New Year New Book

Well, that's what it'll  be for me . . time to get back to the desk and putting words on the page/screen

But what about you? 
Is one of your New Year Resolutions the determination that this year you will  write that novel - maybe even get it published?

Well if that's the case then I - and several fabulous author friends  - have some help for you. 

First of all, there's Donna Alward,  author of  lovely  emotional  books for the Romance/Cherish line - books like  Her Lone Cowboy  or  Proud Rancher, Precious Bundle (out USA in Feb) is running a weekly Writer Wednesday post on her blog.

The there's scary Kate  - Kate Hardy - who write for both Medical and the new Riva - A Christmas Knight (Medical UK) and Champagne with a Celebrity (USA  Jan 2011)

Finally  there's RITA winning Jessica Hart    writing tutor and  romance writer whose Juggling Briefcase and Baby is one of the new launch titles for RIVA this month,  and whose 3 in 1 collection Convenient Engagements  is out  in January too.

What do all three have in common? 

Well this week  to help you get your New Year - and your Writing Resolutions off to a great start - they'[re all offering you  a chance to win a brand new copy of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.  All you have to do is to read their blog, add a comment . . .  and you'll be in with a chance of winning.

And on the  subject of writing and craft -   if I do some more craft posts/ special workshops/Q&As on writing - what would you like me to talk about? Anything you really want to ask? Something you'd love to have explained?  Anything you just don't 'get'?

Now's your chance. Just post your queries in the comments and I'll note them for future posts.
And who knows - maybe this year will be YOUR year!

RNA Romance Prize

Romance Prize celebrates shorter fiction alongside the Romantic Novel Of The Year

The Romantic Novelists’ Association, who will announce the shortlist for the Romantic Novel of the Year award on 13th January, is also honouring writers of shorter romances such as those published by Harlequin Mills and Boon.

“Although both awards celebrate novels with a high romantic content,” explains Catherine Jones, Chairman of the RNA, “the Romance Prize honours the most memorable stories set around a single theme that concentrates on the developing love affair.”

The Romance Prize will be presented at the RNA’s Awards Lunch on 10th February 2009 at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington.

The winner will be selected from the following books:

What's Love Got to Do With It? - Lucy Broadbent (Little Black Dress, Headline)

The Wild Card - Beth Elliott (Robert Hale)

Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure - India Grey (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Sold to the Highest Bidder - Kate Hardy (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Saying Yes to the Millionaire - Fiona Harper (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Promoted to Wife and Mother - Jessica Hart (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Fiona Harper has been short-listed before, and both Jessica Hart and Kate Hardy are past winners. Kate Hardy, who won in 2008 with Breakfast at Giovanni’s, had this to say: "Winning the Romance Prize has been the highlight of my career to date, and it's certainly opened up opportunities. I'm very proud to have won the award and to be part of the RNA - and have been delighted by messages of support over the year. I even had a personal letter of congratulations from the chancellor of the University of Leicester!"

The shortlist will be judged by Margaret James, creative writing teacher for the London School of Journalism and regular columnist with Writing Magazine; Paul Reizin, writer, producer and journalist; and Linda Leatherbarrow, prize-winning short story writer, reviewer and MA lecturer at Middlesex.

Many congratulations to all the authors shortlisted

Two contests

Today's book from the Christmas Stocking Stuffed with Books is Appointment at the Altar by Jessica Hart.

As you'll remember from earlier in the year, Jessica celebrated her 50th title - Last Minute Proposal - in October this year. Her donation to the stocking is an earlier book that was published in 2007 but it's a classic Jessica Hart.

Here's a summary:

Three steps to the altar!

Monday - buy stylish suit

Bubbly Lucy West has always thought she can handle everything. That's before she meets charismatic tycoon Guy Dangerfield, who challenges her to find a 'real job' for a change.

Tuesday - Find proper job

So, determined to prove she has what it takes, Lucy secures a top job - working for Guy!

Wednesday - Fall in love with boss.

Lucy thrives in her knew world . . .and it's all down to her gorgeous boss. Lucy has a spring in her step and just maybe a ring on her finger!

And here's a bit more about Jessica herself:

Jessica was born in Scotland, where her mother continues to live. Jessica's earliest dreams were about sitting on a sand dune in the Sahara, working in the Outback, hacking her way through a jungle or bouncing along a dusty track in a battered old Land Rover rather than writing a book. Her itchy feet took her from Afghanistan to Australia, from Algeria to Belize, and Cameroon to Indonesia, with various stops en route, and she loved it all. Because she was always thinking about where she wanted to go next, she never quite managed a proper career. Instead she had a haphazard series of jobs around the world. Her last 'proper' job was on the foreign newsdesk of a national newspaper. Before that, she was on expedition in West Africa, cooked on an outback cattle station, taught English as a foreign language, was production assistant for a theatre company and research assistant for a publisher of restaurant guides and filled in the gaps between by working as a secretary, waitress, chambermaid and dishwasher. Regular readers will probably recognize how often she has drawn on her wide but lowly working experience for inspiration when it comes to setting and plot!

Now Jessica leads a rather more staid existence, dividing her time between city life in York and a country cottage in Wiltshire where her partner, John, lives. This involves a lot of driving up and down the motorway, which takes up a lot of time. After nine years of research, Jessica finally completed a Ph.D. on York's later medieval and early modern streets in 2004, but still never seems to have enough time to get everything done.

When she's not writing romance, she is usually busy doing something connected with food (cooking, meeting friends for a drink, eating, gossiping over coffee etc) or walking her Westie, Mungo, but she also loves history and gardening and reading and travelling, and there are still times, too, when she yearns for wider horizons. Jessica has written over 45 books for Harlequin Romance, and won the Romance Writers of America's prestigious RITA award for the best traditional romance in 2005. In 2006, she was awarded the Romance Prize for the best category romance by the UK's Romantic Novelists' Association, and was short-listed for the same award in 2007.

You can find out more about Jessica by visiting her web site.

And now, as promised, here's news of another Christmas Contest - the Twelve Days of Christmas contest.

As before, I'm running this contest with lovely Lee Hyat of Author Sound Relations. So to enter this one you need to go to the My Tote Bag site where you will find details of the contest and how to enter here. Please send you entries direct to Lee and not to me!

And of course, as the name implies, there are 12 special prizes up for grabs. Good luck!

All details on how to enter the Christmas Stocking Contest together with the questions to answer can be found on the Contests page on my web site.

Happy Birthday, Happy Hugh Day and Happy 50th

It's September

and that means that it's the Pink Heart Society's Birthday

So Happy Birthday to the Little Pink Dancing Guy.

And because we PHSers know how to celebrate in style, the birthday means that it's also the one and only official Hugh Jackman Day - the day we run the official Hugh Jackman Tour.



If you want more details - go here

And then follow the tour blogs from there. you can also add your own pics to the tour if you want.







So - because a picture is worth 1000 words - here's a whole chapter or two:

And of course you can't improve on the original Hugh-in-a-towel . . .

And Happy 50th? Well that's books, not birthdays. All this week I'm guest blogging with Jessica Hart to help her celebrate her fabulous fiftieth title Last Minute Proposal. (It's sitting on the top of my TBR pile, tempting me right now)

I'm talking about what keeps bring me - andhopefully you - back to romance novels again and gain. So why not come by and join in the discussion?

Everyone who posts will be in with a chance to win my new title Bedded By The Greek Billionaire as well as a copy of the Centenary novella The Duke's Secret Wife. And Jessica is running a contest to win that very special 50th title - so what are you waiting for? Come and join us.

Happy 50th Jessica- and many congratulations on this sepcial book.

Tote Bag Full of Books Contest 2

Before I start today I have to wish a Happy Birthday to another fabulous Harlequin Presents novelist. Today is the birthday of the brilliant Robyn Donald. I was lucky enough to meet Robyn and her lovely husband when I was at the Romance Writers of New Zealand Conference four years ago, And I know that Robyn is at the Conference right now. How I wish I could be there with her.

Happy Birthday Robyn!

Now I have two more books that are part of the prize in the Tote Bag Full of books to tell you about.

First is the debut novel from a very special friend of mine - someone who laughingly calls me her Cyber Mum. I first met Anna Louise Lucia through the message boards at eHarlequin.com. Then we met in person at an RNA conference and we've been friends ever since. I was lucky enough to be sent one of Anna's submissions for the RNAs New Writers' Scheme and as soon as I read her unique, distinctive voice I knew that one day she would be published.

I was right and this year I've been able to celebrate as Anna's very first novel Run Among Thorns (Medallion Press) was published. In June, on the book's official launch day, Anna sent me a personal copy of this book (thank you Anna) and I was hooked - it was one of those 'I know it's late but I don't want to put this book down' times. And I hope that you'll enjoy this story just as much as I did.

A man does not run among thorns for no reason. Either he is chasing a snake, or a snake is chasing him.

How can you trust your heart, when it calls your enemy, “lover”?
In a crisis moment of her life, Jenny Waring did something exceptional.
Now the authorities want to know how and why she killed three armed men.
Kier McAllister’s job is to break Jenny Waring. He’s asking a lot of questions, and he isn’t asking nicely. But it’s his job to find out why she could take out the bad guys like a seasoned agent.
McAllister’s thinks he’s in control. The balance of power is shifting, however. It isn’t his job to care about how he achieves his goal. Yet Jenny’s accusing eyes are starting to hold for him, and that isn’t good at all. Not when the people he works for aren’t about to leave her alone.

She started out being his job. Will she wind up being his redemption?

Anna's next book, Dangerous Lies also from Medallion Press is out in June 2009

The second book I have to tell you about today is written by Jessica Hart who, like me last year, is currently celebrating her 50th title being published and she's running a special celebration 50 Heroes, 50 heroines, 50 Happy Endings over on her web site. (I'll be guest blogging over there in September). I was also able to there at the Harlequin party in San Francisco when jessica was presented with her gold Harlequin pin to celebrate this special milestone title. Many Congratulations Jessica.


Jessica is also the winner of a RITA - in 2005 her novel Christmas Eve Marriage won this prestigious award for Best Traditional Romance.

The book that Jessica has donated to the Tote Bag of Books is Outback Boss, City Bride and it's part of the Bridegroom Boss duet.

Meredith and Lucy are two sisters as different from each other as they could be. Meredith is sensible and dependable, and doesn’t take risks. Lucy is fun and craves adventure and romance. Throughout their lives they’ve stuck to their family roles – and to each other. Meredith is perfectly happy with her life in London until fate takes her to the Australian outback in search of Lucy. It’s the last place she’s ever wanted to go, and she’s horrified by the conditions until Hal Granger makes her realise that it’s the only place she wants to stay!

Jessica's next book is Last Minute Proposal which is out in October

So there are two more great books that you can win as part of this fabulous Tote Bag collection.

And don’t forget there will be two signed copies of The Alcolar Family Trilogy as runners’ up prizes.

So what do you have to do?

All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this great prize is to answer these simple questions —

1. What are the titles of the books in the Alcolar Family collection? (Remember that although the By Request Collection is the Alcolar Family Trilogy, there are in fact four stories in the whole of the collection.)

And

2. What are the names of the hero and heroine in each of the four books you have listed?
Put your answers in an email and send them to me below.

Make sure you put Alcolar Family Contest in the subject line on the email.
Closing date is August 18th when Sid the Cat will be given the task of choosing the winners as usual.

Tote Bag Full of Books Contest

It’s back!

The great big Tote Bag Full of Books Contest is running again this year!

As you probably already know, for the past two years I’ve run a special Summer Reading Contest in which you can win one of my handy Kate Walker tote bags stuffed full of a wonderful selection of books to read on the beach, by the pool, or just curled up in your most comfortable chair at home. And this year is no exception.

This year to mark the publication of The Alcolar Family Trilogy collection, I’m linking the Tote Bag Full of Books Contest to the Alcolar Family collection – and as well as the two tote bags stuffed with books that are on offer, there will be two runners’ up prizes of signed copies of The Alcolar Family Trilogy. And all you have to do is to answer a couple of simple questions and you can be in the running for one of these great prizes.

Here are some of the great books you can find in this year’s summer tote bag prize:
Run Amongst Thorns by Anna Louise Lucia
Falling for Mr Dark and Dangerous by Donna Alward
Bought For the Frenchman’s Pleasure by Abby Green
Outback Boss, City Bride by Jessica Hart
Stage by Stage by Jan Jones
The Novice Bride by Carol Townend

And to add to this great selection and celebrate the publication of The Alcolar Family Trilogy, I’m adding a signed copy of the collected Alcolar Stories to the bag.

And there will be two signed copies of The Alcolar Family Trilogy as runners’ up prizes.

Of course I'm in San Francisco as you're reading this, but when I get back I'll tell you more about these great books and their authors. (wellI thought I'd be in SF but that posting while I was away didn't work out but I'll soon be telling you about these books just the same)

So what do you have to do?
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning this great prize is to answer these simple questions —

1. What are the titles of the books in the Alcolar Family collection? (Remember that although the By Request Collection is the Alcolar Family Trilogy, there are in fact four stories in the whole of the collection.)

And

2. What are the names of the hero and heroine in each of the four books you have listed?
Put your answers in an email and send them to me here

Make sure you put Alcolar Family Contest in the subject line on the email.

Closing date is August 18th when Sid the Cat will be given the task of choosing the winners as usual.

PS I've just heard from another great author who is adding a signed copy of her book to the booty in the Tote Bag this year - and that's Annie Burrows who has sent me copies of her second Historical Novel My Lady Innocent. Thanks so much Annie !