Monday, August 02, 2010

Back...

Wow, it's been a busy week. I checked my emails while waiting for the first load of washing to go through (you do not want to know just HOW much washing I have to do now, sigh)... and quite a lot seems to have been happening. So big whoo-hoos to those who had super-cool things happen (Kimberly Lang, take a bow); big hugs to those who've had a rough time; and big smiles to everyone else.

Campania is a beautiful part of the world, and we had SO much fun exploring, last week. (Not to mention stuffing my face with lovely, lovely food; discovering limoncello and bellinis - obviously NOT together; and indulging in gelati, though not quite as much as the rest of my family did. DH and I are both wondering how to bribe the scales tomorrow morning, because I think it's going to be very, very bad... and I'd better be off both carbs and caffeine again from tomorrow!)

Once I've got my research pics sorted out and named properly (I was very sad about it and had a notebook so I know exactly which mosaic/fresco/ruin is which), I'll get some posts together and tell all about our resarch trip to Sorrento. All I'll say for now is that Vesuvius was just AWESOME. :o)

4 comments:

Lacey Devlin said...

No, no any weight gained from holiday fun doesn't count and magically disappears again ;). Can't wait to hear all about it!

I'm rereading A Baby of Her Own at the moment :). I was just wondering how hard you find writing in a medical setting and getting all that jargon right? I always learn something new which is great for my addiction lol. Do most M&B medical writers have a medical background? Is that where the inspiration for the medical scenes comes from?

Kate Hardy said...

Lacey - ha, I lost 3lbs :o) And that was despite stuffing my face with pasta. Reeeeesult.

Hope you're enjoying Baby.

Re getting the jargon right - well, my mum was a nurse and I spent a few years working as a health journalist, so the jargon's fine - I tend to put it in as much of layman's terms as I can get away with!

A lot of the Meds authors have a medical background, but the rest of us research (and occasionally ask the others if we're dealing with one of their specialties and want to know something specific). I also use the Oxford Handbooks a lot - they're really good.

As for inspiration for the medical scenes - really, they have to move the plot forward or move the relationship between the hero/heroine forward, so there's a fine line to tread between real life (and not too gory) and the book.

Lacey Devlin said...

Well now, all I can conclude is past helps you lose weight. Right?! I'm a pasta addict so that would be really great news lol.

It's so fascinating to learn what goes on behind the books and it's really nice that the authors work together and share their specialties. Thanks Kate!

Kate Hardy said...

Lacey - I wish! :o)

The authors are lovely. And it's great to moan to a fellow author when you're stuck - they always seem to ask the right question to unblock you (and put up with you moaning, because they know you'll do the same for them).