Cherie Le Clare

What do you think of this revised cover?

Cherie Le Clare — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:22:45 +0000

After a comment from a reader re comparing the original cover to the new cover I decided I needed to revise this one. The original artwork is owned by the publisher so when I cancelled my contract with them it was on condition that I used a different cover. I chose a painting of Mt. Egmont/Taranaki as it is part of the setting for Kiwi Kiss.

Comments welcome!

A Fan in India!

Cherie Le Clare — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 09:48:00 +0000

I was so happy to receive some very kind feedback from Maria (an Irish lady living in India) who won a copy of KIWI KISS last year, and emailed today to tell me she enjoyed my “exquisite writing.”

We writers love feedback – it motivates us to keep on tapping away at our computer keyboards, and pore through the dictionary trying to find the exact right word, and to wrestle with plots and characters for hours, days, weeks and months.

I’m a guest on romance writer Mimi Barbour’s blog this week. I invite you to visit me, and leave an encouraging comment or question at http://mimibarbour.blogspot.com

More chances to win!

Cherie Le Clare — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 22:15:51 +0000

Announcing the Farsighted Social Media Whirlwind Tour!

As part of this special promotional extravaganza sponsored by Novel Publicity, the price of the Farsighted 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, including lots of Amazon gift cards (up to $100 in amount) and 5 autographed copies of the book. Be sure to enter before the end of the day on Friday, December 30th, so you don’t miss out.

To Win the Prizes

Purchase your copy of Farsighted for just 99 cents on Amazon or Barnes & Noble
Fill-out the form on Novel Publicity to enter for the prizes
Visit today’s featured event; you may win an autographed copy of the book or a $50 gift card!
BONUS: If you leave a comment on this blog post, you have another chance at $100!
DOUBLE BONUS: If I receive more comments than any other blogger, *I* win $100.

…And I can win too!

Over 100 bloggers are participating in this gigantic event, and there are plenty of prizes for us too. The blogger who receives the most votes in the traffic-breaker poll will win a $100 gift card as well. So when you visit Novel Publicity’s site to fill-out the contest entry form, don’t forget to say that I referred you, so I can get a point in the poll.

The Featured Events include:

Monday, a guest blog on Novel Publicity! Emlyn kicks off the tour on the Novel Publicity Free Advice blog by discussing her brightly burning passion for books in a guest post entitled “My journey through the pages and toward a life-long love of reading.” One commenter will win an autographed copy of Farsighted. Don’t forget to enter for the other contest prizes while you’re over there!

Tuesday, Twitter sharing contest! A tweet is tiny, only 140 characters. But on Tuesday, it could win you $50. Send the following tweet across the twittersphere, and you just may win a $50 Amazon gift card. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. The winners will be announced Wednesday morning. Here’s the tweet: Looking for a fun read to round out your holiday break? The paranormal YA hit Farsighted is just 99 cents! http://ow.ly/81Dt1 #whirlwind

Wednesday, Google+ sharing contest! Yup, there’s yet another awesome opportunity to win a $50 Amazon gift card, and this time it just takes a single click! Visit Google+ and share Emlyn Chand’s most recent post (you’ll see the Stay Farsighted book cover included with it). On Thursday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs. Two chances to win with just one click! How about that?

Thursday, Facebook sharing contest! Stop by Novel Publicity’s Facebook page and share their latest post (you’ll see the Farsighted book cover included with it). It’s ridiculously easy to win! On Friday morning, one lucky sharer will be $50 richer. An autographed copy of Farsighted is also up for grabs.

Friday, special contest on the author’s site! Are you ready for some more fun? Take a picture of yourself with your copy of Farsighted either in paperback or on an eReading device, then post it to Emlyn Chand’s Facebook page or email a copy to author@emlynchand.com. You just way win one of three Amazon gift cards! A $100 prize will go to the photo with the most interesting setting (so put your holiday travel time to work for you). Another $50 will go the funniest photo, and one more prize of $50 will go the scariest photo—this is a paranormal YA book after all. An autographed copy of Farsighted will go to one randomly selected entrant. For more details about this contest, please visit www.emlynchand.com.

Remember, it’s all about the books!

About Farsighted: Alex Kosmitoras may be blind, but he can still “see” things others can’t. When his unwanted visions of the future begin to suggest that the girl he likes could be in danger, he has no choice but to take on destiny and demand it reconsider. Farsighted is the winner of the 2011 Dragonfly eBook Awards. Get it on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

About the Author: Emlyn Chand has always loved to hear and tell stories, having emerged from the womb with a fountain pen grasped firmly in her left hand (true story). When she’s not writing, she runs a large book club in Ann Arbor and is the president of author PR firm, Novel Publicity. Emlyn loves to connect with readers and is available throughout the social media interweb. Visit her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, or GoodReads.

Now please enjoy this exciting excerpt from Farsighted…

“Did Dad tell you? A new tenant moved into the old pharmacy next door.”

“Really?” I ask, not letting on I already know. If I feign ignorance, Mom’ll divulge all the details. “What is it?”

“It’s a psychic shop,” Her voice crackles with excitement like a fire that’s just beginning to burn. “The All-Seeing Miss Teak. Isn’t that cute? Miss Teak, Mystic. Ha, I wonder if that’s her real name.”

I laugh. “That is funny. Never had a psychic in town before. What’s she like?”

“Oh, she’s very friendly. Why don’t you go over and say ‘hi.’ I’m sure she’d like to meet you.”

“Okay, I think I will.” I’m incredibly intrigued, because first off, it’s a psychic shop—how weird is that?—and second, its presence made Dad super uncomfortable—also very cool. I waste no time heading next door to check out the scene.

As I step cautiously into the new shop, a recording of soft, instrumental music greets me. I can make out chimes and a string instrument I don’t recognize but for some reason reminds me of snake charmers. The smell of incense fills my nostrils, which explains the burning I detected earlier.

“Hello?” I call out into the otherwise quiet room.

Nobody answers. I walk in deeper, sweeping my cane out in front of me in a metronome fashion. This place is new to me, so I need to be especially careful while moving around.

Thump! Despite my precautions, I stub my toe on something hard, big, and made of wood. Just my luck to stub the same toe twice in one day. I reach down to press my fingers into my throbbing foot to alleviate some of the pain. Something teeters before rolling off of the chest and across the floor; the sound it makes indicates a curved path. Suddenly, the object stops. Somebody’s stopped it.

“Hello?” I call again.

“Hello,” a deep, feminine voice responds, placing more emphasis on the first syllable than the second.

“I- I’m sorry I knocked that thing over. I didn’t mean to…” I hope she’s not angry. Probably not a good idea to get on a psychic’s bad side.

“That wasn’t just a thing, it’s a crystal ball,” she says as she walks over, sending my blood pulsing through my veins. I sense her looking at me for a moment before she places the ball back on top of the chest.

“Can it see the future?” I ask, allowing my curiosity to outweigh my uneasiness.

“No.” After a pause lasting several beats, she continues. “But I can see the future sometimes when I look into it.”

“Oh, okay.” I tighten my hand around my cane and turn to leave. It may not be the most polite thing to do, but all of this hocus-pocus stuff is freaking me out more than I would’ve guessed.

The psychic lady speaks again, stopping me cold. “Don’t run away, Alex Kosmitoras.” She must’ve spoken to Mom earlier today. That must be how she knows my name.

“I’m not running away,” I say meekly. “I’m just going back over to Sweet Blossoms.”

“Don’t run away,” she repeats—this time she speaks louder and with more energy. “Don’t run away from your abilities. They are gifts.”

“What?” I ask in confusion. What abilities is she talking about?

“You already know. Watch. Listen. Be open to your gifts.”

I turn to face Miss Teak, but find she’s already gone, returning to wherever she was before I got there.

Is it safe to leave? I trail my fingers across the wooden box I ran into earlier; a thick coat of dust clings to the tips as I pull away. If this shop just opened, why is it already so dirty? I wipe my hands over my shirt to get the gritty substance off. Shivers rock my whole body. Something about this place is wrong, and I’m not sticking around to figure out what. Tapping my cane along the floor, I’m able to find the exit without knocking into anything else.

On the Twelfth day of Christmas

Cherie Le Clare — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 05:20:42 +0000

My true love sent to me: 12 Christmas pudding truffles. Yum!

Click on photo to enlarge picture.

Make your own: 1 small Christmas pudding (grapefruit-sized), 1/2 cup brandy, rum or orange flavoured liqueur, 1 x 375g packet dark chocolate melts, 1/2 packet (approx. 200g) white chocolate melts, red and green glazed cherries or soft gummy sweets to decorate.

Crumble the Christmas pudding in a large microwave-proof bowl. Pour over brandy or liqueur and microwave on high for five to six minutes. Mix well. When cool enough to handle, roll into small, walnut-sized balls. Chill balls in freezer for at least half an hour. Melt the dark chocolate, following microwave instructions on packet. Dip the really cold balls in the melted chocolate (using a special chocolate dipping fork makes this easy). Allow to set on a sheet of baking paper or tin foil. Melt the white chocolate as above and dribble over the top and down the sides to simulate custard. Decorate with red and green cherries or cut up gummy sweets. Do not store in the fridge as chocolate tends to sweat-store instead in a cool cupboard. Makes 20.

On the Tenth day of Christmas

Cherie Le Clare — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:47:03 +0000

My true love sent to me:

10 French Kisses;

9 socks to mend- yeah, right…

8 Kiwi Kisses;

7 Shirts to iron; 6 romantic cuddles; 5 chances to win $$$;

4 sexy stories; 3 bad boy articles; 2 loads of laundry

And 1 festive cake to share!

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 11 endearments – dearest, love, sugar, darling, honey, babe, dear, lovely, sexy, cherie, sweetheart;

10 French Kisses; 9 socks to mend- yeah, right… 8 Kiwi Kisses;

7 Shirts to iron; 6 romantic cuddles; 5 chances to win $$$;

4 sexy stories; 3 bad boy articles; 2 loads of laundry

And 1 festive cake to share!

The Fifth day of Christmas

Cherie Le Clare — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 20:51:41 +0000

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 5 or more chances to win $$$$$

$100, $50, books, gift card, a Kindle Fire!

Please click on logo to enter contests.

My review of The Gaia Wars by Kenneth G. Bennett.

This Young Adult novel is set at Torch Lake in Clement Valley, America. Thirteen year old Warren Wilkes, an orphan who lives with his Uncle Dave, performs a mischievous act of sabotage, against his property developer neighbors, in revenge for the Finleys’ plans to spoil the natural environment.

Warren flees along the forest trails with Finley Snr. and Finley Jnr. in hot pursuit. Desperately trying to cover his tracks, Warren stumbles across something which takes him on an epic adventure into the realms of science, space and fantasy.

Caught up in a frightening world of robot-like clones, the young eco-warrior must fight to save both his own life and those of his fellow refugees.

Suspense-driven, in the style of Indiana Jones, this story kept my interest – with two exceptions: Big chunks of factual narrative, especially in the earlier part of the novel, slow the action. And Warren’s point of view doesn’t seem authentic sometimes. For example: I can’t envisage a 13 year old describing a room as well appointed, or him thinking of a 35 year old woman as young.

Overall, The Gaia Wars provides satisfying, pulse-racing entertainment. It finishes on a knife-edge of uncertainty… with a teaser – the first few pages of the sequel: Battle for Cascadia.

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love sent to me:

6 romantic cuddles;

5 or more chances to win $$$$$;

4 sexy stories;

3 Bad Boy articles;

2 loads of laundry and 1 festive cake to share.

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 7 shirts to iron;

6 romantic cuddles;

5 or more chances to win;

4 sexy stories;

3 Bad Boy articles;

2 loads of laundry and 1 festive cake to share!

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love sent to me:

8 Kiwi Kisses;

7 shirts to iron;

6 romantic cuddles;

5 or more chances to win;

4 sexy stories; 3 Bad Boy articles;

2 loads of laundry and 1 festive cake to share!

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 9 socks to mend -yeah, right…

8 Kiwi Kisses;

7 shirts to iron;

6 romantic cuddles;

5 or more chances to win;

4 sexy stories; 3 Bad Boy articles;

2 loads of laundry and 1 festive cake to share!

On the first day of Christmas…

Cherie Le Clare — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 03:49:09 +0000

my true love sent to me: One festive cake to share.

On the second day of Xmas my true love sent to me:

Two loads of laundry,

and one festive cake to share..

On the third day of Xmas my true love sent to me:

Three Bad Boy articles,

Two loads of laundry and one festive cake to share…

Why women love a bad boy

We all know one, a bloke who lives his romantic life by the motto “treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen”.And the most puzzling thing about him is that he does indeed seem to keep them keen. Despite his complete lack of chivalry and a history of messing women around, they still seem to be queuing up for his attentions.In other words, he’s a living embodiment of the old cliche that women love a bad boy. Here’s why science says that might be so, and how even good guys can get a piece of the action.

Do women really want bad boys?

Studies suggest that the answer is, in some cases, yes. One study found that men who display a “dark triad” of traits – narcissism, thrill-seeking and deceitfulness – had more sexual partners than those who didn’t. “There can be something extraordinarily tempting about bad boys,” admits behavioural psychologist Jo Hemmings. “It’s partly the forbidden nature of it all – the rebel in women that still deserves to be unleashed from time to time. Bad boys keep us on our toes, can’t be taken for granted and deliver the sort of fun and excitement that might be lacking in the more conventional, reliable guy.”

Bad boys are fun

According to Hemmings, bad boys are “often passionate, unorthodox in their lifestyles and couldn’t give a toss what anyone else thinks”. And this, she thinks, is just what some women are after. Because if they don’t really care what anyone else thinks, bad boys will be spontaneous, rule-breaking and experimental – in and out of the bedroom. They might be moody, unreliable and shallow, too, but at least life will never be dull. The attraction of a bad boy is the chance to be the only one who can bring out his inner – well-hidden – romantic side.

Sourced from www.ninemsn.com.au

On the fourth day of Christmas my true love sent to me:

4 sexy stories;

3 bad boy articles;

2 loads of laundry; and

1 festive cake to share.

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love sent to me: 5 or more chances to win $$$$$

$100, $50, books, gift card, a Kindle Fire!

Please click on logo to enter contests.

My review of The Gaia Wars by Kenneth G. Bennett.

Caught up in a frightening world of robot-like clones, the young eco-warrior must fight to save both his own life and those of his fellow refugees.

Overall, The Gaia Wars provides satisfying, pulse-racing entertainment. It finishes on a knife-edge of uncertainty… with a teaser – the first few pages of the sequel: Battle for Cascadia.

Lovely review

Cherie Le Clare — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:39:49 +0000

For The Water Baby. Read it here: http://theothersideofthepage.wordpress.com/author/fisherbabenz/

Taming The Bad Boy

Cherie Le Clare — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:33:35 +0000

is the title of my new romantic intrigue/suspense novel.

Using drastic measures to take what he wants backfires on Luke Knight when he meets solo foster mum, Katie Ryan. Both suspicious of one another’s motives, yet equally determined to protect four year old Emily, they must support one another and learn to co-operate to keep the little girl safe. But, when Emily goes missing, their relationship is tested to its limits.
And discovering the truth turns out to be the biggest test of all.

Read an excerpt on the EXCERPTS page and BUY with one click on the cover. $2.99

Too busy for love?

Cherie Le Clare — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 22:40:15 +0000

The pressures of modern living can leave a busy couple with little time left for creative romantic expression. But psychologists maintain that successful, happy relationships rely on a degree of romance which is just as important ten years in as it was on the first date. If you’re too busy to focus on re-igniting love’s flame – try these quick tips and watch it glow:

1. Arrange a simple candlelit dinner

Candlelit dinners are the staple of romance. Seeing your spouse’s face by candlelight can add a depth of mystery that you may not have seen there in a long time. The vision can remind you of what you saw in him or her that made you want to marry in the first place.

2. Date night: make it a regular event

A quiet, unfamiliar place with luscious food and drink will help you to relax and start a conversation you may not have had for a while. Your relationship probably relies on a practical daily exchange of information so try to discuss philosophical ideas such as books, art, your dreams and ambitions. If you can, make this a regular date.

3. Take long, leisurely walks

Walking together while holding hands can do a lot to increase the level of intimacy in your relationship. The two of you do not have to talk. You can simply enjoy each other’s presence and the fact that you are moving in step. Try a walk at sunset or on a Sunday along the beach.

4. Road trip to romance

Getting away from home and leaving your familiar surrounds and responsibilities will do wonders for your sense of self. It awakens a sense of adventure in a couple which, in turn, heightens the level of intimacy. Make it a point to get away from home at least once a year (without children).

5. Give gifts

Everyone likes gifts and there’s no need to wait for a special occasion to give one. Take time to remember who your partner is and what it is they like. Buy a small gift, wrap it and present it as a surprise. Your partner will feel valued and cherished again.

6. Body massage

After a particularly difficult week offer your partner a candle-lit full body massage with scented oils. Taking some quiet time alone to unselfishly give your partner pleasure will cause you both to remember how special your bond is.

7.Take a romantic bath for two

Wait for a particularly chilly evening (after the kids are in bed!) then suggest a warm and frothy bubble bath complete with a bottle of wine. Take time to relax and enjoy the moment, give your love a foot massage or use the time to discuss any points of tension in your relationship.

8. Write poetry

Write your love a poem that describes how you feel about them; be as detailed as possible. If you think you can’t, or feel too shy, make an effort to read as many love poems as you can and choose one that you feel best fits the way you feel about your love. Write it in a card and leave it under his/her pillow.

9. Light the flame

Visit a cosy bar or restaurant with an open fire and visit off peak. You’ll enjoy the stillness and the sound of the fire as it crackles and spits. Add your favourite drinks and finger food and cuddle. Remember how good it feels to be in love.

10. Champagne picnic

Grab a picnic blanket, a bottle of bubbles (or beer if that’s what your love prefers!) and find a gorgeous spot away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Spend an afternoon or evening with nothing to do but relax and talk. Check in on your partner’s needs, hopes and desires and ensure they know yours. Kiss.

Sourced from www.ninemsn.au

Cherie Le Clare

What do you think of this revised cover?

A Fan in India!

More chances to win!

To Win the Prizes

…And I can win too!

The Featured Events include:

Remember, it’s all about the books!

Now please enjoy this exciting excerpt from Farsighted…

On the Twelfth day of Christmas

On the Tenth day of Christmas

The Fifth day of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas…

Why women love a bad boy

Do women really want bad boys?

Bad boys are fun

Lovely review

Taming The Bad Boy

Too busy for love?

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