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it’s coming! it’s coming!

here’s another poster design.
I am BEYOND excited!
Publication is the day after tomorrow…two more sleeps or, rather, lack-of-sleeps!

CHANCES – my 11th novel – is to be published this Thursday 31st March and boy, am I all a jitter! Nerves, anticipation, thrill – they don’t lessen, eleven books in! I’ve been waking up, feeling like I’ve already had 6 cans of Red Bull, a packet of Pro-Plus and a gallon of black coffee…
I will spend Publication Day skipping from retailer to retailer, covertly checking they have their stock and it’s well displayed! I will also buy my own copies from various shops because publishers only give authors a handful of complimentary copies! I’ll buy a couple from each place I visit and I’ll say “this is a fab read – I’m buying it for all my friends”!
I thought you’d like to see one of the posters for the ad campaign…
Right – I’m off to walk the dog, ride the horse and do a spin-class – all at breakneck speed.
Remember ‘Roadrunner’?? That’s me!

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naughty naughty

Honestly, it’s not as if I’m Kylie Minogue…
and “the magazine for whom I did a photo shoot yesterday” is hardly the New York Times…
and the clothes, whilst lovely, weren’t exactly haute couture…
and remember I’m 5’2″, 43 years old and usually wear tatty jeans and wellies…
and let’s not forget I’m just a novelist… not some gossip-monger touting international fashion secrets…
BUT apparently I wasn’t allowed to post those happy pics and larky text about how much fun I had yesterday… Hence the fact that the entire post has disappeared from my blog.
I’ll let you draw your own conclusions…

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NOT doing as I’m told…

I write to you with packs of frozen peas under my wrists and on top of my forearms… My tendonitis is back. It’s something of an occupational hazard for me and I’m extremely sore at the moment. I have little grip-strength in my hands and am in a lot of pain – the treatment for which is a combination of eye-wateringly vigorous massage, acupuncture, heat&cold compresses, voltarol, weirdy little acupuncture stickers with 1mm needles (see pic – and yes, re: mug…pun intended!) and REST.

Rest?!
As if…!

I’m trying to be a good patient BUT with articles to write to promote Chances, plus a new book to have in by the winter I find myself not doing as I’m told. I type for a while, then I run alternately freezing cold water and scalding hot water over my forearms which is surprisingly soothing. Plus of course my trusted packs of frozen peas… Felix was sent home from school early, having fallen hard on his knee in the playground – so the two of us snuggled up together with a selection of frozen garden vegetables on our troublesome limbs. He favoured green beans, I stuck with the peas. Actually, they’re petit pois – because I’m an upmarket gal, me!

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the pen is mightier than the sword…and all that!

I thought you’d like to see what has pride of place on my study door!

This was sent to me by great pals in the USA (hullo Paul and Carolyn!)
It’s been a productive week for me – and an exciting one too, with the publication of Chances now less than 3 weeks away. HarperCollins have great things in store for this 11th novel of mine – thanks, chaps! For a gal who spends most her year with people who don’t exist I really love the lead-up to publication and the interaction with my fab team at my publishers. I’m also doing a number of articles for newspapers and magazines – I enjoy this, though having a word limit of 800-1500 words is SO tough… I’d rather have 140,000 words to play with any day!
We’re still trying to sort the technical glitches on my website – I’m aware that the Gallery, Competition and Contact pages have a mind of their own at the mo’. Hopefully, we’ll be up and running again soon.

If you’re on facebook and you haven’t yet joined my page, I’d love to see you there too. www.facebook.com/freya.north

And if you have any spare pocket money this weekend, might I make a cheeky suggestion… pre-order your copy of Chances at a fab price!

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Remember me?!

Hullo!

I’m back!

Did you miss me??

If your lovely messages here on my website and over on my facebook page are anything to go by – I’m flattered indeed.
Profuse apologies for my silence and inactivity – but I assure you that, behind the scenes I’ve been a busy bunny…
Go to my updated Journal section for the nitty-gritty as to why I’ve been off the radar. Elsewhere on my website, there will be new entries on the Titles page, the latest Competition and a general dusting down of the other pages. My fantastic web-techie-guru JBC will jazz up the images – but he’s been busy what with a full time job, brand new baby and his own fabulous website – activedad.co.uk

Anyway, enough about me me me…. you’re here because you are my lovely, loyal readers so it is my great pleasure to tell you that Chances, my 11^th novel, will be on the shelves three weeks today (March 31st) but you can preorder copies at a bargaintastic price on amazon. It’s coming out a month early – because we didn’t want to steal Wills’ and Kate’s limelight by clashing with their wedding…! I love the jacket design – the tree and the title are in shiny shiny gold and the pink is gloriously rich. Wish someone would do a nail polish that colour…

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world champ… and little me!

I KNOW it’s been a long time since I updated my blog and I apologize profusely. I’m going to make it up to you with a lengthy post in the journal section. And when I’m feeling particularly brave, I will try and upload some of the videos I’ve been taking over the last few months.
Anyway, welcome back to all of you – it’s nice to chat after a prolonged silence.
I am extremely excited and honoured to tell you that the magical, awesome Beth Tweddle – Great Britain’s recently crowned World Champion gymnast – is currently reading Secrets. Not just in her spare time, mind. She was reading it in the preparation room just before she took to the floor to win a couple of weeks ago. She recommends reading as a way to focus and prepare and to block out the sound of the crowd. I am thrilled, flattered and humbled, Beth, and I know that all my readers will want to congratulate and thank you for your fantastic achievement (all the more awesome when you consider she is just a month off an op on her ankle). We are very proud of you! Roll on 2012, Ms Tweddle.

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Six Six Six

666!
nope, not the devil in me… but a very very lucky number for us.
Secrets was published 6 weeks ago
Secrets has spent 6 weeks in the national Top 10
Secrets is number 6 in this week’s chart!

I’m just back from a week in Spain – and top of my to-do list is to update you with all my news, photos and videos…

In the meantime, follow this link… It’ll take you to my first short story written for radio, which BBC Radio 4 commissioned. Many of you will know that I famously HATE writing short stories – give me 140,000 words to play with, any day!
For ‘Fish And Chips‘, I was allowed 2,000 words…and I was told “No sex and no swearing, Ms North”
Listen and enjoy…and please let me know what you think!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00ktbf2/Afternoon_Reading_More_Love_in_the_Afternoon_Fish_and_Chips/

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bestseller better and better

stop press!
You’ve done it again, you lot!
Your support and enthusiasm has seen Secrets climb the Top Ten to a fabulous no.5 this week – just 40 copies off the no.4 spot! Thank you so very much.
I’m just back from a jam-packed but fun and fantastic trip to promote the book – and I’ll be blogging AT LENGTH in the next day or so. For the time being, sending you my gratitude, I wish you all a great weekend. Freya x

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BESTSELLER!!!

Thank you Thank you Thank you!
I’m delighted (over-excited) to be able to tell you that… after only 3 days sales, Secrets has gone straight into the national Top 10!
I’m absolutely cockahoop and want to thank you, one and all, for your incredible support….
That’s all for now – I need to run around the garden like a mad thing… x