Derma C - Facecare - Rejuvaderm - Garcinia Cambogia SCAM

BEYOND ANGRY!

RANT TO FOLLOW!

DO NOT deal with the above companies and in particular DO NOT order the FREE trial of DermaC Vitamin C Face Cream.

They will send you a sample for £2.99 p&p and then continue to take £89.78 per month from your bank account, telling you that you agreed to their Terms and Conditions.

AT NO POINT did I tick a T&C's box (hence I cannot be bound) and I am being robbed.

My bank are now dealing with this - along with heaps of other complaints about this company - but I want to spread the word to stop these scammers.

The product is absolute rubbish anyway so it went in the bin.

Their whole website is a farce - links to Facebook, Twitter and Google+ go nowhere.

Further complaints board forum regarding this company here.  Also be aware of a company called Garcinia Cambogia, a weight loss company, who appear to be affiliated with these people as I was given their number to escalate my complaint - unsurprisingly, they hung up.

More info on 'Free Trial' scams here.

Do not allow the FAT CAT behind this to continue feeding his illegal lifestyle!

Ladies' Night Out

Last night I hit the town with 'Fenella' to celebrate her birthday.  It was lovely to glam up a little and do something a bit different as, apart from our theatre trips, we tend to stay fairly local.

Mr Misfit offered to be our cabbie for the night, despite the fact that we said we wouldn't give him a tip - other than telling him to avoid cyclists or keep further to the left.  Top tip!

First we hit Cafe des Amis in Covent Garden and we were greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne as promised to me on Twitter for giving them a shout out for their excellent service in the past.  What can I say about this restaurant?  I love it - friendly staff, excellent and varied food and surprisingly good value for money, considering its location.

We'd planned to walk to our next venue but, having both worn heels for the first time in a while, we hailed a cab and set off to High Holborn and Scarfes Bar.

Scarfes is part of The Rosewood Hotel, a beautifully restored Grade II-listed building which you approach through an arch leading to an Edwardian courtyard.  The entrance certainly has the WOW factor.

The bar itself has been ‘lovingly evolved into a living canvas by political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe’ and ‘meticulously designed’ by the renowned Martin Brudnizki.  Think opulent gentleman's club without the stuffiness, with its roaring fire, bookcases filled with over 1,000 antique books (heaven!) hand-picked by a Portobello antique dealer, low-key lighting, plush velvet armchairs and sofa seating.

I was slightly surprised to find that many tables were reserved, despite the fact that I'd been told that there was a 'no reservation' policy (maybe we're not posh enough!) but we were lucky enough to find a cosy table for two with a good view of the entertainment.  Admittedly, we almost fell off our beautifully upholstered leather arm chairs when we discovered that the House Wine was £50 a bottle!  £50!!!  I guess they have to pay their musicians somehow as there is no entrance fee but ...!  Anyway, after we'd slithered back into upright positions we settled in for the night and chatted as we waited for The Nick and Kitty Trio to start.

We were not disappointed!  With Nick Shankland on piano, accompanied by a trumpet player (sorry I have no name) Kitty LaRoar performed jazz standards with a voice that ran through us like deliciously thick whipped cream - what a talent!  I love to listen to a singer and feel that I have complete confidence in them and as Kitty sang and scatted away, expertly playing her miniature drum kit, I felt in wonderfully safe hands.  She was faultless.  When her husband Nick joined her, the feeling continued - his tone is easy and smooth, like molten treacle.  It's clear to see that they're married - wordless connections made their act classy and a joy to watch.

When other guests were presented with birthday cakes, Kitty sang Happy Birthday in a breathy Marilyn Monroe style which so suits her delightfully quirky look - a glamorous pocket rocket who makes you wonder where that huge (and sometimes small but incredibly effective) voice is kept.

If you want to listen for yourself, here's a sample:

It was a magical night. If you're in or around London, love live entertainment and are looking to do something a bit different, Scarfes Bar is like stepping back in time and will leave you feeling spoiled, if a little poorer!

DON'T FORGET!  'Lottie's Luck' is free until the end of today and you can pre-order 'Recipe for Change' NOW for delivery to your Kindle on Wednesday.

Save The George Tavern!

A wet summer (I use this word lightly) Sunday in London.  What are your options when you’ve got your nose pressed at the window, desperate to do something that makes your heart sing and doesn’t involve going out in the poopy British weather?

Londoners, listen up!  I have the answer.  Get ye down to The George Tavern on the last Sunday (probably wet!) of every month and have a free - yes FREE - singalong with an amazing bunch of people who will have you tapping your feet, belting out a song and sticking up two fingers at the weather. It's Variety Bunker time.

Regular readers will know that I’m an ex (Read: frustrated) actress and when I wrote ‘Stilettos & Stubble’ I took great pleasure in creating ‘The Gossamer Glove’ where it’s set.  If the truth be known, my dream is to own that club in real life - but instead of pure drag I’d host everything from drag to burlesque, torch songs to the more bizarre.

The George Tavern is not The Gossamer Glove, I can’t lie to you.  Imagine a run down, typical East End pub.  Well inside, anyway - the outside has recently had a facelift. It’s basic - with a worryingly distressed ceiling and graffiti in the loos (very funny it is too), but first appearances can be deceptive. Delve deeper and you discover its rich heritage - from its ornate bar to the VIPs who have graced its doors over the years. The patron's area isn't glamorous at all, but … it’s filled with love, happy stuff and I’ve come home feeling like I’ve just experienced a smashing slice of whacky Britishness!

I walked in with hubbie and the teen, not quite knowing what to expect.  A few tables surrounded the stage and piano where the audience were waiting for the show to begin.  A large farmhouse table offered food, provided by the artists, and punters were invited to help themselves.  Waiting for a show at four o’clock on a Sunday afternoon felt a little odd but once the acts began nobody gave a hoot what time it was.

We started with 'For the Boys' with Mister Meredith on piano (I do so love a man in uniform) and the Divine Miss Em (fab legs and lungs).  We laughed, we sang, we clapped and we had a sing-off.  It felt like it was four in the morning - weird but true.  Songs ranged from traditional feelgood war songs to more updated numbers.  We even sang ‘Fairytale of New York’ because it was requested -‘ in effing May!’ as the Divine Miss Em pointed out.

We moved on to a double act, the Fabulous Ray & Johnny - again in uniform (Home Guard) - who took us on a journey singing George Formby songs on banjos.  Once again, everybody joined in.

After a brief interval we were wowed by the drag act RubyVenezuela and, I have to say, I fell a little bit in love.  We’re talking ‘old school’ drag - think Danny LaRue on steroids and you’re just about there.  She belted out songs as she wheezed, stuffed up jokes and flirted with the audience like a trooper.  When her act was over and my husband accidentally knocked my wine all over the floor, she thought nothing of giving me half her vodka and coke in my glass with a sequinned wink and a bitchy, ‘Get him to buy you another one immediately!’

The afternoon ended with more from ‘Songs For the Boys’ and then the barman joined them for THE MOST AMAZING version of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. OMG! WHAT a talent.  I've since found out that he was on ‘The Voice’ last year.  Go Jamie! You can check him out on YouTube.

I can’t begin to tell you how upbeat I felt after experiencing this little piece of Sunday afternoon magic. Everyone at The George Tavern was happy.  There were groups of people, gay and straight couples, a disabled lady on her own, even a mum breast-feeding alone - it’s a feelgood place that touches your heart.

So when I heard that it’s under threat of closure, I got a bit cross - and we all know what Mummy Misfit’s like when she’s cross!  Save The George Tavern!  (See NME article). We need places like this - places where people can go and know that they’ll leave feeling uplifted.

So that was my Sunday.  Boring?  Hell no!  Made me even more determined to open ‘The Gossamer Glove’?  Hmmm …

I have not been paid to write this review - this is my opinion only.

The acts at ‘The George Tavern’ ask that you make a contribution in the hat as it comes around.

If you want to book any of the acts above please go the links on their names - you won’t be disappointed.

LIFE AFTER SETH - and a FREEBIE or TWO!

My next (EIGHTH!) full length novel is due for release on 10th December and will be available for pre-order from 1st December - that means, if you order 'LIFE AFTER SETH' on Amazon at the beginning of December it will be 'auto-magically' delivered to your Kindle the minute it goes 'live' on the 10th.  And hopefully shoot me to #1 in the charts.  Hey, a girl can dream can't she?!

So today I'm feeling a little Christmas joy and want to wave my wand of happiness in a shimmy-shaky fashion.  Not only am I going to give you a cover reveal, the blurb AND the first chapter of 'LIFE AFTER SETH'  but I'm also doing FIVE DAYS - yes, you heard me correctly - FIVE DAYS of both of my Christmas novellas for FREE!!!!

From Wednesday 26th November right up until the end of Sunday 30th November, you can grab both of my novellas for absolutely NOTHING on Amazon.  How good is that?  Let's call it my little Christmas present to you.

And, furthermore, if you're on Twitter and you Re-Tweet my #free posts or this blog, you can go in the MAGNIFICENT MISFIT MAGICAL MACHINE.

Now, this isn't ANY old machine. If you enter this stupendous place of wonder and get picked as a winner - you know, like on The X-Factor or Strictly Come Dancing? - you get to pick any of my books to be delivered to your Kindle for your delight and delectation!  For no pennies whatsoever!

See?  I really am feeling the Festive Funk right now.  What have you got to lose?  Get your fingers poised, your RT button going and tell all your friends that there are FREEBIES on offer.  And if you leave me a review, I'll love you even more.

OK.  Ready for the cover reveal, the blurb and the first chapter?  Grab a drink and a packet of biscuits and prepare to meet 'LIFE AFTER SETH'.

THE BLURB

Picture this …

A summer wedding booked in a beautiful English village surrounded by rolling hills and stunning countryside.

The guests are waiting, the bride is blushing and

the groom is … where?

Left to muddle through in a ramshackle cottage with half-naked builders, a selfish mother, a New Age sister who’s away with the fairies and a hormonal teenage nephew, Lizzie sees her world spiral into farce.

It may seem like a romcom that cinema goers giggle over as they chomp on their popcorn, but this is no laughing matter for Lizzie - it’s her life.

With Seth gone, there’s no shortage of men should she ever choose to love again.  But which one would she consider letting into her broken heart?

And will she find the happy ever after she’s

always dreamed of?

LIFE AFTER SETH …

when being jilted is the best thing that can happen to a girl.

*   *   *   *   *

 

 

Chapter One

You know those daft dinner party games where the guests ask probing questions to find out more about one another?  The ones that start as a bit of fun and then end up turning into a full blown domestic between the loved-up couple at the end of the table or an epiphany for the closet gay who realises he really does want to sleep with the guy sitting to his left?  Those games.

Well, the next time I find myself at one of those ‘all jolly good, light hearted fun’ affairs and I’m asked the question ‘What was the worst day of your life?’, I can guarantee that no one will be able to top my answer and I’ll have the assembled guests in stunned - possibly embarrassed - silence.

Oh yeah, as bad days go, by anyone’s standards, it was a humdinger.

Of course it was meant to be the happiest day of my life but as I woke and stretched in the sunlight, cocooned in the cosiness of my childhood bed, I could never have imagined what the following few hours - indeed months - would bring.

If I’d had any idea, I would probably have rolled over and gone back to the dream that involved Daniel Craig and, intriguingly, a rather large jar of Nutella.

But no, silly old me jumped out of bed filled with thrilling anticipation, threw on my dressing gown, lovingly stroked my lace gown hanging on the wardrobe and then headed down to breakfast en famille.

Any normal family might have had Buck’s Fizz on ice and the tempting smell of a cooked breakfast floating on the air to greet the blushing bride-to-be, but not mine.

My father was nowhere to be seen and my mother was on the phone to best friend Glynis moaning about the lack of husband presence.   My sister was saluting the sun in the garden as she chanted and wailed in some sort of Tai Chi pose, and my nephew was sporting a tie-dye sarong while strumming a depressing tune on his guitar in the corner of the kitchen.

Rather than being showered with love or greeted with bubbling excitement, my arrival was ignored until my nephew decided to turn his attention to me with a lazy, ‘Yo, Auntie Lizzie.  Cool day, huh?’

‘Morning, Zeus.’ (I always cringed every time I said his name, but when your sister’s a happy-clappy hippie, what can you expect?)  ‘No, it’s not a cool day, it’s a pretty hot one actually but when you’re sixteen, without a care in the world, I guess every day is cool.’

Zeus shook his rasta dreadlocks - a little odd in ginger - and put down his guitar.  ‘Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong, Auntie Lizzie.  My head’s filled with worries, man.  Global warming.  Pollution.  The state of Palestine.  The banality of ‘X-Factor’.  It’s all going on in here, every minute of the day.’  He tapped his head and looked as if he had to sort the world of its problems before a bowl of muesli had passed his lips.

‘Yeah, well thanks for that Zeus but today’s my wedding day so I’d rather we stuck to light-hearted chat and left the major humanitarian issues until tomorrow if that’s OK with you.’

He stood and stretched, reaching for his pouch of tobacco.  ‘Pftt!  Marriage.  Society’s way of constraining the weak-minded and dictating who you share your bed with.  Not for me, dude.  My heart and spirit are too free to be shackled.’

His comments were best ignored.  It was like talking to a testosterone fuelled version of my sister Alice as he churned out the lines she’d been feeding him since birth, and it could only turn into a mega debate or heated argument.  I figured an offer of a bacon sandwich might lighten the mood a little - all teenage boys lived for their stomachs, didn’t they?

‘Gross!’  He looked ready to vomit.  ‘Pig!  Bacon is pig, Lizzie.  Packed with chemicals and crap.  How could you?’

‘And the foul smelling tobacco that you constantly puff on is packed with vitamins and minerals, is it?’ I countered back as I busied myself at the stove. 

His attempt at any wisecrack response was thwarted by the appearance of Alice, bangles jangling and ankle bells chiming.  ‘Good Morning, my little Lotus Blossoms!  What a glorious new day Mama Nature has bestowed upon us!  My chakras are flowing and my yin yang beautifully balanced.  A little shot of wheat-grass should see me ready to face the challenges destined for me.’

‘And a happy wedding day to you, darling sister of mine,’ I mumbled childishly under my breath before biting defiantly into my swine sandwich.

‘What are you grumbling about, Lizzie?  If you will insist on filling your body with dead animals, you can only expect your mood to be foul.  Get out of the wrong side of the bed, did you?  I told you that you should have slept in the tepee in the garden with me.’

My breakfast began to turn to sawdust in my mouth.  By pointing out that I was eating a little pink corpse, my sister had totally ruined my pleasure.

‘Most siblings would greet one another with a hug and some kind words on such a momentous day,’ I said.  ‘Most sisters would be over the moon and rushing about the house in a whirl of curling tongs and make up.  Most parents would be on hand to calm any nerves or pour drinks.  And what do I get?  An AWOL father, a whinging mother and a mini bloody Glastonbury in the back garden.  Let’s all have a joint and henna my hands shall we?’

‘Cool!’  Zeus was unable to do sarcasm.

Unlike his mother, who looked at me as if I’d eaten her last lentil burger as she turned on her Birkenstocks with an ‘Oh that’s just great!  Now my energies have been tinged with your toxic seepage and I’m going to have to cleanse myself all over again.  Thanks for that, Lizzie!  Just thanks!’

Sisterly love!  The Nolans we most definitely weren’t.

As I chucked the remainder of my now unappealing breakfast in the bin I was reminded that my mother shared the same selfish trait as my sister.  Slamming the phone down, she huffed and puffed and then made her way towards me from the hallway.

‘Make me a coffee, Angel.  And throw a good slug of brandy in there.  Today is not going well.’

Flicking the switch on the kettle, I began idly humming ‘Going to the Chapel’ in my best Bette Midler warble.  If no one else could be happy for me, I’d have my own little celebration.

Because in less than four hours time, I’d be walking down the aisle to the gorgeous Seth - and I couldn’t believe my luck.

I was marrying the man of my dreams and escaping the confines of the Addams family.

Bring it on!

*****

Growing up in the Addams household - yes, that really is our surname - was … how can I say? ... reasonably OK, would be the best way to sum it up.

Dad worked hard as a bank manager, Mum was involved with the Women’s Institute and charity work, and Alice in those days was just your average sister - annoying occasionally but mainly bearable.

Three years my senior, she never let me forget it.  Whether it was to boss me around, lecture me, protect me or look down her nose at my immaturity, I was never allowed to lose sight of the fact that she was the big sister.

Now of course, she’s ageless.  Children of the Universe don’t have a number to determine how many years they’ve been on this planet.  Every day is a ‘birth-day’ in Alice’s Wonderland and she’s been reborn, regressed or found herself so many times I’m surprised she recognises the person she looks at in the mirror - which incidentally isn’t very often because her face is merely ‘a hindrance’.  It’s the soul that counts.

A fairly run of the mill teenager until she hit sixteen, Alice fell for a boy during a fruit picking job in the summer holidays that determined she would never return to school.  Our village of Upper Moreton was conveniently situated for seasonal work and we were never short of odd jobs or ways to earn extra cash.  She could have worked in the local dress hire shop or in the coffee bar which served delicious pastries and scones.  But I guess her latent hippie was lurking somewhere even back then - the freedom of the fields and the sun on her back called and she strawberry picked with a song in her heart and a spring in her Jesus-sandal clad feet.

When the summer came to an end, she packed her rucksack and headed off to Greece with her first love, Reece.  At the time she’d believed he was for life.  She’d even had Mum and Dad convinced, so that they’d let her go with their blessing.  It didn’t last though and I think her current notch on the headboard (or tent pole) is around the three hundred mark.  Love is free, apparently, and she’s always shared as much of hers as possible.

So I became, to all intents and purposes, an only child.  At thirteen years of age, that had been thrilling and lonely in equal measures.  I didn’t have her moaning at me or sparking up arguments but I missed the company and the odd times that I did need her.  She had her uses and I found myself with no one to ask those all important questions.

‘Is this boob bigger than the other one?’

‘If Peter pulls my ponytail does it mean he likes me?’

‘Is this zit really noticeable?’

Of course her answers were never very tactful but at least I had somebody.  I couldn’t possibly ask my mum stuff like that.  She’d just twitter and bristle and then tell me to get the Delia book out and go and bake some nice shortbread.

How relieved was I when I returned to the autumn term at school to find that we had a new girl in our class - Nadia - and we instantly hit it off.  She had a brother, Ralph, but she longed for a sister, a confidante, a partner in crime.  From the first day we met we became inseparable, sharing our secrets, our worries, our dreams and our bedrooms.

Most weekends would see us sleeping at one or the other’s house and, for some reason, I always preferred it when I was invited to stay at hers.  Her mum and dad were a lovely couple and they were always laughing - a really happy family.  Ralph was fifteen, and quite good looking, and for a long while I had a bit of a secret crush on him.  To him though I was just his little sister’s friend, so it wouldn’t have been the done thing for him to see me in a romantic way but I bumped into him in London one day a few years later and he joked that the ugly duckling had turned into a bit of a swan.  Cheeky sod!

Now it’s not that my family were unhappy, it’s just that Dad was always wrapped up in the stress of work and Mum was just too busy being … Mum.  Everything had to revolve around her and Alice and I had grown up knowing what this meant.  So, if a colleague from the WI was diagnosed with a serious illness, all we’d hear about would be how it would increase my mother’s workload.  If someone wanted to tell her all about their Mediterranean cruise, she’d rush to the photo albums and talk about her own trip.  If I had a spot, she had a wrinkle and I’d be told, ‘Think yourself lucky you’ve still got youth on your side!’

So, time spent with Nadia was precious.  We played hard but worked harder - attending every party and always making sure we were up bright and early ready for homework or revision.  We both dreamed of becoming teachers and were determined that nothing would come in the way of that.  No boys or hangovers were worth it, although we had a few of both - we were only human.

Eventually we left Uni with a couple of degrees between us and placements in two local schools doing the jobs we’d worked so hard to get.  I’d opted to teach the younger age range with all its wide eyed innocence but she’d longed for the challenge of the back chat and gobby smart talk of a secondary school environment.

It was time to start looking for those dream men we’d envisaged as we lay in the darkness of our bedrooms, planning how our adult lives would pan out.

Four failed relationships later, Seth walked into my life …

*   *   *   *   *

I hope you enjoyed this sneak preview - If so, remember to pre-order from 1st December.

And don't forget to grab my Christmas novellas for FREE for five days from tomorrow.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

It's that time again.  Hubbie has returned from his Ozzie travels and I'm feeling generous.

For new readers to this blog, 'Diary of a Mummy Misfit' was my first novel, published in 2011.  Many have dubbed it Bridget Jones for grown-ups - I was flattered to say the least.  It tells the story of parents Libby and Ned as they battle to see their only son through private school and is a tongue in cheek look at the 'types'  they meet along the way.

I'm giving you the opportunity to grab a free Kindle copy and then, if you enjoy, you can pop over to Amazon, leave me a lovely review and then buy the sequel.  If diaries aren't your bag, you might like to take a look at my other novels or festive novellas - all chicklit, light, fizzy and with a touch of humour and romance.

THE BLURB

Ever felt like you don't belong?

When Libby Marchant and husband Ned made the monumental decision to sacrifice luxuries and holidays to see their only son Max through private education, they hadn’t expected to meet so many unsavoury and dislikeable personalities along the way.

Happily, the cruel jibes of the pompous ‘Meemies’ are made more tolerable by the lasting and loyal friendship they strike up with the affluent Fenella & Josh.

Follow Libby’s journey as she discovers the chasm between the Haves and the Have-Nots in her mad new world of school committees, designer handbags, bitching and botox.

With Fenella by her side, Libby is able to maintain her sanity. But what happens when the credit crunch bites, you’re desperate for another baby and your Asian neighbour is trying to match-make you with her infatuated son? 

GRAB YOUR COPY IN THE UK OR .COM and let me know what you think.

FUNKY FRIDAY - with author Juliet Madison

Where do the weeks go?  Here we are at FUNKY FRIDAY again and I'm welcoming fellow author Juliet Madison for a chat about all things writer-ly!

Juliet, could you describe yourself as a writer in five words.

Creative, determined, passionate, grateful, sleep-deprived.

If someone offered you big money to write their chick lit story, could you do it?

It depends if it was a story/premise I connected strongly too. I’d have to enjoy it!

What are your top tips for writers' block?

Learn plotting and outlining techniques so you have a plan to guide you. Visualise the scene in your mind before you write it. Jot down a list of both terrible and exciting things that could happen to your character and pick one! Take a walk, have a shower or a bath, even have a nap. Inspiration often comes when you’re relaxed.

Dream time.  Ultimate dinner party? You can have anyone dead or alive there - who would you have and why?

Tough question!  I’d have to invite all my writing buddies (hope I'm on that list, Juliet!) because we have so much fun when we’re together, and I’d get them each to invite a person of their choosing. It could turn out quite interesting, and there might be a few celebrity clones I think!

How do you deal with the dreaded bad review - are you a sulker of a shrugger?

It always sucks, but looking at the good reviews balances it out!

If you were offered a squillion pounds to never write again, would you take it?

Nope. Hang on, how much is a squillion?? (kidding, not writing for me would mean not living).

QUICK FIRE ROUND

Planner or Winger?

Planner.

Night or Morning?

Night.

Doer or procrastinator?

Doer.

Writing/first draft or editing?

Writing.

Tea or coffee? 

Neither ;) 

Visit Juliet online:

Website
Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Goodreads 

Buy:

FAST FORWARD - I DREAM OF JOHNNY - STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE

or Juliet's Latest Releases:

THE JANUARY WISH - FEBRUARY OR FOREVER

  

* * * NEWSFLASH * * *

 'Lottie's Luck' - a romcom is currently FREE on Amazon.  Grab a copy in the UK here or the States here.  Please leave a review if you should happen to enjoy!

Fellow Indie, Anne Ullah is running a promotional competition to win a trendy mug of your choice over on her Facebook page or on Twitter @RigidBones.  Believe me, her books will deliver a giggle and you'll need a good mug of tea while you're reading so enter the competition and be in with a chance!  Check her out here.

My current work in progress is powering ahead after giving me massive headaches!  It's well over half way now and I can breathe a sigh of relief.

FREE FREE FREE!

Being an Indie writer is a funny old business.  Every day teaches new lessons and delivers fresh highs or worrying lows.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason to the peaks and troughs in sales - us Indies discuss it at great length and we never come up with a logical theory.  We slog our guts out and celebrate each other's successes and offer tea and sympathy on the bad days.

One thing I think most of us have learned along the way is that regular freebie promotions dramatically boost the sales of your other books.  As I've said in the past, once upon a time I would have baulked at the prospect of giving away my babies - after all, they took me months to produce.  Surely I deserve to get paid for my work?!

But every promo I've done has delivered tenfold in actual sales so I'm now of the mindset that each time a new reader downloads one of my works as a freebie, the hope is that they enjoy it and then go on to part with hard earned cash to buy my other books and also spread the word to friends.

I guess it's a bit like pyramid selling - one becomes two, becomes four ... ad infinitum.

So on that note, for the next few days I'm giving you the opportunity to either discover my writing for the first time or add to your growing collection if this is one that you've not yet read.

'LOTTIE'S LUCK' is free to download for Kindle at Amazon NOW!  In the UK and .com

Here's the blurb:

I’m Lottie Truman and this is my story.
My life was simply tickety-boo until a neighbour’s prediction seemed to coincide with my luck running out.
Join me on the path I needed to take to get me to where I am now.
But don’t judge me.
Because sometimes you have to make a few diversions to allow fate to push you in the right direction.

Indie Chat with Jamie Dougan

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Twitter friend and fellow Indie, Jamie Tucker Dougan.

Jamie will be doing a free promo of his Kindle book 'Grande Plage' from today till 14th July.  Grab a copy here while you can.  You can also follow his blog here - yes I do feature (!) or contact him on Twitter @JamieTDougan

I downloaded 'Grande Plage' earlier this week and would thoroughly recommend it as a coffee break read.  It's a sweet romance from a male's perspective - which I found refreshing.  Set in France, I felt as if I were there and it brought back some vivid teenage memories for me.

From his reviews:

'It's very sensual, and being written by a man you'd expect it to be all about the sex. However, it is not. It's very romantic in parts and has a happy, heartwarming ending.'

'Short story about a young footballer who falls head over heels for a French girl but has to leave her behind. Good story to read when you are travelling or have a few minutes to spare with a coffee.' 

So I welcome Jamie to the blog as we settle with a Pernod and ice (what else?) and pose some questions to him:


You've decided to do a free promo of 'Grande Plage' to recognise your wife's 40th birthday, which I think is a very romantic gesture.  As you write stories and novels on the steamier side of love, would you call yourself a romantic at heart?

Very much so. A few movies from the 80's have influenced my writing. Movies like 'St.Elmo's Fire' and 'Some Kind of Wonderful'. I like the 'happy ever after'.

If money were no object, how would you treat your wife on her birthday?

First thing I would get her is a new computer. Her current desktop is well past its best. She needs a decent computer for her little card-making business. I'd also buy her a new car and take her on a holiday to the destination of her choice. Which would be Disneyland Florida. A holiday for the kids ... and the big kids.

You're hosting an evening for five celebs - who would they be and why?  You must include one who you would invite just so that you could hit them with a frozen lettuce as I know this is one of your favourite sports!

Well Katie Hopkins would be first on the list to be bombarded with the freshly frozen lettuce by the other guests as they arrive. I'd just whack her a few times in passing. My second guest would be my childhood hero, football legend Kenny Dalglish. As well as telling me many stories from his footballing career, he'd make me laugh too because his one-line sarcasm is brilliant. Next would be French singer Alizee. She would provide musical entertainment and talk French to me (ahem). I'd invite actress Alyssa Milano too, just to help with being the visual muse for one of the characters in my current WIP.  And finally I'd have Prince Charles because I think he'd be an interesting guy to talk to.

What's your ultimate goal as a writer?  Do you dream of a publishing deal or are you happy to remain an Indie?

I'm happy being an Indie. It was never my intention to become a published writer. Writing for me has always been a hobby. A way of living the virtual world I sometimes escape reality to. But an old friend suggested I publish 'Grande Plage' (on more than one occasion I may add). Now, my hobby is seen by others. 

This question was once put to me and I had to find a tricky way around it - I'd be interested to know your take on it.  You are offered a huge amount of money (squillions of millions!) but, by accepting it, you're never allowed to physically write another word.  Would you take it?

Money is a necessary evil to me but it causes more problems than it does good. I'd be a far happier person if there was no money at all. The more some people have, the more they want and that's just pure unnecessary greed. Personally, I think we should better ourselves through knowledge rather than financial gain. So the answer would be no thanks!

Tell us your most embarrassing story - one that haunts you to this day?

It doesn't haunt me much but it was bloody embarrassing at the time. Let's just say it involved a country road lay-by ... steamy windows ... and a police car stopping to ask if we were okay.

QUICK FIRE ROUND

Pudding or cheese? - Pudding, preferably containing chocolate

Suit or jeans? - Jeans... I wear a shirt and tie for a living, so I don't when not working

Night in or out? - Night in

Dancer or watcher? - Watcher

Kylie or Dannii? - Kylie

Indian or Chinese? - Damn... can I have both? Okay, Chinese!

Home or away? - Home

Twitter or Facebook? - Twitter

Music or TV? - Music

Huge thanks to Jamie for joining me on the blog today - come on guys, give his wife the best 40th ever and download a FREE sensual story now.  Happy Birthday Mrs Dougan - what a lovely hubbie you have!

PS:  The frozen wet lettuce is a standing joke.  Tell us in the comments below, who you'd like to wallop over the head with one.  Go on!  You know you want to!

You can buy Jamie's other short stories here.

Introducing 'Lottie's Luck'

Regular readers will remember that I'd given myself the deadline date of March 16th to complete the first draft of my new novel 'Lottie's Luck'.  Well I actually finished a week early, which gave me the opportunity to spend a week on my first round of rewrites and an edit.

The book is now in the hands of my hubbie for his usual cruel treatment and once this is complete we will begin the process of joint editing - a horrible, exhausting time that takes weeks of arguing, screaming and debating.  But ... the book will be better for it and our marriage (usually) survives.

So 'Lottie's Luck' will hit the shelves of Amazon and Lulu on Wednesday 19th June and I'd like to tell you a little bit more about it - so that you can decide if it's going to be the book for you.

The novel is told in a chatty, conversational style - almost as if the reader is one of Lottie's closest friends, gossiping and having a catch-up over a coffee.  Lottie begins her story on the day she feels her previous good luck starts to change.  But is this true or is fate simply guiding her in a new direction?

What can I tell you about our main character?  Well, first and foremost she's a dog lover and, as she also works with them, she has little time for 'girlie' things - make up and heels are not her bag, she's happier in her trademark wellies (she has many!).  'Dressing up' means a decent pair of boots over clean jeans and a cursory comb through her hair.

 Keira Knightley would be a perfect Lottie.

A lot of what happens to Lottie is predicted and hinted at by her dotty clairvoyant neighbour, Venetia.  Lottie has known Ven all her life and she's like a second mum.  When she first met her, she was convinced she was already a hundred years old but now she doesn't see an age - just an old friend who she loves dearly, even when she's hinting at difficult journeys through her crystal ball, tea-leaves or 'visions'.

The wonderful Alison Steadman as Madame Arcati

would be my ideal Venetia.

Now, Lottie has a rather tasty boyfriend.  He's an accountant, he's groomed, he's loaded and he can be just a tad irritating at times.  Lottie and Nat are chalk and cheese.

Presenting Mr Brad Pitt

Adding just a touch more eye candy, may I introduce Dan.  He's a landscape gardener and a client of Lottie's and she gets it into her head that he would be ideal for her best friend Amy.

Yes, it's the Coke Ad man - we don't need a name, do we?!

Dan has a rather special dog - he's quite crucial to the storyline so I have to include him in the images. He's no pedigree and would never be seen at Crufts.  May I bring you ...

Moses

So that's roughly the cast for 'Lottie's Luck'.  Have I left you wanting to know more?  Do you want to know what this lot will get up to?  It's not a smooth ride for them and I hope you'll often be screaming in frustration at the pages.  Poor Lottie gets put through the ringer but everything happens for a purpose.

I'll leave you with the song I feel best sums up this novel.  In particular the following lines:

'Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you

when you think everything's OK

and everything's going right.

And life has a funny way of helping you out

when you think everything's gone wrong

and everything blows up in your face'.

'Ironic'

Alanis Morisette

'Lottie's Luck'   - because sometimes your luck hasn't run out, you're simply ignoring the signs.

June 19th 2013

IMPORTANT MESSAGE: If you haven't read any of my work yet and would like to know more, my novella 'Christmas Deliverance' is free from today (20th March) for five days only.  It's a shorter read (approx 25k words) but also contains the first chapter of my full length novel 'Stiletto's & Stubble' Download UK here or .com here. Thank you.