COVER REVEAL FOR SOPHIE’S ENCORE PLUS EXCERPT AND GIVEAWAY!!!

Woohoo! The fabulous Nicky Wells is here today to celebrate the cover reveal for her third book, Sophie’s Encore. Read on for:

The BLURB

The COVER

The EXCERPT

The GIVEAWAY

There's also a chance to win an advance review copy of Sophie’s Encore or Rock Star Romance SWAG!

Sophie’s Encore

Her rock star is waiting in the wings, but will he get a second chance?

It’s all change for Sophie Jones—only this time, there is more at stake than just her happiness.

Rock star extraordinaire, Dan Hunter, has been her patient and caring friend through the highs and lows since her wedding day, but now he figures it is time for her to start over. By stealth, the rock singer draws Sophie into the behind-the-scenes work for his band’s latest album. Through the days and weeks spent together at the mixing desk, Sophie discovers whole new horizons for her life, yet before she can even begin to explore them, she faces the very real threat of losing her rock star for good.

Join Sophie and Dan in Sophie’s Encore to find out how their journey will end…

Cover design: Nicky Wells and Chad Lichtenhan

Cover image: Singer in the darkness © Dmytro Konstantynov | Dreamstime.com

Whoa! What do you make of this? And to intrigue you further, Nicky has shared this excerpt of Sophie’s Encore:

Sophie’s Encore: Excerpt

My bedroom door opened slowly and Dan crept in. All thought of sleep forgotten, I flicked the light back on and was met by an astonishing sight. There was Dan, the rock star, legend for his antics on and off stage, clad in a demure pair of checked pajamas with a button-up top and a mismatched, stripy dressing gown. His feet were stuffed into fluffy slippers, and he clutched a bottle and two glasses in his hands.

“Come on,” he whispered. “Dinner is served.”

I giggled and left my bed, grabbing my own stripy dressing gown and a pair of thick socks.

“What are you doing?” I breathed into his ear, but he simply took my hand and pulled me down the dark corridor toward the open-plan lounge.

“Have a seat,” he invited me and gestured at the dining table, which was once again laid, although only for two, complete with candles and napkins.

He set down the bottle and glasses and scurried off to shut the lounge door. While he busied himself in the kitchen, I basked in the heat from the fire which Dan had re-stoked, and observed my rock star with some degree of amusement.

Within a few minutes, he brought a dish of smoked salmon bites to the table, followed by olive bread, a cheese board, various cold meats, olives, pickled anchovies, and prawns with some sort of aioli dip. He popped the cork on the bottle of champagne, poured two glasses, and sat down, satisfied at last.

“Now we can eat,” he announced. “Tapas. What do you think?”

I raised my glass. “Cheers,” I giggled. “So that’s what you meant earlier. I think it’s amazing. It’s like a midnight feast. I’m just waiting for matron to discover us and give us detention. Why all the secrecy?”

Dan speared a prawn and pointed it at me. “Well, for one, as you say, matron will certainly come and give us detention. Peter is very strict on my sleep regimen, you see.” He dipped the prawn into the aioli before popping it into his mouth. The beatific look on his face and his scrunched up eyes suggested he was enjoying this humble treat far more than was warranted.

He swallowed and cleared his throat. “And for another, I’m on a strict diet. Every last bit of cheese gets weighed, the carbohydrates counted, the sugar added up. It’s really tedious.” He grimaced.

I helped myself to some bread and salmon. “Tedious indeed, I can see that. But why? I thought you were supposed to eat lots and get better.” I chewed greedily, my tummy having given an impressive rumble.

Dan speared another prawn and added a mountain of cheese and bread to his place. “Bliss,” he murmured before explaining further. “I’m supposed to eat healthy, not lots. So Peter has taken it upon himself to reform the bad eating habits of a lifetime. Bless him, it’s what he’s paid to do. I’ve been going along with it, and I have to admit, I’m feeling pretty good. But…”

He grinned his school-boy grin, took a big mouthful of food, washed it down with a large gulp of champagne, and finished his thought. “Well, it gets boring. And I wanted to do something special with you. On my own.”

I burst out laughing, but quieted down when I saw the alarm on Dan’s face.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“Peter’s bedroom is right next door there,” Dan whispered back. “And he’s a light sleeper.” He pointed his finger, and we sat in silence for a minute, straining to hear.

“I think we’re okay,” Dan finally concluded and resumed eating.

I giggled softly. “Naughty, naughty, us.”

“Ha, we’re not naughty yet,” Dan shot back, speaking softly as well. “I was working up to that part.”

He winked, and my heart skipped and jumped. He didn’t mean—he couldn’t mean what I thought he meant?

“What do you mean?” I bumbled, hoping for clarification, but Dan was enjoying himself.

“All in good time,” he teased. “Let’s finish our meal first.”

The Giveaway

Nicky wants to share her excitement about this cover reveal and upcoming release with you! She’s offering a giveaway — Enter for your chance to win:

One of TWO Sophie’s ENCORE Advance Review e-Copies

or

One Sophie’s RUN Mug

or

One Rock Star Romance Trilogy SWAG Pack featuring postcards and bookmarks

ENTER HERE: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/926ff64/

GIVEAWAY CLOSES 15 AUGUST AT MIDNIGHT BST.

The small print! Entrants must be aged 18 or over. Giveaway is open internationally. Winners will be drawn via Rafflecopter.

GOOD LUCK!

****STOP PRESS: Nicky's just told me that her first two books, Sophie's Turn and Sophie's Run, are now available for only $0.99 (or equivalent) each to celebrate the cover reveal! Hurry ~ limited time only!! Book details below!!!***** 

SOPHIE’S ENCORE: coming your way in e-book and paperback editions on 5 SEPTEMBER 2013!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About Nicky Wells

Nicky Wells is your ultimate rock chick author. Signed to US Publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky writes Romance That Rocks Your World, featuring the rock star and the girl next door. Nicky’s books offer glitzy, glamorous contemporary romance with a rock theme ~ imagine Bridget Jones ROCKS Notting Hill!

Like Sophie, her leading lady, 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 to The Midweek Drive show on Lincoln’s Siren 107.3 FM. Rock on!

Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Loveahappyending.com Lifestyle | Romantic Novelists’ Association | Sapphire Star Publishing | Amazon | Goodreads

Find Nicky’s Rock Star Romance Trilogy here:

Part 1~Sophie’s Turn: So the rock star wants to marry her, but she’s already engaged…

AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM| BARNES & NOBLE

Part 2~Sophie’s Run: Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…

AMAZON.CO.UK | AMAZON.COM | BARNES & NOBLE

Introducing Ceri's journey: Angels – a psychic romance

I'm delighted to be joined by a lovely lady who is a complete inspiration to me. She is not only an author but is also a very hands-on Mum, Nan, wife and friend as well as the editor of wwwloveahappyending.com Lifestyle Emag and how she finds time to join me today absolutely amazes me. I've read Angels and absolutely loved it. 

Linn is an amazing author who picks you up from wherever you are and transports you into her books. if you've never read anything by Linn, I would highly recommend each and every one of her books. 

Without further ado, I will hand you over to the gorgeous Linn B Halton to talk about her writing. 

When it comes to releasing another book I’m always nervous. As authors we live quite a solitary life when we are writing and what doesn’t help is that I personally find it very hard to evaluate my own work. Today I’m talking about my latest book, this is a three-part series (each book is a novella of around 30,000 words in length - Angels, Truth and Decisions) and it follows Ceri's journey - her love story with the sensitive and loving Alex.

So how do I reassure myself that I haven’t penned something that will be used to send the reader off to sleep, rather than keeping them wide awake and eager to read just one more page? Quite simply, I turn to Kim.

Kim has read all of my books and I can’t even begin to imagine how many books she has on her shelves and on her e-reader; thousands at the very least I should think. I sent Kim an advance review copy and waited. It was a bit like the advert that used to be on TV – ‘the man from Del Monte’. If you live in the UK, you might remember this, if you don’t then here’s a link to YouTube.

The point is, it isn’t until someone who reads extensively and understands my genre has given me a thumbs-up, that I can feel confident I’ve done a good job. A bit like the pineapple growers when the man from Del Monte arrives to judge whether their crop is good enough. You never know until you get that nod of approval…

But let's start at the very beginning... with Ceri's journey: Angels, the release party will be featured on Loveahappyending Lifestyle emag on July 6th, 2013. Pop over to http://loveahappyending.com on that day for details of how to win an angel all of your very own!

Ceri thinks she sees angels…everywhere. She struggles to keep separate what feels like two very different sides to her life. As a manager in an advertising company she’s been working with the gorgeous Alex for two years. They have a friendship based upon the image she portrays whilst she’s at work and it helps to keep her sane. One mad, crazy night spent sharing their secrets, and a lot of wine, result in them ending up in bed together. When Alex explains that the reason he doesn’t date is because someone broke his heart, how can Ceri admit that she feels a deep connection to him?

Ceri's purpose here on this plane is to correct a series of incidents that alter the course of many of the people's lives with whom she comes into contact. She’s simply putting right little errors that could ripple outwards and change the course of their destiny. But how can she prove that she really has made a difference? Is it all in her head?

She's alone for a reason; she's not meant to fall in love in her earthly life. Alex is supposed to cross paths with her and help Ceri during a phase where she begins to question the signs she’s being given. It's meant to be a turning point for them both—but in opposite directions. They are destined to travel very different paths…but Ceri doesn’t know that and neither does Alex…

This is a romance story that explores the possibility of there being something more than just the ‘here and now’. If that were the case, how would it work? What keeps us on the path determined for us, when we have free will? How would the spirit world link with us as we go about our lives? Love is a powerful emotion, but can it change the course of someone’s destiny? Ceri’s journey has begun.

Read chapter 1 now!

Life, love and beyond ... but it's ALWAYS about the romance!
UK tel: 0790 6377571 Intn'l: + 44 7906377571

Author Website ~  A Lovehappyending Lifestyle feature editor  ~ RNA page
Signed by: http://sapphirestarpublishing.com/
Twitter: @LinnBHalton Facebook: Linn B Halton

Amazon.com
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Amazon.co.uk  

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Launch event for The Water's Edge by Steve Stevenson-Olds

We've had a lovely afternoon. We were invited along to the launch of a book called The Water's Edge. The venue was Hawkesyard Hall in Armitage, Staffordshire and is a stunning venue made even more so today by the glorious sunshine.

Poor author Steve Stevenson-Olds didn't get chance for a break all afternoon with a constant queue of well-wishing readers wanting their copies signed by the author while those who had, enjoyed a Pimms in the afternoon sun.

So delighted to be part of this memorable occasion and wish Steve all the luck in the world with his book. I am SO looking forward to reading it. 

Here's what the book is all about:

Set in the heart of England in 2005 and the preceding years, this is the story of Ritchie Angel, who, at 35 years of age, has achieved the unrealistic, and, to many the elusive perfect life. But Ritchie is starting to feel unwell, and as a result is regretfully informed that he only has days to live.

Keeping his new found, unwanted secrets to himself, Ritchie ensures his last precious moments are lived to the full.  On the fateful night, collapsing at the Waters Edge on the old timber decking at his beautiful waterside home, his wife and daughter fast asleep upstairs, Ritchie dies alone.

But Ritchie's demise is not all that it seems, as he is presented with an incredulous proposition - a way of stopping his wife and daughter finding him dead at the Waters Edge, as they surely would at sunrise. Be prepared for a rollercoaster journey that just might change the way you think for ever. So, ask yourself this - you have drawn your last breath, your cards are dealt, yet you have a chance of stepping off the black Road. 

Would you stick, or would you twist? 

You can purchase this book at www.stevenson-olds.com. 

Steve is on Twitter as www.twitter.com/SStevensonOlds

Carol E Wyer - Cover Reveal - How Not To Murder Your Grumpy

COVER REVEAL

 

I am over the moon to be taking part in the Fiction Addiction Book Tours Cover Revel for How Not To Murder Your Grumpy by Carol E Wyer today. Carol is a lovely lady and a brilliant author and her books are always guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Thanks so much for joining me today Carol. It's an absolute pleasure to have you as my guest. 

 

www.carolewyer.co.uk

This is what Carol said about her Grumpy

 

Grumpy old men are fractious and irritating at times, but they are also hilarious. Mine comes out with some wonderful lines that crack me up.

 

Last week we were sitting outside a cafe when a group of rather fit looking male cyclists pulled up and sat at the table in front of us. Mr G continued to enjoy the warmth of the sun that was beating down on his face and kept one beady eye on me. I was gawping at the men, of course.

 

One of the men, dressed in appropriate lycra had some sponsorship writing on his cycling kit - Derby Mercury.

 

Mr G cast a look in my direction:

 

“More Freddie than Derby,” he commented wryly. “He should also have ‘I Want to Break Free’ written on the front of his tight leggings.”

 

What can you say? Mr G turned away smiling quietly at his own wit and let the sun play on his face. I sniggered like a silly schoolgirl. The men, oblivious to our comments ate flapjacks and talked about the thrill of racing.

 

What lines has your Grumpy come out with recently that has earned him a guffaw from you? He can’t be all misery.

 

To celebrate the cover reveal for How Not to Murder Your Grumpy and win him a Grumpy Badge along with a copy of the book for you, share your own Grumpy’s best lines in the comments at the foot of this page. 

Giveaway

Carol is giving away lots of nice little “Grumpy” goodies. To be in with a chance to win please click on the following link and follow the instructions. Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the book

Is your Grumpy Old Man getting under your feet? Is he wrestling with retirement? Are you wondering if you should bundle him up and entrust him to basket-weaving classes? Then this book could be the answer to your prayers. This light hearted guide is packed full of lively ideas, anecdotes and quips. Not only does it set out to provide laughs, but offers over 700 ideas and ways to keep a Grumpy Old Man occupied.

From collecting airline sick bags to zorbing, you will be sure to find an absorbing pastime for your beloved curmudgeon. There are examples of those who have faced extraordinary challenges in older age, fascinating facts to interest a reluctant partner and innovative ideas drizzled, of course, with a large dollop of humour.

Written tongue-in-cheek, this book succeeds in proving that getting older doesn’t mean the end of life or having fun. It provides amusing answers to the question, “How on Earth will my husband fill in his time in his retirement?” It offers suggestions on what might, or most certainly might not, amuse him. Ideal for trivia buffs, those approaching retirement, (or just at a loose end) and frustrated women who have an irritable male on their hands, this book will lighten any mood and may even prevent the odd murder.

About the Author

After completing a degree in French and English, Carol E Wyer became a language teacher. She actually began her working life abroad, in Casablanca, Morocco, where she taught English as a Foreign Language in an American Language school. It was soon discovered that she could speak French rather well, and she became a translator and teacher to large organisations and companies such as ‘Regie de Tabac’, Morocco’s largest cigarette company, and the Mediterranean Shipping Company.

After a few years she was ‘head-hunted ‘to run the English as a Foreign Language department of a private school in the UK. (Imagine Hogwarts without the wizardry.)

Carol taught English up to, and including ‘A’ Level, along with English as a Foreign Language. She also qualified to teach pupils with Dyslexia and became Head of English for Special Needs.

In 1988, Carol set up her own language company called Language 2000 Ltd and worked in schools and for companies. She taught a variety of languages, including basic Japanese, to all ages and translated documents.

A recurrence of spinal difficulties that began when she was a teenager, forced her to give up teaching and choose a new direction. In order to deal with her health problems, Carol attended a fitness course (Premier), took the qualifications to become a fitness instructor and became a personal trainer. That led her to become a trainer for others, particularly for older people who, like herself, had undergone major surgery.

Thanks to older age, Carol now no longer trains people, but she is currently writing a series of novels, articles and books which takes a humorous look at getting older. It is her hope that they will educate through laughter and help others appreciate life.

Carol has written several short stories over the years, including humorous books for children which served to teach them French. She was not able to fulfil her desire to be a full-time author until two years ago when her son flew from the nest, leaving his bedroom which Carol turned into her office.

Since then, she has written two novels, Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines and Surfing in Stilettos, both of which have enjoyed media attention and success, becoming best sellers and winning awards.

Carol writes regularly for author websites and she has recently become a contributing author on a help guide entitled Tutorials and Tools for Prospering in a Digital Age.

Author links

Amazon UK Author Page       

Amazon US Author Page           

FeedARead (Paperback version)  Surfing in Stilettos

FeedARead (Paperback version) Mini Skirts and Laughter Lines            

Website           

loveahappyending.com

Thornberry Publishing           

Safkhet Publishing              

Blog             

Facebook            

Twitter               

Goodreads

Website             

Member of Romantic Novelists Association

Don't forget the giveaway! 

Carol is giving away lots of nice little “Grumpy” goodies. To be in with a chance to win please click on the following link and follow the instructions. Good luck!! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: Wish You Were Here by Victoria Connelly

Just got back from a fabulous week on the stunning island of Kethos. That’s what it feels like anyway and I feel like right away.

Alice Archer is a plain Jane in a dreary dead-end job with a dull and boring life.  Nobody in her life listens to her or notices her except for her father who is in a care home.  When her demanding sister Stella offers her a place on a week’s holiday to the Greek island of Kethos, it sounds like just what she needs just as long as she can put up with Stella and her difficult ways. 

When she arrives, she leaves Stella by the pool working on her tan and visits the gardens at Villa Argenti, where she meets handsome gardener Milo who tells her that people wish upon the statue of Aphrodite.  Though she doesn’t believe in this myth, she takes the opportunity to make a wish that men notice her.  When Milo offers to take her out for a day, she decides it’s about time she started to enjoy herself and accepts his offer.  Men suddenly start to notice her and wondering whether it is co-incidence or whether her wish has come true.  Is this just a holiday romance or is it true love? Is Milo what he seems to be or is he hiding a secret from Alice?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it on a particularly rainy afternoon which made the island of Kethos even more appealing for me.  I easily imagined the villa that Stella and Alice stayed in and wanted to stay there myself.  I could picture myself on the back of Milo’s bike, with the wind in my hair seeing the spectacular views and could definitely see myself wandering around and smelling the amazing aromas coming from the flowers in the gardens of Villa Argenti.

Victoria’s style of writing is so descriptive, expressive and colourful and it is these qualities which make her books so easy to read.  This story flows really well and you become very quickly deeply immersed in the world that she writes about.  This is a book that shuts you away from everything that is going on in your life and you are transported to the island of Kethos enjoying all the delights that Alice experiences. 

This morning, I'm still thinking about Kethos.  I feel like booking a holiday to this gorgeous island and exploring it myself.  I will definitely be looking out for Milo and Alice around every corner.  I think most of the ladies who read this book might just fall a little bit in love with Milo!

 

I always look forward to reading a Victoria Connelly novel, she is a wonderful author who totally and utterly brings her books to life! This is such a feel-good romance novel that I would definitely recommend to brighten up your life. 

Victoria Connelly grew up in Norfolk.  After graduating, she worked her way through a number of jobs before becoming a teacher in North Yorkshire.  In 2000, she got married in a medieval castle in the Yorkshire Dales and moved to London.  After writing articles and short stories, a bidding war between five publishers in Germany resulted in a book deal and the first of three novels published there was made into a film.

Her first novel to be published in the UK was Molly’s Millions (2009) and was a top ten ebook bestseller.  Victoria has also written a trilogy about Jane Austin addicts.  Victoria and her husband recently left London for a cottage in rural Suffolk, where she lives with a springer spaniel and a brood of rescued battery hens. 

 

To buy Wish You Were Here via Amazon UK, click here.

 

To find out more about Victoria, check out her website here

 

You can follow Victoria on Twitter or you can like her on Facebook.