From April 24th – 28th, THE SHADOW PRINCE & MORTAL ENCHANTMENT will be FREE on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Stacey-ONeale/e/B00IVS7FHE/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1429753849&sr=1-1
If you’re new to the series, this is the BEST TIME to check it out!!!
THE SHADOW PRINCE & MORTAL ENCHANTMENT are currently available for FREE on Amazon from April 24th through April 28th. I promise, this the ONE AND ONLY TIME I will do this, so pick up your copies NOW!!!
Click HERE for Links to FREE BOOKS!!!
And now, here is the cover of the last book in the series, ETERNAL SACRIFICE!!!
Drum roll, please…
Click HERE to add this book to your Goodreads TBR!
As promised, here is the Gift Card CONTEST!!!
Finally, thanks so much for your participation. It means so much to me. Virtual hug coming your way!!!
THE STARLET SERIES by Carla J Hanna BLOG TOUR #StarletTour
Lights, Cameras, and Lies. High school student athlete, Manny Biro, is caught between the boy he should be and the man he wants to become.
Everyone around him accepts the Hollywood life. He doesn’t. Manny wants no part of acting. On the surface, his childhood best friends seem to have it all: money, power, success. Between the lines, they are all confused. Alan is a messed up want-to-be director focused on pushing scenes to their sexy potential. Beth is an athlete driven to escape from a dark past. Janet is Manny’s kid sister caught up in fashion and trends. And Marie is a lonely actress exhausted by the culture that makes everyone’s favorite stories.
What is the price of fame for all the characters? Conflicts and truths will unfold in this thought-provoking installment of Carla Hanna’s young adult Starlet Series, Starlet’s Man.
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Love. Lies. Acting. A novel about celebrity influence & teens in Hollywood. What makes a star shine? Humility empowers the spirit. Sometimes.
Discover the Starlet Series for new adult & college readers and uncover the life of a talented actress caught in Hollywood’s web of lies.
I’m actress Liana Marie Michael. I won an Oscar at 17 but whatever. Celebrity is what it is: marketing a product. I’m part of a tight-knit group. I keep to myself and don’t complain about my life. I’ve been happy until lately.
Evan dumping me leveled me. Matthew shocked me. I knew he couldn’t hurt me with my bodyguard so near, but his eyes…so I have trust issues. Dating super-hot Byron didn’t help clear the confusion either. I’m torn between going to church on Sunday and making a living from pop culture.
But experience builds perspective. My days of shutting up needed to end. First, I told Manuel. Then I told my mom. It turned out awesome until I learned the truth.
Now I’m screwed. Totally. Let’s face it: Hollywood’s web entangles everyone.
~ – ~
I’m actress Liana Marie Michael. Hollywood’s obsession with beauty made my actress-mother stay competitive. Athletes use steroids. Actors use plastic surgery and anti-aging drugs. So now I’m a physical mess inside, dealing with it, and starring in a major motion picture.Of course I can’t quit. I have brain surgery, feel alive at Grandma’s Montana ranch, go back to Hollywood and act. My boyfriend, Manuel, and I want to get married. Everyone has an opinion. I ignore the millions of naysayers until consequences turn dire.I believe that dwelling on pain is a waste of time. Indecision is exhausting. I want to write my own future. But I’m only eighteen years old.In a world where an actress is a product and everyone is a critic, can our young love survive? Should it?
Love. Trust. Acting. Cancer survivor-actress gives up the fight until she sees the light. Liana Marie writes her third memoir as she struggles with trust and commitment and shapes the role she plays.
I’m actress Liana Marie Michael and am dying. In my last two memoirs, I show how I’m the ideal Hollywood product. In writing Starlet’s Web and Starlet’s Run, I realized that the drama in our stories affects the lies in our real lives. The thin, young ideal of beauty is as much of a lie as the plot twists and dialogue we create to hide our insecurities.
In this memoir, I make a mess of my love life while shooting a film in Great Britain. I dump Manuel for his own good. I love him with all my heart. So how could I not when he has a bright future? My dad visits and puts my past in perspective. I spend weekends in the hospital. I learn to rely on Franz, Evan and Amelie. Yes, I hook up with my Swiss billionaire-heir friend Pierre even though I miss Manuel every minute. But it all makes sense, especially since I am so done with acting.
We are all flies and spiders in a web of stories. If I live a more authentic life, can love prevail despite my many faults? Can truth alter Hollywood’s web?
ignite the passions of revolutionary artists and leaders throughout time.
will do what they have to do to compete.
Assuming you had some time to travel when you were in Great Britain filming, did you get to tour around some of the country? Was there any particular place you liked best?
I did. The set was in Wales, outside of Newport. My nurse was from
Aberdare so I visited it with Pierre, Evan, and Amelie. We all loved it. I connected with Wales, appreciating the harsh working conditions of a coal-mining people in the setting of peaceful, rolling hills. I bought a t-shirt there of the Celtic knot and think it is a perfect reflection of how we are all interconnected. I liked London, too, but a piece of my heart stayed in Wales.
If you had the chance to do it all over again, what if anything would you do differently?
I’d stick up for myself. I did what I was told to do. I didn’t have a
backbone. When you’re an actor, you mold to the will of writers and your director. Since there is so much pressure, you deal by staying focused and playing a role. We call it compartmentalizing. But the truth is I succeeded because I was a wimp. Evan dumping me wiped me out. Kissing Byron after I had Manuel didn’t make any sense and tore at me daily. How could I be such a loser? It was different when I was sure I was going to die. I thought my actions were unselfish. But I learned from being in Wales and studying the Celtic knot that we are all tied to each other and need to be honest and accept that we can’t control our future. We have free will and have to choose an authentic path based on trust and the best intentions.
EXCERPT, GIVEAWAY & AUTHOR INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA FREETHY
BEAUTIFUL NEW PRINT COVERS!
Check out this excerpt from #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy’s first book in the Callaway family series… Then Read on for more information about this blog tour and all its great prizes!
Sara met the first firefighter as soon as his feet hit the sidewalk. “My father is trapped in the basement,” she said. “The door is off the laundry room by the kitchen. Aiden Callaway went to get him, but they haven’t come out yet.”
“Aiden?” the guy echoed.
She nodded, not really surprised that the firefighter seemed to know Aiden since so many of the Callaways worked in the department.
“Wait here,” he told her.
She crossed her arms in front of her waist as the firefighters entered the house. Everything would be okay, she told herself. Aiden was with her father, and they were both going to be fine.
Aiden must have seen the flames from next door and in typical Aiden fashion, he’d run straight into the house without waiting for backup. The Callaways had never been short on courage; sometimes on good sense, but not on guts. And Aiden didn’t just end up in trouble; he often went looking for it. At least, he had when he’d been younger.
It had been more than ten years since she’d seen the very attractive guy-next-door, who had been the object of the most intense crush she had ever had in her life. Aiden had been a bad boy and she’d been a very good girl. But one reckless night had taken their relationship to a new level. Then Aiden had brought it all crashing down.
Her gut clenched at the memory of what had been the best and worst night of her life. She’d put Aiden out of her mind for a long time, but now he was back, and so was she.
Only temporarily, she reminded herself. This wasn’t her home anymore and never would be.
“Sara?”
She turned to see Lynda Callaway, Aiden’s stepmother, crossing the lawn at a brisk pace. A tall, willowy blonde, Lynda Callaway moved gracefully, like the dancer she’d once been.
“Are you all right, Sara? I couldn’t believe my eyes when I drove around the corner and saw the fire engines and the smoke. What happened? Where’s your father?”
“He’s inside. So is Aiden,” she added.
Lynda paled at that piece of news, her gaze flying to the house. “Aiden? Aiden’s here?”
“Yes. I guess he saw the smoke. He broke down the front door.” She glanced back at the house. Smoke was pouring through the front door, flames still visible through the windows in the dining room. What was taking them so long? “Aiden went to get my father. He fell down the basement stairs. I didn’t want to leave him, but I couldn’t move him.”
Lynda put a reassuring hand on her arm. “You did the right thing.”
“I think he broke his leg.”
“Your father is a strong man. He’ll come through this.
She’d always thought he was strong, but when she’d seen him on the floor, he’d looked surprisingly fragile and suddenly very human.
“How did the fire start?” Lynda asked.
“He was cooking. I distracted him when I showed up. We were upstairs arguing, and we didn’t smell the smoke right away. What is taking them so long?”
“They’ll want to be careful moving him,” Lynda said, putting her arm around Sara’s shoulders.
It had been a long time since Sara had felt such a motherly touch, and the emotion of it brought tears to her eyes. She’d been a strong, independent woman for a long time, but right now she felt like an uncertain girl who was really, really happy not to be alone.
They stood in quiet for a few moments, watching firefighters attack the fire from both inside and outside of the house. She saw two men up on the roof, using axes to make some sort of a vent. Their work was efficient and apparently done without any sense of fear. She’d been inside that heat, and she couldn’t imagine volunteering to go back in.
“How do they do it?” she muttered. “How do you do it, Lynda? The fire was so terrifying, so out of control, and it was only in the kitchen. How do you not worry every time your husband or sons leave the house?”
Lynda smiled. “I’ve had a lot of practice. I trust in my husband, my children, their fellow firefighters and their training. That gets me through.” She paused, her smile fading away, her gaze turning back toward the house. “I can’t believe Aiden is here. He’s been impossible to reach the last few weeks. I wasn’t sure when or if we’d see him again.”
“Really? Why?”
“He’s had some trouble in his life.”
“Isn’t that usually the case with Aiden?”
“This time is different.”
Before Lynda could explain, Aiden came out on the porch, carrying her father over his shoulders. They crossed the lawn and then, with the help of another firefighter, her dad was placed on the gurney and attended to by the waiting paramedics.
Sara moved as close as she could get, relieved to see that her father was awake and able to answer questions, but it was clear he was in a lot of pain. Once they had him stabilized on the stretcher, he was loaded into an ambulance.
“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” she told him.
“No, I need you to stay here, Sara. Keep an eye on my house.”
“I’ll take care of everything,” she promised. “Then I’ll come to see you.”
The ambulance doors closed. A moment later, he was on his way to the hospital.
“Do you need a ride?” Lynda asked her.
“Uh, no,” she said, trying to pull herself together. Everything was happening so fast her head was spinning. “I have a car. I’ll wait until the fire is out, and then I’ll go.”
“You’ve grown up into a beautiful, capable woman, Sara,” Lynda said with an approving gleam in her eyes. “Your mom would be proud.”
“I hope so. I still miss her.”
“So do I. And so does your father.”
“That’s not easy to believe.”
Lynda gave her a knowing look. “Your father is a difficult, complicated man. I’ve lived next door to him for twenty years, and I don’t feel like I know him any better now than when he first moved in. Since your mom died, he’s become even more reclusive.”
She nodded, her attention distracted by Aiden’s approach. Now that they were outside, she could see him more clearly. As his gaze met hers, she felt a familiar rush of adrenaline. He’d always had the ability to unsettle her, to make her feel off balance, dizzy, her heart beating too fast, her words getting choked in her throat. It was silly to feel that way now. Her teenage crush had ended long ago. She certainly didn’t intend to go back there.
Unfortunately, Aiden was still a very good-looking man, even with ash in his brown hair, sweat on his brow, a three-day growth of beard on his face and tired blue eyes. Add in the faded jeans with a rip at the knee and a T-shirt that clung to his broad chest and strong shoulders, and Aiden was still as hot and sexy as ever, maybe more so.
Sara drew in a breath, trying to dampen down her physical response. She could handle it now. She didn’t need to get all worked up about a man who had only once seen her as more than his sister’s best friend and the girl next door, and that one time had ended in regret on his part.
Fortunately, Lynda broke the awkward tension between them.
“Aiden,” Lynda said. “I can’t believe you’re home. Why didn’t you call me back?”
“I figured you’d see me soon enough.” He paused. “Are you okay, Sara?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for saving my father.”
He shrugged, as if what he had done had been of little consequence.
“I’ve been leaving messages for you for three weeks, Aiden,” Lynda said.
“I needed some time to clear my head,” he replied.
“Well, I’m glad you’re finally home. I’ve been so worried about you since—”
“I’m fine,” Aiden said, cutting Lynda off. “I’ll be over to the house in a minute.”
“All right,” Lynda said, obviously sensing that this wasn’t the time to grill her son. “Sara, please stop by later and let me know how your father is doing. In fact, come for dinner. We eat around seven, but any time you get back is fine. I’ll save you a plate.”
“That isn’t necessary.”
“You won’t be cooking in that kitchen tonight. Just come by,” Lynda insisted. “There’s always room for one more at our house.”
“Okay, thanks.”
With Lynda gone, she shifted her weight, crossing her arms, then uncrossing them, wishing that Aiden would stop looking at her with those incredible blue eyes.
“So, is the fire almost out?” she asked.
“Looks that way, but you won’t be able to go inside until the fire inspector signs off.”
“When do you think that will be?”
“Depends,” he said. “Could be an hour or more.”
“I’m lucky my dad lives right next door to firefighters. Although it doesn’t sound like you live at home anymore.”
“Not in a long time,” he said shortly, his gaze drifting toward his childhood home.
She stared at his profile. In his early thirties now, Aiden’s features had become better defined, his jaw stronger, his blue eyes harder and more cynical than she remembered.
His gaze returned to hers, and she couldn’t help wishing she looked a little better. She knew she was more attractive than she’d been in high school, because once she’d left her father’s house, she’d discovered makeup and hair products, short skirts and high heels. Unfortunately, she’d dressed herself down to visit her father, pulling her hair back in a knot and wearing gray slacks and a button-down blouse that did little to show off her shape. The fire had made her sweat, and she could feel her hair falling out of her bun, so it wasn’t her best moment.
Not that she cared, she reminded herself. There had been plenty of men in her life since high school, since Aiden. She was no longer his adoring fan.
She searched for something to say, something smart, witty, casual, but nothing seemed right. There had been a time in her life when she’d lived to catch a glimpse of Aiden, and another time when she’d hoped never to see him again, but now here he was, here they were, and she couldn’t think of a damn thing to say.
She tucked her hair behind her ear. “So…”
“So,” he echoed. “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes,” she agreed, feeling irritated with her awkwardness.
“How did you set the kitchen on fire?”
“I wasn’t the one who was cooking,” she said.
Aiden gave her a doubtful look. “You’re saying your father did that? Your father who lives by a rulebook and never ever takes a misstep? The man who can do no wrong and cannot tolerate failure in others?”
“Yes. Apparently, he is human,” she replied, not surprised that Aiden’s assessment of her dad was so spot on. He’d grown up next door, and her father had yelled at the Callaway boys on more than a few occasions.
“Are you living here now?” Aiden asked.
“No, just visiting. What about you?”
A shadow crossed his eyes. “I’m not sure of my plans.”
Before she could press for more information, one of the firefighters joined them. “Callaway? What are you doing here?”
“Helping out,” Aiden said shortly.
Something sparked between the two men, something intense and angry. Sara felt like she’d just landed back in the middle of another fire. Aiden had always had a million friends and he’d been a guy’s guy. To see someone who obviously hated his guts was surprising.
“Quite the hero. You always land on your feet, don’t you?” the other man sneered.
“If you say so,” Aiden said evenly.
Fury burned in the other man’s eyes a split second before he pulled back his arm and punched Aiden in the face.
Aiden stumbled backward, his hand flying to his right eye.
Sara gasped in surprise, startled by the unexpected attack. “What’s happening?” she asked, but no one was listening to her.
“That was for Kyle,” the man said. “And this—”
Before he could finish his statement, one of the other firefighters intervened, grabbing his pal’s arm. “That’s enough, Hawkins. Get in the truck.”
Hawkins looked like he wanted to argue, but after giving Aiden another scathing look he reluctantly followed orders.
“What just happened?” Sara asked.
Neither man seemed inclined to answer her. After exchanging a long look with Aiden, the firefighter gave her his attention. “The inspector just arrived. He’ll let you know the damage and when you can go inside.”
“Thanks,” she said.
The firefighter gave Aiden a hard look and then headed to the truck.
“Okay, what was that all about?” she asked Aiden.
He rubbed his rapidly swelling cheekbone. “Nothing.”
“That man didn’t hit you for nothing, Aiden. He said it was for Kyle. Was he talking about Kyle Dunne?”
“Leave it alone, Sara.”
“What happened to Kyle?”
Aiden’s jaw tightened. “He died, and it’s my fault.”
His blunt words shook her to the core. Kyle Dunne was the same age as Aiden. They’d been friends since kindergarten. Now he was dead? Why? How?
It was clear Aiden had no interest in giving her more details; he was already moving down the sidewalk.
“Aiden, wait,” she called, but he didn’t turn his head.
As he walked toward his truck, she noticed a limp in his stride. He’d suffered an injury of some sort. At the same time that Kyle had died?
Why would anyone blame Aiden for his best friend’s death? There was no way Aiden would have let Kyle die without trying to save him. Aiden was a born protector. She’d just witnessed him in action when he’d rescued her father, a man he didn’t even like. Aiden would have put his own life on the line for Kyle.
Memories of Aiden and Kyle together flashed through her mind. She could see them playing catch in the street until well after dark, hosting poker games in the room over the garage for all their high school friends, getting dressed up in suits for their senior prom. Kyle was dead? He’d always been so much fun, a joker and a prankster. Kyle and Aiden had caused a lot of trouble together, and they’d been closer than brothers. Aiden had to be reeling. No wonder there had been so much worry in Lynda’s eyes when she’d mentioned Aiden.
As Aiden pulled his bags out of his truck, she was torn between wanting to ask him more questions and wanting to put some distance between them.
He was the one guy she’d never been able to forget, the one guy who still haunted her dreams. The last thing she needed to do was talk to him. She had enough problems to deal with. She turned her back on Aiden and headed across the lawn to talk to the fire inspector.
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#1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy talks writing, publishing, and finding balance, plus gives her advice for new authors… Check out what she has to say then Read on for more information about this blog tour and all its great prizes!
You’re an icon in—not just the indie publishing community—but the publishing community in general. Your success is something to which we all aspire. In your opinion, what has been the greatest contributing factor to the success of your novels?
There are so many factors that contribute to a successful writing career and it’s hard to say which ones are the most important, but I do believe that publishing frequently helps to build an audience and also momentum. I don’t write as quickly as some authors do or as slow as others; I think I’m somewhere in the middle. But I try to put out 3-4 books a year and I think that helps keep my books in front of the readers. I also write what I love to read. Sometimes that means my books are not part of the hot trend of the moment, but that’s okay. I think it’s a mistake to try to chase fads. They blow out as quickly as they blow in. And, finally, I look at writing as my career. I work hard at it. I spend a lot of vacations at my computer. But it’s a really rewarding career, so it’s all worth it!
When did you start writing your very first novel, and did it ever get published? How has the world of writing change since you started out?
I wrote my first book when I was pregnant with my second child, who is now a young adult. It was eventually published as a Silhouette romance titled Promise of Marriage under the pen name Kristina Logan. The writing world has gone completely upside down and spun around a dozen times since I wrote my first book, but it’s an amazing time to be a writer now. There are so many opportunities for writers to get their books to the reading public. I’m thrilled for the writers who are starting out now, whether they want to be traditionally published or publish themselves. There’s more work. There are more changes. But there are also many more opportunities.
Technology has brought many changes to the world of books, but readers continue to embrace new books, new formats, and—at the heart of every book—great stories. I don’t think great stories will ever go out of style.
What advice do you have for authors who are either aspiring to write their first book or are working overtime to try to get that book noticed?
For writers working on their first book, the most important thing you can do is write all the way to the end. Too many new writers get hung up in the middle or caught up in rewriting the beginning over and over again. To get over the hump, jump ahead in the story or just write something—anything—knowing you can fix it during the editing process. Until you write to the end, you don’t know what you don’t know. You have to experience the entire process of writing a novel. It takes dedication, determination and stamina to finish a book. But it’s hugely gratifying, and there’s no better experience than the actual writing.
For those writers who have published their first book and are working overtime to get it noticed, I would caution against spending all your time promoting that first book. What you really need to do is write the second book and then the third. You have to look at your writing as a career. More books will increase your audience faster than any amount of marketing you do. I urge an 80-20 split: 80% of your time should be spent writing and 20% on promotion.
Describe your writing process. Are you a plotter, a pantser, or something in between?
I am closer to being a pantser than a plotter, but I do always know at least the five main plot points of my story before I begin writing. But part of the fun for me as a writer is telling myself the story. I want to be inspired and surprised as I go along. It makes it more interesting to me. Of course, I would be able to write faster if I outlined, but it just isn’t the way my brain works. There’s no right way to write, just the right way for the individual author.
What was your reaction when you first found out you broke onto the New York Times and USA Today bestsellers’ lists? How did you celebrate?
Hitting #1 on the New York Times with my novel SUMMER SECRETS was an amazing moment, especially because it was my first self-published title. I celebrated with a lovely dinner out with my husband. What was even more astonishing was that the novel stayed on the NYT list for 5 weeks and since then I’ve had 19 more novels hit both USA Today and the New York Times. It never gets old!
How do you find balance between writing, publishing, and promoting your books and the rest of your life? Any tips for the rest of us?
I have no balance whatsoever at the moment! I do try to do something in the world of exercise—take a walk or play tennis at least 3-4 times a week. And I also try to refill the creative well by reading and watching movies and television. Inspiration comes from everywhere, sometimes a song on the radio, a person that walks by, a sign on the road… I think it’s important for writers to be out in the world, because all our experiences provide the fabric for our stories!
Congrats on your groundbreaking, new partnership with Ingram to get the paperback editions of the Callaways out to the world. What about this opportunity has you most excited?
I’m thrilled to be able to bring my bestselling digital titles into print and have the books sold at physical bookstores throughout the country. Partnering with Ingram Publisher Services has allowed me to use their national sales team and distribution system to sell my books into Target, Barnes and Noble, airport bookstores and supermarket chains. I know that some readers still love their print books, so I want my readers to be able to read my books in whatever format they prefer. Until very recently print has been under the control of large publishing houses, but now print readers will have an opportunity to get titles by an Indie author, and I think it’s a game changer for the publishing industry!
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About the Callaway Blog Tour & All Its Great Prizes!
This is the week you finally meet the Callaways! Not only are they all over the web as part of their extraordinary blog tour, but they are also out and about in your neighborhood. That’s right; we’re celebrating the print launch with Ingram by throwing a party all over the world! Make sure to follow this tour closely for your chance to win gift cards, swag, autographed books, and other incredible prizes.
All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!
To Win the Prizes:
- Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
- Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
- Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)
About The Callaways: The Callaways were born to serve and protect! In Barbara’s new connected family series, each of the eight siblings in this blended Irish-American family find love, mystery and adventure, often where they least expect it! Each book stands alone, but for the full enjoyment of the series, you might want to start at the beginning with On A Night Like This! Get the eBooks via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.
About the Author: Barbara Freethy has been making up stories most of her life. Growing up in a neighborhood with only boys and a big brother who was usually trying to ditch her, she spent a lot of time reading. When she wasn’t reading, she was imagining her own books. After college and several years in the P.R. field, she decided to try her hand at a novel. Now Barbara is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author loved by readers all over the world. Her novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women’s fiction. Learn more on her website, Facebook page, or in her Street Team.
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BARBARA FREETHY AUTHOR INTERVIEW & EXCERPT
BEAUTIFUL NEW PRINT COVERS!
#1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy talks inspiration, romance, and research, plus tells us about how the Callaways’ lives resemble her own… Check out what she has to say then Read on for more information about this blog tour and all its great prizes!
What do you love most about being an author?
Being able to tell stories! I’ve been a voracious reader since I was a child, and having a job that allows me to create my own worlds, characters and plots is a dream come true.
What first inspired you to write the Callaways? Where did you get the initial idea for the series?
I had wanted to write a family series for a while, and I wanted the family to be blended, just to make the dynamics a little more interesting. Jack Callaway was a widower with four small boys when he met Lynda Kane, a divorcee with two small girls. They fell in love, got married and had twins. The eight siblings are now adults and range in age between 35 and 25. I also wanted the Callaways to stand for something. So there’s a family tradition of “serve and protect”. All the kids are raised with the idea that they need to serve the community, to help others and to always protect the family as well as anyone else in trouble. And the Callaways always seem to find trouble, even when they’re not looking for it.
Which of the Callaway siblings is the most like you? How are the two of you similar?
There is a piece of me in every character that I write, which makes it impossible for me to ever pick a favorite. I do like Emma a lot, because she’s the one person in the family who has a close relationship with every sibling. She’s also independent, brave and loving, which are all great traits.
Your characters all have such fascinating jobs, and, in reading your novels, it feels like I’m right there with them. How do you perform your research in order to make careers such as a smoke jumper, homicide detective, or Coast Guard rescue pilot so authentic?
I’ve read quite a few nonfiction books and articles written by smoke jumpers, firefighters, cops, etc. And I have a writer friend who is also a police detective, so I often ask her for help with the more technical aspects. But what’s really fun about writing is discovering new things—so I love to write about people in careers I don’t know that much about. In THAT SUMMER NIGHT, one of the characters is tied into the pharmaceutical industry, and I had never written a book that delved into that area. I found some of the true whistleblower stories that I read in preparation for writing that book to be fascinating. I think enjoying research is probably a big part of being a successful writer. I was born with a curiosity and an imagination. Writing is a great outlet!
The Callaways all have such beautiful, unique love stories. How do you get in the mindset for writing them? Are any of their stories inspired, at least in part, by your own real-life love story?
I have a wonderful husband who always takes credit for being my inspiration. And while that’s true, as a writer I do love to explore stories beyond my own personal experience. I like to bring together couples who complement each other but also drive each other a little crazy. I think love is about finding that one person who pushes you to be better, who challenges the way you think, supports you no matter what and gives you that heady, dizzy, wonderful feeling that comes when you fall in love.
I love that your novels are not only awesome romances but also have gripping suspense as a central part of the story line. How do you start planning your novels with the romance or with the suspense—or with something else altogether?
I enjoy writing romance that brings a little extra in terms of a plot. So every Callaway novel features a great love story, a puzzling mystery, some family drama and a little nerve-tingling suspense. I don’t outline in great detail, but I always have a general idea of the suspense plot points before I begin. The story takes shape and changes as I put myself into the characters’ heads. That’s part of the fun of writing!
Congrats on your groundbreaking, new partnership with Ingram to get the paperback editions of the Callaways out to the world. What about this opportunity has you most excited?
Since I formed my own publishing company and began independently publishing my books outside of the traditional New York publishing industry, it’s been a challenge to get my books into print and into physical bookstores across the country. Late last year, I entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Ingram Publisher Services to sell and distribute my books into retail outlets like Target, Barnes and Noble, airport bookstores and supermarkets, as well as other bookstore chains. I know there are lots of readers who still prefer to read in print, and I’m thrilled that they’ll now be able to read my bestselling digital series in their favorite format!
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Check out this excerpt from #1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy’s first book in the Callaway family series…Then Read on for more information about this blog tour and all its great prizes!
Her father stared back at her, his eyes dark and unreadable. “Why are you here, Sara?”
“I wanted to be here for your birthday. It’s been a long time since we’ve shared more than an email. We should talk, catch up with each other.”
“Why on earth would you want to talk to me?”
The confusion in his eyes made her realize just how far apart they’d drifted. “Because you’re my father. You’re my family. We’re the only ones left.”
“Do you need money?”
“This isn’t about money. Mom would not have wanted us to end up like strangers. We need to improve our relationship.”
He stared back at her for a long moment, then said, “There’s nothing left for you here, Sara. I wish you well, but we both need to move on. If you stay, it won’t go well. We’ll only disappoint each other.”
Her chest tightened, the finality of his words bringing pain as well as anger. Her father was like a brick wall. She kept throwing herself at trying to break through his resistance, but all she ever achieved was a new batch of emotional bruises.
“You’re a grown woman now,” he added. “You don’t need a father.”
“Not that I ever really had one,” she countered, surprising herself a little with the words. She was used to holding her tongue when it came to her dad, because talking usually made things worse.
“I did my best.”
“Did you?”
A tickle caught at her throat and her eyes blurred with unwanted tears. She had not come here to cry. She sniffed, wondering why the air felt so thick. It took a minute to register that it was not her emotions that were making her eyes water, but smoke.
The same awareness flashed in her father’s eyes. “Damn,” he swore. “The kitchen—I was cooking—”
He ran out of the room, and she followed him down the stairs, shocked by how thick the smoke was in the entry.
She was on her dad’s heels when he entered the kitchen. The scene was unbelievable. Flames shot two feet in the air off a sizzling pot on the stove. The fire had found more fuel in a stack of newspapers on the counter that had been left too close to the burner, those sparks leaping to the nearby curtains.
Her father grabbed a towel and tried to beat out some of the flames, but his efforts only seemed to make things worse. Embers flew everywhere, finding new places to burn, the heat growing more and more intense. Moving to the sink, she turned on the faucet and filled up a pitcher, but it was taking too long to get enough water. She threw some of it at the fire, but it made no difference.
“Move aside,” her dad shouted, grabbing two hot pads.
“What are you doing?” she asked in confusion.
He tried to grab the pot and move it to the sink, but she was in the way, and he stumbled, dropping the pot in the garbage. She jumped back from an explosion of new fire.
“We have to call 911,” she said frantically. But there was no phone in the kitchen, and her cell phone was in her bag by the entry. “Let’s get out of here.”
Her father was still trying to put out the fire, but he was getting nowhere.
“Dad, please.”
“Get out, Sara,” he said forcefully, then ran into the adjacent laundry room.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
“I have to get something important,” he yelled back at her.
“Dad. We need to get out of the house.” She coughed out the words, but she might as well have remained silent because her dad had vanished through the laundry room and down the back stairs to the basement. She couldn’t imagine what he had to get. There was nothing but gardening tools and cleaning supplies down there.
She started to follow him, then jumped back as the fire caught the wallpaper next to her head, sizzling and leaping towards her clothing.
“Dad,” she screamed. “We need to get out of the house.”
A crash echoed through the house. Then all she could hear was the crackling of the fire.
Sara ran through the flames and down the stairs into the basement. A single light bulb dangled from a wire over the stairs, showing her father in a crumpled heap on the cement floor.
She dropped to her knees next to his still body. He was unconscious, blood under his head, and his right leg was twisted in an odd position. She put a hand on his chest. His heart was still beating.
“Dad,” she said. “Wake up.”
He blinked groggily. “Sara?” he asked in confusion. “What are you doing here?”
“The kitchen is on fire. We need to get out of the house.” A glance back over her shoulder revealed smoke pouring through the open door at the top of the stairs. There was no way out of the basement without going through the kitchen.
Her father tried to sit up, but quickly fell back, groaning with pain. “My leg is broken. You go.”
“I can’t leave you here. That’s not an option.”
“You can’t carry me. Go. Get help.”
“I’ll be right back,” she promised.
She ran up the stairs, shocked and terrified when she saw how much worse the fire had gotten in literally minutes. The heat was intense. She could barely breathe, and there was a wall of flames between her and the only way out. She couldn’t afford to be scared. Grabbing a towel off the top of the nearby washing machine, she covered her nose and mouth, and prepared to make a dash for it.
Before she could move, a figure appeared on the other side of the flames—a man.
A wave of relief swept through her. Help had arrived.
He barreled through the fire and smoke, batting away the flames as if they were troublesome bees. When he stopped in front of her, her heart jumped again.
“Aiden?” She lowered the towel from her face. He was the last Callaway she wanted to see.
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About the Callaway Blog Tour & All Its Great Prizes!
This is the week you finally meet the Callaways! Not only are they all over the web as part of their extraordinary blog tour, but they are also out and about in your neighborhood. That’s right; we’re celebrating the print launch with Ingram by throwing a party all over the world! Make sure to follow this tour closely for your chance to win gift cards, swag, autographed books, and other incredible prizes.
All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!
To Win the Prizes:
- Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
- Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
- Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)
About The Callaways: The Callaways were born to serve and protect! In Barbara’s new connected family series, each of the eight siblings in this blended Irish-American family find love, mystery and adventure, often where they least expect it! Each book stands alone, but for the full enjoyment of the series, you might want to start at the beginning with On A Night Like This! Get the eBooks via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.
About the Author: Barbara Freethy has been making up stories most of her life. Growing up in a neighborhood with only boys and a big brother who was usually trying to ditch her, she spent a lot of time reading. When she wasn’t reading, she was imagining her own books. After college and several years in the P.R. field, she decided to try her hand at a novel. Now Barbara is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author loved by readers all over the world. Her novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women’s fiction. Learn more on her website, Facebook page, or in her Street Team.
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THE INCREDIBLE CALLAWAYS TOUR – BARBARA FREETHY GUEST POST
BEAUTIFUL NEW PRINT COVERS!
#1 NY Times Bestselling Author Barbara Freethy talks strong women, hot guys and family series… Check out what she has to say then Read on for more information about this blog tour and all its great prizes!
One of my favorite quotes of all time is by Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag. You don’t know how strong she is until you put her in hot water.”
This quote perfectly describes the heroines in my new connected family series: The Callaways. I love to write about ordinary women who get caught up in extraordinary adventures. My heroines don’t always know what they’re made of until they’re tested.
While we sometimes associate strong female characters with over-the-top roles like vampire slayer or some other kick-ass profession, I believe most women, even the quiet ones, have a superhuman core of strength that enables them to change the world they live in and also to change the men who love them. In my books, the heroine’s strength is enhanced, not only by a new and powerful romantic relationship but also her personal journey to find herself.
In the first book in the Callaway series, ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS, the heroine, Sara, has grown up in a troubled family and is estranged from her father. She grew up next door to the chaotic, fun-loving Callaway family and often envied the relationships she saw on the other side of the fence. She also had a huge crush on the second oldest male in the family, Aiden Callaway.
While Sara was a studious, serious girl in high school, Aiden was the charming rebel. As teenagers they were not ready for each other, but now they meet again as adults and both are facing pivotal moments in their lives.
Aiden is recovering from an injury he acquired as a smokejumper and grieving for the loss of his best friend, who died during their last jump together. Sara has come home to repair the relationship with her father, only to discover that there are family secrets that will change everything she thought she knew about her past and her parents.
Sara has to find the strength within herself to risk her heart on a man who could quite possibly break it, to face a terrible lie and to find a way to forgive her father. Aiden also has to find a way to deal with the secret that took his friend’s life. Together these two characters find strength within themselves and also draw strength from each other, which is, really, what love is all about.
As a reader, I love books that have layers: romance, mystery, adventure and surprises. As a writer, I strive to bring those same elements to all of my stories. My heroines have to be as strong as the heroes. And I always hope that they inspire my readers in some way, too.
I grew up reading books about strong female characters, and I know those reading experiences helped shaped some of my own attitudes about the kind of woman I wanted to be.
Who are some of your favorite female characters? And what do you love most about them?
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About the Callaway Blog Tour & All Its Great Prizes!
This is the week you finally meet the Callaways! Not only are they all over the web as part of their extraordinary blog tour, but they are also out and about in your neighborhood. That’s right; we’re celebrating the print launch with Ingram by throwing a party all over the world! Make sure to follow this tour closely for your chance to win gift cards, swag, autographed books, and other incredible prizes.
All the info you need to join the fun and enter to win amazing prizes is RIGHT HERE. Remember, winning is as easy as clicking a button or leaving a blog comment—easy to enter; easy to win!
To Win the Prizes:
- Purchase any of the Callaway novels by Barbara Freethy (optional)
- Enter the Rafflecopter contest on Novel Publicity (go here)
- Visit today’s featured social media event (that’s where the HUGE prizes are)
About The Callaways: The Callaways were born to serve and protect! In Barbara’s new connected family series, each of the eight siblings in this blended Irish-American family find love, mystery and adventure, often where they least expect it! Each book stands alone, but for the full enjoyment of the series, you might want to start at the beginning with On A Night Like This! Get the eBooks via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, or Kobo.
About the Author: Barbara Freethy has been making up stories most of her life. Growing up in a neighborhood with only boys and a big brother who was usually trying to ditch her, she spent a lot of time reading. When she wasn’t reading, she was imagining her own books. After college and several years in the P.R. field, she decided to try her hand at a novel. Now Barbara is a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author loved by readers all over the world. Her novels range from contemporary romance to romantic suspense and women’s fiction. Learn more on her website, Facebook page, or in her Street Team.
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A Shadow in the Past – the real locations and inspiration behind the novel
There were a number of things that influenced and inspired me to write my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past. Here are some of them.
Start with one spooky, derelict mansion…
Add one ancient stone circle…
Sprinkle in a narrow country lane…
Lined with ghostly trees…
Add a generous dollop of old graveyard…
One full-sized headstone…
Spice it up with a village hall…
One lunatic asylum…
One small country church…
And lastly a smidgeon of Aberdeen…
Mix well.
Add characters…
Let all the ingredients simmer then write, write some more, re-write, re-write some more.
When finished it looks like this…
Blurb:
Nineteen-year-old Sarah Shand finds herself thrust back into the past. There she struggles to keep her real identity from a society that finds her comments and ideas strange and her speech and actions forward, unlike Victorian women. When Sarah verbally confronts confining social practices, including arranged marriages, powerful enemies commit her to a lunatic asylum. After falling in love with the handsome Laird of Weetshill, Robert Robertson, she must decide whether to find her way back to her own time or to remain in the past with him.
Where to buy:
4RV Publishing: http://www.4rvpublishingcatalog.com/robertson-king.php
ChaptersIndigo: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/A-Shadow-In-The-Past-Melanie-Robertson-king/9780983801887-item.html?ikwid=a+shadow+in+the+past&ikwsec=Home
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-shadow-in-the-past-melanie-robertson-king/1112348992?ean=9780983801887
A Shadow in the Past is also available at amazon for the Kindle (using the same links), Barnes & Noble for the nook, Kobobooks, and the iBookstore.
CRASHING INTO LOVE by Melissa Foster
Only one woman could hurt ultra-alpha bad boy Jake Braden.
Only one woman can heal him.
Fiona Steele has arrived…
Fiona Steele has a great career, strong friendships, and a loving family. To an outsider, her life appears happy and fulfilling. But the one thing that’s missing is true love, and the only man Fiona wants is the one she can’t have, sinfully handsome and seductively intense Jake Braden—the man whose heart she broke, which she has regretted ever since.
As an LA stuntman, Jake Braden’s at the top of his game. He’s hired for all the best movies, hooks up with the hottest women, and lives an unencumbered lifestyle where his needs come first—and where he doesn’t have to examine his life too closely. Except when he visits his family in his close-knit hometown of Trusty, Colorado, where he spends his time avoiding Fiona—the only woman who knows who he really is.
When Fiona’s best friend is hired to act in Jake’s movie, Fiona jumps at the chance to try to win him back. There’s no denying the white-hot attraction burning between them. With every encounter, Fiona hopes Jake can’t resist falling back into the love they once shared. But her well-orchestrated rendezvous doesn’t go over well with the brooding heartthrob. Living in the fast lane is perfect for a guy who’s buried his emotions so damn deep he’s not sure he can remember how to feel—and he’s not sure he ever wants to.
BUY LINKS
Amazon
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About Melissa Foster
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Authors Links:
Sign up for Melissa’s newsletter to stay up to date with releases and giveaways
http://www.melissafoster.com/newsletter/
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GIVEAWAY!
(3ecopies of the previous book in the series – Dreaming of Love)
Author Interview with Linda Gillard
I’m thrilled to welcome Scottish author of seven brilliant novels, Linda Gillard, to Celtic Connexions. I’m so excited to host you here today. I’ve read all of your novels and loved them. I’m anxiously waiting for number eight.
Shall we get started?
When did you first get bitten by the writing bug?
1999. I was at home recovering from a nervous breakdown. I’d recently given up teaching which I’d found very stressful. I taught in an unruly school in an impoverished area. One day a disturbed pupil punched me during a lesson and I decided I’d had enough.
I was diagnosed with depression and eventually mild bipolar. I recuperated at home doing a lot of reading and quilt-making, then I read a book called Writing as a Way of Healing by Louise deSalvo. One paragraph sent me straight to my PC and I started to write – almost automatically – the opening page of what became my first novel, EMOTIONAL GEOLOGY.
I was writing for myself, just an escapist novel that was something like an alternative autobiography, but before long I was hooked on writing – and completely in love with my hero!
I’d been an actress and a journalist before I trained as a teacher and writing put me in touch with words and creativity again. I realised writing was the only thing I wanted to do and it led to a new and successful career as a novelist.
I was 53 when EMOTIONAL GEOLOGY was published, so I always tell people it’s never too late to start writing and you never have to retire!
Are you a plotter or a pantster or a combination of the two?
I used not to plot very much and I’ve never begun a book knowing how it will end. Readers often describe my books as “un-put-downable” and I wonder if that’s because even I don’t know how they’re going to turn out. I write to find out what happens.
I think if you let it, your unconscious mind will write a better book than your conscious mind. Your conscious mind will go for quick fixes, easy answers. Your unconscious will surprise you and the reader.
When I was writing HOUSE OF SILENCE
http://www.amazon.ca/HOUSE-SILENCE-Linda-Gillard-ebook/dp/B004USSPN2/ref=sr_1_2_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423578897&sr=8-2&keywords=linda+gillard I didn’t know until quite late on which man the heroine would end up with. The decision I eventually made was one my publisher wanted to reverse and that was one of the reasons I withdrew the book. I didn’t want to re-write for what I considered to be commercial reasons.
I’m now working on my eighth novel and I’ve planned the last few books a bit more, but there are always surprises. I can be writing a scene and some twist will suddenly strike me, or I’ll realise something important about a character’s back story that I didn’t realise. I always listen to my characters and write what they tell me to write, even when I think the story should go in a different direction. Your characters always know best.
Ed. note. House of Silence was the first novel written by you that I read. It’s stuck with me and I want to read it again but most of all, it made me look for more books written by you.
You parted ways with your publisher with House of Silence, because they said it would be too difficult to market, if I remember correctly. Any regrets?
No. It was the best thing I ever did, both creatively and financially, although at the time it felt like professional suicide. I hoped I’d get another publisher, but after 2 years my agent hadn’t found one. We just had a lot of nice rejection emails saying editors liked my books but couldn’t see how to market them.
My fans kept asking for a new book and I had two that my agent had been unable to sell, so I decided to publish them myself. This was in 2011 and indie publishing was quite new. I didn’t expect to sell many copies, but HOUSE OF SILENCE became a Kindle bestseller. Amazon selected it as one of their Top Ten in the indie author category. I re-published my out-of-print backlist and 4 new books and I now earn a living from writing non-genre fiction which is quite rare.
But it’s a lot of work being indie. I’d rather be writing than doing admin and marketing, but I’ve really enjoyed working with a designer on my covers. In my opinion two of my traditionally published novels were sabotaged by their covers and I had a title foisted on me that I hated, so it means a lot to have books that have titles and covers I’m proud of.
How much research do you have to do in advance of sitting down to write?
In advance, not that much. I do preliminary research but start writing as soon as I can. I think if you do too much research it can take over. It’s tempting to include fascinating facts even though they don’t actually help tell the story. I keep in mind Elmore Leonard’s advice to writers: “Try to leave out the parts readers skip”!
You need to do just enough research to be able to write the story. As you write, it becomes clear where the gaps are. But you can do more research later, after you’ve finished the book if necessary.
I recall seeing pictures on Facebook you’d taken while on a tour of a stately home for use in an upcoming book (possibly your work-in-progress). How many actual locations – castles, mansions, cottages, etc. make it into your novels as fictional ones?
I usually base my locations on real places and buildings but they’re adapted. I lift bits from several different places and combine them to make a new location. So the decrepit Scottish castle in CAULDSTANE
http://www.amazon.ca/CAULDSTANE-Linda-Gillard-ebook/dp/B00HZYAIOM/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423579166&sr=8-1&keywords=linda+gillard was inspired by several that I visited in the Highlands – Cawdor, Crathes, but mainly Craigievar in Aberdeenshire.
I visit places as part of my research but I also use photographs. I visited a lot of ruined tower houses for UNTYING THE KNOT http://www.amazon.ca/UNTYING-KNOT-Linda-Gillard-ebook/dp/B005JTAMQO/ref=sr_1_3_twi_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423579351&sr=8-3&keywords=linda+Gillard but for the restored version of Tullibardine Tower I had to rely on photographs of towers that had been refurbished as family homes.
Of all the books you’ve written to date, does one remain your favourite?
I think my best book is A LIFETIME BURNING but my favourite – the one of which I’m most fond – is HOUSE OF SILENCE. I really enjoyed writing that one, though the plot did rather strain my brain! Both HOS and ALB are family stories and I enjoy writing about extended families.
Of all the places you’ve lived in Scotland, is there one would you like to return to or would you like to stay in your current location?
I would like to return to the Isle of Skye where I lived for six years. I wish I had a holiday home there, but it wouldn’t be very convenient. Skye is a long way. When I lived there hardly anyone came to see me from the south and I didn’t see much of my adult children, so I think I’d just have to go back for holidays. But not in the summer. Skye midges are legendary for their ferociousness!
There are three words that come to mind when I look at these photographs of your home on Skye – beautiful, rugged, remote.
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Biography
Linda Gillard lives in the Scottish Highlands and has been an actress, journalist and teacher. She is the author of seven novels, including STAR GAZING, short-listed in 2009 for Romantic Novel of the Year and HOUSE OF SILENCE, which became a Kindle bestseller and was selected by Amazon UK as one of their Top Ten “Best of 2011” in the Indie Author category.
Links
Website: www.lindagillard.co.uk
JUST TWO WEEKS ~ BLOG TOUR
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?
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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!
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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
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/amandainbrighton?fref=ts
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amanda-Sington-Williams-writer/298320619836
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3526510.Amanda_Sington_Williams
BUY LINKS
GIVEAWAY
The giveaway on this tour is an ecopy of the book. There are two copies to giveaway.
THE MAN WHO CAN’T BE MOVED ~ Blog Tour
The Man Who Can’t Be Moved
by
Tilly Tennant
Fledgling journalist Ellie Newton is keen to prove herself when she lands a hard-won job at the Millrise Echo. So when reports come in of a man camped on the corner of a local street, refusing to move until the girl who has jilted him takes him back, Ellie is on a mission to get the scoop.
She arrives to meet Ben Kelly, a man she is instantly attracted to. But she has a job to do and an incredible story to write and has soon pledged to help him win back the girl of his dreams. With Ellie’s help, Ben’s plight captures the hearts and imaginations of the public. And when a TV film crew appears to make a feature on the most romantic gesture the town of Millrise has ever seen, Ellie’s mission gets its happy ending…
But while Ellie has been busy fixing the lives of her wayward parents, providing shoulders for heartbroken friends to cry on, and worrying about her terminally-ill aunt, she hasn’t noticed that she has also been falling quietly in love – with the very man she has now ensured is hopelessly out of her reach
Ellie must choose between doing the right thing, and the thing that feels right. And whatever choice she makes, someone will get their heart broken.
BUY LINKS
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When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I’ve always loved to invent stories so it seemed only natural that I would start writing them down. Ever since I can remember I had wanted to write a book, and I had even tried a few times but never got past the first few chapters. It wasn’t until I got to university as a mature student in 2006 that I finally finished one. After that I got the bug and wanted to write all the time!
How long did it take you to write The Man Who Can’t Be Moved?
It took a lot longer than any book I’ve written before! The initial draft was quick, probably around two months, but then I spent another ten months with my agent doing edits and rewrites before we cracked the story. I don’t think the edits on a book have ever taken us that long before but there just seemed so much to work out on this one. My agent always wants the books she works on with her authors to be as perfect as they can be so she does crack the whip, but in a good way!
In addition to working as a freelance editor, do you work at any other job(s)?
I do also do secretarial work and I submit copy to commercial websites. Income from book sales alone is notoriously unreliable so I like to keep other avenues open to help me make ends meet when things are slow. It’s good to have other aspects to your working life too; it gives you lots of material to put into your stories. When colleagues read my books they’re always asking whether I’ve sneaked them in somewhere as a character. Lots of conversations I have with them certainly do find their way in!
Has your family (parents, siblings, spouse (if applicable)) been supportive of your dream to write?
My mum is incredibly proud, of course, and my brothers are great. Same goes for my husband, although I have to say that my daughters, aged thirteen and eleven, are actually the most excited about what I do. They’ll always listen and offer their opinions when I’m discussing a plot or a character, where people with less time might have other things on their mind – like gas bills and what’s for tea! They’re both really keen to write their own stories and read books too and I love the idea that I might have influenced that in some small way.
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About Tilly Tennant
Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset, the oldest of four children, but now lives in Staffordshire with a family of her own. After years of dismal and disastrous jobs, including paper plate stacking, shop girl, newspaper promotions and waitressing (she never could carry a bowl of soup without spilling a bit), she decided to indulge her passion for the written word by embarking on a degree in English and creative writing, graduating in 2009 with first class honours. She wrote her first novel in 2007 during her first summer break at university and has not stopped writing since. She also works as a freelance fiction editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books before the rest of the world gets them.
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