Not really.  I just couldn’t pass up the perfect opportunity to quote Captain America.  But today is the final day in the Blowing Off Steam blog tour – though the lovely BDF Book Blogs are hosting me for a Facebook chat on Monday, and it would be fantastic to see you there.

Today’s tour stops:

Foxylutely Books (with a 5 star review)

Hearts on Fire

The Novel Approach

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Multitasking Mommas

Velvet Panic

Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter draw if you haven’t already done so!

And because this is probably the last time I can justifiably post a picture of a steam locomotive on this blog, I leave you with this beauty:

I’m being kept very busy today – there are no fewer than six blog visits on the schedule!  As always, thank you to the bloggers for hosting me and to everyone who’s been part of the tour so far.  It’s been lovely talking to you.  Do drop in on one or more of the blogs and enter the rafflecopter draw while you’re there.

Today’s stops:

The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T Kat

Redz World

Bike Book Reviews (with what may be the world’s first house-spider system of rating!)

Molly Lolly – includes bonus Blowing Off Steam scene exclusive to Molly Lolly

Vampires, Werewolves and Faires, Oh My!

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Blowing Off Steam is released today, and in celebration I’m visiting four blogs (listed below), where I share my favourite authors, recipes and more. Do drop by if you have a moment, and don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter draw for a $20 (or equivalent local currency) gift card while you’re there.

Thank you again to all the bloggers hosting me on this tour – you’re so generous with your time and energy. And to Will of Pride Promotions, who is a treasure.  And also to Amy Sherwood, my editor at Samhain, who is not only a terrific editor with an eagle eye but has the patience of a saint.

Today’s stops:

MM Good Book Reviews (with a 5 heart review!)

Book Reviews and More by Kathy

BFD Book Blog (and a 5 star review!)

And while not part of the tour, Gay Guy Reading has given Blowing Off Steam a wonderful review with the stamp of “Highly Recommended” and an equally wonderful banner to go with it.  I did get a little over-excited when I saw the picture of the train.  It seems I’ve gone from knowing nothing about steam locomotives when I started writing this book to being heavily invested in them.  I see a holiday travelling the West Highland Line on a steam train in my near future!

The Blowing Off Steam blog tour starts today! It lasts for a week, with a $20 Amazon gift card on offer, as well as posts about trains, spiders, and my favourite couples from literature (somehow Pongo and Missis made their way onto that list).

It will be lovely to see people at any of the stops, where I’ll be popping in and out all day if you have any questions for me. I’ll post the links on a daily basis as they go live (and you get a Rafflecopter entry for every blog you leave a comment on). A Rafflecopter giveaway

Today’s stops:

Bayou Book Junkie (where the book has received a 5 star review!)

Cate Ashwood

Love Bytes

Prism Book Alliance

My very grateful thanks to all of the bloggers who are hosting me and to Will at Pride Promotions for his exemplary organisational skills.

RT Magazine has given Blowing Off Steam a great 4.5 star review:

“…Watching these two fall in love is the best thing that’s happened to UK railroads since Thomas the Tank Engine.”

The review has cleared up something that’s been puzzling me, which is precisely where my desire to write about trains originated from.  Several people have asked and until now I’ve had no idea.  But I forgot about Thomas.

Ah, Thomas the Tank Engine.  I remember pestering my dad at an airshow until he gave in and bought a ticket for us all to ride the motorised Thomas that was zipping up and down the runways.  Of course it broke down at the furthest point from anywhere and we had to walk about a mile in the blazing midday sun.  I was not overly popular with the rest of my family.

Later, when I was a rock and roll chick (hey, it was the eighties.  Everyone listened to Bon Jovi and Metallica and had big hair) I still loved Thomas – the leather jacket I wore to countless gigs at the Marquee club sported a James the Red Engine pin.  It’s even possible that I had a brief foray into writing fanfiction for Thomas.  Don’t tell me no one else sees the unresolved sexual tension between Thomas and that cheeky little chappie Percy.

 

Blowing Off Steam is released next week, and Samhain is currently offering it at a 30% discount.