Launch Extravaganza for FALLEN FOR ROCK by Nicky Wells

Launch Day is here for FALLEN FOR ROCK!

Fallen for RockBlurb:

‘A thrilling and delicious story of love and self-discovery woven around a broken romance that will make you turn page after page and cheer to the end.’

Love, life, loyalties. Nothing stays the same when Emily gets drawn into the world of rock.

Glossy and sophisticated professional high-flyer Emily has no time for nonsense such as the rock music her ex-boyfriend Nate adored so much. Yet when she unexpectedly comes into possession of VIP tickets—access all areas—for new rock band phenomenon, MonX, she can’t resist the temptation.

The fateful gig turns into more than one night, and Emily finds herself strangely drawn to this new and unfamiliar glittery world. However, only weeks later, MonX and her own universe fall apart with devastating consequences for all. When MonX lead singer Mike appeals for her help, she reluctantly embraces a new opportunity. But she soon discovers that while she may be a rock chick after all, a groupie she is not… Or is she?

Just exactly where do her loyalties lie? And what direction will her life take now that she’s left behind everything she treasured?

Warning! Fallen For Rock contains some explicit content and strong language that may not be suitable for readers under eighteen years of age.

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Proudly introducing: Mike Loud, rock guitarist and “I’m hell to live with” lead singer in Fallen for Rock

Welcome, Mike, and thanks for taking the time to chat with me today. How are you?

I’m fine, thanks so much for having me. It’s a bit early in the day, so please nudge me if seem a bit spaced out. And thanks for the extra strong coffee!

Late night recording, was it?

Absolutely. We didn’t leave the studio until four in the morning. That’s like…five hours ago.

Goodness. I’m doubly honoured that you made it, then.

Wouldn’t have missed it for the world, chick.

I’m very glad to hear that you’re back recording again. It was all a bit touch and go after the MonX break up for a while, wasn’t it?

Well. *coughs* You could say that. We didn’t part on the most amicable of terms.

You’ve been keeping very quiet about what happened. You never gave a statement to the press at the time, but you did reveal all to Nicky Wells for her latest novel, Fallen for Rock. How come?

Technically, I didn’t reveal anything to anyone. Nicky was primarily chatting with Emily, and Emily shared what I’d told her. Obviously I met Nicky a few times as well, and I read the whole book before it ever went to print…

You did?

Of course I did. I’m a fast reader. I’m not adverse to a bit of romance, although it was a little strange seeing… um… well… some of Emily and my… physical encounters…rendered on the page. In written words. Not that I’m a prude or anything. It was just odd to read that stuff about me.

Ha! I bet. So what happened with MonX?

*Mike grins* You’ll have to read the book for the gory details. I swear I was innocent, really.

Tell me about the book. How does it feel to be not only a rock star but also a romantic hero?

A romantic hero, crikey! *guffaws loudly* I’d never considered it like that. It feels surreal, to say the least. I’d never planned to ‘star’ in a book. A movie, perhaps, but not a book. Although who knows… maybe one day Fallen for Rock will hit the big screen.

Anything’s possible. I hear Nicky had an offer for a movie deal on her first novel before now?

She certainly did.

And?

She turned it down, or so she told me. Apparently she didn’t like the terms of the deal, and they wanted to change the location too.

Crazy. But Fallen for Rock…?

I guess if the right deal comes along, we’ll have to talk casting.

Who’d be you, do you think?

Me? *laughs loudly* I’d play myself.

It’s interesting to hear about what drives you.

Ha! Some would say I’m too driven. Emily nearly chucked me out way back when because I was such an arsehole while I was writing music. She was really worried for me too, and all I did in response was snap at her. Although in fairness, I had warned her that I’m hell to live with.

And that’s also in the book. Am I thinking of the right scene here?

You certainly are. That bit’s in the book, as is our whole story from start to finish. How we met, how MonX broke up, and what happened next to me, and to her.

Why “Fallen for Rock”?

Great question. Nicky says it’s because Emily goes through such a turnaround. You know, from rock-hater to rock-lover. Me, I think the title works on many levels. I took a fall, too, although not so much ‘for rock’ as ‘from grace.’ And Emily quite literally had a fall. A fall that would change everything! So it’s a fab title, and the meaning just gets more and more powerful as the story unfolds.

Thanks so much, Mike, it’s been brilliant talking with you. You take care now!

You too. And rock on, as Nicky would say.

Rock on indeed…

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Fallen for Rock SWAG Giveaway!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERATo celebrate the launch of Fallen for Rock and to spread some joy, I’m giving away the following items:

 One Large Signed Poster of “Fallen for Rock”

Three Sets of Signed “Fallen for Rock” Swag (Postcards and Bookmarks)

Three Sets of Signed “Fallen for Rock SWAG SPECIAL” including 2 bookmarks, 2 postcards and 2 guitar picks

Five Sets of Signed “Fallen for Rock” Guitar Picks (two picks per set)

One Set of “The Complete Nicky Wells Swag” (signed): Bookmarks and postcards for Sophie’s Turn, Sophie’s Run, Sophie’s Encore, Spirits of Christmas and Fallen for Rock

One Audio CD: Bon Jovi “Greatest Hits” (2010)

One Amazon Gift Certificate for £5/$7 or equivalent

Enter HERE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Portrait6About Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!

Ultimate rock chick author Nicky Wells writes romance with rock stars—because there’s no better romantic hero than a golden-voiced bad boy with a secret soft heart and a magical stage presence!

Nicky’s books offer glitzy, glamorous romance with rock stars—imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill! If you’ve ever had a crush on any kind of celebrity, you’ll connect with Nicky’s heroes and their leading ladies.

Born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993 and currently lives in Lincoln with her husband and their two boys. Nicky loves listening to rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, she’s a wife, mother, occasional knitter, and regular contributor at Siren 107.3 FM with her own monthly show. Rock on!

Nicky’s books: Sophie’s Turn | Sophie’s Run | Sophie’s Encore | Spirits of Christmas

You can buy Fallen For Rock here:

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.de | Amazon.ca | Amazon.au

Join Nicky:Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Romantic Novelists’ Association |Sapphire Star Publishing | Amazon | Goodreads| Pinterest

Did you know? There’s a single out now by Nicky’s fictional rock band Tuscq come to life! “Love Me Better” is available for download from Amazon, iTunes and many other places.

RomanceRockBanner_NickyWells

MY LIFE IN A NUTSHELL a novel – by Tanya J. Peterson

My Life in a NutshellBOOK BLURB

 My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel is the story of one man’s struggles with debilitating anxiety. Brian Cunningham has isolated himself to such a degree that his human contact is barely more than an hour a day. While lonely, he feels powerless to change his life. Unexpectedly, his safe little world is invaded by one Abigail Harris, a seven-year-old girl who, for the last five years, has bounced from foster home to foster home. She has come to live with an aunt and uncle she has never known. Unsure if she can trust her new environment, she turns to Brian. Neither one quite knows how to live in the world. Can they possibly help each other?

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I had the opportunity to interview Tanya about this project and her writing in general. So, welcome to Celtic Connexions, shall we get down to it?

How long does it take you to get from the initial concept for a novel to the finished product?

For me, the process involves two main stages. The first is my main love, the creation of the story and the characters and the world. This is a fluid, circular process that involves research, brainstorming, outlining, and writing. I flow among these activities for approximately five or six months (depending on how many other things vie for my attention), and then, hooray, there’s a novel! At this point, I have a bit more left in the first stage. This is when I go back through from beginning to end and do edits (I edit throughout the process, of course). Next, it’s onto stage two. I send it to my editor, and once the two of us have exchanged the document back and forth and are satisfied, it goes on to Inkwater Press. It takes another couple months for it to be fully designed and formatted. Then, it enters the ARC (advance reading copy) stage and is sent out for early reviews. Once those are all in, it’s ready for release! Typically, the entire process takes about a year. That seems like a long time, but I grow so very close to my characters that I’m not ready to let them go soon, so I don’t mind. (Oh, I’m ready to let them go into the world, but I’m not ready to let them go to be replaced with a new set for a new novel.)

Do you see yourself as one of the characters in your books, or are they an amalgamation of a number of people you’ve met throughout your life?

I write realistic fiction, and I draw on things from the real world (including my own world); however, all of my characters are purely fictional. Their struggles are based on real-life struggles, but they’re their very own people.

What motivated you to begin writing?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved writing. I wasn’t always confident enough to do anything with it other than writing things for school, college and, later, graduate school. I’m also passionate about social justice, particularly around mental health/illness. I’ve worked as a teacher and a counselor, I have personal and professional experience with mental illness, I want to increase understanding and empathy, and of course I still have that love to write. I decided to be brave and combine them all into a writing career that includes writing novels that illustrate what it’s like to live with mental illness or to love someone with mental illness.

Most authors have difficulty coming up with titles for their work. Do you have the same problem?

Most definitely! I can write a nearly 400-page novel with ease, but I can neither summarize it or come up with a title! The title of my last novel (Leave of Absence) was developed with the help of my editor. She created a fantastic list of options, and I selected the final choice.) I’ll share the story of my current novel below!

How did you decide on the title for this book?

I actually came up with this one all by myself! I asked my editor for input if she didn’t like the title I used, but she had none. She approved of mine! As I was writing, I would think of the title here and there, while doing dishes or showering or other such things. Nothing really jumped out at me. One day when I was writing a scene in which Brian (the main character) was meeting with his new therapist, he was asked to describe his life in a nutshell. Bingo! That was it! That phrase is symbolic of a few different things (which become evident in the story), and I knew it was perfect. The story is told in the first person POV as Brian, thus the title My Life in a Nutshell: A Novel (The term “A Novel” was tacked on by the publisher just to make sure people didn’t think it was a memoir.)

Is your family supportive of your writing?

I’m very fortunate that yes, they are very supportive indeed. Both of my children are still at home, but at ages 17 and 12, they are definitely old enough to make this easier. If they were young, that would be a different story. My husband, too, is supportive of my doing this. Trying to make a career of writing is a huge risk, and I feel quite anxious about it often. But I believe in my “cause,” and my family does, too, so that’s really helpful and quite encouraging.

Thanks for stopping by today, Tanya. I know you’re busy what with the promo party over on Facebook and all. Good luck with your novel. It sounds like a fascinating read.

Thank you, Melanie, for taking the time to “chat” with me. Thanks to you and your readers for wanting to get to know a little bit about me!

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YOU CAN BUY MY LIFE IN A NUTSHELL a novel at:

AMAZON UK

AMAZON.COM

Barnes & Noble

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My Life in a NutshellAbout the Author:

Tanya J. Peterson, MS, NCC
Mental Health Novelist, Writer, & Speaker

Tanya J. Peterson holds a Bachelor of Science in secondary education, Master of Science in counseling, and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. She has been a teacher and a counselor in various settings, including a traditional high school and an alternative school for homeless and runaway adolescents, and she has volunteered her services in both schools and communities. Peterson is an active volunteer with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and she is a regular columnist for the Anxiety-Schmanxiety blog on HealthyPlace.com.

She draws on her education, experience, and personal background with bipolar 1 disorder and anxiety to write stories about the psychological aspect of the human condition, specifically mental illness and the impact it has on human beings. Her goal is to change the way the world thinks about mental illness and the people who live with it.

Peterson believes that fiction is a powerful vehicle for teaching fact. Further, she knows that people empathize with characters in novels, and commonly they transfer their empathy to real-life human beings. To that end, she has published Leave of AbsenceMy Life in a Nutshell, and the YA novel Losing Elizabeth.  Additionally, she has published Challenge!, a short story about a person who finds the confidence to overcome criticism and achieve a goal, and a book review of Linley and Joseph’s Positive Therapy: A Meta-Theory for Positive Psychological Practice that appeared in Counseling Today, the national publication of the American Counseling Association.

Peterson has also been interviewed on numerous radio shows, given presentations on mental illness and book readings nationwide, spoken on mental illness at the 2013 national conference of the Mothers of Incarcerated Sons Society, Inc., and has been quoted in various articles about mental health and mental illness.

You can follow Tanya at:

www.tanyajpeterson.com

FACEBOOK – https://www.facebook.com/TanyaJPeterson

Twitter – https://twitter.com/tanyajpeterson1

 

Happy Father’s Day!

Father’s Day – how do you honour your father?

Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers out there! How do you spend the day? What does Father’s Day mean to you?

My father was one of the 7,000 children sent out to Canada through the Orphan Homes of Scotland between 1861 and 1938.

Although he was born in Kennethmont, Aberdeenshire,


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Dad was raised at the village homes near Bridge of Weir, approximately 15 miles west of Glasgow.


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The name Orphan Homes of Scotland implies the children who went there were orphans. That wasn’t always the case. My father wasn’t an orphan. He was one of ten children and after his mother died when he was just two years old, his father had a stroke and couldn’t look after the family.

Grandpa Robertson was married twice. The children from his first marriage helped out as best they could, but in the end, my father and four of his siblings (all from the second marriage) who were sent off to the Orphan Homes of Scotland.

Cottage 1 Quarriers Village - Broadfield Home
My father and his brothers, George and Andy, stayed here in Broadfield Home (Cottage 1).

Because there was no such thing as co-ed living, sisters couldn’t stay in the same house as their brothers. Brothers couldn’t even visit their sisters without the housemother’s consent and only for a short time.

Cottage 13 - Quarriers Village
My father’s sisters, Barbara and Christina, stayed here in Leven Home (Cottage 13).

After my father came to Canada, he worked on a number of farms in the Brockville area and enlisted with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders during World War II.

photo of my father
Robert A Robertson 1913-1969

Phillips Cables (sadly now the property is just an empty lot) provided him with employment from the time my father returned from the war and while he worked there, he met my mother.

robert and ruth's wedding 1950
My parents’ wedding – July 22, 1950

Sadly, I lost my Dad on April 29, 1969 as the result of a workplace injury. He may not be with me anymore but he lives on in my heart.

The Donahues – #review

The Donahues by Ayelen Barrios Ruiz Pagano

9781908208781Blurb:  On Emily’s sixteenth birthday, she discovers a letter that tells of her long lost father, who not only wants her back but is also filthy rich! Tensions between her and her mother were never very good, and with this letter, they escalate to where Emily moves out for the summer to her new/old family – at their opulent summer home. Find out how Emily wrestles with her feelings, finds love and balances her two families in “The Donahues”.

Review:

Emily O’Donnell’s life is that of a typical teen – that is until her sixteenth birthday when she finds out that the man she always believed was her father wasn’t. That would be enough to send any teen into a speed wobble. Ayelen skillfully relates Emily’s emotional turmoil at making this discovery. Feelings of betrayal, not knowing her true identity and teenage angst are sympathetically but realistically portrayed by the author.

This is a great debut novel and I look forward to reading more of Ayelen Barrios Ruiz Pagano novels.

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About the Author:

ayelen_barriosAyelen is a proud fanatic of Disney, bad reality TV, and all things romance. She’s always looking to find a new project to occupy her already busy time. Loving nothing less than a good story you can find her reading, writing, or watching a movie based on a book somewhere in Canada.

 

You can buy The Donahues from these booksellers:

http://safkhetpublishing.com/books/soul/The_Donahues.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IG9M4RO
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IG9M4RO
http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00IG9M4RO

 

 

Book Launch – Secrets at Rosehill by Kathryn Brown

Launch day for Kathryn Brown’s Secrets at Rosehill

Secrets at RosehillSecrets at Rosehill continues following the life of Camilla and Marcus as they each hide monumental events from each other that could have a huge impact on their lives. With ghostly sightings, apparitions, manifestations and communication with the dead, life at Rosehill is never dull. In fact ‘life’ at Rosehill remains, even when you’ve passed to the other side.

 

 

 

 

Secrets at RosehillDiscovery at Rosehill is the first in the Rosehill series where we are introduced to Camilla, a medium who is led to her dream home in the Scottish Borders by her deceased grandmother. Making a shock discovery about her past, Camilla becomes friendly with the village Reverend, but that friendship eventually leads to a controversial and complicated relationship.

 

 

 

 

Secrets at RosehillAbout the author:

Kathryn lives and works on a sheep and arable farm in Northumberland, the most northern county in England. She has an idyllic lifestyle surrounded by beautiful countryside and a stunning coastline. Inspired by the haunted farm house in which she lives, Kathryn created the Rosehill series, using many of her own ghostly experiences with the paranormal. A keen and passionate writer, Kathryn spends a large amount of time on social media and has a large following on both Twitter and Facebook.

Mum to Amy, 14, she divides her time between running the house, helping on the farm, writing books and being a parent. She’s never short of something to do and loves to write about her day-to- day existence on her popular blog, Crystal Jigsaw.

You can buy Secrets at Rosehill in paperback at these links:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com

and for the kindle at:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.ca

And if you’ve not yet experienced Discovery at Rosehill, you can find it at:

amazon.co.uk
amazon.com
amazon.ca
smashwords.com