There are few things lovelier than walking through a field of ripening wheat. So here, for a taste of English summer - drum-role - I give you a view of the Hampshire countryside.
While weaving my way through the bosky lanes, I spotted something I hadn't seen for years....a peacock butterfly. Terrible to think I used to capture them and then put them in a jam-jar. Which was probably why this one kept flitting away - informed by the spirit of some long-lost relative.
Eventually, I managed to take a picture from a distance - which I didn't think was too bad for an iPhone. Isn't it pretty?
Friday, 26 July 2013
Thursday, 25 July 2013
SOME ARE BORN FOR SWEET DELIGHT
Either nobody guessed or nobody worked their way through William Blake's long poem to find the title of one of Agatha Christie's books (and one of my more haunting favourites) in yesterday's blog. So I've given you a whacking great clue in today's title.
Today, I'm flagging up a book cover which arrived this morning. The very sweet man who delivered it said, "Sign here, girly" which I know would have infuriated some of my more radical feminist friends - but I am shallow enough to have smiled (particularly as I hadn't even washed my hair!).
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
AUGURIES OF INNOCENCE
While out walking over beautiful St Catherine's Hill, I came across this thistle. As thistles go, it's pretty big - but when photographed against the panoramic view - it becomes enormous.
Like many things, it's all a question of how you look at things; of perspective.
It reminded me of the poem by William Blake - which talks about the beauty of small things, and of looking closely...
It's a gorgeous (and very long!) poem and includes some lines near the end which Agatha Christie used to title one of her haunting murder stories. Any idea which one I mean?
Like many things, it's all a question of how you look at things; of perspective.
It reminded me of the poem by William Blake - which talks about the beauty of small things, and of looking closely...
It's a gorgeous (and very long!) poem and includes some lines near the end which Agatha Christie used to title one of her haunting murder stories. Any idea which one I mean?
To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour A Robin Red breast in a Cage Puts all Heaven in a Rage A Dove house filld with Doves & Pigeons Shudders Hell thr' all its regions A dog starvd at his Masters Gate Predicts the ruin of the State A Horse misusd upon the Road Calls to Heaven for Human blood Each outcry of the hunted Hare A fibre from the Brain does tear A Skylark wounded in the wing A Cherubim does cease to sing The Game Cock clipd & armd for fight Does the Rising Sun affright Every Wolfs & Lions howl Raises from Hell a Human Soul The wild deer, wandring here & there Keeps the Human Soul from Care The Lamb misusd breeds Public Strife And yet forgives the Butchers knife The Bat that flits at close of Eve Has left the Brain that wont Believe The Owl that calls upon the Night Speaks the Unbelievers fright He who shall hurt the little Wren Shall never be belovd by Men He who the Ox to wrath has movd Shall never be by Woman lovd The wanton Boy that kills the Fly Shall feel the Spiders enmity He who torments the Chafers Sprite Weaves a Bower in endless Night The Catterpiller on the Leaf Repeats to thee thy Mothers grief Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly For the Last Judgment draweth nigh He who shall train the Horse to War Shall never pass the Polar Bar The Beggars Dog & Widows Cat Feed them & thou wilt grow fat The Gnat that sings his Summers Song Poison gets from Slanders tongue The poison of the Snake & Newt Is the sweat of Envys Foot The poison of the Honey Bee Is the Artists Jealousy The Princes Robes & Beggars Rags Are Toadstools on the Misers Bags A Truth thats told with bad intent Beats all the Lies you can invent It is right it should be so Man was made for Joy & Woe And when this we rightly know Thro the World we safely go Joy & Woe are woven fine A Clothing for the soul divine Under every grief & pine Runs a joy with silken twine The Babe is more than swadling Bands Throughout all these Human Lands Tools were made & Born were hands Every Farmer Understands Every Tear from Every Eye Becomes a Babe in Eternity This is caught by Females bright And returnd to its own delight The Bleat the Bark Bellow & Roar Are Waves that Beat on Heavens Shore The Babe that weeps the Rod beneath Writes Revenge in realms of Death The Beggars Rags fluttering in Air Does to Rags the Heavens tear The Soldier armd with Sword & Gun Palsied strikes the Summers Sun The poor Mans Farthing is worth more Than all the Gold on Africs Shore One Mite wrung from the Labrers hands Shall buy & sell the Misers Lands Or if protected from on high Does that whole Nation sell & buy He who mocks the Infants Faith Shall be mockd in Age & Death He who shall teach the Child to Doubt The rotting Grave shall neer get out He who respects the Infants faith Triumphs over Hell & Death The Childs Toys & the Old Mans Reasons Are the Fruits of the Two seasons The Questioner who sits so sly Shall never know how to Reply He who replies to words of Doubt Doth put the Light of Knowledge out The Strongest Poison ever known Came from Caesars Laurel Crown Nought can Deform the Human Race Like to the Armours iron brace When Gold & Gems adorn the Plow To peaceful Arts shall Envy Bow A Riddle or the Crickets Cry Is to Doubt a fit Reply The Emmets Inch & Eagles Mile Make Lame Philosophy to smile He who Doubts from what he sees Will neer Believe do what you Please If the Sun & Moon should Doubt Theyd immediately Go out To be in a Passion you Good may Do But no Good if a Passion is in you The Whore & Gambler by the State Licencd build that Nations Fate The Harlots cry from Street to Street Shall weave Old Englands winding Sheet The Winners Shout the Losers Curse Dance before dead Englands Hearse Every Night & every Morn Some to Misery are Born Every Morn and every Night Some are Born to sweet delight Some are Born to sweet delight Some are Born to Endless Night We are led to Believe a Lie When we see not Thro the Eye Which was Born in a Night to perish in a Night When the Soul Slept in Beams of Light God Appears & God is Light To those poor Souls who dwell in Night But does a Human Form Display To those who Dwell in Realms of day
Tuesday, 23 July 2013
SHEIKS & SULTANS & MARGARET MITCHELL
I'm still on a bit of a high after this year's RWA conference which was held in Atlanta.
This southern city provided some amazing memories: fried cheesecake, the biggest aquarium in the world, unbelievably friendly people and some magnificent storms.
Oh, and the discovery that the legendary Margaret Mitchell also wrote about Sheiks - so I feel I'm in very exalted company!
Here's an article she did for The Atlanta Journal (which still exists today as ajc.com)
Don't you just love the illustrations?
Today I'm back at work, creating the story of Catrin and Murat.
Catrin is - or rather, was - an innocent from the beautiful region of northern Wales - before she fell in love with Murat The Magnificent.
And Murat?
Sigh. Where do I begin?
He's a Sultan. Actually, he's first Sultan I've ever written. He's ruthless, hard and utterly magnificent and no woman can resist him - Catrin included.
Many women have brought pleasure into this autocratic royal's life, but no woman has ever managed to tame him...
Like the sound of him?
This southern city provided some amazing memories: fried cheesecake, the biggest aquarium in the world, unbelievably friendly people and some magnificent storms.
Oh, and the discovery that the legendary Margaret Mitchell also wrote about Sheiks - so I feel I'm in very exalted company!
Here's an article she did for The Atlanta Journal (which still exists today as ajc.com)
Don't you just love the illustrations?
Today I'm back at work, creating the story of Catrin and Murat.
Catrin is - or rather, was - an innocent from the beautiful region of northern Wales - before she fell in love with Murat The Magnificent.
And Murat?
Sigh. Where do I begin?
He's a Sultan. Actually, he's first Sultan I've ever written. He's ruthless, hard and utterly magnificent and no woman can resist him - Catrin included.
Many women have brought pleasure into this autocratic royal's life, but no woman has ever managed to tame him...
Like the sound of him?
Monday, 22 July 2013
SWEET TEA AND CREPE MYRTLE
Just back from Atlanta - a totally rocking city of futuristic skyscrapers, whose streets are lined with beautiful flowering trees called Crepe Myrtles.
Their latin name is Lagerstoemia (which sounds like a small, fictional country) and they bring the place alive with colours of rose, cream, peach and purple. I loved them.
The city has the most amazing houses in the mid-town area.
Like this one:
Doesn't that look peaceful? Who wouldn't like to be sitting out on the veranda, drinking sweet tea?
Their latin name is Lagerstoemia (which sounds like a small, fictional country) and they bring the place alive with colours of rose, cream, peach and purple. I loved them.
The city has the most amazing houses in the mid-town area.
Like this one:
Doesn't that look peaceful? Who wouldn't like to be sitting out on the veranda, drinking sweet tea?
Friday, 19 July 2013
MAKING WAVES
Today, in an attempt to actually leave the conference hotel and to see a little of Atlanta which didn't involve adding yet more carbohydrate to my plate, I took a little trip to the local aquarium.
It is actually the largest aquarium in the world, with 6.3 million gallons of water and a lot of freaked-out looking fish.
Here's a piranha, which wasn't a bit how I've always imagined this particular fish to be (writhing around in swirling red water, crazed with blood lust as those razor-sharp teeth tear off flesh). But no, at least - not here in Georgia. The piranha are docile; they looked stoned.
And here are some unidentified fish in a photo you can just tell is destined one day to be used as a screen-saver over on Facebook.
Last of all, here's me - by a flowering tree, close to the Coca-Cola factory. It was a very American day.
In other news, I attended a breakfast meeting with two high-powered academics and some other writers of Sheikh romance. We were discussing the appeal of the desert warrior hero.
I know why I like Sheikhs.
Do you?
It is actually the largest aquarium in the world, with 6.3 million gallons of water and a lot of freaked-out looking fish.
Here's a piranha, which wasn't a bit how I've always imagined this particular fish to be (writhing around in swirling red water, crazed with blood lust as those razor-sharp teeth tear off flesh). But no, at least - not here in Georgia. The piranha are docile; they looked stoned.
And here are some unidentified fish in a photo you can just tell is destined one day to be used as a screen-saver over on Facebook.
Last of all, here's me - by a flowering tree, close to the Coca-Cola factory. It was a very American day.
In other news, I attended a breakfast meeting with two high-powered academics and some other writers of Sheikh romance. We were discussing the appeal of the desert warrior hero.
I know why I like Sheikhs.
Do you?
Wednesday, 17 July 2013
CALLING ROMANCE LOVERS IN ATLANTA!
Kicking off my book signing shortly at the Marquis Marriott hotel at 5.30 today (Atlanta time!), when I'll have copies of A SCANDAL, A SECRET, A BABY in my hot little hands.
Come on by and say hello (and eat a Cadbury's chocolate while you're there!)
Come on by and say hello (and eat a Cadbury's chocolate while you're there!)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)