Category: Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited

Christina Hollis author, ebooks, Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited, Historical Fiction, Lady Rascal, self-publishing

Self Publishing – The Story So Far…

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Back on 4th August, I wrote a blog called “Smashwords – the future of Ebook Publishing at RWA 2012”. This created such a lot of comment both here on my blog and via my mailbox (christinahollis@hotmail.co.uk), I did some more research. Much as I love browsing in bookshops and handling real books, I couldn’t resist trying it out myself. The process was really easy, and led to the release of Lady Rascal, an historical romance set in Paris and the English countryside during the French Revolution. Over the next few months I’ll be reporting regularly on what happens. If there’s interest in a conventional version, I’ll release it as a paperback title, too. Lady Rascal was originally published as part of the Harlequin Mills and Boon “Masquerade” line, so I’ve already had a lot of feedback from readers of the original hardback and paperback versions.
The new ebook version is now widely available on Amazon, iTunes, Kobo and elsewhere. And remember – if you like Lady Rascal, please don’t keep it to yourself! Word of mouth recommendations and on-line reviews are great ways to let other people in on the secret.  They give a writer a real boost, and I’ll be delighted to hear what you think.
Bookmarks, Christina Hollis author, Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited, Lady Rascal, One Night in His Bed

What’s Your Opinion?

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My new ebook, Lady Rascal, comes out  in a few weeks’ time and I’ve taken this opportunity to redesign my bookmarks. When my first Harlequin Presents, One Night In His Bed, was released I followed the example of lots of other authors and had thin, glossy bookmarks printed advertising simply that book. They were lovely but of course their life was only as long as the book! Learning from that experience, I had a local printer produce some longer lasting thick card bookmarks, which I tuck inside the books I send out as competition prizes. As they aren’t advertising one particular book, I like to think they’re more of a keepsake. 
I like this new gold leaf design so much, I may make it the background for my blog as well. What do you think?
Christina Hollis, Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited, running, The Count's Prize

Monday Fun Run – Part 3

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Puffing along on a treadmill at the start of Running Made Easy‘s Sixty-Second-Secret Plan was really difficult for me. At first it was taxing physically, but soon boredom took over. Staring at the primrose coloured kitchen wall was pretty boring. Reading on the run proved tricky, although listening to the radio helped the time pass more quickly. The plan encourages you to treat yourself each time you complete a full week of exercise. My first treat was a new incubator, for hatching chicken eggs. That was a great incentive to carry me through week two, but I had to move the treadmill out into the conservatory. The kitchen wall had become just too boring, and as my sessions of running gradually got longer, I was getting too hot to exercise indoors. Finally, I got to the stage where making a fool of myself in public was preferable to running another yard on that blasted treadmill. On the Monday of my third week on the plan, I got up at 4:30am and set off to run in the woods. At that stage my only proper running gear was a sports bra, some compression leggings and a decent pair of trainers. I borrowed one of my OH’s t-shirts which was big and baggy enough to cover the lumps and bumps thrown into relief by my leggings, and carried the electronic kitchen timer to time my alternate bursts of running and brisk walking.  Luckily, I had finished my session and was back home before anyone was about to hear the peeping of my novelty alarm, but it convinced me my reward that week should be a proper sports watch!  
I’m blogging over at www.authorsoundrelations.blogspot.com on Tuesday 17th July. It’s about My Perfect Man, and  a signed copy of my latest release The Count’s Prize will be awarded to a comment picked at random from the comments made on my authorsoundrelations blog that day.  I’d love you to drop by!
Christina Hollis writes Modern Romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon Ltd, when she isn’t  working in the garden, with her bees or daydreaming about resuming her abandoned Classical Studies. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.com,on Facebook and on Twitter, where she tweets as @christinabooks.
Christina Hollis author, Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited, Weight of The Crown

Have Yourself a Berry Little Christmas…

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This may be the only holly we will have to decorate our house this year, as the birds in our garden have been eating all those juicy berries as fast as they ripen.  Unusually, they stripped our yellow-berried holly tree first. Normally, the traditional red berries go first. The yellow ones must have been tastier!
I’ve had some very welcome news this week. My latest book for Harlequin Mills and Boon has been accepted, and it will be published in the summer of 2012. I’ll let you have all the details as soon as I can, but for the moment I can tell you that it will be called The Count’s Prize.
My Big Blog Tour for Weight of the Crown has given me a great chance to chat to readers and writers alike. Everyone who has posted a comment will be included in the wrap party draw on December 15th, so drop by to share  a virtual mince pie. If you haven’t had a chance to call in on any of  the various blogs yet,  you can catch up on the remaining few dates: see http://rbpp-ch.blogspot.com/

author, Christina Hollis, Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited

My New Work In Progress…

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…is another Modern Romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon Modern Romance. Leo Cassini is a bad boy made good – but his determination to be the best has cost him the two people who meant most to him in the world. Embittered and cynical, he finds consolation in his work.
 It’ll take a strong woman to iron out Leo’s flaws. So step forward, Alexa Crane!
That’s her, hiding behind this comforting pile of pancakes.
On the outside, Alexa is a hard bitten business woman – but that’s only because she has become an expert at hiding her problems. Unknown to everyone, Alexa is leading a bizarre double life. Whenever things become too much to bear, she eats.
So it’s a good job Leo’s ex-wife has left him with a deep suspicion of scale-jockeys…