Without Reproach

WITHOUT REPROACH
Romantic suspense
Severn House - Oct 1st 2008
ISBN 9780727867049

Charlie Parker dies in a car accident. As the fabric of his deceit is uncovered, the lives of three women involved with him are changed for ever. His mother meets the granddaughter she never knew she had. Kate Parker is a young woman already traumatised by an assault that's resulted in an unwanted pregnancy. Lauren Parker discovers that her marriage was not what it seemed. The tragedy draws the woman together, and they decide to move in together, in an isolated cottage in Dorset, where they'll be out of the glare of the media. Relations are strained as they learn to get on and support each other. To complicate matters, Lauren and DI Theo Ransom - who is investigating Charlie's affairs - fall in love. This complicates matters when a huge drugs haul is involved, and Lauren and Kate's lives are placed in mortal danger.

Stray Parcel and Christmas

Life has settled down after the romance writers conference. After all the work the dedicated RWAustralia conference committee did to come up with a dazzling weekend, it now feels as though it never happened. So it's back behind the desk for me. I've finished the book I was working on pre-conference, and have sent it on to my agent in London, so it's finger-crossing time. I've also picked up a book I'd written six chapters of and have started on the next six. This is the bit-and-pieces book I write when I haven't got a book to write.

The end of the year is getting close again. This was brought home to me by requests to speak at two libraries in Feb. 09. It served to remind me that I should do something about Christmas, seeing as my family grows larger by the year. So far I've bought a packet of ten greeting cards, which won't go far. Even though it's the hottest time of year here in Australia, I always buy cards with sparkle, snow, Santa and robins on etc. (it must be my English background). And I've noticed that stamps have gone up in time for the festive season. Good timing!

Talking of post offices, let me tell you a tale about a little postal tube containing a rolled up book jacket. It was posted in England on 4th April 2002 in London. It arrived on my doorstep on Tuesday 15th September 2008. The original labels are a yellowed, and the plastic ends of the tube have gathered a bit of dust, but I'm wondering where this parcel tube has been for six years. You see, to deepen the mystery, the tube has a recent label on it - an Australian one. It was reposted the day before I received it, at a cost of AU$4.20 at a post office only a couple of miles from where I live! The book jacket is in excellent condition, by the way.

Going back to Christmas (one can't escape it), I'm well known amongst my daughters for being hard to buy gifts for. I think it's because I have everything I need - which is a happy and loving extended family. So, my lovely daughters, in case you read this, here is my Christmas wish list. (1) A box of 'Paper One' premium paper. I've just finished the box I got last year. (2) Damien Leith's latest CD. 'Catch the Wind' (3) Sharon Kay Penman's latest book 'Devil's Brood.'

Oh yes, for those who like to gift books for Christmas, you my like to try my book WITHOUT REPROACH, which is a romantic suspense hardcover. It's released on October 1st and available from online book sellers or directly from the publisher, Severn House. I'll post further details as soon as its released.

You've gotta laugh!

I’ve never yet been to a romance writers conference where we haven’t been laughing our heads off over something for most of the time. The 2008 Romance Writers of Australia conference in Melbourne in August was no exception. Over 200 romance writers, large and small, old and young, published and unpublished, and from all over Australia - met at the Langham Hotel for three days of business, workshops, networking and socialising. There were raffles to raise money for breast cancer. Door prizes. Cocktail parties. Book stalls and a surfeit of food.

Add to that a book launch at Dymocks for Bronwyn Parry’s first book, “As Darkness Falls”, which is published by Hatchette Livre. There was a side trip to a historical costume private museum, a dinner for those of us on the writers E list, and a trip to a chocolate factory. And that was on the Thursday before the conference! Unfortunately, for some reason unknown to the passengers, my plane - which had been booked and paid for since the previous April, and which had had the flight time changed three times in the months since - was, on the day, changed from a direct flight to Melbourne to one diverted to Melbourne via Sydney. (Hmmn, I think I blogged about late transport once before!) So I missed the historical costume tour, which I was really looking forward to.

Friday was devoted to an all day workshop. Saturday and Sunday was more of the same, plus eat drink and be merry with a dress up cocktail party. See photograph of me with my granddaughter sitting on my shoulder - and we weren’t the only witches there. We could have raised a coven. Sunday evening was the awards dinner. We ate very small, very delicious meals on very big plates and cheered on those of our fellow writers who had scaled the dizzy heights of winning awards by entering the various competitions hosted by the RWA.

On the whole romance writers are happy people. Perhaps it’s because we love writing about love - about people falling in love - being in love and doing the love thing. We love love.
Laughter is infectious, and the laughing disease was certainly caught by all of us over the weekend. The place was full of smiles, and there was not a grumpy face in sight.

Going back to Western Australia, the transport system worked to perfection. The plane took off right on the minute. There were no bumpy clouds to make the passengers nervous. The wheels and wings stayed on and we landed smoothly. My husband wasn’t there to meet me. He’d expected me the following day. You’ve gotta laugh!