bad puppy and exciting stuff

Current work: nonfic
Listening to: Medieval Baebes
Reading: Sharon Penman, The Sunne in Splendour (gory in places but am enjoying it, especially as she’s unashamedly pro-Yorkist *g*)

I cracked. Bad me. I just realised Kate Harrison’s new book is out… and I thoroughly enjoy her work (sharp writing, rounded characterisation). And I did promise Madam some more Jane Blonde books, as she’s just started #2 and this means she’ll be looking for #3 in a day or two. (Recommended by the brilliant children’s section Waterstone’s, Castle Street, Norwich. And they were spot on. The difference a good bookseller can make…)

While I was there, I picked up a teensy bit of research material. And… This is a hangover from the book before last, where my doctor hero plays the cello. I discovered Boris Bagger and Martin Ostertag’s gorgeous version of Chopin’s Nocturne in E flat (Op 9, no 2) on YouTube – cello and guitar. Even though I’m listening mainly to 15th-century stuff at the moment (research), this is beautiful and I needed to add it to my collection.



Am still feeling lousy. On Friday, the cough was atrocious and I actually considered going by train to the RNA conference on Friday. However, that would mean:

• Calling in a favour from a friend at school so she’d see Madam in for me (which she would – but it also means Madam not going clingy on me. Chances of that happening = very low, because even though she’s a Daddy’s girl she’s a bit, um, possessive of me as well);
• Trusting that I can get a ticket so I’m facing the direction of travel (if I sit with my back to the engine, especially if it’s hot, I will go very green around the gills);
• Trusting that there will be no delays, especially as I have to…
• … change trains at least twice each way (four times on the way home) – not to mention getting taxis from home-station, station-conference, conference-station, station-home. And that isn’t good because I will have to…
• … lug lots of stuff about (including a very heavy bag of books needed for my talk);
• And, the clincher – home journey involves a bus trip between London and Colchester. I don’t take buses, for the same reason that I don’t sit with my back to the engine.

So I’m sticking to Plan A and driving. (My sister and stepmum both think the infamous cough is stress-related. Even Dad noticed it. And no, I’m not blogging about why this weekend was fairly stressful, out of respect to him – all I will say is that Parkinson’s is a lot more than just a tremor.)

Madam had a major wobbly lip after Dr Who on Saturday. ‘Whoever wrote that was really nasty. David Tennant has to keep being Dr Who. He has a REALLY NICE SMILE.’ Hmm. And I’m away next Saturday so I’ll miss it.

Oh, and the exciting stuff?

• I’m still in the bestseller list with Heroes, Villains and Victims of Norwich (yippee);
• my lovely M&B Modern Heat stablemate Robyn Grady emailed me to let me know that One Night, One Baby was in the e-harlequin top ten bestselling e-books (this changes minute by minute so I might not be there now, but I was there all weekend);
• and I had a great interview with lovely Maggie Secker at BBC Radio Norfolk on Sunday (thanks, Maggie).