Murder on Tyneside

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Wednesday 30 January 2013

Divorcees.Biz - Available in paperback

I am absolutely delighted to announce that Divorcees.Biz is now available in paperback from Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk

I am still waiting to get my hands on an actual copy, but I will have to be patient and wait until the postman or a carrier delivers them. 

I am not usually a very patient person, especially when waiting for something like this to arrive. But I have to say I have been very good during the publishing process. I haven't leaped up and down or driven my husband crazy while waiting for Divorcees.Biz to be published. So I guess I am calming down - well perhaps a tiny bit.

But Salgad Publishing have been marvelous. They have kept me informed during the whole process, so I suppose I never really felt left out on a limb, sp to speak.

Another piece of exciting news - Teresa Ashby has posted an interview she did with me on her Blog, A Likely Story.  It was fun to do and I do hope you will take the time to check it out.

And finally, today is my birthday. I have added this at the end because I don't really have birthdays any more. They seem to come around too quickly for my liking.  Can it possibly be one whole year since the last one?? It certainly doesn't seem like it. Anyway, my friends seem to think it is because cards have arrived and Happy Birthday wishes are listed on Facebook, so I guess it must be.  So much for trying to keep it quiet.

Have a good day wherever you are!!

Cheers!!

Saturday 26 January 2013

The sun is Shining Today.

Wow! Beautiful blue skies this morning. I thought I was seeing things as we have had snow off and on (mostly on) for the past week.  I am wondering whether my friend and I might get to Newcastle next week after all.

But then I mustn't get too optimistic. The British weather has a way of fooling you. Just when you think it is safe to go out. down comes the rain (or the snow.)  However, when you are so looking forward to something, it is difficult not to get to excited when things seem to be going right.  I have been caught out like that before. I have been all set to do something, go somewhere only to be let down at the last minute.

Still I mustn't grumble too much otherwise the little lines starting to appear on my face, will suddenly take off and there will be no holding them back. There is no way I want them to get a foothold - not on this face.

That's the trouble with a little wrinkle here and there. They don't seem to be content with just having a presence; no, they want to start taking over completely and I am not up for that - not yet, anyway. I'm sure Connie, Sadie, Jenny and Lucy, the four characters in my novel, Divorcees.Biz, would have the remedy for wrinkles. I don't even think a wrinkle would dare to show up on Connie's face. She would shriek that she needed to see the beautician and the little wrinkle would disappear in a flash.

With the weather being the way it is, I haven't been anywhere and I really mean, I haven't been anywhere. So I don't have anything wild and wonderful to blog about.  I could tell you that I have spent the time cleaning around the house. But I haven't, so I can't!

I am going to end by asking all you lovely people who drop by today and Sunday if you would vote for Divorcees.Biz in the Turning the Pages Book of the Year Competition. The competition ends on Sunday, 27th Jan so this is the last chance.

Take care everyone and have a good day!!

Cheers!!.

Saturday 19 January 2013

Snow and Other Bits and Pieces

Woke up to find several inches of snow this morning. I have to say that it looks very pretty, but it does mean that, unless it disappears before Wednesday, my friend and I won't get to Newcastle. Now that would be a catastrophe, as we are both so looking forward to the trip.

But to travel almost one hundred and forty miles round trip in bad weather, merely for a day out shopping, would be madness. Or would it? Yes it's a long way to go in bad weather and yes, the bus could get stuck in the snow in the middle of nowhere - the route takes us through some of the most beautiful countryside in Northumberland - but on the other hand, we might not. The roads could be clear by then.

I guess we are going to have to wait and see what it is like on the day.

All else is quiet here, I really don't have anything wonderful to post today. Not that I ever do, I simply write the first thing that comes into my head, but today my head is still filled with things I have already mentioned: the competition Divorcees.Biz is in, the new book I am trying to get started, The petition I have just signed against some form of animal cruelty.

Now there's a thing that usually stirs me up into a frenzy - cruelty to animals. How can people be like that. What in the world wants them to be so cruel to the other beings we share this planet with? Perhaps it's best I don't get started on that one.

Hope you are all having a wonderful day and if you feel like voting for Divorcees.Biz in the Turning the Page Book of the Year Competition then please, follow the link.  It only takes a couple of minutes. There is no need to register, simply scroll down to the Start button.

Thank you all for your support,

Cheers!!

Thursday 17 January 2013

I Haven't Got a Clue!

Anyone who read my last post will have gathered that I am about to embark on another novel. It was only while answering the questions that I actually came up with the title and an idea of a new novel.

It's all muddling around inside my head at the moment, but I am thinking along the lines of using the characters of my last novel, Divorcees.Biz and putting them in a whole new situation. Does anyone have any thoughts on that?

Actually, I say it is muddling around in my head, but it is really trying desperately to find a space for itself to settle down and come to some sort of fruition. However, it has a real battle on at the moment as my head is filled with thoughts of how to both promote Divorcees.Biz and get more sales, while at the same time try to drum up more votes for the novel in the Turning the Page Book of the year competition.  You see the competition ends on January 27th and I have had heard that Divorcees.Biz is in the top ten at the moment. (Though I don't know the exact placing) So it all so very exciting, which is why I am in a dither.

But then I am always in a dither. I wouldn't be me, if I wasn't in a dither about something or another. There is usually so much buzzing around in my head, I wonder whether there is any space for my brain to turn around. (Do brains turn around or do they simply sit there from one day to the next?)

But back to the new novel, I Haven't Got a Clue Using the same characters is growing on me, so I will have to get something down on the laptop, before I forget.

Apart from that I'm afraid I haven't anything else to tell you all. I haven't managed to get to that wonderful city Newcastle since before Christmas, but my friend and I are keeping our fingers crossed for next Wednesday as we are both in need of a little retail therapy. Hopefully the snow won't fall next week and stop our jaunt.

I hope you are all having a wonderful day,

Cheers!!
If you feel like adding your vote, I'd be very grateful if you would follow the link above  :-)

Thursday 10 January 2013

The Next Big Thing - Blog Hop!! (Updated)

The Next Big Thing Blog Hop!

When Oliver Eade, author of numerous children's books and now author of the excellent adult novel, A Single Petal, asked me if I would like to participate in this new idea blog hopping, I jumped at the chance.
http://www.olivereade.blogspot.com
http://www.olivereade.co.uk

However, now that I have actually sat down to answer the questions, I am scratching my head.  My new novel, Divorcees.Biz was only published at the end of November 2012. Therefore I am still wondering about my next novel. Nevertheless, I will have a go and see what I come up with.


What is the working title of your next book?

I Haven't a Clue!


Where did the idea for the book come from?

I only just this minute thought of it. 'When I wrote "I Haven't a Clue!' for the working title, I meant it, I really hadn't a clue. But now, seeing the words written down it sounds rather a cute title, so I think I'll go with it and see where it leads me. But then, that's how I write. I make things up as I go along. I never plan anything. I am useless at writing notes. So how could I possibly think of a plan?


What Genre does your book fall under?

Chic-lit/Women's Interest.  I had so much fun writing my last novel, Divorcees.Biz, I think I will stick with that genre for the time being.


What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Until I start working on the characters, I'm afraid I will have to pass on that one - except to say that George Clooney and Hugh Grant and Ewan McGregor, would have to figure in there somewhere.


What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

A group of women who see themselves as Private Investigators. 


Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I will probably ask my last publisher, Salgad Publishing, if they would be interested in taking it on. Who knows? They might even enjoy it and say yes.  Now that would be wonderful. But if they don't, then I shall take it from there.


How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

As I haven't started yet, there is no real answer to that question. However, I do hope to have the first draft ready in around five months.


What other books would you compare this to within your genre?

Another difficult question. Under the circumstances I can only come up with, something on the lines of Perfect Alibis by Jane Wenham-Jones, with an added touch of Sherlock Holmes :)


Who or what inspired you to write this book?

That's easy - you did!  You can take the credit because I think I would have given myself another three or four weeks before deciding what I was going to write about next. But answering these questions has spurred me into action; given me that all-important opportunity to think ahead. Thank you for that.


What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?.


Perhaps the fact that they inspired my future novel "I Haven't a Clue", will make them want to read it. Even if it is only to see how their inspiration has developed - or not. But we won't go down that road.


Now it is only left for me to tig the following excellent writers.  



Lorna Read is author of soon-to-be-published teen romance Perfect Lives (Hachette) and is currently working on a book about her spooky experiences.
















Tuesday 1 January 2013

Happy New Year to you all!!!

Well it is here. The first day of 2013 has arrived and the sun is shining. How good is that?

I haven't really got anything to tell you this morning as I wasn't dancing the night away at a wild party last night. No, I'm sorry to say we stayed home and at midnight we were sitting in bed watching an old episode of Mock The Week. Though I must add that I did have a glass of wine in my hand at the time. Therefore I was able to herald in the New Year in style. (Well, in a style of sorts.) :-)


Years ago we were always the ones to hold a party at New Year. It was fun and I believed everyone enjoyed themselves. Above is a photo of me at one of these parties. Isn't it nice to have these old photos to look back on? I think it is good to reflect on happy memories.

But enough of that before I become all maudlin and weep onto my keyboard.

Can I, or should I say, dare I  mention Divorcees.Biz again. You see my four characters in this novel  have been niggling at me to get for more votes in the Turning the Page competition. Sadie, in particular, keeps giving me a nudge. (She is the one who always speaks her mind. I shouldn't have made her so determined)  So I am adding the link again. http://turningthepagesnews.webs.com/bookoftheyear2012.htm 

I think I must have worked a little too closely with Connie, Sadie, Jenny and Lucy when I was writing the book and until I start another novel with new characters, it seems they are going to pester me constantly!! Nevertheless, I love them all. They would make great friends.

Well I think that's it for today,

I wish you all a very Happy New Year & all the best for 2013

Cheers!!!