Yule Blessings to you all

So, now I've finished the editing madness, I can raise a glass of Wassail and munch a mincen pie to  mourn the Holly King and greet the infant Oak King.

If you've no idea what I'm on about, checkout this truly magical story. Hope you have as much fun finding out about these awesome customs as I did.

For the rest of this year! you can snap it up as the silly price of 99p/99cents. Twelve Days of Yule - A Magical, Medieval Romance.

Billed as Call the Midwife meets Poldark, this magical, medieval romance explores the origins of many of the modern-day Christmas customs. You can find out a little more here.

Christmas Reading - Fill up your Kindle.

Feast your eyes on these fantabulous festive stocking-fillers for those of you looking to fill your empty kindle. Choose from enchanting fantasy, sumptuous romance, tantalising mystery and many others - there really is something for everyone. Find out more by clicking on the piccy.

Launch of Edge of the Blade

Wow, what a day! I love it when a plan comes together.

The organisational effort was more than worth it as several of Coventry's finest young ice skaters helped to give the fourth Bryant Rockwell book, Edge of the Blade, a great send off at Planet Ice on Saturday. Jacky is grateful to the rink manager, Chris Carpenter, and Richard Beamish, one of the international coaches, for their help and expertise in correcting technical aspects of the story.

On the day, several of the club’s skaters added colour and style to the event, and Jacky was overwhelmed by their interest as she explained the obstacles her character overcomes to realise her dream. They were thrilled to receive an autographed copy of her book; some even started reading while posing for the photos. One of the older girls, Lauren, explained why. “There are very few stories about ice skating, especially in the UK. I often find writers do not check their facts and have skaters doing a triple jump after only a few weeks’ training. It’s great to have a story about a believable character in a realistic setting.”

John Leon, the Coventry Figure Skating Club (CFSC) chair, spoke of the awesome commitment from the youngsters (and their parents), some of whom had 3am starts as they travelled from all over the country to train with the country’s top coaches in the International School of Skating (ISS). Karl Sparrow, who photographed the event, took it a step further. “You have kids as young as eight having the nerve-wracking experience of being alone on the massive expanse of ice, facing a panel of judges, an audience and the silence before the music starts.”

To read the full story of this event, click here.
You can find out more about the Bryant Rockwell series, perfect for fans of "10 Things I Hate About You" and "13 Reasons Why" here.
Click this link to read the first few chapters of any of Jacky's books.

Coming Soon

Only a few days until the fourth Bryant Rockwell cuts a swathe.

Edge of the Blade follows the adventures of Jude (the sporty one) as she struggles with the restrictions placed on her by a system which values academic achievements above sporting prowess.
But no amount of people, even her best friends, frowning at her refusal to toe the line will stop Jude from pursing her dream of competing in the National Championships in Coventry's Planet Ice. Even if she has to make her own way there.

"Humour, romance, clever writing, and a hint of danger."

Ummm ... anyone seen September?

Seriously??? I know the month only has 30 days, but did every single one of them go without me putting pen to paper (or fingertips to keyboard)? And there was an equinox somewhere in the middle which kinda came and went uncelebrated, although I did get to Wales a couple of days later. A mountain was climbed, paths were missed, but no mountain rescue required this time! Here's this year's discovery - a bottomless (almost) magical blue lagoon, hidden from sight (or sign!) in a disused slate quarry. Tranquility and Serenity, with a healthy dose of pot-filled bubbles.

Ho hum. Kinda goes for the whole year, this year - it's been a feeding frenzy of editing, publishing and promoting (4 new books with at least one more before the end of the year), and one total revamp which almost felt like a new book. All interspersed with trips to Wales (12 of them, varying from 2 to 6 days - just over 50 days in total.
I know you've seen this kinda thing before, but this is what summer '17 felt like. Roll on November when the site closes down and I get some of my life back.

New Kid revamped - are you up for a Beta Read?

Much as it pains me, I couldn't go with New New Kid in Town - despite what you think, I'm not quite that bad. 😉

But after a couple of comments from people requesting to know a little more about how these three friends met, and why Dirty Diana has it in for Liv, I've added a couple of chapters looking back at our gang in year seven. It's like in Harry Potter, when you get to Order of the Phoenix and go back to watch Philosopher's Stone - too-oo cute!

If you've already got your copy, a new version should be winging its way to you shortly, I just have a couple more hoops to jump through first.

If you've no idea what I'm talking about, click here and read the look inside. I'm afraid you missed out on the 99p/99c deal, but if you don't get in before this total Billy-bargain disappears, I'm looking for people who are happy to leave an honest review in return for a free copy.
If this is you, sign up here.
If you're not sure, and want to find out more, click here.

More Soundtrack Lyrics

Well done to everyone who joined in my favourite kind of torture; those dratted lyrics stay in your head for ages until you work it out - and then some! I still get this one haunting me every time I hear the song: "Flies are in your pea soup, baby, they're waving at me."

Of course, with the internet, it's way too easy to look them up, but try for at least ten minutes before resorting to that. If you didn't find the answer to the last lot, they're in the comment at the bottom of the post two below this one.

Here's the next bunch - all I need is the titles.
If you want a bit of a clue, scroll down, but give yourself a chance, first.

From the Archer soundtrack

One look, could kill - my pain, your thrill,
I want to love you but I better not touch,
I want to kiss you, but I want it too much

From the Slater soundtrack

Stop messin' round with your tricks,
Don't turn your back on me baby,
You just might pick up my magic sticks

From the New Kid in Town soundtrack

I'll shoot it to you straight,
and look you in the eye,
So gimme just a minute and I'll tell you why


A heads up: a heck of a lot of titles come from my fave artists: Journey, Queen, Bowie, City Boy, Whitesnake - pretty much anything rock related. But there are other genres, including a few novelty ones with song titles which fit the action.

Clues:
Archer - This Planet Rock DJ has a way of dealing with his enemies
Slater - An enchanted lady who's gone to the dark side in a Northern harbour town
New Kid - Beards abound where this crude lad lives

If you think you know the answer, add a comment below and, even better, leave me a lyric from your fave tune to see if I can guess it.

Sizzling Summer Solstice Release

What a day!
It started in a caravan in Wales after the most magical long weekend to treat hubby to an unforgettable Father's day break evah. I'm talking secret Blue Lagoons and everything.
At 3:33am, I packed the car and drove 128 miles almost due East in mostly traffic-free roads, watching not only the sun rising over fabulous Welsh mountains but, prior to that, a cheeky little crescent moon fending off the wispy clouds to dance across the sky. Heavenly!

After 5 days with virtually no internet, everything pulled together to make the release of Leader of the Pack the fastest to date.
So here it is: the third book for a mere 99p/99cents for three days.
As always, thanks to Icy for a great cover and Hannah, Alice, Paula and Ace for some nifty editing.

Here's the short blurb:

Why are boys like buses? None for years, then three turn up at once. Like a game show contestant, Liv has to choose between them.
   Terry seems shy and afraid, but on the stage or on ice skates he morphs into a virile, leading man. But is he man enough to cope with Liv’s dynamic personality and pithy snark?
   When a secret admirer sends a rose and sonnet, the smooth, Shakespeare-quoting waiter seems the obvious candidate. Danger and excitement lurk behind this door when Liv discovers the charming James hides a shady past.
   Drop-dead-gorgeous Ray ticks all Liv’s boxes. His wheelchair might stop him from doing the Argentine Tango, but so far, no boy will dance with her. The universe conspires to keep them apart; why else would she black out each time he kisses her?
   The prize? Her sanity, her memory and her heart.

I'll name that tune in ...

Just a bit of fun. Here are lyrics from three songs for you to guess the titles.
Each one is taken from the soundtrack of one of my books - something I do to give me an awesome playlist while I'm busy scribbling.

So here's the first batch.
If you want a bit of a clue, scroll down, but give yourself a chance, first.

From the Archer soundtrack
There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man 
and bring him to the ground,
You can beat him, 
you can cheat him,
you can treat him bad
and leave him when he's down

From the Slater soundtrack
And for love's sake, each mistake, 
Ah, you forgave
And soon both of us learned to trust
Not run away, it was no time to play
We build it up and build it up and build it up, And now it's ...

From the New Kid in Town soundtrack
You look in her eyes; 
the music begins to play,
Hopeless romantics, here we go again,
But after a while 
you're looking the other way
It's those restless hearts that never mend.


A heads up: a heck of a lot of titles come from my fave artists: Journey, Queen, Bowie, City Boy, Whitesnake - pretty much anything rock related. But there are other genres, including a few novelty ones with song titles which fit the action.

Clues:
Archer - This happens a lot when jousting (think "A Knight's Tale")
Slater - A property associated with Stonehenge (think of my favourite music)
New Kid - Bit of a giveaway (think of Uncle Sam's favourite bird)

If you think you know the answer, add a comment below and, even better, leave me a lyric from your fave tune to see if I can guess it.

May the Fourth be with you

Ok, so if I didn't use that phrase today, you'd be  looking for pods in the greenhouse and worrying about aliens invading my body. I am, after all cliche queen.
It was part of the reason I chose the date, the rest being to do with the end of Mercury's retrograde jaunt through Taurus, causing chaos in anything connected to business. Now it's gone direct in Aries, a lovely, fiery creative energy is touching all my efforts.
"You don't really believe in that, stuff, do you, Jacky?" I hear you ask.
"Yes I do. Big time," I reply.
Suffice to say that in the last few hours before the standstill, I had three major catastrophes all centered around communication. Nuff said.

Weird, esoteric stuff apart, for the next few days, you can get both of the Bryant Rockwell stories at the silly price of $0.99/£0.99.
Here are the elevator pitches:

#1 New Kid in Town: Liv, Jude and Kat are greater than the sum of their parts. Separately they are Brainy, Sporty and Arty. Together they are invincible. Until Drop-Dead-Gorgeous Ray wheels up.

#2 Show Must Go On: Liv's a snarky chocoholic, Luke's a reformed thug. Who better to take Dirty Diana down a peg or two? She totally has it coming.

Described as a pitch-perfect blend of drama and romance for fans of "10 Things I Hate About You" and "Glee," this young adult story is snappy, eclectic and edgy. An enjoyable read which will appeal to anyone with a sense of humour and an ear for the ironic.

Dealing with issues of self-image and peer abuse, this well-written, intriguing series shares many elements with "13 Reasons Why" as the complex characters grapple with issues such as sexuality, bullying and misread signals. It gives a convincing depiction of mercurial teenage relationships and that dreadful sense of hope and fear combined around transforming friendships into relationships when you don't quite dare take the plunge in case your feelings aren't reciprocated.

5-stars with Prestigious Review Sites

I'm so excited. A little over a week until the next Bryant Rockwell comes out and the first in series New Kid In Town gets some awesome 5-star reviews from these leading sites.

Reader's Favorite

I love this beautiful gong from Reader's Favorite - the first time I've submitted a book there. So-oo cool and shiny. These are some of the nice things Sefina Hawke says:
"A well written teenage romance that shows all the details of the high school experience - the fun, jealousy, ugliness, petty fights, and true friendship. The romance elements fitted perfectly with the plot and were the right balance of lust, love, and friendship."
Check out the rest here.

Book Viral
After loving the Hengist books, I wasn't sure what these guys would make of pure romance.

"New Kid In Town will appeal to anyone who has a sense of humour and an ear for the ironic. Gray's dialogue is consistently sharp and snappy, and captures the essence of teen-speak, especially its glib jibes and prickly put-downs.
Not only does it have a surprisingly edgy and intelligent narrative, it also offers a group of main characters who are all capable of holding a reader’s interest on their own."

Check out the rest here.

Paisley Piranha
Another new site for me - so thrilled to have the awesome YA author Katy Haye reviewing my book.

"Oh, this gave me all the feels! New Kid in Town gave such a convincing depiction of mercurial teenage relationships and that dreadful sense of hope and fear combined around transforming friendships into relationships when you don’t quite dare take the plunge in case your feelings aren’t reciprocated.".

paisleypiranha

Check out the rest here.

Brand New YA Series

Blimey, that was quick.
You can now get New Kid In Town in US for 99cents or in UK for 99p and in Europe for 0.99 euros, by clicking here.

I have to take a moment to thank three phenomenally talented ladies for their help in getting this one out there:
   Hannah Sullivan, my editor, for her patience and skill,
   Icy Sedwick, my cover designer, for her Artistry, and
   Alice Bell, an incredibly supportive Beta Reader.
Thank you for your awesome efforts on my behalf.

To read a little more about the characters, click here.
Here's the link to preview/buy.

Last Chance Saloon

Sorry, but you know me and cliches!
Archer will only remain free (and Rory at $0.99/99p), for one week - from 22nd March, they will both return to full price of $4.99/£4.11.

Your last chance to buy these at knock down prices.
=====================================

Download Archer for #FREE from Amazon or your chosen bookseller by clicking here.

Rory can be bought on Amazon or your chosen bookseller here.

Already got them both and waiting for Reagan to drop down?
Here's an idea: send me a link to your review (of either book) on Amazon, or any other platform, and I'll enter you into a competition to win a copy of Reagan for free. Can't say fairer than that.

Cheers
    Jacky

Excited? I should coco.

After months of furtling, the 1st in the Bryant Rockwell series, New Kid In Town, is finally fit for human consumption. If you want to get in on the launch of this exciting new series, I'm always looking for new opinions to help cross t's, dot i's and iron out wrinkles. In my humble experience, no matter how good your editor and beta team are, there are always a couple of things which slip past even the most eagle of eyes.

One of my FOs (frequent offenders) is to re-name a character at the last minute and not catch every occurrence of the name (despite any number of global search and replaces.

You can find out more in the post below this one. If you are interested in helping to launch the book, click here to join the team.
Cheers
    Jacky

10 Things I Love About This

This is one of my regular watch-again movies, based on what has to be my all-time favourite Shakespeare play, "The Taming of the Shrew."
Not just because of the chance to remind myself how much I miss Heath Ledger, but because it's well written, well acted and has so many great characters/scenes.

So after an intense, full-on Christmas, I spent a lot of time just vegging out in front of Netflix, but you can't do this ALL day long, so I dug out a series of stories I started writing last millenium (blimey Jupiter, get that exaggeration hence!). I wrote the first three in two years, less than two decades ago, in 1999/2001. The last three took seven and a half years to write, because guess what, I was teaching!
I'd completely forgotten about all the Shakespeare references - the guys are studying "Twelfth Night" and even go to see it being performed in Stratford. In my head the series is a cross between "Glee" in the US and "Waterloo Road" in the UK with plenty of action, drama and teenage angst - mainly the romantic kind.

Returning to the characters, they were just as compelling to me as when I first met them:
    Liv - a witty polymath convinced she's fat and a Queen Bitch
   Jude - an all-round sporting star destined to be an ice-skating Olympian
   Kat - an ethereal Irish songbird with a dark secret

This trio are torn apart by the guys in their lives
    Ray - smart, charming, but a chip on both shoulders after a car accident curtailed his swimming career
    Luke - an angry jock who narrowly escaped juvie court after a "joy-ride" went bad
    Terry - a nervous wimp who turns into a leading man on stage or in the ice rink
    Jimmy - a motorbike-riding sixth-former leading a rough gang

So far, the feedback from my lovely editor and several Beta-readers is a big thumbs up, but I'd love to hear from you if you want to help me out with your take on the first book. Click here to join the team.