Three Things to Celebrate

1. Francesco Da Mosto’s new BBC series, Francesco’s Mediterranean Voyage. Research, inspiration and relaxation in one gorgeously-accented package, this goes a long way to filling the viewing gap left by The Apprentice. Just add sofa, wine and olives for the closest you can get to heaven on a Tuesday evening.


2. Translations of my first and second books into Spanish and Portugese. New covers, and great new titles. Innocencia Oculta... how fabulous is that? (Have had enormous fun opening them on random pages and trying to work out which bit I’m reading, but even though I know the books inside out it’s surprisingly hard! Since I’m obviously never going to be able to sit down and skim read through them, if anyone would like a copy just drop me your address via the website and I’ll get one off to you.)

3. Finally, after months of trying, yesterday I managed to get project playlist to work on my website. Apologies to anyone within a three mile radius of my house who would undoubtedly have heard the whoop of triumph, followed by an ear-shattering rendition of the songs while I danced round the house. Expect a further slump in word count over the next few days as I exercise my new found competence and play!

Isn't it time these children were back at school??

How come that, although Easter now seems about a squillion light years ago, the easter holidays are still only halfway through?

One of the things I promised myself I’d do while the kids were home and writing was pushed down the agenda was try to get to grips with the music element on my website. (Slightly hysterical laugh.) However, Project Playlist has clearly identified me as a perennially un-cool suburban housewife who wouldn’t know an MP3 folder if it stood in front of her waving a banner, and is conspicuously refusing to have anything to do with me. (Sigh) I don’t blame it really. I think daughter #1 feels the same.

So, now I need to add 'Drastic Website Re-write' to my list of things to do. In the meantime I have at least worked out how to pop a little bit of youtube on here, so can actually bring you the fabulous Nickelback song that so brilliantly seemed to sum up the relationship between Angelo and Anna in The Italian’s Captive Virgin, and was played-- a lot, loudly-- when I was writing the early stages of the book.

Not much else to report... Yesterday I turned the fact that the children (and I) still hadn’t got dressed by 1.30 to my advantage, and made them throw open their wardrobes in ‘Posh-Outfit Challenge’; an attempt to find something to wear for a family party we’re going to this weekend, and my brother’s wedding in a few weeks time. Within moments they were all parading around in an assortment of half-forgotten items and managing to look irritatingly gorgeous. Daughter #1 unearthed a little chiffon smock top thingy I’d bought last summer (and never wore because it rained for 3 months solid) and put it on with footless tights and a miniature lilac cardigan (aged 4) which looked fashionably cropped, while Daughter #2—whose taste these days wavers between hippy and rock-chick goth—discovered a long Indian print dress which, when teamed with gold shoes, managed to look both laid back and glamorous. Daughter #3, happily stockpiling all items rejected by the other 2 as being too small, was totally spoilt for choice—torn between a raspberry pink velvet skirt (outrageously expensive, and daughter #1’s Christmas present six years ago) and a little silk shift dress.

I, meanwhile, found nothing that didn’t make me look like a farmer’s wife from a storybook or an ageing Russian shotputter.

Where did it all go wrong??

(Ah yes... I remember now. The biscuit tin.)

January Blues

Usually I kind of like January, and the clean-slate, pared-back austerity and sense of great purpose that follows in the wake of the Christmas chaos. But this year I can’t quite hit my stride. I want to cuddle up on the sofa with my children and watch soppy films, and ward off the cold world outside with treacle tart and custard. Must be my biorhythms. Whatever they are. Maybe I need a week in a health spa.

(Or maybe I just need a smacked bottom and a stern talking-to.)

Anyway, the one thing that’s cheered me greatly this week is a lovely review of The Italian's Captive Virgin over at Cataromance. Julie gave it 4.5 stars and said

With the release of her second novel for Mills and Boon Modern Romance, The Italian’s Captive Virgin, India Grey further establishes herself as a writer of amazing talent and extraordinary scope. Sensual, exotic and enthralling, The Italian’s Captive Virgin, is a captivating romantic read by a writer who is set to become one of the imprint’s most popular writers!

Thanks so much Julie. I think you just saved me about 700 calories worth of chocolate and half a box of tissues.

Duhh!

Forgot to mention that I now have another book out! The Italian's Captive Virgin was officially released this week, and features a blond Italian hero and a pole-dancing, aristocratic heroine. (Feel I have to mention this in case anyone glances at the cover and falls into the trap of thinking it's about a middle-aged bloke in a beige polyester shirt and a dinner lady with a boob job....)

Should have bought more tea towels...

Thanks so much to everyone who entered the
competition to win help with the washing up from Daniel Craig. There were LOADS of entries, as I discovered last night at half past twelve when I printed them out and started tearing them up into little individual bits for my daughters to pick out of a hat/empty cereal box this morning.
Next time I must a) buy more tea towels and b) start tearing earlier.

The answer,of course, was that the inspiration for Angelo in The Italian's Captive Virgin, was kindly provided By Alex Pettyfer, and the winner, picked by Daughter #2 (who got up first) is HANNAH. Congratulations!

Since I have three daughters, I had to give them all a chance to pick a name, so Theresa and Margaret will also be recieving copies of the book. Not the same as Daniel Craig, I know!

Don't Forget...

Tomorrow I'm picking a winner for Daniel Craig. Or the next best thing to him anyway.They maybe sold out everywhere, but I finally have one of these in my hot little hands, and will be sending it out to a randomly picked person who emails the answer to this question here.

Which (young!) actor was the inspiration for blond, beautiful Angelo in The Italian's Captive Virgin?

The answer can be found on my website-- thanks to everyone who's already entered!

Competition Mark 3

I know, madness isn't it? But I had promised to give away a copy of The Italian's Captive Virgin and the infamous Daniel Craig tea towel (which apparently, are so hard to get hold of it would almost be easier to get the man himself to come and help with the washing up on Christmas day...)

(Ooh... hold that thought. But forget the washing up...)

So, this one's going to be a real quickie. The question is whose face was the inspiration for the character of Angelo in the book? Just email the answer here to be entered-- but hurry because I'm going to pick a winner next Friday 14th December, to have some chance of the prize arriving by Christmas.

In other news, I am so enjoying Michelle Styles's A Christmas Wedding Wager, and if you're shopping over the next few days would recommend/insist that you slip a copy into your basket for fabulous festive reading. Not only is it gorgeously atmospheric, with a story and characters that hook you in from the start, but it's just so beautifully, beautifully crafted. Take this bit for example...

'I don't believe in romance Mr. Stanton, do you?' Emma looked hard at Jack.

'If I did not believe, I would not be building bridges across impossible chasms,' came the enigmatic reply. 'Sometimes you can do nothing but believe.'

What a wonderful, subtle metaphor for the unfolding relationship between two people who once shared a connection, but who have been estranged from each other for years. And what a hero Jack is.

*sigh*. Maybe I shouldn't have started reading it until all the shopping was done...

Big Day Out, and Competition Mark 2

Have delegated the school run for daughters 1 and 3 this morning, as #2 and I are suffering from an excess of excitement and exhaustion following a big day out in Manchester yesterday. Her school were taking part in the Young Voices choir event at the MEN arena in the evening, and we didn't get home until well after midnight, so I'm letting her sleep in.

While the children spent the day rehearsing at the arena, us mums hit the shops. The plan was to make a full-scale tactical assault on Christmas shopping (which, thanks to Olivier I've barely started) but unfortunately by 2.30 we found ourselves in the champagne bar at Harvey Nichols. Oops. Basic error.

Anyway, must rally my strength to announce the second of this week's exciting competitions. This one is a group celebration with four other lovely writers, and the answers are available on our websites (better just go and check that mine, in fact, is...) Here goes!

In anticipation of our January/February releases, Natalie Anderson, Christina Hollis, India Grey, LynneMarshall, and Kate Hewitt are offering a fabulous contest with the following books as prizes:

The Italian’s Chosen Wife by Kate Hewitt

http://www.kate-hewitt.com/

All Night with the Boss by Natalie Anderson

http://www.natalie-anderson.com/

The Italian's Captive Virgin by India Grey

http://www.indiagrey.com/

One Night in His Bed by Christina Hollis

http://www.christinahollis.com/

Single Dad, Nurse Bride By Lynne Marshall

http://www.lynnemarshall.com/

To enter, please visit our sites to discover the name of the heroine in each book listed above. Send an e-mail to anyone of us with your answers, and you’ll automatically be entered into a drawing!

Enter byJanuary 1; winners will be drawn on January 15

It's all too much excitement for me this morning. Think I'll slope off back to bed with Michelle Styles' A Christmas Wedding Wager. Certainly deserve it after all that hard work yesterday...

Look at this!

Oh, now this I like.

This lovely tea-towel will feature highly on my very own Christmas list (so glamorous...), and will also form part of my website competition giveaway for the launch of The Italian’s Captive Virgin-- when I finally get round to getting it all up and running.

(Do you see what I’m doing here? I’m pretending that life is fun and there are no such thing as deadlines, panic attacks and crows of doubt. Clever, eh?)