Cover Reveal - Shannon's Law by Emma Calin

COVER REVEAL

SHANNON’s LAW

by Emma Calin

Delighted today to be included in the Cover Reveal for Emma Calin's forthcoming contemporary romance SHANNON’S LAW. Over to you Emma.

Thanks so much for hosting this cover reveal for SHANNON'S LAW.  This is the second in my ‘Passion Patrol Series’ - steamy action-romances that feature sassy female cops who solve crimes, catch crooks and always get their man.

Blurb

Wild child inner city cop Shannon Aguerri walks a dangerous line between her methods and justice. When the bosses lose their nerve, after yet another maverick mission, she is transferred to green pastures to play out the role of a routine village cop. When she encounters signs of people and drug trafficking she homes in on serious millionaire criminals.  As a loner she has attracted men but nothing has stuck. When she meets Spencer, the hunky and widowed Earl of Bloxington, there is an immediate rapport between them. Their social differences mean nothing to their passion and need.  Already in the mix is an upper class female rival – who has long plotted her way into the Earl's bed. The jealousy is an evil shade of green and the anger is a violent scarlet.  Often inhibited by a sense of duty and honour, Spencer is slow to reveal his feelings. When Shannon confronts him with the need to choose between her word and that of her rival, he does not immediately support her. All the same, when they are forced together to carry out a desperate rescue mission, their love is stronger than everything ranged against them.

Shannon’s Law USA  

Shannon's Law UK

(Pre-order paperback only at this stage)

Emma I will be revealing snippets from the story, photos of places and people that inspired the venues and characters on Pinterest during my pre-launch book tour.  There are already some scrap-book cuttings posted:

http://www.pinterest.com/emmacalin/shannons-law-launch-reveal-on-pinterest/

There is also news about the book on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/ShannonsLaw

(‘Likes’ are always appreciated.....)

I’m having two launch parties “Afternoon Tea At Bloxington Manor”. The first is online on the 28^th February on Facebook and the second is LIVE at the English stately home that inspired the home of my hero on Sunday 2^nd March.  A local favourite venue for me, Avington Park in Hampshire is steeped in history and tradition. (Think genuine Palladian style rather than Downton Abbey neo-Jacobean). The private owners have kindly agreed to open up for us with a tour of the house and then tea and cake – oh and launch the book of course!

Shannon’s Law Cover Reveal Draw

$30/£20 Amazon voucher

A pair of tickets to my Avington Park Launch Party 2^nd March (UK only)

3 Advanced Review Copies of Shannon’s Law

EVERY entrant will receive a FREE gift of an audiobook of my short story Escape to Love.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/Mjg1OTEwYzI5YjYwMjA3ZWY2Y2EzZDEzODljNmNjOjE4/

About Emma Calin

Emma Calin was born in London in 1962. She currently lives in France and the UK.

She has been writing since childhood and has won numerous local, national and international prizes for poetry and short stories.

"Knockout!" is the first of the “Passion Patrol Series” a stand-alone love story set against a backdrop of international gambling corruption and deception. Interpol cop Anna Leyton finds herself torn between love and duty when her professional and private life intersects.  This book is now available in both paperback and Kindle formats.

“The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection” is a bargain anthology of 5 short stories and novelettes, available in paperback and digital formats.

"Sub-Prime" is a prize-winning hard hitting short story about courage, exploitation and love. It is a raw and brutal exposé of life at the bottom in the aftermath of recession.

"The Chosen" is also a short story,  set in modern times where working people struggle to keep their dreams alive. A world where the promise of love motivates desperate measures.

“Escape To Love” is a 'novelette' (longer than a short story but shorter than a novella), a gritty urban romance with suspense and mystery but a love story at it's core. 

“Angela” a short story about a late-night taxi journey.

“Love in a Hopeless Place” a novelette about a middle-aged woman striving to find her true identity.

Amazon links to books by Emma Calin

Shannon’s Law USA  Shannon's Law UK

(Pre-order paperback only at this stage)

Knockout! (Passion Patrol Series)

The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection

Sub-Prime

The Chosen

Escape To Love

Angela

Love in a Hopeless Place

 About.me page: http://about.me/emmacalin

Emma Calin Blog: http://www.emmacalin.blogspot.com

Emma Calin Website:  http://www.emmacalin.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/emma.calin

and book page: http://www.facebook.com/ShannonsLaw

Twitter:https://twitter.com/EmmaCalin
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/emmacalin/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4915751.Emma_Calin

Review - Trinity by Nigel May

Well, I feel quite exhausted after reading Trinty by Nigel May! 

Rich and gorgeous girls Regan, Nush & Evie were friends at college and vow to be life-long friends but can their friendship survive not just their own insecurities and complicated upbringings but also everything else that is thrown into their colourful, glamorous, fun filled lives and the people in them?

Unputdownable and totally engrossing, so much so that I've hardly moved from my sofa all day. I could very easily have been reading a Jackie Collins bonk-buster rather than a debut novel from a new author.  Nigel May writes with the ease and flow of an author who has been writing over many years honing their skills with each book. 

It was sexy, sassy, action-packed, glamorous, exciting, gripping - there are so many words I could use to describe this brilliant book.  Set in both England and Hollywood, the scenes are set in vibrant, energetic locations which are easily conjured up in your mind. The three main characters are created with the perfect amount of everything. You become so embroiled in their lives that you feel like you know them intimately and understand all their thoughts and emotions! 

Watch out for uber-bitch Clarissa, a character so brilliantly created that I hated her with a passion from the moment I was introduced to her. 

With twists and turns littering the plot with glamour and glitz and murder and mayhem thrown in for good measure, this is a highly entertaining read that to be honest I couldn't get enough of! 

Nigel May is a TV presenter and journalist and regularly presents on UK shopping channels. 

He has written for many of the UK's most successful magazines and newspapers, specialising in showbiz and celebrity, as well as writing on subjects ranging from relationships through to travel. He is also one of the UK's most popular craft personalities, having launched his own successful range, A-May-Zing.

Nigel is the only male writer amongst 44 authors featured in the chart-topping, perfect beach-read anthology of short-stories SUNLOUNGER.

You can follow Nigel on Twitter - www.twitter.com/Nigel_May 

You can find out more about Nigel via his website www.nigelmay.net 

You can buy Trinity at the sites below. 

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trinity-ebook/dp/B00CNW8Z00/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368375306&sr=8-1&keywords=Nigel+May+TRINITY

WH Smith: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/EProducts/Trinity+eBook+KB00106456199

KOBO UK: http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Trinity/book-wXPRnpWdO0-m2hngNyiglQ/page1.html?s=FcGZyPRr30mQcbwzAkrlGA&r=1

Nook UK: http://uk.nook.com/ebooks/trinity/2940016785707

Amazon USA: http://www.amazon.com/Trinity-ebook/dp/B00CNW8Z00/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368375409&sr=8-1&keywords=Nigel+May+TRINITY

Barnes And Noble USA: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1115247814?ean=2940016785707

Smashwords USA: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/313264

Review - Take Me Home by Daniela Sacerdoti

Wow is the only word I think I can start with.

Take Me Home is the story of Inary who is living in London after being jilted by her ex, and is just a little bit in love with her best friend Alex. She has to return to her native Scotland where her sister is in the final stages of her life and to help the brother she feels resents her for running away. 

How can she cope with the death of her sister and the loss of Alex too after she closed herself off to him so she can never be hurt by anyone again? 

This is one of the most emotional stories I think I've read. I adored reading Watch Over Me by Dani and this was a magnificent and completely perfect second novel which is set in the same village.  

I quickly became completely and utterly immersed in the story and felt like I was part of the scenery. I read a lot through bleary eyes. It was so moving and emotional in parts that I could not breathe! There were other scenes where very interesting things were happening to Inary that I was completely fascinated by and wanted to find out so much more!

Dani is an incredible writer and I hope to be reading many more of her books in the future. She writes in such a compelling way that you cannot wait to find out what happens next even if you know that your heart is going to break in two! 

While it was extremely sad in parts, it was overall marvellously uplifting and certainly left me with peace and hope. 

Just completely beautiful! 

Daniela Sacerdoti was born and raised in Italy but moved to Scotland ten years ago, now living in Glasgow with her husband and sons.  and her love for this country comes through in her writing.  She holds a degree in Classics from the University of Turin and has taught Italian, Latin & Greek.  Writing has always been a big part of her life as her great-uncle was the renowned Italian writer Carlo Levi.  

She admits to stealing time to write when everyone has gone to bed, or before they wake up. She is a Primary teacher, but she chose to be at home with her children. She loves being with her boys, reading anything she can get her hands on and chatting with her girlfriends. But she also adores being on her own, free to daydream and make up stories.

Review - The Restaurant @ The Mill by Linn B Halton

A beautifully warm and cosy book which was completely adorable.  

Six very different relationships come together with the common link being that they either dine or work at The Restaurant at the Mill.  This is owned by Hilary and Ben who became business partners after Ben approached Hilary when he saw a business opportunity for them to run a fabulous establishment combining his amazing skills as a chef with her front of house professionalism and experience.

We learn about these wonderful individuals and how their relationships develop and intertwine.  The people involved are Hilary and Ben, Charlotte, Grace and Lawrence, Isabel and David, Thomas and  Sadie who works at the restaurant. 

Linn threw in quite a few very unexpected surprises and links along the way which kept the plot fresh and kept your interest peaked. The characters are wonderfully created and I could picture both the exterior location and the interior look of the Mill and was quite tempted at one point to actually ring the restaurant and book myself a table as I could picture this beautiful setting, cosy atmosphere and wonderful people and I just wanted to dine in this place and be part of the cast. 

I started reading this lovely book on a Sunday morning and literally had to drag myself out of bed that morning as I had lots of important things to do even though I really wanted to cancel them all, tuck myself up on the sofa and continue to read. I was counting down the hours until Sunday evening so I could pick up where I left off and continue with the individual lives that weaved around this wonderful community of people who had become my friends.

Even a couple of days after I finished reading the book  (because I immediately picked up another book of Linn's - The Quintessential Gemini!) I was still thinking about the characters and how their lives will go on from here and what would become of them all. I could have continued to read about them forever.  I could easily have read about each of the characters in their own separate books - when you're ready Linn!

Linn is an author who makes it easy for a reader to create pictures of people and places in their minds, making you feel part of the story somehow or as if you are just sitting on the sidelines watching in.  I feel that this is such a clever skill because as a reader, there is nothing better than feeling the emotions of the characters and knowing what all the places you are reading look like and she does this particularly well. 

Linn B Halton lives in the small Gloucestershire village of Arlingham on the banks of the river severn with her adorable husband and cat with attitude Mr Tiggs! Linn and Lawrence have renovated many houses over the years and she writes romantic fiction with a psychic or astrological theme and many of the paranormal events that feature in her books are real life experiences.

She has written about some of these experiences in Being A Sceptic is Oh So Easy.  

Linn wrote Touched By The Light shortly after the death of her mother and is a big advocate of the saying "seeing is believing!" 

 

You can read my review of Touched By The Light by Linn by clicking here. 

 

You can learn more about Linn at her website and also read more about loveahappyending.com. 

 

You can follow her on Twitter or follow Linn on Facebook

 

Buy this book via Amazon UK by clicking here. 

Guest post - Tilly Tennant

Really pleased to be joined by guest blogger Tilly Tennant today talking about her book Hopelessly Devoted which sounds fab. Without further ado, let me hand you over to Tilly. 

What are the chances?

 

Every generation has their pop heartthrobs. As a little child, I remember the bedroom walls of my teenage aunt being plastered with posters of David Essex and the Bay City Rollers.  She used to tell me that one day she would marry Woody and I actually believed she would! When I got a little older, it was my turn to stare at posters of Morten Harket on my wall and dream of the day when he would realise that he was actually in love with a fifteen year old from Staffordshire, he just didn’t know it because he hadn’t met me.  Of course, this is all pie in the sky (unless you’re one of a very select and rare few throughout pop history), but just imagine if it were possible.  What if you did meet your idol, the subject of your floaty daydreams?  And what it he did fancy you back?

 

To meet her idol is all Bonnie dreams of in Hopelessly Devoted.  The trouble is, she’s in her mid thirties with a teenage daughter of her own, Paige, who also shares the same fantasies of meeting young, gorgeous pop heartthrob, Holden Finn. Bonnie has been let down badly by the men in her life in the past, and pouring all her energies into dreaming of a man she can never have seems a safe bet. After all, Holden will never let her down. Holden will always be the impossible, unreachable image of perfection. So there’s no harm in Bonnie’s little daydreams, surely….

 

Hopelessly Devoted

 

There’s only one man for Bonnie, and that’s Holden Finn. The problem is, Holden Finn a twenty-something pop megastar with his boy band, Every Which Way, who doesn’t even know she exists. Not only that, but half the women of the world want to be Mrs Finn, including Bonnie’s teenage daughter, Paige. But the real men in Bonnie’s life only let her down, and a man you can never have can never let you down… right?  When Paige wins a radio competition to meet Holden and his band, it seems all that is set to change. Bonnie is about to find out that you should be careful what you wish for, and that happiness can come in the most unexpected shape…

 

Hopelessly Devoted is due for release December 2013 but you can get your hands on a free copy by entering the Hopelessly Devoted blog giveaway. Not only that, but you’ll also win an exclusive unreleased Christmas novella, Mishaps and Mistletoe,which is only available by entering the draw.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Tilly:  
 

Tilly Tennant was born in Dorset but now lives in Staffordshire with her slightly nutty family. Tilly is married to Mr Tennant (not that one, though a girl can dream). 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 enrolling on a degree in English and creative writing. 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 editor, and considers herself very lucky that this enables her to read many wonderful books while getting paid for it.

 

Tilly Tennant on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TillyTenWriter

Tilly’s facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TillyTennant

Follow Tilly’s blog http://tillytennant.com/

Review - Grumpy Old Menopause by Carol E Wyer

Carol E Wyer is one of the funniest authors I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. Her account of life is so accurate, so hilarious and so entertaining. Thus book us no exception! Full of witty and useful tips of how to cope through a time that we know is coming and from the age of around 40 we probably all wonder if daily occurrences are the start of our fateful journey! Written in a very light-hearted way, this us a book that all women of a certain age should keep in their handbag!  If you know a woman, will have to come into contact with a woman or are a woman, this book could help you get through the rest of your life!  Here's blurb about this brilliant book:  Have you started to write post-it notes with your kids' names on them? Do you need to change your underwear after every sneeze? Guess it's time to read this book then. It'll help you get through "that" time in your life with a spring in your step and a smile on your face. With numerous suggestions, sensible advice and amusing anecdotes, Grumpy Old Menopause will help you sail through that tricky part of a woman's life with ease and humour. It should prevent you from turning into Mrs Crabby or worse still, a demonic monster. "An excellent mix of humour and sound advice. This book is a must-read for all women ... I highly recommend Grumpy Old Menopause. It is the perfect blend of humour and excellent advice to help all women sail through the menopause." - Nicky Snazell, Fi STOP Consultant Physiotherapist in Spinal Pain, Fellow of Institute for the Study and Treatment of Pain. International Lecturer in Pain and Health.  Excerpt from Grumpy Old Menopause Have you started to write post-it notes with your kids' names on them? Do you need to change your underwear after every sneeze? Guess it's time to read this book then. It'll help you get through "that" time in your life with a spring in your step and a smile on your face. (Yeah right!) I hit puberty late in life. When I say late, I mean late. Every girl in my class had huge breasts, Bic disposable razors, and boyfriends, and giggled a lot about sex. I was behind the times and my body didn't transform until I was about seventeen. Now, I am in my fifties and I am still a late developer. All my friends journeyed through the miserable menopause several years ago while I trailed behind. At least I was able to amass a stack of information to help me transit this time with the minimum of woe and bad temper. I learned much from my friends and have discovered that you can get through the menopause without wanting to rip off people's heads or lying in bed with terrible cramps. This guide will help you when your other half and your family don't seem to understand what is happening to you. It will ease your mind, when you are awake at night, wondering if you are the only woman in the universe to be swimming in a puddle of sweat with your heart palpitating. This little book will help you sail through a tricky part of a woman's life with ease and humour. It should prevent you from turning into Mrs Crabby or worse still, a demonic monster. I would make sure you haven't got any sharp knives around the house though just in case I happen to be wrong. Menopause is one of those life changes. How we handle it is up to us. Whether we choose to use hormone therapy replacement, whether we set up our own physical and mental regime through exercise, diet, or other means, or whether we decide to "go it alone" and just ride it out until it's hopefully over, we are entirely responsible for the daily attitude we carry throughout this time. The menopause often occurs at a time in our lives when most, if not all, of our children are leaving or have left the nest. (For some, it unfortunately happens when their off-spring are going through puberty which can cause fireworks.) We may begin to feel needed less. Our purpose in life seems to have left, along with its dirty washing and noisy music. It is a time when we might begin to question what lies ahead. Now that we have more time to ourselves we may begin to notice those indicators of age: facial wrinkles, the drooping turkey neck, and the triceps that are turning into the infamous "bingo wings". It's not a very appealing picture. However, we should not be concerned with the "old" woman who is staring at us in the mirror. We should concentrate on the "new" woman on the inside. What can we do to get through this phase of our lives? Surprisingly there is much that we can do to stop blowing up at people and having a rough ride. We can take measures to look after ourselves and ensure we do not get too overwhelmed by what is happening to our bodies. However, the best medicine of all is laughter. So, without further ado, sit back with a small glass of wine, a large box of chocolates and this book. Question: What can a husband do when his wife is going through menopause? Answer: Keep busy. If he's handy with tools, he can finish the basement. Then when he's finished, he'll have a place to live. You can buy this book via Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Grumpy-Old-Menopause-Carol-Wyer/dp/1908208260 Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines Surfing in Stilettos How Not to Murder Your Grumpy Just Add Spice Grumpy Old Menopause Tutorials and Tools for Prospering in a Digital Age (Contributing Author) Indies Unlimited 2012 Flash Fiction Anthology(Contributing Author) First Chapters (Contributing Author) www.carolewyer.co.uk www.facing50withhumour.com You can follow Carol on Twitter at www.twitter.com/carolewyer

Interview with Holly Kingston, author of A Cinderella Christmas

Delighted today to be joined by Holly Kingston, author of A Cinderella Christmas. It is such a good read, great fun, lots of laughs and very entertaining. Holly agreed to be interrogated, oops sorry, I mean interviewed by me about what inspired her to write this book and about her writing journey. So, let's grab a coffee and have a chat. Ladies and gents, let me introduce you to the lovely Holly Kingston. 

Have you ever been involved with amateur dramatics at all?

Yes! I was in a few pantomimes and plays when I was much younger.

I still get nostalgic whenever I watch any theatre production. I’m almost tempted to jump upon stage and join in! But I appreciate there’s a medium - to high risk - of me being manhandled by security. And they’d probably confiscate my Fruit Pastilles. 

I do miss it though. There’s an infectious buzz about being in the theatre, and I love being backstage, it’s like being part of a huge secret. Those feelings were a huge influence when writing A Cinderella Christmas.

 

If you could be any stage character who would you be and why?

If I could sing... and if I could roller skate...I’d quite like to be in Starlight Express. I love the bit when the cast whizz into the audience in those crazy costumes. It’d be fun! But clearly my inability to sing and skate is seriously restricting my musical theatre career. To be fair I would be a complete liability trying to move around on tiny wheels. Grace and balance are not on my list of positive attributes.

 

Who would your favourite leading man be?

If it were a romantic role then I think George Clooney would get the gig. If it were more of a gritty action man role, then I’d quite like Colin Farrell please. And if my main man was solving a ridiculously complex, impossible crime, then it would have to be BenedictCumberbatch. *sighs*

 

Where did you get the inspiration for this story? 

It all started with the cow suit. I was thinking of unusual seasonal jobs. And the back end of the panto cow popped into my head. Poor Lucy, from her very conception as a character she was already stuck in that suit. I do think she handles herself with remarkably dignity though! She does get put through the wringer a bit in the book!

 

What has been your writing journey? 

Even as a kid I enjoyed writing, but my first attempt at writing a novel was about ten years ago. It wasn’t a great attempt. I managed an entire chapter before giving up. I’ve kept that chapter hidden away in a filing cabinet. It makes for horrible reading. After that I put a lot of time into reading books on how to write. Probably too much time! Then about six years ago I started writing regularly. A novel, then a sitcom pilot, then a few short films, then a feature film, a couple of plays, then I reedited the book...a few times! It took me until last November to even consider approaching an agent. It’s quite an intimidating thing to do. And you have to write a synopsis. That bit’s almost harder than writing the flippin book!

 

What do you like to read? 

Humorous fiction is my favourite, but I will read most genres if they have well crafted characters and a good pace. Hmmm, looking at my book shelf now, I can see a predominance of, Marian Keyes, Nick Hornby, David Nicholls, and Janet Evanovich.

 

Do you write full time or write alongside a day job? If so, what do you do? 

I have a freelance sales job which involves me travelling around to visit lovely clients, to have a nice natter, and sometimes a cup of coffee. If I’m given a biscuit too then I am over the moon. If someone gives me a piece of cake, it’s like Christmas day. Apparently I shouldn’t rate my efficiency by the number of coffees and biscuits I’ve consumed, but to me that’s a sign of a good day!

Writing full time would be amazing though. Think of all the coffees I could have if I were home alone with my kettle?!?

 

If you could meet a well known author who would you pick and why? 

I would have loved to have met the late Roald Dahl. Just to say thank you. I grew up with the Twits, Witches, and Giant Peaches! He must have had the most fabulous mind.

 

What can we expect next from Holly Kingston? 

I might try and learn to sing and roller skate so that I can audition for Starlight Express. But on a more practical note I think I’ll stick to drinking coffee and typing. I’m quite proficient at sitting down and I’m highly addicted to writing.

I’m currently half way through my next novel and I’m really enjoying the characters. Hopefully it’ll ready for human consumption very soon!

Thank you very much for all the lovely questions!

Here's the blurb about the book:

Lucy Tilley dreams of a career in show business. But this isn’t quite what she had in mind …

This year’s Cinderella pantomime is the hottest production in town. What’s more, Lucy is starring alongside Ryan Aspall: famous TV actor, sex symbol and potential love of her entire life. One teeny problem – Lucy is tripping the light fantastic as … the back end of the comedy cow. Surely nothing kills a flirty moment quite like wearing a massive set of udders?

At least she has the support of glamorous (if potentially flammable) Charmaine; a reality star diva of a Cinderella, who Lucy is completely fascinated by. But behind the fame and beauty, Charmaine is not all she seems.

With more drama off the stage than on it, and everyone wanting to be star of the show, will Lucy find the confidence to make it out of the cow suit and into the spotlight this Christmas?

You can follow Holly on Twitter@HollyKWriter.

You can buy this book via Amazon UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/A-Cinderella-Christmas-Holly-Kingston-ebook/dp/B00GPCZX04