Who would have thought that a cloud of volcanic ash could cause so much chaos? This week, the London Book Fair at Earl’s Court was a little quieter than in previous years. My US publisher couldn’t make it but my amazing German agent managed to get the last train tickets from Zurich and it was wonderful to see her!
Here’s a photo taken from the balcony of the international rights’ floor and it looks as if my new publisher, HarperCollins, still had plenty to keep them busy.
Another gorgeous day in Oxfordshire yesterday. Whilst the husband was busy with his brushes, Molly and I walked along the ridgeway to the white horse at Uffington. It’s so high up and the landscape is so bizarre and doesn’t feel like Oxfordshire at all.
And, always on the look out for one of my favourite flowers, I managed to find some on a woodland walk.
Well, with the rewrites of A Weekend with Mr Darcy done, it was off to Oxfordshire for a much-deserved day out yesterday. My husband wanted to paint the ridgeway and Molly and I went for a walk, heads down into the warm spring wind with skylarks singing above us.
After a car picnic, we headed to Letcombe Regis for another painting and another walk. And Molly wasn’t going to let a stile come between her and an adventure at the hill fort, Letcombe Castle (Segsbury Camp).
And she certainly didn’t mind when her ears blew inside out in the wind.
The hill fort was the perfect vantage point from which to admire the landscape and I was delighted to discover a field full of cowslips just beginning to open. Another Miss Read moment occurred in the village when I spotted a bank full of the elusive white violet.
And the churchyard was a perfect picture of spring with a fine display of daffodils.
Now it’s back to work. My characters are calling me and I really should be working towards giving them all the happy endings they deserve.
One of the events I look forward to each year is the Oxford Literary Festival and, this year, I went to hear Anthony Horowitz talking about his books and TV career at the Sheldonian Theatre. I’m a huge fan of his Alex Rider novels and have heard him speak before. He’s one of the most entertaining and open speakers I’ve ever heard and he always makes time to meet all his fans afterwards, signing books late into the night.
More Writer Top Tens this week – from two of my favourite authors – Adele Geras and Sam Mills.
This has been a really amazing month so far. I met my new publisher, Avon/HarperCollins, last week and I’m delighted to say that they’re going to publish my new novel, A Weekend with Mr Darcy, in September which means I’d better get a move on with my rewrites! This is my new romantic comedy about a group of Jane Austen addicts who meet and fall in love at a conference in Hampshire, and it’s the first in a trilogy about Austen fans.
The research has been so much fun. As well as reading all of Jane Austen’s wonderful novels, I’ve been watching all the TV and film adaptaions again and visiting Chawton, Winchester and Bath. And I’m really excited about the week in Lyme Regis we’ve booked where we’ve got an apartment overlooking the Cobb. Sometimes, writing is so much fun, it couldn’t possibly be considered work!
Yesterday, I had the very great pleasure of speaking at my first literary festival in Haringey. It’s been running for two years now and I was invited to speak at the Marcus Garvey Library on behalf of my lovely publishers, Allison & Busby and Magna. Everyone was very welcoming and there were drinks and cake and lots of questions from a lively audience. I was also asked to do a short film about my book, Molly’s Millions, which will be uploaded onto the library system.
Back to the desk now …
I knew I was in the right place yesterday when I saw the pink heart-shaped balloons! Yes, it was time to talk about all things romantic again with my three lovely friends from the Let’s Talk About Love group. This time, the setting was Castelnau Library in the borough of Richmond and a lovely crowd was there to meet us. It’s so nice to get away from the desk once in a while and talk to people who are as passionate about books as I am. Many thanks to the wonderful library staff who made us feel so welcome and to Adam who looked after the book stall.
And I reached a marvellous milestone in the new novel this week – my first 100 pages! Always a good sign when you can see things moving along at a fair old pace. Only another 250 or so pages to go …
Life as a romantic novelist can sometimes be incredibly busy especially around Valentine’s Day. Yesterday, I was talking about romance on Radio Oxford and then I spent a lovely evening with my Let’s Talk About Love friends at Waterstones in Windsor where we were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd and made very welcome by the staff. There were plates of heart-shaped chocolates courtesy of Hotel Chocolat and a fabulous display of our books including the glorious golden paperback of Loves Me, Loves Me Not in which Janet Gover and I have short stories.
The anthology has been getting lots of wonderful press coverage – it’s Heat magazine’s top read this week with a five-star review, and it’s People’s Friend ‘Book for February’, saying that my story “set in the Egyptian rooms of the British Museum, will restore your faith that romance can blossom in the most unlikely places”.
And there’s been more press with articles in The Worcester News and the Eastern Daily Press about the recent film interest in Molly’s Millions.
I’ve also been singing the praises of my favourite novel again – HE Bates’s The Darling Buds of May. It really is the most gorgeous novel!
I LOVE Valentine’s Day. Well, there aren’t many romantic novelists who don’t. And this one’s going to be really special because I’ll be celebrating it in style with three of my author friends in two fabulous Let’s Talk About Love events. On Friday 12th at 7pm, we’ll be discussing all things romantic at Waterstone’s in Windsor and it promises to be a delicious evening with chocolate treats provided by Hotel Chocolat! Tickets are £3 but that’s redeemable against purchases on the night.
Then between 3 – 4.30pm on Saturday 20th, we’ll be talking at Castelnau Library. So if you’re an avid reader or a budding novelist or simply love an excuse to talk about gorgeous heroes, do come along and say hello. We’d love to see you!
Two more Writer Top Tens this week, from bestselling authors, Deborah Wright and Christina Jones who both have brand new novels out. I can’t wait to read them!
On Sunday, I had the very great pleasure of being the guest speaker at a lunch held by The Arthur Ransome Society to celebrate the great man’s birthday. It was held at the Norfolk Arms in Arundel – a fabulous coaching inn – and there were over forty members all of whom made me very welcome. I gave a talk about ‘Writing Rules’, looking at those which Arthur Ransome sticks to and a few he breaks as well, and then read a passage from Winter Holiday – that magical scene where Dorothea wakes up to the first snow of the year.
The afternoon rushed by but there was just enough time to pop into Kim’s Bookshop – a fabulous place with wall to wall books on three floors! I could happily lose a few hours there.
When the first snow fell on Jane Austen’s birthday on 16th December, I didn’t think it would still be snowing a whole month later! Our recent trip to the Pembrokeshire coast turned into a bit of an expedition as we battled the elements.
Here’s our local beach covered in snow. I’ve never walked on frozen sand before and the icicles on the cliffs were simply stunning.
The Preseli Hills looked especially beautiful in the snow and we headed up their on my birthday and had a little car picnic, watching everyone sledging down the hills. But I’m a bit worried about the inhabitants at the end of this farm track and hope they’ve got plenty of food and are managing to keep warm!
And here’s me wearing as many woolly items as possible (and a pair of sparkly birthday earrings too!) It was a truly memorable trip and I even managed to do some work – clocking up 9,000 words of the new novel.
