Tuesday 29 January 2013

Welcome Author C.J. Johnson


C.J. Johnson is a full-time mum, a full-time carer/cleaner/cook/handy-woman, a full-time daydreamer–and she wouldn't have it any other way. The urge to write hounded her constantly throughout her childhood, through her teens and into her twenties. Finally, with having no training, attending no classes or schooling, she finally gave in to the urge and hasn't stopped writing since.
She lives with her husband, two children, golden Labrador and her imagination. 


Excerpt.

Suddenly, the girl arched her back and shrieked in rage and pain. Startled, Bill jerked backwards, thumping his head on the low roof. Tossing her head from side to side, she began to moan and whimper. An awful sound filled the small space and Bill frantically looked around in fear. It sounded like someone was jumping up and down on a pile of sticks, snapping and breaking them loudly underfoot. Shifting his gaze to the girl, he recoiled at the sight of her skin.

Her ribs sank into her body, visibly moving and rearranging themselves under her skin. As Bill stared in horror, too stunned to move or think, hair sprouted over her body, hair the same shocking red colour as her hair. Then, he couldn't see her breasts anymore as they became completely covered. Her legs too.

And she was growing!

Her shape changed as she continued to moan and writhe, becoming less and less human.

Bill threw himself sideways and off the bed, finding himself half slumped against the back of the passenger seat. He felt like a vice was squeezing his head as he panted for air.

This isn't happening. I'm dreaming. I've passed out on top of her or something.  

I'll wake up soon.  

Dear God, let me wake up soon.  

Bill began to fumble with the side of the passenger seat, trying to find the catch to move the seat forward as he stared at the writhing, hairy body above him.

I've gotta get out of here!  

He found the latch and twisted around to pull it. He threw the seat forward and scrambled through the space, tugged on the door handle and pushed the door open. The cold, night air hit him and he gasped with relief.

I'm gonna make it!  

Something growled. He looked over his shoulder … and shrieked. The girl was looking at him, snarling and growling. But she wasn't a girl. The face of a huge wolf snapped and growled at him as he screamed and threw himself headfirst through the open door. He fell heavily on his side, got to his feet and ran for his life. He ran towards the dark trees as he wheezed and panted.

Werewolf. 

Purchase Here:

 Female of the Species will be available on Amazon and Barnes&Noble sometime in March.

Connect with C.J. Johnson





Saturday 26 January 2013

Australia Day 26th January



TRUE BLUE
Words and Music by John Williamson
© 1986/2003 EMUSIC PTY LTD

Hey True Blue, don't say you've gone
Say you've knocked off for a smoko
And you'll be back later on
Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue

Give it to me straight
Face to face
Are you really disappearing,
Just another dying race,
Hey True Blue.

True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate
When he's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue, I'm asking you...

Hey True Blue, can you bear the load?
Will you tie it up with wire,
Just to keep the show on the road?
Hey True Blue, Hey True Blue, now be Fair Dinkum

Is your heart still there?
If they sell us out like sponge cake
Do you really care?
Hey True Blue.

True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate
When she's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue, I'm asking you...

True Blue, is it me and you?
Is it Mum and Dad, is it a cockatoo?
Is it standing by your mate
When he's in a fight?
Or will she be right?
True Blue ... True Blue.


·  Smoko
To 'knock off for a smoko' is to have a break for a coffee, tea or cigarette.
·  True Blue
Steadfast loyal Australian who displays the Aussie ideals of a fair go for all, mateship, having a go, and solving problems.
·  Fair Dinkum
Virtually the same as True Blue - honest, reliable, trustworthy, dinki-di; someone who has embraced the Aussie attitudes to everything, especially mateship. 'Are you fair dinkum?' means 'are you telling the truth?'






Friday 25 January 2013

Australia Day Giveaway


An Australian Story FREE on Smashwords 
for Australia Day. 
 Coupon: NF73D
Offer Ends January 28th 2013



WHERE THE HEART IS

After the breakdown of a relationship, Daniela (Dani) Sante moves from Perth where she has lived for a year, and returns to her hometown, Waroona.  Surprised by house-guest, Antonio Bartolini, Dani is not pleased that he is residing in her home.

The return to Waroona does not give Dani the comfort she had hoped for.  The drama taking place around her is unsettling and she longs for peace, but the problems of family and friends are not easily pushed aside.  When the police arrive at her door, Dani realises that her Perth ‘home’ was not the safe haven she thought it was.

Added to this, is her growing resentment towards Antonio.  Having struggled to accept her Italian heritage for most of her eighteen years, Antonio represents all that she loathes.  The fact that he is extremely handsome and charming only adds to the conflict within her.

Will Dani overcome her bias and accept Antonio for who he is?  And will she follow her heart, before it’s too late?

Available in most formats from Smashwords


Wednesday 23 January 2013

WIP Into Shape



My current WIP is in the final editing stages.  I hope.  I’m up to the sixth draft but I think there are another two on the way.

I am ridding the story of the unnecessary ‘he said, she said, he watched, she saw’ etc, hoping for a better flow of words and events.

‘Grapevines and Gum Trees’ will be my fourth published novel and I’ve learnt so much along the way.  I don’t think a writer ever stops learning.  Trends and writing styles change with the times as does technology, particularly in the publishing and marketing of books as we see now with the arrival of ebooks. 

Hopefully, though, a good story remains as such.

My story is set in the mid-eighties, in the small country town of Yarloop, in the area in which I live.  Why did I choose this era? 

Some of you may know that Australia’s mining industry has grown and prospered in the last few years.  Unfortunately, there are often dire consequences to the expansion of mining and industry.

Yarloop has undergone some tremendous changes since the time of the book’s setting and I wanted to showcase the area as it was.  There are some great memories embedded there.


Monday 21 January 2013

Moments



We do not remember days, 
we remember moments. 
- Cesare Pavese 


I became a grandmother six days ago.  In one word – Wow!  To hold my precious grandson for the very first time was a pivotal moment in my life.  He was born only three days before my son, the new daddy, turned twenty four.  How time has flown. 

As a parent, your time is taken up with adjusting to the new family member.  Sleep is minimal and you spend your time juggling household chores with the baby’s needs. 

New grandparents

As a grandparent, nothing matters except the child.  You are older and wiser.  You know how quickly time passes.  You know what’s important.

Today, I held my grandson, talked to him, inhaled his wondrous scent.  What a gift.  I will treasure these moments, store them away in my memory, and in years to come, I will remember.




Monday 7 January 2013

Welcome Author Juliet Madison


Juliet Madison is an Australian author of romantic comedies and women’s fiction. She likes to put her characters into extraordinary situations and take them on a challenging journey to discover their true passion and inner strength, weaving in some laughs, tears, romance, and sometimes a touch of magic along the way. Her stories are all about embracing life, love, and new beginnings.

Living near the beach on the beautiful south coast of New South Wales, Australia, Juliet spends her days homeschooling her son and running her internet business, and her nights writing fiction while doing her best to avoid housework. She is a proud member and volunteer with The Romance Writers of Australia and loves to interact online with readers and writers.

Juliet’s debut novel FAST FORWARD will be released February 1st2013 by Escape Publishing, the digital-first imprint of Harlequin Australia.

FAST FORWARD is a romantic comedy with a twist...

Aspiring supermodel Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her 25th birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.

Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband, and hideous support underwear forever?


Excerpt

“What was that noise, did something break?” A man barged into the bathroom.
“Arghhh!!” I instinctively covered myself as much as possible with my hands, cowering into the corner near the toilet, my eyes searching frantically for a towel. Why were there no towels in this bathroom? My nightgown, oh thank God! I picked it up and held it in front of me. “Get out of here!” I shooed him backwards like an annoying insect, but he kept coming towards me.
“What’s the matter, honey?” He glanced at the vase remnants on the floor, and then at my arm, blood dripping from the wound. “Are you alright?” The brown-haired man eyed me with genuine concern, and his skin oozed the spicy scent of an aftershave I didn’t recognise.
“I’m fine, go away!” The man appeared perplexed at the continued shooing movements I made with my hands.
“Okay, okay. I just wanted to make sure you were alright. And wish my wife a happy birthday of course.” He leaned in for a kiss but I pushed him off, horror overtaking me.
Wife? I’m not his wife, and he’s certainly not my husband! Grant is supposed to be my husband. Well, after tonight’s inevitable proposal that is. Oh God, tonight! My birthday party. I can’t go looking like this!
A high-pitched jingling sound interrupted my thoughts and the man made a strange movement; pinching his watch with his thumb and forefinger and appearing to pull some invisible strand to his ear.
What is he doing?
“William speaking,” he said as he walked out. Finally.
William? Who the heck is he and why is he saying I’m his wife? This is all too weird. I’m dizzy. Holding onto the wall I racked my brain for an answer. A solution. Anything to make sense of this...situation. William...William... his eyes looked kind of familiar. And the way he walked out of the room, his bouncy stride. I’ve seen him before...somewhere.
I know! I clicked my fingers. William McSnelly from my school days. Could it really be Chubby No Friends William McSnelly who never seemed to notice the multiple ‘Kick Me’ post-its stuck to his back? Wow, he actually turned out alright. Okay so he’s ancient, but for an old guy he’s not bad.
Wait.
If I’m married to William McSnelly, then that would make me... Oh God, no.
Kelli McSnelly.
Shoot me now.
I didn’t end up with McDreamy or McSexy, uh-uh. I ended up with McSnelly, or McSmelly as the kids at school used to call him. Me included. And now I’m Mrs McSmelly.
I think I’m going to pass out. 

~ ~ ~
Stay updated on FAST FORWARD by subscribing to 
(And get a free gift too!).

You can also visit Juliet online  
Blog      Twitter       Facebook Page 






Wednesday 2 January 2013

‘The Next Big Thing’ blog hop: My WIP




I have been tagged by Malla Duncan. So please check out her Next Big Thing. 

The rules of the blog hop are simple: Answer ten questions about your WIP (Work in Progress) and tag five more writers/bloggers to do the same. 

~ ~ ~


What is the working title of your book?
"Grapevines and Gum Trees"
Where did the idea come from for your book?
I have lived in the same town all of my life and the area in which I live has undergone major changes.  I wanted to tell a story about life, family and change.
What genre does your book fall under?
A difficult one to answer.  It is a suspenseful family saga with elements of romance.
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Well, I have to go with Aussie actors.  Couldn’t go passed the Hemsworth brothers.  Either Chris or Liam. (Fairly ambitious, I know).



And for the female lead, Melanie Vallejo or Pia Miranda

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
Amid the dawning difficulties abounding on the family vineyard, a stranger appears, and the idyllic life of Isabella Di Rossi is shaken by the secrets that are revealed.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
At this stage, I will be self-publishing.
How long did it take to write the first draft of your book?
I suppose it was a good seven to nine months. 
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?
That’s a tough one.  Nothing comes to mind at the moment.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
My story is set on a vineyard in the small town of Yarloop where my Italian grandparents lived.  They had a few vines and made their own wine.  It is quite a unique culture and played a large part in my family life.
In the past, I had watched two movies that were set on vineyards – “A Walk In The Clouds” and “The Engagement Ring”.  I was able to relate to these movies largely due to the ‘culture’ aspects and they seemed to have ‘stuck’ with me.
What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?
The novel is set in the mid-1980s, in a real town in the south-west of Western Australia not far from where I Iive. The characters are typical of 'normal' Italians/Australians of the era and the story has elements of truth.  I like a little mystery so there are a few secrets just waiting to be discovered.  And of course, besides some suspense, there is romance.  





Jeanette's 4-stars-plus book montage

An Offer He Can't Refuse
Emily's Affair
Taste
Rough Harbor
The Chosen One
Runaway Heart
Bared to You
Melodies of the Heart
Fifty Shades Freed
Fifty Shades Darker
Fifty Shades of Grey
Anon
Somewhere in Time
House Guest
A Cop, His Wife and Her Best Friend
Hero Of Her Heart
All In Time
Asking for Andre
Almost a Bride
The Fence My Father Built


Jeanette Hornby's favorite books »

Jeanette's bookshelf: diversity

In Love With Death
3 of 5 stars true
I liked the authors take on the Angel of Death and enjoyed learning about the individual characters. The story was interesting and I liked the way the author simplified the subject matter. With a little more editing and polishing, this ...
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now and diversity
An Offer He Can't Refuse
4 of 5 stars true
A thoroughly enjoyable tale. I liked the characters and the situation they were in. A good read for romance lovers.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, diversity, and favourites
All In Time
4 of 5 stars true
An interesting and enjoyable story. I would have liked the unique events to unravel slower and continue longer, but overall, the tale was quite engrossing. A good read.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, and diversity
Bloodtrail
4 of 5 stars true
An intricately woven vampire tale that keeps you wanting more. The historical and scientific content was unique and engrossing. I particularly liked the way the author separated each character's story in the beginning and then tied the...
tagged: diversity, 4-stars, and from-dec-2011-to-now
House Guest
4 of 5 stars true
A short, creepy and enthralling story. The development of the main character and situation was strangely enjoyable. A good read.
tagged: from-dec-2011-to-now, 4-stars, and diversity

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