Margaret Mayo Romance Author

I’ve received copies of The Rich Man’s Reluctant Mistress in Dutch, and also The Billionaire’s Blackmail Bargain in the same language. The intriguing part is that although The Rich Man’s Reluctant Mistress has the same cover photo the one on The Billionaire’s Blackmail Bargain has been changed. Could it be because it originally had a bare chested hero?

I’ve just been on the Harlequin Holland website so that I could upload a copy of the cover but it’s not there. And nor is my name in their list of authors which I find extremely disappointing considering the numbers of years I’ve been writing.

The second week of my contest is over, and Abby’s name has been plucked out of the hat (of only two commenters – where are you all?) so if you email me your address, Abby, I’ll send you a copy of The Santorini Marriage Bargain. Michelle, if you also let me know your address a bookmark will be on its way to you.

Week three now begins and I’d be delighted to send another copy of this my 75th book to a lucky commenter (is there such a word as commenter?) and a bookmark to everyone else.

I spent the morning yesterday weeding the front garden. We’ve had so much sunshine and rain recently that the weeds have flourished. Then I spent the afternoon making a start on my accounts, as well as submitting books for PLR. This is the side to writing that is no real pleasure. Unfortunately it has to be done.

I’m going to spend today dreaming up a new plot. This is much more exciting. (I might make start on the weeding first in the back garden but it’s not actually calling to me.) At this moment I have no ideas whatsoever. I thought I’d jotted some plot ideas down somewhere, but can I find them? Perhaps when I’ve tidied my desk they might come to light.

The book has gone and is now awaiting my editor’s comments. And I have a desk left to clear that at this moment’s looking as though a tornado has hit it. There’s such an empty feeling inside me as well. This was my baby and now it’s left home. My DH is pleased because he will see more of me but I feel lost. There’s lots to do though – and the biggest is my accounts. They sit staring at me and my accountant’s letter asking for them is leering menacingly. This is one of the worst parts of a writer’s life.

So let’s change the subject. A friend of mine was saying last night that it is always book covers that attract her first. Not authors, not titles, but covers. Especially books set at the end of the nineteenth century where little boys wear short trousers and have socks wrinkled around their their ankles, and women wear long dresses.

Whenever I’m browsing bookshops – at the airport for instance – I look for titles. I do have my favourite authors but if I’m looking for something different it’s a title first – something that grabs my attention. Then I’ll read the back blurb, and then the first page. If they all come together I might buy the book. If not it goes back on the shelf.

What do you look for when you’re browsing bookshelves?