I'm off on holiday tomorrow until April 10th. I'm not sure how much net access I'll have while I'm away. I may manage to post but it depends on where we are. We're heading to Devon, near Sidmouth, and I must admit I can't wait. I am so tired at the moment the break will be fantastic. C2 of Blue Remembered Heels is done and with Jess, I'm hoping to do some more while I'm away. I also want to do my devotional chapter while I'm gone for By Grace.

Best of all though, I have new books calling my name - Adopting Alyssia by Denise Patrick has been on my list for ages. I also have Her L.A. Knight by Lynne Marshall and Margaret McDonagh's A Doctor Worth Waiting For sitting on my pile.

Pearly whites

Took the girls to the dentist yesterday. Yes, this is the hunky dentist who looks like Vin Diesel -happy sigh. La was praised for her great teeth cleaning. He tugged out a longtime wobbly tooth for Boo. She never batted an eyelash and says it didn't hurt at all. Now she's waiting for the tooth fairy. Eldest dd was asked if she'd consider having braces fit. To do this they would need to refer her to have some teeth out and she'd need to wear it for about two years. Of course she promptly burst into tears. I'm sure the moment wasn't helped by Boo skipping around with a cotton wool plug in her mouth singing 'it didn't hurt a bit, you're just a baby.'
Sisterly love is a wonderful thing.
Tonight is Boo and La's report night so I get to go and see their teachers. It's always interesting, especially La's report,my budding criminal genius.
Almost finished c2 of Blue Remembered Heels, just 500 words or so to go. Not sure this version will stay when I've written more, it may need juggling but we'll see. It's great fun to write.

Author spotlight

There is a great interview over on my Myspace blog with M&B historical author Michelle Styles. Michelle is a good friend of mine and a very talented writer. Her book, Gladiators Honour is also shortlisted for The Romance Prize 2007
http://blog.myspace.com/nelldixon

Be still my beating heart

I had a card through the door on Wednesday saying the postman had tried to deliver a package but it was too big for the letter box so I needed to take a trip to collect it. I didn't think anything of it as I was expecting my eldest dd's cd that I'd ordered for her. My post is very vague sometimes so it wouldn't be the first time something as small as a cd had been left at the depot.
I planned to go this morning as they are only open for a few hours a day, then the post this morning delivered the cd. Mmm...
I ran through the other possibilities, a ms to critique for the NWS, some tee shirts I'd ordered for my holidays, Charlie Darling rejected from M&B.
You can guess which one my mind immediately fixated on - so then I couldn't rest till I got up there and collected it. All the way there I was trying to remember if I'd asked them to shred Charlie if they didn't like it.
I dashed in clutching my drivers license and the card, the postlady disappeared and I heard rustling. By this time I was convinced it was Charlie and I was ready to cry all over the poor woman.
But no, it turned out to be the tee shirts after all.
My legs were like jelly when I got back to the car, I don't think I've recovered yet. lol

welcome

to all the folks that dropped by. I hope some of you will stick around and drop back.
In other news, getting priorities straight, I lost another three pounds at weight watchers last night. This makes nine and a half in four weeks - I think I'll need to retry my Savoy outfit on again soon to see if the trousers need adjusting.
Today is my in-laws golden wedding anniversary. 50 years - we have a special present arranged for them and tonight they are taking us out for a meal to celebrate. Everything is a bit hectic this upcoming week, dental appts for the girls, the car servicing, packing for the holiday, sorting out work.
Work is still as bad as ever. The date is set for the office swaps - Friday 13th April. Yeah, I know, isn't that appropriate? We have no manager at the moment either, in the grand scheme of re appointing all the bosses to different jobs paying more money they appear to be ignoring our bit of the county.

Blue Remembered Heels - heroine

This is an actress called Yancy, I think she's pretty perfect as Abigail (Abbey) the heroine in Blue Remembered Heels. I'm almost halfway through c2. Jessica has looked at the synopsis and Lis has read chapter one so it all looks good for entering the contest.

Did you see what I did?

Well, did you spot it? Yes, I finally managed to put a photo on here! Yay, me. In my mission to improve my terrible skills I've been practising html stuff over the weekend. I'm still rubbish at it but I did manage to do a few more things.
I also did my one page synopsis for Blue Remembered Heels and sent it to Jessica. I did a chat at The Story Board and Lis has kindly agreed to read the first chapter of Blue Remembered Heels for me to give me some reader feedback.
I made some pages at the Author's Den and I worked on my Myspace.
Wow!
After all the playtime, I need to get writing again - time to refocus on my projects.

Mothering Sunday

It's mother's day here in the UK for the benefit of my US and Canadian visitors who might think I've gone a little crazy. Well, crazier than usual at any rate. My youngest daughter has presented me with a lovely brooch which I suspect she has fleeced from someone. I expect I'll hear the full story later. My middle daughter has made a lovely card. Boo and Shaggy, my eldest dd,have also given me a huge wicker sarcophagus full of plants. They love it and if you like plants I'm sure it's really beautiful.
This was a lovely thought but I hate houseplants. I'm not good with them, they seem to sense my animosity at having something else to care for and promptly shrivel up and die. This thing is huge- there must be at least twelve plants in it, one of which is a kind of dark purple leaved thing that reminds me of dead butterflies and gives me the creeps. I know I'm an ungrateful recipient but my punishment is that I have to care for this thing and look at it forever as it occupies my favourite table top and I worry about water stains on the mahoghany.
I appreciate the sentiment behind the gift but if any of you ever, at any point, and for whatever reason become possessed of a desire to buy me a houseplant - pease don't. The deaths of a hundred African violets are already on my concience.
I love cut flowers, especially daffodils which are my favourites. Fresh flowers are so cheerful and always lift the spirits. Guess I'll have to go buy my own.

Weekend whirl

I lost another half a pound at weightwatchers on Thursday. Not bad considering I'd been ill. Yesterday was comic relief aka rednose day here in the UK. I personally hate this event. I know lots of people love it but I find it unfunny, patronising and pointless. There are much better more effective ways of giving to people who need money than comic relief.
Today apparantly is St Patrick's day. Another day that for some reason is starting to become very irritating. If you're Irish then fabulous, have a great time but if you're not then why pretend to be just so you can go and have too much to drink. I'm not irish, not even a bit irish I have no desire to be irish even though I know some lovely irish folks so I don't want to fake being irish - aaagggghhhhhh. (Sorry)
Tomorrow is Mothering Sunday - so I'm about to whizz off to collect flowers for my Mom and MIL and find a card and present for my friends birthday on Monday - Happy Birthday Susanne if you're reading this. It's also supposed to snow tomorrow - really snow - so that'll be interesting.
Writing wise I haven't done much for two days. Well, that's not strictly true. I've been thinking a lot and juggling stuff in my head about plots and storylines, so hopefully I'll be back on form in the next few days again.

Techno - know how

Most of you have figured out by now that me and computers aren't exactly a match made in heaven. But I'm starting to find that my lack of computer saviness is hindering me in ways I hadn't anticipated. One of my goals this year was to figure out my promotions and marketing so I've been trying to learn the ropes from some experts in the field.
One of whom is the wonderful Dorothy Thompson from http://pumpupyouronlinebookpromotion.blogspot.com

I asked her some questions about Technorati and how it worked and she has a great step-by-step instruction post on there, so I'm going to give this a try.
I've also been trying to get my Myspace more user friendly - now that's a challenge on it's own.


Technorati Profile

Quarterly News

My quarterly newsletter was mailed out yesterday to all my subscribers. To register just go to my website and follow the instructions. http://www.nelldixon.com There is always an exclusive contest just for members so if you join now, let me know and I'll make sure you get this quarters news. (Contest runs till April 2nd)
I'm feeling a bit better today, the bruised feeling seems to have gone from my lower back so I'm hoping this is the end of it. I'm not good at being ill, I'm the worlds worst patient so I'll be so glad to feel normal again.
I must do some tidying up on here too. If you visit me reguarly and you aren't listed in my sidebar leave me your link so I can add you. I also have a Myspace page so if any of you want to drop by there or friend me go to http://www.myspace.com/nelldixon
Jessica has sent me the crit for Blue Remembered Heels so the first chapter is all tidied up now and I'm working on a short synopsis. Once that's out of the way I can enter it in the contest and get back to Places To Go while I wait for the verdict on Charlie Darling.

What a surprise!

I hauled myself off the sofa and pulled on my tracksuit last night to go to weightwatchers. Guess how much I lost? Four pounds, four whole pounds. That's six pounds in a fortnight. Yay!!! Still feeling crappy today but I think the antibiotics are kicking in now.
Blue Remembered Heels is going like a train at the moment. I've almost finished the first chapter thanks to the writing challenges at Romance Diva's. The plot is almost there in my head so I can tackle the synopsis soon. I don't know what kind of reaction this is going to get though. If I try to explain it as it stands at the moment it'll sound a bit off the wall - which it is, but hopefuly in a good way. This story really excites me so I'm hoping for good things with it. I've done a bit more on Places To Go but I think I'll get Blue Remembered Heels ready and entered in the Waterstones Chick lit contest then focus on Places To Go - barring anything exciting happening from M&B of course.
La, my eight year old informed me this morning that she could see I'd lost weight. "Because before your tummy was all round and out there and now it isn't." She said as she helpfully patted my tee shirt down. I think it was a compliment.

Holding out for a hero.

I had my crit of chapter three of my medical back from Jess so that's all polished up now just in case M&B are interested. Still no news on Charlie, this is the point where I get really antsy so I'm in full distraction mode.

Part of my distraction is my plotting for Blue Remembered Heels. I've been giving some thought to my hero for this and by chance I spotted a face on TV that fit the bill. I know - that's really unusual for me as I haven't a clue usually about actors or films. However they helpfully printed his name on screen so I could look him up. So here's Alec Baldwin.

Yay

Be My Hero is now available in print. http://www.moonlitromance.com

I also recieved a signed copy of Jessica Hart's Barefoot Bride. Guess what I'll be reading as a reward once I finally finish this medical partial? I just have a couple of hundred words to add and it'll be on it's way to Jessica for her opinion.

Tonight is weigh in night at weightwatchers - place your bets as to how much I've lost.