This is where I give you the 'off-stage' antics of each of my stories - working titles, where the ideas came from, even why I put certain facts in!

We live out of town. Not quite cattle station country but the dirt outside the door is red and the carpet is cream. Feet are welcome, shoes stay at the door, and although I am most happily married, I couldn’t help but notice one day that a family friend of ours had really big feet. Or at least, really big boots. Being awfully good at word association games, this started me wondering about all sorts of things I shouldn’t, including why women wear shoes tight and men prefer them roomy. Thus began a little ditty about shoe shops, shoe size and gender expectations that in time, became "Scene One, Chapter One" of Wife for a Week.

The story begins in London and moves to Hong Kong, which is about as far away from semi-rural Australia as you can get. Was this deliberate? Yes indeedy. I prefer my fantasies glamorous and exotic. It makes the dirt disappear for a while. It’s always the way; a city girl will dream about the farming life. Me, I dream about the lights of Hong Kong Harbour at night.

Chinese funeral vases and contract hits? Well, of course there’s a connection. But you'll have to read the book.

Originally titled "Only One Week", the kiss between Hallie and Nick in the shoe shop came 1st in Romance Writers Of Australia's 2004 First Kiss contest.

There’s a deeply philosophical question behind the start of this book. Honest.  Granted, it’s not a particularly original question but it’s a good one. How does one measure the man (and I’m not talking shoe size this time)? If we’ve just met him and we’re, say, driving him home from the airport, how do we measure him? By his clothes? His looks? The way he responds to us? Would it help if we asked him his occupation? His star sign?

Me, I like to know what a person does for a living. Call me naïve but if a man tells me he’s a doctor, I’m going to assume he’s a caring, community-minded person with a strong work ethic. Smart too. Not short of a quid. Busy.

Not that the hero in Priceless IS a doctor, cause he’s not. If you’ve read Wife For A Week you’ll know what Tristan does for a living. If not… well, never mind. The heroine doesn’t know either…