blast from the past

Current work: Medical
Listening to: Corelli (am a bit of a stress puppy today)
Reading: Next on TBR

Just discovered that my very first medical romance – A Baby of Her Own – was released (? maybe that's re-released) last month in France.

I have very fond memories of that book. The excitement of my very first book launch at Ottakar’s, in November 2002, in the middle of a howling gale, just after my daughter's second birthday. The fact that I’d been so excited about the launch that I’d forgotten to do the weekly shop (ohh, the dark days before online grocery shopping – am exceptionally glad that Sainsbury’s takes that particular chore away now), so when lovely Sophie Weston (who’d come down from London to support me and was stuck because of the trains) came to stay for the night, I had to feed her fish and chips because there was nothing in the cupboards. (For someone who likes cooking and is good at it, that’s seriously shameful!)

Those were the days. And now I’m writing my 29th medical romance. My 41st M&B. Seven years later. That’s scary.

My radio inteview yesterday took place here, in one of my favourite buildings in Norwich.

This is the inside of the Forum; on the ground floor there's an excellent coffee bar, a shop that sells lots of my local history books and some gorgeous glass, and the entrance to the BBC. They often have exhibitions and farmers' markets/sales here - currently there's an art exhibition. Next floor up (top of the steps) is the actual BBC studios and the main area of the library, plus one of the best pizza places in Norwich. Next floor up (looks like louvred glass panels) is the area where I spend quite a lot of time: the local studies department.

Anyway, it was a bit of a disaster beforehand. The copy of my book hadn't turned up at BBC Suffolk, they tried to get a copy in the local bookshops but they'd all sold out (hmm - that's sort of good - and it was also in the Jarrolds bestseller chart this week) and when I went to the room we'd booked to do the interview (via ISDN line) I saw this above the door.

Yup, double-booked. But the lovely team at BBC Norfolk came to the rescue and set it up for me in one of the studios. Had a lovely chat with Lesley Dolphin and shared some of my favourite stories from the Suffolk Ghosts and Legends (the dragons at Wormingford and Orford, trial by combat for cowardice linked with Haughley Castle, and Maude Carew, murder and ghosts in Bury St Edmunds).

Plan for today: have cancelled guitar and also am not seeing Dad today (yes, it’s mean of me, but I did give up Friday for him and I need some of that time back now). Head down and working.

Am feeling a bit mournful this week (partly because of tomorrow - when I see my local best friend for the last time before she moves a good two hours away; and partly because I'm not going to the RNA conference this weekend and I'll miss seeing friends; and partly because I haven't had a good night's sleep for a week, thanks to the intense stickiness). No biscuits in the huose, which is just as well. Time to stop being a slacker, sort the kids out for school and then BICHOK.