Susan Stephens' Writing Diary

No, sorry, I'm being naughty again...

Smack smack. There, that's better.

Here are 2 new URL's for you:

http://www.myspace.com/susanstephenshmb
(when you get there go to 'profile', which you'll find right under my special picture for you)

My Blog URL
http://blog.myspace.com/susanstephenshmb

Yes, sproglatina has insisted I join 'My Space', and has created a funky page for me.
Will it be a good experience, or a bad one? We shall see... you and me together, ladies!

And why the sumptuous pic' of Rhett and Scarlett?
Go to My Space to find out!!!

I've just been viewing some of the sprogs sites and they are hilarious- if a little naughty.
The great thing about mine? I'm 21 again- what more can any woman want? (unless she's 20, of course)
Also you can become my 'Friend' Now I know you already are my friend, or you wouldn't be here... but now you can post your pic' and we can SEE each other... (a sanitised version of moi, before you choke on your coffee)
Looking forward to it! Get on it right away!!!
Sxxx

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

Carrying on from our interesting discussion on the red spider mite, I thought you might enjoy this article!

Ants use an internal pedometer to find their way home without getting sidetracked, a new study reports.

Desert ants on foraging expeditions use celestial cues to orient themselves in the homeward direction, but with few landmarks in the barren land, scientists have wondered how the insects always take the most direct route and know exactly how far to march.

The new study reveals that counting their steps is a crucial part of the scheme.
The ant "pedometer" technique was first proposed in 1904, but it remained untested until now.

Scientists trained desert ants, Cataglyphis fortis, to walk along a straight path from their nest entrance to a feeder 30 feet away. If the nest or feeder was moved, the ants would break from their straight path after reaching the anticipated spot and search for their goal.

Try that on stilts

Next, the researchers performed a little cosmetic surgery.

They glued stilt-like extensions to the legs of some ants to lengthen stride.
By manipulating the ants' stride lengths, the researchers could determine whether the insects were using an odometer-like mechanism to measure the distance, or counting off steps with an internal pedometer.

The ants on stilts took the right number of steps, but because of their increased stride length, marched past their goal.

After getting used to their new legs, the ants were able to adjust their pedometer and zero in on home more precisely, suggesting that stride length serves as an ant pedometer.


So now you know!

Don't forget the winner of my Access Romance All-A-Blog winner has been announced today... winning a Starbuck's voucher and a copy of In The Venetian's Bed, along with lots of goodies including some special lucky white heather from Scotland is...
Sorry, my hero, Nico loves to tease and I've picked up his bad habits( not all of them, you understand!)
Find out at:
www.accessromance.com All-A-Blog

And now it's back to my truly frightening horse race in Niroli... with a pregant heroine and a hero who doesn't know the meaning of fear...

Have a great day everyone!
Susan

Sheesh... all I have to do is put the word 'competition' in the heading here and my hits go stratospheric! What's the world coming to, I ask you!?!


Y'all wanna know the secret to 5000 hits a day... one word: competition!

But seriously.

I have a warning for you here... and it's a serious warning.

Look closely at my stone pig. NO. Much, much closer than that...
Can you see them?

Urgh! Yep. That's right... red spider mites. Are they gross, or what? And they'll eat up your garden up leaf by leaf if you let them.
Can't you see them, swarming over the back of my poor piggy?
Okay, maybe there's only one visible... but there are more of these little blighters just waiting to swarm. Believe me, this is a serious problem- or it could be.

Love to all, from red spider-mite hollow

Sxx

Aaargh! Am deep in Niroli-land, about to send my hero into battle on a horse... Nico is about to take part in the most dangerous horse race in the world. And he really shouldn't, as he assured Carrie he has changed (some hope!) and will eschew danger now he knows he is going to be a father. Men! I ask you! What can you do with them?

However, had to come by to tell you there is a fab contest on my Access Romance Blog, which you will find on www.accessromance.com All-A-Blog from 6am US time today.
The prize is a copy of the hottest carnival scene in history, which you will find between the pages of In The Venetian's Bed, plus a Starbuck's voucher for you to spend as you like, some lucky white heather from Scotland, plus the legend of white heather, as well as a whole host of other goodies. To take part all you have to do is register your comment on the Access Romance All-A-Blog site and my darling Fin will paw out a winner...

The question:
What makes a hero in your eyes?
Get to it, ladies, I can't wait to hear from you!
Will be chatting on AR later today...

Back to Naughty Nico now! (Sigh. Life is so hard, sometimes...)
Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

PS check back here tomorrow for news of a real threat to the world- or to my garden at least... Prepare to be amazed by the size of this threat.
Sxx

Do check in to All-A-Blog tomorrow to catch up with my meandering thoughts on what makes a hero- speaking from personal experience this time...

Your chance to make your views felt on the subject too- and for the best suggestion, or maybe even more than one, there will be chance to win a copy of Luca and Nell's story In The Venetian's Bed, which is also available from www.amazon.co.uk though you have to go for the copy without a cover picture (the book will have one and be just the same even though it is cheaper than the one with cover pic that has sold out)

Hope you're with me so far- I was up at 4.30am this morning, trying to catch up, so realise I'm rambling!

Look forward to chatting tomorrow on www.accessromance All-A-Blog

That's it for today,

Love and happy reading everyone!
Susan

I have been asked how I think up names for my characters. The honest answer is, a name just fits- although I have been known to change a name when the character I'm writing about turns into someone 'unexpected'.

But this morning there was a visitor to my garden... and my next Presents has a heroine without a name at present... She is now called Jenny- and no prizes for guessing that my early morning visitor was a wren!

Have a great monday morning everyone! (keep smiling, even if you have to superglue that smile in place- it helps the rest of us!!)

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

Just because they were so nice to me- and not because I got anything for free- rather like Michael Winner, I prefer to pay my way and speak my mind- I am linking through to Neville Johnson furniture for one month.

I thought you would like to see the super-dooper chair they found for me.
I have to have lumbar support and adjustable arms (on the chair) cos' I start to creak after 12 hours at the pooter!

Thank you once again Chris, and everyone else who listened to my whims and took into account my huge shoe collection and the fact that I am far too small to reach into anything higher than a gnome-sized wardrobe shelf.

(BTW my next door neighbours have a gnome in their garden... I love the gnome- he's a proper one with a red hat and a fishing line and everything- and I love my neighbours blatant disregard of what is, and what isn't considered to be 'U'.)

Back to Neville Johnson- the fitters were charming and patient, and all in all, I can report a happy experience- Therefore, what do we think about a little free exposure for the company, ladies... Shall we give it to them?
Let's do it!

Xandra King has uplifted your sun signs for the week- and she tells me she has concentrated on matters romantica... Sounds exciting! Those horny bullocks must have inspired her!

And talking about bullocks... don't miss out on the
X-TRA-SENSUAL love scene everyone in the editorial department at headquarters has been talking about...
In The Venetian's Bed is available NOW on www.amazon.co.uk

Love to all, and happy reading in a comfy chair everyone!
Susan

Here I was, thinking the bullocks had taken me to their hearts, forgiven me for being a townie, and yes, perhaps even fallen a litle bit in love with me...

BUT

As I was going 'Aaaah', and they were making goo-goo eyes at me, this was what was happening behind my back!


Will I ever recover from this cruel blow?

Sxx

Here we have Harki Parki and Peri taking their pet on a walk on the other side of the world to me...

Thank you SO MUCH for sharing this pic' Cindi... and if there's anyone else out there who would like to share their walk with us we'd love to see your photographs.

Off to have hair sheared while I can still see the pooter, but here's a little bit about Carrie Evans, my heroine in the Niroli series, as promised...

NIROLI... The Richest Royal Family in the World

EXPECTING HIS ROYAL BABY by yours truly
Coming 2007...

Carrie, a quiet, shy girl, known in the office as 'mouse', used to be Nico Fierezza's secretary.
Feeling her gorgeous Titian hair is better suited to an actress or a glamour model Carrie wears it scraped back. Carrie is unfashionably plump, and, she thinks, plain.
Having lived with an aunt who didn't care for her Carrie longs to be loved and views life from the sidelines... Until she discovers she is pregnant, when 'Mother Mouse grows teeth...'

Prepare to make a new friend... I love Carrie Evans, and I hope that you do too.
And as for Naughty Nico, the brute Carrie falls in love with...
I adore him.

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

Today it is raining and cold in the UK, so I thought I'd take you to Niroli and share a few details with you...

Niroli has a colourful and fascinating history filled with ancient rivalries, rebels and kings. It is the story of kingdoms, castles and untold riches.

The Fierezza family (remember Nico) has ruled since the Middle Ages and founded its fortune on trading routes, thanks to its beautiful position to the south of Sicily.

Over the next few centuries Niroli prospered as an important port, on major spice, wine and perfume trading routes.

After a battle as recent as 1972 Niroli lost control of the neighbouring island of Mont Avellana, which became a republic. The monarchy of Niroli has been handed down through the Fierezza line.

There is still a lot of resentment and rivalry between the islands. In addition to this, a group of bandits, known as the Viallis, who are ex-Barbary corsairs, formed a resistance against the monarchy. The height of their rebellious activity was in the 1970s and a few remaining Viallis still live in the foothills of the Niroli mountain range...

Fantastic stuff- talk about firing the imagination! Off this very minute to do battle with naughty Nico.
Realise I promised to tell you more about my heroine, Carrie, and never did... so will be back again tomorrow with some insight into why she may be Nico Fierezza's only hope...

Love to all, and happy happy reading everyone!
Susan

I thought it was time to introduce a touch of veritas into this year's family portrait and so I commissioned a famous artist- or should that be, artiste- to create a respectful rendering of yours truly and the sprogs.
Yes, of course DH is a sprog. How else would you describe a man?


Enjoy your chortle over coffee on this, the longest day of the year- and I'm going to need every minute of it for naughty Nico.

Back with more nuggets from Niroli tomorrow... and I'm told by my lovely ed that we pronounce Niroli... Ni-Row-Lie So, that's your first peep into this lush Mediterranean island- home to the richest (and naughtiest) royal family in the world.

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

NIROLI, The Richest Royal Family In The World




The skinny on my progress: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!

How many words does it take to find the right word?

How many times must I rewrite that crucial scene?

A penny for each time I delete a word would see me comfortably set up for life. 50,000 words? Forget it, my friends. More like 250,000 - and that's the product of days when things are going really well.

But the good news is naughty NAUGHTY Nico is hot hot hotter than hot, and still waiting to be tamed.
I'm giving Carrie one more shot at him- and if she doesn't get him nailed to the floor and begging for mercy by close of play tonight, I'm taking over.

Love to all, and have a great Tuesday everyone!
Susan

But for now... Three cheers for Her Majesty!
How splendid she looks at 80.
Monarchist or not, it is impossible not to feel the greatest respect for a woman who has devoted her life to duty and kept the vows she made as a young girl without flinching once from her path. Well, maybe she flinched once or twice, but she made jolly sure we didn't see it.

A true heroine.

Love to all, and happy Monday morning everyone!
Susan

Shall we let her stay, fellers? Whaddayathink?
We could drive her away real easy... just a nod of our heads and she'd be off...
Pawing the ground'd make sure of it...

But she's making us famous... We're on t'Internet... And if we play our cards right we could have a starring role in one of her books... The alpha bullocks in 'Feeling Horny...'

She's a townie with a lot to learn... but I reckon we could give her a chance...

Bertie Bullock signing off and wishing y'all a great rest of the weekend!

Does this face look friendly to you?

Well? Does it?

Back tomorrow with the next episode of 'Susan and the Cows'

(actually, oh, and I hate to admit this... I think he's rather sweet)
Sxxx

Okay, so maybe the bullocks in the field aren't quite this big or fierce... but when you have a phobia even an ant looks like Tyrannasaurus Rex, am I right?

Mr Hunky-Chunky Farmer (okay, bald and not so hunky chunky, but these things are irrelevant to the romantic novelist)has decided it is time to allow the hooved beasts into the field at the back of my house... Now please bear in mind that there is a whole line of houses backing on to that field- so explain to me, if you will, why the whole herd charged up the hill in what I can only describe as a menacing fashion... and then started eating my daisies.

What's wrong with everyone else's daisies, may I ask!

And how do they know where I live? (asked as I twitch my sheer voils [net curtains? heaven forfend!]and gaze at, what seems to me to be an every-increasing herd in horror.)

The Birds? Albert Hitchcock, eat your heart out... I give you...
The Cows.

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

Wildflowers, poppies seeding from a nearby garden, and yes, they even make me walk the plank in this part of the world...
But it's worth it!
Will there be a book coming from all this inspiration?
You know it!

Hope you've enjoyed this cyber walk with me...
I couldn't show you the 'walk' I took through a field of cows because I was running too fast...
Did they stampede?
Er, no... they just looked at me as if I was a daft townie.
If the cap fits...
Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

Blogger will only allow me to raise a certain number of images at a time, so I have spread our trip over a couple of days!

I know from your mails that some of you don't get out as much as you would like to, so I thought we could take this walk together... I hope you enjoy it.

Look out for what appears to be a pin on top of a hill... it's actually a monument that was raised to celebrate Queen Victoria's sixtieth year on the throne...
Sxxx

I'm posting a couple of pics for you today- the first shows the field after the farmer has mowed it on his big, powerful machine... (The brute) (Too much exposure to alpha males in my line of work!) creating havoc amongst the hayfever sufferers in my family, but a deal of pleasure for me as I love the scent of new-mown grass. Wish I could bottle it, in fact!

The second is the first in my series of 'favorite things' (stop me bursting into song, someone) I thought you might like to see some of the bits and pieces that bring me pleasure in my home.
Here you can see a statue of the famous potter, Clarice Cliff. I treated myself to this some time ago- I just couldn't resist the abandoned pose and the sheer happiness the statuette exudes. Okay, I love it!
The fab' orchid was a birthday gift from a friend and all the more special for that.

I had a lovely chat at a library yesterday. It was such a pleasure to be able to share my passion for romance amongst such good company and like-minded people.
We sat round a big table in the middle of a busy library so people felt free to join us at any time. I have rarely enjoyed myself more, so thank you all for your company! (and of course, the cups of tea and chocolate biscuits added to the general air of well-being and contentment!!!) Well worth the visit, I'd say!

That's it for today. Check back tomorrow when I'm going to take you on a 'virtual' walk in the beautiful English countryside.

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

So now you can see that even with a fantastic Neville Johnson study, and 'a place for everything...' I can still be totally disorganised and messy. Ho hum.
All these bits and pieces mean something to me, and I can't write without them. (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

The large picture is from the cover of one of my books, the photographs are of Wiggy and her grandmother... they share the same smile, you may notice, which amuses me- the same mischievous twinkly in the eye too- but we won't go into that right now.
Wiggy is celebrating- as well she might- her pose gives a whole new meaning to 'Called the the bar...'

Speaking at another library today, so must get back to Niroli and Naughty Naughty Nico (sigh) Life is so hard, sometimes...

Sxxx

Fin, testing the 'chill out' area of the kitchen!

Thank you so much for your kind comments to date- I still haven't found the 'right' rug in this area so have put a temporary one down...
I'm thinking cream shag pile- I tried a 'traditional' type rug and it turned my new house back into the cottage... and I want to keep it light, airy- and as modern as I can, considering most of my furniture dates back to the year dot!
I actually need 2 rugs, because a dining area forms part of this open-plan kitchen, and though I want to 'zone' the spaces I don't want to make them dark...
When I find something I'll post the pic so you can see if I get it right (or not!!!)

The weather is unbelievably good here at the moment, as I hope it is wherever you live.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone!
And don't forget to check out your new sun signs... Xandra just mailed to say she's posted them for you.

Susanxx

Okay, here we are... the kitchen, finished and complete... except for Phil' the decorator's magic touch.
Apologies for the washing up brush! That would never happen in Ideal Home!
Thank you for your patience, ladies... and tomorrow I'll post the other end of the kitchen, so you can see where yours truly chills out.

Reading a great book just now- Jodi Picoult's My Sister's Keeper... thought provoking, keenly observed, brilliantly researched, tragic, quirky, great... A tour de force and completely un-put-downable

Love to all, and have a great weekend everyone!
Susan

I couldn't resist... this is our first walk of the day- and you can see the mist is still lying heavily in places before the sun burns it off. You can also see that Fin waits for no one and so some of the pics are a bit wonky- I had to snatch a shot and then chase after her.

Ho hum. Happy days...

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!

ps
Don't forget to check in to www.accessromance.com on Saturday for my Blog and the chance to win a prize on AR's fantastic All-A-Blog
Sxx

Now, don't say I don't make your day... here we have another man on his knees (you can thank me later, ladies!)

Also two of the expert fitters from Neville Johnson furniture, who had to battle with my request to fill every inch of bedroom space with wardrobes...
Thank you, guys! Do you think we could suspend some nets from the ceiling for the overflow???

The pic of my new Aga, is because it is so beautiful and I love itloveitloveitloveitloveit- even before the tiler works his magic.
I'll try to tidy up and raise one of my new kitchen- complete with tiles!

Will be Blogging again on Access Romance on www.accessromance.com this Saturday, so don't miss out on my competition and chance to win a prize...
Also, do check out the new info' on my www.susanstephens.net site, which my fab' web mistress, Wendy Woo of Artemis Web Design has put in place- Hugs and thank you's Wendy!!
There's a new interview with a link from the home page with yours truly, plus a new competition for the romantic wedding month of June.

That's it for today.
Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

No, you're quite right... this photo has no connection whatever with my mail today! Am still on random shots after Chris couldn't get hold of a camera lead for me... I have just purchased one from Amazon- Should have done that in the first place, maybe... Hopefully will be back to speed with house pics for you very soon!

Had fantastic time talking at ladies luncheon club yesterday, and thank you to Jane for inviting me...
Respect to the sparky woman who told everyone during Q and A's that she had grown up believing sperm could jump through clothing, and to this day when she kisses a man on the cheek she still leans from the waist keeping maximum distance between them - Just in case! You go girl!

I love meeting people -everyone has something interesting to say- But it's full speed ahead to Niroli now as I try to catch up...

THE RICHEST ROYAL FAMILY IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!! Don't forget the fabulous Niroli series is coming next year and my book 'Expecting His Royal Baby' is being born as we speak- I'm LOVING IT!
My hero is called Nico Fierezza- and he's a brute. More on the heroine who has to tangle with Nasty Nico tomorrow!!!

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

Drum roll, if you please!
Will the LFF please take a bow...........................

Having been quoted £900.00 yes, nine hundred pounds by a posh studio in the city my sprogs took matters into their own hands.

Perhaps there is a lesson here to be learned by all of us... no studio, no special lights... just a white wall and a talented young woman behind the camera- plus, of course, her relaxed clients... And perhaps the fact that they were posing for someone they knew and for a daddy they love provided that special moment- Who knows? All I can say is, do be careful before you splurge your hard-earned cash on a 'professional' photo.

Thanks to my son, who could 'crop' and tickle up the colour etc we now have a stunning photograph mounted on canvas in the living room...
(Pics coming up very soon, I promise, to all of you who are hoping to see some of the changes to my new home.)

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone... the sun is shining brightly here in the UK and the countryside around me is looking absolutely ravishing... I love how the long grass undulates in the breeze- I could watch it forever and never do any work!

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!

*AND DON'T FORGET XANDRA KING'S NEW AND UNMISSABLE SUN SIGN READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK ARE UP NOW!*

*You will find the link to Xandra's weekly sun signs on www.susanstephens.net

*And if you're looking for a monthly reading and more information on your chart, go to Xandra's fabulous site on www.xandraking.com

Susan xx

I'm loving this trip through my son's photo album while I wait for my camera lead to reappear (will it ever, I'm beginning to wonder?!)

Here is Wiggy's 'flat warming' and tomorrow I'm going to raise the truly fantastic pic of my 3 sprogs taken by the LFF Prepare to be surprised- she has a real talent.

Very soon now my new competition question will be up at www.susanstephens.net , so please don't miss out.
Also, there are some new Susan Stephens titbits on Access Romance www.accessromance.comthis June.
And please don't forget I love hearing from you- it gets lonely here in the writing cave- so leave your comments here, or at susan@susanstephens.net

Love to all, and happy reading everyone!
Susan

I couldn't resist coming back to post this photo for you... I think it says everything about why my view from this new house is so interesting... As well as farm land we have light industry, and you can see some of this here in the factory chimneys and other structures... it always starts me wondering about the people... and then a story starts in my head... and and ... this is just a great place for an author to live


To be honest, I'm rather enjoying this dip into my son's collection of photographs while I wait for my camera lead to be replaced- I hope you do too!

This is actually a rather good prelude to the shot I hope to show you of my new kitchen... you can see the LFF and my youngest having fun, while I stand behind them looking somewhat frazzled, having just moved in!

Thank you for the comments re my food, btw. I'm sure you've guessed we all love eating in this household!!!

Back later with more!
Love to all and happy reading everyone!
Susan