You lucky lucky people 🙂

I don’t normally post on Wednesdays (apart from the IWSG) but, today, I have a very special guest for you 🙂

Nicky Wells writes fun and glamorous contemporary romance featuring a rock star and the girl next door. A signed author with U.S. publisher, Sapphire Star Publishing, Nicky is in the throes of publishing her Rock Star Romance Trilogy. Nicky loves rock music, dancing, and eating lobsters. When she’s not writing, Nicky is a wife, mother, and occasional teaching assistant.

Originally born in Germany, Nicky moved to the United Kingdom in 1993, and currently lives in Lincoln with her husband and their two boys. In a previous professional life, Nicky worked as a researcher and project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington, D.C.

Visit Nicky on her blog where you can find articles, interviews, radio interviews and, of course, an ongoing update on her work in progress. You can also follow Nicky on Twitter and find her on Facebook. Nicky is a featured author on the innovative reader/author project, loveahappyending.com and has joined the Romantic Novelists Association. Nicky also has author pages at Sapphire, Amazon and, of course, Goodreads.

Her newest publication, Sophie’s Run was published earlier this month, the follow up to Sophie’s Turn which was published last September.

Her famous star remains her rock while life takes her on a little detour…
Who says that the road towards true love is straight and even? Sophie is certainly discovering that it is anything but.

So she has finally found the man of her dreams! Well… she knows who he is, even though she hasn’t actually quite met him yet. But she misses her opportunity, and then her life goes crazy. Rock star and ex-fiancé, Dan, keeps getting in the way of her new romance—even if he is just trying to be helpful. A fire, an impromptu mini-trip with Dan, and a dreaded wedding later, Sophie is still struggling to meet the love of her life. Then, just as she is getting it together with her perfect man, best friend Rachel commits an act of unspeakable betrayal.

Sophie has had enough. Confused and distraught, she decides that it is time for radical change. Surprising herself and shocking her friends, she embarks on a secret journey and eventually gets her life back on track.

Sophie’s Run is now available from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk You can also get the paperback at Barnes & Noble, or download Sophie’s Run onto your Nook (coming soon).

Come dine with Sophie and Dan: Today’s treat is… Fabulous Drunken Prawn Pasta!
Sophie’s Run Blogtour 2013

Hey, you! My name is Sophie, and I’m so excited you’re visiting me here today at Vikki’s blog. I’m the heroine (God, that sounds weird—I still blush when I say that) in the Rock Star Romance Trilogy by Nicky Wells. Nicky and I, we’re currently taking her second book, Sophie’s Run, on tour, and we’re taking you to all the places and sharing all the food that features in the books. My love of seafood is legendary ever since Sophie’s Turn hit the shelves…

“And for mains,” Dan announced, “Sophie will have the seafood platter.” He winked at me over his menu.
“I will?” I said, astonished.
“She will?” Jack and Mick asked at the same time, also astonished.
Dan hesitated for only a second. “Sure.

(Excerpt from Sophie’s Turn)

… See? I had so many people commenting on my seafood consumption in the first book that Nicky toned the seafood references down just a little in Sophie’s Run, the second book… lest people think I’m obsessed. However, my essential shopping list remains the same:

At some point, I got hungry and did a mercy-dash to the supermarket by the Tube station, stocking up only on essentials for now. Milk, bread, butter, honey, chocolate, crisps, wine, a bottle of cava, pizzas, prawns, pasta…

(Excerpt from Sophie’s Run)

Prawns and pasta… oooh, a favourite combination and one that only takes minutes to make! Plus, it can be a healthy dish too—if you go easy on the crème fraiche and the wine, LOL!

For Fabulous Drunken Prawn Pasta (for two) you need…

~200 grams Spaghetti or Linguine
~200 grams of King prawns (raw or cooked)
~200 grams of white fish (cod, haddock, coley)
~1 garlic clove, crushed or chopped
~1 small onion, finely chopped
~a tablespoon of butter
~a sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley
~a big glass of white wine
~a couple of spoonfuls of half-fat crème fraiche
~salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste
~a handful of rocket (arugula) to serve (optional)

And here’s what you do. It’s quick and 100 percent foolproof!

Cook the pasta. Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add salt, put your pasta in, make sure it all submerges, and add a glug of olive oil (this may help stop the pan from boiling over). Follow packet instructions regarding cooking time!

While the pasta is boiling, fry the onion in a big frying pan in a knob of butter until it turns glassy. Add the fish (fresh or frozen; if frozen, fry until fish is just starting to flake). Add the prawns and cook until they turn pink (if cooking from frozen) or warm through (if pre-cooked). Don’t forget to keep an eye on your pasta pan!

When the fish and prawns are about ready, add the white wine, parsley and crème fraiche. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of lemon juice to taste. Turn down the heat but leave on stove until ready to serve.

If desired, shred some rocket (arugula) and distribute over two plates. Drain the pasta, then put it back in the pan and pour the prawn sauce over it. Stir through until the pasta is coated in the lovely, gooey, creamy, drunken sauce and spoon out over the two plates. (If you’re me, you’ll have to count out the prawns to ensure there’s fair shares!).

And now you’re all dribbling, here’s the giveaway!

Sophie’s Run GIVEAWAYS

1) Standard Giveaway
Nicky Wells is giving away one delicious chocolate gift to a lucky winner in the UK or North America!

The small print: This Gift prize is a product of Unique Chocolate. The Gift prize is subject to availability in your country. If the Gift prize is not available in your country, Nicky Wells reserves the right to offer a substitute gift prize of a similar nature at her discretion. Nicky Wells will require the winner’s postal address for shipping purposes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

2. Bonus Giveaway
Nicky Wells offers a giveaway of one Amazon gift voucher worth $20/£15 for one lucky winner. To enter, simply share your thoughts on Sophie’s Run with Nicky. Email your comment to nickywells@sapphirestarpublishing.com and your name will be entered into the draw. Competition closes 1 May 2013.

CONGRATULATIONS Nicky! 🙂

I’m looking forward to reading it! Do enter Nickys free giveaway….you never know, you might just win!