Revisions

It’s revision time. My editor got back to me far more quickly than I expected. She loves Elena and Vidal’s story, but… There is always a but. But can mean anything though. In this case it means my story will be a lot stronger.

So it’s head down for the next few days, including the weekend if I’m to get it done before we go to London.

If you don’t hear from me you’ll know why.

60 years of Harlequin

Congratulations Harlequin!

Coincidence

I visited one of Duncan Bannatyne’s Health Clubs this morning – not because I’m a fitness fanatic, I’m more of a couch potato, but my DH was seeing a physiotherapist there.

While I was waiting I picked up a copy of Esquire and lo and behold there was an article about the man himself, Duncan Bannatyne – he of Dragon’s Den fame. It told of his beginnings as an ice cream salesman – and how he now runs the largest chain of independent health clubs in the UK. He’s apparently worth £310 million.

My kind of hero, I thought. Do I feel another book coming on?

The End

Elena and Vidal have finally made their way to my editor's desk. I've had my head down since Christmas finishing this book and I now need a break. Actually it feels strange not to be writing. I went out shopping this morning and the first thing I did when I got back was put my computer on. Happily there was an email from my editor acknowledging my book -now I have to play the waiting game.

I also have a trip to London to look forward to early next month and we're busy planning what show/s we'd like to see. It's a birthday treat from my DH.

Book

Happily I’ve reached the end of my book. I’ve printed it out and I’m going to give it a read through today.

Unhappily it’s 2,000 words short.

So I have a problem.

Quick contest

I’d like to introduce you to the heroine of my next book. I don’t have her story yet, or even any ideas. (I have another book to finish first!) But when I saw this photo I immediately knew that she was going to be my next heroine.

So I thought I’d run a quick interim competition, for seven days only. (My January/February contest is still running on my website)

My question is this. Why is she wearing a hat? Could it even be a man’s hat. Is she going somewhere special? Is she looking straight at my hero and flirting? Does she already know him? Or do you have ideas of your own?

Go on – get your thinking caps on.

I’ll carefully consider all of your suggestions and whoever submits the idea I decide to incorporate into my next book you’ll receive a prize of your choice from any one of my back titles.

Almost there

I didn't wake up until nearly nine this morning so it was a slow start. The previous night I'd had little sleep for some unknown reason - probably the excitement of going to the cinema! Which is a rare treat. Or sitting there for three hours and getting cramps again in bed. (Marilyn - the lip pressure works sometimes but not always - not when it's dire!!!)

So I'm busy writing now with only 5500 words to go. Here's a reminder of what Vidal and Elena look like.

Resolution

Oops! I haven’t blogged for two days so I’ve already broken my New Year’s resolution. At least I didn’t resolve to diet – even though I could do with losing a few pounds. My excuse – family visiting Tuesday, hairdressers and dentist yesterday – followed by a visit to the cinema to cheer me up as I’m having a tooth problem.

DH and I went to see Australia. I’d heard so much about it and I didn’t feel let down. I loved it. It had humour and gravity, sadness and drama, tragedy and romance. And of course Hugh Jackman. How could you not like a film with him in it? Not sure I liked him with a beard – but even so – that body!!

Now it's back to the writing. Two chapters to go, eight thousand words. And two and a half weeks before my deadline. Not forgetting that this is the first draft. I shall need all that time to go through it with a fine toothcomb.

Weekend

Grandson Number One spent the weekend with us and how we treasure those moments. We keep thinking that any time now he’ll not want to come. He is after all thirteen and I’m sure he enjoys time with his mates much better than with his grandparents. So we count our blessings.

He’s such a joy to be with, he has a great sense of humour, inherited from my DH. They both delight in teasing me. It seems quiet today. DH has gone out so that I can get on with my writing but, like any Monday morning, it is refusing to flow.

New Contest

A new year, a new competition!

If you want to bag a bargain email me the name of my hero in THE SANTORINI MARRIAGE BARGAIN - you'll find the answer on my website.

I'll be drawing the winner at the end of February and one lucky person will be able to pick her own bargain from THE BILLIONAIRE'S BLACKMAIL BARGAIN or THE ITALIAN'S RUTHLESS BABY BARGAIN. I'll even throw in bookmark.

Good day

Much better day yesterday. I did over three thousand words which means I caught up on the day before. Unhappily it's a slow start this morning. I once read that you should always leave your work in the middle of a scene so that you know where you are going the next time you start to write. Unfortunately I stopped at the end of a chapter, and I woke up late, so I'm struggling a bit.

Second thoughts

What was I thinking – 5 words minute? How about my thinking time – which is always far longer than actual writing time?

I guess I must have spent five hours out of those six thinking. It’s strange, I never think of my writing time like that. It almost sounds crazy.

Today I really need to get on with things because tiny, adorable grandson visited yesterday and stopped all work.

Word Count

Happily I reached my 1500 word goal again yesterday – in fact I wrote 1728 words so I was very happy with that. We went out for a meal with friends during the evening and after drinking half a bottle of red wine I was even happier! Until I lay in bed unable to sleep and began working out my word count – one of those useless things you do when you can’t sleep.

I had written for six hours, so if I took my word count up to say 1800 to make it a nice round figure, divided by 6, it meant I’d written 300 words per hour. I then divided that by 60 to see how many words I had written in a minute and came up with 5.

FIVE WORDS A MINUTE!

I stopped thinking at that stage.

Progress

Saturdays and Sundays are non-blog days. I never write at the weekend. If I do go on the computer it’s for pleasure. So it’s Monday morning and I’m back at my desk. I did my full word count of 1500 words on Friday. Most of it, I have to confess, was a scene where Vidal was making love to Elena. Poor girl. This is a marriage of convenience. What is she doing enjoying it? Note to myself: Make sure their pleasure doesn’t last.

Sloth

I must confess that I’m not very good when it comes to exercising. I have a treadmill which I rarely use despite buying it with the very best of intentions. When I do exercise, even if it’s walking, I usually end up with cramp in my legs and feet when I go to bed.

Over Christmas we did a lot of walking – for instance a three mile trek along a coastal footpath which included some quite difficult hill climbs. If ever I’d expected to get cramp it was then. Did I? No, not the faintest twinge.

Yesterday we visited friends, which we do every New Year’s Day, sitting around indulging, the only exercise lifting the odd glass of wine, and last night I had cramp in my toes off and on for about two hours. My usual remedy, apart from walking on a cold floor, is Magnesium Phosphate tablets – which melt on your tongue in an instant – but even they didn’t work.

So I’m making a plea - does anyone have a good remedy for cramp?