Time to Celebrate!

I'm delighted to say that two of my books have made it on to the shortlist for the Romantic Novelists Association RoNA Rose Award.

West Wing to Maternity Wing and Her Christmas Eve Diamond have made the shortlist with four other books.

Here's the other nominees.
Betrothed to the Barbarian by Carol Townend
Beneath the Major's Scars by Sarah Mallory
The Good, The Bad and the Wild by Heidi Rice
Always the Best Man by Fiona Harper

I'm really over the moon.

First of all, I didn't think I'd made the shortlist.  My friend Kate Hardy made the shortlist last year and at a later date she'd told me she got the call on Christmas Eve.
So, this year, when Christmas Eve came and went, I just assumed I hadn't made it.
Then on 4 January an email pinged into my Inbox.  And I promptly pinged onto the ceiling!
There was screaming.  There was shouting. 

There was Richard and Judy are presenting the Awards!  I get to be in the same room as them!

Yes, I was very happy.  So, my flight and hotel are booked.  My ticket is bought for the awards.

There might even have been the purchase of a new dress...

Hot new covers!

I have a new release on 1 February in the UK and I have been blessed with a beautiful cover.  Not only that, the book also releases in the US and Australia and the covers are equally gorgeous!

You can tell it's a cruise ship story from the cover and I was jumping with glee when I saw the red cover trim.  Do you know how long I've waited to see the name Scarlet Wilson in red??!!

And here is my australian cover.  I'm loving the dark haired girl on the front cover.  Wouldn't mind seeing a bit more of the guy though!

And finally the US cover, my own hero inspiration was David Gandy and the hero isn't quite that, but overall I love these covers!

Most authors know that covers can be a hit or a miss.  We fill in sheets regarding our characters and describe a few scenes in the book.   Sometimes when you get a cover you wonder if anyone has read the info at all.
However, on this occasion I'm a happy camper.
Which one if your favourite??

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

So, it's almost Christmas.  One of my most favourite times of year.
I've just finished my partial for next years Christmas medical and the penny has finally dropped with what was wrong with another partial I was writing.
It needed a Christmas theme! Hooray!

So here is some Glasgow pictures.  My latest book Her Christmas Eve Diamond is set in Glasgow at Christmas and it's a fabulous place to visit at this time of year.

I want to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year.  I'm signed for four new Harlequin Mills and Boon Medicals next year but have also completed another story with a Halloween theme for another publisher.
Once I've signed the contract for that one, I'll tell you a little more!

Happy Christmas!

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!