Timely Reminder

Just been to a talk by another novelist reminding me that heroes of romantic fiction need to have certain characteristics. I'd forgotten some of them, so it's just as well I went to the talk. Now I have a checklist - which I dare say I will lose, but let's hope some of it has sunk in...

My new hero certainly needs drive. What does he want? Right now, he doesn't know, and neither do I. Come on, Muse, do your stuff.

Creative Writing Competition

A new competition dropped into my inbox today - win some books, not cash. But book are good, aren't they?

Jane Bussmann, comedy writer and investigative journalist, has written a new book called The Worst Date Ever, and her publicists are sponsoring a competition for the rest of us to write about our worst dates, too. You only have to write 250 words! Money (or rather books) for jam! Send your entries to theworstdateever@gmail.com by 1 November 2010.

If you'd like to learn more about Jane, visit www.janebussmann.com.

Relief

Just finished checking proofs, hurray! So that's done - and it feels wonderful.

Nonsense

If you can write nonsense, here's a competition that's going to be right up your street! The closing date is coming up soon, but there's still time to enter.

See www.oxfordstorypods.com/nons-comp.html

Proof reading

Just got a set of proofs to read, so will be going cross-eyed this weekend.

Some people do this for a living, day in, day out. How do they stay sane? I sometimes wonder! You probably don't have to be mad to be a professional proof reader, but perhaps it helps...

Library event

Let's get a bit ahead of ourselves here, shall we - but people's diaries do fill up!

Linda Mitchelmore, Sophie King and I are doing a library event in Exeter on the afternoon of 24th November, when we'll be talking about all aspects of romantic and relationship fiction - short stories, historical fiction, contemporary fiction - so we should be able to cover everything between us.

We'll be inviting lots of questions from readers and writers, and will do our best to help anyone who is trudging along the rocky road to publication, whatever goal they have in sight.

Do roads lead to goals?

Rain and spookiness

Oh no, rain again, but it will be good for the garden. It also means I will stay inside and work, rather than go faffing around outside for half an hour, which somehow might turn into four hours...

Today, I had a message from someone who shares a name with one of my heroes - a bit spooky, that. Just as well my hero is tall, dark, handsome, brave, generous, sexy and gorgeous in every way.

On with the job...

Home again after a welcome break doing no writing and precious little reading, except for the RNA's last Major Award winner, Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts by Lucy Dillon, which was an absolute joy. If you don't think you like dogs, and if you don't want to like dogs, don't read this book, because you'll be instantly converted, like St Paul on the road to Crufts.

I see my creative writing students have been very busy in my absence, so I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a while for your reviews, girls and boys. But I'll get back to you as soon as possible. In the meantime, perhaps you could all go and sit in the sunshine and sip a pina colada?