Stephanie Cage - Writer

Yikes!  I last posted in summer 2017.  What's happened since then?  Well, for one thing life happened.  For another, editing happened.  Next week my holiday novella Paris Proposal  finally hits the virtual shelves.  Paris  is published by The Wild Rose Press, who also published my earlier novellas Desperate Bid , The Santa Next Door and Djinn and Tonic .   I think this is their best cover yet!  What do you think? For another thing, I've self-published a sci-fi romance, just for fun.  It's called Sleeping Satellite and you can grab it free from 3rd to 5th December to celebrate the launch of Paris Proposal . 

This week I welcome Cait o'Sullivan to talk about the book I wish I'd written, Taming the Tango Champion.  Isn't that a fabulous title!  Cait, would you like to share the cover and a bit about the book? There’s passion on the Dance Floor On return from a trip around the world, TV presenter, Ava Whittaker, has a baby by Matthias de Romero, Argentine Tango champion, hacienda owner, and the man she loves. The problem? He doesn't know. Fast forward two years, and Ava reluctantly agrees to be a contestant on a new dance show on TV, but to her shock, Matthias – the man she never expected to see again – is one of the judges. Matthias de Romero is leaving his beloved stallions in Argentina to assuage his pride. Two years previously, the one woman he thought he could care for walked out on him after just one glorious night. He arrives in London ready for revenge. Will Ava’s secret cause their intense feelings to burn out, or fan further the flames of love?  Buy her...

I'm excited that my romance Perfect Partners has been selected to appear in an ebook bundle along with some of my favourite Crimson Romance authors including J Arlene Culiner, who I interviewed on my blog way back in 2015.   The collection features a selection of romances set around the large and small screens, and although I can't help thinking that the inclusion of Perfect Partners  in a Hollywood themed collection may be cheating a little - it's actually based around a UK dance show filmed in London and Blackpool - I'm delighted my book will be in such good company. It's up for preorder now on Amazon UK , and at £1.99 for six full-length stories, it's cheaper than a box of popcorn, never mind a cinema ticket!

Last week I was lucky enough to attend the launch party of local author Lynda Stacey's debut novel, House of Secrets.  It was a lovely night (with an incredible book-cover cake - I definitely want one of those one day!) and a few days later I had time, while travelling, to start reading House of Secrets. Naturally, once I'd started, I raced through the book in no time, but it's taken me a bit longer to get around to working out how to explain its charm.  Here's my attempt... House of Secrets by Lynda Stacey My rating: 5 of 5 stars I love Choc Lit books, and House of Secrets is a great example of what Choc Lit do best: love stories with an added dimension. At one level, House of Secrets is a classic love triangle: Maddie is fleeing Liam, whose love for her has tipped over into a frightening obsession, when she meets Christopher Lawless, nicknamed Bandit. Maddie is a clever, capable woman whose confidence has temporarily been damaged by an abusive relationship - ...

Celebrate the Audiobook Edition of The Cavanaugh House with this Giveaway GIVEAWAY ALERT: Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card below! Welcome, Elizabeth!  When and how did you first become interested in writing? I was smitten with writing from the time I could hold a pencil and scrawl nonsense scribbles on paper. Mrs. McGrath, my third grade teacher, told me I was a very good writer and that affirmation launched my love of words. My first poem was published when I was a high school sophomore, and I wrote for our high school newspaper. I majored in English and minored in Journalism in college, and I wrote for my college paper. On a dare, I wrote a romance novel. Eventually, it became my first published book. 'The Cavanaugh House' isn't a traditional romance - what makes it different? One convention of a traditional romance is scenes that alternate between the heroine’s and hero’s point of view. The Cavanaugh House is told in limited omniscient point...

It's been a fun release weekend.  I've made a book trailer for Djinn and Tonic... Djinn and Tonic ... and visited the blog of the lovely Angela Scavone to talk about my dream date http://angelascavone.com/2016/02/19/romance-month-stephanie-cage/ I've got a few more interviews and visits lined up over the forthcoming week, so watch this space!

This is the first time I've participated in a paranormal blog hop.  I'm still getting used to the idea of myself as a paranormal writer.  My first three books (Desperate Bid , Perfect Partners and The Santa Next Door ) were all set firmly in the real world. I've written science fiction before (for the now-defunct AlienSkin Magazine, and more recently for the anthology Stories from the World of Tomorrow ), but although the stories were somewhat 'out there', there was an explanation for the strange occurrences.  Or at least an implication that an explanation existed. Buildings ate people because the scientists who engineered the sentient town forgot to consider that imbuing it with a survival instinct might result in more than just self-repairing walls.  A newspaper proprietor was able always to be at the scene of the next big story due to precognitive visions resulting from a (largely unexplained) genetic mutation.  In science fiction, even if we don't know ex...

Crimson Romance have really made my New Year's Day!  I've just spotted that the collection of sports romances, 'Perfect Game', featuring my dancing story 'Perfect Partners', is one of this week's top sellers on the Crimson website.  But if sports aren't your thing (and I wouldn't blame you - apart from dancing and skating, they're not really mine), you might prefer this new collection, also featuring 'Perfect Partners'.   Lovers of stage and screen have a treat in store with 'Spotlight on Love'.  Crimson have collected seven love stories starring some of their hottest heroes and most heartfelt heroines, and I'm so excited to see my couple feature alongside some of Crimson's biggest names.  I've already read quite a few of these books, but if any of them are new to you, the whole e-book collection comes at a bargain price so it's well worth a look.  Here are the seven stories, plus my thoughts on them. Forgi...

Who doesn't love a good robot story?  I wonder if anyone else remembers those yellow-jacketed Gollancz editions of Asimov's short stories?  I used to borrow piles of them from the school library along with my Chalet School and Sweet Valley High books (I was always an eclectic reader).  So when I saw the call for short stories for Darkhouse Books' anthology of science fiction stories based on the future imagined at the 1939 World's Fair, I knew I had to have a go.  The result was 'The Robot who Smoked', my homage to 'I, Robot', 'AI' and all the other robot stories that have made me think hard about what it means to be human.  Originally I thought the anthology was coming out in June, so I've been twitching with impatience since then to see the other stories.  (Believe me, those I've read so far were worth the wait).  Editor Andrew MacRae has been a pleasure to deal with, and has finally picked the best possible launch date for our ...

The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg My rating: 4 of 5 stars I downloaded The Paper Magician on a whim for no better reason than that I was short on fantasy reads and liked the title. I started reading and was instantly addicted. Ceony is a wonderfully kind, funny, likeable heroine. She's feisty and independent (traits which cause her no small difficulties) yet with plenty to learn from magician Thane, to whom she is apprenticed. Being forced to be a Folder (paper magician) when she wants to be a Smelter (iron magician) is maddening, and her attempts to make the best of the situation are both endearing and humorous. As Ceony gets to know magician Thane and becomes more involved in his life, the secrets which emerge lead to some thrilling adventures, as she quite literally explores Thane's heart. I found those scenes the least convincing of the book, but then Charlie Holmberg set herself a huge challenge with them and I still thoroughly enjoyed this very strong f...

There are few better moments for a writer than finding out that an editor has enjoyed your story enough to want to share it with the world. Maybe one day it'll get old, but after two novellas and one novel, it certainly hasn't yet. I've just signed my third contract with The Wild Rose Press, which I'm delighted about because I think they did a great job with my first two novellas, 'Desperate Bid' and 'A Santa Next Door.' My first two Wild Rose Press novellas were straightforward contemporary romances, but this one is a bit of a departure, because although it's set in the present day, it also contains a paranormal element, in the form of a djinn, or genie, who appears in response to the photographer heroine's wish for the perfect model for her photo shoot. What would you do, I wonder, if a perfect man materialised out of thin air - literally - in your studio? If you've followed along with my occasional Sunday snippets, you might reme...

What, No Pudding by Sheila North My rating: 5 of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed these stories by Sine fm presenter Sheila North. I'm particularly fond of Penelope, Queen of the Dole Queue. Sometimes it seems as if people in stories just don't live in the same world as us, but in this story Sheila North drags a mythical character kicking and screaming into reality. When Odysseus clears off on his round the world voyage, Penelope struggles to make ends meet, and soon finds herself pondering just how to answer the question about marital status on the benefit application form. Turf Wars similarly blends reality and fantasy, in an improbable but oh-so-entertaining account of garden fairies running wild in a South Yorkshire backwater. Then there are Bill the dragon and the defenestrated Bede.  I've been waiting a long time for a story which justifiably uses the word 'defenestrated'.  Sheila makes it worth the wait, with her charming tale of a nearly-flameless dragon...

“I said—do you have any children?” The repeated question was spoken a lot slower and carefully enunciated this time, as if she herself were a child. The question, unbeknown to him, brought to the surface her secret, long held dream of having a child of her own. To raise her child to be loved and wanted, as she was never brought up. Never to be used as an accessory, then discarded when the party was over. Rania shook her head sadly, partly to dispel the image and partly to answer his question, murmuring softly, “No. No, I don’t.” She had a sneaky feeling the barriers she had long ago constructed were becoming more transparent with each passing minute of this conversation. His sharp gaze never seemed to miss a trick as he watched her smooth down her apron for the umpteenth time that evening. “Why do you ask? Am I that much of a natural with children?” She smiled breezily. Clearly, he was in no mood for jokes as her light-hearted comment fell on deaf ears and he continued...

The next day arrived entirely too fast. Training lasted until well past midnight, leaving Rachel to function on less than six hours of rest. It’s only six months , she reminded herself, and you’ll be junior editor in no time . She stood in line at the coffee shop beneath the building that housed Equinox Publishing, her eyes burning from lack of sleep. Certain that a frappe would make the world right again, she waited patiently to place her order. Her patience was rewarded with quick service, and she held her iced coffee drink lovingly as she scooped it up from the counter. Sleepily, she suppressed a yawn and turned to head upstairs where, undoubtedly, another stack of wasted manuscripts awaited her attention. Rachel hadn’t taken five steps, when her toe caught on the edge of one of the rugs. It sent her falling forward; her frappe went flying ahead of her. “Oh!” Before the exclamation had completely escaped her lips, she felt a pair of hands grab onto her. The floor rushed...

  Sexy in the City 9 Glamorous, Globe-trotting Contemporary Romances - ebook set only $0.99 for a limited time. Amazon Barnes & Noble Crimson Romance From New York to Paris, London to Los Angeles, these cosmopolitan tales of romance will challenge and inspire your most worldly fantasies: Singapore Fling by Alexia Adams: A CEO-in-training is tempted by her a handsome hotshot marketing director as they tour the company’s Asian offices. But will eight countries in three weeks lead to whirlwind romance or lasting love? A Place to Rest My Heart by Galen Rose: This poignant story of family, romance, and discovering where you truly belong will enchant everyone who’s ever left their heart in San Francisco. Kirby by Samantha Molina: The competitive nature of New York’s publishing scene forces Rachel Sirianna to adopt an alter ego—but can she keep her hot boyfriend from discovering the duplicity? The Very Thought of You by Carolann Camillo: When real estate develope...

Sometimes, being a UK author published in the US is great. After all, the UK is a comparatively small market, and the US is a huge one, with a more developed ebook market into the bargain. When I get reviews from people across the Atlantic who connect with my characters despite the difference in geography, I love it. When I end up in discussions with an editor about what people stateside call a biscuit tin, that's kind of fun too. But sometimes being published only by US houses can be a double edged sword. For example, when I have to tell my UK friends that my book's on sale... but only in the US... well, that sucks.  So, to all my friends and readers in the UK, I'm sorry.  To anyone reading this stateside, you're in luck. This month there's a sale on almost all Crimson Romance's fabulous ebooks, including my dancing novel ' Perfect Partners ' and lots of other great stories (more of one of them later)... but only through Amazon US.  Still, that...

I was delighted with Melissa Stark's review of The Santa Next Door , and today I'm happy to be helping out by reviewing Ellen Butler's Second Chance Christmas as part of Melissa's 25 Days of Christmas series.  Have you visited yet?  If not, you can see all the stories on the blog , or read my review of Ellen Butler's book here : http://www.melissasnark.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/25-days-of-christmas-stories-second.html By the way, don't forget the competition to win a pdf copy of The Santa Next Door is still running over at Melissa's blog , until Saturday 21st December.  All you have to do is leave a comment on your favourite Christmas food - is it the mince pies that feature in The Santa Next Door, or turkey, or something else?  So far, Italian Christmas food seems to be a hit!

Squee!  And assorted other excited noises!  It feels like Christmas... for two reasons.  One is that seeing my book going out into the world always feels as exciting as opening a shiny new parcel and waiting to find out what's inside.  The other is that the book in question is the snowy story I've mentioned a few times on this blog... The Santa Next Door.  Although it's not officially released until early December, it's already available exclusively from Amazon on the Kindle Select program .  Look, here's a picture!  Oh, and if you missed the earlier mentions of the story, you can find a sneak peek into the snowy opening here and an introduction to the lovely Sue and Bryn here.

So...  it's official.  My Christmas novella, The Santa Next Door, now has a cover, and I love it!  That's about it really.  Oh, except that if you missed an earlier sneak peek of the opening, you can read it here .  Now I'm just waiting for a release date.  Hopefully some time around Christmas...

Today I welcome Andrea Downing, whose Western romance, 'Loveland', is a finalist for Best American Historical in the RONE awards, to be announced in August.  Her second book, 'Lawless Love' is free on Amazon from 9th to 13th July.  Congratulations, Andrea, on both your books.  You must be thrilled!  How did you come to start writing Westerns?   I grew up on a diet of television westerns—The Virginian, Bonanza, Alias Smith and Jones, The High Chaparral…I could go on and on.   But they took me to a time and place that somehow seemed more appealing than the suburban New York that surrounded me, and cowboys have always been my heroes.   When my daughter was six we started having holidays in the West on ranches and I became very involved with the whole culture of the West, its history and its landscape.   It was an obvious choice for a setting for my books. ‘Loveland’ features an English heroine and an American setting.   Did you fin...