Margaret Mayo Romance Author

The hot weather seems to have disappeared into the ether, it is so much cooler now. Actually it’s the right temperature for the time of year. But we’re still hoping to have a BBQ this weekend – a treat after gardening. A very kind friend of ours has given us 4 trays of bedding plants to put in – with 50 in each!! I reckon I’ll need a drink or two after that. It’s Spring Bank Holiday weekend – so it might rain. It always seems to rain on bank holidays. Or is that just here in the UK?

On the writing front I’m now on chapter six – while I’m still waiting to hear from my ed about the first three chapters. I hope she doesn’t ask for too many changes. None would be nice. Fingers crossed everyone.

Did you all see Marilyn’s absolutely fabulous recipes yesterday? My mouth drools simply thinking about them. And here is my promised one for a divine sauce to go with cooked chicken, chops, sausages, etc. I had it out of an old cookbook years ago, which has since disintegrated from much use.

1 oz (25g) butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 level tablespoons mango chutney – chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon French mustard

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and fry gently until tender without colouring. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for two to three minutes and serve hot or cold with any simply cooked barbecued food.

It is much cooler here today in the UK – so BBQ weather it is not. But writing weather it is. Blake and Kara still haven’t even kissed – but it might happen today!!!

It’s been barbecue weather here today – while I’ve been stuck inside sat at my desk. Not that we had a BBQ – but DH did shift it out on to the patio. So that’s a start. Last year we did not have a single one.

Has anyone got any good BBQ recipes they’d care to share? I have an excellent one for a BBQ sauce/dip that I’ll dig out and post next week.

Happy weekend everyone.

No writing done today. I went to my art group this morning – where I’ve started a painting of a castle rising out of the mist. A bit tricky this. Maybe I ought to imagine Kara and Blake there – except that it’s in ruins. But a scene in the moonlight? Mmm – food for thought.

And this afternoon I ‘attended’ a webinar run by Harlequin on the subject of – blogging, which was both interesting and enlightening. You’ll have to let me know whether I improve over the coming weeks.

I hadn’t realised that it had been over a week since I last blogged. How very naughty of me. My excuse is that I’ve been having in-depth conversations with Kara and Blake. Kara is Blake’s PA and she has personal problems that he knows nothing about and she intends it to remain that way.

We’ll see!

The good news is that I’ve now sent the first three chapters to my editor – so it’s the waiting game to see what she has to say about them. I’m pressing on with chapter four and at this precise moment they’re on Blake’s own personal jet heading to a conference in Rome.

Aren’t they lucky?