The Harlequin Historical Author Calendar Giveaway starts today with a grand prize of a Kindle 3-g. Visit Lynna Banning to enter her contest for 2 signed books and chocolates.
Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife is on sale today at eharlequin. It won the Cataromance Mills and Boon historical of the year 2009.
His unexpected bride…
Wealthy landowner Simon Clare shuns Northumbrian society. With his son gravely ill, the last thing Simon needs is an interfering woman assuming command of his household and nursing young Robert – no matter how sensuous her figure, or how tempting her luscious lips.
Phoebe Benedict knows what it is to struggle, and finds herself drawn to the badly scarred recluse. Despite his tough exterior, she knows that Simon is a father who yearns for his son to recover – and a man who misses the tender embrace of a woman…
You can read an excerpt here.
My newsletter will go out at the weekend. It will have details on how to win a copy of my new hardback Breaking the Governess's Rules (out as hardback in January and paperback in March) as well as the latest edition of Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance. Kate kindly sent me a copy and I want to reward my newsletter subscribers.
In other news:
Still snowed in. And working on my revisions. They will be done by 3 December and I have discovered lots about the book.
Reading SEP while keeping her workshop in mind has been a great help and has provided a lot of insight as well as hugely enjoyable reading.
Showing posts with label Kate Walker. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kate Walker. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Here, there and everywhere
Today, the fantastic Kate Walker continues her masterclass on what makes a M&B alpha male hero with my thoughts. Kate and I are at one with this. Alpha male heroes rock.
There is also a post about Following your dream and what makes people decide to follow that dream on the Pink Heart Society. So please leave your thoughts. I love discovering why people decide to follow their dreams.
And finally, I get to play at being a glamorous author today as I am going to the launch of the Hexham Book Festival this evening. I believe tickets are still available for most events, including the M&B panel discussion on Saturday afternoon. Sheila Hodgson, a senior editor from M&B is chairing the event and she has sent a number of interesting topics through which we will be discussing. Things like the ALPHA MALE HERO and he changes! As well as the universal emotional truths in romance, particularly in a post feminist environment.
I am planning on taking pictures so hopefully people can live vicariously!
There is also a post about Following your dream and what makes people decide to follow that dream on the Pink Heart Society. So please leave your thoughts. I love discovering why people decide to follow their dreams.
And finally, I get to play at being a glamorous author today as I am going to the launch of the Hexham Book Festival this evening. I believe tickets are still available for most events, including the M&B panel discussion on Saturday afternoon. Sheila Hodgson, a senior editor from M&B is chairing the event and she has sent a number of interesting topics through which we will be discussing. Things like the ALPHA MALE HERO and he changes! As well as the universal emotional truths in romance, particularly in a post feminist environment.
I am planning on taking pictures so hopefully people can live vicariously!
Monday, December 22, 2008
Winter solstice
We are now deep into mid-winter. Since time immemorial, many civilisations had mid winter festivals or festivals of light to coincide with the solstice. There is a theory (and it makes sense to me) that Stonehenge is not a mid summer site but a mid winter site as once you know when mid-winter happens, you can count the days/moon cycles to planting. Mid summer does not tell you much about the planting/harvesting cycle.
The reason why Christmas or the Mass of Christ's birth is celebrated when it is, is that it was offered as an alternative to Saturnalia or other light festivals. The Coptic Christians used to celebrate the feast of Christ's birth in May and this sort of date makes far more sense given when the Romans did their census taking...New Year for the Romans on the legal side of things was April. January as the start of the new year was religious.
The early Christians were quite good at providing alternative festivals and making things easier. In this case, the celebration that Christ was born to bring light into the world. The whole point was not take over fesitvals but it make it easier for new Christians...It is just through time that people began to assume that Christ was actually born on that day. And does it truly matter? It does give people a pause for thought and a chance to remember and reconnect with others. I think whichever priest first thought up the idea deserves a vote of thanks and praise as it is one of those inspired brilliant ideas that has captured the imagination and has enable people across the centuries to take time to remember the story of the nativity and what happened.
So however you celebrate, (and hopefully you do celebrate in some form), take time to think about all those people many thousands of years ago who were celebrating the same thing.
In other news:
Kate Walker brought to my attention that Mills & Boon India are running a contest to find an Indian author for the Modern line. I think this is a wonderful opportunity. Also I would urge any would be entrant to read Kate Walker's book -- 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance if at all possible as it is full of tips and hints for any would be Modern writer.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Amantes del Romance
Yesterday, my copies of Siete dias sin besos (the Spanish version of Sold & Seduced) arrived. I had not relised that it was part of the Amantes del Romance collection that Harlequin Iberica has published. The entire collection is listed at the back of Siete dias sin besos and I discovered that Taken by the Viking will be part of this collection as well, entitled --La Amante del vikingo. I think it comes out in May.
From what I could tell from the website, they are putting out a book a week,so I am assuming that this will carry on and La Amante del vikingo will be out the third week of May.
When I first saw the cover, I was somewhat confused,-- what was the picture. But then after I got the books, I understood. the black and white photos is a naked male torso with a highlight of a gold Roman coin being the only colour. Each of the different time periods have a differnt medallion/gold bit highltlighted. For example Carolyn Davidson's has a cowboy's belt buckle.
I was severely tempted by the covers even though I don't speak Spanish!
Here is the blurb about the series:
Nunca antes Harlequin ha lanzado una colección igual, los mejores Amantes a lo largo de toda la historia: highlanders, jeques, piratas, lords, vikingos, romanos... Novelas apasionantes que te enamorarán desde la primera a la última página. Oferta de lanzamiento El Corazón de un rebelde (Highlanders) por sólo 2,90 €, y en la segunda salida llévate un libro de REGALO: Pasado oculto (Caballeros del Oeste) y La cautiva del vikingo (Vikingos) por sólo 5,90€. Recuerda, tu colección Amantes ya está en tu punto de venta... Tentaciones que seducen
Si quieres suscribirte a esta colección mándanos a suscripciones@harlequiniberica.com los siguientes datos:Nombre y apellidos, dirección, código Postal, población, provincia, DNI, fecha de nacimiento, teléfono y correo electrónico. Si ya has adquirido algún libro de esta colección en tu punto de venta dÃnoslo y te haremos la suscripción a partir del siguiente número.
Suscripciones sólo para España
Si quieres suscribirte a esta colección mándanos a suscripciones@harlequiniberica.com los siguientes datos:Nombre y apellidos, dirección, código Postal, población, provincia, DNI, fecha de nacimiento, teléfono y correo electrónico. Si ya has adquirido algún libro de esta colección en tu punto de venta dÃnoslo y te haremos la suscripción a partir del siguiente número.
Suscripciones sólo para España
And the postman has just brought me a copy of Kate Walker's 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance, the 2nd edition. there is far more jammed packed into this addition, including advice from various authors (like me). Anyway, it is fascinating to see how other authors work and the little twists etc. the thing about writing romance is that it is such a vast field, you never stop learning and polishing.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Launch party for Kate Walker
Kate Walker who has long served as a mentor to me (even before she knew I existed!) is having a luanch party for the second edition of her 12 Point guide to Writing Romance. It is not just updated but also includes tips and hints from various authors, including myself. There are also prizes.
The prize I am giving away is signed copies of Sold & Seduced and Kate Walker's The Antonaxos Marriage. I got the idea for S&S in the back of Anna Lucia's car after a workshop as Kate was explaining some of her difficulties with her revisions. Later Kate sent me The Antonaxos Marriage as something to read while I waited for my cataracts to be done. Reading it, I then realised that I had slightly misconstrued the whole premise. Anyway, it goes to show how two authors can take the same idea -- a woman forced into marriage to save her father and come up with two different books...
And I can thoroughly recommend hearing Kate in workshop or failing that reading the book.
The 12 Point Guide is probably the best guide for anyone targetting the series books edited out of London.
The prize I am giving away is signed copies of Sold & Seduced and Kate Walker's The Antonaxos Marriage. I got the idea for S&S in the back of Anna Lucia's car after a workshop as Kate was explaining some of her difficulties with her revisions. Later Kate sent me The Antonaxos Marriage as something to read while I waited for my cataracts to be done. Reading it, I then realised that I had slightly misconstrued the whole premise. Anyway, it goes to show how two authors can take the same idea -- a woman forced into marriage to save her father and come up with two different books...
And I can thoroughly recommend hearing Kate in workshop or failing that reading the book.
The 12 Point Guide is probably the best guide for anyone targetting the series books edited out of London.
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
April newsletter and contest
I have sent out my April newsletter today and as usual, it does have exclusive contests for people who are signed up to my newsletter. This time the top prize is a signed hardback of Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife. The closing date is 15 April. If anyone does sign up in time for the contest, I will send out a copy of my newsletter wit hthe detail of how to enter. You can find the sign up on the sidebar of this blog. The newsletter also includes my recipe for Lemon curd and its variation -- raspberry curd. I am currently suffering from a surfeit of eggs...
Advanced notice: Kate Walker will be having a blog launch party for the second edition of her book 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance on 8 April. If you want a good primer guide to writing category romance, this is an excellent one. I know her thoughts really helped me when I was writing The Gladiator's Honour. She will be doing a number of giveaways and I have contributed the prize of a signed copy of Sold & Seduced as well as a signed copy of the book that gave me the idea Kate's The Antonaxos Marriage.
Advanced notice: Kate Walker will be having a blog launch party for the second edition of her book 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance on 8 April. If you want a good primer guide to writing category romance, this is an excellent one. I know her thoughts really helped me when I was writing The Gladiator's Honour. She will be doing a number of giveaways and I have contributed the prize of a signed copy of Sold & Seduced as well as a signed copy of the book that gave me the idea Kate's The Antonaxos Marriage.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Finished and off to my editor
My current work in progress, entitled in my contract Regency Duet 1 has been delivered to my editors! Hooray! Hooray! I know it will be a really strong read once they have let me know their thoughts.
Now a scarred Richard Armitage/John Thornton type gets to be my next hero and I am seriously looking forward to it.
I listened to the BBC Radio 4 programme on M&B yesterday. A number of other bloggers including Trish Wylie, Kate Walker, Natasha Oakley and Teach Me Tonight have already commented on it. They basically gave a fair assessement.
I do think Joanne Carr's comment to the presenter as she was critquing the offering was really apt -- you did not pay very much attention to what we were saying in the workshop.
Sometimes, people are so blinded by their agendas that they don't pay much attention to what other people are saying. That was the big failing of the programme.
I do thank God that we are no longer considered to be authoresses but as writers or authors. An authoress sounds like someone who dines on ortolan and drinks pink champagne before writing purple prose with a pink quill. Authoress does found quite frankly patronizing. It belongs to another era.
And one of the other problems with the programme is that it attempted to do too much. Was it a history of M&B or was it an attempt to look at M&B today? If it was a history, why not mention Ida Cook, the M&B author who quite famously used the proceeds of her writing to save Jews from Nazi Germany?
I rather thought the How to book from the 1960s was a relic of the past. And issues and themes that are vexxing authors today are not the same ones that inspired authors in the past.
Right, my house is a tip. There is a ton of admin to catch up on and I have another book due before Christmas.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
London -- AMBA
Let me state at the outset that I forgot my camera. Photos are on Kate Hardy's blog and other places...
AMBA Day is one of the great occasions in any Mills and Boon author's calender. It is a lunch combined with a toast in the evening. In between times, there is coffee and afterwards supper. It is a day when I truly feel like I am an author.
The day started with a train journey down from Newcastle. It was painless and I worked on my wip. 3 hours of uninterrupted time. Funny how things go much more swiftly when one is not on the Internet...
I then met my cp --Donna Alward in the flesh for the first time. She is as every bit as lovely in person as she has been on the email. She even sounded like I imagined she would!
We then met Kate Hardy in Green Park. She had said that she would be sitting on a bench, but I didn't spot her and so telephoned. Her first question was -- are you wearing black with a red jacket. I then felt silly as she waved madly!
Lunch was lovely and all went smoothly. Hugh relief as I had helped with the planning. It was truly lovely to see old friends and make new ones. The Q&A went well. There are tons of really exciting things happening with M&B and its centenary next year. It was fantastic to hear about the marketing, PR and what is upcoming!
After the lunch, a group of us walked to Selfridge's past police tape, fireman and a broken window. Donna, Trish Wylie and Abby Green discovered that a man had jumped but had been caught. Their informant blithely said things like this were happening all the time.
Tea at Selfridges was spent laughing and talking. Trish revealed some excellent plans for the PHS -- more about these in due course, but she and the rest of the editors are really taking the PHS places.
The Oriental Club was chosen because M&B are about to launch in India in a big way. The Oriental Club was, of course, founded by members of the East India Company and others with connections to India, including the Duke of Wellington. I stayed on the orange juice, but the champagne FLOWED. Some people are blaming a certain waiter...The canapes were very good, in particular the samosas.
Pam Brooks and Mary Nichols both received their 25 book pins and Kate Walker received her 50th pin. The bracelet Kate sported was to die for.
I also saw my lovely editors. All of whom looked amazing. Julie Cohen was her usual stylish self.
After the toast, a group of us went to Brown's for dinner. It became rather silly and I think there are a variety of pictures about...My only defence is the company was excellent. And the dinner should become legendary. All I can say is that Kate Walker is certainly a Queen of Romance.
We then retired back to Biddy's flat and Donna and I talked and talked and talked. The cover for The Soldier's Homecoming is gorgeous and the back cover blurb is guaranteed to wring your heart. I am so looking forward to reading the finished version. Donna has her own news, but you will have to look to her blog.
The next morning, my voice hurt from all the talking. And I half-slept and half-worked on the way back up.
This week is going to be busy, busy, busy as my deadline looms.
AMBA Day is one of the great occasions in any Mills and Boon author's calender. It is a lunch combined with a toast in the evening. In between times, there is coffee and afterwards supper. It is a day when I truly feel like I am an author.
The day started with a train journey down from Newcastle. It was painless and I worked on my wip. 3 hours of uninterrupted time. Funny how things go much more swiftly when one is not on the Internet...
I then met my cp --Donna Alward in the flesh for the first time. She is as every bit as lovely in person as she has been on the email. She even sounded like I imagined she would!
We then met Kate Hardy in Green Park. She had said that she would be sitting on a bench, but I didn't spot her and so telephoned. Her first question was -- are you wearing black with a red jacket. I then felt silly as she waved madly!
Lunch was lovely and all went smoothly. Hugh relief as I had helped with the planning. It was truly lovely to see old friends and make new ones. The Q&A went well. There are tons of really exciting things happening with M&B and its centenary next year. It was fantastic to hear about the marketing, PR and what is upcoming!
After the lunch, a group of us walked to Selfridge's past police tape, fireman and a broken window. Donna, Trish Wylie and Abby Green discovered that a man had jumped but had been caught. Their informant blithely said things like this were happening all the time.
Tea at Selfridges was spent laughing and talking. Trish revealed some excellent plans for the PHS -- more about these in due course, but she and the rest of the editors are really taking the PHS places.
The Oriental Club was chosen because M&B are about to launch in India in a big way. The Oriental Club was, of course, founded by members of the East India Company and others with connections to India, including the Duke of Wellington. I stayed on the orange juice, but the champagne FLOWED. Some people are blaming a certain waiter...The canapes were very good, in particular the samosas.
Pam Brooks and Mary Nichols both received their 25 book pins and Kate Walker received her 50th pin. The bracelet Kate sported was to die for.
I also saw my lovely editors. All of whom looked amazing. Julie Cohen was her usual stylish self.
After the toast, a group of us went to Brown's for dinner. It became rather silly and I think there are a variety of pictures about...My only defence is the company was excellent. And the dinner should become legendary. All I can say is that Kate Walker is certainly a Queen of Romance.
We then retired back to Biddy's flat and Donna and I talked and talked and talked. The cover for The Soldier's Homecoming is gorgeous and the back cover blurb is guaranteed to wring your heart. I am so looking forward to reading the finished version. Donna has her own news, but you will have to look to her blog.
The next morning, my voice hurt from all the talking. And I half-slept and half-worked on the way back up.
This week is going to be busy, busy, busy as my deadline looms.
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
Kate Walker's party
I am back from Kate Walker's party. Lots of photos were taken, BUT I left my camera in the hotel room as my dd thought it would be best. Kate Walker has plenty of photos as will Kate Hardy. Kate Hardy did send me photos but the transfer failed. Or rather this is my excuse. Natasha Oakley will be delighted to know this as I was excused of pointing out her photo at the Savoy was on Fiona Harper's blog...
Lincoln was lovely. The trip down -- easy except for the congestion around York. This was to the World Nude Biking Riding championships. There were no nude riders on the A1 however. And I suspect that the watchers of the race had much more fun than the people stuck in the congestion...
We arrived at the White Hart Hotel, and a truly fabulous place it was too. The staff were excellent and totally exceeded my expectations.
My dd and I dumped bags and then headed for Ye Olde Tea Rooms where we met Anna Lucia and Julie Cohen. After a quick bite to eat, we did the Lincoln Cathedral area things. I knew about Steep Hill from ages past and did not bother going down to the shops.
Later I discovered the evidence that many of our party did not know about the Steep Hill as bodies were strewn around the lounge, waiting for restorative cups of tea.
Trish Wylie has a new admirer in the form of my dd. they talked horses while my dd tucked into one of the largest afternoon teas for one that I have ever seen.
The dinner was fabulous. There was a wonderful atmosphere and Kate Hardy was busy behind the scenes making sure no last minute glitiches happened to our special surprises for Kate Walker. It was very glam as editors, authors, journalists and Kate's other guests mingled. The editor I share with Kate W was looking partcularly fabulous.
After the poetry readings, Kate Walker made a lovely speech and in her very generous way, she honoured people who had been helpful to her as well as writers who she had helped in the early stages of their career when she served as coordinator for the RNA conference virgins. I was particularly delighted to see Anna Lucia receive a heart from Kate.
Then the Big Surprise from the authors and Kate Walker was totally stunned at the gifts. 50 yellow roses were among them.
My dd swore that I was a Late Night Party Duck as she was relieved from babysitting duties until gone midnight. I understand others were even later as the authors were doing what they tend to do -- talk!
Kate Walker's 50th book is fantastic. My dd read it all on Sunday morning as I slept.
In other news: my wip goes along. It is due next week.
And I should be being interviewed for a tv news features tomorrow -- so my glam author's life continues. More about that later.
Lincoln was lovely. The trip down -- easy except for the congestion around York. This was to the World Nude Biking Riding championships. There were no nude riders on the A1 however. And I suspect that the watchers of the race had much more fun than the people stuck in the congestion...
We arrived at the White Hart Hotel, and a truly fabulous place it was too. The staff were excellent and totally exceeded my expectations.
My dd and I dumped bags and then headed for Ye Olde Tea Rooms where we met Anna Lucia and Julie Cohen. After a quick bite to eat, we did the Lincoln Cathedral area things. I knew about Steep Hill from ages past and did not bother going down to the shops.
Later I discovered the evidence that many of our party did not know about the Steep Hill as bodies were strewn around the lounge, waiting for restorative cups of tea.
Trish Wylie has a new admirer in the form of my dd. they talked horses while my dd tucked into one of the largest afternoon teas for one that I have ever seen.
The dinner was fabulous. There was a wonderful atmosphere and Kate Hardy was busy behind the scenes making sure no last minute glitiches happened to our special surprises for Kate Walker. It was very glam as editors, authors, journalists and Kate's other guests mingled. The editor I share with Kate W was looking partcularly fabulous.
After the poetry readings, Kate Walker made a lovely speech and in her very generous way, she honoured people who had been helpful to her as well as writers who she had helped in the early stages of their career when she served as coordinator for the RNA conference virgins. I was particularly delighted to see Anna Lucia receive a heart from Kate.
Then the Big Surprise from the authors and Kate Walker was totally stunned at the gifts. 50 yellow roses were among them.
My dd swore that I was a Late Night Party Duck as she was relieved from babysitting duties until gone midnight. I understand others were even later as the authors were doing what they tend to do -- talk!
Kate Walker's 50th book is fantastic. My dd read it all on Sunday morning as I slept.
In other news: my wip goes along. It is due next week.
And I should be being interviewed for a tv news features tomorrow -- so my glam author's life continues. More about that later.
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Off to the party
My very dear friend, Kate Walker has her 50th book out. this is an amazing achievement. Kate is not only having a lovely blog party on her blog where you can win many different books. Each blogger has contributed her own special something to the party. I am not sure when my blog will be up. But she is also having a real party which I have been invited to.
So it is down to Lincoln to raise a glass in her honour.
She has been an inspiration. I am taking my camera and will report back about the glam. Apparently the hotel are very excited at having all these authors staying there.
So it is down to Lincoln to raise a glass in her honour.
She has been an inspiration. I am taking my camera and will report back about the glam. Apparently the hotel are very excited at having all these authors staying there.
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