MONKEY BUSINESS

Watched the most amazing programme yesterday called NATURE'S MIRACLE BABIES.  Yes, it's a cheesy title - but it's a remarkable short film about endangered species, which are being bred in captivity.  There are Barbary Lions and beautiful leopards - cute and fluffy little things with a fierce snarl and razor sharp teeth.  There's a very moving live birth of a gorilla at London Zoo.  
The film highlights the care and dedication shown by people who look after animals and it made me fish out this photo of a monkey which I took back in March, when I was staying with friends in Singapore.

Any ideas what to call this monkey?
A glossy hardback novel for the best suggestion.

BACK IN THE HEADLINES

I'm very excited about my latest hero - a sexy English Duke named Titus Alexander and the woman who is driving him crazy.  

Roxy Carmichael is a woman who has fallen on hard-times.  A one-time singer with a dodgy background, she's the last person this blood-blooded billionaire wants in his life.  But Roxy needs help and to his fury - Titus feels duty-bound to provide it.  He takes her to Valeo Hall - his stately home on the beautiful Norfolk coast - and that's when the fireworks really start....

This is the UK cover, which came as a bit of a shock because I don't remember giving Titus so much designer stubble that it seems to have grown into a small beard!  But the man featured here manages to convey a brooding and potent sexuality - and that is very Titus.

You can read an excerpt here 

I loved writing this story and I love the chemistry which sizzles between the unlikely couple.  It's a long time since I've had an English "toff" hero, and I hope you enjoy Titus as much as Roxy eventually does....

INSPIRATION & DAVID WILMOT

Sometimes you see a film or a play which lingers in the mind because it's so bloody brilliant - and one such film was SHADOW DANCER which I liked so much that I saw it twice in one week!  One of the reasons it was so good was down to the superb acting of the entire cast - exemplified by actor David Wilmot, who deserves an Oscar for his brooding and menacing performance.  Watch the trailer here and you'll see exactly what I mean.  (He's the one threatening the heroine).

Imagine my surprise when fellow author Abby Green arrived in London with a signed photo of said actor, which she'd brought all the way from Dublin's fair city.  What a gal!
And thanks to our lovely senior editor Joanne Grant who took this picture of me posing with it at our annual author party where much merriment and inspiration was to be had by all.

Has anything inspired you recently?

LEARN HOW TO WRITE A ROMANCE....

If you live, or are within travelling distance of central London, then why not sashay on down to Victoria Library on Friday, 21st September where I'll be running a writing workshop.  The course runs between 5.30 - 6.45 and you can find details here

I'll be covering everything you need to know about writing romance - but the "rules" are the same for writing any kind of fiction.  We'll be discovering what makes your characters leap off the page and what makes the reader care what happens to them.  We'll learn about the importance of narrative and what keeps dialogue fresh and real.

Oh, and we'll be having a laugh - that, I promise.

And while you're in the vicinity - you could do no better than having a stroll around the glorious St. James's Park which is the oldest park in London and is surrounded by three palaces.

Gorgeous!

I'm also running a course in Mayfair - posh! - on 25th September and I'll  let you have details of that within the next couple of days.

SFOGLIATELLE e THE MAGIC OF NAPLES

Today I'm over at http://www.iheartpresents.com talking about my latest USA release, entitled: A TAINTED BEAUTY.

It's the story of a man with unrealistic expectations and a woman who longs to match them.....

In the blog, I talk about the magic of Naples and you can hear the most wonderful and evocative Neapolitan music.....

THE SUMMER SCHOOL AT SWANWICK

This is the beautiful lake at the Swanwick Summer Writing School, which happens to be the longest-running writing school IN THE WORLD!  It's been running for sixty-four years (which is why all you Twitter followers can find it under the hashtag #Swanwick64).  It's in glorious Derbyshire - a county I know well from childhood holidays, when I used to go and stay with my cousin in a place called Dronfield.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I agreed to be an evening speaker and to give two workshops  - and I certainly got a surprise when I walked into a packed hall of around 250 people.  Swanwick writers are very passionate about their craft!  Likewise, my workshops were also filled with interesting and interested participants.  We brain-stormed a romantic novel in two hours flat (and gave each other plenty of new ideas).

I ate delicious food, slept like a log and met some wonderful people.  If you're looking for a creative, encouraging and great-value environment in which to practice and learn - then you might think about giving Swanwick a try.

Meanwhile, here's the church from the nearby village (it was locked, of course) - which has rather a strange but rather beautiful spire.....

Have you seen anything beautiful but unusual recently?

SWANWICK WRITERS' SUMMER SCHOOL

is believed to be the oldest established writers' conference in the world....and I'm going to be there next week on August 14th, giving a talk entitled SEXY SHEIKHS AND THE WOMEN WHO LOVE THEM.
I'll also be giving two workshops the following day.
Hope to see you there!