Release day and #shelfie contest

Release day is always exciting and nerve-racking. Writers spend so much time writing our books that when the time comes for our books to be released to the wild, it’s a little like the baby bird flapping its wings and leaving the nest. So today, The Cinema at Starlight Creek is out in Australia and New Zealand and available in print and e-book! For my readers outside Australia, the international edition will be available on 5 November.

To celebrate, I’m running a #shelfie contest until 11.59 on 3 June, 2019. There will be two winners drawn randomly.

To go into the draw to win a vintage scarf (styles will vary) and a Parisian necklace, all you have to do is:

• take a photo of The Cinema at Starlight Creek in the wild in a bookstore or on your e-reader
• tag me on any of my social media accounts and use the hashtag #shelfie #TheCinemaatStarlightCreek
• you get an extra entry if you tag friends on your post
• you get an entry for each social media form you use

My social media links are:

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

A little more about the book:

A heart-stirring novel of loss, love and new hope set against the glamorous backdrop of 1950s Hollywood and a small Australian country town.

How far would you go to follow your dream?

Queensland, 1994: When location manager Claire Montgomery arrives in rural Queensland to work on a TV mini-series, she’s captivated by the beauty of Starlight Creek and the surrounding sugarcane fields. Working in a male-dominated industry is challenging, but Claire has never let that stop her pursuing her dreams-until now. She must gain permission to film at Australia’s most historically significant art deco cinema, located at Starlight Creek. But there is trouble ahead. The community is fractured and the cinema’s reclusive owner, Hattie Fitzpatrick, and her enigmatic great nephew, Luke Jackson, stand in her way, putting Claire’s career-launching project-and her heart-at risk.

Hollywood, 1950: Lena Lee has struggled to find the break that will catapult her into a star with influence. She longs for roles about strong, independent women but with Hollywood engulfed in politics and a censorship battle, Lena’s timing is wrong. Forced to keep her love affair with actor Reeves Garrity a secret, Lena puts her career on the line to fight for equality for women in an industry ruled by men. Her generous and caring nature steers her onto a treacherous path, leaving Lena questioning what she is willing to endure to get what she desires.

Can two women-decades apart-uncover lies and secrets to live the life they’ve dared to dream?

Harper Collins:  https://bit.ly/2Cp1ywN

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DenZ9o

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2FEcIAR

Booktopia: https://bit.ly/2TSL6fp

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Mhf61G

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Mlz8IN

 

 

Advertisement

Cover reveal & pre-order

One of the biggest thrills when a book is coming together is seeing the cover. I’ve been blessed by the cover fairies on every book of mine and just when I think they can’t do any better they come up with something like this …

 

Isn’t it beautiful? I’m very excited about my May 20 release date for The Cinema at Starlight Creek. This is for my Australian and New Zealand readers and shortly I’ll be able to show you the cover and announce the date for the international edition which will be titled The Cinema of Lost Dreams.

Would you like to know a little more about the book? Here you go!

A heart-stirring novel of loss, love and new hope set against the glamorous backdrop of 1950s Hollywood and a small Australian country town.

How far would you go to follow your dream?

Queensland, 1994: When location manager Claire Montgomery arrives in rural Queensland to work on a TV mini-series, she’s captivated by the beauty of Starlight Creek and the surrounding sugarcane fields. Working in a male-dominated industry is challenging, but Claire has never let that stop her pursuing her dreams-until now. She must gain permission to film at Australia’s most historically significant art deco cinema, located at Starlight Creek. But there is trouble ahead. The community is fractured and the cinema’s reclusive owner, Hattie Fitzpatrick, and her enigmatic great nephew, Luke Jackson, stand in her way, putting Claire’s career-launching project-and her heart-at risk.

Hollywood, 1950: Lena Lee has struggled to find the break that will catapult her into a star with influence. She longs for roles about strong, independent women but with Hollywood engulfed in politics and a censorship battle, Lena’s timing is wrong. Forced to keep her love affair with actor Reeves Garrity a secret, Lena puts her career on the line to fight for equality for women in an industry ruled by men. Her generous and caring nature steers her onto a treacherous path, leaving Lena questioning what she is willing to endure to get what she desires.

Can two women-decades apart-uncover lies and secrets to live the life they’ve dared to dream?

And good news is that The Cinema at Starlight Creek is now available for pre-order!

Harper Collins:  https://bit.ly/2Cp1ywN

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2DenZ9o

Apple Books: https://apple.co/2FEcIAR

Booktopia: https://bit.ly/2TSL6fp

Kobo: https://bit.ly/2Mhf61G

Google Play: https://bit.ly/2Mlz8IN

 

Ballets Russes in Paris

It’s been busy-central here and I’d like to get you up to date with happenings.

July is just around the corner and I’m super pleased to let you know that BENEATH THE PARISIAN SKIES is now up for pre-order. Woo hoo! Here’s a little more about the story:

A sweeping saga about love, truth, grief and passion–and what it takes to fulfil a dream.

Paris, 1917

Ballerina Viktoriya Budian narrowly escapes Russia with her life. She arrives in Paris, determined to start fresh with the famed Ballets Russes but her newfound success is threatened when her past returns to haunt her. Forced to choose between love and fame, Viktoriya’s life spirals out of control and the decision she makes seriously affects the lives of many for years to come. 

Paris, present day

Australian dancer Lily Johansson returns to Paris, the city that broke her heart and destroyed her ballet career, hoping to move past her fiancé’s death and to make amends with her estranged sister Natalie, a ballerina with the Bohème Ballet.

Terrified of loving again, Lily nevertheless finds herself becoming entangled with talented composer Yves Rousseau. Lily has many reasons for keeping Yves at arm’s length but as he recounts the drama of the Ballets Russes in Paris, the magic of this Bohemian era ignites a spark within her.

Meanwhile, vying for the role honouring Ballets Russes dancer Viktoriya Budian, Lily’s sister Natalie develops an unhealthy obsession. Natalie’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic as elements of Viktoriya’s tragic life resonate in her own. Lily fears for her sister’s safety and sanity so when Natalie goes missing, she and Yves set out on a desperate quest across France to find her and, along the way, battle their own demons.

Could the search for her sister, lead Lily to realise that ballet—like love and life—should not be abandoned so easily?

And you can find the links to pre-order here for AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND:

HARLEQUIN

BOOKTOPIA

BOOKWORLD

DYMOCKS

iBOOKS

AMAZON.COM

GOOGLE PLAY

KOBO

AMAZON.COM.AU

 

Now, for those outside this region, don’t worry as you’ll have your chance to get your hands on the same book, but different title and cover! Kensington books are publishing this edition and it will be available from 25 July. You can pre-order here:

AMAZON

iBOOKS

GOOGLE PLAY

KOBO

BARNES AND NOBLE

 

 

 

 

Cover reveal and pre-order available!

I’m am so, so happy to show you the new cover for my July release with Harlequin Australia! Once again, I’ve been blessed by the cover fairies with such a gorgeous cover.

Here’s a little about the book (and I’m going to make you wait before the cover is revealed!):

A sweeping saga about love, truth, grief and passion–and what it takes to fulfil a dream.

Paris, 1917
Ballerina Viktoriya Budian narrowly escapes Russia with her life. She arrives in Paris, determined to start fresh with the famed Ballets Russes but her newfound success is threatened when her past returns to haunt her. Forced to choose between love and fame, Viktoriya’s life spirals out of control and the decision she makes seriously affects the lives of many for years to come.

Paris, present day
Australian dancer Lily Johansson returns to Paris, the city that broke her heart and destroyed her ballet career, hoping to move past her fiancé’s death and to make amends with her estranged sister Natalie, a ballerina with the Bohème Ballet.

Terrified of loving again, Lily nevertheless finds herself becoming entangled with talented composer Yves Rousseau. Lily has many reasons for keeping Yves at arm’s length but as he recounts the drama of the Ballets Russes in Paris, the magic of this Bohemian era ignites a spark within her.

Meanwhile, vying for the role honouring Ballets Russes dancer Viktoriya Budian, Lily’s sister Natalie develops an unhealthy obsession. Natalie’s behaviour becomes increasingly erratic as elements of Viktoriya’s tragic life resonate in her own. Lily fears for her sister’s safety and sanity so when Natalie goes missing, she and Yves set out on a desperate quest across France to find her and, along the way, battle their own demons.

Could the search for her sister, lead Lily to realise that ballet—like love and life—should not be abandoned so easily?

And it’s up for preorder! Oh yes it is! Also, keep an eye out for a special announcement next week …

Harlequin: http://bit.ly/2ncQo9H
Booktopia: http://bit.ly/2o4WfN3
Bookworld: http://bit.ly/2oEYCHr
Dymocks: http://bit.ly/2oF3PPy
iBooks: http://apple.co/2p2STIe
Amazon.com Kindle: http://amzn.to/2oFfJJ7
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2nFT7no
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2ncZZx4
Amazon.com.au: http://amzn.to/2oDyo8C

Behind the Story: Alissa Callen

 

Photo credit: Gabrielle Battistel

Today I’m excited to introduce you to the gorgeous Alissa Callen. Alissa is a USA Today bestselling author who is happiest living far from the city fringe. Alissa writes small town and rural fiction and is published with Random House, Tule Publishing Group and Harlequin Australia. Once a teacher and a counsellor, she remains interested in the life journeys that people take. Her books are characteristically heart-warming, authentic and character driven. Alissa lives with her family on a small slice of rural Australia.

Alissa, please tell us about your story behind the story …

The Long Paddock is a story that has been woven from the scents, sights and sounds of my everyday world. While Woodlea, the town of windmills, is fictitious, the landscape surrounding the town and the experiences of the local community are grounded in reality. My real life has a way of wriggling into my words much like how our Jack Russell sneaks into our kitchen.

I live on a small farm with my family in the central west of NSW where we grow winter oats and graze cattle. Our menagerie of animals, and the natural beauty around us, never fails to inspire me — even though one brown snake swimming in our pool is enough for inspiration, along with one grassfire. I hope never to see smoke in our front paddock again.

The plot for The Long Paddock owes its genesis to a past summer when rain was scarce and I’d drive through mobs of cattle grazing on the roadside verges. Concern has grown over the management and future of the travelling stock routes and this was an issue I wanted to explore. Another issue I wanted to touch upon was rural mental health. Droughts can parch more than the earth and bushfires can burn more than windmill grass.

Yarn bombers had decorated the trees in Dubbo’s main street and the colours and textures soon found their way into my story. After attending the Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft, not only did I find myself with a bull-rider hero, but also a misunderstood bull who was determined to take center stage. Since I wrote The Long Paddock I discovered a bull like Reggie really does exist. His story may be different, and he may snore at night, but there are real people who have given a misjudged bull a forever home just like Cressy did.

I hope readers enjoy spending time in Woodlea as much as I enjoyed bringing this small, close-knit, rural community to life.

More about The Long Paddock:

Country-girl Cressida Knight fills her days with her farm, a rogue bull called Reggie and her volunteer emergency services work. The busier she keeps, the less she thinks about the cowboy who left her behind. She’s convinced the small-town Woodlea grapevine that she’s moved on but now it’s time to move on for real. 

Champion bull rider Denham Rigby shares Cressy’s deep love for the land and all he’s ever wanted was to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Cressy through life. But three years ago a dark family secret left him no choice but to run. Now family duty gives him no choice but to return to the bush.

What Denham hasn’t come home to do is to hurt Cressy. He’s nothing but a liability and the beautiful cowgirl has to remain off-limits. But when faced with Cressy’s desperation to save her drought-stricken farm, he can’t keep his distance. He joins her out droving on the long paddock. When Woodlea is hit by more than just rodeo fever, they are further thrown together. Denham loses the battle to lock down his emotions.

But has he left it too late to stop running? And will the woman he’s always loved be prepared to risk her heart for a second time?

BUY LINK:

http://www.harlequinbooks.com.au/product/9781489214560

You can find out more about Alissa at https://www.alissacallen.com/

Behind the Story: Angela Bissell

Today I’m excited to welcome the delightful Angela Bissell on the Story Behind  the Story. Angela is addicted to daydreaming and romance from a young age, Angela suspects she was always destined to become a writer although she did travel a convoluted career path on her way to authordom. Like many an intrepid Kiwi she also travelled the world, backpacking through Europe, Egypt, Israel, Turkey and the Greek Islands, before settling down to live and work for a few years in London. Now she lives back home in the vibrant harbourside city of Wellington, New Zealand, never taking a day in her beautiful country for granted and loving the challenge of pursuing her writerly dreams. Over the years her list of incurable addictions has expanded to include coffee, chocolate, Pinterest, her iPad, and her husband, though not necessarily in that order!

Alli, thanks so much for inviting me to share my “story behind the story” today. It’s great to be here!

 What inspired you to write Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian?

Many years ago I lived in London and worked at The Dorchester, a beautiful hotel on Park Lane that was owned back then by the Sultan of Brunei and was, as you can imagine, a world quite different from the one us ordinary folk inhabit. Although I worked “back of house” in personnel and recruitment, one of my duties was to lead visiting groups of students from Europe’s top hospitality management schools on tours of the hotel. It meant I was able to escape my little cubicle in the basement now and again and get a wee glimpse of how the rich and famous live! I loved those little excursions above ground, not only for the chance to revel in luxurious surroundings but for the tantalising prospect of spotting a Hollywood starlet or famous celebrity or two on my jaunts around the hotel.

It was, of course, terribly glamorous and my writer’s imagination often ran riot thinking about the types of people who stayed in those beautiful suites and rooms. I’ve always loved a good rags-to-riches character, a hero or heroine who, against the odds, has clawed their way out of poverty and attained a level of success no one had believed they were capable of achieving. But I was also fascinated by the idea of the reverse scenario—a character born into wealth and privilege who then chooses to walk away from that life. What would motivate someone to make that decision? What sacrifices would they have to make and why? And would they grieve for their old lifestyle, or would they enthusiastically embrace the challenges of their new life?

So, I guess Helena and Leo in Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian were ultimately born out of those early musings. Seven years before the story starts, they were lovers irresistibly drawn to each other from different worlds, Leo from humble beginnings in Rome, Helena from a background of money and privilege. When they’re thrown together in the present day of the story, their positions are dramatically reversed. Leo has enjoyed a meteoric rise to success during the intervening years and now enjoys the power and privilege that comes with being a wealthy man, while Helena has turned her back on that world and chosen instead a modest life far removed from her family’s wealth and connections. It makes for an interesting dynamic in this story about second chances, and just to make sure Helena and Leo’s path to Happily Ever After wouldn’t be too easy, I threw another of my favourite romance tropes into the mix—revenge!

Oh, and did I mention the opening scene is set in a glamorous London hotel? Of course. I couldn’t resist!

Why did you choose to write category romance? 

I discovered Mills and Boon romances at the tender age of thirteen when I found a box of them in the bottom of my mother’s wardrobe. I can’t remember what I was doing when I stumbled upon them (quite possibly snooping for Christmas presents!) but the minute I started to read, I was hooked! Fans of category romance will know that these stories are shorter than single title books, and that was one of the things about them that immediately appealed to me—that I could effortlessly devour one in a single sitting. Also, the smaller word count makes for a fast-paced story that focuses very intently on the hero and heroine’s relationship, without any secondary plot lines, and I love the powerful emotional intensity of these stories. Of course, I don’t only read category romance. I read many kinds of commercial and romantic fiction of varying lengths and enjoy all sorts of genres and subgenres. But traditional category romance was my first love and what I always dreamed of writing—and now do!

Blurb for Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian

 One step from surrender…

 For seven years, formidable Leo Vincenti has planned his vengeance on Douglas Shaw and nothing will stop him. Not even Shaw’s stunning but treacherous daughter, Helena, who—right now—is pleading for leniency. Grim satisfaction spreads through him as he knows she would willingly never take up his challenge to return to his side.

 But he has greatly underestimated Helena. Secrets drive her as if the very devil were on her heels. And suddenly the passion that left them undone years before is forcing them both to the brink of surrender…

 Buy Links

 AMAZON US

AMAZON AU

AMAZON UK

MILLS & BOON (AU)

HARLEQUIN

iBOOKS

NOOK

BAM!

GOOGLE PLAY

 Connect with Angela

 WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | TWITTER

 

 

Baby name winner!

Image: Pixabay

Wow, I am absolutely astounded by how popular this baby naming competition was! Thank you so much to everyone who entered on this blog and on my Facebook page. I found it incredibly difficult to choose as there were so many wonderful suggestions and I was going to go for a lucky dip but then this particular comment pulled my heart strings and I knew we had a winner. The name sounded right and the reason behind it even more so.

From Helen Boreham:

Isabelle – a name that is passed on through generations. A name worthy of a small child or a great-grandmother and that suits any nationality. A name I gave my gorgeous girl. I dedicated this name to your God-child in the new book and to my girl who is on a difficult journey and one that’s finding herself through reading.

Congratulations Helen (and Isabelle!). Please get in touch through my contact page with your postal details so I can send your prize of a Spanish fan. And your name will be added to acknowledgments when the book is released. 

Thank you again to everyone who entered and I’ll be sure to run another contest in the not so distant future to name another character. 

Happy reading!

 

Behind the Story: Marilyn Forsyth

Being a writer can be a solitary affair with hours upon hours at the keyboard trying to perfect the next story. As with any profession, it’s nice to meet and get to know others in the same field and I have been so very fortunate to meet many writers who I admire immensely. And from a reader’s point of view (and of course I spend a lot of time reading other people’s books!), it’s fun to get to know the person behind the story. So with that in mind, I’m creating a new series of blog posts that will feature authors and their books and we’ll be concentrating on the story behind the story.

Today’s special guest is one of my lovely Harlequin MIRA sisters, Marilyn Forsyth. Her debut novel is the gorgeous The Farmer’s Perfect Match.

But first, let’s get to know Marilyn:

Photo courtesy of Jungle Jack

Marilyn Forsyth would love to live in a world where everyone’s story has an ending as happy as those in her books. Her emotion-packed outback romances combine hunky heroes and huggable heroines with settings in some of Australia’s most remote and beautiful places. When she’s not bunkered down in her peacock-blue writing cave creating unique characters for readers to fall in love with she can be found travelling with her other half, drawing and painting, or scouting out local cafes in search of the perfect coffee and cake combo. She has two grown sons and lives, surrounded by bush, with her husband in the foothills of a coastal village south of Sydney. You can check out her website and her Facebook author page and she also blogs regularly at Breathless in the Bush.

And now to find out more about this simply wonderful story:

Where is your story set?

The Farmer’s Perfect Match is set in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, one of the most beautiful, but also one of the most isolated, places on Earth.

What made you choose this destination?

My hero, Adam, is a pearl farmer, and the far north-west provides the most ideal conditions in Australia for growing cultured pearls. His farm needed to be in an extremely remote area to give credence to the idea that the reality match-making show he’s signed up for might well be the only way he’ll ever meet someone to share his lonely life.

(It was also a fantastic excuse to go up to there for a holiday research. I take my research very seriously :-). )

Marilyn working hard at Gantheaume Point

What is the landscape like?

Kimberley coastline is spectacular—rocks twisted by the elements into crazy Salvador Dali-like shapes and water so clear you can see metres down to the sandy bottom. What I was most struck by was the saturation of colour: the turquoise ocean, the deep red sand, the bluest-blue sky that stretched on forever.

Does the setting have an effect on your characters?

Definitely. The Kimberley is one of the world’s last wilderness regions and provides a sanctuary for threatened species. Adam feels at home here because he’s an emotionally wounded man and this undamaged area is his safe place. Despite the loneliness, he’d never be able to live anywhere else so he certainly can’t risk doing anything that might lose him the farm.

As for Evie, she’s a city-girl with a career at stake. At first she’s severely tested by the isolation, but as Adam helps her to see the world through different eyes, it becomes clear that life in the outback has more than its fair share of compensations. The problem is she’s not a contestant but part of the filming crew!

Lightning Ridge

How important is setting in a story?

I believe setting is intrinsic to the plot of any novel. For the sake of sheer authenticity it has to become one of the characters (that might sound cliché, but only because it’s true). It’s essential to establish a strong sense of place as quickly as possible; readers want to begin to visualise immediately the setting of the story about to unfold. But care does need to be taken. As a reader there’s nothing more off-putting for me than big blocks of description. Setting needs to be woven into the fabric of the story (and Alli, you do that so well in your books).

What are you working on next? What will the setting be like?

My next book, tentatively titled Falling in Love Again, reunites ex-lovers in a tug-o’-war over an opalised skeleton. It’s set in a mythical opal town in far west NSW. The fascinating landscape was once an ancient seabed but now resembles a moonscape, with sparse vegetation that struggles to survive in much the same way the miners struggle for a living, all hoping for that one find to make them rich.

Throw into the mix a unique plesiosaur fossil, opal theft, underground living, a secret baby and a vicious ex-husband, and you’re in for a fast-paced read (and yes, there was a holiday ‘research’ involved. White Cliffs and Lightning Ridge, this time :-)).

And we have a give away!

Marilyn has kindly offered to give a signed paperback copy of her new release, The Farmer’s Perfect Match, to one lucky reader. Simply answer Marilyn’s question below to be in the running. The competition will be open until 11.59pm, Sunday, 27 March. Please note, due to postage rates, the competition is only open to those currently living in Australia or New Zealand.

QUESTION: Have you ever visited a place, or added one to your travel wish list, because you read about it in a book you loved? Do tell!

UPDATE: We have a winner!

Thank you to all who entered. Marilyn has randomly drawn a name and the winner is Sue Gerhardt Griffiths! Please contact Marilyn or myself and send us your details. One signed copy of The Farmer’s Perfect Match will be the way to you!

And no doubt you are wondering where to buy Marilyn’s book, so here they are:

Harlequin MIRA Australia

AMAZON

Booktopia

And of course, you can find print copies at a store near you!

Click here for the trailer to The Farmer’s Perfect Match

 

And the #shelfie winners are …

Thank you to everyone who entered the Under the Spanish Stars #shelfie contest. There were many fabulous pics spread across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Your enthusiasm for putting our lovely heroine, Charlotte, in some interesting positions kept me entertained! Because I had so many great entries, I’ve decided to give away an extra Spanish fan.

To see the compilation of entries set to some cool music CLICK HERE

But of course, you want to know who won the Spanish Stars mug and Spanish fan,  don’t you?

And the winner is … drumroll …. JAN VAN ENGEN!

This is the entry that was drawn out of a hat (very technical way of doing things, I know).

And the winner of another Spanish fan is … LEANNE MCFADYEN!

Congrats Jan and Leanne thank you to everyone who entered. Happy reading!

 

View on Flipagram

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Show me your best #shelfie!

To celebrate the release of my new book, Under the Spanish Stars, I’m running a #shelfie contest!

What is the prize, you ask? A gorgeous Under the Spanish Stars mug and a lovely Spanish fan.

Entry is simple, and you can enter as many times as you like (with different photos and types of social media). Every entry gives you an extra chance – the more entries, the better the chance of winning!

Here are the details:

Post a photo of Under the Spanish Stars out in the wild – either on a bookshelf in a store, on your e-reader or being read by you or a friend/family member (the more creative the better!). Use your social media account to share your pic with me (details of how to tag me below) and use the hashtag #shelfie.

Entries will be open from 9.00 am Friday, 29 January, 2016 until 8.00 pm, Sunday, 14 February AEST (because why not end the contest on the day of romance?).

Here’s the links to my social media accounts.

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

PINTEREST

Or, if you don’t have any of these, post your pic in the comments below.

After the closing date I will randomly draw a winner. The winner will be notified and announced no later than 17 February.

PLEASE NOTE: This contest is only open to Australian and New Zealand readers as the book is only available in this region (at the moment!).

And to get you started, here are some examples that have already been sent to me:

Taken by Ruth at Target Waurn Ponds

Taken by Laura at Big W

 

“Ready to relax and read!” Tania, Jan Juc