Advent Calendar Giveaway

Let it snow . . .Well, I can't really do much else, but let it snow - the damn stuff is piling up around me. And has been for days.

It started with an inch or two. And since then there has been more added to that inch, day by day. I've tried to get out at least once a day just to get into the air and see daylight. But this morning I have drifts piled up against my door so that it's almost impossible to open it. Ihad to try though - Flora needed to go out.

She went into the garden and just about disappeared into the snow. It's higher than her legs. We had to go and fetch her because she couldn't get back! If Charlie went out into it, he'd be buried completely. I measured the snow by the door - over 14 inches of the stuff.

I think we need something to brighten the day

So it's December 1st. Today the countdown to Christmas begins. On December 1st, children open one door a day on their Advent Calendars to mark the days between now and December 25th.

And as I've been celebrating 25 years, I think 25 days of Christmas is a great way to round off the year.

So, every day between now and Christmas Eve, I'm giving away a book on this blog. Some old, some new(er). Some single titles, some 'By Request' or Collections. And all you have to do is to come and visit, and say hello in the comments, answering my question.

And every day I'll pick a winner - and then I'll send the book to you (when I can get out to the Post Office that is!)

So - today let's start with a golden oldie. Today's giveaway book is Bound By Blackmail (2005)

Bound by Blackmail is the final part of The Alcolar Family trilogy and it's the story of Mercedes, the only Alcolar daughter.

He'll make her his mistress for revenge...

Jake Taverner has never wanted a woman as much as he wants Mercedes Alcolar. So when she rejects him in the most painful way, Jake's hurt pride demands the most pleasurable revenge...
...his mistress for a month!

Jake traps Mercedes into a fake engagement as he embarks on his skillful seduction. She'll share his bed for one passionate month. But though he can bind her by blackmail...can he keep her?

So to be in with a chance of winning this book, all you need to do is to post in the comments - tell me, do you have an advent calendar in your house? For yourself, or the kids - or, like some crazy people - for the cats! (Can't find the photo right now - but I will!)

Parcels and Pink Hearts

Sometimes when I'm in between books I find I'm so busy catching up that I wonder how I ever have the time to write! Donna Alward recently did a blog post on what happens when you're not writing and it's so true. People think that writers sit at home and write - and the rest looks after itself.

I wish! Just as an example, I finished the book on Friday, tweaked it over the weekend and sent it to my editor on Monday. Then the last couple of days I've been packing up prizes for my 25th Anninversary contest - 30 of them in all (Sid can't count and there are always a couple of extras on my Newsletter List) I've had accounts to sort, emails to answer, phone calls to make and receive, friends to catch up on, blogs to write . . . Oh, and a little bit of sleep to catch up on. And there's this awful rumour that someone put Christmas on December 25th and I didn't get the memo.


So - talking about blogs to write - today I'm blogging over at The Pink Heart Society . Because of the great news that the brand new 3rd reprint of The 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance is now in stock at places like The Book Depository - and should be in Amazon soon - or Waterstones if you prefer a physical bookshop (if it's not on the shelves you can order or ask why it ain't there!) - I'm writing about the effect this book has had on my life and the teaching that I do as a result.


Oh and there's a chance to win a copy of the hot -from-the-press 3rd edition. See you there!

25th Anniversary Contest - WINNERS

Well - that took some time!

Even Sid was slightly outfaced by the 200 or so entries I had for the contest. But we got there in the end and the names of all the winners are listed below.

Each winner wins one of my backlist books plus a Kate Walker tote bag.

I don't know whether it was Sid's plan but we do seem to have come up with a wide variety of countries - and a large selection of USA states. At one point I thought he was going to pick names from every state in America but not quite

Congratulations to the winners - you should all have been notified but if your name is on here and you haven't heard, check your spam folder - or email me at the address at the bottom of the page

Maggie C Yorkshire

Zoe M Singapore

Winnie K Michigan
Pamela S Alabama

Theresa N S Carolina
Joanne A Massachusetts

Nyla T South Dakota

Rachel B Wiltshire

Linda B Illinois

Debra S Minneapolis

Jayne H Worcestershire

Maurine A Maryland

Debra C New York

Annie Martin New Zealand

Linda E Alberta

Juanita I Florida

Kelly W Manitoba

Frana L Croatia

Hannah B Connecticut
Christine H Coventry

Laurie G Wisconsin

Metha C Georgia
Mary K Tennessee

Christine N Indonesia
Kamini N

Jo G
Louise L from Massachusetts
Alison W from Dumfriesshire Scotland

And the special Newsletter extra prizes go to:

Pat C Texas

Michelle H Durham

Audra H
Xandra James
Afshan N from New York

Nearly November . . .

So that means that it's the last days to enter the 25th Anniversary Celebration Contest and put yourself in with a chance to win a signed copy of one of my backlist books, and a Kate Walker tote bag.

The contest will close at midnight, October 31st wherever the last second of this month ticks away. So get your entries in today.

Full details are on my Contest Page and please don't just send in your name - entries without the answers to the questions will not be included in the draw - ahem - cat choosing.

Sid the Cat is going to be very busy tomorrow - and very happy when he has 25 + cat treats to munch his way through

Pivotal Moments

The New Voices contest has entered its final stage with the posting of the last piece of writing from the final four entrants. They have written their 'pivotal moments' and these are now posted on the web site, ready for your votes. I've been intrigued to see exactly what the authors and their mentors defined as a 'pivotal' moment - never having actually thought of a point in my stories as being 'pivotal' - I now see that it's a very good term for a particular moment. (Kate stores away the term 'pivotal moment' for future reference in writing classes and workshops. )

It's always interesting to see how editors talk about writing in a way that is very slightly different from the authors. Even when we are analysing our work. I'm always slightly wary that writing 'towards a pivotal moment' or planning around one might work against some writers by making them write too much to a plan and so not working with the characters to progress naturally to such a point because it's inevitable because of who they are and what is happening to them. I suppose I have always only ever really known for sure that a certain moment is 'pivotal' when I look at its place in my story and seen the Before and After effect. The way things are leading up to that moment and the way they are changed for ever after it.

I'm a great believer in the importance of Before and After

In other news, the Mills and Boon web site has just had a great new makeover in line with the new look covers that are now firmly established on the shelves - it's still in the development stage so not all the links are working fully yet, but it's a fresh new look.

(Sorry but theThe Good Greek Wife? is still sold out on there! So if you're looking for a copy you'll have to try Amazon or The Book Depository. Of course, in America it's still out in the shops.)

And this is the last week to enter my great big 25th Anniversary Celebration Contest with your chance to win one of 25 prizes of a signed copy of one of my backlist books and a special Kate Walker tote bag. (I use mine all the time - it just folds up inside my handbag for those unexpected bits of shopping so that you don't have to have a nasty plastic bag.)

Full details are on the Contest page.

Closing date is October 31st. And Sid the Cat is gearing up to help me pick the winners - he's licking his lips in anticipation of the 25 cat treats he has to pick. He'll be one very happy cat on Monday.

And probably on Friday too when I shall have some good news for want-to-be wrtiters. I'll have a blog giveaway then so Sid will be needed to help me pick. So don't forget to come by on Friday to hear all about it.

Important PS to contest post!

I think I must not have explained myself clearly as I've noticed some people are spreading the word about the contest slightly differently to the way I meant it.

So - to make absolutely clear - I am still giving away 25 copies of backlist books + a tote bag

But these prizes will be given out to 25 different people! That's one book, one bag per winner.

Just so's that's clear. I don't actually have 25 different books to give to one person. But enough books to give to 25 different winners.

So if you were hoping for 25 books all your own - I'm sorry if you're disappointed. But with 25 different prizes to give away then you have to admit the odds on your winning are rather better than before!

25th Anniversary Contest

This week sees the publication in America of my latest book. The Good Greek Wife? is published in Presents Extra - officially on October 12th but it will start appearing in the shops towards the end of this week. To mark this and to round off the celebrations for my 25th year as a published writer, I’m running a final special, great big contest to thank all my readers for their support and enthusiasm for my books since The Chalk Line was first published in 1984, right through to the sell-out success of The Good Greek Wife? in 2010.

For this contest, I am giving away not one – not ten – not even twenty prizes but 25 special giveaways. One to mark each year I have been published. (Sid the Cat is so looking forward to helping me pick the prizes for this!)

What I have on offer are 25 books from my backlist, each with a special Kate Walker tote bag and special 25th anniversary pen and I’m giving them all away in this special celebratory contest
How can you be in with a chance of one of these prizes?

It’s quite simple. All you have to do is to check out my web site and find the answers to these four easy questions:

1. What is the title of the very first book I ever had published?

2. What are the names of the hero and heroine of my latest title, The Good Greek Wife?

3.What is the title of my award-winning guide to writing romance?

4.Who helps me pick all the winners of the contests I run?

Collect up all the answers and put them in an email

Send the email to me with 25th Anniversary Contest in the subject line
Closing date for this contest is: October 31st 2010
GOOD LUCK!

My First Kate Walker - Sarah Morgan

I'm a bit late with this - OK, a lot late !

As you know, I've been doing an occasional series of My First Kate Walker (or My Top Five Kate Walker books) from my writing friends and readers to mark my 25th anniversary of being published. The lovely Sarah Morgan wrote me a blog on this topic back in July and I've only just got around to posting it.

But I was in the middle of the posts on Conflict at the time - and I'm realy quite glad that I didn;t post this before now because it means that I can post it now and mark not only a special time for me (that 25th anniversary) but also a great moment for Sarah herself.

If you've been visting the I heart Presents blog recently, you'll have seen that as well as the list of Presents authors whose books have appeared on the USA Today bestseller list in the past week, two authors, have had their books hit the Top 50 on that list. Those authors are - Penny Jordan and my guest today - Sarah Morgan with her current Presents title One Night . . . Nine Month Scandal.

So Sarah, many congratulations on your brilliant achievement - and thank you for writing a post to share your first Kate Walker.

My First Kate Walker

It's surprisingly easy to list My First Kate Walker because it has stayed in my head (and on my shelf!) for years. It was called Constantine's Revenge. The heroine was called Grace and the story took place on a Greek island (I love Greece) but what I remember most of all was the intensity of the emotion and passion which sums up the essence of the classic Presents read and also classic Kate Walker, an author who knows exactly how to keep the reader reading long after she should have switched off the lights and gone to sleep. Another book that is firmly on my keeper shelf is Bedded by the Greek Billionaire (clearly I have a 'Greek' thing going on here.......) It was one of those books that makes your stomach swoop because the emotions were so up and down - fantastic.

Kate doesn't just understand her craft, she is able to pass on her skills to others, a quality I really admire because I am completely unable to unravel how I do what I do and the thought of passing on tips about my messy creative process to others makes me want to shrink with embarrassment. My writing process reminds me a bit of my children's attempts at cooking - it's a giant mess at the time and there's a lot of cleaning up required, but it all turns our fine in the end (usually). However there is no getting away from the fact that my best advice to an aspiring author would be 'whatever you do, don't write like me'. Kate, however, is a great teacher, a fact proven by the undying popularity of her book 'The 12 point Guide to Writing Romance'. If you're an aspiring writing and you don't have it, then buy it. If you're a writing who hates her process and would like to change it, you should buy it too.

Thanks for having me here, Kate, to celebrate your 25th anniversary. May you continue to pass on your wisdom and write beautiful stories for another 25 years.

Love Sarah

Sarah also writes Medicals and Dr Zinetti's Snow-Kissed Bride is released in November.

Thank you so much Sarah - and congratulations all over again.

New Voices Thoughts

Yesterday I received a very special gift. A book containing the very first venture into print - in a short story - by a dear friend. I have a wonderful collection of these 'firstborn' now - the wonderful signs of the earliest success (hopefully only the first of many) from writers I've known, in many cases worked with, encouraged, supported and had my fingers tightly crossed for over the years. Many of them I've met through the RNA, others through courses I've run or workshops I've given. Often they've said how much the 12 Point Guide has helped them too.

And that makes me feel wonderful. I love the thought that I've helped some new writers on their way towards achieving their dream of being published. Although I'm coming to the end of the year of celebrating my 25th anniversary of being published, I still remember only too well what it felt like to send off a manuscript to a publisher and then put myself thorough the waiting game. Waiting and watching - in those day, watching the postman because I had no email and my submissions were full manuscripts in great big padded bags.

So I know too just how the entrants to the New Voices contest are feeling as they prepare, polish, and finally post their entries to the New Voices contest page over on Romanceisnotdead.com. I think this takes an extra sort of bravery - not one that I feel I would probably ever have managed, when I was starting out. It's one thing to submit your work to a trained editor for assessment and critique - quite another to mpost it up on to a public forum for anyone and everyone, friend and foe, to read and judge and criticise.

I've visited the New Voices website several times. It's been interesting to see the number of entries - 175 the last time I looked - growing as more and more are added. I've been intrigued to see the different styles and subjects of the stories, the ones that have stuck to the tried and tested sort of romance, the ones who have tried something different.

What I haven't done is try to judge and specially not to vote or comment. I have to admit to knowing several - quite a few - of the entrants and even though my university training and the work I do for the RNA has taught be to be as totally objective as I can, inevitably, I will have favourtites. Besides, as I've always said, it doesn't matter if your mother and your sister and your aunt and your best friend love the story - the opinion that matters is that of the editors.Ask any author writing today, whether at the start of their journey to publication or after 25+ years and 58 published titles. It's the editor's view that counts. (That's the bit that means I still remember how nerve-wracking it is to send in a new submission - because it still happens every time I do it -now!)

But I'll admit that some of the entries have intrigued me. For several reasons -

One, I'm with Liz Fielding on this one - and her post on the importance of grammar. Like her, I was frequently - far too frequently - thrown out of a good read by the bad grammar in the entry. Like Liz, I use language, style - and, yes, grammar with deliberate effect . An effect that sometimes sends the grammar/spell checker on my word programme into a flurry of red or green underlining as if it can't quite believe what it's seeing - but there's using grammar and there's neglecting or just not understanding it. And one of the problems with the latter is that if it pulls your reader out of the story then it's damaging your writing and weakening your chances.

Two - I have read some very clever, very intriguing posts - but some of them have seemed just a little too clever for me. They read like writing exercises - examples of how to create a 'cute meet' - to 'open with a bang' - or the response to 'write a first chapter in the style of a particular genre' - in this case, obviously romance. They have real spark, no doubt about that - fizz, style, plenty of it - but I'll admit I did sometimes wonder how the story would continue. How the characters would grow and develop into people who came alive on the page and held my interest for another 45,000 words or more.

I hope that the authors of all these first chapters have not just written them in isolation, with a view to hooking a reader rather than to open a story. And I hope that they will build into a story that holds the reader right through to the Happy Ever After moment. I'll be only too happy to see it happen - but I suspect that this is a problem with a contest that needs a first chapter submitting rather than, say the 3 chapters and a synopsis that forms an normal submission. Or the way that I used to submit way back at the beginning of my career - by sending in the whole story so that the editors could see how it worked. I still work that way now - not by selling on proposal, but by sending in the whole manuscript.

And it's going to be a problem for entrants, I think. Because I know from experience that it's one thing to create a good - a great - first chapter. Quite another to take that opening and develop it into a full story. One with peaks and troughs, with pace and emotional punch and emotional devlopment. In my computer I have more opening chapters than I'll ever have published books. Chapters that are fine as they stand - but that never developed into fully grown stories with a hooky beginning, a pacy middle, emotional punch by the bucketload - and a satisfying, sigh-making happy ending.

But then that's an editor's job - to work with a writer and hopefully pull out of them the story that grows from that beginning. I'm not an editor (can I just add here - that heaven!) It's a difficult job, specially when the honest truth is that as they often say they don't know what they're looking for until they see it. These first chapters are, literally, only the beginning. There's a lot of travelling between these submissions and a printed book. Again - ask any published author!

But I admire of the authors who have submitted. There's a lot of hard work in those first chapters, a lot of writing blood sweat and tears that has gone into creating those entries and a great deal of courage in submitting and exposing their 'baby' to the cold, harsh winds of being read and commented on, and judged. It's the only way forward if you hope to be published. You can never get any further unless you take the risk of submitting first. You just have to close your eyes and jump . . . And if you don't succeed this time, you have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again.

I'm just coming up to the anniversary of the date that I heard from my then editor that the revisions I'd done on my very first book had worked , that they were buying The Chalk Line, and my novel was actually going to be published. To be honest, I'm still amazed that I ever had the nerve to send it in. It was a scary, frustrating and often long drawn out experience. But I'm so glad I found that courage.

And I hope that so many of you who have had the bravery to enter the New Voices contest will end up feeling the same way too. I know what it feels like to have that very special dream - and I wish you every good luck for the hope of it coming true.

My First/Favourite Kate Walker - Lidia

Today's choice of her first - and Top 5 favourite Kate Walker novels is a rather special reader - Lidia.

Lidia had been reading Harlequin Presents for - well, probably for almost as long as, if not as long as I have been writing them. She has a wide-ranging, encyclopaedic knowledge of the books and the authors and strong opinions on what she likes and dislikes. We may not always agree over her opinions, but what she thinks is never boring and I'm always amazed by just how much she remembers of so many books she's read.

And I'm complimented by the fact that she still regards me as one of her auto-buy authors when she has less time to read and so many authors to choose from. Thank you so much for your choices Lidia.

My first KW book - was probably "Shattered Mirror" (I am not positive -- but pretty sure). The book was very emotional and I felt the pain that both Eve and Kyle felt. In some ways, Kyle's pain was worse -- he remembered the loss of their baby, and knew that his wife didn't remember anything -- just heartbreaking.

As for the Top 5 -- the list keeps changing (it appears that I am fickle). Whenever I re-read a book and it becomes a favorite, the list ends up changing. "A Sicilian Husband" is sitll in the top 5 onloy because I found that Gio really went through a lot emotionally to finally accept the fact that he could love again -- that he wouldn't be betraying his dead wife's memory. That was a fabulous book. My top book is "Kept for Her Baby." You tackled a difficult topic, one that appears to be avoided. It was a book that made one cry as well as be extremely happy for Lucy when everything worked out. Your characters are always very passionate about the things they believe in, the people they love, even if misguided at times. That makes your books stand out.

So the Top 5 listed are:
"Kept for Her Baby" (2009)
"A Sicilian Husband" (2003/4)
"Her Secret Bridegroom" (2000/2001) *
"The 12 Month Mistress" (2004/2005)
"Bedded by the Greek Billionaire" ( 2008) and "The Golden Thief" (1990)

Can't wait to read your next book.

* This is the book that is reprinted in Mistresses Shackled by Rubies.

Thank you again Lidia. I hope you have your copy of The Konstantos Marriage Demand by now and that it meets your exacting standards!

For her contribution, Lidia wins a copy of Bedded By The Greek Billionaire

Celebrating 25 years with Anne McAllister Part 2

As you know from my last post, Anne McAllister and I are both celebrating the 25th anniversary of our first publication, me with The Chalk Line in December 1984 and Anne with Starstruck in February 1985.

Today Anne has written a special post talking about her favourite Kate Walker books - so over to Anne:

My first Kate Walker was Kate's first Kate Walker. She was published around the same time I was in UK and in, as I recall, exactly the same month my first book came out, too, in the US. So I was there "in the beginning" as it were.

I loved Kate's intensity right from the start. That hasn't changed over the past 25 years. Every time I pick up a Kate Walker book, I know I'm in for an intense experience. She catches her characters at the height of their emotions -- and often at the depths of their despair. She has an unerring instinct at finding that emotional pulse and makes us believe we are right there, witnessing her characters' highs and lows as they grapple with emotions that, very often, they are having a very hard time coming to terms with.

Do they want love? Don't they? What if their heart is at odds with their mind? What if their gut tells them one thing and their intellect says something else? What if their experience in the past leads them down one path and at the same time they can't stop believing?

Every Kate Walker is an emotional roller coaster. Every Kate Walker is exhausting and exhilarating and always always always worth the trip.

Which Kate Walker books are my favorites? Er, well, how do I choose? And because I'm so bad with titles, how can I possibly remember their names? I remember the heroes.

There's "the English guy" -- I liked him a lot. And "the Welsh guy" -- I think he was Rhys. Yeah, definitely a good one. There was Constantine -- was he the tennis pro? If so, I loved him. No, I guess he wasn't. Quick check with book shelf. Tennis pro was Connor. Yep, loved him too. And the guy who found uses for the dining room table that had nothing to do with meals. And most recently, Nikos. Nikos is a quintessential Kate Walker hero -- a man of deep pain, great emotion, grand passion and, always, a man of honor, sometimes even in spite of what he tells himself he wants.

Kate Walker brings a powerful voice and deep honest emotion to every book she writes. The past 25 years have only made her better. I'm looking forward to the next 25. Congratulations, Kate, on your 25th, on all your wonderful books. Thank you for them, and even more for the friendship that you have brought into my life.

note from Kate -

Rhys was in Their Secret Baby (2004)
Constantine was in Constantine's Revenge (2000)

Connor the tennis pro was in Saturday's Bride(1999)
The guy who used the dining table for things that had nothing to do with meals was Amir in Desert Affair (2002/3)

And of course Nikos is Nikos Konstantos in The Konstantos Marriage Demand which is out right now.

And the English guy?? Well, there were several of them and Anne has always had a fondness for my English heroes - but thinking about the first book of mine she was likely to have read then this was quite possibly Nick Hazard from Game of Hazard who was the 'English guy' who first appeared in America - in 1986 - The Chalk Line didn't make it over there for another 6 years!

Anne McAllister's The Virgin's Proposition will be published in Mills & Boon Modern on May 21st 2010. The USA publication date of this book is yet to be confirmed. No cover is yet available for this title, but there is also the We Write Romance selection of Presents titles in which both Anne and I appear - me with The Twelve Month Mistress and Anne with Lessons from A Latin Lover.

Don't forget that Anne is giving away a book a day to celebrate her 25th - and you can catch up with all the details of that and what else is happening on her web site or her blog

Celebrating 25 years - with Anne McAllister Part One

This is a slightly different form of the 'My favourite top five Kate Walker' posts - because it marks the start of a double celebration. I am not the only author celebrating 25 years as a published author.

My first book (The Chalk Line) came out in December 1984 - that's why I'm celebrating now rather than all during 2009, because I wasn't actually published until the very last month of that year.

Two months later, in February 1985, Anne McAllister published her very first book - Starstruck which was published in Harlequin American Romance.

So this month, Anne too is celebrating her 25th publishing anniversary. And to celebrate she is going to be giving away a book a day for a year!

Here's what Anne says:

Some of them will be my books. Some will be books of my friends. Some will be books I've read and enjoyed and want to share with you (and incidentally make room on my bookshelves -- which means that some of them will have been lightly read -- by me).

If you want to find out more, learn how to take part in this fantastic prize drawing but - most importantly - if you want to help Anne celebrate her silver publishing anniversary (and I know I do!) the head over to Anne's web site or her blog and send her your congratulations too.

It's no secret - or it shouldn't be to anyone who reads my blog - that Anne is a very special friend of mine. It started with loving her books. I didn't read the very early ones because Harlequin American weren't available here in the UK much. But when she was published in Presents and the books appeared in the Mills & Boon line-up then I was hooked. The Alexakis Bride grabbed me and when it was followed by Finn's Twins, then I knew I'd found a new favourite. Fletcher's Baby! and The Playboy and The Nanny confirmed that and I've been an Anne McAllister fan in her books and in person ever since.

And of course, I live with one of her greatest fans - Sir Sidney St John Willoughby Eamonn Portly-Lummox, A Cat Of Superior Breeding is Anne's greatest (feline ) fan. They connected from the first moment she came to visit and have been the firmest friends ever since. Sid even puts paws to the keyboard to write to Anne and he asserts that she gives the best ear rubs this side of the pond - and, for all he knows, on her side of it too. He just can't swear to that as he has never ventured over the opcean to test them out. But he knows that Anne understands his passion for ear rubs, from 'greenies' and for a smackeral or two of salmon and that makes her a great friend in his opinion. (And Sid is very opinionated as many of you know.) It was Anne of course who gave Sid his own literary appearances in The Great Montana Cowboy Auction and again later in One-Night Love Child.

And it's not just Sid who claims Anne as a friend - the other cats recognise quality when they see it and they flock to welcome her when she visits. The late and much missed Bob and Spiffy were great fans as are Dylan and even Flora the Floozie - though she still sees Anne as someone to provide an audience while she shows off in front of her.

It was Anne who named the Hecks after seeing them for the first time. And they now regularly appear when she is here, coming to the French doors so that she can see them. It was Anne who shared a wonderful trip to Ireland - and if you can share being huddled round a coal fire when trapped indoors on the coldest, wettest February days as well as the sunshine of July, then you know you really have a friend. I'm hoping that Anne will be able to come and visit again this summer (so is Sid!) when she is planning on speaking at the RNA conference and if the fates are kind I'll be able to introduce her to so many of my favourite people and places when we go to Caerleon Writers' Holiday together. I hope the Hecks will be back to snuffle their greetings too and I know that Sid can't wait.

So Happy Silver Anniversary Anne! Many Congratulations on this very special event - thank you for all the wonderful books you've written so that I and all your thousands of fans can enjoy them! And here's to many more.

But specially thank you for your fabulous friendship , your hospitality and your warmth. (And your greenies - from Sid!) Here's to many many more years of that!

Come back tomorrow for Part 2 when Anne talks about her favourite Kate Walker books.

And look out for the now thoroughly established as 'traditional' Here Come the Grooms contest which Anne and I share with the wonderful Liz Fielding and which, if my memory is correct, is planned to start on Valentine's Day!

PS On a separate but interesting topic, there is an interesting article on Mills & Boon India in Publishing Perspectives here. Particularly interesting to me as of course The Konstantos Marriage Demand is out now in this fast-growing market.

So I'd just like to say a warm Hello and Welcome to all my Indian readers.

My First/Favourite Kate Walker book- A Reader's Story

Another reader's story about her favourite Kate Walker books.

A few weeks ago I told you about some of the writers I've worked with who had good responses from the Presents writing contest and today's reader is one of those.

Because of course the writers who succeed are usually voracious readers too.

I met Rachel at one of my Workshops - for the Guildford Festival - and I'm hoping to see her again when I run a Writing Romance weekend course in Southampton. (There are spaces left on this course - and all my courses so far if you want to book check out the Events page on my site.)

See you there Rachel!

Here's what Rachel has to say about discovering my books - and her Favourite Top 5

About six years ago a little miracle happened when the second grumpiest baby in the world actually fell asleep in his pram going round a charity shop (the first grumpiest had just started school). After years of sleep deprivation and the self neglect most new mums go through, I was beginning to feel desperate. Desperate for something different, desperate for something just for me, desperate for an escape from the hideous routine of it all and then I saw it. The little paperback wasn’t a Kate Walker but it had a photo of Santorini on it, the blurb promised romance, luxury and of course a gorgeous Greek—just about as far from reality as it was possible for me to get right then.

I’d never read a Mills and Boon before, I’d never read a romance per se (far too much of a literary snob!) but that day I sat down on a damp park bench and read something properly for what felt like the first time in five years. It was bliss. That little book fitted snugly into my handbag and the chapters were just short enough for me to treat myself whenever I could sneak the odd half an hour. Before I knew it, I was hooked and fed my new habit from charity shops over the next two years—I truly believe those books preserved my sanity!

Then we got our first computer. The first thing I did was book my grocery shopping on line, the second was to Google Natasha Oakley whose lovely book I was currently reading. My eyes were opened wide that day when I read her biography, writing her first book on the kitchen table with all those children around and highly recommending a certain person’s 12 point guide.

My youngest was just about to start preschool and I thought ‘well if she did it, I wonder if…?’ I used my newly acquired internet shopping skills to order Kate Walker’s amazing 12 Point Guide and promptly went out to see if I could find a book by this mysterious Kate Walker. Blow me if I couldn’t find a single book by her in any of the five charity shops in town. Now I know why: everybody keeps them! Fortunately W H Smiths saved the day and I greedily snatched up At The Sheikh’s Command…

The rest, as they say, is history and Kate Walker is now firmly on my ‘buy without hesitating’ list, but I think my most favourite so far is The Spaniard’s Inconvenient Wife. This is a truly memorable book for me in so many ways but I won’t spoil it for anyone who’s not read it by revealing the best bits!

If that’s my number one then the rest of my top five would be:

Rafael’s Love-child

The Italian’s Forced Bride

The Antonakas Marriage

A Sicilian Husband

And Kate Walker ‘does’ the BEST Italian men, believe me!

Thank you Rachel! And good luck with your own writing - I'd love to be able to announce your first book on here.

My First/Favourite Kate Walker Books - Readers' Stories

I'm still collecting lists of Top 5 Favourite Kate Walker reads - or the first Kate Walker I ever read and today here are some more of the stories/lists my readers have sent in:

Mary from Kentucky says:

I have enjoyed all of your books that I have read. I didn't start reading Harlequins until the early '70s, so I cannot say that I have read all your books. Here is my list of 5:

The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife
The Antonakis Marriage
The Italian's Forced Bride
Bedded by the Greek Billionaire
Kept for her Baby

The lovely Marilyn who lives in Seattle and wrote so many wonderful reviews of my books gives her list of the top five- and she was very very definite about which one was her favourite. I know she told me that when she read it, she 'cried and cried' - I'm mean you see, I love making my readers cry! (Sorry Marilyn!)

Here's her list:

The Italians Forced Bride (if you want to read Marilyn's review of her favourite book you'll find it here)
The Twelve-Month Mistress

The Spaniard's Inconvenient Wife

Bound By Blackmail
The Sicilian’s Wife

And here's a story that really made me smile. It's a perfect example of the way that romance reading (and writing) brings people together and, as Jean, the writer of this email says, creates 'friends across the age divide'.

Jean is from Colorado and she says that her first ever Kate Walker was:

The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife. The first book was given to me, a woman in my seventies by a young college girl and since then we have exchanged books, friends across the age divide.

Finally, Debra from Connecticut also chose The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife as her top favourite - that's 3 votes for that book today - here's what she says:

I am new to your books and started with The Alcolar Family Trilogy and the Cordero books. I have been hooked ever since.

Her 'Top Five' are:

The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife
Cordero's Forced Bride
The Alcolar Trilogy (That's The 12 Month Mistress, The Spaniard's Inconvenient Wife and Boumd By Blackmail.

Thank you all for your stories and your votes. I have contacted all the winners about thier prizes.

My First Kate Walker - Michelle Styles

Today I have another writer friend who's talking about the first time she read a Kate Walker novel.

Michelle Styles, who writes for Mills and Boon and Harlequin Historicals is an American who now lives in the UK after marrying her husband. I think Michelle's comments pretty much summarise some of the many reasons why people read romances so I've left them in with her list asI think they are so great.

I am fairly positive the first book of yours I read was Leap in the Dark (1989) and I think I read it on the train going to Sheffield when I had a job interview with a bank's graduate training programme. And I can remember the train journey going far too quickly. I am certain I read others of yours then as I was homesick and reading a lot of M&B because I had read Harlequin in the US.

My top five of yours:
1. The Italian's Forced Bride as it made me cry
2. The Antonakos Marriage as our discussion inspired me to write Sold and Seduced (one of Michelle's Roman romances) and it got me through my first cataract operation.
3. Constantine's Revenge because it is excellent
4. Cordero's Forced Bride because it helped me when I was stressed and needed to escape.
5.Sicilan Husband. Blackmailed Bride because I could not put it down.

Thank you Michelle!

Michelle's latest Harlequin Historical The Viking's Captive Princess was a December USA release and is still available on Amazon, eHarlequin etc - and her next UK book Compromising Miss Milton will be out in May,

Take a look at Michelle's web site where you can read more about her great historical romances and find her blog.

Totally irresolute

I'm not a great one for making New Year resolutions. I always find that in the razmatazz leading up to the New Year everyone gets a little carried away and decides on dieting, not drinking, not smoking, detoxing etc etc just that bit too much and sets themselves a whole load of aims and achivements to reach for - most of which are way out of our reach so that the failure to reach them means that we just feel worse about ourselves rather than better.

But then I feel lazy and a real let-down when all around me everyone else is declaring their resolve to do better, try harder, become the 'New You'. So I was quite relieved to read that a psychologist had declared much the same idea. That it doesn't really help and can be quite depressing to make those resolutions - specailly now in the dark days of midwinter with the snow covering the ground and making everything so bleak and miserable. (That set me wondering how my friends and readers on the other side of the world feel - does the New Year still inspire you to great resolves, to looking into changing or does the sunshine outside insist that you relax, enjoy, live for today?).

Besides, I've never felt that 'do more' actually equates with 'doing better'. I've never been the fastest writer in the Presents line - and that's fine by me. I take pride in writing the best books I bcan and from the lovely letters, cards and emails I've had over the last 12 months it seems that I'm doing that. If we're not careful, I feel that we end up being too busy telling ourselves what's not good enough and not enough time appreciating what we are - what we're actually achieiving. And that's a recipe for depression. So I’m not resolving anything. Except to keep up with the one resolution I made last year - and that was to make sure I got some exercise. So my almost every day 3 mile walk stays. Apart from that, I don’t really feel that I need a ‘New Me’. The ‘old’ one might need a bit of a shake up every now and then but I’ve managed OK so far. But I am looking forward to 2010 with a lot of anticipation and some excitement.

Those of you who've read my post over on Tote Bags 'N'Blogs will have some idea of what's ahead of me. If you haven't, then take a look at the Events page on my web site and you'll see.

And of course all through it, it is also a year to celebrate. I'm still marking the fact that it's 25 years since my very first ever book was published. A special silver anniversary for the day my dreams came true and I became a published author. And I’m looking forward to the publication of some new books that I have coming up – the very first of which will be published in the middle of this month (January 15th - though it's already available on the M&B site or Amazon). That’s when my next Modern Romance The Konstantos Marriage Demand will appear in the UK shops.

And over on the eHarlequin site, there's the launch of the special selection of Bloggers' Bundles which includes the We Write Romance Selects Presents ebook bundle chosen by the reviewrs and owners of that web site.

There’s another new title coming in July too and a rather special collection in April and I’m looking forward to those as well. More details later.

But sometimes it seems that when you work in publishing you’re always looking forward – always planning ahead. Right now, I’m busy with the plans for my next book, the deadline is already set for when I need to have this on my editor’s desk and I’m working towards that right now. The trouble is that I know that as soon as I get involved in the story and get my head down, then the time of writing it will just pass in a flash. It always does. I’ll look up and realise that it’s March or April and this ‘New Year’ is way behind me and already we’re partway through it. And if I’m not careful I’ll be too busy looking ahead to take the time and space to enjoy the present.

So that’s my resolve – not necessarily a ‘resolution’ but definitely a determination – for 2010. I’m going to take a couple of steps back and actually experience – and enjoy – everything that comes along in this new year that stretches ahead right now. I know from experience that if I don’t then I’ll get to this time in 2011 with a sort of ‘blink and you missed it’ feeling. Instead I want to actually live fully in this year, experiencing everything that happens in it so that I will remember it all as clearly as possible. After all, these past 24 years of being published seem to have passed in a flash already. I want to enjoy the 25th!

My First Kate Walker - some readers' stories and winners

You know, I used to have something called 'time' - time to read, time to write, time to post on this blog . . .

But that was before Christmas, before visitors, shopping, wrapping, more visitors . . .

I feel like I've been chasing my tail ever since December began - and now it's almost over! But I wanted to get back to the celebrations for the 25th anniversary so that I can post a few more 'Firsts' stories - and announce some winners so I can send out prizes.

But first I must remind you that the Closing Date for the Contest has been moved - I've added an extra month to the deadline so that you will have extra time to get your entries in and help me find out which of my books is currently at #1 in the top favourites rating. And maybe win a prize for yourself.

So don't forget - the deadline is now January 31st 2010

Right - now I have two readers who have written and told me their 'First Book' stories.


The first of these is Elaine S from Ontario who already answered this question over on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs when I blogged there. Here's what she said:

Congrats on your 25th! I look forward to the next 25!

You have asked a difficult question to answer. Back "in the day", I didn't keep track of who wrote which books. I just read them. I went to your web site to check out your back cover blurbs and cover pictures to refresh my memory, and three books seemed familiar: BROKEN SILENCE, MAN OF SHADOWS, and THE SPANIARD'S INCONVENIENT WIFE.

I DO know that I recognized your name as someone whose books I read often, like Anne Mather and Penny Jordan. That would have been in the eighties, so I was having kids then! Ahhhh, those were the days. And I thought I was busy THEN! I would have picked them up in a local book store (one of my favourite places!!!), and then I would have passed them on to one of many girlfriends (as I still do).Since I've started blogging, I now write down my comments on Post-It notes and attach to the books.

I recently read CORDERO'S FORCED BRIDE, and I wrote "fast read (GREAT!!!) ... made sense throughout ... liked how they talked to each other ... realistic re details - could imagine it actually happening ... wished I were the Heroine ... dress on cover was blue satin and pg 9 said it was pink satin."Thanks for offering all the great books through the years. Now you've whetted my appetite to read even more (which is the reason for blogging, I imagine)!!!

Back to today.... Since I can't remember which was the exact first book I read, I looked over your backlist again. The first one published of those mentioned above was BROKEN SILENCE from Feb/88, so I'll go with THAT being my first book. It IS possible that it was MAN OF SHADOWS from July/88, as I didn't read books in order of publishing dates then, nor do I now. (In fact, I have boxes of over 500 books I bought during the last several years that have just sat there for the past few months, because when I started blogging this summer, I started to record my comments and save all the newest books with those remarks. It really messes up my process of passing my books on to friends, so I MUST figure out a new system for this. So far, I'm only coming up with quitting blogging/recording and just passing all books, including those autographed, on to my friends. I am very confused.... Any help you could provide would be most appreciated, but it's my problem, so I'll have to deal with it....)

Thank you Elaine! You've talked of a couple of very early books of mine. Although they both came out in the same year (1988), the first publication (UK) of Broken Silence was actually in 1987. And although that made it my 5th published title, it was actually originally written much earlier than that. It was the second submission I made to HMB - Garrett of Stoneroyd - the one that didn't have enough 'emotional velocity'. But it did earn me a letter from a Senior Editor.

So I put it away and some time (years) later I took it out again, reworked it, revising it with the new knowledge I now had and this time managed to get it accepted. So there's a piece of advice for all you would-be writers out there- never throw away a rejected manuscript, no matter how dreadful you think (OK - you know) it is - It may one day be possible to revive it and rework it and turn it into something worth published. That worked for me with Broken Silence

For her contribution, Elaine wins a signed copy of Bedded By the Greek Billionaire.

The second winner is Kelly W from Manitoba (I've only just realised that both my winners today come from Canada). Here's what Kelly has to say:

I was just on your website and saw the contests you're running. Congrats on 25 years!! Here is my story for the first book of yours that I read.

I first read Calypso's Enchantment when I was only 13 years old! My mom has a small bookshelf in the basement and had asked me to dust the books and put them away in a box to give to a charity book sale. As I was doing this I found a section of romance novels and the cover of Calypso just really drew my eye. It was so colourful and pretty! I started to read it right away in the basement and after a few chapters I stopped reading, finished what I was supposed to be doing, and took the book upstairs to hide it under my bed so I could read in secret later. That was the book that got me addicted to Harlequin novels in general and yours in particular! Until I was 16 I would read my mom's or grandma's stash in secret, and then I finally got up the nerve to go to the store and buy my own!

While I don't remember the specifics of that first book, I do remember being completely caught up in the romance of the characters and the exotic location of Malta. It was a beautiful story! I still remain a devoted reader of Kate Walker books, and I thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of romance novels!

And just for fun I thought I would list my top 5 favourite books for you to help you with your poll:

1. The Sicilian's Wife

2. His Miracle Baby

3. Desert Affair

4. Constantine's Revenge

5. The Hostage Bride

I really look forward to many more years of fabulous books from you!

Thank you Kelly for that - and for including your personal Top 5 Books - I'll add them into the total poll and post some results soon.

Calypso's Enchantment was first published in 1994 and it was inspired by a wonderful holiday that I spent with my family one Easter on the beautiful island of Malta.

An interesting point - Man of Shadows and Calypso's Enchantment have two of my favourite covers over the past 25 years. They both - Man of Shadows particularly - have the hero and heroine almost exacatly as I imagined them - which is pretty rare!

For her contribution, Kelly wins a signed copy of Cordero's Forced Bride.

And another reader, Pat C from Texas wins a copy of At The Sheikh's Command for her selection of Top Five favourites:

1. The Twelve-Month Mistress
2. The Spaniard's Inconvenient Wife
3. Bound By Blackmail
4. Kept for Her Baby
5. Cordero's Forced Bride

What about you? Do you have a 'first book' memory? Or a selection of your top 5 favourites? I'd love to know. If you want to enter then all the details are on my Contest page - but don't forget that the closing date has moved to January 31st.

Finally, a special reminder to all the would-be writers out there in the UK. 2009 is coming to an end which means that from January 1st the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme will once again be open for entries.

So if you want a chance to have your work read, assessed and critiqued by a professional author from the Association, then now is the time to get your application to join in the post so that it reaches the secretary as early as possible in the year. There are only 250 places available on this scheme and they are allocated on a first-come, first served basis - so send those applications off now.

Full details of the NWS and all the RNA's activities can be found on their main site - here.

My First Kate Walker - Donna Alward

Continuing the celebrations for the 25 years with contributions from some wonderful writing friends who have been kind enough to share the first Kate Walker they ever read and/or their choices of the Top Five Kate Walker novels they've chosed - today's writer is Canadian Romance writer Donna Alward.

Donna says -

I never really read Presents until I found myself fully immersed in the Category Romance world once I started writing – and that was 2001-2002 (I feel somewhat strange admitting that. It was like a whole world opened up that I’d been missing). So my top five are fairly recent books – all but one.

Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride
Kept for her Baby
The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge
Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife
And the surprise entry – Leap in the Dark!

I knew of course which book Donna was going to choose as her #1 - she has made no secret about how much she loves Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Wife, and Guido Corsentino, the hero of that story. Leap in the Dark is definitely one from the past - as it originally came out in 1989 - 1990 in America.

Donna's own latest hero is Drew Laramie in the first of her Cowboys and Confetti Duet - One Dance With the Cowboy - coming in January 2010.

The second half of this duet, Her Lone Cowboy will follow it in March 2010.

More details can be found on Donna's web site

As there is still so much snow and ice around, and I know that lots of people are travelling today to be with family or to get away on a Christmas break - I want to wish you all a very safe journey so that you reach your destinations without harm or injury ready to enjoy Christmas together.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT - about the 25th Anniversary Contest

As I've realised how difficult it's been for me to keep up with things this month - Christmas, visitors, dreadlines - life! - I 'm sure everyone reading this has far too much on their plate to.

So I'm extending the deadline for you to send in contributions to the First Book/Top 5 Favourites for another month.

The last date for entries is now JANUARY 31st.

I have 25 prizes of signed books and an extra gift to give away - so get your entries in now and help me find out which of my titles cames in at #1 in the list of favourite books.