Another week that flew by, leaving me wondering ‘where did it go?’ Three lovely babysitting days meant extra fun, which included a dowsing from a hose pipe; also time spent catching up after taking the day off last week to go to the LBF. I hadn’t fully caught up before the weekend was upon me again and it was manic! Not least because the moving bug has arrived…

Whilst we absolutely love Byre Cottage, our converted cow shed and hayloft, it is now finished. For Lawrence that means boredom. So once again our heads are full of plans. It might also be time to start thinking about that French holiday home we’ve been promising ourselves. Saturday found us up at the crack of dawn, me jumping online to set up Tweets for the fab Brook Cottage Books giveaway weekend that included two of my books. Barely time to answer a few emails, then jumping in the car for the hour-long drive to view some properties in and around the Forest of Dean. You’ve guessed it – we fell in love with a barn conversion that needs a LOT of TLC and immediately rang our estate agents to bring forward putting ours on the market, to Monday. Another unexpected thing to add to the ‘to do’ list – ready the house for photos!

We had a quick bite to eat in a lovely pub we found in Littledean between viewings. It served traditional English pub grub. Late afternoon we headed to Radstock, nr Bath (heading in the opposite direction to home and about a two-hour drive due to traffic and a motorway diversion) for an important delivery.

I have a lot of decorators’ pieces in storage – ornaments and metal objects like candle holders etc that I’ve used in the past when dressing houses. It’s quite a large haul and includes several ranges of china to display on kitchen dressers etc. Most of it is country style or shabby chic, that’s the style I specialised in when I was designing interiors. My brother’s renovation project is going on the market soon and so we had to deliver one desk and several crates of bits and pieces. The sofas and furniture we chose together last week had arrived and everything looked wonderful. The oak mirrors looked amazing in place and transformed three of the rooms. The kitchen has a huge mirror on one wall and a smaller one above the worktops on the opposite side of the room. It doubles the space and the brand-new country kitchen looks stunning. A large mirror in the lounge adds light and there’s also one large mirror above the bed head as a feature. Only roman blinds and bedding to source now, and once everything is ‘set up’ it will look fabulous. He’s done a great job and it’s a beautiful cottage.

It was then a case of racing home to Arlingham in Gloucestershire (another hour and a half journey) after a day of stop-start travel. Quickly grab something to eat, then prepare and load the Twitter schedules for the three websites for the following day. A quick check on JB at Brook Cottage Books and load more Tweets for day two of the awesome giveaway. A trawl of the inboxes meant I spotted a few urgent emails and then before I knew it, it was ten o’clock.

Straight to bed as it was another early start on Sunday with babysitting fun after we drove into Bristol to pick up our little charge. It was chilly, but sunny, and I’d forgotten that if you give a two and a half year old a hosepipe to water the new plants… It wasn’t intentional, well, at first! He simply turned around to talk to me and it was one coldddd shower that sent me running off shrieking! He then turned to talk to Lawrence and we both had to run away as he then decided it was a fun game. I had to fold the hosepipe in two and say ‘oh, we’ve run out of water!’ to end that game pretty fast. 

The day included one serious derailment on the Thomas the Tank line, which called for heavy lifting gear. Aside from that it was another fun day. 

A quick bath and bed for a tired boy and then waiting for Mama and Dada to come home from a friend’s wedding, before yet more motorway closures due to roadworks lengthened my journey back. I arrived home at 11pm to find Lawrence was asleep, so I quickly loaded the Twitter schedules for Monday and dropped into bed.

However, my head was spinning. I now had to get up early Monday morning to clean the house and get it ready for the estate agents to photograph. I also had a HUGE backlog of emails and a massive pile of ironing. So up with the lark again, ironing done, house cleaned, quick soak in the bath and calm myself in readiness to meet the lady from Perry Bishop Estate agency. Whilst the photos were being taken, I climbed onto the well in the garden and cut back the ivy, then did some weeding … I’m not good at whiling away time for the sake of it! In between I managed to dive onto the internet to sort more emails and a few problems. It would be so nice to have an admin person to do that so I could concentrate on website development, but unfortunately the websites are non-profit making and there is no income. It is a shame though, as it’s frustrating sometimes when life is busy and I just can’t get around to the ‘to do’ list. Importantly I had to tie up the author interview for the next edition of the LLm Newsletter and also the reviewer. Having sorted that I felt a bit calmer, but then it was time to think of feeding Lawrence and getting the next day’s Tweet schedules sorted.

It was also a week where I dropped two balls … it was bound to happen with so much going on, but in both instances lovely friends bailed me out! Aside from that, wearing my author’s hat I wrote three posts for forthcoming guest features about The Restaurant @ The Mill. Once you’ve written more than a couple of books it can seem like a lot of water has gone under the bridge (or in this case, under the mill…) since you wrote it. Writing those articles brought it all back and I felt a strange sense of nostalgia. With each book I’ve written I’ve enjoyed the time spent in the special little world that is created when you write a novel. Characters who become friends, and then are gone. However, it was an emotionally tough week for me…

The truth is that whilst Saturday 20 April 2013 saw the start of a special promo to celebrate the four-year anniversary of the day I began writing my debut novel, it was also four years since my treasured mum passed away. She died at the end of March and it was whilst I was still home sorting out her things I began writing. I did have some tearful moments last week, and think that was why I dropped a ball or two, my head was all over the place. I do know she’s with me and whilst I still miss her every waking day, you learn to live with the inevitable. But anniversaries bring back that longing; needing to throw my arms around her and give her a hug. Instead I talked to her a lot; more than usual – and she got me through the week and out the other side.

My week was spent in a spin for so many different reasons. Sadness, excitement, fab fun with a cold shower… I’m blessed and I was meant to have a busy week with little time to dwell, for a reason. I really hope your week was an exciting one and that you found time to do something that made you feel energised and positive. Life is what you make it and there’s never a dull moment in our house!

If you are interested in interior design tips, I’ll be included some in my once-a-month newsletter starting at the end of April 2013, thanks for joining me today.

PS For anyone fascinated by “coincidences” – as I was drafting this piece I was sitting across from the kitchen at my son’s house. Little Bill was napping and I was working fast. Just as I finished writing about my mum and wiping away a tear, the electric kettle suddenly switched itself on. I went into the kitchen to turn it off and flicked it a few times to see if it was loose. It wasn’t, in fact it was quite stiff, needed a firm pressure to push it down….

It’s time to celebrate … and what better way to do that than with a special promotion?

Saturday, 20 April 2013, marks the fourth anniversary of the day I sat down to begin writing my debut novel, Touched By The Light.

Touched By The Light

Buy now: Amazon.co.uk         Buy now: Amazon.com

and

Never Alone

Buy now: Amazon.co.uk        Buy now: Amazon.com

 ebooks will each be on sale for 77p/$1.18p on Amazon until the end of April

I’ve met some wonderful fellow writers on my journey. People who have helped and inspired me, people I have helped in return. But for me it’s the army of book reviewers that have astounded me. Before I began marketing my novels I had no idea about the online world of books. It was a huge learning curve. Once I had my presence on Amazon and Goodreads, Facebook and Twitter, I was in awe of the hours of work fabulous book reviewers put into their websites and blogs. They work tirelessly reading and reviewing. Without those reviews new authors like myself would never get noticed. All of the reviews I post here on my website have been written by people who were kind enough to take time out after reading one of my books to tell the world about it. It’s humbling.

Four years ago my dream was to see one of my manuscripts as a printed book and to have a complete stranger read one of my stories and feel they had been able to escape into it for a while. In the same way that I have done myself over the years, curling up with a good book and letting the author take me to another place.

So a HUGE thank you to those fabulous readers who take the time to post a review. I’ve valued each and every one and really appreciate the feedback. What it has allowed me to do it gauge how well I’m doing and Twitter conversations with readers have influenced what I’m writing now. Including a sequel to The Quintessential Gemini, after two readers expressed their desire to know ‘what happened next?’ Connecting with readers is such a positive experience and for that I’m very grateful – it’s what makes me feel like I’ve achieved exactly what I set out to do. So a HUGE thanks to every single person who has read one of my stories, you’ve made my dream come true!

A big ‘hug’ too, to the fabulous team at Sapphire Star Publishing who have now published two of my books – The Quintessential Gemini and The Restaurant @ The Mill. You’ve taught me such a lot in the year we’ve been together and your support has been amazing!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Official Giveaway Rules:

Giveaway Prize:  One (1) Apple® – iPad® 2 with Wi-Fi – 16 GB – White. No purchase necessary. This contest is void where prohibited by law. Entrants must follow Rafflecopter instructions. One (1) winner will be picked via Rafflecopter and will be notified by email within three days of end of contest. If a winner is unreachable after seven (7) days, or if that winner is unavailable for prize fulfillment, an alternate winner will be selected.  Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. Contest entrants agree to abide by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of the contest commissioners, which are final on all matters pertaining to the contest. Entrants grant to Sapphire Star Publishing the right to use and publish their name online. All results posted are unofficial until winner responds to e-mail notification. Contest ends on January 2, 2013 at 12:00 a.m. PST.

Well, I think I probably win the title for the LAST person to blog about the Festival of Romance... to quote one of my grandsons (Bill, who is two) why, oh why, oh why??? Of course he would follow that with ‘Gam, Gam’! (Left – Carol E Wyer, me, Nicky Wells, Kim from Safkhet Publishing, Sheryl Browne)

It was an amazing weekend and I couldn’t wait to find time to sit down and do my own little record of my first visit to a big ‘authorly’ event! It was everything I hoped it would be – dazzling, glitzy, I sat with three nominees for awards and opposite award-winning Mandy Baggot (right). The very naughty Carol E Wyer kept filling my glass with pink champagne and, of course, it would have been rude to refuse to drink it … well that’s my story and I’m sticking to it! Nice one Carol!

I saw faces I’d only previously seen on social media, I learnt quite a bit from the conference day and I danced my feet off. So much so, when I went for a long walk today to clear my head (muddy, water-logged country lanes which involved trying to side-step country-smelling mud) they were still reminding me of my dodgy dance moves! I also did a live reading in the shopping centre – there’s a first time for everything! I met up with lovely book reviewers Lou Graham, Kim Nash and Dizzy!

So what delayed me downloading my photos and dishing the gossip? After three days away I then spent the next two days on Grandma duty. Or, to be precise, Gam Gam duty. Try explaining to a two-year old the need to get online and blog – it doesn’t work. Instead we went to the library, read books, played Thomas the tank and lined up his train on the window sill. We then filled one of the goods trucks with shell-shaped pasta and little Bill promptly decided to post some of the pasta down behind the radiator. He does this with everything, then looks at me with huge, innocent eyes and says ‘Gam Gam get’. It’s a game he never tires of – with feet sore from too much dancing and a massive lack of sleep, I wasn’t exactly quick off the mark.

OK – so you can see why I was delayed by another two days, what about Wednesday? I awoke at 5.30am as usual, I dragged my laptop from under the bed and began loading Tweets for loveahappyending.com. Things were going well, I even began looking at the four Inboxes I man and the huge backlog! Then it happened. I live in a converted cow shed and hayloft. Our bedroom is the hayloft and we always sleep with the velux window open. As I luxuriated in bed, working away quite happily and so grateful I work from home – the drumming rain made me look up. There is was! The BIGGEST spider in the whole wide world. REALLY. Think 6″ by 4″ wide. Monster. Sitting proudly on the net curtain and larger than life!

Mr Tiggs, our cat with attitude, was lying alongside me on top of the covers. He immediately went to investigate – oh, I’m saved! No! He playfully swiped his paw and it nestled into a fold, he swiped again and the beast ran under the bed. By now the laptop is throw aside, I’m standing on the bed and holding up my pj bottoms – why, I don’t know. Exit Mr Tiggs, he’ll eat birds and mice but draws the line at monster spiders.

Four hours later, everything in the room is stripped. Our bed has a LOT of what I call ‘fripperies’. Six pillows, two small cushions, double duvet  and matching king-size duvet over the top. Think Princess and the pea.

Every inch has been hoovered, chest of drawers has been moved and checked, each of the drawers turned out. Bed virtually dismantled. I even blasted the hairdryer behind the wardrobes to encourage the moster to appear. No luck.

I gave up at lunch-time and settled downstairs to work. Last night I slept on the sofa, goodness knows what I’ll do tonight. We Googled how long they live – it could be a year. Can I sleep on the sofa for a year? Can I sleep in bed knowing full well he’ll crawl out and find me? I can see the headline now ‘newbie writer frightened to death in her bed’. Not quite the defining headline I’m hoping for ha! ha! The good news is I’m catching up with work and the ‘to do’ list is getting shorter. The bad news is, despite popping upstairs every twenty minutes today he’s still not put in an appearance.

Anyway, I really did want to say I had a fab-u-lous time at the Festival of Romance  – and when I say I wish I was still there, I really, really, really mean that … and I can’t wait for next year! It was great guys, you are a fab bunch!

Below – posing with Kim The Bookworm Nash, Sheryl Browne – and two glasses of champagne later!

So how do other authors spend the week leading up to the launch of their latest novel?  As The Restaurant @ The Mill is released I have been very busy and I have the photos to prove it!

When we get home I will be blogging about some of the beautiful hotels in which we have stayed as we have toured through France, into Switzerland and Italy, then back through France.  There’s no better recommendation for a place to stay than someone who has been there and experienced it first hand … maybe you will be tempted….

If you are a writer – how did YOU spend your week leading up to publication?

And what about The Restaurant @ The Mill?  Well here is a sneak peak of a chef who lives for the creations he lovingly arranges on the plate – meet Ben…

He lives for his work, but who would have guessed that he has another grand passion, one that means more to him that the thing most people assume he lives and breaths for?  The story is about to unravel…

I’m whizzing around the USA at the moment – if you haven’t read The Quintessential Gemini yet then why not stop by one of my fabulous hosts and enter for your chance to win an ebook copy?

Simply click on  a Blog Tour No. 2 link below and enter!  I’d love you to join in the fun – Tweet, comment or give me feedback if you win a free copy … it’s all about reader power! Thank you …  

The official blog tours for The Quintessential Gemini! I would love it if you would join me as I whisk around the world visiting some very lovely author friends and brilliant book reviewers! Where will you find me? I can tell you that I will be stopping by:

BLOG TOUR NO. 2

Jul 3: She Who Blogs Behind the Rows Jul 4: Carly Fall – Where Fantasy Meets Romance Jul 5: Sandra’s Blog (Interview) Jul 6: Reading with Holly Jul 7: Black Hippie Chick’s Take on Books and The World (Review) Jul 7: Literary Writings (Interview) Jul 9: Coffee Beans & Love Scenes (Interview) Jul 10: Tamaria Soanoa Jul 11: House Millar (Interview) (Review) Jul 12: Beth Art From the Heart (Interview/Review) Jul 13: Book Junkie Mom @ Rainy Day Reviews (Interview/Review) Jul 14: Storm Goddess Book Reviews (Review) Jul 15: Full Moon Bites Jul 16: Paranormal Fantasy Addict (Review)

BLOG TOUR NO. 1

May 31, 2012 – Spring Author series with the talented Stephanie Keyes http://www.stephaniekeyes.com/

Jun 4, 2012 – Front Row Lit featured author Front Row Lit

Jun 7, 2012 – Book review by the fabulous Lou Graham lougrahamiiblog.wordpress.com

Jun 7, 2012 – Research for The Quintessential Gemini – a trip to LA? http://loveahappyending.com/

Jun 7, 2012 – the amazing Nicky Wells’ Hall of Fame

Jun 7 -14 – InkITheBookBlogspot a week of fun & snippets ending with an interview

Jun 12, 2012 – Guest post with book reviewer by the bookaholic Anjana Vasan on Kindle & Me

June 12, 2012 – Chatting with fab contemporary romance author Rachel Brimble

June 13, 2012 – Book review by the wonderful Erin Al-Mehairi Oh, for the Hook of a Book

Jun 13, 2012 – Author interview with the lovely Lady Krishna Asi

June 13, 2012 – Centre Stage with Rock chic author Nicky Wells June 15, 2012 – The one and only Shaz’ Stars (Shaz Jera) review and interview with Katherine Dale, who is The Quintessential Gemini it’s a scoop ! Jera’s Jamboree read

June 18, 2012 – Book review by the energetic Lindsay Healy

June 20, 2012 – Book review by an amazing lady Susan Livingston and Fascinating Books

June 21, 2012 – Interview by the energetic Lindsay Healy

June 22, 2012 – Book review by the sparkling Rea Sinfield

A heart-felt ‘thank you’ to my wonderful hosts, all great authors and reviewers I love to follow!