The Next Big Thing

I've been tagged by the lovely Kate Hardy to be part of The Next Big Thing blog.  You basically answer a series of questions about your latest book.  But before I get to that I want to let you know that I was SUPER excited to find out my February release is going to be paired with Kate Hardy's next book.  I've read Kate's books for the last five years and she was one of the people who encouraged and inspired me to write for Mills and Boon, so sharing a book with her is just awesome!  Her Inescapable Temptation comes out in February.

But in the meantime on to The Next Big Thing

What is the title of your book?

Her Christmas Eve Diamond

How did you come by the idea?

I begged my editor to write a Christmas story as I love all things Christmassy.  I also wanted to set my story in Glasgow and introduce some Scottish words and foods!

What genre does your book fall under?

Medical Romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters if it were a movie?

My hero is based on the delicious Bradley Cooper and my heroine on the actress Stana Katic who plays Kate Beckett in Castle.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

When The Grinch meets the Christmas Fairy who will come out on top?

Will your book be self-published or traditional?

It was published by Harlequin Mills and Boon in November in the UK, USA, Australia and France.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

Around 2 months.  I tend to write 1000 words a day.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

My definite love of Christmas!  I'm just about to start next year's Christmas book!

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This story also focuses on a dad who has been separated from his child and a woman who is struggling to adjust to her Gran's worsening dementia.

Nurse Cassidy Rae is a stickler for rules, but even she revels in the magoc of Christmas! This year, however, new registrar Brad Donovan's surfer-boy good looks and cocky charm are severely testing her goodwill to all men.  But in the festive season miracles can happen, and Brad's about to give Cassidy a Yuletide to remember...

New cover bonanza!

Do you remember a few posts ago I asked the question Who was my hero kissing?  (My heroine was a brunette and the woman being kissed was a blonde!)  Well, I can't quite believe it but I've had a cover change.  Isn't it gorgeous!

Then I have a new kindle cover for the UK

And a lovely french cover for A Bond Between Strangers.

I love a pretty cover!  What do you think??

Sunshine Award

 Romy Summer and Rachael Johns both nominated me for a Sunshine Award. So here goes!

1. What is your favourite Christmas/festive movie?
I have lots of favourite Christmas movies as it's one of my favourite times of year.  My all time favourite is probably Miracle on 34th Street and I must be the only person in the world who loves the second version with Richard Attenburgh, Mara Wilson and Dylan McDermott.
I also love The Grinch, Santa Claus the Movie, Elf, Home Alone and White Christmas.

2. What is your favourite flower?
It has to be Livingstone Daisies.  I try to grow them in my garden every year and fail miserably.  I love the bright array of colours and they always catch my attention if I see them growing in someone else's garden.  Might be a little strange as a favourite flower!



3. What is your favourite non-alcoholic beverage?
It has to Diet Coke or Diet Irn Bru.  For those of you who have not experienced Scotland's National Drink it comes with the slogan "made in Scotland, by Girders" it's bright orange and doesn't look all that great but tastes fab!
 
4. What is your passion?
This has to be easy. Writing and reading.  I never have enough hours in the day to do both.
 
5. What is your favourite time of year?
Even though I don't love the cold, and I like a summer holiday as much as the next person, it probably has to be winter.  I like snuggling up.  I like feeling cosy.  I have enough winter coats to open my own shop.  Ditto hats.  Ditto bags.  Ditto boots.  I love a cold, crisp winter morning with a nip of frost in the air without the danger of skidding and falling on my bum.  

6. What is your favourite time of day?
I used to say I was a morning person.  But I'm having to face up to the truth of that.  I can't write first thing in the morning.  I'm just not in the place I need to be.  I like mid-morning - I like morning coffee and cake.  I love lunches.  I should have been a 'lady who lunched' however finances dictate that I'm not.  My best writing time is afternoon, even though I don't particularly like that time of day.  By then I've done everything else I need to and I'm free to write.  
7. What is your favourite physical activity?
That's really easy.  None.  I wasn't designed for physical activity.  I've done Zumba and I used to swim half a mile a week.  But no.  Life has got in the way.  I'm not fat yet.  But the possibility is definitely there.
8. What is your favourite vacation?
I love a good holiday.  Loved Florida. Loved Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco (that was more than 10 yrs ago now).  Loved New York - going back in February for my 40th.  Been two mediterranean cruises with my other half and the kids and loved them too!

So, if you haven't already been nominated for a Sunshine Award consider yourself nominated now!

Pink Inspiration

I am in the midst of book eight for Mills and Boon. This is my second CDC story and I'm currently in the middle of Nigeria with my characters Evan and Violet.  I still have another 15,000 words to write but should be finished in the next two weeks.

But my mind is beginning to plan ahead. I have another story to write for another publisher along with some other authors.  This will be a bit different from what I currently write and as I've already completed my partial I find myself looking on the Internet for inspiration.

Here's where my story starts.

Aren't they fabulous?  I'm not going to give the game away but they feature heavily in chapter one!

And what do think of this beauty? Can you imagine the rustle when this dress moves? I haven't quite figured out how it will happen yet, but you can bet my heroine will have cause to wear this dress.

And finally, what ring would capture my heroine perfectly? Why, a pink diamond of course.
So this ring will be working it's way into my story.  I currently have these three pictures printed and on my wall.
Waiting for my heroine to reappear.
And her name?
Well, I haven't given too much away so will tell you that the girl who will possess all these items is called Selena.

What do you think of her shoes, dress and ring?
I hadn't even realised a pink theme was going on until I collected my pictures together.  Selena, a pink girl?  Well, it I never knew it!

Who is the hero kissing????

Here is the cover of my next release in the US Her Christmas Eve Diamond. Whilst it's a nice scene it doesn't feel very Christmassy. But more importantly my heroine is a brunette - so just who is the hero kissing??!!!!!

The Reading List: An Update

A few months ago I did a blog called The Reading List about trying some new books.

I showed a huge list of recommendations and what I planned to read over the next few months.

So, how did I do?

Well, not too bad to be honest!  But I have to warn you that I'm going to be brutally honest about these books.
A Prayer for Owen Meany.  Well, I enjoyed the book overall.  It was pretty long and I did feel as if it could have been edited by 200 pages without losing any of the story or content.  My biggest gripe came with the description of Owen.  He was apparently so tiny that the kids could pass him around over their heads.  He was described as the size of a toddler.  Then he made it to 5ft to get into the US army.  It just didn't ring true.  The health visitor in me knows quite a lot about syndromes.  Not sure what Owen's syndrome was supposed to be, but it just didn't add up.

I'm going to do the next few all together.  Kristan Higgins Fools Rush In, Linda Howard Mr Perfect, Susan Mallery Under Her Skin.
I thought all of these books were fine, but none of them blew me away.  I'd heard lots of people rave about them but the truth be told, once I'd read them I didn't think about them again.
PS Still got Susan Mallery Only His to read.

When it came to Susan Elizabeth Phillips I cheated.  I was supposed to read Natural Born Charmer or Ain't She Sweet.  But I swapped them and read Call Me Irresistable instead.  I enjoyed this story and thought that she wrote a fabulous ending.  I have a lot to learn from this lady!






What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty was a recommendation by my Australian critique partner Rachael Johns.  And it was fabulous, loved every minute of it.  Just think, having an accident and forgetting 10 years of your life.  Really enjoyed this one!


And finally..............................the teenage fiction.

All I can say is WOW!!!!
I am so, so impressed.  The Gone series by Michael Grant.  Gone, Lies, Hunger, Plague and Fear.These books were absolutely fantastic.  The final book in the series Light is out next year and I will be fighting my 12 year old for it.  Blown away by how good these books were!!

 The Hunger Games.  I've had these books sitting in my house for months, but once I started reading them I absolutely couldn't put them down!  Talk about Page Turning Quality.  Really engrossing.

So what have I learned?  That I want to be a teenager again.  When I was a teenager I had Sweet Valley University and that was it.  The teenage books I have read have really taken it to a new level.  I have now invested in lots of new teenage fiction (obviously with intention of finding suitable reading for my 12 year old!) and reading these books are pure pleasure.

Maybe I should think about writing one???????

In the meantime I'm compiling a new reading list, including a number of books I've been meaning to read for the last few years.
The list this time will include - Jodi Picoult Lone Wolf, Susan Wiggs Marrying Daisy Bellamy, David Fiddimore The Hidden War, Teri Terry Slated, Anne O'Brien The King's Concubine and Elizabeth Noble Things I Want my Daughter to Know.

Happy reading!

Olympics and team spirit!

Well, it's all very sad.  The olympics are over.

I amazed myself.  For a woman with not the slightest interest in sport I spent night after night watching everything I could.
I could feel my heart thudding in my chest watching Mo Farrah win his races.  My heart thudded even heavier when I saw how heavily pregnant his wife was!
I nearly cried for Tom Daley.  I had to put my hands in front of my eyes for some of his dives.  I've never been so happy for a medal winner.  I kept whispering Come on Tom, you can do it!
Jessica Ennis was a spectacular role model for young women, as was all our competing athletes.  The south african boy swimmer, whose dad was interviewed on TV did make me smile and cry all at once.
But the closing ceremony certainly had me howling with laughter at some points.  Especially since my friend was there and kept sending me pictures.

The stadium looked amazing.

One Direction didn't look too bad either, if you can forgive the blip in the photo!

The Pet Shop boys were pretty spectacular.

As were the Spice Girls in their health-and-safety issues taxis!!!


I'm not going to say too much about the fact Noel Gallagher must have been killing himself laughing at Liam's nasal voice.  Or about Russell Brand's singing.

I'll focus on the joy that was Eric Idle and the palpable emotion in the air when Take That took to the stage.  Hats off to Gary Barlow.
My only regret that the ceremony wasn't closed by Take That singing Never Forget.  I think it would have been a fabulous end to a wonderful olympics.

And my only gripe???

Why is the flame extinguished when the Paralympics still have to take place??
I was a tiny bit uncomfortable about that and thought it would have been more fitting to extinguish the flame when both events had finished.
But then again, who am I?