Tuesday, February 24, 2009

HOORAY!

HER DESERT DREAM has left the building! I am unshackled from the keyboard. Free!

Well free-ish.

Clearly the ironing board is going to have to replace the keyboard for an hour or two before I can go out and play. Oh, and page proofs for CHRISTMAS ANGEL FOR THE BILLIONAIRE arrived in the post this morning...

I guess the ironing can wait.

I'll be back with news of the April book very soon!

Monday, February 16, 2009

A "ROMANCE" TREASURE HUNT!

Harlequin are running a Treasure Hunt each month during their anniversary year. First up, in February, is Harlequin Romance, so click onTreasure Hunt and start playing for a chance to win a free book.

And of course you can still download those sixteen free books they're giving away at Harlequin Celebrates

Friday, February 13, 2009

IT'S THAT DAY...

...so for all my friends and family,
readers, colleagues, editors
and especially for the authors of books that I have loved,
here are the hearts and flowers...










...here are the chocolates...









...and here's a very big hug.



















HAPPY ST VALENTINE'S DAY!




And from HARLEQUIN there's a special gift...




To get your own copy of this free eBook, click here

(As well as a great story from Catherine Mann,
you'll find stuff from a lot of your favourite authors...
including me.)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Julia Gregson wins romance book prize

Julia Gregson has been announced as the winner of this year's Romantic Novel of the Year for her book East of the Sun.

The novel tells the story of three women in the last days of the British Raj in India.

Judges said it engaged "from the first page and never let go, following their various fortunes until it reached its truly satisfying ending", and praised the depiction of "three remarkable women at its centre, each with different flaws, strengths and voices".

"The last days of the British Raj in India, at a pivotal moment of its history during the ascendancy of Gandhi, were brilliantly evoked in the author's skilled hands," they added.

Gregson, from Monmouthshire, has a background in journalism and spent time working as a correspondent in India.

The winner of the Romance Prize for shorter works of fiction was Mistress: Hired for the Billionaire's Pleasure by India Grey.

Judges said they were impressed by the "sheer verve and style" of the book which they described as "a model of romance, well-written and memorable with a clever plot featuring a lovely heroine and a gorgeous hero".

The prizes were presented at the Romantic Novelists' Association awards lunch in London.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

WRITING BOOKS CAN MAKE YOU FAT...

It's a fact and one that all writers quickly learn.

In my case it probably had more to do with giving up the day job -- brisk walk there and back -- and the teens growing up and moving on so that I wasn't constantly on my feet chasing around after them. And getting to that age where weight seems to creep up in a stealth attack that you don't notice until you're suddenly wondering who's standing on the scales with you.

But there is apparently a scientific reason -- something to do with the brain getting hungry. You can check out the full story on Tess Gerritsen's blog, here.

I'll be pounding the wii...


AUSTRALIA

You may have heard of the horrendous temperatures and bush fires raging in south-east Australia. Several Harlequin Romance authors live in this area, so please spare a thought for them and their families.

FINALLY



On a more cheerful note, I've just received this review and a very thrilling 4.5 stars, for SECRET BABY, SURPRISE PARENTS from ROMANTIC TIMES.

"Multi-layered characterizations, a potent conflict and some very special twists on reader favorite plot elements make this story a joy from beginning to end."

So all the blood, sweat and tears -- this was not, not, not an easy book -- was, apparently, worth it.

It'll be retail in April, but will be available online in March, in both paper and eBook formats, from millsandboon.co.uk and eHarlequin.com




And finally, finally
--

Harlequin Romance is spotlighted at eharlequin.com in February with six Diamond Bride miniseries books and the chance to have your dream proposal appear in an upcoming Harlequin Romance book! Click on the events tabs at Harlequin Celebrates

Saturday, February 07, 2009

Romantic Novelists vote Richard Armitage Sexiest Thing On Two Legs

British actor Richard Armitage has leapt from last year's 4th place to this year topping the ratings in the Romantic Novelists' Association 2009 Valentine's poll, to take the title of Sexiest Thing on Two Legs, beating top Hollywood stars to the number one spot.

Johnny Depp, who topped last year's poll, was pushed firmly into second place, with Hugh Jackman and George Clooney mere also-rans. Richard Armitage took 20% of the vote, more than double the count of any other male on the list, said the RNA pollster. He was a clear winner from the off.

The RNA is not alone in admiration of the actor, as numerous online Richard Armitage fan sites will testify. The ardency began with North and South, grew by leaps and bounds with the leather-clad baddie in Robin Hood, and shows no sign of diminishing as Spooks takes to the airwaves.

It's a coup for Britain, said one starstruck writer, not just for sexy Richard.

According to romantic novelists, the sexiest male celebrities of 2009 are:

1 Richard Armitage

2 Johnny Depp

3 Hugh Jackman

4 George Clooney

5 Daniel Craig

6 Sean Bean

7 Alan Rickman

8 David Tennant

9 Pierce Brosnan

10 Gerard Butler

And for those of you who have never heard of or seen Richard Armitage check him out on You Tube

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

SNOW!

The north wind doth blow and we shall have snow and what will the robin do then, poor thing...

It's white outside and in a minute I'm going to have to struggle up a snowy slope to deposit the garbage at my gate -- but apart from feeding the robin that comes to the door every day, rain, snow, or shine, that's as near to the snow as I'm planning to get, thank you very much.

My dd, on the other hand, having walked into work in her wellies and stayed in an empty department until 2 o'clock phoning other people and telling them to go home, finally went home herself and instead of hibernating with hot tea and buttered toast (my favoured option) spent the afternoon having fun.

Here's Rhonda, her "Snow Girl" (show girl?)

Monday, February 02, 2009

VALENTINE RELEASES!

What a busy month! Not only is Secret Baby, Surprise Parents released into British libraries in its hardback edition this month -- it'll be online at Mills & Boon and Harlequin next month -- but all over the world there are releases of Liz Fielding books and short stories. Here are some of them.

Promoted: Secretary To Bride! by Jennie Adams

What was I thinking? As if a new dress and a pair of borrowed hopes-and-dreams shoes were going to get me noticed by my scrummy boss! After all, he has barely looked at me in the last three years, so why should he now? But last night, after Jarrod drove me home from that posh work party, things seemed different, and for one crazy moment I felt sure he was going to kiss me! Oh, well, it will be back to business on Monday, and everything will go back to normal... But Molly's boss has other things on his agenda!

I know that Jennie Adams' name on the cover is enough to make you rush out and buy the book, but as a bonus, you'll also find THE SECRET WEDDING, a 10,000 word Liz Fielding "extra" tucked inside the covers. (It's pure coincidence that my heroine is also called Molly!)

It begins:

Begin your story at a moment of crisis, a point in time when your character's life is about to change for ever. Molly Blake's Writing Workshop Notes.

Romantic novelist, Molly Blake, has been booked to give a weekend workshop in a country hotel. Crime novelist, Tom Garrick, has been ordered by his publisher to go along and get in touch with his feminine side (women, he's told, buy more books than men). They are both late, there's only one parking place and when Molly discovers that it's her rat of a husband who's put a dent in her adored publisher's Porsche, things go downhill fast..

This is a February release from Harlequin, Australia and it's available now online here. Or at Dymock's if you'd rather have a eBook version.

And while you're checking that out, you'll find that
100 ARABIAN NIGHTS

has finally made it downunder here

If you click on the tag you'll find excerpts and stuff.









Oh, and just so that UK readers don't feel left out, you can find
THE SECRET WEDDING
teamed with Betty Neels' in this Tender Extra.



And if you're in France, well, the same story is in a special Valentine Day anthology with Jane Porter and a load of other great authors. You'll find it here


And THE BRIDE'S BABY is on sale on 4th February in Germany -- or online here. (Or don't forget you can download it in English for free -- there's a link on the sidebar!)

TRAUMHOCHZEIT IM SCHLOSS?
von: LIZ FIELDING
Erscheinungstag: Mittwoch, 4. Februar 2009
Bandnummer: 1773
Bestellnummer: 0801091773
2,40 EUR
inkl. 7 % MwSt.

Die perfekte Traumhochzeit? Auf einem Schloss in Südengland organisiert die Hochzeitsplanerin Sylvie eine glamouröse Wohltätigkeitsveranstaltung. Sie selbst soll dabei die glückliche Braut spielen, die zu ihrer Jugendliebe Jeremy zurückgekehrt ist. Alles läuft nach Plan. Bis überraschend der attraktive Milliardär Tom MacFarlaine auftaucht. Er ist der neue Besitzer von Longbourne Court – und der Mann, dessen Baby Sylvie seit einer leidenschaftlichen Nacht unter dem Herzen trägt. Wie gern würde sie Tom das Jawort geben! Doch er glaubt, sie sei mit Jeremy verlobt …

And in this anthology, which includes stories by Sandra Martin and Margaret Moore you'll find The Cinderella Bride on sale in
Japan

Or you could click on the "free Liz story" link on the sidebar and read it online at eHarlequin in English.

Happy Valentine's reading!