Blog Archives
Past, Present, & Future with Jacqui Jacoby
In celebration of the release of my debut novel, Fast Forward, I’m doing a series of interviews with authors about their past, present & future. Today, please welcome Jacqui Jacoby who also has a book to give away for one lucky reader…
PAST:
1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a kid it was called being a stewardess. Today the politically correct term is a flight attendant. I had dreams of travelling the world.
2. What did you do before you became a writer?
I graduated UCLA before I wrote my first story and then I became a housewife and a stay at home Mom, raising my three kids. In fact, it’s the same thing I did as I was a writer, too.
3. What is one of your most treasured memories from the past?
My favourite memory is not from the distant past, but one that occurred just ten years ago. My husband and I renewed our wedding vows on board The Queen Mary in Long Beach, California for our twentieth anniversary. Our kids stood up for us: my oldest daughter as the maid of honour, our son as the best man and my youngest as the flower girl.
PRESENT:
4. What’s your latest/upcoming release about and/or what are you currently working on?
My upcoming novel, With a Vengeance, is my debut release. It’s about two friends who realize they want more from their relationship. It’s set in the backdrop of CIA action and adventure. The project I am working on now is also a romantic suspense. It’s about a Russian hero and the heroine who figures out his secret. I’m hoping to have it completed by my birthday in May.
5. What’s a typical day like for you? (If there is such a thing!)
When I had the kids at home, my days were unpredictable and full of surprises. I could never know what was coming next and always had to be prepared for the unexpected. Now that they are grown and I am entering into the anticipated “Empty Nest” my days are more routine. I rise late – one of the perks of the kids being grown – and take my walk. Walking is good to clear the mind and get it ready to work. I come home, shower, watch a little bit of Twilight Zone or M*A*S*H – another Empty Nest perk . Then I hit the computer to get started on the day’s work. What I am working on depends on what is due. Right now I am editing a suspense novel for submission and getting ready for The Brenda Novak auction where I will be auctioning off a mentor program.
6. Name three things you are grateful for in your life right now:
1. My relationship with my husband of thirty years.
2. The relationships I have with each of my three children, and the relationships they have with each other.
3. That I was able to be a Stay at Home Mom while working in a career that I love. I got the best of both worlds.
FUTURE:
7. If you could fast forward in time to any age or year for just one day, what would you choose & why?
To my fiftieth anniversary where my husband and I will renew our wedding vows one more time and my oldest daughter will stand as maiden of honour, my youngest daughter as a bridesmaid and my son as my husband’s best man. All our grandchildren will be there and their children, too. It will be euphoric!!
8. If you could have any new technology or invention in the future that would make your life a whole lot easier (or more fun), what would it be?
It would be a machine that takes the ideas for stories and characters straight from my brain and puts them onto the page without me having to type everything out.
9. What are your hopes & dreams for the future?
I’m a frustrated French student trapped in the body of a fifty-year-old woman. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to speak a second or even a third language. My hope and dream is that I will return to the university this coming fall to obtain a degree in Modern Languages (French/Spanish). I don’t have any plans to travel with the degree, but it certainly would be possible to visit Paris and Barcelona.
Thanks for visiting the blog, Jacqui!
>>To WIN an e-copy of Jacqui’s book, WITH A VENGEANCE, please leave a comment below. Winner will be drawn on Wed 22nd May and notified on this blog and via email. Good luck!
Visit Jacqui online at her website, blog, facebook, and twitter. You can also check out her book at Amazon and via her publisher.
Mothers Day Giveaway – books up for grabs!
Happy Mother’s Day for Sunday 12th to all the mums, moms, step-mothers, mothers-in-law, mothers-to-be, single dads, and mothers-at-heart! Read on for a chance to win some books…
I celebrated an early Mothers Day with my mum a week ago, so this Mothers Day I plan on having a relaxing day of reading (I doubt my son will bring me breakfast in bed, but that’s okay because I’m not really a fan of the whole crumbs in bed thing!). I’ve been writing like mad lately, so I think a day on the ‘other side’ might be just what the doctor ordered. 😉
With the special day on my mind, I’ve been thinking about motherhood in fiction (which was the topic of an article I wrote on the Australian Bookshelf blog). Have you read many books with mothers as main characters?
The main character in my novel, FAST FORWARD, Kelli, starts out as a childless twenty-five-year-old until she’s propelled into the future and finds herself as a fifty-year-old mother of two and a grandmother-to-be. Motherhood may be challenging, but it’s even more challenging when it’s suddenly bestowed upon you!
>> I asked around about different books that feature mothers as main characters, and here are a few that were mentioned…
A Man Like Mike by Sami Lee; Want to know a Secret? by Sue Moorcroft; Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips; Hello, It’s Me, by Wendy Markham; I Don’t Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson; The Girl, The Gold Tooth & Everything by Francine LaSala, What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty.
So if you like reading about mothers as characters, why not check them out!
>> And now, the part of this post you’ve been waiting for – the book giveaway!
PRIZE:
I’m gifting one lucky person three ebooks from my publisher: Escape Publishing. There are fifty books to choose from, and the winner can pick three they would like. I’ll be gifting them from Amazon.com, so before entering make sure you can receive ebooks from Amazon.com (ie, not UK). You can keep all three ebooks to yourself, or you can choose to on-gift one or all of them to your mother, or a special someone.
HOW TO WIN:
1. For ONE entry into the draw, simply leave a comment below and tell me what your ideal Mothers Day Present would be. If you’re not a mother, you can still let me know what your ideal present would be.
2. For TWO entries into the draw, do the same as above and also subscribe to this blog via email (in the subscription section on the top right corner of the page). In your comment please mention that you’ve subscribed. If you’re already a subscriber, simply say ‘I’m a subscriber’ in your comment.
3. For THREE entries, do the same as above (comment and subscribe), and tweet about this giveaway using one of the sample tweets at the bottom of this post. Include your twitter handle in your comment. So, your comment might look like this:
My ideal Mothers Day present would be a day on a Greek Island with a good book. I’m a subscriber. My twitter handle is @MyHandle
The winner will be drawn on Monday 13th May. Good luck, and please share this giveaway with your friends!
***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***
Tweet this post >> Copy & paste any of the following into a tweet:
#MothersDay Giveaway – books up for grabs! via @Juliet_Madison http://wp.me/p1jJti-he
#WIN three ebooks, your choice! #MothersDay competition via @Juliet_Madison http://wp.me/p1jJti-he
What would be your ideal #MothersDay present? Tell us and win books! via @Juliet_Madison http://wp.me/p1jJti-he
Past, Present, & Future with Natalie Charles (plus giveaway!)
In celebration of the release of my debut novel, Fast Forward, I’m doing a series of interviews with authors about their past, present & future. Today, please welcome… Natalie Charles!
PAST:
1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an actress. Now it makes me laugh, but of course acting was very serious business. I used to write my own plays and direct kids in my elementary class, and I acted throughout high school. I fell in love with the idea of being someone else and bringing words to life, and I still draw on those experiences. When I write, I need to immerse myself in a character and to hear them speak. I spend a lot of my writing time on dialogue, listening to the rhythm of my characters’ conversations.
2. What did you do before you became a writer?
I was a sales clerk at my family’s independent pharmacy throughout high school, then I held odd jobs on my college campus like writing tutor, graduation program assembler, orientation leader, public relations assistant…basically I had no standards. If it paid, I wanted to do it. Over the summers I was a park supervisor in my town, which sounds like I was some kind of ranger, but really I made lanyards with local kids and told them not to swear. After college I worked in logistics for a construction company, shipping fixtures to national retail locations. That lasted about five minutes, and then I quit to work as a makeup sales clerk (seriously). Then I went to law school (seriously), and now I’m a lawyer.
I still work full-time as an attorney. I write laws, so it’s sort of a writing job, but not as much fun as writing romantic suspense.
3. What is one of your most treasured memories from the past?
Christmas Eve at my grandfather’s house. We’d have this formal Italian dinner and then these beautiful desserts: cannoli and cookies and fruit. I never ate the dessert or much of the dinner because I was too busy waiting for Santa to come, although I do remember eating pomegranate seeds. I can’t imagine one easily forgets the first time they eat pomegranate seeds.
The dinner took forever! There was a white tablecloth and all these fish dishes that I wouldn’t touch, and of course we had to dress up. Torture. My brother and sister and I would periodically excuse ourselves to dash to the living room, waiting for presents to appear under the tree. We practically wore the carpet thin, running between the living room and the dining room. At some point, we’d go to the living room and it would be filled with presents. We never saw Santa or had any idea that the gifts were being delivered. I was lucky to have such magic in my childhood.
PRESENT:
4. What’s your latest/upcoming release about and/or what are you currently working on?
My debut for Harlequin Romantic Suspense is called THE SEVEN-DAY TARGET. It’s about an FBI agent named Nick Foster who discovers that his ex-fiancée, prosecutor Libby Andrews, is being hunted by a serial killer who leaves six signs over six days before killing on the seventh. She broke his heart, but now he has no choice but to protect her – even if it means putting his heart at risk!
5. What’s a typical day like for you? (If there is such a thing!)
I wake up too early and cook my husband and daughter breakfast. Then I head off to work, where I draft legislation and do my best to not muck up anyone’s life too much…unless that’s what my clients want, of course. Then it’s home to make dinner, bathe my daughter and put her to bed. I collapse on the couch to write after all of that, and when I’ve finished writing, I collapse in bed. Sometimes my husband and I manage to fit in a conversation, but you asked about a typical day.
6. Name three things you are grateful for in your life right now:
I have so much to be grateful for! I’m grateful for my health, first and foremost. My youngest brother is a childhood cancer survivor, and I try to remember to never take a healthy day for granted. I’m endlessly grateful for my family, especially my husband and my daughter and the baby we have on the way. And I’m grateful for the support I’ve had in reaching this point in my life, because I haven’t done anything alone.
FUTURE:
7. If you could fast forward in time to any age or year for just one day, what would you choose & why?
Tough question! I don’t know that I’d want to do this. I’m definitely a person who dwells in the future, but I like my future unwritten and full of possibility. I think that actually seeing the future might make me feel like some kind of destiny was involved. Naive or not, I like to imagine I’m in control.
8. If you could have any new technology or invention in the future that would make your life a whole lot easier (or more fun), what would it be?
I’d want a teleporting machine like they have on Star Trek. This way I could travel all over the world in a matter of seconds. I live in New England, where we have dark and cold winters. Summers here are absolutely beautiful, but I’d love to hop a teleporter to somewhere tropical on the winter weekends, or spend a chilly afternoon on a beach in Fiji.
I hope someone smarter than myself gets on that, stat.
9. What are your hopes & dreams for the future?
You mean besides writing the Great American Novel? I want to raise children who call me regularly as adults and travel to beautiful places with my husband. I plan to continue writing what I love to write, and if I happen to make a living at it, that would be a dream.
Thanks for visiting the blog, Natalie!
>>To WIN a copy of Natalie’s book, THE SEVEN DAY TARGET (blurb below), leave a comment for Natalie.
*Competition open WORLDWIDE (US/Canada residents will receive a signed print copy, international readers will receive a Kindle copy. Winner will be drawn Wed 10th April (Sydney time).
Good luck!
Natalie on the web:
The Seven Day Target
He never meant to speak to her again. Back in Arbor Falls for a funeral, Special Agent Nick Foster has moved on. He has no plans to stay in his tiny hometown-or to reunite with the beautiful Libby Andrews. His onetime fiancée broke his heart, and what’s past should stay buried.
Libby doesn’t want his help. Her childhood sweetheart can never know the real reason she ended their engagement three years before. But when a serial killer targets her, she must team up with the rugged agent for her own safety. Something in her past has put her in danger, and the passion they’ve reignited puts their future in deadly jeopardy.
Read Chapter One
Read Reviews
Buy Links:
Amazon B&N Powells BAM IndieBound
Last Day Of Blog Tour – get your entries in!
WOW – what a month! It may be the shortest month of the year but I’ve enjoyed every day of February, the month my debut novel, FAST FORWARD was released into the world. It’s been both exhausting and exciting; writing guest blogs and interviews, interacting with readers, promoting on facebook and twitter, checking sales rankings, and trying to squueze in some more writing too! I managed to complete a 16,000 word novella during all the hype, which I’m pretty pleased with. 🙂
BIG thanks to all the wonderful bloggers that have hosted me on my blog tour, and to everyone who’s followed me along the blog tour and left comments on my posts and interviews, it’s been great fun! If you haven’t yet, or you’ve only made a couple of the stops, there’s still time – today is the last day of the tour and there are plenty of interesting interviews and articles to read about my writing journey, my book, my characters, my inspirations, and even which funny scene was based on personal experience!
I’d love to see you there…simply click on the below links that interest you and leave me a comment and you’ll be entered into the draw to win a $50 Amazon gift card or a $25 Amazon gift card. When it comes to ebooks, that amount can get you a LOT of great books! But you can also spend it on anything at Amazon.
Also, don’t forget if you’ve bought FAST FORWARD you can also win a bonus $25 Amazon gift card as a thank you for buying my book. Simply forward me your email receipt to fastforwardbook(at)gmail(dot)com and you’ll be in the draw!
I’ll allow a bit of time for the non-Aussies to catch up to the end of February, Australian time, and then I’ll draw the winners sometime over the next day or two, so keep an eye out on the blog, twitter and facebook and check your inbox over the weekend – it could be you!
Here are all the blogs you can leave a comment on to enter into the draw:
1st
Juliet Madison blog – Release Day celebration post
ARRA / Australian Romance Readers Association – Release Day post
2nd
Rachael Johns blog – Do You Have The Creative Curse?
3rd
Strange Candy Reviews – From Idea to Publishing Contract in Nine Months
4th
RWA / Romance Writers of Australia – Author Spotlight interview
5th
Mochas, Mysteries, and More – Book spotlight & excerpt
6th
Read In A Single Sitting – Interview/Feature
7th
You Gotta Read – You Gotta Write, Right?
8th
Manga Maniac Cafe – Interview
11th
Romance Book Paradise – Time Travel in romance – it’s not only for sci-fi
12th
Stella Ex Libris – Creating the Characters of Fast Forward
13th
Australian Bookshelf – Motherhood in Fiction
14th
Chick Lit Central – Valentine’s Day Interview
15th
Sarah Belle’s blog – 5 Fun Facts About Fast Forward
18th
Beauty & Lace – Interview
19th
Kerrie Paterson’s blog – My TBR pile; what I’m reading
20th
Louise Reynolds’ blog – Cooking The Books – the food in Fast Forward
21st
Ramblings From This Chick – Opposites Attract – the romance in Fast Forward
22nd
Chick Lit Bee – Getting inspiration from movies
24th
Susanne Bellamy’s blog – Interview
28th
Annie Seaton’s blog – How I Became a Writer
Thanks for visiting, I’ll see you on the blogs! 🙂
~ Juliet
Past, Present, & Future with…Juanita Kees
In celebration of the release of my debut novel, Fast Forward, I’m doing a series of interviews with authors about their past, present & future. Today, please welcome… Juanita Kees (who, incidentally, was my wonderful editor on Fast Forward!)
PAST:
1. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
Sleeping Beauty, I knew my prince would come and rescue me from my tower 🙂
2. What did you do before you became a writer?
I worked in the motor industry in administration and customer service.
3. What is one of your most treasured memories from the past?
That’s a hard one. I have so many to choose from. Our home was always filled with music, books and board games. Dad used to read to us every night and we used to sing with Mum while we washed the dinner dishes (no TV or dishwashers back then, lol). On Sundays, we barbequed at my aunt’s house where we played music and had a sing-along. Dad and his twin brother played harmonicas, my cousin played the piano, I played the recorder and the rest of us played the fool.
PRESENT:
4. What’s your latest release about and/or what are you currently working on?
Fly Away Peta is the story of Jaime and Peta; lovers separated by time, distance and a little interference. They’re brought together again ten years on when Peta’s daughter is kidnapped. There is so much they need to sort through, including finding Bella and healing the emotional wounds inflicted on them by the nasty Paul Price, before they can find happiness. Peta is reluctant to trust Jaime again even though she’s never stopped loving him. He left once before without a fight, what’s to stop him leaving again? Jaime has to make a big decision. Does he stay or let her fly away again?
I’ve recently finished my favourite manuscript, Under The Hood, which will be published by Escape Publishing in March. This is a fast-paced, energetic tale of a woman determined to fulfill a dream even when it puts her in constant danger. When Scott Devin buys a struggling car dealership in a semi-rural area in Western Australia, the last person he expects to see in charge is a stilletto-wearing, mini-skirted foreperson. Exactly the distraction a struggling, male-dominated workshop doesn’t need! But there’s more to TJ Stevens than meets the eye.
TJ Stevens has two major goals in life: to preserve her grandfather’s heritage and protect the program – and she’ll go to any lengths to do it. Scott Devin’s presence is a threat to everything she’s worked hard to achieve, so keeping him at arms- length shouldn’t be a problem…or will it?
5. What’s a typical day like for you? (If there is such a thing!)
Totally unpredictable! I start with checking my emails, followed by a little Facebook before I knuckle down to editing or writing. The emails and Facebook can send me scuttling off in all difference directions over the web before I have to reign myself in and log out. I’m a terrible procrastinator.
6. Name three things you are grateful for in your life right now:
Only three? Sorry kids 😉 – My health, my mind and chocolate
FUTURE:
7. If you could fast forward in time to any age or year for just one day, what would you choose & why?
Ten years into the future when my kids have kids and I get the chance to say ‘Remember when I told you the same thing?’ and ‘I told you so’.
8. If you could have any new technology or invention in the future that would make your life a whole lot easier (or more fun), what would it be?
A robotic housekeeper to iron, cook and clean for me. I don’t like housework at all. I’d much rather be writing.
9. What are your hopes & dreams for the future?
Tough one! I’d love to see world peace and acceptance among people. Maybe one day it will happen through strong, solid leadership, who knows. As for dreams, I’d love to see one of my books on DVD or in the cinemas with Chris Hemsworth in the leading role 🙂
To win a copy of Juanita’s book, Fly Away Peta, please leave a comment!
Visit Juanita online at her website, blog, facebook, and twitter. Buy Fly Away Peta here.
9 Days Left To Win! My Blog Tour so far…
Have you entered the prize draw in my blog tour yet? It’s happening all throughout February, and you could win a $50 Amazon Gift Card (to buy ANYTHING), or the runner up prize of a $25 Amazon Gift Card.
It’s easy to enter, simply comment on any of the guest posts or interviews I’m doing during my blog tour. You can see the full schedule via this link, but here’s a run down of the blogs I’ve visited this past week so you can check them out and leave a comment. Every blog you comment on counts as one entry, so comment on more to have more chances to win! And remember to share the details with your friends 
- At Romance Book Paradise I talked about time travel in romance, it’s not only for sci-fi! Do you have a favourite time travel story?
- At Stella Ex Libris I talked about how I created the characters of Fast Forward. Come and share who your favourite book characters are! There’s a lot of discussion going on here.
- At the Australian Bookshelf I discussed Motherhood in Fiction.
- At Chick Lit Central I was interviewed on Valentine’s Day and even shared my first crush! *blush* – 2 copies of Fast Forward are up for grabs here too if you comment before midnight on 20th Feb US time.
- At up and coming author Sarah Belle’s blog I shared 5 Fun facts About Fast Forward. Which funny scene was based off personal experience?? 😉
- At Beauty & Lace I was interviewed about my journey to publication, and I also discuss social media for writers and what I’m working on next!
- At Kerrie Paterson’s blog I shared what’s in my Leaning Tower of To Be Read books!
- And today I’m at Louise Reynolds blog on ‘Cooking The Books’, where I discuss the futuristic food that appears in Fast Forward, as well as a few excerpts to whet your appetite 😉
I hope to see you on the blogs!
Thanks to everyone who’s rated and reviewed the book so far, and those who’ve sent me messages telling me how much they enjoyed the book. I really appreciate it!
Here are a few reviews that have been posted:
Harlequin Junkie – 4.5 star review.
1 Girl 2 Many Books – 8/10 review.
>>Remember, if you’ve read FAST FORWARD, you could also win a bonus $25 gift card by forwarding your receipt to fastforwardbook(at)gmail(dot)com ! Good luck! 🙂
MY LITTLE PART OF AUSTRALIA [Australia Day Book Giveaway Blog Hop!]
I’m excited to be part of the Book’d Out Australia Day Blog Hop! I, along with many other Australian bloggers and authors are running giveaways between Jan 25th and Jan 28th to celebrate Australia and the Australian writing community, so be sure to check out all the other blogs participating too – you could win lots of prizes! I’m giving away a $20 Amazon gift voucher and an ebook copy of my short story SISTERS AT HEART, a heartwarming tale set in the small Australian town of Tarrin’s Bay (fictional, but based on where I live… read more about that below).
MY LITTLE PART OF AUSTRALIA:
I moved from the mountains to the sea two years ago, and in a way, I feel like I’m on holidays ALL THE TIME. Not that I sit about relaxing all day – far from it! – but the location, my surroundings, the atmosphere, it has that magical holiday feel.
I live in a town called Kiama on the south coast of New South Wales. Every morning I step out on my balcony and gaze at the ocean, watching the waves crash against the headland and breathing in the fresh, salty air. I love it. And I love the surrounding towns too.
Here are some other things I love about my little part of Australia…
~ The people – Everyone is so friendly, from the stranger saying hello while out walking to the customer service with a smile at one of the many shops. There’s a real sense of community spirit and united appreciation for this beautiful place.
~ The landscape – We are lucky to have both a scenic coastline with beautiful beaches and also a vast rural landscape of lush green hills and farmland. It’s country and coast combined. Many tourists come to visit our two popular blowholes and stand by with cameras at the ready to capture the sudden, huge splurge of water shooting through the rocks from the ocean below.
~ The climate – Although we get some really cold days in winter and some really hot days in summer (45°C last week!), most of the time the weather sits in the perfect early to mid 20’s. I love that it’s not usually as hot as up north and I love that it’s not as cold as the mountains where I used to live (and needed gloves, thermals, two pairs of socks, and a heavy layer of blankets that required super human strength to lift off in the morning!). It’s a nice ‘in-between’ type of climate.
~ The best of both worlds – Being the first country town south of Sydney, it has that homely small town feel – no high rises, no major shopping centres, no McDonald’s…etc, while still offering all the conveniences of modern society.
~ The events – There is always something to do, especially on weekends (Kiama is a popular tourist destination – it is packed in January!). The seaside markets are always popular… I love strolling around the harbour and looking at all the arts, crafts, jewellery, books, food, and other interesting finds while watching the sunlight shimmer on the ocean. There are jazz festivals, arts festivals, surfing competitions, a local show with fireworks, New Years Eve celebrations, and a wonderful Christmas carols in the park each year.
Have I convinced you to move here yet? If there’s no chance of that you can still enjoy this special place through my upcoming series of novels set in the fictional town of Tarrin’s Bay, which I’ve based on Kiama and other surrounding towns. Watch this space! And you can read a bit about this series on my ‘books’ page. Remember to subscribe to the blog to keep updated on news.
And now for the giveaway…
>>To WIN a $20 Amazon gift voucher and an ebook copy of my short story SISTERS AT HEART, leave a comment below and answer the following question:
‘What do you love about Australia? Or if you’re not an Aussie, why do you want to visit Australia?’
*Competition open worldwide and closes at midnight 28th January. Winner will be announced in this post and notified via email.
And don’t forget, once you’ve left a comment, go check out the list of other blogs participating in this Australia Day Blog Hop at Book’d Out and Confessions from Romaholics.
Good luck, and ‘av a happy Austraya Day! 😉
BookLovers Giveaway! I’m feeling generous…
In celebration of my book contract for FAST FORWARD I promised I’d do a giveaway, and one can’t go back on a promise, right?
So here it is! If you love books, you’ll love this prize, and before you get too excited I must point out that you need to be in Australia to be eligible (*hides from yelling and cursing international readers*). But, before you get too annoyed at me, if you’re not in Australia you’ll still be eligible for the runner up prize of an ebook copy of my short story Sisters At Heart (Read on for more details).
So without further ado, one lucky person who leaves a comment and answers a question below will be in the running for this prize: A BookLovers Bag of Goodies!
You could win:
- A canvas tote bag (The front says (in large print): I Heart Books, the back says (in small print): www.julietmadison.com – Humorous & Heartwarming Fiction). You could take this shopping with you, or pack it with a couple of books or your e-reader and a snack and head down to the beach or park for a good read. How cool is that? Inside the tote bag you’ll find…
- A ‘Love is in the air’ mug for your coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or vodka. Whatever your drink of choice. Or, who says you have to fill it with drink? It could hold all your choccies, or if you’re more health conscious it just might fit an apple. …Nup – not gonna happen is it.
- A big fat paperback copy of ‘Girls Night In’. At almost 700 pages this book is choc-full of great stories by some authome ausors…er, I mean: awesome authors (too much vodka in that mug?), including Marian Keyes, Kathy Lette, Jenny Colgan, Cathy Kelly, Fiona walker, Kaz Cooke, Lisa Jewell, and heaps more. You could take this to the beach in your tote bag along with your mug of vodka apple. Also, I’ll just point out that this book is second hand. I haven’t actually read it, I picked it up at a local book sale and it has someone’s name written on the inside. But I reckon that adds some intrigue, don’t you? Like… who did it belong to before? What is their life like? Who else has this book been passed onto? – okay, enough of the writerly character-creation thoughts 😉
- A beautiful handmade bookmark from ‘Chickieboo‘ in the Blue Mountains.
- A ‘Juliet Madison’ notebook to jot down your thoughts, your shopping list (more vodka), or perhaps pen a future bestselling story the old-fashioned way.
- And speaking of pens, a ‘Juliet Madison’ pen for writing that bestselling novel, or chewing on urgently when you run out of vodka. Okay sorry, enough of the vodka jokes, I don’t even drink the stuff! Really.
- A set of ‘Paris sticky note tags’ for doing whatever you like with really. The opportunities are endless… stick on dangly earrings, fingernails, household decorations, a little bookmark, or just a little reminder note to yourself to perhaps buy more…apples. What did you think I was going to say?
- A ‘Juliet Madison’ (sorry for the name overload) super-dooper clip magnet. Seriously, these things are awesome, or should that be authome? They can stick on your fridge or magnetic whiteboard, and the little grippy clip thing is strong enough to hold just about anything. You could even pull back your hair with it and create a new trend – magnetic promotional hair clips – and really draw attention to yourself as you go through airport security and set off the alarms.
- A ‘Juliet Madison’ (cringing slightly at the repetition of my name) fridge magnet. Just the usual run-of-the-mill magnet, nothing fancy, and unfortunately no hair-styling potential. Unless you attach it to the grippy clip on the magnetic promotional hair clip.
So what do you think, pretty cool huh?
To enter, leave a comment on this post and answer the following questions:
1. What is your most favourite invention from the last twenty-five years?
AND
2. What invention would you most like to have in the future?
If you’re not in Australia but would like the chance of winning the runner-up prize of one of two ebook copies of Sisters At Heart, answer the above questions and mention that you’re not in Australia.
*Winner will be announced Wed 12th December 2037 – just kidding! 2012. 😉
…Here’s the blurb for FAST FORWARD, my debut release coming out with Harlequin’s Escape Publishing in Feb 2013…
Aspiring supermodel Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her 25th birthday she wakes in the future as a fifty-year-old suburban housewife married to the now middle-aged high school nerd.
Trapped in the opposite life of the one she wanted, Kelli is forced to re-evaluate her life and discover what is really important to her. Will she overcome the hilarious and heartbreaking challenges presented to her and get back to the body of her younger self? Or will she be stuck in the nightmare of hot flushes, demanding children, raunchy advances from her husband, and hideous support underwear forever?
Rachael Johns Answers Juliet’s Ten Awkward Author Questions!
In this segment, authors will be subjected to a list of awkward questions that may reveal more about themselves than they really wish to share, and they will receive a score on the ‘Braveometer’. If they choose to answer only five questions, they are a ‘Brave Author’, if they answer 6 to 9 questions they are a ‘Mega-Brave Author’, and if they answer all 10 questions they are an ‘Ultra-Brave Author’!
Today I’d like to welcome Rachael Johns, who has a new book out called JILTED! She is also giving away a copy of this book to one lucky commentor (Australia/NZ only).
1. If only one of your books could have been / could be published, which one would you choose? (C’mon, I don’t want to hear ‘Oh, I love them all, there’s no way I could choose.’ Time to be ruthless, these are the Ten Awkward Questions after all!)
JILTED without a doubt. I love ONE PERFECT NIGHT but JILTED is a bigger book and was my fairy dust book in many ways. I can honestly say it almost wrote itself. Wish another one would do that.
2. Okay, now which one of your children/family members would you… nah, just kidding! Which of the following words most accurately describes your best personality trait (you must pick only one!):
Punctual. Good listener. Neat. Graceful. Generous. Cheerful.
Cheerful! Definitely. I’ve even been told I smile TOO much 🙂
3. Which of the following words most accurately describes your worst most challenging personality trait (even if you’re perfect, you must pick one):
Always late. Blabbermouth. Slob. Complete klutz. Scrooge. Grumpy pants.
Oh dear… I think I’m gonna have to go with SLOB! Not because I want to be this way but between kids, writing and the shop, my house and housework severely suffer.
4. Have you ever had a romantic crush on one of your characters? Who and why?
I LOVE a tortured hero and I think all my heroes have a little bit of torture in them. So, I have to be really naff and say I love them all. I’m jealous of the heroines and hopefully that comes across on the page!
5. When writing an important scene, do you act it out to allow you to better describe what’s happening?
Nope – which is bizarre, cos I’m an English teacher with a minor in DRAMA. I am very guilty of talking to myself though and have been known to talk through scenes or at least the dialogue.
6. Do you talk to yourself when writing or coming up with plot ideas?
Whoops – I think I just answered that above. YES!!!
7. Who would be ideal to play YOU in a movie of your life?
Renee Zellweger but possibly only her character from Bridget Jones 🙂
8. If you could be any book character for one day, who would you be and why?
I’d be Hermione from Harry Potter because a) I’d really impress my sons and b) I could do magic spells!
9. You’re about to be left on a deserted island for a year, and while your basic food and water needs will be met, you can only bring one extra thing from the following. Which would you choose?
a) A pen and notepad that never runs out
b) An unlimited supply of books
c) An unlimited supply of chocolate, coffee, or alcohol (your choice)
d) A gorgeous man/woman depending on your preference
An unlimited supply of Diet Coke (runs for cover from Juliet)!
10. If you had the attention of the whole world for two minutes what would you say?
Live life like there’s no tomorrow and also like you’ve still got forever. Take the time to listen and always smile 🙂
Thanks for participating, Rachael. You have been awarded ‘Ultra Brave Author’ status on the Braveometer!
You can visit Rachael online at her website, blog, facebook, and twitter.
>>To WIN a copy of JILTED, leave a comment below (Australia/NZ only)!
*Winner will be drawn Tues 12th June and has one week to respond to the email notification or another winner will be chosen. Good luck!
WINNERS of Mouthwatering May prizes!
I’d like to say a BIG thank you to everyone who participated in my Mouthwatering May blog special event – all the contributing authors and guests for sharing their writing excerpts, recipes, and life experiences, and everyone who took time to read the posts and leave a comment. Thanks for making May 2012 my biggest month ever on the blog!
Just out of interest, the most popular post for the month (which had the most views), was Sunday Lunch with Jenn J McLeod. Yay Jenn! If you missed any of the other great posts, click on the Mouthwatering May category on the side menu.
And now for the winners… drumroll….
The winners of a copy of Meredith Mileti’s book, Aftertaste, are:
Rebecca Raisin
and
Juliana!
Congratulations girls, I hope you enjoy the book. And thanks to Meredith for giving away her book 🙂
The winner of the Paris book-box containing chocolates and sticky notes is:
Emmeline!
Congratulations Emmeline, I hope you enjoy your prize 🙂
The winner of a copy of the book, Georgia’s Kitchen is:
Imelda!
Congrats Imelda, hope you enjoy it 🙂
And lastly, the winner of a copy of Georgia’s Kitchen and some Coco truffle chocolates is:
Rachael Johns!
Congrats Rachael, I KNOW you’ll enjoy the prize 🙂
And Rachael will be on my blog tomorrow, answering my Ten Awkward Questions, so make sure you check it out!
So there you have it, my first ever blog special event is now over. It was fun, I hope you enjoyed it too, and stay tuned for more blog special events in the future.
JULIET MADISON 