To Marry a Duke

To Marry a Duke
http://amzn.to/OH0rZY
http://amzn.to/On4xWG

I'm delighted to tell you that my third 'duke' book is now published with KDP. The first two are still selling really well and I'm hoping To Marry a Duke will do equally well. This was published by Robert Hale as The Mesalliance in 2006.

This week there has been much reported about a lion loose in St Osyth - which just happens to be where my book is set. St Osyth's Priory is a magnificent medieval building, said to be the best in Europe. I was lucky to accompany a private conducted tour around the buildings and grounds.

There have been reports off a large panther like black cat in this neighbourhood for years. Someone suggested this wasn't a panther but the lion in disguise. Lions can be very devious.

  

Lady Allegra Humphrey knows her place is at the top of the aristocratic tree and she has no time for cits. If she and her twin brother, Richard, Lord Witherton, the Duke of Colchester wish to retain their position in society they will have to make compromises. Self-made millionaire Jago Tremayne now owns St Osyth’s Priory, Allegra's ancestral home, and is determined to own her as well.

Rejected by the haut ton, Jago believes he has the perfect plan to ensure both he and his daughter, Demelza, will soon be welcome in the best drawing-rooms. Marriage is the answer! However, there are people who do not wish to see the union proceed and are prepared to commit murder to stop it.

best wishes

Fenella

What's on your Kindle?

Not read this one yet.

This is a sample of books on my Kindle. I've also got several Anthony Trollope - but haven't had the energy to finish any of them. I download anything by anyone I know - but only if it's less than £2. I don't always read them - but like to support fellow writers. I hope they do the same for me.

Didn't like this one.

Good story.

Love Amanda's books -but not read this yet.

Set in India and looks interesting -not read it.

Why didn't the make more Zen films? Love Dibdin.

Just read this - 5* - loved it.

Have read all Leon's books -even paid exorbitant price for them. £5.99 for a Kindle copy!!

Didn't enjoy this -can't see why this was so popular.

What have you got lurking on yours? Of the ninety books I've downloaded since last year I've read and enjoyed about a third, partially read a third, and not even looked at a third.

An excellent thriller - have read three of his - a bit violent -but still good.

FESTIVAL OF ROMANCE

** ANNOUNCEMENT ***

New Talent Award aims to uncover romantic fiction authors of the future

The Festival of Romance is delighted to announce that the New Talent Award will run again this year. The industry judges are Georgina Hawtrey-Woore senior editor at Cornerstones, Random House and Diane Banks, literary agent at the Diane Banks Associates Literary Agency.

The Festival of Romance New Talent Award aims to cast a spotlight on the authors of tomorrow and is open to all writers who have not yet had a book commercially published. Writers may submit the opening chapter (up to 3,500 words) of a romantic novel of any type by 30^th September 2012. The winner and runners-up will be announced and presented with trophies at the gala Festival of Romance Awards on Friday 16^th November 2012. There is a small entry fee to cover the award administration. Entrants may also gain a critique of their entry written by a professional novelist.

“As part of the Festival of Romance we want to help new writers with talent get their break into the commercial fiction world,” says Kate Allan, chief romantic at the Festival of Romance. “At the Festival of Romance in November we are running writing workshops, an industry conference and chance to meet publishers face to face as well as the New Talent Award. I'm delighted that Georgina Hawtrey-Woore and Diane Banks have agreed to judge this year's entries.”

Winner of the 2011 New Talent Award Henriette Gyland subsequently garnered a book deal from publishers Choc Lit. Her debut novel Up Close will be published in December 2012.

For more details about how to enter the New Talent Award please see www.festivalofromance.co.uk

When to say goodbye?

Zoe

Today's post is very personal and nothing to do with writing. Our beloved  dog, Zoe, now 14 1/2, is nearing the end of her life. Three times in the last months we've got ready to ring the vet and arrange  for her to be put down. Each time we've left it until the next day and she's picked up again and staggered on.
She's still eating, going for a very short walk, and enjoys playing with her ball in the evening for a few minutes – how can we say goodbye to her when she's obviously still having a good quality of life? She smiles up at us, wagging her tail, and I know she's still happy.
The vet has set that as long as her quality of life is good then the decision is up to us. She has occasional bouts of incontinence that these only happens every other day. It's relatively easy to keep the floor washed but I'm very aware the house doesn't smell quite as pleasant as it should.
Her being here is now impinging on our quality of life – we can't have guests, we can't  go out at the same time and certainly can't go on holiday. At what point do we decide to say goodbye?
If someone else would make the decision for me I'd find it so much easier. Every day is a challenge and so stressful. sometimes I think it would be easy if we made the decision and then it would be over.
Friends of ours were in the same position and finally made the decision to have the dog put down - that said he could give the dog palliative care and he might live for another couple of weeks. Our friends decided Jamie's time had come and went ahead. They'd spent, like us, several weeks trying to make the difficult decision and just couldn't face taking him home and having to go through it all over again.
What would you do? Do you agree this their decision?
Fenella
xxx