Blog Archives
New Cover – new price – Black Friday week only
I felt that the time had arrived to update all the covers of my novels. My two latest novels Dark Highland Skies and Harper’s Highland Fling came with new covers, obviously, so all that remained for me was to work through all the others. This sounds easier than it is because the perfect cover for a novel is hard to settle on. Luckily, Sarah Houldcroft of Goldcrest Books, who formats all my novels and uploads them onto Amazon for me, introudced me to Gail Bradley. Gail and I have got on famously and so, it is with much pleasure that I reveal the new cover for Girl in the Castle – a novel I particularly enjoyed writing.
The starting point, not only for writing the novel but for selecting a new cover, is one of my favurouite places in the Highlands of Scotland – Castle Stalker on Loch Linnhe. We’ve camped in Port Appin many times and when we raise the caravan blinds every monring Castle Stalker is the first thing we see. This is me standing on the jetty looking across towards the castle. Gail used one of my photographs for the background of the cover, the rest was up for discussion. And what fun we had.
A bit like Goldilocks and the three bears (!) we discussed the cover ideas at length. Although I loved #1, I didn’t like how/where the heroine’s hands were placed. With #2, I felt that her hair was too dark, her jacket too white and I think that the luggage labels added something to the final cover so they were reinstated. Gail added a rucksack and more labels until I felt that #3 was just right. After that, it was simply a case of Gail brightening up the colours and then working on the back cover of the paperback.
Gail added the blurb, new photo of author; then I uploaded it onto my KDP page (with more than a little help from Sarah at Goldcrest Books) and Amazon did the rest.
So what is Girl in the Castle about? Here’s the blurb –
Her career in tatters, Henriette Bruar needs somewhere to lay low, plan her comeback and restore a tarnished reputation. Fate lends a hand, taking her to a remote castle in the highlands of Scotland to auction the contents of its ancient library to pay the laird’s mounting debts. The family are in deep mourning over a tragedy which happened years before, resulting in a toxic relationship between the laird, Malcolm Mackenzie and his son and heir, Keir. Add a phantom piper, lost Jacobite treasure, scheming cousins and a cast of eccentric characters to the mix and watch Henrietta encourage the MacKenzies to confront the past and move forward with their lives. However – will the Girl in the Castle be able to return home once her task is completed and leave gorgeous, sexy, Keir MacKenzie behind?
If you’d like to read the first few chapter of Girl in the Castle, click on ‘READ SAMPLE’ on its Amazon page and you’ll be able to judge if Girl in the Castle is for you. To tempt you further, the kindle version will be reduced from £1.99 to £0.99 during Black Friday Week –
| Friday, November 24, 2023, 8:00 AM GMT | Friday, December 1, 2023, 8:00 AM GMT |
Breaking News . . . I was voted Indie Champion of the Year 2023 by the Romantic Novelists’ Association
However, you’ll have to wait for my next blog to learn all about that and to see the photos taken on that occassion. To say that I am ‘made up’ is an understatement.
Lizzie Lamb
Summer Magic – Romance in the Court
Romance in the Court, hosted by David Headley, managing director of Goldsborough Books and literary agent is a fabulous event and one of the highlights of my summer. On Thursday, I travelled down to London with fellow New Romantic Press author, Adrienne Vaughan to join writers, agents, bloggers and publishing representatives at Cecil Court WC2. 
Adrienne had to buy ‘emergency shoes’ from Dune in St Pancras en route (as one does) and I waited patiently, knowing resistance was futile. A taxi ride through London always sets us up for these events and we really felt the buzz on this warm, summer evening. First stop was Cote Brasserie across the road from Cecil Court to refuel. As we sat sipping our wine, Sir Roy Strong walked past looking very dapper, which was apt considering it is Chelsea Flower Show week. Last time Ade and I had a similar outing we bumped into Dustin Hoffman. Well, I bumped into him, Ade was too busy looking at shoes in Tod’s window on Kensington High Street. Shoes, again? Honestly!
David’s hospitality is legendary and his young staff so friendly and accommodating (thank you Emily et al) that in no time we had picked up our author badges, a glass of ice cold prosecco and started mingling. As you can see from this photo, the court was soon buzzing as we met up with fellow RNA members and others from the publishing industry. I was able to hand out promotional postcards announcing the publication of my latest book: GIRL IN THE CASTLE, which I am very thrilled about.
The interior of Goldsborough Books is fascinating, with many signed first editions behind glass-fronted bookcases.There are also many contemporary novels on sale, and I spotted many favourite authors on the shelves. There is a sign on the stairs suggesting that it leads to Hogwarts, but I was having too much fun to follow it.
Sadly, we had to leave to catch a taxi back to St Pancras for the ten o’clock to Leicester. We are very much looking forward to the RNA Summer Conference when we will meet up with our writer friends once more. Here’s my blog post about last year’a Romance in the Court if you would like to read it.
Footnote: many friends at the event wanted to know more about our caravan trip to Cornwall (where I did a fair impersonation of a drowned rat), and to hear more of the antics of our parrot, Jasper, who travels with us. Here he is, and here am I with writer Rosemary Smith, who I met up with in St Mawes, presenting her with a signed paperback of Girl in the Castle.
If you would like to read a sample, share or buy Girl in the Castle please click here 
So – here’s to Romance in the Court 2018 when I hope the weather gods smile on us. Thank you for reading this blog post – if you feel like sharing with others, the buttons can be found below.
The Best Five Pounds I’ve Ever Spent!
One of the great things about living in Leicester – apart from The Foxes winning the Championship League, and finding The King in the Carpark (Richard III), is being on the main line to London.
Yesterday, fellow New Romantic – Adrienne Vaughan – travelled with me to London for the best event of the summer, so far. For a mere £5 we bought a ticket to Romance in the Court, a fabulous event organised by David Headley’s Goldsboro Books.
The event was held in historic Cecil Court on a beautiful summer’s evening.
There, amidst a fabulous gathering of romance writers, readers and supporters, I met old friends, made new ones and got down to the all important business of networking. As a writer, I’m never sure if the time I spend away from the WIP is really productive, so it was reassuring to meet new readers who said they knew me from a variety of social media: Twitter/Facebook/Instagram. And, as a result of ‘getting my name out there’, one reader had downloaded all my books. RESULT!
However, before I upload more photos, let me digress and share our bit of good fortune with you. En route to the event, I popped into Aspinalls in St Pancras (as a girl does) to buy the Swarovski ‘bag hook’ I’d been promising myself as a reward for working hard on #4. In a scene reminiscent from Love Actually , the manager wrapped my present in an four different types of gift wrapping. He also put four boiled sweets in the bag. I know, I know it should have been a cinnamon stick, but I’m not complaining for the best was yet to come!
He asked us what we were doing in London. Quick as a flash we handed him our business cards. Mightily impressed, he asked if we would come down to his store in the autumn to an author event which he would organise: prosecco, nibbles, book signing etc. He also mentioned that he liked to’ take care of his girls’, which made Adrienne think (optimistically) that she would be getting a set of matching Aspinall luggage. A girl can dream, can’t she? So, before we get ahead of ourselves,here are the rest of the photos.
And there’s more. Click on each photo to see who’s who !
And, finally, a great photo of David Headley with Carole Matthews (courtesy of Carole and Kev). Many thanks to them for allowing me to use one of Kev’s photos at the top of this blog. 
As you can see, a fabulous time was had by all. The best five pounds I’ve ever spent. I’m hoping that David will host a similar event next summer . . . no pressure, obvs.
And, just before I sign off, keep your eyes peeled for an exciting announcement coming from New Romantics Press this summer. But, hush, hush, it’s top secret . . . for now!
My 2015 – photo album -part one
In January we took the train to Huddersfield and drove home with our new campervan – let the adventure begin !
Jasper was 19 years old in February and as cheeky as ever.
In March saw me getting down to business – visiting the Birmingham Chapter of the RNA, holding a meeting at the Belmont Hotel for New Romantics Press and our RNA chapter The Belmont Belles.
It was my birthday in March and here I am celebrating with Bongo Man, Joan and Maisie at The Case, Leicester. Later in March I attended the RONA awards in London, met two of my favourite authors (Carole Matthews and Jill Mansell).
We attended our niece’s wedding at Bickleigh Castle in Devon. Cue silly hat moment. Oh, we also saw Richard III interred – an historic moment for Leicester, and in its own way quite romantic, in a historical sense.
After the wedding we took the caravan into Cornwall and visited old haunts, including the ‘gin balcony’ in Polperro. Oh, and I finished the final draft of SCOTCH ON THE ROCKS. With Jasper’s help, naturally.
In May I sent Scotch on the Rocks to be formatted. After a few glitches I was able to order my proof copy to check for typos etc.
I’d forgotten how long this last bit up the publishing process takes, but eventually, in June I pressed the ‘go’ button and my first box of books arrived.
Scotch on the Rocks was launched in July and within two weeks it achieved BEST SELLER status in its genre – historical >Scottish. I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my lovely husband – Bongo Man. The only hero a girl needs.
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We’re halfway through the year. If you’ve enjoyed reading my blog, catch part two next week when I canter through the remaining months of 2015. Happy New Year to everyone, Lizzie xx
PS.
Today is the last day when you can download Scotch on the Rocks for 99p/$1.47. From Monday 4th January it reverts to full price . . .
Lizzie Lamb - author 