained that Highland Mary was an ancestress and Eilidh feels drawn to the 18^th century story. She also feels an affinity with the handsome Scot, Lewis Grant, whom she meets on the flight home to Scotland, as if they have known each other for much longer.

What inspired you to write The Highland Lass?

My mother first introduced me to Highland Mary’s grave in Greenock cemetery when I was a girl and I’ve been fascinated by her ever since. I also enjoyed Burns’ poetry, especially after winning the Burns certificate for recitation in primary school twice! But Mary Campbell was one small part of Burns’ life, with only certain ‘facts’ written over the years. My imagination was fired but I knew I couldn’t sustain a whole novel in the past as I didn’t want it to be about Burns himself. Since Eilidh is a Campbell, she becomes even more fascinated by the story of Robert Burns’ Highland Lass and their love story finds echoes in her mother’s story.

I also wanted to write about my own area of Inverclyde in homage to its beautiful scenery and I was interested in the period when the American Navy was based in the Holy Loch during the 1960s and 70s (and beyond) as many of the young girls on this side of the river went to the dances there and in Greenock – Eilidh’s mother being one of them.

How much research did it require?

The modern part didn’t require so much, as it’s set in all the areas I personally know, though I did need to visit the relevant parts of Ayrshire, just as Eilidh and Lewis do. I’ve been researching the historical details on and off for years and had an article about Burns and Highland Mary published in The Highlander magazine in the USA some years ago. Rather than speak to any descendants of Highland Mary, I preferred to use the letters, poems and non-fiction books to find out about her short time with Burns and how she affected him. This was important to me as the historical parts are completely fictionalised, albeit from the known ‘facts’ and they allowed me to imagine Mary’s voice.

What’s your next project?

I’m currently writing the third in my Aphrodite and Adonis series of contemporary novellas, with a touch of mythological fantasy set on Cyprus, for Tirgearr Publishing. At the same time, I have several other novels/novellas (historical and contemporary) awaiting some attention. I’m also writing a Victorian crime novel set around my own area – if I ever get on with the rest of it. Then there are the short stories and articles that are started but not yet finished!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author Bio

A prize-winning writer, Rosemary Gemmell’s short stories, articles, and poems have been published in UK magazines, in the US, and online. She is now a historical and contemporary novelist and The Highland Lass is the first novel from Crooked Cat Publishing under her full name. She has also published historical novels and contemporary novellas with a touch of mythological fantasy from Tirgearr Publishing as Romy and tween books as Ros, as she likes to tackle a variety of writing genres and styles.

Rosemary has a BA (hons) in European literature and history and a post-graduate MA in Humanities from the Open University. She is a member of the Society of Authors, the Romantic Novelists’ Association, and the Scottish Association of Writers. She enjoys sharing writing information, and loves to dance!

Author Links

Website: http://www.rosemarygemmell.com

Blog: http://ros-readingandwriting.blogspot.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Romy-Gemmell/1422387704702586

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosemaryGemmell

Thank you for stopping by and sharing this exciting new book with us. My father may have been born in Aberdeenshire, but he was raised in Inverclyde at The Orphan Homes of Scotland so this part of your beautiful country is very special to me, too.

4RV Publishing, Children's author, Interviews, Publicity, Publishing, Stephanie Burkhart, Stories, Writing

Brady’s Lost Blanket by Stephanie Burkhart

March 11, 2015 Melanie 6 Comments

BLURB:

Brady is a sensitive young boy who takes his blankie wherever he goes. After traveling with his parents to visit his new cousin, Brady accidently leaves his blanket behind. Can Brady learn to get by without his blankie?

~~~~~~~~~~

Welcome to Celtic Connexions, Stephanie. I’m always happy to host a fellow 4RV author here. I’m sure everyone wants to know the story behind the book and more…

What inspired you to write the story?

One of my husband’s relatives mentioned their grandchild had a blankie and was having a hard time without it. I drew on my own childhood memories of having a blankie. I think letting go of the blankie is the first step in growing up.

How long did it take?

It took about a week to write the story. I have to thank 4RV Publishing for publishing Brady’s Lost Blanket. It took about 2 weeks back and forth with the editing.

Did you pick the illustrator?

No, I did not. 4RV Publishing selected the illustrator. I think Bridget McKenna did a great job with the illustrations. They have a very whimsical feel and compliment the story well.

What makes this book special?

Brady’s Lost Blanket has a message for all young children who become attached to “something” (be it a blanket or something else) because they want to feel secure. It’s okay to let go of our “security” nets and move forward. It maybe a little scary at first, but once you go without it, you learn you can live without it.

How long have you been writing children’s books?

About 5 years now. My first children’s book, “The Giving Meadow” was published with 4RV Publishing in 2010. It has a great message about sharing and caring for young children as well as telling about Caterpillar’s transformation into a butterfly. It’s perfect for Easter as it helps young children understand Jesus’ story.

~~~~~~~~~~

My review:

Brady’s Lost Blanket is a delightful children’s story about growing up and moving on from the security of a ‘blankie’ to not needing it anymore.

It’s a well-written book and thoughtfully told story.

~~~~~~~~~~

Inspiration comes in small packages

By: Stephanie Burkhart

One of my husband’s relatives told me a story about her grandchild who was attached to his blankie. He left it behind when he was visiting relatives and was having a hard time without it. That brought back memories of the time when I was a young girl and had a blankie. My blankie was soft blue with silk blue trim. I loved to rub it against my face. It was very soothing. My blankie was my security net. It was always there for me. I could count on it to relax my ruffled feelings or frustration – until it mysteriously disappeared. One day, when I was five, my blankie turned up missing. I had no idea what happened to it. I felt “out of sorts,” “uncomfortable,” and “anxious.” (My mother hid it on me. She decided it was time for me to learn how to get along without it.)

Those first couple of days without blankie was rough, but I soon learned other age appropriate coping stragedies. I played with Barbie and her Beach van. I picked up a book. I began coloring. I loved playing with Matchbox cars. Soon my imagination grew and I didn’t need blankie anymore.

Giving up blankie was my first step to growing up.

Brady’s Lost Blanket is about taking that first step. It’s a great message for children. Growing up isn’t easy. There are all kinds of challenges, but learning how to get along without a blankie is usually the first one a child faces. In the story, Brady has a lot of support from his parents who offer him other ways to deal with the anxiety of losing his blanket. I hope that when other children read the story they realize that while it may be upsetting at first, letting go of blankie and embracing new things can be fun and they’ll be all right.

ABOUT STEPHANIE:

Stephanie Burkhart was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire, but now calls California her home. She currently works for LAPD as a 911 Dispatcher. Stephanie has been writing since she was five, when she crafted homemade comic books on the kitchen table. Her previous books with 4RV Publishing include: The Giving Meadow, and First Flag of New Hampshire. Stephanie enjoys coffee, adores chocolate and is currently the Den Leader for her son’s Cub Scout Den.

BRADY’S LOST BLANKET is available in print from 4RV Publishing.

BUY LINKS:

4RV PUBLISHING BOOKSTORE

AMAZON

BARNES & NOBLE

FIND STEPHANIE ON THE WEB AT:

Did you have a blankie growing up? Did you know someone who had a blankie?

Accent Press, Authors, book blitz, Book covers, Brook Cottage Books, Marie Laval

A SPELL IN PROVENCE by Marie Laval

March 7, 2015 Melanie 3 Comments

With few roots in England and having just lost her job, Amy Carter decides to give up on home and start a new life in France, spending her redundancy package turning an overgrown Provençal farmhouse, Bellefontaine, into a successful hotel.

Though she has big plans for her new home, none of them involves falling in love – least of all with Fabien Coste, the handsome but arrogant owner of a nearby château. As romance blossoms, eerie and strange happenings in Bellefontaine hint at a dark mystery of the Provençal countryside which dates back many centuries and holds an entanglement between the ladies of Bellefontaine and the ducs de Coste at its centre. As Amy works to unravel the mystery, she begins to wonder if it may not just be her heart at risk, but her life too.

********************

My Review

I loved this book! I’m a sucker for anything set in France so this one fit the bill right away. Couple that with the strange happenings at Amy’s farmhouse, Bellefontaine, and I HAD to read it.

Marie’s descriptive narrative drew me in right away and kept me turning the pages. I could visualize the places easily and her characters were strong and believable.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves books set in France with mystery and romance combined.

5-stars!

********************

Marie Laval Bio

Originally from Lyon in France, Marie studied History and Law at university there before moving to Lancashire in England where she worked in a variety of jobs, from PA in a busy university department to teacher of French in schools and colleges. Writing, however, was always her passion, and she spends what little free time she has dreaming and making up stories. Her historical romances ANGEL HEART and THE LION’S EMBRACE are published by MuseItUp Publishing. A SPELL IN PROVENCE is her first contemporary romance. It is published by Áccent Press.

See more at:

amazon.co.uk
Accent Press

#AtoZChallenge, Authors, Blog Tour, Book Tour, Books, Fun stuff, Novels, Publishing

CELTIC CONNEXIONS… Coming in MARCH…

March 1, 2015 Melanie 2 Comments

Celtic Connexions March Schedule

March is shaping up to be another busy month here at Celtic Connexions. Be sure to mark your calendars so you don’t miss a single thing. There are Book Tours, author interviews, a St Patrick’s Day party and more!

March 1st – The monthly calendar for the month of March

March 7th – A Spell in Provence by Marie Laval

March 11th – Brady’s Lost Blanket, a children’s book, by fellow 4RV Publishing author, Stephanie Burkhart

March 14th – Interview with Rosemary Gemmell, Scottish author of The Highland Lass (and more)

March 17th – Online St Patrick’s Day party with “virtual” Irish food, drink and traditions along with an interview with Irish author, Sharon Black

March 21st – Interview with Linda Gillard, Scottish author of Cauldstane (and more)

March 25th – A Matter of Temperance by Ichabod Temperance

March 31st – Introduction to April’s #AtoZChallenge month. You’ll find out what the challenge is all about and what I’ll be blogging about throughout the month of April.

I’m always happy to host fellow authors for interviews, cover reveals, or book launch parties.

If you’d like to be a guest here at Celtic Connexions, you can contact me at Celtic Connexions.

Atria Books, Inc., Taylor Jenkins Reid, Washington Square Press

COVER REVEAL~MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid

February 26, 2015 Melanie Leave a comment

ABOUT MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE:

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college, but on the heels of a disastrous breakup, she has finally returned to her hometown of Los Angeles. To celebrate her first night back, her best friend, Gabby, takes Hannah out to a bar—where she meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

It’s just past midnight when Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. Ethan quickly offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay.

Hannah hesitates.

What happens if she leaves with Gabby?

What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into surprisingly different stories with far-reaching consequences for Hannah and the people around her, raising questions like: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.

Taylor Jenkins Reid

MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Atria Books/Washington Square Press Paperback | 352 pages | ISBN: 9781476776880 | July 7, 2015 | $16.00

eBook: Atria Books/Washington Square Press | 352 pages | ISBN: 9781476776897 | July 7, 2015 | $11.99

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author and essayist from Acton, Massachusetts. She is the author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alex, and her dog, Rabbit. You can follow her on Twitter @TJenkinsReid.

FIND TAYLOR ONLINE:

http://www.taylorjenkinsreid.com/
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Twitter
Instagram

PRE ORDER:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Books-a-Million
IndieBound
Apple
Blio
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anthology, Carol Cooper, Jane Davis, Jessica Bell, Joni Rodgers, Kathleen Jones, Novels, Orna Ross, Roz Morris, women's fiction, Writing

OUTSIDE THE BOX ~ Women Writing Women

February 25, 2015 Melanie Leave a comment

Seven authors, all with impeccable writing credentials, present their anthology called OUTSIDE THE BOX: Women Writing Women.

We’ve each proved our worth with awards, fellowships, teaching posts and commercial success. We’ve all self-published to keep our hard-earned independence and our artistic identity. Now we’re teaming up for an ebook collection of our full-length fiction featuring a diverse collection of unlikely heroines. There’s no one genre. Each novel is a character-led page-turner.

We want to prove that fine, original writers are creating work of value and quality. And we want to entertain you.

The anthology will be available for 90 days from February 21, 2015.

BLUE MERCY by Orna Ross

The book: Mercy stands accused of killing her elderly and tyrannical father. Now, at the end of her life, she needs Star, the daughter she fought to protect, to know what really happened that fateful night in 1989.

The author: Orna Ross writes novels, poems and the Go Creative! book series. The Bookseller calls her “one of the 100 most influential people in publishing” for her work with The Alliance of Independent Authors.

CRAZY FOR TRYING by Joni Rodgers

The book: A regional bestseller short-listed for the Barnes & Noble Discover Award. In the 1970s, a troubled young woman heads west to create a new identity and shake off the burden of her mother’s radical past, but love and loneliness take her life in an unexpected direction.

The author: Joni Rogers hit the New York Times bestseller list with her cancer memoir Bald in the Land of Big Hair. She is also ghost-writer of numerous other bestsellers and founder of the League of Extraordinary Authors. Joni lives in Houston, Texas.

MY MEMORIES OF A FUTURE LIFE by Roz Morris

The book: In this work of literary fiction, a brilliant pianist’s career is ended by injury. She turns to a mysterious healer and faces the possibility that her life is someone else’s past incarnation.

The author: Roz Morris earned her spurs as a ghost-writer, selling more than four million books writing the novels of other people. She is a writers’ mentor and a radio show host, and she teaches writing masterclasses for The Guardian newspaper.

THE CENTAURESS by Kathleen Jones

The book: Bereaved biographer Alex Forbes goes to war-ravaged Croatia to research the life of a celebrity artist and finds herself at the centre of a family conflict after she uncovers a mutilated photograph, stolen letters and a story of indeterminate gender, passion and betrayal.

The author: Kathleen Jones lives in Italy and is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow. She is best known for her award-winning biographies, and has also written extensively for the BBC.

AN UNCHOREOGRAPHED LIFE by Jane Davis

The book: Alison gave up the chance to be a prima ballerina when she became pregnant and turned to prostitution to provide for her child, but the tempting hope of a better life may come at a terrible price.

The author: Jane Davis won the Daily Mail Award for her first novel, which secured her a publishing contract. She has now gone on to self-publish four other novels and isn’t afraid to tackle the trickiest of subjects.

ONE NIGHT AT THE JACARANDA by Carol Cooper

The book: Diagnosed with cancer, Sanjay has no time to waste. Laure is a successful lawyer, Harriet is a struggling freelance writer, and Karen is a single mother of four. Before they can find a soul-mate, they each need to confront who they really are.

The author: Carol Cooper is a London-based journalist and award-winning non-fiction author. Her debut novel was a finalist in the Indie Excellence Awards 2014. In her spare time she’s a doctor.

WHITE LADY by Jessica Bell

The book: Sonia, unfaithful wife of a Melbourne drug lord, yearns for sharp objects and blood. But now that she’s rehabilitating herself as a “normal” mother and maths teacher, it’s time to stop dreaming about slicing people’s throats. Easier said than done.

The author: Jessica Bell is an Australian novelist, poet, singer/ songwriter /guitarist who lives in Athens, Greece. She is Publishing Editor of Vine Leaves Literary Journal and author of the bestselling Writing in a Nutshell series.

OUTSIDE THE BOX: Women Writing Women (February 20, 2015 for 90 days) £7.99/$9.99 from Amazon, Nook, iBooks, Kobo and more.

More information on www.womenwritewomen.com.

Some of the authors have answered a couple of questions –

Why do you write?

Carol Cooper:

I’ve always written though I can’t say exactly why. Most probably it began to fill a void. I was so lonely growing up that I invented a large family of sisters, all of them with Hispanic names, which I considered very romantic. As a child I wrote stories about witches burning to death from smoking in bed, perhaps a bit like the medical opinion pieces I now write for The Sun newspaper. As a student it was music reviews, which got me into the best gigs in Cambridge, but writing remained just a hobby till I began making money from magazine columns. The articles in Punch were frivolous, though pieces like those in the Financial Times were more solemn and came from my experience as a doctor. I then had a run of non-fiction books, and at the end of 2013 I published my novel One Night at the Jacaranda, which is finally the kind of fiction I’d most like to read myself for pleasure. It’s a departure in style for me, but it feels completely natural. After all, it’s still the same basic process of getting words down.

Why did you get together for this compilation?

Joni Rogers:

I actually met Roz, Orna and Jane’s books before I met them, which is the best possible way to make friends with another author. I read and loved Orna’s linked novels After the Rising and Before the Fall and learned about her life as a publishing industry mover/shaker when I was searching to see what else she’d written. She turned me on to Roz’s book My Memories of a Future Life, which I inhaled one weekend when I was down with the flu, and as I recall, we connected on Facebook after I reviewed it. When I learned Jane Davis’s An Unchoreographed Life would be in this collection, I had already bought it on Kindle. I’m thrilled to be in such good company professionally, and we’re all quickly becoming good friends.

“Most collections are from just one author, or one publisher, or at least in the same genre, whether that’s historical romance or detective fiction. But these seven books are very different. [How] do you think the mix [of genres] will work for readers?”

Jessica Bell:

True, most authors who have found success with the box sets were a part of very genre-driven compilations. But that’s where Outside the Box: Women Writing Women differs. The spotlight is on “unlikely heroines” and, though the seven novels included may all fit the Contemporary Fiction/Women’s Fiction slot, they are all remarkably and uniquely different in style, which I believe to be a very strong attraction. There are readers out there who don’t like to read the same kind of genre, or about the same kind of characters over and over. This box set is for them.

That’s a very striking cover. How did you choose it?

Jane Davis:

We have here a very experienced team of self-publishers. I think it’s fair to say that we all play to our strengths and know how we can best contribute. It has been wonderful to have someone who designs book covers and interiors spearhead the project. Like everything we’ve done together, all the decisions were democratic.

https://www.facebook.com/womenwritewomen

AMAZON UK

AMAZON.COM

FOLLOW THE TOUR AND READ MORE ABOUT THE LOVELY AUTHORS!

Giveaway

1^st Prize- brand new kindle pre-loaded with the book

10 runners up prizes – A Digital swag bag

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Grammar, Grammarly, infographic, Writing

FIFTY SHADES OF GRAMMAR – INFOGRAPHIC

February 17, 2015 Melanie 4 Comments

With all the hype surrounding the release of the movie Fifty Shades of Gray, the folks at grammarly.com, have put together this infographic to show that the writing might not be as bad as the critics claimed. See how it stacks up against some of the classics in the romance novel genre.

Try the “grammar checker” at grammarly.com to see how your writing stacks up. There’s more to Grammarly than just grammar checks. Plagiarism checks, punctuation, context and much more.

Holidays, Love, Valentine's Day

Love is in the air…

February 14, 2015 Melanie Leave a comment

Happy Valentine’s Day

Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions? Will you give or receive flowers, chocolates or other candy? Are you in the early stage of your relationship like the “young love” couple below?

Or are you in the “lasting love” stage like these folks?

Mr MR-K and I will be celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary later this year. What can I say, time flies when you’re having fun. Except we’re not as grey as the folks in the clipart above, we’re still just as much in love as when we first met.

Blog Tour, Brook Cottage Books, Novels, Rosemary Louise Gallagher

I LISTENED TO MY HEART ~ BLOG TOUR

February 12, 2015 Melanie 1 Comment

I LISTENED TO MY HEART

BY

ROSEMARY LOUISE GALLAGHER

Rose O’Carroll is the eternal optimist and never stops believing that she will one day find’ her one’ even though she’s still single and hitting 40. In her search for love, she bravely decides to pack up her comfortable life in Australia and move to London. Guided by her special friends — her angels — she quickly settles in her new life; lands a great job; makes new friendships and begins her spiritual journey.

It didn’t take long until Joe DeMarco, the handsome American business man turns Rose’s world upside down and changes it forever. Rose intuitively knows she has met her twin soulmate. But how does she cope when he tells her it’s just the wrong time?

Everything happens for a reason and soon Rose discovers why she had to meet Joe DeMarco when the timing was wrong. She had someone else to meet first…and it wasn’t only the dishy Dr St Claire.

~~~~~~~~~~

I see your novel is inspired by a real life experience. Is Rose O’Carroll a fictional you?

Yes Rose O’Carroll is a fictional me…although she might not be that fictional!

When did you first develop an interest in reading tarot cards?

I have always had an interest in the metaphysical world and from about the age of 16 I started going to tarot readers, palm readers etc. I always intrigued to know what the future would hold and I was especially eager to know when I would meet the man of my dreams. One day my friend gave me a pack of tarot cards as a going away gift and a few years later another friend gave me a subscription to the psychic college in London and that’s where I learned how to read the tarot. However, I never thought for a second that I would end up doing tarot readings for a living, but I do…and I love it!

Do you have any plans for your next novel and if so, can you tell us about it?

I have just finished writing the sequel to I Listened To My Heart, titled Maktub: It is written. And I am very excited about it. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you too much as I don’t want to give anything away but it does have a few twists and turns and if you have read book one you will definitely want to read the sequel.

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BUY LINKS

http://www.amazon.com/dp/1481245309

http://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Listened-To-My-Heart/dp/1481245309

http://www.rosemarygallagher.com/shopping.html

About Rosemary L Gallagher

Rosemary Gallagher is an author, tarot reader/angel intuitive and lyricist. She was born in Melbourne, Australia and spent most of her life there until moving to London in 2000.

For most of her professional career she worked as a Receptionist in various high profile companies. She recently left her day job to concentrate on her writing and spiritual endeavours. Rosemary has always held a strong interest in the metaphysical, especially the tarot cards and the angelic realm. After settling into her new life in London she began formal tarot studies at the Psychic College of London and has been reading the tarot professionally ever since.

Rosemary discovered her creative voice a few years ago after an emotional encounter turned her life upside down; I Listened to My Heart is Rosemary’s debut novel and although fictional, is inspired by a real life experience. It is an uplifting and light-hearted story of faith, love and friendship. Rosemary is passionate about life and all things spiritual, with a strong interest in twin soul connections.

Author Links

www.facebook.com/pages/I-Listened-To-My-Heart/274725042650703

http://www.rosemarygallagher.com/index.html

https://twitter.com/rosemarysangels

GIVEAWAY!

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Amanda Sington-Williams, Blog Tour, Brook Cottage Books, Novel covers, Novels, Publishing

JUST TWO WEEKS ~ BLOG TOUR

February 11, 2015 Melanie 1 Comment

JUST TWO WEEKS

BY

AMANDA SINGTON-WILLIAMS

After being made redundant from a seemingly secure job Jolene Carr takes a two week break in the sun. On the first day she meets Raquel, another hotel guest. Little does she realise how this apparently innocent acquaintance will lead to terrible and lasting consequences. After a frightening incident she hits a conspiracy of silence from the locals and over the rest of the holiday she feels herself slipping into a vortex of fear. Back home, the nightmare continues and she realises that Raquel is stalking her. Her hippie mother and her partner Mark tell her she is imagining it all. All certainties, even about relationships, become fluid and treacherous as her past begins to unravel. If it wasn’t for Rob, her ex-lover who Jolene thinks has his own agenda, she would be left to cope on her own.

How much fear and betrayal can one person take?

**********

You’ve been published in short story and novel length fiction. Which do you prefer?

They are so different it is very difficult to say which I prefer. Both forms take me a long time and I find both very satisfactory. But I find the plotting and sub-plotting you get in a novel very challenging. But on the other hand a short story must be succinct and convey the narrative in limited time. Sorry I haven’t said which I prefer because I find the question hard to answer!

Do you have a favourite place to write?

Yes I do. I have desk which looks out onto our garden and all my books including my dictionary and Thesaurus are close to hand. This space is ‘mine’ and it is my favourite place to write always improved if our cat Molly is in a nearby chair peacefully snoring.
I love music especially jazz and go to as many concerts as I can. However when I am writing I prefer silence.

Do you like to listen to music or do you prefer complete silence?

see above

Does your family support you in your writing?

Absolutely. My husband is an artist so he need his own space too. Both my children are working overseas at the moment so we interact via skype but yes they are supportive inasmuch as children can be supportive of what their parents get up to!

**********

Author Bio

Amanda Sington-Williams’ first novel, The Eloquence of Desire was published by Sparkling Books in 2010 and has been translated into Turkish. She won an award for this novel in 2007 from the Royal Literary Fund. Since 2006 when she first started writing she has had many short stories published, including: Growing Pains by Bridgehouse Publishing, A Mother’s Love by Indigo Mosaic, Two Orchids by Sentinel Literary Quarterly. Unseasonable Weather by Dead Ink Press, The Woman at Number Six by Writing Raw, and many more.

Her second novel, Just Two Weeks is a psychological suspense and won the IPR Agents Pick in 2013.

website: www.amandasingtonwilliams.co.uk

blog: http://singtonwilliams.wordpress.com

Twitter https://twitter.com/SingtonWilliams

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