catchup

Current work: Harlequin Romance (aka M&B #57)
Listening to: Beethoven
Reading: Liz Fielding, Anything But Vanilla (fantastic); Susanna Kearsley, Mariana (enjoying)

Many apologies – what happened to the last three weeks? Basically, I’ve been up against a deadline with a book that did NOT want to be written. The whole thing was like struggling through treacle. I’m very relieved that it’s with my editor now. In the meantime, I’m playing with my new book while I’m waiting for what I think will be mammoth revisions.

Other than that… I’ve discovered scallops. How, how, HOW can a foodie have never eaten scallops before? Littlest and I really like them with lime and chilli :o)

The weight loss is progressing nicely (touches wood to avoid jinxing that). Whether the 5:2 diet has kickstarted my metabolism, or whether eating that way is the equivalent of interval training in fitness (i.e. quickest way to see big improvements), I don’t know, but I’m very grateful that it’s working. In the last month I’ve lost almost 7lbs; given that it took me four and a half months to lose 10lbs last year, and then the scales stuck fast, I’m delighted! I’m still interested to hear what the endocrinologist has to say, next month.

I’ve been doing a bit of reading, and watching some films to refill the well (some have been, ahem, better than others – but even the ones that didn’t hit the spot were useful because it taught me to watch out for things in my own work).

What’s new with you? What have you been reading/watching?

March already?

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: Beethoven
Reading: Hilary Boyd, Thursdays in the Park

How did it get to be March already? Sorry. I have been atrocious about blogging and Must Try Harder. So what’s been going on at Planet Kate?

Well – the blood test results came back and they weren’t what the doctor or I was expecting, so it’s off to see the endocrinologist next month to see if they can work out what we’ve missed. And in the meantime, as my blood sugar appears to be stable, I’m trying the 5:2 diet. Last week, I lost 1.5 lbs – and as that’s the first weight I’ve lost since October (despite eating sensibly and exercising), I’m very pleased.

Apart from that, I’ve been struggling a bit with the book. Fingers crossed, it appears to be working now (and I do hope I haven’t just jinxed myself by saying that!). I think part of it is that I’ve been stressing about the health issues and it’s got in the way of my ability to think straight. Dew yew keep on a-troshin’, as they’d say in my part of the world. (Translation from the dialect: keep plodding on.)

I’m over at the Pink Heart Society today with a recipe – one that might be nice for anyone doing the 5:2, but with a couple of tweaks will also suit anyone who isn’t :o)

Oh - last thing - in the UK, it's publication week. So my ballroom dancing book is out in the shops now!

Half term

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: nothing – everyone’s home so I have sound out to let me concentrate
Reading: next on TBR

One armful of blood later, I am back at my desk (deadline, deadline, deadline). DH is playing the guitar in the living room with dog as adoring audience. Daughter is doing her geography homework in the kitchen. Son is doing the teenage boy thing and not emerging from bed on the grounds that he desperately needs sleep. (DH isn't aware of this yet but as he's off this week I'd like him to take over from me on the nagging front - homework and working out a revision timetable for GCSEs.)

I really need to concentrate on the book and not stress about the blood tests, especially as I'm pretty sure they're simply going to confirm what the GP and I already think. Though it is a relief to know that it's not totally my fault I'm horribly overweight - I am eating all the right things, I'm doing the right kind and amount of exercise, but my endocrine system is having an almighty hissy fit and refusing to play ball. I did ask if I could do 5:2 and she said no - I need to eat little and often, keep the sugar as low as possible, and balance low-GL carbs with lean protein. So. Deep breath, get on with the week, and try not to think too much!

The perfect Valentine...

Lovely DH bought me a card and choccies (though the card and sentiment were obviously the most important).

And then I had lovely news. Yesterday and today, The Brooding Doc's Redemption was in the eHarlequin bestseller list. (Thank you, lovely readers!)

And today, I discovered that I've won the Cataromance Reviewers' Choice award for Dr Cinderella's Midnight Fling. (Thank you, Cataromance!)

And I'm part of a new joint blog with some of my favourite authors - do go over and say hello to us at http://www.chocolateboxwriters.com, because there are lots of door prizes. And, y'know, given the name of our site, you have an idea of what some of those prizes might be...

Happy Valentine's Day!

dancing, cake and Vienna, oh my!

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: Beethoven
Reading: next on TBR

Had a wonderful birthday – spoiled by DH and the children, serenaded while I was making breakfast (by daughter, on the guitar), and then a really nice dinner out. Now, I wasn’t going to crash the diet, so I split my starter with my daughter (crab cake), had a very low-calorie grilled lobster salad for my main course

(sorry for the rubbish quality of the pic, but DH hates me taking pictures of food, so I had to sneak it on my iPod rather than take it on my proper camera), and crème brulee for pud - so I got to have everything I wanted, without wrecking my hard work on the sensible eating/exercise front. Scrumptious. Oh, and the coffee was proper Italian coffee. Cue blissful sigh.

Back on deadline today. But I am over at the Harlequin Romance Authors' blog, telling the truth about dancing, cake and Vienna (aka the story behind my new book) if you want to go and take a look at the pics and leave a comment :)

da da daaa-da da daaaa

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: Beethoven
Reading: next on TBR

Gone mad? Nooo. Is a tune. Sung once a year (unless of course you have an official birthday or, like me, spread it out and do lots of little celebrations instead). And it was played to me on the guitar when I was making breakfast this morning, thanks to littlest.

Am having a nice day (though for once am actually working on my birthday because I have been stressing about some health issues and it’s put me behind on my deadline). Started with a great workout at the gym (boxing! Immense fun), and then a recommendation for a restaurant – and when I looked at the menu online, it has my name written all over it. (Lobster. Crème brulee. Oh, yes, please.) Lots of things that DH and the kids will like, too, so I think we’ll give it a try.

Other than that, am working… but I will try to be a better blogger. I will.

Publication day!

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: George Harrison/Swedish House Mafia at the gym (yeah, my playlist is a bit diverse - also has Nickelback, The Calling, Keith Urban and McFly, among others)
Reading: Eowyn Ivey, The Snow Child (enjoying); Elizabeth Speller, The Return of Captain John Emmett (also enjoying); Dr Rob Lustig, Fat Chance (very interesting) (living room Kindle read, bedside table and kitchen read respectively)

Publication day today!

The Brooding Doc’s Redemption is out in the UK and US today; Ballroom to Bride and Groom (my very first Harlequin Romance/Cherish) is out in the US, but it’s in the hops next month in the UK (or from today on the M&B website, if you really can’t wait).

Righty – that’s me back to work. Have a nice weekend! :o)

Book 55 sold!

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: George Harrison/The Calling at the gym
Reading: Eowyn Ivey, The Snow Child (enjoying) and Elizabeth Speller, The Return of Captain John Emmett (also enjoying) (former is my living room Kindle read and the other is bedside table!)

Thrilled to say that book 55 has gone through. Bound by a Baby will be out as a Harlequin Romance in the US in Sept 2013. (UK hardback is Sept but we don't have a paperback date yet.)

Busy day today with parents' evening tonight as well - and you know you've pushed it at the gym when you walk into the changing room afterwards and everyone looks at you and says, 'Wow, we can see you just had a really good workout.' I might've been a bit sweaty this morning... ;) Can recommend George Harrison for the cross-trainer. Kept me going nicely! Had a tough workout yesterday (running, then the stability ball with weights – that one was outside my comfort zone and I was very proud of myself afterwards, though I was sore this morning and really had to stretch).

What with Shakespeare at the weekend (with son and my BFF) and dinner out afterwards (with DH and daughter joining us), I think I’m on a roll this week…

grumpy grump grump

Current work: Medical Romance (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: not at the moment (another reason for grumpiness)
Reading: Rowan Coleman, Dearest Rose (finished and enjoyed, put a real lump in my throat); Sarah Tranter, No Such Thing as Immortality (nice debut); Allison Leigh, Courtney’s Baby Plan (enjoyed); Sarah Mayberry, One Good Reason (utterly fantastic – really emotional read); Lilian Darcy, The Mummy Miracle (enjoyed – excellent execution of an amnesia book); Robin McKinley, Sunshine (enjoyed very much and it’s a shame that she’s not going to write a sequel)

Well, the white stuff has caused utter chaos here. I’ve only set foot outside twice since Tuesday (Thursday, when we walked up to our hairdresser’s; and Saturday, when we picked up Madam’s replacement school sports shirt and did a little shopping – and yes, this did involve a taxi). Cancelled guitar on Tuesday (just as well, as Kett’s Hill was closed for being impassable and Norwich was in gridlock, so I wouldn’t have got home – NB, anyone who thinks that Norfolk is ‘very flat’ has been deeply misled by supercilious Noel Coward. It isn’t). School has been closed all week. My talk was rescheduled. Dance class was cancelled. Sainsbury’s cancelled my grocery delivery on Wednesday (but thankfully they did turn up when I rescheduled it for Friday). Son’s school trip to London was cancelled.

Disruption, disruption, and more disruption.

Yes, we had lovely, pretty wildlife in the back garden (aka two very handsome cock pheasants).

But.

I would really like life back to normal, please. It’s been nice having the kids home, and I’ve enjoyed watching films with them (cough, and lots of Friends reruns – I have no idea why I didn’t catch it first time round, but I’ve really enjoyed the humour) and reading, but I need my routine back.

Yesterday looked really hopeful. It started to melt. But then it started snowing at 3pm. Fine stuff, so I wasn’t that worried… except it didn’t stop, and the roads are awful again this morning. DH went bossy on me and said not to risk it on the roads because they’re worse than they were last Wednesday morning. Rang school to report absence; littlest in particular is going to be very upset about not having a 100% attendance record, but we’re just not taking the risk (especially as son has exams this week). Rang gym to cancel today’s session – weep – and apparently not all the staff can get in, so I feel a bit less of a useless wuss. Tomorrow’s car service – well, I’ll talk to the garage later today and see how things are in the city centre. Provided we get no more of the white stuff, it should be doable.

Dear snow. You were nice for about 5 seconds. But please can you GO AWAY NOW?

I hate snow

Current work: revisions to HQ Rom/Cherish (aka M&B #55)
Listening to: Corelli (only thing to calm me down in snow)
Reading: Rowan Coleman, Dearest Rose (excellent so far)

Sooo… Paper revisions done; now to finish typing them up (and I might have to do some trimming!).

We got about three inches of snow last night (which looked very pretty, especially with the orange sky – sadly I couldn’t persuade the camera to take a decent low-light shot). But the roads were vile this morning. Now, I am totally wussy about driving in snow because I had a rough experience on the hill some years back (the one where I fishtailed down it, completely out of control, and hit the kerb several timesl then discovered six months later that I’d been driving two small kids around in a dangerous car as a result of said sideswipes – not the kind of thing a writer with an overactive imagination needs to know), but I managed it today. Have to confess that I swore all the way (today’s word of choice was f*ckwit – for the drivers who made life harder for the rest of us with selfish, inconsiderate behaviour), and it took three times longer than usual, but… I did it.

I was pathetically grateful that the person who usually parks near the junction at the bottom of the hill decided to be sensible and kind last night and park elsewhere, so getting to the junction was safe. Was also grateful that the man in the white van behind me didn’t live up to the stereotype and kept a sensible distance between us; although the road had been gritted, it was nasty to drive on because it had thawed slightly and then frozen again (temperature dropped 3 degrees between DH leaving for work and me taking the kids on the school run).

Cancelled - gym session (gym car park yesterday was nasty – today will be really vile and I’m stressed enough from driving in snow), guitar lesson.

Postponed - parents’ evening. (Yay for school being sensible, and also for giving reasonable notice.)

Still on (at the time of writing) – talk tonight at Norwich Writers’ Circle.

Coffee, deep breath, and time to get on with my work :o)

busy - just the way I like it

Current work: revisions to HQ Rom/Cherish (aka M&B #55)
Listening to: George Harrison
Reading: Rowan Coleman, Dearest Rose (excellent so far)

Pump class yesterday (and my arms feel it today); dance class, too, and we started the tango! We did the progressive sidestep and reverse turn, which is as complicated as it sounds, so when Donna and Kirsty showed us, I thought we’d find it a bit tricky. But Donna’s an excellent teacher and broke it down, and DH and I worked out where we were going wrong on the turn (which is always the bit where we come unstuck on any dance).

My ed didn’t actually say no to my pitch – she’s asked for an outline, so I’m really pleased about that. But it has to go on ice for the moment while I do the revisions to the last book; and that’s good, because it means the idea gets a bit of brewing time. (And if my ed doesn’t like it, I might well self-pub it.)

So. HIIT circuits this morning where I had a new move added each time, and I was very pleased with myself – seven lots of 300m on the rower, and I kept my time on each circuit :o) And the burpees were low-impact ones so they weren’t as horrible as usual. I can see quite a big difference between what I can do now and what I was able to do last May.

Oh, and Tuesday. Caroline Anderson and I had a great time out to lunch (courtesy of me winning the gym's Christmas challenge and the kids saying they didn't like the menu - I wanted a fellow foodie to go with me, and anyway we were due for a catch-up). Good chance to talk plots. So it was work. Really it was...

We decided to go for what was pretty much a tasting menu. So the starter was a plank. You can't see it very well here, but it was pecorino cheese with chili jam on 'music bread' (basically a very crisp flatbread, a little thinner than a tortilla and a little thicker than a poppadom); mozzarella balls (these were particularly lush); salad; three different cold meats with olives and capers; plus a green salad with a very nice dressing.

Main (anticlockwise, from bottom left) was hunter chicken stew (nice rich gravy, especially nice with added parmesan); pasta alla norma (tomato and aubergine sauce); and wild mushroom risotto.

Served with focaccia bread and polenta chips (latter below, sprinkled with parmesan and rosemary).

No, we did not have pudding. No room. We had coffee. But the food was excellent and the staff were utterly lovely. The decor was lovely, too, very much in keeping with the building's history. Definite hit.

Righty. I need to get cracking! Have a nice day :o)

Where is the time going?

Current work: Medical (aka M&B #56)
Listening to: Beethoven
Reading: Cara Colter – The Cop, The Puppy and Me (enjoyed); Rowan Coleman, Dearest Rose (excellent so far)

Nearly a week since the last blog post. Apologies. It’s nearly a third of the way through the month. How did that happen?

What have I been doing? Um… watching all the Twilight series with my daughter (and my ed is going to say ‘ha, ha, ha – no,’ to something I pitched to her last week; as it’s blossoming in my head, I think I might write it anyway and see what happens). Shopping. Spring cleaning. The gym (have started my workout journal). Putting the finishing touches to my talk for Norwich Writers’ Circle next week (same day as parents’ evening, arrgh). Nagging son to revise (GCSE papers this week and in a fortnight). In other words, business as usual – busy, busy, busy!

Happy New Year

Current work: On holiday :o)
Listening to: Nick Drake
Reading: Shirley Jump, Mistletoe Kisses with the Billionaire (enjoyed); Henriette Gyland, Up Close (cracking debut); Louise Douglas, Missing You (enjoyed), Valerie-Anne Baglietto, Once Upon a Winter (enjoying)

Happy new year!

Once DH had finished at work, we headed for the beach as it was a glorious day. For the past few years we’ve been to see the seals at Horsey Gap, but you have to go really early or parking is a nightmare, so we headed for the north Norfolk coast. Quite a few people had the same idea as us, because everywhere was packed. But we noticed that the tide was out, which meant we could walk along the cliffs on a certain beach.

Guess where we went? (And no, sadly, we didn't find any fossils, though we did see the wreck.)

Driving home as the sky was deepening to pewter and the fields were turning to umber, while listening to Nick Drake's 'When the Day is Done'. was a little melancholy, perhaps, but very January and very fitting.

Righty. Gym for me while the kids are asleep, and then - see what we feel like. (I have a feeling it's homework and revision for them, and outline for me...)

Ring in the new

So – resolutions for this year? Actually, M&B asked me this, so I’m going to paraphrase my reply because I rather like having positive ones instead of negative ones.

#1 Work a bit harder (all right, at the back – what I mean by that is focus and do my daily work quota BEFORE I touch social media, and not let myself get distracted by the internet) and write books that really touch my readers’ hearts.

#2 Build on the progress I've made at this year at the gym so I can run a mile on the treadmill at a constant rate of 5 miles an hour by the end of April (that one might need tweaking as the muscle at the side of my calf really hurts if I overdo things – and because my gait is a bit weird the best compromise is neutral shoes, so I guess I need to work with my limits and stretch them gradually. I found out what they were, the week before Christmas, so I guess it’s learning to pace myself!).

#3 Tick something off my bucket list - I want to go to a live performance of my favourite piece of Beethoven for the very first time. (Shocking that I haven't done it before. And I want to do it NOW while I can still hear and enjoy it.) I have to admit that’s a terrible cheat as I actually had a couple of performances in mind when I said that. The next step was to negotiate a bit with DH, the kids and my BFF to find out who wanted to go with me and whether it was doable. Result: I’ve booked tickets for September – and I’m REALLY looking forward to it!

So what are your plans for this year?

Ring out the old...

This time last year, I didn’t make my normal resolutions. I didn’t promise to diet, exercise and write a best-seller. I said that I was going to be a tortoise and have a quiet, slow, organised, well-paced year.

Um. Didn’t quite work, because I’m naturally a hare and being a tortoise doesn’t suit me. But it was relatively quiet, which helped.

But I did make some major lifestyle changes. My very first Cherish/Harlequin Romance, ‘Ballroom to Bride and Groom’, meant going to ballroom dance classes in January last year (just how I talked DH into that, I’m not sure), and we enjoyed it so much that we kept going – it’s really nice to do something just for us. And my Feb Medical Romance, ‘The Brooding Doc’s Redemption’, triggered me into going to find out about getting a personal trainer in May… and as a result I joined my local gym and I’ve stuck to it. Better than that, I enjoy it. I haven’t lost a lot of weight, but I have changed shape, and even some of the more negative people in my life have made a positive comment about it.

Workwise, it’s been up and down. Some things have been tricky (and my confidence still hasn’t quite recovered – I’m faking that one until it does), but the two big highlights were being shortlisted for the RoNA Rose award in Feb and getting my pin from M&B for my 50th book in Sept.

Verdict? 2012 wasn’t so bad.

A special free holiday gift from Liz Fielding

Liz Fielding is my all-time favourite category romance author, and I'm thrilled to be able to play host to her today. What's all this special free gift thing about? Well, I'll let Liz tell you that herself...

Dangerous Flirtation is vintage Liz Fielding. One of my earlier books, I've given it a light brush up and a fabulous new cover and it's yours to download free from 28 December to 1 January.

Here's the blurb -

Rose has her life all mapped out. A job she loves, a thoughtful, reliable fiancé. Everything is just perfect until a stranger with laughing blue eyes and a roguish grin bursts into her life and turns her life upside down with a birthday kiss. Jack Drayton offers romance, excitement and passion – and he challenges her to accept. Dare she?

And an excerpt:

Reluctantly she lowered her window. ‘Why are you still here?’ she demanded. ‘Didn’t Anthony pay you enough to move on?’ It was hateful, but she couldn’t help herself.

‘There isn’t enough money in the world for that, Rosie.’ He smiled, apparently relishing the memory. ‘I told him he’d better put it back in his piggy bank and save up until he can afford to buy you a ring.’

She stifled a groan. Behind them someone hooted politely. Jack ignored the hint and leaned on the roof of the car, staring down at her. ‘Where’s he taking you for your birthday treat? A burger bar?’

‘A concert and then dinner at Michel’s,’ she said, a little smugly.

He let out an ironic whistle. ‘Just as well I wouldn’t take his cash. Which concert? The Jay Livingstone Trio is playing at the jazz club, or perhaps that isn’t quite his cup of tea?’

She stifled a groan. She had wanted to go. It wasn’t often these days that such a group could be tempted into Melchester, but Anthony loathed jazz and she hadn’t even dared suggest it. ‘It’s not my jazz club,’ she retorted, disappointment lending a sharpness to her voice. ‘If you must know, we’re going to the Guildhall, The Shostakovich Cello Concerto.’

‘Wouldn’t you rather come and listen to Jay?’ he asked.

‘You have tickets?’ she asked, surprised. They had not been cheap.

‘No need. Jay’s an old friend.’ He bent down beside her window, examining her face under the lamplight. ‘What do you say?’

Her heartbeat began to accelerate again. ‘I...’ She tore her eyes away from his. ‘No. Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.’

‘I wasn’t being ridiculous, Rosie. You’d much rather come with me. Admit it.’

‘I’ll admit nothing of the kind.’ She put the car into gear and glared at him. Laughing, he stood up.

‘Better run along, then. You mustn’t be late. I’ll see you later, cheer your soul with a little blues.’ He glanced at the instrument case in his hand.

She stared, horrified. ‘You wouldn’t?’

His eyes gleamed wickedly in the subdued light. ‘I think you know that I would.’

‘Haven’t you caused enough trouble for one day?’ she demanded.

His eyes teased her. ‘Rosie, my darling,’ he drawled. ‘I haven’t even begun.’ And with that he stepped back, leaving her free to drive away, but she couldn’t. Not before he told her why he was tormenting her.

‘What do you want from me?’ she demanded.

‘Use your imagination,’ he said, roughly.

She gasped then. She wasn’t going to use her imagination. It was a dangerous thing, the imagination. It conjured up strong hands and warm kisses to torment her.

‘What do you want?’ she demanded again. He didn’t elaborate, refusing to make it easy for her, but it was there in the raw challenge in his eyes and she felt as if a trap were closing around her.

The knowledge that she had sprung it herself offered precious little comfort. She only knew that if she stayed another moment she would lose everything she wanted. Peace, contentment, security. Precious things. All Jack Drayton could offer was momentary passion, a transitory, crazy sort of excitement that would destroy her peace of mind and when it was over, leave nothing but the misery and humiliation her mother had suffered when her father had walked out on them both.

She was going to marry Anthony and she didn’t know what she was doing even talking to this man.

The person behind had clearly had enough and an impatient horn galvanised her into action. She eased off the handbrake and stepped on the accelerator. The car shot forward and abruptly stalled. She grabbed at the ignition key, but the car wouldn’t start and the irritation from behind had suddenly become a chorus of people eager to get home. ‘Idiot!’ she said, furious with herself. Why on earth had she even spoken to the man? She was going to be late and Anthony hated to be kept waiting. There were tears pricking at her eyelids when the door opened beside her.

He took one look at her face and swore volubly, then put an ice cold hand on hers, stopping the desperate churning of the engine. ‘Move over, Rosie. You’re in no fit state to drive,’ he said, very gently.

‘And whose fault is that?’ she demanded, angrily.

‘That’s open to debate. You didn’t have to stop.’ He threw the saxophone onto the back seat and waited and conscious of the queue of cars behind her, she moved over. He pushed the driving seat back as far as it would go and climbed behind the wheel. The car, infuriatingly, started at the first touch.

Everything would start at his touch, she thought, hopelessly. Even her. Especially her.

Here are some links, but it's available in English at Amazon worldwide; download it with my warmest wishes and tell all your friends!

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Germany

the best kind of Christmas

Current work: On holiday :o)
Listening to: daughter playing piano
Reading: Fiona Harper, Snowbound with the Earl; Donna Alward, Sleigh Ride with the Rancher (enjoyed both and am looking forward to the third in the trilogy later today)

Hope everyone has had as lovely a holiday season as we have. It was just the four of us for Christmas Day, so it was quiet and relaxing and just lovely to chill out together. Board games, It’s A Wonderful Life, and – umm, too much chocolate.

Went for a walk by the sea yesterday – it was mild enough to tempt me to go for a paddle, but I was talked out of it :o) Very impressed with Cromer’s tree made from lobster pots.

Today we’ve been messing about with one of Madam’s presents – the cake pop maker. Very labour intensive, and the candy melts (used to cover them) are a bit too sweet for me. But she enjoyed it, which was the whole point of it. And I have been to the gym (I think I needed to, given that I was also very bad with the Brie…).

Merry Christmas!

Current work: On holiday :o)
Listening to: Christmas songs
Reading: Nikki Logan, The Patter of Paws at Christmas (well, how could I resist ‘A Puppy for Christmas’? And these are very unusual puppies. Loved it, especially the mobile phone scene)

After a minor disaster (my fault for assuming that a computer program would be the same across ALL platforms) in which I lost the last 1,000 words of my book (and they weren’t straight 1,000 words, they were threaded in, so I couldn’t just dash it all down as notes and then tidy up)… well, the book is done, the new outline is done, all is on my ed’s desk for new year (so January’s going to be screamingly busy), and I am taking a few days off because I really need to refill the well.

So far, we’ve been socialising a lot, playing board games, and watching films. The kids wanted the Batman trilogy. Hmm. So far… very dark. And it’s really interesting that the superhero genre has as many restrictions as the romance one (i.e. we need the tragic loss in childhood for which they blame themselves, the hero has to be super-clever, and the hero has difficulty fitting into society). I did like the first one, but I found the second one quite disturbing. (Today, I’m hoping to persuade them into watching my all-time favourite film. Because it wouldn’t be Christmas without Capra.)

And, as it’s Christmas, do go and see my tree over at the Harlequin Romance Authors’ blog – there’s a chance to win books… :o) (remember to check the other trees, too…) http://www.harlequinromanceauthors.com/?p=1406

Merry Christmas!

Off on the BICO tour again!

Current work: polishing new Cherish (aka M&B #55)
Listening to: Corelli
Reading: next on TBR (I am having SUCH a readfest when my deadline is done)

Off on the Baby It’s Cold Outside tour again today!

There’s a gift card up for grabs with my interview over at Entangled in Romance

And later today I’ll be interviewed at My Book Addiction  (I’m posting this UK time, so try about eight hours from now!)

Other than that, today was pump class/a bit of cardio at the gym; next up is polishing the book; after school, possibly sorting out son’s main Christmas present (otherwise he’ll have to wait for new stock next month – ahhh, the guilt, but the situation isn’t actually within my control); dance class tonight; and then possibly wrapping presents. Possibly. (Have I mentioned that I loathe wrapping?)

Have a nice day :o)

Christmassy

Current work: polishing new Cherish (aka M&B #55)
Listening to: Corelli
Reading: next on TBR (I am having SUCH a readfest when my deadline is done)

Had a really lovely weekend, and am very grateful that we were able to do so, after the shocking and tragic events in Connecticut on Friday. Bestest cousin came to stay. Bit shocked to discover that I’ve never taken her round Norwich – so we grabbed daughter and had a girly afternoon in the city. Lunch out at Carluccio’s, a spot of shopping (where she was naughty and spoiled us, and daughter needs to remember this is shared nail polish…), and a stroll round Norwich Lanes.

Then we had a lovely bit of serendipity - we went to Norwich Cathedral to light candles for my parents, and it was the carol service with the choir singing. Made it feel really special and Christmassy - it's one of my favourite places in the world anyway, but to hear those beautiful voices in that amazing space, with a huge Christmas tree and lights - just magical. (And I love the colours of the robes. Turquoise for the women and purply-blue for the men.) Then we met up with DH and went to Valerie's Patisserie for cake (very nice and we will have to go back a few times to work our way through the cabinet. I loved the giotto – coffee cake). It was dark when we came out, so all the Christmas lights were on – really pretty.

Home for dinner; and, because bestest cousin is a foodie, it was immense fun. Salmon baked with lime; rosemary potatoes; steamed asparagus, mangetout, broccoli and carrots. (See, this is all healthy stuff. I did watercress sauce rather than hollandaise – OK, because M&S were out of fresh hollandaise and I’d forgotten, but it’s still healthy.) Fresh fruit salad, aka pineapple (any excuse to use my flashy pineapple corer), raspberries, kiwi fruit and pomegranate; there were also chocolate brownies and Ben & Jerry’s for those wanting to be naughty (NOT me). Then cheese and crackers (with celery, walnuts, figs, black and white grapes and parma ham – oh, and the cheeses? I’m the only one who likes blue cheese, so we skipped it and had Cornish cruncher (v strong and salty cheddar), Wensleydale with cranberries, and Somerset brie).

I probably deserved to put on more than 1lb this weekend. (Sunday was full Christmas dinner, though I never do Christmas pudding – fruit salad again, or wild berry roulade. And then a birthday tea for my aunt.) Will have to work very hard at the gym this week.

Ahem. Anyway, it was lovely to spend quality time with my closest family. We all ate too much. (Did I mention that bestest cousin bought me some Charbonnel & Walker choccies? Glorious presentation, almost like a hat box, and the chocs are the sort you savour. Edict from food police, i.e. moi, to my three locusts: if you want one, fine, but you have ONE and savour it. If you’re thinking about scoffing them, then please go and scoff the Lindt instead, because these are special.)

Righty. Back to the book. I have a deadline!!!!