NEW RELEASE
The Queen of New Beginnings - Erica James (2010)
Screenwriter Clayton Miller is hiding out in a remote country house after committing a rather public fall from grace. Voiceover artist Alice used to live at Cuckoo House - not that she wants anyone to know that - and returns to her childhood home as a cleaner. After a less-than-stellar beginning, Clayton and Alice hit it off and eventually reveal their secrets to each other, explaining what caused Alice's family life to disintegrate and why Clayton has become such a reviled figure. In this case, Erica James is the queen of intriguing beginnings - and you'll enjoy the characters' journey out of isolation - starting with Clayton's obituary-writing funk and Alice's Latvian pretence - to a happier ending.
Here is a sneak peek at the cover of Erica James' 14th novel The Queen of New Beginnings. The summary says: "Clayton Miller's life is a mess. His career as one of the country's best comedy scriptwriters has stalled and his long-term girlfriend has left him for his ex-best friend and ex-writing partner. Just when he thinks his life couldn't get any worse, he commits a spectacularly public fall from grace and with the press hounding him, his agent banishes him to the middle of nowhere until the dust has settled. At a remote country house he meets Alice Shoemaker, a voiceover artist who habitually goes to great lengths to avoid telling the truth. After agreeing to help out a friend, by shopping and cleaning for the unknown man staying at Cuckoo House, she soon becomes suspicious that her strange and obnoxiously rude client has something to hide. But equally so does she. When they discover the truth about each other they form an unlikely friendship, until Alice discovers Clayton has betrayed her in the worst possible way." The Queen of New Beginnings hits shelves in February.