Write on...

I have a confession. I haven't been writing much this year. I want to write, the stories are in my head just bursting to get out but real life has taken over to such a huge extent that I simply haven't had the time or the desire to write.I will write again soon, I promise. I'm going to be doing more hours at my day job and that job has become immensely more stressful and difficult. My family life is also challenging right now. I have three teenage daughters who need me and they, and Mr Nell have to be my priority.

So I appologise for not being around much at the moment. Things are settling down into a new pattern and then I can hit the keyboard again.

Best laid plans etc

So I booked today as a holiday day as we were taking eldest belle's little car down to her at her uni. Only the new tax disc didn't come in time and said car failed it's MOT. Cue gulp as had to pay for new brakes. Now we're hoping to drop it off to her on Friday instead and I'm home with an unexpected day. Mr Nell took me and the other two belles out for lunch instead. It was a nice lunch and would have been even nicer if the pub hadn't delivered our extra chips to some other diners by mistake. By the time it all got sorted out lunch wasn't as nice as it could have been. Mine was as I didn't have chips - yes, I'm still following my healthy eating plan and I think I've lost some weight. Yay! I have a landmark birthday next year so this is my year to reclaim myself.

Proof reading

I'm busy reading the proofs now for Radio Gaga before the book is formatted ahead of the March 1st release. Look out for the cover reveal on Friday, my birthday! I'm really excited to be sharing this as I think Elaina, my cover designer has done a fantastic job. I'm also busy working on Stormy Vintage - my follow up to Passionate Harvest and my new romantic suspense series - At The Dolphin Hotel. Life is pretty busy at home too with the usual uncertainties over work at this time of year. I have the second family funeral of the year to attend this Thursday and of course Friday is my birthday. My middle belle is in her GCSE year and is busy with her sign language, drama, dance as well as college entry things. A huge thank you to everyone who has sent lovely messages saying how much they enjoyed Lights, Camera, Poltergeist! My fun, spooky valentine novella. I loved writing it and I'm already thinking about a third story for Fae. It's great to see so many of you finding me on Facebook at my author page too. Hop over and join if you haven't already as I have regular giveaways there and sneak previews of my wips! Find me here

Monday, Monday

It's the start of another busy week here. My day job has a big, huge new project launching and I'm putting in extra time so my writing and on line time is somewhat curtailed. I'm also helping my eldest belle to clear out her room ready for her move to Cirencester in two weeks time. My youngest daughter is then going to take eldest's old room and eldest will take the smaller room for when she comes home. I'm almost done with my critiquing commitments for this year and my proofreading tray is empty too so in a few days time I can kickstart my writing projects. I have tons of stuff in my head that I'm dying to get down on paper, including plans for a new series! I've also been busy sorting out my health issues. My GP seems to have found me something which is helping my arthritis and that means I can be more physically active. In turn, that is enabling me to restart a get fit/weightloss programme. Fingers crossed for a slimmer, fitter, more organised me by Christmas!

Exams end in sight!

Thankfully this should see the last of the belle's exams. Eldest takes her last A2 paper today, Middle dd takes her drama assesment and youngest finishes off her film studies and science exams. I feel as if I've sat all of them! Mr Nell and I left them all hard at work on Saturday and escaped for a few hours. Where did we go to spend some couple time after barely seeing each other for almost a month? Mr Nell took me to look at touring caravans. Caravans we can't afford and aren't planning on getting till the belles have left home. On the plus side he did buy me lunch - and cake. I refused to go unless cake was involved. A huge thank you to everyone who's been downloading my New Bay Cornish series. I know thee weather hasn't been great but I'm still surprised that my Christmas title is still top of your pops. If you've read and enjoyed them please consider leaving a review on Amazon, B&N or Goodreads or your own blog. I've been taking a few days off from writing to plan mynext projects and to catch up on my own reading. How do you all like to spend your down time?

June Catch up!

I can't believe it's almost halfway through the year already!The belles are all busy with exams. Eldest is sitting her A levels and hopes to take up a place at the Royal Agricultural College in the Autumn - Fingers crossed! Middle belle is sitting some GCSE papers a year early. Youngest belle is sitting science and an extra GCSE in film studies 2 years early. It's stress city right now. Add in Middle dd's dance show and theatre commitments - she's in Great Expectations next month at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton - and it's a bit busy here. Writing wise New Bay Wedding has just released - the latest in the Cornish short and sweet series. Radio Gaga is finished and I'm deciding what I want to do with it. My special collaborative project is also done now in draft form, I just have to polish and send it to an editor. Now I need to prepare my editing workshop which I'm delivering at the RNA conference in Penrith in a couple of weeks time and work on another very short little project before I get back to the book ideas I want to get done before Christmas. Life wise my hip and back have deteriorated and I'm waiting for the results of X-Rays and test to see if I can hold off the surgery for a few more years. More finger crossing! The day job is very busy with lots of new work coming on stream and our constant quest to maintain funding. Keeps us all busy and out of mischief! What about you? What are you all up to these days?

Being busy

My appologies for being absent for so long. Somehow I ended up copyediting four books all at once and I have a tight deadline for another short piece. The eldest belle has now passed her driving test and with all three of the belles sitting various exams and tests, rehearsing for plays and dance shows, running business (eldest)and the plumber being here ripping out our aged ensuite bathroom it's been a tad hectic. I promise I'll make it up to you all soon. In the meantime - hoist by my own petard and proving what a big fibber I am, go HERE to visit my writing friend Liz Fenwick's blog to discover my resolution for this year (and you can see how crap I am at keeping it)

Something for the weekend?

I can't believe another week has gone by so quickly! This weekend is our 'getting ready for the caravanning season' weekend. We're going off for a couple of days to Broadway in the Cotswolds. The house and fish sitters are in place and the van is sort of packed. So if I'm not around for a day or so that's why. The pic is of one of the last times we stayed there - amazing hot air balloons really close to us - very nice to sit and watch. Hoping it will be dry and not too cold. It's Mother's Day on Sunday here in the UK. The last Mother's day I had in the caravan - it snowed!
Writing-wise, A New Bay wedding, which I'm hoping will be this summer's new short and sweet story, is almost done. Just one and a bit chapters left to go. Then I may be working on a new project which I'm squeezing in with some friends before I carry on with the rest of my scheduled writing.
Thank you to everyone who leaves me nice comments about my books on my Facebook pages. It's much appreciated. If you have time to leave a Nook or Amazon review that would also be fab or a click on the like button on the book page on Amazon.

Friday again? So soon?

Snoopy always makes me smile. It's been another busy week, mainly with the belles and their assorted events. Exam results, dance shows, descisions about colleges etc. My day job is busy too. We're expanding our project and there is a lot to get done on top of our already frenetic workload. Thankfully we've a fantastic team. Writing wise I'm anticipating two lots of edits shortly and hopefully my new covers. I've seen the one for Easter Holiday but don't have the final version yet. It looks great though and will fit right in with my other Cornish covers. I'm halfway through writing the fifth book in the New Bay set - this one is a summer book and has a wedding at it's centre! Once that's done I'll edit Radio Gaga - my single title and get it polished and fit for people to read.

Monday, Monday

I can't believe it's almost the end of February. This year is scooting by faster than ever. The snowdrops are out in my garden and the tree pollen is stirring so for the next few weeks I'll be taking hayfever meds. Once the cherry blossom is off the trees I'll be fine again but until then I'll be feeling sorry for myself and sneezing my head off.
Writing wise I'm having a fab start to the year with the sale of Easter Holiday and Passionate Harvest - there are two more sales hopefully in the pipeline too to satisfy those of you who've been asking about my remaining two out of print novellas. Radio Gaga is done - finally and is sitting for a while before I do my big read through, adit and polish. I'm working on another short and sweet for my Cornish series and I still have my Jane Austenish project and an idea I want for my next single title. Plus I'd like to write the story of Dominic's brother, Jake from Passionate Harvest.
So many stories in my head and so little time to write!

Six below freezing

That was definitely what Poppy, my little car, said the temp was this morning as I drove eldest to get her train to college. It makes me so thankful I live in an age of central heating and indoor plumbing.
Exciting news! Astraea press have acquired Easter Holiday - this is my new short and sweet novella set in the fictional town of New Bay, Cornwall. It'll release mid to end March and gives you the chance to catch up with old friends and meet new ones in the form of Posy and Noah. It's Astraea's birthday too this month - check my sidebar for a link to their blog - they are giving away a different book every day for the whole of February. Perfect if you like delicious clean reads.
There is a wonderful view from my window this morning across the fields, everything is white and stiff with frost and the sky is that translucent blue tinged with pink gold. The little Welsh rough cob ponies look a bit miserable by the side of the pond, all huddled together around the hay bales. I'm trying to get some feeling back in my feet before I venture out again for more groceries. Yet again there is nothing in the house to eat! Teenagers -grr.

January blues

It's that time of year when everyone gets the blues. Bills are in, money is short. All the work that didn't get done in December hits your desk and it's cold. But, on the upside, the days are getting lighter, snowdrops are open in my garden, PLR (Thats a small sum of money paid by govt to compensate for library loaning) has been announced and the holiday brochures are out.
I'm planning to crack on with Radio Gaga to get this last 10k done - I always procrastinate at the end of a single title. Then, I need to polish and submit my Easter short. I got a nice surprise to find A Cornish Christmas in Amazon's top 100 Romance short stories yesterday which was a real boost. I love writing the fun short novella's and I'm so pleased people seem to be enjoying them.
My Mum got a kindle for Christmas which means that because she can adjust the font she can now read all my books that weren't available to her before. She called last night to tell me she'd read Renovation, Renovation, Renovation. Gulp! Luckily for me she loved it and said she'd read some bits out to my dad and they'd been laughing out loud at some of the lines.(In a good way)

Chugging along

Eldest, middle and youngest
It's too early in the New year for me to think about the usual goals for the year. I never attempt my getting fitter, maintaining/losing weight until the middle of the month. That gives time for the goodies to go and life to settle down. This year is extra slow as my eldest belle will be 18 on Wednesday!
I can't quite believe the years have gone by so swiftly. She arrived by C section on a cold January day - overdue and breech, her hips stuck firmly in my pelvis so her hips were dislocated. She spent the first six months of her life encased in double nappies and a huge plastic casing to hold her joints in place.
It certainly surprised the vicar at her christening when I handed her over and instead of a squishly little baby he encountered the huge plastic splint. People were very weird when I was out with her too - one woman followed me all around the supermarket one day and threatened me with social services as eldest had been crying and the woman could see the splint. I swear she took my car reg as I pulled away.
Now she's all grown up, learning to drive, taking her A levels and planning her university course.
Happy Birthday, eldest!

End of Year round-up.

Happy New Year to all my friends and readers. Thank you for your support during 2011. I wish all of you a wonderful 2012 filled with good things.
2011 was a bit up and down for me, as it was for many people. The first part of the year held the usual uncertainty over my day job - but worse than it had ever been before. This year still looks rocky in some respects but hopeful which is as good as it gets for most people at the moment I think in the current economic climate.
Family wise, it had the highs of my eldest getting the results she needed from her AS levels to continue at college and to find a career she really wants. My middle belle took part in her first big play and coped brilliantly and my youngest belle continues to be her entertaining beautiful self. Mr Nell's health issues stayed in remission and although my arthritis is getting worse I staved off the hip replacement for another year.
Writing wise it's been a real roller coaster. Since parting amicably from my agent and making the decision to go it alone for a while saleswise I've had my best ever year in books placed. 5 books went to my wonderful new specialist sweet publisher - Astraea press - these included some of my older out of print stories as well as my new novella - A Cornish Christmas. E-Scape with a Book published the anthology of short stories that I wrote with my Coffee Crew friends - Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury. 2 books were taken by a large print publisher. Animal Instincts sold to a German book club and I secured a 2 book contract with Myrmidon for my single title books. Renovation, Renovation, Renovation is out digitally and in paperback March 5th whilst I've almost completed the first draft of Radio Gaga which is book 2.
Next year? Who knows - I have a completed category length story out there and I'm working on some more shorts for Astraea as well as a Jane Austen inspired project which may or may not work. I'm planning some workshops and some online classes. Check my website regularly for details or join my Yahoo group to take part.
Thank you all for everything this year. I'm very blessed in having great family and wonderful friends.
Happy New year!

Catching up

I've had a busy few weeks lately with the release of Renovation, Renovation, Renovation and Cue Me In, going to the Festival of Romance and accompanying my eldest daughter to look at various colleges and universities all around the country. Thankfully she know knows what course she would like to do and which her dream college would be. Fingers crossed she gets an offer - her application is going in this week.
The day job is busier than ever so that is taking up more of my time.
I still have my fingers crossed for the pieces I have out on submission and I'm gearing up to dive back into the two books I have on the go already. I've also written another childrens story - Edward, the owl who lost his hoot. That may end up going into my little niece's Christmas stocking as she loved Bertie, The Christmas Beetle which was the story I wrote for her last year.
Coming up I have a literary dinner event on Friday with some fellow writers to raise money for another charity and then on the 17th it's the RNA winter party. The Coffee Crew will be hitting the town to pahtay! Maltloaf and vino on the train again. Can't wait.

Progress!

Thanks to the wii fit I have now lost my first stone. Still a long way to go but the main issue for me is to build up my damaged muscle so it eases the strain on my hip and back. My balance has improved and my ankle muscles are getting stronger so I don't go over on my foot as often. I've set another new small target for next month and I'm planning to keep on edging towards it.
Writing target wise I'm on the home strait with my next book for Myrmidon Press. It's coming into focus more now. There is tons of stuff I need to add and tweak on the second draft but that's ok. I'm also working on another short 15k novella which I need to finish by the end of October so the other project I was working on will have to sit and wait now till those two things are done and out in the world.
September Song is due for release anytime now with Cue Me In following in October. Renovation, Renovation, Renovation is still on target for digital release at the end of this month with the paperback out March 5th next year.
If you're in Germany or speak German then Animal Instincts is available in German for kidle and paperback from September 16th and the large print of Just Look at Me Now is also now available this month. The paperback of Brief Encounters will also be out sometime in the next six weeks!
Flipping heck! That's a lot of releases.

Ups and downs

The last week has been strange. Some parts of it lovely strange, like being able to book my place to attend the festival of romance and working through the edits for Renovation, Renovation, Renovation and getting a peek at the cover for September Song. That was fun, I'll have several covers to share with you soon.
Then there were the downs, hearing that an old school friend had died and discovering a wasps nest under the eaves of the house - dying wasps dropping down the chimney and crawling into the lounge - yuck, shudder, ugh.
Back to work at the day job after my lovely holiday and we've tons to do - as usual. This holiday weekend the eldest belle and some volunteers worked with me at the local horticulture show - we potted up and gave away 150 plants and 3-400 potted seeds during the day as well as tons of leaflets explaining who we were and the services our charity offers. My colleagues are there today and if they are as busy as we were it'll be a good weekend. Of course now, my hip is not too happy but some rest and a few doses of painkillers should take care of that. I've been much better since I've been using the wii fit to try and repair the muscle damage in my dodgy leg. So, today is pyjama day at my house.

Here, there and everywhere

The audiobook version of Be My Hero is being released on July 19th by the fabulous AUDIOLARK This is an early release so caught me a little on the hop. Normally at this time of year I'd be at the RNA conference but it's so crazy here at the moment I wasn't able to go. My youngest belle left for Germany at midnight last night. My middle daughter is at a full day dress rehearsal for her upcoming play and then I need to get her case ready as on Monday morning she's off on an arts week residential doing drama for the week. I've prepped and edited then submitted two books to two different publishers this weekend and now need to crack on with my contracted book before my edits for Myrmidon hit and my critiquing work picks up for the summer.
I suppose somewhere I need to find time to clean my house too.

Taking time

It's been so nice these last few days not to have to be anywhere for a set time. I've been writing - adding words to all three books and enjoying the process. I've finally got around to making a proper author page for FACEBOOK I suppose now I'll have to behave like a proper author. I've been busy booking some fabby guest bloggers to visit here over the next few months. I met up with Elizabeth Hanbury and Phillipa Ashley my fellow coffee crew authors for one of our working, okay, gossiping lunches. As always it's so inspirational and I always come away fired up and ready to write. Look out for Phillipa's book Wish You were here btw if you're in the US as it's released tomorrow by Sourcebooks. (It's one of my favourite reads of Phillipa's) I've been pottering around the house catching up on laundry, cleaning the insides of the windows - it's not foggy out there, who knew? And generally annoying the belles with requests to tidy up, put things away etc. To make my week even better I'm off soon to one of my favourite places. A tiny town on the Welsh border just for a couple of days. The fish and house sitters are organised so hopefully I can spend a few days in lovely countryside with a notepad and pen adding a few more words to my wips.

Sunshine!

It makes such a difference to how you feel when the sun comes out, doesn't it? Despite the fact that it's the time of year when the tree pollen is stirring and I need to stock up on my hayfever meds. Life has been a bit sticky here for a few months, employment worries, the Belles and their concerns and commitments and health issues for various family members.
None of that has changed really except today the sun is shining, I have a voucher (just a small one) to spend in M&S and I have critiquing work to do. I do a small amount of critiquing work for private clients and for the RNA NWS throughout the year. I may be able to take some more private clients this year so if you think you might be interested in working with me drop me an email and I'll send you my rates. For now though I need to go and run all my errands before getting back to my list of jobs for today.