Sunday Story - This Is Your Afterlife

I've read a few YA and NA novels lately and I read a fabulous one by an Aussie author, This is Your Afterlife by Vanessa Barneveld.

It reminded me of The Lovely Bones, although it's a completely different premise, but it had that beautiful tone to it.

The characters are at school. The heroine, Keira, has recently lost her grandmother who was a psychic and Keira has some ability (mainly tarot readings). When the most popular boy at school goes missing, everyone is worried for him, but Keira is talking to him - well, his ghost!

It's a bit mystery, a lot romance, a lot young adult, and a lot of good reading. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Mia Hoddell's 12 Days Of Christmas

I'm honoured to be a part of Mia Hoddell's 12 Days of Christmas. You can find the other guests here.

This invitation came by sheer fluke. I thanked a reviewer for her review of Deep Diving. She's a friend of Mia's and through this chance I was invited as a guest. Mia Hoddell writes YA (young adult) and NA (new adult) stories. I was a bit concerned I didn't fit, but I'm still there.

And then the blurb for her celebration came, and it says, "I have a fantastic line up of NYT Best-sellers, USA Today Best-sellers, Amazon Bests-sellers, and amazing indies who will be posting from Dec 1st to Dec 12th."

NYT Best seller - nope, not me.
USA Today best seller - nope, not me either.
Amazon best seller - ah, nope, not that either.
Amazing Indie - that's not me either.

See, I still don't fit, yet I'm on the list. And I'm going to wear it with pride :)

Cate's childhood Christmas

Mia is in the UK, so to get some promotion in a different country is good. Well, I hope it's good! I hope it will mean some new readers.

For me, it means 30 new authors to go and check out!

So for the next 12 days I'll be plugging this event. My post is up on the 6th December, so there will be extra plugging day.

And hopefully my Christmas post doesn't show how much I really don't fit. Does my Christmas photo look too 80s?? I'm worried it was before all these authors were born!! ;)

Meet My Characters - blog hop

I was invited by Lisa Ireland to join a Blog Hop, introducing people to the characters in our books. You can read about Lisa's new story here - it's not out yet but let me tell you, it's a great rural story (I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek!)

Here's the draft blurb for Lisa's new story:
With rumours about her personal life splashed all over the Internet, writer and celebrity, Johanna Morgan, uses her best friend’s wedding as an excuse to escape New York and head home to Australia. All Jo wants is some peace and quiet, but with her ex-boyfriend, Ryan Galloway, unexpectedly back in town, suddenly Linden Gully seems anything but sleepy.
 
Ryan has thought about Jo every day for the past seven years, but it’s not just his heart at stake anymore. He has his six-year-old daughter to think about. He can’t risk Ella’s happiness, even if that means sacrificing the love of his life.

Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives Lana

Next week (20th) is the big release day for my part of the Secret Confessions: Sydney Housewives project. My heroine is Lana, and here's a little about her.

1. What is the name of your character?
Lana Driscoll, although she used another name in the past.

2. Is she fictional or an historic person?
She's definitely fictional!

3.When and where is the story set?
The story is set in Sydney, in the present day. Lana is a member of the upper class, social set in Sydney, Australia. The story makes use of the beautiful Sydney Harbour.

4. What should we know about her?
Lana is like no one I've ever known, which is why she was such fun to create. She's confident and independent. She's forged a career by hard work and dedication, and established herself in the high society of Sydney. She's loyal, but uncompromising. She lives life her way, and doesn't care what others think or say. She's not young, but she likes young men.

5. What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?
Lana doesn't have a messy life, she just has a secret life. This story allows us a glimpse into her secrets.

6. What is the personal goal of the character?
Lana wants pleasure. She has a fantasy that she hopes may come true, but she doesn't really expect it to happen. She's content with pleasuring young men.

7. Can we read more about it?
You have a week to wait before you can read it. It's available for pre-order at all ebook stores. You can follow the hashtag #Sydneywives, or join us on Facebook at the Housewives Lounge if you're keen on more.

8. When is it published?
Out next week!!

To pre-order, or buy after the 20th, please click on the relevant site:

Amazon US:
Amazon AU
Amazon UK
iBooks
Barnes & Noble
Kobo 

or you can visit Escape Publishing for more information.

I hope you enjoy Lana and the other 10 Sydney Housewives!

Wildlife Wednesday - Australia Day Blog Hop

King Parrots

Today I'm participating in the Australia Day Blog Hop with some of the coastal romance girls.

Australia Day is January 26th - so I'm a bit early for celebrations :) - but we're celebrating the whole month of January! Any excuse for a party.

Let me tell you what I love about Australia...it's the Wildlife.

I know wildlife and erotic author don't go together but I've always been crazy about animals. My first degree was in Environmental Biology, which only encouraged my wildlife madness. So every Wednesday I indulge in my wildlife interest and bring you some of the animals I come across.

In Australia, we have some unique animals, some scary animals, some venomous animals and some pretty ordinary animals. Enough critters to keep me busy on Wednesdays forever more! Each Wednesday I post about an animal I've seen in my yard or in my travels. I try to put some sciencey information into each blog, but sometimes I don't know enough, or can't find the information!But I love my WIldlife Wednesdays.

Here are some of the creatures who have partcipated. You can click on the caption and if I'm lucky, it will take you to that post. Or you can skip right over the photos and get to the rafflecopter.

Moths

Brushtail possum Mum and Bub

Huntsman spider

Luderick

Starfish underneath

Emu (male) and his chicks

Dolphin at Monkey Mia, WA

Water Dragon laying eggs

Blue-tongue Lizard

Happy blog hop and Happy Aussie Day!

Please visit the other participants in the blog hop, and good luck in the quest for a prize.

Cate xo

Don't forget to call in every day and visit the blogs, leave a comment, enter the raffle copter for the fabulous gift basket.

$100 and 26 e-books (some print) from our generous authors

drawn Australia Day

a Rafflecopter giveaway

January	1	Monique McDonnell
January	2	Sara Hantz
January	3	Annie Seaton
January	4	Imogene Nix
January	5	Caitlyn Nicholas
January	6	Tima Maria Lacoba
January	7	Nicole Flockton
January	8	Wendy L. Curtis
January 9		E.E. Carter
January	10	Susan Horsnell
January	11	Susanne Bellamy
January	12	J'aimee Brooker
January	13	Victoria Purman
January	14	Ann B Harrison
January	15	Cate Ellink  and  Demelza Carlton
January	16	Jenny Schwartz
January	17	Donna Gallagher
January	18	Lily Malone
January	19	Tea Cooper
January	20	Fiona McArthur
January	21	Max Henry
January	22	Jennie Jones
January	23	Alison Stuart
January	24	Eve Rabi
January	25	Kendall Talbot
January	26	Annie Seaton-Prize draw

Bunker Play Blog Hop

Today I'm doing something a little different.

Lily Malone is a major supporter of this blog, great commenter, and all around fabulous person. She has a new book out, so to celebrate, we have a Bunker Play Blog Hop for your enjoyment - her book is about golf, but not as you know it!

Lily's book has the most divine cover, which you can own when you go to buy her book at Amazon or Smashwords, or you can drool over it right here!


Golf and Cate Ellink
So, I'm supposed to talk about golf. Golf and I are not friends, although I have tried! When I lived in a small country town in western NSW, golf was one of the pastimes to take up. We had a pro come to town for lessons, and along I went to the women's classes.

I had a great time - being useless! I learned to hold the clubs and swing, and line up shots and do all the technical things...but putting it into action was a test of my patience.

I'm not naturally sporty. I love sport but it usually doesn't like me with the same passion, and golf is no different. I could whack one great shot in 18 holes... the rest sucked!

But I like to watch. I grew up near a course in Sydney where there was a big event each year. My Mum and I would walk down to stand at the corner and see Greg Norman tee off on this one hole. It was fabulous. When I was a kid, great crowds didn't seem to attend things, so often there was just a few locals there to oohh and ahh...but you don't get to stand on the corner and watch people play any more. It's a much more professional and organised outfit, and I'm still disorganised and unmotivated to get organised!

But I'll be reading Lily's book. Actually I have already. She's teased me with sex in bunkers, and all sorts of golfing fun. So I'm looking forward to reading Fairway to Heaven on my e-reader.


GIVEAWAY
I'm going to give one commenter on my blog a copy of Lily's book, plus a copy of my latest release, The Virginity Mission, and a fridge magnet of that drool-worthy cover. All you have to do is leave a comment about your golfing prowess - or something about golf! Local and International visitors welcome. Drawn 15th January.

If you leave your email address in the comments (just write 'at' instead of @; or email me if you prefer) then I'll contact you and mail you a fridge magnet of The Virginity Mission cover. Local and International visitors welcome.

The overall Rafflecopter is here

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck in the Blog Hop. If you get lost, you can always go back to the blog of our intrepid leader, Rhyll Biest.

Cate xox

WINNER: Songs to Wish by

Thank you to the people who left comments on the Three Wishes Blog, and especially to those who shared their wishing songs.

The winner of an e-copy of The Virginity Mission and a hunky magnet is...

SAMSTILLREADING

Congratulations!

If you can send me an email to cate@cateellink.com I'll organise your prizes.

And for everyone else,

Lily, Laurie, SE Gilchrist, MJ, Amanda and Iris

because you left me a comment I'm going to give you a prize too. Please send me an email (cate@cateellink.com) with your mailing address and I'll send you a hunky magnet (that looks much like the cover on the right) too. And you can own more than one hunky magnet, Lily and Amanda! :)

Thanks very much for participating!

Cate xox

Songs to Wish by - Three Wishes Blog Post

Today I’m participating in the Three Wishes Blog Blitz, hosted by author Juliet Madison! From 2nd to 6th September you’ll have the chance to win some awesome prizes at all the blogs participating in the blitz, including mine. All you have to do is follow my instructions below for winning the prize I have on offer, and then you can click over to Juliet’s blog to enter her prize draw, and see the list of all other blogs taking part and enter their giveaways as well. How cool is that? Why is it called the Three Wishes Blog Blitz? Juliet’s new  romantic comedy release, I Dream of Johnny, is about three wishes, a high-tech genie in a lamp, and one very unfortunate typo that proves magic isn’t all it cracked up to be…

Rather than share three wishes, I thought I'd share three songs that have "Wish" in the title, and what they mean to me.

Pink Floyd sang "Wish You Were Here" in 1975. I'm sure I didn't understand it then, but now when I hear that song I think about all the people I've loved who aren't here with me right now. It has a haunting guitar riff and a melody that sticks in my head. And the way he sings, "So... so you think you can tell..." is so heart-wrenching.

In 1988, Terence Trent D'Arby sang "Wishing Well". This is a totally different song, really upbeat, and I don't know why I like it, but he had such a sexy voice (although, listening to it now, I'm not so sure!).

And in 1992, Sophie B Hawkins sang, "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover". This song really hit a chord with me. I'd moved out of home, had an imagination that was really active, and a string of infatuations I did nothing about...but damn, I wished I was their lover! :)

So, do you have any songs that inspired you to Wish? And if not, do you have a favourite song?


Giveaway
I'm giving away a copy of "The Virginity Mission" where Mac wishes she could lose her virginity to the very sexy Jason. All you have to do is leave me a comment on this post. I'll pick one random winner for an ebook prize and a hot magnet for your fridge.

Contest closes 12 noon, Friday 6th September (Sydney time). I'll announce the winner here on my blog.

Once you’ve entered my giveaway, visit Juliet’s blog & enter her giveaway too. Then visit any or all of the other participating blogs to enter more prize draws (I think there are 45!). You could potentially win a whole heap of prizes! Good luck! Visit the official Blog Blitz post here: 

http://julietmadison.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/3-wishes-blog-blitz-official-post/

Avon Romance Tasty Summer Reads Blog Hop

Lily Malone tagged me for this blog hop - even though it's winter here, I thought I should do it! It began with the Avon authors and you can read the start here if you want to (it could be a good way to collect some recipes!).

What's this all about?
Well, as I understand it, these blog hops are linked back to each other, so it's designed as a way to build up traffic to your website, make people aware of your books, and to generate a following. This blog hop has a recipe included, so it's giving something back to the people who follow the hops.

I'm supposed to tag 5 people to continue this, but I'm not a fan of these chain-letter-things. However, if you'd like to be tagged, please let me know and I'll amend this to include you :)

My Work In Progress
This is nameless at the moment but it's a fun sex romp, set on Lord Howe Island, with two sporty people - a retired Olympic triathlete, Samantha, and a rugby league player, Cooper. I didn't want to go for a huge angsty conflict novel, I wanted a fun story with lots of sex. I'm halfway through writing/editing it. I'll let you know when it's ready to see the world.

Five Tasty Questions
1. When writing are you a snacker? If so, sweet or salty?
I don't snack while writing or I'd no longer fit in my house! I do drink tea, by the bucketful!

2. Are you an outliner or someone who flies by the seat of their pants? Are they real pants or jammies?
Seat of my pants. If I plan, then I get bored and the story is done in my head and is never written. So I have to zoom off into the unknown, write like fury, and then spends months fixing it up! I'm a tracksuit person when I'm writing.

3. When cooking or baking, do you follow the recipe exactly or wing it? 
I wing it. Even if a recipe book is open, I'm a bit slap-dash about it. I like to experiment too. I like having some taste ideas in my head then mixing flavours to get it. I'm more success than failure, thank goodness!

4. What is next for you after this book?
After this book, I have one about fellatio to finish. Then I have one on fetishes that's started but is still fermenting in my mind.

5. Last Question...on a level of one being slightly naughty to ten being whoo whoo steamy, where does your book land?
10 - I like whoo whoo steamy!

RECIPE for Banana and Mashmallow
This is a great summer dessert.

You need: 
3 bananas
8 oz mashmallows (I use a whole pack and doesn't matter if they're coloured or not)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup whipped cream (or thickened cream)

What to do:
Chop up walnuts.
Quarter all the mashmallows (I use a knife dipped in hot water - but it's messy!)
Chop bananas into slices. 
Mix all the ingredients together.
Refrigerate.

You have to eat this within 2 days or the bananas go brown - but it's not usually a problem! It may not look pretty but it's a taste sensation - and a family recipe, I didn't wing it :)