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The Highlands are calling!

March 1, 2013 by Patricia Sands Leave a Comment

If it’s Friday, it must be France …

And now for something completely different! Next Friday we will spend back in France but today we have a surprise return visit from the talented Nicky Wells. Like the rock stars in her novel, she’s on tour herself celebrating the launch of the second volume, Sophie’s Run, in her hilarious and sweet Rock Star Romance Trilogy. 

Come on Tour with Sophie and Dan… Explore the Scottish Highlands with Sophie and Steve

Sophie’s Run

Sophies_Run.indd

 

Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…

Who says that the road towards true love is straight and even?  Sophie is certainly discovering that it is anything but.

So she has finally found the man of her dreams! Well… she knows who he is, even though she hasn’t actually quite met him yet.  But she misses her opportunity, and then her life goes crazy.  Rock star and ex-fiancé, Dan, keeps getting in the way of her new romance—even if he is just trying to be helpful.  A fire, an impromptu mini-trip with Dan, and a dreaded wedding later, Sophie is still struggling to meet the love of her life. Then, just as she is getting it together with her perfect man, best friend Rachel commits an act of unspeakable betrayal.

Sophie has had enough. Confused and distraught, she decides that it is time for radical change.  Surprising herself and shocking her friends, she embarks on a secret journey and eventually gets her life back on track.

Hi! *Sophie waves energetically* I’m so excited that you’ve visited Patricia’s fab blog today. I’m Sophie Penhalligan, heroine in the Rock Star Romance Trilogy by Nicky Wells. We’re celebrating the launch of part 2, Sophie’s Run, and as part of the blog tour we’d like to take you on tour. Uh-huh, you read that right. Let me show you some of the delights of the Scottish highlands, which is where my new boyfriend Steve whisks me away for a romantic weekend give-away. And the fact that it all went disastrously wrong really wasn’t his fault at all. I know that now!

Anyway, I digress. Here’s how he sold me the holiday:

“Look,” he said. “I got us a surprise getaway.”

He opened up the glossy leaflet and showed me pictures of a grand old castle with big stately rooms plushly furnished. One featured an enormous four-poster bed with a roaring log fire in the background. There was an indoor swimming pool, a sauna and a spa room, as well as a fancy restaurant.

“There’s a beautiful nature reserve round the loch, and we can go for long walks by the water, have pub lunches, come back, rest, sleep, have dinner. It will be wonderful.”

(Excerpt from Sophie’s Run).

So therefore, this is what I expected:

A beautiful loch…


By Rchillyard (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

…staggering mountain views…


By Stefan Krude (Stefan_Krude) (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

…and a stunning castle!


By Nilfanion (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

And this is where it all started to go wrong.

“It’s quite Rocky Horror Picture Show, isn’t it?” he offered. I had only ever seen that film once, in the arty cinema off Leicester Square on a Friday night. I had been ill-prepared for it and got absolutely soaked. Nonetheless, I knew exactly what scene he was referring to.

“We’re the couple arriving at the castle,” I whispered. “Oh God, I hope not.”

“And so it seemed that fortune had smiled on Steve and Sophie…” Steve intoned in his best narrator voice. He continued, “…and that they had found the assistance that their plight required…” He gave a little audio ta-ta-ta for the ellipsis before the dramatic rhetorical question, “…or had they?”

“Stop it, you’re frightening me,” I protested. He had a point, though. All we needed was the riff raff to appear and the set would be perfect.

“I’m sorry,” Steve apologized dutifully. “I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s one of my favorite films, and this is kinda great.”

I wanted to thump him on the arm to make him stop, but I never got the chance.

“Can I help you?” a brittle and tremulous voice inquired from somewhere in the dark. “Only I have to inform you that you are trespassing.”

(Excerpt from Sophie’s Run).

You’ll have to read the book to find out the exact nature of this disaster, and everything else that happened afterwards. It’s a rollercoaster, I promise you! But nonetheless, the Scottish Highlands are imposing, breathtaking and beautiful. I fully intend to experience them properly for myself someday very soon!

Meanwhile, thank you for joining me here today! J *waves goodbye* See you soon!!

Sophie’s Run is now available in Kindle edition from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk, and in Paperback edition from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. You can also get the paperback at Barnes & Noble, or download Sophie’s Run onto your Nook (coming soon).

Wait, wait, wait, there’s more: Introducing the Sophie’s Run Give Away!

Sophie’s Run GIVEAWAYS

1) Standard Giveaway

Nicky Wells is giving away one delicious chocolate gift to a lucky winner in the UK or North America!

chocolate

The small print: This Gift prize is a product of Unique Chocolate. The Gift prize is subject to availability in your country. If the Gift prize is not available in your country, Nicky Wells reserves the right to offer a substitute gift prize of a similar nature at her discretion. Nicky Wells will require the winner’s postal address for shipping purposes.

Rafflecopter Links:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/OTI2ZmY2ZjlkMzQ0YzMxZGFhOTJkMzFjZjBhY2Q2OjE=/

2. Bonus Giveaway

Nicky Wells offers a giveaway of one Amazon gift voucher worth $20/£15 for one lucky winner. To enter, simply share your thoughts on Sophie’s Run with Nicky. Email your comment to nickywells@sapphirestarpublishing.com and your name will be entered into the draw. Competition closes 1 May 2013.

About Nicky Wells: Romance that Rocks Your World!

Nicky_NEWAuthorPic_April12_useforwebsite

 

Rock On! Nicky Wells writes fun and glamorous contemporary romance featuring a rock star and the girl next door.  A signed author with U.S. publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky is in the throes of publishing her Rock Star Romance Trilogy. Nicky loves rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters.  When she’s not writing, Nicky is a wife, mother, and occasional teaching assistant.

Originally born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993, and currently lives in Lincoln with her husband and their two boys. In a previous professional life, Nicky worked as a researcher and project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington, D.C.

Visit Nicky on her blog where you can find articles, interviews, radio interviews and, of course, an ongoing update on her work in progress. You can also follow Nicky on Twitter and find her on Facebook. Nicky is a featured author on the innovative reader/author project, loveahappyending.com and has joined the Romantic Novelists’ Association. Nicky also has author pages at Sapphire Star Publishing, Amazon and, of course, Goodreads.

Nicky, thanks so much for visiting today and taking us on tour with your characters. Now we are all going to rush to read Sophie’s Run and discover just exactly where Sophie and Dan did end up in those dramatically wild and beautiful Highlands. 

I visited northern Scotland many years ago … hmm, make that many, many years ago … and these photos are tempting me to return. How many of you, dear readers, have been there, apart from our tour today?

 

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Filed Under: Author Promotion, Blog Tagged With: Amazon gift voucher, Rock Star Romance Trilogy, Sapphire Star Publishing, Scottish Highlands, Sophie's Run, Unique Chocolate

About Patricia Sands

Family, writing and travel are my passions ... okay, and chocolate ... and I'm seldom without a camera. I write women's fiction and keep in touch with readers by a monthly newsletter that also has giveaways and contests. Come and join us by signing up on the right. See you there!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Nicky Wells says

    March 1, 2013 at 6:00 am

    Whoop! Thanks for hosting me and Sophie’s Run today, Patricia, it’s wonderful to be back on your fabulous blog. I’d love to hear if anyone here has visited the Highlands! Wishing good luck to all giveaway entrants ~ that chocolate is really yummy! Rock on and… see you soon!

    Reply
    • authorpatricia2010 says

      March 1, 2013 at 9:09 am

      Hey Nicky, it’s always fun to have you visit! I am so curious to see what happens at the castle, I’m off to download Sophie’s Run right now. Thanks for reminding us of the beauty of the Scottish Highlands! Looking at those photos gave me a strong urge to pack a picnic lunch and go for a hike … before checking into that castle myself. I do love to dream!

      Reply
  2. Linn B Halton (@LinnBHalton) says

    March 1, 2013 at 7:05 am

    Visited many times when our two boys were young! Such a wonderful place to explore and the views are so spectacular! Love this post Nicky and waves to Patricia!

    Reply
    • Nicky Wells says

      March 1, 2013 at 8:36 am

      Ooh I haven’t been myself yet but I’d love to go, it’s on our travel wishlist. Thanks for joining us, Linn, you’re a star! XX

      Reply
    • authorpatricia2010 says

      March 1, 2013 at 9:10 am

      *waving back* Hi Linn! Lucky you to have spent time in that part of the world. It does look like the perfect spot for kids to explore.

      Reply
  3. sherylbrowne says

    March 1, 2013 at 10:03 am

    Ahhh, perfect … or not?? Love it, Sophie! 😉 xx

    Reply
  4. Melanie Robertson-King says

    March 1, 2013 at 10:08 am

    I love the Scottish highlands! Well any place in Scotland… can’t wait to go back and get my feet on good Scottish soil.

    Reply
  5. harveyblackauthor says

    March 1, 2013 at 1:14 pm

    I wish I was on holiday there now! Thank you for a great review Patricia.

    Reply
  6. wordsfromanneli says

    March 1, 2013 at 1:41 pm

    Just downloaded Sophie’s Run. Looking forward to reading it as a follow up to Sophie’s Turn.

    Reply
    • authorpatricia2010 says

      March 1, 2013 at 10:27 pm

      Me too! I suspect Nicky really is a rock star in real life!

      Reply
    • Nicky Wells says

      March 4, 2013 at 10:14 am

      Oooh, thanks so much Anneli! Hope you enjoy! XX

      Reply
  7. suefortin says

    March 1, 2013 at 2:52 pm

    I’ve only ever dipped my toe in Scotland. Would love to go walking there one day. Great post, as always. Thank you ladies. x

    Reply
    • authorpatricia2010 says

      March 1, 2013 at 10:28 pm

      I had the same feeling, Sue. Get those hiking boots out!

      Reply
    • Nicky Wells says

      March 4, 2013 at 10:14 am

      Hey, let’s go together. Writers’ retreat! Thanks for visiting today! X

      Reply
  8. vastlycurious.com says

    March 2, 2013 at 12:31 pm

    Great story and pictures!

    Reply
    • Nicky Wells says

      March 4, 2013 at 10:15 am

      So glad you enjoyed, thanks so much for stopping by today! 🙂 x

      Reply
  9. susielindau says

    March 2, 2013 at 3:15 pm

    Thanks for the introduction! It looks like a fun story and adventure or misadventure…
    Love the photos. I have never been to Scotland, but it is on the list!

    Reply
    • Nicky Wells says

      March 4, 2013 at 10:16 am

      Hi Susie, thank you for visiting and for your comment, it’s lovely to hear that the post intrigued you. Rock on and good luck if you’ve entered the giveaway! X

      Reply
  10. Tameri Etherton says

    March 4, 2013 at 1:51 pm

    What a fun adventure! The Highlands are gorgeous, thanks for taking us there, Nicky! Your book sounds like a great read, rockstars, betrayal, love, what’s not to love?

    Reply
    • patriciasands says

      March 5, 2013 at 3:47 pm

      Tameri, being the rock star you are, you and Nicky would be a fabulous combination at a party. We must get some sort of international gathering organized!

      Reply
    • Nicky Wells says

      March 7, 2013 at 2:42 pm

      Hi Tameri, thanks so much for your fabulous comment. I quite agree, ‘what’s not to love’ but then I’m biased, haw haw! Nice to meet you and thank you for stopping by. Good luck and best wishes if you’ve entered the giveaway! XX

      Reply

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