Rereading Jane Eyre

#Author Spotlight Mandy Lee & #BookReview of her Novel ‘You Don’t Know Me’

You all know why I love Romantic novels and Byronic heroes. If you don’t remember, check this post!

To sum up, they simply are tantalising, because the reader knows that this disgusting frog will become an irresistible prince, with the heroine’s invaluable help, by the time the novel / trilogy is concluded. To quote myself:

‘Byronic heroes are brooding, darkly handsome, and they have a secret, hidden past, which makes them behave antisocially. They are usually worldly, rich, cynical, destructive, and resentful. They have difficulties identifying and even expressing their emotions, and women find them extremely alluring. They are idealized yet flawed characters, who need to be recovered and repaired by the perfect heroine.’

But what are the heroines like? What kind of a woman can fall in love and transform this semi-monster into a cuddly teddy bear?

Answer: A feisty, intelligent, strong-willed, generous and loving spirit, who also has issues of her own to deal with, just like Maya.

I loved ‘You Don’t Know Me’ right from page one. It is a well-written, well-plotted, fun and enjoyable, romantic and erotic read. When I started reading I thought, ‘This is the novel I’ve been waiting to read for months.’ I love romance, and I also enjoy an erotic twist, if the characters and plot are enticing enough, and Maya and Dan are an enthralling couple to follow.

Our heroine, Maya Scotton, is an artist with a severe case of painter’s block, who takes on an office job at a construction company in order to pay the bills. She meets the seemingly heartless and mysterious owner of the company, and they both embark on a steamy and complex relationship, which will keep you turning pages impatiently.

Maya is a friendly, funny and loveable young woman, who is denying her artistic talent, by running away from herself. She desperately needs the love, reassurance and security that Dan offers.

Yet Dan has dark demands and a shocking secret. Dan is not who he seems. You don’t know me ends with a revealing cliffhanger, and I’m impatiently waiting for book two.

There is suspense as well as romance, building up to a final shocking secret, which both links them painfully yet threatens to keeps them apart forever.

I love character driven novels, and all the characters in You Don’t Know Me are so well-crafted that I felt as if I could see and hear every one of them. Everyone who appears is valuable to the reader, because they have a specific role in the plot, which moves on with every page.

The big plus, at least for me, is that it takes place in London, mainly around the South Bank, which happens to be one of my favourite places! I’ve walked near and around GabrieI’s Wharf many times, but now I can’t wait to go back and have a coffee there, Dan’s favourite place! There are many more places to look out for. Mandy Lee has drawn me into the characters’ fictional world, and I loved it!

76709-640x360-houses-of-parliament-and-london-eye-on-thames-from-above-640 — **Dan and Maya’s London**

One of the great things about being a writer, being a reader and reviewer, and having a blog in the 21st century is that you can meet and speak to other writers on Social Media. I ‘met’ Mandy on Twitter, by chance. I’m always interested in debut authors and romance, so I decided to give her book a go a few weeks ago. I was so impressed that as soon I finished reading it, I contacted her for an author interview and spotlight on my blog. I’m also telling everyone I know to give it a try. For less than the price of a coffee you get to meet a lovely young painter, fall in love, and visit London!

Here’s the interview:

Your author profile on Amazon says you work in the field of education. This means you have a full time, demanding job. I know first-hand because I’m a teacher! How did you manage to find time to write at the same time and what’s your writing routine?

Teaching is a demanding job and it’s been tough trying to fit it all in. When I get home from work, I generally take an hour or so to wind down, walk the dog, and get the dinner ready. Then I switch on the laptop and write for as long as I can. At the weekends, I do about six hours a day. In the holidays, it’s the same. I’m looking forward to giving up the full time job at Christmas, after which I’ll be taking five months off to finish the trilogy. After that, I’ll do a little supply to help pay the bills, but I’ll be able to focus a lot more on writing. I’m lucky. My family are very supportive.

What would you say to a reader to convince them to read your novel?

If you love a good story, then you won’t be disappointed! I’ve been told more than once that it’s a real page turner. Readers also tell me that they love the steamy sex scenes, and that they get thoroughly involved with the characters. It’s also pretty funny in places!

You don’t know me has romance and suspense, right to the end. You could have written a more traditional type of romance with a similar storyline, why did you decide to write an erotic instead of a more traditional type of romance?

I’m a big fan of erotic romance. I started off by reading the 50 Shades trilogy because all of my friends were reading it. I really didn’t think I’d enjoy it but I was hooked! I then went on to read other erotic romances. In particular, I loved Sylvia Day’s Crossfire series and I also lapped up the This Man trilogy by Jodi Ellen Malpas. I guess I just enjoy a good sex scene. On that level, it’s pure escapism. But the additional challenge with erotic romance is to weave the sex into the storyline so that it’s absolutely essential. I started You Don’t Know Me as an experiment to see if I could do it. Along the way, I think I finally found my genre!

Your novel has been compared to 50 Shades of Grey, I know you don’t mind this comparison, but in what ways would you say it’s similar and/or different to 50 Shades?

I’ve read quite a few erotic romances and there are similarities between all of them, the most obvious being the idea of the rich but damaged alpha male who’s unexpectedly brought to his knees by a woman. There’s nothing new in this. I think Charlotte Bronte might have got in there first with Jane Eyre, only without the sex! Having said that, I consciously worked to make my book different to 50 Shades. For example, my heroine isn’t an innocent ingénue. Maya’s a little older, definitely sexually experienced and she’s got demons of her own to deal with. She’s more than capable of giving Dan a run for his money, and while she’s willing to give him control in everything sexual, she won’t let him walk all over her outside of the bedroom. I wanted my male lead to be different too. Yes, he’s an alpha male with a shady past and kinky sexual preferences, but he wants to leave behind the hard core BDSM. Although it’s partly about the need for control, his interest in BDSM is more about escaping from who he really is. He doesn’t want that escape any more. As you get to know him, you also discover that he’s not a power-hungry control freak at all: there’s a much softer side trying to get out. And as I was creating my ideal man, he also needed a damn good sense of humour!

You say in your biography that you are in the shadows and prefer not to share an author picture due to your job. I presume that if your wrote a more mainstream type of fiction, you wouldn’t be in the shadows. Why do you think there’s a stigma in being an author of erotica?

If I weren’t a teacher, I’d be more than willing to share a picture! In fact, I’d love nothing more. Generally speaking, I don’t think that there is a stigma attached to writing erotica, not any more. In my case, it’s just that some parents might have an issue with their children being taught by someone who writes explicit sex scenes. And more than that, I’m pretty sure that if the students found out, some of them would end up reading it, and that could cause all sorts of difficult situations!

What are you writing at the moment and what are your plans for the future?

At the minute, I’m working on True Colours, the sequel to You Don’t Know Me. The second draft is done and I’m now editing and revising. It should be ready for publication just after Christmas. Then I’ll be finishing the trilogy. Before I wrote You Don’t Know Me, I wrote a comedy trilogy set in the world of education. An agent showed interest in it at one point, but couldn’t offer representation. I’m having that edited at the minute and I’ll be self-publishing it under another pen name in the New Year. But the plan is to continue with erotic romance. I have notebooks full of ideas for future stories!

How can readers find out more or contact you?
Twitter – @mandylee2015
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Mandy-Lee-424286884398779/?ref=hl
Website (including blog) – http://www.mandy-lee.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14125711.Mandy_Lee

Where can readers buy your book?
Amazon UK

Amazon US

#3linethursday: #Farewell

This poem was written in response to the Three Line Thursday photo prompt. Thirty words maximum, three lines.

Here’s my take:

Farewell

Day dawns onto my dying eyes. Farewell

Tears pour into the depth of divine despair. Love

Sinks with the last glimmer of the kiss of Death.

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Want to read some of the others or join in? Follow this link

I’ve made a daring and comparatively weak attempt to emulate the sound of Old English in my flash poem. The repetition of the ‘d’ and ‘k’ sound gives the flash poem force and unity. Curiously, few of the words in my poem have Latin origin. The acoustic power of Old Norse strikes through.

800px-Alfred_Tennyson. — **Older Tennyson**

You all know how the Victorians inspire me to the point of frenzy. Tennyson’s poems especially drive me almost into a trance. I’m not exaggerating if I say that after Shakespeare, he taught me, still teaches me, all I need to know about the power of words.

Tennyson recovered awareness of the strength of Old English, which had been softened by the influence of Latin, (mainly through the imposition of French after the Norman invasion of 1066), and reminded us of the power of alliteration (repetition of consonant sounds), and assonance (repetition of vowel sounds), kennings (Old English type of metaphor), imagery, and symbolism to shock our brains into understanding intangible, ethereal feelings.

I had always loved Tennyson’s poems, but it was not until I had the privilege of teaching Old English poetry at the University of Córdoba for a time, using mostly Tennyson’s translations into modern English, that I fully understood his masterful use of the English language.

He recovered Medieval tales in poems like the Lady of Shallot, and The Holy Grail. He also translated many Old English Poems into Modern English, leading to a renewed interest in the core of the English Language.

Tennyson reminded us of the power of our roots and the essence of the English Language.

This is one of his most well known short poems, and one of my favourites. You could call it a Flash Poem!

The Eagle

He clasps the crag with crooked hands;
Close to the sun in lonely lands,
Ring’d with the azure world, he stands.
The wrinkled sea beneath him crawls;
He watches from his mountain walls,
And like a thunderbolt he falls.

It’s a Riddle, a kenning, and it contains the dramatic use of assonance and alliteration, which is so representative of Old English / Anglo-Saxon poetry. 6 lines and 39 words were never so full of powerful language and literary history. I bow to My Master.

Hear Andrew Motion read some of his poems.

StatueOfTennyson — **Statue of Lord Tennyson in the chapel of Trinity College, Cambridge.**

Hugh’s Photo Challenge: Week 5 – Pairs

I took this photo last Sunday as I walked along the beachfront with my grandchildren.

Everyone enjoys the beach in spring or summer, when the weather’s warm, but the beach in Autumn and winter is majestic. the sea is more furious, the colours are bolder, and the promise of long lazy days is alluring. This pair of baby palm trees seem to be huddled together, keeping themselves warm and sheltered from the merciless colder seasons.

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The theme pairs, reminds me, once again, of another one of Emily Dickinson’s most famous poems about a ‘pair of nobodies’:

I’m nobody! Who are you?
Are you nobody, too?
Then there ‘s a pair of us — don’t tell!
They ‘d banish us, you know.

How dreary to be somebody!
How public, like a frog
To tell your name the livelong day
To an admiring bog!

Emily’s poems were published posthumously (except one or two published in literary magazines in her lifetime). She wished to remain unknown, probably even a recluse. Some modern researchers have even identified a degree of agoraphobia in her later years.

In this poem, Emily claims to be ‘nobody’ and asks the reader if he/she is nobody too, so writer and reader are united in their anonymity, which they must fight to preserve, because if they dare to become ‘public’ or well-known, they’d be like frogs living in bogs. Evidently, she thought very little of fame and fortune!

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Check out Hugh’s blog and some of the other pictures and reflections on pairs here

Carrot Ranch #FlashFiction Challenge November 3: Frozen

This post was written in response to Charli Mills Flash Fiction Challenge over at Carrot Ranch

November 3, 2015 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a frozen story. Is the weather the source of freezing or is a character frozen by emotion or lack of it? It can also be a moment frozen in time. What does it reveal? Respond by November 10, 2015 to be included in the weekly compilation. Rules are here. All writers are welcome!

Here’s my take on the prompt.

Unfrozen

Let me tell you why I know I’m making the right decision. I had steady job, a good husband, an oversized house, and a fast car. Everything I needed for an enviable life. Then I received a message from a secret admirer and replied. Soon I started longing for a more creative job, a more supportive husband, a smaller apartment, and a bike. I left my husband, sold my house, and cycle to the coffee shop every day to write my novel. I know I’m right because my inspiration flows. I hadn’t realised I was frozen until I melted.

****

The ‘secret’ is, of course, finding inspiration and creativity within yourself, and realising that your happiness doesn’t depend on anyone or anything else. It means finding and expressing your needs. There comes a time when you have to impose your rules and your needs, if you can.

Life-changing events are traumatic, and when you’ve got over the struggle, you look back and think, ‘Was that me? How did I ever cope?’ Then suddenly it all makes sense. The paralysis brought about by your blocked, or frozen, mind and body melts. One day, it just happens, and you know it’s over. You’ve won the battle you were waging with your own demons. You’ve melted into someone else, and you’re free!

Would you like to read some of the other entries? Here they are!

#Author Spotlight Helen Pollard & #BookReview of her Novel ‘Holding Back’ for #RBRT

I reviewed Holding Back as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team. I’d like to thank Rosie for organizing the Review Team and Helen for allowing me to read and review her novel.

My Review: An Enjoyable Holiday Romance

If you fancy a pleasant journey and holiday romance in sunny Portugal in summer, this is a novel for you.

Laura is a dedicated teacher who helps her best friend from college at her husband’s family’s delightful hotel, in exchange for a room and the run of the place for a few weeks of her summer holidays. Although she’s contented with her life, she has some unsolved personal issues which are obstructing her chances of happiness.

Daniel is an assertive and hard-working hospitality company manager who is tiring of travelling and avoiding his ex-girlfriend.

Daniel and Laura meet at the airport, and later at the hotel where he’s a guest.

They’re both afraid of emotional commitment, yet missing a more meaningful relationship, and although they meet at the right place and the right time, for a romantic interlude, they’re both reluctant to take their unexpected attraction any further than friendship. However the intervention of their family back home, months after the holiday will give them a second chance.

I read it in one enjoyable sitting. The main characters are authentic and likeable, the plot is plausible and unassuming. The setting is idyllic, small coastal towns in northern Portugal, and the happy ever after ending brings a tear of relief to the eye. What’s not to like about it?

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Let’s get to know Helen a little better:

What would you say to convince someone to read Holding Back?

If you like sunshine and an interesting location to go along with your romance, Holding Back is set in beautiful northern Portugal. I’ve had a lot of compliments about how well the setting is described, taking you on a ‘virtual’ trip there! In fact, it was the place itself that inspired the story. I’d visited that area of northern Portugal a couple of times a few years ago and those memories stayed with me until my imagination came up with the characters and story for Holding Back.

What are you working on now?

I’ve just finished a story set in the Loire region of France. It’s quite different from my previous two books, as it isn’t a straightforward romance. It’s contemporary women’s fiction with down-to-earth humour and just an element of romance. I hope to find a home for it soon!

What would you like readers to know about you?

When I’m writing, I work really hard on the characters and dialogue. You can have the fanciest plot in the world, but if your characters aren’t believable, the story just won’t work – especially in a romance. I don’t do a detailed outline at the start – I’ll have a basic premise in mind, and certain points or events that I definitely want to get to, but beyond that, I allow my characters to take me where they want to go. It’s more fun that way! I’m also a compulsive edit-and-polisher – I tweak and tweak until I feel my story is the best it can be.

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Thank you for visiting my blog and telling us more about yourself, your novel and your writing process. It was a pleasure to have you in my Spotlight.

Find out more or contact Helen:

Author links:

Website & Blog: http://helenpollardwrites.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://facebook.com/pages/Helen-Pollard/372986142839624

Twitter: http://twitter.com/helenpollard147

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/author/show/8647878.Helen_Pollard

Amazon: http://amazon.com/Helen-Pollard/e/B00O2E0BRC

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amazon.co.uk/dp/B00WRZ1PKA

Amazon US: http://amazon.com/dp/B00WRZ1PKA

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/holding-back-2

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/539037

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/holding-back-helen-pollard/1121818382?ean=2940151469210

#3linethursday: #Waiting For You

This post was written in response to this weeks’ Three Line Thursday prompt. Three lines, 30 words maximum.

Week-6-KM1 — **Thank you Kristen for the Photo Prompt**

Waiting For You

I watched you leave while showers of tears

Streamed down my face. ‘Come back, my love.’

I’ll wait here ’til the sun disappears.

That is the one I published on Three Line Thursday, but I toyed with sending this one:

I watched you leave while showers of tears
Streamed down my face. ‘Come back.’ I’ll wait here
Until the sun disappears.

Or this one:

I watched you leave while showers of tears
Streamed down my face. I’ll stay here
Until the sun dries my fears

Which one do you prefer and why?

Would you like to read some of the other entries or take part yourself? Follow this link 🙂

You all know Emily Dickinson’s short poems are favourites of mine. Well here’s one about waiting.

To wait an Hour—is long—
If Love be just beyond—
To wait Eternity—is short—
If Love reward the end—

We spend much of our lives waiting for something or someone: the kettle to boil, the children to come home, the bus to arrive, the computer to start-up, the play to start, holidays to start, the plane to leave, the message to arrive…

I agree with Emily Dickinson, waiting isn’t such a bad thing, if what you’re waiting for is worth the wait!

Since I have my kindle app on my phone, I quite look forward to waiting, actually. Don’t you?

Bu the way, I’m the ‘Proud Winner’ of last week’s edition. Click on the badge to read on Three Line Thursday Blog 🙂

Click here to read my winning entry on this blog!

#IWSG Book Signing: Lessons Learnt

This post was written in response to The Insecure Writers Support Group, which posts every first Wednesday of every month.

My First Book Signing Event: Lessons Learnt for #IWSG

Last month I wrote about the insecurity I felt regarding my first book signing event, and this month, I’d like to tell you about the lessons I’ve learnt and offer some advice and encouragement for other insecure writers.

My To Do List was laid out in last month’s post, and I followed it to the letter.

It took place in a local book shop in the centre of the town where I live (Córdoba, Spain), on Tuesday 27th of October at 8.30 in the evening. I chose this date because I wanted it to take place as near as possible to Halloween, as the novel is set on and around All Hallows. It is not a horror story, but there are enough gothic elements to warrant this date as significant for the context of the novel.

Ana and me — **Me with Ana, the owner of the book shop.**

It may seem late in the rest of the world, but in the south of Spain 8.30pm is still early. We left the book shop at 11.00pm! I’m sure the eight bottles of wine we consumed must have kept everyone engaged! There were about sixty people, although there was only a small group of eight wine-and-book-lovers at the end!

The book shop has a baby grand piano and one of my ex-students, who is a pianist played romantic music on the piano throughout the event, before and after my talk.

Piano and me — **Antonio playing the piano while I’m signing.**

I gave a short talk, under an hour, about Jane Eyre, Wide Sargasso Sea, and how they had inspired me to write my novel. I read a short extract, too, and I answered questions. Fortunately, some of the participants had already read the novel in kindle format, and they also took part in the discussion.

Lucy talking — **Luccia talking about her novel.**

Lucy and antonio reading — **Luccia and Antonio reading part of a conversation between Jane and Mason**

After that, I signed the copies of those who had bought the book, gave little merchandising presents you can see in the photo, while the piano played and wine was served. It was a wonderful moment. All the stress was over, and I could relax, listen to the music, and chat with my readers.

Most of those who came were Spanish. Almost all of them are able to read the book in English, although some of them were eager to have a Spanish translation. In fact, I had already toyed with the idea of translating it, but now I’m taking it very seriously. I’ve promised my Spanish friends that it will be published in Spanish next year, so I’m gradually doing so, with the help of a retired professor. It’s going to be a slow process, but it’s something I feel I have to do, as I live in Spain, and also there is a very large Spanish-speaking population who would be able to read my novel.

There was information in the local press, in a newspaper called El Cordoba. They were very interested. In fact they’ve also interviewed me and the interview will be published this week, so I’m very excited about that.

It was also advertised on Facebook by the book shop and on my author and personal page. I think it was very useful in getting the message to people I don’t normally see, although they live nearby.

Lots of people took photos, so there are plenty of them, as you have seen.

What I’ve learnt from this experience

I always knew I loved my readers, but meeting them and talking to them is unbelievably motivating. I’ve been in a whirlwind since it happened. I’m translating book one, preparing the paperback edition of book two, and writing book three. I’ve been interviewed for the local press, and I’m going to approach English press in Malaga (a nearby town, where there are many English and northern European residents). I’m also planning to do more book signings in other bookshops in other towns, and cities in Spain, and hopefully in the UK.

I really recommend giving a talk and answering questions.Working with book clubs seems a great option (I can’t do that because there are n English book clubs where I live).

It’s vital to cause a buzz before by advertising in as many virtual and real places you can think of.

I also think it’s a good idea to have promotional presents such as book marks, fridge magnets, etc. I feel I’m selling a product which goes beyond the reading experience, not only a novel. I love the idea of my novel on people’s fridge’s!

Promotional marketing — **Book marker, fridge magnet, purse mirror, and Chapter 1 in Spanish**

The most important part is meeting readers, getting your book into bookshops, and the promotional aspect.

I sold over 30 books, which I’m thrilled about, although I earned nothing! CreateSpace, transport, the bookshop, merchandising, and the wine, took it all and more! I suppose the next events will be smaller, but it’s all about getting the word out there…

I don’t think it matters if no money is earned, although this may not be the case for everyone. It’s more of a long-term investment and promotion. (I’m fortunate enough to have a day job, which takes care of my bills).

One thing I’ve learnt is that Independent authors need to think long-term. I’m sowing little seeds here and there which I don’t expect to reap at once. I published All Hallows at Eyre Hall in 2014, Twelfth Night at Eyre Hall in 2015, and I’m currently writing Midsummer at Eyre Hall. I’d say I need 4-5 years to make even a small name for myself. I’m in no hurry, so I’ll just keep on writing and promoting because I love it. I’m not feeling insecure this month for a change 🙂

Writing is like life, it’s a journey, not a destination.

Enjoy your journey!

Have a look at what some of the others are writing about!

The #RBRT Reviewer Profiles – Luccia Gray @LucciaGray

Source: The #RBRT Reviewer Profiles – Luccia Gray @LucciaGray

I’ve been Featured Reviewer today as part of Rosie’s Book Review Team. Thank you, Rosie for organizing such a great team, which I’m proud to be part of.

Hugh’s Photo Challenge: Week 4 – Isolated

This photo was taken on 12th October. There used to be splendid rose-bush in that spot, but it dried up, or so I thought, and it was cut down last summer. Twenty days ago, I noticed one solitary, brave rose had grown, and was defiantly facing the autumn wind and showers. I remember approaching this lonely and isolated flower, and noticing the smell was as intense as its crimson petals.

It’s not a beautiful photo, but it’s a beautiful flower.

This isolated and solitary rose is a symbol of resilience, intelligence, courage, and humility. These are the lessons the rose is teaching me.

Resilience. Hang on in there! Only those who abandon the game lose. Everyone who takes part gains from the experience. Losers are those who gave up. Life is a journey, not a destination. Make sure you stay on the train.

Intelligence. Don’t fight a battle you can’t win. Learn, like the rose to bend with the wind, there’s no use in resisting, it would only break the stem. Go with the flow, and accept that there will be good moments and more difficult ones. Adapt. Learn the lesson and move on. The wind will stop eventually.

Courage. Move out of your comfort zone. Follow your dreams and be brave enough to make the effort to grasp them. It’s easier to do what’s expected, to do what you’ve always done, but if you want to grow, you need to pursue your dreams.

Humility. Be humble enough to keep learning. However much you think you know, you can always learn more. However good you think you are, you can always be better.

This tiny rose is beautiful as well as strong, clever, brave, and humble.

Finally, the rose is also telling me that solitude and isolation need not be a disadvantage. I can do it on my own. Although, like the rose I’m never really alone. The rose has the earth, air, and rain, to nurture it. Although I sometimes feel isolated, I’m not alone, because we are all connected to the universe.

This rose reminds me of a dramatic short poem by Emily Dickinson (She was a Master at Flash Fiction! Her verses are short and powerful).

When Roses cease to bloom, Sir,
And Violets are done —
When Bumblebees in solemn flight
Have passed beyond the Sun —
The hand that paused to gather
Upon this Summer’s day
Will idle lie — in Auburn —
Then take my flowers — pray!

As I interpret this poem, Emily is telling us about the poems she wrote (The hand that paused to gather), which are her flowers (Roses and Violets), and asks Sir (the unknown person she loved), to take them (Take my flowers) once she has died (will idle lie).

My rose has, in fact, died now, but that’s the rose’s destiny, to be admired only for a short yet intense lifespan.

I know there will be more roses shortly, my rose-bush has definitely not dried up!

Check out Hugh’s blog and some of the other pictures and reflections here

#BookBlitz & #Giveaway Christmas Kisses Anthology for #LovingTheBook

Don’t you love films and books with cosy Christmas themes leading up to Christmastime?

This boxset includes an Anthology which has been put this together by five besteselling authors!

“Christmas Kisses is a collection from five bestselling and award-winning authors. Set in the snowy town of Echo Ridge in upstate New York, these inspirational romances are sure to delight while you sip cocoa by the fire and listen to Christmas carols.”

Let’s meet the five authors!

Rachelle J. Christensen is a mother of five who writes romance and mystery/suspense and solves the case of the missing shoe on a daily basis. She graduated cum laude from Utah State University with a degree in psychology and a minor in music. She enjoys singing and songwriting, playing the piano, running, motivational speaking, and, of course, reading.

Rachelle is the award-winning author of six books, including Wrong Number, Diamond Rings Are Deadly Things, and What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know, as well as the Rone Award-winning novella Silver Cascade Secrets. She and her family live on a farm in Idaho.

Visit www.rachellechristensen.com to learn more about upcoming books.

Social Media Links

Facebook Author Page http://www.facebook.com/rachellechristensenauthor
Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/rachellewrites
Blog http://rachellewrites.blogspot.com/
Author Website http://rachellechristensen.com/
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3327139.Rachelle_J_Christensen
Amazon Author Page for Rachelle: http://www.amazon.com/Rachelle-J.-Christensen/e/B002UO5H48/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1427567936&sr=1-2
Author News signup: http://eepurl.com/eFD3o

Connie Sokol is a mother of seven, and a favorite local and national speaker for over fifteen years. She is a TV core contributor “Studio 5 with Brooke Walker” and a national blogger for http://www.ksl.com. She is one of seven female hosts of The Living Room, an online value-based radio show where they dish on life, loving, and learning (www.fromthelivingroom.com). Mrs. Sokol is a bestselling author who has written 14 books, including her fiction: Christmas Kisses: An Echo Ridge Anthology, and Caribbean Crossroads; and her nonfiction: What Every 6th Grader Needs to Know, Faithful, Fit & Fabulous, Simplify & Savor the Season, Create a Powerful Life Plan, and 40 Days with the Savior. Mrs. Sokol marinates in time spent with her family and eating decadent treats. For her TV segments, blog, podcasts and more, visit http://www.conniesokol.com.

Social media links:

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Lucy McConnell has always been a reader and a writer. Once caught up in a story, she disappears into a cave until the first draft is done. She writes fantasy, clean romance, Christian romance, historical fiction, and cookbooks (under the name Christina Dymock.) Her Christmas romance, Blue Christmas, was a top seller in seven Amazon categories on its own and in thirteen as part of the Christmas in Snow Valley Anthology.
When she’s not writing, you can find her volunteering at the elementary school or church; shuttling kids to baseball, soccer, basketball, or football, depending on the time of year; skiing with her family; wakeboarding; cycling; baking; cooking; or curled up with a good book.

Social Media Links:

https://lucymcconnell.wordpress.com/
You can sign up for her newsletter and get the latest news here: http://wordpress.us8.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=bdba9ddb2c66cd77463f64638&id=9c679d9a1a

HEATHER TULLIS has been reading romance for as long as she can remember and has been publishing in the genre since 2009. She has published more than twenty books. When she’s not dreaming up new stories to write, or helping out with her community garden, she enjoys playing with her dogs and cat, inventing new ways to eat chocolate, and hanging out with her husband.

Social Media Links:

http://heathertullis.com/
http://www.facebook.com/HeatherTullisBooks

Random facts about Heather:

-I like to bake and make up recipes.

-I am an EMT-A and worked on a volunteer ambulance service for five years.

-At one time, I owned over 150 chickens, ducks, geese, guineas, and other assorted fowl.

-All four of my current pets are named after sweet foods.

-I once laid 1800 square foot of tile flooring in a building we owned.

Cami Checketts is an idealist who dreams of helping children around the world but can’t keep up with the four in her own home. Cami lives in a beautiful valley in Northern Utah where she enjoys running, biking, and swimming during the two months of the year it isn’t snowing. A portion of the proceeds from Cami’s books will be donated to The Child & Family Support Center. For more information on this worthy cause, please go to http://www.cachecfsc.org
http://www.camichecketts.com

Social Media Links:

https://www.facebook.com/CamiCheckettsAuthor

Tweets by camichecketts

Pick up your copy of Christmas Kisses here today!

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-kisses-rachelle-christensen/1122555350?ean=2940152319323

http://amzn.to/1O68tep

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/570310

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26164288-christmas-kisses

https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/christmas-kisses-an-echo-ridge-anthology

https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/christmas-kisses-echo-ridge/id1034227122?mt=11

http://www.nook.com/gb/ebooks/christmas-kisses-an-echo-ridge-anthology-echo-ridge-romance-1-by-rachelle-christensen/2940152291759

Let’s get a sneak peek into one of these great stories!

Snippet from One Winter Night:

Jonah stared at the invoice and wondered where he was going to come up with the money. Was there any prayer that he would make enough in the opening two weeks of the gallery to actually pay the incoming bills? Never mind the artists’ commission on top of the expenses. His friends were putting a lot of trust in him and he didn’t want to let them, or himself, down. He didn’t know how to do anything but draw and paint—or at least that’s what he’d believed. When he lost that, he’d realized he had learned a few things at his college job, and there was this option.

If he hadn’t made so many contacts and so many friends, the gallery wouldn’t have been an option. Only now he had to make good on his promises, and with a little over a week until the gallery opened, he wasn’t sure that was possible. If sheer desire could make it happen, he would have no need to worry, but that wasn’t enough, and the prep on the building still wasn’t done. He just hoped the advertising and word of mouth he’d been working on would bring people in—no matter what condition the building was in on opening day.

He filed the invoice to deal with after he’d made a deposit or two then walked back out to the showroom. The work to restore the space had finished only a week earlier, and he’d been busy framing pictures and uncrating items since. It was going slower than he had expected. Then again, maybe that had something to do with Sam—his nineteen-year-old employee, who apparently seemed to think the start time for work was flexible.

Jonah sighed and checked his watch again. He only trusted the kid to work for a couple more days, and then he’d have to let him go. Sam wasn’t a terrible employee, but he wasn’t exactly stellar, either, and he wasn’t someone Jonah trusted to handle some of the more valuable pieces—especially after some of the less graceful moves the kid had made: knocking over displays, dropping one canvas, and breaking one side support, making Jonah re-stretch it. Jonah got back to work on a frame for one of his own paintings, one he’d done a couple of years earlier. It had been far too long since he’d put paint to canvas. Or maybe it had just been too long since he’d been able to do anything that wasn’t plain mediocre. He ached for the way painting used to make him feel.

He looked at the painting of a mother and child playing in the park and remembered the way he’d planned the longer sweeping strokes, the care he’d used to select the perfect shades of color and the way instinct, coupled with years of practice had guided his hand. This piece had gotten attention at the previous gallery where it had been placed, but it was one of three pieces that hadn’t sold during the consignment period, and when Jonah had been unable to produce anything else, the gallery owner had offered to let him take them back. Now he wasn’t sure if it was more painful to see it as a reminder of what he’d lost, or more hopeful as a reminder that he might, someday, have it again.

He was almost loathe to sell the three final paintings, though he desperately needed the money.
Like painting, framing was both art and science, and took his concentrated effort. Thankfully, it didn’t seem to need as much of the muse as painting had, though he could become just as engrossed. Another thirty minutes passed before Jonah thought about Sam again, then, irritated, he picked up his phone to call the kid.

Sam answered the phone, his words tripping over themselves. “Oh, Jonah, I’m so sorry. I should have called, I just wasn’t thinking.”

“You weren’t thinking that you were nearly an hour late for work?” Jonah knew he wasn’t succeeding very well at keeping the irritation from his voice.

“I was in an accident on the way there.” His voice held a slightly shaky quality. “I didn’t think to call you. I’m so sorry. It’s been crazy.”

Jonah set down the stack of matting samples, focusing closer on the conversation. “What happened, are you okay?”

“I broke my leg. The x-rays just came back. The doc says it’s going to be a couple of weeks before I’m up and around. Even then I’ll probably have crutches. I still have to get my cast. I’m sorry I won’t be able to help you out any more.”

Jonah felt bad for his earlier irritation. “Oh, man, that’s terrible. Do you have someone there for you?” Not that he could afford to lose even a little more work time if Sam was already out of the picture, but no one deserved to sit at the hospital by themselves.

“My sister is coming from Albany to pick me up. I’ll visit her for a while. My car is totaled. Not sure how I’ll get around. Idiot driver hit me at the intersection.”

“Don’t worry about work. I’m sorry this happened to you. Take care of yourself.” Jonah wished him well and ended the call. He did feel bad for Sam, but dang it, he didn’t know what he was going to do without the help. Sam was only hired on a temporary basis, but Jonah went from somewhat overwhelmed to super stressed in a heartbeat. “Eighteen-hour days, here I come.”

He remembered his grandma was expecting a visit in a little while and decided to put it off today. She would understand if he had to change his visiting schedule to every-other day until the gallery was up and running. The thought made him feel bad, but he didn’t have much choice at this point. He picked up the phone to call her.

****

Follow along on the Facebook event page to get an inside look at all the stories in this Anthology. https://www.facebook.com/events/1635964546657800/

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