Jera’s Jamboree : Cover Reveal! Mandy Baggot – Security plus Giveaway!

Before Bond, meet Regan…Nathan Regan

The new Bond film, Skyfall launches tomorrow – but why wait until then for a military intelligence hottie? Let me introduce you to the lead male in Mandy Baggot’s new romantic thriller, Security and reveal the eye-catching 007-style book cover!

Nathan Regan … HOT!!!
Photo courtesy of author

Lies hurt, but the truth can get you killed

Autumn Raine is a pop vocalist at the very top of her game. She’s a style icon, the paparazzi’s darling and everyone wants to be her friend. But when her safety is threatened, her whole life starts to unravel.

 

Enter Nathan Regan, an ex-elite soldier who is assigned to protect her. He’s a good man doing bad things but what drives him? Passion? Madness? Or grief? Demons from his past are threatening to consume him. Can he win the fight alone or will he have to admit he needs help?

 

As the threat deepens, Autumn starts to find out who she really needs in her life. Is there still room for personal assistant Janey or rapper boyfriend Rockweiler? When everyone around her is feeding her lies, how does she work out the truth? Does her record producer know more than he’s letting on? What is her mother, the British Foreign Secretary’s involvement in the situation? And can Autumn put her faith in a forty-something Jamaican woman who handles an automatic weapon as expertly as she cooks?

 

Eluding kidnap and trying to stay alive, can Autumn find the strength to be the person she longs to be? And can two people, poles apart, forge something strong enough to survive anything?

 

Security is coming from Sapphire Star Publishing on 4 April 2013! If you can’t wait until then to find out more here is the teasing trailer!

 

Find out more about Mandy’s books at www.mandybaggot.webs.com or check out her author page with Sapphire Star Publishing http://www.sapphirestarpublishing.com/mandybaggot

Photo courtesy of author

 

 

Collect the Bond film titles and WIN a signed paperback copy of Strings Attached!

FIVE paperback copies of Mandy’s novel Strings Attached are up for grabs! All you have to do is collect the Bond films. On each of the websites featuring the Security cover reveal there will be a Bond film mentioned (NOT Skyfall). Once you have all the titles, drop Mandy an email mandybaggot@sapphirestarpublishing.com and you will go into the draw for one of the books! Easy! The giveaway closes 1st November 2012. Here are the website links you need!

Mandy Baggot http://mandybaggot.webs.com/apps/blog/

Kim Nash http://kimthebookworm.blogspot.co.uk/

Stephanie Keyes http://www.stephaniekeyes.com/the-blog/

Melanie Robertson-King http://www.melanierobertson-king.com/wp02/

Nicky Wells http://nickywellsklippert.wordpress.com/

Sharon Goodwin (Jera’s Jamboree) You Only Live Twice

Rachel Lyndhurst http://www.rachellyndhurst.com/

Carol (Dizzy C’s Little Book Blog)http://dizzycslittlebookblog.blogspot.co.uk/

Sheryl Browne http://sheryls-ramblings.blogspot.co.uk/

Bonnie Trachtenberg http://www.bonnietrachtenberg.com/bonnies-blog

Richard Holmes http://richardfholmes.org/

Kate (Me, My Books and I) http://memybooksandi.wordpress.com/

Sue Fortin (Love Reading, Love Books) http://lovereadinglovebooks.wordpress.com/

Lindsay Gentles (TTP Book Reviews) http://www.turningthepages.ca/

Eve Chong (Eve’s Chicklit Reviews) http://www.chicklitevexx.blogspot.co.uk/

Pauline Barclay http://paulinembarclay.blogspot.co.uk/

A L Jackson http://aljacksonbooks.blogspot.co.uk/

Loveahappyending http://loveahappyending.com

Louise Graham http://lougrahamiiblog.wordpress.com

Trashionista http://www.trashionista.com

Good Luck!

Shaz Stars interviews author Mandy Baggot

In the hot seat today I would like to welcome:
 MANDY BAGGOT
Hello Mandy, thank you for letting us have a peek behind thescenes.  Your sun sign is ARIES.

  • Aries is the first of the zodiacal signs and as such represents new beginnings and action.  Despite this desire to be the ‘front-runner’, boredom can set in quickly.  Writing is a long creative journey.  Do you lose interest quickly in writing projects?  Does there need to be something specific to hold your interest?

Wow – that’s a good first question. I never seem to lose interest in any writing projects completely, because I don’t like not seeing things through to an end. But, having said that I have developed a habit of having several projects on the go at the same time all fighting for a place on the computer screen. There are four at the moment, all jostling for position. What helps me hold interest in a subject is some physical inspiration, for example one of my male leads is an ex-soldier turned bodyguard and I find watching ‘Strike Back’ with the gorgeous Richard Armitage definitely gets the creative juices flowing.


  • Enthusiasm and confidence are a part of the Arian energy.  Would you consider this to be a strength in your writing?

I’m deeply enthusiastic about my writing and writing in general but if I’m honest I lack inner confidence. No one would think that but it’s true! Luckily I am quite good at projecting confidence (I think!). I would say I’m determined rather than confident and definitely persistent. Once I get an idea in my head I run with it and order everyone to follow me! I’m bolstered by the support of a lovely network of people, my husband Mr Big, my close friends and the wonderful friends I have made on social networking sites. Their encouragement and belief does help when you want to strangle the postman for bringing you yet another rejection letter.


  • It is said that there is no new thought or action in the world that hasn’t been thought of or tried before.  Arians are pioneers in thoughts and action.  Do you agree with this statement?

I wouldn’t say I was a pioneer because there are so many wonderful writers out there writing in the same genre. What I would say though is my stories are different because they are so dialogue led. When I’m writing its like I’m watching a film with my two main characters on screen. I try and set the scene and tell the story all with dialogue and as little description as I can get away with. I like the partnership to shine through and I find sometimes telling readers how autumnal the tree leaves are holds things up. 


I do like putting things instories that I wish I could say to people. Most of my characters are braverthan me!

  • Arians can tap into an immense amount of energy.  Would you say this has an effect on your writing schedule?

I’m not sure I have lots of energy; I always seem to be tired! But maybe that’s because I try and cram 101 things into my life. I love being busy, go crazy when I haven’t got a project to plan and usually end up burning the candle at both ends a lot of the time. At the moment I write mostly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when my youngest daughter is at preschool but I also have to fit in exercise, meetings, shopping and housework into those days too. I’m lucky if I manage a couple of hours a day writing but then again I can usually be found at the computer at 9.00pm doing more and not even really realising it. Writing is definitely not a 9-5 job and that has up and down sides.

  • Objectivity is a word common in the Arian vocabulary.  How do you get into the soul of your characters to give them depth, make them come alive ……… so your readers believe in them?

The only way you can make your readers believe your characters is if you can put yourself right into your character’s shoes. For me you have to forget how you would react to situations and become them, you have to think like them, do things they would do, react to things the way the character would etc. That isn’t to say that I walk around the house dressed in different clothes and pinning my husband to the bed every five seconds (although he might like that!) but I do tend to almost live my life as the character when I’m heavily into a story. Samantha in Breaking the Ice was my favourite character to empathise with because anything that happened to her was a disaster. There was lots of sighing and crying and bewailing everyday ups and downs with her.


  •             One of the negative Arian traits is an irritation at slowness.  When you experience a lull in ideas,something is taking longer than planned or is just not working out to yoursatisfaction, how do you deal with that?

I never have a lull in ideas! I’ve always got loadsof those and never enough time to get on with them! I am a bit of a whirlwindand if something is getting a bit bogged down that’s when my determinationkicks in. I don’t like to leave a job half done so I just persevere until it’sfinished. I get irritated when other people are slow but I understand peoplehave their own timescales on things and it’s always a lot slower than mine! I’mvery impatient but not in a stressy way, in an excited ‘I want things to happennow!’ way.

 


  • To progress and grow in any sphere of life it’s important that we take note of other people’s advice.  Arians are loathe to do this, especially if they disagree.  Do you take note of anyone’s advice in relation to your writing, or do you disregard it?

Hmmm yes, taking advice, what’s that? No, just kidding. I found it really really hard to take advice about my writing at the beginning. That isn’t to say I thought my novels were the best thing since sliced bread and couldn’t be improved I think it probably was the Arian in me that feels a bit weird about being scrutinised. I have got much better at it though and now I welcome advice. I am always asking my readers and website members what they think about things and this is because I really want to know. I like honest opinions because they’re the only ones worth listening to.


But you do have to listen to yourgut too and assess whether the advice is right for you. I disregarded someadvice given to me by a professional who critiqued ‘Strings Attached’. Shewanted me to consider changing the male lead from a pop star to a reclusivenovelist. It just didn’t do it for me. Quinn (my character) was someone I hadspent almost a year with and he just wasn’t a reclusive novelist, he’s ashowman, a brooding hottie everyone fancies, yes it might not be quite asoriginal but at the end of the day I created him. We will have to see whetherthat was a right or wrong decision!

Thank you for your honesty Mandy.

Mandy is a showcased author with Loveahappyending which is an interactive reader/author website.  Visit Loveahappyending to find out more about this brilliant project and how you, as a reader, can support them.

Author Biogrophy:
Mandy Baggot lives in Wiltshire with her husband and twodaughters. She is currently unrepresented and publishes under Youwriteon.comwho are supported by The Arts Council. She has three books in the marketplaceExcess All Areas, Breaking the Ice and Knowing Me Knowing You. Mandy writes inthe contemporary/commercial romantic fiction genre.
Author weblinks:



When the going gets tough Freya Johnson gets going! Humiliated by her boyfriend the day she turns 30, Freya boards a last minute flight to Corfu to visit her best friend Emma. Little does she know that this holiday will change her life forever. Enter Hollywood film star Nicholas Kaden whose entourage is stirring up the village of Kassiopi while filming his new movie.

Caught up in a media frenzy, feeling unwelcome and uncomfortable in Nicholas’ movie world, Freya battles with the ghosts of her past and the uncertainty of her future. Can she help Emma? Can she keep her own big secret? And can she find out what Nicholas is hiding before she feels the urge to run away again?



  • Paperback: 482 pages
  • Publisher: New Generation Publishing; 1st edition (1 April 2010)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1907461272
  • ISBN-13: 978-1907461279
When routine driven box office assistant Samantha Smith meets the stars of ‘Skating on Broadway’ her life is turned upside down. Immediately attracted to the infamous lead skater Jimmy Lloyd, Samantha does her best to deny her feelings. But when all you can do is burst out laughing and hyperventilate every time you’re under pressure, keeping things under wraps is a hard task. When the future of her beloved Civic Hall is threatened Samantha must rise to the challenge to ensure its survival. Constantly scrutinised and criticised by her zany sister Cleo and her brogue wearing boyfriend Jeremy, can Samantha save her job, save the Civic Hall and stop her panic attacks just long enough to give her away her heart?


  • Paperback: 394 pages
  • Publisher: YouWriteOn.com (11 Feb 2011)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1908147601
  • ISBN-13: 978-1908147608

KNOWING ME KNOWING YOU – BRING ON THE LOVE! Recently single mother Kate is struggling. Clinging on to a career and bringing up her 2 year old daughter leads to nights alone drowning her sorrows in the cheapest white wine she can find. Forced to employ Joel, a male escort, to accompany her to a professionals’ dinner, Kate somehow ends up in the middle of a relationship contest, competing for a £100,000 prize alongside someone she barely knows. With her boss, the Lady Dragon Miranda, desperate for Kate to flounder, her tarot card reading child-minder trying to match-make and her ex-husband making her life a misery, can Kate keep her life on an even keel? And more importantly can she put her trust in a serial dater who used to be an underwear model?


Due for publication 1st November 2011

Caterer George Fraser has a mission. She’s going to prove everyone wrong. Ambitious owner of catering firm Finger Food and black sheep of her family, she’s determined to succeed in business where she’s so far failed in her personal life. Asked to cater for gorgeous rock star Quinn Blake’s after-show party her life suddenly takes a turn for the dramatic. 

Magnetically drawn together, George and Quinn embark on a relationship that no one must know about. But is Quinn everything he seems or is there more to his star life than he’s telling her? 
Things hot up when George is invited to the wedding of the millennium and her integrity very soon becomes compromised. 

With celebrity obsessed colleague Marisa in the mix and her beloved Adam spending more time in her life can George keep her secrets and hold on to her ambition, or will love finally get in the way? 



My Top 10 Fiction Reads of 2011

Before I do my top reads, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the authors in the world for sharing their creativity enabling me to experience lives and journeys without leaving my chair … and also to my readers and the blogging community who are supportive and make book blogging fun.  Without any of you there would be no book blog!

So without further ado … here are my top 10 reads of 2011 (in no particular order):

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness – pure heaven for me – magic, historical, folklore/myth, DNA … and  Matthew and Diana are amazing leads.  (I have had Shadow of Night – the second in the All Souls Trilogy – on pre-order for ages).

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy 1)

Being Billy by Phil Earle – a YA novel that made me cry – very well written and just made me want to mother Billy!  A story that takes you out of your comfort zone.  Highlights that there’s always a reason behind certain behaviours and we need to look beyond that.

Being Billy

Hurry Up and Wait by Isabel Ashdown – based in the 80′s, a book I couldn’t put down.  Inference and sub-plots kept my interest.

Hurry Up and Wait

Caligula by Douglas Jackson.  Historical.  Caligula took me on a trip to the past and involved me in lives that felt real!

Caligula (Roman Trilogy 1)

The Secrets Between Us by Louise Douglas.  Passion, tension.  Again inference.  The psychological mind games had the hairs bristling on the back of my neck and I had goosebumps.

The Secrets Between Us

December Moon by Suzy Turner.  YA novel, the second in the Raven trilogy.  Another magical world that is populated with brilliant characters.  I couldn’t stop reading – the action and tension builds all the time so that half-way through we have a major crises and the consequences of that cause major rumbles throughout the rest of the story.  (I am eagerly awaiting The Lost Soul Mar 2012)

December Moon (The Raven Saga)

Strings Attached by Mandy Baggot.  Chick lit at its finest.  Plot surprises I didn’t see coming.  Could believe I was there in the UK and Spain.  Also, the best male lead this year for me is Quinn.

Strings Attached

Tears & Laughter & Happy Ever After – anthology.  Not usually a fan of short stories in one book, I was so engrossed I even read at the dinner table!  These twenty-six short stories had me thinking about life.  Loved the ‘meaning’ behind each one.

Tears and Laughter and Happy Ever After

Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris.  Chick Lit. Loved the transformation of Evie taking place alongside the transformation of Hardy’s.  LOVED ‘the wardrobe’.  Male leads gorgeous.  The scenes inside Hardy’s just took my breath away.  If this was a movie, I would be watching again and again and …

Miracle on Regent Street

Watch Over Me by Daniela Sacerdoti.  Beautiful and fluid writing.  Poignant love story, traditions, family and belonging.  The difference in this love story is the extra help from ‘beyond the grave.’  One of the best debut novels I’ve read.

Watch Over Me

Virtual book launch stop for indie author Mandy Baggot

As part of the virtual book tour to celebrate thepublication of new novel Strings Attached, I would like to welcome indie authorMandy Baggot on Jera’s Jamboree. 


Mandy is sharing with us much more than the book information today!  Finger Food, the catering company that George owns, is central to the plot in Strings Attached ………  so after the book information, we have an interview with Mandy and a delectable treat to feast your stomach on.  That’s not all – one lucky reader will win a signed copy of Strings Attached!  Keep reading to the end of the post to see how you can enter this giveaway.
Mandy started writing at school where she penned aFootballers’ Wives style script involving her friends, New Kids on the Blockand the England football squad.
In 2008, Excess All Areas was published and achievedexcellent reviews and in 2010 Breaking the Ice was published.  February 2011 saw the publication of KnowingMe Knowing You, which has been warmly received.
Introducing ♪♫•☆* Strings Attached *•☆♪♫  which is Mandy’s fourth novel.


Between the past and the future there arealways strings attached


CatererGeorge Fraser has a mission. She’s going to prove everyone wrong. Ambitiousowner of catering firm Finger Food and black sheep of her family, she’sdetermined to succeed in business where she’s so far failed in her personallife. Asked to cater for gorgeous rock star Quinn Blake’s after-show party herlife suddenly takes a turn for the dramatic. 

Magneticallydrawn together, George and Quinn embark on a relationship that no one must knowabout. But is Quinn everything he seems or is there more to his star life thanhe’s telling her? 
Thingshot up when George is invited to the wedding of the millennium and herintegrity very soon becomes compromised. 

With celebrity obsessed colleagueMarisa in the mix and her beloved Adam spending more time in her life canGeorge keep her secrets and hold on to her ambition, or will love finally getin the way? 

‘aplot twist straight out of Dallas’ – Jane Holland –  formerly Embrace Books

Strings Attached is available to purchase for £8.99 from Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.com, Waterstones, W H Smith, Barnes & Noble on-line.  Also Kindle from Amazon.co.uk/Amazon.com



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Mandy is sharing with readers one of the recipes thatcaterer George creates for one of Quinn’s after-show parties but before shedoes that, I asked her some questions:




Georgeis a rock music-loving chick.  What madeyou decide that she was going to have her own catering business?

Firstly, I needed an original wayfor my two characters to meet. I didn’t want George to be a fan of Quinn’smusic and meet him as a ‘groupie’ and I didn’t want her to get a job workingalongside him. She had to be strong and independent from the beginning and meethim on equal terms. I also wanted to show the hard working side to George andhave her doing a job people wouldn’t necessarily expect from what we learnabout her character. I think cooking grounds her and because it requirespatience, concentration and organisation its so far removed from what she’s hadin her life its almost escapism for her.


FingerFoods plays a pivotal role in Strings Attached.  Did you already have a love of ‘different’ foods or did you have to research?


There is not much I love morethan a buffet! I am a savoury girland the first to the canapés at parties! I would love to say now that I gotmyself invited to several celebrity parties and sampled all they had to offerbut sadly, no. I did do lots of internet research though. I didn’t want Georgeto just knock up a few tuna mayo vol-au-vents because she is supposed to be atthe very top of her game so she had to be doing something different. Iresearched canapés and chose my favourite, different sounding ones for herrecipes. She does make prawn and Tabasco at one point though – that one’s madeup, I just thought it sounded yummy. I wouldn’t be able to make it though, I’mallergic to prawns!
Thereare some unusual foods served at the after-show parties (and the wedding!)  Where did you find the inspiration forGeorge to be experimental?  Did you tryout any of the recipes yourself?

I haven’t tried any of the recipes!Shall I lie and say I have? Shame on me! The wedding meal is one of myfavourites! As the wedding is in Spain (I’m trying very hard not to add anyspoilers here! We will not say who is getting married!) I wanted George tothink about this and use it to her advantage. So she chooses local citrusfruits for the starter and follows this theme, the lemon infused rice with themain course, through to the pudding of chocolate orange flan. The pudding alsoinvolves chilli cream and I have had the pleasure of eating that! It is a verystrange combination but it definitely works! 


Withthe powerful connection between George and Quinn, do you believe the way to aman’s heart really is through his stomach?

Quinn is a big eater! He doesn’tsit still very often, he’s always on the go and therefore he has a big appetiteand not just for food ladies! He’s eaten half a tray of canapés before theymeet so who knows? Maybe prawn and Tabasco is an aphrodisiac?! When they meetthere is more than 240 volts charging the air that’s for sure!


What’syour own personal favourite food?

Without a doubt, if I had to pickone food to eat all day every day it would be mashed potato and I am talkinginstant powdered mash! It is a comforter! A reliable hearty feast available inseconds whenever you want it. I even took a pack to the Romantic NovelistsConference this year in case I was peckish! But I also have a love for myChinese takeaway Pearl River, in Durrington. They have an unrivalledcombination of chicken curry, egg fried rice, sweet and sour chicken balls andcurry sauce I tend to have on at least a monthly basis! You can see why I haveto do regular Zumba! But apart from these unhealthy treats, I love fresh greenveg (courgette, broccoli, green beans), I havesalad most nights (but with loads of olives because I love them too!) and I ama fan of roast dinners. Oh and I have been known to eat the odd porkscratching! I am so bad!

Andfinally, are you as experimental as George with your cooking at home?

Sometimes and Mr Big isn’t sokeen on my experiments, he’s a traditional kind of guy – a challenge whenyou’re married to me! I do try and make him try different combinations of foodbut it never turns out well! I pepped up a chicken curry once with some oliveslices and those were picked out and put to one side. I often tell him we’rehaving chicken when it’s really Quorn – he doesn’t usually notice! Oh and thesausages with salsa weren’t particularly well received either – now you knowwhy we have takeaway!

Thank you for sharing with us Mandy.


Now on to one of the recipes that George uses in Strings Attached:


Smoked Salmon Canapés




Buttery and flaky, these hors d’oeuvres are likelittle tarts, only simpler to make. Follow our topping suggestions, or try yourown: sautéed mushrooms and stilton cheese, caramelized onions and anchovies,gruyère and chopped toasted walnuts … let your imagination be your guide.






Ingredients

·                                3/4 cup unsaltedbutter

·                                2 1/2 cups all-purposeflour, plus more for rolling

·                                1/2 teaspoon coarsesalt

·                                1 large eggplus 1 egg yolk

·                                3 to 4 tbsp.ice water

·                                2/3 cup crèmefraîche

·                                5 to 6 oz.smoked salmon

·                                2 1/2 tablespoons brinedcapers, chopped


 


 


Preparation

·                                1. Cut butter into 1/2-in. cubes and freeze in a single layeruntil very cold, 10 to 20 minutes. In a food processor, whirl flour and saltuntil blended. Add butter and pulse on and off just until bits of butter areabout the size of peas. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg and yolk with 3 tbsp.ice water. Add egg mixture, about half at a time, and pulse just until evenlymoistened and holding together (you may need to add 1 more tbsp. ice water asyou’re pulsing).

·                                2. Flatten the dough into 2 rough squares, each about 6 in.wide. Wrap squares in wax paper. Chill until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 3days.

·                                3. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove dough from refrigerator andlet stand 5 minutes. Unwrap and, on a lightly floured surface, roll doughhalves into 1/8-in.-thick squares, 10 to 11 in. each.

·                                4. Transfer each square to a rimmed baking sheet and prickall over with a fork. Bake until medium brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool on pan,about 30 minutes. Spread with crème fraîche, dividing evenly, and top withsmoked salmon and capers. Cut into 2-in. squares.


Note: This dough is the ultimate kitchen workhorse: It’s fastto make and will keep in the freezer for up to a week (let it thaw 1/2 hourbefore rolling out, or until it’s pliable) or in the refrigerator for 3 days.You can also bake the dough a day ahead and top it just before serving. Thisrecipe can easily be doubled, but if you want to triple or quadruple it, make 2separate batches of dough.




Please take time to visit all blogs involved in the virtual book launch of Strings Attached.  There is something different on each blog!  Guaranteed to entertain you.

Strings Attached –Book blog tour
Tuesday 1 November – Jera’s Jamboree  - Foody interview
Wednesday 2 November – Lougrahamii book blog  Quinn and Mandy Hello style interview
Thursday 3 November – Dizzy C’s Little Book Blog - Team Baggot 
Friday 4 November – Janice Horton 
Monday 7 November – Turning the Pages 
Tuesday 8 November – Reabookreviews 
Wednesday 9 November – Chick Lit Reviews and News 
Thursday 10 November – Sarah’s book reviews
Friday 11 November – lovereadinglovebooks 


Giveaway of SIGNED paperback is now INTERNATIONAL


RafflecopterSettings = { raffleID: ‘Y2M2Zjk0Y2YwZGE3ZjZlNzVmZGUxZDc5MGIxNWY4OjE=’};<a href=”http://rafl.es/enable-js”>You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.




October monthly round-up

Welcome to my monthly round-up.


Thank you to everyone for your support for both book tours this past month.


Christina Courtenay’s book launch visit took place on 6th October.  It was interesting to find out how many people have done their own genealogy research and Christina  and I enjoyed reading the comments.  I hope the winners are enjoying reading Highland Storms :)  Jera’s Jamboree wishes every success for Christina’s sequel.


Catherine Stovall’s visit took place recently on 23rd October – did you enter the giveaway? … you have until the 30th October!  I hope you stayed a while and listened to the play list that inspired some of the scenes in Stolen.  Jera’s Jamboree wishes every success to Catherine for not only the first in the trilogy but for all three novels!

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New Feature!


I have decided to add a new feature to my blog.  Can you guess what it is (picture clue)?  Keep your ears to the ground for the first post coming very soon …



Award!


In early October, Jera’s Jamboree received The Versatile Blogger award from The Littlereader Library.  Thank you Lindsay!  You can read my acceptance blog here and who I chose to pass the award to.




Diary dates for November:


November 1st it finally happens … yes, the launch of Mandy Baggot’s Strings Attached!  I’ve been involved with Mandy’s book for a long time as a beta reader and helped edit.  I feel very honoured to be the first blogger to start the book tour… we have an interesting post lined up for you on November 1st PLUS a signed copy of Strings Attached to giveaway.  I have no hesitation in recommending you visit every blog on the tour as there is something different to experience on each day.  Once you’ve read the story yourself you will understand the stir that @QuinnBlakeMusic has caused on Twitter :)  You can read my review now and also my post about Team Baggot’s fashion accessory.  Jera’s Jamboree looks forward to welcoming you on this auspicious date.


Shaz’s Stars has four new interviews scheduled for November (Monday).  You will be able to find out the influence of sun signs in relation to writing/reading for the following authors/associate readers:  Nicola May, Kit Domino, Kim Nash and Melanie Robertson-King.  I hope you enjoy reading these interviews as much as I enjoyed creating the questions and interviewing these lovely people who have all been honest in their replies :)




News for December:


Jera’s Jamboree is excited to have been invited to take part in indie author Janice Horton’s book launch for her upcoming title Reaching for the Stars.  Janice will be guesting on my blog on Saturday 17th December.  You can read Janice’s blog post ‘The Story behind the Story’ where you can find out which chef’s Janice interviewed and the final stages in choosing the book cover.  


Jera’s Jamboree will also be taking part in OneMorePage‘s Christmas feature ‘Countdown to Christmas’.  I am guest blogging a review of Coming Home … for Christmas by Patricia Scanlan.  Throughout the month of December you will find a different post every day related to Christmas from other participants – interviews, reviews, Christmas themed guest posts.  There will also be giveaways!  Are you a blogger or an author who would like to take part?  You can find Amanda’s email on her blog’s Review Policy tab.


Popular Posts


The three most popular reviews this month are:











Thank you to everyone who supports Jera’s  Jamboree, without you there would be no blog!  

Shaz








A new fashion accessory – book related!

I received something rather exciting in the post this week …  thanks to author Mandy Baggot!  and just had to share with you (not that I’m an exhibitionist or anything).


For those of you who don’t know, Mandy is a featured author on the innovative project that showcases 30 authors called Loveahappyending.  I am an Associate Reader for Mandy.

Please excuse the love handles :)

Yes, I am proud to be a member of TEAM BAGGOT, but that’s not all …


I can’t wait for Mandy’s new novel ‘Strings Attached’ to be released in paperback on 1st November!  Having supported Mandy on this particular journey and being a beta reader, I know just how fab the story of George and Quinn is:  
I really do love Strings Attached!
This really is one love story you won’t want to miss :)
CatererGeorge Fraser has a mission. She’s going to prove everyone wrong. Ambitiousowner of catering firm Finger Food and black sheep of her family, she’sdetermined to succeed in business where she’s so far failed in her personallife. Asked to cater for gorgeous rock star Quinn Blake’s after-show party herlife suddenly takes a turn for the dramatic. 
Magneticallydrawn together, George and Quinn embark on a relationship that no one must knowabout. But is Quinn everything he seems or is there more to his star life thanhe’s telling her? 
Thingshot up when George is invited to the wedding of the millennium and herintegrity very soon becomes compromised. With celebrity obsessed colleagueMarisa in the mix and her beloved Adam spending more time in her life canGeorge keep her secrets and hold on to her ambition, or will love finally getin the way? 


A virtual book tour is taking place starting 1st November with lots of lovely interviews, fun articles and giveaways.  I suggest you put that date in your calendar now!
Well maybe I am a bit of an exhibitionist at heart!
So what do you think of my new fashion accessory?