RNA Conference 2012

Tomorrow I'm heading off to Penrith for the Romantic Novelist's Assoc annual conference. Last year was the first one I'd missed for years. This year I'm giving a workshop on editing - how to tweak, polish and shine your manuscript. My lovely editor at Astraea Press - Kay Springsteen Tate has generously shared some of her material with me and having had a an 'oh my God, what am I doing' moment yesterday, I think I'm now prepared. I love the conference as it gives me chance to catch up with old friends, make new ones, talk writing and drink wine for a whole weekend. What's not to love? The workshops are great and this years programme looks fantastic. Support from other writers is what makes romantic novelist's so special. I can honestly say I have always had nothing but support and help from my fellow authors and it's a pleasure to be in their company. Today I get to meet Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury, my fellow coffee crew members for lunch and a catch up. We have heard the Queen is visiting nearby, hope we're not anywhere she could eavesdrop on our conversations. Mind you, Prince Phillip might enjoy them!

A release from Coffee Crew member - Phillipa Ashley!

When Carrie’s fiancé Huw suddenly calls off their wedding, and she finds out he’s marrying another woman, she’s devastated. Desperate to get away, Carrie jumps at her best friend Rowena’s suggestion of a road trip in her VW camper van. But when Rowena has to pull out and Matt Landor, an old friend of Huw's, ends up filling the breach, she's not so sure. Will fate take the pair on an altogether different journey? (In the UK as It Should Have Been Me)
Another lovely read from Phillipa - if you didn't catch it first time round then grab your copy now!

Guest Blogger - Phillipa Ashley

Phillipa is a good friend of mine and a fabulous writer. A while ago, just around December, at one of our coffee crew meetings, Check out our blog she mentioned she had this manuscript lying in a drawer. When she let us read it, we couldn't believe she'd left it to play with the dust bunnies for so long. Now it's out for everyone to read - hurrah! It's a wonderful warm, sexy, read with a lovely heroine and one of Phillipa's trademark to-die-for heros.
Here's the blurb:
The road to heartbreak is paved with honorable intentions…

After a year dealing with her mum’s health scare and the end of a bad relationship, Keira Grayson was looking forward to kicking up her heels at her best friend’s wedding. Until she kicks off her (spare) knickers in front of the trifecta of perfection. Tom Carew. Son of an earl, honorable doctor and possibly the hottest man on the planet.

One look at Keira’s delightful embarrassment, and Tom’s hormone meter spins off the charts. Trouble is, his bags are already packed to return to the jungles of Papua New Guinea. He has patients waiting—and amends to make for a terrible choice that left devastation in its wake.

They both reason that indulging in a one-time dinner date won’t hurt…until their inhibitions melt away in the heat of their lethal sexual chemistry. Leaving Keira wondering if a sizzling fling is just what the doctor ordered, or another prescription for relationship disaster. And Tom fighting a battle against inner demons that could shatter both their hearts.

Warning: This book contains a hot aristocratic doctor, sparky heroine, new uses for a chaise longue, a steamy shower scene and a knicker-ripping encounter in a four-poster bed.
Don't you love the disclaimer!!!
Available from all good etailers including Samhain Publishing and Amazon
And for those of you who still love print - a print version will be available in a few months time!

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.

Feeling foggy

Well, Spring has apparently been and gone. This morning the house is surrounded by fog - a bit like my brain at the moment. I can't believe it's almost April. This year has been crazy for all kinds of reasons. I've at least one book out this month, Dangerous to Know, you can check out the first chapter on my website HERE and if you want to keep tabs on my news don't forget to sign up for my quarterly newsletters. Next one is due out in a few weeks. Brief Encounters will also be released in a few weeks - six fabby little short stories, two from me, two from Phillipa Ashley and two gorgeous regency tales from Elizabeth Hanbury.
I still can't tell you my big, big, writing news yet though as things still aren't finalised but I promise I will as soon as I can.

A new place for romance

You remember that secret project? The small one I was so excited about? Well, here it is Visit Here

Happy Valentines!

Ashley and Dixon

If you look Here at Phillipa's blog you'll see we are reprising our double act at Burntwood Library - 2pm Thursday. Take part in the discussion/vote on crimebusting duo's.
I'm feeling a bit light-headed today after tearing a load of my writing to bits and then reassembling again with the help of my brilliant critique partner. But, it's all good...

Personally I think Phillipa and I are more Ethel and Lucy.

Hugs

and thanks to everyone who braved the horrible weather last night to come and spend their evening with me and Phillipa Ashley at Wombourne library. Special hugs to Lizzie and June, two wonderful RNA members who came all the way from Leicester. It was lovely to see both of you. Phillipa and I really enjoyed it. The weather may have been cold and nasty outside but the atmosphere was warm and sunny.
My daughter has some pics on her phone which i'll post when she finally downloads them.
If anyone missed our double act we're at Burntwood library on Thursday afternoon.

Awards

I just got home from Wales to the news that my good friend, Phillipa Ashley has won the Joan Hessayon New Writers award for her wonderful debut book, Decent Exposure. Jessica Raymond and I had the great pleasure of attending the launch party for Phillipa's book and she, along with Allison Littlehales is one of my coffee and cake writer buddies. There were eleven books up for the award including Jessica's Haunted Hearts, Judy Jarvie's Taking the Leap (A great showing there by Moonlit Romance!) and my other writing friend Anna Lucia's debut book from Medallion press.
I'll blog about my hols tomorrow and my quest for Mr Darcy in Tenby but I couldn't wait to congratulate all the nominees and especially Phillipa!