Official Start, interview and another review.

The Romance Reader.com has kindly done an interview with me for their New Faces column. One of their senior reviewers has given Gladiator's Honor Four Hearts. She said The Gladiator’s Honor is the first of four planned Roman-era romances by Michelle Styles, and if this debut book is an indication, readers have a lot to look forward to. It’s always a pleasure to discover a strong new voice in romance. Readers, check out Michelle Styles. You can read the full review here.

It does wonders for my ego to be told that Gladiator's Honor was a strong debut. I can only hope that my next book will live up to and expand on the promise. I believe my books have gotten better, but time will tell what the reviewers and readers think about it.

Today marks my official start for the acutal writing. It is one of the times that I find it helpful to go back and check howwell I did on keeping my goals...I do think I sometimes start slow and then really knuckle dowm. But this time, given the tightness of the deadline, I shall have to be very disciplined.
Unfortunately last night, I went up to bed, thought about the begininng, didn't have my notebook with me, and could not be bothered to go back downstairs. I know what needs to be written though...Famous Last Words.

The only person happy to have Christmas Carols on besides me was my middle. She was abit disappointed when I told her -- only the Victorian ones, no White Christmas! I also reread A Christmas Carol over the weekend for the umteenth time. it is wonderful how Dickens invokes Christmas and his Christmas message. Now that I have finished Judith Flanders' Consuming Passions -- much of the background comes to life. (I shall do a review of this excellent new reference book soon) Dickens first published A Christmas Carol in 1843. My wip is set in 1846, so I was able to indulge.

Last night was the last episode of Jane Eyre. It was wonderful. I was crying at the end. Really well done. I shall have to get the DVD when it comes out. Toby Stephens is certainly at the top of my list for TV heroes. Very High Drool factor.