It's Out!!!

Well... three weeks early, the horse has broken out of the starting gate. Too late to stuff it back in so let it romp. Hopefully it will be a 'favourite', hopefully it won't unseat its rider. I am very excited about watching it run. I can't believe I have 6 published books out there to be honest - how did that happen?

Of course, the official launches are next Monday and Thursday in the library. It's bittersweet that they are attracting too many people to fit into even two evenings, so next year the launch of White Wedding will most likely be held in Brooklands (still using the old name - sorry). When I was writing my first book I was propped up through the night by Douwe Egberts Coffee and Walkers Shortbread - and they always send me some 'anniversary goodies' to giveaway. So all those who come to the launch will receive the customary coffee and biscuits and a book bag from me. There will be an evening fund-raising for 'The Well' which is a complementary therapy centre for sufferers of the awful 'C' and one for haworthcatrescue.org who take in a lot of cats whose owners are terminally ill and cannot look after them any more. It's a source of comfort for them to know that their beloved pets won't be put down and that a new home will be sought for them.

I have some fab raffle prizes to tempt raffle ticket buyers... a facial spa, signed books from Tara Hyland, Lucy Diamond, Miranda Dickinson, Cesca Martin, Debbie Viggiano, jewellery, dinner out, booze!

So what's the book about?
Love
...and how it won't go where it's pushed. How our hearts often beat for the bad boys and keep a steady rhythm for the nice guys. How love is a total minx but who'd want to live without it.
I also explore the world of internet dating. There are more and more genuine people on dating sites these days but it is still prey to those who are less than honest, or less than ready to go on there. Not forgetting the ones who are downright dangerous and shouldn't be in the dating game, they should be in solitary confinement. I've got quite a few friends who have met and married lovely guys on the net, so I do paint a full picture.
And for anyone who has experienced 'the disappearing lover', well, this book might strike a chord with you ;)

It's also a very respectful nod to the world of wrestling, of which I have always been inordinately fond as it's part of my history. My grandad was pursued to fight by the legend that is Burt Assirati, an absolute sadistic nutter in the ring - and for anyone who thinks that wrestling is fake, they should have got in with him!

It's also about the best fun I ever had in my life - copywriting for greetings cards. In the golden days it was wonderful - as you may see by the dedication. My fellow writers include the brilliantly talented Tony Husband and children and teen fiction writer Alec Sillifant - And if you think that the briefs that Floz receives are exaggerated - just let me tell you that I've underplayed them. I could tell you some stories...

So, my baby is out and doing its stuff. And I'm proud and as nervous as a new mum.

And I need some nosebag, so I'll be seeing you!

Milly x

Cupcakes and Carousels

Oh boy.
I feel a bit like Cinderella did dancing at the ball and then having to come home and start sweeping the cellar again.
When I was invited to be part of 'The Carousel' evening, I wasn't that sure what to expect.

At least I knew there would be friendly faces I knew - Jane Costello, who is always a delight to see. And my agent Lizzy and the publishing team at S & S who are like my family after all this time (poor buggers). And always brill to meet up with my lovely friend Tara Hyland for our usual coffee in St Pank and catch up on gossip before.

The hotel - W - in Wardour Street, Leicester Square was like something out of a film of the future. I couldn't work out how the flaming heck to put the lights on. For the first hour, I couldn't find the loo. It turned out it was behind a mirrored panel which I presumed was fixed to the wall. Thank goodness all four of us authors were able to exchange stories of similar confusion - I thought it was just me being an old fart.

Did an interview with the Times ten minutes before I met the others in the bar - like you do.

I hadn't met Paige or Ali before - and I never want to again. Joke. They were so lovely and friendly and I think we were all united by our nervousness at what to expect.
You'll notice here that when the four of us are together, three of us look like prima ballerinas and one of us looks like the little dwarf Russian ballet teacher whose career was scuppered by a gammy leg.

When we arrived at the venue, there were a LOT of cupcakes.

All of them with our names on them - and not only that, we all had special cocktails. Mine was 'Purple Iced Tea' (blimey it was strong) and each of us had a themed room - again mine was purple.

Jane's was pink, Ali's blue and Paige's yellow.
The pic doesn't really do it justice. I even had a woman's portrait on the wall with a very purple tinge to her face. She hadn't been touched up for the purpose of the evening, but she did look as if she was decomposing before our eyes.

The idea was that we hosted a table of 10 people - buyers and journalists and people in the book buying/advertising industry - for one course, then they would all change to another room and we would entertain another set. And what a jolly lot of people they were as well. Totally out to enjoy the evening and courses of salmon, the nicest chicken I have ever tasted, pavlova and then enough cheese to make you grow whiskers.
Didn't manage to convince the lady from Cosmo that a feature with Johnny Depp and me would increase circulation of her mag. Not even after plying her with my Milly cocktail.
The champagne came out after midnight back at the hotel - always a lovely way to end an evening and yep, I stayed sober, I wanted to remember everything. Plus the swanky room was hard enough to negotiate when you hadn't had anything to drink!

I can't remember upstairs to bed though - think I floated.
Breakfast the next morning was something else...

Couldn't possibly have eaten everything but the egg and field mushrooms and the rosti were gorgeous. And it would have been rude to leave the black pudding - obviously. Freshly squeezed orange juice (and can't you taste the difference when it is), cwoffee and rye toast - which I ordered and was a cock up on my part. Ugh.
I waddled down to the taxi after that and off to HQ for a pow wow on how well my books are doing.

Well. Very well. Here and in Australia - thanks to the success of Come Dine With Me as a programme and my appearance on it. Supermarkets are buying up the backlist, all my books are in the top 25 e-books and everyone's happy, in short. And I now know the title of book 8 AND I've seen the cover for White Wedding - and it's absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to show it off.

More cupcakes

and a podcast with the DIVINE Alice and S-J, who are the beautiful brains behind Books and the City - which book lovers really should check out because it's fab and there are great competitions on it.
Talking of which, I'm heavily involved in the project to find the young creative writer of the year in conjunction with the Clothes Show - which you can read all about on the site. And I've been asked to join the judging panel of a wonderful new competition in Barnsley. PROUD OF BARNSLEY gives kids at 'big school' the chance to say why they are proud of the town - and the winner is in for a treat. The prize is fabulous.

So, I'm just gearing up now for the launch of Autumn Crush and living on a diet of fingernails until I see what the reviewers think of it. If I had any fingers left, I'd cross them.We shall be eating our own cupcakes from Cupcake Heaven - autumn flavours of Pumpkin Pie, French Toast and Gingerbread. I might even have a diva fit in the library if it isn't themed in my colours ;)

More to come...

Milly x