Hello and happy Sunday! How has your week been? And how are you really?

I AM BUSY. Things are mostly okay, but I can feel my habits sliding into ‘not great’ territory and I have a lot to do. This weekend while waiting for the final copyedit on my new book, THE BITTERSWEET BAKERY CAFE, I finished painting the trim in the kitchen.

Painting trim was a big, exhausting job but it looks fantastic. (And embarrassingly, it has taken me months to get the trim painted, even though I’d painted the kitchen Dulux Classic White months ago.) That’s the way things have been rolling around here. But two days later, the trim is done, and today’s my day to delve back into THE BITTERSWEET BAKERY CAFE.

I mean, come on, look at this beauty!

Writing a book is a lot like raising a child. Work, work, work, fun, pure joy, work, work, work, disappointment, more work, insecurity, fun, laughing at yourself by yourself because the dream world in your head is now real on the page in human form, work, work, work.

Can you see why a positive book review from a reader makes us feel so good and sparkly?

A book we read in six hours is years of a writer’s life.

It’s an absolute privilege and joy to be able to do this. And I promised myself a long time ago that if I ever got the chance to be an author — I think I was around eight years old on the farm, and I’d read a Byron poem in a book at my great Aunt’s home — that I would take care of my writing. (It didn’t have to take care of me. It wouldn’t have to owe me anything.)

I’ve kept that promise for fifty years.

That’s the kind of dream writers hand to the world when we raise up a book, and put it out there.

So today, I’m back at my desk in my comfiest jeans and sparkly shoes. And I would highly recommend this to you: I wear something sparkly when there’s a metaphorical hill to climb. Besides, I can sit at my desk and I’m not walking anywhere, right?

Maybe it’s something you want to try?

We can put on the good earrings, the shiny ones. Wear the sparkly shoes at Sunday dinner. Use the nice napkins, spray on the perfume.

It’s a beautiful day to be alive, right? Right.

Wish you were here today for Sunday dinner because I’m making Chocolate Dipped Strawberries. Recipe below!

Love, Catherine x

P.S. The Fun Stuff!

• The best Chocolate Dipped Strawberries.

• ‘She Walks In Beauty’ - the poem I found that inspired me all those years ago.

• The prettiest song.

• Thanks to beautiful Emma and Chloe and Deb who all emailed to say that MooGoo haircare products are fabulous. Trying them soon!

• My favourite eyeliner and it’s half price right now! Can someone let me know if it compares to the Victoria Beckham one, which is so expensive??