What happened to Firework Night, Christmas and the New Year celebrations? All over in the blink of an eye and here we are almost in February. I never managed to get any writing done at all over the festive season, but I did give a talk for Calliope Writers' Group in Southampton and also had a great time at both the Society of Authors' regional Christmas lunch at Ferndown Golf Club and the Romantic Novelists' regional Christmas lunch at the Concorde Club. There's nothing better than mixing with other writers to get a injection of much needed enthusiasm.

I was delighted to receive a draft copy of the planned cover for Second Best (to be published by Hale July 2009). The setting for the picture is Poole Quay and the artist has done a great job. I can't wait to see the finished version.

The blurb for the book is as follows:

Stacey Trent has just about given up on love when a whirlwind romance with the charming Nick Cable persuades her otherwise. Believing they are to be married she turns her back on home, career and friends to be with him, only to discover the promise of a future together is nothing but a tissue of lies. Stacey finds herself left to the mercy of his older brother, Lex, who is less than sympathetic having had his fill of clearing up the trail of 'weeping females' Nick regularly leaves behind. Circumstances force them together and there can be no denying the attraction growing between them, but will Stacey ever be able to convince Lex he is more than second best?

I'm looking forward to seeing Second Best in print but, meanwhile I'm making good progress on the next one now that Christmas is well and truly over.