Back to the UK

 At last! It looks like we've had the last of the trouble with corona. More and more countries here in Europe cancel their measures against Covid19. Also the United Kingdom.

Starting on February 11th, every tourist who's vaccinated can enter the UK without having to do a test on the second day of arrival. You just need your CST and an international passport. 

As soon as we heard about this, we were quick to book a trip to London. It's been over two years since we last were there - the weekend of 6-8 March 2020, just before the first lockdown began the next weekend. We sat there among 20,000 others in the O2 Arena and were on tube trains that were more than full, and never caught anyhting.

It will be fun to be in London once more. It's great for shopping and we can go and see some musical theatre in the evening. 

In times before corona we got to the UK more than once a year. There even was a year when we went at least 4 times! In the past two years, we had to replace London by Antwerp or Rotterdam (which is also fun). It's just  not so funny to have to stay at the same place all the time. You have the travelling vibes or not. I guess we inherited them. Our grandparents went on trips to Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the post WW2 area. And before that, in the 20's and 30's, they used to rent a villa in Knokke for the whole summer and went there with their family. My mother was used to going abroad and so when she married she convinced my dad to to the same (he quickly took to it). As soon as we were 6 years old we were allowed to go along. By the time we were adults, we had already seen a great part of Europe. Later travels took us to North and South America, to Asia and Africa. I hope I can still see Oceania before I die. With a bit of luck (no cancellation of flights) we'll go to the North Pole soon, and perhaps we can take a cruise to the South Pole later on.

First scan of tbe year

Just a few minutes ago, I had my first scan of the year. This happens three times yearly.

I have to stay in the day clinic of the hospital until the results are known. 

Let's cross our fingers...

This is already the 5th year of my cancer treatment. When I got my diagnosis, there were 5 others in my circle of acquaintances who got the same bad news. They are all gone by now. That's how selective cancer works.

The main thing is, I feel fine! Let's hope it can remain so for a time to come.

Indecent

 Let's say hello to Darcy Burke today! Darcy is doing a Virtual Book Blast Tour for Indecent, a Historical Romance (Regency) available January 25, 2022 from Zealous Quill. The Book Blast Tour will take place January 24 - 28, 2022. 

 

Darcy Burke will be awarding an ebook copy of book 1 of the Phoenix Club series, IMPROPER, to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4069/

Blurb

If Bennet St. James, the Viscount Glastonbury, doesn’t find a bride with a sizeable dowry, he’ll be in the poorhouse along with his interminable number of female relatives—all of whom he loves but are a drain on the negative fortune his father left when he died of a broken pocketbook. Desperate, he hatches a scheme to snare an heiress only to be foiled by a most vexing and alluring—and unfortunately equally destitute—paid companion.

 

Lady’s companion Prudence Lancaster is single-minded about finding her mother and filling in the missing pieces of her life. But a villainous viscount interrupts her plans, and his surprising charm and understanding tempts her in the most indecent ways. Soon, she’s dreaming of the future instead of wallowing in the past.

 

But when Bennet shares a dark secret, her hopes are dashed. For he won’t break the promise he made to his family, even if it means losing the greatest love he’s ever known.

Excerpt

“What will you do after you return me to London? Do you plan to stay for the rest of the Season?”

“If you’re wondering whether I’ll slink back to Somerset with my tail between my legs, the answer is no. I do need to go home to check on things, but hopefully, I’ll find an heiress first.” He lifted a shoulder. “Someone will want to marry a viscount. At least I have a title to sell.”

She frowned gently, her lush lips pulling down. Lush? He ought not characterize her in such a way. She was not for him to lust after. Still, it was difficult to ignore her beauty 

“You can’t marry for love, then,” she said matter-of-factly.

He gave a humorless laugh. “I haven’t the luxury of that, I’m afraid. I will hope to marry someone I like and admire.”

“I can understand. Love is a luxury, isn’t it?”

“Why do you say that?” He found her to be rather enigmatic. She was very stiff, save her bouts of pique, which he’d thoroughly earned.

“Love brings obligations and…messiness,” she said offhandedly. “I’m alone now, and it’s far more convenient—financially, emotionally, in all ways, really.”

He couldn’t argue that love was untidy. He had only to think of his family. They loved one another dearly, even his father, but there were plenty of other messy, complicated emotions and situations. “You’ve no desire to fall in love? To marry?”

“No.”

Author bio and links

Darcy Burke is the USA Today Bestselling Author of sexy, emotional historical and contemporary romance. Darcy wrote her first book at age 11, a happily ever after about a swan addicted to magic and the female swan who loved him, with exceedingly poor illustrations. Click here to Join her Reader Club.

A native Oregonian, Darcy lives on the edge of wine country with her guitar-strumming husband, artist daughter, and imaginative son who will almost certainly out-write her one day (that may be tomorrow).

They’re a crazy cat family with two Bengal cats, a small, fame-seeking cat named after a fruit, an older rescue Maine Coon with attitude to spare, and a collection of neighbor cats who hang out on the deck and occasionally venture inside. You can find Darcy at a winery, in her comfy writing chair, or binge-watching TV with the family.

Her happy places are Disneyland, Labor Day weekend at the Gorge, Denmark, and anywhere in the UK—so long as her family is there too.

 

Social Links

Website https://www.darcyburke.com

Reader Group Newsletter https://smarturl.it/DBReaderGroup

Facebook https://smarturl.it/DarcyBurkeFB

Darcy’s Duchesses Facebook Group https://smarturl.it/Duchesses

Instagram https://smarturl.it/IGFollowFB

Twitter https://www.twitter.com/darcyburke

BookBub https://smarturl.it/DBbookbubfb

Goodreads https://smarturl.it/grfollowfb

 

INDECENT Buy Links

AMAZON https://www.amazon.com/Indecent-Phoenix-Club-Book-4-ebook/dp/B09GXNQD8H/

Scandals of Tokyo

 Today, we say hello to author Heather Hallman. Heather is doing a virtual book blast tour for Scandals of Tokyo, a historical romance available from Boroughs Publishing Group. This book blast tour will take place on January 17 - 21, 2022. 

The author will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B&N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4059/

Blurb

ENJOY THIS PREQUEL TO THE TOKYO WHISPERS SERIE

In the Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji, Tokyo, Japan, Victorian England is alive and well. Manners and etiquette are as valuable as gossip and deceit. Men are more rakish than ever - so far from home, societal rules seem to be relaxed. But courting young women still requires a deft hand, a smart wit, and a man with something to offer.

INTERNATIONAL SCANDAL 

Intent on being an international journalist of repute, Evelyn Prescott will do what it takes to make her mark.

It doesn’t hurt that her father has built a newspaper empire, but finding a scandal in Japan is no easy task.

As much as she hates to admit it, she is forced to meet with the owner of the Tokyo Daily News, Ned Taylor, also an Englishman.

Ned holds a deep-rooted dislike of Evelyn’s father’s approach to journalism, and Ned, a notorious rake, pushes her to see just how far Evelyn is prepared to go to get her story.

From Reedsy Discovery: "Written as a prequel novelette to her forthcoming Tokyo Whispers series, “Scandals of Tokyo” drops readers into the immigrant quarter of Meiji era Tokyo, with hints of all of the glitz, the temptation, and the salacious gossip one could wish. At just under 30 pages, Hallman has a lot of ground to cover, introducing characters and a world that will be expanded on in future novels, but if “Scandals” is just a taste of this series, then it’s going to be huge.

Lovingly researched and brilliantly detailed, Hallman knows the place and time she’s writing about and it shows! Turn of the century Tokyo is alive and well on her pages and in her characters, and it is certain to delight."

Excerpt

Tokyo 1896

Foreign Quarter of Tsukiji 

Evelyn rested an elbow along the stone balustrade separating the Hotel Metropolis terrace from the glistening waters of Tokyo Bay and contemplated the man holding court near the hotel bar. “Are you positive that’s him?”          

Aunt Prissy raised a fan between them for privacy’s sake as guests strolled past, their various languages lending a cheerful symphony to the evening atmosphere. Evelyn doubted they were inclined to pick up English phrases muttered between her and Aunt Prissy, but to make sure, she shifted nearer until they were shoulder to shoulder.                     

Aunt Prissy nodded at the man in question. “Without a shred of doubt. That’s Ned Taylor.” 

Among tables filled with hotel patrons and waiters scurrying by with trays of champagne and sake, Mr Taylor stood beneath one of the terrace gas lamps, its light catching on his grin, which spread from his lips to the corners of his eyes and left affable creases atop his cheeks. His Japanese companions leaned forward as though to bask in its glow, pure and genuine as a freshly minted sovereign.

Invariably, the most accomplished charmers had that smile. Evelyn had met enough newspapermen in her twenty-two years to know. They lit up a room. Or the Hotel Metropolis terrace, apparently.

But the man not far from her couldn’t be older than thirty, which was too young to own a newspaper. Back in England, Papa hadn’t purchased his first broadsheet until he was nearly forty. Ten years later, he had more newspaper distribution outlets across the United Kingdom than one could count on two hands. Of course, Papa had been obliged to work his way through the ranks before investors were willing to back him. Ned Taylor, on the other hand, was the nephew of a duke, and nephews of dukes didn’t have to wait as long as sons of Hampstead brewers to establish themselves at the helm of their city’s foremost papers. 

Author bio and links

Heather Hallman writes witty, sensual, contest-winning romances set in Meiji-era Japan (1868-1912). She is the author of the Tokyo Whispers series that includes Scandals of Tokyo and Talk of Tokyo.

She is fluent in Japanese language, history, and culture, and earned a doctoral degree in cultural anthropology based on fieldwork research in Japan. She lives in Tokyo with her professor husband and two young daughters. In her free time, she can be found translating ancient Japanese poetry and observing the passing of seasons while sipping green tea. Just kidding, she has no free time. But she does watch something that makes her laugh while she does the dishes.

Perennial obsessions include the weather forecast (she checks three different apps at least three times a day, as no single app can be trusted), Baltimore Ravens football (hometown obsession), and making smoothies that taste like candy bars.

Feel free to chat her up about any of her obsessions, or, even better, about historical Japan—any era is fine, she loves them all. She also enjoys exchanging book recommendations, discussions about the craft of romance writing, and stories about life in present-day Tokyo.

Visit her website to learn more: https://www.heatherhallman.com/

 

Follow her:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22050466.Heather_Hallma 

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/heather-hallman 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heatherhallman_author/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hallmanheather/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@writing_romance_in_japan

  

Buy links for Scandals of Tokyo: 

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Scandals-Tokyo-Whispers-Book-ebook/dp/B09MQ5ZHPR/ref=sr_1_1

Boroughs Publishing Group:  https://boroughspublishinggroup.com/books/scandals-tokyo

iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/scandals-of-tokyo/id1597821837 

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/scandals-of-tokyo-heather-hallman/1140567923

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/scandals-of-tokyo 

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1117921

Lazy Sunday

I love Sundays. You can sleep somewhat longer (during the working week, we get up at 7 am, on Sunday at 8.30 am). Then an lazy breakfast (this morning: toastie with ham and egg) and having coffee while you catch up on your social media or read some chapters. Only afterwards a shower and getting ready for the day.

I filled the washing machine and now it's doing its job. Later on I can hang the washing upstairs in our attic room. We don't have a dryer, because of this big space where there is heating and ventilation, just as you like it. And no chance that a bird drops something on the clean linen!

A lovely smell is filling my nostrils. My sister is trying out a new cake recipe. A yoghurt cake with blueberries. Should be nice... Can't almost wait to taste!

Later on today, we'll have lunch and something nice for dinner. In the weekend Chris always has some more time to cook something that is special and may cost a little more. We never save on food. A big part of our budget goes to it. If we feel like eating lobster, we buy one. We eat steak and lamb without a look at the price. Most people only buy sausages or minced meat. That sells best in the supermarkets. We try to eat a variety. Meat (but not too much, fish, shell fish, vegetarian).

Tonight we're going to watch some tv. There's good program on TV1, Taboo, and later on we can watch Call the Midwife on BBC1. I love that program. It goes back to the times when my sister and I were little kids. But luckily we didn't live in a place like Poplar. There was a street in Dendermonde, that looked a lot like Poplar and from where some of the kids in my class came: de Oude Vest. As kids we didn't have all the modern luxury as well (it just didn't exist yet), but we could bathe in a big tub that was placed in the middle of the kitchen and filled with clean water for every bather (some of my classmates had to share their bathwater with their siblings). We had radio and already TV (black and white, a Loewe Opta). We could eat as much as we liked. We could travel and see places where most only dreamed of. We were happy kids, with loving parents and grandparents. Nothing to spoil our childhood, I guess we're blessed - and it really has a positive effect on the rest of your life. I'm still a happy person, glad with what I have and not envious of those who have more. 

Not vaccinated = not done!

Nowadays - at least here in Europe - there is no country where the general opinion says it's fine to be not vaccinated. There are a certain number of anti-vaxers who refuse to have their Covid-19 shot.

More and more countries impose measures to promote the vaccination. The French president Macron even claimed 'they're gonna embarrass the non-vaccinated until they give it up'. In our own country, there are also more and more voices going up to oblige vaccination. 

I.m.o. I don't see why you wouldn't accept a vaccination. Personally, I think that this vaccin doesn't do much to protect you (I have more faith in being no social being and not coming into close contact with other people beside my sister) but nevertheless I got my three shots of Pfizer. What harm can such an injection do? Perhaps you feel some soreness for a day or so. I never had a vaccination that troubled me (and I've had a couple of them already, against typhoid, yellow fever, cholera, etc.) 

I take the vaccinations because only then I'll be able to go and have lunch/dinner in a restaurant, go to the theatre, attend a concert, travel to those countries where it's possible. Vaccination allows you at least some freedom.

But still, nearly every weekend there are demonstrations against vaccination. Fewer and fewer people show up, though. Hopefully, the new measures will persuade them to go for vaccination at last.

Back to everyday life

 It's the last day of the holidays again - how fast time goes! Tomorrow it's back to work for Christine, even though she works from home. At least now she can say she goes into pension on July 1st, 2023. She's looking forward to it! Before you know it, the summer is there and after the long summer break it's only one more schoolyear to go.

We're still waiting to meet our new neighbors. The house next to us was sold (after renovation) to a young couple at the end of August last year, but up to now we have seen nothing happen in the house. No decorating, no furniture brought. And the other neighbors (the Polish ones) went off in November and haven't been back yet. One of their daughters comes to check the house every week on Wednesday. We don't know what happened. Perhaps Teresa's mother is very ill and they are with her in Poland, or they have gone to sunnier parts to spend the winter there. Lots of Belgians do that.

We came home from the coast on Friday. We did some redecorating there, as the weather was very bad the last few days. And on Friday night we went out eating at Barley's, our favorite restaurant in Dendermonde. 

As yet we haven't got any negative news from SAS. Hopefully our flight can happen. It's only 7 weeks before we would leave to Norway. Hopefully this year will be somewhat better concerning trips. Last year we could only go twice (to France). We're  not used to that! Normally we travel 8 or 10 times a year. I reckon we would have had a big villa with surrounding park if we had saved up all the money e already spent on travels...

Bossed Up by the Billionaire

 Let's say hello to VK Holt today! VK is doing a virtual book blast tour for Bossed Up by the Billionaire, a contemporary romance available now from Well-Thumbed Publications. This book blast tour will take place January 3 - 7, 2022

VK Holt will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Please use the following link to place your comment:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/28e4345f4041/

Blurb

Bossed Up

//informal// to go after something/someone with determination. To put your entire soul into achieving a desired outcome.

 

Life had dealt me so many curveballs, Struggle became my middle name.

Wouldn’t it be nice for once not to have to fight for what I want?

Enter: Mr. Perfect Stranger.

He promised me a time to remember.

I can safely vouch he kept his promise. All. Night. Long.

Trouble is, his family bought the company I work for.

And his first order of business was to remind me that I left him...

Without saying goodbye.

But that’s not the worst of it.

He wants to pick up where we left off.

Last time, I barely escaped from falling. Who’s to say that this time, I’ll be the one asking him to stay?

 

Bossed Up by the Billionaire is a dual POV Contemporary Romance with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA.

Excerpt

From the chapter The Snare of a Web

And just like that, I’m in high school all over again. From the time I was born, I’ve been in the 75th height percentile. That means I’m a smidge over average. Royce Grayson towers over me. He was a big man when I met him two years ago, and he’s even bigger now.

He could do some serious damage.

And I sure as hell want him to.

"Royce, give me my phone."

His grin spells trouble. His words even more so. "That’s all I was waiting for, Sin. I wanted to hear my name come out of that damn sexy mouth of yours. I’ve been thinking about it all day." He places the phone in my palm and his slight touch lights a trail of fire up my arm.

I ignore the sensation and glance at my phone. Besides a thin crack on the left-hand side, close to the top, the screen now has a spider web of lines starting in the lower right corner and progressing to the middle in a wide arc.

Terrific. Fine. Whatever.

My annoyance with him and his kind comes out in the harshness of my tone. "Don’t call me 'Sin,'" I say, stuffing my phone in my bag. I’m going to the bar. To hell with this.

Whatever this is.

I loop my bag over my shoulder and take a step forward to brush past him.

He stands in my way. "We need to talk."

I ignore the hope blooming in my chest. It's not right. It's not right.

Author bio and links

VK Holt has been creating stories since the age of six. An author of steamy contemporary and fantasy romance, she includes both humor and angst when writing about the strong men and the sassy women who come to love them.

If she isn’t baking, she is reading, writing or walking her Chihuahua. And drinking coffee, too. Can’t forget about that.

 

 

Social Media Links

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/holtbookhotties

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/vk_holt

Bookbub-https://www.bookbub.com/profile/vk-holt

Amazon- https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B09KN8JMGT

Goodreads- https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/142252145-vk-holt

Newsletter - http://eepurl.com/hMseoT

The book will be on sale for $0.99 during the tour.

https://www.amazon.com/Bossed-Up-Billionaire-Contemporary-Manhattan-ebook/dp/B09N1WK68S/ref=sr_1_1