The Pleasure that is E. M.Delafield

Yesterday, India Grey reminded me about The Diary of A Provincial Lady by E. M. Delafield.
It is a wonderfully dry and witty book about the trials and tribulations of a lady during the 1920s/30s. I read at in my final year of university and adored it. Luckily EM Delafield wrote several sequels including The Provincial Lady in London which was given to me as a graduation gift and I can dip in and out of that one. Both India and I agree that when we go to London for a Literary do, is impossible not to feel like PL.
If you have read Delafield, you can tell where Helen Fielding got some of her inspiration. If you enjoy PG Wodehouse, you should like EM Delafield. If you are a Mother with Children, it rings true. However, unfortunately, she has fallen out of fashion. She should be rediscovered.
Recently, Jilly Cooper did a marvellous article on EM Delafield in the Guardian. It is worth a read if you want to know more. Suffice it to say that Jilly Cooper is a fan of the books. Better yet, try to find a copy and read EM Delafield's words. They resound through the ages.

Still working on my revisions and they are going well. And I shall be Good and not reread PL until I have finished them and my rita books...

Duck nests

I went out and discovered the duck nest under the thorn bush in the sunken garden. 3o eggs. Intellectually I know the duck could not hatch that many and that it is way too early.. but the thought of 30 ducklings made my blood run cold. The eggs have been disposed of. The duck protested loudly but has accepted the loss of its nest. It decided to be a good duck and go to bed with the others.

The mole does not have a nickname. Any creature that I might have to dispatch does not get a nickname. It makes it harder. One more day of curing in the compost heap and the mole will be engaged in battle.

The revisions are coming on. It is now a matter of going through and making sure everything is how I want it. There were some parts that my editor did not mention directly but it was obvious the emotional intensity needed to be upped and the stakes needed to be raised. And there were a few sentences that once God and I knew what they meant, but now only God knows. It will be a better book...

Mole update

Or why the back lawn is looking like a model of the Somme. I did try to phone the mole catcher. He did not return my phone calls. I have now turned to mole traps after doing research online.
My traps are currently curing in the compost heap so that they can have the proper earthy smell. They need to smell like the earth. Moles are known to dig around traps...
On Saturday, I will find the mole run, put the set trap in, and carefully cover over the trap. Then I wait, having marked the trap with a stick. You apparently can lose traps. Also it takes practice. I am hoping to catch the mole alive and be able to give him a happy home, somewhere a long ways away from the back lawn. If the mole dies, then unfortunately it has happened.

After doing the research, I discovered that vibration does not work, nor does pouring Jeyes fluid down the holes or a host of other methods. The best answer is to trap them. Then you know. You want more than one trap. Persistence.

And I need to discover a duck's nest as the white duck was out again last night. No quacking until about 7, but it was still out of the duck house in the morning.

Revisions are coming on. It is little tweaks to increase emotional intensity.

The third time

Yesterday, my Viking came back. The editors still had a few loose ends they want tied up. Although, it would have been fantastic if I had had everything right on the first time I appreciate the chance to put right the problems they see. There is a problem with foreshadowing. And they were worried that some things might not be clear.
Now I could curl up in a ball, but I really want this story to be strong. I sometimes find the third story to be the weakest. Some of the problems are of my own making as I threw out 90% of the story after the first revision letter. This was mainly because I wanted to and thought it would work better. It has in one way but other problems remain. Sometimes, you just get a book like that and hopefully the pain and suffering on my part will make for a better read. Ultimately it is about getting the best read possible for the readers. It is my name on the front cover and if the read is substandard, then can I ask readers to trust me with the next one? Better to make the changes now.
It is minor tweaks but then I do get to use Iolite as well. Kate Hardy told me about Iolite in December and I vowed if I got a chance, I would add it. It was used as the Viking's Compass -- the world's first polarising filter and used to determine the position of the sun. Determining the position of the sun becomes important when you realise that during the summer solstice, the sun never sets and you cannot rely on stars. Lief Erickson used one to find the New World.
So third time lucky.

In other news:
It was late night fun and games as one duck had not gone to bed. At about 1 am, it began quacking down in the lower pond. So after being nudged by my dh, I rose, pulled my hiking boots and a coat on over my nightdress, grabbed a torch and went out to find the duck. My dh is useless when it comes to putting the ducks away. Luckily the torch helped the white duck to decide that it did eventually want to go to bed with the other ducks and not stay hidden under various bushes or be quacking in the stream. The dogs aided just at the end, but I worried Joss the border collie would start barking and really wake the neighbours. The children slept through. I suspect the duck has a nest and I will have to find it. But climbing down the muddy slopes of the dene in the dark without a very solid reason is not on.

Getting things out of my head

Certain people sometimes think this blog is a code. Unfortunately I am far too tactless for that. Yesterday's post was an attempt to get something out of my head after reading a book. I could have written a post on addiction and the hero but need to think about how to approach it as I do not agree that an addict makes a good hero. No subtext here -- just that Nicola Cornick's blog made me think about things and the ever present why.
Sometimes things just strike me between the eyes. One thing is that the necessity of tying up subplots, particularly when certain things have been foreshadowed. Readers do wonder.

Readers do want the emotional payoff. They also want to believe that people are capable of being redeemed.

I know that I avoid bleeding on the page because it hurts. It is the old 10 percent rule -- the vast majority of readers will only get 10 % of the emotion you put in the book. In order to make sure that emotions are fully engaged, the writer needs to bleed. If you do not care passionately about characters, how can anyone else? It is something I do struggle with and when it is brought home to me, I go -- oh. it makes perfect sense now. Whether I can actually execute on that is another question. And each time I write, I do wonder if I will give enough blood.

Last evening I watched a programme we had taped about Sir John Mortimer. Like many driven people, he worked hard. When he was a barrister, and indeed I think for most of his life, he rose at 5:30 am and wrote. He also wrote before court. In other words he worked hard. His success was far from effortless, although he did like to pretend.

As some may know, he had a secret child. An affair with the actress Wendy Craig resulted in a baby boy who grew into a man before John Mortimer ever met him or indeed knew of his existence. He only learnt when a biographer interviewed Wendy Craig and she felt the need to confess. His son was grown and it turns out they get along very well. My dh turned me and said that he thought such things only happened in romance novels... I remarked that he had forgotten Peter and Dan Snow. Secret babies do happen. It annoys me when people say they are unrealistic... It is the motivation that is interesting.

Happening on stage

Sometimes as a reader, you need to see things happen on stage. Important bits of info, even though it might not be the main action need to be there or the reader feels cheated. I was reading a book at the weekend and this fact really struck home. There was an important heart wringing subplot that was tied up offstage as it were and it had been something that I was interested as a reader to see. Cue disappointment and the reinforcement of an important lesson. Readers do ask questions and wonder, particularly when things have been set up...
I do need to remember that opportunities for good narrative action should not go to waste. Subplots should also always feed into the main plot. Climaxes in important subplots need to affect turning points in a profound way.
Also -- motivations should grow and change as the plot progress. This helps to show character growth. Turning points should change characters and their relationships.

Writing can be such fun at times. And I know with my own writing -- I may know the concept and good practice, but then why don't I apply them? Why do I like being nice to be my characters? Sometimes there is a temptation to not want to bleed.
This week I need to write. Last week my progress was not good.

John Mortimer: An Appreciation

Sir John Mortimer died yesterday at the age of 85. He had been fading for awhile I believe, but he was a National Treasure. His most famous creation --Rumpole is truly one of the great characters in English literature. The books are best savoured like fine wine. They bear rereading and I believe are destined to become classics. It is the gentle humour, combined with the acute observation of human nature that makes the stories. And John Mortimer has long been one of my favourite authors. Thankfully I have a few signed copies of his books. I also have an apron with She Who Must Be Obey emblazoned on the front and a tattered cookbook from the Rumpole Society that has recipes for Dodo MacKintosh's cheesy bits...
I loved the way he could turn a phrase, or describe a character with a few well chosen words. He also had a wonderful work ethic -- rising at 5 am to write and did say in an interview that he hoped to be writing until he died. I hope he was.
Back in 1986, my husband (then boyfriend) sent me a copy of Paradise Postponed for my birthday. I have clear memories reading it on a snowy Minnesota day. It provided an insight into popular British culture that proved invaluable when a few years later when I moved permanently to the UK. Yes, it is satire but wonderful satire it is. It is the little things that are hard when you first move to a country. And when my children were little, I went and found Biggles books...as they were supposed to be good...
But it was the Rumpole stores where his genius took full flight. In many ways, he described a vanishing world where eccentricity and independence come to the fore. Rumpole was a great advocate for the independant Bar and the indivdual. I, for one am pleased that Sir John decided to write as well as practice law.
And if you have not read the Rumpole books -- read them and enjoy. Sir John Mortimer's words are his greatest legacy.

Changes

Yesterday was a day of small milestones. My eldest finally got a cheque book and learnt how to write cheques. He is going off to Moscow and St Petersburg at the end of March with his school and given that he has his own banking account, we felt the time was right for him to take responsibility for paying. He is looking forward to the trip and the parents' meeting was last night.

Mostly I sat there and let him get on with it. He is over 18. He will be the one doing everything but it did feel odd. Last time he went on a school trip, I was the one who filled out the cheque and handed over the passport etc. But it is all about letting go and that can be hard. It was not so many years ago that he was small.

It is also a reminder that 2009 will bring a lot of changes as he will be going off to university. But as I was saying last night to some parents I have known since our children were in toddlers, I have no desire to go back to that age. I am busy enjoying my children at the age they are...

The other thing that is happening is that they are FINALLY changing the railway gates at the level crossing. The old wooden gates were some of the oldest operating gates in the world. The line was completed in 1837 and I am not sure if they were ever changed -- just repaired. I believe they have been bought by some collector. They were terribly picturesque BUT they were also a pain. Being stuck for 20 minutes before a train arrives is no fun, particularly when you are late for an appointment. And sometimes in the wind, they would swing back slightly...after being closed. I think they caused a bit of a headache for the maintenance people. Every so often, the crossing would be closed on a Saturday night/Sunday while they tried to repair the gates. Necessary BUT it also meant that living up the Bank, we were cut off and had to find different routes. Not so bad when you are going, but when you forgot and were trying to come home... I understand that the signal box is staying...

And yes, before Donna says anything -- I do need to write. One thing that has not changed is the desire to tell good stories.

The terrible urges of the daemon

Yesterday my box of Rita books arrived. It is one of the great perks of being a member of the RWA. Lovely new authors to read, and books that I might not have picked up on my own. I always reacquaint myself with the judging standards as well.
The only trouble is that my daemon sees the pile of books and goes -- oh good, a chance to play. Michelle won't want to write. Or whispers of stories will start to come in my brain.
Luckily currently BOTH of my critique partners are sitting with big whips. They do not take many prisoners either and have explained where they think I have gone wrong. It is now up to me to FINISH THE STORY.

Focus is such an important quality for a writer. You have to be able to cut out distractions. You have to be able to concentrate on one story at a time. I tend to be a monogamous writer. Some writers are polygamous but then my daemon goes skittering off. I do believe there is ALWAYS one story I want to tell more than the others. Sometimes the pure physical work of writing down an idea helps. In this case though, it is an idea that I have been toying with on and off for the last nine months. I know a bot more of how it would be done, but what I don't know far outweighs what I do know. The mythology may be in place but is the story?
I need to finish the current story. And probably write another story and then maybe I will have time.
Focus means that I get my word count done and that I actually work on furthering my knowledge of craft and the business. But without more stories for the shopfront, there is little I can do. Story is king and being distracted from my current wip is not good.
So it is a small matter of upping the stakes and making sure the tension really sings.
It is also giving myself permission to write crap and really meaning it. In other words not letting my words harden to the consistency of cement but being open to taking taking flight. So it is a small matter of resisting the terrible urges of the daemon.

In other news:
My dd's mocks came back as expected. She will be working harder on her French. She knows what she needs to do. They are pointers only. And a bit like her mother, she spends far too much time reading romance rather than acutally studying and making sure things are perfect. My eldest is taking his next exam today (not a resit) but thinks he knows the math. he has learnt the value of studying the hard way. It is terrible to look at a math paper and think -- I knew this 25 years ago but now it might as well be Sanskirt.
The electrician has taken away the hall lights and is rewiring them as it appears to be a fault with the wiring. Nothing to do with the leaking shower then.

Rosetta stone and GCSEs

Following on from yesterday's post, I should say that I have not been overwhelmed by the GCSE course in foreign languages in general. The teachers know the languages and are enthusiastic. However, the students are very much taught to the test and at times, because of the requirements of the exam board, it has been choose something from column a and then b and then c. The exam board is changing the exam next year and hopefully this will help.

I also truly believe that children should learn another language (and that does not include American) unless for some reason they have difficulties with their own language and need remedial help. Learning a foreign language opens so many more worlds and ways to look at the world.

However, particularly after my eldest's AS level results in Russian, I did not feel confident. I gave in my son's request to get a Russian Rosetta Stone. He paid for it with his savings, so I suppose that I did not have a choice. But I had resisted for years, thinking that the school would provide a solid enough grounding. My son however was determined to properly learn the language and to get an A at A level. He decided that he needed help and that at worst, it would complement. So it was duly ordered and he started from the beginning.

Rosetta Stone in case you have not seen the magazine adverts is a computer programme which is geared towards the immersion principle. When you are learning the language, there is no other language involved -- just pictures. The programme also analyses the student's voice so the accent can be improved. It is fun. I did try a lesson or two in Russian and was surprised how quickly I could pick things up.

Anyway, within a few short weeks, my eldest's confidence with the language improved and he finds Russian much easier. There were just bits that somehow he missed. And it is probably more of a reflection on him than the teaching. In order to secure a predicted A, he went to the department and resat the test he had completely messed up. This time, he passed with flying colours. The department has predicted him an A and recently his teacher commented that he seemed far more secure with the language.

I was so impressed that my daughter was given the French version as part of her Christmas presents. Again she started from the beginning. Rapidly it became not review but learning things -- somehow she had completely missed the whole formal you bit and now knows the tenses much better. Her accent is improving as well. It is not that she was bad at the language. It was more that I felt something was slightly missing. Perhaps it was an underlying confidence. Teachers often do not have the time to discern the precise problem and it can be difficult to say -- is this student reaching her full potential.

I can remember thinking this when she was learning to read and working with her with a phonics programme, even though she was reading far beyond her age. I had thought she was just a good guesser... Her then teacher was amazed at suddenly how much more solid she seemed. So perhaps it is just the re enforcement. The physical act of doing if you will.

I also learnt that private tutoring is expensive and if you look at the Rosetta stone in relation to the cost of a good private tutor, it works out to be a less expensive option. The key is getting the children to use it. Luckily it means going on the computer and so this is an incentive, plus the confidence grows. My daughter who before Christmas was about to give up on French and accept whatever grade she received is now determined to get an A. Little and often...

My youngest wants to take Spanish at GCSE. Unfortunately the high school is dropping the Russian option due to lack of qualified teaching staff as some of the teachers are retiring, so eventually we will get another Rosetta Stone. After my experience, I have become convert to the programme.

And in case Donna or Sue are wondering -- yes I am working on my wip.

And my son felt his first resits went well. We shall see...Certainly the effort he put in has been far greater.

Nerves

What is worse than going through resitting exams yourself? Watching one of your children do it.
My eldest more than likely did not study as well as he should have done for his AS levels last June and is now resitting some of the exams. He has spent hours studying and does admit that he knows it much better, but I still worry. The exams start today and go over the next week or so. Fingers majorly crossed.
High school over in the UK is very different than the US as you do have the GCSE and then the A levels. In the US, it is grade point average and SATS. Here it is how well you have done on the course. Luckily with AS, there is a chance to resit the exam but it does add an extra work load...
One other thing I discovered this week is that BEFORE choosing GCSE courses, parents and students should investigate the university degree courses and their requirements. Several of my eldest's friends were rejected from Edinburgh because they had not read the fine print and did not know that they needed to have a foreign language GCSE. Because I believe in the importance in being able to speak a foreign language (however badly), it was a given for my children, but there will be students (and parents) who did not realize the importance of continuing with a foreign language. Many of the Scottish university science courses have a year abroad programme in an EU country. It is all about keeping your options open.

reader feedback

I was very pleased to discover in my post yesterday morning an email from Coffeetime Romance about Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife. I have a lot of time for Coffeetime and their policy (along with several other review places) of sending the author the review is a good one. It makes it easier for me to send the review to my editors. The part that did my ego good was: Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife has all the greatness that surrounds an excellent read. The dynamic characters really light up the pages with their actions and emotions – reaching out and grabbing the reader, pulling them into the drama. Michelle Styles pens a terrific mesmerizing tale. Sela is a powerful character who grows more forceful as the story continues. With great pacing, a star-studded cast, and well-crafted plot, this story is awesome. There were times I could visualize the whole events as they came into play, especially the scenes with Sela and Vikar. Weaving in the ailing father, and the small child, really made this story dynamite. Action-packed, with intriguing romance, and energy charged moments, left this reader wanting more of this dazzling read..

I also recently had a review from Merri about Gladiator's Honour. Again it made my day and made me remember why I loved writing that book. Merri has recently started another review hub -- Book Illuminations. It is the bring together of several independent book reviewers so that they can review a wider range of books. I wish them all the best in their endeavor.

I love getting reader feedback. It is great to know that there are readers out there enjoying my books. I always try to pass on the reader feedback to my editors as well as they are always interested. With series books, a certain amount of sales are automatic, and they do like to know which stories hit home etc. It helps with future marketing. In fact, Harlequin Mills &Boon maintains special panels of readers in order to get feedback and so they can market the books better.
Sometimes after reading the letters, I worry about the next book -- will it be strong enough. Will it give the read that readers expect when they pick up the book? Will they be able to escape in the world I have created for a few hours? And the letters do spur me on to try. Other times, I just bask in the fact that the hard work has paid off. Also I am not so egotistical to think that my books will speak to everyone. So many factors can go into whether or not a book appeals. It is also interesting to see what people pick up on...
Anyway I do always to try answer emails or even personal letters.

IN OTHER NEWS:
The problem with the electric has come back and I will have to get the electrician out again. This time, the hall lights have not blown, but they do keep blowing the mains if switched on. Rather worrying that.

And I am starting to lose weight again. It takes a long time but indoor rowing does work, plus we have not been having as many treats. It is all about lifestyle changes rather than dieting. One of the things I have been doing with the intervals is one quick interval followed by a slower one. It does make legs become jelly but I think it works. Apparently it burns two different types of sugar. The other good thing about rowing is that afterwards, my core temperature stays up for awhile and as we are in the dark cold days of winter, this is a bonus.

Working away

In an effort to divert Donna's attention, I have done a contest on Tote Bags. And for Sue, I sent her three chapters. But they both carry mean whips so I am working away, writing this wip.
Actually I am having fun writing.

The Telegraph today (pages 10-11 Review) carries an article about the publishing industry, implying that it is not all doom and gloom. Generally speaking for most people, books are not luxuries but necessities. Yes, second hand booksellers are up but certain types of books are not down as far as one might suppose. The charts editor for The Bookseller apparently discovered his reasonable remarks about the non death of the celebrity memoirs, being edited out in favour of the high profile flops so that more doom and gloom could be spread.

Unfortunately I could not discover the article on the Telegraph's website or I would have linked to it as it is interesting.In fiction, the general thinking is that depressing is out and escapism is in. During the 1970's genres such as romance and fantasy thrived. In the 1930s, Penguin pioneered the paperback and cosy detective fiction was popular. Helen Fraser of Penguin points out that unfortunately the price of paper is going up, but they are hoping to offset with the cost of typesetting going down. She does not see this as heralding the dawn of the e-book though.
I have done a lot of thinking about ebook readers and whether to get one or not. I dislike reading books on the computer. My major problem with them (besides the expense) is the lack of being able to share. My dd and I both read romance. I often have to go and fish the books I thought I was reading out of her room. She may have her nose in one, with another ready to read. With an ebook reader, you can only be reading one book at a time on the reader and you can not share the books between readers. With the mysteries, up to four people in the house may be reading them( My youngest is currently gone on polar exploration. ) So for me and my family, it does not make sense as we share books.
A friend who I was speaking to about this problem also commented that she liked to bump into books -- so she had a book on the go upstairs and one for downstairs. Carrying a reader around seemed somehow premeditated and she would lose that guilty pleasure...
Anyway, the best guess is that e-books will reach the size of the audible book market in about five years time. They are a niche market.

Right, Donna's whip is going to be looming and I have promised chapters, so I shall work.

Whip cracking

Both of my critique partners have cracked their whips, so this will be short.

I have discovered the Mira blog where they will be discussing books on Fridays. Five books, five Fridays. One of the things I did last year was to help set up a reading group at the local high school and Mills & Boon were very supportive. They very kindly sent out a few copies of Maria V Snyder's Poison Study. After reading it, I became a firm fan as has my daughter and a number of Year 9 boys. Anyway, the discussion about Poison Study on the Mira blog will be next Friday. It is one of those books that after reading, you just want to discuss. Snyder plays around with a number of themes. And my daughter keeps reminding me that Fire Study is published on the 16th and we are waiting to see how various things such as the carved stones play into the overarching story. Also the contrasting societies which explores the whole concept of freedom and totalitarianism. It reminds me of Persian Empire v the Greek democracies -- where were people more truly free?

Moles don't hibernate

I gave the mole a reprieve over Christmas as he sent a card via my dh. I even thought the cold weather would mean hibernation. No, he has continued to dig mole hills. I do have the number of the mole catcher. He will be phoned as the back lawn is now a series of excavated hills. I have bought my dh a stuffed mole as they do far less damage...

Melissa from the Romance Reader Connection did a lovely review of Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife which I got to see this morning. TRRC has just revamped its website and it looks great! Instead of having an author of the month, they have a new blog where authors will be appearing. Anyway, I do enjoy TRRC so I wish them all the best.

The part I liked best about Melissa's review was: The depth of characterization combine with the scope of the story and provide the reader with a profoundly rich historical romance experience not always found in the Harlequin Historical line. The author has quite a flair for strong females as well as noble and compelling heroes, each character right for their time and space.

It quite made my morning!

And as I haven't mentioned it -- Philip Glenister who did provide the inspiration for the hero of Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife has a new tv show out -- Demons. His accent is somewhere over the mid Atlantic, but he is supposed to be an American mentor to an English high school student who has a talent for fighting demons. Wonderful Saturday night fare for the entire family. Or at least my family enjoyed it.

It will be interesting to see how the characters grow and develop and the mythology used. Yes, I know that Buffy the Vampire Slayer etc has gone before, but hopefully they will be able to take this new directions. Actually as I do rate Philip Glenister as an actor, I think they will be able to. It is just going to take time for the relationship between the two main protagonists to grow. Part of the thing that carries a tv series like this is the relationship and conflicts between the characters. It is what brings people back.

Harlequin is 60

This year it is Harlequin's turn to celebrate!

Celebrations include the opportunity to download 16 free books. This opportunity may be limited to North American readers only. But it will include one book from each line. (None of mine though) The ones I have heard about are excellent choices.

There will be an exhibit of front covers at the end of May in New York.

There will also be reprints of the first series books by best selling authors. This should be a highly collectable series.

A variety of lines are planning special things as well.

IN other news, I would like to congratulate Kate Hardy, India Grey, Jessica Hart and Fiona Harper for making the shortlist of the RNA Romance.

And Mills & Boon's tie up with English Rugby made the front page of the Guardian newspaper. My dh came up after Newsnight, and woke me up with the news. It looks to be a wonderful continuity based around rugby and attempts to tap into the female rugby following. Having played rugby at university and indeed married a man that I met through the rugby scene, I do have a fondness for the game. Be sure to look out for India Grey's contribution.

Bee History

For Christmas, my sister gave me an absolutely fascinating book on the honeybee -- Sweetness and Light, the mysterious history of the honeybee by Hattie Ellis.

It was amusing as the book was inspired by a visit to the Chain Bridge Honey farm in North Northmberland and my sister found the book near her home in the US.

The book is a treasure trove of snippets about bees as Ellis blends natural history, history, religious symbolism, literature and biology. It was first published in 2004 and so does not touch on CCD (colony collapse disorder) but does deal with the problems of the varroa mite and some of the other difficulties that the modern bee keeper faces.

It needs to be remembered that modern bee keeping, with its movable frames and recognition of the bee space and bee line only dates from the mid 19th century. We really do not know if beekeeping on an industrial scale is truly possible over the very long term, or whether bees are better as a cottage industry. The one very good advance is that bee keepers no longer kill bees to get honey and that honey can be extracted by centrifugal force. The extraction of honey came about when an Austrian army officer noticed what happened when his son played with a bit of comb, and a pail on a string. Before this, the comb had to drip through a cloth and be squeezed.

Until reading the book, I had not realised that neither Australia, New Zealand nor North America had native honey bees who existed in hives. Australia had solitary bees. American Indians called honey bees -- the white man's fly.

I found it very interesting that John Harbison brought the honey bee to California, and basically created the California honey industry. He was also responsible for inventing a process so small squares of honeycomb could be harvested and sold. Growing up, I can remember my mother buying squares of honeycomb in the super market. In the UK, you do not tend to find honey comb on sale in that fashion.

What was also interesting was the changing perception of bees. From its very high status in religion to a symbol for industrialisation and disaffection, and finally once again to the idea that the bee is in fact natural and part of nature. And that honey, particularly local honey which has not been heat treated is useful in treating a number of ailments and diseases. The Greeks believed oil on the outside (remember there was no soap) and honey on the inside did much to promote health.

Anyway, it was a totally charming read where the subject matter is not presented in an overly technical matter.

Beeswax

One of the things I have been doing over the holidays is to make beeswax candles. I had not used up the beeswax from this year's harvest, and we were getting low on candles. There is a certain amount of satisfaction in making candles. Melting beeswax releases a wonderful perfumed scent and its fun to pour the wax into the mould and then the heart stopping moment when you know the candle is set but perhaps not quite ready to come out but you are going to try any way. Soft warm wax is very tactile.
I only managed to ruin one candle this year, and the wax was easily remelted.
It is a timeless process. Beeswax has been used since time immemorial, just as honey has. Cave pictures have included honey/beeswax hunting representations. However, it was not until the mid 19th century that modern beekeeping was born.
Until the invention of whale oil and then paraffin, beeswax was the clearest light. It does not smoke like tallow. Its light though is yellower than the white-blue of paraffin. And when it burns, beeswax releases the most wonderful scent.
I tend to make taper candles as they fit into the candle holders.
Beeswax is also used in a number of products from cosmetics to furniture polish. The cleanest wax from commercial beekeepers tends to cosmetics and the worst for furniture polish.
Because the bee uses the very efficient hexagonal shape, it does not produce much wax and pound for pound, beeswax is more expensive than honey.
Anyway, when I look at my candles and my store of honey, I am very pleased to keep bees. It is a worthwhile hobby and hopefully one which will grow in popularity. However, despite bees being one of the most studied creatures through history, we actually do not know that much about them and the dangers the modern world/chemicals/practices present.

Goals for 2009

It is the dying hours of 2008 and therefore, it is time to think about 2009 and what I want to accomplish.

1. Keep and maintain a regular programme of exercise. I love my Indoor Rowing Machine, but when I was so ill and the builders were in, I stopped rowing. I have started up again, but it is hard. Also I need to not be tempted to take shortcuts or simply do the minimum. This is about getting on top of my weight, rather than letting it control me.

2. Be more systematic about my approach to writing. I have been spending too much time frittering my writing time on the Internet. This is part of the reason why I did not write as much as I had planned to in 2008.

3. Revisit my writing goal plan and make sure I am on track. It is very easy to let things slip by without keeping my focus on what I want to achieve. It is about building a career.

4. Redo and update my website. After my computer crashed in September, this has been on my to do list. It has not been done and does need to be done.

5. Visit and enjoy Venice. The tickets are booked and paid for, so I am going. But I am determined to enjoy it.

Northern Lights

Yesterday, we watched Joanana Lumley and the Land of the Northern Lights. As my youngest's dearest wish is to go Svalbard, there was a vested interest. A number of his Christmas presents revolved around Svalbard, including a treasured map of the area. His savings fund is called his Going to Svalbard fund...The current screen saver on the computer is the Northern Lights. Thus we could not miss the programme.
It was a lovely programme and Joanna Lumley showed a genuine enthusiasm for her subject. Rather like my son, she had wanted to see the Northern Lights since she was a child. ( I saw them once when I was at university) At the end of the programme she had seen them and had also travelled to Svalbard. The extreme cold she experienced has not dampened my son's enthusiasm one bit.
My middle child immediately declared that she also wanted to go and had wanted to go ever since she read a book with a girl and a polar bear on the front. Cue mass angst as she could not find said book and decided to accuse my youngest of hiding it. As his cubbyhole in the attic could probably rival the ice hotel for warmth, she did not spend a long time searching...However she did find another book that she has been searching on and off for.
It did make me think about childhood dreams of places. I know I used to want to go to England where I now live. Pompeii lived up to its billing for me as did Crete. And I adored Rome.
I do think there are certain places which capture the imagination. And right now, my fingers are firmly crossed that my son will someday get to see the Northern Lights and Svalbard.

Memories of student life 1985

Over the Christmas period, the BBC screened the delightful Starter for Ten (2006) with James McAvoy, Dominic Cooper, Catherine Tate, Benedict Clumbatch and the man who writes Gavin & Stacey (James Corden?). It was a great ensemble piece. It show why Catherine Tate is such a good actress. Although most go on and on about Dominic Cooper from the History Boys, I have been very impressed with James Corden and his sense of comic timing.
It was set at the University of Bristol in 1985. As I was at university during this period (including being a Junior Year Abroad student), it did bring it back.
They did get the period right and the various different parties with the fancy dress and alcohol. At the time, it seemed to me that for some men, it was any excuse to dress up in women's clothes. There was a stage of Tarts and Vicars or Lumberjacks and Schoolgirls. I was sort of surprised that they did not show the ritual playing of Nellie the Elephant...And there are reasons why I came to prefer a quieter existence... And I would doubt a pre med from Minnesota would be over there as a jya. This is more because of the courses needed to get into med school in the US, but I thought having an American JYA was a nice touch.
It does seem strange that British nostalgia about student days has reached the time that I was a student. But it is a pleasant movie and the acting is good.

The dwindling days of 2008

We are now in the 12 Days of Christmas. It is as good a term as any to describe the period between Christmas and when the world starts buzzing again. Many people are off. Businesses maintain skeleton staff and people reassess their lives and what happened over the last year.
It tends to be a dreamy time as you are often not really certain of the day of the week. Far too much food is consumed as of course the new austerity will start in January and left overs need to be used up.

So did I accomplish my goals for last year? In some respects yes, but in others no. I did finish 3 manuscripts, but the second one is proving to be a pineapple. I predict with some degree of accuracy that I will see it come back for another visit...and hopefully this time I will understand what the editors are trying to say. And I had wanted to write 4 including a single title. The single title is proving problematic and I seem to keep changing my mind about what I want to write about. I think I have finally sorted it though.

But on the whole it has been a good year and a year to be proud of. I am moving into the middle part of my career as a writer. By no stretch of the imagination can I call myself new any longer. Yes, there are many who have been around longer than me, but equally there are many who are just starting out on their journey. I have a readership (which is hopefully growing and looking for my next book).

What it means for me is that I need to be very clear about my goals for next year and not simply let everything drift.

Anyway, here is to enjoying the last days of 2008, before worrying about 2009.

10 November 1969

On 10 November 1969, I famously pulled a sickie from kindergarten. My best friend at the time, Tracey, also decided this was a good idea. She then convinced her mother that maybe I was ill and so she came over to visit. I cannot remember where our mothers went but we settled down and watched the pilot of a new show aimed at children -- Sesame Street. We had decided not to take any chances...in case it was not on at kindergarten. We were a bit like that. I think Tracey is now involved in school adminstration as a principal...which is slightly ironic.

A number of years later, one of us coughed to the incident.

I am reminded of this as my eldest gave me the dvd of Sesame Street Old School for Christmas and I rewatched that first episode. It brought back memories of sitting on the couch and waiting to see what happened next and who showed up. For some reason, I remember missing Big Bird. As I had only seen it in black and white, it surprised me that Oscar was orange.

Many years later, my children all watched Sesame Street when they were little. My eldest really enjoyed it. It is wonderful to think that it is still going strong...although I doubt anyone pulls a sickie from kindergarten to watch it anymore.

My husband and Mamma Mia

Those of you who are regular readers of this blog may recall in the summer when my dd and I went to see Mamma Mia, I thought it was not a film my husband would enjoy.
However, I was proved wrong. My dh loved the film and thus proved yet another reason why he is a keeper.
His only comment was that it had been far too long since we watched Educating Rita. When he was a mature student, he credits Educating Rita with keeping him in university and has been a huge fan of Julie Walters ever since.

BTW the boys flitted in and out of the room as they were building models of tanks and thus were not too interested in the film. They however enjoyed Love Actually which we watched last night...and perhaps there is hope for them after all...

Merry Christmas

It is Christmas eve and everyone is busy getting things ready for the Big Day tomorrow.

The presents have all been wrapped, the cards delivered and all that remains is to wish everyone who happens on this blog -- a Merry Christmas.

Many thanks for all your support this year.

May 2009 be absolutely fantastic.

Winter solstice

We are now deep into mid-winter. Since time immemorial, many civilisations had mid winter festivals or festivals of light to coincide with the solstice. There is a theory (and it makes sense to me) that Stonehenge is not a mid summer site but a mid winter site as once you know when mid-winter happens, you can count the days/moon cycles to planting. Mid summer does not tell you much about the planting/harvesting cycle.

The reason why Christmas or the Mass of Christ's birth is celebrated when it is, is that it was offered as an alternative to Saturnalia or other light festivals. The Coptic Christians used to celebrate the feast of Christ's birth in May and this sort of date makes far more sense given when the Romans did their census taking...New Year for the Romans on the legal side of things was April. January as the start of the new year was religious.

The early Christians were quite good at providing alternative festivals and making things easier. In this case, the celebration that Christ was born to bring light into the world. The whole point was not take over fesitvals but it make it easier for new Christians...It is just through time that people began to assume that Christ was actually born on that day. And does it truly matter? It does give people a pause for thought and a chance to remember and reconnect with others. I think whichever priest first thought up the idea deserves a vote of thanks and praise as it is one of those inspired brilliant ideas that has captured the imagination and has enable people across the centuries to take time to remember the story of the nativity and what happened.

So however you celebrate, (and hopefully you do celebrate in some form), take time to think about all those people many thousands of years ago who were celebrating the same thing.

In other news:

Kate Walker brought to my attention that Mills & Boon India are running a contest to find an Indian author for the Modern line. I think this is a wonderful opportunity. Also I would urge any would be entrant to read Kate Walker's book -- 12 Point Guide to Writing Romance if at all possible as it is full of tips and hints for any would be Modern writer.

Recovering

As several people have asked, my cold is nearly gone. I feel far more human and ready to take on the world. It has taken about three weeks.

Luckily I am blessed with lovely children who helped and a husband who when he was not busy dying from The Cold also helped.

Nell's suggestion of honey -- a teaspoonful taken every time one begins to cough really helped.

My hope is that the family will be well for Christmas. There have been rumours of the Winter Vomiting Bug in the village... My fingers are firmly crossed that we avoid it. Been there, done that one about seven years ago.

Currently I am busy working away on my latest wip. I ended up abandoning the one I start before the flu in favour of this one. But it is starting to come on and I am excited about writing it, even if it is slightly morphing.

revisiting Myers-Briggs

One of the things I have been doing in recent days is to re-read David Keirsey's Please Understand Me II about the Myers-Briggs system of personality typing. I go through various stages of using different personality typing to help develop my characters. Often I will go to ennegrams and occasionally astrology or birth order but I have used Myers-Briggs in the past.
Because Myer Briggs is Jungian based, it dovetails well with the Joseph Campbell/Christopher Volger theory on the hero's journey. Ennegrams are more Freudian based.
Switching things around helps to keep me on my toes. And I suspect that with this current wip, I will be using Jungian philosophy more to develop the characters.
There are two ways you can go about using Keirsey -- one is to create your characters and then use the personality test taken from the Point of View of the character to help determine the character's personality and how they would react in a given situation. Or you can chose one of the 16 personality types and mould your character around that. There are pros and cons to both approaches.
When you are integrating into a Vogler framework, then you also need to make sure you are aware of the archetypal role the character will be playing and how that role will effect the personality or vice versa. Every personality type can play every role but they will do so in a slightly different way as their world view is different. For example if a character has a Rational Architect type personality then they will approach the role of guardian of the gate in a different manner than if they have an Idealistic healer personality. Guardian of the gate is Vogler's way of saying that at some point along the journey, a character is going to point out to the hero all the problems they face and why they are not equipped for the journey. For example in Romancing the Stone, the publisher takes on this role when she tells Joan Wilder that she has problems negotiating department stores.
Anyway, I am enjoying going back and re-reading these things to see if I can polish up my characterisation. It is one of those things. Writing is not about standing still. You (or at least me) do not reach some magic plateau where all your skills are honed and you never need to think about craft again. It is always the polishing up of the clock face, practicing and relearning of skills so that you can use them better.

In other news:
Having had my dh decide to play a Christmas elf and do wrapping, we ran out of tape. The tape situation has now been sorted and I can make further inroads on the present mountian. Currently I am hoping that I have enough paper...The worst is when you suddenly discover a stash of things that you carefully hid away in the early autumn and then promptly forgot.

The annual Christmas wrapping fest

A roll of tape sits on my desk. Piles of wrapping paper lie in the room. It has come -- the great present wrapping day. Somehow, the role of Christmas present wrapper has devolved to me. My dh early on declared that as he never wrapped gifts professionally, he does not have to do any except mine...It has been no good me protesting that at I Magnin's mostly all I had to do was put the gift in a box and tie a ribbon and it was when I was a teenager. There again, the amount of tape he uses...
For a number of years, I tried to interest him by bringing up all the presents and wrapping after the children had gone to bed...BUT no luck. It is just easier to do it during the day with the carols on full blast and a cup of something warm by my side.
Thankfully, I only tried making my own wrapping paper one year -- potato prints on wall paper lining paper. The children were all under ten and had a great time making paper for Daddy's presents. It is though a rather messy job. Now I stick with the store bought paper.
The other snag in the system is that he likes the presents to appear as if by magic on Christmas Eve. This means not only do I have to wrap them. I have to make sure they go back to their hiding places/find new hiding places...There was the year where I forgot some of the hiding places...
The children break up from school tomorrow so the deadline is fast approaching.
Of course my characters are talking to me, whispering their stories to me, so I keep having hold that thought moments...which can be difficult when you are wrestling wrapping paper into submission...

Kick starting writing

Kate Hardy has found a new toy to help concentrate your mind when writing the first draft --Write or Die Note to Kate whose soundcard does not work: it is a grating sound and you are forcibly reminded...

The basic premise is that you set your word count, and time. Then you set Dr Wicked as either gentle -- a small reminder, normal -- blazing lights and sound, or kamikaze -- will eat your words. You type your words into the box. When you falter for more than a few seconds, you are met with your reminder. The only way to stop it is to start writing again. Apparently there is a surprising demand for the kamikaze mode. So a step up from the alarm clock trick as it actually senses when you are not typing.
This is all about writing, rather than editing.
Bad pages can be fixed. Blank pages need to be written.

Does it work? Short answer: yes, it focuses your attention and forces you to write rather than worrying about the correct word. However, when you are a terrible typist like me, it comes as a shock that you just have to keep typing and not worrying about the spelling etc. It does make for interesting editing, but once I got the hang of it, quite enjoyable.
I am going to try using it for my current wip and seeing if it helps bring some of the joy back into writing as I was amazed at how much time I spend editing, rather than simply writing after doing the exercise properly. But it is only a tool. And it is only good for the first draft.


In other news:
After being ill for two weeks or so, yesterday, I finally started rowing again. Even though my time was slow, it felt good to be doing something again. The Cold has really knocked me around.

Newsletter contest winners

I pulled names out the hat this morning.

Avi J won the first prize of a hardback copy if Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife plus a paperback of A Question of Impropriety.

Vic W won a signed copy of one of backlist.

Judith Dennis won the writer's prize of me critiquing a partial and generally being a sounding board.

All winners have been contacted.


My cold is much better and I am starting to feel human again. However, waking at 3:30 am with my head buzzing about a story is not quite what I had in mind. Still, I did get quite a lot of plotting done. Sometimes, plots just happen and the knowing why is good.

At Risky Regencies today

Nearly forgot to say but Risky Regencies is having an Unusual Historical weekend. I am posting over there as is Ammanda McCabe and Michelle Willingham. There are three books -- a copy of each of ours latest up for grabs. So please stop by and say hello.

Christmas Tree 2008

Yesterday as the builders finally removed all their bits and pieces, we trimmed the tree. For once my dh heeded my plea and bought a shorter tree. Even still, things needed to be done to it -- bottom branches cut, and the trunk trimmed so that it could fit in the Christmas tree stand. Why does putting up a tree cause so much angst? It is in tight and is not about to topple over or lean... The saga of the leaning tree has happened more times than I care to remember.

The carols were put on the cd, and the ornaments were put on. So many are old friends. The children, despite their advancing years of teenagerdom, were excited as well. A variety of ornaments have been given to each one. They were determined to put them on the tree and to make the others knew which ornament belonged to which. When it came for putting on the chocolates and candy canes, the children decided they needed to be sampled...someting never change

My youngest decided Chile the Labrador needed a friend and so took this picture. The Santa Claus was made by my mother --starting in the early1970s and finally being finished in the late 1990s...as a present for my youngest. He is now carefully stowed away and comes out at Christmas. I am not sure where his shoes have gone or his sack that used to be filled with chocolate...but it is a welcome sight and proof that projects can be finished!

The Cold is getting better but this could be because I actually spent yesterday morning in bed asleep and have been taking neat honey at regular intervals as per Nell Dixon's advice. My chest no longer feels as tight and I have actually started to think about story ideas again...

The Cold

After hearing a number of reports including from Julie Cohen, and India Grey I have decided that this cold is not just any cold but The Cold, something worthy of a proper title. It is easy to scoff, but it starts with aching limbs, a sore throat of cut glass proportions, a sinus headache and as a final insult a chesty cough and runny nose. It is the sort of thing that sends grown people to bed for weeks on.
I have been battling through, thinking I was getting better and then my chest started to ache like a nasty chest infection is coming on. I did try my aunt's sightly odd suggestion of putting Vicks on the soles of my feet as it is supposed to help with a cough. It made my feet nice and warm but I am not so sure what happened with my cough...every so often it wracks my body...
I have now read Rubenhold's The Covent Garden Ladies which examines the milieu of Covent Garden in the mid 18th century -- looking at the rise of the high class bordello/nunnery as well the life a courtesan. Fascinating stuff. And some men did marry their mistresses... Rubenhold is definitely a non fiction author to watch.

But right now, I simply want to be well for Christmas.
We are supposedly getting our tree tomorrow which means suddenly Christmas will be in high gear.

E harlequin open house today!

It is the 7th annual Open House for Eharlequin today. The Harlequin Historical post party has already started and you can find it here. Through out the day various authors will be popping in and out. The UK edited lines also have post parties as does the single title MIRA/HQN/Luna. Please come and join the fun. There will be book prizes for random posters and just generally a lot of good cheer.

Later, there will be live chats from the US edited lines. It gets fast and furious, but it is an event not to be missed.

Guilty Pleasures

Last night on BBC 4 Stephen Fry hosted a lovely programme about the little things he enjoyed, entitled Guilty Pleasures. One of the things he listed was Georgette Heyer novels which he loved for her use of language. I will agree with him about Heyer novels but do think he should expand his reading to include more Regency novels...

However, I digress. The programme got me thinking about things I enjoy and take simple pleasure in. Indulgences if you will. They are not especially worthy, but all are fun and there is a certain frisson of excitement when I indulge.

So I am going to list seven.

1. Mills & Boon Romance/Modern/Historical -- Yes, I know I write for them but it is because they have always given me so much escapist pleasure. I love the whole escapist reading and reading for pleasure. When you hold one in your hand and you know, you are going to escape somewhere nice for a few hours. And the fact that my mother used to sigh and wring her hands, telling me that I would never do anything in my life if I read them, only added to the pleasure.

2. The Smithsonian magazine -- my very lovely sister started me on this and I love it when it arrives. I can sit down and read its plethora of interesting and intriguing articles. Bits of information that I may never use again but is fascinating none the less.

3. ripe olives -- I have always loved them. A can of open olives in refrigerator does not last long in this house.

4. A box of chocolates -- assorted -- either Thorntons in the UK or Sees in the US. I love the whole concept of choosing a chocolate, passing the box and hoping against hope that by the time it returns to you, you will still be able to find a chocolate to match your mood. I am never sure if it is fair to look at the guide that comes with the box or simply to dive in. There is a certain frisson about -- did I choose right or will I get the brandied cherry nougat ( a sort that always seems to be included but one that I have never enjoyed)

5.Scrabble -- this a firm favourite of all the family, and brings out the competitive spirit. It does not matter how many times it has been played before..what matters is the fun.

6. A cup of hot cranberry juice or hot Ribena. There is something so comforting about drinking it. It warms you down to your toes. My dh does not understand its appeal but he has never been able to break me of the habit. It says comfort when you are cold.

7. A girl's night in -- an evening with a rom com movie. My dh and the boys really prefer action adventure movies and so generally we watch them, but occasionally my daughter and I have a girl's night in with a fun movie, and more than likely we eat in front of the tv. It could be clam dip or sharing a tub of lemon sorbet...but it provokes a certain amount of illicit pleasure. As to even hint at such a movie would bring howls of agony from the masculine quarter.

If anyone wants to do their own list of indulgences on their blog, I would be interested to read them... Just tell me in the comments... Life should be about taking joy in things.

Thinking about casting a hero

Right now, having pitched the idea to my editor and had the vague approval, in addition to writing my single title thriller thing, I am currently thinking about my next M&B H. It is going to be Robert Clare's story. Robert is the son of Simon Clare and the nephew of Diana Clare. He has a big role in both A Question of Impropriety and Impoverished Miss Convienent Wife. When my then editor first read QI last year, she kept going on about how she loved that little boy. Well, now I get to have him grown up. I am a bit over excited about this.

It is just as well that I have made a timeline and I have kept notes. I want this new wip to happen in (or at least start in Sorrento/theKingdom of the Two Sicilies). I had initially thought about using the making of the first railway in Italy, but when I went back and checked my notes, the timing would have made Robert slightly too old at 35. I want him around 30. Luckily another way of doing this (an even better way to my mind) came to me yesterday. It will make far more sense and will mean that I can have a very fiesty heroine as Robert is such a strong character.

My other problem is that having used Richard Armitage as inspiration for Simon, Robert's father, I now need to find an actor who reminds me of him but is different. Cue the Sunday papers and I discovered Edward Norton who is the new face of Breil Watches.

Now all I have to do is to discover an actress who can inspire my heroine...

Streaming colds and contest

I am currently suffering from a bad head cold. I blame my dh as he caught the cold first. It has been a long time since I have had one this bad. I have been inhaling Vicks and generally trying to keep my liquids up.

One very good thing was that the long delayed parcel from Donna Alward arrived yesterday and I was able to spend the afternoon in Larch Valley, Canada instead of thinking about how truly dreadful I felt. Her hero Brody was very melt worthy and she has a real sense of place with this book. The end of the book was truly magical and I can't wait for her next Larch Valley.

Thankfully being a critique partner has a few priviledges and so I can bug Donna and ask her to make that certain characters get a mention... I do think that Donna keeps getting better and better.

My Q&A should be up on Unusual Historical today. It is a leave comment and be put in for the draw type contest. The prize is VWUW but I am always happy to send one of my back list.

Exploding lightbulbs and other mishaps

Yesterday, my life was being its generally chaotic self. The children are all involved in the local high school's play --Return to the Forbidden Planet and had all gone down for the performance. My dh was busy dying from a cold and I was attempting to clean the kitchen, when the lights went out and there was a loud bang.
The street lamp was on, so it was us. I figured my dh must have switched something on that was not earth properly. I began to isolate things on the circuit board as he swore he had not done anything. I go to switch on the hall lights circuit and there is another bang. My dh who is trying to get the head torches swears there was green flash from one of the hall lights.
Right I figure -- time to blame the light bulbs as one of the hall lights went this morning. It must be the other one as lights with dead light bulbs do not work. The first light is very hot and I use rubber gloves. The second light ( the one that went out in the morning), I change and then go to put the glass light shade back on. The new light bulb explodes in my face, literally jumping out of the socket. Luckily all the shards go into the glass light shade. I swear at the terribleness of light bulbs, go and get a new packet and change the bulb, making sure it is firmly in place.
Then I turn on the hall lights. Another explosion and a green flash of light.
We go to plan B.
I keep the hall lights off and go to the play -- planning on calling the electrician in the morning.
My dh stays home, nurses his cold and makes supper. I arrive back to the news that the refrigerator is off. Was the motor blown by the fun and games earlier? Were we faced with eating a ton of smoked salmon? This is easily solved when I check the circuit board and see I hadn't switched on some sockets. This is after I change the fuse, read the manual and swore...
A hurried phone call to the electricians this morning. They come out and discover that somehow the wiring has worn away and the earthing wire is now touching the live wire. For some reason it burnt through. It has now been rewired and I am thankful that we did not have a fire!
Moral: if a light bulb explodes, or you get a green flash and the mains is tripped, it is probably serious and best left to the experts.

In better news,

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I had a lovely review from Chrissy at Romance Junkies for Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife. Among other things she said: 4.5 ribbons Ms. Styles’ storyline depicts much of the lifestyle present during this particular time period including some folklore and Viking laws. Incidentally, the laws regarding children brought tears to my eyes – but I’m sure you’ll understand why when you read this book. VIKING WARRIOR, UNWILLING WIFE is a book I’d highly recommend for fans of historical tales – especially if you enjoy reading about Vikings.
You can read the rest of the review here.

I am blogging today at Totebags about cyber holiday traditions. Basically I blame the exploding lightbulbs if it doesn't make sense. There is a contest with it though.

Impoverished Miss, Convenient Wife copies arrive

My author copies for IMCW have arrived! It is always interesting to see the cover for the first time. It is the sequel to A Question of Impropriety btw.

The blurb reads:

His unexpected bride…
Wealthy landowner Simon Clare shuns Northumbrian society. With his son gravely ill, the last thing Simon needs is an interfering woman assuming command of his household and nursing young Robert – no matter how sensuous her figure, or how tempting her luscious lips.

Phoebe Benedict knows what it is to struggle, and finds herself drawn to the badly scarred recluse. Despite his tough exterior, she knows that Simon is a father who yearns for his son to recover – and a man who misses the tender embrace of a woman…

And the teaser at the front reads:

‘Will you be silent?’ His hands gripped her shoulders. The heat of him burnt through her clothes. ‘Or do I have to stop your mouth?’
‘Someone has to say these things.’ She stared at him. His mouth was inches from hers. His mouth swooped down and claimed her, branded her, and she knew her words were a lie. She did want something else. Phoebe stilled as warmth pulsated through her. Searing her with its fierceness. His lips called to something deep within her, turned the warmth into a raging inferno. Her hand sank into his hair and held him there.
The kiss lengthened, deepened. Her lips parted and he feasted, devoured her like a starving man. This was no gentle persuasion or chaste kiss but the sort of kiss a pirate captain might bestow. Plundering and taking. And she wanted more. His arms went around and held her body against his, her breasts crushed against his chest. Her melting softness meeting his body. His lips trailed down her throat as he entangled his fingers in her glorious hair. Held her there.
The mantel clock chimed the hour, bringing them back to reality. He stepped away from her, a stunned look on his face.
‘Miss Benedict...I...’
Phoebe looked at him, turned on her heel and fled.

It is my tenth novel for M&B. Hopefully it will do well...

Genius v grinds

One of my problem with the movie Amadeus is the notion of the grind v the absolute effortlessness of Mozart. It belittles Mozart. Mozart may have had the ability but that ability was honed and polished by his father. From about the age of five, all Mozart did was play music. He grew up in a household where music was played and encouraged and that helped him.
The music flowed from his fingertips because he practised. He practised and played music because it pleased his father and because he had an aptitude for it. If Saliari had practised as much as Mozart and had grown up in the same environment, it is more than probable that he would have achieved the same level... In other words, Mozart worked hard, harder than most people realise and he did not just pick up a violin one day and compose music.
I can remember reading the autobiography of John Denver where he attributed his success at music to the hard work he put it. He spent hour upon hour during high school playing his guitar. He then toured and toured. This is not unique. Time after time when you really look at someone who has been a great success, you see that they may have had the predisposition towards something, but they were also willing to put the hard hours in.
Malcom Gladwell has recently written a book called Outliers: Is there such a thing as pure genius? You can read an extract of it here. But basically, he concludes that once you have the desire much of success stems from determination, dedication and discipline.
Twyla Tharp in her book, The Creative Habit also touches on this. The prima ballerinas always are the ones who are the first to the barre and who constantly practice and practice. They do not take their success for granted. It is a question of clock face polishing and striving to improve.
So what about romance writers? If you speak to any successful romance writer, they will tell you how hard it is. All the romance writers I know write because they love writing and reading. They have put the hard hours in. Some of it includes reading the genre and understanding the demands of the genre.
It is what gets me so cross about programmes about writing. Or having a go at writing a M&B. Do those presenters realise how long and hard the top talent have worked at it? Or how hard they do work at it? One of the reasons for M&B's success is that they have very hard working authors who are working to tell stories to the best of their ability. It is all about putting the hours in and honing your writing.
Over the long term, there are diminishingly few grinds.

Snow and moles

There is a light dusting of snow on Mt Molehill this morning. Even my dh who is partial to moles has agreed, it is time to call in the mole catcher. At least a quarter of the lawn has now been turned over to the mole's excavations...

My dh's one condition is that I wait until the cold snap is over. So we continue to level the hills and I hope Mr Mole decides to find a new place of residence. Of course, he could be busy inviting his friends and relations in for the holidays as well...

The new wip (which is not a M&B) is going slowly. As it is a bit more plot heavy, I have had to do a lot of thinking and rejigging.

This has been compounded by the fact that I discovered Lady Worsley's Whim An Eighteenth Century Tale of Sex, Scandal and Divorce by Hallie Rubenhold. It is thoroughly fascinating account of one of the first celebrity divorce trials and happening as it did at the end of the American Revolution and with one of Lord North's most loyal supporters embroiled in a sex scandal, it may have influenced when the end of the war came.

My imagination has been sparked in many directions, BUT this is also when I have to apply discipline. There are other ideas who are screaming to be written. On the strength of this book, I did get Rubenhold's other book -- The Covent Garden Ladies which tells the tale of the Harris Book of Courtesans and its beginnings. Research can be fun. It is one of the reasons why I write historical romance.

VIking Warrior Unwilling Wife published (officially)

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This is the official date of publication for Viking Warrior, Unwilling Wife in North America -- although I understand that it has been spotted in several places over the weekend. I gather that Harlequin Historical are in a better place than usual. This may be another sign that the historical genre is doing well.

I have sent out my latest newsletter which has details of the TWO contests -- one for readers and one for aspiring writers.

I will be at Unusual Historicals on Sunday, Tote Bags on 5 Dec and just confirmed Risky Regencies on the 14th as well as the E harlequin Open House on 11 Dec. There will be a chance to win a signed copy of one of my books at each of the places.

Also on 10th December my excerpt from A Christmas Wedding Wager will be up on the Writer's Vineyard. It is out this month in Australia as part of A Yuletide Invitation with Blythe Gifford's The Harlot's Daughter. There is a chance to win some of my books there as well. I like the cover but it is not very Christmasy. I think I preferred the UK Christmas by Candlelight cover or the US A Christmas Wedding Wager cover.