Today on PRETTY FEET I'm welcoming the fabulous Michelle Betham, whose huge novel, Striker, is the first book of her sizzling hot Striker Football Trilogy, for Harper Impulse.

About Michelle...
I’ve been making up stories for as long as I can remember, so it stood to reason that, at some point, I’d start writing some of them down. I currently have ten novels in total to my name, ranging from the sweet to the really quite steamy – which is my favourite kind of romance! 

When I’m not creating hot heroes and sexy scenarios I like to read everything from erotica to horror. I’m also a bit of a TV addict with a penchant for “binge-watching”, I love football, darts and rock music, have a slight obsession with Timothy Olyphant, and I’m also an unashamed ‘Breaking Bad’ geek! 

And Michelle's book...

Striker.

This summer, it’s time to play dirty…

Amber Sullivan is an ambitious, beautiful and feisty Sports reporter for a local TV news programme. With an ex-professional soccer player for a father, she’s grown up in and around the world of premiership football, and boy does she know better than to get mixed up with the men who play the game. As rich and charming as they are, Amber has a strict no player rule.

One of the biggest names in football, Ryan Fisher is young, hot, and talented. He has it all – looks, fame, money; not to mention women falling at his over-insured feet and a lifestyle he’s in no hurry to give up.

At the centre of a multi-million-pound transfer deal back to his home club, Ryan’s a big scoop for a local sports journalist and Amber can’t afford to miss this career-making opportunity – even if that means having to interview the cocky sports star.

But once the tape starts rolling it’s clear Ryan’s got more than just an exclusive on his mind… and he’s used to getting exactly what he wants.

Delving into the lives of those who live and work within the so-called Beautiful Game, ‘Striker’ – book one in a trilogy of novels - is a story of sex, secrets and the true cost of fame.

Footballers’ Wives meets Jackie Collins in this sizzling scorcher of a summer read!

(‘Extra Time’ – Book 2 in the ‘Striker Trilogy’ will be released on July 10th.)

Where to buy Striker...
Amazon UK 
Amazon.com 
Kobo 
Barnes & Noble 
Sainsbury’s
Google Play 

And now for Michelle's shoes...

And Michelle's Shoe Story...

Now, I know these aren’t actually the prettiest of shoes – they’re not even shoes! But that’s because I very rarely wear shoes. If I’m not in my battered old biker boots I can be found in a pair of trainers or baseball boots, because that’s just the way I am. I actually love the idea of heels, I’m just not very good at walking in them, and when your husband compares you to Dick Emery every time you slip on a pair of stilettos and attempt to make it to the car without breaking your ankle, it kind of makes you wary of them. So I stick to my boots. And these boots in particular are actually quite special to me. They were bought for a reason – I had this fab pair of combat pants (I’m really not very “girlie” at all!) that I’d bought for the Take That Progress Live Gig at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light back in May 2011, but I had no boots or trainers to go with them. So when I saw these, which were the perfect colour, I just had to have them! Everything for that gig had to be right, because it was a day to remember for so many reasons. Not only was it the day I officially became an author – my very first self-published novel ‘No Matter What’ had just gone live that day – but it was also the day of a very special reunion. Yes, Take That weren’t the only ones getting back together. Back in the 90s myself and a group of friends had spent a great deal of our time (and probably money, too) following Take That, seeing them live all over the country. We’d met through our love of Take That, and we’d had some really amazing times together over the years, during the height of Take That madness – first time around! 

But, as is usual with life, we drifted apart. As did Take That. And, ever since the Take That reunion we’d all been trying to get back in touch with each other – I guess all the nostalgia got to us. So it had to happen. And it was the Progress Live gig which finally saw us have that reunion of our own, back together for the first time in years, watching the band that brought us all together in the first place. It was a fabulous night, the gig was amazing, my feet were incredibly comfortable thanks to those boots of mine, oh, and that day my very first self-published novel – which went on to become a bestseller, reaching #20 in Contemporary Romance in the Spring of 2012 – sold 13 copies! Yeah. It was a great day…

Wow, don't they look fab? Michelle is second from the left, but you knew that anyway didn't you?

Where to find Michelle...
Blog 
Facebook
Facebook Author Page 
Twitter

Thanks for a fab post Michelle. I can't wait for your next two books – they'll certainly guarantee we all have a red hot summer!

Today on Pretty Feet I'm welcoming the lovely Wendy Lou Jones, whose new release, By My Side, is her second book for Harper Impulse.

About Wendy...
My name is Wendy Lou Jones. I was born and raised in West Sussex, England and moved to Birmingham to study Medicine at University, where I was lucky enough to meet my husband. We now live in a little village in Herefordshire with our two grubby boys. I discovered a love of writing not long after my youngest son started school. And if you were to ask me what it was that made me make the switch, I’d tell you quite simply, that it started with a dream. 

And her latest book...

By My Side

Betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend, Lena is left empty; trapped under a weight of guilt and loneliness. Then, at her lowest point and when she needs it most, a mysterious stranger comes into her life with a tale of friendship, family, and finding love in the most unexpected of places…

Katy Heath is definitely not thinking of love when she comes across consultant, Adam Elliott, berating some poor patient on the ward one day. In fact it is Dr Peter Florin who quickly has everyone’s hearts aflutter with his easy smiles and practised charm.

Yet Katy comes to realise that there’s more to Adam than his determination to push everyone away and it’s not long before she finds herself longing to reach out to touch the man within, healing the pain of his past.

As Lena is drawn into Katy’s story, she begins to learn – just as Katy does - that the course of true love never did run smooth.

Where to buy By My Side...

Find all the buy links at: www.harperimpulseromance.com/authors/wendy-lou-jones

And now for Wendy's shoes...

And Wendy's shoe story...Killer Heels

A few years back, just before I started to write, I was shocked by a hideous picture of myself, into going on a long diet. For nine months I counted calories and took myself off to swim.  With two little children, I had had little time to exercise and plenty of left-overs to consume, but  by the end of it I had lost over 2 and ½ stone and was back down to the weight I was when I got married, if not the shape. It wasn’t long after this that I was invited to my husband’s work’s Christmas Party and I needed to dress up and show off the new me. I bought a pair of long, flowing black trousers and a halter neck top in black with sparkles; all I needed were some heels. I wanted to look good, the first time I had a chance of doing this in years, so I hunted around for some black heels with either gold or silver decoration on them. They needed to be high, because my legs aren’t the longest and the trousers really were. Then bingo, I found them: a cross between gold and silver very high and absolutely fabulous. What could possibly go wrong?

Pain, that’s what could go wrong. I hadn’t even got to the meal and my feet were killing me. I was used to living in pumps and flat boots, not 6 inch high heels. The thought of the dance floor was making me quake. But I gave it a go and only slipped out of them once or twice while I was resting through the bad songs, finally pulling them off in the car on the way back home.

‘F**k-me heels’, that’s what the other women there had called them. That’s what I called them too after that, but not in the same way! I love my shoes. I’ve never worn them again, but they stand on top of my wardrobe, in pride of place as a piece of art to be appreciated.

Now I take more care of my feet and keep them warm and snug whenever I can.

Where to find Wendy...
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Thanks so much for that fab story Wendy...I love your shoes, but those slippers look SO comfy.