Tuesday 31 March 2009

Magnolia madness

Spring is here and I am looking out at my magnolia tree in full flower outside my study window. If that scrawny old tree can produce such magnificence, then hey, so can I! Where's my pen?

Spring is my favourite time of year. Not only does the garden look glorious but also, after the lazy, sluggish, dead days of winter, the blood starts to flow faster. The heart beats stronger. Each year I find this is my most prolific period of writing.

The new book is well under way - I can't tell you too much about it yet, but suffice to say it is one final outing into Russia. This time under Tsar Nicholas II. So it's all grand balls and fancy dresses, a radical change from the miseries of the Stalinist regime.

This will probably be my last book to take place in Russia because I'm already planning to move on to pastures new with the following book. But notice that I said 'probably'. Never say 'never again'!

The wrist is well on the mend, though still on a strict physio schedule, and the new bicycle that caused all the problems is up for sale. Good riddance!

5 comments:

rod said...

I am enjoying reading "The Russian Concubine". The reason I am reading it is I trapped a nerve in my arm when swimming so like you my arm is in a splint and the pain was excruciating and the only think I can do at the moment is read.
So I have picked some of the thickest books, yourself and Kate Mosse should keep me going.

Best wishes

Rod

Kate Furnivall said...

Hi Rod,
That's not clever! Swimming is meant to be danger-free exercise - as long as you keep your head above water of course. But I'm glad to hear you are using the time to chill out with good authors! Enjoy the books and get that arm better fast. I sympathise with the frustrations of becoming a one-armed bandit, but use the time to your advantage. I am now dashing about again and already look back on the enforced months of comparative idleness with nostalgia. Best of luck.

stephanie said...

I really can't wait for your next book! Any idea on when we can expect it on the shelves?

Kate Furnivall said...

Hi Stephanie,

Delighted to hear you are keen for the next book. Its publication date depends on where you live. If you're in the UK/Australia/South Africa etc, it will be published on 2nd July this year and will be called THE CONCUBINE'S SECRET. If you're in the USA, it will be published on 2nd June this year and will be called THE GIRL FROM JUNCHOW. Despite the different titles, they are the SAME book - the sequel to THE RUSSIAN CONCUBINE! Enjoy it.

Stephanie said...

I can't wait! I just pre-ordered it. Thank you so much for writing such wonderful stories for us to enjoy!