Now the very last of the twinkly lights have been put away and before February crashes headlong into Valentine’s Day and then Easter, here’s a mini wrap up of 2014 for the New Romantics Press and a teeny peak at some of the very exciting plans, for what is going to be our fourth year as one of the literary world’s favourite indie groups! (Over-egged the last bit, slightly, but hey you know what we mean).

Lizzie, June and myself spent much of the start of 2014 promoting our latest novels, Boot Camp Bride (Lizzie Lamb); 20’s Girl and all that Jazz (June Kearns) and A Change of Heart (Adrienne Vaughan). Aided and abetted by Mags, who was busy editing her new one, Twins of a Gazelle.

February 2014 – Lizzie, June and myself hosted a Meet the Author event at Waterstones, Market Harborough, which was a great success and resulted in lots of media coverage, including an in-depth interview with BBC Radio Leicester for Lizzie and I with the inimitable Tony Wadsworth and Julie Meyers, great supporters of the NRPs since day one.

As summer started to sizzle, the stunning Belmont Hotel invited Lizzie and I, to host a Literary Luncheon, where 30 plus ladies relaxed in the elegant restaurant, enjoyed lunch, readings and chatted about writing …and it wasn’t just the lunch that was saucy! Then, June’s talented film-maker daughter Mary, made a ‘fly on the wall’ video of us talking about our projects (see link here) which was amazing and really gave us a focus for the rest of the year.

July saw us flying the flag at the Romantic Novelist’s Association National Conference at the Harper Adams University in Shropshire, meeting many old friends and making lots of new ones. In September I was thrilled that A Change of Heart was shortlisted for the Best Author Published Read awards at the Festival of Romantic Fiction held at Leighton Buzzard – the highlight of which, was an impromptu dinner with best-selling, award-winning authors Katie Fforde, Liz Fenwick and Jo Thomas – what a hoot!

Following a series of ‘behind closed doors’ meetings we started to hatch a plan for our ‘global’ Author Showcase in London. And in a flash, November saw June, Lizzie and myself hosting a glitzy reception at Waterstones, High Street, Kensington kindly sponsored by June’s son Patrick and his partner Tom. (Sadly, Mags couldn’t make the gig due to a new knee, which is now coming on nicely, I’m happy to report.)

Trundling towards the end of 2014, and the ‘World Premiere’ of the final novel in my Heartfelt trilogy Secrets of the Heart, held in the very cocktail bar in Dublin where the story opens, saw a merry crew of industry professionals, media, friends and family bandy together to welcome the arrival of my latest offering, which to date has been extremely well received. So, thank you all for your incredible support, it’s been amazing!

Phew! 2015 dawned full on and feisty, as we gathered for our first meet of the year, amid diaries, calendars and planners. Mags is due to publish Twins of a Gazelle next month, Lizzie’s latest romcom, Scotch on the Rocks, will be out in March – can’t wait for these two fantastic new novels – as myself and June continue, heads down, working on current WIPs.

We’re planning to attend as many events as possible. Word of Lizzie’s fantastic talk The Changing Face of Publishing last November at Leicester’s favourite ‘art house’ Phoenix Square, has started to spread and to date she is booked to talk at Lutterworth Writers Group on Tuesday March 24^th and then on September 19^th at the London chapter of the RNA. I’m booked to talk there too, a little earlier on 20^th June. I’ve also been conscripted by the Society of Women Writers & Journalists to speak later this year – date to be confirmed. 

We’ll be supporting all our fabulous writer chums at the RNA Awards, the RoNAs on March 16^th in London, and also have the RNA Conference in our sights for July, also in London.

And that lot is just the stuff we know about …looks like it’s going to be a quiet one again ladies – ahem!

Huge and grateful thanks to you all for your fabulous and continued support, and we’re all looking forward to seeing you at some stage this year …bring it on.