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Sunday, October 06, 2013

Autumn - the Best Time for Refilling the well -


 I’m at one of my most favourite times of the year –   the start of the  new year (that’s school year) /new term  - with  lots of opportunities to indulge in visits to the stationery store.  I did that this week.  I came back with pencils, highlighters, files (plastic, all different colours), notebooks, labels . . . Who’d have thought labels could cause so much umming and ahhing as I decide which size(s) I needed?

Then there’s the newsagents – a set of brand new magazines, special autumn (or ‘Fall’ )  issues  with all the new fashions and colours. I love the colours that appear at this time of year. I don’t know where they’ve been hiding while we all went about in summer dresses, tee shirts,  shorts. But they’re here now – purples, burgundy, black, gold . . .  I’m not going to buy the clothes  so much, but I do enjoy looking at them, and the shoes/boots to go with them. There’s the makeup shades as well.  I love the ‘smoky’ look that seems so much more fitting in with the changing seasons.

The television stations are all bringing out their new autumn schedules.  Downton Abbey,  Homeland, Dr Who, Strictly Come Dancing (well, that’s here in the UK)  . .  . Lots of great story-telling, or glamour (Strictly)   and plenty of ‘research’ to do as I watch the actors who are starring in up and coming productions.  And even more enjoyable – for me  anyway, there’s a great crop of new and exciting looking books out right now – all there on displays in the bookshops, waiting for me to grab them(or download them on to my Kindle)  and read them .

So I’m particularly pleased that this time of year has coincided with a point where I have a little extra time to indulge and curl up with a good book or film or drama – and I have a great new notebook to record everything I read (and see).  That was something I resolved to do this year and I’m finding it most revealing. I hadn’t realised just how much I read.  And how many different varieties of stories I choose.  The reason I have this time? I just sent in my latest book to my editor and having done the ‘tweaks’ she wanted, I can now relax and  spend some time ‘Filling up the Well’ of my imagination.  The best way to do that is to lose myself in other people’s stories and  let my imagination absorb new things, new ideas. 

This year is a special one for me and my husband, the Babe Magnet. We’ve been celebrating our Ruby Wedding anniversary and so we’ve planned some special trips and treats – theatre treats. More stories.  More great acting. In London we went to see Othello and then Noel Coward’s Private Lives  (starring the lovely Toby Stephens  - more research!) This month it’s West Side Story (great songs, great dancing, great romance ). Coming up is a production of Cabaret.  By the time I’ve enjoyed all these treats my imagination is going to be buzzing.  And that, hopefully will inspire me to get on with a new story, with a new hero and heroine and a plot that really excites me.

That’s when those notebooks will come in – names, character sketches, ideas will all get noted down. And the magazines will inspire me to think about my heroines’ clothes, her hairstyle, makeup . . .

The interesting thing is that in my list of all the things I want to do is that there’s very little actual romance  in there to read or watch.  That’s because when I’m between books I want to spread my wings a bit, open my mind and see what new ideas get sparked off by trying something so very different. Then when I come back to romance I’m raring to go (or at least I hope it works that way.)

So I’m not worried about the evenings drawing in or the weather getting colder – I’m looking forward to curling up by the fire (with a cat or two on my knees). I have a pile of books, a loaded kindle, a bundle of magazines – and the TV schedule!  Research – it’s a hard job but some one’s got to do it! :o)
What about you? Do you look forward to the cooler, longer evenings or do you dread them?  Have you got anything special lined up for the coming autumn - or any great books you plan to read?
 
 
Kate's latest  novel is A Throne For The Taking:
Alexei Sarova, the black sheep prince who has to face up to a new and unexpected destiny with his heroine Honoria Escalona (Ria) as the woman he wants as his queen.

A kingdom's safety...
Betrayed by those she loves, Honoria Escalona must now face the only man capable of bringing stability to the Mediterranean kingdom of Mecjoria. A cold, hard man who once called her his friend... Alexei Sarova-the true King of Mecjoria.
In exchange for her happiness


But Alexei's tortuous past has changed him into someone she hardly knows. He blames Ria's family for his bitterness, and his help-when he offers it-comes with a price: he'll take his rightful place as King with Ria as his wife, until she produces a true-blood heir  

A Throne For the Taking  is published in the Royal and Ruthless miniseries in both Harlequin Presents and Mills & Boon Modern
Other up to date news and details of all Kate’s books can be found on her web site and in her blog.

 
 

3 comments:

Linda Henderson said...

Fall is my favorite time of year, especially with Halloween coming up. I always look forward to the new tv season and curling up by the fire with a good book and a hot drink in my hand. Love the fall.

Liz Fielding said...

Lovely post, Kate. I love autumn, too. Reflective, slowing down. And I'm so glad you're having a wonderful time treating yourself to some great pleasures. I remember that when my parents died v. suddenly how the dh and I started doing things instead of putting them off and the theatre - opera in this instance - was high on the list. Have a fabulous year.

Mary Preston said...

I'm loving the sound of all of your research.