I've had some really exciting news about my out-of-print backlist. Was approached by one of the big 6 publishers who want to resurrect them, and have signed the contract, so they will all be back on the shelves before long, one each year.

Have just come back from a trip to Whitby in Yorkshire - have achieved a life-long wish to go back there after my first time seeing it came to nothing due to those I went with not wanting to do all that much there. So now I've seen everything - the abbey was simply wonderful and the scenery georgous. I'd recommend anyone who likes landscapes to go there.

I'm back!

Sorry I've been away for so long. Have been so busy writing. My new book ILLUSIONS OF HAPPINESS was published in February and seems to be doing very well. Am busy writing another book concerning a family in the First World War 1914 and how it affects them and all those around them.

In the meantime I was invited to the Queen's garden party and the event happened to be on my birthday!
I saw the Queen close up, and also Prince Charles who in passing gave me a lovely smile. So I was smiled at by the future King of England!

Guess what a wally I am

Guess what - I've been looking for a publisher all this time, because having given up my agent I thought the publisher had gone along with her, only to find I had a publisher all along. Severn House whom I've been with for years. They wanted my new novel and I have now sent it to them. So fingers crossed.
Have been doing my new novel Illusions of Happiness this past year, PLUS having to retype 248 pages (close type) of a previous book - 2nd in a trilogy - for ebooks. First one is is already out there BUTTERFLY SUMMERS.the second one is Autumn Skies, and the third still to go on is Winter Wine - a trilogy about a London oyster restaurant and the family who own it. 

Essex Book Festival

On 1st March I've been invited to talk on BBC Essex, Steve Scruton's show at 2 pm to talk about my life as a writer and my latest printed book, my 23rd to be published, ALL THAT WE ARE. I shall also be talking about my latest book THE CHANDELIER BALLROOM which has gone out as an ebook.

On the same day I will be at the Essex Book Festival Launch at Chelmsford Library.

On 5th March I shall be giving a talk at Fryerns Library, Basildon at 2 pm.

Meeting Martina Cole

Yesterday I went to Waterstones in Chelmsford, Essex, where Martina Cole was signing her new book. Martina is an old friend of mine from way back. We were members of The Romanic Novelist Association and would chat away to each other whenever we went to the RNA. Her first book was published about a year before my first one. Yesterday I wondered if she would remember me because we hadn't met for years. But she did. Threw out her arms to me, yelling "Liz! Wonderful to see you!" and gave me a smacking great kiss and a cuddle. So nice to meet again. The same old wonderful Martina, hasn't altered one bit.
Had our photo taken by the press (hopefully it will be in the Essex Chronical). Had a quick chat, she inundated with people wanting their books signed of course. But it was lovely to see her again.

Kindle me!

Guess what?  I am now the proud owner of an ebook. It's called "The Chandelier Ballroom" It's my first murder/mystery. What is odd about the big house and its chandelier? Four successive occupiers come face to face with a strange woman in the Chandelier ballroom resulting in suspicions of a partner leading to tragic circumstances.

NEW AVENUES

Thank you everyone for all your lovely comments. Sorry not to have been in touch - an awful lot going on at the moment taking up so much time. I'm deep into writing my next book now, also run a writing group here in Billericay - not a large group, between 12 and 15 members, and some of them are showing real promise and I'm trying to help get a couple of them published if possible. Quite a few are men and they're a great bunch. The group meet twice a month and running it certainly take up a lot of time  
On 13th August weeks I'm off to a writers' holiday for a week, held at The Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire. 300 writers and would-be writers get there, with talks and classes and lots of chatting and eating, net-working, a great time. Been going there for 14 years and it's great.
Meantime, I've received 3 complimentary copies of the DC of my last year's novel ALL THAT WE ARE, from Isis Publishing Ltd. at Oxford. Published at the beginning of this month. All of my novels are taken up, years ago as audio, these days as CDs. and it's lovely to listen to someone reading out the book.
More news later. Meanwhile wish you all well.
Elizabeth