Catching up - or trying to

I swear that something is eating my time. I got up today with the normal amount of hours ahead of me and suddenly it's all gone - well, not quite all but a lot of it. And I'm sure I only blinked between my first mug of tea and now . . . (And yes, Kate Hardy, yesterday I spent yakking to fellow writer friends - but not today - I didn't have time !)

But it's been a productive, if hectic day - so let's see what's been achieved .

1. Five loads of washing including clean sheets for Irish visitors (Abby Green and Trish Wylie) due here June 7th -they;re coming over for special celebrations - the countdown begins now

2. Make a list of lists I need to make between now and then - when the countdown has - well - counted down

3. Change hairdresser's appointment, dentist's appointment, visiting friends appointment . . .

4. Supermarket expedition - the cats need food or they're leaving home . . and so do the hedgehogs

Yes- the Hecks are back! So far I've just seen one small prickly personage out in the middle of the lawn, chomping on discarded cat food. But there should be more - I hope there are more. The problem is, apart from size, it's very hard to tell one Heck from another. But it's obviously Spring officially in the Hedgehog calendar as they're out of hibernation and foraging at their usual hour of about 10.30 -11pm. Which means that we needed extra cat crunchies for the extra mouths.

5. Major web site updates - the mammoth task of adding all the backlist of books is complete now, so you can, if you so desire, check out any one of the 50 titles and see the covers (UK and USA where appropriate), read a summary and find out when the book was published. (Very special thanks to Heather of We Write Romance for all her hard work on getting these details up to date so fast.) You will need these details for the special 50th book celebration contest which will be starting in June.

You can also read some details of this contest on - surprisingly enough - the Contest Page on my site. There you'll see a photo of the Major Prize and you can find out all about the 50 book giveaway that I'm running together with lovely Lee of Author Sound Relations. This will be starting at the beginning of June too - just as soon as I get organised.

The Events pages has been updated too - so if you're interested in any of the writing courses I run or want to know about a library talk in Doncaster in July or Caerleon Writers' Holiday - then this is the place to visit.

And don't forget that also coming in June is the Great Big Blog Party - which will have so many visiting posters that I've lost track of exactly how many - but there will be lots of interesting people to meet and lots of giveaways as prizes. Don't forget that if you join the Newsletter then you will also be able to enter the special extra prize draw I'm running there - more prizes, more chances to win.

6. Back to today . . . In the afternoon I headed for Lincoln to do a different sort of shopping - I have been looking for a very special outfit for a very special occasion and today I found it - cost me at least 2 arms and one leg but it was worth it. Pictures will be posted in - oh, about 2 weeks time.

And while I was there I discovered to my surprise that the copies of the June book - The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge - are already out on the shelves. I wasn't expecting them till next week, but they're there already - the 50th title is actually published! It's quite a feeling. I still get a great thrill to see my new books out on display and this one is obviously so very special - plus it was the first chance to see all the new design covers out on display. They did look fresh and new - just that bit different enough to draw attention.

7. Coming back home I had more phone calls, emails to do - and then I realised that I hadn't actually got round to blogging - poor India Grey will not be able to settle until she's had her fix.

And now

8. It's time to relax - the BM has finished his stint on another Grim and Gruesome book for tonight and it's time for us both to settle down with a glass of wine

Oh, no - before I do that it's

9. Teatime for the cats who are yelling protests from outside my office door, declaring that you just can't get the staff these days . . .

and

10. Time to put out the extra cat - I mean hedgehog crunchies to nourish the Heck family when they come wandering out into the dusk.

So that was today - tomorrow's To Be Done List is twice as long - and I promise I'll try to answer some more questions as well.