Spotlight on Harlequin Presents

Do you  love the Harlequin Presents line ? Well, as you're reading my blog, I'm sort of expecting that you do!

So you might like to know that there is a special Spotlight on Harlequin Presents over on the eHarlequin web site this week.

There are authors to chat with and ask questions of - and fellow readers  there to talk about your favourite books  and writers.

Maybe I'll see you there?

And another one . . .

I really do love it when my teaching pays dividends and  results in  one of my students progressing from beginner to more knowledgeable writer - and then hopefully to published author - or at least well on the way to that status.  I have met so many (a dozen or more I think now)  people who tell me that my classes/courses/workshops - or the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance -  have helped them learn more about writing and the success they  have had as a result.  

I just told you about Rachael, one of my Fishguard students whose  novel - Behind the Scandalous Façade  is in the Top Ten line up for So You Think You can Write   contest - and this weekend I heard from another of the ten semi -finalists. 

Tanya Wright is the author of  If Only - a novel aimed at the  Harlequin Romance line.  I've never actually met Tanya in person, but back in  March I 'met' her on line when I led a forum discussion on writing with emotion on Harlequin's community boards. Tanya joined in that and asked some interesting questions as she was just starting to write a new manuscript.  And now that manuscript  too has placed in the top ten of SYTYCW.

Tanya sent me a lovely message thanking me for my help and  advice and  I was thrilled to know that what I said had helped her so much because her editor mentor had commented on the realistic emotion in her story.

Congratulations Tanya!

Tanya's  not reminded me that the Writing With Emotion discussion can still be found on  the Harlequin web site if you want to have a read - in the Craft Courses Archives -  Delivering Emotional Punch with Kate Walker  if you want to take a look. Hopefully it will help you too.

If you live in the UK I will be posting details of all my new courses/workshops coming up on the Events Page of my website in case you want to come along.

We Write Romance Day

It's the 15th of the month so that means that  today's blog is  my regular Kate's Corner over on the blog on We Write Romance.com

 

So  that's where you'll find me today.

The Q&A on Delivering Emotional Punch on the EHarlequin site ended to day - but the lessons, and the questions are still there if you want   to take a look.

I'm late . . . I'm late . . .

I feel  like the White Rabbit, rushing around, muttering 'I'm late,   I'm late . . .'

I'm late picking the winners for this giveaway -  but sometimes life just gets in the way

Anyway - here we go

The winner from Liz Fielding's Blog  is Samantha Veerasamy

Other winners -
Unknown/Anonymous - sorry, I don't know your real name

Julie M  - Happy Birthday for the 16th Julie. If you send me your addres fast then hopefully the prize will arrive to be  an extra birthday gift for you

CC - I reckon you deserve a copy for finally remembering all those dates! And maybe your husband's mother would like to read it?

 And as Charlie was too greedy to stick at just 5 copies -
Eli  - you can share a copy with your bookclub friend - and maybe read it to  your mother!
and
Mary Preston -  an early birthday gift - as long as you share with yout Mum too!!

Ok ladies - you  know the drill.  Send me your postal addresses to the email  at the bottom of the page  and I'll get the books in the mail to you!


Writers -
I'm also late with this - sorry! But there's still time to catch up -
Over on eHarlequin.com they are having a Harlequin Presents Spotlight and I was asked to run a teaching week for those who were preparing a novel for the Presents line - and in preparation for  a Presents writing event coming up on the site.

So I'm running a class/Q&A on  Delivering Emotional Punch  this week. I've already posted 3 lessons, but you could soon catch up. 

Anyway - you'll find the lessons - and the  questions here

So you think you can write . . .

Editorial Week Nov 1-5

Does your imagination run wild with vivid characters? Have you ever dreamed of becoming a USA TODAY bestselling author? Well, our editors want to make those dreams come true. We are hungry to find talented new writers for Harlequin Books. Through podcasts, blogs, and discussions with our expert editors and current authors, we’re going to help you understand the appeal of the romance genre. And there’s a special daily challenge with feedback that will give some great insights into crafting the perfect story. So for the next week, come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication. So you think you can write? Here’s your chance to show us!

Featuring:

Meet 50+ editors who want to buy your book

Join community discussions with savvy writers in the know

Listen to podcasts with editors and authors

Chat live with editors in the Harlequin Community

Participate in a webinar with editors

Follow us on Twitter

Take part in the daily challenge to test your writing skills

Submit your story to the Harlequin editors!

Find out more over on eHarlequin all week.

Meanwhile the 25th anniversary contest is now closed. I'll be getting Sid the Cat on the job of picking winners - there were a huge number of entries so even with 25 prizes to choose we may be some time!

New Voices and Editorial Week

The New Voices contest now has its Favourite Four entries listed. Many congratulations to the chosen authors - and good luck with the next stage of the contest.
The next stage is of course the 'pivotal moment' and, having been asked so many times just what a pivotal moment is, I'm going to be intrigued to see just what each writer chooses as the pivotal moment for their particular story.

New Voices 2011 is already being talked about so if you want to let the editors know more about how you'd like that to go then you can contriubute your comments here.

And if you'd like more about writing romance, want to know what the editors are looking for then mark the week of November 1 - 5 in your diary. That's when Editorial Week runs over on eHarlequin.com. Here's what Harlequin have to say:

Through podcasts, blogs, and discussions with our expert editors and current authors, we’re going to help you understand the appeal of the romance genre. And there’s a special daily challenge with feedback that will give some great insights into crafting the perfect story. So for the next week, come by to hone your skills and get started on the path to publication. So you think you can write? Here’s your chance to show us!

I was delighted to be asked to contribute a blog as part of this special week - and there's a lot going on in those five days. I'm sure there's something for everyone.

Harlequin Sale

I mentioned this a couple of days ago - so if you buy books from eHarlequin (or would just like to get a really good bargain!) then this Buy One Get One Free offer is available now until May 31st

Wales, A great interview and last Chance . . . .

Last chance to enter the Here Come the Grooms Contest which closes on March 1st so get your entries in if you want to be in with a chance of winning the three great prizes that are on offer.

Details below or on my Contest Page.



March 1st is St David's Day and as you all know I have a strong connection with Wales - all that teaching in Fishguard, Caerleon - and of course I spent five years of my life in Aberystwyth which is where I met the Babe Magnet - so Happy St David's Day to you all and specially to my Welsh Readers.

Dydd Gwyl Dewi Dedwydd!

The new Managing Director of Harlequin Mills and Boon Mandy Ferguson was interviewed on the Today Programme on Radio 4 on Friday and you can hear the interview here .

I have to admit that I smiled when the interviewer commented that HM&B don't win the Booker prize - or even get short-listed. My answer to that would be that I would far rather have my novels read and enjoyed by the hundreds of thousands of readers who buuy them than have them selected for some rather elitist, high-brow fiction prize. For me the real prize is knowing that my readers love what I write - that's the best sort of prize there is for an author of popular romance.

Browse this book

Add to your site

Buy this book

Oh and if you missed it the first time around, the Presents EXTRA edition of Kept For Her Baby is now on special offer with 20% off with the chance to save an extra $6 on a selection of books over on eHarlequin. Just follow the Shirts and Skins promotion link in the sidebar. No prizes for guessing which 'side' this sexy cover belongs in!

The weekend that wasn't

What can I say except that dreadlines and migraines don't mix. In fact migraines don't mix with anything. So the weekend didn't really exist very much.

Oh well - I'm going to cheer myself up with sticking to good news - let's see. . .

My workshop in Hull is now fully booked up (that's in just about two weeks) - so I'm looking forward to meeting everyone there next Monday

I've been receiving chapters and synopses from the students at my Fishguard writing weekend. I am so looking forward to that and to meeting up with friends I already know and making new friends from the students I've not yet met. (There are still some places on this workshop if anyone is interested - or for the one in Southampton in April. Details on my events page) And this time I'm getting there a day early so that I can actually see some more of Fishguard itself. (Note to self - get some sleep too, before then. I don't get much during the course itself!)

My March Presents EXTRA title -The Konstantos Marriage Demand is now on presale in both print and ebook form on eHarlequin.com

Some lovely reader has used the new ratings system on the Mills & Boon website to give The Knostantos Marriage Demand 5 stars. Thank you whoever you are! And in the couple of shops I visited today the UK edition had sold out. (And of course I'm still smiling a bout that 4.5 star Top Pick review)

The sun is shining. That's always a bonus.

I have had my hair done so I now look less like a haystack and a bit more human

At the weekend I will be meeting up with my dear friend and fabulous writer Julie Cohen and her small son and we will be going to see the dinosaurs in Oxford (in the museum of course - they won't be wandering around the city!)

There - that's made me feel a lot better . . . .

Now to see if I can get my Sicilian hero to co-operate. That will make the rest of today even nicer.

Open House and Longlist

Today is the annual eHarlequin Open House where all day long authors and readers can get together, talk about books, share cyber goodies and maybe win a prize or two. So why don't you join us all over there?

And over on the RNA website the longlist for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2010 has been announced.

Here's a list of the contenders:

The Very Thought of You, Rosie Alison

Passion, Louise Bagshawe

Beachcombing, Maggie Dana

Fairytale of New York, Miranda Dickinson

Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts, Lucy Dillon

A Single to Rome, Sarah Duncan

A Mother's Hope, Katie Flynn

A Glimpse at Happiness, Jean Fullerton

10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love, Linda Green

Marriage and Other Games, Veronica Henry

The Glass Painter's Daughter, Rachel Hore

It's the Little Things, Erica James

I Heart New York, Lindsey Kelk

The Heart of the Night, Judith Lennox

The Italian Matchmaker, Santa Montefiore

The Summer House, Mary Nichols

One Thing Led to Another, Katy Regan

The Last Song, Nicholas Sparks

Last Christmas, Julia Williams

The Hidden Dance, Susan Wooldridge

I'll admit that the effect this list has on me is to make me realise how much I wish I could have a 'reading time token' from Santa this year - preferably LOTS of them!

What about you?

Buying books

No this isn't the cheery news - just a bit of good news if you're a UK book buyer or you buy your romances from the Mills & Boon site

If you buy your books from the Mills & Boon web site then you can save - by getting 20% of each and every book today and tomorrow. This offer ends midnight Thursday October 29th.

And even if those darned postal strokes go ahead, M&B guarantee delivery by courier so you won't even have to wait.

For this one you need to use the code SPOOK with your order. So you know all those books you were hoping to buy . . .go get 'em!

And I'll be back with more cheery news just as soon as people stop contacting me about other interesting things . . .

PS Please don't forget to click on the Breast Cancer site link while it's still October and your click counts double - the clicks have already funded 352 free mammograms this month so ut's real worth it

The October books are out at eHarlequin

Do you buy your books/ebooks from the eHarlequin site?

If so - this might help you save a little (a lot?) of money. See the link in the sidebar



And don't forget that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I've moved the Breast Cancer Site up to the top of the sidebar to remind you to click daily to help provide free mammograms for woman who need them.
.

Presents competition chat 2

If you missed the live chat with editor Joanne Grant yesterday on eHarlequin.com then you can find the transcript of the whole event here on the site today

It makes interesting reading

Presents Competition Chat

Remember that today, Wednesday, Sept. 23 at 11am EDT / 4pm GMT / 8am PDT is eHarlequin's live editor chat with Harlequin Presents editor Joanne Grant about the Harlequin Presents Writing Competition.

Joanne will be taking questions and telling you everything she's looking for in the line. You could join the ranks of previous winners Lynn Raye Harris whose debut novel, SPANISH MAGNATE, RED-HOT REVENGE, is coming out in 2009 from Harlequin Presents and Lucy King who sold her novel Damsel in Distress to Modern Heat.

This will be a live event held in the eHarlequin.com Community chat room — click here to get there when the time comes!

Bring your questions (just remember it’s a protocol chat — you alert the moderator that you have a question and she will tell you when it’s our turn to ask) or just follow along! Jayne from eHarlequin will be live-blogging on Harlequin Twitter using the hash tag #presentschat as well and will post the transcript sometime on our Community pages afterwards.

If you like ebooks . . .

I've just discovered that Kept For Her Baby is already on sale in this format on eHarlequin.com. You can find the ebook version of this October Presents EXTRA release here.

I wasn't expecting it to be available in the Presents format yet, so it was a surprise to see it there.

It has been on sale on the Mills & Boon web site for a while, as have all the September Modern Romance, whether they appear in the shops on August 21st of September 4th. Kept For Her Baby will, of course, be in the bookshops in the UK from next Friday - September 4th. And you can read an excerpt from it here or using the link in the sidebar.

And don't forget that my Summer Sizzler contest which I'm running jointly with Michelle Reid is still open - nut the closing date is the end of this month Monday 31st September. So get your entries in for that- the details are:

We are giving you the chance to win a signed copy of each of the two great books we have out in September - my Kept For Her Baby and Michelle's Marchese's Forgotten Bride.

All you have to do is: Name the Hero and Heroine in both of the above titles!

(you can find the information on my web site - and of course on Michelle's)

Send your answers to me and to Michelle
Please put September Sizzler Contest in the subject line.

The closing date is the last day of August 2009 after which Michelle and I will pick out the winners and send them signed copies of our books.

Happy Valentine's Day

So it's February 14th with all its attendant fuss about 'lurve' and red roses and chocolate . . .

The Magnet knows that I'm not keen on red roses (I prefer the golden ones I had in my wedding bouquet) and chocolate (I'd swap luxury chocs for a plate of chips/fries anyday!)but it's not those sort of things that count. Not really.

I was stunned this morning to learn that according to some report, the city of Hull is reputed to be the most romantic in the UK. Now Hull is just up the coast from where I live and it has never seemed a very romantic place to me. It seems that that assessment is based purely on sales of roses as Valentine's gifts. But it also seems that most of those bouquets are last-minute gifts - hmm - rushed, cliché gifts perhaps. Or am I being too cynical?

Anyway, whatever you're doing today I hope it's a lovely day for you and in celebration of the day, Harlequin have some gifts for its readers.

The first of these is a free special ebook at www.ebooks.eharlequin.com – A Valentine For Harlequin’s Anniversary. It contains a story “An Evening To Remember” by Catherine Mann, and 60 of the favourite posts by Harlequin authors and readers from the eHarlequin Community on topics like “Why I Write” and “Favourite Harlequin Moments”

Those favourite Harlequin Moments were written because - as I've already mentioned - Harlequin is 60 this year. And as part of those celebrations, and "to thank our many readers for taking us into their hearts and homes for 60 years and making us the world’s leading publisher of romantic fiction, Harlequin is giving every woman in America and Canada a free book. "

In fact, they’re giving away 16 free Books that readers can download.

The titles are available as a PDF and in all eBook formats. There is no drm (digital rights management)
The titles are also available as a Stanza App for the iPhone and iPod Touch
The titles can also be found at all the online retailers like Sony, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Fictionwise.com, eReader.com, etc.
The 16 free books (one for every series) will be available throughout 2009.

So why note head over to HarlequinCelebrates.com and take your pick from the slection of titles - from all the lines Harlequin publishes - to help you celebrate Valentine's Day too.

Finally - Valentine's Day is also the day that my friend Anne McAllister launches the new look on her web site. It has been freshly reworked and revamped by the brilliant Heather Reed from We Write Romance who also looks after my site. And it looks fabulous.

Anne is running a great contest to mark this relaunch so why not visit the site and see if you can win yourself a great prize.

And whatever you're doing - whether you're with someone or enjoying being free and single, I hope you have a lovely and loving day today.

Tote Bags 'N' Blogs

It's February 1st - the first Sunday of the month. And that is now my new regular blogging date to appear over on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs on Lee Hyat's great site My Tote Bag.

So that's where you'll find me today - talking about bright things to look forward to in dark and cold days.

And there's a chance of a copy of my latest release, Cordero's Forced Bride up for grabs if you come along and post a comment.

Oh - and over on eHarlequin there's a contest to guess which desk belongs to which writer. Check out the photos and see if you can match the desk to the author. Regular readers of this blog will have an advantage in spottting which one is mine.

See you there!

Looking Forward - 2009

So it's a different year. It's 2009.

Yesterday was spent with calendars . Making sure that all the important upcoming dates are listed so that I don't forget anything. I love brand new stationery - pristine notebooks, fresh calendars, new diaries, so that was a real pleasure for me.

And there are already plenty of dates and events to note down for this new year even though it Ihas only just dawned. So today I'm looking forward at what's coming up with a whole new sense of anticipation.

I'm sure there will be more to add to the calendar later in the year but for now - here's what 2009 has planned for me . . .

So we'll start in January -

Coming up very soon is the now traditional (well, we've been running it for 3 years!) joint contest - Here Come The Grooms - that Anne McAllister, Liz Fielding and I run every year around this time. It's been in February before but Anne's book is out in January so we're starting early this year. More details very soon.



In February I am teaching a residential weekend course on the Writers' and Artists' Workshop Weekend at Fishguard in Wales. I am teaching The Novel - not specifically Romance writing but writing a novel in general. Obviously plenty of what I have to say will apply to Romance but this course, (like the 12 Point Guide actually) will be suitable for anyone who wants to write any sort of fiction.

And if anyone out there wants to write poetry - or knows someone who does, then the Babe Magnet will be running the Poetry course on the same weekend.

The dates for this event are 20th February - 22nd February 2009 and the cost is an all-inclusive (accomodation, food, classes) £199. That's for six one hour sessions of talks, one to one assessments and assignments.

(If you want to join me there, then if you add my name after yours on the application form, that will save you an extra £10 on the cost of the weekend)

Talking of courses I'm teaching, I will be back in Wales in July when I am teaching the Writing Romance course at Writers' Holiday at Caerleon. This is a very special event as it is the 25th Summer Writers' Holiday. I had to miss last year's event as I was in San Francisco so I'm really looking forward to being back at Caerleon this year.

The dates for this are 26th July - 31st July 2009 And the cost (again all-inclusive) is £399. There are 14 courses in total to choose from and some wonderful main speakers lined up for this event.

Details for both the Fishguard Weekend and Caerleon can be found on the official website here where you can also book online and save money.

Summer of course will be the Conference season and I shall be rushing from one end of the country to another - and overseas, I hope - in July when there will be the RNA Conference in Penrith (10-12th July) and the 29th Annual National Conference in Washington, D.C.July 15 - 18, 2009. And then heading for Caerleon! I might just find time to breathe!

Of course I will also have some new books coming out and the first of these is Cordero's Forced Bride which officially published on February 1st as a Presents edition. And then it's out in March as a Mills & Boon Modern Romance. But I was thrilled to see that even before 2009 had dawned, the ebook version of this book was already on pre-order on eHarlequin and since then it has been riding high in their ebook charts - arriving at #2 today. (And as that's #2 to Lynne Graham's #1 I'm not complaining!) It's also now listed on eHarlequin's Top Ten Bestsellers right now. So it's off to a very good start.

My next romance out in 2009 will be Kept For Her Baby which has a M&B Modern publication date of September 2009. This is out in the same month as my friend Michelle Reid's next book too so I expect that we will be repeating our Super September Contest like the one we ran last year.

Oh, and before that book in September I have a reprint out in May. That's when At The Sheikh's Command appears in Sold to the Sheikh with books by Miranda Lee and Emma Darcy. I haven't yet found out if this is a UK release or an Australian release but I'll let you know just as soon as I can.




Finally, if you're in America and you missed out on getting an ebook copy of my June '08 release Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife - then that is on sale in a special BEST OF 2008 - Best of the Billionaires - sale over on eHarlequin here.

What else? Well, I'll be continuing my blogging as a Pink Heart Society Columnist - my first blog of 2009 is to pick next Monday's Male on Monday so watch out for that. (I've been doing some serious research forthis one!) I'll also be guestblogging on Tote Bags and Blogs on the first Sunday of every month and with We Write Romance whenever they need me! And of course I'll be blogging here too.

And finally, 2009 is a very important year for Harlequin and for me. For two different reasons.

This year Harlequin is celebrating it's Diamond Anniversary - that's 60 years of publishing the brilliant romances we all know and love. So there will be special celebrations all thgouth the year and a special Spotlight on each line in turn, staring with Desire. Presents will have its turn in July, just in time for the RWA Nationals.

My own anniversary will arrive in December 2009 when I will be celebrating 25 years as a published author! 25 years! I can't quite believe it myself. I'm not sure quite what I'll be doing to mark this occasion - but I will be doing something so watch out for that.

And with Bedded By The Greek Billionaire now officially shortlisted for that Best Presents from Romantic Times, it's shaping up to be an exciting year ahead. Now all I have to do is to write the next book and get my publications for the next new year ready and lining up.

Finally, I'm signed up to take part in the eHarlequin Book Challenge 2009 where for every book I read and review Harlequin will be donating a book to the National Center for Family Literacy to benefit their literacy programs - why don't you come and join in too. All you have to do is read and you were going to do that anyway - right?

I hope you'll enjoy the books I have coming up in the next year, come and visit my blog often in 2009 and maybe I'll meet up with some of you at one or other of the events or workshops there are planned for this year.

Christmas Stocking Stuffed with Books 2 - Ellen Hartman

The second author who has generously donated a book to the Christmas Stocking Stuffed With Books this year is a new friend I made at RWA in San Francisco. We actually met when we were both wearing our nightclothes!

This was at the traditional eHarlequin Pajama Party that is one of the most fun parties held at RWA each year. Everyone - authors, eHarlequin hosties and even Harlequin editors and management turn up in their nightwear. It's impossible not to have fun when everyone's in PJs. I always make a lot of friends there.

And this time I met Ellen Hartman. We had a lot of fun that first evening playing word games with adjectives. I met Ellen several times after that - and I know I took her photograph because I'd already asked her to join in the Christmas Stocking contest. I did take her photograph - honest - but I can't find it anywhere - it has rather spookily vanished. So I'm lucky that Ellen sent me this 'official' photo that I can use.

Ellen writes for SuperRomance - and you have to want to read books by someone whose web site declares : Love is no joke. But it sure is funny.

(And having spent a couple of great evenings in Ellen's company, I know she has a wonderful sense of humour)

The book that Ellen has donated to the Christmas Stocking has a wonderful, intriguing title and a summary that just makes you want to grab the book and start reading.

His Secret Past

One Night Changed His Life Forever

Mason Star spent his teens living the fast life on the road with his band. Tragedy struck one rainy night when his tour bus crashed and a young fan was killed. Fifteen years later, Mason is struggling with his own teenage son who wants to quit high school and with the local zoning board that wants to take his home.

Anna Walsh may be able to save his bacon but she just might ruin his life in the process.

Here's Ellen's latest news about what's coming up for her in 2009

Here is my 2009 news:Fifteen years ago, JT McNulty's pregnant girlfriend turned down his marriage proposal and his parents kicked him out of the house. When he comes home for his mother's funeral, he comes face to face with his past. Find out what happens in "The Boyfriend's Back," coming in May 2009.

In December 2009, it's JT's brother, Charlie's turn. Charlie McNulty grew up in the messy shadow thrown by his parents' chaotic marriage. He vowed he would live a rational life, safely defined by logical choices. What happens when he finds himself falling for a single mom with a troubled child and a tendency toward public drama?

There's a little bit more news - when Ellen wrote me this summary, she didn't know that her second book, Wanted Man is going to be her first UK publication and it's out in January. So if you live in the UK look out for that one.

Here's a short summary of Wanted Man:

A mystery author. A single mom.

Nathan Delaney is on the lam and needs to stay hidden. Rhian MacGregor has had her fill of love and then some.
When two people trying to stay out of love can't help falling into love, how will they ever make it work?


Liberal doses of homemade cupcakes, basketball lessons, rock and roll, and romance, of course!
Throw in an evil talk show host, a Pepto Bismol pink house, two best friends, and one eight-year-old boy. Rhian and Nathan's lives will never be the same

If you want to know more about Ellen and her books, check out her website here

These days I mostly catch up with Ellen by email or on eHarlequin - and that reminds me that I have to tell you that tomorrow, December 11th is the date for the annual eHarlequin Open House. Every year dozens of Harlequin authors visit the eHarlequin web site and chat with readers as part of the Christmas celebrations - many of them give away prizes as well. This year, there will be over 100 authors visiting and chatting - you can check out the guest list here.

The Open House is on all day long so why not come and join us? I hope I'll see you there.

Friends, Furries, Expeditions and English Ebooks

i

By the time you read this I will be heading for Manchester Airport to meet Anne McAllister who is coming to visit. She wants to spend quality time with Sid of course and to help celebrate Madame Flora's first birthday.

But first we will be heading for Michelle Reid's lovely home in Cumbria to spend a night there. I'm so looking forward to that. One of the delights of being in London last week was meeting up with Michelle and her husband and I expect that we will spend the day talking about books, writing, heroes, writing, books and more books.

Then on Saturday we will head home, bringing Anne with us, and organise the important birthday party. I can't quite believe that Flora is a year old. It's a poignant anniversary because she was born just as my dear old friend the ginger alpha Robert Redford (Bob to his friends of whom Anne was one) died. But the Floozie has helped to fill the hole that he left. So we will celebrate and I know that Anne will have packed special treats just for the occasion (and plenty for Sid and Dylan of course). I hope that The Heck family of hedgehogs will put in a nocturnal appearence - but it is getting close to hibernation time now that the evenings are growing colder.

Talking about pets - over on Publisher's Weekly Beyond Her Book, Barbara Vey is running a special Saturday post where authors/publishers/agents/editors are sending in pictures of their pets and a separate picture of themselves. Readers will then try to match the pet and the owner. I've sent over a pic of A Cat of Superior Breeding - so regular readers of this blog will have an advantage with one set of pics anyway!

On Saturday I'm taking part in the Harlequin September Blog Bash where 30 authors have been asked to blog about their favourite Harlequin Moments. So although I probably won't be blogging here on Saturday as I'll be driving across the country from west to east, my Harlequin Moments post will be up at eHarlequin for you to read.

And ebooks - one of the things I learned at the AMBA lunch last week is that Mills & Boon books will now be available as ebooks. The books can be bought from Waterstones right now and there are plans for them to be sold on the Mills & Boon site soon. They are only just beginning to put the monthly books out in this format but I was delighted to see that The Alcolar Family Trilogy is one of the first to be made available this way. So this means that it will always be available in this format in the future. like the ebook bundle for sale on eHarlequin.

Other good news there is that the M&B site will be keeping books in stock for longer than the basic 3 months they've had them on sale up to now. So if they have copies in stock you will be able to buy from an auhtor's backlist until they sell out.

And if you buy a Sony ebook reader, then 3 M&B books come preloaded - including Fiona Harper's book. English Lord, Ordinary Lady . There were several Sony readers on show at the lunch and the size and compactness did seem tempting - but I so love real books!

What do you think?

Oh - and talking of ebooks - when I was checking on The Alcolar Family on eHarlequin just now, I discovered that Bedded By The Greek Billionaire is already on sale in its ebook form - and in the Top Ten Bestsellers even thought it's not out in book form until November.

Another plus for ebooks.