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Conference packs printed.
Conference packs posted.
Workshop choices coming in.
I think it's time I tackled this...
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Normal service will be resumed once I've finished compiling the Romantic Novelists' Association conference pack.
And printing it out.
And collating it.
And putting it in everyone's envelopes.
And buying more teabags.
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It was hot and sunny over the weekend. I put on shorts. I mowed the lawn.
I came indoors and caught sight of myself in the mirror.
I am now into the fourth day of a no-booze-or-chocolate diet.
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Today I'm over at Liz Fielding's blog, helping her celebrate a golden year. Her 50th book came out earlier this year, and April sees her 50th M&B romance.
She is inspirational, industrious, and a thoroughly nice person to boot.Way to go, Liz!
Yippee! Yahoo! O frabjous day!
Not quite enough words to do justice to my excitement, but you get the general idea.
Here it is, then. The announcement .......................
I've sold my Regency novel Fair Deception to Robert Hale Ltd !!!
As the novel opens, Susanna Fair is employed as an actress at the Sans Pareil theatre in the Strand, London. (Print courtesy of the Arthur Lloyd website).
Susanna is being opportuned (I just love Regency-speak) by the Dishonourable Rafe Warwick. Fortunately, heroic devil-may-care Kit Kydd is at hand...
Don't know yet when the book will be out, but you can read the first chapter on my website.
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Nice outing to the Oxford Literary Festival last week to enjoy the M&B-sponsored panel on the changes in fictional heroes and heroines over the past 100 years.
After being introduced by Oxford-based journalist Mary Zacaroli, the panel of Matt Dunn, Katie Fforde, Daisy Goodwin (chair), Joanne Harris and Nicola Cornick then dissolved into laughter as everyone in the marquee was reminded to turn off their mobile phones.
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There was plenty of good-humoured discussion on whether H&H have changed (strong, silent heroes have now loosened up a bit, heroines allowed to be themselves more), before questions from the floor posed such interesting conundrums as which family member you wouldn't want to read your book (mothers/daughters in an equal tie), and how many of us skip the sex scenes when reading.
Afterwards, we enjoyed a glass or three of bubbly provided by Mills&Boon, whose Centenary Year it is, and then repaired en-masse to an extremely nice restaurant with 
our goody bags.
This photo of me, Louise Allen and Nicola Cornick was taken by Louise's husband after the bubbly, but before the food. Which may explain it.
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Hmmm. The sun has shone for two days now, so it's possible Spring has arrived (though there are rumours of snow again this weekend).
Enough of an excuse to post a photo of my daffs before they get battered all over again by the wind and the rain.
There's a poem to go with them too. Now, this isn't the most erudite piece of writing I've ever composed so don't go getting your hopes up, it's just a bit of fun.
It does, however, convince me that I'll never cut it in the greetings-card industry.
Daffodils by Jan Jones
We always look for flowers
As a sign that winter's passed
Yet crocus grow
While there's still snow
And open though
The winds still blow
Then fickle, foolish creatures they
Shut up their faces fast.
But daffodils, now daffodils
Are all-or-nothing men
They stand up straight
They throng the gate
Spread out to wait
And mass in great
Bright welcome for the knowledge that
The year has turned again.
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Happy Easter! And a White Easter too.
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Garden birds confused. Flowers unhappy. Cats most unimpressed.
Me, I'm staying indoors.
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Good news - I think. Some people already know that 15 months ago I had a retinal vein occlusion in my right eye that at the time was very scary indeed as I suddenly had problems seeing things.
In effect, this was like a tiny stroke at the back of my eye and in retrospect, I feel extremely lucky it occurred, since it threw up the fact that I had developed high blood pressure. If I hadn't found out - and done something about it straight away - I might have had a more serious stroke in one of the more important blood vessels in my body.
However, I had my last retinal eye appointment today and as I now have 6/5 vision in that eye, I've been discharged. The sight isn't perfect and never will be, but it's so much more liveable with than what I feared at one point might be the case.
So yes, good news.
Happy Mother's Day !!!
Another year when I no longer have either a mother or a mother-in-law to buy flowers or cards for. And I know I used to curse when I left it a bit late. And I know I used to rail about it being just another commercialised con. But even so, it leaves a gap in the things-I-should-be-doing.
So on Friday in Waitrose I bought three bunches of freesias. One for Rosemary (my mother), one for Christine (my mother-in-law), and one for me. And here they all are, in my favourite vase on my kitchen windowsill.
The gap is still there. But so are the memories.
Happy Mother's Day to all.
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Now this has got to be the most fabulous idea EVER for saving space.
It's a combined bookcase-staircase. You can see the whole thing here.
If it was my house, I think I'd probably end up living just on the stairs.
Sometimes I really don't understand my fellow members of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
They recently took part in a poll to find our favourite celebrity hero - and Viggo Mortensen wasn't on it!!!
It's true - I have scrutinised the list, I have checked out photos (just in case he was in disguise, you understand), and he simply isn't there. How? I know I voted for him. I based my hero in Stage by Stage on him. Forget Arwen, I'd give up immortality in the blink of an eye for him.
So, sorry Viggo, you were robbed, but at least it means I get to keep you all for myself, right?
Oh - if anybody would like the top ten celebrity heroes list, it's here:
Members of the Romantic Novelists’ Association have voted Johnny Depp as the Number One Perfect Romantic Hero in a poll to mark Valentine’s Day. According to these authors, a romantic hero should be gorgeous, deliciously sexy, intensely masculine and have a commanding presence.
The top ten male celebrities voted the Perfect Romantic Hero were:
1. Johnny Depp
2. Daniel Craig
3. Sean Bean
4. Richard Armitage
5. Hugh Jackman
6. Colin Firth
7. Alan Rickman
8. Pierce Brosnan
9. George Clooney
10. David Tennant
And in the over-fifties category:
1. Pierce Brosnan
2. Harrison Ford
3. Ranulph Fiennes
4. Bill Nighy
5. Liam Neeson
6. Sam Neill
7. Sean Connery
8. Peter O’Toole
9. Clint Eastwood
10. Omar Sharif
We started with games of skill and chance (mostly chance, obviously, as I lost every one) in the most wonderful setting. Norfolk House was the first residence in London to have a bespoke music room. The glorious and totally over-the-top mirrors and panelling were rescued when the house was sold and have been lovingly restored to turn room 52 on Level 2 into a recreation of the Norfolk House Music Room.
The games on offer were Loo (cards), Teetotum (a spinner/counter game favoured by dowagers because the rules are so simple it gave them ample opportunity to observe the company in the room whilst they played), Hazard and Snake-eyes (both dice). Here is novelist Louise Allen busy writing notes at the Teetotum table.
Next we went to the John Madesjski Garden where fencers from the Royal Armouries entertained us with fencing, single-sticks,
Then it was along to the Raphael gallery where our host and hostess demonstrated a Minuet (which took an astonishing amount of space - they'd have needed an immense room if everybody at the ball had wanted to join in), accompanied by musicians on genuine 18th century instruments. We all then took part in a simple round dance in which you had approximately twelve seconds with your partner before repeating the measure with the next partner and so on and so on and so on all around the circle. Talk about speed dating!
Back to watch a re-creation of the Sheriden duel and handle real Regency swords (much lighter than Louise and I expected) and then off for a guided tour through the Regency galleries.
