Monday 31 October 2011

Unfinished Business

When you first pick up a book, can you figure out if an author’s writing about something that’s familiar to him? Personally, I think it’s usually possible to tell. A certain authority springs from the page and you think yeah, this guy knows his stuff.  Besides, it’s fairly natural for a writer to gravitate towards a subject dear to his heart. Apart from anything else, it saves on a hell of a lot of research.

That’s how my series of marine crime mysteries came about. It’s the marine bit that I’m familiar with, in case you’re wondering, not the crime! We’ve owned boats for years and I’ve spent endless hours at sea, looking at…well, the sea, and wondering, what if?



Cue drum role as I introduce Charlie Hunter, star of The Hunter Files, the first of which, Unfinished Business, has just been published by Carina Pres. Charlie, forty and recently divorced, retires from the police force so he can work on his boat and go fishing with his son on weekends. He has no intention of becoming an amateur sleuth but when Kara Webb tracks him down, seeking his help to find her sister, missing for 15 years, he can’t refuse her.

The disappearance of teenaged Jasmine Webb was one of the first cases Charlie worked on after being made a detective. He’s never forgotten it or his suspicions, even after the girl’s parents told police they’d heard from her and the file on Jasmine was closed.

When Charlie’s son is threatened, finding Jasmine becomes even more important. It’s no longer just about closure, he must also protect his family. That makes the constant dead ends all the more frustrating. Only when Charlie asks himself not where Jasmine is but who she’s become does it start to make sense…

Stop by my website at http://www.wsoliman.com if you get the time. You can read the first chapter of Unfinished Business there and stand a chance of winning a copy of the book.

Whilst you’re internet hopping, another way to possibly win a copy of the book is to drop in at my Facebook Author Page. Here’s the link: http://on.fb.me/oBRZLO All you have to do is click Like and leave a comment regarding Unfinished Business.

Unfinished Business by W. Soliman. Available from Carina Press at http://bit.ly/mQaJEg or Amazon.com  $5.49

Happy reading. Do leave a comment for me on my website, my blog at http://bit.ly/ocymwx or Facebook page. I’d love to know what you think of my jazz-pianist detective.

Thanks to those of you who left comments here last week regarding my contemporary romance, Shalimar. Amy Talbot wins a copy of the book. Please stop by at http://www.wendysoliman.com, Amy, and leave me your email address on the contacts page.

W. Soliman

Tuesday 25 October 2011

Shalimar


Do you think that equality of the sexes stretches to individual marriages? Me, I have my doubts. Someone has to be the boss and more times than enough it seems to be the man. That’s the problem that Suzie Alexander comes up against in Shalimar, my upcoming release from SirenBookStrand. Her husband Mark, a highly intelligent, driven lawyer doesn’t even stop to think that Suzie might be unhappy acting as nothing more than an extension of him.



To be fair, Suzie herself doesn’t acknowledge that she feels unfulfilled, until she catches Mark with another woman. She flees to Shalimar, the country house where she grew up and still feels most at home. Mark follows her there, desperate to fix their troubled marriage but finds his progress hampered by an eclectic mix of people from The Grange, the neighboring property, who have befriended his wife.

Annabel, a woman without conscience or morals, will do whatever it takes to help her boss, brash, overweight John Greenberg, to acquire The Grange. Motivated by the desire to amass as much money as she can, she even enters into a kinky sexual liaison with Greenberg.

Suzie, distraught at the disintegration of her marriage, is distracted when she uncovers ancient family secrets that place her in deadly danger, testing Mark's determination to keep her safe. Suzie and Annabel's lives entwine in the most unexpected way when they join forces to thwart Annabel's grasping boss.

Here’s how Suzie tries to explain her feelings to Mark, the first time he comes to see her at Shalimar.

“So you don’t blame me?” Mark looked as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.
“Did I say that? I believe Kate was being deliberately malicious for some convoluted reasons of her own, but you didn’t have to go along with her.”
“I know, and I did try to walk out. I didn’t—”
“Quit whilst you’re ahead, Mark,” she said tightly. “Don’t make it worse by lying.”
Suzie reach for her stick and stood to pace the terrace, too agitated to sit still and let this arrogant charmer woo her with his clever words.
“If I could have moved with my job to the new surgery, there would have been more for me in Epsom.” She eyed her husband. “But you didn’t want me to do that.”
“It was full-time,” he said. “You don’t need to work at all, much less full-time.”
“God, do you know how old-fashioned that makes you sound?”
“I just want to look after you, Suzie. Is that so bad?”
“No, it’s not bad,” she said, sighing. “But have you stopped to consider how much time I spend on my own? You’re away during the week more than you’re home. Perhaps I need something worthwhile to fill my hours.”
“I thought you understood about my work,” he said quietly. “It won’t always be this crazy.”
“No, it won’t because in the end you’ll burn out.”
“You didn’t complain about being bored or unhappy.”
“What would have been the point?” she asked, resignation in her tone. “And anyway, I wasn’t—until recently. I know how important your job is to you and how hard you work. But you didn’t seem to realize that simply keeping house for you and waiting patiently for you to return home wasn’t enough for me. I have a brain, too, but it’s dying from lack of stimulation.”
“Oh God, Suzie, I didn’t have a clue!” He dropped his head into his splayed hands and shook it from side to side. “Why didn’t you say?”
“Say what? That I want a baby? That I want to see more of you?” She squared her shoulders and held his gaze. They both knew how often she’d suggested the former. “What do you think my recent depression’s been about?”
He stood and reached for her but she moved out of range. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say. It was never my intention to make you unhappy.”
“I know that, but since I’ve been down here, it’s given me time to do some thinking. I love the countryside, and no,” she continued, holding up her hand, “Epsom isn’t really countryside. It’s just part of the widening suburban sprawl. I love this house, too. Oh, I know it’ll have to be sold soon, but I can stay here for the months that takes and get things sorted for my parents. Don’t suppose they’ll want to do it themselves. Anyway, perhaps afterward I can buy myself a small cottage down here and find work. I’d like that.”
“You don’t have to worry about money, Suzie. I’ll always look after you, no matter what.”
She sighed. “You just don’t get it, do you?”
“Get what?”
“I want to be my own person. Be self supporting and prove to myself that I can make a difference, however small, in an area that’s important to me.”
Mark caught her arm as she paced past him and placed his  hands on her shoulders. “Suzie,” he said fiercely, “look me in the eye and tell me you don’t love me anymore.” He offered her a curling smile, full of love and unfulfilled promise. “If you can do that, then I’ll stop fighting you and let you go. I’ll even help you to find your cottage.” He placed his index finger beneath her chin and tilted her head until she was forced to look into his face. “Well, come on then,” he said, when she didn’t immediately take up his challenge, “let’s get this over with.”
Suzie was in a quandary. She had never lied to Mark in her life. If she did so now, then she’d be free and could start to get over him. It was easy. All she had to do was to say those few simple words. “I don’t love you anymore, Mark.” That was all it would take, and he’d release her.
She simply couldn’t do it. Even though she hadn’t yet spoken, she could see from Mark’s guardedly triumphant expression that he knew he’d won.
“Tell me, Suzie,” he said, increasing the pressure he was placing on her shoulders.
“I can’t, I don’t know what I—”
“Hello there, trust we’re not interrupting anything?”
Jane’s strident voice caused them to move apart like guilty lovers and turn in unison to face the gang striding up the garden path.
“Fuck it!” muttered Mark under his breath. “We’ll continue this conversation later.”

Shalimar – available from SirenBookStrand http://www.bookstrand.com/shalimar  and discounted to $4.68 until the end of the month.

Read the entire first chapter at my website: http://www.wendysoliman.com

To celebrate release day I'm giving away a copy of Shalimar. All you have to do is go to my Facebook Author page at Wendy Soliman - Author and click 'like'. Here's the link http://on.fb.me/oBRZLO.
Leave a message here to say you've done so and you're in with a chance. Good luck! 

 Wendy



 [W1]Eliminating ‘myself’ echo.

Sunday 23 October 2011

Guest Author Emma Lane

Thanks to all of you who stopped by during the Aurora Regency blog-hop. Congratulations to Lori Zalewski who won copies of my two Regencies with Aurora. Please contact me through my website at http://www.wendysoliman.com, Lori, and leave me your email address.

Today on the blog I welcome Emma Lane, a talented author of Regency romance for Musa publishing. Over to you, Emma.

Thanks for having me here to day, Wendy.

We are in the middle of celebrating the first anniversary of AURORA REGENCY. I’m excited that my second Regency novel will be published on the 21st. A SCANDALOUS DESIGN, the second of the Vicar’s Daughters will join MY PASSIONATE LOVE which is the 1st. Belinda, MY LOVE will be joining her sisters Nov. 4th.
I had a lot of fun writing The Vicar’s Daughters series. I hope you enjoy reading them. Regencies are romantic, sweet and sometimes exciting and always with a happily ever after ending. May I introduce a glimpse of A SCANDALOUS DESIGN? I think you will be intrigued.



Can a vicar's daughter marry a handsome nobleman and still achieve her dreams for designing gowns?

Blurb: Melanie Robinson on the road to London meets a widowed French woman and a handsome aristocrat. The first she makes a partner in a clandestine business venture. The second she hopes will become her partner in love for life, if she can reconcile her need to create with her love’s strict social requirements for his bride.
A handsome rogue enters the picture when the arrogant lord makes a misstep, leaving Melanie the object of gossip. Lord Pearson returns to town thinking he has lost his love, while Melanie assumes he is upset over her business ventures. Can the handsome lord manage to recapture his love’s attention or will she turn to the man who best understands her unusual

Excerpt

 “Oh, oh,” the gentleman said.
 Startled out of her daze, Melanie reached to open the door and found it, as she suspected, locked against her. Her face flushed as she realized how totally unacceptable the state of her dress was for public viewing. She kept her back turned to the opposite hall and the interested spectator as she tried to tuck her bare toes underneath her gown. She gentled and lowered her voice as she cajoled to the closed door.
“Come now, dear. Please open the door. This is my room, and I must be allowed entry.” She heard the girl sobbing loudly inside.
“What a turn-up,” she heard the stranger behind her say with a chuckle.
Melanie would not allow this situation to upset her composure. It had never been in her nature to be easily overset. She turned and looked at the hero of the moment.
“Do you know this girl?” she asked him pointedly but politely.
“Actually, I do know her,” he answered with a twinkle in his eye as he gazed into hers, “but not on a personal basis.“ I saw her in the public room a few minutes ago serving up glasses of ale to a group of young gentlemen. One of them apparently was misinformed about her interest in him. He is to be forgiven, I believe. Most tavern maids are rather more...err...congenial than this one seems to be, if you will pardon my saying so, Miss...?”He ended his sentence with a question suggesting she should tell him her name.
 Melanie gave him a reproachful look, as she ignored the bold hint to introduce herself, and turned to confront the ancient wooden door once more. She knocked firmly and called out.
“Miss? Please open the door. I really do need to come inside. I am not dressed to be  public. Miss?” She turned back to the stranger. “Did you happen to hear her name?”
“Anne? Annie? No, I think Annie Marie. Try that.”
 He leaned against the wall exceedingly diverted by this gorgeous, gray-eyed maiden who was managing, in spite of her situation, to maintain her sangfroid.  He had spotted those bare, pink toes peeking from underneath her skirt and gave a soft laugh, finding himself amused at her predicament and wondering when her chaperone would be showing up, as her cultured voice had informed him of her social standing. Knowing his duty as a gentleman, he stood ready to help her out if it appeared she might face a scandal from this unfortunate incident. Meanwhile he meant to enjoy this unexpected comedic-drama as it played out before him. It was better than a Shakespearean play. He glanced down at the youngster playing the part of the villain still asleep on the floor. Silly young cub.
 She could not be left for long standing out in the hall with her hair falling like corn silk down her back. There were several more young gentlemen with much too much celebration inside them to mind their manners when temptation this lovely was at hand. His own fingers twitched to touch that glorious mane to find out if it could possibly be as soft as it looked.
 He did not think he had ever seen hair quite that shade of blonde. Was it the color of bubbling champagne? No, maybe more wheat than that, he mused as he stood with arms crossed propped against the wall watching Melanie try the door once more. Silky wheat, he thought, nodding his head with conviction and laughed at the thought that wheat could ever be the texture of silk. His knuckles whitened as he fought a sudden urge to plunge his fingers into that silken waterfall and tumble the lady into his waiting arms.

Emma
 


Thursday 13 October 2011

Happy Birthday Aurora Regency!


My childhood home is just a stone’s throw from Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s famous Island retreat. It’s quite a place and offers tantalizing glimpses into the private lives of privileged Victorians. Prince Albert’s bathroom in particular springs to mind. The panels that slide closed across the bath look respectable from the outside. Inside they’re covered with frescos portraying scenes from an orgy. And they say the Victorians were straight-laced. Naughty old Albie!


What has that to do with Aurora Regency? Nothing. But it says a lot about the influences that surrounded me as a kid, feeding my love of history as well as my imagination. But Although the Victorians fascinate me, as a writer I gravitated towards the colourful Regency period because it gave me so much more scope. My first two books in that genre, published a few years back by a house in England, have been given an expect once-over by the talented editing team at Musa Publishing. Lady Hartley’s Inheritance hit the digital bookshelves today and Duty’s Destiny will follow along on November 11.
 
In Lady Hartley’s Inheritance Clarissa Hartley, a country-loving widow, visits London. She stays with her godmother, even though she thoroughly disapproves of her son, Luc Deverill, the Earl of Newbury, who appears to lead a life of idle dissipation. When she learns that a son she didn’t know her late husband had father is claiming her inheritance for himself, she fears she has lost everything. Luc, suspecting fraud, steps in. Together he and Clarissa delve deeper into the suspected scam, little expecting that they will come to admire one another, much less feel an attraction that just won’t be denied…

Viscount Felix Western, helps his close friend Luc to get to the bottom of things, unaware that he will soon have problems of his own to tangle with. In Duty’s Destiny he learns that his father’s shipping line is being used to smuggle ex-slaves into England, where they once again find themselves in servitude. Felix suspects that Saskia Eden is helping her father to perpetrate this dreadful trade but as soon as he meets her, he immediately has doubts. Befriended by her young twins, he gets drawn into her life, and dangers that threaten their lives and liberty…

You can read the entire first chapter of both books on my website http://www.wendysoliman.com

To celebrate Aurora Regency’s first birthday, I’m giving away a copy of both books to one lucky reader. All you have to do is:

1.       Go to my author Facebook page at Wendy Soliman Author http://on.fb.me/owr8Cc click ‘Like’ and leave a message mentioning Aurora Regency.

2.       Follow this blog and leave a message to say you’ve done so.

Good luck and thanks for your interest in Aurora Regency and my books. The next stop on the tour is with talented author Marguerite Butler at http://margueritebutler.blogspot.com


Wendy

TOUR RULES:
1) TOUR STARTS: Saturday October 15th
THIS TOUR ENDS: October 22nd, at Midnight (PST)
Final Celebration August 22th 7pm -11pm (EST) at Two Lips Reviews Chat http://www.twolipsreviews.com/content/
***Individual Winners from Authors contests will be drawn and posted October 23rs on their individual sites***
1) Prizes at individual Blogs are completely at the discretion of the individual authors and are not in association with Musa Publishing and its prize system.  To enter the Contest on any given blog you must follow their contest rules and objectives.
2) By commenting on any blog on the tour the participant is agreeing to these rules and policies.
3) All prize winners will be chosen randomly using Random Line Picker.