I am very proud to be supporting the fantastic breast cancer charity Breakthrough. On September 10, I’ll be taking part in Breakthrough’s sponsored trek through lovely Perthshire to raise funds for research, education, prevention and support for sufferers. As we all know, breast cancer is far too common. It is still taking too many good people away too soon.

If you’d like to join me on the trek, you can find out more right here.

Apparently it’s 16 miles and not too steep, so with a little bit of training we’ll get there… hopefully. Or like Annie and Svetlana we’ll be lost in the hills and have to consider eating our handbags to survive.

If you can’t make the trek, you can get your cards out right now, my lovelies, and sponsor me here.

Yes, I put on a cocktail dress and hiking boots just to make you smile as you part with your pennies.

This is such a worthy cause and really no donation is too small (or too large!)

As an added incentive, everyone who sponsors me will be entered into a draw. If you win, you will have a brand new character in the next Annie Valentine novel named after YOU (or you can nominate a friend… or maybe I could use your ex’s name for someone eeeeevil). So come on, what are you waiting for?!

To celebrate the publication of How Not to Shop, my publisher has created the fab new How Not to Shop quiz! Give it a whirl to find out what kind of shopper you are, and to get a recession-busting 35% off any of my books!

Loads of things going on this month as the third Annie Valentine is released: How Not To Shop comes with the chance to win an Egyptian holiday (and if like me you’ve spent much of the summer in Glasgow – you might be needing something like that).

Rush to your nearest branch of Faith and they will give you a special edition of The Personal Shopper for free if you spend over £30 (easily done, I have been on their website and checked those shoes out… and they do big sizes. Gone are the days when you went to any shoe shop, asked for a size 8 and the shop assistant’s eyes popped from her head in astonishment – I’m still slightly scarred though.)

The lovely people at ultra-stylish Scottish Woman magazine have put me on their shortlist for witty Scottish Woman of the Year. I still can’t believe that… anyway, you can find out more if you follow this link. Hey, you can even vote and yes I will understand if you think Ronni Ancona is much more worthy!

Also, give this link a whirl if you’d like to read an interview with me from the Sunday Herald magazine. It’s incredibly nice, Susan Swarbrick was totally charming and no, I don’t have anything on her, she wrote this all of her own accord, honest! ‘Poster girl for yummy mummy chic’ oooh how my husband fell about laughing at that. He knows the grim reading glasses and ratty jeans reality!

Now, which photos can I use to enliven the August blog… I’m still missing New York, so here are another two from the holiday. The big plastic roach key-ring which was the gag of the fortnight: it ended up in everyone’s shoes, everyone’s bed, even Sam’s salad and my birthday presents. Eeek!

Then there are the family birthday cards… obviously cute dogs feature highly as we were all totally missing Jimmy by then!

 To celebrate the publication of How Not to Shop, Transworld Publishers and Faith Shoes are offering you the chance to win a fabulous holiday for you and a friend to Egypt!

The fantastic prize, courtesy of Libra Holidays, will include return flights and 4* accommodation at the Hilton Sharks Bay Resort. Enjoy seven all-inclusive days, relaxing by the pool, sipping a cocktail at one of the hotel bars, discovering the underwater delights of the Red Sea or partying into the early hours and enjoying the lively nightlife in Sharm el Sheikh!

To enter visit the Faith website from 10th August.

The closing date is 24th August 2009. See www.faith.co.uk for terms and condtitions.

If you’re in the mood for some retail therapy, what better way to treat yourself than with a new pair of shoes and a free book?

From 10th August, selected Faith stores will be giving away free copies of The Personal Shopper to customers who spend over £30 (while stocks last).