WRITING BOOKS CAN MAKE YOU FAT...

It's a fact and one that all writers quickly learn.

In my case it probably had more to do with giving up the day job -- brisk walk there and back -- and the teens growing up and moving on so that I wasn't constantly on my feet chasing around after them. And getting to that age where weight seems to creep up in a stealth attack that you don't notice until you're suddenly wondering who's standing on the scales with you.

But there is apparently a scientific reason -- something to do with the brain getting hungry. You can check out the full story on Tess Gerritsen's blog, here.

I'll be pounding the wii...


AUSTRALIA

You may have heard of the horrendous temperatures and bush fires raging in south-east Australia. Several Harlequin Romance authors live in this area, so please spare a thought for them and their families.

FINALLY



On a more cheerful note, I've just received this review and a very thrilling 4.5 stars, for SECRET BABY, SURPRISE PARENTS from ROMANTIC TIMES.

"Multi-layered characterizations, a potent conflict and some very special twists on reader favorite plot elements make this story a joy from beginning to end."

So all the blood, sweat and tears -- this was not, not, not an easy book -- was, apparently, worth it.

It'll be retail in April, but will be available online in March, in both paper and eBook formats, from millsandboon.co.uk and eHarlequin.com




And finally, finally --

Harlequin Romance is spotlighted at eharlequin.com in February with six Diamond Bride miniseries books and the chance to have your dream proposal appear in an upcoming Harlequin Romance book! Click on the events tabs at Harlequin Celebrates

ARGHHH!

I’m really sorry not to have been around for the last few days. Having finally managed to get on broadband – admittedly a very slow version of broadband – you’ll forgive me if I thought my internet woes were at an end.

How dumb can you get?

After ten days of fun and frolicking amongst the websites, the connection failed, leaving me not only without broadband, but without any means of communication. I couldn’t even wish you a happy St David’s Day on the 1st March, but here are some belated daffodils. Or remind you that my 50th Harlequin Romance, THE BRIDE’S BABY, is now available online at eHarlequin.com and millsandboon.com Don’t forget that you now have the eBook option. Instant satisfaction!

Fortunately, last week’s guest, Anne McAllister, had sent me her post in plenty of time and it was all set up and ready to go online, so I rang my daughter and talked her through that bit. Unfortunately that meant missing out those last minute bits, including the winner of the Jenny Haddon/Sophie Weston “cousins” trilogy. She chose Sue (and Tilly Trotter). Congrats to Sue and again, many thanks to Jenny, although you shouldn’t be reading this Jenny, you should be putting the finishing touches to Rosie. We can’t wait!

By the weekend, I’d managed to sort out a pay as go dial-up and can, therefore, announce that the winners of the HERE COMES THE BRIDES competition, are:

Alison Bond.Manchester
Jane Squires Mo
Carol Woodruff NJ

Congratulations to all three of you, who will each be receiving a copy of Spanish, Billionaire, Innocent Wife, by Kate Walker, One Night Love-Child by Anne McAllister and The Bride’s Baby from me.

And Patsy is the winner of the Mills & Boon coupons, calendar and bookmark.

Thank you all for taking part in the competitions, but don’t go away. I’ll be posting the winner of this weekend’s guest blogger – Anne McAllister’s – comp on Thursday, when the lovely Ally Blake will be dropping by to give us her take on writing and an opportunity to win her latest book. Don’t miss it!

… and AH!

This week I treated myself to a book. Not unusual, to be honest and I’d had my eye on Tess Gerritsen’s THE BONE GARDEN since before it was published. I read Tess’s blog when I have time and I was fascinated by the idea of the book and by the fact that she said she was growing a little weary of writing slice and dice thrillers and wanted to write something a little more cerebral. I felt exactly the same way as a reader (it sometimes seems that escalating the horror is the only way forward for best-selling fiction these days) and The Bone Garden seemed like a match. With a few notable exceptions, however – Sebastian Faulk for the dh, Janet Evanovitch for me (who can wait for the next Stephanie Plum?) -- I don’t buy fiction in hardback. I was being good, despite the temptation everywhere, patiently waiting for the paperback.

But then I was shopping on Amazon for an out of print photographic book for my son when I spotted a Mother’s Day deal (we’re in the UK – we do Mothering Sunday on the 4th Sunday in Lent) and Tess Gerritsen’s book was on special offer. And I thought, well, I’m a mother so I bought it.

Actually the dh snaffled it as soon as it arrived, but that’s okay. I’m reading Kate Walker’s Spanish Billionaire, Innocent Wife at the moment. Kate does such an amazing job of evoking the emotional anguish of being in the same room with someone that you love, but who is out of reach. Reading the opening gave me so much insight into what I should be doing with two characters who I’ve put on the back-burner for the moment. Her 12-Point Guide to Writing Romantic Fiction is a brilliant how-to book for any writer (there’ll be a new edition out later this year) but reading her fiction will teach you so much more.

And then I have Anne McAllister’s ONE NIGHT LOVE CHILD, and the latest Kate Hardy. The dh can take his time with Tess. J