Hold the Front Page…

Current work: Med duo 2/nonfiction
Listening to: Bryan Adams
Reading: about to pick something from my TBR shelf

So there I was, sneaking in some work yesterday morning. Phone rings. Is gorgeous husband. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were going to be on the front page?’ Eh? Which front page would that be? ‘EDP. You’re on the front page.’ Me? On the front page? ‘A picture of you on a big banner for 100 years of romance. And a double page spread inside.’ Oh-h-h. (Sinks in. Is my interview from the other week. And I’m on the front page? Squeak a bit. Then remember interview. Um. Read it yet?) DH gives pained sigh. ‘No, but I’ve had emails about my lovely blue eyes…’ I stand by my words. He is gorgeous. And my idea of the perfect hero. (Am digging self into hole, here. But DH agrees to pick up copies on way home so I can send cutting to my lovely agent, editor, RNA press officer and M&B’s PR agency.)

Mobile phone beeps. Is my cousin (bridegroom) on behalf of wedding party. They’re having breakfast and have all seen the paper. ‘You’re on the front page! Nice interview.’ (Little happy wiggle from me. Text back.)

I’m on the front page. Wow. Admittedly as a trailer for a story but it’s still the FRONT PAGE. Of the biggest-selling local paper in the UK. How cool is that?

Anyway, it was a lovely interview (thanks to Emma Lee for giving romance novels (and me) such a fab write-up). I was also delighted to see a tribute to Anne Weale in the same section – she wrote for the EDP way back when, and I can remember reading and enjoying her romances on the beach at Wells-next-the-Sea as a teenager. She’s very much missed in the romance community.

Kids took a look and brought me back down to earth. Son: ‘That has to be an old pic. Your desk hasn’t been that tidy for AGES. There’s loads of junk on it.’ (He vanished when I suggested helping me tidy it…)

Also on the front page was a story about the closure of rural post offices in Norfolk. Sorry, I need to have a rant here. Last year, officials said that 40 or so would go. They’re actually planning to cut 70. There is apparently a six-week public consultation, and I for one will be registering my protest. In rural areas, post offices are a lifeline and it’s more than about just economics. Yes, I can see that if they’re not making money, something has to give – but there needs to be some kind of alternative. It’s about the heart of community life, about giving access to the elderly and vulnerable who do not have transport (and that’s another big issue – in rural areas, there just isn’t a network of railways and buses and tube stations. It’s car or nothing). When will this government start to think of the needs of the non-London, non-urban population?