'Alessandra' now available in paperback format!

With the second book of the 'Chisholm Manor' series well underway and set for release later this year, I'm very excited to report that book 1 - Alessandra - is now out as a paperback. Alessandra was originally released four years ago as an e-book only so being able to see it, pick it up and hold it in my hands is amazing. It provides even more inspiration to complete its follow up story, 'Elizabeth', about the oldest daughter of Alessandra and Edward. Want to know more about Elizabeth's journey? Watch this space! Better yet, sign up to my newsletter so you will be one of the very first to be alerted when it is due to be released!

One author's view of book reviews...

Sometimes when we finish a book, we have a bit of a 'meh' feeling about it and we move onto the next book without giving the finished one another thought. Other times when we finish a book, we feel strongly about it. Sometimes the feelings are strongly good - we loved it. Sometimes the feelings are strongly bad - something about it just left us disappointed (or worse - angry!). It can often be when these extremes of feelings occur after reading a book, that we feel we have the most to say in a review.

In so many aspects of our lives, we follow through and action the extremes of feelings via the words we share with others. It's natural to shout to the rooftops about the great things and the bad things that happen to us. Often, the mundane things that we experience day to day are never spoken of, even though they form most of what our day comprises and what is happening in our lives. The in-betweens are little mentioned and yet, so very important.

Writing a book review can be daunting for some. For others, it's extremely easy to give one's opinion. The most important thing to remember is that all reviews ARE just that - opinions. Everything is subjective. Sometimes we are attracted to people that others aren't. Sometimes we love listening to music that others don't. Equally so, sometimes we love or despise a book ... and yet, others might equally feel as strongly but in the opposite way. Regardless of how a reader feels about a story, I would love to encourage all to write a review. Don't let it be daunting, and don't let it only be about the books that inspire that great feeling or that negative feeling. Consider also writing reviews for all those books that lie within those boundaries - the books that left you feeling 'meh'. It's quite okay to write 'I loved this', 'I liked this', 'It was okay', or 'This book wasn't for me', and any of these are very much enough! Reviews do not have to be lengthy discussions, and any author will welcome any encouragement from a reader. Like in any aspect of life, we can focus on the glass that's half empty, or the glass that's half full. In reviews, we can focus on the negative or we can pick out one small aspect that was a positive. Or .. we can just say 'Liked it', 'Didn't work for me', or any other comment. They're all appreciated so very much.

So next time you read a book, please take a moment to consider writing something in the review section of the book retailer. And, hey, if words aren't your thing, go for a simple... :) ... it will still make the writer smile.

It's a gorgeous spring day here in my hometown of Dunedin, New Zealand. It is a perfect day to continue writing my latest story, and even a great day to write a review!

Enjoy!

Is one's head ever TOO full of imagination?

The hardest part of being a fiction writer, I find, isn't trying to think of what to write next, but rather trying to figure out how to find the time to write down even a percentage of the story lines flicking through my mind on any given day. Having originally written primarily in the romance genre, over time I found myself venturing into the romantic suspense realm of stories. I always found these kinds of tales just that little bit grittier and interesting with their blend of suspenseful action going on, whilst the heroes and heroines still have their humanity highlighted via meeting someone they form a whimsical chemistry with. It's the best of both worlds - love combined with drama; the shadier unknown combined with happy ever after. Win-win for a writer and for a reader.

Sometimes, however, a darker side of story calls out to an author. It grabs hold of one's imagination and persists in its determination to be written down, worked on until it comes through to fruition. How does it feel to a writer who has for so long focused on the lighter side of life via romance writing, when 'the dark side' wants to push the fluffy stuff aside? Pretty good, I have to say. It presents new challenges and pushes me to really imagine being in certain situations. How would I feel? What would I do? Of course, until it actually happens, we never really know how we would actually feel in any situation. That is the beauty of fiction, though - it isn't real. Anything can happen in any way an author wants it to happen, because it is, after all, just the magic of imagination. And that is a beautiful thing.

Hey, enjoy your week. Here in New Zealand the sun is out and the birds are singing. It was an absolutely stunning Spring day yesterday and today is forecast to be the same. Wherever you are in the world, keep happy and healthy!