TV Catch up

Some months back, I mentioned the fact that my husband was heading to Leeds to be involved with the making of a TV programme about a murder in his home city back in 1926. 

 This was after he wrote about the case of Louie Calvert in his book  Murder in  Mind. 

Although he filmed a couple of segments with the company - who were making the programme, Murder, Mystery and My Family- sadly, his contributions ended up on the floor of the cutting room. 

But he did alert the producers to the case, and introduced them to Louie Calvert's great-niece who is at the centre of the programme. So he was very much a consultant even if he never appeared on screen.

 I promised that I would let people know when the programme is actually going out - so for anyone interested - Murder Mystery and My Family, Episode 10 is on BBC One tomorrow morning at 9.15am

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000byt7 and then on catch up TV

Living with a TV star!

So today is a big day for the Babe Magnet. He set off at silly o'clock to go to Leeds where he is filming in his role of consultant on a TV investigation of a murder (maybe murders?) in Leeds early last century. Can't reveal details as yet but when it's all sorted I can share.

It's interesting though, the way that your 'birthplace/home town' can reach out and involve one even when you've moved away and haven't lived in the city for -eek! Half a century!!   

This has all come about following the publication of his book Murder in Mind in which - as the blurb says - "he looks at his favourite investigations in his home county of Yorkshire, rich with villainous acts, painstaking investigations and outright injustices." One particular case has always intrigued him and he's had a chance to investigate it further - and now contribute to this programme. Should be a fascinating day - and the sun's even shining!

Busy days

It's been a busy time here lately - specially for the Babe Magnet.

He was at Huddersfield Lit Festival ten days ago  - today he's giving a talk at Doncaster Library . . .

and at the same time he's in discussion about another TV appearance on a programme about one of the cases that has most fascinated him over his crime writing career. 

This one focusses on a Leeds murder from the past. More when I can reveal details.

At least maybe today I'll get a chance to be at my own desk.

Book Challenge Day 7

Day 7 of 7: I've accepted a challenge from Ali Williams who is obviously as nosey as I am about the books that people love! Each day for seven days, I will post the cover of a book I love with no explanation (well, maybe a little comment if I feel like saying something!)and no reviews. Each day I'm supposed to invite a friend to join the challenge. I'll pass on the 'tagging' bit of this because I know how sometimes it can be a bit too much to take on something else - but if any friend cares to join in (yes - I really am nosey, just dodging the issue!) the please tag me to let me know so that I can visit your Facebook page and satisfy my curiosity - and maybe collect a few new titles for my mountainous TBR pile - like that is something I really need!

The last book for the last day of this challenge . . . what can I choose? I could easily pick another 7 - or more - but this one is a personal pick for me. The blurb on the back says:

Passion for the Park is a celebration of the ordinary lover of the beautiful game, the dedicated lads who turn out week after week in the hope of beating another works team. In park football the kit is never washed, there is no spare ball, studs are never inspected, there are holes in the goal-netting, the referee is always looking the wrong way, and the only spectators are an old man and his dog. This funny and irreverent memoir charts the author's own undistinguished football career, playing for two Sunday league teams and idolising Don Revie's Leeds United, and his attempts to inspire steelworks apprentices with a love for English literature.

Why did I choose this one - well, in the words of a certain Bronte heroine - Reader I married him!🙂 And as August 1st is Yorkshire Day -- I thought I should mark it a little early with a book set in God's Own County.

Being busy

This week will be an interesting mixture - hair cut - cats 'booster' injections. So that'll be a small fortune spent in half an hour!

 Then today I put on the PA hat again when the other writer in the house becomes a TV personality - he's doing a TV interview for a programme on Inside Wormwood Scrubs. 

I think my job will mainly consist of making sure that the cats don't interfere in the interview! Ruby is always very keen to get involved with anything new and interesting.

Right now I'm tidying and dusting so that the house looks respectable (sort of) for SP Wade's TV interview. Just wish I knew which room they would prefer to use! Oh well, at least it means things look rather better than usual! From 3pm I will be trying to keep the cats quiet - and not daring to move much myself!

Next Writing Course/Retreat Planned

I've been asked about any other courses that are coming up this year. Some details are still under discussion but there is a Relax and Write weekend in Cirencester coming up soon with Lois Maddox. Bookings are already in but there are still some available spaces on the courses if you're interested.

It's a sort of a Crime and Passion weekend - I will be running a Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction Retreat - this is a weekend where you can get a critique of your work and advice on how to progress - also the time and relaxation to get on with your writing without interruptions or demands of home.This retreat is designed for people who have already started work on a novel and who want time to focus on that - and not have to worry about anything else. It’s an ideal course to get your writing moving ahead. There are a limited number of places on this Retreat, so it is essential you book early, in order to send your work in advance for comment and arrange a one-to-one.

And the Crime bit? Well that's the other half of the writing partnership with Stephen Wade Getting Away With Murder -
Write That Crime Story

Crime writer Stephen Wade introduces the skills involved in writing crime, covering both factual and fictional genres. The course will include advice on planning, developing ideas, knowing the market, research, and characterisation. There will also be short workshop exercises.

The next 'Relax & Write' Weekend Courses are at
The Royal Agricultural University
Cirencester
6-8 April 2018
Contact Malaga Workshops

How did it get to almost-February?? I know I had my head down working on revisions but somehow Feb has snuck up on me. I surfaced to take a look at the reviews of A Proposal to Secure His Vengeance and was thrilled to find 7 - 7!! great reviews on Amazon and there's a really fabulous one over on the Mills and Boon site -

A Stunning read!!
*****
This is hugely enjoyable. A book to savour like a fine wine. An example of a highly accomplished author at the top of their game. The writing comes across the page as effortlessly readable. Assured storytelling at it's very best.

Raoul Cardini is a hero who delivers from the start, dominating the book. I highly recommend this potentially as of the finest in the Kate Walker vintage!!

Read it now!!

Thank you so much Karim Lalani  - I'm just thrilled you enjoyed Raoul's story so much.

Now I need to focus on sorting out a trip to York with the other writer in the family while I act as PA. That's the rest of the week seen to.

My DH  and his co-author  Stuart Gibbon - former senior police detective and now running The Gib Consultancy  are giving a talk  at Waterstone's in York  from 7pm

Historical crime writer Stephen Wade and former Senior Police Detective Stuart Gibbonhave teamed up to write The Crime Writer's Casebook, an essential companion for anyone interested in crime, whether historical or modern-day. It features true crime case studies and explains how crime investigation has evolved throughout the centuries. 

This is a unique opportunity to hear extracts from the book and to ask questions of two leading experts in their field.

PS If you can't make York - then there's a second talk in Waterstone's in  Harrogate on 16th February   at 18.30 pm

Crime Writers' Giveaway

CRIME WRITER'S GIVEAWAY

Tomorrow is December 10th. That makes it the official publication date of the Babe Magnet's great new book from Straightforward Publishing. The Crime Writers' Casebook.

To celebrate, my DH has given me two paperback copies of this book to give away over the weekend. As Good reads have changed their policy making international giveaways much more difficult, I'm going to have to do this personally.

Written with Stuart Gibbon, former Metropolitan Police detective with 30 years experience in crime investigation. As a DCI he was in charge of murder cases and was an SIO on the East Midlands Special Operations Unit. He is now a writing consultant advising authors on police procedures.

Stephen Wade is the author of over 60 non-fiction books, many of them on crime history. His most recent works have included The Justice Women, No More Soldiering and The Girl who Lived on Air, all mainly concerned with legal issues in history. His book, Murder in Mind, was featured at the Ilkley Literature festival in 2017. Stuart and Stephen give talks to writing groups on crime past and present.

To enter, just leave a comment below - or on my Facebook page - telling me - and Steve and Stuart - the name of your favourite ever crime novel .. Giveaway open internationally; prizes posted next week; you don't have to buy anything to enter; and names

will be drawn at random.

This time, Ruby will pick the winners on Monday morning - which is a day when she will be celebrating a special something herself!

Here's a small hint about what -

Winners . .

And the winners are : Hollie Rebecca and Gillian Emans (with special thanks for the poem!)

A poem for Charlie:

Right Yourself Charlie,

Don’t fight anymore!

Then you won’t need a cone

To go out of the door.

So listen to Daddy

Read his “Write Yourself” now

To keep yourself busy

Is that clear? Miaow

Charlie was so honoured that so many people were concerned about him and the wound to his neck. So he was happy to pose for a new photo today - without cone ...- without blood! - to show how perfectly fine he is now. Thank you to everyone who asked about him. He enjoyed picking the winners of the copies of Write Your Self - which will be going in the post today - and he's now preparing to celebrate the 7th anniversary of coming to live in his forever home with us. More treats will be expected, I think!

catching up 1

Sorry - I thought I had posted since I was away in Liverpool,  but just checking on things I find that a few posts have been stuck in me  pending tray and I need to  make sure they appear  here as  well as Facebook! Soory!

Had a great weekend in Liverpool at the Jack The Ripper Conference with H Division True Crime Club. So many interesting talks and a special dinner and presentation with Fred Dinenage. Thank you to everyone for the warm welcome.

And of course there was a talk by one Stephen Wade. Lots of books to be signed afterwards too. Just discovered that some of these are now on Kindle for only £0.99 so there's a real bargain.

Next event is the Romantic Novelists' Association Afternoon Tea in York - life certainly has so much interest - and such contrasts!

On the road - or, rather, the train, again.

So after last week's trip to London and  my time being the  romance writer   who lunches - and then parties - now we're back and I've got all the laundry  washed and dried  (in spite of the rain) .

This weekend we're at another writing event - but it's a very different one.  This weekend the Babe Magnet is speaking at the Jack the Ripper Conference   in Liverpool.

So this weekend it's my turn to step back and let him take the spotlight while I play the part of the PA to true crime writer and crime historian Stephen Wade.   He was supposed to  be able to display his new title Murder in Mind, but unfortunately publication on that has been delayed - so instead he'll be talking about researching  the true crimes  and criminals of the past -  and possibly his collaboration with ex detective (from London and Lincolnshire) Stuart Gibbon   on a new book planned to help writers get those important factual details right in   crime fact or fiction.

Book deliveries

Sometimes there are no book deliveries to this house - and other times, there are more deliveries than we can cope with! This week has been sort of average - but most of the book boxes have been for the Babe Magnet who seems to have half a dozen new titles publishing in the next couple of months, So we have Write Your Self which arrived this week. I
love this cover.

And talking of covers - there's this translation of one of my more recent titles - but it's a little worrying! The Translated title is Mork, Vacker, Mystik. Now in Yorkshire that 'mork' is not a flattering description! In the slang dictionary too, it's defined this way:
mork n. someone who is completely witless. a low level nincompoop who rarely sees things in perspective.😮🙄
Not sure that's how I'd describe my hero - if it is the hero they' mean!

Anyone able to tell me how this title actually translates into English? If you can and you'd like the spare copy of this translation - please post and let me know!

Good starts to 2017

So how's  your 2017 going so far?

I'm still trying to get that 'New Start' going  really - so much to catch up on , specially since I discovered that the sprained back  was not as recovered as I thought - have you ever tried typing lots of words with a frozen shoulder ?   Oh well, we're getting there.

And yesterday   turned out to be a good day in the  hope that 2017 is looking brighter as the days  gone on.   The great thing  about being in a family of two writers, then you get to celebrate successes on both sides - and yesterday turned out to be a day well worth celebrating.

Success 1 - the Babe Magnet,
Some years ago (in 2000)  the babe Magnet wrote  a book called Write Yourself a New Life - A Life-changing Course Where You and Your Words are the Tutor
It was successful for a while and there  were several courses - at Writers' Holidays for example -
that followed on from it.  But then it went out of print.  But he didn't forget about it and this week  a different publisher has bought it and will be re-publishing it in a revised and new format - hopefully to be out  in autumn.

So Write Yourself a New Life will have a new life - and probably a new title- details when I know them,

Success 2  - Kate Wallker
Then to really make yesterday a day of celebrations my editor emailed to let me know that the revisions on the  book I was working on  and had sent to her before Christmas had worked 'wonderfully'   and she was accepting the book.  So that's my 66th title for Harlequin done and dusted - er, well, apart from a title and art details . . .

If you remember this was part on of a duo I was working on called - in my working title  anyway - The Scandalous O'Sullivan Sisters. This was Imogen's story, so now my current project is the second half of this duo and I'm busy working on the younger sister - Ciara's story.  It does help that I know a lot of her story already because it's tied up with Imogen's romance.

So we've been celebrating - and now it's  time for that back to work feeling and more words on the page.  #67 here I come!

Next Course coming up:

First of all - huge congratulations to  my friend Iona  Grey whose novel Letters To The Lost won  the RNA's Romantic Novel of The Year last week,  I'm only sorry I couldn't be there to congratulate her in person. 

I spent the weekend away in Halifax, where I grew up. Meeting with my family - husband, son, about-to-

be daughter in law sisters, brother in law, niece . . . we all got together to celebrate what would have been my Mother's 100th birthday!  We had a wonderful reunion and a fun, nostalgic time.

Now I'm back  and trying to organise the next few weeks  and there seems to be a lot  to do,.

New contract to sign - check!

New book (s) to plan . . .working on that

New wardrobes to plan for the bedroom - semi-check. . .we've planned and organised that  - now all we need is for the  wardrobes to be  built in - and then  I'll have  to move everything from one room to another and (hopefully) organise it fully.

Web site to update . . .  still working on that

And  - next course(s) to plan and organise for April and May

So - as I promised to let people know just what was coming up for me in my teaching schedule - here are the details of the next course coming up in April . There are still some places available on this one so if you'vre interested please contact Relax and Write for details or to book.

15 - 17 APRIL 2016 at THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY CIRENCESTER

 Beginning Middle and End with Kate Walker

This weekend course will introduce you to writing that novel you have always wanted to see in print.

Are you a plotter or a pantser?  Do you plan out your book to the last detail or ‘set out hopefully into the mist’?

You could easily find your original plan is too rigid to work - or  lose your way as you write.   There are some things you need to think out even before you start.

 Did you start out hopefully, wanting to write the story that was burning in your head ... only to find that now you've slowed down. This course will teach you how to plan out your novel so that you have a much better idea of where you're going and how to create the best read possible.

Topics to be covered:

Starting  well

Opening hooks

Sustain conflict

Pace your story and  avoid the ‘sagging middle’

Write a satisfying end – making the reader want more from you

Come and join a group and gain new inspiration.

All inclusive fee £245 includes Sunday Lunch.

Also at the same venue, that weekend:

 Writing the Past with Stephen Wade

This course is intended to help both fiction and non-fiction writers at all stages of their writing lives. The aim is to provide help and guidance in all areas of writing which is concerned with the past. The course topics include the full range of writing and research skills you need to write in any category about the past. All inclusive fee £245 and includes Sunday Lunch.


Oh -  and  do you read my books in a language other than English? To celebrate the acceptance of my 65th title, I'll have some foreign language translations on offer for a give away just as soon as I get organised . . . watch this space.

Wearing my other 'hat'

I'm off to Leeds this evening  - to play my other role, that of Mrs Babe Magnet and supporter and PA to  my husband when he's appearing at the Morley Festival this evening.

He's doing his 'Uncle Albert' one man show with readings from his book of Yorkshire short stories by the same name.  (Priory Press) 

This  should be specially interesting though  as he's appearing at Churwell Community  Centre - and Churwell  is the village where he grew up  and the village is the Uncle Albert book is based on.    Should be a real trip down memory lane - both in fiction and reality!

Tote Bags Day

Today's the 12th of September  - which means that it's my day for blogging over on Tote Bags 'n' Blogs so that's where you'll find me today.

I'm talking about some of the things I'm looking forward to this autumn.

One of those things is the upcoming Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction guided retreat  coming up at Swanwick in Derbyshire,  Numbers on this retreat are strictly limited but  unexpectedly I do have a space or - ata  push two spaces - if you'd like to come along. Part of the weekend is an intensive one to one session focused on your individual writing.

'Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction' - a Retreat with Kate Walker.  This course has a limited number of places, so if you have not booked, please hurry.  Retreats are popular with those writing a novel.  They can receive feedback during the year, as Retreats are twice yearly, they will help you progress chapter by chapter!

Or you might like to look into writing stories/memoirs/articles  inspired by your family - 

 

Write About your Uncle Joe with Stephen Wade links you to not only writing short stories about the past, but putting into words the Family anecdotes that are more personal to each of us, whether for your memoirs or for fiction.

Check out the Relax and Write website for details if you're interested 

Back from the Book Launch Tour

I’ve finally caught up with my own writing after the five day trip we had to the Isle of Man.  That was a lot of fun  - if  a bit hectic.  I spent the time there wearing my other ‘hat’  -  that belonging to the Babe Magnet’s PA as he set about launching his new book of Yorkshire based  short stories -  Uncle Albert  - and the ‘one man show’ that goes with it.

We started off at the Henry Bloom Library in Douglas  where there was a warm and  enthusiastic crowd  in spite of the rather chilly and damp evening.  As well as Uncle Albert stories there was selection of ‘good bad poetry’ as requested by the publisher of Uncle Albert,  Linda  Mann.  The lovelorn  black ‘widower’ spider’s lament  reduced Linda to tears – of laughter.

The next day was spent doing radio interviews  - after we had found the Manx Radio Broadcasting House high on Douglas Head above the town. It was still cool and blustery  so this exposed headland was rather wild –  I dread to think what it would be like getting up there in the depths of winter!  During this trip  was the only time we actually saw any cat – in spite of the reputation the island has for breeding the famed Manx(tailless) cat. This one had a fine fluffy tail so we missed out on the Manx breed.

On Saturday morning  there  was coffee and croissants at the  Port Erin Arts Centre where Uncle Albert once again regaled his audience with tales of Yorkshire,  carol-singing, betting   . . . and the ‘good bad poetry ‘ again – with the Spider  poem  back 

'Uncle Albert' is introduced bt John Bethell,
Director of the Port Erin Arts Centre

by popular request.  There are rumours of the  bad poems  appearing in  a new volume of Uncle Albert’s stories which is being planned for  hopefully future publication.

  This performance was in the lovely  Harry’s Bar in the Arts Centre as part of the Manannan Festival.  The event had a special – and unexpected – extra zest to it  with the discovery that two members of the audience had actually grown up in the village of Churwell  where so many of the stories are set.  So many of the references had a particular emphasis for them.

Port Erin was where the Babe Magnet and I  - together with the Offspring when young – stayed back in 1987 so this was a nostalgic trip for us as well as a very successful launch for the book.

Finally, reluctantly, we had to leave the island – just as the weather was warming and the sun coming out -  and all the new friends we made there and come back home.   But we now know that Uncle Albert  and his stories (and very possibly the bad poems too) will be appearing at some festivals here

'Uncle Albert' spots some fellow 'Yorkies'
from Churwell in the audience.

in the UK later this year.

So far, the list of venues is : Morley Lit Festival (Morley in its fictional form being another of the places Albert’s stories are set ) on October 29^th and Ilkley Festival Fringe on October 3^rd. There’s also the possibility of Wakefield Festival  - and the Babe Magnet is running two courses  on the ‘Writing Local’ theme/Writing about Your Uncle Joe – at AlstonHall in September and at Swanwick with Relax And Write in October.   ‘Uncle Albert’ won’t actually  be there in person  but there might be some bad poetry of some sort!

So now I’m  taking off the PA’s hat  and settling down to my own work  - the ‘To Do’ list is l-o-n-g and needs tackling. There’s my own Complete Romance Writing Course for Writer’s Holidayat Fishguard in July  and  I’ll be joining Uncle Albert at Swanwick to run another of the popular Focus on Writing Romantic Fiction Writing Retreats.(If you’re interested you’ll need to make inquiries/book soon as the last I heard this was almost full already.)

Incidentally, if you are a writer yourself – specially if you write short stories -  the Priory Press are looking for  new stories to publish:

We are aiming to publish a new collection of short stories on the lines of our previous Manx collections, in particular 'A Tail for All Seasons volume 4'. The stories we are looking for should have their own 'voice' and evoke the spirit of a Yorkshire past or present. They should have a beginning, middle and end, be well written, easily readable and just plain memorable!

Further details are on the Priory Press web site.  (Where you can also get your own copy of Uncle Albert.)

And that’s enough of the PA stuff – back to my own latest novel . . . . planning those courses . . .

Today's my day to  wear a different hat (if I ever wore a hat! ) Today I am acting as the Babe Magnet's PA  as we go to a meeting with his publisher about the launch of Uncle Albert.   But as the meeting is in one of my favourite places in all the world - Haworth village where  Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte grew up, I'm perfectly happy with the prospect.

While I'm away there should be a post about Olivero's Outrageous Proposal over on I Heart Presents . Not sure exactly when it will go up as it will be when Elissa gets a chance to post it - but it will be there!

Meanwhile I'll be hoping the sunshine lasts - I love Wutherin Heights as a book  but I don't fancy braving the sort of cold, snowy weather Heathcliff and Cathy endured.

Double Publication Day!

 As I announced yesterday - April 1st is the official publication date of my latest book Olivero's Outrageous Proposal. But,  as I'm sure so many of you know, I'm not the only writer in this  house.  My husband, Stephen Wade, also known as the Babe Magnet is also a multi-published author.
Usually he writes non-fiction, local history, true crime, biographies,  but April 1st is also the ;publication date of his collection of Yorkshire based short stories  -  Uncle Albert. (Priory Press) 

So, to mark this double publication date,  I thought we'd  do a double blog post with each of us talking about our own new titles - but there's a twist. I've interviewed  the author Stephen Wade -   and he's interviewed the author Kate Walker  -  so here's the result:

Kate Walker to Stephen Wade on Uncle Albert

What is the book about?

I wanted to go back to my childhood –in fact I think my best writing has always been on that theme. The stories are an exaggeration of people and events from a Yorkshire village in the 1950s. I wanted to make it larger than life, very much influenced by Peter Tinniswood, who used to write about a northern family, or maybe a bit like Carla Lane’s Bread.

What made you write these stories?

I decided I’d had enough of miserable tales about crime and decided that I wanted to encourage people to smile at a thoroughly daft character.

    Is Uncle Albert  based on someone real?

      Only in a very small way – about 2 % of Albert is actually my real Uncle Albert, from Churwell, near Leeds.  He and Aunt Ivy never had children, and they looked after me when I was little, as Mam went out to work as a dressmaker in a clothes factory. Later, they gave a home to three boys – sons of my Uncle Harry Medd.

  Is the village where the stories are set a real  one?

Gawpham is vaguely Churwell but there is something mythic about the lace- it’s locked into my DNA. There are key locations such as the cottage garden, the working men’s club and the small-holding.

  Did you use the local dialect words when you were a kid? (the ones you have to explain in a glossary for non Yorkshire tykes!)

I was a dialect speaker until the age of 7. So I asked my mates, ‘Are tha laikin’ aht toneet?’

‘Are you coming out to play tonight?’

Description

Everyone has an Uncle Albert somewhere in their family tree and he's usually the one having a quick smoke around the back while trying to think up a new get-rich-quick scheme that doesn't actually involve work. The sort of uncle who is wonderful to talk about unless he actually turns up on your doorstep carrying a still-moving sack and wearing a furtive look.
Uncle Albert is a nostalgic look at life in a small Yorkshire village when Tetley's Yorkshire Bitter was still made in Yorkshire and a pie and a pint with ketchup was at least two of your five-a-day.

A wonderful collection of Yorkshire-voiced short stories by Stephen Wade which will appeal to young and old alike.

Stephen  Wade to Kate Walker  on Olivero's Outrageous Proposal.

  Was the title difficult to create? – or do you find satisfactory titles always to be a tough ask?

  I rarely get to keep a title that I've come up with - usually my editor chooses one that fits the book in the  Presents line-up.  The last title I had used as a working title for my book was the previous book - A Question of Honour so I was pleased to keep that. But when I was writing this, to me it was  just 'Alyse and Dario's story' and my editor rechristened it Olivero's Outrageous Proposal. She's good at thinking up good titles - and the one she has for my next book is just fabulous. (But I can't reveal that until it's all signed and sorted and officially scheduled)

       Would you say it has the Kate Walker hallmark – and if so, what exactly is that key element that makes a Kate Walker story?

      Oh that's a tricky one -  I'm not sure authors are the best at describing their 'hallmarks'.  I did have an editor once who said she loved my dark heroes (and she wasn't just talking about tall dark and handsome)  so there's that of course. And there's an intensity of focus on the  emotional journey of the hero and heroine.  And  there's also an intensity of passion! I'd have to go with the way Romantic Times described it: This couple heats up the pages with their battle-worthy banter and sensual conversations. 

Is the hero a personal favourite? (Where does he stand vis a vis the long line of heroes in all the books?)  

       Dario was fun to write    and I fell in love with him as I wrote his story. But then I'd have to say that about every hero I write.  They're all my favourite when  I've just finished writing there story (not so much when I'm battling with them to get the story written!) 

       I'm loving having Dario's story in my hands - but I'm afraid I have to confess that I'm now being unfaithful to him with Nabil my new, sexy, scarred sheikh hero!  

 Do you still get a thrill when your new book drops through the letter-box?

 

   Oh yes! That's one of the best bits of being a published author - seeing the new book, with a shiny cover and   somehow the words look so different in printed form.

            Even when I'm not so keen on the cover it's still a special feeling- and then seeing the book in the shops is always a thrill

I 

  If you compared yourself to Him Indoors, what differences would you find – that is, in the kinds of writers  you are?

I think the different sort of writers we both are just proves the truth of the fact that there is no right way to write a book - we all have our own processes, we go about this writing business in  very different ways and neither is better than the other we both end up with published books in the end.

I write in silence and  the books take time to put together - thinking of the emotional story and the motivations of the characters etc. And my characters get very serious and intent about things - there's none of the humor that Albert brings to the page,  This Stephen Wade person writes fast  - specially with Uncle Albert! and  always has music playing  while he's at the keyboard - often jazz which I can't stand. So it's just as well that we have managed to set ourselves up in separate studies so we can each work in our own way. 

What's that they say about opposites attract? It certainly seems to be so with two such very different writers. 

Description:

One problem...
Dario Olivero, Alyse Gregory was supposed to be a way to reap revenge against his estranged half brother. But Alyse carries the key to the family acceptance he's always craved and, realizing just how much trouble she's in, he can't turn away.

One solution!
A marriage proposal is not what Alyse was expecting. But this deliciously sexy Italian will resolve her family's debts if she becomes his convenient wife... Her head says no but her body begs her to say yes.

With an intensity rivaling the Tuscan sun, their mutual desire soon escalates to something inconvenient, creating a whole new dilemma!

More covers - but not mine this time!

It seems to be the month for new books/cover designs arriving here. As  you know, the Babe Magnet is a writer too. His books are mostly non-fiction.  Past titles have been about local history/ true crime  that sort of thing, but recently he's written  some biography  - and a new venture into fiction.

So the books that have been delivered have some very different sort of covers to the romance novels I've had.  It's always fascinating to see what other publishers' designers come up with.  The newest ones are these:

A Victorian Somebody - 
This is a new biography of the star of Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy Operas when they first took the Victorian theatrical world by storm.
He was also perhaps more famous generally for his writing the classic work of English humour, The Diary of a Nobody.



And that fiction  book is Uncle Albert -

Everyone has an Uncle Albert somewhere in their family tree and he's usually the one having a quick smoke around the back while trying to think up a new get-rich-quick scheme that doesn't actually involve work. The sort of uncle who is wonderful to talk about unless he actually turns up on your doorstep carrying a still-moving sack and wearing a furtive look.

Uncle Albert is a nostalgic look at life in a small Yorkshire village when Tetley's Yorkshire Bitter was still made in Yorkshire and a pie and a pint with ketchup was at least two of your five-a-day.


As  the Babe Magnet says:    These tales are light and entertaining, going back to my Yorkshire roots. 

One thing about Uncle Albert that made me smile is that because  some of the language is is broad Yorkshire dialect,  there had  to be a glossary to make sure that everyone understands some of Albert's  sayings!

It's certainly been a month for special book deliveries  at this house - and I still haven't received the UK copies of  Olivero's Outrageus Proposal so I'll be looking out for them.

But I'm finding it fascinating how different covers can be.