Today you will find me over at the Famous Five Plus studio chatting with heart throb, Jonny Mason.
Do pop on over if you have the time... see you there!
Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Friday, 24 May 2013
I'm Here!
Just to let you know, I've not dropped of the planet, though it does seem I am being missed from appearing on, if I say so myself, my lovely Blog site.
What has happened, and it is a nice happening, I've been given a regular spot over at the Indie Author website, Famous Five Plus. It's every Wednesday and I've even been given my own chat room to carry out my interviews. Well I couldn't refuse especially when I saw the mini bar! I'm a sherry person, but my guests seem to fall every time for the bubbly and the bar is well stocked. Fortunately all my guest arrive by taxi!
Talking about my guest over at Famous Five Plus, FFP for short, it saves me time as typing is not one of my strengths. The guests I chat to are all members of the group and from time to time I get to talk to some of the member's characters. What an eye opener some of them are I can tell you. A couple of weeks ago I had Jane Leonard from Magnolia House in for a glass of sherry and a chat, she's been to my studio here, but our latest get together was over at FFP. Now if anyone deserves kindness, that poor woman does. Families, they can make or break you and Jane knows all about that! I'm rather fond of her and I hope she finds the happiness she deserves at the end of the day.
In contrast to meeting the gentle Jane, in a couple of weeks I'm meeting Shrug from The Traz. I've got a photograph of him here and he's built like the proverbial and from my notes there's a lot about him that fascinates me. I can't wait to meet him in person!
Wednesday is my day for chin wagging over at FFP, but I'd be delighted if you or your character wanted to join me here. I've taken to this interviewing like a duck to water, even at my tender age, life continues to surprise me. As for my studio here, there is a cleaner who keeps the place up to scratch and the local baker drops in a selection of naughty, but tasty delights which we can always wash down with something that pours well into a glass. So if you are in the mood for a chat with me, please leave a comment below and a link so that I can get in touch with you. And do pop over to FFP to meet my other guests! www.famousfiveplus.com I'm there on a Wednesday.
Until the next, cheers me dears!
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
I'm Back!
One of my new ventures is a new series of interviews over at the lovely web site, Famous Five Plus. Today I am grilling the gorgeous Suzy Turner, so do pop along when you can.
If you or one of your characters would like to be sitting in my little interview studio to have a chat, then please yell. I promise you it will be fun. Just leave a message in the comment box below and we can sort out dates and I'll provide the refreshments!
I can't tell how wonderful it is to back and to see you all again. Looking forward to getting together soon. Make sure you leave that comment!
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Peggy wants to party with Bill
Peggy wants to party with Bill
Bill slinks into the room and collapses into a chair.
Peggy – ‘Ah, you’ve come back to see me, Bill. It is Bill, isn’t it?’
Bill – looks furtively over his shoulder. ‘Don’t tell Chris I’m here, I’m in hiding, and as I thought we kind of clicked the last time we met, well . . .’ He shuffles his feet and looks embarrassed, ‘. . . you see I was looking for a friendly ear.’ He looks at her expectantly.
Peggy – ‘I’ve never been called an ear before,’ she leans over and pats his knee, ‘but I’m certainly friendly. What’s troubling you, Bill?’
Bill – ‘Well, it’s like this – Chris and that Love a Happy Ending crew have arranged a shindig. They’re calling it a book launch, and then everyone’s going over to Chris’s blog for a party at Donovan’s pub’.
Peggy – ‘What’s wrong with that? I thought you liked a party?’
Bill – Squirms. ‘I like a good party along with the next guy, but come on, when was I into happy endings, smacks too much of love if you ask me.’
Peggy – ‘There’s nothing wrong with a bit of love.’ She looks at Bill over the rim of her glass.
Bill – ‘Besides that, Chris keeps feeding me whisky at these shindigs.’
Peggy – ‘Whisky’s not so bad.’
Bill – ‘I hate whisky, gives me hangovers like you wouldn’t believe. I’d rather have a rum and coke, but will Chris give me one, no way. I’ve told her and told her, but she just won’t listen.’
Peggy – ‘But you’re Scottish. I thought all Scots liked whisky.’
Bill – glares at her. ‘Not you as well.’
Peggy – smiles apologetically. ‘So tell me about this book launch.’
Bill – ‘I wouldn’t mind so much, but it’s Night Watcher, and he’s one creepy sod, I don’t really want to get mixed up with him again.’
Peggy – ‘The last time we met Chris was writing a new book. I had assumed the launch was for that one.’
Bill – ‘I wish it was but she’s still writing that, and she’s not very nice to me in it. In fact, I’m hovering between life and death at the moment, so you can see why I’m not really in the party mood.’
Peggy – ‘Oh, my! I do hope you survive. I do so enjoy our little tête-a-têtes. But tell me, why is she launching this other book.’
Bill – sounding disgusted, ‘Yes, it’s Night Watcher. I thought I was finished with him, he’s a pretty nasty piece of work, you know. But Chris says, because she’s just given him a paperback, he needs to be launched. As if he didn’t create enough mayhem in his eBook, she’s got to put him into a paperback. She’ll want to crack a bottle of champagne over him next. Mind you, if she cracked it over his head, I wouldn’t object.’
Peggy – ‘Tut, tut. However, I think I agree with you, he doesn’t deserve a paperback. But look on the bright side, you’ll get to meet Julie again.’
Bill – ‘You’re right. I did like Julie, and it’ll be nice to catch up with her again.’
Peggy – ‘Catching up, is that what you call it nowadays? In my day we just called it sex.’
Bill – blushes, ‘Well, that as well, I suppose.’
Peggy – ‘I’d like to meet this Julie, so I think I’ll pop over to the launch, and then, if you don’t mind, I’ll look in at the party.’
Bill – ‘Hmm, the launch might be OK, but you’ll have to be careful at the party.’
Peggy – ‘Why is that?’
Bill – ‘You’re such a nice lady and I wouldn’t want you to fall foul of the Night Watcher.’
Peggy – ‘D’you mean I’d get to meet him?’
Bill – groans, ‘I did say to Chris, ‘Why did you invite Night Watcher to the party?’ But she denied it was her.’
So, Who Invited Night Watcher to the Party – that’s what everyone wants to know, so why not pop over to Chris’s blog, and maybe you’ll find out, or maybe you won’t!
Book Launch - http://loveahappyending.com/
Who invited Night Watcher to the Party - http://chrislongmuir.blogspot.co.uk/
Chris’s website - http://www.chrislongmuir.co.uk/
Friday, 5 October 2012
Meet my Lovely guests, Sarah & Robert for A Shadow in the Past
Today, I have the pleasure of not just one guest in the “hot seat” but two. Sarah Shand and Robert Robertson, from Melanie Robertson-King’s debut novel, A Shadow in the Past, are with me here today. What you are about to learn is mind boggling, but true, so do make yourselves comfortable and enjoy my two unusual guests.
Peggy: “Welcome to both of you. Before we get started, let’s get the frilly part sorted with first. I have a bottle of single-malt Ardmore Scotland
Sarah: Opening a bottle of Irn Bru. “Thanks for having us here, Peggy. It’s great being part of Melanie’s blog tour this way. And yes, Irn Bru has been referred to as Scotland
Peggy: Raising an eyebrow. “A decent malt is what I’ve heard, but I’ll take your word for it. Anyway it’s a delight to host you both. If you change your mind on that drink, help yourself to the bubbly.”
Sarah: Sipping her drink. “Maybe after our interview, because as much as I like champagne it goes straight to my head and makes me all woozy.”
Robert: Laughing, “She’s right Peggy. If you want to get any sense out of her, keep her on the Irn Bru. Otherwise, she’ll babble on and you won’t understand a single thing she says. I’m going to have a wee dram of Ardmore
Peggy: Leaning forward and patting Robert’s leg. “A man after my own heart, do help yourself.” Sitting back in her chair and crossing her legs at the ankle. “Now have I heard this correctly, you two had a rather unusual first meeting?”
Sarah and Robert: Looking at each other, smile. “You’re right there.”
Robert: “You tell it, Sarah. It sounds so much better when you do.”
Sarah: Shifting in her chair. “You or your readers aren’t going to believe this. I still don’t. Phew where to start? ” Reaching out and taking Robert’s hand. “Talking about it always makes me a bit nervous.”
Peggy: “My dear, you’re in good company, nerves not required, so do tell us, I’m sitting her almost on the edge of my seat in anticipation.”
Sarah: Taking a deep breath. “Okay. I had been at the stone circle on my parents’ farm and the next thing I know, I’m waking up on a sofa at Weetshill mansion. You can see the mansion from the hill where the stone circle is but it’s a couple of miles away. But how I got from one place to the other, I don’t know.”
Peggy: Shaking her head. “My dear girl, that’s not overly unusual in this day and age with all these alkipop style drinks. It’s clear to me there’s more to that drink you claim to enjoy than you’re letting on.”
Sarah: “No no, it was really spooky. You see, this is where things get seriously weird. When I was at the stone circle, the year was 2010. When I woke up on the sofa at Weetshill, I was back in 1886. Believe you me, you can’t dream that up.”
Peggy: Taking a sip of her bubbly, coughs. “Good grief, I’ve come all over with goose bumps. I shudder to ask, but what happened next?”
Robert: Lowering his voice. “I heard a noise outside the front door so went to investigate. I found Sarah passed out on the ground. At first I thought she was a laddie because she wore trousers. I’ve never seen a woman in trousers before so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered she was a lassie, and a rather pretty one at that.”
Sarah: Blushing. “You say the sweetest things. I’ve never really thought of myself as that. Ordinary and some days it stretches to moderately attractive but never pretty.”
Peggy: “Pretty or otherwise, there is not doubt about it that is a most unusual meeting. So Robert, Weetshill mansion, sounds like you’re well-to-do which ever century you live in. What do you do for a living?”
Robert: “I’m the Laird of Weetshill.”
Peggy: “Like Hector MacDonald in the television program Monarch of the Glen.”
Robert: Pulling a face. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Peggy: Laughing pats him on the knee. “I’m sorry. I forgot for a moment you’re from the Victorian era, I’ll admit you’re doing a good job convincing me. ”
Sarah: “Oh believe me Peggy, Robert is from that time. Bizarre as it is and that is why Robert has no idea about television or the program Monarch of the Glen, but I can say Robert is nothing like Hector MacDonald. If you want to compare him to one of the characters in the show, I would say he’s more like Archie.”
Peggy: Smiling. “I always liked Archie. Thought he was a handsome fellow. Just like you, Robert.”
Robert: Blushing. “Thank you, Peggy.”
Sarah: Turning to Robert. “He’s so-o modest. That’s one of the things I love about him.” Reaching over and squeezing his hand.
Peggy: Picking up the book and flips through it. “I like the cover, but more importantly I’d like to ask you some more questions about your relationship because as much as I’ve seen life, I’ve not yet come across a couple who met in another century”
Robert: Holding his hand up. “Please forgive me, but I have to stop you there, I’m afraid, Peggy. We don’t want to spoil it for Melanie’s readers. We can’t tell everything here because then they wouldn’t buy the book and that would never do.”
Peggy: Tracing her index finger over the cover. “Right, right, but you can’t blame me for wanting to know. And as I just mentioned, the cover is amazing. The artist has captured your essence beautifully, Sarah.”
Sarah: “Aidana WillowRaven is the cover artist. She did a brilliant job of portraying me. And you have to believe that because I’m not one to be “out there” and now look at me.”
Peggy: Placing the book down onto the coffee table. “Your creator is a mainstream author and this is her debut novel with, 4RV Publishing, you must feel very proud.”
Sarah: “Proud is barely the word, honoured would be more correct. Melanie is a talented lady and 4RV Publishing is a great company, with really supportive and talented people there. Melanie made the right choice by signing with them.”
Where you can buy your copy of A Shadow in the Past
Here is a litte snippet about the lovey Melanie...
Melanie is a member of Romance Writers of America and their Ottawa Chapter.
She lives in Brockville , Ontario , Canada along the shore of the majestic St. Lawrence River with her husband, son and oldest grandson.
Visit Melanie's web site for more information http://www.melanierobertson-king.com/wp02
Thursday, 19 July 2012
I'm Being Arrested by a Policeman!!
Today, in my chat studio, I have a policeman! Nothing to do with me and the law, though I can say, he his very arresting! Do joins us, I promise you Mark from Somebody to Love, will have your sirens blaring!
Peggy: Perusing him over her glasses as Mark walks in the studio. ‘I see you’re in uniform. And if I might be so bold, looking rather delectable and perfectly gift-wrapped in blue, have you any idea what that does to me?’
Mark: Smiling a twinkly-eyed smile, removing his cap. ‘Uh, oh. You’re not going to ravish me, are you Peggy? Not that I’d mind, of course. It’s just that I’ve already been ravished three times this morning and I’m a bit worn out, to be honest.’
Peggy: Smiling knowingly. ‘Don’t tempt me PC, Evans. I might be old but I’m certainly not past it. There’s more than sherry runs through these veins, hot blood for starters! So why a policeman?’
Mark: ‘Good question. May I?’ Indicating to the comfy chair opposite Peggy. ‘I suppose I’ve always wanted to be a policeman…’
Peggy: Sighing and settling back in her chair. ‘Sorry I’ve made you lose your thread, but do carry on constable!’
Mark: Biting his lip to stop laughing out loud. ‘You known how to distract a man, now back to being a policeman, I’ve wanted to be one ever since I was involved in a road accident…’
Peggy: Sitting forward. ‘A road accident?!’
Mark: ‘No, not me physically, Peggy, don’t worry. I witnessed an accident as a child: Two lads, younger than me - a couple of years below me in school. They were engrossed in swapping cards or something, chatting away, as kids do, and they stepped into the road without looking. I could see they were going to. See the accident even before it happened. The kid nearest the car went over the bonnet and…’
Peggy: Grimacing. ‘Oh, how awful!’
Mark: Holding his hands up and smiling. ‘No worries, he was OK. Well, that is, he made a full recovery. Turned out his ribs were cracked, though, and he obviously didn’t know what day it was. Anyway, long story short, I supported his back, yelled at someone to call an ambulance; kind of knew I had to keep him talking, so I got him to tell me his telephone number and then got someone else to support him while I ran over the newsagents to ring his mum.’
Peggy: Admiration making her face glow. ‘What a lovely thing to do. How very thoughtful. I could tell as soon as you had stepped into my studio, you were a kind, decent young man.’
Mark: Blushing. ‘Nah, more instinctive, really. I was pretty sure his mum would want to get to him asap, and I was absolutely sure he would want his mum, so…’
Peggy: Blinking emotionally. ‘You’re a saint. One in blue of course.’
Mark: Laughing. ‘Yeah, not sure Donna would see me in quite that light. I, er, lied to her, you see. I mean, we’re OK now, but… Well, I wasn’t very straight with her. Not something I’m proud of.’ Running his hand over his neck, looking thoroughly ashamed.
Peggy: Sighing again, wistfully. ‘A saint, definitely. But before we go down the Donna route, let’s finish this part of the interview. So weren’t you destined to be a paramedic, then, rather than a policeman?’
Mark: Puckering his brow. ‘I did quite fancy the idea, I must admit, until the police attending the accident gave me a ride home in the patrol car. I was late by then. My dad worked away a lot and I knew my mum would be on her own worrying about where I was, so the police gave me a ride in the passenger seat and that was it. I was like, wow, this is what I want to do: Protect and serve – and drive a patrol car.’
Peggy: ‘I can tell you you’d certainly turn my head if you were to take me home in a patrol car. Now now, you’ve got me being silly, you naughty boy, let’s get back to the script.’ Checking her notes. ‘I see your wife ran off and left you? Sounds to me she’s need her bumps checking. You’re a good looking man, and obviously caring, so why did she pack her bags?’
Mark: Raking a hand through his hair. ‘It seems I simply was not caring enough according to my now ex-wife. My son, Karl, he’s autistic – we hadn’t had the official ‘diagnosis’ then, of course, that alone was an uphill struggle, but his behaviour was becoming more challenging, and instead of being there for my wife… To be honest, I couldn’t wait to get out of the door, to bury myself in my work and my head in the sand, I guess. Kate couldn’t do that. She couldn’t walk away, physically or emotionally. She was on her own with it – and she was lonely. I realised that, too late, as it happened. She couldn’t cope, and… Well, eventually, she did walk away. I don’t blame her, not really.’
Peggy: ‘Mmm not sure about your thoughts there, but we’ll run our of time if we argue about whose to blame, but this little chap of yours, Karl, spelt with a K, you modern folk with names and spelling… Ahem…’ Pausing, ferrets for her hankie and gives her nose a dainty blow. ‘Tell me a little about him. How’s he getting on?’
Mark: Smiling brightly. ‘Yeah, good. Excellent, actually. I mean he’ll always need support, caring for a child with autism is for life, you know, but he’s made real progress. He still throws a wobbly when he gets spooked, but the repetitive behaviours are less obvious.’
Peggy: ‘Repetitive behaviours?’
Mark: ‘Hand-flapping when he gets stressed, that sort of thing. Then there are the daily rituals you live your life by.’
Peggy: Crossing her legs and leaning forward. ‘Could you tell me a little more about that, Mark?’
Mark: Looking straight at Peggy. ‘Well, it’s complicated but, simplistically, Karl has to do things in a certain order, or not all if he finds the situation too stressful, so we have to make sure his daily routine isn’t distracted from before he’s ready. A shopping trip, for instance, can be a complete nightmare. Or it used to be. He was scared of traffic, of crowds, of shops, the noise seeming to close in on him and cause a total meltdown sometimes. Even background noises — noises most people couldn’t even hear – could drive Karl to distraction. But now…’ Pausing to draw breath, ‘Now, he’s interacting with people more, verbally and socially. It’s bloody… ahem, sorry. It’s amazing. And it’s all down to Starbuck, his Autism Assistance Dog, and to Donna.’
Peggy: ‘Sitting back. Ah, yes, Donna. I’d heard you had your eye on a new woman. From what I’ve learnt, she’s a bit scatty with a three legged dog and a rabbit that lives in the house. How do you manage to find them?’
Mark: Laughing: ‘Finding Donna was nothing short of a miracle. I hardly dared hope there’d be a woman out there with a heart big enough to love me and my son. To be honest, I’d almost given up looking. Better to have no dates, I decided, than short-term dates. Karl needed stability, you know, and I’d have done pretty much anything to protect him at that stage…’
Peggy: Screwing her eyes up. ‘Even lie to protect him?’
Mark: Sighing heavily. ‘Yeah, that. I can’t believe I almost blew it. Donna might be scatty, totally crackers sometimes, but she cares, you know? Really cares. Some people say they do, think they do, but when push comes to shove… Donna’s doesn’t just talk the talk. She’s special, in the best possible way and would pretty much forgive anybody anything, so long as they didn’t mess with her son or her three-legged dog – or step on her rabbit. I’m happy with the whole package. The rabbit chewing its way through ten pairs of bootlaces a week I could with do without…’ Mark crosses his legs. One highly-polished shoe flops a bit loose ‘…but it’s definitely a case of love me, love my dog, my son, my rabbit with Donna, so I guess I can live with it.’
Peggy: Checking her notes. ‘Tell me about the woman in the park who talks to dogs. Have I read this right?’
Mark: Rolling his eyes. ‘Ah, Agnes, the befriender of dogs and bequeather of balls. She lives at the care home adjoining the park. She’s a bit senile, but harmless – unless she thinks you’ve cheated on your girlfriend, in which case she’s capable of GBH with a deadly weapon.’
Peggy: Laughing. ‘Her ball bag? Hardly a deadly weapon.’
Mark: ‘Have you ever had one of those things swung at you full force by an angry woman? She was out for blood, I swear.’
Peggy: Eyes travelling suggestively downwards. ‘Thank God, she missed her aim.’
Mark: Flushing . ‘Ahem, yes. As for whether she talks to the animals… Well, she does, obviously. Lonely, like I say. But whether the dogs answer back or not? If you’d asked me that pre-Donna’s three-legged dog and Starbuck, I’d have said, uh-uh, no way. Loony idea. Now, I’m not so sure they don’t.’
Peggy: Tapping her fingers on her note pad. ‘Your father is a bit senile, too, isn’t he? Or is it he’s trying to appear that way because of the old biddies who are his neighbours?
Mark: Laughing. ‘And after his body, you mean? A bit of both I reckon. He’s on his own, too, after Mum died, as you know, and I think a mixture of loneliness and guilt – he cheated on her, Mum, I mean – led to him becoming a bit depressed. I don’t think your mind’s as sharp as it should be when you feel that way. He is getting older, though, and definitely more forgetful. I’m going to have to keep an eye on that. Truthfully, I think he does play on it, yes, when he wants to keep the ‘biddies’ at bay.’
Peggy: ‘I was going to ask you about Starbuck, because that part of your life made me cry, but I’m not going to let my visitors see me crying, they can find out all about him in the book. So let’s focus on something less emotional, tell me is this new woman in your life the real thing?’
Mark: Pausing for thought, then looking levelly at Peggy: ‘I love her. All of her. She makes my life complete. I simply wouldn’t know how to be without her. I wouldn’t want to be.’
Somebody to Love
How do you tell her?
After that idiot of a husband ran off with that broomstick of a girl, single-mom Donna thinks there's no sunshine in her future. What she needs now is a hunk of a guy who loves her and her three-legged dog with no complications.Mark is a single dad with two big worries – protect and serve, and his autistic son Karl. Desperately he wants someone who'll love him and his son without question and with no complications. He's been hurt before and Karl needs stability – not short dates. So he'll do anything for his kid – even lie to protect him.
Can these two get it together and get together? Is Mark the hunk Donna needs? Is Donna the rock Mark can lean on? If they look hard enough, can they find Somebody to Love?
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Somebody to Love has been made with love... love of animals.
You can learn more about Sheryl Browne and her books:
Amazon Links: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Somebody-Love-Sheryl-Browne/dp/1908208112/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339421531&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Somebody-Love-Sheryl-Browne/dp/1908208112/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339421630&sr=1-1&keywords=somebody+to+love+sheryl+browne
Website: www.sherylbrowne.com
LoveaHappyEnding Author Page: http://loveahappyending.com/sheryl-browne/
Twitter: @sherylbrowne
Monday, 9 July 2012
Today, I'm over in my other studio at Famous Five Plus chatting to the hunky Tex from United State of Love by Sue Fortin. Do pop along and meet him, he's a real cowboy, well he is to me! http://www.famousfiveplus.com/
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