Month: January 2013

The Moreno Brothers series

The Moreno Brothers series is made up of 5 books, one for each of the brothers – Angel, Alex, Sal and their sister Sofia and one for their best friend Romero. The series begins with Angels story, Forever Mine.

Forever Mine

Forever mine

Poor Sarah, she has had to up sticks and move to a new city right at the beginning of senior year. Her mum is in prison for embezzlement and she has had to move to San Diego to live with her Aunt and her family. Her cousin Valerie is in the same year at school so at least she isn’t completely on the outer. Within minutes of being in school she is lost and while looking at the guide of the school she makes eye contact with a very handsome boy. The same boy she has had a crush on since she first laid eyes on him a couple of years before. Who is this boy? He is none other than Angel Moreno, of THE Moreno brothers. Really, did she really just make a fool of herself staring at him?

As it happens the attraction is mutual and the pair get together. She isn’t one of those girls though, she isn’t going to ‘hook up’ with him, star football player or not! Regardless, Angel manages to woo Sarah and the pair begin to date. The problem? Sarah is determined to move back and live with her best friend Sydney. Oh yeah, and the fact that the very intense and even more territorial Angel doesn’t believe a boy and a girl can just be friends! Yes that’s right, the best friend that Sarah can’t wait to get home to is a boy. She didn’t lie to him, not as such, he assumed Sydney was a girl she just hasn’t found the right time to tell him different.

She didn’t count on falling in love. She also didn’t count on being caught hugging Sydney. As for Angel he didn’t count on getting his heart-broken by the only girl he has ever like enough to be exclusive with. The semester is over, she turned 18, Angel hates her and it’s time to move home. Is there anything that can make her stay?

Always Been Mine

always been mine
Oh Alex, Alex, Alex (she says in a dreamy voice) you really screwed up didn’t you! During Angel and Sarah’s story we learned of Alex’s relationship with Sarah’s cousin Valerie. Though relationship is probably a stretch. They hooked up but they were never exclusive.

Now we have a whole book devoted to them, Yes I hear you – there is a God! So, fed up with this on again off again relationship where Alex is so sweet, loving (though he hasn’t told her he loves her), caring and intense for weeks at a time, then he disappears and nothing – not even a text for days or even weeks, she decided to follow him. She borrows her room-mate Isabel’s car and stakes out his home. That’s when her world comes crashing down, a scantily clad woman arrives and he lets her in. OK so she knew they weren’t exclusive but this is just the wake up call she needs, its time to get on with her life and that means leaving Alex Moreno in the past.

So a year later and fate throws them together. Isabel has coached her and she is ready to face him, she isn’t going back there – no way, she is so over Alex Moreno. Until they kiss, that one kiss is the undoing of her and she is right back to where she started. Knowing she can’t do this anymore she does the one thing guaranteed to make Alex leave her alone, she tells him she is with another man.

Alex didn’t even realise how much he missed Valerie. He has had an awful year. His College football came to an end through injury, and without his scholarship he has been really struggling. Now Valerie is back but she has another man. How did he not realise how much he missed her, how did he not realise he loved her. She should be his. How is he going to get her back? Because if he knows nothing else, he knows she has to be his!

She can’t do it, she can’t go back there. She needs to move on with her life and that means one thing, she needs to start dating. When the opportunity present itself she starts to date. She has a lot of commitments at the moment which mean she moves in the same circles as Alex, so when he see’s her with her new man he can’t handle it. Then he learns she may be in danger and he can’t walk away. He needs to get Isabel back and he needs to keep her safe.

Will she listen when he tries to tell her she was wrong about what she saw? Will she let him back in to her life? Can Alex protect her or no matter what he does will the threat to her prove to be too much?


Sweet Sofie
Sweet sofie
We first met Sofie as the 16 year old sister in Forever Mine. In this book we go back to when Sofie is a child and follow her into her young adulthood. Even then as a very young girl riding her tasselled bike up and down the road we see how protective her brothers are of her. This doesn’t get any better when she is growing up, especially when she is in her teens. And dare anyone do anything to upset her! And if you do, and you are a boy – well you may run for the hills. As if it isn’t bad enough that she has 3 older brothers – she also has Eric and Romero. Her brothers best friends and they are every bit as bad as they are. Especially Eric, he always keeps a special eye on her.

Sofie likes Eric, like really likes Eric. She is fairly sure Eric likes her too. She is also fairly sure her brothers would have his ass if he went there. The thing is though, Sofie is hell-bent on getting what she wants. A few stolen moments confirm what she already knows, he is so into her! They have to keep it a secret though, she isn’t allowed to date anyone until she is 17. Eric being 2 years older than her isn’t going to help with her brothers either.

A stolen kiss on New Years eve, which turns out not to be quite so stolen when Alex walks in, leads to all hell breaking lose. Eric is banished from the house and Sofia gets into a blazing row with her brothers. Under no circumstances is she to go anywhere near Eric and she isn’t to be alone with him – ever. So what can they do? They do wat any self-respecting teenagers do – they go behind their backs!

Sofie turn 17 and Eric ‘stakes his claim’. When Eric has to go away to work for the summer, it seems Sofie posses all the intensity as her brother and along with her fiery personality she sparks are sure to fly. Join Sofie and Eric and read about the highs, the lows and whether or not a girl and her first boyfriend can make it through all the trials, temptations and distance life has to throw at them.

Romero
Romero

Can you guess who this book is about?Ramon Romero (just don’t call him Ramon) is best friends to both Angel and Alex. Living just down the road from them they grew up together and have been friends since they were very young. Alex lives with his two uncles, the very loveable, very rough around the edges and potty mouthed Manny and Max. Two shady characters with the biggest hearts! When Romero’s father went to prison they vowed to change their ways and be good role models for the boy, and along with their mother – Romero’s grandmother they raised him. A pretty fine job they did too!

The only one of the group not to go to College, Romero had his own goals. He wanted to set up his own security company. He worked the door at his uncles’ bar and other clubs in the area to save the capital he needed and also do all the courses he needed to get certified. Eventually he gets to set up his own company and gets his Private Investigators Licence. Things really are on the up for Romero.

Romero is at a wedding shower when he meets Isabel Montenegro. She intrigued him from the very first time she opened her mouth. She is a refined educated lady, certainly not his type and he certainly isn’t hers. There is something there though, a spark – a connection. He needs to find out what that’s all about.

Isabel is a bit of a control freak, everything has a place and everything is in that place. You won’t find a thing out-of-place in her life. Romero has no place in her life, he just isn’t her type. He is a guy with a foul mouth and a short temper. Why is it then that she finds herself more and more drawn to him? Is she actually starting to fall in love with this guy?

Romero may not have gone to College but he is a good guy with a heart of gold, his family and friends are the most important people in the world to him and he is fiercely loyal. All this stuff doesn’t matter to Isabel’s family though, they are all about the College education and standing in society. You could be the biggest asshole on the planet but as long as you have a Masters or are a high-ranking army officer then that’s OK. Isabel is reluctant to tell her family about Romero and this ignites his fuse. He doesn’t understand why she doesn’t tell them, unless she is ashamed of him! When he finds out that she humoured her sister by going on a date that she had arranged it is the last straw. He walks out of the apartment leaving Isabel distraught. Romero goes home to his Uncles’ and hits the bottle, after a heart to heart he realises he hasn’t been honest either. He hasn’t introduced her to his family, but this time it is because she is afraid of what she would think about them!

As expected he isn’t good enough for her family. Isabel’s sister continues to try to come between them and meddling, creating situations where Isabel is with other men – often under Romero’s nose. One particular occasion causes Romero to flip and become extremely aggressive and violent. He stands to lose everything – the woman he loves, the career he was worked so hard to forge for himself, his freedom. Isabel’s family want her to have nothing to do with him any more and believe she is in danger. Will Isabel’s family convince her, is Romero just too rough around the edges? Is everything as it seems with Isabel’s family and is Romero really the bad guy in this situation?


Making You Mine
Making you mine

While we have seen Sal pop up in the previous books he is the character we know the least about. He is the oldest of the Moreno boys. Away at College doing a Business Masters so he could expand the family business he was less of a fixture than the others but now he is home and he has his own story to tell!

WIth the family business expanding and a lot of the experienced staff gone to get the new restaurant up and running Alex is left short-staffed in the restaurant. Sal is overseeing both restaurants and is taking care of the hiring – Alex is too soft and be tough enough with the interviewees – heaven knows what they would end up with!

Grace Zendejas is running late for her interview, great start. She is also wearing a pair of glasses she doesn’t need, and they are giving her a headache. Well she had to do something, everyone keeps telling her that she is too young, too inexperienced to work in their kitchen. They won’t even let her show them how good she is. If they would just let her show them, they would be blown away, but they all know better.

It turns out that the ass that interviewed her today was no better. He even had the cheek to offer her a job tending bar. She really needed that job too, she needs to find a place for her and her sister to live – they can’t keep living with a mother who couldn’t care less and a step father who seems to care a little too much, if you know what i mean. When she doesn’t hear anything after a few days she decides its time to swallow her pride, a job tending bar pays more than not having a job at all. When she goes back though Sal isn’t there, she meets Alex – a younger much more pleasant version of Sal. She finds out Sal knows she lied about her age – she swears she would have come clean, after he let her show what she could do. Alex gives her the job and she starts work right away. It turns out she is just as good behind the bar as she is in the Kitchen.

Sal walks into the restaurant and can’t believe what he is seeing. He hasn’t been able to get Grace out of his head for days, he doesn’t know what it is about her but she is haunting his every thought. Is he imagining her behind the bar or did Alex really go over his head and hire her? As the tension crackles between them for days Sal gets increasingly uncomfortable. Grace is feeling it to and finds it unnerving to be around him. The only thing more disappointing than him being at the restaurant when she turns up for work is when he isn’t there.

Sal is forced to show his hand when Oscar, his long time friend and staff member takes a shine to Grace and he tells her to back off. Oscar unwittingly lets slip to Grace about Sal’s feeling for her. They finally get over themselves and get it together and in true Moreno style it gets intense – fast. Though just like Alex, Sal screws up. Major league screws up. It seems he has gone off to Vegas, got drunk, slept with his stalker and got her pregnant. A fact the woman is only too happy to tell Grace – in a restaurant full of people!

How the hell could he do this to her? He was talking about forever. How could he betray her like this, and get someone pregnant? Grace vows that she will never speak to him again. She is heartbroken. So heartbroken she is making herself ill. She has been offered to make all her dreams come true with an investor who is looking for a bit more than business, unfortunately our Grace is a bit too naive to see that!

Sofie just can’t believe that Sal would do this to Grace, and whats more Sal has no recollection. She hires Romero To investigate the case, things just don’t add up to her.

Can Romero save Sal’s ass? Is this woman everything she claims to be? Can Sal stop Grace from making a big mistake with a guy who wants more than she wants to give? Is Sal going to be a daddy? Has heartbreak brought about a relapse of Grace’s childhood illness? Will Grace forgive Sal and can she ever trust him again?

A lot of questions, you will have to grab a copy to get the answers!

OK so I don’t think you need to ask me what I thought of these books. I loved them! 5 books were read in 6 days. How did I find the time? I put the children to bed and I sat on my backside and read for 6 straight hours a night. I also read on the bus, at my breaks in College and when the children entertained themselves. I even read sitting in the passenger side as my husband drove the car. I was hooked right from the very first story. I know there is a lot of reading in this review but after reading all of the books I didn’t think it would be fair to just review one.

I can’t recommend them highly enough to you. If you enjoy young adult and contemporary romance then you have to read these books. They don’t rely on a lot of highly erotic sex scenes to keep the reader entertained – it has a story for that. A really good story. If you enjoy books filled with angst, suspense, tension and drama – books like Jamie McGuire’s Beautiful Disaster and Tammara Webber’s Easy (Don’t worry that review is high on my to-do list) then you will really enjoy Elizabeth Reyes’ Moreno Brothers Series. There isn’t much more for me to say other than – go read them!!

Grab a copy of Forever Mine to start with, you will find the books on:
Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Forever-Mine-The-Moreno-Brothers/dp/1475244207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359413984&sr=8-1&keywords=forever+mine+by+elizabeth+reyes
Right at this very moment it is free! How long that will last i do not know
Kobo http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Forever-Mine-The-Moreno-Brothers/book-aVXPyYOVzk2xRjCB2wHl4Q/page1.html?s=Au8tSZavsk-FVuukHC0_Gw&r=6
Barnes and Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/forever-mine-elizabeth-reyes/1029126053
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/ie/book/forever-mine-moreno-brothers/id445182195?mt=11

The following is the interview with Elizabeth Reyes, to date (with the exception of Carmel Harrington, Great friend and Author of Beyond Graces Rainbow another must read, just make sure the tissues are handy) is by far my favourite interview to have done. Even through email i get a sense of the type of person Elizabeth Reyes is. Honest, full of fun – maybe even a bit of devilment, and very grounded. A perfect dinner or drinking companion!

Elizabeth Reyes

Who is Elizabeth Reyes?

Elizabeth is a wife (19 years in a few weeks! eeks!) a soccer mom of two teens (one will be an adult in two weeks DOUBLE eeeeks!) with a passion for story telling.

How did you know you were a writer?

I didn’t. I just wrote because it’s what I’ve always loved doing. But I never once thought it would be something I’d be doing as a career. It was more of a hobby a secret passion I never even talked about. I never queried a story to a publisher because I honestly thought it was just something I would do for fun on the side. Then self publishing came along and I decided why not? Even if my books weren’t selling I know I’d still be writing because it’s what I’ve always done to relax.

If you couldn’t write what would you be doing?

Probably working in the same field I’ve always worked. Communications. I worked for one phone company or cell phone company in customer service and sales since I graduated from high school and I was good at it. But nothing beats getting up and going straight to my desk and seeing what my readers have to say today and what my characters are up to. =)

Do you think the advent of the ereader has been of benefit to authors trying to break through?

Absolutely. It’s changed the world of publishing for sure. Many of us who would’ve never considered trying to query publishers or even agents are now being queried by them. The tables have turned and its a very exciting time for us authors.

I miss the Moreno boys lol, Do you miss a character once you a finished with a book or series?

Every time. When I’m working on a book I eat breathe and sleep the characters for months. So when I’m finally done I feel we’ve broken up. I’m feeling that right now with Hector. =( As a matter of fact when I first wrote Forever Mine I didn’t intend to make it a series until I finished and missed all the characters so much I decided there needed to be more. I think this is why all my books tend to turn into series. I admit I cried when I finished Making You Mine.

Who was your favourite in the series?

I get asked this a lot and it’s like asking me to pick my favorite child. I love them all equally. I poured my heart in soul into each story so I really can’t choose a favorite. But I will always admit while Romero by far has been the most intense and him and his foul mouthed uncles were also the funnest to write.

You spend a lot of time writing, do you get to read much?

Sadly not as much as I wish I could. My mind is different now. It’s constantly in create mode so any free time I get I need to write. But I do still read just not nearly as much as I used to.

I haven’t yet read any of the 5th Street series, but i have read Fate, the first in the Fate series, a spin-off from the Moreno Brothers. Can i hazard a guess that Enzo (Lorenzo Moreno, Vincent’s brother) is next in line for his own story?

Enzo will get his own story but he is not the next. There are two other characters in the Moreno Brothers series who need their happy ending badly. Then we will see what I have in store for poor Lorenzo. 😉

For readers that have read the Moreno Brothers books, what can we expect from the other two series’? Always expect intense heroes who love very passionately, unexpected twists, and lots of drama. It’s what I love to experience in a read therefor love writing.

There is a lot of talk about food in the Moreno Brothers stories (I have never been so hungry while reading!), does this stem from a love of cooking or is it more about mexican tradition?

LOL I think both. Many of the dishes I speak of are dishes I love to make but there is always grubbing going on in our family gatherings so yeah both.

You are jumping between writing for the Fate series and the 5th Street series, are you trying to kill us?

No I’m not trying to kill you guys I promise! When I wrote the Moreno Brothers series I wrote them back to back straight through. By the time I was done I was SO ready for a change. So when I decided Vince and Rose would get their own story and that there would be a spin-off series I decided I’d space it out this time. Not just with the Fate series but any new series I start on from here on. One thing I do promise is I will never leave you hanging on what happens with a particular couple unless I plan on putting out their sequel very soon after.

I have a list of books that i am waiting on to come in the first half of this year, are there any books that you can’t wait to come out?

Yes I have a LOT so I’ll just name a few off the top of my head. Covet from Tracey Garvis-Graves, Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire, and Never Too Far from my critique partner Abbi Glines (luckily with Abbie I get to read all her books before anyone else. Not teasing! Not teasing! Just bragging! lol)

I know you enjoy baking, what is your favourite thing to bake?
Hands down my chicken enchilada casserole. The one Grace makes in Making You Mine. It’s a family favorite and what I’m asked to make at all the gatherings.

You love to sing but can you sing?

If you ask the sober me or my husband, not really but ask me after I’ve had a few and I’ll tell you I can put Mariah Carey to shame and then proceed to show you! So if you value your ears please don’t ever ask me then!

If you could go back in time would you change anything?

Maybe only a few small things about how I started off self publishing. I was really clueless and I made lot of newbie mistakes I wish I hadn’t but live and learn right? Other than that nope.

Angel, Alex, Sal, Eric & Romero, which you : Marry, Date, Friends with benefits, Snog and Best friends with?

Marry: Alex. I’m a sucker for BIG muscles and over protective men.
Date: Angel though I’m sure I’d fall in love and want more. =/
Friends with Benefits: Romero but that wouldn’t work as I’m sure he doesn’t do that and things would get ugly. =O
Snog and Best Friends: Eric. I love him to death but Sofie would kick my ass if I tried for anything else 😉

Sal: I’d probably just snog and be best friends with because I’m way too messy and unorganized for a guy like him to to even date! But snogging’s good. 😉  

5 CommentsLeave a comment

Sinners on tour!

Join Rock Group ‘Sinners’ on tour! Meet the 5 Rockers – Brian ‘Master’ Sinclair, Sedric Lionheart, Jace Seymour, Eric Sticks and Trey Mills.

Each book in the series follows one of the band members starting with Brian ‘Master’ Sinclair in Backstage Pass.
Backstage Pass

Dr. Myrna Evans is a ‘Sex Doctor’ presenting at a conference full of stuffed shirts that are boring the life out of her. On her way back to her room she spots a table of boisterous men in the bar, men who couldn’t look any more out of place. Men who look right up her street! She decides to approach them when realisation hits her, no way – it couldn’t be, could it? Myrna finds herself smack bang in the middle the rock band she idolizes, a group that she knows everything about. Fending off advances from all the members, there is only one she has her sights on – Brian ‘Master’ Sinclair.
It seems the two just can’t get enough of each other and as Myrna joins the band on tour for a month to do a study on what it is about Rock Stars that makes girls so promiscuous, we follow Myrna’s relationship with both sides of Brian Sinclair. Brian Sinclair and Master Sinclair, the man behind the make up and the performer on stage.
With more than one skeleton lurking in the cupboards in this relationship, can the pair make it?


Rock Hard
Rock hard

Sedric Lionheart is the Lead Singer of ‘Sinners’. The guy with the big onstage persona and an even bigger ego. Never mind a different girl every night – there are often several of them, and at the same time. A real use them, abuse them and chuck them aside when you are finished with them kind of guy. In Backstage Pass we got to know that guy and we all had our own opinions on him. Man whore, really. However, we were seeing Sed from others eyes, in Rock Hard we are seeing the world from Sed’s own point of view, and of course it’s just not as simple as that. The man had his heart-broken and has vowed that is never going to happen again. What he didn’t count on however is spying Jessica, the very girl who broke his heart working in a Vegas Strip Club. He loses the plot and a fight erupts. The subsequent events result in Jessica ending up on the Tour bus for the rest of the summer. Can Sed snap out of his perpetual asshole persona and make amends?, Does Jessica even care anymore? Who really was the wronged party? When tempers frey you can the passion flare, and there is only one place it is going to eruept…The bedroom. While they seem more than compatible between the sheets will they ever be able to settle their differences out of them?

Double Time
Double time

Trey Mills is the Bi-Sexual Rhythm Guitarist. He is harbouring a secret love for Brian, a love that not only isn’t reciprocated but Brian isn’t even aware of. His best friend, his confident, the man he loves – Brian is slowly slipping away from him as he settles into his new life and the roles that come with it. Trey is finding it hard to adjust. When Trey’s brother Dare, Lead guitarist with huge rock band ‘Exodus End’ asks him to sit in on auditions for a new Rhythm Guitarist he goes along, best friend Brian is caught up in his ‘new life’ and he has nothing better to do. When he listens to one of the blind auditions he is pole axed. He thinks they are playing games with him – he is listening to Brian play, Is Brian leaving Sinners? In a panic he bursts into the studio to find a girl playing, Reagan. Has he found Brian in the female form?

Reagan joins Sinners for the last leg of the present tour to get a taste of life on tour before beginning her first tour with Exodus End. A world apart from where she was a week ago, working in a coffee-house for a sleazy boss, she learns life on the road. Beginning a relationship with Trey, she really is living the dream. Can Trey be happy in a monogamous relationship? Can he really ignore the part of him that craves intimacy with a man? Reagan had been betrayed before when she found her ex, Ethan, with a man – so Trey believes there is no way he can be 100% honest with her.

Things take a sinister turn when Reagan starts getting threatening letters and has no idea who they are from. Luckily her best friend, who also happens to be the ex-boyfriend has been signed on as her body-guard. While he vows to get to the bottom of it he struggles with his attraction to Trey. Add this to the fact that it is a mutual attraction and that Ethan is STILL in love with Reagan and Trey is STILL in love with Brian, you can only wonder how the hell they are going to sort this one out!

Sweet Holy Divine!!
I have read the Fifty Shades Trilogy (who hasn’t, right?), Sylvia Day’s Bared to you and Reflected in you but nothing in this world would have prepared me for, or came close to Sinners on tour!

Close your mouth Tanya you are catching flies! Flies? My mouth was gaping so bloody wide I swear a bus could have driven in there! It’s not that I was shocked, no scratch that I WAS SHOCKED. I had never read anything like this, and I couldn’t get enough. Maybe I just live a sheltered life? Well I don’t mind telling you – I am happy to live vicariously through Olivia Cunning and her penmanship!

The books aren’t just sex though. Yes there is a lot of sex BUT there are amazing stories in there too. An insight into the lives and loves of famous rock stars, the people you think have it all. At the end of the day they are people too. While each book is centred on a particular band member it also tracks the other members so you get to keep up with what is going on or continue their journey after we have read their story. There are many layers to each of the characters in Olivia Cunning’s books, not just the band members themselves but to the girls they love (or boys!), the Roadies and the other important people in their lives.

The books are jam-packed with sex, not just your average sex either, but the type that is going to make you blush and look around to see who is watching you and wondering if they can read what is going on in your mind (God i hope not!), but also love, hurt, angst, fear, friendship and loyalty.

Yes this book is probably best described as erotic – but there is a hell of a story inside! If you are prudish, easily offended or just don’t like reading about kinky (and not just a little bit) sex, then it isn’t the book for you. You need an open mind, and if it’s a little bit in the gutter – well that will help too!

If any one would like a visual or to know a bit more about each of the characters visit http://www.sinnersontour.com

Less than 2 weeks until Hot Ticket is released, Bring it on! Only, a day later when the last page has been turned the wait will be on again!

Olivia Cunning was good enough to let me interview her – like she isn’t busy enough! I hope you enjoy her answers and a glimpse into what is to come!

olivia cunning

Who is Olivia Cunning?

The much cooler version of a shy, midwestern Army brat who is a bit of an adrenaline junkie and wanted to be a lead guitarist when she grew up. Writing books about lead guitarists and their bandmates is close enough to living that dream, especially since my fingers are too stubby to play the guitar well.

Sinners on Tour is based on a Rock band, is this the type of music you are interested in?

I listen almost exclusively to rock, mostly heavy metal. I don’t think your work can be really authentic if you don’t love what you write about.

What research did you have to carry out about life on the road, roadies and groupies?

Unfortunately it’s all been books, videos and rockumentary research. And I have a VERY vivid imagination.

Do you find since Fifty Shades of Grey women are more open to reading this type of book and do you think the demand has increased?

I had a decent following of dedicated fans before FSoG became popular, but since it became such a huge sensation, I would say yes, more women are open to reading erotic romance. From what I’ve been told, my books are more explicit than the FSoG series. I haven’t read them, so that statement is conjecture.

What genre would you label the books as?

Humorous rock star erotic romance, heavy on the erotic.


Do any of the characters names hold any special meaning to you?

I worked with a woman named Myrna who was pretty much the polar opposite of the Myrna in Backstage Pass, so the character isn’t based on her. I just stole her name. But other than Brian, who if you know who inspired that character, that name will make sense *wink* the names just come to me when I’m writing. And sometimes not right away. Sometimes a character is named Girl-1 or GuitaristDude for half the book, until the right name comes to me. No character went through as many name changes as did Reagan in Double Time. I think I changed her name about 10 times, but Reagan is the proper fit.

Who was your favourite character to write for?

Whichever one I’m working on at the moment. It changes with each book.

Snog, Marry, Date, One night stand, Best friends. Which of each of the 5 characters would YOU pick for each category?

Snog- Sed Lionheart (vocalist)

Marry- Brian Sinclair (lead guitarist)

Date- Jace Seymour (bassist)

One Night Stand- Trey Mills (rhythm guitarist)

Best Friends- Eric Sticks (drummer)

Dare has popped up quite a bit through out the first 3 books, might he get his own book?

That’s the plan, but I haven’t started working on it yet. I have started working on Logan’s book. He’s the bassist in Dare’s band, Exodus End.

A question from another reader: How will the timeline for the last 2 books work as it seems like the two remaining characters are already well into their own stories?

The books were released out of order, so the timeline stays true to the order I wrote them in. Hot Ticket occurs concurrently and after Rock Hard. Then Wicked Beat comes between Hot Ticket and Double Time. Double Time is the end of the series. The only thing that changed was that the publisher released them in the wrong order.

11. Hot Ticket is almost here! Personally i cant wait. Do you get nervous in the run up to a release date?

Not nervous really. There’s nothing you can do about the book once it’s released in the world. I do find I read my reviews right before a release. I try not to do that much after a book is out because all the conflicting opinions make me question my ability as an author.

If you were stranded on a Desert Island what things would you want to have with you?

Food, water, indoor plumbing and something to write on. And a Wilson volleyball to talk to.


Do you have a motto in life?

Get out of your own way. You never know what you can do, if you’re too afraid to try something new. (that rhymes! Sounds like something out of Dr. Seuss)

When is the last time you laughed / cried?

Yesterday, when I was writing. Yesterday, when I was writing. I’m an emotional wreck when I write. 🙂 After I finish answering my email messages, I’m going to go write, laugh and cry today too.

What is your greatest achievement?

That’s a difficult question. I’ve raised a great son on my own, completed a masters degree in an advanced science field, attained the career I wanted, and recently left that career to write full-time. So I guess my greatest achievement has been identifying my dreams, attempting to make them a reality, and sometimes succeeding.

What would you like to say to your fans?

You rock! I couldn’t have attained my dream of writing full-time without you. And yes, I know, I need to write faster.

Finally can i interview you again at the end of the series?

Probably.

4 CommentsLeave a comment

For Kicks

cover ForKicks_v2

Breeze Cohen is a workaholic. At only 26 years old she is on the fast track to becoming the youngest ever store manager at Mendelssohns Department Store. She won’t let anything get in her way. She didn’t, however, factor in falling into the arms (quite literally) of ex pro soccer star Logan Chandler. Logan is a live life in the moment for the moment kind of a guy, everything in Breeze’s life is planned and structured. There is an instant attraction and while Breeze fights to ignore it Logan decides he is going to fight too. Though his fight is different, he wants to fight for her and to show her there is much more to life than work, to convince Breeze that thing thing missing in her life is HIM. Problem is thought Breeze doesnt think there is anything missing in her life to begin with. Can he convince her to live, or will his fight be in vain?

I greatly enjoyed reading this book. While it may not set the world on fire I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute to recommend it. It has everything you look for in a book, with a good few steamy encounters thrown in for good measure. My only real criticism with this book is that it was over too soon. The end just crept up too quickly and I was left wanting more, not the worst thing in the world but I feel Jenna Bayley-Burke may have short-changed herself! I rated it as a 3* in goodreads but if it were longer I believe it would have been a 4* book.

Here I normally throw in where you can find out more about the Author and where you can get a copy of the book, but Jenna Bayley-Burke kindly did all that for me in her interview. Thanks Jenna 😉

I can’t wait to start the next one in my library! With such an extensive back catalogue I don’t know how I will choose!

I hope you enjoy the interview with Jenna, I really enjoyed reading her answers, so truthful and warm!

Jeanna Bayley-Burke

Who is Jenna Bayley-Burke?
An alarm clock, referee, short-order cook, stylist, chauffer, coffee enthusiast, writer, math tutor, amateur photographer, housekeeper, dog walker, gourmet chef, barber, and competitive Words with Friends player. You know, the typical mom/wife/friend combo.

You have quite an extensive back catalogue, how long have you been writing?
I started writing professionally in 2004, my first novel released in 2006.

You are a mother first, how do you fit writing around your hectic home life?
I write when the kids are asleep or in school. My princess is still wee, which means she naps. Thank goodness. I used to be able to start working after dinner, but now our boys are older and have activities of their own that push clear up til bedtime. It’s a balancing act.

I have just finished reading For Kicks, there is quite an extensive knowledge of retail management. Did you work in this area or did you have to do a huge amount of research? For Kicks was my post-retail therapy. I took training trips like the one Breeze wound up on, except David Beckham was not showing up at my hotel to help me relax. I might have stayed in retail if I had that kind of incentive!

What writers do you most admire?
Vicki Lewis Thompson. She’s amazing, and I tell her what a fan I am every time I see her. Well, except this last time because she remembered my name. Or read it off my name tag. Either way, it’s hard to be all fan-girl when someone knows your name.

Do you find there to be great support among authors?
Absoultely. Lucy Monroe is practically my writing therapist, Delilah Marvelle is determined to get me to promote myself, and Donna Alward is my own personal cheerleader. (pom pom swish)

How much easier do you think it has become to break into the industry with the advent of ereaders and erading apps on smart phones and tablets?
Okay, so this is going to seem counter-intuitive, but I think it’s harder. There are so many options available that people don’t know what will be best for their story and get tangled up in the possibilities. And readers are smarter about quality than ever before. Yes, more books are published, but readers are still demanding well-written, well-edited stories. Since there is so much out there, a single story that does not resonate with a reader can turn them off an author forever.

What is you favourite book?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I am waiting on a lot of books to come out in 2013, are there any books that you are impatiently waiting for?
Shelli Stevens Girl Gone Plaid, which isn’t even out until this summer. I love her stuff, and she had the best Tweets while she was writing it.

You are being stripped of all luxuries, what three things will you miss the most?
Okay, define luxury. Because I love my bed, a hot bath, and my lounge pants. Can’t live without. My husband thinks we bought this house so I could have an office, but it was the garden tub. Now, if you’re talking electronics then I’d miss the TV and Wii because they keep the kids entertained and we love family game nights with Fortune Street or bowling. And I have a special relationship with my Nespresso machine.

Do you think women are more open to reading books dubbed ‘mummy porn’ since the release of Fifty Shades of Grey?
I love any book that gets people reading more. Harry Potter did it, Edward Cohen, Christian Grey. People relate to strong characterization. (Yes, I do know Christian is a non-sparkley Edward.) People are looking for a consuming read regardless of the sensuality level. There is more curiosity about BDSM because of 50 Shades, but while it may have been the titillation factor that had people picking up book one, but it was the characterization that made people read the entire trilogy. In a weekend.

Fifty Shades was the first (but by no means last) of this type of book I read, have you noticed more of a demand for such books?
I know there were a glut of BDSM stories pitched to publishers in the wake of EL James sales numbers, but the industry is careful to select only the very best. Eden Bradley and Sylvia Day were both writing BDSM before 50 Shades, so their books were re-released and they wrote more because of the demand. But when it comes to new authors I think publishers are only looking for quality, like Lynda Aicher’s Wicked Play series.

What are your best and worst traits?
I am a procrastinator of the first order. Like, woah. And I have ADD, which is a blessing and a curse. I can do a lot of things at once, but usually because I can’t focus my attention on one thing at a time. I hope my best trait is how much I enjoy people. I really like being around happy people, which is why I love going to reader events. Romance readers are happier than the general population. True story.

What three things do you need to succeed in life?
Sleep, cuddles, and laughter

What is your favourite programme?
Grimm. Have you seen it? It’s this paranormal crime drama. So different from what I write, but it’s fantastic. And it films in my city.

Biggest turn on/off in a man?
Stank. Men should smell like men, not like a rotting onion. On the other side I love a man who smells good. My husband tried to change his body wash and I freaked out a little. The guy smells great, I don’t want that to change.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Oh…good one. Magazines come to mind first. I love the glossy pages and have way too many subscriptions. I have a nail polish obsession. I love the look of a manicure, but my nails are thin which leads to chipped polish. I found Incoco nail appliques during a trip to Las Vegas a few years ago, and I now buy them in one year batches. I’m not kidding. I love them that much.

Do you like to be interviewed?
Yes! It’s different each time. I can always find something to talk about, so an interveiw keeps me on track.

What would you like to say to your fans?
I always ask people who read Drive Me Crazy if they thought there was a ghost. Love hearing answers. And…if you ever see me at an event chat me up. I am actually painfully shy. But once I ‘know’ someone I warm right up. Find Jenna : Website:http://www.jennabayleyburke.com
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1218112.Jenna_Bayley_Burke
Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/#!/jenna.bayleyburke?fref=ts
Twitter:https://twitter.com/jennabb
Blog:http://jennabayley-burke.blogspot.ie/
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jbayleyburke/

6 CommentsLeave a comment

Beautiful Disaster

Beautiful disaster

The story of Abby Abbernathy and Travis Maddox, a girl running from her past and a ‘walking one night stand’.
Travis is the colleges infamous underground boxer, known in the boxing circle as Mad dog. After meeting her in a setting way out of her comfort zone Travis quickly bestows the name Pigeon onto Abby and though she has no idea why, It becomes how she is affectionately known to him.
Abby has a good girl act going on – keep her head down, get good grades and escape her former life. Former life I hear you ask? Well I’m not going to tell you that! Go read the book. Travis on the other hand works hard and parties harder. Well does a lot of things harder, truth be told.

Instantly drawn to Abby, Travis makes his play. He finds himself in unfamiliar territory when he is immediately shot down. Abby’s best friend America is dating Travis’ cousin and room-mate Shepley, meaning that whether she likes it or not – there is no avoiding Travis Maddox. Then the two become friends, and by losing a simple bet Abby finds herself living in Travis’ apartment for a month. The lines become blurred and hearts are on the line. Throw in another guy fighting for Abbys heart and we are sure to have fireworks.

The past comes back to bite Abby in the ass and she finds herself right back in the place she is trying to forget, with the people who have the power to ruin everything she has worked so hard for.

Can a Mad dog and Pigeon ever be together or will he inevitably savage her heart?

Jamie McGuires Beautiful Disaster is No1 in my all time best reads. It has everything you could need, the beautiful girl the hot hot hot boy, a great story line – which isn’t run of the mill and just the right amount of angst to make sure you are never long parted from the book. There is a magical quality about it. I am sure her legion of Facebook followers (In excess of 30,000!) will agree.
While there is no sequel planned for Beautiful Disaster there are two things even better! Firstly – Walking Disaster, The story from Travis’ point of view. One of the most eagerly anticipated books of 2013. I have read the prologue and all I can say is Oh sweet divine!!! Secondly, Warner Brothers have optioned Beautiful Disaster. That’s right, the gorgeous Travis and Abby are going to be brought to life on the big screen. I only hope they do justice to Jamie’s wonderful story.

You can find out more about Jamie on her website, her Facebook page
Follow her on twitter @JamieMcGuire_
Beautiful Disaster is available on paperback at all good bookstores, or any outlet that sells books and as an e-book.
You can get the e-book at the following:
Kobo
Amazon
iTunes
Barnes and Noble

Jamie McGuire
I couldn’t believe my luck when i asked Jamie if she would do an interview with me and not only did she oblige, but she had the answers sent back to me within hours of receiving them. I hope you enjoy her answers as much as I did.

Who is Jamie McGuire?

Jamie McGuire is a mother of three, a cowboy’s wife, the daughter of a retired administrative assistant and a former song writer, a radiographer and New York Times bestselling author. Jamie is a red head who has overcome many years of being bullied and laughed at through perseverance, hard work, and maybe a little bit of luck. Jamie is a small town girl with a big imagination. Jamie finds it odd to talk about herself in third person.

When you self published did you ever expect to have the kind of success that you are having?

I hoped for it, but where I landed far surpasses anything I had hoped for.

You are a mother first and foremost, with the arrival of your new baby last year do you find it is more difficult than ever to find the time to write?

I’ve had to adjust, yes, but like everything else it’s a balance. I have a lot of help, and a husband who doesn’t mind if I stay up until 3 a.m. writing and then sleep in. I’ve learned that I truly am a writer, because I said I would take a year off, and it was more like 3 months. I had to write. I thought about all the time, and I missed it. It’s a part of me now.

I like many other people, read Beautiful Disaster in less than 24 hours (and more than once). I immediately went to Kobo, typed in your name and bought Providence. I didn’t read the blurb. I don’t do paranormal, but by the time I realised it, I was already hooked. I read all three of the Providence series in less than a week. It was phenomenal. Which genre do you prefer to write?

I just like to tell stories. Whatever genre they happen to be in is irrelevant.

Who was your favourite character in firstly Beautiful Disaster and secondly the Providence series? Travis was fun, of course. My favorite character to write in Providence was definitely Claire.

You are currently doing a book tour with two more of my favourite authors of the moment, Tammara Webber and Colleen Hoover. Do you find there is a good support network among writers?

We’re not exactly doing a tour. It’s just one group signing that we planned on the fly. And yes, I am extremely lucky to have friends who understand exactly what I go through on a daily basis. Writers are generally very supportive of each other, and with the popularity of social networking, it’s a great time to be a writer.

You are coming to Ireland in June, I can’t begin to tell you how excited i am about that. Did you ever imagine yourself to be doing international promotions and book signings?

I’ve been to Dublin before, and it was always the plan to return with my children some day. I’m very lucky we are able to do that, and I’m excited to meet fans while I’m there.

There is huge excitement regarding your upcoming book, Walking Disaster, The story of Abby and Travis from Travis’ point of view. I have read the prologue and went through a box of tissues in the process. Are we to expect more of the same?
Following the prologue, readers will be reminded very quickly of their favorite asshole. Travis’s personality comes out swinging in chapter one. The great things about Walking Disaster is how much we discover when Travis and Abby aren’t around each other, which is actually quite a bit. Walking Disaster is everything you loved about Beautiful Disaster, with a double dose of Travis.

Does Walking Disaster bring us any further into the future?

The reader will follow Travis and Abby beyond where Beautiful Disaster left off. I knew readers wanted a sequel, so I worked very hard to be sure fans were satisfied.

Your Facebook page has over 30,000 fans, do you ever get overwhelmed with your fame?

I am very, very blessed with such amazing, loyal fans, and I love interacting with them.

What three things do you believe you need to succeed in life?

Faith, passion, and guts.

What three things can you not live without?

(excluding family) Writing, my cell phone, and chapstick.

Beautiful Disaster has been picked up by Warner Brothers and movement has been made towards making the movie, does this seem surreal to you or is it simply a dream come true?

Just the other day, [Beautiful Disaster’s] screenwriter Julia Hart posted pics on Twitter of her research trip to Las Vegas for “the third act”. I clicked on the link and saw a picture of her standing in an empty arena. That was when it hit me: Holy shit. This is real.

Finally, for those reading this that have yet to read Beautiful Disaster or the Providence series what would you like to say to them?

Download the sample. Try it for free. Especially Providence. That series really gets overshadowed by Beautiful Disaster because it’s paranormal. Providence has richly developed characters, an edge-of-your-seat plot, all with an intense love story. So many people tell me that they read Providence without reading the description and were very surprised that it was paranormal, because they normally don’t read paranormal, but that they loved it just as much. I’ve grown a lot as a writer since writing Providence, but I still believe in that story. I hope you give it a chance. 🙂

5 CommentsLeave a comment

You tell me Friday!

So I am forever telling people what to read next. For a change I would like someone to tell me. So every week – on a Friday I will ask the readers to tell me what they think I should read. I will pick one every week and read it by the next Friday. If any of the readers want to read the same one that would be cool and we could have a discussion the following week!
Please try to keep within the genre I read, New adult, Young adult, Contemporary romance. Of course there are also the Fifty shades, Bared to you type of book – I suppose I could force myself to read them 😉

Happy reading!

0 CommentsLeave a comment

Beyond Grace’s Rainbow

cam cover

Buckle up and hold on to your heart-strings.  Though no matter how hard to you try to hang on to them, they will still be plucked, twisted and squeezed.

Beyond Grace’s Rainbow is the Debut Novel by Irish Author Carmel Harrington.  Dealing with highly emotive subjects such as Cancer, Adoption, Difficulty conceiving and single parenting. There are of course more, but if you haven’t already read this book then I am sure you wouldn’t want me to ruin it for you.

In this book Harrington’s main character is Grace.  A single mum to Jack, Grace is diagnosed with cancer.  Her friends rally around her while she undergoes treatment, and receives some more heartbreaking news. We then undertake a journey to discover where Grace came from and true to life, things are just not that straight forward. We learn not only of Grace’s life but that of her friends, Tara, Sean, Tom and Gerry (Yes, really) and Abby. Not to forget Liam, Jacks dad and the man who broke Graces heart.

Read about true friendship and endless love. You will laugh, you will cry, you might even get angry.  One thing is for sure – this, thanks to the warmth of writing and the level of feeling Harrington obviously had for her characters, is a story you will never forget.

Have the tissues handy. You will be needing them, I’m sure I could have taken out shares in Kleenex!

Of course i would never expect you to just take my word for it! Read below a few snippets from other people’s reviews of Beyond Graces Rainbow;
From Goodreads:
Bernice Gardner writes; “..A well written, witty, amusing story and most definitely a tearjerker…”
Clare writes; “..Bought it on a Monday night and finished by Tuesday evening. an amazing read, would highly reccomend this to everyone. I look forward to the Authors next book!!!!” Get in line Clare!

From Amazon:
R1810 writes; “An excellent read…I though this was a thought provoking good read. I don’t normally read this type of fiction but I was genuinely moved by this book. ”

From iTunes:
FiFi g 123 writes; “..This book has every thing … Humour , romance, friendship … It’s pure escapism at its very best … ”
Are you tempted yet?

Find out more about Carmel by having a look at her Blog, Facebook page or catch her on Twitter

To my good fortune, Just hours before publishing this entry Carmel made the long-awaited announcement that she has in fact just signed with renowned literary agent Tracy Brennan of the Trace Literary Agency. I would imagine that we are only at the very beginning of Carmels Journey and there are many great things to come!

Beyond Grace’s Rainbow Will be available for download on September 12. All the old links are no longer available because as you will know Carmel signed a multi book contract with HarperCollins’ digital imprint HaprperImpulse. To preorder please clock HERE

cam pic

    The Interview

Carmel was good enough to take the time to answer some questions for me, in order for you to get to know more about her. I hope you are as enthralled by her very honest answers as I was!

Who is Carmel Harrington?

Isn’t it really hard to describe yourself? I have answered every other question and left this to last! I’m an author, married to Rog and we have two children, Amelia who is almost 3 and Nate who is 14 months. I also have a 10 year old step daughter Eva. I am living my dream because I love being a stay at home mum and if I do say so myself, Rog and I have pretty spectacular children. Ok I’m biased but if you met them, you would agree I promise you! Life is busy between being Mummy and wife and trying to knock out a new bestseller or two. But I love being busy. I’m quite creative, aside from my writing, I dabble at photo art and in another life I’m probably an events planner because I love organising parties. Baking is my new hobby and that’s probably not a good thing as I’m on a diet at the moment trying to reclaim what I can of my pre baby figure. I’m pretty laid back as a person, quite calm and rarely lose my temper or cool. If I do, then those who know me well, know that things are bad! I’m an eternal optimist and definitely a glass half full lady. My family, both the O’Grady’s and the Harrington’s are really important to me and I would do anything for them. Likewise for my friends, of which I have some pretty cool ones. I love a good night out and if you met me on one, you’d probably find me in Cistin Eile, our favourite restaurant in Wexford, or in Freddie’s our local, with a glass of brandy and ginger in front of me. But my happiest place to be is at home with Rog and the children.

What was your inspiration for Beyond Grace’s Rainbow?

Actually it was a conversation with my best friend Ann that sparked the idea initially. We were having a conversation about adoption and how hard it is for adopted children growing up not knowing their family medical history. So the idea of Grace, my main character began to take seed. I thought it would be a really interesting storyline to develop, not only for Grace to come to terms with the diagnosis of cancer, but also realising that the biggest hope for her recovery lay in the hands of an unknown biological family.
Also, one thing I’ve always believed to be true, is that often friends are the family you choose. I wanted to build a network of amazing friends for her, each with their own interesting stories to tell, but always by Graces’s side. So I started developing Graces’s character and building up a family of friends for her and before I knew it, I had a novel!

When you were writing, did the book take any turns that you were not expecting?

Absolutely. I start off with a an idea and a general direction I feel the story will take me, but it always shifts and changes as the characters begin to become real to me and their personalities take over.
For example, initially I wasn’t sure if Liam, Graces’s ex boyfriend and father to her little boy, would be a strong or a weak man. And sometimes it’s only when a situation of extraordinary circumstance is thrust up in you that you find out yourself what you are truly made of. Graces’s illness certainly showed Liam who he really was.

And initially when I started writing about Graces’s search for her biological father, I didn’t know who the father would be. That developed as the story came together.

Who was the easiest character to write for?

Actually I found them all pretty easy to write and there is a bit of me in each of them. I don’t think any of them stand out in my mind as easier than others. My best friends have told me that they see a lot of me in Grace. And I recognise that. It is really inevitable that certain traits in me would appear in my characters, especially the ones I’m closest to.

Who was your favourite character?

Now that’s like asking a mother who is her favourite child! I grew very attached to them all. I was quite protective of Abby and really wanted her to find her happy ever after, and I’m not sure her story is over yet at all. Gerry I enjoyed so much as he really is the dramatic, extravagant side of my personality. We both love movie quotes and fashion. Tom was a dream to write as he’s just rock solid and we all need a Tom in our lives. But I suppose Grace will always have a special place in my heart.

Do the names of your characters hold any special meaning to you?

That’s a really lovely question. Picking names for characters is tricky! Grace is a family name. My grandmother was Corinne Grace and she died from cancer. I, along with my Mother and sister Fiona were with her in her final days and I wanted to honour her brave battle with cancer by naming my lead heroine after her. One or two people commented on how much I seemed to know about cancer, unfortunately it was from first hand experience with my Nana.

Here’s two little bits of Trivia about names for you Tanya! The pseudonym that Tom uses when he is under cover is my fathers name – Michael O’Grady! And my best friend Ann, named two of her children Abby and Sean, not knowing that I had called two of my main characters the same name. She had yet to read the book when naming them!

Beyond Grace’s Rainbow dealt with hugely emotive subjects, did you find yourself affected while writing the book?
By the time I finished the novel I was a blubbering mess! I felt every emotion that the characters felt and really struggled with some of the story lines. When I wrote the first draft of the novel I was single, but when I revisited it in 2012 and rewrote it, I had become a mother myself. So the subject of a mother with a young child facing a critical illness took on such a new meaning for me. I became very attached to Jack, Grace’s son and worried for him every time Grace got sick. As a mother, I think one of our greatest fears is not being around to watch our children grow and become adults. It’s a sobering subject and I really wanted to treat it with respect and not trivialise it.

Anyone who knows anything about you knows that you live for your family, Is it hard to fit writing around bringing up a young family?

Yes, my family is my life and my greatest joy. But, small children take up a lot of time and it’s become very tricky to get time to myself to write!
I can make plans to have time to write but if a child is sick, it’s Mummy they want. And my family will always come first. End of!

Luckily, Roger, is very supportive of my writing.

What is your favourite book?

That’s so difficult. I’ve quite an ecclectic taste, loving women’s fiction right through to gritty novels, with a good smattering of horror and science fiction thrown into the mix!
And I’ve read 100’s of excellent books over the last 35 years or more!

The books however that have stayed with me are the ones I read when I was a young girl, borrowed from my local library in Wexford. Can I say 3? Because I can’t pick between these!

Louisa M Alcott’s Little Women, perhaps the original chick lit author! I really identified with Jo so much. I was a tomboy, always out and about with my brother John, but I desperately wanted to write too!

Tolkein’s Lord of the rings was the first big book I tackled when I was 11 I think. When I say big, I mean big in size! My sisters Fiona and Shelley say they still remember seeing me with my nose in that book. Tolkien took me into a world far far away that was magical, wondrous and scary and I loved it. I’ve reread that a few times over the years.

Harper Lee’s To kill a mockingbird. This book was the first book with an adult theme I read and the first that made me cry. Books that make you feel a strong emotion are the ones that stay with you I think.

Who is your favourite author?

I’m afraid I can’t answer that! I love lots and lots. All of the above, Dr Seuss, Marian Keyes, Dean Koontz, Maeve Binchy, Suzanne Collins, Sophie Kinsella, Harlen Coben, James Parterson, JK Rowling and the list goes on and on and on!

Did you expect Beyond Grace’s Rainbow to have the success that it does?

Not in my wildest dreams. A few of my close friends and some family had read it and all had told me it was good, but in fairness, they have to say that! So, I was very nervous putting myself out there. But I’ve always been a bit of a risk taker. I decided to throw myself into the literary ring so to speak and see how it went. I figured the worst case scenario was it would bomb and would soon be forgotten about. I am so proud that it went to no 1 on the iTunes fiction charts and stayed there for a few weeks.
I’ve had over 70 five star reviews now on various retailers sites and each and every one of those mean so much to me. It means a lot to an author when a reader takes the time to put pen to paper and say that a story has touched them. I also received a lot of emails and pm’s on Facebook from readers who were very moved by Graces’s story. I will always treasure those as they gave me the confidence to continue this journey.

When can we expect more from Carmel Harrington?

Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve completed my second novel and am currently in the process of rewriting the first draft. I’m not happy with the ending so am working on that at the moment. This novel is about a single mum, Sarah who is psychic! I’ve also been working on a further two story lines for no 3 and 4 so don’t worry, there is plenty more to come!

Enough book talk, time for a few random questions to get to know Carmel;

What is you favourite TV Show?
At the moment it is Grey’s Anatomy.

When did you last laugh / cry?

I last laughed a few minutes ago! It’s taken me all day to answer these questions, because I’m getting to them in between being Mummy! Amelia makes me laugh all the time. She’s quite an actress and has just been putting on a little dance routine for me, which involves a lot of bum shaking!
I cried last night. A friend had some bad news.

What is you favourite quote?

The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams. Oprah Winfrey

Do you believe in Karma?

Yes, I believe in karma. What goes around comes gloriously around! It might take a little bit of time but eventually all bad deeds catch up on a person.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned?

If someone shows you who they truly are early on, believe them. I talk about this with my friends. I think when you meet someone, either a romantic someone or just a friend, if they do something that raises what I call a red flag, then why would you ignore that and hope for the best that it won’t happen again. This is something I am going to do my best to instil into my children. I don’t want them to make the same mistakes I made when I was younger and waste time on the wrong people. Now I choose only to surround myself with people I like and love and who in return like or love me back!

Who would play you and Rog in the story of your life, and why?

Love this! Well Rog would be played by Daniel Craig. He’ll like that answer! I think Daniel could get Rog! On first meeting My husband you might think he is quite serious, but spend a little bit of time with him and you find a really great sense of humour and killer wit. He makes me laugh all the time.
And for me, well I think Sandra Bullock or maybe Julia Roberts could play me. Both are mothers and of similar age to me. And I always love their movies.

Besides your children, what in this life are you most grateful for?

Ok, so aside from Rog and the children it would be my health. I’ve watched people very close to me deal with some serious illnesses recently and I know I’m lucky to be healthy. What’s that saying, your health is your wealth? That’s true for sure.

10 CommentsLeave a comment

Here I am….

…for better or worse.
Welcome to my Blog -After The Final Chapters.
Lets start with a confession; My Name is Tanya Farrell and i am an addict.  Ok so i’m not addicted to Cigarettes, Alcohol or Drugs. Not the regular kind anyway – my drug of choice? Books.  And lots of them.  I read a book every couple of days.  So I, with some gentle nudging from a great lady and special friend, decided to start my own blog to review these books.  I would also like to throw in a few extras, where possible an interview with the Author and where not I will try to throw in a bit of Trivia.

Lets get one thing clear though, if you are looking for a review of Ulysses or War and Peace then let me save you some time.  You are in the wrong place, you took a wrong turn about ten minutes ago because there is just no way you are going to find that here! If, however, you are like myself and you like a bit of YA, Romance, Sometimes even a little bit of naughty for good measure then this is the place to be.  Those fab books with a bit of angst and tension thrown in, thats me.  I will do my best to honest and fair and give the best review I can.  These will be my opinions though and not everyone will agree.  I love the Romance, i’m a bit of a Sap, truth be told. 

Of course I hadnt read a book in years. After having three children in three years I quite simply didnt have the time.  Then came Fifty Shades of Grey.  My friends told me to get an App on my phone and read it as an eBook.  Well thank heaven for the App, I would have been only mortified if people knew what I was reading.  It was so easy to read them on my phone, I got addicted. One click buying didnt help matters either, or made them even better depending on how you look at it! Myself and Kobo have become best friends since back around May 2012.  I have read a lot of books since then. And here I would like to let you in on some of them.

Exciting update! As of now (July 12th(ish) 2013) there will also be reviews of paranormal books. These reviews will be done by Aimee Duffy. Aimee herself is an author signed with Harper Impulse. I hope you enjoy her reviews.

My hope is that the more popular the blog becomes I will be able to review books from a selection of Genre.

17 CommentsLeave a comment