Archive for August, 2009

Ruined castles and generous agents

August 27, 2009 | 4 Comments

Got back from Pembrokeshire late on Sunday via Camarthen and Monmouth – how rural and unspolit this part of Wales is. We stopped for lunch at Dinefwr Park and Castle. I made the foolish error of climbing the battlements via open metal stairs in the rain. I nearly did a Louisa Musgrove!

I’ve had a lovely email from my US editor and she is finalising the release dates etc for my books in the US. I am hoping to have new covers but as yet, I don’t know when or what. I just feel so excited to have a second bite at the cherry, so to speak, with new covers!

I went to London yesterday for a meeting with my agent who treated me to lunch in a French bistro and a Champagne cocktail in celebration of our recent good news.

Later, I met the irrepressible Duckface – who I met initially on the BBC drama messageboard in my N&S days. We only had just over an hour for drinks before I had to go home but we’ve got some plans for a proper get together soon.

Finally it was home in one hour, five mins by Virgin Pendolino – a sharp contrast to the 2.5 hrs it took on the way out via London Midland. I appreciate their regular service but please, guys, at least put a trolley service on board. I was dying of caffeine withdrawal by the time I reached Euston and there’s not even a kiosk at my local station!

I do like to be beside the seaside

August 19, 2009 | 8 Comments

I’ve started packing for a flying visit to Pembrokeshire in West Wales. I’ve never been before so I can’t wait to see all those ruined castles, sweeping beaches and craggy cliffs. If you’ve read my books you’ll know I love landscape p*rn. I can’t start a book until I have a setting I’m in love with as much as the characters.

In between working, I went to see The Ugly Truth with my daughter. Normally, I love Gerard Butler (especially in POTO and Dear Frankie) but I’m afraid this movie didn’t really do it for me. I’m no prude (!) but I found some of the lines icky and I didn’t laugh as much as I’d have liked to. I can take lines like that from Russell Brand or the Mock the Week team but not from GB.

However, it does give me an excuse to post a pic of Gerry and Katherine Heigl.

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PS If you’re up in Cumbria this weekend, don’t miss THIS.

Something for the weekend, madam?

August 14, 2009 | 2 Comments

Sorry, I know I’ve been a bad blogger. Excuse: tons of lovely copywriting and um… 20k written of a new idea. If, when or where it will ever be in print, I know not, but I am enjoying it. I do hope to have news of the US editions of my books soon – the first one is likely to hit the shelves next year.

And I almost forgot to introduce you to one of the 12 Men – Jessie. Such a nice young man, he sat next to us at lunch. I thought I’d share him with you, since it’s a Friday

Going Stateside

August 5, 2009 | 11 Comments

You know, I thought this week was going to be a quiet one with no excitement. Head down, writing a little fiction, getting on with some new copy projects…

Then I got a call from my agent at lunchtime to say that – woo hoo – the rights to all my Little Black Dress books have been bought by a US publisher.

I think I’ll go and lie down in a darkened room to try and take it in – and update you when I know more!

Flash, bang, wallop

August 4, 2009 | 4 Comments

I’ve had a new author photo taken. A magazine came round to do a feature on the movie and the freelance photographer took some extra pics for my own use. Like most writers, I don’t normally enjoy having my own pic taken – but Caroline from Reel Photos really made me feel at ease.

What do you think?

On a writing note (oh yes, I still occasionally dabble) I recommend a stint working on a computer without a printer. My main PC has been wthout a web connection for two months now, so I’ve been working on my laptop. This means I can’t print anything without running upstairs with a USB stick. As a result, I’ve written 10k words in the past few days, instead of endlessly printing, twiddling, fiddling and piddling about. I’ll look at it all when I’ve reached my target and fiddle then.

And I’ve saved a hell of a lot of trees.