Surprise!!!

Guess what?

We have a new place to be!

My New Website!

Go see, bookmark, link, and tell me what you think on my new blog!

It's Official!

For one reason or another, I never got around to going public with some excellent news.

I'm delighted to announce that my second book, Dangerous Lies, will be published by Medallion Press in 2009.

Let's celebrate by looking at one of the inspirations for Alan....



Mmmmmm.

I've sold my second book! Can you believe it?!?

As you know, Run Among Thorns (available June 2008) is Jenny Waring and Kier McAllister's story. Now, Jenny has a brother – Alan – who leads something of a double life. A double life that catches up with him with a vengeance when he allows himself to be beguiled by a holiday romance with pretty, unsophisticated Marianne Forster.

Dangerous Lies is their story.

You know, I was braced to have all sorts of problems selling my second. I know so many people who've tripped over all sorts of bad luck, bad timing and bad communication in trying to make that second sale, I feel enormously privileged to have breezed through this so easily. J I'm told that Dangerous Lies is an excellent book (by Julie, who is a Writing Goddess, and I am therefore forced to believe her), but even excellent books hit problems… I sent off the partial in every expectation of waiting some months before maybe getting a request to see the full MS (if I was lucky) and was stunned by a quick offer of a contract only a few weeks later.

I suppose I was just lucky this time.

Who knows, perhaps book three is going to be my nemesis?

In any case, if you had hell with your second book, whether it was performance pressure, incomprehensible lack of publisher interest or just damn bad luck, I raise my glass to you.

The Nature of Happiness

Money can't buy happiness.

But it can buy cake.

Close enough.

Naughty

I've been a naughty girl.

A naughty, naughty girl.



And wearing them makes me feel even naughtier.

Excellent *rubbing hands*.

The Long-Awaited Second Canal Holiday Post

I have no excuses. I don't even KNOW why it's taken me so long to post again.

On the plus side, we now have the benefit of my brother's (that's Commodore "SuDoKu" Lucia to you) photos, too.

Anyway. Shall I re-commence?

One of the wonderful things about a canal holiday, is how close you are to England's and (Wales'!) gentle wildlife. As we embarked, the sunlit waters lapping softly at the reed-grown margins, images of Wind in the Willows, Beatrix Potter and The Animals of Farthing Wood ran, soothing, through your mind.

Reviewing the week, with wildlife in mind, I am truly impressed by the sheer variety of wildlife that alternately pooped on us, used us to help kill things, attacked us or demanded food with menaces.

In fact, on the subject of squirrel poop, I have some sage advice for would-be narrowboaters - Don't Moor in Woodland.



Yes, the views at dusk are gorgeous. But after dark, big things rustle in the bushes, and pooping squirrels use your boat for target practice. Ask Lock Master 1 "Beer Me" Scamans. He got pooped on, too.

You have been warned.

Our first significant encounter was with one of the Ubiquitous Herons, but it was only late in the holiday that we realised some of them were watching our bow wave to see if it disturbed fish... and then stabbing down with that vicious dagger-beak. We felt so used. ;-)



Then there was the swan. Mention an angry swan to anyone, and they're usually compelled to tell you that a blow from a swan's wing can break your arm. I don't know if this is true, but it is true to say that this one tried to bite Galley Slave "Flora Britannica" Lucia's backside...



But then he was defending his mate's nesting site. Alpha male, anyone? Aggression included, this one negotiated a soft corner of my heart.

But The Lord High Mandarin, well... he just was just stunning.



Then so was the scenery.




Even if getting to it was sometimes hard work...





I could say more, but suffice it to say, good fun was had by all. I'd love to do it again someday.



Bye for now...

Holiday!

Let me start by saying this. A narrowboat holiday is no place for vanity. By day two you're resigned to wearing the same clothes for the rest of the week, usually zipped into a tatty waterproof. And you don't care....

Here Lock Master 2 "My Hair! My Beautiful Hair!" Scamans is modelling the latest narrowboat fashions. Hey, Lock Master 2? Duck!



We had a wonderful time. We had a priorities sorted right from the start - here you can see Commodore "SuDoKu" Lucia and Galley Slave "Flora Britannica" Lucia loading essential supplies...





Now boating on the canals is hard work. See the concentration on Captain "Ramming Speed" Lucia's face here, and the dedication on Lock Master 1 "Beer Me" Scamans' face, too.





It's a quiet holiday, but that's not to say you don't meet people. People like The Angry Swan, Ubiquitous Heron and family, Diverse Dodging Ducklings and The Lord High Mandarin

But I'm overloading this post with photos, so I'll have to introduce you to them, and to more views and vistas later this week.... enjoy!

Be seein' ya!

So I survived the fast-diesel loaner. My own car, however, is still languising in pieces in a garage... poor dear is still cutting out and they can't figure it out.

So, once again, we're going on holiday on our old, decrepit, only-bought-it-to-do-short-journeys-in Micra. Happily most of our holiday will be spent on a boat.

Doing less than 4mph.

This is a pace I can go with.