Tuesday, September 25, 2012

I.O. Book Tours - Guest Blog and Giveaway for Cassandra By Starlight by Susan Mac Nicol


Welcome to my stop on Susan Mac Nicol's Blog Tour for Cassandra by Starlight.  Susan was kind enough to prepare a guest post for us today.  Please make sure to comment below and enter the Rafflecopter as Susan will be giving away 10 eBook copies of her book during her tour. 

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Book:  Cassandra  by  Starlight  
Author:  Susan  Mac  Nicol  
Topic:  Press  and  Publicity     

Becoming  a  published  author  of  a  sexy  Romance  novel  has,  this  past  week,  given  me  more   amusement  than  I  ever  thought  possible.    

Being  a  tenacious  person,  I  asked  my  local  newspaper,  The  Essex  Chronicle,  whether  they   would  be  interested  in  doing  an  article  on  my  new  book  and  I.  They  were  quite  happy  to  do   so  and  a  young  man,  called  James,  called  me  up  and  asked  me  pertinent  questions  about  my   novel.  Most  of  his  questions,  as  you  might  imagine,  dealt  with  the  issue  of  the  sex  in  my   books.    
   
Was   I   like   E   L   James?   How   steamy   was   the   sex?   Was   there   any   personal   experiences   attached  to  said  sex  scenes?  Yes,  he  actually  did  ask  this.  After  replying  ‘No,  definitely  not   that  kind  of  sex’  ‘Spicy’  and  ‘Mind  your  own  business’,  the  conversation  turned  to  talk  of   Benedict   Cumberbatch   as   the   inspiration   for   my   new   novel.   I   explained   to   the   young   reporter  that  he  had  inspired  me,  through  his  striking  looks  and  talent  as  an  actor,  to  model   Bennett  Saville  on  him.  Later  on  in  the  conversation,  said  young  reporter  asked  idly,  “So,  this   crush  you  had  on  Benedict  Cumberbatch,  how  did  that  come  about?”    

I  hastily  refuted  such  a  notion  and  told  him  in  no  uncertain  terms  that  if  he  made  look  a  sad   middle-­‐aged  groupie  I  would  never  forgive  him.  He  giggled  manly  and  said  he  wouldn’t  do   such  a  thing.     

Imagine  my  surprise  when  the  article  came  out  proclaiming  me  to  be  the  “next  E  L  James”,   mentioned  the  specific  fact  that  I  had  a  crush  on  young  Mr.  Cumberbatch  (well,  perhaps  I  do   but   does   the   whole   world   have   to   bloody   know?)   and   made   me   out   to   be   “just   like   my   heroine”,  something  else  I’d  refuted.  In  character  definitely  –  physically  -­‐  not  a  chance.  I  do   not  look  like  Michelle  Pfeiffer.     

The  local  headlines  were  “EROTIC  NOVELIST  TO  RIVAL  FIFTY  SHADES  SUCCESS.”  I  saw  this   headline  in  a  huge  1m  flyer  posted  outside  my  local  supermarket  on  the  Sunday  morning   when  I  went  shopping.     

After  the  initial  shock,  I  came  to  realise  that  perhaps  they’d  done  me  a  favour,  as  surely   these   sorts   of   headlines   would   attract   readers?   The   proof   of   this   is   still   to   be   seen.   In   a   moment   of   mischief   I   sent   the   article   and   the   flyer   to   E   L   James   herself   in   a   tweet   and   imagine   my   surprise   when   she   actually   tweeted   me   back   wishing   me   luck.   What   a   great   gesture.  I  can  only  aspire  to  do  as  well  as  she  has....                

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Title: Cassandra by Starlight
Author: Susan Mac Nicol
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
ISBN: 978-1-938876-01-1
Length: 268 Pages 
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publication Date: August 13, 2012

Buy Links:

Blurb: 

A London woman is swept off her feet into the glamorous yet surprisingly dangerous world of an up-and-coming star of stage and screen.

TO CATCH A RISING STAR

Unconventional though she may be, Cassandra Wallace leads the life of an average Londoner, from blind dates to rush hour traffic. Then, along comes Bennett Saville. Charming, erudite, the up-and-coming actor is like the hero of a romantic movie. He sets Cassie afire like he has the stage and screen, and defies the tragedy that brought them together. From the tips of his Armani loafers to their scorching hot first kiss, he’s perfect. Only, he’s ten years younger and from the upper class, and those emerald eyes invite dangerous secrets. The world is full of hungry leading ladies, and every show must have its villain. Yet a true romance will always find its happy ending.

Excerpt: 



“Cassie?”
The voice came from behind her. She turned slightly to see the tall figure of a man to her right.

“Bennett?”
 
He smiled as he sat down in the chair opposite her. She had to admit, he was as stunning as her sister had said. He was just over six feet, thirty-seven years old according to Google, with dark brows, shoulder-length curly dark auburn hair and deep green eyes. He had a generous mouth that looked as if it was meant to be kissed. She felt a sudden shock at this thought. She wasn’t usually so fanciful.
 
“Forgive me if I don’t stand up,” she motioned to the crutches. “I haven’t mastered the art yet and people seem to be picking me up all the time which is a nuisance.”

He laughed, a rich chuckle that sounded as sexy as hell.

Oh my God! Cassie, my girl, she thought to herself in dismay over her reaction. What the hell is wrong with you?

“Your sister said you were feeling better. I can see she was right.”

He had a voice that was essentially very upper class, yet seemed to sound like melted chocolate. Cassie could almost feel herself blush at the random thoughts racing through her head. She leaned forward to look into his face.

“I’m so sorry about the loss of your brother. I wanted to thank you for your interest in how I’ve been doing, but you didn’t really have to do anything. It wasn’t your fault at all, so I wouldn’t expect you to carry on if you didn’t want to. I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Cassie stopped suddenly, aware that he was watching her with a quizzical expression and realising she was rambling on like some inane madwoman.

Bennett thought Cassie Wallace was charming, her openness a real treat. She was about five foot four, with reddish blonde hair just reaching to her shoulders. She had delicate features and an almost elfin face. She looked much younger than her forty-seven years, a fact he’d managed to entice from one of the nurses for an autograph and a cheeky grin. She had a figure like a Rubens painting, full and rounded. Even with the faint bruising and the scar on her cheek, she looked like a woman who knew who she was and had come to terms with it. He liked her sense of humour.
 
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BIO:
 
Sue Mac Nicol was born in Headingley, Leeds, in the United Kingdom. When she was eight years old her family emigrated to Johannesburg, South Africa. One day, after yet another horrific story of violence to friends, they decided it was time to leave. In December 2000 they found themselves in the Arrivals area at Heathrow and have stayed in the UK ever since, loving every minute of it.

In between her day job as a regulatory compliance officer for a financial services company in Cambridge and normal daily life, the inspiration for the Starlight series was born; Sue’s characters, Cassie and Bennett, finally made their debut onto the flickering screen of a laptop and gave her the opportunity to become a published author—a dream she’s had since being a young girl old enough to hold a pencil.

Sue is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She lives in a town house in the rural village of Bocking, Essex, with her husband of twenty eight years, Gary (who believes he deserves a long service award for putting up with her for so long), two children, Jason, 24, and Ashley, 19, and a mixed collie mongrel called Blu.



Susan Mac Nicol Online:


 
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Book Tour Stops:

9/25 M-N's Amazing Book Reviews First Chapter http://mnsamazingbookreviews.blogspot.com
9/25 Queen of All She Reads Guest Blog, and Giveaway http://queenofallshereads.blogspot.com/
9/28 Harlie's Books First Chapter and Giveaway http://harliebooks.blogspot.com/?zx=a0b736b0528daf99
10/3 Identity Discovery Guest Blog http://identitydiscovery.net
10/4 Books, Books, and More Books Review, Interview,and Giveaway http://dream-reader-dreamer2229.blogspot.com/
10/4 The Bunny's Review First Chapter and Giveaway http://bunnysreview.com
10/5 Steamy Reading First Chapter http://www.steamyreading.com/
10/9 Kaisy Daisy's Corner Review and Giveaway http://kswederski.blogspot.com/
10/10 Book Lovin Mamas Review, Interview, and Giveaway http://www.booklovinmamas.blogspot.com
10/10 Storm Goddess Book Reviews & More Interview and Giveaway http://www.stormgoddessbookreviews.blogspot.com/
10/11 smartmouthtexan Guest Blog, First Chapter, and Giveaway http://smartmouthtexan.wordpress.com/
10/15 I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read! Guest Blog, First Chapter,and Giveaway http://www.sithereandread.com/
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