Christmas Eve winners

It has been a hectic and busy time over the past few days and I lost track of most things - including what was happening with the Christmas Giveaway. So I let both Charlie and Ruby go wild on the treats and names from all past posts so that they could three winners each to celebrate Christmas eve. 

So - Christmas Eve winners are:

Henza R. Mazengo

Diane Spigonardonardo

Phyllis Perryman

Sian Cusack

Debbie Cooban

Michelle Turner.

Not all these will link to the winners' names - but I hope you see your names. Please DM and send me your postal address or send it to katewalker AT ntlworld.com

Titles I have for you to pick from (please give me your first and second choices:

The Konstantos Marriage Demand

Bedded By The Greek Billionaire

A Throne For The Taking

Kept for her Baby

Olivero's Outrageous Proposal

A Question of Honour

Destined for the Desert King

Happy Christmas to all winners - and to all my readers!

I have one last special giveaway that I love to do at Christmas - but I'll put that in a separate posting.

Ruby's Big Day - Part 2

Today is the third anniversary of the day that Ruby came to live with us. She was a little 8 week old stray, being looked after by a wonderful lady from the Cats' Protection League but the minute I walked up the drive

and towards the pens where she was staying she threw herself at the netting and demanded - loudly to be taken home As we had recently lost out beautiful Maine Coon Flora, we had a large cat shaped hole in our lives and Ruby has helped to fill that - in spite of being about one third the size of Flora.

 She was barely a quarter of the size of Charlie when she arrived, but she made sure he understood that she was the Queen around here.

She has happily posed for her homing birthday portrait - she knows she is

beautiful! And she has now chosen two winners of the Crime Writer's Casebook so I'll post the winners in a moment - but first some photos to mark Ruby's Coming Home Day.

And the winners are:

Charlotte Mcfall
and
Julie Ryan

Please contact me  at katewalker AT ntlworld.com with postal addresses to send you on your prize copies of The Crime Writer's Casebook.

Oh - and seeing as I've had several enquiries about any possible courses - I should just let you know that if you're interested Stephen Wade will be running a course in April at Cirencester University in April. There has already been plenty of interest and some bookings so it's starting to fill up.

'Relax & Write' 2018 Weekend Courses
The Royal Agricultural University
Cirencester
6-8 April 'Focus on Romantic Fiction' with Kate Walker
6-8 April 'Write that Crime Story' with Stephen Wade
6-8 April 'The Business of Writing' with Simon Whaley

For details - contact Lois Maddox at Malagaworkshops.co.uk

Giveaway winners -

So Charlie has generously done his duty and forced himself to eat 10 cat treats from the ones arranged with entries' names on them - and the winners are:

Diane Spigonardo

Amanda Shivrattan

Gillian Emans

Jan Van Engen

 Nova Conover

Helen Lowry

 Lyn Moon

 Cheryl McMichael

 ala.bodle

 Nikki Cole

 Emails have gone out to all the winners - hopefully I'll run another giveaway soon.

I also have another craft post up as part of my mini blog tour for the publication of A Question of Honor – you’ll find my hints aboutShow don ‘t Tell over on Kelly  Steel’sblog.

Tomorrow is my day for blogging at the Pink Heart Societyblog – maybe I’ll see you there?

First Friday - Pink Hearts

It's  January 3rd and so it's the first Friday of the month. And , as with 2013, the first Friday of each month is when I post over atThe Pink Heart Society so that's where you'll find me today.

The First Friday Date With Kate will stay the same this year, for the PHS, The other regular guest post I do will be at Tote Bags and Blogs as before - but instead of the first Sunday of each month, that pot will now be on the 12th of every month from now on. So I'll be posting over there on the 12th January - which, now I've checked the calendar, will actually be a Sunday this month. But from then on it will be just whichever day the 12th falls

If you go and read the Pink Heart Blog, you'll see that I'm admitting to not being as organised as I'd like. I deliberately took some time over the Christmas break to stay away from the computer and work-related things  so there's a bit  of catching up to do! (A bit - now there's an understatement!)

I have sent out prizes to everyone who has contacted me  so hopefully the books will reach you just as soon as the mail can manage it.

There is one last winner who hasn't been announced - and that was the winner of the Christmas Eve giveaway - Charlie was too busy playing with Ruby's toys and trying to follow her up the Christmas tree - to be interested in  picking a winner   but now that things have calmed down a but, he has picked

sleepysian
as the winner of a copy of A Throne For The Taking.   Sian please send me your postal address so |I can

send you your prize.

Now I'm going back to my 'To Do' list - maybe by the end of the weekend I'll be a bit more organised - or I'll just have a while new set of To Do Lists to work on.

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year - and that 2014 will give you lots of happy days, joyful times and  love to leave you with truly happy memories.
#And everyone in the UK who is afflicted by the torrential rain, high winds and flooding  - keep safe - and, hopefully - dry!

Stocking Filler winners and one last chance to win

Charlie has been busy picking winners for the advent calendar here and on my Newsletter list. It was a hard time fitting in time for him to do this job as there has been so very much to do, and he was a bit harassed by a small black and white kitten who kept wanting to join in - obviously I'm going to have to train her up so that she can pick some winners next year!

Anyway, there are some winners  names to announce  so here we go -

The winners of stocking filler books are:
Carol  - who wins Kept for Her Baby
Maria - who has to decide whether to pick Kept for Her Baby or The Greek Tycoon's  Unwilling Wife!

And Lidia - who hasn't  named a book, but she can let me know about that.

Charlie also picked some winners from my newsletter list -
Andrea  K
Jane K
Sheila F
So tomorrow is Christmas Eve - can you believe it?  How did it get here that fast?
What do you do on Christmas Eve? Is it all bustle and organizing - baking  - wrapping ? Or do you get together with family?  Do you eat a special meal on Christmas Eve ? Or do you end up working on preparations right to the last minute?  I'll be out at 6am making sure I get fresh bread for the holidays.

I have a friend whose family opens their presents on Christmas Eve? Does anyone  else do that? I know the royal family do too - so you'd be in esteemed company!

The giveaway book this time is my most recent title - A Throne For The Taking . . .

A kingdom's safety...
Betrayed by those she loves, Honoria Escalona must now face the only man capable of bringing stability to the Mediterranean kingdom of Mecjoria. A cold, hard man who once called her his friend... Alexei Sarova-the true King of Mecjoria.
In exchange for her happiness
But Alexei's tortuous past has changed him into someone she hardly knows. He blames Ria's family for his bitterness, and his help-when he offers it-comes with a price: he'll take his rightful place as King with Ria as his wife, until she produces a true-blood heir...

Tell me about your Christmas Eve and you'll be in with a chance of winning a copy.

Oh - and  little Ruby says that she loves her new home . . . and  this Christmas stuff  is very exciting  - she's already climbed the Christmas Tree three times . . .
But it's also very very tiring . . .

Advent Calendar - and a winner

Things got busier than I expected -  anyone would think it was coming up to Christmas! I just ventured out to  the local shopping mall  and it was hectic! But  I think I'm getting organised now. I have to write some cards though ..  . that's tonight's job.

Thank you for the good news - I was so happy to read it. Mary and Kaelee - new babies are always a wonderful joy and  congratulations to Lois and Charlotte on your successes.  And I know personally  what a wonderful result can come from the operation to remove cataracts. Eli, I'm sorry to hear about your mother. I hope the days that pass will ease your heart.

Everyone who nominated a friend to have a book sent to them - they're on the way! They may get tangled up in the Christmas posts but  hopefully they'll reach your friends soon.

Oh yes - and the winner of the good news prize is Lois - so you have won  a copy of Mediterranean Tycoons. I hope that's good news for you.  Lois please send me your postal address so that I can get the book in the mail to you.

Today's prize - appropriately enough with the news of babies etc - is a copy of the  2009 title  - Kept For Her Baby:



Wanted: wife and Mother...
Staring at the granite-handsome features of Italian billionaire Ricardo Emiliani, Lucy knows she's made a mistake coming back to their palatial Lake Garda home. But she'll do anything for her baby son—even return to the husband who never loved her...
Ricardo branded his wife a gold-digger, however, tiny Marco needs his mother so he will keep Lucy captive on his private island until she proves herself a worthy wife—in every sense...

To be in with a chance of winning a copy - well, seeing as I'm going to be writing my cards tonight  - along with the Babe Magnet, beside the fire  with maybe a glass of wine . . .- tell about the cards you send.
Have you written them yet? Or maybe even posted them already?

Go you still send all paper cards? Or have you decided to choose ecards instead?

And what designs do you choose?  Traditional ones, maybe with a Nativity scene or a Christmas Tree -  modern designs  or perhaps you like comedy cards, with  cartoons or silly photos?

We got our first card in the mail - it was a  picture of  a big fat robin. I'm going to have to show this to the robin that comes to the bird-table in my garden - he's only young and a skinny little thing so he needs encouragement  to grow"!

Advent Calendar Day 7 - Good News Day

I have a hectic couple of days coming up - visiting family, appointments, etc  - and that's before I plan on writing the cards and getting the tree out of storage - so I won't be able to post again until Monday - but that's fine  because it gives you all time to leave comments ready for the next  Advent Calendar giveaway.

To catch up with the winners so far -
Sicilian Husband, Blackmailed Bride was won by Shropshire Lass 
The Good Greek Wife  was won by Kerstin
The Duke's Secret Wife  goes to Samantha Hodges and Laney


Yesterday I posted on the Pink Heart Society about sharing  - and giving a book in your name to people you felt deserved one.    I have  five winners from there

 Jo's Daughter, 
 Charlotte, 
Kaelee,
 bn and 
Mary  Preston

And then there were two people who nominated special people in their lives after Charlie had picked the winners -
I'd love to give a book to all of your nominees.  But I'm sure you'll appreciate that my prize stock is limited  - and the postage all over the world can be expensive! (Can be? It is!)

So what I'm going to do is to include this busy weekend in the prize sharing giveaway - which means that  Maria  Perry Mohan and Eli Yanti's friends get a book as well - and then we'll return to the main giveaway on Monday with a single book to win.

So can the givers listed above  - and Eli and Maria  please email me kate AT kate-walker .com and remind me of the book you have chosen. Give me your friend's address - or yours if you want to be the one to give the prize to her - and let me know your nominees names so I can sign it to her if you want.

Maria, and Eli please let me know the name of the book  from the list on the PHS that you would like to give to your friend.

The nominees stories and some of the other messages I've received have made it clear that a  lot of people have had a difficult year in 2013  so I'd like to make t he question  for the giveaway on Monday to hopefully change the tone a little - so here goes-


Can you share some GOOD news with  me? Let me know the nice, the kind, the lovely, joyful things that have happened to you this year. I'd love to hear.   Please post them between now and Monday  - and the winner will receive a copy of the 3 in 1  collection  Mediterranean Tycoons.

He thought she was his mistress . . .
Recuperating on his private Greek island after a car crash, Andreas Petrakos had no memory of the previous year. The last thing he remembered was his passionate affair with beautiful Rebecca Ainsworth.
. . . when actually she was his wife!
Becca returned to the island because Andreas had asked for her. But she had to hide the truth from him. So what would happen when he recalled throwing Becca out - on their wedding day - for a reason only he knew?

 This collection contains  my 2007 novel The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife  as well as stories by Michelle Reid and Sarah Morgan.  So it'll be good news for whoever wins it!

So - share your good news stories.  Here's one to start you off -
Remember  this post     on  the So You Think You Can Write contest?

Well, I'm delighted to say that Tanya  won the first prize in the contest with her manuscript If Only.  Huge congratulations to Tanya and I'll be looking for her  book when it's published as a result of this contest. That's definitely good news for her!
ember

So - let's have some more good news over the weekend.  You have lots of time to post between now and Monday (probably late when  I get a chance to catch up)

And all the winners, please contact me  - use the link at the bottom of the page or the one above, omitting the spaces  etc.

Pink Heart Day

Well I hope you enjoyed the 40 for 40 celebrations.  I did, but it took up lots of time and energy so I've been taking a break and concentrating on writing  and other things.

This weekend I have another celebration as I meet up with my sister and her husband,(also celebrating their 40th  in October) another sister, my nephew and niece and a grand-niece -    but just to finish off the 40 for 40 - I have a few winners I didn't hear from. This is the last call to get in touch with them .
Shirley Buchanan
girlygirlhoosier
Sally Bearnathy
jaganderson
Jane Linfoot
 Please can you contact me to claim your prize.  If you have already contacted your donating author direct, please let  me know so I can cross you off my list.

Once again thank  you to everyone - authors and commenters  -  who joined in. You made a special occasion  extra special.

Today I'm back into routine a bit more with my monthly column A Date With Kate over on the Pink Heart's Society blog where I'm talking about the Back to School season -  and its temptations.  Temptations I know some of you share.

Winners

I have some 40 for 40  winners to announce.

Here goes -

Danica Favorite's  winner is Petite 

Janet Laurence has picked Kaelee

The winner of Michelle Reid's prize is Shirley Buchanan

and I just heard from Trish Morey that she has chosen  Sally  "for her 'love second time around' story"


So will the lucky winners please contact me, putting your address in the email so that I can forward it to  the generous author who has donated your prize.

Contact me  katewalker AT ntlworld.com 

There are still  some prizes unclaimed - so if you have answered any of the authors' questions over the past month, do check back over the Winners announcements in case you missed your name.

Still time to chat with Michelle Smart and Victoria Parker  until I hear from them who has won their prize.

Winners - and a new guest

I have  a few winners to announce
Heidi Rice  picked  Jo's Daughter

Lesley Horton picked  Traveler

Anna Louise Lucia picked Mary Preston  (who wins her choice of a book from my backlist)

If you don't know the drill by now,  you should!
Email me at katewalker AT ntlworld.com  with your postal address and the name of the donor of your prize, and I'll send the details to them.

I don't know if anyone's been counting, but I think we're over 40 guests now - but still they keep coming! Just yesterday I received a new post - and a new prize - from another author friend who wanted to join in - so , it's taken a little shifting around of the timetable, but now the timetable looks like this

14th - Presents author  Michelle Reid
15th  - Presents author Trish Morey
16th - Brand new Presents author - Michelle Smart

And today's unexpected guest  Sophie Weston  is coming up

Winners

I have more winners to declare -

Tawny Weber's winner is girlygirlhoosier

India Grey has picked   Jane

And CC Coburn has chosen Sally Bearneathy

Winners please contact me  kate AT kate-walker.com or using the link at the bottom of the page.

I'll be collecting up a list of new winners from

Danica Favorite
Lesley Horton
Heidi Rice
Helen Bianchin

at the end of today - so get your answers to them if you want a chance to win.

The last few 40 for 40 posts will appear this week - last chances to win books from some very special authors.

40 for 40 - winners

I have heard back from some of my earlier posters and they are happy to send out their prizes to their winners so  here is the list of the lucky readers

Chantelle Shaw picked jaganderson 

Pamela Hartshorne  picked Sally

Liz Fielding chose Mary Preston

And  Anna Sugden chose Kimmyl


Will the winners please contact me as usual - Kate AT kate-walker.com with your postal addresses so that I can send  your details to the generous authors who have donated these prizes.

You still have time to chat with CC Coburn and Danica Favorite -

And still coming up  -

Heidi Rice
Helen Bianchin
Trish Morey
Sandra Marton
Michelle Reid

And I'll be introducing you to some brand new M&B Modern/Harlequin  Presents novelists.

But coming up today I have a very special guest on her very very special day. Look out for that!

40 for 40 winners!

I have two more winners to announce -

Liz Fenwick's winner is Just another Bloke!

And
Susan Stephens'  winner is Mary Preston!

Can winners contact me- current ones and ones I've announced already  - perhaps ask for a read receipt to make sure you message has gone through - at kate AT kate-walker.com -and I will forward your details/postal address etc to the donor of your prize.

Please also remember that while I'm having so much fun . . . ahem . . .working hard at teaching Writing Romance at Writers' Holiday that I might not get to you response immediately  but I will deal with it as soon as I'm home.

And for those of you who have asked about Charlie - thank you. His wound has healed up really well and he is  currently being looked after by the Offspring and his lovely Fiancée. He goes for a check up tomorrow and hopefully will be able to have the collar taken off then. Fingers crossed!

40 for 40 - Winners announcement

Thank you to everyone for their concern about Charlie. His wound is now healing rapidly and well. He's fine in himself, but so fed up of the collar! And as he can't go outside, he is climbing the walls with boredom and yelling complaints at me! Hopefully it won't be long now before he can get back to normal.

I have a list of winners to announce. Can I remind you that it's up to the winners to get in touch with me so that I can pass their details along to the author who has donated the prize.  If the email link at the bottom of the page doesn't work, then send your message to kate AT  kate-walker DOT com.

So - the winners -

Julie Cohen  chose  Tishylou

Nell Dixon’s winner is bn100

Lynn Raye Harris has chosen Rachael

Jane Porter picked two winners –

Gonepecanla   and CC Coburn

And Annie West has just sent me her winner’s name - Sally

Please don't forget that this is the holiday  season in the UK.  I know that at least 2 prize givers will be travelling  for a few weeks. And of course I will be  in Wales for Writers' Holiday for a week now. With normal internet access, I will try to send on your messages and addresses as quickly as possible - but I will be teaching  a full course  and there won't be a lot of time to spare.

Anyone who I haven't contacted will be  let know as soon as I get back. 
I apologise if this delays the arrival of your prize for a  while.

Once again my thanks to every single wonderful author who has blogged and has donated their generous prizes. There are  14 or more posts coming up - starting today.

40 for 40 - another winner

I was going to add this to the last post but it would get lost in amongst everything
I have one more winner to announce - and that is  from Donna Alward.

Donna's winner is Sharlene

I'm waiting to hear from Julie Cohen, Liz Fenwick and Nell Dixon. If I get time to post their winners before I leave, then I will - otherwise it might be a big  announcement when I get home, together with all the winners who have collected up while I'm away.

If you have posted comments in the past posts - please do check out the winners posts I've put up already, just in case your name is on there.

And keep commenting - and reading  - for more chances to win.

40 for 40 - more winners!

I have a couple more winners  to announce -

Janet Gover  has picked Charlotte McFall - ' for reminding me of Cleopatra – the movie with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor and their fabulous love story.' 
(Which reminds me that there is a drama about just that story on TV tonight . . . dashes out to set the recording  . . .)

Right  - I'm back

And Fiona Harper  has picked Jane Linfoot for her list of favourite wedding movies.

Congratulations to the winners - please let me know your postal addresses (kate AT kate-walker DOT com)  so that I can let your generous authors know where to send their prize.
Julie Cohen and Liz Fenwick are still  chatting with commenters - and a new guest will be arriving today.

40 for 40 - Winners so far

With 40 for 40 at the halfway point, I’m going to recap on the  guests and their winners so far.

It’s up to the winners to contact me – see the email link at the base of this page  or kate AT kate-walker DOT com

So -  the first 20 guests have been

Dee Tenorio     - Winner   Mary Preston

Holly Jacobs    -  Winner   Kaelee

Melanie Milburne – Winner  Maria Perry Mohan

Anne McAllister  - Winner  Lois

Sally Quilford  - Winner   Caroline

Michelle Styles  - Winner  Charlotte McFall

Scarlet Wilson – Winner   Laney

Jane Jackson  - Winner Petite

Louise Allen  - Winner  Julie M

Zoe Sharp  (winners announced below)

Anna Campbell  - Winners  Caroline and Cassondra Murry

Kate Hardy   ( winner announced below)

Donna Alward  winner not yet  (announced)

Someone called Kate Walker – Winner Cathy Shouse

LoveCats Downunder  - Winner  Sue McKay

Janet Gover   (Winner not yet announced)

The Babe Magnet (Winner announced below)

Fiona Harper  (Winner not yet announced)

Margaret Mayo (Winner announced below)

Julie Cohen  - contest still open

And  announcing new winners who have been chosen:

A message from Zoe Sharp –

Hi everyone. Thank you so much for all your wonderful suggestions. Both Kate and I have been away—Kate at the RNA conference and me at the Crime Writers’ Association Dagger Awards. (I was nominated for the Short Story Dagger, but apparently just missed out to the annoyingly talented Stella Duffy!)

But, just in case you thought I’d forgotten about you, I hadn’t. Of course, choosing a winner has been just about impossible, so eventually I stuck everybody’s name into a hat and pulled one out at random.

So, many congratulations to andrew mcbride (I’ve stuck exactly to the way it was written on the blog). If you’d like to contact me, young sir, and let me know a) which book you’d like a signed copy of and b) if you’d like any kind of personal message, that would be great. My email address can be found on my website: www.ZoeSharp.com

BUT, before everyone else feels disappointed, don’t be. As I said, I thought all the suggestions were terrific, to the point where if Eli Yanti, JulieM, Laney4, traveller, bn100, petite, Christine, Mary Preston, Pippa White, Reine, andrew mcbride, K. A. Laity, Sherilee Nickels, Corine, anotherliz, and AliasMo would also like to contact me I will happily send them an ebook version of one of the Charlie Fox series of their choice.

What a celebration! Congratulations again to Kate and Steve ‘the babe magnet’™ on forty glorious years!

Such a generous offer – Thank you Zoe!

More winners:

Kate Hardy’s winner Is Taylor Skye

The Babe Magnet’s winner is Nas

Margaret Mayo’s winner is Faith  Thomas

All other winners will be announced as soon as the generous writer who donated the prize has contacted me.

You can still answer Julie Cohen’s question and be in  the running for  her prize. And today’s special guest  will be here soon.   So look out for that.

Once again my special thanks to every one of these generous friends/authors who have joined in the celebrations for me and the BM. I hope you've enjoyed meeting them - and look forward to the guests I still have coming up.

40 for 40 - Catching up and winners

Still trying to catch up with everything  after a hectic and hot RNA Conference - and a few celebrations! -   but I  know I need to announce  some winners and what's - or rather who's  coming  up.  I've not yet collected in all the winners   but  I'll keep adding then as I get them

So let me see -

Anna Campbell's winners Are:

 

The winner of the download of THE WINTER WIFE is Caroline.

The winner of the download of DAYS OF RAKES AND ROSES is Cassondra Murray.

My winner from the LoveCats downunder  site  is  Sue McKay

And from my post on the 14th July it's Cathy Shouse 

Zoe Sharp is away at the moment  and so is Donna Alward who's at RWA but I'll let you know as soon as I hear from them

Janet Gover is still answering your comments so she'll pick a winner in a day or so.

And there's  a new and special gust coming up today.
I have a friend coming to stay  - she lives in Spain and I haven't seen her for too long - years  - so I'll be grabbing at time here and there till the weekend - but there will be lots of guest so you can carry on partying without me.

Coming up:
Romance and  KISS author  Fiona Harper
Modern Romance author Margaret  Mayo
The lovely and multipublished Julie Cohen
Women's fiction writer Liz Fenwick
RONA Award winner Nell Dixon
And Modern/Harlequin  Presents star  Lynn Raye Harris

That's after today's very special guest. 

 

40 for 40 - winners

I have more winners to announce

So - Holly Jacobs' winner is Kaelee

Jane Jackson has  chosen Petite  :" because she's had breast cancer, recovered, and wants to treat her husband to a weekend in a villa in Italy because he deserves a change of scene. Now that's romantic!"

(Petite can you let me know which book you choose- 'Eye of the Wind' which stays in Cornwall, or 'Dangerous Waters' which travels to Jamaica)


Louise Allen has picked Julie M (for bringing a tear to her eye)

Winners please contact me through the email link at the bottom of the page and give me your postal address and I'll send it on to the generous authors who have offered them.

Still time to chat with Zoe Sharp,  Anna Campbell - and today's guest - coming up  is Scary Kate  (cue  music from Jaws!)

Winners

I have another winner to announce

The winner of Sally Quilford's giveaway is Caroline  for her Highway to Hell story. Caroline please contact me with your  postal address  details so that I can pass them on to Sally

Today's guest blog  will come from the lovely Jane Jackson.

Michelle Styles will pick her winner  later - and you can still enter to win Scarlet Wilson's giveaway.

PS Edited because Scarlet has just picked her winner - as she says in the comments on her post:

Hi folks, my son has picked Laney as the winner. Laney can you contact me via my website with your address? Thanks

So - sorry Scarlet's giveaway is now closed - but don't worry, there's lots more coming up!