Michelle Styles's Blog, page 52

A slight thaw in the proceedings

Other places in the UK remain suffering but up here in Northumberland, we are experiencing a thaw. The wind is from the south and the snow is melting away. The main roads are clear, and the trains are running.
The coal and the heating oil has now been delivered. And it begs the question as to why the heating oil lorry could make it up the hill yesterday and the bin men can't. The bin men did spend time clearing pavements which was good of them, but my main bin has not been emptied since befor...

Going Viking in a Bookstore

Kimber An did a review of The Viking's Captive Princess on Enduring Romance that made me smile. In particular she said -- This is book three in Michelle Styles' Viking series and I can guarantee there will be more (because if I don't hear more about a certain secondary character, I'll go totally Viking in the bookstore).

I would love to know which secondary character she means. There are two possibilities really --Erik the Black and Thrand. Although I think she means Thrand and it may happen, ...

Warnings from my youth

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remembered the warning but I remembered it far too late. The words only came back to me as I pressed the starter. The car chugged once and then died. No one's fault but my own. Somewhere, someone told me to start my car every few days in the cold so it would start. I forgot until my car wouldn't start. Then I remembered and felt stupid.
So now my life is littered with un-done to do lists and I am stranded. Or rather the proposed excursion to the heady...

In the bleak mid winter

Lots of snow and plunging temperatures. The children's school remains closed for a second day.
We have done some sledding, throwing of snow balls etc. and still the snow keeps coming.
It was to do with the weather pattern and where the highs developed. There are predictions that Northumberland could see as bad a winter as the one in 62-63 where 20 foot high drifts developed in the Allen Valley. I have seen the pictures in the Courant!

And yes, I know lots of other places in the world regularly ...

Two lovely reviews

A very good way to start the New Year was to discover two lovely reviews of The Viking's Captive Princess -- one on cataromance and the other on the Pink Heart Society Review. Julie Bonello puts a lot of effort into her reviews and has reviewed every single one of my books so I was curious as to what she might think.

So I was very pleased to read:
Clear a space on your keeper shelf because Michelle Styles has penned another winner! The Viking's Captive Princess is another captivating tale from...

An unexpected blizzard

We were supposed to get a light dusting of snow, covering the four inches that we had yesterday. Instead we are getting a blizzard complete with a biting wind. It brings back memories of when I was at Carleton... The puppies are enjoying the snow and chasing the sled when we go sledding. The postman became stuck and could not go further up the bank because the Council had not gotten around to gritting. He predicted more snow and has been proved right.
Day 2 of the new regime and I am finding I...

Resolutions, kittens and a new country for my books

First, next year's resolutions:
1. To be better at time management. This means getting in the habit once again of writing BEFORE I switch the internet on. Rather than just checking to see what is happening. I could be far more productive than I am.
2. To be better at weight management. Given certain health issues, it is going to be imperative that I manage my weight. It appears I am suffering not from repetitive strain, but from lymph oedema. Some people get swollen ankles, I have a swollen...

Looking back over a decade

I have a post today at the Pink Heart Society about setting and keeping resolutions. If anyone knows of any good tips, please join in.

Kate Hardy has looked back over her last decade and I suppose I should as well.

The noughties were the decade that I became serious about writing and became a published author. It did take a bout of gall stones in 2002 to really make me determine to succeed. I then sold my first piece in 2004, and finally sold to Harlequin Mills & Boon in 2005. The trick now is ...

Black ice

It froze hard last night and there is a covering of snow on top of that. This meant walking the dogs turned into slipping and sliding. Tess now understands -- gentles -- and slows down. She looked most surprised when I tumbled on my bottom and slid into her. The only thing damaged was my pride...

The kittens have discovered the joys of sleeping in my rocking chair. They are rapidly growing.

Oh and I watched the second part of Cranford series 2 last night. Absolutely magical. It is just as good...

Kittens and puppies

The kittens are growing rapidly. I will get my youngest to put his pictures on the computer as the stupid computer still does not want to recognise my camera.

Tess has decided that she is the kittens' mother and keeps trying to clean them, much to Heathcliff's disgust. Heathcliff however has decided his place is in front of the living room fire and the dogs are suppose to move when he enters the room. In the end, it ended in a compromise when all of them lying down together.

The kittens also s...