Well, Putting Alice Back Together is out – it feels funny to see it on the shelves :-) As I’ve said, it’s different to my usual, so for the next few weeks I’ll be doing a give away – I’ll pick a name at random from the comments and send a little care pack to the winner to have beside you that I think will make you smile as you read it or, if you already have read it, then it will hopefully make you smile too.

At the same time Putting Alice Back Together was going out, there I was busy getting the next story in (which is why I’ve been quiet). It’s a pretty intense book so I guess I was a bit intense for a while too – and right at the end I had all my candles going and all the things I do to, hopefully, get me writing and, it worked – in fact it worked so well that I didn’t notice the cat had jumped up on the table to have a little read himself and it took a moment to register that the fizzing noise and burning smell were coming from the cats tail!!!!!!! We had a mad dash to the sink and I am very happy to say that it didn’t touch his skin, just singed hair, so no pets were harmed in the making of the book, but it scared the life out of me (and him when I dunked him in the kitchen sink)!

I hope you have a lovely week.

cx

There is light - am really enjoying tying up all the ends and finding more knots that need sorting.

I actually love this part of writing - nearing the end and adding more bits that seem to have always been waiting to be added.

What I don't like about this part is that I am not a very nice person - I am absorbed by my plot and I don't like any other distractions - of course there are loads - the real word keeps tapping as I tap away. My big computer died so I am on my laptop ( I'll deal with that on Tuesday)

Tuesday is GONE day  ( I will hit SEND Monday night) - I have many plans and a lot include houswork, cooking, bills, dead computer and...being nice.

On Friday Putting Alice Back Together comes out - I am going to do a little give away - a little care pack to have by your side as you read it. So tune in to enter soon.

I will explain more on Tuesday :-)

Love to all 

cx

Must remember not to combine them with deadlines again.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about my new release in March.

I think we all wear many hats – mum, partner, friend, career, house, self….

It’s a big juggling act and we are a little bit different in each and every role.

It’s the same for me with my writing. I write Medical and Presents and my writing is different for both – though it is still mine.

Confused? You soon will be :-)

Coming out in March is something different again. It is called Putting Alice Back Together and is being published my MIRA. I absolutely loved writing it and am thrilled to see it published, yet I do want to warn my wonderful, loyal readers that it is a different Carol Marinelli read. It is a gritty book and deals with some tough topics and has a rather flawed heroine. I just wanted to let my readers know that it might not be what they are expecting. It is not a romance, though there are romantic elements.... :-) 

I look forward to chatting more about it soon.

Here's the blurb -

There's only so much sex, valium and red wine you can take to paper over the cracks... Alice Lydia Jameson is the friend you wish you had. The girl who makes a party more fun, pulls a funny face to make you feel better, drinks wine out of a mug and makes you laugh while you re crying over an ex. Alice is totally happy, everything is amazing and there is nothing at all to worry about... except, well: Her job was really great 10 years ago; The sexiest guy alive doesn't want her...because he's gay; Her credit card bills are mounting up... But maybe the biggest problem for Alice is that she has a secret. A secret so big she can't tell anyone...but how do you keep a secret like that when everything is starting to fall apart? And once it's out there, how do you ever begin to put yourself back together again?

Love to all

Carol x

They'll be Valentine presents at this rate.

I am going deep into end of book cave - so I may be gone some time :-)  I must remember never to mix school holidays and deadlines again!! 

Carol xxx 

Anyway, I have made most of my lists and they read pretty much the same as they always do - lose weight, exercise more, get up early and write ten million words before I finish my first cup of coffee - correction, ten million, painless words - I set myself up to fall every year, but I love the hope that if I really focus, if I really keep to my plans, then this calm, organised, toned person will emerge and my editor will fall of her seat as my books arrive, not just on time, but early!!!! Hmmm -  still, some things on my list last year did come true, like going to NY and getting my book, now called, Putting Alice Back Together, accepted - it is due out in March and I can't wait to hold the finished book and see it for the first time.

Do you have any New Year Resolutions or wishes?

I've just thought of a couple more so am going to get back to mine - I'm adding GO TO OFFICE EVERY WEEK DAY! Right now I am listening to Do The Work by Steven Pressfield. It's an audible book and I am finding it a really good motivator. I love his work and would love to hear him speak in person one day - maybe I should add that to my wish list :-)

I hope you have a lovely New Year and I look forward to chatting with you in 2012. I'm attaching my all time favourite New Year clip - from my all time favourite film... makes me laugh and cry every time 

Love to all

Carol x

I know I will go into the Christmas break feeling so much better if I am in a good place with my book. I am meeting up with a couple of writing friends and we shall push each other and talk plot and try to remember to keep our voices down at the breakfast table as we discuss bad boy Sheikhs and things :-) 

I've done all my overseas Christmas shopping - God, but I love the internet - no lining up to post a parcel full of boring postable things, I can shop in England from here in Australia and choose things I want, not the things that fit into a postbag etc.

And they wrap and send a message:-) happy sigh.

Carol x

Oh, I know, I'll give blogging another go :-)

While waiting for revisions to come in on the story I should be concentrating on I have had a little play on my new site and it assures me it makes  blogging easy!!! Well, we'll see, this post may never see the light of day once I try to attach it :-)  Still, it can't be harder than my previous attempt at a blog - it kept changing my fonts and chewing up my posts, and I was scared to go in an update because it turned into about three hours work. How come everyone else can work out these things? 

I am waiting for delivery of my new computer - which is exciting for me, given how much time I spend on it. And it is exciting for my daughter as I am always fighting with her for this one since my laptop died. My new baby has a massive screen, I read that a big screen helps you to focus, so hopefully that is true.

Okay, I am going to attempt to add this. And if it attaches easily to my site (ha ha) I am going to write just a teeny bit of Hassan as a reward :-) 

Carolx