Elizabeth Oldfield

I heard some very sad news last night. The lovely author and one of the past stars in the Mills & Boon line up of novelists, Elizabeth Oldfield, died on May 30th. I was so very saddened by the news.

Elizabeth Oldfield was a fabulous writer whose book I loved. I remember how, when I was trying to learn my craft, working towards getting published, I would always pounce on one of her novels knowing how much I would enjoy it and how much I would learn from it. I could never write like her - she had a wonderful light touch, often dryly humorous, that was not my style but I enjoyed it her novels so very much.

When I first went to any of the social events that brough M&B authors together and was desperately nervous, not knowing anyone, Elizabeth was one of the very first to welcome me into the group, talk to me about my work and make me feel at home. From then onwards I was lucky enough to consider her as a friend and we exchanged letters where she told me all about her wonderful husband, her loving family and later the grandchildren she adored.

At any M&B get together I was always so happy to see her tall, blonde, supremely elegant figure, her lovely face with its glowing smile and hear her voice. She always had something wise and sensible - and usually very funny - that was so worth listening to. I remember how she once described the feeling of having a book finished, accepted and bought as 'better than an orgasm - it lasts so much longer'. And it was with Nadine that I once joking planned the 'You Finish It . . .' book of ideas for novels that we had in our computers, books that just hadn't worked. We joked that perhaps aspiring novelists would like this antidote to the 'where do you get your ideas' question. Long term visitors to this blog will remember how Elizabeth was a guest at my Great Big Blog Party to celebrate my 50th book back in 2007 - when she talked ab out her new publishing venture with her latest (non romance) novel Vintage Babes.

I knew Elizabeth was ill, she had struggled with cancer for some years, but all the same the news last night came as a great shock and a deep sadness. She was one of those special people of whom I would have to say that I really feel like a light has gone out in my life without her.

My deepest sympathies go out to her husband and her family. I know how much she loved them and so I know how deeply she will be missed.

Last night I pulled out some my Elizabeth Oldfield 'keepers' and reminded myself of what very special books she used create. One of my special favourites was Love's Prisoner and it was a joy to get lost in it's story once again. If you haven't ever tried a romance by Elizabeth Oldfield, I think you've missed out on something special.

Rest in peace Elizabeth - you will be sadly missed.

Christmas Stocking Contest - more Great prize books

I hope you're keeping warm and dry - here in Lincolnshire it's cold and wet and miserable. The wind is howling around my windos and battering sleety rain hard against the glass. All the cats are cureled up snug in their beds beside the radiators, the Hecks are hibernating at the bottom of the garden, and inside with a good book is the only place to be.

So, talking of good books, here's a couple more of the great prizes on offer in the Christmas Stocking Stuffeed With Books.

First is one of my personal favourites - I read this book when I had a chance to take a reading break when I'd finished writing the Black Angel ( now known as Bedded By The Greek Billionaire) and I loved it. But then, if you've read this blog in the past, you'd expect that as this book is by another of my dear friends and favourite writers - Anne McAllister.

And the book is Anne's October release - The Boss's Wife For A Week aka Spence and Sadie's story.

Tycoon seeks wife for one week's employment.
Spencer Tyack needed a wife. Not forever. Just for a week. A wife he could show off in public and share a room with in private. But who could fill the position? Certainly not his buttoned-down, efficient assistant, Sadie Morrissey . . .
But Spence was in for a big surprise. Not only was Sadie sensible in the boardroom, she was sensual in the bedroom.
But what would happen at the end of the week?

This book is classic Anne McAllister and if you haven't already read it, then you are in for a treat.

And if, like me, you're waiting for the next Anne McAllister book to hit the shelves then luckily you don't have to wait long -

One Night Love-Child is out in March USA and April UK.

This is a book that I have a proprietorial interest in as it's the book that Anne was planning and writing when we went on our writer's tour of Ireland last year. So I will know some of the places she had in mind when she wrote it. It's also Flynn and Sara's (The Great Montana Cowboy Auction) story some years on.

And this is the book that Anne will be talking about when she and I and Liz Fielding have our traditional Valentine's contest coming up soon.

The second book in the Stocking is one that you might remember from the Great Big Blog Party in the summer - when I talked about Elizabeth Oldfield.

Elizabeth used to write great HMB romances and then about 8 years ago, she retired from writing romance, and oh how I missed her books. But now Elizabeth Oldfield the author is back. Her first book for some years - Vintage Babes - is published by Accent Press this month. It's not a straight Romance but - well, here's the 'blurb'

Divorced, fifty-plus and a reporter on a small-town newspaper, Carol has just one grumble – the way friends and family will try to fix her up with a Mr Wonderful.

No thanks! She’s perfectly content on her own. Then life shifts into the kick-ass mode. Steve, a tyrannical new editor, arrives: her elderly father morphs into a babe magnet: her daughter and granddaughter land on her doorstep, and black hairs sprout from Carol’s chin.Jenny, Carol’s meek plump housewife friend, is eager to find herself a job, but her husband disapproves. Tina, a glamorous recently-widowed gold-digger, has one major problem – she hates getting older.

When the three women workout together with Max, an erotic personal trainer, all their lives are changed.

To enter this contest and have a chance to win these great books and more- check out my web site Contest Page for all the details.

And that's where you'll find the 12 Days of Christmas Contest details too.

Great Big Blog Party 39 - Winner - and a Kate Bit

Well, Hunkthighs and Shoulderman got you talking - as I thought they would. I was so glad to see these two wonderful hunks back in circulation - it's been too quiet without them! Welcome back Clint and Troy!

I hope that soon either Clint or Troy will pick a winner of Anne's prize - but in the mean time, I have another winner to announce for you.

Elizabeth Oldfield has read all the answers to her question and she emailed me with her response :

I thought the responses to the blog were all interesting - and I agreed with so many - but my choice as winner is Yvonne Lindsay. I still have a copy of Mary Wibberley's 'To Writers With Love' on my book shelves, together with classics by Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Daphne Du Maurier. There's a wealth of literature out there

So Yvonne - congratulations - you win a copy of Vintage Babes. Please contact me - I think I still have your address somewhere but if you could send it to me then I'll be sure I have exactly the right one. (and for those who didn;t win Vintage Babes this time - I have a second chance to win coming up soon)

I too have a copy of Mary Wibberley's To Writers With Love on my shelf - on I was thrilled to have her sign for me personally when we both were at a Writing Day in Eccles where I was giving a talk. It's a writing book that's fun just to read as well as passing on information. I haven't read it for a while so I don't know if any of that information has dated since it came out in 1985 - but there's one thing that hasn't dated and that's her list of excuses (a 'Baker's Dozen' ) for not writing a book when you say you want to. Each and every one of them is dealt with and demolished.

And there's a point in there where she says 'What are you doing reading when you should be writing. Put this book down now - at once- and write!' It used to work every time.

Finally - thanks to Lidia and many others who have emailed me privately to check that the BM and I - and the cats of course - are still OK in spite of the deluges and floods that we have been experiencing in the UK -for ever it seems though it's probably ju st a month or so.

Luckily, where we live in Lincolnshire we are on the top of an escarpment and so safe from the waters of the River Trent and the electricity and the fresh water supplies have been fine so far - fingers crossed for the future. Many many people have not been so lucky and my thoughts are with those who are facing the ruin of their homes or are enduring life without power or fresh water. What a summer! Luckily today the sky is blue and clear and the sun is shining in it - so there will be a little respite from the rain and hopefully a lowwering of the dangerous water levels - I hope!

Perhaps we could send in Hunkthighs and Shoulderman to join the rescue efforts - I'm sure they'd be wonderful.

Any excuse to show the pic of these two great hunks!

And as someone over on the comments section suggested a 'towel-off' between Clint and Troy and another rather attractive Aussie - what better excuse for:

Hugh in a towel

Great Big Blog Party 39 Elizabeth Oldfield

Back in 1995 - I think ! - the late great Charlotte Lamb had started the Association of Mills & Boon Authors so that we could all meet up and talk. In those days we met at other authors' houses, all opver the contry. And so I ended up as a not very well established author, nervous and unsure, at Jessica Steele's beautiful home. I knew only one person - my editor - and she was very busy talking to lots of people. But after a few minutes a new arrival came to sit beside me on the settee where I was. She was blonde and elegant with a wonderful smile and she introduced herself to me.

Her name was Elizabeth Oldfield and I remember that my very first words to her were 'Oh I'm a fan!'


It was nothing less than the truth. In my reading to find out the best of Mils & Boon romance - and to learn how to write them myself, the name Elizabeth Oldfield on a cover was guaranteed to make me grab at the book, no matter what the title or the cover art looked like. I devoured books like Flawed Hero, Love's Prisoner, The Price of Passion and loved and admired them all. And having met their author, I came to love and admire her very much too.

Elizabeth was always warm and welcoming to newcomers to the M&B 'family' . Over on her blog, Liz Fielding has a very similar story to mine about the way she and Elizabeth met. And after that very first meeting, she kept in touch with me by letter (no email then!) or in person at the twice yearly lunches whenever we were both there. Over the years she gave me lots of advice - including some of the very best advice I've ever had on how to work with an editor on revisions.



She did half the revisions exactly as asked, she said, to prove that she was professional and cooperative, and the other half she did just her own way - to demonstrate that she was the creative person in this process! Prefect - I've passed that advice along to many others since.




About 8 years ago, Elizabeth retired from writing romance, and oh how I missed her books. But now Elizabeth Oldfield the author is back. Her first book for some years - Vintage Babes - is published by Accent Press this month. It's not a straight Romance but - well, here's the 'blurb'




Divorced, fifty-plus and a reporter on a small-town newspaper, Carol has just one grumble – the way friends and family will try to fix her up with a Mr Wonderful. No thanks! She’s perfectly content on her own. Then life shifts into the kick-ass mode. Steve, a tyrannical new editor, arrives: her elderly father morphs into a babe magnet: her daughter and granddaughter land on her doorstep, and black hairs sprout from Carol’s chin.


Jenny, Carol’s meek plump housewife friend, is eager to find herself a job, but her husband disapproves. Tina, a glamorous recently-widowed gold-digger, has one major problem – she hates getting older.


When the three women workout together with Max, an erotic personal trainer, all their lives are changed.


I have my own copy of Vintage Babes on my TBR pile - all I need now is the time to read it. I can't wait. I've already dipped into it and had to force myself to put it down - but I have a week in Wales coming up . . . . I'm so glad that one of my favourite authors - and people - of all time - is back! I've missed you, Elizabeth!


So it's wonderful to be able to say that here, at the Blog Party is Elizabeth Oldfield.

To write fifty books demands dedication, determination, inspiration and a heck of a lot of hard work. It's a wonderful achievement, Kate. Many congratulations.

As my first Mills & Boon novel came out in 1982 and yours appeared a couple of years later, we go back a long way - meeting at Mills & Boon author get-togethers, summer writing schools and other 'romantic' venues. It was fun and I value your friendship, and the friendships of other M&B mates.

However, eight years' ago, when I had completed my fortieth book, I decided to retire from romantic fiction. I wanted time to relax, go travelling with my husband and, finally, to attempt my long-term ambition of writing a mainstream book.

Whilst a proliferation of chick-lit caters for the younger female, there're few books about women of 'a certain age.' Yet the majority of women readers are fifty-plus. I wanted to explore the joys and pitfalls of getting older - it happens to all of us - and VINTAGE BABES is the result.

GIVEAWAY: There's a signed copy of Vintage Babes on offer today - all you have to do is post an answer to the question in the comments section and Elizabeth will pick a winner.

GIVEAWAY QUESTION: Which of the 'Vintage Babes' of romance writing do you remember? Who was your favourite author to read in the past and why?

(I'm looking forward to a lovely wander down memory lane)