WELCOME FRANCES FYFIELD

FRANCES FYFIELD

“I grew up in rural Derbyshire, but my adult life has been spent mostly in London, with long intervals in Norfolk and Deal, all inspiring places. I was educated mostly in convent schools; then studied English and went on to qualify as a solicitor, working for what is now the Crown Prosecution Service, thus learning a bit about murder at second hand. Years later, writing became the real vocation, although the law and its ramifications still haunt me and inform many of my novels.

I’m a novelist, short story writer for magazines and radio, sometime Radio 4 contributor, (Front Row, Quote Unquote, Night Waves,) and presenter of Tales from the Stave. When I’m not working (which is as often as possible), I can be found in the nearest junk/charity shop or auction, looking for the kind of paintings which enhance my life. Otherwise, with a bit of luck, I’m relaxing by the sea with a bottle of wine and a friend or two.”-Frances Fyfield
Connect with Ms. Fyfield at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

Marianne Shearer is at the height of her career, a dauntingly successful barrister, respected by her peers and revered by her clients. So why has she killed herself? Her latest case had again resulted in an acquittal, although the outcome was principally due to the death of the prime witness after Marianne’s forceful cross-examination. Had this wholly professional and unemotional lawyer been struck by guilt or uncertainty, or is there some secret to be discovered in her blandly comfortable private life? Her tenacious colleague Peter Friel is determined to find out of that last trial held the reason for her taking her own life. The transcript holds intriguing clues, but it is another witness at the trial who holds the key to the truth.

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BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Crime Thriller
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: 11/26/2013
Number of Pages: 336
ISBN: 9780062301864

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DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

WELCOME MARTHE JOCELYN

MARTHE JOCELYN

Marthe Jocelyn spent her childhood in Toronto reading books and putting on plays and circuses in her backyard. Marthe has a long string of jobs: theatre usher, cookie seller, waitress, photo stylist, even toy designer before she finally settled on writer.

Marthe lives in Ontario with her daughters Nell and Hannah but still goes back home to NYC each summer.
Connect with Marthe at these sites:

GUEST POST

Readers of this blog are often mystery fans as well,  so you may be wondering why a craft book written to inspire children would be featured in this space. Well, I’m here to offer up a different kind of mystery-making, the kind you stumble across when you’re walking down the street of any big city. Whose baby dropped the pacifier that lies in the gutter? How did someone lose a single high-heeled shoe and not notice? What do those scrawls on the side of the garage actually say? Why is that statue of Garibaldi wearing a woolly red hat?

Walking my kids to school through downtown Manhattan was a daily scavenger hunt. We saw dozens of strange and amusing things every week, eventually inspiring us to come up with our own contributions to the great urban gallery.

One daughter spent an afternoon tying coloured yarn to the black fence that bordered the playground. The other daughter painted faces on stones and left them on park benches for unsuspecting sitters. Both girls made elaborate chalk mazes on sidewalks and elegant structures out of feathers and sticks in the sandbox.  They built little houses from jewelry boxes to hide in odd corners in the classroom, and often put surprise drawings inside menus in restaurants. Making the art was one phase. Hiding it was the next. And watching friends or strangers find it – seeing the whodunnit moment in action – that was the best last chapter.

The seeds of artistic mischief were planted, several years later to bear fruit as Sneaky Art: Crafty Projects to Hide in Plain Sight. The book is a how-to manual with instructions for 24 projects and inspiration for many more.

It comes with a disclaimer, of course, reminding young artists that sneaky art is NOT: mean, defacing, ugly, hurtful, messy, or permanent. Sneaky art is NOT graffiti or litter. Sneaky art is” funny, clever, thoughtful, temporary, subversive, playful, and surprising!

ABOUT THE BOOK

For young artists, tricksters, and crafters, here is a hip, friendly how-to manual for creating removable and shareable art projects from easily found materials. The sneaky part is in the installation! Each work of art is custom-created for display in public places — a tiny cork-bottomed boat in a public fountain, a plate of tiny paper cupcakes on your teacher’s desk, a penny left on the ground for a stranger, a funny message left on your mother’s bathroom mirror, and more. This utterly unique guide — part craft book, part art-philosophy — offers a stylish and sweet “made-you-look-twice” spirit of fun meant to put a smile on the faces of strangers and loved ones alike.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Crafts & Hobbies
Age Range: 8 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 7
Hardcover: 64 pages
Publisher: Candlewick; Spi edition
Publication Date: March 26, 2013
ISBN-10: 0763656488
ISBN-13: 978-0763656485

PURCHASE LINKS:

       

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Christmas In Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis

Enjoy the holiday season in Lucky Harbor with this heartwarming collection. Readers will receive Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing in one volume, plus two short stories, Kissing Santa and Under the Mistletoe (both never before seen in print!) There’s no place like Lucky Harbor for the holidays…

Love awaits you in Lucky Harbor . . .

Simply Irresistible
After losing her boyfriend and her job, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim her inheritance-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. She sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if she can give the inn the makeover it needs. Enter Jax, a tall, handsome contractor who knows exactly what Maddie needs…

The Sweetest Thing
Helping her sister set up the family inn is just the thing to make Tara forget her ex-husband and focus on her new life. Until she meets a sexy, green-eyed sailor determined to keep her hot, bothered, and in his bed. When her ex reappears, Tara must confront her past and decide what she really wants.

Kissing Santa Claus
NASCAR driver Logan Perrish returns to Lucky Harbor, Washington, with love in his heart and a ring in his pocket. But can Sandy Jansen forget the past and give him a second chance? Or will Logan be spending another Christmas alone?

Under the Mistletoe
There’s no place like home for the holidays. And the Lucky Harbor Bed & Breakfast is bursting with festive lights and good cheer. But for Mia, Christmas is turning out to be anything other than merry and bright. Her recent break-up with her boyfriend Nick has made her return bittersweet. But then a surprise arrives, when Nick follows her to town bearing gifts – and asking for forgiveness.

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

A Christmas to Remember  by Jill Shalvis, Kristen Ashley, Hope Ramsay, Marilyn Pappano & Molly Cannon

This heartwarming (e-only!) anthology features new tales from popular series by Shalvis, Ashley, Ramsay, Cannon, and Pappano. These touching short stories celebrate true love at Christmastime. Including excerpts from upcoming novels by these popular authors, it’s sure to put readers in the holiday spirit!

Dream a Little Dream by Jill Shalvis: Melissa has kept every man at a safe distance-especially firefighter Ian, a sexy friend with sexy benefits. But Ian secretly longs for more. Luckily, ’tis the season for giving love a chance . . .

Every Year by Kristen Ashley: Holidays don’t come easy for Shy and his brother, Landon. But with the magic of Christmas, along with a little help from Tabby and her family, the Cage brothers are about to get the gift of a lifetime . . .

Silent Night by Hope Ramsey: Down on her luck and evicted from her apartment, single mother Maryanne hopes to start over in Last Chance. When the snow begins to fall, it looks like her baby might literally spend Christmas Eve in a manger. And Maryanne might celebrate the holiday with a handsome stranger.

Have Yourself a Messy Little Christmas by Molly Cannon: Lincoln is a bachelor who’s set in his ways-until a professional organizer dressed up as Mrs. Claus changes his life, one tip at a time. . .

A Family for Christmas by Marilyn Pappano: War widow Ilena doesn’t mind spending Christmas alone. But when a new doctor blows into town with the winter wind, will she get her secret Christmas wish?

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Hope Ramsay grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you’ll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. She’s a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart and is married to a good ol’ Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia, where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar.

Molly Cannon lives a charmed life in Texas with her nearly perfect husband and extremely large cat Nelson. When she’s not writing, she spends her days reading, taking dance classes with the hubby and watching all kinds of sports. Molly has three children, all married to terrific people and two wonderful grandchildren. Life is good!

Known for her intensely emotional stories, Marilyn Pappano is the USA Today bestselling author of nearly eighty books. She has made regular appearances on bestseller lists and has received recognition for her work in the form of numerous awards. Though her husband’s Navy career took them across the United States, he and Ms. Pappano now live in Oklahoma high on a hill that overlooks her hometown. They have one son and daughter-in-law, an adorable grandson, and a pack of mischievous dogs.

THANKS TO MARISSA AT FOREVER/GCP,
ONE WINNER WILL RECEIVE BOTH EBOOKS.
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WELCOME TERI RIGGS

 

TERI RIGGS

Teri Riggs was destined to be a writer. As a small girl she didn’t read bedtime stories, she made up her own. Who needed Little Red Riding Hood or The Three Little Pigs when there were so many great tales bouncing around in her head? When she grew up and became a mother to three little girls, she continued the tradition of making up bedtime stories. On the occasions she chose to tell conventional fairytales, Teri usually gave them a bit of tweaking here and there or added a new ending. Her girls loved it.
Connect with Teri at these sites:

ABOUT THE BOOK

DEA agent Eve Taylor has had her fill of alpha males. When Resolutions’ operative and former lover, Dillon “Mac” McKenna, threatened her hard-earned independence, she ran. On a mission to gather evidence against a Colombian drug-lord, Eve discovers the drug-lord is helping terrorists plan an attack on American soil. Before she can escape with the vital information, she’s captured and comes face to face with her mortality…

As a teen, Mac watched his family fall apart after his mother died doing dangerous U.N. work. The possibility of losing Eve to a mission ignited an overwhelming need to protect her. When he forced her to choose him or her job, she walked away. Two years later, it seems all his nightmares have come true and he’s tasked with rescuing her from a Colombian prison. Mac has never stopped loving Eve, but does he dare risk his heart when he’s so terrified of losing…

On the run, Mac and Eve must learn to trust each other again in order to stay alive.

Note: Resolutions is a private black ops agency specializing in the near-impossible extractions of kidnap victims, hostages, and all forms of intelligence other agencies have failed to retrieve.
*This book contains explicit violence*

BOOK DETAILS:

Number of Pages: 216 pages
Publisher: Decadent Publishing Company, LLC
Publication Date: September 10, 2013
ASIN: B00F4C5FGS

PURCHASE LINKS:

       

From Samantha at JKS Communications:

Tune in for some great Holiday Reading/Gift Lists and Giveaways!

We have so many fantastic books, and with Christmas fast-approaching, we’ll be working with some of our wonderful bloggers to do 12 great days of book giveaways and holiday lists to help you with holiday gifts this year!

Follow the Tour here for some
GREAT Giveaways and Gift Suggestions!

Wrong Place, Wrong Time by Tilia Klebenov Jacobs 

When Tsara Adelman leaves her husband and two young children for a weekend to visit her estranged uncle, she little dreams he is holding several local children captive on his
lavish estate. Mike Westbrook, father of one of the boys, kidnaps her to trade her life for the children’s. Soon Tsara and Mike are fleeing through New Hampshire’s mountain
wilderness pursued by two rogue cops with murder on their minds.

A Measure of Blood by Kathleen George

Nadal watches for weeks before he first approaches the boy. No matter what Maggie Brown says, he’s sure Matt is his son, and a boy should know his father. After their first confrontation, Maggie should have run. She should have hidden her child. But she underestimated the man who was once her lover. With self-righteous determination, Nadal goes to her house. He demands to spend time with the boy. When she refuses, he reaches for a knife.

By the time homicide detective Richard Christie arrives on the scene, all that remains of Maggie Brown is a bloodstain on the floor. The killer has vanished, and Matt is too scared to remember anything but his mother’s fear. As Christie looks for the killer and Maggie’s friends fight to keep Matt out of the hands of Child Services, Nadal watches the news and waits. A boy should be with his father. He’s going to get his son.

8-Bit Christmas by Kevin Jakubowski

It’s 1980-something and all nine-year-old Jake Doyle wants for Christmas is a Nintendo Entertainment System. No Jose Canseco rookie card, no GI Joe hovercraft, no Teddy friggin’ Ruxpin—just Nintendo. But when a hyperactive Shih Tzu is accidentally crushed to death by a forty-two- inch television set and every parent in town blames Nintendo, it’s up to Jake to take matters into his own hands. The result is a Christmas quest of Super Mario Bros. proportions, filled with flaming wreaths, speeding minivans, lost retainers, fake Santas, hot teachers, snotty sisters, “Super Bowl Shuffles” and one very naked Cabbage Patch Kid. Told from a nostalgic adult perspective, 8-Bit Christmas is a hilarious and heartfelt look back at the kid pop culture of the 1980s.

Southern League by Larry Colton

Anybody who is familiar with the Civil Rights movement knows that 1964 was a pivotal year. And in Birmingham, Alabama – perhaps the epicenter of racial conflict – the Barons amazingly started their season with an integrated team.

Johnny “Blue Moon” Odom, a talented pitcher and Tommie Reynolds, an outfielder – both young black ballplayers with dreams of playing someday in the big leagues, along with Bert Campaneris, a dark-skinned shortstop from Cuba, all found themselves in this simmering cauldron of a minor league town, all playing for Heywood Sullivan, a white former major leaguer who grew up just down the road in Dothan, Alabama.

Colton traces the entire season, writing about the extraordinary relationships among these players with Sullivan, and Colton tells their story by capturing the essence of Birmingham and its citizens during this tumultuous year. (The infamous Bull Connor, for example, when not ordering blacks to be blasted by powerful water hoses, is a fervent follower of the Barons and served as a long-time broadcaster of their games.)

By all accounts, the racial jeers and taunts that rained down upon these Birmingham players were much worse than anything that Jackie Robinson ever endured.

More than a story about baseball, this is a true accounting of life in a different time and clearly a different place. Seventeen years after Jackie Robinson had broken the color line in the major leagues, Birmingham was exploding in race riots….and now, they were going to have their very first integrated sports team. This is a story that has never been told.

The Glide Trilogy by Bill Gourgey

Captain Magigate, a legendary inventor and recluse who is equal parts Albert Einstein
and Don Quixote, confronts his own shadowy destiny when two adventurous teens
disrupt the status quo of his covert lab on Isla de Tiempo Muerto. When the captain’s
nemesis, the Prophet, who once had an iron grip over much of the world’s commerce,
escapes her island prison taking one of the teens hostage, Captain Magigate must face
not only his long-time foe and erstwhile lover but also the ambiguous legacy of his
inventions. “Glide” is a dark and quixotic look at what happens when invention reaches
beyond its pale to compensate for the shortcomings of heart and soul.

Letters To Ann: The Korean War 1950-1951 by Anne Marie

With North Korea rattling its saber again, Letters to Ann takes the reader back to the early years of the Korean War. Even in some of its darkest moments, Captain John Hughes finds and shares bits of humor about his daily military existence with his then four year-old daughter. It is a unique perspective of what so often is called “The Forgotten War.”

The Time Slip Series by Julie Tetel Andresen 

These novels are double romances: one love story is in historical time and produces long-term consequences; the other love story is in the present and is thoroughly enmeshed in those consequences.

Linguistics and Evolution by Julie Tetel Andresen 

Evolutionary linguistics – an approach to language study that takes into account our origins and development as a species – has rapidly developed in recent years. Informed by the latest findings in evolutionary theory, this book sets language within the context of human biology and development, taking ideas from fields such as psychology, neurology, biology, anthropology, genetics and cognitive science. By factoring an evolutionary and developmental perspective into the theoretical framework, the author replaces old questions – such as ‘what is language?’ – with new questions, such as ‘how do living beings become ‘languaging’ living beings?’ Linguistics and Evolution offers readers the first rethinking of an introductory approach to linguistics since Leonard Bloomfield’s 1933 Language. It will be of significant interest to advanced students and researchers in all subfields of linguistics, and the related fields of biology, anthropology, cognitive science and psychology.

DISCLAIMER
No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

WELCOME BACK SHANNON RICHARD

SHANNON RICHARD

Shannon Richard grew up in the Panhandle of Florida as the baby sister of two overly protective, but loving brothers. She was raised by a somewhat eccentric mother who showed her how to get lost in a book, and a father who passed on his love for coffee and really loud music. She graduated from Florida State University with a Bachelor’s in English Literature, and lives in Tallahassee. She’s still waiting for her Southern, scruffy, Mr. Darcy and in the meantime writes love stories to indulge her overactive imagination.
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ABOUT THE BOOK

Some things you don’t dare let go . . . 
       Melanie O’Bryan knows life is too short to be afraid of taking chances. And former Air Force sergeant Bennett Hart is certainly worth taking a chance on. He’s agreed to help her students with a school project, but she’s hoping the handsome handyman will offer her a whole lot more. Yet despite his heated glances and teasing touches, Mel senses there’s something holding him back . . .
Bennett Hart is grateful to be alive and back home in Mirabelle, Florida. Peaceful and uncomplicated-that’s all he’s looking for. Until a spunky, sexy-as-hell teacher turns his life upside down. After one smoldering kiss, Bennett feels like he’s falling without a parachute. But with memories of his past threatening to resurface, he’ll have to decide whether to keep playing it safe, or take the biggest risk of all.

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: A Country Roads Novel
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Forever Yours
Publication Date: December 3, 2013
ISBN-10: 1455547433
ISBN-13: 978-1455547432

PURCHASE LINKS:

           

THANKS TO JULIE AT FOREVER/GCP,
I HAVE ONE (1) EBOOK COPY TO GIVE AWAY.
EBOOK VIA NETGALLEY~~~OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS

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WELCOME NASHIN SADEER

NASHIN SADEER

Nashin Sadeer was born in England and as a child moved with his mother to Paris. He was educated there until the age of seventeen, when he moved back to Epsom, Surrey where he would learn to speak English. Sadeer’s interests include film, martial arts and reading.
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Q&A with Nashin Sadeer

Do you draw from personal experience and/or current event?
The book is based around the festive season purely for my love of Christmas! Many Christmas movies inspired my motivation to write and whilst many of the events in the story are based on my experiences, much of the story is fictional. I wanted to emphasise the fact that every dear person who has left the earth, will always remain in the hearts of many. Despite not physically being with us, they are in a place where they can guide us through life, to give us strength when we feel low, support us when we face difficulties in life. They are still amongst us in a different, but special way. A powerful message in the story is that it’s never too late to do good deeds and be a good person and that everyone has to enjoy each moment in life and spend precious time with loved ones.

Do you start with conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and where the line brings you?
I like to plan out the main structure, determining what will happen in each chapter and really distinguish the different character traits. Then I start writing and it pretty much moves in a linear motion, only going back to work on sections of the book once it’s complete.

Your routine?
I prefer to write at home, mainly because I love listening to music whilst doing so as it constantly inspires me and keeps me on track. At this time of year, I even like writing with the television on in the background as I love the Christmas adverts and music!

Is your writing what you do full time?
No, I’m currently in my final year of university, studying Business at London South Bank University. Writing is my passion that, at the moment, comes secondary.

What are you reading now?
My brother Naim is also a novelist, and I’m currently reading his debut, Regnum Vita 2. It’s very much Harry Potter inspired!

Are you working on your next novel?
Yes, I’m writing another romance. It follows the love story of Diana and Nick, who fall in love at first sight but are separated because of unforeseen circumstances and their relationship is left in the hands of fate.

Who are your favorites authors?
Joss Whedon, S. D Perry, J.K Rowling and Naim Sadeer

Your novel will be a movie. Who would you cast?
Nathan Wyler: James Lafferty
Emily Barton: Emma Stone
Elizabeth Williams: Briana Evigan
Patrick: Neil Patrick Harris

Manuscript /Notes: handwriting or keyboard?
I usually always go straight to the computer, but I can’t leave the house without my notepad and pen in case ideas for the plot or character come to me on the commute or whilst I’m grabbing a coffee. I love to people watch and am endlessly inspired.

Activities?
I regularly practice martial arts with my brother and also love driving, writing, reading, playing video games, watching movies and spending time with my friends.

Favourite meal?
Fish and chips

ABOUT THE BOOK

When Nathan Wyler’s adored wife Emily dies tragically in a car accident in December his entire world collapses around him. He immerses himself in work, doing everything he can to escape the grief and ends-up neglecting his young son, Stefan, in the process – alienating himself from everybody he loves. Things are made worse still by Emily’s father, Xavier, who blames his son-in-law for the death of his brilliant young daughter.

As the years pass, Stefan is denied contact with his grandparents and starved of his father’s affections. As a result he becomes increasingly close to Kate, a substitute teacher at his school. An understanding and gentle woman, Kate is quick to identify the impact of Nathan’s selfish actions on his young son. As her bond with the Stefan flourishes, she visits Nathan at work in an attempt to make him aware of the emotional strain he’s been inflicting on the innocent boy. Preparing herself for a tempestuous encounter with Nathan, Kate is shocked to instead find a vulnerable, grief-stricken figure desperate to be saved, and a potent mutual attraction becomes clear to them both.

Nathan finds solace in the calming influence of this mysterious young woman, and, with her help, begins to reconcile his relationship with Stefan. Unbeknownst to him, Kate even brokers a successful meeting with Emily’s father and the two settle their differences over Christmas dinner. All may not be as it seems with Kate though, as Nathan slowly begins to piece together the feeling of familiarity he had experienced when they first met. As her good deeds continue and Christmas draws closer, the Wyler family begin to realise that she may not be who she claims to be. But who else could this ethereal samaritan be, and why does she seem so familiar to Nathan?

Inspired by the authors such as Joss Whedon and S.D Perry whose stories captivated him as a child, A Second Chance for Christmas is Nashin Sadeer’s poignant tale of love’s triumph over loss and grief. Set in Nashville, Tennessee, the young author charts the tribulations of the Wylers in an immersive, emotional and magic-tinged narrative reflecting his own passion for the festive season.

A Second Chance for Christmas is a must-read for fans of young adult fiction and contemporary romance, or for anyone who still believes that there’s a little magic in christmas.

BOOK DETAILS:

Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Publication Date: December 1, 2013
Number of Pages: 312 pages
ISBN-10: 1783060247
ISBN-13: 978-1783060245

PURCHASE LINKS:

   

DISCLAIMER
I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
ADDENDUM
I do not have any affiliation with Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble. I am an IndieBound affiliate. I am providing link(s) solely for visitors that may be interested in purchasing this Book/EBook.

WELCOME LEIGH RUSSELL

LEIGH RUSSELL

Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Masters degree in English. For many years a secondary school English teacher, she is a creative writing tutor for adults. She is married, has two daughters, and lives in North West London. Her first novel, Cut Short, was shortlisted for the CWA John Creasey New Blood Dagger Award in 2010. This was followed by Road Closed, Dead End, Death Bed, Stop Dead and Fatal Act, in the Detective Inspector Geraldine Steel series. Cold Sacrifice is the first title in a spin off series featuring Geraldine Steel’s sergeant, Ian Peterson.
Connect with Ms. Russell at these sites:

Q&A with Leigh Russell

Do you draw from personal experiences and/or current events?
Each of my narratives spins out from a stray idea. The inspiration for my debut novel, Cut Short, occurred to me when I was crossing my local park. It was raining, so the park was deserted. As I approached a tangled copse of trees and shrubs, a man appeared around a bend in the path. I don’t know where the idea came from, but I wondered what I would do if I walked on and saw a body in the bushes. Having seen this man, I would be able to describe him to the police, and identify him as having been in the park that afternoon. The story of the killer, and the girl he had murdered in the park, took hold of me. Six weeks later the initial idea had spilled out into a draft of the first Geraldine Steel crime novel. Cut Short was shortlisted for a major award and went on to become an international bestseller. Completing the book took months of writing, researching and rewriting, but the idea for the story struck me in one brief instant. I suppose it arose from a personal experience, but a very mundane one – passing a stranger on the path in a park.

Do you start with the conclusion and plot in reverse or start from the beginning and see where the story line brings you?
When you write a book you are taking your readers on a journey. I always know where the journey starts and ends, but the route from one to the other evolves as the book develops. Something I had in mind at the start might not work, or I might have a brainwave along the way that changes everything.

Your routine when writing?  Any idiosyncrasies?
I’m afraid I don’t have any routine, other than to write whenever I can. Recently I moved from a laptop to an ipad. I like it so much that I now carry an ipad mini with me wherever I go, which means I can write whenever I have any free time. But I would never claim to follow a routine. I’m not that organised! I do have a few personal idiosyncrasies but as far as writing is concerned, I just write.

Is writing your full time job?  If not, may I ask what you do by day?
Until recently I taught English full-time in high school. Now that I am earning a living from my crime novels, I have resigned from teaching in school altogether. I simply don’t have time to carry on. That said, I am committed to occasionally teaching creative writing to adults. I am pleased the prestigious Writers Lab have invited me to return to the lovely Greek island of Skyros to run a two week creative writing course in August 2014. I can’t wait!

Who are some of your favorite authors?
I have to mention Jeffery Deaver, who is a fan of Geraldine Steel. His books are incredibly clever. As fans of one another’s work, we meet at various literary conventions, and he is not only brilliant, but truly charming, modest and unassuming, as is Lee Child, another author whose work I admire. One of the many perks of writing a popular series is that I meet many fellow authors on the circuit. As well as US crime authors like Tess Gerritsen and Harlan Coben, I have many favourites among British authors, like Peter James – and Conan Doyle, of course, although I’m not old enough to have met him!

What are you reading now?
I have just been reading an out of print author, Julian Cole, who writes about the English city of York where my spin off series for Geraldine Steel’s sergeant, Ian Peterson is set. It’s a historical city with medieval churches and cathedral, and shops dating back to the fourteenth century. Before that I was reading Edith Wharton. I don’t read crime exclusively although it us a genre that fascinates me.

Are you working on your next novel?  Can you tell us a little about it?
In Geraldine Steel’s first three books, Cut Short, Road Closed and Dead End, she works with a male colleague, Ian Peterson. He now has his own spin off series which is also being published by Harper Collins in the US. With two series on the go, there are now two manuscripts to deliver each year. So yes, I am always working on my next novel! The sixth Geraldine Steel, Fatal Act, will be available to download in the UK next month. I have just finished writing the second Ian Peterson book, which starts with a death at the horse races in York. Now that is completed and ready for the editor, I have started on the seventh Geraldine Steel mystery, which sees her lose a colleague… no, I can’t tell you any more. You will have to wait and read the book for yourself!

Fun questions:
Your novel will be a movie.  Who would you cast?
It would have to be actors who are not only brilliant, and perfect for the roles of Geraldine Steel and Ian Peterson, but stars famous and popular enough to attract millions of viewers! They would also have to be available for many sequels, as I am planning to write about twenty books in the Geraldine Steel series, and fifteen in the spin off series for Ian Peterson. I have a few ideas for suitable actors but am not going to mention names as I’d hate to put anyone else off! You never know who might be looking at the books… hopefully a wealthy Hollywood director!

Manuscript/Notes: hand written or keyboard?
When I started, I wrote everything long hand in pencil before typing it up. The creative impulse didn’t seem to work so well for me when I was typing. After a while, I found I could create my stories directly on the keyboard, which made the writing process faster. I still sometimes jot down notes, but most of my writing is done on my keyboard these days.  With two books to deliver each year, that’s probably just as well.

Favorite leisure activity/hobby?
Apart from spending time with my family, there is nothing I enjoy more than writing. There are lots of other activities I enjoy – reading, going to the theatre, listening to music… too many to list!

Favorite meal?
I am fortunate enough to live with three people who are all brilliant cooks – unlike me! Anything they make is good. I don’t eat meat, and prefer savoury to sweet, but apart from that I’m not fussy and will eat just about anything, and enjoy it.

ABOUT THE BOOK

The park – a place where children play, friends sit and gossip and people walk their dogs. But in the shadows, a predator watches, waits – and chooses his first victim. But someone has seen the killer and come forward as a witness – someone who the killer must stop at all costs. For detective Geraldine Steele it is a race against time to find the killer as two more bodies are found. A gripping psychological thriller introducing Geraldine Steel, a woman whose past is threatening to collide with her future.

READ AN EXCERPT

BOOK DETAILS:

Genre: Mystery & Detective; Women Sleuths
Published by: HarperCollins
Publication Date: Nov 26, 2013
Number of Pages: 300
ISBN: 9780062325594

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I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review. No items that I receive are ever sold…they are kept by me, or given to family and/or friends.
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