Review ~ Christmas at Miss Moonshine's Emporium Anthology..

When the magic of Christmas is just what you're looking for...

There’s something magical about Miss Moonshine’s Wonderful Emporium, and at Christmas she brings an added sparkle to the inhabitants of the pretty Yorkshire town of Haven Bridge. Customers who step over her threshold find an eccentric collection of gifts, but Miss Moonshine has a rare knack for providing exactly what they need: a strange Advent calendar whose doors give a glimpse of a happy ending; a vintage typewriter that types a ghostly message from Christmas past; a mirror in a silver case that reflects the person you’d like to be.

Step inside Miss Moonshine’s quirky shop, and the thing you need most for Christmas will be right there, waiting for you.

What did I think about it..

I can think of no better place to spend the festive season than in the company of Miss Moonshine in her wonderful emporium in the pretty Yorkshire town of Haven Bridge. In this collection of nine festive short stories we get to spend time with some lovely characters as they each celebrate Christmas in their own special way.

There really is something to appeal to everyone with stories set in the present day, alongside stories set in the past, and rather than try to outdo each other the collection blends beautifully, so that each separate story becomes a real festive treat.

All of the stories have the wonderfully eccentric Miss Moonshine at the centre and yet, she doesn't dominate the individual stories, but rather sprinkles her own special brand of magic so that the people she tries to help find their own way of dealing with whatever life has thrown at them. Every conceivable emotion is covered in a lovely entertaining sort of way which makes the sad stories all the more poignant whilst the happy stories come alive with joyous expectation. Amongst the nine, I do have a couple of favourites but I'm not going to share which ones as I would really love it if you would read this collection and discover your own special stories.

Each of the nine festive stories are beautifully written by this group of talented authors who are at the top of their game in writing romantic fiction, be it current or historical, and each story is a perfect length to read over a lunch time break, or with a festive gingerbread latte in your favourite coffee shop.

This collection includes:

• The Ghost in the Machine by Mary Jayne Baker
• The Boy Next Door by Helen Pollard
• My True Love Gave to Me by Sophie Clare
• How to Save Christmas by Kate Field
• A Raven's Gift by Angela Wren
• Make My wish Come True by Helena Fairfax
• Christmas Magic by Marie Laval
• The Timepiece by Melinda Hammond
• Miss Moonshine's Advent Calendar by Jacqui Cooper

Christmas at Miss Moonshine's Emporium is out now in E-book and Paperback

About the Authors

Helena Fairfax, Mary Jayne Baker, Sophie Claire, Jacqui Cooper, Angela Wren, Marie Laval, Kate Field, Helen Pollard, Melinda Hammond.

Christmas at Miss Moonshine's Emporium is an anthology put together by a group of romantic novelists and short story writers from Yorkshire and Lancashire in the north of England. The group meet regularly in the little town of Hebden Bridge, and this location, lying as it does on the moors near the border between the two counties, led to the group name Authors on the Edge, and to the inspiration behind this collection.

Many mince pies were consumed by these authors in the making of this anthology.

Twitter #authorsontheedge

Amazon UK 

Spotlight on Miss Moonshine's Emporium of Happy Endings by Authors on the Edge..

Nine romantic novelists from Yorkshire and Lancashire, including best-selling and award-winning authors, have joined together to create this collection of uplifting stories guaranteed to warm your heart. This intriguing mix of historical and contemporary romances will make you laugh, cry, and believe in the happy-ever-after.

Authors on the Edge
18 May 2018

My thanks to the authors for my copy of this book

Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings

Sometimes what you need is right there waiting for you...

Miss Moonshine’s Wonderful Emporium has stood in the pretty Yorkshire town of Haven Bridge for as long as anyone can remember. With her ever-changing stock, Miss Moonshine has a rare gift for providing exactly what her customers need: a fire opal necklace that provides a glimpse of a different life; a novel whose phantom doodler casts a spell over the reader; a music box whose song links love affairs across the generations. One thing is for certain: after visiting Miss Moonshine’s quirky shop, life is never the same again...

I'm delighted to welcome back to Jaffareadstoo, Helena Fairfax to tell me all about 


Miss Moonshine’s Emporium of Happy Endings

How a Beautiful Building in Hebden Bridge Inspired 9 Northern Romance Authors

  

A few years ago a group of northern romance writers began to meet up regularly in Hebden Bridge for lunch and a chat. This old mill town is the perfect place for us to meet, as it lies on the border between Yorkshire and Lancashire - and we now call ourselves Authors on the Edge!

Hebden Bridge is also a lovely place for a day out, with little streets full of interesting shops, a canal towpath to wander down, lined with narrowboats, and stunning views of the hills and the moors all around. An article once called Hebden Bridge ‘a little rain-soakedparadise’, and even when it’s raining here (which it does a lot) there are lots of cafés to keep dry in – which all happen to serve delicious varieties of home-made cake!

The nine of us romance authors – that is, Mary Jayne Baker, Sophie Claire, Jacqui Cooper, Helena Fairfax (me), Kate Field, Melinda Hammond, Marie Laval, Helen Pollard, and Angela Wren - have just released an anthology of stories, which are all linked together. When it came to the setting for our collection, the ‘rain-soaked paradise’ of Hebden Bridge was obviously the perfect place! Our central character, who appears in every story, is called Miss Moonshine, and she’s the eccentric owner of a quirky shop on Market Street. We based Miss Moonshine’s shop on a real building in the town. There are lots of lovely old buildings in Hebden Bridge, but the Heart Gallery in particular seemed absolutely just right. 

Heart Gallery
Hebden Bridge

If you look at the photos, you’ll see the windows of the gallery building are quite high off the ground. This is because it was originally built for use as a Baptist Chapel. The lintel over the doorway shows the year 1777. There is a beautiful rowan tree outside the door, and an arch of roses at the entrance. There is so much about the outside of the building that makes you want to step inside. It was perfect for our stories.

Heart GalleryHebden Bridge

Melinda Hammond (who writes for Mill and Boon as Sarah Mallory) starts the anthology off with her Regency romance, and she reveals what Miss Moonshine’s shop was like two hundred years ago:

‘…a strange sort of shop, for the windows, though large, began at least four feet from the ground. A lamp burned in one of the windows, its golden light glinting on the objects displayed. A Malacca cane with a chased silver top was propped against the glass in one corner. In front of it was a metal birdcage and a bronze desk-set that appeared to be missing one of its inkwells. In the centre of the window was a small shepherdess figurine that could be French. 

Then comes my own story, set in 1908, when the heroine is amazed to see a gleaming motor car parked outside Miss Moonshine’s. The car belongs to the hero, and…well, I don’t want to give too much away! The stories go on to show Miss Moonshine’s Emporium as it is today –and it lives up to its name as a Wonderful Emporium! Miss Moonshine is the same mysterious, quirky and marvellous character throughout.

Working on this anthology, with this brilliant group of northern authors, has been really good fun from start to finish. We’ve even started to believe that Miss Moonshine is a real character, and that’s she’s worked her magic on all of us.

Available from Amazon in print and as an ebook. 

Follow on Twitter #authorsontheedge

Find out more about the Heart Gallery  in  Hebden Bridge

My thoughts about Miss Moonshine's Emporium of Happy Endings ..

This collection of nine romantic short stories, each with a theme in common, really lightened my heart and, as each story ended, I was left with a rosy, warm glow, and an eager anticipation of what was to come in the next magical story.

Each of the stories are a perfect length to be read over a cup of tea and a Jaffa Cake, and even though the stories differ in content and even in timescale, the fine attention to detail and the love of writing comes across with each author's delicate contribution.

The appeal of good short stories is that they showcase just what the author is capable of, and it gives the reader a chance to sample the author’s individual writing style. And even though in Miss Moonshine's Emporium of Happy Endings the nine authors have very different writing styles, the generosity they have to each other in their collaboration works really well, with none of them wanting to outshine the others, and all of them making a generous contribution to the anthology as a whole.

It would be unfair of me to choose a favourite amongst the nine as I found something equally enjoyable in all of them, so I won’t single any out, but what I will say, is that this team of best-selling northern writers have a real hit on their hands with Miss Moonshine and her Emporium, and I really hope that they go on to work in partnership again in future anthologies.

The author in my spotlight is ...Katey Lovell

I am delighted to welcome to Jaffareadstoo

Katey Lovell

The Boy in the Bookshop : A Short Story 

  is available to download now. 

Amazon

         

October 2015

Hi Katey ~ welcome and thanks for spending time on our blog....

What makes you want to write romantic short stories?

I’ve always written short stories, partly because I didn’t have the belief that I’d be able to finish writing a novel or novella. Romance has been one of my favourite genres to read since my teens and although I’ve dabbled in other genres my heart and soul is committed to romance and women’s fiction, both as a reader and a writer.

Short stories are seeing a bit of a revival – people are reading them on tablets and mobile phones and they’re perfect for when you have a small amount of time to spare, such as when commuting on public transport, waiting for an appointment or during a lunch or coffee break. Harper Impulse published Brigid Coady’s Kiss series a couple of years back and that was a real catalyst for me in trying to get my own writing out there. Knowing publishers were looking to do something different, which is what I always try to do as a writer, encouraged me to write The Meet Cute series.

And do you write for yourself or other people?

First and foremost, I strongly believe every writer should write for themselves. It’s lovely to think of others reading and enjoying your stories, but if you don’t believe in what you write it’ll show.


Where do your ideas for stories come from?

Everywhere!

Sometimes I’ll see something and think ‘ooh, I can use that!’ or I’ll overhear a word or phrase that sparks an idea. With The Meet Cute series I was talking to a group of friends on WhatsApp about a story I’d written and one said she loved any books or films with a ‘meetcute’ in them. Within ten minutes I’d decided to write the series and we were throwing ideas around of places where couples could get together. There were originally seven stories in the series but I’ve now written nine, with couples meeting in all kinds of settings.

Are you a romantic ?

Absolutely. I’m more likely to be wooed by thoughtful gestures than gifts.

What do you love about writing?

I love being able to create something that no one else knows about. That makes me sound secretive which I’m really not, but there’s something very special about starting a new project full of ideas and endless possibilities and it being entirely your own.

And on a good day when words are flowing, it’s the best feeling ever.


What scares you about writing ?

It’s a bit of a cliché, but the blank page can be terrifying! And when you share your writing, whether that’s through publication, a writing group or emailing it to a friend, there’s always a fear. I’ve spoken to lots of authors who say the same, I guess it’s just scary to let others form opinions about anything you’ve worked hard on. I’ve definitely developed a thicker skin through the whole process of submitting my writing to publishers and agents.


What’s next?

I’ve spent this year working on two longer projects, a women’s fiction novel and a steamy romance novella set in Hollywood. It’d be wonderful if either (or both!) were to be published. In terms of more writing, I’m planning to take part in NaNoWriMo although I’m not sure I’ll manage the full 50,000 words in November!

The Boy in the Bookshop, the first story in the Meet Cute series is out now, published by Harper Impulse, to be followed by The Boy at the Beach on 5th November 2015 and The Boy at the Bakery on 12th November 2015.



Amazon UK
Amazon US
Nook 
Kobo



About the Author

Katey Lovell is fanatical about words. An avid reader, writer and poet, she once auditioned for Countdown and still tapes the show every night. Getting the conundrum before the contestants is her ultimate thrill.

She loves love and strives to write feel-good romance that'll make you laugh and cry in equal measure. 

Originally from South Wales, Katey now lives in Yorkshire with her husband and their seven year old son.

Find Katey on twitter, @katey5678

Facebook www.facebook.com/kateylovell.

Huge thanks to Katey for sharing her thoughts about  her short stories with us today.

Jaffa and I wish you much success with your writing career.

~***~

Review and Giveaway ~ Love is All You Need

 The Sophie King Prize 2014. 

Sophie's competition for new romance writing attracted entries from all over the world, and the winning stories are now published digitally and in print.

Love is All You Need

Corazon Books
June 2014

Enjoy these 10 great stories with heart - the winning tales of love from The Sophie King Prize 2014, chosen by bestselling author Sophie King.

"...I picked those that surprised me and also left a lovely warm feeling. 

A bit like a love affair, really..."

Sophie King 

***

Meet 10 women, from different places, backgrounds and times, and each with a different experience of men and romance.

Their stories in turn hold the promise of romance, reflect on finding love, or show the lengths we'll go to for the special person in our lives.

An anthology of stories which are funny, thought-provoking, and thrilling, with characters you'll empathise with as they discover that ... Love is All You Need.

Stories by Alyson Hilbourne, Yvonne Eve Walus, Johanna Grassick, Pauline Watson, Melanie Whipman, Linda Triegel, Laurel Osterkamp, Helen Yendall, Mary Lally, Sherri Turner.

Love is All You Need  is available now exclusively from Amazon

My Review

Ten very different women from all around the world share their thoughts on love in this winning anthology of short stories.

There is much to enjoy in this set of affectionate stories, from the rather poignant, to the utterly heart-warming, all them are written with a fine eye for detail and a lovely sense of empathy and a delicious sense of flirty banter.

Amongst the ten I have two particular favourites which struck a chord with me and to which I have returned for a re read, and what becomes obvious on a second reading is how much care and attention has gone into getting these stories so right. All too often with short stories the reader can feel a little let down, with the stories being merely a collection of words thrown together. Not so with this anthology, all the writers have really excelled at the genre, so much so , in some cases I could have gone on to read more of the story, which can only be a good sign.

It is commendable that Sophie King, realising the value of romantic fiction, goes on to champion those writers who may not otherwise have a voice in the literary world. This collection of lovely stories really does confirm that no matter where you are in the world, love is all you need.

My thanks to Sophie King and Great Stories with Heart for my copy of this lovely book

and for the opportunity to offer a paperback copy of Love is All You Need to one lucky winner of this giveaway..

***Open Internationally***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 Good Luck


*~*~*

Calling all romance writers...

The Sophie King Prize

The Sophie King Prize is run by women's fiction ebook publisher Corazon Books, who publish Sophie's novels and short stories. Their aim is to find a great story with heart - an original short story with a romantic theme. Sophie's short story collection Tales from the Heart gained rave reviews and a top 10 spot in Amazon's short story chart. New editions of her popular novels include The School Run, which has been a top 10 Amazon bestseller. Her most recent novel is Second Time Lucky.

***

 The winning story will be chosen by best-selling novelist and short story writer Sophie King.

photo by kind permission

About the competition

The competition is free to enter, and is open to both published and unpublished writers worldwide. The winning story will be recorded by a professional actor, and broadcast from a dedicated online audio player.


The winner will also receive a pair of Silver-Plated Life Long Champagne Chalices and £50 (approx $79) gift voucher courtesy ofwww.handpickedcollection.com. One runner up will receive a £25 (approx $39) gift Handpicked Collection voucher.

The Sophie King Prize is now open for entries. Entrants must submit a short story of between 1,500 to 2,500 words with a romantic theme.


 The submissions deadline is January 10th 2014 and the winner will be announced on February 14th 2014.

To enter, go to: www.thesophiekingprize.com

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Good Luck Everyone