Rose McClelland - Published Author!

Hello there! Just wanted to write a follow up on my last post:  

It has only been five weeks since then and yet it feels like much longer (in a good way!)

It’s good for me to ‘check-in’ on what’s been happening, so that I can look back one day and say, ‘oh yeah, I remember that, that was so cool’.

So here goes.

Release day – 6 April – A text from my sister Ruth woke me up at 6.30am –

“I bought it! I bought it!”

I sprang out of bed and was on my laptop before I could say “Coffee”.
Loads of lovely messages were coming in from my friends on Facebook telling me that they had bought the book.

By lunchtime I was receiving an email from my publisher saying that the book was showing early signs of reaching the Top 100 in Women’s fiction.  Over the moon, I trotted off to Café Vaudeville to meet friends Laura and Lisa for a celebratory lunch.  By the time we had finished lunch, the book was sitting at number 45! It was fantastic.

That evening I went out for the night with friends and halfway through the evening checked my phone to discover it was now at number 35! Okay, I won’t lie, I was checking my phone constantly. I can now see why people can end up with a gambling addiction – the adrenalin of checking one’s ratings is quite a buzz.

Anyway, here’s a summary of all the lovely reviews and articles that have taken place in just five weeks.  I feel very grateful indeed!

LONDONDERRY SENTINEL: here

BELFAST TELEGRAPH: here

REA BOOK REVIEWS: here

PAGE BOOKSHELF CENTRAL: here

DERRY JOURNAL: here

CHICK-LIT CENTRAL: here

CHICK LIT PLUS here

TRASHIONISTA here and here

HELLO YOU - YASMIN SELENA BLOG: here

MICHELLE BETHAM BLOG: here

My book has also received gorgeous reviews on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon Worldwide.
You can check the reviews out here:
and for US/ Worldwide here:

The book is at a discounted this weekend as part of a Crooked Cat May sale so grab it while you can!

To finish, I am going to tell you about the Sunday World article.  This was a lovely full page article (except for a panel of advertising along the side) on my book. I have not posted this article before because, being the usual self-critical person that I am, I was unsure about the photo.  Let me tell you about this photo-shoot.  The lovely Eavan Murray of the Sunday World phoned me and said, “Oh hi Rose, any chance you can be at the Belfast Telegraph in ten minutes to get your photo taken?” Knowing that one has to grab an opportunity when it arises, I legged it down Royal Avenue, in the pouring rain, worrying about the frizz issue with my hair and the fact that I’d had no time to fix my make-up.  It’ll be grand, I thought. They’ll give me ten minutes to sort my hair out.

No.
The photographer was waiting around the side entrance of The Belfast Telegraph.  He was all smiles and very encouraging about my book. But he was also a pro and didn’t waste too much time hanging around. “Dump your bags there and we’ll take a few quick pics”.

“But what about my make-up?” I asked, in a helpless little voice.
“You’re grand!”

So he had me leaning against walls, jumping over puddles and doing all sorts of poses *without my full slap on*.  This is incredible as normally I don’t even make it to the corner shop without the full face painted! And there, in full glory to all and sundry of Belfast, a humongous photo was sprawled across the page.

However, I am not blaming the photographer – the camera never lies and all that malarkey, and he could only work with what was presented to him, so no, I am not blaming him at all.

Also their choice of photo blended in quite well with the lovely optimistic inspirational article that Eavan kindly wrote.

So I AM GOING TO BE BRAVE AND POST THE PHOTO TO SHOW YOU ALL.

Because, let’s face it, it’s not every day you get your bake in the Sunday newspaper.

Oh, and because of the article, all the lovely Northern Irish people went online and bought the book, pushing the ratings back up into the Top 100  :o)

Oh my goodness! I forgot to tell you the BIGGEST news of all!

My SECOND novel has now also been approved for publication!

Crooked Cat will release "How To Look Like You" on 5th July 2012.

Here's the blurb!

How To Look Like You

Have you ever had a frenemy? Someone you smile at sweetly but secretly you are filled with jealousy? Meet Chloe and Ella.

While Chloe sees herself as dowdy, quiet and going nowhere, Ella is brimming with talents: acting, singing, and outward-sitting, bronzed boobs.

Yet, Ella envies Chloe’s steady relationship with Aidan, her stick-thin figure and her perfectly poised style. As a result, Ella feels overweight, over-single and over-the-hill.

As Ella begins to work alongside Aidan, she develops feelings she shouldn’t have. When he invites her to join his band, it’s no surprise Chloe reacts by slamming the door off the handle.

Then Chloe begins a strategy of her own: Operation Simon. If she starts to go out more often with the bloke from work, surely Aidan would take notice?

Will Aidan smell Simon’s advances? Will Chloe and Aidan’s shared plans go ahead?

Will Ella become a friend or an enemy?

Find out How To Look Like YOU.