Christina Hollis: New Season, New Book, New Projects...

As I write this, we are is basking in a real Indian summer. Temperatures have been in the mid seventies to low eighties, a good ten degrees warmer than usual. The last time figures like these were recorded was over a hundred years ago. They say the English are obsessed with the weather, but on a glorious day like this  it’s difficult think about anything else.  There’s an avenue of lime trees not far from here that have featured in several of my books. In high summer bees can’t resist their flowers, and at the days grow shorter their leaves turn bright butter yellow before falling. The display usually lasts until the final leaf falls, but this year they turned brown and crisp within days.   It’s the heat.  The local farm has a chain of ponds leading from a little spring, and the water level has dropped so dramatically they are little more than muddy puddles. My grandfather used to say ‘There’s nothing so repays the debt as wet to dry, or dry to wet’ and with snow forecast within the next few weeks, I’m sure we’ll all be complaining about the cold and damp soon. It’s a job to know what to eat at the moment: the pumpkins and squashes are at their best but it seemed odd the other night to be having roasted butternut soup with pesto rolls. Meanwhile the last tomatoes are ripening, so who knows if we’ll be warning up with hot tomato soup next week or cooling down with gazpacho? 

I couldn’t live without writing, so it’s a continuous process for me. At the moment I’m working on the synopsis of a new Modern Romance while my most recent manuscript is under editorial review. In between puzzling over character outlines and motivations, I’m doing a blog tour to promote my most recent Harlequin Mills and Boon title, Weight of the Crown. I’m appearing at J.L. Campbell’s beautifully illustrated Character Depot, http://thecharacterdepot.blogspot.com/ on October 10th, while on 13th October I’m spending break time at The Writing Playground http://writingplayground.com/. I hope you’ll come and join me - my tour runs from now until mid December, when there will be a grand draw for the prize of a Christmas stocking filled with Weight of the Crown themed treats. The names of everyone who comments on my blogs during this blog tour will be entered, and the winner will be drawn during my wrap party on 15th December. If you go to http://rbpp-ch.blogspot.com/ and my website at http://www.christinahollis.com you’ll be able to find out more about Weight of the Crown and see a list of my upcoming blog dates. I really enjoy hearing from you!

The title of this blog is New Season, New Book, New Projects...because I’ve been so wrapped up in work and my busy bees this year I’ve rather neglected my poor old house and garden.  Now the nights are drawing in, the honey harvest has been processed and all the beehives made ready for winter, I’ve decided to try and get a bit more domesticated. I’ve actually managed to keep on top of the housework for almost two weeks now - which is some sort of a record! - and a few day ago I got around to buying myself a sewing machine. Now I’m ready, willing and equipped to start replacing all the curtains, drapes and linen around the house. All I need now is some inspiration, and I’m hoping you can help. 

What is your favourite online resource for sewing and crafts?

Christina Hollis writes Modern Romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon. Her most recent titles are The Count's Challenge for Harlequin Presents Extra(USA) and Weight of the Crown for Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited (UK)

You can catch up with her latest news at:

Website: http://www.christinahollis.com

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