LIZ FIELDING

COMPUTERS, DEADLINES, REVIEWS AND READER RESPONSE...

My computer died. I thought it was just sick, but it went to the shop and Andy said it was terminal. I should be getting the replacement he's building me sometime this week, but I've been forced to work on my laptop for the last four weeks and -- close your ears, honey, I love you really -- it's driving me crazy.

The dining table is too high for comfort, it doesn't fit on the keyboard slide on my desk and I have to FINDABO today!

This novella was the hardest book to start ever. It took me more attempts to get it going than my lawnmower. The middle, when I finally did get going, eventually went down fairly quickly, but the ending... The problem is that it's a novella that has aspirations to be a full length book. I've got enough ending for another 25,000 words and all I have is 5,000. Something, or someone, is going to have to go. Memo to brain. SAY NO TO NOVELLAS.

But The Sheikh, the Girl in the Bathrobe and the Fancy Bit of Cutlery is in the future. This month it's Reunited: Marriage in a Millions's all too brief sojourn in the sun. Well, there's next month, too, in Australia and New Zealand, and now I have that cover, I thought -- since it's so excellent -- that I'd treat myself by posting it again.

I had another review last week, too. This time from Once Upon a Romance and since it's rather lovely, I thought I'd share it with you. (There are quotes from earlier reviews at my website.) Interesting, they and the readers who've written to me -- thank you, guys! -- all fell for Ivo. I can't think why...

Anyway, here's what they said: --

"Belle Davenport is the belle of England. Host of a popular morning show and married to billionaire Ivo Grenville, she appears to have it all. With a fabulous husband, the perfect marriage, the darling of morning TV—who could want more? Unfortunately, nobody really knows that their marriage is a sham. Nothing more than a business relationship with great sex. She needed security and he needed somebody who understands that he doesn’t "do" emotions or love. It seemed to be a perfect fit at the time, but now Belle wants more.

"Besides, Ivo doesn’t really know a thing about her and her past. Nobody does. But she is desperate to find the little girl she abandoned years ago. Does she have what it takes to leave the security of Ivo and go after what she wants?

"What a great storyline. I felt an instant connection with Belle and wanted her to face her demons. However, I didn’t realize Ivo had things to hide as well. Can the two of them ever tell each other the truth? Can Belle really leave Ivo? This story plays out in many ways like a soap opera. Every time we get one answer, another question pops up. I don’t want to give away too much of the storyline so you can be as surprised as I was as the secrets kept being revealed.

"A totally attention grabbing book. You’ll have trouble putting it down."

Finally, the website has had it's monthly update and I'm running a competition there for a copy of BRINGING UP BABY. Also on sale at M&B and Amazon UK now!