The magic begins...

I'm guesting over at Tote Bags & Blogs today, talking about my new project with best writing mate Kate Hardy.

Do pop by if you have a moment to eye up the latest hero!

One week to go...

There's just a week to go until the release of Her Pregnancy Bombshell.  Here are what a few people are saying about it on Goodreads

The setting is ideal, the characters are very appealing, and Liz Fielding has infused wonderful romantic touches throughout the story.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I absolutely loved it! Though keep the tissues to hand as you will need them! Fantastic read and highly recommended! 

The characters in this story were well developed and believable. I really liked them. There is just enough angst to make you ache for them as they find a way to see how right they are for each other, passion that keeps it from being blah without the overdone erotic mess that, for me, can really distract from the storyline, and humor to make you smile.

It is available in both paper and as a digital download.

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Australia
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
Mills and Boon UK

Harlequin US

 

Mash Up Monday

Lots of good stuff out there right now-

Nina Harrington is running a fabulous giveaway on her blog - six great books to enhance your productivity including The Tools of the Titans. Click here for more.

According to Kate Hardy, today is the International Day of Happiness, which has to be a good thing. Do something to make yourself smile.

Scarlet Wilson won the RoNA Rose award presented by Prue Leith at the Romantic Novelists Association Awards Reception last week with

All these great women write for "Harlequin Romance" - these are the March releases.

Spring Flowers by Kate Hardy

I have to confess I’m not much of a gardener – I like flowers and shrubs, but I’m not the best at knowing how to look after them properly. (Though I am starting to get into gardening programmes on TV now…) Our garden is pretty much a ‘look after itself’ garden, with shrubs and trees at the back, and bulbs and annuals at the front in a border and in pots. My favourite ones are the tiny varieties you get in spring. So there are the Iris Reiculata – little tiny pretty ones.

And the tete-a-tete daffodils.

Before we extended the house, we had a border with bigger daffodils and all sorts of tulips – I had the really dramatic ones that were such a dark purple, they were almost black, and the frilly red ‘parrot’ tulips. I still have my favourite ones, though – the white ones with delicate purple edges. (Actually, as a nod to one of my fellow Chocolates, these tulips happen to be called Shirley.)

But my absolute favourites are the grape hyacinths. So very, very pretty.

What are your favourite spring flowers? Are you a gardener, or are you like me and just bumble through with the stuff you like?

Here are the prizes

 Here's  a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Sheikh Who Loved Her

I just love the covers of the Special Editions that Mills and Boon releases - three-in-one collections of bestselling romance for a new audience.

And the company you get to keep!

The fabulous Kate Hardy and Susan Stephens. Just so special.

What we have here, is Ruling Sheikh, Unruly Mistress from Susan Stephens. Proud, curvy and pregnant- the heroine, not Susan!

Surrender to the Playboy Sheikh from Kate Hardy pits Lily French against seductive playboy, Karim.

Her Desert Dream finds lookalike Lydia standing in for a world famous woman and meeting her match in the disinherited Kalil al Zaki.

It's available online now from

Mills and Boon, Australia
Mills and Boon, UK

Her Desert Dream is also available in a single title digital edition in the US

Follow Liz on Twitter @lizfielding
Follow Kate on Twitter @katehardyauthor
Follow Susan on Twitter @Susan_Stephens

Baby, It's Cold Outside - but snuggle up, it's Christmas!

My second guest helping me celebrate my 20th anniversary are a group of hugely popular authors who have collaborated to produce a sizzling anthology of contemporary Christmas romances - Baby It's Cold Outside

I have no doubt that the cover will have you racing to the bottom of the page to click the "buy" links, but I did ask Kate Hardy, whose story is called Tis the Season to Kiss Santa (well, yes!), and the other authors, to tell me a little bit about how four authors collaborate on a project like this - and what they love about Christmas.

This is an anthology of books by four authors. How did that come about?

We’d heard that Entangled were looking for Christmas stories and we all really wanted to write one – especially one with snow – so we decided to pitch together, and Entangled loved our ideas.

How did you work together?

By email – Amy Andrews is in Australia, Aimee Carson is in the US, and Heidi Rice and I are in the UK, so email was the best way of dealing with all the time zones! So we bounced ideas off each other, made suggestions, and were basically each other’s cheerleaders. We have to credit Heidi with genius when it comes to titles :o)

What is/Is there a theme running through the stories?

Yes – they take place on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – and all our couples are brought together by a snowstorm. Hence ‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’… but it’s definitely warm inside!

What, or who, was the inspiration for your story?

Kate: Making gingerbread men with my daughter and discussing the possibilities of making a gingerbread Christmas tree out of stars. That’s when I thought about having a pastry chef as a heroine – one who loves Christmas. And who better to pair her with than a man who hates Christmas?

Heidi: I used to have this great recurring dream as a child of getting stuck in a sweet shop overnight and being able to take anything I wanted. So when we came up with the snowed-in idea, I nabbed Christmas Day so I could fulfill my fantasy - which has matured somewhat since my childhood and now involves getting stuck in a luxury department store overnight with a hunky guy! So basically, the inspiration behind this story is my Curly Wurly addiction as a kid!

Amy: Initially it was a clip of Lady Antebellum singing Baby, It's Cold Outside and then I had a vision of my heroine all alone in a snowed-in cabin, tipsy on egg nog to keep her warm because she couldn't find any matches to light the fire, and I knew a strapping young man was going to come through the door and light her fire in more ways than one!

Aimee: Being snowed in one holiday season at the Seattle airport. Fortunately the weather cleared in time for me to make it home for Christmas.


Can you describe your book/ the anthology/ in a sentence or two?

Kate: TIS THE SEASON TO KISS SANTA With the help of a sprig of mistletoe and some snow angels, a recently single pastry chef teaches a highly successful and sexy Scrooge the true meaning of the holidays on a snowy Christmas Eve that quickly heats up.

Heidi: TIS THE SEASON TO LOVE SHOPPING One unlucky-in-love workaholic, one sexy single dad, a snowed-in department store on Fifth Avenue and a sprinkle of fantasy shopping make for one hot wish come true for two strangers on a chilly Christmas Day in New York City!

Amy: TIS THE SEASON TO BE KISSED A down-on-her-romantic-luck kindergarten teacher plans to drown her New Year’s Eve sorrows in a gallon of spiked eggnog, but the arrival of her best friend's sexy younger brother threatens to melt the snow piling up outside the tiny Vermont cabin.

Aimee: TIS THE SEASON TO BE TEMPTED

After  the worst year ever, a jilted music manager rings in the New Year alone, swearing off men forever. But things get complicated when her brother's best friend, the perfect man with the perfect body, tempts her to break her vow—if only for one hot night!

What do you love about this book?

We have four completely different takes on the holidays – and I hope readers have as much fun reading it as we did writing it!

Who, if Hollywood came calling, would you choose to play your hero?

Kate: Robert Downey Junior. (Think Chaplin rather than Tony Stark – though I love the Marvel films!)

Heidi: I'm leaning towards the super-delicious Matt Boomer of White Collar fame (Google him, you won't be sorry!!!) for my sexy photojournalist hero Ryder Sinclair but I feel a lot more research on YouTube may be called for before I can make a definitive choice.

Amy: Zack Efron. The grown up Zack with the buzz cut from The Lucky One - not the teenager from High School Musical!!

Aimee: The super hunky Kiwi Karl Urban.

What do you love most about Christmas?

Kate: getting to see family and friends, sharing good meals and talking too much, laughing too much and playing board games (especially when we change the rules!).

Heidi: That wonderful feeling of expectation and sparkle that goes with the Season – which isn't so much to do with getting presents anymore but all about the anticipation of seeing family and friends, seeing the Christmas lights everywhere lighting up the dark nights, going to parties and generally enjoying the social whirl (but if my husband's reading this, I still want that Orla Kiely purse!)

Amy: You know - I just love everything about it! I love the whole season! But I mostly love the general good mood people are in, how we all seem to walk around with a spring in our steps and smile at strangers and bid them Merry Christmas. I love the whole goodwill to all men thing!

Aimee: Spending quality time with my kids while eating all sorts of delicious food. It's a twofer!

PS!  There's a download of the bookj for one commentor!

Baby It's Cold Outside is available here at Amazon UK and Amazon US.

The Winter Wife - winner!

Thanks everyone for dropping by and taking part in the celebrations with Anna Campbell this week. It was great fun and there will be more guests during the month - and a chance to download Old Desires free next week - so if you have a moment during this crazy month, do drop by again.

The name drawn out of the magic hat is Angie Malone. Angie could you please contact Anna at anna at annacampbell dot info and she'll arrange for you to get your prize, a download of truly lovely The Winter Wife.

Next up - BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

Celebrating Kate Hardy's 50th book...

I'm over at Kate Hardy's blog today joining in the party to celebrate the release of her 50th book,  The Hidden Heart of Rico Rossi.

Do come and say hello to Kate and maybe win a copy of
Eloping With Emmy for your ereader.

In fact put her on your auto-visit blog because we're all lining up to cheer one of the most popular (and busy) authors in the Mills and Boon family. There will be books galore to win from authors all over the world.

Happy 50th Kate!

The Moving Chronicles...

This has been a mad and exhausting week. But we're in our new home and have unpacked enough boxes that we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. (I'm ignoring all boxes marked "books" until we have some new bookshelves!)

We moved in on Tuesday. The lovely men arrived with their huge vehicle at about 11 o'clock and starting shifting furniture, boxes and stuff - I am already regretting not being much more ruthless about getting rid of stuff. They worked like Trojans, bless them (it was nearly 5 when they finished), but it's now apparent that they (or could that be we?) didn't know our left from our right. All my office boxes are in the best beloved's studio, and all his stuff is in my scribbling room.

And we discovered, the hard way, that the door to his room has a dodgy catch. "Shut the door," he said, "I want to see what it looks like." Like the dumb idiot I am, I shut the door. And then we couldn't open it. There we were, on the third floor, without a phone, or a screwdriver, or even a knife, with a heavy firedoor between us and freedom. We looked at the boxes. Did I mention that the guys had put all mine in the best beloved's room? Books, books, books. The BB looked hopefully out of the window, hoping to spot a neighbour to come and rescue us. (They'd already been round to introduce themselves and brought cards to welcome us.)

I ripped open boxes hoping to the find the one with the pen pot that I was sure had a screwdriver in it. Books, books, books, books, books and then, last box, hurrah! the pen pot. But no screwdriver. Pens, pencils, erasers, markers, an emery board (essential kit in every office) and then, lo, in the bottom of the box I found a small pair of scissors that had fallen out of the pot. The blade was deployed and in a bound we were free. But I'm not going anywhere without my phone and a screwdriver in the foreseeable future.

Six days in and we now have a working washing machine (I haven't found the iron yet - and I'm not looking v. hard, although the ironing board keeps attacking me with lethal intent), a dishwasher and a fridge/freezer. Cold milk. Bliss.

We've found the local pub, The Black Horse, which does great grub, a Tesco Express - both within walking distance - and we have a shopping park a mile and a half up the road where we have spent vast quantities of money on white goods (actually they're black, but who's arguing) and DIY essentials, like bathroom mirrors. I left everything - these people took everything. Except the cooker. I really wish they had taken that. Today is buying a new cooker day, so that I can cook and put the new dishwasher to good use.

We also have to move a tall, glass fronted cabinet. We had two places where we could have put it. We chose the wrong one.

We can now see the carpet, have only one box left in the kitchen and some time next week I might even begin to think about my office. No point in unpacking the computer until I have a desk. Any hints of favourites would be welcome. I don't want one of those complicated computer desks, but I do like a keyboard shelf - a table is a little high for me.

Oh, and these gorgeous flowers arrived yesterday from the lovely Kate Hardy. When I see her in September she's going to get a really big hug!

Oh, and my Harlequin Romance, The Last Woman He'd Ever Date was published retail in the US this week. One of my readers had to remind me about that on Twitter!

Reading, Writing, Nominated and a Review!

This was a lovely surprise: This blog has been nominated for the Top Writing Blogs Award by ECollegeFinder.com !

I've been catching up with some reading over the last week or two. An extraordinary detective story - The Interpretation of a Murder is set in New York in the first decade of the twentieth century. A young woman is brutally murdered, another attacked, and a psychoanalyst and a detective struggle to understand what is going on - with helpful (or not) interjections from visiting heavyweights Freud and Jung. 

It was not fast, but the fact that I was gripped was proved by the fact that the rather small, grey print that I found a struggle to read did not deter me.

Right now I'm reading Her Christmas Knight by Kate Hardy. 

This is an absolutely charming medical romance between a nurse with a very special son, and a hero suffering from guilt. They both fight the instant attraction but it's clear they made for each other.

Can they find the courage to move away from the past and find happiness? A life-threatening accident puts everything on hold.

Loving this!

On the work front, Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance has just been through another round of production edits. One step nearer! There's still time to comment on the post below to be in with a chance to win one of five copies hot off the computer! I'll post the winners on Sunday evening.

And finally, I just spotted this lovely review for FLIRTING WITH ITALIAN at Cataromance


"Liz Fielding continues to raise the bar with her sixtieth Harlequin Romance, Flirting with Italian! Written with all the flair and gusto that readers have come to expect from this much-loved award-winning author, Flirting with Italian is a zesty paced page-turner that skillfully balances poignant romance with powerful emotional conflict, nail-biting family drama and rib-tickling humour."

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!

A LAZY WEEKEND

So, here I am, ordered to keep my foot "up".  This is strange territory for me.  I'm not given to lying on the sofa (give or take the odd "nana" nap at the end of the day).

I watched the Grand Prix - great result! - and I read.  A lot.

First up, I finished Michael Dibden's Aurelio Zen - And Then You Die.  The books are nothing like the television series, but I love them.

Then I read Marrying a Prince by Sophie Page.  Lovely, lovely romance with a deliciously gruesome New Year's party involving Scottish country dancing.  It's years since I've danced an eightsome reel, which is the best fun, but then I didn't knock off the Queen's tiara.  Blissful.  Hated when it ended.

After that, I caught up on Sue Grafton's alphabet murders, with U is for Undertow.  Not quite as scary as some of her earlier books, but it was high standard.  Hope for a new one soon.

Then I read the latest Kate Hardy medical, The Fireman and Nurse Loveday.  A delightfully warm and emotional romance with a scrumptious hero, exactly what you'd expect from Kate - and with the lovely St Piran, Cornish setting.

Then I downloaded an excerpt from Major Pettigrew's Last Stand.  I love that about Kindle.  You can try a chunk before you buy.   And of course I bought.  (You can download a big excerpt of my Beaumont Brides books and give them a go, too.  They'll be available on Smashwords for all eBook platforms soon.  I'll tell you when.)

I just wish I hadn't had to stick a garden fork in my foot to get all that wonderful reading time!

PLAY TIME!

Well, the book - SCOOP! - the one with the ice cream van and set amongst the villages of Upper Haughton, Lower Haughton and Longbourne, is now with my editor which means I have a day or two to catch up with the knitting, read without guilt, and play. 

I'd better make the most of it because another deadline looms and I've no doubt the lovely ed will have a few ideas of her own about what more it needs.

So what have I been doing?

Well, on the understanding that all work makes Jill a dull writer I've been in London for the annual Mills and Boon author lunch.   Lots of opportunity to catch up with friends I hadn't seen for a year.

I had coffee with the lovely Kate Hardy before lunch - and she let me play with her iPad.  Lovely piece of kit but I'm still not tempted.

Pre lunch drinks was a noisy affair.  Fifty plus authors have a lot to talk about after a year!

I had lovely company on my table.  Here's the delightful Jennie Lucas who I first met in New York several years ago, and Mandy Ferguson, Mills and Boon's Managing Director. 

On the right is the  yummy Kate Walker who I was fortunate enough to be sitting next to, with Michelle Reid and Jackie Baird behind, and on the left, the lady who can do fabulous things with hot Italians, Lucy Gordon

I also took time out with the dh to explore the Museum of London, and rediscover the City where I once worked, many years ago.  Driving down Fleet Street, up through Fetter Lane and High Holborn.  Familiar names, but very little looked the same.

One of the other joys was that, since I was staying at the Charing Cross Hotel - where we had lunch - I had a bird's eye view of the Eleanor Cross (Cher Reign Cross...) newly restored and gleaming like a wedding cake, as well as Nelson's Column.  Brilliant location.  Will definitely stay there again.

After the hectic London bit, the best beloved and I went on to Surrey for the Christening of Cora Rose, our grand-daughter, now nearly eight months old.  Definitely sitting up and taking notice. 

She was Christened the lovely church of St Andrew's in Croydon, built for the servants of the toffs who workshipped at the parish church. 

It's quite small, but very beautiful, with this stunning font which was painted by Cecily Mary Barker, creator of the Flower Fairies, who also worshipped in the church.

It was a joyful occasion, part of the morning service - all the dd's yummy mummy mates brought their babies and they all behaved beautifully - with the entire congregation taking part and welcoming Cora Rose into their community.

Here are the three generations, together.  I just hope that Cora Rose (in a hundred year old family Christening gown from her Daddy's family) has inherited her mother's height genes!

MORE ABOUT MILLS AND BOON AUDIO BOOKS -

This is from the Whole Story Audio website - thanks to Kate Hardy (who has one out later in the year) for pointing me in this direction. This site is collaborating the Mills & Boon and bringing you unabridged audio books (all available from your library, btw,) at a rather more affordable price. The contemporaries are £17.99 and the historicals, which are longer, are £19.99.

Here's what they say: -

"For the very first time, titles from Mills and Boon - the undisputed market leader in romantic fiction - are to be published as audiobooks. And, as this unique and exclusive arrangement has been made with Whole Story Audio Books, they will all be unabridged.

"In July, through our exclusive collaboration, Whole Story Audio Books will publish an initial selection of 10 Mills & Boon titles from their most popular and passionate ranges, with a minimum of three new titles added to the collection each month.

"Keep the romance alive in your life with Mills & Boon unabridged audiobooks, exclusive to Whole Story Audio Books."

Available now are -

The Australian's Society Bride
by Margaret Way
narrated by Federay Holmes

Bought for the Sicilian Billionaire's Bed
by Sharon Kendrick
narrated by Simone Philips

Cinderella's Wedding Wish
by Jessica Hart
narrated by Harriet Carmichael

The Disgraceful Mr Ravenhurst
by Louise Allen
narrated by Maggie Ollerenshaw

The Duke's Cinderella Bride
by Carole Mortimer
narrated by Steven Crossley

The Earl and the Hoyden
by Mary Nichols
narrated by Denica Fairman

The Greek's Forced Bride
by Michelle Reid
narrated by Jenny Sterlin

Marrying the Mistress
by Juliet Landon
narrated by Jenny Sterlin

The Prince's Waitress Wife
by Sarah Morgan
narrated by Jenny Sterlin

The Rake's Defiant Mistress
by Mary Brendan
narrated by Jane Collingwood

The Santangeli Marriage
by Sara Craven
narrated by Simone Philips

Secret Baby, Surprise Parents
by Liz Fielding
narrated by Maggie Ollerenshaw

Seduction Westmoreland Style
by Brenda Jackson
narrated by Jack Garrett

Shattered by the Ceo
by Emilie Rose
narrated by Jack Garrett

Virgin Mistress, Scandalous Love-child
by Jennie Lucas
narrated by Laurence Bouvard

Here's is a link to the website. Look out for new titles each month!

LOOKING FOR A GIFT FOR A BOOK LOVER?

Oh, boy, have I have a website for you. The Literary Gift Company came my way by chance last week and I want you to know that I'm not on commission and I don't know anyone who's involved with the company, but the treasures I found there were such fun that I wanted to share them with you.

For instance are you going to a wedding, know someone whose getting married this year?  How about literary confetti?

Heart-shaped pieces are cut up from old Mills and Boon novels.   - how appropriate! This generous helping of romantic confetti comes in a pocket-sized box.  I quote from the website -

"When their bodies were touching it felt so...so right. As if she were coming home, as if she belonged here." Kate Hardy, Nurse Bride: Bayside Wedding.

- as a sample of what you'll get.  Actually, that's a Gil Sanderson title, but Kate's blog is always worth a visit!

And then there's the book wallet.  Each one is individually made and you might be lucky enough to find your favourite author.  How about this one, for instance?

Just the thing to keep your money comfy and the library ticket will feel right at home.

The store has a ton of fun stuff for the book lovers -- and if my dh is reading this as he wonders what little special something he might buy me for Valentine's Day he should look no further than this rather smart handbag...

There are mugs, posters, "banned book" jewellery, even, blissfully this "Ladybird" Tea Towel that will have us all sighing with nostalgia for that bygone age when Janet helped Mummy with the washing up and John helped Daddy wash the car.  Now, obviously, they're both too busy surfing the 'net.

Don't take my word for it, go to The Literary Gift Company and treat yourself!