Well, I don't know where the time has gone, but I guess that's what living a busy life does for you!

Christmas and New Year tends to get in the way of any serious writing, but the latest book is now well under way, and A Blessing In Disguise is due to be published by Hale in June.

On 4th February 2008 I went to the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award Luncheon which was held this year at the Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington. The speaker this year was Helen Lederer who was hysterically funny without appearing to find it an effort. The worthy winner of the award this year was Freya North.

Also in February I had been invited to give a workshop by the Three Legged Cross Writers. It was very well attended and the group couldn't have made me more welcome or shown more enthusiasm for the various tasks I set them throughout the day.

In March I attended the Great Flair Pow-Wow at the Hermitage Hotel in Bournemouth which celebrated 20 years of Cass and Janie Jackson's Flair For Words. www.flair4words.co.uk Flair membership is a must for anyone who has had enough of the doom and gloom spouted about publishing and needs to hear about a POSITIVE approach to writing.

April brought with it the regional spring lunch for members of the Society of Authors at the Ferndown Golf Club and later on this month I will be going along to the Romantic Novelists' Association regional lunch in Southampton.

Reading this, it might seem as if a writer's life is just a whirl of lunches and meetings, but nothing could be further from the truth, because a lot of time is spent, of necessity, alone, and social events are when we catch up on what is happening 'out there.' They tend to be very noisy affairs when we make the most of being let out to 'play,'

A picture of 'yours truly' appeared in the March issue of Writers' Forum with a group of authors who took part in the Bournemouth Literary Festival Romance Event in 2007 along with a Darcey lookalike.

The April issue of The Woman Writer had a very favourable review of High Infidelity, together with a close-up picture of me (which might have benefited from a bit - well, actually quite a bit! - of airbrushing) but at least I was smiling.

Suddenly Christmas has not so much crept up, as leapt out and surprised me totally. Mind you, it does that every year! I really should have been warned by the amount of lunches and parties I found myself attending.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Society of Authors regional Christmas lunch at Ferndown Golf Club on 6th December and also the Romantic Novelists' Association regional Christmas lunch on 13th December at the Concorde Club, Eastleigh. It's always great to meet up with other authors and find out what they've been getting up to. It's also heartening to find so many authors are still getting books published on a regular basis, despite all we hear about the difficulties of getting into print.

I was gratified to find myself looking out from the pages of the Bournemouth Echo on two separate occasions recently. The first was a piece about the publication of High Infidelity in 'What's On Books,' on 16th November and the second was on 8th December when there was a whole page dedicated to 'Dorset Writers' Top Festive Reading,' and it was wonderful to be included in that. Under the heading, 'Pam Strikes Again,' I was also mentioned in Members' News in the January issue of Writers' News.

The blurb for the new book A Blessing in Disguise, due out in 2008, has been sent to publisher Hale for approval and, despite Christmas threatening to overtake me, I am already several chapters into the next novel.

I wish you all, and for myself, too, a wonderful Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Having an amazing time lately!

I went to London to the RNA Winter Party on 15th November and met many of my fellow Transita authors. I also met Transita publishers Giles and Nikki for the first time and was able to thank them for the publication of WIDOW ON THE WORLD. It was a pleasure to meet Katy, who manages publicity for publisher Robert Hale Ltd. Two other Tranista authors have, like me, now had books accepted by Hale.

Thanks in part to Katy, Tuesday, 20th November (which was, by coincidence my late husband's birthday) saw the launch of HIGH INFIDELITY at Waterstones in Poole, the event was hosted beautifully by manager Dee Steed. I'm happy to say the party was a great success. It was attended by all of my favourite people and every copy of the book was sold on the night and copies of WIDOW ON THE WORLD were snapped up too.

As if things couldn't get any better, the very next day I received a letter from Robert Hale Ltd saying they would like to publish my next book, A BLESSING IN DISGUISE. Walking the dog later I had no real need of the boots I was wearing - despite the pouring rain - since I'm convinced my feet didn't touch the ground and they probably haven't yet. Life really doesn't get much better than this!

My latest novel, High Infidelity, was published in hardback on 31st October by Robert Hale Ltd and seems to be selling well. (A colleague checked on Amazon recently and there was one copy left with more on order!) I love the cover which depicts a gingerbread family with the 'Daddy' missing and that just fits the story-line beautifully.

Another colleague baked a gingerbread man and put him on my desk the day the book was published, saying he was the 'missing Daddy.' I thought that was a lovely thing to do, and though he looks delicious I just can't bring myself to eat him!

Although a book launch is planned in the near future, this is likely to be invitation only given the number of family and friends who have an interest and, of course, it's only right that the people who have supported me should be there to help me celebrate!

If you live in the Poole/Bournemouth, or surrounding area, pop along to Bournemouth University's Thomas Hardy Suite, room PG 144, on Wednesday October 3rd 2007 at 7.30pm, when Cass and Janie Jackson's Writer's Personal Development Course meets for the 2nd time. Thereafter meetings are each alternate week until December 12th 2007.

Unfortunately, you've missed the free introductory meeting which took place September 19th 2007, but I was there and can thoroughly recommend the very positive slant Cass and Janie bring to the course. There's quite enough doom and gloom spread in the publishing world but, let's face it, authors are still getting published. It's often just a case of believing in yourself, learning your craft and putting the work in.

If you would like to know more or to book your place contact Cass and Janie Jackson on 01202 291650 email: flairbournemouth@aol.com or visit the website: www.flair4words.co.uk

The publication date of my new novel, High Infidelity, has been brought forward to October of this year, which is great news. It normally takes at least a year for a book to reach the shops, so the publisher, Hale, have certainly pulled the stops out to get it on the shelves only six months after acceptance!

If you live in in Selsey, West Sussex or the sourrounding areas why not come along to the Meet The Authors event on Tuesday, 21st August 2007 between 2.00pm - 4.00pm at St Peters Hall (Admission Free). The event is part of the Selsey Festival. I will be there along with a whole host of far more famous names, all of whom will be happy to chat, and there will also be the opportunity to buy books signed by the authors.

Welcome to My Blog where I will be publishing my own news, views and events, some or all of which may be of interest to fellow writers or readers.

Check out the July/August edition of Writers' Forum where yours truly is the first subject in the series, 'Where I Write,' by Phil Barrington.

If you missed the Bournemouth Literary Festival Romance event which was held at Bournemouth University on 30th June 2007, I'd just like to say it was a cracking evening and was well attended, despite the stormy weather. I was co-organiser of the event with Lillian Avon, who is the Bournemouth Literary Festival Director, and with authors Catherine King, Nicky Slade, Sue Moorcroft and Susie Vereker was there to answer questions and sign books. Throughout the course of the evening actor, Jason Warren, as a very convincing Mr D'arcy handed out chocolates and strawberries and even a flower to one lucky lady. Check out other Bournemouth Literary Festival Events through the link on my website.