A Book Launch & Obscure Loves

I'm so excited to tell you that Rhoda Baxter has a new book out today! I loved Girl on the Run and can't wait to read Rhoda's new novel; Girl in Trouble. 

Just to tempt you, here's the fabulous cover and book blurb:

Girl In Trouble blurb:

Grown up tomboy Olivia doesn't need a man to complete her. Judging by her absent father, men aren't that reliable anyway. She's got a successful career, good friends and can evict spiders from the bath herself, so she doesn't need to settle down, thanks.

Walter's ex is moving his daughter to America and Walter feels like he's losing his family. When his friend-with-benefits, Olivia, discovers she's pregnant by her douchebag ex, Walter sees the perfect chance to be part of a family with a woman he loves. But how can Walter persuade the most independent woman he's ever met to accept his help, let alone his heart?

Girl In Trouble is the third book in the award nominated Smart Girls series by Rhoda Baxter. If you like charming heroes, alpha heroines and sparkling dialogue, you'll love this series. Ideal for fans of Sarah Morgan, Lindsey Kelk or Meg Cabot's Boy books. Buy now and meet your new favourite heroine today.

Now for the challenge:

Walter thinks hydro-thermal vents are beautiful. Strangely no-one else shares his passion. Following on from this Rhoda asked what my obscure love is and why...

The answer is figure skating.

Now, I know on the surface it doesn't really seem all that obscure. After all, what little girl who'd read Noel Streatfeild's White Boots didn't grow up dreaming of learning to skate like Harriet? Or stare transfixed at the TV screen watching Torvill and Dean, and fall in love with the beauty, grace and fabulous costumes?

However, there are several factors that might not be be considered when you're sitting on a nice comfy sofa in the warm:

1. Early mornings - Skating lessons tend to take place outside general public skating times. In my case this was 7am. On Saturday and Sunday!
2. It's cold - I know that's an obvious one, but until you've spent two hours at a rink you don't appreciate just how cold it is.
3. Falling over hurts - Think about it, you're landing on solid ice. It's hard. And despite how easy the professionals make it look, the reality is it took a lot of practice and falls to reach that standard.
4. Toe picks - These are the spiky bits at the front of a figure skating blade. They're great for fancy footwork and helping you leap into the air for jumps. They're also great for tripping over (refer to 3 above).
5. The chicken dance - You will undoubtedly see this move at your local rink. You must not laugh. Not until you've tried crossing your feet one behind the other and discovered that flapping your arms and bobbing your head, whilst utterly unhelpful, is apparently essential.

So, basically what I should have said at the start of this blog is: My obscure love is for giving up my weekend lie in to spend hours in the cold, with tiny bits of metal strapped to my feet, whilst attempting to defy logic by taking a literal leap of faith and jumping as high as I can on the assumption that this time I will land on the blade and not my head.

Hydro-thermal vents are suddenly looking far more appealing right now aren't they?