Author Showcase - Nicky Wells

Today I’m hosting fabulous friend and fellow Loveahappyending Lifestyle author Nicky Wells, as part of her launch tour for Sophie’s Run, the second book in her trilogy featuring the rock star and the girl next door.

Hi! My name is Nicky Wells, and I am the author of the Rock Star Romance Trilogy. It’s my great pleasure being here on Janice’s fabulous blog and to give you a peek inside my character’s rock star lifestyle, you see I’ve brought them with me, Dan the rock star and Sophie the girl next door. Or rather, I’ve brought you a little glimpse behind the scenes at one of Dan’s recent gigs in Edinburgh. Are you ready to rock and roll?

The truth, and nothing but the bare naked truth?

 

Now this is a really special treat for you; it’s actually an out-take and this scene isn’t in any of the books. BUT there is mischief, innuendo and more in Sophie’s Run, so go on, join Sophie and Dan on their adventures on this second leg of their journey!

Sophie: *enters the Green Room, skids to a halt, mouth hanging open incredulously* What are you doing?

Dan: *flashes her a smile* I’m getting dressed for the gig. *twirls*

Sophie: I can see that but… what are you wearing?

Dan: *takes a careful bow* A kilt.

Sophie: A kilt?

Dan: A kilt. It’s kinda obvious, don’t you think? *twirls again*

Sophie: *giggles* But… why?

Dan: When in Edinburgh, do as the Edinburghians… the Scots do, right?

Sophie: *waggles her head doubtfully* Don’t you have to be at least part Scottish to wear a kilt, legitimately, like?

Dan: *frowns* What’s the problem? Don’t you like it?

Sophie: I do. I do. You’ve got fine knobbly knees and all that. It’s just…

Dan: What?

Sophie: *shrugs and remains silent*

Dan: What?

Sophie: Well… you do a lot of dancing and jumping in your shows. I must make sure I get to be in the front row tonight.

Dan: *frowns some more* Why?

Sophie: *rolls her eyes* Go on then, do me an air guitar solo of… of… White Poison.

Dan: *obligingly pretends to play the guitar, takes giant leaps around the room* Duurrrr-durrrrr-dur-dur-durrrr-roooinnnng

Sophie: I knew it, I knew it! *chases Dan around the room, trying to get a peek* You’re going commando under there, you are, you so are.

Dan: *screeches to a halt* OMG, is that what got you so excited?

Sophie: Why, of course. I’ve always wanted to know.

Dan: You know wrong.

Sophie: *lifts corner of kilt, then recoils as Dan swats at her hand; steps away, singing* I am so right, I am so right, and there is nothing under there but the bare naked truth…

Dan: Wrrraaaggh! *chases Sophie around the Green Room* Come here you Sassenach wench, I’ll show yer the bare naked truth!

Sophie: *stops abruptly so that Dan crashes into her, swiftly wraps her arms around him* Now then, is that a promise or a threat…?

 

 

About Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!

Rock On! Nicky Wells writes fun and glamorous contemporary romance featuring a rock star and the girl next door.  A signed author with U.S. publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky is in the throes of publishing her Rock Star Romance Trilogy. Nicky loves rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters.  When she’s not writing, Nicky is a wife, mother, and occasional teaching assistant.

Originally born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993, and currently lives in Lincoln with her husband and their two boys. In a previous professional life, Nicky worked as a researcher and project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington, D.C.

 

Visit Nicky on her blog where you can find articles, interviews, radio interviews and, of course, an ongoing update on her work in progress. You can also follow Nicky on Twitter and find her on Facebook. Nicky is a featured author on the innovative reader/author project, loveahappyending.com and has joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Nicky also has author pages at Sapphire Star Publishing, Amazon and, of course, Goodreads.

 

 

It’s a Whiteout Writeout…!

Yes, that's really me – on the hill at the back of our cottage and holding my sister’s Labrador puppy out of the snow . It’s a whiteout again here in Scotland and despite the slightly longer days, the promise of Springtime is nowhere to be seen. There are no daffodils in bloom, no buds on the trees, and my poor hens won’t come out of the hen hoose. I know how they feel!

But it’s not all bad, as this weather has been super conducive to writing, and while holed up in the cottage I’ve been working on my new book. It’s a nonfiction guide to online promotion and its title is How To Promote Party Online with all the emphasis on fun. Thank you so much for all your comments last week, which were all super helpful.

I’m hoping to show you the cover next week, as I’ve seen a couple of drafts and my wonderful designer is soooo close to the final version now.

So, I’m going to ignore the whiteout and I’m going back indoors to write.

I could be some time!

What are you doing while the winter lingers on – are you doing lots of writing or reading or both….?

 

Janice xx

Help with The Work in Progress...

One of my current writing projects is a work of non-fiction – it’s a 'How To' on tackling aspects of online promotion and making it fun. I’ve been prompted to write this by lots of lovely fellow writers who, over past year or so, have emailed me for advice on hosting online parties to promote or launch their book/s.

Some of those writers are debut novelists and others multi-pubbed. Some are with traditional publishers and others are indie. Most have previously attended or taken part (and reportedly enjoyed) my launch parties and want to know how I did it and more to the point, how they can do it too.

The title of this new and fun look at book promo is ‘How to Promote Party Online’ with the emphasis on the party aspect, because everyone wants to have fun, right?

So, I have a couple of questions for you to help me with research and I’d really appreciate your comments. You can leave them here on the blog or in an email to me at: janice@janicehortonwriter.co.uk

Q1: Have you attended one or more of my launch parties - which one/s?

Q2: Did you personally find it fun and engaging – and can you say why?

If you are not familiar with, or like me you were a bit giddy with virtual fizz at the time, then these links will give you a wee recap on our previous online frivolities:

Bagpipes & Bullshot Day

Reaching for the Stars – Wish I Was Here Party

How Do You Voodoo? – The Spellbindingly Fun Party

Voodoo Wedding – Facebook & Twitter Party

I’d really appreciate your feedback as it will help me enormously. The info you give will help me to focus on giving helpful advice. If I would like to use your comment as a quote – please be assured that I would always contact you first to ask for your permission. The book will be available soon from Amazon for Kindle. Thank you in advance.

Love, Janice xx

Books, books and ebooks!

This has been a busy week – a wonderful week – a week full of books and talking about books. On Tuesday night I was chatting via Skype on Blog Talk Radio with Inspirational Storyteller host Nancy Wait in New York. The subject was ‘inspiration’ and the special guest on the show was Linn B Halton, my lovely friend, fellow author, and the inspirational founder of Loveahappyending.com. Linn has written a fabulous blog about the programme here and there are links to the show.

 

Inspirational Storytellers on Blog Talk Radio

 

Also this week, it’s Read an Ebook Week! Check it out on the website. You may or may not know that my books are exclusive to Amazon to download and read on the Amazon Kindle Ereader. If you are an Amazon Select customer my books can be downloaded for free. If you don’t have an ereader and would like to read my books, then don’t despair, because you can download a FREE Kindle App from Amazon for your PC, Mac, Tablet, Android Phone and other mobile device. Just click here to pop over to Amazon and find out more about their range of free Apps.

Did you know that yesterday, March 7th, was World Book Day? Billed as the Biggest Book Show On Earth, the website is a fabulous resource. If you are a teacher, parent, bookseller, librarian or journalist – let’s celebrate books and help kids to read and enjoy books in all formats!

Also this week, I’d like to thank my writer buddy and fellow Romantic Novelist, Jude Roust. She surprised and delighted me by posting my debut TV appearance of three years ago to her blog 'Mad About Romance'. This short ITV news feature came about after I’d had a piece on research published in a writer’s magazine. At the time, I was researching my ‘disgruntled celebrity chef’ novel Reaching for the Stars, which caught the attention of a TV Producer. It just goes to show how one thing can lead to another! You can see the short film on Jude’s blog here.

This has also been my birthday week – so thank you for all the lovely messages on Facebook and Twitter and for your emails – I have enjoyed and appreciated every one!

 

 

Thank you to my lovely friend Jeannette for making me this birthday cake!

See you next Friday - Haste ye’ Back!

Voodoo Magick…!

 

I just wanted to say how thrilled I am, how touched at the support and the turn out yesterday at the launch of Voodoo Wedding, and I want to say a big thank you to all those who attended the Voodoo Wedding Facebook and Twitter Event and for being such fabulous fun. The wedding photos of cakes, champagne, hats, shoes, handbags, dresses and kilts were - I’m sure you’ll all agree – interesting, entertaining, fascinating, and in some cases, emotionally charged. As an added bonus ‘Voodoo Wedding’ finished the day in the Amazon Top 100 Chart for Short Stories at #61 which was even more thrilling. So thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

 

 

 

 

I wish there were enough sparkly purple tartan pens to give one to everyone and I’m so glad I didn’t have to choose the winners myself from the three prize draws. This was done independently this morning by my son using assigned numbers and not names and these are the winners. Congratulation ladies! These pens are the exact same purple colour tartan as Voodoo Wedding and come in a black pouch to keep them safe in your handbags. Please email me at: janice@janicehortonwriter.co.uk with your postal addresses.

 

For ‘signing up to join’ the party – Gilly Fraser

For uploading a wedding photo – Gina Dickerson

For Tweeting #voodoowedding – Charlotte Foreman

 

 

Finally, I can assure you that the virtual fizz last night was very real - as was my headache this morning!

Thank you!



You are cordially invited…

Friday 1^st March 2013

Today I’m excited to launch the second book in my Voodoo Romance series: Voodoo Wedding!

 

There’s just one thing I associate with a book launch - and that is a book launch party! So do join me today on the Voodoo Wedding Facebook Events Page and/or on Twitter using the hashtag #voodoowedding

There will be fun and prizes and wedding ‘favours’

 

 

Of course, I’ll also be anxiously awaiting the verdict of the book reviewers. Two book bloggers who had previously read and enjoyed Book One in the series ‘How Do You Voodoo?’ have been sent review copies and are today revealing their verdicts on ‘Voodoo Wedding’.

Brook Cottage Books

Kim the Bookworm
 

 

Are you considering downloading ‘Voodoo Wedding’ from Amazon for your Kindle or Kindle App today – but haven’t yet read ‘How Do You Voodoo?’

Then go ahead and buy ‘Voodoo Wedding’ today (£1 or $1.50)

Amazon UK or Amazon.com

And mail me today with ‘I JUST BOUGHT VOODOO WEDDING’ in the email subject line to: janice@janicehortonwriter.co.uk and I’ll send you a FREE Kindle copy of ‘How Do You Voodoo? by return.

 

So come on over and join the fun!

Post a photo of your wedding dress or in fact anything wedding related you’d like to share – to the Voodoo Wedding Events Page or to Twitter #voodoowedding.

Still single/unwed?

Then you have carte blanche to post the wedding dress of your dreams, be as quirky or as bridal couture as you wish, and feel free to photoshop yourself into it if you can! Or, what about a photo of your dream honeymoon destination…?

 

 

 

Haste ye ta’ the Party!

 

 



Voodoo Wedding – Launch Party next Friday 1st March!

Voodoo Wedding

Loved up Scottish fashion model Nola and her handsome Haitian fiancé Louis have finally set the date for their wedding. All they need now is a venue and a guest list to include something old, something new, something borrowed… and something voodoo!

 

Voodoo Wedding is the second ebook in my Voodoo Romance Series and is a novella of approximately 20,000 words. The first book is the Amazon Kindle bestselling ‘How Do You Voodoo?’

I’m celebrating the launch of Voodoo Wedding next Friday 1^st March

You may remember that when I launched How Do You Voodoo? we did it with the magically inspired Spellbindingly Fun Blog Party?

This time around I’m hosting a Voodoo Wedding Facebook and Twitter Party!

I’m asking you to pop over to the Party Events Page on Facebook now to ‘join’ the party and then to attend at any time of the day and/or evening on Friday 1^st March.

There WILL be THREE Prize Draws plus a wedding ‘favour’ for all party peeps on Voodoo Wedding Party Day!

Win one of THREE gorgeous Purple Tartan Pens!

 

Three purple tartan pen prizes will be drawn from everyone who:

1. TWEETS and retweets using the #voodoowedding

2. JOINS the party on the Facebook Party Page on Friday March 1st

3. POSTS A PHOTO of their wedding dress on the Facebook Party Page or on Twitter OR a picture of what you might consider to be your ideal wedding dress – in this case you can be as quirky or as bridal couture and you wish - and shoes and handbags are welcome too!

If you pop over to the FB Party Page just now you’ll see some photos already posted including one of me!

Do ALL THREE to get in all THREE Draws!

More details can be found on the Voodoo Wedding Facebook Party Page, my Author Facebook Page, on my Blog, or on Twitter @JaniceHorton or #voodoowedding

Join the fun next Friday 1^st March!

Something old, something new, something borrowed - something voodoo!

 

 

Voodoo Wedding – Cover Reveal

This week I’m excited to show you the cover of my soon to be released new novella: - Voodoo Wedding!

 

 

Voodoo Wedding is launching to Amazon for Kindle on 1^st March 2013

Loved up Scottish fashion model Nola and her handsome Haitian fiancé Louis have finally set the date for their wedding. All they need now is a venue and a guest list to include something old, something new, something borrowed… and something voodoo!

Voodoo Wedding is the second part in a Voodoo Romance Trilogy.

The first book is the Amazon bestselling How Do You Voodoo?

Here are the two covers together!

 

 

The final part of the trilogy ‘Voodoo Child’ will be available later this year!

Over at Brook Cottage Books Blog - JB is 'unveiling' the cover of Voodoo Wedding too - ahead of launch day on 1st March - and on Sunday 17th February she is posting her review of How Do You Voodoo!


While we are on the subject of covers, the cover of my full length novel ‘Bagpipes & Bullshot’ has just been nominated in the Indie Cover Hall of Fame competition.

I’d love you to pop over there and vote for your favourite Indie cover – there’s no messy voting protocol – you just pick a cover design that you like the best and hit the vote button.

VOTE NOW

This is the cover of Bagpipes & Bullshot and of course I’d be thrilled if you voted for it!

 

Haste ye ta’ Vote…!

Next week - we'll be planning the launch party for Voodoo Wedding.

So Haste ye Back...!

 

Is it Spring yet...?

I happened to notice that it was past 5pm before it got properly dark last night here in Scotland and when I came out of the cottage this morning, the snow had stopped falling outside, the sun had come out, there were snowdrops in the garden. Yay!

 

So to celebrate the possibility of Spring arriving and as a reward to myself for finally sending ‘Voodoo Wedding’ (the sequel to How Do You Voodoo?) off to my lovely editor today, and in anticipation of it launching to Amazon for Kindle on 1st March, I’m taking a trip to the fabulous city of Edinburgh to get my hair done!

 What do you think? Should I go the whole way and have purple highlights..?

 

Available to download to your Kindle

on 1^st March 2013

The sequel to 'How Do You Voodoo?'

and Part Two of the Voodoo Romance Trilogy!

Voodoo Wedding

 

Did you know 'How Do You Voodoo?' is listed in Love Reading Love Books 'Five Star Reviews of 2012' ?

 

How Do You Voodoo?

 

“The scene in the Necropolis Cemetery was full of the kind of suspense you would expect in a Stephen King book.” Indie Ebook Review

“I really enjoyed the light-hearted tone of the novella and the humour that Janice Horton brings to it.”
Love Reading Love Books

“A really enjoyable and highly entertaining read.”
Kim the Bookworm

“A little bit of humour and a plot that makes you want to keep reading on.”
Lou Graham – Book Blogger

 

Next week I’m hoping to do the cover reveal for Voodoo Wedding!

 

So Haste ye Back! 

The End... or is it?

 

 

This is the end, Hold your breath, And count to ten
(Lyrics to Skyfall by Adele)

Today I wrote The End of my romantic suspense novella ‘Voodoo Wedding’ which is the sequel to ‘How Do You Voodoo?’ - Yay!

But of course, it’s not The End really because despite editing as I write, I do know the manuscript needs a bit of a polish and I still need to smooth over a few tiny plot holes. Then I’ll transfer the manuscript to my Kindle for reading it as a reader rather than a writer and I’ll go back and polish it some more. Next week, I’ll send it off to my trusted Editor for a story critique and I’ll take on board her thoughts, and if I agree (she’s very wise and clever so I usually do – and she has an uncanny knack of telling what I suspected all along) I’ll work on it some more. Then it will be edited again for grammar, spelling mistakes, silly typos, layout inconsistencies, etc - and then, finally, it will be The End!

I thought you might enjoy these quotes on writing The End:

Frank Herbert

 “There is no real ending. It’s just the place where you stop the story.”

 

J.R.R. Tolkien

“Bilbo – have you thought of an ending?

Frodo – Yes, several, and all are dark and unpleasant."

 

Rose Tremain

“In the planning stage of a book, I don’t plan the ending. It has to be earned by all that will go before it.”

 

 

John Geddes

“My novels are like life – I never know where they are going until the end.”

 

And my personal favourite:

 It’s by Winston Churchill

“Now is not the end. It’s not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”

 

So writers – tell me - how do YOU come to The End…?

and how far off The End are you when you get there…?

 Readers – do YOU look for a happy ending every time…?

Have ya’ say and haste ya comments!