Getting Festive with J'aimee Brooker

If you're looking for a smexy little festive read with an Aussie flavour, you've come to the right place. Today I am pleased to welcome J'aimee Brooker to my blog! Thanks for joining us J'aimee.

It's almost Christmas, and I hear you have a Christmas Novella coming out, so what is your very favourite thing about Christmas?

Relaxing! Christmas is just the five of us (hubby & I and our three kids) and we live seven hours from the closest family, so although it is a busy time, it's not the chaotic busy of dashing between relatives, family and friends that used to be the case. Now, we're content to spend the day relaxing with some delicious food, fun tunes and a trip or two to the beach.

What's your favourite holiday food indulgence?

Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without pork crackling, pavlova and trifle. For an indulgence, a bottle (or two) of Mumm champagne J

Do you have any holiday survival tips you could share with us?

Avoid the shops when possible! Failing that, I think you just have to accept that this is a crazy busy time of year and the shops are going to be packed, people will be frantic and (usually) quite frustrated and rude and there's very little you'll be able to do to change that. Accept, understand, and ignore!

What is the one thing you hope Santa leaves in your stocking this year?

An all-expenses paid trip to Italy! I'd love to head back and spend a few weeks exploring and soaking up the culture, food, and beauty of Italy.

Lastly could you tell us a little about your Christmas Novella?

Rescued is the story of two friends, Anya and Sophie, who've recently moved from the small town they grew up in to the big smoke of Sydney. The girls couldn't be any more different when it comes to love, Anya choosing to believe in true love like the books she's read her entire life whereas Sophie is errs toward the 'love 'em and leave 'em' way of love! After a frightening and almost fatal series of events sees Jack put his rescue skills to the ultimate test, Jack, Anya and Sophie fall together for one passionate and steamy night that sets them all on new paths.

Rescued: A Festive Novella
by J’aimee Brooker

Two gorgeous girls
A knight in shining speedos
One red-hot Australian Christmas!

Set against the glorious backdrop of Australia’s iconic Bondi Beach comes the story of childhood friends Anya Thompson and Sophie Anders and their brush with one of Bondi’s finest—lifeguard Jack Covey.

As a lifeguard, Jack’s instincts are finely tuned. He’s spent his career watching for danger and avoiding distractions but when the gorgeous Anya Thompson catches his eye, he can’t help but be intrigued by Anya and her modest and reserved manner.

Anya’s lost more than her Christmas cheer, but will one steamy night with her best friend and the deliciously handsome Jack be just the thing to restart her shattered heart?

 

Website: www.jaimeebrooker.com.au

Blog: http://jaimeebrooker.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaimeebrookerauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaimee_brooker

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7032335.J_aimee_Brooker

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/jaimee_brooker/boards/

 

Buy it now…

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Jaimee-Brooker/e/B00ADSCABG
iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/au/artist/jaimee-brooker/id572732617?mt=11
Kobo http://store.kobobooks.com/en-au/Search/Query?query=%22J'aimee%20Brooker%22&fcmedia=Book&fcsearchfield=Author&pageNumber=1&sort=none
Barnes & Noble http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/J-aimee-brooker?store=allproducts&keyword=J%27aimee+brooker

AUTHOR BIO:

An avid bookworm and creative and commercial writer by trade, J’aimee is the author of contemporary romance novels and novellas focusing on romance, travel, and suspense.

A creative and commercial writer by trade; J’aimee also authors novellas and short stories focused within the contemporary romance genre and incorporating themes of travel, intrigue, and suspense.

J’aimee has written for industry trade publications and lifestyle magazines, and is a regular columnist for several lifestyle magazines and lifestyle/travel websites as well as having a full-time job in radio and three kids (under 9yrs).

Interview with Nicole Hurley-More

Today I am interviewing Nicole Hurley More! Welcome and thanks for joining us Nicole.

Thanks so much Amber for inviting me. J

Your book Dancing on Air, is about a ballerina, what drew you to writing about ballet?

My mother was a dancer and much of my early childhood was around old theatres, such as The Princess in Melbourne. I have always appreciated the skill and beauty of the ballet. However after suffering through far more than my fair share of ballet lessons when I was younger, I decided that I would much rather watch it than dance it (sorry Mum).

What is your favorite dance themed movie or television show?

There are quite a few but I really enjoyed Center Stage.

If you could only take one book with you to a deserted island, what book would you choose?

Pride and Prejudice.

How long have you been writing and when did you first know that this was something you wanted to pursue professionally?

I’ve toyed with the idea since high school but I didn’t knuckle down and concentrate on writing until about three years ago.

I'm a disorganised writer, my study looks like something exploded, there's currently a pot over-boiling on the stove, and there's two children in this place somewhere...What would we see if we walked through your writing space right now?

I understand completely. Well, I tidied up my desk this morning and got rid of a sea of sticky notes but it still looks cluttered.

What the one thing you wish someone had told you before you were published?

Persevere and don’t let the naysayers get in your head.

Can you tell us a little about your latest book?

Cinderella meets Swan Lake in a cross-class, Victorian novel about a ballerina, an aristocrat, and the space in between them.

Lisette yearns for freedom, security and love, but none are offered on the run-down stage of The Imperial Theatre. Instead she has hard work, a tyrannical aunt, and the hope of one day becoming a prima ballerina. Dancing on the stage she catches the attention of two powerful men: Lord Gainswith and Lord De Vale.

Lord Evander Gainswith never expected to fall in love, let alone with a woman so wholly unacceptable to his family and his peers. The sinister Lord De Vale covets Lisette's youth and strength, and is willing to pay well for it. Lisette may dance roles in fairy tales and fantasies, but the real world is about to intrude, bringing with it the harsh realities of life for a young girl with dreams of rising above the demimonde.

Amazon shortened link -   http://goo.gl/a8jlMD

Excerpt

London, 1884

Lisette was weightless as she leapt into a grand jeté across the stage. She was free and in that moment her heart soared past the walls of The Imperial Theatre. She landed lightly and began the fouetté en tournant, whipping her leg from fourth position to behind her knee; she created impetus to spin on pointe. After the eight revolutions, she planted her feet and lifted her hand in the air, stopping in front of her aunt. There was a slight wobble in her legs and she tried not to wince. Fixing a smile on her face she prayed that her aunt had not noticed. Lisette had wanted perfection but had fallen short. A trickle of sweat slid its way down the middle of her back, her heart beat rapidly and she tried to catch her breath as her aunt stepped forward. 

            Marie Devoré regarded her niece for a second. Her eyes bore into Lisette’s before she raised her hand and slapped her across the face.

            Lisette’s head jerked to the side as the burning sting radiated over her cheek.

            ‘What was that? A farce...? A comedy perhaps?’

 ‘No, Aunt Marie, I am sorry that I wobbled,’ she said as she looked at the well-worn wooden floor and resisted the urge to cradle her cheek.

            ‘When you finish, the movement must be sleek, clean and set in stone, without any trace of a tremble.’

 ‘Yes, Aunt.’

 ‘Go, out of my sight. Prepare the costumes for tonight’s performance,’ Marie said with a wave of her thin hand. ‘You will practice again tomorrow. Without the wobble.’

            Lisette bowed her head before running off into the wings of the stage. She ran as fast as she could past the burgundy velvet curtains, beneath the scenery fly and the rigging, down the narrow flight of stairs that ran beneath the stage, until she was in the cool and narrow corridor, which led deeper into the bowels of the theatre.

Her cheek burned but it was the sting of failure that hurt all the more. 

ABOUT NICOLE

Nicole has always been a lover of fairy tales, history and romance. She grew up in Melbourne and has travelled extensively, whilst living her life through the romance of books. Her first passion in life has always been her family, but after studying and achieving her BA in History and Honours in Medieval Literature, she devoted her time to writing historic romance. She is a full time writer who lives in the Central Highlands of Victoria with her family, where they live in the peaceful surrounds of a semi-rural town.

www.nicolehurley-moore.com

https://www.facebook.com/nicole.hurleymoore.author

https://twitter.com/nhurleymoore

Author interview with Juliet Madison

I am delighted to have the lovely and gracious Juliet Madison as my first author guest. She has answered questions about her new book Fast Forward and shared some wonderful writerly experiences.

 

Q. First of all I'm so thrilled you agreed to join us, Juliet! Could you tell us a little about your debut novel 'Fast Forward'?

A. Thanks for inviting me! Fast Forward is a romantic comedy with a magical twist. Here is the blurb:

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

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

Q. Were there any challenges in writing a time travel? 

A. I wanted to have a story that wasn’t too far into the future so that it still resembled the world we know, but with a few cool additions! It was somewhat challenging trying to get my head around what the world might be like in twenty five years. I wanted it to be realistic but still innovative and surprising. I first had a think about the technology that’s been introduced in the last twenty five years and it is amazing how far it has come, yet there are still things that haven’t changed much, or at all (like shopping trolleys! Why can’t they make fancy new ones that go where you want them to and don’t get wobbly and don’t veer off on their own down the car park when you’ve packed it with too much food?).

Because my story was a romantic comedy and not a sci-fi, I didn’t have to get bogged down into the actual process of time travel, so that was easier. In these sorts of books and movies, the time travel just sort of ‘happens’.

Q. So I hear you are working on a YA? How are you finding the transition from Adult Fiction?

A. Yes, I am! I’ve had this Young Adult idea for quite a while and have only recently been working on it seriously. It’s a romantic paranormal... There aren’t any vampires or werewolves or creatures of any kind, it’s very much a ‘real world’ human story with a paranormal twist that is integral to the plot. So far I’m finding it fun to write, it is a slightly different process to writing a book for adults, as I have to think ‘what would a teenager say here?’, and ‘what would they do?’. I find I have to draw on the memory of my own experiences and emotions at that age to try and make it authentic. Sometimes that’s fun, sometimes not so much! I never planned to write YA, but a story idea came to me in a moment of inspiration and I knew I had to write it.

Q. Can you tell us a little about your writing process?

A. It evolves with each book, but generally I start with an idea or story premise, and usually a title too, and then I write the first scene to get an idea of the voice of the story and character. Then I work out the ending, and then jot down notes on how to get the characters from A to B. I like plotting and knowing where things are headed, though I don’t mind getting pleasantly surprised along the way too. I try to remain flexible and adjust the story as needed. I don’t usually get long periods of time to write, so I have to work in bits and pieces of time, but if a story is urging me to tell it I sometimes stay up really late to get as much down as I can! (This happened with Fast Forward). I like to write on my Alphasmart NEO which is a portable word processor, because it is light, has no internet or distractions, and has an everlasting battery. At the end of the day I plug it into my computer and it transfers the words to a word document for me.

Q. What is it you love most about being an author?

A. Seeing what started out as a little spark of an idea become a finished book. I love creating something from nothing, and bringing a fictional world and characters to life. Apart from this, I love interacting with other writers - I’ve made so many good friends in this industry, it’s great!

Q. Please tell us a little about your journey to first getting published. The highs, lows and how you made it!

A. It took me three years from when I started writing seriously to when I first got a publishing offer. I feel very lucky, it can be a long road for many, but it’s a road that’s worth travelling on if writing is your passion. It’s been both exhausting and exhilarating, and now that I’ve started there’s no going back. Fast Forward was my third completed manuscript but my first to get published. I had good feedback on my first (plus a few rejections) and an offer to resubmit, my second racked up some rejections too (but later got a publishing offer), and my third, good ol’ Fast Forward, got twenty rejections before being accepted for publication by Harlequin Australia’s Escape Publishing. Joining RWA (Romance Writers of Australia) has played a big role in helping me get published, as I have learned so much through them and they provide many great opportunities for writers to get into the industry. One thing I’ve loved is meeting other authors, it’s great to know there are other people around who think making stuff up is completely normal! And one thing I’ve learned is that you have to keep working, keep writing, and keep improving. Published authors still have to wait on submissions, stress about rejection, and manage both writing and marketing in their busy lives. But I wouldn’t change a thing!

Q. Finally, what is the one thing you would like the prospective readers out there to know about your stories?

A. I aim to write both humorous and heartwarming fiction, so if you like a story that can have you laughing-out-loud one minute and tearing up the next, you might enjoy my stories. I guarantee a happy ending too (though there may be sad moments  -see above mention of tears!), and always try to put some kind of uplifting message or idea in the book that readers can hopefully take away with them and feel good about themselves and their lives - hence my tagline: Experience the magic of life and love. :)

 

Buy FAST FORWARD via...

Escape Publishing, Amazon, Amazon UK, iTunes/iBookstore, Kobo, Google Play, B&N/Nook.

Connect with Juliet online:

Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads.