A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 2 – Giveaway at Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer and a stop with fellow Ottawa Romance Writer Maggie Jagger

The launch day party is over and all is well. Perhaps a few sair heids amongst the partygoers but otherwise everyone seems to be fairly decent shape.

Good thing because today one lucky person who visits Rebecca Emin’s blog is going to win A Shadow in the Past tote bag!

Isn’t it a thing of beauty! Measuring 47 cm x 39 cm x 12 cm, it’s big enough to carry all your important purchases. I recently used mine when I attended Scene of the Crime and it was large enough to hold an umbrella, sweater (being prepared for changing weather), our registration kits, my “Menopause is Murder” fan, the five books I bought and my digital SLR camera and case.

Leave a comment at Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer for your chance to win!

 *****

And after my visit with Rebecca, I’m jetting across the ocean to stop in and visit with author Maggie Jagger in the beautiful Canadian province of Quebec where we’ll talk about writerly things and being fellow members of the Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association.

You can visit Maggie’s blog at http://maggiejaggerauthor.blogspot.com/

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour Day 1 – It’s launch day at loveahappyending.com!

LAHE logo

It’s launch day for A Shadow in the Past over at loveahappyending.com!

The champagne corks are popping like crazy here in celebration!

What can I say, these lovely ladies and gents know how to throw a launch party!

Come on over and join in the fun!

A Shadow in the Past International Blog Tour

Beginning on September 28th, I’m taking my debut novel A Shadow in the Past on a fifteen day international tour. Yes, I’ve already been to the physical launch in Kansas and still basking in the glow from that and hosted my launch in Brockville but I’m heading out on the road again – virtually.

I’ll be posting every day where I’ll be and there is always this post you can refer back to in order to find out where I am. So without anymore preamble from me…

Sept 28

loveahappyending.com

Sept 29

Rebecca Emin’s Ramblings of a Rusty Writer blog
One lucky visitor here will win A Shadow in the Past tote bag.

and fellow Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association member, author Maggie Jagger http://maggiejaggerauthor.blogspot.com/

Sept 30

Stephanie Keyes Fall Fantasy Authors Series

Oct 1

Nikki Bywater reviews A Shadow in the Past at Books4U

Oct 2

Rosemary Gemmell hosts me over at Ros’s Reading & Writing blog

Oct 3

Nicky Wells CentreStage
and fellow Ottawa Romance Writers’ Association member, author Maureen Fisher at Books by Maureen

Oct 4

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m being hosted by three members of my local writers group – Writers’ Ink

Joe Mossman
Christopher D. Hanna at My adventure in becoming a writer
and Dorothy Bush at Twisting in the Wind

Oct 5

Peggy Stanton’s – Looking Out
Janice Horton – Writer & Novelist

Oct 6

Shaz reviews A Shadow in the Past at Jera’s Jamboree
One lucky visitor will win A shadow in the Past mouse pad

Oct 7

Carol E. Wyer at Facing 50 with Humour

Oct 8

Patricia Sands at Everyone has a story…
Ashley Stoyanoff at The world of Ashley Stoyanoff and over on her Goodreads blog

Oct 9

Mandy Baggot’s Blog

Oct 10

fellow 4RV author Penny Ehrenkranz
Chris Longmuir at Chris Longmuir, Crime Writer

Oct 11

Lindsay Healy’s Little Reader Library

Oct 12

the grand finale over at Author Roast & Toast
where one lucky person will win a signed copy of A Shadow in the Past.

 

You can purchase A Shadow in the Past at the following links:
4RV Publishing: http://4rvpublishingcatalog.yolasite.com/robertson-king.php

Amazon.ca: http://www.amazon.ca/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345048110&sr=1-1

Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434406&sr=1-1

Amazon.co.uk: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shadow-Past-Melanie-Robertson-King/dp/0983801886/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344434484&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shadow-in-the-past-melanie-robertson-king/1112348992?ean=9780983801887

and locally at Leeds County Books, 73 King Street West, Brockville, ON

Today’s launch of A Shadow in the Past in the Wedgewood Author Series

I couldn’t have scripted my hometown launch any better if I tried. Everything went so smoothly. Before the launch started, I was interviewed by Doreen Barnes for Brock News TV. I’m not sure when it will be available online but I will pass the link on when I get it. The interview took place in the library at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort, directly across the hall from the media lounge where my launch was held.

Now I decided that I couldn’t wear the same ensemble today that I wore in Kansas but footwear definitely worked into the equation. I mean a newly published author can’t always wear the same clothes to every event.

My launch ensemble

In the beginning there weren’t many people in the room but at 2:00, we started anyway. Doreen introduced me and I spoke about the background information on my book and then read an excerpt before the floor was opened up for questions.

Behind the podium during my presentation

While I was in my element in front of the crowd, the room began to fill up. Undistracted by the interruption, I carried on. By the time, I was wrapping up my reading it was practically standing room only.

Signing my first of 22 copies
Time to get out more books

Many of the people who came to my signing wanted to get their photo taken with me. Who woulda thunk it? People wanting to get their picture taken avec moi.

Sue Bowen (one of my beta readers of an earlier draft) and me
Anne’s (who I dedicated my book to) family

The day turned out better than I could have hoped for. Signed and sold 22 copies! Wow!

A Shadow in the Past launches in The Wedgewood Author Series

My novel’s cover created by Aidana WillowRaven

At 2:00 pm today, I’ll be at The Wedgewood Retirement Resort (corner of King and Market St East) in downtown Brockville talking about and reading from my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past,published by 4RV Publishing.

If you’re in the Brockville area, come down to The Wedgewood. Admission to the event is free. Enter via the Market St entrance.

I’d love to see you there… not to mention sell you a copy of my book and sign it for you.

Gilli Allan re-launches Torn in paperback!

The new cover for Torn by Gilli Allan

the new cover

Gilli Allan’s new cover for both her ebook paperback will be available on September 22nd!

Same great novel… great new appearance, designed by Gilli, herself.

Gilli is thrilled to be able to offer her novel in a new format for those who don’t have e-readers or those who do but love a physical book.

Torn:

You can escape your old life, but can you ever escape yourself?

Jessica Avery is a woman in her early thirties with a three year old son, Rory.  She has made a series of wrong choices in her life – job, men and life-style.  Her job came to a disastrous conclusion.  The men in her life have let her down and her life-style involved too many pills, parties and promiscuity. But she believes that by quitting her old relationship and moving from London to the country, she has escaped all that.  Her choice now is to live a steady, responsible life in a tranquil new environment, putting her son’s needs and her role as mother as her number one priority.

But she finds country life less serene and bucolic than she expected. Her ex-partner tracks her down and assaults her as she leaves a local pub.  Luckily, a witness to the encounter steps in and helps to defuse the situation, but she is left badly shaken.  As an in-comer – and even worse, an ex-investment banker – Jessica is not made very welcome by the local mothers.  Then there is the management of the rural landscape – the interests of commerce versus the preservation of the environment – which begins to engage her interest and concern. She wonders if leaving London was the right move.

The narrative is played out against the low-key background story of a proposed by-pass to the local town. Initially Jessica favours a new road until she realizes the route it might take, tearing through the landscape she’s come to love.  She is torn between the pragmatic and the romantic decision. The friends Jess makes represent the differing positions. There is Danny Bowman, the counter-culture shepherd; his employer, James Warwick, affluent widowed farmer and father to three year old daughter, Sasha; Gilda Warwick, James’s match-making mother; and Sheila, the feminist nursery school owner.

The title – ‘Torn’ – can also be understood as referring to the personal choices which confront Jessica.  Despite vowing she wants no emotional entanglements in her life, she is attracted to two very different men.  She finds, to her cost, that in the face of temptation it is not so easy to throw off old habits and responses.  She is a woman who claims she has never been in love. Eventually she is prompted to re-evaluate this stance and to admit to herself, that beyond an undeniable physical attraction, she has indeed fallen in love, but with which one – the suitable man or the unsuitable boy?

You can buy Torn from the following links:

Amazon.co.uk Paperback *new cover* http://www.amazon.co.uk/Torn-Gilli-Allan/dp/1477517014/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1347292020&sr=1-1

Kindle edition http://www.amazon.co.uk/TORN-ebook/dp/B004UVR81Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347292020&sr=1-1

Amazon.com Paperback *new cover* http://www.amazon.com/Torn-Gilli-Allan/dp/1477517014/ref=sr_1_1_title_0_main?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347292265&sr=1-1&keywords=torn+gilli+allan

Kindle edition http://www.amazon.com/TORN-ebook/dp/B004UVR81Y/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1347292265&sr=1-1

You can follow Gilli online at the following links:

Writer Cramped. Gilli Allan’s Blog
On Facebook Gilli Allan
On Twitter @gilliallan
And over at Famous Five Plus

Starship Goodwords from Carrick Publishing

I’m thrilled to announce that my short story, Cole’s Notes has been included in Carrick Publishing’s first cross-genre anthology!

Details are available at Carrick Publishing’s website, including the list of authors and genres.

Starship Goodwords is available for the Kindle at Amazon.com and at Amazon.co.uk

If you enjoy short stories, you’ll enjoy the variety on offer here.

My Kansas Adventure Photos!

Yeah, yeah, I know. It’s about time you posted pictures. So here you go folks, and not necessarily in any order!

one of the boxes of my books

Ah, one of three boxes of my author copies. Even before I cracked open the box, I held one copy that my publisher had in her stuff that she wanted me to sign. Anyway, you should have seen the Canada Customs guy’s look when I declared them and the ones I bought.
Me: I bought some books.
Him: $700?
Me: Also have the author copies of my novel.
Him: smiled and stamped my declaration form.

the venue at the Kansas History Museum

We were in the large double tent in the middle of the photo. This picture was taken on the advance scouting mission that Carla and I went on Friday afternoon.

Author Galand Nuchols, my editor Carla Ralston, author Jacque Graham and me

My book is in the top of the rack on the right. It’s also displayed on an easel in a more prominent position… see here.

the adult and YA titles. A Shadow in the Past is on the right

I thought the best feeling I ever had was holding my book for the first time. It still remains special but I think my first sale was even more special.

my first sale – photo by Vivian Zabel

What a rush selling my first book! I can’t put the feeling of euphoria into words. Then I went on and sold 6 more!

chatting up a buyer and her hubby who gives the thumbs up for the purchase – photo by Vivian Zabel
Janet Brown, me, and Galund Nuchols with our books that debuted at the Kansas Book Festival

Here I am with my editor, Carla. We had such a good time working on A Shadow in the Past. There were times that we both thought we shared the same brain we had such a great connection.

Carla and me … and I’m wearing my “ruby slippers”

Even with the fun as I had in Kansas, memories I’ll cherish forever, as Dorothy said in The Wizard of Oz – there’s no place like home.

Now I’m looking towards the launch in my hometown on September 22nd.

 

The Wedgewood Author Series

Cover created by Aidana WillowRaven

Wedgewood Author Series:

Releasing her very first novel is author Melanie Robertson-King whose book launch of A Shadow in the Past will take place at 2 p.m., on Saturday, September 22 at the Wedgewood Retirement Resort.

Nineteen year old protagonist Sarah Shand finds herself in love with Blair, who cheats on her with Sarah’s best friend. Distraught and not knowing what to do, Sarah takes sleeping pills to mask the heartbreak. She leaves the family farmhouse and wanders out into the night, becomes disoriented and suddenly hears screeching brakes.

Waking up in the Victorian Era of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Sarah encounters strange customs, eccentric characters, and a sharp spoken granddad, but also a dashing suitor, the Laird of Weetshill.

Sarah struggles with the secret of her true identity. Will Sarah ever return to the 21st Century?

Has Sarah found true love? If so, at what cost?

This event is free to the public with entry into the Wedgewood Retirement Resort at 15 Market Street East, Brockville.