Thursday, September 3, 2015

Author Showcase: Michelle Douglas

Hello, hello. Today is the inaugral day of my Author Showcase feature and the lovely Michelle Douglas is the first one of the rank. I'm going to hand the blog over to Michelle for her to tell us a bit about herself and her books. Thank you for joining me today.


authorDeanna and I have at least two things in common. The first is that that we both love romance novels. The second is we both love the rolling green gorgeousness of Hunter Valley wine country. Oh, and wine—we both love wine. ;-) So, as my September release, REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET, is set in a Tuscan vineyard it only seems fitting that I should be visiting with Deanna today

REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET
is set in the fictional village of Monte Calanetti. Unfortunately, I can’t take credit for the setting. The book is part of an editor-led continuity for Harlequin Romance (mine is Book 3 in an eight book series, but each book can be read as a standalone). It’s the editors who came up with the idea of a gorgeous Tuscan village, with its associated vineyards. But the vote among the authors involved was unanimous—we’ve decided we’d like to move to Monte Calanetti and start a writers’ commune. How much fun would that be?

Naturally, all of this preoccupation with vineyards and wine created a pressing question in my mind—a question of crucial importance that wouldn’t let me rest. If my hero and heroine were wines, which wine would they be?

This is what I came up with:

Marianna Amatucci is effervescent. She has dash and attitude and is Italian through and through, but don’t shake her up or she might just explode in your face. Hmm… She sounds like a classic Prosecco, don’t you think?

Luke White is an Australian. He’s complex, definitely improves with age and maturity…and is very expensive. He’s a man that rewards patience. You know what he is—a vintage Grange Hermitage! One doesn’t mess with a Grange unless they mean business.

proseco  grange

So it’s your turn now—can you imagine a character that has the personality of a wine? What’s your favourite wine? Leave a comment to go into the draw to win a signed copy of REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET.


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Reunited by a Baby Secret
The Vineyards of Calanetti #3
By: Michelle Douglas
Releasing September 1, 2015
Harlequin Romance

Buy Links:  Amazon 


Synopsis


She's back in Calanetti…

After a vacation in paradise, Marianna Amatucci returned to her family vineyard determined to make a fresh start. But her plans changed in an instant when two blue lines on a pregnancy test revealed she'd returned with a souvenir!

When she finds the father, Ryan White, he's nothing like the laid-back surfer she met on the beach. In a tailored suit, he oozes masculine authority, and he's staying in the penthouse! What will walking into his high-flying corporate world mean for their baby…? 

The Vineyards of Calanetti

Saying "I do" under the Tuscan sun…


Note: This story can be read as a standalone

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Excerpt

Marianna Amatucci stared at the door of the Grande Plaza Hotel's Executive Suite and swallowed. With her heart pounding in her throat, she backed up to lean against the wall opposite. A glance up and down the corridor confirmed she was alone. Up here at the very top of the hotel all was free from bustle, the very air hushed.

She patted her roiling stomach. You will behave. Usually by mid-morning her nausea had eased.

It wasn't morning sickness that had her stomach rebelling, though. It was nerves. She stared at the door opposite and her skin broke out in a cool sheen of perspiration. She twisted her hands together. She had nothing to fear. This was Ryan—blond-haired, blue-eyed, tanned surfer boy Ryan.

An image of his long-limbed beauty and sexy smile rose in her mind and her heart started to flutter in an altogether different fashion. She pressed one hand to her abdomen. Mia topolino, your papa is utterly lovely.

She moistened her lips. No, she had nothing to fear. Her news would startle him of course. Heavens, the shock of it still reverberated through her own being. But he'd smile that slow, easy smile, pull her into his arms and tell her it'd all be okay…and she'd believe him. He'd come to see that a child would be a blessing. Wouldn't he?



Check out some of these titles by Michelle too



About the author

authorWriting has always been a passion of mine. I received my first rejection letter at the age of eight for Keri the Koala Baby, and I’ve been writing ever since. A love of literature led me to major in English at the University of Newcastle where I also recently completed a Master of Philosophy (English) and where I am now enrolled in a PhD.

I’ve worked an assortment of jobs. Everything from waitress at a wedding convention centre (where we all oohed and ahhed over fairytale wedding dresses) to answering the complaints line at a call centre for a bank. All of which have provided me with endless ideas for stories.

My own “happy-ever-after” came in 1998 when I eloped to England with husband Greg. We were married in Westminster—the town hall not the Abbey—lived on tinned soup for a month so we could afford to spend our wedding night in The Dorchester, then we flew out the next day to honeymoon in Paris.

I received “The Call” from Mills & Boon’s London office in February 2007 and my first book was released December that same year. I’m a sucker for happy endings, heroines who have a secret stash of chocolate, and heroes who know how to laugh. When I’m not writing (or reading), I’m fighting a losing battle with my jungle of a garden and trying to keep my doughnut addiction in check.

Author links: Website - FacebookGoodreads


Giveaway
A signed print copy of Reunited by a Baby Secret.
To enter, simply leave a comment below and answer Michelle's question: can you imagine a character that has the personality of a wine? What’s your favourite wine? and Michelle will pick a winner.


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26 comments:

  1. Waving hello to Michelle and Deanna

    Oh I did enjoy this story :) and I loved that setting so my favourite wine is Moscato fresh and bubbly and there are lots of characters that could be that one :) huge congrats on the release

    Have Fun
    Helen

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    1. Helen, thank you so much for stopping by. I love moscato. That is my favorite drink when I am sitting down to cheese and crackers in the afternoon. It's the perfect drink for it. Also perfect for a boozy breakfast. :-)

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    2. Waving back to you, Helen!

      I have to confess that I generally find moscato a little too sweet, but a good quality moscato on a hot summer day with a a slice of rockmelon on the side...that's just about perfect. :-)

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  2. Hmmm... this may be one for me to read before I visit you in Oz. I need to learn what all those Aussie men are gonna be like.

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    1. I can't tell where this one is set in. Could be Tuscany? If it is, we should plan a trip to get you hooked up with some hunky Italians. If not, Bondi beach, here we come!!!

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    2. Hi Bambi,

      While this particular book is mostly set in Tuscan wine country, it does feature an Aussie hero. :-) Are you visiting Oz soon? I hope you plan on touring a wine region or two while you're here...along with Bondi Beach with Deanna of course. ;-)

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    3. Michelle, Bambi is going to be coming for ARRC 2017!! You will get to meet her then. I'm so excited about that. :-) We're supposed to find her a jackaroo for a husband. :-p

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    4. Ooh, what fun that will be -- both ARRC 2017 and Jackaroo-husband hunting. ;-)

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  3. When I saw you mention wine on FB, I just had to pop on over :-) Love all your covers there lined up in a row.
    My fav wine? Sauv blanc - definitely! And I have to say the NZ'ers do it very well indeed !

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    1. Amy, thanks for stopping by. I do love a good Sav Blanc, though my favorite is a good Sav Blanc/ Sem blend. The little bit of Sem gives the Sav Blanc some structure and longevity which I really like. It means it will cellar a little longer and drink better with age.

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    2. Well, Amy, I know you're a gal after my own heart -- mention wine and we're there. ;-) Mmmm, yum, love Sauv Blanc. And, Deanna, I agree that a good Sauv Blanc/ Sem blend can go down a right royal treat.

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    3. Oh Deanna, I always admire people who can cellar wine :-) It never lasts that long in my house :-)

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    4. Amy, hubs is big into his wine and cellaring. We have a rule that for reds we don't drink the wine that has a vintage in the same decade we live in, so right now we're drinking reds that are from the 1990's and 2000's. Very yummy.

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  4. Michelle, thank you for being the first Author Showcase on Deanna's World.

    As to my favorite wine, I'd say the main picture I chose, the Chateau D'Yquem. It is the only wine in the world that has the designation "Premier Cru Supérieur" and not other wine compares. I was fortunate enough to have been able to drink a bottle of the 1971 vintage as a birth year wine for my 40th and it was spectacular. Possibly the most amazing thing I have ever put in my mouth. If you ever get the chance to try it, do. It is quite an experience.

    ps. Love that your heroine's dress is the same color as the Chateau D'Yquem too. :-)

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    1. Deanna, thanks for hosting me! Chuffed to be here. :-)

      Oh, my word! That Chateau D'Yquem sounds absolutely amazing. What a wonderful experience to have had. Many, many (many!) moons ago I bought my DH a bottle of Grange that we haven't opened yet. It cost around $70 back then and now is worth over $600. The thought of drinking something worth that much money kind of freaks me out. ;-)

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    2. Oh, and, yes! I love the colour of my heroine's dress. :-)

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    1. Hasn't Deanna done a lovely job, Renee?

      Thanks for dropping by. :-)

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    2. Aw shuck you guys, thank you. :-)

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  6. I'm not much of a wine drinker buy when I do it's usually a white wine in a box for 10.00. Otherwise I drink amaretto, piña colada or strawberry daiquiri .

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    1. I have absolutely nothing against boxed wine, Diana (or chateau cardboard as we call it around here). ;-) Or cocktails! It's been a long time since I had a pina colada or strawberry daquiri. You have me thinking I ought to rectify that soon. :-)

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    2. Many years ago, I was living and working in Egypt and back then the only wine we could get was Egyptian wine which tasted like battery acid or very expensive French wine which we could not afford. Steve came to visit and the request was bring wine. He brought two boxes of Jacob's Creek box wine, one white, one red and let me tell you, after 6 months of nothing, I had never tasted wine quite that good. :-)

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  7. I fell in love with Malbec while visiting Argentina for my brother's wedding :). Thanks for the chance!

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    1. Heather, Argentina (at a wedding no less!) sounds like the perfect place to fall in love with Malbec. :-)

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  8. Deanna, many thanks for hosting me! It's been a lot of fun visiting your world. :-) And thank you to everyone who stopped by to chat about wine (and other things).

    Now...drumroll please...the winner of REUNITED BY A BABY SECRET is Bambi Unbridled. Congratulations, Bambi! Send me an email at michelle (at) michelle - douglas (dot) com with your address details and I'll pop a copy of the book in the post for you.

    Happy reading (and sipping!) everyone. :-)

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