Well, it’s the end of what’s been an amazing year. My first novel was published in Germany and a second one has been accepted for next year. I also discovered that I wanted to write children’s novels and wrote three! And I managed to finish Three Graces, my adult novel which had been lingering unfinished for some months. So, a very productive year on the writing front.

It’s been a good year for my short stories too. It’s always such a thrill to see these in print even though their shelf-life is short. I get a huge buzz when I have one accepted, and it’s always such fun when I think of a plot for a new one.

A great year for reading too. Click here to see my favourite reads of 2006.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous 2007!

* * * * * * November* * * * * *

When you go away for two separate week-long breaks in November having just been away for a week in October, it’s hard to convince people that you’re not holidaying at all but working! First there was a trip to the Pembrokeshire coast which was simply spectacular and I now know what the coastline of the Floral Isles looks like in my girls’ adventure series! Then there was a week at the gothic gatehouse in Devon where I wrote 11,000 words in four days - a personal record!

Here’s Molly and me and the wonderful Church Rock in Pembrokeshire which is set to become “The Witch’s Hat” off the coast of Zinnia in a future princess novel. There were also some fabulous castles in Wales and I took lots of photos as inspiration for Dampen Court - the horrible royal residence where my heroine has to live after a giant snail epidemic hits Belamere Palace…

A fabulous theatre trip this month to see Avenue Q - the most original musical ever. I loved it!

* * * * * * October* * * * * *

We spent a gorgeous week near Lyme Regis this month, staying in a Victorian gatehouse overlooking woods and fields full of deer and pheasants which delighted Molly no end. Our morning walks on the private estate were breathtaking with beautiful beech woods full of badger setts, and cliffs tumbling down to the sea. I really didn’t want to come home!

It was Dorset Arts Week too and we spent a lovely evening with Catherine and Laurence Anholt - the fabulous creators of over 70 novels and owners of the magical Chimp and Zee - Bookshop by the Sea.

And here’s the most incredible rainbow at Charmouth.

But we had a sad homecoming as my dear old budgerigar, Quentin, died on the last day of our holiday. I feel awful that I wasn’t there at the end but thankful that he had a long and happy life. He was my constant companion for eleven years and I will miss the energy and enthusiasm with which he greeted each new morning. Have a look at my dear little friend on the photos page.

A lovely surprise this month - I discovered my name on the cover of Woman’s Weekly Fiction Special. I am absolutely thrilled to bits, particularly as I wrote my dear spaniel, Molly, into the story in this edition and they’ve even provided a picture of her. If you’re in the UK, I hope you enjoy it. I seem to be writing a lot of ‘escape to the country’ stories at the moment. BIG hint to my husband!

* * * * * * September* * * * * *

I think I can safely say that the worst thing about being a writer is the waiting that’s involved. After a month of rewrites, I am now anxiously waiting to hear if it was all worthwhile. The writing itself is always a pure joy but the waiting is always pure agony!

Had a lovely trip to The Globe to see The Comedy of Errors this month. This has to be one of Shakespeare’s silliest plays as it involves two sets of twins and a lot of mistaken identity but it was great fun and I loved the slapstick and the naughty musical accompaniment, and a trip to this beautiful theatre is always a treat. Here’s a pic of me on the Millennium Bridge with theatre buddies and fellow writers, Henriette and Deborah.

Also had lunch with another writer pal, Kate Harrison, after viewing the jaw-dropping Tiffany exhibition at Somerset House. I can just imagine the young princesses in my girls' adventure series sporting some of the fabulous tiaras that were on display.

If you’re in the UK, watch out for my short story, The Retreat, in Woman’s Weekly Fiction Special. Out next month, it’s a twist in the tale about a runaway mother.

* * * * * * August* * * * * *

August has been a month of rewrites. First, there were my American rewrites for The Audacious Auditions of Jimmy Catesby and then some rewrites for the first in my girls’ adventure series, The Wrong Princess.

I know rewrites are an important part of the writing process but, for me, nothing beats that first flush of creativity when you’re discovering a novel for the first time - that magical journey you take through the plot when your characters are slowly revealing themselves to you. Everything else - the restructuring, the adding depth, the final polish - is just fiddling. But it is very rewarding to feel that your story is as good as you can get it and that you’ve created a whole world that didn’t exist before.

We went on a tour of Pinewood Studios this month - a rare opportunity to see some of the stages, studios and sets. We even got a glimpse of the Bond stage which had been burnt just the week before. I was asking lots of questions and taking down lots of notes in the hope of being able to use them in a sequel to my Jimmy Catesby novel about a young actor. I’m thinking, Lights, Cameras, Catesby! Well, I have a title, now I guess I’ll have to write the book …

* * * * * * July* * * * * *

Well, after my mid-summer muddle, I decided to go with the second in my girls’ adventure series, The Princess and the Prison. I’m currently writing Chapter 7 and I’m very happy! I am also about to start on some American rewrites for my other children’s novel,The Audacious Auditions of Jimmy Catesby, which should be interesting.

We’ve had many wonderful trips to the beach this month where hubby has been painting and I’ve been trying to write whilst a certain springer spaniel slowly sneaks all four paws onto my beach towel!

And I was on the BBC’s World Service asking Joanna Trollope a question earlier this month. How strange to think of my voice being heard around the world! Click here to listen to the programme.

* * * * * * June* * * * * *

I’ve written myself into a bit of a literary maze this month and I’m not sure which direction to take! I’ve started the second in my girls’ adventure series, The Princess and the Prison , and there’s also a novella - the second story in my series set in the fictional county of Cuthland, Amberley Brides , and then there’s my next big adult novel, The Curious Collection of William Kitson (my poor hero has been through several identity changes so far: Henry, Harry, Freddie and Leo before hubby suggested William and I rather liked it).

Whilst dipping in and out of all three of these stories has been good fun, it is also rather unsettling. Do I write Chapter 2 of Brides, finish Chapter 4 of Princess or throw myself into Curious Collection? I do feel I should immerse myself in only one story but I really don’t know which one to choose!

I went to my first radio recording this month - at the British Library. Joanna Trollope was talking about her novel, The Rector’s Wife and, if you tune in to the programme on 25th July on the BBC World Service, you may just hear me asking her a question!

* * * * * * May* * * * * *

One week is never enough for a holiday, is it? So we decided to have a whole fortnight away this time - in glorious Devon and Dorset. Unfortunately, we chose the wettest fortnight of the year! The rain turned the little lanes into rivers, the fields into bogs and the wind had the nerve to knock down Roy’s easel, smashing it against the fossils on the beach at Charmouth!

Here's a picture of Molly and me at our gorgeous Devon hideaway.

Despite the bad weather, Roy managed to paint some beautiful landscapes and seascapes for his summer exhibition and I made a good start on the sequel to The Wrong Princess . And I spent a lovely evening at
The Bottle Inn with Henny who kindly lent me her name for the heroine in my girls’ adventure series! Luckily, the famous nettle-eating competition at The Bottle isn’t until June so we got away with a dinner which didn’t bite back!

Got home to discover the new book club edition of my novel Flights of Angels (Unter deinem Stern) and it’s very cute indeed!

Back in the world of adult fiction, my novel out in Germany, Unter deinem Stern, has a lovely review at Bestenbostel where it was voted paperback of the month for February, and I was thrilled to bits to see it at number one at Schreiber.

* * * * * * February* * * * * *

This has been such an amazing month. I had my first trip to Germany in time for the publication of my novel, Unter deinem Stern. It was truly wonderful to see my book in the shops and I got a lovely surprise when I discovered it at the train station and airport too!

Munich was so beautiful but I have never been so cold in my life! When the sun went down in the evenings, I swear I lost all sensation in my face! But I’m so glad I went. It was great to meet my publishers and I hope I get a chance to visit again sometime - perhaps when it’s a little warmer!

I’ve been rereading and editing the two novels I wrote after Unter deinem Stern - Molly’s Millions and The Unmasking of Elena Montella - and I'm hoping these will find their way onto the shelves soon. Like Unter deinem Stern, they are romantic comedies with a little touch of fantasy!

And my children’s novel, The Wrong Princess, is racing along. My fingers have been flying across the keyboard which is always a wonderful experience.

If you’re in the UK, one of my short stories, Artistic Affair, is in Woman’s Weekly Fiction Special this month. It’s a romantic timeslip about a young actress who discovers a wonderful secret about her great grandmother. I hope you enjoy it!

Click here to see photos of my visit to Munich


* * * * * * January* * * * * *

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

And welcome (willkommen!) to my website if this is your first visit.

Well, I’ve finished my children’s novel, The Audacious Auditions of Jimmy Catesby. I really don’t know where this book came from but it’s been a real pleasure to write, and I’ve just started another one, The Wrong Princess. I think it’ll be a lot of fun to write!

My first novel, Flights of Angels (published as Unter deinem Stern) is out next month although it’s available on Amazon.de now. I’m very excited to be visiting Germany in time for its launch and have a feeling that beautiful Bavaria may well be the perfect setting for my new children’s novel.