Michelle Styles:

Yesterday, I did my annual trek down to London and had lunch with my editor and senior editor. It was very pleasant. The main consensus is to keep writing what I am currently enjoying writing -- warm, witty intimate historicals which are set in the North East and help give a window into the period.
It was the first time that I was able to have a long face to face chat with my editor. She is wonderful in person. She is tough but with loads of heart. Truly the Jillian Michaels of the editorial world. I am very lucky to have her as an editor.

We went to an Italian place and I had all 3 courses -- salad to start, salmon fishcakes and then espresso granita. A few glasses of wine were drunk. A real feast.

The editorial office has been moved downstairs and is very open plan. I loved that one of the conference rooms had a frosted window with the M&B logo and the word Intrigue.  All the other editor I met were looking well - okay as young and beautiful as ever. There is a real feeling of comraderie.

One of the great things for me was wearing a burnt orange silk suit that had belonged to my grandmother. At this point last year, I could not get it past my knees! It fits very nicely now  thank you. Various people were suitably complimentary (including an editor that I meant on the street on the way to the office who nearly didn't recognise me but liked the suit).  It does show that all my hard work has paid dividends. Now to continue the hard work and get myself in shape for NYC!

Yesterday was for the most part lovely.

I flew down to London and the flight was painless, the underground relatively straight forward and then I went to the HM&B offices -- getting slightly lost only once.

The receptionist was v kind and asked if I was one of their authors. I duly explained and she asked if I had written the Gladiator one which she apparently liked very much. As I was basking in the warm glow, my editor appeared.

My editor now looks slim and goregous. Most of the office was out on reading days but I did get to see my senior editor who also looked her lovely self.

I got to meet my new editor. At the moment, I have two editors but the current plan is to move me over to Lydia sometime in the next year. Lydia is lovely and it is good to have afresh pair of eyes looking at my work. Equally it gives my current editor a chance to concentrate on her growing stable of authors.
Anyway, Lydia impressed with her knowledge and love of romance books. So I am a very lucky person. having gone through revisons with her and my current editor, I think they both have very good editorial eyes and I like working with both of them.

I have been offered a four book contract.YAY! VC is accepted and everything is to be determined. The next three of my current one, and a duo to be set in the Northeast during the 1820s. I am very much looking forward to doing the duo as it will be a challenge. Then I think the option books are two more Vikings.

My journey home was less straight forward -- wrong turns, stretching security queues, and finally when the plane arived back in Newcastle, being stuck in Arrivals as the door wouldn't open and the fire doors were all locked. Dangerous anyone? Claustrophobic anyone? According to fellow passengers that it is often happens with that flight.

My copies of Taken by the Viking arrived today and cover is even more yummy in the flesh as it were. I have been very lucky with the cover fairy.