Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, where I share snippets from new and past releases and works-in-progress and occasionally twist the arms of author buddies to do the same.

Which is exactly what’s happening today. Yes, my lovelies, we have another guest and another GIVEAWAY and I know how much you love those.

But more on that in a moment.

First, news from the Hein house.

I FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT OF SCARLETT AND THE MODEL MAN!!!!!!

Eh hem.

Finishing a book is a fab feeling, even though there’s still a long way to go before it hits shelves. There’s the second draft to do, then edits and proof reading and covers and blurbs and all sorts of stuff, but the really hard work is done. Yay!

I’ll have news on its release date in the New Year. If you want to be the first to hear, make sure you join my newsletter team. It’s where all the cool people are.

Speaking of cool people…

Today’s guest is a Teaser Tuesday favourite. She’s a medical romance writing queen, a midwifery expert, fellow Outback Brides author (with the excellent Holly’s Heart), and an all-round lovely lady. Yep, we’re hosting Fiona McArthur again. Wahoo!

Now that it’s December the silly season has well and truly begun. Authors, like singers, love putting you in the mood with Christmas tales and Fiona is joining the fray with a faaaaabulous sounding Christmas story – Midwife on the Orient Express.

Gawd I love that title. So. Much. Fun.

Here’s Fiona to tell you about Midwife on the Orient Express and share an excerpt. Make sure you read all the way to the end because that’s where the giveaway details are and we wouldn’t want you to miss out.

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Hello everyone, waving madly as we all chug into the Christmas Season. Thanks so much for having me on your blog, again, Cathryn.  I must say, I loved your latest book, Eddie and The Show Queen, and readers, if you know someone who loves a book full of smiles, I’d be looking to Cathryn’s books for great gifts. Thanks so much for the fun gallop, CH. 🙂

Today I’d like to share excitement about another fun ride, with my new release Midwife On The Orient Express – A Christmas Miracle, which came out on the 29^th November in ebook and 5^th December as print through my website FionaMcArthurAuthor.com.

Midwife On The Orient Express revisits a shorter, reunion story of mine from 2011, with expanded characters, more fun and of course a baby born – I know –  I can’t help myself with a good birth. Plus, I had the joy of creating my own quirky cover with the fab Glen Holman, working with the lovely Bronwyn Jameson to polish, and availing myself of Annie Seaton’s huge knowledge on e-pubbing. Now Cathryn has offered to help me get the word out to you lovely readers, so here I am.

I’m feeling particularly blessed in my friends and my first author published book.

While I love writing for publishing houses and always hope to, I’ve been very slow to begin the indie path, but recommend the experience for those writers and readers who haven’t dipped a toe in yet. Having your fingers in all the publication pies and not just the writing is another fab journey. Please watch out for my next author-pubbed book, Midwife In The Jungle –in March 2020. The cover is going to pop up soon.

If you haven’t seen my Orient Express photos I’ve had such fun on Facebook in the two weeks prior to launch. I’ve been posting a different photo each day from our trip when medical romance author Alison Roberts and I travelled on the famous train between Venice and London back in 2011. The posted photos all depict scenes in the book and you can check them out if you’d like to drop into my author Facebook page or webpage – just for fun they are in the order they appear in the book. I’m running a ‘which photo which page in the book’ competition from my website starting 29^th November and drawn the 29^th February (leap year) for a print or e book copy of MIDWIFE IN THE JUNGLE (yes, there is a baby theme in my books 🙂 ) prior to release in March. Details on my webpage.

Of course, there will be a prize too, for commenting on today’s blog on Cathryn’s page for a print copy of MIDWIFE ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS which I’ll post in Australia after the first week in December. Cathryn will notify the winner on Sunday night. Meanwhile enjoy Kelsie and Lucas’s trip of a lifetime. With much love and appreciation xx Fi

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Lucas Larimar watched the shoulders of the smartly dressed woman sag as she peered under her dark cap of hair with the perplexed countenance of the unseasoned traveller. Her head dipped down at what must be a horrendously heavy suitcase.

Amused, he wondered if she’d dare try and perch on top of it. He sighed and stood to offer his seat, brushing away the niggling feeling that he knew her.

He didn’t. He was in Venice. And if he didn’t offer her his seat Gran would poke him with her silver-topped cane as if he were a kid until he did. Un­fortunately, Gran knew she was his one big weakness and the only woman he loved.

He caught his gran’s glance as she nodded approvingly and bit back a grin. Despite her age she looked like a million Euros in her pink jacket and skirt with her snow-white hair fresh from her Venetian stylist.

The pink Kimberley diamonds at her wrist and throat glit­tered under the electric lights. Lord, he would miss the old minx when she was gone. Had to be the reason he was standing here in the first place.

He had very special clients, the Wilsons, a couple he’d worked with for years, whose tenuous assisted pregnancy had been particularly challenging, and they were all on tenterhooks until Connie Wilson had this baby safely delivered.

He’d promised her influential husband, Harry, and more importantly the nervous Connie, he’d be available twenty-four seven. He was still a helicopter ride away if needed.

But, he should be somewhere closer to them, instead of sitting on a train for the next thirty-six hours play­ing nursemaid to an eighty-year-old lady who should be at home, knitting.

Even he laughed at the idea of Gran doing anything of the sort.

The original stickler for good manners was becoming impatient and inclined her head sideways towards the woman several times and he settled her with his nod. He’d better be quick about it.

If gran was going to order him around like a school boy, Lucas mused, this could prove to be a very long thirty-six hours. He stepped closer to the woman and spoke from be­hind her. ‘Excuse me, madam. Would you like my seat?’

The woman turned, their eyes met, and recogni­tion slammed into him harder than an express train pushing a suit­case twice the size of hers.

Good grief. Thick-lashed eyes. Snub nose. That mouth. The mouth it had taken him, admittedly in his callow youth, two years to banish from his mind. A face that seemed outlined with a dark crayon lines of accent in­stead of the blur every other face seemed to hold.

Fifteen years ago.

Kelsie Summers.

‘Or perhaps you’d rather stand.’ Luckily that was under his breath because his grandmother’s eagle eye had spotted his reaction.

Stunned blue eyes stared frozenly back at his. He saw the shudder in her fragile alabaster throat as she swal­lowed, and then her tongue peeped out. Yes, you damn well should lick your lips in consternation, he thought savagely, when you left me at the registry office, cool­ing my heels.

He gestured to the seat beside his grandmother with all the reluctant invitation of a toddler giving away his last lollypop. Damn if he didn’t feel like sitting down again and turning his back.

But that would be childish and he hadn’t indulged in such weakness for a long, long, time.

But to meet her here, and if he knew his grandmother it would be the perfect diver­sion for the boredom that despite her assurances, would ultimately descend on her before they reached London, they would meet again on the train.

There must be a black cat filled with bad luck standing behind him. He almost turned to see.

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Ooooooh! A lovers-reunited romance! I love these stories. They’re wonderfully emotional because there’s much conflict and past to get over, and with Fiona at the helm in Midwife on the Orient Express, you know you’re in the hands of an expert.

Get all the Christmas feels by grabbing your copy today from:

Amazon.com | Amazon.au | Amazon.uk

Kobo | Apple Books | Nook

Now, as we mentioned there’s a …

GIVEAWAY!

For your chance to win a paperback copy of Midwife on the Orient Express, we want to hear about your favourite Christmas decoration.

Are you partial to a bit of tinsel? Maybe you have a beloved heirloom decoration or handcrafted star for the top of the tree? Perhaps you make stunning gingerbread houses (in which case you are indeed a cleverclogs).

Me? I collected hand-blown glass ornaments when we lived overseas and I ADORE them. They’re very fragile and I’ve lost a few over the years in our house moves but they still make me smile whenever I get them out. I think my favourite is my Tower of London Beefeater. Although I am very partial to my Spanish Riding School bauble that I bought in Vienna. Because horses.

What about you? Share your favourite decoration and we’ll pop you into the draw to win a paperback copy of Midwife on the Orient Express.

Please note: Giveaway closes midnight Australian Eastern Daylight Time, Friday 6^th December 2019. Australian postal addresses only.

If you’d like to learn more about Fiona and her books, please visit her website. You can also connect on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using @FiCatchesBabies.

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, where I share snippets from new and past releases and works-in-progress, and sometimes sweet-talk author buddies into doing the same.

And a sweet-talked author buddy is what we have this week!

First, news from the Hein house. I am soooo close to finishing the first draft of SCARLETT AND THE MODEL MAN. This time next week it should be done. I’ve already bought myself a celebratory pressie – a porcelain pendant featuring images from art nouveau artist Gustav Klimt‘s “Fulfilment”.

Isn’t it beautiful? I couldn’t resist when I saw it, especially when I’ve been thinking so much about art and artists thanks to Scarlett, who is an artist and a very good one.

Now to find somewhere nice to wear it. Friday afternoon drinkies with some author friends sounds the ticket.

Speaking of author friends (Ha! Like that segue?), today we have a very special one on. Say hello to Teaser Tuesday regular and awesome historical romance author Anna Campbell!

You are going to luuuuurve Anna’s Teaser Tuesday this week. Not only is she sharing and excerpt from her fabulous new Christmas story The Highlander’s Christmas Quest (I love the sound of this one SO MUCH), Anna’s hosting a giveaway. Yay! Make sure you read to the end for all the details.

Now here’s Anna to tell you all about The Highlander’s Christmas Quest. Enjoy.

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Hi Cathryn!

How did it get to be Christmas already? Thank you so much for having me back as your guest on Teaser Tuesday in this lead-up to the festive season!

In my world, the lead-up to the festive season means writing a Christmas story. This year, I had particular fun with the latest entry in the Lairds Most Likely series, The Highlander’s Christmas Quest. Like all the Lairds Most Likely stories, this one can be read as a stand-alone, so if you’d like some Highland magic to warm your Christmas stockings, why not give it a go?

When Dougal Drummond washes up on Kirsty Macbain’s Hebridean island a few days before Christmas in 1728, it’s love at first sight for her, but he’s got other fish to fry and plans to leave as soon as he’s repaired his boat. So Kirsty takes matters into her own hands and does some surreptitious sabotage to keep her beloved close and give him a chance to realize that she’s made for him. This scene takes place a few days after Dougal’s arrival when they’re working together on fixing the boat.

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Isle of Askaval, the Hebrides, Scotland, 23^rd December 1728

“I’ll miss ye,” Dougal said, even as he told himself to button his lip. What was the point of harping on his regrets, when he had every intention of leaving in the morning?

Kirsty’s remarkable eyes darkened as she studied him. “I’ll miss ye, too.” Before he could identify the emotion thickening her voice, she went on quickly and in a more cheerful tone. “Ye fitted in so well with everyone on the island.”

Is that all? Dougal wanted to ask the question, but this time discretion won out and he returned to finishing his task. The early winter evening drew in, and the light in the hull was bad. But he had a nasty suspicion that wasn’t why he had trouble seeing what he needed to fix.

“Should I light the candles?” She was still too close behind him.

He set down the hammer and turned to face her. “No, I’ve finished. I want to…”

Damn it, she was even closer than he’d thought. Mere inches separated them. He sucked in a jagged breath, and his head flooded with the evocative scent of Kirsty. Crushed wildflowers. Warm female. A hint of the fresh salt air that always seem to swirl around her, so she seemed part of the wild sea and sky, here on her beautiful island.

“Ye want to…” she echoed, leaning closer.

Dougal swallowed to loosen a tight throat, as his heart leapt around in his chest like a grasshopper.

“I want to…” He sounded strangled. His hands formed fists at his sides, and his head swam with a hundred impossible longings.

I want to take ye in my arms.

I want to kiss ye.

I want to steal ye away across the waves and take you back to Bruard.

I want to…

He couldn’t speak any of those forbidden wishes aloud, but as Kirsty stared at him, her eyes widened as if she heard the words anyway.

“Aye?” she whispered. Although there was nobody but him to hear. Even the old men who sat outside the inn had packed up and returned to their own firesides an hour ago.

The day was almost done. Dougal had one more night on Askaval before he left forever.

That had been his aim since he arrived. Why now did that seem a punishment worse than death?

Kirsty’s lips parted. Those full, red lips that in his wicked dreams, kissed him over and over. He caught a glimpse of straight small teeth in the dark interior. The silvery eyes turned as soft and misty as the fog that swept in from the sea.

“Kirsty?” he forced out in a choked voice and realized he’d shifted even closer to her.

“Aye?” she said again, gazing unblinking into his eyes.

“Oh, hell,” he muttered and reached out to catch her upper arms in shaking hands. For one blazing, lost moment, he stared into that unforgettable face.

Then God help him, he kissed her.

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I told you this week’s Teaser Tuesday would be fabulous! Love, love, love this one and can’t wait to read it. Anna’s Christmas romances always put me in the spirit of the season and The Highlander’s Christmas Quest will put you in the mood too. Order your copy today from:

amazon.com | amazon.com.au | amazon.co.uk

Apple Books | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Want more of the Dougal and Kirsty? Check out a longer excerpt on Anna’s website.

Now, as we mentioned in the intro, Anna is hosting a lovely-jubbly giveaway. Here she is again to tell you about it.

GIVEAWAY!

Are you a fan of Christmas music? I have to say I love it. I can’t wait to hear the first “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” at my local supermarket. Please don’t judge me! So what’s your favourite Christmas song or carol? I’m going to go really traditional and say “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.” What about you?

I’ve got a download of The Highlander’s Christmas Quest to give away to someone who leaves a comment on this post. No geographical restrictions. Think of it as an early Christmas present!

Oh, I love Christmas music too, Anna! On the modern side, I’m very partial to Slade’s “Merry Christmas Everybody” and “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” by The Darkness. And a couple of years ago I bought The Killers’ Christmas album Don’t Waste Your Wishes and it’s bloody brilliant, especially the song “Boots”. On the trad front, I adore “We Three Kings” and of course “Silent Night.”

What about you? What is your favourite Christmas song or carol? Share in the comments and you’ll go in the draw to win an ebook of The Highlander’s Christmas Quest.

Please note: Giveaway closes midnight Friday, Australian Eastern Daylight Time, 29^th November 2019. Open worldwide.

If you’d like to learn more about Anna and her wonderful novels, please visit her website. You can also connect via Facebook and Twitter using @AnnaCampbelloz.

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Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, where I share snippets from new and past releases and works-in-progress and sometimes sweet-talk author buddies into doing the same.

We have another guest this week, one you’re going to luuuuurve, but first you must endure news from the Hein House.

We’re home from our Queensland trip. Rah! Which means I’m back to working hard on Scarlett and the Model Man. The End is most definitely nigh now. Well, the end of the first draft that is. There’s a lot of ground still to cover after that point but hitting The End is always a milestone worth celebrating. I cannot wait to share this book with you. Scarlett and Sam are gorgeous together. Makes me all gooey just thinking about them!

Enough of me and my gooeys. We’re here to enjoy a teaser, brought to you this week by Jenn J. McLeod. Yay!

Although she’s had a few guest appearances on (now archived) blog series Friday Feast, this is Jenn’s first time on Teaser Tuesday. I’m so glad to have her on, too, because I adore the sound of her new release House of Wishes. I know you will too, when you read the excerpt.

Here’s Jenn to tell you more about House of Wishes and share her teaser.

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Hi Cathryn! Hi all!

So great to be here on Teaser Tuesday—and WHAT a Tuesday it is. Woot!

This is release day for my 6^th small-town novel and possibly the most exciting launch day ever because of all it took to get here.

As Australia’s nomadic novelist, I’ve been caravanning my way through bucket list locations since hitting the road fulltime in 2014. That was the year Simmering Season came out—my second novel set in Calingarry Crossing (with House for all Seasons being the first). And guess what? On both those bookish occasions I was here, on Cath’s Friday Feast. I even gave away my very yummy and oh-so-easy homemade muesli recipe. (If only it was as simple to set up a publishing biz, eh?)

Being an author-publisher is another bucket list item and with a hankering to return to Calingarry Crossing for some time, the perfect book to begin this journey had to be House of Wishes. Thanks to a coffee catchup with awesome reader fans, Sharyn Rees and Janine Kimberly, I’m back in Calingarry Crossing with the Dandelion House ready to reveal its secrets. (Don’t worry if you are new to my novels. All my stories are standalone reads, although House of Wishes does have a sprinkling of character cameos. I really had fun with that aspect.)

In a nutshell, House of Wishes is a family relationship story about the choices we make, the connections that matter, the secrets we keep, and the power of a wish. With two story threads (current day and 1974) there are also two love stories. Even though the novel begins with a grieving daughter discovering her mother’s last wish, I promise the story is not all sad. As with all my books, you’ll laugh, maybe you’ll cry, but what I really hope is that you’ll love Tom and Don, because I do have fun writing a male point of view.

Please, let me know. I love to hear from readers.

House of Wishes is available in print and ebook through all online retailers. If you prefer supporting your local bookshop, ask them to order a copy in.  Or you can buy direct from me via my web shop and I’ll send a signed copy with a snazzy bookmark.  Don’t forget, you can also choose to ask your library to order in a copy.

I hope you enjoy this House of Wishes excerpt.

If you have a wish you’d like to share, leave it in the comments below. I reckon the power of a wish is so much stronger when it’s shared. I’ll start: “I wish for an e-reader that magically fills with endless Aussie fiction.”

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‘I’m so very, very sorry for the confusion,’ a voice says.

Beth hears words reminiscent of her mother—a chronic apologiser raised by religious parents—but when she stands, she sees a woman whose voice is as ethereal as her appearance: skin ivory, hair ebony, eyes cerulean, but with lips blood red.

‘Hello, I’m Jesamiah Huckenstead. This should’ve been with your mother’s ashes.’ The stranger, dressed entirely in mauve and smelling like a life-size lavender bag, holds out an envelope. ‘As you’ll see, her wishes are very specific.’ The woman is talking while walking a bewildered Beth back through the reception area, opening the front door wide to let her pass. ‘Should you need to contact me, however …’

Beth glances at the proffered business card:

Madgick & Associates—Trust Managers

In Madgick we trust.

‘Take care of yourself, dear,’ the woman says, letting the stationery and the envelope fall into the gift bag with the ashes. ‘Have a good and safe trip.’

‘Trip?’ Beth repeats.

With her head spinning from the somewhat rushed exit, both her hands busy with bags, and her gaze intent on the contents, it takes her a few seconds to look up. When she does, the woman is gone, the door sign flipped to CLOSED, and Beth is on the footpath outside Forget-Me-Knot Funerals alone—utterly and desperately alone.

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Back in her car, Beth eases the envelope open as if whatever is inside needs to stay contained until she’s ready. The truth is, Beth is nowhere near ready for more surprises—good or bad. She’s already said goodbye to her mother too many times: at both the hospital and the funeral service. Beth’s not sure she can manage another farewell. Not yet.

A tear lands on the two notepad pages she’s slipped from the envelope but, with barely a few lines above the scrawled signature, there’s little ink to smudge. The page is headed: MY WISH, while the other sheet is reminiscent of a treasure map, a childlike diagram with squiggles and symbols surrounding a circle at the centre. The envelope’s contents pose two simple questions in Beth’s mind: When had her mother prepared for her death? And why is she wanting half her ashes placed with her partner in a lawn cemetery of his family’s choosing, but insisting her grieving daughter spread the rest in a country town Beth has never heard of before now?

‘Why, Mum?’ She slumps in the car seat, slaps the letter on her knees, and opens the Maps app on her mobile phone. ‘And where the hell is Calingarry Crossing?’

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Wow. What a teaser. Loved it. And I bet you did too which means you want to get your hot little hands on this book right now. Oh, yes you do!

Houses of Wishes is available now in print and ebook from these retailers:

Amazon.com | Amazon.au | Amazon.uk

Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | Barnes & Noble

Booktopia | Angus & Robertson | Bookdepository

Remember, you can also order signed copies direct through Jenn’s website, where you’ll also score a cool bookmark.

Now, as Jenn said, sharing can make wishes stronger. So here’s mine. My apologies for it being not very light-hearted but it’s heartfelt. I wish this rotten illness I have would disappear right now so I can stop taking all these horrible drugs and get my life back to normal.

What’s yours? I rather like Jenn’s of an e-reader full of Aussie reads – but I think we’d all like that. Join in the fun and share away in the comments. You never know, it might help make your wish come true!

If you’d like to learn more about Jenn and her books, please visit her website. You can also connect via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using @jennjmcleod.

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