MY TOP FIVE GADGETS

When I started writing full time, word processing was unheard of, the Apricot computer was the height of cool  and we only had 4 TV channels. It's amazing to think how radically life has changed for all of us since then. Everything was laboriously typed up on a manual typewriter. Mistakes meant re-typing, while multiple copies meant using carbon paper (the right way round!), or paying 5p a sheet at the local library for a photocopy. Real, paper manuscripts had to be laboriously packed up and taken to the post office. If you think it takes a long time to get a reply from your editor or agent now, imagine having to add in postal delays! All research had to be done via the public library and in my case that meant a forty mile round trip, with a baby. That's unimaginable in these days of 24 hour news and the Internet. There are now a bewildering number of gadgets available to make our lives easier, and here are my current favourites:

1. ALPHASMART NEO

Much as I love the Internet, it's a terrible time suck. If the modem is on while I'm working on my computer, I cannot resist dipping in and out. That's where my Alphasmart Neo comes in. It's simply a keyboard with a memory. That's it. I type into the memory, and then upload it onto my computer. No frills, but no distractions either. It's battery powered, which makes it brilliant for my life-of- many-powercuts and my first set of batteries have lasted for 2 years while in everyday use.

2. INTERNET

What can I say? I take it we're all addicts here, for better or worse?

3. MOBILE PHONES 

These are definitely a two edged sword. My husband loathes his Blackberry. He works in finance, so it has to be on all day from the moment he wakes until he goes to bed at night. If he doesn't check in regularly, the number of incoming mails builds up to an intolerable level. On the other hand, I love my mobile because I so rarely turn it on. I take it with me whenever I leave the house, but only use it in emergencies. These include shopping expeditions, when one of the party gets lost! It also comes into its own when the children are away from home. They know they can always contact us or ring for help, wherever there's a signal.

4. BREADMAKER 

I love cooking, especially making all sorts of bread by hand. Nothing compares, but once you've tasted it, supermarket bread is relegated to the occasional bacon sandwich. Unfortunately, there are times when quite frankly I'm too tired to organise and knead. That's when my electric breadmaker comes to the rescue. It takes only five minutes to start it off, fresh hot bread can be ready in less than two hours, and my hands stay clean throughout. No floury fingerprints on the phone or the door handles. The fragrance that fills the house is unbeatable, too!  

5. TREADMILL 

When you spend your working life driving a desk and a lot of your spare time either cooking or eating, as I do, there's one big problem. Writer's bottom! My treadmill is a basic version which operates on friction, rather than electricity. That is, I'm powering it! This means I can get plenty of exercise even when the weather is bad or the days are short. Combined with my pedometer, it's a good way to make sure I get some exercise every day.

All these wonderful new gadgets have definitely improved my life, but I wonder what happened to all the extra leisure time and the paperless offices we were promised 20 years ago? Not to mention the idea 'they' keep trying to resucitate about replacing all our everyday foods with one little pill. That's been popping up for decades.

What are the gadgets you couldn't live without? Do you have any favourite predictions about our brave new future that didn't come true?

Christina Hollis writes Modern Romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon, which appear as Harlequin Presents Extra in the US. Her latest title, The Count's Challenge (UK title: The French Aristocrat's Baby) is available from Harlequin at http://bit.ly/lIOG1a and Amazon. You can catch up with Christina on her website, http://www.christinahollis.com on Twitter,http://www.twitter.com/@christinabooks and Facebook http://on.fb.me/9rv4df

Christina Hollis: CAREER MOVE

My July 2011 release for Harlequin Presents Extra, The Count's Challenge, is the story of ambitious chef Gwen. She'll do almost anything to make her new restaurant in the south of France a success. Etienne is an aristocrat with the money and power to make all her dreams come true, but his huge generosity comes with a price tag to match...

'I have a lot of things on my mind, Gwen. I need distraction - something to take my mind off it all and restore my faith in human nature. Last night I found the perfect solution, in you. We would make a good team. I'm sure of it. With my support you would be released from all your obligations. There would be no need for you to slave away in a kitchen. You would be free to enjoy life as it should be lived, with no  worries.'

She gazed at him, so clearly puzzled that he laughed. When he did that it made her smile, although she still shook her head in bewilderment.

'What do you mean, Etienne?'

'Exactly what I say. I'm so delighted to have found you, cherie, it would be my pleasure to provide for you, financially. I don't want you waiting on other people. I want to keep you all to myself, and support you in the way you deserve.'

He was seducing her all over again, simply by using his deliciously accented voice  and the promise in those beautiful dark eyes...
Copyright Harlequin Mills and Boon Limited, 2011

As Etienne's mistress, Gwen need never worry about anything ever again but she values her independence too highly to accept. Instead, she lets him become a sleeping partner in her business. The arrangement works well until she discovers their one night of passion has resulted in an unexpected pregnancy. Then she has to cope with Etienne trying to dictate her personal future as well as her business plans.  Neither Gwen nor Etienne is used to compromising in their professional lives, so neither sees why their private life should be any different.

You can read a review of The Count's Challenge here: http://bit.ly/j8sAhL. It's available online from eHarlequin.com at http://bit.ly/lIOG1a and Amazon.com

I had great fun writing Gwen and Etienne's story, which incidentally has been released in the UK under the title The French Aristocrat's Baby. I once harboured dreams of becoming a chef like Gwen.  What made me decide against it was the long hours worked in the hospitality business. They wouldn't have left me enough time or energy for writing.  As a writer I can cook when I like, as long as I hit my deadlines. 

Do you love your job, like Gwen? Or are you still searching for that elusive position that combines interesting work with enough time off to enjoy yourself?

Christina Hollis writes Modern Romances for Harlequin Mills and Boon, which appear as Harlequin Presents Extra in the US. You can catch up with Christina at her website,  http://www.christinahollis.com/, on http://www.christinahollis.blogspot.com/ and Twitter, where she's @christinabooks.

Christina Hollis: The Woman I Admire...

This is a photograph of my grandmother, with my aunt as a baby and my uncle as a toddler. Aren’t the children sweet? I don’t know the date this was taken, but as my aunt is in her early eighties now it must have been some time in the late nineteen-twenties. It was originally sent to my grandfather, who was serving in the British Army in India at the time. He had never seen his new little daughter. In those days air travel was an unimagined luxury. The journey from Delhi took weeks over land and sea, so Grampy only came back every few years. 

Gran was born deep in the English countryside, at a time when the greatest excitement was the annual church picnic on the beach at Weston-Super-Mare, twenty miles away. In the early days of the twentieth century, many people never strayed further from home than that. Gran was made of sterner stuff. She went into service, and became a brilliant cook. These days she would be called a chef, but in those far-off times a woman’s place was well and truly in the home. Working allowed her to travel, as a trusted member of her grand employers’ staff. All that had to stop when she got married. Grampy had been brought up as a Barnardo’s Boy in  the heart of London, and longed to live in the country.  Luckily a house came up for sale not far from where Gran had been born. While Grampy travelled the world with the army, Gran stayed at home making things happen. Living ‘off the strength’ she had to do everything for herself, from buying the house to raising the children. Her family were only a few miles away across the fields, but there were no phones in those days and owning a car was unthinkable.  Being on her own so much made her very resourceful. She grew every sort of fruit and vegetable, preserved the produce in every way known to man (and woman!)  and kept chickens for eggs. She really could make meals out of next to nothing. Her only failures were cherry jam (jelly),  and rabbits. It really irked her that despite all her skills in making other preserves, she could never get cherry jam (jelly)  to set. As for the rabbits, they were part of a plan to produce meat during the war, when England was starving. The skins were supposed to have gone to make leather, but the second the children set their eyes on those cute little bunnies, that part of Gran’s war effort didn’t stand a chance.

I feel honoured to have had this inspirational woman as my grandmother. I may not have inherited her bravery, organisational skills or love of housework, but at least she made sure I can feed a family! 

Have you had an inspirational woman in your life? What did you learn from her, and what do you hope to pass on to others?

Christina Hollis write Modern Romance for Harlequin Mills and Boon, which appear as Harlequin Presents/Extra in the US. Visit her website at http://www.christinahollis.com, and catch up with her at  http:www.christinahollis.blogspot.com and http://www.twitter.com, where she appears as @christinabooks.

Christina’s next book, The Count’s Challenge, is a July release for Harlequin Presents Extra release in the US, and is available online from Harlequin here: http://www.eharlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=23974  Amazon.com and from many high street stores.