Family Connections

I've just come back from a family reunion that was a very special event.  I come from a family of five sisters.   (I come right in the middle of them if you’re wondering.)  My eldest sister is living in Australia  so she’s sadly thousands of miles away, but the next eldest sister – the one between her and me – is having a big birthday this year.   And she invited all the rest of us -  and the next generation – and the one after that – to come together for a very special family  party and overnight stay.

We had a wonderful time. We all live in different parts of the country, have different lives, but it was as if time and distance hadn’t existed.  So there were my other sisters, two husbands, one sister’s daughter, and the birthday girl’s son, his wife and two daughters. So that’s  three generations. And to add to the celebrations, there were two more about-to-be members of the family as my niece and my nephews wife were both expecting babies due to arrive in September.

Since I came home and I looked at all the photographs – specially one that had all of us, each generation, arranged on a flight of steps, it made me think about families both in reality and in books.  And it got me wondering about the families in some of my books.

I’ve now been published for over thirty years, so some of the babies  conceived by or born to past heroes and heroines will be about the age to become heroes and heroines themselves.   The b

aby that pushes Pierce and Natalie into marriage in  The Unexpected Child would be twenty years old now – just old enough to have her own story. And so will the little girl   Rosie who appeared in His Miracle Baby.

Sometimes I create characters who are connected by family or place and  then if I revisit that place, that family,  there is a chance to catch up with the story of the original couple and see how their life has progressed. I did this with  A Question of Honour where the hero and heroine  - Karim and Clemmie  later appeared – with their children -  in Destined For The Desert King .   And  Nabil, who was to have been Clemmie’s original bridegroom in that story, is the hero of this second book, with his new bride Aziza.  I remembered these books particularly as the story I’m working on will  take my new hero and heroine from their homes in Ireland to the kingdom of Rhastaan  where they may well meet up with Karim and Clemmie, Nabil and Aziza . . .and who knows how many children now?

So that made me wonder.  Do you like books were past characters appear, and you learn about their lives later on? Do you enjoy finding out about what has happened to them since their ‘happy ever after’ ending? Are they in fact ‘happy ever after’?  (I should hope so as I try to write characters who are just made for each other.)

Thinking about these earlier books has made me wonder whether it might be interesting to revisit

What do you think?  Do you like to read books like this? Are there any books - mine or any other  author’s  where you’d like to know what happened to a younger character – or just another person – in the future?

families and give them their own family reunion  and a story for the next generation.

I  know I’m looking forward to revisiting old friends in Rhastaan as I take Adnan and Ciara out to that country on their rather unusual honeymoon.

This and that

Life has been rather hectic and a bit fraught  lately so I've been very bad  at keeping up with my blog. But I'm trying to add some posts that will wake this place up a bit and let you know I'm still alive.

 One of the things I should have mentioned is that I've been asked a lot about the teaching and the courses I'll be running in  the rest of this year.   So  the next one coming up is The Complete Romance Writing Course which is in one of my most favourite places in  the country and one of my favourite events in the whole year.

This of course is the Writers' Holiday in Fishguard in Pembrokeshire Wales.  As  so many of you know, this is one of the highlights of my summer for the past 15+ years . So I'm counting down t

he days before I  go back to Fishguard in July.    As always I will get to meet up again with old friends and hope to make new ones with the  visitors who have never been before,  I know some people are nervous about  being there on their own - but believe me, you won't stay on your own for very long.   Everyone is so welcoming, and the wonderful< Anne and Gerry Hobbs make sure that  things run as smoothly as possible all week.

There are always such great courses too - I'm always really sorry that I'm teaching for oe part of the week, so that I can only choose from the first set of courses when there are so many that I'd love to do. 

Here's this year's selection:

1. Writerly Desire

CAROL FENLON
The ins and outs of writing great sex scenes



Is the thought of your characters’ sex lives too hot to handle? Do you always stop at the bedroom door? Shed your inhibitions as we explore ways to write effective and relevant sex scenes. the focus of the course will be on incorporating sex scenes in a variety of genres tailored to specific readerships, rather than on erotica perse. Suggestions from course participants for specific genres to be covered are welcome.

2. Write a Short Story at Fishguard

DELLA GALTON
Sell it when you get home

This course is a practical course which will take you through writing a short story from Idea to completion. To get the most from this course you will need to do some homework during the week. But you should be able to go away with a completed short story and have some idea where to sell it.

3. Writing the Landscape

SIMON WHALEY

Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, the landscape around us influences our work, both directly and indirectly. But do we really notice it? This course will show you how to spot detail in the landscape and then bring it to life in your writing. Discover how to turn any interaction with the landscape into a self-contained piece… and be prepared to stretch your legs at some point, because if the weather is good we may go for a wander.

4. Poetry for All

JAMES NASH
Everything you need to know to produce stunning poems in traditional and contemporary forms.
Anyone can write a poem. James will ensure that you can do it with skill and flair!

5. Painting and Drawing

SUSAN ALISON

You can now spend all day Painting and Drawing – either all the week, or just half of the week. Demonstrations of technique will take place in the mornings, and afternoons can be spent out and about if the weather is fine, or in the Art Room with subjects and materials provided.

---

6. Make ’em laugh: Writing Humour

STEVE WADE

Ever wanted to write humour? Hit that funny bone with Steve Wade.

7. The Complete ROMANCE Writing Course

KATE WALKER

This course is intended to provide information and advice for anyone who wants to learn how to write a popular romance genre novel. It gives an introduction to all the skills needed for success, from creating realistic characters, sustaining pace and conflict, packing emotional punch, writing sex scenes and crafting a satisfying ending. While the focus may be on romance novels, the techniques – dialogue, characters, tension, pacing, settings, hooks etc. will also be relevant to all

forms of popular fiction.

8. The Absolutely Complete Course on Writing Crime Fiction

JANET LAURENCE and SUSAN MOODY
Two experienced crime writers will combine to deliver a course which will be tailored to provide you with everything you need to write your own crime novel or crime short story.

9. All you ever wanted to know about Writing Competitions

ALISON CHISOLM
Whether entering or running one
Competitions are the pathway to increasing your writing experience and to getting your work published. Among the areas to be covered are:

• The writing competition scene
• How to select the competitions to enter
• Competition stories and novels
• Competition articles and poems
• Preparing your entry
• The judging process
• Running a competition

10. Painting and Drawing

SUSAN ALISON
www.susanalison.com
You can now spend all day Painting and Drawing – either all the week, or just half of the week. Demonstrations of technique will take place in the mornings, and afternoons can be spent out and about if the weather is fine, or in the Art Room with subjects and materials provided.

As always, you can find the details and  ask about availability for rooms in the hotel (or as a day visitor)   at the Writers' Holiday  site

Book now while there is still room!
Incidentally, if you want a bit more information about Fishguard, take  a look at the current People's Friend - there's a great article in there by one of this year's tutors  Simon Whaley

Inspiring theatre

Back from a couple of days relaxing and enjoying in York - can one have a birthday *month* celebration?

One of the best things while there was attending this great Watermill Theatre production of Twelfth Night  at York Theatre Royal. The thing I love about creativity and creative people is the way that something so often repeated can be replayed again and again with a new twist, a new approach, a new setting and so becomes something new instead of the same old same old.

I suppose I'm very conscious of this because the sort of romances I write are so often dismissed as 'all the same' or - even worse - painting by numbers stories! The truth is that in the hands (and minds) of an inspired writer/director/actor, something you have seen/read/heard so often before can take on a whole new edge and emphasis and while telling the same story yet again can make it new and fresh and as a result parts of it ring sharper and have more impact than before. For example, I'd never have thought that a female Sir Toby Belch would work . . .

This production is reimagined in the 1920s where prohibition is rife and Europe is still reeling in the wake of war. With a great selection of energetic jazz music, and with an innovative approach to staging, the hugely talented cast created a fabulous and fresh version of a play I have seen so many times. So glad we saw it

VERY special weekend

Many many thanks to every kind person who sent me  fabulous birthday wishes.  I  was away in the countryside in Derbyshire enjoying a wonderful birthday weekend in a lovely cottage, with some very special friends. We shared so much fun and laughter, writing discussions, walks in the bluebell woods, fabulous food courtesy of Sallyann, a glass of prosecco or two - so much happiness and the joy of sharing friendship. The best birthday present (and there were a couple of wonderful gifts to unwrap too!!)

I've managed to get some photos to share - the lovely cottage and the bluebell wood - and a rather special cake! Once upon a time the fabulous organisers of Writers' Holiday let slip the WH nickname of Ms Whiplash for me on-air for a radio broadcast - and the nickname stuck. So now, Gerald P Hobbs

 - and Anne - I am coming prepared for this summer - July 24th-29th - can't wait!!  ;-)

Thank you to everyone who posted birthday wishes - and to

my lovely friends who shared a fabulous birthday weekend - and gave me this cake!

Special weekend

I'm not at all sure where time  has gone - but somehow it's almost the weekend and I've been so looking forward to this weekend.

 Can't think of any way better to celebrate a special day than to meet with special friends - people who care about you - and have a long weekend in a farm cottage in the countryside. I expect there will be a lot of laughter, great food and a really relaxing time . Just what I need to help me ignore getting older . ..

After I posted the great news about Rachael Thomas's brilliant success people have been enquiring about courses and I meant to post details of the ones coming up but time has just s-l-i- p-p-e-d away from me. And now I'm busy packing for that weekend - but I will post more details when I get back - or you can check out Writers' Holiday for the next summer course - Writing Romantic Fiction - if you can't wait. I will be in Derbyshire. . . 

Celebrating a student's success

Years ago, I taught my very first Writing Romance course at Fishguard Writing Weekends with  Writers Holiday





In that class was lovely Rachael Thomas who had a dream of becoming a writer of romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon. She was one of the hardest working people in pursuit of her dreams that I have ever met. She tried and submitted, got knocked back, tried again . . . Once she even thought about giving up - but she didn't. 


 What's that they say about... success being able to get up one more time than you've been knocked down - well, Rachael proved that. She never gave up on her dream. And now, today she is celebrating the publication of her 10th Romance - Di Marcello's Secret Son. That's definitely worth celebrating. Dreams really can come true - specially if you work as hard at them as Rachael!


I'm so so pleased for you Rachael - and so proud of all you've achieved since you were in that very first class (though I miss having you as one of my student!)

Garden birds

Not sure if you can see these photos clearly but I hope you can.

 We have been feeding lots of birds that come into our garden - including wood pigeons and magpies. The magpies are predatory and yesterday they swooped down on a peaceful wood pigeon who was happily pecking at a suet block on the bird table. The pigeon started up and flew away wildly - fast and straight into the patio doors. 

The thud was loud - and the impact with the glass must have hurt. He/she landed on the ground then picked itself up, shook its head and flew off.

But it left behind the imprint of its impact on the door!

 All I can say is  ouch, that must have hurt!

Catch up

I'm sure that 2017  has entered a timeslip.  I do not know what has happened to the days or where they've gone. But they seem to be rushing by at a ridiculous rate.  Perhaps it's because of concentration  -  focusing on work in all sorts of ways.  

I'd just got back from the fabulous Writers' Weekend at Fishguard  and I had to start concentrating on the new book. This is the second book in the duo that I've  called   as my working title - The Scandalous O'Sullivan Sisters.  Incidentally I had such a fabulous time at Fishguard that I really didn't want to come home. I just can't wait till the next weekend course I'm running so that I can have all the fun, the laughter - and the fantastic discussions all over again. (More of that in a moment)

More fun - and more great discussions of writing/plots/heroes/heroines  etc  came   when we were  able to enjoy the great company of the fabulous Anne McAllister when  she came to visit us for a weekend while she was in the UK researching her latest book.   Anne was made extra welcome by the cats - Ruby who is always friendly, and, unexpectedly, by Charlie the Maine Coon. Charlie

 is usually a bit  stand-offish when new visitors arrive, but he  took to Anne straight away.   He even decided that he wanted to become a lap cat now that she was here.  Perhaps Anne might have wished that he hadn't felt that way as Charlie is of course a Cat of Large Proportions so he is something of a weight when he is on one's knee!

Now I'm busy again - with that second part of the O'Sullivan Sisters'  story - and planning the next course I'm teaching. This is coming up just before  Easter  and it's  a  weekend with Relax and Write to be held at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester.   It's a new course, aimed at anyone writing fiction - and hopefully dealing with the  problems that so many people meet when trying to write a novel.
Things like:
 Show don’t tell

When /where to begin

Writers’ block

Characters

Sagging middleClichés – tropes

Voice

Self-editing/reviewing your work

Because it's a 'examine the problem and  repair it' course I've called it the

WRITERS’ REPAIR SHOP COURSE

and it takes place  the weekend of  7th - 9th April at Cirencester

If you want more details about the weekend  - or if you're interested in booking  a place on this course. there are already students who have booked ahead, but there are still places left if you're interested.  If so, contact Relax and Write on the website here

Now I have to get back to work on the second O'Sullivan Sister and get her story finished  - because as well as the Writers' Repair Shop Weekend in  Cirencester, I have a couple of other trips away, including one that is a very special  trip for me - and for the Babe Magnet - when we head  to  Leicester . . . . but more about that late.

New author - familiar name!

Last year I was disappointed when one of the best editors I've ever had left Harlequin to work on her own writing. Now I get to welcome her back - but as a fellow author this time! Congratulations, Pippa!

Flo Nicoll

February 27 at 12:06pm ·

Twitter

We've bought a fab new #HarlequinPresents author... and it's our very own @PippaRoscoe! So much excitement! 🍾🎉@HarlequinBooks

Back home from Wales

Back home  after the wonderful Writers And Artists weekend in Fishguard with everyone there.  I had such a good time with all my friends and making new ones - plus fellow tutors Alison Chisholm Della Galton Susan Alison  and of course my own former student and now multi-published author - and tutor on  the Novel Course - Rachael Thomas.  I had a fabulous time.

So many of my students have been on other courses before that they are affectionately known as

  Walker's Stalkers - they wanted to thank me for the course and  I came home laden down with gifts! (There was another bottle of Walkers' Bay wine, but that was enjoyed on the last night before I left Wales!)  

So very generous - but the real truth is that the fun and laughter - and the great discussions we shared was more than gift enough.  But a huge thank you to everyone who was there and who contributed.  I really enjoy these weekends - and can't wait to do it again!

I'm also so looking forward to teaching the  Writing Romantic Fiction course at Fishguard in July.

What happened to January

 January seems to have got lost  somewhere along the way.   I sort of blinked and they  realised that I hadn't posted in  this blog - and it was  no longer January  - but February!

What happened?  A damaged shoulder for  one thing - after a fall I had I thought I was mended but then it turned out that  my shoulder was still  affected  - and guess was the worst possible thing  for it?
Typing - working at the keyboard - that's what made it even worse than before.

So I have been trying to rest it and keep away from the keyboard. Not an easy matter when I need to be working on so much - like the next new book . . .and then there's the important preparations for the next course I'm teaching.

I'm about to head for Wales and Fishguard Bay Hotel where I'll be teaching the Advance Romance Writers' Holidays.  I can't wait - I always have so much fun with the wonderful people who run Writers' Holidays - and the great students who join us beside the sea in beautiful Wales.

Writing Course with

And  one good thing is that while I'm teaching then hopefully I can give this sore shoulder a rest - and just wear out my voice  instead.

Recently one of my usual blogging spots - The Pink Heart Society  Blog - has changed and it will be

appearing in a different format very soon. So my regular posts there won;t be appearing in the same way any more.

But the other regular postings I do - over on the Tote Bags N Blogs site  will still continue - on the 12th of every month.  And as it's the 12th of February today - really?! How did it get to February 12th!  -  so that's where my blog will be today.

And I'll try to post here more often  . . .though I will be in Wales for most of next week

Good starts to 2017

So how's  your 2017 going so far?

I'm still trying to get that 'New Start' going  really - so much to catch up on , specially since I discovered that the sprained back  was not as recovered as I thought - have you ever tried typing lots of words with a frozen shoulder ?   Oh well, we're getting there.

And yesterday   turned out to be a good day in the  hope that 2017 is looking brighter as the days  gone on.   The great thing  about being in a family of two writers, then you get to celebrate successes on both sides - and yesterday turned out to be a day well worth celebrating.

Success 1 - the Babe Magnet,
Some years ago (in 2000)  the babe Magnet wrote  a book called Write Yourself a New Life - A Life-changing Course Where You and Your Words are the Tutor
It was successful for a while and there  were several courses - at Writers' Holidays for example -
that followed on from it.  But then it went out of print.  But he didn't forget about it and this week  a different publisher has bought it and will be re-publishing it in a revised and new format - hopefully to be out  in autumn.

So Write Yourself a New Life will have a new life - and probably a new title- details when I know them,

Success 2  - Kate Wallker
Then to really make yesterday a day of celebrations my editor emailed to let me know that the revisions on the  book I was working on  and had sent to her before Christmas had worked 'wonderfully'   and she was accepting the book.  So that's my 66th title for Harlequin done and dusted - er, well, apart from a title and art details . . .

If you remember this was part on of a duo I was working on called - in my working title  anyway - The Scandalous O'Sullivan Sisters. This was Imogen's story, so now my current project is the second half of this duo and I'm busy working on the younger sister - Ciara's story.  It does help that I know a lot of her story already because it's tied up with Imogen's romance.

So we've been celebrating - and now it's  time for that back to work feeling and more words on the page.  #67 here I come!

Meet Della - Della Ga er . . . . Della Parker

Every year I go to Fishguard  - well, I go twice a year actually.  Every February and July.   I go for the wonderful conferences run bu  fabulous Writers' Holidays - a weekend in February and a week in the summer, in July. I always look forward to it so much. 

It's by the sea for one thing - what's not to like about waking up every morning with the sound of the sea lapping against the beach outside my window? And then there are the people I meet there - the students - and of course  fantastic Gerry and Anne who run the holidays each time.

And then there are my fellow tutors - a great bunch of people who have become dear and special friends over the year.    They're all great writers too - very successful in their own fields.  I try not to envy them but there's one lady I have to admit I do feel envious  of! And that's Della -  I know her as Della - but  she's recently have a name change -  check out the rest of this blog for details.

I envy her because of her ability to write and sell short stories.   You'd think that having published 65 books, I might be able to manage a short story or two - but the thing is that writing short is a very special skill. I find my ideas naturally grow and  fill a novel - I have sold precisely 3 short stories in my writing life.    Della recently  sold . .  .  her 1500th short story!!

Yes that's right - 1500th!

Perhaps I should go on Della's short story course at Fishguard - but there's just one small problem - I'm usually teaching my own course  when she'd teaching! But I know how much everyone  who does attend any course of hers  enjoys it - and how much they learn from Della in her own area of expertise.   

And now Della is branching out. She's become Della Parker - and she's writing something new too -  a series of novellas called . . .but no, I'll let Della tell you all about them -

Welcome to my blog, Della  . . .Parker or Galton - whichever you are!

My New Name – Della Parker

2016 was the year I changed my name to Della Parker! Or rather my new publisher did.  A new name for my new series of novellas, which is called The Reading Group.  I have had the best fun writing them and the first few are now out so Kate has kindly agreed to me coming along to her blog to talk about them. Thank you so much, Kate.

My New Novellas - The Reading Group. 

The Reading Group focuses on five women who meet monthly to drink wine, have nibbles, gossip and – oh yes – discuss the classics.

In December they are reading A Christmas Carol and Grace’s life seems to be taking a curious parallel to Dickens’ classic story! Spooky! 

In January they are reading Jane Austen’s Emma – and this time it’s Anne Marie who’s the focus of the story. Like Emma, Anne Marie fancies giving Cupid a run for his money. But matchmaking isn’t really her forte!

In February they are reading Lady Chatterley’s Lover. Oh and Kate has a handsome gamekeeper (I mean builder) in renovating her kitchen. Hold on to your hats, ladies.

In March, Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is the book of the month. Jojo has a new man in her life. She is starting to worry that there may be certain parallels between her life and Daphne Du Maurier’s heroine. Age gap romance and ancestral homes spring to mind.

The Reading Group series is published by Quercus Books.

January, February and March are out now. They are novellas and are 99p each (ebook only)

December, which is a short story, is free for your kindle. I would be eternally grateful if you would download it.  I’m hoping that lots of downloads will catapult me to writing fame and fortune! I’ll report back on this at some later date, possibly from a Hawaiian beach!

But seriously... Having the chance to write a contemporary version of these classics has been an absolute privilege and a joy.  

Della Galton

www.dellagalton.co.uk

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If you fancy coming on any of Della's short story courses at Fishguard - then check out   Writers' Holiday  for more details  of the courses there in February and July 

Trying to catch up

So far. 2017 has been a not-very-successful attempt to catch up with everything I have on my To Do list (OK - so it's the To Do List carried over from 2016!) so if you're waiting for messages/emails/letters from me - I promise - soon! I was about to talk about courses coming up in the not too distant future - like the one with Writers Holiday in Fishguard in February.

I was about to say that there were a few spaces left on the Advanced Romance Writing Course on the we
ekend of February 17 - 19th 2017. But even as I was writing that post, more people had booked - so there is perhaps just one space on the weekend now.

Was it something I said about the new Mills & Boon Love to Write contest that people wanted advice and help with?

Anyway - this is a last chance to book a place on this weekend before the course is filled up.

Meanwhile, there is another tutor on the February Weekend - Della Galton who teaches Writing Short Stories. She was supposed to be guesting on my blog at the beginning of the week, but obviously she's having the same sort of start to the year as I am - so she will (hopefully) be visiting my blog this weekend. See you soon (both on the blog and in Wales) Della!

Happy New Year - and Pink Hearts

Happy New Year to all friends and readers. I hope 2017 is kind to you and that it is more gentle on the world. Last year seemed to bear out that old curse 'May you live in interesting times'.
It was a bit of a bumpy ride at times, but at least the end of the year spending time with loved family and very dear friends pink was a lovely way to wind down 2016. Ruby and Charlie have fallen in love with our welcome visitors and are now relaxing after their endeavours in choosing the winners of the prize giveaway over Christmas - hopefully the parcels have now arrived or will very soon. Thank you to everyone who has let me know their books and angels have reached them.
Happy 2017!

I'm so late with this that my New Year greetings to you all coms on January  3rd - which is also my day for blogging over on the Pink Hearts Society - so there's a proper blog over there today  too.

Giveaway books

Giveaway books have gone out to all the winners who have sent me their addresses. Obviously (sadly) I can't guarantee them reaching anyone by Christmas Day but they will be heading your way just as fast as the postal service organises it. Thank you to everyone who posted a comment and joined in.



And the good news is that, yes, my sprained back is a lot better! It feels wonderful to be able to move around more easily at last.


The Babe Magnet's brother has gone home now - it was rather a confusing time for Ruby as she couldn't quite tell the two of them apart! She enjoyed sharing Andy's bed with him, though! Now she's back cuddling up to us again until the spare bed is occupied again - there will be more visitors in the week after Christmas. Great to have dear friends close enough to visit when they have been on the opposite side of the world for years. I'm sure Ruby will make them as welcome as she did the Magnet's brother - we had to check that his luggage wasn't purring as he left!

12 Days of Christmas Giveaway winners

OK - Charlie took some persuading that he needed to pick some winners before he had his supper

- but I managed to persuade him -

So the winners are:

Jeanne M whose cat Nathan wants a knitted angel to play with!

Denise who nominated her friend Kim,

'Petite' who nominated her friend Anne who is dealing with illness.

Ann Cameron

Franca Poli

Lynn Brooks

Amanda Gardner

Mahalakshmi Chari

Gretchen Miller

There are a few more winners but Charlie has lost interest and I'll have to find Ruby instead! Hang on!!

 So Ruby has picked:

Cheryl Lang

Remya Pillai

Maia John

Mari Lou

Please send me addresses ladies!

That is the end of the 'official' number of winners - but as it's Christmas I have let Ruby choose one

special person who needs an extra treat this Christmas - and she has picked  a lady nominated by your friend Gillian on Facebook.  I think she's made a good choice as this lady has  had a some sad times this year.  A gift package has gone out to her.

I think I’ve contacted everyone to ask for an address-  but if you haven’t yet been in touch with me, then  please email me - katewalker at ntlworld.com to send me your postal addresses ladies!

If you're on Facebook please contact me with your postal address

Some winners were on Tote Bags N Blogs so I'll contact them direct

Ruby and Charlie would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and  holiday time - with love peace and joy to come in  2017

12 Days of Christmas - some winners

OK - Charlie took some persuading that he needed to pick some winners before he had his supper - but I managed to persuade him - 

so first set of winners are:

Jeanne  M whose cat Nathan wants a knitted angel to play with!

Denise who nominated her friend  Kim, 

'Petite' who nominated her friend Anne who is dealing with illness. 

Ann Cameron 

and

Franca Poli

If you're on Facebook please contact me with your postal address

Some winners were on Tote Bags N Blogs so I'll contact them direct

And  there are still   7 more prizes  and three more days to comment/post/share either here or on Facebook  for a chance to win!

This giveaway closes on Monday

12 Days of Christmas - partway there!

Well,  I think I was rather over optimistic  to think that I would be able to get caught up, wrap all the gifts and put them in the mail, write and post the cards. . . .

And run the 12 Days of Christmas!!

OK so some of this got done - there are parcels on their way to people - and there are cards out there in the mail system too! But unfortunately I've found that this wretched back injury is taking longer to heal up that I had hoped for - and wished for.

But not to worry,   Charlie has  decided that we can get some names out of the hat (or in his case out of the  cat treats selection!)  so that these can get on their way - and you still have the weekend to post a comment and   be in with a chance of winning if you haven't already had your name chosen this time.

So this is how it works - here is the bundle of books  in the giveaway

And here is the bundle of angels - knitted ones and glass ones - that are the extra gifts in the giveaway.

And here is Charlie   ready to pick the names from those who have entered already!

Each of the books has a number on the back - from 1 to 12 and as Charlie picks names they will be assigned  a book - #1 for the first  #2 the second, and so on.

So I'm off to get the Maine man to do his job and will post some winners' names as soon as I know them.

And as I said, if you didn't win  yet or if you haven't entered and want to be in with a chance then past a comment here - and share the giveaway with your friends - or post on my blog as well.

Back soon! 

Writing course queries . . .

Another thing that got forgotten - well, no, not forgotten but had to be put on the 'to do list ' that is s-l-o-w-l-y being worked through is the answer to the enquiries I've had about writing courses I'll be running in 2017 - which is getting dangerously, frighteningly near!

So here's a quick reminder of the first such course/weekend that is coming - in February 2017 - - Winter Workshop Weekend
Friday 17th February – Sunday 19th February 2017

 As always, I will be running the Advanced Romance Writing Course in Fishguard at Writers' Holiday Fishguard

A series of six advanced novel workshop sessions led by Kate Walker. This course is open to previous Fishguard workshop OR Caerleon Romance course participants OR those who have been on Kate’s basic Romance courses OR Kate’s workshops elsewhere. It is NOT for beginners. Designed especially for Fishguard to move you on, the whole weekend will be concentrated on this workshop – without other distractions. Guests are encouraged to complete and submit work to Kate prior to the weekend commencement.

Usually this course is booked up months ahead but this time because of unexpected health issues or travel problems, I do have a couple of spare places if you're interested - either message me/email via my web site - or send and enquiry via the Writers Holiday Newly updated web site.

And if you don't want to join the Advanced Romance Writing Course - there's always Poetry (with Alison Chisholm) Short Story Writing with Della Galton,   Basic Novel Writing with Rachael Thomas and Painting and Drawing with Susan Alison.  All details are on the web site.

I haven't forgotten the need for details of the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway - but I went out to the shops this morning and so have to recover first!! But those details will follow. But everyone's posts/comments will be noted and go into the draw for winners next week - Charlie is delighted!

12 Days of Christmas . . . .well, it was meant to be!!

I'm running late for  Christmas - a nasty fall and a badly sprained back has seen to that and meant that everything is  running behind right now.  Er . . .no, not really - I really mean that everything is crawling behind  s-l-o-w-ly and I'm buried under lists of Things To Do, parcels to wrap, presents to post . . .

Normally I run a sort of Advent Calendar countdown on my blog but that's not going to be possible this year  - so I'm doing a sort of   condensed 12 Days of Christmas version - crammed into  6 days! With 2 gifts each day.

And as today is the 12 th December,  you'll know that the 12th is the day I post my regular blog over on Tote Bags N Blogs -  so that's where I'm posting the news about the start of this  (mini!) celebration.

So why don't you join me over on Tote Bags N Blogs today  - and then from tomorrow on this blog here  or on my Facebook author page   and you might be able to win yourself an extra little Christmas gift - or maybe one for a friend or family member who could do with  something to brighten their day  at the moment . (I love sending giveaway books that are a surprise and come with love and thoughts

 from one of my readers.)

Charlie the Maine Coon is busy investigating  his own purrsonal Advent Calendar so that he can join in this mini-celebration and help me give away some Christmas cheer to readers.

So why not join in and give him something to do??

Special treat for my Australian readers (another one!)

It's December - so as I turned over the page in my calendar and opened the first door on my lovely Advent Calendar (Thanks to Anne Mcallister) I was reminded that my lovely Australian readers have

a special extra book treat coming out this month - and so I thought I'd share the cover with you. I love it.

Surrender to the Sheikh is another 3 in 1 collection - this one has At The Sheikh's Command, Desert Affair and Destined For The Desert King in one volume - so if it wasn't hot enough for you already down under, this could warm things up quite a bit!!

Interesting Q&A

Life has been a bit hectic  and I've had my head down focusing on the revisions for the latest book -  all quite straightforward, it's just that things keep happening  that have interrupted my work time.

Anyway, this focus has meant that I foolishly forgot to mention that there is a great  books site (interviews, reviews etc) for romance and Women's Fiction   - called Bookish Jottings,  This is run by Julie who used to review my books on the  now sadly defunct  Cata Romance site.

Bookish Jottings is  Julie's own venture and  she asked if I would do a Q&A with her when Indebted to Moreno came out. I did - and then promptly got buried in  stuff and  forgot to let everyone know about it.
But today I've remembered  again - and I'm posting about the interview before I forget.

You can find the Bookish Jottings Q&A here 


And if you're interested in Julie's reviews - she reviewed Indebted To Moreno here    and she's also read the 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance and has reviewed that here

Thank you for the lovely rreviews, Julie - sorry I was so late letting everyone know about them!!   The Trouble with this writing job is that sometimes  one has to focus on writing!!

Special celebrations

At the beginning of October I  mentioned that  the latest Kate Walker title -   Indebted to Moreno  - was my 65th title for Harlequin. was supposed to be a ‘sky blue’ celebration. – which sounded lovely.,

But last weekend I was away on a break with some wonderful friends and they came up with a fabulous gift to mark this special milestone book and this was it:

A  scarf, printed with all the names of all the heroes and all the heroines in all my 65 books.  (There’s an extra one in there for me and my dh The Babe Magnet as well so that makes 67 names!) Someone went  to a lot of trouble to find them all and design this scarf with them on.  And that means so much to me.

Not sky blue but much more my colours.

Isn’t it wonderful?

So now I’m reminded of one of the little things in my writing that I’m very proud of  - I’ve never repeated a hero or a heroine’s name  in any of my stories. Sometimes it’s be  difficult, sometimes downright hard – but so far I’ve always managed it.  It helps me to feel that I’m writing about someone new, someone whose story I haven’t told – if they have a name I haven’t used before.

So now I’m on my 66^th book. The revisions  (tweaks) my editor asked for are just about done and I’m planning the  follow up – hopefully the 67^th. I already have names for the hero and heroine of the 66^th – they’re  Imogen and Raoul. And the follow up  already has the names in place as  these 2 characters appear in the 66^th – so they are Ciara and  - well,  her hero’s name started out being Aidan,  but it just wouldn’t work.  Even though he’s meant to be Irish – or part Irish – the name just wouldn’t ‘gel’.   

hen I realised why. Back in 1999  - and almost forgotten – I had a hero called Aidan. He appeared in a book called The Groom's Revenge. And I’d already told his story – so I needed a new 

name.  Somehow when I looked at this name and just moved letters around a bit I found a new name that worked perfectly  – Adnan. And that felt just right. But it changed ‘Aidan’ completely and the differences altered the story – for the better, I think!

So Adnan he is and I’ll be telling his story next just as soon as I’ve sent Imogen and Raoul’s story off to my editor.

And a HUGE thank you to the special friends who made my  weekend - my year!0- with this unexpected and lovely celebration.

"New books"

There are two "new" books of mine out next week  -

Well, they're new out, but they're not new titles and I wanted to make this clear as I don;t want people to be caught out and not realise that they are new issues but not new stories.

This is because when my previous editor was leaving, she checked through some things for me and discovered that two titles of mine were not available individually in ebook form.  People had been asking about individual copies of  the two linked books - The Sicilian's Wife and A SIcilian Husband.
These books are a linked duo, with Cesare  Santorino, the hero in one of them  (The Sicilian's  Wife)   who is the half-brother of Gio Cardelli the hero of A Sicilian Husband.

One book has appeared in a  3 in 1 By Request reprint -  so if you've got a copy of Claimed By The Sicilian then you'll have a  copy of   The Sicilian's Wife  together with Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride and The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge.  But I know that a lot of readers had enquired about finding the 2nd book linked to The Sicilian's Wife to find out about Gio's story.   Many of you fell in love with him when he appeared in  Cesare and Megan's story - which is what happened to me, I hadn't planned on writing a linked duo until  Gio walked into the book and demanded  that I tell his story.

So both
of these books are now issued as individual titles if you want to catch up on them. Or if you;ve lost your original copy and would like an ebook edition.

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE
Marriage to Cesare Santorino is all Megan has ever wanted, although never l
ike this! She's in deep trouble and, with no other choice, agrees to Cesare's offer of a mutually beneficial, convenient marriage.
Cesare makes no secret of his attraction to her. But what about love? Megan can only hope that her proud Sicilian husband might eventually come to see his young wife with more than just passion….


A SICILIAN HUSBAND

One night: The time it took Terrie Hayden to fall in love with a stranger.
One night: Was all that Gio Cardella thought he wanted from
her.
However, one night proved to be not enough. The proud Sicilian
had thought his heart was totally insulated, that he would never let himself feel anything again. But Gio was being driven by desire, a need to possess…


I have included the original UK copies of these books so that you can check if you already have a copy of them and don;t need to buy  the re-issue - unless you particularly want it in ebook form!

Both titles are available from November 15th.

Remember Me

I've written very similar posts to this but I make no apologies for reposting this.

Almost 20 years ago, in another  year when November 3rd was on a Friday, we received a shocking phone call.  The Babe Magnet's beautiful and beloved younger sister  had set off to work in her new car   and never arrived. She was involved in a terrible accident and the appalling head injuries she received meant that she never recovered consciousness.

She was the BM’s little sister – the baby in the family – she had two young children, then  aged ten and twelve, and her death devastated us all.

The following July her birthday came round as a desperately empty date. There were no presents to wrap and deliver, no cards to send. But we had to mark the day somehow, So the BM and I went to the local garden centre where I bought a beautiful rose bush. The flowers are a deep, burnt orange colour with a golden centre, and the rose’s official name is ‘Remember Me’. We planted the rose bush in our garden, with the other roses we have.

It has now been there for nineteen years. The other rose bushes grow and flower and are beautiful all the summer. This rose, known as Julie’s rose, has three separate flowerings Every summer, it puts out leaves, then buds, tightly curled buds that only unfurl slowly- slowly. Other roses around it flower much earlier, but this one seems to wait to open into full bloom , without fail, in the week of July 5th – my sister-in-law’s birthday. The next time the beautiful blooms appear is in September when it should be her wedding anniversary. And then, in November, the week of her death, in spite of the cold and greyness of the weather, there is always one last flurry of flowers  opening up as if in memoriam.

I’m not quite sure what this really means. I’ve tried to do things in ways that might change them slightly – prune the rose bush slightly differently, feed the roots more - or less . The weather conditions should surely affect the way it flowers? But nothing seems to change its flowering pattern in any way. And this week, it's just the same. This is the anniversary of that accident  week  and the rose that illustrates this post is her rose, photographed this week, blooming beautifully, right on cue. I thought it was the only rose we had in flower in the garden - until I looked closer.

Next to this rose bush we had tried to plant other roses, but none of them stayed, not until Julie  and the BM's  mother - my mother in law died. Then we planted  a deep red  In Memoriam rose bush next to it. And today, while all the other roses have finished flowering, I noticed that  that rose

has a single, beautiful  flower blooming on it.

 I don’t have a great explanations for why this happens except that as a message of love between Julie, her mother,  the BM and me, it’s just about perfect.  And why we should never let those we love go without telling them how we feel about them. It's as if  Julie is saying - 'Don't forget me' - as if we could ! Or her mother.

And it reminds me once again that love is the strongest possible force humanity has. Love is the strength we have to carry on in the face of horror, tragedy and loss. That’s why I write about it.

I wish every one of you the special warmth that love can bring in your hearts today – and always

Pink Heart Society Day

It's the 3rd of November - so it's my day for blogging over on the Pink Heart Society blog  today.

So that's where you'll find me - still feeling celebratory about my 65th title - and about the lovely people I've met in person or through emails or messages as a result of this writing story of mine.