Dealing with ticks

My youngest came home from a school trip to the Isle of Arran with a tick. The teacher had put vaseline on it. The trouble with vaseline is that the tick suffocates and vacates its stomach into its host. The best way to get rid of a tick is with tweezers or a tick remover. Removed promptly with tweezers or a tick remover, the tick should pose no problem.
Burning, vaseline or nail polish is not good and is likely to lead to infection.
My youngest is now on antibiotics. He thinks I overreacted but Lyme disease is no joke and there are a number of other nasty diseases. The doctor agreed with me, particularly as the tick was on his skin for over two hours.
The best way to avoid ticks is prevention -- long sleeves and insect repellent with DEET.

Other than that, he had a brilliant time. Lots of pictures of rocks and other geological formations as well as red deer.

Because I'm going to Nashville

I have booked my plane tickets for Nashville. My place at the RWA conference and hotel room were booked when the conference bookings open back in February but I waited a little bit on plane tickets.
They were more expensive than I thought they'd be.
This means no new wardrobe and that I have to fit into my existing wardrobe.
This means exercise as nothing makes you lose inches like exercise. One of the best workouts I know is indoor rowing. And until we moved the rowing machine downstairs (where it became a good clothes horse), I was very good at doing it. I have started again after my youngest remarked that 3 x a week for 30 minutes at a time will get you fit in 6 weeks.
Time to do it as I have no wish to be wearing a sack at the RWA conference.

I have also discovered that dividing my writing into chunks and concentrating on finishing one chunk at a time is working. It means limited my Internet time but it is keeping me focused as I can't just check until I have finished the next chunk of 750 words. Thus far since starting the new regime on 6 April, I have managed over 63, 000 words. Go me!

Misconceptions are us

I am currently reading a biography of Gertrude Bell. She is absolutely wonderful and a real daughter of the desert. It is through her work as much as Lawerence's that the Arab middle east evolved. She was particularly instrumental in setting up Iraq. She is a new heroine for me as I never really knew that much about her. She was just someone who spent a great deal of time in the desert and was an Edwardian lady traveller. Shows how wrong you can be.
Her early life adds a lot to my knowledge about the North East. Basically her grandfather, Lowthian Bell, was the Bill Gates of his day and the family transportation royalty rather than aristocracy. It is also great to read about when places like Washington and Redcar oozed money.
What surprised me and shocked me was her stepmother Florence Bell. As far I know no proper biography has been done of this lady. She was the daughter of a physician, brought up in France, highly musical, a playwright as well as writing various things on the education of children. She moved in artistic and industrial circles. Counted Charles Dickens as a friend. She was an early pioneer in social work, doing a lot of the hard graft of interviewing people and publishing the raw data. ALong with her husband, she was an early suppoertor of the trade unions (surprisingly they both felt that the owners of businesses were dependant on the workers and that workers therefore needed to be treated well) And as I was reading this , I thought no wonder, Gertrude was such a strong character and got the first first in Modern History that Oxford ever bestowed on woman. Her stepmother must have been one of the first suffragettes. Had to be.
Umm, no. Lady Florence Bell was vehemently anti-suffragette. She wrote essays on why the movement was wrong. Gertrude could not even discuss it with her. Her education philosophy was that women should be educated at home where ever possible. No exceptions. The aim being not to create a great academic but someone who would shine in society. Accomplishments were it. A woman's place was by her husband's side. Apparently her own daughters were renown as great conversationalists -- The Hugh Bells.
However, Gertrude was the exception. Realising that she needed stretching, Florence sent her first to Queens College and then to Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. The way women were treated in Oxford was surely scandalous -- being forced to sit with their backs to the lectures or on the podium with the lecturer. Luckily Gertrude did not stand for any nonsense and made several remarks about the lecturers not adding anything to the books she had read. After which, she decided that Gertrude needed domestication before she came out as a debutante! And Gertrudealso learned to operate within society. Although Gertrude never married (there were several scandalous affairs with men!), she always was a part of the establishment. It enable her to accomplish things.
Anyway, it shocked me that a woman like Lady Florence Bell could be so enlightened in many ways and yet not grasp the fundamental principle that women deserved the vote.

Anyway, it is a lesson to me not just to assume and to place my 21st century interpretations on things.
Busy writing away.

Mystery object solved

Thanks to the ever so lovely Louisa Allen, I now know what the mystery object is -- a soda siphon. The picture she sent shows it complete with wire mesh.

My youngest is very grateful and my daughter feels vindicated. I told you that it couldn't be a lamp, she crowed.

I refused to speculate why it was buried in the bank. The people who built this house were bankers, not chemists. Before that, the area was part of a farm.

Now to see if my new way of work can continue today as everyone else is back at work or at school.

Making sure you have a life

Yesterday on the Pink Heart Society, new author Mira Kelly blogged about deadlines and how suddenly she could not do the things she wanted to. Writing had become a job rather than a hobby and this meant changes and have to forgo things because of deadlines. Lots of people are sympathetic but I wanted to put my head in my hands and go ARGH!

When you write, there is always talk of deadlines. Some authors get so het up about deadlines that they forget to have a life and this can lead to burn out, particularly if they have overestimated the number of books they can produce a year. Over production is a good way to get writer's block and burn out. Burn out is something that all authors want to avoid.

Some deadlines are movable feasts and others are precise. Before your book is accepted, in general, deadlines are movable if you speak to your editor in advance. After your book is accepted and you are dealing with things like Dear Reader letters, and Author Alterations (aka copy editors) deadlines are cast in stone. You miss them, these things are not included in the book.
The trick is knowing which is which and speaking with your editor.

The editors do know about burn out. They are human. They understand that authors go on holiday. They go on holiday as well and surprise, surprise they do not take manuscripts to read! They would be appalled if you took work, sat in a hotel room in some exotic location and wrote, ignoring your family. One hotel room looks very much like another. There are no prizes for being masochistic. In fact the cemeteries are full of people who were going to take a break but never got around to it.
In fact, if you speak to your editor and tell her that you are going and when, she will attempt to make sure you do not have work. She will tell you to step away from the computer. The last thing she wants is a productive author to become unproductive because she forgot to have a life.
Equally life circumstances change. For example -- illness and other serious stress can through your work into a spin.

Communication with your editor is key when you are on a multiple book contract. She wants to know if there are problems because she can help. She can also help more before rather than after the fact. Editors are not going to drop you because you take a holiday. They want your books. There are always more places in the schedule for an author whose voice they love.

With writing, you do need to prioritise and if you need to be at your children's play -- schedule it and go! You will probably be more productive for having taken a break. You will feel less guilty and while you watch or have dinner or whatever, your mind works. You might even solve that intractable problem.
Equally you have to learn to say -- no, this request is going to eat into my scheduled writing time. Scheduling your writing time is important. If you are going to schedule class plays etc, then you also have to schedule your writing time. Block out the time. Ring fence it but be flexible for things that take high priority. Let your family know your schedule.
Communication is key. Learn to make priorities. Simplify your life. Decide what is important and what is a time waster/eating into your time.
If you start constantly avoiding the manuscript, you have to ask why. The reason is probably several fold. You may have also over written a theme. Writers typically enjoy writing certain themes. When they become overmined, writing can suffer. You might have to start writing other themes. Or it may have to do with you taking a wrong turn, or some other problem. It may not have to do with all your other obligations. Be honest. Is it your work or your outside obligations? Sometimes you do hit a dry patch. It is far better to turn out a good book than to churn.

So have a life. Stop blaming deadlines. Learn how to set priorities and schedule. It is part of the bit about working for yourself. It is in your hands. Organisational skills count.

Puppies reach one year

While we were away in Egypt, the puppies celebrated their birthday. Hardy chewed up his bed. Although I think Tess probably started it. The net result is now Chile the labrador and Hardy are sleeping on old towels while Tess gets the remaining bed. For some reason that bed has never touched.

It is hard to believe that they have grown so fast. They are still adolscents in many ways. Yesterday, they climbed through a hole in the fence and went into the neighbour's garden. Both emerging very muddy and smelly. They had baths which neither enjoyed. But they are now fit to be in the same room as humans!
They have very distinct personalities. Hardy is far more laid back than Tess. Tess is a dog who would wear high heels and generally run the entire show if she possibly could.

Ashes to Ashes -- the final season

As anyone who has read this blog for awhile knows I am a long term fan of the series, starting with the first series of Life on Mars just after it came out in dvd. Gene Hunt (Philip Glenister) is what makes it. Totally unreconstructed alpha male. When I needed a Viking hero for Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife he fit the bill and I thought I was odd. But then other women started coming out of the woodwork -- the reason they watched was Philip Glenister. It has to do with integrity and unswerving loyalty. He is a man who gets justice done but unconventional methods. Underneath his gruff exterior beats a passionate heart. He cares. An early episode where he discusses the merits of various biscuits with an elderly witness showed it. He is a man who hates bureaucracy and this is no bad thing.

It is why I knew that the people leading the Labour advertising campaign were totally out of touch when they tried to smear David Cameron by super-imposing his head on top of Gene Hunt's. People want a leader who leads. Far better to actually watch a show rather than just to assume.

Anyway, I am enjoying the ride and hoping the ending will be far more satisfying than the US version of Life on Mars -- no sleeping spacemen wanted! My fingers are so crossed that Gene Hunt and the rest of the team will keep their inegrity. And because it is supposed to answer questions from Life on Mars, I am hoping Annie will make a reappearance...

Ashes to Ashes means my Friday nights are booked up!

Then tomorrow, the new series of Dr Who starts properly. Matt Smith last week calmed my nerves. So hopefully he will do a good job. It was Amelia Pond who stole the show though.

And I understand there is a remake of The Prisoner starting on ITV1 on 17 April. James Caviezel, Ian McKellan and Ruth Wilson. star. Fingers crossed that it is good. It is not set at Portmerion though. And early reports are not good, but I want to see for myself.

Does anyone know what this is?

Several weeks ago, my youngest dug the bottom half of it out of the dene. He had retrieved the top half a few years ago. They are a perfect match. We are stumped as to its original purpose. it had been holding the bank up by the stream...

Several members of the RWA Northumberland thought it might be an oil lamp cira the late 1890's. I am inclined to agree.

But any and all suggestions welcome. The glass is about an inch thick and there used to be stripes painted on it. There is a metal screw on the top. Altogether it is about 18 inches high.

Sinai Adventure Day 7 and 8: The Red Sea

Today is my day for the PHS Destination Life column so my adventures with snorkeling on the Red Sea are there. It was tremendous fun but in the end hard work. I have never been so glad for the final snorkel to be ended.

The return journey was relatively painless. Once again the guides at the airport came into their own -- seeing off a porter and then guiding us to the correct queue. You would think getting in the correct check in line would be in a cinch BUT a group in front of us waited for over an hour only to be told they had joined the wrong line!

My cold came on on that last day and my sunburn ached but we all had had a glorious time. We arrived back to a cold, damp England.

As an escape from winter cold, and gloom, you can't beat the brilliant blue skies of the Sinai.

Sinai Adventure Day 6 -- Into the desert

Our sixth day saw us going into the desert to have a meal with a Bedouin tribe. It included a camel ride, watching the sunset and looking at the stars. Originally we had wanted to go to Tiran Island but the boat trip did not come off and so we did camels instead.

The Bedouin of the Sinai are divided into about 19 tribes, although some say as much as 27. Each is headed by a sheikh. Sheikh simply means the leader and he really does the power of life and death over his tribe. Depending on the tribe, they live a semi-nomadic or a settled life. The government has built housing for them and there are a few local primary schools. As Bedouin life most revolves around camels and goats and to a certain extent tourism, the Bedouin are not renown for their adherence to education. Bedouins are v strict traditionalists and are Muslim. Bedouin women keep to the tents and cover up (although my daughter commented after suffering from sunburn, she could really see the point of wearing an all in one cover up in the desert!). It is the men and the children who interact with the tourists and the women stay in the houses. The Bedouin also operate on their own terms as they are a very independant people. Bedouin tribes are spread across the entire Middle East. The Bedouin of the Sinai do not have the oil like the Saudis or their Gulf cousins but it was mentioned that some oil had been recently found when they were drilling for water.

To ride a camel, get on like it is a horse. As the camel gets up, hold on to the pommel. Once a camel is up, let go. You can then either ride it like a horse or ride it like the Arabs do by hooking your left leg around the pommel. Personally I found hooking my leg was far more comfortable. Bedouin women ride donkeys rather than camels btw. The Bedouin children led the camels from the starting point to the camp.

The desert is still and sound carries. So total peace. You do feel as if you are riding on a timeless journey.

Once we were at the Bedouin camp, we were welcomed with cups of Bedouin tea. The tea is made from desert herbs and tastes like sage and honey tea. It forms a very important part of the engagement ceremony as it is the only chance for a Bedouin to say if she likes a man before they marry. Bedouins do not date and tend to marry very early 15/16. They also tend to marry within the tribe. The Bedouin have a very strict tradition of hospitality -- 3 days and that is all but for those three days, you are treated very well. After that, the guest is supposed to move on.

After the tea, the Bedouins brought out the shisha or water pipe. It smelt of apples. The last time I tried to smoke a cigarette, it was taken off of me as I was not inhaling. This time, I had a coughing fit. I much prefer the scent of a shisha to the actual smoking!

We then had lecture on the life of the Bedouin as we sat in the traditional goat hair tents with the flooring covered in rag rugs and pillows. My husband and youngest are keen birdwatchers and so did a spot of birdwatching. The Bedouin were very interested in the binos and after consulting the sheikh, several had a go at watching birds.

The Bedouin demonstrated how they made flat bread over the open fire. My daughter had a go. And then it was time for the typical Bedouin meal -- salads, grilled meat including kofta, a spicy potato thing and grilled chicken and of course the delicious bread. All washed down with water or a soft drink. We ate at low tables, reclining against cushions.

The sunset was spectacular and the entire canyon was lit up with different colours. The candles were then lit as there is no electricity. There is supposed to be no mobile signals either but much to the disgust of the man's wife, the other man in our group was able to find a signal for his Blackberry. Surround by nature, he had to check with the office. I really felt for her. The Bedouin seemed less keen on such devices than the binos.

After the sunset, the Bedouin demonstrated a few of their songs and dances in front of an open fire and then it was time for the stars.

I will admit to being spoilt, living up in Northumberland where there is very little light pollution but I like looking at the stars in any case. And the Bedouin's enthusiasm for the stars reawakened my love of the skies. There is no electricity, and therefore no light pollution. As the man spoke, the full moon rose over the mountains. It was absolutely spectacular. They had good telescopes and so Saturn with its rings, the moon and the North star were on view. I had forgotten how good Saturn looks through a telescope.

We then drove back to the hotel. The desert looks fantastic at night lit by the moon. It was a pity that the other family were entranced by gadgets. There again, it was their loss. Personally I enjoyed tasting the Bedouin life. And would recommend the excursion for any visiting the Sinai.

Tomorrow -- a wooden yacht and snorkeling in the Red Sea.

Sinai Adventure Day 5 -- St Catherine's

By any measure, St Catherine's Monastery is remote. It is in the middle of the Sinai Peninsula and there is one road which leads to it. It is only open 3 hours per day, three or four times per week. The Greek Orthodox monks are determined that this is not a tourist attraction but a working monastery of enormous significance to all Christians, but particularly to those of the Orthodox faith.

Why is St Catherine's important?
First of all, St Catherine is the wrong name for it. St Catherine of Alexandria died in the fourth century and her name is given to the firework -- the Catherine wheel. She and her relics did not become associated with the place until some enterprising monks *discovered* her uncorrupted body etc in the area around the time of the Crusades.
Second, about this time, a document purporting to be a treaty between the monks and the Prophet was also *discovered*. The Prophet recognised the holiness of the place and allowed the monks to be there. Very enterprising and determined these monks. A copy remains in the monastery library.
This monastery was built over one of the earliest Christian chapels, founded by St Helena in the 360s. St Helena was the mother of Constantine the Great and started life as a bar maid. She is probably the person most responsible for legitimising Christianity in the Roman world. It bothers me that her contribution is often forgotten. She was either very lucky or she did her research etc. Afterall the Romans did keep records...

She built the chapel, not because of Catherine but because of Moses. The chapel which is the holiest of holys in the monastery is built over the roots of the Burning Bush. The monastery has taking a cutting of the Burning Bush, and interesting it is the only one of its type to grow on the whole of Sinai. It is a sort of acacia. Also contained within the walls is the well of Moses where he met Jethro's daughters. Behind the monastery is Mt Moses where tradition has it that he received the 10 commandments. Thus it is Moses, rather Catherine who is the focus of the monastery. But as he plays an important part in three religions and volatility of the region, you can forgive the monks for safeguarding the monastery in other ways.
Because of its remoteness, Justinian built a fortress around the chapel in the 6th century. Napoleon reinforced the walls. There is a place where they poured burning oil on to the maundering Bedouin and the walls are etched in Coptic crosses. The original Justinian doors are still there, and it also contains icons that predate iconoclasm. St Catherine's boasts one of the best libraries of old documents including codices, second only to the Vatican.

Many people also walk up Mt Moses or Mt Sinai but due to opening hours and the heat, they do it at night, taking the camel trail up, sleep under the stars and then either go back down the same track or the Steps of Repentance -- 3,000 steps carved into the mountain where you do have scrambled with your hands. As we were only in the Sinai for a week, it was far too complicated. so we opted for a fleeting visit. As it was, the day started at 6 am.
Once inside the walls, it is like a medieval village and very crowded. The silence of the desert replaced by the murmur of hundreds of voices. There are loads of Orthodox Christians who come on a pilgrimage, Russian Orthodox in particular. The women were wrapped in headscarves and they were beating their breasts, mumbling their prayers or simply bowing their heads. The guide, a devout Muslim, pointed out that it was very different to other forms of Christianity.

The church of St Catherine's which also houses the icons is very much un reconstructed Byzantine and rather over powering. The Russians were busy being pilgrims and kissing various relics. But it is utterly glorious. Byzantine as it was meant to be.
The descendant of the Burning Bush was the one spot of greenery within the walls. The monks did have another dusty garden where they grew olives etc but that was further outside, near the charnel house where the bones and skulls were displayed.
Afterwards, we went to lunch in a Bedouin encampment. The meal was lovely and they had chairs etc for tourists to sit on. As we were getting back in the bus, a little girl came begging for food. We did have food left from the breakfast boxes and so everyone gave her some. The Bedouins of the area are very poor. Their biggest trades are camels, goats and people trafficking -- mainly smuggling Russian Jews into Isreal.There is a huge problem with illiteracy as the Bedouin often do not see a point of sending their children to school beyond the state required basics. Think Travellers or gypsies, a semi-nomadic people who are struggling with modern life. The Bedouin of the Sinai unlike their cousins further to the East have not had oil discovered on their land (although the guide did mumble something about oil being recently discovered when they were digging for weater).
We then drove Dahab which is another big centre for the Bedouin as while as being a big backpacking and diving centre. The Bedouin do sell their handicrafts there. They are renown for rag rugs, think proggy mats. We did not buy any but had Egyptian coffee. Various Bedouin children scoured the beach for shells that they could then take back to their parents and have them turned into trinkets for tourists.

We returned to the hotel, exhausted about 8 pm.

Tomorrow -- Bedouins, camels and desert stars.

Sinai Adventure Days 1 - 4

Before I begin, I should explain recent history of the Sinai has been volatile. The Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt as part of the Camp David Peace Accord back in 1979 and still hosts foreign observers. Out in the desert, unexploded ordinance lurks and the tourist coast suffered from three separate terrorist attacks -- Taba, Dahab and Sharm El Sheikh. The authorities do not take chances and security is high. Each hotel has its own security checkpoints and you do get screened, bags checked etc. No one can drive up to the hotel reception. If you travel outside the Sharm El Sheikh area, you do need a full visa (obtainable when you arrive at the airport) and you do have to carry your passport. There are army checkpoints that you travel through and passports are checked. The soldiers all carry weapons. In many ways, it is very reassuring and certainly, the area is safe.

To get to Sharm, the plane travelled through a sandstorm during the last part of the journey over the mountains where the light suddenly went brown. Rather disconcerting. But we arrived as the sun set, turning the desert into wonderful colours.

Because we had booked our holiday through Classic Collections, the airport arrival was a breeze. We were met off the plane, and the representative had the visas. He also made certain that we cleared passport control quickly. Given the huge crowds milling about, waiting to get visas and then clear passport control, we were very grateful as the whole process was over in a matter of minutes. After getting our luggage, we had a private transfer to the resort -- Hilton Sharm Waterfalls.


We opted for an all inclusive package as all inclusive includes drinks. And in a hot climate, one needs to keep fluids up. If one wanted, one could eat 24 hours a day. The buffets were ever changing and did have lots of wonderful things to eat. I enjoyed the Arabic breakfasts of falfel, ful (fava beans cooked with onion and lemon), feta, tahina and pita bread. The rest of the family went for more conventional English or American breakfasts.

Our rooms were next door to each other and had a sea view. The seating areas meant that it was quite easy to pop back and forth.

The biggest problem with the hotel, and if you listen to the guides is the number of Russians who visit, many of whom have never really travelled. Russians can seem abrupt in their dealing with staff. It can be very difficult to watch. The pool has to close at sunset because of the problems with the Russians getting drunk on vodka and fighting. But basically, as we were not staff and they were speaking a different language, they were easy to ignore. There were relatively few English speaking people at the resort. Various members of the staff mentioned how much they liked the English who were always polite and always smiled.

The vast majority of the workers in the tourism industry in Egypt are male. In Sharm, the cost of living means that the families live elsewhere and the staff live in company provided accommodation. The women staff in charge of the various classes tended to be Russian or German. Apparently a clash of cultures can happen when the Russian/German women marry Egyptian men without really understanding the culture. The guide we had at St Catherine's said that because he does speak several languages, he can get called in when the women show up at the Tourist Antiquities complaining about not having papers etc.

The cleaner was very kind and kept doing towel art. I think I liked the swans best. My youngest now claims that he can make them.

We spent the first three full days at the resort swimming and lazing in the sun. The resort has its own private coral reef. So if you want to go in the sea, you do have to walk out in pontoon. Walking over the coral is a good way to get cut as my youngest found out on the first day. Luckily the cut was not too deep. Later we saw a Russian woman whose heel was bandaged.

The swimming pool's water was salt, rather than fresh. The air is incredibly dry and the sun hot -- just what we needed after a cold winter. The staff were very helpful, getting towels and finding sun loungers and umbrellas and moving them to where you wanted to be. They operated a no blocking the sun bed policy and did remove unattended towels etc. This caused much dismay to some Italians who had tried to bribe one attendant. But we found there were more than enough sun loungers for everyone and the sun warm and the water wonderful where ever. Up at the lobby pool, there were hammocks but we preferred the main pool near the beach and our room. Life is far too short to exercised by where your sun lounger is.

On the third day, I convinced my daughter that we should take a belly dancing class. After all, the tiny Russian woman who organised it seemed very friendly. She may have been but she also possessed an inner core of steel. Things were done her way and she was apt to stop the class with a wag of her finger and a No, no, this way, and did not accept that it was my first time. Everything needed to be done properly and relaxed. There are reasons why Russians are good at dance. Discipline. However, belly dancing is tremendous fun. Unfortunately there was only time for the one lesson as we started to do our excursions.

Tomorrow's post -- visiting St Catherine's.

Back from the Sinai and other things

I have arrived home -- sunburnt, with a streaming cold but throughly relaxed. Egypt, in particular the Sinai Penisula was a wonderful experience from snorkelling with sea turtles and Moray eels to riding a camel into the desert sunset to dine with Bedouin and visiting St Catherine's. More on this later when I have downloaded my photos and sorted my thoughts. We all survived...no one was sold for camel and no one had difficulties in the water. The Egyptian men (they are almost exclusively men) who work in the tourist industry that I encountered were for the vast majority kind and helpful. I can thoroughly recommend Classic Collection as their service was excellent ( second to none actually, particularly at the airport arrivals) and the Hilton Sharm Waterfalls.

Yesterday, Compromising Miss Milton became available on the M&B site. You can read the first chapter. I like the cover...which is still not up on Amazon.

I also like the Australian cover for my new 3 in one. It is interesting that the Vikings are emphasised!

Finally I want to send congratulations to all the Rita finalists, in particular my dear friends and fellow Harlequin Historical authors -- Michelle Willingham for her fantastic book Taming Her Irish Warrior , Elizabeth Rolls, Deb Marlowe and Amanda McCabe. I think it is the best showing that HH has ever had. I saw that Carla Capshaw is up for the best debut with The Gladiator which I did enjoy very much. I am so pleased that I shall be going to Nashville as it will be wonderful to see these writers get to shine.

In Egypt

Currently I am on the way to Egypt -- Sharm El Sheikh to be precise. So sun, sand and sea. More Presents than Historical but I am planning on going to St Catherine's and Mt Sinai. Research for the Ottoman Empire book.
Normal service will resume on 2 April.

Congrats to all the Rita and GH finalists as they are announced today. I am looking forward to find some fantastic books to read! And to seeing the ceremony live in Nashville in July.

Good News

Last night, it was with some trepidation that I opened an email from my editor. The fear immediately turned to joy when I discovered that His Runaway Governess (working title) had been accepted. It has been a long haul with this book. It was originally turned in last July and has gone through several major revisions. Some books are just like that. My editor thinks it is a classic Michelle Styles now...her earlier thoughts on it were probably unprintable!
My editor has my latest ms so I will hear her thoughts on that in a few weeks. Personally I think it is a better book.

Yesterday, I also saw the physio about my arm. Slowly but steadily, the swelling is coming down. The skin is starting to look like normal skin again and there is some muscle definition. My compression sleeve has been moved down a size. The physio thinks given time and some exertion on my behalf that there is no reason why it should not eventually be about normal size.

Oh and my current project is coming on.

Kittens

Mr Darcy has taken to trying to catch shadows by climbing the walls. He has not figured out that he can only go up so far and then fall. Heathcliff spends much of his time watching out the windows, calling to the birds.
This morning Heathcliff found a bell which he rang precisely at 6 am. Annoying as I had not set the alarm clock and had hoped to sleep in. However given that sort of treatment, I rose and fed the kittens. The bell will be removed. It does make we wonder if kittens were behind the alarm clock suddenly going off a half hour earlier the other day. I could not figure out how the time had changed.

My eldest arrived home on Friday and remarked at how much like cats they now look. And how big they have grown. He also thought the collies have grown. I thought he looked thinner. Mothers are allowed to have such thoughts and to worry.

I am getting ready to go to Egypt at the end of the week. Sharm el Sheikh and Sinai Peninsula. Warmth was required when the holiday was booked. We are hoping to visit St Catherine's Monestary and Mt Sinai. St Catherine's supposedly marks the spot where Moses encountered the burning bush...My eldest is looking after the house.

Barbara Vey's 3rd anniversary bash

If it's Friday, it is Historical day at Barbar Vey's 3rd anniversary bash. Leave a comment on Barbara's blog for a chance to win a number of different books and goodies, including a copy of A Noble Captive. Having spoken to the lovely people at Harlequin distribution, I will be getting more of the US edition copies (they had only sent 2). So I shall be able to send that edition out...

Effluent and the dogs

Tess and Hardy have been unwell this week. Off their food. Suffering from upset stomachs. Earlier in the week, it was touch and go if I would take them to the vet's, but they seemed be bouncy enough. And Tess, well Tess is a picky eater. It was a case of watching and waiting to see what was going to happen. Thankfully they have perked up.
We took them for a walk yesterday, retracing the route that we had taken on Sunday, just before Tess threw up. Luckily we decided to keep both dogs on the leads as one of the ditches was full of oil and some brown gunk. It has not rained for weeks and I'd assume that this is run off from the fields rather than fly tipping of chemicals.
Anyway, it was right by a stream where the dogs normally drink.
Sigh. The dogs are recovering but...it will be a long time before I can allow off the lead there again.
And it seems like someone has fly tipped a bunch of builder's rumble, including twisted metal and an old fireplace in another field.
I do not understand why people feel they have the right to despoil the countryside in this way.

I should say that I did go to watch the lights being lit on Hadrian's Wall last Saturday night. (The week has been fraught) It was okayish. Lots of cars and people. We watched from the New Altson crossroads as it gives a panoramic view. I did not get the same sense of timelessness that I had gotten when the Warden Beacon was lit for the 50th anniversary of VE day. This was just there. An art installation rather than a connection with the past.
I much prefer the wall when people are not about. I used to the children up to play on the ruins when they were little. And a wild day is much the best.

Tetchy

I can tell I need to write. I am starting to become irritable and obsessed by small things, things which are never going to make it into my book.

For example:
The ravens at the Tower of London are there under Charles II's decree because of the legend about Bran's head being buried under the White Tower and if the ravens go, then the kingdom of England will fall.
As Charles II was the Restoration monarch and had been minded to get rid of the ravens because of the birds interfering with the Royal Observatory. Once he was reminded of the legend of Bran's head, he changed his mind. Bran is an ancient name for raven.
However, he obviously did not understand the second part of the story.
According to legend, Bran the son of Llyr (and an early god of the Britons) died in Ireland and his head remained uncorrupted for 87 years. His men stopped off in several isles and had a great time as the head was still talking. When it started to decay, the head was buried in London (popularly assumed to be Tower Hill) facing France as that was where all the enemies would be coming from. And as long as Bran's head was there, England would be safe. Later, King Arthur dug up the head, disposed of it and stated that hereafter valour alone would defend England.

Also I keep thinking about Lloyd Alexander and Tolkien. Alexander drew far more heavily on the traditions of ancient British mythology in particular Mabinogion for his Chronicles of Prydain. Tolkien is far more Scando. But Alexander does subvert it, using the names but not the traditions. So it is a bit in Alice in Wonderland when reading the Mabiogion.

It does not matter but I have spent time this morning searching.

I just need to start the ms and become obsessed by that.

Starting afresh and psychic distance

The Roman Undone left the building yesterday and despite a small hiccup of forgetting to attach it (I blamed on a kitten up a chimney!), my editor now has it. What she will think of it is anyone's guess. I liked it but one never knows.

As my long suffering editor currently has the revisions on HRG and the first draft of TPE plus the Roman Undone, I do not owe Harlequin Mills & Boon anything for awhile. So I am going to work on a single title that I have wanted to do for awhile. The plan is to have it done in 65 days or so. It should be doable.

One thing I read about in the Manuscript Makeover was psychic distance. It basically means the distance the reader is from the scene. And a reader does need to know a character before they can get truly intimate. It is one of the reasons why starting a novel with a graphic sex scene is not good. The act is far too intimate for the average reader so early in a novel. It is also why sometimes a book can seem too gory or what ever. As an author you do have to decide -- is this a close up or a distance shot. Is it middle distance? Sometimes, the camera angle is too far away and intimacy is needlessly sacrificed. But readers need to get to know characters before they can readily accept intimate scenes.

In which Heathcliff gets stuck in the chimney

This morning, I heard a scrambling and a faint meow as I got dressed. My husband was convinced that one of the cats had somehow become stuck in the attic. Heathcliff had been on our bed. Puzzled as to how the cat would manage this, I started to check the attic. No cat.
Nothing. Mr Darcy was asleep in patch of sun in the living room. He opened one eye. But no Heathcliff.
My husband went into his study. There was a loud meow and two paw appearing back down the chimney.
Heathcliff was entirely covered in soot. For a black cat, he was very black indeed.
He has now had his first bath.

Kittens do extreme ironing

The kittens are in a climbing stage. Anything and everything. The ironing board is a particular favourite. They leap from the ironing board to the sofa and from there on to the curtains which they climb. Heathcliff was discovered swinging from the curtain. He was taken down more to his disgust.

The ironing board had been left propped up against a wall, ready to go downstairs. (There remains a question as to why my husband when he is finished doing his ironing can not take the board down stairs but that is a topic for another day) The kittens decided that it was just the right thing to practice climbing on. So they jump on the board and climbed to the top. The board slightly swayed. The kittens hung on. With visions of broken windows, lamps and furniture, I rescued them and removed the board to a safe place. The kittens were last seen trying to climb the cane begonia in the bathroom.

If these cats went outside, they would be the sort who climbed trees and forgot for while how to come down...

Hardy decided to visit ditches on his walk. Some were deeper than he thought but he felt it was his duty to explore them all. Tess, being a good girl, gave the ditches and her brother a disgusted look, staying well clear despite all Hardy's attempts to interest her in the game. Hardy became blacker and blacker, until he went into the last hole where his face became mud brown. Muddy water dripped everywhere but his tail wagged furiously.

Back home, he did not go off the lead but proceeded immediately to the bath. A bottle of puppy shampoo, four towels, and one soaked me, he emerged...a clean dog.

My husband threatens the same walk this evening...Thankfully there are no skunks in England.

beekeeping redux

We will be getting more bees. My husband and youngest want to. They have promised to do everything. It is all fine as long as I do not get stung. I did have a long talk with the physio about it.

I went to the Hexham Beekeepers meeting yesterday where the guest speaker was Northern England's chief bee inspector. It was a thoroughly interesting evening. Last year's colony was too small, and got too cold. Also the entrance way got blocked with dead bees and they could not get out. His message was -- if you think is amiss, check. You can clear varroa floors etc in the dead of winter with you put on Oxalic acid. But basically if your colony is less that 8 frames and it is a hard winter, they are going to have a hard time surviving. Spring management is all about winter preparation.

1. Complete Colony Collaspe seems to have been caused by Deformed Wing Virus. It is a virus that comes after severe varroa mite infestation. Basically the products beekeepers (namely Apistan) have been are not working and other things need to be used. Foremost is Apiguard or thymol. There is a new product called Api-lite-var which if used properly also works. But must not be placed over the brood as it kills. It goes in the corner of the hive. But it is temperature dependant.

2. Scotland which does not have regular inspectors is in the grip of Europeon Foulbrood. It has worrying implications for Northern England beekeepers and bees. The English inspectorate is training. There is also a worrying increase in nosema.

3. American Foulbrood and other diseases can be caused by people feeding honey to bees. For example put honey purchased in a supermarket out in a wasp trap. Or leaving a jar out. Some farmers feed out of date honey to livestock. It can carry spores.

4. I also learnt how to tell if a colony is about to swarm -- an egg in a Queen cup along with an increase in drone brood. Without drones, the colony will not swarm as they cannot count on drones from other colonies. Because cutting out drone brood is a remedy for varroa, there is a question if too much has been cut... Anyway all remedies start with first catch your Queen. Finding the Queen can be a problem as I well know!

5. Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene. Have a bucket with washing soda and water for washing tools. Fumigate unused brood boxes etc with acetic acid. Do the checks for varroa.

So eventually bees will be in the garden again. But I reccomend people becoming involved with their local beekeeping association.

On editing a new way

First of all I am at the Pink Heart Society, talking about Tolkien and his inspirations for Middle Earth in my Destination Life slot. Hint he never visited New Zealand...

I finished my Roman Undone yesterday and today it is the editing. And as ever, I am trying something new, something to shake me out of my comfort zone.

This time rather than doing my normal routine, I am shaking things up.
India Grey gave me some small moleskines for my birthday and one is perfect for this purpose.
I am making notes and trying to see what the problems are in each chapter before I fix them on the manuscript. It was such a fantastic gift from India and how she knew I'd need them, I don't know! She is just like that.
Normally I scribble and change things as I go but this time I want to get a real sense of what is happening and why.

Because it is a short piece, I am using the five point structure from the Manuscript Makeover, as well as trying to see if the scenes have any problems detailed. For example, writing down the purpose of each scene, the goals, the reversal and the turning points.
Already I can see that I am picking up things that I missed before. The proof however will be in how my editor receives it.
Right now nothing is concrete and everything is to play for.

And what is wrong with experimenting in any case?

I spent last night finishing Kate Hardy's latest MH -- Good Girl or Gold Digger. I thought the title did not really go with the book's content as it implied something else to me and the heroine -- Daisy could never be called a gold digger, not in a million years. But the book itself was a lovely read, full of Kate's heart warming touches. I was so pleased that she wrote her steam engine/fairground book. I do enjoy visiting the worlds she creates.
The question now is do I save her Medical for later in the month or do I read it straight away?

10 things that make me happy

Maya sent me this cute award/meme first. I know several other people have been doing this.

And because everyone deserves a little more light and laughter in their life, here ten things that make me happy.

1. hearing my children's voices

2. kitten kisses and purrs

3. Border collie enthusiastic morning greetings

4. finishing a first draft

5. discovering a new author to read

6. going for walks with my husband

7. seeing that the snowdrops and winter aconites are out and spring is around the corner.

8. The first proper snowfall of winter and going sledding.

9. a cup of hot Earl Grey tea with milk in the early evening. Earl Grey is one of the first well being teas. It has to do with the bergamot.

10. hearing from friends.

And I am suposed to nominate 10 people but really having taken so long, I think lots have been nominated already. So if you would like to do the ten things and then tell me that you have done it so I can visit your blog, go right ahead . I always like finding out what makes everyone else happy.

The sleeve and glove brigade

My compression sleeve and glove arrived today. The therapist showed me how to put them on. The glove goes under the sleeve and hopefully like a tube of toothpaste is squeezed from the bottom, the oedema fluid will go the correct way, rather than being squeezed into my hand.
I can type and suspect that I will not notice it much once I get used to it. My oedema is significant -- 47% in the fore arm so it will take some time. My upper arm is only 17% so not nearly as bad.
It is now simple exercise, compression and skin care.
My arm will get measured in a few weeks time.

In Hardy news:
Hardy was caught red pawed, nose in the fresh pasta bag my husband had left on the side. It does not matter how many times I tell everyone -- do not leave food unattended, we have dogs and cats. Certain people do not listen. Temptation can be a terrible thing when you are a dog...

Hardy Houdini

Hardy has taken to escaping from the garden. It is most annoying as he has been doing this even when I am out gardening or doing the hen and duck houses out. First I know about it, I see Hardy walking along the wrong side of the fence. He is on a public foot path BUT...

This is not good as some day he is going to get out on to the road and get knocked down. He occasionally lures Tess out with him, but after the Farmer's Wife incident where Tess ended up chained in the farmer's yard and Hardy escaped, she is a little wary.

Yesterday as my youngest and I cut brambles on the far side of the dene, Hardy suddenly went walk about. My youngest leaped over the fence and unceremoniously dumped Hardy back on to the right side. Hardy looked most put out by this.

Then Tess decided to demonstrate the hole in the water gate.

My youngest rolled a large stone down the bank. Instead of landing where he intended it to land, the stone picked up speed, bounced into the air, flew over the water gate and landed half way up the bank on the other side. My youngest was sent to retrieve it. This time he managed to carry it to the hole and fix it.

Hopefully Hardy's career as an escapologist is now ended.

His career of sleeping on the sofa has also ended and he is not allowed, but does try...as the photo proves.

A Noble Captive on Special Offer

A Noble Captive went on sale yesterday at eharlequin. To my surprise and delight, they have included it in their Spring Savings offer. It means if you buy 4 of the books highlighted,you can save $ 4. You can read more about the offer here. In addition to A Noble Captive, Joanne Rock's Viking set Blaze -- The Captive is also on offer as well as books by Brenda Joyce, Susan Wiggs, Debbie Macomber and Jennifer Cruisie.

There are savings to be had in ebooks as well as print.

In other news: I had to fire my heroine as she was not working. I think my new heroine will work much better. Learning that I could fire characters helped me at the beginning. They may be saved until later or simply go back to the casting area...but they have to work.

The VIking's Captive Princess in Spain -- Una princesa indomable

La batalla que se libraba era para conseguir su corazón El peligroso guerrero Ivar Gunnarson era un hombre de acción, más que de palabras. Sin apenas tiempo para pensar en amores ideales, se apropiaba siempre de cuanto quería, y la princesa Thyre no iba a convertirse en una excepción a su regla. Misteriosa y seductora, Thyre despertó el deseo de Ivar desde el instante en el que puso sus ojos en ella. En medio de un sangriento conflicto entre facciones vikingas, ella se convirtió en cautiva del curtido guerrero, pero su espíritu era indomable…

Read more here

The Viking's Captive Princess is out this month in Spain. I am thrilled.

I have discovered that A Question of Impropriety/Compromising Miss Milton/The Viking's Captive Princess will be the 3 in 1 offering in Australia in May. I wonder which cover they will use!

In writing news, I finally turned in my ms TPE and have started the Roman Undone. Can I write short? We shall see.

Steramy but acceptable books

The new managing director of Harlequin Mills and Boon, Mandy Ferguson gave an interview to the BBC's Today programme last week. You can hear a repeat of it here. I had the pleasure of meeting Mandy last autumn and was very impressed with her. She has experience with bringing energy and vitality to National Treasure brands. She worked miracles with Ryvita and I can't wait to see what the autumn brings...Content is fine but the covers need updating seems to be the message. And anything that is going to sell more of my books is fine by me!

It always makes me laugh when interviewers think HMB should be worried about not winning any Booker awards. HMB is all about POPULAR women's fiction, not high brow fiction that appeals to a very small section of the population. HMB prints books that deliver on the promise of being excellent page turners.

Right now, I am reading aloud my latest ms and trying to get it up to a page turning read. Then it is trying my hand at an Undone.

A Noble Captive's US cover

I spoke too soon. I thought they would use the cover that was created for the book, but they have decided to go with a different cover altogether! It makes life interesting. You think you have it all figured out and they change things! A Noble Captive has just on pre-order at eharlequin ebooks.

Anyway, you can read the excerpt here.

Modem Kitten likes to live dangerously

I am not sure why Heathcliff climb the firegrate and then walking on top of it was an amusing pastime...Luckily this time the fire was unlit. He has done it when the fire is going...

Mr Darcy prefers to take the tablecloth off the table. He enjoys swinging on it. Fine if there is nothing on it. Less good if set for supper.

In any case VBMK are not fed at the table...despite looking cute and adorable and doing little leaping routines.

They are kept in my study and look soulful. Do not be fooled. They want fish!

The Very Bad Modem Kittens

Last week it was electrical appliances 0, kittens 1 as they managed to break wires to the stereo speakers. This makes three different electrical items with broken wires or cables -- the telephone, the video, and the stereo.

They have also learnt to open my daughter's door at night and spend hours racing up and down the hall.

At 6 AM, they come and stand outside my door, waiting in anticipation. If I fail to get up, they begin to meow which wakes the dogs downstairs who bark. It is proving more effective than an alarm clock.

There was the 5:15 AM incident where somehow, some kitten had managed to move the alarm dial forward. Do not ask me how!! And the alarm went off. I was not best pleased...

Heathcliff is in his mid morning position in the sun room. A kitten has to have his priorities.

They also enjoy watching the Winter Olympics, and sit looking at the tv, following the skiers as they go down the hill.

Lifestyle changes

After reading all the literature on lymphoedema, the beekeeping is going. I can not take the risk.
Sigh. Neither is there an option of having my youngest take over as I'd get roped into doing something and there are bee lines to think about...
It is quite possible that the bee stings contributed to the overloading of my system in the first place.
When God closes a door, he opens a window, but it can be hell in the hallways of life.

Oedema update

The Lymphoedema therapist has been for my first appointment. Because lymphoedema is often related to the treatment of cancer, she is a Macmillan therapist and so gave me a leaflet from the MacMillan Trust. After taking my medical history, she decided that the best guess is that I have a poorly developed or sluggish lymph system. It is rare but not unknown. And over the years, I have had a few different infections etc that indicate my lymph system might not be the best. Certainly there is scarring. It coped for a long while. But some trauma happened and it is out of balance.
Treatment for oedema is therapy led because really there is no magic tablet. It is a combo of things to try and put my system back into some sort of balance.
First up -- I have to moisturise and attempt to keep my skin soft. The biggest problem for oedema sufferers is infection. There is excessive fluid and celluitus is far more common. If I get an infection, it is 2 weeks of antibiotics.This means wearing gloves when I am washing up, gardening or doing general housework. Making sure that I wear insect repellent and sun cream. I need to avoid getting burnt and insect bites. Animal bites are of severe concern...Anything really that can trigger an infection.
I am also supposed to avoid carrying heavy bags with that arm...
I have been shown two simple exercises that I have to do after every 30 minutes of writing time to exercise my forearm. And I need rest my arm on the arm of a chair when watching tv.
The next time I see her, she will give me a whole series of exercises.
I need to lose weight as I am too heavy for my lymph system. And the weight loss will take the strain off the system. It is a factor, not a cause.
I get to do a Michael Jackson impersonation as she is ordering a compression sleeve and glove for me to wear. The idea is to get the oedema under control quickly and so we are using a number of different tools.
Anyway, it is going to be an on going thing and I am going to need to make lifestyle changes...
And did I say how much I love the NHS (even with all its problems!)?

Sent my revisions in

I have sent my revisions in. The manuscript is stronger and hopefully I have done enough.

On to revising the next manuscript, but I will say that the Manuscript Makeover has given me plenty to think about as has The Heroine's Journey. The whole question of illusionary v true romance. It is something where I think a lot of hard core feminist fail. They forget that true romance is where the partners end up equal, rather than in an abusive relationship.

Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife wins CataRomance Reviewers Award

I just found out that Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife won the Cataromance Reviewer's Choice Award 2009 for best M&B Historical! I am over the moon because as readers of this blog will know I really rate the reviewers at Cataromance. They read a lot of romance and try very hard to give interesting reviews. You can see the rest of the list here. Congratulations to all the other winners.

And thank you very much Donna, Ally and Julie. I am really honoured!!!!

A Noble Captive -- April 2010

I found out yesterday (via Amazon) that A Noble Captive will be released as a Harlequin Historical Direct for April 2010. It is the second book that I wrote for HMB, and so I am very proud of it.

I adore the cover which was especially commissioned for the book. I am hopeful that the inside front cover will be in the book as well. My editors gave me a copy of it when I went for my first author lunch and I have loved it ever since.

Someday, I do hope to write a book that uses the inside front cover as a front cover.

Judy York did both covers. She is one of my favourite illustrators... I love the way she captures the feeling and sensuality of a scene.

So you can see why I have to write the Roman Undone. The ending scene I have in mind would suit the cover perfectly! And the picture has been hugely inspirational to my work!

Anyway, I have to finish my revisions and then finish the editing before I can write it!

Do you have coffee with a canine?

Recently I discovered a wonderful quirky blog called Coffee with a Canine. It is all about authors and others and the dogs in their lives. Lots of lovely dog pictures. And it is addictive reading.
Anyway, my offering is up there now. So there are pictures of Tess, Hardy and Chile in the snow etc.
When is the best time to have coffee with a canine? Anytime!

And what drink would you have with a feline?
Heathcliff and Mr Darcy are shocking as they keep trying to drink my tea. The Very Bad Modem cats have been micro chipped and completed their vaccine course.
They have also discovered how to climb the coats and sit on a hook as well as deciding that my purse with its large inside pocket makes the purrfect nest.

Recovering

I had forgotten or drawn a blissful veil over how much a shot takes out of you and then there is the whole question of antibiotics.
My finger is getting better but remains bruised. Mice have a severe bite.

The feed shed still needs to be cleaned out but the food is now safely stored in bins with tight fitting lids. So hopefully the mouse population will decrease significantly.

My revisions are coming on. I can see why they will make the book much stronger and more significantly I think I can see how to improve up coming books. It is like coming blinking into the light after being in a very long and very dark tunnel.

My Rita books are almost all read and I have discovered a new to me author which is half the point of the Ritas.

Mouse Wars: a new front

Yesterday, a mouse bit me.
I had already dispatched one large rodent (presumed mouse) from the dog food feed bin at dog feeding time. I captured that mouse and my youngest did the honours. As I let the dogs out for their night time ablutions, rustling resounded from the feed shed. Sure enough, another rodent (presumed mouse) was in the dog food bin -- looking for its mate or merely seeking to steal food? Who knows? Who cares? But I disliked the thought of my dogs eating mouse droppings.
I put on rubber gloves and grabbed a plastic bag. My youngest was on standby for dispatch as well for torch duty.
I managed to inexpertly catch the creature and when I was attempting to put it in the plastic bag, it swivelled and bit my hand -- drawing blood through the rubber glove. I let go. The mouse escaped. My husband commented that mice have sharp teeth. I was unimpressed.
I bathed the wound, put antiseptic on and still it was red and swollen this morning.
Thus far I have had a tetanus shot (last one 1989! You only need a total of 5 in your life but better to be safe). The doctor has also given me a course of antibiotics. Any animal bite with breaks the skin must be taken seriously.

Oh and a mouse was caught in the mouse trap this morning in the basement. It was summarily dispatched with a shovel... I wore thick leather gloves. I now have proper respect for mice and their teeth.

Task for this afternoon: clean out the feed shed, including replacing feed bins with bins that have tight fitting lids.

Blogging at Borders True Romance

As the ever so lovely Sue Grimshaw visited the Pink Heart Society a few weeks ago, Sue invited the editors of the Pink Heart Society to visit the Borders True Romance blog. Our post is there today and Donna, Jenna and I would be delighted if people went along and commented about their favourite line or why they like series romance...

You can't argue with every reader

I am working through my revision notes. Some of it I can see and others I think why didn't she see? There again, I can not argue with every reader and it is my job to make certain things are clear and upfront. My editor highlights problems. It is up to me to solve them, not to argue her around to my way of thinking.
Various characters might miss things but the reader should not be confused.
It involves rethinking and sometimes approaching things from a different angle.

Oh and subtext is king. The undercurrents need to be there. Sometimes as a writer I think they are there but from comments from my editor, she has missed them. And if she misses them, then the reader is going to miss them.
It can be about thinking what is on the page to actually having it on the page.

I am enjoying the Heroine's Journey and there are definite elements of it in series romance. In many ways because it is a psychological journey rather than a physical journey, it is helpful to think about the stages. I had never really thought about them before.

Revisons and a great review

First of all, Sold & Seduced has a wonderfully enthusiatic reivew from Enduring Romance. The overall evaluation was 93/100, so this was a great boast to my writing ego.

My editor burned the midnight oil and sent through 6 pages of revision notes for my revised manuscript. They are tweaks and the book will be much stronger once I have worked them through. Her thoughts also lead me to conclude that I am on the right track for pinpointing my problems after reading The Manuscript Makeover. Sometimes it feels like coming out blinking in to the sunlight after being in a long dark tunnel.
Anyway, it is so important to get the book to be the best read possible and my editor has a great eye. I may wish she was a bit quicker, but ultimately it is the quality of the editing that counts and I do believe that she pushes me in a good way!

So it is revising HRG and then finishing the editing of TPE. After that, I will write a Roman Undone as I know the ending to that one.