Category Archives: Fun stuff

CELTIC CONNEXIONS… Coming in MARCH…

Celtic Connexions March Schedule

Celtic Connexions

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 7thA Spell in Provence by Marie Laval

March 11thBrady’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 25thA 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.

 

Historical inspirations behind SHANNON’S LAW – a very special ring

Thank you so much for letting me showcase my forthcoming steamy action-romance novel SHANNON’S LAW. It’s the second in my PASSION PATROL series – stories where sassy female cops lock up the criminals and always get their man.

Photo_A_Shannon's_Law_Tour_-_print_and_digital

February marks the start of my “Pinterest Reveal Virtual Book Tour” in the run-up to the launch on the 28th February 2014.

Every day there are feature posts on topics relating to SHANNON’S LAW on blogs all around the world. They’re all linked together on one big Pinterest Board. Each post replaces a ‘mystery’ silhouette that was posted in January. I saved all my notes and photos as I was writing, on a private Pinterest Board and now I can share them with you.

Today’s subject is: Inspirational Jewellery – A very special ring sold in 2013

Shannon's_Law_Post_21_Inspired_by_a_ring
Empress Joséphine’s engagement ring… just about 1 carat each stone. Sold in 2013 by Joséphine’s family in Fontainbleau, Paris. THE most romantic ring in history?

There is a fair bit of jewellery in Shannon’s Law. Some of it is new but some of it is pre-owned. Lovers of baubles will probably be aware that the price of new jewellery does not indicate its cost in terms of metal and gems. Anyone who has ever sold an item will know that the secondhand price is often a fraction of the original tag in the jewellers store.  There are some fabulous bargains to be had if you are prepared to consider something previously loved.

The above applies to most transactions. If the item was previously loved by someone famous all bets are off. During the writing of the story I was looking for a ring. There was already a Napoléon and Joséphine flavour to the narrative. While looking for a suitable object, the engagement ring given to Joséphine came up for sale at auction. Of course I had to step in and try to  buy it. It was a snip at $ one million. Sadly I didn’t have quite enough cash. Despite my personal  disappointment, one of the characters in the book did manage to make the winning bid. This is why I find fiction so appealing.

Looking at the ring I can imagine it on Joséphine’s finger. Napoléon was only a soldier in 1796 and it would have melted his credit card in the way that she had melted his heart. Somehow he got the cash. My theory is that it was in order to find the money that he went to war with half the world. The ring itself is beautiful. It is called a “toi et moi” style (“you and me”). The gold has aged to a gorgeous rose patina. It has a tear shaped sapphire alongside an inverted diamond of the same size and shape. It is a true work of beauty. It remained in Joséphine’s family until it was sold in March 2013 – the anniversary of two hundred and fifty years after her birth.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/napoleon-josephines-engagement-ring-sells-949000/story?id=18802074

BOOK BLURB

Shannon's LawWild child inner-city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of slave and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals.

As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need.

Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl’s bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet.

Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her.

All issues are set aside, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission. Their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.

SHANNON’S LAW comes out on February 28th 2014 in print and digital formats for all e-readers.

Amazon are offering some great discounts for pre-orders of the paperback version
(29% off in USA, 12% off in the UK).

You can pre-order the digital version at a pre-launch special price from Nook, Kobo, and iTunes. It will also be available in all digital formats on Smashwords.

See this post and others from my tour as they go live on Pinterest.

Follow Shannon’s Law on Facebook.

Visit the Shannon’s Law Website for book details and pre-order information.

RAFFLECOPTER DRAW
Win Amazon vouchers, copies of the book PLUS a free gift for every entrant (see prizes below).

ENTER DRAW HERE: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/Mjg1OTEwYzI5YjYwMjA3ZWY2Y2EzZDEzODljNmNjOjE5/

The draw will be made at random, by Rafflecopter on the 7th March 2013.

Companion Cook-Book

In addition to SHANNON’S LAW, I’m launching a companion digital cook-book with illustrated recipes for all the meals from the novel.

It’s called COP’S KITCHEN – Read the love story and taste the romance!

To celebrate the launch of SHANNON’S LAW, there is a special FREE gift for you in my RAFFLECOPTER draw. As well as great, unique prizes to win, EVERY ENTRANT will get their own digital copy of – COP’S KITCHEN. There are many ways to get bonus chances – by commenting on this post, liking Facebook Pages etc.

ENTER DRAW HERE: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/Mjg1OTEwYzI5YjYwMjA3ZWY2Y2EzZDEzODljNmNjOjE5/

Photo_C_Shannon's_Law_Cop's_Kitchen_art_

Main Prizes in the Draw:

$30/£20/€25 Amazon Gift Voucher, 2 paperback copies of Shannon’s Law, 3 digital copies of Shannon’s Law.

Shannon’s Law comes out in paperback and digital formats for all e-readers
on February 28th 2014.

Photo_D_-_Shannon's_Law_all_Emma_Calin's_booksEmma Calin’s Website

Emma Calin’s Twitter

Emma Calin’s Facebook

About.me page: http://about.me/emmacalin

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4915751.Emma_Calin

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

This post is part of the

“SHANNON’S LAW PRE-LAUNCH PINTEREST REVEAL VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR”

Follow the other posts in February to see the background to the story unfold.

 via the PINTEREST BOARD for Shannon’s Law

 or via the individual blogs around the world here.

Things are starting to look festive at the House of King…

Dare I say, “It’s beginning to look like Christmas…?” Well here at the House of King it is. It took two  days but the tree is up and in its full glory.

This was as far as I got yesterday. The tree assembled, the branches fluffed and the angel on top. I felt like a walking pincushion by the time I got this far. My arms were scratched and pricked by the “needles”. Whoever said artificial trees were soft and don’t shed were telling a huge untruth.

IMG-20121212-00074However, after reading Living Doll by Famous Five Plus author Serena Fairfax, I’m not so sure I want her on top of my tree. If you read the story, I think you might agree.

Today after getting some more shopping done, including warm white, mini LED lights, the tree took on its full beauty. Things are taking shape – burgundy ribbon and lights (200 of them).

IMG-20121213-00076Add some ornaments… including loads of nutcrackers. What can I say, I love them. I’d do the entire tree in nothing but nutcracker ornaments IMG-20121213-00077And still some more…

IMG-20121213-00078And finally one special one… IMG-20121213-00082Hmm… it looks like my book cover there in the middle of the picture. Made that this afternoon and it has pride of place on the front of my tree.

Warrant for Love by Sheryl Browne – today’s excerpt

But before we get to the excerpt from Sheryl’s novel, a bit about the author, herself…

Sheryl Browne grew up in Birmingham, UK, where she studied Art & Design. She wears many hats: a partner in her own business, a mother, and a foster parent to disabled dogs. Sheryl has been writing for many years, the road along the way often bumpy. She was therefore thrilled beyond words when Safkhet Publishing loved her writing enough to commission her to write for them.
Sheryl’s debut novel, Recipes for Disaster – combining deliciously different and fun recipes with sexilicious romantic comedy, is garnering some fabulous reviews and has been shortlisted for the Innovation in Romantic Fiction Festival of Romance Award. Sheryl has since been offered a further three-book contract under the Safkhet Publishing Soul imprint. Somebody to Love, a romantic comedy centering around a single father’s search for love and his autistic little boy, launched July 1. Warrant for Love, bringing together three couples in a twisting story that resolves perfectly, released August 1 and A Little Bit of Madness releases Valentine’s Day 2013.

Take it away, Sheryl!

Hi Melanie! Thank you so much for hosting me! I’m thrilled to be here on your beautiful site! Today, I’m sharing the fifth of eight excerpts from Warrant for Love. I hope you enjoy!  Please do leave your comment and (appropriate) suggestions as to what YOU might do if you found yourself in Lee’s situation.

Warrant for Love

Love, blackmail, lies, adultery, entrapment.
Three couples in a twisting story that resolves perfectly.

 Life for Paul sounds like your typical country song. He comes from a broken home, his wife is divorcing him, he’s got no place to live, he’s losing custody of his son, and his sergeant, who’s sleeping with his wife, is a loud-mouthed braggart who won’t let up on him – not even at work.

Leanne’s caught her (now) ex cheating on her again, but before she can give him the what-for, she’s wrongfully arrested for soliciting – by Paul and his partner. One thing leads to another and things could be looking up for Paul, except for Leanne’s friends – quarrelling mom Nicky and financial goddess Jade – have it out for her ex.

Leanne wants closure, Paul wants a home, and Nicky and Jade want revenge. Blackmail, lies, adultery, entrapment. Will it all work out in the end or will Paul uphold the law? It sounds like he needs a Warrant for Love.

 Excerpt:

Lee tugged her vest top over her shorts… jimjams grass-stained she’d discovered… and perched herself on the edge of her bed.

She tried not to listen to Paul move around in his room. Clunk his wristwatch onto the bedside table. His shoes onto the floor. Unzip… Ahem.

Lee couldn’t fall into a relationship with him. It would be madness with her emotions flying all over the place and, anyway, Paul had obviously changed his mind.

But, oh, it was torture, knowing he was just the other side of that wall. Reassuring, too, but she couldn’t help wishing there was no wall at all.

She had a quick gulp of water as her errant mind conjured up his handcuffs, then travelled slowly around front and attempted to tiptoe below belt level.

Blooming frustrating, it was.

Ah, well. She kicked off her flip-flops, and would have snuggled under the duvet, had not a great fat spider sat down beside her.

Lee squeaked, terrified, and leapt fast for a flip-flop. It was huge. A house spider as big as the house, with huge, hunched… scurrying…

Aaaaargh!’

She hit it.

Missed.

It dropped to the floor. Lee sprang on the bed.

‘Help!!’ she screamed, woman of substance nowhere in evidence.

In an instant, Paul banged through the door, wearing boxers and not much else. ‘What? What’s wrong?!’

‘I’ve got no shoes on,’ Lee said feebly.

Paul scratched his head. ‘You’ve got no clothes on.’

‘There’s a spider!’ Lee squealed as it scurried towards him.

‘Christ, Lee…’ He ran his hand over his neck. ‘I thought there was someone… ‘Oh, blimey.’ Paul backed off. ‘It is a bit big, isn’t it?’

‘Get it!’ Lee danced on the duvet.

‘Lee, just calm down.’ Paul skirted around the intruder as it came to rest in the corner. ‘It won’t hurt you.’

‘It’s huge!’

‘Lee…’ Paul laughed. ‘It’s just a spider. It’s probably more scared than…’

‘It’s not! I’m arachnophobic! And don’t laugh at me. I can’t help it. I’m sick of apologising for my shortcom… Oh, my God, it’s moving.

Get it!’ Lee clutched a pillow and a useless flip-flop to her breast and backed up on the bed.

‘Okay. Okay.’ Paul said, his voice calm, his face serious. She was petrified, he realised. Pretty in the shorts and vest, but petrified.

He actually wasn’t far off petrified, himself. He hated spiders. ‘Just stay calm and stay where you are. I’ll get it.’ He headed for the landing.

‘Where are you going?’ Lee almost climbed up the wall.

‘To get a glass.’

No-o-o. It’ll be gone when you get back. And it’ll creep out again while I’m sleeping. Please get it.’

‘I’ll get it. I’ll get it. I promise. Just stay calm.’ Paul tried to reassure her. ‘Flip flop,’ he said, surgeon-like as he turned to face his own worst nightmare. Under-stair cupboards were crawling with the bloody things. Or that’s how it seemed, if you were four years old, and locked in there with them.

He braced himself, flicked it out of the corner, and flattened it. Felt like a murderer, but flattened it anyway.

Felt pretty good actually. He smiled as Lee flung her arms around him.

‘I feel really stupid.’ She sniffled into his shoulder.

‘Don’t.’ Paul stroked her hair. ‘We all have our private demons.’

‘It bounced off the bed.’

‘Bounced?’ Paul chuckled. ‘Did it test the springs first?’

‘You’re laughing at me.’ Lee pulled away.

‘I’m not, Lee.’ Paul pulled her back. ‘I’m laughing at me. I’m terrified of the buggers.’

Lee blinked up at him. ‘You are?’

‘Yep.’ Paul smiled. ‘Almost as terrified as I am when I meet some psycho on the streets, but I guess it’s easier to face it than admit it, if you’re supposed to be macho-man.’

Lee scanned his eyes and must have realised he was telling the truth.

‘Sorry,’ she said, her face nestled back in his shoulder. ‘I’d get them myself, if only they’d stand still long enough. They only ever seem to come out when it’s dark, don’t they? When you’re alone.’

‘I know.’ Paul pulled her closer, recalling how alone he’d felt in the dark. ‘Tell you what,’ he said, his mouth close to her ear, his hand tracing the curve of her back, ‘we’ll get one of those sonic insect repellent things. Innovations sell them, I think.’

‘Do they work?’

‘Dunno. It’s worth a try though.’ Paul brushed his cheek against her hair. Lee lifted her head, and…

‘Hello, Mumsie-wumsie,’ Drew said, from right outside Lee’s door on the landing.

Paul and Lee hastily disengaged.

‘Shoot.’ Paul hurriedly left, thinking that more prudent than hiding under the bed. ‘I, er… ‘ He raked his hand through his hair as he met Drew’s eyes. ‘Spider,’ he offered, by way of explanation.

Ye-es.’ Drew looked him up and down. ‘So, where’s the white charger? Parked next to the Mondeo?’

‘Sorry?’

‘Word of advice, Paul. Knights don’t do it naked.’

Paul nodded soberly, arms folded over his nakedness. ‘I guess I’d better go and get dressed. Undressed. Go to bed.’ He coughed and stepped past Drew.

‘Good idea.’ Drew clumped onwards. ‘Oh, incidentally, that’s the airing cupboard.’

‘You don’t say.’ Paul closed the door to the linens within.

****

Pssst,’ Lee hissed, when Drew’s door closed. ‘Everything okay?’

Paul smiled. ‘I think he thinks you were after my body.’

Drew yanked his door open and headed for the bathroom. ‘She is. But only if you promise not to scream.’

‘I won’t.’ Paul laughed and risked a step closer to Lee, whose adoring smile made him feel as if he had ridden in on a white charger, rather than charged in wearing his boxers.

‘Night, Lee,’ he said, running a finger down her nose. ‘And you’re not alone, by the way. I’m right next door. If you need me, just call.’

Finding footprints on the windscreen for her boyfriend’s car as evidence of his infidelity was worst case scenario for Lee. What would YOURS be?  What would you do about it?  Witty but NOT too rude suggestions, please.  One name will be randomly selected from the blogs taking part to receive a copy of Warrant for Love.

Find out more about Sheryl:

Sheryl’s Website

Safkhet Publishing

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.com

Author Facebook     

Romantic Novelists’ Association

Sheryl is a loveahappyending featured Author and Editor.

Twitter: @sherylbrowne

Doing my part for Movember…

At the beginning of the month it was decided to raise money for Movember, we would shave one guy’s facial hair and head but as a a bit of fair play, the girls all had to wear moustaches for the day on “M”ovember 30th. So here I am sporting my ‘stache’.

 

Now, when breast cancer month rolls around, we think we should make the guys all wear bras for a day. What do you think? Turnabout is fair play? All’s fair in fund raising for a cure for cancer?

It’s NaNoWriMo Time!

Yup, it’s that time of year again. And this year, I’m taking part in NaNoWriMo. But if you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that I already decided to join in with a couple of gals (my writing buddies) from my local writers’ group.

Preparation such as it was is done. I’m as motivated as I’ll ever be. And 1667 words a day? Piece of cake right? Well, if I didn’t have a full-time job, plus there’s the usual and customary domestic duties. Still, get a few words down over my lunch hours, yup, I might make the daily target. Get some more down while supper is cooking. Then after supper let my fingers fly over the keys. It could be done.

Weekends could be my saving grace. I could manage to make up any targeted daily word count deficits up then. But wait! There’s shopping and laundry, and I belong to two writers’ groups and their meetings are on the weekends.

Add to that, I have the work Christmas party, I’m taking part in Ladies’ Night on November 16 from 6:00-10:00 where I’ll be selling my book (might manage to scribble some notes that will have to be put in the computer later), November 18 where I’ll be at the Mallorytown Legion from 8:00-3:00 again selling my book, and finally on November 29, I’m taking part in the Christmas Open House where I’ll be at Leeds County Books from 6:00-10:00.

If it sounds like I’m making excuses, I’m not – really. I’m merely stating the reasons why during my first year of taking part in NaNoWriMo, I might not make it to the finish line.

 

Happy Halloween!

The pumpkins are carved and the candles are lit. Maybe tonight will be a good time to re-cant my spell from my Scottish author friend, Janice Horton’s recent Spellbindingly Fun Blog Party. It’s a good spell, not a bad one, as in keeping with her #voodoo blog party rules.

So here’s my spell to make my novel a best-seller…

I call upon you, Northern Lights
Take this parchment paper bright
Wrap my novel in it tight
Tie with a sprig of Scottish heather
Anoint it with haggis scented oil
Which represents the extent of my toil
Lay upon it a silver spoon
Powers of which make me swoon
Glowing moon stone, oh so stellar
Make my novel a best-seller.

And in keeping with true House of King tradition, the skeletons (including a new one), the flying bat, the headstones, are at the ready. And I’ll be sporting my witch’s wig and this year’s addition to the costume – a long, black cape. Will post pictures once everything is set up.

By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes… cackle, cackle, cackle…

So will you go out trick or treating – or guising as I’ve seen it referred to in Scotland? Any special Halloween traditions you uphold? I’d love to hear about them. Leave a comment and tell me what things you do to make Halloween fun for the little ones.