LIZ FIELDING

SIZZLE, SEDUCE, SIMMER


Some Australian authors - familiarly known as the "the Melbourne Mob" -have got together and produced this gallimaufrey of delights as a way to celebrate the joys of eating, writing and the fact that these activities have brought them all together. And Mira, Australia have published it.

It was multi-award winning author Marion Lennox's baby, so you know you're onto a winner from the start. The fabulous Anne Gracie is in the line up, as is Trish Morey and Stephanie Laurens. You'll find more details of the line up, photographs of the launch party (I so-o-o wish I could have been at that one!) and how to buy at Ally Blake's blog.

My copy is already winging it's way from HMB Australia as we speak.

BIRD BY BIRD -- OR WORD BY WORD

I recently read Anne Lamott's wonderfully inspiration book, Bird by Bird. I need it at the moment since Manda and Jago's story is progressing word by word. And all Twyla Tharp's good stuff in The Creative Life about "turning up" for the job, too. Because I'm not. Turning up.

I'm sitting at the keyboard at seven o'clock. I'm here in body, but the mind is playing hookey.

The cold I picked up on the plane home from Italy is just refusing to quit. The doctor says it'll take six weeks and that all you can do is tough it out. But I can't focus and I'm getting mightily sick of waking up with a headache every day, and cough, cough, coughing. The fact that the story is dark and angsty isn't helping, either. I think Manda needs to give Jago another kick. Or maybe he needs to kiss her again (well, he can't kick her back, can he?)

And the guilt at not getting the words done is stopping me from going out and enjoying is spectacular weather we're having. Glorious sun in November. A bright red hot air balloon waltzed down the field at the bottom of the garden yesterday evening, very low -- honestly, you'd think it was August.

I really, really wanted to be up there, skimming the rooftops and forgetting all about the book.

Never mind. The postman brought Nicola Marsh's Purchased for Pleasure, Ally Blake's Steamy Surrender, and Diana Palmer's Winter Roses this week. I'm going to take the day off and, break open the chocolate (it's good for throats, yes?) and recharge the batteries.