New Year New Look Part 1

What's on my mind? It's all about covers this week - you'll find out more soon. But I just discovered that my 'Wuthering Heights' book has been given a mini makeover with a new 'modernised cover' - and a fabulous sale price of 0.99p

The Return of the Stranger used to look like this:

Standing high on the windswept moors, the lone figure of Heath Montanha vows vengeance on the woman who destroyed the last fragments of his heart…

Lady Katherine Charlton has never forgotten the stable hand with dangerous fists and a troubled heart from her childhood. Now the rebel is back, his powerful anger concealed under a polished and commanding veneer.

When ten years of scandal and secrets are unleashed, with a passionate, furious kiss, Heath’s deepest, darkest wish crystallizes: revenge—and Kathy—will be his!

Now - with the new look cover it looks like this:

What do you think?

New Covers Reveal . . .

At last I can show you all the new covers for my January book - A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance. 

As you know, Harlequin Mills and Boon  are revamping the whole look of their  books  and  the covers have been radically redesigned - the same with Australia -   so I've been waiting until I could show you all three covers for my next title.

Here goes: 

The USA  cover stays the same - designers think that the long established white cover, red band and hero and heroine in a circle is iconic and will stay the same.



The new UK design - out January - is very different. What do you think?
BTW - my hero doesn't have  a beard - and he has jet black hair (see the USA cover!)






Finally - the new-design Australian cover



I think I like this one the best - what do you think?


 And the back cover 'blurb' is this:
Raoul Cardini will have his revenge! His preferred method? Ruthless, irresistible seduction!
Imogen O’Sullivan is horrified when charismatic tycoon Raoul breaks up her engagement and makes her his own convenient bride! She once surrendered everything to Raoul — body, heart and soul. But as he stalks back into her life it’s clear he has punishment in mind — not just passion. Can Imogen resist Raoul’s potent brand of delicious vengeance?


PS Don't forget that you can still enter the Christmas book giveaway - just leave a comment, telling me the most unusual Christmas gift you've given - or received.

Trying to catch up

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

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

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

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

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

Tote Bags Day

Today's my regular day for  blogging over on  the Tote Bags 'n' Blogs web site.   So that's where you'll find me.

I'm blogging about the joys of Autumn  and one of those joys if the imminent publication of my new book Indebted to Moreno.

I've just found a really lovely review for this book  from Arpita over on the Mills and Boon Web site

Kate Walker has used succinct repartee, wit , sparring dialogue, engrossing and engaging plot to keep the readers guessing what will happen next? It is truly an exceptional, brilliant page turner for those who love fantasy world to the nth degree. Go for it! A must buy for all! Unmissable!

Thank you so much Arpita!

And another of the joys of autumn is that on Wednesday I shall be heading for London  and the Association of Mills and Boon Authors annual lunch followed by the Harlequin Mills and Boon author party. I'm also having lunch with my  editor.. Can't wait to meet up with so many friends and catch up with all their news.

Oh yes - and I have a special treat - tickets to see Kenneth Branagh in The Entertainer.  So it's going to be a fun - if rather hectic week.

So  if I don't find time to blog very much, I'll catch up again on Sunday when we're back. 

In the 'news'

In the coffee shop- this morning,  I  opened a newspaper today to find, unexpectedly, that there was a familiar cover staring out at me from the centre of an article.

No Holding Back  was being used to illustrate an article ‘revealing’ that apparently Harlequin Mills& Boon novels now have   a ‘racy newlook’  and that this is apparently influenced by the success of the erotic novels  50 Shades of Grey etc.

Errr . . .

Well this might be sort of relevant if they hadn’t chosen a book of mine that came out in  1995 – and was re-released as a ‘Vintage’  M&B in 2012.   And if they’d been looking for an example of a raunchy cover, I’m sure a little effort could have unearthed  something rather less restrained, even in my own output since then.

The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge for example, or Kept For Her Baby.  Though the first of those is almost ten years old; the second only two years  younger  - published back in 2009.

The other  ‘recent’ covers cited  - on books by Sandra Marton and Kelly Hunter  are a good five years old  with Not For Sale and  Flirting with Intent both dating from  2011. The only actual up to date cover – from this month – is a Blaze title  by Nancy Warren  -  in which – shock horror – the heroine‘s shirt has slipped to reveal her modest  white bra.    So, according to the Daily Mail this is new and raunchy and influenced by 50 Shades . . . Oh, for heaven’s sake

It doesn’t take two minutes’ research to turn up an article  that claims, in the same stunned tones, that Mills and Boon have become  ‘Millsand Boom Boom’! – This time, apparently ‘influenced’ by the popularity of Black Lace erotic novels.  The two articles could quite easily be transposed – all that’s needed is that the names of the editors quoted and the  books that are ‘influencing’ the writers  can be swapped about and Shades of Grey becomes  Black  Lace  - and there you go!  

Not a hope in hell of considering that Harlequin  M&B authors have been influencing other popular fiction authors as we hold on to a large amount of the  novel selling market  with books that have had a wide variety of tones, voices, levels of sensuality and stories  - and continue to do so.  In today’s article,  amongst the hugely dated covers of books from the 30s, 40s, 50s (show me any novel with a cover that hasn‘t dated when it’s over 50 years old!) there is the comment by Joanne Grant, Mills & Boon executive editor:

Mills & Boon has adapted to reflect society and popular culture. You can really chart the changes because we have a history lasting over 100 years. In the past, the sex itself wasn't so obvious on the page. It was implied, and there was lots of sensuality so you could imagine what had happened behind closed doors, but it wasn't explored on the page. Now there are no worries about that – we can be very open.

But as any reader of Mills & Boon knows this isn’t something we’ve just discovered – or have been pushed into by the ‘influence’ of 50 Shades.  It’s part of the natural growth and changes in our books – and so many many others to reflect to society in which we’re writing and in which our readers are reading.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find that the ‘news’ about the books we’re publishing might at least be contemporary and not a good five years old or more.  I’m not holding my breath.

A Question of Honour

  Great way to start the day - I  took a look at the Mills & Boon  site and found a featured review of A Question of Honour

It's always great to know a reader has enjoyed you book.

A welcome return to form for Mrs Walker with an exciting and humourous beginning which draws the reader in for the whole book. 

Although I'm not overkeen on either Royal or Sheikh themes for most of the book this doesn't really feel like one. 

With great character exploration and dialogue, the fascinating Karim and dutiful but in no way boring Clemmie wrap themselves around your heart.

 Excellent read Ten out of ten 

Thanks 'R'!  That's set me up for a day's writing.

Catching up again

I'm not sure where the time has gone again.

Well, no - I do know where a lot of it went.

I was travelling, and meeting up with family and friends. With fellow authors. With editors.

I was in the beautiful city of  Cambridge  where I had a lovely family get together and a picnic in the sunshine (when we had sunshine, unlike today) on Jesus Green  after a visit to the outdoor swimming  pool. I met two of my sisters, one of  my brothers in law,  my nephew, and I met my  great niece  for the first time. A memorable afternoon.
In Cambridge I also went to the book launch of a dear friend who was celebrating  the publication of her very first book. You met Anna Sugden when she came  to this blog to join in the 40 for 40 celebrations and I was so happy to be able to join her at her launch party  on the same day as the family picnic - great organising that put both events on the same day.

Home from Cambridge, I just had time to turn round, unpack, do some laundry, pack again -  and head for London.

London was where the annual Association of Mills & Boon Authors lunch was held in the Reading and Writing Room (appropriately enough) of One Whitehall Place - Part of the Royal Horseguards Hotel.  The  guest list there read like a who's who of romance writing. Liz Fielding, Sarah Morgan,  Sharon Kendrick, Fiona  Harper,  Heidi Rice, Kate Hardy, Kate Hewitt,  . . .  If I went on, I'd fill the whole blog with names. There were also the new writers, Michelle Smart, Anna Sugden, Rachel Brimble, Victoria Pembroke, Christy McKellen and brand-new, only just signed Jessica Gilmore.  I also met up with new friend CC Coburn for the first time, face to face. Again, you met her here on this blog last month.

We were given wonderful  'Books are My Bag' goodie bags (thanks to Kate Hardy for letting me borrow the photo - my gift of chocolate didn't survive the Babe Magnet on the journey home!)  Kate also has some great photos of the venue etc on her blog. I didn't take my camera, so I'm relying on her.

She also has pics of the  Meridien Hotel  where the authors'  cocktail party was held  by Harlequin Mills & Boon. Another fabulous venue with  Rossinis (strawberries and champagne) and other delights.  So many new editors to meet and only I  just had time to chat with my own lovely editor before the evening ended. You can read about this event from an editor's point of view over on I Heart Presents.
I want to thank  Fiona Harper,  Heidi Rice and Sharon Kendrick for organising such a fantastic AMBA lunch. And of course I also need to thank Harlequin Mills and Boon for the fabulous cocktail party afterwards.

But there were two other treats in London - as part of the 40th celebrations - I've forgotten how many of the  '40 Special Things' we have crossed off on our list so far  but these two were really special. Well, they were for a theatre fan like me.  The Wednesday evening was spent at the National Theatre watching Othello starring Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear. And Thursday  evening was at the Gielgud Theatre to see Noel Coward's Private Lives  starring Toby Stephens and Anna Chancellor.
Both were totally fabulous - very different, but wonderful in their own ways.  Fabulous.

So now it's back down to earth and to work for a while. There are other events  coming up but for now I need to concentrate on writing.

Which reminds me - if you are interested in  writing and thinking about writing a romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon, don't forget that the annual writing contest - So  You Think You Can Write -  has started again  for this year. You can read all the details on the SYTYCW home page and here, again on I Heart  Presents.

And if you are interested in writing romance  and have ever thought about coming on one of my courses then I have some news for you coming up. 

Watch this space.

Making me smile

Well that was a hectic week - celebrating my birthday seemed to go on for a couple of days.

Thank you so much to everyone who sent such lovely birthday messages and greetings. I appreciated every one of them - they all made me smile.

And here's another thing that's made me smile - I just discovered that over on the Mills and Boon site where A  Throne for the Taking is now on sale -   it's at #1 in their bestseller chart!  That has made my day.

Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy to put it in this special place.  Even the  rain that is bucketing down outside (Spring? What happened to spring?) can't dampen my spirits.

TV star!

I was on TV yesterday.

Well, not me  actually - not in person. But my name and one of my books was prominently displayed.
There is a programme called The Intern  on Channel 4 in the UK where three young hopefuls are given the chance to work in their chosen jobs as interns for a week, and hopefully one of them  will end up with a job  as a winner.    Last night's episode was  described like this: Three more young hopefuls are given a week's trial in the job of their dreams at publisher Mills & Boon.

So the programme was set in the Mills & Boon offices in Richmond, with lots of scenes showing the editorial department, lots of insights into the way the editors and marketing work,

The walls of the Richmond offices are decorated with  big, blow up copies of book covers from all the lines and all the decades that Mills and Boon have been publishing.  And there amongst them, was a poster size copy of the cover  I have on  here -  No Holding Back  - which was published in  1995. 

The 'half a heart'  style covers didn't last very long. No one in the bookshops bothered to display them as they were designed - with two books next to each other to make a  whole 'heart' when appearing on the shelves! But I have to admit I did like the covers when they were in a range of colours so that the books didn't look quite so regimented and  'all the same'.


You can see the programme  replayed here  if you are in the right area. I hope it works for you.

Oh - and No Holding Back has been republished in  both the Harlequin Treasury and the  Mills & Boon Vintage ebook collections.  (It's currently only £1.80  or $2.74 right now)

Bag A Bargain

To mark the success of the Olympics,  Mills & Boon is offering a huge special sale with 70% off a huge selection of titles - both print and ebooks over on their Mills & Boon  web site.

Along with many others you can grab yourself a copy of The Devil and Miss Jones for just 0.99p -print or ebook! That's  a reduction from the original price of £3.49  saving £2.50!

Lots of other books on offer too. So if you haven't already grabbed a copy of The Devil and Miss Jones, now's your chance - with a great saving!

But hurry - this offer closes at 12 noon BST tomorrow August 13th!

Do you dream of being a published romance author? If so, Harlequin and Mills & Boon has a great opportunity for you —  the  So You Think You Can Write online writing event and contest is back for the third year, and this time it’s bigger and better than ever!

This year’s So You Think You Can Write event is going worldwide. Editorial offices in Toronto, New York, the UK and even Australia are joining forces for the week-long virtual conference in September and writing contest where one lucky winner will get their series romance published! Readers can also get involved by voting for their favorite entries in the contest.

For more details about the event — including the official press release and some tips from  editors if you want to get started on your submission — can be found at soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com.

More updates and fun stuff will be posted in the coming months, too, and follow SYTYCW on Twitter at @sytycwglobal and with hashtag #sytycw2012, or on the new Facebook page for up-to-the-minute news.


 I'm planning on posting some craft posts - perhaps a craft Q&A to  offer help to those of you who want to  submit an entry to SYTYCW this time - but what do you want to know about?   Post some questions in the comments  and I'll answer them for you.

Also, next month -  July 13th - 16th, I'll be at the RNA Conference in Penrith, I'm giving a talk there on how to put  the Emotional Punch into your romance novel - so when I come back I'll post the notes from that session too.

Any questions on Emotion/Emotional Punch you want to ask?

And if you're going to the RNA Conference then I'll see you there!

Pink Tuesday

To celebrate Valentine's Day,  the Mills and Boon web site is launching Pink Tuesday  with discounts and special deals - so why not check out the site from midnight tonight?And  while you're there you can see my newly released title The Devil and Miss Jones which, I'm thrilled to see, already has two five star (well - five roses!) reviews  -

One simply says "I couldn't put this book down, loved it"

And here's the other - 

A scintillating page-turner with the adorable Carlos one of the most appealing heroes in a long time complemented by an appealing modern day heroine in Martha and a cracking good plot and dialogue.

This is a little gem - everything a Modern M&B should be which had me wanting to cheer at the end!

Can't ask for more than that!  Thank you to those two kind readers.

Oh - and tomorrow being Valentine's Day that means that
a. The workshop in Brigg Lincolnshire is on in the afternoon - 1.30 - 4.30 at The Angel Suite - and, yes,  to those who have asked,  you can still turn up at the door if you haven't yet booked tickets. I think we'll have space for you

and
b. The annual Here Come the Grooms contest launches once more with Liz Fielding and Anne McAllister - so call back here for details of how to enter tomorrow.

Winners - but you can't win em all!

I have some winners from the recent stages of the Big Blog Tour to announce.

Romance Book Paradise's winner was Kiru Taye
Lucy Monroe's Winner was Sunu
Kyle Griffin's winner is Sonali
The Minxes of Romance winner in Tash NZ

And talking of winners - I have had a couple of reviews in for The Return of The Stranger -  four to be exact  - and they illustrate perfectly just how  really a review is one person's opinion.  Some people love what you write -  some don't like it  . . . .  So in the interests of fairness, here are all of the reviews, you  can take your choice which one(s) you agree with when you read the book!

OK - so
Over on Everyday is the Same  blog, Rebecca has set herself the challenge of reading 365 books in 365 days.  She's currently halfway so go and cheer her on! Congratulations on getting this far Rebecca.
To encourage her in her challenge I sent her a copy of The Return of The Stranger recently - and she has reviewed  it (she's also reviewed The Good Greek Wife? and A Proud Wife) and here's what she has to say:

Wow, this one intense book. In her 'Dear Reader' letter, Kate Walker mentions how she wanted her 'Heathcliff' and 'Cathy' to learn about love and have their happy ending that they could never have had in 'Wuthering Heights', she has certainly acheived that. The journey that Heath and Kat go on together is spectacular, making that HEA even more special!
This book does not have a lot of dialogue (just so you know!), it's more brooding, backward reflecting, and dark - as it should be, after all this is a rework of a VERY deep and intense book. I think Kate Walker has done a fantastic job of keeping this book flowing even with all the reflection/flashbacks. The passion and chemistry between the hero and heroine it litteraly sizzling, always bubbling away under the surface and when it explodes, boy does it explode!
The whole book is gripping and passionate from start to finish. A great read.

What can I say but Thank you Rachel!  A review from a reader rather than a 'professional' is always appreciated.

Next up - The Good The Bad and The Unread . . . this  is a long review by Lynne Connelly and as I said to her I think this is more of a review of  a modernised version of Wuthering Heights (what she calls a re-envisioning of WH)- not a Modern Romance/Presents romance written on the themes of WH which is what The Return of The Stranger is.   It's a long review - so here's just a snippet -

Kate Walker is a writer of immense experience in writing the 50,000-word romance, particularly for the Mills and Boon Modern line (reprinted in the US as Harlequin Presents). She is also academically linked with the novels of the Brontes. But she is never anything but a professional, and in her retake on the classic, she’s trimmed the characters, rejigged the story and characters, and turned Emily Bronte’s astonishing debut into a satisfactory romance.
She has also trimmed the wildness and the insanity of the original. But how do you tame that and have something left?

Hmmm - I  have to say that  for me personally, reducing the original Wuthering Heights to the 'wildness and insanity'  cited here and saying that without it you don't 'have something left'  is to do just that -reduce it.  WH is much more than a story of the wild elemental love of Heathcliff and Cathy, it's a story of society, or power, possession, of the different generations, of  heredity - and mmost of all it's told by a series of narrators who aren't trustwothy . . . and that's before we look at the second generation. But I wasn't asked to reproduce Wuthering Heights  but create a romance using the book as inspiration -  so as far as I'm concerned that's all that it should be judged on.

Romantic Times has a review that damns with faint praise:

The novel starts slowly, with more telling than showing, and although Walker incorporates emotionally charged flashbacks, they’re distracting and repetitive. But for readers who enjoy a brooding hero and a somber tone, this novel might appeal.

As I said you can't win them all. Interesting isn't it that  some people love that 'brooding hero and sombre tone', some people find I haven't been brooding and sombre enough  . . . . (I'd dispute that point about repetitive flashbacks though.)

Finally -  to end on a high - another of those valuable reviews - from a reader - over on the Mills & Boon site - this one really makes me happy as it comes from a reader who , like me, has Wuthering Heights as one of her favourite classic novels.
Wow. I was really sceptic at first about reading a rewrite of one of my favourite classics but Kate did a brilliant job.

Firstly in the original I didnot like Katherine coz I thought she was too selfish and mean too Heathcliffe. I adored Heath and I always wanted a happy ending for him.

So thanks Kate, you gave my hero the ending he deserved. Also by changing Katherine's characther the story evolved like a true MB should.

Let's not make too much of a comparison but enjoy this book in the spirit of the two eternal star crossed lovers. It is a keeper and I have given it place next to the original Book not that I am saying it is on the same level but a gentle glimpse of what should have been.....but didnot.
Thank you Sadhana!

So there you are. It's  always easy  to quote some random reviews that claim this  - or any other book - is absolutely wonderful - but these are four different reviews I found today so I thought I'd share them with you.  Which one describes the book best? Well, that's really up to you - and in many ways it doesn't matter because it's what you think of the book and whether you enjoy it that counts!

But talking about Wuthering Heights reminds me of a special extra contest  - as a result of my visit to Haworth to talk about The Return of the Stranger  - that's coming up over the weekend.
Watch out for that!

Writing Tips from M&B

Are you still polishing your NV entry?
Or have you uploaded that and now you're hard at work finishing the book that goes with the the first chapter?

Or are you working on something new?  You're not just sitting back and waiting for that contratct/the prizewinning announcement to come to you  are you?

Anyway,  to encourage you to keep going - give you lots of ideas and tips to help you on your way M&B have produced a free ebooklet  with  advice in it.

The book’s here – though please note it’s in epub format, so you’ll need Adobe digital editions to open it. (Or, if you’re using an iPad, the Bluefire app will sort it for you.)

From Mills & Boon Facebook page

Nottingham Library Royal Romance Workshop - led by Kate Walker
Location Nottingham Central Library

Angel Row, Nottingham, NG1 6HP

Mills & Boon are hosting a series of royal romance writing workshops for aspiring authors to learn the secrets of writing a successful royal romance novel. Mills & Boon author KATE WALKER will be leading this writing workshop at Nottingham Central Library.

This is a FREE event but booking is recommended.

Tickets are available from the Help Desk on the Ground Floor of Nottingham Central Library, contact 0115 915 2825.
Check out the author's latest books before attending this event:

THE PROUD WIFE http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/books/Modern/The-Proud-Wife.htm

MEDITERRANEAN TYCOONS http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/books/Special-Releases/Mediterranean-Tycoons-.htm

This is only one of the planned workshops - for details on other events coming up in different parts of the country, check out  Mills & Boon Facebook page here

Royal Romance - Workshop

Mills and Boon are really getting into the spirit of the upcoming roaylk wedding -  they've brought out a  ommemorative Limited Edition Royal Wedding mug – with a Mills & Boon twist.


The mug features William and Kate’s names and the wedding date on one side and the Mills & Boon logo on the reverse.

They're also running workshops on how to write a royal (or any style) romance   where aspiring novelists can meet and learn from established M&B authors in libraries all over the country.

I've been asked to run one of these workshops and the details have just been finalised  so I can let you know that I'll be running my workshop in Nottingham.
Here are the details:
Mills & Boon Royal Romance Writing Workshop

Nottingham Central Library,
Wednesday 13th April, 2 - 4pm.


With the nation swept up in the romance of the Royal Wedding, Mills & Boon are hosting a series of royal romance workshops for aspiring authors to learn the secrets of writing a successful royal romance novel.


This is a FREE event but booking is recommended.

Tickets are available from the Help Desk on the Ground Floor of Nottingham Central Library,

 Contact 0115 915 2825

I've also been approached and asked to run another week long  writing course - probably starting in 2012 - in a very special place - more details as soon as they're finalised and I can let you know.

Oh - and today I'm blogging over on Romance Bandits  where I'm talking about covers - old and new - so why not join me over there and you'll have a chance to win copies of  my latest USA release The Proud Wife and the award winning Konstantos Marriage Demand.

Have Your Say

There's a new section over on the Mills & Boon web site - ir's called Have Your Say - and here editor Flo Nicholls explains all about it -

The eagle-eyed community regulars amongst you might have noticed a new banner on the Mills & Boon home page, intriguingly called Have Your Say. But what’s it all about, and why should you check it out?




Well, some pretty major technological advances have actually been going on behind the scenes at Romance HQ in the last few months. Some of you might remember the Mills & Boon Monitor Panel, where we asked you to submit your monthly thoughts on our books. We’re pleased to announce that, after a brief disappearance to allow for its snazzy makeover, the monitor panel is back up and running, this time online, and with the brand new name of Have Your Say.

But why is your opinion so important to Romance HQ?


Mills & Boon is unique in being the only publisher that corresponds directly with its readers to actively solicit feedback. Not only do we love to know what you make of the books (we have a monthly departmental meeting largely dedicated to assessing reader feedback, it’s completely fascinating), we also use this information to shape our editing strategies: after all, we want to make sure we’re delivering books you actually want to read!


In short, Romance HQ would be nothing without its fabulously loyal and passionate fan base! We’re also 100% dedicated to asking for, listening and hopefully catering to your romance-reading wishes. So, the message this week is simple - visit Have Your Say, enjoy the easy step-by-step reviewing process and share your thoughts! From the amazing variety of responses to this blog, you’re clearly all readers with strong, interesting and constructive opinions – exactly the type of feedback we want to be getting.

What are you waiting for?! If you fancy playing a part in shaping the Mills & Boon books of the future, log on  and get reviewing!

And on a personal note,  while you're visiting the Mills & Boon web site - take a look at the Top 10 bestsellers list. At the beginning of the month The Proud Wife was up there at #1 for several weeks and now, at the end of the month, it has jumped back in at #4 again!  And it's never been out of the Top Ten M&B books over on Amazon all month!

All I can say  to the wonderful readers who have bought my book to put it on the list  is - thank you!

Remeber how I mentiuoned the fabulous banner at the top of my web site pages - the one for The Proud Wife?  That is the work of my brilliant web designer  -  Heather Reed from HR Web Concepts who maintains my site and keeps it up to date  regularly - well, as regularly as I send her updates! 

Heather also runs the  great site  We Write Romance where you'll find reviews and articles - and where I blog every month in Kate's Corner.

This morning Heather contacted me with the news that her new project, a new site called We Read Romance is now functioning  and will be live from now on. And she also sent me  a fabulous  review of The Proud Wife   that one of her reviewers has written for the launch of the new site.

I thought I'd share this with you as it really made my day:

Intensely emotional, Kate Walker’s The Proud Wife turns a red-hot love affair with devastating loss into one of the most endearing tales I’ve read in a long time. Filled to the brim with gut wrenching confusion and love, this story allows you to see how miscommunication and circumstances can often cause people who rush head first into marriage to need a break to find perspective. What it also shows is that often first instincts can be just the ticket.


Sicilian Tycoon Pietro D’Inzeo knew he wanted Marina at their first meet, and an unplanned pregnancy certainly gave him the excuse he needed to push their affair to the next level–only circumstances cause the two to separate. But after two years when they’re about to make their divorce final, they realize it’s near impossible to really let each other go!

Ms. Walker’s voice rings proud and true in The Proud Wife–a must-read in my book!

Thank you so much Larissa.  I'm starting my day with a smile on my face aftereading your review.  One of the reviewers on the M&B site also loved this book - calling it a Modern Masterpiece. 

And perhaps even better, a reader who  said that : I don't normally read Modern Mills & Boon stories as I find the plots very repetetive. " added - "I was pleasantly surprised by this book and really enjoyed the way Kate Walker wrote this story. It was actually believable.  I will read other books by Kate Walker. "

Now that's a real compliment and it's put me in a really great mood to tackle the  proofs  of The Return of The Stranger that arrived while I was in Wales.  Not my favourite job but one that will go so much better as a result of these great reviews.

I'd like to know . . .

I'm working on a post about  Voice -  developing/identifying/pushing your voice to maximise its potential as asked by Jane on Facebvook but while I'm doing that - I was reading another post this morning and I'd really really like to know your thoughts and opinions on it.

So - over on the Mills & Boon web site  editor Flo Nicholls has a great regular column - and right now she's asking an interesting, provoking and possible controversial question -

Cheating: The Last Taboo?

This is a topic that was raised  briefly at the RNA Conference in  summer and I just kew it wold come back again. So now Flo is opening up the discussion  and she's asking these questions -

+ Can infidelity work as a romance theme for you, and why?
+ What would cause you to lose or retain sympathy with the protagonists?
+ Does it make a difference if it’s the hero or heroine cheating?
+ What actually constitutes cheating – sex / kissing / emotional infidelity?
+ When and where have you seen it work well before – think TV / films / books?

+ And, most crucially to us, is it something you want to see tackled more often in your M&B books?

I have my own opinions - and I'll discuss those later - when I get a moment - and I also don't want to influenced anyone right now.   But  I really would love to know what you think.

On the M&B site  you have to join the community to answer Flo - though that just takes a couple of seconds and you'll be able to join in any of the other discussions too.  I'm sure Flo will appreciate any contributions to the discussion.

Or you can answer here - or both! If you do post a response in either [place please let me know because I really would like to know what you think.    
Thanks!

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.