Happy St Patrick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to everyone.

Both my parents were  born in Ireland -  and on my mother's side I’m descended from a man called Chevalier Charles Wogan whose story is something of a delight for any romantic novelist – here is a brief summary:

"The Chevalier" (Knight) Charles Wogan was born in Rathcoffey. Is it possible that his heroic actions on the night of April 29th 1719 have given rise to the romantic fairy-tale tradition that for every fair princess shut up in a castle tower there comes a knight in shining armour ready to set her free so that she can marry the handsome prince of her dreams?

Wogan was a staunch supporter of the Stuarts. He initiated the alliance which led to the marriage of James Edward Francis Stuart (the Old Pretender), son of Charles II, to Clementina Sobieski, daughter of John Sobieski, King of Poland. She was apprehended, however, on her way to marry the Prince in Bologna. She was held captive in Innsbruck in the Tyrol. Wogan arranged false passports with the Austrian Ambassador and along with a small group feigning to be a Count, Countess, the Countess’ brother (Wogan) and her maidservant, managed to gain access to the princess. Following a quick exchange of clothing between the princess and the maidservant, the party escaped in high winds and blinding snow through the Alpine passes into Austria.

The marriage to James took place and from it Charles Edward (the Young Pretender) was born in Rome in 1720. Wogan’s reputation for daring and enterprise spread throughout all Europe.

It’s rumored that in fact Charles Wogan and Clementina fell in love on their journey but that his loyalty to his king meant that he didn’t press his own claim for marriage. It’s also rumored that as a result of this, the Chevalier and his family are entitled to wear their hats in the presence of the king and to a pension of £10 a year. Unfortunately, like most of these things in English law, this was only passed down through the male side – which has now died out - and I come from the female line.

But this story has been in my mind a lot lately and I keep thinking that seeing as there's really nothing really new in romance plots, it could make a good romance story for Presents.

What do you think?

 

 

We Write Romance Day

It's the 15th of the month so that means that  today's blog is  my regular Kate's Corner over on the blog on We Write Romance.com

 

So  that's where you'll find me today.

The Q&A on Delivering Emotional Punch on the EHarlequin site ended to day - but the lessons, and the questions are still there if you want   to take a look.

I'm late . . . I'm late . . .

I feel  like the White Rabbit, rushing around, muttering 'I'm late,   I'm late . . .'

I'm late picking the winners for this giveaway -  but sometimes life just gets in the way

Anyway - here we go

The winner from Liz Fielding's Blog  is Samantha Veerasamy

Other winners -
Unknown/Anonymous - sorry, I don't know your real name

Julie M  - Happy Birthday for the 16th Julie. If you send me your addres fast then hopefully the prize will arrive to be  an extra birthday gift for you

CC - I reckon you deserve a copy for finally remembering all those dates! And maybe your husband's mother would like to read it?

 And as Charlie was too greedy to stick at just 5 copies -
Eli  - you can share a copy with your bookclub friend - and maybe read it to  your mother!
and
Mary Preston -  an early birthday gift - as long as you share with yout Mum too!!

Ok ladies - you  know the drill.  Send me your postal addresses to the email  at the bottom of the page  and I'll get the books in the mail to you!


Writers -
I'm also late with this - sorry! But there's still time to catch up -
Over on eHarlequin.com they are having a Harlequin Presents Spotlight and I was asked to run a teaching week for those who were preparing a novel for the Presents line - and in preparation for  a Presents writing event coming up on the site.

So I'm running a class/Q&A on  Delivering Emotional Punch  this week. I've already posted 3 lessons, but you could soon catch up. 

Anyway - you'll find the lessons - and the  questions here

Mother's Day Giveaway

The wonderful  Liz Fielding -  who has won both the RWA's RITA and the Romantic Novelists' Association  Romance Prize - has  a special  feature on her blog -  First Page Friday  - where she features  - obviously! - the first page of a new  - or a favourite - romance novel.

Today I'm delighted that she has chosen my novel The Proud Wife    as her  First Page feature this time. 

Thank you Liz!

I always find it really special when an author I admire (and if you haven't read Liz's books, you've been missing out!) enjoys my own work and tells people about it.  Liz and I both write romance  but in such different styles, which is what I love about the genre we both write in. We can both take the same themes, ideas, plot elements, even character types, as are so common in romance fiction - but make those elements our own and turn them into something special - something with that elusive thing called 'voice' - that make  reading books by individual authors a unique experience.  And Liz's books certainly fit into that category for me.  I've read everything she's written and I'm so looking forward to her upcoming  novel in the new  Harlequin KISS line - Anything But Vanilla  coming in April . (Ice cream + a new Liz Fielding book - sounds like the perfect combination to me!)

Liz and I  - together with Anne McAllister  - usually run the Here Come the Grooms contest jointly around this  time  but unfortunately this year cinrcumstances conspired against it and we didn't have new books with new 'grooms' in  this time.  But for me a new Liz Fielding novel is always something to celebrate - and here in the UK  this weekend we have cause to celebrate because Sunday 10th  March is UK's mother's day.

Sadly,  I don't have  my mother to celebrate with any more and two years ago we also lost my MIL - which is  extra poignant as March is also the birthday  month for both these very special ladies - but  I do want to celebrate  right now - so I'll celebrate Mother's Day/March birthdays   with you all instead.

So  I have five copies ot The Proud Wife to give away for someone who has a birthday this month - or whose mother has a birthday - or whose mother would love a copy of The Proud Wife.

So take a look at Liz's site -  read the first page of The Proud Wife and if you don't already have a copy  then either leave  a comment on Liz's  blog  to say  hello to her (tell her I sent you!)  - or post a comment here telling me about your Mum, or  your birthday - or hers  . . . or someone you'd like to give a copy of The Proud Wife to . . . .

And on Sunday - Mother's Day - I'll get Charlie and Flora on the job of picking out the winners who'll get to celebrate this time too.

Oh and while you're over on Liz's site - take a look at the details of some of her wonderful books and if you haven't tried any of them yet - well, why not treat yourself?

Well - what do you think?

Last week,  I shared the USA Presents cover of my new book - A Throne for The Taking - with you.  (You can see it below if you missed it) 

I quite like it  - and the people who commented were pretty positive too. 

Now I have the UK cover  and  - er  - well I'm having a hard time trying to imagine my rebellious, emotionally scarred 'black sheep'  prince Alexei  in the cover image I've been given. So I'm posting it here for you to see this one too.

What do you think?

Tote Bags Day

Today is  the first Sunday  in March so that means that today is my day for my regular post over  at Tote Bags 'N' Blogs. So that's where you'll  find me today.

March 3rd is also a rather special day for me personally so I'm marking it with a small giveaway  for someone's mother if you visit Tote Bags and make a comment - see you there!

I almost forgot . . .

It's March 1st - and a Friday. So that means it's the first Friday in the month.
And the first Friday of the month is my day for blogging over on the Pink Heart Society Blog.  So that's where I am today.

It's also where I've been able - at last - to show the cover of my new title, A Throne for The Taking  which is out in June.    But I also want to post  it here for everyone to see.  This is my black sheep  prince Alexei  and his reluctant bride  Ria. (I know there are a couple of readers who will particularly like that name.)

I only have the Harlequin  Presents edition cover for now  but I'll post the Modern Romance one as soon as I get it.

Fishguard Course

You've read my thoughts on the latest Fishguard course (I can't believe I have to wait another year before we  I can do  it again)  but I thought you might like to read about the event from the point of view of one of my students.

Johanna who was on my course this year  - and has been to  other, past courses as well - has written a blog about being in Fishguard and what she got out of the course over on the Novelista Ink  web site/blog.  You can find it here.

Thanks so much for the lovely write-up Jo!  And good luck with your writing.  I hope you will 'be brave' with it.

And the winners were . . .

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley announced the five category winners who will contest the prestigious Romantic Novel of the Year during a glittering reception in London.

The winning novels will now be read and judged by five independent industry experts, and the overall winner will be revealed at the Romantic Novelists' Association's (RNA) Summer Party on 16 May 2013.

Katie Fforde has won the Contemporary Category for the second year running with Recipe for Love. This category is for mainstream romantic novels set after 1960. The other competing authors included Veronica Henry, Mhairi McFarlane, Monica McInerney, Sue Moorcroft and Polly Williams.
In the Epic Category, which deals with issues or themes including multi-generational novels, Rowan Coleman triumphed with Dearest Rose. Other finalists included Madeline Miller, Dilly Court, Kate Moreton, Gill Paul and Liz Trenow.

Finalists in the Historical Category (set before 1960) included Charlotte Betts, Christina Courtenay, Kate Furnivall, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanne Kearsley and Mary Nichols. Charlotte Betts was declared the winner with her novel The Apothecary's Daughter.

In the Romantic Comedy Category, for consistently humorous or amusing novels, the finalists included Jenny Colgan, Victoria Connelly, Jane Costello, Nicola Doherty, Belinda Jones and Jane Wenham-Jones. Jenny Colgan claimed victory with Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams.

The Young Adult Category features protagonists who are teenagers or young adults and the shortlist this year included Jo Cotterill, Laura Jarratt, Marie-Louise Jensen, Victoria Lamb, Sarra Manning and Susan Waggoner. Victoria Lamb was declared winner with her book Witchstruck.

The RoNA Rose Award, which recognises the best in category/series and shorter romance that focuses on a developing love affair between hero and heroine, was presented for the second year running to Sarah Mallory, author of Beneath the Major's Scars. Her rivals included: Fiona Harper, Heidi Rice, Carol Townend, and Scarlett Wilson, who had two books nominated. This category does not go forward to contest the Romantic Novel of the Year.

Long-time RNA member, Sophie Kinsella, was honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award for her continued contribution to the world of romantic fiction.

Back in routine - I hope!

I love being  in Fishguard, love having the view of the sea right outside my window.  The hotel is comfortable and friendly, and I love exploring the village. And it’s wonderful to meet up again with special friends  Anne and Gerry who run Caerleon  Writers’ Holidays, fellow tutors Alison Chisolm and Della Galton,  and all the students, some of whom I’ve known for a few years, other I only just met this time.

  The teaching I do is  such fun too. And this year, the course was a particularly great one to run.  Everyone in the group  jelled together so well – we  had lots of  fascinating discussions,  great writing exercises  and a lot of laughter. I’ve rarely known  a  weekend fly by as fast as this one did.

And you know what they say about time flying when you’re having fun. I barely seemed to have arrived at the Fishguard Bay Hotel before it was  time to say goodbye and  think about coming home.  But already I know that so many people have booked for next year.  ( I need to check on this because  the last I heard the 2014 course was already filling up fast – if not already sold out!)

So to the class of Fishguard 2013 – Rachael, Marie, Jo , Johanna, Melanie, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarahjane, Daphne, Fiona, Jenni,  Karen, Kate, and Sallyann – thank you all for being such a great group and for making the teaching so much fun. I really believe that  on a writing course like this, the feedback from the group adds to the teaching experience as a whole and  you get the course you deserve. I can’t wait for next  year.

I  was so involved and having so much fun   that I forgot to take photos but there is one record of a special event  - it was  Rachael’s birthday on Valentine’s Day  so we provided a cake for her (special thanks to Anne & Gerry’s daughter in law who did the baking and the icing). It was a rather special cake – Rachael herself has blogged about it here.  And there is one photo of Rachael with me.

Going away for a few days is wonderful. And we had a couple of extra days at the end of the course – staying in Fishguard and then on to Malvern where the Babe Magnet was thrilled to find that his favourite second-hand bookshop had a half price sale! There were several ‘vital’ volumes that added to our luggage on the way back.  But I’m sure  that things multiply and mount up whenever you’re not in the house so  I’ve been chasing  my tail dealing with things since I got back.  I now hope  to get back into some sort of routine before I even think about my next course – at Caerleon . (There’s news on that too but I’ll save that for another post.)

So where did I put that list of Things to Do . . .?

PS Today is the day that the RNA announces the winners of their RONA awards and the  RONA Rose for short romances.  I can't be there but I will be with everyone in spirit - and so, looking forward to seeing the winners announced so I can share the news with you here.

Writing Courses and Buried Kings

Was it really  Sunday the 3rd  when I last blogged ?  It's been a severe case of the disappearing week - it's always like this when I'm heading for Fishguard and the wonderful Writers' And Artists' Workshop Weekend.  There is so much to  do in preparation for the Advanced Romance Writing Course.  This course has been sold out for months and there is an interesting mix of  people who have been before and brand students. So I plan things that will interest and help (I hope!) both.

Then there's organising cat-sitters, washing, packing, all the things that travelling involves.  I'm so looking forward to being back in Wales  - as many of you know, I met the Babe Magnet there  all those  . . . .years ago.  (Considering we are coming up to a significant anniversary this year, it was a long time ago!) 

And talking of meeting the Magnet, one of the things  that connected us way back then was a fascination with Richard III.  The Magnet was even a member of the Richard III Society. So we've both been fascinated by and absorbed in all the reports of the dig in  that Leicester car park. We were thrilled by the news that the DNA testing had shown it really was Richard and not  some other skeleton they'd found - and it was amazing to see the recreation of his face from the skull. Now of course the debate is where he will be re-interred.  Personally I'd love to see him in York but what really matters is that after lying so long in an unmarked grave,  and important figure in history shou'd now  be given dignity and honour.  I'll hope to visit his grave - wherever it is.

 The discovery was all so distracting too  as it sent me back to reread some of the factual books I have on the subject - I daren't start on the fiction as I know that will just absorb me as it used to do in the past.   But I have downloaded Josephine Tey's Daughter of Time on to my Kindle to reread while in Wales.  If I get any time to read, that is - once the course starts, the weekend just seems to fly by and if I'm not teaching, I'm  doing one-to-ones or talking about writing in the bar, in the restaurant, in the bookrooom . . .   Can't wait!  So if you're one of my students who  will be there this time - see you soon!

And if you'd like to think about booking on one of my courses - the full details can be found on the Events page. I never leave Fishguard without knowing that some of the students have already booked for next year!   (There's   also the basic, Complete Introduction to Writing Romance coming up in July at Writers' Holiday at Caerleon   with lots of other great courses on offer too.)
So as I'll be travelling, teaching, talking, the blog might be a bit sporadic - again - for the next week or so.  I'm so looking forward to this weekend - and to waking up with this view outside my window  for the next few days.

Tote Bags Day

It's the first Sunday in February (where did January go?)  so that means that my blog today is my regular visit over on  Tote Bags N Blogs  so that's where you'll find me.

I'm writing about looking forward to heading out to one of my favourite places, in one of my favourite countriues - to do one of my favourite things - Teaching  writing!

Pink Heart Day

Happy February! It's the first Friday in February  so today is my day for my Date With Kate post over on the Pink Heart Society blog.

So that's where you'll find me today - talking about an important element that I feel a lot of people are forgetting when they aim their writing/novels at writing romance.

Hope I'll see you there.

Everybody loves kittens

When I'm busy at my desk, I sometimes need to take a break  - to think or plan something - and  those breaks give me a chance to indulge in a little kitten viewing.

No, we haven't adopted  a new kitten - I wish! - Flora and Charlie are  quite a handful as it is- but there are  virtual kittens - or rather a live stream of real kittens to be found here at Ripley's Kittens.  But be warned it's addictive!

I know it's addictive to cats too because when I had it on the screen and the mother cat was chirruping to her kittens, Flora heard and came leaping on the desk to see where the kittens were.  She started watching, then pressed her nose to the screen when one of the kittens came close.  Then she started patting them if they ran by her.

The problem is that now she's started looking under and behind my computer screen, looking for the kittens and I can't explain to her that they're not there!

I tried to take a photo of her 'playing' with the kittens but all I got was a big fluffy head in the way of the screen - so here's one or two  I took earlier. She was much younger then, and much smaller - and you'll have to imagine that  the racehorses she wants to play with  are  kittens!

Charlie never bothers to watch the TV  but Flora loves it. There is an advert for wild bird food for the garden where there is a long queue  of garden birds (computer generated images)  waiting for a table where the food is served - she loves that one and keeps trying to catch the birds!

PS If you want to help the  Purrfect Pals Cat Shelter  that is caring for Ripley's Kittens, you can vote for them in a contest to win a large grant to help them care for the cats they rescue - just scroll down the page where the livestream is to the link  - or look on the Animal  Rescue Site where the shelter vote can be found.

Writing Article



 
Before Christmas I was contacted by  Sally Quilford who was planning  a  regular column on writing romantic stories in the writers' magazine Writers' Forum.

She asked me some probing questions about writing romantic fiction and how to get started.   The series - called Love Notes -  has just launched today in the current edition of Writers'  Forum with the article 7 Things you always wanted to ask about writing romance.

So if you're in the UK you can find the magazine in WH Smith or you can get more details from the website here.

RNA Awards Shortlists:

The 2013 RoNA AwardsCategory Shortlist Announced for 2013 Romantic Novelists’ Association Awards

The Contemporary Romantic Novel category is for mainstream romantic novels set post-1960 and includes genres such as chick-lit, paranormal and romantic suspense. The shortlist, in alphabetical order by author name, is:
Katie Fforde, Recipe for Love, Arrow
Veronica Henry, The Long Weekend, Orion
Mhairi McFarlane, You Had Me At Hello, Avon
Monica McInerny, The House of Memories, Pan Macmillan
Sue Moorcroft, Dream a Little Dream, Choc Lit
Polly Williams, The Angel at No. 33, Headline

 
The Epic Romantic Novel category contains serious issues or themes, including gritty, multi-generational stories. The shortlist is:
Rowan Coleman, Dearest Rose, Arrow
Dilly Court, The Lady's Maid, Arrow
Madeline Miller, The Song of Achilles, Bloomsbury
Kate Morton, The Secret Keeper, Pan Macmillan
Gill Paul, Women and Children First, Avon
Liz Trenow, The Last Telegram, Avon

The Historical Romantic Novel category is for novels set in a period before 1960. The shortlist is:
Charlotte Betts, The Apothecary's Daughter, Piatkus (Little Brown)
Christina Courtenay, The Silent Touch of Shadows, Choc Lit
Kate Furnivall, The White Pearl, Sphere (Little Brown)
Pamela Hartshorne , Time's Echo, Pan Macmillan
Susanna Kearsley, The Rose Garden, Allison & Busby
Mary Nichols, The Kirilov Star, Allison & Busby
 
The Romantic Comedy Novel is for consistently humorous or amusing novels. The shortlist is:
Jenny Colgan, Welcome to Rosie Hopkin's Sweetshop of Dreams, Sphere (Little Brown)
Victoria Connelly, The Runaway Actress, Avon
Jane Costello, All the Single Ladies, Simon & Schuster UK
Nicola Doherty, The Out of Office Girl, Headline
Belinda Jones, Winter Wonderland, Hodder & Stoughton
Jane Wenham-Jones, Prime Time, Accent Press Ltd.

 
The Young Adult Romantic Novel features protagonists who are teenagers or young adults. The shortlist is:
Jo Cotterill, Sweet Hearts: Model Behaviour, Red Fox (RHCP)
Laura Jarratt, Skin Deep, Electric Monkey/Egmont
Marie-Louise Jensen, The Girl in the Mask, OUP
Victoria Lamb, Witchstruck, Corgi (RHCP)
Sarra Manning, Adorkable, Atom (Little Brown)
Susan Waggoner, Neptune's Tears, Piccadilly Press

 
The winners of each of the above categories form the overall shortlist for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award, which will be announced on 16th May.


Also being presented on 26th February is the RoNA Rose Award , which recognises the best in category/series and shorter romance that focus on a developing love affair between the hero and heroine. The shortlist is:

Fiona Harper, Always the Best Man, Harlequin Mills & Boon Riva
Sarah Mallory, Beneath the Major's Scars, Harlequin Historical
Heidi Rice, The Good, the Bad and the Wild, Harlequin Mills & Boon Riva
Carol Townend, Betrothed to the Barbarian, Harlequin Historical
Scarlet Wilson, West Wing to Maternity Wing, Harlequin Mills & Boon Medical
Scarlet Wilson, Her Christmas Eve Diamond, Harlequin Mills & Boon Medical

Cover images for all of the above novels can be found at:
http://www.romanticnovelistsassociation.org/index.php/activities/photo_galleries
Download a list of the books shortlisted for the 2013 Romantic Novelists' Association Awards, the RoNAs. Take it to the bookstore or library and check them out.
2013 RoNA Awards Reading List. (pdf)
Download descriptions of the of the books shortlisted for the 2013 Romantic Novelists' Association Awards, the RoNAs.
2013 RoNA Awards Books. (pdf)
A list of past winners can be found at http://www.romanticnovelistsassociation.org/index.php/awards

Congratulations to  everyone on the shortlist.
Anyone got any favourites in this list ?

It's a hard job . . .

As a writer of popular genre fiction, part of my job is keeping up to date with what is  currently popular so I've spent this morning working hard - doing research.
My source was the Total Film  survey to find out who had been voted the sexiest  actors for 2012.

Apparently the results are these:

1. Tom Hiddleston
2. Robert Pattinson
3. Ryan Gosling
4. Benedict Cumberbatch
5. Richard Armitage
6. Tom Hardy
7. Alan Rickman
8. Michael Fassbender
9. Robert Downey Jr
10. Chris Hemsworth


So  of course, I had to take my research further and study each and every one of these Top Ten candidates. I worked very hard on my research all morning.

Sometimes  this is a very difficult job.
Oh - and if you want to know the Top Ten female actors, the results were:

1. Jennifer Lawrence

2. Scarlett Johansson

3. Kristen Stewart

4. Emma Stone

5. Mila Kunis6. Emma Watson

7. Anne Hathaway
8. Zooey Deschanel
9. Natalie Portman
10. Charlize Theron

Would you agree?

 

 

Addiction . . .

Well, the winner of the calendar from the We Write Romance blog is Caroline!

Caroline - please can you send me your postal address so that I can get it into the post to you before 2013 gets much older and it's not much use to you! 

The snow is piling up outside and we don't have it anything like as bad as some people - so all me friends in Wales and the North West, keep safe and warm.

It's the perfect excuse to stay indoors and curl up with a good book  - and that's where the addiction comes in!  I was out  in town yesterday and found a book that I really wanted to share with my son (Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn if you're nosy). I'd read it and knew he would like it too - but,  oh dear, the books, normally £7.99 each were  two for £7 - so of course I had to find another title to go with this one - I mean, it's compulsory, isn't it?

I picked up a book I'd heard  a buzz about, and one that had been recommended by the Richard and Judy book club - which is usually an indication of a good read. (Gone Girl's on there too, I see.)  So I thought I'd try that.

Now I have a lot of books waiting to be read - a TBR pile - a Kindle line-up . . .  I even have just received a parcel of RITA books to read and judge . . . I don't need another book!  But to be honest, I've read several of my Christmas stocks of books and been  - underwhelmed.    I've been OK with some, some have really disappointed and two -ghost stories that I was really looking forward top fell as flat as pancakes.  I didn't need distracting, but I was looking for a good read.

I found it.   I was going to put the book I'd bought - The Good Father by Noah Hawley - on the TBR pile and get to it when . . .  but I thought I'd just have a look at the first page . . .  pages . . . Chapters . . . Mistake.

And that's why the title of this post is addiction  - I'm reading this book  - devouring it - like an addict. I want to know how it ends - but I don't want it to end. I'm picking it up whenever I can, and unlike some of my other reads it's not a question of 'it depends on how it ends as to what I think about it'  - I don't care how it ends. I'm hooked. (Don't you love it when that happens?)

So I'm posting this now and I'm going back to my living room - there's a fire, the Babe Magnet - two cats - and my book. Can't wait!  (But the RITA books are going to have to.)

Over at We Write Romance

It's the 15th of January  - can you believe it? It seems like only two minutes ago it was  New Year's Day and already January is half over.

Anyway,  the 15th of the month is my day for blogging over on We Write Romance in my regular Kate's Corner spot - so that's where you can find me today.

I'm talking about diaries and calendars - and as I've just found an extra calendar that I bought - one with lovely photographs of England on it - I'm offering this as a prize for someone who comments on my Kate's Corner blog - Charlie has been missing the chance to pick winners and have extra treats - so why not make him happy and give him lots of chances to enjoy himself!   (I know it's  a bit late for the start of January - but there are plenty more months left  for 2013!)

Busy week

'Oh the weather outside is frightful . . . '

There is snow on the ground, piled up by inches, and more comuing down all the time. The cats are refusing to go outside at all unless they absolutely have to.  But apart from my walk this morning, that I got in before the snow started coming down I  have so much to do that I’m  not worried about being inside.  

I’ve just spent a busy week organising my Advanced Romance Writing course for the Fishguard Writers and Artists’ Weekend.  One person had  dropped out of this so  I had thought that I was going to be able to announce that there was one place left if anyone wanted it, but as soon as  a space appeared, someone else booked – so the weekend is fully booked again.  Hopefully it will be back  on again next year . . . or there’s always  the Writers’ Holiday  at Caerleon in July. (So pleased that the concerns that Caerleon might not run this year have proved to be unfounded.  I’m already looking forward to being there in the summer.  And if you want to join the Advanced course, my basic Complete Introduction to Writing Romance is the perfect foundation for the Fishguard weekend.)

I also had a fabulous trip to the theatre on Saturday - luckily before the snow started.  With the Babe Magnet, the Offspring and his fiancée went  to the Sheffield Crucible to see a brilliant production of My Fair Lady, starring Dominic West (The Wire, The Hour) as Professor Higgins and Carly Bawden  as Eliza Dolittle. But it wasn’t just the stars of this show who made it such a great night (though they were both brilliant)  - the whole cast, the staging, the singing, dancing and production were fantastic.  No wonder the production got  so many 5 star reviews.  And no wonder it’s now sold out.  It’s moving to the West End  after Sheffield so hopefully a lot more people will get to enjoy this treat.

And of course it’s great inspiration and research for a romance writer as  the alpha Professor Higgins meets his match in the feisty and  brave Eliza.

It's the first Sunday of the month - and of 2013 -  so as always I'm over on the Tote Bags 'N' Blogs  site where I've a post on my thoughts as to how I'm looking forward to  2013 - but not looking too far forward!

See you there?

Pink Heart Society

Today is the first Friday of January  - the first Friday of 2013 - so that means that today's my day for my regular blog post over on the Pink Heart Society blog in my  Date With Kate column.

So that's where I am today - and  I'm talking about starting the New Year off right with - not resolutions - but a lot  of resolution.

Romantic Novelists' Association

The very first non Christmas post to arrive at this house between Christmas  and New Year was my brand new membership card for the Romantic Novelists' Association. It was  great to see all the meetings planned for the coming year  - from the January Industry Panel on Erotic Romance  to the Annual Conference in Sheffield in  July. I hope to be there.

I've always said that one of the best things an unpublished writer can do for learning their craft and working on their career is to get a place on the RNA's New Writers' Scheme  - if you can, because these 250 places are like gold dust!  Applications for  the NWS open at 12.02 am (UK time) on January 2nd. Applicants should e-mail the Membership Secretary AFTER that time to reserve a place on the New Writers Scheme. 

Today I have a post over on the RNA's blog for the 12 days of Christmas where I'm talking about one of my favourite personal ornanments on my own Christmas tree.  Regular Christmas visitors to this blog will recognise my now rather elderly little angel. Scary to think she's seen some 30 Christmases!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone.

 

I hope 2013 is  a truly lovely year for you, filled with love, warmth, happiness and success with your family and friends around you so that you can build up shining memories to take with you everyday from the first January to the very last day of December.

Thank you for being my readers and my friends - for sharing my books and visiting here. I hope I'll 'see' more of you in the coming year and that you'll enjoy the books I have coming up.

Happy 2013!

Couting down the Days of 2012

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas.  Ours was  very quiet, very peaceful - thankfully - just what we needed - and with warmth, family and friends - what more do yo need?

I know what people think I need - books! I have  received so many books as gifts that I will be reading all year! It's a good thing that I did some much-needed catching up on reducing my TBR pile before the big day because  since Christmas Day, the to be read pile has grown again and I think it's even larger than before.  Luckily some of the books I was give are very short or quick and easy to read - Simon's Cat cartoons for one - so I have managed to deal with a couple of those.

And notebooks - I received some gorgeous notebooks . . .now I wonder what I'll be writing in those in 2012!

Anyway, 2012 is coming to a close and 2013 looms on the horizon - but before we step out into the brand new year, there are some things that need tidying up from  2012.  The Advent Calendar for one.

There are some give aways to  announce and send out - some prizes that haven't been collected -  and there are some  little extras to finish.

So -  the winner of one of my oldest books - First Man  - was Maria

Prizes not claimed;

The Konstantos Marriage Demand  was won by  N'digo_anjel

Chey wins a copy of  The Good Greek Wife.

Debby G who won Mediterranean Tycoons -

Please claim your books, ladies or they will go back into the box for next time.

And there are some books here that I have brought out of the storage boxes but I don't want to have to go and put them back in  so  I got Flora on the job of picking  and  the result was:

Desere  - The Return of the Stranger

Mary Preston  - Kept for Her Baby

Kaelee   and Rita -  you win  your choice of my back list

Please contact me with your postal addresses  using the link below.

I'll hope to get organised now  - and I'll wish you all a very very happy New Year, hoping that 2013 will be a gentle year for everyone - with love and  warmth and happiness.

See you then!

 

 

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas to all my friends and readers.

I hope you have a truly happy day with warmth, love and joy surrounding you.

Are you a Kate Walker collector? I know some of you are trying to collect up all my titles written over the years - so how are you doing?

How many books do you have in your Kate Walker collections right now? What books are you missing - which ones are you hunting for?

Do you have special titles that you just  can't  find - or a book that you read years ago and would love to know  which one it was - and maybe have a chance to find  it again?

For the penultimate Advent calendar give away I've hunted out some of the older titles in my book  boxes.

 A couple of days ago, I  gave away an elderly copy of  Game of Hazard   to one collector  but I know there are a few more of you out there  - so  if you let me know what special title you are hunting for, I might just have it.

I know I have  some from very early on in my publishing career -  1986 - 1991  - 1994  (one was never published in America!)

And some more recent but not easy to find . . .  a couple of titles from 2006  and there might be more, I need to check through the boxes!

Anyway  - there are some of these golden oldies to give away - if you're looking for them.

So you know what to do - post a message in the comments, telling me what books you're hunting for and  why - or the past books you'd most love to read  - and I'll see what I can do.

If you want some inspiration - or a reminder of what titles are in my past! - check out my Backlist Titles page here and you'll see everything listed.

Let me know what is the oldest Kate Walker title you already own

And let me know Vintage Kate Walker's you'd most like to find.

Advent Calendar Day 22

It's raining - again!

I just opened the door to let in the cats after their early morning dash outside and they were SO happy to be let back in. They are soaked to the skin and Charlie is leaving wet footprints wherever he goes.  He was also so hungry, so he's happy  and more than ready to pick a winner for the latest giveaway.

So he has picked a name - and the name he has picked is Chey.

Chey wins a copy of  The Good Greek Wife.

Chey please send me your postal address and I'll get your prize in the mail to you.

Today's  giveaway is to win a copy of The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife. This book came out in 2007

He thought she was his mistress . . .
Recuperating on his private Greek island after a car crash, Andreas Petrakos had no memory of the previous year. The last thing he remembered was his passionate affair with beautiful Rebecca Ainsworth.
. . . when actually she was his wife!

Becca returned to the island because Andreas had asked for her. But she had to hide the truth from him. So what would happen when he recalled throwing Becca out - on their wedding day - for a reason only he knew?

And today's question is - well, I think it's time we looked at  some special treats coming up seeing as Christmas is nearly here. So  I'd like you to tell me about what you're lookiung forward to eating and drinking over the holidays.

Yes, I know there's the traditional Christmas dinner -  but what else do you have as as real treat while you're relaxing and enjoying yourselves  over Christmas?

Do you love mince pies - and  do you have them cold or warm? With cream ?  Ice cream?
Egg nog or perhaps some mulled wine?
Are you like my  DH who loves nuts  and actually enjoys cracking them and picking them out of the shells himself?  (I love nuts  - but I prefer it when someone else  has done the work!)
Do you buy in lots of chocolates and sweet things - or do you prefer the savouries like crisps,  cheeses,  spicy things?

I have to admit that I don't enjoy the dried fruit mixtures that are so much a tradion  at this time of year - so I don't have a single mince pie, Christmas cake - or even a Christmas pudding  - in the house.  But I do have homemade shaortbread and oaty cookies  made with golden syrup.   There will be cheesy biscuits too - and lots of different cheeses  with chutney and pickles. Those are always part of  our  meal on Christmas Eve - lots of variety and taste, but little cooking!

Oh and of c ourse there ios a bag of special treats for the cats - tasty dinners and some bags  of catnip to drive them crazy with delight in front of the fire!

So tell me the special treats in food or drink that you enjoy and your name will go into the prize draw for the giveaway book.

And now I must go and get dressed - and DH and I will be heading out for our traditional Saturday morning  - it might be nearly Christmas but  we still have a large coffee and the cryptic crossword puzzle  waiting for us.  WE've completed it every week  for 5 months now - we can't let it beat us before Christmas!

Advent Calendar Day 20

Charlie was easy to get in today - it's been pouring with rain from the moment I woke at 5am to the sounds of the rain  pounding down on the roof till now when the evenining has  closed in  - and the rain is still lashing down.
So Charlie  came in  fast when I called him for his teatime - and for  a chance to pick a winner.

And that winner is yadkny who wins a copy of Claimed by The Sicilian.

Yadkny - you know the drill - send me your postal address  via the link below and I'll put the book in the mail to you.

Today's book  was part of the mini series based on the ancient Greek myths

 The Good Greek Wife? was published in  2010  and was losely inspired by the story  of   Odysseus. A man who goes missing for years and whose wife waits at home, never knowing if he is coming back or not.

The return of the proud Greek husband...
He was declared missing at sea — but now notorious Zarek Michaelis is back and ready to take control! First he'll see to his business, and then to his wayward wife...
For two years Penny has struggled to come to terms with Zarek's disappearance. But enough is enough. It's time to move on…Her proud Greek husband is still as darkly handsome as ever, and the attraction between them is just as potent. But Penny can't trust Zarek's motives — does he just want her body and the fortune he left behind…or to try again?

You can win a copy of this title by joining in and answering  today's question -

Well, seeing as the hero of this story, Zareki Michaelis, went missing when he was travelling away from home - today;s question is  about travelling - or staying right where you are.

This coming weekend will be the most busy time on the roads, trains and planes as people travel to visit and stay with family or friends. So what about you?

Last week the babe Magnet and I went to visit friends in Yorkshire and we stayed  with them for a while.  I've just spent today sharing an early Christmas lunch with some other friends who live nearby.   For Christmas Day itself  we will be staying at home, apart from a short walk round to The Offspring's house to wish him and his fiancée a Happy Christmas.

Will you be getting into the car or on to a plane  and travelling to a different part of the country - or maybe even a different country  - to share your  Christmas with family or friends?

Or will you be staying safe and warm  in you own home?

Or perhpas  you have family travelling to visit you and spend the holidays in your home?

You know the drill - let me know what you'll be doing and you'll be in with a chance of winning  the story of my wandering Greek hero  and what happened when he found his way home.

Advent Calendar - Catching up again!

Well, that was something I didn't need. Just whehn I thought I was catching  up with the  Advent Calendar, I came to post a new blog and - no internet access!!
Great  - so I've been sitting here, waiting, frustrated - hoping to be able to post  - and not been able to log on. At last, things seem to be sorted,  and I'm able to post again. Let's hope it lasts.

Ok  - so - winners -

Charlie has picked  two names  who will win their choice of books -  and they are:

Marcy who wins  Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife
and
Catherine who wins Kept for Her Baby

Marcy and Catherine please email me (see the link  at the bottom of the page) and send me your postal address and I'll get your prize in the post to you.
I'll be doing another post with your choice of my backlist as a prize  in a couple of days - but there will be a different question.

And today's choice? 
Well today has another 3 in 1 collection on offer as a prize, but  this time, all three books in the collection are my titles - The whole collection is called
Claimed By The Sicilian

And the books in it are:

Sicilian Husband Blackmailed Bride

The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge

The Sicilian’s Wife

And the question -

I spent this weekend writing cards as well as wrapping presents - so when you pick Christmas cards, do you  like to  buy traditional  ones - with a Christmas scene, ths stable and the manger  or perhaps the 3 kings?

Candles Robins and Holly and things like that?

Modern bright colours?

Funny cards - with cartoons on?  ( I just received a great card with Simon's Cat on it - if you like cats and haven't seen some of these videos you will enjoy them"!)

Or gold and glittery images?
Personally I buy a variety and choose ones that I think will suit the person I'm sending it to. But I do always buy cards from charities so that I hope I can help a little bit as well.

You know the drill - just post a message in the comments section  and I'll get Kate's Cat aka Charlie on the job of picking a winner.

Now I just hope I still have an internet connection to post this!

 

Advent Calendar Day 17

Hang on !  I could have sworn that there were 2 days in the weekend - in that case, I blinked and I missed one!  I was  so occupied with wrapping and packing  parcels and writing cards  . . .
All parcels have gone in the mail today and that means that I have at least caught up with posting out prizes - and so I need to get Flora on the job of picking some more winners.
Yes, Flora  is the winner  picker today - Charlie is out  dealing with his latest 'toy '  - a dead magpie . Yuck.
 So his big sister Flora is the cat indoors at the moment - and we don;t want Charlie back in until he's finished playing with black and white feathers.

So Flora has picked these winners -
The winner of the Golden Oldie Game of Hazard is Laney
The winner of  The Konstantos Marriage Demand  is N'digo_anjel
And the winner of Kept For Her Baby over on We Write Romance is  Catherine McT
. .  . And Tracy - Flora was so pleased to be picking treats that she grabbed 2 before I could breathe.

So would Laney
N'digo_anjel 
Catherine McT and
Tracy
 all please email me - use the link at the bottom of  the page - and send me would postal addresses. Thanks!

Today - well today I have two days to catch up on, Sunday and  Monday

 - so today I'm going to have 2 winners who can each pick their choice of books from my backlist -

The Devil and Miss Jones
The Return of the Stranger
The Good Greek Wife?
The Proud Wife
Kept For Her Baby
The Antonakos Marriage Demand
Bedded By The Greek Billionaire
The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife
Spanish Billionaire Innocent Wife
Cordero's Forced Bride
Sicilian Husband, BlackmailedBride
The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge

And today's question . . .   one question but Charlie will pick two prizes (if he's stopped playing with magpie feathers)


Because I'm interested -   you can let me know which of these books you'd like to win  and why?
What's your choice?
Or if you've read some of these which is your favourite?

I'd love to know

Advent Calendar Day 15

Today's the 15th December which means that it's the day I have my regular blog post over on We Write Romance where I have my usual Kate's Corner.

So that's where you'll find me today - and where you'll find the question for today's Advent Calendar giveaway.

Today's  book that I'm giving away is the 2009 title Kept for Her  Baby.

Wanted: wife and Mother...
Staring at the granite-handsome features of Italian billionaire Ricardo Emiliani, Lucy knows she's made a mistake coming back to their palatial Lake Garda home. But she'll do anything for her baby son—even return to the husband who never loved her...

Ricardo branded his wife a gold-digger, however, tiny Marco needs his mother so he will keep Lucy captive on his private island until she proves herself a worthy wife—in every sense...



To be in with a chance to win this book you need to go over the WWR and answer the question in the comments there. (If you have any problems, then just come back here and post an answer. I'll be checking both blogs anyway.)

Advent Calendar Day 14

Well that was another busy day - are there any other sorts of days in the run up to Christmas?  Today was  a day I had to be out and about, shopping for groceries,

buying cat food – very important in the opinion of Charlie and Flora.  Cat treats are all very well when they are picking the prize-winners for this giveaway, but  they need real food as well!  Luckily their food  cupboard is well stocked now.   The bitter freeze that was making things very slippery over the past couple of days has melted and we are back with rain,  rain and more rain so it was a very soggy set of shopping expeditions.  I’m glad to be back home, with a warm fire and  now I plan to wrap some gifts and get them ready for the mail.

Amongst the packages going to the post office tomorrow will  be the prizes that I have announced so far. So, hopefully most of these will reach people before Christmas – I hope so anyway.

I’m still waiting for Charlie to come in to pick the winner of the copy of Game of Hazard.  (He spent most of the afternoon staring at the rain with a ‘you must be joking!’ look on his face when I opened the door for him to go out. But now the downpour has eased a little so he has gone out roaming for a while. I’ll get him on to picking  a winner when he comes back in.

So today’s question – well,  the fact that I have these packages to wrap and get in the mail made me wonder about how you all do this. Are you someone who loves to wrap parcels, create mini works of art with bows and glitter and specially colour co-ordinated ribbons and decorations?

Or are you someone who just puts a basic wrapping paper on the parcel and that’s that?

Or perhaps you’re one of these clever and original people who do fancy wrapping with pretty material or even ecologically sound wrapping in news.

Personally,  I love the idea  of really pretty parcels,  beautifully wrapped and decorated. I always start out with lots of great intentions  - and plenty of pretty paper etc. But somehow the enthusiasm never lasts quite long enough and even when I plan to get ahead and do things is good time, I always seem to be rushing to wrap the last of the gifts on Christmas Eve so that the parcels are barely finished before they’re being ripped open.

What about you?

Today’s give away is a signed copy of  The Konstantos Marriage Demand

The Greek's ruthless reunion.

Sadie Carteret and Nikos Konstantos were once blissfully in love. They planned the wedding of the year, and their union would create a powerful dynasty.

But business and pleasure should never be mixed. Nikos was accused of scheming for Sadie's money and title, and was systematically destroyed by her family. The wedding was cancelled, the relationship in tatters.

Now the ruthless billionaire has built himself back up from scratch. He will clear his name and demand what was rightfully his...

Sadie must love, honour and...obey....

The Konstantos Marriage Demand was awarded Romantic Times Best Presents Extra 2010.

Tomorrow is the 15th of December, so my blog post  - and the Advent Calendar  - will be over on We Write Romance  in my Kate's Corner.  See you there!