Leadership: It’s A Marathon Not A Sprint

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Dianne Ascroft

Today I’m doing something a bit different. I’ve ventured away from the realm of fiction and I’ve invited Gordon Tredgold to Ascroft, eh? to talk about his leadership guide, Leadership: It’s a Marathon not a Sprint and what inspired him to write it. I think many writers will be able to use some of what he learned while writing the book for their own writing.

Leadership-Its a Marathon Not a SprintThe author describes the book as “a pragmatic Leadership guide, explaining leadership principles in an easy to use, easy to understand and more importantly easy implement style.

The book is split into 26 chapters, one for each mile of the marathon. In each chapter I explain a leadership principle in detail, provide examples of that principle being used in a business context, then each chapter concludes with how that principle was applied to my running goal of running my first Marathon at the age of 52.”

Welcome Gordon. I’ll hand the floor over to you.

GT: I’m often asked what made me start to write and also where does my inspiration come from.

I started to write for several reasons, one of them being the usual desire of writing a book, I think all of us would like to be able to do that, and I am no different.

Throughout my career I have often received very positive feedback on my leadership style, which whilst not unique, is a little bit different, and I thought it would be good for me to write about my approach, and to share my thoughts.

This was also good for me, because one of the best ways to learn is to teach, so by writing about my leadership approach it would make me examine it much more closely, increasing my own understanding and hopefully I would also be able to learn and improve my approach.

I also thought it would be good to write a simple, pragmatic leadership book, one which talked about what to do, and also how to do it, with clear examples showing how and what the benefits or issues can be.

I think there are a lot of leadership book which focus on the why, which is interesting from a theoretical stand point, but they were always very thin on the how.

Obviously this is not true of all leadership books, there are some excellent one’s out there, especially by my favourite author Ken Blanchard. Blanchard’s books tend to be very easy to read, pragmatic with great examples, and often taking the form of a story to get the messages across such as in GungHo! Which is a book I fully recommend.

My initial goal was to write a book, but when I sat down and started I found it very difficult, I didn’t lack ideas for the book, but I did lack a structure. So after a week or so of limited progresses I decided to take a different approach. I decided to write a blog, I would right down my ideas as separate individual posts of between 400-800 words. This would allow me to make a start, make some progress, each post would begin as an idea for a chapter of a book and I would summarize an idea and add some examples.

I did this with a view that after a month or so I would have ideas for 30 chapters that I might then be able to put them together as an outline for a book, which I would then be able to flesh out with more details and examples.

I found the writing to be very therapeutic, and also that I enjoyed it, I looked forward to writing my daily blog. Once the initial ideas were all put down I was concerned that I might struggle to keep up the daily routine, but what I found was that I got inspiration for new posts from many sources, either through what was happening in my job, through sports I was watching or in private life.

I began to see things from a leadership perspective and it helped me continue to identify items I wanted to share. One thing I did try and do was to keep politics out of what I was writing, focusing on leadership, but there were so many things that were happening in the news, such as the Gun Control in the US, Banking Scandals, Euro Crisis etc., etc. I did write posts on these subjects but I tried to keep my personal political views out of the subject and try and write about the leadership aspects with an objective view. It wasn’t always easy, and I wasn’t always 100% successful, especially when writing about the passing of Margaret Thatcher.

As of now I have written over 400 posts, I try and write every day, but I usually end up writing 4-5 per week.

About two or three months after starting the blog I decided to run a marathon to raise money for charity in support of several friends who were going through chemo therapy. As a non-runner who had now taken up a big challenge what I found was that much of what I was doing in preparation and training had so much in common with what I was writing about on Leadership, such as Goal Setting, Motivation, Preparation, planning, etc., that it gave me an idea to combine the two things together.

This is how I came up with the idea of the book, Leadership: It’s a Marathon not a Sprint, I would write a book with 26 chapters, each chapter representing a mile of the marathon. In each chapter I would write about an aspect of leadership, provide details and examples on that aspect, and then I would look to explain how I had used that leadership thought to help me with achieving the marathon.

I really liked this idea, one because it gave me a structure for the book which then allowed me to envision the finished product which motivated me to compete it, and also because it allowed me to use my own struggle to complete the marathon as an example of what leadership can help you achieve. It was like I was my own guinea pig for my leadership ideas and approach.

It also had the added value that it gave the book a story, a narrative, which would help keep the book from becoming a dry book on leadership.

Interestingly the whole writing process was a leadership journey too, it was like a writing marathon that mirrored my running marathon. The process took about 12 months, with 6 months needed to create the second draft of the book and then 6 months for all of the production, artwork, and everything that was associated with taking a finished manuscript and converting it into a book.

This was significantly more work that I had envisioned, or let’s say there was so much more to it than I had known. I would say that I did more work after the book was written than I did before: checking references; editing; reviewing; editing; re-writing parts; editing; rewriting whole chapters; and of course editing.

It was a great learning process and often during that last few months I wasn’t sure whether it would ever be completed and the book produced.

I am very happy to have had to book published, that my thoughts are available for people to share, but I think the biggest benefit to me, is my increased understanding not just of leadership in general, but of my own leadership style in particular. The better I can understand my own leadership, the more control over it I will have which will go a long way to helping me improve it.

I will continue to write my blog as I look to carry on sharing my leadership thoughts, but also as I look to continue to improve my leadership, and I would strongly recommend it to any leader looking to improve.

Thank you, Gordon, for your insight into your book and the way you wrote it. As well as learning about a leadership style, readers who are also writers can take some tips from it for organizing their own writing too.

Gordon Tredgold AuthorAbout Gordon Tredgold: Gordon is the author of Leadership: It’s a Marathon Not a Sprint. Learn more about him at his website and about his book on its Amazon page.

He has worked in IT for over 20 years and is a specialist in Transformational Leadership, Operational Performance Improvement, Organisational Development, Creating Business Value via IT, and Program and Change Management. He has an excellent Global and International experience having lived and worked in UK, Belgium, Holland, Czech Republic, USA and Germany. He also has multi-sector knowledge including FMCG, Logistics, Utilities, Telecoms, Aviation, Banking and Finance.

Posted in February 2014 | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Reading and Reviewing Romances

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Dianne Ascroft

Since I participated in the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway on Facebook I’ve been reading my fellow writers’ stories. Twelve of us joined together to offer prizes that included a bundle of fifteen of our novels and short story collections. The Giveaway was a great way to make readers aware of our books and an added benefit for me is that I got copies of all the books. So, in between my writing projects, I’m reading and reviewing each of them. I posted my review of Lucy Naylor Kubash’s An Uncommon Prince and Other Stories in December. Now, here’s my reviews of Stormy Times by Beate Boeker and Six Months in Montana by Pamela Kelley.

Stormy Times by Beate Boeker

stormy timesThis book’s cover doesn’t do it complete justice. There is light hearted humour, a feel good story and a puppy that would appeal to anyone but there’s also romance, drama and a mystery. The most memorable aspect of the book for me was the characters. It took me a few pages to get into the story but the characters caught my attention immediately. I was intrigued by the enigmatic Conran and I liked Joanna – and I kept reading to find out what happened to them. Some of the secondary characters also made an impression on me. Joanna’s secretary would exasperate anyone and I wanted to adopt her father. Secondary characters such as these added to the comedy and warmth of the story.

As I read I had a strong sense of the isolated setting and the influence of the small community on the characters. The author used both to good effect to create atmosphere and set up the events in the story. She also deftly puts a completely unexpected twist in Joanna’s hunt for the person who is trying to destroy her veterinary practice which changes the tone of this plot thread – it’s nicely done and in keeping with the feel of the whole book.

English isn’t the author’s first language and there is the odd word or phrase that betrays this but I didn’t find that it distracted me from the story. My overall impression when I finished the last page was that I had spent a satisfying few hours with a couple I liked and rooted for. Stormy Times is just the thing, especially on a winter’s night, for readers who enjoy upbeat romances.

Six Months in Montana by Pamela Kelley

sixmonths-187x300If you’re looking for a love story that you know will have a happy ending this is it. Six Months in Montana is a gentle love story set in the American West – not the west coast, the west that’s humming with cowboys, horses and the great outdoors. A place to get away from the city rat race.

As the main character, Molly, grapples with how she can keep Christian, her childhood friend who she has discovered is now much more than that, I never believed any obstacles were insurmountable. I was always confident that she would sort everything out. Molly deals with Christian’s ex-girlfriend, a job promotion she’s always wanted and Christian’s fear of commitment in the course of the story and I wasn’t surprised that she comes out on top. As I’ve said, this isn’t cliff hanger drama, it’s a feel good story. While I wondered how Molly would win, I didn’t doubt that she would.

The events in the story kept me reading but it’s really the characters that make it. Molly is the girl next door that most people would like to have as a friend. Christian will appeal to many women’s fantasies and Molly’s mother and aunt could be your own relatives. I felt like I knew these characters. Their warmth and humanity give depth to the story.

Without unnecessary detail the author paints a picture of the neighbourhood in New York where Molly lives and the ranch she comes to call home. In my mind I saw vividly the local bar where Molly and her friend Meghan meet each week and I felt the community atmosphere of her neighbourhood. The author’s description of Rose Cottage, the bed and breakfast she runs on the ranch, made me want to book in there for my next weekend break. These captivating descriptions add to the book’s feel good factor.

It’s obvious that the author loves good food and wine as there’s references to both peppered throughout the story, leaving my mouth watering at times. So it’s good that she has included the recipe for one of her favourite dishes as an extra treat.

When you want to relax with a story that will easily pull you along but not jar you on the way, this is just the book. Readers who enjoy romance and women’s general fiction will settle right into Six Months in Montana.

Now that I’ve read and reviewed these novels I’m on to Opal Mellon’s His Only Hope. I’ll tell you about it when I finish reading it. Meanwhile, I hope you have gleaned an insight into these two novels from my reviews.

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A Rainy Day Read

Posted on January 24, 2014 by Dianne Ascroft

I recently offered to read and review The Rainy Day Killer by Canadian writer, Michael J. McCann as part of the author’s blog tour. You’ll notice that I can’t resist mentioning his nationality – I always enjoy discovering books by my fellow countrymen.

the-rainy-day-killer1-200x300This is how the publisher, Plaid Raccoon Press, describes the book: “A man in a business suit offers the protection of his umbrella to an unsuspecting woman, and several days later she turns up dead on a river bank, raped and strangled. The terrifying serial killer known in the press as the Rainy Day Killer is now hunting new victims in the city of Glendale … whenever it rains.

Homicide Lieutenant Hank Donaghue leads the investigation as the killer begins to communicate directly to him through phone calls and grisly packages containing body parts of his victims. Assisted by FBI profiler Ed Griffin, Donaghue and Detective Karen Stainer pursue an elusive predator who leaves no physical evidence behind.

The timing couldn’t be worse, however, as Karen Stainer’s attention is divided between the investigation and preparations for her upcoming wedding. Distracted and uncertain about her future, Stainer is furious when she learns that the Rainy Day Killer has followed her to Virginia, where the wedding will take place, and that he intends to make her his next victim!”

All the crime novels that I’ve read recently were cosy mysteries. This thriller is a change for me: it’s much darker. The gripping plot never loses its tension and it picked up pace as it neared the climax. I got engrossed in the story and found myself anxious to get back to the book whenever I had to put it down; I had to know what happened next.

The story centres on the hunt for a killer and the law enforcement officers involved in it. The reader doesn’t ‘meet’ the killer until near the end of the book. He tantalises the reader and the police with clues that I couldn’t put together to guess who he might be until the final pages of the book. Even then I didn’t know exactly how he had got access to his last intended victim until the summary in the final scene. It didn’t bother me though as I became so engrossed in the chase and the characters’ lives that I was willing to watch events unfold without second guessing the outcome. I also enjoyed the subplot about the power games within the police department as they endeavoured to appoint a new captain for the homicide department.

There are some graphic descriptions of violent acts such as mutilation of corpses in the book which is to be expected in this genre. I was impressed that the author gave enough detail to create fear and tension in the reader but did not overdo it for the sake of sensationalism or voyeurism.

As I’ve said, this story is about the hunt for a killer and the people involved in it. I found the interaction and sometimes tension between the characters as interesting as the actual case. The main characters, Lieutenant Hank Donaghue and detective Karen Stainer, each have distinct personalities. Donaghue is a somewhat traditional level headed cop who focusses on the job and isn’t interested in the organisational politics around him and Karen Stainer is a gutsy, singleminded cop who lives for her job. At times I found her fervour too extreme to be believable but I did love the scene where she runs out of a shop in her bra to chase the suspect.

I liked the fact that the law enforcement officers weren’t all stereotypical rednecks. Many of them had a tolerance for alternative lifestyles. Whether this is true to life or not I have no idea but I thought it made the characters more interesting because they weren’t completely what I expected.

Although the killer’s victims had minor roles in the story I liked the way the author brought them to life. The police interviews with their friends and families made them real, not just part of the body count. This was especially true of the musician abducted at the shopping mall. When the detectives search her apartment they see a picture of a marginalised person with no prospects but a different picture emerges of a talented, sensitive musician striving to succeed as Donaghue talks to her friend and fellow busker. During this conversation the author skilfully makes the reader care about the victim.

The story is set mostly in Glendale, Washington, DC but it could have been any city. It was only a backdrop to the action. I was more interested in a couple of the other settings. Although there is only a passing reference to Quantico I enjoyed the fleeting glimpse of it as it’s a place I’ve heard of but knew nothing about. I also enjoyed the atmosphere at the Texan barbecue wedding reception in Virginia.

I found The Rainy Day Killer a gripping read from beginning to end. I liked the characters and was grabbed by the plot. I will happily read other books in this series as I think the characters are worth re-visiting and I can wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Readers can learn more about the author at his website and Goodreads page. You can also check out his Mystery and Paranormal blogs. For more stops on this blog tour check the schedule here.

Mike and Cody thumbAbout Michael J. McCann: Michael was born and raised in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. He earned a B.A. (Hons.) in English from Trent University and an M.A. in English from Queen’s University. He has worked as an editor and a project and training consultant and manager with the federal government. He is an author of crime fiction and supernatural thrillers. His Donaghue and Stainer Crime Novel series includes Blood Passage, Marcie’s Murder, The Fregoli Delusion, and The Rainy Day Killer. He is also the author of the supernatural thriller The Ghost Man and is currently working on another supernatural novel.

 

Posted in January 2014 | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Uncommonly Good Stories

Posted on December 28, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

giveaway 1In the weeks leading up to Christmas I joined 11 other writers in the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway. We offered our romantic novels and story collections as prizes in the contest (read some of my recent posts for more about the contest). We also shared our books with each other. This strengthened the cameraderie between us and gave us some reading material for the holidays. I discovered some good stories and I’d like to tell you about some of these books. I’ll start today with the short story collection by Lucy Naylor Kubash:

An Uncommon Prince CoverAn Uncommon Prince and Other Stories is an engaging collection of romantic short stories that were originally published in Woman’s World magazine. Getting a second chance at happiness in love is a theme that runs through them. Whether the heroine’s first relationship was a happy one or not, she has a chance to learn to love and trust the second time round. I found the stories cheering as love doesn’t necessarily run smoothly but it does triumph.

The women in these stories are ordinary women who discover their hidden strengths and resilience. The men aren’t polished or sophisticated either; their appeal is that they are ordinary men who care and sometimes perform extraordinary deeds.

The stories are set in country towns, coastal villages and remote farms, far from glitzy city life, surrounded by the beauty and majesty of nature. As I read I saw the settings clearly in my mind and was attracted to these places.

I found these stories down to earth. Their plots revolve around issues that affect all of us: dealing with loss, learning to trust others and finding purpose in our lives. They are also poignant and powerful; I was moved and gripped by them. I definitely found the stories in this collection well worth reading.

 

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Have A Mellow, Merry Christmas

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

A couple evenings ago I heard a lovely rendition of Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas by the baritone singer, Fr David Delargy, a member the classical trio The Priests during their Christmas With The Priests concert in Belfast. The song always evokes a mellow feeling in me, pulls up memories of Christmases past and reminds me of everything I enjoy about the holiday season.

Far AwayIt was good to feel mellow for an evening as the past few weeks have been hectic. Friends and family won’t be surprised to hear that I haven’t had a chance to write and post my Christmas cards yet – I think I may be sending New Year’s greetings this year…

DecadeBk low resWhat’s kept me so busy during the past couple months? Firstly, I was involved in three anthologies that have been launched since late October. I’ve contributed stories to each of them, proofread two of the books and I co-edited one of them. Writers Abroad launched Foreign and Far Away, a collection of writings by expat writers around the world on 21st October.  Fermanagh Writers followed with Tails of the Unexpected, a collection of animal stories and poems on 21st November and finally Fermanagh Authors’ Association’s Fermanagh Miscellany 2014: A Decade of Commemorations was launched on 4th December.

Giveaway 1I also participated in the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway, a contest with prizes that included Amazon vouchers and a bundle of 15 romance novels and short story collections. Twelve writers contributed romances to the contest. My contribution was my short story collection, Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves which is a mix of romance and ‘feelgood’ fiction. I loved the camaraderie of working with the other writers who submitted romances to the giveaway and I’ve also been enjoying their books. At the moment I’m reading An Uncommon Prince and Other Stories by Lucy Naylor Kubash. The stories are powerful and poignant.

Finally, last week my historical fiction, Hitler and Mars Bars, was discounted for five days in a Kindle Countdown.

DA-DSTH-200x300Launching books and running giveaways and Kindle Countdowns are all about making readers aware of the stories. After all, people can’t read books that they don’t know about. And it takes time to let them know they are there. So that’s why my Christmas cards will be late this year.

Even though it’s tied up my time, I’ve enjoyed getting the word out about all these books and contests.

Tails low resThe one I’ve most enjoyed promoting is Tails of the Unexpected as all the proceeds from sales are going to help Bright Eyes Animal Sanctuary in Co Fermanagh. To let readers know about this book I’ve posted on this blog and on Facebook, talked about it on BBC Radio Ulster and I’ve taken my turn at Christmas Craft Fairs selling copies of it. It felt great every time I saw a book sold as I know the money is going to a worthwhile cause. Launching any book is exciting but the success of this one gives me a special pride.

I’ve done all I can for now to get the word out about all of these books so I’m going to wind down a bit and enjoy the holiday season. There’s a fire in our fireplace and the cat is lounging near it. I’ve already hung a star from the highest bough – it’s a red velvet one with gold trim. So now I’ll just sit back and watch the flames dance in the fire. It’s time to enjoy Christmas and reflect on the past year. After the holiday season I’ll be refreshed and full of new stories to jot down.

I hope everyone reading this post will also have the opportunity to enjoy the holiday season.  Enjoy, reflect and have a mellow, Merry Christmas.

Christmas fire

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Stories For Christmas

Posted on December 20, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

Did you enter the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway this month? The contest just closed a few hours ago – if you didn’t enter the contest in time, I’m sorry you missed it. The prizes were a bundle of 15 romance novels and short story collections as well as Amazon vouchers. My short story collection, Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves was included in the prize bundle. My collection is a mix of romance and women’s fiction, all set in Ireland, past and present. Well, the contest is over unfortunately but all the romances are still available on Amazon. I’ll give you a taster from the first story in my collection, A Link To Her Past:

 

DA-DSTH-200x300“Brenda had never spent much time on her computer before her accident. But, since she twisted her ankle a couple weeks ago and had been housebound, she had been exploring its capabilities – surfing the net they called it. That’s how she had discovered that her local church had a camera filming the Mass and she could watch it. She was glad to find this link to her normal life.

She didn’t know what had prompted her to ask John whether she could see St Michael’s on her computer. When she used to visit her sister in Ballylea, she had attended the church. But she hadn’t been there since her sister moved to town.

It must be several years since I was last there, she thought, surprised.

Why had she even thought of St Michael’s? Maybe John’s questions yesterday about her First Communion had started it. His daughter would make her First Communion this Easter. She told him how she remembered kneeling at the altar rail at St Michael’s in her shiny satin dress with her best friend, Kate McCusker. The dress was handed down from an older cousin but it was nearly new and she loved it. She had smiled at the memory and John had said it was good to see her smile. Then he had searched for the church’s details and had written down the Mass times for her.

She clicked on ‘Watch Live’ and waited as a white pattern swirled around in the middle of the black screen. Suddenly an image appeared. She heard the sound of heels clicking slowly on tiles. Two elderly women shuffled stiffly up the aisle. Brenda watched the congregation filter into the church in ones and twos.

I’ve found it in time for Mass, she thought. She leaned back in her chair, pulling her laptop computer closer to her.

As people continued to file into the church Brenda’s thoughts strayed to when she was a girl attending Mass with her family. It was more than 40 years ago but she remembered it clearly. As the eldest, it fell to Brenda to help mind the younger children. While listening to the priest, she kept her eye on her siblings, glaring at them if they dared fidget or whisper. Sometimes she would steal a glance across the aisle, trying to catch Martin Corrigan looking at her. If their eyes met his face would crease into a smile before he looked away. She tried to shake off the memory. That was, indeed, a long time ago.

Brenda focussed on the computer screen again. Most of the congregation were now seated. A slim, grey haired man walked up the aisle. There was something familiar about him. She leaned forward, peering more closely at the screen. As he slid into a pew a couple rows from the altar she caught a glimpse of his face. This man was obviously older but he was very like Martin. She was nearly sure it was him.

Her forehead creased in a frown. She knew he had moved to Dublin soon after she left for Manchester. So what was he doing back in Ballylea?”

Learn more about Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves on its page on this website . Its also available to buy on Amazon.

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A Cosy Mystery With Heart

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

I recently read Ruby Heart by Cristelle Comby to review it as part of the author’s current blog tour.

02_FrontCoverThis is how the author describes the book: “When elderly client Doris Hargrave informs private investigator Alexandra Neve that her beloved antique ruby heart necklace has gone missing for the second time in a period of over sixty years, Alexandra knows this is no ordinary jewellery theft. The ruby heart is a family heirloom and the only thing that connects an ailing Mrs Hargrave to her parents, who were murdered during the Holocaust.
To solve the case, Alexandra and her business partner, blind history professor Ashford Egan, must sift through obscure Holocaust documents to find out the truth. It’s in this way that they learn of a secret World War II era love affair which could hold the key to all the answers they are looking for. Meanwhile, Egan is under immense pressure from the university to quit his private investigating business, and Alexandra is afraid that a man she trusts will leave her. Again.

When Alexandra begins to receive anonymous threats and her flat is vandalised, this all becomes personal. Knowing that there is someone out there who wants to hurt her, Alexandra vows to find that elusive ruby heart if it’s the last thing she ever does.”

It seems that humour is an integral part of modern cosy mysteries. I didn’t really expect it when I began reading the book but I very much enjoyed it. Alexandra (Lexa) narrates the story and her tone is often flippant and full of deadpan humour. This is one of the things that most appealed to me about the novel – and made Lexa an appealing character.

Lexa and Ash are two rather bumbling private investigators and that adds to the book’s appeal. I liked the pair and wanted them to solve – and survive – their latest case. They aren’t completely inept but they still have a lot to learn about detective work. I admired the way the author handled Ash’s blindness. A handicapped protagonist who has moments of heroism in a crime story is unusual but Ash is portrayed with realism, including his limitations as well as his strengths.

Lexa and Ash are very different from each other and there is a significant age difference between them but they are a good team and good friends. There’s also an unacknowledged attraction between the pair that adds to the story’s tension.

The novel ably weaves together elements of the past in Nazi Germany with a mystery in present day London. Using the clues the author drops into the story, I thought I knew who stole the necklace and why. I was on the right track but I had to read to the end to tie up all the ends. Having an idea ‘whodunnit’ before the last page didn’t make me lose interest – I was engrossed in the private investigators’ lives and had to find out how they worked it out.

Ruby Heart is aimed at the new adult reader and, as the story unfolds, the author gets inside Lexa’s head to reveal the issues and insecurities that concern her as a young adult. While I am past that stage of my life this didn’t deter me from reading the story. Lexa is a well drawn character and I could empathise with her despite our differences.

The novel has a pair of likeable main characters and an intriguing mystery to solve. Despite being a mystery, it is a funny and a feel good story. I think it has a broader appeal than just the new adult market: it will appeal to any readers who enjoy cosy mysteries.

To learn more about Cristelle Comby and Ruby Heart visit her webpage and the book’s Goodreads page and Amazon page.

AuthorAbout Cristelle Comby: She was born and raised in the French-speaking area of Switzerland, in Greater Geneva, where she still resides. Thanks to her insatiable thirst for American and British action films and television dramas, her English is fluent. She attributes to her origins her ever-peaceful nature and her undying love for chocolate. She has a passion for art, which also includes an interest in drawing and acting. Ruby Heart is her second new-adult novel, and she’s hard at work on the next titles in the Neve & Egan series.

Posted in December 2013 | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Two Days Left To Win An Uncommon Prince

Posted on December 18, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

giveaway 1There’s 2 days left to enter the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway and today I’ve invited Lucy Naylor Kubash, one of the authors participating in the Giveaway, to visit Ascroft, eh? to tell us a bit about the short story collection she has donated to the draw.

Welcome Lucy. Let’s get started, shall we?

 

What is the theme of your story and what prompted you to write about this?

An Uncommon Prince CoverMy book An Uncommon Prince and Other Short Stories is a collection of five short stories that have a similar theme: finding love in unexpected places. I like stories where men and women fall in love when they least expect it and against all odds.
How did you bring the place and people you are writing about to life?
In the title story, An Uncommon Prince, I was able to bring the character of Emily Johnson to life by imagining what it would be like to be a woman who lives alone on an old farm in Indiana; whose life is all about taking care of others, both people and animals, and who never thinks her own prince charming will ever come along. When he does, it’s in the character of Chris Carter, an ex-cop with a broken-down motorcycle, who helps her out when the farm is hit by a tornado. I think by bringing together two people from such different backgrounds but who share similar feelings of loneliness made these two characters come to life in the story.

Do you prefer to write one sex or the other. And, if so, which do you prefer and why?
I prefer to write in both main characters point of view (although I also like and sometimes write in first person). It just depends on which character starts talking first! Most of my stories are written primarily in the heroine’s point of view, but I like to include some scenes with the hero’s thoughts, too. In a romance, I think it helps the reader empathize with both characters.

Thanks, Lucy. You’ve given readers an intriguing peek into An Uncommon Prince and Other Stories. I hope they will enter the contest for a chance to win a copy of the story collection as well as all the other novels and stories in the prize bundle. While there’s still time, here’s where to enter the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway.

Posted in December 2013 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Counting Down to Christm…No, A Kindle Countdown

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

How many days left until Christmas? We’re counting down, aren’t we? Yes, it’s just around the corner now and I should be counting but there’s something else that’s distracted me. Starting today Hitler and Mars Bars is available for .99 cents as a Kindle Countdown offer. This offer lasts until Friday. If you’re looking for a heartwarming story of overcoming adversity and finding where you belong, this might be the story for you. I’ve posted an excerpt from the first chapter so you can see if it appeals to you. If it does, check out the offer on its Amazon US page – but do it by Friday.

Chapter 1

  THE GINGERBREAD HOUSE

Bredenscheid, near Hattingen, Germany

 March 1945

hitler_final_e_mail3“Wake up, Erich,” his mother said softly.

Leaning over him, she gently shook his shoulder. Shrugging away from her touch, he turned over in the narrow metal bed. She shook a bit harder and he opened his eyes, squinting at her silhouette in the moonlight.

“Mutti! You’re here!” Erich sat up and threw his arms around her neck.

“Yes. Get up, quickly now.”

“I knew you’d come!” he cried.

“Shh…don’t wake the other children.” She hushed him as she pulled back his thin, woollen blanket.

Shivering in the cold air, he jumped out of bed and scurried the few steps to the fireplace. The embers from the fire, set before bedtime, still glowed and occasionally crackled in the open grate. The waning fire radiated a modest heat and Erich savoured its warmth. The moon was low in the early evening sky, but its light streamed through the partly drawn curtains.

Erich’s mother pulled his white cotton nightshirt over his head and he hunched forward, shivering as cold draughts eddied around him. She quickly threaded his arms into his shirt. Erich squirmed against the prickly fabric which scratched at his back.

“It’s itchy! I don’t want to wear it!”

“You don’t have anything else so you must. Hurry now!” she urged him.

She pulled up his short brown trousers and leaned over to lace his boots. She pushed his arms into his ragged woollen coat, then pulled it firmly around him, noticing how baggy it was.

“You are so thin!” she exclaimed. “You must eat!”

“They don’t give us much. And it’s rotten! It makes me sick. And I’m so tired,” he complained.

The food shortage was severe as the war drew to an end. Everyone struggled to get enough to eat. Malnutrition and the poor quality of available food frequently made the children ill. To conserve energy they went to bed after their evening meal.

She frowned, looking at him. The waist of his trousers was loose and his bony knees seemed large on his thin legs.

Putting her arm around his shoulder, she ushered him out of the dormitory and down the stairs. At the foot of the stairs Erich stopped. “Mutti has come for me, T-T-Tante Gretchen!” he called excitedly to the staff member standing in the downstairs hall. Nodding to the woman as they passed, his mother said, “I will return him by breakfast. Good night.”

As they stepped out of the door the darkness enveloped them; no street lights lit their way. Their eyes adjusted to it as they walked briskly down the country lane. Erich held tightly to his mother’s hand. He pressed against her, almost tripping her in his eagerness to be close to her on this rare visit.

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Five Days Left To Enter Romance Giveaway

Posted on December 15, 2013 by Dianne Ascroft

Giveaway 1There’s 5 days left to enter the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway and today I’ve invited Beate Boeker, one of the authors participating in the Giveaway, to visit Ascroft, eh? to tell us a bit about the novel she has donated to the draw.

Welcome Beate. Let’s get started, shall we?

What is the theme of your story and what prompted you to write about this?

stormy timesMy romance Stormy Times is a story of trust and of building up your faith in yourself and in others because the heroine Joanna left her fiancée when he cheated on her and the hero Conran, a famous rock star, has some other demons in his past to tame. Neither of them is ready for a relationship, but a snow storm and a puppy bring them together in this holiday romance which is set on Long Island.

How did you bring the place and people you are writing about to life?

That’s difficult to answer as it’s not an active process. It sort of happens by adding background and family and beliefs and weaknesses while I’m writing the story and developing the characters. I think that particularly the weaknesses and the regrets bring a person to life. As to the place, I once spent a wonderful vacation on Long Island and wanted to get back to it, even if just transporting myself to it by means of a novel.

Do you prefer to write one sex or the other. And, if so, which do you prefer and why?

Well, being a woman, I started out with writing from the woman’s perspective but as I grew more experienced, I’ve also added other people’s point-of-views. I found that particularly helpful when I had to give another insight into the story or had to show the heroine from outside while writing my cozy mystery series Temptation in Florence. My latest romance Mischief in Italy switches the point of view with every new chapter. That was great fun to write!

Thanks, Beate. You’ve given readers an intriguing peek into Stormy Times and your other novels. I hope they will enter the contest for a chance to win a copy of the novel as well as all the other stories in the prize bundle. Enter the Sweet Romance Christmas Giveaway here.

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