Archive for the ‘social life?’ Category
July 7, 2008 | social life?, writing
On Saturday I whizzed down to Chichester for the Romantic Novelists’ Association conference. Originally I’d planned to only go on the Sunday, because I was giving a workshop on pacing, but my husband had an unexpected night off so I begged the lovely organiser Jan Jones to let me come for Saturday night, too, and stay over. And she let me. (Yes, I plied her with chocolate.)
Romantic novelists en masse are wonderful. For one thing, we are strangely obsessed with shoes. For another, we think nothing of talking about heroes all night and when we are together we drink more than is humanly possible. Well, in any case, I do.
I was thrilled to see my friends and colleagues…there are far too many to name-drop about. Besides, I was far, far too drunk. (I don’t get out that often, you know.)
Brigid Coady won third place in the Elizabeth Gouge award. She rules. Nell Dixon and Anna Louise Lucia sold out of their books at the bookstall. They also rule.
I seem to remember drinking much champagne very late at night and then staggering across a field. And the next day I had a hangover of epic proportions. Fortunately Jane Wenham-Jones spoke in the morning about writers’ bottom and her hilarious body wrap experiences in Egypt and I laughed most of my headache away. I also went to Kate Walker’s talk about author websites, and Kate Hardy’s talk about using local history in your novel. Useful and fascinating, both of them. I also wheedled Kate Harrison out of her handout on “Botox for Writers”, even though I couldn’t stay for her talk.
I gave a talk about pacing which involved photographs of my closet door. And I came home with lots of lovely lovely shiny new books to read! (And a lighter purse.)
Anyway, being amongst romantic novelists is always a life-affirming experience. They are warm, friendly, talented and generous and I feel privileged to be part of the group.
Plus, man, can they drink me under the table.
Tags: Romantic Novelists' Association
June 13, 2008 | about me, social life?
Last night I went to the launch party of Titania Woods’s Glitterwings Academy series. They’re magical little books about a fairy school, published by Bloomsbury.
Titania is actually my good friend Lee Weatherly, and the launch was held in the garden pavilion of a lovely red-brick country hotel. As the dress code stipulated that “fairy wings are a must!” the guests were all very colourful and ethereal. Titania’s wings were things of beauty, purple and pink and glittery and flowery, made specially for her. Here’s a pic of the two of us:
The books’ illustrator, Smiljana Coh, had come all the way from Croatia to be at the launch and (poor woman) I grilled her about using Photoshop in illustration. And I met all sorts of children’s writers. The interesting difference between children’s writers and romance writers is that when romance writers get together and talk about work, they say “I’m doing sexy vampires” or “I’m doing a Greek tycoon” or “I’ve got a marriage of convenience.” Children’s writers say “I’m doing ice-skating princesses” or “I’m doing dragons in World War I.”
I can heartily recommend an evening in the company of fairies!
September 23, 2007 | social life?
Kate Hardy sent me a photo from the Mills & Boon author evening in London…this is me and Kate Walker.
Note the nearly empty glass of champagne…
I’m feeling better today. Yesterday I brought the Fecklet into London for lunch with a bunch of authors–Anna Lucia, Brigid Coady, Fiona Harper, Nell Dixon, Carol (and baby-to-be), and Donna Alward, over from Canada. We enjoyed three courses of Turkish food–Fecklet loved it, particularly the creamy, lemony rice pudding–and lots of conversation and laughs.
Must write like madwoman today.
September 22, 2007 | social life?
Last night, I went to a Mills & Boon author evening in London. There was one particularly good-looking waiter bringing the champagne round and I (and several other authors) found him very difficult to say no to.
This morning, I am hung over.
June 28, 2007 | social life?
Party was awesome, full of glam publishing people, authors, scouts, agents and journalists in glam little black dresses, and at the end we got to take home some books and some chocolate and a rather fetching little keychain. As usual I forgot to take my camera so I didn’t get any photos (darn).
I got home at 12.30 (apologising profusely to my friend who was babysitting) and was up again with the Fecklet at 5 am, so I’m still suffering from lack of sleep.
Today I wrote a synopsis (sort of) for my next book, which I’m thinking of calling The Honey Trap. What do you think of that title?
And now the Fecklet is asleep so I’m going to take an afternoon nap.
June 25, 2007 | about me, social life?
Tomorrow is going to be an exciting yet exhausting day.
In the morning, I’m taking the Fecklet to the US Embassy in London to apply for his US passport. He already has his British one. This will involve getting on a very very busy train (and probably paying loads for the privilege) and a very very busy bus, unless it is sunny in which case we’ll walk. (From Paddington, not from Reading.) The Transport for London website is wonderful and for the sum of 25p will text you directions to wherever you are going. Fantastic.
Then it’s back to Reading, then it’s a quick change for me and handover to the babysitter so I can pull on my fairly useless magic knickers and my little black dress to get on another train back to London for the Little Black Dress first anniversary party. This is at a rather glam club and I am hoping my ancient FCUK dress, black fishnets, and £1 scarf are going to cut the mustard.
If I am lucky it will be rather dark.
May 29, 2007 | about me, social life?
In other news, I’m off to London tomorrow to go to the RNA Summer party. The Joan Hessayon New Writer’s Award is going to be presented, and my dear dear friend and critique partner Anna Louise Lucia is one of the finalists with her fab novel Run Among Thorns, to be released just about one year from now in June 2008 from Medallion Press.
I have to admit to being shamelessly prejudiced because Anna is one of my favourite writers as well as one of my favourite people. She writes like an angel with a very twisted imagination. But there are some other friends and line-mates among the nominees:
Phillipa Ashley, for her Little Black Dress Decent Exposure, which is a really fun read, set in the Lake District
Judy Jarvie, for Taking the Leap, published by Moonlit Romance–I haven’t read this but I did read an earlier ms of Judy’s and it was charming and full of life
Jessica Raymond, for Haunted Hearts, published by Moonlit Romance–her heroine is a paranormal investigator. So cool.
(Both Jude and Jess are too pregnant to go to the party so I shall have to drink for them!)
Heidi Rice, a fellow Modern Extra writer, for Bedded by the Bad Boy (what a title!)–this is on my TBR shelf
Jean Fullerton, for Cutlasses and Caresses, published by Triskelion–I haven’t read this either but man, I’m telling you: pirate romance, what’s there not to like??
There are some other contenders who I don’t know personally–you can see the whole list here–whose books are bound to be fantastic, too…but a blog is all about blatantly promoting your mates, right?
I haven’t bought a new dress, mostly because I’ve been on unpaid maternity leave for the past three weeks. However I did buy some new shoes for ten quid at Primark: blue shiny vinyl with faux-cork platforms and faux-stacked heels. Fab.
I’ll be seeing my agent and my LBD editor, and I’ll be saying the same thing to both of them: Oh, my revisions? Going great, of course! Noooooo problemo! Hey, do you like my shoes?
May 19, 2007 | Asda, The Sun, free book, six-word novel, social life?
Our local writing group, Reading Writers, is having a Writers’ Day today so Fecklet and I are going along. Workshops, speakers, and competitions, food and drink and conversation.
One of the competitions is to write an entire novel in six words. We’re putting them up and judging them anonymously. I’m assuming nobody from the group is going to check my blog before they go, so this is my entry:
No arms, no legs–five wives.
I think I’ll do a similar contest next week for a copy of All Work and No Play… so hone your short writing skills!
It will be the first time Fecklet’s eaten solid food in public. I’ve made him some apple puree for the occasion and I hope we don’t ruin the church hall.
It should be a good day.
Psst–Only ONE MORE WEEK until the Sun is giving away my book!!!
April 29, 2007 | about me, social life?
The Savoy was wonderful, not least because Nell won the Romance prize.
It was a day of firsts for me. First time getting baby on a train and in a cab and in a bus. First time leaving baby with a babysitter (the saintly Biddy). First time putting on high heeled shoes since last July. First time being at the Savoy when not pregnant and therefore able to drink champagne with my editors. First time breastfeeding baby in the posh ladies’ loos at the Savoy.
All these firsts make you so much more confident. I know, now, that I can travel to London with a pushchair, and how to find routes around the city. I know that the Fecklet will behave himself with a non-parent, and that he will come out safely on the other side even though I’m not watching him breathe.
It wasn’t my first time getting my breasts out in public, not by a long shot, but it was definitely the first time in such elegant surroundings. (Ann Summers van notwithstanding.)
By the time I got home I was utterly exhausted and I spent yesterday doing little but sloping around the house grabbing a nap whenever possible.
April 4, 2007 | about me, friends, social life?
I’m going away tomorrow until Tuesday, to visit Anna in the Lake District.
I am going to force her to read my book and play with my baby.
It’s incredible what you have to pack when you’ve got a small baby. Pushchair, baby carrier, baby bath, changing mat, bouncy chair, blankets, towels, nappies, moses basket, various emollients, about a ton of clothes as he poops and drools constantly. His equipment weighs at least ten times as much as he does.
I’m leaving my husband at home and he’s going to have a great time in an empty house, playing his guitar and going out and watching as much football and making as much noise as he pleases. (I bet he misses us though….especially as I’m taking his laptop with me.)
Have a great holiday weekend everyone and I’ll catch you when I get back.
March 14, 2007 | parenthood, social life?
Yesterday Fecklet and I went to visit my friend Harriet and her two children, a boy aged three and a girl aged about twenty months. Fecklet was fractious, so we went for a walk to the swings and then as a special treat, to the fire station round the corner from Harriet’s house, for the children to see the fire engines, and for the mums to see the firemen.
So we wheeled the pushchairs to the station, walking slowly and peering through the windows at the engines. And the long-haired fireman playing his long hose over the surface of one of them. We couldn’t get much of a view, so we went round to the side, where Harriet’s three-year-old was very excited by a forklift that kept on coming by.
Then the long-haired fireman appeared, and asked us, with a smile, whether we wanted to take a look at the engines. Of course Harriet and I said yes, telling the children how lucky they were, all the time checking out the fireman and his snug-fitting t-shirt, his well-developed arms. (Well, I was. Harriet is more dignified.)
When we got to the engine, the three-year-old boy was too frightened to climb aboard and wanted to go home, much to our disappointment. Fireman promised we could come back any time, and said goodbye to us, with a definite wink in my direction. I held back my giggles long enough to get out of sight, and then squealed to Harriet, “He winked at me!!!!”
I tell you I am learning a lot about how to stay sane as a parent.
November 17, 2006 | social life?
The party was great fun.
The first part of the evening was characterised by being subtly mocked by indulgent males. Anna, Biddy and I got ready at Biddy’s sister’s flat, and her friend Matt turned up to make us encouraging cups of tea and laugh at the various preparations and neuroses that women go through in glamming up for a party. Although the venue wasn’t very far, we had to take a cab because of my extra 30 lbs of baby, and that cab driver found that very amusing. (Yeah, wait till HE’S eight months pregnant.) Then as soon as we walked through the doors of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (where the party was held), the male porter immediately piped up with, “Are you romantic novelists?” He was deriving great enjoyment from asking this question of every woman who walked in the door.
The party was in the library, a lovely space where I quickly found a leather couch next to an electric fan. Conveniently it was directly in front of the door from whence the wait staff were emerging with canapes.
I talked to huge amounts of people and there were plenty of people I would have liked to talk with more. The Mills & Boon editors as always are so much fun; I cornered my Headline editor and told her all about how much in love with my new hero I am (see post below); my agent grabbed me and introduced me to lots of people, notably an editor who is interested in having a look at the erotic science fiction romantic comedy, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, I wrote with Kathy Love.
The baby loves the sound of conversation and he spent the evening kicking merrily, which was a little disconcerting for me because it was clearly visible underneath my dress.
The best part of the evening was how lovely everyone was, my old friends, the professionals I work with, the new people I met. Oh and the mushroom canapes in filo dough. Yum.
