Envy, Bony and Why The Beach Bum is So Bad

Hi, how’s everyone? Hope you’re all well!! So exciting news! Envy comes out in three days’ time” THREE DAYS!! Woohoo. It’s another of the Sisters of Sin series, it’s romantic suspense (available as a paperback and romantic suspense Kindle book) and what I would describe as action adventure. The heroine is Izzy Starr, an assassin, who is given a job by her ex to see is an international chocolate company is indeed using child slavery on its African plantations.

Heres the blurb:

Envy loves her life as an assassin working for the Sisters of Sin…until her ex, Adam, shows up begging her for help.

Someone’s forcing children into slavery on African cocoa plantations.

Pretending to be a couple, Envy and Adam fly out to the Ivory Coast to investigate.

What they find sickens even her…and now she’s armed and very, very angry.

Enemies to lovers. Action and adventure. Fake relationship. Steamy Sex. Envy has it all.

https://geni.us/envydanelson

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Okay, so what else has been happening a Nelson Towers? Me and the kids were at a Halloween party on Saturday night at our next-door neighbours’ house. It was a fab party. I was originally going to go as Cruella de Vil. I’d bought the costume last year, but it came too late, so I brought it out Saturday afternoon only to find the damn thing doens’t fit me. Despite ordering a size up from my normal curvy self, this was waaaaaay too skinny fit for me. Sigh. Way to go costume makers! You’ve made a plump woman feel even fatter! Anyway, I dug out last year’s costume (a black stretchy dress) and wore that instead. I back-combed my hair (big mistake, took me ages to brush it on Sunday morning!) and donned black shoes. It was a fab night. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of myself taken.

Our beloved Bonya, gone but not forgotten.

BONYA

The night had a tinge of sadness over it however. We had to have our beloved pug, Bonya, put down a few weeks ago. She was old and had various health issues, so it was the best thing to do for her. We were all devastated, and I couldn’t sleep properly for about a week afterwards. Apart from her farting, she was a terrible snorer, and my bedroom was just too quiet. Anyway, Bonya always came with us to any party our neighbours were having (and they have loads) and became known as Party Pug. This was our first party without the wee soul. She was missed. She will, however, never be forgotten…mainly for her lovely personality, her cuddly-ness and her farts that could clear a room. She was an amazing animal, and we were so lucky to have had her in our lives.

BOOKS

Right, on to happier things. So, my mum gave me a book, The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley, and I desperately want to like it. But it’s boring me to tears. It’s dragging on and on and I just don’t want to finish it. My mum really enjoyed this book and its sequels, but I’m going to have to give it back. I feel like I’m wasting my time on it. Sorry Lucinda Riley.

I am reading Robin Sharma’s The 5am Club, which, while the storyline is a bit cheesy in places, does have some good solid advice to give to people who want to improve their productivity and their lives in general. While I won’t be getting up at 5am, I am trying to get up earlier. I am very productive anyway, but I’m looking to add more hours to my day. I can’t do it after dinner (6pm-ish) as I’m just too tired by then, but maybe getting up at 6am instead of 7am is doable. I’ll let you know how I get on.

TELLY

Right, so there are some amazing programmes on tv right now and I’ll briefly take you through what I’ve been watching.

Firstly, I re-watched Carnival Row on Prime because it’s just so amazing. If you like fantasy and history, this is the series for you. It stars Cara Delevigne and Orlando Bloom, and is just amazing. I cannot wait for the second series!

Secondly, everyone’s been talking about The Empress on Netflix. It’s about the life of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and is excellent. It’s stunningly shot as well.

Thirdly, Walter Presents Agatha Christie’s HJerson (I watched in on More Four) is a superb Swedish crime drama based around a tv producer and an ex cop. Hjerson is the main character of Ariadne Oliver, the writer in the Poiro books. Anyway, this is a modern look at that character and what he might get up to. It’s clever, it’s funny and I just loved it.

Fourthly, again Walter Presents, Astrid: Murder in Paris is about a woman with autism who helps Parisian police investigate murders. It’s quirky and clever, and very very enjoyable.

Fifthly, (and I haven’t just been watching telly all day, promise), I watched The House of the Dragon. It was a bit of a drag at first. I stuck with it, though, as I’m such a huge Game of Thrones fan, and thank God it did heat up towards the end.

And finally, my current obsession thanks to a recommendation by my sister, Vicky, and that is The Tudors.  Oh my God, this series is so GOOOOOOOOD. Okay, not 100% accurate (the history lover in me has winced a few times at story lines that weren’t correct), but very addictive. I’m on season two right now.

A BIG RASPBERRY

Things I would not recommend are: The Beach Bum starring Mathew Macconaughey. It’s dire. I watched half of it hoping it would get better. It did not. I didn’t like the characters and the storyline dragged. A big raspberry from me!

WRITING LIFE

I’ve signed up to do another anthology, which is due out in February next year. I’ll let you know more nearer the time.

I’m also about to embark on writing a new fantasy book for adults. It’s set in Victorian Scotland. More on that later.

Right, I need to say adieu just now. I am away to the dentist to get a filling replaced. It fell out two-and-a-half years ago in the midst of the pandemic and this is me just getting it replaced now.  My dentist has only just reopened to non-urgent patients.

Okay, that’s me off now. Till next time.

Dawnxxx

 

Five star reviews!

So excited by the five star reviews that are coming in for Greed. Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a review. I really appreciate it. If you have a minute, and have read the book, would you also mind leaving a review on Amazon? Every single one matters and it’ll help get my book further up the charts. Thanks.

Right, now that’s done, on to the blog. How are you today? Hope you’re all hail and hearty. Me? Well, I’ve been busy cranking up my social media for my writing and for Greed. It’s tiring, I can tell you, but I’m already seeing more people beginning to follow me and I got some more book sales, so that’s great. I haven’t gone viral on Tik Tok (yet, fingers crossed) but you never know.  If there’s anything you’d like to see me put up on social media (for instance, answering authorly questions), then comment on this post or email me on dawn@danelsonauthor.com or DM me on my author page on Facebook, which is D A Nelson Author.

So, we’ve been basking in sunshine lately in Scotland and it’s been nice, but too hot. I’ve had to have a fan running  all night in my room because it’s so hot in the room and my poor elderly pug, Bonya, gets too hot and pants… loudly. The fan seems to work though and we can all get a rest. The last couple of days, however, the weather has become pretty overcast and wet. Torrential rain yesterday, but it was good as the plants needed a good watering.

What’s been happening? I’ve gotten around 30,000 words written of my next book, Envy, which is due out in November. I’ve also got a short story due for an anthology in October and I’ve signed up for a different series next year. I also want to write my historical fantasy steampunk series. I have started it, I have notes, but I really need to finish my other projects and get on to it. I’m very excited about it. There are another two books I have finished, but not polished, in my computer and I’d love to get those out too. Busy, busy, busy.

What I’ve been watching… I’ve become addicted to Help! We Bought a Village which is a series about people who’ve bought rundown villages in rural France and Portugal and are redeveloping them. I love programmes like this.

I’m also feeling bereft having binge watched The Sandman series, which I loved. What a series. I was hooked.  However, the prequel to Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, starts next Monday at 2am. I CANNOT WAIT!! You all know I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones and this new series will hopefully be as great.

I’ve also been watching (again) my guilty tv watching secrets, which are Father Brown and Murdoch Mysteries. I love a good mystery, especially if it’s set in the past, and these two are just fab. They give me a lovely hour of gentle murder! 😉

Right, I’m going to love you and leave you. Til next time,

Dawnx