Coffee clues...

You can always tell when things are (temporarily?) calmer in my writing life - a great deal more plugging in of the "proper" coffee machine.
I have always had a soft spot for good coffee and treated myself to this splendid chap several years back. I use it whenever I have a girlfriend over for a chat...and whenever I have the time. Lately, during the editing phase of my debut novel, I've been holing up in my writing room with a large cafetiere instead (much quicker), so it's delicious to have the time again to savour my coffee breaks. (Please note that there will be no mention of instant coffee. Sorry to be a caffeine snob and all, but we all have lines. I only allow myself so many cups per day so I am certainly not going to waste them!)
So where am I at exactly re the writing? OK. My lovely editor is delighted with all my changes (*punches air*) so we only have a short copyedit stage to go now.
I haven't yet seen the cover which is both exciting and terrifying. I so want to love it! Promise I will share just as soon as I am allowed.
The other bit of good news is we have sold to another foreign publisher - Czechoslovakia. This means RECIPES FOR MELISSA will be read in five languages which is just incredible.
To celebrate acceptance of the edit, I decided to cook some of the recipes when we had friends over for dinner at the weekend. The good news is they readily accepted second helpings....so I am quietly smiling. They were either just horribly hungry or I can tick another box. The novel is by no means a  recipe book, per se, of course - but it's still good to know that the recipes I have included work well.
Next stop is to discuss publicity plans with my publisher. And on that note, I should mention that I am giving my first official author talk this Friday Feb 27th at 7.30pm so if you happen to live in Devon and would like to say "hello" , do come along. Will be very embarrassing if it's just me and the hubby.....Details are HERE.
Only remains for me to thank all those fellow authors on my home patch who over lunch (and coffee!) have lately been so generously sharing very helpful advice as I start this publishing journey proper.
I feel so very lucky....
So if you are still waiting for the "call" yourself....do please take heart from my story and keep going.

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