From today until December 7th I’m offering my Scottish-themed romances for 99p/99c per download. So, if you want a change from Christmas-themed romances, take a look at one of mine. 

Read an extract? Download a copy? Be my guest………

Tall Dark and Kilted my debut novel. The story begins in Notting Hill then moves to Wester Ross where the sparks really fly. You can read an extract here

Fliss Bagshawe longs for a passport out of Pimlico where she works as a holistic therapist. After attending a party in Notting Hill she loses her job and with it her dream of becoming her own boss. When she’s offered the chance to take over a failing therapy centre, she grabs it with both hands. But there’s a catch – the centre lies five hundred miles away – in Wester Ross, Scotland. Fliss’s romantic view of the highlands populated by hunky Men in Kilts is shattered when she has an up close and very personal encounter with the Laird of Kinloch Mara, Ruairi Urquhart. He’s determined to pull the plug on the business, bring his eccentric family to heel and eject undesirables from his estate – starting with Fliss. Faced with the dole queue once more, Fliss resolves to make sexy, infuriating Ruairi revise his unflattering opinion of her, turn the therapy centre around and sort out the dysfunctional Urquharts. Can she find the happiness she deserves?

Next up – Scotch on the Rocks #1 bestseller in its genre – runner up in the Exeter Novel Prize. Read the opening chapters – and enjoy this short blurb.

ISHABEL STUART is at a crossroads in her life. Her wealthy industrialist father has died unexpectedly, leaving her a half-share in a ruined whisky distillery and the task of scattering his ashes on a Munro. After discovering her fiancé playing away from home, she cancels their lavish Christmas wedding at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh and heads for the only place she feels safe – Eilean na Sgairbh, a windswept island on Scotland’s west coast – where the cormorants outnumber the inhabitants, ten to one.
When she arrives at her family home – now a bed and breakfast managed by her left-wing, firebrand Aunt Esme, she finds a guest in situ – BRODIE. Issy longs for peace and the chance to lick her wounds, but gorgeous, sexy American, Brodie, turns her world upside down.

Readers mention that they like the multi-generational themes running through the novel, the close knit highland community and a naughty parrot called Pershing.

And, finally, Girl in the Castle

I especially enjoyed writing this one as I was able to weave my love of history into every page. It reached #3 in Scottish Highlands and islands when first published, rubbing shoulders with Jenny Colgan and Peter May in the Amazon charts.

Her academic career in tatters, Dr Henriette Bruar needs somewhere to lay low, plan her comeback and restore her tarnished reputation. Fate takes her to a remote Scottish castle to auction the contents of an ancient library to pay the laird’s mounting debts. The family are in deep mourning over a tragedy which happened years before, resulting in a toxic relationship between the laird and his son, Keir MacKenzie. Cue a phantom piper, a lost Jacobite treasure, and a cast of characters who – with Henri’s help, encourage the MacKenzies to confront the past and move on. However – will the Girl in the Castle be able to return to university once her task is completed, and leave gorgeous, sexy Keir MacKenzie behind

So, those are your choices. It takes about a year to write a novel and another four/five months to polish, shape and format it for Amazon. I hope that you agree that 99p/99c is a bargain for each of my Scottish novels and decide to download one. Oh, and one more thing, they’re all available in paperback, and on Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited, too.

What next for me? I’m about to start writing #6 – another Scottish themed romance, this time with a bit of a difference as the hero and heroine (who can’t stand the sight of each other, natch) have to combine forces and go chasing after two runaways – his son and her niece – all the way from Cornwall to Scotland. Lots of fun, angst and hilarious encounters ensue . . .

Boot Camp Bride is five years old this month. Recently I re-visited Norfolk and the sites which inspired the novel. I’d love to share them with you and, hopefully, remind you of what a great romcom Boot Camp Bride is. There’s a chance to win a paperback copy (UK only) or a mobi. download (worldwide) – details at the end of this blog, so join in the fun and you could be a winner.

Blurb? I’ll allow one of my latest reviews to do the talking for me –

“Charlee is forced to attend a boot camp to get a scoop for the magazine she works for. I adored the situation set up for this story – such fun! The author is very clever at painting her characters and adding poignant brushstrokes of humour and vulnerability. Oh my, Charlee’s anecdotes will chase away the winter blues! Charlee guided me through her adventure, and I could not stop laughing. How does Lizzie Lamb manage to combine humour, adventure and romance? Charlee was feisty, fun, intelligent and clumsy – perfect. Undeterred by the alpha male, she managed to fight him with wit and stubbornness. Lizzie Lamb’s characters and style of writing sparkle in Boot Camp Bride. This romantic comedy is classic gold: it is the equivalent of comfort food and a good night out with friends.” 

 

Noel Coward was not a great fan of the county and quipped: awfully flat, Norfolk. That’s what I thought the first couple of times I visited Thornham where the novel is set. But after a time, I started to understand the appeal of this beautiful landscape. Here’s what Charlee thinks as she looks out across the marshes for the first time, Rafa at her side.  

Now she was out of the wind and the sun had come out, the marshes didn’t look so grim after all. There was a stripped back beauty to them, she could see that, and the flocks of birds heading for the feeding grounds down by the shoreline ensured the view was ever changing. And she had to admit, just sitting there, eyes closed, face soaking up the weak January sun, was the perfect antidote to the last couple of manic weeks. When she glanced at Ffinch he was scanning the marshes through his binoculars, his cup of hot chocolate untouched on the bench beside him. Why did she get the impression it wasn’t the birds he was watching so intently? ‘What’s out there?’ Charlee asked, slipping on her sunglasses against the almost overwhelming expanse of bright blue sky that filled three quarters of the landscape. ‘The Wash. And over there you can see the wind turbines on the shoreline at Skegness.’ Charlee followed his pointing finger and squinted at the distant shore where almost a hundred huge turbines were turning like quiet ghosts.

Boot Camp Bride is set in Thornham, near Hunstanton. The Lifeboat Inn, an alleged haunt of smugglers, doubles for The Ship in the novel. This is where Rafa and Charlee  spend their first night together – strictly business, natch – very much aware of a growing physical attraction.  

“Charlee and Ffinch climbed the stairs to their respective bedrooms. Charlee was rather unsteady, a combination of vertiginous heels and the quantity of wine she’d consumed. She pulled a face and groaned, thinking of the hangover she would wake up with and the windswept salt marshes dashing ice-cold rain and sleet into her face. Ffinch walked up the stairs behind her, his hand resting lightly on her waist as if keeping a loving eye on her, whereas in reality he was holding her upright. Bidding the other guests goodnight, he whispered in her ear. ‘Smile, for goodness sake. You look as if you’re going to your doom, not a night of passion in The Ship’s best room. Stay in role.’ ‘I’m concentrating on my balance, if you must know, and,’ Charlee whipped round as his words sank in, almost falling backwards into his arms. ‘A night of passion, now hold it right there, mate. It’d take more than two glasses of champagne -’ ‘Half a bottle of Rioja, a sticky with your pudding and cognac with coffee – to do what? Make the thought of sleeping with me more palatable?’ Although he kept a straight face, Charlee detected banked down humour there.”

My friend Joan and I sitting in the hall of The Lifeboat Inn. It was at her and husband Roger’s place in Thornham that the idea of Boot Camp Bride first took shape. 

It was easy to imagine Thornham Manor as the phoney Boot Camp for Brides – the front for drug smuggling on the marshes. At high tide it would be easy to land contraband on the nearby quay without arousing suspicion. You can also read an extract HERE

Boot Camp Bride is also available as a paperback and would make an ideal Christmas/ birthday present for someone who enjoys reading romance with a light sprinkling of humour and quick fire dialogue. Oh, and there’s a classic VW Camper Van featured in it, too. What’s not to like?

If you’d like to enter Boot Camp’s Brides Birthday Competition, all you have to do it FOLLOW my blog and/or share this post on any of the links below. The winner will be notified by email.

And, finally – If you’d like to read more about Rafa and Charlee’s adventures, download  a copy of Boot Camp Bride – It’s 99p/99c from Wednesday 21st November for one week.  

 

Many thanks to the organisers of #UKROMCHAT on Twitter for inviting me onto their fab site and to everyone who joined in with the fun. It was a great evening and the hour went by in a flash, so if you missed it, here are my answers again. Do share and comment, that what this post is all about.

 

 1.Please tell us about your latest book Take Me, I’m Yours

India Buchanan plans to set up an English-Style bed and breakfast establishment in her great-aunt’s home, MacFarlane’s Landing, Wisconsin. But she’s reckoned without opposition from Logan MacFarlane whose family once owned her aunt’s house and now want it back. MacFarlane is in no mood to be denied. His grandfather’s living on borrowed time and Logan has vowed to ensure the old man sees out his days in their former home. India’s great-aunt has other ideas and has threatened to burn the house to the ground before a MacFarlane sets foot in it. There’s a story here. One the family elders aren’t prepared to share. When India finds herself in Logan’s debt, her feelings towards him change. However, the past casts a long shadow and events conspire to deny them the love and happiness they. Can India and Logan’s love overcome all odds? Or is history about to repeat itself? You can read an extract.

2.This is your first book set outside of the UK. What drew you to Wisconsin. 

 

Back in the day I trained a teaching student from Oshkosh University for two terms. We became great friends and I had a standing invitation to go over to stay with her in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. I did just that for five weeks one summer and when I flew back from Chicago I promised I would write a romance set in Wisconsin. Last year I learned she has Parkinson’s Disease and that galvanised me into action – this book is for her.

3.OK, we need to know about Sexy Scottish Lairds and Hunky Marine Biologists…

 

Well, if you insist. I am a dyed-in-the-wool romantic. For some women, it’s Regency Rakes, Cowboys or Navy Seals, but for me it’s a man-in-a-kilt. If he’s a highland laird or the heir to a highland estate so much the better. Not because of wealth or  belonging to an aristocratic family but because I love a hero who isn’t afraid to shoulder responsibility, care for his tenants and who has a strong connection with the land. Those attributes, allied with a sharp mind, a sense of humour and a willingness to care for the heroine wins me over. As for marine biologists: who could resist Daniel Crain or Sean Connery emerging from the surf in a wetsuit – budgie smugglers, not so much! Urgh.

 

4 and 5.Please tell us about your writing journey prior to New Romantics Press being founded

I had bagged an agent (the late Dot Lumley) and HM&B were showing interest in my writing.  In 1990 I reached a crossroads, continue with my writing or accept a deputy headship of a large primary school. Because of the demanding nature of teaching, I knew I couldn’t do both and chose the latter. In 2006 I took early retirement from teaching joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme, wrote Tall, Dark and Kilted and submitted it for a critique. I was told it was ‘almost ready’ to start sending out to agents but needed more polishing. etc. In the meantime, I co-founded NRP with other members of the RNA/NWS. Then, over lunch in my garden, author Amada Grange advised us to consider self-publishing on amazon. The algorithms were changing and . . . well, you can read more about it here –  That was in 2012 and we’ve never looked back. I only wish I’d had the chutzpah to self-publish a year earlier because terms were more favourable on Amazon at that point.

 

New Romantics Press is keen to find new readers and share our work with them. Over the last six years we have published fifteen books between us and are currently working on new titles. Our motto is: Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves and you can read more about us on in this blog

6.What are the benefits of collaborating with other authors?

Well, for one thing, you are never more than a phone call away from a good mate who will listen to your writing woes, meet you for coffee and offer sound advice. Between us, we have a wealth of knowledge about indie publishing, social media, PR – and what one of us doesn’t know, the others will find out! I couldn’t imagine being without my NRP support system.

 

Your events sound like fun . . . Most readers and bloggers mention how much fun we have promoting our books. Writing can be a lonely occupation. As authors, we spend most of the time hidden away in our studies/offices tapping at the keyboard. When we do get out, we like to let our hair down. Warning: our events involve laughter and prosecco, so only like-minded writers and readers need apply.

In 2019, Adrienne Vaughan and I will be running a series of workshops for novice and intermediate writers, sharing our knowledge and giving them the confidence to finish their WIP. On a more personal note, before the end of 2018, I have a library talk, a lecture on indie publishing to deliver at De Montfort University, I’m hosting a workshop featuring Kim Nash of Bookouture – and organising a Christmas Party for the Belmont Belles (the Leicester Chapter of the RNA) with guest speaker Carole Matthews. Oh, and I have another novel to write – no pressure, obvs.

Here endeth the first part of my talk. Do join me next time when I will be covering the following aspects of writing:

• the difference between self-publishing and indie publishing
• advice for writers considering self-publishing/indie publishing
• my thoughts about taking a hybrid approach
• plotters vs pantsers
• top tips for finishing a novel 
• choosing and researching the location of my novels
• why do I write happily ever after novels 

Laters,

– BREAKING NEWS – on the strength of overnight sales, TMIY is at  #1 spot – again –

 

 

 

 

Here’s how the blog tour for Take Me, I’m  Yours panned out:

September 15th – The first bloggers to comment on my tour are: Being Anne and A Girl and Her Books and Against the Flow Press,

Anne Williams said: I had the pleasure and honour of being an early reader, and sharing my review on publication day – you’ll find that review again here, and I suspect you might just pick up how very much I enjoyed it.

Deborah wrote: I was hooked from the moment India picked up the monkey wrench, determined to defend herself, if necessary, from the bullying Logan – and I did not want to put it down. I thought all of the characters were totally believable, and the plot twists and turns kept me reading, long into the night. 

September 16th Jerra’s Jamboree posted an extract from Take Me, I’m Yours.

Against her better judgement, India has turned up at the picnic auction and MacFarlane has bought her picnic basket for the outrageous sum of $1000. She disturbs him, affects him like no other woman he has ever met and he wants to remind her who the alpha male is in these parts. But India isn’t easily crushed. They both discover that there is a thin line between anger and sexual arousal.  Time, India decides, to redraw the boundaries.

September 16th Jess left a comment, too. “It was an amazingly written story with a Romeo and Juliet touch . . . From the very first page I was hooked.”

September 17th – Take Me, I’m Yours is awarded best seller ticket. 

On her blog, Jessica Carrow declared: “Take Me, I’m Yours, immediately drew me in with the vivid descriptions of Wisconsin. There was a real feeling to this small town community where everyone knows everyone’s business.” 

Marianne   thought TMIY had “a fast paced plot and some great sub-plots and a range of lively characters, it is a story which I was loathe to leave.”

Jazzy Books included an extract:  Logan MacFarlane has a wild streak, one hidden beneath a business suit and a smooth manner. From the moment of their first meeting, India Buchanan has got under his skin and destroyed his composure. They have crossed swords and exchanged hot words over the ownership of her aunt’s house. A house MacFarlane wants but which India has vowed will never be his. They are about to meet up at a picnic auction and MacFarlane is determined to show India just who calls the shots in MacFarlane’s Landing. 

September 18th – Ali – the Dragon Slayer  “I went into it unprepared for the immediate sizzle factor, within minutes my latest book boyfriend had appeared. Good grief, Logan MacFarlane had sparked my interest and the heat and tension increased rapidly. Damn, was he hot!?

Berit, – This is my first book from Lizzie Lamb and I am now a huge fan! Such a beautifully told story filled with so much emotion and heart… The wit and humor in this book was a perfect balance to the emotion… 

September 19th Another extract, this time from Cheeky.pea India Buchanan has had a peripatetic childhood due to the fact that her parents and career diplomats. She’s spent the summer with her English cousins, the winter with her great-aunt in Wisconsin and the rest of the time in boarding school, university or improving residential camps. Now she wants to put down roots, to belong – and to open up and English-style bed and breakfast in her aunt’s old house. Unfortunately, the ownership of the house is contested by Logan MacFarlane . . . a man used to getting what he wants.

Rae Reads commented: If you love stories set in small towns with warmth and romance then I can recommend picking up a copy of Take Me, I’m Yours! Entertaining, romantic with some very sizzling chemistry between the characters. Four stars from me! 

I loved that Julie Ryan  drew parallels between the Buchanans/MacFarlanes and the Capulets and Montagues – warring families indeed. And that she added in her review, I’ve read a couple of Lizzie’s books set in Scotland but this one has the best of both worlds, being set in Wisconsin albeit with a strong Scottish thread running through. 

Friday the 21st brought a fabulous review from Cathy Ryan : “The characters, including the secondary ones, are wonderfully drawn and there’s lots of snappy, entertaining dialogue. The history between the families is intriguing and not what I imagined. It shows how a dispute can escalate and impact on future generations. As the barriers begin to seem insurmountable….will they find a way?”

. . . and an extract from Laura’s Interests, and a heated one at that (!) Cue Fireworks –

Many thanks to Kay at Coffee and Kindle Book Reviews for her review of TMIY. “This was the first book by Lizzie Lamb I have read  and boy was it a treat to read. I enjoyed the story from start to finish. I thought all of the characters were written well and I enjoyed learning about the history of both the MacFarlane and Buchanan families, and finding out why there was such a battle for ownership of the house in MacFarlane’s Landing, Wisconsin.” 

Thanks to Rachel Gilbey for working so hard to make the blog tour a success and everyone who tweeted, commented and shared. Next week, it’s back to the drawing board for me as I map out my next novel: Scotland, family secrets, romance, astronomy, comets and an unexpected twist in the tale.

Author Q&A Sessions,  bios, blurbs and more can be found here:  The Writing Greyhound , Donna’s Book Blog, The Writing Garnet, Three Degrees of Fiction and a review from Dash Fan Reviews 

💕Just before you go, check out this review from A Girl with Good Book and a Dog who posted: “I so enjoyed this story. The love story pulls at my heartstrings.” 💕

Please note: Take Me, I’m Yours was only available at 99p/$1.29 for the duration of the book tour. It is currently available to download for £1.99 – thank you. 

Catch you soon . . .  I’m off to write another novel