Talk by author Helen Summer in Portsmouth

Helen Summer (author of the brilliant book Running Crazy) will be speaking and signing books at the Portsmouth Book Festival at their Book Marathon event, Portsmouth Library at 2 pm on 27th October.

Sherborne Literary Festival

Brilliant day at Sherborne Literary Festival with Helen Summer - well worth the early start! We went to a very funny and informative talk by author Carole Matthews (new novel 'With Love At Christmas'), had lunch in the town, and then enjoyed another great talk by author Sophie Hannah (new novel 'Kind Of Cruel'). The weather was kind, we didn't get lost (well, only once - briefly!) and not at all on the way home. Well worth going!!!

A very writerly time

I seem to have been doing a lot of lunches and other writers' events lately. 17th September I was at the SWWJ lunch just outside of Dorchester, a brilliant meeting and lunch at a beautiful manor house set miles from anywhere - or so it seemed. (All those narrow lanes with high hedges were a quite scary nightmare - especially when I met a tractor coming the other way!!).

I met the lovely Helen Summer - author of the fabulous Running Crazy - for coffee on 5th October. OMG, can we both talk - it's 'cos we're writers of course and have s-o-o-o much in common!!!

Today I've been to Fareham to the Dunford Writers' Day. Which was hard work but so much fun. What a bunch of talented authors - I was honoured to be included and so pleased with a very positive critique on the first chapter of my new book.

Now then, what's next on the calendar????

On BBC Radio Solent today

I really enjoyed sharing a spot on BBC Radio Solent's Katie Martin Programme today with Nicola Gale from West Quay Waterstones. We were discussing J K Rowling's new book and looking at the subject of authors changing genres and how easy or difficult that would be. I've had a go at a few different genres myself in the past with varying degrees of success. Would I change genres again in the future? Well, I would never say never!

Lunch and other stuff

It was the RNA (Romantic Novelists' Association) Southern Chapter lunch in Southampton today. Great bunch of writers attended - all doing really well, in spite of the recession. Amazing what determination can do! Shame about the food, but that was a minor details.

Great surprise when I got home to discover an email from Katie Martin of BBC Radio Solent. When I rang her back as requested I was invited to join a panel of speakers on Wednesday discussing books and writing. I didn't need to think about that very hard - or at all really. Looking forward to it!

New book programme for radio

Well, it was the recording of the book programmes (2) for the radio today. Quite a different experience to that of simply being interviewed in that I was also being expected to give an opinion on various literary topics. No one will be surprised to hear that I wasn't lost for words at any point!!

The blurb for Not What It Seems

I've just sent off the blurb for my new novel (it's the little snippet that goes on the back to non-authors) to the publisher. How come it takes almost longer to write 120 words ABOUT the book than it took to write the whole book in the first place? Okay, I am joking - but only just!!