I am thrilled to be joining in with Jackie Ladbury’s The Magic of Stars blog tour today 🙂

(Many thanks to Rachel.)

Extract…..

‘So, you put the bandage under your arm, the point to your elbow, like so?’ He slid the bandage under her elbow before looking at her for reassurance.

‘Yes.’ The word came out breathily and she cursed and straightened her spine, determined to get through this ordeal without giving anything away.

He elevated her arm. His touch, soft and warm, was unnerving, his fingertips a silken caress on her skin. She tried to speak, but her voice caught in her throat and it came out like a whimper.

‘Did I hurt you?’

‘No.’ She coughed to mask the audible moan. ‘I’m just reminding you that I have a broken arm.’

‘I’ll be gentle,’ he whispered, a hint of a smile crossing his face. ‘So, the next move is to secure the bandage with a knot by the collarbone, yes?’ His breath was warm, close to her ear, his all-too-familiar scent intoxicating, his voice soft and low. ‘Just so?’

She shivered as he lifted her hair gently from her neck and whispered, ‘Bei capelli.’

She understood a smattering of Italian and blinked. I have beautiful hair? Her senses heightened to full alert as he blew a loose strand away from her neck. A Sirocco wind blasting hot, dry sand would have been easier to bear – and if she had been the sort of girl to swoon, she would be flat out.

He ran his finger down the side of her neck, stopping in a natural hollow where her shoulder sloped. His thumb skimmed across the clavicle, setting her senses on red alert. Surely he knew what he was doing to her?

‘And you tie a knot … just here,’ he crooned, his breath tickling her ear, the mundane words sounding like a declaration of love.

‘Yes, very good,’ she managed, her voice strangling in her throat.

His lips twisted with concentration as he examined the sling, tested the strength of the knot. His fingers brushed hers as he slid his hand down the length of the triangular bandage to where her fingers peeped out.

Sapphire’s nerve endings tingled all the way up her arm and she stiffened, not wanting Marco to see how his touch unnerved her. Their eyes met briefly and she stepped backwards in shock, thinking she saw tenderness in his eyes.

As if on cue, he blinked and his expression once again became unfathomable, his eyes the usual flinty grey. ‘All done,’ he said, smiling firmly and then murmured something else in Italian that she didn’t understand.

His every move seemed to be larger than life to Sapphire and she was glad that he was no longer in her immediate space. She breathed freely, relieved, although her chest felt constricted – as if her lungs were full of concrete rather than air.

Marco casually rested his hip against the desk, his arms once again folded as he surveyed his handiwork. ‘How does it feel?’

‘Sorry?’ Why was he asking that? ‘Feel?’

‘The arm. Now I have made it secure?’

‘Oh. Fine. Lovely.’ She flapped her arm in its bandage. He was joking, right? ‘Never felt better.’ She waggled her fingers in the sling as Marco studied her, his head tilted to one side.

She blew upwards, trying to cool her cheeks down with her breath as heat washed over her. Lurching forwards on her decidedly weak legs, she turned back to face the class. ‘I think we all know how to administer bandages now, but there is one last thing to remember. Can anyone tell me what that is?’

Finbar’s hand shot up and his suggestion rang out loud and clear. ‘Is it kissing it better, miss?’ There was no mistaking his insinuation, and Sapphire, who was holding on by a thread, felt her body temperature hit meltdown.

She swallowed hard, trying to regain her equilibrium. ‘No, Fin, that isn’t the answer I wanted, although a bit of TLC never hurt anyone. You need to check that the fingertips don’t turn blue.’ She held her own burning fingers up to emphasise the point, half expecting sparks to fly out of them. ‘If they do, you’ve tied the bandage too tight.’ Her heart was thumping erratically as she glanced over at Marco. If this carried on, she would be the one needing defibrillation.

‘We’ll have a break now and then we’ll split into two groups. One can work on Resusci Annie while the other practises splints and burns.’ She gripped the edge of the table, trying to look nonchalant, but her mind was racing as quickly as her heart. Had she really fallen for that man’s sex appeal?

A few minutes later she watched Marco as he tried to breathe life into Resusci Annie, his lips pressed firmly over Annie’s rubber ones. For one second she imagined those lips were hers – but she cast aside the image quickly. Marco gently put his hands over Annie’s breastbone to practise heart compressions and she noticed her own breasts felt oddly tingly under her shirt. She was just too hot, that was all; it meant nothing.

The Magic of Stars

Sapphire Montrose always felt like a loser in the struggle of life, but when she becomes the airline manager of a run-down airline she starts to believe she is a winner – until she unwittingly propositions her new boss and all her hard work is undone. In a moment of recklessness air stewardess, Sapphire Montrose throws caution and her dress to the wind by propositioning a handsome stranger in a hotel in Florence, only to find herself waking up alone and embarrassed in her hotel room.

Unfortunately for Sapphire, it turns out that her new boss, Marco Cavarelli, is the man she failed to seduce and she is now fighting for her job and her self-respect when he tells her there is no place in his revamped airline for an alcoholic woman with lascivious tendencies. To make matters worse she is increasingly attracted to him and he seems to be giving out the same vibes. Or is he simply testing her? One wrong move could be the end of her career. But what if he really is offering love – and is he worth the risk?

Purchase from Amazon UK –

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magic-Stars-feel-good-heavenly-romance-ebook/dp/B078BF91XS

About Jackie Ladbury…..

Jackie Ladbury was desperate to become a journalist when she left school but was ousted within minutes on the day of the exam at her local rag because she’d forgotten to bring a pen.

Short and sharp lesson learned.

Her budding writing career was not on hold for long, though, as Jackie found herself scribbling love stories of pilots and ‘hosties’ while she flew in aeroplanes of various shapes and sizes as a flight attendant herself.

Fast forward a good few years and, after being short-listed in a couple of prestigious romantic writing competitions, Jackie decided it was time to discard her stilettos, say goodbye to the skies and concentrate on writing romantic novels, where the only given is a guaranteed ‘happy ever after.’

Social Media Links –

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/jackie.ladbury

Website – https://jackieladbury.com/

The Write Romantics – https://thewriteromantics.com/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/JackieLadbury

Make sure you follow the rest of the blog tour…..

Enjoy!

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Philip Brady to Chat About Books 🙂

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

Thank you Kerry for the opportunity to appear on you blog. I’m Philip Brady I live in London with my wonderful wife and two children and I write comedy thriller novels parodying society’s obsession with fame and celebrities. The Meal of Fortune, is the first novel I have had published and the third I have written. I’d describe it as a comedy caper where the worlds or arms dealing, espionage and TV cookery collide head on. My first two novels are likely to remain in a dark drawer with a wet flannel over them to stop them getting too excited at the prospect of seeing the light of day now that I have finally been published. They won’t! I am currently working on the follow-up to The Meal of Fortune, which will be titled Tinker Tailor Solider Chef.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I kind of just make them up. Ideas have never been a problem, it’s getting them into some order and onto the page in a way that people will want to read that is more of a struggle. Despite being laced with spies, gangsters and other nefarious types my books are really about society’s ridiculous obsession with celebrities and fame. I’ve worked with celebs and quite a few more so called celebs in my day job so I guess this was the inspiration. Because the books are meant to be funny the ideas can be a bit more out there. I think readers will suspend disbelief a little more if they’re laughing.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

Sadly I don’t know any spies. (If I do they haven’t told me – but I guess that’s kind of the point) and thankfully I don’t know any gangsters or arms dealers; although the above may also apply. The very worst characteristics of some of my ‘celebrity’ characters probably come from my brushes with real life D-listers but no individual springs to mind, or at least not one that I am naming.

How do you pick your characters names?

There isn’t really any rhyme or reason to it. For some reason I appear to be drawn to names with a two syllable first name and one syllable for the second. They just seem that bit more memorable. The publication of The Meal of Fortune was crowdfunded with Unbound. As part of the crowdfunding I offered the chance to name one of the characters – a downright unpleasant celebrity chef. He was originally called Richie Murray and for reasons only known to themselves the person decided to call him Marcus Diesel. I struggled with that for a bit until I realised it was exactly the sort of stage name the chef character would have made up for himself and managed to make a gag out of it in the book.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

Psyche myself up, sit down and get on with it. Like many other writers I find it hard to get going, but once I’ve started I can be at it for hours and the time just flies. I tend not to set word limits per day. I am really bad at letting myself get distracted, nothing is more daunting than starting a new chapter and its surprising how suddenly minor things, like finding someone to fix the shower curtain that has been broken for months suddenly take on huge importance. In fact I am writing this now instead of dealing with a tricky piece of four way dialogue in my latest book Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Chef.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

A mixture of crime, spy novels and comedy.

Colin Bateman – hilarious and well plotted, particularly the Dan Starkey books. Reading Divorcing Jack was the initial inspiration to write comedy thrillers.

Christopher Brookmyre – ditto, although his more serious recent books are just as good.

Kingley and Martin Amis (sorry that’s two for the price of one). Kingsley mainly for Lucky Jim (three laugh out loud moments on first couple of pages) and Martin for is often overlooked first novel,The Rachel Papers, although I enjoyed London Fields too.

Lately I’ve read all of Mick Herron’s books. His Slough House series, spy novels with a comic tone and twist, are exactly what I aspire to write.

And then it is a toss-up. Ian Rankin because, well who doesn’t love Rebus? And Evelyn Waugh, just because (but specifically for Brideshead Revisited).

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

Given the advent of social media and the increased opportunities it gives to interact with authors it’s got to be one who is no longer with us. So probably Evelyn Waugh. I’d have so many questions it’s impossible to pick one.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, I always had a book on the go. It was reading the Lord of The Rings at about eight years old that made me want to become a writer. Back then the dream was to create whole knew fantasy worlds but as George RR Martin seems to have cornered that market I moved on to other things. I am really pleased that both my children are avid readers.

When did you start to write?

Not in earnest until I was about 26. Up until then I think I saw myself as some sort of writer in waiting; gaining the life experiences I needed to burst onto the scene fully formed and take the literary world by storm. What an idiot. Either that or it was just years’ worth of the ultimate distraction technique. I finally bought myself an old computer and got on with it.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

I like a book that leaves the reader guessing just a bit. The excellent 1974 by David Peace does this in spades, so I certainly wouldn’t change that. The fate of the book’s main character is hinted at but never revealed in any of the three follow-ups. More books should be like that but I wouldn’t presume to change another writer’s work.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

Bit leftfield this one; The Thought Gang by Tibor Fischer. He only fails to make me top five fav authors because of his limited amount of books. The Thought Gang is simply hilarious but deals with the issue of loss too. A washed up Cambridge philosophy lecturer goes on a fine dining and bank robbing spree in southern France with a one armed criminal and their pet rat.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

I’d like to say it would be Fast Women and Slow Horses but that might make my life sound a little racier than it’s actually been. I think I’ll stick to the fiction; making stuff up is so much easier than baring your soul.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Jim Dixon from Lucky Jim. He found the world around him ridiculous and confusing in equal measure. I’d take him to any modern coffee chain. It would be fun to see what he made of it.

What are you working on right now?

Tinker, Tailor Solider Chef. It is the follow up to The Meal of Fortune and revolves around a plan by the world’s most secretive intelligence agency to bring the UK economy to its knees by destroying the multi-billion pound entertainment business. This will be followed by an as yet unnamed finale to the trilogy which sees a US tech giant attempt to buy Wales for use as a conveniently located tax haven. It will be loosely based on the 1980s film Local Hero in which an American oil giant tries to buy a Scottish village to build a new refinery but I only realised this after I had thought up the idea.

Do you have a new release due?

I am hoping that Tinker Tailor Solider Spy will come out some time in 2018 but realistically it is likely to by 2019.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

I’ve only had one so far. As I had crowded funded the publication we had a big party to thank all of the contributors. Not sure what I’ll do next time. Maybe a quiet cup of tea and get on with the next one.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Website: philipbradybooks.com

Twitter: @philbradyuk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/philip.brady.946

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

The Meal of Fortune is available from Amazon in paperback and eBook. CLICK

As a first time writer I am really eager to hear what people think so if you do read it please post a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Philip 🙂

About The Book

The worlds of arms dealing, espionage and TV cookery collide in this fast moving comedy caper.

Failing celebrity agent Dermot Jack thinks his luck might have turned when a mysterious Russian oligarch comes to London and hires him to represent his pop star daughter.

Disaffected MI5 officer Anna Preston is just as happy to be handed the chance to resurrect her own career. Little do they know that their paths are about to cross again after seventeen years as they’re thrown together in a desperate attempt to lure a notorious arms dealer into a highly unusual trap.

Hard enough without having to deal with the lecherous celebrity chef trying to save his daytime TV career or the diminutive mafia enforcer who definitely has his own agenda. Then there’s the very impatient loan shark who ‘just wants his money back’.

And Anna’s bosses are hardly playing it straight either. But one thing’s for sure. Anna and Dermot are absolutely not about to fall in love again. That’s never going to happen, OK?

About The Author

The Meal of Fortune is Phil’s first published novel. It is the start of a planned trilogy of comedy thrillers parodying society’s obsession with celebrity.

Phil’s main rule in life is to never let tomato ketchup touch any food that is green. He is yet to work out any deep meaning behind this and suspects it is not the soundest of principles by which to live your life. But it’s better than quite a few he’s come across down the years. Best not to get started on that one though.

Phil lives in London with his wife and two children. He studied modern history at The University of Leeds, works in marketing as a day job and didn’t vote for BREXIT.

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Richie Billing to Chat About Books 🙂 

Having lost my lovely Grandad Adams to dementia last February, this charity is one I am more than happy to help promote.

I’d like to thank Kerry for letting me loose today. She very kindly offered to help me raise awareness for a fundraising campaign I’m currently running. Thank you, Kerry! Heaven awaits you at the end, I’m sure.

You’re very welcome, Richie. I have already downloaded a copy and I hope everyone reading this post will download a copy to. I wish you every success with your fundraising.

What’s the campaign? A few months ago my friend and I released a couple of short stories to raise money for my grandmother’s care home, Ranelagh House

When I gave up my job as a lawyer one of the reasons was to use my time to give something back. I began to volunteer at Ranelagh House, and after chatting to a few of the residents—Doreen, Albert Sheila, Edna, Eileen and my grandmother Joan too—I learned that in their younger years they went to the cinema three, four, even five times a week. Cinema played a massive part in their lives growing up. So I decided to begin a film club, and since November 2016 every Monday afternoon we sit down with popcorn and ice cream and watch a classic.

Not long ago I learned of dementia-friendly screenings at a fantastic local community cinema named ‘The Plaza‘. The perfect day out! But my hopes were dashed. Not enough money in the budget. In fact no money at all in the budget. Why? The Tory government took it all away.

I’m delighted to say that in December we managed to raise enough to take the residents out on that elusive day out! It was a wonderful day. We watched White Christmas. They sang along with a cup of tea in hand and mince pie crumbs all down their fronts. (This sounds so lovely!) The fundraising continues, though. I’d love to take them all out again, and you can help!

For just £3.00 you can buy The General & The Visitor on Amazon today. All proceeds go to Ranelagh House and enriching the lives of the people who live there.

Here is the link:

Thank you for reading. Have a great day!

Interview with Richie Billing…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

My name is Richie Billing, a name of subtle misfortune (my middle name is Edward, meaning my name is also Dick Ed). I’m from a place called Liverpool, known the world over thanks to The Beatles.

Last year I had the pleasure of collaborating with two very good friends of mine, Mark Brooks and Mark Vernall. Together we released The General & The Visitor to raise much-needed funds for my grandmother’s care home, Ranelagh House.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

The General is the first ever story I’ve written. In its original form, it was a horrific thing. Over 10,000 words long, riddled with more contradictions and errors than a street cat is with fleas. After eighteen months of studying the craft and editing the shit out of it, I reached a point where I felt happy with it. And it was around the time I was thinking of ways to raise some money for Ranelagh House. Convenient. The two Mark’s kindly agreed to help, and the rest is history.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

I think when creating any character we extract a slither of ourselves and place it inside them. One particular trait that we possess. Perhaps one we hide or temper. I like to base characters on people I know or meet too, though not in this particular story.

How do you pick your characters names?

With writing fantasy, it’s sort of expected that names will be different. Nigel the warlock doesn’t have a very good ring to it. I see a lot of difficult-to-read names in this genre. Random apostrophes thrown in the middle and what not. I’m not a fan of that. Instead, I like to keep it relatively simple. I pick a name I’m familiar with and play about with it, inserting letters, taking them away, playing around with the order. As an example, I’m writing a short story at the moment featuring a character called Jhoshan, which came from the name Josh.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I’ve recently had to alter my process because it was a bit slow. I always wrote a first draft by hand, then typed that up, re-read and edited it, printed it out, edited again, then back to the computer and so on. Now I just type things; it’s way faster, though I still brainstorm on paper. I love filling blank pages with a black pen.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

George R.R. Martin. This man, together with the chap immediately below, inspired me to write.

Raymond E. Feist. I’ve never devoured so many books so quickly. Twenty-seven in all in a matter of months. Like G.R.R.M, for me, a master storyteller.

James Joyce. This chap is another master. The Dubliners is one of my favourite books. And being part Irish it was only right I included an Irishman.

Brandon Sanderson. I owe a lot to Brandon Sanderson and the college lectures he made available on Youtube. They’ve helped give me a solid footing in this sometimes mind-boggling world of writing.

Ian Rankin. I’ve always enjoyed reading crime thrillers. I owe the person who recommended Ian Rankin to me a massive debt. I’ve learned so much from his craft. Sub-plots, suspense, plot twists—this guy’s another master.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

George R.R. Martin, I’d say. So I can probe him for Game of Thrones-related secrets.

Were you a big reader as a child?

I devoured books by the dozen. When school reached its business end I stopped, academia shouldering its way into my focus. When I left university I began again and rekindled my childhood love.

When did you start to write?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I suppose, weirdly enough, I began to fall in love while essays in university. I’d seek out subjects that were purely essay based. I found them easier and I was better at them. Play to your strengths, I say. While the content wasn’t very sexy, (law is a mundane field), I enjoyed the challenge of putting together a literary jigsaw.

When I left university I began to miss the process, so I began to write comedy with a good friend of mine, Ant Campbell, now a successful comedian. That never quite satisfied me either. That hole wasn’t filled until I got an idea for a story about two and a half years ago, which led to my current work in progress.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

This is a tough question. I can’t think of any endings that have particularly rankled. Maybe Frodo and Sam dying at the end of Lord of the Rings? I’m a grim bastard, I know.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

A Song of Ice and Fire. It’s everything I dream of in a fantasy series. Book two of A Storm of Swords is pure mastery. I picked it up one night when I was struggling to sleep, must have been around 12:30 am. The next time I looked at the clock it was 7 am.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

One For Sorrow, or something a bit less depressed-sounding. I have an affinity to magpies I can’t quite explain.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Tyrion Lannister. For me, he’s a perfect character. Flawed, conflicted, interesting, and forever the underdog, and I’m a sucker for an underdog. I think he may demand wine, though.

What are you working on right now?

At the moment I’m beginning the arduous task of editing a forty-seven chapter novel. I’m aiming to have it done in six months or so. That’s what I tell myself, anyway.

Tell us about your last release?

My last release was a flash fiction story called Ducks. All of my short stories are set in the world of my work in progress, looking at the lives and stories of peripheral characters who feature in it. Ducks tells the story of a young River Folk girl named Inia. After following some ducks downriver she finds herself running into the last people she expected to see.

Do you have a new release due?

Not as of yet, though I have a few short stories out in circulation amongst publishers so watch this space.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Have a day off! Do all of the things I enjoy doing to unwind: drink, smoke, and play video games.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

You can find my corner of the web here: www.richiebilling.wordpress.com. I’m an active blogger. Tuesdays I dedicate to sharing writing tips and techniques I’ve picked up while studying the craft. Thursdays I share some of the best articles I’ve come across from fellow bloggers and writers. And Fridays I dedicate to all things fantasy. You can find me Facebook and Twitter as well. I have a few resources for writers on there too and links to a few published stories.

All proceeds are donated to Ranelagh House Care Home, a charity based in Liverpool, UK.

The General follows the tale of a military leader ordered by his king to destroy a little-known place in a land thought to be uninhabited. What he discovers throws everything he knows into question.

The Visitor tells the story of a young man, Mike, whose grandfather is on his deathbed. The events of his grandfather’s final day forces Mike to choose how he will live the rest of his life.

Richie Billing and Mark Brooks are both Liverpool-based writers. Richie has keen interests in the genre of fantasy, with several publsihed short stories to date and a novel due in 2018. His favourite writers are Raymond E. Feist and George R.R. Martin. You can find out more at his website. Mark’s interests lie in existentialism and magical realism, his favourite writer’s being Ernest Hemingway and James Salter.

Enjoy!

My review…..

WOW! L J Ross has done it again! This is another gripping read in this awesome series. I know I’ve said it before, but honestly this series just gets better and better. I think it’s partly due to getting to know some of the characters more and more as the series progresses, making each book almost feel like catching up with old friends.

High Force picks up where Angel (book 4) left off. There was no way I could not read this book immediately after finishing Angel and, OH. MY. GOODNESS, what a start to a book. Needless to say I was totally hooked from the very first page.

The Hacker has escaped from prison and has kidnapped one of DCI Ryan’s best detectives. She isn’t his typical type, but he is determined to seek revenge on Ryan for putting him away and plans to hit him where he knows it will hurt most. He is free and whilst he plays his games with DCI Ryan, biding his time, he finds himself bored and looking for someone to satisfy his needs. Now, more than ever, the team need to find him and put him back behind bars before he can destroy any more lives.

High Force was particularly terrifying for me, having a sixteen year old daughter. It doesn’t even bare thinking about. I could feel the raw emotion of the team when a young victim is found. I know this is fiction, but I take my hat off to anyone who has to deal with these kind of things as part of their job. I know murder isn’t pretty, but this one is particularly horrific and absolutely heartbreaking.

Brilliantly written, as is the whole series so far. It’s everything you could want in a murder mystery. LOVED it!

Make sure you read them all, if you haven’t already. I highly recommend! I will now be starting Book 6!

Previous posts featuring L J Ross and her books…..

Holy Island (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 1) by @LJRoss_author #Review

Sycamore Gap by L J Ross @LJRoss_author #BookReview #DCIRyanMysteries

My 5 🌟 reads of #2017 📚📚📚

Heavenfield by L J Ross @LJRoss_author #BookReview #DCIRyanMysteries

Angel by L J Ross @LJRoss_author #BookReview #DCIRyan #Book4 

Purchase links are included in each review post!

Get clicking & enjoy!

Interview with Cheryl Elaine…..

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I’m a mother of three, with a passion for crime and horror books, the darker the better. My novel No Ordinary Girl is a graphic fast paced story with a dark twist.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

It just happened.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

All the characters are fictional with the exception of Lola, my little dog whom in my novel likes to munch on inappropriate body parts.

How do you pick your characters names?

I visualise the story and the characters in my head, and I guess with that I put a name to the face.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

Unorganised if that helps, ha-ha. I write and edit until I am happy with the finished product, and then wait for my editor to get back to me.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

James Herbert, Stephen King, James Patterson, Richard Laymon and Lee child.

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask?

Stephen King and I would ask that once he has retired, would he lend me his mind.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, I remember being in bed with a torch under the blankets reading my mother’s hand me downs.

When did you start to write?

I’ve always been a writer, since my first instalment in a diary many years ago.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

Instead of The End, to be continued, ha-ha

Is there a book you wish you had written?

James Herbert – The Magic Cottage

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

Confessions of the unpredictable.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Hannibal Lecter probably to my mother in laws, shush don’t tell her.

What are you working on right now?

A new crime thriller with a dark twist.

Do you have a new release due?

Hopefully march 2018

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Party with my mates and after a few vodka & cokes, dance on the tables.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Website www.cherylelaine.co.uk facebook , twitter @CherylElaine15 instagram cherylelaine15

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

You can purchase my novel on amazon. Thank you for your questions, it’s been great!

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Cheryl 🙂

No Ordinary Girl

What started out as a night of celebration for Aimee soon turned into a nightmare. Snatched by cruel, sadistic monsters – the worst creatures mankind has ever produced – she’s thrown into a metal container, among other victims too frightened to make a single sound.

The game-keepers force everyone to play. They deliver torment and pain in equal measure. Every hunter has their own agenda and reasons to maim and torture.

Detective Johnson is one step away from catching the killers. Wrestling with his instincts as a father to serve justice his own way, this is no ordinary case for him. Can he stop the vile sadists before they damage more young girls, as well as his own daughter?

Aimee’s ordeal within the compound brings her to the conclusion that she’s no ordinary girl. But can she hang onto her sanity long enough to escape? And will she find a different way to play?

This crime thriller will keep you riveted. It’s no ordinary story.

Please note: contains graphic content.

Purchase from Amazon –

http://amzn.to/2sjxG2k

Author bio

Cheryl Elaine was born in Germany but moved to Northern Ireland as a young child. She then moved to Yorkshire where she spent most of her childhood and this is where she currently resides with her husband and 3 daughters.

Cheryl Elaine is an avid reader and enjoys watching horror movies – the more gruesome the better! She enjoys travelling and socialising but also loves spending time at home with her family and her ever expanding menagerie which currently includes 2 dogs, a budgie, 2 fish and a rat called Rocky!

Website – http://www.cherylelaine.co.uk

Twitter – @CherylElaine15

Insta – cherylelaine15

Giveaway –

Win 1 of 3 x Signed copies of No Ordinary Girl (Open Internationally)

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Hi everyone! I’m thrilled to be here on Chat About Books to celebrate the release of my latest novel A Warriner to Tempt Her. Like all my books, it can be read as a standalone, although this is also the third book in my Wild Warriners series following the individual stories of the four Warriner brothers. They have been huge fun to write as each brother is so very different, just like the heroines I pared them with. This book follows Joseph Warriner, the swoon-worthy doctor with a heart of pure gold who cannot stop helping people. The story starts with Joe suffering from a bad case of unrequited love…

Dr Joseph Warriner sat down behind his desk with an air of resignation. Despite today’s genuine attempt at resolve he realised such efforts were ultimately futile. His situation was pathetic. Worse—he was pathetic. He flicked out the dented gold pocket watch he always wore secured to his sensible dark waistcoat and knew, before even looking at the dial, it was almost eight o’clock. The fact he had checked the stupid thing every two minutes for the last half an hour irritated him, as did the sorry realisation he had also been drawn to participate in this ridiculous ritual for almost a month now. Drawn like a sailor to the sirens.

And for what? One transient dance exactly twenty-eight days ago. A few exchanged, meaningless pleasantries whilst he had stood with her other eager admirers, tossed randomly like discarded bread crumbs to a yard full of chickens. Or like today, for a surreptitious glimpse of the cause of his torment, guiltily stolen through the heavy lace that covered the windows when he knew, deep down, his foolish heart was once again chasing a shadow.

The whole sorry situation was pathetic.

Angrily his snapped the watch closed and turned his chair towards the window and waited. Just like he had every Tuesday or Friday morning in the last few weeks, at precisely eight o’clock, the glossy black carriage turned into the square exactly on time. It was market day in Retford and she always came to shop on market day. And the fact she was always so punctual also irritated him. Just for once he wished she would be late and he would be forced to attend to his first patient of the day, whose appointment was now timed for five past the hour on market days instead of on the dot of eight as usual. Another sign of how lamentable this folly was. It would be much better to do something worthwhile rather than waste his time engaging in this pointless ritual, especially as he already had a mountain of tasks to complete today. But, no—this carriage was a creature of habit, much like its vexing occupant, and it slowed to a stop just past the window of Joe’s surgery as it always did. To torture him.

Carefully he moved the very edge of the curtain so that he could get a better view and watched as the footman opened the carriage door. After a few seconds, one surprisingly sensibly shod foot, with an intriguingly shapely ankle, appeared. His breath hitched.

He had never seen her ankles before and was staggered a common formation of bones would affect him so. How many ankles had he seen in his career? Hundreds? Thousands probably, yet the sight of hers made his heart beat faster.

The glorious ankle was closely followed by a bonnet-covered head. Without even seeing it, he knew her golden hair would be arranged in a becoming and fashionable style, but that already several of the silky strands, the colour of which he had often considered to be the exact shade of wheat freshly harvested and kissed by the sun, would resent being tamed and begun escaping its pins. True to form, these would frame her bewitching face in tiny spiral curls he yearned to wind around his fingers.

Of course, he could never do that. If he did—well, then he would probably have to remove every single pin so he could enjoy watching that mass of curls tumble over her shoulders and down her back. Especially now he had seen those ankles. He closed his eyes and savoured the fantasy for a moment.

Lady Clarissa Beaumont.

Joe exhaled slowly and watched her gather herself together. For a fleeting moment she turned and he saw just her cheek—perfect peaches and cream skin—but was cruelly denied the sight of her wide, almond-shaped blue eyes in a shade so glorious that it would have made even the Caribbean Sea jealous. He caught a fleeting glimpse of her plump pink lips as she smiled at the footman and a bolt of ridiculous jealousy surged through him at the innocent exchange.

Because the delectable Clarissa, fêted society beauty, was largely ignorant of the fact he even existed. Thank heavens the ethereal Clarissa was also blissfully unaware the man currently hidden behind the curtain of his office was suffering from a terminal case of unrequited love. More painful this morning, for some reason, than it had ever been before. Probably because of those ankles, he realised. A few inches of silk-covered leg and he was already burning with lust. The lust was a new sensation. Up until today his love had been pure, the courtly kind of old and not sullied with that base, human emotion. But up until today he had been denied the sight of those magnificent ankles, so he supposed his sudden physical reaction was to be expected. What was love without passion anyway?

She turned and his heart soared—then promptly plummeted to his toes. She was quite the wrong sister. Not Lady Clarissa Beaumont at all, charming, blonde and effervescent. But Lady Isabella Beaumont. Pretty, yes, and clearly in possession of a damn fine pair of legs, but rather a serious, unsociable individual. And very definitely a brunette. Her ruler-straight dark locks suited her dour personality. She took the basket the footman offered her, stood and regarded the marketplace with obvious disdain and strode away purposefully. Hardly a surprise when Lady Isabella did everything with purpose, whether that be blatantly reading a book during an assembly when every other girl was dancing or doing good deeds…

Bio…..

When Virginia Heath was a little girl it took her ages to fall asleep, so she made up stories in her head to help pass the time while she was staring at the ceiling. As she got older, the stories became more complicated, sometimes taking weeks to get to the happy ending. Then one day, she decided to embrace the insomnia and start writing them down. Fortunately, the lovely people at Harlequin Mills & Boon took pity on her and decided to publish her romances, but it still takes her forever to fall asleep.

Buy link…..

http://myBook.to/Warriner3

A Warriner to Tempt Her blurb…..

A shy innocent

She’s wary of all men.

In this The Wild Warriners story, shy Lady Isabella Beaumont is perfectly happy to stay in the background and let her sister get all the attention from handsome suitors following a shocking incident. However working with Dr Joseph Warriner to help the sick and needy pushes her closer to a man than she’s ever been before. Is this a man worth trusting with her deepest of desires…?

Links…..

Website: https://www.virginiaheathromance.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginiaheathauthor/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/VirginiaHeath_

Enjoy!

**My apologies for publishing my post so late in the day**

Blurb…..

To Rome…with love?

Mary Smith is turning her very ordinary life upside-down! She’s bought herself a one-way ticket to Rome and is ready for a summer she’ll never forget.

Men might be off the cards for waitress Mary, but within hours of arriving at the utterly charming family-run La Dolce Vita pizzeria, she’s already fallen in love with the bustling capital!

Only Dante Rossi, the mysterious (and drop-dead gorgeous) chef seems displeased with her arrival. And in the heat of the kitchen, it doesn’t take long for long-buried secrets to surface and sparks to fly…

A deliciously heartwarming romance to have you dreaming of summer. Perfect for fans of Debbie Johnson and Caroline Roberts.

Check this out…..

So pretty! 🙂

Pre-order now from Amazon UK:

http://amzn.to/2rrwXfT

Publication date: 9th May 2018

Bio…..

Samantha Tonge lives in Cheshire with her lovely family and a cat who thinks it’s a dog. When not writing she spends her days cycling, willing cakes to rise and avoiding housework. She has sold over 80 short stories to women’s magazines. Her bestselling debut novel, Doubting Abbey, was shortlisted for the Festival of Romantic Fiction best Ebook award in 2014. Game of Scones hit #5 in the UK Kindle chart and won the Best Romantic Ebook category at the 2015 Love Stories Awards.

Links…..

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamTongeWriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamanthaTongeAuthor

Website: http://samanthatonge.co.uk/

Enjoy!

My review…..

OH. MY. GOODNESS!

What a way to end a book! Obviously, High Force (book 5) was downloaded immediately!

I’m kind of glad I came to this series a little late as I don’t have to wait for the next book to be written, although that is often part of the fun when you find a series/author you love. I have been a huge fan of LJ Ross since I read Holy Island (The DCI Ryan Mystery Series, book1) and I know I said this in my previous review, but this series really is getting better and better.

It’s Easter weekend and instead of a peaceful holiday DCI Ryan and his team find themselves with a new serial killer on their hands. A woman is found in a shallow grave, in a cemetery. She has been placed in the shape of an Angel and it isn’t long before a second victim is found in another cemetery. As always, Ryan and his team put the hours in and race against the clock to find this murderer before anyone else loses their life. In the meantime, all natural red headed women are advised to be vigilant, including one of their own team, as this killer certainly has a type.

This is another fast-paced, tense read with everything you could want in a murder mystery. Plot driven, but with excellent characterisation. Real people with real relationships. Strong friendships, loyalty, humour and also romance. I love how Ryan’s and Anna’s relationship is developing, as well as romances between other team members. I was totally gripped from the first page to the last and I can’t wait to start High Force.

I do believe these books would be fine to read as standalones, but I highly recommend you read them in order because there are regular characters that we get to know that little bit better with each book and there are also references to previous cases. Plus, lets face it, it’s an awesome series, set in a beautiful part of our country, so why would you not want to read them all!?

Description…..

FROM THE #1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF HOLY ISLAND

He’ll make you his angel, but first you have to die…

After a turbulent time, DCI Ryan’s life is finally returning to normal and he’s looking forward to spending an uneventful Easter bank holiday weekend with his fiancée.

Then, on Good Friday morning he is called out to a crime scene at one of the largest cemeteries in Newcastle. The body of a redheaded woman has been found buried in a shallow grave and the killer has given her wings, like an angel.

Soon, another woman is found at a different cemetery, followed quickly by another. Panic spreads like wildfire as a new serial killer is born, and Ryan’s band of detectives must work around the clock to unmask him before he can strike again.

Murder and mystery are peppered with romance and humour in this fast paced crime whodunnit set amidst the spectacular Northumbrian landscape.

Purchase from Amazon…..

You will find all of LJ Ross’s books on her Amazon Author Page HERE

Previous posts on Chat About Books featuring LJ Ross and her books…..

Holy Island (The DCI Ryan Mysteries Book 1) by @LJRoss_author #Review

Sycamore Gap by L J Ross @LJRoss_author #BookReview #DCIRyanMysteries

Heavenfield by L J Ross @LJRoss_author #BookReview #DCIRyanMysteries

I’m delighted to be joining in with Misha Herwin’s Shadows On The Grass blog tour 🙂

(If you missed my review the link will be at the bottom of this post)

For those who don’t know already, could you tell us about yourself and your book(s) please?

I’m Misha Herwin and I write books for adults and children as well as short stories and plays.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

That is a really difficult question. I suppose the answer is that I don’t really know. Mostly I see a character in a particular place and then their story comes to me. With my latest novel, “Shadows on the Grass” however, the inspiration came from wanting to know more about my own family history. As I began researching I realised there was so much material there that had to be put in a novel.

Are any of your characters based (however loosely) on anyone you know?

This links in with the previous question, because although the stories I was told about my family were the starting point of “Shadows on the Grass” the people in the book were not based on anyone living or dead. If they do resemble anyone it was not intentional. As a writer, I am fascinated by people and their relationships. I am also a great people watcher and I love to listen to conversations on buses and trains. So it is perfectly possible that, without being conscious of doing so, I use character traits of people I know, or meet when I am creating a character. The one exception to this is my “Dragonfire” series for kids, where all the main characters are based on people I know, with their permission of course.

How do you pick your characters names?

Mostly they just come but sometimes I really struggle. In the past when I was writing “Teething Troubles” a play about a vampire who comes to school and I needed some unusual names I opened a dictionary at random and just jabbed at the words with a pencil. That gave me my main character a girl called Scoria, who also happened to be a vampire, because her parents spent their honeymoon in Transylvania.

Can you share your writing process with us, in a nutshell?

I plan every chapter before I write and I write at least an hour every day. This might not seem much but the hour is an absolute minimum. Otherwise I might do a whole morning, or a whole day.

Who are your top 5 favourite authors?

Jane Austen, Lucy M Boston, James Lee Burke, Donna Leon, Ian Rankin

If you could meet any author, who would it be and what would you ask them?

I’d like to ask J K Rowlands how many times “Harry Potter” was rejected.

Were you a big reader as a child?

I read all the time. As I slept in a bedroom at the front of the house, I would even read by the light of the streetlamp.

When did you start to write?

As soon as I could, which I suppose was around the age of eight. By the time I left primary school I had already written a historical novel set in the time of the Civil War.

If you could re-write the ending to any book what would it be and what would you change?

“Emma”. I don’t want her to have married Mr Knightly. He’s too much of a father figure; she should be more equally matched.

Is there a book you wish you had written?

“The Children of Green Knowe” by Lucy M Boston as it’s the perfect time slip novel.

If you wrote an autobiography, what would your title be?

“I did it”.

If you could invite any fictional character for coffee who would it be and where would you take them?

Cathy Earnshaw from “Wuthering Heights” I’d take her to a café in Harrogate and tell her over coffee and scones not to waste her energy on Heathcliff.

What are you working on right now?

I’m working on promoting “Shadows on the Grass”, editing a children’s book “City of Secrets” and planning a new time slip novel.

Do you have a new release due?

“City of Secrets”, a book for 8-12 year olds, is due out in the autumn.

What do you generally do to celebrate on publication day?

Have a large glass of wine, take deep breaths and eat cake.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Through my website HERE

Facebook LINK and I tweet and @MishHerwin.

Is there anything else you would like us to know?

That “Shadows on the Grass” is now out as an e-book on Amazon CLICK

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, Misha 🙂

Every family has its secrets. In the nineteen-sixties Bristol, seventeen-year-old Kate is torn between the new sexual freedom and her rigid Catholic upbringing. Her parents have high expectations of her. She, however, is determined to lead her own life.

Mimi, her grandmother, is dying. In her final hours, Mimi’s cousin, the Princess, keeps watch at her bedside. Born in the same month, in the same year, the two women are bound by their past and a terrible betrayal.

Meanwhile, caught between the generations, Mimi’s daughter Hannah struggles to come to come to terms with her relationship with her mother, and struggles to keep the peace between her daughter and her husband. She too must find her own way in a land foreign to her, in a new post-war world, where the old certainties have gone and everything she knows has been swept away.

My review…..

Shadows On The Grass by @MishaHerwin #LaunchDay #BookReview @penkhullpress

I am pleased to welcome back Faye Hall to Chat About Books today, with her new release, Indulgence and Temperance 🙂

Indulgence and Temperance by Faye Hall

Would you abandon the woman you love for your own indulgence?

Beth Meridian has returned home, hoping to leave her sordid past behind her and settle into a quiet life. When her childhood friend, Hannah Raeburn, offers her a place to stay, Beth knows it won’t be long until she runs into Hannah’s brother, Daniel. What she doesn’t expect is for him to reignite feelings deep in her heart, reminding her of the kiss they shared before she left town.

Daniel Raeburn’s past is scandalous, his sinful indulgences allowing him more wealth than he could ever need. Still, he wants more, and his gluttonous appetite for wealth and women leads him to buy into a partnership at the local hellfire club.

When Hannah goes missing, Beth and Daniel follow her trail through the Australian outback. Witnessing the womanizer Daniel is, Beth flees on a cattle train headed north. Desperate to explain his actions, Daniel follows her.

Arriving in the small town of Jarvisfield, Daniel is shocked to learn that Beth is now the owner of the largest cattle company in the area. He’s even more shocked to discover that the preacher controlling the town, and stealing from the townspeople, is his once business partner William Maxon. He’s convinced this man is also responsible for his sister’s disappearance. When he learns William has Beth picked out as his next victim, Daniel knows he must do whatever it takes to make her listen to the truth. But she has no interest in hearing anything he has to say.

Faced with losing the two women he loves, Daniel is forced to choose between their freedom and the possessions and wealth he has hoarded over the years. But even if he gives it all up, he still might lose everything.

Content Warning: contains sex, strong language, and some violence

Genre(s): Historical Romance

Buy links

http://beachwalkpress.com/faye-hall/ http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00DPIMSMW https://itunes.apple.com/us/author/faye-hall/id1104960880?mt=11 https://www.kobo.com/au/en/search?query=Faye%20Hall&fcsearchfield=Author https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Faye%20Hall%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchall

social media links

website https://www.faye-hall.com

blog http://www.faye-hall.info

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Faye-Hall/174774709247649 https://www.facebook.com/faye.hall.3363?ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter https://twitter.com/FayeHall79

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6882637.Faye_Hall

Tumblr http://fayehallauthor.tumblr.com/

Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/fayehall79/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/fayehallauthor/

Flipagram http://flipagram.com/fayehall79

Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoS8vLrlO0XZT80xTuJnrkA/videos

Excerpt…..

“What would you have me do? Pretend that this man chasing my sister is genuine and not some money-grabbing monster?”

“You don’t know him,” she tried again.

“Neither does she,” he said, his voice raised. “And neither do you.”

She went to walk past him, following Hannah’s direction out the back of the house. He reached out, his hand on her forearm stopping her.

“I didn’t mean to sound so harsh, Beth,” he said. “I’m sorry.”

She nodded as if understanding. “I understand that you love your sister. So do I. I shan’t just sit back and watch her walk into a trap. Nor shall I stand by and watch as her brother robs her of a chance of what may be happiness.”

“How dare you presume to know what I want for my sister.”

She pulled away from him. “I dare because I grew up with you. Every time your sister wanted to do something you always had to interfere.”

“She is naïve,” he told her. “Had I not taken control of her life, heaven knows what would have happened to her.”

She raised her brow. “I understand you need to protect Hannah against lecherous men. That doesn’t explain why you had to be her constant chaperone when she was meeting up with me.”

He lowered his gaze. “I needed to go with her.”

“Do you think that I would also take advantage of your sister?” she asked. “That I have prolonged our friendship only so I might get my claws into her fortune?”

He shook his head, his gaze cautiously rising back to hers. “I know you would do anything for my sister, Beth.”

“Then why did you need to follow Hannah everywhere we went?”

“I did it for you,” he whispered, the words being dragged from him.

“What?” she asked.

He smiled softly. “I played chaperone for my sister so I might be able to see you,” he repeated. “In the hope that you would notice me.”

“All you ever had to do was ask,” she whispered. Approaching him, her lips gently fused to his.

His hands went to her upper arms, pushing her away. “What are you doing?” he asked. Trying desperately to grip onto what remained of his control, he reminded himself that being here with this woman so intimately was far from appropriate. No matter how much he desired her, he couldn’t afford to succumb to such passion. Not there, and certainly not now.

She shook off his hold, her fingers hesitantly going to the buttons of his shirt. Slowly, she began undoing them one by one. “Do you remember the last time we saw each other before I left town?” she asked.

His hands went to hers, stilling her movements. “The image of you that day…” His words drifted off. He didn’t understand why she was acting this way with him, but he couldn’t deny that her movements were ripping at his restraint. He had always hungered for this woman, but now that she was there with him like this, he couldn’t help but wonder why. “Why did you send for me that day?” he asked, his words strained.

“I wanted to see you before I left town,” she muttered. Shaking off his hands, she continued unbuttoning his shirt. “Do you ever wonder what would have happened had your sister not arrived?”

About the author…..

Come on a journey with me through 19th century North Queensland, Australian and explore the passions and hardships of unique characters. There is corruption, deceit and murder, as well as cattle rustlers, slave traders and hell fire clubs. Explore townships of Jarvisfield and Inkerman, as well as Ravenswood and Bowen. One book even incorporates my great grandmothers cattle station ‘Inkerman Downs Station’. As well as an author, I am also the most spoilt wife in the world, and a very contented mother. Come and discover all the passion and drama of North Queensland history with me.

Previous post on Chat About Books featuring Faye Hall…..

#AuthorInterview with Faye Hall @FayeHall79 @beachwalkpress