Tuesday 14 May 2013

More Business Networking and Book Launch News!

Phew! It has been another crazy weekend and a running start to the week. Yesterday I attended a local business networking event which proved extremely fruitful. I met some new people, caught up with some that I had met previously, and sampled the coffee at our new local Starbucks cafe, delicious! Anyway, this update will be short and sweet because I am dashing out in a minute to attend Rhymetime at our local library with my daughter, a weekly social gathering that we enjoy immensely.


My book launch news is that I have been offered space at another business networking event that takes place on 28th June in Nantwich, Cheshire. I will be at the event, one month before the due date for my baby,  and I will officially introduce the Redcliffe novels complete trilogy to an eager audience. If you are in the area why not come along and say hello? There will be lots of exciting people to meet, and also an exhibition of jewellery from the fabulous Stella and Dot. See you there!

Sunday 12 May 2013

The 'Love Kills' Radio Show on Cauldron FM


I am a little bit behind here, but have only just found time to sit and listen to the Love Kills radio show on Cauldron FM. Oops! In my defence I have been busy writing, caring for my toddler, and nurturing a growing baby in my belly…



Merlin was kind enough to feature my second Redcliffe novel on his show, and he also included an interesting feature about the nature of animal familiars and witchcraft in history and folklore. Check it out!

Don’t forget I have since released the third Redcliffe novel, Love Redeems, and if you read the series, you will begin to understand why witchcraft and the witch’s familiar are so important…


Friday 10 May 2013

The Business of Professional Writing


Looking through the window I can see a dark, overcast day in May. Typical British weather! You can barely see through the glass because it is obscured with fat, glistening raindrops. Every so often the sun will appear as if by magic, temporarily transforming the raindrops into brilliant kaleidoscopes of colour. Just as suddenly, it disappears, to be replaced by black clouds that proceed to pour forth more heavy moisture onto the soaking pavements and sodden gardens in our town.

My attention returns to the room in which I sit. I am an observer. The people in this room are far too important to notice me, perched high up on the wall. I found a comfortable seat on top of a picture. It is a standard office decoration, a framed certificate for some obscure qualification received by the company. What do they do again? Ah, yes, they offer professional writing services to the UK and beyond. From this office building the bosses spin a web all around the world, via the Internet, gathering together a top team of freelance writers to provide high quality content for their clients. The energy is fast paced, making the most of an emerging market primed for development.

“Alright then, people,” announces a man dressed in black suit trousers and a grey pinstripe dress shirt with no tie. He looks fairly young, maybe around 35, and he has black hair and dark eyes, with a complexion that is tanned, suggesting that he has been either on a tropical holiday recently, or he enjoys tanning salons in his spare time.



“Let’s get down to business,” says the man, sitting down at the head of a highly polished wooden table. He sets down a white mug of coffee just collected from the pot on a side table near the door. The rich aroma wafts around the boardroom, warm and comforting. There are three other people in the room with him; two women and one man. They all look of a similar age, mid to late thirties, all dressed in a kind of contemporary office uniform: not quite formal but still smart and well presented. The table is strewn with notepads, Ipads, mobile phones and a couple of folders containing documents necessary for the meeting.

“We need a tagline,” the boss informs his staff members, “Something edgy, sharp, and effective that will tell people exactly what we are about here at Wait.”

Everyone nods and murmurs their agreement. Apparently they already have some ideas to present. One of the women clears her throat and begins the discussion.

“How about this?” she says, “We offer quick, concise and top quality content writing for your website, business documents and professional portfolio.”

The man pulls a face while the other occupants of the room nod and wait for his reaction. He nods his head very slightly, not quite ready to offer praise, but not totally disappointed with the woman’s efforts.

“Good,” he says, “But I’m sure we can do better. What do we stand for as a company? What is it that we present to our clients? Quality, yes. Professionalism. Swift, reliable and efficient return on projects. Close attention to detail, and a deep knowledge of SEO, web content writing and copy editing for all business needs. Now, what else have you got?”

They all begin talking together, throwing around random phrases and trying out words that might sound sharp when read out from a computer. I grow bored of listening. I am hungry. Spreading my wings, I leap off the picture frame and move toward the plate of pastries sitting beside the coffee pot. I impact with a clear glass dome, rebound backwards with a start, and sit for a moment on the table, stunned. Then I shakily take flight, seeking an exit from this now oppressive room. I leave the business executives to their meeting. I have other priorities to attend to.

*Image courtesy of Pinterest

Wednesday 8 May 2013

Hump Day Hook #HDH Victorian Vampire Novel #amwriting


Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. Today I have some exciting news to share. My editor has confirmed that Mirador will publish my Redcliffe spin-off novel, The Darkness of Love. I just need to polish the manuscript up and then send it away for them to work their magic, fabulous! So, to celebrate, here is an excerpt from the Victorian vampire story that tells us more about the charming and devilish Marcus Scott.


Marcus was also deep in thought as he held Violet’s soft, supple body against his.  He was thinking about Lady Sarah, he just couldn’t help himself.  She was so beautiful and so delicate.  He couldn’t help but feel that she needed help of some kind, although he didn’t know what.  She seemed happy enough with her husband, and of course Lord Stockton was always very courteous and caring towards her in front of the servants.  But he was a mysterious man, and Marcus had a strange sense of dread mixed in with excitement for his new job.  He couldn’t help but feel that he was walking into a trap, and that Lord Stockton had other plans for him.  Of course this was ridiculous.  Why would such a rich and important man waste time playing games with a servant?  Marcus was simply trying to create adventure where there was none; he knew that.  He should just accept his good fortune and appreciate it for what it was.


There we go! Marcus was always a deep thinker, and this follows through into his present day incarnation as the millionaire businessman in the Redcliffe novels. I am very happy to finally be able to publish his story, and to demonstrate my observations on Victorian historical fiction. Now, why not check out some more Hump Day Hook excerpts over on our blog? Or you can join us on Facebook. Happy Humping!

*Vampire image courtesy of Tumblr

Monday 6 May 2013

Camp NaNoWriMo Was Not as Planned #amwriting

Well, I did not succeed with my endeavours in Camp NaNoWriMo this year. Oops! I am not upset about it. This was my first attempt in the camp, and I chose to do it at a time when I was busy with other commitments. They included the April A-Z blogging challenge (which I completed successfully), and the fact that I am currently 6 months pregnant with my second child and I have a toddler at home.

The manuscript that is causing me so much stress and has sent my Muse into exile is still only progressing very slowly, but it is at least progressing. Yes, I only managed to write about 6000 words on it last month, but I still wrote around 1000 words per day keeping up with my blogs and other projects. I am happy enough with that.

I also have some excellent news to share! My editor at Mirador just confirmed she will publish my spin-off Redcliffe novel The Darkness of Love. This is a Victorian vampire story telling the tale of Marcus Scott who appears in my Redcliffe Novels series. I am very fond of Marcus, and he was insistent on me telling his story.  Now I just have to do some more edits on the manuscript and get it proofed for publication. Watch this space for a release date...


Saturday 4 May 2013

We Love Werewolves!


I have just finished listening to a radio show on Red Shift Radio entitled Werewolves with Hannah Kate on the Tim Previtt Show. The title caught my attention, so I decided to listen to the show when I had sufficient time. Hannah Kate is an academic from Manchester, UK, who has a particular fascination with werewolves in popular culture. She sounds like a very interesting lady, and one I will have to become acquainted with in the course of my professional career.

What is it about werewolves that we love so much? I have always been a self-confessed vampire lover, but more recently I am falling more in love with my werewolf characters in the Redcliffe novels. It was never intended. They just have this way of charming me, with their rugged appeal, raw sexual overtones, and playful behaviour. Werewolves in fiction are becoming much more popular, although I don’t think they ever really went away from the social conscience.


When I think back over the horror films I have watched and the books I have read over the years, werewolves were always horrific creatures with snarling jaws and sharp claws. They would transform from mild-mannered human beings into crazed beasts that literally ripped through anything in their path, and we were supposed to be terrified of them. Werewolves are a blatant representation of the human condition. How many of us bottle up our feelings, pretend everything is normal and happy, when really it isn’t? I think we all have a wolf lurking within us, the same as we all have a shadowy vampire hiding in the dark recesses of our human psyche…

I would also like to share details about a new anthology seeking submissions, for all writers of ghost stories. Check out the link for submission requirements.

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Hump Day Hook #HDH Giveaway! – Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel)


Hello and welcome to the Hump Day Hook. This week we are feeling generous, perhaps with the true beginning of summer as we head into the beautiful month of May. Anyway, our Hump Day Hook bloggers are offering giveaways today! For my part I am offering a signed paperback copy of my newly released third book in the series, Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel). Here is an excerpt, to give you a taster of what to expect from my adult paranormal romance series:


      Jack was silent beside me, concentrating on the road ahead.  His energy was still strong and the atmosphere inside the car was cool and angry.  He was angry with me; I knew that.  He was also confused about my powers and he was wondering just how strong and dangerous I would prove to be.  Jack couldn’t help but worry that I had hidden my true abilities from him and Danny in order to carry out some elaborate plan to assassinate them.  He hadn’t said as much, but I knew the truth.  My mother, Lillian, had visited me during the day, speaking inside my mind.  She had told me what I needed to know.  The Mason brothers lived in a state of perpetual alert for enemies.  They trusted very few people, and now I was teetering between the list of people they trusted, and people they were wary of.  Sighing again, I roused myself and shook my head, breathing slowly in and out to try and ease the pressure I felt in my chest. 


 Now for the competition rules. All I ask is for you to comment on this post and tell me why it is that Jessica (our heroine) might prove to be a threat to the safety of the Mason brothers. You can check out the details about the Redcliffe novels on the pages at the top of my blog, or on their dedicated website. You can also read the first book, Love Hurts (A Redcliffe Novel) free on Wattpad for a limited time only. Tell me why Jessica is dangerous, and I will award a free signed copy of Love Redeems (A Redcliffe Novel) to the winner. If there are several correct answers, I will choose one at random. Good luck!

If you enjoyed this excerpt, why not pop over to our dedicated Hump Day Hook blog and get yourself some more freebies? We write about romance, love, science fiction, fantasy, erotica and everything in-between, so you are sure to find something that delights the senses. You can also find us on Facebook. Happy Humping!