WHERE AM I?

Out today in what looked and felt like a winter wonderland.

It had been a good week (I made the USA Today Bestseller list with MONARCH OF THE SANDS), but this was the real frosting on the cake.

The snow in the city had mostly melted but high up on Farley Mount it was like being in a different world. I saw three deer (not ships!) gamboling across a woodland path ahead of me, which gave the walk a magical touch.

The snow was intact and crunchy underfoot (very good research because my current hero and heroine are just about to experience a whirling snowstorm!).

But most of all, it was beautiful.


Where have you been recently that's beautiful?

BEAUTIFUL CONCKERA

Here's a photo of me taken just before Christmas at Conckera in County Fermanagh, Ireland, where my mother grew up and which is just a couple of miles away from the sweet little town of Clones.

Conckera has a lake and lots of bogland. There are trees which turn to gold when the sun shines on them (look behind me) and some of the greenest grass you'll ever set eyes on. I think it's one of the most beautiful places on earth, but of course - I'm biased! My cousin Peter still lives there with his family and he and his two brothers made my visit so memorable.

I hadn't visited since I was four years old but I'd heard so much about it that I'd built up a vivid picture in my mind. It didn't disappoint. How could it?. Some places are just perfect because of their associations and this is one of them.

Do you have a place like that, one which is very close to your heart?

LUSCIOUS CORNWALL

This is the view I'll be waking up to for the next few days....

The magnificence which is Trevone Bay in north Cornwall.

I shall be taking a book (HIS ILLEGAL SELF by Peter Carey) and some proofs to correct - as well as my latest wip (the one about the bad-girl singer and the arrogant Duke).

I shall also be taking a hot-water bottle.

Snow is forecast.

WHAT RHYMES WITH *SPINX*, *THINKS*, *WINKS*?

Yes, it's MINX!

And today I'm blogging over at the splendidly named Minxes Of Romance....

So please do stop by and make yourself known.

(The word *Minx* would be great for a limerick, don't you think?)

TODAY I AM BLOGGING OVER AT

iheartspresents where I am talking about the enduring sexiness of

So I do hope you'll drop by and visit. I'll be talking about my latest release which is called MONARCH OF THE SANDS.

Do you like this iconic cover of E. M. Hull's classic Sheikh novel?

SALLY GAP - and a conundrum!

Last month, I visited one of the most beautiful countries in the world. Yes, I'm talking about Ireland!

I went to the County of Armagh ("sure, there's one fair county in Ireland, with memories so glorious and grand....") and I also went to Dublin to stay with the talented and occasionally hilarious Abby Green, whose books you will know and love.

Abby has worked (and sometimes still does) in the film industry and she took me to Sally Gap, just outside Dublin. It gives stunning views over the Wicklow mountains, which is why it is so beloved of film-makers.

Here I am, on a day so windy that I honestly thought I might fly away.

But I am left with one question.

Who was *Sally*?

TUSCANY IN MAY, ANYONE?

It's been an age since I updated this blog but now I have returned to it with renewed vigour to remind you of things I should have reminded you about before!

First up is to say that if you want to come to glorious Tuscany, to learn how to write romantic fiction - then you should book now.

During a dreamy, one-week course - you'll stay in a picturesque watermill, surrounded by trees which are loaded with creamy and fragrant Acacia blossoms, just like this....

And you'll soak up the kind of inspiration you get from living among mountains which look like this:

Of course, we must not forget going to local restaurants for droolingly good food, where course participants can occasionally be persuaded into doing something as daft as posing winsomely with a sprig of flowers!

Twice recently, I have been asked if men are welcome on these courses and the short answer is...yes!

All writers (as long as they are passionate about their craft) are very welcome.

So what's stopping you?