Blog Archives
NEW RELEASE! Juliet Madison’s Romantic Comedy Collection
I’m so excited to share that 3 of my romcom stories have been bundled together into one magical collection, all for the price of one ebook!
My new Romantic Comedy Collection is now available in ebook to buy or gift to a friend. It includes the following stories:
FAST FORWARD
Aspiring supermodel Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth 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?
I DREAM OF JOHNNY
Getting three wishes isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when an unfortunate spelling error in Mandy’s high-tech magic lamp changes her wish for a Greek God to a Geek God. Before Mandy can request a replacement wish, she has to put up with him for twenty four hours, and the timing couldn’t be worse — it’s her friend’s wedding day, her ex will be there, and the God of Geeks insists on coming along for the ride!
STARSTRUCK IN SEATTLE
Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of the love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com but fate has different ideas: Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans…
Thanks to Escape Publishing for putting this together, and thanks to my loyal readers who have supported my books. 🙂
You can buy it from all online ebook retailers, here are the main links, if your preferred store is not listed you can find all other links on the Escape page by clicking the buy now button on that page.
– Amazon
– iTunes
– Kobo
>> And, to WIN a signed tote bag featuring the book cover and filled with swag and surprise goodies, head over to my Facebook group, join (if not already a member), and comment on the giveaway post! Winner drawn April 29. Open worldwide.
Happy reading, and long live romantic comedies!! 🙂
~ Juliet xx
Surprise! Romantic Comedy collection launching soon…
I hinted a little while ago that there would be a special surprise release on April 22nd, and here it is! 
From Juliet Madison, the Queen of Romantic Comedy, comes a collection of three funny, fabulous stories with a touch of magic.
Fast Forward Aspiring supermodel Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth 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?
I Dream of Johnny Getting three wishes isn’t all it’s cracked up to be when an unfortunate spelling error in Mandy’s high-tech magic lamp changes her wish for a Greek God to a Geek God. Before Mandy can request a replacement wish, she has to put up with him for twenty four hours, and the timing couldn’t be worse — it’s her friend’s wedding day, her ex will be there, and the God of Geeks insists on coming along for the ride!
Starstruck in Seattle Aspiring actress Anna Hilford might only have a small role in a leading television drama, but she longs to be dreamboat Karl Drake’s leading lady. Sick of being loveless and overlooked, Anna seeks the help of the love coach, Lulu, from LuluTheLoveAngel.com but fate has different ideas: Lulu has undisclosed power, and Anna is about to realise that life happens while you’re busy making plans… It is available to preorder now, see links below. And don’t forget you can ‘gift’ ebooks, so if you’ve read and enjoyed these stories why not send a gift copy to a friend to help bring some love and laughter to their lives 😉
Giveaway Time! Celebrating 100 Reviews of Fast Forward
FAST FORWARD has now reached 100 reviews on Amazon.com and I’d promised I’d do a giveaway when I reached that magic number. So here it is! 🙂
First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who’s bought a copy of my bestselling, wacky, time travel romantic comedy, and extra thanks to those who’ve taken the time to leave a review or star rating whether it’s been on Amazon, Goodreads, iTunes, or elsewhere. Here are some of the comments people have made:
- “I don’t give 5* ratings easily… Those 5 brilliant, sparkly stars my friends I now reward to Juliet Madison for writing this funny, witty, magical tale I will never forget.” – Ananda
- “If you love movies like Suddenly 30 (13 Going On 30), you’ll love Fast Forward.” – Diane
- “I don’t write many reviews, but I had to rave about this story! it was an amazing, realistic peek into the future. Juliet Madison must have the mind of a creative genius to have come up with all of this.” – Closophari
- “This is definitely a must-read, you won’t regret it, it’ll make you smile from beginning to end.” – Ben
- “The first time I read it I had to put the book down in some spots because I was laughing so hard I couldn’t hold the book still.” – Annie M
If you haven’t yet read it, you can grab a copy from Amazon HERE or from other ebook retailers, links are HERE (click buy now on that page to see all retailer links).
Now, onto the giveaway…
I love giving stuff away, and I also know how frustrating it is when a giveaway is restricted to a particular country, so I’ve made 5 of the 6 giveaways international! For each prize that you’d like to win, all you have to do is click the rafflecopter link and enter. That way if you already have one of the books you can just enter for the ones you don’t have or any you might like to give as a gift if you win.
Winners will be drawn on 21st July and notified by email. Good luck! 🙂
PRIZE #1: AUSTRALIAN RURAL ROMANCE BOOK PACK (Australian entrants only, this pack is HEAVY!)
Prize consists of:
1 x print copy of OUTBACK DREAMS by Rachael Johns
1 x print copy of THE HOUSE ON BURRA BURRA LANE by Jennie Jones
1 x print copy of RIGHT AS RAIN by Tricia Stringer
1 x print copy of DRIFTWOOD by Mandy Magro
Plus, 1 x ebook of your choice from Juliet Madison, and assorted swag (postcards, magnets…etc)
>>ENTER BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW (Australian delivery addresses only!):
PRIZE #2: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE BOOK PACK (International giveaway!)
Prize consists of:
1 x print copy of ALL HE EVER NEEDED by Shannon Stacey
1 x print copy of THE LOOK OF LOVE (The Sullivans #1) by Bella Andre
Plus, 1 x ebook of your choice from Juliet Madison, and assorted swag
>>ENTER BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
PRIZE #3: FUN & FLIRTY BOOK PACK (International giveaway!)
Prize consists of:
1 x print copy of LUCY IN THE SKY by Paige Toon
1 x print copy of FLIRTING WITH FORTY by Jane Porter
Plus, 1 x ebook of your choice from Juliet Madison, and assorted swag
>>ENTER BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
PRIZE #4: CAPTIVATING BOOK PACK (International giveaway!)
Prize consists of: 1 x print copy of THE INEVITABILITY OF STARS by Kathryn R. Lyster
1 x print copy of CAPTIVATE by Vanessa Garden
Plus, 1 x ebook of your choice from Juliet Madison, and assorted swag
>>ENTER BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
PRIZE #5: WOMEN’S FICTION BOOK (International giveaway!)
Prize consists of:
1 x print copy of THE WEDDING SEASON by Su Dharmapala
Plus, 1 x ebook of your choice from Juliet Madison, and assorted swag
>>ENTER BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
PRIZE #6: WOMEN’S FICTION BOOK (International giveaway!)
Prize consists of:
1 x print copy of THE WINTER LODGE by Susan Wiggs
Plus, 1 x ebook of your choice from Juliet Madison, and assorted swag
>>ENTER BY CLICKING THE LINK BELOW:
How’s that for a giveaway? Why have just one when you can have six!
Good luck, and thanks for helping me celebrate 100 Amazon reviews of FAST FORWARD!
Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth 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?
The Diversity of Romance – What is Romance Fiction, Really?
Here’s a question for you: Which of the following is a romance novel?
-
- Amazon Top 100 Bestseller
Answer: all of them. And each is a bestselling and/or award-winning book. Did you already know these are examples of the wide variety of romance fiction available, or is your perception of romance books limited to those with covers showing Fabio-esque men embracing buxom women?
I was inspired to write this post about the diversity of romance after reading Kat Mayo’s article on ABC’s The Drum in response to another article about romance feminism. Many of the comments on the articles showed just how many misconceptions there are about romance fiction. Some people look down on romance fiction as being ‘rubbish’, but many do so without having actually read books within the genre, or having read widely enough.
The view that romance novels give women unrealistic expectations about love and relationships and portray women that are disempowered beings desperate for a hero to rescue them is outdated. The majority of contemporary romance novels have empowered, strong, relatable women as characters, and often represent issues and challenges present in real life. And what’s so unrealistic about finding happiness with someone in a romantic relationship? It happens to many. Yes, there is divorce and broken families in society, but there is also love, commitment, respect, and satisfaction.
These books do not give women unrealistic expectations, they provide entertainment, relaxation, inspiration, and an example of what is possible. And they are FICTION. They are not a How-To guide on finding love. Just as crime and thrillers take readers on an intriguing, suspenseful journey with a satisfying conclusion, romance novels take readers on an enjoyable, emotional journey with a happy ending. There is nothing wrong with that.
Everyone is entitled to their own reading preferences of course, and not liking romance (or sci-fi, or fantasy, for that matter) is perfectly okay, but labelling all books in a genre as ‘rubbish’ is an opinion often given without adequate and fair appraisal of a variety of recent books in the genre. In many cases it is based on assumptions and stereotypical perceptions influenced by what people have seen in movies or in the media.
…So what makes each of the above mentioned books a romance? Regardless of the sub-genre or plot, they each have a romantic relationship as a crucial part of the story and a happy ending where the couple ends up together. It is about the journey, not the destination. Without the romance element the story wouldn’t quite be complete. The romance element may be the main component and driver of the story, or it may be a lesser though still significant part of the story.
Let’s look at each example…
Fast Forward is a time travel romantic comedy, with the main plot centring around a 25-year-old model stuck in the body of her 50-year-old self in the future. At first impressions, there doesn’t seem to be anything romantic about that, but crucial to the plot and her growth as a character is the development of her relationship with her future husband. Because the story wouldn’t be the same without the romantic element, it is not only a comedy and a paranormal/time travel story, but a romance. Some may also classify it as women’s fiction or chick lit, because of the story’s focus on the woman’s journey (however, there are male fans of the book too!) 😉
Reader feedback:
“A wonderful story that delivers a very powerful message underneath the humor and love – it’s not often that a romance novel makes me stop and think of my own life and choices, but Fast Forward does just that, which just adds to its appeal!”
Holiday Affair is a category romance (from Entangled Publishing’s ‘Indulgence’ imprint) in which the hero discovers his new neighbour and co-worker is the woman he had a one-night-stand with on a tropical holiday. A *category romance is a shorter novel (usually around 50,000 words) that adheres to certain guidelines and themes of a particular line or imprint, so readers know what to expect in terms of character types, settings, and/or heat level. In category romance, the romance is the main plot. There may be a small number of secondary characters and possibly a minor subplot, but not at the expense of the main romance storyline. *Note: Many people have the misconception that all romance is category romance – ie, the Mills & Boon type of book. Mills & Boon books are category romance, but not all category romance is published by Mills & Boon.
Reader feedback:
“A delightful tale of two people who have more in common than they think, but are scared to believe it. Neither one of them trusts that love-at-first-sight really could happen on vacation, even though it’s obvious that they are made for each other. Wonderful descriptions of the vacation scenery and a neat inside look at the academic world. I look forward to more from this author!”
Outback Dreams is a single title Australian rural romance about two best friends with dreams they’re each working towards, whose relationship becomes romantic and changes everything. In comparison to a category romance, a single title romance is a full length novel and contains secondary characters and sub-plots as well as the main romance. Rural romance is a popular genre about the lives and loves of people living and working on farms and in rural communities.
Reader feedback:
“OUTBACK DREAMS gently highlights the issue of having a family member with Autism and how it can affect the whole family … a perfect blend of romance, believable conflict, perfect miscommunication and a happy ever after”
Half Moon Bay is a romantic suspense novel written by airline pilot, Helene Young, about a woman running from her past who returns home to help her community, and an ex-soldier with secrets and trauma connecting him to her. Just like other thrillers, crime, and suspense novels, romantic suspense has all the plot twists and turns that keeps the reader turning the pages, but also focuses on the developing romance between the main characters as they deal with challenging circumstances that could either tear them apart or bring them closer together.
Reader feedback:
“I, too, have shied away from the “romance” genre, thinking Mills & Boon. However, I am now a convert to the romance / suspense genre, especially Helene Young’s books. Handsome men, whose characters develop into more than just a pretty face, alongside strong independent intelligent women are characters you will connect with.”
The Rosie Project is a hugely successful romantic comedy about a genetics professor with social difficulties who creates a questionnaire to see if he can find a wife, and one who is perfect for him. His perceptions about life and mishaps along the way create the comedic element, and with the plot revolving around finding a wife, romance and finding out if he’s capable of true love is a big part of the story.
Reader feedback:
“It is not the typical boy meets girl love story formula, and that is what makes it so good. What a refreshing take on the autism spectrum: it is varied, complex, but real and workable for many individuals. Lastly, what hope this book delivers: there is someone out there for everyone.”
…As you can see, there is much diversity in the romance fiction market, and these examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Romance spans many other subgenres including historical, steampunk, paranormal, fantasy, sci-fi, erotic, contemporary and more. It is written mostly by women, but also by men, and read by both men and women. It can be about the variety and complexity of life, career, family, war, illness, history, time travel, mystery, or sexuality, with the uniting factor of how love impacts on the challenges and choices people make in life. Romance is diverse, and so are its writers and readers.
I’d like to propose a challenge for anyone that perceives romance books as ‘rubbish’: Read several current books in the genre before making that claim. Try the ones mentioned in this article, or read the winning books from the Australian Romance Readers Association Awards, and if you still think they’re rubbish, fair enough, at least you’ve read enough of a variety to make that personal judgement. But maybe these stories will entertain you and enlighten you as to the variety and depth of talent and storytelling ability in the romance fiction industry, which, by the way, keeps the book industry alive.
Happy reading! 🙂
It’s My Birthday And I’ll Blog If I Want To
Yay, a birthday! Another year to celebrate being alive – yippee! That’s what I think on the 14th April each year (see my overjoyed expression below). Then reality hits… Oh. My birthday. Um. Hmm… another year older (see my overjoyed freaked out expression below). How does the time go so fast? Wasn’t it only recently that I was youthful and firm with skin all …dewy and stuff? What happened? Gravity and time, that’s what happened. Gravity – you suck. Except for the fact that you keep us on the ground instead of flying around in chaotic, uncontrollable astronaut fashion. Then again, that could be kinda fun. Occasionally. Except during meal preparation time… “Stay in the frypan, onions! And you naughty chicken breasts – stop floating towards the television! Don’t make me come get you!” And if I was boiling potatoes at the same time I’d also be dodging floating pellets of boiling water and looking like an uncoordinated ninja.
But seriously, a birthday is a blessing. A privilege. And although physical ageing is inevitable, the mind and heart can stay as young as you wish it to be. And when I blow out that birthday candle tonight (one candle, because who can be bothered counting them all out once you’re over a certain age? 😉 ), I’ll be wishing for health and happiness for myself and my loved ones. And maybe some other things but I can’t tell you because then they might not come true! 😉
Sooo, I better go enjoy my day. Oh hang on, I have an idea. I’ll share a couple of snippets of birthday scenes from my books. Yes, that’s a good idea for a birthday blog post. Rightio, off to find them…
…I’m baaack!
Apparently only two of my books have birthday scenes. My other characters never age. Damn them.
Here are snippets from FAST FORWARD and THE JANUARY WISH:
Fast Forward, birthday excerpt from chapter 15:
I opened more presents, including a heat-sensing automatic temperature-adjusting blanket from Kasey and Max, along with a donation on my behalf to the Ants Have Feelings Too research foundation, and watched more amazing moving birthday cards, until only one thing remained on the present table. A white envelope.
It seemed strange that among all this technology, paper still actually existed. I slid my finger under the seal and pulled out a plastic card about the size of a book … if books still existed, I certainly hadn’t seen any around the house.
“Oh, whoops, that was supposed to be for later,” Will said. “Ah, might as well have it now, then.” His face went slightly pink.
“What is it, Kel?” Elaine asked with curious eyes.
“It’s a … ” I began, my cheeks becoming hot.
Ryan came over and plucked the card from my hands. “C’mon, the suspense is killing us!” He read the card and grinned. “It’s a couple’s intimate photo shoot at Image of Desire studios.”
“Woo-woo!” Regina said and a few cheers and whistles escaped the mouths of my guests, as Will held out his hands.
“Now calm down everyone, it’s just a makeover and photo shoot for married couples, nothing raunchy.”
“Yeah right,” Ryan exclaimed. “Have you seen the portfolio on the gift card? Look.” He pressed a button on the card and a slideshow played, showing various couples wearing minimal clothing embracing in imaginative positions like strands of spaghetti clinging to a fork.
A makeover and photo shoot I could handle, but with Will? Doing…that? My stomach lurched as I attempted to steal the card back from Ryan, who was holding it up in the air for everyone to see, keeping it out of my grasp. “Give it to me, son, that’s enough of your teasing,” I said in a motherly voice and interestingly, it worked.
“Sorry, Mum. It’s just funny, that’s all.” He handed me the card and I shoved it back in its envelope as Will mouthed a red-faced ‘sorry’ at me. I flicked my hand as though it was nothing and then re-opened Diora’s gift in an effort to distract myself—and everyone else—asking the nearest person to help me latch the necklace around my neck.
“There is another present, Mum,” Ryan said in a more serious tone.
“Huh? But you already took me bungy jumping.”
“You went bungy jumping?” Marge Simpson leapt from her seat, her beehive wig almost toppling forward.
“Didn’t you know?” Homer asked. “I told you yesterday remember, when you were baking that soufflé?”
“Darling, you should know by now to never talk to me when I’m baking, especially a soufflé, I won’t remember a thing for the concentration it requires.”
“Yes, she sure did,” Ben said. “She was awesome!” Ryan glanced longingly towards Ben and smiled, before turning back to me.
“This is something extra special, I’ve been planning it for a while,” Ryan said.
Oh dear God. Don’t let it be skydiving, or hang gliding, or a one-way trip to Mount Everest. Please!
The January Wish, birthday excerpt from chapter 28:
‘I don’t think I can fit in dessert now,’ Sylvia said, as she leaned back in the chair at the dinner table and lifted her glass to her lips. She had no problem fitting in more wine.
‘You have to, it’s your birthday!’ Joyce said. ‘And the waiter needs something to put a birthday candle on,’ she added.
Mark nodded in agreement. ‘You know you’re getting old when you only get one birthday candle. It’s too much hassle to count out the correct amount,’ he said with a charming smirk. ‘Either that or there’s not enough room to fit them all on,’ he added. Everyone erupted in laughter and Sylvia kicked him under the table. He simply grinned, then winked at her. ‘Just teasing,’ he said. ‘You look great for someone your age, Sylvia.’ She kicked him again.
They say that one of the best signs that someone is recovering well from illness is the return of their sense of humour. Sylvia wondered if the same could be said for grief. When she’d first met Mark, his humorous charm had attracted her, but after their discussion about his wife’s death, he’d lost that charm. He’d become quiet and serious. Lately though, she’d begun to see a subtle re-emergence of his sense of humour. Tonight, it was obviously back in full force.
‘Look Sylvia, there’s lemon meringue pie.’ Joyce held the menu in front of Sylvia. ‘And coconut panna cotta with raspberry coulis and almond biscotti. Or what about Death by Chocolate?’
Maybe she could fit in some chocolate. ‘That sounds like a good way to go,’ Sylvia replied. ‘I mean, in terms of dessert choice, not death,’ she added with a chuckle, and hoped the mention of death wouldn’t upset Mark. She’d tried to keep their few discussions at work lighthearted, but that was difficult considering her profession. The subject of death was bound to come up occasionally. Thankfully, Mark didn’t seem rattled in the slightest, and in fact continued to mock her ‘old age’ by suggesting she tuck her napkin into her shirt collar and ask for her dessert to be pureed for ease of consuming.
‘Is the naturopath allowed any dessert?’ Sylvia asked Mark.
‘Of course. All things in moderation,’ he replied. ‘Tell you what, I’ll splurge on Death by Chocolate too.’ Mark placed his menu down on the table and signalled a waiter.
As the waiter made his way towards the table, Sylvia noticed Grace outside the restaurant. Strange, she thought. It’s a bit late to change her mind about joining them for dinner. Well, she could always just have dessert; there was room to pull up another chair. Sylvia was about to wave at Grace to come inside when a sense of dread filled her stomach. Grace looked different. Ghostly, in fact. And she was clinging to the window. A strange facial expression crossed Grace’s face as their eyes connected. Fear mixed with relief, Sylvia recognised. And within moments of their gaze locking on each other, Grace’s eyes rolled back and she slid down the window like a raindrop losing its grip on the glass.
~ Hope you enjoyed the excerpts! To check out the books or any of my others, here is my page on my publisher’s site with all the links: This one here. Go on, you know you want to. 😉
Until next year… 😉
FAST FORWARD Characters answer Five Fun Questions!
For a bit of fun, the characters from FAST FORWARD have dropped in from the future!
They each have the same five questions to answer, but of course, their answers will be quite different from each other’s.
If you’re new to this blog or my books, FAST FORWARD is my bestselling time-travel romantic comedy from Escape Publishing. You can read about it HERE.
And now, please welcome Kelli, Will, Kasey, Ryan, and Diora!
Kelli McSnelly (nee Crawford):
1. What is your favourite invention from the last 25 years?
It’s the e-pad! Otherwise known as an electronic personal assistant device – it straps onto the wrist like a watch, and does everything that a phone, computer, and credit card does. It even starts your car’s engine and locks your house! It’s an all-in-one super-dooper piece of technology and I’d be lost without it.
2. How would you spend your ideal birthday?
Despite what my son may think, judging by his choice of birthday present for my 50th, it is NOT going bungy jumping. It would be a costume party with my family and closest friends, and a heartwarming speech from my husband.
3. What is your best quality?
Back when I was 25 I would have said my appearance, but now that I’m more ‘mature’ I would say my resilience. And I mean that in relation to attitude and personality, not skin elasticity.
4. What is something you wish more people would know or understand?
It is not worth risking your life trying to fit into dodgy support underwear.
5. What would you do if you shared an elevator with an extremely famous person:
If they didn’t instantly recognise me from my modelling days I would introduce myself and ask them to share in a selfie to post on Facebook.
Will McSnelly:
1. What is your favourite invention from the last 25 years?
The inbuilt coffee machine in my car, helps to kickstart my work day. That, and the app on my e-pad which sends me useful facts and trivia at regular intervals throughout the day.
2. How would you spend your ideal birthday?
A costume party with my family and friends and a heartwarming speech from my wife. Or, a role-playing game marathon with my mates from the middle-aged gamers club.
3. What is your best quality?
My resourcefulness. Did you know I once resolved a traffic jam whilst wearing a Superman costume?
4. What is something you wish more people would know or understand?
That beautiful women can and do fall in love with smart, sensible, practical men, more commonly known as nerds or geeks.
5. What would you do if you shared an elevator with an extremely famous person:
I’d hand them a business card and invite them over for dinner.
Kasey Crawford (sister of Kelli):
1. What is your favourite invention from the last 25 years?
Mine, of course. You do remember what it was, don’t you?
2. How would you spend your ideal birthday?
An intimate occasion at home with my husband wearing our favourite caveman and cavewoman costumes.
3. What is your best quality?
My intelligence.
4. What is something you wish more people would know or understand?
Bugs have feelings too. If you step on them or spray them, you are a murderer. MURDERER.
5. What would you do if you shared an elevator with an extremely famous person:
Obviously, given my claim to fame from my Nobel-prize winning invention, I would be the famous person. I would be happy to sign an autograph if the person in the elevator wanted one.
Ryan McSnelly (21 yr old son of Kelli and Will):
1. What is your favourite invention from the last 25 years?
The Kitchen Assistant. Instantly boiled yolkless eggs and super fast meals? Hello.
2. How would you spend your ideal birthday?
Jamming it up with my band mates.
3. What is your best quality?
My friendly nature.
4. What is something you wish more people would know or understand?
That just because a man is passionate about interior decorating and wearing pink aprons while cooking does not mean he’s gay. Even though I am, I do, and I am.
5. What would you do if you shared an elevator with an extremely famous person:
Blabber something unintelligible and make it totally obvious I was having a fan moment (as long as I was a fan of the person).
Diora Bellows (nee McSnelly, 23 yr old daughter of Kelli and Will):
1. What is your favourite invention from the last 25 years?
My talking, self-driving car. When it takes over I can take the opportunity to do my nails. Multi-tasking at its best.
2. How would you spend your ideal birthday?
I’d eat as much chocolate as possible, have a pampering session at Queen of Beauty, a nice dinner, and a fun gathering with family and friends (which hopefully doesn’t culminate in me going into labour).
3. What is your best quality?
My assertiveness. Those people who delivered the wrong (baby-poo coloured) pram for my firstborn child didn’t know what hit them.
4. What is something you wish more people would know or understand?
That having big boobs is totally overrated.
5. What would you do if you shared an elevator with an extremely famous person:
I’d calmly ask how their day’s been and compliment them on their choice of clothing or accessories, leading into a chat about good design and how it’s also important within the home, leading to my original objective which is to hand them a business card for KC Interiors and set up an appointment for a complimentary home styling analysis.
Thanks Kelli, Will, Kasey, Ryan, and Diora! What a fun bunch!
About FAST FORWARD:
Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth 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?
>> Available from all good ebook stores. Links are here.
Fast Forward is an Amazon Bestseller!
I got the surprise of my life tonight (well, this morning since I haven’t been able to sleep), I went on Amazon to look for a book and just happened to go to the page for FAST FORWARD, and thought I’d check the rankings as I hadn’t done so in a while.
My jaw hit the floor and I gasped. Was I seeing things?
It said that I was number 111 in the Amazon Kindle store, plus number 5 in romantic comedy, plus a couple of others! I refreshed the page in case it was some sort of mistake, but no, there it was again. I went onto Novelrank (a site that records hourly rankings on Amazon and estimates sales numbers) and it showed that Fast Forward had gotten to number 95 in the Amazon paid Kindle store, which means it officially made the Top 100! 🙂
My son and I were up quite late, I was writing and editing and he was getting ready for bed, until I screamed out: “Oh my God! Fast Forward is a freaking bestseller!” – excuse the over-enthusiasm, but it’s not every day this sort of thing happens. 😉 He was quite amused as I jumped up and down, then proceeded to ask me what a velociraptor was. A velociraptor? What’s that got to do with Amazon?! I had to laugh, as due to Asperger’s Syndrome he often asks me things at interesting times! 😉
So yay, twelve months after publication and my book baby hit the big time. I am SO pleased, and SO grateful to my publisher, Escape Publishing for saying yes to this book. I know that Amazon rankings go up and down quite quickly, so who knows how long this will last, but I am enjoying it while I can and just so thrilled that it made the Top 100 and I got to snap a couple of screenshots.
And guess what? It’s on special for a limited time! You can download it for only 99 cents.
So don’t let it become extinct like a velociraptor, head over to Amazon and download a copy! If you’ve already got one, you might like to gift it to a friend or two while it’s cheap (click on the orange button that says ‘give as a gift’). Every sale helps it climb higher on the bestseller lists. Imagine if it got to the Top 10, oh wow, I think I would faint. 😉
>> Buy here: http://www.amazon.com/Fast-Forward-Juliet-Madison-ebook/dp/B00B7VP6BY/
>> You can also buy on the UK Amazon and the Australian Amazon if you prefer.
You can also read reviews on Goodreads or add it to your shelf here.
A BIG thank you to everyone who’s bought a copy, you’ve made my day!! 🙂
Happy Birthday FAST FORWARD! My 1 year anniversary of being published :)
It’s my baby’s first birthday! My book baby that is 😉
FAST FORWARD, my debut ro-magic comedy novel that was published on 1st February 2013, is now one year old. Which means, it’s also my publishaversary! (sp?) As if that’s not enough excitement for one day, today, the 1st February 2014 is also the publication day of my new novel (and 5th book), FEBRUARY OR FOREVER! …Stay tuned at 3pm Sydney time for a special release day blog post for that. 🙂
So yay! Triple the celebration!
It’s been a BIG twelve months, and I’m thrilled that readers have had such a positive response to my first book (and my others). Over 100 ratings and over 50 reviews have come in for Fast Forward on Goodreads, which you can read here. You can also see a list of my published books on Goodreads here and add them to your shelves if you wish.
How it all began…
It all started on New Year’s Day 2012. I was wondering which story to write next as I was flipping through a magazine. The next page I turned had an article titled Fast Forward, and I knew instantly that I had to write it, right away! (I had already come up with the title so it was like fate giving me a shove in the right direction). I wrote the first chapter that day, and the character of Kelli was born.
I had so much fun writing this character and her story, starting as a conceited young model and transforming her into a mature, empathetic, nice, well-rounded person (hehe, if you’ve read the book you’ll get that pun) 😉 I also loved writing the quirky secondary characters. I’ve had several readers tell me they fell in love with fifty-year-old Will! He’s such a Superman. 😉
What’s happened since then…
Since publication, Fast Forward became a Number 1 Bestseller in the futuristic category on iTunes, and a Top 100 Bestseller in the romantic comedy category on Amazon UK. It was also a finalist in the women’s fiction category of the Book Junkies Choice Awards, was a Harlequin Junkie Book Club pick, and I recently became a finalist for Favourite New Romance Author in the ARRA Awards. 🙂 It’s great to look back at the year gone and see how things have progressed.
And how appropriate that the cover of FAST FORWARD comes with its own birthday cake?! Saves me having to find a nice cake picture for the blog post! Speaking of covers, I couldn’t be happier with the design the fabulous Harlequin team came up with. The image of a beautiful young woman blowing out a fifty-year-old’s birthday cake is funny and intriguing, and captures the premise of the story perfectly.
…A wonderful thing during this past year was my Nanna being able to read the dedication to her at the front of the book. She passed away a few months later, so I’m glad she got to live long enough to see a book dedicated to her (and she read the book too!).
Thanks, thanks, and more thanks…
To my publisher, thank you! And to my readers, thank you! Having a book out in the world (and now five), is a dream come true. If you’ve read Fast Forward and enjoyed it, I would love love love if you’d consider telling your friends about it. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend (though some would say coffee and chocolate, but no, I tell you the truth ;)) Just one recommendation can lead to another, and another, and so on, which can help authors to be able to continue writing and publishing books. If you’d like to share, send them a link to this post, or to the book’s page on Amazon, or my publisher’s page where all the various links to different stores are. Cyber hugs to everyone who’s spread the news about Fast Forward and/or my other books, you are the angels of this industry!
If you haven’t read FAST FORWARD yet, you can grab a copy via the links at the bottom of this post, and now I’ll leave you with a few one-liners from the book, followed by an excerpt from a scene that many have said is their favourite:
- “Fifty?” I blurted, almost choking as the word launched from the slingshot of my voice box. “I’m not fifty! I’m supposed to be twenty five!”
- Wait … if I was married to William McSnelly, then that would make me … Oh God, no! Kelli McSnelly. Shoot me now.
- “Liliana, do you believe in … ” I glanced around surreptitiously to make sure there were no men in white jumpsuits getting ready to whisk me away to a facility for middle-aged menopausal psychopaths. “ … time travel?”
- Automatically reaching for non-existent keys in my non-existent handbag, my hands then flew to my cheeks. How do I unlock the car?
- I might need support underwear to fit into the support underwear and that could go on and on. I’d be my own Russian doll.
And a brief excerpt from many readers’ favourite scene: the ‘support underwear’ scene…
I grabbed the edge of the fabric again, pulling as hard as I could, but only managed to squash my face, my upturned nose now practically touching my forehead. I must have looked like one of those criminals who cover their face with stockings. I could rob a bank in this thing, only I’d need an accomplice—or a guide dog—to show me where the hell I was going and possibly an oxygen tank feeding me air through a straw.
Oh my God! What was I going to do? My mind swirled in one chaotic haze, as panic rose within and the chances of getting out of this predicament alive seemed slimmer by the minute. Unlike my abdomen.
Crazy images flashed through my mind of Will finding me passed out on the floor of the bedroom, the magic suit still covering my head, arms still stuck up in the air … paramedics whisking me off to hospital …. Will waiting anxiously outside the operating room and the doctor emerging with an expression of defeat, pulling the mask off his face in resignation.
I’m sorry, Mr McSnelly. We did everything we could. We managed to remove some of it, but couldn’t get it all, I’m afraid. The situation was too far advanced and she couldn’t fight any longer. I’m very sorry.
Will would collapse in tears and the doctor would go back to the operating room and sign my death certificate. Cause of death: Asphyxiation by SlimFX Magic Suit.
A lawsuit—ha! how appropriate—would ensue and, if the suits weren’t taken off the market, they would at least come with a warning on the packet like cigarettes: Use magic suit at own risk. May cause death, deformity, or post-traumatic stress disorder. They’d have a grotesque picture of some poor woman—probably me—trapped in the suit. Others would show gangrenous arms from the circulation being cut off and faces permanently disfigured from the pressure exerted by the suit during its attempted take-off mission. I realised then that I’d have to have a closed coffin at my funeral so as to spare my family from the trauma of seeing me like that. Speaking of coffins, I’d probably need an extra-long one to accommodate my arms, permanently extended above my head from not only the stuck magic suit but also rigor mortis.
~*~
FAST FORWARD: Aspiring supermodel, Kelli Crawford seems destined to marry her hotshot boyfriend, but on her twenty-fifth 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?
Buy FAST FORWARD via…
Escape Publishing, Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon AUS, iTunes/iBookstore, Kobo, Google Play, B&N/Nook, JB Hi-Fi.
>> Join me this weekend for an online facebook party and chat to celebrate Fast Forward’s birthday and the release of February or Forever: https://www.facebook.com/events/1419435084961712/
Fast Forward the sequel?
I promised when I got to 50 reviews on Amazon for FAST FORWARD I would share the first scene of the sequel (or spin-off, whatever you like to call it), so now that there are 50 reviews that’s exactly what I’m going to do! I figured 50 was an appropriate number considering the book is about 25 year old Kelli waking up as a 50 year old with no recollection of the last 25 years.
Before I do though, I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has downloaded the book, and especially those who have left a review on either Goodreads or Amazon. I’m thrilled that the majority of readers have loved the book and left 4 and 5 star ratings. Thank you! You can read some of the reviews here.
Now, onto this sequel business.
Let me say first that although I am about to share the first scene, this is all I’ve written so far!! So I’m sorry to say there is no sequel about to be published just yet, but it is something I definitely want to keep writing, though I am working on some other things at the moment. But I’m a fast writer so I’ll do my best to not take too long!
The sequel is titled DIORA’S DAY OFF, and if you’ve read the book you’ll know who Diora is. So for this book, the story will be from Diora’s point of view, not Kelli’s. But Kelli WILL be in the book (and hehe, did you notice that pun I just did? No? Read it again… got it?). Oh alright, I’ll spell it out for you. The character ‘Will’ will also be in the book! Yep, Will and Kelli McSnelly will be gracing the pages, but Kelli will be 55 years old! The story is set 5 years after the events of Fast Forward (that is to say, 30 years in the future). All your favourite gadgets and technology will be back (and some new ones), as well as the cast of quirky secondary characters.
Without giving too much away, the story is a cross between Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Parenthood (probably both the movie and the TV series). And yes, there will be something magical happening in the storyline. For Kelli in Fast Forward it was time travel, for Diora it will be something different… hmm, I might keep it a secret for now! Any guesses? It’s a tricky concept but I hope I can pull it off and not end up saying to myself: “What in the name of Dior was I thinking?”
Right, well I better stop babbling on and share this scene. If you’ve read this far, well done. But wait – there’s more!
DIORA’S DAY OFF – excerpt from work-in-progress:
Having big boobs is overrated. I’m serious. Who in their right minds would want the bloody things? They get in the way, get bumped and grazed by random strangers brushing past you in public, and wobble like there’s no tomorrow during everyday tasks like cleaning the kitchen benchtops. If I was ever lucky enough to have the luxury of a professional back massage, I’d need two extra holes in the massage table as well as the one for my face. And in hot weather, or even mildly warm weather, the girls need their own anti-perspirant. But nobody makes one for boobs, do they? Can underarm deodorant be used in your cleavage?
I rolled a tube of Lady Fresh down the front of my chest and under the weighty appendages, then fed my arms through the straps of the first non-nursing bra I’d worn in five years, having just finished weaning my youngest child a week ago. It looked like it could pass for an inflatable pool toy if you folded it in half, sewed it together, and blew air into the curved chambers through a straw. Maybe I needn’t have bought those expensive floaties for Sophie after all, I could just strap a couple of these babies onto her arms and she’d be good to go.
I put on my shirt and bent down to get my shoes from under the bed.
Creak!
What was that?
I straightened up, then bent down again.
Creak!
I’m only twenty-eight, surely that can’t be my joints? Or has having four kids under the age of six finally caught up with me and soon I’ll be getting heartburn and indigestion along with my arthritic joints? I walked to the bathroom to do my hair, my arms swinging gently by my side.
Creak, creak, creak!
It’s not my joints. It’s my freaking bra! I swung my arms with the enthusiasm of a marching soldier, then rotated them like an Olympic backstroker. Yep. The bra. Why is it creaking? I twisted my head to the side and peered over my shoulder, sliding my hand under my shirt and feeling the metal clasps holding the straps in place. It hadn’t creaked when I tried it on at the department store yesterday. Then again I’d only put in on briefly to check if it fitted, then ripped it off. Was it like a new pair of shoes that you had to wear in? Or did I give my bra arthritis from the cumbersome load I’d destined it to endure? Oh well, there was no time to change back into one of my worn out maternity bras, I had to get Lucas, Sophie, and Sebastian ready so we could get to Aurora’s school concert in time.
‘What’s taking you so long?’ my husband, Jason, asked as he peered into the bathroom.
‘My bra is creaking, and I haven’t done my hair yet.’ I ruffled my black tresses then smoothed them back into a tight ponytail. Creak, creak, creak. ‘See, can you hear that?’
‘Hear what? All I can hear is the ticking of the clock.’
I watched his reflection in the mirror as he lifted his wrist to his ear. ‘Clocks don’t tick these days, Jase. Unless you’ve switched your e-pad to one of those vintage pieces that are coming into fashion?’ I closed my eyes and finished my hair with a spray of Lady Sculpt, then turned to my husband with my hands on my hips and chest raised in a flirty pose. ‘How do I look?’
He coughed at the hairspray and barely looked at me. ‘Fine, now let’s go.’
Yep, to top it all off, even these whoppers failed to attract the red blooded male who promised to love me till death do us part. Not just today, but he’d barely cast a second glance at me since … um … how long had it been? Did we even have sex to conceive Lucas? Maybe I fell asleep during it and forgot about the whole thing, until a year ago of course when Lucas dashed, skidded, and tumbled out of my birth canal. It was no immaculate birth let alone conception. Hmm, it had been a long time. And Jason seemed … distracted, and disinterested. Something was definitely wrong.
* * *
There you have it. First scene laid bare for all to see. I’m kind of nervous now. 😉
As this book is yet to be written, I’m open to suggestions for what you would like to see, what things/characters you liked about Fast Forward that you would like me to revisit or expand on (SlimFX Magic Suit Version 3.0 anyone??).
I’d be happy to hear your thoughts in the comments below! Thanks for reading 🙂
And check the blog again on Wednesday for another excerpt, this time from my upcoming release, THE JANUARY WISH…
JULIET MADISON 