Christina Hollis: More Good News About Books!

Find out more at mybook.to/BristolWomen

“‘Twas two weeks before Christmas…” but I’m not only here to wish you a happy holiday season (though of course that takes pride of place!)

Today I can let you into a couple of  secrets I've been keeping for a while. 

The first is about my non-fiction book, Struggle and Suffrage—Women's Lives in Bristol, which features true-life stories about women from the English port city of Bristol. My second snippet of news is about cut-price books—and you really can’t afford to miss that during the holiday season! 

First, news about my next title. Publishers Pen and Sword Books will be releasing Struggle and Suffrage—Women's Lives in Bristol on 28^thFebruary, 2019. 

I've loved working on this project, and it’s got something for everyone. I was born half-way between Bristol and Bath, and Bristol was the city we visited most often as a child. I’d always considered it to be a great place, but I never realised it was such an incubator of female talent until I started my research. That was way back in 2016. I’ve discovered a new fascination for the place and its people.  From the woman who inspired transport genius Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the young women who took a road trip in the days when men were usually welded to every vehicle's driving seat, to a pioneer of premature-baby care, they all star in my book.  

Find out how the other half lived in dear old Bristol by ordering your copy of Women’s Lives in advance here.

Find out more at mybook.to/HeartOfAHostage

My next bit of news is that the third romance in my Princes of Kharova series, Heart of a Hostage, is on special offer right now. Princess Maia is fed up of being overshadowed by the lives of her two older brothers. She’s determined to make her mark. Find out how she exposes the secret hidden in her kidnapper’s hideout for the offer price of only $3.36 (£2.59 in the UK) That's a whole 70% off! But be quick—this offer won't last forever. Grab yourself bargain here!

As well as non-fiction, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women. She has written more than twenty novels, sold nearly three million books, and her work has been translated into twenty different languages. When she isn’t writing, Christina is cooking, walking her dog, or gardening.

You can catch up with her at https://christinahollisbooks.online, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at christinahollis.com

Christina Hollis—Back In The Old Routine...

In sickness and in health...

I've had to take a break from writing over the past few weeks. My son was born with several health problems, and now sees consultants for three different conditions. This involves regular cross-county trips to hospital for check-ups and treatment. 

I fit my writing around these, and school runs. My system worked well until my husband was felled by Campylobacter. This is a horrible form of food poisoning. He spent the best part of three weeks in bed (and the bathroom), except for the times when I was ferrying him between the emergency department, various tests and doctor's appointments, and pharmacies. 

Join me on Facebook at  http://on.fb.me/1Ee1urM

Quite frankly, during that time writing was the last thing on my mind. I rarely had time to think, let alone sit down. I'm still trying to catch up, but what happened to my husband has made me take a long, hard look at my own life. 

My Other Half has a high pressure job, and he's on call around the clock as his firm has clients around the world. In many respects it's like writing (apart from the size and regularity of his earnings!).  Pressure is good—it's what drives us to succeed. Writers can react to the pressure of deadlines, get the work done and move on. The stress of a piece being rejected, or lack of recognition for the novel you've battled to create is bad. Very bad. 

Too much stress crushes your immune system. Problems snowball until your health breaks down, and you're forced to take a break. When you return, clearing the backlog while trying to push forward traps you in a downward spiral.

Find out more at myBook.to/MyDreamGuy

I cope by planning. I schedule my writing time, to include regular breaks to take the dog out for a walk. That gives both of us fresh air and exercise. A good thing too, as I love to relax by baking. Those calories have to be burned off somehow! 

I stop work well before bedtime, and spend an hour or so relaxing and looking for laughs. Nobody can function at the top of their game if they're too wound up to get enough sleep. 

From now on I'm not going to answer the phone on its first ring, or reply to emails the second they come in. I only wish I could persuade my husband to do the same!

Incidentally, although the Department Of Public Health have investigated us, our relatives, friends, neighbours, work colleagues and everywhere we've visited (from several weeks before my husband fell ill until after he stopped being infectious), the source of his infection has never been traced. 

What's your tip for a productive working day? I'm offering a copy of my short romance My Dream Guy for a comment picked at random, on 21st November.

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at christinahollis.com

Her current release, Heart Of A Hostage, is published by The Wild Rose Press and available at myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage  worldwide, and from http://bit.ly/2f8dKp1 in the US.

Christina Hollis—You Can Do It If You Really Try...

Whenever I’m asked to talk about my work, someone in the audience always says: ‘I wish I could write a book…’

There’s only one answer to that. You can—so get started!  Writing a book is no picnic, but I've found it’s a lot easier than trying to lose the weight you’d put on from taking part in a picnic. 

Writing is a great pastime. It's helped me in lots of ways. I’ve met loads of good friends through local, national and international writing groups. Pouring out your thoughts onto paper or a screen is a wonderfully freeing experience. Many years ago, I had problems beyond the dreams of analysts—or so I thought.  I piled them onto one of my troubled heroines. Reading through and refining her life story a hundred times gave me new insight into my own, real world. From that moment, things looked up for me.  They got even better when that heroine’s troubles won me a short story prize. I was on the road to recovery, thanks to the healing power of words.

In my third novel, One Night In His Bed, the hero Garett tells Sienna:

‘You can have everything you want.  Just reach out.  There are no limits…’

myBook.to/ONENIGHTINHISBED

Writing fiction is a great illustration of this. You know the kind of book you like to read.  That’s the story you’re best placed to tell, so why not give it a go? Write from your heart, and you’ll engage with your audience. It’s always easier to work with themes and characters that inspire and interest you.  That’s why I write about complex men and independent women. Some days the rain never stops, and all I want to do is hibernate. That’s when I add exotic settings to the mix. Putting all these things together, and devising plot twists to stop my hero and heroine reaching their happy-ever-after ending too soon is the perfect distraction from everyday life.   

If you need any more encouragement to start a writing project, investigate the Romantic Novelists’ Association New Writers’ Scheme. It’s the chance to have your manuscript, or its first few chapters, reviewed by professional writers. You can find out all about it here.  

Find out more at http://bit.ly/2e2KG15

Start now, and if you only write a hundred words a day between now and the New Year, you’ll have produced around eight thousand words. Polish and perfect them, and you’ve got a submission. 

I'll be posting my collection of hints and tips for Writing Your Book on my blog over the next few months. You can find the first one here, and for more writing news, tips and extracts, join me on my Facebook author page at on.fb.me/1Ee1urM

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. Catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at christinahollis.com

Her current release, Heart Of A Hostage, is published by The Wild Rose Press and available at myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage  worldwide, and from http://bit.ly/2e2KG15 in the US.

Christina Hollis— Puppy Love!

Prince Alex the Puppy...

I've got fresh writing inspiration on tap right now, and edits are on hold because we've got a new family member.  Meet Alex—he's just eight weeks old. His dad Freddie is a golden retriever (you can see a pic of him in the banner of Care and Connect's Facebook page), and his mum is labrador Ellie.

Alex is adorable, with silky soft fur and black, boot-button eyes. He's a quick learner, too. Some of Alex's older siblings are assistance dogs for autistic children, so we're hoping he turns out to be as kind and well-balanced as his older relatives.

Puppies are harder work than babies, as they're so fast on their feet. I hope Alex doesn't turns out to be too bright. He's already discovered a talent for finding clean socks which have disappeared behind the radiator while airing. He lies on his back, and scrabbles at them from underneath with his paws. That not only retrieves the sock, it pulls out a lot of hidden fluff and dust, too!

He's only been here a week so we can't expect too much from him yet, but he was crate-trained when he arrived, uses the litter tray inside it (although his aim isn't always perfect) at night and he's learning the word "outside" so he can eventually tell us when he wants to go out during the day.

The only problem we've had is with our poor old cat, Jynx. Alex was brought up with felines, so they were strolling about his home unconcerned on our visits to his breeder. Our Norwegian Forest cat is a pest control expert, but he's afraid of anything bigger than a rabbit—including human visitors.

...King Jynx the Cat

We assumed our cat and the new dog would get on with no problems. How wrong can you be? They first met in our big kitchen. Alex edged forward, slowly wagging his tail in greeting, without realising the cat felt under threat. Jynx sprang forward, boxed Alex's ears, then fled. The puppy was surprised but none the worse for wear, although the cat now refuses to use the back door. He will only come in at the front of the house, which in an Alex-free zone.

The cat now spends his days in my office, where Alex is banned, then goes outside at night. This system is working well. When the puppy's sound asleep, Jynx has started creeping about and extending his new territory into his old haunts, with one eye always on the sleeping Alex.

It's all go here, what with the puppy having three meals a day, exercise, suspiciously quiet naps, and playtime sessions in between—and that's before I spend time making a fuss of our deeply offended cat. It's no wonder my writing schedule has gone out of the window.

It's all I can manage at the moment is to work on my next newsletter. There's going to be puppy news, and a lovely recipe for orange polenta cake I was given the other day.

To find out more, mail me at christinahollis(at)hotmail.co.uk and put newsletter in the subject line.

When she isn't puppy-minding, cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at christinahollis.com

Her current release, Heart Of A Hostage, is published by The Wild Rose Press and available at myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage worldwide, and from http://bit.ly/1iNf2Gw in the US.

Christina Hollis: Spring Cleaning Fever...

Love In Every Stitch...

I hate housework. You get the place looking great, then someone wrecks the magazine stack looking for something, or a cupboard bursts open, sending  paperwork all over the floor. All your hard work, undone in seconds! So when I heard about a system that means you tidy up once in your lifetime and then just twiddle round the edges, I had to find out more.

Over the past month, I've been following a reality TV program called Back in Time For The Weekend. The brave Ashby-Hawkins family spent last year living for a week in each of the last decades of the Twentieth Century. From the post-Second World War deprivations almost up to the present day, they've learned what it was like to live as a family in changing times.

One of the most interesting facts brought home to them was the explosion in the amount of "stuff" we all accumulate. In the Nineteen Forties and Fifties, the UK was on its knees. Food was rationed. There was no money to spare, but that hardly mattered as the shops were practically empty. Presents were often hand-made. Repair, re-use and recycle were habits, long before they became Green watchwords.

These days, all our homes are so stuffed with electronic gadgets, fitness equipment and leisure goods, cars are parked on the street so garages can be used as storage space. Canny people are making a fortune by providing secure units excess items owned by people who can't bear to throw anything away.

All that really struck a chord with me. Tottering Towers is totally stuffed with...well, stuff. Ninety percent of my housework time is spent shuffling things from place to place. Back in Time For The Weekend showcased one method of dealing with it. Marie Kondo's book, The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying brings tough love to the closet.

Marie is a great believer in only keeping those things which create a spark of joy within you.  It follows that, the less you have, the easier it is to keep your house tidy. That's the theory, but it means unless something is either beautiful or useful, it has to go. For a start, every piece of clothing you've been meaning to mend, update, or wear again once you lose weight must go straight to the charity shop. Be honest—when are you going to have time or willpower to do anything with it all? I asked myself that question. Within two hours, I filled four sacks of clothes weighing nearly seventy pounds in total! You could almost hear the foundations of Tottering Towers sigh with relief.

Then spring cleaning fever really took hold. It was hard, especially when I came across a trunk of baby clothes.  My smallest baby is now sixteen years old! As Tom Lehrer sang, "Sentiment will not endear it..." so nearly all of it had to go, although I confess to keeping their christening robes, and two little outfits I'd made for them. I'm not a natural knitter, so remembering the time, tears and effort it took me to create such sweet and delicate garments is a boost to my ego, as well as a keepsake. I'm thinking of having them framed!

Find out more at
  myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage

The great thing about spring cleaning is the old place looks lovely, as there's hardly enough stuff left for us to get it untidy again—at least until the next shopping expedition...

In Heart Of A Hostage, my latest book for The Wild Rose Press, a disaster means Maia has to stop living like a princess and face real life. She copes by spring cleaning the castle where she's being held hostage.  I don't believe domestic engineering is solely women's work, but scruffy, threadbare surroundings suck all the joy from life. Maia beats the men at their own game by proving she can rise to any occasion. I'm hoping a rigorous clear-out of my office inspires me to do the same!

Are you a hoarder? Or can you dispense with things the second they've served their purpose?

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at christinahollis.com

Her current release, Heart Of A Hostage, is published by The Wild Rose Press and available at myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage  worldwide, and from http://bit.ly/1iNf2Gw in the US.

Christina Hollis— Happy Valentine's Day!

A Valentine, just for you.

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s not only we humans who are in the mood for love at this time of year. Wildlife is warming up, too. 

Tradition says St Valentine's Day is when birds choose their mates. In actual fact, they start scouting round for partners and possible nest sites as soon as the hours of daylight increase, and the days get noticeably longer. 

We’ve had small birds chasing and displaying around our garden for weeks now.  Last week, I found the outer shell of a wren’s nest in the ivy behind one of our outhouses. That’s not to say we’ll be seeing babies in it any time soon. Mr Wren builds several homes, then invites a likely female to inspect all his available real estate. The birds only really get down to the business of raising a family when the female has chosen her favourite site.

During one very mild winter a few years ago, our local news reported a blackbird sitting on a nest she’d built behind a store’s Christmas display of plastic reindeer. The decorations had to stay in place until the beginning of February, to give the chicks time to safely fly the nest.

My surprise anniversary present

My husband is wonderfully romantic. We met on a blind date. He swept me straight off my feet, and they’ve hardly touched the ground since that first meeting. He chooses a Valentine card according to the words inside, rather than the picture on the outside (although that has to be good, too). He also manages to think up lovely surprises. I don’t know how he’s going to top the reconstruction of my wedding bouquet he commissioned from our local florist for our most recent wedding anniversary, though!

What’s the most romantic thing that’s ever happened to you? I’ll pick a comment at random after 19th February, and the winner will receive a copy of my latest release, Heart Of A Hostage.

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold over two million books worldwide. You can catch up with her at her blog, on Twitter, and Facebook and see a full list of her published books here.

 Her current release, Heart of A Hostage, is part of her Princes Of Kharova series published by The Wild Rose Press. It's available from http://bit.ly/1iNf2Gw in the US, and from myBook.to/HeartOfAHostage around the world. To find out more about Christina, you can sign up for her newsletter here.

Christina Hollis: Three Ways To Give Your New Year A Great Start

Here's how to raise your spirits from their post-holiday slump...

Feed The Birds...A plague of grey squirrels meant we had to temporarily stop using our bird tables. Watching birds is a big part of our everyday lives, and suddenly the wintry garden was still and quiet. 

At least finding stocking fillers was easy this Christmas. We all bought each other squirrel-proof bird feeders! It’s lovely to welcome back the local winged hoards. 

Our new feeders hang from smooth, squirrel-proof metal poles, but in this battle of wits I’m sure those pesky egg-thieves won’t be put off for long. Most of these feeding stations are close to the house, but a good distance from bushes where our cat might hide. He spends a lot of his time indoors and has always preferred catching furry critters to birds, but you never know...

Give A Bit Back...another way to raise your spirits is by helping out your local food bank  They will be grateful for donations of dry goods like pasta, rice and dried potatoes, tinned food and long-life goods such as UHT milk. Toiletries, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste aren’t glamorous, but they’re needed and always welcome. And rather than throw away unwanted presents in the post-holiday clear-out, see if a charity shop would like them. Hand on decent copies of magazines to the waiting room in your local clinic or hospital. They'll make hanging around a bit less stressful. 

Find out more at http://bit.ly/1iNf2Gw

Be Good To Yourself... get some fresh air. During the shortest, darkest days of the year, things always look better in daylight. Even if the weather’s foul, get outside the four walls of home for an hour or two. The sun’s still up there somewhere, and exposure to natural light will raise your seratonin levels to increase your feel-good factor.  If you feel the need for company, there are bound to be other people out and about, trying to work off all that good holiday food. Once you've had some exercise, you'll have earned some time alone with a good book!

What’s your favourite way of lightening the post-holiday gloom? Comment below for the chance to win a copy of my latest release, Heart Of A Hostage. I'll draw the name of the winner at random on 21st January.

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. Her latest book, Heart Of A Hostage, has just been released. You can catch up with Christina at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, and see a full list of her published books on her website.

Christina Hollis—A Giveaway, And A Very Early Christmas Present...

http://bit.ly/1ujX5zc

I'm running a Goodreads Giveaway this week over at http://bit.ly/1PBDK9H, so I hope you'll all join in! There's a free copy of my book His Majesty's Secret Passion on offer, which is the first novel in my Princes of Kharova series for The Wild Rose Press. 

King Leo's romance with career girl Sara in His Majesty's Secret Passion really set the ball rolling. Her Royal Risk followed. It was the linked story of King Leo's personal assistant, Krisia, who was "promoted" into a job with career soldier Prince Athan. Sparks flew, and led to a third book, Heart Of A Hostage, which is going to be launched on 4th December.  Visit my blog at Writing A Series to find out more, and read this teaser for my Giveaway...

The sea was so calm, Sara felt a wonderful sense of release. The Neroli swept across the surface like a swallow. She loved it. “You handle this boat like you were born to it, Leo.”

He seemed to find this funny. Seeing him look so happy made her heart do a little dance in her chest. The tousled man who kicked off his shoes and commanded his vessel barefoot and windblown was a world away from the sleek seducer of the night before...

http://bit.ly/1GQPIIq

Sara had a sudden crisis of conscience. She hadn’t texted her PA since the night before. Digging in her bag for her mobile, she switched it on. “Why do I get the funniest feeling I’m being watched?” she said without looking up from the keypad. 

“Because you are. And there are two good reasons for that.”

 “You’re going to moan at me for checking mail when I should be taking a break.”

“That was one of the reasons.”

She guessed the other before he put it into words. “Blushing suits you, Sara.”

“It’ll look a whole lot better when my skin’s lost this pasty white colour.”

Leo clicked his tongue. “A woman like you should be sophisticated enough to accept compliments with better grace.”

“Sorry, but I don’t take orders from a guy who looks like a pirate.” She lolled back against the rail. It felt good to let the sun pour over her body. “Stop laughing, Leo.”

“If I’m a pirate, then the sea should be my only mistress. Is that what you want?”

...and while you're in the mood for reading, here's a sneaky peek ahead of the release of Heart Of A Hostage....

Your early Christmas present!

When Maia's car breaks down in the middle of nowhere, a handsome stranger comes to her rescue. But Mihail is a rebel leader, and Maia's brother is the king. Mihail takes her hostage, but instead of the meek little mouse he expects, he finds he's snagged the houseguest from hell...

"We’re stuck with each other now, aren’t we? For my part, I’m not bothered," he said with a shrug, "I stopped caring what people thought about me years ago. But you…”

Maia watched, transfixed, as he lifted his hand. He traced the curve of her cheek with his fingers, gently kissing her skin with his touch. She couldn’t pull back. He was crossing more lines than she could count, and his deadly smile was a reminder of exactly how much trouble she was in...

If you live in the US, you can order a paperback copy of Heart Of A Hostage in advance of its release date here. If you'd rather have an ebook, or live outside the US, then click here.

When she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping, Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women.  Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold over two million books worldwide. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books on her website

i

Christina Hollis: Rebel Prince Of Kharova Steals Heart Of A Hostage Shock!

Coming Soon!

The cover of my twentieth novel, Heart Of A Hostage, has just been released. Heart Of A Hostage is the third book in my Princes Of Kharova series for the Wild Rose Press

The first book, His Majesty’s Secret Passion, sets the scene for all the stories that follow. Leo and Sara look on their holiday romance in Greece as some fun in the sun, with strictly no strings attached. She’s determined to go back to her career, while he has to return home to take over his ‘family business’, as he calls it.  Then she discovers the dangerous truth about Leo's life. In an instant, the lives of both Sara and Leo change forever. 

Her Royal Risk is the second book in the Princes Of Kharova series. It follows Leo’s outspoken personal assistant, Krisia, to her new job with Leo’s younger brother Prince Athan. With rebels threatening the future of Kharova and its new king, commando Athan is suddenly centre stage. The last thing he needs is Krisia trying to help out. Luckily, she isn’t a woman who takes no for an answer. The crown of Kharova is in so much trouble, Athan soon finds he needs her like never before. In all sorts of unexpected ways...

In my next book, Heart Of A Hostage, the focus switches from the two legitimate Princes Of Kharova to the pretender to their country’s throne. Four generations ago, Mihail Dukagjini’s royal ancestor was disinherited for eloping with a commoner. Descendants from that marriage have borne a grudge ever since, but their claim to the throne has never got them anywhere. Mihail is the last of the Dukagjini.  He’s more of a realist than his predecessors, but he’s got plenty of imagination and initiative. When the beautiful woman he rescues from a car breakdown turns out to be the king’s sister, Princess Maia, Mihail sees her as a bargaining chip rather than the girl he had a crush on eight years earlier. But Maia's not a blushing teenager any more. She's got no intention of being used as a pawn. 

Find out more at http://bit.ly/1GQPIIq

Here’s the tag line and blurb of Heart Of A Hostage. I'd love to know what you think!

Mihail walks out of Maia's past, and into her present. Who is in more trouble—kidnapper or victim?

Princess Maia has it all—including a horrible fiancé chosen for her by the king, and a family bullying her into doing the right thing—but all she wants is her independence. When she falls into the hands of rebel leader, Mihail, she tastes real freedom for the first time. Mihail is a lone wolf, Public Enemy Number One, and heir to a fierce tradition. A dangerous reputation, a castle full of guilty secrets and now rescuing Maia are all woven into his master plan. He can’t lose.

Until his unexpected hostage turns out to be the house guest from hell...

There's something unusual about the background to Heart Of A Hostage, but I’m only revealing that little nugget to readers of my newsletter. The autumn edition comes out in October.  As well as background details about Heart Of A Hostage, it will also contain news of my latest short story, My Dream Guy, together with a seasonal recipe, an update on my bees after their recent scare, and a competition to win one of my books. 

Sign up to my mailing list here to get a copy delivered straight to your inbox, as soon as it's ready!

Christina Hollis: Extract, Heart Of A Hostage...

Find out more at http://bit.ly/1GQPIIq

I'm working on the final edit of the third book in my Princes of Kharova series for The Wild Rose Press. This story is called Heart of a Hostage (although that detail may change). It lands rebel leader Mihail, and his enemy Princess Maia, in a whole load of trouble. He's a fighter, and she's a diplomat but rules, like promises and pie crusts, are made to be broken.

After Leo and Sara's romance in His Majesty's Secret Passion and the fireworks between Athan and Krisia in Her Royal Risk, Heart of A Hostage spreads the Kharovan net wider. Leo and Athan's younger sister, Maia, wants to be part of the modernisation of her old-fashioned country on the Mediterranean coast. For all their go-ahead ideas, her brothers still want her to have an arranged marriage.  When she falls into the hands of rebel leader Mihail, things take a sinister turn.  

Here's an extract from right at the beginning of the book, where Maia and Mihail meet for the first time. Her official car has broken down in the middle of nowhere. While she's exploring the countryside with her little dog, she's confronted by a handsome stranger...

“What’s the matter?” His voice was as rough as his stubble.

“ I want to go back to my car.”

“Not possible. Sorry.” 

That must top the chart of most insincere apologies, ever.

“My driver and my bodyguard…they’ll be worried.”

“Not about you. They've got other things to think about, such as their own skins. I’ve got lookouts posted everywhere. They’re busy taking your vehicles to a place of safety.”

“You mean they’re stealing them.”

“Haven’t you heard the saying ‘all’s fair in love and war’?”

Maia looked him up and down. There wasn’t any room to hide a weapon in his white tee shirt and tight jeans, so she lifted her chin and tried to calm her breathing.

  “This is neither. You’re a rebel and a thief, Mihail Dukagjini, and I want to go home.”

“No. And I haven’t stolen anything for years.”

He reached out, ready to trail his fingers down her cheek. Maia recoiled. Truffle tensed and she waited for the dog to lunge at her attacker, but he wasn’t going to challenge Mihail. Petrified to have someone stand up to his threats for once, Truffle turned tail and stuck his head under her arm. 

Find out more at http://bit.ly/1ujX5zc

The rebel’s arm kept on moving. Quivering almost as much as her dog, Maia turned, and tried to run. Mihail laughed.

“Where are you going? And how far do you think you'll get?”

“I don’t care! It'll be away from you. That's a start...”

He overtook her in a few yards, barring her way. 

“Escape? In those shoes? Come on.” 

“Where?”

He groaned. “It wasn’t an invitation, it was sarcasm. If you want shade, you’ll have to follow me. Once I’ve sorted out what to do with you, I must get up onto the road and make sure my men rip any tracker devices out of your vehicles.” 

“What are you going to do to me?”

“To you? Not concerned about your staff, then?’ His mouth was an economical line. ‘Aren’t you worried what I might be going to do to them?”  

Cut off from her men and face to face with someone who wanted her family forced from power, Maia was more on edge than Truffle. Her fiancé's family had spent the last six months drilling the rules of Kharovan diplomacy into her. What were engaged princesses supposed to do in this sort of situation? She racked her brains. No…none of those endless lectures covered anything like this. The only thing she had to fall back on was ten generations of Gregoryanak arrogance. It wasn't a soft landing.

“I am a princess of the blood royal. I demand you return me to my family.”

Mihail clicked his tongue. “I hope you aren't trying to impress me.”

Maia’s insides spiraled in a plunging turmoil of despair. My ancestry is all I’ve got, she thought, and he knows it.

Maia is horrified to be the prisoner of the man who is rumoured to have killed his own grandfather in his search for power. The last thing Mihail wants is the inconvenience of a hostage, but the family of Maia's future husband won't have anything to do with her now her reputation's wrecked by her association with Public Enemy Number One. It's stalemate, until Maia discovers Mihail has something a lot more frightening than illicit alcohol tucked away in his rebel hideout.

What do you think of Heart Of A Hostage  so far? You can find out more in my next newsletter, which is due in a couple of weeks.  Sign up for it here!

Christina Hollis writes contemporary fiction starring complex men and independent women–when she isn't cooking, gardening or beekeeping. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages, and she’s sold nearly three million books worldwide. You can catch up with her at http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com, on Twitter, Facebook, and see a full list of her published books at http://www.christinahollis.com. Her current release, Her Royal Risk, is published by Wild Rose Press and available at http://bit.ly/1GQPIIq.