The Cautious Heart

Ah, The Cautious Heart, my big bestseller. This one got me on the New York Times bestseller list in 1981. 65,000 copies sold! Was I impressed with myself? Of course.

It took me a while to realise I’d made it however because my publisher neglected to inform me that they had changed my title. Originally this book went under the name of Late Blooms the Rose. So naturally that’s what I was looking for. Not that I blame them for changing it, I agree The Cautious Heart is a much better title, but I do wish they had made a pretence of consulting me.

The Cautious Heart was part of Jove Books Second Chance at Love line and this is the only one of my books written to order. I had six weeks to produce 70,000 words on the theme. Interestingly, I noticed that most of the other writers in the series interpreted second chance to mean a second chance with the same man. I don’t think I’m spoiling anyone if I say I took a different view.

So there I was with a best-seller, a New York publisher, a London publisher and a hotshot New York literary agent. So I did the only sensible thing, I quit writing! (I need an irony emoticon.) In justice to myself, circumstances had made me the principal breadwinner for the family and I had two children under four. I thought it would be easy enough to pick up my writing career again when I had more time. Wrong! In the meantime the romance world was awash with Regencies. You couldn’t give the things away. The only advantage I had was that publishers and agents were always willing to read my submissions. But I’m not complaining. I’ve had a wonderful time anyway and publishing once more is just the icing on the cake.