They don't make things like they used to

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Well, I don't know. You can't trust anything these days. I've only had this little flour scoop for 33 years and the handle has snapped just like that!

More, um, libraries

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Anyone fed up with libraries yet? No? Oh good, because here's my nice table and display at last week's book signing at Newmarket library.

The Regency nibbles (Liz F - this is for you) were little crisp lemon biscuits, cheese straws (well, they had cheese pastry then, but I wasn't going to fiddle about making raised pies, so I adapted the idea), ratafia biscuits, cloudy lemonade and hot chocolate. Which we needed!

Now, don't you wish you'd been there?
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Another day, another library

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But this this time it was the fabulous library at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and I wasn't talking (well, I was, but I wasn't Talking) but catching up with my lovely friends at the Romantic Novelists' Association Winter Party.


I was actually having such a good time that I failed to take any photos until Catherine gave her speech (below), so here's one I pinched from the gorgeous Liz Fenwick.





Catherine Jones (aka Kate Lace) gave a rousing speech celebrating the fact that the press (I believe the Guardian was mentioned) have finally realised what the rest of us knew all the time - that romantic fiction is a Good Thing, especially in these days of doom and gloom.

Huzzah! Let's hope sacksful of stories are sold for Christmas - and bagsful of books are borrowed from libraries beforehand.

(Especially mine - Fair Deception - a perfect regency-style present for your nearest and dearest, see the side-bar or the Hale website)
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Gone visiting

On Thursday 20th Nov, I'll be guest-blogging over at Historical Romance UK so do pop over there for a further excerpt from Fair Deception.

BBC Radio Cambridgeshire

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On Tuesday 18th November, I shall be on the beautiful and talented Sue Dougan's programme on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire to talk about Fair Deception and Regency Newmarket.

My slot will be between 3pm and 3.30pm, so pop the kettle on and have a listen.

With any luck the studio webcam won't be working, but I'll put on a posh top, just in case...
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I Love Libraries

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Look what lovely Haverhill Library made for me!

Isn't it gorgeous? And what's more, it attracted a very nice audience indeed for my talk there on Wednesday night. They were interested (and interesting) and asked so many intelligent questions that the time flew by.

A display, a good evening and a couple of cups of tea. What more could a writer want?


My thanks to Sanphra and her team at Haverhill, and to Linda, the Suffolk coordinator for the National Year of Reading (oh, and if the photographer could give my hair a trim and airbrush out the bags under my eyes, I'd be very grateful).
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Fiction Feast anyone?

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Anybody out there got a November '08 copy of Fiction Feast? Apparently I had a story in it (retitled The Magic Garden) but because I hadn't been told and have had a rather hectic month what with the new book being out and all, I didn't buy a copy or few.

So if anyone does happen to have that issue and has finished with it, I'd be happy to buy it from you. Contact me via my website, please.
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The Eleventh Hour of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month

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I posted this last year on the Transita Authors blog, but it is just as apposite this year.

And every year.



Flanders meets the High Street
by Jan Jones

Standing in Waitrose at eleven o’clock
All life suspended
One woman reaching for a steak&kidney pie
An old man gripping his wire basket
Me with my trolley as thousands of cheerful, too-fast soldiers
March before my eyes in jerky shades of grey

PALs: joining up together, fighting together
Dying together.
A village wiped out. A community blasted.

The cashiers sit down again
People move
Two minutes of life, gone in the blink of an eye.
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Now, that's what I call a tea bag!

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As anyone who knows me will testify, I am somewhat partial to the odd vat of tea. So when I was perusing the special offers in Waitrose this week and I noticed a sign saying "Free BIG tea bag with every box of Good Earth purchased", my attention was caught.


How big, I wondered?

Enough for a teapot?
A thermos?
A couple of large flasks?

So over I wandered and found this. Looks like my kind of carrier!

Talks

I have got various events planned to go with the launch of Fair Deception, and have just realised, belatedly, that I should probably have a list on here of where I am going to be when!

Thursday 6th November - 10.30am to 11.30am - Talk to the Top Timers at Newmarket Library

Wednesday 12th November - 7pm to 8.30pm - a talk at Haverhill Library

Friday 14th November - 3.30pm to 5.30pm - book signing at the Community Association Fair at Cheveley School

Saturday 15th November - 10am to 12 noon - chat, book signing and Regency nibbles at Newmarket Library

As well as my Newmarket Regencies I'll also be talking a bit about Stage by Stage, short stories, and where my ideas come from.

If anyone is in the vicinity - you're more than welcome!
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Ms to go

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There. In the interests of sanity, Fortunate Wager has been polished, printed and packaged ready to post to the publisher tomorrow.

Wish it well.

(Mind you, I'm not sure it's really ready to be sent - I mean, I'm not throwing up at the sight of it yet.)
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