Up very far north and more snow!

Mid-April I was back in the very north of Scotland for two Girls’ Nights: one in Inverness and one in Culloden. Brilliant to meet so many enthusiastic readers. There is nothing like Highland hospitality, I tell you.

When in the Highlands, I stayed for a few days at a cottage on the Cawdor estate. It was in the middle of the most fantastic kind of nowhere. Miles and miles down a single track road, then a gorgeous cottage in a luscious valley. The children were ecstatic and demanded to know why we couldn’t move here straightaway and have ponies… and go fishing… and get air rifles!!

Just as I packed away my duvet coat, the snow returned for one (final? Please!) flutter. I did find the missing purple gloves though, so very happy!

And final picture, despite the snow and gloom and general freezing chill, I’ve managed to grow a lemon. I know, a lemon in Glasgow. Obviously it’s green and may stay green for lack of sunshine -  but for my brown fingers, this is a miracle.

I got the lemon tree as a birthday present two years ago and haven’t killed it yet. I do feel a bit sorry for it though, sitting at the window looking out and wondering what it can do to get back to Italy where it belongs!

Yes, that really is me in the photo with the world famous Sophie Kinsella, Joanne Harris, Nicholas Parsons and the other fabulous authors at my publisher’s 60^th birthday party. Is the lovely Ms Kinsella not rocking her 8-month bump in the leopard skin dress? Go girl!

Now, I’ve had lots of email about the reading order of the books. First of all, don’t panic! The books are written so you can pick any one of them up, dive in and get to know the characters without missing anything vital.

But, if you’d like to read them in order, the Annie Valentine series goes: The Personal Shopper, Late Night Shopping, How Not To Shop and Celebrity Shopper (so far!)

Secrets at St Jude’s reading order is: New Girl, Jealous Girl, Drama Girl. Book four, Rebel Girl comes out in June.

My first four books are ‘stand alone’ titles, so no special order required.

I’ve done some fantastic visits and events during March. I’ve been talking about books, reading and writing in schools in and around London. I was talking at Waterstone’s in Guildford, then Stockton-upon-Tees library, I did a books festival and a Unicef event in Glasgow. Oh and a lovely primary school in Glasgow too. It’s been fantastic to meet so many readers and hopefully inspire lots of future writers.

This is some of the feedback from the lovely ladies I met in Stockton:

‘Carmen was an enlightenment – inspirational’

‘Really enjoyed listening to Carmen read extracts from her books. I’ve wondered how an author wants her books to ‘sound’ when read – now I know’

‘Carmen was such an interesting and charming person’

‘I really enjoyed the evening, Carmen was inspirational and funny’

Awwwww! Thank you so much, incredibly kind.

This is a picture of me and the lovely Jill Mansell (author of more than 20 bestselling books – wow!). As you can see, we are ‘relaxing’ in the bar after our Girls Night Out event.

Thank you to Perth Library for organising such a fantastic event! Here is a snap of me with some of the brilliant people who made it all happen.

We had half an hour of mingling, chatting, hand pampering and hair-styling tips, then we all went through to the theatre where I read to my biggest audience ever. But you know, I didn’t feel nervous, I felt amongst friends. It was great to see that some readers had come with their Mums and their daughters.

Brilliant: multi-generational fans! We had lots of chat about reading, writing and all sorts of interesting things. A fantastic night. Thank you so much to everyone and to photographer Fraser Band who did the pics.

You can see more at www.fraserband.co.uk

Fort William here I come!

I am touring about the country this month (Click on the ‘Girls Night In Tour’ category for details… maybe you can come!) visiting libraries for fun-packed Girls Night In events.

The first was at Cardonald Library in the South Side of Glasgow. What can I say? These people know how to party! We had food, we had drinkies, goodie bags and there was a whole wonderful pink and black theme going on with ribbons on the chairs, flowers and matching plates and napkins. I turned up in pink and black by co-incidence! It was a fantastic evening. I enjoyed the Q and A bit hugely, especially the spontaneous telling of our worst changing room disasters. It was great fun to read extracts from How Not To Shop and Jealous Girl to such a fabulous audience. Thank you all so much for a brilliant night!

Carlisle was also fantastic! We talked about books, writing, favourite authors, but also shoe shopping! We had chocolate and fudge tasting, lovely ladies from Lush and Clinique on hand and the fabulous Marie from Hoopers, a real live personal shopper, talking us through key looks. Marie is a total Annie fan, so it was brilliant to watch her bring little Valentine touches to her talk. According to Marie, every girl must have a red handbag and a pair of Armani Jeans this season. If you live anywhere near Carlisle, book yourself a session with her, it is probably as close as you will come to an Annie makeover!

Portlethen, Perth, Fort William and Blackpool are next.

On the book front: the next instalment of Secrets at St Jude’s: Jealous Girl is out on 2nd July for everyone who loved New Girl and can’t wait to find out what happens next…

Make a little room in your summer holiday suitcase for the new Annie Valentine, as How Not To Shop comes out on 13th August.

At the AK Bell Theatre in Perth, I served my first ever time on a discussion panel this month.  Is The Love Story Dead? Discuss. It was a really interesting and enjoyable evening. Great to meet writers Ewan Morrison and Sharon Blackie as well as the incredibly well-read Dorothy Macmillan, Stuart Kelly and Ajay Close. Just as soon as I’d sipped down my second Buck’s Fizz to quell those public speaking nerves, I had a great time!

I’m going on a library tour in September… more details to follow next month. Hope I can catch up with lots of readers.

The rest of June has been all about two of the Very Important Males in my life: my son and my Dad.

On the same day that my son went off on his first week-long school trip to an outward bound adventure centre thingy, my Dad went into hospital to have his hip replaced.

Oh what a lovely amount of fretting and stressing I did! Will Sam have enough socks? Eat enough fibre? Survive the abseiling lesson? Will Dad have enough books to read? Eat any hospital food? Survive the operation?!!

Good grief it was stressful. My Mum and I got through much more wine and cake than usual, I can tell you.

However, the week ended. Sam came off the bus looking tall, brown, grubby and ridiculously chirpy. He was absolutely fine – apart from a neck rash brought on by a combination of ‘slurping on midge repellent like gravy’ (his words) and not washing properly (well, he is newly 11!) And apparently abseiling – which he’d been slightly worried about – was the best fun ever.

Dad came out of hospital the following day and went home to the farm along with crutches, a raised loo-seat and various other gadgets.

He has always been the fittest, healthiest person I know. Up until two years ago he was still running (he doesn’t jog, he RUNS!) and he looks after a herd of 80 cattle, so the ever-increasing hip problem has taken some time for him to adjust to.

I have no idea how Mum is going to keep him resting for six weeks. There is already talk of how soon can he get back on his bike (his new hobby now that he can’t run!) and my Dad’s usual competitive streak  means he will want to make the fastest recovery from the operation ever!

More news next month when I get back from New York! Yes, I’ll just say that once again… when I get back from New York!!