Tag Archives: novella

It Happened Series – Book 3 #sweetromance

A year later than originally planned because the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown sent my writing mojo running for the hills until late in the year. Thankfully, it returned and Book 3 in the It Happened series (It Happened at Percé Rock) will be out this summer.
It Happened series

What’s it all about you ask? Here’s your answer.

When Melissa Scott flees to the village of Percé, she’s determined to leave her painful memories behind her.

Gareth Young, a soldier with the Canadian Forces, never got over losing his friend in the war in Afghanistan. Nowadays, he’s happier in his own company than that of others, until she enters his life.

Despite her recent breakup and knowing rebound relationships don’t work, Melissa falls head over feet for the handsome military man, only to discover he comes with enough baggage to fill an army cargo plane.

Will the couple be able to work through their issues and achieve a happy ending together?

Between the Scott and Layne families, there are seven characters for six books with five coming from the Scott family – Christopher, Amy and Michael (twins), Roger, and Melissa.

Book 1 in the It Happened series starred one from each family – Serenity Layne and Roger Scott, hence the need for only six books in the series.

Book 2 featured Serenity’s brother Erik and Hilary Dunbar, a Vancouver Police Constable (a very unlikely pairing).

Roger’s youngest sibling, Melissa stars in Book 3 – It Happened at Percé Rock.

I’m trying to create movie tie-ins with this series and have managed with the first two books.

Book 1It Happened on Dufferin TerraceMiracle on 34th Street meets Sleepless in Seattle.

Book 2It Happened in GastownTrainspotting meets Hot Pursuit.

This one is proving to be a bit of a conundrum. I have one movie, but the second is proving more difficult. I need a movie with the main character suffering from PTSD. Currently, I’m leaning towards Beaches meets Born on the 4th of July but there could be a better one. I’ve searched online without much success.

If anyone has any suggestions, please leave them in the comments.

Thanks so much.

Did I mention dogs have starring roles?

 

SALE ENDS SOON! Oct 1st the price goes up ~ It Happened on Dufferin Terrace #Christmas #sweetromance

sale ends soon

The sale ends soon! The 99¢/99p price of It Happened on Dufferin Terrace goes up on Monday, Oct 1st.

Pick your copy of this #Christmas, #sweetromance novella brimming with that “feel good” up this weekend for the bargain price.

She’s married to her career… He’s a widowed father…

Miracle on 34th Street meets Sleepless in Seattle in

It Happened on Dufferin Terrace

Toronto business consultant, Serenity Layne, knew the only person she could depend on was herself. Married to her career, she has no time for other pursuits and life’s intangibles.

Widowed for three years, Roger Scott, a data security specialist in Quebec City, is a single parent to his ten-year-old son, Adam.

On a day out on the Plains of Abraham with their black Labrador retriever, Roger’s cell phone rings incessantly. Adam has played matchmaker and put his father’s profile on a number of online dating sites.

The week before Christmas, Serenity is heading up a series of meetings after a six-month study of the Canadian retail chain, jonathans. After an unpleasant encounter with one of the store managers, she escapes from the boardroom of the Château Frontenac Hotel, only to be bowled over by Roger and Adam’s dog.

Guilty over the accident, Roger invites Serenity out for a drink by way of apology. Over the course of the week, and spending time together, feelings long dormant for Roger are re-awakened. At the same time, emotions foreign to Serenity fill her with contentment and happiness.

Will the couple get their happily ever after?

BUY LINKS

 kindle

Kobo Canada

Kobo US

 

Late Summer Finale of SEARCHING FOR SERENITY #game #fun

It’s the summer finale of the fun game, Searching for Serenity. Today’s episode starts and ends at the Château Frontenac. All of the locations are places Serenity walked during her time in Vieux-Québec while on the jonathans assignment.

summer finale

We’re down in the lower town now. Something significant happens here in the book but in winter. Any ideas?

summer finale

Back up the steep hill(s). This city’s wall lines one side of this street, which is named for the fortifications.

Further down the street, a pair of cannons stands guard.

Near the other end of the wall, which at this particular street, the gate (or port) has been removed. This park is bisected by Rue Richelieu.

And lastly, we’re making our way back to the Château Frontenac. This tree has something unique in its roots. Look closely, and you’ll see a cannonball. This is one of my favourite spots and on every trip to the city, I take a picture.

Think you know where the pictures were taken? Leave your guesses in the comments.

If you missed the first two episodes, you can catch up.

Day 1
and
Day 2

And to help you out with the area, here’s a map of the old city.

Good luck and have fun!

BUSTED! Roxie Rebel’s last post from Vieux-Québec … for now

Roxie RebelHi Able! Roxie here with an update on the Melanie Robertson-King assignment. So this morning, I tailed the world-famous author, from her hotel to the jaja restaurant in theHôtel Le Concorde Quebec.

My patience was rewarded. As I rounded the corner onto Wilfred-Laurier Avenue, I spotted her heading to a seat near the window. And what luck! She took the one looking outside. I crept around, and hid behind the planters and set up.

Well, just as I was focusing in on my subject, the worst possible thing happened.

I raised my camera to get a snapshot of my quarry, and a burly, security guard grabbed me by the arm. Luckily, I managed to get a photo, albeit on a bit of an angle, and upload it to the cloud before he had the nerve to confiscate my camera.

BUSTED

able caneRoxie, Roxie, Roxie. How many times do I have to remind you? You can’t get caught when you’re on assignment.

I know, Able. I’m sorry. But I got the job done. You can’t fault me for that.

No, you’re right.

And the best thing is, the police weren’t involved. The security guy took pity on me and didn’t call. Told me, too, if I behave myself these next few days, after he’s had a chance to look at the pictures on my SD card and eliminate them, I’ll get my camera back! Wheeeee!

Focus, girl. Focus. The assignment isn’t over.

Aw, I was hoping to get a chance to poke around on my own without chasing anyone.

You do this one last thing, and you’ll get your well-deserved break.

What’s that?

See if you can find out where Melanie is going next and when so we can plan.

You got it, boss. Roxie Rebel won’t let you down.

 

 

 

 

#GAME ~ It’s time to play Searching for Serenity!

Is everyone ready to play the Searching for Serenity #GAME?

Although Serenity never frequented this British Pub on Rue Saint-Jean, we have on many occasion over the years on our visits to Quebec City. With the extreme heat and humidity, it was a great place to sit for a few moments, enjoy a cold drink and rest. When you’re putting in approximately 20K steps a day, a beverage and a comfortable place to sit are a must.

#GAME

The following two pictures are places Serenity did visit in It Happened on Dufferin Terrace. Roxie Rebel caught up with me here the other day (check out her post Roxie Rebel on assignment…). With all the stuffed animals surrounding her, you can bet we’re in a toy store – aka toy heaven.

#GAME

Another place Serenity visited celebrates December 25th year-round! All things Christmas 365 days of the year (except for those days they remain closed).

You have to see the place to appreciate it. My little travelling companion, Buddy, came from this shop last November.

#GAME

What better place for a ‘shelfie’ than on a book rack?

So there you have it. Three locations. Leave your guesses in the comments and label them 1, 2 & 3 or A, B & C. Whatever floats your boat.

See you next time!

 

SEARCHING FOR SERENITY!

Remember a few years ago, I took my debut novel, A Shadow in the Past, to Scotland and photographed it in various locations? Clues to the book’s whereabouts were in the blog posts? The game back then was Seeking Sarah Shand. Well, now it’s time to play again, but this time it’s

Searching for Serenity!

 

Are you ready to play?

searching for serenity

Here’s a good look at the cover because, in some of the photos, it’s a bit small to get a proper perspective on the area.

Dufferin Terrace is a beautiful boardwalk between the Hotel Château Frontenac and the St. Lawrence River. The Lower Town portion of Vieux-Québec is below.

If you continue away from the hotel towards La Citadelle, you walk along what is known as Promenade des Gouvernours. In this direction, you’ll climb far more stairs than if you start at the Plains of Abraham on the other side of the fortress. I’ve walked it in both directions, and much prefer starting at the battlefield.

searching for serenity

Here she is. Do you know where?  Leave your answer in the comments. I’ll keep track, and at the end, someone will be named the winner.

Good luck. On your mark, get set, guess!

 

 

The Marquess and the Midwife by Alina K Field #EggcerptExchange

The Marquess and the Midwife

by

Alina K Field

 

marquess midwife

Tag:

Separated by lies, united by secrets

Logline:

Finding the woman he lost turned out to be easy. Winning her is another matter.

Blurb:

Once upon a time, the younger brother of a marquess fell in love with his sister’s companion. He was sent off to war, and she was just sent off, and they both landed in very different worlds.

Now Virgil Radcliffe has returned from his self-imposed exile on the Continent to take up his late brother’s title and discover the whereabouts of the only woman he’s ever loved.

Abandoned by her lover and dismissed by her employer, Ameline Dawes has found a respectable identity as a Waterloo widow, a new life as a midwife, and a safe, secure home for her twin girls. Called to London at Christmas to attend her benefactress’s lying-in, she finds herself confronted by an unexpected house guest–a man determined to woo her anew and win her again.

But, is loving the new Marquess of Wallingford a mistake Ameline cannot afford to repeat?

Short blurb:

Uncovering a lie drives a new marquess back from a self-imposed exile at Christmas to find the only woman he’s ever loved. Finding her turns out to be easy, uncovering her stunning secrets, a bit harder. But winning her back will be the greatest challenge of all.

Excerpt:

Ye gods, but her ladyship needed more maids, and a couple more footmen with both arms and both legs, at least for this type of fetching and carrying.

Ameline chided herself for being insensitive and balanced the steaming bucket. She set down the lamp momentarily to gather her skirts, along with the lamp handle.

A pair of men’s boots moved into view and the lamp bobbled. Fine boots they were.

She sighed, gritting her teeth. Lord Hackwell’s visits had unnerved his lady, and Ameline had counseled him to leave.

Very well, she’d thrown him out, once almost literally. He would wonder what she was doing below stairs. He might send for the accoucheur he was mumbling about, and his lady would not like it.

“I’ve just popped down to the kitchen for a word with Alton, my lord,” she said. “All is going well, except he’s a bit short on staff.”

“We have noticed that.”

The skin on her back rippled and she shivered. This wasn’t Hackwell—it was him.

Panic flared in her and her hands and ankles began to tingle. He carried no light. She let her own lantern dip lower and stepped to one side. What was he doing on the servants’ staircase in the middle of the night?

If he saw her, he would remember her, but he would not want to, unless he would think to befriend her again. Heat flamed in her.

She took in a breath. “Let me pass, Lord Hackwell,” she said.

“Let me carry that bucket for you.”

“No.” She forced in another breath, willing herself to speak calmly. “That is, no thank you. I shall send a servant for you when it is time.”

Footsteps scurried on the stairs. “Mrs. Dawes?” Jenny called, breathless.

Her heart raced again. She’d tarried too long in the kitchen. “I’ll be right—”

Heat touched her hand as the bucket came out. The lantern, too, lifted higher, and she looked up into the face of Lord Virgil Radcliffe, now the latest Lord Wallenford.

Mrs. Dawes?” His eyes widened and then narrowed, and his lips curved down.

Anger spiked in her. “Lord Wallenford.”

He moved down to the step below her, putting them at eye level, and crowded her against the hand rail.

“Give me the bucket, sir. I can manage quite well without your help.” Quite, quite well.

“Can you, indeed?” he drawled, sounding just like his brother the day he’d sacked her.

Blast him. Blast the Wallenfords. Blast the Hackwells. “Alton has a bottle set out. Best go and fetch it.”

His lips quirked.

She gritted her teeth. “Give me the blasted bucket, Virgil.”

Buy Links

Amazon:  http://a.co/5tSH05P

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-marquess-and-the-midwife

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-marquess-and-the-midwife/id1167622013?ls=1&mt=11

Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1125068696?ean=2940156905331

Author Bio and links:

Award winning author Alina K. Field earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and German literature, but her true passion is the much happier world of romance fiction. Though her roots are in the Midwestern U.S., after six very, very, very cold years in Chicago, she moved to Southern California and hasn’t looked back. She shares a mid-century home with her husband, her spunky, blonde, rescued terrier, and the blue-eyed cat who conned his way in for dinner one day and decided the food was too good to leave.

She is the author of the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best winner, Rosalyn’s Ring, a 2015 RONE Award finalist, Bella’s Band, and a 2016 National Reader’s Choice Award finalist, Liliana’s Letter, as well as her latest release, The Marquess and the Midwife. She is hard at work on her next series of Regency romances, but loves to hear from readers!

Visit her at:

http://alinakfield.com/

https://www.facebook.com/alinakfield

https://twitter.com/AlinaKField

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7173518.Alina_K_Field

https://www.pinterest.com/alinakf/

https://www.instagram.com/alinak.field/

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/alina-k-field

FAIRY TALE IN NEW YORK by Nicky Wells ~ Cover Reveal

Fairy Tale in New York

Fairy Tale in New York Paperback

Blurb:

When rock star Jude gets stranded in New York with his family on Christmas Eve, he has no idea that he is setting in motion a chain of events that will turn their Christmas into the most magical one yet…

No good deed goes unpunished, or so it seems to Jude and Carrie on the morning of the twenty-fourth of December. The previous day, they gave up their London-bound flights to someone in crisis. And now, a spectacular whiteout is grounding all planes, and Jude, Carrie, and baby Maya are stuck far from home.

Tired, hungry, and just a little panicked, Jude loads his family into a cab and returns to their hotel. But there’s no room at the inn, and not even a platinum credit card will make a difference. Snow is falling heavily, and the family is facing a very bleak night indeed.

How do you celebrate Christmas with no place to stay, no food, and no presents? Join Jude, Carrie, Maya and a cast of colourful characters in this fairy tale story of Yuletide in New York.

Excerpt:

‘I can’t believe it’s all over. Where did three weeks go?’

Carrie smiled at Jude while shifting their baby daughter, Maya, onto her other hip. The check-in queue at JFK airport had ground to a complete standstill, and Carrie was beginning to struggle with her six-month-old’s weight. Unperturbed, Maya gurgled happily and snuggled her head onto Carrie’s shoulder.

‘She’s half asleep again,’ Jude commented and stroked his daughter’s rosy cheeks. He planted a quick kiss on Carrie’s forehead before responding to her question.

‘It’s crazy, isn’t it? Three weeks on tour all over the US, and suddenly it’s done. Seventeen gigs in twenty-one days. My God, I’m not half knackered.’

‘It was worth it, though. You were a runaway success.’ Carrie grinned with proprietorial pride at her rock star boyfriend. ‘They loved you.’

Jude chuckled. ‘They did, too, didn’t they? Gosh, San Francisco was a riot. I thought they’d take the stage down.’

‘I’ve never seen so much underwear flying your way. You’re gonna have to watch it, mate, or your girlfriend might get the wrong idea,’ Carrie teased.

‘Oh no, she won’t. She knows I love her.’

Jude looked Carrie deep in the eyes. He hoped she knew how much he loved her. One of these days, he ought to make an honest woman out of her. He had planned to, of course. He even had a ring. But what with Carrie having fallen pregnant, she hadn’t wanted to get married before the baby was born. ‘I don’t want to waddle down the aisle,’ she had joked when they had talked about it almost a year ago now. ‘I want to float, serenely.’

Add the band’s recording deal and the UK and European tours into the mix of their crazy life, and there hadn’t been the right time. There hadn’t been any time. They had just about managed to furnish a nursery for Maya, but that had been it on the family front.

New Year’s Eve, Jude resolved silently. I’ll propose to her then, and we’ll marry in the summer.

He snapped to abruptly when he realised Carrie was still talking.

‘I think Dan was a little put out at not getting quite so much attention himself after you gave up the stage,’ she was saying.

Dan was the mentor, manager, and record label owner behind Jude’s band, The Blood Roses, and also the lead singer of his own band, Tuscq. He was now on his way to Toronto for a special Christmas Eve show.

‘Dan was fine. He’s thrilled that it’s going so well for us. And I am looking forward to a lovely quiet Christmas at home, just me and my girls.’

Jude wrapped Carrie and the now sleeping Maya into a hug. The Blood Roses weren’t opening for Tuscq for the Toronto gig and had therefore gone their separate ways. Jude and Carrie elected to go back to London straightaway, but the rest of the band had added a short trip to Las Vegas to their itinerary.

‘Home. Ha. If we ever get there,’ Carrie grumbled. She yawned widely. It was only five-thirty a.m. Their flight to London Heathrow was due to leave in a little over two hours, but the queue hadn’t advanced for at least fifteen minutes. ‘Here, can you hold Maya a minute? She’s getting rather heavy.’

Jude took the baby out of Carrie’s arms and rocked her contentedly. He hadn’t expected to become so utterly bewitched by a toothless, hairless, and demanding little being.

Quite suddenly, the distant babble of voices that had been permeating his consciousness rose to a shouted exchange. Jude turned towards the front of the queue, curious to see what the commotion might be.

‘I really, really need to get on this flight,’ a harassed-looking man in an expensive suit reiterated. He wiped his brow with a monogrammed white handkerchief and tapped his fingers on the counter impatiently. Jude couldn’t help but eavesdrop along with the rest of the terminal.

‘Look,’ the man continued, adopting a more reasonable tone. ‘I know I’m not booked on this flight. But tomorrow is too late for me. I’m willing to pay anything at all to get a seat, any class. First class, cattle class, I really don’t care. I need to get home.’

My Review:

Homeless for Christmas. Of all times of the year, it has to be the worst. Jude, Carrie and baby Maya find themselves stranded in New York City over Christmas when a snow storm closes JFK Airport.

I’ve enjoyed all of Nicky’s books and this one is no exception. Having never been to New York City and only seen it in movies, her narrative brings the city to life under the cover of magical, Christmas snow.  Nicky’s writing is strong, and makes you want to keep turning the pages to find out what happens to this family.

Heartwarming~even the most miserly curmudgeon will enjoy this Christmas novella.

A 5-star read!

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 | Fallen for Rock

Good news! Fairy Tale in New York is now available for pre-order via Amazon Kindle.

Find it in the UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00O98EMRG/  and the US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O98EMRG/ and, of course, in all other Kindle stores. One-Click today, and the novella will magically appear on your Kindle on its official launch day of 10 November 2014.

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.

 

 

Spirits of Christmas: A Rock’n’Roll Christmas Carol by Nicky Wells

Spirits of Christmas: A Rock’n’Roll Christmas Carol

SpiritsChristmas_NW_CoverAt one time, up-and-coming rock singer Jude had it all: a great band, a platinum record, a loving girlfriend. This Christmas, however, he is well down the road towards spontaneous self-destruction.

Unwitting at first, Jude has progressively alienated his band and driven away the love of his life. Tonight, the night before Christmas Eve, he has broken the final taboo during a disastrous gig. Yet Jude doesn’t see how badly his life has derailed, not until a ghostly procession of legends passes through his bedroom with a series of vivid and powerful wake-up calls.

Will the Spirits help Jude put the friendship, love, and rock music back into his Christmas?

Spirits of Christmas is a modern-day rock’n’roll adaption of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. This novella will enchant romance readers, rock lovers, fans of ghost stories, and everybody who adores the festive season.

 Amazon.co.uk Kindle | Amazon.co.uk Paperback

Amazon.com Kindle | Amazon.com Paperback

 EXCERPT

 ‘Hiya, Jude!’

The voice emerged from the door, and Jude’s head whipped round as if drawn by a string.

‘Hiya, Jude,’ the voice repeated cheerfully. Unexpectedly, it launched into the first line of one of Jude’s most favourite songs. Jude once again sank onto the bed, his legs refusing to carry him with the shock of this second apparition.

‘Is this really you?’

For a moment, Jude’s second otherworldly visitor abandoned his song and remained silent, motionless, allowing Jude to take a good, long look. The sideburns, the nose, the defined chin, the round glasses were clearly visible despite the spirit’s transparent appearance. Everything about this figure was familiar, yet nothing was quite as it should have been. It was as though Jude was looking at a hologram, a distorted, stretched vision where nothing quite fitted together.

Nonetheless, Jude found his voice. ‘Oh my God, it is you!’

Excitement made his exclamation strong and clear. The figure flinched at the sudden burst of noise, but Jude ploughed on. ‘This is…this is totally unreal. I mean, imagine this—here’s me in my bedroom, and there’s you, come to visit me.’

‘I’m not who you think you see,’ the apparition interrupted. ‘I’m the Ghost of Christmas Past.’

 Inspiration for Spirits of Christmas…

 Writing this novella was a bit of an inevitability for me, all things considered. If you don’t already know me, you have to understand that I simply love rock music. Rock musicians are like Viagra for my soul. I’m also a sucker for romance and a good-old fashioned happy ending. Moreover, I love the Christmas season: the lights, the sweets, the laughter. Combining all those things ~ rock, romance, and Christmas ~ was one of the most delightful writing projects of my career so far!

The idea for this book came to me the very night after I launched my second book, Sophie’s Run, in February of this year. I was hyped up with excitement, I had finished writing my third book and was waiting for publisher edits, and I had already planned my fourth full-length novel. I was utterly and completely unable to sleep with everything that was going on, and quite unexpectedly, the whole story was in my head. Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is one of my favourite Christmas stories both in the original and its many varied adaptations. I suddenly thought… why not bring it into the rock’n’roll domain?

My wonderful husband, Jon, was somewhat taken aback when I presented him with this plan the following morning.

‘I’m going to write a Christmas novella,’ I said.

‘But you’ve got another book launch in September, and you’ve planned your fourth book already—how’s this going to fit in?’ he responded enthusiastically, if pragmatic.

‘I’ll figure it out.’

And so I did. It took me just over a week to write the first draft in May 2013, and another few weeks here and there to tweak, fine-tune and polish it over the following months. But here it is. Spirits of Christmas. I hope you enjoy!

About Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!Portrait

Hi! I’m Nicky Wells, your ultimate rock chick author. My books offer glitzy, glamorous contemporary romance with a rock theme ~ imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill! If you’ve ever had a crush on any kind of celebrity ~ rock, pop, movie or other ~ you’ll connect with my heroes and my leading ladies!

Like my first leading lady, Sophie, I love listening to rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When I’m not writing, I’m a wife, mother, occasional knitter, and regular contributor to The Midweek Drive show on Lincoln’s Siren 107.3 FM. Rock on!

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

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