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

The Woman in the Corner

See that strange woman in the corner.  You know the one with a ponytail, glasses holding a mug of tea and some bookmarks.  Well that woman is me! I really do not like publicity and when it comes to promoting my work, well I tend to let word of mouth do the job for me.

Since July this year, I have had 6 short stories published and one full length novel published too.  I have designed a website here!, business cards and bookmarks.  I am on GoodreadsManda  have also met via Facebook Amanda some of my idols in the romance industry.  Without this social media, I would not have had the pleasure of meeting Times bestselling author, Trisha Ashley and the author of The Scandalous Ravenhursts, Louise Allen.  This was at an afternoon tea in Bedford run by The Festival of Romance. 

Here is the fabulous Louise with a beautiful Regency fan

and here is my mother in law with the wonderful Trisha Ashley.  I was a tad gushy there, ok I was exceptionally gushy!

It has been a very busy few months for me.  I am currently studying an Open University course in the Arts, with school runs and the Pann Haggerty stories to write, life has been rather hectic. Now that the Christmas season is snowballing ahead, it going to get even more hectic.  Pann 7 needs to be written as does Pann 8, together with assignments for my course and presents to get.  I think you understand.

So where does this leave that rather batty woman in the corner, still sipping her mug of tea hoping that readers will notice her work and perhaps give it a read. I really am not sure.  I could lift my top and flash my boobage, or perhaps sneak bookmarks into bags.   Word of mouth can help so much, as would supportive friends who will let other friends know etc. 

Social media at times is really exhausting.  I am a nosey person at heart and love finding out who is having what published and what the book is about.  There are days when I wonder if writing is the vocation for me, it seems that I'm plodding along slowly like a tortoise and not getting anywhere.  I love my Pann story collection, and I still think that Rhean from Without Saying A Word is like a hot buttered crumpet on a cold day. 

Word of mouth can work wonders.  If anyone has read my work and likes it, please be like butter and spread it!

Thanks and to all my US followers Have a very merry Turkey Thyme!

With love

Kooks aka Manda xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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The Evolution of the Romance Novel

Well, I'm not sure where 'Flaming June' went.  All I know, is that here in England it's been 'Flaming 'orrible June'.  Anyhoo, July arrives on Sunday, and during the month, Kook's Nook will be entering REVIEW JULY.   In other words, I will be posting reviews on books I have read as,  at the end of July comes the two words every parent of school children dread.......School Holidays!!!!

Yes, it's that wonderful time of the year when our darling DNA are off school for 6 or 7 long, wonderful weeks.  The fridge gets emptied on a daily basis, and cries of "I'm bored or I'm hungry" reverberate around in your head.  Especially on the day after school actually finishes.

Anyhoo, before review July starts, I am sure (unless you have been hiding under a rock somewhere) that there is a big 'hoo har' going on with the explosion of erotica recently and where it  belongs.  Is it romance? Is it erotica or is it just porn?  Three questions easily answered.  However, just to clarify things.  What is written on Kook's Nook is MY point of view.  No one elses.  I thought I'd get in my four penneth so to speak.
I personally have not read or will name the work that has prompted this post, but how I see romance novels, is  on a line.  At either end are Amish/Christian Romance/Jane Austen and the 'Hard Core xxxx' books.

Falling midway between the two are a mainstream publisher with many different genres.  Several vere towards the Amish and Christian side and others midway towards the Hard Core side. 
So yes there is room for them.  Yes they can be classed as romance IF there is a HEA or HFN.
Erotica novels or lets call them 'Romantica',  are selling like hot cakes and yes they are a phenominal success.  I have read loads of them.  When I was in my late teens I read Black Lace books (no longer in print now) and for me they hit the spot so to speak.   Now with e-readers and e-books available.  You can have a whole library of them on one book, and hide the e-reader away from little eyes that may glance over your shoulder and ask the dreaded question "What does that mean mummy?"  Hence the books I currently display are Amish fiction and the others are hidden behind my chair.
Don't get me wrong, I have been trying to find out where my writing fits and having a few confidence crisis along the way.  I have some wonderful author friends who write towards either end of the 'scale' and they are exceptionally talented in what they write.

My writing tends to vere towards the Amish Fiction side.  The love scenes in the book I have sold to a publisher were cut down, but there is still a bit of  detail especially when Rhean and Laura kiss.  Let's face it, Rhean is a 34 year old male virgin.  He is going to kinda rocket it off into space if Laura touches him in a certain area.  As to whether the publisher will keep that scene in, is up to them.
I started out reading the (yes I am going to say it)  M&B/Harlequin books.  Heck I have a number eight silhouette romance book in my box upstairs, one of the very first I read.  I found out about the practicalities of love-making from Forever by Judy Blume, and I still avidly look on websites and charity shops for the Temptation line.

I am exceptionally lucky thanks to Facebook, to actually talk to  some of my favourite Authors and even get signed books by them which are dearly loved and cherished.  I have authors that I am loyal to and as soon as there is a new one out, I will either pre-order or ask them nicely for an ARC, of which I am really grateful.  Several M&B authors in recent months have blown the envelope wide open and have taken the medical, historical and modern romance novels to new levels.  It's very exciting as a reader to see this happening, but as a writer, well its rather nerve-wracking to see the bar raised higher and higher.
Now back to the post subject.  The evolution of the romance novel.  Writing is individual and fiction of course comes from the writer's imagination, no matter how pure or inventive it is.    Over the past hundred years or so, the romance novel has reinvented itself so many times.  In victorian times, Jane Austen books were read avidly. With the heroine pretty much fainting if she caught a glimpse of her hero's ankle or chest.   Speed forward to 2012, and the heroine is now looking at her naked hero standing in all his glory, and the first thought that pops into her mind is "Oh, is that it?  Hmm I wonder what he can do to me..."

Basically, the answer is in the mirror.  It's you.  The reader and the writer.  What happens next is totally in your hands.

So there it is.  The end of my blog posts for June.  I guess I had better scoot and get on with reading so that there are plenty of reviews to annoy you with.

Hugs and kisses, and above all........KEEP IT KOOKY!!!!!!!!!!

Engtangled Presents.................

Coming soon from Entangled Publishing, a new line,  Check these brilliant new reads out!

For a thrilling read, delve into darkness, slide into pure sexiness, this is the line for you.

So, take a walk on the wild side, and dive into one of Entangled Publishing's new lines.

More about DEAD SEXY’s Launch Titles Her Forgotten Betrayal, by Anna DeStefano Remembering will save her life. But will the truth destroy their love forever? When the CEO of a global technology empire retreats to her ancestral mountain home to heal from a brutal shooting, she discovers the danger has just begun. The FBI suspects her of selling top-secret government research, and has sent an undercover agent to find evidence of her treason. Still suffering from amnesia, she is at the mercy of nightmares that soon morph into something much more terrifying—a determined enemy, plotting to make sure she never regains her fragile memory. When a handsome stranger sweeps in from the cold, claiming to be her protector—and her former lover—she suspects he’s not telling her the whole truth about his sudden appearance on the mountain. As their unwilling attraction blossoms to sizzling passion, she begins to trust him…unaware that he is about to repeat the most painful betrayal of her past—a past she doesn’t remember…a past that just may kill her. No Hero, by Mallory Kane A darkly handsome New Orleans detective who insists he’s no hero is blindsided by his one-time lover, a sexy investigative TV reporter, who exposes his secret troubled past to the whole world…and nearly costs him his job. When the at-risk teens he mentors start turning up dead, his vow to protect the other kids hits a major snag…his only clue to finding the determined killer is held by the one woman he never wants to see again. Compelled to work together to solve the vicious murders before another child dies, their passion reluctantly reignites, and their mutual mistrust slowly turns to respect as she realizes there’s much more to being a hero than outward appearances, and his deeply wounded heart gradually opens to the possibility of love. Sacrifice of Passion, by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez A tall, dark, single-dad Texas rancher finds himself facing more than his stubbornly silent son when the chupacabra, a supposedly mythical blood-sucking beast, starts killing his livestock—and stalking the town’s newly returned veterinary assistant, the sensual woman who ran from the altar and broke his heart twelve years earlier. Determined to purge his sizzling memories of her from his all-too-vivid imagination, he seeks her help to get to the bottom of the disturbing animal mutilations, only to have her break through to his sullen son…and rekindle the love he’d thought was lost forever. But her refusal to share a terrible secret sends her running straight into the lair of the chupacabra, plunging her back into her worst nightmare, and forcing them both to confront the wrongs of the past—in order to stay alive for the future they desperately want. Deadly Secrets, Loving Lies, by Cynthia Cooke Family secrets must be kept, and painful wounds must be ignored. After an all-out assault by a vicious terrorist bent on destroying her entire family, a former government agent must break the strict rules she has always lived by when she emerges from hiding to reluctantly accept the help of her all-too-sexy ex-lover. Running a deadly race against time, they rush to rescue her kidnapped sister, find her missing father, and bring the notorious villain to justice. But nothing ever goes as planned. Bullets fly, danger abounds, and their passion reignites even faster than the lies are flowing. But their stubbornly held secrets just might spell the end of their rekindled love and hopes for the future…as well as their very lives.

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Enjoy and keep it kooky xxxxxxxxxxxxx

TEMPTED BY THE HIGHLAND WARRIOR BY MICHELLE WILLINGHAM

I was extremely lucky to get an advanced copy by Michelle, and I fell in love with those enigmatic eyes straight away.  Believe me what's inside is, well I would compare it to one of my cheats chocolate mousse.  Rich, velvety, and a surprise in the middle. I had to keep reading till the end.  Just could NOT put it down.  I was lucky in that my 3 year old slept throughout.

Set in 1305/1306, the setting is rich in history, and starts with Lady Marguerite living in her fiance's keep,  hearing a man screaming in pain.  She awakens and finds Callum, bleeding, with the man who
was screaming unfortunately passed away.  Callum is unable to speak to her, to tell her of his pain.  She tends to his wounds and their tumultuous relationship begins....

Callum is no ordinary Highlander, he is skilled in archery and is a virgin, which makes him unique as heroes go.  He is also strong in heart and mind, and determined to make Marguerite his own.

Marguerite is torn between duty towards her father to make an advantageous marriage, but torn between that and her love and desire for her silent Highlander.  She is deeply in love and wishes to be with him, however knows her duty to her father.Through battles, wounds and secrets and family reunions, Callum and Marguerite come together in a blaze of passion.  Both deeply in love with each other, it makes their relationship all the more poignant.

Rich in historical fact and fiction, I really could NOT put this book down.  I don't like giving away spoilers but even a historical buff like me was surprised at one revelation.  I could just see Christopher Lambert in the part of Callum, with his hair flying as he shoots arrows to protect his brothers and the woman he loves.

An amazing book, corker of a cover and I absolutely loved the rollercoaster of Callum and Marguerite's romance.  I cannot thank Michelle Willingham enough for giving me the priviledge of reading this advanced copy.

Available from Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Mills and Boon and Harlequin US in July

For more information on Michelle and her amazing Highlanders please visit

http://www.michellewillingham.com/

or on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/#!/michellewillinghamfans

and of course twitter

https://twitter.com/#!/michellewilling

LOOKING BACK...HOW I FELL IN LOVE WITH ROMANCE

I've not posted for a while because I have been immersed in the past and driving my family nuts.  When I say past, I am referring to how I fell in love with romance and a good love story.  Before you all start to yawn and disappear, I shall try not to bore you.  At the moment erotica is selling like hot cakes and that's great.  Me personally?....Give me a good love story anyday.

I have been revisiting my youth and watching, thanks to "You Tube" episodes of Little House on the Prairie (LHOP), Anne of Green Gables (AOGG) and The Waltons.  Two years ago I bought the entire DVD series of Watching, a romantic comedy set in Liverpool and shown in the late 80s early 90s.  I will admit that for a romantic like me, these are pure escapism. 

Let me start with LHOP.  I absolutely adored Mary and Adam's romance.  It was sweet and innocent.  Adam was intense, yet funny.  Looking back at their episodes,  I can see where my Rhean originated from.   Adam wasn't afraid to cry, to show his feelings and the best thing of all, to snog her senseless.  Mary, bless her little cotton socks was swept off her feet by him.  I loved the way they portrayed a young married couple.  However towards the end of their time on LHOP, especially when Adam regained his sight.  Well, I could have happily swung for him, but in those prairie days, women stood by their men.  The actors chemistry on screen was believeable to me as the viewer, and I really loved the romance they acted out.

Fast forward 50 or so years (history wise) to The Waltons.  Mary Ellen and Curt's romance was short and firey.  Bizarrely, the writers decided to make her a widow from Pearl Harbour.  Just as she finds romance with Arlington Westcott Jones III (Jonesy), she finds out that Curt is alive and then has to get divorced.
In the decent three movie specials that followed, I was immersed in Erin and Paul's relationship, and when Mary Ellen and Jonesy FINALLY married, those wonderful writers decided to really screw things up for them.  After an accident, Mary Ellen couldn't have the children she and Jonesy desperately wanted.  Still it all worked out for them.  Jonesy, with his wacky sense of humour, huge smile and devotion to his wife had his happy ending with Mary Ellen, with the help of Ma Walton.  Their reunion scene at the end of Mothers Day on Waltons Mountain was just perfect!

Coming into the 80s and my teenage years, I confess to having a crush on Maxwell Caulfield from Grease 2 (therapy has been arranged).  Vince and Penny from Just Good Friends, and then in 1985 or thereabouts, I was transported over to Prince Edward Island and Anne of Green Gables came into my life.  Her relationship with Gilbert was pre-ordained.  I knew of course, because I had read the books (:D).  She was firey, Anne had an imagination and I wanted to be her, red hair and all.  Her relationship with Gilbert was fantastic to watch.  I loved the continuity of the actors.  The whole portrayal of their tempestuous relationship from Gil whispering "Carrotts" and being whacked on the head with a slate, to Anne falling into a mud splattered field chasing the wrong cow.  Finally, at the end of the Continuing Story Gil whispering to Anne on his sickbed "There will never be anyone else for me but you".  Tears fell down my face.  She had turned him down so many times.  On the bridge as the sun was setting, Gilbert told her he couldnt offer her any marble halls.  She didnt want marble halls, she just wanted him.  Then their first kiss......their first kiss.  Oh heck.  Pure romance and escapism.  I was and still am entranced by the whole series.  However, the final chapter is a bit pantsy.  Anne and Gil finally get married, but the writers took a few liberties with the story, and I am glad the writers managed to give Anne and Gil their wedding and HEA.

Absolutely gorgeous.  As a teenager in the 80s, there was lots of romance going on.  Mike and Plain Jane, Drew and Libby from Neighbours.  The Aussie soaps did romance well, Snowy River The McGregor Saga was a particular favourite of mine.  Then Watching burst onto ITV and I was hooked.  Brenda Wilson and Malcolm Stoneway's romance was rockier than Brighton beach.  Had more ups and downs than a rollercoaster at Thorpe park, and it was brilliant!.  There was never a more mismatched couple than those two.  She a kooky, strangely made up Liver Bird and Malcolm, a geeky birdwatcher who loved his motorbike and sidecar.  I laughed when they got together, cried when the writers married him off to someone else and of course, when the series ended and they finally got together, as they were supposed to all along, clapped and whoooped.  (Strange person that I am).

I have managed to write my first ever romance novel manuscript which is staring at me begging me to revise it lol.  Looking back to my past obsessions with books and tv shows, I can see different elements of my hero in the characters above.  I still love that warm feeling that floods my brain when seeing them kiss either for the first time, or perhaps after an disagreement. The LHOP Wedding of Mary and Adam is an excellent example of getting back to basics.  That first spark of interest. The first move.  Their first kiss.  These are the elements that have had me hooked on romance.  Speaking of kissing.  Don't underestimate the power of a kiss, especially a long tender kiss with the man you love.  At the end of a book or a film there is the premise of the HEA.  I am living with a manic but loving family, insane cats and of course my frog that turned into my own romantic hero.  He is geeky, loving, affectionate, considerate.  Drives me totally bonkers at times, but boy, his kisses reduce me to absolute mush and I love him to bits (Little bits at times)

Until I get round to blogging again! KEEP IT KOOKY!