8 years

Today is my wedding anniversary!

26th July 2003

What's it all about?

Whenever I start a new book I set up a spreadsheet with dates and word counts targets. I calculate what I need to do by when, taking into account any days I know I'm not going to be able to write. According to the spreadsheet for my wip, the last time I looked at it was 17th June. (!!!) According to the same spreadsheet my word count ought to be 35,000. Unfortunately it languishes somewhere around half that.

Not that I've been sitting on the sofa, watching TV and eating biscuits. No. The intervening weeks have passed by in a bit of a blur because I've:

- attended the RWA conference in New York
- been to my cousin's wedding in London
- marked 3092 exam papers (not that I'm counting)
- done the line edits for Say It With Diamonds

as well as tackling all the little things that life with a 14mth old involves. (How can they generate so much washing? And as for eating... My mother asked if he was eating less now it was so hot. Huh? Not so as you'd notice.)

The more time spent away away from my story, the more sure I am that what I've written is complete rubbish. The more that happens the more nervious I am of going back to it. Something of a vicious circle.

Anyway I've bitten the bullet and read through the 18000 words, and although I'm not 100% sure about the heroine's name, but am 100% sure that the story starts in the wrong place, it's not as awful as I feared. In fact, now I've reaquainted myself with the characters and the plot (which had become decidedly fuzzy), I can't wait to get stuck back in. Fingers crossed for a smooth run up to my September deadline...

And the winners are...

Suzanne and lollslynne!

Send me your address either by using my contact form or sending me an email (info at lucykingbooks dot com) and I'll pop a copy of The Crown Affair in the post.

Many thanks for all the comments and emails!

Giveaway

My RIVA copies of The Crown Affair have just arrived and they're absolutely gorgeous. To celebrate, I have TWO to give away.

All you have to do is leave a comment here, or drop me an email (info at lucykingbooks dot com), and on Saturday I'll pick a couple of names out of a hat.

In the meantime, here's a teaser...

What exactly was it about that penetrating stare of his that pinned her to the spot? Why were her insides going all squirmy and quivery? And more importantly why wasn’t she taking advantage of the fact that he’d released her, and running off just as fast as her size sevens would carry her?

That was what the old Laura, the one who avoided confrontation like the plague and never said no, would have done. And despite the assertiveness course she’d recently completed, there was enough of the old her still floating around to make her long to run and bury herself under her duvet.

But scarpering in the face of confrontation wasn’t an option any longer, was it? Laura squared her jaw. No. Now she dealt with stuff. Or at least that was the idea. Up until now she hadn’t had the opportunity to practise.

Channelling everything she could remember from the course, Laura took a deep breath, stuck her chin up and returned his glare. ‘What do you want now?’

‘Who do you work for?’ he snapped.

She blinked and inwardly flinched. ‘That’s none of your business.’

‘What?’ His eyebrows shot up.

Laura bristled. ‘Well, who do you think you are hauling me around and demanding to know who I work for?’ She tilted her head and shot him a defiant stare. Her tutor would be proud. ‘You know, your small talk skills leave a lot to be desired.’

Matt’s face tightened. ‘I’m not interested in small talk. Do you or do you not work for Celebrity magazine?’

Laura frowned. Maybe the mushrooms she’d eaten for breakfast had had a touch of the magic about them, because this conversation had her baffled. ‘Of course I don’t. Currently I don’t work for anyone.’

‘Freelance?’ he snapped.

Made redundant, but there was no way she was going into that. ‘On sabbatical.’

‘Right,’ he drawled, clearly not believing her for a second. ‘Then why were you watching me?’

Don't forget to comment/email for a chance to win a copy!

More Than Words

Have you heard of the Harlequin More Than Words program? Its aim is to enhance the well-being of women and its goals include raising awareness about causes that are of concern to women.

Every year Harlequin solicits nominations of ordinary women who have made extraordinary contributions to their communities. This year, they're choosing three recipients and will make a $15,000 donation to each of their chosen causes. Short stories, inspired by these women and their charitable work, will be written by some Harlequin authors and distributed for free as ebooks.

Nominations for the 2012 More Than Words program are open, so spread the word and nominate a woman who has been an inspiration to those around her. The deadline for submissions is 5th August 2011. For more info, check out www.harlequinmorethanwords.com.

The Crown Affair

In all the excitement of the RWA, and what with not being sure what time of day it was let alone what month, I nearly forgot that my first Riva, The Crown Affair, is now available on the Mills & Boon website. A whole month before hitting the UK shelves! It features Matt, the reluctant ruler of a Mediterranean island kingdom, and Laura, a recently dumped and unexpectedly unemployed architect. What's supposed to be a one-night stand backfires when Laura gets a job working on Matt's island, and things end up getting a bit hot and steamy.

Click here to find out what inspired the story or to read an extract.

RWA 2011

I'm now back home after a fabulous week in the States, and despite the 5-hrs-of-sleep nights, my liver having to work overtime to deal with the sudden influx of sauvignon blanc, and a voicebox hoarse from all the talking, I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Here it is in pictures...

The Riva Girls
In front: Susan Stephens, Kimberly Lang, Jackie Braun
Behind: Fiona Harper, Bryony Green (Editor), Heidi Rice, Amy Andrews, Kelly Hunter

Appletinis

Margueritas

The Harlequin Ball