Research, Reading and Retweeting

Hi folks, I've had a busy few weeks since the school holidays started so thought I'd drop by to update. Yesterday I spent a fanciful day at Blenheim Palace doing research for a novel - which was a welcome change from my writing room. It was my first visit to Blenheim; it certainly won't be my last. We enjoyed a champagne afternoon tea in the Indian Room which was utterly gorgeous which beat both hubby and I, forcing us to bring a selection of cakes back home. Anyway, after much chomping and slurping we spent a considerable number of hours striding about the corridors and gardens snapping everything that moved. My muse was in her element absorbing everything that could be useful or tangible.

I took a previous research trip to London a few weeks ago - spending the weekend plodding about the capital armed with a camera and dictaphone. This writing lark is all good fun - nothing is ever wasted but stored until required ;-)

Whilst off work I'd promised myself that I'd indulge my love of reading, so far I've managed to read:

Janice Preston's  Mary and the Marquis

Alison May's Sweet Nothing

And am partway through reading: PJ Nash's Triage

My next read will be Louise Marley's A Girl's Best Friend

Which brings me onto retweeting, it's a habit of mine to retweet book links, cover reveals, publication launches and reviews whenever possible. I'm selective I only ever retweet what I believe followers would be interested in. I truly feel we should always support other writers, regardless of our own publishing position - it's better than being one of the green-eyed brigade who seem hell bent on denying the competition any publishing success. Retweet like crazy and help push a novel up the charts - it feels good and authors are eternally grateful.

Time to love and leave you, so enjoy!