Monday, April 03, 2006

REVISIONS, FETTUCINI AND THE DRIVING PASSION

I’ve just spent a week buried in a nightmare of revisions. I’ve barely had a chance to celebrate my RITA nomination, barely had a moment to spare for anything but polishing THE VALENTINE BRIDE February 2007) until the pips squeaked.

Then, on Friday I joined Weight Watchers. I am now, officially, my mother (bless her).

I put all that behind me on Sunday and went out to lunch with friends who live a couple of villages away, right on the top of the hill. Giovanni, whose name I borrowed for a luxuriously swanky restaurant that turns up from time to time in my books, did us proud. The delicious antipasta, followed by the most amazing fettucini (yes, he makes his own!) with wild mushrooms that I’m dribbling just thinking about. Then came the fish. And the cheese with Anna’s homemade bread. And the little cakes. And the tiny almond biscuits. And the coffee. And the Amaretti...

Clearly, while I joined WW on Saturday, I did not officially start the diet until this morning.

Today also brought the editorial nod on my revisions – hooray! -- and settling back to work on the wip, I caught a glimpse of something, the merest whisper of the driving passion that will set Ellie’s story alight.

Talking about driving passions, I just discovered that our very small nearest town has a branch of TOAST. I have a catalogue. In the catalogue are a pair of shoes of such unbelievable desirability that I can hardly bear it. Now temptation is a mere five miles away. Can I resist?

And for those of you demanding garden pictures, they will follow. Once I've worked out how to get a three-page spread photograph into my scanner...

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hooray on the revisions. And you can celebrate your Rita nominations now.

But shoes... you need to take me in hand, I think, and explain about the desirability of shoes *g*

Liz Fielding said...

Ah, Kate, I do understand that handbags the thing that get's your dribble juices flowing, but those shoes... "soft and supple matt pigskin, calf lined, square-ish toe, 3cm heel..." Pure Edwardian. It helps, of course, that in the catalogue, the model is riding a camel...

Anne Weale said...

Liz, I've just had a look at the Toast catalogue and the prices are completely insane.

Liz Fielding said...

I know, Anne, but if I bought those shoes they'd last me forever. And there are a pair of peep-toe high heels that I'm not sure I can live without, either. Always assuming they're not hideously narrow... which is usually the case. (Very wry grin...)

Anonymous said...

Hooray for you on the revisions! And your forthcoming Rita celebrations, as Kate suggests.

And I understand the shoe thing. Completely. I understand these peep-toe shoes, too. Is it the grey or the red that you lust after? Or the stripy ones? I think I need the green strappy high-heeled sandal ones. Those prices are not exorbitant at all for something of good quality and fashion, which will make you as happy as Shoes of Desire...

Julie, who often buys shoes and then puts them somewhere merely to gaze at them for hours on end

Anonymous said...

The shoes look dead comfy and when you consider the price you can pay for rubbish these days, I don't think they're too much of an indulgence.

~Sharon (who does as Julie does)

Liz Fielding said...

The dark red ones, Julie. And how lovely to have friends drop by and reassure me that my indulgences are an investment. True. I cost by wear.

Shoes I've paid good money for because they were all I could find when I was desperate for something that matched, and then wore only once, are far more extravagant than something that cost three times the price and wore forever and cried when they were fell to bits.

I had one of those Laura Ashley blouses (with the pie crust frill collar) that you had to pull over your head. I wore that until it was so thin that one day I pulled and the material ripped from nape to waist. Twenty years on, I still miss it.

Anonymous said...

I've had a look at the site now. Hmm. Those Casablanca ones would've been perfect for my RNA Awards do skirt. But... I'm too cheap to spend that much money on shoes. (Lovely, lovely Radley handbag, yes. Shoes, no. Not with my spaniel's habit of waltzing off with one and leaving it in the garden in the rain before I realise what he's done...)

Liz Fielding said...

Kate, I understand about the shoes/dogs thing -- been there, done that!

Anonymous said...

Thankfully out dog doesn't touch shoes, which is good considering how many of them are left hanging around various areas of the house. Me, disorganised? Never! ~Sharon J

Anonymous said...

Liz

I just ordered your Wild books from Amazon along with The Five Year Baby Secret and Virgin For Sale by Susan Stephens. VBG. An eclectic mix...

Re Shoes...ahhhh. You must order them and why do they need to last forever? Julie is so right. Just look at them... I bought some Nine West kitten heels and will be wearing them to the RNA summer party (with comfy shoes in a carrier bag to walk there...)

Liz Fielding said...

Golly, Vicky, that pile of books will keep you busy! And I'm sorry I won't be at the Savoy to drool over your kitten heels. (Good plan to have comfy ones for walking -- lots of standing, talking!)

Have fun.