50th party blog guest - Liz Fielding

Liz Fielding wrote my all-time favourite category romance, ‘Gentlemen Prefer Brunettes’ – I love her warm, witty voice, her brilliant dialogue, and her feather-light touch as she fills in details without you even realizing it. I have a Liz Fielding keeper shelf, and it’s got me through some seriously rough patches in my life. Liz is as lovely in person as she is in her books, and I’m really privileged to call her my friend.

Over to Liz:

It’s a real joy to be here to help Kate celebrate her 50th book. I’ve known her since she got “the call” from Mills and Boon Medical Romance and have seen her career take off as fans have discovered her warm, emotional and very sexy books.

Her work ethic is phenomenal. We celebrated her 25th book and my 50th at around the same time and now here she is with another 25 fabulous books under her belt to my ten. And that’s just her romances. She also writes non-fiction. She is, frankly, incredible and I’m delighted to be invited to the party she’s throwing — she deserves every drop of cyber champagne, every chocolate dipped strawberry, every mouthful of crème brulee, every rose. Congratulations, Kate. Here’s to the next 50!

To help her celebrate, and as my gift to her many fans, I’m offering an updated ebook edition of one of my earlier books, ELOPING WITH EMMY. It’s always been a huge favourite of mine – a classic romcom romp that was inspired by the great movie “It Happened One Night”.

Hot shot legal eagle, Tom Brodie, has been landed with an assignment to test any man to his limits - do whatever it takes to prevent headstrong heiress Emerald Carlisle from marrying a fortune-hunter. He is not happy about it, and when Emmy stows away in his car, his day goes from bad to worse, but since she's the only one who knows where to find the man in question he has no choice but take her along for the ride.

It's a bumpy one!

Emmy is not a woman to sit back and let things fall as they will. She has a plan and she keeps Brodie on his toes in a rollercoaster chase across the UK and France. He's more than up to the challenge, but falling in love with Emmy along the way is always going to end with his heart in pieces.


Emmy’s heart, already beating an adrenalin-charged tattoo as she eased herself down the drainpipe, had gone into overtime at the sudden appearance of her father. But the moment her gaze had collided with the dark-eyed stranger standing with him she had known instinctively that she had an ally. He hadn’t batted an eyelid at the sight she must have made, not given her away by so much as a twitch of an eyebrow. Instead he had quite coolly considered his options.


He could have informed her father that he appeared to have an incompetent cat burglar clinging to his drainpipe.


Or he could have ignored the situation, pretend he hadn’t seen her and hope she didn’t fall into the roses.


What the dark-eyed stranger had done was create a diversion.


That kind of swift thinking was so rare she thought. Poor Kit would have dithered and blushed and quite given the game away. He was sweet and wonderfully talented, but not in the least bit decisive which was why she had to get to him before her father’s henchman. As she searched amongst the lavender and roses for her shoes she felt a moment of regret that she wouldn’t be able to stay and thank Dark-eyes for his chivalry. Were they grey, she wondered. Or brown? Distance and the dusky light had made it impossible to tell.


Unfortunately she didn’t have time for politeness, but she was sure he would understand her need to put the maximum distance between herself and her father before he discovered her escape. If only she could find her other shoe!


She spotted it at last, half buried behind the tall lavender that edged the border, filling the air with sweet scent as she brushed against it. The roses were not so kind, snagging at her bare arms as she reached for her shoe, catching and tangling her hair with their thorns. She didn’t have time to worry about it, or take time to extricate herself carefully, and tugged herself free. The rose retaliated by whipping back and catching at her neck with its thorns. She scarcely noticed. All she knew was that it was taking far too long.


But there was no way she could make her escape barefooted. Her feet would be cut to ribbons on the gravel by the time she had sprinted around to the old coach house where her car had undoubtedly been stowed after her incarceration. She could just hear her father. “Miss Emerald has decided to stay for a few days. Put her car away will you, Saunders?” All perfectly natural. She made a rude noise as she tipped the dirt out of her shoes and slipped her feet into them.


‘Maybe you left your keys in the car, Brodie.’ Her father’s impatient voice carried through the open front door pinning her back against the wall.


‘I might have dropped them in the hall.’


Brodie. The name had a nice, solid ring to it and Brodie, bless the man, was giving her all the time he could, delaying her father, quite` unconcerned at the tetchiness in his voice. Not many men were that brave. Unfortunately his valour would be to little avail. There was no cover within a hundred feet of her exposed position and any second now she was going to be discovered and dragged ignominiously back to the nursery where she would probably be put on a diet of bread and water. Not that she cared about that. But poor Kit...


Of course, she could always throw herself on Brodie’s mercy. In fact the thought of flinging herself into his arms had a definite appeal. She hadn’t been mistaken about the shoulders, or his height. And his character spoke for itself.


But no. He had already done more than enough. To demand he choose between her and her father was more than could be expected of any knight errant. But she was hanged if she was going to give in without a fight. She had mere seconds in which to act before the two men appeared on the steps and she was discovered. She didn’t waste it, flinging herself at the BMW, praying that it wasn’t locked. Her guardian angel must have been listening because the rear door opened to her touch and she dived in, pulling it shut behind her with heartfelt thanks for the superb German engineering that ensured it closed with scarcely a sound.


She didn’t know where her knight errant was going, but at least he was going somewhere. Away from her father, away from Lower Honeybourne. She would throw herself on his mercy and borrow his mobile. It would only take a call to bring some gallant racing to her aid. Meanwhile, she tucked herself down behind the front seats and congratulated herself on her luck.

To have your name in the draw, tell me where you’d elope to if the world was your oyster and who you’d elope with. We’ll take your dh as read – this is fantasy so be as outrageous as you like!


You can catch up with Liz Fielding’s books on her website http://www.lizfielding.com/, follow her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/liz.fielding and Twitter at @lizfielding

Lovely review, puppies and congrats

Current work: fic and nonfic
Listening to: Bach
Reading: various research stuff

Am on screaming deadline and there’s some stressy real-life stuff going on (to do with Dad, so not blogging about it: just take it as read that he’s having a bad patch and it’s pretty upsetting), so forgive me for being slack on the blog front.

First up, lovely review from cataromance for The Children’s Doctor’s Special Proposal. See the full review here, but I’m going to share the trumpet-blowing stuff (hey, that’s what authors are supposed to do – it’s called PR, even though to this particular Brit it feels like showing off – and besides, I need a bit of anti-crow material today):

Kate Hardy never ceases to amaze me! She is amazingly prolific and consistently delivers enchanting and engrossing romantic novels that never fail to make me laugh and cry. In The Children Doctor’s Special Proposal, she has created two wonderful characters – strong, smart and adorable Katrina who is simply inspirational and gorgeous Rhys, a thoroughly believable and well-rounded hero every woman would just love to love. The Children Doctor’s Special Proposal is a sensitively written, intensely moving and wonderfully captivating Medical Romance from a writer who is simply superb: Kate Hardy!

Thank you, Julie Bonello, for putting a smile on my face on what’s been a bit of a tough week.

Secondly, I have puppy envy. Go and see my mate Pat’s new addition to her family here.

And thirdly, because I’m trying very hard to do the glass half-full bit, let me share with you the tale of a dopey author. I have caller ID on my phone. When I see ‘international’, I think ‘call centre being irritating’ or ‘ah... possible scam that will give me a big phone bill’. So last night, the phone rang. Caller ID said international. Only after I’d ignored it did it hit me: the RITA phone calls are going out at the moment. Had I just ignored a call that would’ve been a really, really nice call to take?

Well, here I am 12 hours later with no return phone call, so I’m guessing my original thoughts were correct. I probably got completely the wrong day for RITA calls (I can’t get my head around time differences, and it’s worse when I’m talking to my author mates in Aussie and the US at the same time and it’s a different day for both of them.) But it was nice to think, for just a few minutes, that I might be a star.

However, I do know someone who is a star and has just been shortlisted for the CRW Award of Excellence, so do go and congratulate lovely Liz Fielding.

conference, part 1 (Friday)

Current work: nonfic /MH duo book 2, chapter 1
Listening to: Bach
Reading: Sharon Penman, The Sunne in Splendour

Back from Chichester, where I had a fabulous time. Thanks to lovely Jan Jones for organising such a wonderful event. I feel really energised, full of ideas, and raring to go - but I must admit that right now I'm also completely knackered after a weekend of way too much talking and very little sleep! I think the best thing about any conference like this is the chance to meet up with old friends, and also the chance to make new ones. Right from the start, there was a real buzz about the conference. (And it’s nice to know that authorial paranoia isn’t peculiar to me… and that others have it even worse than I do.)

I did write really detailed posts every night, while I was away... but then the SD card in my PDA decided to corrupt and I lost the lot. So this is a reconstruction from two days ago: apologies for anything missing!

The journey down took me about 4 1/2 hours. I was dreading the bridge; there was a huge queue and I had to drive really slowly across it, but my attention was pretty much taken up with making sure my car didn’t get squished by maniac male drivers wanting to push into the queue, so I didn't have time to stress about where I was. Hmm. Let’s just say I'm very glad I don't have to drive on the M25 all the time. However, the weather was on my side and the scenery was incredibly pretty - especially around Arundel Castle - so I’ve suggested to DH that we should go to Sussex next summer because it looks like a wonderful area to explore.

This was the block where I was staying (my window is middle floor, right hand side of the cream bit - I know this because I leaned out of said window to bellow hello to Julie Cohen the following evening):



It had this rather unusual atrium in the middle of each landing - imagine a four-sided pyramid with convex mesh sides. Course, Nerdy Kate I-love-architecture Hardy had to do the arty pic from the ground floor...



This was my room. Much swisher (and larger) than my own room as a student!



Though I’d stupidly forgotten to pack my pillow (lovely Fiona Harper and I really did have 'pillow talk', i.e. a conversation in the bar about the best pillows - she, being younger than I am and with a better memory, brought hers), and I’d also forgotten just how lumpy and narrow student beds are. Add the electricity meter with a really fierce red light on it on the wall right at the foot of my bed (so it glared at me all night, even when I put sticky notes over it to try blocking the light), and this is why Princess Kate didn't get a great deal of sleep…

Anyway. The conference began with a welcome by Sara Craven, the RNA vice chair, in this stunning conference room - the chapel. This doesn't do justice to the glass.

Then Jan gave the conference notices:

plus celebrations and milestones, and it was really lovely to be able to celebrate shortlistings and first sales. Then it was time for the panel: Nicola Cornick, Kate Harrison, Anna Jacobs, Kate Johnson, and me.
(LTR Sara Craven, me, Anna Jacobs.)

We were talking about what romantic fiction is, and we all started by introducing ourselves and the explaining what we write and why we chose that genre. Then it was time for questions. I can remember some of the questions and my answers, but I apologise for not remembering everyone else's!

First of all, what is my favourite book in my genre? I don't think my answer would surprise anybody who knows me. It's Liz Fielding's “Gentlemen Prefer… Brunettes”, which I think is the perfect category romance. The characterisation and dialogue are wonderful, the hero is someone you want to marry, the heroine is someone you want to be your best friend, and it has a wonderful feelgood happy ending. The and because I write as two people, I cheated and chose a second with my historian hat on: Diana Norman's “The Vizard Mask”, which again has wonderful characterisation, a hero to die for, and fantastic background.

If the current hero who in my work in progress came to life and beckoned me, would I? Well, what can I say?

Course I would!!! My husband is my research assistant, so he’s the hero in my head whenever I write certain scenes. (You think this is bad? Believe me, some of the discussions over the weekend were MUCH … Oh, use your imaginations. I’m not telling. Just be aware that there is an equation: romantic novelists + wine = outrageous conversation.)

And what do I think romantic fiction is? I think it's about the journey. It's a short book, starting with the attraction, a conflict which keeps the hero and heroine parts, resolution, and the each the day.

There were other questions but from this sleep-deprived side of the weekend (the caffeine hasn’t kicked in yet) I can’t remember them. Sorry. Blame my SD card.

Then it was back to the kitchen in my house with Nicola Cornick, Sarah Morgan and editor Kim Young for a cup of tea (what was I saying about outrageous conversations? I should also mention my stomach hurts from laughing too much), followed by a glass of wine in the bar.


(That is indeed a half pint glass of wine - student bar, remember? - and my great friend Kate Walker NEVER OPENS HER EYES FOR PHOTOGRAPHS. Bad Kate. And I mean her, not me.)

Then dinner (what, Kate Hardy not describing the food? Yeah, there’s a reason for that – let’s just say the Wii said I lost 2lb when I stood on it today, though that is a Very Good Thing), another drink (mineral water, because I’m such a lightweight nowadays), and then the travelling hit me and I thought I’d go to bed at 11. Though it took me ages to drop off (it really didn't help that I had some fantastic books in my goodie bag, and shh, don't tell DH, but I bought the few at the book stall as well) and I was wide awake at four. Wrote a paragraph or two of the Modern Heat. (Eaten by the SD card, sob.)

But I think this post is long enough for now. I'll tell you all about Saturday tomorrow.

and more good news

Current work: new outlines/nonfiction
Listening to: Sheryl Crow

I had some great news yesterday. Simply the best. From the school admissions body. Madam is indeed going to the school she wants to go to in September. I am relieved for lots of reasons. It’s sensible for her to go to the school where her brother is now (despite the fact we’re out of the catchment area) because she’ll be with her friends, she knows the school and teachers through her brother, and there’s this little thing called ‘continuity’. And, had she been forced to go to the local junior school, I would’ve had to be in two places, four miles apart, at the exactly the same time. Now, I know I behave as if I’m superwoman and I can do absolutely anything, but that one’s not physically possible... So major cheering from our house.

Also did a nice chunk of the book and had another nice email conversation with my editor. (I have something brewing nicely, so I need to do a proper outline today for the Modern Heat duo and the other four books on the contract are simply ‘books’…) It’s so good to be back on track and know what I’m doing.

And I had a lovely review for The Doctor’s Royal Love Child from Cataromance:

Melinda Fortesque’s life is coming up roses: she loves her job as a country vet in the picturesque Cornish seaside town of Penhally Bay, she has got some
great friends, and she has found the love of her life in the gorgeous Serbo-Croation doctor Dragan Lovak. But Melinda has got a secret. A devastating secret that could ruin her new found happiness: she’s Princess Melinda of Contarini!

Melinda knows that she should tell Dragan the truth. But, just when she’s about to let him know, Dragan drops a bombshell of his own: he wants her to marry him. Melinda accepts, even though she is well aware that when she tells him the truth about her identity, he will hit the roof!

Having escaped from his homeland after the war had killed all of his family, Dragan came to England and through his blood, sweat and tears, managed to carve out a career and a life for himself in Penhally Bay. Since the death of his family, he vowed that he would never let anyone get close to him ever again – but when Melinda showed up in the Bay, the doctor’s fragmented heart began to heal and he found himself falling passionately in love with the country vet.

When Melinda’s brother dies and she has to rush home, she vows to tell Dragan the truth about her life when she returns to Penhally. But the paparazzi have beaten her to it and Dragan is left to realize that the woman he loves has lied to him. Dragan cannot believe that Melinda kept something like this from him – and that a refugee like himself could possibly ever marry a princess!

On her return to Penhally, Dragan informs her that their relationship is over. But Melinda has got some news of her own: she’s pregnant with his baby!

You can always count on award-winning author Kate Hardy to write a heartwarming romance that will tug at your heartstrings and make you cry buckets and in The Doctor’s Royal Love Child, she has once again penned a moving romantic tale of secrets, second chances and new beginnings that you will want to read again and again.

If you’re in the mood for a page-turning romance with plenty of heart, then pick up The Doctor’s Royal Love Child and experience the magic of multi-talented storyteller Kate Hardy!

Thank you, Julie Bonello, for making my day. I loved writing this book, and it’s so nice to hear when people enjoy reading it.

Remember, I'm celebrating Liz Fielding's 50th book over at her blog. There's a chance to win books. Go over and join in the fun!

I'm also celebrating with another special friend who has a book out - Kate Walker, with her 12-point guide to writing romance. Another chance to win books...

in celebration

Current work: new outlines/nonfiction
Listening to: Kathryn Williams and Neill MacColl

Today I’m celebrating a special milestone with someone who's even more special.

This is my dear friend Liz Fielding (with the Betty Neels rosebowl - she was the winner of the RNA Romance Prize in 2005 with A Family Of His Own).

She writes the most fabulous books. The kind that put a smile on your face and make the world bright and shiny. She might make you cry, she'll definitely make you laugh, and I guarantee you'll be feeling wonderful after reading a Liz Fielding novel.

Why am I celebrating with her right now? Because her 50th M&B title is on the shelves.

The Bride's Baby is vintage Liz Fielding. Fabulous heroine, fabulous hero, a plot that works really well, some absolute sucker-punch moments, and an ending I wish I'd thought of first because it's brilliant. (And watch out for the shoes!)

Do go over to her blog, where I'm celebrating with her and offering the chance to win a couple of books.

Congratulations, Liz. And may you write many, many more.

humbling and very, very heartwarming

Am I down from cloud nine yet?

Er… no!

I’ve been stunned by the amount of texts, phone calls, blog messages and emails I’ve received from people wishing me well and congratulating me. Thank you. Thank you all SO much. And to hear from people that they liked my book – and detailing why, so even the crows accept people mean it and are not just being kind – I’m really humbled. And heartwarmed. (That isn’t a proper word, I know. I’m, um, still in ‘dog with six tails’ mode so my vocabulary has deserted me). And I’m so very, very happy right now.

I have to keep looking at the rosebowl and just checking that it IS my name engraved there and I’m not dreaming it all.

But it’s there. (And in such company, too. It doesn’t seem possible, but my name is on the same trophy as my all-time favourite romance author – the person who’s written four out of my five favourite M&Bs. The person whose books I read when life is horrible and I want some sunshine. And she’s one of the loveliest people I know, too. I don't have to spell out that her first initial is L, do I?)

On the top of the bowl is engraved the name of the most popular Medical Romance author ever, Betty Neels, after whom the award is named. (That’s my other line - Medical romance. And I’ve been privileged to be paired with Betty Neels in French editions. And the reflection of the sheet of paper on the rosebowl? Yup, unprofessional, but I discovered that a light background shows the engraving better than a dark one.)

Just… wow.

(I’m not taking the pics to boast, by the way. The kids want to show their friends in class during ‘show and tell’ and they know they can’t take the actual rosebowl to school, so they’ve both asked for a pic. I took said pic today because a) it was quiet and b) I have the concentration span of a gnat right now and I’m too excited to write.)

And more pics from yesterday: me with lovely, lovely Jan Jones;


Me with Anna, Janet and Julie.

And (with thanks to my mate Fiona Harper, whose husband took this shot) the authors and eds on the stairs during the photoshoot before the do (the photographer was lovely and made us all laugh - superb at his job). Left to right: Fiona Harper, Lucy Gordon, Jo Carr, Maddie (oh rats, forgotten her surname, but she's lovely and one of her former authors will remind me, yes, Kate W or Michelle?); middle, Kim Young, Liz Fielding, Bryony Green, Julie Cohen (check out the glam silver shoes); me; Sheila Hodgson

competition(s): winner and more chances to win!

Thanks to everyone who left comments last week. Winner of the competition to win a signed copy of One Night, One Baby is J Squires. Please email me your snailmail address (to kate(dot)hardy(at)btinternet(dot)com – replacing the stuff in brackets with a dot and an @ symbol – sorry to make it complicated, but I’ve learned the hard way that if you put your email address in as a link, the spam merchants rub their hands together and deluge you!).

To find out who won a copy of The Doctor’s Very Special Christmas at the Medical Romance Authors’ joint blog, go take a look (sorry, I am such a tease)… and while you’re there you get the chance to win a copy of Fiona Lowe’s fabulous Vietnam book.

There’s also a Christmas Stocking competition over at Kate Walker’s blog (win lots and lots of excellent books, including a signed copy of One Night, One Baby), and at Liz Fielding’s blog she’s doing daily giveaways from her backlist – she writes the most beautiful books (and I allowed myself a bit of her new Sheik book last night – what a treat).

(And if you don't win, One Night, One Baby and The Doctor's Very Special Christmas are both available on the Mills & Boon website. As is Liz's excellent Sheik book.)

Instant Seduction

All righty – today’s post is a bit different because there’s this fabby new competition going on (as well as the one here and the one at the Medical Romance Authors’ joint blog and the one at Liz Fielding’s blog (go go go – she’s offering BACKLIST books, and her books are the ones I read when I’m having a bad day and I need some sunshine – oh, and there’s a seriously gorgeous man on her blog today, not that I'm shallow or anything) and the one at Kate Walker’s blog (and yes I’m involved and yes I owe her details and… oh, look, just think of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland, OK?).

So today I'd like to bring your attention to I ♥ Presents.

Here’s what you need to know (and the tutorials are very good, btw - am not just saying that because my books are included as part of the 12. The other thing you need for this is Kate Walker's 12-point guide because it's practical, no-nonsense and won't scare the pants off you like Donald Maass does to me):

INSTANT SEDUCTION

A brand new writing competition from the world’s best-selling romance series is about to hit the blogosphere!

It’s an exciting time for Harlequin Presents: from January 2008, there will be 12 of our intensely passionate romances available every month. And with this increase of titles comes a great opportunity for aspiring authors – we will be looking to buy more books for publication!

The old saying goes that first impressions are lasting impressions – and when it comes to reading a Harlequin Presents, that certainly holds true. If the first chapter doesn’t immediately grip the reader with its pace, passion and intensity, then she won’t continue to turn the pages.

So Presents is inviting unpublished writers to show us how they can grab the attention of our readership with first chapters that really sizzle. The INSTANT SEDUCTION competition offers prizes that are chances of a lifetime for the lucky winner and runners-up:
*First prize – win yourself an editor for a year!
*Two runners-up will be given editorial critiques of their first chapter entries and also a personal telephone consultation about their writing!

Visit the Iheartpresents.com blogsite for full details of the competition – and the chance to prepare for publication with an exclusive series of writing tutorials prepared by the editorial team at Harlequin Presents, including advice on First Chapters, How to Write a Synopsis, Loving the Alpha Male and Generating Emotional Conflict.

Entries for the competition will be accepted as on-line submissions only from 1st January until 14th February 2008.

Entries should comprise of the first chapter and a synopsis of a previously unpublished/unsubmitted novel aimed at Harlequin Presents.

Address for entries: instantseduction@hmb.co.uk

a quick bit from Kate (and a book recommendation)

Yesterday, I thought it was going to be guitar and then doing some copyediting… but madam’s tummy-ache was worse. So I thought I’d better take her to the GP, just to be safe: is nothing to worry about (GP is v good with her) and she’s going back to school today. Hope I can reschedule my lesson for another day this week. Was feeling a bit out of sorts yesterday (my sleep’s a bit all over the place) so went to bed earlyish with a book. Stupidly thought I could read ‘just a bit’ – I should know better than to do that with a Liz Fielding book! Her August release Reunited: Marriage in a Million is fabulous. Really, really emotional (had me in tears) and I can’t wait to read the other two in the trilogy, from Jackie Braun and Barbara Hannay. As usual, it has a lot of her great humour – but it’s also pretty deep. In some respects, her hero’s conflict rings bells with my heroine’s issues in my current med (great minds think alike –I’d planned this out long before I read Liz’s book) but blimey, I really WASN’T expecting the twist in the plot. I really ached for him. The heroine’s just gorgeous – the kind you’d want to be your friend or your sister.

Liz is having a bit of a party on her blog at the moment, celebrating the RITA Traditional finalists, so do go over and say hello as she has some fabulous people taking part!

And Kate Walker's 50th blog party is still going on, too...

June 27 - Kate’s 25th party, first three winners

We have winners from my initial post and my first two guests!
Please can the following email me with their snailmail details so their prizes can be posted to them?
Katie S - a copy of Breakfast at Giovanni’s
Cheryl S – a copy of Amy Andrews’ Single Dad, Outback Wife – and she’s also sending you a copy of Mothers-to-Be! (I still have major cover envy. I want a spaniel on my cover. I have a great cover model, provided the pose can be an undignified 'I want my tummy rubbed' one...)
Maureen – a copy of Liz Fielding’s Reunited: Marriage in a Million

Many thanks

Kate

(and please keep coming back – I have lots more guests over the next three weeks!)

Kate’s 25th party, guest blogger #2 – Liz Fielding

Today’s guest is one of my favourite people in real life – and she’s also the person whose books I turn to when I’m having a really, REALLY bad day because the warmth of her characters and the cracking dialogue always manage to make me smile again. She’s written several of my all-time favourite M&Bs, including Gentlemen Prefer Brunettes (I admit I shamelessly begged a copy), The Marriage Miracle and The Sheik’s Guarded Heart. I also enjoy reading her blog. So I’m delighted to welcome Liz Fielding as a guest blogger. Especially as she, ahem, had a hand in inspiring the hero by telling me all about this incredible Italian chef…


I can hardly believe that we’re celebrating the 25th Kate Hardy book, Breakfast at Giovanni’s and, having read it, I’m ready to tell you that, with Giovanni inspired by the fabulous Georgio Locatelli, this is a book that is definitely worth celebrating. It’s positively overflowing with gorgeous Italian men, fabulous Italian food. And the sexiest of romances.


It seems no time at all since I first met her, a bundle of nerves – can that possibly be right? – at her first AMBA lunch back in 2002. Actually, come to think of it, it is no time at all. How does she do it?


Math was never my favourite subject but even I can work out that she’s written five books a year, every year – as well as tackling a host of other projects – so, paraphrasing the lady in the delicatessen in When Harry Met Sally ... Can I have whatever she’s on, please!


Kate’s swift success comes as no surprise, though. From the beginning it was obvious that she had what Grace Green once described to me as “the tender touch”. Her characters have heart. They’re people you want to spend time with, people you’re rooting for from the word go. Those are the qualities I look for a in a writer, make her an auto-buy, bring me back again and again.


As I keep telling her, she should be writing “Romance”, but between Medical, Modern Extra and her non-fiction work, when would she ever have time?


I salute you, Kate, on this very special milestone, and wish you many, many more.


[Edit from Kate: thank you, Liz. Am blushing hugely now!]

GIVEAWAY: And for your wonderful readers, I’ve got an advance copy of my latest “Romance”, REUNITED: MARRIAGE IN A MILLION so that they can read it a full month before it hits the bookshelves in August.


GIVEAWAY QUESTION: What makes an author an autobuy for you?