Archive for May, 2008

May 30, 2008 | 1 Comment

Decent Exposure and Wish You Were Here are WH Smith Online Summer Read Promotions.

Bonjour mes amis

4 Comments

I know, I know… I’ve not been around in blogland lately. I’ve had a virus (yuk), spent a few days in Paris with Mr B (yay) but mainly, I’ve been feverishly honing It Should Have Been Me, with deadline looming in a few weeks. When it’s done I can go away on our family holiday (Ms B is coming too this time) and relax.

Here are some pics of Paris which was wonderful but far wetter than it looks. And yes, I was very inspired to write a book set here. Very inspired indeed…

Visit Baldy (and Melissa)

May 21, 2008 | 1 Comment

Please, please, please visit Baldy’s Blog. This courageous young guy is a journalist with the Huddersfield Examiner and is now terminally ill with leukaemia. He only has a short time left but is determined to campaign for greater awareness of bone marrow donation. I saw him on BBC Breakfast this morning.

I think I’m a bit too old to register but if you can help, please do.

In what may seem an unrelated link (but isn’t actually, when you think about it) there is shortlist with book covers on the Melissa Nathan Awards site. The 2008 list includes two favourite authors of mine, Christina Jones and Lisa Jewell.

Women at work

May 20, 2008 | 1 Comment

I’m editing It Should Have Been Me so off the web loop at the moment. I firmly believe that any ‘magic’ really happens in the revising and rewriting of a first draft. (That’s what I’m hoping anyway!)

In the meantime, there’s a great report and some pics of the RNA Summer Party here.

RNA Summer Party

May 16, 2008 | 6 Comments

I was at the RNA Summer Party last night so here’s a very brief report and a few pictures. First mega congratulations to Giselle Green who won the 2008 Joan Hessayon Award for her debut novel (which sounds remarkable) called Pandora’s Box. Congratulations to all the contenders – I hope you had a wonderful evening.

I heard but didn’t actually see the ceremony as I was in a corner, quivering, preparing to give my farewell speech.

Here are some pics. First (l-r) me, the 2008 NWS winner Giselle Green with the Joan Hessayon trophy and Fiona Harper (2006 winner). I just couldn’t let go, you see…

Next gardening super guru, Dr Dave Hessayon OBE with VIP guest (who I think is HMB Historical author Carol Townend – thanks Julie!)

Brigid ‘Biddy’ Coady and Julie Cohen, misbehaving as usual.

I also chatted to my LBD and Headline eds Claire Baldwin and Cat Cobain, Maddie Rowe from Mills & Boon; authors Elizabeth Hanbury, Catherine Jones, Judy Astley, Katie Fforde, Jan Jones, Sara Craven and lots of friends and new writers. It was a very exciting evening – helped by the champagne generously donated by Dave who made a speech about his late wife, Joan, that had many of us in tears.

Thank you RNA, all the NWS scheme ‘readers’ and Dave.