JL Merrow

And it’s all Alex Beecroft’s fault!

Is it not absolutely spiffing?

Make your own here.  And don’t blame me for all the happy hours you’ll waste!

You can check out Alex’s version here.

Hi all! I’m back from an exhausting but fun weekend, spent visiting an old friend in Gloucester and living it up with the lovely Josephine Myles at a burlesque show in Bath. Also visited the fashion museum at The Assembly Rooms in Bath, where Jane Austen boogied on down back in the nineteenth century.  I’m clearly a child of the roaring twenties, although whether it’s the 1820s or 1920s has yet to be decided  – my two fave frocks were a gorgeous gold flapper dress and a lovely blue patterned regency style. 

And re the free books: It’s Jock Week over at Joyfully Jay, and to celebrate, they’re giving away free ebooks! Two of which are mine:

And if you don’t fancy either of those, there’s loads more, all featuring sportsmen of some ilk. Just leave a comment with your preferred choices on the post at Jay’s before 2nd March to be in with a chance of a prize! Good luck!

I’m over at Hearts on Fire Reviews today (isn’t the logo lovely?) answering questions about writing different nationalities, my characters and what’s in store for Lars and Rael in their new novella due out in June from Riptide, A Glutton for Punishment.

Everyone leaving a comment on the post at Hearts on Fire will be entered into a draw to win an ebook of your choice from my backlist. Good luck – you’ve got until the 18th to enter.

I offered a giveaway on Joyfully Jay and one on Well Read last week, and I can now announce the winners, courtesy of my great friend, the Random Number Generator:

From my post on Joyfully Jay, Please Feed the Authors: Yvette

From my post on Well Read, Hooked on History: Sandra Lindsey

Congratulations to the winners! You each win an ebook of your choice from my backlist (including my recent releases) and I’ll be in touch with you shortly to sort out the details.

To everyone else: thanks for playing! It was great chatting with you all. 

Today, in the final stop on my little blog tourette, I’m visiting the lovely Jenre, who has hopefully now forgiven me for throwing wine all over her at the last UK Meet! At any rate, she’s very kindly hosting me on Well Read, where I’m coming clean about my research problem!

Why not pop along, and find out how I discovered just how Trick of Time hero Jem would have referred to certain articles relevant to his, ahem, profession?

I’m also offering a giveaway – just leave a comment on the post at Well Read to enter. Good luck!

…talking about the power of fan mail!

This is to celebrate the release of Poacher’s Fall and Keeper’s Pledge, and yes, the subject is very relevant!

Why not pop on over to Joyfully Jay  – all comments on my post there will be entered into a draw to win an ebook from my backlist. Good luck!

And while I’m here: Trick of Time has had some lovely reviews lately, including one in USA Today!

You may colour me chuffed. It’ll tone nicely with my book cover.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: don’t they look lovely together?

Two novellas about poacher Danny Costessey and Lord of the Manor, Philip Luccombe, set in 1920s England. Guaranteed less tragic than any of the Downton Abbey love affairs!

And they’re out today! Get ‘em while they’re… cold? (It does seem to be rather snowy on the estate) here:

Poacher’s Fall: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 

Keeper’s Pledge: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

…and I’m musing on its temptations over at Lasha’s Reviews to mark the release of Trick of Time.

Why not pop on over and join me, where I’m offering a free copy of an ebook from my backlist (and yes, that includes Trick of Time, if you choose it) to one lucky commenter on my guest post on Lasha’s blog 

Good luck!

A lover from another time
When Ted Ennis steps out the doors of the Criterion Theatre for a cigarette and finds himself in Victorian London, he begins to doubt his sanity. At first he thinks it’s all a film set, and is sure that the strikingly handsome young man leaning against a lamppost must be the leading man…
What starts as a sordid transaction with a beautiful rent boy quickly turns into something much deeper, drawing him back again and again as he gets to know Jem and craves meaningful encounters with him.
But Ted doesn’t understand the exact conditions necessary for his trips through time—and for Jem, time may actually be running out. Now Ted has one last shot to get back to Jem and save their relationship, before it’s too late…

It’s got a sumptuous cover (love those theatre curtains!), it’s had some lovely reviews, and now it’s available to purchase!

Carina | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Which leaves me with a bit of a problem. I’ve got my website neatly arranged by contemporary/historical/paranormal. Just which category does a time travel story set in modern and Victorian London actually fit in?  None? All 3 of ‘em?

I haz a puzzled….

Don’t they look lovely together?

And the ever-obliging Chris over at Stumbling Over Chaos is giving you a chance to win ‘em both. Just leave a comment on her blog to be entered into the draw.

Blurby goodness:

Poacher’s Fall

One snowy night just before Christmas, 1922, poacher Danny Costessey rounds off a night trapping rabbits by climbing a tree to fetch some mistletoe for his mother—only to fall and break his leg. Taken to the manor house to recover from his injuries, Danny meets the reclusive owner, Philip Luccombe. Village gossip has it Luccombe went mad during the war, but Danny soon realizes he’s simply still mourning his late lover. As friendship grows between them, Danny starts to fall for handsome, shy Philip.
Danny’s lively nature, roguish good looks, and ready laughter enchant Philip, and he finds himself being drawn out of his shell whether he will it or not. But when Danny tries to move beyond friendship, Philip panics—and his rejection threatens not only their happiness, but Danny’s health.

Due out in ebook from Dreamspinner Press 30th January 2013.
This is a revised and expanded version of the story previously published under the title of Pleasures with Rough Strife.  Everyone who has purchased a stand-alone copy of Pleasures with Rough Strife from the Dreamspinner website (ie not as part of the Mistletoe Madness set) will be able to download Poacher’s Fall free! 🙂

Keeper’s Pledge

A sequel to Poacher’s Fall, set four years later, in 1926. 

Landowner Philip Luccombe has been enjoying a passionate relationship with young poacher turned gamekeeper Danny Costessey for four years now. Danny’s love has brought him out of the shell he retreated into when his first lover died after the Great War. But this Christmas, visitors to the manor threaten their happiness. Philip’s young cousin Matthew is artistic, vivacious, and flirtatious: just the sort to remind him of his long-dead first love—and to emphasise the social gulf between Philip and Danny.
But the worst danger comes from much nearer home. An old flame of Danny’s is discovered in incriminating circumstances, forcing the lovers to keep their distance for fear of being tarred with the same brush. Meanwhile, Danny’s younger brother, Toby, has grown to resent the connection between his brother and the lord of the manor. Danny wants to do the right thing—but that could divide the lovers forever.

Due out in ebook from Dreamspinner Press 30th January 2013.

And psst! There’s still time to enter the giveaway for a copy of Trick of Time.