Mandy Baggot

This week I am lounging on the beach in Corfu but I have an AMAZING guest for you! Today on In The Sack it's YA author and good friend of mine, Stephanie Keyes!

About Stephanie

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she's still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

Website - http://www.stephaniekeyes.com/

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/StephanieKeyes

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stephanie-Keyes-Author/150860604966160 

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Stephanie-Keyes/e/B006GEJZ8C/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Loveahappyending - http://loveahappyending.org/stephanie-keyes/

When she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Keyes is the author of the YA Paranormal Romance series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child (September 2012) and The Fallen Stars (April 2013), both released by Inkspell Publishing. She is currently hard at work on the third book in the trilogy, The Star Catcher.

Show me the sack!

I picked up this bag in Bar Harbor, Maine last summer when I was researching The Fallen Stars. I love it. It’s soft and has a ton of pockets for everything.

What's in the sack?

Side pocket one contains some bookmarks for The Star Child and The Fallen Stars in case I come across any wayward teens that are panicking over a lack of reading material. I also have a pack of Altoids in there so I don’t offend said teens with bad breath.

Side pocket two? Diapers. Not for me, but my toddler. It also contains wipes and an emergency pacifier in a Ziploc baggy, just in case.

The inside pocket? A miniature Stegosaurus. Doesn’t everyone have one?

The main compartment? Let’s itemize:

• Umbrella: I am in Pittsburgh with can sometimes be the Seattle of the East. There’s nothing worse than being the parent to pick up your child in a rainstorm without an umbrella.

• Checkbook: For paying writer’s groups dues.

• Flower Business Card Holder: For carrying Stephanie Keyes info in case.

• Plaid Eddie Bauer Coffee Cozy: For insulating all of my Starbuck’s coffee cups.

• Teal Post-It Notes: For jotting down brilliant ideas when they come along. I’m still waiting.

• Various Receipts: Documenting recent trips to Target and the Post Office.

• Silver Wallet: Bright enough so I can find it when I need it.

Thank you so much for showing us what's in your sack, Stephanie!

Today in the House of Baggot I have wonderful historical fiction author Jean Fullerton!

Jean's latest novel, Call Nurse Millie, comes out on 23 May and you can pre-order it below!

Call Nurse Millie on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Call-Nurse-Millie-ebook/dp/B00BMUVRT0/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_Y7YX

Jean's website http://www.jeanfullerton.com/

Thanks, Mandy for inviting me to pop over to your blog and say hello to your readers.

You're very welcome Jean, it's lovely to have you here!

Tell me about your latest work/work in progress in no more than 30 words.

Call Nurse Millie starts on VE day 1945 and follows Millie Sullivan, a qualified nurse and midwife, as she tends to the needs of the East End community around her.

Tell me your writing dream.

To be a full-time writer and have, Call Nurse Millie, reviewed in a Sunday supplement and be on sale in the Big Four supermarkets.

Tell me more about you – where do you live? Tell me about your hobbies and what you do in your spare time when you’re not writing.

Until recently I lived in Stratford East London, by the Olympic Stadium, and just three miles from Stepney where I was born. However, in November last year we moved outside the Town Walls – or the M25 as most people know it - to Waltham Abbey just on the Essex Hertfordshire borders. For me it’s the best of both worlds: rural country side in the heart of Epping Forest but only 40 minutes on the tube to Oxford Circus.

By profession I’m a District Nurse and have worked as such in East London for the past 20 years. Currently I’m a Senior Lecturer in a London University so hobbies and spare time has be squeezed inbetween the day-job and writing 2000 words a day. However, I do socialise most weekends with friends and family. We also travel a great deal. So far it’s been in Europe and America but next year we’re hoping to venture further afield to the Far East and tour Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Tell me what you like to watch on television – are you a soap addict or a fan of period dramas for instance?

I’m really a great across-the-board drama fan everything from Game of Thrones to Endeavour. But the stories have to be original, gripping and well-acted. I’m also a bit of a fan of anything with a political setting. I love House of Cards and more recently the Politician’s Husband but also comedy set in the corridors of power such as the ground-breaking for it’s time, Yes Minister and again the recent bitingly-sharp The Thick of It.

Favourite band/singer – have you seen them in concert?

Can I confess, Mandy, I’m really not a great music fan? If asked to pick a favourite song I’d really be stumped. The last singer I saw in concert in an intimate Soho gig was Dave Stewart of Eurythmic’s fame and someone had to explain to me who he was. But if pushed I’d plump for Take That, for the obvious Gary Barlow reason but otherwise…

Favourite genre of fiction and/or favourite novel or author.

I like anything that’s well written and holds my interest for contemporary fiction I’d go for Carol Matthews, Jill Mansell and Julie Cohen, too. And for crime give me a Lee Child’s any day.

But my real love is historical, it has been since I was thirteen and read Katherine by Anya Seton, since then I’ve always been on the lookout for well-written and factually-accurate stories with multiple characters to transport me back in time. As to favourite books! Well, the list is endless but I suppose if I had to hone it down I’d say Katherine, The Winthrop Woman and Green Darkness by Anya Seton, You before Me by Jojo Moyes, all of Carole Matthews books, anything by Elizabeth Chadwick, the whole of the Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell and many, many more.

Quiz

In my novel ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ Kate and Joel take part in a relationship contest a bit like ‘Mr & Mrs’. I thought it would be fun if you could answer their quick fire questions and readers of the page can make what they will from your answers! Choose one from the following pairs e.g. savoury or sweet based on your gut reaction to the words. Remember its quick fire!

Savoury or Sweet? Sweet preferably Haribos.

Action or relaxation? Action. Need to be doing all the time.

Up or down? Up. I’m a naturally optimistic person.

Tea or coffee? Tea. I hate coffee.

Nightclub or wine bar? Wine bar with a bunch of friends.

Ferrari or Porsche? Aston Martin DB7 preferably with Daniel Craig in the passenger seat

Truth or dare? Truth. Lies always catch you out.

Gym or bed? Bed. I like my sleep

Flower or tree? Trees. They are wilder

Hot or cold? Hot. I’m a great sun worshiper.

Bruce Forsyth or Dick Van Dyke? Dick Van Dyke so I can teach him to

do a cockney accent properly.

Thank you so much for joining me, Jean and I hope Call Nurse Millie is a great success!

Today on In The Sack I am welcoming the wonderful book reviewer, Carol Wright, aka Dizzy C! 

Dizzy C has a fantastic book review site and here are all her lovely links so you can connect with her and find out more:-

Dizzy C's Little Book Blog http://dizzycslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.uk

Twitter http://twitter.com/DizzyCLBB

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/DizzyCs-Little-Book-Blog/209614725766997

So, show us your bag and tell us about it!

I have a love/hate relationship with my current handbag. I love, love, love the dogtooth herringbone design, but it is rather bulky to wear cross body. My shoulder hates my handbag and will often protest regardless of how heavy it is.

I tend to be monogamous where handbags are concerned. That way I avoid leaving important things in the wrong bag. The exception to the rule is when I have date night with Hubby and I only take a bit of cash, mobile and lippy with me. They can fit in a neat little cross body bag.

What's under the zip?

Purse - with every store loyalty card going

Prescription sunglasses

Mobile library - Kindle

Handy wipes - used to be a whole packet of baby wipes

Asthma Inhaler for children - always have one in my bag

My handy bag tidy

4 lipsticks - everytime I go out I add the latest shade

more loyalty cards and library card in a card wallet

Lipsalve

Pens

Hairband

Headache tablets

I would suggest a handy bag tidy, ladies. A real timesaver at the checkout.

I bought a cheapish makeup bag from Superdrug with a clear window but you can buy these completey see thru. It is great for keeping all the little things tidy and instead of rummaging around in a dark place, I can whip out the who bag and see what I want.

Thanks so much for sharing your handbag with us, Carol!

Next week is YA author Stephanie Keyes!

Welcome to my fantastic new feature In The Sack! Now, I know some people have been wondering what this is all about. Well, Lady B has a fetish...for handbags! In In The Sack I will be asking authors and book bloggers to expose their handbag and reveal what's under the zip!

Today I'm welcoming author Michelle Betham!

About Michelle

As an author of glamorous (and sometimes not-so-glamorous!) sexy, contemporary romance, I spend a lot of time living in a dream world, drinking tea, and imagining... well, you'll have to read my books to see just what it is I imagine!

I'm an ex-media technician-turned-author; a proud Geordie who loves the north east of England, wine (any kind - I'm not fussy, but don't ever bring a bottle of Lambrini near me... okay, maybe I am fussy...), a decent TV drama, rock music, and any movie with Keanu Reeves in it - unless it's the Matrix. My love for Keanu will only go so far...

I live in beautiful County Durham with my extremely patient and tolerant husband and my very noisy but incredibly cute West Highland terrier, Archie. I'm currently working on the second book in my sexy, football-related romance trilogy, but I would one day love to write a sit com - preferably with Peter Kay, and preferably about darts. Yep, I'm dreaming big...

Michelle's Links

Facebook Author Page - http://www.facebook.com/michellebetham.romanceauthor

Twitter - http://twitter.com/michellebetham

Blog - http://michellebethamwriter.blogspot.co.uk/

Amazon Page - http://ow.ly/kNoAE

So let's look at Michelle's handbag!

I've had this bag for heaven knows how many years, as you can probably tell! It was bought from Primark for about £3, and I was actually standing in the queue waiting to pay for something else when I saw it (well, if they will place sale items right next to the checkouts...) and couldn't resist! I love it because it's one of those bags where you can just throw everything in (yeah, I'm that organised!), it's comfortable to carry, and just big enough for me. Yes, it's getting a bit battered and old now, but this is the style of bag I like, and I'm looking for a very similar replacement as we speak... if I can bear to part with this tatty old thing, that is. This bag's been with me through a lot - holidays, meet-ups with new friends, Take That concerts...

So what's in it?

Dog poop bags - essential when you have Archie the Westie for a pet!

Purse - not that it's got much in it...

Mobile Phone

Handwash

Pen and notebook - also essential because, believe me, inspiration has sometimes hit me in the strangest of places...

Glass cleaning cloth

Lip Gloss

Lip Balm

Umbrella

Keys - on my battered old Take That keyring bought during The Ultimate Tour back in 2006... I cried when they got back together, and so did my husband - for a whole different reason...

I think that's everything... nothing very exciting, but it's all essential!

FABULOUS! Apart from the dog poop bags LOL! Thanks for joining me Michelle!

Next week I will be joined by Carol Wright from Dizzy C's Little Book Blog!

Today in the House of Baggot I have another great guest! Please make her welcome, it's author Estelle Wilkinson! 

Tell me about your latest work/work in progress in no more than 30 words

I’m desperately trying to finish the sequel to “Click”. (Estelle's book 'It Started with a Click' - more on that later!) Time’s limited so I’m way behind schedule! I want to make it the best I can so need to be patient.

Tell me your writing dream

I’d love to try my hand at some fiction. So far, I’ve just published my memoirs so I’ve not had to use too many creative juices. I’ve been told that I “have a very natural narrative voice” and my “personality shines through my writing” but I’ve also been told that “I can’t write that well” so I see it as a challenge. I want to prove my critic wrong!

Tell me more about you – where do you live? Tell me about your hobbies and what you do in your spare time when you’re not writing

I live in England but can’t really give too much away! Otherwise, it could ruin the story for my readers.

I am very happily married with two children; a boy of 5 (six in a few weeks!) and a boy of 2. They keep us very busy!

My husband works away during the week so our weekends are special. We always try and make sure we get some quality family time. Our only hobby right now is watching our eldest play football on a Saturday morning! Oh, that and reading. We’re very big on reading in our house. My children have had books around since they were born. It’s a big part of our lives.

Tell me what you like to watch on television – are you a soap addict or a fan of period dramas for instance?

I’m not really a big soap fan. And, I definitely don’t watch the talent shows like X-Factor and the like! I love QI and Miranda. Anything that will make me laugh!

Favourite band/singer – have you seen them in concert?

There are so many! At the moment I am mostly enjoying Mumford & Sons and Florence and the Machine. I haven’t seen either in concert. I haven’t been to a concert in about nearly ten years! Wow! I hadn’t realised it had been that long until I wrote this. The best concert I ever went to was a James concert in Manchester. I loved it!

Favourite genre of fiction and/or favourite novel or author

I don’t really have a favourite genre. I’m happy to read anything. One of my consistently enjoyable and favourite authors is Paul Torday. I’ve loved his books and would read them over and over! Khaled Hossein is another favourite and I can’t wait for And The Mountains Echoed to come out!

My favourite book of all time is We Need To Talk About Kevin. It was beautifully written and moved me so much that it has stayed with me ever since.

I have recently read The Help (as recommended by a friend) and The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared (because I saw it on Amazon) and thoroughly enjoyed both!

Quiz

In my novel ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ Kate and Joel take part in a relationship contest a bit like ‘Mr & Mrs’. I thought it would be fun if you could answer their quick fire questions and readers of the page can make what they will from your answers! Choose one from the following pairs e.g. savoury or sweet based on your gut reaction to the words. Remember its quick fire!

Savoury or Sweet? Sweet

Action or relaxation? Relaxation

Up or down? Down

Tea or coffee? Coffee

Nightclub or wine bar? Wine bar

Ferrari or Porsche? Can I say neither for this one? I’d rather have a Skoda Yeti!

Truth or dare? Truth

Gym or bed? Bed

Flower or tree? Flower

Hot or cold? Hot

Bruce Forsyth or Dick Van Dyke? I have to say Brucie for this one! I love him! He’s still brilliant and I grew up watching him on the television week in, week out.

Blog: http://estellewilkinson.wordpress.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/EstelleW_Author

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/EstelleWAuthor

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/EstelleW_Author

FREE!! Estelle's book It Started with a Click is FREE until Sunday! So grab your copy while you can!

Amazon US:http://ow.ly/kFmYC

Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/kFn1m

Thank you for joining me, Estelle!

I'm delighted to have Lin Treadgold on my blog today and her new novel Goodbye, Henrietta Street!

Lin's website- http://itslinhere.wordpress.com/

Twitter- @itslinhere https://twitter.com/itslinhere

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/lin.treadgold?fref=ts

Amazon- http://www.amazon.co.uk/Goodbye-Henrietta-Street-Lin-Treadgold/dp/1908208147/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367403914&sr=1-1&keywords=Lin+Treadgold

Safkhet- http://safkhetpublishing.com/books/soul/9781908208149/Goodbye_Henrietta_Street.html

Tell me about your latest work/work in progress in no more than 30 words.

‘Goodbye, Henrietta Street’ is a poignant romance novel based in Yorkshire and the Cornish Isles of Scilly. I wrote this book as a holiday read.

Tell me your writing dream.

There are about five books in my head that I would love to write. One is a war story, as my father left me many letters from his time as a prisoner of war. The rest are romance novels and if I can achieve this before my 70th birthday I will have fulfilled a dream.

Tell me more about you – where do you live? Tell me about your hobbies and what you do in your spare time when you’re not writing.

I live in The Netherlands and I used to be a driving instructor in the UK. My husband transferred here at a time when the company was handing out redundancies and offices in the UK were closing at the start of the millenium. We had the chance to move elsewhere. It’s been good experience, but now I am ready embark on my new life as an author. Within the next three years we will return to live in the UK. This will allow me access to my writing buddies and conferences without having to catch an air flight each time.

I never set out to become a romance writer, it just happened that way. I spent my early days in romantic locations, having travelled the world by sea, and my experiences inspired me to write romance.

My hobbies are birdwatching and assisting in whatever I can with nature conservation. I volunteer at a local nature reserve with the nesting bird survey during the spring months. It is so rewarding to see the results when recorded as a life list. I supported the plight of the orangutans, in Borneo, and campaigned against the palm oil industry and destruction of the rain forest.

Tell me what you like to watch on television – are you a soap addict or a fan of period dramas for instance?

I’m not a soap addict, but during the lunch break I like to sit with a cup of tea and watch ‘Doctors’. This is my personal chill-out time. I am also a ‘Dr Who’ fan.

As with most viewers, I thought ‘Downton Abbey’ was fantastic and I do enjoy all period dramas. Of course, being into nature, I love the David Attenborough programmes and the recent Gordon Buchanan series ‘The Polar Bear Family and Me’. It was an amazing piece of filming.

 Favourite band/singer – have you seen them in concert?

Due to living in Holland and spending much of my time learning how to become an author, modern music seems to have passed me by, although my daughter is encouraging me to go into Amsterdam and listen to the big names once again.

It’s been a long time since I went to rock concerts, although I have seen Pink Floyd many years ago in their psychedelic era and Jim Hendrix. I have also seen the 60’s American group, The Grateful Dead at the Rainbow Theatre in London. I These days I am more into Carly Simon and all the golden oldies of the seventies to include Mark Knopfler Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac. Moving on to more classical themes, I also enjoy the recent Dr Who incidental music of Murray Gold. I think these days I prefer a good opera at the theatre and in 2012 I visited Austria and saw The Marriage of Figaro.

 Favourite genre of fiction and/or favourite novel or author.

Ah! Now that’s an interesting question. Throughout the years I have never really been a reader, only a writer. They say you cannot write a good novel unless you read as well. I think it was author, Annie Murray, who grabbed my attention and before then I read quite a lot of Danielle Steele novels. Annie encouraged me to keep going and provided feedback on my first attempts at novel writing. I now have a collection of her novels. I also have a fantastic collection of Charles Dickens; they are leather bound antique books from 1870’s. I am presently reading Martin Chuzzlewit. I enjoy collecting old and interesting titles.

These days I read whatever I can and it really does help to read the books of the Romantic Novelists’ Association authors. Each one has something new to offer to help the writer understand what it is that contributes to a good romance story. I love to read Talli Roland, Build a Man, Jean Fullerton, Hold on to Hope, and Katie Fforde, Love Letters. One of my favourite American authors is Audrey Niffenegger. Her Fearful Symmetry was an excellent read. I try to read many different genres to allow myself to become genre aware. I feel one day I might want to move on to something different - not be typecast like an actor, which may not be for me. If JK Rowling can make those changes, then perhaps it is something for me to consider too. Who knows what the future may bring?. I shall keep going for as long as I can. Author, Mary Wesley, from 1982 to 1991, wrote and delivered seven novels. She was in her seventies. There is plenty of hope for me yet.

Quiz

In my novel ‘Knowing Me Knowing You’ Kate and Joel take part in a relationship contest a bit like ‘Mr & Mrs’. I thought it would be fun if you could answer their quick fire questions and readers of the page can make what they will from your answers! Choose one from the following pairs e.g. savoury or sweet based on your gut reaction to the words. Remember its quick fire!

Savoury or Sweet? Savoury

Action or relaxation? Action

Up or down? Up

Tea or coffee? Tea

Nightclub or wine bar? Wine Bar

Ferrari or Porsche? (Either will do – probably Porsche)

Truth or dare? Truth

Gym or bed? Gym

Flower or tree? Flower

Hot or cold? Hot

Bruce Forsyth or Dick Van Dyke? Brucie

Thank you so much for joining me today, Lin and I wish you lots of success with your book!

Mandy xx

Happy Friday everyone! I feel a bit crazy today so I thought I'd have a bit of a crazy offer for you!

I have 10 paperback copies of Strings Attached sat before me and I'm going to sell them off at the CRAZY price!

JUST £1 and FREE SHIPPING! That's less than the Kindle version!

First ten people to email me at mandybaggot@gmail.com and request their copy gets them! What are you waiting for?!

Also, don't forget if you've read Security please, please leave a review on Amazon and when you have enter the Rafflecopter draw! You could win a $40/£25 Amazon gift certificate! http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e42d6b8/

Mandy xx

Today I’ve been invited to the lovely Mandy Baggot’s blog, now how fab is that! I’ve been asked to talk about my latest book, Storm Clouds Gathering and I promise to keep my words to the blurb and a little excerpt, tough I know, but I will try!

Storm Clouds Gathering is out in Kindle and the paperback is due out this summer. Here is what the blurb tells you…

Storm clouds are gathering, silently and slowly, too far away to worry about. Or so it seems. But ignoring what is brewing will have dire consequences for the people caught up in the maelstrom.

Shirley Burton is too busy cheating on her husband, having a laugh and looking for fun to alleviate the boredom of her childless marriage. Kathleen Mitchell is too wrapped up in running around after her beautiful family to worry about her health. Anne Simpson has two things on her mind: her forthcoming marriage to Paul Betham, who seems to want to control her, and her career, which she does not want to give up.

Can Shirley really expect to deceive her husband and get away with it? Can Kathleen hold it all together, and is Anne able to have the best of everything?

Storm Clouds Gathering is a story of human emotion, passion and heart-rending grief. Set against the backdrop of the mid-sixties, these three families will be tested to the limit as betrayal, loss and love threaten to change their lives forever.

If this has given you a taster, here is….

Chapter One

Shirley Burton and Kathleen Mitchell crossed the cobbled stone yard with the rest of the shift workers. The bitter cold morning made their step hurried and their breath steam as they headed for the Mill, a three-storey building, its bricks blackened with soot, smoke belching out from the massive chimney on its left-hand end. Shivering, Kathleen glanced at the thin layer of ice floating on top of the millpond that ran the length of the yard. So far as she could see, Spring was not so much around the corner as out of sight.

‘Morning ladies,’ the Overlooker called, leaning on the jamb of the spinning shed door, a cigarette stuck to his lips, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his brown coat. Tall, dark and ruggedly handsome, Billy Smith at twenty-eight had still not succumbed to marriage. His reputation for enjoying the ladies was well known around the millworkers. Despite the dangling cigarette he managed a cheeky smile as he watched the women march towards the clocking-in shed, their chattering voices filling the yard and creating a merry atmosphere in the grey, frosty surroundings. Raising his head and pursing his lips Billy exhaled a mouthful of smoke letting it plume into the frigid air. Nipping the end of his cigarette he dropped the tab end into the breast pocket of his coat, frowning as he caught sight of the women’s curlers. Thankfully, most were concealed by headscarves, but two always seemed to peep out at the front. Smirking, he called out, ‘Must be Friday I see,’ and gave a loud wolf-whistle, rubbing his nicotine-stained fingers together to remove bits of tobacco.

‘Not much gets past you Billy boy, does it?’ Shirley Burton called back and at the same time patted her headscarf where curlers were neatly rolled in her hair. ‘If I’m lucky tonight, it just might be the last time you’ll have a chance to squint at me dressed to kill,’ she scoffed, then nudging, Kathleen, ‘he’s a cheeky bugger and a dirty one too.’

‘Well you should know,’ Kathleen remarked sourly. She knew Shirley and Billy had been having an affair for the last three months.

Shirley snorted and linking her arm with Kathleen’s, walked into the small and draughty lean-to clocking-in shed.

Rigid with disapproval Kathleen reached for the “Out Rack”, pulled out her card and dipped it into the heavy grey machine, listening for the deep clunking sound as it stamped the time. ‘I take it you’re coming with us tonight then?’ She retrieved her card and stepped forward to push it into the “In Rack”. Turning back she looked to see how many cards were left in the “Out Rack” and scanned the names, satisfied she did not have to clock-in one of her mates. ‘So are you? You’ve not answered my question.’

Shirley sidled towards her. ‘Give over Kath. You know the score, but I’ll try and stop by before the game begins, you know me.’

‘That’s the point Shirley, I do know you and believe you me you are playing a very dangerous game.’

‘Just cover for me and no one will be any the wiser. No one’s going to get hurt.’

Kathleen shook her head, her tone registering her disapproval. ‘Well don’t come running to me when it all gets nasty and your Jimmy throws you out.’

‘I’m just having a bit of fun, Kathleen.’ Stepping back to the entrance, Shirley gave a little wave to Billy Smith, who was still propped against the door.

‘What are you playing at?’ Kathleen hissed, her voice thick with concern as they nudged their way through to the cloakroom. ‘You know as well as I do there’s no good in that Billy, he’s only interested in one thing and he’ll hurt you in the end.’ Tucking a strand of loose hair under the hairnet hidden beneath her turban, Kathleen saw a sly smile cross Shirley’s face and wondered what had happened to her friend that she was behaving like a common trollop. As fond of Shirley as she was – they went back a long way – this carry on with the Overlooker was ridiculous. Shirley and Jimmy had problems, but she had not expected her friend to turn to someone like the lecherous Billy Smith, who was neither married nor interested in anything more than getting his leg over, ruining other people’s relationships in the process.

Shrugging out of her coat, Shirley answered, ‘Having some fun Kathleen, and it’s time you thought about it too. That Joe of yours is a good man, but when did he last take you out and make you feel special? Like most women of our age, I bet you’ll not even be able to remember.’

Kathleen winced, but she had no intention of having a row with Shirley so did not retaliate. Instead she repeated, ‘Like I said, he’ll hurt you. And what about Jimmy? As for me, I’ve my Joe and my kids and I’m happy enough with my lot.’

‘Billy Smith won’t hurt me, it’ll more likely be the other way round, but before I’m past me prime I’m going to have a bit of fun. Anyway, these days Jimmy’s only interested in his tea being on the table when he gets home and a bit of how’s yer father on a Saturday night. I don’t care what anyone says, we’re all too young to be sitting in front of the fire every night smoking a fag and wishing. I’m thirty-two not bloody sixty-two. I’ve done with years of wishing. Now I’m doing.’

Shaking her head, Kathleen knew better than to say any more. If Shirley wanted to play with fire by having a fling with Billy Smith then why should she care? She had enough of her own troubles. Leaving the cloakroom, she said ‘Come on Shirley, the wool won’t spin itself, unfortunately.’

Stepping through the heavy, green sliding door, the noise of the clattering machinery assailed their ears. The ever-present mist of fluff hung in the air and Kathleen sneezed as it tickled her nose, she could already feel the fine fibres lodging in her throat. Thank God she only worked the morning shift. Tightening the belt on her pinnie she pulled her sleeves down so her cardigan covered as much as possible of her arms. The fluff irritated her skin. Tapping Shirley on the shoulder, she mouthed, ‘I’ll see you later,’ and not waiting for a response hurried along the walkway towards her two looms, one on top of the other.

Stepping up to them, Kathleen checked that all the woollen threads ran smoothly and there was no slack or breaks in the yarn. She looked after ninety bobbins, forty-five on each loom. It took not only concentration to make sure the lines ran smoothly, but deftness in her fingers if a line broke. When this happened she tried not to panic, stopping the spinning bobbin where the thread had broken and at the same time speedily tying a knot to rejoin the wool. She knew that when a break occurred time was of the essence to get the bobbin spinning again. The last thing she wanted was to get her loom in a tangle, because it meant the Overlooker having to sort it out. This wasn’t too bad if it was the likes of Billy Smith. She didn’t like him much, but he was fair at sorting out any mess that happened when she couldn’t make a repair fast enough herself. One or two of the other Overlookers were less easy going than Billy and once too often she had felt the sting of their barbed tongues.

Trying not to dwell on the irritating side of her job, Kathleen focussed her attention on scanning the bobbins, thankful it was Friday.

Here is the video… 

Also available by Pauline – in Kindle & paperback

Magnolia House

Satchfield Hall

Sometimes It Happens…

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pauline-Barclay/e/B0034Q9P94/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1366871485&sr=1-2-ent

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Pauline-Barclay/e/B0034Q9P94/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1366871540&sr=1-2-ent

Once again a BIG thank you Mandy for letting me join you here and a big thank you to you all for taking the time visit. Have a fabby day.

Pauline

So, you finish your latest novel and you're so glad because it's been getting on your nerves a bit and you spent ages sorting out the saggy middle but it's done and dusted - well the first draft anyway! But what happens next? Joy? Celebration? Utter euphoria? Yes...for about a day.

Having written THE END on my latest novel, Do You Remember? I was elated. It was quite a heart-wrenching piece to write and it sucked the energy out of me but now I'm at a loss. I know I need to give it an edit but I'm missing it. I'm missing creating the situations and the characters and I'm in that limbo between finishing one novel and starting the next. Does anyone else feel like that when they finishing writing a novel or reading one?

Mandy xx

by Stephanie Keyes

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When all is lost, he will have to make the ultimate decision.

Kellen St. James was just your average seventeen-year-old prodigy, until he eighty-sixed the Lord of Faerie and proposed to the Celtic Goddess, Calienta. But then everything in Kellen’s life gets turned upside-down when he and Cali end up on the run from a seriously irritated group of faeries. The worst part? They have zero idea why they’re being hunted.

Suddenly, Kellen is stuck in the middle of another prophecy that foresees him turning away from Calienta and embracing the dark. He’ll be forced to take sides in a struggle to claim his birthright, while discovering secrets about his father’s past. Meanwhile, his passion for Cali grows stronger, even as the prophecy threatens to tear them apart.

In the end, will Kellen and Cali survive the fates? When the ultimate power is within reach, which side will he choose?

Also available: The Star Child (The Star Child, Book #1)

Excerpt

Excerpt, Calienta, The Fallen Stars

Gasping, I sat upright. I’d nearly dislodged myself from the mighty Skyler’s back when Kellen disappeared and I’d fallen forward into Skyler’s fur.

Kellen had gone. One moment he rode with me and then in the next, he was gone.

Opening my mouth to cry out his name seemed like a good idea until I drew a breath to yell and Skyler gave me a warning look. He must have realized what I’d been planning to do. Shutting my mouth firmly, I hung onto the dog for dear life. Skyler’s morbid cry repeated.

“Skyler, take me to Kellen.” Bending over, I wrapped my arms tighter around Skyler’s neck as he ran. In no time at all, I could hear the pounding of the ocean against the rocks.

It seemed to me that my body had frozen so long ago that I had no more feeling in my limbs. My hands were burrowed into Skyler’s fur like rigid sticks. It seemed an absolute wonder that I even managed to stay on Skyler’s back at all. Yet if a chance existed that Skyler knew where Kellen was, I would ride on.

The beast ran for another minute before he came to a halt at a small precipice that overlooked the ocean. Kellen was nowhere to be seen. Skyler howled and howled, raising his wet nose high and proud in the air as he gave the signal.

“Take me to him, Skyler.”

“No, Skyler, don’t.”

The sound of Dillion’s voice caught me off guard and I whipped my head around. There my uncle stood amongst the trees. My eyes flicked to the night sky. It held an odd sort of glow about it, like the sun was going to burst forth at any moment. It couldn’t be morning, though I had no idea of the time. There were bad things coming, I could feel it.

Kellen. Running to my uncle, I fell to my knees. “Kellen was with me and then he disappeared.”

Dillion patted my back gently. “Shh. We don’t have much time. Kellen is in danger,” Dillion warned.

“It’s coming true, isn’t it? The second part of the prophecy.” Bile rose in my throat, burning it.

Dillion’s eyes seemed to hold all the pain and anguish I was experiencing. “Yes.”

Giveaway

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About the Author

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. When she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child (September 2012) and The Fallen Stars (April 2013), both released by Inkspell Publishing. She is currently hard at work on the third book in the trilogy, The Star Catcher. (Author photo courtesy of Kristina Serafini Photography)

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