And another guest blog . . .

Today's post is over on the Romance Bandits' blog where I'm talking about - guess what - A Throne for The  Taking . But I'm also talking about  a very important book from my childnood.

Do you have any really memorable book that you read when you were young - and wish you could read again?   If so, perhaps you'd like to come along and join the chat to tell me about it.

More Guest Blogs -

It's a busy time for me out on various blogs right now - because of the publication of A Throne For The Taking  of course - so here's another couple of links to take you to more places to read about me or my books.

First of all, there's a great review of A Throne for The Taking over on The Good The Bad and The Unread.  It's always fascinating to read what another writer thinks of  your work  and novelist Lynne Connolly is an experienced and knowledgable critic  so her review makes interesting reading (and she liked the book too which is a relief!)

Following on  from that,  there is a longish interview with me that has just been posted -  you can find that here.

And soon  there should be a follow up post -with a giveaway of a copy of A Throne For The Taking - so if you've never visited The Good The Bad and The Unread, now's your chance to see what the site's like - and read  some of the reviews and posts.

PS If you want some more really great reviews of A Throne For The Taking then there are several over on  Romance Book Haven in the Contemporary Reviews - thank you so much ladies!

Revising and Editing

I was asked to write a craft post over on Revising and Editing -so that's where my main post is today -  it's about  Originality and Voice - I was asked to write a bit about plagiarism but I think we've done that topic recently!

It's publication day - in America anyway!  A Throne for the Taking is out in Harlequin Presents now  so thank you to everyone who has already been out to buy a copy.  

And perhaps it's time to remind you  that Author, Author! still has the very special offer on the Presents Edition of A Throne For The Taking -  the book normally sells at $4.99 but  Author, Author! has it on special discounted offer for just $3.25. Take a look.

Spotlight and giveaway

I've been so busy that I've neglected to blog for days.    I'm not quite sure where the time has gone but at least today I have a blog for you - if not quite here!

Because A Throne For The Taking is out very soon - tomorrow in fact, in  Harlequin Presents in America and   June 7th in  M&B Modern in  UK  - I'vebeen asked to do some blogs - and interviews here there and everywhere (well it seems that way!)

So today the first of those is published - with a special Spotlight Interview over on  Romance Book Paradise.  Lovely Nas Dean asked me a set of probing questions and now the interview is posted on the site.  There's also a giveaway of a signed copy of A Throne For The Taking for someone who posts a comment.

So maybe I'll see you there  - and there are other guest blogs and posts coming up in the next few weeks.  There will be more giveaways too.

Making me smile

Well that was a hectic week - celebrating my birthday seemed to go on for a couple of days.

Thank you so much to everyone who sent such lovely birthday messages and greetings. I appreciated every one of them - they all made me smile.

And here's another thing that's made me smile - I just discovered that over on the Mills and Boon site where A  Throne for the Taking is now on sale -   it's at #1 in their bestseller chart!  That has made my day.

Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy to put it in this special place.  Even the  rain that is bucketing down outside (Spring? What happened to spring?) can't dampen my spirits.

Tote Bags day

It's the first Sunday of the month so today is my day for posting over on the Tote Bags 'N' Blog site.

I'm talking about why May is one of my favourite months - and seeing as it's a long weekend,  the sun is shining, the Babe Magnet and The Offspring are watching the football while I relax with a  good book, it's not realy surprising that I like it so much - is it?

PHS Day

It's the first Friday  of the month so today I'm over on the Pink Heart Society blog with  Date With Kate.


I'm talking about writing my first ever royal romance - which is, of course -  A Throne For The Taking.

See you there.

TV star!

I was on TV yesterday.

Well, not me  actually - not in person. But my name and one of my books was prominently displayed.
There is a programme called The Intern  on Channel 4 in the UK where three young hopefuls are given the chance to work in their chosen jobs as interns for a week, and hopefully one of them  will end up with a job  as a winner.    Last night's episode was  described like this: Three more young hopefuls are given a week's trial in the job of their dreams at publisher Mills & Boon.

So the programme was set in the Mills & Boon offices in Richmond, with lots of scenes showing the editorial department, lots of insights into the way the editors and marketing work,

The walls of the Richmond offices are decorated with  big, blow up copies of book covers from all the lines and all the decades that Mills and Boon have been publishing.  And there amongst them, was a poster size copy of the cover  I have on  here -  No Holding Back  - which was published in  1995. 

The 'half a heart'  style covers didn't last very long. No one in the bookshops bothered to display them as they were designed - with two books next to each other to make a  whole 'heart' when appearing on the shelves! But I have to admit I did like the covers when they were in a range of colours so that the books didn't look quite so regimented and  'all the same'.


You can see the programme  replayed here  if you are in the right area. I hope it works for you.

Oh - and No Holding Back has been republished in  both the Harlequin Treasury and the  Mills & Boon Vintage ebook collections.  (It's currently only £1.80  or $2.74 right now)

It's May. . .

Happy May Day!   It seems that May has got off to a good start - the sun is actually shining, now if we could just get rid of that sneaky cold wind  it  would be gorgeous.

Reasons  to like May - I have a birthday coming up. So does my sister. Sadly she's in Tasmania so we won't be getting together to celebrate .

The Brenda Novak Auction for The Cure of Diabetes is now officially open.  Why take a look at some of the amazing lots - and maybe place a bid?  As I said earlier, I have the Reader and Writers' Basket  and the  10 Signed Novels lots on offer - and I'm delighted to see that there are already some bid on these. Thank you to anyone who has put in a bid.

Other reasons to like May -  A Throne for The Taking is now available on the UK's Mills and  Boon web site  and the Harlequin Presents edition will be released  on May 21st in USA.

Oh yes - and  A Throne For The Taking has  these great reviews over on  Romance Book Paradise.


The author lets her characters truly speak , as reader I was very glad to see that the author let me in


on just what each one of the characters were thinking, as I often find that I want to know what she or he is thinking and not knowing drives me insane, and in the case of Ria and Alexei it would have infuriated me, so thank you Kate!

I particularly liked the message this read gave me, not all secrets are as deadly as one may think, sometimes revealing the truth can save you, opening up the road to recovery.

I highly recommend this read for lovers of royal romances with intense secrets and all Kate Walker fans!   
Desere


A THRONE FOR THE TAKING is a very different, intriguing and thrilling story. It is full of conspiracy, scheming and plotting against the kingdom amidst the mesmerizing romance between Ria and Alexei. Author Kate Walker has yet again stunned her readers with a unique twist to her romance. She skillfully penned another gripping and compelling tale that would hook a reader in until the very last page.
Nas

Thank you both Desere and Nas

You can read the full reviews here.

So May has got off to a great start. Let's hope it continues that way.

PS Just discovered that A Throne For The Taking is already at #3  in the Harlequin ebook Bestsellers list today - another reason to like May!

Important Auction

It's almost May 1st and if you don't know what that signifies then you should!
May 1st is when Brenda Novak's  Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research starts for 2013.  

Here's what Brenda herself  says:
Brenda Novak's Annual Online Auction for Diabetes Research is gearing up for its biggest year yet. Thanks to all who have participated in the past — both donors and shoppers — we've raised a cumulative total of $1.6 million. This year we are hoping to surpass $2 million to help all those with diabetes.


So many people have donated lots for the auction and all funds go towards this great cause.

Every year in the past, I've donated two lots -  in the past these have been a Readers' and Writers' Basket  - and, previously, a critique of a partial aimed at the Harlequin Presents line. 

Well, this year I'm still offering the Readers' and Writers' basket but, sadly, I am no longer able to offer the critique. I'm sure I don't have to explain why.  This is the damage that the copyright infringement case has done to the trust between authors and unpublished writers.  But I was determined to offer two lots as I have always done - so

The first lot is the Readers' and Writers' Basket -

The winner of this bid will receive  these autographed books

12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE

THE STRAIGHTFORWARD GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION

A great selection of Kate Walker novels:

The Alcolar Family Trilogy (3 in 1), which includes:

THE TWELVE-MONTH MISTRESS

THE SPANIARD'S INCONVENIENT WIFE

BOUND BY BLACKMAIL

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE

SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

Also included are the following autographed paperback books by Kate Walker:

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)

THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)

THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? (Presents Extra April 2010)

All books are packed into one of my Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Full details and how to bid can be found here


Lot 2 -  10 Book Autographed  Collection

The winner of this bid will receive  these autographed paperback books:

THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES (Presents Extra April 2012)

THE RETURN OF THE STRANGER (Presents Extra October 2012)

THE PROUD WIFE (Presents Extra October 2011)

A THRONE FOR THE TAKING (brand new title!)

The trilogy Claimed by the Sicilian (3 in 1), which includes:

THE SICILIAN'S WIFE

SICILIAN HUSBAND, BLACKMAILED BRIDE

THE SICILIAN'S RED-HOT REVENGE

THE GOOD GREEK WIFE?

KEPT FOR HER BABY

THE KONSTANTOS MARRIAGE DEMAND

All books are packed into one of my Kate Walker Tote Bags; bonus: Kate Walker pen.

Full details and how to bid can be found here

I hope you'll take a look - but don't just look at my lots - browse the whole site and see the amazing things there are on offer.
The auction starts in two days time -  It's a  great cause  - so why not bid?

A box full of heroes

The Babe Magnet and I have been away, visiting York. The sun actually shone, afternoon tea at Bettys was wonderful as always, and I managed a little shopping while he browsed the second hand bookshops.  His carrier bags were much heavier than mine - but my  contents were much  prettier!

Came home to find there had been a delivery - a box full of  heroes!  The UK editions  of A Throne For the Taking - library editions and paperback ones -

had arrived.  This is always a fantastic moment - to hold the copies of my latest in my hands. It's something ebooks will never replace.

But I'm still not sure about that waistcoat!

Incidentally, coming in August, there will be some changes to the Presents covers in America - about time I think - they needed a refresh. Some of the new covers are already appearing on Amazon so look out for those and see what you think.

Books and Friends

One of the really great things about being a writer is that I get to meet some really great peple who are also writers.  In fact I get to meet so great people who are also great writers.

And those great people prove how great they are by giving me copies of their books.

So this is what arrived in the mail this week.

I've known Julie Cohen since  - well, I can't quite recall exactly when but I know we met at the RNA Conference before she was ever published. I  was thrilled to share the celebrations of her first ever Mills & Boon Modern Extra, Featured Attraction and the other books she had published with them and then Little Black Dress. I've watched her career grow as she moved on the bigger books -  Getting Away with It and The Summer of Living Dangerously.  I've even taught  a weekend course with  her in Leicester - and had a great time doing so.

And I've been waiting to read this new book ever since Julie told me all about it. Well, not all  - she didn't tell me how it all works out and I didn't want her to. That's part of the pleasure of reading it for myself. 

Claire and Ben are the perfect couple. But behind the glossy façade, they’ve been desperately trying – and failing – to have a baby for years. Now, the stress and feelings of loss are taking their toll on their marriage. Claire’s ready to give up hope and get on with her life, but Ben is not. And then Ben’s best friend, Romily, offers to conceive via artificial insemination and carry the baby for them.
Romily acts in good faith, believing it will be easy to be a surrogate. She’s already a single mother, and has no desire for any more children. Except that being pregnant with Ben’s child stirs up all sorts of emotions in her, including one she’s kept hidden for a very long time: Ben’s the only man she’s ever loved.
Two mothers—and one baby who belongs to both of them, and which only one of them can keep.

So the other books on my TBR pile are going to have to be put aside for a while - sorry Robert Goddard, Diane Chamberlain . . . The Edna O'Brian and Billy Joel biographies are going to have to wait - even the book on Perkin Warbeck that I'm half way through. All I can say is that I'm glad I'd finished Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn) and The Good Father (Noah Hawley) before this arrived. Otherwise I'd have had a real problem.

So if I'm missing for a few days - you'll know the reason why.

Thanks Julie!

Review and Offer

Thanks to Michelle Styles, I have been able to see the Romantic Times  review for  A Throne For The Taking   and I'm  thrilled to find that  they have given my new book  4 1/2 stars.  That's great news.

Here's the review:

10 years ago, Ria Escalona had her friend Alexei exiled from Mecjoria. But now she knows the truth, and she needs him back to save their country from tyranny and civil unrest. Can she do it without revealing her true feelings?

Alexei Sarova has spent the past decade forgetting Ria, building a successful but lonely life. Now she’s back and needs his help to claim the throne of their homeland. Will she agree to his unscrupulous terms?  

The majesty of Walker’s fictional principality shines, and her frenemies-to-love story is  perfectly passionate.

Thank you RT - and thank you Michelle

I don't know if you remember but last year sometime I asked blog readers to suggest a name for this

ficitional country and Caroline was the one who suggested  Mecjoria.  I promised a copy of the book to the person whose name I chose - so Caroline, the book is on its way to you, if you haven't received it already.

And the offer?
Well, if you're in America, and  want to get your hands on a copy of A Throne for The Taking - the bookshop  Author, Author!  is running a special offer on this brand new title.   As they say on the offer page:

This book is regularly $4.99 but we've discounted it to $3.25 for this very special offer. This book should ship on or around May 21.

$3.25 is selling this book at cost with just a reasonable shipping fee, so it's a really great offer.
My special thanks to Author, Author! for organising this.

Oh - I just checked - Author, Author!  staff are at a conference this weekend - but they're back onn April 23rd.

Updated

New book - new look!

Heather of HR Web Concepts has updated my web site with news, covers of the new book - and a brand new colour scheme . We'd had the red white and bronze colour scheme for  ?? years (can't actually remember how long!) so it was definitely time for a chage. 

So we've tweaked it as well as updating it - and added a new 'shout' line -  Emotionally  rich and passionately intense! (Many thanks to Virginia from Booked Solid with Virginia C who gave me this line as her description of my books  and who uses it for  the page where she reviews my books too.)

We had a strange moment - well, I did , where the changes didn't quite take and I was left with a half and half effect  with the new colour scheme at the top of the page and the old red and bronze colouring  on the rest of it, but I think that has all settled down again now and everywhere is refreshed and 'tweaked'! And there's a brand new banner for A Throne For the Taking as well.

So  - this is the new look now. I hope you like it.

Vintage offer

If you have a kindle and you're interested in collecting   my older titles - the M&B  Vintage edition of The Groom's Revenge  is currently available at the special price  of just £1.80 on Amazon UK right now.   (And it seems to be $2.76 on Amazon.com but that's not totally clear)

Not my most favourite cover! But that doesn't matter so much on a  kindle does it?

Changes coming up

I've been busy, working with the lovely Heather from HR Web Concepts who designs and maintains my web site.   We've updated it recently, with the details of my new book A Throne For The Taking  ready for  publication day in June  (or May 21st in America).   And, as I'm sure you've noticed,  there's a brand new banner at the top of the pages to advertise that.  When it gets closer to the date, I'll be running a contest (with Lee over at Author Sound Relations) to celebrate having this book out.

We've also been planning to refresh the look of the site, with a new colour scheme. The red and bronze colours have been on the site ever since Heather took over - and I'm scared to think how many years ago that was! So we're looking into 'tweaking' it with a new look.

I've also updated the Events page which now shows the dates for the courses I'm running in Wales - Caerleon in the summer (28th July - 2nd August)  and the Advanced Course in Fishguard in February 2014.  And then . . . more changes.

If you look at the Writers' Holiday web site, you'll see that this will be the last ever Writers' Holiday at Caerleon. Yes, I know I said that was a possibility last year but this time it's definite. The whole format of Writers' Holiday  is changing - and we're moving. From July 2014  all the Writers' Holiday events will be at the Fishguard Bay Hotel  and the summer event will have a  different format. So  although we're going to be sad at leaving  the Caerleon university campus whihc has been 'home'  for  this event for so many years, we're also looking forwars to the new style event in the  venue that has welcomed us every February over the past years.

And I'll still be teaching  the Writing Romance course - but  that will have a diferent format too, with more hours of workshops (8 hours instead of 5) and  people will just sign up for the one course each summer.

I'm still working on the exact design of the course right now  - I've been looking at the Advanced Course  (the February one) and the prospect of the summer course and trying to see what I can do

that helps most people.  It's all to be finalised yet  but as soon as it is, I'll let you know. 

 But I do know the dates -   so for now - here's what's coming up -

Writers' Holiday at Caerleon -  Sunday 28th July - Friday 2nd August 2013 - where I'm teaching the Complete Introduction to Writing Contemporary Romance.( For details of the other courses and accommodation etc check out the Writers' Holiday web site)

Writers' and Artists' Workshop Weekend at Fishguard Friday 28th February - Sunday 2nd March 2014  - where I'm teaching the Advanced Contemporary Romance Workshops  (NB I think there is just one space left on this course already. Otherwise it's booked up!)

Writers' Holiday at Fishguard Monday 21st-Saturday 26th JULY 2014 - at the moment this will be the longer, fuller  Introduction to Writing Romance but I'll let you know more details when I have them.

Tote Bags

Life! It never slows down, does it - but , well, I like to be busy and I can never say I'm bored.
And I manage to muddle through somehow.

Anyway, today is the first Sunday in  April and,as  I'm sure you'll remember, that means that it's the day for my regular Tote Bags 'n' Blogs  post - so here's where you'll find me today.

Now I have an interview to complete - and some parcels to pack . . .
And I thought the weekend was meant to be a day of relaxation!

Pink Heart Day

As it's the first Friday in April, today is the day for my Pink Heart Society column  .  So today yoi'll find me over there with my  A Date With Kate blog.

Today's topic?  Knitting!  Well, it is supposed to be the latest  really fashionable craft, after all the baking TV programmes and now the 'Sewing Bee'.

So what crafts would your heroine enjoy? If she does any sort of crafting that is.  Or maybe even your hero is into some sort of craft work?

Manga Magic

The Easter weekend has meant that there has been no post arriving at the house for several days but with the end of the holidays, the post man has resumed his deliveries and yesterday there was a rush of new  editions of my books. 

There was a Norwegian edition of 12 Month Mistress,    a Spanish translation of The Return Of The Stranger,  two Japanese editions -  one of The Devil and Miss Jones, the second  one of my favourite things - a manga reworking of one of my much earlier titles - The Hostage Bride which was originally published in 2001.
The Manga editions are always intriguing - it's interesting to see key scenes from my past books  taken and reworked  in this specialised form.  This page here shows

a  moment where  my hero Ricardo Valeron - who has kidnapped  the heroine from her wedding -  first shows a gentler side. After watching the heroine, Fliss struggle to remove the innumerable pins that hold her wedding veil in place, he comes to her aid.

But I think my favourite image is the one where Rico 'casually tossed the bunch of keys up into the air, catching them one-handed as they fell  back down. '

In the Manga edition, Rico is twirling a set of keys  that look as if they would have  secured a dungeon rather than a bedroom door in a modern house!

But perhaps the most intresring difference is in the portrayal of the characters - the hero and heroine. With their huge eyes, pointed chins and high cheekbones, the image is very different  from the tall, dark and powerful hero on the Presents edition cover of  The Hostage Bride . 

This has always been one of my favourite covers.

It's always a thrill to see  much older books  -  it's  now 12 years since this was first published -  being revived and reprinted.  And it's a special thrill to  see them reproduced in this very differnt, specialised  and really rather magic format.

Archetypes, Tropes and Copyright

There’s an important post over on the Pink Heart Society blog this  morning.  It’s by Michelle Styles and it talks about tropes, archetypes and copyright.  If you’re at all interested in writing  - and  reading – I suggest you go and read it right now.

Now I’m not just saying this is important  because it has been provoked by something that happened to me. That’s important right enough  -  but this has more wide ranging impact  and is much more significant for the writing world, for authors, unpublished writers, and anyone who is interested in that world for any reason.

Some of you may know that an unpublished author recently brought a case against me and Harlequin  claiming that they had used her contest entry to craft  my award nominated novel The Proud Wife. The unpublished author had submitted her 20 pages and synopsis into many RWA sponsored contests and cited one where  she thought I had been one of the judges. In fact I  had never heard of the contest and had never judged it. The unpublished author felt so strongly that the works were similar, citing 40 different   points of commonality that she took the case to court.   Earlier this month the federal judge dismissed the plaintiff’s  claim with prejudice and without leave to amend  because there were no instances of copyright violation. In other words, the judge did not have to decide if I had accessed the unpublished author’s work through a contest entry because there was no copyright violation in the first place.  All 40 elements cited belonged in the unprotected category, rather than the protected  category. In other words they were part of the trope of romance and the similarities flowed from that.

If you want to know more about tropes in romance  then read Michelle’s post.  All I will add is that from time immemorial writers have been reworking plots, telling the same stories in different way, with a new slant, a new twist.  Prior to the 18th century, writers borrowed freely from each other without shame or punishment. (The Latin word plagaria referred only to the act of physical kidnapping.) Shakespeare borrowed passages from Plutarch and contemporaries. Books were copied by hand prior to the rise of the printing press, and amanuenses were given liberty to rework texts. England passed the first copyright laws in 1709, as mechanical reproduction of works and new ideas about individuality became widespread. These laws provided legal remedies for authors--writers and composers mainly--who believed their works had been unfairly lifted. The U.S. Constitution required Congress to pass similar copyright laws.

Plagiarism is  abhorrent  to me -  totally wrong – but plagiarism is reproducing  verbatim without the author's prior consent.  Plagiarism is  lifting another person’s words, copying their story, adding nothing new or different and above all never acknowledging the debt to the original.   What romance  writer has never written her personal version of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty,  The Taming of The Shrew, Pride and Prejudice . .  .   Even if she hasn’t followed the path of the original story, the memories of it, the themes  and plot lines are there in our collective story-telling imaginations and they will come out to a greater or lesser degree in each story we tell.   If I meet any  writer of romantic fiction who tells me that she had never  ever touched on any of the classics  then I’m unlikely to believe her. Where  do the wonderful alpha heroes we all know and love (or hate  as the case may be) come from if not from these classic stories?

All fiction is full of echoes and reflections that writers play with their predecessors. The Russian critic Vladimir Propp has even  proposed that all stories could be  made up of one of seven archetypes, that cover the whole of fiction for all time. No matter what amazingly unique idea you might come up with for your new novel, chances are it's already been used hundreds, possibly even thousands, of times before. You can’t copyright an idea.   You can’t copyright tall, dark handsome heroes.  Or beautiful heroines  - whatever  their colouring. You can’t copyright the weather on a day a scene takes place.  You can’t copyright a book about a miscarriage – miscarriages aren’t copyrightable. I should know, I’ve suffered one and so, sadly,  have many of my friends.

Since I wrote The Proud Wife  I have read a dozen or more novels with very similar themes – some series romance, some  bigger ‘single title’ books.  None of them  stole anything from me. They might or might not have read The Proud Wife – it doesn’t matter. The themes, the tropes of this book  are archetypes of romantic fiction. Each time a story is retold it is worked into a different form , with different characters, a different setting,  different  touches that take a classic trope/archetypal characters  and turn them into something fresh.

I’ve written 60 published novels in  the nearly 30 years I’ve been writing. My 61^st  A Throne For The Taking will be published in June. I don’t need anyone else’s stories to keep me writing – I have enough trouble with the ideas and the characters who are buzzing in my head demanding that I find time to write them down.  But  there is one other side of this case that truly saddens me and that is the effect that this case has had on so many, many fellow authors. And as a consequence, will have on many as yet unpublished writers working hard to learn their craf and looking for help and advice along the way.

One of the things I have always loved about the world of romance writers is the way that so many of them – of us, because I include myself in this group -  have been only too willing, totally happy, to help unpublished writers on their way towards to goal of being published.  For years, published authors have judged  contests  run by the RWA and other organisations. We have read and critiqued scripts for new writers – writers who often send scripts unsolicited, asking for help.  We have offered our professional expertise to help both new writers and important charities  like Brenda Novak’s  annual Auction  to raise money for research  to look for a cure for diabetes.

Not any more.

Because this  generosity is what this case has damaged.  So badly.  I have had so many messages from fellow writers who would have donated a  reading/critique as a lot in this valuable auction or who would have volunteered to judge a contest to help unpublished authors – but after this,  not any more. 

And this is why the article on the PHS is important. Because  if people don’t understand what is copyrightable and what isn't and what plagiarism really  is  then this can happen again and other authors can be put through  this  with no justification.

So please read Michelle’s post  and  learn   more about these things – and if you are interested, you can read the full 18 page judgement here   The analysis starts on page 9 and runs to page 17.

Happy St Patrick's Day

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to everyone.

Both my parents were  born in Ireland -  and on my mother's side I’m descended from a man called Chevalier Charles Wogan whose story is something of a delight for any romantic novelist – here is a brief summary:

"The Chevalier" (Knight) Charles Wogan was born in Rathcoffey. Is it possible that his heroic actions on the night of April 29th 1719 have given rise to the romantic fairy-tale tradition that for every fair princess shut up in a castle tower there comes a knight in shining armour ready to set her free so that she can marry the handsome prince of her dreams?

Wogan was a staunch supporter of the Stuarts. He initiated the alliance which led to the marriage of James Edward Francis Stuart (the Old Pretender), son of Charles II, to Clementina Sobieski, daughter of John Sobieski, King of Poland. She was apprehended, however, on her way to marry the Prince in Bologna. She was held captive in Innsbruck in the Tyrol. Wogan arranged false passports with the Austrian Ambassador and along with a small group feigning to be a Count, Countess, the Countess’ brother (Wogan) and her maidservant, managed to gain access to the princess. Following a quick exchange of clothing between the princess and the maidservant, the party escaped in high winds and blinding snow through the Alpine passes into Austria.

The marriage to James took place and from it Charles Edward (the Young Pretender) was born in Rome in 1720. Wogan’s reputation for daring and enterprise spread throughout all Europe.

It’s rumored that in fact Charles Wogan and Clementina fell in love on their journey but that his loyalty to his king meant that he didn’t press his own claim for marriage. It’s also rumored that as a result of this, the Chevalier and his family are entitled to wear their hats in the presence of the king and to a pension of £10 a year. Unfortunately, like most of these things in English law, this was only passed down through the male side – which has now died out - and I come from the female line.

But this story has been in my mind a lot lately and I keep thinking that seeing as there's really nothing really new in romance plots, it could make a good romance story for Presents.

What do you think?

 

 

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

Mother's Day Giveaway

The wonderful  Liz Fielding -  who has won both the RWA's RITA and the Romantic Novelists' Association  Romance Prize - has  a special  feature on her blog -  First Page Friday  - where she features  - obviously! - the first page of a new  - or a favourite - romance novel.

Today I'm delighted that she has chosen my novel The Proud Wife    as her  First Page feature this time. 

Thank you Liz!

I always find it really special when an author I admire (and if you haven't read Liz's books, you've been missing out!) enjoys my own work and tells people about it.  Liz and I both write romance  but in such different styles, which is what I love about the genre we both write in. We can both take the same themes, ideas, plot elements, even character types, as are so common in romance fiction - but make those elements our own and turn them into something special - something with that elusive thing called 'voice' - that make  reading books by individual authors a unique experience.  And Liz's books certainly fit into that category for me.  I've read everything she's written and I'm so looking forward to her upcoming  novel in the new  Harlequin KISS line - Anything But Vanilla  coming in April . (Ice cream + a new Liz Fielding book - sounds like the perfect combination to me!)

Liz and I  - together with Anne McAllister  - usually run the Here Come the Grooms contest jointly around this  time  but unfortunately this year cinrcumstances conspired against it and we didn't have new books with new 'grooms' in  this time.  But for me a new Liz Fielding novel is always something to celebrate - and here in the UK  this weekend we have cause to celebrate because Sunday 10th  March is UK's mother's day.

Sadly,  I don't have  my mother to celebrate with any more and two years ago we also lost my MIL - which is  extra poignant as March is also the birthday  month for both these very special ladies - but  I do want to celebrate  right now - so I'll celebrate Mother's Day/March birthdays   with you all instead.

So  I have five copies ot The Proud Wife to give away for someone who has a birthday this month - or whose mother has a birthday - or whose mother would love a copy of The Proud Wife.

So take a look at Liz's site -  read the first page of The Proud Wife and if you don't already have a copy  then either leave  a comment on Liz's  blog  to say  hello to her (tell her I sent you!)  - or post a comment here telling me about your Mum, or  your birthday - or hers  . . . or someone you'd like to give a copy of The Proud Wife to . . . .

And on Sunday - Mother's Day - I'll get Charlie and Flora on the job of picking out the winners who'll get to celebrate this time too.

Oh and while you're over on Liz's site - take a look at the details of some of her wonderful books and if you haven't tried any of them yet - well, why not treat yourself?

Well - what do you think?

Last week,  I shared the USA Presents cover of my new book - A Throne for The Taking - with you.  (You can see it below if you missed it) 

I quite like it  - and the people who commented were pretty positive too. 

Now I have the UK cover  and  - er  - well I'm having a hard time trying to imagine my rebellious, emotionally scarred 'black sheep'  prince Alexei  in the cover image I've been given. So I'm posting it here for you to see this one too.

What do you think?

Tote Bags Day

Today is  the first Sunday  in March so that means that today is my day for my regular post over  at Tote Bags 'N' Blogs. So that's where you'll  find me today.

March 3rd is also a rather special day for me personally so I'm marking it with a small giveaway  for someone's mother if you visit Tote Bags and make a comment - see you there!

I almost forgot . . .

It's March 1st - and a Friday. So that means it's the first Friday in the month.
And the first Friday of the month is my day for blogging over on the Pink Heart Society Blog.  So that's where I am today.

It's also where I've been able - at last - to show the cover of my new title, A Throne for The Taking  which is out in June.    But I also want to post  it here for everyone to see.  This is my black sheep  prince Alexei  and his reluctant bride  Ria. (I know there are a couple of readers who will particularly like that name.)

I only have the Harlequin  Presents edition cover for now  but I'll post the Modern Romance one as soon as I get it.

Fishguard Course

You've read my thoughts on the latest Fishguard course (I can't believe I have to wait another year before we  I can do  it again)  but I thought you might like to read about the event from the point of view of one of my students.

Johanna who was on my course this year  - and has been to  other, past courses as well - has written a blog about being in Fishguard and what she got out of the course over on the Novelista Ink  web site/blog.  You can find it here.

Thanks so much for the lovely write-up Jo!  And good luck with your writing.  I hope you will 'be brave' with it.

And the winners were . . .

Judy Finnigan and Richard Madeley announced the five category winners who will contest the prestigious Romantic Novel of the Year during a glittering reception in London.

The winning novels will now be read and judged by five independent industry experts, and the overall winner will be revealed at the Romantic Novelists' Association's (RNA) Summer Party on 16 May 2013.

Katie Fforde has won the Contemporary Category for the second year running with Recipe for Love. This category is for mainstream romantic novels set after 1960. The other competing authors included Veronica Henry, Mhairi McFarlane, Monica McInerney, Sue Moorcroft and Polly Williams.
In the Epic Category, which deals with issues or themes including multi-generational novels, Rowan Coleman triumphed with Dearest Rose. Other finalists included Madeline Miller, Dilly Court, Kate Moreton, Gill Paul and Liz Trenow.

Finalists in the Historical Category (set before 1960) included Charlotte Betts, Christina Courtenay, Kate Furnivall, Pamela Hartshorne, Susanne Kearsley and Mary Nichols. Charlotte Betts was declared the winner with her novel The Apothecary's Daughter.

In the Romantic Comedy Category, for consistently humorous or amusing novels, the finalists included Jenny Colgan, Victoria Connelly, Jane Costello, Nicola Doherty, Belinda Jones and Jane Wenham-Jones. Jenny Colgan claimed victory with Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams.

The Young Adult Category features protagonists who are teenagers or young adults and the shortlist this year included Jo Cotterill, Laura Jarratt, Marie-Louise Jensen, Victoria Lamb, Sarra Manning and Susan Waggoner. Victoria Lamb was declared winner with her book Witchstruck.

The RoNA Rose Award, which recognises the best in category/series and shorter romance that focuses on a developing love affair between hero and heroine, was presented for the second year running to Sarah Mallory, author of Beneath the Major's Scars. Her rivals included: Fiona Harper, Heidi Rice, Carol Townend, and Scarlett Wilson, who had two books nominated. This category does not go forward to contest the Romantic Novel of the Year.

Long-time RNA member, Sophie Kinsella, was honoured with an Outstanding Achievement Award for her continued contribution to the world of romantic fiction.

Back in routine - I hope!

I love being  in Fishguard, love having the view of the sea right outside my window.  The hotel is comfortable and friendly, and I love exploring the village. And it’s wonderful to meet up again with special friends  Anne and Gerry who run Caerleon  Writers’ Holidays, fellow tutors Alison Chisolm and Della Galton,  and all the students, some of whom I’ve known for a few years, other I only just met this time.

  The teaching I do is  such fun too. And this year, the course was a particularly great one to run.  Everyone in the group  jelled together so well – we  had lots of  fascinating discussions,  great writing exercises  and a lot of laughter. I’ve rarely known  a  weekend fly by as fast as this one did.

And you know what they say about time flying when you’re having fun. I barely seemed to have arrived at the Fishguard Bay Hotel before it was  time to say goodbye and  think about coming home.  But already I know that so many people have booked for next year.  ( I need to check on this because  the last I heard the 2014 course was already filling up fast – if not already sold out!)

So to the class of Fishguard 2013 – Rachael, Marie, Jo , Johanna, Melanie, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarahjane, Daphne, Fiona, Jenni,  Karen, Kate, and Sallyann – thank you all for being such a great group and for making the teaching so much fun. I really believe that  on a writing course like this, the feedback from the group adds to the teaching experience as a whole and  you get the course you deserve. I can’t wait for next  year.

I  was so involved and having so much fun   that I forgot to take photos but there is one record of a special event  - it was  Rachael’s birthday on Valentine’s Day  so we provided a cake for her (special thanks to Anne & Gerry’s daughter in law who did the baking and the icing). It was a rather special cake – Rachael herself has blogged about it here.  And there is one photo of Rachael with me.

Going away for a few days is wonderful. And we had a couple of extra days at the end of the course – staying in Fishguard and then on to Malvern where the Babe Magnet was thrilled to find that his favourite second-hand bookshop had a half price sale! There were several ‘vital’ volumes that added to our luggage on the way back.  But I’m sure  that things multiply and mount up whenever you’re not in the house so  I’ve been chasing  my tail dealing with things since I got back.  I now hope  to get back into some sort of routine before I even think about my next course – at Caerleon . (There’s news on that too but I’ll save that for another post.)

So where did I put that list of Things to Do . . .?

PS Today is the day that the RNA announces the winners of their RONA awards and the  RONA Rose for short romances.  I can't be there but I will be with everyone in spirit - and so, looking forward to seeing the winners announced so I can share the news with you here.

Writing Courses and Buried Kings

Was it really  Sunday the 3rd  when I last blogged ?  It's been a severe case of the disappearing week - it's always like this when I'm heading for Fishguard and the wonderful Writers' And Artists' Workshop Weekend.  There is so much to  do in preparation for the Advanced Romance Writing Course.  This course has been sold out for months and there is an interesting mix of  people who have been before and brand students. So I plan things that will interest and help (I hope!) both.

Then there's organising cat-sitters, washing, packing, all the things that travelling involves.  I'm so looking forward to being back in Wales  - as many of you know, I met the Babe Magnet there  all those  . . . .years ago.  (Considering we are coming up to a significant anniversary this year, it was a long time ago!) 

And talking of meeting the Magnet, one of the things  that connected us way back then was a fascination with Richard III.  The Magnet was even a member of the Richard III Society. So we've both been fascinated by and absorbed in all the reports of the dig in  that Leicester car park. We were thrilled by the news that the DNA testing had shown it really was Richard and not  some other skeleton they'd found - and it was amazing to see the recreation of his face from the skull. Now of course the debate is where he will be re-interred.  Personally I'd love to see him in York but what really matters is that after lying so long in an unmarked grave,  and important figure in history shou'd now  be given dignity and honour.  I'll hope to visit his grave - wherever it is.

 The discovery was all so distracting too  as it sent me back to reread some of the factual books I have on the subject - I daren't start on the fiction as I know that will just absorb me as it used to do in the past.   But I have downloaded Josephine Tey's Daughter of Time on to my Kindle to reread while in Wales.  If I get any time to read, that is - once the course starts, the weekend just seems to fly by and if I'm not teaching, I'm  doing one-to-ones or talking about writing in the bar, in the restaurant, in the bookrooom . . .   Can't wait!  So if you're one of my students who  will be there this time - see you soon!

And if you'd like to think about booking on one of my courses - the full details can be found on the Events page. I never leave Fishguard without knowing that some of the students have already booked for next year!   (There's   also the basic, Complete Introduction to Writing Romance coming up in July at Writers' Holiday at Caerleon   with lots of other great courses on offer too.)
So as I'll be travelling, teaching, talking, the blog might be a bit sporadic - again - for the next week or so.  I'm so looking forward to this weekend - and to waking up with this view outside my window  for the next few days.

Tote Bags Day

It's the first Sunday in February (where did January go?)  so that means that my blog today is my regular visit over on  Tote Bags N Blogs  so that's where you'll find me.

I'm writing about looking forward to heading out to one of my favourite places, in one of my favourite countriues - to do one of my favourite things - Teaching  writing!

Pink Heart Day

Happy February! It's the first Friday in February  so today is my day for my Date With Kate post over on the Pink Heart Society blog.

So that's where you'll find me today - talking about an important element that I feel a lot of people are forgetting when they aim their writing/novels at writing romance.

Hope I'll see you there.