All entrants were given a number and, using a random generator, the prizes were allocated to winners in the order shown below.
Soooo….the WINNERS of my audiobooks giveaway are…
MASSIVE congratulations to everyone who won! As soon as you’re ready, contact me to pass on your address, and then your signed audiobook/s will be on their way to you in the next week or two.
Huge thanks again to everyone who participated both via here and email. It’s been an absolute treat reading your choices and reasons. Sorry to those who didn’t win this time. š But, don’t forget, I have a couple more giveaways to come in a while, one of which will be an early copy of Blood Dark for one lucky reader!
I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with a post about Eden and Jessie from Blood Deep. š
A couple of months ago, we celebrated the release of Blackthorn on audio with a giveaway of the first audiobook in the series, Blood Shadows. To enter, Iād asked you to let me know where in the world you are ā and the response was amazing, both here and on Facebook.
I was so thrilled that I knew weād have to have another giveaway once the next audiobooks in the series came out. And, thanks to the generosity of Bookouture and Lorella Belli Literary agency, and your incredible input, we decided we could make the next one even bigger than the last.
THE PRIZES…
Blood Shadows proved so popular that, this time, weāre going to give away a furtherĀ 3 signed copies.
We were only going to give away one copy of Blood Torn too, but to celebrate it winning Best Paranormal Romance 2014 on Moonrise Book Blog (thanks to YOUR votes), weāve added in an extra three to make a total of 4 signed copies of Blood Torn up for grabs as well.
Above: Blood Torn Audio CDs (unabridged, 12 discs, 14.5 hrs)
And then we have the GRAND PRIZE…a chance to win all three!
That means there are NINE prizes up for grabs in total!
HOW TO ENTER…
The whole point of giveaways is that theyāre supposed to be simple and fun, so all you have to do is answer one question to enter. Inspired by one of my fantastic Facebook supporters, Dianne, who regularly chats to me about the prospect of my Blackthorn heroes turning up on her doorstep, your question is:
If you had the opportunity to invite THREE of Blackthornās main characters to a dinner party, which three would you invite and why? (You have to say why for your entry to be valid!)
Leave your answer either in the comments below or, if youāre not comfortable posting publicly, feel free to send me a private message via contact above. As I stated in a post yesterday, readers can no longer enter via Facebook sadly, but I do hope this wonāt discourage you from joining in.
CLOSING DATE…
The competition will be open for ten days to give you plenty of time to think it over. It is open now and will close on the Tuesday 17th February (midnight, UK time). The winners will be randomly selected and announced on Thursday 19th February.
So whether you love audiobooks or just fancy an exclusive signed copy as a Blackthorn keepsake, nowās your chance!
This weekend, Iāll be launching not just my biggest audiobook giveaway, but the biggest Blackthorn giveaway weāve ever done! Itās going to be fun, quick and simple to enter, so I hope youāll enjoy joining in. Iāll have more news on what you have to do tomorrow.
No more Facebook entries
The reason Iām stepping out of the norm and doing a pre-giveaway post is because things are going to have to work differently to how they have before. With my last few giveaways, Iāve opened them for entries via Facebook as well as here on my blog, simply because I know it’s much easier for some of my readers. Unfortunately, I wonāt be able to do that anymore. š
To my understanding, Facebookās most up-to-date terms and conditions state that giveaways are not allowed to have comments as conditions of entry. Doing so could risk a page being shut down without notice. So, for all my giveaways this year, Iāll only be able to accept entries via this site.
Iāve also recently had it flagged up to me that any time I post on Facebook, less than 10% of my Facebook followers have it appear in their timeline. If I attach a link (which I tend to every time), it falls to even fewer. Sadly, that means many of my followers donāt receive notifications at all.
Business as usual
Iām still going to make announcements on Facebook of course, and we can still have all the interaction we have now, so please do keep supporting me there! Itāll just be different for giveaways.
With all this in mind, the only way I can guarantee that youāll never miss out on anything is to sign up to my blog here because then youāll get an email notification every time I have news or a new giveaway. Youāll need to sign up via the sidebar though, not the ‘Email Sign Up‘ in the tab above as thatās for notification of releases only.
A couple of weeks ago, I told you Blackthorn had been nominated as Best Paranormal Romance 2014 in Moonrise Book Blogās Readersā Choice Awards. Today, I found out that WE’VE WON!
Blackthorn was not only up against some terrific titles, but both Blood TornĀ ANDĀ Blood Deep were up in the same category. However, the crown went toā¦
…BLOOD TORN!
It seems our Jask just won too many hearts to be defeated ā even by our lovely Eden (donāt worry, heās made of stern stuff). I know some readers found it really tough to choose between the two books but either was a vote for Blackthorn, so thank you to everyone who joined in.
Iām doubly celebrating because this is actually thefirst time Blackthorn has ever won anything. Blackthorn had two nominations in the GraveTells Readersā Choice Awards back in 2013 and, of course, was twice runner-up on in New Voices both in 2010 and 2011, but never quite got there. Iāll definitely be wearing the badge on my blog with pride.
Many thanks to Moonrise Book Blog for your awesome reviews which led to both Blood Torn and Blood Deep being eligible for nomination, repeated thanks to every reader who voted, and HUGE congrats to the winners in all the other categories too. š
Itās the start of a new year for Blackthorn, and that means a new year for this blog. If you want to know everything there is to know about my series, this is the place to be. This is where I record all the major happenings throughout the year, details about my books that you won’t find anywhere else, as well as it being an open forum for readers to comment or ask questions. In fact, quite a few posts over the past two years have been inspired from your input. So, as always, if there is anything you would like me to include over the forthcoming year, do feel free to let me know. I already have a few posts lined up to start us off though…
THE YEAR AHEADĀ
Blog posts about me…
I was blog-tagged a little while back to reveal some previously undisclosed facts about myself, so thatās up first. Iām already wracking my brain!
ā¦about Blackthornā¦
Having already given my personal take on each of my Blackthorn couples ā Kane and Caitlin, Caleb and Leila and Jask and Phia ā Iāve been asked a few times when it will be Eden and Jessieās turn. Iām pleased to tell you that theyĀ will finally be in the spotlight next month. Hopefully you have now read Blood Deep, so there wonāt be any spoilers. If there are any details you wish you knew about our latest hero and heroine, do let me know!
Although it feels like ages away, it wonāt be long before weāre counting down the weeks to Blood Darkās release. Nearer the time, Iāll be posting a glossary of all of Blackthorn’s characters (just in case you need to refresh your memory). And, now that weāre at the mid-way point in the series, Iāll also be summarising the Blackthorn story so far ā something else that could prove useful with so many threads now coming together!
ā¦and even more giveaways!
Your response to Blackthorn giveaways last year was fantastic. Creating the Blackthorn soundtrackĀ was definitely a highlight of 2014 for me. I was truly blown away by your suggestions, mainly because the lyrics you chose demonstrated just how much you āgetā these books. Of course, I also discovered some superb songs and albums thanks to you!
Your participation in my Audiobook giveaway was particularly brilliant, so much so that I have more Audiobooks to give away very soon. Thanks to Bookouture and Lorella Bella Literary Agency, itās going to be an even bigger giveaway than last time. Stay close for that one!
As Blood Dark draws closer, there will be an early eBook copy up for grabs as well as a signed paperback copy after its release. I might even have a few more limited-edition postcards up for grabs later on in the year as well ā I know they always prove popular.
And then we can do the same all over again with book six (no spoilers with the title yet š ), which mayĀ also make itĀ out this year.
2015 has arrived!! Happy New Year!! I hope youāre looking forward to the year ahead? Hopefully bringing TWO more Blackthorn books your way before the year is out will help. š
To be honest, I hadnāt planned to post this early on in the year, but 2015 has got off to a terrific start for Blackthorn. Iām thrilled that both Blood TornĀ ANDĀ Blood Deep have been nominated forĀ Best Paranormal Romance Novel of 2014Ā in the fantasticĀ Moonrise Book Blog Readersā Choice Awards.
If you have time, I would love you to take a couple of minutes to vote for either book. All you need is to be logged into Google (in order for the list of nominations to show up) and follow this link.
Huge thanks to my Facebook supporters who have already started casting their votes. Thereās some tough competition, so fingers crossed!
And in other news…
I was also chuffed to find out today that Iāve been named as one of Gaga Over Booksā Favourite AuthorsĀ of 2014.
As well as that, Blackthorn has been listed amongst theirĀ Series Favourites. With such an incredible list of books consumed by this blogger, itās an honour to be mentioned. Thank you, Honey – and for your lovely comments about my series.
Iāll be back in a couple of weeks but, for now, Iām going to have my head down with Blood Dark. Things are getting pretty intense here ā containing Kane, Caleb AND Jask all on the same page is no mean featā¦ and yet so much funā¦ š
As we draw to a close on 2014, I want a say a very special thank you to all my fantastic Blackthorn readers and supporters. Itās hard to think that there was no Blood Torn and no Blood DeepĀ this time last year ā not on the page anyway! In fact, many of you hadnāt even heard of Blackthorn back then.
Blackthorn has progressed considerably this past year. With all the couples now on the page, many plot threads having come together and loads of possibilities laid out, the series is now at its halfway point ā and I canāt wait to share where itās heading next.
Your support, ratings, reviews, comments and recommendations have contributed hugely to the continuing success of the series. Subsequently, this year, the rest of Blackthorn was signed. It also snagged the attention of Tantor Media who signed the first three books to audio. On a much more personal note, because of all of this, Iāll be a full-time author as of January 2015 ā a dream that has taken over thirty years to materialise. But more on that another time!
So, needless to say, I couldnāt end the year without sharing my gratitude for the part each and every one of you has played. Youāve brought me loads of smiles, plenty of laughter and, yes, a few tears too. Thank you to everyone who has been in touch to let me know how much youāve enjoyed my books.
Itās certainly going to be a busy year in Blackthorn in 2015, so Iāll be back in January to give you some clues as to whatās to come. If you donāt want to miss anything, donāt forget you can sign up to this blog (via the sidebar) which acts as my newsletter. Or if you simply donāt want to miss my next release, you can sign up here.
But until 2015 is with us, hereās a fab review that I picked up from Love And Live To Read today, who gave Blood DeepĀ anotherĀ 5 star reviewĀ for Blackthorn ā and totally made my day. Thank you, Maria!
As for now, I wish you all a wonderful and peaceful Christmas, and health and happiness in the year ahead. Thanks for being a part of Team Blackthorn.
Last week, I launched a giveaway to win Blood Shadows on audio (CD) ā signed. Thank you to every single person who so enthusiastically joined in both here and on Facebook. There could only be one winner though. So, after assigning a number to every entrant and using an online random number generator, Iām pleased to announce…
Congratulations, Denise!! Your audio CDs are ready and waiting! All I need you to do is contact me either here or private message me via Facebook with your address. I look forward to hearing from you. š
Of course, commiserations to anyone who is left disappointed by not having won this time. š On the plus side, after your continuing amazing response to Blackthorn giveaways, Iāll definitely be running another one in the new year! š
HUGE thanks again to everyone who participated. Have a brilliant week! xxx
It feels like ages since Iāve held a giveaway so, to help spread the festive spirit, I decided it was time for another.
Last month, Blackthorn launched on audio with Blood Shadows thanks to Tantor Media (who acquired the rights back in the Summer). Blood Roses is out on audio today and Blood TornĀ will be available at the end of the month.
I was clapping my hands with glee when my Blood Shadows CDs arrived all the way from the States last week, and not least because they look amazing!
Even better, they sound amazing too ā all thanks to the wonderful Anne Flosnik who has narrated the first three books. Just like the first time I held a copy of my book, I didnāt let them out of my sight for hours (my presh-usss). Needless to say though, I would love a Blackthorn fan to have one straight out of the original box. So here goesā¦
The Giveaway
One copy of Blood Shadows (unabridged) on audio CD (10 discs in total) could be yours. You can either have it sealed or Iāll sign the inside of the cover for you. This will be the first audio CD ever signed by me so it might make a nice keepsake.
How to Enter
Iām going to make this really easy, and sate my curiosity at the same time. Blackthorn fans and supporters are spread all over the world, which is just immense. To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is tell me where you are. Just leave your nameandlocation (country for definite, city/town/village if you’re feeling brave!) either in the comments section below or on my Facebook page and youāll automatically be entered. If you’re not comfortable with posting the information live, feel free to send me a private message.
Closing Date
Iāll close the competition this Saturday (13th Dec) at midnight, UK time. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Sunday (14th Dec). Iāll post anywhere, so there are no restrictions.
I do hope you’ll join in. Best of luck, everyone! xxx
Today, is the second anniversary of both the launch of my first Blackthorn novel, Blood Shadows, and also the launch of its fantastic publisher, Bookouture.
Ā Above: Happy 2nd Birthday, Blackthorn! What a 2 years it has been!!
Bookouture are currently celebrating with cake and bubbles, and rightly so! Since signing me, they have gone on to acquire many exceptional authors ā both debut and established. Bookouture have had eight Amazon top 100 hits in the UK, three in the US, two in Canada and even one in France. Theyāve sold hundreds of thousands of eBooks ā and quite a few paperbacks, too! This week alone, they have three books in the Amazon UK top 100!
From being a one-man-band consisting of its Founder and Managing Director, Oliver Rhodes, Bookouture has expanded its publishing team too. Claire Bord,Ā formerly of Avon (HarperCollins), became Bookoutureās Publishing Director with the aim of developing and expanding their publishing programme. As part of that, Keshini Naidoo (previously having worked with eBook bestsellers, also at Avon) joined the team as Senior Commissioning Editor with a focus on crime and thriller titles. To keep up with increased demand, the super-supportiveĀ Kim Nash joined as Bookoutureās Publicity Manager. Bookouture also linked up with the Lorella Belli Literary Agency who has since sold rights in France, Germany, Norway, Italy, Turkey, India and the Middle East, as well as doing deals for audio rights.
Itās amazing how far Bookouture have come, and I am immensely proud to have been there from the beginning. Bookouture has undoubtedly been the best thing to happen to Blackthorn. It might be a small, independent publisher, but darn theyāre exceptional at what they do (proof above)! With āBig 5ā experience within a dedicated, hard-working, author-centric team of professionals, itās no wonder that, along with the success of their books, Bookouture continues to be so highly praised by its authors.
As for me, itās hard to believe that it was two years ago that I held a copy of my book for the first time; that I was a bag of nerves waiting to see what PNR reviewers, let alone readers, would make of my debut, Blood Shadows.
Ā Above: A sample of reviews from the launch of Blackthorn, Nov 2012
Thankfully, many bloggers and reviewers embraced Blackthorn ā and so did many more readers. If youāre reading this now, youāre likely to be one of those very readers who, like Bookouture, decided to take a punt on a new PNR series. Youāre probably part of the reason why, through your reviews, ratings or word-of-mouth recommendations, the rest of the series has been signed. Thank you. Because being signed by a terrific publisher may be one of the best things to happen to an author, but so are great supporters. I have the privilege of having some of the best. š
So before I leave you with the trailer that kicked the series off two years ago (which includes the original cover before the rebrand), I canāt do so without first wishing all my U.S. followersĀ a wonderful Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
