Mini Book Tour

I'm a bit late mentioning this - but the post is still up  - so
As part of my mini blog tour to mark the publication of A Question of Honor, I have a blog today over on
Romance Reader.

I'm talking about that important word honor - or honour!

Note to all the winners from my recent giveaway   - and the generous people who  placed the winning bids on my Brenda Novak auction lots - all the necessary packages have gone in the mail so I hope they'll reach you safely and soon.

Huge congratulations to everyone involved with      Brenda Novak's Auction for Diabetes Research  - which raised $406,000   this year. That's a huge achievement!  

Tote Bags Day

I've not been blogging much because I've had my head down focusing hard on my new book. And when I'm not writing I'm preparing for the weekend course Writing Romantic Fiction  at Weetwood Hall  which is coming up this weekend. May 16-18th.

But today is my day for a regular post over on Tote Bags 'n' Blogs - so that's where I am today. I'll hope to see you there. And I'm looking forward to seeing some of you at Weetwood  on Friday.

Oh - and by the way, the two lots I've donated to Brenda Novak's on line auction for diabetes research are still available for bids - for details see the post below this one - or visit Brenda's auction web site.

Pink Hearts and Auctions

Today is the first Friday of the month so that means that today my regular post is over on the Pink Heart Society blog.  So that's where you'll find me chatting today.

But perhaps more importantly, it's May so the Brenda Novak  Online Auction    For Diabetes Research is now open  And I have donated two special lots.

The lots I have on offer are :

Readers' and Writers' Basket 

Which contains a collection of autographed books -
12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE
A QUESTION OF HONOUR (published in  June 2014)
Claimed by the Sicilian which includes:
THE SICILIAN WIFE
SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE
THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

A THRONE FOR THE TAKING
THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES
KEPT FOR HER BABY
THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER
THE PROUD WIFE
All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen and bookmark.

And the second lot is
A Collection of 8 autographed books
The winner of this bid will receive an amazing collection of 8 autographed books by award-winning author Kate Walker:
THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER
A THRONE FOR THE TAKING
The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:
THE SICILIAN'S WIFE
SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE
THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE
THE PROUD WIFE
THE GOOD GREEK WIFE
THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND
All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen and bookmark

So why not take a look and see what other brilliant lots are on offer.  B id on something - you may win  and you'll be making a great donation to a  wonderful cause.

Here There and Everywhere!

I've been busy blogging - yes, I know I haven't been busy blogging here  but that's because I've been busy blogging elsewhere!

So here are  a couple more links for you to follow if you want to read these posts

First one is courtesy of the lovely Tawny Weber  who invited me along to guest on her blog - in her special Quick Six  section.

She asks  six questions - well, no - she asks 18 questions but I picked which 6 I wanted to answer and the results are posted today.    There's a giveaway too - a signed copy of A Throne For The Taking - but also, I promised that if I got a lot of responses I'd add another giveaway  for someone else - a copy of The Proud Wife. 

And the second is for tomorrow  over on  Romance Reader.  I'll be busy this weekend - we have a friend visiting from Iowa so  I'll be concentrating on enjoying her visit. But hopefully these blogs will keep you occupied until . ..

Well, until  Sunday when I'll be doing my usual blog on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs!   What will I be blogging about? No idea as yet - but I'll think of something! I hope.

And don't forget  - last chance  to bid for my lots in the Brenda Novak Auction tomorrow.

Last chance to bid

I'm not sure what happened to May - I just know that there are only a couple of days left and that means just two days to bid in Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research  2013.

Here's what Brenda herself says:
Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research is gearing up for its biggest year yet. Thanks to all who have participated in the past — both donors and shoppers — we've raised a cumulative total of $1.6 million. This year we are hoping to surpass $2 million to help all those with diabetes.


So many people have donated lots for the auction and all funds go towards this great cause.

Every year in the past, I've donated two lots - in the past these have been a Readers' and Writers' Basket - and, previously, a critique of a partial aimed at the Harlequin Presents line.

Well, this year I'm still offering the Readers' and Writers' basket but, sadly, I am no longer able to offer the critique. I'm sure I don't have to explain why. This is the damage that the copyright infringement case has done to the trust between authors and unpublished writers. But I was determined to offer two lots as I have always done - so

The first lot is the Readers' and Writers' Basket -

The winner of this bid will receive these autographed books

12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION

A great selection of Kate Walker novels:

The Alcolar Family Trilogy (3 in 1), which includes:

THE TWELVE-MONTH MISTRESS

THE SPANIARD'S INCONVENIENT WIFE

BOUND BY BLACKMAIL

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian(3 in 1), which includes:

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE

SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

Also included are the following autographed paperback books by Kate Walker:

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)

THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)

THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra April 2010)

All books are packed into one of my Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Full details and how to bid can be found here


Lot 2 - 10 Book Autographed Collection

The winner of this bid will receive these autographed paperback books:

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)

THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)

A THRONE FOR THE TAKING (brand new title!)

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE

SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

THE GOOD GREEK WIFE?

KEPT FOR HER BABY

THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND

All books are packed into one of my Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Full details and how to bid can be found here

I hope you'll take a look - but don't just look at my lots - browse the whole site and see the amazing things there are on offer.
The auction has just  two days to go  - It's a great cause - so why not bid?

It's May. . .

Happy May Day!   It seems that May has got off to a good start - the sun is actually shining, now if we could just get rid of that sneaky cold wind  it  would be gorgeous.

Reasons  to like May - I have a birthday coming up. So does my sister. Sadly she's in Tasmania so we won't be getting together to celebrate .

The Brenda Novak Auction for The Cure of Diabetes is now officially open.  Why take a look at some of the amazing lots - and maybe place a bid?  As I said earlier, I have the Reader and Writers' Basket  and the  10 Signed Novels lots on offer - and I'm delighted to see that there are already some bid on these. Thank you to anyone who has put in a bid.

Other reasons to like May -  A Throne for The Taking is now available on the UK's Mills and  Boon web site  and the Harlequin Presents edition will be released  on May 21st in USA.

Oh yes - and  A Throne For The Taking has  these great reviews over on  Romance Book Paradise.


The author lets her characters truly speak , as reader I was very glad to see that the author let me in


on just what each one of the characters were thinking, as I often find that I want to know what she or he is thinking and not knowing drives me insane, and in the case of Ria and Alexei it would have infuriated me, so thank you Kate!

I particularly liked the message this read gave me, not all secrets are as deadly as one may think, sometimes revealing the truth can save you, opening up the road to recovery.

I highly recommend this read for lovers of royal romances with intense secrets and all Kate Walker fans!   
Desere


A THRONE FOR THE TAKING is a very different, intriguing and thrilling story. It is full of conspiracy, scheming and plotting against the kingdom amidst the mesmerizing romance between Ria and Alexei. Author Kate Walker has yet again stunned her readers with a unique twist to her romance. She skillfully penned another gripping and compelling tale that would hook a reader in until the very last page.
Nas

Thank you both Desere and Nas

You can read the full reviews here.

So May has got off to a great start. Let's hope it continues that way.

PS Just discovered that A Throne For The Taking is already at #3  in the Harlequin ebook Bestsellers list today - another reason to like May!

Important Auction

It's almost May 1st and if you don't know what that signifies then you should!
May 1st is when Brenda Novak's  Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research starts for 2013.  

Here's what Brenda herself  says:
Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research is gearing up for its biggest year yet. Thanks to all who have participated in the past — both donors and shoppers — we've raised a cumulative total of $1.6 million. This year we are hoping to surpass $2 million to help all those with diabetes.


So many people have donated lots for the auction and all funds go towards this great cause.

Every year in the past, I've donated two lots -  in the past these have been a Readers' and Writers' Basket  - and, previously, a critique of a partial aimed at the Harlequin Presents line. 

Well, this year I'm still offering the Readers' and Writers' basket but, sadly, I am no longer able to offer the critique. I'm sure I don't have to explain why.  This is the damage that the copyright infringement case has done to the trust between authors and unpublished writers.  But I was determined to offer two lots as I have always done - so

The first lot is the Readers' and Writers' Basket -

The winner of this bid will receive  these autographed books

12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION

A great selection of Kate Walker novels:

The Alcolar Family Trilogy (3 in 1), which includes:

THE TWELVE-MONTH MISTRESS

THE SPANIARD'S INCONVENIENT WIFE

BOUND BY BLACKMAIL

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE

SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

Also included are the following autographed paperback books by Kate Walker:

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)

THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)

THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra April 2010)

All books are packed into one of my Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Full details and how to bid can be found here


Lot 2 -  10 Book Autographed  Collection

The winner of this bid will receive  these autographed paperback books:

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)

THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)

A THRONE FOR THE TAKING (brand new title!)

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE

SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

THE GOOD GREEK WIFE?

KEPT FOR HER BABY

THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND

All books are packed into one of my Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Full details and how to bid can be found here

I hope you'll take a look - but don't just look at my lots - browse the whole site and see the amazing things there are on offer.
The auction starts in two days time -  It's a  great cause  - so why not bid?

Brenda Novak's Online Auction

I meant to post this yesterday but  as usual time ran away with me.
But  I can't delay any longer to remind you that as from May 1st Brenda  Novak's Annual Auction for the Cure of Diabetes  begins - and runs all month.

May is the month when the romance community come together to support inspirational fundraiser, Brenda Novak, raise loads of money  for research into a cure for Diabetes.

You can help by bidding for signed books from your favourite authors. There are unbelievable offers from authors you love. There will be jewellery, books, eReaders,  fabulous PR opportunities for writers, wonderful treats from writers for readers.
My contribution this year will be my Writers and Readers' basket that has always been so popular in the past years when I've offered it.  Included in this basket are:
12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION

A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:
The Alcolar Family Trilogy (3 in 1), which includes:
THE TWELVE-MONTH MISTRESS
THE SPANIARD'S INCONVENIENT WIFE
BOUND BY BLACKMAIL

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:
THE SICILIAN'S WIFE
SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE
THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

Also included are the following autographed books by Kate Walker:
THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)
THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)
THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)
THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra April 2010)

All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Just checking the listing today, I was thrilled to see that the bidding, which started at $2 has already gone up to $30 in just one day! And yes, I will post the books to anywhere in the world, so don't let your geographical position make you hesitate about bidding.

You can find my donation  on the web site here - but don't just check out my donation - take a lok at everything else on offer.  There's so much worth bidding on.

Catch up

Well, that was a busy week - I was racing to finish my latest book by the end of the month so that's why I've been MIA - I finally pressed 'send' to have it winging its way to my editor and I hope she likes Martha and Carlos  Diablo's story.  My working title for this has been  first The Ortega Inheritance  - and then  another title was The Devil and Miss Jones.  I don't suppose that the last one will be used but you never know.

I was thrilled that my lots in the Brenda Novak Auction had such a great response - the critique of a partial went for $325,  the Reader's and Writer's for $62 - so that's a great contribution to a fantastic cause - and the whole auction raised $300,500 ! That's brilliant.

And I'm just waiting to hear how much the Make For Macmillan book auction made - that's closed now.

Oh yes- and as it's the first Sunday of the month, today I'm blogging over at  Tote Bags'n' Blogs  where you have a chance to win a copy of One Night In Madrid .

And there's a new contest running on the Tote Bag Contest page where you can win 2 more of my backlist books.

Last Chance to Bid

Brenda Novak's Auction to benefit Diabetes Research comes to and end on May 31st. So you have just one more day  to get in your bids on any of the lots you want to win.
A final  reminder of the lots that I have on offer -


Critique of a partial and synopsis

Critique of a partial (first 3 chapters and a synopsis) of a manuscript aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents


A Reader and Writers' Basket containing:

12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE (the 3rd edition)
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION (the 3rd edition)
A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:
THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2010)
THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra April 2011)

THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND (winner of Best Harlequin Presents Extra 2010)
THE ALCOLAR FAMILY TRILOGY (not available in the U.S.), which includes:
The Twelve Month Mistress
The Spaniard’s Inconvenient Wife
Bound by Blackmail
The trilogy CLAIMED BY THE SICILIAN (not available in the U.S.), which includes:
The Sicilian’s Wife
Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride
The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge
BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE (Harlequin Presents November 2008)
All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags.

And two separate lots of single, autographed books -

The Alcolar Family Trilogy 3 in 1 Collection

and

Claimed by The Sicilian 3 in 1 collection

All these lots are still open and you can bid until  June 1st - it's for such a great cause so why not take a look at just what's on offer and see if you'd like to make a bid.

Brenda Novak's Auction

I am mildly stunned and really rather honoured to discover that someone has bid $325 for my offer of  critique of a partial aimed at Harlequin Presents/M&B Modern  in  Brenda Novak's on-line auction  in aid of research into diabetes.  Thank you to the bidder for your generous contribution to this great cause - I shall  hope that my critique will be worth it.
The auction has just under a week to go - it ends on May 31st   so you still have time to bid on  my lots - or any of the other great lots on offer.

Just to remind you that as well as the critique of a partial (3 chapters and a synopsis) I have also offered -

A Reader and Writers' Basket  containing:

12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE (the 3rd edition)
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION (the 3rd edition)
A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:
THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2010)
THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra April 2011)

THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND (winner of Best Harlequin Presents Extra 2010)
THE ALCOLAR FAMILY TRILOGY (not available in the U.S.), which includes:
The Twelve Month Mistress
The Spaniard’s Inconvenient Wife
Bound by Blackmail
The trilogy CLAIMED BY THE SICILIAN (not available in the U.S.), which includes:
The Sicilian’s Wife
Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride
The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge
BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE (Harlequin Presents November 2008)
All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags.

And two separate lots of single, authographed books -

The Alcolar Family Trilogy 3 in 1 Collection

and

Claimed by The Sicilian  3 in 1 collection

All these lots are still open and you can bid until May 1st  - it's for such a great cause so why not take a look at just what's on offer and see if you'd like to make a bid.

Want A Personal Critique of Your Romance Writing?

I keep being asked by writers who are aiming at publication by M&B Modern or Harlequin Presents  if I can critique thier novel or comment on a partial. I almost always have to say  no - I just don't have the time, I already read for the RNA New Writers' Scheme, I work with writers on my teaching course  . . .  

But just once in a while for a really good cause I will offer a critque if I can - and here's one of those really good causes.
Brenda Novak's  Auction For the Cure of Diabetes

Critique of a Partial by Harlequin Presents Best-selling Author Kate Walker

Do you dream of becoming a published romance author? Do you want to write for Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents? If so, this is a unique opportunity to have your work critiqued by Kate Walker, one of its best-selling, award-winning and most famous authors with 26 years of publication and 60 titles to her name! Kate Walker is also the author of not one but two amazing guides how to write romantic fiction.

The winner of this bid will receive:
Critique of a partial (first 3 chapters and a synopsis) of the manuscript aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents by Kate Walker.

Do not miss this great opportunity!

I'll also chuck in a copy of the 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance   if the bidding goes well. 


I'm also offering a Writer's and Reader's Basket but right now that's earning more in bids that the critique - so   come on -  if you want your work assessed - surely it's worth putting in a bid!

You  can find the place to bid right here  You have  14 days before the auction closes.

Brenda Novak's Auction - and Tote Bags 'n' Blogs

It's May - so that means that  Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research opens today. As in the past, I have donated some lots to help raise funds for this great cause  - and you can find a list of the lots  I have donated here.    Just put Kate Walker into the search box.

But for your convenience, here is a detailed list:

1. Critique of a Partial by Harlequin Presents Best-selling Author Kate Walker

Do you dream of becoming a published romance author? Do you want to write for Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents? If so, this is a unique opportunity to have your work critiqued by Kate Walker, one of its best-selling, award-winning and most famous authors with 26 years of publication and 60 titles to her name! Kate Walker is also the author of not one but two amazing guides how to write romantic fiction.
The winner of this bid will receive:

Critique of a partial (first 3 chapters and a synopsis) of the manuscript aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents by Kate Walker. Do not miss this great opportunity!


2. Readers' and Writers' Gift Basket from Award-winning U.K. Author Kate Walker

The winner of this bid will receive autographed books from award-winning and Harlequin Presents bestselling author Kate Walker:

12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE (the 3rd edition)

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION (the 3rd edition)
A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:
THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra April 2011)
THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra October 2010)
THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND (winner of Best Harlequin Presents Extra 2010)
THE ALCOLAR FAMILY TRILOGY (not available in the U.S.), which includes:
The Twelve Month Mistress
The Spaniard’s Inconvenient Wife

Bound by Blackmail
The trilogy CLAIMED BY THE SICILIAN (not available in the U.S.), which includes:
The Sicilian’s Wife
Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride
The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge

BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE (Harlequin Presents November 2008)

All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags.

3. A signed copy of Kate Walker’s Alcolar Family trilogy: This book contains The Twelve Month Mistress, The Spaniard's Inconvenient Wife and Bound By Blackmail.

4.Signed copy of Claimed By The Sicilian trilogy: This collection has in it The Sicilian's Wife, Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride and The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge

Don't forget to bid for the lots you'd like to win - and check back often to make sure no one has outbid you!

And as it's the first Sunday of the month, I'll also be blogging over on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs - see you there!

5 Reasons why I love my job . . .

1. Yesterday  a big box was delivered - brand new copies, hardback library editons and the first actual paperback copies  of my new novel - The Proud Wife. Nothing brightens up a grey, cold Monday morning like holding your latest book in you hands for the very first time.  It's a delight that never gets stale, believe me, and these are my first books with the new style cover so I was thrilled to see them. (Waking up with a ginger and white kitten chewing your hair and purring fit to burst  right in your ear is pretty special too - but not exactly work related.)

2. You can help  causes you care about - like

donating  books to the RWA Flooded Communities Book Appeal or the Brenda Novak Auction  and know that not onloy are you helping the cause but you are also  - hopefully - giving pleasure to readers who either are given  books as a result of these appeals or who buy the lots in this auction   and others like it.  Or  - as in this photo - you can send books to libraries where their book stock  needs a boost. This lovely lady is Nas who helped me give some books to her local library in Fiji where they can't get hold of very many M&B titles and  so my small donation has helped to widen their selection. You can read more about this on Nas's blog here.

3. You can share in the joy of bran new authors who have just had their very first title accepted.  Last year at the RNA Conference I met a lovely lady called Susan Wilson who at the time was working on her  Medical Romance that  had  won her the attention of a M&B editor  but which needed revisions -  and then more revisions . . . She's worked really hard on this and last Friday  she  finally received 'the call' to hear that her book has been accepted and will be published in Medical Romance. You can read the story on her blog.  Congratulations Susan - I'm so happy for you. It maye be 26+ years since I got my 'call' - it was a letter back then,  my first editor didn't ring me up - but I still remember the thrill of that moment.

Incidentally, I first 'met'  Susan when she won a copy of Kept For Her Baby in a contest I won . I didn't know at the time that she was  actually a Health Visitor who had worked with many women who had suffered from post natal depression and the darker, rarer form of post natal psychosis which  is the background to the story in this book. I was thrilled whne she took the time to write to me to let me know that the way the subject was handled in the story  "gave credibility to the fear the women have of harming their children, how jumbled their thoughts can be, and how difficult it is to explain their feelings" - Seeing as I had told myself that I woldn't write the book unless I could treat the subject properly that made me really happy.

4. You get to share your books with people from all over the world. Yesterday I learned that I now have had visitors to this blog from a total of 157 countries when my very first visitor  from Albania came by. All the readers and visitors are so welcome - wherever you come from. I hope you enjoy the blog and will keep coming back often.

5. As well as readers all over the world, I have friends who are fellow authors worldwide - and I get to combine the two when I share contests and celebrations with the fabulous award winning authors Anne McAllister and  Liz Fielding in our now traditional   Here Come The Grooms contest - this will be our 5th year of running this joint contest when you can win  one of three prizes each of a signed copy of all three of our books. We're finalising the details right now  - so watch out for the Grooms coming soon!

Final reminder . . .

You have under 24 hours to bid in the Brenda Novak Online Auction for Diabetes Research.

. . . My contribution is still open - like the rest of the auction - just.

If you've forgotten what's on offer, here's what I've donated to the Auction

1. Critique of a partial aimed at Harlequin Presents

Do you dream of becoming a published romance author? Do you want to write for Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents? If so, this is a unique opportunity to have your work critiqued by Kate Walker, one of its best-selling, award-winning and most famous authors with 25 years of publication and 56 titles to her name! Kate Walker is also the author of not one but two amazing guides how to write romantic fiction.

The winner of this bid will receive:Critique of a partial (first 3 chapters and a synopsis) of the manuscript aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents by Kate Walker. Do not miss this great opportunity!

2. Kate Walker's Reader and Writer's Basket
The winner of this bid will receive autographed books from award-winning and Harlequin Presents bestselling author Kate Walker:12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION

A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:

THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND (Presents Extra March 2010)

KEPT FOR HER BABY (Presents Extra October 2009)CORDERO'S FORCED BRIDE (Harlequin Presents February 2009)

THE ALCOLAR FAMILY TRILOGY in one volume (Mills & Boon By Request Reprint)

BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE (Harlequin Presents November 2008)

All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags.
Bonus: Kate Walker pen.

You can find full details and bidding here

My thanks to the two current highest bidders who have helped me make a great donation to this worthy cause.

The auction ends tonight.

Just to remind you

. . . My contribution to Brenda Novak's Auction for Diabtete Research is still open - like the rest of the auction - for another week.

If you've forgotten what's on offer, here's what I've donated to the Auction

1. Critique of a partial aimed at Harlequin Presents

Do you dream of becoming a published romance author? Do you want to write for Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents? If so, this is a unique opportunity to have your work critiqued by Kate Walker, one of its best-selling, award-winning and most famous authors with 25 years of publication and 56 titles to her name! Kate Walker is also the author of not one but two amazing guides how to write romantic fiction.

The winner of this bid will receive:
Critique of a partial (first 3 chapters and a synopsis) of the manuscript aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents by Kate Walker. Do not miss this great opportunity!


2. Kate Walker's Reader and Writer's Basket

The winner of this bid will receive autographed books from award-winning and Harlequin Presents bestselling author Kate Walker:
12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION
A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:
THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND (Presents Extra March 2010)
KEPT FOR HER BABY (Presents Extra October 2009)
CORDERO'S FORCED BRIDE (Harlequin Presents February 2009)
THE ALCOLAR FAMILY TRILOGY in one volume (Mills & Boon By Request Reprint)
BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE (Harlequin Presents November 2008)
All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags.

Bonus: Kate Walker pen.

You can find full details and bidding here

It's going to be murder

Lincoln Book Festival opens today and runs till the 16th May. I'm not actually involved this year but tonight - in my other role as Mrs Babe Magnet - I will be accompanying Stephen Wade crime and history author to a special Murder Mystery dinner which is a sponsored fringe evenmt to the festival. Several local authors and crime writers will each be hosting tables so my friend Karen Maitland,together with Stephen Booth and RJ Ellory will also be there. We're supposed to be doing some 'sleuthing' as well - not sure what that will involve! Will report later.

I'll also be able to take the opportunity to see if there are any copies of Claimed By The Sicilian still available in Lincoln. It officially leaves the bookshop shelves this week but I was delighted to see that it's at #1 in the By Request Bestsellers list on Amazon.co.uk. (Overseas readers who would like a copy of this book can order it with free international postage from The Book Depository)

I'd like to send a thank you to those who have already bid on the lots I've donated to the Brenda Novak auction for Diabetes Research. I'm thrilled to see that the bidding has been busy - but there's still time if you're interested in trying to buy either my Readers' and Writer's Basket or a critique of a partial (3 chapters) and a synopsis of a novel aimed at Harlequin Presents.

Brenda Novak's Auction

April is coming to an end. It will soon be May 1st and that means that it's high time I talked about something important that's coming up in May and that is -

Brenda Novak's On Line Auction for Diabetes Research

Help Brenda make a difference in the lives of her son and millions of others like him who live with diabetes by shopping at her Sixth Annual Online Auction to Benefit Diabetes Research in May 2010. How does it work? Just like eBay—except the proceeds help accelerate progress in diabetes research.

Take a look at the Auction website here

And you'll notice a new link in my sidebar from today - that's because I've donated two lots to the year's auction and if you bid on those you could win yourself a great Kate Walker lot - and make a donation to a very worthy cause at the same time.

What have I donated? Well . . .

There's the Kate Walker Writer's and Reader's Basket

To quote the listing on the auction site -

The winner of this bid will receive autographed books from Harlequin Presents bestselling author Kate Walker:



12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE
THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION



A great selection of Kate Walker's novels:
THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND (Presents Extra March 2010)
KEPT FOR HER BABY (Presents Extra October 2009)
CORDERO'S FORCED BRIDE (Harlequin Presents February 2009)
THE ALCOLAR FAMILY TRILOGY in one volume (Mills & Boon By Request Reprint)
BEDDED BY THE GREEK BILLIONAIRE (Harlequin Presents November 2008)
All books are packed into one of her fabulous Kate Walker Tote Bags.


Bonus: Kate Walker pen.

And then the second lot you can bid on is this:

Critique of a Partial by Harlequin Presents Best-selling Author Kate Walker

Do you dream of becoming a published romance author? Do you want to write for Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents? If so, this is a unique opportunity to have your work critiqued by Kate Walker, one of its best-selling, award-winning and most famous authors with 25 years of publication and 56 titles to her name! Kate Walker is also the author of not one but two amazing guides how to write romantic fiction.

The winner of this bid will receive:
Critique of a partial (first 3 chapters and a synopsis) of the manuscript aimed at Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents by Kate Walker. Do not miss this great opportunity!

Bidding on both these lots will open on 30th April 2010 - that's in just under 2 days time.

So why not put in a bid and see if you can win -

And while you're there, check out all the other fantastic lots on offer . . .there are some wonderful things you could bid on and contribute to this great cause!

Thursday??

Are you sure?

Is it really Thursday? I could have sworn that it was only another Thursday - the previous one - just . . . well, it feels like yesterday!

But no, life is what happens when you're busy doing other things and here it is Thursday again.

In the case of this past few days, the 'other things' have been preparing the weekend workshop for Fishguard Writing Weekend and sending out the preparatory work for it. I'm so looking forward to this and to meeting up with friends from past courses and of course making new ones. (Yes Caroline - this includes you!)

On Monday when I got home from the Hull workshop there was a note from my editor saying could I please 'just' write her a short article for M&B's Romance Magazine the goes out to all their Direct customer. This was to be about the next book I have coming up - the one based on a modernisation (or perhaps seeing as it's for Modern Romance that should be a Modernisation) of one of the Greek Myths - The Good Greek Wife? So I had that to write as an extra.

Oh, and I also got a confirmed USA publication date for that book - A Good Greek Wife will be out in one of the special Presents EXTRA collections in October 2010.

But of course before that, the next book The Konstantos Marriage Demand (the one that won a Romantic Times Top Pick) is now available on the eharlequin site as a print book or as an ebook publication.

Another thing that happened yesterday was that I received a fabulous review for it from Julie over on CataRomance:

For the past 25 years, international best-selling author Kate Walker has been entertaining audiences worldwide with her intensely passionate, highly dramatic and immensely absorbing romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon. In her latest release, The Konstantos Marriage Demand, this outstanding writer of romantic fiction has written a captivating and enthralling tale of forbidden passion, illicit secrets and powerful romance that is guaranteed to leave you breathless!

The Konstantos Marriage Demand is romantic storytelling at its most mesmerizing! Kate Walker peppers her highly emotional and fabulously dramatic tale with heart-wrenching intensity, searing passion, powerful tension and tempestuous seduction. No sooner will readers read the first page of her sensational new novel that they will find themselves unable to put down and unwilling to forget the latest gripping Modern Romance from the stupendous pen of this much-loved author of romantic novels: Kate Walker!

And Julie gave it another 4.5 stars. Thank you so much Julie - you made my (rather hectic) day!

Then there was the unexpected interview with the Hull Daily Mail (Waves to Joanne - please look out for this for me. It might be in for Valentine's Day - or some time later in the week). And Allison, if you've dropped by the web site looking for those extra details - welcome - and thank you for the great interview!

I've also been planning my contribution to the Brenda Novak Auction for Diabetes Research. As my own father died of problems that were the result of diabetes and I'm always being tested to make sure that I haven't developed this problem, this is a cause that I believe in very much. Last year I donated a Readers and Writers' Basket and this time I'm doing the same - details to follow. But this year I'm also donating a critique aimed at would-be Modern Romance/Harlequin Presents authors. And I know that a lot of you out there fall into that category. So I'll let you know when the details go up and you can offer a bid.

Now it's Thursday again. The Babe Magnet is heading out the door to go and teach the last of his Writing Crime course in Oxford, hoping that the snow won't cause any problems - yes it's back again! - and I'm going to stay nice and warm and hopefully get to grips with my sexy - and currently un co-operative - Sicili9an hero.

Or try to because the other thing on the agenda today is that the plumber is supposed to be coming to replace the toilet and the sink in the downstairs cloakroom - and guess where that is - right beside my office door!

The life of a romance novelist is full of these little contrasts!

PS It's Scary Kate's (Kate Hardy) birthday today so why not go and wish her a very happy day. She'll probably have written another book by the time you get there!

Last Chance and Coming Up . . .

I'm not quite sure how it got to be the end of May but here it is heading for June - so I need to let everyone know about things that are coming to an end and coming up

First of all, there are just a couple of days left to bid on my lot in Brenda Novak's Auction to benefit Diabetes Research. The Writers' and readers' Basket can be found here.


Then coming up in June I have two appearences (in the UK) that you might want to look out for.

THE BRONTE SOCIETY

The Brontes and Romance: The Brontes' novels are often described as being amongst the greatest love stories in English literature. This discussion, chaired by Justine Picardie, brings together a panel of writers to discuss the influence of the Brontes on the romance genre.
Panelists include Joanne Harris, Amanda Craig, Jude Morgan and Mills & Boon author Kate Walker - 8pm

Date: Saturday 6 June 2009, 8pmVenue: West Lane Baptist Centre, HaworthTickets: £10 in advance, bookings 01535 640188 / peter.morrison@bronte.org.uk

You can read more about it here on the Bronte Society Blog

Then on June 17th I will be at Derby Central Library for an evening event with a talk and Q& A.

Refreshments will be provided.

Meet romance writer Kate Walker 17 June, 7-9pm, Central Library Kate Walker
has been writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon Modern romance since 1984 and
has sold over 12 million copies of her books worldwide. She is also the author
of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance. This is sure to be a fascinating
evening for both readers and writers alike.

Cost: Free, complimentary refreshments

Booking is essential due to limited places. Please call Central Library on 01332
641702 for more information

Looking a little further ahead, I will be running a 2 hour workshop on Writing Romance in Hebden Bride on July 5th as part of the

CALDERDALE WRITING DAYS

In the morning, I will be holding one-to-one sessions in the morning to discuss writers’ work

Date: Sunday 5 July

Workshop: Romantic Fiction Writing Workshop 1-3pm

Venue:Hebden Bridge Library Cheetham Street Hebden Bridge HX7 8EP

E-mail: hebden_bridge.library@calderdale.gov.uk

Telephone: 01422 288040

But this evening it's the Babe Magnet's turn to do a public appearence when he's reading some of his poetry at Borders Birstall. I'm going along as back-up - and this great because it means that I get a chance to meet up with my special friend fellow Presents author Susan Stephens and chat with her over a meal. Can't wait.


Talking of Susan reminds me of another thing that's coming up - and that's the return of the great Tote Bag Full of Books Contest for the summer.

This year is a very special year for Harlequin and becaue of that I'm planning an extra special Tote Bag Contest - so watch out for that around July.