Tuesday 31 July 2012

Where the West Wind Blows

I love writing about glamorous, far flung places and peopling them with broad chested billionaires and sharp witted, feisty women but sometimes in a writer's life, a story appears from nowhere; a story that insists upon being written. It is as if someone has control of my mind and my fingers and there is nothing I can do but get it down on paper. The plot emerges as it wants to, in a great outpouring of emotion and that is how my novella, Where the West Wind Blows came to fruition. I woke one morning and there it was, fully formed, in my head.

There is not a muscle-bound billionaire or a luxury mansion in sight in this rather dark romance and the heavier themes may not be for all my readers. That is why the novella is not branded in my usual way. No black and red sexiness this time but something that lies rather nearer to my heart.

 Blissfully married to James, for twenty five years, successful artist, Fiona Japp, is devastated when he suffers a sudden heart attack. She is totally floored by his loss and teeters on the edge of nervous collapse. When her postman finds her in a pool of blood one morning, Fiona is admitted to hospital. And, on her release, still unable to face returning to the home she shared with James, she escapes to a holiday cottage on the Welsh coast where her anguish is diluted in the rain, blown by the winds and finally extinguished by a suffering even greater than her own.

Where the West Wind Blows is a story of loss, mental collapse and healing, proving that there really is life after sudden death.

Where the West Wind Blows will soon be published as an e-book. Look our for the free promotion.

Monday 16 July 2012

A Mary Middleton Romance Book Giveaway

For the last two days the kindle version of my second romance novel, Vittorio's Virgin has been free on Amazon and the response from readers has been brilliant. So I am  celebrating by holding a BOOK GIVEAWAY.  Just leave a comment in the box below stating which title you would like to win and your contact details and your name will be entered into a draw. The lucky winner will receive a paperback copy of their preferred title.

Vittorio is a troubled man. Raised by an unfaithful mother, married and divorced from an unfaithful wife, he no longer regards women as anything other than trouble. 
He avoids them, preferring to shower his love onto his six-year-old daughter, Sophia, but Vittorio is determined that she will not grow up to be as brittle and shameless as the other women in his life. Consequently, his daughter has the strictest upbringing.
But as she leaves babyhood behind the pressure of business makes life as a single parent more difficult and Vittorio is forced to seek help. Reluctantly he advertises for a nanny and, after interviewing a string of unsatisfactory applicants, he eventually settles on a young woman fresh from England. 
But Miss Jennifer Trent and Vittorio have met once before and he hadnt failed to notice then that, as well as being out spoken and headstrong, she was also very, very pretty.  
Vittorio's Virgin traces the sweeping romance of Vittorio and Jennifer from the romantic terraces of Florence to the sun-drenched beaches of the Caribbean.

***

Jonathan Barberis-Jones believes he has the future sorted but his billionaire playboy lifestyle, complete with horses, fast cars and women is suddenly threatened by the arrival of Charlotte Martin, The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter

Penniless single parent, Charlotte Martin suddenly in need of the support of her natural father, turns up at Barberis Hall claiming to be Nicoli Barberis'  illegitimate daughter. Finding his future under threat, Jonathan is faced with a tough inner battle; to keep his inheritance intact or surrender to his ever-increasing attraction to Charlotte? 
Will Jonathan's darker side prevail in his fight for what he sees as justice? 
Or will love prevail?

The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter moves from the breathtaking beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, across the pond to New York before finally coming full circle to the Baroque splendour of Barberis Hall.

***

Come Dance With Me. When television chat show host, Sasha Johnson, interviews international ballroom dancing champion, Andrei Kovalevsky, her life is altered forever. And, six  years later, when they meet again Sasha does everything in her power to prevent him from blowing her world apart for the second time.
But can she defuse a bomb that is already ticking?

Andrei Kovalevsky has won almost every ballroom dancing prize known to man, apart from television's coveted Celebrity Dancing Trophy. When Andrei is partnered with Sasha, her two left feet threaten to kick the glittering prize way out of his reach.
With just eight weeks to do it, Andrei determines to break down the barriers between them, knock her into shape and turn Sasha Johnson into a dancer.
But secrets, lies and an irresistable attraction impede his way and their path to the Celebrity Dance final is fraught with trouble.

***

So is it to be the dark and handsome Vittorio with his deep hang-ups and sadness?  Jonathan's lazy, rich boy petulance and irresistible charm? or Andrei's Russian fire and capable arms?  Which ever one you fancy let me know and, if your name is picked in the draw, one of them will soon be winging it's way to you.

Good Luck!

Thursday 5 July 2012

Your invitation ...

Kidwelly Castle - Carmarthenshire
I cannot believe my last post was in March when I was heralding in the Spring! What on earth have I been doing?  Not lazing around that is for sure. We had a family bereavement that interrupted my flow a little and since then I have had  my head down, researching and writing my forthcoming release. I think I hinted sometime ago that the next one might be a little different. Well, it's certainly that but I am not here to talk about that today.

Castell Henllys - iron age village - Pembrokeshire
I was thinking that here in the UK the spring began fine and dry. In the southeast there were panics about drought, hose pipe bans, possible crop failure ...it all sounded a little unlikely to me because I live in Wales where the rain, when it falls, which is often, comes in bucketloads.  There were no dusty dry fields around here, although the rain fall had been considerably less than usual.  We like mud in Wales and we like clouds - or maybe we have just got used to them, either way, we have them.

Tresaith Beach - Ceredigion








So when the 'drought' ended, it really didn't seem fair that we were washed out too. The Welsh water table was high enough and we saw no cause for celebration. Bring on a dry summer, we said, we need the tourists to come. But, since the end of May, there has been nothing but rain, sheets of it, lakes of it, oceans of it. Couldn't there be a happy medium? Even in the southeast, that dustbowl we were hearing about in April, the people are now begging the rain to stop.  everyone is a little fed up with it.
Here in Wales, the country fairs are being cancelled, sporting events washed out, tourists cancelling reservations at B&B's and Guesthouses. It doesn't look good. At least if we had a sunny drought the holiday makers would visit in their droves, stuff themselves with strawberries and ice-creams and Welsh cakes and give rural Wales the boost it needs.

Historic Newquay Harbour - Ceredigion
It is so lovely here, even when it's raining. I often write about Wales. My first novel For One Night Only features an exiled Welshman and his return  to the soft, green valleys of his homeland. You know, that is why Tom Jones sings, The Green Green Grass of Home, with such conviction. It really is true, there's no place like home and I count my blessings that I live here.

Newport Bay - Pembrokeshire
So, if you are planning on having a Staycation this year or if any of my readers from the USA are visiting the UK, please don't forget about Wales. It's the bit stuck on the side, the place Americans often refer to as "Wales, England". Because there is nowhere nicer. And your visit needn't be all about the Olympics, we have other buildings besides the Millenium Stadium. We have castles, cathedrals and ancient churches to inspire you, countryside that will knock your socks off, mountains, moorland, wildlife, and an awesome natural coastline that you can walk from end to end if  you care to.  We have World famous male voice choirs, harpists, there is a song on every tongue in Wales.
Pentre Ifan - Pembrokeshire
Since this is supposed to be a writing blog, I should mention we have wonderful writers and artists too. Galleries, theatres, open air exhibitions, award winning restruants. You can visit Hay on Wye, the bookshop capital of the world, or at Laugharne where you can see Dylan Thomas' home, see his writing den and follow the Dylan Thomas trail throughout Wales. Note: not surprisingly, this trail includes rather a lot of pubs. 
This country is teeming with poets, writers and visual artists, so why not come and see us. the sun will come out soon and, even if it doesn't, You will still find a welcome in our hillsides. But bring your wellies, just in case.

Croeso!