My friend and fellow author and Heroine Addict Liz Fenwick (@liz_fenwick on Twitter) has just signed a book deal with Orion—with foreign deals in Holland and Germany—for her first book, A CORNISH HOUSE. This is such brilliant news, especially for those of us who have been inspired and impressed by her hard work and dedication in making this book the best it can be, and her generosity as an author and friend. It is only the start of marvellous things to come.

Congratulations, Liz!

(Her blog is here is you’d like to leave congratulations.)

Today I’m up, with a lovely pic of the lovely Maine man who inspired the hero of my book Honey Trap. And I’m giving away a copy, too.

Go visit, today and every day till Valentine’s Day, to check out the totty! And also to congratulate Nic on becoming a USA Today Bestseller!

We drank fizz, ate cakes, and generally had a brilliant time. Congratulations, Nina!

In other news, the Romantic Novelists’ Association has started up its own blog, with details of the latest books, and glimpses into favourite authors’ lives. A great resource for any reader or writer.

As is usual at an RNA meeting, I met some fab and exciting people of like minds, old friends and new. I was very surprised and pleased when two very glamorous chicks came up to introduce themselves and turned out to be Elizabeth Mahon and Hope Tarr, over from New York. I seized on them immediately, as the book I’m writing is partially set in New York and I really need some help from a native. Of course Biddy (and other Usual Suspects Vicky and Gemma) and I dragged them out to the pub and thence to a wine-sodden meal at our favourite Italian restaurant. I do believe at the end of the evening that I drunkenly told the proprietor that I had set a scene in my next book, Girl from Mars, in his restaurant. His smile was both bemused and indulgent, bless him.

In the end it was so late that I ended up staying in Biddy’s, sharing a bed with her and her sister (shut up, you have a dirty mind) and spending a lovely morning discussing plots with Biddy. I came back refreshed in mind and hungover in body, and spent the whole afternoon in the garden with my son.

Today it’s back to writing. I’d like to keep up an average of at least 1000 words a day this week, too. And if I’m very very lucky tonight, I might get to go see Watchmen.

The topic for this afternoon is “Getting the Most Out of Your Publicist” and I will be storing up information like crazy.

And Biddy reminded me that she and I met at a spring RNA meeting at the New Cav, six years ago! It’s hard to believe it was that long ago, and that short a time ago, too. Since then we’ve spoken to each other in some way nearly every day. She reads all my books before I send them to my editor and she is thanked at the beginning of every one. And all of that started by her getting me horrendously, droolingly drunk on white wine, six years ago!

Joining the RNA was really one of the best things I have ever done. I’m feeling all misty-eyed about it.

I might have a glass or two of white wine with Biddy this afternoon to celebrate. In fact, I predict that by 6 pm I will be hugging everyone in sight, saying, “I love you, man.”

Nip over to Nell Dixon’s blog, where she’s having a party to celebrate the release of her Little Black Dress book, Animal Instincts.

You can win a signed copy, too, if you leave an animal story before she picks a winner on Thursday.

For another, I’m spending this afternoon at Datchet library, talking about writing sex scenes. I’ve done this workshop quite a bit, all over the UK and in the USA too, and once (frighteningly) on television. But I haven’t done it for about a year now, so last night I went through and rejigged everything to update it a bit, and include some more words to describe penises. It should be lots of fun. (I’m doing this particular sex scene seminar in memory of Dee’s sister, Daphnee.)

I’ve had lots of little snippets of good news. Like a box full of my German book, Der Glücksunfall (One Night Stand). It’s lovely and pink, a nice chunky mass-market paperback, and as always it’s fun to speculate about the translation, but I’ve got six of them and I can’t actually read them. If you read German and would like a copy, send me an email.

I won a copy of After the Fall at Cat Marsters/Kate Johnson’s blog for relating my humiliating Valentine’s Day story. Nice one.

Rachael Johns has given me a “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade” Award. I guess this means I’m optimistic or something. Anyway, I never turn down lemonade and its sweet-tart goodness, and apparently I have to give it to ten other people too. Hence, some people who habitually make things sweeter:

Rach
Candace
Janet Gover
Kris Starr
Biddy Coady
Jan Jones
Anna Louise Lucia
Anna Adams
Mary Beth Lee
Donna Alward (Who, you know, I named a foul-mouthed male character after in Girl from Mars. Just so you know, Donna.)

You don’t have to pass it on if you don’t want to, but you can.

Now I’m off to talk about sex.

Suzanne’s the only romance author to ever final in the Bloggies. Her blog is a warm, wonderful account of living on a farm. It’s also totally addictive. It’s in the “Best-Kept Secret” category.

If you get a chance, check out her blog. And, if you like, visit the Bloggies site and cast your vote for the best blogs around. You might see several of your favourites there. (On my browser, at least, it works by scrolling sideways rather than up and down.)