• BB giveway
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    Launch Week Giveaway – Boardwalk Dreams and a giftcard

    November 13, 2020
    BB giveway

    It’s launch week for Boardwalk Bound and I want you to fall in love with the Carmichaels.

    To celebrate the release I want to give you a chance to win the second book in the series – Boardwalk Dreams so you can keep on with your Carmichael’s reading.

    Boardwalk Beginnings (The Carmichaels of Cinnamon Bay Book 1) is #free on all platforms
    and to celebrate I am giving away 1 x Ebook copy of Boardwalk Dreams (The Carmichaels of Cinnamon Bay Book 2) and 1x $5 Amazon Giftcard!
    To Enter: Sign up here for my newsletter ↓
    Post a screenshot in the comments and I will pick 1 lucky winner!
    Giveaway closes November 15th 2020
    And don’t forget to get download a copy of Boardwalk Bound today!
    Title: Boardwalk Bound (The Carmichaels of Cinnamon Bay Book 5)
    Blurb ↓
    What happens when your greatest ally turns out to be a perfect stranger?
    Welcome back to Cinnamon Bay, where the neighbors know your business and one sip of the Cafe Amour can make you fall in love. If you believe in that kind of thing.
    Award winning actress India Rose Carmichael hasn’t been back to Cinnamon Bay for more than a day in years. When she should be celebrating the peak of her career, she’s wondering how she landed herself with a cheating ex—who was also her manager! Looking to escape Hollywood, she turns to the director of the Cinnamon Bay Film festival, who she’s been corresponding with for a few years, and offers him a deal: hide her away for two weeks, from the media and her erstwhile family, and she’ll help promote the festival to bring in tourists and money.
    Finn Jameson should have said no to India Rose, but the high school vice-principal, and part-time film festival director, knew she must be desperate if she’s looking to him for help. What he forgot to factor in was that having one of the world’s most beautiful women in his home would prove more than a little tempting, especially when she’s also sweet vulnerable and very much alone. When the world and her estranged family find out India Rose is in Cinnamon Bay their relationship goes from friendship to fake romance and the lines between dreams and reality become blurred.
    Everyone has an opinion on what should happen between them, if only they all agreed. Can a small-town guy and a big time actress find a way to build a love that will last?
    Fans of Brenda Novak, Nora Roberts, and Robyn Carr will fall head over heels for this delightful beachy romance.
    Delve into a new world of romance, mystery, and magic in the quirky coastal town of Cinnamon Bay, North Carolina. Scroll up and one-click to start reading BOARDWALK BOUND by USA Today bestselling author Monique McDonell today!
    Image may contain: 8 people
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  • Blog

    Competition – Me and My Pie – a chance to win an Amazon GC

    December 28, 2019

    11/25/2014

    NaNoWriMo Participant 2014 BadgeIt’s Wednesday. Did you know that? Somehow I missed the start of the week and bam, here I am.

    One reason is I finished (won as they say) #NaNoWriMo on Monday. 24 days, 50,000 words no wonder some things slipped, like blogging. Oh well, we’re back on track now.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate. I do because even though I am Australian, i like the idea of sitting with family and being grateful. There’s not enough gratitude in the world. I’m certainly not thankful enough in my day to day life so any opportunity to be thankful I embrace. It’s a good reminder – and there is pie.

    This week two of my books are 99c. Any Way You Like it which features plenty of pies and Alphabet Dating which features two Thanksgivings.

    For details visit my Amazon Author Page

    COMPETITION – ME AND MY PIE
    And I’m running a competition this week. Take a photo of you and your Thanksgiving pie(s) and share here or on Facebook to go in the running to win a $20 Amazon GC. (I’ll do a random draw among the entrants).

    I’ll upload my own pie photos when I’ve made my pies.

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  • Blog

    A competition for the launch of Building Attraction

    December 27, 2019

    10/31/2013

    Building Attraction - Monique McDonell - CoverI’m launching Building Attraction this Tuesday, November 5, 2013.

    That’s exciting news isn’t it? Well I think so- hence the big print.

    Did you know that also happens to be a very big day in the Australian calendar – Melbourne Cup Day. If you don’t know it’s a very famous horse race – it’s Australia’s version of the Kentucky Derby. People have long, lunches, bet on the fillies and possibly have a champagne or two.

    As you can see from the cover here is a horse or two in Building Attraction.

    Here’s the book blurb:
    Hers has been a life of too many responsibilities and his has been a life of too few. Could the thing that initially repelled them from each other finally be the ultimate source of attraction?

    Holly Adams has two jobs in the city, two petulant teenage sisters to support, a farm with a big mortgage and a terrible secret that propels her forward. Brad Winchester has a reputation for being a spoilt playboy who has abandoned his family business but he also has a secret that has finally brought him home.

    When they are forced to together at work (Holly works at the cut-throat PR Consultancy that handles his family’s account Winchester Homes – They don’t build homes, they build dreams”) a series of misunderstandings has them at odds.

    Still while working together they learn they have more in common than either might have imagined – common friends, family loyalty and dreams of something different. When life keeps pushing them in each other’s paths they must decide whether this is an attraction that might be worth building on after all.

    ***
    Would you like to win a copy of Building Attraction and a prize?

    There are two ways to win:
    1. If you’re a regular follower of my blog, my Facebook author page or on twitter this one isn’t to hard (Hint: pretend it is my horse)… Guess what I named the horse in the novel? That’s it. What is Holly’s horse called? Tell me in the comments
    section and which prize you would like with your e-book – a tote or a mug!

    2. Choose your own name for the horse and I’ll choose one at random. Tell me in the comments section and which prize you would like with your e-book – a tote or a mug!

    Simple….leave a comment here on the BLOG…the prizes are an e-book and a mug or an e-book and a tote – you choose your prize.

    Good luck and I hope you back a winner.

    Building Attraction Tote and Mug

    Comments

    Nic Herrmann
    10/31/2013 04:25:51 pm

    Mmmm sorry Monique I clearly don’t read your blog😥

    Karen Mate
    11/1/2013 11:33:50 am

    Sapphire. I would love to have one of tote bags and an ebook!
    Reply
    Monique
    11/4/2013 03:12:06 pm

    Karen looks like you won! 🙂 I’ll send you the book via Amazon…I’ll need you to e-mail me your address so I can send the tote bag!

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  • Blog

    Jan 11-14 New Years Blog Hop

    December 24, 2019

    1/10/2013

    New Years Blog Hop
    Hearts AfireWell hello there. I am participating in the IWU New Year Blog Hop this weekend.

    It runs from January 11-14 and by participating you can win lots of exciting prizes including:
    * A Kindle Fire
    * A $100 Amazon Gift card
    * 15 signed paperbacks
    * 30 e-books
    To find out what to do to enter visit the main site following the link below or by clicking on the logo above or in the sidebar.
    http://nyhop.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/iwu-holiday-blop-hop-december-10-14.html

    There are lots of wonderful authors across many genres participating. I hope you find a new favourite or two as you visit their many sites.

    Every author participating is also doing their own giveaway and I’m giving away an e-book of Hearts Afire.

    Simply comment below on this page to be eligible to win – simply tell me the most recent book you’ve read and you’re in the draw!

     

     

    Comments

    Crystal Young
    1/11/2013 04:08:39 pm

    Freak of Nature by Julia Crane
    Thanks for being part of this blog

    Stacy Green – Get Twisted!
    1/12/2013 12:03:47 am

    Currently reading Slices of Night by Erica Spindler, JT Ellison, and Alex Vaga. Very good.

    Tina M
    1/12/2013 05:21:06 am

    Release Me..Thanks for a Great Hop..Got to keep hopping!!

    Stacey
    1/12/2013 06:18:32 am

    Thanks for the stop 🙂
    Reading Worth the Weight by Mara Jacobs

    vera mallard
    1/12/2013 07:10:58 am

    hope I win the book, great hop

    Booksie
    1/12/2013 07:23:12 am

    The most recent book I’ve read is Down to You by ML Leighton.

    Thank you for the giveaway!

    Jeannie Platt
    1/12/2013 09:39:55 am

    Thanks for being part of the hop… I read A tale of Two Djinns by Mina Khan.

    Merisha A
    1/12/2013 09:59:55 am

    Baby 6609 by J K Accinni 🙂
    Thanks for the hop!

    Ellen Thompson
    1/12/2013 11:17:16 am

    I am currently reading Gone Country by Lorelei James. Thanks for the great giveaway!

    beth c
    1/12/2013 12:06:09 pm

    thanks for the great giveaway! 🙂 i am actually in the middle of two books and could use a fiction break- ‘eating for beauty’ by david wolfe and ‘1-2-3 magic’ a parenting book! 😀
    happy new year! 🙂

    Ruth Chu
    1/12/2013 12:55:23 pm

    i am reading an ebook that is awesome but cant find the name it was connected to another book i was reading not sure if its the same one

    Lucinda Moebius
    1/12/2013 12:57:35 pm

    I recently just finished the Hunger Games series and am reading both Duracula and Les Miserable. I need a little light reading. EEEK

    Celia
    1/12/2013 01:27:20 pm

    Hi there, the most recent book I’ve read was The House (Heather Marie Adkins – also on the bloghop) and I can highly recommend it 🙂 Happy hopping! Bye, Celia.

    Kai Wong
    1/12/2013 02:04:29 pm

    I have just finished reading Resurrected (Deborah) and Restitution (Amy) by Fran Shaff. They are part of the Tender Mysteries Series.

    Shadow
    1/12/2013 02:51:30 pm

    Hi! Happy New Year! Thank you for the awesome hop and giveaway! 🙂 The most recent book i read was A Table For Three Lainey Reese.

    Suzy
    1/13/2013 04:23:38 am

    Corktown by Ty Hutchinson (another Blog Hop author)
    Thanks for the Hop!

    Jessica Crawford
    1/13/2013 01:07:19 pm

    I am actually reading the SparkPeople cookbook right now. It has way more in it than just healthy recipes 🙂

    Julie Oest
    1/13/2013 01:11:29 pm

    Just finished Carly Phillips’ Summer Lovin’.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Ashfa Anwer
    1/13/2013 08:56:57 pm

    I read Tempest by Julie Cross.
    Thanks for the giveaway.

    Crystal Craig
    1/14/2013 01:39:18 am

    The most recent book I’ve read was How to Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran. 🙂 Thank you for this giveaway!

    kathleen yohanna
    1/14/2013 03:07:52 am

    I am reading “Chocolate Can Kill” by Annie Acorn.

    Tina M
    1/20/2013 04:11:54 am

    Who Won???
    Reply
    Monique
    1/20/2013 05:58:54 am

    The winner – chosen at random is Lucinda Moebius. I posted it a couple of days back…sorry you missed it!

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  • Blog

    In honour of my birthday…a competition.

    December 21, 2019

    8/23/2012

    Mr Right and Other Mongrels MugToday it is my birthday. I don’t know what to say.
    I thought I’d run a quiz and a little give away.

    Into the comment box, the questions cut and paste.
    Answer them by Monday, you have no time to waste.

    And you could win a mug or a paperback book
    So come and do my little quiz, please do take a look!

    Ok cheesy poem over.
    Answer the questions below and you could win a mug or a paperback.

    Which do you prefer out of the following? There are no right or wrong answers.

    1. Mountain or sea?
    2. Ocean or lake?
    3. Blue eyes or brown?
    4. Martini or daiquiri?
    5. e-book or paperback?
    6. Coffee or tea?
    7. Chips or cake?
    9. Red wine or white?
    10. Dinner or dessert?

    I’ll put my own answers up later.

    Comments

    Elaine
    8/23/2012 09:57:04 am

    1. Mountain or sea? SEA
    2. Ocean or lake? OCEAN
    3. Blue eyes or brown? BROWN
    4. Martini or daiquiri? DAIQUIRI
    5. e-book or paperback? E-BOOK
    6. Coffee or tea? COFFEE
    7. Chips or cake? CAKE
    9. Red wine or white? RED
    10. Dinner or dessert? DESSERT

    Gwen
    8/23/2012 09:59:15 am

    1. Mountain or sea? mountain
    2. Ocean or lake? lake
    3. Blue eyes or brown? brown
    4. Martini or daiquiri? daiquiri
    5. e-book or paperback? paperback
    6. Coffee or tea? coffee
    7. Chips or cake? chips
    9. Red wine or white? white
    10. Dinner or dessert? dinner
    thanks Mon! For a great fun contest

    Linda Gauthier
    8/23/2012 09:59:22 am

    Sea,
    Ocean.
    Brown
    Daiquri
    paperback
    Coffee
    Chips
    Red
    Dinner

    Ellen
    8/23/2012 10:09:23 am

    1. Mountain or sea? Mountain
    2. Ocean or lake? Lake
    3. Blue eyes or brown? Brown
    4. Martini or daiquiri? Martini
    5. e-book or paperback? Paperback
    6. Coffee or tea? Coffee
    7. Chips or cake? Cake
    9. Red wine or white? White
    10. Dinner or dessert? Dinner

    Anna
    8/23/2012 11:36:48 am

    1. Mountain or sea? mountain
    2. Ocean or lake? lake
    3. Blue eyes or brown? blue
    4. Martini or daiquiri? daiquiri
    5. e-book or paperback? ebook
    6. Coffee or tea?tea
    7. Chips or cake?Cake
    9. Red wine or white? white
    10. Dinner or dessert?dessert

    Jen
    8/23/2012 09:34:34 pm

    1. Mountain or sea? Sea
    2. Ocean or lake? Lake
    3. Blue eyes or brown? blue
    4. Martini or daiquiri? Daiquiri
    5. e-book or paperback? ebook
    6. Coffee or tea? coffee
    7. Chips or cake? chips
    9. Red wine or white? red
    10. Dinner or dessert? dinner

    Gisele
    8/23/2012 09:51:31 pm

    1. Mountain or sea? sea
    2. Ocean or lake? lake
    3. Blue eyes or brown? brown
    4. Martini or daiquiri? martini
    5. e-book or paperback? paperback
    6. Coffee or tea? tea
    7. Chips or cake? cake
    9. Red wine or white? red
    10. Dinner or dessert? dinner

    Renee Brown
    8/23/2012 09:55:31 pm

    1. Mountain or sea? sea
    2. Ocean or lake? ocean
    3. Blue eyes or brown? blue
    4. Martini or daiquiri? daiquiri
    5. e-book or paperback? ebook (never thought I’d get to the point where I’d say that!)
    6. Coffee or tea? Diet Coke. 🙂
    7. Chips or cake? cake
    9. Red wine or white? white
    10. Dinner or dessert? dessert

    Betina Miller
    8/24/2012 11:10:55 am

    1. Mountain or sea? – Mountain
    2. Ocean or lake? – Ocean
    3. Blue eyes or brown? – Brown
    4. Martini or daiquiri? – Martini
    5. e-book or paperback? – E-book
    6. Coffee or tea? – Coffee
    7. Chips or cake? – Cake
    9. Red wine or white? – Red
    10. Dinner or dessert? – Dessert

    Nancy
    8/24/2012 11:32:16 am

    1. Mountain or sea? Sea
    2. Ocean or lake? Ocean
    3. Blue eyes or brown? Blue
    4. Martini or daiquiri? Martini
    5. e-book or paperback? ebook
    6. Coffee or tea? coffee
    7. Chips or cake? cake
    9. Red wine or white? red
    10. Dinner or dessert? dessert

    MaryK
    8/25/2012 05:47:12 am

    1. Mountain or sea? Sea
    2. Ocean or lake? Ocean
    3. Blue eyes or brown? Brown
    4. Martini or daiquiri? Martini
    5. e-book or paperback? e-book
    6. Coffee or tea? Coffee
    7. Chips or cake? Cake!
    9. Red wine or white? Red
    10. Dinner or dessert? Dessert

    Happy birthday, Monique!

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  • Blog

    And the winner is…

    December 21, 2019

    8/22/2012

    Today was the day to draw the winner of the paperback of Mr Right and Other Mongrels.
    As you’ll see below I used and extremely high-tech system. Rafflecopter eat your heart out.

    First we put the entries in a hat!
    Hat Winner Selection

    Then my husband drew a name out…he didn’t even know I was running a competition till his hand went in the hat mind you.
    Hat Winner Selected

    And the winner is….
    Winner Name - Isabelle Frisk
    Isabelle Frisch. I don’t know Isabelle so that’s exciting!! (Isabelle look out for an e-mail!)

    Thanks to all who entered. I’ll be doing more competitions soon.

    Comment

    miki
    8/21/2012 06:08:47 pm

    thank you thank you ^^

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  • Blog

    Paperback and don’t look back!

    December 20, 2019

    8/19/2012

    Monique McDonell Reading Mr Right and Other Mongrels
    I know that title doesn’t exactly rock but does rhyme…maybe that’s as good as it gets some days.

    On this beautiful Monday morning I want to let you know that the paperback of Mr Right and Other Mongrels is now available at Amazon and Createspace.

    It’s retailing for $14.99 plus postage.

    I have ordered several copies that will be here next week. So if you’re a local and want one directly from me, complete with my serial killer/bad handwriting signature then send me an e-mail or let me know when I see you.

    If you haven’t entered the competition to win a copy go here and do so.

    I will be announcing the winner on Wednesday!!

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  • Blog

    In Praise of Motherhood – blog tour

    December 20, 2019

    8/8/2012

    Phil Jourdan
    Back in late 2009, when I began
    working on Praise of Motherhood, I had envisioned a book
    very different from what I ended up submitting to my publisher. I’d just lost
    the woman who’d raised me, and when I wasn’t sitting around numb and brooding, I was frantically trying to contain the universe of loss and suffering in a single Word document on my laptop.

    I wanted to write a book that expressed the impossibility of letting go. We’re often told, when someone close
    to us dies, that we have to move on, that things will get better. I couldn’t accept this back then: I didn’t think it was possible to let go of my mother, who had been so patient and kind during my weird teenage years.

    The first two versions were entirely different from each other in form and tone, but they did have a certain
    delight in chaos in common. I was mourning the only way I knew how: by adopting a hundred different voices, each trying to say something about my mother that the others couldn’t say. One chapter was pure dialogue; another was a series of letters; for a while I wrote in breathless page-long paragraphs because it was the only way I could feel “honest” about what I felt. I’d swing from rage to self-pity to sadness to bliss to sheer bafflement.

    It was only when I decided to turn this book into something that others could actually read without going insane
    that I figured out how to structure a book like this. I cut a great number chapters because they were “honest” but unhelpful. I tried to make myself a sort of antagonist, so my mother’s qualities as a human being could be emphasized. I
    left things relatively ambiguous instead of offering anything like words of wisdom to my readers. I tried to leave the book as open as the wound that stayed after my mother died.

    This has irritated some people. They ask why I don’t provide a real sense of what my mother was like on a
    day-to-day basis, or why I focused so much on how she affected my life instead of just writing about her, as a person in her own right. Fair questions — but I never set out to just “write about my mom”. I wanted to write about the struggle
    of losing her, and what made losing her so painful. That’s why I ask questions in the book that I never really answer: because I was never able to answer them myself. They are questions that will remain.

    Praise of Motherhood isn’t a book praising all mothers across all ages. It’s not meant to praise the idea of “motherhood” itself as some glorious ideal. I wrote this book because I wanted to transmit something of my mother to those who
    didn’t know her; those who, perhaps, need to hear that it’s okay to say you love your mommy and you wish she could still be here when you feel like crying.

    ***
    As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Praise of Motherhood eBook edition is just 99 cents this week. What’s more, by purchasing this fantastic book at an incredibly low price, you can enter to win many awesome prizes.

    The prizes include $500 in Amazon gift cards and 5 autographed copies of the book.

    To enter click below or leave me a comment.
    Praise of Motherhood - Phil Jourdan - Blog Tour

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  • Blog

    Paper-back nearly ready!

    December 20, 2019

    8/1/2012

    Mr Right and Other Mongrels
    So as you may have gathered from my lovely poem yesterday I have had the flu this week. It’s been a shocker.

    I was at lunch last Friday for a friend’s birthday. We were sitting overlooking beautiful Dee Why beach and a pair dolphins were having a lovely play out there in front of us. It was magic. My friend grabbed my hand and said “My what warm hands you have!” (yes just like in Red Riding Hood (ok maybe I shouldn’t have watched all those episodes of Once Upon a Time while I had a fever). To which I replied, “I must have something. I never have warm hands.” (I’m known for always being cold and my appalling circulation…well, in my own family I am).

    Saturday I didn’t feel great and by the time I stood in the cafeteria for an hour and a half at my daughter’s band recital I really felt bad. (It could have been hearing one too many versions of Power Rock by a beginner band that tipped me over). Sunday, I didn’t feel at all well but I went to lunch with my family because everyone was stir crazy. I was in bed by 3pm and pretty much stayed there since…obviously watching Once Upon a Time among other things. Well I did get up a few times but every time it was a bad idea and I headed back as quickly as I could.

    Anyway, the result was I didn’t get any work done much for my real job or my books. So the paperback version of Mr Right and Other Mongrels that I hoped would be up by my July 31 deadline is running a few days behind.

    It has a great looking cover…just a minor twist on the e-book version and it will look fabulous. So if you’ve been asking and waiting not long to go and I do apologise for the delay.

    Win a copy!!
    Don’t forget if you want to win a paperback copy fill in the form here (Closed) on the front page to be in the running.

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  • Blog

    Cover reveal for debut author Mercy Amare/Competition

    December 20, 2019

    7/28/2012

    Don't Tell - Mercy Amare - CoverBlurb:
    I could be surrounded by a million people, but I would still feel alone.
    I smile on the outside, but inside I feel like I’m slowly dying. I cry out for help, but nobody sees me, at least not the real me. They see a façade, a mask that I put on to hide the pain.

    I pretend that I’m normal, but really, what is normal? Maybe what I’m feeling is normal. The hurt, the disappointment, the loneliness… it could be all just be a part of life. Maybe I will never know what normal is.

    I put on long sleeves and makeup to hide the bruises, but they only mask the outside. What happens when I can’t carry my burden alone any longer? What would happen if I told somebody the truth?

    Don’t Tell is a YA Contemporary Romance about love, forgiveness and hope. Coming Fall 2012.

     

     

    How to reach author:
    Blog: http://mercyamare.blogspot.com/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/MercyAmare
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mercy-Amare/466953106650292

    How to win a copy…
    I haven’t yet read this novel but if you would like to be one of the first to do so you could win a copy just comment below and you are in the draw. The book will be delivered via Smashwords so will suit any format or e-reader, iPad etc.

    P.S Looking forward to my own cover reveal of Hearts Afire very soon.

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