Giving away #Love in a Hopeless Place for #Christmas and the #holidays

Posted on November 20, 2013 by emmacalin

Pucker up…..I’m blowing my own ~~trumpet~~ trombone again (I can hear the groans!), my anthology of tough love stories is now out in paperback and available on Amazon for the bargain price of USA: $8.99 UK: £5.99 and in Europe: €6.99

Good news for anyone hoping to find a FREE gift book for the holidays – there are 3 copies up for grabs on Goodreads – click HERE to go in the hat for the draw on the 18th of December – just in time for Christmas.

Here’s what some of the reviewers have said about the e-book version that came out in July:

Five Stars
“Emma Calin writes with perfection and is a master of the short story. You will want to keep this collection in your bookshelf forever.” Adina Luca, October 2013

“I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories, and have recommended it to male and female friends.” Michael Todaro, September 2013

“All five titles explore social issues and these are cleverly interwoven into the narrative” T. Fly August 2013

If you’d prefer a digital version for your e-reader, the Kindle edition is available too, although not on a Goodreads giveaway I’m afraid, as they do not allow giveaways of e-books.

For those of you missing my brassy side or wondering about the length of my glissando …. here’s a repeat performance… oh for those warm balmy days of summer!

Emma Thinx: Leaf through a real book in the Fall

Biting The Bulot

Posted on August 4, 2013 by emmacalin

The torments of the juicy fishy flesh!

So, the party’s over. The Bloggers Book Fair has ended. I hope all you guys out there enjoyed the breath of new air on these pages. My thanks to all the contributors.

While all that was going on I have been moving myself back to France. Oh – the endless torment of wine, 400 cheeses, moules marinieres and not forgetting kilos of bulots. These wonderful sea molluscs are sold as whelks in the UK and USA but you sure can’t buy them in Walmart in England. Oooh – You just can’t beat a nice bit of firm flesh and juice.

An amazingly non photo shopped pic de famille

As all you historians out there will know, the French dealt with their issues of class, wage differentials and royal deference by inventing the guillotine. Ever since then they have been inventing media to borrow everyone else’s royals. Michelle and Barack count equally: (the dog buying story played well here). Everyone in France wants to know how excited I am by the birth of THE Royal babe. Every French magazine headlines royal baby stories. The UK press has reverted to sensational stories about Killer Heat Waves (three days without rain) and JK Rowling pen names. In my little village there are racks of royal baby mags with William and Kate souvenir oyster knives. The little soul’s third name is Louis which might please them I guess, although we did fight wars with many French kings of that name. I know from an inside source that the Queen has read “Knockout!” and wanted him named after Joe Louis, the great American boxer but you’ll never convince the French.

Smile though your legs are breaking. No photo shop here!

Nursing my wounded knee,I mounted the tandem yesterday and knocked out 51 kilometres (about 30 miles). It wasn’t too bad. I think the old Sparrow is still smiling a bit but poets have to have gravitas he tells me!

And finally, the Love In A hopeless Place Collection launched. I’ll be frank – even though I’m emma. These are literary stories and I had no hopes of sales or even interest. They are part of my own history and experience and I wanted to write them. Two reviewers have picked them up and been most generous. The reviews are here and I just want to say that readers make this quest so wonderful. Both these guys spotted what this was all about and took the trouble to reward me. Gentlemen you do most genuinely have my heart. I love you as fellow literati.

Emma Thinx: You’ll never get up off your knees if you can’t get down on them.

#Romance novelist filmed performing BL%W JOB in the park to launch her new #book.

Posted on August 1, 2013 by emmacalin

I am ashamed to admit, my embouchure was rather slack, having not had it out for nearly a year. My lips were swollen and buzzing by the end… my poor instrument is rusting away from lack of use. I would never have believed my glissando would get exposed to such a wide audience!

Well the 31st was the final stop on my world tour – blowing my own trumpet trombone to announce the launch of my new book –

The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection.

Last blast was at The Venture Galleries Authors Collection and this is an excerpt from that post:

Drum roll please ~~~ I give you~~~

The Romsey Community Wind Band – featuring Emma Calin on the slide trombone, recorded 2 weeks ago from the bandstand in the park…

Emma Calin’s

‘Blowing My Own Trombone’ Finale Concert

In aid of

The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection

PROGRAM

Cabaret

An apt description of the life of a modern author. We do not shiver in isolation in our bare garrets writing away in anonymity. We are out there in the spotlight, baring it all and putting on a show. We perform avariety act for our readers – social media, blogs, interviews, appearances. As the song says, ‘What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play?’
Edelweiss

A love song for all you romance writers and readers out there – pure love in the form of a small and perfect mountain bloom.

Rock-a-my-Sex (Sax/Soul)

Well – this is an adaptation of an old song – the title brought up to date for a modern romance writer. Eroticism has come of age as the effects of the “50 Shades…” permeate through the romance genre.
The Muppets

A nod to the madness of the circus. A jibe at the desperation of the modern day novelist. I am the worst – prone to jumping on every band-wagon. Trying to ride the latest wave; to identify and mimic the traits of the successful who have raised their books above the parapet and made a few sales.

… and sometimes you just need those two old guys on the balcony to put their heads up, blow a few raspberries of ridicule and point their fingers to bring you back down to earth.

At the end of the day it’s all about putting your soul into your writing. This is what matters. One has to avoid becoming a Muppet jumping to the call of the puppeteers of the ‘system’ – whatever it may be!

Thank you for coming!

And the purpose of all this horn blowing? A fanfare for the arrival of my new book –

The Love in a Hopeless Place Collection.

My series of five short stories are now available under one cover. A bargain way for you to get your hands on my gritty tales-with-a-twist.

The five titles in the collection stand alone in their own right but are linked by a common theme: the universal quest for survival, love, passion and respect against the gritty backdrop of working class life.

Sub-Prime– a gritty short story

The Chosen– a short story with a twist

Escape To Love – a novelette, a suspense romance with a twist

Angela– a short story

Love in a Hopeless Place– a novelette, a romance.

During July and August ‘ANGELA‘ a short story from the collection is FREE – so you can even try one before you buy the set!

The ‘Blowing my own Trombone Book Launch Blog Tour’ is now over – many thanks to these kind folk who have hosted my blasting over the last two weeks!

Tonight I am greasing up my old trusty instrument and packing it away until December’s street carols… watch this space!