Saturday 31 July 2010

On My Wishlist #1


On My Wishlist is a fun weekly event hosted by the lovely Carolyn over at Book Chick City. It's where I list all the books I desperately want but haven't actually bought yet. They can be old, new or forthcoming. It's also an event that you can join in too - Mr Linky is always at the ready for you to link your own 'On My Wishlist' post. If you want to know more click here.


A Weekend with Mr Darcy by Victoria ConnellyA Weekend with Mr Darcy

Published: 16 September 2010 by Avon
Format: Paperback
ISBN-10: 1847562256
ISBN-13: 9781847562258

Isn't this just the prettiest cover? A Weekend with Mr Darcy is the first book in a planned series to be set in the world of Austen addicts. As an Austen addict myself I think it sounds like a good, fun read.

Blurb:

Katherine Roberts is fed up with men. As a lecturer specialising in the works of Jane Austen, she knows that the ideal man only exists within the pages of Pride & Prejudice and that in real life there is no such thing. Determined to go it alone, she finds all the comfort she needs reading her guilty pleasure - regency romances from the pen of Lorna Warwick - with whom she has now struck up an intimate correspondence.

Austen fanatic, Robyn Love, is blessed with a name full of romance, but her love life is far from perfect. Stuck in a rut with a bonehead boyfriend, Jace, and a job she can do with her eyes shut - her life has hit a dead end. Robyn would love to escape from it all but wouldn't know where to start.

They both decide to attend the annual Jane Austen Conference at sumptuous Purley Hall, overseen by the actress and national treasure, Dame Pamela Harcourt. Robyn is hoping to escape from Jace for the weekend and indulge in her passion for all things Austen. Katherine is hoping that Lorna Warwick will be in attendance and is desperate to meet her new best friend in the flesh.

But nothing goes according to plan and Robyn is aghast when Jace insists on accompanying her, whilst Katherine is disappointed to learn that Lorna won't be coming.

However, an Austen weekend wouldn't be the same without a little intrigue, and Robyn and Katherine are about to get much more than they bargained for. Because where Jane Austen is concerned, romance is never very far away…


One Day by David Nicholls
One Day

Published: 4 February 2010 by Hodder Paperbacks (first published 2009)
Format: Paperback
ISBN-10 0340896981
ISBN-13: 9780340896983

It sometimes feels like I'm the only person on the planet who hasn't read One Day yet and I'm getting fed up with having to stick my fingers in my ears every time someone mentions it in case they give too much of the story away.

Blurb:

‘I can imagine you at forty,’ she said, a hint of malice in her voice. ‘I can picture it right now.’

He smiled without opening his eyes. ‘Go on then.’

15th July 1988. Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew meet for the first time on the night of their graduation. Tomorrow they must go their separate ways.

So where will they be on this one day next year? And the year after that? And every year which follows?

One Day is a funny/sad love story spanning twenty years, a book about growing up – how we change, how we stay the same.

‘One Day is a wonderful, wonderful book: wise, funny, perceptive, compassionate and often unbearably sad. It’s also, with its subtly political focus on changing habits and mores, the best British social novel since Jonathan Coe’s What A Carve Up. – John O’Connell, The Times.

‘The funniest, loveliest book I’ve read in ages. Most of all it is horribly, cringingly, absolutely 100% honest and true to life. I lived every page.’ – Jenny Colgan.

‘A brilliant book about the heartbreaking gap between the way we were and the way we are…the best weird love story since The Time Traveller’s Wife’ – Tony Parsons.


Nina Jones and the Temple of Gloom by Julie CohenNina Jones and the Temple of Gloom

Published: 4 March 2010 by Little Black Dress
Format: Paperback
ISBN-10: 0755341414
ISBN-13: 9780755341412

I really enjoyed Julie's Driving him Wild (Harlequin Mills & Boon) and Spirit Willing, Flesh Weak (Little Black Dress) so I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of Nina Jones and the Temple of Gloom as it sounds like another romantic entertaining read from this talented author.

Blurb:

All work and no play makes Nina a dull girl...

But when you’re PA to a celebrity chef who’s even tastier than one of his delicious dishes you can’t help loving your job. And what’s wrong with fancying the pants off your boss? Erm, everything if he’s married to someone else. So when Nina meets sexy Spaniard Juan, she’s thrilled to escape to a new life abroad... until Juan does a runner with her hard-earned cash.

Nina has no choice but to head home and brave 'The Temple of Gloom' – a gothic flat with some unusual inhabitants. Nina’s had enough of bloodsuckers. But is her mysterious neighbour Viktor really a vampire?

* * * * * * * * * *

So those are just a few of the books on my wish list - I'd love to hear what you've got on yours.

Thursday 29 July 2010

I'm taking part in the Transworld Summer Reading Challenge!

Transworld Dan Brown Summer Reading Challenge

Those lovely people at Transworld are going to send me four books to read and blog about. That's four FREE books. How cool is that? There were 15 titles to choose from and it took me ages to decide which books to pick, but in the end I went for:

  • Forbidden Pleasures by Jo Rees
  • Second Hand Heart by Catherine Ryan Hyde
  • If I Stay by Gayle Forman
  • Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

my reading choices

If you're taking part in the challenge why not leave a comment and let me know which books you are reading?

You can find out more about the Summer Reading Challenge over at Transworld's blog.

Friday 23 July 2010

New Mentoring Service for Unpublished Writers

Author Elizabeth Bailey is now offering a mentoring service to help unpublished novelists achieve publication standard.

Liz's credits include 18 historical romances with Harlequin Mills & Boon and a modern mainstream lite lit novel that made the Booker list in 2005. She has read and critiqued for the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme as well as running annual arts festival workshops and seminars for over 15 years.

Actress, theatre director, playwright and experienced teacher as well as novelist, Liz is now doing editorial assessments for writers alongside writing historical crime. More details on her services from Liz at eabailey@tiscali.co.uk

Monday 19 July 2010

New Release: Beauty and the Bastard by David Bridger

BEAUTY AND THE BASTARD by David Bridger releases today from Liquid Silver Books!




Dangerous love in dangerous times…





B and the B small


Saul the Bastard is a fallen angel who works as a bounty hunter for powerful urban demon families. Rebecca Drake, a modern day demon princess, is being hunted by dangerous desert demons. When Rebecca's family hires Saul to protect her, they are both unhappy with the arrangement, but before long sparks fly as they try to resist their strong mutual attraction. For the first time in living memory, Saul has someone to love; someone he is scared of losing; someone the desert demons have marked to be their next sacrifice.

Beauty and the Bastard
from David Bridger and Liquid Silver Books





See the trailer

Sunday 18 July 2010

Welcome ...

... to my blog. I'm Jude, a (yet to be published) romance writer. I hope you'll join me on my journey towards publication and share the ups, downs and rants with me along the way.

2010 is the year to get serious about my writing. I'm told that if you write your goals down you are more likely to achieve them so, taking a deep breath, here goes:

Goals for 2010:
  • Stop procrastinating and finish the first draft of my dark fantasy
  • Complete the first three assignments of the Writers Bureau course
There, I've done it - posted on t'internet for the world to see, so no backtracking or backsliding at the end of 2010 and pretending I said I'd do it next year!
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