Friday, July 12, 2013

40 for 40 - Kate Hardy

Does Kate Hardy need an introduction?    Well,  those of you who know my blog know that I have another name for her  and that's Scary Kate. She'll deny it of course - but  - well, really she's got scarier - more books - more lines (did you know she writes for Romance now  - and Medical - after RIVA as well?)  She's also  taken up dancing,  put in huge efforts at the gym (and Ms Kate if you can't see the difference as you say - take a look at the before (below) and after (left)  pics  - and realise there is  a big one!)
Kate tells you how we mwt - so I'll just hand over to her.

Here's Kate!


I’m so thrilled to be part of these celebrations – happy, happy 40th anniversary to Kate and Steve!

I met Kate very early on in my career – I was still a wet-behind-the-ears newbie author, and I was chatting to this lovely lady at my very first author lunch. And then she told me who she was… and I realised she was a very famous person indeed! Had she not been so nice and friendly, I think I might’ve been a bit intimidated. But even though she’s a cat person and I’m a dog person, we hit it off and have been good friends ever since.


When I met Kate’s husband, I discovered that we had loads in common, too – he’s one of the few people I know who can also read Anglo Saxon, plus we can talk and talk and talk history. (Kate, luckily, is used to such nerdiness and just smiles when we get started!)

I’ve been privileged to share other milestones with Kate – her 50th book party back in 2007 (see pic on right), and getting my pin from Mills and Boon for my 25th book at the same time as she got her 50th pin.

She’s stayed here and enjoyed browsing in my office, and not minded that she ended up covered in dog hair. And she’s one of the kindest, most generous people I know, so I’m delighted to be part of her celebrations.


I’d like to give away a signed copy of my latest Medical Romance, ‘A Date with the Ice Princess’ (which just so happens to be out this month).


I happen to know that Kate and Steve met at university. To be in with a chance to win, tell me how you met your partner or about your favourite ‘cute meet’ in a book.


In fact, I’ll go first – 28 years ago this month, while I was working as a barmaid, a mutual friend informed me that the gorgeous man I’d been eyeing up in the bar had a car, a video and a dog and liked Deep Purple, and I would be meeting him on Monday night outside the post office.

He’d been told that I had a dog and liked rock music and was a student (and I might have fibbed outrageously about ‘not being very booky’). And here we are, about to celebrate our 21st wedding anniversary in August… :o)

A Date with the Ice Princess is available now on the e-Harlequin website, and from good bookshops/Amazon and the Mills and Boon website in the UK and Australia.

Kate Hardy can be found at her website (http://www.katehardy.com/) and her blog (http://katehardy.blogspot.com/);

find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/katehardyromanceauthor

24 comments:

Eli Yanti said...

What a wonderful meeting with your husband kate, just hope I can meet mine soon :)

Kate Hardy said...

Thank you, Eli - and I hope Prince Charming comes your way!

Misty Shaw said...

My hubby ran computer courses, his charity project used rooms in my sons schools. When we first met we were both in relationships and struck up a friendship of sorts, we could chat for ages when i should have been doing the course.

Eventually my relationship broke up and then two years later his own marriage ended. We had a really good friendship, when he asked me to go for lunch I didn't know what to do because he had just split up with his wife,So I asked my mums advice and she told me to go.
i didn't want to be a rebound date but decided to see it as two friends going out for lunch.

The rest you can say is history we have been together for ten years and married for five, he definitely is my prince charming

JulieM said...

I met my husband at university at a toga party, but we didn't get together as a couple until a few weeks later when my friend decided that we needed introducing properly.

Actually, he was her second choice. The first one she dragged me off to meet wasn't in!

That was in 1984 and we celebrated our Silver Wedding anniversary last year.

Dog Walking Service said...
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Laney4 said...

My husband visited the people next door to my parents while I had a boyfriend. A week after my breakup, I was visiting my hometown and saw my now husband's car downtown. I realized he must be in the coffee shop across the street, so I "window shopped" until he came outside. He saw me and offered me a ride to my parents' home, found out my 1.5-year relationship had ended, and invited me to the movies. Like I read above, the rest, they say, is history. Yesterday was our 32nd anniversary.

Kate Hardy said...

Taylor, what a lovely story :) (I love friends-to-lovers stories!)

Kate Hardy said...

Julie - that's great. Togas ;) And I bet you're glad now her first choice was out!

Kate Hardy said...

Laney - happy anniversary for yesterday! And LOL on the window shopping. I was supposed to meet Gerry outside the post office. I window-shopped in the record-shop next door in case he stood me up ;)

CC Coburn said...

Hi Kate, what a great cute meet! I met my husband in a swimming pool when he bomb-dived on me... I'll be revealing all about our first disastrous date in a later blog of Kate's (the other Kate - the one celebrating 40 momentous years!)

Kate Hardy said...

Dive-bombed in a swimming pool? I'll look forward to reading that story! :)

Caroline said...

Hi Kate (fan girl wave). Congrats on the latest release and your upcoming 21st wedding anniversay. Hope you both do something really special as you work so hard! Kate is right about you being scary - your work output is phenominal!

Now back to the question - unfortunatley I haven't really got an interesting "how I met the other half" story. We met at work - which I know is the setting for many a HMB, but he is no billionare I'm afraid. But saying that he's the best, and we have SO much in common it's unreal - things like WWII history, Rourkes Drift and John Wayne films(!) The only thing we don't agree on is music. I'm a rock (greying) chick and he is most definately a MOD of the 1st order. Have a great (hot) weekend. Caroline x

bn100 said...

like how Win and Merripen met in Lisa Kleypas' book

Anna Campbell said...

Hi Kate! Hi Kate! Hold on, I'm getting confused. Kate, I love the story of how you and Kate met. Nuh, still confused! I hope you both have a lovely time at the RNA conference!

Mary Preston said...

I'm loving all the 'meeting' stories.

I was dragged along to a party by my sister. The Mister was dragged there by a friend. Neither one of us wanted to be there, so we left and went for a drive. (Thank goodness he did not turn out to be an axe murderer.)

Kate Hardy said...

Hi Caroline! Meeting at work is good - that's sort of how I met mine. (His first words to me ever were 'Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps, please' - the kids are highly amused by the Splodgenessabounds single.) And I'm so with you on the music taste!

Kate Hardy said...

bn100 - Haven't read any Lisa Kleypas - must go and stock my kindle! Which would you recommend as a good introduction to her?

Kate Hardy said...

Anna - yes, it's confusing! Even more so because one Kate is at the conference, and one Kate (the scary one (!!!)) is not... ;)

Kate Hardy said...

Mary - still on the song theme, did you meet in the kitchen at the party? (Hums along to Jonah Lewie... I'm not keen on parties, either - would much rather have a smaller group where you get time to talk, and better still if dinner is involved!) As you say, glad he turned out to be Mr Right rather than a maniac! ;)

Kate Walker said...

HI everyone! So busy and so hot here at the RNA Conference but having a great time, meeting old friends,making new ones, talking, listening and sharing in great workshops. Thank you Scary Kate for keeping the partyy going while I'm away - some great answers to your question.

Better go - have to meet my editor and there will have to be a little wine to drink later!
T'other Kate

Kate Hardy said...

Kate - hope you had a lovely time with your ed, and much wine :) And thank you for hosting me!

bn100 said...

maybe start with the Hathaway series?

Kate Hardy said...

Thanks, bn - appreciated ;)

Ralph said...
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