40 for 40 - India Grey

Some people you just remember exactly where and when you met them. India Grey is one of those  people.  The Magnet and I had been invited to a party at Susan Stephens'  house. We had just negotiated a parking space close to the house when  the driver of the car parked in front emerged in a flurry of long, silky dark hair. When we realised we were heading in the same direction, she introduced herself as India Grey and, fizzing with excitement, produced  her very first copy of her not-yet-published book  The Italian's Defiant Mistress. I understood that excitement - it might be years ago now, but I still remember how it felt.
Another thing India and I share is our preference for understated weddings -  my wedding (to the Magnet of course!)  and hers sound really very similar - including the 'straight out of university'  bit.  Perhaps it's one of the reasons why we write romance - the real romance of a wedding is in the love between the bride and groom.
So India's post made me smile  as it brought back another memory. This time one of 40 years ago . . .

Thank you India - and welcome:

With an immensely successful career and 61 books (and counting) covering just about every luxurious setting imaginable, from grand palaces to exotic white-sanded beaches, there’s not much you could tell Kate Walker about the trappings of love. She’s a world-class expert, the Empress of Romance, so it might come as a bit of a surprise that she chose to spend her 40^th wedding anniversary, not in a posh hotel in Paris or a villa on the beach in St Lucia but in student accommodation in Sheffield. (A decision applauded by her many friends also at the RNA Conference this weekend!)

When Kate invited me to write a post to mark this special celebration it made my thoughts turn to weddings, and specifically the ones I’ve written in my books. It struck me that, although the books are about people who are wealthy and powerful enough to have the kind of nuptials which would cost enough to fund the NHS for a year and would warrant a pull-out souvenir section in OK! Magazine, they never actually do. Almost all of the weddings I’ve written have been tiny, private, sometimes even secret, because to me those are about a squillion times more romantic than the Windsor State Circus-style ones. When I got married,

straight out of university and reeling with love and laziness, I bought my dress from the first shop I went into – a vintage clothing shop where they had a grand total of two to choose from. (Since then, looking back at the photographs, I’ve often thought that a little more attention to boring details like finding one that actually fitted properly might not have been a bad thing...)

Having just written another very modest wedding in the book I’m currently working on (this time in wartime and featuring a borrowed dress, a bouquet picked from a neighbour’s garden and a buffet comprising bloater paste sandwiches and almost-fruitless fruit cake) I was interested to find out what kind of wedding Kate and Steve had. I suppose what I really mean is that I had an idea what I thought their wedding would have been like, and I was interested to find out if I was right. So, when I tentatively asked, ‘was it lavish?’ I probably would have fallen down the stairs (for that was where this conversation took place – you have to grab your chances whenever you can at the RNA conference, particularly with the perennially in demand Ms Walker!) if she’d sighed and said, ‘Oh yes... Six tiny bridesmaids in ankle-length silk spilling out of a fleet of vintage Rolls Royces and a reception for two hundred at the local country club...’

No. A dress made by her new mother in law, an heirloom veil from her Irish grandmother (the original Kate Walker). A reception of about twenty family members and close friends. ‘I didn’t really care who came...’ she admitted, and I knew what she meant. Because Steve was there and that was all that mattered. I guess that’s all that matters still, forty years later. And that’s why Sheffield was as good a place to celebrate as St Lucia.

Happy anniversary, Kate and Steve, and thank you for sharing your celebration with us here, and in Sheffield at the weekend.

I'd love to hear about other people's wonderful, low-key or spontaneous celebrations, whether for weddings or anniversaries or birthdays or anything else, and have two books from my back catalogue (the

wartime wedding book being still in progress) that feature the most understated weddings to give away: Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride and Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire’s Pleasure – plus chocolate, because books and chocolate go together like books and chocolate.

With three daughters of my own fast approaching wedding age I could do with storing up some ideas!

Reading

Sunday afternoon and yesterday, a migraine kept me away from the keyboard so I had a rare opportunity/excuse for some concentrated reading. For the first time in ages I worked my way through three of the recently published Modern Romance titles, one after the other and thoroughly enjoyed myself.

What I loved about the experience was the way that each of these three titles was so typically a Modern Romance with the passion, sensuality, sophistication and emotional intensity that the line demands, and yet they were very clearly individual works by very different authors each with their own special voice and unique approach to the demands of the line.

First was Abby Green's Ruthlessly Bedded, Forcibly Wedded - with a vulnerable but spirited heroine and a hero who started out cold-bloodedly determined on revenge but then had to learn how wrong he was and gradually change his mind. Cara's confrontation with Vincenzo at the very public setting of the ballroom shows she's no pushover and his the journey of growth from avenger to lover was so clearly marked out - no miraculous 'conversion' at the end which made this so satisfying.

India Grey is still a 'newbie' author in the numbers of her books but with her RNA Romance Prize win she's already marked herself out as an author to watch and her latest release Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride will continue that reputation. Personally I've always loved a wounded and tormented hero and Tristan is certainly that. His icy cold facade is so obviously (to the reader) a shield put up to protect his more vulnerable self that the reader can't wait to see it shatter into a thousand pieces - which it does of course! And Lily's warmth and giving is a natural foil to Tristan's brutal control so that you just know she will eventually break through to him and teach him how to love.


Finally, a book that I'd been keeping for a personal treat and when I finally got to read it, it didn't disappoint. But then a romance by Michelle Reid never does. Marchese's Forgotten Bride is a reunion story with a twist - As the title reveals, the hero - Sandro - has lost all memory of his time with Cassie six years before. And so when they meet up again the past reaches out to grab him with a violence and shock that devastates him. I totally believed in Sandro's reasons for the way guilt had wiped the vital 6 weeks from his mind and taken all memory of Cassie with itWhat I loved about this book was the way that the feelings each had had for the other in the past were revealed as swiftly and urgently as they had done when they had first met so that the passionate relationship was once more - seemingly - back on track very fast. But there was one vital element of Sandro's past that hadn't yet been revealed and to have that brought to light just when it seemed that everything was going to fell into place had an impact that was all the more potent because of the reconciliation that had already been growing.

So if I couldn't work on my own book I had a lovely time reading these three great stories - books that reminded me yet again that no matter how many ill informed critics sneer and declare that romances are all the same, there are plenty of very distinct and individual and talented voices in the line-up. Voices that brought me to romance over 25 years ago and still keep me interested now.

All About Alphas 18 India Grey

I think today is the last of my alpha posts by other authors - that is, unless I go hunting through my files and find that there's someone I've missed (if you're reading this and it's you - please email me!)

I've found all the posts by my fellow authors fascinating. Each of them seems to have added another layer to the complex patchwork that makes up an alpha male - and some people think he's simply, rich, powerful and arrogant! Hmmm . . .

Over the next couple of days I'll be winding this up - as I said, there are a couple of questions yet to deal with - and if you have anything you need to ask, something you're still not clear about, please post your queries now. After this comprehensive survey, I don't plan on coming back to the alpha hero at any point in the not too distant future - except to create them in my books of course!

So for our last look comment from another author, we'll go out on a high - with talented India Grey who of course won the RNA Romance Prize this year with her book Mistress Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure. And she's just heard that she won the Romantic Times Best Presents Extra for another book, Angelo's Captive Virgin.

To me the appeal of the alpha is that on a practical level, no matter where
you are or what's happening all around you he's a man who can take charge. Not
in a bossy, controlling way, but with quiet, reassuring capability that lets you
know you're in safe hands.



In a society where the major equality battles have been fought and won, and
where women not only 'have it all' but often 'do it all' too, I think there's
something incredibly appealing about the idea of being looked after. It's a
biological need that must have been programmed into us from the time of our
earliest, cave-dwelling ancestors: they needed a man who could protect them from
sabre-toothed tigers, and keep them well supplied with furs and good meat when
they were pregnant and breast-feeding.



Nowadays we have zoos and Marks and Spencers, so the survival element isn't
so imperative, but I still believe women respond instinctively to men who embody
those qualities of strength, capability and assurance; particularly when they
are combined with slightly more post-Neanderthal things like integrity, honour,
loyalty and fierce, incisive intelligence.

India's next book in Presents is Taken for Revenge, Bedded For Pleasure - and look out for the M&B Modern release, Spanish Aristocrat, Forced Bride in September in the UK

The ruthless tycoon and the virgin heiress

Dangerously handsome Olivier Moreau has everything: power, money, and endless women warming his bed. But there is one thing Olivier is still hungry for: revenge on the Lawrence family! What better vengeance than to seduce innocent Bella Lawrence…and cast her aside when he’s had his fill?

An eye for an eye, a heart for a heart. But when cold, calculating revenge turns to red-hot passion, Olivier has no intention of letting her go… She’ll stay right where he wants her – in his bed!

And the winners are

The results from yesterday's awards lunch are that Julia Gregson won the Romantic Novel of the Year award with East of the Sun



Chair of the judges Alice O'Keeffe, books editor at The Bookseller, said East of the Sun was about "lots of different kinds of love". "There's the true love they're looking for, the love they develop for India the country, and the deep friendships they establish."


And - appropriately enough after that mention of India - the winner of the Romance Prize for 2009 was lovely India Grey with her book Mistress, Hired for The Billionaire's Pleasure.

I'm thrilled for India as she is a dear friend and this book is a great read. USA readers may want to know that Mistress, Hired For The Billionaire's Pleasure is on sales in Presents Extra this month.

The judges said that they were impressed by the "sheer verve and style" of the book which they described as "a model of romance, well-written and memorable with a clever plot featuring a lovely heroine and a gorgeous hero."

Congratulations, India!

And if you want to go and offer India your congratulations personally, you can visit her blog here

No one got both winners right but Jane did pick India's book so Jane if you get in touch with me (kate AT kate-walker.com) I'll send you a little something to celebrate too

RNA Romance Prize

Romance Prize celebrates shorter fiction alongside the Romantic Novel Of The Year

The Romantic Novelists’ Association, who will announce the shortlist for the Romantic Novel of the Year award on 13th January, is also honouring writers of shorter romances such as those published by Harlequin Mills and Boon.

“Although both awards celebrate novels with a high romantic content,” explains Catherine Jones, Chairman of the RNA, “the Romance Prize honours the most memorable stories set around a single theme that concentrates on the developing love affair.”

The Romance Prize will be presented at the RNA’s Awards Lunch on 10th February 2009 at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington.

The winner will be selected from the following books:

What's Love Got to Do With It? - Lucy Broadbent (Little Black Dress, Headline)

The Wild Card - Beth Elliott (Robert Hale)

Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure - India Grey (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Sold to the Highest Bidder - Kate Hardy (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Saying Yes to the Millionaire - Fiona Harper (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Promoted to Wife and Mother - Jessica Hart (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Fiona Harper has been short-listed before, and both Jessica Hart and Kate Hardy are past winners. Kate Hardy, who won in 2008 with Breakfast at Giovanni’s, had this to say: "Winning the Romance Prize has been the highlight of my career to date, and it's certainly opened up opportunities. I'm very proud to have won the award and to be part of the RNA - and have been delighted by messages of support over the year. I even had a personal letter of congratulations from the chancellor of the University of Leicester!"

The shortlist will be judged by Margaret James, creative writing teacher for the London School of Journalism and regular columnist with Writing Magazine; Paul Reizin, writer, producer and journalist; and Linda Leatherbarrow, prize-winning short story writer, reviewer and MA lecturer at Middlesex.

Many congratulations to all the authors shortlisted

Centenary Exhibition Launch

The hotel at which I was staying in Manchester was directly opposite Manchester Central Library. So the very first sign of the Centenary Exhibition that I spotted was the huge pink banner flapping in the wind as it hung outside the the main library building. This banner was advertising the "And Then He Kissed Her" exhibition, celebrating 100 years of Mills and Boon. .
Manchester Public Library is a huge public buildings has a domed central area bigger than the British Museum Reading Room. The exhibition is situated outside the Social Science Library on the first floor.

The Babe Magnet and I walked across the road and into the library building at just after 6.30 to attend the launch. In the library we were directed to the first floor where we were greeted and welcomed by Rose Ryan, Fiction & Reader Development Coordinator, Manchester Library and Information Service and one of the librarians responsible for organising the exhibition. Thank you Rose for appearing just at that 'Help - do I know anyone here!' moment and making us feel welcome. Rose directed us to where the glasses of wine and soft drinks were laid out, instructed us to help ourselves and then, after making sure that I had spotted someone I knew, went back to her meeting and greeting duties.

I think the first face I recognised was that of Linda Fildew, Senior Editor and M&B. We had spotted her earlier in the afternoon while we were getting to know a bit more of our way round the city, but she was on the oppposite side of the street. Now we were able to catch up a little more - remembering the time when she had actually been my editor (one of many and a good few years ago.)

After that I met up with other M&B authors and editors, Jenny Hutton and Sally Williamson, India Grey (seen here with the Magnet)and her handsome husband, new Historical author, Melinda Hammond, Medical author Gill (Roger) Sanderson. I also met Laura and Digby members of the team from MIDAS, the PR company organising the publicity for these very special Centenary celebrations.

And I spent a long time chatting with Sarah and Bethany from M&B PR. We talked about a Centenary event I'm booked for - giving a workshop at one of Manchester's other libraries, and discussed another project that I hope will work out - if it does, I'll tell you more about that soon.



The long room was decorated with huge vases of flowers and in one corner the Hallé singers, mostly dressed appropriately in pink, sang a selection of love sings, starting, of course, with And then He Kissed Her.




There were a few short speeches including one from Claire Somerville from M&B who weclomed us all to the exhibition, pointed out just how far the company had come in its 100 years. She then explained that the two gentlemen in dinner jackets and bow ties were our Mills & Boon 'heroes' for the night. They would be showing people round the exhibition and she encouraged us to 'take advantage of them.' The 'heroes' didn't look too concerned at the though of being taken advantage of.

I met up with both of these guys later and was able to find out a little more about them. (These were the details I had to check because I knew you'd want to know about them!) Phil Rowson (on left) was there in his role as Irish smoulderer Jack Riordan (from Jack Riordan's Baby by Anne Mather). And although he is actually from Lancashire, his accent was good enough to charm and convince me - and I'm someone who hates fake 'stage' Irish.

The other hero was playing one of those popular Greek Tycoons. And I was surprised and delighted to find that his role was actually that of a Greek hero I've 'met' in discussion with his author - but the book hasn't yet been published. Andonis Anthony (right)was playing Leo Christakis the hero from the upcoming The Greek's Forced Bride by my special friend Michelle Reid. Both these books are of course by famous and bestselling M&B novelists from the North of England, appropriately for the setting of the event.





Sadly I missed being escorted round the exhibition by either of the 'heroes' - I was so busy talking ! But Rose Ryan and her colleague Libby Tempest, National Year of Reading Co-ordinator for Manchester did have fun posing for photographs full of passion and romance with them for the press!

I did catch up on the real reason why we were all there before I left.

The exhibition is set around part of one of the curving corridors, with glass cases showing covers and a brief note from various periods from 1908 until the present day. There was the first copy of the first book ever published by the company after it was founded in 1908. This was Arrows from The Dark by Sophie Cole and it was signed of the flyleaf by both Gerald Mills and Charles Boon.

There are some fascinating items of memorabilia from the early days of the publishing house, including a little book entitled "How to live without servants", and a letter to the editors written by Jack London, from the deck of his yacht in 1914.

Mills and Boon didn't always specialise in romance, but started as a general publisher, but in the 1920's realised where its real future lay and concentrated on the romance genre. At first, it had writers like Jack London and John Buchan, but that gave way to Mary Burchall, the first superstar of Mills and Boon. A book, set between the cases, gives the company biographies of some of these women. It was a thrill to see one of my own loans to the exhibition - a 1940s hardback by Mary Burchell entitled Nobody Asked Me on display here.

I had loaned several other books from my collection (it's very difficult to find hardbacks with dust jackets) and you can see some of them in this case too. Including the one where the lady in the pink dress in the middle of the case is the heroine of the wonderfully titled 'Mystery at Butlins'! I can only assume that in the 1950s/60s Butlins was considered an exotic holiday destination.



On the way out of the exhibition - or on the way in if you were not busy looking to see if there was anyone you knew as I had been - there is a brilliant piece of original artwork made up of Mills & Boon covers cut up and moulded into the shape of a corset. This is described like this:

The artist who made the corset sculpture is Ros Burgin. The piece is called ' Stays, Holds and Ties' and is made from M&B covers, gold thread, fabric and steel, and marks 100 years of stories about women's choices and the way their relationships affect change in their lives. It's a stunning and creative image.

The reception was officially supposed to last just 2 hours, but the wine was so generously provided, the conversation and the exhibition so interesting that people were still there over half an hour later. (My apologies to the library staff who had to work late - the event was so brilliantly organised that everyone was reluctant to leave). Even the wine was so appropriately named - Love Saves The Day!

Thank you so much to Rose Ryan who organised everything so wonderfully, to everyone at Manchester library for your friendly reception, and to MIDAS PR for your part in a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

12 Point Guide 2 - More winners!

I have more winners! Some of my wonderful guests have picked t names from the people who have commented and they have let me know who has won their prize - so - fanfare and trumpets - here are the lucky winners:

Trish Morey's winner is "Alissa who said in response to Natasha's q - "I like hearing about the trips author's have planned and how this influences their upcoming books". Will keep that in mind for my own website updates in light of upcoming trip later this year!"

Natasha Oakley herself chose Mulberry for her helpful comment " Thinking about author's websites, most of what I would say has already been covered, but I feel for me the main thing is to get a sense of the person behind the books. It needs to offer a lot more than the covers and blurbs (we can get these from the M&B or Harlequin sites), more personal information and snippets about writing the book."

Michelle Reid chose Robynl as her winner.

Joanna Maitland chose Maureen

And India Grey chose Jennybrat (actually, she didn't chose - it was India's daughhter who did the picking, so you have her to thank, Jenny!)

Finally - Trish Wylie chose Virginia

And if you entered Susan Stephens contest - she'll be announcing the winner on her web site later today.

So - winners please email me with your postal addresses and I'll send your details on to the wonderful author who has donated your prize. Congratulations all!

And the special news that I had to hold back on yesterday until the authors themselves had announced it comes from the Romantic Time Awards , announced at their Convention in Pittsburgh:

Liz Fielding was awarded a Career Achievement Award for Love & Laughter in romantic fiction.This award is self-explanatory. It’s not for just one book, but for a body of work.

Trish Wylie won Best Harlequin Romance with Rescued, Mother-To-Be

Natasha Oakley won Best Harlequin Presents with The Tycoon's Princess Bride

and Holly Jacobs won Best Everlasting Love with The House on Briar Hill Road

Once again congratulations, ladies - I have such talented friends. (and generous ones too as they've all offered prizes)

And tomorrow I have some of that news I've been promising do come back for that.

12 Point Guide 2 Launch Party 5

Well, the party is starting to wind down now, but there's still a few bottles of champagne left and some tasty nibbles if you're hungry. And I have a final set of guests to introduce to you let them chat - and offer prizes.

There are an extra few guests today because the party eneds this weekend - and I will be busy tomorrow so these wonderful authors will keep you entertained till Monday - and you'll have plenty of time to comment because there are plenty of prizes on offer.

The great thing about the guests who have joined us at the party, and the writers who have contributed the From the Writers' Desks section of the 12PGTWR2 are from so many of the successful lines published by Harlequin and Mills & Boon. And today's authors are no exception.

First, here's one of the great Historical Romance authors - Joanna Maitland :

Joanna says:
Kate Walker has written a really accessible guide to the craft of writing romantic fiction which I always recommend. Can't wait to see the new, improved version. I'm sure it will do exactly what it says on the tin.

Joanna's next book out is published in September and it's part of The Aikenhead Honours trilogy. Three gentlemen spies: bound by duty, undone by women!Book 1 is His Cavalry Lady

Joanna's Prize -She can't offer His Cavalry Lady as there are no copies available yet. But she is offering a copy of one of her other books - like Bride of the Solway that I've shown here.

Joanna blogs on the Regency Authors' blog that you can find here

My next guest needs no introduction . She's the brilliant Presents author, Michelle Reid.

Michelle was so keen to join us that she posted her quote in the comments section a few days ago, but I've rescued it and now I can post it here:

Huge congrats on the 2nd Edition Kate! Yet another must-have to join my well used first edition. So - so useful even for an oldy like me!

Michelle's next book out is coming in May in both UK and USA - the title is The Markonos Bride. She's offering a signed copy of this book to her winner, chosen from the comments over the weekend.

She's having her web site revamped so watch out for the new look coming soon - you can find it here


Next is another of the talented new Presents authors - India Grey.

India says:

Hurrah for the launch of the fantastic all-new 12 Point Guide! For me, discovering this book was like being on a really arduous, lonely journey and suddenly finding not only a road map, but an excessively knowledgeable, infinitely kind and sympathetic guide who was willing to hold my hand along the way. Anyone setting off on the road to publication-- don't even think of leaving home without it!

India's next book is out in August and it's so new that I don't even have a cover for it yet. The title is: Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure .

You'll soon be able to read more about this book on India's website which is here

India's prize:

I'm expecting the pink hardbacks of my August release in the next few weeks, so I can offer one of those (as soon as they arrive!) to a randomly picked commenter

The Presents authors are coming in in droves today - here's another, the lovely lady I had lunch with only last week - and that's Susan Stephens

Susan says:

Wishing one of my favourite authors and favourite people all the richly deserved success in the world. Susanxxx

Susan's next book is Desert King, Pregnant Mistress (UK June) (US August)

Susan's Prize:

A signed copy of one of her books

Susan's question:
What is the name of my heroine in Desert King, Pregnant Mistress, and the sheikh she meets in the desert kingdom?

The answer can be found on Susan's website

IMPORTANT:
Send your answer for this question to lee@susanstephens.net

Now here's an author who writes for a couple of lines - and the advice she gives in 12PGTWR2 is for both of them - she's Irish author, Trish Wylie

Trish says:

I can't tell you how proud I was to be a small part of Kate Walker's second edition of the 12 Point Guide, the book that has launched so many writing careers. When we started our Writer's Wednesday at The Pink Heart Society and new authors would tell us their road to publication story - the 12 Point Guide appeared again and again and again. So bravo Kate and here's to the second edition

Trish writes for the Romance line and Modern Heat and her next book is out in the Modern Heat Line in May with the title

Claimed By The Billionaire Bad Boy. For those of you who read Trish's blog, you'll know this as Gabe's book.

Trish is offering a signed copy of one of her books to someone picked from the comments today or tomorrow.

Another guest who writes for another line is Romance author and RITA nominee Natasha Oakley

Here's what Natasha has to say:

When I began writing romance I joined the Romantic Novelists' Association and submitted a manuscript to their 'New Writers' Scheme'. I didn't know it then but my 'mystery reader' was Kate Walker. What I received back was a five page detailed report. More important than that were the ticks throughout my 'book' where I'd written something she liked and the frequent 'cut for pace' note she'd written in the margin where I'd gone off on a tangent. It was a masterclass - and I knew it. Kate also sent me the first edition of the 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance. If writing a Harlequin Mills & Boon is your aim you truly do not need another 'How To' book. I found there were sections which confirmed what I was doing and built my confidence, other sections which saved me years of writing 'near-misses'. Buy it!

Natasha's next book out is Wanted: White Wedding- Harlequin Romance out in May in the UK and NA.

Natasha's Prize:
As a prize I offer The Tycoon's Princess Bride - that's the book she has shortlisted for the RITA

Natasha's question:
I'm currently revamping my website after a year of ignoring it. What features do you particularly like to see? The answer that surprises me most wins the book!'

And the final guest, last maybe but definitely not least is another Trish - this time it's Trish Morey who's come all the way from Australia to help with the celebrations

And Trish says:

Kate, I was never able to recommend a writing how-to with so much assurance it would be valuable, if not a godsend, to writers than the first edition of your 12 Point Guide. I have no doubt the second edition is going to be even more valuable. Thanks for updating such a useful text!

Trish's next book out will be The Italian Boss's Mistress of Revenge - out in August in America, September in UK . Another book that's too new for me to have copy of the cover, so I'm using the cover of the book that Trish is giving away as a prize - The Boss's Christmas Baby, another one you can win just by commenting.

You can find out more about this book and the one Trish has coming up over on her web site.

And that's it - lots of wonderful authors, many of whom have donated great prizes - and all of whom have contributed great advice to that From The Authors' Desks chapter in 12PGTWR2.

A great big THANK YOU to them all for their generosity in both ways.

Now if you want to win one of these prizes you know what you have to do - you just need to drop by the comments section and leave a note.
Except for Susan Stephens question which you answer through the email given

So - get commenting! And you never know your luck!

Catching up with books

I've spent this last week catching up with so much - updates for my web site, reading scripts to critique for the RNA's New Writers' Scheme, tidying and sorting out my office which is in it's usualy post-book chaos. I added to that chaos by buying new shelves for my bookcases. The new shelves are very useful - but buying new shelves means that I had to move the old shelves up or down several spaces in the bookcases . Which meant that I had to take all the books off the shelves in order to do so. So now I have the new shelves in and all the books to go back on them. But for once in my life, I actually have some spare shelves without books on them! I wonder how long that will last?

In amongst the new books I have to put on the shelves (see - I know those spaces won't stay for long) I have the latest of my own. I have the copies of both the UK and USA editions of The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife with their wonderful sunset covers. It's good to be looking forward to seeing them out in the shops while over on Amazon .com, and .co.uk that 50th title The Sicilian's Red-Hot Revenge is still on the best selling romance charts after 3 months. And today when I was out shopping, I spotted the 3 in 1 By Request collection Mistress Material which has my book The Married Mistress reprinted in it. (This also has books by Lucy Monroe and Daphne Clair in the volume.)

And when I have sorted out the shelves I hope that I will find my next TBR book! While I was still concentrating on writing Angelos's story, Anne McAllister sent me a copy of her The Boss's Wife for A Week which is out now in Presents - and has been on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list for three weeks! Congratulations Anne! This only makes me want to read this book even more. I did snatch a glance at it while I was still wrestling with Angelos, and before I knew it I was at the end of the first chapter - and I so wanted to go on! But I had to be strong. I had my own book to write.

So I put The Boss's Wife For a Week away safely to avoid temptation. But the trouble is that I put it somewhere so very safe that now that I have time to read it, I cant find it - it's somewhere in the piles of books that need to go back on the shelves! Oh well, at least that means that I have an extra incentive to sort the books out in order to find it. But it also means that when I do find it I shall probably down tools and read until I've finished it. I hope I find it soon.

In the meantime, I've been reading lovely India Grey's first book - The Italian's Defiant Mistress which I thoroughly enjoyed. It's one of those books where I could hear India's own voice as I read which for me is a real plus in a book. It shows an author who has an individual writing voice that will be hers no matter what story she tells. I'm a little bit late reading this in the UK edition which came out in July - which just shows how busy I've been. But like Anne's book this one is out in America this month so if you're looking for a good read why not grab both of them before they're off the shelves?

No - it's no good - now I've mentioned The Boss's Wife for A Week, I'm going to have to find and read it. I've heard such great things about that I just can't wait.

I'll be back when I've got all the books back on the shelves and hopefully found it - and read it!

This and that

Today, in my role as a Pink Heart Society Columnist , I have a post over on their blog. This one's for Film on Friday and reading through it makes me want to go and get the DVD of the film I've chosen and watch it all over again. It's an oldie but goodie.

What film have I chosen? Ah well, you'll have to go over to the PHS and see.

And while you're there, don't forget to go on the Treasure Hunt and find all the gifts being given to the Little Pink Dancing Guy for his birthday so you can be in the running for the great big prize hamper at the end of the month.

Other things - two special friends of mine are busy on the eHarlequin web site this week -

Julie Cohen is running a Q&A on Tightening up the First Page - lots of great advice so if you're wanting to learn, head over there at once!

And my lovely friend Holly Jacobs has a Weekly on -line Read - The Moments on eHarlequin too.

This is a rather special story for Holly. A mulit-award-winning author, she has always been known for her wonderful light touch in writing romance with a twist of humour in it - first for Flipside, then for Silhouette Romance - but her books have always had a poignancy about them that has never been fully developed. This is all going to change with the publication of her current book - The House on Briar Hill Road.

The House on Briar Hill Road is Holly's first title out in the Harlequin Everlasting Love line and it's a book that's very close to her heart. And it's wonderful, poignant story. A story with real heart. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it wins Holly another - well deserved - award.

Holly has sent me some books to put into the Christmas (there's that word again!) Stocking Stuffed with Books - actually they were supposed to go into the Beach Bag Full of Books prize stash but as I've already explained, that contest had to give way this year to the Great Big Blog Party. She sent me a copy of Briar Hill Road then so I got a sneak preview. But I couldn't wait until December to talk about her new book as that might mean you'd miss it because it's out in October - or if you can't wait it's up on the eHarlequin site already.

And talking of great books - I haven't had much time for reading these days - a certain combination of Greek and a deadline and a whip cracking editor - but I did read Liz Fielding's fabulous Reunited: Marriage in A Million. And all I can say is it's another Liz Fielding classic. Considering the horrible day Monday was, a book that can keep my attention and distract and comfort me at that time has to have something special about it. Lovely book, Liz - thank you so much! The only problem is that it's one of a trilogy and now I'm going to have to find out what happens to Simone and Claire . . . Just what I don't need - more books for the TBR mountain.

And talking of that mountain, the next one off it is India Grey's debut novel The Italian's Defiant Mistress which is also out in October - this time in Presents. But I also have Anne McAllister's The Boss's Wife For A Week offering me temptation, and having met Spence and Sadie through Anne's blog, that's a temptation I'm struggling to resist.

But first I have to get back to Angelos and Jessica.

Great Big Blog Party 20 & 21 - Winners

Well, across the country, the cats have been busy, as Sid and India Grey's Ruby were roped into action to choose the winners of the next two prizes.

Sid, of course, is used to this. He has chosen so many prizes in the past that as soon as he sees the bits of paper being laid out on the floor, he's ready. Sometimes he doesn't even need to have the crunchies laid out too - that takes far too long. So he just walks up to the list of names, puts his nose down on one of them - 'That's the winner, Mum - now gimme the crunchies all together - never mind this spreading them out thing!'

In just this way, Sid chose the winner of Nicola Cornick's prize - and the copy of Lord of Scandal goes to:

Juliemt

Who I believe is actually guest blogger 15 - Julie from Malta

Congratulations Julie! As I mentioned, Nicola is actually away at the moment but I'll send her your address and as soon as she gets back the prize will be on its way to you.

Now we come to Ruby's choice . . .
Well, Ruby isn't quite as experienced at this winner-choosing thing. And her mind was clearly on other things so she gave India a hard time. Here's what India says:

In the end, I'm afraid Ruby let me down. Spent ages making a very elaborate and amusing toy for her, featuring all the names of the entrants, folded over and secured by paper-clips onto lengths of string, and dangled it enticingly over her head for ages. Trailed it alluringly along the floor. Bashed her repeatedly on the nose with it. Not a flicker.

I'm blaming Sid. A year ago she'd have been making a complete and utter banana of herself over a toy like that, but now she's lost her heart she's gone all serious and grown-up. It's all very boring.

India - I suspect that the missing factor in the way Sid chooses winners and the method you were using on Ruby is a four letter word - f - o - o -d . Sid chooses happily because the idea appeals to his stomach (aka the 'flab sack'). He'll do anything for a smackeral of something.

Luckily India had helpful daughters, one of whom helped by picking a random piece of string and pulling it out of the bundle. And the name on that piece of string was . . .

Lis

Congratulations Lis! You win a copy of India's The Italian's Defiant Mistress - so send me your address and I'll pass that on to India. Coincidentally, Lis chose as her favourite Kate Walker book Bound By Blackmail - which is also India's choice . . .

And that reminds me - next post . . .

Great Big Blog Party 21 - India Grey

Following the policy of putting up blog posts in the order in which they arrived, I find that today's Guest Blogger is the lovely India Grey.

Now India is one of those people who if she wasn't so truly nice you would have to hate her for being so beautiful, slender and elegant, intelligent - and now she's proving herself to be talented as well with her very first ever Modern Romance/Presents title - The Italian's Defiant Mistress - out in July.(Readers in America will be able to get their hands on it when it comes out in Presents in October) And even worse this is one of those rare books that has been accepted on her first submission. (But she credits the 12 Point Guide as being a great help to her so I'll manage not to be totally eaten up with jealousy) India is great fun to be with too - and add into the mixture a husband who could be a M&B Hero himself and a cat called Ruby who is lovesick for Sid (Sid says to send his best purrs to Ruby, India) and you will begin to see how I might have problems with this lady. ;-)

But when India on our first meeting tells me how much she loved what is affectiuonately known as 'the knicker scene' in my book Bound By Blackmail - and she has chosen to write about it for her guest blog - well, then what can I do but admire her great taste? I have India's own first book on my mountainous TBR pile and if it wasn't for a Great Big Blog Party and a pestiferous Greek hero who wants his story told I would be indulging in reading it right now

(That scene in Bound by Blackmail seems to have struck a chord with a few writers - 'Lord Alfred' who won Julie Cohen's prize wrote about it too - do take a look at that here)

Here's how India describes herself:

India Grey’s first Mills&Boon Modern romance (The Italian’s Defiant Mistress) is released a month after Kate’s fiftieth one. A year ago she was unpublished and unhopeful, and might well still be today had it not been for The Twelve Point Guide To Writing Romance!

And India wants to write about her :

GOLDEN MOMENT

Fifty glorious heroes, fifty lucky heroines, fifty passionate happy-ever-afters.... and countless hours of drama, pleasure and heartache! In honour of Kate Walker’s Golden title, I set myself the task of distilling all of the above down into one Golden Moment, which would encapsulate everything that makes Kate’s books so special, and the fiftieth one such a cause for celebration.

It wasn’t easy. But it was a great excuse to collect together all my Kate Walker books (most of them tattered and oddly creased from having been carried around in handbags and read in the bath) and indulge in a glorious, indulgent reading session! Three weeks, countless very sleep-deprived nights and a box of tissues later, I’ve narrowed down my shortlist and come up with my best and all-time favourite Kate Walker Golden Moment, and because Kate herself is the most generous person in the world, I’m sharing it with you along with the reasons why I like it so much. However, I am not nearly so selfless and giving as Kate and am only sharing it in the hope that other people will post theirs too and I can get to go back and read them all over again!

Mine comes from Bound by Blackmail, when Jake comes face to face with Mercedes at her half-brother’s wedding. He had met her for the first time a few months previously, and attraction had instantly flared between them. However, she ran out on him—literally—as they were about to make love. Now, surrounded by her protective family and her slightly slimy fiancé, she wants to pretend she doesn’t know him.


Her chin came up even more defiantly, tilting her perfect little nose higher in the air. And the cold, dark eyes met his head on, rejection the only emotion he could see in them.
‘Do I know you?’
‘You know you do.’
‘I know nothing of the sort.’
She even managed a smile, though it was so false and brittle that he almost expected it to shatter and fall as splinters onto the ground at his feet.
‘I think you must be mistaken—Mr...’
Jake didn’t even honour the pointed hint that he should give her his name with as much as an acknowledgement. This ‘I don’t remember you’ act didn’t convince him for one moment.
‘No mistake, I assure you. You know that and I know that-- but if you need any further convincing...’
He had been thinking of just this moment when he had packed his case, and again this morning as he had dressed for the wedding. in the left hand pocket of his suit jacket, the sliver of silk not even bulky enough to spoil the line of the superb tailoring was the evidence of the truth—the knickers she had left behind in her headlong flight that night in London.
he pulled them out, crushed in his hand, opened his fingers just enough so that she could see exactly what he held—but had no chance of reaching for them, trying to snatch them away from him
The effect was everything he had hoped for.

It’s BRILLIANT! I love the way the build up is so slow and languorous and unhurried. Mercedes is behaving appallingly—really, all things being equal I should just want someone to come and slap her legs. But the thing is, her character is drawn so perfectly and I know that haughtiness and naughtiness stems from embarrassment and insecurity. I can totally identify with her—who hasn’t been in a situation at some time or another when someone they really don’t want to see appears at the worst possible moment? (Usually this happens to me in supermarkets when one of the children is having a tantrum and someone important from school or a posh friend of my mother’s hoves into view. The instinct for total denial is natural and irresistible.) Beneath Mercedes sophisticated exterior is a sheltered, naïve little girl, so in her case it’s more than denial. It’s childlike wishful thinking. If she says she doesn’t know him maybe it’ll make that incident that she’s so disturbed by and ashamed of just go away.


At the same time we’re also deliciously, painfully aware of Jake’s tightly-controlled anger. It’s menacing, but never threatening, and the fact that it’s motivated by hurt makes it powerfully sexy. I feel outraged on his behalf, which is why when he pulls off his audacious knicker stunt I should be shocked—I am shocked, but I’m also loving him so much I could scream.

Oh yes. He’s a total twenty first century hero. He’s honourable, emotionally articulate, sexy and breath-takingly human. Kate Walker is one of the undisputed queens of the alpha hero: quite simply (and I hope the BM will forgive me for saying this) she knows her men, and over the course of 50 books has shown every variation of the alpha male. Jake is alpha with a twist— he has all the power, control and integrity that defines the species, but his heart is on his sleeve, not buried beneath a wall of ice. When pushed to the limit he doesn’t resort to bullying or humiliation... just that one silent, eloquent, gesture which speaks so much more about their intimacy and her duplicity than any words ever could.

Everything is here—sexual tension, anger, hurt, rejection, all set against the sumptuous backdrop of a Spanish society wedding. Add in some to-die-for writing (smile... splinters... totally fab) and two of the best characters ever and it’s just pure Kate Walker gold. I adore and admire the way she can express the universe in a few well chosen words and create a character in a single, defining moment. A golden, gasp-out-loud, Kate Walker moment.

GIVEAWAY QUESTION:
I’d really love to know what's your favourite Kate Walker Golden Moment, book or character

GIVEAWAY PRIZE:

I have a copy of my first book* (compared to fifty how sad is that!) to give away, along with some golden goodies to someone who will be chosen randomly (very randomly, believe me) from all those who post a comment by Ruby the airhead cat.

(* I really feel I should be giving away my beloved copy of Bound by Blackmail too.... but I just can’t bring myself to part with it!! Sorry!!)

The Kate Bit - that other party

Well, enjoying yourself is exhausting!

OK - I'll admit it - staying up till after 2 am for four nights in a row, talking with friends, laughing, partying, talking some more, laughing some more - is exhausting.

But I had a wonderful wonderful time and I have come home with some truly special memories that I will hold in my heart for ever.

It's the people that I remember most - lovely people who are all special friends and after this last weekend they are even more special. The best thing about celebrating 50 titles was sharing the occasion with some many wonderful people and I can't thank them enough.

I have been trying to catch up ever since I got back - and I know that you've been waiting for a report and some pictures but I've had little time to get to them yet. And I know that many of my lovely guests are politely waiting for me to post something before they put anything into their own blogs


So to give you a flavour of a very special weekend - here are just a few images of the party and the day before and I'll hope to actually write more later

FRIDAY NIGHT

The lovely Margaret who lead our Lincoln Ghost Walk - which was a lot of fun.

Abby Green on the Ghost Walk worrying that the hotel room she's been told is haunted might just be hers!

SATURDAY NIGHT

The restaurant at the White Hart Hotel (if it's good enough for Tom Hanks and the rest of the Da Vinci Code stars, it's good enough for me!) Before the party began

Table decorations - with book covers instead of table nunbers

Guests start to arrive in the Orangery


With the lovely Kate Hardy who organised some truly special surprises for me

from many of the Mills & Boon writers

(Anna Louise Lucia in the background)



With special friend Michelle Reid The Babe Magnet starts off a poetry reading

And guess who came too! (Or should that be Hugh came too?)

Well, it wouldn't have been my party without Hugh-in-a-towel! Here, he's being looked after by Julie Cohen (left) and Kate Hardy and India Grey (right)

The glorious golden roses - 50 of them! - that were part of those surprises

from the M&B authors

Yet more flowers from lovely friends

Keeping the flowers fresh in the hotel bedroom overnight