Going Retro

IMG_0608  Now Available In Paperback!

Well, to say that I’ve been anticipating this day for a long time is an understatement.  Finally, I am thrilled to announce that my novel, The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris is now available to purchase in paperback on Amazon.  It is the one year anniversary of publishing my eBook and the response has been fantastic so far.

However, so many of you have requested a paperback version that it makes me realise – people still like to have the option of reading a physical book.  Digital publishing is such an exciting revolution, but for a lot of people, there’s just nothing like a real book.  And I have to say, I count myself among you.  I guess it’s a bit like vinyl – you can really appreciate the artwork and there’s just something about the feel of the pages between your fingertips that (for me anyway) eBooks cannot replace.  So fill your boots people!  And spread the word – The Mysterious Bakery is going retro 🙂  Now you can tweet all your photos to @evgaughan of my book being read in exotic locations à la Amélie and the travelling gnome!

Oh, and if you’re looking for a recommendation, why not check out my latest 5 star review on Amazon UK by Bodicia.

After finding herself feeding mints to an unhappy child like some sort of maiden aunt, Edith Lane decides enough is enough and something drastic must be done. She answers an advert in the paper for an English speaking manager for a bakery in Paris and when, to her surprise, she gets accepted immediately she whips out a French phrasebook and books a flight. Quiet and unassuming Edith finds herself not in Paris but in a beautiful town about an hours drive away and in a very small room which would be more suited to a mouse. Deciding adventure doesn’t necessarily mean immediate gratuitous pleasure she stays anyway and quickly settles in with the locals. But who is curling the croissants at 4am and why can’t she go down to the basement?

I loved Edith and this book is an absolute cracker with a cast of wonderful characters who ooze ‘Frenchness’. It’s about a woman who, having spent several years looking after other people, broke free of the doldrums and sets out to see what she can do to get some adventure out of life. There is a love interest but it is fraught with moral implications. There are moments in the book which had me in stitches particularly when Edith is in a club and comes face to face with the hole in the floor which serves as the loo – the joys of French plumbing. This is a book which encourages independence and standing up for what is right and a story of a strong community who is appreciative of the past and proud of who they are.

Evie Gaughan’s writing style is on point and so engaging. Right from page one I was hooked – there’s humour, a cracking story and likable characters. Take advantage of the ‘Look Inside’ on Amazon and have a read for yourself.

Discover the heirloom that unlocks a door to Ireland’s medieval past…

Santiago collage KINDLE SALE!!!  $0.99/£0.99 Amazon US & Amazon UK

‘Two couples separated by four centuries are bound by one golden cross…’

A mysterious heirloom, once worn by a Knight of the Spanish Armada, holds the secret to a past life. When Amanda Morrison receives this unusual gift, it marks the beginning of an extraordinary journey into the past, which will challenge her beliefs and open her heart.

An epic story full of historical intrigue and parallel lives, The Cross Of Santiago is a book for anyone who believes in the transcendent power of love.

REVIEWS for The Cross Of Santiago

Four star review for The Cross of Santiago from Trish at Between My Lines here.

Overall, this book has a little bit of everything; an epic romance, adventure, great locations, well researched historical fiction and some dream interpretation.   The mixture of the two stories leads to a snappy, well paced story that kept me excited and invested in the plot.

Official OnlineBookClub.org review for The Cross Of Santiago here.

“The Cross of Santiago” is an intelligent and well written historical romance book. I love historical fiction with a bit of romantic story-line thrown in and this book sure fits the bill. The beginning looked promising and what followed didn’t disappoint.

Check out the reviews for The Cross Of Santiago on Barnes & Noble here.

The Cross of Santiago is a heart-warming, astonishing novel of love and destiny.

I read this novel over a rainy weekend and lost myself completely in it’s charming story, which was full of twists and turns.

Mira’s enchanting review on Forever Book Lover here.

It’s clear the author knows a lot about the time period, and she managed to change the setting to make the reader really feel like they went back in time.

The characters and plot were complex and intriguing enough to capture, and hold, my attention.

Amazon reviews for The Cross Of Santiago can be found here.

As a debut novel it is praiseworthy and as historical fiction goes, I would have to compare it with others I’ve read in the genre such as Diana Gabaldon, Ken Follet and Kate Mosse. All in all, a great read if you’re into romance and adventure with some informative history to boot, The Cross Of Santiago comes highly recommended.

Evie recreated the city perfectly, making me think I was there. The adventures in this book made me stay put and read it all in a heart beat!

Read Goodreads reviews for The Cross Of Santiago here.

I have never read a story like The Cross of Santiago and Evie Gaughan’s attention to detail is amazing, particularly when writing about the historical part of the story.  Readers of historical romance will be hooked on Amanda and Xavier’s story.

Evie Gaughan also has a good sense of humor that shows through her characters.  A good portion of The Cross of Santiago takes place in the 1500′s so if you like historical fiction, you’ll like this book. But that’s not all…it has adventure, romance, and humor.

Online Book Club Review

The Mysterious Bakery On Rue de Paris (7) - Copy  Check out the latest review for The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris by The Online Book Club. Then get your copy for just £1 on Amazon!

At 35, Edith Lane feels like life is passing her by. Having recently lost her mother and working a dead-end waitressing job, she feels like her life is going nowhere. In the throes of a midlife crisis, Edith responds to an advertisement for the job of a manager at a little bakery in Compiègne, France.

Believing she will be starting a new life in Paris, Edith packs up her belongings and leaves her home of Ireland for the first time to board a plane to France. However, her dream is quickly shattered when she arrives in Paris to discover Compiègne is actually one hour north and not in the City of Love at all.

Edith gets off to a rocky start with her boss, Madame Moreau, who’s cold demeanor makes Edith regret her decision to leave Ireland and her father behind. Despite the cold welcoming, she befriends a local French hairstylist, Nicole, and her husband Johnny, and meets an attractive man whom she quickly falls for.

Just as Edith is feeling like she’s settling in and making a life for herself, she learns her new boss may have some secrets that threaten to take that away and an even bigger secret that Edith struggles to believe. Will Edith be able to overcome her fears and help her seemingly distant boss or will she run back to the safety of Ireland, leaving the mysterious bakery behind?

I liked this book a lot, although it did have a slow beginning. I struggled at first to get into the book and wasn’t sure if I’d be able to finish. I also initially didn’t really like Edith; I thought she whined too much and made everything into a bigger deal than necessary, however, as the story went on I really grew to love her and all the other characters as well.

The character development for Madame Moreau is the most impressive because once the reader learns about her history everything begins to make sense and the reader can really understand why she seems to hold everyone at arm’s length.

What I loved most about the book was the description of this tiny town in France. I could almost see the old, antique houses, cobblestone alleyways and the cozy cafés serving fresh cheese, baguettes, and wine. It was these descriptions that really began to draw me into the story.

Once I got into it and, along with Edith, began to uncover the history of Compiègne and of Madame Moreau I found there was much more to this story than I thought. It is about love, dedication, family, and friendship and despite the bumps along the way gave the happy ending I was hoping for.

Overall, I’d rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The reason I give it that rating is because I did find the beginning a bit slow and some parts a little unbelievable, but I still think it was a sweet story that ultimately made me smile at the end. This book would be ideal for someone who likes a bit of mystery alongside romance, but also travel as well.

The Morning After The Night Before

It’s official – book number two is launched!  And I’m happy to report that the feedback has been wonderfully positive.  It’s always a tense time, just after you release a book, and people are finally reading all those words you’ve knitted so carefully together.  You hope and pray that you’ve managed to be entertaining, interesting and unique, both in style and subject matter.  But the proof of the pudding is in the eating….. hang on, I’m totally mixing up my metaphors – knitting and baking?!  That’s what a book launch will do to you.  Anyway, the point is that writing a book is only the beginning.  As much as I would love to sit back in a leather, wing-backed chair and give myself a congratulatory pat on the back for a job well done, maybe even smoke a cigar and wave a tumbler of brandy under my nose, the reality is, I’ve got to promote my tushie off!  My book might have made it onto the Kindle Store Best Seller List, but there are zillions of people out there who have no idea it exists and I have to spend every waking hour trying to figure out how to reach them.  Rather, I have to figure out how to reach them, without being lost among the swathes of other authors trying to reach the same people.

So here’s the part where you come in.  “What, Me?”  I hear you say.  Well you didn’t think you were just a sleeping partner in this blog post did you?  If you have been wonderful enough to download a copy of ‘The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris’, then let me just tell you right now that you have invested in my future as a writer.  It’s a common fact, that every time someone downloads a self-published book on Kindle, an Indie Author gets their wings.  Okay, maybe that part isn’t entirely true, but the first bit is.  Writers just want to write, but the validation of a reader really gives you conviction to keep writing.  This is a tough industry in a major state of flux, so more than ever, readers are calling the shots.  And rightfully so.  I’m going off on a bit of a tangent, but my point is this:  If you download a book by an Indie author and you enjoy it, please share your thoughts with your friends and most importantly (if you can) leave a review.  Reviews are always a great help to people when they’re trying to make their mind up on a purchase, but especially when it comes to self-published books.  We are unknown authors with no marketing team behind us, so basically our readers are our marketing team.  Which is actually brilliant, because they have no vested interest in encouraging others to buy your book.  Readers just want a good book, no matter who published it.  So, if you can, please do write a review, short or long, scant or plentiful, it doesn’t matter.  Just a few words to say what you thought of the book can really make a huge difference to an author’s career.  Seriously.  Even if it’s not a glowing five stars, a book can have its flaws, but still be an enjoyable read.  I’d be happy to recommend books I’ve given three stars to, because they were worth the journey.  

Now, seeing as I’ve got my sales hat on, I had better provide you with the links (smooth, no?)  And remember, if you have a subscription with Amazon Prime, you can borrow my book for free!

Amazon UK £1.83

Amazon US  $2.99

Amazon Best Seller!

So I woke up this morning to find that I’m currently ranked at number 16 on Amazon’s Best Seller’s List for Women’s Historical Fiction!  I can’t honestly express how exciting that is – after months of scribbling away by myself, then proof reading, editing, re-drafting and finally designing a cover and booking my release date and promotional tour… it’s just amazing.  In fact, I’m on top of the world!

 

 

Last night I took a screen shot of my ranking on Amazon, thinking it just couldn’t get any better, but then…

Image

This morning I saw this!!  I’m just behind Barbara Erskine!  Kate Morton is number 1 and I’m 16 – it’s a dream 🙂  So I want to say a heart-felt thank you to my readers and to all of my supporters (you know who you are).  Launching a book is challenging at the best of times, but when you have a team of enthusiastic people behind you, who believe in you and your writing, it makes it all worth while.  So now it’s time to start thinking about book number three!

Amazon 16 screenshotGet your copy of The Mysterious Bakery On Rue De Paris on Amazon now, or share the link with your bookworm buddies.

The Mysterious Bakery On Rue de Paris