Tag: romance

Publication Day for Fiona Leitch

Publication Day for Fiona Leitch

sandybarker

Huge congratulations to Fiona Leitch on publication of her fabulous new romcom Falling in Louvre. This is a romantic comedy with a lot of heart and a twist! It’s also a crime caper – essentially, a fun, romantic and thoughtful story by the Queen of Mashups! I know you will love it.

Cover of Falling in Louvre by Fiona Leitch Skyline of Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background and a couple kissing in silhouette on a balcony in the foreground. Also in the foreground inside of someone's apartment is the Mona Lisa.

About the book

Bertrand is King of the Pigeons…

Unofficially. From his perch atop a gargoyle on Notre Dame cathedral, he surveys his kingdom. He sees Sylvie Cloutier, art lover and ex-antiques dealer, making dinner for her bullying husband Henri, trapped in their loveless marriage like a bird in a gilded cage. He sees security guard, hopeless romantic and bookworm Philippe Moreau cycling through the streets of Paris in his crumpled uniform, late (again) for his night shift at the museum.

When Sylvie begs her husband to let her go to work, he gets her a job as an evening cleaner at the Louvre. He thinks such a menial position will dispel any ideas about independence she might have, but his plan backfires when she falls in love with kind, gentle Philippe. They decide to run away together, but there’s a major problem: neither of them has any money.

One stormy night in the Louvre, the answer to their prayers falls into their lap… But is it really the solution, or just another, even bigger problem?

What follows is a romantic, wistful but madcap adventure through (and under) the city of lights, involving a stolen painting, an art heist in reverse, and Eric Cantona. Will love find a way?

Check out the book trailer

Where you can get it

Amazon UK | Amazon US | Amazon AU

About Fiona

Fiona Leitch is a writer with a chequered past. She’s written for football and motoring magazines, DJ’ed at illegal raves and is a stalwart of the low budget TV commercial, even appearing as the Australasian face of a cleaning product called ‘Sod Off’. After living in London and Cornwall she’s finally settled in sunny New Zealand, where she enjoys scaring her cats by trying out dialogue on them. She spends her days dreaming of retiring to a crumbling Venetian palazzo, walking on the windswept beaches of West Auckland, and writing funny, flawed but awesome female characters.

Her debut novel ‘Dead in Venice’ was published by Audible in 2018 as one of their Crime Grant finalists. Fiona also writes screenplays and was a finalist in the Athena Film Festival Writers Lab, co-run by Meryl Streep’s IRIS company.

Follow Fiona

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Congrats again, Fiona, and I hope you have a spectacular celebration!

Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella by Rachael Stewart

Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella by Rachael Stewart

sandybarker

Super excited to celebrate the publication of Rachael Stewart’s latest book with Mills & Boon and Harlequin Romance, Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella.

I had a chance to be an early reader and this is a fantastic book – so, so romantic. I just loved it.

And look at these gorgeous covers – UK up top, and US and Australia below.

Cover of Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella by Rachael Stewart. Red-headed woman in a sun hat and wearing sunglasses laying on the beach and tipping her head towards the sun
Cover of Surprise Reunion with His Cinderella by Rachael Stewart. Red-headed woman smiling at the top of image fading into a cityscape of a town in the Seychelles.

About the book

Can one week in paradise…heal ten years of heartache?

When the elite M dating agency sends wealthy Freddie Highgrove to the Seychelles for a week-long ‘date’ the last person he’s expecting to be matched with is Jasmine Walker, his first love and ex-fiancée! Ten years ago, his family’s expectations for a high society marriage sent housekeeper’s daughter Jasmine running. Can one week in paradise bring them back together?

Where you can get it

Amazon AU | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Kobo | Nook | iBooks | Google Play

Also available in print

About Rachael

Rachael Stewart adores conjuring up stories for the readers of Harlequin Mills & Boon and Deep Desires Press, with tales varying from the heartwarmingly romantic to the wildly erotic.

She’s been writing since she could put pen to paper as the stacks of scrawled on A4 sheets in her loft will attest to, and the lovingly bound short stories that her father would run off at work and proudly share out with his colleagues. Thinking it was a pipe dream to be published one day, she pursued a sensible career in business but she was really play-acting, achieving the appropriate degree and spending many years in the corporate world where she never truly belonged. Always happiest when she was sat at her laptop in the quiet hours tapping out a story or two. And so here she is, a published author, her full-time pleasure, a dream come true.

A Welsh lass at heart, she now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and three children, and if she’s not glued to her laptop, she’s wrapped up in them or enjoying the great outdoors seeking out inspiration.

Follow Rachael

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Congratulations Rachael and all the best with the book!

Catching up with Author Helena ‘Nell’ Dixon

Catching up with Author Helena ‘Nell’ Dixon

sandybarker

A very warm welcome to the wonderful author (and woman) Helena ‘Nell’ Dixon who writes, among other things, the Miss Underhay cosy mystery series, which I absolutely love. She’s here to talk about her next book Trouble in Paradise.

Cover of Trouble in Paradise by Helena Dixon Man on right with dark hair facing woman on left with red hair. A parrot sits in the 'i' in Paradise. Tagline: What happens when opposites attract?'

Hi Sandy. Thank you so much for inviting me.

Great to have you here! Tell us what inspired you to write this book.

The inspiration for writing Trouble in Paradise was my husband. He doesn’t read my books, he isn’t a reader, and although he listens when I’m talking about my plots he isn’t terribly helpful. Usually the conversation will be me telling him about something I’m trying to work out. He will then suggest I put a dog in the book and give me the plot of Lassie come home. I then give him the look and say no, that’s been done. He then used to suggest I put a parrot in the book instead. So, finally the one day I thought you know what? I’m going to do it. Trouble in Paradise (originally released as Animal Instincts) is set in an animal sanctuary with a parrot called Dave, after my husband. The only problem is that this parrot has been kept in a brothel and his choice of language makes him unsuitable for rehoming.

When did you start writing seriously?

I started seriously writing when I was seventeen. I’d belonged to a writers group since I was thirteen but my first attempt at a novel was when I was in sixth form. Needless to say it was pretty awful. I wrote two more books before I was twenty-four which were also pretty terrible, but one was good enough to attract encouraging feedback from an editor. Then I had three children in four years and writing took a back step until I was approaching forty and had a major health issue. That was when I thought it was now or never when it came to taking my writing seriously. The internet had come into being and I started writing and submitting again.

What do you love most about being an author?

The part of being an author I love most is seeing a story come to life on the page. It never fails to amaze me that something that’s lived inside my head can be shared with other people and they get it. I love hearing from a reader when they quote a particular phrase and say it made them smile or they could picture the scene as if it were a film.

What are you working on now?

Trouble in Paradise is a contemporary romance with a hint of mystery. It won the Romantic Novelist Associations Love Story of the Year prize when it was first released. I have several romances written as Nell Dixon. Since then I’ve started writing more crime based stories as Helena Dixon. My latest series is the Miss Underhay mysteries based in 1930’s Devon. These have been hugely popular and I’m working on book 8 in the series at the moment. I also have the start of a potential new series noodling away and another contemporary romance. Plenty to keep me busy!

What do you hope readers will take away from Trouble in Paradise?

I hope readers will enjoy Trouble in Paradise and enjoy the sparks between Clodagh and Jack. The animals paly a big part in the story and the relationship between Clodagh and her step sister Immi is very sweet. It’s a fun story with some surprisingly touching moments.

About the book

Clodagh Martin has enough problems right now.

Her beloved animal sanctuary is facing financial ruin, her celebrity sister has just announced she’s coming for an extended visit, and her foul-mouthed parrot Dave is, well, foul-mouthed.

Combined with a troubling wave of vandalism on her property, Clodagh feels that the whole world is against her. And if that wasn’t enough, a property magnate has been showing a strong interest in her struggling business.

But when Jack Thatcher begins to show not just an interest in the animal sanctuary, but in her as well, there really is trouble in paradise…

Where you can get it

Amazon UK | Amazon US| Amazon AU

Kobo UK | Kobo US | Kobo AU

Also available from other good book retailers.

More about Helena

Helena Dixon a woman with short dark blonde hair and glasses.

Helena Dixon splits her time between the Black Country and Devon. Married to the same man for over thirty five years she has three daughters, a cactus called Spike, and a crazy cockapoo. She is allergic to adhesives, apples, tinsel and housework. Her addictions of choice are coffee and reality TV. She was winner of The Romance Prize in 2007 and Love Story of the Year 2010 as Nell Dixon. She now writes historical 1930’s set cosy crime.

Follow Helena

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Great to have you on ‘Off the Beaten Track’ today, Helena. All the best with your latest book!

Cover Reveal for my next book The Dating Game

Cover Reveal for my next book The Dating Game

sandybarker

Today I am sharing the cover of my next book, The Dating Game!

This is a standalone set in the world of Reality Television and here’s the blurb:

Abby Jones has a secret identity …

She is the Anastasia Blabbergasted, Queen of Snark and illustrious recapper of British reality television shows for online magazine, Feed Your Mind. When a recap of reality dating show, The Stag, goes viral, the show’s producers practically insist that she joins next season’s cast, undercover as a Doe – won’t that make her recaps all the spicier! Abby’s editor is all for the idea, but Abby can’t think of anything worse – even though next season is filming in Sydney!

That is until Abby meets scrummy Australian, Jack – rescuer from murderous elevator doors and the producer of the show.

Join Abby and the latest cast of The Stag for madcap fun and romantic adventures in one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

And here’s the gorgeous cover!

Cover of The Dating Game by Sandy Barker A man and a woman sitting on side by side sun-loungers drinking cocktails

Told ya, it was gorgeous! With huge thanks to my editor, Jennie Rothwell, for the concept and to the cover artist, the brilliant Lucy Bennett.

It’s out September 10 (ebook) and December 9 (print) and you can preorder now!

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Amazon CA

Kobo | iBooks | Google Play | Nook

Waterstones | Foyles

Publication Day for Leonie Mack

Publication Day for Leonie Mack

sandybarker

Huge congrats to Leonie Mack on the publication of Italy Ever After. I was fortunate enough to get an early read and absolutely LOVED this book – it’s romantic and whimsical and is set in one of the most beautiful parts of the world, Northern Italy. To celebrate the occasion, I asked Leonie a few questions about writing the book and about her author life.

Cover of book Italy Ever After. Man and woman riding scooter along coast of Lake Garda in Italy.

Tell us what inspired you to write Italy Ever After?

As with most of my ideas, it started with the setting and the character dynamic. I had the idea for a romance between a divorced mum and her daughter’s teacher. The music camp setting allowed them to get to know each other in close confines (while having a lovely summer holiday) and then the characters exploded from there.

When did you start writing seriously?

I started writing with a serious intent to publish about three years ago, although I’ve always written as a hobby and finished my first experimental novels in my early twenties. It took me more than ten years to realise I had to put in a bit of hard work if I wanted to make something from it! My first book, My Christmas Number One, came out last year and now I have two coming out in 2021 and another already contracted to my publisher for 2022!

What do you love most about being an author?

I love spending my days in amazing places with my characters. I love dreaming up people and crafting situations that bring that satisfying tension. And I love that moment when the book is getting really complex and I feel like I have a universe in my brain.

What are you working on now?

It’s very exciting. My next two books are a little series set in Venice, so I have spent winter (virtually) on the canals, watching glassblowers, going to a ball for Carnevale and eating lots of delicious fish and fried pastries. One day we’ll all be able to go there for real!

What do you hope readers will take away from Italy Ever After?

I want readers to feel like they’ve been on a holiday to Italy with their best girlfriend and a handsome love interest!

More about the book

TV journalist Lou feels battered and bruised after her divorce from Phil, the father of her daughter Edie. Her confidence and sense of fun have steadily been drained away, and she isn’t sure who she is any more.

When the opportunity arises to accompany Edie on a music camp in Italy for a month in the summer, Lou jumps at the chance for new adventures, new horizons and new friends. The hazy warmth of the summer sun, shining brightly over the stunning Lake Garda, slowly brings Lou back to life.

Nick Romano, Edie’s music teacher, loves being home in Italy, but coaching his students for their concert in Milan, is bringing back difficult memories. His blossoming friendship with Lou is the perfect distraction, although a summer fling would be easier to conduct without the scrutiny of his mother Greta, not to mention the interference of his extended Italian family.

As the summer passes, full of sunshine and breath-taking scenery, gelato and delicious feasts, Lou and Nick get ever closer. But as the time for farewell creeps up on them, will they be able to say goodbye and leave their memories behind in the Italian sun, or can a summer romance last a lifetime?

Where you can get it

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Kobo | Google Play

More about Leonie

Smiling woman in her 20s or 30s with long brown hair and brown eyes

Leonie Mack is an author of romantic comedies with great locations and big feelings. She loves a happy ending and shares that love in every book she writes! Leonie is a journalism graduate, a language nut and loves to travel, particularly on foot, by bike and by train. After growing up in Australia and living most of her adult life in London, she now lives in Germany, among the vineyards on the Main river.

Follow Leonie

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Thanks for visiting Off the Beaten Track, Leonie and all the best with Italy Ever After.

Reading my own books

Reading my own books

sandybarker

When you are writing a series over many years, there comes a time when you need to re-read the first few books before you launch into a later book. And by ‘re-read’, I mean ‘read for the first time as an actual reader’.

Because by the time my books go to print, I’ve already read them a dozen times, each through a different lens – there’s all the editing and tweaking that occurs before I send them off to early readers, including my agent, then addressing feedback and final style edits and proofreads. Then they go to the publisher – I receive structural editorial requests and make those. I receive copy edits and address those. I even sign off on the proofread. By the time it hits a reader’s hands, I know each book inside and out, but not as a reader.

So, for the past few weeks I have been reading my first three books as a reader. This is necessitated because I’ve written 3 books outside the series since 2019 and I really want to immerse myself in the Holiday Romance series world. I want to remind myself of the character nuances that make those books special, to tease out little nuggets (Easter eggs for readers) that I can put into Book 5. And it is tricky to do that well without going back to the beginning.

I started writing the Holiday Romance series in 2015 with the book that was first self-published as You Might Meet Someone and then became One Summer in Santorini (published in mid-2019 by One More Chapter, an imprint of HarperCollins UK). After self-publishing Book 1, I moved swiftly onto I Think I Met Someone , the sequel to Book 1, then Someone Unexpected, which was in the same series but about a supporting character from Books 1 & 2, Cat. By the end of 2018 (my year on sabbatical) I had written three books in the series, was about to self-publish the third, and was querying madly.

Then a miracle happened!

I got a publication deal!!! And as a result …

You Might Meet Someone became One Summer in Santorini (still Book 1)

Someone Unexpected (never self-published) became That Night in Paris (becoming Book 2)

and I Think I Met Someone became A Sunset in Sydney (becoming Book 3)

Did you follow all that?

Early 2020, right after I finished writing The Christmas Swap, my 4th book and a standalone (not in the series), I started writing Under Bali Skies, the 4th book in the series. Bali is about Jaelee, one of the supporting characters from That Night in Paris and I re-read Paris before I started writing it. I wanted to ensure that I had the right cadence and style for the series and to refresh my understanding of Jaelee’s character.

Well now, a year after finishing Bali, I am starting Book 5, A Wedding in Tuscany. This book will bring together all the fave characters from Books 1-4 so I needed to get reacquainted with Sarah, Cat, and the gang before I whisk them all off to Tuscany!

And how has it been reading my books as a reader, one who reads voraciously in the Romance genre?

Santorini was a little tricky for me. It was my first ever book (obvs) so I was a little green as an author and I have found dozens of tweaks I’d like to make if I ever get the chance. Paris was fun – and I’d read it most recently, so it was a quick read. But Sydney was the most fun. Even though it was the second book I ever wrote, by the time I was tasked with editing it, I was a lot more confident in my authorial voice and in it there are so many passages that make me laugh out loud – or cry.

Actually, all my books still make me cry. Ben found me the other day, forlorn with a tear-stained face. I confessed that one of my heroines was ‘so awful’ and ‘had really hurt him’ and ‘why did she do that?????’ He hugged me, somehow understanding that these characters are real to me, that they have their own thoughts and feelings and desires and fears – that it is not me who creates them, but it’s them who let me tell their stories.

So, on the whole, reading my first three books has been … well … just lovely, really.

Next up in the world of Sandy Barker books is The Single Girl’s Guide to Hunting (in August! Huzzah!). It’s a stand-alone and I consider it my funniest ever book. Bali comes out early next year followed by Tuscany.

The ‘Someone’ series cover art by the very talented Jane Dunnet (Jane on Insta)

The ‘Holiday Romance’ series cover art by the (also) very talented Lucy Bennett (Lucy on Insta)

Cover Reveal for Lucy Knott

Cover Reveal for Lucy Knott

sandybarker

Very excited to be part of the cover reveal for the next book by the fabulous Lucy Knott, The Little Barn of Dreams.

Book Cover: Woman reading a book in front of a bar on a farm; dog and stack of books in the foreground

About the book

Boy meets girl meets… happy ending? Flo has one summer to make it happen…

Quirky bookworm Florence Danver spends most of her time lost in whimsical daydreams about characters from her favourite books. Who wouldn’t rather be fighting dragons or falling in love with impossibly perfect heroes than stuck behind a computer doing boring data entry all day? But when she loses her job, Flo knows it’s time to make some changes.

Her beloved Nanna Margot encourages her to spend a week at Camp Calla Lily, but this is a place she hasn’t been since she lost her mum and dad, and her return is bittersweet… until she meets Jo Hadlee.

Fellow dreamer Jo is a writer and soon the pair are inseparable as they talk books and build castles in the air. But what happens when the fantasy bubble bursts and real life comes roaring back in? The real world is a place of pain and loss where bosses frown upon her distracted air, where people tease her, and where nothing ever has a happy ending.

If Florence wants to turn her fairy-tale summer with perfectly imperfect Jo into a happily-ever-after of her own, she will have to accept that love, like life, is best when it’s messy and very, very real.

Release date: July 8 (ebook) & October 14 (print)

Pre-order now:

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US | Kobo

About Lucy

Lucy Knott lives in Manchester England, just around the corner from her childhood home and less than five minutes from her twin sister Kelly and brother-in-law Chris. She loves spending time with her family in addition to writing, reading and cooking Italian food. When not buried in a book, scribbling in a notebook or having dance parties for one to Harry Styles, she works as a teaching assistant where the majority of her days are spent talking about dinosaurs and making Godzilla out of just about everything, from Blu Tac to cardboard boxes, and she loves every minute.

If she could up and move to the stunning Amalfi Coast, San Francisco or live in a cabin surrounded by fairy lights, she would, but for now she’s quite content writing about those magical places. Lucy loves to write uplifting stories that she hopes will put a smile on your face, fill your heart with joy, encourage you to embrace the awesomeness that you are and believe that any dream is possible.

Follow Lucy (and Kelly)

Twitter | Instagram | Website

Catching up with Author Lyndsey Gallagher

Catching up with Author Lyndsey Gallagher

sandybarker

Very excited to welcome a fellow romance author, Lyndsey Gallagher, to Off the Beaten Track to mark the publication of her next book, Love & Other Mushy Stuff, the first book in a new series. Lyndsey is an eternal sucker for a swoon-worthy, happy ever after. She lives in the west of Ireland with her husband, two small children and a boxer puppy. When she’s not writing, Lyndsey can be found curled up in front of the fire with a good book and a G & T.

Welcome Lyndsey!

Cover of the book Love & Other Mushy Stuff includes a radio and microphone

What inspired you to write Love & Other Mushy Stuff?

I used to host a monthly radio book club before COVID turned all of our lives upside down. While recording in the studio, an idea came to me about a radio agony aunt who didn’t follow her own advice. The character kept growing in my mind, until I couldn’t sleep for thinking about her! At around the same time, I stayed in a fabulous five-star hotel on the outskirts of Dublin, only to discover it was where the Irish rugby team trained. I decided that the men who play professionally might make for interesting main characters. This was the inspiration for creating ‘The Professional Players Series’.

In a world that can be harsh and cruel, I live for the Happily Ever After’s that are usually only ever found in a good book. Reading and writing romance provides the perfect lockdown escapism.

When did you start writing seriously?

I wanted to write since I was a little girl. I’m a massive reader and a huge romance fan, but like many women, I struggled with self-doubt. Who would want to read something that I had written? Imposter syndrome crippled me.

Following the birth of my daughter, I wanted her to be able to read the story of how I met her father, and I developed the confidence to get my own story off my chest, writing The Seven Year Itch.

Love & Other Mushy Stuff is my third novel and, in all honesty, it’s the first one I’ve taken seriously. The first two books I poured straight from my heart. Writing them was like therapy to me. I then spent a year reading books like, Save The Cat Writes a Novel and Romancing The Beat and concocting a plan using Gwen Hayes’ beat sheet. It was a game changer for me.

What do you love most about being an author?

I love all of it! Immersing myself in romance and writing about cities that I adore, places that I can’t currently get to with everything that’s going on in the world. I love creating flawed, raw characters and leading them into the excitement of a new love interest.

I love it when readers express how much they have related to a character. It makes the hours of torturous editing worth it. And I love it when I hold my book baby in my hands for the first time, wrapped in a gorgeous girly cover.

What are you working on now?

Love & Other Mushy Stuff is the first book in ‘The Professional Players Series’, and I am currently editing the second book Love & Other Games, which is due to be released at the end of July. And I’m midway through the first draft of the third book in the series, Love & Other Lies.

What do you hope readers will take away from Love & Other Mushy Stuff? I hope they take away that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from seeing a worthy heroine achieve her HEA, and I hope they get a few giggles on the journey, and maybe a longing to visit Dublin.

The blurb

When it comes to love, sassy psychotherapist Abby Queenan has a hard time accepting her own advice. Jilted at the alter by her childhood sweetheart, she prefers to invest in other people’s happy ever afters than strive for her own. When the radio station she works for announces a once in a lifetime competition, she begins to search for a swoon-worthy male to feature on her show and up her ratings.

Irish rugby legend, Callum Connolly is the classic example of male perfection. He’s not looking for the one, merely the next one. That is until his teammates bet he can’t keep the same woman long enough to attend his best friend’s wedding.

Abby and Callum strike and unlikely, but alluring deal. Will Abby finally learn to take her own advice? Or will Callum nail his most elusive touchdown yet?

Where you can get it

Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon US

Follow Lyndsey: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Author Lyndsey Gallagher

Thank you for joining me, Lyndsey and all the best with the new series!

The Christmas Swap #OMCReadalong with One More Chapter

The Christmas Swap #OMCReadalong with One More Chapter

sandybarker

Very excited to announce that The Christmas Swap has been chosen as One More Chapter’s holiday read-along book from December 8-11.

How can you join in on the fun?

Grab a copy of the book today, mark your calendar, and follow the hashtags and posts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

There will be an Instagram live event on December 11, as well as quizzes, challenges, sharing of Christmas traditions, reviews, Q&As and much more!

So if you love all things Christmas, sign up or mark your calendar today!

One More Chapter on Twitter | One More Chapter on Instagram | One More Chapter on Facebook

Follow me: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Book bloggers, sign up here:

OMC Blogger Newsletter | OMC Blogger Facebook Group | OMC WhatsApp Group

The Christmas Swap Blurb

Chloe, Jules, and Lucy meet at a Maui resort kids’ club, aged 11, forging a lifelong friendship spanning two decades and three continents.

Twenty-two years later, they decide to swap Christmases, none of them expecting the hilarity and romantic escapades that will ensue.

Chloe from Melbourne spends her Christmas with Lucy’s mum and dad in a sleepy village in Oxfordshire, England, stunned to the core when she discovers who grew up across the road from Lucy.

Lucy, who has jetted off to snowy Colorado for her dream-come-true white Christmas, is taken into the fold of Jules’s loud and brash family, discovering more about herself in a few short days than she has in years.

And Jules leaves the cold climes of Colorado to spend a balmy ‘Orphan’s Christmas’ with Chloe’s friends in Melbourne, finding that time away from her mundane life is just what she needed.

Join these three lovable women as they each get a Christmas to surpass their wildest dreams.

Buy Links

Amazon AU | Amazon UK| Amazon US | Kobo | Dymocks(AU) | Booktopia(AU) | A&R(AU) | Waterstones(UK) | Foyles(UK)

Paperback out now in the UK and coming soon to other countries.

It’s Publication Day for The Christmas Swap

It’s Publication Day for The Christmas Swap

sandybarker
Cover of the book The Christmas Swap. A snowy scene at the top of the cover, with a ski lodge and a man and a woman. On the bottom of the cover is a beach image with bathing boxes and surfboards and a man and a woman sitting together.

So excited that this day is (finally) here! I started writing this book in July 2019 for Camp NaNoWriMo with the goal of writing 30K words in 31 days. I wrote 35K words, then tweaked the manuscript with help from my agent, and we pitched it (with a synopsis) to my publisher, One More Chapter.

They loved it, then it was slotted into my publication schedule and today’s the day when it is out in the world!

To mark the occasion I am sharing my acknowledgements.

Acknowledgements and a note from the author

It’s hard to believe I am writing the acknowledgements for my fourth book, but here I am. I have dedicated this book to my parents―my mum, Lee, my dad, Ray, and my step-mum, Gail. I am extremely fortunate to have parents who not only love me, but champion me and inspire me. They have also instilled in me the importance of family―including the family members we choose―as well as having a sense of adventure and following your dreams.

Family is a prominent theme in this book and as I write these acknowledgements amid the second round of COVID-19 lockdowns here in Melbourne, ‘family’ has become more important to me now than ever. And for me, a person who has lived on three continents, that word encompasses all the people I love, all the people who inspire me, lift me up, confide in me, and ease my path. Thank you, family―wherever you are. Stay safe and we will meet again someday soon.

As always, I am grateful to my two partners-in-writing, my editor, Hannah Todd, and my agent, Lina Langlee. It is wonderful having you in my corner and you are both gifted collaborators. Hannah, thank you for being my champion at One More Chapter and HarperCollins, and for your excellent feedback, which always elevates my writing. I continue to grow as an author under your guidance. Lina, I greatly appreciate your advocacy, your astute guidance, and your ongoing support of my writing career. Ever onwards and upwards―together.

Thank you to my fellow authors for supporting, championing, and inspiring me, particularly my fellow Renegades, Nina, Andie, and Fiona. Our daily catchups sustain me; they are chocolate for my soul. Thank you to Lucy Coleman (Linn B. Halton) whose quote appears on the cover of this book. I hope that one day I will be as prolific and as accomplished as you. Your books are the stuff of dreams. Thank you to all my fellow romance authors who forge and shape this genre, and to the book lovers, bloggers, and reviewers whose passion for romantic fiction lifts us all, especially my friends at UKRomChat, The Reading Corner Book Lounge, and Chick Lit and Prosecco. Thank you to the volunteers at the Romance Novelists Association and Romance Writers of Australia for your tireless efforts to sustain and elevate romantic fiction. And thank you to my fellow Aussie authors at the Australian Writer’s Centre and #AusWrites.

Lastly, dear reader, thank you. Thank you for traveling across three continents with me and enjoying some Christmassy goodness. Christmas is my favourite holiday, and over my lifetime, I’ve spent it in the US, the UK, and Australia―each Christmas special for its distinct traditions and the loved ones I’ve shared it with.

Happy Christmas, happy holidays, and stay safe.

~ Sandy Barker

Read about my inspiration for writing The Christmas Swap

Read more about the book, including where to find it