About Me

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Queensland, Australia
I'm an Australian author of Contemporary Romance, Romantic Action/Adventure, and Historical fiction. I live in Queensland, Australia. www.noelleclark.net

Friday, April 26, 2013

BoomerLitFriday - BLOG HOP - Let Angels Fly

Today I'm posting a brief excerpt from my book here as part of a Blog Hop with fellow authors participating in Boomer Lit Friday. There are several authors blog hopping today, offering a wide variety of tasty offerings. Come along with us and visit for a while!


Jump to http://www.boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com to sample the goodies. Click on each of the participating authors, and please don’t hesitate to comment. While you're there, we’d love it if you would "Like" the Boomer Lit Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoomerLit.

A short excerpt from Let Angels Fly by Noelle Clark

The steam rose from her body as the hot water from the shower pelted down. She looked down and saw her wet, glistening breasts—not perky like a young woman’s—but sensual. She let her hands run over them. Then she slid her hands down to her belly. Not taut and flat as it used to be, but not too bad. A small sigh emanated from her. She felt good about herself, for the first time in so many years. A rush of warmth flowed through her.

She didn’t understand all these new sensations she was going through, but she almost felt young again.

Let Angels Fly by Noelle Clark - Available now on Amazon  



Thursday, April 25, 2013

Guest author: Antonia van Zandt ... Vienna – Where The World Stops For Coffee

Today I am honoured to have author Antonia van Zandt as my guest. Recently, I mentioned to Antonia - who resides in Vienna, Austria - that I had fond memories of my last visit there, albeit a long time ago. I particularly remember walking through the cultured and beautiful city, through tree-lined streets, and noting its quiet sophistication. I remember the surreal evening when we stood outside a beautiful old building, yellow light from the windows warming us as we shivered in the chilly air, listening to an orchestra play Mozart and Strauss. I also mentioned that Vienna was the place where I tasted simply the best pastries and cakes in the world.

Please, grab a coffee, sit back and relax, as Antonia takes us on a unique journey in the city she loves - Vienna.


Vienna – Where The World Stops For Coffee


Vienna is truly the coffee house capital of the world, so I remember how outraged I felt when Starbucks dared to take over the former Air France premises in fashionable Kärntnerstrasse.


“How dare they!” I exclaimed – both inwardly and outwardly - and so began a personal boycott which exists to this day. I cannot bring myself to step over that threshold, even though I‘m quite happy to sip a latte with the best of them anywhere else in the world.


So why the extreme reaction? Well, simply put, when it comes to coffee there is a tradition in Vienna, dating back centuries to 1683, when the Turks besieged the city. It’s the Coffee House Culture and it’s unique to this lovely old city. It’s a culture that has survived invasion, war and occupation and is still going strong. Since 2011, it has even been classified as a UNESCO ‘intangible cultural heritage’.
So what is it about Vienna’s coffee houses that makes them so different?


Cafe Central
These days there around a dozen or so famous ones and each has its own character and ambience, but wander into the Central, the Landtmann, the Demel or any of the others and you will find certain common denominators. In every one of them, you leave the world at the doorstep. Inside the hallowed halls, time ceases to have meaning, life slows to a pace determined by how long it takes you to read a newspaper, sip a cup of coffee, nibble a tasty pastry and/or debate issues of serious or trivial importance. I swear the clocks tick slower there and you can feel that cogwheel of tension unscrew itself from your back.

Cafe Sperl
Your nose wrinkles with delight at the heady aroma of roasted coffeebeans and a smiling (well, usually anyway) waiter or waitress guides you to your comfortable seat which will be yours for as long as you stay. Even if all you buy is one cup of coffee, no one will present you with a bill until you ask for it. And with that cup of coffee, expect a tall glass of water and maybe a macaroon or similar. No one will hover over you expectantly, however busy the place gets or however empty your cup.

Cafe Landtmann


Cafe Hawelka

Then there are the coffees themselves. Many of the coffee houses roast their own beans and you can buy packets of these to take away with you. Sadly, transporting the atmosphere is another matter! Needless to say, the variety of coffee available is wide – from the extra strong Turkish, to the milder Melange, and not forgetting the deliciously wicked Fiaker (double espresso, cherry brandy, sugar and lashings of cream). Whatever you do, never ask for just ‘coffee’. This will mark you out as a rank amateur. Here’s a link to a site that gives you more detail on coffee varieties http://www.vienna.cc/e/ekaffeeh.htm


Pastries in Cafe Central
Sachertorte in the Demel
Expect the hours to just sail by unnoticed. I hope you now know that, in Vienna, you don’t pop into a coffee house for a quick coffee. If you want that, then by all means go to Starbucks. I’ll pass though. You’ll find me in the Café Central!
Want more of a taste? Have a look at this short film:
http://youtu.be/yZDMPJFyaEc



Antonia van Zandt writes Paranormal Erotic Romance and her latest novella – Vienna Valentine – is available from:
Amazon.com
Amazon.uk
Amazon.ca
All Romance eBooks
Barnes and Noble
Kobo

You can connect with Antonia here:

http://antoniavanzandt.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.facebook.com/antonia.vanzandt
https://twitter.com/AntoniavanZandt


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Book Review: 'Lavender Road' by Helen Carey

Lavender Road (London at War)Lavender Road by Helen Carey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Quirky, believable characters and the naughty ones are most likeable. Faithfully set in the early days of World War Two, this story weaves the horror of impending war on the citizens of London, with the lives of everyday people. It shows their vulnerability, and their stoicism. A very enjoyable read, memorable storyline and characters.Helen Carey



View all my reviews

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Let Angels Fly - from Noelle Clark

I'm posting a brief exerpt from my book here as part of a Blog Hop with fellow authors participating in Boomer Lit Friday. There are 12 authors blog hopping today, offering a wide variety of tasty offerings. Come along with us and visit for a while!

Jump to http://www.boomerlitfriday.blogspot.com to sample the goodies. Click on each of the participating authors, and please don’t hesitate to comment. While you're there, we’d love it if you would "Like" the Boomer Lit Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BoomerLit.

A short excerpt from Let Angels Fly

“Hey, Mom. Are you OK? You look terrible.”

Abbie looked at her daughter and took a deep breath. “Yeah, sure. I’m fine.” Annoyed, Abbie heard the shake in her voice. Just then, her knees buckled and the floodgates opened. Cassie grabbed for her and forced her to sit on a chair, cradling her mother’s head with one hand while holding the baby with the other.

“It’s OK, Mom. It’s OK.”

Abbie cried for ages. Cassie took Abbie by the hand, leading her out to the shady back porch. Sitting side by side on the swing seat, they held hands as Abbie told her daughter she had, by some miracle, fallen in love. And now it was over—as fast as it had started.

“You must think I’m such a fool. I should know better at my age.”

“Age has nothing to do with it. You’re a woman. You found love.” Cassie’s voice was gentle. “I just wish there was something I could do, Mom.”

Let Angels Fly by Noelle Clark  -  Available now on Amazon

Monday, April 15, 2013

My guest author today: Shehanne Moore

We live on opposite sides of the world - me in Australia, and my guest in Scotland. Shehanne Moore, author of 'The Unraveling of Lady Fury', talks about the links that bind many Australians to their forebears. In the olden days, when Europeans first came to Australia, convicts were sent here from England, Ireland, and Scotland.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy this guest post from my Scottish mate - and fellow Etopia Press author - Shehanne!

It’s all that Bloody Code’s Fault
 
Firstly I want to thank the lovely Noelle for asking me along here today. One of the pleasures of being an author, is the lovely people you get to meet. It’s even lovelier when they ask you to blog. Of course the downside is you then have to come up with that blog.

Having blogged bad women, food, Jamaican aphrodisiacs,  recipes, pirates, pirates and pirates again, old wives tales, what’s left of my recently released book, The Unraveling of Lady Fury to yak about?

Well, I am visiting Australia ain’t I?  Ever wondered how come you inherited all these convicts from the other side of the globe? Well, blame it on the Bloody Code.

 

Okay so my last blog was about Bull Cod, I’ve not just changed a few letters there to come up with that. The Bloody Code was the 222 crimes in Britain which carried the death penalty. I’m quite astonished, looking at them, the things I’d have been hung for.  I have never impersonated a Chelsea pensioner, or damaged Westminster Bridge, but cutting down a tree anyone?  I’d be dangling with quite a few neighbors on that one. Writing a threatening letter?

Here’s a few others.
* being in the company of gypsies for a month
* strong evidence of malice in children 7-14 years old (Coulda been me here too!)
* stealing horses or sheep
* blacking yourself up at night


No wonder some judges and juries thought it was...too harsh. Why not bestow all these law breakers on Australia instead?  Simple really.

So what has The Unraveling of Lady Fury actually got to do with Botany Bay? Was  Lady Fury one of the 20% of the transportees, many of whom quickly attached themselves to male officers or convicts. A courtesan, as these women were called?  

The answer is nothing. Except the hero gets auctioned off ...behave yourselves, what kind of book do you think this is?...it was a legitimate slave auction in Port Royal, although thinking on his feet, had the authorities known he was the notorious Captain Flint, they’d have hung him instead.  The sad thing was he smiled at all the old dearies in the hope they would buy him. But they didn’t. Plainly they shoulda gone to the UK’s specialists....Specsavers.

 

Blurb

Rule One: There will be no kissing. Rule two: There will be no touching…

Widowed Lady Fury Shelton hasn’t lost everything—yet. As long as she produces the heir to the Beaumont dukedom, she just might be able to keep her position. And her secrets. But when the callously irresistible Captain James “Flint” Blackmoore sails back into her life, Lady Fury panics. She must find a way to protect herself—and her future—from the man she’d rather see rotting in hell than sleeping in her bed. If she must bed him to keep her secrets, so be it. But she doesn’t have to like it. A set of firm rules for the bedroom will ensure that nothing goes awry. Because above all else, she must stop herself from wanting the one thing that Flint can never give her. His heart.

Ex-privateer Flint Blackmoore has never been good at following the rules. Now, once again embroiled in a situation with the aptly named Lady Fury, he has no idea why he doesn’t simply do the wise thing and walk away. He knows he’s playing with fire, and that getting involved with her again is more dangerous than anything on the high seas. But he can’t understand why she’s so determined to hate him. He isn’t sure if the secret she keeps will make things harder—or easier—for him, but as the battle in the bedroom heats up, he knows at least one thing. Those silly rules of hers will have to go…

EXCERPT

Fury sat down and dipped the quill into the ink. She detected the faintest trace of nerves. It must be the fact Thomas lay in the cellar. Why else would a man, so great, so stalwart, so worldly as Captain Flint be nervous of her?

   “Well, yes,” she said, listening to the pleasing scratch of the nib on the soft paper.

“Babies are not always made in a night. Of course, you wouldn’t know that, being you. It will take time.”

“All the more reason then to just get going. After all this time, sweetheart, you don’t know how eager I am.”

He strode across the tiled floor and the ink trailed a long dark path across the paper as he dragged her to her feet. Had it blobbed it might have been something to worry about. But she was very set on this. And calm. As calm as one could be having this man in her bedroom, knowing what was coming next out of dire necessity, her husband in a box in the cellar and her cast off, potential lovers on their way out the door.

“No, James.” She held a hand up between their lips. “There will be no kissing.”

“No kissing? Why in hell not?”

It displaced her calm to see him grin. She would have preferred that he was indignant. Especially as he was a man who thought he could settle all his arguments—with women anyway—with a kiss. But she kept her face cold, blank.

“Because.” In some ways she was cold. Cold with rage.

“Aw, come on Fury, didn’t you like my kissing? Hmm?” His breath, hot and male, brushed her fingertips. He wrapped his arms around her, splaying his hands across her back, so her hand might as well not have been there for all the protection it was.

But she was calm. Didn’t she have to get into bed with him after all? So, even the impulse to squirm was one she would squash. When she thought of all he had done to her, she would give him nothing. Not even the knowledge she found his proximity so unsettling that she sought to pull away.

“Your kissing was fine, in its way, I suppose. But kissing is a sign of affection.”

“How do you make that out?”

She knew exactly why he scratched his head. Their love-making had been torrid. It had been sensual. It had been shaming. And it had been absent of any affection. Certainly on his part. So, why on earth would a kiss be a sign of anything? To him anyway. She was the damn fool who had thought it had. Who even now was forced to concede the pleasure it would be to take her hand across his face to assist his understanding of her feelings. The impertinence of the damn man, the stinging ignorance.

“It just is.” She eased the distance between them a whisper. “So there will be none. Not now. Not at all.”

“All right then. Saves time. It means—”

“Rule two.” She saw his eyes freeze as he readied himself to yank off his shirt. She persisted anyway. Why not? In many ways she walked a tightrope here. If she paused it might be to her detriment. “You will be fully dressed at all times.”

“What? How the hell am I meant to—”

“I am sure you will manage. You managed plenty before. But I do not desire to look at your body before, during, or after. Nor in any shape or form wandering about this house in just your breeches. Is that understood?”

He dropped his hands from his shirt and glared, so he must have. “You wanted to look at it plenty before. In fact, it makes my head spin, just how often you—”

True. But that was then. “Rule three.” Clasping her fingers around the cool edge of the dressing table
to create another inch of distance, she continued.

“Rule three? You mean there’s more?”

“I will not touch you in any place, intimate or otherwise. I will lie. You will perform.”

Buy The Unraveling of Lady Fury here
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks
Connect with Shehanne Moore here.





http://shehannemooreweeblycom.weebly.com/books.html


Saturday, April 13, 2013

Book Launch Party - cocktails, canapes, friends ... and pouring rain

I'm so very excited. Today we are having a cocktail party to launch my book, Let Angels Fly! It was going to be a garden party, but as the rain is tumbling down by the bucket full, it might end up being and indoor soiree.

Thanks to Robyn, Matt, Adam, and Lolly for helping with the food, drinks and venue.

Here's a sneak peak of my book trailer. This is hot off the presses, so I'd love some feedback as to how you like it.

Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/6UMVU37sobY

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The angels are flying!


It's out now! Here's the release blurb from Etopia Press.
 
Let Angels Fly
Noelle Clark
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Length: Novel
Word Count: 54,565
Page Count: 238
Price: 5.99
ISBN: 978-1-939194-86-2
Editor: Matt Dale

Release Date: 04/05/2013

Life’s full of surprises the second time around.
Arriving in Cambodia to volunteer at an orphanage, Abbie finds a warm welcome with the owner of her hotel, the handsome Craig Nelson. Craig is everything her ex-husband wasn’t—warm, compassionate, and a generous humanitarian dedicated to helping the local people. But after raising a family and being devastated by the end of her bad marriage, the last thing Abbie needs is complications. She’s on her own for the first time in many years, and it’s time for her to spread her wings and fly free amid the people and culture that have always fascinated her.

But while exploring the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, Abbie overhears odd noises and sinister conversation that raise her hackles. Turning to the only person she thinks may be able to help—Craig—she realizes she’s witnessed tomb raiders—art thieves stealing frescoes to sell on the black market. Unable to let the pillaging of the beloved temple continue, Abbie goes back to investigate and finds evidence that proves her theory. And in the mean time, she finds herself falling for Craig.

Yet change isn’t easy for either of them. Both carry scars, and neither is ready to let go of the past. When Abbie is attacked in the market place, it’s clear her presence in the temple wasn’t overlooked. When Abbie agrees to help the police stage a sting operation to catch the thieves, things go from bad to worse. And Craig might be powerless to help…

Buy Let Angels Fly here                                 
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
All Romance Ebooks
Kobo


 

 

I got a Sunshine Award!!


Thank you, most sincerely, to my new author friend – Shehanne Moore – for awarding me this most prestigious honour. Shehanne released her book, ‘The Unraveling of Lady Fury’, just a week before mine. So, we’re kinda twins. If you get my drift.

Because I’m new to this side of writing – that is, being a ‘published’ writer – I didn’t actually know what a Sunshine Award was, or what it entailed. But, as I’ve got to know other authors, such as Theresa McClinton and Cat Cavendish, who have also been past recipients of the Sunshine Award, I can see that this honour comes with quite a few important obligations. Here are the rules:

(1) Thank the person who gave you the award in your blog post.


(2) Do the Q and A below

(3) Pass on the award to 10-12 deserving and inspiring bloggers, inform them and link to their blogs.

Hmm, I reckon I can do that. In fact, I’m so inspired by the wonderful people I’ve met out there who share a love of writing, that I’m downright ecstatic to announce the recipients of my Sunshine Award.

Thanks Shehanne, for bestowing this award on me. J

Favourite Colour:  I love both blue and green. I realise that most people reckon you can’t have them both together as they clash. But have you ever looked at the sea on a tropical island, around mid-morning? White sand – and blue-green sea. It is one of the most beautiful blends of colour on this earth.


Favourite Animal:  I have four and two halves favourite animals. My Moodle Karob, Chihuahua Timmy, old cat Bassie, young cat Joey – and my grandcats – Liebchen and Jasper.

Favourite Number:  The number of family members who love me and support me.

Favourite Non-alcoholic drink:  Have you ever seen the rust that water causes? There’s no way I’m gonna rust my pipes with that wicked drink!

Facebook or Twitter: Neither. Both are necessary evils if you are an author.

Your Passion: Writing. Music. Playing guitar.

Giving or getting presents: I have three little grandchildren who I love to spoil.

Favourite Day:  Every day – when I’m healthy, happy, home, and having fun.

Favourite Flowers: Sunflowers.

Finally, these are the fantastic bloggers I’m tagging for this award.  (Now, I’m off to tell them, so maybe they’ll have posts up in a day or two. If not, at least you can look around some terrific sites!)

 








Charley Descoteaux http://descoteauxwrites.wordpress.com/


 
 

 

 

Friday, April 5, 2013

Romance by the Book

An excerpt from a feature article in d’fine magazine written by Lyn Uhlmann entitled 'Romance by the Book'

(Issue 93 Feb, 2013 www.baysidebulletin.com.au – Photos in this blog courtesy of Bayside Bulletin)

For Noelle, her first dance with romance fiction recently scooped her up and twirled her around when Etopia Press, USA, offered her a contract for her novel, Let Angels Fly.

Noelle had previously written a work of historical fiction, but decided to write romance fiction after attending a RWA seminar and seeing “all the authors having so much fun.”

“I tried to read Fifty Shades of Grey, but the characters were too young for me and I couldn’t’ relate to them,” she said.

“I thought about what I like to read and I prefer protagonists who are a bit older, so I’ve written about a mature lady in her 40s.

“I wanted to write about people with life experience who have been through a major life change – maybe lost a job or a spouse or have experienced some other major life event.”

Noelle described her book as a combination of romance, suspense and action, with the story set in Cambodia, where the main character, seeking to pick up the threads of her shattered life, had gone to teach in an orphanage.

“I travelled to Cambodia last year and, like the character in my book, I fell in love with the people,” she said.

“Also like her, I’d like to go to Cambodia myself one day and spend some time volunteering there.

“It’s also an exotic location that provided the right back drop for the story.”

Noelle, who has also experienced success as a songwriter, said she especially enjoyed writing the adventure aspects of her novel and watching the “growth” of her characters as the story unfolded.

“I want my characters to become better people because of what they go through and that’s what keeps me writing,” she said.

“My main character (in this book) was feeling a bit worthless and losing confidence in herself.

“She needed to do something to make her feel her life was worthwhile and to find happiness again.”
***

Let Angels Fly is now available for purchase from Amazon.com (as well as their European sites in England, Germany, and France), Barnes & Noble, and All Romance e-Books. Over the next couple of weeks, they’ll also start appearing on Kobo and Sony, and a few smaller retailers thereafter.


Thursday, April 4, 2013

Book Release Eve!



 
Hi everyone!

Hard for me to contain my excitement in this blog. My debut book - Let Angels Fly - will be on the virtual shelves tomorrow, 5th April.

As of tomorrow, my book will be available for purchase from Amazon.com (as well as their European sites in England, Germany, and France), Barnes and Noble, and All Romance e-Books. Over the next couple of weeks, they’ll also start appearing on Kobo and Sony, and a few smaller retailers thereafter.

Please hop on and spend a few dollars to read about the adventures of Abbie and Craig, and watch as their romance grows.

Thanks.

cheers, Noelle.