Tag: Romantic Suspense

RENDEZVOUS IN PARADISE by Annick Weilche

Rendevous in Paradise by Annick  Weilche 

Rendezvous in Paradise is the name of an exciting new title by newbie independent author Annick Weilche. It’s romantic suspense and the first in a series. If you’re going to judge the book by the cover, it looks like a romantic story set in an exotic location. Now in Australia, where Annick lives, they’re heading into summer, but in the northern hemisphere where I’m based, it’s heading for winter. This looks like the perfect read for a winter’s day, total escapism. If this looks like the kind of read you need, or would like to give as a gift to your friends, why not click on the buy link for your region and support an independent author?  I got the opportunity to ask this brand new author a few questions about her new book and her writing process (as a would-be author, I’m fascinated by writing processes). Her answers were interesting for sure. Read on for some author wisdom. Get to know the author, meet the author, contact the author. All the information you need is right here!


Buy on:

Amazon US     Amazon UK      Amazon Aust        Amazon India


Meet the Author

 

Author Annick Weilche

Annick Weilche was born in Mauritius in 1963 and emigrated to Australia in 1982. She lives in Sydney with her husband of 31 years, two of her children and her dog, a Shi Tzu x Maltese called Charlie. Annick writes Romantic Suspense. Her first published work was a short story in ‘That’s Life fast fiction’ magazine in March 2013. She’s a romantic at heart, an avid reader and a member of the Varroville Gospel Choir. She loves watching movies and TV series. She is at her happiest at the beach, where she spends all her holidays and doesn’t plan to retire any time soon. At least not until after she’s travelled the world.

Interview with author Annick Weilche

Annick, could you share with me what inspires you to write?

I get my inspiration from everyday life. Most of what I write is what I have experienced, locations that I know, which I embellish and romanticise. I am also inspired by the stories I read.

What is your favourite genre and why?

I read a lot of romantic suspense. I’ve always been a tragic romantic, in love with love. I love a bit of suspense in a story.

Can you please share a bit about your writing process?

It starts with an idea for a story. I think about it for a while, then I get my notebook out and start listing characters, research names, locations, real life events and timelines. Once I have all the material to start a story, I begin by handwriting it and then type it up as I go.


Can you sum up your book in a Tweet-sized statement? (That’s 280 characters, BTW)

Amanda Jones’ holidays on tropical island Paradise are marred by the theft of her bag. Teaming up with Detective Jerome Richard to flush out the thief proves more dangerous than anticipated. Jerome, an undercover INTERPOL agent, investigating a drug cartel, worries about the consequences his relationship with Amanda, but she is more engrossed in the sparks flying between them.


Great summary, although at 379 characters, it’s about the 99 characters longer than a Tweet! So tell me Annick, do you have plans for another book in the near future?

I have one novella in production. Book 2 of the Paradise Team series is on the way and I’ve started the research for books 3 and 4 of the series.

Reach out to the Author:

Facebook              Twitter            Instagram

About the Book:


Rendezvous in Paradise (The Paradise Team Series Book 1)

An INTERPOL agent falls for the beautiful tourist but is she involved in the drug trafficking case he is investigating?

The attraction flaring between them was real…but why was he ignoring her now?

What do you do when your handbag goes missing? You team up with the handsome detective to flush out the thief!

Amanda Jones’ dramatic adventure starts when she’s on vacation on a tropical island. Teaming up with Detective Jerome Richard, she tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. But she’s more engrossed in the sparks flying between them. Jerome needs to distance himself from Amanda to protect her from his undercover assignment, but he’s appalled by the consequences of his relationship with her. Now he’ll have to let her in closer than he’s allowed anyone before if he’s to protect her from the drug cartel he’s investigating. Will he be in time to save her?

Escape to an exotic location with this thrilling story where passion collides with danger!

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Colton And The Single Mom – New Romantic Suspense Release from author Jane Godman


JANE GODMAN is our guest on MBB today. Jane Godman writes paranormal romance for Harlequin Nocturne and SMP Romance and thrillers for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. She also self-publishes her historical and gothic stories. She has been a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Nominee and The Romance Reviews Readers’ Choice Award Winner.  Jane worked in a variety of shops, bars, and offices before settling into a career as a teacher. She was born in Scotland and has lived in Germany, Wales, Malta, South Africa, and England. Jane still gets the urge to travel, although these days she tends to head for a Spanish beach or a European city that is steeped in history.  When she isn’t reading or writing romance, Jane enjoys cooking and spending time with her family. She is married to a lovely man, has two grown-up children and has recently discovered the joy of becoming a grandparent (to two gorgeous boys). I had a few questions for author Jane Godman which she was kind enough to answer for me. Read on for the exclusive interview and information about author Jane Godman’s new release, Colton And The Single Mom.


Connect with Jane Godman on the web:

Website         Facebook          Twitter


Interview:

What draws you to the Romantic Suspense genre?
I love the drama and the unique balance between love story and thriller. It’s important to give equal weight to both the romance and the suspense. And that can be hard to get right. As an author, you have to keep the threads of both stories entwined throughout. Ultimately, you have to rescue the characters from danger and give them a happy ending. It’s very satisfying.  

How did you learn the storytelling craft?
I read a lot! There’s no better way to learn than from seeing how others do it. And I’ve always written my own stories. Ever since I could hold a pencil, I’ve been writing. I wrote my first book when I was fourteen (although it was a long way from then to publication). 

Did your characters appear before your readymade, or did you create them?
The characters in Colton and the Single Mom were unusual because they did come readymade, in a way. Because this is a twelve book series, with a different author each month, there had to be an element of direction from the Harlequin editors about the central storyline. From then on, I found Brayden and Esmée totally took over and told their own story!  

Do you miss your characters when your story is complete?
I really do! That’s why I love writing a series, I get to take the readers back so we can visit them again. We get a peek into their lives, find out if they have kids, and see them happy and enjoying being together.  

What’s the core message of your story?
In Colton and the Single Mom, both the hero and the heroine have had bad relationships and it’s made them wary. They don’t want to be together, but they are so right for each other that they can’t help it. Although it’s a romantic suspense, the core love story is about trust and finding that one person who makes the world seem right again.   


And now, the book!


Colton and the Single Mom (The Coltons of Red Ridge)
This Colton cop falls for a ready-made family
A Coltons of Red Ridge story


Colton And The Single Mom by Jane Godman

A serial killer is on the loose, and true-crime filmmaker Esmée da Costa is on the case. K-9 cop Brayden Colton, the prime suspect’s half-brother, works hard to stop her prying, but sparks fly as he falls for Esmée and her son. When Esmée and Brayden’s little family comes under siege, can they save all they love?


Read Reader Reviews
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Finding The Angel – New Indian Writing in English

Finding The Angel by Rubina Ramesh:  

Angels are special. That’s why I’m happy to bring to your attention the lovely new romance novel from Indian author and blogger, Rubina Ramesh. ‘Finding The Angel’ will bring you from the glorious palaces of princely Rajasthan to the modern day commercial hub of Mumbai and back again! This book means a lot to me, as I was privileged to edit it in the early stages of its origin and I’m ecstatic to see the beautiful cover and I’m just marvelling at how this book has evolved from a raw draft into a fully-fledged romance novel which will give you hours of enjoyment. It’s full of engaging characters and lip-biting situations. For lovers of escapist romantic fiction and lovers of India, this read is highly recommended. I’m privileged to call the author, Rubina Ramesh, a friend and I think the title of the book is more than perfect, because Rubina herself is something like an angel. Aryan and Shefali’s romance will keep you enthralled. So do look out for this one.

Finding The Angel by Rubina Ramesh – Book Description


 All She wanted was love…

Shefali is a die-hard romantic. Having lost her parents at a very tender age, she is in search of a place which she can call home. Her passion for Art lands her a job as an art curator to the famous artefacts of the Ranaut Dynasty. When she meets the scion, Aryan Ranaut, she feels that her dream might come true until…


All He wanted was to trust…


Living the life of a modern day Prince is no easy task for the young and dashing Aryan Ranaut. Having lost his father to a rapacious woman, Aryan has severe trust issues. But upon meeting Shefali, he feels he could let down his guard. Until…


All They need is to find The Angel…


Just as Aryan realizes his love for Shefali, one of the most precious artifacts, The Angel, goes missing from the Ranaut collection. All fingers point towards Shefali—more so because she leaves the palace without telling anyone on the very night of the theft.


Finding the Angel is a story where duty clashes with love and lack of trust overrides passion. Under these circumstances, can The Angel bring the star-crossed lovers together?


Grab your copy @



Rubina Ramesh is an avid reader, writer, blogger, book reviewer, and marketer. She is the founder of The Book Club, an online book publicity group. Her first literary work was published in her school magazine. It gave her immense pride to see her own name at the bottom of the article. She was about 8 years old at that time. She then went to complete her MBA and after her marriage to her childhood friend, her travel saga started. From The Netherlands to the British Isles she lived her life like an adventure. After a short stint in Malaysia, she finally settled down in the desert state of USA, Arizona. Living with her DH and two human kids and one doggie kid, Rubina has finally started living the life she had always dreamed about – that of a writer.

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The Madras Affair by Sundari Venkataraman

GRAB YOUR COPY @ AMAZON.COM TWEET THE PIC CONTEST USING #TMA

The Madras Affair 
by 
Sundari Venkatraman 


Blurb 

Sangita Sinclair was not always this successful & passionate lady, heading the NGO “Penn Urimai” for downtrodden, abused and homeless women….
When Sangita catches the eye of Gautam Sinclair she is a simple, homely girl; utterly unaware of her charms & capabilities. She has the devil’s own time in overcoming her inhibitions, hesitation, and her family’s orthodox and outdated rules before recognising her love for Gautam.
Will Gautam be able to solve Sangita’s Dilemma or will she be forever trapped in her past?
Meet Sangita

Sangita has been battered by life. She’s been a victim of marital rape and is widowed after barely a year and a half of marriage. Though her husband’s death brings her relief from one end, it brings forth another set of problems. She’s a widow now and is made to suffer for it as if it’s her fault that her husband died in a drunken accident.
But does this situation faze Sangita? Not at all! With a three-month-old son to bring up and with her mother howling her heart out at every opportunity, Sangita braves her way through life until Gautam walks into the hospital she works in.

Young and beautiful, Sangita catches Gautam’s eye from the first moment. She isn’t averse to him either. But will her extreme aversion to men let her find new love?

Read The Madras Affair to find out if Sangita gives up her inhibitions to get together with Gautam.

Like what you see ? Get Your Book Here 


What Reviewers Say 

Meet Sundari Venkatraman

Growing up on a heavy dose of fairy tales and comic books, Sundari fell in love with the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end. 
     
Soon, into her teens, Sundari graduated to Mills & Boon romances. And that got her thinking – how about such breezy romances in Indian settings? Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years. 
     
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! Sundari had just quit her job as a school admin and was taking a break. She was saturated with reading books. That’s when she returned home one evening after her walk, took some sheets of paper and began writing. It was like watching a movie that was running in her head – all those years of visualising a perfect Indian romance had to be put into words. The dormant romantic storyteller in her finally found its calling and The Malhotra Bride was born. While she felt disheartened when publishing didn’t happen, it was her husband who encouraged her to keep writing. 
   
 In the meanwhile, she landed a job as copy editor with Mumbai Mirror. After working there for two years, she moved to the Network 18 Group and worked with two of their websites over the next six years, as content editor. 
    
 Despite her work schedule, she continued writing novels and short stories and had them published in her blogs. She also started blogging voraciously, writing on many different topics – travel, book reviews, film reviews, restaurant reviews, spirituality, alternative health and more. 
    
Her first eBook Double Jeopardy – a romance novella – was published by Indireads and has been very well received by readers of romance.  
    
In 2014, Sundari published The Malhotra Bride (2nd Edition); Meghna; The Runaway Bridegroom; Flaming Sun Collection 1: Happily Ever Afters From India (Box Set) and Matches Made In Heaven (a collection of romantic short stories) in form of ebooks.

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Tweet The Pic Contest using #TMA


Click the picture of the book cover either the paperback or on your kindle /laptop or any device you are reading this book on. With our without Selfie. Tweet the picture using the #TMA and win the following prizes 
Fabindia coupons for prizes:

Rs. 1000 – 1 prize
Rs. 500 – 2 prizes
Rs. 250 – 4 prizes

Check out The Book Club Tour Schedule 

This Tour is Hosted by 

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GRAB YOUR COPY @ AMAZON.COM TWEET THE PIC CONTEST USING #TMA

The Madras Affair 
by 
Sundari Venkatraman 


Blurb 

Sangita Sinclair was not always this successful & passionate lady, heading the NGO “Penn Urimai” for downtrodden, abused and homeless women….
When Sangita catches the eye of Gautam Sinclair she is a simple, homely girl; utterly unaware of her charms & capabilities. She has the devil’s own time in overcoming her inhibitions, hesitation, and her family’s orthodox and outdated rules before recognising her love for Gautam.
Will Gautam be able to solve Sangita’s Dilemma or will she be forever trapped in her past?
Meet Gautam 


Gautam has an Indian mother and American father. Built like a giant, he has brown hair and brilliant blue eyes. 
Gautam lives with his maternal grandparents in Besant Nagar, Madras. He used to run a business with his father in Washington DC. Giving up his high-flying career, he chooses to teach at Loyola College in Madras. Yeah, Gautam had fallen in love with the city in Tamil Nadu during his visits to his grandparents. 
Despite his American upbringing, he’s comfortable living in the same house as his grandparents. And does he love teaching! 
He’s attracted to Sangita at first sight and pursues her relentlessly. 
Read The Madras Affair to find out if he’s able to get together with the love of his life. 
Like what you see ? Get Your Book Here 

What Reviewers Say 

Meet Sundari Venkatraman

Growing up on a heavy dose of fairy tales and comic books, Sundari fell in love with the ‘lived happily ever after’ syndrome. It was always about good triumphing over evil and a happy end. 
     
Soon, into her teens, Sundari graduated to Mills & Boon romances. And that got her thinking – how about such breezy romances in Indian settings? Her imagination took flight and she always lived in a rosy cocoon of romance over the years. 
     
Then came the writing – a true bolt out of the blue! Sundari had just quit her job as a school admin and was taking a break. She was saturated with reading books. That’s when she returned home one evening after her walk, took some sheets of paper and began writing. It was like watching a movie that was running in her head – all those years of visualising a perfect Indian romance had to be put into words. The dormant romantic storyteller in her finally found its calling and The Malhotra Bride was born. While she felt disheartened when publishing didn’t happen, it was her husband who encouraged her to keep writing. 
   
 In the meanwhile, she landed a job as copy editor with Mumbai Mirror. After working there for two years, she moved to the Network 18 Group and worked with two of their websites over the next six years, as content editor. 
    
 Despite her work schedule, she continued writing novels and short stories and had them published in her blogs. She also started blogging voraciously, writing on many different topics – travel, book reviews, film reviews, restaurant reviews, spirituality, alternative health and more. 
    
Her first eBook Double Jeopardy – a romance novella – was published by Indireads and has been very well received by readers of romance.  
    
In 2014, Sundari published The Malhotra Bride (2nd Edition); Meghna; The Runaway Bridegroom; Flaming Sun Collection 1: Happily Ever Afters From India (Box Set) and Matches Made In Heaven (a collection of romantic short stories) in form of ebooks.

Stalk Her

                          

         
         
Tweet The Pic Contest using #TMA


Click the picture of the book cover either the paperback or on your kindle /laptop or any device you are reading this book on. With our without Selfie. Tweet the picture using the #TMA and win the following prizes 
Fabindia coupons for prizes:

Rs. 1000 – 1 prize
Rs. 500 – 2 prizes
Rs. 250 – 4 prizes

Check out The Book Club Tour Schedule 

This Tour is Hosted by 

Facebook | Website | Blog Tours | Twitter | | Linkedin

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Launch Day Post – Sky Garden – the new romantic suspense title from Jenny Schwartz

Today, MBB welcomes Jenny Schwartz, who is a hopeful romantic with a degree in Sociology and History — people watching and digging into the past. She lives in Western Australia and is working towards her dream of living by the sea. Jenny writes contemporary romance, paranormal romance and steampunk..
JENNY SCHWARTZ ON THE WEB:

 Website        Facebook         Twitter           Booklikes  
Can you tell us something about your new book, Jenny?

On the rooftops of London, you can be anyone. Mystery and love above a quirky Bloomsbury museum, with a serial killer closing in.
“Sky Garden” is romantic suspense with glamour and the idyll of an English summer for background. The heroine is a former psychic, an ex-medium, and the hero is an aristocratic gardener.

Can you sum up the book in a Tweet-sized sentence?
Mystery & love in London #NewRelease SKY GARDEN is captivating http://www.amazon.com/dp/B018J7YW0E/ #romanticsuspense


What gave you the inspiration to write this book?
I wanted to write a novel about identity and finding where we belong. I also wanted to write something truly romantic; something where the love story is supported by an extraordinary life. I think my hero and heroine’s passion for their different careers achieves that.

This novel is self-published. Have you self-published before? Are you excited about this?
I have self-published before and I love the adventure of it. I’m a bit of a control freak, so being answerable only to myself – not to a publisher, as much as I’ve been blessed with some fabulous ones – is thoroughly enjoyable. I can take risks and break rules.

How long did it take for you to write the story?  Did the characters keep you awake at night?
I thought of “Sky Garden” for quite a few weeks before I started writing it, and then, it took me months of writing and revision – and giving huge thanks for my critique partner, Eliza Redgold – to have it all polished and joyous. And yes, the characters became very real to me and so did their homes. In fact, I think at times I almost inhabited the quirky museum in the book.

What’s next on your agenda?
I have a paranormal romance coming out Dec 9, and it’ll be free Dec 11-13 on Amazon. “Djinn Justice” http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0182EVXO2was fabulous fun to write, and a complete change to “Sky Garden” because being a fantasy, I could just pile improbability upon impossibility. But underlying the fantastic adventure, “Djinn Justice” is a story about loving someone and trusting that love.

SKY GARDEN

On the rooftops of London, you can be anyone.

A year ago, Lanie Briers escaped a serial killer. She grew up in a theatre family and her act was mediumship, but not anymore. Life, now, is a hidden retreat above a quirky Bloomsbury museum, where she waits and watches.
Nick Tawes is an unexpected intrusion. He’s a landscape architect filming a television series on roof gardens, and he intends to build one in Lanie’s aerial territory. He has his own demons, old family troubles, that lure Lanie out of her refuge and into living again.
But as summer progresses and the sky garden grows, Lanie’s enemy is closing in–because some secrets must go to the grave.

Get this book here: Amazon  

                                  Amazon UK  

                                  Amazon India

                                  Amazon Australia

Annie Seaton With Two New Releases!

Annie Seaton is someone who needs no introduction to regular readers of this blog.  Her AFFAIR trilogy, her steampunk novels and now her romantic suspense novel have all been introduced here.  She’s very welcome back to MBB again to tell us about her back to back releases, OUTBACK AFFAIR (#3 of the AFFAIR series) and a hot new romantic suspense novel DANGEROUS DESIRE.  She’s a very busy lady, but she found time to come here and tell us about her new releases.

ANNIE SEATON ON THE WEB:

Website/Blog        Facebook          Twitter

Annie, it’s great to see you back with two exciting contemporary romances. You must have been working like crazy lately. How did they come to be released so close together?
My middle name should be ‘determined’, Maria. I have set myself a very busy schedule and I am disciplined in my working day (and night!). I love working to crazy deadlines…it seems to spur me on. Not only do I have these two books back to back, I have another one (a Bliss with Entangled Publishing being released in December called Tangling with the CEO and then, another Entangled imprint ( a Covet book) called Hot Rock in February.

You seem to thrive on hard work. What do you do to relax?
I love to walk on the beach and potter about in my garden. After many years in the education sector and going off to a job each day, I now find it an absolute luxury to write from hone and have the joy of my garden and beach walks whenever I want!

Contemporary romance or paranormal – can you tell us what’s your absolute favourite? 
Contemporary is my favourite of those two choices…but my first love is history. I have a historical suspense coming out in 2014 with Entangled Publishing. I am researching at the moment and loving it. New Orleans, pirates and emeralds!

Please do us a favour and sum up the plots of both your new releases in one tweet sized sentence each.
Outback Affair: This outback trip is one she will never forget…and one which will change him forever.
Dangerous Desire: She must choose between trust and deception, or love and desire in the steamy tropics.

What’s in the future for you, as of now?
Lots and lots more books! I have the two books I listed above in edits at the moment, as well as writing the Emerald Quest book. I also have another two books contracted by Entangled Publishing in the Half Moon Bay series after Book 1 –Tangling with the CEO. I also have some other projects in the negotiation stages and hope to be able to announce some more exciting news very soon!

Thanks so much for having me… we have been talking together about my books since my very first book, Winter of the Passion Flower over two years ago now, Maria!

Well, Annie, as long as you continue to write, I hope the communication continues!  I’m a big fan of your work! And I’m looking forward to that exciting news….

DANGEROUS DESIRE

A desperate search…

Schoolteacher Gracie James has never seen more danger than her kindergarten grade classroom, but when she goes searching for her missing sister, she’s thrown into a world of sex, crime…and passion. Following a hot lead, she sneaks onto a stranger’s boat—and gets caught. Their one-sided conversation convinces her of two things. One: the guy is seriously sexy. Two: he knows something about her sister. Oh, yeah. And did she mention he’s sexy?
And a sizzling attraction…

Jake Alexander, former cop, is staking out a yacht brimming with criminal activity, for an insurance company, when a woman, dressed to kill and totally irresistible, stumbles into his dangerous undercover op. If he hadn’t tackled her, she’d have tottered straight onto the questionable yacht in those ridiculous high heels. Then she’d be dead. Or worse. As much as he’d like to kick her off his boat, he can’t risk her going off on some hare-brained scheme—but he can’t keep her around to muck up his job. Oh, yeah. And did he mention she’s distracting as hell?
Lead to dangerous desire…

Unfortunately, she has a keen mind of her own. And a body any man would die for. Jake’s attempt to keep Gracie safe quickly morphs into a reluctant alliance. And a whole lot more… But Gracie finds herself knee deep in more trouble than she bargained for, with secrets revealed and the criminals coming after her. Unless they find a way to trust each other, they’re finished. Oh, yeah. And did they mention they’re in love?

This book is an Entangled Ignite release.

Get this book here:  Amazon     Amazon UK
OUTBACK AFFAIR
Jessica Trent wants to be a full-time writer for Cuisine magazine, but in order to land the gig she has to snare a one-on-one with the reclusive Alessandro Ricardo, a man hell-bent on staying out of the limelight. The last thing she expects as she heads to Crocodile Springs resort in northern Australia is to end up traveling across the Outback with a rugged and far too sexy barramundi fisherman.
Ex-lawyer Alex Richards protects his privacy and his heart in equal measure. So when a Yankee bombshell in need of a ride turns up and threatens both, he decides to teach her a lesson. As they make their way through the wild country together, the attraction between them ignites. Alex must choose between his heart or letting go of his past … and will Jessica understand why he lied once she finds out who he really is?

By the time this post appears, the book should be available, or failing that, still available for pre-order.  An Entangled Indulgence release.
Get this book here:  Amazon     Amazon UK






Sally Quilford With Three New Releases!

Author Sally Quilford is a favourite author and guest of mine here at MBB and when I realised that she had no less than three releases out lately, I was determined to get her over to the blog to tell the readers here all about them.   Sally’s output is amazing.  She writes across the genres, churning out contemporary romance, romantic suspense, historical romances and even a romance writing craft book features among her latest releases.  She participates in a lot of writing related activities.  She ran the Writer’s Christmas Party on Facebook last year and sets up regular writing challenges (NaNoWriMo type challenges for when NaNoWriMo is not on, you could say) so writers can write together and encourage each other. She also runs writing courses and  critiques work for other writers.  That’s a lot of balls to juggle in the air at one time and as if that wasn’t quite enough she does her own social networking too and engages regularly with readers. Here are some questions and answers from a recent interview with Sally and as some of these Q/As have recently appeared on our sister blog Romance Book Haven (RBH) and my thanks are due to Nas Dean for very kindly allowing me to reproduce them here.

SALLY QUILFORD ON THE WEB:

Website/Blog          Twitter         Facebook

Sally, can you share a short bio with us?
I live in Derbyshire (in the UK)  with my husband and four westies. I’ve  had stories published in most of the major British women’s magazines and have had ten pocket novels (to date) published, nine  by My Weekly Pocket Novels and one by The People’s Friend Pocket Novels. They’ve subsequently been sold to Ulverscroft Publishings Linford Romance Library, for large print publication and have been published on Kindle.  I’ve also won and been placed in many competitions. I run a writing  competition calendar and I’ve judged writing competitions.  I’m a monthly columnist with Writers Forum magazine and I’ve also had articles published in The New Writer.

How many hours a day do you spend writing? 
How long is a piece of string?(Laughs).   It really varies. I don’t (can’t) sit down to a blank page and hope that something turns up. I can only write when I’m in the grip of an idea. So on good writing days, I can spend four or five hours writing. On bad writing days, my only output is Facebook statuses…

Sum up all your three books in a tweet?  Okay, three tweets (140 characters). 
Midnight Train: A thrilling ride through Europe, with a sassy heroine and the sexiest vicar since Gene Hackman in The Poseidon Adventure.

Take My Breath Away: A celebration of the romance that took place both on set and off set of the 1963 film Cleopatra.

Love Craft: Everything you ever wanted to know about writing romance … and a little bit more besides.


Are there more releases coming up in the near future?
I’ve got a couple of novellas I’m thinking of polishing up to put on Kindle, but I’m also working on something new at the moment. It’s a bit dark,  but it’s nice to take a break from romance every now and then.

TAKE MY BREATH AWAY

When Patty Carter’s first husband, hell-raiser Jason Carter, is murdered during the filming of the remake of Cleopatra, she becomes the prime suspect. Handsome Private Investigator Tony Marcus knows she’s hiding something, and that it’s linked to her young son, Jude. Still he finds himself drawn to the beautiful actress. But he has a rival in the form of hunky Australian actor, Matt Archer, who is playing Marc Antony to Patty’s Cleopatra. 

With two Mark Antonys vying for her attention Patty needs all her wits about her to protect both herself and her young son from impending danger and from having their hearts broken by a man who cannot keep his promises.

2013 is the 50th anniversary of the renowned Elizabeth Taylor/Richard Burton classic, Cleopatra. Author Sally Quilford also celebrates her 50th year in 2013. This novel commemorates both.

Get this here:  Amazon     Amazon UK



MIDNIGHT TRAIN

When sexy and sassy older actress, Angela Cunningham takes the Midnight Train to Cariastan, she meets the gorgeous but mysterious Michael Fairfax. They are forced to share a cabin on the train, but soon they’re sharing a very dangerous journey that threatens both their lives. 

An adorable child, a bunch of bad guys and a bomb that could go off at any second add to a thrilling story.

Get this book here:  Amazon  Amazon UK



LOVE CRAFT

Do you love reading romantic fiction? Have you ever wanted to write your own romance? 

This book covers all the basics, and is suitable for beginners and improvers alike. Discussion, exercises and more to help you write the perfect romance.

Shows you how to make your heroines feisty, your heroes hunky and how to keep readers turning the page – Womagwriter (Kathleen McGurl)

Amazon   Amazon UK

Natalie Charles With a Seven Day Target and a Giveaway

Today, I welcome Natalie Charles to MBB.  Natalie is the winner of the Mills & Boon New Voices Competition in 2011.  She’s  an attorney by profession, but she writes incredible romantic suspense.  when she’s not at her day job.  Natalie lives in New England in the USA with her family.  Her novel, THE SEVEN DAY TARGET, is an April 2013 release.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  The winner of  the giveaway of Natalie’s book THE SEVEN DAY TARGET is bn100.  Congrats to the winner

NATALIE ON THE WEB:

Website/Blog     Facebook     Twitter     Amazon     Goodreads

Can you share briefly about your journey to publication?
 I have always loved to write, but I only started writing with a goal of publication after graduating from law school. I wrote short literary fiction for a few years and had some publishing success. Then I decided to write a romantic suspense novel. My first attempt was just awful. It took Harlequin less than a month to reject me — form letter rejection, no less! — and I received that letter in July, 2011. I decided to try again and entered Mills and Boon’s 2011 New Voices competition in September of that year with a new story. My only hope was to grab an editor’s interest, and I was shocked to win the competition and to receive the call in November. I still can’t believe it.

What’s your writing routine?
 I work full time and take care of a toddler after that, so my only time to write is in the evening. I have a desk in an office that I never use. Instead, I prefer to sit on my living room couch with a cup of tea, prop up my feet, and write as much as I can before I collapse from exhaustion. If I can write 1 to 2k a night, I’m happy with that. When I’m out of the plotting phase and aggressively writing, I try to write 10k a week. After the book is finished, I edit like crazy.
Do you prefer to plot or would you rather let the muse lead you?
 I’m a pantser, and part of what I love about writing is discovering stories I didn’t consciously intend to write. However, I found when writing my second book that I would frequently get stuck or led astray by my muse, and there’s nothing more frustrating than writing a chapter only to have to go back and cut it entirely. Therefore it’s my New Year’s resolution to start outlining. I’m not sure how that’s going to go, quite honestly. Roman numerals make me shudder. More likely, my outlines will look like little books, and then I’ll go back and fill in the details later. You know, pantser outlining. It will be an adventure!

Can you sum up the essence of your book in just one Tweet sized sentence?
 FBI Agent Nick Foster must protect his ex-fiancee, Libby Andrews, from a killer who promises six signs over six days before killing her on the seventh — even if it means putting his heart at risk.

Thanks so much for coming over to talk to us. Can you share what’s next for you?
 Thank you for having me! I’m keeping my fingers crossed as I wait to hear back from my editor on my second book, and in the meantime, I’m plotting my third. I’ll keep you updated on my blog, http://www.nataliecharlesromance.com/
THE  SEVEN  DAY  TARGET
Love never dies, but can it kill?


He never meant to speak to her again. Back in Arbor Falls for a funeral, Special Agent Nick Foster has moved on. He has no plans to stay in his tiny hometown—or to reunite with the beautiful Libby Andrews. His onetime fiancée broke his heart, and what’s past should stay buried.

Libby doesn’t want his help. Her childhood sweetheart can never know the real reason she ended their engagement three years before. But when a serial killer targets her, she must team up with the rugged agent for her own safety. Something in her past has put her in danger, and the passion they’ve reignited puts their future in deadly jeopardy.

Read the first chapter here.

Buy Links::  Amazon     Amazon UK     Barnes & Noble

There’s a draw for a free copy of  THE SEVEN DAY TARGET for one commenter and the winner will be announced on Thursday this week.  But if you don’t win, there’s no need to miss out.  The book is easily available at the buy links posted above.  No need to miss out on Natalie’s book.

Carla Swafford talks about her Circle! And a Giveaway!

I’m happy to welcome the very talented author Carla Swafford to my book blog today.  Carla and I have been blogging friends for a couple of years now and I was very happy for her when her first published novel CIRCLE OF DESIRE came out some time back.  I got myself a print copy as soon as I could get my hands on one.  It was followed by part 2 of the series, CIRCLE OF DANGER.  With the publication of CIRCLE OF DECEPTION, the circle is now complete.  Hailing from Alabama in the USA, Carla is a perfect southern lady, but man, she writes hot!  She’s not afraid to grasp the nettle and write about subjects which you’d think a lady would rather shy away from!  But don’t judge these book by their covers.  Beneath the ‘hot’ exterior, there’s a worthwhile message.  As you might say, her writing has depth and quality.  Well I wouldn’t expect anything less in Carla’s case.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  The winner of Carla’s Giveaway is Timitra.  Congrats, Timitra.

CARLA ON THE WEB

Website     Blog     Facebook     Twitter     Goodreads     Amazon     Pinterest

Thank you, Maria, for inviting me here today. I’ve always counted myself lucky the day I found your blog.  

Can you share a brief bio with us?

I’m fortunate to be the first writer to have a manuscript pulled from HarperCollins’ slush pile and published by their new e-format imprint, Avon Impulse, followed by two more books under their Avon Red imprint. A third generation storyteller, I love writing stories with guaranteed happily-ever-after endings. And speaking of happy endings, I’m married to my own bad boy/high school sweetheart turned into good husband/father. We live in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama USA.

Where do you get the inspiration for your stories?

As far back as I remember, I’ve found spy movies and TV shows fascinating, such as James Bond and La Femme Nikita. With all of the weapons, gadgets and huge amounts of money at their disposal, they pretend to be someone they’re not as they track down and catch the bad guys. How cool! And by the way, the bad guys are often as interesting as the heroes and heroines.

Just as the James Bond films, or many other spy movies for that matter, have an element that makes them bigger than life – girls painted gold, cars with ejector seats, and razor-edged bowler hats along with out of this world plot lines (space anyone?) – my stories do too.  If they didn’t, I believe they would be so boooring.

What is your writing routine?  Do you write every day?

Yep. Whenever I’m not at my day job, I’m on the computer writing, editing or working on promotion. Not much of a routine per se. I come home from work, change into something comfortable and start to work. Hubby cooks. He’s a better cook and truth be known, so picky about what he eats, it makes life easier for everyone. The weekend is when I get most of my writing done, if I don’t have family or writer obligations. I wake up around 8 a.m. and work until twelve or one in the morning.

Can you sum up your current release in 140 characters? 

Mercenary finds lost love alive & in love with his brother. When they work undercover together, will he finally get the answers he desires?

The CIRCLE series is now complete, I understand.  What’s next?

I’m working on a new series that I hope to sell and really can’t say much about it. But I plan to write a fourth book in The CIRCLE series and possibly self-publish it. This will be Jack’s story. In the meanwhile, the opening scene can be found at my blog. LINK: (http://carlaswafford.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/an-excerpt-of-circle-of-defiance/). 

Thank you Carla for coming here and sharing with us today.  Readers, Carla has very kindly agreed to give away one ebook, the winner’s choice of any one of the three circle books.  So make sure to leave a comment before you go to be in the draw.

CIRCLE OF DECEPTION

Carla Swafford’s erotic Circle series comes toan exhilarating finale as the team of sexy spies and assassins goes undercover—under the covers.

After disappearing days before her wedding to fellow Circle agent Rex Drago, Abby Rodriguez discovered that trying to reclaim a life—and a love—lost is a whole lot harder than she thought. When her family’s safety is threatened by an arms dealer, Abby must go undercover with the one man who sees right through her as they play the scariest roles yet: husband and wife.
Mission or no mission, Rex Drago wants answers from his ex-fiancee. Forced to play along as a rival arms dealer and the husband he once wanted to be, Rex is finding it hard to stay professional—especially since Abby is just as hot as ever. And when they find themselves in a very intimate position, Abby and Rex must act the part—or risk blowing their cover entirely.
BUY LINKS:  Amazon   Amazon UK  Barnes & Noble

Interview and Giveaway – Juanita Kees on Fly Away Peta, Her Debut Novel

 

Today, I’m happy to welcome the lovely Juanita Kees to my blog.  Juanita’s a freelance writer with lots of strings to her bow.  Her first novel, a wonderful piece of romantic suspense called FLY AWAY PETA, has recently been published by Eternal Press.  I’ve long been a reader of Juanita’s very interesting blog and have found some wonderful posts and writers over there.

So today, Juanita’s visiting me here in India to tell us a little about herself and about  her work.  She has very kindly agreed to give away a copy of the ebook of FLY AWAY PETA to one lucky commenter. 

So before we start, I’m just sharing the links to all of the places where you can find Juanita on the web.  Then read on to learn all about Juanita and FLY AWAY PETA.


JUANITA ON THE WEB:

Website      Facebook        Twitter     Amazon     Goodreads

What do you love most about being a writer?

I love that I can control the destiny of my characters and create a world full of happiness and dreams come true. Although, sometimes they develop a mind of their own and create their own destiny! I get to ‘travel’ the world doing research to find interesting, sometimes quirky, locations.  

 
 
Who are your favourite authors and do they inspire your own work?

Wow! I could fill a whole blog post with the list. I have so many favorites and am discovering new ones every day. To name a few: Nora Roberts, Cathryn Hein, Anna Campbell, Stephanie Laurens, P C Cast, Gena Showalter, Erin Grace, Annie West, Rachael Johns…and the list goes on! I wouldn’t say that they inspire my own work, though. I like to think I’ve found my own voice, but they do inspire me to write and to believe in making my own publishing dreams come true.

 
 Do you have a daily routine for writing or do you wait till you have an idea to write about?

I probably should have a routine, but sadly life intervenes. I write as much as I can, whenever I can. I carry a notebook everywhere and jot down ideas at random moments and then compile them when I have time. More often than not, I’m up all night tapping away. Who needs sleep?

Tell us about the main characters in FLY AWAY PETA

Oooh, I love talking about Jaime and Peta! I like my heroines spirited and Peta has it in spades. She’s no shrinking violet. A woman willing to fight for what she believes and the people she loves, she has no qualms about putting herself in the path of danger. Jaime is the man she’ll never forget. He broke her heart, but left her with the best gift of all; a lovely daughter, Bella. When he comes back into her life, she realizes that she never stopped loving him but can’t afford to have her heart broken again. And Jaime? Phwoar…he’s hot! Well. I think so anyway *wink*. Jaime is your all round Mr Nice Guy. Warm, funny, protective, a little guilt-ridden and flawed, and desperately in love with Peta. Oh and did I mention ‘hot’? I’ve been told by reviewers he is a true hero. ( Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/Fly-Away-Peta-ebook/product-reviews/B008RDGGQ4/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 and Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15782591-fly-away-peta)   
 
 Do you miss the world you created in FLY AWAY PETA?  Would you like to write another book set in that world?  Or have you moved on?
No, I’ve moved on, but they made such an impact on my life that they have pride of place on my bookshelf. Thankfully though, the delicious detective Mark Johnson makes an appearance in the next book, Taming the Tiger due for publication soon! It’s not quite his time to find the love of his life yet, but he’ll find her.

 Are you working on your next novel?

Yes! And I’m very excited about this one. The working title is ‘Darkness and Light’ and this is Mark’s story:
When Mark Johnson is called out to the scene of a murder, the last person he expects to see there is Lily Bennetti. And it seems she’s in a world of trouble. Lily was a mild tempered school girl when he’d seen her last. So how did she come to be standing over a dead man’s body with a knife in her hand? Worse yet, how will he overcome the attraction he feels for his murder suspect? Lily has her son to protect and secrets that run deeper than the scars she hides from the world. Mark Johnson is the last person she wants uncovering those secrets. Especially the truth about her feelings for him and who really killed her husband.

This is all very exciting.  I look forward to reading more about and more from Juanita in the near future.  Meanwhile, readers, comment before you leave to be in with a chance to win Juanita’s novel.

FLY AWAY PETA


The time has come to face her worst fear and the clock is ticking…

Peta Johnson will go to extreme lengths to protect her daughter Bella. When the child is kidnapped, the search for her takes Peta back to the small Western Australian country town of Williams, a place she’d vowed never to return to. The town where her dreams were shattered and her nightmare began. Back to the place she’d been destined to meet two very powerful, yet very different men. One would break her heart, the other would destroy her soul. Both would change her life forever.

 
BUY LINKS:   Amazon    Amazon UK