Ruby's progress

People have been asking how Ruby is doing  -it's a while since I posted anything about her  (and Charlie).   So - to rectify that.

Ruby has been growing steadily and  healthily. She is now a  beautiful and sturdy  8 month old queen. (9 months  next Wednesday. She has  the Babe Magnet totally under her little white paw - and big brother Charlie is far more smitten with her than he will admit.   They play pouncing  and chasing games together, either up and down the stairs or round the garden. But she has the advantage of him there as she is a brilliant climber of tress and  she can scramble up high,. leaving him well behind.

She is also the home supervisor, checking on everything from washing to mopping the floor - or the  efficiency of the shower.  She loves to go into it and study the water drops after the shower has been used.

She has also realised that a writer needs  a little companionship when working on a book or anything else that involves using the computer and keyboard. So she has taken up the traditional cat's position on my desk - between keyboard and computer screen.  Like this


In this she is following in the paws of many cats before her - like the wonderful Sir Sidney ACOSB  (A Cat of Superior Breeding)

Sir Sid ACOSB

And the beautiful Flora . Both sadly missed.

Flora Flooziebelle

And if you want to compare her size with  big brother Charlie - well, as you can see he  still is and always be her BIG brother, no matter how much she grows.

On other matters  -  thanks to my lovey and efficient web designer Heather Reed, my web site has been updated with  all the details about the new Kindle edition of the 12 Point Guide - and the upcoming events/writing courses over the next few month.

Busy . . . .

Busy day today -

Last words  added to latest book so Alyse and Dario can have their happy ending.

Organised cat sitters for Charlie and Ruby

Last minute preparations for  the weekend course I'm teaching for Relax and Write  at Weetwood Hall  this weekend.

Just got out the Ideas Box to see if there's anything I can take along to make things extra interesting  and fun..
. .  Hmm, it seems to be full of post-it notes! They tend  to get used for the Advanced Course in  Fishguard - but you never know . . .

I've been asked to make sure that everyone
a   Relaxes
b Writes
c Eats the food provided
d. Discusses writing
e Has a good time

and one or two   people have mentioned
f.  a little wine!

I think I'm prepared for everything
SO looking forward to meeting up with everyone .

It's great to know that this course is full - the courses are kept small deliberately to make sure they're relaxed and  informal - but there are other courses and a Focus Retreat coming up in September and October.  Check out my Events Page  ( the Retreat still isn't up there - my apologies  but it will be just as soon as I get back from this one!) and Relax and Write's web site  for more details.

Oh - and I forgot to mention that if you missed the original publication of  A Good Greek Wife? it's now republished in the   Eligible Greeks - Sizzling Affairs  3 in 1 Collection .

I also realised that I haven't yet  put up the details about the Kindle edition of the 12 Point Guide  on the Writers Page of my site either . . . something else to go on the  To Do List. .  .

But first I'm going to enjoy myself  with Relax and Write.   Hope everyone else has a great weekend.

Looking ahead 2

A few more details about two more workshops I have  coming up this year.

Maybe Wales isn't easy for you to reach. (Though I have had students at Fishguard who have come from London,  Norwich -  Spain! )

Maybe you can't spare a whole weekend to attend a course.

Maybe you haven't been on a 'basic' course so you feel the Advanced Romance Writing might be too much for you

Well how about  a half day workshop? A full day one?

The first of these is, appropriately enough  on Valentine's Day:

LINCOLNSHIRE

Planned for Valentine’s Day will be a workshop on writing romance with
North Lincolnshire Libraries

Date: February 14th obviously!

Location: The Ballroom The Angel, Brigg Lincolnshire

Time: 1.30 – 4.30 pm

Cost, where to apply and all other details to be announced as soon as possible.

But you can check on their page here  or ring  the Central Library to enquire  Tel: 01724 860161

NOTTINGHAM

Saturday 19th May

10am-4pm workshop (including a one hour lunch break and a short break in both the morning and afternoon).

At The Nottingham Mechanics 3 NORTH SHERWOOD STREET NOTTINGHAM NG1 4EZ

 Details and booking forms will be posted on the Nottingham Writers Club web site


I will of course post details of each event as I get them on my Events page here on my site. It's due to be updated in the next couple of days so then you’ll have as much information as I have.

The weekend that wasn't

What can I say except that dreadlines and migraines don't mix. In fact migraines don't mix with anything. So the weekend didn't really exist very much.

Oh well - I'm going to cheer myself up with sticking to good news - let's see. . .

My workshop in Hull is now fully booked up (that's in just about two weeks) - so I'm looking forward to meeting everyone there next Monday

I've been receiving chapters and synopses from the students at my Fishguard writing weekend. I am so looking forward to that and to meeting up with friends I already know and making new friends from the students I've not yet met. (There are still some places on this workshop if anyone is interested - or for the one in Southampton in April. Details on my events page) And this time I'm getting there a day early so that I can actually see some more of Fishguard itself. (Note to self - get some sleep too, before then. I don't get much during the course itself!)

My March Presents EXTRA title -The Konstantos Marriage Demand is now on presale in both print and ebook form on eHarlequin.com

Some lovely reader has used the new ratings system on the Mills & Boon website to give The Knostantos Marriage Demand 5 stars. Thank you whoever you are! And in the couple of shops I visited today the UK edition had sold out. (And of course I'm still smiling a bout that 4.5 star Top Pick review)

The sun is shining. That's always a bonus.

I have had my hair done so I now look less like a haystack and a bit more human

At the weekend I will be meeting up with my dear friend and fabulous writer Julie Cohen and her small son and we will be going to see the dinosaurs in Oxford (in the museum of course - they won't be wandering around the city!)

There - that's made me feel a lot better . . . .

Now to see if I can get my Sicilian hero to co-operate. That will make the rest of today even nicer.

Coming up - events

As a PS to the previous post - here are few more details of the events that are coming up in February

Sheffield Library:

Meet the Author:

Coming soon to Sheffield Central Library, a programme of author events running throughout 2010. The programme kicks off with Mills and Boon author Kate Walker.

February
Celebrate Valentine's Day with Kate Walker
Mills and Boon premier romantic novelist and author of "The 12 Point guide to Writing Romance" shares her experience and skills with you.

Monday 15th February, 6-7.30

Tickets £2 to include refreshments, available from :
Central Library
Surrey Street
SheffieldS1 1XZ

or Telephone 0114 273 4727
You can find details here or here

Getting there

Many many thanks to everyone who has sent me get well messages as I fought the flu. It's been a really vicious virus this time and it knocked me - and the Magnet - back for days.

But I'm starting to feel as if there's light at the end of the tunnel. Still coughing for England, but at least my voice is back - if croaking. I think I'll live.

But of course the time ill has made my dreadline situation even worse so I'll still not be blogging too much over the next few days while I sort out my scarred Greek hero. The situation is made even more pressing by the fact that I have two events coming up in the next week so they'll take time away from writing.

But if you're coming to the Calderdale Writer's Roadshow in Halifax on Saturday or to the Crime and Passion Day in Barnsley Library on Wednesday (14th) then I'll see you there.

And for fans of the Hecks - we have another Mini Heck. Regular blog readers may remember it was this time last year that we first saw one of that year's babies come close to the door to eat the cat meat/crunchies left for them. Two nights ago there was a very small mini Heck that I have never seen before. He/she needs to eat plenty to stoke up ready for hibernation so we're leaving extra rations outside for them. I haven't managed to get a photo of it yet, so this one of last year's baby will have to act as a stand in.

I must just say welcome to my first ever visitor from Dominica who took my total of visiting countries up to 147 this week. I thought 146 was the final total but it seems there are still more countries yet to visit.

And please don't forget to click on the Breast Cancer site link in the sidebar and help the October Breast Cancer Awareness Month drive for extra free mammograms. While you're there, why not click on all the other sites too - it only takes a minute, is totally free, and you'll be helping with literacy, child poverty, animal rescue . . .

Back to the word mines. And thank you again for all the lovely messages.

Coming up . . .

One of the new plans I was talking about last week has now been finalised, so I can tell you more about it.

I was approached by a company called Residential Training who are starting a new venture near Southampton and asked if I would consider running a course on Writing Romance for them. We've been in discussion since and now we'v e finalised the details. And it won't just be me who'll be working with them.

So if you're in the south of England - ort anywhere within reach of Southampton, Hampshire, and you want to learn more about how to write Romance - or True Crime (with the Babe Magnet) how about this fabulous Grade 1 listed building as a place to stay- Well, the mews quarters of it, set in 32 acres of parkland -on a residential course? You'll also be able to use the swimming pool and it even has a tree house!

The Babe Magnet and I will be running a 2 day course there on 24th/25th April 2010. You can find the details here . Booking will start very soon. The details of Residential Training and contact information can be found here

Of course, if Wales is more accessible for you, I will still be running the Modern Romance course at Fishguard Writers' and Artists' Weekend in February (19th - 21st) 2010 with the wonderful Anne and Gerry Hobbs. That's at the Fishguard Bay Hotel in Pembrokeshire and full details of that event can be found on thr Writers' Holiday web site here.

And if you live in or near Derby, I'm hosting an event at the Central Library there this Wednesday

Here are the details:

Event: Reader Event – talk and Q&A

Date: Wednesday June 17thVenue: Derby Central Library Wardwick Derby

Time: 7-9.15pm, (Door open 6.45pm)

Telephone: 01332 641702 Enquiries and information

Complimentary drinks will be offered during an interval part way through the evening. Entrance is free but please ring to book.

There are more writers and readers events coming up throughout the rest of 2009 - details can be found on the Events page on my web site - where I'll be adding the Residential Training Southampton event details too just as oon as I can get organised.

Maybe I'll see you at one of them.