Do you believe in love at first sight? If you do, you’re in good company: a recent survey (http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/relationships/love-250110.html) found that 65 per cent of British men and 45 per cent of British women believe in love at first sight. Why the difference? I suspect it is because men are
The following review appeared in the What’s On supplement this weekend across Kent newspapers: This debut novel from the Egyptian writer who made Kent her home is set on the plantations of 1970s Kenya, where a mysterious love affair grips a young beautiful photographer. Coral Sinclair returns to her family
I recently ran a question survey via SurveyMonkey and Goodreads to discover people’s ‘most romantics’. For the ‘Most romantic season’ question, the clear favourite was autumn (43%), followed by spring (31%), and then summer (15%) and winter (11%). Given the current season and the glorious weather that many of us
You may associate the flatbread chapati with India, but in fact it is a staple in Kenya. There, the flatbread is made by hand and used as both meal accompaniment and utensil for eating, as people scoop up their vegetable and meat dishes with the chapati. In Burning Embers, set
A book title containing the word ‘Darcy’ is certainly going to catch my attention, Pride and Prejudice being one of my favourite classic romance novels. Hence I decided to give this novel a try, and I was pleased I did because it was a fun, diverting, romantic read. The action
If you’ve been following book news in the past week you’ll have read about erotic romance ebook publisher Total-E-Bound’s new initiative: giving classic romance novels an ‘erotic makeover’. Inspired by the success of the Fifty Shades series, the publisher has decided to add some spice to several classic titles. The
The conservation area of a local town, Deal, in Kent, which used to be a smugglers’ haunt in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
I recently ran a question survey via SurveyMonkey and Goodreads to discover people’s ‘most romantics’. For the ‘Most romantic film’ question I offered a choice of the following (plus respondents could note down a different film if preferred): An Affair to Remember Titanic Dirty Dancing Gone with the Wind Casablanca
I think one would find it hard to find a person on the planet who does not love elephants. The French poet Paul Éluard – one of the founders of the surrealist movement – said ‘Elephants are contagious’, and I think he was right. Their size, their beauty, their slow,
I really enjoy fiction that weaves itself into history or mythology, especially when it links to places I have visited, or would like to visit. So I was keen to read this book, Shades of Atlantis by Carol Oates, which ties into the mystical Hill of Tara – the seat
When deciding on a title for your novel, the challenge is to find one that fits the book and conveys its essence, while ensuring it is sufficiently original not to conflict with another work. As in Burning Embers, I usually have a title in mind from early on in the
Bales of hay in the summer; an authentic Kentish sight. I love it.
Although I now call England my home and list the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen among my favourite authors, for the first twenty or so years of my life, I read almost exclusively French books. At my convent school, Notre Dame de Sion, the nuns gave me a thorough grounding
My readers – especially those of you who follow me on Twitter – know me as a writer who takes great inspiration from quotations. When it comes to aphorisms and proverbs, I am something of a collector, noting them down for inspiration in my writing, or to share on Twitter.
A beautiful, passionate, thought-provoking story about forbidden love; this book will be going on my ‘favourite romances’ shelf. From the blurb: An unforgettable romance in an unforgiving time. They’ll need love and courage to see the dawn. He’s a hometown native, returning from the war, determined to change the world
Perfection! All the romance of the world in one little fragrant package.
One of my favourite styles of art is that of Pointillism: a technique in which the artist uses dots of colour to create an overall image. Notable artists who have used this technique include Vincent van Gogh, Georges Seurat, Henri-Edmond Cross and Andy Warhol at the start of his career.
Happiness is what we seek in life. Other things – love, laughter, accomplishments, security – are about making us happy; love, most of all. So it follows that at the core of a romance book is the characters’ search for happiness. In Burning Embers, Rafe and Coral fall in love,
It seems that barely a week goes by without a new story hitting the headlines about a celebrity couple splitting up. In the past few weeks I’ve read of Johnny Depp’s split from his wife of 14 years, and then Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes heading for the divorce courts.
Fran lives in North Wales, ‘the most beautiful place in the world’, is married and has a teenage daughter, Rosie, at university. But her marriage is not going well, she has nothing in common with her husband, Mal, and he doesn’t want to spend any time with her. She wants
Have you heard of the latest dating sensation to hit America? Pheromone parties are the brainchild of a 25-year-old neuroscience graduate student from California, who realised that how her boyfriend smelt was a big factor in her attraction to him. Now, men and women are attending parties to which they bring
I often write in the shade of this Catalpa tree. I love its heart-shaped leaves!
Regular readers of my blog will know that ‘place’ is an important source of inspiration for me, and is also a key element of my writing. I love researching settings for my novels – reading countless books on customs and legends and architecture and history and flora and fauna, and
I have been cooking up a storm recently in preparation for guests who are visiting my home in France. What I love most about cooking in France is the abundance of delicious fresh ingredients, especially the tomatoes – French tomatoes have
This month I’m holding a Burning Embers Giveaway. The prizes: 10 print copies of Burning Embers, plus one lucky winner will also receive an Amazon gift voucher worth £50/$80. To enter, simply comment on this page. Be sure to leave your email address so I can get in touch. Good
Over the course of her writing career Penny Jordan wrote 187 books for Mills & Boon, of which I have read many. There was a hint of sadness and poignancy, then, as I read this book to review for the publisher, because it is Penny’s last book, written in her
I was born in Alexandria, and now live part of the year in France and the other part in England. In between, I’ve travelled extensively around the world. If you’re interested to read more about my travels, take a look at the Wanderlust travel website, which has published an interview
It’s funny to think, now, that this film, made way back in 1938 and starring Hollywood greats Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, was not a success when it was first released. Today, it’s widely regarded as a classic in cinematic history, the pioneer of the screwball comedy and one of
What better place to write of romance than sitting on a picnic blanket amid a sea of wild flowers? This meadow is near my home in the south of France, and is beautifully untamed and untouched.
Don’t miss my article on travel website Wanderlust, ‘An insider’s guide to the south of France’, in which I share my top five off-the-beaten-track places near my home in the Côte d’Azure. Visit http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/blogs/insider-secrets/an-insiders-guide-to-the-south-of-france.
This morning, I logged onto Amazon UK and had a look at the books bestsellers list. What did I find at the top? Not a novel, not a biography, not a non-fiction tome, but one of these: Of the top twenty bestselling books on Amazon this morning, five were adult
The closest city to the hacienda, El Pavon, where my characters live in Indiscretion is Seville, Spain. It is a city I know well, and love, and so I very much enjoyed describing my heroine, Alexandra’s, exploration of the place. As in my previous novels, where my heroines got to
Twitter: a social media platform used regularly by 302 million people, including me. I use Twitter extensively as a means by which to connect with readers and fellow romantics – I chat, I publish news relating to my books, and I share quotations about life and love. As yet,
On a mild summer’s day, once I have completed the writing tasks I set myself, I am usually to be found sitting in my garden near sweet-scented flowers, reading a book. Romance novels are, of course, firm favourites, and I spend much time reading background materials on the country
In my new novel, Indiscretion, the heroine Alexandra is a young woman of dual heritage: she is half-English and half-Spanish. When her parents’ marriage ended, in her childhood, she went to live in England, and for many years she has been estranged from her Spanish side of the family. Until,
I know that many of my readers enjoy historical romance, and a number of you either write in the genre or aspire to. So I thought I would share details of an intriguing collaborative writing contest. Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins, has launched Avon FanLit, a 12-week onliune writing
Is reading romance a ‘guilty’ pleasure for you? Do you read romance novels on an ebook so no one knows what you’re reading and judges you by it? Do you associate the words ‘trashy’ or ‘illicit’ or ‘low-brow’ or ‘anti-feminist’ with the romance genre? Then may I suggest you read
Mr Darcy, the archetype of the brooding, aloof romantic hero who is famous the world over more than two hundred years since his inception. Clearly, Jane Austen wove magic into this character, so lasting and powerful has been his legacy. But does the character of Mr Darcy stand as testament to
No doubt you know the term machismo (from the Spanish ‘macho’) – most romantic heroes, after all, exude this quality. But what connotations does machismo have for you: positive or negative? Certainly, definitions of the term lead to confusion: Merriam-Webster: ‘an attitude, quality, or way of behaving that agrees with
Two news stories caught my eye this week. The first was that, according to The Association of American Publishers, ebook sales fell by 10 per cent at the start of this year compared to the preceding year. The second was a story about a Japanese book craftsman who lovingly restores
Whenever I start writing a new romance novel, setting is one of the most important considerations. My signature style incorporates exotic, beautiful, romantic settings, and for each novel I want to be sure I really capture the places I am writing about for the reader, so that they are
From the blurb: He takes her for hate. Will he keep her for love? Sebastian, lord of the tower in the northern high lands, is a proud, bitter man with a dark past. An alchemist and a warrior, he has had lovers but knows he is ugly – experience and
I’ve written about a couple of interesting apps for readers recently: Whichbook, which matches a book to your mood, and The Clean Reader, which blanks out offensive language. Here’s a quick peek at another innovative app that’s hit the headlines. The Fictionary is a free app that aims to help
Back in February I reported on a government survey of almost 15,000 British people in the UK that revealed ‘author’ is the most desired job in the country. But a couple of months later, a study has been published that reveals this is most certainly one of the riskiest job
One of the most lingering memories of my time in Andalusia, Spain – setting for my new novel, Indiscretion– is of flavours. Succulent tomato. The very freshest of fish. Fragrant olive oil. The salty tang of Serrano ham. Delicious! It was a real pleasure, while writing Indiscretion and keeping the
From the blurb: How To Tame A Willful Wife: 1. Forbid her from riding astride 2. Hide her dueling sword 3. Burn all her breeches and buy her silk drawers 4. Frisk her for hidden daggers 5. Don’t get distracted while frisking her for hidden daggers… Anthony Carrington, Earl of
What does the New Year holiday mean to you? Counting down to midnight, perhaps, and raising a toast to a prosperous new year; watching the fireworks; sharing a meal with loved ones. It’s a meaningful holiday – after all, since ancient times people have celebrated new beginnings – but in our
A very happy Christmas to you all. Here, infused with the spirit of Christmas, is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day’. What better wish can we make today than ‘peace on earth, good will to men’… I heard the bells on Christmas day Their old
It’s the most magical time of the year – for children, of course, but for adults too who are infused with the spirit of Christmas. No doubt you and your family have developed your own traditions over the years. Our Christmas Eve ones include attending a carol service, unwrapping a
‘You may say I’m a dreamer But I’m not the only one’ So wrote John Lennon and Yoko Ono for the song ‘Imagine’. Aren’t we all dreamers, deep down? We all have aspirations. We may hold these dreams close; quietly long to do something or have something. Or we may
What better gift to give and receive at Christmas than one that brings comfort, solace, inspiration, enjoyment and learning? Books are readily available, they are inexpensive and they are bound to be treasured, for as Stephen King put it, they are ‘a uniquely portable magic’. I love to browse bookstores and choose
Are you familiar with the Image of God concept? It’s inherent in the religions of Judaism, Christianity and Sufism that human beings were created in the image of God. The Ancient Greeks had a different take, however, on creation and the gods. When we talk about Greek gods and goddesses, we’re
It’s no secret that there is a stigma attached to romance novels. They’re unrealistic, they’re cheesy, they’re silly, they’re cringe-worthy, they’re formulaic, they’re not ‘proper’ literature… these, and many more, accusations are levelled at romance books. For the reader, this means having to push through any sense of embarrassment or
‘Pride comes before a fall,’ we say. ‘Honesty is the best policy… and look before you leap.’ Have you ever considered where these little axioms of wisdom originated? The answer is: the stories of a man named Aesop who lived in Ancient Greece. I grew up with a governess who
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