News Flash!

Yes, I finally got THE CALL!!! Read all about it on the Minxes blog :-)

Also I now have a brand new website and a new author page on Facebook - Please visit the website for news in future as I've decided to use the Facebook and Twitter feeds on my website in place of a blog.

And if you're feeling friendly pop by and say Hi and click 'like' so I don't feel too lonely!

Book Heaven

 Yesterday I went to the Book Barn - a wonderful discovery not too far away, crammed full of hundreds of thousands books from every category you can think of. 

There are hundreds of vintage Mills and Boons and romance novels there. I picked up a lovely first edition of an old Barbara Cartland, thought the cover was fantastic (see below)

Best of all each book costs only a pound. My husband had to lure me away by laying a trail of books to the exit with promises we could return ;-)

It seemed a fitting treat given I have now finished The Art of Seduction (you can see the storyboard I made on Pinterest for it here) and it has been sent off to the Editor to keep my Chalet Girl story company :-) 

It feels great to have two submissions in and a new story already on the go. Although i'm not enjoying having joined the ranks of the inbox watchers! 

Easter Giveaway

Check out Aimee Duffy's blog for the chance to win lots of lovely prizes, plus get to read excerpts of some pretty hot books, Blaze included :-)

Can't Wait

To bring my dog Poppy home from the specialist hospital where she's been all week. Thankfully the surgery to remove a tumour from her adrenal glands was successful but it was risky and I've spent the week either strung out or making the two hour round trip to the hospital.
So the word count has been low but with only 5K to go to finish The Art of Seduction I'm hoping to get the ms polished and subbed by the end of March :-)

Shock News from the British Press

Okay, so recently we had a favourable article which said romance novelists were nice (who knew? ;-)
http://www.express.co.uk/comment/columnists/richard-and-judy/381301/Love-is-all-around-at-the-Romantic-Novelist-Of-The-Year-Awards
And now there's another article in The Express (http://www.express.co.uk/comment/expresscomment/383201/Why-a-hint-of-sex-is-tempting-more-to-read-Mills-Swoon) which says romance novelists may even have a role to play in our society. Okay, so it's the belated realisation that there are sexy reads to be had that has nudged the latest conclusion but frankly who cares? It's been so long since I read a favourable article about romance novelists in a British newspaper I am definitely in shock!

Taking Romance to the Developing World

Interesting news in the Romance Publishing world - Harlequin UK has partnered with biNu, the social enterprise with a mission to stimulate reading in growth markets, to make its e-books available for mobile phone users in India and Africa.

biNu is optimised for fphones widely used in Asian, African and South American territories, and it has over five million users. They could access nearly 9,000 Harlequin titles through a Mills & Boon branded shop.
Tim Cooper, commercial director for Harlequin UK, says "We've already established our Mills & Boon imprint in India, but it is out aim to make our content available to women across the world. Working with biNu has created a real opportunity for us to reach women in developing markets, and as these countries come online with tablet technology, we will be at the heart of their reading experience."

It's not brain science, well actually it is...

Today I'm blogging about Writing Right (using the right side of the brain) over on the Minxes of Romance blog - all about the advantages of writing with my brain injury (yes, you read that right - advantages :-)

Valentine Freebie

Not got your paws on Blaze yet?

As a special Valentine's gift to you it will be available to download for FREE from 14th-16th February.

Already got it? Pass it on to someone whose day you'd like to brighten with a hot fireman :-)

Amazon.co.uk link

Amazon.com link

ENJOY!

New hero inspiration :-)

Dr Jago Cooper

Move over MAWs! Give me hero inspiration with a brain, not to mention brawn too - my new inspiration has come from Dr Jago Cooper (an archaeologist with the British museum) pictured scaling sheer cliffs and hacking through Amazonian jungle in search of lost civilisations in South America.

It's not normally the kind of programme I watch but I often go in search of distraction on BBC i player in the mornings while my meds kick in and Dr Jago ably provided the necessary ;-)

I feel an archaeological hero coming on for my next story. Of course it might entail a lot of research, I think I can handle that bit!
For anyone in the UK here's the link so you can see him in action: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p013f3yp