Romy Sommer

The Playboy Duke's Reluctant Bride has safely arrived with the organiser of the New Writers' Scheme. Whew! What with the deadline just a week away, and postal strikes both here in SA and in the UK, I was starting to get a little nervous. In the meantime, I've been working on a number of projects: a new 'cute meet' for Date With Destiny, my latest 1920s historical and the synopsis of my next manuscript. All while trying hard not to think about my short story that's sitting with an editor at Wild Rose Press and which I've started to panic about: did I send it to the right line? Should I have targeted Scarlet Rose rather than Vintage Rose? OMG, I need a drink ....

I feel like I actually achieved something yesterday. I critted several chapters for various crit partners and wrote 640 words on my historical short story. The word count may not seem impressive, but it feels so good to be writing something fresh again rather than just editing. I woke up tired this morning but with a smile on my face. I'm interested to know what your average daily word counts are. Do you manage to write consistently every day, or just on days when the day job, family, other commitments allow it?

My friend Amanda and I have created a site for all writers (and readers) of romance in South Africa. Please pop in and take a look at www.romancewriters.co.za . We hope that this site will become a community meeting place, so we welcome all feedback, ideas, suggestions - and articles on writing and book reviews.

The Playboy Duke's Reluctant Bride is now printed, packaged and sealed into its padded envelope, ready to be sent first thing in the morning. It's such a relief to have it done as I feel like I've edited this manuscript to death. Now I've just got to hope that the South African post office doesn't stuff up and mangle or lose the parcel. There are just 18 days left to the deadline, so I really don't want to find out a week or more from now that it's gone astray! The timing is just right as I had a job confirm at the office today, so after more than a month sitting around, the day job will be swinging back into action and I need to give it at least a little attention. (Also, I really need the commission!). This is a two day shoot for BP and wouldn't you know it, the shoot overlaps with my planned holiday to Greece. Lucky I haven't confirmed those flights yet!

I've been researching the region in which I've set the fictional principality for my next novel, The Prince's Secret Mistress, and got carried away putting together a fictional geography and history. This research lark is so much fun! But as I've started to get to know the characters better, the Prince's two younger brothers have now started demanding books of their own. I think the only way to shut them up might be to put their stories down in synopsis form and hope they leave me alone long enough to get Phoenix and Max's story out of the way before Nano. Being men, they're not that good at sharing information and I'm having a little difficulty discovering the name of their principality. I'm going to need some help, so I'll be dropping bits of intel here over the coming months and hopefully one of you loyal blog followers will be able to help me find the missing clue.