From the blurb: Heroine Dominique Avallon has been raised in the opulent French expatriate community of WWII Egypt. But revolution and a doomed love affair with a British officer drive her into an arranged marriage with an older man who promises her a new life in America. Chafing under the
Pansies are one of my favourite flowers. In Victorian days if an admirer left a maiden a pansy, in symbol, it was equal to saying to her: ‘I am thinking of our forbidden love.’ But it is considered a bad luck gift to a man
What does the word ‘Casanova’ mean to you? Most probably, you recognise it as an established term in the English language to mean lover, usually promiscuous and unscrupulous, and you have some idea that the term derives from the name of a man. A character in a book of old,
Today’s the day: Vote Rafe from my novel, Burning Embers! The Smackdown is hosted at Love Between the Sheets, where you can vote, and Rafe is sponsored by the lovely One More Chapter. Be sure to take a look to see why
The Bridge of Sighs is a famous Venetian landmark. With such a wonderfully romantic name, you no doubt expect it to be one of the many ornate bridges that cross the canals, a place to stop beneath a vintage street lamp and take a moment to watch gondolas drift along
Were I asked to recommend a European city for a weekend break, Venice would undoubtedly be in my top five – what other city in recent years has so fired up my imagination and romanticism that I have put pen to paper and situated a love story there? The Echoes
From the blurb: One single mum. One chaotic family. One handsome stranger. One unexpected love story. I was delighted to receive an advance copy of this book from the publisher to review, because I love the author’s earlier works. And this one did not disappoint. In fact, if I could
A large part of my new book, The Echoes of Love, is set in Venice, Italy. What better excuse to riffle through the DVD collection and watch some classic films to fire up the imagination, all in the name of research? If, like me, you love the backdrop of Venice
We live at a time when the cult of the celebrity has become so normalised and strong that it has spilled out of show business and into the domain of publishing. No longer is a career choice to be a writer one that guarantees you a nice, quiet life writing
The period, in 2011/12, that began with signing a publishing contract for my debut novel, Burning Embers, and ended with holding the said novel in my hands was one of the most exciting and memorable of my life. And in the past months, I’ve been fortunate enough to experience the
From the blurb: When Ella married the handsome, celebrated artist Sebastian Montclair at just nineteen she was madly in love. Now, those blissful years of marriage have turned into the very definition of an unconventional set-up. Separated in every way but distance, Sebastian resides in an outhouse across the lawn
A quaint bridge in Kent in the area where I often go walking.
While researching my latest novel The Echoes of Love, which is set in Venice and Tuscany, Italy, I read widely on the country – cuisine, architecture and, of course, art. One of the artists whose work most appealed to me was Francesco Zuccarelli, and so I weaved into the story one
I’m delighted to be sponsoring the btsemag.com Sunset on Summer Fun blog hop. My Giveaway My offering is a paperback copy of my novel, Burning Embers. To win, simply: Comment on this blog post by the end of 30 September Telling me what most most fun for you this summer
One of my favourite things about Italy is the cuisine. So many delectable delights to savour! When I visited Venice, I liked nothing better than to settle in one of the thriving pavement cafes and sample the sweet treats alongside some of the rich, aromatic coffee on offer. That is
‘You never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write.’ So said Nobel Prize-winning writer Saul Bellow. I was reminded of this quotation recently while reading an interview with author Stephenie Meyer in the Telegraph, in which she touches on how she came
Amazon.com has recently released a list of the top twenty bestselling books published in 2016, based on both print and Kindle sales. Here it is: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2, Special Rehearsal Edition Scriptby J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi The Whistlerby John Grisham
The news has been abuzz in recent weeks about the movie Beauty and the Beast, which will release next spring. Why all the interest? Well, the lead actress is Emma Watson, of Harry Potter fame, and supporting actors include Luke Evans, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, and Ian McKellen. Also, there
This week, I’ve decided to theme my posts on fairy tales, because they have played an integral part in shaping the writer I am today. I was very fortune to grow up with a governess who loved to both read stories and tell them orally, and she had a fantastic
Alternative herbal medicine features prominently in my latest book, Legacy. The hero, Ruy, is a conventional doctor who heads up a cancer-treatment clinic. He is also part-gypsy, and through learning the ways of his people he has come to know a lot about herbal medicine, which he blends into his
Those of you who have read two or more (or even all) of my novels may have noticed a common theme in relation to the heroines: each is immersed in a new culture. In Burning Embers, Coral is returning to Kenya, where she lived in her early childhood, to take
‘Choose an author as you would a friend.’ So wrote English poet Wentworth Dillon, 4th Earl of Roscommon (circa 1633–1685), in his ‘Essay on Translated Verse’: Examine how your Humour is inclin’d, And which the Ruling Passion of your Mind; Then, seek a Poet who your way does bend, and choose
I’m delighted to share today a review of Legacy published by The Lady magazine: Legacy is filled to the brim with family scandal, frustrated love and hidden secrets. Ruy is the ideal love interest, exuding both charm and intelligence, and Luna fits the part of innocent and fragile heroine perfectly.
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