I like to shop. That’s no great secret. I’m pretty good at it too (even if I do say so myself). And I love to shop in unusual places. I’ve just returned from Dubai – where shopping appears to be the national sport, not to mention the favourite tourist activity. My hotel was attached to…
It’s such a joy to go back to a favourite book and rediscover it. I did that recently with The Thorn Birds. Re-reading a long-time favourite after many years can be disappointing. Sometimes the book is not as we remember it. But in this case, it was exactly as I remembered it. The writing was…
It will come as no surprise to regular visitors to this blog, but for those who don’t know – I am a knitter. I enjoy it so much, I made the heroine of my latest novel a knitter so she could share my hobby. I find knitting relaxing. It helps with the RSI after all…
I was in a fashion scrum this week – struggling in a crowd to get my hands on the latest designs… not, not shoes. T-shirts. Specifically a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert T-shirt. The guy in front of me, successful in getting an XX-Large of his chosen design, said to me .. ‘I have the T-shirt for…
I love writing retreats – it’s just fabulous to be able to focus entirely on my writing and ignore all the cares of the world. Of course, the companionship of other writers and the advice of tutors helps too. Then there is a lovely location and good food – even perhaps a glass of wine.…
I like holes in the ground. The bigger the better! Whether it’s a cave or a mine, I like going underground, even more so when there’s a sense of history attached. My most recent underground adventure was at the National Mining Museum in Wales – otherwise known as Big Pit – where I was guilty…
This is my latest knitting project – it’s a pretty baby jacket. I’ve never knitted a baby thing before, and there was a very good reason I suddenly had to knit this. As an author, I draw on real-life experiences in my stories and my characters. In real life – I travel a lot for…
Talking to other authors, particularly the top-selling authors, is a great way to learn. Not long ago, the fabulous Eloisa James spoke to a fascinated audience at the RNA meeting in London. Eloisa writes historical novels that are regulars in the New York Times bestseller lists – and I was ready to learn whatever she had…
I am totally thrilled to announce (drum roll, trumpet fanfare … etc) the second Coorah Creek novel – The Wild One. I know I say this about all my books – but I totally loved writing this book. It was great to re-visit the town and the characters from Flight To Coorah Creek – but…
