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My Guy


Excuse me if I FREAK OUT just a little, won’t you? My keyboard should be smoking with activity, but today I’m having a bit of a moment. We’re off to the south east on Friday which is good because I’ll catch up with Ma. My sister and I are both trying to sell our houses at the moment so Ma’s been something of a Freak Control Red Centre, fielding calls from both of us and handling all the ‘It’s on/off/pile-of -cr*p/best-thing-I’ve-ever-seen/b*stards/heroes’ calls with appropriate pigeon noises. A very diplomatic approach, actually, since neither of us can throw her words back at her.

But what’s really creeping up on me is Saturday, Day Two of the Romantic Novelists’ Association Conference 2010, because I’m joining the Choc Lit panel where we’ll be talking about our heroes. ‘But, mummy!’ said Rose. ‘The expert on your hero is you! What are you worrying about?’ And the answer is that I don’t know really, after all I’ve got up on my hind legs in a previous life and talked about such thrilling topics as sick pay and millennium payments and I knew a lot less (there, I’ve admitted it now!) about either of those than I do about Matthew Corrigan, the hero of ‘Turning the Tide’.

I suppose the answer is because I really care and I really want people to engage with my guy and to see why he and my heroine, Harry, would be attracted to each other. On that subject (terrible trumpet tootling alert), my Mslexia magazine arrived yesterday, (would heartily recommend it – and not just on a sucky-up note; every issue is packed with useful information and writing exercises... although they never pick my poems when I send them in. Sigh.) and it included a really wonderful write-up about ‘Turning the Tide’ (page 51 ‘Independent Press: Choc Lit’) which set me up for the whole day. I must remember to think about that before I do my bit on Saturday.

Painting is 'Late Light - Preseli' by Tom Tomos

Comments

Cait O'Connor said…
Ooooh I have also received my latest MsLexia, haven't reached p. 51 yet - congratulations Chris.........I will rush off to read it now....isn't it a wonderful mag?
Flowerpot said…
If someone read both our blogs they'd think we were in cahoots!! Best of luck on Sat - I'm sure it will go really well. And yes I got my copy of Mslexia ysterday and thought - hey that's Chris! Good on you. xx
Cait O'Connor said…
PS
You care about your characters so the conference will go well, your passion for writing shines through so don't worry.
Fennie said…
I don't know, you tell us to stop tempting you back to your Little Spitmarsh characters and here you are blogging about them. I wonder if all your readers see them in the same way?
HelenMWalters said…
Good luck. I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you get started x
Frances said…
Chris, it's grand that you will have the opportunity to participate, and talk a bit about your hero. Lucky folks in attendance will have a grand time.
(I would love to be there myself!)

Congrats on also being included in the magazine.

And...once again, please do tell Tom how much I like the picture at the top of this post. I have been taking a long look at it and my eyes keep discovering more to enjoy.

(Thank you also for your recent comment.) xo
Pondside said…
You'll be brilliant, and it will lead to all sorts of expenses-paid junkets....maybe you'll find yourself on a panel within driving distance of Pondside.
Talli Roland said…
Looking forward to meeting you soon at RNA! I'm sure you'll be great!
Maggie Christie said…
I don't get Mslexia any more so (grrrr!) can't look to see what they said. But well done and good luck for Saturday too. Funnily enough I was talking about Matthew Corrigan with my husband earlier today (yes really!).
Ooh, I'll be going to the Choc Lit talk on Saturday, so will wave (discretely) from the audience.

Can't wait.x
Sure you will be great. Never read Mslexia. Would I like it, do you think, from your many years' knowledge of me?!
Maria said…
You'll be fine, my dear woman. Relax. Most importantly, have fun! All the best, now!
Calico Kate said…
You'll Ace it. Rose is completly right, you have been living, dreaming, sleeping with the guy who else knows him as well as you. But soo incredibly exciting to be asked! No-one will 'pick on you' after all they aren't there to argue with you or find fault but will like you and learn from you - if they've any sense.
Have a ball and wear bright red shoes!
CKx
Exmoorjane said…
You'll be fab... Ah, really should subscribe to Mslexia again (once again, wishes some money would roll in.... ) xxx
Believe in yourself woman! You'll be just fine and as for Matthew Corrigan .....sigh...drool
Really good luck, Chris. I know you'll be great.

(Really enjoying TTT - Soooo close to the end now. Sorry I'm such a slow reader, but I figure that if you took time writing it, I should do the same reading it. Will have to get Mslexia now.)

xxx
Anonymous said…
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Liane Spicer said…
Congrats on the write up! I'm thrilled for you! I've been wanting to subscribe to Myslexia for eons, but the pound-to-TT dollar exchange rate (international shipping and all) always puts me off. Time to suck it up and just sign up.

I have to mention again that I really love Tom's work. This one is fabulous! I wish I could buy it! *sigh*

There's an award for you over at mine...
Chris Stovell said…
Thank you all so much for taking the time to leave comments. I'm very sorry that this week I'm not responding individually - I'm catching up with myself after conference - howver, I very much appreciate the good wishes. Cx

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