Off to Italy!

Current work: PM copyediting job and still thinking about new MX outline and notes for new nonfiction

Listening to: Led Zeppelin IV

Reading: Kate Harrison's The Self-Preservation Society (this is why I have bags under my eyes this morning and need coffee – it’s too good to put down and one of her secondary characters is adorable – reminds me very much of one of the secondary characters in a project I’m sneakily working on, though didn’t inspire him as this has been on the back burner for a good 18 months… SDP, look away now: (whispers) it’s my other summer project.)

Apologies for moaning yesterday – and thank you for the support and private comments. Back to normal mood today!

Sadly, I’m not going to Italy personally – but my books are. First of all in August with Strictly Legal; it keeps its title, too - Strettamente lecito. Am v pleased. Here’s the cover (a bit small but it's all that was available). It’s also available on the shelves in the US this month, as Mistress on Trial – available in e-book form as well from eharlequin.

The Posh Docs series starts in Italy in September, with Primario e Rubacuori (Her Celebrity Surgeon) and a fab strapline: NOBILTÀ IN CORSIA Quando prestigio, fascino ed eleganza indossano un camice bianco. (And just for info, Her Honorable Playboy – the second in the trilogy – is also available in e-book form here at eharlequin.)

I’m starting to make progress on the tidying front. OK, so I got a box and put the contents of my desk (except PC and memory sticks and SD-reader and my accounts file) into it, which means I’m no longer working in a mess as long as I keep my eyes fixed on the desk itself (the whole room is in a state). But I got an offer yesterday. ‘I volunteer to help you.’ That’s a big word for a six-year-old. Do you know what it means? ‘Yes, it means I offer to do it.’ (Remember: her reading age is about 11. Smart cookie child.) Hmm. So what’s this going to cost me? (Thinking it’d be another Nintendo pony or princess game.) ‘Nothing. I love tidying. I want to help you. Can we do housework tomorrow?’ (She’s completely sincere and earnest. Bless her.)

Real plans for today: shopping for school uniform (DH measured them last night – son is still on 91st centile and daughter on 75th. Which means son will end up about 6 foot 1 and daughter about 5 foot 6 (both taller than me). There is a tall gene in my family but I didn’t inherit it: I inherited the fat gene instead. Sigh. (But I did lose 3lbs last week without trying. I’m not strictly trying now. Just not eating between meals, avoiding bread and wheat as far as possible, and trying to exercise more.)

Also have to do weekly shop (as we’re going swimming tonight) and as we’re in town I want to take a couple of shots for the book – so it’s the Cathedral and St Peter Mancroft today. I need to look up a few things in Pevsner before I talk the kids into visiting other churches, and I’m not 100% sure that St George’s Colegate is open.