Susan Stephens' Writing Diary

A reason to express emotion comes at Christmas- and whether yours was quiet or boisterous, I bet you're on a downer now.

If you want to know what I've been doing all day today- I have to warn you, you may get jealous, because it's very glamorous... I've been changing beds and ironing bed linen- how's that for a stark piece of reality?!

The sad news is, one of my old and much loved doggies isn't well- and as Honey was my mother's dog this is an added factor for concern. We have an appointment with the Vet at 10.30 tomorrow morning- so I may not be back with you tomorrow... we shall just have to wait and see...
I'm going downstairs now to see how things are going- wish me luck...

Meanwhile, I think you should kick back now- get out those chocs, and sit down with a good book, or a good movie, and spoil yourself for once.


Love to everyone
Susan

Had to pause in the middle of preparing food today for a bit of a blub.
Was only preparing a simple raw onion, vinegar, sugar, and seasoning relish that I know my neighbours love... (Christmas Eve is the night when I celebrate having such fantastic neighbours) I remembered my father making it, and telling me that his grandmother had used to make it for him... and that set me off.

I think it's right that we cry for those we love... I don't say loved, because I love them still, just as much as I ever did- and I don't want, or expect the pain of losing them to grow any less because my love was so intense, and it is no less intense now. I love you Dad- and that's a great relish you used to make. Thank you for the recipe!

I love you

As you can tell, it's been getting harder and harder to keep all the plates in the air over Christmas- so, just in case I don't get chance to speak to you again before I bake my last batch of mince pies...

HAPPY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!

I wish you everything you wish yourselves ten times over. (at least!)

Love
Susan

Here we are again in fighting fettle... Wiggy was Mother Christmas at her Chambers Christmas party today, and entertained the children complete with flashing Mother Christmas hat and HO HO HO suit- apparently it went down really well, as did the face-painting skills of her beau... he still had children lined up determined to have their faces painted an hour after the party was supposed to finish...

Have exchanged holiday greetings with a number of super people today: my ed', the one who left to go solo recently- so good that we keep in touch. And two of my favourite authors, the very beautiful and talented, Jane Porter, who also writes for Harlequin Presents, and has a book coming out with Warner in May 2005 called, The Frog Prince... Then I spoke to little Miss dynamo herself, Lucy Monroe- another Presents author who has 11 books coming out next year with various publishers- Yes, I know, I get tired just thinking about it!! But what made me green with envy was that Lucy had just been to hear one of my favourite singers in concert, Dolly Parton. I'm just so envious. I love Dolly Parton's singing voice, and her talent for song-writing is terrific. She knows exactly how to share her emotional journey with you... just like those fabulous writers I've been talking about.

Happy reading and writing everyone!
Love to you all...
Susan

Sorry to have kept you waiting for a note from me, but Wiggy was mugged on Thursday. Fortunately, and this really is the only thing that matters, she wasn't physically assaulted, and had the good sense to hand over her Christmas shopping and briefcase when the three youths confronted her.
Do be careful, everyone... this time of year seems to bring out the very worst, as well as the very best in people.

We all dropped everything the moment we heard- her brother travelling 70 miles as soon as he received the phone call... When asked if she was all right by senior Wiggys, she told them the cavalry was already on its way!
But that doesn't ease the shock, or the alarm that something so terrifying can happen to any one of us at any time, and in the middle of a crowded street in the centre of town- so, please please be careful- and don't take your safety for granted however familiar the territory.

Don't want to alarm anyone, by the way- We're all going to have a wonderful holiday season- and that's what I wish for all of you around the world.

Love to you all, and happy reading!
Susan

I am an honorary member of a very exclusive club-

The Roaring Eighties is a celebration of some incredible gals in my area- Hi to the awesome group with whom I just shared an annual Christmas lunch!

Thank you for inviting me, and sharing a load of fun, along with some of that wisdom you gained along the way!

It's so good to hear you really enjoy my books, and that they encapsulate some of the very best qualities you have encountered in around 500 years- YES, YOU HEARD ME EVERYONE- 500 collective years of the very best in men...

Here's to our memories, girls, and to the happiness and laughter we brought to each other this afternoon!!

Love to you all, and happy reading!
Susan

I can't believe that One Christmas Night is still number one on the Hot 25 series list on www.amazon.co.uk Thank you so much to everyone who has made this book such a success!

And now, for those of you who have to produce a vegeterian option this Christmas, just like me- I caught an excellent recipe on the TV that I want to share with you...

You will need one packet of frozen puff pastry, and you are going to create a vegetarian 'Stilton Wellington'. Believe me, you are!!

Take your greased baking dish, and line it with the pastry, leaving enough 'flaps' to cover the mixture... then take a couple of handfuls of basmati rice and cook... cool, season, and add a handful of chopped parsley (see how handy those hands are!?)
Press the rice mixture onto the pastry base.
On top of this put a pack of those chestnuts that have been cooked and peeled for you- chop them roughly first.
Then lay out a line of baby leeks on top of everything.
Follow these with a jar of red peppers- stretch them across everything like a blanket, and then add a couple of handfuls of chopped mushrooms.
Now crumble a block of stilton right over the top of your mixture.
Season- but not too much salt- the cheese is salty enough.
Wrap your flaps over the top- glaze with egg or milk- or nothing at all, if you are on a macrobiotic diet.... then cook for one and a half hours at 180C
What could be easier than that??

Yummy- I might even forego the turkey!

Love to all, and happy eating!
Susan

No chance my descriptions are every going to change, Ruth (in reply to your extremely generous e-mail packed full of kind words about the settings I choose for my books)
I may trim words as a matter of course as I write, but I can still see, smell, and taste a place in my mind's eye as I write, and I want you to experience all of that with me. I can feel the warm sun on my skin too- and believe me, I never ever want to lose that!

Many of you have been kind enough to say you share this experience with me as you read my books, and I'll make sure we go on taking that same exciting adventure together.

Dreams
They are the strangest thing, aren't they? Many people dream of falling, or flying- I dream that I am standing in the wings, about to go on stage- only I don't know my words... As I realise the dreadful truth, I look around for someone who might be carrying a script so that I can borrow it and mug up as fast as I can... Unfortunately, I can never find anyone in time and have to go on stage and make the best of it so that I don't let my fellow actors down...

Interpretations are welcome through the usual route!!

Love to everyone!
Susan

PS
I have to add a ps because I have just received some new Susan Stephens magnets, thanks to the fabulous Rosemary Laurey, who sorted everything out for me in the US... Have you read one one Rosemary's fabulous vampire novels yet?? Get on to it now- don't even think about waiting!

Anyway, what I'm getting round to is... Anyone who would like a magnet should e-mail me with their snail mail address to susanstephenshmb@yahoo.com and I'll see one is posted off to you right away!

And just had to mention the oddest thing... at the party yesterday, me, plus two of my very best friends were the only three women who,(without prior arrangement) were wearing red shoes... Spooky, or what?
Like I said, there's magic in the air, girls- let's not fritter away this very special time of year.

Back to fine tuning a ms... there's so much to change- so many ways to say things better, make things crisper. I'm always thinking how can I say this in the shortest, most succinct way? Because none of us has the time to read something that takes an age to say what it has to say... We want short fast hits of wonderful romance that stays with us throughout our busy days...

Enter Harlequin Mills and Boon- more specifically, Harlequin Mills and Boon Presents: Short, fast hits of the most wonderful romance!
(Don't forget, I'm a reader too!!)

Love to you all,
Susan

Lemon tarts, bitter chocolate mousse, yummy marzipan cakes, and all in tiny bite-sized pieces at one of my 'oldest' friends Jazz lunches... These are simple affairs for a hundred or so guests, where the champagne flows and we eat ambrosia prepared by chefs with far more skill than I will ever possess!!!

Yes, just an ordinary Sunday for your friend- (only joking, and thank you my dear friend, Margherita, for inviting me- it was fabulous)
You may remember that Margherita played a leading role in my very first book, The Spanish Inheritance... She was the yummy Ramon's sister-in-law.

Now then... on to inspiration...Or, what perculates into a writer's brain while she is writing and puts a rather naughty smile on her face... And in case I excite you too much, I'm going to edit this, the lines of a song on one of my favourite CD's, rather heavily-

'He ropes, he rides... He lives life fast and he loves to fight... He's a schemer, a dreamer... He ain't no quitter, but he flirts too much... He struts, he strolls...He looks so cool and yeah, he knows he's a beautie- a cutie...His body rocks and he wears tight clothes-'

Off for a cold shower everyone!
Enjoy what remains of the weekend!
Susan

OK, so all you Queen fans out there know what I've been listening to!

But, don't you think there is a kind of magic about at this time of year?

Not only has Portia da Costa stepped into the limelight, but just two days after I see one of my other friends (can't spill the beans on who I mean just yet, but as soon as I get the OK from her, I will) that friend has also taken one giant step closer to being published...

So, the rest of you- get cracking! This is a magical time of year, and if it means sending in the ms you've been summoning up the courage to submit, or whether it means typing that legend: Chapter One...Get to it right now-
What do you mean, it's Saturday- A writer never rests!

And if you want to read your horoscope just to see how you're love life is going to fare over the holiday season, my very good friend, Xandra King has put up horoscopes as well as suggestions for those last minute gifts appropriate to each astrological sign at:
www.xandraking.com

Love to you all-
Back tomorrow with some raunchy words about a rugged cowboy that always put a smile on my face!
Susanxx

My super-brilliant friend, Portia da Costa, who you will know from her stunning Black Lace books, has just been snapped up by Ellora's Cave.
This comes as no surprise to me as I'm already a fan- both of the person and the books, and I wish Portia da Costa every success with EC,which I know she'll have, because she's great!

I'll give you more info as soon as I know when you can check out the book on the Ellora's Cave web site, and don't forget that a few months after the story appears on the site it will also be available in book form.

Meanwhile, please let this be an incentive to everyone out there to keep on writing and believing in yourself. It can happen. It does happen. It will happen...

Love to you all,and happy writing!
Susan

Met with my writing chums, the fabulous, Amanda Grange, June Francis, and the soon, the very very soon to be published (are you reading this, Amanda? Why are you reading this, Amanda? Get to work immediately!!) Amanda Ashby today, as well as other fun-filled members of our writers' group.

We had to be seated in isolation, well away from other diners, for when writers come out of that writing cave they really know how to talk!!
Having said that, I think we snaffled the very best part of the restaurant, complete with roaring fire and pretty Christmas decorations.

Forget the diet... yes, yes, I had my brisk walk already- and what harm does a good feed do once in a while?
In fact I only have to think the word, diet, to obsess about food all day long. So we're not going to mention the word diet again, are we girls? We are simply going to walk and talk off those calories!

Back to my scrumdilious couple in my latest book- I am already madly in love with the hero...In fact I love this book hugely, but I do have to say it's got a very different tone to my other books... but then I'm only up to Chapter Three, so goodness knows where Lorenzo and Carly will take me before they've finished with me...
That's half the excitement of writing- I never know what my characters are going to do next- and in this book the only thing I can be sure about is that the unexpected is sure to happen!!

Love to all, and happy eating lots of lovely gooey naughty things from now until the New Year when we will all make resolutions we don't intend to keep and eat lots more lovely gooey naughty things...

Back to the writing cave for me- can't wait!!!
Susan

I had forgotten what a genius Freddie Mercury was- and the rest of Queen are. How original, how gifted- I could go on, but suffice it to say that I bought a load of discs from HMV for gifts and couldn't bear to part with any of them- so have just been ordering duplicates on Amazon.
I have been writing to the music of Queen all morning, and have fairly roared along-So, for anyone who can't summon up the energy to write today- get out there, and stock up on the inimitable Queen.

And if you want a real treat listen to Freddie with Montserrat Caballe as they sing, Barcelona.
Although well past her best when she made this recording, Monstserrat Caballe still possessed a voice of such purity and loveliness it sends a shiver up my spine just writing about it. Freddie considered Caballe to have the most beautiful female voice in the world, and wrote the song especially for her. Who could possibly disagree with him? My verdict? Beyond chocolate... beyond everything. In a class of their own, sheer heaven.

Later
I have just received a phone call from a very dear friend to whom I dedicated the heroine, Lizzie Palmer in The Sultan's Seduction, currently available in the Christmas anthology, 'One Christmas Night'.
Liz is always the first to offer help when anyone needs it, and cares for everyone more than she cares for herself- thank goodness there are such good people in the world.

Love to all, and happy reading and writing everyone!
Susan

Disappeared yesterday to have hair cut in town, plus shopping...

If I didn't buy it yesterday, it's not happening for Christmas- because that was my first and last expedition.

Town was rammed, and it took me an hour to get there, as opposed to thirty minutes.
I had to queue for the car park Grrrrrrrh! At ten o' clock in the morning- on a Monday! Preposterous.

However, my hairdresser is always worth the trouble- Forget how I look- At my age, I'm just glad to have hair. It's the chat that matters.
I get all the juice from him re' latest happenings in and around town, plus useful tips such as which credit cards have forgotten the January sales when they promise to refund your money if you find the goods cheaper elsewhere... where to park your car for £2 all day etc etc
By the time I left the salon, I had easily made the price of the haircut in handy tips.

Well, it really is off to attend to some business now, and then down to work.

Oh, and by the way- I have lost 2 pounds!!
BUT the bad news is, to do that I've cut down to breakfast plus one other meal, and loads of walking. Also, I make lunch my main meal so there's plenty of time for the food to digest- works every time.

Love to all, from the new slimline me (don't get depressed, I'm only joking!)
Susan

As the proud owner of two, fully-functioning, non-bunioned feet that, obviously, smell of roses... I can tell you that a brisk walk is far better than spending valuable time in a gym that smells of feet. (far less divine than mine.)

How is it that gyms always smell of feet? I can detect that unmistakeable aroma the moment I walk in- regardless of how 'posh' the establishment might be.

Forget the diet (at least for today- since I just had a rather generous helping of sticky toffee pudding and custard)Brisk walking is the answer, girls.
Have to admit, I was puffing by the time I got back- but then I live in a house surrounded by hills!

Yes, am returning to the writing cave- so Hi to all of you, who like me, have a 24/7 obsession. Have to sort those characters out...
The couple I'm dealing with at the moment are in extreme need of my attention. He's a lawyer with a body like a god- ( so presumably Lorenzo hasn't found the smelly feet in his gym any deterrent to his stringent work-out programme), and Carly is a lowly junior lawyer with a distinctly unstuffy outlook on life.

There, I've told you their (working/names)names- look out for their story in 2006!!

Love to all,and happy reading and writing everyone!
Susan

Of whales, that is... School of whales- that's me- all packed into one birdlike frame- or rather, all packed on top of that birdlike frame...

So, picture if you will, stick-woman with flab/plenty of it, and you've pretty much got the picture.

Do I want to wait until I go pop and mess up the screen and can't see to write to you?
No.
Therefore, we are about to add another element to OUR diet... THE BRISK WALK
20 MINUTES EVERY DAY, GIRLS... STARTING TODAY!!

Love to all, and happy walking!
Susan

ps anyone know where to buy whale girdles??

My diet's going much better than your's. Oh, yes it is.

Or rather, it might have been...

But then you see I had to get myself organised- (strain) (Big, big strain)
So, in the middle of working out impossible programme right up to this time next year, had to have large dose of chocolate- so you're winning.

Pah!

But I had lost one pound this morning...

Now, I'm really going to make you mad... Sprog minor sent me a list of men's rules- well, he would, wouldn't he? Being one of those creatures- men, I mean.

There are numerous rules- all numbered 1!
Typical male arrogance. Here is a selection:

1) All men see in only 16 colours like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit. Plum is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1) Ask for what you want. Let's be clear on this one- Subtle hints do not work. Obvious hints do not work. Just say it.

1) You have enough clothes (Pah!)

1) You have too many shoes (double Pah!)

1) Don't ask us what we are thinking unless you want to discuss such topics as sex, sport, or cars.

1) I am in shape. Round is a shape. (this one, I feel a certain connection with/sorry dh!)

1) When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine, really.

1) If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don't ask. (What!!!)

1) Saturday=Sports. It's like the full moon, or the changing tides. Let it be.

1) Shopping is not a sport. And no, we are not going to start thinking of it that way

Now, I really am speechless!!!

Enjoy, my friends

Love to you all,
Susan

Is how I greeted my poor ed' yesterday. (How could I not, since everyone knows we have the most fantastic ed's at Harlequin- can't have them going down sick!)
I travelled to see mine bearing all the essentials for anyone suffering from a really bad cold: Olbas Oil to ease congestion, Vitamin C tablets to build up her resistance to germs, and a bottle of gin to drown her sorrows.
Get better soon! Really soon! You need to be in fine fettle for your Christmas party, remember!
Get that gin down you, girl- it will do you the world of good...

Diet
Do we have to go here?
All right then, if you insist... I think I lost a pound. I'm not sure because I leapt on and off the scales so fast I couldn't read the dial. Didn't want to hang around in case they showed me the same ridiculous reading as last time.
Will try again tomorrow, when will also try to be bolder and stick around at least until the pointer settles and I can read the result.

Love to all, off to walk the old girls, and then it's back to the writing cave for me (to try and fulfil that schedule we agreed yesterday!) Not 'try' 'WILL' fulfil schedule- You just watch me...
My only difficulty is that I'm hooked by the short story on www.xandraking.com, not to mention the horoscopes- Xandra, you naughty, naughty girl- you're keeping me from my work!!

Love to all, and happy reading!
Susan

Love the Northern end to today's title- a bit like my life, really!

However, am walking on air right now- Check out www.amazon.co.uk Hot 25 romance titles and there's 'One Christmas Night' flying high at number 1... also at number 1 in the general series titles.
Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed the three passionate stories in this anthology collection.
And hi there, you naughty, naughty, naughty Kemal Volkan... (hero in my story, The Sultan's Seduction)I love ya' baby! (EVEN IF YOU ARE THE NAUGHTIEST MAN ON THE PLANET)

Saw my ed' today in Richmond and my schedule for 2005 is intensive therapy for anyone who loves to pound that keyboard 24/7 Fortunately, I do!!

Diet
OK, fess up... How many of you stood on those scales last night, and exclaimed just like me:
'Oh! That's ridiculous!' (???)
Yep, it's official- I AM A WHALE.
So, my ed' takes me out for a meal, and what do I eat- arrabiatta pasta, (no fats) and a coffee without milk.
What a miserable existence... But that's our life girls- remember those slinky trousers- the trousers that right now look like straining sausage skins- well, those are the same trousers we're going to be strutting our stuff in in a matter of days....
Help!!
Keep strong- Gonna weigh myself tomorrow, and let you know if all this hardship has been worthwhile (only 2 days, but who knows...)
Meanwhile, here are some recipes from my good friend from Mississippi, Sheri- who is doing her best to keep us all on the slim and narrow- Good on ya' Sheri!!!
(check out Sheri's fantastic web site on www.sherisecrets.com)



Hash Brown Casserole

Ingredients:

1 large pckg. frozen hashbrown patties
1 large container of sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup of cornflakes
1 onion
3 cups shredded cheese (your preference)

Mix soup, sour cream, and 2 cups of the cheese together in a mxing bowl. Chop the onion and add it to the mix. Put half the hashbrown patties in the bottom of a 9x13 pan, then layer half the mixture onto them. Cover with the other half of the patties, then add the rest of the mix, spreading it over all the patties. Scatter the remaining cup of cheese over the top, then sprinkle with cornflakes.
Cook at 350 degrees until it's brown and bubbly.


Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:

3 small skillets of cornbread**
2/3 slices of white bread
4 cans chicken broth
2 sticks margarine
1 1/4 onion (chopped)
1 can cream of celery soup (undiluted)

Bring to boil chicken broth and margarine. Crumble cornbread with white bread into large bowl. Add chopped onion and celery soup. Pour hot broth over cornbread mixture. Mix well and season to taste salt and pepper. Pour into 3-8 inch square pans. Bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes.

**Recipe for cornbread

1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 egg
1/2 to 3/4 cup milk

Stir together to a smooth consistency. Pour into a greased heated skillet. Bake for 20 minutes at 450 degrees.


Sweet Potato Casserole

Casserole:

1 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes (1 large can or 2 regular cans - don't get the already mashed potatoes as the casserole will be too soupy)
1 stick melted oleo/margarine
1 beaten egg
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 to 1/3 cup of milk

Topping:

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 stick oleo/margarine - room temperature
dash salt
1/4 cup plain flour (not self-rising)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
Mix casserole ingredients and place in buttered dish.

Mix topping ingredients together except pecans. Use a pastry cutter to blend. Mix in pecans. Sprinkle over the top. Bake uncovered fro 45 minutes to 1 hour. Casserole will continue to set after you take it out of the oven. This idsh is one where you have to use your judgement until you've baked it enough to know how it should look when you mix it and when you take it out of the oven.


Banana Pudding

1 large pkg. vanilla instant pudding
1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
12 oz. carton of Cool Whip softened
8 oz pkg. of cream cheese softened
1 pkg. vanilla wafers

Prepare pudding as directed on box. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, cool whip, and cream cheese. Then layer wafers, pudding mixture, and bananas. I do two layers and end with a layer of pudding mixture on top.

Enjoy!! Love to all, Susan