Festive Quiz with prizes

I hope you enjoy my Festive Fun Author Advent over the next 24 days.

I have 28,  and still counting,  authors taking part and would love you to visit each day to meet them.

It has been a great blogging/reading/reviewing year and as a thank you to all the authors and followers  I thought I would host my own giveaway( UK addresses only)

So, below are 5 questions, answers can be found in the Author Advent feature.  Please fill in the form below once you have all 5 answers to be entered into the draw. Please do not post the answers in a comment.

As this is my own giveaway, please read the following rules as well as giveaway policy.

UK Addresses Only.

3 entries with correct answers will be chosen using Random.org after the closing date.

Each winner will be able to choose one book or one kindle e-book from  Amazon UK, by the author of their choice from the authors featured in the Festive Fun Author Advent.

One book per winner up to the value of £10 only please.

If you choose a kindle book, I will send you a kindle voucher for the value of that book.

If your chosen novel is no longer available on  Amazon when I go to purchase it, I reserve the right to ask the winner to choose another book by one of the featured authors.

I will not accept responsibility for any undelivered prize.  I will be sending the prizes direct from the book store websites.

Entries to be submitted by 11th January 2013

Good luck and have fun finding the answers!

Question 1

What is Trisha Ashley's favourite Christmas tipple? (Drink)

Question 2

Sue Watson's mother handed down a recipe for an alternative to Mince Pies, what is the recipe for?

Question 3

Who would be Phillipa Ashley's dream Carollers?

Question 4

What is Nicky Well's favourite Christmas book?

Question 5

What is the title of Margaret Jame's latest novel, mentioned in her Author Advent post?

Festive Fun - Day 1 - Phillipa Ashley

Today sees the first in a festive feature for December.


Festive Fun Author Advent will run from 1st Dec -24th Dec
and include many authors who were invited to answer some fun festive questions to get us in the holiday mood.

There will also be a Festive Quiz with prizes (UK addresses only) to go with this Author Advent. The answers can be found in some of the advent posts and you could win a book/ebook of your choice from any of the Advent authors.  Details to follow.

First up is the lovely Phillipa Ashley

Thanks, Phillpa for joining in the fun!

Photo courtesy of the author

What is your favourite Christmas Carol/festive song?

Best festive song is Fairytale of New York but my favourite carol (apart from yourself of course!) is probably Good King Wenceslas - I have a short story in an anthology called Brief Encounters which was inspired by that carol.

What is your favourite festive film/book or both?

If I said Die Hard, would I lose a lot of readers? I tend to love festive drama specials more than movies - such as The Hound of the Baskervilles or Christmas at Downton Abbey. And of course, I have to mention my very own festive movie - 12 Men of Christmas which was based on my novel Decent Exposure/Dating Mr December!

Favourite childhood memory for the season?

Waking up at 3am and opening my presents before mum and dad got up: guess that wasn't their favourite memory.

Tree – Real or Artificial? Why?

Real because we live not too far from Cannock Chase and love heading off to the Forestry Commission centre to choose a tree.

Bucks Fizz or Mulled Wine or other?

Mulled wine - although daughter and I tend to try out a different festive cocktail each year. Winter Pimms is nice too!

Mince pie or Choc Yule Log?

Both at once.

Christmas dinner – Turkey or Beef or other?

Turkey for most of us, my mum in law prefers beef or gammon so we get her something special.

Lunch has been demolished and the dishwasher is on....do you walk, sit down for Eastenders and Queen’s speech or have another tradition for after lunch?

We tend to flop on the sofas while my dad tells his funny stories - usually the same ones we hear every year but we still dissolve into fits of giggles.

You open the door to Carollers, who would be your dream team of Carollers?

The Feeling

Evening buffet has been picked at, still full from lunch, time for board games, who are your dream team and what are you playing?

Twister with my husband and all the heroes from my books - I coulnd't possibly lose, could I?  Failing that, Regency Scrabble with the Bennets - and I want Lizzy and Mr Bennet on my side.

Phillipa's new release is Miranda's Mount which has nothing to do with Christmas!

When Miranda finds herself fighting for her home, her job and her heart, sleeping with the enemy may not be the best tactic...

With no family of her own, Miranda Marshall has developed a healthy respect - some would say obsession - with other people's histories. As property manager of a spectacular island castle in Cornwall, she's made St Merryn's Mount one of the UK's most popular heritage attractions. While she may have the castle running like clockwork, Miranda hasn't bargained on its sexy owner returning to claim his birthright.

Dark, handsome and with a rakish reputation, Jago St Merryn not only looks like a pirate but is intent on flogging the Mount to a soulless leisure corporation. Miranda faces the battle of her life as she tries to persuade him to face up to his past and continue the St Merryn dynasty. But Jago has his own reasons for jumping ship and when he throws down the gauntlet to Miranda, she's forced to delve into painful memories she'd much rather keep hidden . . .

Discover Piatkus Entice: temptation at your fingertips - www.piatkusentice.co.uk

www.phillipa-ashley.com

Twitter: @phillipaashley

Guest Author - Scarlett Bailey

Today I have the honour and pleasure of introducing Chick-lit author Scarlett Bailey, author of MARRIED BY CHRISTMAS

• Publisher: Ebury Press (Fiction) (25 Oct 2012)
• ISBN-13: 978-0091946968

://www.amazon.co.uk/Married-Christmas-Scarlett-Bailey/dp/0091946964/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354102708&sr=8-1

All she wants is perfect Christmas Eve wedding...

It's been on Anna's wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she'd ever experienced.

But now - only two weeks before her big day - her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell...

Only nothing's going to stop Anna's plans - not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

Photos courtesy of the author

What is your favourite Christmas Carol/festive song? 

I really love Bing Crosby's White Christmas, because it evokes my childhood, sitting in front of the TV watching Holiday Inn, and also Judy Garland's version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, its so evocative, festive, but also sad. From a carol point of view I love 'Hark The Herald Angel' I love to tunelessly belt out a good carol! 

What is your favourite festive film/book or both?

I love Holiday Inn, and although its not festive, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without The Sound of Music. I adore that musical, every year I always think to myself that this year I am bored of it, but I never am. And I'm always on the edge of my seat when they are running away from the Nazis! Also Edelweiss is the very last song that Rogers and Hammerstein wrote together, before Hammerstein died of cancer, and it seems so poignant to me. My favourite festive book is a bit trickier, but I love a good ghost story and will read a bit of A Christmas Carol, which I do every year!

Favourite childhood memory for the season?

My favourite childhood memory is the Christmas that my dad built me a dollhouse. He's been making it in secret all year long, and when I came downstairs there it was, sitting under the Christmas Tree. It was the mostly magical gift I have ever received, I had no idea that he was making it, and I was completely thrilled. I'm still a sucker for miniature things.

Tree – Real or Artificial? Why?

I like real trees. I like the smell, the lopsided shape, hoovering up pine needles, just the whole experience. Although I insist in covering my tree in so much shiny stuff you rarely see the tree itself!

Bucks Fizz or Mulled Wine or other?

 I am a Bailey's girl myself (of course!) or a whiskey mac, which is ginger wine with a measure of whiskey in the top, sure to cure all ails, or make it so you don't care about them. 

Mince pie or Choc Yule Log? 

Oh chocolate yule log FOR SURE. Mince pies, they aren't mince, they are fruit! The best thing about them is the Brandy Butter.

Christmas dinner – Turkey or Beef or other? 

We aren't huge Turkey lovers round here, but we are traditionalists, so I will have a small turkey and them something else lovely with it. Beef, this year I think.

Lunch has been demolished and the dishwasher is on....do you walk, sit down for Eastenders and Queen’s speech or have another tradition for after lunch?

It depends, my family is spread across the country, so there is often travelling, I love to play a board games, I wish people did it all year round, just laughing and chatting with friends and family, trying not to give in to seconds until at least 5pm.

You open the door to Carollers, who would be your dream team of Carollers? 

Take That would be a good start, if not them I'll take Johnny Depp, just him, maybe sporting a bow.... I love a sing song, I open the door to Carollers and carol right back at them. Funnily enough they don't stay long....

Evening buffet has been picked at, still full from lunch, time for board games, who are your dream team and what are you playing?

I love Trivial Pursuit because I think I am brilliant at it and will always win. I still think this, even though history has shown I am terrible at it and never win. If I was playing in a team I'd have Johnny, (of course) Stephen Fry and my mum who knows almost everything in the history of the world. Although not how to send an email or text. 

Thank you, Scarlett for answering my festive questions.

Folks, if you enjoyed this Q&A session there is more to come in December

DizzyC

Review: Married by Christmas by Scarlett Bailey

• Publisher: Ebury Press (Fiction) (25 Oct 2012)
• ISBN-13: 978-0091946968

The blurb

All she wants is perfect Christmas Eve wedding...

It's been on Anna's wish-list since she was a little girl, dreaming of a far happier family life than she'd ever experienced.

But now - only two weeks before her big day - her perfect husband-to-be drops a bombshell...

Only nothing's going to stop Anna's plans - not even the pesky inconvenience of discovering her groom already has a wife!

Anna and Tom are due to get married within weeks in Anna's dream Christmas Eve wedding.  Anna is obsessive about every detail of this wedding making the reader wonder if it is more about the wedding rather than the marriage.  

We get to find out why Anna is as obsessive and controlling as she is when we delve into her background.

Tom is ready to accept Anna, warts and all only there is the little matter in the fact that Tom is still married to another woman and forgot to tell Anna, until now.

Anna being so hell bent on her Christmas Eve wedding takes evasive action and jumps on a flight to New York to track down the 1st Mrs Collins in an attempt to get an annulment of their marriage.  Where is Tom? Still at home and confiding in Anna's best friend, Liv.  Liv has something she needs to share with Tom and Anna, too.

Meanwhile, Anna,  has picked up a travelling companion in the shape of Miles,  and lands in New York looking for a needle in a haystack, or a stripper in a nightclub to be exact.  Miles is not just any travelling companion but one that Anna has met before.

This story has all the elements of a festive movie, with some over the top scenes, reminiscent of those festive movies and I could see Jennifer Anniston (with an English accent) playing the part of Anna on the big screen. 

There are some very funny and sharp one liners from Scarlett Bailey. Have we got to wait until next year for another festive frolic from Scarlett?  I hope not!

A fun rom-com that is right up to date and just perfect for the festive season.

8/10 for me!  

Rom-com, love triangle, wedding, Christmas, New York

Thank you to Ebury for sending me a review copy. This did not influence my review.

New Seasonal feature coming soon...

I am getting into the festive spirit. Have started my festive reading and am now accepting the Xmas songs on the radio. 

Watch this space on 1st December when Festive Fun begins and runs daily until Xmas Eve.

I would like to thank all the authors who have joined in with Festive Fun Author Advent and am looking forward to 24 days of guests.

We have a large selection of seasonal cuddlies and last night I got them out along with the props left over from my daughter's party photo booth.  I know what you are thinking, she is losing her marbles.  LOL

Reading AJ's favourite book -
CUDDLY DUDLEY  by  JEZ ALBOROUGH

Dizzy C

W.I.P. Wednesday - Marilyn Chapman

My dear husband babysat our 5 year old all day at the Festival of Romance and just thought he was sitting down to dinner with me when we met another writer, Marilyn Chapman. We had a lovely chat.  

We did have dinner but hubby saw the back of my head for a while. :)

Marilyn Chapman joins me today for WIP Weds

Sophie’s Secret  is the story of two women, a generation apart, whose lives  are shattered  by World War Two long after the last bomb has fallen. A time -shift novel with a twist, Sophie’s Secret was shortlisted for the Festival of Romance 2012 New Talent award.

When 24-year-old Sophie Wainwright joins a Yorkshire newspaper as a cub reporter in the 1960’s, she uncovers a world full of sexism and misogyny.

But work is soon disrupted by the appearance of her estranged mother,whose fragile sanity is threatened by a long-held secret.  Determined to stay single,Sophie nevertheless has two  admirers;office Romeo Steve Sibson and the mysterious David Newby, who appears to have an agenda of his own.

As David pursues the truth about Sophie’s childhood, she finds herself sucked into a mysterious world unlike anything she has ever known…

Will the truth bring David and Sophie together?  Or will Steve change his ways in order to win  the woman he loves?

My first novel, Occupying Love, currently being considered for publication, is set in the German Occupation of the Channel Islands in World War Two.

 My career has included journalism, public relations, estate agency, recruitment and training.

You can find me on facebook and on guernseygirlie.blogspot.com, where a sense of humour  is always recommended!

More, yes more, for the weekend

After posting my 'Something for the weekend' post yesterday I have found more interesting bargains for this
weekend......
(As always, check price b4 u click!)

Last weekend, one of the many authors I met was the lovely Carole Matthews.
I purchased a paperback copy of her latest novel WITH LOVE AT CHRISTMAS
It is available on Kindle for £3.99 at the moment

With Love At Christmas link

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I also met the lovely Trisha Ashley , who signed a copy of A WINTER'S TALE, which is one of her novels I had not yet read.

This weekend TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS is available on Kindle for 99p

Twelve days of Christmas link

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Nicola May, winner of the Best published author at Festival of Romance last weekend

with THE SCHOOL GATES has 4 novels at 77p each on Kindle at the moment.

The School Gates

Better Together

Working it Out

Starfish

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Talli Roland, who read from her newest novel, yet to be released THE POLLYANNA PLAN, has a novella, MISTLETOE IN MANHATTAN available on kindle for 77p

Mistletoe in Manhattan

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Also,  Ali McNamara is celebrating the launch of FROM NOTTING HILL TO NEW YORK....ACTUALLY this week.

It is available on kindle for £3.99 and paperback for £3.86

From Notting Hill to New York...Actually - Kindle

From Notting Hill to New York....Actually - Paperback

DizzyC

Something for the weekend 23/11

Looking for something to read this chilly November weekend?

(Freebies at the end of post, Please do check price b4 u click)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/House-Silence-Linda-Gillard/dp/1479237086/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1353680450&sr=1-1

Linda Gillard is celebrating the release of HOUSE OF SILENCE as paperback. House of Silence was a  great success as a Kindle ebook and was selected by Amazon UK for their Top 10 "Best of 2011" in the Indy Author category.

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I recently featured a new series, RIDUNA (The Riduna Series) -by DIANA JACKSON

Now this series is available on Kindle, too.

Kindle edition link

Kindle edition link

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You Had Me At Hello by Mhairi  McFarlane is 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/You-Had-Me-Hello-ebook/dp/B008B0SRXI/ref=zg_bs_digital-text_3

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• The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton is only £1.99 on Kindle today
• http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Secret-Keeper-ebook/dp/B008PQ8XZK/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1353679041&sr=8-1

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Winter Warmers by Carole Matthews  is FREE today on Kindle

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Warmers-Carole-Matthews-ebook/dp/B00A3BO78C/ref=zg_bstf_digital-text_15

*************************************

• Bah, humbug by Heather Horrocks is FREE today
• http://www.amazon.co.uk/Humbug-Romantic-Christmas-Novella-ebook/dp/B005ME39HU/ref=zg_bstf_digital-text_24

*************************************

Six Geese a Laying by Sophie Kinsella is FREE today

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Geese--Laying-Christmas-Short-ebook/dp/B006H4DBA4/ref=zg_bstf_digital-text_34

This weekend I have 2 books on the go.....

MARRIED BY CHRISTMAS by Scarlett Bailey   and

BEFORE I MET YOU by Lisa Jewell

Have a good weekend, folks

DizzyC

Review: Ninepins by Rosy Thornton

• Publisher: Sandstone Press Ltd (16 April 2012)
• ISBN-13: 978-1905207855
• Also available on Kindle

At the weekend I was lucky enough to meet and chat with Rosy Thornton at the Festival of Romance.

Rosy read from her latest novel Ninepins which was fantastic for me as a fan of her writing and also because it was my current read at that time.

Rosy was celebrating an award win from the East Anglian Book Awards, sponsored by the Eastern Daily Press and Jarrolds, which took place at the Assembly Rooms, Norwich on 15th Nov 2012. 

Ninepins won the prize for fiction (novels and short stories).
Congratulations, Rosy!

Photos courtesy of the author

The awards were presented by Sophie Hannah 
Rosy says "I'm a huge fan of hers, so was very excited to meet her." 

Rosy and her award

My review

The blurb

Deep in the Cambridgeshire fens, Laura is living alone with her 12-year old daughter Beth, in the old tollhouse known as Ninepins. She's in the habit of renting out the pumphouse, once a fen drainage station, to students, but this year she's been persuaded to take in 17-year-old Willow, a care-leaver with a dubious past, on the recommendation of her social worker, Vince. Is Willow dangerous or just vulnerable? It's possible she was once guilty of arson; her mother's hippy life is gradually revealed as something more sinister; and Beth is in trouble at school and out of it. Laura's carefully ordered world seems to be getting out of control. With the tension of a thriller, NINEPINS explores the idea of family, and the volatile and changing relationships between mothers and daughters, in a landscape that is beautiful but - as they all discover - perilous.

Laura, single mum to Beth aged 12 takes on a new lodger for the pumphouse next to her remote house in The Fens.  Previous tenants have always been students, but due to the persuasion of Vince allows a young 17 year old, Willow, leaving care to move into the pumphouse.

Willow has had a difficult past and as Laura and her daughter Beth get to know her more about her past is known.  Vince, is Willow's social worker and spends quite of bit of time with the family as they help Willow to make the move from care to independence. 

As a fan of Rosy Thornton's novel The Tapestry of Love I was delighted to read Ninepins, which is in the same style of storytelling. The setting, in this case the very rural landscape of The Fens in Cambridgeshire,  is as much a part of the  story as the characters. The Fens is a very unpredictable landscape, one I drive through sometimes on my way to Ely or the coast, but would not want to live in for that very reason.  I read this novel fearing what would happen next knowing that bad weather or the dark can change The Fens very quickly and make it perilous.

In this novel mother-daughter relationships are explored through Willow's story and Beth's story. The author captures the fears of a mother with an asthmatic child, who is becoming more independent, very accurately. 

I loved this novel, not only because I could identify with Laura, but also because it was set in a familiar setting.  

The Fens,  Asthma,  Mother-daughter relationships,  foster care


10 out of 10 for me!

The Award in a Fens setting
which is where the novel is set

Review copy

Josie Brown - Ebook giveaway

Josie Brown, Author of The Housewife Assassin's series, 

Amazon's Top 100 Romance Suspense entry,

is generously offering 3 readers an ecopy of her novel

Read an excerpt here

and then complete the form below to be in with a chance to win one of 3 e-copies 

The Housewife Assassin's Handbook (Book 1)

On Sale Now, Amazon only

The Housewife Assassin's Guide to Gracious Killing (Book 2)
On Sale Now, Amazon only

The Housewife Assassin's Killer 2-Book Set (Books 1 and 2)
Available NOW, on Amazon, Kobo, BN.com and Apple iTunes Bookstore 

The Housewife Assassin's Killer Christmas Tips (Book 3)
Available December 1, 2012 on Amazon, Kobo, BN.com and Apple iTunes 

The Housewife Assassin's Bloody Valentine (Book 4)

Available February 7, 2012, on Amazon, Kobo, BN.com and Apple iTunes

www.JosieBrown.com

www.TheHousewifeAssassinsHandbook.com

www.AuthorProvocateur.com

Please see giveaway policy

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Festival of Romance 2012 - with blurry photos!

Hi folks,

I am just back from the Festival of Romance 2012 - Bedford, UK. 
WARNING - NAME DROPPING ALERT!

I had a superb time meeting some wonderful authors and publishers for most of Saturday.

Unfortunately, my ALL photos are blurry from the event :(  

I picked up some new books :)

I have coffee and cake with some great authors including 

Carole Matthews, who signed her latest book for me, 
Miranda Dickinson who shared wedding news,
Hazel Osmond, who welcomed me in, thank you Hazel
Rosy Thornton, who had a lovely chat with me,
Rowan Coleman, who was celebrating her award,
Trisha Ashley, who also signed a book for me, 
Phillipa Ashley, who had a chat, too
Georgia Hill, new author to me, who had a lovely chat with me.
Liz Fenwick, Margaret James (I missed getting a chance to say hello), Kate Allan,
Sarah from I am Reading and more.

I then went to the Corn Exchange Fair met up and chatted with

Nicky Wells, briefly on her way into a lift to get some lunch :)
Kim Nash, we met up again later at the Rock Party.  Kim kindly saw me back to the hotel, too. Thanks Kim :)
Rowan Coleman,
Sheryle Browne and the Safhket team, 
Carol E Wyer, Sue Fortin, Linn B Halton, Mandy Baggot from Love a Happy Ending
Trisha Ashley,
Sarah Tranter, Christina Courtenay, Liz Fenwick and Liz Harris from Choc Lit

Nicky Wells when she returned from lunch :)

Sheryl Browne :)

Carol and Carol  (Wyer)  - Kim just to the right

Sarah Tranter, Liz Harris, Christina Courtenay, Liz Fenwick
and Fiona Harper

I needed lunch a a pink of diet coke after that.  I was actually hoarse from all the chatting :)
I met up with my husband David and little Alfie for lunch.  They were having a boy's day.

Later at the Rock Star Party I met up again with
Kim Nash from Kim the Bookworm book blog,
I waved across the room to Carol Wyer and Sheryle Browne :)
Chatted with Sarah Tranter, and Gilli Allan
sat next to Sue Moorcroft but did not have chance to chat,
have a photo with Mandy Baggot and Kim Nash.  Do hope your photos are better ladies.

Mandy Baggot :)

Kim from Kim the Bookworm book blog.

At dinner Saturday evening I met a lovely lady, Marilyn Chapman, I shall be on the look out for her novel.  We had a lovely chat whilst our poor husbands saw the back of our heads over dessert LOL

This morning I managed to catch up with Jean Fullerton. I was disappointed to miss her yesterday, but glad I caught her over the orange juice this morning :)

I did miss meeting Charlotte Betts who will be there today.  


DizzyC