Birthday on the Bank

It's Monday again, and wouldn't you know it: London is still freezing! No matter, because I had a wonderful birthday weekend despite Arctic conditions and a failed shopping trip (why is it that when you want to buy something -- anything! -- nothing takes your fancy, but when you're dead broke...). Not wanting to brave the snow flurries on Saturday, I holed up indoors and watched Margin Call. It's a brilliantly terse film with wonderful dialogue. The night was topped off by strawberries and champagne and, er... pizza. Not quite as decadent as champers and berries, but just as yummy!

On Sunday, Mr TR, Baby TR and I faced down the biting wind and had lunch at the British Film Institute on the Southbank, where I got a wonderful pair of diamond and sapphire earrings. I'm a lucky woman!

You can sort of see my new earrings here!

Then we strolled along the river, trying not to freeze, and over to the Tate Modern for some art and dessert. Baby TR had just about enough at this stage and his Lobster-y side kicked in, so we beat a hasty retreat home where we gulped down some delicious Chinese takeaway and birthday cake.

Baby TR... before becoming Lobster-y.

And that was that! So, okay, it wasn't Paris and yes, there was plenty of poo and pee involved (the baby's, I hasten to add!). But I have to admit, it was a pretty damn fabulous birthday anyway.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes here, on Facebook and on Twitter!

Have a great week.

I Love London in the Springtime...

Happy Monday! Less than one week until my birthday, just in case you needed reminding. Last year, Mr TR and I went to Paris for the weekend. This year, well... let's just say it'll be a celebration if I make it through the day without being sprayed with spit-up/ pee/ explosive cascading poo/ drool. I do have a super-cute baby for my troubles, though, so I really can't complain (much).

This past week was a busy one! I met with my agent at a cute cafe next to the English National Opera, had an enquiry from a publishing house in Brazil, went to lunch with six other mums at the Orangery in Kensington Gardens -- you should have seen the horror on the other patrons' faces as we wheeled our prams in! -- and attended a talk by the wonderful Jane Lovering at a Romantic Novelists' Association event. And the weather, well . . . let's not speak of it; I'll let the ironic title of this post do that. Argh.

I'm now putting the finishing touches on my short story, and tomorrow I'll start plotting a new novel. I've been mulling this one over for a while and I can't wait to get started crafting the story line! A big thank-you to everyone who chimed in with nap suggestions. You'll be pleased to hear Lobster Baby is dozing as I type. Long may it last!

I'll leave you with a photo of this time last year in Paris... sigh!

Have a lovely week, everyone!

Existential Monday

Monday again! I've no idea where the time is going, and what a difference a week makes. This time last Monday, I was picnicking in the park sans jacket. Now, I'm cowering by the heater wrapped in a robe as  Britain suffers a wintry blast. Fingers crossed Spring sees fit to make a return!

Yesterday was Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday, as it's also known) in the UK. I always found it strange to celebrate in March as opposed to May, and this year - as a new mother - even more so. Despite the icky weather, Mr TR, Lobster Baby and I managed to make it out to brunch on nearby High Street Kensington where I devoured a HUGE stack of pancakes in about five minutes. I may not be classy, but man, can I eat quickly! I hope all the other UK mums reading this also had a fantastic day.

I am feeling so out of the loop these days, and I hope to return to make the blog rounds soon. (Yes, I've said that before, I know, I know.) With Lobster Baby on a regular nap schedule now (and if he stays napping when he's supposed to), I should be able to! Thankfully, I have been able to get some words down amidst the clamour of the ongoing painting work. It's been a strange couple months not writing, I must admit, and I did miss it. Slowly, slowly, I am finding my way through the mists of motherhood and back to the world!

What's the weather like in your neck of the woods (yes, I'm obsessed with weather)? How on earth do you get children to stay asleep once they're down? And why are we here, anyway? :)

Have a great week, everyone!

Sunlounging!

Summer seems so far away, doesn't it? But this week, I've been working on a short story for Belinda Jones' Sunlounger anthology, featuring thirty chick lit writers (including yours truly!). My story is set in Cairo, complete with sand, camels... and sun! Sigh. Although it is sunny in London at the moment with a high of 13 Celsius, so I can't really complain.

If you fancy getting your story in there, you can submit 1000-5000 words right up until 31st March. Click the photo to read the fine print...

Apart from camels, I've been busy doing more park walks, lunches, and brunches in Soho. And next week, I hope to start plotting my new novel. Yay!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend. Wishing everyone a great week ahead!

When in Rome

Happy Thursday, all! Thank you for your lovely comments on Monday's post. You'll be happy to hear I'm feeling much better, blood pressure aside, and I'm off for a lovely stroll through Hyde Park in a bit!

Today, I am pleased to welcome fellow RNA member Alison Morton to the blog to talk about her new novel, Inceptio.

Over to Alison!

Thank you very much for welcoming me to your blog, Talli.

Tomorrow is the official publication date of my debut novel, INCEPTIO. Hooray! Three years of slog – researching, writing, and polishing – have led to this exciting moment. It’s a thriller, so it’s doubly exciting. Now, I’d like to tell you about it! But too much telling’s frowned on by Those Who Know, so let me show you…

An eleven year old fascinated by the mosaics in Ampurias (huge Roman site in Spain), I asked my father, “What would it be like if Roman women were in charge, instead of the men?” Maybe it was the fierce sun boiling my brain that day, maybe it was just a precocious kid asking a smartarse question. But clever man and senior ‘Roman nut’, my father replied, “What do you think it would be like?” Real life intervened (school, uni, career, military, marriage, motherhood, business ownership), but the idea bubbled away in my mind and INCEPTIO slowly took shape.

Of course, I made the classic mistake of submitting too soon, but had some encouraging replies. Several rewrites later and I’d made some full submissions, even to a US agent! I had replies like ‘If it was a straight thriller, I’d take it on’ and ‘Your writing is excellent, but it wouldn’t fit our list.’  I was (am!) passionate about my stories so I decided to self publish with bought-in publishing services. Using high quality professional backing (editing, advice, registrations, typesetting, design, book jacket, proofing, etc.), I think it’s a fantastic way for new writers to enter the market.

You describe your novel as an “alternate history thriller” – how is that different from a normal thriller? 

Alternate history is based on the idea of “what if”? What if King Harold had won the Battle of Hastings in 1066? Or if Julius Caesar had taken notice of the warning that assassins wanted to murder him on the Ides of March? Sometimes, it could be little things such as in the film Sliding Doors, when the train door shuts and Gwyneth Paltrow’s character splits into two; one rides away on the train, the other is left standing on the platform.

The rest of the story or history of a country, from that point on develops differently from the one we know. In my book, Roma Nova battled its way from a small colony in the late fourth century somewhere north of Italy into a high tech, financial mini-state which kept and developed Roman Republican values, but with a twist. It’s really fun working this out! The thriller story then takes place against this background. The nearest comparison would be J D Robb’s Eve Dallas Death series.

Stories with Romans are usually about famous emperors, epic battles, depravity, intrigue, wicked empresses and a lot of sandals, tunics and swords. But imagine the Roman theme projected sixteen hundred years further forward into the 21^st century. How different would that world be?

So what’s INCEPTIO about?

New York – present day, alternate reality. Karen Brown, angry and frightened after surviving a kidnap attempt, has a harsh choice – being eliminated by government enforcer Jeffery Renschman or fleeing to the mysterious Roma Nova, her dead mother’s homeland in Europe. Founded sixteen centuries ago by Roman exiles and ruled by women, Roma Nova gives Karen safety, a ready-made family and a new career. But a shocking discovery about her new lover, the fascinating but arrogant special forces officer Conrad Tellus who rescued her in America, isolates her.

Renschman reaches into her new home and nearly kills her. Recovering, she is desperate to find out why he is hunting her so viciously. Unable to rely on anybody else, she undergoes intensive training, develops fighting skills and becomes an undercover cop. But crazy with bitterness at his past failures, Renschman sets a trap for her, knowing she has no choice but to spring it...

And next? I’m working on PERFIDITAS, the second book in the Roma Nova series.

You can find INCEPTIO on Amazon UK  and Amazon US.  

You can read more about Alison, Romans, alternate history and writing on her blog: www.alison-morton.com, on Facebook www.facebook.com/AlisonMortonAuthor and follow her on Twitter @alison_morton.

 Thanks, Alison. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Lurgy, Builders, and Lobster Baby

Well! It's been an eventful week, what with Mr TR and I being struck down with the lurgy from hell, trips to the GP, more trips to the GP, and today's journey to the hospital to investigate my apparently high blood pressure (white coat syndrome! white coat syndrome!). There's nothing quite like being poked, prodded, and stuck with wires early on a Monday morning. I can say -- definitively  -- I am now very alert!

And lucky us, this week we have builders painting our back wall, complete with clanging scaffolding and blaring radios. As we live in a five-storey Victorian terrace, any maintenance job seems to take forever, requiring a United Nations team of workers! What I can't get my head around is how these very manly men can bear to listen to Taylor Swift-esque music all day long.

This week, I'll be working on writing a short story for an upcoming anthology. I'm looking forward to crafting a story again, even if it's not my usual full-length novel. And, of course, I'll be doing some Lobster-Baby-Wrangling with my now two-month-old!

What are you up to this week? Entertain me!

A Walk in the Park

Hello, all! Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Lately I don't seem to be doing much writing (wonder why?), but I have been doing a lot of walking! It's a great way to get out of the flat, and Lobster Baby seems to fade away, leaving a lovely sleeping cherub.

I'm very lucky that I live smack dab between two iconic London parks, Holland Park and Kensington Gardens. While I usually head to the Gardens, today I decided to opt for the less-touristic Holland Park. It's much more manicured than Kensington Gardens, and also features a mini-woodland.

The fountain.

Manicured garden in the sun.

Statue of some dude (aren't these captions informative?).

One of the many peacocks... and a London police officer (on the left).

The Kyoto Garden.

A heron basks in the sun.

Gorgeous, eh? By the way, thank you all for sharing your worst date stories last week! I share in your pain. :)

Have a great week, everyone!

Your Worst-Ever Date!

Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend. It was a rainy and yucky one here in London. Ugh!

Starting today, a group of chick lit writers - including me -  are banding together for Valentine's Week to share our own romantic (or not!) experiences. Head over to Michele Gorman's blog to read about our worst-ever dates.  I have to admit, answering some of the questions to come brought up some memories I'd prefer to forget! Pop by Michele's blog each day for a new question.

And now, since I hear Lobster Baby's increasingly lobsterish cries, I must be off! Have a lovely week!

What was your worst-ever date? Care to share?

Love Thyself

It's Thursday! I don't usually post on Thursdays, but this year I've decided to make my new blogging schedule Mondays and Thursdays instead of Fridays. Hopefully, that will give me more time to get around to everyone in between. On that note, a huge thanks to everyone who continues to visit here despite me not returning the favour. I miss you all and hope to be able to start making the rounds soon. Baby TR, visits from Mama and Papa, and life in general has kept me hopping!

And now for today's guest... I turn you over to Eliza Green. 

I’m so used to blogging about writing topics that when Talli asked me to write a light-hearted post, I was secretly pleased. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and keeping the focus on love, I thought it might be fun to look at what we love about ourselves. Besides a new author, the one thing I enjoy being is a woman and I’ve compiled my personal top ten list. Some things are more obvious, others not so much, but these are my favourite reasons why.

1: We can get away with being in a bad mood once a month and longer if nobody is keeping tabs on our outbursts!

2: We can use our feminine charms to our advantage, whether it’s flashing a quick smile to the person holding the door open for you or to the barman so he will serve you first.

3: We are far better at spotting a bargain in a store, although not so good at reining in the spending!

4: We are encouraged to be more adventurous with our fashion choices and we have plenty to choose from. Men’s choices are simpler, but they can get stuck in a rut. They aren’t always inclined to make the same effort that women do.

5: We get extreme satisfaction from eating chocolate. I’ve tried to educate my partner about savouring each square but he just doesn’t get it. I definitely think it’s a woman thing!

6: When it comes to books, our tastes are more varied than men’s. We will read much more from Crime, Fantasy, Chic Lit, and Erotica ...  many genres.

7: We’re extremely capable of multitasking, something I enjoy teasing my male colleagues about.

8: We have bigger hills to climb because we are female and I think that makes us stronger.

9: We don’t complain when we are sick. We just get on with things. A man sneezes and it’s the end of the world, as he knows it.

10: Having a good old cry can reduce stress. Women seem to understand that better than men.

Do you agree? Is there something you would add to this list, or subtract?

Eliza Green has just released her debut science fiction novel, BECOMING HUMAN and has one Kindle copy of her book to give away. Just leave a comment to be in with a chance to win.

 See you all on Monday! 

Out and About

Happy Monday, everyone! It's a gloriously sunny day in London, and can you believe the daffodils are actually starting to make an appearance? Hope you all had a lovely weekend.

I had a great week with Mama and Papa TR in London -- the highlight was introducing them to their new grandson. Thankfully, Lobster Baby stayed (mostly) hidden away and Baby TR was quite well behaved. We even took the pram for a spin in Kensington Gardens.

In front of Kensington Palace.

Baby TR and the Albert Memorial. 

All the walks in the fresh air whipped up our appetite, so we had to sample 'American' pancakes at Jamie Oliver's new restaurant at Notting Hill Gate, Recipease. Yum! (And if you're wondering what American pancakes are, they're light and fluffy as opposed to the flat, more crepe-like ones that are popular here.)

And apart from walking, eating, and visiting... well, there hasn't been much apart from that, actually!

What have you been up to? Skydiving? Streaking? Snoozing? 

Guest Post: Colby Marshall

Happy Friday!

Hope everyone had a great week. I'll be back on Monday with my usual post, but for now, I'm handing the blog over to Colby Marshall. Take it away, Colby!

The Top Ten Ways Preparing to Give Birth to a Book Isn't That Different from Preparing to Give Birth to a Baby

Giving birth to a book is an interesting thing.  As fate would have it, it was during the time I was in talks with my publisher to sell Chain of Command that I found out I was pregnant.  This sounds like just another "fun fact," but as I sold Chain and began to work with my editor to revise it and prepare it for publication, I realized how similar the two processes really are.  Thus, I present to you The Top Ten Ways Preparing to Give Birth to a Book Isn't That Different from Preparing to Give Birth to a Baby:

10.)  What started as a few long intimate moments between just you and your computer has become visible to everyone around you.

9.)  You occasionally wake in the middle of the night because the thought of impending book reviews has you feeling like you might wet your pants.

8.)  While a new book doesn't require propping your feet into stirrups and having strangers peer up your glittery hoo-ha, the reviews might make it feel that way!          

                      

7.)  There isn't a pain medicine on earth that will make you less anxious about the big day.

6.)   The anticipation builds over the course of months, but you're never quite ready.  Even years after it comes out, you'll still be learning.

5.)  During the months you prepare, you go through some bizarre changes you'd never have imagined you were capable of.

4.)  One minute, you're laughing, the next you're crying.  You yell at people for no reason out of frustration, and then you eat a pint of chocolate cherry ice cream to self-soothe.

3.)  It becomes difficult to determine where your keister ends and the Lazy Boy begins.

2.)  Typing causes your fingers to swell to the size of hotdogs, and both can cause carpal tunnel syndrome to flare up.  Your laptop gets so warm on your legs it causes you to have hot flashes.

And the number one way preparing to give birth to a book and preparing to give birth to a baby aren't that different:

Your child/book is the cutest, smartest, and most important thing ever created.  You recognize that most people are biased, but in this case, it's really true.

What about you—how is reading and/or writing like something you do on a day to day basis?

Writer by day, ballroom dancer and choreographer by night, Colby has a tendency to turn every hobby she has into a job, thus ensuring that she is a perpetual workaholic.  In addition to her 9,502 regular jobs, she is also a contributing columnist for M Food and Culture magazine and is a proud member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime.  She is actively involved in local theatres as a choreographer as well as sometimes indulges her prima donna side by taking the stage as an actress.  She lives in Georgia with her family, two mutts, and an array of cats that, if she were a bit older, would qualify her immediately for crazy cat lady status.  Her debut thriller, Chain of Command is now available, and the second book in her McKenzie McClendon series, The Trade, is due for publication by Stairway Press in June 2013. 

CHAIN OF COMMAND is currently available

on Amazon here: http://tinyurl.com/c36b6ja

Barnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/abynbjz

Directly from the publisher with free worldwide shipping: www.stairwaypress.com/bookstore

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Monday Mania

Well hello! It's Monday! I think! I'm delusional with lack of sleep! And I can't stop using exclamation marks!

Seriously, though, I hope everyone had a great week and a lovely weekend. In the Big Smoke, the buildings are gilded in snow, making the city seem almost magical... although I could be hallucinating. Either way, it's lovely to have a little snow, even if it is temporary. Cross your fingers it doesn't impede the travels of Mama and Papa TR, who will be winging their way across the Atlantic to meet their grandson later this week.

I must apologise that I've yet to make my blog rounds! I miss you all and can't wait to see what you've been up to, but truthfully the ability to grab a shower and maybe some shut-eye is a little higher on my priority list right now. Hopefully I'll be able to catch up soon.

In other news, I'm pleased to report my novel The Pollyanna Plan has now spent almost a month in the top 100 on Amazon.co.uk -- yay! Huge thanks to everyone who has bought a copy. And over on the Writer's Guide to ePublishing recently, I wrote about how I used a promotional novella to drive sales of my novel. Pop by if you're interested!

And just 'coz I'm feeling a lotta baby love right now (Lobster Baby non-withstanding), here's a photo of Baby TR from a recent photo shoot we did.

Have a great week, everyone!

Survival... and Other Goals for 2013

Happy Monday, all! Here in London, we awoke to a light dusting of snow, cuing the inevitable transport chaos and pandemonium. I hope you all have had a wonderful start to the new year.

With the new addition to my life making a surprise appearance, I didn't have time to do my usual reflection on 2012 and my goals for 2013. Suffice it to say, my goal for the next couple months is survival. Baby TR is a delight, except when he turns red and morphs into his evil twin, Lobster Baby, several times each day. Luckily the black hole of sleep deprivation I've entered into is providing some kind of altered state where even high-pitched baby whinnies seems to come from another place.

As for writing goals, this year I hope to write the third in the Serenity Holland series, Marriage to Measure, as well as complete another novella in time for Christmas. We'll see how that goes. I'm hoping once life settles into some kind of routine, grabbing a few hours of writing time will be possible.

Until then, I'll be posting once a week with guest posts here and there. I'll try to make it around to as many blogs as I can, Lobster Baby allowing!

Have a great week, everyone.

2012 and The Best Christmas Gift Ever

Happy almost 2012! Hope everyone had a lovely, relaxed, and festive Christmas!

This year has been a big one for me. I published two more novels, a novella, watched my best friend get married, and started to marinate a baby. All in all, I thought it couldn't get much better.

And then this happened.

Baby Boy TR! Only hours old, weighing 3.3 kilos.

Due on 7th January, his arrival into the world on Christmas Eve at 3:44 pm GMT was a surprise! Mr TR was dying for a Christmas baby and I guess Baby TR was listening. Let's hope he continues to be as compliant... somehow, I think not.

Since then, life has been a bit of a blur! We made it out of the hospital on December 27, and indulged in our own little family Christmas dinner and festive celebrations. Opening gifts and scoffing turkey (without heartburn) as my new baby snuffled in his basket, well... I couldn't help thinking life, in that one moment, really was perfect.

Today, he's one week old and to my very biased eyes, adorable.

Thank you, India Drummond, for the super cute puppy!

Cuddles with his bunny friend.

Okay, enough baby drooling (literally, ha!). I'll be taking next week off the blog to enjoy life with my new little man.

In the meantime, have a very happy New Year! All the best for 2013. May there be plenty of wine, Twizzlers and coffee in your future.

Happy Holidays! Now Have Some Cookies...

It's the last Friday before Christmas! Whoop! Like many others in the blogosphere, I'll be taking next week off to enjoy the real world. I hope you have a wonderful holiday season with friends and family, and thank you loads for all your support over the past year. Time and again, I'm reminded of the blogging community's generosity.

Now time for cookies! To celebrate the launch of Angela's Felsted's new novel Chaste, I'm participating in a cookie-recipe exchange (or 'biscuits', as they call them on this side of the Pond). I have a particular hankering for coconut macaroons, so without further ado....

Simple Coconut Macaroons
(From Allrecipes.co.uk)

Ingredients

Makes: 16 macaroons

• 2 free range eggs
• 225g (8 oz) desiccated coconut
• 150g (5 oz) caster sugar
• glace cherries to decorate (optional)

Preparation method

Prep: 15 mins | Cook: 30 mins

1.

Line 1 or 2 baking trays with baking parchment.

2.

Beat eggs well. Stir in coconut and sugar.

3.

If you have time, leave mixture to stand for up to 20 minutes. If not, don't worry!

4.

Dip hands in cold water. Shape mixture into 16 'pyramids', using your hands or an eggcup as a guide.

5.

Place on baking trays, decorate with glace cherries if desired.

6.

Bake at 180 C /gas 4 for 25-30 minutes or until golden. Remove from sheets and cool on a wire rack.

7.

Store in an airtight container to retain moisture.

Yummy, right? Do you see a problem, though? In the UK, ingredients are measured with kitchen scales... none of this measuring spoon malarkey. As a kitchen sans scales, recipes like this one create a few issues, leading to -- how shall I say it -- a little creativity when it comes to ingredient amounts. Hey, it's just that much more fun!

Congrats to Angela on her latest release! You can buy the book here and watch the trailer here.

Have a wonderfully festive week, everyone!

New Kid on the Block

Hope you all had a good weekend! It was sunny and warm in London --oddly enough -- and guess what? It still is! Very bizarre.

Can you believe there's only one more week until Christmas? Today, I'm helping to spread the word about Glynis Smy's new novel, Maggie's Child. Glynis is one of the most supportive bloggers out there and a fabulous friend to have on side. So without further ado, here's more about her latest!

When farmer’s wife Maggie Sawbury gives birth to her fifth child, the only one that has lived and the result of an extra-marital affair, she is heartbroken and desperate. Maggie knows her joyless life with a bully of a husband is not one a child should endure, and she leaves the baby at the roadside to be found by passers-by.

Her money-driven husband announces he has found her another job in the village of Redgrave, aside from the many tasks she has on Windtop farm. He is totally unaware the position comes with a secret. One that frightens and yet brings joy to Maggie. She is to become wet-nurse to her abandoned child.

Love, and the possibility of incest, threaten to open old wounds, and Maggie has several decisions to make. However, will they be the right ones? If she tells all she knows, it will bring about the destruction of three families. Equally, her silence could be just as destructive. She shares her secret with another, the result changes her life, and a death brings with it more secrets. Will Maggie stay or will she walk away and find the love she craves?

 The ebook will be available at a Christmas - New Year price of 99c via Amazon, (and other Amazon outlets around the world).

Want to win a paperback copy?

If you can tell Glynis the name of the prostitute friend in her novel, Ripper, My Love, you will be put into a draw for a prize copy of Maggie’s Child in paperback format. The email address you need to send the answer to can be found in the sidebar of, NEW BOOK BLOGGER.

PURCHASE LINK

To learn more about and to purchase books by Glynis: Books by Glynis Smy

Meet and Tweet with Glynis ... Ghunibee

Facebook Page: Glynis Smy
Author Blog: Glynis Smy

What a gorgeous cover! A huge congrats to Glynis.

Have a great week, all. 

Chick Lit and Cigars

Friday! Phew!

This has been an unexpectedly busy week, and I must apologise for not being able to make my usual blog commenting rounds. I plan on using this weekend to catch up!

A big thanks for all the kind comments on my photos earlier this week. Mr TR & I are pleased with how they came out. And a huge congrats to Paul Anthony Shortt and his wife on the birth of their twins!

In other news, India Drummond has released a very helpful how-to video on formatting for CreateSpace. It really does simplify things, so it's definitely worth a look.

Today, I'm delighted to welcome Michael Harling to the blog. Mike and I first 'met' a few years ago, when I was writing guidebooks under my real name and he was penning hilarious stories about being an expat in England. Mike is here to talk about his first novel, Finding Rachel Davenport.

Over to Mike!

Hi. I’m Mike Harling, I drink whiskey, I smoke cigars, I write chick-lit.

I’ve always wanted to say that, even if it is not technically true. While Finding Rachel Davenport does meet the basic criteria for chick-lit—being as it is about a woman navigating relationships with two would-be boyfriends—this young woman also happens to moonlight as a low-budget crime fighter who runs afoul of the law and has to dodge awkward questions from her nosy neighbor.

Also, there is a literal ticking bomb, a race to save a life and a few narrow escapes thrown in. But there are handbags, and I even knew enough to call them that, so I should be given some leeway.

I did not set out to write a “chick-lit” book, or even a book that could be classified as “woman’s fiction.” I know publishers aren’t keen to take on novels that cannot easily be slipped into a pigeon hole, but I was too naïve to consider that; I was merely interested in telling a story that was fun and fast-paced and had a happy ending. Much as I admire more hard-hitting fiction, when I finish a Harry Hole adventure, I usually feel like slitting my wrists. Now, I’m willing to put myself through that on occasion, but I much prefer it when the people I have just spent the past week with have, at last, found happiness and put everything right within their fictional world. There is enough pain and injustice in the real world, so I aimed to give my readers a break from it. That’s all.

As anyone could have told me, a manuscript that blurs the genre lines will garner more confusion than offers: Is it a thriller? A comic novel? Chick-lit? A crime drama? With no pigeon hole to fit into, it seemed like Finding Rachel Davenport was going to have trouble finding a home. Eventually, Prospera Publishing expressed interest, and published it as an ebook under their Opis Imprint.

Luddite that I am, and having retained the paperback rights, I self-published the book through Amazon as a paperback, giving my friends without Kindles something to look forward to this Christmas, and me something to set on my bookshelf and admire.

So what is Finding Rachel Davenport? Well, I’ll let the readers decide, but if you like chick-lit—especially the kind with fun, quirky plots that don’t leave you feeling like reaching for the happy pills—then I think you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Michael Harling moved to Britain unexpectedly (and through no fault of his own) in 2002. He is the author of three humorous books about expat life: Postcards From Across the Pond, More Postcards From Across the Pond and Postcards From Ireland. Finding Rachel Davenport is his first novel. He currently lives in West Sussex with his wife and has recently been promoted to the position of “full-time writer” thanks to a shrinking economy. All his books are available as ebooks and in paperback format. Visit Michael at his blog, Postcards From Across the Pond (http://pcfatp.com) or his website (http://michaelharling.com) 

Thanks, Mike!

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Food, Film and Fun!

Happy Monday! Did everyone have a good weekend? It was a frosty one in London, albeit with a brilliant blue sky which Mr TR and I took advantage of by strolling through Kensington Gardens (after I filled my belly with French toast, maple syrup and yummy apple compote).

If I seem to be all about food these days... it's because I am!

Today, I'm guest reviewer on Novel Escapes, where I review Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld. I LOVE this novel - if you haven't read it, you need to!

And over in the Christmas Creche, nine different authors name their favourite Christmas films. I went with Love Actually, but last night I watched Elf and it's a definite second choice.

And speaking of bellies... Mr TR and I recently did a maternity photo shoot with a brilliant photographer, who'll also photograph Baby TR when he makes his appearance! This is the only time in my life when I'll willingly bare my stomach, and here are two of my favourites from the session.

How's your belly doing? And what's your favourite Christmas film?

Ghosts of Christmas Presents

Happy Friday, everyone! Thank you all for the kind words on the launch of The Pollyanna Plan. I'm happy to assure you lots of carrot cake was eaten in celebration.

Today, I am off to Carnaby Street for lunch with one of my favourite writers and pals, the wonderful Mel Sherratt. So, while I'm stuffing my face, I'll turn the blog over to Scarlett Bailey, another fabulous author who has some wonderful Christmas reads out now to get you in the spirit.

Over to Scarlett!

It’s the time of year, not to mention the time of the month of the time of the year when I realise that I really need to get those last few Christmas presents tied up, preferably in Christmas wrapping and a colour co-ordinated bow. Getting the perfect gift, the one that will make the recipients eyes light up, gets harder every year, but I have picked up a few tips along the way about the art if giving and receiving Christmas gifts. Here are my top five tips.

DON’T casually mention in passing a domestic appliance in the three months prior to Christmas, especially not when the man in your life is around. This is how I ended up getting a Dustbuster one year and being single by New Year’s Eve. Men, it’s not always the thought that counts.

DO accept that men are impossible to buy for unless they have a hobby. My man is a musician (Miles in ‘Married by Christmas’ is based on him!) and one year I did manage to buy him a guitar, but that pretty much wiped out my present budget for the next one hundred years. So this year he will mainly be getting fruit. (Not really, but I can’t tell you what I’m really getting him in case he reads this.)

YES, kids have everything already. I know this because I have four of them, including baby twins. The twins are ok, all they want for Christmas is something to chew on, the three year old is at the stage when he wants everything he sees (I want that, that, that, that, and that, and that, and that and also that), so I’m guessing I’ll be able to please him in some way, but its my eleven year old daughter that’s the tricky one. What do you get a girl who’s already saved up her pocket money and bought herself an iPod touch? I’ve decided to go low tech and buy her many books, art materials and possibly a goldfish. We are still debating the goldfish, mainly as usually whatever is her responsibility to feed, clean out and take for walks, becomes mine. Although admittedly we won’t have to worry about the walks with a fish.

TRICKY gifts are often the ones you buy for your girlfriends, and after years of trialling soaps, scarves, jewellery and books (people don’t like it when I give them books, its like they think I am somehow cheating, even when I give them books I haven’t written!) I have found a sure-fire failsafe. Glitter based make-up. Yep, there is nothing I like to give or receive more than glittery nail varnish, eyeliner, eye shadow, face powers (cleavage powder) and lipstick. Certainly my friends and I are at out happiest when sparkling like a fairy on top of the tree. Glitter cheers up everyone. Even Scrooge.

NEVER publicly admit to hating a gift you have received, even if it’s the same soaps set you that you have repeatedly mentioned being allergic to that one particular relative who gives it to you every year, come what may – anaphylactic shock included. Sour faces and resentment just spoil the day. Smile brightly, tuck it away somewhere and at the first available opportunity return it or donate it to a charity shop. Then buy yourself something lovely instead. Maybe some glittery mascara.

Before writing her debut novel The Night Before Christmas, British writer Scarlett Bailey was a cinema usherette, a waitress, and a barmaid - but always a writer. A lover of romance, Christmas, comedy and perfect heros, Scarlett, who also writes under her own name Rowan Coleman, decided to write books that are perfect to curl up in front of a real fire on Christmas Eve, whilst waiting for Santa to pop down the chimney. You can find her books on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Thank you, Scarlett! 

What's the worst Christmas present you've received? 

Have a great weekend, everyone.

A Little Pollyanna!

Happy Monday, everyone! Hope you all had a great weekend. London was bright, sunny... and cold. It's back to gloom and damp today, though.

I'm super-pleased to report The Pollyanna Plan is now up on Amazon! Phew! If you're so inclined, you can download a copy on Amazon.com for $2.99 and Amazon UK for £1.53.

Thirty-something Emma Beckett has always looked down on 'the glass is half full' optimists, believing it's better to be realistic than delusional. But when she loses her high-powered job and fiancé in the same week, even Emma has difficulty keeping calm and carrying on.

With her world spinning out of control and bolstered by a challenge from her best friend, Emma makes a radical decision. For the next year, she'll behave like Pollyanna: attempting to always see the upside, no matter how dire the situation.

Can adopting a positive attitude give Emma the courage to build a new life, or is finding the good in everything a very bad idea?

Told from my two main characters' (Emma and Will) points of view, I really enjoyed writing this one and delving into both their personalities. I admit to developing a tiny crush on Will! Over on Chicklit Club, there's a chance to win an e-copy (open internationally). 

And a huge thank you to everyone who's downloaded my Christmas novella Mistletoe in Manhattan -- this weekend it jumped into the Top 100 on Amazon UK and it's currently in the top 50! I've no idea how long it'll stay there, but I'll enjoy the ride while it lasts, all down to fabulous readers. Thank you, thank you!

Have a lovely week, all, and congratulations to everyone who complete NaNo. Can you believe it's December?

On Fire!

Friiiiiiiiday! Phew, I can barely believe it's here. Hope everyone had a good week.

I have finally put the finishing touches on The Pollyanna Plan! I'll be posting more about it on Monday, but in the meantime, if anyone would like a review copy, please let me know in the comments below or email me: talliroland AT gmail.com. It'd be my pleasure to send one over (it will be electronic).

And as I trot off to find my longed for carrot cake, I'm turning the blog over to Sally Clements, a fellow RNA member and writer extraordinaire.

Take it away, Sally!

The thing I like best about being a romance writer is the camaraderie and support of like-minded souls. I’ve been blessed with a great critique group, The Minxes of Romance, and over the past few years as well as critting each other’s work, we’ve become an international group of great friends. We’ve wanted to write an anthology for a long time –we all have a passion for fire fighters, so an anthology featuring strong, wide-chested heros was definitely something we all wanted to do, and BLAZE is the result!

The stories are all set in the Lake District in England, in Coombethwaite, the lakeside town where passions run deep.

Here’s a bit about it:

BLAZE - 8 scorching tales from The Minxes of Romance.

Romance is in the air for Coombethwaite’s retained firefighters, and none of them will escape its heat unscorched!

Memory’s Flame by Maya Blake

A fiery reunion – when Ellie returns after twelve long years to bury her grandfather, the last person she expects to see is her first love, Jake Spencer. One look, one touch and they know memory's flame is as sizzling as ever!

The Fire Inside by Romy Sommer

Fire fighter Sam Redfern is used to being seen as just one of the boys. Until TV talent scout and celebrity Ryan Morgan shows up in Coombethwaite and starts to make her feel very much like a woman. A woman with needs.

A Smouldering Attraction by Suzanna Ross

Shelley Fox is finished with all things romantic. So is Harrison Reid - until he meets Shelley and realises he might easily be persuaded otherwise.

Locked Into Love by Catherine Coles

Journalist Cassie Parker returns to Coombethwaite with her dream in tatters—the last thing she needs is to rely on her ex for anything but on her second day back she needs hunky fireman Ben Spencer to release her from handcuffs!

Hot, Bothered and Bewitched by Jodie James

All alone on her birthday, Wiccan vet Seraphine conjures up more than she bargained for when she casts a Halloween love spell. Five minutes later a knock on the door heralds the arrival of handsome fireman Isaac Quinn, complete with a stray black cat. Is it just coincidence, or has Mother Nature answered Seraphine's request with lightening speed?

Lighting Love’s Spark by Sally Clements

Primary school teacher Annabel Jackson knows flirting with the parents is a no-no, but when single father Daniel Walker arrives at Coombethwaite Primary in full fire fighter garb clutching an axe, how can she resist?

Worth the Risk by Tara Pammi

Baker Annie Bennett has always stood on the sidelines while life passed her by. And it has brought Annie nothing but loneliness. With the New Year coming in, Annie decides it's time to come back home, risk her heart with the man she's always loved. Will her risk pay off or will Marcus never see her as anything but his best friend?

A Kindling Romance by Lorraine Wilson

Stressed out lawyer Polly Minton felt trapped in her city job and now she's trapped again, this time in a Lake District chimney; hunky fire fighter and local landowner Drew Reynolds has problems of his own but will he be the one to set her free in more ways than one?

Blaze is available now from Amazon UK/US.

For more about the minxes, visit our blog : http://minxesofromance.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much for having us, Talli!

Blaze is right, I say! Have a great weekend, everyone. 

The Ninety-Minute Sweet Spot

Happy Monday! I hope everyone celebrating the event had a wonderful Thanksgiving. The weekend passed here in a blur of rain, wind and editing as light at the end of tunnel looms ever-nearer for the release of The Pollyanna Plan! I'm hoping to hit that 'publish' button this Friday, after which I plan to collapse in a heap beside a carrot cake until Baby TR arrives.

I don't talk much about the mechanics of writing here - mainly because I believe it's different for every writer. However, today I came across something that made me nod in agreement. Over on Rachelle Gardner's blog, she talks about using three 90-minute increments to maximise productivity. After trying many different ways of working throughout the day, I've found 90 minutes to be my sweet spot. A typical day will see me working from 7 to 8:30 a.m, 9 to 10:30 a.m., then 1 to 2:30 pm... after which I'll delve into social media and emails. If I linger at my desk longer than 90 minutes, I often find the work I produce isn't up to scratch. Taking a bit of a breather is invaluable!

What's your ideal working increment (and please don't put me to shame by saying five hours in one go!)?

PS - Angela Brown is helping to organise a Cyber Monday sale with lots of great YA books! head over to have a peek. 

Five Ways to Write When You Really Don’t Want To

Happy Friday! I hope all my American friend had a great Thanksgiving and are lolling about, fully sated and doped up on turkey. I'm buried in edits in preparation for releasing The Pollyanna Plan next week (yay!), so I'm delighted to welcome Evie Hunter, author of The Pleasures of Winter, to the blog with some great tips on how to write when you just don't want to. 

Over to Evie!

If you’ve decided to start writing your novel in November, you should be more than a quarter way through it by now. Eeek. I can hear the screams of struggling novelists.

I meant to, but  didn’t have time

The cat was sick

My story ran out of steam and now I’m lumbering into middle muddle

I’m stuck on one part and can’t seem to move beyond it.

I’m still staring at a blank screen

As writers who have faced a crazy deadlines (104k in five and a half weeks)  we’d like to share a few tips and tricks to help you get your NaNoMo project up and running again. 

No Time

You need to set aside at least two hours every day for writing. Think about your lifestyle.  Are you an early bird or late bird? How much time do you spend in front of the TV or on the phone?  You can make time, if you really want to.

The cat was sick

I love cats but I am so not listening…

My story ran out of steam and now I’m lumbering into middle muddle

You have a problem with plot or insufficiently developed characters. Get yourself a large sheet of paper and a packet of post it notes.  Draw a nice big tree.  The trunk represents your main plot line and the branches represent your sub plots. Is it strong enough to carry you through.  Are there enough twists and turns to make it interesting?

Take a post-it note for each character. Briefly describe them, their goals, motivations and conflicts.  Put the post-its on the tree.  Is your main character driving the plot or do things just happen to them?

. 

I’m stuck on one part and can’t seem to move beyond it.

 If research is bogging you down – put a note in the margin and move on. You can drop your research in later.

If you have reached a wall and can’t seem to move beyond it, go think about the worst possible thing that could happen to your characters. Be nasty to them.  If your heroine is stuck up a tree, have someone come along and throw rocks at her.  Conflict is good. (laughs evily)

I’m still staring at a blank screen. 

All is not lost. Open a newspaper on a random page. Scan through the stories.  Is there a headline that grabs your attention?  A murder, a drama, something funny?  Imagine that you’re a character in that story.  How do you feel right now?  Inspiration is all around you – you only have to look.  

When reporter Abbie Marshall needs to escape Honduras, a private jet carrying a Hollywood A-lister is her only way out. She has a ride home with Irish actor Jack Winter - notorious womanizer and all round bad boy. Abbie is shaken to the core by Winter's blazing beauty and provocative mind.

After the plane's nose-dive into the remote rainforest forces them to fight for survival, Abbie catches tantalizing glimpses of the complicated man behind the image. And the more she sees of him, the more he touches some primal part of her that she is determined to suppress. But after a devastating encounter with Winter's shadow side, Abbie's detachment is shattered. On returning to normal life, Abbie cannot forget what happened, nor ignore the shocking rumours about the star's private life. Her struggle to make sense of her torment leads straight back to Winter, who is just as obsessed by her. But if they are to have a relationship, Abbie knows she must embrace his hidden desires ... and accept her own.

What are your strategies to get yourself in the chair when you don't want to?

Have a great weekend, everyone!