Sunday 15 December 2013

All I want for Christmas is you!

It's been a bit of a year this one with books out, babies being born and more books in the air. All of that has left me very thankful. To you, my readers, to my family and friends and especially my new wee boy.

So this Christmas, all I want is more of the same really. The love story that has been my entry into romance writing. The true love that snuck up on me and has left me a happily married woman. And the love of my beautiful little boys. Thanks to everyone who has helped make that happen. And I hope that you get a delicious burst of true love, in what ever form that may take, this Christmas.

Happy holidays and happy reading!
x Michele
(Image thanks to hdwallpapersinn.com )




Thursday 21 November 2013

Winners week

So with the release of The Billionaire Bundle and my own wee bundle of not sleeping, breast milk munching baby, its taken me a while to get to the winner of the Love Lost and Found blog tour draw with Goddess Fish. Sorry!

So without further a do...the winner of a fabo Gift Voucher, picked using some fandangled internet based randomiser I didn't know existed but which has made my life so much easier is...drumroll...Mary Preston. Woot!

Congrats! I hope you enjoy spending your amazon cash on a bevy of beauties, or a bunch of bicep-wielding blokes. (Or, because my publicist would grown me if I didn't, a Bundle of Billionaires ;-)

There'll be more winners at some point in the not too distant future too - with our Billionaire Bundle Bling fest - I'm afraid the contest is closed, but the book sure aint.

Congrats again and good luck to the entrants of the Bundle Bling Fest. Thanks so much for supporting me, following the tour and reading the books!

Happy reading
x Michele



Thursday 14 November 2013

Billionaire Buddies

So, as promised, I popped over to chat with Nina Croft this week and Rachel Lyndhurst is here today! Billionaires, Millionaires, men with money all round! Happy Billionaire Bundle everyone.




Are your heroes always billionaires?
Thus far they all have been! But I’ve written a few heroes since that are mere millionaires, so keep your eyes peeled for  these guys in 2014 and beyond. I’m a long way from offering up a man who isn’t seriously wealthy, though …
We all write about billionaires, but just what makes rich men so sexy?
I think at the root of it is the fact that money is power. Like it or not, it’s a fact – there aren’t too many broke men at the top that I can think of. Well, may be the Dalai Lama is pretty influential, but I’m not so sure about the ‘sexy’ there … Rich men have the means to make things happen and protect the people they love and care about. The chances are he can afford staff, so his woman can have the most ridiculous manicure and high heels if she wants to because someone else cleans the loo and puts the bins out. Public transport is out – chauffeured cars, jets and yachts are his thing. And diamonds … if you want a biggie, the guy has got to be rich. He also has the means to make the best of himself and look as sexy as he possibly can: private gym, bespoke tailoring, a natural tan, top notch dental and medical care – he’s got it all going for him. No toupees though …. We don’t want those. In summary, his bank account is big enough to make genuine dreams come true and help save lives whether that’s old Aunt Ida’s trip to Paris or a cute spaniel’s life-or-death heart operation.  He rocks.
Do you write what you know? (as in how many billionaires are you acquainted with, and can you introduce me to any?)
Ah … now this is where I have to confess I make it all up as I go along. I’ve never met a billionaire, I don’t think. I saw the Queen at distance once, but we never spoke. Now millionaires are a bit easier; David Gandy would count as he must have a few million stashed away by now – I’ve met him. I think your best chance of bumping into a billionaire is to hang out in places that reek of money, marinas, motorsport events, rock festivals, central London hotels on New Year’s Eve that kind of thing. I must get out more!
So we all love men with money – but what’s the next most important attribute you think a hero should have?
Well, he needs to be generous with all that money, I say. Nobody likes a miser, but he mustn’t be too flash with the cash either, that’s just vulgar. No diamond encrusted platinum watches. No gold taps. Or gold teeth! A nice charitable foundation that he has a genuine connection to would be good. I hate to say it, but, for me, he has also got to be drop-dead gorgeous as well. Shallow? Moi? When it comes to fantasy heroes the answer is yes!
Do you prefer your billionaires to be self-made men or old money?
Personally, I prefer the guy to be a self-made billionaire, but you’re pushing the realism sometimes if he’s under thirty years old. It depends how realistic your editor wants you to be. Old money is fine if it’s not tainted in some way and maybe gave him a head start in getting to his own first billion. However I think it’s important to show that your hero has grafted hard and made sacrifices to get where he is today and he needs to be able to relate to ‘normal’ people. Unless that’s your source of conflict, say with a sheikh or royalty of some kind. 
What are you working on right now, a billionaire or something else?
Right now, I’m going through final edits for a book which will hopefully release in February 2014. The American hero in this is not a billionaire, but he’s pretty wealthy and he’s built his millions up from nothing. Along side that is edits for a southern European billionaire – he’s stinking rich and will hopefully emerge in July 2014. Then there’s a bunch of Greeks – no paupers there, and then a Northern European who definitely won’t have billions, but enough to make dreams come true that’s for sure. And on the back burner, but very much on my To Do list, is a hero with very soft brown eyes who doesn’t appear to have a job or any money at all …
What was I saying about having to get out more? It’s not going to be easy!
Thanks for having me, Michele!!

Blurb for The Spanish Billionaire’s Hired Bride:
He bought her with cold, hard cash, but can she stop him from stealing her heart?
Blackmailed to marry against his will, Ricardo Almanza needs a wife before he’s thirty, and time is running out. A notorious playboy, marriage is the last thing he wants, but his stepmother’s sexy, debt-ridden personal assistant is the perfect solution. He makes her a business deal she can’t refuse—one million euros for three months as his wife. He might even enjoy being married to her … if she doesn’t kick the crap out of him again.
Helen Marshall can’t believe she’s considering Almanza’s outrageous proposal, but she must help clear her parents’ debts or they face financial ruin. The small print on the marriage contract changes to read three months as his wife in every way—including in the bedroom. Has she gotten in too deep, or will she need a new contract addendum, extending their marriage forever?

You can buy The Billionaire Bundle from just about anywhere that sells digital books, but here are two major links:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Billionaire-Bundle-Entangled-Indulgence-ebook/dp/B00G1DBCBQ
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-billionaire-bundle-michele-de-winton/1117194508?ean=9781622663774


About Rachel Lyndhurst
I write full-time now my children are at school, but I'm still a teeny bit proud of my law degree and accountancy qualifications. I've also had a lot of fun in the past working in the space industry, pharmaceuticals, insurance, a supermarket, a bus station, a railway depot, and a lingerie department.
I live, and write, surrounded by laundry and old newspapers most of the time with my daughter, son and The Exec in Fareham, on the south coast of England. Sometimes I can smell the sea from my back garden and I have grand designs on a luxurious garden office one day. Or a castle, I'm not fussy. 
When I'm not working, I do enjoy a good rummage through  a decent antique shop. Oh, and wine and expensive lipstick are non-negotiable .
I love to hear from my readers (especially the male supermodel ones), so please feel free to drop me a line or leave a comment on my blog: http://www.rachellyndhurst.com/ .

Rachel’s social networking links:
http://www.rachellyndhurst.com/
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/rachel.lyndhurst.7
https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/RachelLyndhurst
https://twitter.com/RachelLyndhurst  Twitter: @RachelLyndhurst
http://www.goodreads.com/rachellyndhurst



Monday 11 November 2013

Bundle me up Baby

It's out! The Billionaire Bundle is sitting on virtual bookshelves now and with hot international company, Dylan Johns is in fine wealthy company. If you didnt get a chance to read The Boss and Her Billionaire when it first came out - this is a great way to feast your eyes/mind/imagination on not only Dylan, but also Luc and Ricardo from Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire and The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride. Oh yusssss!
And because us ladies who like billionaires like talking about them we'll be hosting each other this week - I'll be over with Nina Croft on Wednesday, I'll have Rachel Lyndhurst here on Thursday and Rachel has Nina over on her blog on Friday. Fun times ahead!
So if you want to get yourself some fine looking, smart talking, all paying, bling providing billionaires - this is your book! Grab one from Amazon, or Barnes and Noble today!

And because we love all you fabo readers, we've got a giveaway too! Get rafflecoptering and you could win a Billionaire prize pack including a range of our backlist titles, a Millionaire Monopoly set (yes, really, how cool) some Billionaire chocolate cash and a $10GC! Click here to enter!

Dont forget about the other Indulgence releases too - Inara Scott has her fabo Falling for Mr Wrong out today too! Deeeeelicious.

I'll have Nina here on Wednesday so do pop over and say hi! Happy reading.
x Michele

Thursday 7 November 2013

A brilliant booky bundle- with beautiful boys

A book a book, a brilliant billionaire-full book. Yep, The Billionaire's Bundle is about to hit the virtual shelves, and Dylan from The Boss and Her Billionaire as well as Spanish and Italian studmuffins from Blackmailed by the Italian Billionaire by Nina Croft and The Spanish Billionaire's Hired Bride by Rachel Lyndhurst will be bursting from it's pages.

There's been lots of talk about a dark-sexy-brooding-hero-look-off and I for one would welcome it because Dylan is modeled on a mix of fine looking fellows who have money, muscles and moves...he'd be bound to win hands down. What's more, he's a man with morals and no small dose of family loyalty...my kinda man. If you want to check out a little glimpse of his inspiration pop over to my pinterest page http://www.pinterest.com/MDWinton/the-boss-and-her-billionaire/ but I can't be on hand to wipe your brow when you find yourself gazing into all those green eyed beauties...

The Billionaires's Bundle is due to release first thing next week and as soon as it's out there in the world you'll be gazing at the fabulous features of our cover model...let's just say his six pack has very little to do with beer :-)
I'll also be hosting those other fabo authors Rachel and Nina so be sure to pop over and say hi to them!

And also - free things! Wohey! In celebration of all things boyish and booky - there's a rafflecopter baby. Jump in and be in to win. https://www.facebook.com/IndulgenceBooks/app_228910107186452
 
Thanks as always for stopping by and happy reading!
x Michele

(Image thanks to 15pictures.com)


Tuesday 29 October 2013

It's a boy!

It's been a little while since I stopped by here. Sorry! But I have good reason. My wee man arrived early and pretty speedily into the world on the 6th of October at the very civilized hour of 5.29pm.
It wasnt exactly as planned. And it caught everyone by surprise, but maybe because of that, it was a whoooole lot better than the last time I did the crazy baby birthing thing.
This is a slightly different post to usual. Nothing to do with books. But everything to do with getting up close and personal. I did contemplate titling this post - "In honor of independent midwives" but I didn't think it would be as catchy. I probably should've however, because I had the most wonderful midwife and have no doubt that if she hadnt been focused on giving me the natural birth I so desperately wanted, everything would have gone very differently. Perhaps I should explain.
In New Zealand, we're lucky enough to have a system where women can choose to have an independent midwife look after them for the duration of their pregnancy and for about six weeks after the birth. These fabulous women are on call, ALL THE TIME, can come to your house, meet you in hospital and have the respect and admiration of thousands of women and doctors around the country. It makes for building an intimate and genuine relationship, and for creating a level of trust that I dont know would exist in an ad hoc situation (I wouldnt know of course, having never experienced it).
I had a lovely midwife for my first pregnancy, but the birth itself ended up in a very emergency style C-section with lots of medical staff worried, bright lights shining, and a total lack of control and composure for me. I had really wanted as natural a birth as possible and instead I got all the pain of a full labour complete with "Instructed pushing" - "Push Michele, Push, harder, harder, no that's no good," AND then had all the pain afterwards of recovering from a C-section. Sigh.
So second time round I really hoped to avoid both surgery and medical intervention in general. Introducing my fabulous midwife, who kicked out all the "Oh dear, a previous C-section" worriers and just go on with the job. (Giving birth after a C-section comes with risks - this series has some great information if you're interested) Two hours after arriving at the hospital, I had a new baby boy, (a whole bunch of stitches) and a huge sense of relief that I'd managed to get this one out before his tightly wrapped cord did anything nasty to his oxygen levels.
After looking at the trace, and the faces of some of the hospital staff, it was pretty clear to me that my midwife really did me a great solid and I'm so grateful. Ending up with another emergency situation with all the panic and fear of the last one would have possibly got me very down and I'm so pleased to have met someone who both trusted the birthing process, me and her years of practical experience in working when a situation was dangerous and when it was something that just needed to be got through to move on to the next level.
I hope this hasnt been a whole lot of rambling. And if you have no interest in birth or babies, then I apologise - I'll be back talking about books REAL soon - I've got some exciting news about The Boss and Her Billionaire to share I promise.
But if you're a mom, want to be, or are just interested in the birthing process, I'm glad to have shared and I'd encourage all interested parties to have a read of the midwife thinking website I linked to above. It;s interesting to hear how this process goes around the world and the different experiences women have of this universal process.
Anyway, thought I'd just share my news. We're not sleeping much at the moment - but we'll get there - and in the mean time - I've been reading LOTS of books. Get ready for a whole lot of new ideas ;-)
Happy reading and thanks for stopping by
x Michele

Sunday 29 September 2013

Thank yous!


It's been a crazy September what with putting a book out while being heavily pregnant. So before I actually burst - really truly actually burst - I wanted to say a big THANKS to all of you who have supported me in this time. Whether you bought Love Lost and Found, told someone else to buy it, or just cheered me on -
And just as importantly, it takes a whole bunch of people to make a book. So a big thanks to the fabulous editors (Alethea, Rima Jean and, Laura Anne) publicity team (Misa and kiwi girl Emma), critique partners (Bronwyn, Carmen, Tania and Trudi), support partners (lovely James), twitter cheerleaders (sci-five Evie B) and general ace friends that I have in my life. To the other September release ladies (Marisa, Hayson and Sofia), way to go! Now all I have to do is enjoy the ride of having another book out in the world, and have this baby! But in the mean time, don't forget that I'm all over the net answering questions, and unless I'm actually in labor - I'll be stopping by to chat on all these blogs.

And if you've missed it - Love Lost and Found is ready and waiting to bring you a good dose of seriously happy ever after ;-) on Amazon, Barnes and Nobel and iBooks!

x Happy Reading
Michele



Monday 23 September 2013

Fab Four - Final Guest



And finally - the last (but definately not least, because - cowboys!) of the Fab Four Indulgence Release laaadies. The lovely Marisa Cleveland stops by with her new title Reforming the Cowboy. Take it away Marisa!
 
1. Four words to describe Reforming the Cowboy: Sex, skepticism, sincerity, and strength
2. Four Favorite Indulgences: Cuddling with hubby, sipping champagne, nibbling on strawberries, and reading a romance novel.
3. Four women/characters my hero, BILLY, would never date: Cruella de Vil, Catwoman, Bellatrix Lestrange, and Mystique from the X-Men
4. Four pick up lines my heroine, LACEY, would never go for:
                Do you have a band aid? I scraped my knee falling for you.
                Damn, if being sexy was a crime, you'd be guilty as charged!
                There is something wrong with my cell phone. It doesn't have your number in it.
                You must be a hell of thief, because you stole my heart from across the room.


Country singer Billy Hardy needs to get back on the charts. His manager assures him headlining the opening of a cafe in South Beach is his best chance at getting back to the big time. If he fails, his career is over for good this time.

Lacey Durant can't believe opening night includes the country singer she crushed on through college. And her customers agree he's dreamy. But his playboy reputation threatens her cafe's image and she can't afford that. She insists Billy stay with her so she can keep an eye on him, and thwart overenthusiastic fans.

Billy's charms and Lacey's sexy curves prove more than either can resist, but she refuses to be just another lyric in his well-known songs of heartbreak.





About Marisa:
Marisa loves to laugh, hates to cry, and does both often. She married her best friend, and her adult romance novels focus on sensual relationships developed through friendship. She loves to connect with readers.
Connect with Marisa through her Website, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr, Goodreads and YouTube. Wowsers! That's a lot of connecting :-)
 
You can Buy Reforming the Cowboy on Amazon Barnes and Noble, and 
iTunes:

Thanks to Sofia Harper and Hayson Manning for coming on over this month. You can grab their Indulgence release titles now - and of course Love Lost and Found is ready and waiting to Pleasure your Shelf! :-)  Happy Reading!
x Michele