I am currently bidding online for a set of wicker chairs for our deck. I plan to enjoy the spring and summer out there with a cold beer and a hot book. But first I have to win that auction... I wish you many more happy hours on your deck!

I should qualify the above statement. I am from Australia, which you all probably know by now, and my natural habitat is glaring, baking heat. (okay, winters can be quite cold and overcast, but still, I'm essentially thin-blooded). Over here in New Zealand where I am currently living, it's been a long, rainy, grey winter. I need sun! With the blossom trees just starting to flower and the weather warming up, I have high hopes! Thanks for sharing, too!

It's lovely to be back, if even only for a brief visit. I really enjoy having a chat with everyone (can you tell?) I did do some work on this book over in Paris and Florence last year. It actually started life as a completely different story, but the conceit was so sit-com silly when I actually sat down to write it I had to rethink the whole idea. So, it has been quite a recalcitrant little devil, really, when I think about it!

I really enjoyed writing my Super. Not that I don't love the heat of Blaze, but there's something really warming about having the luxury of including family and other life elements into the story without having to worry too much about getting the heat quotient in there. I cried quite a few times while I was writing. I hope that's a good sign!

Have a great trip!

Yeah, Cigars is a great site (I can say this with not even a hint of egotism now that I am no longer one of the contributing authors!). Everyone here is always friendly and chatty and they have some great debates, laughs and discussions. It's like catching up with friends for coffee and cake for me. Often I drop by just for a read, even if I don't contribute. Hope you keep on enjoying.

I'm developing a serious case of deck envy. We have a lovely deck out the back of our house, looking out over lots of trees. Even though we are just five minutes walk from a major cafe district, we're also close to a park so our quite-high deck gives me a great view of lots of waving tree-tops. Makes me feel like I'm in a tree house! Now I just need some seating and less of these pesky spring showers... But it's all good, we're getting there. Thanks for your congrats - lovely to chat!

We have a great shop in Australia called T2 and they sell nothing but tea, in all its variations. All the regional and traditional types, plus funky new ones like chocolate tea and creme brulee and fruit tisanes etc. They have over 180 different types of tea, and I love going into their shops because they're very exotic and pretty. I think they even sell on-line - just google T2 and their site should pop up. Delish! I have a couple of books on the way from Amazon that I am gagging to read, so I might just join you in a cuppa - out on my deck in the sun if all goes according to plan. See a common theme emerging, anyone?

...meeting and making new friends is hard. I actually find the gym a difficult place to meet folk - when I am there, I am totally in the zone, on that treadmill, running to my Britney Spears and Timbaland tracks (!!!) and trying to visualise my thighs slimmer. Not a lot of room for socialising in any of that. Plus most of the other members at my gym are big, hulking men. Wait a minute... I sense a concept for a Blaze novel coming on.... I'm so pleased you've connected with someone. Hope you have lots of fun getting to know each other even better. Cheers!

The labyrinth at the cathedral sounds amazing. I must admit, I am a little regretting I didn't get to National this year. It's probably the closest it's ever going to be to where I live (ie just the 13 hours flight time from NZ to SF) but it was simply too hard to get my backside into gear with all the other things I had on my plate this year. So, I sympathise with your violin concerto - I've been holding my own down here for the past few months! But, as with all things, this too shall pass. It's my new life motto. So...hang in there. Am sure even the snot shall pass at some stage!

I enjoyed a summer vacation in San Francisco. It was such a treat. I love that city and look forward to going again sometime!

Congrats on book ten!

Congrats on your tenth, too, Sammas! And yes, novellas count. If I didn't have that extra book, I would count mine as a "whole" book to get the ten, but 11 just didn't have the same ring to it! And I wish I'd had you as my teacher at school - maybe I wouldn't have had to write this book twice. Well, I have bought Apple's Time Capsule to ensure it never happens again, but am yet to set it all up to make that happen. My brother is visiting in a few weeks - I might lean on him to get me hooked up and running. And it's lovely to be here - thanks for letting me have one of your blog dates, much appreciated.

We always buy quite big tomato plants and we do grow a few in big pots every year as well as in the garden. We are down to 23 plants this year but last year we had 40. This is Calgary so we don't get enough frost free days to get really big crops. Only thing you have to watch with potted tomato plants is that they don't dry out too much.

I really want to see this movie. I love Judd Apatow films, and I know he produced this. I have a fond attachment to Jason Segal and Seth Rogen because they were in Freaks and Geeks, which was such a lovely, warm hearted, funny series. So, I am gagging to get to a cinema and have a good laugh. I hear there is a break up scene where the hero is utterly naked and flaccid. Can't go wrong with that kind of a kick off....

I don't think I ever read those books. But I sure did love the TV series. It was a passionate staple in our house for many years. I think it's so great you read with your kids. I don't remember my parents doing that with us when we were little - what a great experience to share. When we were visiting in Melbourne recently, my sister asked my nephews and niece if they wanted me to read them a story and Callum, the middle boy, selected the kids book I wrote for Penguin books down here in NZ. It was the novelisation of a TV series and I was so chuffed to get to sit on the floor in their room and read the first chapter of my book to them. I thought Callum deserved big ups for his diplomatic skills on that one!! Great to chat, Fedora. And I hope you enjoy Amorous Liaison -despite the pain of writing it twice, there's a lot of stuff I like in it, especially exploring the world of a retired ballerina.

We used to have a bird bath at the house I grew up in but I can't ever remember actually seeing any birds in it. Hmmmm. Maybe that was because we had a cat? The older I get (!) the more I enjoy the simple things in life, like a flower or a bright green, new leaf on a tree or even a spiders web shiny with dew. Not to say that a good shoe sale doesn't still get my blood pumping, but you know what I mean, I'm sure. Enjoy those birds!

What's that? My North American friends are always very amused when I tell them that I have seen snow once in my life. In Australia, you have to make a special effort to be that cold and miserable. There's good skiing over here in NZ, however, and I always feel slightly guilty that we're not at least trying to take advantage of its proximity. My partner used to be a physical therapist, and he has told me so many nightmare stories about skiing injuries that it has kind of put me off - that's my excuse anyway. Well, that and the cold/wet thing. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Spring is my favorite season. Especially after the long, wet, overcast winter we've had. Buds on the trees, the smell of jasmine in the air, people actually smiling at you in the street - it's all good!

Bookwise, I have a Super Romance out in March - A Natural Father - and then another Blaze in April - She's Got It Bad. I'm working on a Blaze at the moment - just over the halfway hump! - and I am contracted for another Super after that. Big picture-wise, I really want to take a shot at writing a single title in the next twelve months. A few of the Australian writers at the recent RWA conference in Melbourne talked about a little thing they did last year that I thought was pretty cool - 100 words a day for 100 days. No matter what, even if it's last thing at night, you have to do your 100 words. That's all. And if you do 1000 one day, you start from zero the next and still have to cough up your 100 words. I'm hoping this might crack me out of my "I have to wait until I have a good, clear run at this thing" headspace. We shall see!

We have a very cute "pregnancy test" pen the producers of Juno put out to promote the movie in the Oscars run up. It's always great when a movie resonates with you and inspires your own writing. I saw a lovely, warm French movie called "Hunting and Gathering" recently that did that for me. It starred Audrey Tatou and was a very simple story about a bunch of people living in an old apartment block in Paris. No one was rich or had a glamourous job, and the love story was very basic. But there was so much heart and honesty and just plain old normality in it, I loved it. Made me remember that movies - and stories - don't have to have a gazillion dollars spent on them to make them good. They just have to connect with people. Good luck with your Blaze writing. My personal philosophy on writing is that if you keep knocking on the door, someone will eventually open it. So...happy knocking!

I also had dinner with good friends last night and we had a great time laughing and telling stories. Am now suffering the ill effects, of course, with slight hangover, but it's nights like that that remind me of how good it is to get out and spend time with loved ones. Hope the big move goes well and that the new job is all you guys hope it will be. And congrats on the baby!