Friday?

Hang on a minute, it was only yesterday that it was Monday . . .

Wasn't it?

OK. perhaps not. It's been a hectic week. For a start there was a change of editor - my 14th!! Or perhaps this doesn't count as I'm moving back to an editor I worked with previously . . .

And I spent a fun time creating a special Christmas present for my MIL - scanning old, fragile photographs and having them copied into a lovely bound album so that she can look at them without damaging the precious old ones. I hope she loves it.

Then I have visitors coming this weekend - 3 friends and an almost one year old! The cats are going to love this! So that means I've been cleaning and shopping and organising. We have had our early Christmas this weekend for about four years now so it's a real tradition that I love and I'm so looking forward to it.

And that's why I've been so busy and being a bad blogger.

Oh, and I've also been asked to put up a post from Harlequin for all those would-be writers amongst you - and I know there are plenty of you.

This comes from Executive Editor Tessa Shapcott and it's all about the special contest that Presents (M&B Modern) is running for not yet published writers. Here's what Tessa has to say:

INSTANT SEDUCTION

A brand new writing competition from the world’s best-selling romance series is about to hit the blogosphere!

It’s an exciting time for Harlequin Presents: from January 2008, there will be 12 of our intensely passionate romances available every month. And with this increase of titles comes a great opportunity for aspiring authors – we will be looking to buy more books for publication!

The old saying goes that first impressions are lasting impressions – and when it comes to reading a Harlequin Presents, that certainly holds true. If the first chapter doesn’t immediately grip the reader with its pace, passion and intensity, then she won’t continue to turn the pages.

So Presents is inviting unpublished writers to show us how they can grab the attention of our readership with first chapters that really sizzle. The INSTANT SEDUCTION competition offers prizes that are chances of a lifetime for the lucky winner and runners-up:
*First prize – win yourself an editor for a year!
*Two runners-up will be given editorial critiques of their first chapter entries and also a personal telephone consultation about their writing!

Visit the Iheartpresents.com blogsite for full details of the competition – and the chance to prepare for publication with an exclusive series of writing tutorials prepared by the editorial team at Harlequin Presents, including advice on First Chapters, How to Write a Synopsis, Loving the Alpha Male and Generating Emotional Conflict.

Entries for the competition will be accepted as on-line submissions only from 1st January until 14th February 2008.
Entries should comprise of the first chapter and a synopsis of a previously unpublished/unsubmitted novel aimed at Harlequin Presents.
Address for entries: instantseduction@hmb.co.uk

Any further details, and lots of helpful hints on how to write for Harlequin Presents?M&B Modern can be found over on the I heart Presents blog. So why not take a look?

And good luck if you decide to enter.

And I'll go and make up the beds!