Warwick’s Mermaid by Ellie Gray Blog Tour – Review

Bookish Jottings

Having escaped an abusive relationship, Chloe MacGregor is determined to put the past behind her. The little cottage high up on the cliffs overlooking the beautiful North Yorkshire town of Whitby is her safe haven, somewhere she is free to be herself.

When the arrival of her new neighbour and boss, Luke Warwick, threatens her peaceful, sheltered life, Chloe is forced to confront her past and to re-evaluate who she really is. Falling in love with Luke is not part of her plan but, to her surprise, Luke is falling for her too. The only thing preventing their happy ever after is Chloe herself. Will she ever truly learn to leave the past where it belongs?

REVIEW

An enjoyable and engaging romance set in a beautiful part of the world, Ellie Gray’s Warwick’s Mermaid is a gripping tale of second chances, redemption and healing I loved curling up with.

Chloe…

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#BlogBlitz #AuthorInterview for Warwick’s Mermaid by Ellie Gray @elliegray58 #WarwicksMermaid @rararesources

I really enjoyed answering Donna’s Q&As when she hosted Warwick’s Mermaid in her blog, Donnasbookblog

donnasbookblog

Having escaped an abusive relationship, Chloe MacGregor is determined to put the past behind her. The little cottage high up on the cliffs overlooking the beautiful North Yorkshire town of Whitby is her safe haven, somewhere she is free to be herself.

When the arrival of her new neighbour and boss, Luke Warwick, threatens her peaceful, sheltered life, Chloe is forced to confront her past and to re-evaluate who she really is. Falling in love with Luke is not part of her plan but, to her surprise, Luke is falling for her too. The only thing preventing their happy ever after is Chloe herself. Will she ever truly learn to leave the past where it belongs?

Purchase Links

Amazon http://geni.us/warwicksmermaid

Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/742773

Apple http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/isbn9781370540884

Nook https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/warwicks-mermaid-ellie-gray/1126986525

Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=9781370540884

MY INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR!

  • When did you know that you wanted to be an author?

Ever since I was a young…

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Author Spotlight – Maya Tyler

I’d like to welcome fellow Tirgearr author, Maya Tyler, to my blog. Maya writes paranormal romance novels and her latest, A Wizard’s Choice, is published later this week. Here’s a sneak peak….

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A Wizard’s Choice by Maya Tyler

A Wizard’s Choice, Book Two in The Magicals Series (release date July 17, 2019) is available for pre-sale now on Amazon and will be available for free on Kindle Unlimited.

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Dreams or duty?

Wizard apprentice Kurtis Warde doesn’t want to become a full-fledged wizard, but he feels obligated to his grandfather who raised him. Making The Choice, whether or not to become a wizard and join The Circle, doesn’t feel like a choice at all. Leaving The Circle would give Kurtis the freedom to follow his own dreams, and to pursue vampiress, Dee, who has always intrigued him. He knows there’s more to Dee than the icy being she portrays, but will she give him a chance to know the real her?

There is unrest in the magical world. Fairies, a magical being thought to be long extinct, still exist. And the long-time feud between wizards and fairies threatens everyone Kurtis cares about, including his life coach, Alina, who has quickly become a close friend. And perhaps more. He discovers his connection to the ancient beings The Annunaki, the ancestors of wizards and fairies, may be key to the future. The more he uncovers, the more questions he has.

Will Kurtis choose to follow his heart or risk sacrificing his own happiness for peace in the magical world?

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            Maya Tyler is a multi-published author of paranormal romance novels and blogger at Maya’s Musings. An avid reader, Maya writes the books she loves to read—romances! She still believes that “True Love’s Kiss” is the most powerful thing in the world. Her paranormal romances come with complex plot twists and happily-ever-afters.

When she’s not writing, you can find Maya enjoying her favourite things—hanging out with her family, reading, and drinking coffee (especially Starbucks French Roast)!

You can find Maya on the web at the following locations:

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Blog

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Also available:

The Magicals Series

A Vampire’s Tale

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Excerpt:

            “Waldor.” Emotion—relief and love—flooded Kurtis’ voice. He released the breath he’d unconsciously held, scanning Waldor for obvious injury.

“I’m in one piece, Kurtis.” Waldor pushed past him to unlock the cottage. “You can quit being a fusspot.”

Kurtis chuckled at Waldor’s mock irritation, unfazed by his grandfather’s gruff ways. They didn’t need to exchange words to know how relieved they both were for the other’s safety.

Waldor filled the kettle and, a moment later, the sound of a cheery whistle blasted from the small kitchen. Kurtis joined Waldor at the table. They sat in silence, wrapping their large hands around mugs of steaming tea.

“The kind of potent brew you need after a night like this to settle your thoughts.”

Kurtis grunted in response.

“What’s on your mind, my boy?”

What do I tell Waldor? Conflicted thoughts swirled around in his brain. Am I really that transparent?

Waldor smiled as if he knew all Kurtis’ secrets. “I know you. I raised you from a little baby.”

“I know.” He scowled, guilt gnawing at the lining in his stomach. How can I tell him? How can I break his heart? Like my father.

Waldor took his time to sip his tea as if waiting for Kurtis to open up.

Will I ever have the courage to leave? He cast a mournful eye around the small cottage, the only home he’d ever known. “Where is my father? Do you know?”

Waldor recoiled, looking like he’d been punched in the gut. “I don’t know.”

What do you know? What are you keeping from me? Kurtis paused before asking his next question, torn between his aversion to causing Waldor pain and desire for finding answers. “Do you know…Who is my mother?”

Something akin to fear, shame perhaps, lurked in Waldor’s eyes. He focused his intense gaze on Kurtis. “Yes.”

 

 

Guest Author Spotlight – An interview with Kathleen Rowland

I’m thrilled to introduce fellow Tirgearr author, Kathleen Rowland, as the first author to feature on my new Guest Author Spotlight posts. Kathleen writes fabulous romantic suspense novels, and talks below about how she builds and retains tension and suspense right through to the last page.

Take it away, Kathleen…..

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I’m delighted to be writing the Donahue Cousins Series for Tirgearr Publishing.  Each book is stand-alone but follows Irish American heroes.  My third book, Bittersweet Alliance, is a new release.

To keep the suspense and tension building in my stories I start with a list of ten situations that get in the way of my main characters’ goals.  One method for increasing the pace of either the suspense or the romance is to select conflicts and make them worse.  Danger is always approaching, and a villain has concrete goals. When nearing the end, I compact frightening scenes. This creates a sense of urgency. The reader senses this because I’ve picked up the pace.

In a romantic suspense the hero and heroine attempt to solve the mystery while time is running out. They’re attracted to each other and worry about each other’s safety. I want my reader to worry, too. A red herring or other complication keeps the reader guessing until the very end. Surprise endings evolve from the hero or the heroine’s success against the villain.  What about the romance? Hints along the way point to the possibility of falling and staying in love.  How they work things out comes with huge effort.  Throwing hurts in the way keeps the reader engaged. Bittersweet Alliance is a reunion story between a woman who steps back when she learns the hero is named in a paternity lawsuit.  Although she’s in love, she does the right thing by stepping back to allow him to work things out with the mother and baby who is Down Syndrome.  The hero and father who not only loves his daughter but is proud of her. He puts her first. I enjoy writing strong, good people in messy situations.

Find Kathleen here:

https://twitter.com/rowlandkathleen

https://kathleenrowland.wordpress.com/

http://www.kathleenrowland.blogspot.com

https://www.facebook.com/romanticsuspense.kathleenrowland/

http://www.tirgearrpublishing.com/authors/Rowland_Kathleen

 

Here’s the blurb for Bittersweet Alliance:

Will a snap decision change their lives forever?

Bizarre kidnappings stun the Big Island of Hawaii, pulling Danker Donahue back into the game and forcing him to partner with Jolene Kualoha, the woman who left him seven years ago when his DNA showed up in paternity lawsuit. The prejudice-motivated hate crimes are the wildest anyone has ever seen. Victims are being poisoned then released once the ransoms are paid, many losing their lives.

In the shadow of Jolene’s success as a helicopter pilot, a troubled woman develops a fixation on Jolene and imitates her appearance. Matters turn dark when the copycat is shot dead. Was Jolene the target? Threats mount when she barely survives an accident after her brake cables are severed.

When these crimes threaten her sanity, Jolene is forced to trust the one person she thought she’d lost forever, Danker. Instantly, sparks fly between them, and as much as she wants to rekindle their relationship, she must protect her heart.

An old enemy, Seamus McGinn, breaks out of a maximum-security prison and invites Danker to a meet-up. Surprisingly, the kidnapper joins forces with McGinn along with his sick fans. McGinn trumpets his ‘murders by ice pick’, and it’s up to Danker to stop him. The whole island is on edge with a live feed from the maniac’s website.

In a stolen moment, Jolene shows him hope, and he makes a snap decision that will change their lives forever. Will he make it back to show her?

Bittersweet Alliance is free with Kindle Unlimited at the following links

UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F

US: https://www.amazon.com/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F/

CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F

AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Bittersweet-Alliance-Donahue-Cousins-3-ebook/dp/B07S8QYH7F

 

 

A Year of Highs and Lows….

Well, it’s been a while. A while since I wrote a blog post, a while since I wrote anything really. 2018 was an odd year, a difficult year, a year that knocked me for six and left me without any ability to write, even though I had so many stories in my head just waiting to be written down.

2018 saw my mum die unexpectedly just a few days before my birthday, leaving me lost and angry. 2018 also saw me getting married, a wonderful, happy day full of family and friends, but still missing my mum and dad. 2018 saw my day job become much more challenging, particularly emotionally. All in all, 2018 took everything from me and became a lost year in terms of writing.

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2018 saw me getting married!

I was determined that 2019 was going to be different. My publisher has been brilliant, giving me time and support, but I knew it was time to get back on track… and I tried. But, try as I might, I couldn’t write. Hours spent in front of the laptop, determined to write, saw me hopping from one story idea to the next, with little more than a few paragraphs to show for it. Work continues to get more challenging, leaving me drained and so, a few weeks ago, I decided that maybe this was it, maybe I needed to take a break from writing, to give myself a break and take away the pressure. I belong to the Beverley Chapter, the local Romantic Novelist Association writers’ group and, at the March meeting, I told my friends there that I was giving up writing for the foreseeable future. The support I received was unbelievable and, most of all, they understood. It was a relief to finally tell someone, to share it with people who knew how difficult it is to write and that sometimes you need to take a step back. The relief was huge, but tinged with sadness.

I started reading again – something else I lost in 2018; my love for reading. But since New Year, I’ve been reading voraciously, in turns inspired and demotivated by the brilliance I see in other authors. But this weekend, something changed.

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I was blown away by this book

My son bought me a book for Mother’s Day last week; he bought it because the blurb indicated it was loosely based or inspired by the film Labyrinth, one of my favourite films. I picked it up and started reading and couldn’t stop. I was lost in the story and the way in which S. Jae-Jones told the story, the detail and description, emotion in every line. I finished the book in two days, blown away by how the writing made me feel. It has inspired me. If I could write a book that made my reader feel even a fraction of the emotion that I felt, I would be happy.

And so I’m here, back in front of my laptop, experiencing a fledgling hope that this inspiration to write, to improve on my writing, will stay with me. Even if it doesn’t, I’m hopeful that I will find other moments of inspiration to write along they way until it once again becomes my routine, and my pleasure. After all, the stories still whirl around my head, begging to be written.

I hope you’ll forgive this rather self-indulgent blog post. I wanted to draw a line in the sand, go public with the fact that I’m determined to get back on track, to find myself once more, and this is my start. Day One. Fingers crossed it works.

Ellie x

Review – Warwick’s Mermaid by Ellie Gray 

A lovely review for Warwick’s Mermaid from the equally lovely Nikki Mahood – you can read it here. Thanks, Nikki!

Nikki Mahood - Author


Helllooooo there, well I’m only here with a book set in North Yorkshire aren’t I?

About the Book


Having escaped an abusive relationship, Chloe MacGregor is determined to put the past behind her. The little cottage high up on the cliffs overlooking the beautiful North Yorkshire town of Whitby is her safe haven, somewhere she is free to be herself.

When the arrival of her new neighbour and boss, Luke Warwick, threatens her peaceful, sheltered life, Chloe is forced to confront her past and to re-evaluate who she really is. Falling in love with Luke is not part of her plan but, to her surprise, Luke is falling for her too. The only thing preventing their happy ever after is Chloe herself. Will she ever truly learn to leave the past where it belongs?

A little snippet

Chloe stared at the bright blue front door, not quite sure if she…

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(York) Tea for Two – and a Whole Host of RNA Writers

The RNA held its second Afternoon Tea in York last weekend, and it was lovely to meet up with so many authors I’ve got to know well through Facebook etc but had not had the opportunity to meet in person before. One of those authors was the talented Sharon Booth whose blog below sums up the event nicely.

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Official tickets! Exciting. Or scary!

So there we were, Julie Heslington and me, standing outside The Royal York Hotel, all ready to go inside and brave our first “proper” Romantic Novelists’ Association event. Julie had been to a couple of conferences before but, for me, it was my first RNA event, full stop. The York Tea. A gathering of well-known, well-established romance writers, who would wonder who on earth we were, and how we dared to darken the doorstep of this place and rub shoulders with the elite of romantic fiction.

Well, that’s what we thought, anyway, in our darkest moments. “On the other hand,” we decided brightly, “they might be nice. We have to try, at least.”

Squaring our shoulders, we marched purposefully forward. Julie sailed into the hotel. I got tangled up in the revolving door and it took me slightly longer. Typical. Then, heads held high, we…

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In which I get side-tracked…

I haven’t really got any excuses – for the last month or so, I’ve been meaning to crack on with my next novel, which will be my fourth. It’s all mapped out in my head, ready to spill out onto the page, and with my final edits for Warwick’s Mermaid all done, the way has been clear for me to put fingers to the keyboard. Except, I haven’t, not really. I’ve done a little bit, 13 pages worth, but that’s it, a pathetic attempt, I know.

So, why haven’t I been able to knuckle down and get a good start? Because I’ve allowed myself to get side-tracked on a number of things.

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Great-grandmother’s travel chest

I’ve always been interested in family history and have dabbled a bit on genealogy websites but having recently helped my mum to de-clutter as she is moving to a smaller house, I came across a box of papers and old photographs dating back to the late 1800s/early 1900s. This has led to long evenings searching the internet for any information, scouring various websites. The family history on my Dad’s side is particularly interesting; my great-grandfather was a Tea Farm Manager in Dauracherra, India and I have a very faded, rather long-distance photograph, along with

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Tea Farm, Dauracherra c1908

a beautiful old chest that was used to ship my great-grandmother’s belongings back to England when she returned with her baby son, my grandfather. Unfortunately, my great-grandfather fell ill and died in India just as he was preparing to return to England. He just 35 years old. Perhaps there’s a story in there somewhere…..

The second thing I got side-tracked with was crafting and making cards, something I’ve always done and enjoyed but which has taken a back-seat lately with my writing. Well, you know how it is. I was wandering around a newsagents on my lunch hour when I spotted a card making magazine, with a rather nice looking

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Love making my own cards cards

stencil on the front. I’m afraid I impulse-bought the magazine, and that sparked a craze of several evenings and weekends enjoying myself making cards….. but no writing.

Next, we decided to decorate the sitting room/family room. It was always my least favourite room in the house, full of mis-matched furniture that didn’t fit the room; there was just something about it that meant it just never looked or felt right. I rarely spent any time in there and it just became a room where the children played on their Xbox, PS etc. So, we tackled it this last fortnight and ruthlessly relegated some of the furniture to the garage (not quite ruthless enough to get rid totally;

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Calm and peaceful…

 some of it belonged to my grandad so there’s sentimental attachment to it even though it doesn’t fit in the house). We finished it yesterday and the room has been transformed. I think it may now be my favourite room in the house – calm and peaceful, with some of my dad’s books, claimed during the de-cluttering at my mum’s. But….. still no writing.

And lastly, but most definitely not least, I’ve been side-tracked with the forthcoming release of my third novel through Tirgearr – Warwick’s Mermaid. This was the hardest novel to write – I almost gave up several times – but now it’s done and I’m so happy I persevered. And I absolutely love the cover – my favourite to date so far! It’s due to be published on 11th October and is currently available for pre-order (at just 99p/99c if anyone fancies a bargain!  Pre-order links here on my Author Page)WarwicksMermaidbyEllieGrayFacebookBanner

So, now I’ve got all that out of my system, I’m ready to crack on with my writing. Here’s hoping nothing else comes along to distract me….

Ellie x

It’s Been A While…

Yes, it’s been a while since I last posted and there’s no one real reason why, just a lot of different things that, together, mean I haven’t felt able to put pen to paper or, more accurately, put finger to keyboard.

A stressful and challenging new day job, family issues, lovely weather outside, dedicating time to spend with my family… you know all the usual things that everyone has to deal with. Well, they’ve impacted on me quite dramatically over the last few months and, add into that, or perhaps because of that, I’ve been suffering from that common writer’s problem – a feeling of just not being good enough!

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Warwick’s Mermaid is set in Whitby

My third novel, Warwick’s Mermaid, has been a difficult one to complete. The first draft came quickly and easily enough, but that done, the revisions and edits to make it into an interesting and coherent novel were difficult and, on many occasions, I had decided to scrap it completely and just leave it in the ‘books never to be submitted’ pile. However, my writer friend, Detty, absolutely loved it and encouraged me to keep working at it, eventually convincing me it would be worth it in the end. Well, I did complete it -went through the usual emotions of loving it and hating it in equal measures, until it was finished and I was happy with it, at last! With some relief, I sent it off to my publishers last month and sat back to wait.

Since then, I’ve been struggling to know what to work on next. I have three particular stories that I am keen to work on but I am at a loss as to which one to concentrate on – two of them are in the romantic suspense genre – something different for me, and the other is my usual contemporary romance. I’ve written a chapter for each of the three to

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Wanting to be out and about when the weather’s good

see if there is any particular one which jumps out at me, but none of them have so far – they are all equally keen to have their story told! But, as I said at the start of this post, I am also struggling to find my enthusiasm for writing – it appears to have left me at the moment. There’s just so much else going on in my life and I’m feeling overwhelmed, so am trying to take a bit of a break. But there’s always that nagging voice at the back of my head, the one that tells me I should be writing.

But, and here’s the good news…. I’ve just signed the contract for Warwick’s Mermaid – my third book with Tirgearr Publishing. The feedback from both my publisher and editor for this book was really positive and so I’m thrilled that all the hard work and angst I went through with this particular book was worth it in the end. I do think it is my best to date.

I’ve no doubt the ups and downs described above are just part of a writer’s life and, despite everything, I love it and there is nothing I would rather be doing. I can’t wait to share more information with you as my book nears publication and, in the meantime, I’ll be sitting down and getting to grips with whichever book I decide is the one I need to work on next.

Ellie x

 

 

Happy Birthday, Tirgearr!

My lovely publishers, Tirgearr Publishing, are celebrating their birthday with a Birthday Bash and, instead of receiving presents, they’re giving them away!

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Prizes include a Kindle Fire HD, autographed print books by Tirgearr authors, and our brand new House of Tirgearryen T-shirts. All you have to do is visit their website and enter via the Rafflecopter link – simple!

As part of the celebrations, many Tirgearr books, including Love on the Nile, have been reduced to just 99p/99c so it’s the perfect chance to grab yourself a bargain.

Tirgearr’s Birthday Bash Competition

Amazon US – Love on the NileLoveOnTheNilebyEllieGray-Twitterbanner