Kate Hardy Celebration

 - such an awesome achievement - and how wonderful it was your 25th book too! Such fabulosity - you're truly an inspiration to newbie writers like me - the way you produce all these books of such quality and such depth - its brilliant

Raising cyber bubbles your way and we'll have real ones together in Sept yes? Can't wait!!!

love Nat

Thank you, Michelle and Nat. Pull up a chair, grab a latte (what else?) and some cyber-brownies... and here's your excerpt, Nat:

She looked as if the world had ended: hunched over an empty coffee cup, staring out of the plate-glass window but not seeing anything.

Gio couldn't leave her sitting there in such obvious misery. So even though he should've locked up ten minutes ago, he did exactly what his father would've done. He made a cappuccino and slid it onto the table in front of her. 'Here,' he said softly.

She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. 'I...' She'd obviously been about to protest that she hadn't ordered the coffee. But then she smiled ruefully and cupped both hands round the mug, clearly taking comfort from its warmth. 'Thanks.'

'No problem.' He handed her a chocolate dipper. 'You look as if you need this.'

'I do,' she admitted. 'Thanks. I appreciate this.' She rummaged in her handbag for her purse. 'How much do I owe you?'

He waved a dismissive hand. 'Nothing.'

She frowned. 'Won't you get into trouble with your boss?'

'Doubt it.' He smiled. 'Anyway, you're a regular, so call it a refill.'

Those beautiful blue eyes - the same blue as the sky on a summer evening, he saw, now that he was this close to her - narrowed slightly. 'Regular?'

He shrugged. 'On Wednesday mornings, you order a cappuccino and an almond croissant to go at ten past nine.'

The suspicion on her face morphed into nervousness. 'How do you know that?'

Oh, lord. Obviously she thought he was some kind of weirdo - that he'd been watching her or stalking her. He shouldn't have mentioned the time. 'Work here long enough and you get to know the customers,' he said lightly, hoping it reassured her. 'I'm out of croissants or I would've brought you one - hence the chocolate.' He spread his hands. 'Because that's what women need when things get tough, right? Or so my sisters always tell me.'

'Right. And thank you.' She looked very close to tears.

'Want to talk about it?'

She looked around, as if suddenly realising she was the only customer. 'Oh, lord. Sorry. I'm holding you up.'

'Not at all. Though would you mind if I put up the closed sign and put the bolt on the door, so I don't get a sudden rush and end up staying open a lot later than usual?'

***

Fran thought about it. He'd actually asked her first, to make sure she didn't feel threatened. And a man who'd brought her a coffee and a chocolate dipper couldn't be all bad, could he? OK, so he knew her Wednesday morning order - but, as he'd said, you got to know your regulars in business. Just as she did: she recognised voices on the phone and knew even before they asked which ones would be asking for a last-minute panic job and which ones would be booking slots for weeks ahead.

'Sure,' she said.

He bolted the door, turned the sign over to read 'closed' from the outside, turned off one of the banks of lights, and came to sit opposite her. 'Gio Mazetti,' he said, holding out his hand.

She took it, and was surprised at the sudden tingle in her fingertips when her skin touched his. 'Fran Marsden. And thank you for the coffee, Joe.'

'Gio,' he corrected with a smile.

Now she was listening properly, she heard it. The soft G, the I and O sliding together almost after a pause.

'Short for Giovanni,' he added helpfully.

And then the penny dropped. Of course he wouldn't get into trouble for making her a coffee for no charge. Because the café was called Giovanni's.

[and after this he makes her a proposition...]

Actually, I'd probably better amend that to 'Mediterranean', because it's pretty well known that one of my favourite actors is Spanish. (Antonio Banderas. Heart of my totty gallery above my PC... next to my DH, of course.)

For me, I think it's the accent. Spanish and Italian accents are oh, so sexy! And I have to admit that the words 'Italian' or 'Spanish' in a Harlequin title always make me look twice.

So I couldn't resist creating an Italian hero here, from a big, noisy Italian family. (And there's the food angle. Italian food is my absolute favourite.)

Breakfast at Giovanni's is such a lovely book. I loved Giovanni's family, loved him.  The judges couldn't have chosen a better winner for the Romance Prize this year.  Or a more deserving author.

 I hope HMB keep your rosebowl filled all year!

 Love, Liz

Hi Kate - big smooches and congrats on the RNA gong. What a fabo trophy you have there. Well deserved.

Amy

Kate

One of the sad things about  loving all the Harlequin/Silhouette lines is that I often have to spread the financial resources around.

wj

I had to come by and say Hello - and Congratulations all over again for winning the Romance Prize. I'm still smiling for you

I'm afraid this might be my only visit though - an awkward Spanish hero, a sore throat, and the fact that we're having all the windows in the house replaced will mean that my time will be rather occupied this week! But I hope you have  a wonderful time - you deserve it.

Love

T'other Kate

Biscuits as in  baking powder biscuits/ beaten biscuits. They are a quick dough, a bit like scones.

They were popular in the UK during the 17th and 18th century but fell out of fashion except for the North of Scotland and Guernsey according to Elizabeth David's English Bread and Yeast Cookery.  They were called soft biscuits. Think about wiggs. You can often find them depicted in Flemish and Dutch painitings from the 17th century. David has no explanation for why they fell out of favour.

Prior to the invention of baking power, they litterally had to be  beaten  until light and fluffy.

Gravy is gravy.  Biscuits and gravy tends to be a Southern dish. Can be served with  fried ham.

Hope this helps.

Michelle S who gets irritated when people say that soft biscuits did not exist in the Regency...They did but weren't made with baking powder.

Kate

I definitely don't need a pay raise!  I think of how luck I am.  I have my day job which take care of all my bills and everyday living.  I have my writing career which takes care of my travels and conferences.. and I have my hosty assignment; an assignment that any voracious reader would give his/her weight in gold to have. 

I get paid to do all I love to do..read books, discuss books, meet wonderful people who love the same kind of books I love, and who are all a little bit crazy like me.

And most of all, I get to hang out each day with not one, but lots of kind, sexy, funny, fiesty heroines!

What more could a man want?  My life is complete.

wj

Congrats once again on your fabulous award, Kate.

 I adore Kate's books.  Every single one of them :)

Michelle explained about biscuits rather well...except I prefer them with honey or jam...but my Dad is a big biscuits and sausage gravy for breakfast guy. He'll even do grits (think...corn poridge...kinda. I don't like it, so it is hard to explain...)

At RWA I had the best time watching Trish Wylie and Fiona Harper enjoy pancakes and maple syrup. Who knew they were a delicacy? Standard fare here...as are waffles or French toast. I like yogurt, berries, and granola myself.

Guys like protein breakfasts - or heart attack on a plate. Bacon, eggs, sausage, buttered toast...

We also have English muffins...which I think are crumpets to you (help, Michelle! Julie! translate the muffin)

Kate, I was so thrilled when you won and I really hope that this year you make sure that the rosebowl is filled with flowers so every time you walk past you get the buzz all over again!

Sorry, just had to pipe in here with how much I love biscuits and sausage and gravy for breakfast with homefries and even grits! One of the reasons I have to leave hubby and kids behind every couple of years and tour the States with my best mate - so I can pig out on all that delicious cuisine. And don't even get me started on Mexican food, or Soul food. (There used to be this fantastic diner in Houston Texas called This Is It that served ham hocks and collard greens and candied yams - just thinking about it is making my tastebuds twinkle.) Given the portion sizes they serve over there we only ever manage one meal a day - but we still come back several pounds heavier. I'm still fighting off the flab from our trip to California last October!

What's all this got to do with Kate's Romance Prize? Well, now I've been thinking of all that lovely, jubbly food I'm going to have to pop up to our local italian deli after taking my youngest pesky to school and get myself a latte as a consolation prize. There, made it relevant, just about!

Heidi  

Gross, Kate.  Blech.

Actually we don't tent anymore.  We bought a tent trailer (what you'd likely call a caravan?).  It's smaller and easier to tow, and you crank it up.  It's great because there's a door, and beds, and a table, sink and small fridge and gas burners.  Not as many spiders, either.

I have a truly horrific spider story from one of our last tenting trips, needless to say the spiders where we camped were BIG and tough to kill.

*shudders*

I have never had grits!

And I do love Italian food.  I had the BEST risotto when I went to dinner with Biddy one night in London.

Donna

One of the great things about parties is that one can always discuss food.

When I was pregnant with my youngest, I discovered (having found the recipe in What to Eat when you are pregnant) that cheesy polenta kept me from feeling ill.

I find baked cheesy polenta with garlic, an egg beaten in goes very well for brunch. I tend to use it with Heuvos rancheros.  Eggs with salsa on a tortilla on top of cheesy polenta, with a side of refried beans...

Michelle S

Michelle - that egg recipe sounds scrummy.

Nic - that's the tour guide who also makes great brownies

I'm so glad you enjoyed Gio. And thank you SO much for your lovely comments about my books. You've made my day.

Great brownies AND a tour guide? 

I am sooo there!!

Merri - thank you :o)

Nic - did I mention I pour a mean glass of wine, too???

Lidia - thank you very much!

And the title of my post? I'm on a screaming deadline today. So give me something to smile about. Tell me what draws you most to a hero...

And good luck for the next 18 days. 100+ hour weeks are incredibly draining.

Because I've been on deadline (and still am - despite it being school holidays!) I forgot my manners - meant to say thank you very much to Wayne for having me.

all best

Kate H x