Archive for March, 2008

March 6, 2008 | Comments

Yesterday, as part of my day job for a newspaper, I interviewed two of the most inspirational characters I’ve ever met. They aren’t celebrities but their stories are outstanding. I’ll try to send you a link and pictures when the feature is published in a couple of weeks.

I love writing non-fiction features. They give me the opportunity to meet some fascinating people and gain insight and ideas for my novels.

PS I’ve chosen a pic of Mr Collins from P&P because I think he’s one of the most memorable characters in fiction. Just look at that supercilious glare.

March 4, 2008 | 2 Comments

This morning, I sent out a request for signed books to some author and RNA friends. It’s for a charity fundraiser - might be able to tell you more later. Within five minutes, four books were in the post. How great is that?

I also had a gentle reminder that I shall have to hand back the Joan Hessayon New Writers Award in May to the 2008 winner. I’m worried I’ll be like the mad old beauty queen in Miss Congeniality, fighting to keep my crown. It’s mine, all mine….

I’m moving it from the lounge to my office so I can drool over it until the very last moment. Tee hee. Do you remember when the FA Cup went missing in the 1920s? No? Well, it can happen again…

Update: Oh, I’ve got some lovely signed women’s fiction on its way. LBDs, Mills & Boon, exciting new writers, award winners and some mega best sellers. I must find out if there’s any way they could be auctioned off over the web too.

March 3, 2008 | 3 Comments

I had such a lovely day yesterday and I’m a very lucky mum. We met my daughter and went out for a picnic to Upton House.

The picnic - complete with little bottles of Chablis and good old M&S food - took place inside the Land Rover because it was freezing. My daughter bought me a lovely hoodie so I can now go around menacing people outside shops.

Mr Bennet surprised me with a gorgeous framed cover of Wish You Were Here to match the Decent Exposure cover that my parents gave me for Christmas.

Upton House is grand but quite sparse on furniture, though it does have a very fine collection of porcelain and paintings. The medieval pictures are fascinating - I like really, really old things - but the best bit of the house, IMHO, is the gloriously OTT Art Deco bathroom with its aluminium foil walls!

Back to my book. When I looked at my contract I saw I had a word target of 80-90k words so I’d better get cracking again. I have a doctor character and a lot of people behaving extremely badly so I have been asking some students for research… I’ll eat my hat if this book escapes editing for language, sex and a few other things.