Penny

Penny had mouth cancer. The vet said we could try antibiotic for 48 hours but really we were talking weeks and she was fairly certain it was mouth cancer. There was no real decision. I held Penny in my arms as she was given the sedative. Afterwards, the vet was able to pull her lip back and checked -- the cancer had gone into the bone. Because she was on metacam, she did not feel the pain in the way she would have.

Personally I figure the metacam bought us an extra year with her.

Penny was far more my cat. She left me alone to write but if I was watching tv, or talking to anyone or just generally sitting anywhere but my study, she was on my knee. If anyone was ill, it was her business to go and snuggle up to them. She was a very people sort of cat.

She was buried next to her sister in the warmest part of the garden. The good part is that I don't think she knew Tuppence was gone.

We will get more cats, but not just yet.

Tuppence

Tuppence has a series of strokes yesterday and I had to take her to the vet. When the time came for the appointment, she was breathing but gone. The vet gently put her to sleep. I stayed with her until the end and then brought her body home.

She was a very good cat and a part of the family for 17 years. Even my eldest who is 18 1/2 cannot remember life without her. Luckily he had not left for Russia and so was able to be here for the burial.

Her sister, Penny has mouth ulcers which probably means chronic kidney failure. ( I made the mistake of looking the symptoms up in a cat book and she is on Metacam for her arthritis which is hard on the kidneys) I shall be taking her to the vet today. Hopefully, the vet will decide that she can do something. But I do know it would be a matter of weeks or months. Days and it will be ever so hard.

There remains the question of how she will cope without her sister. After she goes, then we will get two new cats as I would hate to be without cats.

They were from the RSPCA and had been found in a plastic sack. They were in and out of the vets as kittens. Tuppence, for example, because she was starving ate too much and her stomach could not cope. But they rapidly grew healthy and survived. Tuppence could tell time, and if her dinner was late by even five minutes, she meowed -- very long and very loudly. She used to sleep on the sofa in my study. At one point, we moved the sofa to go under the window and she decided this was not to her liking so stopped coming in. When we moved the sofa back to the original place, she immediately came in, patted the wall, curled up and went to sleep. Everything was right in her world again.

Losing a pet is awful. There is no easy way to put it. Pets age quicker but they give so much love and affection.

Timers

Having taken another look at my agreed deadlines and everything else I want to do this year, I have realised that I need to use a timer and write. The word count per day is high but it can be done. Actually, I think my books are better when written under pressure. Too much fiddling and I get a lot of repetition.

I did try Dr Wicked but have realised that I write best on the computer with a timer and being allowed to go back and edit if I wish. Kitchen timers are us. Excuses do not wash.

It is a matter of concentrating and writing, rather than playing. You would think I would know this by now.

My eldest leaves for a week in Russia tonight. One thing that I am sad about is that the high school (due to lack of qualified teachers) is stopping offering Russian. My youngest is taking Spanish instead. Nothing against Spanish, but Russian has proved popular. I was surprised how many students are taking it at A level. This is going to be the last Russian trip.

newsletters, website and contest

My March/April newsletter has gone out. It has its usual reader contest where the prizes are copies of my books. If you have not signed up yet, the sign up is on the side bar. I only ever send out the newsletter when my books are out. There is always some writing tips, a recipe and some historical facts. This time the recipe is the rich poppy seed cake featured in both A Question of Impropriety and Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife. After all it is no good writing about something if you haven't tasted it! The big thing is that it is an old fashioned cake and so there is no leavening. The egg whites provide the lightness so it takes a careful hand.

I have FINALLY updated my website. The big problem has been getting the stupid thing to load. And as I lost the site when my other computer went down, I decided to totally redo the thing. This morning I broke down and telephone the 1&1 help line and the woman on the other end of the phone was very helpful. Within a few minutes, it was done. It is as usual a work in progress, but at least things are up to date with a slightly different look. My books are better arranged now. The problem with these things is you start with one time period or one book and then things just grow...

Tomorrow, I shall be at Unusual Historical and a copy of Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife is up for grabs to one lucky poster.

Haydon Bridge bypass

The Haydon Bridge bypass opened on Wednesday and I used the new junction for the first time yesterday. It has been a long time coming. The first plans for the route were scuppered by Hitler invading Poland. Then in the late 70s, things were once again put on hold. It was only through a strong effort by the members of the Haydon Bridge Needs a Heart group that they were able to finally get the okay. I can remember the counting, the protests in favour (uniquely there was no protest or formal complaint against the bypass), the writing to MPs and to John Prescott when he was transportation minister. Then suddenly, we were going to have a bypass. I can remember thinking how long away 2009 was... For the two years, we have suffered delays, beeping trucks and more delays. But finally, the first cars have gone down the bypass and the silence is wonderful.
There are still questions about the junction. The fire brigade have written to every household in the area to remind them that the A69 is busy and there will be no speed restrictions.
But for now, it is a wonderful achievement.

Tuppence has taken to snuggling next to the teapot in the morning. Is this a hint to turn up the thermostat?

And I think I finally have handle on my characters and what needs to happen. My daughter was very useful.

Rita/GH and difficult heroines

First of all, the RITA/Golden Heart finalists were announced yesterday. It was truly a stunning list. I was so pleased that both Anne McAllister and Jessica Hart made the finals of the contemporary series. My daughter was over the moon that several her favourite historical authors -- Eloisa James, Lisa Kleypass, Julia Quinn and Elizabeth Hoyt had finalled. You can read the full list here.

Some year, if I up my game, maybe I will make the finals...One has to hope.

Right now I am wrestling with a difficult heroine and hero. I changed things around and rapidly realised that I would be retreading Impoverished Miss to a certain extent. The themes would have been far too close. So it is back to my original idea and figuring out how to make it work. It should be really good if I can. At the moment though, I keep coming up with dumb reasons.

Lady Day

Today is 25 March and the traditional start of the new year for employment contracts, rents etc or at least it was until they changed the calendar and got rid of 11 days. Canny landlords etc objected and the tax year was moved to start on 5 April. Something that confused me no end when I first moved over here.

The reason for it being called Lady Day as it was exactly nine months from Christmas. This goes to show that various people listened to tradition, rather than researching facts. The celebration of the birth of Jesus was a reaction to Saturnalia. The Coptic Christians celebrate the birth of Christ in May (or so I understand) May makes more sense because of the way the Romans did their census, but it sort of puts paid to carols like in The Bleak Mid-winter... It is interesting to see how the myths and traditions develop.

It is also my husband's birthday. And birthdays are made to be celebrated. We had carrot cake and coffee for breakfast, plus cards.

Some days the deamon likes to play tricks

I thought I knew what this wip was going to be about, but then I began to write. I discovered that my heroine wanted to change etc, etc and in fact discovered what I wanted to write about was probably going to lead me down the garden path of not having enough romance. However when threatened with firing, my characters have decided to act properly. I have twisted a few things.
The wip (as Caroline asked) is a linked book to the Governess book that I just turned in. I know the backstory. I suspect some characters from the previous book will reoccur. I just have to figure out how. And I think the new way will work better. But it is another governess.

Blake Snyder had an interesting post on his blog about sexy movies suddenly not doing so well at the movies. There is a theory that in times of economic haardship, morals become far tighter. Excess goes out and wholesomeness comes in. Or maybe, it is that because mainstream wholesomeness has been so out that the stories have had to become tighter whereas in the hot sector, it has been -- oh just give them more and storywriting has gone. The important thing is to give a great story that really holds the audience.

But it is one of those things in publishing or the film industry, everyone wants a crystal ball. The only thing you can control is your writing. You have to tell the stories that you want to tell and to trust that they will find a market. But it is also about not being complacent and always trying to get better.

Hugs and kisses

Yesterday was Mothering Sunday in the UK, the UK's version of Mother's Day. My eldest said to me that I needed hugs and proceeded to hand me a bag of Hershey's hugs. He had gone to Fenwicks to see what the US candy supply was like.

Now I knew about Hershey's kisses but had not realised they did hugs as well. I suspect they have been in the US for awhile as it is always hit and miss with such things over here. Did some research and found they have been around since ack 1993! My only defence is that I have lived in the Uk for over 20 years.

Both boys kept saying later -- I need a hug. And my supply rapidly dwindled...My daughter was off riding...and some had to be kept for her.

And because of getting the candy, I have discovered that there is an online shop -- The Stateside Candy Co where I can get Hershey's kisses and hugs. Some of the other things are sort of -- oh no but bring back memories. For example, do I seriously miss poptarts or marshmallow fluff? It is good to know that these things exist but... On the other hand, the fact that they sell goldfish crackers...

Today marks the start of writing my next M&B Historical. I need to go for intensity of characterization so that there can be a buzz about the ms. My editor has not really explained what she means. All I can do is to control my writing and to try to make it even better. In the end all a writer can do is to control her writing.

cleaning up the bee garden

As a consequence of the demise of the bees, I have been cleaning up the bee garden. Normally because the bees don't like anyone within their beeline, I tend to clean quickly and get out once I start getting buzzed. However, it is now a chance to do a clean up after nearly a decade of beekeeping. All was going well until I took a backward step, heard crunch and squish and realised I had stepped into an undiscovered duck nest. Luckily it was full of fresh duck eggs. The pong from rotten eggs is truly stomach churning!

Our cat, Tuppence has a liver problem, I think. She has lost tons of weight, is very cold etc. She does not seem to be in any great pain, but it is a matter of weeks. I am hesitating taking her to the vet as I know what will happen. I would just like her to get through until April... It is selfish but if her quality of life totally went, I wouldn't hesitate. She still seems to be very hungry. Penny the other cat is doing fine on her metacam. They are both 17.

The high school is having a charity day at the end of April with historical figures being the theme. My daughter has convinced me that I need to make her a Regency dress. Butterick Pattern 6630 has duly arrived in the post. She had wanted a mid Victorian dress but I did point out that she would have to have the proper under pinnings. With Regency dress, the stays were not to cinch the wait but to lift up the bosom to a shelf life proportion. I do enjoy making costumes so it will be a challenge. The boys are busy working out their costumes. The plague doctor mask has been ruled out.

Film on Friday plus vampires

I am blogging today at the Pink Heart Society about The African Queen which happens to be one of my favourite adventure romances. It is a movie that stands the test of time. I had been going to blog about The Prince and Me but decided on balance to write about a movie that I loved. Emotionally satisfying endings are where it is at.

Yesterday, I finally succumbed and read Bram Stoker. It is a novel told through journals and letters with a high amount of the Gothic. At first it seems like a hard read but it flows very quickly once you get into it. Stoker was writing in the hey day of the Shocker after all.
The one thing I noticed was how well grounded it was in detail. Ian Fleming also used this technique. (He even claimed to have invented it but as with many things, it was probably tried and trusted before Fleming or Stoker even picked up a pen) Get the little things right and the reader is able to suspend disbelief on the large things. It is one of those books that I wish I had read years ago as it is not as gruesome as I thought it would be. But it is a story that really grabs you and won't let you go. A story with bite. ( I could think up more puns but won't)

Hexham Book Festival 2009

As I am appearing in the M&B panel at the Festival on 2 May at 2:30 pm, I thought people might be interested. Sharon Kendrick is also doing a workshop in the morning.

25th April to 3d May 2009


Our new programme is now available, we will be sending out copies to all of you whose addresses we have, check out our web site, www.hexhambookfestival.co.uk book on line at http://www.queenshall.co.uk/ or Box Office 01434 652477

The Hexham Book Festival is bucking the recession by expanding! But tickets are still affordable so defy the economic gloom and let words be your currency. From Saturday 25th April to Sunday 3rd May you can get romantic with Mills and Boon writers, talk the politics of peace with Paddy Ashdown write poetry by starlight at the remote Kielder Observatory and mingle with committed foodies at the Garden Station, Langley. So join us for lively discussion, heated argument, passionate readings and stimulating entertainment all without breaking the bank. Look out for events at our new venues Forum Cinema and Gibside, Tickets from £2.50.
Authors in our 2009 line up include;
Susie Boyt
Patrick Gale
Philip Hensher
Claire Harman
Irma Kurtz
Libby Purves
Janet Street Porter
Benjamin Zephania

New talent from Northern authors and poets;
Andy Croft, Bill Herbert & Paul Summers
Ross Raisin
Richard Milward

Writing workshops from
Debbie Taylor
Maurice Riordan
Sharon Kendrick

For Children
Andy Cope with Lara the Spy Dog
Wild and wicked story telling from the Kingdom of Northumberland
Musical workshop for 4 to 7 year olds
Writing for teenagers from Sally Nichols & Judy Walker

Outreach events include on Saturday 25th April at Gibside Chapel a talk by Wendy Moore about her new book 'Wedlock: the remarkable true story of the extraordinary marriage between Mary Eleanor Bowes, the Countess of Strathmore, and Andrew Robinson Stoney, a debt-ridden Irish fortune-hunter.
On Sunday 3rd May; Two River Cottage authors Pam Corbin and John Wright will introduce their latest books on preserves and mushrooms in the surrounds of Langley Garden Station

Please note if you would like to be sent a copy of our programme please provide us with your address
info@hexhambookfestival.co.uk

Hexham Book Festival would not have been possible this year without the support of our main funder Northern Rock Foundation
Thank you also to
Beaumont Hotel
Cogito Books
Community Foundation
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
The Forum Cinema
Fentimans
Gillian Dickinson Trust
Gibside New Writing North
Mslexia
New Writing North
Northumberland National Parks
Northern Film and Media
New Writing North
Queens Hall Arts
Slaley Hall
Tynedale Council

Risky Regencies

I am at Risky Regencies today talking about Venice. I knew I was doing the blog and so it was a great excuse to take pictures of costumes, 19th century gondolas and the like!

St Patrick A Northumbrian or a Cumbrian?

My youngest is getting ready to be confirmed and our priest gave him an article on St Patrick.
It would appear that a number of scholars believe St Patrick came from near Haltwhistle. In Charles Thomas's book Celtic Britain (Thames and Hudson 1986) quotes from St Patrick's own writing giving the words VICUS BANNA VENTA BERNIAE Banna is the Anglo Saxon place for Birdoswald and Professor Thomas speculates that Berniae is Greenhead pass.
You read more here. Apparently the landscape fits. Certainly, Birdoswald is evocative. One can imagine raiders crossing the Solway plain to capture him.
So was St Patrick from Northumberland/Cumberland? There is definitely signs of post Roman occupation at the sight and some have claimed that King Arthur was there as well.
Does it really matter as St Patrick did end up in Ireland?

But it is something to think about. Happy St Patrick's day

London

I went to lunch with my editors yesterday. The big news is that Ivar's story, title still to be decided will be published in North America in December 09. I am not sure when it will be published in the UK, but it is in the schedule for December. This will be my only NA publication this year as far as I can work out. Then next year, I believe they are planning to put some of the Roman titles into Direct and e-books as well as the Regency/Victorians.
Personally I am pleased that scheduling is not my job.
We have agreed the focus for my next few projects.

The company and the food was good, but the flight was horrid. Delayed by an hour to begin with, and then the flight was cancelled on the way home. I was put on a flight about 3 hours later and arrived back shattered.

Venice -- Navigating by churches

The only way to figure out Venice is to navigate by churches. You end up going across one bridge or investigating a little alley way and suddenly you are lost. However, once you reach a church, it is relatively easy to discover where you are.

On the second day, we did churches, starting with S. Giorgio Maggiore. It is a Palliadian church and so heavily influenced by Roman architecture. The big thing is to take the lift up the campanile for a fantastic view of St Mark's and indeed Venice. It costs about 3 euros v 7 euros to walk up St Marks campanile. It is really no contest and the views are super. Most of the tourists do St Marks...But if you take the 2 waterbus from S Zaccaria, it is about a 5 min. journey.

We then continued to the Rendentore on the Guidecca, and then took the 2 over to Dorsodoro and the Zattere where we saw two more churches. Then we took the 2 waterbus but it ended up not stopping where I thought it would, so we got off at the Rialto and walked up to Tintoretto's old house in Cannalregio. The statue of the moor outside the house has been there since before Tintoretto (1519 -1594) They think it might have to do with Leventine merchants who lived in the area. No one was about, and there was no one in his parish church Santa Maria della Orto.

We then walked back to the hotel and went for a drink in Harry's Bar. Harry's Bar lives on its name. The Bellini was perfect, but the olives were indifferent and the portion very samll for the price. It looks like a bar inside -- half wood and cream walls with small prints. Undoubtably Hemingway enjoyed it because it was a bar. Dinner at Corte Scunto more than made up for the deficienies at Harry Bar's. At Corte Scunto, it is all fresh fish -- the fish appetiser was three courses -- carrapacio of tuna and cuttle fish, and then spider crab butter, followed by clams in lemon, ginger and coriander (clamswith ginger is excellent), then a proper spider crab, crayfish, more cuttlefish (cooked), squid in its own ink, and whipped salt cod on polenta. I may be forgetting a dish. After that we had turbot for the main. I could not do dessert... All the fish was excellent and the maitre d looked like a younger taller version of Francesco da Mosto with an accent to match.

I am off to lunch with my editors today, so it is all go.

Beehive disaster

Both of my beehives are gone. Mice got in and ate the honey. The bees starved. It is all my fault.
There are reasons why you leave on mouseguards...
I think I can get a new colony in a few weeks, but doubt that I will be harvesting honey this year.

Venice -- acqua alta

On the first morning, I heard bells -- loud, warning type bells, but then I checked, it was about seven and of course there had been no rain the day before. My husband slept on. A bit later, more bells.
After breakfast, we went out and my husband remarked at how high the water level was -- practically lapping over the steps. We went into St Mark's Square and there were puddles. The duck boards were down. Taking an executive decision, my husband began to march to through a puddle. Then I wished he hadn't. We were at the tail end of an acqua alta and my shoes were more than a bit damp.
The doge's palace was perhaps, unsurprisingly, not crowded. We spent a lovely morning walking through room designed to impress and intimidate. One needs to remember that the Venetians were awfully good at liberating things -- St Mark's body, the lion and the four horses were all acquired in service of the state.
By the time we arrived at St Mark's, the lights were on, illuminating the mosaics. They are overpowering and I was pleased when the lights were turned off. The shifting natural light highlights different mosaics at different times of the days. The Pala d' Oro needs to be seen -- all gold, enamel and precious jewels. Some bits from the treasury were not there as they were loan to the British Museum for the Byzantine exhibit. St Marks, for a variety of reasons (see above) has a lot of Byzantine gold...
We then took the 2 waterbus from its San Zaccaria stop, down the Guidecca canal, past the industrial complex, and then down the entire length of the Grand Canal. By getting on at the start, we were able to snag a good seat at the back. It goes slow enough so you can appreciate the palazzos etc.
After our little trip, we walk around and discovered Santa Maria del Giglio, right near the Gritti Palace. Because Venetian law forbade the erecting of statues, the Barbaro family paid for the rebuilding of the church and the facade has portraits of them as well as maps of their battles. Santa Maria is part of the Chorus card churches -- you pay one fee and then can visit 16 different churches. The card is valid for up to a year and is a good deal. There is a very good painting of the Madonna and Child with the Young St John, attributed to Rubins, plus some Tintorettos.
We then went for a drink at the Gritti Palace before having supper at Al Covo. Al Covo is mentioned by Donna Leon's Death in a Strange Country -- Brunetti eats there. The food is certainly good -- they go to the market and then make whatever looks fresh. We had monkfish for the main and I had the gnocchi with calamari sauce for a starter. My husband enjoyed the pear cake dessert and I had a selection of cheese. Al Covo is hard to find btw (we got lost twice) but worth the time and effort.

Venice encountered

Nothing really prepares you for the sight of Venice dancing on the waters. You can think you know but then as the water taxi rounds a corner suddenly it is there. Then there are the narrow canals until the boat reaches St Mark's and the Doge's Palace. A little to the left of the square just beyond the Royal gardens is a small canal where the hotel (Luna Baglioni) has its private mooring. Several gondolas are moored and the gondeliers stand about in their black and white hooped shirts. Because there is a chill in the air, one wears a thick jacket.

The hotel staff are politeness itself. They sort out the bags, and show us to the room -- top floor with a view of St Mark's campinelle and the doge's palace. Later, after supper when we return to the room, they have left my husband a bottle of fizz in honour of his 50th. As 8 March was La Festa della Donna ( or International Woman's Day started to honour the Italian seamstresses who perished in the New York fire on 8 March 1908 and for men to appreciate all the work women do), the hotel gave out little boxes of chocolate truffles to its female guests.

During the afternoon, we strolled around, first stopping off at Florian's for hot chocolate and sandwiches. Florian's has lovely tiny rooms beautifully painted. The paintings date from the 1850s. Florian's itself opened its doors in 1720. The hot chocolate was lovely and bitter.

We walked around in the afternoon sunshine, seeing the gondolas massed in St Mark's basin and eventually ending up in the Campo SS Giovanni e Palo. A group of Italian children were playing a late afternoon game of football. They used the door to a 16th hospital as one of the goals and several had to move very swiftly to ensure the football did not end up in the canal!

At 18:30, the bells rang out, summoning the faithful to mass and resounding over the still water. It was then I noticed the stillness. There are no cars, no horns, no sirens, just the gentle lapping of water.

It is easy to get lost, but you can also navigate by churches. When we arrived back at St Mark's Square, the sun was just setting.

M&B and Virgin Trains -- Kiss and Make up

And today , I found this in my inbox. Hooray for common sense! Hooray that Virgin trains understand that a kiss after a spat is a great way to be reconciled!! And for Annie Burrows who is a fellow historical romance author!

Following Mills & Boon’s passionate opposition to Virgin Train’s kissing ban at Warrington train station, Virgin have been seduced by the world’s leading publisher of romantic fiction.

This Friday, Virgin and Mills & Boon will officially kiss and make up.

In support of Comic Relief on Friday 13th March, Mills & Boon and Virgin Trains will be indulging in a day-long romantic reconciliation at mainline rail stations including Euston, Warrington Bank Quay and Glasgow.

Warrington-based Mills & Boon author Annie Burrows and Virgin Trains’ Director of Communications Arthur Leathley will be launching the initiative at Warrington Bank Quay station at 9.45am.


Kissing-friendly platform events taking place throughout the day include:

· Mills & Boon book jacket photo-opportunities
· Brad Pitt look-a-likes and Virgin staff selling kisses for Red Nose Day
· Free ‘kissing mints’
· Love-seats designed by Mills & Boon and Virgin
· Live readings by costumed Mills & Boon ‘Romantic Heroes’
· Mills & Boon book giveaways
Mills & Boon in numbers:

In 2008, Mills & Boon celebrated 100 years of romance publishing - A Mills & Boon book is sold every 5 seconds in the UK alone - 130 million Mills & Boon books are sold worldwide every year - In the past 50 years, Mills & Boon characters have shared 10,325 weddings, 29,500 kisses and 35,250 embraces.

Back

Venice was fabulous. Truly magical. The hotel , Luna Baglioni was what a luxury hotel should be. Wonderful service, with all sorts of little touches. It is a few mtres from St Mark's Square, just behind Harry's Bar. I truly can not say enough about the warm welcome they gave and very high level of service. I felt like an honoured guest rather than a number. Nothing was too much trouble. I would certainly stay in a Baglioni hotel again, and would actively seek them out.

I have 172 emails and am trying to sort things out.

There will be lots more on Venice over the next few days.

Away

I leave early tomorrow morning for Venice and will be back with photos for next Friday.

It is terribly exciting and I am really looking forward to it.

Done and off to my editor

My revisions are done. The manuscript is stronger. But I really believe in this story, so if my editor sees any more problems, I will fix them.



I now have a week to relax and think up new ideas before seeing my editor and sr editor for lunch on the 16th.



Some moments are made to be savoured.

You do not want to know what my house looks like...

Revising

I am still revising and am completely convinced that my editor was far too kind about the ms that I turned in. It, however, does drip with potential and hopefully now I have managed to make it far stronger.
In some ways, it is a harder set of revisions as I have been going through and changing lots of little bits, adding and taking away.

But it will get there and it will be excellent.

Some day, all you can do is believe.

Return of the mole

My husband was warned, and so it has proved. The mole was not gone. It simply had gone to a lower level. In the summer particularly, they dig about 18 inches lower and so no molehills appear.
This morning saw two fresh molehills.
So it is mole traps at the ready. Some day.

The revisions continue.

An Impulsive Debutante in Australia

One of the great joys of the new month is to look at the various different Harlequin websites around the world and discover which of my books are out. This month, An Impulsive Debutante is out in Australia. This is great because A Christmas Wedding Wager was out there in December and An Impulsive Debutante is the linked book that tells Lottie Charlton's story. Lottie became one of my favourite heroines so I am very pleased she is going places. And it is amusing that both the UK and Australia marketed AID as Regency as it is early Victorian.

I still have no idea when AID will be out in the US though.

My current wip is getting better, but I keep changing my mind about the ending. Proactive not passive. Anyway, I think I have finally discovered the right way. Sometimes, you have to try and get it wrong, before you can get it right.

Impoverished Miss Convenient Wife on M&B site

It is the first of March so Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife is available to purchase on the M&B site. Also you can now read the whole first chapter! Simply click on browse this book.

And yes , I do love revisions. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about my revisions and why the last chapter is going to be so much better.