Saturday, June 29, 2013

Weekend Book Club: Playing the Part


I became a huge fan of Robin Covington's books when I read her first last year, A NIGHT OF SOUTHERN COMFORT (Entangled Publishing's Indulgence series.)
The sexual tension simmered off the pages!

So I was honoured when she asked me to read her first Brazen book, PLAYING THE PART, to provide a cover quote.

I devoured it, quickly!

Here's the blurb:

After publicly self-destructing over a heartbreak a year ago, bestselling romance writer Piper James is now making nice with her publisher by agreeing to teach Hollywood's favorite action star how to act like he's in love. 
Only playboy Mick Blackwell has no clue what love looks like. When a seductive heat ignites between Piper and Mick, she jumps at the chance for a bit of fun between the sheets, but with two stipulatons: she's kept out of the public eye and things end when she returns to New York. 
Only Mick keeps changing the rules on her. Tempted by America's favorite bad boy, Piper is wondering how far she's willing to bend...

I loved this book.
Gobbled it up in one sitting.

Strong protagonists create major sparks!
Scorching hot!
Love the Hollywood movie and publishing tie-in background too.

An absolute page-turner.

What are you reading this weekend?

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

COVER REVEAL: Effortless with You



Effortless With You Book blurb:
School is out and Lucy is ready for the perfect summer: lazy days at the pool, invitations to the most exclusive parties, and romantic dates with her hot new boyfriend. That is, until she lands in trouble one too many times and her parents issue the ultimate punishment: a summer job. Suddenly, the summer can't end fast enough.
To make matters worse, the job is painting houses with Justin, the most popular, egotistical guy in school. Spending all summer with Justin might be other girls' dreams, but definitely not Lucy's. After all, Justin is cocky, annoying, and a jerk. So what if he's the most beautiful jerk Lucy's ever seen? Or that his grin makes her forget she’s mad at the world? Or that maybe, just maybe, there's more to Justin than Lucy realizes. Only one thing is certain: it won’t be the summer she wanted, but it might be exactly the one she needs.


About Lizzy Charles
When Lizzy Charles isn’t scrambling to raise her two spunky toddlers or caring for premature and sick babies as a neonatal intensive care nurse, she’s in a quiet corner writing or snuggled up with a novel and a few squares of dark chocolate. Black tea keeps her constant and she loves guacamole. She married her high school sweet heart, a heart-melting musician, so it’s no surprise she’s fallen in love with writing contemporary YA romance novels. 
Social Media


Sunday, June 23, 2013

Nook books


For those readers who've contacted me, asking about the availability of BRASH on other platforms besides Amazon, you can now buy across all e-book retailers.

Nook
Kobo
iBookstore.


Thursday, June 20, 2013

Guest author: DOROTHY DREYER


Today I'd like to welcome fellow MONTH9BOOKS author Dorothy Dreyer to my blog.
My Sister's Reaper sounds like a fascinating read and in this interview Dorothy gives us some fascinating insights into the book.
Over to you, Dorothy!


MY SISTER’S REAPER

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human. To top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara's soul. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper or let Mara die … this time for good.


How did you choose your title?

I can’t remember the details exactly, but I remember when it came to me I made a joke about it on Twitter. A few of my writer friends saw the tweet and tweeted back that they thought it was awesome. What started as a joke really grew on me, and I knew MY SISTER’S REAPER had to be the name of my book.

Were there any other titles you considered?

No. Once I came up with MY SISTER’S REAPER, I stuck with it. Nothing else came to mind as a good enough fit. I was willing to let it go if I had to, though. I’d heard too many tales of writers who had to change the title of their book, and so from the start of my writing journey I learned not to put too much heart into what I picked for my title. Luckily, the title was accepted. I’m so glad it was!

How did you name your characters?

Without giving too much away, I picked Zadie’s name from a search on a certain supernatural group of individuals. I can’t remember now if the name Zadie was on the list, or if I combined or altered her name from something else. But in the end, I thought it sounded like a heroin’s name. Gavin’s name was a little harder to come up with. This was the fourth book I’d written (but the first to be published) and I had already used up guy names that sounded hot to me. But with a bit of research, I found Gavin’s name and thought it sounded like someone dreamy. A lot of secondary characters came from internet searches of popular names from whatever year they might have been born in. Sometimes I pick character names that kind of represent their personalities or looks. And every once in a while I borrow names from people I know.

Are any of your characters based on people from your real life?

No, not really. There may be a quirk or two that I use for someone, but actually they’re all my creation. I think I’m too chicken to base a character on someone I know. I’m almost positive they’d see right through my charade (of changing their name) and call me out on it.

If you could have a pajama party with any of the characters in your book, who would you choose and why?

Let me answer this diplomatically. ;) If I was a teenage girl, I would of course pick to have a pajama party with Zadie and her best friend Naomi, so that we could gossip all night about how hot Gavin and Chase are.

But since I’m not a teenager, I’d have to go with Lilura. She’s Zadie’s mentor, and she’s a cranky old lady who speaks her mind. I think it would be a blast to spend time talking to her about what she thought of life and people in general.

What's the hardest thing about writing?

For me, the hardest thing about writing is finding the time. I work full time, have two kids, and a house to (attempt to) keep clean. My husband works in London most of the time, while I hold down the fort in Frankfurt. So he’s not usually around to help out, meaning I sometimes have to be Mom and Dad. My family has been really understanding when it comes to allowing me to have “writer time,” but some things in my schedule just can’t be avoided. My goal is to get to a point where I can make writing my full time job. I’d gain almost fifty hours a week, a great majority of which could be spent on writing, if I didn’t have to go to my day job anymore. ;)

But other than that, the hardest thing about writing is to mute my inner editor. I write a lot slower now that I’ve been through the editing process. This is because my amazing editors have shown me the light, and now I can’t turn it off. I guess that could be considered a good thing. Maybe I just need to learn how to be faster, no matter if I’m editing as I go.
 
What advice do you have for those penning their first novels?

My very first and most important piece of advice for aspiring writers is: read! Read, read, read. Not just books in the genre you want to write, but other genres as well. Books from well respected authors, or authors said to have a good voice. But definitely know your genre, know what’s out there, and know what’s received well. If you aren’t immersed in the world you’re writing for, it will show in your writing that you don’t know much about it.

Secondly, never give up. If this is a dream you’re reaching for, do not stop chasing it. That’s not to say your first manuscript should be the one you never give up trying to get signed. If your manuscript isn’t getting a lot of positive feedback, then it might be time to move on to the next one. But don’t give up the dream. There’s a lot to be said about perseverance.

Where can we find your book?

Amazon Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/My-Sisters-Reaper-Reapers-Rite/dp/0985029498/

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Sisters-Reaper-Reapers-Rite-ebook/dp/B00CW079T6

The Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/My-Sisters-Reaper-Dorothy-Dreyer/9780985029494

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-sisters-reaper-dorothy-dreyer/1109686823?ean=9780985029494

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13597733-my-sister-s-reaper

Nicola, thank so much for having me on the blog!

You're welcome, Dorothy. 
Wishing you many sales!


Thursday, June 13, 2013

Calling YA book bloggers!


If book bloggers are interested in reading and reviewing my YA debut BANISH, a supernatural thriller, it's now available on NETGALLEY.

Sunday, June 09, 2013

Thursday, June 06, 2013

Cover reveal! My YA debut BANISH


Here's the cover for my YA debut, BANISH, releasing with Harlequin Teen in Australia & NZ in August.

I love it!

What do you think?

Young Writers Award



The State Library of Queensland is running an annual Young Writers Award competition.

About the Competition 
The short story competition is open to Queensland residents aged 18-25 with a cash prize of $2,000.
It’s a great way to get your foot into the industry, or even getting your material read. 

You can find out more info at www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/awards/ywa

Monday, June 03, 2013

L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries author, loves my YA debut!

I have been sitting on this news for far too long...you all know The Vampire Diaries, right? Famous books & TV show? 

Well, the fabulous author LJ Smith, #1 New York Times bestseller, has read my teen debut BANISH and cover quoted it! I'm beyond excited!!!!

This is what she had to say in its entirety (final cover reveal this week!): 

BANISH more than fulfilled my highest expectations. 
From the moment I read the first page, I was up all night until I got to the end. This is not a book to pick up if you don’t intend to finish it in one reading. Nicola Marsh has done a masterful job at creating a supernatural thriller for teens. It’s full of unexpected twists and turns, and delightful ironies. Protagonist Alyssa is a sympathetic and spunky role model, and her journey from skeptic to soul retriever is riveting. 
Overall rating ten out of ten. 
I absolutely love the book and can’t wait for the next Nicola Marsh novel!

I'm absolutely stoked!

The cover is gorgeous too and I can't wait to reveal this week.