When You're Not Reading Romance

I've had a bit of an enforced break from writing,  working on  the keyboard, looking at the screen, just recently.  It wasn't what I wanted but it's been necessary and I hope  it will be doing me some good. A few health problems have  meant that I'm having to follow doctor's orders to 'pace myself' and one of  the  things I'm supposed to 'pace' - or in this case 'ration' is my time at the computer screen. A series of bad headaches that have a nasty tendency to turn into flashing migraines if I over do it means that I need to restricrt the time I spend at the computer and do other things.

It's slightly scary how much 'extra' time I have when I'm not  able to work or blog  - or even email. (If you've been expecting an email from  me then  please accept this as my excuse!)  I've done some gardening, cleared out a coiple of cupboards, planned a new kitchen . . . ready for work to begin next year.
And I've read. Reading doesn't give me migraines - the print doesn't flash in my eyes, and I can focus on the page for much longer than a screen.

But because I'm not supposed to work too much   then reading romance  hasn't been so enjoyable as usual - if I read romance, I immediately want to write it. I see how someone has dealt with a plot point in their story and it makes me want to work on a  similar problem in mine. Or a character fascinates me and I want to  go away and work on my hero or heroine and make them as interesting and give them added depth - but I'm not supposed to!

So I've been changing my reading habits around and grabbing books from my TBR pile that are not romance and so don't tempt me in this way -   and I've really been enjoying it.

It's sort of refreshing to read stories  that aren't romances and I've been gobbling up books at a surprising rate. I think it's because I'm deliberately reading something differernt and so it's refreshing and new.

So what's  movedfrom my TBR pile to the HBR (has been read) shelf?

A couple of great thrillers.  Last year my son and I discovered  Linwood Barclay at the same time and now we both read the new book as soon as we can. My son gave me Never  Look Away and last week I  started this   knowing what would happen. It grabbed me, as  Barclay's books always do, and I stayed up late at night to finish it.

Back in February I taught my usual Fsihguard Writing  Weekend  - where I teach the advanced course in Romance Writing - and one of my 'students' was a published novelist called Susan Moody -  she wanted to learn how to put more romance into her stories - though personally I'm not sure she needed to. She has a new book out this year Losing Nicola, a story about the way that finding out the truth about the past can affect the present - and solve the mystery of a long ago murder.  I lost myself in this one.

Or how about Second-Hand Heart? If you've seen the film Pay it Forward then you'll  know  the work of Catherine Ryan Hyde. I've been fascinated by stories  of  the way that heart transplant patients seem to take on some of the characteristics of their donors and this fascinating book deals with that - and then what happened wheh the heroine  who has received the heart meets up with the widower of the donor. . . .

I have  more non romance books on my TBR -  the story of  The Princes in the Tower - and whether one escaped - a biography of Billy Joel  . . . The story of the murder(?) of Amy Robsart in 1560 . . . all  very different from the romance I usually read and write.  And I'm having a great time - I feel refreshed, stimulated - keen to get back to what I'm reading. I think taking a break has renewed my interest in books and sparked off new ideas . .

The only trouble is that now I want to put those new ideas into writing my own books - and 'pacing' myself isn't easy!

What about you? If you're not reading romance - what do you read? Have you tried anything new,  discovered any great new authors recently? I don't really need anything now on my TBR pile - but I'm always open to suggestions.

And as Charlie the Maine Coon hasn't picked any winners lately, he'll be glad to know that I'm celebrating.  I just heard this week that my  Presents Extra title The Proud Wife has been nominated for Best Presents Extra Reviewer's Choice Award   2011 in Romantic Times.  You may remember that The Konstantos Marriage Demand won this  award in 2010. This was one really great email I read in the time I was allowed to look at the screen!

So I'm offering a copy of The Proud Wife as a giveaway to someone who comments today - or a copy of The Konstantos Marriage Demand if you've already got TPW. I love sharing celebrations with everyone.
This post is the latest stop in my Big Blog Tour that is still going on. (you can find the details here)   So I hope you’ll join me as I visit lots of different blogs all over the world. There are posts, writing advice – and lots of giveaways. 

Kate Walker’s The Return of the Stranger is out in Presents Extra in America or Sexy Romance in Australia. You can find out more details over on Kate's Web site – with all the most up to date news on her blog.

And Charlie has just picked the winner (s) He's greedy and he's picked two so
Brunette Librarian and
Di please email me with your postal addresses and I'll get the prizes in the mail to you!
Hope to see everyone else along the way on my blog tour - there will be more giveaways then

Happy July - With Kate Walker

It's the first Sunday in July - it hast to be as  I write all my blogs for Tote Bags 'N' Blogs on the first Sunday of the month! But the  first Sunday of july marks a month that's always rather special for me.Rather special and rather busy!

I've just done the revisons on my latest book - fingers crossed that my editor like them  - and now I can look forward to the rest of July as I do every year.  What's so special about July? Well, apart from the fatc that  we do usually - well, sometimes, finally get the summer weather we've all been looking forward to, there are some event s coming up this month that I look forward to.

For a start, tomorrow is the Men's Final day at Wimbledon.  For years my Sunday afternoon treat has been to watch the men's final, together with a bowl of strawberries and ice cream as I do some heavy duy research by watchig the strong, fit men wearing white shorts and tee shirts and pounding up and down the green of the tennis court. Some years I've been really enthusiastic, strongly supporting one player or another but this year I don't really mind who wins -  I'll just enjoy the event. (It's probably just as well I'm not supportign anyone as when I do, I tend to get over-enthusiastic, yelling  'Oh yes Rafa or Roger or  whoever - more! More! This can get slightly embraarrassing when I realise that the windows are wide open and the neighbours can hear every word - but then they know I'm a romance writer so they expect me to be a bit crazy!)

In a normal July, the first event I usually get to is one I'm going to have to miss this year - the Romantic Novelists' Association has its annual conference  from July 8th - 10th. This year I'm not going to make it.   I wish I could be there to catch up with everyone and meet friends I don't usually see except at this one event.   Maybe next year.

But July 14th is one date I'm not going to miss. On that day The Babe Magnet and I will have been married for years and years and years  - I was a  child bride, honest!  I remember we just picked the date out at random - three weeks after we left university.  It's a very special date obviously and one well worth celebrating.

Then at the end of the month  the Babe Magnet and I will head for one of our favourite places in all the world -  Caerleon in Wales. This is where we take part in the fabulous Writers' Holiday help in part of the University campus there. We've been going for - I think it's ten years now, and we've only missed it once. Our year just didn't feel the same that time.  We both have a very special place in our heart for Wales because it was while we were both at university there that we met for the first time and so in many ways it fels a little bit like going home.

We are both teaching a course this year - I'll be teaching Writing Romance based on my 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance. And the Magnet is teaching Writing Poetry. We'll also have several clear days when we can read and relax - there is always someone interestign and fun to talk to at Caerleon - and there  are some wonderful speakers, a poetry reading . . . the Welsh Male Voice choir. I can't wait!

And we always add on a day at the beginning and the end of the visit to Writers' Holidays - staying en route at the lovely town of Great Malvern - we've done this every time we've been to Wales and we love Malvern with it's steep hill, lots of interesting craft and jewellery shops  and - most importantly for my husband, a fabulous second hand bookshop where he can spend hours just investigatig the shelves and always fnds something that's just fascinating -  and that he claims will help him with his research into his own writing!

Oh now that I've told you all about my July I'm gertting even more excited at the prospect - I just can't wait to  pack the cases and head off for Wales.

So what about you?  Are you doing anything special in July? I know that so many of my American friends and readers will of course be celebrating on Monday - so can I take this choance to wish you all the very happiest Fourth of July  - I hope you have a wonderful day!

My latest novel- The Proud Wife (Presents Extra)  is still available  on Amazon or eHarlequin.com and   my 2000 title Constantine's Revenge has just been reissued as an ebook. Coming up next will be The Return of the Stranger which is out in September (UK) and October in Presents Extra in USA.

You can find out the most up to date information and all about these boks over on myweb site  or on my blog

Oh and over on My Tote Bag - there's a contest to win a couple of  my  backlist books - this month its The Antonakos Marriage and  Bedded by The Greek Billionaire.  Good luck!

Kate Walker : May Day

It's  the first of May - May Day - and while it's not quite the beginning of Summer, just the name of the month makes it feel as if the   winter is at last behind us and the beauties of Spring flowers are blossoming in the gardens.

Here in England there are lots of old traditions for May Day. There's  the custom  of going 'a-mayiong' - that is going out to collect branches and flowers to weave into a garland, to bring the spring indoors and decorate the  houses.  Also first thing on a May Day morning,  young girls used to rush out into the garden to wash their faces in the May dew. This was supposed to give them a beautiful complexion, with no spots or freckles for the rest of the year.

So many of the traditions and customs have to do with the return of spring - the sunshine, the flowers - fertility and growth. Thgere's dancing round the maypole which can be seen as a symbol of trees and  growth - or a less inocent and more masculine sexual symbol.   The men are also much involved in Morris Dancing which with its use of sticks or even swords can be seen as a mock battle amongst the men.

Then there is the crowining of the May Queen where every year a  girl from the village is crowned as the May Queen.  When I was a child, this was always connected with the local church's May Processsion  to honour the Virgin Mary. I was never a May Queen but when I was ten, I was one of her attendants in a pale blue dress and white gloves!

Of course the other traditon for the coming of spring is that of Spring Cleaning, cleaning the house from top to bottom, throwing out everything that's old and doesn't work properly, washing and polishing and leaving the place ready to sparkle in the coming sunny months.

I always feel that Spring has so  much in common with the story in a romance novel  - after all, what are romances but tales of starting over, getting rid of the old, dead feelings, the problems that clutter a relationship and starting fresh and new. That's why I love writing reunion stories like my latest release The Proud Wife which is selling wonderfully in Presents Extra this month.

I love writing this theme because there is so much raw emotion in the idea of second chances, of the hope of starting again, building a new future from the shattered pieces of the old one. So this is a really appropriate time of year for this book to come out.

That’s why Spring has always been my favourite season and it’s the reason why I love reunion stories so much. In The Proud Wife, Pietro and Marina start out in one of the darkest times in their lives. When the love they once shared seems to have totally disappeared, been destroyed by the tragedy that tore them apart. Both of them believe that there is no future for them together – and they meet up in the lawyer’s office to put the final nail in the coffin of their marriage – and sign the divorce papers. But from their very first meeting, it’s so obvious that there is still so much between them – if only they can work through the pain of the past.

This spring of course we've had a perfect example of new beginnings and hopes for the future with last Friday's Royal Wedding where Kate Middleton married Prince William. It was everything a wedding should be - handsome groom, beautiful bride, gorgeous dress, stunning floral arrangements. It seemed to me to be a perfect symbol for the coming of Spring and the hope of renewal that brings.

This is why I write romance - I like to think of it as a reminder that when days seem dark and gloomy, whether it's the weather or the season or what life throws at you then you can always hope to  begin again, have a fresh start. Perhaps you need a little spring cleaning to brighten the place up but there is always the hope that today the sun will shine and things will start to make you smile.  That's what happens to Marina and Pietro in The Proud Wife - and it's what I'm trying to make happen between Carlos  the proud but embittered  Argentinian and  his heroine Martha in the book I'm writing now.

I love giving unhappy, lonely, cynical characters a whole new outlook on life, spring cleaning their relationships and bringing them round to their brand new Happy Ever After.

What about you?  What do you do to mark Spring  - do you do all the Spring Cleaning stuff or do you love to get out it the garden and plant new flowers? Or do you go for walks in the brigther sunshine - or just sit and read with the windows open to let the fresher warmer air come inside?

I have a signed copy of The Proud Wife to give away to one person who comments - to help you celebrate May Day and fresh starts with a brand new book.

You can read more about my books over on my web site and the really up to date news is all on my blog. Hope to see you there!


And the winner is Mary Anne

Mary Anne can you please email me kate AT kate-walker. com and let me know where to send your book.
Thanks to everyone for commenting - see yu next month (or over on my personal blog)

Kate Walker: Happy Mother's Day

Today is Mother’s Day in the UK. I know it’s not the same date as it’s celebrated in America – I’ve never been quite sure why there is this difference – but in the UK we’ll be celebrating ‘Mothering Sunday’ on April 3rd. In the Roman religion the Hilaria festival was held in honour of the mother goddess Cybele and it took place during mid-March. As the Roman Empire and Europe converted to Christianity, this celebration became part of the liturgical calendar as Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday in Lent to honour the Virgin Mary and the "mother church".


During the sixteenth century, people returned to their mother church for a service to be held on Laetare Sunday. This was either a large local church, or more often the nearest Cathedral. Anyone who did this was commonly said to have gone "a-mothering". In later times, Mothering Sunday became a day when domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mothers and other family members. It was often the only time that whole families could gather together, since in other days they were prevented by conflicting working hours. This Mother’s Day is going to be sad as well as a celebration for us. I’ll be so happy to see my son and to celebrate with him, but sadly my dear Mother in Law died a couple of weeks ago and so, like my own mother, she will be missed today.

So even more than usual, I’ve thinking about Mothers and their influences on us, and because I’m a writer I’ve been thinking about the books that my mother brought into my life. I don’t know if I would ever have started writing romance if it hadn’t been for the fact that my mother had a great friend who used to write for Mills & Boon in the years I was growing up. Marguerite Lees was a writer of romance back in the 1960s and 70s and she was the first person I ever knew who wrote and was published for a living. My mother had a collection of her friend’s books and I used to sneak a read of them when she wasn’t looking. They weren’t very sexy or even racy, but she still didn’t think they were suitable for me when I was young!

It’s funny though - because she thought that reading the classics like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights was fine. And these books have such strong emotions, such powerful themes of love and passion that they are far more intense and high-voltage than anything I ever read in the early Mills & Boon romances I read. But perhaps the fact that I read these books meant that when I wanted to write then I wanted to create stories that contained such intense emotions and strong feelings as the books I’d grown up with. So perhaps that’s why I now write for the Presents line where this emotional intensity is part of the atmosphere of the stories.

It certainly is there in my newest release – The Proud Wife - which is out in Presents Extra on April 12th. In The Proud Wife, Marina and Pietro married in a rush, early in their relationship, because she was pregnant. They were still in that wildly passionate first stage of love, when you’re blind to everything else. And the baby just seemed like the icing on the cake. But when Marina miscarried, their relationship was tested cruelly. Grief does terrible things to people. Some couples can be drawn together by it, others are torn apart. And because Marina and Pietro didn’t know each other well enough to understand what each of them was going through, it opened up the cracks in their marriage and split them up.

When someone has once loved so very passionately, the loss of that love leaves a hole that is very hard to fill. Marina and Pietro believe that they would be better apart, that their marriage is dead. But when they have to come back together to discuss the divorce, they are forced to think again. I love to write about themes like this - reunion stories are some of my favourites to write. And luckily they seems to be very popular with the readers – and reviewers. Romantic Times has given The Proud Wife 4.5 stars and describes it as ‘an emotionally charged page-turner with plenty of tension and passion. ‘

Which brings me to my really good news – I’m thrilled to be able to announce that another reunion story – The Konstantos Marriage Demand has been awarded the Best Presents Extra (2010) title in the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards. It’s a real honour for me and one I know my mother would have been delighted by. Sadly she never saw my books published - though she knew that the first one had been accepted. My Mother in law read and enjoyed every one of the novels I gave her and she knew about this award when I still had to keep it a secret. I’m so glad I was able to let her know before the official announcement and I’m so sad that I won’t be able to share my books with her in the future.

What about you? Did you get any of your love of books from your mother – or mother in law? – Did she share her favourite authors with you? Or if you are a mother what books have you been able to pass on to your daughter - or your son? I’ve been able to share all sorts of reading with my son but the romances are the books I share with his lovely girlfriend.

I have a signed copy of the award winning Konstantos Marriage Demand to give away to one poster – I’ll get Sid the cat on the job of picking the winner

You can read more about The Proud Wife over on my web site and you can learn all about my news and get all the really up to date stuff on my blog.

And the winner is . . . .LENI!


Leni please email me kate AT kate-walker.com and I'll send your prize book on to you

A Tale of Two Covers - Kate Walker

This week I've enjoyed one of the best things about being a published writer of romance-. That's the experience of seeing my brand new book (The Proud Wife) in the book shops for the first time. It's always a thrill, a feeling of excitement  and achievement that never goes away even though this is the  58th title I've had published ( the 60th, if you count my  how to books The 12 Point Guide and A Straightforward Guide to Writing Romance.)

This was also a different sort of first for me as here in the UK this was the first book I've had published since Harlequin Mills and Boon  changed to covers and put out the new designs for all the different romance lines. I was at an event in a bookshop last night - to celebrate World Book Night   - and the books they'd got hold of for me to sign really showed this  change to strong effect. 

You see, my last book  looked like this  in the UK  ---->

And my new title  looks like this

<----

I like both of them, they're both attractive, appealing covers.  But the cover of The Good  Greek Wife  is much more representative of the story in the book that I wrote.  And I suppose, as an author that is important to me.

But the cover of The Proud Wife is a beautiful cover - don't you think? Lots of people commented on it last night, and other people have said how much impact it has had when they've seen it.   It is beautifu l - but  it's not my heroine, Marina . She doesn't appear in an elegant silvery silk dress,  she's been  working, earning her living, since she separated from her husvband - not reclining elegantly on an ornamental couch, looking like she hasn't done a day's work in her life.   And she's also a feisty readhead, with green eyes - and a voluptuous figure.

In fact, she looks a lot more like the Marina who appears on the American, Presents Extra edition of The Proud Wife  which is coming to the shops in April. That's it's cover here ----> 

That's much more like the Marina I saw in my head as aI wrote her story - and I like the fact that this cover has the husband  she's separated from in this picture too. (Yes, I know  they don;t look very separarated - but this scene isn't from the beginning of the story. Things move quite quickly from the moment they first meet up again. If you want to know what happens - read that book!)  After all, this both Marina and Pietro's story so I like seeing them together.

But if I'm honest, I have to admit that the UK cover of The Proud Wife is the one that would make me reach for the book if I saw it on a shelf.  It looks intriguing - and it is very attractive.  But I can't help wondering if it makes Marina look calm and controlled . . . or cold and distant. 

At least it seems to be selling very well. Over on the Mills &Boon site, this book has been a #1 in their best selling list for a couple of weeks now!  I don't know yet how the USA cov er will attract readers - the book isn't out until April       . Over on the eHarlequin site, the ebook version is selling well, but that  doesn't need the cover to draw people in.

I suppose the answer is that, no matter how hard the art department works, they must rarely,m if ever, produce a cover that matches up to the image  of the characters that an author has in her head when she's writing.  We just have to be grateful if we don't really hate it!

So what do you think? Do you like the new style Mills & Boon covers? Or  love the  long-established and so familiar Presents version?    Do you think the USA covers need a makeover like  the UK ones - or would you  prefer it if they stayed the same?

You can read more about The Proud Wife  over on my web site  and you can learn all about my news and get all the really up to date stuff on my blog.  I have some really great news that I'd love to be able to share with you there - but I can't quite yet. Maybe next month.

Reviving Memories - Kate Walker

February has never been one of my favourite months. It's dark and damp and  - well, frankly, pretty dreary. Christmas is well behind you, the celebrations - and resolutions  - of New Year  are something of a hazy memory. And there are weeks and weeks  before Easter or anything  like that on the horizon.

But this year, February has been doing pretty well for itself. First of all, there's the fact that after the terrible snow we had through December and the danger and disappointments in trying to travel  about in it - friends had to cancel visits - we couldn't make it to visit family - even the tiny brightening of the weather, with the darkness of night  no longer descending  well before teatime,  is really welcome.

And then there are books -  for my ,money, books will always brighten a day or more! One of the very best things about being a writer is the publication of a band new title, one that has never been on the shelves before. I've got one of those coming up - The Proud Wife is my next Harlequin Presents release -  but that's not actually the one that's brightening my February.  No, the books that have been making me smile have been turning up like old memories, old friends, and I've been so happy to see them. 

For a start, there's the  special 3 in 1 Collection Mediterranean Tycoons  that  was published on February 1st.   Here's a book of mine that first came out in  2007 - The Greek Tycoon's Unwilling Wife  rereleased in a brand-new form, and in great company too - there are books by Michelle Reid and Sarah Morgan in this volume too.

Then I've been receiving bundles of foreign language books - all of these are reprints, some old, some new - and the fun is in finding out just which book of mine has been translated, reprinted and rereleased in this new format.

For a start there's  the book that was shgort-listed for  Romantic Times Best Presents Extra Award for 2010 - The Konstantos Marriage Demand - only it doesn't say that on the cover  - either of them - of the two translations - no, three - one is Dutch, one Japanese and one Korean. (For two of them,  the Japanese and the Korean,  I had to look inside to see the original English title to know just which book I had in my hand.). There's  a Lithuanian edition of The Antonakos Marriage too.    The Antonakos Marriage first appeared in 2005, so we're going even further back.   But not quitre as far down memory lane as the German translation I've been sent - that one is  Her Secret Bridegroom which was first published back in  2001! That's ten years ago.

That had to be the oldest title currently being reprinted, I thought,  but no - there was one more book in the box. Another one from Japan. And this time it was a reprint of The Unexpected Child  which was first published in 1997!  That means that it's 14 years since I wrote this  book - no - 15, because of course I wrote it some time before it  was actually published.  And still it keeps coming back, being reprinted,  hopefully being enjoyed by a brand new set of readers.

And that started me thinking about the books I have coming out this year - starting with The Proud Wife  - and another coming in September.  And  of course the one I'm writing now.  Will they still be being reprinted, still reappearing on my desk in different editions, different translations in - eeek - in  2025!   I wonder what sort of a life I'll be living then - and what sort of a world those books will be published in. Wll there only be ebook readers then? Or will the traditional paper and print volumes still exist?   And as the book I'm writing now will be my 60th title in 25 years - so how many books will I have produced 15 years from now?

One thing I think is that when that 2025 rolls around, I hope I'm still enjoying  reading and writing romances as much as I do now - and I wonder if I'll remember writing this post then!

As I know that  the 3 in 1 volume Mediterranean Tycoons isn't available outside the UK (though you can get yourself a copy  from The Book Depository if you can't live without it)  I thought I'd run a small giveaway this month  - so  I'm offering a copy of Mediterranean Tycoons to someone who posts a comment today.  Tell me what book from the past you'd love to get your hands on again - a romance   or any other novel. Post your comments  as usual and I'll get Sid the Cat on the job of picking a winner tomorrow.

Oh - and seeing as I was talking about the book that's coming out soon - The Proud Wife - that won't be available in Presents Extra until April - but if you'd like to be in with a chance of winning it, check out my blog or my web site Contest page where Anne McAllister, Liz Fielding and I are running  for the fourth time our annual Here Come the Grooms Contest with the chance to win 3 great romances , one from each author.

You can keep up to date with all my news and every new book I have  coming out over there too.

The winner of ther copy of Mediterranean Tycoons is pageturner  - please email me kate AT Kate-walker.com   with your postal address.   Thanks!

Old and New by Kate Walker

First things first - Happy New Year to all of you. I hope that 2011 brings you lots of love and joy and some wonderful moments that will leave you with some truly happy memories when January 2012 comes around.

New Year's Day always brings with it ideas of 'out with the old and in with the new' but I've always felt that was a bit too extreme - it seems to be saying that only the new (and young?) has good things going for it and the old can be discarded because it no longer matters.

I can't agree. I love old things - I have lots of things that have been handed down through my family and I collect antique embroideries, some of which are over 200 years old. I love keeping the old things close - and I love looking foward to the new things coming up.

This works particularly in publishing, when new books are planned well ahead of their publication date, but thankfully old books are still around and are being republished. So when it comes to the start of 2011, I've just discovered the new cover for my next book - The Proud Wife - which will be published in March 2011 (UK ) and in April in America. The covers for these two editions are very different, because in the UK the covers have recently been revamped while in America the Presents Extra covers stay with the same design. I wonder which of these you like best?

At the same time as I found this new cover, I have discovered that some of my older books are being brough out again in ebook editions so that they available easily once again. The Hired Husband and The Duke's Secret Wife are now available as ebooks from eHarlequin.com or on Kindle from Amazon.

Another reason why I was thinking about the old and the new was because of my very special Christmas gift. As those of you who read my personal blog regularly will know, I was given a gorgeous red and white Maine Coon kitten called Charlie who is now just 16 weeks old. He's purred his way into my hart and I love him dearly - but that doesn't mean that I love the older cats, Sid, Flora and the old gentleman, 17 year old Dylan any the less.

So as I go into the new year of 2011, I'm making plans of course for new things - new book to write (and read), new places to visit, new people to meet, new things to learn - but at the same time I'm taking with me lots of 'old' things - friends, family, cats! I think it'd the mixture of all these things that makes life so wonderful and brings so much joy.

What about you? What new things are you looking forward to? And what older things will you be happy to take with you?

Whatever they are - I hope you have a wonderful year in 2011!