"Christina Hollis is a fantastic writer of romantic fiction who pens exciting, atmospheric and moving stories and her readers shall certainly not be disappointed with her fabulous new novel!"

From a review by CataRomance

Where has the year gone? We’ve just come back from a short holiday in the London Docklands, (which is actually much better than it sounds). I’m writing this at the end of August, and there’s already a different feeling in the air. Our home is deep in the English countryside and makes a real contrast with all those lovely London shops and busy streets, although as you can see below we came across some beautiful passion flowers hanging over the railings of a London garden. Fruit is ripening all around our own garden, and the bees are busily organising their stores of honey. It won’t be long until we’re into the main preserving season. I love that - lining the kitchen shelves with bottles and jars in jewel like colours.

November 2010 sees the publication of my next Mills and Boon Modern Romance, which is called The Italian’s Blushing Gardener. This is Kira and Stefano’s story, set in and around Stefano’s beautiful Italian estate of Bella Terra. Kira moved into the area first, determined to make a new life for herself in an isolated paradise. She resents her rich new neighbour Stefano, assuming he’ll wreck the place and modernise its beautiful old house out of all recognition. Stefano surprises her in more ways than one, and they both have a lot to learn about life, love and each other.

Isn’t the new style cover art for the Modern Romance line lovely? I think Kira’s look of cheeky determination on the front of The Italian’s Blushing Gardener really suits her character, but then I’m biased!

As usual I’ve entered the latest BBC Short Story competition and the Bridport Prize, and in the long wait for the results I’ve been busy editing a collection of my short stories. This will be published in 2012. I’m also working on a new Modern Romance intended for Harlequin Mills and Boon. It has the working title ’Love and Loyalty’, and I’ve already fallen in love with the hero, Prince Lysander. He’s shaping up to be one of my favourite men. You can follow his development from dream to full blown Alpha male and get lots of other little snippets about my life as a writer via my tweets as christinabooks on Twitter. Tweeting is great fun - have you tried it yet?

Last month’s release of The Count Of Castelfino as a Harlequin Presents Extra edition in the USA is still available for online purchase from the eHarlequin site - just click on the picture to go straight there. Many of my books are also available from eHarlequin and Amazon as ebooks.

I’m also on Facebook, and have a regular spot on Author Sound Relations - my next contributions are due on 12th September, 10th October and 14th November, while on 17th November I’m being interviewed on Minxes Of Romance. There will be freebies on offer, so why don’t you drop by and post a comment? I’d love to hear from you!