Happy New Year and a Happy New Look for Mills and Boon!

So I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and you're all settling in for some equally fab New Year celebrations... Or if you're in Oz you're already hunkering down to work off that hangover!

I had a busy and exciting year in 2017 writing-wise. Managing to publish my first classic Presents, Vows They Can't Escape, in Feb was a major milestone for me. In March I joined up with wonderful authors Kaylie Newell, Kate Hardy, Patricia W Fischer and Jeannie Moon to write the Men of Marietta series for Tule - which kicked off with my book Tempting the Deputy! And then in July I had the digital release of my second longer women's fiction book for HQ Stories, Summer at Willow Tree Farm. In September my second classic Presents, The Virgin's Shock Baby was out and then in October and November, I enjoyed tutoring Writing Romance, my seven-week online course for The Professional Writing Academy, for a new group of writers. With all that going on I'm actually kind of amazed that I managed to finish two more books for Presents - one is due out next April - Captive at Her Enemy's Command is the sequel to The Virgin's Shock Baby - and I've just finished revisions on the second which is scheduled for release in September. I'm still waiting to hear back from my poor over-worked editor on my Nano-Sheikh story which I completed during NaNoWriMo! Needless to say I have big plans for 2018, to hopefully write at least three more Presents, another book for Tule (a rodeo cowboy this time!!) and I'm exploring ideas for several longer women's fiction books I want to write.... And we're also doing another run of Writing Romance kicking off on February 5th, so if you've ever wanted to write romance yourself, or are already a romance writer who is struggling to get your writing to the next level and want seven intensive weeks of writing and learning with a group of other like-minded authors and tuition and feedback from a USA Today bestselling author, then start the new year right and sign up....

Wow! I'm exhausting myself just thinking about all that. But that's the way it should be, having new projects to look forward to is always the best place to be if you're a writer.

But enough about me! Also in the new year is the long awaited Mills and Boon Makeover in the UK... Mills and Boon authors learned all about the new look for our books in September at a top secret meeting after our annual author lunch. I'm not gonna lie, I LOVE the new look. Clean, cool, and fiercely contemporary, the new cover design says everything that needs to be said about Mills and Boon in the 21st century – that while it may be a heritage brand with a long history that authors and editors alike are justifiably proud of for supplying readers with that shot of escapism from their every day lives – there's nothing old school about the content of these little books with a big heart! We write smart, sexy, fiercely contemporary stories for today's readers, so I'm super excited that the look of the books will now reflect that. I hope it will attract a whole new readership to our stories who've never realised before now how much they are gonna love these stories!! Because seriously, what's not to love about reading stories where women (and men) get what they want and, perhaps more importantly, what they need out of positive, empowering relationships? Life can be hard in today's world where everything seems to move so far, so fast, and it sometimes feels like there's not nearly enough compassion, enough empathy, enough kindness (especially on Twitter!). So why not take a break from all that real-life angst and enjoy watching two other people work out their problems knowing they are guaranteed to get their happy ever after (if they work hard enough for it) and you don't have to lift a finger!! Do feel free to tell me what you think in the comments.

I'm so excited about the Mills and Boon makeover I'm putting my money - or rather one of my author copies - where my mouth is and giving away a copy of my first new look book on Goodreads. Call Me Cupid is a By Request 3-in-1 featuring stories by me, the lovely Fiona Harper and the lovely Nina Harrington.

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Call Me Cupid

by Heidi Rice

Giveaway ends January 05, 2018.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

Enter Giveaway

Good luck to everyone who enters.... And whatever happens have a wonderful 2018! Full of love, light and great reading.

Win a Paperback Copy of Tempting the Deputy!

So I just sent off the AAs (the final proofs) of my latest Harlequin Presents - Captive at Her Enemy's Command. This is the second Whittaker sisters book, a sequel to The Virgin's Shock Baby which is out in October... And to celebrate I've decided to do a Giveaway! Yay!

And as luck would have it, I just got a gorgeous package of books and bookmarks from my other lovely publisher Tule, of my Men of Marietta book, Tempting the Deputy. So of course it makes sense to do a giveaway of this book... The original release in March this year was digital only so this is a rare print edition of the story - and I may stick in a few bookmarks too, with details of the other books in the series.

Just enter the Rafflecopter below or on my Heidi Rice Author Page on Facebook to be in with a chance to win it - innit!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Writers Retreat to Die For...

Saving Private Rice!

I'm not gonna lie, I've been on writing retreats before that I've enjoyed... But I've never been on a writing retreat before which I really enjoyed where I actually got LOADS of writing done, too.

Sundown in Wexford

There's always something hugely inspiring to me about being with other writers - chatting late into the night about process, the industry, brainstorming plots and sharing writing woes and insecurities (while occasionally having the odd tipple of wine and prosecco!). But last week in the glorious Wexford countryside brought a whole new meaning to the term Writers Retreat for me.

Firstly the company was fabulous, there's nothing better than being with a great bunch of fellow writers and this lot were awesome - focused, smart, articulate women who were, most importantly of all, a lot of fun to be with. Or as the Irish would say 'great craic'.

Oscar Wilde woz here!

Carol Marinelli, Jane Porter, Kelly Hunter, Abby Green and me met up at Dublin airport on the Saturday, piled into two cars and headed down to a glorious cottage near Carne Beach in Wexford with a stop en route for a delicious lunch at the Avoca Cafe in Mount Usher Wicklow (if you're ever there check out the feta fritters!).

Calm, serene and beautifully furnished, the traditional thatched cottage we stayed in is rumoured to be the place where Oscar Wilde spent his childhood summers. Well, one thing I will say, there was a definite writing vibe as soon as we got there - whether that was Oscar's ghost or the lack of wifi who knows. But either way, after a day of settling in and raiding the local SuperValu, we were all getting down to work.

Soaking up the Smithwicks

A couple of us had screaming deadlines, a couple of others were putting some words down and getting their plots sorted, and I was doing revisions on my third Presents/Modern book... And much to my surprise, the words flowed easily (not a usual occurrence for me - see 'writing woes' above). By the end of the week I had figured out the problems with the ending and fixed them and my editor had sent word the book had been accepted... (FYI Captive at Her Enemy's Command will be out in April 2018! Yay me). But not only that, I'd also managed to submit three chapters and a synopsis for my next Presents and laid down plans for two new longer book proposals and had a think about my next cowboy book for Tule!

Our Lady's Island

I don't think I've ever been so focused and had so much fun while doing it, because in between the writing we found time for trips to:

Rosslare Harbour – to feed our internet and Clonakilty sausage addictions.

The Lobster Pot - a local pub to eat crab claws soaked in garlic butter.

Our Lady's Island - to light a candle at the outdoor shrine and have a glass of Smithwicks at the Island Bar (both holy experiences IMHO).

Curracloe Beach - to get windswept while learning all about the filming of Saving Private Ryan from our own Abby Green.

Another picture in the Pub! Wot?

And have a date with bestselling author Carmel Harrington and some delicious posh nosh at Kelly's Resort.

I even found time to start running every morning, something I'm going to keep up now I'm home... Although jogging around Clissold Park in Hackney doesn't have quite the same inspirational vibe as jogging down the quiet country lanes to Carne Beach.

When we headed back to Dublin a week later I was really sad to say goodbye to everyone.

But there's only one cure for my melancholia... We MUST do it again, ladies...

Leaving my heart in Wexford