Kate Walker

Thanksgiving and RNA Golden Anniversary Poll

2009-11-26T08:46:00.006Z

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY READERS AND FRIENDS
WHO ARE CELEBRATING TODAY!

I wanted you to know that I'm very thankful for you all.

Romantic Novelists' Association Golden Anniversary Poll

Choose Britain's favourite romantic novel of the past 50 years

Eligible titles published between 1960 and 2009.

Threads of romance run through many forms of fiction; general and historical, sagas, chick lit, even thrillers and science fiction. From the early days of novel- writing romance has featured strongly. Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters provide us with a romantic heritage.In the romantic novel the love story is a major part of the plot, whether in Regency romps, sagas crossing the generations, light-hearted city scenarios or serious contemporary fiction as well as the genre of romance itself.

What do we need? A hero, a heroine, a mutual attraction, emotional upheaval, tragedy, despair, a happy ending – some or all of these will be in your favourite romantic novel.

Nominate your favourite romantic novel by emailing the title and author to: goldenpoll@rna-uk.org

Or send to:RNA Goldenpoll, PO Box 9230, Market Harborough LE16 0FG

Closing date 31 January 2010

The poll is being conducted in conjunction with Women's Weekly magazine, libraries and reading and writing groups all over Britain.

The top 30 titles will be published in Woman's Weekly in May for the magazine readers to vote on their favourite, with a shortlist of 3 for the final voting in July.

The winning novel will be announced in September 2010.

Split personality and Hecks

2009-11-25T06:59:00.004Z

I sometimes find that one of the things about being a writer is that I have to develop a sort of split personality. When I'm working on a book - specially when it's on the revsions for a bok that have to be back in a very short space of time - I concentrate so hard and so totally that a lot of other things get pushed aside for a while. Then when the job is done, I'm scurrying about trying to ctach up and get the other stuff done.

The other stuff is usually practical - things like cleaning the office, doing the ironing, the accounts, updating the web site . . . So that's what I've been concentrating on recently. There's also been a flurry of activity connected to the C(Christmas) word as the result of which there was a lorry load (well - a basket full) of parcels that went out from the Post Office yesterday. With family and friends in many different parts of the world, that 'Post Early For Christmas' slogan is important - so at least I can relax and know they're on their way.

The office/accounts bit of the equation is still a work in progress. As are the web site updates. That's because there is a special celebration coming up in December that means I have extra updates and a new contest etc to work on but those will soon (I hope) be ready and posted.

I'm also thinking about maybe doing another writing Q&A - I've had several questions I would like to answer here as well as in emails so that everyone can read the answers. I have a topic- or 3 - in mind but if there's anything you'd like me to look at please let me know.

And thank you to everyone for your comments on the new style title for my next book - it was great to see the overall impression was favourabel with lots of interest in what that title implied. Joanne, for example said -
I want to know why she's a 'good wife' as opposed to a 'forbidden' or a 'bought' wife etc..

Of course that 'good wife' does have that question mark after it, Joanne. . .

There will be lots more new-style titles coming up in the next few months. I'm hearing from friends who have some very different tiles from the ones they were expecting for new books - look out for them and I'll probably be commenting on them more as they become more common.

Finally - about the Hecks - after I posted the picture of the little hedgehog on November 15th, I received a very helpful email from a lady called Cristina who was concerned about the little one. She points out that - as I already knew - the fact that it was out in the daylight isn't always a good sign. It was a very mild day with a lot of sunshine that may have been what brought him/her out. But it is a often a warning sign too.

Cristina offers such good advice that I'm going to post her email here in case anyone else had hedgehogs around that might need help.

Dear Kate

I just came across your interesting blog from Lesley Cookman's. I was looking through your November entries when I came across the beautiful pictures of your young hedgehog (dated 15 November). Is he/she still okay?

I noticed in the photo that he has three large ticks behind his right ear and there may have been a fly lower down his body. This together with he/she being out in daylight, may point to him being ill or struggling (maybe also underweight).

I have had a little experience with hedgehogs and currently have two that were rescued. I believe that having a lot of external parasites (such as ticks or fly eggs) will be a strain on their immune system. I don't know that your little one is suffering from anything but it may be advisable to remove the external parasites to give him/her a chance of survival.

It's great that you have provided a home for the hogs. May I suggest permanently placing some of those hog biscuits and water nearby for them to eat should they require it? A hog needs to be a minimum weight of 600g in order to hibernate successfully during the winter. If not, they may come out to 'top up' and get too cold or starve in the search. Hopefully in your garden (with access to plenty of food) if the little one is underweight, he should survive as then he won't have to roam for food. I believe that they can cover as many as ten gardens in an evening!

Below is a link to a hedgehog forum that I have found to be very helpful and a list of hedgehog carers. Not all vets will help out with hogs and may put them down rather than assist properly. If your vet is willing, he might be able to remove the ticks for you. I removed a large amount of them once from a little hog by purchasing a tick remover from a pet store.

http://www.hedgehoghelp.co.uk/

http://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/carers.htm

http://www.thehedgehog.co.uk/search.php

Sorry to be so forward in this. Just a little concerned and thought you should know that your little one might need extra help.

Please don't hesitate to e-mail me if I can help any further. My knowledge is limited but I will try to assist if I can. I'm not sure in what area you're in, but you may have a hedgehog carer nearby and they are usually happy to give advice or assist.

Thanks for your time!

Regards,
Cristina.

Cristina - thank you - I don't regard this as being forward, just helpful. I was concerned as well as delighted to see the little hedgehog out and about. My policy with the wild life in my garden is usually to leave well alone and the thriving colony of Hecks we have had in the 20 years we've lived here tended to make me feel that was the best policy.

Let me assure you that the hedgehog food - either that or chicken cat food - and a supply of water is always down by the Hog House. They nalso have free access to the peanuts which are left on the ground for the ground feeding birds, so I hope the little one - and the rest of the family including the big mature hogs have plenty of nourishment in easy reach.

But on your advice I will also find some tick remover and if he/she is seen wandering again I will use that to give him - and any others - extra help.

Thank you

Tweaked Greeks

2009-11-18T07:23:00.004Z

Well, the intensive concentration on tweaking Zarek Michaelis last week had the desired effect. Yesterday I heard from my lovely editor and the book is bought and will be published in July 2010.

Yes - July - that's why there was that tight turnaround necessary.

Two interesting things about this book that make it a bit different from the usual -

1. It's the special project I was asked to do where four authors - myself, Lucy Gordon, Robyn Donald and I think Catherine George (need to check on that one) - were asked to write books that updated one of the Greek Myths. The story I chose was Odysseus and parts of his story form the background and some elements of Zarek's story. I've even stolen the name of his wife - Penelope - for my heroine.

2. This is my first book to have been given a title under the new policy for creating titles - so instead of - what? Maybe The Greek Tycoon's Something Wife? I have - A Good Greek Wife?

So what do you think? I think it's about time the plethora of Italian/Greek/Billionaires etc etc came to an end and some more interesting and imaginative titles were used and it looks like this is starting to happen.

Any comments? Thoughts? Would that make you buy the book more? Or intrigue you? Or not?

I'm off out into the rain and wind. I'm going to York because now that Zarek and his Good Greek Wife are dealt with there's somehting called Christmas looming on the horizon and I have a list of gifts I need to buy.

Then tomorrow my editor and I will be discussing a new 'exciting project' that they'd like me to be involved in. More when I can tell you.

Oh yes- and the count of countries visiting this blog has hit the magical 150 mark - with a visitor from Jersey! Funny, I never actually thought the 150th would be so close to home. I've spent some fabulous weeks in Jersay and have some wonderful memories of the beuatiful island. I love islands and this one of my favourites.

Welcome Jersey! What took you so long?

Kate's Corner etc

2009-11-15T18:19:00.006Z

Well, that was a week - the revisions for the Greek Myth book had a very fast turnaround date on them to catch a slot that had been saved so I concentrated on that for most of the week. I felt like I barely looked up from the computer. Now I'm hoping to have a little time to breathe. And maybe to read.

But I have to catch up with so much - and clean out my office so that I can find the floor - it's in here somewhere. And I have emails to answer . . . and blogs to write. . . which reminds me

Today is the day that I start my brand new monthly blog - Kate's Corner - over on We Write Romance. So if you're looking for me on the 15th of each month, that's where I'll be. I posted my first blog there today.

Last night, my treat to myself for finishing the revisions was a lovely indulgent read - I have a TBR pile that is taking on a life of its own - I swear those books are breeding. So I'm going to grab the chance to read one or two - or more. First up (and I've been longing to read this) was the latest Anne McAllister - One-Night Mistress . . .Convenient Wife. And it didn't disappoint.

The Savas brothers are great heroes. I don't think I can pick a favourite - This was Christo's book. I can't wait see what happens with George. (OK I admit, I' ve been getting hints from Anne about what happens to George - and I really can't wait to see what brings him out of his laboratory!

Today was wonderfully mild and sunny, unusually for November. So we were out in the garden, weeding and planting wallflowers. And we had an unexpected visitor.

A tiny, mini Heck. This must be the latest of the Heck the hedgehog family and officially he's a nocturnal creature so he really shouldn't have been wandering around in the garden in daylight. In fact he should have been curled up safe and warm in the hedgehog house and busy hibernating. But there he was, bright and active. I suppose the sunshine had brought him out.

Or perhaps he was hungry. He would need plenty of food to fill him up and fatten him for the hibernation so we fetched the left over cat neat and some hedgehog crun chies and put them out on the lawn near to him so he could fill up quickly and easily. He loved the hedgehog crunchies and we could hear him munching his way through those. Then he scuttled back to the hog house at the bottom of the garden.

I managed to get some photos of him before he want - so here are two of them. Seen up close, he (she? I don't know how you tell with Hecks) he doesn't look that tiny - but he was - so I've posted a pic of him with the Floozie and as you can see, by comparison with Flora he is small.

Remembrance Day

2009-11-11T11:19:00.002Z

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

Reasons to be Cheerful - 4

2009-11-07T07:47:00.008Z

I've been looking forward to doing this for ages . . .

Well, it seems like ages because I've known about this from the beginning and I've watched it grow and known that today - the Big Day - was coming soon.

So today I'm really thrilled to let everyone know about a brand-new, very special web site (to me) that goes live today.

You've heard about him a lot on here, - that's the Babe Magnet aka the writer of the Grim and Gruesome - Stephen Wade.

You know the wonderful designer who designed and runs my web site - Heather Reed from We Write Romance and HR Web Concepts

So put the two of them together - and no, in this case, I haven't minded at all that my husband has been in close contact with another woman! - and you get - fanfare and trumpets :

http://www.stephen-wade.com

And the site goes live today. Just in time for the publication of his latest book - DNA Crime Investigations - on cold cases solved using DNA.

Why not take a look and see what the Babe Magnet gets up to. There will be more to add soon, but today is launch day so I'm celebrating.

Congratulations Babe Magnet - and thank you Heather.

Blogging elsewhere

2009-11-06T08:08:00.005Z

I'm over on the Pink Heart Society blog today, talking about one of my favourite TV programmes. (I have time to watch TV??)

Well, it's also research as it stars this man who is of course the inspiration for Ricardo in Kept For Her Baby.

Somethimes this job is just so hard . . .

Reasons to be Cheerful 3

2009-11-05T10:52:00.012Z

People have been wondering where I am so just to reassure you - I'm busy tweaking the Greek into submission (almost) but I also have some more good news to share so I thought I'd just report in.

First I welcomed my first visitor from yet another country - Guadaloupe - on to my blog this week. That brings the total of different coiuntries to 149. I wonder if and what will make it to 150.

Then I had another wonderful review for Kept For Her Baby. this time from Roman ce reader at Heart

Kate Walker's KEPT FOR HER BABY is a story about love, commitment, and the scars deceptions can leave. It is more than a quick read; this tale has depth and emotional connections that are admirable given the brevity of thebook.

Lucy will do anything to see the little boy she's left behind-including rowing a boat to a secluded island, stealing on shore and hiding in thebushes to catch a glimpse of the little guy. Her love is so real and unrestrained that the reader can't help but realize the pain she endures watching the man she left behind holding their son. Of course, Lucy is discovered, and Ricardo exacts his own sort of revenge for her having lefthim. They both harbor serious misconceptions about each other, but when they begin to listen-really listen-to each other, they find they have both been wrong about things concerning their marriage. I inhaled this short book. The mix of cultures, and the beautiful setting,captivated me.

Well done!

Kay James

Thank you Kay!

Thirdly, as you know I often work with the great romance web site We Write Romance. Well, recently Harlequin Digital asked them to sponsor a special ebook bundle of their choices of books. The first one to be issued will be WWR's Presents Choices - and one of my backlist books (The 12 Month Mistress) is in the bundle. If you read your romances as ebooks then this collection will be available from January 1st.

And also with WWR, they have asked me to do a special monthly blog called Kate's Corner over on the WWR site on the 15th of every month. This is a place where I hope to answer questions and talk about things that readers have specially asked me to comment on - so I hope I'll see you there. And if you have a specific question, then you can let me know about it here.

One of the questions already is for me to talk about my cat - adding that I will know which one. I wonder if that came from a certain Sidney ACOSB (a cat of superior breeding.)

But talking about cats and all pets, of course tonight is Bonfire Night here in the UK so I hope all pets will be safe indoors with the curtains drawn so that the bangs and crackles will not upset them. I know that my three will be staying well inside. And the only fire that Flora the Floozie will get close to will be the one in the grate - like this -

That is, if she can beat Dylan to the fire-spot which is not something he willingly relinquishes to any cat, even is she thinks (knows) she is a princess.

And Sid? He doesn't do fires indoors or out, so no doubt he will be helping me to tweak the Greek all evening.

Tomorrow I'll be blogging over on the Pink Heart Society where I'll be talking (in part) about the man who was inspiration for Ricardo in Kept For Her Baby and the heavy duty research involved - ie watching one of my favourite TV programmmes.

Have a fun Bonfire Night if you celebrate it - but keep safe.

Blogging around again

2009-11-01T16:31:00.002Z

It's November 1st - the first Sunday of the month, so I'm in my usual spot over on Tote Bags 'N Blogs today.

This time I'm talking about your favourite place to read - and what's on your TBR pile. Why don;t you come and join me and tell me what you're reading - and where?

Reasons to be Cheerful Part Two (and a winner)

2009-10-30T12:34:00.005Z

One of the greatest reasons to be cheerful about being a writer is that if you're lucky (and I'm really really lucky in this) you have wonderful writing writing friends who very kindly and generously send you their books. So you get to know all the good stuff that's coming up in the next couple of months.

As an example - I heartily recommend Liz Fielding's latest (but then as you know, I always recommend Liz Fielding's latest.) After a struggle to the end with Zarek the Greek a lovely, emotional Romance read was just what I needed and Liz's Christmas Angel For the Billionaire just hit the spot perfectly. I fell heavily for George, the hero. Even better, it's part one of a great duo - Trading Places - and just as I was thinking how much I wanted to read Part Two and find out about Lydia's story lovely Liz has sent me a copy of that - Her Desert Dream - which has arrived safely in spite of Royal Mail strikes. Thank you Liz! (And the Royal Mail)

Next on the TBR pile is another book by another of my favourite authors - Anne McAllister has a new Modern/Presents out now in the UK and in America in November with another of those sexy Savas brothers as the hero. One Night Mistress. . .Convenient Wife is sitting right on the top of my TBR pile winking at me. Can books wink? Well, I'm sure this one is doing just that - it's tempting me so much anyway.

But sadly ( well, a little less cheerily) it's going to have to wait as Zarek's back. Yes, my editor managed to read him that fast and he's back here for tweaking before I've quite had time to catch up on my reading. She 'truly loved ' him as he is but feels a tweak or two will make him shine - and so I'm going to polish him up a little. So this weekend, seeing as the Babe Magnet is running a Saturday school for his university teaching, it's Tweak a Greek time.

Oh yes and Sid has been busy on the crunchies front - picking someone who left a comment so that I can hopefully make your weekend more cheerful too by telling you that you've won a signed book from me - and the winner is:

Kerrin - Kerrin your birthday book for your little boy sounds fabulous and yes so much better than having all those photos on your computer. I remember making one of those for my not so little boy's 18th. Kerrin I kow you've read Kept For Her Baby so please email me and I'll tell you which books I have available. Let me know where to send your prize too!

But I suspect Sid also of sending a secret message to Tojo the cat as he snaffled the cat treat on Kerrin's name while keeping a paw safely on that belonging to Shirley who owns - sorry - who is owned by Tojo. So Shirley would you please let me have your postal address too. Thanks!

I'm off to tweak a Greek because I want to get to read One Night Mistress. . .Convenient Wife just as soon as I possibly can.

Reasons to be cheerful, Part One

2009-10-29T06:51:00.012Z

So I finally got around to writing the cheery post - not because I lost any of the cheeriness, but because I found I could add more. Which is great - so . . .

1. The Greek is gone. My scarred Greek hero has left the building and is sitting on my editor's desk (now there's an image) waiting to see what she thinks of him. Zarek Michaelis is no longer my hero (until he returns, needing tweaking no doubt) and I can finally turn my thoughts to a Sicilian who has been waiting patiently since I thought of his story but had to put it aside for Zarek and the Greek Myth project.

2. The sun is shining. Well, it's a little early for that right now, but when I planned this post yesterday it was very definitely shining and creating a wonderful, warm and bright Indian Summer.

3. The flu is gone at last. It lingered like a bad smell, dragging me down, for far too long but yesterday it was wonderful to be back on my walk, in the sunshine (see above) and watchig the squirrels play in the fallen leaves, talk to all the dog walkers and their dogs, see the changing colours and hear those leaves rustling under my feet.

4. I heard from We Write Romance that they had reviewed Kept For Her Baby - and what a review -

"...a masterpiece that will live in the hearts...for many years to come!"
Kept for Her Baby by Kate Walker is sensuality personified with a touch of real emotional upheaval. The fire between the hero and heroine is palpable and intriguing. And while the subject matter dealt with in the plot is harsh, it is so real and well done that if you give Lucy a chance you'll not be sorry because it will make this story a true keeper.

Lucy Emiliani couldn't handle the emotions that came after childbirth. Running on highly unstable hormones and horribly negative thoughts, Lucy sought escape in order to save her child. Even knowing she was branded a bad mother, she braved returning under the cover of night to catch a glimpse of her baby boy. And hopefully catch her husband unaware so she might have a chance at getting what she was after.

Ricardo Emiliani is a rich Italian billionaire who felt as though he'd been trapped into marrying a pregnant Lucy. He'd thought she were an innocent and beguiling girl...until she'd found out who he was and how much money he had. Knowing she was probably just another gold digger didn't diminish the heat between them and he had to have her. While she gave herself and her innocence over freely, she'd also given him something else. The best thing in his life, Marco...before abandoning them both.

When Lucy returns after no word for months he's reluctant to let her back into his or Marco's life, but when his reaction to her is the same fast and furious appeal it had been the first time they'd met, when they'd been strangers, he decided he'd make her an offer she couldn't refuse. And in doing so they found the love that had been missing when they'd married.

Kept for Her Baby kept me intrigued from beginning to end. I was curious as to what could keep a woman from her baby, and not once at the beginning of the story did I imagine it would be mental issues. Maybe threats from someone or the like, but not mental. And those issues were very real and very well done by Ms. Walker. It makes those who might not have had those feelings and bad moments after childbirth see how real it could be, and how hard it would be to live with them and the real fear that you could be putting your child in danger just being with them.

Ms. Walker has created a masterpiece that will live in the hearts of the reader for many years to come!

A masterpiece! No wonder I was smiling all day yesterday.

And in the same email:

5. Again from We Write Romance, I learned that both Kept for Her Baby and my previous book Cordero's Forced Bride had been nominated for the 2009 Reviewers' Choice Award "for being the best in their respective subgenres." So now do you see why I was feeling so cheerful?

6. I've had some emails from readers and would-be writers in Scotland who feel - unsurprisingly - that the workshops I do in Wales (Fishguard and Caerleon) and Southampton involve too long a journey for them to get to. So I was wondering what I could do, if anything, to remedy the situation. And then I got an email from an arts organisation based in Inverness asking if I would be in terested in doing a romance event or maybe more with them early next year. So Scottish readers - watch this space . . .
(I will still be doing Fishguard and Southampton - so it's going to be a busy Spring - details of all events and the Inverness one when it's finalised can be found on my Events page.)

7. I'm blogging over on the Pink Heart Society today about one of my favourite types of reading - ghost stories - just in time for Halloween.

And finally -

Sir Sidney, Princess Flora and Dylan would like you to know that 29th October is National Kitteh Day which is a reason for the to be cheerful and they would like you to help them - and me - celebrate it . So when I'm celebrating I like to share and when Sid is celebrating her likes to - well - eat . . .

So if we combine the two - you tell me one (or more) of your reasons to be cheerful today and I'll get Sid on the job (er - offer him a few cat treats) to pick the names of couple of winners who will win a book from my backlist. I'll add in a pen and one of my brand-new bookmarks.

Let's have some more reasons to be cheerful.

Buying books

2009-10-28T16:35:00.005Z

No this isn't the cheery news - just a bit of good news if you're a UK book buyer or you buy your romances from the Mills & Boon site

If you buy your books from the Mills & Boon web site then you can save - by getting 20% of each and every book today and tomorrow. This offer ends midnight Thursday October 29th.

And even if those darned postal strokes go ahead, M&B guarantee delivery by courier so you won't even have to wait.

For this one you need to use the code SPOOK with your order. So you know all those books you were hoping to buy . . .go get 'em!

And I'll be back with more cheery news just as soon as people stop contacting me about other interesting things . . .

PS Please don't forget to click on the Breast Cancer site link while it's still October and your click counts double - the clicks have already funded 352 free mammograms this month so ut's real worth it

Is this a dagger that I see before me . . .

2009-10-28T10:56:00.007Z

Ok so this is coming in place of the other post I was going to write. I'll come back to that one because it still is one I want to use - and celebrate good news (no no that good news, not yet - but some very nice news just the same)

And first I thought I'd write the good news and then add this and then I thought no, why taint the cheery post with the less than cheery one? So here we are -

Dear Ian Rankin . . .

I'm not really annoyed- or even narked - just disillusioned and well, quite frankly, bored. At the Crime Writers Awards you trotted out that dreary old joke about the only writers likely to plant a dagger in your back are the Romantic Novelists.

Well, it has a slightly amusing irony to it. Or it would have if it wasn't so tired the poor comment probably needs to appear in a wheelchair by now. This is at least the third time in recent memory I've heard this 'witty' comment dragged out - originally (maybe) by Peter Guttrige, then by Lin Anderson in the Edingburgh Times, Andrew Taylor on the One Show and now you. And that's without counting up the number of reported repetitions of it that I've never actually heard myself.And I do have to wonder - I thought writers were supposed to be good with words, not just parrots.

But this is the one that disillusions me. Because I've been an admirer of Ian Rankin, his books, his televsion appearances, his discussion of crime writing, Dr Jeykell and Mr Hyde etc etc for a long time. So I'm sad to hear him repeating the tired old joke that surely must be well past its retirement date by now.

Come to a Romantic Novelists' Conference is all I can say.

Or no - perhaps I should add that recently, when my one of my dear friends Zoe Sharp ( another Crime Writer) came to visit, she set us this puzzle and I got the answer straight away. That was when she told me that usually the only people who get the answer right are supposed to be psychopaths. Oops.

So perhaps that just goes to show that those Crime Writers are right in their opinions of us Romantic Novelists . . . .

Now I'll go and write the cheery post to distract myself from thoughts of daggers. . . .

Top 5 ?

2009-10-24T15:09:00.004+01:00

Can you name your top five category romances of all time?

No neither can I - not easily - but I know that Gold Ring of Betrayal would be in there somewhere . . .

But over on All About Romance's blog there's an interesting discussion on Category Romances - 'The Bastard Children of Romance'. They challenge you to name your favourite 5 category romance novels of all time.

I'd have to go away and think about that - and this Greek isn't goingto let me do that till he's had a Happy Ever After so maybe you'll have more luck! And the discussion is interesting too.

With thanks to Marilyn who directed me there.

Blogging around again

2009-10-22T10:31:00.004+01:00

Still buried under that Greek hero - and Yes, Jan I knew you'd understand and appreciate why I couldn't blog too much with this happening to me ;o) But at least we are getting to the end of our affair and I hope to wave him off very soon.

But in the meantime, while I deal with this hero, there is my lovely Italian Ricardo Emiliani on his private island out now in Kept For Her Baby and lots of great sites have been asking me to blog with them to chat about that book.

Today it's the turn of the fabulous Romance Bandits and I'm over on their blog talking about why I write the sort of romance I do - and why I think that a classic Presents novel is like a deep-tissue massage. Well, it made sense when I wrote it - and hopefully it will make sense if you go and read it. I'll be chatting with the banditas all day.

Sorry Alison I can't tell you that good news yet - it's all still under discussion - but I will tell you just as soon as I can. And I can share another bit of good news and that is that Kept For Her Baby is still on the Waldenbooks/Borders Top Ten list for a second week - and it's moved up this week! Thank you to everyone who helped put it there.

It's all Greek to me

2009-10-21T06:30:00.006+01:00

Sorry that blogging is a bit patchy at the moment. I'm buried under the latest Greek hero - What with the flu and other commitments planned when I thought (Ha!) that life might be a little quieter by this time of year this book has been a fight to find the energy and the time to write. So I've been concentrating totally on that. And at last an end is in sight.

So just to say a belated thank you to Anna and everyone at the Calderdale Writers' Roadshow and to Jill and everyone at Barnsley Library Crime and Passion Day for the warm welcome, the interesting questions and the interest in my books. Thanks too and a wave to Adam from Orchard Bookshop Denby Dale who provided books for the latter event.

I received the hardback editions of my next book yesterday - that's The Konstantos Marriage Demand. So I'll give you a sneak preview. Sadly, it's not the glorious sort of cover that I have for Kept For Her Baby, but then you don't get one of those every time - I wish! The heroine looks scarily like my mother when she was young which is a bit of a wierd feeling. Luckily, the KFHB cover is the one I've used on my new bookmarks!

(For those of you in America - just a reminder that as Kept For Her Baby is out in Presents EXTRA it will be in the shops now. A great big thank you to everyone who has already bought a copy and put the book on the Borders/Waldenbooks bestseller list for the first week)

Oh yes - and I've had some lovely good news - two bits of good news actually. One of them is still only potential good news and still under discussion but I have my fingers crossed very tightly. And I'll share things with you just as soon as I can - promise!

One bit of good news I did have is that the collected edition of The Alcolar Family that came out as a By Request is now sold out on the Mills & Boon web site and there is just one copy in stock on Amazon. So I'm hoping for as great a result with one of my pieces of good news . (And that's all the clues you're going to get for now!)

And now back to the Greek . . . .

Blogging around - 3

2009-10-13T15:34:00.005+01:00

The thing with having a new book out (Kept for her Baby out in Presents EXTRA this week, in case you hadn't noticed ;o) ) is that lots of people want me to come and blog with them and talk about it.

So this last week I've had those posts/interviews at Finding the Write Word and Writers At Play (thanks ladies - I had a wonderful time and I'm glad you liked the shoes! )

Today it's the turn of I Heart Presents which of course is the blog where the writers, editors, and those very special people the readers all get together to celebrate the wonderful books that make up the classic Presents novels and their fabulously intense and seductive stories.

Today I'm talking about being mean to my characters, putting them through torment and imprisoning them as well!

So I hope you'll come along and join me over on I Heart Presents and maybe leave a comment letting me know which Presents novels have moved you recently - maybe even made you shed a tear or two. I know there have been plenty of those for me.

Tomorrow I'm heading for Barnsley Library where the Babe Magnet and I will be holding our day of Crime and Passion starting at 10 am tomorrow morning so if you're anywhere near the area and free to join us please come along and say hello. Places are limited but I know there are still some seats left.

You can find the details on my Events page and on the RNA Blog here.

Gratuitous shoe shot

2009-10-12T17:44:00.003+01:00

As I said, I have an interview over on Writers At Play

And we had alittle discussion about shoes in which I mentioned the shoes I wore to the Harlequin party at RWA Washington

Now everyone wants to see what they looked like - so I reckoned posting them here and then posting a link in the interview is the easiest way to do that.

So here you are - the Harlequin party shoes -

It's Hugh's Day and blogging around

2009-10-12T07:00:00.006+01:00

It's October 12th and that has traditionally become Hugh's Day on my blog and over on Anne McAllister's blog too.

Hugh Michael Jackman was born 12 October 196. And coincidentally today is the Canadian Thanksgiving Day - well, I know a lot of romance writers who'll be giving thanks in a whole different way for today and the hours of inspiration that have resulted from it!

I'm desperately busy with a late dreadline thanks to the flu - but as a picture paints a thousand words then here's a couple of pages for you:

Happy Birthday Hugh

There will be more words later as I've been invited to join the fabulous Writers at Play to celebrate the Presents EXTRA publication of my October release Kept For Her Baby. So later to day there will be a long interview with me and a chat about that over at Writers at Play blog.

See you there.

Hmm - come to think of it, the hero on the fabulous cover of Kept for Her Baby looks remarkably like one H Jackamn - don't you think?

Just to say . . .

2009-10-10T06:13:00.004+01:00

I'm heading for Halifax and the last of the Calderdale Writers' Roadshows. This one will be special for me as I'm going back to the town I grew up in. It hadn't changed all that much the last time I was there. I wonder if I'll see anyone I used to know.

So that you have something to read while I'm gone, I'll leave you with a link to an interview that I did with Finding the Right Words. That should keep you occupied for a while.

And if you check out the other Author Interviews, you'll find another fascinating one with the wonderful Liz Fielding.

Finding the Right Words can be found here.

Oh - and look out for Anne McAllister's upcoming contest. She's trailing it on her blog right now. She's also giving free entry with the answer to a simple question - well, we thought it was a simple question - but would you believe that there are some people who don't know whose birthday it is on Monday! Do you? If so, go tell Anne and she'll enter you in the contest.

Right - Halifax here I come. I'll see some of you there.

PS Ooops - I almost put the birthday b - - person's name in my labels for this post! The would have given the towel - ahem - game away!

Feline flirtations

2009-10-09T10:43:00.005+01:00

Flora has a suitor - an ardent suitor.

But she's just not keen ( I'd say he doesn't suit 'er but perhaps not . . .)

So far she has totally repulsed his advances with hisses, spitting and scratching. Oh, and the most horrendous wails from Dylan as he comes to the defence of his sister's honour - a real alpha hero cat!

Of course nothing can come of it as Flora has been 'done' over a year ago. But I keep looking at this beautiful long-haired, golden-ginger male with big green eyes and a white tip to his tail and I can't help thinking what gorgeous kittens they'd make!

It's almost 11am - time to tune in to the Babe Magnet being a radio star on Radio Lincolnshire talking about his latest book Tracing Your Criminal Ancestors.

Getting there

2009-10-08T05:49:00.004+01:00

Many many thanks to everyone who has sent me get well messages as I fought the flu. It's been a really vicious virus this time and it knocked me - and the Magnet - back for days.

But I'm starting to feel as if there's light at the end of the tunnel. Still coughing for England, but at least my voice is back - if croaking. I think I'll live.

But of course the time ill has made my dreadline situation even worse so I'll still not be blogging too much over the next few days while I sort out my scarred Greek hero. The situation is made even more pressing by the fact that I have two events coming up in the next week so they'll take time away from writing.

But if you're coming to the Calderdale Writer's Roadshow in Halifax on Saturday or to the Crime and Passion Day in Barnsley Library on Wednesday (14th) then I'll see you there.

And for fans of the Hecks - we have another Mini Heck. Regular blog readers may remember it was this time last year that we first saw one of that year's babies come close to the door to eat the cat meat/crunchies left for them. Two nights ago there was a very small mini Heck that I have never seen before. He/she needs to eat plenty to stoke up ready for hibernation so we're leaving extra rations outside for them. I haven't managed to get a photo of it yet, so this one of last year's baby will have to act as a stand in.

I must just say welcome to my first ever visitor from Dominica who took my total of visiting countries up to 147 this week. I thought 146 was the final total but it seems there are still more countries yet to visit.

And please don't forget to click on the Breast Cancer site link in the sidebar and help the October Breast Cancer Awareness Month drive for extra free mammograms. While you're there, why not click on all the other sites too - it only takes a minute, is totally free, and you'll be helping with literacy, child poverty, animal rescue . . .

Back to the word mines. And thank you again for all the lovely messages.

The wrong sex flu . . .

2009-10-05T08:14:00.003+01:00

Yes, very definitely the flu.

But if I thought I was going to get away with the girly flu - the lightweight one that we females suffer from compared to the one our heroes have to suffer through, then forget it. The Babe Magnet has very definitely passed on his manly flu to me.

So, with no voice (none at all) no brain, no energy and no concentration, I'm cheating and saying that for those of you who are interested in writing there are a couple of interesting posts for you to read elsewhere -

Jackie Ashenden has 10 Fun Ways to NOT win the Harlequin Presents Writing Competition here. She makes some good points

And Michelle Styles has a really interesting post on Conflict on her blog here : Conflict is more than good vs evil

And I'll make another honey and hot lemon and go back to bed. Annoyingly, with this thing affecting my eyes so badly I can't even read very much.

And the Babe Magnet? Oh he's fine now - disgustingly healthy - nothing wrong with him at all !

The October books are out at eHarlequin

2009-10-02T06:55:00.010+01:00

Do you buy your books/ebooks from the eHarlequin site?

If so - this might help you save a little (a lot?) of money. See the link in the sidebar

And don't forget that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I've moved the Breast Cancer Site up to the top of the sidebar to remind you to click daily to help provide free mammograms for woman who need them.
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Aaaachoo!

2009-10-01T10:36:00.006+01:00

Yes, definitely the girl flu - because of course it can't possibly be as bad as the Man Flu that's afflicting the Babe Magnet - can it? Well, he's totally lost his voice, so at least he can't complain quite so much!

Thank you all for your get well wishes, I really appreciate them - or I will when I can think straight.

So, while I'm not up to blogging much - here's something not to be sneezed at (sorry - I couldn't help it!)

Want to win five - that's right 5 - of my backlist books?

Well that's the prize in the contest I'm running with My Tote Bag to celebrate the publication of Kept For Her Baby in America in October. (Special thanks to Summer for her lovely comment about it yesterday. That really brightened a non too bright day. I'm getting some wonderful letters about this one - it seems to be touching a lot of hearts.)

So head over to My Tote Bag's Contest page and answer the easy question you'll find there. You'll find the answer on my web site.

And don't forget that this book is out in the Extra Presents line up - The Presents EXTRA Collection that is out on October 13th.

Aaaachhhooo!

PS Flora and Dylan kindly cleared up the pigeon on the lawn for me - I won't go into details but they were both burping late into the evening and all that was left was a lot a feathers blowing in the breeze!