I have found my Gabriel

Thank you immensely to everyone who sent me pictures of the mythical Gabriel Longthorn. I pondered and poured over who Gabriel should be. Eventually I ended up opening up Lora's blog and finding this sensual specimen:

I believe this man is PERFECT for Gabriel Longthorn. Now, to get him I went on a daring mission inside Lora's dungeon (she won't admit anything but we all know she keeps a stash of handsome, heart breakingly handsome men down there!), it was a mission impossible but it's safe to say the man is now sitting behind me, grinning seductively and answering to the name of Gabriel ;)

To all those who are wondering, I'm not delusional, I'm an author ;)

The Christmas List...

...is now called The Invitation.

My christmas submission has completely changed course. Where I wanted the characters to go turned out to be a completely path to where they ACTUALLY wanted to go. Stubborn mules.

There is only one problem I am suffering from, that is finding the perfect...image...for my hero of the hour.

Gabriel Longthorn is tall, dark, dangerous handsome, sparkling blue eyes...you get the idea. HELP!

"It's not about the journey, it's about the people you meet along the way"

Being an author is at times an extremely solitary job (and as I write this I still cannot see myself as an 'author' - I'm not sure the title quite fits me yet!), but I am fortunate to have some extremely supportive people in my life. This post is going to be a celebration of those people.

Firstly, my wonderful mother. Thank you for allowing me to dream, to be who I was supposed to be even though I didn't know it at the time. I love you.

Next onto Robbie. My ever present, though far, husband- to -be. No matter how much faith I loose in myself, you are always there with your 'faith dust' to make me believe. This is the man who found me a black rose (artificial though it may be) because of the image on this blog, who purchased a horribly expensive but gorgeous medieval gown just because he wanted to tell me he loves me. Baby, I love you to the moon and back.

Clover (because you will always be Clover to me), my critique partner - yes, you can have that title officially ;) The woman who is my constant inspiration and strength. The one person who has been there day and night when the ideas are flowing, or the muse has fled. I love you.

To all the authors I know - past, present and future. It is a delight and a pleasure to chat to you all, be it on IM, message boards, review sites. I admire each and every one of you.

Finally, to the ladies at the DarkHunterAnonymous, who never fail to make me smile, who never fail to give me the courage to write another chapter, who never fail to yell at me to pay the damn board fees and who make my world a brighter place.

THAT email

Yes, I finally got THAT email. The one I have been waiting for since I submitting my script to The Wild Rose Press. Trembling with excited and fear, I opened up the email...and found the nicest words written by one of the Faery Rose editors! They LIKE my story. They like my plot and my characters. I'm going to be working on some revisions - which I knew the story needed to make it more weighty.

But I just cannot help grinning from ear from ear. After a full day at work, a rudolph type nose (yes, it's September which means its time for the flu viruses to play havoc with my immune system), it was great news to come home too.

Someone LIKES my story. Ahhhh, that is wonderful feeling :)

Graduation and all that jazz!

Yes, it's finally arrived, that time when I graduate from University with a degree in my first love - history.

I have done many things, one of them being a Nurse, but my passion always lay with history. After some great deliberation, I decided to go back to school and be a 'mature' student. Now all the hard work has paid off and I have degree. Tomorrow I have to wear the most flattering cap and gown (notice the dripping sarcasm in that comment?!) and receive my certificate.

Next apart from writing, is my Masters. In my head I see my future with me as a Lara Croft type figure...without the dazzling features of Angelina Jolie. Maybe that will happen, or maybe I will settle for writing about those wonderful adventures on paper instead...

Congratulations to The Wild Rose Press

I just wanted to express my congratulations to The Wild Rose Press. From tiny seedlings mighty blooms do grow, and this publishing company is proving that in spades. From the authors to the editors, website team and promotional staff, everyone is extremely friendly, it's like a tiny family. Everyone is there for one purpose - to create, to bring joy into people's lives with a book. It is a wonderful atmosphere.

Well done The Wild Rose Press. May you have many more years in bloom!

Inspiration and eyecandy

I do love a lil' bit of eyecandy to get me in the mood for writing. I like to 'see' my male characters, their personality is something that matures in my mind, but I do so like to have a physical 'template' for my characters. It changes with each mood and with each book I'm writing. Right now, seeing as I am thinking about a short story for The Wild Rose Press contest, the latest male to catch my attention is:

Jason Statham



He is just the right amount of gentleman and 'rough' that I need for one of my characters. Not to mention he has that downright primal look in his eyes that I love!

TBR Pile

Although I love to write, there is nothing more satisfying than curling up with a good book. I'm still an avid reader and there is one book I have been looking forward to for months - Lover Awakened by J.R.Ward.

When I first picked up this series I was highly sceptical of another vampire type novel. Boy, was I wrong. Her books are a great read!

Right now I'm working my way through Prince of Twilight by Maggie Shayne. This is one of the books I have to review (ahhh, it's a hard life) and although it is not released until Oct, I can say it's another winner.

Hmmm, what else is in my TBR pile? The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly. This guy is an auto-buy for me. He really changed the crime/thriller genre in my eyes, shook it up, gave us something a little more edgy, gritty, slick. I recommended his Charlie Parker series to a few friends and had some very startled comments in my email days later.

Well now, it's back to work for me :)