• Blog

    Here Comes the Bride Blog Hop

    December 28, 2019

    9/28/2015

    Here Comes the Bride Blog Hop - Promo Banner
    Welcome to the Here Comes The Bride Blog Hop
    Hearts Afire
    here we are on the first hop of the Here Comes The Bride Blog Hop. Please stop by all of the stops on the hop this week (details at the bottom) and be sure to enter our competition to win copies of ebooks from all five authors on the hop.

    ***

    Character interview with Cassie Callahan from Hearts Afire.

    Let’s find out a little bit about Cassie and her wedding day.
    Were you nervous on the big day?
    Actually I really wasn’t nervous at all, I thought I was marrying someone who really got me. I guess that shows what I knew because my fiancé called to say he’d changed his mind on the morning of the wedding and he wasn’t coming.

    Then I was more mad than nervous.

    Did anything go wrong?
    You heard what I just said right? I was jilted on the day of my wedding. Still that actually wasn’t the worst thing that happened that day, believe it or not. I’m a caterer so I decided to cater my own wedding (okay in hindsight maybe not a great idea) and in all the fuss my sister left the stove on and the kitchen caught fire so the fire brigade turned up. I think the real question should be – did anything go right that day?

    Be honest were you a total bridezilla? (Or do you have a Bridezilla story?)
    It turned out was not even a little bit bridezilla, in fact my fiancé chose my wedding dress – maybe he was a groomzilla. Is that a thing? It should be. I am a caterer so I have dealt with my fair share of highly string brides so I think that made me extra anxious about not being one.

    Bridesmaids, how many is too many?
    Well I was only having two, my sister (more about her later) and my best friend Miranda. I think even one bad bridesmaid is one bridesmaid too many. I never wanted to be like Julia Roberts in Steel Magnolias…so many bridesmaids.

    You can’t have a wedding without family – how did yours behave in the lead-up to the wedding or on the day?
    I don’t have much family. My parents were killed when I was a teenager so it’s always been my sister and I…she set the kitchen on fire and then came with me on my solo honeymoon with me (may as well use the tickets). However she abandoned me on the honeymoon so all in all I guess my family didn’t exactly have my back.

    Are you still a believer in the happily ever after?
    You know what a funny thing happened since my botched wedding day. I’ve started to see that maybe I was with the wrong guy all along and that maybe the right guy isn’t too far away at all.

    Follow the Here Comes The Bride Blog Hop authors and enter our giveaway
    Monday – Monique McDonell
    Tuesday – Samantha March/ChickLitPlus
    Wednesday – Laura Chapman
    Thursday – Nikki Mahood
    Friday – Kathleen  Irene Paterka

     

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  • Blog

    Find Your Next Chick Lit Read / #ChickLitMay Giveaway!

    December 28, 2019

    5/17/2015

    May is International Chick Lit Month. Let’s be honest—it’s the best month of the year! Every year, chick lit readers and writers get together to celebrate, share, discuss and gush about their favorite book genre. Not familiar with chick lit or Chick Lit Month?

    Visit internationalchicklitmonth.com for more information.

    This year marks the fifth anniversary of ICLM. To celebrate, a bunch of enthusiastic authors got together and made an infographic to help readers find their next chick lit read. We’re giving away 19 ebooks to 19 lucky readers. Just enter to win the books you’d like to read! To enter, comment on the blog post below, listing which books from the graphic you’d like to read and WHY you would like to read them. (Make sure to include your email address so we can contact you.) Entrants can only enter once per blog, but can check out other blogs with this same post and comment there for extra entries! All those links are down below. Entries close on midnight Friday, May 22 (Pacific Daylight Time), and winners will be contacted directly on May 31. Good luck everyone—and happy reading! 😀 (Even if you missed this giveaway, feel free to share this graphic on your blog and spread the chick lit love!)

    https://jillianne-hamilton.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/ChickLit-Infographic.jpg

    Deeper Themes

    * * *

    A Little Magic

    * * *

    Laughs Guaranteed

    * * *

    Light & Bright

    * * *

    On Distant Shores

    * * *

    Enter one more time at these great chick lit blogs!

    MAKE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WHEN YOU ENTER. (If you’d rather not leave your address, just drop me a line via the contact page.)

    Find the authors and books here, and enter again!

     

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  • Blog

    What’s on page 45? #ChicklitMay Tuesday

    December 28, 2019

    5/11/2015

    What's on Page 45? Promo
    Alphabet Dating - Monique McDonell - 2015 CoverAlphabet Dating
    What’s on page 45 of Alphabet Dating?

    First of all you need to know a little bit about Alphabet Dating – in this novel poor Serena’s closest friends decide she needs to be dating again so on a girl’s weekend away they spring on her the crazy idea that she go on twenty six dates in twenty six days, all of them set up by her friends. Oh yes and that means one for every letter of the alphabet.

    Can you imagine?

    On page 45 Serena has given up trying to wriggle out of the hair-brained scheme and the day before had a date with the letter B – Ben. And Ben had taken her for an afternoon of bowling and not been such a dud date after all. She’d also spent the evening being taught the guitar by her friend Harvey, who also happens to be a trust fund baby and literary wunderkind.

    And he’s given her lots to think about. Just the night before, when he’d gone off clubbing with a posse of supermodels he’d reminded her that sometimes you needed to try out different things to see which ones you liked. Something she hadn’t done much of since her fiance died a few years earlier.

    So now she has a work deadline and a whole lot going on in her pretty little head. And what sort of work doe she do? She’s a book reviewer for one of New York’s top newspapers. It’s hard being a book reviewer like that when you don’t want to leave any bad reviews.

    Alphabet Dating is available at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CMHEVXG

    “It’s a tremendous thing to write a novel. What commitment and courage it takes” Serena, Alphabet Dating pg 45

     

    David Tennant
    David Tennant, the inspiration for Harvey in Alphabet Dating.

    The problem is Serena doesn’t like the book she has o review today and with her head swimming with yesterday’s dates and tonight’s – hello C for Christopher – poor Serena is struggling to focus.

    And she when she has guys like this to think about so who can blame her?

    As much as anything though she can’t help but wonder how she ended up in such an absurd position and if she’ll ever feel like she has it together again.

    ( I really love Serena and I hope you do too – this was a fun book to write. First dates are excellent fodder.)

     

     

     

    Fudge
    WANT TO WIN THE WHAT”S ON PAGE 45 GRAND PRIZE? A POUND OF DELICIOUS HAND MADE CARAMELS.

    A one-pound package of caramels from Whitney’s Goodies http://whitneysgoodies.com/ Winner can choose their flavor from those listed below.

    This giveaway is open to residents of the USA only. ( SORRY TO MY MANY AUSTRALIAN FRIENDS.)

    The Girl Next Door (Crème Caramels): A scrumptious, full-bodied caramel. Old fashioned, melt-in-your-mouth bliss!
    The Charmer (Chocolate Crème Caramels): This smooth, chocolate cream caramel will add panache to your day. An exquisite and elegant morsel, simply irresistible.
    The Movie Star (Orange Crème Caramels): A timeless treat that will satisfy caramel fans of all ages. “The stuff that dreams are made of!”
    The Bombshell (Lemon Crème Caramels): A bodacious bit of heaven with a bold citrus pallet. They will leave you satisfied and refreshed. Caramels are a girl’s best friend!
    Always a Lady (Rose Caramels): A delicate bouquet of rose essence infuses this lovely caramel: alluring, tantalizing and reminiscent of another era. They are perfect for weddings and bridal showers. A definite for ladies who lunch or breakfast at Tiffany’s.

    HOW TO ENTER

    To enter, answer the following question in the comments section below.

    “In 4 or 5 words, why do you think Alphabet Dating would be a good read?”

    Entrants must leave their full name, along with an e-mail address (Make sure you underline, bold, and highlight this as we must have a way to contact the winner!) A winner will be chosen via Random.org on Tuesday, May 19th.

    MORE PAGE ON 45 #CHICKLITMAY AUTHORS, AND MORE CHANCES TO WIN.

     

    Comments

    Pippa Franks
    5/11/2015 10:48:21 pm

    Cool post Monique 🙂 x

    Celia Kennedy
    5/12/2015 01:16:58 am

    Bittersweet, exhausting, exhilarating, metamorphosis, content. Five words that come to mind about this book. Sounds really, really, fun. Looking forward to reading it!

    Georgina Troy
    5/12/2015 03:22:35 am

    I’ve got your book waiting to be read on my Kindle and can’t wait to have some free time – post deadline – to enjoy it.

    samantha
    5/12/2015 06:42:38 am

    Love that cover 🙂

    Tracy Krimmer
    5/12/2015 09:42:37 pm

    Serena sure knows about writing books 🙂

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  • Blog

    Miss Chicklit 2015 – Celebrating Chicklit May

    December 28, 2019

    5/10/2015

    Miss Chick Lit 2015

    Miss ChickLit May Pageant – featuring Miss Allegra Johnston from Australia.
    Introduction: “Hi, my name is Allegra Johnston, and I’m representing the Nation of Australia! I run a second-hand bookshop and I’m passionate about vintage fashion and saving the environment, so I’m saving the planet one retro dress at a time, right. My dream is to make sure everyone around me is happy and has plenty to read…and world peace, I’m all about world peace. Is that right? Is that answer okay. I have never actually seen a pageant because I grew up without television…did I do okay?”
    Allegra Holding Books Illustration
    Doris DaySwimsuit
    I’m a not a huge fan of swimsuits in general, which is kind of a problem for me as I live at gorgeous Manly Beach in Sydney.

    I do love vintage fashion and look at the delightful and perky Doris Day in this swimsuit. I have one just like this for the pageant. It’s demure enough that I don’t feel naked and it has all this amazing sculptural boning inside it. I’m a girl with a curvy figure and this sort of swimsuit is perfect for me.

    You’ll never catch me in a teeny weeny itsy bitsy polka dot bikini or even worse a crocheted one (my hippy mother still wears those in her fifties, heaven help me!). This however is a swimsuit I can feel comfortable in, and a little bit sexy.

    Talent
    My talent today harks back to my childhood. I’m doing an acoustic guitar medley of Joni Mitchell songs. My voice is sadly not as haunting as hers but I hope to capture her essence. I’ll be singing Both Sides Now, Big Yellow Taxi and I Wish I Had a River (to Skate Away on).

    Interview
    What unique thing have you done to help the environment?
    You may not be aware of this but I grew up on a commune so I spent most of my childhood building solar homes and organic farming – basically I had to build my own home and grow my own food or I didn’t eat. I’m not sure how unique it is but I haven’t met too many other kids who have done it.

    ***If you want to know more about me you can read about me in the novel Mr Right and Other Mongrels
    Mr Right and Other Mongrels
    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0086L8NBS

    Sephora Gift Card
    WANT TO GO IN THE RUNNING TO WIN A BEAUTY GIFT CARD?

    The Grand Prize for this international drawing will be:

    US/Canada winner – $100 gift card to Sephora

    UK winner – £65 gift card to Lush Cosmetics

    Australia winner – $125AUD to Mecca

     

     

    How to enter: Answer this question in the comments below and LEAVE YOUR EMAIL so we can contact you if you win.

    What unique thing have you done to help the environment?
    A winner will be chosen via Random.org on Monday, May 18th.

    For more chances to win and to meet the other Miss Chick Lit Pageant Contestants visit these wonderful author pages:

    Comments

    Pippa Franks
    5/11/2015 12:43:25 am

    Great post Monique! 🙂 x

    Nicole Skalij
    5/11/2015 01:25:49 am

    ….hmm I recycle every week and use my com-poster to help my gardens.
    Reply
    Monique
    5/11/2015 11:27:49 am

    You need to leave your email to go in the draw Nicole.

    Whitney Dineen
    5/11/2015 01:57:57 am

    Darling!

    Celia Kennedy
    5/11/2015 04:27:14 am

    Loved this… brave to take on a whole nation. I think I need that swimsuit… but I have no musical talent.

    I became a Landscape Architect that specialized in ecologically friendly resort development (true dat)!

    Bethany Clark
    5/11/2015 04:50:30 am

    I really do not do anything unique per say, but my 5 year old is very in to recycling now and he shows me what to do every day!
    Reply
    Monique
    5/11/2015 11:28:52 am

    I love how earnest kids are. (You need to leave your email to go in the draw) You can leave it in this form if you prefer

    Catherine Lavoie
    5/11/2015 06:37:28 am

    Great post! 🙂 Love that Doris Day-inspired suit!

    Rachel
    5/11/2015 09:06:19 am

    I love the title of your book! can’t wait to read it

    Tracy Krimmer
    5/11/2015 09:18:22 am

    Great post!

    Glynis Astie
    5/11/2015 09:34:48 am

    Nicely done, Monique! I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with Allegra again. 🙂

    Gina Henning
    5/11/2015 10:58:43 am

    I love “Wish I had a River” by Joni Mitchell and cute suit!
    Reply
    Monique
    5/11/2015 11:27:03 am

    That song always makes me mist up!
    Reply
    Monique
    5/11/2015 11:26:23 am

    Thanks everyone for the comments. I have a retro swimsuit similar to that which is black and white check…quite flattering.

    Monique McDonell
    5/11/2015 11:29:55 am

    TO BE ENTERED IN THE DRAW YOU MUST LEAVE YOUR EMAIL…
    You can leave it as Monique (at) gmail.com if that makes you feel more secure.

    Danielle
    5/11/2015 11:53:34 am

    I’ve reused food containers to make holders for things like my makeup – floyddg@hotmail.com

    steven weber
    5/11/2015 04:28:36 pm

    I take shorter showers

    Tracie Banister
    5/12/2015 06:56:18 am

    Fun post, Monique! I think that Allegra and Willa (from my book, Twin Piques) would get along well since they both love vintage fashion!

    Jessica Meddick
    5/12/2015 07:06:56 am

    I recycle.

    shireen
    5/14/2015 07:45:48 am

    Hi,
    I self published a Meatless Protein Cookbook on Amazon encouraging people to eat less meat, to save on energy, land, and water.
    Thanks

    shireen
    5/18/2015 04:20:54 am

    I’m shireen, this is my comment, I’m adding my email address:

    Arielle
    5/14/2015 09:06:43 am

    I wish I could say that I’ve done something unique to save the environment but the only thing I can think of that I do is recycle. I do my best to recycle all paper and plastic products and have influenced my family to do their best to separate recyclable bottles and cans too. I’m open to some clever and creative ideas though!

    -Arielle

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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

    Back at my desk for Musical Monday and a give-away

    December 28, 2019

    7/6/2014
    Gold Coast Beach PathGold Coast BeachGold Coast Beach

     

     

     

     

    Gold Coast BeachHard Rock Cafe Guitar Sign Gold Coast

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    I’ve been a pretty bad blogger the past couple of weeks but admittedly I have been on vacation. See those pictures up above, they prove it. We went on a family road trip from sunny Sydney to the Gold Coast in Queensland. It is the middle of winter so although you see and sand it wasn’t as toasty warm as these photos imply. Whoever said the camera never lies well that guy was a liar.

    Anyway it’s always nice to recharge the batteries, drink a few cocktails, ride some rollercoasters and get ready for the months ahead.

    As a parent I’m amazed at how fast time is passing and am all too aware that my delightful 13 year old will be off on her own adventures soon and I will no longer be part of her vacations so I really do try and seize the moments now because they are all too fleeting.(Having said that I’m kind of theme parked out for now!)

    So back to the desk. My new novella which will be out in August will be making it’s way to the editor this week. That’s exciting for me. I’m working on it’s sequel. The novella is the first in a series and I hope that readers like the characters. I like them. Smart women making their way in the big city while keeping their sense of humour…the kind of women I like to hang out with both in real life and in a book.(Sneak peek of the cover coming soon – sign up to my newsletter if you want to see it.)

    Don’t forget about this giveaway I’m part of. It’s a great opportunity to win some prizes donated by a wide variety of authors. (See entry form below).

    And finally for Musical Monday…one of my favourite songs for singing loudly in the car on a road trip – Story of a Girl. very fitting for a writer whose main characters are usually girls finding their way.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

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  • Blog

    Musical Monday and other news…

    December 28, 2019

    6/22/2014

    Allegra Holding Books IllustrationIt’s Monday again. How did that happen? Where oh where did the week go? It’s nearly the end of June already…seriously where is this year racing off too and why is it in such a hurry to get there?

    News first…I REALLY am getting my newsletter happening this time. Mail Chimp and I seem to have formed a truce and I think I can actually manage to not just write the newsletter but send it out. Amazing!

    If you haven’t signed up you really should – there’s a little box on the right of this screen – I promise not to bombard you with useless information but I do have some exciting news to share in the next couple of months and this will be the best way to get it.

    Can you believe it is a year since I did my wonderful research trip to LA to get my mind sorted for the sequel to Mr Right and Other Mongrels? No. Me either. I haven’t written that book yet but I have the story sort worked out in my mind and I would like to get it out by Christmas or maybe early 2015. Stay tuned for that one.

    I’m taking part in an Indie Author promo and you can enter the competition here on my site or at any of the sites of the participating authors.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Meanwhile for Musical Monday here’s a classic song that I have loved for years and I particularly love this version. It fits well with one of the books I am currently working on and ironically it was sent to me by an old boyfriend on a mixed tape way back when. (If you haven’t read Mr Right and Other Mongrels you might like to find out what Teddy uses as the modern equivalent of the mixed tape.) This is a very odd video if you haven’t seen it the song starts about 2 minutes in.

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  • Blog

    Summer Splash Blog Hop 2014

    December 28, 2019

    6/12/2014

    Summer Splash Blog HopI’m participating in the wonderful Summer Splash Blog Hop this weekend.

    http://summersplashhop.blogspot.com.au/p/holiday-blog-hop.html

    Stop by because you could win the grand prize:

    Kindle Paperwhite or a $50 Amazon gift card

    This hop is a great way for you to win some fabulous prizes, find out about new authors, get some bargain books (lots on sale for 99c) and stock up your e-reader for the Northern Summer (or the winter down here in the Southern Hemisphere – also an excellent time for reading!)

    There are so many blogs to stop by and visit so please click on the image above or the link below to find out all about the many authors involved in this hop. Every author has prizes up for grabs on their page so make like a bunny and get hopping to each page.

     

    My novel A Fair Exchange is only 99c during the Summer Blog Hop so please grab yourself a copy.

    I’m also running a give away here on my page where you can win $20 Amazon Gift Card or a copy of my novels Building Attraction or A Fair Exchange.

    If you are a first time visitor to my page you may wish to sign up to my newsletter while you are here – to hear about further competitions, promotions and upcoming releases.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    Comment

    Elisa
    6/15/2014 05:59:53 pm

    Thanks for the chance and for taking part in this fun hop 🙂

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  • Blog

    Musical Monday and competition winners announced

    December 27, 2019

    4/13/2014

    A Fair Exchange - Coverhttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JBPPC08
    Thanks to everyone who entered the competition to win a $25 Amazon gifts certificate as part of the A Fair Exchange launch.

    The winner of the Gift Card is Jessica Meddick.

    The winner of the e-copy of A Fair Exchange is Crystal McNeely Guidroz.

    Ladies I’ll be e-mailing you later today.

    Sorry to those who entered and didn’t win. I hope you’ll continue to visit the blog, my Facebook page and follow me on twitter, and maybe even read my books and leave me a review.

    Today is Monday. It’s cold and wet here in Sydney – the reason for that is simple – it’s school holidays (or as the Americans call it vacation). It always rains in the Easter holidays. Can anyone explain why this is when Easter moves and so do the holidays and yet it always rains every time. it’s a big long-weekend here over Easter we get Good Friday and Easter Monday off and lots of people go camping. They usually get very wet.

    What does this have to do with anything I hear you ask? Today I bring you two songs from musicals…both about parades – one Easter themed and one rain themed. That’s the kind of gal I am.

    First the Glee version of Don’t Rain on my Parade and then the lovely Judy Garland serenading Fred Astair in his easter hat for The Easter Parade. Have a lovely week.

     

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  • Blog

    How does my life experience influence A Fair Exchange?

    December 27, 2019

    4/8/2014

    Monique McDonell Year Book PictureAs I have often said here on the blog, although my characters are often nothing like me (I guess the fact I’ve been happily married for 20 years kind of distinguishes me from these largely single and completely lovely characters I write about ) they do all have elements of me in them.

    Amelia in A Fair Exchange is probably the most and the least like me.

    I was an exchange student in Massachusetts when I was in high school and it was the most fabulous, exciting and life changing experience for me. I did loosely base some of the characters in the book and some of the experiences I had on that time.

    I certainly drew the premise of the novel from that experience. Being chosen to be an exchange student back then (and I assume now as well, especially for a year-long program) was quite a gruelling process that had several stages including essays, interviews, family interviews and selection camps. As a result most of the kids who applies and got accepted tended to be smart, funny and personable kids. They were independent and capable and reasonably outgoing.

    So what happens to those people down the track? I happened to do a course at a small university where there was a disproportionate number of kids in my course who were prefects and school captains and exchange students (unusually for Australia at the time you had to do an essay to be accepted – marks alone didn’t get you in). So I’ve spent a lot of time with these sparkling young women who expected to sparkle their way through adulthood, and luckily lots have.

    This novel had me thinking about the ones who don’t continue to shine – those who lose their way due to lack of confidence, a bad decision or a bad relationship. How do you reconcile the self everyone expected you to be with the one you became.

    Then add in the guy who broke your heart way back when, well then that’s a story. Everyone has that person (well almost everyone) and we’d rather they found us at our best than our worst.

    I didn’t have a boyfriend disappear into the ether on me at sixteen but lots of the feelings and experiences and expectations Amelia had then and as an adult I can relate to. With the internet and Facebook it’s very easy to find that person you’ve been wondering about, but should you? I know people who have and that fuelled the idea for this novel.

    I had a lot of fun writing this because I got to go down memory lane but more than any of my novels it was hard to write. Maybe because as much as I don’t really resemble the grown up Amelia, I was a lot like the sixteen your old version – if only on the inside.

    Don’t forget the book launch/blog tour Rafflecopter competition is open till Friday enter below.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway

    A Fair Exchange - Cover

     

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