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Sunday, October 03, 2010

Autumn's here! by Kate Walker

The summer has definitely gone. Outside my window as I write this here in the UK the skies are grey and the rain is coming down - again. It seems to have been raining all week. There were a few bright hours one morning and again early yesterday. All the water barrels are filled, the garden is soaked, the cats are huddled inside and if they do venture outside they stay for five minutes or so and then they're at the door, begging to be let in. It's too cold and miserable to be outside.


But I don't mind at all. In fact I welcome it. I'm glad to see the summer temperatures fade and the nights draw in. My husband has started to light a real coal fire in the grate in the evenings and I really don't feel like going outside too much. And that makes this sort of weather perfect writing weather. And I need to get some concentrated writing done.


I've been so busy over the summer, with the conference season and then with the teaching I've had to do. And teaching means travelling all over. I've been to London, York, Caerleon in Wales, Durham, London again - all wonderful places to visit. It was fantastic to meet up with everyone who was on the course on writing romance that I was teaching. We had a lot of fun. One of my favourite memories is of teaching a workshop on How To Write a Sex Scene on a Sunday morning in Durham with a mixed group of men and women of different ages and backgrounds. We had such a laugh. You see, when I teach this workshop and I get the students to write, each one of them has to have a 'sex change.' The women have to write as men and the men as women - it creates some really interesting moments. And sitting around talking about writing, discussing how to build characters, how to target your writing, is always fascianting and enjoyable. When I visited London it was for the Romantic Novelists' Association Conference and then again, last month, for the annual lunch of the Association of Mils & Boon Novelists. Meeting up with so many wonderful romance writers - ofd courese we talked about books and writing again.



But I'm ready to stop talking and really get down to the real thing. I've had a book that has been waiting to be finished for too long, put off as I prepare classes, organise handouts etc. I'm also ready to stay still for a while. I love travelling. I love visiting new places - or revisiting them as is the case with York, Wales and Durham. But I'm tired of living out of a suitcase. I'm looking forward to having my own things around me. Sleeping in my own bed, having a chance to read the books I've collected up on my travels. It's at time like this that I think of that song sung by Frank Sinatra -


It's oh so nice to go trav'ling
But it's oh so nice to come home.


So I'm looking forward to the Autumn - the Fall - and I'm looking forward to settling down and doing some concentrated writing. To getting this story off my desk and onto my editor's desk. And then to writing the next story with the next set of characters who are beginning to grow, their story developing inside my head. Prehaps it's because I spent to long with September/October meaning new school/college year, new term and all those lovely new notebooks, pens, and other stationary that came with the start of school.

And because of the cooler weather it's even more fun to daydream of far off places, of hot sunshine and foreign countries. Countries like Spain, Italy, Greece, where the stories of my novels are set. As you'll be tell from the title - The Good Greek Wife? - my very next book is set in Greece. On the island of Ithaca to be exact. And for me there's a whole pleasure in being able to curl up with a book and be transported to the glorious Greek sunshine, the sea and the sand, while outside - like now - the rain is pouring down. This book has just had this really great review from Romance Junkies:



THE GOOD GREEK WIFE? is definitely high on passion and Greek intensity! The story takes place in a very condensed time but it works well for the shock and awe that comes with seeing Zarek again after assuming he is dead. Kate Walker has these two going at each other with hurt, love and anger from the get-go, but it is in preparation for the true reveal of their feelings. The emotions are so heightened in this story that it adds a lot of intensity and spirit to Zarek's and Penny's reunion. And even with the presence of the evil family in the background, Zarek was able to show Penny that he had more in mind for their reunion than a divorce.


I don't know about you but that's just the sort of story I'd want to curl up by the fire and lose myself in another world.


What about you? Do you have something that you're really looking forward to now that the summer's over? Or do you hate the way that the evenings are closing in and the mornings are darker? I have a signed copy of The Good Greek Wife? to give away to someone who posts in the comments section. This book is already sold out in the UK so you'll want to grab a copy while you can.



Oh, and talking of giveaways and prizes, as you know I've been celebrating 25 years of being published as a romance writer, and to round of the year of celebrations I'm running a special great big contest over on my web site. I have 25 prizes of a book from my backlist and a Kate Walker tote bag - one for each year I'm published on offer. So check out my Contest Page to find out what to do. Answer 4 easy questions and you could be in with a chance of winning.




Kate Walker's new book The Good Greek Wife? is released in the Presents EXTRA line up on October 12th.

If you want to enter the 25th anniversary Contest then check out the Contest page of her web site. That's where you'll find all the details. And the most up to date news is always available on her blog.
AND THE WINNER IS - ALISON
Alison please contact me kate AT kate-0walker.com and I will arrange to send your copy of The Good Greek Wife on to you. Everyone else - why not have a go at the 25th anniversary contest?

15 comments:

Michele L. said...

Hi Kate!

Congratulations on 25 wonderful years of writing to die-for novels! You are an amazing writer!

With the cooler weather of fall, I just want to curl up with a good book all the time! I absolutely love reading and have a TBR pile yeah high! I am the type, when I see a good book, I buy it. It is hard for me to pass a good book by at the store.
Would love to read your new book THE GOOD GREEK WIFE! I have read a lot of great things about your book! Congrats!

Pat Cochran said...

Your new novel is on my TBR list.
I'm looking forward to picking it
up on my next bookstore run, which
should be this week! I've also
signed up in your big anniversary
contest!

Pat Cochran

Virginia C said...

Hi, Kate! Congratulations! The first 25 has been fabulous, and the next 25 will be even better : ) September through December is my favorite time of the year. I love Autumn and the holiday season! I am already blessed simply by living in the beautiful mountains of Southwestern Virginia. However, in the Autumn of the year, I feel truly alive. The humidity is gone, and the air becomes dry with a sharper edge. The sky is so blue it almost hurts your eyes! I love the Fall mums with their gorgeous colors and their unique spicy scent. There are festivals and apple orchards and pumpkins to delight young and old. When my mountains put on their Autumn finery, they truly steal my breath! The deep red hues are my favorite, but each color in the mountain tapestry is a wonder from Nature's own paint box. We are having some cooler weather now, and I have already made a pot of soup and loaves of bread. My cats are coming back inside to "nest", a sure sign of the change of seasons : )

Estella said...

Congrats on 25 years!
I love the shorter cool days---no more garden or yard work.
I can curl up by the fire with a good book.

Kate Walker said...

Hi Michele - like you, my TBR pile is hugs. I wish I could just curl up and read it but I have to write books so that other people can read! Also like you I think of homemade soup as the perfect food for this season. And we both have cats - we are so alike!

Kate Walker said...

Oops - sorry for some reason two of my answers got mixed up together.

The second part of that answer was for Virgina! Duh! THnat'll teach me to have each answer prepared and then to cut and paste. So Virginia, that bit about cats and soup was for you. And I know you love cats like me!

Kate Walker said...

Hi Pat. I'm thrilled to know that you already have a copy of The Good Greek Wife on your TBR - I do hope you enjoy it when you read it. It's lovely to be part of someone's autumn reading. Good luck with the anniversary contest.

Kate Walker said...

Hi to you Estella. I hope you have a pile of good books to keep you company beside that fire - it sounds wonderful.

Mary Kirkland said...

Hi Kate, congrats on the last 25 years. I love your books, and read them whenever I see a new one on the book shelves :)

I'm really looking forward to the cooler weather and pretty soon I'll be adopting three baby rats. I'm just waiting for my new cage to be delivered :)

Alison said...

COngratulations on youe latest release!
All I want to do when it's dark is stay in bed - but the demands of a job mean it's early rising as usual...

Laurie G said...

Shorter days allow me to read more so I'm not complaining! I don't like the colder temperatures that come with the fall season. I do like the beautiful fall color!

I look forward to sitting in front of the fireplace with a romance book!

Kate Walker said...

Hi Mary

Rats? Oh I know that everyone says they are sweet as pets but I'm not sure I could cope with them. But then if I did get rats, my cats would think I'd brought them home for their tea!

I hope you enjoy having your new pets

Kate Walker said...

Hi Alison - I sympathise. The dark mornings do make it difficult to get out of bed. But unfotunately we do have to work.

Oh - but when the clocks go back we will get an extra hour here in the UK - that must be coming up soon

Kate Walker said...

Laurie - I must say I liki=e being cooler rather than too hot - it's easier (and much nicer) to warm up by a fire than to be too much in the heat.

Like you, I love the colours of the autumn/fall - so lovely

Right, must go and find Sid and get him to pick a winner

Back soon

gigi said...

HI Kate,
Congratulations on your 25th anniversary.

I am looking forward to cooler temperatures and being able to turn off the air conditioning. My electric bills have been high and where I live it usually takes a couple of months for cold weather to arrive. There have been many a Christmases I have spent wearing shorts.
I am also looking forward to all the holiday candies. I have a glass pumpkin filled with candy corn for Fall and Halloween.