Blogging on Alpha Heroes...

Just a quick note to say I'm blogging on one of my favourite topics over on Kate Walker's blog today.... Namely 'Writing Alpha Heroes in a Modern Heat Stylee'. Which of course is a perfectly good excuse to slap up a prime tottie picture of my current favourite hero inspiration David Gandy.

So pop on over to Kate's blog and leave me a comment, pleeeeease. It'll be mortally embarrassing if I'm the only writer who doesn't get a single comment.

In other news, I dropped a quick email in the name of hero research to the fabulous Richard Rogers Partnership (RR is a top British architect whose partnership is responsible for such amazing buildings as Heathrow's Terminal 5 and The Dome incase you don't know) asking if they could give me some info on a top architect's daily life, qualifications, etc. Got a reply almost straight away from a very nice lady who has said that one of their 'ravishing and talented' young architects would be more than happy to have a chat. And let me tell you his name already makes him sound like a real-life Presents hero. But isn't that sweet of them?

 Poor guy doesn't have any idea what he's getting himself into, of course, but I'm already feeling quite nervous. Now I'm really going to have to come up with a plot (and some serious questions to ask him).  Ahhh, a writer's life, full of stressful decisions isn't it.

Blog Crazy....

Well, turns out that September is the month of the blog for me. So I thought I ought to try and update my own sadly neglected blog with info on some of the other places I'm blogging this month. 

First off, I did an extremely informative and well modulated piece about my writing process (and how it frequently drives me right up the wall) for Writing Playground on September 3rd. Then I'm scooting on over to I Heart Presents later in the month to add my two cents to the Feel the Heat contest with a blog on my wonderful year so far (which is of course just an excuse to mention my RITA nom and my posh frock ad infinitum - you have been warned). Got a very interesting email from Kate Walker about the Presents Blogathon being hosted by WeWriteRomance in October so I've thrown my hat in the ring to blog there too. Let's hope they want me...

Can you tell I am waiting not so patiently for a call from my ed about my latest WIP. Poor woman's only had it a week, but I'm still panicking. Ahh, the writer's life, why didn't anyone tell me what a flipping hard slog it was before I got into this malarkey in the first place? 

Confessions of a Conference Virgin

Part One: How to make Friends under the Influence of Jet Lag...

So it's the first day of the Conference, proper, after an 11 hour flight yesterday and I'm already getting into the swing of things - and I have conclusive proof. Here's me sitting next to Kate Walker and Susan Stephens after I muscled in on their little group at Starbucks and insisted on having my photo taken with them. They were kind enough not to say 'go away you mad woman' and posed accordingly. Have had some top tips from Trish Wylie on how to schmooze - and she is the queen of schmoozing so I feel like I'm learning from a pro. 

The Literacy Autographing starts in an hour and it will be my first ever book signing (I've already checked out the venue and it is, rather dauntingly, in a room the size of a football field!). My box of books looked awfully large, but I'll be waving my RITA flag like a pro (and poking a few eyes out with it if need be) to flog as many as I can. Right, now I'm off to try and decide what to wear. According to Kate it's supposed to be 'smart, professional attire' which I'm thinking means no Converse or jeans. Bummer.

AFter that I'm off to the Newcomer's Orientation and then the RWA online party where I won't know a soul by sight. But no need to panic, everyone here has their name, psuedonym and publishing history emblazoned across their chest and colour-coded. Useful, for a woman who's still tripping on jet lag and can never remember anyone's name. 

Right, time to go raid my wardrobe.