Why you should read Reese Ryan's Bourbon Brothers

Over the last year, it has been my pleasure to discover Reese Ryan and her Bourbon Brothers series. It started in a moment of solidarity -- both our books were featured on an ad Harlequin did and so I went looking -- first for her (as Harlequin has a habit of not telling its authors about such things) and then for the book as I spotted something about bourbon and distilleries on her website.
 As luck would have it, the wrong blurb was on Amazon.co.uk  and my heart sunk as I wanted to read about bourbon distilleries and not cowboys. At this point I believe I cemented my crazy lady status to Reese who had no idea about the mix up in blurbs and could not understand about why I was banging on about how writing about a bourbon distillery would be such a great concept but of course cowboys were fine as well. She assured me her books were about bourbon.

The ad which led to my discovery
of Reese Ryan

I read Savannah's Secrets and was blown away. It was just the right tonic for that particularly day. Then in October, I read the next in the series The Billionaire's Legacy and it was equally as good.
All I can say is read them and enjoy. Bourbon or your fave tipple makes a great accompaniment.
By this point, I considered Reese a friend and therefore had no compunction in strong arming her to get my hands on an arc of Engaging the Enemy, the third book and Parker's story. Happily she obliged, even though  I am convinced she still thinks me crazy (but in a nice sort of way). It went straight to the top of my reading pile and I was not disappointed.
 It is the best of the series so far.
 If you want to see a master author at work, read Engaging the Enemy, her handling of two potentially very difficult characters is amazing.  Her ability to communicate the emotional truth of her characters is incredible.
There are a number of scenes that I loved in the story but my favourite was when the two main characters had to hold hands and recite what they liked about each other. There was a brief visit from Savannah (Book 1) whom I had happened to like.
I cannot change my skin tone,  my DNA or my ancestry but reading allows me the privilege of walking in another's shoes and viewing the world through another's lenses.
 I am so pleased that Reese Ryan decided to share her world with readers. For me, she is one of the best series authors writing at the moment.
My one regret at the moment is that her other writing commitments means I will have to wait a little while for the next installment of the Bourbon Brothers. I can't wait to see what she does next. Reese kindly allowed me to fangirl and even send the recipe I had used last Christmas to make fruit cake laced with bourbon. I think a Christmas set Bourbon brothers would be excellent but it is up to Reese. I personally live in hope.

This is my review:

In her third installment of her highly-readable Bourbon Brothers series, Ryan has excelled herself. Her book more than delivers on the Desire promise of sensual glamour, heroes to fall in love with and strong capable heroines. The story and the characters will linger in your mind long after you finish the book. The story is stand-alone but for readers who started with earlier books, there is a welcome return to the Bourbon Brothers' world and a chance to catch up with characters. Savannah, the heroine of Savannah's Secrets, is in several key scenes in the early part of the book, for example.

In Parker Abbott, Ryan has taken a potentially difficult hero (he prefers data to interacting with people any day and his people skills are not the best to say the least) and created an alpha hero to really root for as he falls for his former childhood friend, Kayleigh  who now despises him and his family for the wrongs she thinks they did to her family. However, Kayleigh, a woman who has made sure she can find a way to exit every relationship, needs a handsome fake fiance who knows that the relationship has an end date and Parker fits the bill.

The growth of their emotional relationship had me turning the pages long after I should have been asleep and the ending brought a huge lump to my throat.

Ryan's writing is as ever as smooth and rich as a fine glass of bourbon.

My only regret at reading this so fast is that I now have to wait a long time for the next installment.

So what you are waiting for? Grab a glass of bourbon (or your favourite tipple) and treat yourself to a wonderful feel-good read.

You can buy the book here:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Twl99J
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2OqRcCa
iTunes: https://apple.co/2JGYmnd
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2JHgmO4
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2FuJO4z
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2Wm4Yc3
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2HHbiaA

Reese is currently doing a giveaway:
Giveaway ($25 reader’s choice gift card): http://bit.ly/EngagingGiveaway

Her website is here:

Author Website: http://ReeseRyan.com

Personally I'd sign up for her newsletter as she does have exclusive excerpts etc. It is a great way to discover what is coming up next.

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/VIPReaderList

And I really enjoy her VIP readers group on Facebook -- it is a great place to discover new to me authors -- particularly Authors of Colour.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReeseRyanWrites/

Historical Treasures feature.

Woo Hoo!
I am very excited. Sent as the Viking's Bride is one of the featured books this week in Collette Cameron's Historical Treasures. http://bit.ly/HighlandTreasures_1_8_19

Every week Collette features some of the best new releases and bargains in the historical romance genre. You can find more about her newsletter here: https://www.subscribepage.com/historical-treasures
It is a great way to uncover hidden gems.

Wanted:Have you seen this book?

As part of Harlequin's attempt to get Harlequin Historical back into North American retail, they have re-released my book The Warrior's Viking Bride in Walmart and Target stores. It is part of a trial. Who knows if there will be more releases -- it is entirely dependent on how well this book does.
My fingers are firmly crossed that this trial succeeds and Harlequin Historical returns to retail.
So if anyone happens to see it in Walmart or Target, could you please take a photo for me?

All I want for Christmas...

It is that time of year.

What does @michellelstyles want for Christmas?

Find out on @AngiMorganAuthr’s @GetLostInAStory

http://bit.ly/GLIAS_Styles

$20.00 #Giveaway to a blog commenter.

Ends 12/14

A favourite quote from my latest

This is a favourite quote from my latest novel SENT AS THE VIKING'S BRIDE
You can read the first chapter for free  on overdrive.com 
Currently available for purchase at harlequin.com and  millsandboon.co.uk

An excellent reference manual for self-editing your manuscript

Troubleshooting Your Novel: 100 Incredibly Practical Ways to Fix Your Fiction by Steven James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is an excellent manual to help you edit a manuscript and ranks up there with Self Editing for Fiction Writers in terms of its effectiveness. It is a book aimed at helping the author revise or edit the manuscript. His earlier book Story Trumps Structure is about the organic process of writing a manuscript.
The one caveat I would have is that James has little idea or interest in the romance genre as he primarily writes thrillers aimed at men. Thus those two chapters are far weaker than the rest of the book (78 other chapters). However as I have written over 27 bestselling romances for Harlequin, I was not as concerned about that section -- I just rolled my eyes and muttered a few unprintable words.
The other sections are excellent however. The chart in the show (render) v tell (summarize) chapter is one of the best I have seen and is certainly worth the price of the book. The questions and fine-tuning your manuscript in each chapter are thought provoking.
It is a book which has made me think. I suspect it is a book that will find a place on many writers' desks for many years to come.


View all my reviews

A great book for any author seeking to improve her social media skills.

Building Online Relationships: One Reader at a Time by LaShaunda Hoffman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you want to get better at social media, read this inspiring and thoroughly helpful book. Hoffman sets out simple steps about how to improve your social media skills. She breaks things down into bite-sized portions and allows you to set your own goals. I have read it and am still working out my plans but it has inspired me so much. It is a book I plan to go back to.
The book was recommended to me as a must-read for any author seeking to improve her social media skill set and I agree it is true. My only slight quibble is that social media moves so quickly that the book could do with an update.
Nevertheless, it is pure gold dust.


View all my reviews

cover reveal SENT AS THE VIKING'S BRIDE

As I just discovered my cover and blurb today and am so thrilled!

She’s the wife he doesn’t want…

…and the woman he needs!

Desperate to escape her murderous brother-in-law and protect her young sister, Ragnhild agrees to marry an unknown warrior, and arrives penniless at his remote island. Only Gunnar Olafson’s belief in love died with his family—he does not want a bride! But as yuletide approaches Ragnhild transforms his isolated existence. Can she melt her Viking warrior’s frozen heart?

To be published 27 December 2018.

Make a Date with Harlequin --Super sale until April 8 2018

To celebrate its Make a Date with Harlequin Spring campaign Harlequin has put 60 of its ebook backlist on super special  of $1.99. This includes 8 of my Vikings! This is across all e-book channels (so wherever good ebooks are sold in  North America). My titles on super special are:

• Taken by the Viking
• The Viking's Captive Princess
• Paying the Viking's Price
• Return of the Viking Warrior
• Sold to the Viking Warrior
• Summer of the Viking
• Taming His Viking Woman
• Saved by the Viking  Warrior

Celebrate Valentine's Day with New Authors (and me)

Because I am so excited about my new book The Warrior's Viking Bride, I have joined  forces with Book Sweeps in their latest giveaway  -- 40+ books to be won as well as a brand new e-reader including a signed copy of THe Warrior's Viking Bride.

I am also sending out my v occasional newsletter tomorrow (14 Feb 2018) which has details of a giveway for my subscribers. This is open to all my worldwide readers. If you have not signed up yet, there is still time.

It is very easy to enter the Booksweeps contest -- so why not give it a go? Enter HERE

And I had another lovely early review for The Warrior's Viking Bride from Chicks, Rogues and Scandals. It is so wonderful when a reader *gets* what the book is about.  My favourite bit was: Ms Styles has created an original and I found it to be a very moving story about moving on, and second chances. The storyline is a wonderful blend of romance and action with that seductive and mysterious quality that you only get from the Medieval era. I think Ms Styles has got Aeden and Dagmar spot on, they are both highly charged individuals who need the other in each of their lives.
This is so good, I cannot recommend it more. You can read the full review here

Glowing Four Star Review for The Warrior's Viking Bride from the RT

The glowing review for The Warrior's Viking Bride made my day!
For a variety of reasons the book is very close to my heart.

This is what the RT said:

No one does Vikings better than Michelle Styles. The Warrior’s Viking Bride is a passionate romance between a Shield Maiden and a Gael warrior, who find love amid danger and betrayal. Styles’ attention to detail will captivate readers, as will her powerful characters and elaborate plots.

The Warrior's Viking Bride is now available on the Mills &Boon and Harlequin websites.
You can read the first chapter for free on overdrive.com

Blessing bags and me.

A few weeks ago, I read a post on my local village's FB page. Cheryl Hutchinson, a woman who was starting up a business as a Jamberry consultant was inspired to give blessing bags to the local oncology department  for their chemo patients in December and was looking for sponsors.
She listed the sort of thing she was looking for and the fact that she needed to do 20 bags.  As I know from readers that reading one of my books (indeed any Harlequin/Mills & Boon) can make time go quickly, I offered to donate a signed copy of one of my books for each bag.
The woman agreed and then when she was picking them up, she mentioned a friend of hers was doing the same in Newcastle at the Freeman Hospital and had to do 45 bags. So in the end I donated 68 books. Thankfully after writing 26 books, I had a number of spare copies.
I think that the whole idea is such a lovely one -- it is rotten to have chemo whatever time of year -- and I was pleased to help out.

The bags have now been delivered. My thoughts and prayers are with each patient and their family who receive one this December. May their day be that little bit brighter.

This is what Cheryl  wrote:
You may remember I asked for sponsors for blessing bags I was making up for the patients at Hexham hospital oncology department. I would like to say a big thank you to all those who sponsored a bag. I delivered them today along with a box of goodies for the nursing staff to enjoy. I’d like to thank the following people 

Traybake uk
The Doody Family
Doug Robson
Andy and Sylvia Turnbull
Marian, Michael and Andrew Hutchinson
Karen Morgan
Little Badgers
Denize Designs
Geoff Stevens and son opticians
Mark Ward
Rhoswen Muse
Potts plant hire
Team Rapid Hexham Football Club
Kate Walker

Cathy Duffy for donating goodies for the nursing staff.

The children of Alnwick class at Shaftoe trust primary school for making the lovely cards for the bags.

Michelle Styles for donating many of your wonderful books.

Thank you all for making this possible

With love
Cheryl

www.cherylahutchinson.jamberry.com

If you are inspired to make blessing bags for your local hospital, these are the sorts of things which Cheryl discovered were needed:
FLUFFY SOCKS - For Comfort and keeping warm

MINTS - One if the hardest bits for many is the taste that hits the back of your throat as soon as the infusion starts and the smell
TISSUES - your nose will run all day, and eyes watering without warning
GINGER BISCUITS - Ginger is known to help nausea and with chemo you are pretty sick. Or Shortbread as I’ve been advised bland tastes are often best.
NOURISH Hand cream- Your skin and nails take a bit of a beating with Chemo so a great quality hand cream is a real comfort.
LIP BALM - your lips flake, dry and become quite sore

COLOURING PAD Or Puzzle book & PENCILS - The reality is you spend horrendous amounts of time there and distracting yourself from reality is a blessing.  

More Bargain Books

There is a fantastic deal on Harlequin box sets at the moment on Amazon.com

. This includes the Harlequin Historical Feb 2017  box set 2. This includes my SOLD TO THE VIKING WARRIOR as well as books by Margaret Moore and Carol Arens for $1.99

Also on sale are:

An Impulsive Debutante and A Noble Captive, again for $1.99.
The blurb for An Impulsive Debutante is

Carlotta Charlton can't wait for her first season—until her impulsive behavior lands her right in the lap of notorious rake Tristan, Lord Thorngrafton!

Tristan is cynically convinced that she's a fortune hunter. But he can't keep away from her. Several heated kisses lead to scandal and, one outraged mama later, they're on their way to Gretna Green.

Catching his breath on the carriage ride to the border, Tristan decides it's time that Lottie learned her lesson. If she wants to play with fire, he'll notch up his seduction and set her ablaze!

And for A Noble Captive:

Strong, proud, honorable—Marcus Livius Tullio embodied the values of Rome. Captured on the high seas and brought to the Temple of Kybele, he was drawn to the woman who gave him refuge. 

Fierce, beautiful, determined—Helena despised all that Rome stood for. In sheltering Tullio, she had to subdue her awareness of him—or she might confess all! The soldier's strength and nobility tempted her to lean on him, but she knew that to succumb would be to betray her people….

The Warrior's Viking Bride -- Harlequin Historical cover reveal

This is the Harlequin Historical cover for The Warrior's Viking Bride. I am even more in love with it now that I have seen the bigger shot.
Mills and Boon went for a slightly tighter shot.

The cover portrays a scene about 2/3's into the book and does it brilliantly.

Reading about Writing and Emotional Complexity

Currently reading Donald Maass The Emotional Craft of Fiction. It is a typical Don Maass book -- full of seemingly useful info if only the writer is savvy enough to pick up on it, a few sly digs at the shallowness of romance writers, and a number of good examples. HOWEVER I have now reached the point in my career when I can see the research (sometimes).

He mentions 'save the cat' without referencing Blake Snyder. There are also things there from Orson Scott Card's Character and viewpoint book. I also happen to like Karl Iglesias Writing for Emotional Impact which although aimed at screenwriters has a lot to say about getting the emotion on the page and how to make the reader feel. Because ultimately a book is all about how the reader feels and how much the reader engages with the characters and uses that story as outlet for her emotions.

The caveat in this is that nothing is new in writing and not every reader will get the same thing from every book. This includes books about writing. Maass may or may not have read the books. They have been around for awhile. Some of the knowledge does from asking the hard questions -- why does this book resonate? Why do I feel for these characters?

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy Maass. I have heard him speak. He is passionate about what he does. His exercises can be useful but there again sometimes they can muddy the waters. For me it is good to read and think -- ah but I know that and furthermore I know why you are saying this and what the outcome will be. I know where this is leading and that is because in part I have read the above mentioned books and put some of that knowledge into action.

Sometimes though I just need to back my own knowledge and realise that I do know a thing or three about writing. The most important of which is that good books are improved by repeated drafts where the writer engages more with the characters and can tease out threads.

At the moment I am also reading Pat Conroy's Death of the Santini. It is interesting to read about his process-- and not to be recommended as he seems to have suffered various breakdowns as he wrote his novels. There again he dug deep into his family and the dysfunctional upbringing.

UK cover for The Warrior's Viking Bride

Can I say how much I love and adore this cover? It works for the story. And I totally love the new Mills & Boon look.

And in case you haven't read the blurb:
A Viking maiden destined for the battlefield…

…in bed with her captor!

As a female warrior, Dagmar Kolbeinndottar knows she’s not meant for marriage and a family. Until she’s kidnapped by Celtic warlord Aedan mac Connall, who has been tasked with returning Dagmar to her estranged father. Fighting her father’s orders to marry, Dagmar declares she will take no one but her abductor, expecting Aedan to refuse…but he’s intent on making her his bride!

Ideas for Working Smarter

How to work smarter -- 
1. Figure out what you can control and what you can't.
2. Know which monkeys belong to you and which belong to the travelling circus. If it isn't your circus, you do not need to worry about them there monkeys.
3. Know that somethings like brushing your teeth, the dishes and exercise are best done straight away.
4. Always make sure you keep some apples for yourself, instead of giving them all away.
5. Sit down and figure out your process -- if you know how you work, you can work with that tide instead of fighting against it.

More books at bargain prices

Suddenly this seems to be coming as frequently as number ten buses!
A QUESTION OF IMPROPRIETY, HIS UNSUITABLE VISCOUNTESS, IMPOVERISHED MISS CONVENIENT WIFE and TAKEN BY THE VIKING are all on super discount on Amazon.co.uk kindle.
This is the first time I have seen TAKEN BY THE VIKING on special discount.
I have no idea how long the super discount will last but thought to highlight it.

Viking romances on special offer

Harlequin has started putting various ebooks on special offer -- I have no idea how long the offers are for (beyond my pay grade) but currently

TAMING HIS VIKING WOMAN is $1.99 on Amazon.com (which means it will be price matched elsewhere)

VIKING WARRIOR UNWILLING WIFE, TAMING HIS VIKING WOMAN,  and SUMMER OF THE VIKING  are 99p at Amazon.co.uk.

Conquer Me 12 Hot Viking Romance giveaway

Love Viking romances (particularly hot ones)? N
ow is your chance to try 12 Viking romances for free.
Included is chapter 8 from my latest SOLD TO THE VIKING WARRIOR.
You can access them  on http://bit.ly/ConqueMe


In other news: my agent has just sent my latest Viking romance to my editor so fingers crossed.