It's going to be murder

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

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

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

And the winner is . . .

Many many congratulations are due today to a lovely and very special friend of mine - someone who already scares me stupid with just her work rate and her ability to do so many things, her knowledge of history and her ability to write emotional and warm romances for two different lines.

Have you guessed yet? I'm really happy to be able to say that the RNA Romance Prize for 2008 went to Scary Kate aka Kate Hardy for her Modern Extra (well they were Modern Extra when it was published - Breakfast at Giovanni's .

For American readers, this book will be released in Presents Extra as In Bed With Her Italian Boss so look out for that.

I'm really really pleased for her. I just wish I could have been there at the lunch to share her very special moment with her. And Kate - I told you the black pearls would look great with that lovely outfit. You looked fabulous.

Interestingly, this was not one of the books that anyone picked as a potential winner. But someone - Chris, I think - got the winner of the main award right - and that was Freya North with her novel Pillow Talk. Chris - contact me and we'll talk prize books!

Many congratulations go to Freya too . The blurb of her book sounds intriguing - I suspect that on my visit to London I'm going to have to visit a bookshop . . . but then I would also need the time to read it and as my TBR pile is already toppling over . .. But I can resists everything but temptation.

And the temptation to add to my TBR is going to get even worse because today is definitely a great day to celebrate with friends.

I'd like to congratulate another friend - Karen Maitland - on the publication of her book Company of Liars. Here's another book that has a truly intriguing back 'blurb' . Here's what The Mail Books section says about it:

The year is 1348. As the Black Death spreads inexorably across southern England, nine people fleeing north meet on the road. Comprising a seller of fake religious relics, a conjuror, two wandering minstrels, a storyteller, a teenage couple on the run, a herbalist and a beautiful but sinister soothsaying child, it's a motley crew.
But its members have one thing in common: each is not what he or she seems, and as their journey progresses, so the various lies they have told begin to unravel with deadly consequences. For it's not just the pestilence snapping at their heels, but also a mysterious unseen beast — perhaps wolf, perhaps werewolf — which begins to pick them off one by one.
Karen Maitland has dug into some obscure corners of medieval history to produce an almost parallel universe; a place where myth, magic and superstition take over as the established order breaks down, but a world that nevertheless rings true. On top of that, she has fashioned a compelling mystery story that should appeal to a much wider readership than historical fiction fans; indeed, anyone looking for an engrossing, bulky fireside read.

Congratulations, Karen! And enjoy every moment of your launch party! I just can't wait till I finish with my deadline and can get a little extra uninterrupted reading time.

Finally, I have to let you know that I'm sharing in Nicola Marsh's special Be My Valentine Celebration today. There's a copy of my March book Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife on offer for you to win - and don't forget that Nicola is also offering that wonderful major prize of a goody bag of 14 novels at the end of the celebration - that's on Valentine's Day of course.