Are you ready to hang up your Christmas Stocking?

I'm quite an organised person, but it doesn't matter how many lists I've got, December always seems to be a mad busy time. So, I decided I would sneak my 'catch up' blog post in now before things get really, really chaotic!

If you've been here before, you'll know I write under two names - and I thought I'd let you know what 'both' of me are up to, as my Zara Stoneley blog concentrates more on excerpts and guest posts.

I've been busy setting up and arranging lots of blog posts for the festive season and I hope you will pop back to meet my fabulous guests. On this blog I'm featuring some amazing new authors - if you haven't heard of them then don't forget to check out the excerpts and interviews.

If you missed the wonderful Tea Cooper, talking about her new release 'Tree Change' then you can find the interview here, and her website here.

On 18th December I'm thrilled to be welcoming Aurelia B Rowl with her debut, a Christmas romance, 'Christmas is Cancelled', on 11th January Christy McKellen will be here talking about 'Her New Worst Enemy' (phew, hot cover) and on 22nd January I'm thrilled that Aimee Duffy is coming back to tell us about her latest 'Isle of Sensuality'. (They've all got amazing covers btw!)

Over on my more erotic Zara Stoneley blog I've got Victoria Embers talking about vampires today, on 17th December I've got the brilliant and very prolific Doris O'Connor, on the 28th December the inspiring Raven McAllan is dropping in and on 1st January Kayla Jameth is kicking off the New Year for us!

And what about me? Well, in December you can find me on my travels at various places with my Zara persona in full flow... 13th December with Victoria Embers, 18th December with Allie A Burrow (look out for her mega giveaway), 20th December I'm at Tea Cooper's escaping the UK freezing fog and on 17th January you will find me with Raven McAllan.

And, at this point, I'd like to say a massive, massive thank you if you've bought a copy of my erotic Christmas romance 'Good Enough to Share' (and sorry if I've been over enthusiastic talking about it!), I've been amazed and over the moon at how well it is doing (still sitting at #1 on Amazon UK), and very touched at the wonderful reviews. As a writer I appreciate it so much when people take the time to say they enjoyed the read - thank you. And to all the people who have asked about another story in the series - yes, it's on the way!! I just can't decide whether to let you know what happens next with Dane and Holly, or to let Sophie tell her story - any views on which you'd like to read first?! (And sorry Charlie and Anna - you get a turn, but you're so laid back I'm sure you don't mind waiting!)

What else have I been up to recently? I've set up my new website, which still needs a few tweaks but I'm fairly pleased with it - let me know what you think! I've completed the first round of edits for 'Text me, Tweet me, Need me' - my debut as Susie Medwell, and am looking forward to telling everyone more about that in the New Year. The edits are also in for my Breathless Press short story and I've got another story for Xcite at first draft stage...


I've already decided on one New Year's resolution for 2013 - to be more disciplined about my social networking... so yes, you won't have to put up with my chattering on Facebook and Twitter quite as much (well that's the plan!). I have got so many projects on the go that I need to make sure I find as much writing time as I can. My main projects for next year are a novella for Xcite, a follow up novel to 'Riding High' (featuring James) that a few people have asked me to write, plus the next story in the 'Good Enough' series. I also have my first paperback due out in February which is very exciting! With my Susie hat on, I'm looking forward to becoming a published author with Lyrical Press, and I have another contemporary novel planned out and begging me to write it.

So for the rest of 2012?

Well.....I've got a truly daunting TBR pile - many written by my brilliant author friends, and I'm determined to hide behind the Christmas tree at some point and read (and review) them all! I also want to chill out a bit, visit my virtual friends, then have a very traditional Christmas here at home - with all my family visiting, the full Christmas turkey dinner on the table and a few glasses of wine! I'm (fairly) sure I'll be ready to hang up my Christmas stocking come Christmas Eve - and I'm not going to tell you what I want to find in it! What about you? What kind of Christmas are you looking forward to? Hope it's a good one.