Exciting news

My website is having a makeover. 

The wonderful Heather at hrwebconcepts.com has been busily working on it and any time now it will change.  It's in one of my favourite colours so keep checking.

I hope you'll all love it as much as I do.

Contest

I've just spent a few computerless days away and was disappointed to see that no one had entered this second week of my contest - so I'm going to run the same question this week.

Where did Blake whisk Kara to in my book A NIGHT WITH CONSEQUENCES?  Or - different question, same answer - in which country was the conference held where Blake took his PA?  The answer can be found here on my website.

A copy of this book  is the prize for the winner - so you know what they say - you have to be in it to win it.

I'm now going to look forward to a whole rush of answers...   Send them here



BIG MISTAKE!  I think my mind was on other things when I checked for contest entrants.  I've found you - those who entered.  But as there were only a couple of entries I'm going to add your names to this week's list.  And then I'll pick two winners so all will be fair.

1st week May contest

And the winner is...

LACEY DEVLIN

Congratulations, Lacey.  My DH picked your name out of the hat (well, a little plastic bowl actually but a hat sounds so much nicer) - so if you'd like to email me your address I'll make sure a copy of A NIGHT WITH CONSEQUENCES will soon be on its way to you.

Commiserations to those of you who didn't win but you can always enter again for the second week of my contest.  This time the question is: 

Where does Blake take Kara for a few days holiday?  As before the answer can be found on my website - http://www.margaret-mayo.com/

Good luck everyone!

Foto Friday

I couldn't resist snapping these unfolding ferns in my garden this week.  I know they're not terribly good photos but I think ferns are so pretty at this stage.

And a reminder - it's the last day for entering this week's contest.

Contest answers

I forgot to mention that all answers to my question should be emailed to me at margaret_mayo@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks to Lacey for pointing it out.

Contest 1

Well, wasn't the royal wedding fabulous?  I was glued to the television the whole morning on Friday.  And then I went to the local garden party.  Very few people guessed who had painted the postcards.  Most got none right.  Quite a few got one.  And one lucky person managed five.  Neverthless it was a lot of fun.

So - to my May contest.

Four books, four weeks.

This week's question is - What are the christian names of my heroine and hero in my new book A NIGHT WITH CONSEQUENCES which is in the shops now in the UK.  The answers can be found on the books page of my website - http://www.margaret-mayo.com/

At the moment my website is being updated - by the lovely Heather at hr web concepts but I think you'll still be able to access it.  If not then I'll happily extend the contest time.  I'm quite excited about the new look it's going to get and can't wait for you all to see it.

This and that

I missed wishing everyone a Happy Easter because my computer was playing up.  But I do hope you all enjoyed it and didn't eat too many easter eggs! 

I've been busy trying to sort out Rafe and Holly because they're not particularly behaving themselves.  And I've also painted a 'picture on a postcard' for a fun competition being held at our local pub for Prince William and Kate's wedding.  A garden party is planned with all sorts of events (as well as big screens for the occasion of course) and my art group is having a display of paintings.  The postcards won't have our names on and people are going to be asked to pair them up with the original artists.  It will be fun to see if anyone gets them all right.

At the beginning of May I'm going to be running a new contest to win copies of my latest book A NIGHT WITH CONSEQUENCES.  So do keep a look out for that.  I have four books to give away and I shall pose a different question each week during the month.

Heroes and blood pressure

Some time ago I told you I was having my blood pressure monitored and I blamed it on my current hero.  Well, the machine stopped working so I've had to wait until now when they had solved the problem to have it checked again.  And - good news - it's fine.  Poor Rafe didn't send it as high as I'd thought. 

Actually I'm having to re-write the first chapters of my current book again.  My editor pointed things out and as usual she is right.  But at least it means I get to spend more time with my hunky hero.  I'm really getting to know this guy. 

But I mustn't talk about him too much because I can feel my blood pressure rising...........

Weather

We've had beautiful weather again over the weekend and it seems set to continue for a further day or two.  DH and I did some tidying up in the garden yesterday - it's amazing how a combination of sunshine and rain has made the weeds grow quicker than the plants.  We have one or two shrubs that have died because of our harsh winter and have had to dig them out.  We waited and waited to see if they would spring back to life - but no such luck. 

We have fish as well but luckily all of them survived - every time we go near the pond now they pop up their heads and ask for food.

And today is not going to be a writing day either as I'm going to the hairdressers this morning and then helping a friend sort out a new card programme on her computer this afternoon.  So poor Holly and Rafe will have to wait a little longer before I join them again.

Foto Friday

A few years ago my DH and I spent Christmas in a hotel in Ilfracombe on the north Devon coast. And so on Boxing Day morning we set off on a three hour trek along a coastal footpath with the Atlantic Ocean crashing on the shore far below.  It was a cold but beautiful day and we thoroughly enjoyed it.  We ended up at a tiny pub with open fires and a festival atmosphere.  But I couldn't face the thought of another three hour walk back - it's not as though it was all on the level - so we returned to our hotel by taxi.  It was an experience I shall never forget, though.  Our one and only time when Christmas hasn't been spent with the family.

And why am I thinking of Christmas when summer is on the horizon?  When my H&H are in sunny Spain?  I just love looking at old photographs, though, don't you?

Weather

We've had lovely weather here these last few days but now it's gone cold. It's actually the right temperature for the time of year, but we've been lulled into thinking that summer was coming early. So I'm cocooned in my study with the central heating going full blast trying to write about sunny Spain. The picture's in my mind, but when I glance out of the window there are grey skies and not much else.



Thank goodness for imagination, that's what I say.

weekend

Every now and then I give myself a computer free weekend. This was one of them. We've had our eldest grandson to stay and we've been out and about so I didn't really miss it until last night when he'd gone home. I found it very hard not to come into my study and press the switches and turn on the screen, then sign in....

But somehow I managed it - and it's now eleven in the morning and I've just switched on. After a sunny and hot weekend it's still unseasonally warm outside so I have washing on the line and my DH is out there doing some garden maintenance - which is never ending. He's actually taken over some of the weeding which was always my domain. Leaving me more time to write. More time to sit on my butt at the computer - and get fat!

Actually I'm down to my lowest weight in a long time. I'm only one stone heavier than before I had the children over forty years ago. So I'm feeling pretty good about myself.

Back to the writing.....

Foto Friday

Wildlife today. Enjoy!

Spain

I've taken my H&H off to Spain - though I'm not sure of the exact location yet. It's a business trip so it will need to be near to one of the big cities. I'm open to suggestions....