Welcome!

I've set up this blog so that all my friends, relations and colleagues in the world of writing can keep up to speed with what I'm doing - from now on, I'll never have to say sorry for not keeping in touch.

Or anyway, that's the plan.

So do please link up with me on Facebook and Twitter - https://www.facebook.com/margaret.james.5268 and https://twitter.com/majanovelist

You can find my novels as digital downloads on Apple iTunes, Kobo, Kindle and Nook, and most are available as print paperbacks, too.

Friday, July 27, 2012

Summer fun in Paignton

Just  to remind everyone who lives within easy travelling distance of Paignton in Devon - Sophie Duffy will be signing copies of her new novel This Holey Life at the Torbay Bookshop from 6 pm on Tuesday 31 July.

Matthew and Sarah, who own the bookshop, always make these events very enjoyable, and they're a chance to meet lots of published authors, too.

So, if you want to chat, please bring along any questions for Sophie and the rest of us!


Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Discussing romantic fiction at Exeter Library

On 1 August, two of my fellow romantic novelists and I will be talking about romantic fiction and how to write it at Exeter Central Library. I'll be joined by Jane Lovering, Winner of Romantic Novel of the Year 2012, and Torbay novelist Linda Mitchelmore.

The discussion will be chaired by Cathie Hartigan of Creative Writing Matters - see http://www.creativewritingmatters.co.uk/ -
and we will be delighted to meet anyone who would like to come along.

See this link for more information:
http://www.cypruswell.com/calendarFull.php?id=651&y=2012&m=08


Monday, July 16, 2012

RNA Conference - Part 2

Well - as always, a fab time was had by all. The Lake District setting was lovely, the sun came out for at least twenty minutes, and the company was great. I met lots of old friends and also made some new ones. Or at least I think I made some new ones. I'll know for sure if they avoid me next time.

There's lots of stuff about the conference on Facebook, so I won't describe it all over again, but I must put my thanks to the wonderful Jan Jones and Roger Sanderson on record. They organised the conference, they did all the work, and they made it happen.  So thank you, Jan and Roger, you twinkle brightly.

Thank you also to the speakers whose sessions were all inspirational.  I came home with half a new novel in my head! I need to get it down on screen now.  It will look better there.

As always, the shoes were amazing. You can see some of them on the RNA blog at http://romanticnovelistsassociationblog.blogspot.co.uk/




Monday, July 9, 2012

RNA Conference

Just in case anyone has forgotten  - it's the RNA Conference in Penrith this coming weekend. The shoes, the frocks, the networking, the NOISE - I am looking forward to meeting everyone again and having a good time, even if it does rain.

Must remember to pack the Neurofen.



The Lake District is still there, I hope, and hasn't degenerated into one big Lake with no District...

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Book of the Month - July 2012

My book of the month for July is Christina Courtenay's wonderful new time slip novel, The Silent Touch of Shadows. Christina has already made a name for herself as a great writer of historical fiction, winning major awards for her novels The Scarlet Kimono (set in 17th century Japan) and Highland Storms (set in 18th century Scotland). Christina is meticulous in her research methods, and the result of this in-depth research is that she really takes her readers there.



In The Silent Touch of Shadows, single mother and geneaologist (genealogy is one of Christina's own passions) Melissa goes to visit an ancient manor house and later finds she's dreaming very disturbing and worrying dreams.  What if she's going mad? She can't really be back in the 15th century, can she? Who is this woman Sibell, who seems to have taken over Melissa's mind? Why does Melissa wake from a strange dream with a terrible pain in her back and thinking there must be a farmyard outside her window?

I don't really believe in ghosts, but this novel made me think again about the ways in which we connect with our past lives, and about how what has happened in our collective past might affect our future. Melissa's Steve walked out on Melissa and their child, so will what happens to Melissa in the course of this story give her a second chance of love?

What if, as your husband-to-be panicked at the altar, another man had stepped forward to offer you his gauntlet-clad hand?

If you're a fan of historical and time slip fiction you will love this story, which I think is Christina's best yet.

Click on the image to the right of this post to take you to the UK's Amazon site, where you can find more details of Christina's novel, which is available as a print paperback and an ebook download.