Hi.

It’s been a while since I’ve been able to write a blog. I’ve been flat out working, which has felt strange to be inside the house as the sun blazes outside. It’s been cool indoors at the laptop encased in stone walls, and blindingly bright outside in the sunshine at coffee break time. Then back to the grind…

I’ve been working on the new Archie Darling series, which I’m loving. But inserting four more books into my schedule has made me busy busy.

Last week, I typed THE END on a novel and went to check my emails. My next edit had come in, seconds before.

So, my writing is thriving, to say the least. And I’m enjoying creating new characters and making my books the best they can be.

Those of you who know me well will know I’m a party animal. In between the nine to five writing, there have been some wild times recently. Driving to Liverpool after finishing a day’s work, going to a wonderful do with beautiful, beautiful people, and driving back through the night to start work the following morning after a six o’clock walk in the woods. Doing the same thing in London, driving home in the early hours. Then up the next day to write 5,000 more words.

My mum would have called it burning the candle at both ends. Yes, I’d have been a dirty stop out.

Then I had a birthday, and the partying lasted a week. Breakfasts. Beaches. Barbecues. Wonderful evenings. Films. Family. Friends. Playing darts in a bar. Meditating in the woodlands. Up at dawn spotting deer and hares. Feeling very blessed.

And – this is such an incredible story – I met up with my cousins – special family I hadn’t seen for years, other members of my family I’d never met, people who look a little bit like me, who look like my dad. It was an unbelievable experience. You know you’re amongst wonderful people when you feel like you’ve known them forever after just ten seconds.

There have been wonderful books I’ve managed to read in between writing. I discovered Piranesi. What on earth was that about? And Eva Ibbotson. What a great romance writer!

Then, recently, I caught up with some fabulously creative people I hadn’t seen for a year at a lunch party. Yet again, that sense of having been apart for too long, and us all, like pieces of the jigsaw clicking back immediately, were chatting as if no time had passed at all .

There has been music. And theatre. I’m excited to have tickets for Richard E Grant in a Noel Coward play later this year.

I went to a local comedy night. That was a first for me. Fascinating stuff, humour, ins’t it? What makes one person laugh and not another. And dynamics in a room. There were great performers, a really great compere. I’ll certainly go again.

And there’s been the sport. Football. The Tour de France. Those hazy crazy days of summer ending with me flopped in front of the TV to catch up with the real world over a cup of tea.

But not lazy days. I suppose if I could ask for anything right now, it would be a short rest. A beach. A doze in the sunshine. It’s been a long time since my last holiday. A long time since I managed to squeeze in a research trip. But I’m not complaining. I’m having fun. Writing’s what I do most.

So back to the edit I’m working on. It needs to be in this week. It’s set locally. More about that later.

I have a bit of a writing marathon to run this year. My next book’s out in August – please do have a look at Death in the Dordogne. I’m sure you’re going to love DI Archie Darling and his Dalmatian, Juno. (Thanks to Nina and James next door for all the dog pics.).

Then there’ll be another book published in November. No title for that one yet, and no cover, but it’s about a Somerset village, three women, a wedding, a funeral, a hippy mum, two farmers, a bookshop. Am I selling it? Click here for the details.

Then, in January, the second of the cozy crime series, A Body in Bordeaux, will be published. And in March, the next Elena Collins dual timeline will be out, which I’m so excited to tell you about. I’ve really worked on something witchy and creepy and unusual here…

But the editing cave calls. I’ve been out running free too long. But I’ll be back soon with more book news and who knows what else?

Take care – see you soon. Here’s a pic of Archie’s dog, Juno.

Sending love xx