Gobsmacked

Waves hi from her chair in front of a bulging bookcase. 

Greetings chaps.  This is terrible, two blogs in a month.  Well naughty me.  Anyhoo, I have news, yes more news.  As if finishing the first round of edits of Without Saying A Word wasn't enough, on pril 12 I was offered a contract for The MisAdventures of Pann Haggerty from

SECRET CRAVINGS PUBLISHING

This is a major publisher in America and these amazing people want to publish my Pann Haggerty.  I'm still gobsmacked even after signing the contract, and finding out that any sequel/s are to be submitted to them for first refusal.

The proposed release date for Pann is 28th August.  So over the next few weeks I am going to be a busy bee and work hard revamping the manuscript.  Pann for me really is a joy to write.  I love being in her mind, and able to experience the mishaps she does, whilst keeping my own dignity intact.

For us Brits, the closest I can get to a visual image of Pann is Miranda Hart, but with longer hair and slightly shorter.  Her mannerisms and the way she speaks is spot on, even though darling Pann has been around in my head for well over a year.  As for Joe, ladies cast your mind to the Gilmore Girls and think of Luke Danes aka Scott Patterson.  Only taller and stockier and with a great sense of humour, a loving heart for this insane British lass and so much patience.

So there you go in a nutshell.  Pann really is not a traditional love story.  My central characters are in their 40s, proving that life really starts with your flirty forties and boy is Pann flirty. 

Each chapter is a different state.  At the back there is Pann's recipe book.  All of the recipes are tried and tested by me, and made on a regular basis.

I do hope that you will enjoy reading Pann as much as I have had writing her.  Of course this is only the first one in the series.

Not sure if anyone remembers the old American style series on television with the booming voice for the intro something along the lines of "Previously in the Adventures of Champion the Wonder Horse", well this is how Pann came about.  A series about a fairly crazy English lady travelling around America in an RV after picking her son's underpants up for the last time,

I think we all get like that.  Our lives can be predictable and mundane to the point where we feel we need to break out and do something.  In my case something stupid.  I have been known to run around the living room topless yelling "boob alert" when I am on my own, or moon my neighbours over the road through the net curtains, why you ask? Because I want to!

So if you want to, please follow my blog as I will posting more info about Pann, showing off cover art and of course featuring authors from Books To Go Now and Secret Cravings Publishing, both of whom I am proud to be an author with.

2013 really is turning out to be a fabulous year so far.  Thanks for your support

Keep it Kooky xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

News, News and MORE NEWS!!!

Peers from behind a book.

I cannot believe it has been over 5 months since I last blogged. So what has been happening I hear a few of you ask?  Well, I took some time out from writing, I cancelled my contract with my publisher and revamped Without Saying A Word and resubmitted it to Books To Go Now, who offered me a contract and here without delay is the new cover!

Beautiful isn't it? This captures my hero spot on, the way he looks at Laura as if she is the only woman in the world for him. My first lot of edits should be due this week and of course I am nail biting in anticipation. 

More news...The wonderful Heidi Betts has dedicated her new Harlequin Desire novel to me (Amanda Jane Ward) entitled Project Runaway Heiress it is available now and well worth a read. Her British hero is charming, funny and incredibly sexy.

I am also part of the Books To Go Now Blog Hop starting in May
I will be giving away swag so watch out for news on Facebook, twitter and of course on here too.

As for the writing, well I am continuing to write despite Tonsilitis, and currently working on the first of a series about six English Clergywomen. The working title of the first one is English in Paradise, and this is Rachel's story.  Will post snippets as work progresses.

Finally, I am stoked to announce that I am being confirmed in the Anglican church on June 19th.  At the midnight mass service in Bromham, I felt a tap on my shoulder and it was then I realised what I had been putting off for so long. 

Anyway, to all those that follow the Nook, I am back, I am writing and I am still as quirky as ever.

Hugs to you all

TTFN and keep it Kooky

Manda xxxxxxxxxxxxx