A Fabulous Time In London

I'm back from London - and  have recovered from the travel, the heat, the meetings, the lunch/dinner/party  . . .

Well, that was a hectic - and fun time. Let me see - there was the trip down to london and the unexpected heatwave that of course got warmer the further south we went.

The first evening we were at the Garrick Theatre where we had seats for  The Entertainer - with Kenneth Branagh. A  great evening - I have to say that the play is not one of my favourite ever  and I have some problems with it  where at times it's rather static and wordy - but the music hall scenes were brilliant - and that's where K B came into his own.  So glad we saw it.

Andie Brock with her cover display

Thursday was spent visiting the Harlequin office in the News Building (next to the Shard) at London Bridge.  Another unexpectedly hot day   but it was great to be shown round the offices (on the 16th floor!), meet all the editors  - specially Grace who knew just how to make this author's day by telling me how much she had loved Indebted to Moreno when she read it! -   and get to know (again!)  my new editor.  Except she isn't my new editor  - we worked together in the past  (can you believe 20 years ago!)  when the first book we worked on  was The Groom's Revenge which was published in 1997!!  It was great to catch up again and renew our working relationship and friendship.  That evening  was a great time to get together with some lovely friends - Rachael Thomas (who regular readers will know is one of my ex -Fishguard Writers Weekend students who is now building a successful writing career and into double figures with her  accepted titles.)  Chantelle Shaw and Lara Temple who you met on this blog some weeks back.

My lovely friend Anna Sugden and her book cover

Friday was the AMBA lunch and  then the fabulous Harlequin party - back in the News Building  - but this time on the 17th floor!  It was  great to meet up  with some many lovely friends old and new and make some new ones amongst the   Mills and Boon Authors.   There were celebrations of some authors 'milestone' books, prosecco and other

With my sexy Spaniard cover

 celebratory drinks  and canapés - not that  I could manage any after the  AMBA lunch.

More lovely friends Rachael Thomas and Chantelle Shaw

Scarlet Wilson and Kate Hardy looking glamorous

Great goody bags for everyone 

     

 

Rachael Thomas  again with author  Louise Fuller

And finally  - my  favourite editor ever  - lovely Lesley Stonehouse. Why is she so very  special to me?
Because Lesley is the lady who picked my book out from the slush pile   over 30 years ago  -  the book the became The Chalk Line - my first ever published novel - so she started me on this wonderful career and she's  taken a great interest in what I do ever since.

Thank you Lesley!

40 for 40 - Chantelle Shaw

Today's special gust posting on my blog is Chantelle Shaw. Chantelle herself has told you how we first met, so there's  no need for me to do that! It's funny that she describes feeling very nervous when I remember a petite, smiling, and very  easy to get to know blonde!

I'm specially enjoying being able to host Chantelle here today because she's another of my gusts who's appearing  on my blog on her own very special day As you'll see from her post, today is Chantelle's own 31st wedding anniversary - so I'm delighted that she wanted to share her day with me - and my readers.

Welcome Chantelle! And a very Happy Anniversary to you and Adrian.




Congratulations to Kate and Steve on your Ruby wedding anniversary! Wishing you many more happy years in the future!

I met Kate at the first Harlequin Mills & Boon author party I attended in 2006. I was very new, and very nervous as I walked into a room full of strangers who were all successful authors. Star-struck and feeling horribly shy, I remember almost wishing that I hadn’t come – but then a friendly voice introduced herself as Kate Walker. Of course I recognized the name as I had read many Kate Walker books. Kate – Kate, immediately made me feel welcome, we chatted for ages and she introduced me to the other guests.

I don’t think Kate has any idea how grateful I felt that she took me under her wing that evening.

Later I met ‘the babe magnet’ and found Steve as kind and charming as Kate. It’s no surprise that these two lovely people are celebrating forty years of marriage!

My husband Adrian and I are celebrating our 31^st wedding anniversary at the end of July. Yep – I was a child bride too! My great-grandmother, grandmother and mum had all got married at nineteen and had their first baby by the age of twenty-one. That won’t be me, I said – but that’s exactly what I did!

Despite having very little money we had a wonderful wedding. My aunt made the bridesmaids’

dresses, friends and family helped with the catering, (my grandmother’s homemade elderberry wine was so strong it was probably illegal!) and Mum grew all the flowers for my bouquet in her garden! Talk about ‘homespun’ but it was a magical day! I still love looking at our wedding photos, especially the one with the wedding cake that is leaning to one side like the tower of Pisa!

I know that Adrian and I have been very lucky. We were so young when we married and had to grow up fast as baby number one was followed at two-yearly intervals by another five children! Eventually someone took pity on us and bought us a TV!

I love writing romance novels and my books usually end with a wedding. My next book is due for release in September. His Unexpected Legacy is set in Sicily and tells the story of Sergio and Kristen’s rather rocky romantic journey as they deal with misunderstandings and past hurts before they can look to a happy future together. This is a duet book, and Sergio’s twin brother Salvatore’s story is told in Secrets of a Powerful Man, due out in November.

I am giving away a copy of HIs Unexpected Legacy to someone who answers my question in the comments.

 My  question  is - 'What is the worst prank to have been played on newlyweds?'

(Adrian and I spent our wedding night at our new flat, and his best man had hung a kipper behind the curtain in the  bedroom, in full sunlight for a whole day! The smell was unbelievable)! 

You can find Chantelle's web site here-  and she also has a  Facebook page.