Crack the fizz and break out the choccies because it’s release day for CHRISSY AND THE BURROUGHS BOY.

Yes, my lovelies, it’s Numbnuts Nick’s turn. We were first introduced to Nick in Santa and the Saddler. He was so cocky in that book it was if he was winking at me from the page, daring me to write his romance. Now it’s here. Rah!

I know I say this with most of my books but this story was a blast to write. Nick was ridiculously cute with his antics, while Chrissy and her friends Alice and Paige were a delight. And it was fun to sneak in news about Levenham locals you’ve met in previous stories.

Thanks to everyone who pre-ordered Chrissy and the Burroughs Boy. This release day post is going live early morning in Australia, and for those elsewhere it might take a while for your books to filter through the time zones and land on your e-readers or apps. But hang in there, they’re a-coming.

I hope you enjoy this new Levenham Love Story and fall as much in love with Chrissy and Nick as I did.

Now, as has become tradition on release day, here are some secret revelations about Chrissy and the Burroughs Boy.

Enjoy!

6 SECRET THINGS ABOUT CHRISSY AND THE BURROUGHS BOY

1/. Chrissy is called Chrissy because my first thought was to make this another Christmas themed novella like Santa and the Saddler, but it didn’t turn out that way.

Blame the Australian Rules Football season. It had just begun when I started writing, and with Nick being a footballer it was much more interesting to set Chrissy and the Burroughs Boy during the season of the boot than the season to be jolly.

Why more interesting, you ask? Because that means it’s also netball season and Nick likes netballers. They’re sporty, like him, and wear tight lycra uniforms with short skirts that show off their legs.

And guess who just happens to play netball?

2/. The original plot was an upside-down version of the one you read today. I had planned that it was Nick who had the crush on Chrissy at school, and Chrissy was the one who had to do a bunch of dumb stuff to win him over. But the more I thought about it the more I realised that was unlikely to work.

Which was a good thing because torturing Nick was soooooo much more fun.

3/. Regular readers of these “secret things” posts will know that each book typically has a theme song. Sometimes they have several. Chrissy and the Burroughs Boy has one central song, with a couple of others for variety and inspiration.

The main theme song is I Am Yours by The Makemakes and was Austria’s entry in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. Each time I hear it I picture Nick doing something daft and embarrassing in an effort to charm Chrissy, like singing the song in front of his footy team or in the pub. He does neither of those things in the book but I kinda wish he had. Maybe I’ll save those for another character.

Other songs I listened to while writing was Together in Electric Dreams by Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder, Nature’s Law by Embrace, She’s The One by Robbie Williams and another Eurovision song, Autumn Leaves by Daniel Kajmakoski.

4/. I had no plans to include much-loved Levenham character Audrey Wallace – known to many as Granny B – in the book but she insisted on a part (as only Granny B can), so I wrote her a cameo.

5/. One of the things Chrissy tells Nick she did at school to get his attention was parade up and down in front of him in her favourite jeans. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I once pulled the same stunt, although at primary school instead of high school.

Did it work for me? Nope. I’m pretty sure that, like Nick, the object of my affections never noticed a thing.

As Chrissy says in the book, teenage crushes suck.

6/. Alice and Paige are Chrissy’s best friends, both of whom will get their own stories down the track. Alice’s will be Eddie and the Show Queen, the Eddie in question being Eddie Argyle, younger brother of Harry from Summer and the Groomsman (currently available for free across major ebook platforms).

The title of Paige’s is yet to be decided but thanks to a couple of lovely country librarians I know I have a fun plot already worked out. On a side note, Paige was originally named Molly but I had too many names ending in a Y sound and Molly had to go.

How was that for a bit of fun? I hope it’s put you in the mood for this delightful small-town romance.

If you’d like to read an excerpt, you’ll find one on Chrissy and the Burroughs Boy’s book page. For a longer sample, grab a preview from your favourite ebook retailer.

Or better still, simply purchase the whole book, available now from these stores.

amazon.com

amazon.com.au

amazon.co.uk

Kobo

iBooks

Google Play

Nook

Booktopia

Angus and Robertson Bookworld

Bookdepository

If you’d like to purchase a signed paperback copy direct from me, please email me at cathryn@cathrynhein.com or via the contact page on this website.

The price is $AUD15 including delivery to your Australian postal address, with payment via Paypal. International fans, email me and I’ll sort a quote for you.

Thanks to everyone who has helped get Chrissy and the Burroughs Boy onto shelves, including my editor Alex Nahlous from Alexandra Nahlous Editing Services, cover designer Kellie at Book Cover By Design, and my good buddies who make this writing life such a joy. Last but never, ever least, my darling Jim, the man who all heroes should be measured by.

It’s a bit early for champagne and I need to write, so I guess it’s a cuppa and the keyboard for me.

*eyes fridge*

Surely a little glass wouldn’t hurt?