tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59429506079433005292024-03-14T03:01:12.570-07:00Mary Middleton Writes of LoveSnippets of love from Romance writer, Mary MiddletonMary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-29391986999857026712013-05-29T04:13:00.001-07:002013-05-29T04:13:19.552-07:00The Sunshine Award<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; line-height: 16.5pt; margin-bottom: 16.5pt;">
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span style="color: #120d0d;">The Sunshine Award</span></b><span style="color: #120d0d;"> is a lovely sunny flower that
bloggers give to other “bloggers who positively and creatively inspire others
in the blogosphere”.</span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was tagged for this lovely award by <a href="http://ruchivasu.blogspot.in/2013/05/the-sunshine-award.html?m=1" target="_blank">Ruchi Vasudeva</a>, a dear
friend and a fabulous author. Thank you Ruchi for thinking of me. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #120d0d;">Now, for those tagged onward in this post, the rules of
the</span><span style="color: #120d0d;"> ‘The Sunshine Award’ are as follows. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #120d0d;">They are
really </span><span style="color: #120d0d;">simple:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #120d0d;">(1) Thank the person who gave you the award
in your blog post.</span></i><span style="color: #120d0d;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #120d0d;">(2) Do the Q&A below.</span></i><span style="color: #120d0d;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="color: #120d0d;">(3) Pass on the award to 10 – 12 deserving
and inspiring bloggers, inform them and link to their blogs.</span></i><span style="color: #120d0d;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #120d0d;">Rule 1. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #120d0d;">Thank you Ruchi, I have taken my time getting to this but I have been very busy with my wip and haven't been on Facebook for ages!</span><span style="color: #120d0d;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Rule 2. Q&A</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Favourite Colour:</b> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Blue, any shade of blue really, although the colour of the sky on a bright summer's day has to be the best.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Favourite Animal:</b><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">I love them all, horses, dogs, goats, fish, rabbits, birds, elephants...if I had to pick just one it would probably be erm ...dogs.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BJToNsRfUppcPE1glglwk4cIopDh2UkJntMlcRZWh5FhbzQBag7dQxLTbA5hWHpnq_FLuBPoY6Y8J_iFGM67WTWsktOUt60i1EDLTZMmYo2OwMI1r9yveTXW3uthWI7X7o4be-K7jkVr/s1600/wolfhounds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_BJToNsRfUppcPE1glglwk4cIopDh2UkJntMlcRZWh5FhbzQBag7dQxLTbA5hWHpnq_FLuBPoY6Y8J_iFGM67WTWsktOUt60i1EDLTZMmYo2OwMI1r9yveTXW3uthWI7X7o4be-K7jkVr/s1600/wolfhounds.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Favourite Number:</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #120d0d;">7. I have no idea why, it is just the first number that comes to mind when I am asked that question.</span></span></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Favourite Non-alcoholic Drink:</span></b><br />
<span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Coffee - or rocket fuel as my OH calls it :)</span><span lang="EN-US" style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;"></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #120d0d;"></span></span></span><b style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Facebook or Twitter:</span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">I use both but face book is more for chatting and making friends, twitter is good for getting the word out.</span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Your Passion:</b><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #120d0d;">Writing, my husband, and my family. Oh, and the seaside. I love to stand on a windy clifftop and feel at one with nature. That sounds really cliched doesn't it? but it's true. The sea is a recurring setting in my novels, <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-West-Wind-Blows-ebook/dp/B008UB0BRS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369824890&sr=8-1&keywords=where+the+west+wind+blows" target="_blank">Where the West Wind Blows</a> is set on the Welsh coast, not far from where I live.</span></span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: #cfe2f3; font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;">Giving or Getting Presents:</span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Giving! I always feel a bit awkward and embarrassed opening them, so giving is more successful for me and the buzz just before they tear off the wrapping is brilliant.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><b><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;">Favourite Day:</span></span></b>
Friday. My day off, I spend it with my husband, not doing much just being 'us.'</div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #674ea7;"><b>Favourite Flower:</b> </span><span lang="EN-US" style="color: #120d0d;"></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I love all flowers, my favourite is usually the one I am looking at. I suppose daffodils are the most thrilling of all because they appear like sunshine during our darkest days.the first one of the year always gives me a little tingle.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">So this is about me and now longing to hear from the people I am passing this award to, who are:</span></div>
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<a href="http://kaminadra.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Karen Aminadra</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.juditharnopp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Judith Arnopp</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://gingermyrick.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Ginger Myrick</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://francinehowarth.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Francine Howarth</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://authordebrabrown.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Debbie Brown</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://avisexley.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Avis Exley</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://janruth.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Jan Ruth</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.thesallyscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=f5f3526e6d816681" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Sally Max </span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">Anna Valentine</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;">F. B. Clements</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #cfe2f3; color: #120d0d; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://authorangelawhite.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Angela White</a></span></div>
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Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-51530597336805079002013-04-18T04:19:00.000-07:002013-04-04T04:22:15.280-07:00Come, Dance With Me<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Thank you to <a href="http://tgunwriter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/on-line-book-fair-for-contemporary.html#comment-form" target="_blank">Francine Howarth</a> for hosting this <a href="http://tgunwriter.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/on-line-book-fair-for-contemporary.html#comment-form" target="_blank">Online Book Fair</a> and providing authors with a chance to meet their readers. Today I shall be introducing you to my novel, Come, Dance With Me, a contemporary romance inspired by the TV shows, Strictly Come Dancing or in the USA, Dancing with the Stars. So kick off your shoes and get dancing!</div>
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<i><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Come, Dance With Me</span></span></i></h1>
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<span style="color: red;">Mary Middleton</span></h2>
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When television chat show host,
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Andrei Kovalevsky has won almost every ballroom dancing
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With just eight weeks to do it,
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But secrets, lies and an
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Mary Middleton’s latest novel, <b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Come, Dance With Me</span></i></b><span style="color: red; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">,</span> will waltz
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<span style="color: red;"><i><span style="font-size: large;"><b> Come, Dance With Me</b></span></i></span></div>
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<h1 style="text-align: center; text-indent: 1cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Monotype Corsiva"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-weight: normal;"></span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Chapter One</span>
</h1>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Guess what’s happened!’ </span>A candy-striped straw fell from Lisa’s
lips as Sasha slipped into the seat opposite. She pushed away the dregs of her
milkshake and met her friend’s dancing eyes and pretended to hazard a guess.
</div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent3" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Erm…?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">As usual Sasha was brimming
with secrets but she extended the moment by summoning a waitress and ordering a
large mug of hot chocolate. Then she dug in her bag, took out her phone and
began to text, biting her lower lip as her thumb flew across the buttons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Lisa slumped back in her
seat, watching from the corner of her eye as Sasha unwound a multi-coloured
scarf from about her lower face. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It was cold outside, the
coldest December for thirty years and the tip of Sasha’s emerging nose was
attractively pink, unlike Lisa’s which was an interesting shade of puce and
beginning to peel after a heavy cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Pulling the scarf free of
her neck, Sasha gave Lisa the benefit of her infectious three-cornered grin and
leaned forward confidingly over the table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘My boss, Mike, is in
hospital.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Lisa raised her eyebrows.
‘And that’s good news is it? Well, whatever happened to Christmas spirit?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘No, no. Of course, I’m
really sorry Mike is sick but … you must see what this means.’ </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha flicked back her hair
and pinioned Lisa with her dancing eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Beneath the table Lisa squeezed the roll of fat at the top of her
waistband, already regretting the extra mince pie and cream she’d indulged in.<span style="color: #ff6600;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘No, I’m sorry, Sash, I don’t
get it. I don’t see how Mike being ill can, in any way, be good news. It’s only
five days until Christmas, doesn’t he have a wife and kids?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could ruin their holiday. What’s up with
him, anyway?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha waved a hand,
dismissing the question. ‘I’m not sure, it’s his appendix, I think; but that’s
not really the point.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She sat back and
smiled a thank you as the waitress set before her a large steaming mug of hot
chocolate, complete with whipped cream, marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">As always, she bit the
chocolate flake in two and handed Lisa the remaining half before picking up a
spoon and beginning to eat whipped cream from the top.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘It means that they have
asked <i>me </i>to do all his interviews for the duration of his illness.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Lisa narrowed her eyes,
beginning to understand what all the excitement was about. </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha was a rookie chat show
host; a sort of runaround-come-dog’s-body for Mike Bywater, the biggest cheese
to ever hit the small screen. </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Delighted at last to have
Lisa’s full attention, Sasha gave a short burst of triumph, stifling a squeal
as Lisa’s mouth fell open and her eyes widened.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘But, isn’t he supposed to
be meeting Andrei Kovalevsky for the Christmas Eve show? Surely they are not
letting you to interview him. I mean …oh, my God …they are …’</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha dropped her spoon and
the girls clasped hands over the table, squeezing tight, Sasha’s face
stretching into a comical grimace. </span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">She was fit to burst with
excitement. ‘I know, I can’t believe this is happening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Andrei Kovalevsky, the most beautiful man on
the planet and <i>me</i>, Sasha Johnson. It’s like a dream.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Lisa picked up the spoon and
began to demolish Sasha’s cream before it disintegrated into the hot chocolate.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Hey, do you want to borrow
my Valentino, the red one? It is a size twelve and way too tight for me. Even
when I could fit into it, it just emphasised my fat bits but on you it will be
stunning.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha put her head on one
side, her strawberry blonde hair trickling like water over one shoulder.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘You don’t think dressing up
too much will make it look like I’m after him or anything?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Well, you are, aren’t you,
if you’re really honest?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha’s face darkened to a
colour not too far removed from the dress in question.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Of course not. You know I’m
not like that. I’m waiting for the right man.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Sash, get real; when it
comes to Andrei Kovalevsky every woman is ‘like that.’ Flippin’ ‘eck, go for
it, girl, what better man to lose your virginity to? You’ve held on to it far
too long in my opinion. Even a one-night stand with him would be enough for me
…I‘d be over the moon with a quick snog under the mistletoe.’</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha gave a wistful,
uncertain laugh.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘As if he would ever look at
someone like me.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Lisa’s eyes swept across her
friend’s flawless skin, wide blue eyes and what she could see of her perfectly
proportioned figure. Sometimes it was hard to believe that Sasha really had no
idea of how good looking she was or the effect that she had on almost every man
she met.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While Lisa relied on four-inch
heels and half an inch of foundation to get her through the most ordinary day,
Sasha dared to leave the house with no makeup at all. And when they kicked off
their high heels at a dance Sasha still managed to look elegant while Lisa was
so short, she didn’t look old enough to be out. Sometimes Lisa wondered why she
didn’t find herself a shorter, fatter, plainer friend.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha and Lisa had known each other for ever
but it was a wonder their friendship had lasted, for their working lives were
worlds apart. Shortly after graduating from university, Lisa had secured a dull
secretarial post at the social services while Sasha had landed her dream job in
television. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha had worked hard,
leaving little time for a private life or romance. In the early days she had
been employed as a runner, making tea, taking messages. Later she had been
raised to the post of researcher, slowly edging her way up the ladder until she
was finally allowed into the inner sanctum of Mike Bywater, the smooth-talking,
self-obsessed chat show host that prime time audiences loved to hate. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The producers were always
promising her a shot at hosting the show but, until now, her job had been
restricted to digging for information, compiling a list of questions deep
enough to penetrate the surface, but not intrusive enough to offend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The gently probing interviews convinced the
celebrities that, when they were with Mike, they were with a friend, a
confidant. It was her hard work that had put Mike where he was, at the top.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha knew she could go far
if she were just given a chance. She had begun to think she would never rise
any higher, never get her face fully into the limelight and she thanked God for
the burst appendix that had laid the mighty Mike Bywater low, and just might
finally prove to be her lucky break. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">To read more about Sasha and her romance with Andrei click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Come-Dance-With-Me-ebook/dp/B007BM1DN8/ref=la_B00288690M_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1365073204&sr=1-3" target="_blank">here </a>in the USA </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRY7zfFL_8qkzcaJUAeMhFKXZSabzhPbvoNPXUu_Phaxr3Y73tpPnb6KcMxNkeI3p24kLcoQQ4vMzJ7rAnetOlZ37Ym4BN4Hze0PHYrEUqiw1iS4r-F2ZcMhKgBGGttd8bD6gIuOoWU3C/s1600/FAR_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="57" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRY7zfFL_8qkzcaJUAeMhFKXZSabzhPbvoNPXUu_Phaxr3Y73tpPnb6KcMxNkeI3p24kLcoQQ4vMzJ7rAnetOlZ37Ym4BN4Hze0PHYrEUqiw1iS4r-F2ZcMhKgBGGttd8bD6gIuOoWU3C/s200/FAR_logo.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Also available in <span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">Paperback</span></span> from the publisher click <a href="http://www.feedaread.com/books/Come-Dance-With-Me-9781781764695.aspx" target="_blank">here</a> to purchase</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: red;"><i>Mary Middleton's</i></span></b> other books include:</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6A52YcALRISFiQO_nekIWi-R4QjseGGnzcuAtzUodQ3ql1MRAFVvEUXCMT8-UN66pdpOuxvuCrFqBYYG_1gnTDMNGQk6jwB9qZMrtSTzHqgVdasrhar1bC9Glg1_tqQSmxVZUYcB66EJ2/s1600/coverfor+onenightonly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6A52YcALRISFiQO_nekIWi-R4QjseGGnzcuAtzUodQ3ql1MRAFVvEUXCMT8-UN66pdpOuxvuCrFqBYYG_1gnTDMNGQk6jwB9qZMrtSTzHqgVdasrhar1bC9Glg1_tqQSmxVZUYcB66EJ2/s200/coverfor+onenightonly.JPG" width="137" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">For One Night Only click <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/For-One-Night-Only-ebook/dp/B005IQZYWA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365072762&sr=8-1&keywords=mary+middleton" target="_blank">here</a> to purchase Kindle copies in the UK</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/For-One-Night-Only-ebook/dp/B005IQZYWA/ref=la_B00288690M_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1365072929&sr=1-5" target="_blank">here</a> in the USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Vittorio's Virgin click<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365072833&sr=8-1&keywords=mary+middleton" target="_blank"> here</a> to purchase Kindle copies in the USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1" target="_blank">Here</a> in the UK</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4uhNixp9XxM3em3eA39JDakMpJ90hPHGMzeUFhAH8zzaZ_V3DQWsAMXm77ro0lGfO25wRwwu-nDYRtar6Zxhe5Qro4V45qWRk0LnXScLzfFVjwR3N0WbRShjVOJ4F7w4QxJUEWcCLdMY/s1600/tgtsdfeedareadcover2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4uhNixp9XxM3em3eA39JDakMpJ90hPHGMzeUFhAH8zzaZ_V3DQWsAMXm77ro0lGfO25wRwwu-nDYRtar6Zxhe5Qro4V45qWRk0LnXScLzfFVjwR3N0WbRShjVOJ4F7w4QxJUEWcCLdMY/s200/tgtsdfeedareadcover2.JPG" width="134" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Click <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=pd_sim_kinc_1" target="_blank">here</a> to purchase kindle copies in the UK </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Greek-Tycoons-Secret-Daughter-ebook/dp/B005S1SMR4/ref=la_B00288690M_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365073046&sr=1-1" target="_blank">here</a> in the USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Where the West Wind Blows </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Click<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Where-West-Wind-Blows-ebook/dp/B008UB0BRS/ref=la_B00288690M_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1365073103&sr=1-5" target="_blank"> here </a>to purchase kindle copies in the UK</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Where-West-Wind-Blows-ebook/dp/B008UB0BRS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1365073145&sr=1-1&keywords=where+the+west+wind+blows" target="_blank">Here</a> in the USA</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">All books available in paperback <a href="http://www.feedaread.com/books/Come-Dance-With-Me-9781781764695.aspx" target="_blank">here</a> direct from the publisher or for signed copies from the author email marymiddleton1@hotmail.com</span></div>
<br />Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-24821927831261983032013-03-07T02:06:00.000-08:002013-03-07T02:07:42.042-08:00The Leibster Blog Award Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjnxlpFTjSn64LxwmRFA1f5DUUse23qIymqM-iexFGRQRjiHKrL-qGeNgpcR0twtItq5x2bUO3eM3ZA_gz5KugsurH1y3Zditerj_d9GJdj9C8hzr_dK40T9d51IeKR5GvhQ7LWiZ3Fhp/s1600/liebster-blog-award1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjnxlpFTjSn64LxwmRFA1f5DUUse23qIymqM-iexFGRQRjiHKrL-qGeNgpcR0twtItq5x2bUO3eM3ZA_gz5KugsurH1y3Zditerj_d9GJdj9C8hzr_dK40T9d51IeKR5GvhQ7LWiZ3Fhp/s400/liebster-blog-award1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I've been nominated for the Leibster Blog Award Challenge by <a href="http://kaminadra.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-liebster-blog-award.html?spref=fb" target="_blank">Karen Aminadra</a>, author of Charlotte and Relative Deceit. The purpose of the challenge is to help bloggers increase their followers. I have to tell you eleven little known things about myself, answer eleven set questions and nominate eleven other bloggers to take the challenge after me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85PnYIIEQ1TMgQLLRCKU6KggtNAH_drH9otrdBFPywoH9CR9MQT8CUkKdajvJC7mPMFVUcdsq4Du_aHexPTYQtd6hm_ffm57jUdJ82dici0_X0V8Vlc9mGlw604qisgEyzzKb0v0_oqbQ/s1600/danelion+clock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85PnYIIEQ1TMgQLLRCKU6KggtNAH_drH9otrdBFPywoH9CR9MQT8CUkKdajvJC7mPMFVUcdsq4Du_aHexPTYQtd6hm_ffm57jUdJ82dici0_X0V8Vlc9mGlw604qisgEyzzKb0v0_oqbQ/s320/danelion+clock2.jpg" width="320" /></a>
If you are nominated below, post on your own
blog linking back here, with 11 random facts about yourself, answer my 11
questions and nominate 11 new bloggers (and think of 11 questions to ask
them - can be anything!).</div>
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Here I go, fingers crossed I can think of eleven 'interesting' things about me - lol. </div>
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1. I don't write for months on end while a story is incubating in my head, then I splash it all on paper in under a month. The editing is by far the longest part of the process.</div>
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2. I still have all my dolls and teddies from when I was little :P</div>
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3. I sing all the time, it drives my family mad. If I am not singing then I am seriously unhappy ...or have a sore throat.</div>
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4. If I have to kill off one of my characters or if they are going through a trauma I cry real tears as I write the fatal lines.</div>
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5. I HATE cameras, that is why there are hardly any pictures of me.</div>
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6. As far as I know, I am not related to Kate Middleton.</div>
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7. I prefer dogs to cats, I like the way they can't live without me. Cats just tolerate me.</div>
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8. Pink is my favourite colour but I never wear it as it clashes with my eyes :)</div>
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9. I am fussy when it comes to friends and don't have many (not including Facebook friends) but once I have claimed you as such, it is for life.</div>
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10. My first crush was when I was about seven and the object of my passion was Davy Jones from The Monkees.</div>
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11. I am not very interesting :)</div>
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<b><u>The Questions set for me by Karen Aminadra</u></b></div>
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1 - Do you speak another language? (Other than English?)</b></div>
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No. I am useless at languages. I didn't even pass C.S.E French exam :(</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvhR3ZFXpHgaHaP4iUDklGkxRSsKN-_vu0Tkj_-HypaCN1YW1c_lRbb43ryTWS9fyYqqdIhtzTuAwVZ1gw5GZsPWc1xn_GnMzysXGOYJNyM5Wr4fQldEWQ9IFTx6cnvqUSwgrEMduaox_/s1600/Caravan+near+Norton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsvhR3ZFXpHgaHaP4iUDklGkxRSsKN-_vu0Tkj_-HypaCN1YW1c_lRbb43ryTWS9fyYqqdIhtzTuAwVZ1gw5GZsPWc1xn_GnMzysXGOYJNyM5Wr4fQldEWQ9IFTx6cnvqUSwgrEMduaox_/s320/Caravan+near+Norton.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<b>2 - Is there a place in the world that you've always wanted to visit? Where/what is it? </b></div>
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I'd quite like a leisurely trek around Europe in a gypsy caravan with a lovely man to take care of the horses and cook my dinner over an open fire beneath a starry sky. </div>
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<b>3 - If you could go back in time, when would you go to and why?</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFya3V26KhvEnwtAMVmVmri2b4-4IeO9gfLkkB86Dc4nQTs7nbMNjPnUCY6TYK0tDyah3wd7dnAohlk_V04uwZdDvCwe_0NU240uqs-t56CkZS_WmIKYIhKehBEbXTyjdfy5WjZZOCX1Q6/s1600/Picnic1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFya3V26KhvEnwtAMVmVmri2b4-4IeO9gfLkkB86Dc4nQTs7nbMNjPnUCY6TYK0tDyah3wd7dnAohlk_V04uwZdDvCwe_0NU240uqs-t56CkZS_WmIKYIhKehBEbXTyjdfy5WjZZOCX1Q6/s320/Picnic1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Somewhere not too uncomfortable. I couldn't bear it if I couldn't have a bath. Maybe I'd be Scarlett O'Hara before the civil war broke out, pretty and pampered and courted by those lovely Tarleton Twins.<br />
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<b>4 - If you could go back in time within your own lifetime, what would you do? Would you change anything?</b></div>
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I'd work harder at my French lessons. Learn to be more self assertive but I don't think I'd change much - I like my life as it is now and if I changed something in the past then I might alter the hear and now.<br />
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<b>5 - Which of the characters that you've written is your favourite and why?</b></div>
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Oh, I love them all, apart from Vittorio in <i><b>Vittorio's Virgin </b></i>who is a bit of a baby. Johnathan Barberis Jones in <i><b>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter</b></i> is dead sexy and once he has sorted his head out, rather nice. And Jezz McAlister in <b><i>Where the West Wind Blow</i></b>s is wild and sexy and underneath his bluster, very vulnerable. He has to be my ultimate favourite, although that may change very soon - when I begin to write the next one. Funny how I just assumed you wanted to know about the male characters -lol.<br />
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<b>6 - Is there someone whom you'd love to put into one of your novels and kill off? (I won't ask who, but can you tell us why?)</b></div>
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I can think of a leading politician or two who could do with a good lesson.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ9xoumW5mPvDFQQM43m-mJpQLGKw66WcZf4B-H2iXoRMNnZWvZafCYn9CVg3QXV-YljW0VwkSnw54R9jAC7q09LHvbylbThrmBLlr9-bIwkFPWjo5223g6dujtv4ib3pwsCD7L4v-bVU/s1600/THE+BARKKEYS+OF+BROADWAY+-+fred+and+ginger+say+farewell+to+a+great+teaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaZ9xoumW5mPvDFQQM43m-mJpQLGKw66WcZf4B-H2iXoRMNnZWvZafCYn9CVg3QXV-YljW0VwkSnw54R9jAC7q09LHvbylbThrmBLlr9-bIwkFPWjo5223g6dujtv4ib3pwsCD7L4v-bVU/s320/THE+BARKKEYS+OF+BROADWAY+-+fred+and+ginger+say+farewell+to+a+great+teaming.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<b>7 - Are you nostalgic? What or when for?</b></div>
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I love those old Fred and Ginger movies and, although I doubt there was ever a time when people burst into song and dance at the drop of a hat, it would be lovely to think so. Not that I can dance but I can dream. It was my dream of being able to dance that prompted me to write Come, Dance With Me. It is so romantic to express your affection with movement.<br />
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<b>8 - What was your favourite band/group/singer when you were growing up?</b></div>
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Donny Osmond! I loved him so much until I was about sixteen I had him plastered all over my bedroom walls. Looking back, I can't think what I saw in him, although he is quite dishy now he has grown up.<br />
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<b>9 - Who was your first kiss with?</b></div>
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Lots of imaginary ones with Donny but my first real one would have been during a game of kiss chase with the boys at school.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF4kz8qC89JKQO3yADhiRv_rTh8oBAm1kueBbNtp8VgF2Vu4hhYHDzZJY_yBvzGVVQypHx8dQ_tNKc3oq5_gTzRuKRhVVsjs1-7g8xCWpp9N9M4xqzhWh5zQDFU-OEte2OtgxBukVKHAy/s1600/final+cover+wtwwb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF4kz8qC89JKQO3yADhiRv_rTh8oBAm1kueBbNtp8VgF2Vu4hhYHDzZJY_yBvzGVVQypHx8dQ_tNKc3oq5_gTzRuKRhVVsjs1-7g8xCWpp9N9M4xqzhWh5zQDFU-OEte2OtgxBukVKHAy/s320/final+cover+wtwwb.JPG" width="197" /></a></div>
<b>10 - Have you ever thought about writing in a different genre? Which genre and why?</b></div>
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My latest novella<i><b> Where the West Wind Blows </b></i>is different to my others, that is why I branded it differently. It doesn't have the Mary Middleton Pink and Black. It is still contemporary and still a romance but it is darker and bleaker at the beginning and their trials are much more devastating than I usually subject my characters too.<br />
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<b>11 - What is the one thing in the world that you cannot live without? </b></div>
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The internet. It has changed my life totally. Without the internet, I'd not be able to work. I wouldn't be able to contact all my lovely on-line friends or interact with my readers. I wouldn't be able to write. Stop it! What a horrid thought!</div>
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<u><b>Now, here are eleven questions for my nominees to answer.</b></u></div>
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1. What sort of books do you like to read?</div>
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2. If you were stuck on a desert island who would you like as your Man Friday?</div>
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3. When the coffee runs out, what do you like to drink?</div>
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4. Are you a cat or a dog person?</div>
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5. How different is your present partner to your first love?</div>
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6. Do you prefer sad or happy endings?</div>
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7. What did you do all day before the internet was invented?</div>
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8. Have you ever read a book or seen a film that has heavily influenced your life?</div>
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9. What is your ideal holiday destination?</div>
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10. Do you like wild, over grown gardens or gardens where the flowers are planted in regimented rows?<br />
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11. Do you prefer blogs that offer, factual articles, personal information or details of new book releases or giveaways?</div>
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For the Leibster Blog Award Challenge I nominate:</div>
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F.B. Clements, <a href="http://www.thesallyscribbles.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=2127a59eafebbb1" target="_blank">Sally Max</a>, <a href="http://ruchivasu.blogspot.in/?m=1" target="_blank">Ruchita Summer Vasudeva</a>, <a href="http://annieseaton.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Annie Seaton</a><br />
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I still require7 more bloggers, if you would like to join in please let me know on my facebook page</div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><br /></span></div>
Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-59984863970744302792013-02-14T00:30:00.000-08:002013-02-14T00:30:05.126-08:00A Valentine's Gift for You - final day - FREE on KINDLE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-3broDyNgsEtWTzSxuTIZ_R_ync7UCdRpezKiIew2Z6th6vkYJVfH8PvMYKG4yVvVQaMaCMhTrC5pXfd_sX-rBpjYlb9ojTi_iMbkAjeoAR1ci6XkccTOeyPazmiDaSlvQQVCkC1MH96/s1600/redrose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-3broDyNgsEtWTzSxuTIZ_R_ync7UCdRpezKiIew2Z6th6vkYJVfH8PvMYKG4yVvVQaMaCMhTrC5pXfd_sX-rBpjYlb9ojTi_iMbkAjeoAR1ci6XkccTOeyPazmiDaSlvQQVCkC1MH96/s320/redrose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
So here it is at last, <span style="color: red;">Valentine's Day</span>. A day for sharing with the man or woman of your dreams. But sometimes that isn't possible and if you can't have romance on our favourite day of the year, at least you can read about it.</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><i><b>Come, Dance With Me</b></i></span> is FREE today for your kindles and if you don't have a Kindle, it is not too late to leave a comment at the bottom of the page for a chance to win a signed paperback copy.</div>
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Here is the last excerpt of <i><b><span style="color: red;">Come, Dance With Me</span></b></i> ...enjoy and if you want to read more, you know what to do.</div>
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In this excerpt Sasha and Andrei are enjoying a meal with friends. </div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sasha, in seventh heaven to
be at the table with the two men she loved most in the world, was aware of
Andrei’s leg beneath the table. Each time he moved, his knee brushed hers,
making her quiver. It was extraordinary how, even though she spent the larger
part of each day in his arms, she was still not yet accustomed to his touch.
She didn’t think she ever would be, even if she spent a lifetime dancing with
him. It was as if his every contact marked her, imprinted on her soul, as if he
was slowly taking possession, making her his – piece by piece. One day, she
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something her brother had said, using his hands to punctuate his sentence. At
that moment, in the circle of the candlelight, Sasha admitted to herself for
the first time, that she was deeply in love with him. Seeing him there, in the
company of her brother, surrounded by the soft music, the gentle laughter of
friends, the whole affair between them seemed inevitable. There was nothing she
could do to stop it. It would happen. She wanted him; he wanted her. She
wondered why she had fought against it for so long.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">‘So, Andrei, what are the
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">‘If your sister works as
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">‘Surely not,
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Vanessa? She is so much younger, so much more …sprightly.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">‘You make it sound as if you
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">He shrugged, suddenly seeming
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Blood rushed up to taint Andrei’s face and,
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Sasha, meanwhile, with her ears burning and
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herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he stroked his chin with
his long fingers, her own fingertips tingled, when he lifted his glass it was
as if she became the rim, when he dabbed his lips with a napkin it were as if
she were made of damask.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Everyone noticed that she was
uncharacteristically quiet but they were too well-mannered to mention
it <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>that
the thing that had been growing between them, threatening to swamp them both,
was now inevitable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even Sasha knew that
now. Although she listened to the conversation, laughed gently in the right
places, spooned up her dessert without tasting it she knew, without a shadow of
doubt that by the end of the night her life would be changed forever. Whether
the affair between them was short lived, or lasted for the rest of their lives,
it had to happen.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent3" style="text-indent: 1cm;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Leave a comment now to be included in a draw to win a signed paperback copy or get on over to Amazon for a FREE kindle copy<b> </b>of<b> <span style="color: red;"><i>Come, Dance With Me</i></span></b>. Available today only.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFpfU_TT9koALVcA_7l5DQTIwkbqY0njO9msVdwy7S2sf6pXPaJE5doNc8ZOG0KnFRgva2Nmz9uRODgqKLiZ-kiIitmQfM6O7C28_kTfIuA1A3IKQBMLrzHwkyu85u5HSWu7k7u_VtxXQ/s1600/comedancewithme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFpfU_TT9koALVcA_7l5DQTIwkbqY0njO9msVdwy7S2sf6pXPaJE5doNc8ZOG0KnFRgva2Nmz9uRODgqKLiZ-kiIitmQfM6O7C28_kTfIuA1A3IKQBMLrzHwkyu85u5HSWu7k7u_VtxXQ/s320/comedancewithme.JPG" width="231" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">All my books are available either as Kindle books from Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Dance-With-Me-ebook/dp/B007BM1DN8/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_4" target="_blank">Click here if you are in the UK </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Come-Dance-With-Me-ebook/dp/B007BM1DN8/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359732872&sr=1-2&keywords=come+dance+with+me" target="_blank">And here if you are in the US</a></span></div>
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Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-73672181279583900292013-02-13T00:57:00.000-08:002013-02-13T04:30:33.498-08:00A Valentine's Day Gift for You - Day three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is day three of the giveaway. Tomorrow <i><b>Come, Dance With Me</b></i> will be <b>FREE</b> for your Kindle, <b>PLUS</b> the person who leaves the best comment on my blog will receive a free signed paperback copy. Excerpt number three is below. Andrei and Sasha are alone in his apartment ...<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">A short pause in the music,
and then a new track began, a strain of The Blue Danube spreading about the
room. Sasha stilled and put down her glass. ‘I love this,’ she whispered, ‘it
reminds me of my dad.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘I love it too.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">And then Andrei was on his
feet beside her, holding out his hand. ‘Come,’ he begged, ‘dance with me.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Sasha’s mouth fell open.
Andrei Kovalevsky was asking her to dance …<i>and she had two left feet</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">She turned very warm and her
cheeks flamed as she looked down, twisting her fingers in her lap. She shook
her head. ‘I- I can’t dance.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Sure you can. Anyone can
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<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent3" style="text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The tingle when he touched her fingers
travelled up her arm, into her body making her breasts quiver. She felt as if
she was in a sort of dream as she was pulled, against her will, to her feet.
She stumbled from her seat and followed him to an expanse of polished wooden
floor beside a grand piano.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">It was a waltz. He eased her
toward him, positioned her body firmly against his, then he slipped an arm
about her waist, took her hand in his. Sasha had spent her teenage years
dreaming of this moment. Her eyes were level with his neck. Instead of making a
fool of herself dancing, she longed instead to press her lips against his skin
and taste his sweetness. For all she knew, she was probably no good at sex
either but at least in bed she could lay passively beneath him while he
exercised his famous sexual prowess upon her. On the dance floor there was
nothing she could do to disguise her incompetence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">But he was swaying, moving
her in the steps of a dance she did not know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Feel the music,’ he
whispered, his lips brushing her ear. ‘Feel it in your heart, flowing in your
blood and once you grasp it, relax and let yourself go with it.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">She had to trust him but it
was hard to concentrate when she was in his arms, the hardness of his body
tight against hers, forcing her to move in ways she had never moved
before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The Blue Danube played on
and after a while, as her mind filled with his music, she began to enjoy it.
She felt the melody was being played on her heartstrings, the beat pulsing with
the blood in her veins. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Andrei’s palm was firm
beneath her fingers, the muscles of his back undulating beneath her other hand.
She wanted to run her fingers over him, slide them inside his shirt, tear open
the buttons and stroke the smoothness of his skin and welcome whatever it was
that came next. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">They danced for a long time.
When her steps faltered, he caught her close to prevent her from stumbling and,
thereafter, held her more securely, until they were pressed so close that she
was sure he would feel the erratic beating of her heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was drunk but, on some subconscious
level, she knew that it wasn’t just the champagne making her want to weep and
cling on to this moment for the rest of her life. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Her head was so dizzy that she was unaware when
they stopped dancing for the room continued to spin. She felt so light it was
as if they floated a little way above the floor. She blinked up at him and when
he reached beneath her hair and cradled her skull firmly in his big, steady
hands, she relaxed fully, closing her eyes and waiting for his lips.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Oooh, you naughty girl<i><b> </b></i>Sasha! For another romantic interlude with Sasha and Andrei don't forget to visit and leave your comment for a chance to win a FREE signed paperback of<b><i> Come, Dance With Me. </i></b></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4uhNixp9XxM3em3eA39JDakMpJ90hPHGMzeUFhAH8zzaZ_V3DQWsAMXm77ro0lGfO25wRwwu-nDYRtar6Zxhe5Qro4V45qWRk0LnXScLzfFVjwR3N0WbRShjVOJ4F7w4QxJUEWcCLdMY/s1600/tgtsdfeedareadcover2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB4uhNixp9XxM3em3eA39JDakMpJ90hPHGMzeUFhAH8zzaZ_V3DQWsAMXm77ro0lGfO25wRwwu-nDYRtar6Zxhe5Qro4V45qWRk0LnXScLzfFVjwR3N0WbRShjVOJ4F7w4QxJUEWcCLdMY/s200/tgtsdfeedareadcover2.JPG" width="134" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">My romance books are all available on Kindle. Titles include <b><i>Vittorio's Virgin, The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter, Where the West Wind Blows</i></b>, and <b><i>For One Night Only</i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b><i>If you are in the UK <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359731454&sr=1-1" target="_blank">click here </a></i></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><b><i>If you are in the US <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359731522&sr=8-1&keywords=vittorio%27s+virgin" target="_blank">click here</a> </i></b></span>Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-82346025667306820742013-02-12T01:00:00.000-08:002013-02-12T01:00:03.270-08:00A Valentine's Day Gift for you - Day two<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="color: red;"><i>Come, Dance With Me</i></span> - the protagonists meet for the first time when Sasha interviews Andrei for her television show.</span></h2>
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<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">The studio lights came on.
He stalked across the stage and sprawled in the empty chair, tossing the camera
a smile destined to send all the women in England swooning to their knees. One
flash of his perfect teeth, the glint of his dark, sexy eyes and the applause
of the live audience grew to deafening proportions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crossing his long, lean, leather-clad legs,
he swivelled in his chair to greet the presenter. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">He blinked. The blinding
studio lights made a halo around her hair and, as her face came slowly into
full focus, Andrei forgot his determination to be disobliging. She was smiling,
her pink lips stretched wide, her thick lashed eyes set wide apart, skin glowing,
hair writhing in vibrant snakes about the prettiest face he had ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her eyes met his and it was as if a hot
knife had been thrust into his chest, where his heart used to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">He swallowed, leaned into
her welcome and she took his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her
palms were warm, slightly moist but pleasantly so. She continued speaking, her
lips moving; he glimpsed the pink tip of her tongue and his attention lingered
on her mouth, waiting to see it again, wondering how soft her lips were, how
they would taste. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">At first, he heard only the
music of her voice, the sense of her speech falling on his ears in a confused
jumble. He answered wildly, hoping that somehow his instincts would take over
and see him through. As her voice continued, his eyes left her wonderful face
to trickle down her luxuriant neck, resting for a moment on her full, red clad
breasts before travelling to her slim waist, and journeying along her lengthy,
slender legs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘When did you first learn to
dance, Mr Kovalevsky?’ </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">He jerked his head, fumbling
for his senses, blinking into lights that were no more dazzling than his
hostess.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He moistened his lips, cleared
his throat, wrenching his attention back to the matter in hand. Andrei tugged
at his tie, pulling himself together but his voice when it came was hoarse as
if he needed a drink.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Oh, I was a boy. M-my
mother is a great lover of the dance and she showed me …just the rudimentary
steps. Later, I took lessons and …it all took off from there really.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Then the world owes your
mother a lot, Mr Kovalevsky. We all loved you in last season’s Celebrity Dance.
I’ve followed your career for a long time and I for one was gutted when you
only came second. Tell me, just how important is it for you to win? How
determined <i>are</i> you to lift that Celebrity Dance trophy?’</span></div>
<div class="MsoBodyTextIndent2" style="mso-layout-grid-align: auto; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; punctuation-wrap: hanging; text-autospace: ideograph-numeric ideograph-other; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt; mso-font-kerning: 0pt;">She was warming to the interview now. He raised his
head and looked into her bright eyes. It was like staring at the sun;
uncomfortable, dangerous but somehow compelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He blinked and swallowed, a muscle in his jaw
tensing as he ran a hand through his hair, sending a ripple of delight through
the largely female audience.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">‘Oh, you can rest assured,
Miss Johnson, I don’t care how long it takes but I will not rest until I have
won it.’</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<br /></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">Tune in tomorrow for excerpt number two. Don't forget to leave a comment on any of these Valentine posts for a chance to win a signed paperback of <span style="color: red;"><i>Come, Dance With Me</i></span>.</span></h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z00HZBSputbet7brtvrV3CL4Td0-7RS848szBDK3x0MDx3zru_-aqSRb8oBxh49CL2MvON5NLCFkdlC1SIc2wCt_Xikd5-TCFugJVvzprMzG7Pm6-pMWuSc8cCWZoxisS922DqzkJWeJ/s1600/vittoriobookcoverfeedaread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9z00HZBSputbet7brtvrV3CL4Td0-7RS848szBDK3x0MDx3zru_-aqSRb8oBxh49CL2MvON5NLCFkdlC1SIc2wCt_Xikd5-TCFugJVvzprMzG7Pm6-pMWuSc8cCWZoxisS922DqzkJWeJ/s200/vittoriobookcoverfeedaread.JPG" width="137" /></a><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">All my books are available on Amazon Kindle <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1359731454&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Click here if you are in the UK</a></span></div>
<h3 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 1.0cm;">
<span style="font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vittorios-Virgin-ebook/dp/B005IQ6YI8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359731522&sr=8-1&keywords=vittorio%27s+virgin" target="_blank">And here if you are in the US</a></span></h3>
Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-59072737997608854192013-02-11T01:00:00.000-08:002013-02-11T01:04:01.690-08:00A Valentine's Day Gift For You.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFpfU_TT9koALVcA_7l5DQTIwkbqY0njO9msVdwy7S2sf6pXPaJE5doNc8ZOG0KnFRgva2Nmz9uRODgqKLiZ-kiIitmQfM6O7C28_kTfIuA1A3IKQBMLrzHwkyu85u5HSWu7k7u_VtxXQ/s1600/comedancewithme.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiFpfU_TT9koALVcA_7l5DQTIwkbqY0njO9msVdwy7S2sf6pXPaJE5doNc8ZOG0KnFRgva2Nmz9uRODgqKLiZ-kiIitmQfM6O7C28_kTfIuA1A3IKQBMLrzHwkyu85u5HSWu7k7u_VtxXQ/s320/comedancewithme.JPG" width="231" /></a></div>
It is that time of year again. I don't know where the time is going but since I spend most of it buried in the depths of a work in progress, I suppose I shouldn't wonder. I haven't been as regular with my blogging as I intended but, once I am caught up in the current of a plot, I find it hard to do anything but keep swimming.<br />
<br />
But listen up lovers of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing with the Stars or romance books in general, this is for you. In the week leading up to Valentine's Day I intend to run a series of blogs featuring excerpts from Come, Dance With Me. I don't want to post too much and spoil your read as on the 14th February itself I will be offering kindle copies for free PLUS a free signed paperback to the person who leaves the best comment on the blog.<br />
<br />
First, I think, the blurb to give you a rough idea of the plot and where it might possibly lead. This is the blurb from the back cover.<br />
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<h2>
<span style="color: red; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 26.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Come, Dance With Me</span><span style="color: red;"> </span></h2>
<span style="color: red;"></span>When television chat show host,
Sasha Johnson, interviews international ballroom dancer, Andrei Kovalevsky, her
life is altered forever. And six years later, when fate thrusts them together
once more, Sasha does all in her power to prevent him from blowing her world
apart for a second time. But can she defuse a bomb that is already ticking.
<br />
<br />
<br />
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Andrei Kovalevsky has won almost every ballroom dancing
prize known to man, apart from television’s coveted Celebrity Dancing Trophy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Andrei is partnered with an old flame,
Sasha Johnson, her two left feet threaten to kick the glittering prize way out
of his reach. </div>
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With just eight weeks to do it,
Andrei determines to break down the barriers between them, knock her into shape
and turn Sasha Johnson into a dancer. </div>
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But secrets, lies and an
irresistible attraction impede his way and their path to the Celebrity Dance
final is fraught with trouble.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Mary Middleton’s latest novel, <b><i><span style="color: red; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Come, Dance With Me</span></i></b><span style="color: red; font-family: Pristina; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">,</span> will waltz
you through the glitzy, glamorous world of ballroom dancing and leave you
breathless.</div>
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Tune in tomorrow, same time, same place for excerpt number one. If you can't wait that long you can get the kindle versions of all my books on Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Dance-With-Me-ebook/dp/B007BM1DN8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1359730644&sr=8-1" target="_blank">click here if you are in the UK</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Come-Dance-With-Me-ebook/dp/B007BM1DN8/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1359730711&sr=8-16&keywords=come+dance+with+me" target="_blank">And here if you are in the US</a></div>
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Alternatively paperback versions can be ordered direct from the publisher<a href="http://www.feedaread.com/books/Come-Dance-With-Me-9781781764695.aspx" target="_blank"> here</a></div>
Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-31061967977844158922012-12-10T01:52:00.000-08:002012-12-10T01:52:00.622-08:00Death, Emotional Collapse and Healing<br />
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<o:p><b>Mary Middleton</b></o:p></div>
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<o:p><b><br /></b></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjphurzF0bch8OIJwQ84XsSY5k43Mm6n9mNenyAebK_WUNBwhTPh9-gpiHv2CqIG2TGjjmsrAfisYxlkWrtdKniR9EvT18Lz6QCrLuflwbf_KHC1RYhVeJcgWiTz-LpqSBxzG53i6bmNSO/s1600/green+lovely+cliffs+tresaith.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjphurzF0bch8OIJwQ84XsSY5k43Mm6n9mNenyAebK_WUNBwhTPh9-gpiHv2CqIG2TGjjmsrAfisYxlkWrtdKniR9EvT18Lz6QCrLuflwbf_KHC1RYhVeJcgWiTz-LpqSBxzG53i6bmNSO/s320/green+lovely+cliffs+tresaith.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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It is never easy to discuss grief without resorting to clichés but
Grief is a funny thing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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‘Hilarious’ I hear you say. But what I mean is that we have
all, without exception, lost somebody precious, somebody irreplaceable and most of us recover from it. But when that
everyday occurrence falls especially close to us, it can leave us floored.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The loss of a child is probably the worst scenario anyone
can experience. We expect our children to outlive us; they represent a little
piece of us that will carry us into the future. Such a loss is the most
difficult to accept. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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But, even when death comes after a long illness and is verbally
hailed as a 'happy release', the fall-out often presents a huge emotional mountain for
those left behind. At such times we can only try to think of happier days and
be thankful for the laughter and the happiness the deceased enjoyed during
their time on Earth. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It is possible to celebrate death as a life well-spent and
take comfort from the fact that although the person (to risk another cliché) may be gone
they will never be forgotten. As long as we remember them, they live on in some small
way and by talking about them, reminiscing about the special moments of their lives, we heal ourselves and allow them to live again. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Day by day, although it may not seem like it, we are healing,
and as the pain subsides so the memories become sweeter. But occasionally death
falls so unexpectedly that the bereaved are left reeling and struggle to carry
on as they did before. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF4kz8qC89JKQO3yADhiRv_rTh8oBAm1kueBbNtp8VgF2Vu4hhYHDzZJY_yBvzGVVQypHx8dQ_tNKc3oq5_gTzRuKRhVVsjs1-7g8xCWpp9N9M4xqzhWh5zQDFU-OEte2OtgxBukVKHAy/s1600/final+cover+wtwwb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF4kz8qC89JKQO3yADhiRv_rTh8oBAm1kueBbNtp8VgF2Vu4hhYHDzZJY_yBvzGVVQypHx8dQ_tNKc3oq5_gTzRuKRhVVsjs1-7g8xCWpp9N9M4xqzhWh5zQDFU-OEte2OtgxBukVKHAy/s320/final+cover+wtwwb.JPG" width="197" /></a></div>
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My novella <b><i>Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> deals with
bereavement, grief and healing. Fiona Japp is one of those people who lack the psychological
strength to carry on as before. When her
husband suffers a sudden and catastrophic heart attack early one Sunday morning
Fiona descends into a pit of despair that is so deep she has no wish to even
try to crawl out of it. Initially she may come across as weak and you may think from your
(hopefully) happier perspective that she needs to get a grip. But Fiona isn't weak, she is just broken and needs
your understanding. There are millions of us every day suffering as Fiona does
and by looking at her predicament and providing her with a happy outcome, I
hope I have shown that there really can be life after death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Until James has gone, Fiona does not realise how much she has
relied on him and without his support, she has no idea how to operate as a single
person. The mental collapse she suffers is so intense and prolonged that she gives herself up to her despair and runs away, unconsciously embarking upon a whole new life path.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Desperate to escape a pain that cannot be escaped, she turns
her back on herself and her previous life. With no expectation of ever rediscovering happiness she ends up in the
small Welsh seaside village where an encounter with the reclusive Jezz McAlister
on a lonely cliff top reveals a mental anguish even greater than her own.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRY7zfFL_8qkzcaJUAeMhFKXZSabzhPbvoNPXUu_Phaxr3Y73tpPnb6KcMxNkeI3p24kLcoQQ4vMzJ7rAnetOlZ37Ym4BN4Hze0PHYrEUqiw1iS4r-F2ZcMhKgBGGttd8bD6gIuOoWU3C/s1600/FAR_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0cm;"><u>A review
of Mary Middleton’s novella <i>WHERE THE WEST WIND BLOWS</i></u></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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This lovely title is perfect for this absorbing story.
Fiona’s husband James succumbs to a fatal heart attack right at the beginning,
leading to a veritable maelstrom of personal heartbreak and loss, which anyone
who has suffered bereavement will understand and find intensely moving. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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It is written in the first person, which means we are drawn
right into the depths of despair with our heroine, who goes through the
turbulent storm of trying to find some way to be able to move on and build a
new life. Despite her efforts she fails in this, largely because she has no
wish to go on without James...<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mary Middleton’s writing probes the very essence of the
tragedy of trying to make the transition from being a couple to being single,
with all its disappointments and delusions, and by the time Fiona is eventually
able to move to a small cottage in
Wales, we have come to realise how difficult this will be for her, as the storm
of loss and anger still rages.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There is only a short period of balmy breezes, with lovely
descriptions of the small Welsh village and its kindly but narrow-minded
inhabitants, before the turbulence is with us again, with the appearance of Mr
McAlister, who blows in. We are not at all sure which way the wind will blow
now!<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are still surprises to come, and it is a pleasure and
a privilege to enter into this slice of Fiona’s life, and accompany her on the
journey to calmer waters...but not too calm, for surely the best lives are
always lived in a stiff but invigorating breeze?<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another triumphant page turner for Mary Middleton, with
penetrating observation and deep empathy for her characters, don’t miss it! - <b>Helen
Spring</b>- Author of <b><i>Memories of the Curlew</i></b>, <b><i>Strands
of Gold</i></b> and <b><i>The Chainmakers</i></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>From the back cover of <i>Where
the West Wind Blows</i></u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGgfy8CR7rsjdwcml5HoSGfa41tI-MVILQfSSqT-JhOBvErrRMKS9J58aLnP3BxtxOHZE6N0EqikpGomKBeH1_iJaFPGywWRbHfNeA7pVRfn2oloJvNlFb9qJ3iPIZTTKSiMbF6C1kPat/s1600/holiday2012+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIGgfy8CR7rsjdwcml5HoSGfa41tI-MVILQfSSqT-JhOBvErrRMKS9J58aLnP3BxtxOHZE6N0EqikpGomKBeH1_iJaFPGywWRbHfNeA7pVRfn2oloJvNlFb9qJ3iPIZTTKSiMbF6C1kPat/s320/holiday2012+034.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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When bereavement turns Fiona Japp’s life upside down she
cannot find her way forward. Abandoning
her career, her home and her past, she escapes to a tiny hamlet on the Welsh
coast, where her anguish is diluted in the rain, blown by the winds and finally
extinguished by a suffering even greater than her own.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> is a story of loss, mental collapse
and healing, proving that there really is life after sudden death.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Set amid the splendid scenery of the west coast of Wales,
the landscape and atmosphere is as dramatic as the story. This short novella
will blow you away.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><i>Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> is a departure for Mary Middleton who
is known mainly for her light romance novels. This novella is very different.
There is not a muscle-bound billionaire in sight as Mary traces the dark and
stormy internal battles of two very different people struggling to come to
terms with personal tragedy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRY7zfFL_8qkzcaJUAeMhFKXZSabzhPbvoNPXUu_Phaxr3Y73tpPnb6KcMxNkeI3p24kLcoQQ4vMzJ7rAnetOlZ37Ym4BN4Hze0PHYrEUqiw1iS4r-F2ZcMhKgBGGttd8bD6gIuOoWU3C/s1600/FAR_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRY7zfFL_8qkzcaJUAeMhFKXZSabzhPbvoNPXUu_Phaxr3Y73tpPnb6KcMxNkeI3p24kLcoQQ4vMzJ7rAnetOlZ37Ym4BN4Hze0PHYrEUqiw1iS4r-F2ZcMhKgBGGttd8bD6gIuOoWU3C/s1600/FAR_logo.png" /></a><b><i>Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> is now available in Paperback direct from the publisher. <a href="http://www.feedaread.com/books/Where-The-West-Wind-Blows-9781782990017.aspx" target="_blank">Click here to purchase</a>.</div>
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Visit Mary's <a href="http://marymiddletonromancewriter.webs.com/" target="_blank"> Website</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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All Mary's Books are available on Kindle: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-Middleton/e/B00288690M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" target="_blank">Mary's Amazon page</a></div>
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Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-38503836082116927312012-11-30T01:00:00.000-08:002012-12-01T12:49:25.053-08:00The Next Big Thing: Authors Tagging Authors!<br />
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<b> </b><b>THE NEXT BIG THING:
AUTHORS TAGGING AUTHORS!</b></div>
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I am really pleased to be taking part in <b>The Next Big Thing: Authors Tagging
Authors!</b> <o:p></o:p></div>
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I was tagged by my really good friend, author Judith Arnopp
and it's my pleasure to keep this going. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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So, what I do is answer the questions below, tag a new set
of authors, then they answer, tag authors, etc.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp4YY3U1mm5o4MQ5_VXD-SAHdOQdIaWseUVZNZAEz4dJpFTGZwB9w7wXjYsgNaGpZUCXzzoL_AVLs2jpxyLVFmxhLrLRLqpTtRSUSyY9oVjSCVjPMzsWO4Ggn1bBQuxZGt9UYgUErR-fM/s1600/proper+come+dance+with+me+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilp4YY3U1mm5o4MQ5_VXD-SAHdOQdIaWseUVZNZAEz4dJpFTGZwB9w7wXjYsgNaGpZUCXzzoL_AVLs2jpxyLVFmxhLrLRLqpTtRSUSyY9oVjSCVjPMzsWO4Ggn1bBQuxZGt9UYgUErR-fM/s200/proper+come+dance+with+me+cover.JPG" width="144" /></a></div>
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I’m answering questions about my novel, <b><i>Come, Dance with Me</i></b> which
is available from FeedaRead in paperback and is also on Amazon Kindle.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>What is the working
title of your book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The title Come, Dance With Me, occurred to me quite quickly.
It is a well-known phrase and tells the reader what the book is about.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>Where did the idea
come from for the book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b><i>Come, Dance With Me</i></b> is very obviously inspired by the BBC’s <b><i>Strictly
Come Dancing</i></b>. I love the show and never miss it. When you watch the
couples dancing the chemistry is so strong that it’s easy to imagine
‘something’ between them. I am not suggesting that there is, of course, my book is fiction but the
close contact and the passion of the dances provides perfect scope for the
romance author’s imagination.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><b>What genre does your
book fall under?</b></div>
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Romance, romance all the way. It is sexy but all in the best
possible taste, a wonderful story of love finding a way. All my books are about
love and finding that perfect partner.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>What is the one
sentence synopsis for the book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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When Sasha Johnson is partnered with Andrei Kovalevsky in a television celebrity dancing show she does all in her power to stop him from blowing her
world apart; but can she diffuse a bomb that is already ticking?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b>How long did it take
you to write the first draft of your manuscript?</b></div>
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I wrote the first draft in a month, taking part in the nail
a novel in a month thing but the edits and rewrites took much longer.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Which actors would
you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?</b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir32mThKliuR7ZelbQbK1iS2M_r_hR3xUiQCWwhs3lG5e8zZ7qFDWOpHTw9209a6Z0PdQE00Fh9nOw7fPw0lt4Eody07_HtJzcpArYBrEeFrRP1_Dmv1G1rcj0Gu-i8OWe-smx8SBXPic4/s1600/karen-gillan-962173826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir32mThKliuR7ZelbQbK1iS2M_r_hR3xUiQCWwhs3lG5e8zZ7qFDWOpHTw9209a6Z0PdQE00Fh9nOw7fPw0lt4Eody07_HtJzcpArYBrEeFrRP1_Dmv1G1rcj0Gu-i8OWe-smx8SBXPic4/s1600/karen-gillan-962173826.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Karen Gillan would make a great Sasha Johnson</td></tr>
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Ooh, now there’s a question. Sasha is tall, feisty and auburn
haired. If Karen Gillan who plays Emily Pond in Dr Who can dance she would be
perfect. For Andrei, Orlando Bloom would be nice – for a number of reasons, if
only to take the author out for lunch. And for Sasha’s best friend, Lisa, I
would like Dani Harmer of Tracey Beaker fame. Funnily enough she is doing very
well on this seasons Strictly Come Dancing – maybe she should play Sasha!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p> </o:p><b>What other books
would you compare this story to, in your genre?</b></div>
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<b><i>Come, Dance With Me</i></b> is a typical romance, feisty females, smouldering alpha males,
lots of fun and quite sexy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>What else about the
book might pique the readers’ interest?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQkp597RgSCtw4n8PXdPNzhHvd-eeG5F02jgPROWMw6VuB_DLE9kfpesYEW21K-jR08hY2JTBCWzfKXmR0N4nshQoDOxE2CvP8jTyHmv9i7U8w86eJiImhn0HiTLL2sWURUCKuHKkG2RU/s1600/Orlando_Bloom_26553_2391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUQkp597RgSCtw4n8PXdPNzhHvd-eeG5F02jgPROWMw6VuB_DLE9kfpesYEW21K-jR08hY2JTBCWzfKXmR0N4nshQoDOxE2CvP8jTyHmv9i7U8w86eJiImhn0HiTLL2sWURUCKuHKkG2RU/s320/Orlando_Bloom_26553_2391.jpg" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orlando Bloom would be my idea Andrei</td></tr>
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<b><i>Come, Dance With Me</i></b> has truck-loads of romance, ballroom and
latin dancing, sparkling costumes, sexy interludes, and a whole heap of emotional
trouble for the couple to untangle. It is all about love overcoming obstacles.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0cm;"><i>Come, Dance with me</i></b><span style="text-indent: 0cm;"> is available on
Amazon Kindle and in paperback via the publisher FeedaRead.com</span></div>
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And for the authors I have tagged: <o:p></o:p><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://andreacefalo.com/">Andrea Cefalo</a>, author
of The Fairytale Keeper and <a href="http://avisexley.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">Avis Exley</a>, author of Lovers in Law and Love Notes.</span></div>
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Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-38615880944356209582012-11-28T06:41:00.002-08:002012-11-28T06:44:08.576-08:00Catching up with the News<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07QsXiROBOMKowawILLjxoz8S5M6gaPlb8b1AO-aX8DXMdFbCRZrv22iN5kKQonDenst-nI30GWLoQtr-ywiLcdJPKGUM4A2OmJV4koRBGZSj16ZTu58h_RIYEceKYlJ5Uisi_e5-CxBE/s1600/coverfor+onenightonly.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07QsXiROBOMKowawILLjxoz8S5M6gaPlb8b1AO-aX8DXMdFbCRZrv22iN5kKQonDenst-nI30GWLoQtr-ywiLcdJPKGUM4A2OmJV4koRBGZSj16ZTu58h_RIYEceKYlJ5Uisi_e5-CxBE/s320/coverfor+onenightonly.JPG" width="220" /></a></div>
It is a long time since I have blogged but I don't suppose you've missed me. I have not been idle though. Since writing and publishing<b><i> Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> I've been taking a little holiday to recharge my batteries and decide where to go from here.</div>
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2012 has been a busy year for me. I have all my novels and a collection of short stories available on Kindle and have enjoyed making new friends and contacts during the marketing process. I do hope I haven't bored everyone to death with my promotions. It isn't really in my nature to be so forward but, if you want to sell books, you have to pretend to be a bit pushy. The Kindle sales are going very well. The favourite still seems to be <b><i>Vittorio's Virgin</i></b> despite a rather scathing review of it on Amazon. 'Unmittigated drivel' the reviewer tagged it - and then proceeded to mention all the unrealistic aspects - all of which are found in romance novels the world over. That is the thing with romance, it isn't like real life, nor is it meant to be. The reviewer, who picked the novel up as a freebie, is obviously not a fan of the romance genre and should perhaps stick to reviewing other genres. And despite her best efforts Vittorio continues to please and is swiftly followed by the delectably handsome Johnathan Barberis-Jones from <b><i>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter. </i></b></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Come Dance With Me </i>took a while to take off but people are beginning to notice it now and sales increasing now that Strictly Come Dancing and Dance with the Stars are now on our television screens once more. </div>
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As the year draws to a close I can relax, apply myself to marketing again and dream up a new romantic interest to warm you in 2013.</div>
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Due to the success of my e-books and the requests I've had for paperbacks, <b><i>Vittorio's Virgin, The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter, Come, Dance With Me,</i></b> <b style="font-style: italic;">Where the West Wind Blows </b>and<b style="font-style: italic;"> For One Night Only</b> are now available in paperback from my publisher. Please click the Link below to purchase. </div>
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<a href="http://www.feedaread.com/books/The-Greek-Tycoons-Secret-Daughter-9781781764480.aspx">Mary Middleton books</a></div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRY7zfFL_8qkzcaJUAeMhFKXZSabzhPbvoNPXUu_Phaxr3Y73tpPnb6KcMxNkeI3p24kLcoQQ4vMzJ7rAnetOlZ37Ym4BN4Hze0PHYrEUqiw1iS4r-F2ZcMhKgBGGttd8bD6gIuOoWU3C/s1600/FAR_logo.png" /></div>
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Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-57531578407786562572012-07-31T03:43:00.001-07:002012-07-31T03:46:34.124-07:00Where the West Wind Blows<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF4kz8qC89JKQO3yADhiRv_rTh8oBAm1kueBbNtp8VgF2Vu4hhYHDzZJY_yBvzGVVQypHx8dQ_tNKc3oq5_gTzRuKRhVVsjs1-7g8xCWpp9N9M4xqzhWh5zQDFU-OEte2OtgxBukVKHAy/s1600/final+cover+wtwwb.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitF4kz8qC89JKQO3yADhiRv_rTh8oBAm1kueBbNtp8VgF2Vu4hhYHDzZJY_yBvzGVVQypHx8dQ_tNKc3oq5_gTzRuKRhVVsjs1-7g8xCWpp9N9M4xqzhWh5zQDFU-OEte2OtgxBukVKHAy/s320/final+cover+wtwwb.JPG" width="196" /></a></div>
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I love writing about glamorous, far flung places and peopling them with broad chested billionaires and sharp witted, feisty women but sometimes in a writer's life, a story appears from nowhere; a story that insists upon being written. It is as if someone has control of my mind and my fingers and there is nothing I can do but get it down on paper. The plot emerges as it wants to, in a great outpouring of emotion and that is how my novella, <b><i>Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> came to fruition. I woke one morning and there it was, fully formed, in my head.</div>
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There is not a muscle-bound billionaire or a luxury mansion in sight in this rather dark romance and the heavier themes may not be for all my readers. That is why the novella is not branded in my usual way. No black and red sexiness this time but something that lies rather nearer to my heart.</div>
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Blissfully married to James, for twenty five years, successful artist, Fiona Japp, is devastated when he suffers a sudden heart attack. She is totally floored by his loss and teeters on the edge of nervous collapse. When her postman finds her in a pool of blood one morning, Fiona is admitted to hospital. And, on her release, still unable to face returning to the home she shared with James, she escapes to a holiday cottage on the Welsh coast where her anguish is diluted in the rain, blown by the winds
and finally extinguished by a suffering even greater than her own.</div>
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<b><i>Where the West Wind Blows</i></b> is a story of loss,
mental collapse and healing, proving that there really <i>is</i> life after
sudden death.</div>
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<i><b>Where the West Wind Blows</b></i> will soon be published as an e-book. Look our for the free promotion.</div>Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-6157857582033242872012-07-16T00:00:00.000-07:002012-07-16T00:00:12.261-07:00A Mary Middleton Romance Book Giveaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNx9HHKDz_UiJrMEiJXDPKe0VvxccB8jA2FS3TV-cKQUuPmHxNCMu_knTTpqRD8TrOHiAoulJn2bGUuFeSg_eBkXa9ZDaWuh9rJmSHjXiYDbp9bNJmkrsv_lGDU51wPaCD8K18RhX6Q2u/s1600/vittoriobookcoverfeedaread.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNx9HHKDz_UiJrMEiJXDPKe0VvxccB8jA2FS3TV-cKQUuPmHxNCMu_knTTpqRD8TrOHiAoulJn2bGUuFeSg_eBkXa9ZDaWuh9rJmSHjXiYDbp9bNJmkrsv_lGDU51wPaCD8K18RhX6Q2u/s200/vittoriobookcoverfeedaread.JPG" width="137" /></a></div>
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For the last two days the kindle version of my second romance novel, <i><b>Vittorio's Virgin</b></i> has been free on Amazon and the response from readers has been brilliant. So I am celebrating by holding a <b>BOOK GIVEAWAY</b>. Just leave a comment in the box below stating which title you would like to win and your contact details and your name will be entered into a draw. The lucky winner will receive a paperback copy of their preferred title.</div>
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Vittorio is a troubled man. Raised by an unfaithful mother, married and divorced from an unfaithful wife, he no longer regards women as anything other than trouble. </div>
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He avoids them, preferring to shower his love onto his six-year-old daughter, Sophia, but Vittorio is determined that she will not grow up to be as brittle and shameless as the other women in his life. Consequently, his daughter has the strictest upbringing. </div>
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But as she leaves babyhood behind the pressure of business makes life as a single parent more difficult and Vittorio is forced to seek help. Reluctantly he advertises for a nanny and, after interviewing a string of unsatisfactory applicants, he eventually settles on a young woman fresh from England. </div>
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But Miss Jennifer Trent and Vittorio have met once before and he hadnt failed to notice then that, as well as being out spoken and headstrong, she was also very, very pretty. </div>
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Vittorio's Virgin traces the sweeping romance of Vittorio and Jennifer from the romantic terraces of Florence to the sun-drenched beaches of the Caribbean. </div>
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*** </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlsl1pbeSfy5xDGky-itnSRktefboZdyiMx9gQ2Rz3QiFFW0zG7CG3AzLkCF1tfuVFqEtC-Q6sZoegzCSc9OPkjmeznFYQwsAt4e342SNdvgN6m8SxH6mFd2LpvMAvqKk95jLfLGlXjuY/s1600/tgtsdfeedareadcover2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHlsl1pbeSfy5xDGky-itnSRktefboZdyiMx9gQ2Rz3QiFFW0zG7CG3AzLkCF1tfuVFqEtC-Q6sZoegzCSc9OPkjmeznFYQwsAt4e342SNdvgN6m8SxH6mFd2LpvMAvqKk95jLfLGlXjuY/s200/tgtsdfeedareadcover2.JPG" width="134" /></a></div>
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Jonathan Barberis-Jones believes he has the future sorted but his billionaire playboy lifestyle, complete with horses, fast cars and women is suddenly threatened by the arrival of Charlotte Martin,<b><i> The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter</i></b>. </div>
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Penniless single parent, Charlotte Martin suddenly in need of the support of her natural father, turns up at Barberis Hall claiming to be Nicoli Barberis' illegitimate daughter. Finding his future under threat, Jonathan is faced with a tough inner battle; to keep his inheritance intact or surrender to his ever-increasing attraction to Charlotte? </div>
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Will Jonathan's darker side prevail in his fight for what he sees as justice? </div>
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Or will love prevail?</div>
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<i><b>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter</b></i> moves from the breathtaking beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, across the pond to New York before finally coming full circle to the Baroque splendour of Barberis Hall.</div>
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***</div>
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<i><b>Come Dance With Me.</b></i> When television chat show host, Sasha Johnson, interviews international ballroom dancing champion, Andrei Kovalevsky, her life is altered forever. And, six years later, when they meet again Sasha does everything in her power to prevent him from blowing her world apart for the second time.</div>
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<b><i>But can she defuse a bomb that is already ticking?</i></b></div>
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Andrei Kovalevsky has won almost every ballroom dancing prize known to man, apart from television's coveted Celebrity Dancing Trophy. When Andrei is partnered with Sasha, her two left feet threaten to kick the glittering prize way out of his reach.</div>
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With just eight weeks to do it, Andrei determines to break down the barriers between them, knock her into shape and turn Sasha Johnson into a dancer.</div>
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But secrets, lies and an irresistable attraction impede his way and their path to the Celebrity Dance final is fraught with trouble.</div>
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***</div>
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So is it to be the dark and handsome <i><b>Vittorio</b></i> with his deep hang-ups and sadness? <i><b> Jonathan's</b></i> lazy, rich boy petulance and irresistible charm? or <i><b>Andrei's</b></i> Russian fire and capable arms? Which ever one you fancy let me know and, if your name is picked in the draw, one of them will soon be winging it's way to you.</div>
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<b>Good Luck!</b></div>Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-89909748541598483852012-07-05T07:09:00.000-07:002012-07-05T07:09:00.741-07:00Your invitation ...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUndgIlCVcd0_1GkH_uk1MdnlymiVVV0RWyJeGditLhDKCzCWrbOtGF4F8KMnU7BZq31gW6mIPkPJBBOElcBdrBcLOhyphenhyphenP7CtbQkJ7se7tX1rHxwHDrQmISeam1oixjxh09Bqorv7tjHiJ1/s1600/2010_0606picturesfirst0388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUndgIlCVcd0_1GkH_uk1MdnlymiVVV0RWyJeGditLhDKCzCWrbOtGF4F8KMnU7BZq31gW6mIPkPJBBOElcBdrBcLOhyphenhyphenP7CtbQkJ7se7tX1rHxwHDrQmISeam1oixjxh09Bqorv7tjHiJ1/s320/2010_0606picturesfirst0388.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">Kidwelly Castle - Carmarthenshire</td></tr>
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I cannot believe my last post was in March when I was heralding in the Spring! What on earth have I been doing? Not lazing around that is for sure. We had a family bereavement that interrupted my flow a little and since then I have had my head down, researching and writing my forthcoming release. I think I hinted sometime ago that the next one might be a little different. Well, it's certainly that but I am not here to talk about that today.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadKKoSS0rfQy_EAo9Vb59-ws2qaYPCeq3CrO3hP-nAxZN0CVUZteKR-nSZ4FWJ7FuVBdccXEokGIKVWL9m90CPTCqUI1z23Lkw-06QE9ymy-2bFarEJwxR9p0lUJJm5g8pC5fRZQyYGnz/s1600/day+trip+to+castell+henllys+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadKKoSS0rfQy_EAo9Vb59-ws2qaYPCeq3CrO3hP-nAxZN0CVUZteKR-nSZ4FWJ7FuVBdccXEokGIKVWL9m90CPTCqUI1z23Lkw-06QE9ymy-2bFarEJwxR9p0lUJJm5g8pC5fRZQyYGnz/s320/day+trip+to+castell+henllys+010.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castell Henllys - iron age village - Pembrokeshire</td></tr>
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I was thinking that here in the UK the spring began fine and dry. In the southeast there were panics about drought, hose pipe bans, possible crop failure ...it all sounded a little unlikely to me because I live in Wales where the rain, when it falls, which is often, comes in bucketloads. There were no dusty dry fields around here, although the rain fall had been considerably less than usual. We like mud in Wales and we like clouds - or maybe we have just got used to them, either way, we have them.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjphurzF0bch8OIJwQ84XsSY5k43Mm6n9mNenyAebK_WUNBwhTPh9-gpiHv2CqIG2TGjjmsrAfisYxlkWrtdKniR9EvT18Lz6QCrLuflwbf_KHC1RYhVeJcgWiTz-LpqSBxzG53i6bmNSO/s1600/green+lovely+cliffs+tresaith.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjphurzF0bch8OIJwQ84XsSY5k43Mm6n9mNenyAebK_WUNBwhTPh9-gpiHv2CqIG2TGjjmsrAfisYxlkWrtdKniR9EvT18Lz6QCrLuflwbf_KHC1RYhVeJcgWiTz-LpqSBxzG53i6bmNSO/s320/green+lovely+cliffs+tresaith.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tresaith Beach - Ceredigion</td></tr>
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So when the 'drought' ended, it really didn't seem fair that we were washed out too. The Welsh water table was high enough and we saw no cause for celebration. Bring on a dry summer, we said, we need the tourists to come. But, since the end of May, there has been nothing but rain, sheets of it, lakes of it, oceans of it. Couldn't there be a happy medium? Even in the southeast, that dustbowl we were hearing about in April, the people are now begging the rain to stop. everyone is a little fed up with it.</div>
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Here in Wales, the country fairs are being cancelled, sporting events washed out, tourists cancelling reservations at B&B's and Guesthouses. It doesn't look good. At least if we had a sunny drought the holiday makers would visit in their droves, stuff themselves with strawberries and ice-creams and Welsh cakes and give rural Wales the boost it needs.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBu01N7N9drX7jToCRHFwYDcECW3Gh-Ykpg49FuNt3n2n8HaPiVYPCIj0FCwb5kwAINfAhGarmfYlzL_LiveE_skBAG3IvFHJN200oYQvbRxgkOUMNGveU5fVffKzX-cilYcE0qef-oJK/s1600/DSCF2885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigBu01N7N9drX7jToCRHFwYDcECW3Gh-Ykpg49FuNt3n2n8HaPiVYPCIj0FCwb5kwAINfAhGarmfYlzL_LiveE_skBAG3IvFHJN200oYQvbRxgkOUMNGveU5fVffKzX-cilYcE0qef-oJK/s320/DSCF2885.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Historic Newquay Harbour - Ceredigion</td></tr>
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It is so lovely here, even when it's raining. I often write about Wales. My first novel <b><i>For One Night Only</i></b> features an exiled Welshman and his return to the soft, green valleys of his homeland. You know, that is why Tom Jones sings, <i>The Green Green Grass of Home</i>, with such conviction. It really is true, there's no place like home and I count my blessings that I live here.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIaWzLaFJYYWgqp3joOJaIVSJt4dlG9FWre1EUzoehovfIF5Zh1u6hUNBGoMMf8Dgc_I9DDCMtPWFVKuhJCSb7evCIsaxi7ZCKLjbj7qFLGlGSg4rUhqmGS_6NDLcCI54EJWKAz5oB9Iw/s1600/13_newport-bay-and-dinas-head-from-carn-ingli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIaWzLaFJYYWgqp3joOJaIVSJt4dlG9FWre1EUzoehovfIF5Zh1u6hUNBGoMMf8Dgc_I9DDCMtPWFVKuhJCSb7evCIsaxi7ZCKLjbj7qFLGlGSg4rUhqmGS_6NDLcCI54EJWKAz5oB9Iw/s320/13_newport-bay-and-dinas-head-from-carn-ingli.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newport Bay - Pembrokeshire</td></tr>
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So, if you are planning on having a Staycation this year or if any of my readers from the USA are visiting the UK, please don't forget about Wales. It's the bit stuck on the side, the place Americans often refer to as "Wales, England". Because there is nowhere nicer. And your visit needn't be all about the Olympics, we have other buildings besides the Millenium Stadium. We have castles, cathedrals and ancient churches to inspire you, countryside that will knock your socks off, mountains, moorland, wildlife, and an awesome natural coastline that you can walk from end to end if you care to. We have World famous male voice choirs, harpists, there is a song on every tongue in Wales.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2D5akqFzw22n5uYy80StjPa2UzbmMRRKLtkbKBDJnUFS88_Yo2Cgu_HCysxBYPj_W1ZrL6peCk7JENKzvtRq5vVpU1cwbAhw12aymEtZAUOa6NGrNzjAhC9hagBapY6M99nEPIncIjXf/s1600/day+trip+to+castell+henllys+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2D5akqFzw22n5uYy80StjPa2UzbmMRRKLtkbKBDJnUFS88_Yo2Cgu_HCysxBYPj_W1ZrL6peCk7JENKzvtRq5vVpU1cwbAhw12aymEtZAUOa6NGrNzjAhC9hagBapY6M99nEPIncIjXf/s320/day+trip+to+castell+henllys+021.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pentre Ifan - Pembrokeshire</td></tr>
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Since this is supposed to be a writing blog, I should mention we have wonderful writers and artists too. Galleries, theatres, open air exhibitions, award winning restruants. You can visit Hay on Wye, the bookshop capital of the world, or at Laugharne where you can see Dylan Thomas' home, see his writing den and follow the Dylan Thomas trail throughout Wales. Note: not surprisingly, this trail includes rather a lot of pubs. </div>
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This country is teeming with poets, writers and visual artists, so why not come and see us. the sun will come out soon and, even if it doesn't, You will still find a welcome in our hillsides. But bring your wellies, just in case.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Croeso!</b></span></div>
<br />Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-36676267280677970242012-03-22T05:09:00.000-07:002012-03-22T05:09:10.246-07:00Spring is in the Air<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqYXmDHy299R-zkCGu3bBr4URRYWbc-viayyIbxjuOyrIi0GA-GrRqE0tgojph-pql-Ia6pf-DxsW2tzkdAxLyki3Cm_E81C6z_FD4ma7djxi3TVDoX1YfH4tWlFhi7JV-198HG9PzWmr/s1600/2010_0520picturesfirst0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMqYXmDHy299R-zkCGu3bBr4URRYWbc-viayyIbxjuOyrIi0GA-GrRqE0tgojph-pql-Ia6pf-DxsW2tzkdAxLyki3Cm_E81C6z_FD4ma7djxi3TVDoX1YfH4tWlFhi7JV-198HG9PzWmr/s200/2010_0520picturesfirst0058.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>Most of my writing is done during the long, cold, wet winter when I can only rely upon memories of springtimes past to infuse a little warmth onto my page. There are, of course, those lovely firelit romantic interludes but I prefer the sun lit alfresco ones.<br />
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Spring is traditionally the time of love. When the birds indulge in a cliche of twittering as they build nests and squabble over the mates. The daffodils nod in the light breeze and the sunshine beams down, thawing the winter chill, urging me to remove my thermals and show off some skin.<br />
There is something about the time of year that makes me want to wander along leafy lanes, hand in hand with the one I love, talking of nothing, laughing at silliness. But where is the time for that?<br />
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Modern life, for all its labour saving devices and speedy methods of transport, seems to be very short on quality time. Too much to do, too many places to visit, too much money to be made, deadlines to be met, leaving, 'no time to stand and stare.'<br />
Sometimes, I feel really stretched and just want to lay it all down, laze all day in the garden with a good book (somebody else's not mine) and let the day pass slowly and uneventfully. This rarely happens now. I gave all that up when I decided to write full time.<br />
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When the children were small and I was a stay at home mum, there was bags of time. Time for playing, time for reading to them, time for showing them small, wonderful things. I had no computer then and my stories were scribbled onto notepads to be laboriously typed up at some hazy time in the future. No pressure, no worries, just fun and lots of runny noses to wipe.<br />
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I suppose it's just a case of the past being rosier and I am happy to be a novelist. After all it's what I always dreamed of, sitting at a lovely desk, tapping out fabulous novels, earning a crust and a reputation as a writer. But, now I have all that, how I would love to take a month off, to enjoy the garden without feeling I should be at my desk; to set out a picnic lunch under the trees in the garden, fill a pool with water and listen to their happy voices while I slumber in the sun. The children are all grown up now and I, somehow, have become middle aged and the future that I always looked forward to is here, making me look wistfully backward.<br />
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But I live my past in my stories, not in the wildly passionate romances, there weren't too many of those, just a few that counted ... and mattered. But, every instance of my life, my thoughts, feelings, memories; they all show up from time to time and colour my work just as surely as they colour my future.<br />
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Have a good spring season everyone.Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-76748185879580661822012-02-22T03:47:00.000-08:002012-02-22T03:47:36.284-08:00Time To Put My Feet Up? I Should Cocoa!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aBTsccE4DvtxWZQ8ykYIlG5HqWbA_CSbd2J-vDQ8AT5cwIlBzbFXlHABdLCWwpGEMbTJThtgrKdytU7HX5FRzLdM2V0wZ5MIt_QVilXlg1PjXfvN1rjHImzWPwUXJ_6M0qrkYna3PmPQ/s1600/proper+come+dance+with+me+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4aBTsccE4DvtxWZQ8ykYIlG5HqWbA_CSbd2J-vDQ8AT5cwIlBzbFXlHABdLCWwpGEMbTJThtgrKdytU7HX5FRzLdM2V0wZ5MIt_QVilXlg1PjXfvN1rjHImzWPwUXJ_6M0qrkYna3PmPQ/s320/proper+come+dance+with+me+cover.JPG" width="231" /></a></div><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Come-Dance-With-Me-ebook/dp/B007BM1DN8/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329900354&sr=1-5">Come, Dance With Me - Mary Middleton Available now</a><br />
You might be forgiven for thinking that, having finally published Come, Dance With Me to Kindle yesterday (already copies going very well) I should now be able to enjoy a bit of relaxation, a bit of ME time but you'd be wrong. Creating a novel, crafting it as finely as you can, that's the easy bit. The most difficult bit of all is the marketing.<br />
Many authors, like me, live solitary lives and are very shy. I often wonder if I chose to be a writer because I feel safer and more comfortable with long lonely hours than dealing with the hubbub and chaos of business. As a self employed author I call the shots, decide when its coffee time or if I deserve a day off. The decisions are mine, the nitty gritty of plot detail and book covers, mine alone and that suits me. The only time I wish I wasn't so alone is when it's time to wave the flag and blow the trumpet when, what I'd really like to do is hide beneath the desk.<br />
When marketing your novel you tread a fine line. If you sit quietly and whisper 'I've written this nice little story and I think you might quite like it,' then you will have zero sales but, on the other hand, if you stand on the desk and blow a trumpet shouting about your fabulous novel that knocks the spots off everything else out there, you will alienate people and also get yourself zero sales. So, if you can't leave it to luck and you can't spam the pants off everybody, what can you do?<br />
I don't pretend to have the answers, I know about writing not about selling but I can tell you how I go about it and only hope that my methods aren't too irritating. The internet is a Godsend to authors, we can sit at home and blog and advertise about our work, join writers websites, flood Facebook with awareness, follow other people's blogs, go on blog tours, etc. etc. etc. And while we do all this we hope against hope that a few people will notice, buy our books and tell their friends about it.<br />
I promote a lot of authors on my Facebook page and anything I post is transferred to Twitter and I like to think that they do likewise for me. You scratch my back, I will scratch yours. I think it is a good way of doing things. You are less likely to upset people if you are not banging on about your own stuff all the time and, fingers crossed, if sales are anything to go by, it is beginning to work.<br />
That is why, instead of having a day at the shops or lunch with friends I will instead be on here blogging and raising awareness in the nicest way possible - through friendship. So, should you find me a little in your face over the next few days, please don't think me mercenary or self-obsessed. I am just a writer, trying to find my path through the madness that is out there.<br />
Have a nice day :)Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-24745086068990084722012-02-14T07:10:00.005-08:002012-02-14T07:21:27.463-08:00Love is not just for St. Valentine's Day.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-3broDyNgsEtWTzSxuTIZ_R_ync7UCdRpezKiIew2Z6th6vkYJVfH8PvMYKG4yVvVQaMaCMhTrC5pXfd_sX-rBpjYlb9ojTi_iMbkAjeoAR1ci6XkccTOeyPazmiDaSlvQQVCkC1MH96/s1600/redrose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr-3broDyNgsEtWTzSxuTIZ_R_ync7UCdRpezKiIew2Z6th6vkYJVfH8PvMYKG4yVvVQaMaCMhTrC5pXfd_sX-rBpjYlb9ojTi_iMbkAjeoAR1ci6XkccTOeyPazmiDaSlvQQVCkC1MH96/s320/redrose.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No romance author worth her salt would miss posting a blog on St. Valentine's Day so here I am, blogging on February 14th, 2012 about love and what it means to me.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> When I was a giddy young thing I believed there was nothing worse than a Valentine's Day devoid of cards and flowers - my (then) partner never dared to overlook such an important day or the resulting row would be horrible. So, for many years I had the red satin hearts and the flowers, not always roses for they are hard on a fella's wallet. But the gifts always seemed to lack something, perhpas I was ungrateful but I have come to realise that the thing they lacked was the sentiment.<br />
It's easy to give flowers once a year and let that be the limit of romantic expression. I understand now that I was with the wrong man.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Now I am older, (some would say wiser but they'd probably be wrong) the cards don't matter so much and neither do the gifts. The thing that is important these days is the affection that is given daily. For almost twenty years he has been bringing me coffee in bed every morning and working extra hard, allowing me to write full time (despite never making enough money at it.) I don't need roses or fancy cards one day a year because at least once a week, he comes home with something small thing he has seen and thought I might like. It might just be a piece of art deco china or a pretty vase to most people but, to me, it's special because it comes from him. We don't dine out very often because it is nicer here with just the two of us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As long as he continues to come home, kiss me on the cheek and ask how my day has been, I will be happy because it's the moment I have waited for all day. So, if your partner forgot your card and left the hyped-up tacky gifts on the supermarket shelf, don't worry; as long as he comes home with a smile and a pleased-to-see-you kiss, you shouldn't really need anything more.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy Valentine's Day everyone.</div>Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-69041180855333602882012-02-07T03:44:00.000-08:002012-02-07T03:44:46.714-08:00Romance Or Not? Mary Middleton discussing the lack of distinction between love stories and sexual adventures.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">Is it just me or does anyone else think that the romance genre could do with a bit of a shake up? It used to be safe to pick up something with a ‘Romance’ tag because the reader knew she could expect a love story with maybe some rather steamy bedroom scenes thrown in. That was fine. But recently it has become more and more easy to inadvertently select things that are more akin to ‘pornography’ than ‘romance’. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">I picked up a book the other day with a three star heat rating, which to my calculation in a one to five star scale, should categorise it as ‘mild to warm’. It should not have much in it to shock a woman of my age, but from page one it was rough, hard and fast sex, with a total stranger, in fact as I read on, his best pal joined in too. Very good friends, obviously. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">I stuck with it for a while hoping it would get better but when I discovered very little plot or character development or point to it really, I put it down again. The book had several good reviews, no explicit content warning or anything to suggest it wasn’t a run of the mill romance. With the covers of softer romances becoming steamier and the content of the harder romances (I use the term loosely) becoming more imaginative, the margins are now becoming so blurred that the reader doesn’t know what to expect.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">Often, when I tell people I write ‘romance’ they assume a suggestive expression, look at me sideways, ‘Oh, yes?’ they say, imagining me bashing away at my keyboard turning out a literary equivalent to Debbie Does Dallas. That isn’t the image I particularly want to cultivate and I am sure that goes for alot of other romance writers.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">Now I guess you are all thinking, <i>'That Mary Middleton is a bit of a prude,'</i> but that honestly isn’t the case. I just like to know roughly what is in store when I open a book and I would guess I am not alone. It’s rather like opening ‘Hello’ magazine and finding it filled with hard porn photos. </div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent">To me the difference between the two is that ‘Romance’ makes you smile softly and the stuff at the opposite end of the spectrum is more likely to make you wince. There is the ‘heat’ rating, I suppose but I’m not sure it is working as well as it once did. I sense a shift in people’s expectations and sensibilities and what was once considered ‘saucy’ now seems to be categorised as ‘sweet’ and what once was considered ‘hot’ has now become ‘mild.’ My ex mother in law loves the old fashioned, pastel covered romances and I wonder how long it is before she picks up something new and is shocked to the marrow by it. I think publishers need to make things a little bit clearer and remember that old ladies like to read love stories too.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">I suppose it’s all subjective but it seems quite clear to me that the romance tag should encompass love, and sex if you like, within a loving relationship. Sexy stories outside of that setting, especially if it is kinky or violent or involving many partners, should be categorised as something else, just so the reader knows. I am not calling for a ban or anything like that and I realise that many people enjoy the hotter end of the scale, I am just calling for a clearer distinction to be made between the two. I am sure when a fan of five star heat rated accidently selects a three star they are as equally disappointed at the content.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;">My own romances have plenty of sex in them but since I am consiously writing about everlasting, wonderful, unbeatable LOVE in capital letters, you can pick up one of my novels safe in the knowledge that it will not be centered on sex for sex's sake but on the precious gift of lasting love. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming Soon to Amazon Kindle</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbZSTa8XhycfJhIRluwhNnCQlEkYiKyyspCee6eEz5KhjZbZ8VjCfURM7rql1Xn1PFWwaDcsmavbwUmwRKg3Tq63hX1ee0sMl8dZFa4PJ_rRbQVXOt8W1636PzMLKsgPu5Sdtp-3VRA1K/s1600/vittoriokindlecoverjpeg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvbZSTa8XhycfJhIRluwhNnCQlEkYiKyyspCee6eEz5KhjZbZ8VjCfURM7rql1Xn1PFWwaDcsmavbwUmwRKg3Tq63hX1ee0sMl8dZFa4PJ_rRbQVXOt8W1636PzMLKsgPu5Sdtp-3VRA1K/s200/vittoriokindlecoverjpeg.JPG" width="137" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_2rgEE7MLggzoMsIsJAbntJhi1zEVvuzGCyLetnAl4ioPOdyaMC7oULXudDwrjPFaGcz1JwDfcPDJdm2t4U8gClf6BYKQz0r6ozUpZcfEtGez_2eceHn7VFEaXPVTr0tr0rAm28elm_Ed/s1600/foronenightonlykindle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2BFh8FvY20H8hItBDqZ05AaIeau3RqoXfk-23u7_OqcmMr1shev0DqhwUDGFCSVMFfAMOi3siuyL2XTv6emlqcCO5L-XzUE75mBtc-QOjrjRvKU2vt2I0hmm3ixEffOxiHhyYaNt8O76/s1600/final+covertgtsd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2BFh8FvY20H8hItBDqZ05AaIeau3RqoXfk-23u7_OqcmMr1shev0DqhwUDGFCSVMFfAMOi3siuyL2XTv6emlqcCO5L-XzUE75mBtc-QOjrjRvKU2vt2I0hmm3ixEffOxiHhyYaNt8O76/s200/final+covertgtsd.JPG" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36pt;"><br />
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</div>Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-6893658303857742802012-01-11T03:39:00.000-08:002012-01-11T04:13:36.795-08:00January - Janus Looking Back to 2011 and Forward to 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7L3Rx8uUvP83uFH2JWGUcHpTAkigHM7vfUdTmKpqNRiiF9T0NZpfxlxz6V7a5PdjOmJzWGHnKlJPsAdw9dx2crugWNcjAupU8qjHzNELuMIui4POvoAavM2WRgHDpCgh1ilb985P7_8DZ/s1600/for+the+journey+cover.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7L3Rx8uUvP83uFH2JWGUcHpTAkigHM7vfUdTmKpqNRiiF9T0NZpfxlxz6V7a5PdjOmJzWGHnKlJPsAdw9dx2crugWNcjAupU8qjHzNELuMIui4POvoAavM2WRgHDpCgh1ilb985P7_8DZ/s200/for+the+journey+cover.JPG" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ASHktTcH8KgaIus5EoBFhPRpPsXtofcH-CiXtMtyNVenOVj50gab52_1MlyJkRY3-UNFoAOBl45kvNgLmtHKM1sGUGGjLM8lGz6NJOfh7bsSitu4E0MMIY_Kh9Rj-gP9zeU94_ghikeu/s1600/vittoriokindlecoverjpeg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ASHktTcH8KgaIus5EoBFhPRpPsXtofcH-CiXtMtyNVenOVj50gab52_1MlyJkRY3-UNFoAOBl45kvNgLmtHKM1sGUGGjLM8lGz6NJOfh7bsSitu4E0MMIY_Kh9Rj-gP9zeU94_ghikeu/s200/vittoriokindlecoverjpeg.JPG" width="137" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3ejW84J_jdB8vEZW7jsjMe3d-BzBC4y4n9Mdj6ptXWhQiJHn3hxURFNeXJDrhEru4EZEQebnTSgzyxDfirhI57Y3bj9xX-Dfja_ikKqdEP1j0znslbNNqal8P5ceqg9lwiIqQ6y8uQfF/s1600/final+covertgtsd.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid3ejW84J_jdB8vEZW7jsjMe3d-BzBC4y4n9Mdj6ptXWhQiJHn3hxURFNeXJDrhEru4EZEQebnTSgzyxDfirhI57Y3bj9xX-Dfja_ikKqdEP1j0znslbNNqal8P5ceqg9lwiIqQ6y8uQfF/s200/final+covertgtsd.JPG" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpC3tyhyrg6HhAOp4yW0jmhZSO6QtEorFemqpp6AC8qjgWF0W9MK8mV8AOee5KXY2Cam0wVY2iJdz1VhPy4rs-BloJMgCb38m-I6WEY88uyJ-hTgmCjPwT4u1hb4lZIcjl_LW2C1EemA5/s1600/foronenightonlykindle.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVpC3tyhyrg6HhAOp4yW0jmhZSO6QtEorFemqpp6AC8qjgWF0W9MK8mV8AOee5KXY2Cam0wVY2iJdz1VhPy4rs-BloJMgCb38m-I6WEY88uyJ-hTgmCjPwT4u1hb4lZIcjl_LW2C1EemA5/s200/foronenightonlykindle.JPG" width="133" /></a></div><br />
<b>January is named for the Roman god Janus, a god of doorways, portals, transistions and new beginnings. </b>He is usually depicted with two faces, one looking back and one forward. That is what I am doing right now. Looking back to 2011 and forward to 2012.<br />
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2011 was hard, although there were many sunny days, it also held disappointments, sickness and sadness. Luckily I had my best friend with me and we had some good times among the hard. I am fortunate that my best friend is also my husband. <br />
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This year though we hope will be better. We are both looking forward to some big changes in both home and working life. We are putting our house on the market, downsizing to something more manageable, seeking pastures new. This will give me time to write without feeling guilty about the lank lawn and weed choked flower beds or the dust that is collecting in the sitting room. A smaller house will give us both the financial space to take life easier - have more fun.<br />
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One good thing that happened in 2011 was that I finally became published as a Romance author. With the advent of Kindle I was able to publish in quick succession <i><b>For One Night Only,</b></i> a gently erotic romance set within a tired marriage, <i><b>Vittorio's Virgin</b></i>, a more complex story about a man's struggle to come to terms with his traumatic upbringing and first marriage and find love and trust with the honest but sharp tongued, Jennifer Trent. Then came <i><b>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter,</b></i> which examines the complex relationship between Charlotte Martin and billionaire playboy, Nicholas Barberis Jones. <br />
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At first things were quiet, sales were slow, but soon some nice comments and emails began to arrive. 'I've read them all now and want to know when the 'next one' will be out.'<br />
Since I hadn't even begun to write it I published a small booklet of short stories to give myself some time. <i><b>Something for the Journey</b></i> is also now being well recieved.<br />
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I cannot stress how much these reader's comments mean to me. They really help. The don't just provide a much needed boost to my creative ego but help me discover what my readers really love ... and what they don't. By using a mix of their praise and criticism I am now able to move forward with <i><b>Come, Dance with Me</b></i> with more confidence than ever before.<br />
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Writers are babies (or is it just me?) In order for them to continue writing they <i>need </i>to know that their work is appreciated. An email, a short comment on a blog or an Amazon review or Facebook of 'I loved it' or 'I told all my friends about it,' can make all the difference. So, if you read a book and love it, let the author know, if you hate it also let her know but gently, please, she is a sensative soul and only wants to please you. I write a lot of reviews but tend to avoid being less than positive. Constructive criticism is the key to helping an author improve. We appreciate that - thank you.<br />
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As I said, <b><i>Come, Dance with Me</i></b> is coming along nicely. It is set within the world of ballroom dancing competition, a growing interest and armchair sport in both the UK and America. It is a world that I find fascinating and repelling. WRiting in this genre also means that I can sit with a clear conscience and watch re-runs of the hit dancing show, Strictly Come Dancing, all in the name of research.<br />
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When Sasha finds herself drawn into the glizty, glamorous world of ballroom and is swept off her feet by the beautiful Russian heart throb, Andrei Kovalevsky, at first she can scarcely believe her luck. But, as ever in the world of romance, the path to true love is not an easy one. When the curtain falls,will they live to dance again?<br />
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All four of my current Kindle books can be found on Amazon Kindle, please download a free sample and see if you like them too.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mary-Middleton/e/B00288690M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1">Mary Middleton on Kindle</a><br />
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More details about me and my work can be found on <a href="http://marymiddletonromancewriter.webs.com/aboutme.htm">my web page</a>Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-7051255862282835022012-01-05T03:47:00.000-08:002012-01-05T03:47:42.225-08:00Getting Back to Romance ...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Z6umKmopmM/TwWNacZvaFI/AAAAAAAAAA0/omj2E5-EqAM/s1600/double+hearted+rose.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Z6umKmopmM/TwWNacZvaFI/AAAAAAAAAA0/omj2E5-EqAM/s200/double+hearted+rose.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Rose, Two Hearts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I always had trouble with a new school term, it took a few weeks to get back into the rhythm of study and I'm having similar problems getting my head into gear after the Christmas break. Up until Christmas preparation came between me and my key board things were going well. I have a first draft of sorts and put it away to begin editing in the New Year.<br />
The trouble is that New Year is now almost a week old and I haven't really begun. I have the edited the first chapter but can't seem to find the discipline to sit down and do the rest. I love writing the frist draft when my creative juices are flowing and I am swept away with the romance of it all but picking out the flaws, untying the tangles just doesnt have the same appeal. so, I have been procrastinating and running out of time.<br />
In February I am attending Kate Walker's advanced romance writing course in Fishguard and I need to take my first three chapters with me. If I don't get my finger out they won't even be properly finished. <br />
I am writing this in the hope that it will dislodge the unsightly lump that has come between me and my novel ...ME! Did I mention I was on a diet? :))<br />
Oh, and before I go, have a wonderful romantic 2012 and may all your dreams come true.Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-30391753033806862602011-12-04T00:44:00.000-08:002011-12-04T00:44:36.698-08:00A Shameful Consquence Carol Marinelli - A Review by Mary Middleton<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugmpV9rh58GiOPffnjuJjSu8X_xVokLAKklLNk78OeACZtJ-T39DyzSAJ7-HMbNkSQz5Athty8D0UlfDnjoQvKu3OgrhrA29k2RxF-0l8ZiqMHx5Zx5_c00Iehh2vU4JR19LRuR0kubxE/s1600/a+shameful+consequence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugmpV9rh58GiOPffnjuJjSu8X_xVokLAKklLNk78OeACZtJ-T39DyzSAJ7-HMbNkSQz5Athty8D0UlfDnjoQvKu3OgrhrA29k2RxF-0l8ZiqMHx5Zx5_c00Iehh2vU4JR19LRuR0kubxE/s1600/a+shameful+consequence.jpg" /></a></div>I read a lot of romances. Most of them are enjoyed, put aside ...forgotten. But not this one. From the first pages Carol Marinelli hooks the reader into the story. Instantly, you empathise with Constantina, tricked into a loveless marriage from which there seems to be no escape. Then, along comes Nico Eliades and poor Constantina's troubles increase. <br />
The author leads you through the twists and turns of the plot so competently that you forget the toppling washing pile in the kitchen, that the children need collecting from school and that you have your own half written novel to complete. It's probably best to set aside a weekend where you can be alone with it, undisturbed.<br />
You will live in this story. The characters are convincing, the settings seductive and the sex scenes are wonderful, not so hot as to makes you cringe but warm and sensuous so that you check your watch to see how long it is until your partner gets home.<br />
Wonderful stuff, Ms Marinelli but, please, don't leave us hanging like this, there must be a story to follow for Zanda.Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-24083731197542111242011-11-14T01:42:00.000-08:002011-11-14T01:49:34.298-08:00Plotting and Planning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85PnYIIEQ1TMgQLLRCKU6KggtNAH_drH9otrdBFPywoH9CR9MQT8CUkKdajvJC7mPMFVUcdsq4Du_aHexPTYQtd6hm_ffm57jUdJ82dici0_X0V8Vlc9mGlw604qisgEyzzKb0v0_oqbQ/s1600/danelion+clock2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85PnYIIEQ1TMgQLLRCKU6KggtNAH_drH9otrdBFPywoH9CR9MQT8CUkKdajvJC7mPMFVUcdsq4Du_aHexPTYQtd6hm_ffm57jUdJ82dici0_X0V8Vlc9mGlw604qisgEyzzKb0v0_oqbQ/s200/danelion+clock2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I've been quiet lately, keeping my head down, marketing my books, promoting the work of friends, reading and reviewing. Now, however, I am back doing what I really love, writing.<br />
It is unfortunate that authors today have to spend so much time away from the keyboard. How I'd love to have been a writer in the 1950's, hammering away at an old typewriter keyboard while someone else worried about selling the thing. To be able to focus purely on the work in progress would be bliss but it is a luxury that even the biggest authors no longer enjoy.<br />
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I don't have a title for my next novel yet but I'm thinking along the lines of Tango or Foxtrot and no, it isnt a detective drama! I, and millions like me, am enchanted by the celebrity show, Strictly Come Dancing and I can't wait to get stuck in, place my characters in a similar world. I have the protaganists in my head, their motivation, the conflict and the resolution are all sketched out nicely on the page. All that remains is for me to add the passion and a sprinkle of sequins. I promise you, this will be one to keep; you are going to love it.<br />
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I will keep you posted on the progress. Just give me a few months and it will be with you.Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-40314890558938772382011-10-01T08:46:00.000-07:002011-10-01T08:51:02.571-07:00Tips and Advice for New WritersI have read a lot of blogs lately providing invaluable advice on how to get a novel down on paper and infront of a publisher. There are, it seems, reams of important rules you must follow, things you must never do, cliches you must never ever use. It is a tough world with millions of talented writers all fighting for the spotlight. Only the best will succeed. So, I thought I'd add my little bit of wisdom to the pot.<br />
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My advice would be this: Have fun with your writing. If you don't enjoy every stage of the process then find another job/hobby. There is no point in becoming an author if you don't love the solitude, the frustration, the failure, the criticism and the very small pay cheque.<br />
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Never listen to people who say you are doing it 'wrong.' We all have different methods and if you want to develop a writing style that is unique, which is I presume something we are all striving for, you are not going to suceed if you tie yourself in knots trying to write just like your favourite author. Your story must be yours and your voice unique and to stand out from the crowd you sometimes have to break rules!<br />
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Stressing about rules at this stage will stifle your creativity. Every writer's first draft, whether they admit it or not, is full of cliches, typo's, over writing, errors in continuity etc. etc. etc. These things are easily ironed out later on in the writing process. If you develop a unique writing style and a strong voice, it can make even a rubbish plot sound good. So relax, pour a glass of wine, open some chocolate and have a good time with it, let your imagination run away with you. If an author enjoys writing the book then it will invariably be an entertaining read.<br />
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When you have a completed manuscript, put it away and don't look at it for at least a month; write something else, begin your next novel, write some shorts or do some blogging. If you think your novel is ready to send off to a publisher or agent, then it probably isn't ... yet.<br />
Once the month is up re-read your work and smooth out the gaffs that will by now be very apparent. Then, get a friend to read it and highlight anything they notice, act on any improvements they may suggest. My husband is invaluable for this task and has learned not to tell me that everything I write is 'wonderful.' He has developed an objective, critical eye and I cannot thank him enough for that.<br />
After making those corrections, leave it another couple of weeks before going through the whole editing process again. I stress that you cannot edit enough, it is a process that crafts your rough diamond into a flawless jewel.<br />
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Overwriting is the worst mistake a would-be writer makes, long flowery passages of description that take up space on the page, detract from the plot and bore your poor reader to death. Be concise, be punchy and above all, be <i><b>interesting.</b></i><br />
Just because your friends love your story doesn't mean it is any good. Think youself lucky to have such loving and supportive friends but don't let their praise go to your head; every writer in the world needs outside help. Get yourelf a critique partner, someone who you haven't known since infant school is preferable. Show it to a stranger, post it on a writers' website and ask for critiques, then brace yourself for the onslaught.<br />
Even constructive criticism hurts like hell but it is usually correct. Read the comments objectively and take on board anything you agree with (it may take a week or so to see that the reader is actually right). Once you know what changes to make, you will find that good editing improves your piece no end.<br />
If you don't agree (and be honest with yourself, now) then ignore the advice, the story is yours, you should write to please yourself and you will not, and cannot, please everybody.<br />
I read alot of amateur work and talent is always visible, even in the early stages when I have to trawl through oceans of misplaced commas and flowery phrases. Formatting problems are common too but computer skills are necessary to an author and are easily learnt. So, if formatting is your weakness, book yourself a course and learn to do it properly.<br />
The things I cannot tolerate (and not just in the work of newbies) is bad grammar and incorrect spelling and that is because both of those errors are avoidable. I had one manuscript that persistently used the symbol & instead of 'and.' I had to stop reading it; it was unacceptable. Every reader should check and re-check their work, hire an editor if need be, although small errors will still slip through. If all else fails use your spell checker.<br />
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Every one of us is learning to be the best that we can. I am not the best, most intellectual writer in the world and neither am I in the best seller lists but I am a reader who has read widely and I do know good work when I see it and, in my experience, the independent and unpublished writers usually knock the socks off many of the big names. The shame is that mainstream publishers don't seem to be able to see us, probably because they all have their heads somewhere where it is very, very dark.Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-70701255256414115232011-09-18T12:08:00.000-07:002011-09-18T12:21:51.318-07:00A close look at Mike Williams - the love interest in For One Night OnlyBoth of my romances presently available on Kindle are selling well. I have had mostly good comments on both <strong><em>Vittorio's Virgin</em></strong> and <em><strong>For One Night Only</strong></em> but the most recurrent question seems to be. 'Is Mike based on someone you know?' The odd thing is nobody has asked me if Vittorio Bianchi is based on a real person. I have come to the conclusion that either Mike's character is so convincing that readers can only assume he is a real person OR that he is the sort of man we can all attain and as such, just what we are looking for.<br />
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Most of my characters are loosely based on people I have seen or met at some time or other. I take different aspects from different people to make up a whole. My work is largely inspired by real life experiences, either my own or somebody else's. I like to keep it as real as possible, too much fantasy can result in unconvincing story lines. But, I am sorry to say, Mike Williams is largely a figment of my imagination.<br />
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He is very ordinary, the sort of bloke you see everyday in the street or in the supermarket; he may come and fix your boiler or you may even be married to him.<br />
I have read a lot of romance and sometimes I get very tired of super good looking alpha males with some deep seated psychological hang up that can only be put right by a certain woman; the woman made for him. <br />
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I wanted a new type of love interest and so, after some deliberation I decided to try and put a chubby Welshman in the spotlight. Mike is, deep down, a good hearted, ordinary man who has lost his way. He is bored, unhappy in his job and his lifestyle has become stale. Usually it is the female characters that play this role but I wanted a different perspective. I wanted Mike to be the one to realise his dreams. During the novel his character slowly unfolds, the reader is taken deeper into his psyche to discover a man that is surprisingly sensual, funny and who loves his wife and kids without reservation.<br />
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When his wife, Nicola, is tempted away from the marriage bed, he is prepared to forgive her everything and, after a heap of trials and misunderstandings, they manage to overcome their problems. Perhaps the truth is that men like Mike don't come along very often after all. <br />
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I enjoyed portraying an ordinary man as a lover. After all, how many of us ever get to share a relationship with a stinking rich Adonis? Mike may not have a fleet of Porsches or a Mayfair mansion but he has so much more. He has his faults and dubious habits but is a family man, the sort of guy that watches sport on a Saturday afternoon with his feet on the coffee table, goes to bed in his socks, eats pizza straight from the box. We all know, or have known, a Mike Williams, haven't we? And you'd not swap him would you? Isn't the ordinary, frustrating man snoring on the sofa beside you right now, secretly the man of your dreams? Shouldn't we let them know it?Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-52251251159990938492011-09-07T04:06:00.000-07:002011-09-07T04:08:51.941-07:00Kindle update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BXT6VVpr7JUZWwpCr8c5gSpp9TBVbDz4ihHayM1A_GG2letURGwXhuvTgtIGxPDX2efbQfdvmqkDfI8iIihrBeaKUcW9ZdYIZprshxiBtE05SGJUFt7cmcKMn2WU9xmDOo8zyA9JTSzn/s1600/vittoriokindlecoverjpeg.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7BXT6VVpr7JUZWwpCr8c5gSpp9TBVbDz4ihHayM1A_GG2letURGwXhuvTgtIGxPDX2efbQfdvmqkDfI8iIihrBeaKUcW9ZdYIZprshxiBtE05SGJUFt7cmcKMn2WU9xmDOo8zyA9JTSzn/s200/vittoriokindlecoverjpeg.JPG" width="137" /></a></div> I have just checked out my author page <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Mary%20Middleton">Mary Middleton</a> on Amazon Kindle and was most surprised to see how quickly <i><b>Vittorio's Virgin</b></i> is selling. <i><b>For One Night Only</b></i> is lagging a little behind. I wonder if I should think up a more intriging title? Anyway, its still all going very well. If any of you wonderful people are into reviewing I'm sure some lovely reviews will help move things along. The more I sell, the more I can afford to write. Maybe the dream of being able to earn a living from writing, rather than just funding an expensive hobby is getting closer. Let's hope so.<br />
<b><i>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter</i></b> is proving a little more troublesome than the other novels were to write but the plot is more intricate and the characters definitely don't like being told what to do.<br />
Sometimes I just let them get on with it to see where they will take me but there are plot lines that Jonathan in particular needs to adhere to and he is proving a very forceful person. If he wasn't so gorgeous I might get very cross but he looks at me with those dark troubled eyes and I find myself weakening, giving in to his demands.<br />
Many of you, I know, are not looking forward to winter but for writers there is nothing better than a warm fireside, rain lashed windows. A day, uninterrupted by phonecalls or visitors and unhampered by the guilt of not mowing the lawn is like heaven to me. Once the oil tank if filled, the store cupboard and freezer well stocked, I, for one, will look forward to producing a lot of work over the coming winter season.Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5942950607943300529.post-14627303644299518542011-08-29T02:17:00.000-07:002011-08-29T02:17:47.343-07:00New Work in Progress<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/s?_encoding=UTF8&search-alias=digital-text&field-author=Mary%20Middleton">With my first two novels</a> doing so well on kindle, I thought I would blog about my WIP, <b><i>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter.</i></b> I find that if I discuss my work as I write, it defines and hones the characters into shape and helps me decide where the story is going. I am not the sort of writer that knows exactly what is going to happen before they type the first word. I work from a rough outline and allow my characters the freedom to make up their own minds - they usually know much better than me what they want.<br />
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I am having a lot of fun with this one, Charlotte is certainly headstrong enough to take the reins from my hands and as for Jonathan, well, if mean and moody is your bag, then he has it all. I look forward to updating you on its progress. <br />
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<b><u>The plot so far.</u></b><br />
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Charlotte Martin's four year old son has cerebal palsy and only an expensive operation can ensure he retains his mobility. But the only place the operation can be performed is in the USA. Charlotte's problem is that she is penniless and has nobody to turn to for help and so is forced to search for her natural father, Greek tycoon, Nicoli Barberis, to ask for his help.<br />
<div align="left">Beyond all her hopes Nicoli welcomes them with open arms and is eager to make up for the lost years. The only fly in the ointment comes in the form of Nicoli's stepson and heir, the devastatingly handsome, John Barberis-Jones, who is not prepared to share either his step-father or his inheritance. <b><i> </i></b></div><div align="left"><b><i>The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter </i></b>is a passionate story of pride, love and compromise. </div><br />
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Mary Middleton - Romance writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04623399676581867332noreply@blogger.com0