Food and Travel and 'The Sinner's Marriage Redemption' - Annie West

If you know me you'll also know that some of my favourite things are food, travel and romances. What's not to like? So it's with great pleasure that I share the news my latest romance, THE SINNER'S MARRIAGE REDEMPTION, is on sale now. It's one of a collection called the Seven Sexy Sins! Yes a book for each sin. I'm thrilled by this story. Writing it was fun and challenging too as it's different from any romance I've written. it definitely had a different vibe when I wrote it and redeeming a hero with Flynn's particular hangups was a fun challenge. But I fell for him along the way, which made it far easier. One of the great things about this story was the fact that I got to do some wonderful research for the book which included travel to a place I've always wanted to visit, and of course the chance to taste some local treats. What could be better? So strap on your seatbelts ready for a little armchair travelling and tasting.

First up though, here's a taste of what the story is about. 

A merciless mission  

There are three goals self-made magnate Flynn Marshall set out to achieve:

1. A multimillion-dollar business empire

2. Acceptance in the highest echelons of society

3. A wife to make him the envy of all men!

Flynn’s ruthlessly accomplished his first goal and he’s on his way to the second. As for the third, he will rush stunning, well-connected Ava Cavendish to the altar at the first opportunity. A trophy bride should complete his plans, but passionate Ava and the desire she inflames in this untouchable CEO threaten to turn his carefully ordered strategy on its head…

 

And now to the travel. I've posted the Australian cover here as it includes a location shot. It's a bit hard to make out but do you recognise this gorgeous European city?

 

Okay, that was a tough one. The city is Prague in the Czech Republic - filled to the brim with quaint buildings and bridges, spectacular views and a river that turns the red roofed city into something quite special. The first part of THE SINNER'S MARRIAGE REDEMPTION is set in Prague. In fact every scene is based on somewhere I visited! Here's a quick peek of the town hall square from the top of the clock tower.

 

And here's proof that I was there. This is on the long, hot walk up to the citadel. No, that's not red wine I'm drinking, but cherry juice.

 



 

One of the local treats on offer was this spiral of deep fried potato. If only the weather had been cold I'd have been tempted. But I visited in a heatwave. I'll have to go back in winter when I hear the city is just gorgeous too.

 

That didn't stop me from trying the hot dishes on offer at night. Here's my first evening meal in Prague - pork with sauerkraut, two sorts of dumpling and a local beer. The Czechs really love their dumplings!

 



 And of course I needed to try the local version of a kebab in a cellar restaurant! I must admit though that the size of the serve surprised me.

But one of the best things about Prague in warm weather is the ice cream, often with fruit. Sigh. This was at a pavement café in Wenceslas Square and it tasted as good as it looks.

 

Do you have a favourite food or drink treat for summer? I'd love to hear.

It's winter in Australia now but I'll store up suggestions for the warmer months.

 

If you want to see more photos of Prague, drop by my website and you'll find some of the places that inspired the book on the page for THE SINNER'S MARRIAGE REDEMPTION. There's also a contest running till 10th August with chances to win signed books.

 

And if you want to snaffle a copy of my Sinner, here are a couple of links to buy:

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Book Depository

Kobo

Harlequin





Living in Chaos - Kate Walker

I'm having to time everything - blogs, emails, etc  - very carefully these days. I need to make sure that I actually have  an electricity supply connected and usable so that I can use my computer and contact people. I also need to make sure that there isn't brick dust flying around, getting into everything and so much noise filling the house  that I can't think straight.

Why is  this?

Well, we're having  work done on the house. Improvements - or, they will be improvements when the work is finished. Right now it's chaos and pretty hellish.  We've had a wall between a small  kitchen and an even smaller utility room knocked down to make one big, light, dining kitchen (at least that's the plan!) . And we (or rather the builders) have  extended that  so that it opens on to the garden.  It's going to be wonderful, light and airy, when it's finished - but it isn't like that now. Right now,  it's dirty - and cold, there hasn't been any heating for ten days!  We never know when the electricity will be turned off, when we will have water to wash or cook.  It's not been a lot of fun but we've  managed so far. We've organised a system which means we're up and showered  early, before the builders arrive in the morning, I have a small heater in my office so I can work, and we're cooking everything in the microwave - and washing up in the bathroom sink!

We were doing OK last week. The weather has been kind to us. It was mild,  clear, even sunny for a couple of days, so it wasn't too uncomfortable at all. But today the weather has changed completely - goinf g from early spring back to late winter with a vengeance! The skies darkened, the rain started to fall - and grow colder  - and now there's freezing sleet swirling  outside.  If it stays like this it's going to be a  chilly and difficult week.

I'm almost tempted to wish that I'd never started this - to say no, stoip - please! I want to go back to how it was. Or I want to run away and leave it all behind me. But as my husband keeps saying to me - or I keep saying to him the rest of the time - it will be worth it when it's done! Next week they start  rebuilding the kitchen. New cupboards  and worktops,  the new cooker and hob will be delivered and installed. We'll actually be able to cook meals!  And at the same time the new boiler and radiators will be put in - and at last we'll be warm again. I can't wait.

It was just this weekend when  the cold and miserable weather made me feel  that I couldn't cope with this any longer that I realised how much like the emotional journey of a romance novel this has all been.  We started out knowing things had to change and  planning how  it would be in the future.  There were disagreements and debates,   some things didn't work out as we planned. We never expected that the old boiler would have to be taken out quite so early, making everything so much more difficult than we'd thought. We've been up and down, taking two steps forward, one step back just like in the stories of my heroes and heroines.  And then  this weekend it  felt like that notorious Black Moment when everything seemed as bad as it could get.

So now I'm ready to look forward to that Happy Ever After  Ending when it's all finished and lovely!

The trouble is  - they're starting on the bathroom after that!

Kate’s latest novel The Devil and Miss Jones is out this week  in Mills & Boon Modern Romance and will be released in Harlequin Presents Extra in April.  She also has a reprint of her  Bedded By The Greek Billionaire  in  the 3 in 1 By  Request - His Suitable Bride. You can find out all her latest news on her Web site or her blog.

London Calling - Christina Hollis

I’ve just spent 363 days chained to my computer. Then last week, I escaped! I left my home in the countryside, and went up to London. This was a big deal for me. It was the first time I’d spent away from home, alone, in seventeen years. Kate Walker and Michelle Reid were hosting a dinner for the Harlequin Mills and Boon ‘Presents’ authors, so it was a very special appointment. I’d met Kate, Jacqueline Baird and Abby Green last year, at my first Mills and Boon event. This time I got to chat with India Grey and Natalie Rivers, too. Next day, there was a lunch organised by the Association of Mills and Boon authors. That was followed by a reception where, among other excitements, Kate Walker received her commemorative gold brooch for the fantastic achievement of writing fifty romances.

Meeting up like this is a great opportunity to socialise and swap experiences. Writing romance is the best job in the world, but it’s a solitary affair. It’s good to know that you’re not alone in sharing the pleasures and pitfalls of sitting behind a computer screen all day. We keep in touch regularly via e-mail, but there’s no substitute for a face-to-face chat. Especially when it comes complete with good food and a glass of wine!

If you’d like to read more about my first trip to London alone, I’ll be posting on my blog when I get the chance. Find it on my website, http://www.christinahollis.com/, by clicking on the link to ‘Christina’s blog’

100 not out! Looking back - and forward . . . with Kate Walker

Last year I let you all know about the very first Presents Authors dinner that was held on the night before the annual AMBA (Association of Mills & Boon Authors) lunch in London, here in the UK. I’ve just got back home from three days in London where there was a second Presents dinner on the Thursday night, followed by another AMBA lunch on the Friday.

And both these events brought home to me how things are changing and developing in the world of romance writing.Which is funny because the image that Romances have out in the world of the press and the media is that nothing ever changes. That romances are just the same now as they were way back in 1908 when Mills & Boon first published their books. 1908. One hundred years ago, next year. The UK part of Harlequin, now known as Harlequin Mills & Boon will be celebrating its centenary all through 2008 and plans are already being made to mark this very special event.

India Grey and Abby Green ->

We were told some of the plans while we were at the AMBA lunch, with talk of a special exhibition on display all through the year, the books having a special centenary logo and other plans that can’t yet be revealed – but I’ll let you know about them here or on my own website and my blog just as soon as I hear. These will be very exciting – and so will be the brand new books that are coming up, books that are edited at Harlequin Mills & Boon in Richmond UK. And the Presents Authors dinner which Michelle Reid and I hosted the night before the AMBA lunch was something that showed how the company is growing and developing. There was a mixture of the older authors - myself, Michelle, Jacqueline Baird - and some of the newest signings - Abby Green, Christina Hollis, India Grey and Natalie Rivers, all of whom have had their first books out in the past 12 months or so or whose books are due to come to America very soon.

Abby Green again and Christina Hollis
And on Friday at AMBA and the champagne reception hosted by HMB afterwards it was the same. Veteran authors like Catherine George, Carole Mortimer and Margaret Mayo mixed with newer signings like Donna Alward (Romance) and Chantelle Shaw together with some brand new Historical authors like Annie Burrows.

One great piece of news that was announced and that I can share with you is that HMB are moving into India. Now I know that there are plenty of readers of romances in India - I have had many email messages from readers there and some of you have won my contests. But I know that actually getting hold of the books can be difficult. Hopefully this will now be easier. At the reception on Friday I met the charming and enthusiastic man who will be in charge of this new venture and he is very keen to make it work. The launch of the first books will be, if I remember rightly, in November this year and there will be six Presents/Modern novels in the first books released out there

I also heard news of new developments that will be coming up for my own line – Presents (Modern Romance in the UK) in the near future. I can’t let you in on the details yet but look out for changes from January 2008 – and as these changes will mean the publication of more of the books you love then I hope they will be changes you’ll welcome.

Sharing champagne with Chantelle Shaw

In amongst all this news and changes, there was also a very special moment for me at the reception when HMB’s Editorial Director Karin Stoecker presented me with a special pin to mark the publication of my 50th title (The Sicilian’s Red-Hot Revenge) which came out in July. This of course made me look back and reflect on the changes that have happened to the company I write for since my very first book was published way back in 1984. One thing I’ve learned since then is that publishing never stands still and that romance writing is always changing, always developing. That’s what keeps the books fresh and exciting and keeps the readers coming back for more all through the years. And for a company that will be 100 in 2008, that’s a fantastic, brilliant record. One I’m so proud to have been part of.
Receiving my 50th pin from Karin Stoecker

And I’m really looking forward to meeting the new challenges that are coming up with the dawning of Mills & Boon’s centenary year. I hope you’ll come back here – and on my personal blog and website - and join in the celebrations as they happen. And just as soon as I can tell you more about what’s happening, I will.

And I think that's me caught up - except for one thing - I know that like everyone at the Reception, you'll all want to know what that special pin looks like - so here it is - and I have to add to this a special thank you to each and every one of my readers out there because without you reading my books and buying the next one - and the next - I would never have been able to keep writing, keep selling- and so reach ths special celebration and achievement. So here's the gold pin that I'm sharing with you all because you helped me to achieve it - Thank you all so much.

I wonder what you most remember about the romance authors you read in the past. I'd love to know

Kate

http://www.kate-walker.com

New experiences - Christina Hollis

I was delighted to have my first romance accepted, and each subsequent book has brought its own special magic.

Today is another exciting day for me in a year that's been a whirl of new experiences. The Hardback copies of my latest Harlequin Mills and Boon Presents/Modern Romance have just arrived!

One Night In His Bed is going to be released at the end of this year, and I can't wait. It's the story of penniless widow Sienna, who gets more than she bargained for when she catches the eye of ruthless Garett Lazlo. Dark-hearted Garett doesn't do anything for free...

Everything I write automatically becomes my favourite of the moment, but there's something very special about actually holding a book in your hands and knowing you've written it yourself. By the time it arrives, the waiting and the worry make it almost as nerve-racking (but not quite!) as welcoming a new baby into the house.

What's the best thing that's arrived in your life?"

Christina

http://www.christinahollis.com/