Today I am blogging about Rochester the guide dog puppy and his work over at the Word Wench blog. The link is here! I’ve also mentioned a little bit of history. I’ve been fascinated by the history of the domestic dog for a long time, and their close relationship with humans. It’s also wonderful to [...]
Today I am reflecting on the historical roots of “desert romances.” Not only is the sheikh hero hugely popular in contemporary romantic fiction but some historical authors are also turning to the genre. A few years ago Louise Allen wrote a wonderful Turkish-set novella called Desert Rake and Marguerite Kaye has written the fabulous Princes of [...]
The RNA’s Regency Day last Saturday was splendid fun and thank you to all the organisers for the hard work they put into making the day such a great mixture of events. There’s a wonderful summary of the day here on the RNA blog. Thanks to Annie Burrows for that. It’s impossible to pick out [...]
The new series of Downton Abbey hit UK screens last Sunday night (I understand that it is due to show in the US in the New Year) and, perhaps inevitably, aroused once again the debate about whether or not the programme is an authentic depiction of Edwardian life. Historian A N Wilson branded the series “b*******” in [...]
Yesterday I went up to Richmond, to the Harlequin Mills & Boon offices, to collect my NRCA trophy and to have lunch with editors Kimberley Young and Linda Fildew. It had always been my intention to attend the RWA Conference in New York this year and I was deeply disappointed when pet and other family [...]
Here are three writing tips from James Patterson, the bestselling author in the world this year: 1. The story must have a driving force. 2. Individual chapters must hold the attention all the way through. 3. Be there – you need to feel the action. You need to be emotionally engaged with your writing.
Come to the Ball! Romance Husbands gather at the A MIDNIGHT DANCE BLOG PARTY! Today marks the start of an event which, frankly, I wish I had thought of myself! From 19th July to 19th August Mr DiPasqua, legendary husband of fabulous author Lila DiPasqua, is hosting a blog party like no other, and interviewing [...]
Yesterday I received a fabulous Japanese Manga edition of my short story The Rake’s Bride. I’ve had one Manga book before, a copy of the Regency Invitation anthology I wrote alongside Elizabeth Rolls and Joanna Maitland, and it was lovely to get another one. For those who have not come across them, mangas are graphic [...]
Is it more stressful to live in a city than in the country? Research published last week suggests that it is. Apparently the brain is wired differently in rural dwellers. I’m not sure where that leaves me since I lived in various different cities for the first 25 years of my life and then moved to the [...]
Back in 1922 a critic from the New York Times argued that the “absolute truth” was wholly irrelevant to drama. Now, with the screening of the drama about the Kennedys the old debate has been raised again. Does accuracy matter in historical fiction? Some TV critics have argued that historical drama would be pretty boring without [...]