Chat About Books

I am over the moon to be today’s stop on Diane Chandler’s Moondance blog tour!

Blackbird Digital Books are one of my favourite publishers so I jumped at the chance to read and review Moondance.

Diane’s previous novel, The Road To Donetsk was the WINNER OF THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE FOR FICTION 2015/16 don’t you know!

I have my review to share with you, as well as a Q&A with Diane herself and a giveaway, so keep reading…..

MY REVIEW

(written 20th October)

I finished Moondance a few days ago now and I originally awarded it 4 stars on Goodreads, but I think I’m going to have to change it to 5 stars because I have thought about (and talked about) this book a lot over the last few days. Now I can’t really think of a reason why it shouldn’t be a 5 star read.

My original reason for only awarding 4 stars was that I didn’t like Catriona, the main character. I didn’t warm to her at all, unfortunately. She is not someone I could imagine myself being friends with. Mainly because I imagine she would be the type of woman to look down on someone like me. I am not an ambitious person. I am a housewife and I have been a stay at home mum since I was pregnant with my first baby (who is now 16). Before that I was a carer in an elderly residential home. I was clever and achieved good grades at school and college, but I never had any big career goals. I knew I would want my children young, if possible, and I knew I would want to be the one at home, bringing them up myself when I did. I am one of those “fat housewives” who I imagine someone like Cat would have absolutely no respect for. I have huge respect for women who manage a career and a family, but it doesn’t make them better people. Each to their own. Anyway, I’ve gone off on a tangent……

I could not relate to Cat in any way, but I did feel sorry that she was unable to conceive naturally. I can only imagine how heartbreaking that must be. I did feel, however, that in Cat’s case she was more focused, initially, on getting pregnant to prove to herself and the world that she could because she had never failed at anything in her life before. She is a very self-centred character who obviously thinks very highly of herself and is very used to getting exactly what she wants, when she wants it, including her successful career and her husband, Dom. When she decides the time is right to fit having a baby into her busy schedule, she is naturally disturbed by the fact that it’s going to be more of a battle than she anticipated. Of course, what she goes through is emotionally and physically difficult, but she has no sympathy for the effect it is having on Dom. It’s all about her and what she is going through. I think we’re all guilty though of neglecting the Dads when it comes to babies, however easy their conception is. I know my husband felt particularly helpless when I had our two. They have no control over what is happening to us which I imagine must be quite overwhelming. I can’t say I really liked Dom either, but I did kind of feel sorry for him.

I have a very close relationship with my mother, so Cat’s dislike of her mother was very odd to me also, although I am aware that many families aren’t close. It just highlighted Cat’s conceitedness (is that even a word?) further, for me.

I know I’m rambling (sorry), but there are so many thoughts going around my head about this book and Catriona really got under my skin.

The front cover alone, to me, gives the impression that this might be a luvvy duvvy story about a devoted couple and their struggle to have a baby, with a typical happy ending, but it isn’t like that at all. It’s a much more complex story exploring the emotions surrounding infertility, marriage, family relationships and friendship.

I think my point is going to have to be that although I didn’t particularly connect with the characters, I found their story completely captivating! As much as Cat’s selfish ways annoyed me throughout the story, I still wanted her to achieve her dream of becoming a mother. It’s so brilliantly written that there is no way I could not have read until the end. I think it’s a story that will stay with me for a long time to come and one I will no doubt talk about often.

Surely a book that kept me hooked to the very last page, despite not really liking the characters, is worthy of a full 5 stars!?

I urge you to read it for yourself. I’d be interested to know what you think.

Many thanks to Blackbird Digital Books for my ARC of Moondance. I hope it achieves the success it deserves.

Q&A

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

I’m Derby born and bred, but lived abroad in Brussels for many years working in overseas aid, until I got homesick and came to live in London. I gave up work when I was 38 to focus on trying to conceive. My husband Nick and I ended up going through IVF which was successful on our 4th cycle and my daughter Maddie was born. Since then I’ve been part-time mum / part-time writer / part-time cushion plumper (though tend to neglect the domestic goddess bit). My first novel, The Road to Donetsk, came out in 2015 and Moondance is my second – although I actually wrote the first draft ten years ago when IVF was fresh in my mind.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Both novels draw on my personal experience, a mix of memories, research and imagination, but both are pure fiction. The Road to Donetsk is set in Ukraine 20 years ago just after the fall of communism and is about a naive and idealistic young woman who wants to save the world and goes to Ukraine to work on an aid programme. She’s not me – but some claim to have seen a resemblance! Moondance is about a high-flying career woman who finds herself and her relationship unravelling as she battles through IVF. Again, it draws heavily on my personal experience of the physical and emotional impact of IVF, but again it is pure fiction. Cat is not me – though I did have fun writing her, as she’s not entirely likeable! I set myself the task of trying to create and sustain empathy for her despite this.

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

I guess some of them are loosely a mish-mash of people I’ve known many years ago, or even just met fleetingly. Physically I usually have someone in mind. For example, Dom with his tight blond locks and flushed cheeks, looks like an ex-fling from university days!

How do you pick your characters names?

Good question. Cat, I think because of the feline connotation – I imagine her drawing her claws out. In The Road to Donetsk I took many Ukrainian names from old business cards.

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

Well it’s a real passion. When I’m writing I don’t notice the time passing. It’s like wearing one of those virtual reality helmuts and going into a scene, walking round, seeing, smelling, tasting, feeling what I see.

Do you have a favourite author?

I do love Ian McEwan, as I think he can turn his hand to any subject and pull it off. At home I have an oil painting depicting the spines of my favourite twenty books, created by an artist friend and a gift from my husband for a special birthday.

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

I would love to meet Jojo Moyes and ask her to tell me about her journey as an author from writing her first novels to arriving at the incredible Me Before You. I sobbed so much when reading that book.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes … Enid Blyton.

When did you start to write?

I began writing about 15 years ago. I have a first novel in a drawer which will never see the light of day! I hope I’ve progressed somewhat since then.

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

I would not have ended Gone Girl as she did. If it’s not a spoiler (well it clearly is…) I would have had the guy put her away or something worse – and not stay with her. I found that upsetting and creepy. But then I guess I was meant to.

What are you working on right now?

I have written about three pages of a new idea. Am looking forward to sitting down and putting that virtual reality helmet on any day now.

Do you have a new release due?

Moondance is published on 1^st November – to coincide with National Fertility Awareness Week. The National Fertility Network are an amazing organization which supports couples struggling to conceive with its helplines and local support groups http://www.infertilitynetworkuk.com

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I have a www.facebook.com/theroadtodonetsk facebook page and a (badly maintained) website www.dianechandlerauthor.com Always love to hear from readers.

And thank you so much for the interview!

Many thanks to Diane for taking the time to answer my questions and to Blackbird Digital Books for including me in the Moondance blog tour.

Publisher: Blackbird Digital Books (1st November 2016)

Bittersweet, at times funny, and always emotionally raw, this is by far the most moving and honest novel you’ll ever read about IVF and its impact on a marriage.

How can you long for someone who doesn’t exist?

Cat has always been in control of her life. Happily married to Dom, but flying high as a political lobbyist, she dismisses his desire to start a family … until she herself is ready.

But what if it is then too late?

Complex and selfish, intelligent and open, if she is to succeed in having that elusive child, Cat must battle through gruelling fertility treatment and the emotional strain it places on her marriage. By her side, Dom, easygoing and ever the optimist, finds that he too risks being run ragged by their journey.

Both are forced to come to terms with their longing for a baby against the blitz on a relationship tested like never before.

By the winner of The People’s Book Prize for Fiction 2016

A rare, raw, engaging fictional account of the traumas of infertility told with frankness and humour.

Buy your copy HERE

GIVEAWAY!

I have 3 digital copies of Moondance to giveaway, courtesy of Blackbird Digital Books. All you need to do is leave a comment on this post and I will be pick three winners at random!

Good luck!

Make sure you catch up with and follow the rest of this fab blog tour…..

Enjoy!

I am delighted to welcome husband and wife team, Mark and Diane to my blog today!

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

Diane & Mark: The Ravenstone: The Secret of Ninham Mountain, is a middle-grade fantasy/mystery, the first of a new series.

Thirteen-year-old twins, Aidan and Nadia Shaw, discover a beautiful icon of black basalt stone carved with raven heads. This magical stone, the Ravenstone, can transport twins through time! Not wishing to spoil the story, all we can say is that an ancient shaman sends them on a mission to find something that will change their lives, and the lives of their family, and indeed, all mankind. If they can survive the incredible challenges and dangers that beset the path.

They are aided by the power of the Ravenstone, by their friends, and by their own special gifts of high intuition and photographic memory. The story is full of mystery, adventure, valor, glory, with a sweet touch of redemption and heart.

About us: Diane: I was fortunate to enjoy a highly successful singing career in the UK, with my own BBC TV variety show and many other TV appearances such as on Morecambe and Wise. Highlights of this wonderful time included a sold-out concert tour culminating at the Royal Festival Hall in London, and major concert tours with Kenny Rogers and Glen Campbell.

Then the dreaded M.E., or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, destroyed my entertainment career. I struggled for almost eight years, years of wading through half a life that felt like all descriptions I have ever read of hell. I finally regained my health with the help of a homeopathic remedy, which launched me into new studies and a second career: homeopath and nutritionist. But, I knew that the path of writer awaited, in the distance. Now it is here and I am loving it!

My husband Mark Carey is a brilliant, funny, insightful man and I get to write with him! How cool is that? He is a retired biologist, naturalist, and accomplished voice-over artist. We live in New Hampshire, on many acres of woods and streams, where we design gardens and meadows, sing, write, and watch wildlife.

We have a “green” home, with geothermal heating and cooling, and solar panels in the meadow and on the roof. We have no utility bills at all for about nine months of the year!

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

Mark: Diane likes to say when a truly great idea comes along you channel it rather than take credit for it. I must say that is what happened a lot during the brainstorming and writing of The Ravenstone.

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

Mark: There is a chicken or egg component to this answer. Even I am not sure if we decided to pattern Nadia after my daughter or simply noticed that they shared personality traits. Either way, once the connection was made, we absolutely wrote Nadia by asking, “What would Kathleen do?” Aidan was based much more loosely on me, me if I were a tween, to be more accurate.

How do you pick your characters names?

Mark: Hmmm. It isn’t a science, that’s for sure. More channeling, I think. I came up with the interplay of twins whose names are the reverses of each other Nadia and Aidan, but I cannot for the life of me explain how. Wine might have had something to do with it.

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

Diane & Mark: For the pure logistics, we are outliners. We use a large board, into which we stick pushpins to hold up postcard-sized cards with scenes, sections, or individual pieces of the story (or sections if non-fiction). Then we can physically see the jigsaw puzzle and move things around until they feel right.

Character is vital: We spend a long time on character development, and each day before either of us writes, at least at the beginning, we tend to read through all the notes and reacquaint ourselves with the character.

Diane: Yes, if I am beginning to live and breathe the character – if I am in the protagonist’s head, and she is in mine – she will write her own actions and words.

But, I want to bring up something else, something required for the writing process for me. It’s hard to define, but essential. My writing seems to stem from what my husband calls my “extreme heart.” My writing process only works well if heart is involved. By that I mean it has honor, integrity, caring for others, meaning, courage, and love in some form. I can’t write in fields of horror or terror, or genres that focus on shallow, meaningless violence. The protagonists, the main characters in fiction need to be real, to be human, with flaws, certainly, but with good hearts. The character arc of the main character must move toward kindness compassion, truth, honor. When working in non-fiction I lean towards self-help books or educational books that offer something of value to the reader. Ok, ok, yes, I am Pollyanna.

And perhaps the most important note about the writing process, for me, is to leave my ego outside the door. Get out of my own way. Leave judgment until the editing process begins. Let the flow happen. That is also where the great fun is! Mark and I are very good at that with each other. We just want what is best for the book, and often either of us will say, “Oh, yes, let’s go with your idea, that’s much better.” We don’t fall out at all when writing together, for which I am completely grateful!

Do you have a favourite author?

Mark: A single favorite? No. I wouldn’t dream of placing one author on a pedestal above all others. I live in awe of so many writers that I view them more like a pantheon of gods, or stars in the sky. But a short list would have to include Jane Austin, Shakespeare, Dickens, Twain, Hemmingway, Oscar Wilde, Jack London. Yes… I am olde-school.

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

Mark: I would love to meet Jack London. I would ask him to take me with him on his next trip to the Klondike.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Diane: Oh yes! I was that kid who created a tent of the sheets and surreptitiously read with a flashlight, until my mom said softly at the door, “Diane, put the book away, now, dear. Time to go to sleep.”

The biggest impact stories for me were 101 Dalmations, in the third grade and A Wrinkle In Time around the same time. Great stories, well told! They inspired me to float in my imagination and begin to try the “What if?” game. Asking “What if?” is often how my ideas arrive.

When did you start to write?

Diane: I was about eight or nine years old when I realized that I could describe a place or tell a story in such a way that other people would enjoy reading it. I had written a short essay for school about walking into an empty church. The piece was only a page long, hand-written, but the mood, the description, the feeling of the piece seemed to write itself. My teacher was very complimentary and right then I knew I would be an author and writer as a full-time career one day.

I have been writing ever since: songs, screenplays, ghost-writing fiction and non-fiction, solo books, and now writing with my husband, Mark.

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

Diane: Oh my. The part of me that breaks easily would like to say Dr. Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. I long for a happy-ever-after ending, or “continuing,” I should say. But, if our protagonist does not die at the end, would it have the same soul-wrenching power? Would it portray as strongly, and shatteringly, the effects of war on love and our existence? Perhaps not. I shall not presume to imagine Mr. Pasternak’s work any other way.

What are you working on right now?

Diane & Mark: We have structured most of the second book in The Ravenstone series, to be called, The Book of the Stone.” We will write it over this winter, which makes the long snowy evenings in New Hampshire cozy and fun!

Diane: My next project, which is more or less running parallel with the second Ravenstone adventure, is for women. Entitled, 88 Guys for Coffee, it falls somewhere between memoir and fiction, perhaps a little like Eat, Pray, Love. It tells the story of a 45-year-old woman, shockingly and painfully abandoned by her husband, and her humorous, self-searching path to recovery via five years of online dating. I am using my own personal experience in this rather bizarre realm (falling under the category of “you can’t make this stuff up!”) but have created an all-new woman character. Not me. Too painful! Too embarrassing!

You will not believe some of the stories, but they are all true. And, I hope you will love Laura, whose big heart is broken, yet she keeps laughing, running, helping her patients with alternative medicine, and trying to figure out why she, and other human beings, do the things they do. Feel the things they feel. Mess up the way they mess up.

Do you have a new release due?

Diane & Mark: The Ravenstone: The Book of the Stone is planned for mid-June 2017, so kids can read it during their summer break. 88 Guys for Coffee does not yet have a set publishing date… Its resolution is more amorphous!

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Our website and blog: http://www.EloquentRascals.com

http://www.Facebook.com/EloquentRascals.com

http://www.Twitter.com/DianeSolomon

http://www.Twitter.com/MarkCareyWriter

http://www.Twitter.com/EloquentRascals.com

Book Links

Amazon Kindle and paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Ravenstone-Secret-Ninham-Mountain-ebook/dp/B01K3A2PGI

Nook Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ravenstone-diane-solomon/1124326984?ean=9780990709435

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/656703

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31427632-the-ravenstone

Publisher: Eloquent Rascals (30th September 2016)

“You were born to this path! This quest is your fate.” Imagine a raven appearing out of thin air and guiding you to an exquisitely carved icon that glows with ancient light and pulses with shamanic power. This is how the adventure begins for Nadia and Aidan Shaw, thirteen-year-old twins, who live in idyllic Cold Spring, New York, on the banks of the Hudson River. Armed with the power of the Ravenstone and their own special gifts, they embark on a harrowing quest across centuries, at the bidding of a mysterious old shaman. They must depend on their courage, their faith in their friends, and luck. Or is it destiny? If they succeed, what they bring back could change the course of human existence.

**************************************

“Solomon and Carey’s imaginative storytelling sweeps you into a fascinating tale of mystery and adventure. Young twins Nadia and Aidan stumble upon an ancient power that could help their family in the future, or trap them in the past forever.” ~ Linda Zimmermann, successful author of 30 books about hauntings, the paranormal, and mysterious stone sites.

**************************************

ABOUT THE AUTHORS: Diane Solomon has had a wonderfully diverse career path that has included her own variety show on BBC TV in England during the late seventies, and major tours with Glen Campbell and Kenny Rogers. She is also a published author with a successful book entitled, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a guide to the homeopathic treatment of CFS/M.E. Co-author, Mark Carey, is a retired biologist, naturalist, and voiceover artist. Diane and Mark live in southern New Hampshire on 55 acres of woods and streams, where they write, create gardens, and watch wildlife.

Buy your copy HERE

Many thanks to Mark and Diane for answering my questions and for my kindle copy of The Ravenstone: The Secret of Ninham Mountain: Volume 1

Watch this space for my review!

I am thrilled to be today’s stop on Rosa Temple’s #SinglebyChristmas Blog Tour  🙂 🙂 🙂 I have a fab Q&A with the lady herself.

Enjoy…..

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

Well, I’m a relatively new writer to the chick lit genre and I specialise in romantic comedies. I didn’t set out to only write romantic comedies but that’s how my stories seem to turn out! So far I’ve published a novella called, Sleeping With Your Best Friend and a full length novel called, Natalie’s Getting Married. Single by Christmas is my first Xmas novel and it’s released on 18^th October 2016.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

I think the ideas tend to start with a few threads of a storyline that seem to just pop into my head when I least expect them. Like in a shopping queue or when I’m doing the washing up. I get a ‘what if’ scenario going on and the characters I need to tell the story seem to fall into place.

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

I tend not to borrow real characteristics from anyone I know – I don’t want to upset or annoy anyone 🙂 But I do borrow physical features from people I know once in a while. Mind you, even that could get me into trouble so I’d better not say too much!

How do you pick your characters names?

Mostly they’re just random but sometimes I might choose a name that goes with an identity. For example, in Single by Christmas, I chose Charlie as my hero. He was named after a great jazz musician because his parents happened to be jazz lovers and passed the passion onto him.

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

I write everyday. In the morning I’m usually trying to get my paid writing jobs out of the way so I can concentrate on my own books. My best time of day for writing is first thing in the morning or early evening. I also get lots done on nights I can’t sleep. So, no real process, as such – I’m just a writing machine.

Do you have a favourite author?

I find it so hard to choose a favourite as my taste is so varied. It ranges from Jane Austen to Jodi Picoult and from Alice Walker to Cecelia Ahern.

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

Probably J K Rowling to ask how she stayed motivated to write such a long series of books.

Were you a big reader as a child?

Yes, definitely. I was always at the library. I liked the smell of the place and I couldn’t wait to start devouring a new book after I’d finished the last one. I kind of gave up on reading as a teenager but got really into it again as an adult, having to kill forty minutes on a tube to and from Central London everyday.

When did you start to write?

I only started writing seriously a few years ago. About five years. I came to it late, even though it was something I loved to do when I was younger.

What are you working on right now?

Right now I’m working on a three part series about a character called Magenta Bright who comes into a small fortune and the adventures revolving around her chaotic life in London.

When can we look forward to a new release?

Book one of the series should be out in Spring of 2017, closely followed by the next two books in the series.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

I love to talk to readers and they can find me on the following:

My website is on: www.rosatemple.co.uk

My blog: http://rosatemplewrites.blogspot.co.uk/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RosaT_Author

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

and Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14071311.Rosa_Temple

So no excuses really!

A huge thank you to Rosa for answering my questions and for inviting me to be a part of her fabulous blog tour!

You’ve heard the saying, ‘opposites attract’ haven’t you? Well meet 27 year old Alex Marshall, a party girl with a penchant for free flowing Prosecco, and her devilishly handsome scientist boyfriend, Charlie, who loves jazz and dinner for two.
Alex and Charlie are together for 11 blissful months until Alex goes out of town and does something she will later regret. Was she drunk? You bet. Does she want Charlie to know? Well what do you think?
With the couple about to spend their first Christmas together will Charlie be the forgiving kind or will Alex be Single by Christmas?
This is a feel good, Christmas novel with very few mince pies, not much snow and absolutely no mistletoe – just a couple of best friends, a sociopathic nemesis and a lot of drinking.

Watch this space for my review!

Rosa is also offering you the chance to win an ebook copy of Single By Christmas.

There are 5 copies up for grabs! Just click on the link below and don’t forget to spread the word…..

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Giveaway will close on 1st November 2016

If you’re not lucky enough to win a copy you can buy yours HERE

Don’t forget to catch up with and follow the rest of Rosa’s Blog Tour with these lovely book bloggers…..

12 Days of “Single by Christmas” Blog Tour

17^th October – 28^th October 2016

Monday 17^th

Rae reads …

Linda’s Book Bag

Tuesday 18^th

Kraftireader

The Book Magnet

Wednesday19^th

Whispering Stories

Boon’s Bookcase

Thursday 20^th

Chick Lit Chickadees

Han’s Book Reviews

ai love books

Friday 21^st

Reading…Dreaming

Comfy Reading

Saturday 22^nd

Reviewed The Book

Grass Monster

Sunday 23^rd

Sparkly World

Monday 24^th

Book Lover in Florida

Hello … Chick Lit

Tuesday 25^th

Rae reads …

The Book Wench

Granny Loves To Read

Wednesday 26^th

Chat About Books

The Book Magnet

Chick Lit club – Connect

Thursday 27^th

Rachel’s Random Reads

Annie’s Book Corner

Friday 28^th

Han’s Book Reviews

Pretty Little Book Reviews

Enjoy!

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Michelle Davies to my blog. Michelle’s debut novel, Gone Astray (DC Maggie Neville Book 1), was published on Kindle by Pan Macmillan on 24th March 2016 and in paperback on 20th October 2016.

I have a lovely Q&A for you to enjoy…..

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

I’ve been writing professionally for 26 years, first as a reporter on my local paper, then for national women’s magazines. I’m currently freelance, writing for titles including Marie Claire and Stylist. Gone Astray is set in my home county, Buckinghamshire, and is about a missing 15-year-old girl whose parents are EuroMillions winners. The police officer at the centre of the novel is Family Liaison Officer DC Maggie Neville, who is assigned to the parents as the search continues. The million-dollar question is whether the girl’s disappearance is related to the money they won, or something else entirely.

Where did/do you get your ideas from?

As a journalist I’m constantly scouring the news, so my ideas often are sparked by reports I’ve read. It was a news item about the fate of lottery winners – and how so many wished in hindsight that they’d never won, because the money has caused so many problems and rifts – that sparked the theme for Gone Astray.

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

There are a few elements of people I know in my characters (myself included), but I’m very careful to disguise who I’ve borrowed from! I think it’s okay for authors to use tics and traits of people they know in novels – after all, real life is what informs our writing – but I would never base a character wholesale on someone I knew. I would be too worried about them working out it’s them!

How do you pick your characters names?

For first names I usually determine how old the character is then look up the top 100 baby names for the year they were born. I think it’s important to give them a name that suits the era they were raised in. With surnames I tend to pick them from newspaper reports and occasionally I’ve borrowed from friends. Maggie Neville is an amalgamation of one of my favourite girls’ names – I wanted to call our daughter Maggie but her dad, my partner, wasn’t keen! – while Neville is my late father-in-law’s first name. I sadly never got to meet him as he died more than 20 years ago, but it’s nice he’s played a part in all of this.

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

I tend to binge-write my novels around my freelance work as a journalist. So I’ll spend a few weeks writing chapters, then go back to my day job for a couple of weeks – working at home allows me that flexibility. But before I get started on a novel I write a 5,000-word plotline and do my research: I like to have the book fairly well mapped out before I begin writing.

Do you have a favourite author?

My absolute favourite is Ruth Rendell, but I also love Tana French, Sophie Hannah and Erin Kelly. Erin’s a good friend of mine – we first met working on magazines 17 years ago – but I’m not saying I like her novels because of that. She is one of the best psychological thriller writers there is and her new one, He Said/She Said (out Feb) is her best and cleverest yet.

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

Gosh, what a brilliant question! Can I go back in time? Because I think it would have to be Harper Lee. To Kill A Mockingbird is my favourite novel, the one I return to time and time again, and I’d like to ask her if she really was happy that Go Set A Watchman was published. I hope she was.

Were you a big reader as a child?

I don’t remember a time as a kid when I didn’t have a book in my hands! The first book I remember reading was a Hamlyn collection of fairytales; I read it over and over until the spine cracked. I was heartbroken when it had to go in the bin!

When did you start to write?

I started writing short stories around the age of eight – I would spend my pocket money buying those red Silvine exercise books from our local newsagent’s, Bunces, and would fill the pages with my own versions of Enid Blyton’s Secret Seven books. I was 12 when I decided I wanted to be a reporter when I grew up and got a job as a trainee on my local paper at 18. I was blinkered to the idea of doing anything else, including going to university.

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

I might not agree with some endings or feel disappointed/let down by what happens, but I respect every author’s right to end their novel as they see fit, so I’m not going to answer this one! I would hate it if someone wrote an alternative ending to Gone Astray; feels a bit too 50 Shades-fan-fic to me.

What are you working on right now?

Before the summer I finished the edits on my second novel, Wrong Place, which features DC Maggie Neville again in the role of FLO. It’s about a murder-suicide attempt that goes wrong.

Do you have a new release due?

Wrong Place is published on February 27 next year.

How can readers keep in touch with you?

Anyone can tweet me at @M_Davieswrites or message me at https://www.facebook.com/MichelleDaviesAuthor/

A big thank you to Michelle for answering my questions and to Francesca Pearce, Publicity Manager at Pan Macmillan, for the opportunity.

Buy your copy of Gone Astray (DC Maggie Neville Book 1) HERE  

Publisher: Pan; Main Market Ed. edition (24 Mar. 2016)

When a Lesley Kinnock buys a lottery ticket on a whim, it changes her life more than she could have imagined . . .

Lesley and her husband Mack are the sudden winners of a £15 million EuroMillions jackpot. They move with their 15-year-old daughter Rosie to an exclusive gated estate in Buckinghamshire, leaving behind their ordinary lives – and friends – as they are catapulted into wealth beyond their wildest dreams.

But it soon turns into their darkest nightmare when, one beautiful spring afternoon, Lesley returns to their house to find it empty: their daughter Rosie is gone.

DC Maggie Neville is assigned to be Family Liaison Officer to Lesley and Mack, supporting them while quietly trying to investigate the family. And she has a crisis threatening her own life – a secret from the past that could shatter everything she’s worked so hard to build.

As Lesley and Maggie desperately try to find Rosie, their fates hurtle together on a collision course that threatens to end in tragedy . . .

Money can’t buy you happiness.
The truth could hurt more than a lie.
One moment really can change your life forever.

Happy Publication Day to Robert Bryndza and Bookouture!

Dark Water is out today and I’m thrilled to be able to share an extract with you.

Everyone who has read Robert Bryndza’s books has loved them and I’m feeling totally left out, so they are on my MUST read before the end of the year list!

Dark Water: A totally gripping thriller with a killer twist (Detective Erika Foster Book 3)

Publisher: Bookouture (20th October 2016)

Beneath the water the body sank rapidly. Above her on dry land, the nightmare was just beginning.

When Detective Erika Foster receives a tip-off that key evidence for a major narcotics case was stashed in a disused quarry on the outskirts of London, she orders for it to be searched. From the thick sludge the drugs are recovered, but so is the skeleton of a young child.

The remains are quickly identified as seven-year-old Jessica Collins. The missing girl who made headline news twenty-six years ago.

As Erika tries to piece together new evidence with the old, she must dig deeper and find out more about the fractured Collins family and the original detective, Amanda Baker. A woman plagued by her failure to find Jessica. Erika soon realises this is going to be one of the most complex and demanding cases she has ever taken on.

Is the suspect someone close to home? Someone is keeping secrets. Someone who doesn’t want this case solved. And they’ll do anything to stop Erika from finding the truth.

From the million-copy bestselling author of The Girl in the Ice and The Night Stalker, comes the third heart-stopping book in the Detective Erika Foster series.

Watch out for more from DCI Erika Foster.

She’s fearless. Respected. Unstoppable. Detective Erika Foster will catch a killer, whatever it takes.

1. THE GIRL IN THE ICE
2. THE NIGHT STALKER
3. DARK WATER

**EXTRACT**

Dark Water

by

Robert Bryndza

Autumn 1990

It was a cold night in late autumn when they dumped the body in the disused quarry. They knew it was an isolated spot, and the water was very deep. What they didn’t know was that they were being watched.

They arrived under the cover of darkness, just after three o’clock in the morning – driving from the houses at the edge of the village, over the empty patch of gravel where the walkers parked their cars, and onto the vast common. With the headlights off, the car bumped and lurched across the rough ground, joining a footpath, which was soon shrouded on either side by dense woodland. The darkness was thick and clammy, and the only light came over the tops of the trees.

Nothing about the journey felt stealthy. The car engine seemed to roar; the suspension groaned as it lurched from side to side. They slowed to a stop as the trees parted and the water-filled quarry came into view.

What they didn’t know was that a reclusive old man lived by the quarry, squatting in an old abandoned cottage which had almost been reclaimed by the undergrowth. He was outside, staring up at the sky and marvelling at its beauty, when the car appeared over the ridge and came to a halt. Wary, he moved behind a bank of shrubbery and watched. Local kids, junkies, and couples looking for thrills often appeared at night, and he had managed to scare them away.

The moon briefly broke through the clouds as the two figures emerged from the car, and they took something large from the back and carried it towards the rowing boat by the water. The first climbed in, and as the second passed the long package into the boat there was something about the way it bent and flopped that made him realise with horror that it was a body.

The soft splashes of the oars carried across the water. He put a hand to his mouth. He knew he should turn away, but he couldn’t. The splashing oars ceased when the boat reached the middle. A sliver of moon appeared again through a gap in the clouds, illuminating the ripples spreading out from the boat.

He held his breath as he watched the two figures deep in conversation, their voices a low rhythmic murmur. Then there was silence. The boat lurched as they stood, and one of them nearly fell over the edge. When they were steady, they lifted the package and, with a splash and a rattle of chains, they dropped it into the water. The moon sailed out from behind its cloud, shining a bright light on the boat and the spot where the package had been dumped, the ripples spreading violently outwards.

He could now see the two people in the boat, and had a clear view of their faces.

The man exhaled. He’d been holding his breath. His hands shook. He didn’t want trouble; he’d spent his whole life trying to avoid trouble, but it always seemed to find him. A chill breeze stirred up some dry leaves at his feet, and he felt a sharp itching in his nostrils. Before he could stop it a sneeze erupted from his nose; it echoed across the water. In the boat, the heads snapped up, and began to twist and search the banks. And then they saw him. He turned to run, tripped on the root of a tree and fell to the ground, knocking the wind out of his chest.

Beneath the water in the disused quarry it was still, cold, and very dark. The body sank rapidly, pulled by the weights, down, down, down, finally coming to rest with a nudge in the soft freezing mud.

She would lie still and undisturbed for many years, almost at peace. But above her, on dry land, the nightmare was only just beginning.

Buy your copy HERE

Thank you to Kim at Bookouture for letting me join in with todays publication celebrations 🙂

Read what everyone is saying about Dark Water:

‘OH MY GOD! Just let me a take a moment while I catch my breath! I LOVED IT! WHAT A BOOK! WHAT AN AUTHOR! WHAT A READ! It is all consuming, there is no let up… every twist and turn is designed to make you gasp, to make your head spin and your heart beat out of your chest.’ Emma the Little Bookworm

‘HOLY MOLY Robert Bryndza has only gone and done it again… it’s one of those books you can’t bear to put down, as each chapter ends you just “have to read one more” and before you know it it’s the middle of the night! Unsettling and disturbing, the actions of the all too human characters lead to a devastating and tense climax. I can and will wholeheartedly recommend Dark Waters for anyone looking for an original crime story but with all the hallmarks of a truly thrilling tale.’ Book Review Café

‘The characterisation in this story is incredible. There are so many well developed characters and this makes the story so much stronger. It is a compelling read which once you start you won’t want to put down!’ Tea Chocolate and a Book

You will find all of Robert’s books HERE

Enjoy!

Today I have the pleasure of sharing the prologue for The Christmas Cake Café, by Sue Watson, which is published today by Bookouture!

Happy publication day!

Prologue

The Christmas Proposal

It was Christmas Eve, the champagne was cold and sparkly, the tree was twinkling, and Bing Crosby was tinkling across the restaurant, filling the air with festive warmth and glitter. It was also the eve of my fortieth birthday, so it was extra special, and I was feeling particularly emotional looking at Tim across the table. The time was right. At last. He looked gorgeous. Not only was the candlelight warming his face, softening his big brown eyes, it was also rekindling our love. Despite the sparkle of the season I had to admit we’d been a little lacklustre on the love front recently.

‘This is just what we need,’ I sighed. ‘I know things haven’t been easy for us – you’ve been working so hard I’ve hardly seen you – but I’m glad we made this time for each other, Tim.’

‘Yes, I wanted us to spend tonight together,’ he said. ‘It’s been ten years now, and I think it’s time we talked about the future.’

A frisson of excitement bubbled up in my chest – though it may have been the champagne.

‘Yes, ten wonderful years,’ I said, smiling, gazing into his eyes and thinking of the good times. It had taken a while, and there’d been doubts along the way. It hadn’t been a bed of roses, and Tim had a tendency to put work before our relationship, coming home and burying his head in the computer, and often forgetting our anniversaries because he was so busy. But here, by the glittering light of candles, it seemed Tim was finally ready to put us first. He knew Christmas was my favourite time of year, and I’d often talked of a wedding in December, so perhaps we could organise it in time for next year? It was my childhood dream to be a winter bride, dressed in icy white, crystals and fur. I’d imagined being delivered to my soul mate by horse and carriage, cutting through a white landscape of snowy mountains and shimmering fir trees. And it looked like that dream was just about to come true, so I sat back and waited for the confetti to fall.

Tim lifted the champagne bottle from the ice bucket, tutting slightly at the drips on the table. I wiped them away with my napkin then folded it again, pushing the creases with my fingers, desperately trying to make it smooth.

‘The waitress should have brought a cloth,’ he sighed. ‘I wasn’t sure about buying this fizz anyway… it’s an inferior brand.’ He scrutinised the label then screwed up his face in that way he often did.

I smiled indulgently. How like Tim to want everything about the ‘surprise proposal’ to be perfect. We were quite alike really – both wanted a nice home, clean, tidy with a perfectly manicured lawn and a kitchen stuffed with high-end white goods. My friend Storm said we were in a rut, but as I pointed out to her, one girl’s rut was another girl’s life of domestic bliss. We both knew where we were and what the other was doing at any given time, nothing wrong with that – and we were both in bed by 9.30 p.m. every night, asleep by 9.35 p.m. I was happy; I felt safe with Tim. He wasn’t what you’d call spontaneous, but if spontaneity meant he’d run off with the first good-looking woman he saw, then give me predictable. Given our routine and the fact I knew him inside out, the proposal wasn’t going to be a surprise because I’d seen all the signs. There was mistletoe above the table, champagne in the ice bucket and deliberately vague references to it being time to ‘talk about our future’.

He’d also insisted I meet him at 6.30 p.m., which meant I had to miss taking part in the annual carol service at the hospital. My half-sister Jody was a nurse there, and I’d felt really torn about backing out – and Jody hadn’t helped with her emotional blackmail. ‘Don’t worry about the hospital charity, Jen. I mean if Tim wants an early dinner then sick patients will have to come second,’ she’d said sarcastically. For God’s sake, this was my Christmas proposal. It was everything I’d ever wanted and still she didn’t get it. I put Jody and her anger from my mind. It was my birthday tomorrow, and I was having a special Christmas Eve birthday dinner with my future husband. I looked round at the glittery lights, the mistletoe, the sparkling champagne and the man with twinkly blue eyes. I was a lucky girl.

As Tim lifted the bottle to pour our drinks, I discreetly checked the bottom of my glass flute to see if he’d popped the engagement ring in when I wasn’t looking. Tim wasn’t really a romantic – he always said grand gestures were just a desperate attempt for attention, or a cover-up for infidelity. I suppose that’s why he never bought me flowers and didn’t want to get engaged, until now. If I ever made vague suggestions about getting married (which I did, sometimes once a week) he’d always reject them quite strenuously: ‘Isn’t it enough that I come back to our shared home every evening?’ he’d say. But I knew if I waited long enough it would happen. And here we were, champagne on the table, Bing Crosby in the air – my moment had arrived.

‘So… to us,’ I said, raising my glass, looking into his eyes, offering him the moment. ‘And to love,’ I added, for good measure.

‘Whatever love is,’ he said in his best Prince Charles voice, which stung a little, but now wasn’t the time to compare our love to that of the doomed prince and princess, so I pushed forward.

‘I wonder what our future holds?’ I said, with a questioning but coquettish look, along with another rather blatant cue.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Oh.’ I put down my glass, still smiling. Was he teasing me? It wasn’t like Tim to tease – he was usually very serious.

‘I’ve been thinking a lot lately and tonight I want to share my thoughts with you,’ he started.

I shimmered with excitement and, taking another gulp, I waited as he took a sip of his champagne. Now would be good, I thought – this would be the perfect memory with the candles and the musical accompaniment. Bing was reaching a climax – a few more festive lyrics and he’d be gone, leaving only cutlery clatter and murmured conversations. The Christmas proposal had to have a backdrop of good Christmas music, and I was worried about what would be piped through next, because I didn’t want this moment drowned by a shrieking Mariah Carey wailing about what she wanted for Christmas. I felt like a film director, longing to shout ‘Action!’ so it would all fall into place here and now – everything perfect, even the timing. You had to grab these perfectly framed moments so you could hold on to them forever.

And then he spoke. ‘We’ve had ten good years together… and the thing is… tonight I wanted to say… thank you…’

‘You’re welcome.’

‘But… but I think we’ve reached the end of the road.’

And my Christmas world stood still. Baubles stopped sparkling, candles went out – and Bing Crosby left abruptly, taking his white Christmas with him.

This wasn’t in the script. Tim was now supposed to be on one knee placing the ring on my finger as the restaurant erupted around us in applause. My mouth was suddenly very dry, and I took a large gulp of champagne before asking, ‘What do you mean?’

‘I’m not happy.’

‘Happy? Not happy?’

‘No… I don’t want this life… with you.’

My throat closed up and I couldn’t speak, breathe or swallow – my whole world had crashed, taking my past and future with it. No sparkly ring in my glass, no flower-framed wedding photos of the two of us smiling, my bouquet thrown in the air, my life fused with his.

I looked into his cold eyes, a tiny cell in my body still hoping against hope this might be an elaborate joke. But Tim didn’t do jokes.

‘How long have you felt like this?’ I asked.

‘Years.’

‘Years? YEARS?’

‘Yes… don’t shout, Jennifer.’ He looked over at the couple on the next table, giving them an embarrassed smile.

‘Oh I’m sorry, you’ve just thrown a bomb into my life, forgive me if I embarrass you by shouting,’ I snapped. ‘Tim, what the hell…?’

‘I’m sorry. I just haven’t felt… love… for you for a while now.’

This was a final stab to the heart. ‘But it’s Christmas… and it’s my birthday…’ I said, desperately searching for reasons for him not to do this, like it was illegal to dump someone at Christmas or on their birthday.

‘Why this… now?’ I asked, gesturing towards the champagne, the glittering candles, the perfect bloody setting for a perfect bloody proposal.

‘It’s your birthday. We always go out for your birthday. I wanted it to be pleasant…’

‘Pleasant? PLEASANT?’ I raised my voice again.

‘Ssshhh, you’re making a scene,’ he said, looking round furtively.

‘A scene? A SCENE? I yelled, aware I was simply repeating key words and saying them more loudly, but it was involuntary. ‘You dump me after ten years… my best years… We were on the cusp of marriage.’ He was shaking his head, but I wasn’t taking this on.

‘You’ve taken my youth, my fertile years – I wanted a baby, Tim.’

‘I’m sure you’ll meet someone…’ he started.

‘I WON’T. No one will want me. You’ve had the best years, the childbearing…’

‘Please stop shouting about fertility and childbearing in here.’ He was hissing, more concerned about how we looked to the rest of the diners than the fact my heart was splattered all over the table.

‘You’ve taken away my future, you bastard!’ I shouted this and in my rising fury picked up the bottle of champagne and hurled the rest of the contents at him. He yelped like a dog, and then the manager came over and asked if he could help.

‘Yes, kick him in the balls for me,’ I shouted, and grabbing my bag, I rushed out in a flurry of tears and heartbreak – just as Bing Crosby suggested we have ourselves a merry little Christmas.

Well, if that doesn’t leave you wanting more, I don’t know what will!

Buy your copy now on the links below…..

THE CHRISTMAS CAKE CAFÉ by Sue Watson out today! (14^th October)

UK: http://amzn.to/2beYIgr

US: http://amzn.to/2bp6pSB

Heart-warming and hilarious, a story that will make you laugh, cry and bring a smile to your face.  Get ready for another deliciously amazing Christmas treat from Sue Watson….

As the Prosecco chills and Bing Crosby croons, Jen Barker just knows that her long-term boyfriend is about to propose.  But instead of a diamond ring nestled in her champagne flute, Jen finds cold flat rejection.  Her once perfect life and dreams of a husband and family seem even further from reach.

A working holiday to the Swiss Alps with her younger sister Jody might not be the Christmas Jen had it mind, but it offers her the chance to recharge her batteries and recover from heartbreak.

When Jen meets handsome ski instructor Jon Zutter her hopes for a happy-ever-after seem within her grasp again. Jon is kind and gorgeous and as they bond over Sachetorte at the picturesque Cake Café, Jen thinks he might just be her perfect man. But a relationship with him comes with a catch – and there are some things even cake can’t fix.

As the snow falls and Christmas approaches, could this be the place that restores Jen Barker’s faith in love? 

About the Author

Sue Watson was a journalist on women’s magazines and national newspapers before leaving it all behind for a career in TV. As a producer with the BBC she worked on garden makeovers, kitchen takeovers and daytime sofas – all the time making copious notes so that one day she might escape to the country and turn it all into a book.

After much deliberation and copious consumption of cake, Sue eventually left her life in TV to write.  After a very successful debut novel, Fat Girls and Fairy Cakes Sue signed a three book deal with Bookouture.

www.suewatsonbooks.com

Many thanks to Kim at Bookouture for letting me join in with todays publication celebrations!  🙂

Publisher: Bookouture (27th October 2016)

Wow, this is one to get your heart racing!

First of all, anyone who knows me well enough will know that I am a HUGE fan of Mel Sherratt and I’m proud to call her my friend. She is a lovely lady and the most fabulous writer. This in no way influences my reviews of her work though. I would be honest if I didn’t totally love one of her books, but anyone who has read Mel’s books before will know that this is unlikely to ever be an issue! I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all of Mel’s books and The Girls Next Door is right up there with them all. In fact, I think each book is slightly better than the last, if that is at all possible.

The Girls Next Door is due to be published by Bookouture on 27^th October, so you know it will be excellent because Bookouture have some of the most fabulous authors on their books.

I feel like I can’t find the right words to properly do this book the justice it deserves, but I’ll do my best…..

Detective Eden Berrisford is a new character and one I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know. She’s a feisty character who is obviously very good at her job. Her colleagues have a lot of respect for her and she has strong family values which shine throughout this story. She has a good relationship with her teenager daughter and is very close to her sister, Laura, and her niece’s, Jess and Sarah.

Eden, her team and the residents of Stockleigh are shocked when local teenagers are subjected to horrific and demoralising attacks. Are they revenge attacks or is there more to it?

Local teenager, Deanna, was fatally stabbed 6 months before and her murder case is coming up soon. I felt so sorry for her mother. Losing a child is every parents worst nightmare, let alone in such horrific circumstances. I also felt for Katie, who had been caught up in the tragedy and was now facing possible charges for a crime she didn’t commit. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but they can’t send her down when she didn’t do it. Can they? I could feel her mothers pain, seeing her daughter locked up for a crime she didn’t commit, when she had only been trying to help Deanna. As a parent of teenagers, I worry every day about these sorts of scenarios. It must be terrifying to live it!

Even more terrifying to find your daughter has been kidnapped! I just don’t know what I would do. I’d be hysterical so, for me, Laura’s reaction is totally believable when Jess is taken and time starts ticking on. Eden’s too as she battles to keep her emotions in check, as much as possible, to have the best chance of finding Jess alive.

My heart was racing as the search for Jess picked up pace. Would Eden and her team find her before it was too late?

The Girls Next Door is described as “a gripping, edge-of-your-seat crime thriller” and as far as I’m concerned this is spot on! The first page draws you in and the short chapters, each one of which ends in a way that makes you NEED to read the next, makes it a fast-paced and engaging read.

Just brilliant!

As with all of Mel’s books these characters are very real and (mostly) very likeable and I’m sure a lot of readers will relate to them and their stories. I have enjoyed getting to know the new characters and well as catching up with old friends from previous visits to Stockleigh.

I have to say also that although the actions of the kidnapper are horrendous, his story is heart-breaking.

If you’ve never read any of Mel’s books before you honestly don’t know what you’re missing. Why not give this one a go? I can guarantee you will be buying her others afterwards!

Many thanks to Mel Sherratt and Bookouture for my ARC of this fabulous book via Netgalley. I am very grateful and I will be recommending it to everyone!

Proud as always to be part of #TeamSherratt  🙂

Pre-order your copy of The Girls Next Door HERE

Description:

One warm spring evening, five teenagers meet in a local park. Only four will come out alive.

Six months after the stabbing of sixteen-year-old Deanna Barker, someone is coming after the teenagers of Stockleigh, as a spate of vicious assaults rocks this small community. Revenge for Deanna? Or something more?

Detective Eden Berrisford is locked into a race against time to catch the twisted individual behind the attacks – but when her own niece, Jess Mountford, goes missing, the case gets personal.

With the kidnapper threatening Jess’s life, can Eden bring back her niece to safety? Or will the people of Stockleigh be forced to mourn another daughter…?

A terrifying, compelling, police procedural which will thrill fans of Angela Marsons, Peter James and Rachel Abbott.

About the author:

I write gritty crime dramas, psychological suspense and fiction with a punch – or grit-lit, as I call it. Shortlisted for the prestigious CWA (Crime Writer’s Association) Dagger in Library Award 2014, my inspiration comes from authors such as Martina Cole, Lynda la Plante, Mandasue Heller and Elizabeth Haynes. Since 2012, all eight of my crime novels have been bestsellers, each one climbing into the kindle UK top 20 and I’ve had several number ones. I’ve also had numerous Kindle All-star awards, for best read author and best titles.

I also write contemporary fiction under the name of Marcie Steele – Stirred with Love was published in September 2015, The Little Market Stall of Hope and Heartbreak in December 2015 and The Second Chance Shoe Shop in April 2016.

I live in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with my husband and terrier, Dexter (named after the TV serial killer) and make liberal use of my hometown as a backdrop for some of my books. You can find out more at my website http://www.melsherratt.co.uk or I’m on Twitter at @writermels

***Not tried The Estate Series yet? For a limited time, you can grab a copy of the ‘behind the scenes look’ at the series, Secrets on The Estate. Just copy and paste this link into your browser for your free book: http://bit.ly/1fFPgmD ***

Previous books by Mel Sherratt…..

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You will find all of Mel’s books on her Amazon author page HERE

Writing as Marcie Steele…..

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Check out Marcie Steele’s Amazon author page HERE

My earlier reviews of Mel’s work (since starting this blog)…..

Mel Sherratt – The Estate Series

Mel Sherratt – Written In The Scars – The Estate Series, Book 4

That’s What Friends Are For by Mel Sherratt writing as Marcie Steele

The Second Chance Shoe Shop by Marcie Steele (aka Mel Sherratt)

**Blog Tour** Q&A with author, Marcie Steele