A Smorgasbord!

Here we go with a smorgasbord of delights! Or is it a buffet? First off, the inimitable RJ Scott is holding a contest [well, more of a challenge *g*]. It will open on her blog this afternoon, GMT London time, and the prize is pretty amazing. 

The premise is, a group of her fellow authors ask her a question, she answers us on our blogs, and YOU have to hunt down the answers she gave, using her blog as the springboard.

I asked: What's the worst thing you've ever done to one of your characters?

RJ answered: I killed them... I only killed one... but he was Alex's first love in Oracle and apparently I made some readers cry cos they liked him.

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RJ's latest release is The Only Easy Day [Sanctuary #2] from Silver Publishing.

Blurb: One dead girl, one scared witness, and two men trained as Navy SEALs. Whether searching for justice or revenge, the final showdown between them is the same--explosive.

Dale MacIntyre, former Navy SEAL, works for Sanctuary. He's the acting handler for a member of the Bullen family's inner circle. He's close to obtaining the evidence he needs to prove Elisabeth Costain's death was ordered by them... until someone gets in his way.

Joseph Kinnon, active Navy SEAL, is back on US soil for the first time in months, and he's told the tragic news that his stepsister is dead, gunned down in an alley by an unknown assailant. He's determined to find out who murdered her... until someone gets in his way.

They both want the same thing but have different methods of accomplishing their goals. They both want the Bullen family brought to account, but one wants justice and the other wants revenge.
What happens between them, however, has nothing to do with either.

Then there's my latest release, a short story in Silver's Sparkle range - Sullivan's Yard

Blurb: Cal Beaufontaine, the new apprentice chef at the Alhambra in Modesto, is not only hearing seductive whispers in the walls of his new apartment, but he also has to deal with the unwanted attentions of a persistent--and sexy--coworker.

Cal Beaufontaine, son of a Creole restaurateur and a recent graduate from culinary school, is starting his career as an apprentice chef in Modesto, California. His newly renovated apartment borders a derelict peach farm, Sullivan's Yard, and the lingering scent of peaches inspires dreams of making love to a sexy but faceless man in his backyard beneath a peach tree in full bloom.

On his first day at the Alhambra, a top restaurant in the city, Cal meets Luis, the owner's Andalusian nephew and one-night stand expert. Luis is fascinated by Cal and begins a determined seduction campaign, but while Cal is immediately attracted, he has no intention of becoming a notch on Luis's bedpost. Yet his driving ambition to learn all he can and run his own restaurant could be knocked off-track by his growing desire for the Spaniard.

 

AAAND, last but by no means least, I continue the story of Mark and Jack, first introduced in The Psychic's Tale, first in The Fitzwarren Inheritance Trilogy. 

Read the short story The Carpenter's Tale in the FREE Silver Shorts anthology.

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FREE READS AT SILVER PUBLISHING!

Yes, it's true! Every week, Silver is offering a FREE Silver Shorts anthology, collections of short stories by their authors, written to one of four prompts!


Because I'm late in the day promoing this, for a variety of reasons, all of them out of my control, my first two entries are here on my site. But as of today, there are TWO Silver Shorts anthologies to download for free!

Can you really pass up a bargain like this?

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A couple of dates for your diary

First off, I am being interviewed by RJ Scott - that irrepressible Tigger of a person *g* - at her blog on February 11th. I have no idea what questions she'll be firing at me, so why not drop by and find out not long after I do!

Hopefully she'll be asking me about my latest Silver release, The Sparkle short story, Sullivan's Yard.

The next date is February 17th, when I'm filling the Q spot on SJD's Romance A-Z. There's all sorts of things on there, including my favorite recipe for an intimate meal for two...

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Can You Guess What This Building Is?

I was heading down a street in my home city this afternoon, early for my optician's appointment, and it took me past this impressive frontage. This is Ye Hall of John Halle, built in the 1470s by the very wealthy wool merchant, John Hall, and much of the original building still remains. He was Mayor of Salisbury four times, offended a king, was imprisoned, released, and had dealings with Richard Neville, the Kingmaker at the heart of the Wars of the Roses.

I had a little bit of time on my hands and a camera in my shoulderbag, so I snapped off some shots.

It's a Grade 1 Listed Building, and has previously been an inn, the printing offices of the old Wiltshire Gazette and a china shop.The building was extensively restored  in 1834 and a lot of historical details from various centuries were preserved. 

This is the entrance hall - the picture is over-exposed to show the gallery around it.

Turning and walking on, you enter what was the banqueting hall. This view looks towards the street entrance. There is a range of windows on the right. I didn't take photos of those, but some of the medieval glass still remains in the leaded panes.

Turning right around, you face some rather nice Jacobean panelling and a carved fireplace. Some of the colours have been replaced.

Through the dark, heavily carved wooden arch, a flight of modern stairs lead into the business part of the building.

Any idea what that business entails?

In 1931 it was converted into a cinema and after more modifications to the non-protected part, is now Salisbury's Five Screen Odeon cinema.

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Something New from Silver Publishing

The first story in the Silver Shorts Prompt Challenge will be posted on February 8th 2010 - on that date see the Silver Publishing's site for exciting Free Read news!

Mine will be posted on my Silver Shorts page, but every Wednesday from the 8th onwards, ALL that week's stories from the Prompt Challenge will be available as a Free Read Anthology download!

When I get my brain cell functioning again, I'll be promoing my latest releases - all TWO of them *g*

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I'm Back!!!

No thanks to UK2.net, who failed to realise or admit to their error! - that my domain name was officially transferred away from them months ago, and 'expired' my domain name. This, when I have two new books to promote. Since I can no longer use chrisquinton.com, I am now www.chrisquintonwriter.co.uk and may the maggots of a thousand zombies infest UK2's collective genitals.

Normal [hah!] Blogging will resume as soon as I've stopped fuming.

None of this would have been possible without the help of RJ Scott, who in the middle of a hectic writing schedule, dropped everything to help me out. She is a Pearl Beyond Price and I owe her so much.

Also Jewels of the Firmament are the FaceBook friends who leaped up and offered me blog spots to help promo my new releases - you are all wonderful supportive people and I treasure every one of you.

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