Somewhere Beyond the Sea by Mandy James

Somewhere Beyond the Sea by Mandy James When love begins with a lie, where will it end?
Doctor Tristan Ainsworth has returned with his family to the idyllic Cornish village close to where he grew up. The past has taught him some hard lessons, but he'll do anything to make his wife happy - so what's making her so withdrawn?
Karen Ainsworth daren't reveal her true feelings, but knows her husband has put up with her moods for too long. A chance to use her extraordinary singing voice may set her free, so why shouldn't she take it? Surely her past can't hurt her now?
As a tide of blackmail and betrayal is unleashed to threaten the foundations of their marriage, Karen and Tristan face a difficult question. Is their love strong enough to face the truth when the truth might cost them everything?

I asked Mandy - Why did you base your book in Cornwall? Where did your inspiration come from for Somewhere Beyond the Sea?

Thank you for inviting me onto your blog today. Great questions, I have decided to answer both points in one.
I have always felt a great affinity with the ocean. I feel alive, a sense of peace and at one with nature when I am on the beach or walking along the cliff tops. I especially love the north coast of Cornwall and am lucky enough to have realised a life-long dream and now actually live there! The people are really friendly too.
The idea for Somewhere Beyond the Sea grew out of my love for the area, but how the actual mystery behind the story of Karen and Tristan Ainsworth arrived in my head I have no idea. I guess I liked the little village that the TV character Doc Martin lives in (Port Isaac) and loosely based Kelerston on that. Tristan doesn’t look or behave like Doc Martin at all of course! It was just the idea of a doctor living and working in a small Cornish village that I liked. The village doesn’t really exist however. I wanted an imaginary village based between Mawagn Porth and Padstow, about twenty minutes from me. If I chose a real place, people would expect detailed street names etc. I wanted a ‘feeling’ of the place so I could include bits of my favourite towns. There are touches of St Ives and Falmouth in Kelerston too.
I loved writing this story and couldn’t wait to see where the characters would lead me. One of the characters has a very dark secret and it was such a challenge keeping it from the reader but at the same time giving them just enough to keep them guessing. It was very tricky trying to resolve the problems of the character too, but I loved every minute of it.

Dance Until Dawn by Berni Stevens

Dance Until Dawn by Berni Stevens
"A fun vampire tale with a nice take on being a 21st century vampire. Good fun.” The Bookseller

Do you Believe in Love After Life?
At twenty-five, West-End dancer, Ellie Wakefield should be having the time of her life. The only problem is, since waking up in a three-hundred-year-old vampire’s leaky cellar, Ellie’s been very much dead. And to make matters worse, she’s found that an aversion to blood and a fear of the dark aren’t very helpful – especially when you’re a fledgling vampire.
William James Austen has fallen hard. He’s spent the last year loving Ellie from afar and now he’s finally able to be truthful about who and what he is. As the most powerful vampire in London, he’s used to getting what he wants. But this time, Will might just have bitten off more than he can chew.

I asked author Berni Stevens a couple of questions...

Why do you write about vampires?
I have been fascinated by the folklore of vampires since I first read Dracula when I was fourteen. There’s an old saying that truth is stranger than fiction, and a lot of the early legends are really strange! Legends have existed from as early as the Ancient Greeks and Mesopotamians.
Also, the thought of eternal life– never aging – and preternatural strength are great attributes to add to any story, and are certainly fun to write into a romance. Who wouldn’t feel safe in the arms of an immortal warrior? Although drinking blood and the lack of daylight are a definite down side.

Where did your inspiration come from?
I’ve read many paranormal romances, and right from the very beginning of their popularity in the early 1990s, I wondered why they were all set in America. The answer was simple – all the authors were American! I was inspired simply by that discovery, and I wanted to write a paranormal romance set in London. My hero is an ancient English Duke from the late 1700s, and the object of his desires is a feisty 21st century woman. A recipe for conflict if ever I wrote one ☺

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