When I was a teenager, my Saturday afternoon trip to the cinema was the highlight of my week. I would go with my father and my sister, and we’d watch the latest Hollywood spectacular. I loved being swept away in the great romances playing out on screen. Those first films
From the blurb: After discovering a letter written by her mother shortly before her death, Anna Crawford, a London-based nurse, decides to travel to the Italian island of Capri in search of her father. What she doesn’t expect to find is that she’s heir to a vast family fortune. She’s
Fondue is inherently romantic, calling for candlelight and sharing food from the same dish and nibbling delicate amounts and feeding your partner. Traditionally, fondue is a dish from Switzerland, France and Italy in which you dip breads into cheese that is kept warm and melted over a small portable stove.
I love flash mobs, because they are surprising and theatrical and romantic and the very embodiment of the French phrase joie de vivre. Since their inception in 2003 (the first was in Manhattan, organised by the editor of Harper’s Magazine as a social experiment), flash mobs have crept into the
From the blurb: Chicago businessman and bachelor Devon Pierce is completely unprepared to be the guardian of Australian four-year-old Ryan Caldwell. But Ryan’s solicitor, Stella Walker, won’t take no for an answer. Little does Devon know this “minor” adjustment will grant him a future he never expected to have. Told
Literally translated, cuisine d’été means ‘summer kitchen’. Eating outside is all part of the French way of life, but in the summer the lawn can become intensely hot, so we have breakfast and lunch here, in the shade.
Romantic: Adjective: Inclined toward or suggestive of the feeling of excitement and mystery associated with love. Noun: A person with romantic beliefs or attitudes. I have always thought of myself as romantic. From such a tender age I loved to hear my governess tell love stories, and to dream up
From the blurb: Cultures clash when a determined PR director meets her match in the Everglades Twenty-five-year-old Whitney Latham has worked hard to prove herself to her controlling father and his business partner—her ex-husband. As public relations director for a housing development company with its sights set on Seminole land
… so said Ralph Waldo Emerson. I love flowers, and in both my homes I like arrangements to scent and colour and liven up rooms. Lilies are a particular favourite of mine.
My novel, Burning Embers, is set in 1970, and the protagonist, Coral, is an English girl very much of her era – fashionable, independent, ambitious, fiery. The other day, I was browsing music online, and I got to thinking about what kind of music Coral would have been listening to
The wonderfully funny author Terry Pratchett once wrote ‘There’s no such thing as writer’s block. That was invented by people in California who couldn’t write.’ Amusing, but if you’re a writer, aspiring or published, I’ve no doubt that you will smile but disagree. Some days, you sit down at your
Anna Patricio is a lover of ancient history, with a particular interest in Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Rome. She is also intrigued by the Ancient Near East; she has not delved too much into it but hopes to one day. She undertook formal studies in Ancient History at Macquarie
From the blurb: Paris, 1919.The world’s leaders have gathered to rebuild from the ashes of the Great War. But for one woman, the City of Light harbors dark secrets and dangerous liaisons, for which many could pay dearly. Brought to the peace conference by her father, a German diplomat, Margot
La Semaine des Voiles is a great event in St Tropez. We watch a parade of the most beautiful sailboats from our balcony.
From the blurb: In the two years since the tragic car crash that killed his fiancée, Nathanial (Nate) Mayer has successfully avoided another relationship. His family and especially his twin sister Nathalie are worried. Jennifer (Jenni) Blake is Nate’s personal assistant. Hired after the accident, she has her own problems
The internet – where would we be without it? Shopping, networking, banking, researching, arranging travel, catching up with friends and family: it’s an inherent part of daily life. And for romantics, there’s rich fodder for the imagination. Here are ten websites I recommend to fellow romantics. If you have suggestions,
The Dawa cocktail has become a classic drink in Kenya, setting of my novel Burning Embers. ‘Dawa’ means medicine or magic potion in Swahili; the drink is said to soothe all ills. Kenyans use a traditional Dawa stick to stir the cocktail – a wooden stick, sometimes carved or painted
What is love – a happy coincidence? A connection created out of luck? The creation of destiny? Or a product of hard work? Consider the lead characters in my novel, Burning Embers: Coral Sinclair, a young and fiery English photographer, is on her way to Kenya, the land of her
If a film adaptation is released of a book I enjoyed, I will generally try to watch it. But it is always a risky endeavour. The movie may encapsulate the spirit of the book beautifully: the setting may inspire you; the characters may be the perfect fit and have wonderful
Singing in the Rain, Les Misèrables, Guys and Dolls, Cats, My Fair Lady, Cabaret, West Side Story, Chicago, The King and I, Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera… Musicals: you either love them, or you hate them. And I think most dreamers and romantics, like myself, are firmly in
From the blurb: England 1812. Severely injured at the battle of Salamanca, Edward Thurston, the new Earl of Sinclair, returns home to his beloved Fly Hall. Determined not to present his prospective bride with the wreck he believes himself to have become, he decides to end his betrothal, unaware that
From the blurb: Two years ago Carly Roberts split from her lover, Daniel Edwards, after he caused a terrible sailing accident that cost her both the use of her right leg and her Olympic dreams. Unable to watch his climb to double Olympic success, she stayed in the Cornish village
I’ve spent many happy hours looking at this view from this rocking chair and dreaming up scenes in my novels.
Writing is, of course, art. For centuries it has been part of the family of arts, alongside music and drama and painting and sculpture. Certainly, when I write a vivid description of a place, I picture myself as an artist before a canvas, carefully layering up texture and colour to
Cinthia Ritchie is a former journalist who lives and runs mountains and marathons in Alaska. Her work can be found at New York Times Magazine, Sport Literate, Water-Stone Review, Under the Sun, Memoir, damselfly press, Slow Trains, 42opus, Evening Street Review and over 45 literary magazines. Her first novel, Dolls
I’ve spent many a happy afternoon lazing, dreaming and swimming at this lonely spot not far from my house in Ste Maxime.
One of the best things about the travelling I do, and living in two different countries, is the cuisines I get to explore. French food is divine, and for those with a sweet tooth, there are so many pastries and cakes and biscuits and chocolates to choose from in the
I love poetry. It’s a true art form; every word carefully selected; each stanza meticulously crafted. A poem has a unique ability to capture a moment, a mood, an interpretation that touches a reader’s thoughts and feelings. For me, a powerful poem can resonate with the soul, and echo in
The young gypsy took his place in the middle of the circle, which the previous performers had left vacant. His long, copper-tanned fingers began thrumming his guitar. The prelude continued for some time and the shouts, clapping of hands and stamping of feet worked his audience up to a state
The following description is from my Spanish-set novel Indiscretion: At La Linea, just outside Gibraltar, where she had arrived by passenger ship, she had found a train heading north, up the coast to Puerto de Santa Maria, via Cadiz. Coming face to face with the trenmixto, Alexandra had momentarily been
Thank you for visiting my blog as part of the Keep Calm and Hop On giveaway hop, hosted by http://thekidsdidit.com and http://themommyisland.blogspot.com. I’m giving away a paperback copy of my latest novel, Masquerade. I will post the prize internationally, so entry is open to all. Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway
From the blurb: Bienvenue à Paris! When April Vogt’s boss tells her about an apartment in the ninth arrondissement that has been discovered after being shuttered for the past seventy years, the Sotheby’s continental furniture specialist does not hear the words “dust” or “rats” or “decrepit.” She hears Paris. She hears
I happily confess that I am a big fan of Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander books. Her plots are intricate and clever, her historical context is fascinating, her dialogue is realistic and witty, and her characters are vividly drawn. Then there is the love story of Jamie and Claire; theirs is surely
In my latest book, Masquerade, I describe Luz’s home as follows: The sun was benevolent today so she seated herself comfortably on the veranda. A particularly fecund crop of orange and lemon trees hung like illuminated lanterns on one side of the terrace, backed by the whitewashed walls of the
Recently, writer Kevin Pickard wrote an article for Electric Literature entitled ‘Should Fiction Be Timeless? Pop Culture References in Contemporary Novels’. In it, he explored the enduring debate in literary circles over whether it is acceptable – preferable, even – to interweave popular culture references in a novel, or whether
It’s a February Fiesta! For your chance to win one of my novels in paperback or a £100/$150 Amazon gift card, follow the tour: 1 February dot-scribbles.blogspot.co.uk 2 February silvybooksaremylife.wordpress.com 3 February cosmochicklitan.com & readingbetweenthewinesbookclub.com 4 February oh-my-books.blogspot.co.uk & glowsnoveladdiction.blogspot.co.uk 5 February jeanzbookreadnreview.blogspot.co.uk & roomwithbooks.com
In 1987 a new American film studio released a movie shot on a low budget and with no major stars. Expectations were not high. And yet that movie would prove to be a sensational box office hit, and would become one of the most enduring and iconic romance movies of
Once upon a time… those four simple words evoke such wonderful memories for me. I remember being a little girl, bathed and ready for bed, sitting by my governess, Zula, as she read to me the tales of Hans Christian Anderson and the Brothers Grimm. ‘The Little Mermaid’, ‘The Nightingale’,
In my latest novel, Masquerade, the heroine Luz receives a dark warning from a gypsy woman: Gemini, Gemini … Deceptive Gemini. You think you know them, blinded by their wit and charm, Today they love you, tomorrow they may harm. Chameleons of the Zodiac, they’ll lead your mind astray, Into
Recently, a friend asked: ‘Have you read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon?’ I thought for a moment and then replied, ‘No, I haven’t.’ ‘Oh,’ she said at once, ‘you must! You’ll love them.’ I trust my friend; she knows my reading tastes well.So I bought the first book and
Thank you for visiting my blog as part of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop. I’m giving away the Literary Listography reading journal – ideal for keeping track of your reading past, present and future, and sharing recommendations with friends. Good luck with your entry: a Rafflecopter giveaway <!– end
My new trilogy, spanning Indiscretion, Masquerade and the forthcoming Legacy, is set in Andalusia, Spain. Wherever I set my stories, it is important to me that I convey a sense of the history, culture and personality of a place, and for Andalusia, that meant horses simply had to feature! Have
Regular readers of my blog will know that I like to keep up to date with writing, publishing and reading-related news. This week, my favourite story relates to George RR Martin, author of the wildly popular ‘A Song of Fire and Ice’ series, on which the equally successful Game of
One of my favourite sites for online window-shopping is The Literary Gift Company at www.theliterarygiftcompany.com. They sell all sorts of essentials, luxuries and quirky delights for the book lover. And their latest is wonderfully innovative: This ‘fictional map of London’ is described as: A navigable plan of London streets, parks,
Whenever I release a new book, interviewers commonly ask me about my writing habits – what are my sources of inspiration; do I plan or write off-the-cuff; where do I write? Here’s a little guide to writing a romance novel, the Hannah Fielding way. I’m sure all sorts of other
‘Pleasure is the flower that passes; remembrance, the lasting perfume’. — French writer Jean de Boufflers In my new book, Concerto, when the hero and heroine first meet they are in the flush of youth, Umberto in his mid-twenties and Catriona eighteen. At once, a powerful attraction springs up between
I find it hard to recall a time when I did not want to be a writer; it feels like it has always been part of me. Similarly, when I look back I can’t pin down a point in my life when I decided I wanted to be an author,
‘A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love.’ So wrote one of my favourite writers, the 19th-century French novelist Stendhal. In all of my romance novels, hope is essential, for how can one fall in love without being hopeful of a bright future? But
On an ordinary street in Dumfries, Scotland, beside the River Nith, lies an extraordinary house. Moat Brae, which was built in 1823, is a quite beautiful building, with its striking Georgian architecture. But that’s not what makes this place special. Indeed, until a decade ago the house was threatened with
In Concerto, when the hero and heroine first meet, they are young and full of dreams and a great deal of ambition. Catriona is a talented singer who would love to become an opera singer, and Umberto is the son of an opera diva and is a famous pianist composer
Have you heard of the Future Library project by Scottish artist Katie Paterson? The concept is simple, and very beautiful. In a Norwegian forest, 1,000 Norwegian spruces have been planted. For one hundred years they will grow. Then, in 2114, they will be cut down and made into paper, on
Today is the day! My new novel, Concerto, has been released in the UK. You can buy Concerto in print or as an ebook from Amazon.co.uk, Waterstones and WHSmith. The novel will be published in the US in August. When Catriona Drouot, a young music therapist, honours an opera diva’s dying request to help
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