Harlequin Historical Author Giveaway 12 December: Michelle Styles

Update 14 December  the first name out of the hat was Jo Major and she has been contacted. Many thanks to all who entered. Your names will go forward to the grand prize draw on 23 December.
Currently my Regency Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match is on super special discount for Amazon.co.uk kindle users of 59p ! Iive no idea of the price on Amazon.com because it doesn't allow me to check prices (sigh!)
Paying the Viking’s Price is on sale at Amazon.co.uk (£3.74 print, £2.99 kindle)

Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar Giveway

The Harlequin Historical Authors Holiday Giveaway is back. In the spirit of an Advent calendar, the authors are giving away daily prizes and a Grand Prize of a Kindle Fire HDX Wi-Fi (or equivalent tablet depending on your location). Play every day for more chances to win.

The Rules:

Each participating author will have an activity planned on their website for their special day. You may be asked to comment on a blog, find an ornament, or visit a Facebook page. For each day you participate, your name will be entered into the Grand Prize drawing. At the end of the month on December 23, one day from the calendar will be randomly selected. One of the entrants from that day will then be randomly selected to win the Kindle. The more days you visit, the better your chances! Happy Holidays and we look forward to seeing you. Click here for official rules and eligibility.

Participating Authors

Cheryl St. John - November 27 Elizabeth Rolls - November 28 Michelle Willingham - November 29 Annie Burrows - December 2 Ann Lethbridge - December 3 Marguerite Kaye - December 4 Barbara Monajem - December 5 Amanda McCabe - December 6 Louise Allen - December 9 Blythe Gifford - December 10 Kate Bridges - December 11 Michelle Styles - December 12 Georgie Lee - December 13 Jeannie Lin - December 16 Diane Gaston - December 17 Terri Brisbin - December 18 Julia Justiss - December 19 Lynna Banning - December 20 Grand Prize Drawing - December 23

OneNote and the author

One of the things I'm attempting to do while waiting for my editor's thoughts ( they are now down on apper apaprently but she wants to add some other colleagues' insights) is to come to grips with OneNote.

Jami Davenport put something on the PAN loop about a cheat sheet for authors which explains the basic thinking.
OneNote comes with Microsoft Office. If you don't have it, you can download a version.
OneNote is an easy way to share various info  -- think authors creating a continuity and needing to have a *bible* of notes which is shared between several people and can be updated by them.
It is also easy to transfer research between notebooks.
In theory it means capturing images/urls from the internet is easy. And I should not have to rely on my scraps of paper.
There are apparently apps for various tablets and smart phone.
What it is not -- a replacement for Word or for getting the words down on paper.

It is a great way to capture thoughts and images and have them there at your fingertips. This is particularly useful when you come to revise a project that has been sitting for several months and you discover you have to write a new scene and have forgotten various bits and what you had is now lost somewhere. You then lose an hour searching, can't find the scrap of paper but do unearth several interesting bits of info. You then proceed on a wing and prayer, knowing that the one last read through should bring any discrpencies only to have an eagle eyed copy editor mention that you have given two different very minor characters the same name etc. There are reasons why I keep of list of all named characters (if I can find it!)

OneNote does have a searchable feature whic will search through all your notebooks. There is even a place to put unfiled notes.

Having played around with it for a bit, it does make sense. However, I still like to do my plotting with pad and pen. Totally off screen
It is best to have a notebook for each project. You can have various sections such as character, plot, settings, research info etc.
Under character, you can have different pages. There is a tab on the right side which lists pages and subpages. So you could have a list of characters, a seperate page for each main character and within the main characters page, have subpages for backstory etc.

Goodreads Giveaway for Paying the Viking's Price

Paying the Viking's Price will be released on1 November so I am doing a giveway in conjunction with Goodreads.

I will also be sending out my newsletter soon which will have another chance for people to win a signed copy. So if you haven't signed up, please do so. I only send out newsletters when I have a book out...

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Paying the Viking's Price

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends October 30, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Two Years of The Tracy Anderson Method and counting

This weekend meant I passed the 2 year mark of doing The Tracy Anderson Method and basically 3 years of my weight loss journey. And whispers very quietly I did it. I have kept it off.
Something like 80% of people regain back all of their weight plus a few extra pounds within 2 years of losing it.  Of the people who do maintain for any length of period, over 90% do at least an hour of exercise per day.
To maintain your weight over a significant period is not an easy task but I knew from quite early on that if you want to keep the pounds off, you have to be prepared to sweat. And so I sweat -- about 1 1/2 hours a day at least 6 x a week. Occasionally when I am holiday, I do take time off but I will put the days in before I go and then when I get back... It is also better for my mental health. No matter how I'm feeling, I always feel better when I've done my TAM.

Doing so much exercise also allows me to eat more liberally. I see lots of people who are constantly on a diet or denying themselves things. It does get much easier when you don't have to but instead listen to how your body responds to various foods. This means in general I try to limit my dairy, in particular milk and rich cheese. I limit my intake of processed foods and very rarely have fast food.
On a day to day basis, I have learnt I do better with something in my stomach before I exercise. So when I'm exercising first thing (most mornings), I start with a large glass of water and a banana as bananas are easy for my system to digest. I will then eat a proper breakfast -- generally fresh fruit with flaxseed after I finish. Lunch tends to either a salad or soup and I do try to incorporate healthy whole grains such as quinoa or barley. Supper tends to whatever my husband makes but he cooks from scratch. If I eat bread, I try to make it homemade. If I eat cake or cookies (which I do, possibly too often), they tend to be homemade.
I have significantly decreased the amount of dried fruit I eat as it kept sending my stomach into knots and my blood sugar everywhere. If you want to maintain your weight, it is much easier when your blood sugar is stable.
Drinking lots of water also helps.
I tend to drink green or herbal/fruit tea instead of my old ordinary tea with milk.

BUT the underpinning to everything is TAM. I do 45 min of Muscular Structure work and then 45 min of the Dance cardio. By the end I am drenched in sweat. One thing I love about TAM is that my mind is constantly challenged and the brain to muscle connection is always being worked on. Every ten days, the Muscular structure changes. The challenge for this level 2.3 L7 for me is the hoop on the working knee fire hydrants while balancing both hands on upturn weights. I think I have finally got it -- really seriously invert the supporting knee...but tomorrow will be the proof.
I'm not sure I'm a good dancer. I just enjoy myself. When I first started, the dance cardio was something I had to do but now it is an enjoyable part of the experience.

And I do like wearing my UK size 8s (US size 4). To remind you all I was US size 20 when I started. It was a hugely sobering moment when I realised the LLBean red shorts which fit were a size 20.

Finally TAM  has been hugely empowering for me. I think it is the whole mastering various levels. But it does provide more brain to muscle connections because after all dancing is the one  physical activity that helps ward off dementia. ( you see the research from Stanford here ) I figure the more brain to muscle connection and pathways I have, the greater chance I have of having fewer senior moments as I age.
I have also been surprised at how my over all health has improved. I have far fewer colds, flu and gneral lurgy these days than I did before.

Anyway onwards towards the five year mark...I determined to maintain my size and the most important weapon in my arsenal is TAM.

Do women have to be Kick ass to be strong?

Apparently at the RWA Nationals there was a buzz/discussion about how there are so many kick ass heroines in historical romance these days. By kick ass -- these are the women who are unafriad to go toe to toe with men on the battlefield etc. But is this mecessary? There are other ways to be strong.

There is some evidence -- the tradition of the Valkeries and shield maidens plus a few sagas which mention women warriors. However, no graves have been found where there is clearly women's items such as spindles as well as swords.

Appearing unfeminine was also frowned upon in other periods. However this does not mean that women were weak or pliant or indeed could not influence events.

In England, women lost the right to vote with the advent of universal male sufferage. Prior to that if you were a large enough landowner, you could vote. And some widows did.
Women tended use their power when husbands were absent or dead. Unmarried women also could have power.
From reading Philippa Gregory's Cousin War books as well as watching the White Queen, I was reminded of exactly how much power a woman could exercise and how she was often pilloried for seeming to do it in an overt manner. Another case in point was the excellent Catharine Edwards series on Roman Mistresses, Murderers and Mothers: the Empresses of Rome. You could argue that Livia, Augustus's wife who basically ruled as co-emperor with Augustus and then with her son Tiberius was not a one-off but part of the women who had such influence at the end of the Republic.  there are reasons why their names have come down to us.

As Livia shows the pursuit of feminie virtue can be used as a positive. The person who controls the behind the scenes and grants access to the nominal head may actually have more power than the warrior.

Anyway it bugs me when people equate strength with physical combat. There is more than one way to exercise power and brute force doesn't always cut it.

The five most common mistakes Romance authors make

One of my other hats is to edit the Pink Heart Society blog. It is a labour of love but I enjoy it
Anyway, the PHS is very fortunate in that Tessa Shapcott who was a legendary editor at Harlequin Mills & Boon until she left the company earlier this year has agreed to do several posts on writing romance. Tessa is one of the main reasons that Harlequin Presents enjoyed such success over the years.
Her first blog The Five most common mistakes Romance authors make (and how to avoid them) went live on Saturday. If you missed it (and it should be required reading for any Romance author), you can access it here.  Tessa has agreed to do a few more posts for the PHS in the coming months so keep an eye out. I will try to highlight them as well.

And I should be over at Unusual historicals later today/tomorrow with a post on five fascinating facts about Viking controlled Northumbria which is where Paying the Viking's Price is set.

A cake and champagne day

My youngest son will be going to St Andrews to read zoology this September. I am so pleased for him and all he has achieved.

I am also pleased that this is the last time I have to go through the stress of teenagers waiting for their exam results...

Some days are Special Occassion Cake and Champagne days and today is one for my family.

Congrats to everyone else who passed the A levels.

The Red Queen and self-belief

Margaret Beaufort, the heroine of Philippa Gregory's The Red Queen is a hard woman to like. But one thing she is not lacking in is self-belief. She truly seems to have believed that her son was destined for the throne and God had ordained it and so it would happen.
It is doubtful that Henry Tudor would have become if not for Margaret Beaufort.
She did go through some pretty dark times but her belief sustained her.
I thought about this, this morning. Sometimes I need to have more faith in myself and my dreams. It is to manufacture hurdles rather than looking at them as stepping stones.

The tv series -- The White Queen is brilliant btw. Good escapist Sunday night viewing. It is the only way to treat the Wars of the Roses -- to look at it from the women's POV. Ther are just too many male protagonists (none of them v nice).

But my God, sometimes I do wish I had Margret Beaufort's self belief.

Tracy Anderson Method update (nearly two years in)

As someone asked:

Yes I am still doing TAM. Every morning, 6 days a week.

I make sure I have a banana and a large glass of water before I workout. This has solved several problems including falling asleep in the evening and being ravenously hungry.

I am currently on 2.3 and coming to grips with the hoop. Rather than pay for shipping, I went to the local plumbing store and bought tubing plus connectors. The hoop is 18.5 inches in diameter. There are specific reasons to its size. It works for me.
The hoop requires precision and concentration. The key at times is not to have it swinging wildly on your foot or ankle which means I have to move more slowly. It kills. But I suspect it also kills the remains of saddle bags etc.

I do the MS first and the n the DC as I started to bulk up a bit. Switching it has made the difference. I repeat the arms and abs after I finish the MS and then I do 45 min of the DC.

I am maintaining my size very successfully. I am a solid US 4 as I looked too bony up top when I was 2/4.  As this makes nearly 2 years, I reckon I'm doing better than 95% of the people who lose significant amounts of weight. I eat what I want to but my diet is very heavy in unprocessed food with a huge emphasis on fresh fruit and veg.

Losing it is relatively easy. Keeping it off is the hard part.  It gets harder as you get older as our metabolisms naturally slow down. thankfully TAM has helped. It is all about making a lifestyle change.

In other bits of news:
I am trying to defuse my persistently critical self. It is very easy to take a negative view of things but sometimes you need to realise that things are not personal and that it is better to take a positive approach rather than the negative to define you.

Paying the Viking's Price -- cover reveal

Yesterday the cover for Paying the Viking's Price arrived in my inbox.
Apparently the model is  Taylor David.  He certainly has a good Viking look...
Anyway I think it a great cover.

 

You can read an excerpt of Paying the Viking's Price here. It is published in November 13.

 



Know why your narrator needs to tell the tale

There are  reasons why I love to go back over my writing book library.
The story I am working on at the moment is a non-HQN project and is in the first person because it seems to write like this.
But a small problem for me is that I have never written first person before. What I am doing is reworking a story I wrote a few years ago because well there were certain things I loved about it but it wasn't quite right.
Anyway, I remembered that Orson Scott Card has a section on First Person narrator in his wonderful book Characters and Viewpoint. In that he discusses the why of choosing narrator, particularly when the story is told in first person. For example with Sherlock Holmes, Watson is by far the best choice as Sherlock is far too knowing.
What he does mention as well and it really resonated with me last night is to make sure you understand why the character needs to tell the story. And that the character is the sort of person who would feel comfortable in telling the story. In other words, tale-telling has to be part of the character if you choose that character to be the vehicle or vessel to tell the tale. An emotionally closed character without a compelling reason to put the story down may not be the best choice even if they are the protagonist or driving the story. You also have to know who the narrator is telling the tale to. Is it the tale for general consumption (aka memoirs) , a journal (so ultimately for their later self) or for someone else entirely.If you are going to use first person, you have to know. it affects the choices you make in telling the tale.
This is less of a problem with 3rd person limited because it is more like the reader is watching a film.
Anyway, I found it interesting and it has given me insight into my narrator.

My heart goes out

Last night I listened in horror as the events unfolded at the Boston marathon. So senseless. So tragic. My heart goes out to all those who are affected.
Back in 1999, I stood on the finish line sidelines with my three children, waiting for my husband to finish. Probably very near to where the explosion happened.  Boston is a lovely city full of wonderful people. Everyone was so kind. I can clearly remember someone handing out juice bars and making sure that my lot got some. People were just kind to a woman with three young children, including one in a pushchair. They made space so we could see the racers and cheer them on. I have very good memories of the city and the people.
When my lot were young, we went to a lot of races to cheer my husband on. Marathons always have a special atmosphere. People are relaxed and excited. Everyone is working together. And the runners are the focus. It is a shame that the innocence has been lost.
The Boston marathon is a great race  and I hate that it was targetted in this manner.
There is never any justification for this sort of behaviour. Ever.

Get Lost in a Story interview blog

Today (10 April) I am visiting with Angi Morgan at Get Lost in a Story. I reveal the playlist I used for An Ideal Husband? plus have a giveaway for a signed copy.

A really lovely piece of news was that Happily Ever After the USA Today column which is devoted to all things in the Romance genre featured An Ideal Husband? in the latest column. I was totally thrilled as it was so unexpected!

Writing wise I am busy working on my non HQN project (and enjoying it very much!) as well as waiting for my eidtor to get back me with her thoughts on my latest Viking.

November release title and giveaway

My editor FINALLY let me know what my Nov release will be called  Paying the Viking's Price.
It really works for the story where a Anglo Saxon lady is forced to become a Viking's concubine as the price for keeping her people safe.

Today you can find me doing the Quick Six for Tawny Weber. A signed copy of An Ideal Husband? is up for grabs to one lucky commentator. It is an either or question.  The winner will be chosen on Sunday.

And I promise to update this blog more. I did however turn in my latest Viking and am now working on my paranormal from ages ago (but it is a total rewrite as I went badly wrong). The great thing about writing is that you can always rewrite.

Goodreads Giveaway for An Ideal Husband?

Because An Ideal Husband is due to be released on 5 April, I have organised a giveaway with the good people from Good Reads. I think I have remembered to put most countries in...
It can be hard but I do ship everywhere for contests etc.

I will be doing my newsletter later in March but first I need to finish my wip and submit it.It is getting getter, depsite my head hitting the desk moment on Monday when I realised that I had stretched out a plot point for far too long and had thus disapated the tension and the pacing was off.
An extended period of ripping and writing is currently happening but the book will be better for it.
I do like my new editor as I get light bulb moments, even when I am being a bit dim...

You can enter the Good reads giveaway  here:

Goodreads Book Giveaway

An Ideal Husband?

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends April 04, 2013.

See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

In the Hexham Courant

The Hexham Courant has done a lovely article about me and my study for their My Favourite Room Series. The url isn't up yet but I managed to procure a copy and am posting the photo of me in the study.

                                                                                                         My husband will say that it is visual proof that my studdy can be tidy!!!

A quick update -- latest Viking sold etc

First of all, my latest manuscript sold on 18 January. No title or schedule release date and no word if it is going into retail in North America.  Persoanlly I think it is excellent with really strong plot hooks, well developed characters and an exciting plot line but I would say that.

I am hard at work with the next one and very excited about it. It is another Viking. A berserker this time. My new editor is allowing me to have darker heroes.

The No Sugar month was a success. I learnt lots. Going no sugar/sweetners is very hard. There are times when the body demands sugar, particularly in stressful situations. Nutrient rich starchy carbs really do have a part to play. The excessChristmas weight has dropped plus some more. Other than being no sugar, I have not been dieting -- so I have been eating my own homemade bread for instance.
I had birthday cake on my 49th. I made the frosting. It was far too sweet. I much prefered the walnut/coffee cake part. I also tried some custard I had made a day earlier. Again far too sweet, even though I had put in less sugar than the recipe called for. Fingers crossed that I am losing my sweet tooth. I have not been really tempted.
Going forward, I am doing limited sugar which basically means sugar/sweetners on Special Occassions.
I did read Rob Lustig's Fat Chance --the Bitter Truth about Sugar -- it is always good to read a book that confirms one's research into the topic.
Basically all successful diets really limited sugar and increase fibre (high in micronutrients). They are also low in trans fats and omega-6 fat. If you do consume fat and carb mixed, you have an equal amount of fibre. The rest is really window dressing.
Other good tips for losing weight are: eat protien with your breakfast. Never skip breakfast. get enough sleep. Wait 20 min before having seconds. Exercise.
Very basic but practical. The real is to eat real food. Avoid the processed. And listen to your body.
The fibre connection is interesting. Nurtient rich strachy carbs all have a lot of fibre. Fibre contributes to making you feel full and getting rid of toxins. It also speeds up transit times.

Right I need to get this partial off to my editor...

Tracy Anderson Meta Y2 update

Right I am on 2.1 L5 Day 46. Tracy Anderson takes it to new heights in Year 2. There is the added challenge of the chair. It is used in a number of ways -- a blocker to ensure you are reaching the right angles, a balance bar and a support for planks.
Thus far on omni I have managed without having arms on my chair. I simply adjust my hold. I saw no reason to shell out more money for a chair with arms. The important things is that the chair needs to be sturdy enough to climb on and easy enough to move about.
You should be able to get under it but in the first level, I found I was getting claustrophobic and so Imagined the chair about me. It worked.
Tracy uses ankle and wrist weights -- both lighter (1.5 lbs). I have taken to stopping the dvd and transferring my wrist weights to my ankles. It works. You only want to add the weights AFTER you can do the exercises with perfect  form and for the required number of reps. The fact that she is wearing the weights is an invitation, not a commandment for every workout on that level.  I did check with the TAM team. It makes sense.
I have also learnt that precise form is essential. Not only do you want to hit the angles (the higher the leg, the tighter, the bum) but you also want to keep the tempo. Sometimes going too quickly can make the exercises easier. This is unfortunately true of the planks so I am trying to be mindful and slow down. The positioning of the knee is key in many leg lifts. A slight shift in the foot position during a lunge can make a difference to where you feel it.  And arm positioning can mean the difference between balancing or falling. I learnt this the hard way on this level when in the second to the last exercise I didn't have my support arm down at right angles to my body. I keep gently toppling and then I looked and saw. Adjusted and I could do the bloody exercise.

My No Sugar January is going well. I do feel a lot less bloated. My mid morning cravings have gone and I am often no hungry for an afternoon snack.  I went through a period last year of feeling like I was  starving all the time which was when I discovered nutrient rich starchy carbs. 
My daughter made some pretzels the other day which had honey as the fifth ingredient. they tasted wonderful but my body reacted badly. I was up half the night with stomach cramps from bloating. I am not sure if it was from the sweetener, the sesame seeds or the poppy seeds. I had wondered if I had an yeast overgrowth (because of the craving for sweet things) and hence part of the reason for the No Sugar Jan. The reaction could have been the yeast going into over drive. Anyway, I shall be terribly strict for awhile and then test. again. I really don't want a repeat...

I am currently writing a synopsis for my latest Viking partial and preparing to send it to my editor -- whenever she lets me know about the revised one. Fingers crossed.

Collie and Cat alarm clocks

Ever since his brother died, Heathcliff has been allowed free run of the house at night instead of being locked in the kitchen.
One consequence is that if I don't get up when my alarm goes, Heathcliff comes over and either meows very loudly or puts his cold nose on the inside of my wrist which shocks me into action. He doesn't sleep on the bed. We moved his basket up and he does sleep there. He also will sleep on my eldest's bed (if my eldest is away) or even my daughter's bed (again she has to be away).  But once the alarm goes off, he is there on my side of the bed. He totally ignores my sleeping husband and simply goes for the hand who will feed him.

Using this principle, I have been sending the collies upstairs to wake up the children if they are not down at suitable time. They have a habit of ignoring me. I often have to go and open their bedroom doors to allow the collies access... but once they have access, the collies know what to do. Tess is polite and merely noses the sleeping child. Hardy however gets into the swing of the game, leaps on the bed, normally landing on said child's stomach and then proceeds to wash the child's face.
This goes on until said child actually moves. Strangely enough, my eldest only had to have it happen once...my youngest though waits for it. Hardy is far more polite with my daughter and only noses her, rather than jumping on her bed.
The collies are not normally allowed upstairs and know this so they have to be invited. They are intelligent in that way...

My No Sugar campaign is going well. My writing less well but it is getting done. This VIking should be excellent when done.

No Sugar January

As part of my New Year resolutions, I am doing a no Sugar Janaury. It should help me detox. Refined sugar is one those things which is bad for you in large quantities. How large depends on your own metabolism and hormones. Anyway after feasting through out Christmas, I have decided to give my digestion a break and take a rest.
Funnily enough, it is currently easier than I thought it would be.
It feels good not to be eating the sweet stuff or drinking the alcohol. Alcohol has a lot of sugar. I am also avoiding processed food (which normally has sugar added) and not adding any sweetner (including honey).
After one day, I can feel the bloating dropping. One of the problems with lymph oedema is that I do swell up if I don't eat properly.

I have contined to do my TAM over the Christmas period.  Year 2 is challenging but good fun.

My writing has been slow because I have been concentrating on my family.

An Ideal Husband? cover

I just had my first peek at the cover for AnIdeal Husband? I think it captures the mood of the book beautifully.
Iti s my last Victorian for awhile as I am concentrating on Vikings and so I am pleased that I have a good cover

Revisions etc

It has been a little while.
My lovely editor got back to me at the end of last week and had a few more tweaks she wanted for my latest Viking. They really made sense so I did them over the weekend. And I think the manuscript is much stronger. Hopefully my eidtor will think so as well.
I have started on my next Viking. I am using the Alexandra Sokoloff index  card method for plotting as it does help.  It was the whole idea of using post it notes, rather than actual cards. It does give me an idea of the structure so I can concentrate on the important bits -- the characters and their interactions. It also reminds me of things that are needed. And I can write little notes and move them about. I also don't need to just have a certain number of cards.
Sokoloff's other idea of thinking of words and images with will reoccur through the story is very interesting. How do you show the changes and make the images truly count?
At the moment, it is how my mind is working and so I am going with it.
I have learnt that my mind is apt to go off on some tangent at some point but it is all about working with what works for the book.

Harlequin Historical Advent Calendar Day 3

Today (30 November) is my day and I am offering a Take a Break gift book filled with a signed book of mine (winner's choice), biscuits, Christmas tea, a tea towel (you can never have too many of these and I do like choosing them) and a mug. Total value £20. I will draw the winner on 8 December 2012.
All entrants go forward to the grand prize drawing.
Please email me  at contest@michellestyles.co.uk with 2012 Harlequin Historical Advent Giveaway in the title the answer to the follow question:
Where is Harriet Wilkinson on her way to when she hears the stifled noise? (hint read the extract)

Tracy Anderson Method:360 Workouts completed

Since starting Tracy Anderson Metamorphisis Omni at the end of September 2011, I have officically dripped with sweat 360 times, conquered 36 different set of exercerises, particularly the challenging leg lifts (more of which later, mastered 4 different Dance cardio routine (aka Hippo dancing as my children call it).
My most hated levels were Meta L2,C1.1 L3, C1.2 L3 and C1.3 L7. I think of all of the hated levels, it was C1.1 L3 which I just wanted done. Could I get the coordination of the lunge? It took until D8.
But I did master them all.
I started out hating planks. Somewhere in Meta, I started to enjoy them which was good as some of them were fairly circus moves. The last crazy plank in Y1 is C1.2 L5. Then there was the balance moves. The key is balance, Tracy would I say and the problem is that I have none, I would mutter, tumbling over yet again. In C1.3, I started not minding the balance moves and I don't fall over that much...
A few exercises stand out: the headstand in C1.1 L8 (the trick was to make sure your elbow and supporting knee touched and you put your weight on your arms), C1.2 L3 the first balance both hands on a weight annd lift leg off the floor, and C1.2 L3 the crazy plank where you had to be coordinated with a controlled collaspe.
I learnt a lot about myself. I leanrt that I can do things that I thought I could never do.
My fexibility and balance have improved. I am not sure about my tempo.
I now love exercising. it has become a part of my life. I am in far better shape than I have ever been.
C1.3 has seen a massive improvement in my bum and thighs. There is something to strengthening the deep gluteal muscles so that your hamstrings naturally lengthen (something from pilates but of relevance here) as they no longer have to act as stabilising muscles. It really is all about balance and getting the correct balance between deep glutes, hip flexors and deep ab muscles so that the mobilising muscles don't have to act as stablising muscles. This is one of the reasons TAM takes time and why she doesn't really go after the inner thigh until mid way through Y2. Don't get me wrong -- my thighs are looking good but apparently lots of people have over developed quads etc and it is about effecting real change. I still have loose skin on my lower abs. But I have hope!
I have started the Dance Cardio 2.1 with her master trainers Stacey and Maria. They are taller than Tracy. I am beginning to get the hang of it. Having my own playlist helps.
I have previewed Y2 L1 for tomorrow. The chair comes into play. As do ankle weights.  it is supposed to be a step up. I foresee a lot more sweating in my future.

In other news:
1. My writing on my current project is going well and I am thoroughly enjoying myself. It remains to be seen if it is *pants* when I am done. It is a contemporary, rather than a historical...

2. As some of you may already know -- last Thursday we put our very elderly Lab to sleep. His race was run. the legs which had carried him on so many runs and walks had worn out. I will write something about him. I have been meaning to but keep tearing up. Most of the time though I am fine. The collies and the cat are adjusting.

3. Still waitng to hear if my editor likes my revisions but I am keeping busy (see above).

4. the Harlequin Historical Authors will be doing our annual Advent Calendar this year...watch this space.

The Next Big Thing

Katherine Garbera who writes Desire and is another American living in the UK (actually she lives in the same town as my in laws!) ask me to do this meme. You can read her answers from last week here. And her books are wonderful as well. Well worth a read.

What is the title of your next book?

An Ideal Husband? comes out in April 2013 in the UK and North America. I believe India as well and Australia/New Zealand follow in May 2013

Where did the idea for the book come from?

The idea for the first scene popped into my brain several years ago when I was trying to write a single title. Then I used it when I was crafting To Marry A Matchmaker as back story but last year my heroine, Sophie Ravel sat me down  and said I had to write her story and that she knew I really wanted to.

What genre does your book fall under?

Warm, witty and intimate historical romance. It is set in the 1850s so it is an early Victorian. Some places it will get marketed as a Regency. It is very odd to me but Rengency in publishing is a very flexible term.

 

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

A Keanu Reeves type  from around his Point Break days for Richard and a Sally Pressman type for Sophie.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

These books are traditionally published by Harlequin/Mills & Boon.

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

I started about mid January 2012, and then had to change quite a lot after my editor had seen the first three chapters. I was explaining to a dear friend about the problem  and she said the hero can’t  be like that. Then suddenly everything was clear and  I wrote the story (all 72 k) as I had to almost start from scratch in 3 weeks. It was great fun to write once I had everything clear.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Julia Quinn, Lisa Kleypass and Georgette Heyer are all writers whose style I admire. I wanted to write a warm, witty and intimate romance which had a lot of accurate historical detail.

 

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My daughter in addition to the Sophie character demanded I write Sophie’s story as she wanted to know what happened to her after  To Marry A Matchmaker.

What else about your book might pique the reader's interest?

It is a pretend engagement which develops into something more story. And there is a nod to PG Wodehouse with pigs. I adore PG Wodehouse.

 

I was going to tag various authors but they appear to have done this so if anyone wants to take up the baton, please do so and tell me where it is posted.

11 November Remembrance Sunday

Today is the anniversary of the ending of World War I. It is a day to remember the fallen and injured from all the wars and know that they died to keep us safe and allowed our way of life to happen.
It is a day to thank the living who served and continue to serve, risking their lives so we can enjoy ours.
I wear my red poppy with pride because it does help to highlight the marvellous work the British Legion does with service families. It also shows that I do understand the sacrifice and am grateful for the sacrifices made.
Last night I watched the Festival of Remembrance on BBC 1. It does bring a lump to my throat. (There wasn't anything like it in the US when I was growing up) Anyway, one of the higlights for me is the Chelsea Pensioners. When I first watched it as a bride, there was a man who had served in the Boer War. Slowly the active memories of various wars fade as one by one people die, but it doesn't mean people should forget.
So hopefully people will take a moment today to remember and to be grateful.

My poor neglected blog

It has been awhile.
My excuse is that my mother came over from the States and we did a whirlwind tour of the universites where my elder two are studying.  And my revisions for The Return of The Viking Warrior hit.
My mother went back home last week but I wanted to get the revisions done as I have a New Editor. I found my New Editor''s thoughts really useful and hope she loves my manuscript now. I think it is far stronger but it is always a worrying time when you change editors. You never know quite how they will react or if you interpreted their thoughts correctly. On the plus, sometimes you get overly comfortable with your editor and know where her quirks and hot spots are and this can mean that you are not pushed. I couldn't do anything about the change and so am rolling with it. My new editor loves Vikings so this is good. She also knows how to pronouce the names correctly.

I did draw the name out of the hat from my newsletter and Tracy had her package sent off to her.

I am still doing my Tracy Anderson Method and have nearly finished the first year of my transformation (ie 360 workouts). And then comes Year 2 with the Chair and lots of challenges for my abs.

I will try to be better at keeping up with this blog but work and family have to come first.

Heathcliff or the cat who thinks he is an editor at work

I have had many cats in time. I love cats but Heathcliff (and to a cetain extent his brother Mr Darcy before he died) is the only one who actively takes an interest in my work. 
After reading Alexandra Sokoloff I decided to try her index card method if I could discover what precisely was wrong with my current WIP (and indeed the one I am revising) so I went back to my bulletin board. It was great fun to do this. And we shall see on the finished product...
Anyway Heathcliff's reaction amused me so I took some photos and as my daughter wanted to see...here they are:

And then:

And finally as he spotted the precise plot point he didn't like...

 

Wicked Giveaway etc

I am participating in Reading Romance's Wicked Giveaway. There are 2 signed copies of Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match to be won.
I was totally thrilled to learn that Hattie was the most requested prize in Reading Romance's last giveaway - Naughty or Nice!
You can enter here.

And my newsletter went out yesterday. There is a special giveaway on there for newsletter subscribers only.

 Also the Goodreads Giveaway for Hattie continues...

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends November 01, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

My new author photo

Courtesy of Mills &Boon, I have my new author photo:

It looks like me.

It is copyright Mills and Boon 2012.

Editor changes

My editor is changing again. For a variety of reasons, various editors at Harlequin Mills and Boon are either on maternity leave or have left the company. This has meant that an unprecendented 3 mid-ranked editors have been making their farewells from the acquisitions team. One editor has just returned from maternity leave.
My editor has been promoted which is wonderful for her. But it also means she needs to rebalance her author stable so it is more in favour of the series where she is  the new Associate Editor (Romance/Riva). The editor who has just returned is going to historical and needs more historical authors. She also loves the Viking period, apparently. So I get moved. Not all of my editor's historical authors will get moved. It just depends on a variety of factors.
Some day I will make good my threat and get a Pandora bracelet with a bead for each of my editors. I think I am up to 6 editors in the 7 years I have been a contracted author with HMB.  Some authors only have one editor. Others get moved about for a variety of reasons. I think of all the changes the hardest was the first one. After that you know you can do it.
I have loved working with Flo Nicoll. She is a rising star among HMB editors and I can't wait to see how far she goes. I am very proud of the books we did together. And I do think my writing has improved under her. I will miss her insights very much. But I also am aware of why the change needs to be made.
A new editor always pushes you in directions you haven't thought about and makes you confront things. This can be a good thing as it is always about getting the strongest book.
At the moment with the current Viking, I get the benefit of both Flo and Suzy Clarke's eyes.  After that, it will be Suzy.
It is good to be back with the Historical team as it were, and I know Suzy has a reputation for detailed revisions. My senior editor thinks we will get on very well and I do trust my senior editor very much -- she was my first editor after all...
If you can't stop change, you might as well embrace it and enjoy the ride.

Revisiting old books: Wildfire at Midnight by Mary Stewart

Because I had been reminded of Madam Will You Talk? which is set in Arles, I asked my youngest to get out from the Lit and Phil. Unfortunately it had been shelved wrong, so he returned home with another Mary Stewart -- Wildfire at Midnight. It was written in 1956 and set in 1953, during the coronation.
The heroine has the glamorous career of an in-store model and wants to escape the Coronation hoopla. When her mother suggests a hotel on Skye, Gianetta leaps at the chance. Unfortunately, the hotel is harbouring a murderer (the other inhabitants have been there for a few weeks) and Gianetta's ex.
I must have read this about 35 years ago as my school library was very good on Mary Stewart. What struck me this time was how many times people lit cigarettes. Practically every scene, the characters stop and light a cigarette. Yes I know people smoked but it was the sheer repetition of the gesture that got me. At one point, I expected the characters to get together and start discussing exactly how many tabs they had left and therefore how long they could hold before the mystery needed to be solved or one of them started to have withdrawal symptoms!
There is little sexual tension between Gianetta and her ex-husband or indeed between Gianetta and the villian of the piece. The ex husband is supposed to be jealous of the villain who turns out to be a mad man but who was trying to romance Gianetta. He did have a handy supply of cigerettes though....
 Gianetta ends up with her ex. who snarls 'You bloody little fool.' before explaining everything, including the misunderstanding where she thought he was sleeping with an actress. No she was kissing him and he left. The actress was having an affair with another man.
There were several times when Gianetta deserved the Too Stupid to Live label and I didn't quite understand why the police would leave her in charge of a severely ill woman who was a potential witness in the case.

What Stewart does well is to provide a sense of the place. I may not have been to Skye but I have stayed in hotels in the Highlands as well as in Snowdonia and the Lake District. They do operate under their own rules.

It was interesting re-reading it but I can see novel writing, in particular romantic suspense has really moved on. But oh how I loved Mary Stewart once upon a time.
Georgette Heyer seems to wear better for some reason. Perhaps it is because she was writing a historical rather than a contemporary.

Blurb for An Ideal Husband?

My editor sent through the blurb for my April 2013 release -- An Ideal Husband?

When heiress Sophie Ravel finds herself in a compromising situation, notorious Richard Crawford, Viscount Bingfield, swoops in and saves her reputation! She might have escaped the attentions of one undesirable, but will Richard’s protection expose her to even more scandal?

Richard curses his impetuousness at offering a betrothal in the heat of the moment! He gladly accepts Sophie’s terms that their engagement remains a pretence until, quite by chance, he unlocks his shy fiancée’s passionate nature. Now nothing will steer him from wedding—then bedding—his blushing bride...

An Ideal Husband? is set in 1852 Newcastle Upon Tyne and features Sophie Ravel who was a secondary in To Marry A Matchmaker.

I completed the proofs last week so I will get an excerpt up soonish. This one really appeals to my sense of humour. I had a lot of fun writing it.

Tracy Anderson Method Day 321

I have just started C1.3 L6 or the level where the dvd has some problems. Actually it is missing one little bit of the ab exercises at the end of the ab section.
There are only 5 leg lifts, but I was crying by the end of exercise 4 and my legs were like jelly at the end of 5. It is important to hit the cross vectors.
I was pleased to see the back end of L5 as because of the holiday, it felt like it had gone forever!
I continue to love and adore the ball as it does help me to focus on the moves. The blance exercises are easier in a way as I now know about inverting my leg.
It pays to pause the dvd when doing the preview as you can see precisely where her hands and knees are.
Despite eating a ton on holiday, all the weight and bloating has come off and I am back to where I want to be.
Thanks to my daughter's generosity, I now have her old Ipod and after trying (and failing) to dance with headphones, I bought a cheap speaker dock. It works and I can now have my own playlist while I do the DC. It does help.

My 2.1 dvds arrived just before I went away. 2.1 with the chair looks challenging. Apparently the quads are really hit. It is just good to think about TAM continuing to be part of my life.

In other news:
I am waiting for my editor to get her thoughts on revisions back to me so I have started a New Project. It is one of the great things about the way my current contract is structured. I have built time in so I can do New Projects, rather than just moving on to the next HMB historical romance.
It is about conducting my career on my terms.
One of the great things about TAM is that I do feel empowered to take on new challenges, knowing that I can master them.

Background to Hattie Wilkinson Meets her Match

There are a number of strands which came together with Hattie.
First, several years ago I read Lady Worsley's Whim which was about  one of the more scandalous  Criminal Conversation trials of the late eighteenth century. There is even a suggestion the American revolution was settled more speedily because one of the main pillars of the British givernment was embroiled.
Anyway, The Worsleys had a son who died in his early 20s but it got me to thinking what would it been like for the son? His mother abandoned him for her lover.
A child of divorced parents, it is a subject which intrigues. My parents divorced in my late teens and it was not an amicable parting of the ways...and it does change you.
I filed this in the back of my brain under possibles as other ideas were screaming.
Second, I read a story in the Hexham Courant about the Stagshaw Fair which was the largest one day fair in England. It used to be held on the fourth of July which amused me greatly. In the article they made reference to a man who had redeemed himself in the early eighteenth century by saving his valet from one of the notorious people snatchers. Apparently there was a real problem with press gangs and many Northumberland men were snatched and sent to the West Indies to work on the plantations. There is precious little about this and unfortunately it was not the right time period for me but I filed it in the back of my mind -- thinkiing some day.
Finally, I happened to go to the University of Birmingham on an open day visit with my daughter and encountered a protrait of Mair Constance *Hattie* Barb er and her dogs. Again the wrong period but I knew I wanted to write about a heroine who had a small dog. Hattie Barber had Yorkshire terriers but the breed wasn't in existance in the Regency period. However papillions were and they are a small dog with attitude. So Moth was born.
And then I remembered the other two ideas and thought while maybe...And the ideas started to scream. Particularly when  Kit, Sur Christopher Foxton, strolled into my brain and refused to leave.
Luckily my editor was intrigued and very supportive so I was able to write Hattie. I think I drove her insane when I was writing Hattie as I could not get the ending right. Luckily she was there and made several excellent suggestions and the story is much stronger for them.
Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match is one of the few titles I have been able to keep. Or rather it is a variation of Hattie Meets Her Match which was my working title. I always love it when it happens.

Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match Giveaway

As Hattie is now avialable on the M&B website and on Harlequin, (official publication date 2 November), I am running a Goodreads giveaway until 1 November. 5 signed copies are up for  grabs and I think I have managed to put just about every country where I know I have readers on the form...

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match

by Michelle Styles

Giveaway ends November 01, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Food in Arles

The trip ended up being a foodie's delight. It wasn't supposed to be that way. However on the first night, we didn't make reservations and everywhere seemed to be booked out.
In desperation, I went into the L'Atelier de Jean-Luc Rabanel, thinking that someone might have cancelled at the last moment. Jean-Luc was manning reception and asked me if I knew how to use a telephone. He was very charming and offered to ask at his place next door. We had already tried there...unfortunately. His face fell and he seemed genuinely upset that he couldn't help.
We managed to find dinner at Le Gabolet -- the tuna was melt in your mouth. The menu was prix fixee and seemed to change daily. They served things because they were fresh and they liked them.
The next day, we went out birdwatching and missed lunch. Breakfast had been continental When we returned to the hotel, my husband who doesn't speak French suggest that I call Jean Luc's bistro but I only had the number of the Atelier. Anyway, I ended up blurting out a mispronunciation of Pinus and we ended up with a reservation for the L'Atlier.
It is like entering another world when you go to L'Atlier. Very relaxing and calming with water flowing everywhere. You start in the lounge where  we had five courses. There is no menu, you simply come and eat what is on offer. There is the lovely surprise element.
There are at least 13 courses for dinner. We had 17.
So we started with baked baby carrots with 3 dipping sauces, then deep fried courgettes with a dipping sauce, then a biscuit covered with vegetables, followed by a herbal soup with tomato sorbet and the last starter was Camargue toasted rice with vegetables. We also had a glass of champagne.
Every dish was immaculately presented and the flavours sang in my mouth.
We moved to the restaurant proper to continue with the meal. (You need to remember that at this stage I was thinking 13 courses).
We moved on to the white wine.
The mains started with sea bream wrapped about green beans, and then it was mushroom and onion parcels (I think the onions were done as a soubrise). Next it was vegetables with fish roe and then octopus with mushrooms. Those courses starting with the last starter were absolute perfection.
Because I was thinking -- 13 courses, I did have some bread.  the bread basket was full of tempting treats -- peanut bread, pistacchio bread, tomato bread, olive puree (they looked like cinnamon rolls), 3 types of bread sticks and tomato and anchovy filled bread. It would have been a crime not to eat some. And I figured that it would be fine as there were only 13 courses.
I was starting to get a bit full but thought I would do it as it was a once in the lifetime experience.
The next course was a tuna surprise -- and not as good as the tuna I had had the night before but still excellent. I am not sure why it just missed or perhaps because the other courses had been so good, I was thinking -- it would be superlative. Or perhaps I was just getting full. Then it was the lamb (I had not realised how special this lamb was until we went to le Crau -- it must have been some of the earliest lamb). It looked like 2 slices of bacon and had a sprinkling of pine nuts. My husband wasn't as fond of the lamb but then he likes his meat very well done and the lamb was lightly seared.
We moved on to the red wine here.
We then had the vodka jelly and lemon to clear our palates. Thank goodness.
Next came the desserts. And I had counted so I thought -- one dessert. Maybe I could do it.
The first dessert was very good. The second was a beet root flower and excellent. The first time my husband had actually liked beet root. Then they laid out the spoons and forks again . My heart sunk. even though the dishes had been tiny, I was very full. It was a toasted rice with sour cherries and olives which was surprisingly good. Then it was white chocolate and FINALLY it was a raspberry concoction.  My heart kept sinking each time new cutlery  appeared. We then had coffee.
My big take away was how much flavour and colour plays. Each course was a picture.  Also little portions can add up. You don't really need to eat a lot to be satisfied. I also understood why you need to make a reservation. And why Michelin rates his food so highly.
The next evening we went to his Bistro where the service was a little haphazard and you knew what you were getting. The portions were bigger but the food was delicious.  I started with a tomato/feta cheese tart and moved on to the grilled fish. Dessert was a chocolate fondant. We had some excellent red wine. When I bought a bottle of it at a little food shop, the woman waxed lyrical about it and told me that I must allow it an hour to breathe. It was totally organic and so would not keep but should be drunk soonish. we are having a bottle for Christmas lunch...
And then because I discovered where it was, we had dinner at Le Cilantro -- the 1 star Michelin restaurant. The food was excellent and the service great. I started with a tomato salad and then had salmon.Dessert was a pain perdu with fresh plums. There was several other little courses. And again the wine was excellent.
The next night we went back to the bistro as several of the other restaurants were fully booked out. Again the food was good. I started with the saussicon. My husband had the lamb which he enjoyed very much as it was medium.
Anyway I ate and drank far too much but I really enjoyed myself. I also now understand why French food does have its reputation. In recent years, I have cooked far more Mexican or Italian or Indian than French but I shall go back to French food as when it is done well, it is fantastic.
I did not do my Tracy Anderson while I was away BUT since returning I have gone back to healthy eating and working out. It is the knowing that I do workout that allowed me to indulge.

Arles and me

When I first went to Arles 27 years ago, I'm not sure what I was looking for. It seemed like a good idea and my then boyfrined (now my husband) had convinced me that it would be a great place for a spring break. It set a pattern for our holidays -- generally in places which combined history and great birdwatching.
That trip introduced me to birdwatching. Pink flamingoes are remarkably easy to spot. The Camargue is where flamingoes gather in France. When flamingoes fly, they have carmine and black undersides of their wings.
Arles is also where I watched a bull fight while seated very high in a Roman arena. The experience would later fuel my first Roman book -- The Gladiator's Honour. In fact it was when I was in Arles that I thought the roman period would make a great backdrop for a romance.
We stayed at a little bed and breakfast just off the Place du Forum where you had to walk down a cold corridor to reach the toilet. This time we stayed at the Grand Hotel Nord Pinus which is also on the Place du Forum and has been around forever. Picasso used stay here along with various other celbrities. I believe the bullfighters still stay. Unlike many luxury hotels, the Nord Pinus feels unique. It retains its own unique charm and character. They have posters up of bullfights from the early 20th century as well as a collection of Marilyn Monroe phtographs in the lobby. On the first floor, you can see bits of the old forum. Our room was huge and well appointed with wrought iron furniture.
 Outside the hotel in the warm evening air. Madame had me drinking a variety of pastis as that is what you do in the early evening as you watch the world pass by. It is a summer drink. If you are very thirsty you drink it with mint and plenty of water. The almond syrup is delish and then there is the grenadine which brought back memories of long ag Shirly  Temples (but with an added kick).
Because the Place du Forum is popular, several evenings had live music (including cheesy 1970s ballads). We ate in some wonderful restuarants which I will recount tomorrow as they were truly gastronomic adventures. Arles boasts of both  1 star and 2 star Michelin restaurants and naturally we had to try them.
We flew via Southampton to Avignon on flybe. The flight was painless. Avignon's airport is probably the smallest airport I have been to. There is only one or two gates. the Southampton flight appeared to be the only schedule flight of the day. By the time, we had walked through customs, our bags were ready. We got into our hired car and headed out to Les Baux  Les Baux is considered to be one of the most beautiful villages in France. The primary attraction for me is the medieval village and ruined castle.  We had lunch there and looked about. They were doing a recreation of a medieval tournament.
Arles was also jam packed. The one problem with Arles is that the streets were laid out just after the Romans and are very confusing. Eventually we found the Nord Pinus, but this was me going on instinct from 27 years previously!
As it was a Saturday, there were a number of weddings at the City Hall and we watched various wedding parties, including one with a vintage car.
The next day, we drove into the Carmague and went birdwatching -- flamingoes, storks, grey herons, cattle egret, little egrets and snowy egrets were all spotted. Because someone was windsurfing (I don't think they were supposed to be), a flock of flamingoes was spooked and I saw them fly for the first time. They are truly spectacular in flight. We also saw the white horses of the Camargue. The white horses are techincally grey as they are born black. They are semi wild and are one of the oldest breeds in the world.  They are not shod and are known as the sea horses as they spend a great deal of time on the salt marshes. The men who work them are known as gardians and they are the French equivalent of cowboys.
We also saw the black bulls. In Carmague bull fighting, the bull is not killed. In Spanish bull fighting the bull is killed.  the last time we did this sort of thing in the Camague, it was on bicycle and God, it was tough. Apparently it was when my husband decided that he ought to marry me as I did not complain.
The next day was more birdwatching in Sts Marie de la Mer -- flamingoes, caspian terns and slender billed gulls. Sts marie have become very commercial and we didn't linger after I went swimming. Instead we went to Aigue Mortes and climbed the ramparts. This is the town St Louis built and was France's first Mediterrean port. However, because of the silting, it is no longer on the sea. The Constance tower used to have a beacon which burnt night and day. We stopped for ice cream in the main square which was excellent.
The next day was Les Alycamps in the morning. The necropolis was the In place to be buried during the early middle ages. It is now a place of ghosts and pigeons. If you go into the church at the end, you are surrounded by the sound of cooing pigeons and dung dropping. It was v spooky. In the afternoon we went to Le Crau and the nature reserve. Le crau is France's only desert. It has been used for sheep herding since time immedmorial. Pliny mentions the sheep as being particularily good to eat. The  Merino sheep arrive on Le Crau in October, have their lambs on the hay fields (created in the 16th century and they provide hay for race horses -- only hay in the world which is AOC), are moved to the coussol in Feb/March time to eat the special grass and thyme before being taken up to the Alps to summer.  It was an utterly fascinating place. the rocks which the local villagers were required to pile up so Allied planes couldn't land during WW2 are still there. We saw Europeon rollers which made the trip.
The next day was the Arles Roman museum -- absolutely fascinating.
We then flew home the next morning. Thoroughly refreshed.

I will do abotu the food tomorrow as it was truly special.

Back from Provence

27 years ago, I spent several sun lit days in Arles. I am happy to report that Arles remains a magical place.
I had a great time and will blog later about all that I have seen (and eaten).
I saw lots of Roman and medieval ruins. There were Viking raids apparently but much of the medieval is post Viking period. We are talking Les Baux and Aigue Mortes -- so Crusades and tournament time.
My camera died -- apparently the battery became disconnected so I have lots of memories but few photos.

And I ate some wonderful food, including an epic meal of 17 courses (not including the coffee at the end!). We had thought it would be 13 and  the courses kept coming...The food was wonderful -- lots of flavour and creative use of vegetables. The surprise and wow factor was really there. The service was fantastic.

The AAs for An Ideal Husband? have arrived so they need to be done over the weekend.
I also need to update my website ad get the Goodreads giveaway organised for Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match. etc etc.

It was good to go away and not be near a computer for a week.

South of France and my book, several squees and a giveaway.

This blog has been quiet because I was finishing my latest Viking. It is now in my editor's inbox and I can go off to the South of France with my husband without a deadline hanging over me.

I had a great time at AMBA.I stayed at Carol Townend and wore my voice out talking. It was refreshing.

The editors were in buying mood for Presents. I was so pleased that they bought Sri Pammi, Michelle Smart and my dear friend Victoria Parker. I was very lucky to read Victoria's at an early stage and it is one of the best Presents I have read in a long time. My gut told me that the editors would agree and I was so happy that I was right! Huge squeeing went on when Vicotira came over for coffee. And huge squees to both Sri and Michelle Smart as they both worked really hard.

As luck would have it, my latest Hattie Wilkinson Meets Her Match is dedicated to Victoria. She just believed in this book, even when it was giving me headaches. When I read it at the proof stage, I really liked it...

As Hattie is available on the M&B and eharlequin websites next month, I have started to organise a few giveaways of signed books. The first happens this weekend with the Naughty or Nice Giveaway through Reading Romances. There is alsoa signed copy of His Unsuitable Viscountess up for grabs.

I will be organising a Goodreads giveaway for Hattie and I have listened to various people so I will hopefully have most people's countries on the list. But this will happen after I get back next Friday.

September 11

Today is September 11.
I truly hope that some day I will be able to enjoy the day as a normal day rather thinking back to the dreadful events of 2001. 11 years have passed but the events remain seared on my soul.
As long time readers of this blog will know, I was tangently touched by the events and remain ever thankful that none of my family were injured or killed.
On this day, I also think about the other people whose lives were affected in the time since. So much has changed as a result of those despicable acts. Hopefully some day various leaders will come to realise that human lives are worth more than a postage stamp and suicide bombing will become a thing of the past as discredited as the charge of soldiers across a field at cannons.
The important thing is to remember and honour everyone but to live one's life how one wants to. It should be a normal day. Some day it will be again.