Jenny Kane: Coffee, cupcakes, chocolate and contemporary fiction / Jennifer Ash: Medieval crime with hints of Ellis Peters and Robin Hood

Category: Contemporary Romantic Fiction Page 55 of 57

Guest Post from Jennifer Young: No Time Like Now

Today I’m delighted to welcome Jennifer Young to my site as part of her brand new blog tour.

Over to you Jennifer…

tourbutton_jenniferyoung

When I launched my current novel, No Time Like Now, with a day-long Facebook party, the most excitable thread of the whole day related to science.

Remember science? Those long, long lessons which always seemed to be on a Friday afternoon; the teacher who nipped into the chemicals cupboard for a quick smoke; the spotty kids at the back who cared nothing about learning and everything for as much disruption as you can possibly cause with the help of a bunsen burner?

Science isn’t like that in my book. “Scientists are totally sexy” cooed one poster. “ They’ve made science cool, so therefore scientists are cool. It only makes sense,” enthused another. Examples of sexy scientists on our TV screens abound. Some of them should probably be blushing.

In No Time Like Now, science is represented by Tim Stone, a smouldering geologist hero whose passions extend beyond rocks and very much towards embracing our heroine, Megan. (She isn’t a scientist, although her rival for his affections is.) But this is romantic suspense so nothing is straightforward.

Tim, proud of being a scientist, is driven by a need to know things. He’s proud of his ability to ask questions, filter the information and find the answers. “I’m a scientist,” he tells the rather more touchy-feely Megan. “It isn’t enough for me to know that things happen — I have to know why they happen. I have to understand how things work, what went right or wrong. That’s what drives me.”

So he’s the smart one the bright one — but she’s the one with the emotional intelligence, the one who understands that there’s more to life than plain fact, that the whole really can be more (or less) than the sum of its parts.

In the event, Tim’s desire for answers leads him into a very tricky situation and he’s dependent on Megan for his rescue. But his lack of emotional intelligence has already dashed their relationship onto the rocks (so to speak).

So there we are. A broken romance but one that a leaves passion still burning. A series of questions with dangerous answers. And the biggest question that Megan has to answer is: do you love him?

No Time Like Now by Jennifer Young

Read on…

Excerpt

When youve finished your coffee, Megan or Catalina will show you your room.

Im going to finish getting the supper ready. Could Cat do it?

Yes, Ill do it.

Tim placed his mug on the worktop. That suited him fine. He didnt particularly want to spend time with Megan either. If its okay with you, perhaps we could go now and I can get unpacked and settled in.

This way. Delighted to help, Catalina led him through the lounge where the briefing meeting was already getting rowdy, into the hall where he retrieved his luggage from among the rest of the kit, and up several half flights of stairs. Im sorry, were really busy this week so we had to put you in the attic.

Itll keep me fit.When shed gone, he dropped his rucksack in the corner and took a look round. It was a nice enough room, not too big but clean and bright, with a comfortable bed and crucially plenty of desk space. He stood for a moment looking out of the window. Checked his phone. Stood and stared out of the window again as he turned things over in his head. And over, and over, because the past was like a snake that just kept rearing its ugly head to strike.

So, Megan McLeod. It was only for a month. And shed made it clear how she was going to handle it, so hed handle it that way, too. Remain polite, always be civil. Give nothing away. And above all, never forgive.

 About No Time Like Now

Hiding away from a disastrous past, Megan McLeod is getting along nicely in her job as housekeeper at a university field centre in Majorca. But the arrival of geological researcher, Tim Stone, throws everything into disarray — because Tim was the father of the baby she lost some years before and the two of them had parted very messily indeed.

As if having Tim on the scene wasn’t bad enough, he’s there with his new partner, Holly. But when in the course of his research he comes upon something extremely nasty along the cliffs of north Majorca, he’s forced to turn to Megan for help.

DON’T MISS THIS GIVEAWAY! –

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/8b9ec5be91/

Buy it from:

Tirgearr Publishing

http://tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Young_Jennifer/no-time-like-now.htm

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OYFRSGG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00OYFRSGG&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelt-20&linkId=NPR7KQYM5GOLFW4G

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00OYFRSGG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=B00OYFRSGG&linkCode=as2&tag=lucyfelthouse-21&linkId=MPO2NS76J5TOUBU6

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/487736?ref=cw1985

 

About Jennifer Young

Jennifer Young is an Edinburgh-based writer, editor and copywriter. She is interested in a wide range of subjects and writing media, perhaps reflecting the fact that she has both arts and science degrees. Jennifer has been writing fiction, including romantic fiction, for a number of years with several short stories already published. No Time Like Now is her second published novel; her first novel, Thank You For The Music, is also set on the Balearic island of Majorca.

Find me on

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jenniferyoungauthor

Twitter

@JYnovelist

Blog

http://jenniferyoungauthor.blogspot.co.uk/

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Many thanks Jennifer,

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny x

Guest Post from Celia J Anderson: Starting Again

I’m delighted to welcome Celia J Anderson back to my site today on Day 7 of her blog tour, celebrating her brand new novel, Little Boxes.

Over to you Celia…

Today’s theme is starting again. In Little Boxes, Molly is faced with the challenge of making a new life and getting to grips (in more ways than one) with a brand new man. Tom knows he’s the right one for Molly, but she finds it very hard to leave her past behind.

Little Boxes by Celia J Anderson - 200

Here’s the story of my own fresh start:

The man stood in the doorway of the restaurant. Breakfast time in San Francisco – crisp winter sunshine, trays of fresh fruit, snowy linen cloths and a woman by his side, for a change. He had left England under a thick blanket of snow, the February skies mournful and grey. Here, the cold was sparkling, clean and energising and the Golden Gate Bridge soared high over the sea. Following him to a table by the wide window overlooking the bay, the woman said ‘I’m sorry; I’m not very hungry, are you?’

He smiled, picking up one of the enormous menus. ‘No, but that’s not a problem – we’ll just order the smallest thing we can find. What about French toast and fruit; is that ok? Do you like French toast?’ Signalling to the waiter, he realised with a stab of alarm that he knew next to nothing about her.

‘I like everything! It’s just that I still get a weird lump in my throat sometimes when I try to eat, even after all these months. And this week, coming over here to a strange place, especially to go to Matt’s wedding – well, it’s hard, isn’t it?’

The man nodded. He’d never talked about his grief to anyone before, ‘Sometimes I just feel guilty for still being alive, to be able to eat great food and drink chilled wine and see the sunset, and go out walking.’

‘And go to new places, and meet people, and make new friends…’ she agreed. Her eyes were suddenly full of tears and the man blinked in sympathy. There was a silence, and he tentatively reached for her hand. ‘I know, it’s a bugger, isn’t it?’

The waiter brought their order and they laughed, breaking the tension. The plates were so loaded that the toast spilled over the edges, and the enormous slices of watermelon dwarfed the heaps of strawberries and kiwi. He looked at her and felt a sharp pang when he saw green eyes instead of blue. He didn’t know that she was seeing blue eyes when she had half expected green.

‘So much for a light breakfast,’ he said.

Later, as they wandered along the boardwalk, a street trader stopped them in their tracks, holding out a handful of black t-shirts hopefully. The man shook his head, ‘Sorry, we don’t need anything today.’

‘Hey, you got no choice, dude – you gotta pay the forfeit.’

‘Forfeit?’

‘That’s what I said, didn’t I? You’re out here, in the most beautiful bay in the world, on the most romantic day of the year, and you ain’t holdin’ the lady’s hand. That’ll be ten dollars, and the t-shirt’s free.’

The man and the woman exchanged sheepish glances, both blushing. ‘But…I don’t really know her,’ he stuttered.

‘Yeah, right – who you tryin’ to kid? Gimme the ten dollars, and you got a deal.’

Grinning, the man dug out a note from his wallet, and handed the t-shirt to the woman. ‘Happy Valentine’s Day,’ he said.

They were married in December, 2008. Neither of them ever wore the t-shirt.

tourbutton_littleboxes

Extract:

After the day of the capsized chair, Tom began to feel seriously disappointed if he didn’t bump into Molly at least once a week. Sometimes she waved, but usually she was too preoccupied with trying to hold on to Max.

Tom thought she was absolutely beautiful. He often wondered what sort of man would be lucky enough to live with his Lady in Red. Maybe she was married to someone who worked away, or had a job with unsociable hours? Or maybe she was on her own with the children, struggling to make ends meet? He speculated as he painted, watching for Molly out of the corner of his eye, ready to look busy whenever she appeared, but aware of her every move.

But then one day in June, just when Tom had decided that Molly must be a single parent waiting for a new partner to come along and sweep her off her feet, Tom spotted Theo, Hattie and Max walking along the promenade with a gangly, spiky-haired man. He was urging them forwards with quick movements of his hands, frowning at Theo who stuck her tongue out at him and hissed something under her breath. They all laughed at this, and Tom heard the man shout, ‘Theo – your mum’ll go mad when she hears what you just said.’

‘But you won’t tell, will you, Daddy?’ said the little boy, catching hold of the man’s hand and swinging it to get his attention.

‘No, don’t, Dad – she didn’t mean it. She’s in enough trouble already this week,’ Hattie chipped in.

‘Well, whose fault’s that? She should never have got that tattoo. You knew how your mum felt about it, didn’t you, Theo? After last time, I thought you’d have had more sense.’

‘It’s only a little dragonfly. She loves dragonflies. I didn’t think she’d mind.’

The man sniffed. ‘Come on, Mum’ll be waiting for us at the restaurant by now so we can eat together for once. She won’t like being kept hanging around, will she?’

Tom hadn’t painted that day, but had been sitting looking out over the sea thinking about the future. He turned his wheelchair and kept within earshot of the family, feeling uncomfortably like a stalker but following at a discreet distance until they came to a doorway under a striped awning.

Blurb:

Suddenly bereaved, Molly White realises that she has never really known her feisty husband Jake when random boxes begin to appear through the post, each one containing a tantalising clue to the secrets of Jake and Molly’s past. Someone who knows them both well, for reasons of their own, has planned a trail of discovery. The clues seem to be designed to change Molly’s life completely, leading her around Britain and then onwards to rural France and deepest Bavaria.

Meanwhile, waiting in the wings is Tom, a charismatic artist who runs a gallery in the same town. Strong, independent and wheelchair-bound from the age of fifteen, he leads a solitary life and has no idea how devastatingly attractive he is to women. When Tom meets curvy, beautiful and funny Molly, he knows that she is his dream woman, but she seems way out of his orbit until the boxes start to weave their spell and the two of them are thrown right out of their comfort zones.

Little Boxes is a story of love in a variety of guises – mother-love, unrequited passion, infatuation and the shadow-love held in memories that refuse to go away.

Buy links: http://celiajanderson.co.uk/books/little-boxes/

celiaanderson

Author Bio:

Celia J Anderson spends most of her spare time writing in as many different genres as possible, including children’s fiction. In her other life, she’s Assistant Headteacher at a small Catholic primary school in the Midlands and loves teaching literature (now comfortingly called English again but still the best subject in the world.)

She tried a variety of random jobs before discovering that the careers advisor at secondary school was right, including running crèches, childminding, teaching children to ride bikes (having omitted to mention she couldn’t do it herself) and a stint in mental health care. All these were ideal preparation for the classroom and provided huge amounts of copy for the books that were to come.

Celia enjoys cooking and eating in equal measures, and thinks life without wine would be a sad thing indeed. She is married, with two grown up daughters who have defected to the seaside. One day she plans to scoop up husband and cats and join them there.

Links:

http://celiajanderson.co.uk

http://theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/CeliaJAndersonAuthor

http://www.twitter.com/CeliaAnderson1

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Many thanks for dropping by today Celia.

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny xx 

 

 

OUT NOW! Christmas in the Cotswolds

I love Christmas, and each year I try to write at least one Christmas time story.

Last year I wrote a festive novella called Another Cup of Christmas, which was sequel to my full length novel, Another Cup of Coffee – this year, I have followed on a year from where we left the staff of the Pickwicks café- but this time Pickwicks waitress Megan is on a rescue mission, which takes her away from the café, and into the beautiful villages of the Cotswolds…

Christmas in the Cotswolds

Blurb-

Izzie Spencer-Harris, owner of the Cotswold Art and Crafts Centre, is due to host the prestigious Cotswold Choir’s annual Christmas carol concert in her beautiful converted church. Or at least she was, until a storm smashed a hole right through the chancel roof.

Days from Christmas, Izzie suddenly finds herself up to her neck in DIY, with her last dodgy workman having walked off the job. She does the only thing she can … calls in her best friend Megan to help.

Leaving Peggy and Scott to run Pickwicks Café in her absence, Megan heads to the Cotswolds for Christmas. Within minutes of her arrival, she finds herself hunting down anyone willing to take on extra work so close to Christmas. It seems the only person available to help is Joseph Parker – a carpenter who, while admittedly gorgeous, seems to have ulterior motives for everything he does …

With Izzie’s bossy mother, Lady Spencer-Harris, causing her problems at every turn, an accident at work causing yet more delays, and the date for the concert drawing ever nearer, it’s going to take a lot more than Mrs Vickers’ powerful mulled wine to make sure everything is all right on the night …

This story can be read as part of the series or as a standalone piece.

I hope you enjoy it!

Buy links-

Amazon UK

Amazon.com

Happy reading everyone

Jenny x

Exclusive Blurb Preview for Christmas in the Cotswolds

It’s not long now until the third in my Another Cup of… series hits the e-shelves!

Christmas in the Cotswolds

Here’s the blurb to whet your appetite…

Christmas in the Cotswolds

A festive sequel to Another Cup of Christmas

Izzie Spencer-Harris, owner of the Cotswold Art and Crafts Centre, is due to host the prestigious Cotswold Choir’s annual Christmas carol concert in her beautiful converted church. Or at least she was, until a storm smashed a hole right through the chancel roof.

Days from Christmas, Izzie suddenly finds herself up to her neck in DIY, with her last dodgy workman having walked off the job. She does the only thing she can … calls in her best friend Megan to help.

Leaving Peggy and Scott to run Pickwicks Café in her absence, Megan heads to the Cotswolds for Christmas. Within minutes of her arrival, she finds herself hunting down anyone willing to take on extra work so close to Christmas. It seems the only person available to help is Joseph Parker – a carpenter who, while admittedly gorgeous, seems to have ulterior motives for everything he does …

With Izzie’s bossy mother, Lady Spencer-Harris, causing her problems at every turn, an accident at work causing yet more delays, and the date for the concert drawing ever nearer, it’s going to take a lot more than Mrs Vickers’ powerful mulled wine to make sure everything is all right on the night …

BUY LINKS COMING SOON….

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

An Early Seasonal Cup of Coffee

Okay- so please don’t groan- I know I’m getting in a little bit early here- but as it won’t be long before the next Christmas adventure from the Pickwicks crew, Christmas in the Cotswolds, comes along, I thought I’d give you a little reminder of my second outing as Jenny Kane.

Like its predecessor, Another Cup of Coffee, Another Cup of Christmas is set in and around Pickwicks Coffee House in Richmond (on the outskirts of London). Five years have elapsed since the close of Another Cup of Coffee, and there are a few new faces to be spotted amongst the old.

christmas mock-up

Although Another Cup of Christmas follows on from Another Cup of Coffee, it can also be read as a standalone piece.

Here’s the Blurb-

Five years ago the staff of Pickwicks Cafe in Richmond were thrown into turmoil when their cook and part-owner, Scott, had a terrible accident. With help from his friends, his wife Peggy, and the staff at the local hospital, he made an amazing recovery. Now Pickwicks is preparing to host a special Christmas fundraiser for the hospital department that looked after Scott.

Pickwicks’ waitress Megan has been liaising with the ward’s administrator, Nick, as all the staff who helped Scott’s recovery are invited are invited. As the problems of organising the fundraiser take up more and more of their busy lives, Megan and Nick contact each other more frequently, and their emails and phone calls start to develop from the practical into the flirty.

But can you actually fall for someone you’ve never met?

As the fundraiser draws closer, Megan is beginning to think that she had imagined all the virtual flirting between herself and Nick – he promised to arrange to meet her for real, but he hasn’t done so. Now he’s bringing someone with him to the fundraiser, and they’re just bound to be everything Megan feels she isn’t …

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Novella length, Another Cup of Christmas can be easily consumed in one delicious cinnamon flavoured mouthful! I would recommend a quiet afternoon curled up on the sofa with a mince pie and a hot drink to hand (a cup of coffee perhaps??), and an hour’s escape into the adventures of Peggy, Scott, Kit, Phil, Nick and Megan…

Here’s how Another Cup of Christmas begins…

Chapter One

December 4th 2012

Having politely escaped her third ‘So what are you doing for Christmas?’ conversation of the day, Megan Johnson was retreating back to the counter when she spotted Pickwicks’ most regular customer sit up from her work and brush a stray red hair from her eyes.

Knowing it had been at least half an hour since Kit’s caffeine addiction had been attended to, the waitress swiped up the percolator jug and headed in her direction.

Without bothering to ask if it was required, Megan poured the steaming liquid with practised care, before taking advantage of the lull in Christmas shopping trade, and sitting down opposite her friend. ‘Going OK?’

Swivelling the laptop round to face Megan, Kit rubbed the back of her neck, ‘I’m sure I’ve missed something. What do you think?’

Pickwicks Festive Fundraiser!

Spoil Yourself With An Afternoon of Pickwicks’ Finest Festive Fare.

In Aid of the Royal Free Hospital’s Spinal Ward.

Saturday 22nd December from 2pm.

Deluxe Buffet And Festive Fundraising Fun!

Tickets are ONLY £25 per person

Don’t miss out!

Book your place at Pickwicks Coffee Shop, Richmond – NOW!!

Megan scanned the poster. ‘Oh, that’s fabulous! I thought you were writing your latest novel.’

‘To tell you the truth, that’s exactly what I should be doing, but Peggy asked me to do some publicity for the fundraiser and I thought I’d better get on with it. Time seems to be dissolving. It’ll be the 22nd before we know it.’

‘I know what you mean.’ Megan started to collect the dishes left by a couple who’d just vacated a nearby table. ‘The next three weeks are going to fly by.’

‘Two and a half weeks!’

‘Oh, hell! Really?’

‘That’s why I want to get these done; otherwise everyone will be too booked up with their own celebrations to have time to come.’ Gesturing towards the kitchen, Kit asked, ‘How’s Scott doing out there, or shouldn’t I ask?’

Megan’s permanent smile widened further across her lightly freckled face. ‘He’s amazing. I have no idea how he does it. The temperature in that kitchen is tropical, and yet Scott’s still beaming that massive toothy grin of his. I’m seriously beginning to think he is physically unable to stop cooking! Surely he must have pre-prepared as much as he can for the fundraiser by now?’

Kit nodded. ‘He probably has, but Peggy is getting paranoid there won’t be enough food.’ Glancing around, checking that Megan wasn’t needed by a customer for a moment, Kit pointed to a fresh pile of abandoned cups. ‘If I clear those, will you have a proper read of the poster? I’m sure I’ve missed something obvious but I can’t put my finger on it?’

Kit was already standing up and taking a tray from Megan’s hands before the waitress said, ‘On one condition.’

‘Which is?’

‘I can check my emails? I’m supposed to be liaising with the hospital about this for Peggy, but we’ve been so busy over the last few days I haven’t had time to see if Nick has got back to me about how many of the ward staff are coming.’

‘Nick?’

Megan silently cursed her inability to prevent the involuntary warm pink blush that hit her pale cheeks, ‘Yeah, he’s the admin guy for the ward that cared for Scott after his accident.’

‘Nice, is he?’ Kit gently teased the petite blonde waitress, wondering, not for the first time, why someone as kind and pretty as Megan hadn’t been snapped up years ago.

‘I’ve never met him, but he seems friendly. Well, he does via email and over the phone at least.’

‘You’ve spoken to him then?’

‘There are loads of things to sort out.’ Megan, knowing that the crush she’d developed on Nick’s Irish accent was utterly ridiculous, turned her full attention to the poster on the screen before her…

****

I hope that’s whetted your appetite for this feel good festive romance! I’ll be back with details of part three (and part four!!) of the Another Cup of… series very soon…

If you’d like to buy Another Cup of Christmas it is available as a downloads from all good eBook suppliers including-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Another-Cup-Christmas-Jenny-Kane-ebook/dp/B00GMO4ZIQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1384329366&sr=1-1&keywords=another+cup+of+christmas+jenny+kane

http://www.amazon.com/Another-Cup-Christmas-Jenny-Kane-ebook/dp/B00GMO4ZIQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384329400&sr=8-1&keywords=another+cup+of+Christmas

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny xx

Guest Post from Lorna Peel: Writing Genealogy Fiction

I’m delighted to welcome Lorna Peel to my site today as part of her blog tour to celebrate the release of her latest work, Only You.

Over to you Lorna…

Writing Genealogy Fiction

Genealogy is the fastest growing hobby in the United Kingdom and North America. So I find it surprising that there aren’t more novels with a family history theme to appeal to this vast and ever-expanding market. Is it because people have a preconceived idea in their heads that all genealogists are nerds and geeks and only want to interact with dead people? I hope not, because in the many libraries and archives I have undertaken research in, I have seen genealogists, both amateur and professional, of all ages and from all walks of life. So the clichéd image of the nerdy genealogist is something I want to try and do away with.

I have always enjoyed reading thrillers and mysteries, but I didn’t want to write a predictable police procedural. A novel featuring a genealogist, or someone who teaches family history evening classes in Jane Hollinger’s case, is a great way of offering a new perspective on romantic fiction as it combines mystery with history. It also gave me the chance to write about what I know.

Just as in police detective work, researching family histories involves interviews, collecting evidence, following clues, piecing together puzzles and finding missing links. To keep this vital part of the story accurate, I drew on my experience researching my own varied family history. Only You will appeal to romantics, genealogists and mystery fans, combining the obsessions of this compelling hobby with a dark, outwardly impenetrable mystery in a unique way.

Only You

Excerpt:

The phone rang and she jumped. The number displayed was unfamiliar and she closed her eyes, hoping that it wasn’t yet another double-glazing salesperson.

“Hello?”

“Jane Hollinger?” a male voice asked.

“Yes.”

“This is Robert Armstrong. I hope you don’t mind, I found the number for your old genealogy research service in an old Yellow Pages.”

Mind? Her heart began to thump. “Er, no, not at all.”

“It’s just that I actually did start on my family tree and I’ve come across something a bit weird.”

“Weird?”

“Yeah, I found the birth, marriage, and death indexes on the net and it looks as though I had a twin brother I knew nothing about.”

“Are you sure?” She managed to sound calm.

“Positive. There was another name on the list above mine, a Michael David Armstrong. My full name is Robert David Armstrong, so I thought it was a bit weird and I ordered the birth certificate.”

“You’ve known nothing about a twin at all?”

“Nothing. No one’s ever said that I was a twin. It says nothing about me being a twin on my birth certificate.”

“Did you check the death indexes? Maybe he died soon after he was born?”

“No, I haven’t had time yet. What do you think? Strange, eh?”

“It is strange,” she admitted. “I think you should have a chat with your parents.”

There was a long silence and she began to squirm. She took the phone into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

“My parents and I don’t see eye-to-eye, actually. They didn’t want me to become an actor. We haven’t spoken in years.”

Blimey, how did he manage to keep that out of the press? “Oh, I see. Well, what about grandparents? Aunts, uncles?”

“I was close to my maternal grandparents, but they’re both dead now.” She heard a wry laugh. “I’m not making this very easy for you, am I?”

He could say that again. “Well, the first thing you should do is to try and see whether Michael David Armstrong is still alive.”

“Yes. But if he is, he could be anywhere.”

“I know. I’m more used to tracing dead people!” she laughed.

“You think I should make contact and speak to my parents?”

“That’s not for me to say.”

“You get on with your parents?” he asked.

“Yes, very well. Do you have any other brothers or sisters?”

“No, I don’t, that’s why this is so weird. I had no idea I had a twin brother.”

“Search forward in the General Register Office death indexes when you’ve time.”

“Yes, I will. Look, thanks, Jane.”

“No problem.”

“Mitch Burns is well and truly dead now, by the way,” he continued.

“I won’t say I’m sorry to hear that!”

“I thought not. Look, can I buy you a drink sometime as a thank you?”

“There’s no need,” she heard herself tell him and pulled an agonised face. “You bought me the lovely roses.”

“I heard Diana tell Dave they were probably stolen.” He laughed. “Mitch Burns was a bastard and probably would have stolen them. From a cemetery, I’d say!”

“Why play someone like that?” Her curiosity got the better of her.

“To see if I could. And to make sure that I’m not typecast. I’d hate to be offered the same type of roles all the time.”

“So the sex-mad genealogist is next?”

“Yes. In a couple of weeks. Which might give me enough time to try and solve the mystery of the missing twin.”

“Look, about that drink…” she began.

“I’ve got you curious now, haven’t I?” He chuckled. “I can gather all my stuff together and meet you in The Crown sometime?”

“Yes.” It came out as a squeak. She quickly covered the mouthpiece and cleared her throat. “When would suit you?”

“Tomorrow? I can’t do Tuesday because I have an interview with a journalist.”

“Tomorrow’s fine. Eight o’clock?”

“Eight o’clock it is. I’ll see you then.”

She ended the call and put the handset down on the table. She had almost talked herself out of a drink with Robert Armstrong. “You stupid, stupid cow.”

****

Blurb:

Jane Hollinger is the wrong side of thirty, divorced and struggling to pay the mortgage her cheating ex left her with. As a qualified genealogist, teaching family history evening classes is a way for her to make ends meet. But she begins to wonder if it’s such a good idea when a late enroller for the class is a little… odd. “Badly-blond Bloke” both scares and intrigues Jane, and when she discovers he is her all-time favourite actor and huge crush, Robert Armstrong, she’s stunned. Even more stunning to Jane is the fact that Robert is interested in her romantically. He’s everything she ever dreamed of, and more, but can she overcome her fear of living in the public eye to be with the man she loves?

http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Peel_Lorna/only-you.htm

lorna-peel

About me:

Lorna Peel is an author of contemporary and historical romantic fiction. She has had work published in three Irish magazines – historical articles on The Stone of Scone in ‘Ireland’s Own’, on The Irish Potato Famine in the ‘Leitrim Guardian’, and Lucy’s Lesson, a contemporary short story in ‘Woman’s Way’. Lorna was born in England and lived in North Wales until her family moved to Ireland to become farmers, which is a book in itself! She lives in rural Ireland, where she write, researches her family history, and grows fruit and vegetables. She also keeps chickens (and a Guinea Hen who now thinks she’s a chicken!).

http://lornapeel.com

http://twitter.com/PeelLorna

http://www.facebook.com/LornaPeelAuthor

http://pinterest.com/lornapeel

http://www.goodreads.com/LornaPeel

Thank you for featuring me on your blog, Jenny!

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Thanks again for coming by Lorna! Don’t miss any of the other stops on Lorna’s tour – http://www.writermarketing.co.uk/prpromotion/blog-tours/currently-on-tour/lorna-peel

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

 

 

Exclusive Cover Reveal: Christmas in the Cotswolds

This afternoon I signed the contract for my next Christmas novella for Accent Press! No sooner had the ink dried, than I received this- the latest cover in the Another Cup of…series- but this time we’re leaving the streets of Richmond behind, and heading to the frost covered villages of the Cotswolds…

Christmas in the Cotswolds brings ‘Another Cup of Christmas Cheer’ with a new challenge for Pickwicks’ waitress Megan…

Christmas in the Cotswolds

More details soon!

Hope you love the cover as much as I do.

Christmas in the Cotswolds can be read as a stand alone story, but if you want to read the previous Pickwicks adventures while you’re waiting for this novella to be released, you can find Another Cup of Coffee and Another Cup of Christmas from all good book and e-retailers.

Happy reading,

Jenny.x

Question Time!

I thought it would be fun to ask a friend to pretend she didn’t know me, and ask me some quick-fire questions she thought my readers might want to know the answers to! Yes- I know that’s a little bit mad- but I’m a writer- insanity is only ever inches away!!

Are you more like Kay (Jaybee) or Jenny in real life?

Jenny.

Do you love coffee as much as the characters in Another Cup of Coffee?

Even more than they do!

How do you take it?

Black- nothing added- Americano for preference

How many cups do you drink a day?

Too many

Do you really write in cafes and coffee shops like JK Rowling?

I really do – I even have my very own corner!! You can read all about it on Novelicious!! (bit.ly/1vyNnh8

Jenny Kane

What is your favourite hot drink – apart from coffee?

Coffee is the only hot drink I like- I HATE tea, and I’m allergic to milk, so can’t have hot chocolate, latte etc

Favourite colour?

Purple

Boots, trainers or heels?

Boots – I am not sporty, and I’d break my neck in heels. I am very clumsy!

Are the characters in Another Cup of Coffee based on real people?

Some of them are.

Which ones?

My lips are sealed.

Spoil sport- give us a clue?

I knew three of them at University- although I obviously wrote exaggerated versions of them- and they are all still my friends and totally lovely.

What did you study at University?

I did an Archaeology degree and then a Medieval History for a PhD.

Ohhh- like Amy in Another Cup of Coffee did…?

Yes- just like Amy did- well, the archaeology bit- I think I can guess the next question!

ACOC full print

So are you Amy?

I am a little tiny bit, but only a little bit. I more like Kit- but not too much!!!

You feature Kew Gardens in the book, have you been there, or did you just research in on Google?

I’ve been there a few times. I really like just wondering around the various greenhouses- and sitting in the cafes of course!

Jack and Rob run a bookshop in Another Cup of Coffee, is that based on a real place?

No, that I invented.

What is Jenny going to do next?

I’ve just finished writing the second spin off Christmas novella to follow Another Cup of Coffee.  It will be called another Cup of Mulled Wine, and should be out I November.

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I hope this made you smile! I am certainly smiling- for Another Cup of Coffee is still selling well! THANK YOU. xx

If you fancy seeing what all the fuss is about- then you can order your copy of Another Cup of Coffee here…

 

Amazon UK- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Another-Cup-Coffee-Jenny-Kane/dp/1783751126/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377605533&sr=8-1&keywords=another+cup+of+coffee

Amazon US – http://www.amazon.com/Another-Cup-Coffee-Jenny-Kane/dp/1783751126/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377605667&sr=8-1&keywords=another+cup+of+coffee+jenny+kane

 

Thanks for dropping by!

Jenny xx

 

Romancing it in Cornwall

With all the excitement of Another Cup of Coffee hitting the bookshops, and Romancing Robin Hood coming out, my new novel hasn’t really had a look in blog wise! I’m delighted to say that Jenny Kane book number 5 (novel number 3), is well underway!

Abi’s House, is set in the gorgeous Penwith Pensula in Cornwall, and will be published in late spring/early summer 2015 by Accent Press.

 

Sennen, Cornwall

Sennen, Cornwall

 

Here’s a little bit of a potted plot background for you…

It was the chocolate muffins that had been the last straw for young widow, Abi Carter. How was she to know they were supposed to be chocochino flavour and not plan chocolate as usual?

Abi is desperate to escape from the suffocating town in Surrey where she lives (a town that is convinced it’s actually a village), and tired of the overbearing ‘perfect’ executive wives that go with it.

Her late Luke had wanted her to be one of them- and she’d tried so hard to fit in, but somehow Abi never had.

Feeling guilty because, even though Luke had only been dead for six months (struck down by a stress related heart attack), Abi realises that she doesn’t miss him. The easy going, kind funny man she’d fallen in love with had disappeared with his high speed rise through the ranks of his job in the City. In only a year, he’d changed from easy going Luke, to an uptight man who had to have the right look, the right gadgets, the right car and the right house, and he expected Abi to want the same.

Abi yearns to live in a place where she won’t feel bad if she gets mud on the carpet, or where her baking skills won’t be judged. She wants to have messed up hair, own a dog that can get hairs on the carpet, and where she can go out when she likes. Most important of all, Abi wants to have friends she has chosen for herself, rather than people that Luke has decided are right for her.

Abi decides the time has come to fulfil her own dream of moving to Cornwall, where she spent her earliest family holidays. As a child she fell in love with a small end terraced home called ‘Abbey’s House’ – but she can’t quite remember where it is…

Minack Theatre

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As a child I, like Abi, spent many a family holiday in Cornwall. My father was born and bred in Penzance, and so I grew to know the area well. With so many beautiful places to chose from , it was really difficult to decide which part of Cornwall to set my novel in! I hope, when the time comes, you agree with my choice!!

Penzance

Penzance

Right then! I’d better go and get back to my writing!

Happy reading,

Jenny xx

 

 

 

 

Guest Interview- Meet Rachel Brimble

I’m delighted to welcome Rachel Brimble back to my site today- let’s get chatting!

1)  Tell us a little about yourself.

I live in a small market town just thirty minutes from the thriving Georgian city of Bath in one direction and the beautiful Cotswolds countryside in the other. My husband and I will soon celebrate 22 years together and we have two teenager daughters. My mum says her payback time will soon be upon me… 😉

2)  How do you organise your life between writing and being a mum and wife?

With difficulty and ignorance of the housework, LOL! I am lucky enough to stay at home so I have a strict schedule during the week when I write from 8.30-3.30pm Monday to Friday regardless of the temptation to do anything else.

Once the kids are home, I spent the rest of the time doing household chores, shopping, running them to and from after-school clubs, friends etc. In between, I catch as much time as possible on the laptop, but always finish by 7pm. Then it’s family time—which more often than not involves the TV.

Weekends are for family too—but if they’re doing their own thing…you know where to find me!

 RBCover

3)  Your heroine in What Belongs To Her is Sasha Todd – a manager of the town’s funfair. How did you research Sasha’s role?

I think with romance it’s the emotional and romantic arc that readers enjoy the most so I tend to focus on what’s happening internally with the characters rather than their jobs. However, with Sasha, I relied a lot of my memories of a fair that used to come to our hometown every Easter and the people who used to run it. As the fair was there for three weeks we often used to get chatting to the people running the rides and their kids. I was fascinated with their life and jobs and hope I’ve managed to transpose their passion onto the page.

4)  What are you currently working on?

I’m due to polish my fifth Superromance next week after it has ‘rested’ for the last fortnight. That book will then go to my agent for a read through before it wings its way to my editor.

In the meantime, I have been plotting my fourth Victorian romance for eKensington. This will be the fourth book in a linked series, although all the books can be read as stand-alone stories. At the moment, this book will be set in Bath against the issue of Foundling Hospitals in the late 19th century. I am loving the research far too much and yet to put my fingers to the keyboard…

5)  What are your favourite three reads of all time (to date), and why?

Oooh, tough question! Okay, let me think…

Me Before You by Jojo Moyes – This book is amazing. Such a story! I won’t give too much away but cannot recommend this book highly enough. Laughter, tears, a moving dilemma and a subtle yet perfect romance thread. Just brilliant…

Body Double by Tess Gerritsen – I adore Tess Gerritsen, especially her Rizzoli & Isles series but Body Double stands out as one of my favourites. For me, this is crime writing at its best––I didn’t stop turning the pages and thought about the book the entire time I wasn’t reading.

The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts – I’m cheating here because this is a set of four books (Vision in White, Bed of Roses, Savor the Moment & Happy Ever After), set against a wedding planning business ran by four childhood friends. Nora Roberts is the undisputed queen of American romance and these books kept me riveted from start to finish.

Me & Nora 3

Rachel with Nora Roberts

Blurb- What Belongs To Her

She’s ready to take back what’s hers

Since the moment a local crime boss claimed ownership of her family’s fairground, Sasha Todd has dreamed of righting the wrong. Now it’s time to act, and backing down from the man’s estranged son is definitely not an option. After all, giving up her legacy to hot-blooded John Jordon means losing the chance to finally heal the wounds in her past.

Stopping John in his tracks—and resisting the sizzle between them—is Sasha’s best defence. But there’s more to him than she thought, which changes everything. With what matters most at stake, she’ll have to risk a brand-new future with John, or walk away from the man whose heart belongs to her.

Buy Links:

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Barnes & Noble

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Bio

Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington–her debut was released in April 2013 and she has since signed for three more.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Links:

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

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Many thanks for dropping by today Rachel!

Happy reading everyone,

Jenny

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