Christmas

Wishing You a Merry Christmas

and

A Happy New Year

I don't imagine I will be doing much blogging until after the New Year so I would like to wish all of my readers and everyone else who visits my blog much happiness for Christmas and everything you wish for in 2011.

The snow has gone in our area - for the time being! The forecast isn't too good, though. And I have completed the first two chapters of my new book - which I am now happy with. Another one chapter and then it will go to my editor.

Tomorrow night we're going to eat out Chinese style - celebrating my DH's birthday. It won't be his actual birthday but it's close enough. I've bought him something he's always wanted - a telescope. I guess he'll be praying for clear skies when he's allowed to open the box. Every day since I bought it he says, 'Can I open it now?' He's still a little kid at heart - and I love him for it.

Weather

Every leaf on every bush in the garden is rimmed by frost this morning. And now the sky has turned blue and the sun has come out and it's like a winter wonderland. Cobwebs against the fence, draped over the bird table, all thick with frost. The snow on the garden glistening.

It's very beautiful but I'm glad I'm tucked up in my nice warm office contemplating some hot climes spent with my hero and heroine.

How about you? What's the weather like in your part of the world?

Festivities

Aren't I a good girl? I went on my treadmill yesterday for the first time in months. I need to get down the excesses of Thanksgiving ready for the excesses of Christmas! The snow seems never ending here in the UK, though it's blue skies today and although it was well below zero overnight our weatherstation says that it's now 5 degrees centigrade outside. I've not tested it, though my DH has ventured into town - well wrapped up I hasten to add.

We decorated the house indoors yesterday evening - I couldn't believe we did it so quickly. My DH fetched the box out of the loft and in no time everything was done and the box put away again. I wasn't in the mood - but I'm glad it's done. The only downside is that the tree lights - which are an integral part of it - have stopped working. They were OK when DH tested it, but after I'd trimmed the tree they didn't work. So whose fault was that???

Thanksgiving

I've just experienced Thanksgiving for the first time. My son now lives in Florida and DH and I made a quick trip over there to join them this year. Wow! I am not used to seeing so much food. I'm now on a diet!

We returned from 80 degree heat to below freezing. The snow this year in the UK has come early. I'm going to hibernate!

I've been reading through the first few pages of my new book, making copious alterations. It's amazing how time away can make you see things in a different light. (Memo to myself - when you've finished the book put it away for a couple of weeks and then re-read before sending it to your editor)

Weather

We woke this morning to a hard frost but beautiful blue skies. It's still very chilly so I'm happy to stay snug in the house. My new book is slowly taking shape, I say slowly because we've been out to the shops quite a bit lately - not that I'm doing as well as I'd hoped with my Christmas present shopping. The easy ones are all sorted - it's the hard ones - the ones where you don't know what to buy the person who has everything which I'm finding more difficult.

Does anyone really like Christmas shopping?

Rainbows

Don't you just love rainbows? It's been a showery, blustery day today and as my DH and I were travelling along a straight, main road there in front of us appeared a rainbow, almost as though it was straddling the road a little way ahead. And then - this is the best bit, another rainbow appeared - higher and wider. It was paler but it was well defined all the same.

Was this a reflection of the first rainbow? Or is there sometimes two and I've not noticed? I'd love to know if this is a rare phenomenon.

Which in turn leads me to book titles again - RAINBOW MAGIC. This was my fifth book - published in 1977 - and here is the blurb:

Taryn's great-aunt had always prophesied that if a member of their family saw a rainbow in a certain spot, there would be a drastic change in their lives from that day. Taryn never took her aunt seriously until she herself saw the rainbow - and met Luke Major for the first time. It was a nasty shock for her, for Luke was the exact double of Mark, the man who had only recently broken her heart.

Was it his likeness toMark, or was it for himself that Taryn found herself, albeit reluctantly, more and more attracted to Luke? And where would it get her since he was a married man?

And the price of this book - in hardback form? £1.95.

Heroes and heroines

I didn't get as big a response as I would have liked for my hero/heroine names, so I'm afraid, Laney4, Lacey and LA that I won't be using any of your suggestions - though I have made a note of them and who knows, I might use them in the future. (L.A., thanks for finding me and I hope you continue to follow my blog - who knows you might win of my future contests)

My new H&H are currently Robynn and Kendel, though I have been known to change names mid-book. I think I mentioned it in a blog some time ago, I can find myself calling them something else without even being conscious of it - which means that as I got to know them better they developed their own names, ones they were comfortable with.

I haven't actually started writing yet, I'm still filling in more background details to my H&H. But I shall definitely start this week.

Contest

My editor likes my new plot so it's all systems go. I have names in mind for my hero and heroine but I thought I'd run a quick contest to see if you can suggest any names I might like better.

My hero was a bit of a rebel in his younger days but now runs a very successful internet trading company. And my heroine comes from an aristocratic family. And they're both English.

If you're fortunate enough for me to use any of the names you suggest, a copy of one of my latest books will be on its way to you.

Good luck!

Autumn

It's Autumn here in the UK and the colours are stunning. The very cold winter we had last year did everything good. The spring and summer blossoms have been outstanding and now the autumn colours are breathtaking. I wouldn't be doing them justice if I called them red and gold and brown. There's scarlet and crimson and damson, apricot and mustard and honey, copper and ginger, as well as olive and lime. And wouldn't you guess it, I never seem to have my camera with me when I need it. The one in my phone doesn't do them justice either.

My second book, published in 1976, was called Shades of Autumn. For the simple reason that it took place at this time of year. It's my favourite season - although when Spring comes around and we have all the fresh shades of green I like that too. Do you have a favourite season?

The Waiting Game

While I'm waiting to hear from my ed about the new synopsis I've been doing very little as far as writing is concerned. I've been catching up with other stuff instead, like visiting relatives, and doing a little Christmas shopping. Yes, I know it's early, but all I've done is pick gifts up as I've seen them instead of traipsing around the shops wondering what to buy for a particular person. If only I could do them all that way? Do you enjoy Christmas shopping? Do you do it early, or wait until the last minute when the shops are busy and everyone's in the holiday mood?

Foreign editions

I've just received copies of my book The Wife Seduction in French. This book was first published in 2000 so it's exciting to see it once again.

I've had a lot of foreign copies in the last few weeks - my postman always smiles when he hands the boxes to me. He has no idea that the books are actually ones that I have written.

Bird feeders

To foil the pigeons who keep eating the food we put out for the smaller birds we bought a stand with three hanging feeders which are too narrow for the pigeons to perch on. The pigeons looked a bit dismayed to start with, studying it hard, trying to land on the perches, but without success. We're not being cruel you understand, we do throw stuff out for the pigeons separately, and they do eat the food that the sparrows and finches, etc, drop.

So all was well.

But - my DH was watching them the other morning and could hardly believe his eyes. A sparrow was on the perch, a pigeon below. The sparrow looked at the pigeon, picked up a seed or a nut, and deliberately dropped it down to him. Not once, but several times.

How clever is that?

Synopses

I don't find writing a synopsis easy. When I first started writing I used to know how my hero and heroine met, what the conflict between them was going to be, and perhaps one or two things that might happen along the way. And that's as far as it went.
Now my editor likes a synopsis of the whole story - I have a feeling she doesn't like surprises. (sorry, ed, if you're reading this) And I find it very hard to develop a full version in these early stages. How do I know what is going to happen? Characters have a mind of their own, sometimes going in way you never expect. It's part of the excitement of writing.
Does anyone else feel this way? Do you like writing synopses? Or do you prefer to let the characters write their own story along the way?

Foreign editions

I've just received a copy of The Italian's Ruthless Baby Bargain in German.

Don't you just love the cover?

And the title?

Good news

My latest book has now been accepted and is being published in May 2011 here in the UK under the title of A NIGHT WITH CONSEQUENCES.

The consequences were the night Kara spent with Blake - her boss. She had been working for him for nearly twelve months before he discovered that beneath the drab clothes she wore for work was actually a beautiful woman. It happened when she reluctantly accompanied him to Italy for the company's annual convention. I expect you can guess what the consequences were!

I am now supposedly taking a rest from writing to spend quality time with my long-suffering husband, but already my mind is busy working out a new plot. It's very sketchy yet but I keep adding. Very often I go to bed before my DH and then I'll sit up with a notebook and pencil and scribble down ideas. Often they get erased but there's always something that excites me, something that I can expand on.

This part of the process is the fun part. Creating new characters, giving them a history, leading them into the ups and downs of their new life together.

Workplace

The clearing of my desk went something like this:

I have a three tier filing tray. The top tray is for anything pending, filing, something interesting I want to keep, etc.

The middle one is for anything connected with my website.

The bottom one is for my current work in progress (though usually this remains sitting on my desk right in front of me)

The top tray was about four inches thick - it is now about half an inch. So that is good.

The middle tray has halved in size as well. A lot of stuff has been shredded. In fact it's a wonder my shredder hasn't stopped working due to overload. I was thinking about this - my shredder must be about twenty years old. It's a Rexel - so three cheers for Rexel!

And the bottom tray is empty - oh, that's because I've put everything to do with my book behind me on our grandson's high chair (The chair lives in here with me because there's nowhere else to put it. Ditto his box of toys. Ditto the treadmill.)

This is the most cluttered room in the house, but it's also the one I feel most comfortable in. If I turn around and look behind me, my three bookcases are overloaded. Every now and then I send some books to charity but they still keep piling up.

This is my work room and I'm entitled to get it a little untidy when I'm working on a book. Which is most of the time. At least that's my take on things.

Am I the odd one out here? Does everyone else keep their workplace as tidy as the rest of the house?

Revisions

The revisions are finished and are now with my editor. So once again it's clearing out the office time. How does so much paperwork accumulate? The answer - I'm a procrastinator. My DH is just the opposite. If something wants doing it's done immediately - and sometimes I'm the one who has to do it - so how does that work? Me - I leave things until the last minute. They say opposites attract - I guess it's true in our case, but it happily works.

The Lake District

Last week I stole a few days away from my revisions to visit the Lake District and I thought I would show you a few photographs of this incredibly beautiful and diverse part of England .

This is Hardknott Pass which was a particularly exhilarating drive. I'm thankful my husband is a very good driver because it was windy and raining - and very exciting! You can see the winding road shining as the light glints across its wet surface.

In contrast a serene scene of Coniston Water where Donald Campbell once raced his jet-powered boat Bluebird.

And finally a farmhouse nestling in one of the valleys.

Revisions

I'm deep in my revisions at the moment but all is going well. So if you don't hear from me for a few days you'll know why. And I'm not sorry that I'm stuck in the office because the rain is howling down outside. It seems that our summer is well and truly over.

Spreadsheets

I've recently changed to Microsoft Office 2007 - have I told you this before? I find some things work better than the old edition and some don't, but I've got used to the word processing side of things.

For the last two days, though, I've been working on a spreadsheet and I found this very different - certainly not so easy. I've actually been tearing my hair out - no, that's not true - but you know what I mean. Why won't it do this? Why won't it do that? How do you this? How do you do that? Do you know, I much prefer reading instructions from a book than using their on screen help.

Does anyone else think the same way?

News

I've heard from my editor - just as I was starting my paperwork! She likes the first half of Blake & Kara's story, but the second half needs some work doing on it to make it stronger. I'm leaving it, though, until everything else is in order. If I don't I can see the jobs never getting done.

We've had some terrible downpours of rain today and our electricity went off for a few minutes - luckily I'd just saved the work I was doing on a spreadsheet. Because we live in the country we often have power cuts, usually only lasting a few minutes, sometimes seconds, but it can be annoying when I'm working on my computer. I've got into the habit of saving my work every few sentences. But you can bet your bottom dollar that if I forget to save because the muse is working well then that's the time the electric will go.

Life

Life is back to normal. If it ever is normal! I have a mountain of paperwork to cope with - the main one being my annual accounts which I've kept putting off until I can put them off no longer.
And while we've been enjoying ourselves with our grandson the weeds have sneaked back into the garden - so that's another job to be done.

Also - I'm still waiting to hear from my editor. In one respect I want to hear, in another I'd like the time to get all my jobs done.

The Waiting Game

I hate playing the waiting game. I know it's been less than a week but already I'm anxious to know what my ed thinks of my book. Fortunately we now have our eldest grandson to stay with us for the rest of his school holidays - so, I'm going to take a break from my computer, and blogging for the next couple of weeks (she says hopefully) and really enjoy the time we're spending with him.

Friday the 13th

Is it dangerous to send off a manuscript on Friday 13th - because that's what I've just done?

I've spent all day giving Kara and Blake's story its final polish and now it is in my editor's inbox.

I feel drained - but happy. I think I might open a bottle of wine this evening.

I'm nearly there!

The first draft of my latest book is finally finished and over the last few days I have been busy reading through it and making alterations - sorry, I mean improvements. I now have only two chapters left and then a final read through before Kara and Blake leave me to sit on my editor's desk. I hope she enjoys their story as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Titles

I love the way the titles of our books change when theyare published in another country.


I've just received two copies of The Italian's Ruthless Baby Bargain in German with the title:

Die Nanny und der romische Millionar

Perfect!

Writing

I had hoped to finish my current book before the school holidays and visits by grandchildren. But it hasn’t worked out like that. It’s proving quite a slow book to write. Not that I’m complaining, I love the storyline and I love Blake, my hero, he’s totally gorgeous. But whereas writing is sometimes like swimming with the tide, on this occasion it’s like crawling through mud.

Must get on...

Grandchildren

I might be quiet for a few days as we have grandson number one staying with us. Yesterday - just for the day we had grandson number two. And guess who tires us out the most. No 2. Two years old and lively and loud - and wonderful. No 1 is fourteen - and old enough to amuse himself. He's probably loud and noisy too when he's with his friends, but with us he's quiet and polite and has a wicked sense of humour - just like his grandad. Between the two of them my life is not worth living!!! But I wouldn't have it any other way.

Help!

Does anyone know how to overcome a problem I have with Microsoft Office?

After I have used Find and Replace, whenever I try to scroll through my document for other reasons it keeps jumping pages using Find again. I can’t fathom out how to knock it off without actually turning my computer off and on again.

Any help would be appreciated.

Sitting or standing?

I read an article in the newspaper the other day stating that no one should sit down for more than six hours a day - for health reasons. And that even getting up and exercising frequently did not count. Six hours is the max!

So how about office workers? Eight hour days. How about authors? I worked ten hours yesterday. Not the norm I hasten to add, but I always work about seven hours. And even after work I sit down and watch TV - or go out for a meal and sit down. So many people have sitting down jobs.

Fortunately I can't remember what the dire consequences are - and the newspapers were collected this morning so I can't check back.

Thank goodness. Because I shall carry on doing what I've always done.

Writing analysis

I've been reading about other authors having their writing analysed to see who they write like - so I decided to give it a go myself. It was surprisingly quick. I entered a whole chapter and in seconds I was told that I write like:

James Joyce

Mm.......

Food, food, glorious food...

We went to the wedding on Sunday of the son of some very dear friends of ours. Why do I always cry at weddings? The bride looked absolutely radiant. Everything was perfect. The whole day, the food, the venue, the disco (maybe the disco was a bit loud but we stayed until the very end anyway).

We actually stayed the night at the hotel which was once some old farm buildings which have been splendidly converted into a hotel/restaurant. It's a rambling place with secret corners and a perfect place for weddings.

Yesterday we went straight from the venue to some friends for lunch who happened to live in the area. And last night we visited some other friends who we see on a fortnightly basis and usually go out with them for a meal. But we had a light buffet supper at their house instead. Thank goodness!

Today I had fresh fruit for breakfast!

Rain, rain, go away...

After all the hot weather we've had it is now raining. Not continually, thank goodness, at least not in this part of the UK, but it's enough to keep me indoors. Enough to keep me writing without thinking that I'd like to be out there soaking up the sunshine.

I had a lovely surprise in the post today. A photo of my two year old grandson taken at the nursery he attends. He'd just had his hair cut (boo hoo, he had lovely curls) and it's very short and makes him look older. More like a boy than a baby. OK, he's not a baby any more, but I'm sure you know what I mean. He's totally gorgeous, not that I'm biased or anything like that. He lives a little too far away to see him as often as I would like, so this photo is extra special. It's already sitting in a frame on top of my bookcase.

Bought for Marriage

I was talking about holidays with a friend yesterday and she said, ‘I know who I’m going with next time.’ It didn’t sound as though she meant her husband so I kind of frowned and asked who.


‘Theo,’ she said.

It took only a couple of seconds for it dawn on me that she was talking about Theo Tsardikos in Bought For Marriage. I’d given her a copy of the Greek trio book that I mentioned here recently. And she’d fallen for Theo!

I was both amused and flattered.


Actually I fall for all of my heroes so it was good to hear that someone else had as well.



Here's the cover so that you can feast your eyes on him too.

Nicola Marsh

Nicola Marsh has a great post today on her blog in her The Write Whisper series. It's all about The Story Question. Why don't you go take a look?

Dieting

Disaster has struck.

I've been dieting since April because I'm going to a wedding in a couple of week's time and I've bought a very close-fitting dress for the occasion. I even bought new scales when I started to diet and have been losing about a pound a week. Now the scales are refusing to work!

Last week we ate out so many times that I know I must have piled it back on - but I have no way of really knowing. I'm going to take the scales back but I can't find the receipt. I'm a hoarder where receipts are concerned, I have them dating back to the year dot. But the one I want? Nowhere in sight!

I've yet to try on the dress!

Am I a coward? Or very brave?

Writing

My DH and I have been out and about this last week or so taking advantage of our lovely weather (although it has gone much cooler today) but I have managed at least a half hour on my book each evening. So it is progressing, although somewhat slowly. Kara has lost her virginity to Blake, something she had no intention of doing. And little does she know that she's going to find herself pregnant later on in the story. I can't wait to get there. Hope I haven't given too much away? Though by the time the book's published I guess you'll have forgotten.

Football

The weather's sweltering here this weekend - as it has been all the week and I'm glad to sit indoors and watch the football. I'm writing this before England play their game with Germany this afternoon. Fingers crossed that England win.

My fourteen year old grandson is here so my DH has someone to cheer England on with - me, I supply the refreshments!

Bought For Marriage

There's a three in one book sitting on the shelves in the bookshops at the moment. It's called The Greeks' Bought Brides and my contribution to it is Bought For Marriage. In this story Dione was compelled to marry gorgeous Greek billionaire Theo Tsardikos to help her father out of his money problems. It actually created problems for herself.

This was a book I really enjoyed writing (don't I say that about them all?) and I'm so glad to see it's been re-issued. I'm teamed up with Julia James and Lucy Monroe so I'm in very good company. The book is also on sale here either as a hard copy or an e-book.

Italy

I forced myself to have a computer free weekend and found it very hard. I couldn't even check my emails! It was Father's Day here on Sunday and my daughter came with our lovely two-year old grandson. What fun we had and how lively he is. I was actually glad to get back to work today.

Blake & Kara's chemistry is sizzling so I hope it continues under the hot Italian sunshine. Blake is only half Italian and he lives in England (they're in Italy on business at the moment) - but he nevertheless has a bit of the hot Latin lover about him.

Harlequin

I watched a movie on TV last night called The Waiting Game. It was advertised in the TV paper as coming from the Harlequin stable - so I just had to watch. It was from the book of the same name written by Jayne Ann Krentz and was published in 1985 under the Intrigue label. It certainly intrigued me. There was not much romance in it, there was more mystery, but it kept me watching till the very end to find out who the goodies and baddies were. Has anyone else seen this film and if you have what did you think of it?



I looked Krentz up and what a very profilic writer she is. Her output puts me to shame.

Milan

Another week's gone by. Where does the time go? It's virtually mid June and it seems like only yesterday we were celebrating Christmas. Kara and Blake are beginning to get to know one another really well now. The story started in England but we're now in Italy, in Milan actually, so I'm looking forward to exploring that city with them. Blake does have Italian blood in him but he's never lived there - and I've never been there either. Does anyone have good memories of Milan?

Weather

I have a few alterations to the first chapters of my new book but other than that it is all systems go. So I've been working hard and forgot to blog. Sorry!

Last night we had a BBQ. The weather was not promising but because we'd invited friends we decided to go ahead anyway. Then the rain came, but undeterred my DH pulled out the awning, set everything out beneath it, switched on the patio heater (yes, in June!) and a good time was had by all. The sauce that I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs went down a treat.
And DH even washed up afterwards. I told you it was a good night!

Red

I went to a funeral last week and because red was his favourite colour we were all asked to wear something red. What a difference it made. It looked lovely to see such a bright colour mingling with black and the odd flash of white. There were no flowers, just one wreath of red carnations from his immediate family. As far as funerals go this was one that struck just the right note between sadness and a celebration of life.


Now, completely changing the subject but keeping to the red theme, I have an Australian copy of my latest book Married Again To The Millionaire up for grabs. I'm keeping the contest in the UK this time, so the first person who comments from the UK will be the winner.

Bank Holiday

The hot weather seems to have disappeared into the ether, it is so much cooler now. Actually it's the right temperature for the time of year. But we're still hoping to have a BBQ this weekend - a treat after gardening. A very kind friend of ours has given us 4 trays of bedding plants to put in - with 50 in each!! I reckon I'll need a drink or two after that. It's Spring Bank Holiday weekend - so it might rain. It always seems to rain on bank holidays. Or is that just here in the UK?

On the writing front I'm now on chapter six - while I'm still waiting to hear from my ed about the first three chapters. I hope she doesn't ask for too many changes. None would be nice. Fingers crossed everyone.

Barbecues

Did you all see Marilyn's absolutely fabulous recipes yesterday? My mouth drools simply thinking about them. And here is my promised one for a divine sauce to go with cooked chicken, chops, sausages, etc. I had it out of an old cookbook years ago, which has since disintegrated from much use.

1 oz (25g) butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 level tablespoons mango chutney - chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon French mustard

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and fry gently until tender without colouring. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for two to three minutes and serve hot or cold with any simply cooked barbecued food.

It is much cooler here today in the UK - so BBQ weather it is not. But writing weather it is. Blake and Kara still haven't even kissed - but it might happen today!!!

Weather

It's been barbecue weather here today - while I've been stuck inside sat at my desk. Not that we had a BBQ - but DH did shift it out on to the patio. So that's a start. Last year we did not have a single one.

Has anyone got any good BBQ recipes they'd care to share? I have an excellent one for a BBQ sauce/dip that I'll dig out and post next week.

Happy weekend everyone.

Writing

No writing done today. I went to my art group this morning - where I've started a painting of a castle rising out of the mist. A bit tricky this. Maybe I ought to imagine Kara and Blake there - except that it's in ruins. But a scene in the moonlight? Mmm - food for thought.

And this afternoon I 'attended' a webinar run by Harlequin on the subject of - blogging, which was both interesting and enlightening. You'll have to let me know whether I improve over the coming weeks.

Kara & Blake

I hadn't realised that it had been over a week since I last blogged. How very naughty of me. My excuse is that I've been having in-depth conversations with Kara and Blake. Kara is Blake's PA and she has personal problems that he knows nothing about and she intends it to remain that way.

We'll see!

The good news is that I've now sent the first three chapters to my editor - so it's the waiting game to see what she has to say about them. I'm pressing on with chapter four and at this precise moment they're on Blake's own personal jet heading to a conference in Rome.

Aren't they lucky?

Another animal story

Forgive the title of this post. Fish aren't animals. But this happened on Saturday and it was very funny.



We decided to go out for the day into Wales. For those of you who are not aware of it Wales is very much sheep country. In the distance we could see a snake of traffic coming towards us, hundreds of cars it seemed. It was a long winding, hilly road and it was not until we got closer that we discovered the reason for so much traffic going slowly.



A lamb!



Strolling along slowly, looking a little bewildered, but nowhere for him to go. The hedgerows on either side stoppd him fleeing into the fields. Poor thing, he was completely out of his comfort zone. I bet all the drivers in the queue wondered what was going on.



This photo is not of the same lamb, it was one I took a few years ago, but he's very cute, isn't he?

Fish

Shock and horror this morning. My DH opened the curtains and looked through the window, gave a cry of distress, and was out of the house like a shot. Half naked! We have a pool in the garden - OK, maybe a pond - but it has at least a dozen fish in it. And for some reason the water had leaked out. He yelled out to me, 'The water's all gone and the fish are lying dead on the bottom.'



A slight exaggeration - but there was only a couple of inches of water left and the fish were gasping. Fortunately we only lost one and the rest are happily OK. Some are goldfish but some are koi and cost a lot of money.



DH thinks the leak is somewhere in the stream that feeds the pond. Actually the same water gets pumped round and round, so it might be in one of the hidden pipes. He's not yet had time to explore. But yes, it was a shock. We'd actually had a lie in, would you believe, so it brought us fully awake very quickly.

Contest winners

As I only had three entrants in my contest:

Denise Yen

Joy Isley

Mary Ann Derbin

I am going to send a copy of Married Again to the Milionaire to each of you and I thank you for entering.

Joy and Mary Ann I have your addresses. Denise, can you please send me yours. And I'll send off the books asap.

I've started my new book but it's fairly slow going. My heroine is the beautiful Kara, who hides her light under a bushel, and my hero is Blake. She has been working as his PA for over two years without him noticing her. But things are about to change...

Contest

Last day for the contest. Maybe I haven't advertised it enough because I haven't had many entrants, so if you'd like a copy of Married Again to the Millionaire, shoot over to my contest page and send off your entry.

I've also had the go-ahead from my editor today for my new book - so it's all systems go.

The weather forecast for the weekend is rain, rain and more rain, but I don't care. I'm happy to be writing again.

In limbo

My computer's back and almost everything has been reloaded. It cost an arm and a leg which annoys me considerably when the fault was not my own. Nevertheless it's onwards and upwards...

I feel in limbo since I'm waiting to hear from my editor about my latest plot. There are a thousand and one things I could be doing but none of them really appeal. I want to comfort eat but I can't because I'm on a diet. I lost 2-lbs last week and 1-lb the week before - so at least I have something to feel cheerful about.

Disaster

My computer is in hospital - I'm using DH's at the moment. Some nasty little worm has got at it and the end result is that the whole operating system has stopped working. So the tech guys are going to take everything off and reload the system again - and then I'll have the job of reloading all of my programmes!! Something I'm not looking forward to. Especially my service provider. That could take ages. Besides which it's going to cost an arm and leg. So I'm not a happy bunny at the moment.

At least the weather's good. We have clear blue skies and the forecast for the weekend is more of the same.

Land of Ice and Fire

I was thinking last night about all the people who have been stranded because of Iceland's volcanic dust that is a threat to aircraft. My heart goes out to them. I should really hate to be stranded that long. I imagine it is testing everyone's patience. I also feel sorry for the people in Iceland who lvie near the volcano? How are they coping? There doesn't seem to be much said about them.

Actually I set a book in Iceland. It was my fourth one, published in 1976 (in hardback only) and was entitled Land of Ice and Fire. Here is the blurb:

Alex had always loved Iceland, and she was delighted to be going back to work as a courier for a travel firm. But the job, unfortunately, wasn't going at all well - in fact, it was a complete disaster!

Everything that could possibly go wrong went wrong, and every time it appeared to be her fault. It didn't help that Bjorn Einarsson, the head of the travel agency, hadn't wanted her in the first place - he had expected a man - and didn't trouble to conceal his low opinion of her. It helped still less that she had fallen in love with Bjorn at first sight...

My background research was through a lady I knew who had been on holiday to Iceland. I wonder if she's thinking of that now?

Time remaining

There are only two weeks left in my latest contest. So if you want to be in with a chance to win a copy of my latest book MARRIED AGAIN TO THE MILLIONAIRE, simply email me the name of the hero and heroine in my book THE ITALIAN'S RUTHLESS BABY BARGAIN which was released as a Presents EXTRA last month.

Don't forget I'm picking two winners this time, and the deadline is April 30th.

Meanwhile I'm still busy working out a new plot. More of that later if my ed likes it.

Book cover

Thought you might like to see the Italian copy of The Italian's Ruthless Baby Bargain

I've also received in the post today a two in one version, also in Italian, of two of my older books - Surrender to the Millionaire and Reclaiming his Bride.

Gardens

My garden always takes second place when I'm writing. DH mows the lawns but the weeding is left to me, so as I'm now between books so to speak I've been spending time outdoors. We live in a regular sized house so the gardens aren't gigantic but we live on a corner so we have a front garden, a side front garden, a side back garden, and a back garden which has a fishpond and a little stream.

Last autumn I was busy working on a book so I let DH loose on the dead heading and pruning. Now, it's either the hard winter we had, or DH's less than careful pruning because I've lost some plants. The thing is, do I let him loose again or do I do all the hard work myself?

We're having glorious weather at the moment and the blossom on the trees is spectacular. A little later than normal but a very welcome sight.

Who does the gardening in your house?

New beginnings

I've had a lovely week free from the rigours of writing. Or should I say the pleasure of writing? Because it is a pleasure, even when it doesn't turn out the way I would like. I'm never happier than when I'm sitting at my desk creating new stories and I'm really anxious to start on something new. I've already started plotting.

Over on the Pink Heart Society today is a review of The Italian's Ruthless Baby Bargain - so why don't you pop over and take a look?

Happy Easter Everyone

I'm going to be busy with family and friends over the coming week, so if I don't blog you'll know why. Let's hope the weather is kind to us. We've had very mixed weather so far this year, although the daffodils in the garden are beautiful. They really cheer me up when I look at them. And even the fish in our pond are swimming on the surface again. We never see them during the winter, they hide right at the bottom.

I'm not saying anything about the writing front because - well, you know why.

Disappointment

What is to be will be.

My revisions didn't quite hit the mark so after much thought I've decided not to even try to do anything else with Zander & Kara's story. It's sad because I liked my hero and heroine, I really did, (I'd known them long enough!) but it just wasn't working.

So now it's back to the drawing board!

USA Today

Just thought I'd share the news that THE ITALIAN'S RUTHLESS BABY BARGAIN has hit USA Today's Best-Selling Books Top 150. It's come in at 114. I'm delighted.

Bits and Bobs

No Blog??

No writing!

No News!

I was going to leave it at that but thought I'd tell you about my day today when I went shopping for a birthday present for a very good friend of mine.

But what do you get for the lady who has everything?

I looked at perfumes, jewellery, ornaments, clothes, everything I could think of, but nothing jumped out at me.

So eventually I bought her a set of solar lights for her garden - she loves her garden. I once said to her, 'How do you keep it so weed free? And she said, 'I walk around it every day and if a weed dares to show its head I pull it up. I wish she'd come to my house! The lights are supposed to change colour so it will be interesting to see what they look like.

Our clocks go forward tomorrow night - hope I remember. One Sunday, many years ago, we had arranged to go out to lunch with some friends and when we got to their house they weren't ready. We, of course, had forgot to put our clocks forward!!! They have never let us live it down.

The End

I need a marathon finger crossing session. My book left the office yesterday. I now play the waiting game. In case you've forgotten, or even not heard, it was a major re-write. Only the first and last chapters were virtually untouched. It's such a relief to let go of it, though I did fall in love with Zander, my gorgeous Greek hero.

New contest

The book is printed out ready for a final read-through. Oh, the relief!

I was supposed to be running a new competition for March/April but this re-write has taken up all of my time (and my thoughts).

So here it finally is:

What is the name of the hero and heroine in my latest US book released as a Presents EXTRA this month - THE ITALIAN'S RUTHLESS BABY BARGAIN?

Email me your answers here with March/April contest as the subject.

I've actually run out of copies of this book, except for a couple of hardbacks, (which I'm willing to post in the UK) so I shall be offering as a prize a copy of my new book MARRIED AGAIN TO THE MILLIONAIRE. My DH will be picking the winner at the end of April.

The end is in sight

Today, after my hectic but enjoyable weekend, I have married the two parts of my story up. My hero and heroine have got married as well. All that remains now is for me to read it through and hope everything works. I'm going out for a meal in an hour's time so I might have a drink or two in celebration. Not that I intend cheering too soon - not after what's happened on previous occasions. Actually I feel more like going to bed. My eyes are so tired. I don't usually work such long hours as I have today.

Nearly there!

I have a weekend of grandchildren ahead. Well, two to be exact. One who is fourteen and another who is nearly two. I wonder which one will be the most trouble?

We're going shopping for curtain material with my daughter and guess who will be making up her curtains? Needless to say she will have to wait until my re-write is finished.

Which shouldn't be long now. With a bit of luck it will be leaving me next week. I'm crossing my fingers that I can use the last chapter from the original - which means that all I had to do was fill in the part between the first and last chapters.

Sounds easy, doesn't it?

You've no idea how I've sweated over this book.

Happy Mother's Day for Sunday to all you English mothers out there.

Words

When I’m writing and I’m stuck for the right word I can’t go on until I find it. I’ve tried leaving a space but it always niggles at me and I have to fill in the gap before I can go any further. I need to write to the best of my ability at all times.

I’m not sure whether this is a failing or a good thing. It’s silly I know because it holds my work up, it stops the flow, and yet I cannot help myself. I am a perfectionist in most things and I guess this has some relationship to it.

So how about you? How do you cope when you can’t find the right word? Do you leave it until later? Does it pop into your head when you’re not thinking about it? Or do you, like me, need to find it straight away?

Slow, slow, quick quick, slow.

Today is my wedding anniversary but since it's not any great milestone it's been like a normal day. I'm working on Chapter 11 but for some reason it's slow going. I seem to write in spurts. Some days really slow, and another I'll whizz along. On Saturday - not normally a writing day but my DH was out - I wrote a whole chapter. But then of course I had Sunday off and so today was at snail's pace. I wrote less than a thousand words. Fingers crossed that tomorrow will be better.

Married Again to the Millionaire

I was listening to late night radio last night when this question came up:

What was the first book ever written using a typewriter?

I didn't know the answer but I wonder if anyone reading this does? I'll send a copy of my latest book Married Again to the Millonaire to the first person who gives me the right answer.

The clue is it was in 1875.

And talking of Married Again to the Millionaire, it's just had a lovely review from WeWriteRomance which you can read here:
http://www.wewriteromance.com/reviews/review/review-margaretmayo-marriedagaintothemillionaire

E-readers

It's been almost a week since my last blog and I have no excuse. Perhaps laziness. Perhaps nothing to blog about. My re-write's keeping me busy. I am, though, just over half way, so that is good.

My DH is considering buying an e-reader as we had our last one stolen whilst on holiday over a year ago and have never bothered to replace it. He is not a great reader but I have to admit he reads more on the e-reader than if he has a conventional book in his hand. So maybe it will be money well spent. He's thinking about the Sony PRS 300 and I've checked out some reviews and it looks pretty good. Does anyone have an opinion about it?

This morning I saw my latest book in the shops - Married Again to the Millionaire. Even after all this time I still get a thrill out of seeing my name in print.

Green Card

We ended up watching Green Card, a film starring Andie MacDowell (Bronte) and Gerard Depardieu (George). We had seen it before but a long time ago and neither of us could remember what had happened. It's a marriage of convenience story (sound familiar? How many times have I used that theme?) George wants his green card and the film is about the hilarious events leading up to their final interviews. But it didn't end in HMB style. They fell in love but Georgewasn't granted his card and it finished with him being driven away by the authorities. It was a bit slow in places but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Tonight we're enjoying ourselves in a different way - out for a meal with friends.

Writing very slow today - spent most of the time going over what I had already written.

Writing

Writing has been like drawing teeth today. Every word, every sentence, every paragraph, I've toiled over. Fortunately I'm happy with the result. Tonight I'm going to relax and watch a film. Not sure which one yet. We have a whole pile that we've bought at some time or another and not yet seen. I'll let you know.

Trapped nerve

I've managed nearly two thousand words today, which isn't bad for a Monday. So I'm happy. My DH isn't so happy, he has a trapped nerve in his thigh - the medical name is meralgia parasthetica (his doctor gleefully told him that maybe I would use it one of my books!) - and it's really playing him up. He's not sleeping well which is making him grumpy. Does anyone know anything about it? From what I understand there's not much he can do unless it becomes unbearable when a cortison injection might help. But it could send his blood sugar up because he has diabetes. He is never ill, very fit for his age, and therefore he's feeling it all the more.

Libraries and weather

I seem to have had a busy week, working on revisions as well as my talk at Kingswinford library on Wednesday
It was very well attended and they were a happy, receptive audience with lots of questions afterwards. Most of them were readers who had been reading my books for years, and there were one or two would-be writers. So it was a nice combination.
Just as it was time to head home it began to snow. It came down like a blizzard as we walked to the carpark and my lovely pink suit turned white. (I had left my mac in the car not thinking I would need it) But just as suddenly as it started it stopped and the skies turned blue again.
Now it's head down again - back to reality.

Busy

You probably think I've been busy working on my revisions - well, yes, that's true. But I'm also giving a talk tomorrow at Kingswinford Library so I've been working on that as well as it's been years since I've done any talks.

I've had lots of foreign editions of my books this last couple of weeks - I am totally running out of space. I'm taking a few to Kingswinford Library, hoping they'll take them off my hands.

I'm now about to make myself a cup of coffee and then it's back to the grindstone!!

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone in case I don't get round to blogging again before the weekend.

Revisions

Why haven't I been blogging? Major revisions on my book. Not that I've started them, I've simply been taking them in. A big breath now and get on with it...

weekend

I had a good weekend with our grandson - who showed me all sorts of weird and wonderful things on You Tube. I personally never look at it but he showed me some spray painting artists. It's so amazing the way they do it. So quickly. I paint with a brush in watercolour or acrylics and it takes me ages. They spray and it's there in seconds. And how about pavement artists who paint caverns that you look as though you could fall into. Or water, or any number of amazing things? There are so many clever people about.

weekend

We have our grandson staying for the weekend so there'll be no posting, and no wasting time on the computer. He's fourteen now so we're fortunate he still wants to visit. We must make the most of it.

Diets

There's not much happening in my life at the moment. I'm still waiting to hear from my editor and I'm still working on my talk. I'm also jotting down ideas for a new book.

I was looking through my bookcase earlier for a book on poetry - which I couldn't find, but I did spot these titles:

Foods that Harm and Foods that Heal
Colour Me Beautiful Make Up Book
How to Look and Feel Half Your Age
The F2 Diet
Inch LossPlan
The Waistline Plan
Slim & Healthy Recipes

What do you think they are telling me?

That they never did any good, that's what. I'm a stone heavier than I ever used to be, well, two actually if we go back to before children time.

The best diet book I've ever followed is one I bought in Australia called The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet. CSIRO stands for Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. And it worked - till I stopped following it!

There are super recipes in this book. I made their butternut pumpkin/squash and coriander soup a couple of weeks ago - it is to die for.

So that's me cleansing my soul. Now where is the chocolate?

Happy mood

I shall go to bed tonight with a smile on my face and a song in my heart. I've been watching Mamma Mia! I've been toe-tapping along to all of the songs - though I've refrained from singing because because I am totally tone deaf and cannot sing in tune to save my life. My DH always makes fun of me whenever I try so I simply sang under my breath tonight. It's put me in a happy mood though - and who knows, I might hear from my editor tomorrow.

Review

I have a review for The Twelve Month Marriage Deal up on WeWriteRomance today if you want to go take a look. Meanwhile I'm playing the waiting game for my latest.

I have a lot of paperwork to catch up on and as I'm giving a talk at Kingswinford Library next month I'm working on that as well. I haven't given a talk for at least ten years so I'm feeling rather nervous about it.

ebook bundle

I'm blogging on WeWriteRomance today about Surrender To The Millionaire which is on sale now in the WeWriteRomanceSelectsPresents ebook bundle over at Harlequin or Amazon. Don't forget Kate Walker, Michelle Reid and Anne McAllister also have books in the bundle so it's going to be a great read.

I couldn't wait more than one day to read my book through and I was happy that it needed very little alteration. I'm about to press the send button now!!!

Withdrawal symptoms

I managed to go a whole day yesterday without turning my computer on. It was hard. I had withdrawal symptoms. Isn't it amazing how used to it you get? Even if it's not to read emails or blogs or the news, you just look stuff up all the time. I'm not into facebook or anything like that, it's something I'm totally resisting because I know that it would be something else to take up my precious writing time.

And talking about writing, I've finished my book!!! When I say finished I mean the first draft. I need to read through it now and tighten it up and make sure everything's as perfect as I can get it. I'm going to wait a few days before that though - well, one day at least - it's absolutely calling out to me to be read!

I've been polishing the house all morning and cleaning the bathroom and I have ironing to do, so at least it's something to keep my itchy fingers away from the keyboard. I am here now, I know, but my mind is made up. No book today. Not even a peep.

Happy reading everyone!

Compliments

I had the best compliment ever yesterday from a friend of mine who reads all of my books. After finishing The Twelve-Month Marriage Deal she said that for the first time ever she wanted the story to go on, she wanted to find out what happened in the future to my hero and heroine and their new family. Wasn’t that good?

Bread and Soup

I’ve been breadmaking today. And yesterday my DH made a lovely Butternut Squash soup. Anyone would think we were under siege! It is snowing outside but it’s not that bad, not here anyway, most of it had melted before this new lot, but a meal of homemade soup and bread was like a feast. How we enjoyed it. And there’s plenty for another day – or two!

I also have only 4000 words to write to finish the first draft of Zander & Kara’s story.

All in all I’m feeling pretty good.

Weather

For those of us who are still suffering adverse weather conditions I hope this photograph taken when we were in the Caribbean a couple of years ago might cheer you up.

It was the week before Christmas.

One of my Christmas presents was a load of books from Harlequin. Five boxes to be exact. The first time the postman tried to deliver them I was out. It was a Saturday morning. I had no idea then that they were books, simply that five parcels had been returned to the postal depot and would I book a new delivery date.

Since I have a son living in the US I thought it was from him. I thought how generous he was being. But no, it was Harlequin being generous. They were all foreign editions. Italian, French, French again, Brazilian, German, and German again. But not one copy of each, nor my usual two, but four of the German ones, three of the Brazilian, three of the one French and four of the other, and two of the Italian. Twenty books in all.

I thought you might like to see them!

I’m fast running out of space. I’ve no idea what I’m going to do with them all.

Sleep therapy

A few less words today - 2,300. But pretty good anyway by my standards. I'm almost at the end of my notes, though. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I get some inspiration while I'm in bed tonight in that half asleep state. The trouble is that sitting up to write my notes makes me wide awake and then I have trouble getting to sleep. I do have a voice recorder which my DH bought me some years ago, but I'm always afraid of waking him if I use it. Besides I'm old fashioned. There's something satisfactory about putting pen to paper.

Progress

It's been heaven getting back to work today, and even better still that I managed nearly 3000 words. As all of you who read my blog will know this is very good for me.

My main thinking time is in bed and over the holiday period I'd made a few notes scribbled in the dark. Fortunately legible! And this served me well. And I still know where I'm going. Not the whole story yet, but at least the next chapter. Which is number ten and I've done 37,000 words. It looks like I've passed the inevitable sagging middle!

We're out for a meal tonight with friends so I feel I deserve it. I might even have an extra glass of wine.

Happy New Year everyone!

It's all over

And the winner is…

Mary Ann Derbin

Congratulations Mary on winning my Christmas contest. I’ll be posting your prize soon.

So many people said that having their whole family together for Christmas was what they would like best. I expected when I posed the question of how you would like to spend Christmas if money was no object to elicit some fairytale responses. But no, tradition won. Which is as it should be. Thank you to everyone who entered and thank you to Mary for touching my heart.

I’m looking forward to Monday because I’m going back to work. Back to Zander and Kara who have been spending their time in Athens at his mother’s birthday party. I hope they didn’t get up to anything in my absence.

Happy New Year everyone.