In Our Book Spotlight Today: Just Jack by Meredith Russell (contest included)

In Our Book Spotlight Today: Just Jack by Meredith Russell

When the line between fairy tales and magic, and the real world become blurred, can love really conquer anything?
Leo Marsh is having a bad day. He just caught his boyfriend cheating on him, and not for the first time, then he falls, quite literally, for a man who has to be too good to be true….

When Leo slips and falls on some ice in front of Jack, Jack sees something all too familiar in Leo’s eyes. For over fifty years, Jack has existed in a solitary life of ice and bitterness. Just like Leo, he was betrayed by a man he loved, and swore no one would ever break his heart again: he gave up on love, and it seemed love had given up on him.

But if by fate or magic, Jack and Leo find their paths crossing for a second time, and with a little guidance from friends, dare to take a chance on each other. The problem is, Jack isn’t the charming and uncomplicated guy Leo thinks he is. When Jack gave away his ability to love, he became something else, someone cold and unloving. He became Jack Frost.

As Jack and Leo get closer, Jack is left torn and confused. Jack yearns for anything that reminds him of his humanity, but the truth is, he feels nothing, not warmth, not love, and he knows he might never be able to love Leo the way he deserves to be loved.

About Meredith – Bio and Contacts

Meredith Russell lives in the heart of England. An avid fan of many story genres, she enjoys nothing less than a happy ending. She believes in heroes and romance and strives to reflect this in her writing. Sharing her imagination and passion for stories and characters is a dream Meredith is excited to turn into reality.

Email: meredithrussell666@gmail.com
Webpage: http://www.meredithrussell.co.uk
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/meredithrussellauthor

Buy Link at Love Lane Books

Excerpt

Cramming his hands in his jacket pockets, Jack looked at the ground, and with the toe of his boot, he drew a circle in the snow. Adding eyes and a smile, Jack admired his masterpiece for a moment. It wasn’t quite right. He crouched and held his hand over the simple drawing. Slowly, he pulled back his hand. The soft flakes quivered. He teased the snow, rearranging the picture, then straightened up. The image’s smile was gone, replaced with a frown.

“Hello, Jack,” he said to the drawn face.

With a heavy sigh, he dragged his foot across the image, wiping the sidewalk clear. If only it was that easy to wipe away the morose feeling from inside him.

He rubbed a hand over his face and took a deep breath. There was a smile on his lips as he looked ahead at the elderly gentleman making his way toward him.

“Too cruel?” he asked himself.

Maybe. Jack smiled. Or maybe not. He wiggled his fingers and felt the cold air surge between them. This was who he was—the bringer of mishaps, ice, and mischief, and of the frost on the window panes.

He was Jack Frost.

Contest: Enter to Win $15 giftcard from Amazon or ARe, and two other prizes of free ebooks. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Open world wide.

Rafflecopter code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Down Under Day 22 – Welcome, Maggie Mitchell ( aka Maggie Nash) and AUS/NZ Facts of the Day

Welcome, Maggie Mitchell!

Today is February 22 and our featured Down Under writer is Australian Maggie Mitchell who also writes under the name Maggie Nash. Books under both names are listed on her author page so be sure to check them all out. Find the Scavenger Hunt word of the day and make sure to enter Maggie’s contest/giveaway.

Today it’s a tale of 2 Blue Lakes, one in Australia and one in New Zealand!

Australia Fact of the Day:

Blue Lake is located on Mount Gambier in Southern Australia. The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier, South Australia is a large deep lake located in an extinct volcanic maar associated with the Mount Gambier. It is one of four crater lakes on Mount Gambier. Of the four lakes, only two remain, as the other two (Leg of Mutton and Brown) have dried up over the past 30 to 40 years as the water table has dropped. Last eruption was over 4,500 years ago.

New Zealand Facts of the Day:

Blue Lake, in Nelson Lakes National Park, has the clearest water in the world.

New Zealand has three official languages: English, Māori and New Zealand Sign Language.

and…….

More people die in New Zealand each year playing lawn bowls than scuba diving. (Imagine the commitment!)

Down Under Author: Isabelle Rowan

Meet Isabelle Rowan!

Isabelle Rowan is the author of A Note in the Margin, Twelve Days, and many other books listed below.

To get to know Isabelle Rowan a little better, the author agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

By day I teach English and Media in a suburban High School, but whenever I manage to find I spare minute I fill it with writing.

Although I wrote a lot as a teenager academia ate my brain and stifled my urge to write fiction. The odd poem here or a very short story there until a midlife crisis made me pick up my pencil again. Several years of blogging encouraged me to try my hand at longer fiction and my vampire short was picked up by Dreamspinner Press for their Desire Beyond Death anthology.

Although I write mainly mm romance I am also a member of the Australian Writers of Horror Association.

I’m also co-director (with Matthew Lang) of the Queermance Festival. Please have a look at our website and maybe join us! http://www.queermance.com.au

Contacts/Follow at :

Twitter: @Aussie_Izzy
Goodreads: Isabelle Rowan
Website & blog: http://www.isabellerowan.com
Facebook: Isabelle Rowan
********************

Isabelle Rowan Books:

A Note in the Margin: Rainbow Awards (Elisa Rolle) – Runner up, Best Contemporary Romance (2009) – Best debut novel (2009)

Blurb:

John McCann, a man who judges life by the tally of an accounts ledger, has a supreme goal in life: To achieve, live, and enjoy the rarified executive lifestyle. But he’s encountered one problem: The migraines are going to continue to get worse unless you make some major changes in your lifestyle. What you need is a ‘sea change’… Perhaps buy a nice little business in the country, settle down, something easier to occupy your time…

While John knows the doctor is right, he just can’t resign from the job he’s fought so hard for. He decides the sacrifice of taking a year’s leave of absence won’t interfere too much with his plans, and so he finds himself running Margins, a cozy little bookstore, with the help of the former owner’s son, Jamie. John expects to put in his year, get his stress under control, and then get back to business.

What John doesn’t expect is how Margins and its denizens draw him in, particularly the quiet, disheveled man who takes refuge in the old leather chair in the second-hand book section. John’s plans for an unattached year of simple business crumble when he meets David and is forced to reevaluate life, love and what he really wants from both. John and David are forced to come to terms with their pasts as they struggle to determine what possible future they might build together.

Book Details:

ebook, 276 pages
Published March 2009 by Dreamspinner Press
original titleA Note in the Margin
ISBN139781935192664
edition languageEnglish
seriesA Note in the Margin #1
charactersJohn McCann, David Robinson
settingAustralia

Ink : Rainbow Awards (Elisa Rolle) – Honorable Mention, Paranormal Romance. (2012)
Snowman – released mid year (2015)
Novellas:
Twelve Days (A Note in the Margins Story)
The Road to Byron
The Red Heart – our review follows today.
Anthologies:
Under the Southern Cross

Genre(s): Contemporary, paranormal

********************************************

Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Isabelle Rowan) is an ebook of A Note in the Margin. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “word or phrase” in bold green . Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

**********************

A Chat with Isabelle Rowan

What books as a child has the most impact on you?

Stories have always been part of my life. My parents either read to me at night or made up stories. The Wind in the Willows was always my favourite and I honestly believe it still resonates with me in so many ways – I think I was a mole personality (shy and not very brave) wanting to be Toad (adventurous and fearless). By primary school it was The Hobbit and then The Lord of the Rings. Similar themes that I’ve carried over into my own writing – step up, take the risk to be brave and it might just work out. Ha ha, see, I’m still saying might instead of will, but I’m getting there.

Actually The Wind in the Willows plays a role in Twelve Days (Book 2 in the A Note in the Margins series) and this continues into the book I’m writing now – WIP title – Jamie’s Notes.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Wow, there is no one answer to this question, unless it’s everywhere – sights, sounds and smells! Ink came from my favourite tattoo parlor on Chapel Street. While I was being inked it struck me that the small purple room would be exquisite torture for a vampire. The heady smells of blood and adrenaline. Whereas, A Note in the Margin came from an indulgent night spent in a posh hotel in Melbourne and seeing a homeless man bed down on cardboard in a doorway. I didn’t sleep that night. The Red Heart’s genesis was a conversation with my high school students about the concept of home and country. Many of them are refugees and come from backgrounds I can’t even begin to imagine, so it was amazing to hear them talk country and belonging. Hopefully I captured a little of that essence in the central Australian landscape.

Favorite book/story you have read as an adult?

Poppy Z Brite wrote a vampire novel called ‘Lost Souls’ that I’ve reread so many times that I’ve had to buy at least four copies of the paperback (I still have them all). Her character Ghost stays with me. He is an ethereal character who, although human, seems to exist between worlds. He is a true innocent and for some reason that struck a chord for me.

Do you have a certain regimen that you follow as a writer?

Write whenever I can steal some time. I teach high school so that can be hard. Those who know me or my tweets will know that I usually escape to cafes to write – not with wifi. I have the attention span of an insect so don’t need distractions! Somehow, the steady hum of voices, music and coffee machines soothes me to write. I have a release in June, Snowman, that involves cafes and baristas as well as mountains, dogs and horses!

How do you think books written from authors in Australia or New Zealand differ in style, language, and culture?

Hmm, ask some of my poor frustrated editors! I didn’t realise that there were that many differences until I was told I have very Australian sentence structure. Seriously, I didn’t know there was such a thing! But I do know that we have what a good friend from the US calls Aussie-isms. Other than that I think you’d have to ask a non-Aussie because I can’t necessarily spot the difference – too close to it I guess.

If you were a tour guide, what would you like a visitor to see and what impression would you want them to take away with them when they leave?

I was toying with the beautiful Dandenong Ranges (1 & 2), or my local beaches, but I think the sights and sounds of Melbourne would have to win out. Tourists often head to Sydney and Uluru leaving Melbourne for ‘next time’, but it is an amazing city. So, I would base my tour around Art and coffee culture! We have galleries galore as well as wonderful street art. We could take a tram ride around the city or perhaps up to Lygon Street(3) or down to St Kilda(4). Many café stops would be needed as well as sampling delicious cakes and chocolate. So kick back with an espresso and try to decide how to fit in all the theatre, music, and history Melbourne has to offer.

What are your current projects?

Snowman is just about to start its editing cycle and that should be released in June.
I’m almost half-way through Jamie’s Note (working title only).
I have a zombie YA novel in the works.
I’ve also started musing on a steampunk novel.

Down Under Author of the Day: Toni Griffin

Down Under Author of the Day

Meet Toni Griffin!

Tony Griffin is the author of The Holland Brothers series, The Atherton Pack series, and many others listed below..

To get to know Australian author Toni Griffin a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Toni Griffin lives in Darwin, the smallest of Australia’s capital cities. Born and raised in the state she’s a Territorian through and through. Growing up Toni hated english with a passion (as her editors can probably attest to) and found her strength lies with numbers.   Now, though, she loves escaping to the worlds she creates and hopes to continue to do so for many years to come. She’s a single mother of one and works full time. When she’s not writing you can just about guarantee that she will be reading one of the many MM authors she loves.

*******************************

Contacts/Follow at :

Website : http://www.tonigriffin.net
Blog http://www.tonigriffin.net/blog
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/toni.griffin.author
Goodreads Author Page

***********************************

All Published and available at Mischief Corner Books, eXtasy Press:

The Holland Brothers (available at MCB):

Unexpected Mate
Determined Mate
Protective Mate
Forbidden Mate
A Very Holland Christmas

The Atherton Pack (available at MCB):

Liam
Ben
Corey (Coming Soon)

Thompson Agency:

Dealing with the Dead
Dealing with the Past

Tassie Wolves:

Hidden Wolf

Hot Encounters:
Frankie’s Vamp
Bryce’s Cop (Coming Soon)

MCB (Mischief Corner Books) Anthologies:
A Bear in the Woods – A Cabin for Two Anthology
Once A Cowboy – Hot Off the Range Anthology
Archie’s Accidental Kidnapping – Horns and Halos Collection
Finding Connor – Not in the Stars Anthology
Wreath of Fire – Chestnuts Roasting Anthology

Single Titles:
My Christmas Present

Genre(s): Supernatural Romance, humour, LGBTQ fiction, M/M Romance, gay shifters, werewolves

********************************************

Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Toni Griffin) is an eBook copy of any of Toni Griffin’s books, including recent releases. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt “Word” in bold green. Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

******************************************

When did you start writing?

I believe it was 2010.

Were you a reader as a child?

I hated reading as a kid. I did everything possible to get out of having to read books in school, even if they were listed as required reading for the class.

What books as a child has the most impact on you?

Did that impression carry over into adulthood when you started writing? I started reading probably 10 years ago. I know it’s probably silly but Harry Potter started my Love of reading, barely a day has gone by since I picked up the first book that I haven’t read something.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

Any number of things. It could be a photo, something someone said to me, even an even that I witnessed can start the plot bunnies hopping.

Favorite genres to write in and why?

Would have to be MM paranormal, because I love making up my own rules to a universe. I like playing god. LOL

Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

It’s not usually the title. LOL. That usually happens about half way through, if not after I’ve finished writing and I bed friends for help. It’s usually Characters or plot. Unexpected Mate, my first ever book was Characters.

Do you have a favorite character that you have written?

I have so many of them. I love Jake Richmond from Forbidden Mate, even though I wanted to strangle him at times. I also love Lucas Ford from Bryce’s Cop, although I wanted to strangle him at times as well… Hmmm… I’m sensing a pattern here.

Favorite book/story you have read as an adult:

In the MM Genre would have to be the A Matter of Time series by Mary Calmes. I just adore Sam and Jory.
Otherwise Kylie Chan, an Aussie Author has 8 books in a 9 book series out so far, starting with the Dark Heavens trilogy. These books are awesome and delve into Chinese culture and mythology.

Do you have a certain regimen that you follow as a writer?

What inspired you to write your first book? I was leaving work one day, in the car and on the way to pick up my daughter from afterschool care when Brian Townsend and Marcus Holland started yammering away in my head. I went home that night, picked up my laptop and started writing their story.

Do you have a specific writing style?

What’s the hardest part of writing your books?

Definitely the synopsis and blurbs. LOL Hate those damn things.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your first book?

I did do it all over again and changed heaps. LOL. After my publisher went under and I received the rights back to all my stories I went back to my first series, The Holland Brothers and decided I wanted to expand on the books. Unexpected mate had 17k added to it. Determined Mate, 19k, Protective Mate 25k and Forbidden Mate roughly 50k.

What book are you reading now?

Fire & Water by Andrew Grey

What are your current projects?

I’m currently working on edits for Corey, book 3 in my Atherton Pack series. I am also working on Steps to You. A contemporary about facing your fears. The MC meet while climbing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

What’s next up for you?

I have Frankie’s Vamp Releasing January 4th and Bryce’s Cop re releasing on February 8th

Down Under Day 19: Author Tony Griffin, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day!

Welcome, Toni Griffin!

It’s Day 19 of our Down Under Author Showcase and our featured writer today is Toni Griffin! Toni lives in Darwin and write a number of supernatural romance series, including shifters! Toni is also involved in a new publishing company along with Angel Martinez, Freddie McKay and Silvia Violet in Mischief Corner Books which put out one of my favorite holiday anthologies in 2014, Chestnuts Roasting, including a story from Toni Griffin!

Visit Toni Griffin’s page which follows shortly, learn about Toni, her books and writing and don’t forget to enter her giveaway contest and find the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word of the Day.

Australia Fact of the Day!

Today’s Down Under Australia fact will be about Darwin, Toni’s home town!

Darwin is the capital of Northern Territory is a multicultural city famous for its huge thunderstorms, beautiful sunsets, colourful Mindil Beach Markets and excellent barramundi fishing. Places to see include the Northern Territory Parliament House, Fannie Bay Gaol Museum, Darwin Entertainment Centre and Botanic Gardens. Outside are Charles Darwin National Park, Crocodylus Park, Territory Wildlife Park and Berry Springs Nature Park.

Who was Darwin named after? Charles Darwin, the man came up with the concept of natural selection and evolution.

Find out more about Darwin here!

New Zealand Fact of the Day!

Since I chose a city for Australia, let’s take a closer look at New Zealand’s Christchurch.

Christchurch is New Zealand‘s second-largest city (question: can you name the first?) and the gateway to the South Island. Bordered by hills and the Pacific Ocean, it is situated on the edge of the Canterbury Plains that stretch to the Southern Alps. Christchurch, New Zealand is interwoven by two rivers linking parks, gardens and avenues. Bordered by the Port Hills and the Pacific Ocean, it is situated on the Canterbury Plains with the Southern Alps as a majestic backdrop. The award-winning Christchurch Botanic Gardens feature one of the finest collections of exotic and native plants found in New Zealand,

In February 2011, Christchurch was hit by a huge earthquake. Much of the central city with its classic neo-gothic architecture was destroyed. This event was a major element in a book from one of our Down Under Authors. Do you know which one? It’s still in the process of rebuilding, but the heart and soul of New Zealand remains the great people who live there.

Down Under Showcase Author of the Day: Pelaam

Meet Pelaam!

Pelaam is a prolific author with over 30 titles, including a new holiday release from MLR Press “The Magic of Christmas.”

To get to know New Zealand author Pelaam a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Living in clean, green New Zealand, Pelaam is a best-selling, multi-published author of gay romance and erotic books. When not busy writing she can be found indulging in her other passions of cookery and wine appreciation.

Pelaam’s book “Breath of the Feathered Serpent” is a finalist for the 2014 Rainbow Awards in Gay futuristic/sci-fi and has been given an Honourable Mention. “Bedazzled” and “Firebird” were a combined finalist for the Rainbow Awards in Gay futuristic/sci-fi 2013.

Can be reached through Lazy Beagle Entertainment
Goodreads Author Page (list of books)

Among Pelaam’s many stories and titles are the following:

Breath of the Feathered Serpent
Haunted by the Past
Captive
On Dragon’s Wings
Addiction (Dark Hollows Press)
Familiar or Not (MLR)
The Magic of Christmas (MLR)
Horse of Bells
Dragon’s Lair

Genre(s):

Sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal

********************************************

Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Pelaam) is an eBook copy of “The Magic of Christmas”. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

The Magic of Christmas: Blurb:

On a friends’ getaway in a winter wonderland, Jared and Casey discover real Christmas magic.

Jared joins his four best friends on an early Christmas holiday in a beautiful winter wonderland. He’s been in love with the talented and extroverted Casey for years, but lacked the courage to say anything.

Casey loves Jared, but despite his gregarious exterior, inside lurks someone shy and insecure and so he’s never spoken up.

Both men are about to experience real Christmas magic.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find the Hunt word/phrase highlighted in green. Collect all the words/phrases from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

******************************************

Q Where do you draw inspiration from?

I can get inspired from a single image, a word or phrase, or a scenario. I like fantasy, myth, and legend and draw a lot of inspiration from there when searching for something to stimulate my Muse.

Q. Favorite genres to write in and why?

Sci-fi/paranormal/fantasy. These have always been my greatest loves. They give my imagination the greatest level of freedom when writing.

Q. Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

I generally have an idea for a plot, then come the characters, and usually the title is last of all. However, there is one where the title came as part of the plot. That’s “Breath of the Feathered Serpent.”

Q. Do you have a specific writing style?

I’m very much a “pantser”. I can’t write starting at the beginning and working my way through to the end and I don’t storyboard. I write the scenes as they come into my mind. That sometimes means I have the end written before the beginning, and subplots can be completed before I have the main plot worked out. But it works for me and I go with the flow.

Q How do you think books written from authors in Australia or New Zealand differ in style, language, and culture?

We have our own way of looking at things, and our own way of saying things. I quite often find I have to rewrite something I know would be understood by a New Zealand or Australian reader, but I’m told wouldn’t be understood by an American reader.

Q. If you were a tour guide, what would you like a visitor to see and what impression would you want them to take away with them when they leave?

I’d like them to see the magnificent scenery, some of the beautiful beaches, and the vibrant cities. I’d like them to leave with the knowledge that there’s something for everyone when they visit New Zealand.
Q What are your current projects?

I worked my way through NaNo (National Novel Writing Month) again this year and reached my 50k target. Now I need to fill in some of the scenes and polish the draft before seeing if “Furture Imperfect” will also be published. My last NaNo effort was “Breath of the Feathered Serpent” which not only got published, but was a finalist in the 2014 Rainbow Awards for sci-fi/futuristic.
Q. Favorite quote (doesn’t matter the source)?

“We have a responsibility to stand watch over one another, we are watchers, all of us, watchers, guarding against the darkness. You’ve taught me that we’re all needed, even those who sometimes think we’re worthless, plain, and dull.”

(Dean Koontz, “Watchers”)

Down Under Day 17: Featured Author Pelaam, AUS/NZ Facts of the Day and Contest Info

Welcome, Pelaam!

It’s Day 17 of our Down Under Author Showcase, and our featured writer today is Pelaam. Pelaam is an author of paranormal, magical and supernatural tales of love and romance. Check out all their stories, books and bio on Pelaam’s Down Under Author page that follows shortly.

Pelaam marks the midway point in our Down Under Author Showcase. Have you missed a day? Go back and double check that you have made the acquaintance of each and every one of these marvelous authors! And don’t forget to enter Bottom Drawer Publications contest on our Down Under Author Showcase page on the menu!

Now onto our Down Under Facts of the Day! As our author is from New Zealand, that country goes first today!

New Zealand Facts of the Day:

1. The longest place name in the world is Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu, a hill in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. That’s Cape Kidnappers to the right in Hawkes Bay.

and

2. New Zealand has more Scottish pipe bands per capita than any other country in the world.

Australia Fact of the Day!

1. The first photos from the 1969 moon landing were beamed to the rest of the world from Honeysuckle Tracking Station, near Canberra. This story was told in the wonderful Australian movie, The Dish. Catch it on demand or DVD.

2. There were over one million feral camels in outback Australia, until the government launched the $19m Feral Camel Management Program, which aims to keep the pest problem under control.
Saudi Arabia imports camels from Australia.

Australian feral camels, are feral populations of two species of camel; *Guess what day it is…it’s Hump Day”) mostly dromedaries(Camelus dromedarius) but also some bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus). Imported into Australia from Arabia, India and Afghanistan^[1] during the 19th century for transport and construction during the colonisation of the central and western parts of Australia, many were released into the wild after motorised transport replaced the camels’ role in the early 20th, forming a fast-growing feral population.

STRW Reviews of Lisa Henry Books

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Book Reviews of Lisa Henry!

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words has read and reviewed so many Lisa Henry stories that I am linking some of them below.

No matter the reviewer, her stories, whether written alone or as a co author, always make an emotional impact and lasting impression. My review of When All The World Sleeps is being reposted today. Myself and so many others considered it one of the Best Books of 2014.

Here are some of her finest stories (in our opinion) and in no particular order:

Bliss (A Barb the Zany Old Lady review) by Lisa Henry

King of Dublin (A MelanieM Review)

The Two Gentlemen of Altoona (A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review)

The Merchant of Death (A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review) written with J.A. Rock, a long time co author

Do you have a favorite Lisa Henry book? Which one and why?

Lisa Henry is one of STRW Down Under Showcase Authors.

Down Under Showcase Author: Lisa Henry

Down Under Showcase Author of the Day

Meet Lisa Henry

Lisa Henry is the author of Sweetwater, When All the World Sleeps, Bliss, King of Dublin and so many others listed below.

To get to know Lisa Henry a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for the interview below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word found somewhere within.

✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍✍

Lisa likes to tell stories, mostly with hot guys and happily ever afters.

Lisa lives in tropical North Queensland, Australia. She doesn’t know why, because she hates the heat, but she suspects she’s too lazy to move. She spends half her time slaving away as a government minion, and the other half plotting her escape.

She attended university at sixteen, not because she was a child prodigy or anything, but because of a mix-up between international school systems early in life. She studied History and English, neither of them very thoroughly.

She shares her house with too many cats, a green tree frog that swims in the toilet, and as many possums as can break in every night. This is not how she imagined life as a grown-up.

Contacts/Follow at :
Twitter https://twitter.com/LisaHenryOnline
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5050492.Lisa_Henry
Website http://www.lisahenryonline.com
Blog http://lisahenryonline.blogspot.com.au
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisa.henry.1441

*******************************

Your Books:

The Two Gentleman of Altona (Playing the Fool #1), with J.A. Rock
Fall on Your Knees, with J.A Rock – part of the Rated: XXXmas Anthology
Sweetwater
Bliss, with Heidi Belleau
Another Man’s Treasure, with J.A. Rock
When All The World Sleeps, with J.A. Rock
The King of Dublin, with Heidi Belleau

Mark Cooper versus America (Prescott College #1), with J.A. Rock.
Brandon Mills versus the V-Card (Prescott College #2), with J.A. Rock
The Good Boy (The Boy #1), with J.A. Rock
The Naughty Boy (The Boy #1.5), with J.A. Rock
The Boy Who Belonged (The Boy #2), with J.A. Rock
Dark Space
He Is Worthy
The Island
Tribute
The Dreams You Made in the Dirt – a free short.
Falling Away – a free short.
The Last Rebellion – a free short.

Genre(s):

I write m/m and I can’t really narrow it down any more than that. I’ve written contemporary, historical and sci-fi.

********************************************

Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Lisa Henry) is an eBook copy of Mark Cooper versus America. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Rafflecopter Link: a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Down Under Scavenger Hunt – find Lisa Henry’s Hunt “Word” in bold green. Collect all the words from each author and submit the list in writing no later than midnight on February 1st. Make sure you include an email address where you can be reached. Prizes will be given to 5 people selected, from 1st place to 5th! Happy Hunting.

******************************************

Hi! I mean, g’day. It’s great to be here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Today I’m offering an ebook copy of Mark Cooper versus America, a book I co-wrote with the awesome J.A. Rock, to one lucky commenter! Weirdly, I think it’s the most Australian of my books, even though it’s set in Pennsylvania and has snow and bears in it. I mean, we have snow here too, allegedly. I’ve only seen it once though.

Also today, I’m sharing a recipe with you. It’s simple enough that even I can follow it, I promise. The recipe is for Anzac biscuits, and no, you can’t call them cookies. Anzac biscuits are a century old this year. They are named for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, called the ANZACs, and were the biscuits of choice for families sending gift packages overseas to the troops during the First World War because, being egg-free, they wouldn’t spoil.

Anzac Biscuits Recipe

Here is what you need:

125g butter, chopped coarsely 2 tablespoons golden syrup – you can substitute with treacle ¾ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 1 tablespoon water 1 cup (90g) rolled oats 1 cup (90g) desiccated coconut 1 cup (150g) plain flour ¾ cup (165g) brown sugar
And this is what you do:

Preheat oven to 160° Celsius or 140° Celsius fan-forced. That’s 320° Fahrenheit or 285° Fahrenheit fan-forced.  Combine butter and syrup in a small saucepan. Heat gently until butter and syrup melt.  Combine bicarbonate of soda and water in a small bowl and stir into butter mixture.  Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Pour over warm butter mixture and stir well to combine.  Roll rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls. Place about 4 cm apart on baking paper lined baking trays and flatten slightly.  Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes on baking trays; transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

They’re yummy! Enjoy! And now onto some questions:

Were you a reader as a child?

Absolutely. I spent several years in Papua New Guinea as a child, and we had no television there. I’m sure that has a lot to do with my very early love of reading – having no other options. We had movies some weeks at the local club, but our main entertainment was reading and storytelling. There was also no bookshop in the town we lived, so my mum encouraged my sister and me to make up our own stories. Some of the first stories I “wrote” were written down by my mum because I hadn’t learned to write yet.

Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

Characters, always. Everything else comes after I figure out who my main players are, and what their dynamic is, because that’s always going to be the heart of any story that I write. It doesn’t matter if it’s set in the future in space or in nineteenth century Wyoming (I’ve written both!), the characters are always the first thing I focus on and I build everything else around them.

Do you have a favorite character that you have written?

That’s a hard one! I think maybe Brady from Dark Space. It was so much fun to write in his voice, and be in his head. He’s sarcastic, and defiant, and always gets in trouble because he just can’t shut his mouth, but it’s mostly just a front because he’s so scared of being stuck in space where he knows he’s going to die. And I think I really love Brady so much because I was so worried that readers would hate him—a lot of times he’s selfish and immature and says hurtful things to the few people who care about him—but most readers love him too, which was fantastic. It’s totally a secret of mine that both Brady and Cam are also Aussie characters, even if it’s from an unrecogniSable future Australia. I think probably the only think that gives it away is that Brady mentions cockatoos. Otherwise, it could be anywhere.

Having said that, I’ve also got a total soft spot for Mark Cooper, from Mark Cooper versus America, for being a proud Aussie boy at an American college and refusing to give into peer pressure and use the word “ass”. Mark is fighting the good fight! Mark was written specifically because J.A. Rock and I spent so much time arguing about Australian English (which we all know is correct) and American English (which makes no sense and is wrong). So that gave me a chance to address most of my issues with American English, and will hopefully help explain to Americans why we giggle when you ask us which team we root for. Root does not mean what you think it means.

If you were a tour guide, what would you like a visitor to see and what impression would you want them to take away with them when they leave?

I was actually a bit of a tour guide last year when J.A. Rock came to visit. I made it my mission to take her to a wildlife sanctuary so she could see crocodiles, cassowaries, koalas, dingoes, wombats and the whole shebang. We were mobbed by kangaroos, and saw one of them punch a duck. It was hilarious.

So, the wildlife, definitely. Everyone should pet a wombat and hold a koala at least once in their lives. And see a duck get punched by a kangaroo.

Down Under Day 15: Author Lisa Henry, and our Australia and New Zealand Facts of the Day!

Welcome, Lisa Henry!

Its Down Under Day 15 and our featured writer today is Australian author Lisa Henry! Today, Lisa is sharing her recipe for Anzac biscuits and talking about her books and characters. It’s another wonderful day Down Under so don’t miss out on a word of it, including Lisa Henry’s wonderful book giveaway and the Down Under Scavenger word of the day.

Australia Fact of the Day!

Because Lisa Henry lives in North Queensland, here are a few facts about Queensland and North Queensland in particular:

Queensland is the second largest state in Australia and covers over 22% of the total Australian continent an area of 1,730,648 square kilometres (1,075,378 miles). The coastline of mainland Queensland is 4,333 miles in length. Queensland has an extravagantly diverse landscape that is dominated by its extensive coastline

Far North Queensland is the location of the first amber fossils to be found in Australia. The four million-year-old fossils were found on a beach in Cape York Peninsula but were probably washed ashore after drifting with the currents for about 125 miles.

For interesting facts about North Queensland’s Animals, visit here!

New Zealand Fact of the Day!

What does Kaikoura mean? Well Kai means food and koura is Maori for crayfish. So one of the perfect places to seal and bird watch while eating a mound of fresh crayfish is Kaikoura, a place where the mountains meet the sea and an Ecotourism destination. With a population of approximately 3,800 residents, the Kaikoura township is located on a rocky peninsula, protruding from lush farmland beneath the mountains. In the waters off the peninsula, a complex marine system provides an abundantly rich habitat for marine mammals and seabirds making it an ideal place for getting ‘close to nature’.

Now onto Lisa Henry’s Down Under Author page, today’s contests and don’t forget to check out that Anzac Biscuit recipe!