Author Siggy Buckley in the Spotlight...

 Next Time Lucky: Lessons of a Matchmaker:

Cherie, a professional matchmaker from Dublin, Ireland, faces the ultimate challenge when she tries to find a soul mate for herself. She surfs the risky waves of the Internet and flies around the world to adventures, disappointments and not a few surprises. Chat-rooms prove to be intoxicating, and Cherie feels like in a kid in a candy store. Among the Lotharios she encounters are recycled bachelors, breezy islands of ego, fly-by-nights, birds of paradise, commitment phobics, and the odd sex maniac. She learns the hard way that it's easy come, uneasy go at this smorgasboard of cyber-dreamboats.

Her story is an intriguing read, offering a revealing glimpse into the world of cyber romance for singles that are toying with the idea, for those who haven't dared yet, or those who just want to compare notes. It also discloses practical advice for modern day's mate selection through the eyes of a dating expert, both on the Internet and in the real world.

With insight and great humor, Siggy Buckley tells the sassy story of a modern woman's dilemma of being independent yet longing for coupledom

Excerpt...

A Woman’s Conundrum

I should have known better than to be devastated.  After all, I am a pro, an expert in matters of the heart - or so I thought.  But with the sudden, heart wrenching break-up with my love of three years, I was back to square one.  In spite of my status as a dating guru, I was clueless.  My name is Cherie.

George and I were in bed for one of our afternoon romps.  No better way to spend a wet Sunday afternoon in April, when the Irish spring doesn’t live up to its promises.  A pilot for one of the new economy airlines, George was home on layover for a full weekend.  A rare event.

Cocooned under a fluffy duvet, I snuggled up against his warm, welcoming body and caressed his skin.  With a rush of trepidation, I plucked up all my courage to ask him what had been on my mind for a while.  “I see you got Fintan’s plans back.  Are we setting up house together now?”

I hadn’t dared to bring it up before.  I knew only too well that George’s past experiences had made him relationship challenged, even commitment-phobic, but now he was about to refurbish his sprawling house tucked away in a cove by the sea on the coastline north of Dublin.  The architect’s plans were scattered everywhere.  Silly me, I was hoping to even have some say in the remodeling.

“I can help you choose fabrics and new furniture.” But the request for advice never came.

”Look, I’m not that happy,” George said pulling away as he swung his legs over the bed.  He got up, covering his now dangling manhood with the briefs he discarded ten minutes before in expectation of an after lunch snooze/shag combo, usually our favorite time.  “You want things from me that I’m not ready for.” George said.  Then hesitating, “Honestly, I feel we never totally connected.”

I took in his tanned, lean frame that I loved so much.  What was he on about?  Never? “It didn’t feel that way to me the last time we made love.  What about your promise to keep me fed and watered as well as kissed and sexed, even if it wore you out,” I answered, forcing a brittle smile.  Our old joke didn’t work this time.

 “I don’t like the whole boyfriend thing and all the responsibilities that go with it.” I sensed the rumblings of an earthquake.  “I have so much more love inside me that you were never able to unleash.” By now the pillars of my known world got a real good shaking.  Then he delivered the coup de grace: “In the long run, I’m looking for somebody more stimulating and exciting.” That really took the biscuit.  And the biscuit took three years and only the threat of more intimacy to come out.  Not being suitable or not being loved back is bad enough, but to say that I wasn’t stimulating? Ouch.  If I were a man, a remark like this might cause permanent ED.  In this case, it was rupturing my soul."

***

Author Bio: Former matchmaker par excellence - or Dating Guru as the Irish media liked to call me- I was born in Germany. Having achieved a Masters Degree in English, I got married, had two children and then emigrated to Ireland with my family for the GOOD LIFE.
Involuntary life on an Irish farm produced a crop of misgivings and the break-up of our marriage. Single again, I launched a dating service in Dublin which eventually planted the seeds for this novel.
I'm now happily married and live in the USA. I'm  a proud member of the National League of American Pen Women and the host of various blogs:www.SiggyBuckley.blogspot.com.