tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22069663039638189862024-03-13T09:09:03.689-07:00Fenella MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.comBlogger234125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-52479478034702748862021-05-31T22:50:00.002-07:002021-05-31T22:50:30.374-07:00Good news all round for a change.<p> I have two books on special offer -<b>The Girls in Blue</b> and <b>An Unsuitable Alliance</b> - both are £0.99/$0.99.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRaim5yczQwXhQrG8VTMlkuuDGBgQkqM7OhMTx6OIIUohTnPSMPF32ysfcK1SAdZAk4zCn391YGdNMQ9GhMXzCFPF80tNsrkcvgXh7BXbIae01-c5-tSqCkRuAjsvqSsF4Hl8_JhrDFo/s1200/99+The+Girls+in+Blue+Author+Facebook+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibRaim5yczQwXhQrG8VTMlkuuDGBgQkqM7OhMTx6OIIUohTnPSMPF32ysfcK1SAdZAk4zCn391YGdNMQ9GhMXzCFPF80tNsrkcvgXh7BXbIae01-c5-tSqCkRuAjsvqSsF4Hl8_JhrDFo/s320/99+The+Girls+in+Blue+Author+Facebook+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I also have the second book in this new Regency series, <b>An Erroneous Assumption</b>, on pre-order.<div>Here are the links:<br /><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://mybook.to/girlsinblue" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1c577d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration-line: none;">mybook.to/girlsinblue</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><a href="http://mybook.to/disputedinheritance" target="_blank"><span style="background: white; color: #1c577d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt; line-height: 115%; text-decoration-line: none;">mybook.to/disputedinheritance</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><h2 style="background: white; margin-top: 6.0pt;"><a href="http://mybook.to/erroneous" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; font-weight: normal;">mybook.</span></a><a href="http://mybook.to/erroneous" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans",sans-serif; font-size: 24.0pt; font-weight: normal;">to/erroneous</span></a></h2><div>I am sorry I missed posting in May - haven't been well and was also busy finishing the first book for my new publisher Boldwood. Am now writing the third instalment of <b>The Earl's Disputed Inheritance</b>, <b>A Scandalous Abduction </b>- which should be out at the end of the year.</div><div>I have the final book for Aria-Head of Zeus, <b>The Officer Girl in Blue, </b>coming out in October -it's now edited and copy edited and I am very happy with it.</div><div>I've now had both my jabs and am back seeing my family - they came for lunch, indoors, for the first time in five months. They have both had one jab and will have the second this month.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQMKyGDcmBlJBxCopOdBvO1uunLtCerOvcC-bd0D_ZX65PjOlJwLk1egWUeRzozNPvylKhebQHR33qUww_9GLFZ3wHta-lDQuKOs3sJaFZ-jiV45FZ7ngflkuyFCN3MfyxtqYh0mRrF8/s900/An+Erroneous+Assumption+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPQMKyGDcmBlJBxCopOdBvO1uunLtCerOvcC-bd0D_ZX65PjOlJwLk1egWUeRzozNPvylKhebQHR33qUww_9GLFZ3wHta-lDQuKOs3sJaFZ-jiV45FZ7ngflkuyFCN3MfyxtqYh0mRrF8/s320/An+Erroneous+Assumption+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>The weather in UK has been dire - global warming - coldest, driest April on record and wettest May for decades. Finally, yesterday, a summer day. My garden is looking fabulous and am looking forward to spending more time in it now.</div><div><h2 style="background: white; margin-top: 6pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE1kftlUAiegmIhALpbl0p2_S5vO6PigdtB3_UGi4xvay0v-84ta_cx2nzJsx-UJweFa4B0ooW6k6CQKgKuVMuyVFHRy0_iv26AkseKzD7xQ-qHZTVc0hmVRFz6Qe4iHHAwBRewpdO8M/s900/An+Unsuitable+Alliance+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: transparent; clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwE1kftlUAiegmIhALpbl0p2_S5vO6PigdtB3_UGi4xvay0v-84ta_cx2nzJsx-UJweFa4B0ooW6k6CQKgKuVMuyVFHRy0_iv26AkseKzD7xQ-qHZTVc0hmVRFz6Qe4iHHAwBRewpdO8M/w213-h319/An+Unsuitable+Alliance+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></h2></div><div>We've all lost so much these past 18 months - my beloved husband was one of hundreds of thousands lost to Covid around the world. It's not defeated, it won't be until all the world is vaccinated. Stay safe and take care.</div><div>best wishes</div><div>Fenella J Miller</div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p></div></div>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-40550549525683583902021-04-01T01:00:00.002-07:002021-04-01T01:00:41.949-07:00Book News<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxxvOmJJuBSERPyyQyie4CZn1ry9CjIfmzg4UGJqGyu0jN2Bxj5ucj1ADzEmqnsuXbvxYiq20VxvfcT_91c8VZ0DMLvLt49Izxy2bsXBdwvaDhG8DJTD21gnN4F3_n-aYdipfKl0BOCY/s499/wedding+for+the+spitfire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="326" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYxxvOmJJuBSERPyyQyie4CZn1ry9CjIfmzg4UGJqGyu0jN2Bxj5ucj1ADzEmqnsuXbvxYiq20VxvfcT_91c8VZ0DMLvLt49Izxy2bsXBdwvaDhG8DJTD21gnN4F3_n-aYdipfKl0BOCY/s320/wedding+for+the+spitfire.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>A Wedding for the Spitfire Girl</b> is now in a month long promotion with Amazon -reduced to £1.49!!<br /> Here is the link:<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><a href="http://mybook.to/weddingspitfire" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mybook.to/weddingspitfire</a></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Earl's Erstwhile Bride</b> is now live - a week before I expected it to be. Here is the link to that one. </span> </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="color: #1c577d; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1c577d;"><a href="http://mybook.to/erstwhilebride" target="_blank">mybook.to/erstwhilebride</a></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I'm about to start writing the first in an eight book contract for my new publisher Boldwood. Have read the new books I ordered and am planning it out in my head.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN39ch7ocLUgqP7qf61ouQ_jfUQOJdi0uo1aU44tRu41cqLL-GmzNuxn2Zi0DTNwEMOjAicM15DO3Klt_NOxTpms7ejvHr_2vZXrtrgR96Lyz-2lqn4I-ARXN_-p9ybScEE-wPN58AWs/s900/The+Earl%2527s+Erstwhile+Bride+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguN39ch7ocLUgqP7qf61ouQ_jfUQOJdi0uo1aU44tRu41cqLL-GmzNuxn2Zi0DTNwEMOjAicM15DO3Klt_NOxTpms7ejvHr_2vZXrtrgR96Lyz-2lqn4I-ARXN_-p9ybScEE-wPN58AWs/s320/The+Earl%2527s+Erstwhile+Bride+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">I have a detailed character and series outline but I doubt very much whether I'll actually follow it.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">My final book for Aria -Head of Zeus is now wiht them for edits. I loved writing for them and have no complaints. It was just time to step up and move on.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Hope</span></span><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;"> you have all had your jabs - if eligible - I had a bad reaction to mine but am still having the second one in three weeks. Then we can start seeing family and friends again.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">We have the good weather to look forward to as well. My garden is looking great and have a man here painting the shed blue. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Keep safe</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 6.0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 2; text-indent: 0cm;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: medium;">Fenella J Miller</span></p>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-1335981816718987672021-03-02T03:12:00.002-08:002021-03-02T03:12:23.106-08:00New box set and great news.<p> I'm sorry I missed February altogether but as you can imagine my thoughts were with my husband who died on Boxing Day. I'm still grieving but the worst is over. I know that he's no longer trapped in a wheelchair unable to speak to me and unable to live with me. If there is a better place then he will be there, talking to his friends and looking down on me with pride. I miss him dreadfully but we had a wonderful life together and hopefully in time my memories will be happy once not sad.</p><p><br />I've published two books so far this year. The first was the first in a new Regency series – <b>The Earl's Disputed Inheritance, An Unsuitable Alliance</b> came out on Amazon at the beginning of February.<br />I've now published a box set of my last Regency series,<b></b> <b>The Reluctant Duke</b>, in a box set. The three books are a bargain at $2.99 & £1.99 as buying them individually would cost three times as much.<br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 14px;"><span style="font-family: times;">This is the link if you wish to download this book set.</span><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEe4mHiOhFl7gWuFs7L3L8jOB0QZZiUkD3gFUKA0eae3nd3TlhwHmfxYjcF3EPhynGfkZganAWStC5L3MhKYfYMuKNInBra3zsbSpfqdMtA-9cCQQcFEuKlE3AYLIblCFUpHxPzwhkr8A/s737/The+Reluctant+Duke+Box+Set+3D+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEe4mHiOhFl7gWuFs7L3L8jOB0QZZiUkD3gFUKA0eae3nd3TlhwHmfxYjcF3EPhynGfkZganAWStC5L3MhKYfYMuKNInBra3zsbSpfqdMtA-9cCQQcFEuKlE3AYLIblCFUpHxPzwhkr8A/s320/The+Reluctant+Duke+Box+Set+3D+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> </span><a href="http://mybook.to/reluctantdukeboxset" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mybook.to/reluctantdukeboxset</a><p></p><p><br /></p><p>My great news is that I've just signed an eight book deal with the fabulous new publisher Boldwood. I was asked if I would like to join and of course I said yes. The books will be three a year and similar to my Spitfire and Girls in Blue series. I'll be sorry to leave Aria but Boldwood is a bigger and more successful concern. My last book for Aria is in the process of being written and will be handed in on a couple of weeks.<br /></p><p>I hope that you are all staying indoors and staying safe. Please get your vaccination if it's offered as it's the only way we're going to get back to a reasonably normal way of life in the future. I've not seen anyone apart from my husband's funeral and a doctors appointment in the past two months.<br /></p><p>Best wishes<br /></p><p>Fenella J Miller<br /></p><br />Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-75539403994404357102020-12-31T23:35:00.003-08:002020-12-31T23:35:32.799-08:00A dreadful end to a dreadful year.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVghpbSAOW4vUsYCqWRruW9ZcjuwwuZ8yDlMzrD2pAg7aVDNaclDyPX5ZeRSdkd2X3cAZvITMCHJdCOXdCv32Rlm9sUvS1whM9j5UdUuluLgcWr7Lry6bUYL7wAEwqcslff5WioX82Zo/s2048/20200917_104115+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmVghpbSAOW4vUsYCqWRruW9ZcjuwwuZ8yDlMzrD2pAg7aVDNaclDyPX5ZeRSdkd2X3cAZvITMCHJdCOXdCv32Rlm9sUvS1whM9j5UdUuluLgcWr7Lry6bUYL7wAEwqcslff5WioX82Zo/s320/20200917_104115+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> I'm devastated to tell you that my beloved husband Dusty died on 26th December from Covid.<p></p><p>Fenella J Miller</p>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-4548091636148494512020-12-02T22:40:00.000-08:002020-12-02T22:40:03.641-08:00Final book for 2020 is out today!<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gDueLh7Liv0l5FLQgZMeBhQJrFgfYeUJyJS2amDu_G6UWo2RB5aNARN0zf_d5gvWnz0G2AUdupWtniOwVuPTseCKdb_8Nuq_Nk9-_SNdNJxZkgwME0bV6gkf9NS8XROlITHud0HGk5w/s1440/The+Girls+in+Blue+Facebook+Header.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8gDueLh7Liv0l5FLQgZMeBhQJrFgfYeUJyJS2amDu_G6UWo2RB5aNARN0zf_d5gvWnz0G2AUdupWtniOwVuPTseCKdb_8Nuq_Nk9-_SNdNJxZkgwME0bV6gkf9NS8XROlITHud0HGk5w/s320/The+Girls+in+Blue+Facebook+Header.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><span style="font-size: medium;">After a long wait - since March - the first book in my second series for Aria, <b>The Girls in Blue, </b>is now live.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Click here to find it on Amazon</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><a class="oajrlxb2 g5ia77u1 qu0x051f esr5mh6w e9989ue4 r7d6kgcz rq0escxv nhd2j8a9 nc684nl6 p7hjln8o kvgmc6g5 cxmmr5t8 oygrvhab hcukyx3x jb3vyjys rz4wbd8a qt6c0cv9 a8nywdso i1ao9s8h esuyzwwr f1sip0of lzcic4wl py34i1dx gpro0wi8" href="http://mybook.to/girlsinblue?fbclid=IwAR2DMrvsphynr0Sc4_CGsMFg7GD4wlcwnYfSMQXC91QuPtQYwKski-XCT3E" rel="nofollow noopener" role="link" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; background-color: white; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; list-style: none; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; touch-action: manipulation; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">mybook.to/girlsinblue</a></div><div>It is, of course, available everywhere. The paperback will be out in March and the book tour goes live in January.</div><div>I love being a hybrid author and Aria is great to work with. I've a good editor, the promotion is spot on and my books have done so well.</div><div>I have around sixty Regency books on Amazon and nine WW2. 65% of my income on Amazon is from my WW2 books. I won't stop writing Regency as they are fun to do but will also now be writing two new WW2 for me as well as two for Aria.</div><div>This will be my last post until the new year so I wish you a happy Christmas/holiday season and a peaceful and healthy new year.</div><div>Fenella J Miller</div>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-65152274113913917412020-11-01T03:26:00.002-08:002020-11-01T03:26:28.268-08:00November Blues!<p> I don't like November or February and this year I dislike it even more. A full lockdown starts on Thursday - too late in my opinion - and this means no chance of seeing my husband until December at the earliest.</p><p>Also I can't see my brother or my niece, my friends or neighbours. I can still see my son, daughter in law and grandson -so that's one thing I couldn't do last time. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>The nights are long and the days short and gloomy. I have over 250 assorted bulbs to plant but haven't been able to get into the garden.<p></p><p>This book is out next week - thank you if you've already pre ordered it.</p><br /><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSXFpi10vX131LVXdpaYsHXlxYPXI0swsfkZzlsfp9eiGpxmlRFA1xi80YN3gzcuu6z31OvKcxGAGNuP0J03kYHuO6633pcT2BFqOpioNDSilC4jtNovp5WAZLlg8E_sxkerH5ZuvEow/s900/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSXFpi10vX131LVXdpaYsHXlxYPXI0swsfkZzlsfp9eiGpxmlRFA1xi80YN3gzcuu6z31OvKcxGAGNuP0J03kYHuO6633pcT2BFqOpioNDSilC4jtNovp5WAZLlg8E_sxkerH5ZuvEow/w213-h320/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a> </p><p> The only good thing about this year is the extra time I've had to write and read and watch TV.</p><p>Another thing that is depressing is this new layout on Blogger - I apologise for the poor layout but it no longer allows me to put my pictures where I want them.</p><p>Take care - this is a deadly illness - not the flu, and it's infecting millions, killing thousands and leaving even more wiht long term health problems.</p><p>best wishes</p><p>Fenella J Miller</p>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-62975605077642719022020-10-01T00:46:00.005-07:002020-10-01T00:46:44.204-07:00The New Normal<div class="separator"><p style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> How much has changed in the past seven months. I can no longer visit my husband in his care home at all – for three months I could see him in the garden – that too has gone and the home is in total lockdown for a second time. If I'm lucky I might get a couple of minutes on facetime a few times a week.<br />No parties, no family gatherings and no visits to shops, restaurants or other places. I doubt I'll ever shop anywhere but on line again.<br />This year there will be no Halloween knocking on the doors little ones – I think there's a move where my seven year old grandson lives for people to put up a picture of a pumpkin in their window and then the child can walk around with a parent or adult and every time they spy a pumpkin they get a sweet from the adult accompanying them. It remains to be seen if this works. </p></div><p>It looks as if Christmas will be different and not in a good way. I can see myself, the way things are going in the UK, sitting by myself watching TV instead of sharing the day with my family. I'm at the vulnerable age where mixing with schoolchildren could be considered dangerous. I'm going to continue to see my family for the moment but that could all change.<br /><br /></p><p>The Girls in Blue, was supposed to come out now but has been moved to December 3 to avoid the thousands of books that were delayed because of the virus. This is the first in a three book series about girls in the WAAF. For the first time in my writing career this book will come out in proper paperback format – not POD – and the paperback is out in the spring. I've also sold large print for the first of The Spitfire Girl series and I'm really pleased about that too.</p><p>The moment I got my Christmas offering pre-order – A Christmas Conundrum – and this will be released later this month.</p><p>Then the fifth and final book in my very popular Barbara's War will go on preorder at the end of this month and come out in November.</p><p>The only good thing about the coronavirus is that being trapped at home so much of the time I've managed to write nine books this year. Writing keeps me sane.</p><p>I think we have to learn to live with this – the new normal – which will mean restrictions for all of us for many months, possibly years, to come.</p><p>Staying and stay safe – we will get through this eventually and things will improve.</p><p>I apologise for the random way the covers have appeared but I've not yet mastered the new layout for blogger.<br /></p><p>Best wishes until next month</p><p>Fenella J Miller</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbW9RYy_TmJNY3_nvAzSKuhJnWuacNcy6hJBbDVGq6o5lPxBVH2ZqAxupqh3vH3P7mtTvkKUrtJwyA5AQbo_9XWsIa5nBPtU-g1OzPUGZEFL7FR_EAXOxEtkZjPHpkQef8W584tLRAzKE/s900/A+Christmas+Conundrum+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbW9RYy_TmJNY3_nvAzSKuhJnWuacNcy6hJBbDVGq6o5lPxBVH2ZqAxupqh3vH3P7mtTvkKUrtJwyA5AQbo_9XWsIa5nBPtU-g1OzPUGZEFL7FR_EAXOxEtkZjPHpkQef8W584tLRAzKE/s320/A+Christmas+Conundrum+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQIK9pmWlcVSySrRNksUgZRZSU5NepsQiqlxJrCeqXUCuYeKGUIRQ2M1gIo-8uN2_24ojQrO_JSna2k5jzOZdcaLPn96HqT8TYjgG8fSgXmdy578L1hZUX5VnWACgAHd151WczwkQI_8/s400/girls+in+blue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoQIK9pmWlcVSySrRNksUgZRZSU5NepsQiqlxJrCeqXUCuYeKGUIRQ2M1gIo-8uN2_24ojQrO_JSna2k5jzOZdcaLPn96HqT8TYjgG8fSgXmdy578L1hZUX5VnWACgAHd151WczwkQI_8/s320/girls+in+blue.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3hV9ZMqMuhQH_FQQgcfNmnyvgtXoiTvTq8OdwOC8u0iO66sV9rnQegGfkJbYGhMMnRkfptWkpwHgqDMmtDF5zrf6tBjrVKk-dxsyh9T13182zLj0MVV1Q0CG_-ZhDiJTz7KOHialv9s/s900/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3hV9ZMqMuhQH_FQQgcfNmnyvgtXoiTvTq8OdwOC8u0iO66sV9rnQegGfkJbYGhMMnRkfptWkpwHgqDMmtDF5zrf6tBjrVKk-dxsyh9T13182zLj0MVV1Q0CG_-ZhDiJTz7KOHialv9s/s320/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p><br /><br /><br /></p><br /><p><br /></p>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-11661129926311188922020-09-03T03:20:00.002-07:002020-09-03T03:20:37.619-07:00Autumn is my favourite season.<div class="separator"><br /></div> <span style="font-size: medium;">I prefer autumn to any other season as the weather is usually warm enough to go around without a coat until November, the garden is still full of colour flowers, and the nights are drawing in so more time can be spent reading and catching up on missed television.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I have just released the final book in my short Regency series, The Reluctant Duke, entitled The Duke's Predicament. Another lovely cover from JD Smith. She does all my indie covers and I wouldn't use anyone else.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyp8fRIgi8ZK_tWm6EtR3kKZxalMDoZ0Bir1EvJeCIANqKd-KJzwgAptRXT5g0J_82tTkrktG7vIdXn8thDvtnHhcwpUyefW0fD-AR1ChRc3lx7AGmkOLAIMY45deeMgV6QiOFQKRuFkY/s900/The+Duke%2527s+Predicament+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyp8fRIgi8ZK_tWm6EtR3kKZxalMDoZ0Bir1EvJeCIANqKd-KJzwgAptRXT5g0J_82tTkrktG7vIdXn8thDvtnHhcwpUyefW0fD-AR1ChRc3lx7AGmkOLAIMY45deeMgV6QiOFQKRuFkY/s320/The+Duke%2527s+Predicament+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PNtO45WkXmPIy_T78tit5ICegEaqGN66fX7MQf1GoVg0sTVyHA8f6oftJJ2VW1W4Xl9hDVVkRvaosZzpUJS-V8Pp2LOermp-6uJbbeSLQ_QmvSTz1ODOICU3aVxLL67WA02zXdPcbfs/s900/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PNtO45WkXmPIy_T78tit5ICegEaqGN66fX7MQf1GoVg0sTVyHA8f6oftJJ2VW1W4Xl9hDVVkRvaosZzpUJS-V8Pp2LOermp-6uJbbeSLQ_QmvSTz1ODOICU3aVxLL67WA02zXdPcbfs/s320/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;">I just lov</span><span style="font-size: large;">e the cover – don't you? The first of these Barbara's War books was published eight years ago and they are still selling better than any of my other indie published books. I think it's down to the fact that my traditional publisher – Aria </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Head of Zeus – have now published four of my books and a fifth is on preorder. I'm doing very well with them and am so grateful that they invited me to work for them.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There's also the run-up to Christmas – sorry to have mentioned it so soon – but I love the planning and the preparation even more than the day itself. I go overboard with decorations inside and out and have no intention of ever becoming more restrained.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The only good thing about this horrible virus is that I've been able to write far more than would usually be possible. The Conclusion, the fifth book in my bestselling Barbara's War series is with my editor and I'm hoping I'll get it out in November some time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I will have a Christmas title, A Christmas Conundrum, on pre order later this month for release in October.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I know some people hate the nights drawing in but I like it – it gives me more time to read and watch missed television in the evenings as well as making it easier to write as it isn't so hot outside.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Which season do you prefer? I also love the spring, love the anticipation of my bulbs and spring flowers coming up. The extremes – winter and summer – another two seasons I like least.<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Until next time<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Fenella J Miller<br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div><p><br /><br /><br /></p></div></div>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-63223584954881748582020-08-01T04:26:00.001-07:002020-08-01T04:26:09.422-07:00Writing in a pandemic.<div class="separator"><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiImHfAFdsEwmNZD1VhVydpszbFdfYGfGu35LLd-0Dt8ctAS9Xpx-jAt-WaT8kWVqc3BeRZTRBqu46zbLbvvFPKAB4A0YwFmIHCyHEd4Yf3wIkDCb39Ea6xf8rdkg3sX4uQN3svOj7oM4E/w219-h328/A+Long+Way+Back_Barbara+4_MEDIUM+WEB+%25282%2529.jpg" width="219" /><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5PNtO45WkXmPIy_T78tit5ICegEaqGN66fX7MQf1GoVg0sTVyHA8f6oftJJ2VW1W4Xl9hDVVkRvaosZzpUJS-V8Pp2LOermp-6uJbbeSLQ_QmvSTz1ODOICU3aVxLL67WA02zXdPcbfs/w219-h328/Barbara%2527s+War+The+Conclusion+MEDIUM+WEB+%25281%2529.jpg" width="219" /></div></div>I'm one of the lucky ones in that I've written and published more books this year than I have for a long time. I usually visit my husband, who is in care, five or six days a week but with the arrival of this virus all visits were stopped for eleven weeks.<div>Unfortunately, the care home is back in lockdown because of a spike in the area and I'm not visiting at all at the moment.<br /><div>So far this year I've written a book for my publisher,<b> The Girls in Blue</b>, which is due out in December and I'm halfway through the next book for them which is due to be handed in in October. I've also written these two books to finish my bestselling <b>Barbara's War</b> series. <b>A Long Way Back</b> is already published but <b>The Conclusion</b> won't be out until the end of the year or possibly in the New Year.<br />I've also written three Regencies, <b>A Solitary Duk</b>e, is out and <b>The Duke's Predicament</b>, the final book in <b>The Reluctant Duke</b> series, will be out later this month. I've also got a Christmas Regency ready to go in October.</div><div>I should be able to write two more Regencies before I have to start the final book in my current contract in the New Year.</div><div>If I wasn't a writer I think I would have found it difficult to cope with the isolation of lockdown. I also suffer from bouts of depression but fortunately have only had one episode in the past four months. Writing for me is a lifesaver – literally – and I hope that there are others like me who've been able to get through these past difficult months because they could lose themselves in their work.</div><div>I know several writers who've not been able to work at all and that must just have made things even more difficult for them.</div><div>I can't see things going back to normal for another year – if then. The only positive thing about this pandemic for writers is that readers are reading more of their books.</div><div>Nobody is mentioning the Brexit word but I can't see that going smoothly in January – can you?</div><div>If you're a writer keep writing, if you're a reader keep reading and everyone keep safe. The virus is still with us and we need to be vigilant if we're going to eventually come out of this.</div><div>Best wishes</div><div>Fenella J Miller<br /><br /></div></div>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-85456634793147401112020-07-01T01:17:00.001-07:002020-07-01T01:17:18.988-07:00Has the lockdown improved things for writers or the reverse?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSeUscTiH8l-sGwg_KWWt4ELE19V6ZlmeRZnaPpGEIR80Q8w2m13zIPH7qd_7wffm5gpGYAB0DBlhHsMzdmMAdOYzgAbqqH9VzS7WBs0tBZKLJQtMQIZ2dQHbLodCGXa3WsvLgXLM_G4/s1600/A+Gift+of+a+Duke+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoSeUscTiH8l-sGwg_KWWt4ELE19V6ZlmeRZnaPpGEIR80Q8w2m13zIPH7qd_7wffm5gpGYAB0DBlhHsMzdmMAdOYzgAbqqH9VzS7WBs0tBZKLJQtMQIZ2dQHbLodCGXa3WsvLgXLM_G4/s320/A+Gift+of+a+Duke+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO9Ai0io0AKDIhx-Gb4n-Th5vE8IDPpRtJjnDqwz1l_7Ge7Pwsf9n6Jr95holYTh_eZj1MKWdhIGMqdUEl5wZ9lw5s1TSldiFHg_G58C8lZGtNWd5T_YiNoM_fl7Nz2mDdj43S9UV6ok/s1600/A+Solitary+Duke+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO9Ai0io0AKDIhx-Gb4n-Th5vE8IDPpRtJjnDqwz1l_7Ge7Pwsf9n6Jr95holYTh_eZj1MKWdhIGMqdUEl5wZ9lw5s1TSldiFHg_G58C8lZGtNWd5T_YiNoM_fl7Nz2mDdj43S9UV6ok/s320/A+Solitary+Duke+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a>For twelve weeks I wasn't able to go and see my husband at his care home and this gave me more time to write. In fact, writing was what kept me sane. Also, eating chocolate – I'm now struggling to lose the weight that I put on.<br />So far this year I've written a 95,000 word book for Aria – Head of Zeus – <b>The Girls in Blue</b> will come out in October. This is the first in a three book series about girls in the WAAF.<br />Then I wrote the third and final book in my, <b>The Reluctant Duke, </b>series<b>, The Duke's Predicament</b>, which will be out next month.<br />I have also written a full-length Regency,<b> A Solitary Duke</b>, which is currently on sale and doing very well – thank you to those who have already bought it. And then I've written a shorter book for Christmas,<b> A Christmas Conundrum</b>, which will be out in September.<br />
I have just finished writing the fifth and final book in my bestselling<b> Barbara's War</b> series,<b> The Conclusion</b>, which will go to my editor next month and hopefully be out in November.<br />
<br />
I'm about to start writing the second book in <b>The Girls in Blue</b> series as this has to be handed in by October.<br />
This will then give me three months to write the first in a new six book Regency series, <b>The Earl's Inheritance</b>, and this will be out in January next year. I also hope to write another stand-alone Regency – but I don't usually write as much in December so maybe I won't get that done.<br />
I might actually have written nine books by the end of the year and this wouldn't have happened in normal circumstances.Thank God I'm a writer and have something interesting and worthwhile to be doing whilst I'm trapped at home.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x2p40ZVhf7zR1trTxJJtlWFWBzgO9GLzaKkyHaPKTMvZWdnk44oQofiY7SX8UJwUmFitWKx0-DHLK63HsKL-bwxv54xV0411JCH0KK0GR384siPotFUgy4fiXysr5BnznrFx8nfjVTA/s1600/The+Duke%2527s+Predicament+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3x2p40ZVhf7zR1trTxJJtlWFWBzgO9GLzaKkyHaPKTMvZWdnk44oQofiY7SX8UJwUmFitWKx0-DHLK63HsKL-bwxv54xV0411JCH0KK0GR384siPotFUgy4fiXysr5BnznrFx8nfjVTA/s320/The+Duke%2527s+Predicament+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Fortunately, I can now see my husband for half an hour every day, if it's not raining, outside the care home in the garden. This will obviously stop when the weather deteriorates and I can't see anyone being allowed to visit inside care homes any time soon. He's very happy where he is – so it's harder for me than for him not be able to go in.<br />
I know that a lot of writers have found self isolation counter-productive and are finding writing impossible. I'm one of the lucky ones.<br />
The positive side for all writers about this horrible virus is that people are reading more.<br />
Whatever anyone says this isn't going to go away unless people continue to take care, socially distance and follow the advice given by medical people.<br />
Stay in and stay safe<br />
best wishes<br />
Fenella J Miller<br />
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<br />Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-40126490715107959722020-06-02T01:13:00.000-07:002020-06-02T01:13:07.593-07:00A Long Way bAck on preorder.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqY60YNVQZkvCwc4DCQ0-CpA6tYsLioYlt8EeBBcKxwVwraQz8UVvD57J_F2ztBvkR-2NKHusrN3h3XkUrrIpckxeU5sMP2F7zinrpPZTiXf2ZW45qdeyaOhivpwD3-QJ2P4b3vaeU4c/s1600/A+Long+Way+Back_Barbara+4_MEDIUM+WEB+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHqY60YNVQZkvCwc4DCQ0-CpA6tYsLioYlt8EeBBcKxwVwraQz8UVvD57J_F2ztBvkR-2NKHusrN3h3XkUrrIpckxeU5sMP2F7zinrpPZTiXf2ZW45qdeyaOhivpwD3-QJ2P4b3vaeU4c/s320/A+Long+Way+Back_Barbara+4_MEDIUM+WEB+%25282%2529.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm delighted to tell you that the fourth book in my bestselling Barbara's War series, <b>A Long Way Back</b>, is now available on preorder.<br />This was a completely new way of writing for me as it's not a romance, it's a historical adventure written entirely from the hero's point of view.<br />Alex Everton was shot down over France and this short book tracks his life over the next few months as an evader.<br />I'm currently writing the fifth and final book in this series which will take Alex and Barbara to the end of the war.<br />This book is halfway written and it will be coming out in January next year.<br />I'll have to abandon it before it's finished as I have a contracted book due to be handed in on October 10th. The first book in this new series, <b>The Girls in Blue</b>, is now with the copy editor and this will be out at the beginning of October.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It's been a very difficult year for all of us and I hope that by the autumn things will be gradually getting back to normal. I'm going to see my beloved husband for the first time in three months this afternoon. They are going to open the double doors at the front and he can sit in his wheelchair and I can talk to him from a safe distance. Not quite the same but I'm so looking forward to seeing him.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Best wishes<br />Fenella J Miller</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">mybook.to/longwayback</span>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-2138202752104647922020-05-01T00:34:00.002-07:002020-05-01T00:34:02.759-07:00Writing keeps me sane.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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It's been a difficult month for everyone. I hope that you and your loved ones have stayed safe by socially distancing and following the rules. I don't think I'll be able to see my beloved husband for months but at least he's safe where he is when many in care homes have died.<br />
Being obliged to stay indoors has given me more time to write and I'm just about to complete my third Regency since the lockdown started in the UK.<br />
The first one – <b>A Solitary Duke</b> – is set in Margate and has humour, adventure and, of course, love. This is on preorder at the moment and will be released later this month.<br />
The second book I've written is the final book in my, <b>The Reluctant Duke</b> series, <b>The Duke's Predicament</b>. This is with my editor at the moment and will be released in August.<br />
The third book I'm halfway through writing is a Christmas novella, <b>A Christmas Conundrum</b>, and this will be out in September.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbe6x9X9CLHWoHCDL5yQ34PQVWfcLAPZrMc95aAwWdAnSCua-BTjLTUewmMaCKHGgU57FmUyLHgY7Z2mJA2r0rcwxtaK3DiMZyAtboCnHLwiRvpR_WVYcpbdghq04h7pVw3CrXcc4Vgk/s1600/A+Long+Way+Back_Barbara+4_MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrbe6x9X9CLHWoHCDL5yQ34PQVWfcLAPZrMc95aAwWdAnSCua-BTjLTUewmMaCKHGgU57FmUyLHgY7Z2mJA2r0rcwxtaK3DiMZyAtboCnHLwiRvpR_WVYcpbdghq04h7pVw3CrXcc4Vgk/s320/A+Long+Way+Back_Barbara+4_MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a>I should then have time to write another novella this time to follow up on, <b>A Long Way Back</b>, which is linked to my very successful <b>Barbara's War</b> series. <b>A Long Way Back</b> will be coming out in June so look out for it. I don't have a title for the one I'm going to write next month and again I'll let you know when I do.<br />
My garden is looking wonderful as I managed buy summer bedding plants and perennials from a local nursery who are now delivering.<br />
Stay in and stay safe.<br />
Until next month<br />
best wishes<br />
Fenella J MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-46959371520750502832020-04-01T00:36:00.001-07:002020-04-01T00:36:29.073-07:00Will anything positive come out of this dreadful crisis?As a writer I'm in a unique position as I always work from home anyway. Not being able to visit my beloved husband is heartbreaking, not being able to see my son and daughter-in-law and grandson is equally hard. However, I've written a book in just over three weeks which will be published next month.<br />People my age, the crumblies of the world, are the most vulnerable to this horrible disease but we're also on a fixed income which isn't affected by the lockdown. I'm fortunate indeed to have a state pension, a teachers' pension as well as my writing income. I live in a comfortable brand-new bungalow with a lovely garden and neighbours across the mews who will buy anything I ran out of.<br />I can't imagine how hard it is for those whose income has been either reduced by 20% or vanished altogether. How does a homeless person manage? How do those whose income relied entirely on selling the Big Issue manage?<br />Also the children will fall so far behind with their education it might be impossible for them to catch up especially those at secondary school with exams to face. Families are now locked in together spending every waking hour under each other's feet – small wonder people are predicting a massive rise in domestic abuse and also in babies in nine months time.<br />I'm lucky I can keep sane by writing. Most people who are self isolating don't have that luxury. Depression and mental illness is going to be as a major issue in the weeks to come.<br />Will the world change for the better once this is over? I doubt it, but hope to be proved wrong. I think the gap between the haves and have-nots will widen, millions will be pushed into the poverty bracket and many things we have taken for granted will no longer be available to us.<br />There are, of course, thousands of stories about people going above and beyond – not just the amazing frontline people in the NHS and so on – but ordinary people helping out quietly, making sure their neighbours are safe and well.<br />In Venice because the tourists and cruise ships have stopped the canals have now got dolphins and fish – but the city relies entirely on tourists for its income so as soon as the restrictions are lifted things will revert.<br />Over China the ozone layer is repairing itself because there's been no fossil fuel run industry – which shows that the environment could be saved. However, I'm certain once the virus is defeated China will go back to polluting the atmosphere.<br />I'd like to think that people will reflect on this pandemic, value the small things in life again, be kinder to each other, be less wasteful of valuable resources – but the realist in me thinks this highly unlikely.<br />What do you think? Will this catastrophe leave the world a better place or is the worst yet to come?<br />
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Until next time<br />
Fenella J MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-36936700260023562072020-03-01T00:58:00.000-08:002020-03-01T00:58:05.915-08:00Good news and March moans.As far as I'm concerned Saint David's day is the start of spring – weather is certainly springlike today.<br />Everywhere you look there's bad news – coronavirus, climate change, politics, flooding and so on – and on the writing front, for many of us, things look pretty bleak as well.<br />I just read a long interesting article from an American writer saying that only those who have financial support from partners/parents et cetera can afford to write full-time. Writers on the whole, she says, need a second income as the median amount earned is less than four thousand dollars a year.<br />Four years ago I was making double the amount I'm making now – which is still a livable amount, just – but I would be panicking if I had to rely on it. Fortunately, I have two pensions as well as my writing money.<br />
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<a href="http://mybook.to/overandout">Click Here</a></div>
I don't think of myself as one of the successful ones but having read this article I think that I'm actually doing a lot better than I thought.<br />I achieved my dream of being a published writer fifteen years ago and now have written around sixty-five books most of which have been published in one way or another.<br />I write because I want to – that's a luxury, I know. I hope I can keep writing for another decade at least. I would love to see my books in a supermarket/bookshop but doubt that will happen. I don't have the energy or inclination to do the promotional work in marketing that sort of success requires.<br />
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Now for the good news: The final book in my first series for Aria Head of Zeus, <b>The Spitfire Girl:Over and Out</b>, is now available on pre order.<br />
Also <b>The Road to Liberation</b> -10 book collection of WW2 books is still at low price of £2.99.<br />
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Until next time<br />
best wishes<br />
Fenella J MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-52407603868825278942020-01-21T00:54:00.002-08:002020-01-21T00:54:56.219-08:00The Road to Liberation -exciting new project.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="1200" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgWvNZAKYWYrOtDXvJy1o6iwHAWb5p_Y3d5GV1FnvYnFH-dpJfsf3Jkh7eK6xWOaCmJCBdvt556KfY73hGyqALvi8KgEwhKxliUYdvIMMGTQ1Miuf5KWVcCEsy-2D01e1mNMZQ3CtmW-g/s320/advert+for+long+way+back.jpeg" width="320" /></div>
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<a href="https://books2read.com/RoadtoLiberation">PRE ORDER NOW</a></div>
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I am delighted to tell you that I can finally reveal the exciting project I became involved with last year. I was invited to be one of ten World War II writers and contribute a brand-new book that would fit under the umbrella title of<b> The Road to Liberation</b>.<br />My contribution,<b> A Long Way Back</b>, feels in the missing nine months when Alex Everton, the hero of my<b> Barbara's War</b> series is missing from the final book having been shot down somewhere over France.</div>
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I hope those of you that enjoyed this series – and there were thousands of you I'm happy to say – will also enjoy finding out exactly what happened to Alex. Writing entirely from a man's point of view, no romance, just Alex and his friends as they face danger, disaster and tragedy in their fight to get back to England and their families and their life of heroism and sacrifice in the RAF.</div>
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The ten books are on preorder and will be released on fifth of May to coincide with the celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of VE Day. For the next week this collection of excellent books is available at this ridiculous price of $0.99 & £0.99 to allow our readers to buy the book. The price will be increasing steadily until it reaches the full price on publication, so now is the time to order it.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For Squadron Leader Alex
Everton dogfights in his Spitfire are a piece of cake compared to being an
evader. It’s a long way back to Blighty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A raid over Dieppe seems
like a piece of cake for Squadron Leader Alex Everton. His squadron is in
reserve – but the Luftwaffe have other ideas. When his Spitfire is shot down
Alex bales out expecting to drown or be incarcerated in a German prisoner of
war camp for the duration. Instead, he becomes an evader – if his luck holds he
will be home with his beloved wife Babs eventually. It is a long way from
Dieppe to Gibraltar and his journey is fraught with danger, disaster and
difficulty.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Don't miss this amazing opportunity to have ten books, which include not only mine but books US from bestselling authors.</div>
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Best wishes</div>
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Fenella J Miller</div>
Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-77483285672994393652020-01-06T06:50:00.002-08:002020-01-06T06:50:44.605-08:00New Year - New Me?I'm a bit late wishing you all a happy New Year, but the days merge one into the other when you have to spend five days a week visiting a care home. I always return after spending an entire morning there feeling quite exhausted. Heaven knows how the wonderful staff stay focused and caring with so much going on.<br />
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I hope you had a good Christmas – I did – although my husband was very poorly and needed consecutive lots of antibiotics in order to get rid of very unpleasant chest infection. It's his birthday tomorrow and I've baked two cakes to take in.<br />
My son bought me a box of Hotel du Chocolat chocolates the size of a cartwheel – thank goodness my brother took a tub of them home with him. They are quite delicious and absolutely irresistible. It doesn't matter how many heavy boxes I put on top of the chocolate box I still know that they are there and go and get some when I want them. They are now on top of a bookshelf which requires me to stand on a step to get them down.<br />
Now – to return to my title. New Year – New Me – I wasn't just referring to trying to get fitter, thinner and stop colouring my hair, but also to changes I intend to make in my writing life.<br />
My sales of my indie books on Amazon are a third of what they used to be – too many indie writers writing too many good Regency romances. As I now write two long books for Aria – Head of Zeus a year I don't really have time to produce six of my own titles which I have to sell at a ridiculously low price in order to satisfy demand.<br />
My PC is giving me problems. Dragon won't connect to a mic - have spent hours trying to get tech people to sort it. This has slowed my writing down almost to a standstill.<br />
I've come to a decision. In future I'm not going to check sales, reviews, author and book rankings – I'm just going to write what I want to write and publish it when it suits me. Fortunately, sales with Aria are going up and I'm hoping that once I've got a dozen books with them it won't really matter about royalties from the others. Also the Regency Romantics is no more. We've called it a day and this is the very last box set.<br />
I moved last September into a lovely modern bungalow with a garden three times the size of the one I had before. I intend to spend more time out there and less sitting here.<br />
One would have thought that since my husband no longer lives with me, but is in care, that I would have more time but the reverse is true. I only have two days a week when I don't visit and one of them is family day when my son, daughter-in-law and six year old grandson come for lunch and the other has to be for hair, doctor and osteopath appointments. This leaves me little time for socialising, which is a shame.<br />
I'm involved with an exciting collaborative WW2 project but can't tell you about this yet.<br />
2019 was pants - hoping 2020 will be better for all of us.<br />
best wishes<br />
Fenella J MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-55568158653502131462019-12-02T22:14:00.002-08:002019-12-02T22:14:53.091-08:00End of Year PlansAre you ready for the festive season/holidays/Christmas? I'm one of those irritating people that always gets things done by the beginning of December. My cards are written and will be posted today, gifts are wrapped and under the tree, and Christmas food orders are placed.<br />
I eventually started the first book in the next series for Aria – Head of Zeus which will follow the stories of three friends in the WAAF. The deadline for this book is April next year and the second book must be finished and handed in by November. I intend to finish the first one by the end of January.<br />
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I will then write the last book in my Regency Duke series and a Christmas themed Regency, and hopefully one other stand-alone Regency as well.<br />
I've decided my next big project will be another four book Victorian series, a follow-up to the Nightingale Chronicles. These four books will chart the lives of Sarah and Alfie's children. This will allow me to write in the later part of Queen Victoria's reign.<br />
I find that I'm not writing as eagerly or as fast as I did previously but I continue to enjoy the process and as long as I do, I'll continue. The sales of my Regency books have dipped disastrously this year – I'm not sure why. I think that there are many many more excellent Regency writers than there were when I started and competition is really fierce.<br />
What are your plans for 2020?<br />
I don't make resolutions as I never stick to them. I make plans and these can be flexible. I just list what I hope – intend - to do on the work front. On the personal front I'm going to join Slimming World and make a serious attempt to get back to the weight I used to be a few years ago. I'm also letting my hair go grey – if I don't like it I can always have it coloured again.<br />
I have no plans to go abroad – I didn't enjoy my last venture – but I'm going to the sixtieth RNA celebrations at their annual conference in July. I'm driving to Bedford, staying overnight with a friend, and then she will drive the second half of the journey. We will then repeat the process in reverse. This means being away for five nights and six days. I need to find someone to come in and feed the cat and arrange visitors for my husband.<br />
I also hope that my old house will sell as it's been on the market since April. I've had three offers but none of them finalised.<br />
I'm also making a serious effort to cut down on my carbon footprint, reuse rather than recycle and take more care of my immediate environment.<br />
Wishing you all a happy holidays and a peaceful and prosperous New Year.<br />
Best wishes<br />
Fenella J Miller<br />
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Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-45158515329763956972019-11-01T23:57:00.004-07:002019-11-01T23:57:55.127-07:00New Box Set - Victoria's War<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">$0.99 /£0.99<br />mybook.to/victoriaww2</td></tr>
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I am delighted to tell you that this month I've republished Victoria's War as a box set. I've written almost 70 books in the past fifteen years and I think these two are my favourites.<br />
The first part of the book is set in India in nineteen thirty-nine and I used my mother's memoir for authenticity. She, like the heroine Victoria, was an Anglo-Indian daughter of a Raja and was living with her Indian family when war broke out in nineteen thirty-nine.<br />
There is a new genre of sagas which is gaining ground with publishing and this niche is called an "exotic saga". These books fall into that category.<br />
My current publisher, although they loved the books, thought the voice was too different from the one I am using now in my Spitfire Girl series.<br />
These books were published several years ago and never took off – they were unpublished two years ago so there will be a lot of new readers who haven't seen them before.<br />
I do hope that this time Victoria's War binds a larger audience.<br />
The second book in The Reluctant Duke series, The Duke's Decision, will be on preorder next month for release in February 2020.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobTfHjmzP-aFN_mVS5WQAdv9cZb76AgDeGo2zLSAdIN6_Cmqw4-_Zt7OeXOev1n6JSudT6NMq1nAuS9RGiOlNPkidzoWJsu5KVH8vqLKBSqenlRHW4YQB7QA0uBuadGD9OagpxQs7eXQ/s1600/The+Duke%2527s+Decision+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiobTfHjmzP-aFN_mVS5WQAdv9cZb76AgDeGo2zLSAdIN6_Cmqw4-_Zt7OeXOev1n6JSudT6NMq1nAuS9RGiOlNPkidzoWJsu5KVH8vqLKBSqenlRHW4YQB7QA0uBuadGD9OagpxQs7eXQ/s320/The+Duke%2527s+Decision+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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I know there are many writers who thoroughly disapprove of discounting books as I have done in this case. I'm still of the opinion that if your books have already sold enough to make you the profit that you wanted, then using them to attract new readers at a bargain price is a good marketing move.<br />
A very good friend discounted her enormous backlist and has become a bestseller in America for the first time and is now making almost a six-figure return.<br />
Until next time<br />
Fenella J MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-53082973225765968662019-10-02T07:15:00.004-07:002019-10-02T07:15:44.055-07:00New Home - New Box Set<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKS5KvV7No27V2ZZll-aHBhD-OPQdoRue3At8UcufdjzzkhQY_oxYEi0VU6LGUoP8yQzy7o2wzSkIWHCvQX-0-FvGzlQz3MQ-MTIgYQidCSC1i6hw5GhGuqLgqr_8m5WA2rmrIepNLmP0/s1600/Regency+Romantics+Winter+2019+Box+Set+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKS5KvV7No27V2ZZll-aHBhD-OPQdoRue3At8UcufdjzzkhQY_oxYEi0VU6LGUoP8yQzy7o2wzSkIWHCvQX-0-FvGzlQz3MQ-MTIgYQidCSC1i6hw5GhGuqLgqr_8m5WA2rmrIepNLmP0/s320/Regency+Romantics+Winter+2019+Box+Set+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<a href="http://mybook.to/awod">Pre Order Now</a><br />
I am sad to tell you that that this is the last Regency Romantics box set. We have been doing it for five years and all find ourselves no longer able to write two or three books a year as well as the books that we've been contracted to write by traditional publishers. I think there have been around sixteen editions over the years which have all been well received.<br />
JD Smith has supplied wonderful covers for us for which we thank her. Monica Fairview, Amanda Grange, Melinda Hammond, Elizabeth Bailey, Wendy Soliman and myself have enjoyed working together. We will stay in touch.<br />
Maybe in a year or two we might reconvene and perhaps produce another box set but at the moment that seems unlikely.<br />
I am now contracted to write three further books for Aria – Head of Zeus which takes me to April 2021. I'm also doing a novella to add to others written by a group of World War II writers. This will be published next May some time to coincide with the 75th celebration of VE day. I'm also trying to write at least three new Regency books a year as well but I don't have as much time as I used to.<br />
One would think that having my husband in care would give me more time to write, but as I go to visit most days I actually find I have less.<br />
I moved two weeks ago to a brand-new bungalow in a delightful development in a small village close to Clacton where his care home is situated. It's now only twelve minutes instead of thirtyfive to visit him.<br />
I think my son, niece and myself have unpacked over a hundred boxes and there are still twenty more to do once they come from the garage across the square. They had to be stored there because the shed I ordered has failed to arrive. It will be installed tomorrow if it's not raining.My brother has come to put up pictures/make shelves/put together bookcases etc etc. Thank goodness for family!!<br />
This means that by the end of next week, with luck, I'll be properly settled.<br />
Best wishes<br />
Fenella J Miller<br />
<br />Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-19555141903214683552019-09-01T21:56:00.002-07:002019-09-01T21:56:28.232-07:00Is it too soon for a Christmas book?For me it's never too soon to start thinking about Christmas. Last year was an absolute write off as far as I was concerned because my beloved husband was in hospital, desperately ill, with a broken hip and not expected to recover. He did – as you know – get over this but then broke his other hip and had a further six weeks in hospital. He is now in an excellent care home but has just had a second stroke and I don't think the prognosis is good.<div>
However, I'm ever the optimist and refuse to consider anything but having a good Christmas this year. I shall be in my new home – a delightful brand-new bungalow only ten minutes away from where my husband is now living – and have had an extra outside electrical socket put in so I can plug in my array of ridiculous Christmas lights.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROUrI3Ic4zodKTgOYkey2j6zc55b32HW_AvgL77IUzv0W6_2ZdCI2bvGxF30k2MKcxvdJJkzwwPtw6OLQh9ENXuGSf8WcfAq4lPo1wzLNJ-2Q0n1sX0iHaozr-D654S9_0xF_zv_Joi4/s1600/A+Christmas+Betrothal+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgROUrI3Ic4zodKTgOYkey2j6zc55b32HW_AvgL77IUzv0W6_2ZdCI2bvGxF30k2MKcxvdJJkzwwPtw6OLQh9ENXuGSf8WcfAq4lPo1wzLNJ-2Q0n1sX0iHaozr-D654S9_0xF_zv_Joi4/s320/A+Christmas+Betrothal+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://mybook.to/Christmasbetrothal">Click Here</a></h2>
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<br />This brings me to the question I posed as my title to this blog: is the start of September too early to be thinking about Christmas titles?</div>
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A Christmas Betrothal is my offering for this year – don't you just love the cover? It has been released whilst we are still having temperatures in the 20s. There is a definite autumnal nip to the air – but summer is still going strong in Clacton (where my husband is now living).</div>
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I've already got my Christmas cards – admittedly quite a lot from last year as I didn't send many – and have started buying little gifts to give the wonderful staff at the care home my husband is in.<br />I've seen on Facebook that several people have already noticed tins of Christmas sweets are on sale in many supermarkets and also Christmas cards.<br />It always seems strange to me that shops bring out the Christmas things before Halloween – which is now much more of a thing in the UK, but not as big as it is in the US.</div>
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There is then a clash of orange and black alongside the red and gold of the Christmas decorations. If you don't buy what you want by the end of October there will be nothing of interest left on the shelf. </div>
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I think Christmas is a time of hope over expectation – it is a time for family, friends and spiritual contemplation but over the past decades it has been reduced to a commercial event in which so many families overspend because they don't want to disappoint their children.</div>
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My little grandson has something new every week – not expensive – but a new toy of some sort. His parents aren't entirely comfortable with this but it's the normal now amongst his peers and if they didn't follow suit they fear he would feel left out. I give him a pound a week pocket money and so do his parents and he also saves this until he has enough to buy something bigger.</div>
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Next time I talk to you I will be living somewhere else.</div>
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Until October,</div>
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best wishes</div>
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Fenella J Miller</div>
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Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-74772053206936600222019-07-31T22:01:00.001-07:002019-07-31T22:01:04.454-07:00Why are box sets doing better than this single titles?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-yByBzl2ao0Bt1oLN5fCfM4i6LqRQ8SgeLGoyyf4PTKcblByAlbCuOG6FCTDn-atI6Xgh5EqfV1nCT_P8PUwhIUDlaBxrvKsA0ehEimB9oRr2F5K1meJcliLZJil2IyGib_sT0ME2Ro/s1600/Barbara+Boxset+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2-yByBzl2ao0Bt1oLN5fCfM4i6LqRQ8SgeLGoyyf4PTKcblByAlbCuOG6FCTDn-atI6Xgh5EqfV1nCT_P8PUwhIUDlaBxrvKsA0ehEimB9oRr2F5K1meJcliLZJil2IyGib_sT0ME2Ro/s200/Barbara+Boxset+%25281%2529.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR17inYWmpTQ254ebV1k8rMIfD2gAIrGiBjimcdR2ea42sTM3TZ2Wb6w7eLMPJ-fnTh-WL6ibMH-ccZo7e_-qrLaJhL4kj9BEORPLhmnJ2ML7AFYxVBcuE_iF8OG4W5swugU95FqzXJ7E/s1600/Regency+Romantics+Christmas+2016+Box+Set+EBOOK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR17inYWmpTQ254ebV1k8rMIfD2gAIrGiBjimcdR2ea42sTM3TZ2Wb6w7eLMPJ-fnTh-WL6ibMH-ccZo7e_-qrLaJhL4kj9BEORPLhmnJ2ML7AFYxVBcuE_iF8OG4W5swugU95FqzXJ7E/s200/Regency+Romantics+Christmas+2016+Box+Set+EBOOK.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m_uSAKAgl4WWxOrznzVARGJasAunRSX0ua3Nw7Ak8Mqt3DttRK0aYWjeENzvNe1TBBRbXTC00SKS3z2ETq34430TRfJmTXJPGOK45Son0UY8eSealqICuKzF4RsktwYr4ylAGI6p7PA/s1600/Regency+Boxset+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKq219hGluMA2l_if7nfALXzqNr8bdtwXkWKp3FzINqRONj-aQHUA9u0nwVrwMo0_M26TT5vsAOtawr07P0Wv0r4K-_-XxcV5HTmnsaFlGwq6u102Aeel1PFLAcB8YW6T44vF19TGtPU/s1600/Regency+Quintet+Box+Set+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbKq219hGluMA2l_if7nfALXzqNr8bdtwXkWKp3FzINqRONj-aQHUA9u0nwVrwMo0_M26TT5vsAOtawr07P0Wv0r4K-_-XxcV5HTmnsaFlGwq6u102Aeel1PFLAcB8YW6T44vF19TGtPU/s200/Regency+Quintet+Box+Set+%25282%2529.jpg" width="133" /></a><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1m_uSAKAgl4WWxOrznzVARGJasAunRSX0ua3Nw7Ak8Mqt3DttRK0aYWjeENzvNe1TBBRbXTC00SKS3z2ETq34430TRfJmTXJPGOK45Son0UY8eSealqICuKzF4RsktwYr4ylAGI6p7PA/s200/Regency+Boxset+1.jpg" width="133" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnLNp_84wShcVwts7M1qCVM0xTopT-hMlccCaaeTfyANsrq4tycUYn3pOj0PInyg22kkhhYHkkEis5-LMDvtSIdo-FdeWZDkFI8-titpNV1R57wszWEWheHxvn0cOTqxM2RUa0ClHE1E/s1600/Lords+and+Ladies+Boxset+1+SMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="150" data-original-width="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfnLNp_84wShcVwts7M1qCVM0xTopT-hMlccCaaeTfyANsrq4tycUYn3pOj0PInyg22kkhhYHkkEis5-LMDvtSIdo-FdeWZDkFI8-titpNV1R57wszWEWheHxvn0cOTqxM2RUa0ClHE1E/s1600/Lords+and+Ladies+Boxset+1+SMALL.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Years ago when I started out on the author-publishing route I was one of the first to put out a box set. I sold literally thousands, but once other writers saw the benefits of this, sales slowed down. I still put my single titles into genre related boxes and usually take down the individual books once this happens.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GEc0sVb68egrgvT8RuSWP-k1__8cF4rdOGN6Az9A02QlPoPDdjwwxJ-hP6MYkjXawnGmErkbEth2APBjQj3SWQpFUdmwGd64sh6c3Hs_IHNK59o2xUstePcUAEcv4thIaI3IUhGryLI/s1600/The+Nightingale+Chronicles+Box+Set.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-GEc0sVb68egrgvT8RuSWP-k1__8cF4rdOGN6Az9A02QlPoPDdjwwxJ-hP6MYkjXawnGmErkbEth2APBjQj3SWQpFUdmwGd64sh6c3Hs_IHNK59o2xUstePcUAEcv4thIaI3IUhGryLI/s200/The+Nightingale+Chronicles+Box+Set.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">This year individual title sales on Amazon are 60% of what they were last year, but for some reason the box sets I've put out are doing really well.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Barbara's War box set was the first to take off so I packaged the Nightingale Chronicles series and this too is now selling really well. The individual books in these box sets have been removed from sale.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Later this month I'm going to publish The Duke's Alliance series, this will have all six books in, and it's got one of the new 3D covers. However, as the single titles are still selling quite well I'm not taking them down. I'm hoping that readers who haven't tried the series will think that £3.99 for six books is a bargain as each one costs £1.99.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW0dfb0qWrCxq_nVRA1H_mnpCTkiZ7nKJBtLs3Rcs69wsyKgjpYNySMiXIeHBLedeU8X3HgfuxWoiiOKdTmgULH2bEHqd0e9gCdTe6aMGlNO2prdHRxNIh7elKCqrTl7H3LaZOKePySI/s1600/Duke%2527s+Alliance+Box+Set+3D+SMALL+AVATAR+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="104" data-original-width="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfW0dfb0qWrCxq_nVRA1H_mnpCTkiZ7nKJBtLs3Rcs69wsyKgjpYNySMiXIeHBLedeU8X3HgfuxWoiiOKdTmgULH2bEHqd0e9gCdTe6aMGlNO2prdHRxNIh7elKCqrTl7H3LaZOKePySI/s1600/Duke%2527s+Alliance+Box+Set+3D+SMALL+AVATAR+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Strangely I never buy a box set myself – what about you? Do you prefer bargain box or to download your choices one at a time?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Until next time</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fenella J Miller</span><br />
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<br />Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-70894072005597758572019-07-02T00:33:00.003-07:002019-07-02T00:33:36.414-07:00Hybrid Author - good or bad?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iqLMMUUdPzS6_CjrXWkr6Oj5CynU9mXZz2vJGUtyTd2oCnCjN-_n6SB9XS9swyc3oby3_ufUxNXB_RE3mQoQDyTV8YzEyNYZ_nhuPz04VQya5BjWaYnVj7jp8ThJ6frybgxlLMOsw5o/s1600/9781788548397+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1044" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iqLMMUUdPzS6_CjrXWkr6Oj5CynU9mXZz2vJGUtyTd2oCnCjN-_n6SB9XS9swyc3oby3_ufUxNXB_RE3mQoQDyTV8YzEyNYZ_nhuPz04VQya5BjWaYnVj7jp8ThJ6frybgxlLMOsw5o/s320/9781788548397+%25281%2529.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aria -Head of Zeus</td></tr>
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I don't know about anyone else, but sales and page views of my published books – mainly Regencies now – have fallen this year. Last year I had a runaway success with The Reclusive Duke which made a huge impact on the last months of the year but up until that point both sales and page views have not been great.<br />
I was keeping my fingers crossed that something similar would happen this year but unfortunately it hasn't. The amount of well produced and well written author published books is growing at twice the speed that the reader pool is increasing.<br />
Obviously, this means that although a writer's sales rank remains constant their royalties are falling as their slice of the "reader pie" is now much smaller.<br />
Those that are still doing really well were already massively ahead of me in the marketplace or are spending a small fortune, and hours and hours of work on Amazon ads and Facebook ads and other promotions. I don't have the time or inclination to do any of those things.<br />
When I was picked up by Aria – Head of Zeus last year I was ambivalent about signing the contract. The company restructured and my editor was made redundant which exacerbated my frustration and I was regretting my decision. However, the new team is even better than the last and everything is now very good. The CEO actually offered me back my rights with no strings attached and this made me decide to stay with them and I've not regretted it since.<br />
This leads me to the question: Is hybrid the way forward for writers in the mid-list?<br />
After receiving five times the royalties this month than I expected my answer is a resounding yes. My editor told me the that as more books in my series are published then readership grows and so do sales. She is absolutely right.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vEsepIC7rS_S9kVzpNVPtkhubKpem0yP2V8ryeKqgBQ-xNcFR7Zln65wJiStZf_FoY8iXcSpllJaiRFH_N21mOTI6RTpN6jHedwb_E1XCf_OIiVOzvIfywlWi19jlGH6qcI3oHaLnWw/s1600/The+Reclusive+Duke+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4vEsepIC7rS_S9kVzpNVPtkhubKpem0yP2V8ryeKqgBQ-xNcFR7Zln65wJiStZf_FoY8iXcSpllJaiRFH_N21mOTI6RTpN6jHedwb_E1XCf_OIiVOzvIfywlWi19jlGH6qcI3oHaLnWw/s320/The+Reclusive+Duke+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indie-published</td></tr>
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I'm also enjoying having a team behind me, knowing that my books are being well edited and will be better than they would have been without them, and love not having to do promotion myself. Another reason for indie-publishing is that I write between five and seven books a year and no publisher wants that many from one author.<br />
I will never give up writing my Regencies and publishing them myself as I have a loyal reader base and look forward to my next book and I'll never disappoint them.<br />
What I'm wondering is should I go, as a friend of mine has, entirely with my publisher for all my books or is it better to remain half and half?<br />
Hybrid or totally traditional? What do you think?<br />
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Fenella J Miller<br />
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Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-13122155205639852862019-06-04T01:06:00.003-07:002019-06-04T01:07:26.622-07:00New Book - The Duke's Ward - first in series The Reluctant Duke.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuJsb_8zueU2kmCqgnp4Y-ipPoUG9BOFYHGe0J6g0SIpTIddMX4plmnHpDIdMRt0EHq-iM0lMF20oZR1OZ94WBdVwefJVF5sq4Zhe3mujPicwwuAWOUGDK3XYLdl9MdG1z-pRQx3VHZ4/s1600/The+Duke%2527s+Ward+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkuJsb_8zueU2kmCqgnp4Y-ipPoUG9BOFYHGe0J6g0SIpTIddMX4plmnHpDIdMRt0EHq-iM0lMF20oZR1OZ94WBdVwefJVF5sq4Zhe3mujPicwwuAWOUGDK3XYLdl9MdG1z-pRQx3VHZ4/s320/The+Duke%2527s+Ward+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://mybook.to/reluctantdukeone" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mybook.to/reluctantdukeone</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm delighted to be able to tell you that I've started a new Regency series. I hope you were as sad as I was to leave the characters in my last series to get on with their lives.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This one – <b>The Reluctant Duke </b>– will be rather different to the previous series which dealt with the romance of each of the siblings in turn. The first book, <b>The Duke's Ward</b>, is indeed the romance between Richard and Amanda, but it doesn't end with their wedding. We will have to wait until the last book for that to happen – or maybe they will decide to marry sooner than I want.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The second book will either be Lady Sarah's romance or that of the governess. There will be either four or five books – it depends on who wanders into their lives.<br /> I hope you enjoy it. The link it under the cover image.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">JD Smith designs do all my covers and aren't they fantastic?<br />If you do read it can you please find time to put a short review on Amazon for me is this really helps the peculiar algorithms they use to promote authors.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's the blurb:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Duke's Ward is the first book in a new Regency romance series, The Reluctant Duke, by bestselling author Fenella J Miller.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Major Richard Sinclair finds himself elevated to a dukedom. Now he is The Duke of Enchester and responsible not only for vast estates and huge funds but also for The Dowager Duchess and the three under age daughters. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">He is a career soldier and has no intention of permanently burdening himself with this new inheritance. He will visit, set things in order and then return to his duties with his friend and comrade, Sgt Major RIley.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Lady Amanda Sinclair has been managing the household since her father's untimely demise and removes the family to the Dower House where their reduced income can cover their expenses more easily. She is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new duke and being able to pay the bills once more.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">However, both Richard and Amanda are in for a shock when they meet. Can a true aristocat like her ever teach a rough soldier how to be a successful duke?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Best wishes</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Fenella J Miller</span>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-36654541622204057352019-04-30T22:28:00.001-07:002019-04-30T22:28:26.893-07:00Are Free Books the way forward or the beginning of the end?<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2soaZTtJG7LoGnngCpQ7NUV2gq9F-LvKvjYE3qcQ7Wxgto2fOvkSHdedsabwxvgKSmLyLmCSTh7Z_F5fpvQ6TzhU9GEz6r4-sOdv1D5LRMcfp5_985PvOQYE0TtauLNqh3HklExura7M/s1600/Lord+Denver%2527s+Choice+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2soaZTtJG7LoGnngCpQ7NUV2gq9F-LvKvjYE3qcQ7Wxgto2fOvkSHdedsabwxvgKSmLyLmCSTh7Z_F5fpvQ6TzhU9GEz6r4-sOdv1D5LRMcfp5_985PvOQYE0TtauLNqh3HklExura7M/s320/Lord+Denver%2527s+Choice+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h2 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 32px; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.4; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 8px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; text-rendering: optimizelegibility;">
<a href="http://mybook.to/lorddenver" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mybook.to/lorddenver</a></h2>
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FREE until Sunday</div>
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This month I'm introducing a contentious subject – that of giving away books for nothing in order to boost interest in books that are normally priced.<br />
On another loop there has been vigorous discussion on the subject with several quite vehement that no one should ever give away their books for free.<br />
The argument being that firstly a book has taken several months of a writer's life to produce and is therefore valuable. And secondly the more free books that are available the more readers will expect to get something for nothing. This will eventually lead to writers losing the majority of their income. This camp also think that Kindle Select is the same thing – that readers are getting books for nothing. Obviously this is untrue as it's just a subscription service like itunes or audible.<br />
I disagree with that premise and will be interested to know into which camp you fall.<br />
I only make books free that have already sold well but are no longer making any impact on readers. I have been putting up a free book every week this past month and have noticed a huge increase in page views and sales of other titles because of this.<br />
Admittedly I've had a couple of emails from readers who couldn't get the link to work saying that they only download free books as they can't afford to buy. On balance I'd much prefer my free books to go to readers who then buy other titles, but as long as a reader enjoys what they read I'm happy with the exchange.<br />
Whilst on the subject of pricing – how do you feel about books being sold permanently at less than what might be considered a reasonable amount?<br />
Again I sell books at £0.99 that have already been sold in a box set or are several years old. My new books are always priced at what I consider the right amount – £1.99. I believe that it's better to sell thousands of books at a cheaper price than a handful at what might be considered the right price.<br />
Sales are falling for many indie-writers as there are thousands of good books being published every month and our share of the market is therefore smaller. More books but static pool of readers.<br />
Am I and others like me ruining things for all writers by giving away our books and pricing them under a pound?<br />
Let me know your views.<br />
Fenella J MillerFenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2206966303963818986.post-25914618277407599372019-04-02T09:44:00.002-07:002019-04-02T09:44:31.187-07:00<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1O-gf0uHi0bxpNHXbvVO64lwcca2ydvRC4dRTDHB3ah0p8BbPZxT54UGnPUMWFao0iOuI18aHTT3n1uGfyrQ0BGCFuLkrNKBUw2btzWVaamdfCogOLwDYOi_dokSSu2EgvWvFL9EcJA/s1600/spitfire+in+the+skies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="218" data-original-width="218" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1O-gf0uHi0bxpNHXbvVO64lwcca2ydvRC4dRTDHB3ah0p8BbPZxT54UGnPUMWFao0iOuI18aHTT3n1uGfyrQ0BGCFuLkrNKBUw2btzWVaamdfCogOLwDYOi_dokSSu2EgvWvFL9EcJA/s320/spitfire+in+the+skies.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out now. £2.43<br /><a href="http://mybook.to/SpitfireGirltwo" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; text-align: left; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mybook.to/SpitfireGirltwo</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am pleased to tell you that I have two books out today. One, the second in my WW2 series, The Spitfire Girl, and the other a standalone Regency, A Duke in Danger.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The WW2 book continues the story of Ellie Simpson, now an ATA pilot, and of Greg Dunlop and Jack Reynolds. It takes you up to to 1941.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The third book, which doesn't have a title, is finished and about to go to my editor. It will be out in October this year. There will now be a fourth book as I'd only got to Christmas 1942 and wanted to take my characters to the end of the war.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">A Duke in Danger is a traditional Regency romance but packed with excitement and adventure.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wA9Zb_mkgW2UMDniNGm0fp80J0vaQu9ysUtzjrj6ivIdm_JjQuNv5J_KrT4tiVdzwDtE_WV3u3AkYaL3rtoaQwQR9zXLJ885Gkl7Vj3tWIxfghOZ4K77vHzwBztYWD0s1PeLG3ZDhls/s1600/Duke+in+Danger+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4wA9Zb_mkgW2UMDniNGm0fp80J0vaQu9ysUtzjrj6ivIdm_JjQuNv5J_KrT4tiVdzwDtE_WV3u3AkYaL3rtoaQwQR9zXLJ885Gkl7Vj3tWIxfghOZ4K77vHzwBztYWD0s1PeLG3ZDhls/s320/Duke+in+Danger+Cover+MEDIUM+WEB.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<a href="http://mybook.to/Regencyduke" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1c577d; font-family: "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: inherit; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">mybook.to/Regencyduke</a><br />
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Bargain price of £0.99 & $0.99<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">A Duke in Danger is a traditional Regency.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lord Christopher Drake is in need of a rich wife if he is to keep his mother and siblings from penury.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Lady Helena Faulkner has no wish to marry, but at two and twenty is in a fair way to being considered a spinster. She is content studying botany and raking around the place in men's attire. She refuses point blank to have a Season in Town. Her indulgent parents persuade her to agree to marry if they can find a gentleman that fits her exacting list of requirements.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">She has known Kit, Lord Drake, since she was a child as he is her older brother's closest friend. Therefore, it is hardly surprising Kit and Helena decide they are a perfect match. She wants a friend and companion, a gentleman who will allow her to live as she pleases, not a lover, and he wants an heiress, not a simpering clinging young bride.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">However, things do not go as planned and malign forces are doing their best to separate them. Can Helena and Kit overcome the disasters and misunderstandings and find true happiness?</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Fenella J Miller</span>Fenella Millerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16689827770180180284noreply@blogger.com1