Friday, April 06, 2012

Angels at Easter: Easter Blog Hop & Contest!




Because angels aren’t just for Christmas, I’m very excited about my latest release with Musa Publishing, Angels and Airheads:

I had great fun creating my off-the-wall angel, Madred, who’s rather different from other angels in his approach to humanity but, like me, he’s a big softie at heart. His mission in my story is to somehow get together long-time friends, Ricky and Jez, even though other angels have tried and failed before him. His job is made even more difficult as Ricky can be a bit … well … emotionally dense and definitely can’t see what to everyone else is obvious.

Ricky and Jez’s situation as good friends was one I could really sympathise with too – as I was friends with the man who became my husband long before it dawned on me he might possibly fancy me and was quite hot too! Like Ricky, I’m a bit slow on the uptake, you see …

Here’s the blurb for Angels and Airheads:

Ricky has been secretly in love with his best friend Jez forever, but he’s never dared confess his feelings because he thinks Jez is too high-class for him. One evening, while sharing a quiet evening with Jez, a mysterious angel, Madred, appears and tries to persuade Ricky to take a chance on love. Too bad Ricky doesn’t believe in angels. Madred is forced to take desperate measures in an attempt to show the reluctant Ricky the truth. When the angel leaves, can Ricky find the courage to declare himself to Jez, and what will happen to their friendship if he does?

And here’s an extract for you:

From the kitchen, Ricky heard the faint clunk of the fridge as Jez closed it, and it was then that everything stopped.

The radio stopped, the sounds from the street outside stopped, including the low hum of cars and buses, the faint chatter of people, and even the hint of the breeze. They all stopped, so all he could hear in the whole of London at that moment was his own breathing. He sprang to his feet at once. “Jez?”

At least he hadn’t gone deaf then; he could hear himself well enough. So what was happening to Jez?

As he turned towards the kitchen, a light flared up in front of him and he raised his hands to his face to avoid being blinded by the sheer brightness. It was weird—whatever it was didn’t diminish. Instead it kept on burning, but not like fire, no, not like fire at all.

“So, you don’t believe in angels?” A voice echoed in the sparkling light, surrounding him with a sense of golden tranquility. Almost as if whoever was speaking was actually singing, but with a kind of melodic harmony Ricky had never heard before. Like a stream in summer. “It’s a good thing we believe in you then, isn’t it?”

Because the strange being’s voice had lifted him off his feet and tumbled him back down on the sofa again Ricky had no immediate answer to that. Besides, there was something else he needed to know that was far more pressing.

He took a deep breath. “What have you done with Jez?”

The being in front of him laughed. As the light took on a softer hue, Ricky could see the shape of a man within it, though with something rather odd about him.

“No need to worry,” the man said. “Jez is perfectly all right. The only reason you can’t hear him is that I’ve stopped time. Oh and, by the way, my name’s Madred. I’m your guardian angel. Your fifth, to be precise.”

“Fifth?” Ricky swung his legs round on the sofa and pushed himself upright. “What are you talking about? Stop saying crazy stuff. Nobody can stop time. Look, I don’t care who you are or what kind of game you think you’re playing, but my advice is to get out and leave us alone.”

The man calling himself Madred laughed again and, at the same time, the light he was somehow producing dimmed. Ricky gasped and stared. The bloke definitely had wings. And not delicate gossamer ones either. These wings were made up of great quivering feathers, in a myriad of colors Ricky had seen and some he had not: deep green; sea-blue; yellow; orange; red; and everything else in between. They began at Madred’s shoulders—lean but muscular—and ended somewhere around his ankles. They looked as if they could pack a fair wallop too, should the need arise; more psychotic swan than baby duckling. Just in case, Ricky took a step back as he really wasn’t that brave.

It was then Ricky realized Madred was naked. Not a scrap of clothing on him. How the hell he’d managed to walk the streets of downtown Muswell Hill to get here without being mugged, or worse, was anyone’s guess. This planned evening of chilling was not going at all how Ricky had hoped.

Madred frowned and glanced downwards.

“Oh, so sorry,” he said. “I forgot the clothes. I knew there was something.”

With a rustle and a swoosh, the wings swept forward and covered Madred’s modesty. Though, to be honest, in the brief glimpse he’d had of the man’s physique, Ricky didn’t feel that modesty was the word he was looking for at all.

“Is that acceptable now?” Madred asked, once everything was suitably covered up.

Again, unsure exactly what response was needed, Ricky simply nodded.

“Good. Then we’ll begin …


Don’t forget, anyone who adds a comment on this blog will be entered into the competition to win an ecopy of Angels and Airheads, so don’t forget to leave your email address! And remember to visit the other exciting contests in the Easter Blog Hop!


Happy reading!


Visit Anne at:

32 comments:

Denise Z said...

Angels and Airheads sounds like great fun and I am so looking forward to the read. Thank you for sharing the excerpt and for the lovely giveaway opportunity.
dz59001[at]gmail[dot]com

Anne Brooke said...

Thanks, Denise! :))

Lisa said...

Hi Anne! This sounds like a great story. Thanks for the giveaway and I hope you have a Happy Easter!

lkbherring64(at)gmail(dot)com

Krysykat said...

Awesome excerpt :)

Morganlafey86(at)aol(dot)com

sjmarv said...

I love angels. Just caught the final season of "Saving Grace" on Netflix. Thanks for the Easter Blog Hop.

sjmarv11@gmail.com

Shannon Leigh said...

Congrats on your release.

Shannon Leigh
author_shannon_leigh at hotmail dot com

Unknown said...

Angels and Airheads sounds fun. I think I would like this one. Thanks for excerpt. (Everytime I see Angels and Airheads I think of one of my favorite bands, Angels and Airwaves. Connection...Maybe)

Mel
bournmelissa at hotmail dot com

Amanda said...

Angels and Airheads sounds like a very interesting story. Thanks for the excerpt and the contest.

~Amanda
ryn.barker(at)gmail(dot)com

nancy said...

Cute and I want it, so toss my name in the hat.

Shadow said...

Sounds like a great story! Thanks! Happy Easter!
shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

DawnM said...

LOL @ naked angel with the pretty wings.

murphy(dot)dawn(at)gmail(dot)com

Z said...

That title had me chuckling, the Airheads part. Have a Happy Easter.
Z
Seawitch Reviews @ yahoo.com

Sherry said...

I think this sounds like it will be a wonderful story. Thanks for the giveaway.
sstrode at scrtc dot com

ceagles said...

This looks great. Have a great weekend.

Chris
ceagles48218@yahoo.com

Rain said...

Okay, that sounds like fun... And you had me at the title. :D

Happy Easter!

(my email is on my profile)

lily sawyer said...

This sounds like a great story.

Please enter me in your contest and happy Easter

yinyang1062 at yahoo dot com

Erica Pike said...

"Angels and Airheads" is a brilliant title, lol.

Happy Easter, Anne ^.^

Erica

eripike at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Angels and Airheads sounds really great!
Hope you have a great Easter!
talia628@yahoo.com

Cole said...

Hey Anne! I'd love to win this one, and I can't wait to read it anyhow :) Have a wonderful day!

cole[dot]riann[at]gmail[dot]com

JoAnna said...

Happy Easter!
Thanks for the excerpt and the giveaway!

beckerjo at verizon dot net

Havan said...

Sounds awesome - and I love your writing!

Havan.fellows@ymail.com

Happy Easter!

Maya said...

Happy Hoppy Day! :) Thanks so much for the giveaway!

qbeeqt[at]yahoo[dot]com

Tabatha Hansen said...

This book looks great and fun to read :)

Tabatha Hansen
mmparanormalromance@gmail.com
mmparanormalromance.wordpress.com

Tabatha Hansen said...

This book looks great and fun to read :)

Tabatha Hansen
mmparanormalromance@gmail.com
mmparanormalromance.wordpress.com

Tabatha Hansen said...

This book looks great and so fun to read :)

Tabatha Hansen
mmparanormalromance@gmail.com
mmparanormalromance.wordpress.com

Ashley E said...

Poor Madred! I love the excerpt. Thanks for the giveaway, and Happy Easter!

ashley.vanburen[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

OMG that looks so hot. It would be wonderful to win a copy. thank you for participating in the Hop!

corieltauviqueen at yahoo dot co dot uk

Tiggasmum said...

This is a good long excerpt!
Please add me to the draw to hope to win more :)

corieltauviqueen at yahoo dot co dot uk

Tiggasmum said...

Please add me, Anne. I love your books :)

corieltauviqueen at yahoo dot co dot uk

Anonymous said...

I'd love a chance to read another of your books :)

Happy Easter!

corieltauviqueen at yahoo.co dot uk

midia said...

Angels and Airheads seems awesome. Count me in.

Midia
midiamuniz@yahoo.com

Anne Brooke said...

Congratulations to Rain who is the winner of this competition! An email is on its way to you - happy Easter!

And thank you very much to everyone who entered this blog hop competition - sorry you couldn't all win, but I hope you had a very happy Easter and ate lots of chocolate!

:))

Anne
xxx