Kate's Blog

Last day to enter the contest

I'm running with Abby Green, to win copies of our latest releases. Or you can buy them, starting tomorrow, on eharlequin or Amazon, and they're already for sale on Amazon.uk!

Meanwhile I'm 2/3 of the way done my sixth book, THE SHEIKH'S FORBIDDEN VIRGIN. It's been fun writing about windswept deserts and Old Town bazaars and all sorts, so I hope you enjoy it too when it comes out, oh, in a little over a year!

I should have updates to my site, including a March short story and newsletter, in the next few days, so watch this space!

posted by Kate Hewitt at 5:35 AM 0 Comments

More snow and stircrazy kids at home

What a combination. Not much of anything is getting accomplished at the moment!! The plans for the day include a load of laundry and keeping the kids from killing each other. Lofty goals! I'm supposed to drop off a meal for a family who just had a baby but I'm not sure how I'm going to get there. My husband has the car with snow tires for the day and the roads aren't plowed. It's meant to snow off and on all day...

posted by Kate Hewitt at 6:16 AM 0 Comments

Clearing out

It's too early for spring cleaning, at least in this part of the world where winter does not loosen its grip until the end of April. But I'm still feeling the need to get rid of some things. We've been in this house five years, and it's the first time ever in either my or my husband's life that we've had enough space to have all our stuff in one place. And we have a lot of stuff. We've gathered even more stuff. And even though I regularly cull toys, books, clothes, and kitchen gadgets, we still seem to breed junk. The kind of junk you never use but think 'oh, but maybe... one day... I'll really want those Statue of Liberty swizzle sticks (I'm not kidding) that someone foisted on me because she didn't want them... maybe...' I'm trying to be ruthless about it all. The swizzle sticks have to go. The toys piled in the closet that no one has played with in months or even years have to go. The books I keep because I really will read them one day--you know, when I'm feeling erudite--have to go. That's what libraries are for. The clothes I bought before I had children and was two sizes smaller have to go. I'm just never going to lost that much weight. My bones have spread. So. The main reason I'm feeling like so much has to go is because it's very likely we're moving house (and job) this summer, and our next house is almost certainly going to be significantly smaller. Like, by half. So obviously a lot of this stuff-junk, treasure, whatever--has to go.

Wish me luck.

The revisions are done on my fifth book, and I'm back to plugging away at book number six, the sheikh book. Right now we're in the desert and a sandstorm is coming... uh-oh...

posted by Kate Hewitt at 7:14 AM 0 Comments

The most miserable weather

imaginable today. Wet, slushy snow--lots of it--and freezing rain from the middle of last night until dinnertime today. There were literally rivers in the streets and drains. I, fortunately, did not venture outside at all, not even a toe. My lovely husband took our youngest to preschool-bless him--apparently said youngest decide to test out one of these rivers, fell over, and had to be fetched new clothes. Oh, dear. Some friends braved the torrential currents to come over for a coffee this morning, and ended up staying for lunch because they couldn't bear going outside again! All in all a nice way to while away a miserable day weather-wise...

I've finished the first two and a half chapters of my latest book, which feels like quite an achievement at the moment, although I'm likely to scrap most of it as that has been my tendency in books past. But still! 40 typewritten pages, and I know what's coming next which is always better than the sentences trickling and trailing away as I suddenly look at the blank screen, the blinking cursor, and think 'Huh. Now what?' So I'm good for another two-three chapters.

If you haven't entered the fabulous contest I'm sponsoring with fellow Presents writer Abby Green, please do have a look at my contest page! The deadline is March 1, so you've a little time yet.

And if you're an aspiring Presents author, you have 24 hours to enter the Instant Seduction contest! Visit www.iheartpresents.com to check it out--you need a first chapter and a synopsis. Good luck!

posted by Kate Hewitt at 7:13 PM 1 Comments

Finished the first chapter!

Which is always a kind of relief. Of course, I usually go back and rewrite most of it but it gives me some momentum to keep going. This book is going to be interesting to write, because it is part of a continuity series (like this year's Royal House of Niroli), so I have the framework of the story already set--given to me by the editorial team. I can wander from it only so far, yet at the same I need to make the characters and story mine. An interesting balance!

Now it's nearly ten o'clock and I'm going to bed. A certain three year old has been keeping me up at night...

posted by Kate Hewitt at 6:46 PM 1 Comments

Rain, rain

It has been raining here just about nonstop since Saturday. The good news is, it isn't snow. The bad news is that our roof needs replacing and this rain isn't helping. I 'officially' start my book today (tonight) and I am trying to gear myself up for it. It feels a bit like diving into the deep end when you haven't been swimming in awhile, although I haven't had that much of a break! It just feels like I have for some reason.

I'll let you know how it goes...

posted by Kate Hewitt at 5:15 AM 0 Comments

Updates

To my site! There is a February newsletter, a new short story (about a woman who hates Valentine's Day, because I do!) and some information and behind the scenes on my fourth book, The Italian's Bought Bride. There's also some information on a contest I'm sponsoring with Abby Green. You can win books from both of us as well as some baklava so go to the contest page to check it out!

Meanwhile I'm struggling through the first chapter of a historical novel, and simultaneously trying to outline the plot for my next romance...

posted by Kate Hewitt at 6:13 PM 0 Comments

Countdown

To my husband's departure for five days, which I always anticipate with some dread, fear, and loathing! He's leaving early tomorrow morning and returning Wednesday night, which seems a long way away. Not that I don't love spending time with my kids. I do. I absolutely do. But I don't have any babysitters (the two we counted on went to college this year) and I currently homeschool which means they are with me all day, every day, in and out. Yes, they go to art class, Girl Scouts, swimming lessons, et cetera, and my youngest goes to preschool. So there are breaks and a fair amount of me-time. But sometimes it can feel unrelenting, especially when there is no one to share it with. Whenever my husband goes away, I say a prayer for all the single parents I know and also all the ones I don't know, because my goodness, they have a hard job.

I'm hoping to have some updates to my site in the next few days, which I'll let you know about when they actually arrive. I'm also planning to start my next book in exactly one week, so I have 7 days to plot and plan! This book is set in a fictional country in Northern Africa so I need to do some research. I've been to Morocco once, for one day, and I'll be drawing on that experience, I suppose...

My hero in this book is suitably tortured and it got to me thinking about Heroes With a Past [cue melodramatic music]. What do you think about tortured heroes? Do they appeal or do they make you wish they'd just hurry up and work through their issues? I recently read a review of my book on Amazon that was quite succinct--'just plain dumb' because the hero and heroine were too messed up and 'in need of intensive therapy!!!!' I treasure those one star reviews! I do like to write about people who seem 'messed up' because frankly I think we're all a bit of a mess. I am, even if nobody sees or knows--oops, I guess that one's out of the bag...

What do you think? What kind of hero or heroine do you like to read about best?

posted by Kate Hewitt at 4:42 PM 0 Comments