A BUSMAN'S HOLIDAY

What do writer's do when they take a day off? Go on a writing course, what else?

I am very fortunate in that I live close to the amazing crime writer, Sally Spedding - stories to raise the hair on the back on your neck - and she recently ran a three day course on Writing Crime with a Difference at the lovely on Huguenot mansion, Glynhir, which is a couple of miles down the road.

Why crime?

Writers do need to stretch themselves, give the imagination a workout, from time to time. And I love reading crime, watch crime drama on the television and - like every other writer I know - I have a book in my bottom drawer that keeps calling to me. So I gave it day out.

There were ten of us including the French Consul, a criminal psychologist, a criminal lawyer and some fabulously talented writers who could write wonderful stuff at the drop of a hat. That's something published writers never have to do. Write something and then read it aloud to total strangers. Something I have never done, since I never belonged to a writing group, or had a crit partner before I was published. Deeply, deeply, scary.

I had to produce my hero and his Nemesis - and have them confront each other. I had to write about the motivation of two of my characters. And I had to write a prologue.

This was difficult. My idea of crime writing is more Janet Evanovitch than P D James and the opening of my book is very "women's fiction", but there is a crime in the present that is fired by something dark and horrible that happened in the past. And wow. Suddenly I was thinking about my story on a whole new level. The prologue I wrote was rubbish, but I was there at that moment in the past and it is so perfect start for the story that I'm bubbling with enthusiasm again.

And if any of you write crime and need someone to read your novel, Sally charges a very reasonable £100 for a detailed critique of a full length ms. You can get in touch with her via her website.

SECRETS UNCOVERED

Here's something special from Mills and Boon for writers entering the New Voices competition, or just wanting to write for them.

It's a little eBook to download for free containing advice, tips and the inside scoop from editors. You don't need a Kindle - you can download it to your PC. You can also download for your eReader here

You'll find advice from editors, fabulous author Donna Alward and I'm in there, too, talking about using humour and emotion in your romance. What? Are you still here? Go download!

IT'S A FAMILY THING...

We are not a one author family.

The son and heir's book is at the "Spooks" end of the market, I - as you all know! -write romance and our lovely cousin Lucinda Ganderton makes the most beautiful things and writes craft books so that you can make them, too.

My granddaughter is lucky enough to have an heirloom patchwork quilt made by her.

Her latest book written for Liberty's is out on the 5th October - you can check it out here - she has made some special limited edition items that will on sale in the store to celebrate the launch.


It's the kind of book I reach for when the nights draw in.

Writing tends to be an all consuming occupation, but the the arrival my granddaughter did produce a sudden rush of knitting and, as the nights draw in I'm looking at the abandoned projects in the basket in the corner.  Small, lovely things to keep the hands occupied in the quiet after dinner while I watch Downton Abbey.

What kind of stuff do you turn to when the nights draw in and the inclination to leave the house after dark declines sharply?

Are you a demon knitter, a Christmas decoration queen, or does cross-stitch keep you busy?

BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD

Today is the day of the big cover reveal for BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD a fabulous new book by my colleague, USA Today bestselling author, Nicola Marsh

Shari Jones needs to get a life. Preferably someone else’s.

Single, homeless and jobless, Indo-American Shari agrees to her best friend’s whacky scheme: travel to Mumbai, pose as Amrita, and ditch the fiancé her traditional Indian parents have chosen. Simple. Until she’s mistaken for a famous Bollywood actress, stalked by a Lone Ranger wannabe, courted by an English lord, and busted by the blackmailing fiancé.

Life is less complicated in New York.

Or so she thinks, until the entourage of crazies follows her to the Big Apple and that’s when the fun really begins. Shari deals with a blossoming romance, an addiction to Indian food and her first movie role, while secretly craving another trip to the mystical land responsible for sparking her new lease on life. Returning to her Indian birthplace, she has an epiphany. Maybe the happily-ever-after of her dreams isn’t so far away?

RELEASE DATE - 6TH DECEMBER 2011!

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY

Welcome to my very first SSS - and if you don't know what that is, click here.

Here are six sentences from my upcoming Riva/Romance, FLIRTING WITH ITALIAN...

Her brain was apparently engaged, busy dealing with a bombardment of signals.  The sun hot on her arms, her throat, her breasts.  The sensuous sweep of the mouth hovering above her own, the scent of warm skin, leather…

The world seemed to have slowed down and it took forever for his lips to reach hers.  Somewhere, deep inside her brain the word “…no…” was teetering on the brink and all she had to do was move her lips,say it,but her butter-soft mouth seemed to belong to someone else. 

When it parted, it was not to protest; as his mouth found hers a tingle of something like recognition raced like wildfire through her blood, blotting out reason and her body, with nothing to guide it, softened, melted against him, murmured, “Yes…”

Coming soon!

DOUBLE THE FUN...

This month, in the UK, Mills and Boon have republished a three-in-one called AN ORDINARY GIRL AND A SHEIKH, featuring books by myself, Barbara McMahon and Nicola Marsha.

If you're not in the UK, The Book Depository - link on the sidebar - will send it anywhere in the world post free (which is fabulous), although it will also be available as an eBook.




By sheer coincidence, all three of us have recently released eBooks.

BLUEBELLS ON THE HILL by Barbara McMahon tells the story of country singing star Amanda Smith who's seeking a refuge from the busy concert schedule when she finds the perfect hide-away in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The only problem is neighbor Mac Mackenzie who's had his eye on that patch of land for years. When he can't bribe her to leave, he changes tactics. The only problem is it becomes hard to tell if he's trying to drive her away, or convince her to stay.


It available now as a FREE download.

From Nicola Marsh, there's this hot new novella, TAG TEAM, in which a  Police Special Ops team leader joins forces with an Australian Defence Force Tactical Assault Group expert who specializes in biological warfare to stop an imminent chemical threat.

When the threat becomes personal and the body count mounts, they find themselves locked in a safe room, where they discover their sizzling history takes little to ignite. 


This is available to download from Amazon or Smashwords for 99c.

And, finally, you can still download the first of my Beaumont Brides trilogy, WILD JUSTICE (the one with the cover that produced more reaction than my last 60 put together!) for free at Amazon in the UK and on Smashwords, Barnes and Noble and iTunes in the US.

(Amazon US - a law unto themselves - are still charging 99c. I've written to them twice but they're not taking any notice of me. They might listen to readers!)

NEW VOICES IS LIVE!

NEW VOICES went live today - you can register here and upload your entry. Or read what the early birds have posted and leave comments, too. And here's the lovely Flo Nicholl introducing four of the NV mentors.

It's been agony keeping the secret that I'll be working with one of the twenty writers who get through the first round, but the list went up today. I'm so thrilled and excited!


 

NEW VOICES UPDATE

Many thanks to Bethan for supplying this photograph of my New Voices workshop at Pontardawe Library this week.  It was a lovely afternoon and over-subscribed sadly, so some people missed out.  If you'd like a copy of the handouts I prepared, please do email me at liz at lizfielding dot com - it doesn't matter where in the world you are!

New Voices is getting closer! Have you registered here yet?

I hope you’ve started writing, but it’s not too late. You have until the 10 October to post your chapter, although the earlier you get it online the more reader feedback you’ll have, which can be hugely useful. It isn’t votes from readers that count, however; the editors will choose the best twenty first chapters to move onto the next round.

Getting the first chapter right is vital.

• The opening tells the reader who the story is about. Who. Not where, or why or what the weather is doing. Romance is character led.

Have you got all the ingredients in place? Here are some questions to help get you started:

• Who are your characters?
• What do they want?
• Why do they want it?

A great opening to a romance raises questions in the reader’s mind; questions that what make her read on. To achieve this you must:

• Start with something happening
• Get the hero and the heroine on the page
• Grab the readers attention

Stories begin with an inciting incident.

• Cinderella meets the disguised prince in the woods.
• A rich bachelor moves into the neighbourhood.
• Bassanio asks his best mate, Antonio, for a loan.

A Lee Childs I read recently started with a drunk picked a fight with Jack Reacher for no reason other than he was feeling belligerent. He gets a broken finger (he poked Jack – how dumb can you get?) and nose for his trouble. Unfortunately he’s the local cop and when he sobers up he comes after him with handcuffs. Reacher knows the best result is going to a beating in police cell and he hitches a lift out of town.

In Tempted By Trouble, Elle answers a ring at the doorbell prepared to fend off a nosy neighbour and instead finds herself fending off not just the bone-meltingly gorgeous Sean McElroy, but the ice cream van he insists is hers.

Everything that happens in these stories stems from that moment.

In all instances the stories begin with action, movement, dialogue.

That first meeting isn’t the end of chapter one, however. In the space of four thousand words the reader will find out a great deal about them.

They will have an idea what they look like – have seen them through the eyes of the other character. Not a descriptive shopping list, please. Leave room for the reader to fill in her own fantasy. Just small details. The shape of a nose. A tiny scar spotted when the characters moves and it’s emphasized by shadow.

They will, from their reaction to this meeting, know a little of their hopes, their fears and the reason why they won’t simply enjoy this unexpected meeting and move off into the happy ever after that is waiting for them.

These characters have to earn their HEA. Discover things about themselves, grow, become stronger – strong enough to deal with whatever is keeping them apart. At the end of a book should – heaven forbid – the romance fade into no more than a sweet memory, your hero and heroine should have taken control of their lives, faced their demons, be looking forward rather than back. They should be winners. That they have a partner to match them in every way is the icing and the cherry on top of that cake.

But first they have to meet. And bless Amazon for allowing you to download the first chapter of eBooks to your reading device – your PC if you don’t have anything else. You can study first chapters by your favourite authors, by authors you’ve heard of but never read, without spending a penny. (I cannot be held responsible if you feel you have to buy the book to read on, but if you do, ask yourself why.)

NEW VOICES WORKSHOP

Just a reminder that I'll be holding a New Voices Workshop this week.

Here are the deets -

Pontardawe Library
Holly Street
PONTARDAWE

Wednesday 31 August
2 - 3.30 pm
Tel: 01792 862261 to book a place

And I was on the radio this morning - Jamie and Louise on BBC Radio Wales - here's a link to the  - listen again

I was on just after the 11 o'clock news, which is about two hours into the programme.

An Ordinary Girl and a Sheikh

It's always a pleasure to see a book getting a second outing, especially when it's in such good company - a treble treat with Barbara McMahon and Nicola Marsh

THE SHEIKH'S UNSUITABLE BRIDE was my 50th Mills and Boon romance and we had an enormous amount of fun when it was published. I left its heroine, Diana, in charge of the year-long party and to introduce the guests who dropped by to make it so special. She was convinced that the only reason most of them came was to ogle the photograph of Zahir, her sheikh and I've had to prise it out of her "treasure" box for this blog because, this September it's being reissued as a 3-in-1 By Request (there will be a eBook version, too).

Here's a taster.

A precious Venetian snow globe has been smashed and Diana takes the sheikh shopping for a replacement. He anticipated Harrods but time is short and she opts for ToysRUs:

‘The Princess and the Frog, Metcalfe?’ he asked, holding out the globe for an explanation.


He had beautiful hands. Not pampered or soft. There was an old scar running across his knuckles and although his fingers were long, thin even, it was the slenderness of tensile steel.


‘I am not familiar with this fairytale,’ he said.


‘I’m surprised you know any of them,’ she said, forcing herself to focus on the globe. It contained a scene in which a girl, wearing a small crown, and a frog were sitting on the edge of a well.


‘Disney has reached Ramal Hamrah.’


‘Has it?’ Of course it had. ‘Oh, right. Well, I suppose this must be one he decided to give a miss.’ She thought about it. ‘Actually, he was probably right. I’d stick with one of the others,’ she advised.


‘But this girl is a princess. Ameerah will like that.’


Just like the assistant, who’d faded away with no more than an envious glance in her direction, Diana recognised the imperative. He didn’t need words to issue an order. He could do it with a look from those dark eyes.


‘It’s not good,’ she warned him. ‘Cinderella is, admittedly, a bit wet, but at least she’s kind. And while Snow White is not exactly a female role model...’


‘I don’t have all day,’ he warned.


‘No, sir.’ She took the globe, gave it a little shake to start the snow storm. ‘Okay, this is how it goes. Spoilt princess drops her precious golden ball in the well. The frog offers her a deal. If she takes him home with her, lets him eat from her plate, sleep on her pillow, kisses him goodnight...’ She hesitated as, distracted by the sensuous curve of his lower lip, she lost the thread of the story.


‘He’s a talking frog?’


She shrugged. ‘It’s a fairy tale. If you want reality you’re in the wrong place.’


He acknowledged the point with the slightest movement of his head. Then, ‘Kisses him goodnight,’ he prompted,



‘Mmmm. If she promises all that,’ she said, ‘he’ll fetch her golden ball from the bottom of the well.’


‘A gentleman frog would have done it without strings attached.’


‘A girl with any gumption would have got it herself.’


‘You would have climbed down the well, Metcalfe?’


‘I wouldn’t have kissed the damn frog!’


'You disapprove?’


‘There’s no such thing as a free golden ball,’ she said.


‘No, indeed.’ He did something with his eyes and without warning, beneath the dark red uniform Diana suddenly felt very warm.


‘Anyway,’ she said, quickly, running a finger under her collar to let in some cool air. ‘She, um, agrees. Actually, she’d have promised him the moon -- she loved that ball – and the ungentlemanly frog dives into the well, gets the ball and hands it over at which point the princess shows her gratitude by legging it.’


‘Legging it?’


‘Has it away on her toes. Scarpers. Runs back to the palace without him.’


He laid one of those beautiful hands against his heart. ‘I’m shocked.’


She’d been quite wrong about the irony. He “got” it, all right. He might not be laughing on the outside, but his eyes gleamed with amusement.


‘I imagine the frog doesn’t take that lying down?’


‘As you said. The frog is no gentleman. He hops all the way to the palace, rats on the princess to the King who tells her that a princess must always keep her word.’


‘A princess shouldn’t have to be told.’


‘It might surprise you to know that holds good for common folk, too.’ Then, ‘She isn’t happy about it, but she doesn’t have much choice, so she lets him eat off her plate, but then she flounces off to bed without him.’


‘She learns her lesson hard, this princess. Does the frog quit?’


‘What do you think?’


‘I think she’s going to be sharing her pillow with the frog.’


‘Right. It takes him hours to hop all the way up the stairs, find her room, but he gets there in the end and once more reminds her of her promise. Finally, accepting that she’s beaten, the princess puts him on her pillow and even forces herself to kiss him goodnight.’


‘I can relate to this frog, but can this story have a happy ending?’


‘That rather depends on your point of view. When the princess wakes up next morning the frog has turned into a handsome prince.’


His brows rose a fraction. ‘That might take a bit of explaining.’

Diana, whose view of the scene had been fixed in childhood by a picture book image of said handsome prince, fully clothed in princely trappings, standing beside the princess’s bed as she woke, suddenly saw a very different reality and, quite stupidly, blushed.


‘Yes, well,’ she said, quickly, ‘it’s that whole wicked-witch-cursing-the-handsome-prince thing. The princess had to have her arm twisted to breaking point, but she did what was needed to break the spell. Da-da-de-da,’ she sang to the wedding march. ‘And they all lived happily ever after.’


‘You mean that now he’s not a warty frog, but her equal, she marries him?’


‘I did warn you. The girl is as shallow as an August puddle. It’s why the prince married her that beats me.’


‘Maybe the King didn’t buy the “spell” story and produced a shot-gun?’ he offered.


‘It’s a nice theory, but the fact is that in fairy stories the girl always gets the prince. It’s that love-at-first-sight, happy-ever-after thing.’

Here's what a few people said about it when it was first published.

...oodles of sizzle...Pure magic from beginning to end." 4.5 stars from Romantic Times


"Sublimely entertaining." Romance Readers at Heart


"Fielding writes characters that matter." Coffee Time Romance


"Sparkling, enchanting, feel-good and wonderfully romantic, The Sheikh's Unsuitable Bride is sheer perfection!" at Cataromance

Oh, and on the subject of eBooks - did you know that you can have your Kindle editions signed? It's taking me a while to get all my books on Kindlegraph - for some reason it won't let me do the American editions - but there are a few titles I can sign for you. Just click on Kindlegraph

And if you're in the UK, I'll be BBC Radio Wales on Monday morning - Jamie and Louise - at about 11 o'clock, talking about NEW VOICES.

cafe du jour

Today I'm celebrating the Kindle publication of CAFE DU JOUR, a book that I featured on my blog a couple of years ago. It was originally published by Mira's Australian office and the paper version didn't make it to the US or UK, which considering Lillian hasn't written more than 100 books and has a world-wide fan base, seems a little short-sighted. (I had my copy sent from Australia!)

Now, however, thanks to the wonders of the digital age, Cafe Du Jour is an eBook and you can read wherever you are.

The is from my original blog...




I can't actually remember the first time I met Lilian Darcy.

It was certainly in America. Washington or Denver, at one of those terrific Mills & Boon pizza parties that have become a legendary part of the Wednesday night of the RWA conferences when, after the literacy book signing, colleagues from all over the world gather, usually in Sandra Marton's room, for pizza and gossip.

I do remember her in Denver, though. Harlequin threw a rock n' party with an "Elvis" singer and Lilian grabbed me and said "let's dance" and golly, did we dance!

Today, in Australia, Lilian is launching her "book of the heart", a single title called CAFE DU JOUR, published by MIRA, and I wish, more than anything, that I could be there with her to celebrate its publication, but since that isn't possible, I'm doing the next best thing and having my own personal launch here on my blog.

Here's Lilian herself to tell you about her book: -

There's a lot of good writing in popular women's fiction, actually, which is why it frustrates me that we get so little positive attention in the media. If you're just a regular reader who reads whatever she wants to and browses a whole variety of racks in the bookstore you may not realise this, but there's a huge gulf between literary fiction writers and popular fiction writers, and I really wish it wasn't there. I think there's a fertile middle ground where the two groups could connect and learn from each other and in the process produce books that give the warm, powerful and pacy stories that romance readers love as well as the richness of some deeper themes and observations that we sometimes don't have space for in romance.

In celebration of this middle ground, and of bridging the gap between literary and popular fiction, I'm thrilled that my upcoming novel "Café du Jour" is going to be launched by one of Australia's best-known literary fiction writers, Roger McDonald. He won the Miles Franklin Award in 2006 for his novel "The Ballad of Desmond Kale" which is full of his usual rich, tumbling language and cavalcade of characters that somehow manage to be exotic yet quintessenetially Australian at the same time. (Hm. I suppose Australian *is* exotic to many people!)

"Café du Jour" itself falls into the middle ground between popular and literary fiction, I think, with its mix of sadness and quirkiness, happy endings and unfinished journeys. It was originally slated for publication by another publisher and was given to Roger for editing. His valuable insights provided the basis for the next draft, but then the publisher closed up the imprint and the book went homeless for years. Several more major drafts later, it is finally coming out, and because of its long incubation it is a book that remains particularly close to my heart, and is different in many ways from anything I've published before.

On that note - being different - I'd like to challenge all of Liz's blog readers to try something different in your reading this month. Yes, we all love to turn to our favourite authors for time out or stress relief or guilty pleasure or inspiration, but there are so many writers out there whom we don't take the time to discover. If you're up for a reading adventure, go into a bookstore and try something new. Choose a book on the strength of a cover that grabs you by the collar as soon as you look at it, or on the strength of the author's unusual name. Choose a book because you've never bought one from that rack before, or pick a random colour and buy the first book of that colour that you see. Close your eyes and just reach out to the shelf. Okay, I'll let you have a few trial runs at this. You're allowed to read the back cover blurb or the first page and put it back if it sounds really awful!

Yes, there are some really awful books out there. They're scattered all over the bookstore, masquerading behind great covers, famous names, rave reviews. And the books that I might think are awful, you might think are great. Ultimately, the thing I most want to celebrate is that, whether we're writers or readers, there is room for all of us.

...

Amen to that, Lillian!

Ooops...

I can't believe it's been a whole week since my last post.  That's mainly because my book is gathering pace and I'm also spending a lot of my spare time on the Mills and Boon New Voices Facebook page.  If you haven't checked this out, it's a terrific place to ask any questions you might have about the competition. (I hope you're all working on that first chapter!)

Not only are there posts from editors, lots of help from authors, but also writers who took part last year.

I'm getting really excited about my workshop at Pontardawe Library on the 31st August, but added to that I'll be talking to Jamie and Louise on Radio Wales on Monday, 29th August at 11 am.  If you can't tune in (because of time or you're not in Wales!) you can catch up on iPlayer later.  I'll try and post a link.

But it's not all been writing this week.

My vacuum, a much loved original Dyson had reached a point where I was having to clean up after it and so I retired it this week and bought a fabulous new one with ball and a whizzy bit at the front and heavens, it is brilliant!

The carpets are all sitting up and looking really chirpy.  I don't often enthuse about housework but just occasionally I "get" it. :)

Reading?

I read the wonderful Eva Ibbotson's Magic Flutes this week.  A perfect fairy tale. Loved it. 5 stars. Ten out of ten. I got to the end and instantly downloaded another for my Kindle (in bed - isn't that fabulous!) and have it waiting as one of those special treat reads, to be saved up for when you need one.

If you haven't read Eva, do try one of her books - Madensky Square, set in Vienna before the first world war, or The Morning Gift just before the second war.

And if you need a free read and haven't yet downloaded WILD JUSTICE, it's still free on Kindle UK (US are really annoying me!) and at Smashwords, Nook, iTunes.

Wild Lady and Wild Fire haven't made it from Smashwords onto other platforms yet, but they are available at Smashwords and Kindle everywhere for $2.99 which is jolly cheap for a 400 page book.

NEW VOICES UPDATE

My talk will be at Pontardawe Library on the 31 August between 2 and 3.30.  Call the library to book places on 01792 862261.  I can't wait!

Meanwhile, Mills and Boon have set up a New Voices page on

Facebook where established authors are ready and willing to answer all your questions. Does the hero have to be a billionaire? Is a best friend essential or a no-no. What happens when your middle sags - and no, the answer isn't a diet suggestion!

This is gold for a new writer, so don't miss this great opportunity.

Meanwhile, here's my thought for the day --


What does your heroine want? 
What is her driving passion? 
And what will she do to get it?

NEW VOICES

On September 13th 2011 Mills and Boon launch their second global search for fresh writing talent to join Mills & Boon’s galaxy of romantic fiction stars.

A celebration of romantic fiction and romance, New Voices will put entrants through their romantic fiction paces – and the Mills & Boon readership will have their say every step of the way!

The winner of the competition will win some fantastic prizes, including publication by Mills & Boon and a Mills & Boon editor for a year!

For more information go to the dedicated Mills and Boon website here

You'll also find a lively debate and lots of advice on the New Voices Facebook page here

As part of the New Voices programme, I will be giving a workshop at Pontardawe Library at the end of August, so if you're in the south/south-west Wales area, do look out for more information on that.

Since the competition starts with the first chapter, I'm directing you to an article on my website, which I hope will help you make the leap from the idea in your head to the important first lines on the page.

Meanwhile, here are a few points to consider before you put pen to paper –

• start at the moment of change - what has just happened that will change your heroine's life?
• with action, not introspection - you want your reader to follow your characters.
• with character, not scenery, or weather - unless the heroine is about to be swept away by a flash flood in which case you have both the above!

And here are some important points from one of my characters who just happened to be an author: -

1.    Begin your story at a moment of crisis, a point in time when your character's life is about to change for ever.

2.    Keep the conflict simple.  Make sure the reader knows what’s going on.  Ask yourself…  Is the conflict strong enough to sustain the length of the story?

3.    Use dialogue to move the story along.  Use it to create tension, misunderstanding, to reveal character to the reader.

4.    A hero has to be strong, tender, a man who would never let down the woman he loves.  But he has to be flawed, too.  If he were perfect there would be no story.  (And he’d be impossible live with.  LF)

5.    Sexual tension is not just about getting naked.  It’s about wanting something and knowing it’s out of reach.  It can be a look instead of a touch.

6.    Every story will have a moment when explanations, an air-clearing talk, will offer the way to a happy ending.  Never let this happen.

7.    The romance reader is looking for warmly observed characters and deeply felt emotion.

8.    A satisfying ending provides a final moment of discord before all the loose ends are gathered in, with reassurance that the hero and heroine will live happily ever after.

I'd also recommend Kate Walker's WRITING ROMANTIC FICTION to any new writer.

Two of last year's New Voices authors have already been bought by Mills and Boon; several more are working with editors and hope to make the leap to published author soon. This is an amazing opportunity to get your writing noticed so get started!

ROYAL WEDDING

There is nothing like a wedding to add a little sparkle to the day.  Yesterday Zara Phillips, world champion three-day eventer, granddaughter of the HM Queen and daughter of the Princess Royal, married England rugby star Mike Tindall in a private ceremony in Scotland.  Here are some photographs of a lovely day.

BLOG PARTY - THE RECOVERY!

Good morning!  How are you all feeling!

I don't know about you but I need a long glass of orange juice to pick me up after a week of partying.

There's still some fun to be had - and the butlers are all still on hand to cater to your every whim, so do keep them busy!

Meanwhile, I'll say a huge thank to all the friends who dropped by to help me celebrate this week.  You have all been stars.

And here is a round up of all books winners - including the last two days, so if you haven't got in touch with addresses and so forth, well, call up one of the butlers and get them to send an email now.  (They all take dictation very well!)

Here's the list -

Nicola Marsh - Morton
Jessica Hart - Roz and Sheree
Anna Campbell - Nell, Jenny Swartz and Jane O'Reilly
Kate Walker - Tammy and Raven
Lesley Cookman - Tammy and Nas
Ally Blake - Helen
Sophie Page - Alexandra
Christine Stovell - Teresa Morgan
Nell Dixon - ChrisCross
Donna Alward - Stevie
Jan Jones - Michele L
Phillipa - Wendy McD
Kate Hardy - Stevie
Soraya Lane - Helen

You can send your details to me at liz at lizfielding dot com and I'll pass them on to the lovely authors who donated these door prizes.

Now, a party to celebrate my career wouldn't be a party without a prize from the host.  So, what will it be?

One of my books, I think for everyone who visited me this week, including the authors.  (Tough on Kate Hardy, who has read them all, but I will think of something...)

leave a note in the comment column saying which one you'd like (and whether paper or eBook) and I'll try and sort you out a copy  I don't have spares of some of the early books, although quite a few are available now as eBooks - with more on the way very shortly.

In the meantime, while you tuck into breakfast, I'll introduce the hero of my 60th book, FLIRTING WITH ITALIAN - Matteo di Serrone, who is discovering that a cool English rose can be more of a handful than he bargained for.

Here's a little taster...

‘Out.  Now,’ he said.

     Sarah looked back helplessly at the mess, but he headed for the door and she barely had time to scoop up her bag and cardigan before they were through it and heading down the stairs.    

     ‘Where are we going?’ she gasped, as they burst into the warm evening and, as if coming to his senses, he finally let her go.  Pushed his hands deep into his pockets.

     ‘Anywhere.  Nowhere.  Just out.’  He glanced at her as they headed down the cobbled hill.  ‘Did I hurt you?’

     ‘No.’

     He stopped, looked at her.

     ‘No,’ she repeated, with a gesture that was pure Roman.  ‘I’m not being “nice”, Matteo,’ she said, walking on, leaving him to follow.                                

    ‘I believe you,’ he said, falling in beside her.  ‘Nice girls don’t kiss like that.’  He rubbed at his lower lip.  Smiled a touch ruefully.  ‘You bit me.’

     She’d bitten him?

    He was right.  She didn’t kiss like that.  At least she hadn’t until now.  But then she’d never felt like that.  Been so completely out of control.  

     ‘Do you expect me to apologise?’ she asked.

     ‘I wasn’t complaining.’  He glanced at her.  ‘Do you want me to?’

     ‘Complain?’ she said, choosing to misunderstand. 

     ‘Apologise.’

     Her turn to stop.  ‘No, Matteo.’  She was free, unencumbered by any responsibilities except to herself.  ‘I don’t want anything from you that you can’t give me naked.’

     ‘Let’s go back…’

     ‘I want a lover,’ she said.  ‘A man who will make memories to keep me warm when I’m old.  Memories that will shock my grandchildren.  Make me smile when I’m dying.’

     ‘We should definitely go back…’

     She was trying to be cool, but he had this way of getting beneath her skin and she was fighting a losing battle against a smile.  Who wouldn’t want a man who couldn’t trust himself alone in a room with her? 

     Any woman would smile.

     ‘No, you’re fine,’ she said.  ‘You’ve already passed the physical-’

     He practically choked.                                   

     ‘You are outrageous.’

     ‘Am I?’  He was right, she was.  Tom would not have recognised her.  She scarcely recognised herself.  ‘It’s your bad influence.  You are turning me into a diva.’

     ‘I admit only to liberating the diva within.  A role you appear to have taken to with genuine enthusiasm.’

     She looked at him sideways from beneath her lashes.  ‘If I’m shocking you, you can withdraw at any time.’ 

     ‘That, amore mio, is an offer you may live to regret,’ he said, not bothering to hide his amusement as she blushed.

     A woman, a diva, interviewing a potential lover did not blush.

Does November seem a long way off?  It'll be here before we know it and I have book # 61 to write before then.  

In the meantime, if you haven't yet downloaded a copy of WILD JUSTICE, it's free, for a very short while, at Amazon.  There's a link on the sidebar.

Thanks, all of you for being such fun this week.  It's been a blast.  And before you go - don't forget to tell me what book you'd like!

BLOG PARTY DAY 5

Welcome to day 5 of my party and the last of my very special guests.


I have a whole shelf of Kate Hardy's books. Romantic, emotional, she can always touch the heart strings and make you cry.  She's a hugging friend, one I'm always thrilled to see at a conference, or author lunch.


And she's another of those authors who has won the RNA Romance Prize.  There are only six in the shortlist each year, so it is a very special peer group award.


She'll tell you herself about her latest book: -

The idea for ITALIAN DOCTOR, NO STRINGS ATTACHED came to me when we visited Capri and took the chairlift up to Monte Solaro, the highest point of the island. It was like standing on the edge of the world, and I thought, what a fantastic place to propose to someone... but who and why and when? 

(The answers came a bit later on when a friend told me about a very interesting medical condition, knowing the kind of things that make lightbulbs happen in my head!) ]

I'm thrilled to give away a copy of Italian Doctor, No Strings attached as soon as my author copies come through (any day now). 

To be in with a chance to win Kate's book, just tell her the most romantic place you can think of for a marriage proposal.

Great question, Kate!

And no, Kate, I don't think anyone will be surprised that you'd volunteer to bring Antonio Banderas to the party!

Arriving next is Phillipa Ashley

Phillipa is another of those authors I met online when she was striving to make the break through into publication.  And for those of you who think it's impossible, believe me, I have seen dozens of new authors publishing a pile of books in the twenty years since I made my own break though.

Phillipa was published by Little Black Books - more than that, her first book, Decent Exposure, was made into a movie, 12 Men of Christmas.  And it doesn't get much better than that!

Phillipa has offered a copy of her latest Samhain book, FEVER CURE to one of my guests today.

More  cover envy!

So, what kind of man will bring you out in a fever? Is it going to be Antonio? Or  George Clooney? Daniel? Do you like a man built, or sensitive? (Not saying we can't have both!) Who would you choose as your co-star in a rom-com?


Last but a very long way from least, is Jan Jones

Jan has not only written a handful of books and wonderful serials for magazines - "An Ordinary Gift" starts in Woman's Weekly in the UK next week; a contemporary story about a young woman whose move to Ely awakens an ancient talent should be in the shops from 28 July - but she is a master at arranging the most wonderful conferences for the Romantic Novelists' Association.  We all love her to bits.

I adored her first book STAGE BY STAGE, set in the world of am-dram and with a hero to absolutely die for.

She also writes wonderful Regencies, and she's offering a copy of FAIR DECEPTION to one the my party guests today.

She suggests that the hero is a cross between Orlando Bloom and Robert Redford.  Tricky, but I think this photograph of Orlando does the job!

And we're back to heroes again - what kind of clothes maketh the man for you?


A superfine coat and perfect folded cravat? Cowboy jeans and hat? A pin-striped suit, or just a pair of shorts?  And what turns you off?  Romantic authors everywhere want to know!

PARTY DAY 4!

Day 4 - I'm starting to feel a little giddy! Maybe it's time for a sit down in the shade while the guys fire up the barbie and we sip on a cool drink.

Colin looks eager to serve.

And just to catch up, winners of books have been announced in the comments column, so do check to make sure you've followed up on that.  I will do a round up of all winners on Saturday, just to be sure you don't miss anything.

My first guest today is the charming Nell Dixon, who writes for Little Black Dress in the UK, Samhain and Astraea Press in the US.  She has twice won the prestigious Romantic Novelists’ Association “Romance Prize” with the accompanying Betty Neels’ Rosebowl – the only author to manage that extraordinary feat.

I first met her face to face at an RNA conference in Leicester and spent a very pleasant Sunday afternoon on the train with as we headed for the hub at Birmingham.

She’s come along today with a copy of her exciting new title, DANGEROUS TO KNOW, which seems to have a whiff of the suspense about it – and haven’t we all been longing for the return of romantic suspense?

The authors who turned me onto romance were Georgette Heyer and Mary Stewart.  Whose book first grabbed you by the heart and made you a lifelong fan of romance?

Moving over to let Donna Alward – darling girl – slide in beside me.

I’ve known her since she was a “wannabe” author on the eHarlequin community; she calls me her “writing mum” and was thrilled to celebrate with her when she joined the tanks of the Harlequin “Romance” authors.  She’s had a pretty stellar year, being shortlisted in a fistful of prestigious published author competitions and I’m so glad she could find a moment to drop by and offer one of her lovely romances as a door prize at my party.


Donna is giving away two of her books, her latest Harlequin "Romance", A FAMILY FOR THE RUGGED RANCHER, and an ARC of the new Samhain, BREATHE.

Donna writes a stunning cowboy.  


Karin Stoecker, until recently the Editorial Director of Romance HQ in the UK, once told me that a sheikh was a cowboy in a different hat.


With that in mind, which hat would your hero be wearing?

Oh, look, Daniel's just turned up to give Colin a hand. 


Excellent!


My next guest, Chris Stovell, is almost a neighbour.

She lives in the next county to me and is a member of the Carmarthen chapter of the RNA. She was also my flatmate at the recent RNA conference at Caerleon; fun to be with and a wonderful author.  

I hope she’ll manage to visit today – she’s in the middle of having her new house rewired so life is a bit on the edge for her at the moment.

She’s offered a copy of her first book, published by ChocLit called TURNING THE TIDE.  The inspiration was her love of the sea and sailing and it’s an “all’s fair in love and war” romance with two strong characters facing off against each other, a wonderful cast of supporting players and some touching sub plots.

Are you captivated by the sea? Does the snap of a sail make your heart beat faster? Or are you a river, or lake woman?  Paddling about in a dinghy, or gliding along in a punt? What memory lingers of a watery moment?






And while you're thinking about that, dig in...