Today (Aug 27th) is the last day to download a FREE Kindle copy of my contemporary romance, The Silk Romance. If you haven’t got your copy yet and would like one, here are a few of the international Amazon links: Amazon US, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon IN (and it’s available in all the Amazon stores.)

I’ve written a few posts about the setting for The Silk Romance, which is set in Lyon, a beautiful renaissance city in France. If you’re interested in reading more, last year I wrote this short history of the fascinating silk-weaving industry in the Croix-Rousse area of the city.

I don’t think I’ve ever written much about the hero, Jean-Luc Olivier – which is a terrible oversight! :) Jean-Luc is the owner of a silk mill in Lyon, and a retired racing driver. It’s no surprise that my heroine falls deeply in love with Jean-Luc. He’s a genuinely heroic character, quite formidable, and larger than life – but of course he’s only fictional (sadly!)

There have been very many real-life heroes in the sport of racing, and of course one of the best-loved and best-known racing drivers ever is Ayrton Senna. Ayrton Senna was a Brazilian driver who died aged 34 when his car crashed as he was leading the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994. His tragic death shocked the world, and Senna remains an icon to millions, especially in his own country. On the day of his funeral, the city of Sao Paulo came to a standstill, and the country’s president declared three days of mourning. You can read about this extraordinary outpouring of grief in this article. And if you’re interested in finding out more about this charismatic and iconic racing driver, I can highly recommend the film Senna, which is a fascinating and moving documentary for sports’ and non-sports’ fans alike.

Although Jean-Luc isn’t based directly on any real life person, Ayrton Senna’s career definitely influenced my decision to make my first ever hero a racing driver.

Have you read The Silk Romance, and if so, what did you think to the character of Jean-Luc? Do you know of the racing driver Ayrton Senna, and have you ever watched the documentary of his life?

If you have any questions or comments at all, I’d love to hear from you!