Getting back to normal

The house is so quiet!

There are no workmen banging and thumping and drilling at the wondows, my MIL and my neice have gone home after a lovely weekend visit, Flora is no longer confined to one room and is running happily around the house (OK, that it isn't quite so quiet!) and I'm back in my office, now clear of dust sheets and looking forward to getting back to work.

I have a date with a hot blooded Spaniard. Santos has tracked down Alexa after she ran out on him and he's not in a very forgiving mood, so sparks will fly - at least I hope they will as this book is supposed to be on my editor's desk in time to be a reading Easter Egg for her. But I'm so enjoying just having the house to myself and peace and quiet in which to work again.

Over the weekend when we toook MIL and Niece out and about I was able to see just how that other Spaniard, Raul's book , Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife, was doing in the shops. Very nicely indeed seems to be the answer which made me smile. It's a wonderful feeling to know that readers all over the country are buying my books and hopefully enjoying them. And before you ask, no, after 53 books, it's a feeling that, thankfully doesn't get any the less wonderful. Each new book is a new project and every time a new title is realeased I just hope that everyone enjoys it. The nervousnesss about sending in a submission never eases but that is more than compensated for by the glow of knowing that people are picking my title off the shelf and taking it home with them. Thank you!

And talking of submissions, the hard-working and very busy editors have been working extra hard recently as they ploughted their way through the 600 entries to the Instant Seduction contest which closed recently. And over on the I Heart Presents blog today they've announced that:

We have now made our decision as to who the victor is and also the runners-up and we will be contacting them to tell them the good news in the next week. We aim to make an announcement on the site before Easter. In April, we also hope to run the winning entries with critiques as to why they made it to the top and editor Suzy Clarke will also be posting a blog for those who weren’t successful with a few tips on general successes and mistakes, so that you can take something forward for your future writing endeavours.

I'm so looking forward to seeing who has won and to reading the winning entries. To come first out of 600, the winner must be something special. If you want to read more about the judging and see just how many piles of entries there were, then take a look at Tessa Shapcott's report at I Heart Presents today.

Finally, my own contest over on My Tote Bag ended at the weekend. Leena has drawn the winners and the two (rare) copies of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance go to:

Marian S. of Buda, Texas

Stacia H., of Bedford, OH

So congratulations to Marian and Stacia. and I hope the book helps you with your writing. This contest had well over 100 entries so obviously there are a lot of people out there wanting to write romance and hoping to get their hands on the 12 Point Guide. To those who didn't win, my commiserations but I will have some good news for you and for anyone else looking for this book very soon. And according to my publisher we are getting very close to the time when I can actually make an announcement - so watch this space!