Classic FM

Fiona Harper has been waving the flag for Harlequin Mills & Boon nice and high. I always feel a nervous wreck when I give interviews which is probably why I enjoy hearing my friend's suffer.



The romance publishers Mills and Boon are celebrating their centenary this year with a special exhibition at Manchester Central Library. What's made them so successful and how do you become a Mills and Boon novelist? Writer Fiona Harper perhaps knows better than most; Plus a chance to taste some fine tea accompanied by some specially chosen opera at the Cheltenham Music Festival.

You can hear it here. Scroll down to 12th July podcast.

Now I must go and get my sleeping bag. I'm being a very good mum and am spending the night camping in the garden. Fiona has just been on MSN (while I listened to her podcast) and she is still laughing ....

Look what I've found

Anyone else watching Francesco da Mosto's 'Mediterranean Voyage'? I'm loving it.

And, of course, I've already talked about the weakness I have for Francesco on the Pink Heart Society blog. It would seem, however, I'm fickle. The CAPTAIN! (I'm sorry, did you catch me drooling there?)



That's Captain Giulio Maresca. What's more if you google 'Black Swan' you find this:



You can hire the boat - AND the captain. Oh joy! Go see. Not exactly roughing it at sea, are they?

So, what d'you reckon, romance authors? A research trip in the West Mediterranean beckoning????

Now I really do need to go and wash my hair. It seems the least I can do since I've got to do this library talk this evening and must leave my cupboard. I don't get out often!

Bedford River Festival

It's exhausting enjoying yourself! This weekend is the 30th Bedford River Festival. It's a bi-annual extravaganza and it's ENORMOUS - the second largest free festival in the UK, being beaten only by the Notting Hill Carnival.

It's still going but I've had enough of the crowds now and will happily shut myself away in the cupboard-I-fondly-call-my-study all next week.


Being so huge the festival attracts market stall holders from Europe and I think that's my favourite part. That aside there's live music on five stages, fun fairs, a carnival procession which winds through the town, an illuminated boat parade, a living history roman encampment by castle mound (the stones of the castle having been pillaged centuries ago), raft races on the Ouse and a whopping firework display on the Saturday night.


Oh and then there's craft stalls, face painting, a community stage, a sports village and countless bars dotted along the length of the Victorian Embankment.

For all the event is free it ends up being an expensive weekend. I mean who can resist candyfloss and kangeroo burgers?

Next one 2010.

AND

I'm giving a Library talk at Shefford Library in Bedfordshire on Thursday 17th July at 7.30. If you're anywhere near it'd be lovely to see you.

Happy Birthday to me!

That's me 21 again. I have a lovely new ipod - blue - with which to play and I'm having lunch with my dad. And how about this - it appears I'm in my power month now!

Your Birthdate: July 7

You are an island. You don't need anyone else to make you happy. And though you see yourself as a loner, people are drawn to you. Deep and sensitive, you tend to impress others with your insights. You also tend to be psychic - so listen to that inner voice! Your strength: Your self sufficiency Your weakness: You despise authority Your power color: Maroon Your power symbol: Hammer Your power month: July

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Spam

In the space of four minutes I have just received 302 spam messages which have been caught by my filter and a further 114 which were not. In the main they're the 'Mail Delivery System' ones. Anyone else getting those?

Why does anyone send them????? I must be having some kind of understanding bypass because I just DO NOT get why anyone would bother to send them.

But, the point is, whilst I am being so blessed it's very likely I'm deleting good messages in with the bad. If you've contacted me and I don't reply please do try again.

Meanwhile it's sports' day for Offspring 5. Bad mother that I am I don't want to spend my afternoon sitting in a hot field. I have reached the stage of book creation where any time away from my hero is time wasted, but I will be there. Just couldn't cope with the guilt if I wasn't.