Off the Record - Writing Competition!

So, today is the official publication day of Off the Record ... although to be fair it's re-publication day as Off the Record was originally published back in the dark ages by Harper Collins, but up until now hasn't been available on Kindle.

It's one of my all time favourite books from my back list and it's been a real joy to read it again, get it digitised and sorted out to be uploaded onto Amazon.

It's also got two of my favourite characters in it - Jack Sanfi and his evil sidekick Morwenna, so it was fun to meet those two again after all these years and realise that they haven't changed a bit!! Although not so great to realise how far we had come in the last few years in terms of technology. The book was littered with references to video recorders, audio tapes and no one was using mobile phones or the internet, so besides having it retyped I've given it a thorough going over and update! 

To celebrate its launch I'm running a Flash Fiction competition.
So how do you enter?

First of  all it would be great if you could go and like Off the Record on Amazon - at £1.99 it's a real bargain!

What else do you have to do? Entries must to be a hundred words or under. The story must begin with the phrase:  (and please note these words do not count towards the final 100)


Natalia glanced behind her and then once she was sure she was alone ....

Please leave your entries in the comments box below along with your email address.

The prize is a £10.00 Amazon voucher. The closing date is midnight on 31st August 2013. (BST)

T&C
Copyright remains with the entrant. There is no entry fee. Entrants may enter more than once. The winner/ winners give me permission to post the winning entry on my facebook page/ pages. The judge's decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the decision.


Oh and please feel free to share this!

Spring is finally Springing

I want to get out in the garden.
I want it not to be rainy, blowy, snowy, or so cold I can't feel my fingers.

It struck me this year as I switched the heating up at the beginning of April, that we take it for granted that the Spring will just show up year after year.




This year things have valiantly fought through the foul weather, the damp, the dark, the snow, the rain - and to celebrate its belated but very welcome arrival  frogs are having a cluster**** in the pond at the bottom of our garden.
It may be late but they're going at it with great gusto. They're singing all night and at it all day - now that's what I call a date.

It's been a while... Cooking Up A Storm Giveaway!!!

So - Cooking Up a Storm is finally up and off my desk and finally, as of last night, available as a real live book on Kindle and as a paperback.

This is my first attempt at independent publishing and what's struck me (after the worry, the shock at finding what seemed like dozens of typos in the finished book, the long, long days writing around my other writing projects, the endless cups of tea, the blind mindless panic, and my mixed attempts at trying to market myself!! ) is what fabulous and very lovely people I've met along the way.

Before I started writing the book in earnest I put a post on Facebook asking other people for advice about independent publishing and I got it, generously and freely given and genuinely much appreciated - including being given recommendations for people that other people had worked with or who might be able to help,

And they did help - in fact as a result of those email and Facebook exchanges I found a designer and someone to help me through the formatting process -most specifically Jane Dixon Smith, who designed the cover and Rebecca Emin who formatted and uploaded my manuscript for Kindle and for the paperback and, who to be honest, I really couldn't have done it without.

Along with help and advice, lots of people generously donated recipes to use between chapters.

When the ebook came out I had an online launch party and loads people came along, really joined in the spirit of the day, partied like it was 1999 and shared the book around. It really felt like I was part of a joint and shared effort and it was huge fun!

We hear so many horror stories about social media in the press, so for once I want to put something on the other side of the scales and thank everyone for helping me to get Cooking Up a Storm sorted and selling. Thank You x


To celebrate the Paperback Launch I'm running a giveaway of  over on Facebook - here

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cooking-Up-A-Storm/527922700585824?sk=app_289264554441128

And there is one over on goodread too!

oh and the photo is of gnocci and spinach bake from the book !!

 Can't wait?  You can buy it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cooking-Up-Storm-Sue-Welfare/dp/1484007603/ref=sr_1_13?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1366324107&sr=1-13&keywords=sue+welfarefrom the book -!!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Cooking Up a Storm

by Sue Welfare

Giveaway ends May 09, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win