Recently I watched a lovely romance movie called Save Haven, based on the book by bestselling romance author Nicholas Sparks. Without wishing to give away the plot, the ending of the story had a heart-warming twist that called for a belief in something beyond stark, cold reality. I love romance
Readers, writers, publishers – the book world has been in uproar this week following the revelation that a recently published crime novel by ‘Robert Galbraith’ was in fact by the world’s most famous author: JK Rowling. Rowling was exposed by the Sunday Times, which had commissioned Professor Peter Millican of
From the blurb: Running late for her spoiled stepsister’s bachelorette party, Lacy Goodlow is forced to speed—snagging a hefty traffic ticket and the interest of Officer Jared Kelly. Their paths collide again in the middle of the bachelorette party when Lacy plays an embarrassing game of Fact or Fun and
I love these two urns that live outside my bedroom window in France.
Recently, I watched an episode of Come Dine With Me, a British cookery challenge show, and I was most interested by one of the cooks, a beetroot (beet) farmer, who created a full dinner-party menu incorporating beetroot into each dish! What was most interesting was his explanation that beetroot is
A comment I receive quite often on my book Burning Embers is that it’s reminiscent of an old movie – ‘romance like Hollywood used to make’ as one reviewer put it. The comparison got me to thinking about the difference between the style of romance we saw on the big
From the blurb: Sun, Sea and Secrets … A week on the sunny Greek island of Kethos is just what Alice Archer needs, even if she has to put up with her difficult sister. Stella’s tantrums and diva-like demands are a fair price to pay for crystal-clear waters, blue skies
My debut novel, Burning Embers, is set in hot and sultry Kenya. Other novels I have been working on are set in Spain and Greece, equally passionate locations. But one other country has always called to me, begging for a love story to be situated amid its dreamy vistas: Italy.
Recently, I have been watching The Tudors (Michael Hirst), because the period of history fascinates me. There’s plenty of focus on romantic relationships in the series, from Henry VIII and his wives and mistresses through to other members of the court. What has fascinated me has been the portrayal of
From the blurb: ‘Write to me, Emmi. Writing is like kissing, but without lips. Writing is kissing with the mind.’ It begins by chance: Leo receives emails in error from an unknown woman called Emmi. Being polite he replies, and Emmi writes back. A few brief exchanges are all it
Summer is here, and the warm weather and glorious colours always put me in a good mood! So this month I’m giving away: Three copies of Burning Embers A £20/$30 Amazon gift card The giveaway is open to residents of the UK and US. To enter, simply comment on this
I love all the green on view, in our garden and the hills beyond.
There’s no doubt that book covers are an art form. Those who create the very best examples are talented artists and designers; take, for example, artists like Jon Paul and Elaine Gignilliat who paint covers for leading romance publishers. But of course book covers are more than art: they are
Traditionally, both writing and reading are solitary, perhaps even lonely pursuits. But thanks to the digital revolution, no longer! Being a writer or reader can mean being part of a thriving, friendly online community, and – wonderfully – having access to literary-specific news sites designed to inform and foster a
From the blurb: The story of a betrayal that wasn’t. Even so, it still tore two lovers apart for eleven years. On the eve of their wedding, Michael Jeffres, Earl of Daventry, found his betrothed, the woman who meant as much to him as the air he breathed, in bed
As promised, here is my favourite chocolate cake recipe – easy and foolproof, and deliciously, decadently rich and morish. It’s an ideal base cake to decorate for an occasion, and it keeps well (two to three weeks). Ingredients: 250 g unsalted butter 250 g dark chocolate (I love Green &
Chocolatier-created caramels and truffles and pralines and mousses that melt on the tongue and instantly release that ‘just fell in love’ hormone. Cupcakes topped with pink vanilla frosting and edible glitter made to share (icing endearingly smeared on a lover’s nose optional). Bakery window displays crammed with a mouth-watering array
There is no denying that writing changes over time. Compare Dan Brown to Edgar Allen Poe, J.K. Rowling to C.S. Lewis, E.L. James to Jane Austen. Of course, society has changed so much in the past 100, 200 years that stories and settings and characters are radically different also. But
There are often regattas in the Bay of St Tropez. We watch the beautiful sailboats go by from our balcony and it’s like being at the cinema.
From the blurb: Three years ago, Kate Sullivan was prepared to tell her best friend, Eric Wagner, that she had developed romantic feelings for him. But before she could, he abruptly ended their friendship. Now Eric has walked into Kate’s bakery and back into her life – but why? Will
I was fascinated to read a recent article in the Guardian Books section on the increasing success of self-published books in genre markets. According to the article: The figures, from Bowker Market Research, show that while self-published books made up a tiny proportion – 2% – of all books purchased last
An interesting gap exists in modern romance publishing. We have contemporary fiction, which is set in the modern time – usually the action predominantly takes place within a few years of the publication date. And we have historical fiction, which is usually seen as covering the period of history up
From the blurb: Antoinette’s world has fallen apart: her husband, the man she has loved for as long as she can remember, has died tragically in an accident. He was her rock, the man she turned to for love and support, the man she knew better than she knew herself.
As James Joyce wrote in Ulysses, “I’d love to have the whole place swimming in roses.”
From the film’s description: U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive – a photograph he found of a woman he doesn’t even know. Discovering her name is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and
Why do writers write? For any or all of the following: Praise – the need to be recognised for the work Notoriety – the need to be respected and liked for the work Money – the need for success in writing to be monetised Posterity – the need to leave
From the blurb: Bitter life lessons have taught Crown Prince Maksim Yurkovich that duty must come before desire. His country needs an heir, so when he discovers his lover can’t have children, he must sever their ties. Only Maks can’t resist spending one last night in her bed. …can avert
Outside my front door in France with the cuisine d’eté at the end. I love the profusion of colours that welcome guests as they arrive.
The publishing world is atremble. Having recovered from the excitement of Dan Brown’s Inferno launch, eyes are now firmly on the release of The Next Big Sensation, which, it is hoped by publisher Jonathan Cape, will be Helen Fielding’s new novel Mad About the Boy, out in October of this
On every romance bestseller list in the UK right now (and, indeed, in plenty of countries worldwide) you find After You, Jojo Moyes’ sequel to her internationally bestselling Me Before You. Although Me Before You has been out – and raved about – for some years now, I have only
Siesta: as I write in my novel Indiscretion, it is ‘that sacred hour of the afternoon when Spaniards retire to the coolness of their rooms, blinds drawn, to escape the stifling heat’. In my Andalucian Nights series, the siesta is part of the culture of the Spain in which I
I am delighted to be able to share with you today the cover for my upcoming book, Legacy, which is the third and final book in the Andalucian Nights trilogy. What do you think? I would love to read your comments.
Recently, I’ve been following the blog of Terry Dresbach, the costume designer on the show Outlander. Her research into eighteenth-century fashion is fascinating, and like many others I adore the statements she makes with the outfits for the court of Louis XV, particularly for the heroine, Claire: I’ve no doubt
My dream has always been to write romance novels, and I am very fortunate that I live that dream every day. But if, for some reason, I could not have written romance, what then would I have dreamt of doing? Something to do with reading then, naturally: I’d have dreamt
When American writer James Patterson makes an announcement, it is usually big news; because he’s a bestselling author, of course, but also because he’s a game changer in publishing. Unafraid to be a maverick, Patterson has created a very successful author brand with acute business acumen: To date, he has
‘Gastronomy has been the joy of all peoples through the ages. It produces beauty and wit and goes hand in hand with goodness of heart and a consideration of others.’ So wrote Charles Pierre Monselet, a French author, in the 19th century. He was right, don’t you think? Trying new foods is
Thank you for stopping by on the Showers of Books Giveaway Hop organised by BookHounds. I’m giving away a paperback copy of my latest novel Masquerade, which has just been awarded a Benjamin Franklin Award by the Independent Book Publishers Association. Love, mystery and desire under the scorching Spanish sun. A
So many feelings surge through me when I read those words: award-winning author. Happiness. Fulfilment. Gratefulness. Most of all, pride. A day when I learn that I have won a new award, then, is a fantastic day indeed, and today is one such day. I was thrilled to learn this morning
Synopsis: Sometimes help comes from the most unlikely of hands, and sometimes getting lost is the surest way to be found. Anica Tomlin, business major, has just learned that the man she’s been planning her future around, her Global Finance professor, already has a beautiful wife and family. Ani cashes
This hop, organised by http://thekidsdidit.com and http://themommyisland.blogspot.com, is all about winning great prizes to cheer your April. How best to bring sunshine to a rainy month? Head to sunny Spain, of course, with my romance novel Indiscretion: A young woman’s journey of discovery takes her to a world of forbidden passion,
The Greeks told of a hero, brave, strong and adventurous, called Heracles – the son of Zeus. The Romans were sufficiently impressed to adopt him in their own mythology as Hercules, son of Jupiter. Hercules famously travelled the world, carrying out Twelve Labours which, according to the ancient writing Bibliotheca, included
Flamenco features prominently in my new series, Andalusian Nights, because it is an integral aspect of the Andalusian culture and because it is so ardently passionate. As I wrote Indiscretion and Masquerade – and my forthcoming book, Legacy – I listened to flamenco music and found myself transported to the
Etymology, the study of the origin of words and their changing meanings, fascinates me. Yes, I will confess to being a reader of dictionaries, and of articles relating to word trends. That is how I came to read ‘From alright to zap: an A-Z of horrible words’ in the Guardian
How do you like your romance? Sultry? Passionate? Evocative? Then you’ll love escaping into my novel Burning Embers: As part of the Raining Romance Books Giveaway Hop, I’m giving away a paperback of Burning Embers. I will post internationally, and so entry is open to all. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Inspired by the fool’s mask, for this giveaway hop I’m offering a paperback copy of my novel The Echoes of Love as a prize: Entry is open to readers worldwide, through Rafflecopter. a Rafflecopter giveaway
‘Inspiration strikes’ is a common term, and as a writer, I understand why. Once you let writing into your life, your imagination is always active, always open, and sometimes out of nowhere an idea comes to you, like a bolt from the blue. Invariably, this happens when you are doing something completely unrelated to writing – cooking, bathing, walking.
Umberto, hero of my new novel Concerto, is a man who is comfortable in the spotlight. He has grown up the son of a celebrated opera diva, and has honed his own musical talent to become a pianist composer, a rising star in the world of classical music. When my heroine, Catriona, goes to see Umberto perform in concert at the Nice opera house, she is absolutely mesmerised by his playing – and by the charismatic man himself:
When I wrote my first novel, Burning Embers, there was no such thing as an ebook. My dream was simply to see the book in print; to hold the novel in my hands. By the time I came to publish Burning Embers, however, the digital revolution was in full swing. My publisher informed me that the novel would be simultaneously published in print and ebook formats.
‘If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.’
My new novel, Concerto, is set on Lake Como. There, music therapist Catriona comes to Villa Monteverdi to work with Umberto, a pianist composer who has lost his sight, and his will to compose.
‘I ransack public libraries, and find them full of sunk treasure.’ So wrote Virginia Woolf, and how right she was, in more ways than one. Of course, libraries are full of amazing books to inform and entertain and inspire – but they can also contain treasures of real monetary value.
At the heart of my new novel Concerto is music – beautiful, poignant and cathartic.
Back in Shakespeare’s day, a writer was expected to copy a classical work; ‘unnecessary invention’ was frowned upon. According to Jack Lynch, in his article ‘The Perfectly Acceptable Practice of Literary Theft: Plagiarism, Copyright, and the Eighteenth Century’, it was only in the 18th century that originality became an ideal. But is this an impossible ideal?
Subscribe to my mailing list. I promise: no spam, only valuable information.