Sunny Monday

Spent yesterday baking on a cricket field in Worcester watching Miss La in her first cricket tournament. I seem to have missed a patch of skin on my ankle with the sun cream so have a bright purpley red square there now.
I did manage to get another chapter finished of Me, You and Him so aprox nine chapters and twenty K'ish of this first draft to go. My plan is to finish it by end of June and then have July to edit/adit it into shape. I already know some bits that need a tweak - that will probably add another ten to fifteen K.
Finished doing the proofs for Just look at Me Now and those are winging their way back to LBD.
Today is errand day so off to the post office, then to get grocery, more laundry to do,must return a shirt to M&S - so sad about it - it was a lovely tunic top which would have been perfect for the conference but while the top bit fits beautifully, it's the same width all the way down so I look like a sausage. Ah well.
This week am taking my Mum to see Anna Jacobs at her library talk on Wednesday at Halesowen. Mum is a huge fan so she's very excited. Thursday it's Miss La's parents evening and then Friday I have to pack for the belles as they're off to the Isle of Wight for a week with their grandparents. Hopefully then I can deep clean the house and write tons on Me, You and Him. I can tell I'm nearing the end of this story - I have another one nibbling at my brain.

Any Spanish readers?

I have several very beautiful copies of Blue Remembered Heels in Spanish. It's the most gorgeous softback book and looks fantastic. If anyone out there would like a copy please give me a shout and I'll see what I can do.

Authorly pics

My new author pic done by Jacqueline Williams photography. Hopefully my web man will get my old one replaced on my website soon. I've lots more lovely pics that she's taken but I thought I'd go for serious.

Wednesday already?

I seem to be losing days. I blame the Hadron collider or the new Dr Who, well, someone has to be responsible. Tomorrow is a very important day. At least this is what Miss La keeps telling me, something about it being her birthday and she'll be twelve. She's now taller than both her sisters, much to my eldest dd's disgust. Her birthday present request list is almost as tall as she is so I fear she's doomed to disappointment no matter what she gets.
The day job is still crazy busy and the uncertainty over funding is an ongoing issue. Still we'll keep plugging away and hope for the best. Me, You and Him is coming along nicely and I'm expecting the proofs to land for Just Look at Me Now any time soon. I love seeing proofs and seeing the book set out as it's going to be. Welcome to all my new Indonesian and Spanish visitors who've been popping by here lately. I'm looking forward to the German release of Blue Remembered Heels in a month or so.

Blue Remembered Heels - in Spanish!

Cute!

Monday catch up

The writing workshop was great fun. We had a really good turn out and there's no nicer way to spend a few hours than in the company of other writers. After all the hectic excitement of the last few days it's back to the book. I'm moving into the last third of the story now and have just lobbed a lovely sexy emotional handgrenade at my heroine. Did I mention I love this story? I keep having to pause and research stuff though as I'm one of those writers who has to have everything straight in my head before I can move on. A lot of what I need to know, the reader will never see but without it being there and being right the story won't ring true.
This book is a lovely mash-up of boybands, ghosts, conmen, The Osmonds, the english civil war and house renovation. This part is were it gets tricky as I have a lot of balls in the air and I now need to gradually catch each one and make sure I've put it away safely.
In other news, it's my youngest belle's birthday on Thursday - she'll be 12 and is playing her first proper cicket tournament on Sunday against Worcester so I'll be taking a picnic and her sisters along to cheer her on. I'll also need to take a book for sneaky reading - I really, really don't do sport. Miss La won't mind, Mr Nell will be cheering loudly enough for all of us.

Wombourne Writers workshop

Setting the Scene - 2pm to 4pm today tickets £1 on the door of Wombourne Library, refreshments included. Me, Phillipa Ashley and historical novelist Elizabeth Hanbury will be talking about how we each use our research to make scenes come alive for readers. There will be some simple fun writing exercises, lots of fun, useful tips and for any GCSE English students we will be talking a little bit about persuasive language.
Come along and say hello - we'd love to see you.

RNA summer party

The Coffee Crew, aka Elizabeth Hanbury, Phillipa Ashley and me, hit London yesterday for the RNA summer party. We had a lovely journey down with a whole carriage to ourselves on the train which was probably as well considering some of our topics of conversation. We then headed for House of Fraser where we indulged ourselves looking at shoes, pretty and expensive clothes followed by tea in the Cafe Nero there. That in itself was an interesting experience as we witnessed the most appalling, unprofessional behaviour from a young lady from the Benefits make up concession who decided it would be good to discipline/bully a junior member of her staff on the table next to us. All three of us were shocked by the conversation and the intimidatory me, me,me attitude that wouldn't listen to the poor employee. We all wanted to lean over and tell the girl to tell Miss Bossy where to shove her job.
We then comandeered the ladies powder room while we changed in true superwoman style into our glam gear.
A short taxi ride across London later we were at the party where we had a brilliant time. A lot of agents and editors weren't there - my own agent was away on business, and there were two publishing parties on elsewhere. This turned out to be no problem at all though as it meant the writers really got chance to chat and let their hair down and I think the New writers probably got just as much, if not more, out of it.
At nine fifteen we sprinted back across London to catch the 'Night Rider' back home, Sadly there was no sign of Kit or David Hasselhoff on board - just three drunks in another carriage. It was a fabulous day out and we caught up with a lot of friends and made some new ones.
Today though it's back to work planning the workshop for Tomorrow at Wombourne Library 2-4

All change

So we have a new Prime Minister with Nick Clegg acting as bridesmaid in the old John Prescott role. At least we have some certainty now even if there are still a lot of steps to come. Whoever would have been successful would have had to make really hard decisions and there will have to be cuts to get us out of the mess we're in. We'll just have to see what and where.
I'm looking forward to the RNA summer party tomorrow and doing the Setting the Scene workshop at Wombourne library on Saturday. Both events are with two of my favourite writerly people and I know we're going to have fun.

Walking

Today is the 10th anniversary of the health walks programme in Sandwell so today I walked around Sandwell Valley with the rest of the walk leaders. We then had cake with the mayor to celebrate. I suspect I will pay for the walking tomorrow especially as it's our own Urban trail walk tomorrow around the back streets of smethwick. Although we've turned our urban trail walk into an opportunity for a spot of guerrila gardening en route in an attempt to beautify the neighbourhood, wildflower seed sowing on derelict land. If I'm limping heavily by Thursday at the RNA summer party you'll know why!
I've been busy researching burials, churchyards, parish records and all sorts of other fascinating things for Me, You and Him ready to crack on with the next few chapters. Now I just need to get myself on a proper ghosthunt...

Researching

I'm back from my weekend of being photographed by the lovely Jacqui. I'll share some pics with you when she's finished making me look human. I've been busy researching too this weekend, mainly doing yet more reading up on the English civil war and prowling around ancient churches looking at ye olde worlde tombstones. Most of which were very mossy and crumbly and hard to read.This should be useful when I'm writing the next chapter of Me, You and Him which takes place in a churchyard with ye olde mouldy tombstones. Remind me to write about something more glamerous and less tricky next tiem.

Tewkesbury

So, I'm off again. This time it's not too far away and just for a couple of days. Tewkesbury this time, more research and also to get some author pictures taken by a real bona fide photographer. Hopefully this will avoid any more embarresing incidents where my agent, publishers etc ask for a picture of me and I produce one which shows me with a flower growing out of my ear. My lovely fellow author, Cally Taylor, who has some gorgeous pics recomended me to her cousin Jacqui - the photographer responsible for her nice pictures and she's kindly agreed to help me. I almost missed the announcement that Animal Instincts had won Love Story of The Year because I was too busy cringing at the picture they used on the large screen at the awards. Everyone else had a beautiful professional authorly portrait. I had a snap taken at a book signing in Waterstones - sigh.
In more writerly news, I'm so looking forward to the RNA summer party. Me, You and Him is going well, I'm at 52k now and on target for my deadline. I love, love, love this book. Not sure if this is a good sign as I'm completely rubbish at judging my own work as you know. My cp has given me the thumbs up and my agent loves the bit she's seen so fingers crossed.

Somebody say there was an election?

I know they all seem to be as bad as one another, I know you are all sick of hearing about Nick Clegg's choice of tie or what Gordon had for breakfast and David and Sam's babeee but please go vote. I don't care much who you vote for or why you voted for them, just exercise that precious right that people fight and die for. Don't waste it. Just put an X in a box. If, when all the fuss dies down and you don't get who you voted for or even if you do, at least you did your bit. It's important.
Go Vote

Jersey

Back home to the washing, shopping and a list of errands that need running for the Belles. It had been quite a few years since Mr Nell and I were last in Jersey - Miss Boo was a baby when were there before - so we were keen to see what had changed and if we had remembered things.
We stayed at Les Charrieres Country Hotel.

This proved to be a good choice. The indoor pool and jacuzzi was lovely, the staff were wonderful and the food absolutely the best we'd had in a hotel for years. The rooms were immaculately clean if a little dated, but everything worked and there was plenty of hot water. The only snag was the terrible mattress on the bed - it felt as if you were sleeping on a giant blancmange - and they still had blankets not quilts.
Jersey itself is still pretty, with beautiful scenary and just as badly signed as we remembered. (They took the signs down in the war and never really got around to putting all of them back) It was a little sad to see that many of the beautiful pubs we'd remembered had been turned into private houses or businesses eg The Windmill and at Corbiere. In fact the Island gave the impression that tourism was in a bad way there. The Portugeuese workers and hoteliers had gone and most of the staff in the various places and running the stores were now Polish. There was even a Polish channel on TV.
We went to Jersey boat show so Mr Nell could look at pointy boats and that was great fun. Highlight of our holiday was a trip to La Mares vineyard. This was excellent and I'd recommend any visitor to go there.
Downsides was St Helier's shops not opening on the Monday despite it being a tourist town and many people had clearly gone there for shopping. Only the multinationals and the department stores were open and there were loads of people who were muttering. I can't imagine any other major tourist town anywhere in the UK not bothering to open. Interestingly when we came home it was reported that our local shopping centre - Merry Hill - fourth largest in the UK had taken even more money than at Christmas that day.
We still had a lovely time and I still like Jersey, I'd recommend the hotel if you want great food, good service and clean, basic accomodation.
It was nice to be home though especially with the threat of the volcanic ashcloud starting up again.

Anniversary

Mr Nell and I just got home from Jersey after an interesting weekend away. Today is our silver wedding anniversary - thanks to everyone who has left messages, emailed and sent cards, it was lovely to have some many messages. I'll be back tomorrow - hopefully with some pictures of the weekend and what we did on Jersey!

Off to the Channel Islands

Well, we're off to catch the plane early tomorrow so we should be in Jersy by lunchtime - volcanos and fog permitting. I don't think the weather forecast is very brill but then again it is a bank holiday so..
Moments panic when Mr Nell couldn't find the paper bit of his drivers licence but luckily it's turned up. He doesn't like my driving - sometimes I don't like my driving but I'm worse if he's with me as he drives for me and he's a fiddler - he will keep playing with the heating, the radio, the windows argh.
I'm looking forward to revisiting some of our favourite places, Gorey and Corbiere and even if it piddles down I don't care - the hotel has a jacuzzi and a bar. I can stock up on reading materials and be perfectly content.
So, be good while I'm gone and why not visit HERE while I'm away and listen to a snippet of The Cinderella Substitute.

Exciting stuff

Well, I'm easily excited by stuff, I really don't get out much as you know. This weekend I'm off to Jersey with Mr Nell for our anniversary and I'm going to go to the RNA summer party with Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury aka the coffee crew. It was one of those lovely mad impulse ideas so Phillipa has our train tickets and I've just posted my cheque for the party ticket. To top off my plans my former work colleague was chatting with me last night and we're planning a spa day for June. Happy Sigh.
I'm almost done with the report for the huge day job research project, that'll be finished by tomorrow. I'm on target for this months word count - eight chapters done this month! Fourteen to go! and my editor has been in touch to say there was nothing for me to change from the copy editor for Just Look at Me Now,so now I just have to wait for the galley proofs for the final snagging. All my anguishing about pulling off the third person writing after such a long gap seems to have been in vain thank goodness. Hope Me, You and Him is as smooth if anyone chooses to buy it when it's done.

The Cinderella Substitute - audio book

The Cinderella Substitute releases on April 30th as an audio book. If you missed your chance to read this in print then you can now listen to a lovely Canadian lady telling you the story of Nate and Jenny. Available from HERE
In the two years since the tragic car crash that killed his fiancée, Nathanial (Nate) Mayer has successfully avoided another relationship. His family and especially his twin sister Nathalie are worried. Jennifer (Jenni) Blake is Nate’s personal assistant. Hired after the accident, she has her own problems to deal with, including the deaths of her adoptive parents and the debts incurred by their nursing care. But those difficulties pale into insignificance when Jenni finally traces her birth mother…

A bargain at $12.99

anyone for coffee?

I'm stealing a couple of hours to meet with the coffee crew today, Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury. We're having lunch and talking about the workshp we're giving together on May 15th at Wombourne. None of us really has much time at the moment but we've earned a couple of hours off for good behaviour.
My list of tasks is still huge and I'm off to Jersey on Saturday with Mr Nell sans belles. It's our Silver Wedding anniversary so he's taking me away for a few days. I dunno if he's bringing me back although I haven't caught him checking my life insurance.

Running on the spot

That's what it feels like lately. I'm so busy it's ridiculous. My to do list for this weekend ran into two pages. Oh well, it'll all get done eventually I suppose. Eldest belle got through her French oral and thinks she scaped a pass - it's her weakest section but isn't worth many marks so fingers crossed. Luckily it was on the subjects that I'd practiced with her the night before and the rescue remedy worked a treat - so well- that half her class took some before they went in!
Me, You and Him is progressing nicely. I know it's at a good point when the story is beginning to possess me and feels real in my head. I can see Myrtle Cottage, Kate and Louise so clearly. I can see Steve playing his guitar in the garden and the cat curled up in a sunlight patch next to the brambles and wildflowers. I'm almost at 46k now and the story is all there in my head ready to roll.
Now if I can just finish this report for the day job and complete the million and one other things I need to do before Saturday...

Animal Instincts got reviewed!

I almost never get reviewed so this is exciting - well it is for me! And happily the reviewer loved it READ IT HERE The lovely Debs from Novelicious gave it a big thumbs up! I also found a review on there for Blue Remembered Heels that I didn't know about either! Squee!!!!

examination angst

Eldest belle is stressing over her upcoming GCSE's. Please send good luck vibes for her French oral exam tomorrow. I've just fetched recue remedy drops for her to try and help the stress. Miss La, my youngest belle has lost a school shoe - she thinks it may have been left on the playing field yesterday after a netball tournament or it's possible that a child from another school now has an extra shoe in her kit bag. Since Miss La has very narrow feet and finding shoes for her are nigh on impossible I am not impressed. She's currently wearing a pair of eldest belle's old shoes that escaped the charity bag collection yesterday.

What a day!

Today has been a little trying to say the least. I got to the day job to find the fire/burglar alarm ringing. No break in but the alarm is busted and won't turn off. Finally got the ringing to cease to an annoying buzz. Discovered there is no contract on the alarm - it's an annex building and got overlooked when the main contract was negotiated. Spend time with garden manager trying to locate original company and local companies for quote to come out and fix/new install and for an annual contract. Plumbers arrive to install new and expensive outdoor sinks - unwrap pallet to discover one very expensive sink isn't there. Discover someone had signed delivery note to say it was there. Finally sort out with manufacturors to find it was their error and expensive custom made outdoor sink is still in factory and won't be out till next week. Switch on work computer - outlook is broken - can't access email.
Start work on very complicated and urgent document involving much cutting, pasting and swearing. 2 hours later, almost done word crashes on computer and computer refuses to restart. Spend thirty minutes coaxing computer back to life and rescuing document. By this time it's not even lunch time and I'm ready to go home.
My afternnon didn't improve much as even more stuff happened although my jobshare partner and I found a nice plate of mac and cheese at Savacentre followed by eating our own bodyweight in malteasers in the afternoon helped a little.
Now I'm home and waiting for the wine to chill and my pizza to arrive. I've earned it today!

Getting organised-ish

Today is a desk day. Trying to get an EH1C card for middle belle for her school trip this summer. Apparently this means we all have to be on it even though the rest of us aren't going. It also requires us knowing our NHS numbers -sigh. These were filed all together except mine for some reason but anyway they are now all lost together except mine and mine apparently is no good as it's an old number and everyone was given sparkly new ones eight years ago. Now I have to wait for the NHS to send us all new ones which the nice man has offered to do.
I've chased up several receipts for the close of the 09-10 tax year ready to tackle the forms in the summer and have started my file and receipt book for the new tax year. This makes me feel very organised and efficient although will still mean I get a severe headache in the summer when I try to go through all my info to complete the forms. I just need my tax forms from the day job and Mr Nell's job and I'll have all my paperwork ready.
Next up is my subscribers newsletter for my readers for this quarter and I need to send out press releases for a workshop in May which I'm giving with Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury as part of adult education week. (May 15th 2 til 4 Wombourne Library - setting the scene - how research makes your writing stronger. Also may be useful for english GCSE students looking at persuasive language)
I might even get some writing done then after all that.

Writerly advice

Sorry I haven't managed to upload the photos yet. Just lately I've recieved quite a few emails asking me for writing advice. I'm not sure I'm the best person to dispense advice on writing. I can only tell you what has worked and what continues to work for me. You may think differently or find other routes for your writing but for what it's worth here are some of my rules:
1. Writers write. They don't just go to workshops, lunches, conferences, talks and talk, twitter or blog about writing. They actually sit there, day after day and write. Unless you write you are not a writer.
2. Read - notice what you like and look at why you like it. What authors do you admire - why? What don't you like? Learn from it.
3. Edit your work, take out the repitions, the awkward phrases, the nice twiddly bits that you love but which don't advance the plot.
4. Let your work rest and write something else - give yourself some distance from your work and then edit again.
5. Submit and use any feedback you can get to improve your work. Yes, go to workshops etc but only - only - if you are writing. Not as a displacement activity.
6. Set yourself goals and deadlines, the practice at keeping them will be good for when you are published.
7. Keep writing. There will always be someone who gets better sales, wins more trophys, lands a bigger contract, gets a better review. It doesn't matter - that's their journey. Your journey is yours alone and the only thing you have any control over is your writing. The rest is luck, hardwork, and perserverence.

There are no magic capsules to give you more time to write, no special in's to land your book a publishing contract (Unless you happen to be Katie Price).
Writers write so get off the net and go finish your book.

Brr - where did the sun go?

Maybe it's behind the cloud of volcanic ash. We're back! No net access while I was away so I'm a bit behind. Okay, I'm a lot behind. I didn't do any writing but I did do lots of research - I bought a great book on costumes through the ages, visited heaps of ye olde worlde cottages and saw an archeological dig in Stratford. I'm back at the day job tomorrow then I'm hoping that I'll get loads of writing done in between tackling the laundry mountain and chasing up stuff for the belles to return to school on Tuesday. I'll put some pictures up as soon as I've downloaded them of where we've been.

Five go off to the Cotswolds

We're leaving the house and the fish in the capable hands of the sitters while we disappear for a few days to the Cotswolds in the tourer. I may or may not have net access while we're gone. This time we're staying at Moreton-in-the-marsh so I'm not sure what access they'll have. The Belles inform me there is a market there tomorrow which they plan to attend. I'm hoping we can go look at old cottages as my research for Me. You and Him. I realised yesterday that chapter wise I'm halfway through the book - eep, how did that happen? and still tons of stuff to go. Is there a ghost? Who is the father of Louise's baby? Will Kate choose Steve or Mike? and is Chuck above board? All these questions and more in the next seventeen chapters - cue the Dick Barton Music....

Animal Instincts goes large!

Loving this fab cover for the Large Print version of Animal Instincts!

Grand National

I absolutely love the National, always have, right from when I was small. My grandad used to spend hours with me discussing form and choosing horses and it's the one race I always place a bet on and then scream myself hoarse in front of the TV cheering on 'my' nag. My family think it's hysterically funny that I have an online betting account which is used once a year to place a couple of £1 bets.
For those of you interested this year I'm backing Comply or Die and Irish Raptor.

Spring has Sprung

A strange glowing yellow orb has filled the sky and there are three mile tail backs outside the DIY stores. Daffodils have fought their way through their winter coats of discarded McDonald wrappings to gladden the hearts of motorists as they sit in the traffic on their way to the municipal tip with their fifteenth carload of stuff that might come in handy one day.
Yes, the good folk of the Black Country have discarded their winter hoodies and now are sporting vest tops in the promised warmth of the strange phenomena known as Spring. There is even talk of taking down the last of the outdoor Christmas lights in some neighbourhoods.

Viva Espania

Hot on the Blue heels of the Indonesian version of Blue Remembered heels I found out yesterday that there will be a Spanish version too - out in just a few weeks. Sigh, the downside to this is that they may be putting a picture of me somewhere on the cover and as you know there is not a proper authorly picture of me in existence. mr Nell thinks this is quite funny and keeps quoting lines from 'Romancing the Stone' where the romance novelist Joan Wilder get's recognised.
Someone tell him he's not funny.

Excerpts

The unedited first chapter of Just Look at Me Now is up on my website and since Blue Remembered Heels came out in Indonesia I seem to be getting a lot of Indonesian visitors which is lovely. I'm sure though that one of my lovely visitors said it was on the young adult fiction list there. Interesting... I can see how that might work as two of the characters in it are quite young and it is a sweet romance so won't shock anyone. Just Look at Me Now on the other hand does have one scene which is probably the steamiest I've written for years. Hmmm.
My newsletter will be going out in a couple of weeks time and I'm planning some extra giveaways for subscribers so if you aren't already on the mailing list then hop over to my website (link in the sidebar) and add yourself. I mail out four times a year - no spam.

To pee or not to pee?

Sorry, couldn't resist the pun. Ahem, so how have I spent the Easter bank hol monday? Yep, doing stuff for the day job. Namely visiting camping stores to buy a chemical camping toilet for an allotment project. The project is a new local community venture and primary school children will be working on there but there's no toilet. Since portable toilets and new builds are way out of there budget we have an eco friendly chemical toilet, a shed and a wind up eco light. It'll be great for what the project wants and if they get more money later then they can look to getting a more permanent solution.
Writing wise I've been storming along with three chapters in three days. I wish sometimes I had the luxury of a bit more time so I could write like this more often but then I'd miss out on the joys of camping shops. Did you know you can get a velour covered inflatable sofa?

Happy Easter

Matt 28:5-6 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.

Matt 28:6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Wishing everyone a happy, joyous and peaceful Easter

And a heroine

Every hero deserves a good heroine. This is Kate, who might be the perfect match for Steve if both of them would stop being so pigheaded about it.

Holding out for a hero

Casting a hero is hard. Steve, the hero in Me, You and Him is an ex boyband member turned property developer. He's got that sort of cheeky twinkle that draws women to him even when he doesn't want to. When I cast a hero I don't focus so much on the look, although that helps me remember what colour hair they've got but it's more about the persona. So, after much thinking - meet my inspiration for Steve

Awesomeness

Sir Christopher Lee reads one of my favourite poems
Jabberwocky

Welcome to my earworm

Okay, so Me, You and Him has a tiny supernatural kind of element - welcome to my earworm!

Good days

Yesterday was good. It's always great to spend time with like-minded people and the time went way too quickly. Today was hectic again at the day job but we got lots of stuff sorted out so that was a relief. Even better was getting an email from my lovely editor telling me she loved Just look at Me Now and there were no revisions - yay! Just a few little bits after copy edits. I have been so worried about this story in case i'd somehow forgotten how to write third person and that i hadn't managed to do the story justice - it's quite a complex plot in some respects and involves a lot of intense emotional stuff. Kim, my poor cp has been very patient with my constant emails of 'ignore that bit - I'll add it later or I'm going to change that'. It's a load off my mind to be told it's worked. So, yay for my backward editing process.Me, You and Him is going well too, I'm officially one third of the way through. A very good day!
Oh, and to add to my day - I just found the cover to the Indonesian version of Blue Remembered heels!

Smelling the coffee

The coffee crew are meeting for lunch today - yippee! Looking forward to a nice relaxing day. The last two weeks have been manic and tomorrow my jobshare partner and I have somehow managed to schedule four full on back to back meetings. We also have a huge report we're busy assembling.
Me You and Him is progressing nicely, I'm a third of the way through and plan to get a huge chunk done this month - reports and the day job permitting. It's a bit eerie though - the book has a supernatural kind of element and while I was researching a few bits yesterday I found that subconciously I had included some interlinked stuff that I hadn't been aware of but which made the story so much more coherent and tighter. eg Walnut trees live for hundreds of years and Myrtle is supposed to only grow well if a woman plants it - in victorian times it was included in bridal wreaths and grown either side of the door it brings peace to the house. In my story the cottage is Myrtle Cottage and there is a walnut tree in the garden and the name of the cottage was changed in the victorian era - spooky huh?

Did you miss me?

I'm home at last and I don't have to go anywhere for a little while. Yay! Work trip to Bournemouth was good, nice hotel, good company, interesting speakers at the conference, presentation went well. Downsides, administrative cockups over the hotel payment, the train tickets, my job share partner was ill and it rained. Oh boy did it rain on Wednesday night. I did get to walk on the beach though and see the sea which always lifts my spirits and makes me feel happy.
I wrote quite a few pages longhand on the train for Me, You and Him, so I need to typre those up and I really like this book :) Remind me of this when I reach the middle and am moaning and groaning about how rubbish it is.
Now though I need to unpack, sort out all my notes and conference papers and just flake out somewhere for a few hours.

Packing

Tomorrow I'm off to Bournemouth with my jobshare partner for a two day Public Health conference. We're leaving at the crack of dawn armed with leaflets, handouts, copies of our schedule and all sorts of other stuff. It sounds like there are some great workshops and we're presenting one on the second day so a bit nervewracking!
We're hoping for nice dry weather as we want to walk on the beach in the evening.

Mad, mad Monday

This past week has been a blur. The RNA's PR team at Midas, a lovely lady called Niamh, has been working her socks off. I've never done so many press interviews. I even got to talk live with Sophie Dahl on the Joanne Mallin breakfast show at BBC radio WM. Today I'm being photographed twice for various publications. This has meant trying to tidy up after three teenagers and a hubby with man flu! I also have to take the belles to the dentist after school and get shopping, write more on the book and pack for my day job trip to Bournemouth on Wednesday.
To make matters worse my back isn't good at the moment. I suspect the standing in London has triggered the nerves in my lower spine off again so I'm dosed up on painkillers and antihistimines for the tree pollen that bugs me at this time of year.
Red eyes, dopey expression - I've the perfect face for radio.

Wow!

I think I'm just about coming back down to Earth after all the excitement. Mr Nell says he's going to become my PA as the phone hasn't stopped ringing and I'm still catching up with emails.
When we called home from the awards to let our family know I'd won. My youngest belle, Miss La asked, 'what exactly did you get when you won?'
I told her the trophy, the rosebowl for a year and a cheque.
She then asked, 'is there enough for a dog?'
Sigh, no, we aren't getting a dog. Much as I would like one, we aren't home enough to care for one properly. I think I may be getting more fish though.
I also need to think about a new laptop as the belles have managed to break the hinge on mine and the letter S has fallen off. Considering I only paid £150 fror it from ebay over two years ago, it's done well.
Now though, it's back to catching up with the laundry, writing a report for the day job, restocking the pantry and running the belles to dance, netball, cricket, morris dancing and sign language. Oh, and a small matter of writing a book - 75K to go by July - eek!

More pics!

Full House!

Me, trying not to cry, while I said thank you to everyone

All the shortlisted Love Story of the Year authors with Katie Fforde

Louise Allen with beautiful nails to match her necklace, and me.
Here are some more pics - courtesy of Janet Gover and the RNA.

Um, Animal Instincts won Love Story of the Year!

My agent, Darley Anderson celebrating with Love Story of the Year and Romantic Comedy of the Year!

Janet Gover, Liz Fenwick and me

With the Betty Neels Rosebowl and the award.

Mr Nell and Me

My editor Claire Baldwin, Me and my agent Maddie Buston
To say I was and still am stunned is putting it mildly. The other shortlisted authors were all so good, I honestly didn't think for a moment that I stood a chance.
We had to keep our speeches very short on the day and I was trying so hard not to cry I don't think I could have said much then, anyway.
So, bear with me because I'm going to make up for it now. I want to thank the RNA and all the organisers, especially Janet Gover my fellow LBD author for a wonderful, wonderful day. It was a day I'll always remember.
I want to thank my support teams, Mr Nell and the Belles who have to live with me. Phillipa Ashley and Elizabeth Hanbury, the coffee crew. My editor extraordinaire - Claire Baldwin, who works such magic on my books, and all the Headline team who give me fabulous covers and great support. My agent's Darley Anderson and Maddie Buston who are generous, kind and brilliant. My wonderful fellow romance authors who give me so much support and keep me going when the crows of doubt start to peck. And the biggest thank you goes to someone who I wish could have been there yesterday to enjoy the day with me - my fabulous cp and friend, Jessica Foote. Animal Instincts owes so much to her wonderful support.
I wish every one of the shortlisted authors could have won - they all wrote fantastic, beautiful books.
And now I've indulged myself - here are some pics!

Off to London

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, I've taken antihisitimines as the tree pollen levels are rising. We're off to stay at Denham, eighteen miles from London ready for the lunch tomorrow. I'm hoping we can see a little of the area as it's a part of the world we don't know. If the site is good then we plan to take the belles later on and have a family day in London.
I think I've remembered to pack everything in the caravan for tomorrow but if I show up with two odd shoes or minus my ear rings then you'll know I forgot something. I'm looking forward to seeing my writing friends and colleagues and meeting up with my agent and editor. Mr Nell is going too!
The belles are most put out that they get to stay home with grandparents to look after the fish.

Happy Mother's Day

To all the UK Mums. Hope you all have a lovely day with flowers, chocolates and a bit of spoiling.

Community spirit

Last night I went to see my eldest two belles dance at a dance show at their high school. The belles do dance at weekends but this was something they had been doing on lunchtimes and after school for fun - street dance. The school had invited several of the local primary schools and a school for disabled children to take part too. The nicest thing about the Belle's school and one of the main reasons we were drawn to it as a choice was the inclusive spirit of the school. It's small by todays standards, less than 900 pupils. They have a considerable number of students from the hearing impaired unit and the pupils are from a wide variety of backgrounds. Unlike several other local schools they don't cherry pick their pupils on academic prowess. The atmosphere last night was wonderful. The pupils compered, managed the lights and curtains, sold tickets for Sports Relief and looked after their guests from other schools with minimal assistance from staff.
The dance covered everything from Street, to Ballroom, to classical ballet, tap and hip hop. All the performers were great.
The dancers ranged in age from year 4 primary up to age 16 school leavers. One performer was in a wheelchair, several had learning disabilities and some dancers were hearing impaired.
I don't think there was a single person in the sell-out audience who didn't enjoy the show.

Amazon cover happiness

The new cover is up on Amazon today. It looks so pretty with the other covers!. I haven't heard my editor and my agents verdicts yet on what is going in between the covers so I'm hoping no news is good news, although I'm expecting some suggestions from my editor. She's very good at picking up exactly which bits I need to tweak.
Yesterday was another busy day at the day job, a twelve hour stint as we're finishing off our research contract. It's been fascinating stuff and we're looking forward to sharing the report as hopefully it'll help improve services.
I'm trying to pick up the pace on Me, You and Him. I finished one chapter at the weekend and I've almost completed another so I'm getting there. It's fun to write although I keep having to stop to look things up. Why did I decide to put a roundhead ghost in it? The only history we did at school was Henry the eight, the dinosaurs and Pete Marsh - a man preserved in a bog. I'm self taught for the rest so I have um, gaps.

Hair today

I'm off to the hairdressers today in the hope that they can magically turn back the clock and make me look younger and prettier in time for next weeks awards lunch. Failing that my hair will just be shorter and blonder but hopefully I will no longer scare small children and folks of a nervous disposition with my unkempt appearance. Friday I'm getting my nails done. It's been ages since I had a manicure and my hands are terrible from the typing and working in the gardens. I told Mr Nell I was going to get a manicure and he said 'hope you don't break a nail then when we pull the caravan out.' Sigh, the glamour of an authors life!

Looking Forward

Now Just Look at me Now is on my lovely editors desk, I've lots of things I'm looking forward to. The RNA lunch on the 16th - meeting my editor and agent and all my RNA friends. I am so excited to be going and even more excited that I'm shortlisted! All the books on the final lists are wonderful reads and so different that I'm heartily glad that I'm not a judge.
I'm looking forward to exploring what to write next and enjoying working on Me, You and Him, my speculative project in the meanwhile. I can't wait to take the caravan to Denham so we'll have a home from home to escape to away from the madness that is London. I'd love to try and fit in a visit to Cliveden while we're away as I understand it's not too far away. I'm also going to have lunch with two of my favourite writerly friends before the end of the month.
In the day job I've the UKPHA conference at Bournemouth to enjoy. My jobshare and I are going for both days and our abstract was accepted for presentation so we're going to be presenting too - yippee!
What is everyone else looking forward to this month?

Just Look at Me Now

Pub crawl

Long day at the day job today as my job share partner and I spent the early part of the evening on a pub crawl. It was all in the aid of research as we had been asked to go and talk to men about health and physical activity so we dutifully took ourselves to some local watering holes and chatted up men. I like my job :)
In other news, Just Look at Me Now has winged it's way to my editor so I'll wait for her verdict to see if she likes the book wot I have wrote - to misquote the lovely Ernie Wise. Keep your fingers crossed for me! I promise I'll share my gorgeous cover soon too.

Happy St David's Day

I've been trying to catch up on all the things I don't do when I'm on a deadline. You know like shop, clean, put away laundry - sigh.My bedroom is now dustfree and dejunked so there's a start. I need to catch up on my accounts paperwork and then I can tackle the office. Today though I had to deal with the pressing issue of buying undergarments for under the frock I plan to wear to the awards lunch. Clothes shopping is so depressing when you aren't a skinny person. I managed to find a flesh coloured bra (in case the straps show) and because it's a frock I bought tights. I hate tights - if I manage to get them on without making a hole and get to London without destroying them it will be a miracle. There is a reason why I always wear trousers.
I haven't heard back on Just Look at Me Now yet from my agent but my editor has sent me the beautimous cover for it today which I'll share with you as soon as I can. It's fab - very, very girly and lovely. It cheered me up after my discovery that my bra size is roughly the same as my head size.

Caravans and boats

Yesterday, Mr Nell and I went to the NEC to the caravan and boat show. Most of you know we have a touring caravan which we use as much as possible so it was fun to see all the new shiny ones which are on the market. In fact, as hotel prices in London are beyond mine and Mr Nell's budget we're taking the tourer to Denham for the Love Story of the Year awards and commuting in to London by train from there. At £30 for two nights on the lovely caravan club site it was a bit of a no-brainer.
Even better, at the show yesterday I found one of my favourite places has now upgraded it's touring facilities so I've booked to go there for October half-term. Clacton-on-sea here we come. I can't wait. We've had such wonderful holidays there, always in October. The belles are over the moon as we know it so well and we're busy planning trips to our favourite places - the pier, Frinton, Colchester - I love Colchester, the shopping village, the freeport shopping near Stansted. Can you tell I'm excited? The beach there is fab and the belles have always paddled even in the Autumn. We love walking through the gardens along the seafront and visiting the Martello towers. Maybe I'm a secret Essex girl.

Done!

Just Look At Me Now is done - I added almost 10k in total with my editing process and I've just finished tidying up the last little bits. It's now winging it's way through cyberspace to my agent so she can read it before I send it to my lovely editor. Phew! I am so tired of looking at that story right now, it'll be good to have a rest from it for a little while. Now I just have to cross my fingers and hope my agent likes it. It really is very different from my other stories so I hope I've made it work.
Tomorrow I'm going with Mr Nell to the NEC to look at boats and caravans that we can't afford. That'll give me a day out. Then once I've reclaimed the house from the dust monsters I plan to push on with You, Me and Him while I wait for the verdict on Just Look at Me Now.

Almost at an end

Well, the second pass is done and I've gone through eliminating bits of repetition, overly used favourite words and phrases and now I'm on my final edit - the backwards read through. My word count is still climbing as I catch things I hadn't seen before. I've twenty-five more chapters to do and I've added in total now almost 10k from when I started. My ending is much stronger with Tia and Josh finally getting a resolution that they deserve. I've a little pile of post it notes for things I've thought of to add into a few key scenes which I hope will make the story stronger and add impact to the emotional scenes. I've a very, very hot scene in the book too which totally flips Tia's life into a spin and I'm hoping that I've done it justice.
I should be done by the weekend and then I can get this baby off my desk and start to rescue my house from the brink of squalor!

Life with the Belles

Miss La, my youngest belle has finally been cleaning her room out over half-term. Cue the appearance of tons of washing. I peered in the basket and noticed some of it appeared to be from the summer and some didn't seem to have been worn. I asked her if it was all dirty and she said - 'Well, it's hard to tell the clean stuff from the dirty stuff when it's all been shoved under the bed.'
When I just looked at her she gave a big dramatic shudder and said 'besides think - it's all covered in scary dust mites now so it's all dirty.'
I haven't decided if I'll let her live till she's 12 yet.
Highlight of my weekend though had to be a visit to my parents. I suspect My Dad has the same sense of humour as Miss La. For some reason we got onto discussing funerals - as you do - and music. My mother has long had her funeral all picked out and she favours more traditional type music. We were discussing exit songs and I mentioned I wanted Monty Pythons 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.' My Dad said he wanted Johnny Cash. My Mom and I stared at him for a minute as we know what his favourite Johnny Cash track is. Luckily it turned out he didn't want the one we thought he wanted but 'If I were a Highwayman', instead.
Can you guess which Johnny Cash song we thought he meant? Yep - 'Burning Ring of Fire'
With lyrics like:
Love is a burning thing
and it makes a firery ring
bound by wild desire
I fell in to a ring of fire...

I fell in to a burning ring of fire
I went down,down,down
and the flames went higher.
And it burns,burns,burns
the ring of fire
the ring of fire.

The taste of love is sweet
when hearts like our's meet
I fell for you like a child
oh, but the fire went wild..

I fell in to a burning ring of fire.....[etc]

Yep - that would have raised a few eyebrows at the crem!

First Pass

Well the first read through and adit is done. The big plotholes are gone, the bulk of discrepencies caught and eliminated and just under 6k added to the word count. I'm still short of my final total but there are more pass throughs to come. The next one is my polyfiller pass - this is where I start to really fill in any tiny imperfections and cracks in the story, I change awkward phrasing and sand off the lumpy bits so the pace is smooth and there are no jarring snaggy bits to yank the reader out of my story. I've got a page of notes - mainly the could do better kind that I made on the first run through. Those are the places where I made some changes already but I wasn't 100% satisfied that I'd done enough. On this run through those are the bits I'll be looking at again in extra detail.
Already this story is much stronger for the work I've put in. Tia's character arc is shaping up now - I need to emphasis the point of change in her thinking and I need to emphasise my gorgeous, sexy hero's strengths. There is a very, very hot scene in this one! Whenever these two meet the attraction is so strong but I need to be sure the reader can feel that heat on the page.

Winters back

Well, we got more snow yesterday so it's nice and chilly here again. Mr Nell had his tooth out yesterday too. Luckily for him our dentist is so nice even my dentist phobic husband had to agree. Progressing well on the first round adit of Just Look at Me Now - 3k added so far with six chapters to go. I've marked a few things to look at when I do the next round. I'm now about 7k short of my target but I know those last few chapters are bad and need quite a bit of work so I anticipate it's going to take me longer to sort the ending out. I think I like this book more now. The heroine is very sweet and the hero is hot. Thank you to everyone who's emailed me and messaged me to say how much they like Crystal Clear and to congratulate me on the shortlisting. It's really helping me battle the crows while I work on Just Look at Me Now.

Pancakes and progress

Mr Nell made some yummy pancakes last night with the eldest belle assisting him. My local paper, the Dudley News has a piece in this week on Crystal Clear and the shortlist! Read HereI'm halfway through the first read now - have added 2k already but I know it's the last part of the book that'll need the most layering. I'm 10k short but that'll soon change. The first half looks stronger already just for a few changes and I'm taking care of some of the humongous plotholes that currently exist. Oh, and I nearly forgot - I'm guest blogging HERE today too!

And so it begins

Yep, I've started my read through and adit of Just Look at Me Now. Since I haven't read the whole thing together from start to finish and it's been so long since I wrote the first chapters it feels fresh. I've decided I actually quite like the first three chapters. Chapter four I've played with a little but I think I'll come back to that on the next pass through. I've already added almost 1k layering in emotions, tiny snippets of description, stronger verbs. I know there will be rewriting coming up soon but for now I need to focus on tightening up as I go through. It's slow work and can't be rushed, it's been a long time since I wrote in third person and I really want it to feel as strong as my first person writing. This means really focusing in on removing those pesky filter words - the she felts etc. I do enjoy this part of writing but it's time consuming and tiring, weighing every word to make sure it's the right one in the right place and it's doing the job that I want it to do. It doesn't help I suppose that I tend to invent words which my spell check really doesn't approve of.

Gung hay fat choy

I probably spelt that wrong but Happy New Year - year of the tiger. Very cool that it coincided with Valentines day so those red envelopes will be doing double duty in some houses.
I got Mr Nell four honey red gourami for the fish tank for his present. Me and Miss La also treated ourselves to two new golden mollies. Since they keep swimming in circles and seem very excitable we've called them Dizzy and Rascal.

What a week!

Well, it's been a crazy week! Being shortlisted for the Love Story of The Year was a plus point in an otherwise disasterladen seven days.
The past week has included, my youngest dd having a severe nosebleed which got her sent home from school. Mr Nell chasing a shoplifter out of Co-op. Mr Nell managing to explode a full very large casserole dish of chicken casserole all over my kitchen. Mr Nell getting an abcess under a damaged tooth that's meant him (and me) getting no sleep for two nights and he then had to miss my birthday dinner out last night with my parents. Luckily Miss Boo came with us instead. So all in all a very lively time in the Nell household.
Now though, it's time to knuckle down and read through Just Look at Me Now ready to start the adits - I must admit I can't wait to start pulling it to bits and rewriting. My fingers are twitchy with anticipation!

The secret's out!

I am thrilled to bits to announce that Animal Instincts has been shortlisted for RNA's Love Story of the Year!

The Love Story of the Year is for a shorter romance where there is a strong emphasis on the developing central relationship.

A shortlist of six is again chosen by the reading public, with the winner selected by three judges.

The shortlist is:

The Notorious Mr. Hurst – Louise Allen (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Animal Instincts – Nell Dixon (Little Black Dress)

Always the Bridesmaid – Nina Harrington (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

Fair Deception – Jan Jones (Robert Hale)

The Wedding Party – Sophie King (Hodder)

Claimed for the Italian’s Revenge – Natalie Rivers (Harlequin Mills & Boon)

The award used to be called the Romance Prize which I won in 2007 with Marrying Max. I suppose a little bit of me was always convinced that had been some kind of fluke so to be shortlisted again is just so absolutely brilliant.
There are some terrific books on the shortlist so I feel even more stunned that my book, which my cp, the incredibly talented Jessica Raymond and I, dubbed the two gay donkeys, swearing parrot story has been chosen by readers.
I'm floating around in a little blissful cloud at the moment and hoping I can find a miracle to lose three stones by March in time for the award ceremony. Squee!!!!!!!!!

Winners

Thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday to share in the fun - it made it so special for me to share with my online friends.
Winners of a signed print copy of Crystal Clear are: (imagine a drumroll)
Julie Hilton-Steele
Mel - L Plate writer
I need you to email me with your addys at helen @ nelldixon . com (without the spaces)
If you already have a copy let me know and I'll find you something else that's lovely!
Hope you'll both enjoy the book.

Last chance!

Last chance to leave a comment and be entered in the draw - I'll be posting the winners when I get home tonight. Thanks to all of you for stopping by and making my birthday and Crystal Clear's cyber launch so wonderful!

Party 3

This was a picture that resonated with my picture of what Zee looked like.
Here's an excerpt to whet your appetite - This is the scene where Zee meets Drew again for the first time.
The wind-chimes overhead sang out as the shop door opened behind me.
“Hi, Zee, I see you made it back.”
Even before Drew spoke, I’d known it was him. Some primitive sense deep in my psyche had recognised he was near me. Hell, five minutes in my mother’s shop and I was already thinking like her.
“Drew.” Annoyingly, his name squeaked out of my mouth as I turned round to face him.
My heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t changed, though his shoulders were broader and the tanned muscles of his arms indicated a life spent working outdoors. He was still unmistakeably Drew, from the faded tan tee-shirt stretched taut across his chest to the well-worn snug-fitting denim jeans. The crinkles at the corners of his eyes were deeper, as were the smile lines around his mouth. My mouth dried at the note of challenge in the dark green depths of his gaze.
“You look good, Zee.”
I fought the urge to toss my hair back in a flirty flick. I’d taken a little extra care with my clothes this morning, choosing fitted navy capri trousers and a pretty blue strappy top. I didn’t want to examine my motives for this, nor for doing my make-up so carefully. “Thanks. You still have your hair.”
Where had that come from? Probably some subconscious wish that he might have gone bald in the last nine years so that I wouldn’t find him attractive any more.
He raked his hand through his dark gold mop of hair, a slightly puzzled frown on his face.
“Yep, it was still there this morning when I showered.” A glint of mischief appeared in his eyes.
My pulse picked up just as I heard a soft and disapproving “tsk” noise from Katya; she probably had a major crush on Drew. That could mean that he spent a lot of time around here, maybe too much for me to feel comfortable.
“Well, you know, people’s appearances change. It’s been a long time.” I tried to ignore the heat creeping into my cheeks.
(C) Nell Dixon 2010

Pahty on

I'll draw the names tomorrow for prizes so please keep commenting and enjoy the fun. Here are some of my research pictures that I took of Brixham that helped jog my memory when I tried to recall certain places in the book.



This is the Sprat and Mackerel pub where there's a scene with Drew, Zee and Katya.

This was one of the atmospheric shots to capture the feel of the place when Zee is out jogging or walking down to the Crystal Palace in Fore Street.

The street where I placed Marla's cottage, high above the town so there's a view of the harbour

Happy Birthday to Me!

And the 'official' launch of Crystal Clear!
I have a lovely day planned today - lunch with some of my favourite people, Phillipa Ashley, Elizabeth Hanbury and the lovely Lizzie Lamb who is coming from miles away!!! Plus of course this cyber party for all my online friends who couldn't have made it to a real life launch.
To kick us off here's the blurb from Crystal Clear:
Crystal Clear by Nell Dixon
Fall in love with this sparkling story of crystals, chaos and re-kindled romance!

For years Zee has tried to ignore her real name (who calls their kid Azure Dawn?) and her mother Marla’s alternative lifestyle. A million miles away from all that new-age nonsense, she’s got a reliable teaching job, a perfect life plan and sensible accountant Simon for a fiancé. But when Marla gets sick, the foundations of Zee’s rock-steady world are seriously shaken. Soon she’s back home, in touch with the boy who broke her heart and even being sucked into one of her mum’s hare-brained schemes. What about Zee’s plans for the future? Could they ever include a free-spirit from her past?

‘A brilliantly fun read that will have you hooked!*****’ (OK! magazine )
When I write my books I create playlists of songs which pick up different parts of the story and help me get the right mood. Over the course of the story one sone more than any other becomes - for me - the one that sums up the feel of the book.
Here's the playlist for Crystal Clear:
Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen
Turn it up - The Feeling
I love it when you call - The Feeling
Waiting on a sunny day - Bruce Springsteen
All Summer Long - Kid Rock
Photograph - Nickelback
What I go To School For - Busted.
No prizes for guessing that last track was for the last part of the story. One song though became the one which for me is Crystal Clear and that track is Bruce Springsteen - Girl's in their summer clothes. Listen Here
Everyone posting throughout today will be entered for door prize draws and I'll be pulling some names out to win signed print copies of Crystal Clear!
So, until I get back from lunch - tell me what music for you sum up which books - obviously Wuthering Heights can only be Kate Bush - Remember I've got goodies waiting!!!

Getting ready

to pahtay! Tomorrow is my birthday so I decided to combine it with an official launch party for Crystal Clear. I'm giving stuff away, sharing some of the scenes behind the book, my playlist that I create for every book I write including the song that for me becomes 'the' song that resonates when I'm writing. So make sure you stop by and say hello for a chance to win and share some fun.

Friday

The eldest belle recieved an offer from her other sixth form college application so she's thrilled, now though she has to wait and see which of them can offer her the subjects she wants in the right blocks. It was never this difficult when Mr Nell and I went to school!
The middle belle went to London yesterday with school to see Terry Pratchett's Nation. She said the acting was good, the effects were good but she didn't really understand the play. She bought the book and said she plans to read that and see if it gets any clearer.
My day job is very, very busy so I've had to switch my core hours round to Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and work a ten hour day on the Tuesday and extra hours most Fridays. Today I'm going to do that from home as the poor quality IT at work drives me crazy! Yesterday we couldn't recieve or send any external e mails - sigh.
I'm thinking about You, Me and Him now though and can't wait to write some more of it while Just Look at Me Now ferments away for a week or so.

Writing Talk

I talked at Brierley Hill library this morning. Lovely to meet the librarians and members of the readers group. Libraries do such a wonderful job and I love going to them to meet other book enthusiasts.
Tonight is my local writers group meeting so I get to talk about writing there too - one of my favourite kind of days!
My lovely cp just sent me back her thoughts on my last two chapters of Just Look at Me Now so i'll make some tweaks and then close the file for a while before I start the rewrites and edits. In the meantime I want to write some more on You, Me and Him as it was getting very interesting!

The end

Done - first draft of Just Look at me Now is with my cp. Time to let it rest for a couple of weeks before I read it from start to finish with fresh eyes and begin to mark up where the changes need to go.
In the meantime I'll work on my speculative story, You, Me and Him. So, back to the research for that one!
A photographer came today from the local paper for a piece they plan to do on Crystal Clear, so that was exciting! Tomorrow I'm working a ten hour day at the day job, providing the weather co-operates. We had snow again overnight and as our lovely council seems to be conserving the grit supplies the local roads were grid-locked for two hours this morning in the rush hour.

One more

I'm on the last chapter of Just Look at Me Now. I plan to finish the first draft this week then let it rest for a couple of weeks before I start going through redrafting, fixing the plot holes, perking up the pace and getting my emotional and descriptive layers in place. Then, when I'm happy with that I go through and look for my repitions, my favourite words and kick all those into touch. Finally, I do my backwards read - this is the real tightener as I catch things I've skimmed over on the forward read. I make sure every paragraph adds something to the story, that I'm not repeating myself and that the emotional heart at the end of the story is as strong as it can possibly be. Only when I'm happy do I then send it off to my agent and my editor. My deadline is April so I have a month to adit and then a few weeks for my agent to check it out before it lands on my lovely editors desk.
But first I have to write the big finish and tie up the loose ends of my plot.

Crystal Clear review

The lovely Julie at Singletitles.com has reviewed Crystal Clear! She always writes lovely, thoughtful and honest reviews so I always hold my breath a little to see what she thinks. READ IT HERE I got a beautiful review which made me feel a bit teary and 4.5 stars!

The end is nigh

Two and a half chapters to go on first draft of Just Look at Me Now. I would have been done but my day job is really busy right now so I'm exhausted when I get home and my brain is too fried to work properly on fiction so I'll have to bide my time till the weekend and then really try to nail the last part down.
At least now the nights are drawing out so I'm coming home in almost daylight. It makes such a difference to feel as if Spring might be on the way. The snowdrops are just beginning to poke out of the ground and open and the squirrel was in the garden again the other day. Makes everyone feel better I think when we get more daylight.

Getting organised

Today is my one day off from the day job so I need to tackle my to be done list that's next to my computer. Why is it that as fast as I cross one job off another two get added on? I also have to go visit gorgeous George - my dentist.
Still two and three quarter chapters to go on Just Look at Me Now and I'm heading into the black moment. My poor heroine, everything is coming crashing down around her right now.And if I don't hurry up and finish this first draft everything piled around and on my desk will come crashing down on me too!

Phone-o-phobia

I'm rubbish on the phone. My dearest and closest friends and family know this - they don't call me and I don't call them. I write/email/drop in but phone? no. I possess an ancient mobile that is never turned on and the belles call it the dinophone as it's so old. I spend less than £10 a year on my mobile - mostly when I'm away at the RNA conference or ringing from a train to arrange for my lift from the station. I can't text as my dyscalculia makes it nigh on impossible. At work I have to brace myself to make calls because I know I will ramble, stutter and make a fool of myself.
So when I arrived home on Thursday to be greeted by Mr Nell with the news that my editor had rung and could I call her back...
Dear Ed, I appologise if I sounded not quite the full ticket. I'm sure you had a much more coherent conversation with Mr Nell.

Dear Radio 2

I've tried, really I have. I've made allowances - he's new I thought, he'll get better. Maybe he'll calm down when the excitement wanes. I tried to be positive, I'm a big fan of Moira Stuart. But I can't take it - I've switched my early morning allegance to another channel. It was bad enough losing Sir Terry, but I also lost my ten minutes of calm with the delightfully dippy Sarah Kennedy. So to be exposed to Chris Evans still in full manic drivetime mode at 7.20 am is just more than I can stand. I hate the posh little kids talking about their first fencing lesson or having a fwend to tea, I miss the Terry's calm voice of reason and worst of all the music is crap. I mean seriously crap. I loved Chris in the Drivetime slot - I liked hearing him as I drove home but undercaffinated, in the dark and the fog stuck in the traffic at the buttcrack of dawn he makes me want to kill someone.
Please save me, bring in Johnny Walker or at least improve the playlist before I succomb to the darkside and stick with commercial radio and fail to turn back for Steve Wright in the afternoon.

Four

Four chapters to go! I think if I knew how this story ended that would be helpful right now. I wish I was more of a plotter but I've tried and failed dismally. I have several scenarios playing out in my head but I need to find the right one. The finish line is looming into sight though now. I don't know how much I'll get done in the next two days as my day job has picked up pace and I'm shattered when I get home which makes writing hard. I've also got two busy day job weeks coming up where I'm working extra shifts - as my bank manager and gas company need the money I can't afford to turn the work down. Sigh - the writers dilemna!
Crystal Clear is out of stock again on Amazon - this is good and bad. Good for all you lovely people who are buying it and bad because it'll take a day or two longer to reach you. Remember if you spot it anywhere or if you have a copy send me a pic of you holding it, or on the shelf in a shop and I'll send you one of my shiny new purple Nell Dixon pens. (Disclaimer - They aren't actually shiny but they are purple)

Writing up a storm

My fingers ache. I am not a quick typist - nor am I a touch typist. My word count is however creeping higher. I've four and a quarter chapters left to go now roughly to complete my first draft of Just Look at Me Now. It will as usual be about 10k short of the finished book, but by the time it's sat and I've edited, polished, rewritten and made it good with my aditing process it'll be fine. At least I hope it will be fine. Sigh, I can never judge my own work and I haven't written a book this length in third person before - so that's pretty scary.
Thank you to everyone who is buying Crystal Clear. Amazon got some stock in and then it went again but they should get some more very quickly and there is always book depository, etc. If anyone spots it in a book shop anywhere on a shelf please let me know! Better still send me a pic - I might even give prizes of my fabby new purple Nell Dixon pens.

Counting down

I've six chapters left to go now on the first draft of Just Look at Me Now - well, I think it's six chapters - my books have a habit of growing. I'd really like to finish by my birthday on Feb 8th as I'm planning to have a party here that day for Crystal Clear! It'll also give it time to sit for a week or so before I rip it to bits to get rid of the plot holes and anomalies and make it shiny, polished and pretty ready for my agent and editor to read. Where is January going to so fast?

Top 100 baby!

OMG, you can probably hear me sqeeking with delight no matter where you are in the world. Crystal Clear is temporarily sold out on Amazon and it's at 88 in the top bestselling romance 100. The one with Nora Roberts, Stephanie Meyer and Jane Austen in - that chart. Yes, really, I know, I'm pinching myself. You can still order and I'm sure they'll have stock sorted quickly or try book depository or WH Smiths/Waterstones. Okay, deep breath, calming down now.
Okay no I'm not really - squeeeeeee!!!!!

Crystal Clear in Brixham!

It finally occured to me last weekend that I should get organised and actually tell people that Crystal Clear had been released. I mean, I know I told you but I should make an effort to be more authorly. I'm rubbish really at that kind of thing but anyway, the lovely reporter from the Torbay Herald Express has done a fabulous article! READ HERE on Crystal Clear and the places I went to when I was researching the book. I do so hope the people in Brixham approve of the story. It's such a gorgeous place and I can't wait to go back there. Here's one of my research pics so you can see where I was. This is the view from Drew's flat aka The Lemon Tree cafe in real life!

Everything is froggy

When my eldest belle was little we woke one morning to find fog outside and she rushed to tell me that everything in the world had gone dusty. This is probably a reflection on my housekeeping abilities - or lack of. My middle belle always used to say it was froggy. Today it's very froggy outside my window. I'm just glad that when I drove back from the day job that it wasn't freezing and froggy.
At least the snow seems to be moving and the belles are back at school.Hopefully my brain will thaw out along with the snow. I stalled on Just Look at Me Now so I really need to crack the whip and get it finished. I always hate wrapping stories up so it's no surprise that I'm procrastinating - curse you bejewelled blitz and midas mahjong! I promise I'll be back on track by the weekend.

His Darling Nurse

is on Fictionwise! Yay!!!HERE
BTW Did you know that you can get e book and kindle versions of Little Black Dress titles?

Happy Birthday Eldest Belle

My eldest daughter is 16 today. To celebrate we sent her sisters to school and then I went with her to her first interview for a sixth form college place for September. The lovely head of the form said at the end of the interview that he intended to offer her a place so she skipped off back to school a very happy bunny. This college is more distance to travel but would offer her far more opportunities than many places. She has another interview later this month at a nearer college that she also really likes but at least with one under her belt provided she gets the grades she's predicted then she'll have a place in the Autumn.
It's still freezing cold here and a lot of the roads are icy. Tonight we're taking the belles and a few of eldest's friends out for a meal and then bowling. This means I have to drive as we won't all fit in Mr Nell's car. I hate driving at night even without the ice - good job we aren't going very far.
For her birthday - and I know Kate Hardy will approve - we bought her a Pandora bracelet and three charms to start her off, one with her birthstone, one with a sixteen charm, and a breast cancer one as she collects all the pins and it's a cause close to us as her godmother's mum died from breast cancer.
This week is looking hectic as I'm at the day job for four days and I have a family funeral to attend on Wednesday afternoon too. We've also got something on Saturday so by Sunday I suspect I'll be pretty exhausted.
I've roughly six and a half chapters to go now for the first draft of Just Look at Me Now but at least I can see a way to the ending now where a few chapters back I was in the depths of despair, convinced I'd written my way into a corner.

All white mate?

It's still snowing here even though rather oddly the sun is shining too. The main roads are okay at the moment - you just need to look out for ice patches and people who can't drive in bad weather. I made it into the day job yesterday - did as much as I could but since a lot of what I would have liked to have done depended on others and those others weren't available I was a bit stymied. Still, it was good to get some stuff out of the way.
Despite the weather I've started this year in a really positive mood. I'm determined to make the most of this decade and I'm feeling pleasantly bouncy and optimisitic even if my healthy eating plan hasn't got started yet, due to a surplus of Christmas goodies still inhabiting my house and an overwhelming desire to eat fresh crusty bread with pies and casseroles because it's so cold out.
I've 7.5 chapters of Just Look at Me Know to go before the first draft is finished and the real work starts and it's driving me nuts as I know what I need to do to change it and shape it and make it shiny and pretty.
Thank you to everyone who's contacted me about Crystal Clear! I do hope you enjoy it. At least as it's set in a beautiful Devon seaside town in the height of summer it might help chase those cold, wintery blues away!

Publication Day

It's now officially out! In a bookstore near you (hopefully!) and available from Amazon, Waterstones, Book Depository, WH Smiths and others on line.
I'm planning a party with chances to win stuff in early February - I thought I'd combine it with my birthday! You can read the unedited first chapter on my website (see sidebar for link) and especially for you all here's a little snippet!

“It’s your mother.”
Three simple words that chilled me to the core as I accepted the phone from Joyce, the school receptionist. Point one, my mother never ever called me at work, and point two, she’d never say she was my mother. She was always Marla – even as a child I had never been allowed to call her Mum.
“Hello, this is Zee.” That was something else that was annoying – my name. My given name is Azure Dawn Millichip, but everyone calls me Zee. Who in their right mind would call their child Azure Dawn? Marla, that’s who – and no, I’m not sure she’s ever been in her right mind.
“Darling, your mobile was switched off.”
“I was teaching in class. I always check my mobile for messages at lunchtime.” Marla has always struggled with the concept of time. As a child I’d frequently been either too early or too late for everything until I was old enough to request my own watch. Then I’d taken over the task of getting us to wherever we were supposed to be at the right time.
“Oh, isn’t it lunchtime now? I hate bothering you, sweetie, I know you have a very important job, but I really need you to pop home this weekend. If you catch the traffic at the right time you could be here for supper.”
I ignored the implied criticism in her tone, since something was definitely very wrong. Marla never asked me to visit. She knew I would come down to stay anyway in a couple of week’s time during the school holidays. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m sure Simon would run you here if you asked him. It might be good for both of you, a weekend at the seaside,” she chirped on, ignoring my question. Now I knew for certain that something was wrong. Marla disliked my fiancé, Simon, even more than she disapproved of my choice of career.
“Mum – I mean, Marla, what’s going on?” I dropped my voice when Joyce gave me a curious look. “It’s the last day of term and I’ve tons of things to get done. Can’t I come after that, once we’ve broken up for summer?”
“Zee?” A male voice came on the line. Rich and sexy with a low throaty growl to his tone.
The speaker sounded familiar. “Who’s this?”
“It’s Drew.”
A weird prickly feeling ran down my spine. “Drew?”

Oh, and I'm guest blogging at my lovely friend Phillipa Ashleys blog later today so you can find out some of the story behind the book over there - link in sidebar

PLR

I love libraries, librarians and readers - that is all :)

snow woe is me

It's snowing. Lots of big white fluffy flakes whirling down from the sky and sticking to the ground. The belles are now off school till Thursday - apparantly over the hols a water main burst and the school has no water - or heat! Joy.
The Christmas decs are now down except for the Santa signs outside the front door which are frozen into the ground so will probably be there till the Spring. I'm hoping that the roads will stay clear for tomorrow as I'm back at the day job then and I've several meetings booked. My jobshare partner lives near Oxford so if this weather hangs on there is no way she can make it in. The eldest belle was very happy to get a call yesterday from one of the sixth form colleges that she's applied to offering her an interview next Monday. Coincidentally, thats also her 16th birthday - hope the snow is gone by then.

Winter Wonderland

Outside today everything looks like a scene from Narnia. The trees are all bare and pinched white against a sky which shades from bright blue at the top to a pearlescent white at the bottom. The grass is covered in dry silvery powder and everything has that dusting of frost so beloved of film set designers.
It's an inset day and my work at home writing day so I'm happy not to have to go anywhere in particular especially if like yesterday my council don't bother to grit the roads. The black ice yesterday on the main Himley Road was shocking and not a trace of grit.
I'm hoping to get my decorations down later so I can return the house to it's usual chaos and remove the indoor dust which is giving the inside of the house the same wintry effect as the outside. Why does that happen over Christmas? You spend ages cleaning before everything gets put out and the house is worse still when you take it all down?

Ring in the New!

A new decade, fingers crossed for good things for everyone. This year will see the official release of Crystal Clear in a few days time although Amazon have it already! The Cinderellla Substitute will come out as an audio book in April, Just look at Me Now - when I finish it - will be out in August. I'm working on Me, You and Him, my single title project which I'm very excited about and I have a few other things in the pipeline which hopefully will come to fruition this year too.
I plan to continue focusing on my healthy living plan this year - I went down two sizes last year and if I could do the same again in this next twelve months that would be terrific. Plus, it can only help my mobility. It's a big year for my eldest belle as she's in her GCSE year and hoping to move to a college place in September - results and applications permitting. She's also due to have surgery on her toes in the summer. My middle belle will be going into year nine in September and will have to look at her option choices then. It's also Mr Nell and Mines 25th wedding anniversary in May. We're one of those couples that met at school, engaged at 18, married at 21 and everyone said it wouldn't last. Well, so far I haven't killed him and he hasn't killed me and we plan to go to Jersey to celebrate for a few days in May.
So, lots of excitement for this year.
For the decade itself - who knows? The last decade saw me achieve my dream of being published, I was the winner of a major award with my second book and met my lovely agents. I signed for Little Black Dress and learned so much about myself, my writing, my strengths and weaknesses. Fingers crossed that this incredible journey continues and grows over the next ten years.