Back from the Book Launch Tour

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

in the UK later this year.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Books on Offer - Translations

Some weeks can go by with no parcels of books arriving at the door. Then other weeks there are so many deliveries I can't keep up with them..  The last few weeks have been like this-  books in all sorts of languages arriving , boxes of them, and I'm not sure what to do with them.

Some will go to the libraries but first I thought I'd see if anyone  out there would like a translation into their own language while I have them to give away. I did this before and it was great to send them out to the countries they belonged in.
So - tomorrow I'm heading for the Isle of Man  to accompany the Babe Magnet of his  publicity 'tour' there - Douglas Library (Thursday evening) .  Port Erin Arts (Saturday morning)  Radio  interviews . .  if anyone's on the island and would like to meet up with 'Uncle Albert' .

And while I'm away I'm offering  copies of these translations to anyone who's interested in one.
This will be strictly on a first come first served basis - one book per person.  Please let me know which book you'd like in which language and give me your postal address so that I can get it in the mail to you.
email me kate  at kate-walker.com

Back on Sunday afternoon - after which the offer is closed and the books will go to the library

I have:

Italian editions of: 

His Miracle Baby

A Question of Honor

Dutch editions of:

A Question of Honor

The Proud Wife

Saturday’s Bride  (with books by Catherine George and Anne Mather)

A  Throne for the Taking  (with a book by Trish Morey)

Danish edition of

A Throne for the Taking

Her Secret Bridegroom

Russian edition of

A Question of Honor

Norwegian/Swedish/Finland editions of:

A Throne For the Taking (together with Michelle Condor Duty at What Cost)

German editions of:

Throne For The Taking

The Duke’s  Secret Wife

I've also had Japanese editions of  A Question of Honour and a  Manga edition of His Miracle Baby - together with the fabulous Manga comic in English of    Bedded By The Greek Billionaire  but I'm afraid I don't have spare copies of these.

In the 'news'

In the coffee shop- this morning,  I  opened a newspaper today to find, unexpectedly, that there was a familiar cover staring out at me from the centre of an article.

No Holding Back  was being used to illustrate an article ‘revealing’ that apparently Harlequin Mills& Boon novels now have   a ‘racy newlook’  and that this is apparently influenced by the success of the erotic novels  50 Shades of Grey etc.

Errr . . .

Well this might be sort of relevant if they hadn’t chosen a book of mine that came out in  1995 – and was re-released as a ‘Vintage’  M&B in 2012.   And if they’d been looking for an example of a raunchy cover, I’m sure a little effort could have unearthed  something rather less restrained, even in my own output since then.

The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge for example, or Kept For Her Baby.  Though the first of those is almost ten years old; the second only two years  younger  - published back in 2009.

The other  ‘recent’ covers cited  - on books by Sandra Marton and Kelly Hunter  are a good five years old  with Not For Sale and  Flirting with Intent both dating from  2011. The only actual up to date cover – from this month – is a Blaze title  by Nancy Warren  -  in which – shock horror – the heroine‘s shirt has slipped to reveal her modest  white bra.    So, according to the Daily Mail this is new and raunchy and influenced by 50 Shades . . . Oh, for heaven’s sake

It doesn’t take two minutes’ research to turn up an article  that claims, in the same stunned tones, that Mills and Boon have become  ‘Millsand Boom Boom’! – This time, apparently ‘influenced’ by the popularity of Black Lace erotic novels.  The two articles could quite easily be transposed – all that’s needed is that the names of the editors quoted and the  books that are ‘influencing’ the writers  can be swapped about and Shades of Grey becomes  Black  Lace  - and there you go!  

Not a hope in hell of considering that Harlequin  M&B authors have been influencing other popular fiction authors as we hold on to a large amount of the  novel selling market  with books that have had a wide variety of tones, voices, levels of sensuality and stories  - and continue to do so.  In today’s article,  amongst the hugely dated covers of books from the 30s, 40s, 50s (show me any novel with a cover that hasn‘t dated when it’s over 50 years old!) there is the comment by Joanne Grant, Mills & Boon executive editor:

Mills & Boon has adapted to reflect society and popular culture. You can really chart the changes because we have a history lasting over 100 years. In the past, the sex itself wasn't so obvious on the page. It was implied, and there was lots of sensuality so you could imagine what had happened behind closed doors, but it wasn't explored on the page. Now there are no worries about that – we can be very open.

But as any reader of Mills & Boon knows this isn’t something we’ve just discovered – or have been pushed into by the ‘influence’ of 50 Shades.  It’s part of the natural growth and changes in our books – and so many many others to reflect to society in which we’re writing and in which our readers are reading.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to find that the ‘news’ about the books we’re publishing might at least be contemporary and not a good five years old or more.  I’m not holding my breath.

Back from the Book Launch

I have just about recovered from a hectic weekend!   We had a family reunion in York with two of

my sisters and a brother-in-law.   The rain was lashing down when we set off but luckily had dried up by the time we were in the queue  for lunch in Bettys. 

From there it was off to Haworth where the book launch for the Babe Magnet’s  book  of short stories   Uncle Albert   was to be held in The Black Bull. 

Haworth of course is  the Yorkshire village where the Bronte sisters, Emily, Charlotte and Anne all  lived and wrote in the Parsonage there, producing  classic novels like Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre and  The Tennant of Wildfell Hall.  And the Black Bull is  the inn where their brother Branwell spent   many hours of his life drinking in the bar.  There is even an old chair reputed to be the chair Branwell sat in regularly during his long drinking sessions.  We had to pass this chair every time we went  upstairs to our room.  That room looked out over the back of the pub and the graveyard by Haworth Church where so many past inhabitants of the village are buried.  Charlotte Branwell and Emily are buried in the crypt below the church.

The Black Bull is reputed to be haunted  by several ghosts – one of which is supposed to be Branwell

Bronte himself -  but in spite of that we slept very well!   It was only in the morning when the Babe Magnet said he had heard an animal –possibly a fox? – crying  in the night. Er, yes, well – one of the ghosts is reputed to be a child crying in the middle of the night.  Fox or child?  . . .   We didn’t investigate further.

Saturday was a cold rainy day but we still enjoyed exploring and revisiting some of our favourite places in Haworth  before we got ready for the evening and the official book launch.  There were glasses of prosecco, great snack food (the Black Bull does great food)  live music – and of course Uncle Albert! There were even Uncle Albert  beer mats all over the bar tables.  I’m not sure that many of the regulars in the bar quite knew what was going on but they  enjoyed the readings and several of them came up afterwards wanting to buy copies of the book for their Dads on Father’s Day.

The publishers also announced their search for new short story writers – check out their web site www.priory-press.co.uk  for details.

By the end of a long  evening we were too tired to care whether any sounds in the night were animal or spectral.  Sunday morning was lovely and warm and we all – the Babe Magnet’s brother, the 

publishers (Priory Press Isle of Man)  and us  enjoyed breakfast on the balcony as the sun warmed up.

So  that’s the official launch – next thing is a trip to the Isle of Man where  ‘Albert’ is appearing at the Douglas library,  talking on Manx Radio – and appearing at  the Mananan International Festival in the Erin Arts Centre Port Erin.  I shall be there in my role as PA  and ‘author’s wife’. It’s 15+ years since I last visited the Isle of Man so I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s changed and visiting places  I last saw in   1987 – when I only had 6 books published!  The island isn’t the only thing that has changed a lot!

Tote Bags and Book Launches

Today is the 12th of June so that means it's my day for blogging over on Tote Bags N Blogs  where I'm talking about the fabulous Manga in English Harlequin Comics editions of my books.

That's because there is a new Manga comic book out next week - the Manga edition  of  Bedded By The Greek Billionaire.

It has the most amazing cover !

But this isn't the book launch I've been busy with. The reason why I've been missing on this blog for a while is because I've been helping the Babe Magnet and his publisher Priory Press with preparations for the launch of  his new book of Yorkshire short stories - Uncle Albert.

You may remember that I wrote about this book and interviewed its author back in April   Now there's the official launch in one of my favourite places   in all the world - Haworth, the village that was home to  Charlotte Emily and Anne Bronte.

The launch is being held in one of the iconic buildings in Haworth - the Black Bull Inn  where the sisters' brother Branwell Bronte just about  drank  himself to death.

The launch is there on Sunday night -

An evening with Uncle Albert and friends

                              At the Black Bull,

                                       119 Main Street, Haworth, Keighley, BD22 8DP.

                                       On Sunday the 14^th June 2015

             

The main festivities kick off at 8pm with a short introduction and Stephen Wade’s one man show.

       ‘Introducing Uncle Albert’.

           A rare Yorkie wit, raconteur extraordinaire and little known poet.

                                 There will also be

    live music from the simply fabulous Joe and Ann Gallagher Acoustic Experience

So that's where I'm going to be this weekend.  If you're passing  do drop in!   At the moment the forecast is for violent thunderstorms, lightning and torrential downpours - which seems very suitable to the place where Wuthering Heights originated.  I hope it won't be too wet and make everyone reluctant to turn out.

                             

It's been a busy time (when is it ever not?) and I've been away from this blog for a while . But somehow it's got to June so today I'm over on the Pink Heart Society  blog for Writers' Wednesday.

As I've just heard from Relax and Write how quickly my next Writing Retreat  coming up in October is filling up,  I thought I'd write about  what goes on on one of my retreats - and the fun and inspiration they always give me.

So if you want to come along on the next Focus on Writing Romance  Retreat -  it's at The Hayes Swanwick in Derbyshire 9-11  October -   I suggest you check out the details on my Events page or the Relax and Write web site and get a booking in before they all go!

Or if you want a Writing Romance  course - the next one coming up is the wonderful Writers' Holiday in Fishguard in Wales (can't wait for July!)

In the meantime I'm talking retreats, notebooks, timers - and writing over on The Pink Hearts Society

Guest Blogging with Rachel

Lovely Superromance author Rachel Brimble invited me  to share a guest blog spot over on her blog. So that's where I am today - talking about writing,  writing, reading,  characters - and cats!

See you there!

Authors for Nepal

Just  23 hours left to place a bid on the Authors for Nepal auction - with so many wonderful lots of signed books, critiques etc available.

My lot of  signed copies of
The Alcolar Family  3 in 1 collection
A Question of Honour
Olivero's Outrageous Proposal

and
12  Point Guide to Writing Romance

is to be found here

Pink Heart Day

Today I'm over on The Pink Heart Society  with my  post for the day.  And I'm celebrating.

Celebrating what?  Well, the acceptance of Destined for the Desert King  obviously  but today'[s a special day ( and no I'm not talking about Polling Day in the General Election) 

Important note  though -

I may be celebrating but in Nepal there are people who are just hanging on to  being alive after the devastating earthquake there.   Authors For Nepal is a collection of writers who are all offering  signed books etc for auction to make a  contribution  to this vital cause.  

The auction is on ebay and you can find my lot  - three books and a copy of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance here and the whole auction - now live - can be found here.  Take a look at the great lots on offer - make a bid - and you can help the people of Nepal as well as  getting yourself some great signed books, critiques etc,

Good news

So the good news I want to share with you is that I just heard from my editor and she loved the revisions I sent her and so Nabil and Aziza's story will now be published in December 2015 - with the fabulous title of Destined for The Desert King  (I love that title!)

I thought this was my 63rd title, but, after checking my web site  and counting up it turns out that it's my 64th! - How did I lose count of everything?   Which means that I'm now about to launch into my 65th book!   Hard to believe, but that's what's coming up.

In case you hadn't realised,  Destined for The Desert King will follow on from  A Question of Honour. Nabil is the man (little more than a boy really) that Clementina was supposed to have married but he  rejected her for someone else.   He's grown up a lot  since then, this books takes place 10 years later  and a lot has happened to him in that time!

My editor really wanted this one - she's been pestering for Nabil's story so I had to write if for her. So I'm really pleased that she loved it so much.  I hope you all do too when it appears in December.

And no, in case you were wondering, the joy of getting an acceptance email never gets any less - I've been smiling ever since I read the news.

Now all I have to do is do it again . . . .

It's good news week really - I've just spotted so many lovely reviews of   Olivero's Outrageous Proposal over on Amazon.com - more smiles as a result!  Thank you to everyone who wrote such generous  and welcome reviews.

And the sun's coming out after  the torrential downpours of the weekend.  Lovely!

Finding books - part two - The Alcolar Family

Back in   . . . err ,  when was it?  2004 -   I was asked to write a short story to be serialised on eHarlequin.  That story was called Wife For Real and it was about  Alex Alcolar  and his heroine Louise.   It was good fun - and an interesting writing exercise  - putting everything into such a very few words (10,000) and splitting it into  eight chapters  each one ending on a cliff hanger to keep readers  coming back for more.

When the story was posted on  the eHarlequin site, readers enjoyed it and  when  they got to the end - and discovered that Alex had a family - two brothers and a sister -  they wanted  to know more about them. As a result, by popular request,  I wrote  3 full length novels
The Twelve Month Mistress  - which was Joaquin's story
The Spaniard's Inconvenient Wife  which was
Ramon's story
and  Bound By Blackmail which was the story of the one Alcolar Daughter - Mercedes

Later these  3 stories were all republished in a 3 in 1 By Request   The Alcolar Family (in the UK)   and Kate Walker's Alcolar Family Bundle  in Presents.  The Alcolar Family (UK)  didn't have a copy of Wife For Real in it - but  Kate Walker's Alcolar Family Bundle did .  Or it should have done - it was meant to do  -  but initially there was a problem. The edition of Wife For Real include
d in this bundle was  not my short story but a novel by Jennifer Taylor  - a Harlequin Romance.    So people who wanted Alex's story were disappointed.

I talked to editorial back then and had thought that the situation  was sorted out  - but it seems some of the  mixed up ebook editions have stuck around. I've had some emails from readers who were looking for the  bundle with the Kate Walker story Wife For Real in them.  When they bought the  books and found there was Jennifer's story it was not the one they were looking for.

I've also had emails from people who have bought the UK  Alcolar Family  3 in 1  -   or bought each of the original Alcolar Family titles as separate books or ebooks - they'v e not been able to get their hands on a copy of  Wife For Real either.

I took this up with my editor, and with the people who organise Harlequin ebooks. They checked on the details of this for me,  and we want to apologise to anyone who ended up with the wrong version of Wife For Real  even after all a this time.

But for everyone who's been affected by this situation -  at last I have some news for you.

 I’m really happy to say that  the production team has been working on this problem and they have  revised the content of this book bundle  so that it now contains the right version of Wife For Real. As  I understand it, if you have already bought one version you should be able to log in to the site  where you bought it and download the revised version so that you have  all of The Alcolar Family on your reader.   I hope this works for you.

Otherwise, they have also put the novella up on eHarlequin again as an on-line read so that people

can get to see it there  and find out about Alex Alcolar and his story.

You should find it here.

This on line read could end up being even more important,  because I understand that in the autumn - about September of so  - the Alcolar Family trilogy will be republished in Australia under the title The Notorious Alcolars.   I haven't yet been able to find out if Wife For Real is included in this collection - but if it's not there, I shall now be able to let readers  know about the on-line read version of this novella.

So  if you've been looking for a copy of Alex Alcolar's story Wife For Real   you should now be able to find it. Either update your Alcolar Family Bundle - or go to the   eHarlequin site  and read the story there.

And if you haven't read any of the Alcolar family books, then maybe, as happened  ten + years ago, reading about Alex and Louise will whet your appetite to find out more about  the rest of his family.

Next course coming up

CREATIVE WRITING WEEKEND COURSE

‘Beginning Middle and End’

Planning your novel from start to finish

19 - 21 JUNE 2015

Attend as a Day Visitor or Residential Member

at

THE ROYAL AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

CIRENCESTER

Kate Walker Author and Course Leader

Kate Walker is a well-known Harlequin Mills & Boon author, having published 61 titles for them in the UK, USA and worldwide. She is also the author of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance,  Kate’s workshops can be adapted to any form of popular fiction, and ‘Relax & Write’ plan weekend courses, two part courses and retreats, so that you can benefit from her expertise in this genre. 

Was your New Year resolution to ‘write that novel’?  Did you start out hopefully, wanting to write the story that was burning i your head ... Only to find that now you’ve slowed down, lost the plot, lost your way, become bogged down in a ‘sagging middle.’  Could you do with a route map - some guidelines to help you find your way?

This course will teach you how to plan out your novel so that you have a much better idea of where you’re going and how to create the best read possible.  It will show you how to:

l  Start well

l  Use opening hooks

l  Use a synopsis to keep yourself - and your characters - on track

l  Avoid the ‘sagging middle’

l  Maintain pace to keep the reader turning pages

l  Create a satisfying end - making the reader want more from you

For further information Contact Lois Bird-Maddox ‘Relax & Write’ Course Organiser on Tel. 01454  773579

e-mail loisbm@outlook.com              www.malagaworkshops.co.uk

Write to: The Secretary, ‘Relax & Write’ 9 (D) Langthorn Close, Frampton Cotterell, Bristol BS36 2JH.

Groups are kept small to benefit from the writing experience. Please let your Writing Group know about our ‘Relax & Write’ weekend courses, which are held at different venues during the year.  Book early to guarantee a place. Book early and pay by instalments. Non-participating partners welcome. Free Parking is available

Catching up and Finding Books

Well - that was a busy time!  I just checked out my last post on my blog and find that it was on April 13th!

Really? I can't  think where the time went -   Well I can - sort of . .
Concentrating on revisions for the latest book  -  why are editors always right? Well,my current one is, anyway and she pointed out some important  things that needed 'tweaking'  so I had to get on with those as we have a tight turnaround deadline on this one. This wasn't helped by the fact that the Babe Magnet generously shared his horrible cold/cough with me !

Also had a tight turnaround for me personally as I wanted the revisions done before the Babe Magnet and I went  away for a short break.  We were staying in one of our favourite places in the whole world - the beautiful city of York.  I made the revisions deadline with moments to spare - sending them off  just in time to throw some things in a case  and set off. The couple  of days in York were just glorious and we had a wonderful time.  Afternoon tea in Bettys was a special treat too.

Since I was away,  the Mills & Boon web site still reads 'Sold Out' for  April's release Olivero's Outrageous Proposal,  which is amazing!  I've had some enquiries about ways to find it seeing as the M&B site  doesn't have it available  so - checking things through today, I see that Amazon.co.uk  has just got a new batch in  so  are copies there. And  of course there's always kindle.   The Book Depository still has copies  - and  they have copies of another book I've been asked about - the new   edition of the 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance.  The great thing about  Book Depository of course is the fact that they also offer free delivery  worldwide

So.  that's where you can find Olivero. I have to say that  I've also been thrilled to see the fabulous reviews this book has been getting. My hunt on the M&B site led me to this lovely  review by Desere Steenberg - it made my day so much to read it!   I just wanted to thank  all the lovely people who've posted reviews letting me know that they've enjoyed this book.   My only worry is that as Desere says that this is' the number one Kate Walker book' - I'm going to have to work hard to match it with my next novel!  (Fingers tightly crossed that my sexy sheikh and his marriage of convenience also hits the right spot!)

So now I'm catching up - sorting out the absolute tip my workroom has become as I focused on Nabil and Aziza's story, planning  the courses coming up -
Next one is Beginning, Middle End - Planning Your Novel. That's in June  Details on the Events page 

And of course in July there's the fabulous Writers' Holiday in Fishguard  when I'm teaching The Complete Contemporary Romance Writing Course.

Then I have some time helping the Babe Magnet with publicity for his book Uncle Albert - that will involve more travel . . .

And of course I'm planning out the next book!

But I shall be blogging again soon about another book that readers have found to hard to  find -   that's Wife For Real   from The Alcolar Family collection.  Watch this space  for more  details when everything is sorted out.,

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

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

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

Tote Bags Blogging Day

Today's my day for blogging over on Tote Bags 'N' Blogs - so that's where you'll find me.

Small point  -  some people  have been trying to get hold of copies of the UK paperback  Olivero's Outrageous Proposal from the Mills & Boon  web site -  and it seems the paperback's  not available on there any more!

I didn't think that could be possible so I went for a look and sure enough, it says here   that the paperback is out of stock.   No idea how that happened - but it's great news for me!

Not so good for people who've been looking for it though! I'll check with my editor on Monday if there will be any more copies in  anytime - but in the meantime there's always Amazon, the Book Depository  or even the old-fashioned way  of buying in WH Smith!

Thank you to everyone who has bought a copy to create this result!  I hope the rest of you find a copy elsewhere.

Pink Heart Day

Today's  my day for blogging over on the Pink Heart Society blog.

As I mentioned earlier on this blog that my DH is a published writer too, lots of people wanted to now more about what he writes - and how we manage to combine two careers and two very different approaches to writing.  So today on the Pink Hearts I've talked  more about that.

A lovely post to mark 30 years!

You might remember that some months ago,  I celebrated the publication of Nicole Locke's very first book. This was after I had met her at the Mills & Boon Author Party in London back in September.

I was delighted to share the news of her book with everyone - I so remember the excitement of the very first title to be published.

 At the time I had also asked Nicole if, as  a way to mark my 30 years of publication (that first book  The Chalk Line came out in December 1984)  she would write me a little bit about her favourite Kate Walker novel.  I know that she said she'd find it too hard to pick one title so I left that alone and said if she ever did want to write about a favourite to let me know.

Today she has done just that - and more !  Because to mark the publication of Olivero's Outrageous Proposal, Nicole has written the most lovely blog post about my writing, not here on this blog, but over on the official Mills & Boon blog on the Mills & Boon web site.  If I'm honest, I had to go away and blow my nose and blink rather hard when I read it. It is such a lovely post and  to say that I'm honoured is an understatement.   I'm so touched and complimented to think that a fellow writer has enjoyed my work like this for so long - it's the greatest compliment someone can pay to an author.

So all I can say is Thank you Nicole - thank you so much. You've made my day - week - month -year!  And I hope I'll see you again at AMBA this year so I can give you a big hug to say thank you in person.

And this has me wondering - do you have a special Kate Wallker title that you've loved and really enjoyed?  If anyone wants to write and let me know of a story that sticks in your memory, I'd love to share with every one else - after all, you don't get to celebrate 30 years of publication every day!

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?

Another craft post

So - special thanks go to Nas Dean who has  found me places to chat with readers  and fellow writers.

Again, to mark the publication of the new paperback  edition of the 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance -  here is another craft post on the Revising and Editing Site

This time I'm talking about training yourself as a plotter  - a different sort of answer to those 'where do you get your ideas from' sort of questions. Here's how I get - and work through - some of my ideas.

Ideas are all around you if you just look.

Oh - and there's a giveaway of Olivero's Outrageous Proposal as well.

Double Publication Day!

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

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

Kate Walker to Stephen Wade on Uncle Albert

What is the book about?

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

What made you write these stories?

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

    Is Uncle Albert  based on someone real?

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

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

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

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

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

‘Are you coming out to play tonight?’

Description

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

I 

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

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

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

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

Description:

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

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

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