Association of Mills & Boon Authors Lunch 2009

A small confession: I meant to take pictures but got busy.

Thursday saw the annual Association of Mills & Boon Author lunch followed by the Mills & Boon Toast to the Authors. It is an event eagerly looked forward to by the authors and is one of the few days of the year that I feel like I am a glamorous author, rather than a middle aged mother of three. This year was no exception.

The lunch and toast were held in the private dining rooms of Tuttons in Covent Garden. You go down the stairs into this lovely candlelit cavern. The food was super and the staff very professional. Several authors were heard to comment that it was the first time they had chicken at a large do and for the chicken not to be rubber! Tuttons outdid themselves particularly with the pudding -- a marvellous vanilla and strawberry creme brulee. If you ever happen to be in Covent Garden -- do go as it is a great place to eat.

The authors were lovely to see and represented fantastic galaxy of talent from mega stars like Penny Jordan to newly signed authors like Lucy King (Modern Heat) whose first book Bought Damsel in Distress is out next month. 36 authors attended in total.

Added to the excitement, Julie Moggan did some filming for her forth coming documentary on Mills & Boon (current anticipated date of showing July 2010). So various authors were whisked away at the start of the proceedings for quick vox pox interviews. I still can not say vox pox very fast at all. Various people who were wandering about Covent Garden kept looking with interest at the camera and no doubt wondering what the fuss was about as author after author was interviewed.

After lunch, we were filled about some of last year success stories and the upcoming events. In the UK, Mills & Boon are really streets ahead with their digital ebook programme. One of the things they are doing is offering a free book sample -- one representative book from each of their lines. You can find the books on Everybody's Reading. These are different from the Harlequin 6oth anniversary celebrations. Also new is the first ebook bundle of the hugely successful Penhally Bay. This is out now because the new Penhally Bay books have just been released. It is a wonderful heart warming series from the Medical authors and well worth a read.

One upcoming thing is the increase of the Historical Undone series to two books per month. Undone has proved very popular with readers.

Several authors like Carole Mortimer (150 books) and Margaret Mayo (75 books) were honoured in a small presentation. The champagne flowed and authors mingled with the editors basically discussing writing and books. The editors as ever looked lovely and poised.

In the end, I lost my voice from talking way too much. It is really a special day in the calender for me. No doubt other authors who were bettter with their camera will have actual pictures...

Michelle Styles writes historical romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon and her next book The Viking's Captive Princess is out in North America in December.