Fellow Astraea Press author Sherry Gloag
has been a past guest here at Creative Hodgepodge. Today we are trading places,
so to speak, because we each have a Christmas book we want to share. Sherry's new book, Name the Day, was released a few weeks ago and it sounds as wonderful as her other romances. Please
welcome Sherry as she shares her thoughts on the seasons:
Don’t get me wrong. I love the springtime
when everything begins to waken and the birds start arriving from Africa, and
the snowdrop, crocuses and daffodils appear. And the snow disappears! I love
the summer warmth, and the colourful flowers, and the chance to spend as much
time as possible out of doors. I love the autumn/fall because of nature’s gift
of abundance, whether it for the spectacular colours as the trees turn from
green to gold to red and to brown before they finally hibernate for the winter.
While I don’t like the cold that comes
with winter, I do enjoy it when the birds congregate in the garden waiting for
their food. I like giving myself permission to snuggle up with a good book in
front of a cosy fire. And, of course, I can also give myself permission to get
lost in my writing without feeling guilty because of all the other distractions
calling for my attention… And then there is December – a month of celebrations,
including a wedding anniversary, birthdays and Christmas.
Winter feels like a cloak that wraps
around me when I am in front of my computer. I can forget about the outside
world and immerse myself in my characters and their adventures. At least that’s
my excuse!
What is your favourite season, and why?
~~~
Blurb:
Renowned portrait artist Samantha Brown
is through with men. After dealing with an overbearing father and cheating
ex-fiance, Samantha is not in the market for romance, of any kind. Give her a
blank canvas, some paints and brushes and she’s in charge of her life. There
was no room in her life for love, so why did she find herself giving in to
Rafael Santini’s outrageous demand that she paint his portrait?
Satisfied with his upcoming marriage of
convenience Rafael Santini isn’t in the market for love. So, how come he finds
the pint-sized artist stirring up emotions he didn’t have time for?
An accident forces Rafael to re-evaluate
his life and wonder whether he can teach Samantha the art of love.
~~~
Excerpt:
Why couldn’t the stubborn man get it? She
wasn’t giving him any favours at the expense of her other clients. In his case,
money would not talk. Almost all her clients were well-heeled, but most
understood the time restraints. After all, as she told each person, including
Rafael Santini, who contracted a commission they wouldn’t want her to rush
their painting and offer them a sub-standard product, would they?
“Give me the names of your clients and I
will arrange to exchange places in your queue.” His unequivocal belief pulsed across
the airwaves. Did the stupid man expect her to break the confidences of her
clients?
“Tell me, Mr. Santini,” she asked in her
most dulcet tone, “if I asked for a list of your clients would you hand them
over, simply because I wanted something?”
“Don’t be stupid woman. It’s not the same
thing at all. I’m a businessman.”
Would someone please save me from
stupid arrogant men, Samantha offered in silent plea to the ether
without expecting any response.
“I may not deal in electronics and
communications systems, or equipment for the world of espionage, secret agents,
and private investigators, Mr. Santini, but I do maintain a strict code of
integrity and honour and customer confidentiality.”
“Why would you need confidentiality to
daub a few colours on a piece of paper?”
Is this guy for real? Does he think
insults and condemnation will get him what he wants?
“Let me get this straight. You want my
agreement to let you queue jump the rest of my clients, who, incidentally have
all signed contracts to be here on specified dates at specific times, and then
you will be quite happy for me to go around publicising the fact you are not
only having your portrait done, but that you bullied, harassed and threatened
me into agreeing to your terms? I don’t think so. Not to mention that in many
cases the commission is usually a gift for someone special and total secrecy is
not only expected it is essential.”
The silence at the other end of the phone
was almost deafening.
~~~
Author
Bio
Best-selling author Sherry Gloag is a transplanted
Scot now living in the beautiful coastal countryside of Norfolk, England.
She considers the surrounding countryside as extension of her own garden, to
which she escapes when she needs "thinking time" and solitude to work
out the plots for her next novel. While out walking she enjoys talking to
her characters, as long as there are no other walkers close by.
Apart from writing, Sherry enjoys
gardening, walking, reading and cheerfully admits her books tend to take over
most of the shelf and floor space in her workroom-cum-office. She also
finds crystal craft work therapeutic.
Sherry loves to hear from her
readers. sherrygloag@gmail.com
~~~
~~
To
Purchase Name the Day, simply click on any of the company names below:
Thanks for inviting me to do a blog exchange, Patty.
ReplyDeletePatricia is today's guest at The Heart of Romance. http://sherrygloagtheheartofromance.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/please-welcome-best-selling-author.html
It's always a pleasure to have you here, Sherry! Best wishes with this new release.
DeleteHi Sherry, good luck with your book. :)
ReplyDelete:-) Thanks for your company and good wishes Karen.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a wonderful read! My favorite season is Winter...although in Oklahoma we don't get enough lovely snow. :-( It's mostly ice when we get precipitation. I'm strange in that I love cold weather, and do not like Spring and Summer...odd duck, right? Thanks for sharing...I'll have to get a copy of your book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your company, Alice, and your kind words, I hope you enjoy Name the day.
DeleteHere in the UK (I'm on the East(south) coast so more often than not our winter weather is tempered by the sea tempretures. That said we are also in direct line of the easterlies that come off the Russian wilderness so, yes we can get bad snow storms too. I hate the damp cold :-) but I love the scenery!
Great post. I'm a fall girl. Or I was before fall meant my body would revolt. :(
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, Lynn, I love autumn/fall colours and miss the spectacular colours you get, and I used to see in Scotland.
Deleteit does sound like a fun book! good luck with your release. and i'd have to say summer (but NOT in a hot climate) is my favourite time of the year. generally people are more laid-back and you aren't encumbered by layers of winter clothes. --but i do enjoy christmas and all the extra socializing.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Nora. Summer activities are fun, but not when you're too hot to move. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteNora, I agree about the extreme heat in summer, I can't take it like I used to, but I keep forgetting how many different climates you have on your side of the Pond in the same seasons. It brings the vastness of your country home to me when I read comments about your weather online! Thanks for your company.
DeleteWonderful excerpt, Sherry. Rafael is just the kind of man I love to see brought down by a pint-sized (or for that matter, any size) woman. As to seasons, I tend to be an autumn person when the weather turns a little cooler and it's just the kind of day to take a long, brisk walk. Best of luck with your new book. It sounds like a terrific story.
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love a woman who can stand up for herself? Thanks for visiting, Darcy.
Delete:-) Thanks Darcy. I love walking in the crisp dry weather and when the breeze still has some warmth in it. There are so many moods to autumn, aren't there? Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad you enjoyed the excerpt.
DeleteReading your lines about spring it reminded me so much of "home" .... And I think I'd easily say spring is my favourite season with everything coming to life. I like it when we hear the birds in the morning and know spring/summer is on the way. I used to love summer, but here the temps have gone crazy and it's either over 40 deg or cold .... :-(
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new release!!
I think I'm with you, Iris. I'm not wild about the cold winter and hot summer. But I love spring and fall with their comfortable, moderate temps. Thanks for visiting!
Delete:-) Thanks Iris. One of the gifts of Spring is when the buds are on the trees, and as you say it is all about promise of what's to come. But I also love that you can still watch the birds in the trees, and see how much they watch you, too. Especially when they are waiting for you to fill their feeding stations!!
DeleteGreat conflict going there. I love a strong heroine. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by, and for your good wishes, Margo. I glad Samantha's strength of character appeals.
DeleteA wonderful post! I'm a fan of the fall. I love the colours of the trees, the warm days and cool nights. All the best!
ReplyDeleteJessica, judging by the many photos I see online your fall colours are awesome. I love the chance to walk for miles without overheating or getting too tired. Autumn and spring here, give you that. Thanks for coming by.
DeleteI love fall! Makes me want to bake bread, put on a comfy sweatshirt, and fall in a pile of leaves (not all at the same time, of course.) Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the seasons. And happy anniversary, early. Enjoyed your excerpt!
ReplyDeleteThanks M.J. Now there's an image!!! Doing all that at once. I can almost see it oon TV over here. Almost every program on the box is about cooking these days... so why not another one, about cooking while covered if fall leaves!!! Thanks for your good wishes.
DeleteGreat excerpt. Fall is my fav time of year. I just don't like what comes next. Brrr.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your good wishes Diane. As winter begins I remind myself the circle will keep turning and Spring is on it's way!! Thanks for your company.
DeleteSherry, your heroine, Samantha is much more patient than I am. If some man had compared my art to daubing "a few colours on a piece of paper," I probably would have told him to go "daub himself."
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the book. Hope December is filled with fun for you. I was born in December, but I prefer to Autumn to winter -- especially Michigan autumns when the sky is postcard blue and the air smells like apple orchards.
"especially Michigan autumns when the sky is postcard blue and the air smells like apple orchards."
DeleteWhat a fabulous image you conjure up with those words Stephanie. As for Samantha's reaction, I kind of agree with you.... but decided killing off the hero in the first scene wouldn't work very well!! Thanks for your company :-)
Cute cover...Can't wait to read how Samantha handles Rafael.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Thanks so much for visiting, Rose.
DeleteThanks Rose :-) and I agree with you the cover is cute.
Delete