Subtext is all

If a scene is about what is on the surface, then I am in trouble. A scene needs to be about more.
And emotions need to shift and change during the scene. The characters cannot just travel full circle.

I am as you might guess deep into editing. The wip is getting better and the focus is getting stronger.

Has anyone read The Heroine's Journey? It is apparently what the vast majority of single title women's fiction is based around, particularly psychological novels. The reference in The Manuscript Makeover intrigued me and so that has now been added to my TBR pile. Again it is linked to Joseph Campbell but it is supposed to be easier. Campbell is rather dry and great for insomniacs.

Oh and I am going the RWA National Convention in Nashville in July. I have registered. It is tremendously exciting. Another reason why I need to get fit!

Sold & Seduced contest winners

The first names out of the hat were Amy and Elaine. I have contacted them by email.
Many thanks to all who entered.
The next newsletter will come out sometime around Easter and will feature a contest for Compromising Miss Milton.

Manuscript Makeover is really making me think. It has solved several problems and provided enlightenment. For example, Lyon makes the note that often in first drafts etc, the protagonist seems flat. It is because the subtext etc is needed. You really do have to bring out the emotion and bleed on the page. Subtext is all.
She also divides things up into ordinary scenes and Big Scenes and points out in Big Scenes everything needs to be more dramatic. You also have to foreshadow the scene. Anyway, the way to resolve some of my problems was right there staring me in the face. It will mean a few tweaks but the ending should be much more satisfying.

Craft post: Manuscript Makeover

It has been awhile, a long while since I have done a craft post. Recently I discovered the book, Manuscript Makeover Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can Afford to ignore by Elizabeth Lyon and I suspect that the book will eventually be on many fiction writers shelves, right next to Self Editing for Fiction Writers by Brown and King.

This book is not about crafting a novel but rewriting and revising. It does what it says on the tin.

It is not flashy but full of good ideas and has helped give me ideas of how to improve the current wip.

It is a matter of application of various techniques. It is also a general revision book, rather than one specifically geared to romance or commercial fiction

Divided in several sections-- Lyon first looks at the novel outside in with techniques about revising for style. Most published authors do not need this section and it is amply covered in Self Editing but it is interesting to see her take. Then she goes into the structural problems, mainly using a 5 act structure and finally she looks at character and how character drives the story.

Each chapter is has boxes of easy to digest info and the chapter summaries with check lists.

For example, the chapter on movement and suspense also includes a section on why a hero might be considered passive and what to do about it. And there is a chapter on character dimension and theme which from my POV is worth the price of the book. It set light bulbs off and it reminded me of what to look for in my characters. In other words, it helped me solve problems by reminding me to ask question of my characters and reminding me of the pitfall. For example, yes I have a back story wound but without the desire to go beyond and actively change, the heroine can seem passive and static. The reader needs to see the struggle.

There is a ton of info here. And it is up the writer to use it. As Lyon points out in her introduction -- different writers work to different method. Dean Koontz in his last typewritten novel figured that he did approximately 31 drafts of the novel (based on the amount of paper used) before he reached the end. He was also told about that novel by his publisher that he was a midlist suspense writer and he should cut the novel in half. he cut five pages. The novel, Whispers went to number 5 and has remained in print for 2 decades. Other authors say to revise a novel no more than 3 times, keep marketing, and writing new stories. Eventually you break in as your writing improves. Each to his own. She recommends taking the book and making it your own.using what you need. As she says, encapsulating the whole conundrum of writing craft books -- there is a world of difference between reading about how to revise and actually applying it.

I intend to apply it to my writing but then I love revising and the whole process of trying to get my words to convey my vision.

It is a book that is most useful if you have the raw material (i.e. a first draft) rather than if you are crafting one. And my poor critque partner is probably going to get me being rather tough on her as the book has given me Ideas!

Remembering to breathe

Sometimes you just need to remember to breathe.

I feel very relieved as ALL my tests have come back negative. The lymph oedema in my left arm is idiopathic -- ie of unknown cause. But the doctor does not believe it has anything to do with my writing. He did ask if I had been lifting swords (answer no) and did concede pulling dogs might be a cause...

The upshot is the lymph oedema clinic beckons so I can learn how to manage it. Lymph oedema is about managing, rather than curing.

It is why people used to say to put your feet up so you do not get permanent swollen ankles.

With swollen forearms -- they will eventually get me a special compression bandage etc.

The reason why you must see the doctor if you think you have repetitive strain injury is that a swollen forearm can indicate deep vein thrombosis or kidney problems or breast cancer. It can also just be idiopathic. But they have to eliminate things first. With RSI you will not be able to have a wide range of movement.

Now all I have to do is edit the wip and wait for my editor's verdict on the other one.

Birthday

Today is my birthday (not yesterday as Donna Alward put on the PHS blog). I have always enjoyed being born on the 26th.

People born on my birthday include General Douglas MacArthur, Paul Newman, Jose Mourinho (former Chelsea manager, 47), Martin Dunn (the editor in chief of The New York Daily News), Christopher Hampton (playwright) and many others. It is St Eystein's Day -- 12 century the archbishop of Nidaros near Tronhiem who worked to bring the Norwegian church in line with other Europeon churches (it is somehow appropriate to have a Norwegian bishop saints day). In fact tonight the Viking festival Up Helly Aa will be happening on Shetland. This is a Victorian recreation of what a Viking festival could be like but not less inspiring for all that!
Also in 1790 Cosi Fan Tutte had its world premiere in Vienna.

One good thing that happened to me 25 years ago is that I started going out with my husband. He remains the best birthday present a girl could get!

RPJ and hurt paws

I am over at the Pink Heart Society discussing Rupert Penry Jones in the Male on Monday slot.

I am a recent convert to Spooks and really enjoyed him in 39 Steps. It means that I will have to try and catch the new series of Whitechapel when that comes out later this year. And I do think he will provide the inspiration for my next hero but one (ie my current heorine's brother).

And I have finished my current wip and can go into editing mode. After that it is a quick Roman Undone to see if I can write short and sensual.

Hardy has hurt his paw. He is limping and so it will mean a trip to the VET. He is also not letting me look at the paw. SIGH. Hopefully it is something simple but he is such an active dog that it will be hard to keep him quiet. Hei s currently play fighting with his sister...

Over at Unusual Historical

I have the Sunday spot at Unusual Historical this week so there is a copy of Sold & Seduced up for grabs.

And on Sunday at Pink Heart Society, it is Super Sunday with editor Victoria Curran giving the latest inside scoop about Superomance. If you are interested in that line, you will not want to miss it!

In other news:

The Aga is being difficult. I suspect the Aga man will have to come out and sort it. SIGH. It keeps going out. So I have spent the morning trying to relight the thing (3 times so far). There is oil...

The dogs decided to have a war and attack their beds so fluff was all over the kitchen floor. The kittens decided it was a good day for mountaineering and have been climbing the curtains. All this and I am about 10 pages from the end of my current wip!

The telephone destroyers

I wondered why the phone had stopped recharging. The kittens snapped the wires. Or maybe it was the puppies pretending to be kittens. Anyway the electric cable has snapped. Cue new phone. But it explains why I have missed a few calls...

The kittens have also visited the V.E.T. They were too little to be microchipped but have had their first vaccinations. And as they had fleas, they have been de-fleaed and wormed. They are very sweet...and definitely male. They will be for the snip when they are about 5 months so they do not start spraying.

They have also learnt how to leap on to the dining room table and attempt to eat one's tuna fish sandwich when one is not looking... Pretty soon they will start to be partners in crime with the dogs and then nothing will be sacred or safe...

Seeing the magazine in the flesh

This morning, I got to look at Living North February edition in the flesh for the first time. For some reason it was not out on Friday, Saturday or even Monday but it is now. I had a lovely surprise when the editorial mentioned 'we meet an author who has an ability to melt the coldest heart Michelle Styles.'
It also made me laugh -- the ad next to the article is for a Pandora bracelet. Both Kate Hardy and Fiona Harper know how much I envy theirs...Is this a sign?
Anyway there are lots of interesting articles, including 10 real life historical love stories from Bessie Surtees' elopement to The Lass of Richmond Hill. I thoroughly recommend getting a print copy...

In kitten news:

The kittens have learnt how to turn the television on. They also know how to get my youngest's favourite computer game on (or at least it is what my youngest is claiming!) Tomorrow they are going to encounter the V.E.T. It is for their own good. Hopefully they will be fonder of the vet than Tuppence and Penny...
Oh and two or more kittens is a kindle.
Does anyone know what two or more puppies is?

Photos shoots, magazines and books

I am blogging today at Tote Bags about the photo shoot I did for Living North Magazine.

The February edition is now on sale and I am the featured article. You can read more on the Living North website. I feel terribly glamourous now.

My hardback copies of Compromising Miss Milton arrived yesterday, so I will be getting a newsletter out soonish... I like the cover...

And my current wip is going along...it should get done this week...

The Very Bad Modem Cats

Heathcliff and Mr Darcy decided to be Very Bad Modem Cats and run all over my desk using the printer as a safehouse.

I came back to discover that 40k of my latest work in progress had disappeared. Thank heavens my youngest heard my scream and calmly pressed the undo button. The words reappeared. Phew. However every 6th line was a new paragraph. (still not sure how they did it!) and I went and fixed that.

Modem cats do not learn. Modem cats like to chase the computer mouse and think that stamping on computer keys gives a good sound. Modem cats bring a whole new urgency to backing up one's work. Modem cats also purr and sleep on ones' lap. Ther are reasons for having modem cats.

The 2010 mouse tally

With the thaw, the mice have begun moving again and the new trap in the basement has caught two mice. There is a rather large gray mouse (not a rat) who has been seen going in and out of the feed shed. Both my youngest and I would dearly love to catch it. However, the amount of mouse damage in the feed shed appears to be abating. I suspect the mice in the basement also make a pit stop in the feed shed...And I rather concentrate on trapping them in the basement.
There have not been more mice in the attic since my Christmas entrapment. This is good news but I remain reluctant to remove the trap...
Currently I am waiting for the AA to show up and start my car. I suspect the battery is now low...Sigh. But I am glad that we have home start.

The wip is progressing and as various bodies are back at school or work, I have no real excuse.

The kittens are growing rapidly. They are now allowed out of my study but do not hesitate to come back and meow when they think it is feeding time. They enjoy hunting toy mice and balls, so it is only a matter of time before they become fully fledged mousers.
Tess thinks the kittens are hers and does every so often try to clean them...the kittnes are not so fond of this. The dogs also assume if the kittens do not finish their food, it is fair game.

A slight thaw in the proceedings

Other places in the UK remain suffering but up here in Northumberland, we are experiencing a thaw. The wind is from the south and the snow is melting away. The main roads are clear, and the trains are running.
The coal and the heating oil has now been delivered. And it begs the question as to why the heating oil lorry could make it up the hill yesterday and the bin men can't. The bin men did spend time clearing pavements which was good of them, but my main bin has not been emptied since before Christmas! Tomorrow, it will be recyclables again and they will not be taking the other garbage until the Monday after that! Provided the weather holds.

My eldest went back to University today. He is doing well but is ready to get on with his studies. It is easier the second time they go. My daughter has various A level tests next week (no postponement) and ditto for the youngest and his GCSEs.

My fingers are firmly crossed for the thaw to continue.

Going Viking in a Bookstore

Kimber An did a review of The Viking's Captive Princess on Enduring Romance that made me smile. In particular she said -- This is book three in Michelle Styles' Viking series and I can guarantee there will be more (because if I don't hear more about a certain secondary character, I'll go totally Viking in the bookstore).

I would love to know which secondary character she means. There are two possibilities really --Erik the Black and Thrand. Although I think she means Thrand and it may happen, but at the moment, I am focused on my Regency/Victorian stories. I am super excited about writing a couple in the Ottoman Empire. However first, I have to finish the one I am currently writing which sets up the second of the Ottoman Empire stories.

But really if people want me to write more Viking stories, they do need to contact my editors rather than going Viking in bookstores. My editors do like to hear feedback and requests for stories of secondaries. (I did send a copy of the review to my editor) Otherwise they do sort of let me write in the time periods that I want to write in (see above for my latest research obssession). My editors are lovely that way.

It is snowing again and they have stopped gritting as much. This means the hill where I live will become totally treacherous. My husband said that the A1 yesterday was littered with accidents. Basically in snow and ice, people do need to slow down. You want to avoid skidding, rather than practicing skid control.

I have started investigating Public Transport. The only trouble is that it is pretty poor and it is difficult to carry shopping home... It will all get worked out but I determined that snow is not going to stop me. It is a matter of taking the time.

My youngest two have exams next week and these are going ahead. Luckily they can walk to school.

Warnings from my youth

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered the warning but I remembered it far too late. The words only came back to me as I pressed the starter. The car chugged once and then died. No one's fault but my own. Somewhere, someone told me to start my car every few days in the cold so it would start. I forgot until my car wouldn't start. Then I remembered and felt stupid.

So now my life is littered with un-done to do lists and I am stranded. Or rather the proposed excursion to the heady heights of Tesco with my eldest has been postponed until my husband returns. Chile the Labrador , however loves the snow and has been acting about the same age as Hardy and Tess.

As the winter weather looks set to continue, I have investigated the train. It is doable for certain outings next week.

After 3 days, the post was delivered today, replete with Christmas cards posted far too late, a Christmas parcel from my aunt and my youngest's ski helmet. My youngest is going kiing at the end of January so he could truly experience snow etc. The back lawn would not look out of place in the Alps...

In an act of defiance against the weather, I have paid the remainder for the book research trip to Egypt. Somewhere warm!

The heating oil people were lovely but informed me that there is a 2 week backlog with oil weather permitting, of course. Luckily it was just a precaution...The oil should arrive just as the current batch runs out...but I have turned the thermostat down and put another jumper on. I have also ordered more coal.

There is supposed to be more bad weather on the way.

Note to Caroline: yes it is a bloody struggle to get some of my words done before turning on the Internet, particularly as this little voice keeps whispering but you need to check if the children's school is open (it isn't). Still in 6 weeks time this too will be a habit and productivity will return.

I wass doing fine on my weight management but then my daughter decided desperate times called for chocolate chip cookies and made some. And boy did they taste wonderful...

In the bleak mid winter

Lots of snow and plunging temperatures. The children's school remains closed for a second day.
We have done some sledding, throwing of snow balls etc. and still the snow keeps coming.
It was to do with the weather pattern and where the highs developed. There are predictions that Northumberland could see as bad a winter as the one in 62-63 where 20 foot high drifts developed in the Allen Valley. I have seen the pictures in the Courant!

And yes, I know lots of other places in the world regularly get this sort of weather. It has to do with expectation and preparedness. And despite going to university in Minnesota and living over here for 20 plus years, I remain a wimpish SF Bay Area girl at heart and hate driving on snow.

Right now, I am hoping the thaw when it comes will not be too drastic as then we will get flooding...

My new regime is going well but it is hard. However, it does take 6 weeks to get into a habit.

Two lovely reviews

A very good way to start the New Year was to discover two lovely reviews of The Viking's Captive Princess -- one on cataromance and the other on the Pink Heart Society Review. Julie Bonello puts a lot of effort into her reviews and has reviewed every single one of my books so I was curious as to what she might think.

So I was very pleased to read:

Clear a space on your keeper shelf because Michelle Styles has penned another winner! The Viking's Captive Princess is another captivating tale from this wonderful storyteller featuring a heroine to admire, a gorgeous Alpha male to adore, a fantastic cast of fully-fleshed supporting characters, searing emotional intensity, dramatic action, powerful romance and wonderfully rendered historical detail which never interferes or overwhelms the story.

Thank you Julie for making my day!

My regime continues. It is the early days before a habit is established and after the initial enthusiasm vanishes that are the hardest. The newspapers are currently full of good advice. One current theme seems to be -- do not diet but savour your food. Eat slowly. If you feel you must eat cake/drink alcohol/have cream do it on a specific day. For example Wednesdays and Saturdays as then you are never waiting too long for a treat and are less likely to binge.

The kittens are can be seen by the above picture are in a playful mood. They are currently conducting a war on my legs. Thankfully this period of absolute playfulness should be short lived.

An unexpected blizzard

We were supposed to get a light dusting of snow, covering the four inches that we had yesterday. Instead we are getting a blizzard complete with a biting wind. It brings back memories of when I was at Carleton... The puppies are enjoying the snow and chasing the sled when we go sledding. The postman became stuck and could not go further up the bank because the Council had not gotten around to gritting. He predicted more snow and has been proved right.

Day 2 of the new regime and I am finding I have to think and remind myself -- Internet second, writing first which shows how bad my habits are.

With weight management, I have stepped on the scales, and it is not a pretty sight. My sister in her wisdom has suggested to focus on losing 10% in 2010, rather than trying to lose the whole lot. It seems good to me. Once I have done that, then I can look at losing more.

The kittens (as can be seen from Mr Darcy's photo) find my messy desk fascinating.

Resolutions, kittens and a new country for my books

First, next year's resolutions:

1. To be better at time management. This means getting in the habit once again of writing BEFORE I switch the internet on. Rather than just checking to see what is happening. I could be far more productive than I am.

2. To be better at weight management. Given certain health issues, it is going to be imperative that I manage my weight. It appears I am suffering not from repetitive strain, but from lymph oedema. Some people get swollen ankles, I have a swollen forearm. They are still doing tests but the big nasty things have been ruled out. (Apparently a swollen forearm can indicate breast cancer or deep vein thrombosis) It has been a stressful December but I am now officially interesting. Losing weight is supposed to help.

3. With my writing, I want to up my game and continue to work hard at providing the best story possible. So to be better at writing.

The kittens are growing quickly and are starting to explore. They had great fun on the stairs last night. Rushing up and down. Everyone in the house has been put under notice to keep the toilet lid down etc. There is no excuse when young kittens who are learning to climb are about!

The picture is of Mr Darcy on my desk. He is a cat whi is interested in technology. But he does need to learn that climbing up bare legs is not a good thing.

Finally, thank to my lovely CP, I learnt that Taken by the Viking was in Portugal this month. It is a new language for my books and I am really pleased. The cover is lovely. You can read more here. But the blurb reads:
A amante do viking

Encontraria a felicidade numa paixão que sempre considerara um pecado? Os vikings chegaram a dizer que vinham em paz, todavia, depressa Lindisfarne se viu em chamas. Annis de Birdoswald fugiu em pânico, mas não conseguiu escapar dos nórdicos. No entanto, havia um homem que a protegia: Haakon Haroldson. O viking arrogante levou Annis para a sua terra, afastando-a de tudo o que ela amava. Assim, agora Annis via-se obrigada a escolher o humilde trabalho que correspondia a uma prisioneira ou a vida de prazer pecaminoso nos braços do viking!
Fingers crossed that the Portuguese like it!

Looking back over a decade

I have a post today at the Pink Heart Society about setting and keeping resolutions. If anyone knows of any good tips, please join in.

Kate Hardy has looked back over her last decade and I suppose I should as well.

The noughties were the decade that I became serious about writing and became a published author. It did take a bout of gall stones in 2002 to really make me determine to succeed. I then sold my first piece in 2004, and finally sold to Harlequin Mills & Boon in 2005. The trick now is to keep writing stories and build on that success. Because you are only a writer if you write.
One of the great parts has been the many friendships I have made.
My children grew into young adulthood. Instead of being a mother of under 10s, I am now a mother of teenagers with my eldest in his first year of university. I have learnt how much harder it is to watch someone take exams etc, rather than actually going through it.
With our pets, 2009 saw the departure of Tuppence and Penny after 17 years and Joss after 10. It also saw the arrival of Tess & Hardy in May and the Squittini brothers -- Heathcliff and Mr Darcy just a few weeks ago. The population of ducks and hens has been a constant shift but they are not really pets...
The decade started off with my dh being determined to become a beekeeper and ended with me being beekeeper in chief after he discovered an allergy. The honey and the wax has been amazing.
The garden is now developing into the sort of place we envisioned. The hedges which were mere twigs in the ground a decade ago are shoulder high. It is more maintenance than anything but considering the bonfires, the clearing, the battles with nettles and brambles, it is proving worthwhile.
The house is no longer a project but remodelled and redecorated. It should stay this way...I have learnt mobile dishwashers do just as good a job as an electric one, can be fantastic fun and a way to bond with your teenagers. I am rediscovering the joys of a solar dryer as well.
We travelled and I was able to cross off a number of items on my life list. Highlights included Gettysburg and most of the American Civil war battlefields in Virginia, Norway, Rome, Prague, Sorrento, Pompeii, Istanbul, Iceland, and Venice. I think the next decade will be focused more on the Middle East and some of the places I have longed to go since a teenager. First up the Sinai Peninsula in March. I do enjoy travelling.
What will the next decade bring? I have no idea. Life is all about experiencing both the valleys and the mountain peaks. Let's hope there are more mountain peaks than deep rifts.

Black ice

It froze hard last night and there is a covering of snow on top of that. This meant walking the dogs turned into slipping and sliding. Tess now understands -- gentles -- and slows down. She looked most surprised when I tumbled on my bottom and slid into her. The only thing damaged was my pride...

The kittens have discovered the joys of sleeping in my rocking chair. They are rapidly growing.

Oh and I watched the second part of Cranford series 2 last night. Absolutely magical. It is just as good as the first series. I loved various small touches. And immediately ordered the DVD. I suspect it will be shown in the US and Canada soon. It is certainly a treat that should not be missed. I loved the small part that Tim Curry had...it added that little bit extra and the main romance was sigh worthy.

The wip goes slowly but steadily. It is the holiday season after all and an afternoon contest of Scrabble called....

Kittens and puppies

The kittens are growing rapidly. I will get my youngest to put his pictures on the computer as the stupid computer still does not want to recognise my camera.

Tess has decided that she is the kittens' mother and keeps trying to clean them, much to Heathcliff's disgust. Heathcliff however has decided his place is in front of the living room fire and the dogs are suppose to move when he enters the room. In the end, it ended in a compromise when all of them lying down together.

The kittens also staged a break out and were discovered legging it down the hallway to my dh's study. They then had to be lured from under the sofa and removed. Because of their small size and ability to get into tight corners, I prefer to keep them confined!

Hardy has discovered that he loves cat food and if any is left down, he has taken upon himself to finish it.

It remains cold here and so I am planning on taking my big Christmas present -- new hiking boots -- for another long walk. The hiking boots are wonderfully warm and support my ankles. I wore my last pair out...

The wip is coming along slowly but steadily.

Sold & Seduced available for pre order

Eharlequin has Sold & Seduced available for pre order on its ebook store. Sold & Seduced is coming out in DIRECT so this means there will be a limited number of print copies (only available through eharlequin) and ebooks. S&S is available for download and purchase in print form from eharlequin starting 1 January. It will be available to download from all other ebook sellers on 1 February.

Anyway I had my first peek at the cover. They used the UK cover which as long time readers may know was an inside joke from my then editor. It conveys the feel of the book rather an actual scene. And as a misheard conversation about Kate Walker's The Antonakos Marriage helped inspired it, the cover gives a more Presents feel.

Romance Junkies gave S&S five stars when it came out in the UK and said: With characters so vivid you can see them in your mind’s eye and a plot that will keep you glued to the pages awaiting each battle of wills between Fabius and Lydia. .

Sold and Seduced blurb:

In just seven days, she will beg for his kiss!
Lydia Veratia made one mistake – and now her freedom is forfeit to the man who all Rome knows as the Sea Wolf. Sold into marriage, the one thing over which she still has control is her own desire. So when Fabius Aro offers her a wager – if she doesn’t plead for his kisses in the next seven days, then she will have her independence – Lydia thinks it will be easily won.
But Aro is a dangerously attractive man. And Lydia is finding his lips more and more tempting…

You can read an excerpt here.

Merry Christmas

Twas the night before the night before Christmas and not a creature was stirring -- particularly not a mouse! As the attic is right next to our bedroom, I was pleased to discover one more greedy mouse exterminated. Various stocking stuffers were replaced yesterday...and are away from mouse nesting making...
When the kittens grow up, they are going to be kept busy. Luckily they are already fond of chasing catnip stuffed mice.
Heathcliff and Mr Darcy are also fond of scaling the Christmas tree and had to be removed several times.
The puppies have attempted to investigate packages...
Chaos and confusion reign.

Hopefully everyone is safe and well this holiday season. And as my sister introduced me to this song (she even went and found me a cd with this on!) and it does remind me of family far away and Christmases spent with them:

Mice also like chocolate covered Turkish delight

I went into the attic yesterday to begin my marathon bout of wrapping presents. There I discovered we had had more little visitors. Attracted by a bag of Robin food that my dh intended as a present for my youngest who is keen on birdwatching, the mice had wrecked merry havoc. They are obviously British mice as they had shredded one of my American flags. They nibbled a bar of chocolate covered Turkish Delight but left the Old Jamaica bar intact and did not touch the Rhubarb and custard creams. The mice also tore into the wrapping paper. Thankfully the mice did not get into any of the big presents -- although I suspect it was a close call as some of the boxes had been nibbled...
So I spent time cleaning the attic and moving the mouse trap upstairs. I will get another trap for the basement but the trap has been untouched for a week.
I then wrapped all the presents and moved them elsewhere. Because of the presents, no one else was permitted to be up there. At the end of the afternoon I was exhausted but all presents are now wrapped and out of the attic. The trap are set and the mice should be exterminated soon.

The kittens are growing every day and hopefully within a few months will be merrily chasing mice. Heathcliff has decided this morning that the computer mouse is an amusing toy. Mr Darcy is investigating my cup of tea. I was going to post a picture but Heathcliff and Mr Darcy managed to press the keyboard in such a fashion that the folder vanished. Kittens bring different problems than puppies.

Kitten on my lap

My old cats, acquired before I had a computer, never used to come and sit on my lap as I worked. Tuppence would come in and perch on the sofa and watch, occasionally comment but never feel the need to actively participate.

Mr Darcy (who is now asleep on the sofa) wants to help write and has taken to climbing up my leg and then jumping on the desk. Sometimes I suspect that his typing might be better than my own!

Heathcliff prefers my shoulder to supervise and now is asleep on my lap. He was not fooled by the blanket on the sofa trick. He wants a lap and every so often to be stroked.

There is something about a warm kitten, purring away.

The puppies are being good and have enjoyed their encounters with snow. However, the puppies are far too big to sit on my lap. Tess will lie at my feet when I work though and I will be glad when operation get the kittens used to the puppies ends. The puppies have worked out that the kittens are alive and that kitten food tastes good! The kittens seem to think the puppies are mobile scratching posts...

Kitten central and Mamma Mia in Newcastle

For a variety of reasons, my study has become kitten central. The kittens are mainly living in here while they get used to the big wide world and learn the intricacies of the litter tray.

The kittens are growing all the time and have discovered how to purr, chase balls and climb up the sofa. Heathcliff has also decided that Tess is a mobile scratching post and that sitting on my lap as I type is an excellent idea. Mr Darcy is a bit more refined. They have also decided in the absence of a lap, the 49ers blanket will do.

My daughter and I took the train to Newcastle to see Mamma Mia yesterday. The organisers of the show have thought about it and produced a brochure, giving train times, and finishing times of the performances. It is a five to seven minute walk from the station to the Newcastle Metro Arena.

Mamma Mia was excellent! Thoroughly enjoyable. At the start, there is a safety announcement for those of a nervous disposition -- white lycra and high heeled boots will be seen on stage!

The musical is slightly different from the movie and it was interesting to read that they have changed little bits to make the musical more accessible in each country that it plays in. For example, as the buses run on time in Toronto, they did away with the joke about you wait 20 years for a dad and three of them come along at once. The nationalities of the dads also change. In Australia, Bill Austin is Australian rather than being Scottish or Swedish as in the film.

Everyone could sing and special mention should be made of Kate Graham who played the high maintenance Tanya to perfection. The running order of the songs is slightly different and there are a few more songs in the musical version than in the movie.

The audience were dancing in the aisles by the end
I had thought the Arena might be bitter but it was toasty warm.
Anyway, Mamma Mia is highly enjoyable and was a fantastic Christmas treat. They have added an extra week and tickets remain available.

Meet the ultimate in mouse extermination

The kittens are Heathcliffe and Mr Darcy. They are both male despite the lurid pink kitten house. Some day they will grow into their names. Mr Darcy has s a white tip to his tail and loves kitten milk. Heathcliffe is all black (or rather charcoal with jet black stripes) and likes to climb. Basically they look alike except for the white tipped tail. Undoubtably the personalities will be very different.

The names are my daughter's choice as they are her big Christmas present.

Currently they are sleeping in her bedroom at night as we are not sure about how the puppies will react. Thus far the kittens have been willing to show claws to dogs' noses, particularly when the kittens are hanging off the top of the pyramid. They have also learnt how to climb up the sofa in my study.

It has snowed here and so we will be breaking out the sleds as the world is covered in white.

Persistence pays

Apparently there is going to be a BBC Radio 6 broadcast on Christmas Day about the panel sessions and some of the failures who went on to success. Jimmy Page narrates -- Kate Hardy please note.
David Bowie in 1965 was told he could not sing. Led Zepplin passed but the report said basically they were not the genuine article and were derivative and unconvincing. Marc Bolan's T-rex was considered execrable.
However, the bands improved and went on to great success. And it goes to show that what you do after a response is important. Creativity is not static.
Many times it is easy to concentrate on your field and think no one else struggles, no one else needs to be persistent.
The very lovely photographer who took fantastic photos of me and the dogs (hopefully I will get her permission to post them AFTER the article goes out) said that the thing that got her where she is was persistence.
In this world, in order to succeed, you need desire, dedication, determination, discipline and persistence.

In other news:
Heathcliffe and Mr Darcy are starting to settle in. My computer does not want to recognise my camera. My youngest has taken a few pictures with his new camera so I hope to post them soon.
Mr Darcy has a white tip to his tail. My daughter assures me that they will grow into their names. Somehow, seeing Mr Darcy hanging upside down from the kitten house roof, it gives a whole new perspective on the affair. Heathcliffe is charcoal gray with black stripes and enjoyed scaling the heights. They are barely six weeks old.
Tess & Hardy are slightly perplexed by them. Curious but welcoming. Heathcliffe paused from his exploration of the scratching pyramid to swipe at their noses with his claws. Chile just rolled his eyes and went to sleep.
The kittens are sleeping in my daughter's room in their lurid pink house. The dogs are in the kitchen. The plan is to unite the two in the kitchen once they are better acquainted.

The mouse extermination total stands at 16.

It is snowing.

photo shoots

Yesterday I did a photo shoot for an upcoming feature article in a major North East lifestyle magazine.
Note to self -- not good to have washing hanging in kitchen when photographer arrives even if your son does need his Rugby kit for that afternoon!
It was fun and nerve wracking at the same time. The house had to be cleaned and various bit of Christmas tidied away as the article is not a Christmas article. We then moved furniture about so the photographer could get her shots. It is not cool to have a dvd player in the shot of the author in front of the fireplace playing with the dogs for example.
The dogs were reasonably well-behaved. Tess sat with her head on my knee but Hardy was far too busy. Chile the labrador would sit but not when Hardy was there as they both kept jostling for position. So the lovely photographer took some of each.
The big thing I learnt was not to smile but to smirk and to see the photographer as a friend. It is all about warmth in your eyes. The camera loves you when your eyes are warm and responsive.
The photographer has promised to send some of the photos through...
The interview is this morning. So cue frantic second cleaning of the house. The washing has been removed from the kitchen.

A Christmas Wedding Wager in Polish or PAMIĘTNA WIGILIA

The very lovely Donna Alward let me know that A Christmas Wedding Wager is out in Poland this month and because of the way Harlequin works, it also means that it will be out Czech as well. Hooray. And hooray that they have used the US cover. That cover always reminds me of a Christmas card.

The blurb is:

PAMIĘTNA WIGILIA Numer 36(284)
W sprzedaży od: 14.12.2009r.
Anglia, 1846 rokDo Newcastle, gdzie Emma Harrison prowadzi ustabilizowane życie, niespodziewanie powraca Jack Santon, jej dawny ukochany. Kiedyś chciał się z nią ożenić, lecz pani Harrison była przeciwna małżeństwu córki z ubogim inżynierem. Emma długo żałowała, że nie odważyła się sprzeciwić matce, nie umiała bowiem pokochać innego mężczyzny. Poświęciła się opiece nad chorym ojcem. Teraz, po latach, odkrywa, że jej uczucie jest wciąż żywe. Również Jack, który zrobił w świecie błyskotliwą karierę, nadal pragnie Emmy. Oboje jednak mają wątpliwości...
cena: 11.00 zł

Anyway I am thrilled and hope people in both countries enjoy it.

On mouse extermination news:

I have now exterminated a baker's dozen. This shows the level of infestation, rather than my prowess as a mouse exterminator! And I have come to conclusion that regular inspection of the trap works. It also helps that I can hear the twang of the mouse trap going off when I am working in my study. I then race down the stairs and dispose of the exterminated mouse.

I did notice that a helpful mouse had covered the poison in the live catch traps with bits of newspaper and then closed the traps. New poison has been put down. This is war after all! But I can still admire the ingenuity of the enemy.

And I am looking forward to bringing in the big guns some time next week.

Mouse wars and a lovely review

The number of exterminated mice now stands at 10. I suspect there are more mice, partly because I saw a tail disappearing when I opened the door this morning and spotted exterminated mouse number 9. Peanut butter. Peanut butter. Peanut butter (and not storing the bloody bird seed in a non secure container!) will be the way to beat this infestation. The ultimate mouse destruction machines should be arriving within the week. Various kitten type things have bought in readiness.

My morning was made by a lovely review from Pearl at Realms on Our Bookshelves. She said:

It was a story of seduction, duty, family-intrigue, secrets, politics, trust and passion, with a great plot that was revealed gradually, with strong characters that held my attention firmly, with the right amount of battle and action and with a courtship brimmed with adversity that made the HEA that more welcome and appreciated.
Though this book was a category romance of less than 300 pages, it totally didn’t have that feel, it was well rounded, well crafted and complete. Hence, praise to Michelle Styles for the delivery of another entertaining, solid Viking story and giving this historical romance lover an escape in the form of a few pleasurable reading hours.
You can read the full review here.

As regular readers of this blog know, VCP was a tough book to write so I am very pleased that Pearl thought the experience pleasurable.
Now all I have to do is finish my current mess in progress and make it even more enjoyable!

6 - 2 is the current tally

The tally right now stands at 6 successful extermination of mice and 2 mice who escaped from the Rentokil lethal mouse trap.
I do have to wonder if one of the mice who escaped is the mouse who ate a hole in the live catch trap. Luckily this mouse also ate the poison. The trap has been baited again and pushed slightly back. And I have put the poison down again. Some success I suppose as the rat run poison remains and the other live catch trap's poison was not touched.
So I think we have a bad infestation of mice but I am hopeful that we can get it sorted. Mice in houses, leaving droppings and weeing on items is gross and a health hazard. Plus the nest making. Luckily they have not chewed through any electric cabling...

Roll on the kittens.

And yes, I think mice can smell cats. I have to wonder if the reason they have not invaded the kitchen is that it is where the dogs sleep. I think Tess and Hardy would enjoy chasing mice if they had the chance!

Mice like peanut butter

Since putting out the lethal mouse trap baited with peanut butter yesterday afternoon, three mice have met their maker. Two yesterday evening, and then one found this morning.

All the poison has gone from the rat run and the two live catch traps. I should note here -- the poison is not able to be accessed by puppies or when they arrive the kittens -- it is why I am using the live catch traps and the rat run.

I have re-baited the lethal mouse trap with peanut butter. And have put more poison down. I am hopeful that they will just go back to their lair and die! The poison takes several doses.

After seeing the destruction they caused, both in the house and then last March having lost two bee colonies to mice, I feel no pity for them.

This is war!

And soon the ultimate in mouse destruction technology will arrive...the kittens!

More Italian releases

I was really pleased to discover that 2 more of my books are going into Italy in January.

First of all there is the Italian version of An Impulsive Debutante -- IL VALZER DELLA DEBUTTANTE
or Waltz of the Debutante which I think is a lovely title.

The blurb reads likes this:

Inghilterra, 1847

Lottie Charlton è ansiosa di andare a Londra per partecipare alla sua prima stagione mondana. Sua madre si aspetta che trovi un ricco gentiluomo con cui convolare a nozze e lei ha tutte le intenzioni di accontentarla, ma il suo comportamento avventato la porta dritta tra le braccia dell'affascinante Tristan Dyvelston, la cui reputazione è stata fortemente compromessa molti anni prima. Per evitare lo scandalo, dunque, Lottie è costretta a sposarlo, anche se lui non possiede un titolo nobiliare. O almeno questo è quello che le fa credere Tristan, determinato a vagliare il carattere e la sincerità di cuore dell'incauta fanciulla sottoponendola a una serie di dure prove. Saprà l'impulsiva e viziata debuttante superarle? E soprattutto, saprà perdonare al marito quel piccolo inganno a fin di bene?



And you can find out how to get it here.


Then I have my first Harmony Historical release which is where the Regency ones go. A Question of Impropriety becomes UNA PROPOSTA SCANDALOSA or A Scandalous Proposal.

The blurb is:
Inghilterra, 1813
Diana Clare è tornata nel Northumberland dopo una parentesi londinese che ha segnato profondamente il suo animo e la sua vita, e per cinque anni ha cercato di dimenticare ciò che è accaduto nella capitale. Poi Brett Farnham, l'attraente Conte di Coltonby, si trasferisce nella tenuta confinante e, suo malgrado, la costringe a ricordare quanto sia piacevole essere lusingate, corteggiate e amate. Diana però non vuole più soffrire, e soprattutto non ha intenzione di affrontare ancora il rischio di uno scandalo. Anche perché Brett, almeno in un primo momento, la desidera come amante e non come moglie...

And you can find out more here.

Fingers crossed that it means Impoverished Miss,Convenient Wife will also be going.

In Mice in the basement news:

The traps were sprung and mice obviously caught but they managed to wriggle free. There are mouse droppings all over the traps.
I shall try again.

Mice in the basement

I discovered late on Friday when I finally got around to getting the Christmas decorations out that we had mice in the basement. They were enticed there by my youngest storing bird seed. Bird seed and mouse droppings mingled. All the stockings had to be washed. Several hand made decorations from long ago Christmases had to be tossed.
What is worse the mice had made nests in several boxes of clothes and old papers. I had carefully stored stuffed animals, dresses I had made for my daughter when she was little and boxes of letters from when my husband and I were at university. Most are beyond repair and have been tossed. I was in tears. Some were beloved stuffed animals and I had spent hours smocking a pinafore for my daughter, only to have it shredded. The children's books were covered in mouse droppings...I did manage to save a few letters and cards though.
I shall have to get some more rat poison and put it down there as I am unconvinced that the mice are gone.

My youngest when he gets back from his boy scout camp will have some explaining to do!

Educating Aspiring Authors

As I firmly believe that people have to know about a business before getting in and there has been a great deal of talk about that most ancient of publishing methods -- self publishing.
I would like to highly recommend aspiring authors read this article on the Great Myth of Self Publishing.
Furthermore, the blog How Publishing Really Works is also excellent.


For me, personally, I am very happy with a commercial publishing model (a rather newer model than self publishing btw) for my fiction. But I am also very grateful that my great grandmother privately published her memoirs of her children growing up and even before that a friend of my great great grandmother privately published an account of the Christmas she spent with my great great great grandparents during the American Civil War. Both books are treasured family heirlooms. You simply have to know your market.

Education is vital.

The k word

Because some asked. Yes, the k word has been spoken and approved. My daughter tackled my husband about it just after we returned from Istanbul as a friend's cat had had kittens. To my amazement, he agreed that she could have it as her Christmas present.
The pair will be arriving just after the middle of December.
More news when it happens.
Me thinks Christmas is going to be chaos!

Fresh Fiction, Tote bags and records

The Viking's Captive Princess is featured in the Fresh Fiction Candy's Inside Books column. Candy kindly included a little anecdote about iolite or the Viking's sun compass.

I am at Tote Bags today discussing climate change and writing. Basically some of the things HMB and I have done/are doing to help conserve the world's finite resources. I have been so impressed with the way HMB has used technology to become a paperless office as much as possible. The blog was inspired by a Tote Bags reader who sells solar panel chargers for things like ipods, mobile phones etc. I am a big fan of solar power as it does seem less intrusive than wind power and had not realised that these things exist. Anyway, it sounds intriguing.

And yes, we do get sun in Northumberland -- although not very much of it at this time of year.

Speaking of climate change, tomorrow 5 Dec is the BBC's Tree Oclock world record attempt at tree planting. You can get involved either by planting a tree or asking some organisation like The Woodland Trust to plant one for you.

And finally speaking of records, a friend of mine, Jeremy Green just set a new national record at the bare bow. Jem has been doing archery for 2 1/2 years and when I used to take him to school who wax lyrical about archery. Well done Jem!

12 Days of Christmas and Unusual Historical

Because The Viking's Captive Princess has just been released, there are places to find me with giveaways.
First of all Donna Alward is doing her annual 12 Days of Christmas extravaganza. There is a huge lot of books to win. Today is my day. And I should say that if you want to get in the Christmas mood, Donna's latest novella -- Montana, Mistletoe and Marriage is a great way to do it. Donna even includes a recipe.

Then today sees another excerpt from The Viking's Captive Princess on Unusual Historical. It is a different one to the one on my site. Then on Sunday, I will be doing a visit to UH and there is a copy of VCP in the offing.

And advanced warning, 16 December sees the annual eharlequin Open House with its multitude of authors...including me.

Here I am working on my current mess in progress and getting back into it. I appear to have lost some of my notes but do know what is happening.

The puppies are doing well but I think the house will be chaos in about 2 weeks when 2 four legged babies arrive...

The official publication date for The Viking's Captive Princess

Today is the official publication date for The Viking's Captive Princess. I know it has been out in the US retail shops -- in time for the Thanksgiving shopping frenzy. But now all the ebook shops have it as well. So if you want to downloaded on a Kindle or nook, you can.
Also I have done an interview with Darlene of Finding the Write Words. It should be up soon.

For me, I am drinking coffee, wrapped in a fleece blanket (hard frost on the ground) and working on my next manuscript that was due 31 October but I was able to put on hold until I had finished my revisions. I had a quick reread and it is not as bad as I feared. I will have to do some tweaks but it is a fun story. At the moment, I do not think there are as many problems, but one never knows. Lately I seem ever likely to go off on tangents.

Winners from the November Newsletter

The winners from the November Newsletter are as follows:

Lorraine C -- signed copy of the Viking's Captive Princess

Suzy Roy -- a copy from one of my backlist books


And
Tammy Swift gets the dubious honour of me being her mentor for the year.

All have been contacted via email.

Many thanks for entering.

Revisions done and turned in

I finished my revisions today and have turned them in!

Now all I have to do is to finish my over due manuscript!

Bad Hardy and the Shouting Coat

Hardy now has a harness from Ruffwear as he kept getting bald spots on his nose from the halti. Plus my husband liked the look of the harness. It is designed with mountain rescue dogs in mind. I suspect we will be getting the boots so that Hardy can go hiking in the Lake District as the flint scree can play havoc with paws.

Hardy does pull less and is now easier to spot in the dusk. But the red colour certainly shouts.

As the children adored Dorothy Edwards My Naughty Little Sister when they were young, Hardy has been rechristened Bad Hardy. The Naughty Little Sister's identity is obvious.

Both dogs would be delighted to eat up any and all trifle. At Thanksgiving, it was a close run thing with the clam dip.

I shall not go on about Hardy's current obssession with rearranging the dog beds. He is never content with how I put them and he tugs them into other spots.

My revisions will be in on Monday.

Meeting readers

On Wednesday, it was my please to do the Hexham Girls' Night In. At the moment, the computer is refusing to recognise my camera. So no pictures despite taking some wonderful ones of Anna Louisa Lucia's taxi shoes as she calls them. My daughter also took a number of the panel.

It was a thoroughly splendid evening and I was able to meet a couple of my readers as well as some people who just love M&B in general. I also met romantic comedy novelist -- Abigail Bosanko who is great fun and a fellow enthusiast about the Anglo Saxon period.

Janet McLeod Trotter shared about how she goes to the Lit and Phil Monday - Friday with her lap top to work on her novels. One of her current projects is a novel about an overland excursion to Kathmandu in the 1970s. She currently putting her diaries of her own 196 trip on a blog. They are a fascinating read for anyone who likes to travel vicariously. It turns out that a friend of mine is a huge fan of Jan's regional sagas and so they had a chat at the Girls Night In.

Yesterday when I was in Tescos looking at the latest M&B, I spoke with a woman who was also searching. Her view was when you are looking for a romance to read, you might as well go with the best! We had a lovely discussion about various Modern authors. My daughter slunk off to get paper...

But it is so fantastic to meet people who are enthusiastic and genuinely get the genre and are interested in it.

Happy Thanksgiving

May your blessings be too many to count and your troubles too few to mention.

Rents in the space-time continuum revisited

Last summer, I lost my Mont Blanc pen. It vanished one bright day after writing outside. My youngest had brought my papers in and I thought he was perhaps careless. We tore the house upside down looking for it, checked the garden. But not a trace. And a result, in many ways, my writing has felt off. I have used that pen to help me write every historical.It was wrong of me but I missed that pen.
The discovery of my earring a few weeks ago gave me hope. Maybe some day, the house would reveal the pen.
Then yesterday, I happened to lean over and look by the sofa in my study. There in plain view was the pen! The sofa was thoroughly taken apart in August and again when I was searching for some piece of paper in September. It was not there then. It was there yesterday. Just like someone had dropped it and walked away. Given the fuss I had made (including dire threats), the children were pleased to know it had been found.
Is it a rent in the space-time continuum? Does the house simply eat objects and spew them out again in odd and obscure places? Or is there a logical explanation?

Career novelist type thoughts.

Over the past week, I have been very busy -- attempting to get my revisions done and make this story the best it can be.

I am also very glad that I worked hard on perfecting my craft and technique of story telling and am published with a commercial publisher as it takes many hard working and dedicated people to produce and distribute a book. The people in the back room are often ignored or overlooked but the jobs they do are vital to the success of commercial fiction.

And make no mistake commercial fiction is highly successful but it is also highly competitive. Success is never guaranteed and you are only as good as your latest book. I know that. It is why I work very hard on all of my stories and am still working to perfect my craft. My success will come because of the quality of my writing.

It is my strongly held belief that aspiring authors should learn as much about the business as possible before sending their work out. Being a career novelist is about far more than just writing a single story. The key word here is -- career. It is what I am attempting to do -- forge a career.
It takes dedication, desire, determination, discipline and a lot of perseverance.

The November Newsletter

The November newsletter has gone out, complete with contests for readers and my annual writer's contest.

If anyone would like to recieve the newsletter and hasn't, please email me.

The closing dates for both contests is 30 November.

Currently I remain busy trying to revise as I keep finding more problems! Still I had lots of problems with The Viking's Captive Princess and it worked in the end or at least I hope people think it did.

Viking Captive Princess in stock and dog drama

First of all , Amazon.com is showing The Viking's Captive Princess as being in stock. So even though the official publication date is not until 1 December, they will be shipping now.

Dog drama or more properly dog attack

Yesterday, my husband and I went for a walk. It is the walk we do very often. One of the farms has a dog which is not under control and never has been. I am not sure if it does anything on the farm. Basically all I hear is people shouting its name --Charlie as it ignores them. We always keep our dogs on leads near the farm as we do not want bother.
Yesterday the hunt was meeting in that area which was sigh as it meant guiding Tess & Hardy through vehicles, horses and people. The hunt is very good about keeping its hounds off and away from the public highway until it is actually started. But we wanted to go on the walk and do have the right to walk on a public road.
Tess was on her halti and Hardy (because the halti rubbed on his nose) was on an ordinary lead.They were nervous but behaving. My husband had Tess and I had Hardy. We moved reasonably quickly.
Over the general noise, I hear -- Charlie, Charlie. My heart sank but I ignored it. Surely no one could be so dumb as to allow a badly behaved dog out when the hunt was about. The meet was at their farm and so they had to have known.
We stop as there are horse in the road. Tess lies down on the verge. Hardy sits a few feet away. We are keeping tight hold of the leads, and in my case Hardy's collar.
Suddenly there is a snarl and a dark brown dog launches at Tess going for her throat. Charlie. My husband pulled Charlie off Tess who was cowering and unable to defend herself with a halti. The dog spun around and attacked again, tried to get Tess's throat a second time. I allowed Hardy to go closer and between Hardy and my husband, they saw Charlie off. No one asked if we or the dogs were all right. No one apologised despite the woman whom I have seen calling Charlie, Charlie standing there holding her horse. She simply looked on stony faced. One of the hunt officials came over to remonstrate with my husband for having dogs but backed away when he discovered our dogs were on leads and properly under control.
The next time, the police will be called as you can not have a dangerous dog running around a public area out of control like that.
Tess and Hardy were very subdued for the rest of the day. Thankfully Tess was uninjured in the attack.

Hexham Library and RNA Northumberland Girl's Night In

The Romantic Novelists Association Northumberland present…
Girls’ Night In Party
Hexham Library, Queen’s Hall, Beaumont Street, Hexham
Wednesday 25th November 6.30 (for 7.00) – 9.00pm

On this exclusive evening a panel of authors; Janet MacLeod, Anna Scamans, Prue Philipson & Margaret Carr, will be talking about where they get their ideas from!
Michelle Styles (Mills & Boon) will facilitate the evening’s events.

At the event, the authors attending will be signing & selling copies of their novels, so bring your purse!

Alongside this there is the opportunity to have your nails done by Lynn Foster of Finesse Nail Bar (Wentworth Leisure Centre)

Tickets £5.00 – Includes goody bag, one free glass of wine & mince pie
Handcrafted Christmas cards will be available for sale
Please contact Hexham Library on 01434 652488 to book your ticket.
Contact Finesse for prices on 07799497766 & to book your manicure in advance. Manicures available on the night subject to demand.

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day or Veterans Day in the US, the anniversary of Armistice Day or the day that the war to end all wars ended. Unfortunately, war has not stopped and brave men and women are still giving their todays so that we might enjoy our tomorrows in peace. It is important to take the time and remember them.

Sometimes it takes longer...

The revisions are being done and now that I am into it, I can see other problems. Simple changes early on result in larger changes later. The important thing is not to skimp but to make certain that everything is done properly. The time I spend now will make the story a better read and I am after giving the best read possible. Still it is aggravating.

Clearance at Mills & Boon includes Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife

Mills & Boon has put a load of books on its clearance page, including Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife for 99p.

It is a chance to pick up some real bargains as all the series are represented but stocks are limited.

M&B has flat rate shipping around the world btw.

In other news:

I am still working on my revisions. The book is getting better or at least I hope so...

Hardy and the halti

Because Hardy and Tess have been pulling so much and I now have repetitive strain injury, I have resorted to a halti -- or head collar. Years ago I used one on Chile our Labrador and despite going back to an ordinary collar and lead, Chile still does not pull.
You do have to take the dog in and get the collar to fit properly btw. Because although they give some guidance, it depends on the dog and you might a halti one size smaller.

When you put on a halti, you instantly have more control as where the head goes, the body must follow. The dogs also can not apply as much tug. So you are not putting all your might into getting them to do what you want.

Once he realised that he could not pull, Hardy took to leaping in the air and trying to fly. But I pushed the lead down as he was starting one of his midair twists and he rather flopped (instead of flying). Since then, he has been walking to a near perfect heel and I only have to shake the lead slightlyto remind him.
Tess is beginning to get used to it and is walking better. And the walks are becoming much more enjoyable even after just a few days.
At first dogs do try to get the halti off, but they do learn very quickly how much more pleasant it is.
I understand some people use a gentle leader which basically acts the same way. The halti works for me though.

Conflicts and Goodreads

First of all, this month I am answering questions on Goodreads about The Viking's Captive Princess, so if anyone is interested, I would be delighted to see you. Otherwise I will continue to answer questions for my own amusement.

Second my daughter had to do a Myer-Briggs personality test yesterday at school for some Enterprise thing. They have been divided into teams of four with each team having one of the personality groups. I have a small problem with this approach as studies have shown that the four groups are not evenly distributed through out the population. Generally you get far more artisans and guardians than you do idealists and rationals. It is the way of the world. Of course, if you are in a specific community, you might find the balance shifted. For example, a community of writers will tend to have more Idealists and a community of engineers will have more Rationalists.
This prompted me to get out the two books I have on Myers-Briggs --Differing Gifts and Please Understand Me II and started to re-read them again.
Using Myer- Briggs can be helpful when looking at conflicts as Myer- Briggs is Jungian based archetypes and therefore ties neatly into the whole Hero's journey structure concept. Because conflict is about the whole personality and discovering flashpoints, even when conflict is simply stated. It is about how world views are coloured.
Anne McAllister is the real expert on this btw. So if anyone is interested, ask her and she might be persuaded to do some thing on her blog.
You can discover more about this personality typing here, and can even have your characters take the free test -- just answer the questions how your characters would.

Puppy escape

I am not quite sure how it happened or when it happened but the puppies have discovered a way to get out of the garden.
On Saturday, the first my youngest knew about it was when he heard distant barks and Tess and Hardy were discovered legging it up the lane by the nursing home. I accepted that maybe a gate was left open as the puppies do not jump fences and none of the ducks were out.
On Monday, I did the duck houses and suddenly the garden was silent. No Tess or Hardy. I called and called. The ducks were all still there. I went inside and there on the answering machine was a message from the Farmer's Wife. She had two puppies by the name of Tess & Hardy, and would I care to collect them?
As I was about to leave, leads in hand, Hardy came running up, looking as if butter would not melt in his mouth. I put him in the house and set off down the track that leads to the farm and the high school all the while calling for Tess. By the dairy, I discovered a miserable Tess, chained up.
The farmer's wife was lovely. Someone from school had spotted them, and she had corralled them and then as they were bothering the geese, she attempted to chain them. At which point, Hardy escaped. Last seen running as if his life depended on it.
I put Tess on her lead and led the frightened puppy up the track. She tried to dive into next door's garden at one point and so I wondered about the water gate. However, the ducks who were notorious for using this method have not used it recently. Then I spotted the gap in our fence, on a steep part of the bank where the children used to have a mudslide...
Tess was put in the kitchen with her miscrient brother and head straight for her bed.
I took a wooden stake and repaired the hole by lying on the ground, filling the gap, making it puppy and duck proof.
Tess & Hardy have been much chastened. Or as cheastened as two Border collies can be.
I have also taken to using a halti with Hardy when we go out for walks as he has been pulling. A halti is like a horse's bridle and so I am controlling the head and where the head goes, the body follows. Hardy thinks that this is a great game of tug, and keeps practising his leaps and mid air spins.

Steve Earle at the Sage Gateshead

Last night, I had the pleasure of taking my youngest to see Steve Earle at the Sage Gateshead (my husband is suffering from laryngitis). Steve Earle's current tour is to promote his new Townes cd where he covers a number of Townes Van Zandt songs.
Steve Earle was in good form and the songs remain classics. The Sage is a tremendous venue and is dedicated to folk music. Luckily it is easy to find and there is a ton of parking as well.
There once was a triumvirate of legendary singer/song writers -- Earle, Van Zandt and Guy Clarke. Unfortunately Van Zandt died before I got to see him perform so this was the next best thing.
BTW I do remain a huge fan of Guy Clarke's after seeing him at the Cambridge Folk festival back in 2000. His song The Cape helped me get through the submission process and be turthful still does. He did not know that he could not fly and so he did. Sums a lot. And in case anyone needs inspiration to keep on submitting and holding fast to their dreams:


Anyway, I can thoroughly recommend Steve Earle in concert. The man knows how to play the guitar.

A Christmas Wedding Wager in Italian -- Valzer D'Amore

As it is the start of the month, I went looking for any foreign releases and discovered that just in time for Christmas, A Christmas Wedding Wager has been released in Italian as Valver D'Amore.

This is the blurb:

Inghilterra, 1846
Da quando il padre si è ammalato, Emma Harrison ha preso le redini della prestigiosa ditta di costruzioni di famiglia, rinunciando alle frivolezze della vita mondana e a tutti i suoi sogni. Ma durante le festività natalizie, ricompare a Newcastle Jack Stanton, e all'improvviso tutto cambia. Diventato uno degli uomini più ricchi d'Inghilterra e abituato a ottenere tutto ciò che desidera, Jack ha messo gli occhi proprio sulla dolce Emma. E lei, costretta a collaborare con il giovane imprenditore alla realizzazione di un ponte, sente rinascere il sentimento che molto tempo prima li aveva uniti. Eppure un dubbio insidioso si fa largo nel suo cuore: e se lui fosse tornato solo per impossessarsi dell'impresa del padre?

But you can read more here.

I can get bits and pieces with my limited Italian. Last year when we were in Sorrento and I fumbled ordering, my eldest looked at me and asked me -- Mom, didn't you learn ANY Italian?

But I am very pleased to have A Christmas Wedding Wager in Italy at this time of year. It is lovely to think that someone will sit down with a piece of panneforte and maybe a glass of vin santo and read it.

The Viking's Captive Princess Available from eharlequin

The Viking's Captive Princess is available from eharlequin from today -- either in print or as an e-book. It is the quickest way to get your hands on a copy. It will out in the shops in North America at the end of the month and as a kindle, nook (Barnes & Noble's new device) or available from other e-book stores on 1 December.

You can read an excerpt here.