GIDEON MCGRATH

Okay, I've told you about the setting for A Wedding at Leopard Tree Lodge.

Now it's time to introduce you to Gideon McGrath.

When I was looking for someone to show you the hero in my head, this was the photograph that leapt out at me. Serious, intent, a man who has lived a full and exciting life, enjoyed danger, enjoyed a challenge until a cruel blow turned him into a man who's only joy was work.

Building his empire of hotels, resorts, taking old and young on adventures that would change their lives.

When he arrives at Leopard Tree Lodge he has come to face up to demons that have been haunting him for a long time. That done, he'll be free. Twenty four hours and then he can walk away.

Except that nothing is ever that easy. His back, which has been causing him a lot of trouble, decides it's had enough.

He isn't going anywhere.

And when he meets Josie Fowler, he doesn't want to.

Here's the moment: -

Gideon had watched her walk towards him. Until ten minutes ago, he would have sworn he wasn’t in the mood for company, particularly not the company of a woman high on getting her man to sign up for life – or at least until she was ready to settle for half his worldly goods. But then the tantalising scent of coffee had wafted towards him.

Even then he might have resisted if he hadn’t seen this extraordinary woman sitting on the deck, raking her fingers through her hair in the early morning sun.
If he had given the matter a second’s thought, he would have assumed anyone called “Crystal” to be one of those pneumatic blondes cloned to decorate the arms of men who were more interested in shape than substance when it came to women.
Not that he was immune. Shape did it for him every time.

But she wasn’t blonde. There was nothing obvious or predictable about her. Her hair was dramatically black and tipped with purple and her strong features were only prevented from overwhelming her face by a pair of large, dark eyes. And while her shape was blurred by the bulky robe she was wearing, she was certainly on the skinny side; there were no artificially enhanced curves hidden even in that abundance of white towelling.

In fact she was so very far from what he would have expected that his interest had been unexpectedly aroused. Rather more than his interest if he was honest; a sure sign that his brain was under-occupied but it certainly took his mind off his back.
An effect that was amplified as she stepped up onto his deck, paused there for a moment.

Straight from the shower her face bare of make up, her hair a damp halo that hadn’t seen a comb, without sexy clothes or high heels, it had to be the fact that she was naked under that robe that momentarily squeezed the breath from his chest as she’d walked towards him.

‘You’re an angel, Miss Blaize,’ he said, collecting himself.

‘Not even close,’ she replied.

She’d worked hard to scrub the inner city from her voice, he judged, but it was still just discernible to someone with an ear for it.
‘On either count,’ she added. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m plain Josie Fowler.’

She wasn’t the bride?

Nor was she exactly plain but what his mother would have described as “striking”. And up close he could see that those dark eyes were a deep shade of violet that exactly matched the highlights in her hair, the colour she’d painted both finger and toenails.

‘Who said I was disappointed, plain Josie Fowler?’ he said, ignoring the little leap of gratification that she wasn’t Crystal Blaize. It was her coffee he wanted, not her. ‘I asked if you’d share your coffee and here you are. That makes you an angel in my eyes.’

‘You’re easily satisfied…?’

On the contrary. According to more than one woman of his acquaintance, he was impossible to please – or maybe just impossible -- but right now any company would be welcome. Even a big-eyed scarecrow with purple hair.

UH-OH!



I shouldn't be here. Having sorted out a few final details for the "elf", now known as MISTLEOE & THE LOST STILETTO, I should be in the air and winging my way towards Rome for a much looked forward to holiday - and serious research for the next book.

But this happened and all flights in and out of the UK have been cancelled, so instead I'm sitting at my laptop, considering whether to cut the grass, go and buy some bananas or watch OUTNUMBERED. Well, the afternoon is young, so I may do all three. I will also spare a thought for anyone with serious travel plans. The lady who was supposed to be flying to visit her son in New Zealand today. Julie Cohen, whose parents are flying from the US tomorrow.

It's rare - probably unheard of, actually - for me to hope for rain. But that seems to be the only thing that will clear the air and while my holiday is now officially a wash-out, I hope the crisis is over quickly so that everything can get back to normal.

The one truly lovely bit of news to brighten my weekend is receipt of a 5 star Between the Pages review from Still Moments Magazine for A WEDDING AT LEOPARD TREE LODGE.

They say - "Between the Pages of this story you'll find a magnificent setting, a feisty heroine and a sexy hero - a definite page-turner...who could ask for anything more."

COVERS...

...are are sometimes a joy, often a heartbreak to the author who has a vivid image in her head, not pictures exactly, but more a feelng of how a book should look.

We have been known to moan -- yes, honestly! -- to one another.

Usually, the response is, but it's lovely, because we can't see inside the author's head, only the outsiders view - the reader's view.  But, because we've been there, we do understand the pain.

For once in my life, I have absolutely no complaints about a cover;  I hoping you're going to overlook my whinge about the lack of purple hair a few weeks!  I've got over it - it was easy enough because I never expected it in the first place.  

I have now have all three covers for my ESCAPE AROUND THE WORLD book, A WEDDING AT LEOPARD TREE LODGE - it's rare for me to have an Australian cover this early but I have the lovely Bronwyn Jameson to thank for that. She got hold of this one early to go with an article appearing in the RWAus magazine in May.

I'm so delighted with all of them, that I've lined them all up in a row and I'm going to ask you which you like best and why.  What does it for you?  What image pulls you in? 

Oh, and while I'm here, I should mention that I've just blogged about this book here Drop by and leave a comment and you might win a copy!

RELEASE DAY!

It's always a special day when a book finally leaves the nest and passes into the hands of readers. I know that those of you who are members of the Readers Service clubs in both the US and the UK are way ahead of me here (I get my copies about the same time as you do!), but from today A WEDDING AT LEOPARD TREE LODGE will be available to buy online from Mills & Boon and eHarlequin and also to download.

The eBook revolution has been really good news for Mills & Boon in the UK. The Daily Mail has been reporting - a story picked up by news media everywhere - that there has been a boom in sales fired by young women who adore the books but are intimidated by the sneering attitude so often encountered by the genre. One young women on Twitter was so embarrassed by the attitude of the sales clerk at her book store recently that she now does all her buying online.

Great sales technique, guys. You don't like what I read? Bite me...

But enough with that. Today is for celebrating. And here's the story. Josie Fowler, who first graced the pages of THE BRIDE'S BABY (still available for a free download to your computer or eBook if you missed it at Try Harlequin) is now a partner in SDS Events, although things aren't that great. Everyone still wants Sylvie, but she's on maternity leave and when the celebrity wedding of the year starts to go off the rails and the bride sacks snooty wedding designer, Serafina March, Josie gets her chance.

The world's most famous footballer and his lovely bride have chosen the idyllic Leopard Tree Lodge as the setting for their wedding ceremony. Set beside the Chobe river in Botswana, it is game viewing paradise. And while you're not getting acquainted with the wildlife, there is every luxury to make your vacation special.

All the arrangements have been made. Josie's job is simply to ensure that everything runs without a hitch.

Pause here for hollow laughter.

Hitch number one comes in the shape of Gideon McGrath.

He's the guest occupying the bridal suite and he isn't moving any time soon. Not for want of trying. He doesn't want to be there. His back has other plans.

There's also the difficulty of having more guests than beds due a bust up between the best man and the chief bridesmaid. And then there's the small matter of the... But why am I telling you all this? You don't want me spoiling all the fun. And of course there is an excerpt on my newly updated website along with a picture of that troublemaker Gideon McGrath and of course, Josie.

Just to add to my whoop-de-do mood, here's what Romantic Times had to say about the book.

A WEDDING AT LEOPARD TREE LODGE (4.5) A gorgeous setting, a sigh-worthy hero and a unique heroine who matches him quip for quip add up to a superb read.

* * *

Oh, and while you're online buying the book, if you haven't already bought it you might want to try Jessica Hart's Oh So Sensible Secretary (written in the first person and just the most perfect romance)

And finally, don't forget to vote here for the Authors Blog Awards 2010!

PURPLE HAIR AND STEPFORD WIVES...

Do you remember when I posted a picture of Josie, the heroine of the ESCAPE AROUND THE WORLD book I was writing last year -- the girl with purple hair who first appeared in The Bride's Baby which you can still download for free at here if you haven't already read it.

Here's a reminder in case you missed that post.

I posted it, you might recall, because I knew -- I've had a lot of covers -- that Josie would end up looking like a Stepford Wife on the cover artwork of the book. It's sad, but apparently a fact that readers are put off by anything remotely different, but I wanted you all to know how I saw her. Purple boots, Zandra Rhodes punk clothes - we had a lively discussion about bags if you remember - and that hair.

Black and purple. They were her trademark colours and she wore nothing else.

Anyway, just in case any of you thought I was being a little bit negative about it, the cover of A WEDDING A LEOPARD'S TREE LODGE was posted on Amazon today and here it is.

Actually, I think the model is the same woman who appeared on the cover of The Baby Plan -- a very elegant and dynamic business woman with a personal fortune, a world away from Josie in just about every way.

That said, it's a really lovely cover. No really. The nicest one I've had in a while.

And obviously the heroine's neat little green shirt couldn't possibly have been purple -- it would have clashed with that sunset.

Of course if they'd used a slightly different palette for the sky, mauves, pinks... They could even have made it reflect on her hair a little.

No. Not another word. Lips zipped.