New Publication Spotlight & Author Guest Post: Rose's Ever After by Chrissie Bradshaw

Rose’s Ever After by Chrissie Bradshaw

Any Dream is just a Wish until you Plan how to Make it Happen

I used to be a daydreamer and did not like planning too far ahead. As Robbie Burns said - "The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."

Why waste time planning? I was happy to go with the flow of life and see where it took me.This approach served me quite well because I had a successful career in education and was happy with my laid back life.

A  turning point came when this daydreamer came to earth with a thud. Illness doesn't care about whether you're a drifting dreamer or a planner and, when I found out I had to live with cancer and its treatments,I felt as though my dreams were  crushed. There was a lot I still wanted to do and, most of all, I wanted to write but I might not have the time.

Along with the discomfort of chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy, I found my planning mojo. I had to plan to make the most of good days and to be prepared for the bad. As the treatment progressed relentlessly, running through my mind was the hope that I'd get as well and, as I could, I’d try to be a writer. Until then, I'd plan my novels and map out that writing journey I wanted to make.

A goal without a plan is just a wish.” ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

My writing dreams and wishes were given a backbone by my plans. When I felt better, I'd learn the craft of novel writing, I'd learn to use social media and I'd learn about the publishing world. My plan was to be a published author and I'd succeed by taking steady steps to make a life long dream come true.

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

I can't argue with Mrs R because I found this was true. My dreams had shape and, by planning, I made time for them.

Friends often comment on how I'm less laid back nowadays and my time management is better. Once you face the truth that time can run out on you when you're not expecting it, it's easy to plan. So what if Robbie Burns is right and a few go awry? I've found that some of them will hit the spot.

Today, I'm a published author of five novels including the newest one, Rose’s Ever After. I use social media to keep in touch with readers and other writers and I plan to keep on writing for a long time to come.

The time management guru Alan Lakein stated, “Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” The best advice I can pass on to anyone is to make time for your dream whatever it is.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my writing journey, Chrissie Bradshaw.

Rose has a promising future stretching out before her until a cruel twist of fate seizes it. Will she overcome her heartache as she tries to build a new life? Rose returns to the safe haven of Linwood colliery and her warm-hearted family. As she settles into life in the colliery rows, Rose makes an astounding discovery and a long lost family member appears who makes demands on them all..

Chrissie Bradshaw’s emotionally gripping historical reads have a northern Catherine Cookson vibe with a modern attitude. ‘Rose’s Ever After’ follows on from ‘Rose’s Choice’ yet it can be enjoyed as a stand alone novel

Read ‘Rose’s Ever After’ to follow the twists and turns of Rose’s eventful life. Will the rugged path ahead, full of challenges, lead her to a new ‘happily ever after’?

Amazon UK for e-book and paperback 

Amazon USA fore-book and paperback 

Chrissie Bradshaw

Chrissie, 2016 winner of the Romantic Novelist's Association Elizabeth Goudge writing trophy, is a seasoned tea drinker who writes contemporary and historical family sagas.

Chrissie has always loved match-making a book to a reader. Writing the kind of book she loves to read takes this a step further. When Chrissie is not writing or reading, you will find her walking her dog on the beach, travelling or spending time with her family and friends. She would love to hear from readers.

Chrissie enjoys tweeting on @ChrissieBeee

Her instagram account is chrissie_bradshaw_author

Her blog is www.chrissiebradshaw.com

and she has a Chrissie Bradshaw author page on Facebook.

Visit www.chrissiebradshaw.com to read more about Chrissie or sign up to her newsletter

Chrissie sends out newsletters whenever she has news or something to offer and when you subscribe you receive a free prequel to The colliery rows series called ‘Rose’s War’ Just click here and scroll to the green button on my home page. http://www.chrissiebradshaw.com

New Publication Spotlight: Body On The Rocks by Rachel Green

Body on the Rocks

Mourning the death of her police inspector husband, Margot Renard moves to a small seaside town in the south of France. But when the body of a small boy washes up on a beach, Margot is drawn into a dangerous world of drug smugglers and people trafficking, and forced to cross paths with two feuding gangsters.

UK                    US  

Rachel Green is the pen name of a writer from the UK. Rachel has twice been longlisted for both the Bath Novel Award and the BPA First Novel Award, as well as being on the shortlist for the Capital Crime New Voices Award. Rachel lives in a tiny village in England, but travels frequently to the south of France where the stories from the Madame Renard Investigates series are set.

Twitter: @AuthorRachelG Facebook: AuthorRachelG

Publication Day Review: Old Enough To Know Better by Jane Wenham-Jones

When her daughter, Ellie, brings home a new boyfriend, Clare can’t put her finger on why she feels troubled by it. Is it because he’s attractive and closer to her in age? Or maybe she’s just jealous because all of her own husband’s passion seems to go into maintaining his wine cellar.

Ellie’s colleague, Anna, is feeling restless too. She’s much younger than her husband and is still in her prime, and definitely isn’t ready for crosswords and comfy slippers. When a new colleague starts to show a great deal of interest in her, it ignites a spark of attraction that feels impossible to ignore.

They say age isn’t everything – can the women focus on what really matters and live life, and love, to the full?

A story about Ellie, Clare and Anna taking stock of their lives and reviewing where they stand within their relationships with much older men.

All the women are realising they still have a life to live and enjoy, but their partners' ages highlight challenges it creates for them as a couple. The narrative is entertaining and certainly made me laugh a time or two as the highs and lows are navigated. However, one sad aspect really struck a chord… it resolved in a positive way but brought to our attention how actions can have heartbreaking consequences if not handled in a compassionate way.

This is a novel that makes you think beyond the pages in a; what would I do in this situation? It certainly gives pause for thought and leaves a lasting impression after finishing the last page.

I fit into the demographic of 'woman of a certain age' so I'm a target reader for this novel. Only, this wasn't a good fit for me. I wholeheartedly applaud any author writing fiction with middle-aged protagonists but I prefer to read stories that make me forget about age-induced scenarios, not remind me of them. I know I'm probably in the minority and this is purely my thoughts on the topic, therefore I feel confident most readers won't share my attitude or concerns.

Overall, Old Enough To Know Better is a well thought out and charming novel for those who like and appreciate a narrative that embraces their age.. warts and all.

***Review copy received courtesy of One More Chapter via NetGalley***

Amazon UK             Amazon US

Publication Day Review: Duvet Day by Emily Kerr

Young lawyer Alexa Humphries’s one true love is her precious duvet, yet she is torn from its comforting embrace every morning while the foxes are still scavenging the bins outside and doesn’t get back until long after most normal people are already asleep. Worn down by the endless demands of her suspicious boss and her competitive, high-flying housemate and fellow lawyer, Zara, Alexa barely recognises herself anymore. This wasn’t how life was supposed to be.

But today is different. Today, Alexa just cannot get out of bed to face the world. Everyone deserves a duvet day, don’t they?

But what starts as a mini-rebellion against the tyranny of her job soon sees her locked out of the flat wearing nothing but a unicorn onesie and what’s left of her dignity. Desperate to track down a spare set of keys before her back-stabbing housemate finds out she’s pulled a sickie, Alexa sets off on a wild goose chase across London. Before long, she’s being blackmailed by an annoyingly handsome photo-journalist, forcing her to trail after him while the hours before she has to get home tick down.

As Alexa’s dreams of Netflix and self-care turn into the duvet day from hell, what’s starting to feel a lot like the beginning of a breakdown might actually be the making of her. Will she get home in time to keep her job … and does she even want to?

Throwing a sickie to stay and snuggle up in bed and binge-watch a series or two… well, that's the plan…

Stressed Alexa Humphries decides to have a cosy day in bed with her beloved duvet; overworked, exhausted and unappreciated she wants a day free from her corporate job as a young lawyer. However, her plans quickly turn on its head as she embarks on an unexpected day to remember.

With a short timeline, the author packs much into the storyline yet it's not overwhelming. Alexa is both likeable and relatable as she muddles her way around London. There's hardly a dull moment with this plot twisty novel...and after diving into this blind, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. So, as the narrative unfolds, I enjoyed each surprise and development as Alexa's day progresses. Professional rivalry, romance and deceit are present during the day-long drama but, along with plenty of laughs, it all ends with a happy and satisfying ending.

To sum up; this novel is so much fun and a perfect distraction on a rainy day!

***arc generously received courtesy of One More Chapter via NetGalley***

Amazon US               Amazon UK

A Book Blog Tour Spotlight on: A Knot of Sparrows by Cheryl Rees-Price

A Knot Of Sparrows by Cheryl Rees-Price

Welsh detective Winter Meadows takes on a new murder case

There were a lot of things you could call Stacey Evans. And many of them would be true. And unprintable. But did she deserve to be murdered?

DI Winter Meadows has no doubt of the answer when he takes on the case. The crime was violent. The victim helpless. But the motives are many, and the only clue is a strange word left on Stacey’s body.

DI Meadows struggles to pierce the secrecy surrounding the teenager’s busy love life. Was the killer one of her pursuers acting out of jealousy? Maybe someone’s wife seeking revenge?

But as each suspect is excluded from the enquiry, and other markings turn up, Meadows is convinced that something more sinister is afoot.

When another body is found, a veil of silence descends like a fog upon Gaer Fawr. What more will it take for the village to give up its secrets?

A KNOT OF SPARROWS is the fourth standalone title in a series of murder mysteries by best-selling author Cheryl Rees-Price. It will appeal to fans of David Pearson, L J Ross, John Dean, Joy Ellis, and Pippa McCathie.

The full list of books is as follows:

1. THE SILENT QUARRY

2. FROZEN MINDS

3. SUFFER THE CHILDREN

4. A KNOT OF SPARROWS

Cheryl Rees-Price is also the author of the standalone thriller BLUE HOLLOW.

All of these books are FREE with Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback from Amazon.

Amazon UK                Amazon US 

Cheryl Rees-Price was born in Cardiff and moved as a young child to a small ex-mining village on the edge of the Black Mountain range, South Wales, where she still lives with her husband, daughters and cats. After leaving school she worked as a legal clerk for several years before leaving to raise her two daughters.
Cheryl returned to education, studying philosophy, sociology, and accountancy whilst working as a part time book keeper. She now works as a finance director for a company that delivers project management and accounting services.
In her spare time Cheryl indulges in her passion for writing, the success of writing plays for local performances gave her the confidence to write her first novel. Her other hobbies include walking and gardening which free her mind to develop plots and create colourful characters.

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Book Blog Tour Stop and Extract: Retribution by Christina O' Reilly

Retribution by Christina O'Reilly

Notes: This extract is from the very beginning of Retribution – Chapter 1

A soft grey dawn was breaking on Ripton Beach, the rising sun casting a pinkish glow onto the sombre clouds above. Archie followed DC Ben Travers down the concrete boat ramp. His legs felt oddly numb, as if they didn’t belong to him, but all the same they carried him inevitably towards the horror on the beach.

The body of a young woman had been found by a walker and his dog just an hour earlier. It had been twelve days now since Archie’s spat with his eldest daughter; twelve days during which she had either ignored, or – a much more worrying possibility − been unable to answer his calls. Where was she? Why wasn’t she answering her phone? Dread sat like a stone in his stomach.

At the bottom of the ramp, Travers led him to the right where, in the distance on the hard grey sand, a crude wigwam-like construction made of driftwood was now surrounded by markers and police tape. Closer, they could see escaping between the silvery wooden struts a ragged lock of pale blonde hair wafting in the breeze.

Archie’s heart plummeted. He forced himself to keep walking, and as they drew nearer he let Travers look in at the body first. Travers knew Alicia. He would know if it was her.

Bracing his hands against his thighs, Travers bent his tall frame forwards to peer inside the flimsy wooden structure. A moment later he straightened up, an inscrutable expression on his face.

Archie could stand it no longer. Elbowing his DC aside, he sank to his knees in front of the body, saw the mud-streaked bony face, the unfamiliar clothes, the tiny, exposed bare feet.

He pushed himself upright with his hands and staggered away towards the sea, dragging great gulps of air into his lungs. His head buzzed dizzily as if he’d drunk a large glass of champagne very fast.

‘You alright, boss?’ Travers came up behind him and laid a steadying hand on his shoulder.

A young woman has been murdered on Ripton Beach.

DSS ‘Archie’ Baldrick and DC Ben Travers eventually identify the body as that of Lucy Martin, who has been renting a bach in the area. Her husband, Oliver, seems to know very little about his wife or her background.

What was Lucy hiding? Why has she no family or friends?

As the number of suspects mounts up, Archie begins to conclude that the real answer lies in Lucy’s dark and mysterious past, and that the murderer may be just a little too close for comfort …

Amazon UK                Amazon US 

Christina is a writer and professional proofreader living in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Four of her short stories have been published, one in a magazine and the others in anthologies produced by Page and Blackmore, Rangitawa Publishing and most recently in Fresh Ink: Voices from Aotearoa, produced by Cloud Ink Press.

As well as being a finalist in the 2020 Ngaio Marsh Awards, Christina’s first crime novel Into the Void was longlisted for the 2019 Michael Gifkins Memorial Prize for an unpublished novel.

https://www.facebook.com/Christina-OReilly-Author-102419694721372/

Book Blog Tour Stop with an Author Guest Post: Invisible by Lindsay Woodward

Do You Ever Feel Invisible?

I have a very close friend that I always share my book ideas with. During the planning stage of Invisible I told her about this comical plot I was developing. It was a simple idea of a girl who was invisible called Alice. She’s been invisible for quite a few years until one day she bumps into a man and finally becomes visible again. Her excitement is stumped, though, when it transpires that it’s only when she’s in this man’s company that she’s visible. As soon as he goes out of sight, so does she. And even worse is that she can’t stand this man that she ends up being stuck with. He’s so gross, he actually makes her want to heave.

As soon as I’d finished explaining all this to my friend, her response took me by surprise. Rather than commenting on the idea of being stuck with a horrible man, she told me that she could totally relate to the idea of being invisible. Despite everything else, it was this element that she latched on to. She said she’d often felt invisible herself.

It was at this moment that I realised how through my life I’ve often felt invisible too. And if we have both felt this way, other people must have also. This is when I knew the key theme of this book had to be invisibility in itself.

From this point I decided that for each character I’d either make them invisible in some shape or form, or very visible. Alice is obviously literally invisible, but for her closest friend, Dan, I made his invisibility a little more subtle. Firstly, he is a middle child and somehow always feels lost. Then he is also overshadowed by a scheming work colleague.

Whereas Dan often feels invisible, his work colleague, Emily, is a visible force of nature. Big and bold, she always charms everyone she meets. So much so that the people around her can’t see that she’s stealing Dan’s clients. Dan is a steady, reliable worker, but his self-doubt and more understated approach don’t get noticed, and the truth gets masked behind Emily’s bravado.

This same sense of the visible person hiding their true nature is seen in Ethan, one of Alice’s love interests. With a flawless appearance and extreme confidence, he captures attention wherever he goes. But this visible façade is pretty much all there is to him, and it’s hiding very little underneath. However, most of the people around him can’t see past his vibrant outer shell, so visible is it.

At the start of the book Alice aspires to be like Ethan. He mesmerises her. But how often in life are strikingly visible things actually just hiding something that we aren’t supposed to see? I liked exploring that notion in the story and seeing how the elements of visibility and invisibility actually worked side by side.

This book is undoubtedly a fun comedy, and none of these elements are there to challenge my readers. But those words from my friend stayed with me. I also came to believe that wherever there is something invisible, it’s only right to balance it with very visible. Writing this story has made me think we all have a bit of both, and we only ever show people just what we want them to see.

Invisible by Lindsay Woodward

Alice Bloom has shut herself away from the world for years. But all that changes when three men come into her life. Firstly there's the rather disgusting Karl, who has the key to her problems but turns her stomach. Then there's smooth and sexy Ethan, whom Alice falls head over heels for, but she just can't seem to get time alone with him. And finally there's her lovely, supportive friend Dan, if only they could ever actually get to meet. Because the biggest problem of all is: Alice is invisible.

The complications become more and more hilarious as Alice tries to steer her way through her conflicting emotions and find her way to happiness. Will she succeed or will life always get the better of her?

Amazon UK                     Amazon US 

I'm a British author who lives in Warwickshire with my husband and cat. I've had a lifelong passion for writing, starting off as a child when I used to write stories about the Fraggles of Fraggle Rock.

Knowing there was nothing else I'd rather study, I did my degree in writing and I've now turned my favourite hobby into a career.

I write love stories with a twist, always leaving readers guessing right until the end. They're far from your normal romance stories, but a love story runs through the heart of all my books, with a sprinkling of something weird thrown into the mix.

When I’m not writing novels, I’m a Marketing Consultant specialising in copywriting, so words really are my world!

https://www.lindsay-woodward.com

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