Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Tour Kick Off: Beauty and the Recluse by @elliegray58




Contemporary Romance
Date Published: February 12, 2016


Following the recent death of her father, and in need of both a job and somewhere to live, Kiya takes a housekeeping job on the spur of the moment. She soon finds herself living in a beautiful but neglected mansion, working for a strange and reclusive man.
St. John is a man scarred by the past, both physically and emotionally, and is determined to live out his life alone. They are two very different people, drawn to each other almost against their will, but can Kiya convince St. John that he is not the monster he believes himself to be?


#1 – Do You See Writing as a Career?

Yes, I do, and like any career, I believe if you want to be successful it involves learning your craft and working hard. Like many authors, I currently work full-time and so it requires commitment and a real enthusiasm to want to lock myself into the study on an evening or the weekend and work on writing. But, at the end of the day, I love writing and if I am ever to achieve my ambition of giving up the day job and writing full time, I know I have to put the effort and hours in now.


#2 – What was the Hardest Part of Your Writing Process?

Once I had my first draft out of the way, the hardest part was going back through manuscript and being critical, really critical. In order to make it the best it can be, you have to be really brutal and honest with yourself. You can read a paragraph and just know that it doesn’t quite work, doesn’t quite sound right but can’t quite put your finger on it. The temptation is to just leave it but you can’t – you know if it doesn’t sound right to you, it won’t sound right for your reader either. It’s also really hard to cut out those paragraphs or sentences that you really love but you have to do it. I tend to keep anything I cut out that I really like and put it in a ‘bits and bobs’ folder in the hope that it might fit later in the book or even in another book.  It’s never wasted!


#3 – Did you have any One Person Who Helped You Out with Your Writing Outside of Your Family?

My family are really supportive and allow me to shut myself away and spend hours in my study but I do try and balance that with family time. But outside my family I have a friend, Detty, who is also an author and currently waiting to hear if her submission has been accepted. Detty writes in a completely different genre to me and we critique each other’s work which I find invaluable.


#4 – What is next for your writing?

I have just submitted my next novel and am waiting to hear if this has been accepted, so fingers crossed. I have also finished the first draft of a third novel so will be concentrating on editing this and knocking it into shape.

#5 – Do you have an addiction to reading as well as writing? If so, what are you currently reading?
I love reading – I think most authors do but, when you’re concentrating on writing your own book, it’s difficult to find the time to read as well. However, I believe it is important to read as much as you can because it really does help you as a writer to learn what works and what doesn’t work for you as a reader. I have an eclectic taste in books but am currently reading Sharon Booth’s A Kiss from a Rose.

DESCRIBE Your Book in 1 Tweet:

St. John is a man scarred both physically and emotionally. Can Kiya convince him he’s not the monster he believes himself to be?

This or That?

#1 - iPd or Mp3?   iPod – love it.

#2 – Chocolate or Vanilla?  Are you kidding?  Chocolate.

#3 – Mashed Potatoes or French Fries?   Ooh tough choice. Mashed potatoes, at a push.

#4 – Comedy or Drama?  Depends on my mood…..

#5 – Danielle Steel or Nicholas Sparks?  Danielle Steel

#6 – Fantasy or Reality?  Fantasy

#7 – Call or Text?   Text – don’t really like telephones….

#8 – Public School or Home School?  Public School

#9 – Coffee or Hot Chocolate     Coffee – black, no sugar please


#10 – eBook or Paperback?  eBook for fiction, paperback for non-fiction. If I really enjoy the fiction book I tend to buy a print version as well.



Ellie is an author of contemporary romance who also enjoys writing YA fiction. She is a proud member of the Romantic Novelist Association and lives in the beautiful East Riding of Yorkshire with her partner, David, two children, two cats and a chinchilla.
Currently working full-time in the public sector and studying for a Masters Degree, Ellie hopes one day to achieve her ambition of being able to write full time.

Contact Information




February 16 - Awesome Book Assessment
February 18 - Texas Book Nook
February 19 -  A Life Through Books
February 20 - A Writer's Journal
February 21 - Coffee Book Mom
February 23 - The Indie Express
February 24 - The Butterfly Reads
February 25 - Jeri's Book Attic

February 27 - RABT Reviews - Wrap Up



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