Having fun!

I'm just back from London and lying on top of my bed in a state of all-out recovery.

Thurday was a 5 am start to Glasgow airport, followed by the Stansted Express into London, a quick ride on a tube train to drop off my case at the gorgeous Charing Cross Hotel, then another ride on the tube to Richmond to reach..........

Mills and Boon Headquarters

I was a bit nervous at Mills and Boon headquarters.  I had arranged with my editor to film an interview to help publicise the Medical Fast Track coming up in June.  I also filmed some Love Bites segments that will be released in September when A Bond Between Strangers comes out, then again in November when Her Christmas Eve Diamond is released.

I was obviously in mid flow here!

I'm a bit worried people won't understand my strong Scottish accent but I'll just need to wait and see!

Next it was off to a lovely restaurant with my editor called Rock and Rose.  Very opulent!

There might have been cocktails......and wine......and lovely food......and then coffee and dessert.  But my lips are sealed!
Then it was a mad dash back to my hotel, then onto Waterstones in Piccadily for 5 o'clock as that's where the RNA members were meeting.

Talli Roland, Denyse King, me and Nina Harrington, who isn't paying attention!

Myself and Fiona Harper

It was then a quick (but not in my shoes!) walk along to the Royal Overseas League where the RNA Summer Party was being held.

Nina Harrington and Fiona Harper outside the Overseas League

The contenders for the Joan Hessayon award

The party was great fun with Evonne Wareham winning the Joan Hessayon award for her novel Never Coming Home.

Myself and my lovely editor Carly Byrne.

And after the party myself and my shoes disappeared for drinks with some fellow authors.

And whilst the shoes were beautiful, by this point my feet had died.  The lovely Anna Louise Lucia volunteered her silver sandals - well, actually I borrowed them as we walked back to the hotel.

Brigid Coady and Abby Green.

Abby and Heidi Rice.

At this point I had to don my shoes again and walk back to Charing Cross with Fiona, except we took the scenic route.  I could show you a photo of my feet but it isn't pretty!

And so I finished my visit to London the following morning by visiting my new nephew Oliver, who was born over a month ago and this was my first chance to see him.  Needless to say, he is gorgeous!

After the Call...

First of all, thanks to everyone who sent their good wishes following The Call.  You might have been able to tell I was on a high...
So what happens next?  Quite a lot actually.  I wasn't asked to do any final tweaks to my manuscript so have been able to sleep soundly.  My editor let me know that my book will be titled It Started with a Pregnancy and will be published in Sept 2011.  WHOOPEE!
I also had to agree a date to have my next manuscript ready.  I've agreed on the end of May but have just finished writing a medical romance that's a little different.  It's been off to my critique partner and had some changes and has now been sent on to my editor, who will get back to me in a few weeks.
I'm not delusional.  I know that revisions will be required.  And hopefully now I've had some practice I will be better at them.  My big worry is that my editor will tell me she doesn't like it and I'll have to start something new completely.  Because I love this story and I love that it features a profession I've never seen in a Medical Romance before.
In the meantime I've started revising something I wrote last year and has room for improvement - oh, and a POV!
I've just had my first set of Author Alterations sent to me and I plan to work on them tomorrow.  This is the last time I get to see my book before publication.  Yikes!
I also received my contract, which made my knees tremble as I printed it out.  So I just need to sign that and send it back.
I also purchased a domain name for my website and a friend at work is going to build my site for me.
Finally I found out that my first book will be eligible for the Joan Hessayon Prize with the RNA as it went through the New Writers Scheme.  So next year I get to go to the RNA Summer Party!  Yippee!
So how is everyone else getting on?  I know some people are still waiting for their SYTYCW entries and my fingers and toes are crossed for you all!