Sunday Morning ...

Sunday is the beginning of the week here, so the children are back at school. I still haven't been able to shake the sense that it's a day for church, lazy papers, Sunday roast ... a long walk with the Hound, maybe head to the beach. Instead, it's become a 'limbo' day - all quiet from work, and a time to catch up. Today it's windy, the sky yellow with sand ... in other words it's the perfect day to curl up with a good book.

For me, that means research - I have a tantalising pile of hard to get and out of print books waiting. A writer was saying yesterday to me how much she enjoys the research stage of each new novel, and I agree. It's like putting together the pieces of a puzzle. I am really, *really* excited about this new book. The characters are mingling in my imagination like people at a cocktail party, waiting to be singled out, for their stories to be heard. Have you ever had that sense when you meet someone for the first time that you 'recognise' them - that it's not the first time you've met at all? It's happened to me a few times when I've met significant people in my life - there was an inevitability about it. It's pretty much the same when the main characters of your stories step forward.

Above reading a good book, there's nothing like being read to - maybe it takes you back to childhood, to the comfort and security of your parents reading to you when you're curled up in bed. If you feel like doing just that (and taking one look at the sandstorm outside, I certainly do ...), please head over to Shortbread on today's blog tour. They've been kind enough to record one of my short stories over there, with the wonderful Paul Jerricho narrating. Just click on 'Kate's short stories' and look for 'Company'. Hope you enjoy.
It's also the last two days of Kindle's Spring Spectacular - if you haven't downloaded The Beauty Chorus yet, it's a chance to get it at a massive reduction. For those in the US and Aus who have emailed to say you can't - thank you for your messages, and apologies. We're working on it.