Sharon Kendrick's Blog, page 12

BACK FROM MAGICAL TRIP....

to Ireland, where I wandered through Belfast, met up with the fabulous Lynne Graham, travelled to the tiny town of Clones and then caught the bus to Dublin, where I stayed with the lovely Abby Green. Whew!
Now I'm back and instead of the leisurely Christmas shopping I'd anticipated, I'm revising my book about the sexy Neapolitan Ciro D'Angelo. I shall deliver him into the hands of my editor next week, when I might have time to post some photos of Ireland. After all, it's not as if much else is happening at this time of year is it?!

And in the meantime, my book about Sheikh Zahid of Khayarzah and Frankie O'Hara will soon be hitting the bookshelves or floating through the aether in North America. If you want to get your hands on a copy, it's called MONARCH OF THE SANDS.
So are you also working or maybe doing something wonderfully indulgent (like making mince-pies while carols blare out)?
Or have you decided to brave the shops which currently look like Armageddon (Armageddon outta here!)

SHOULD BE IN BELFAST....

if misty ropes of fog hadn't been swathing the runway and causing my flight to be cancelled :((Instead of landing in a city I've heard so much about but which I haven't visited since I was about five - I am staring out of the window at the familiar view from my writing room. I know there are things I could be doing. Things I should be doing. But it's funny how your mind becomes a butterfly when your plans are thrown up into the air.

So here's a festive photo, because....

Well, because it's nearly Christmas, I guess.Any exciting anecdotes about delayed travel?

I'M A COVER-LOVER!

This book is out in the US in January - but thought I'd give you an advance view of the beautiful cover, along with the blurb on the back. One of the best things about this picture of Zahid and Francesca is that the scene is so true to how I imagined it. The artist has captured perfectly the exotic river which flows through the amazing land of Khayarzah. He (or she!) has also captured the lazy passion which exists between the Sheikh and his once-geeky lover.


Today, I finished the first draft of my latest story, which features a Neapolitan - my first ever hero from Naples. Now all I need to do is polish and tweak and tie up all the ends before delivering the book. I love this part of my job. It's a bit like icing a cake - and apparently, Neapolitans take their cake very seriously!Anyone out there ever visited Naples?

SNEAK PEAK, SEXY SHEIKH

This is the cover of THE SHEIKH'S UNDOING which will be on sale in the UK next month. It features playboy Tariq (who has a shocking track-record with women) and his loyal PA, Isobel Mulholland. Sparks fly when the fiercely independent Tariq finds himself injured and reliant on Izzy in a way he has never been before. Feelings can sometimes change when roles are reversed....
Do you like the cover?

In terms of light and overall effect, it reminds me of that very famous painting of a luscious woman in an emerald green evening dress - but I don't have a clue who painted it, or what it's called. If anyone can enlighten me - then a copy of THE SHEIKH'S UNDOING will wing its way to them.
Last night I went to the Romantic Novelists Association Christmas party (what a lot of capital letters!) in Birdcage Walk, just down the road from Buckingham Palace. Guided by my phone (what a surreal thing to write! Imagine a Victorian reading those words!) I walked there via St. James's Park. A fountain was coloured emerald and the palace behind was bathed in golden light. Even the trees were illuminated by carefully positioned lights, so that it felt as if I was in the middle of some fantastic setting. Or Disneyland. Oh, and the party was very good.
Tonight I'm going to see Much Ado About Nothing. Which pretty much sums up my morning so far. So I'd better get back to Ciro D'Angelo, my current hero - who needs to be beaten into submission!

INDULGENCE, SHOWING OFF AND DRESS-CODES

Back in August (or was it July?) I attended the Harlequin black and white party at the fabulous Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York. It was here that I received a Tiffany trinket for having published 75 books. Yay! I even bought a black dress for the occasion - though there is still a part of me which rebels at being told what to wear!But for once I capitulated and followed the dress-code, buying a dress by a Canadian designer which one of my American author friends informed me was called an Opera Coat. Lots of the fabulous women who attended my course at the Watermill in Tuscany, kept asking to see a photo of said dress.So here I am, striding across the ballroom while wearing it.



And this is me enjoying a bit of an "Oscar" moment.


I'm currently deep into my latest book which features the gorgeous but very tricky Neapolitan, Ciro D'Angelo. And I'm at that stage where I could do with some inspiration.So what have you all been up to - and have you ever enjoyed an "Oscar" moment?

SATISFACTION & LEARNING ITALIAN

Don't forget that you can still buy my Greek trilogy, SATISFACTION over at AmazonThree sizzling stories about three outrageously alpha males! (And a fabulous cover).

Meanwhile, since I go to beautiful Italy so often, I've decided to bite the bullet and try to learn the language (though the latter might prove difficult, while doing the former!).It ain't easy. But I keep telling myself that even if I only ever manage to say the equivalent of "Hello, my name is Sharon and I live in Winchester" - then at least I might be giving my brain-cells a workout!Anyone else tackling a new skill?

A BAREFOOTED HERO....

Here's a sneak preview of my next North American release.MONARCH OF THE SANDS features Zahid and Francesca and is an emotional read about a once-geeky girl and the man who suddenly has the burden of Kingship thrust upon him.
My research for this book was done with the assistance of the brilliant Dr. Lloyd Wood, who was then rather surprised to discover that I'd used hardly any of the things we'd discussed! But as I explained (and say to all students of writing) - you don't need to show the research you've done. Just the fact that you've done it means you can write with freedom and confidence.

I just lurve the cover because it shows the Sheikh in a very intimate moment and I don't just mean because he's kissing Francesca. It would have to be a very relaxed King to have taken off his socks, wouldn't it?
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The book will be published on January 24th, but you can pre-order your copy here.The blue sky behind them reminds me of a line from one of my favourite poems: "All in the blue, unclouded weather."

Who knows which poem I'm talking about?

A PIG OF A DAY

Every time I have an interior-designer heroine (which isn't that often, come to think of it) - I always call upon the talented Judy Hutson to give me advice. Judy is a friend and designer par excellence and today she gave me the most delicious lunch at The Pig hotel, in Brockenhurst, which is situated deep in the beautiful New Forest.
There are pigs everywhere!
Pretend pigs in the private dining room....

Real pigs rooting around for acorns (which they love, and which I always thought was a complete myth) while making peculiar noises and shoving their shiny snouts in the direction of your hand, thinking that said hand contains food.


There are also happy chickens charging across the thick, green grass (I brought home a lovely, fresh egg) and the best marmalade jelly I have ever eaten. Well, I've never actually eaten marmalade jelly before - but I am confident that nothing could have tasted better (except perhaps the lemon verbena ice-cream which accompanied it).
Not only did it provide masses of inspiration, The Pig was also the cutest and most comfortable place I've been to in ages - and I want to go back!
Have you been anywhere recently which was so lovely, that you wanted to stay?

ON THE OUTSIDE, LOOKING IN...

Back from Manchester - one of my favourite cities - where I was doing some work for the Daily Telegraph. I love political party conferences - being on the outside and looking in means that I get to people-watch in a big way. And it's FASCINATING! Interestingly, it's always the most high-profile people with the big jobs who are also the most charming. (And Boris Johnson is about as charming as they get!).
Here I am, sitting in the unbelievably unseasonal sunshine at the gorgeous Lowry Hotel, sipping tea and trying to resist scoffing a second home-baked chocolate chip cookie!


And now I'm back and writing my new book (after an early hiccup when I realised I was going in entirely the wrong direction). It's about a sexy Neapolitan called Ciro D'Angelo - and sweet Lily Scott. Ciro is a man who is used to getting whatever he wants and he wants Lily. It's just a pity she doesn't feel the same way!
I'm quite missing hotel life....having my bed made and room tidied. Having breakfast delivered on a tray with a snowy linen napkin.
So cheer me up and distract me by telling me what's been happening in your world?

AN EVENING FOR MAGPIES

Do you love bling - or are you one of those people who consider a sleek black suit, teemed with the perfect white shirt to be the epitome of taste? If you fall into the latter category, then you might wish to look away!
Here I am with fellow author - the lovely Lynn Raye-Harris, at the annual extravaganza which is the RWA's Awards dinner. I think it would be fair to say that it is an evening where no dress could be considered too outré, no jewellery too lavish - and here we are sporting glittering spoils around our necks which would make any magpie want to swoop down on us!

I've just started a new book, which is - of course - why I am posting whimsical posts on my blog! And since this is a blatant request for inspiration (the beginning of a book is always difficult - because although you "know" them in your head, you're still finding out about the characters) - won't you tell me whether you prefer subtle or sparkly.
Or even about the last time you really dressed up....