Sunday, February 25, 2007

Counting points

My friend dropped by yesterday and double-checked my point counting. I am being very virtuous but don't see anything happening in the fluffiness department yet. I can't believe one small fillet of smoked mackerel is 10 points - who knew?
I've rejigged my new medical synopsis again and feel a little better about it now. Almost completed the partial just over 1k to go and it's really starting to come together more now I think. Once I've done that I plan to dive back into Places To Go and get another 10k or so done on that. I'm also tinkering with another project that I might enter in a contest if I can get the first chapter finished in time for the deadline. It's another single title that I've been mulling over for a while. Unlike the medical it has a proper title - Blue Remembered Heels. I must get myself a title for the new med, I seem to have been calling it that forever.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Bounty bars and other happy coincidences

Bounty bars are the perfect shape and size to eat in two bites. Hence ideal for the car when I'm sprinting between visits. Sadly, Bounty bars are not good for the fluffiness issue so I only ever have one when I'm a) buying diesel, b)stressed, c)haven't had any lunch. Today I was all of those so my Bounty Bar really was a taste of paradise.
I had a nice message left for me today at Myspace, a lovely lady told me she'd gone to Barnes and Noble to buy Things To Do but the staff told her it had sold out so she ordered it. I had a little buzz of excitement when I read that - it would be so lovely to see it on a bookshelf in a shop. A few people have told me they've asked their local library to order it for them which is fantastic.
This week is hard as I'm on my own at work, lots of new babies which is nice, oh, and a clients dog has eaten the cable to my neonatal hearing screening equipment. I needed that Bounty lol
Tomorrow I get to go to weightwatchers with my friend, Susanne. Since I was banned from Rosemary Conley a few years ago I haven't really done the group thing so this should be interesting.

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Shopping

I spent yesterday morning at Merry Hell, aka Merry Hill. I don't like shopping for me, it's no fun when you're fluffy, but, the new spring stuff is in and I needed to find something for the Savoy. It's no good me leaving it till nearer the time as I haven't anytime to shop as the belles have a dance show coming up and we have a holiday before then too.
I managed to melt a serious amount of plastic on a new suit, top, shoes, bag, scarf, make-up and a nice John Rocha tunic top that was in the sale at Debenhams. My friend is dragging me to Weight Watchers with her on Thursday. That'll be fun - she's promised to help me with the math. So will I become less fluffy? will pigs fly? watch this space!

Friday, February 16, 2007

Stunned!!!


Things To Do has been nominated for the Ecataromance Reviewers' Choice Award. Wow!

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Love at the library part 2

Well, I'm back. It was an interesting morning and I chatted with some really nice people. I'm holding the draw later for people who took a free ticket to win a prize parcel of some goodies and a copy of Things To Do.
It was very heartening to see how popular romances are with book borrowers. I always knew they were but it was still good to see the proof with my own eyes. Lots of RNA members books being taken out.
I finished c2 of the medical partial and sent it to Jess, I've started in on c3. I also put down a little bit of a new project as I saw this great competition mentioned that I thought might suit this idea I've had buzzing around in my brain for a while now. Now if someone would just invent a few extra hours in my day I'll be just fine!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Love at the library

Tomorrow is the meet the author, love at the library event. Since it's half term and as usual the local press are too busy taking photo's of primary school children picking up litter, if I see anyone other than a couple of retired folks, some kids who are out for a giggle and a dog I'll be happy.
I get very nervous about meeting people and talking about my writing. I wish I had someone else to hide behind. As it is I've dragooned eldest dd into coming as my assistant to persuade people to take raffle tickets for the free draw to win a copy of Things To Do and I've a supply of pens and postcards.
My wonderful friends at Wombourne writers have promised to drop by and so have some of my walk for health group (they are also supporting me in my quest to become less fluffy) So, if you happen to be in the vicinity of Wombourne Library tomorrow between 10 and 12 don't be shy - come and say hello - there's a free pen in it for you ;)

Sunday, February 11, 2007

The Savoy and being 'fluffy'

Fluffy is a batcave term for carrying a few extra pounds. Or in my case, quite a few extra pounds. As the Savoy tickets arrived yesterday and I just booked our train I decided I needed to tackle my added fluffiness a little more severely. I don't over eat so a diet is tricky. I've cut down where I can and the fluffiness remains. (This is where Polycystic ovaries don't help in the fluffiness battle.)
I know that my problem is lack of exercise. Eldest dd and I went to a local health club today to try out the facilities and to see if I could justify the expense of joining. She, of course, loved it. My eldest is very keen on sport of any kind so it was her idea of heaven. I liked the pool, it was warm, had swim lanes and the hairdyers worked in the changing rooms. I can't see myself becoming a gym bunny however, to be honest, the gym scared me. It was so noisy with music playing and televisions everywhere, the machines all had to be set with numbers to program them - my idea of hell.
My GP has forbidden any kind of aerobic activity as my hip is not good so my other choices were limited. I'm too old, unco-ordinated and fluffy to trampoline so apart from the pool I'm thinking I probably wouldn't use the other facilities much.
Sigh - Eldest child and I discussed it at length and we decided to get the local leisure centre programme instead. If we can make at least two sessions a week there for six weeks I'll look at the posh club again.
In the meantime it's back to my trusty pedometer.

Thursday, February 08, 2007

Snow and birthdays

Today is my birthday and the schools are closed because of the snow, which means my birthday meal out is looking a bit shaky. I should have gone out on Tuesday with my friend but she had to bail because she's buried under work, so I don't think socialising is in the stars for me this week. The kids are outside making a snowman. I give La about fifteen minutes before she comes back in wet through and dithering telling me she doesn't like snow.
My presents were interesting from the girls. My dh had coerced them into buying me a bottle of Happy, my favourite perfume but the two little ones decided to present me with a gift of their own choosing too. La gave me a tiny snowglobe which she informed me she'd meant to give me last year but forgot. Boo gave me a small teapot. I don't drink tea. She then went on to say she'd won it at the school summer fair and not to worry about the damaged box lid as that was where she'd torn the raffle ticket off.
I love birthdays!

Sunday, February 04, 2007

I hate cleaning...

I'm not a natural Mrs housewife type person. I love the house to look clean and tidy but with a husband who thinks the floor is a suitable place to store his stuff and three very messy daughters, I'm on a hiding to nothing. I spent most of this weekend digging out my middle daughters room and I'm nowhere near done. I think she has the market cornered in odd socks, handbags and Bratz doll bits.
I treated myself to Liz Fielding's latest book, The Valentine Bride yesterday whilst I was at Asda. I'd like to get Natasha Oakleys latest too but I bought the dvd of Muriel's Wedding and The Runaway Bride to watch with my eldest dd instead. I'll have to check my bank balance for next weekend and see if I can manage it then instead.

Thursday, February 01, 2007

5 Things

Robin tagged me to blog five things people don't know about me. Since I've already done this twice I thought I'd make this five secret or not so secret things about my books.

1. One scene in The Cinderella Substitute was sparked by a phrase one of my Asda collegue's used in a story she was telling me one day during her break. The scene was the one where Jenni's mum is wandering the street.

2. Marrying Max was inspired by Jessica Hart's wonderful fake engagement stories. I longed to write one to see if I could create a believable situation.

3. Cue Me In was my first attempt at a spooky story, it's very much tongue in cheek and the castle in the story is loosely based on Corfe castle.

4. Fall in Love features Cornwall and surfers. We spend a lot of time in Cornwall and Devon. New Bay is fictional but has elements of lots of the seaside towns we stayed at. Check out our upcoming beach duet, coming out in May. Jessica Raymond and I have two new stories set in New Bay. You may recognise some of the characters.

5. The yacht in Things To Do meant I interviewed a yacht broker and had a personal tour of a million pound yacht.

If you want to do this, consider yourself tagged!