Soullumination

[Shelly Laurenston] BEAST BEHAVING BADLY / Book 5: Pride series

2010-02-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Love a sexy shifter novel with lots of action, humor and characters you'll love? Then you've got to read Shelly's 'Magnus Pack' and 'Pride' series novels, if you haven't already.

Shelley Laurenston is one of my favorite paranormal authors. Her books are funny and sexy with to-die-for heroes and quirky, kick-ass heroines. I especially love her writing style which combines great dialogue with action and a smoking sensuality that will leave you breathless! I can never find a place to stop - so I just keep reading!

I'm not-so-patiently waiting for book 5 of the Pride novels, Beast Behaving Badly which will hit shelves in May 25th.

Here's the blurb:

Ten years after Blayne Thorpe first encountered Bo Novikov, she still can't get the smooth-talking shifter out of her head. Now he's shadowing her in New York-all seven-plus feet of him-determined to protect her from stalkers who want to use her in shifter dogfights. Even if he has to drag her off to an isolated Maine town where the only neighbors are other bears almost as crazy as he is...

Let sleeping dogs lie. Bo knows it's good advice, but he can't leave Blayne be. Blame it on her sweet sexiness -- or his hunch that there's more to this little wolfdog than meets the eye. Blayne has depths he hasn't yet begun to fathom -- much as he'd like to. She may insist Bo's nothing but a pain in her delectable behind, but polar bears have patience in spades. Soon she'll realize how good they can be together. And when she does, animal instinct tells him it'll be worth the wait...

Check out an excerpt here.
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Writer's Moment - Ann Lethbridge

2010-01-29T10:00:00.000-08:00

Authors - Need some practical advice to keep the word count flowing?

That's exactly what Ann provides on her January 27th 'Tips and Tricks' post at her blog, Seduced By History.

Here's just the beginning to whet your appetite:

"I hear a lot of authors say they are slow writers. I don’t see anything wrong with that at all. Some of the best writers describe themselves this way. Your process is your process. These tips and tricks are merely ideas I have honed for myself, which I am sharing with you to do with as you will.

First I want you to understand that I am a full-time writer. Last year I completed three full length novels for Harlequin, did revisions for same, and also wrote two short stories and one novella. Because I just landed an eight book contract with Harlequin, four full length and four short stories, I had to sit down and really think about my process and what I wanted to accomplish. I had three questions in mind. Did I want to write fast? And how fast? And when did I want to take vacations? I plan to have this contract completed by June 2011.

My tips and tricks.

1. Know how much you write consistently. I use an excel spreadsheet to track.

2. For a period of two weeks record your daily and weekly word counts. Find out the average per day, then use that as your daily word count."

Check out the full post here.

[Pamela Montgomerie] AMETHYST DESTINY / Book 2: Jewels of Time

2010-01-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

Pamela Montgomerie (pen name for Pamela Palmer) is revealing a tantalizing peek at Amethyst Destiny, book 2 in her Jewels Of Time series. It's just a little taste of the novel hitting shelves on May 4th.

The series is described as "a handful of magical gems destined to cause time-traveling mayhem in seventeenth-century Scotland... and beyond."

Read the brand new excerpt here.

Or, for those of you willing to take a trip back in time, check out book 1, Sapphire Dream...

[Nicole Jordan] TO TAME A DANGEROUS LORD / Book 5: The Courtship Wars

2010-01-27T18:13:00.000-08:00

For anyone looking for a fun Regency romance with a heroine you can actually identify with and root for, pick up your copy of To Tame A Dangerous Lord, book 5 in the oh-so-popular series The Courtship Wars.

Nicole started the series off as a trilogy, but continued these fun - and very sexy - historical romances when fans just couldn't get enough. Check out the reference below:

"One of my all time favorite writers, Nicole Jordan delivers romance like no one else. Captivating, enticing, and irresistible, her books are always on my must buy list."
~ Sherrilyn Kenyon, # 1 New York Times bestselling author

Here's the blurb:
Dangerously sexy nobleman and former spymaster Rayne Kenyon, Earl of Haviland, has no interest in love. He merely desires an heir to carry on his title and therefore must have a wife. Rayne makes a surprising choice of brides by settling on the plain spinster daughter of a fellow spy who once saved his life. Yet spirited, witty Madeline Ellis proves much more than he bargained for.

Dazed by Rayne's smoldering kisses, Madeline knows that she's at last found love – with a man determined to avoid it. Once wedded, she decides to take fate into her own hands. Maybe, just maybe, she can kindle the fires in Rayne's heart by turning her plain, ordinary self into a dazzling temptress. With a little help from the Loring sisters, the earl's artless new wife becomes a beautiful, bold seductress in their marriage bed. But who could imagine that a simple marriage of convenience can suddenly be flooded with danger, desire, and unexpected love?

The excerpt of Chapter 1 puts you right into the story.

And the Reviewers have shown lots of love:

“To Tame a Dangerous Lord pits Madeline, a supposedly plain woman, against Rayne, a man whose masculine beauty surpasses most others. I love how strong, independent, and stubborn she is, something her character needs in order to fight for her marriage. The emotional roller coaster is very intense; love, heartbreak... and a passion that explodes within the pages. Once again Ms. Jordan has hit upon a winning novel sure to keep her audience enthralled and entertained for years to come!”
~ Coffee Time Romance

“To Tame a Dangerous Lord is a delightful, wonderful love story. The story has depth, detail and is very well written. The characters are witty, lovable, sexy, and will sweep you away with them. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy a great love story, sensuality, wit and suspense.”
~ MyBookAddictionAndMore

The good news - TTADL hit shelves on January 26th, so you can pick up your copy today. :)

[Christina Dodd] Books 3 & 4: The Chosen Ones

2010-01-26T15:39:00.000-08:00

I just heard the great news about the next books in Christina's excellent paranormal series 'The Chosen Ones'! (A spin-off of her mega-popular 'Darkness Chosen' books.)

For those of you who haven't read Storm of Visions & Storm of Shadows yet, here's a little history to get you started:

"The Chosen Ones is a seductive paranormal series about an ancient rivalry that lives in the world today … When the world was young, twins were born. One brought light to a dark world. The other, darkness and danger. Their powers could not be denied, and they gathered others around them, men and women destined to use their gifts for good or evil. Today, they walk the earth as the Chosen Ones … and the ultimate battle is about to begin."

Look for Book 3, Chains of Ice, on July 6th and Book 4, Chains of Fire, on September 7th.

CHAINS OF ICE: The sweepingly romantic tale of a man who has lost everything…For one magic summer, Genny Valente escapes to spend time as a wildlife observer in the untamed mountains. Little does she know that a beast more fearsome that any beast lurks in the forest…a man, one of the Chosen Ones, betrayed by his gift and tormented by his memories. John Powell has fled his fate and his duty, yet in Genny he sees his one chance for redemption. He will stalk her, kidnap her, love her as only a savage can. But when a new betrayal threatens, John must call on the powers he swore he’d never use again. Then only Genny’s love can save him…if she dares tame the one man she can’t live without…
Pre-order Chains Of Ice from Amazon: Chains of Ice (The Chosen) by Christina-Dodd

CHAINS OF FIRE: Samuel and Isabelle’s long anticipated romance. Samuel Faa, the adopted son of servants, a gypsy lawyer with the power to control minds. Isabelle Mason of the Boston Masons, wealthy, privileged, refined, and a woman with the gift for healing.Two of the Chosen Ones, they hide a past filled with love and betrayal, and a future denied by fate…until the day they’re trapped underground. No way out. No way to deny the passion that still burns beneath the surface. And when danger threatens, Isabelle has only one choice : to place her trust in the power of the one man she could never forget … or forgive …
Pre-order Chains Of Fire from Amazon: Chains of Fire (The Chosen) by Christina Dodd

[Jennifer Ashley] Pride Mates / Book 1: Shifters Unbound

2010-01-25T18:34:00.000-08:00

Who loves a sexy shifter series full of suspense & romance? I do!! Which is why I'm so excited about Jennifer's new 'Shifters Unbound' series.

The first book, Pride Mates, will hit bookstores on January 26, 2010. Here's the blurb:

Twenty years ago, shape shifters of all kinds banded together and announced themselves to the world, only to be shunted to areas no human wanted ("Shiftertowns"). They are forced to wear Collars that control their hunting and fighting instincts (referred to by Shifters as "Taking the Collar").

Liam Morrissey is currently liaison between the Shifters of Austin, TX, and the humans of the city. Kim Fraser, attorney, finds herself in the unique position of having to defend a Shifter on a murder charge.

She ventures to Shiftertown to seek out Liam's help, and there stumbles across too many secrets the Shifters want kept secret. The un-mated Liam is forced to protect Kim against the wrath of his clan leader and his own father, and to his surprise he discovers a powerful attraction to the sassy, sexy lady.

Read an excerpt here.

Plus you can check out a message from the hero, Liam Morrisey here; and you can check out A Human's Guide to Shifters here.

Jennifer is a favorite author who also writes under the names Allyson James and Ashley Gardner. I am a huge fan of her award-winning 'Dragon' series, and can't wait to see this new series.

2010-01-21T10:00:00.000-08:00

Every so often I need a lighthearted romance with larger-then-life characters, an entertaining storyline & lots of laughs - and if there's ahot, virile Viking involved, even better!

So I'm excited to to see that Viking in Love, the latest in Sandra's 'Viking I' series will hit shelves on January 26th.

Here's the story:

All Lord Caedmon of Larkspur wants, after nine long months in the king's service, is a bit of peace...not five bothersome Viking princesses who invade his keep, especially not the fiery redhead, Breanne. He has half a mind to kick her tempting arse out the door...but wait...he has a much more wickedly delightful plan for this thorn in his...um, side.Princess Breanne of Stoneheim is shocked at Larkspur's rundown condition with servants and children running wild whilst Caedmon lies abed after a night of mead and, no doubt, wanton bedsport. Breanne must endure the loathsome lout to protect her four sisters. She can hardly imagine what this knight will demand of her in return.

You can read an excerpt here.

[Lori Devoti] AMAZON QUEEN / Book 2: Amazons

2010-01-20T17:15:00.001-08:00

I'm so excited for the April 27, 2010 release of Amazon Queen! This is book 2 in Lori's 'Amazon' series following the hugely popular Amazon Ink.

The series is set in modern-day America where millennia-old Amazon traditions meet the challenges of the age of technology.

Here's the synopsis for Amazon Queen:

Amazon queen Zery Kostovska has never questioned tribe traditions. After all, these rules have kept the tribe strong for millennia and enabled them to live undetected, even in modern-day America. Zery is tough, fair, commanding–the perfect Amazon leader.

At least, she was. A new high priestess with a penchant for secrecy and technology is threatening Zery’s rule. Plus, with the discovery of the Amazon sons, males with the same skills as their female counterparts, even Zery can’t deny that the tribe must change. But how? Some want to cooperate with the sons. Others believe brutal new leadership is needed–and are willing to kill to make it happen.

Once, Zery’s word was law. Now, she had no idea who to trust, especially with one powerful Amazon son making her question all her instincts. For Zery, tribe comes first, but the battle drawing near is unlike any she’s faced before…and losing might cost her both the tribe and her life.

If you haven't already read Amazon Ink, I suggest you get your copy soon. Here's what reviewers had to say:

“Gifted Devoti adds urban fantasy to her growing list of genres with the launch of a gritty first-person series featuring modern-day Amazons. Secrets and stubbornness impact all the major players in this dark drama/murder mystery. If this book is any indication, Devoti has a brilliant future ahead in this genre!”
~ Romantic Times Magazine, Jill M. Smith (4 Stars) Read Full Review

…fascinating mix of myth and reality…“…Devoti’s fascinating mix of myth and reality will keep readers engaged.”
~ Publisher’s Weekly

“The storyline itself is totally memorable with so much intrigue and a myriad of questions needing answers. As each disclosure of the many mysteries is divulged, I was held engrossed by every fascinating revelation. Lori Devoti has crafted an outstanding urban fantasy with strong characters plus creative writing, and I cannot wait to read more about this believable world. AMAZON INK is an enchanting novel brimming with mystery, emotion and an abundance of magic.”
~ SingleTitles.com, Amelia Richards (5 Stars) Read Full Review

…an intriguing tale…“Ms. Devoti pens an intriguing tale with a legend brought to life in a modern day world. Amazon Ink has murder, mystery, and magic that will keep readers engrossed in the story until the very end.”
~ Darque Reviews Read Full Review

[Shayla Black] ENTICE ME AT TWILIGHT / Book 4: Doomsday Brethren

2010-01-19T16:47:00.000-08:00

I'm a serious fan of Shayla's Doomsday Brethren. So when I got the release dates for the next 2 entries in the series (books 4 & 5), I just had to share.

Check out the series list below:
Book 1: TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS — September 2008
Novella: "Fated" (FREE read on my site!)
Book 2: SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW — October 2009
Book 3: POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT — November 2009

Novella: "Mated" (in TBD anthology) — October 2010
Book 4: ENTICE ME AT TWILIGHT — November 2010
Book 5: EMBRACE ME AT DAWN — December 2010

Here's what Shayla has to say about Entice Me At Twilight:
"I am currently writing Entice Me At Twilight, which is Duke's book. One of my advance readers says this is the best Doomsday Brethren adventure yet, so I can't wait to share it with you! As soon as I have an official blurb and cover, I'll share them with you!" And of course you know, as soon as we see them, I'll share them with you. *wink*

You can Meet The Brethern - Brash, sexy warriors willing to fight the worst kind of evil - here.

Some of the amazing reviews for Possess Me At Midnight:

“The volatile emotions in this tale are truly combustible!”
~ RT Bookclub (Rated HOT!)

“Captivating… POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT [is] a book you won’t want to miss.”
~ Romance Reviews Today

“Page-turning magical suspense… Wring[s] emotion from every pore… leaves readers clamoring for more.”
~ Fallen Angels Reviews (Recommended Read)

“I could not stop reading. POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT is absolutely perfect.”
~ ParaNormal Romance Reviews

“I love the angst and passion between Sabelle and Ice; it’s tangible and often breathtaking. Possess Me At Midnight is another exciting chapter in the Doomsday Brethren’s fight…”
~ Joyfully Reviewed

“A thoroughly enjoyable read…”
~ Paranormal Romance Writers (10 out of 10)

[Annette McCleave] BOUND BY DARKNESS / Book 2: Soul Gatherer

2009-11-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

I am a big fan of Cover Art and have been known to pick up a book based on the cover alone. (Reading is visual, covers are visual - I think they complement each other. And I'm sticking with that story.)

So I was thriled to see that Annette McCleave has posted the cover for her upcoming Soul Gatherer novel, Bound By Darkness. The Cover Gods are smiling, and so am I - love it!

This is the second book of the series following Drawn Into Darkness, which was the 2008 Golden Heart winner for Best Paranormal Romance (under the title Soul Provider).

Cannot wait for BBD which releases in May 2010!

Here's the synopsis from her website:

Soul Gatherer Brian Webster has long lived with the guilt of failing to save his teenage sister. When another girl dies in his arms protecting an ancient coin from a demon, he takes up her cause. The coin is one of the thirty pieces of silver Judas received for selling out the Son of God. United, the coins are a dark relic of immense power, and in the wrong hands, they could destroy civilization.

Lena Sharpe is on her own mission to find the Judas coins. A Soul Gatherer by day and a thief by night, she’s negotiated the most important deal of her life. When a brazen warrior intervenes and kidnaps her to obtain the coins, she repeatedly attempts to escape. But Brian is unrelenting, fearful that the beautiful felon has made a pact with the devil himself. And he’s not entirely wrong.

Bound together by burning desire and a similar darkness in their hearts, Brian and Lena race against time to recover the missing coins. But as the truth behind Lena’s bargain surfaces, Brian is faced with a desperate choice — save the one, or save the many.

[Alexandra Alter] HOW TO WRITE A GREAT NOVEL

2009-11-11T22:09:00.000-08:00

Absolutely fascinating insight into the writing process!

This excellent article - How To Write A Great Novel - by Alexandra Alter which lists the writing habits and practices of some of the most reknowned writers today. And its amazing how much they've shared abot how they do what they do.

Read the entire article here.

Here's the opening of her article:

Richard Powers lounges in bed all day and speaks his novels aloud to a laptop computer with voice-recognition software. Junot Diaz, author of the Pulitzer-prize winning novel "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," shuts himself in the bathroom and perches on the edge of the tub with his notebook when he's tackling a knotty passage. Hilary Mantel, whose Tudor drama "Wolf Hall" claimed this year's Man Booker Prize, jumps in the shower when she gets stuck. "The number of pages I've got that are water marked, I can't tell you," Ms. Mantel said.

An unusually robust crop of books from some of the biggest names in literature has landed this fall. Kazuo Ishiguro, Orhan Pamuk, Mr. Powers and Nicholson Baker have new books out this fall, along with a host of other prominent authors.

Behind the scenes, many of these writers say they struggle with the daily work of writing, clocking thousands of solitary hours staring at blank pages and computer screens. Most agree on common hurdles: procrastination, writer's block, the terror of failure that looms over a new project and the attention-sucking power of the Internet.

A few authors bristle when asked the inevitable question about how they write. Richard Ford declined to reveal his habits, explaining in an email that "those are the kind of questions I hope no one asks me after readings and lectures." Others revel in spilling minute details, down to their preferred brand of pen (Amitav Ghosh swears by black ink Pelikan pens) or font size (Anne Rice uses 14-point Courier; National Book Award nominee Colum McCann sometimes uses eight-point Times New Roman, forcing himself to squint at the tiny type). Some now offer fans a window into the process, reporting on their progress on blogs and Twitter feeds. On his author Web site, John Irving describes how he begins his novels by writing the last sentence first.
Here is how a range of leading authors describe their approach to writing—a process that can be lonely, tedious, frustrating and exhilarating.

NICHOLSON BAKER
Most days, Nicholson Baker rises at 4 a.m. to write at his home in South Berwick, Maine. Leaving the lights off, he sets his laptop screen to black and the text to gray, so that the darkness is uninterrupted. After a couple of hours of writing in what he calls a dreamlike state, he goes back to bed, then rises at 8:30 to edit his work.

He wrote his first novel, "The Mezzanine," by dictating to a voice recorder during his commute to work. For his recent novel "The Anthologist," a first-person narrative by a frustrated poet who's struggling to write the introduction to a new anthology, he grew out a beard to resemble his character, put on a floppy brown hat, set up a video camera on a tripod and videotaped himself giving poetry lectures. He transcribed about 40 hours worth of tape, and ended up with some 1,000 pages of notes and transcription. Creating the voice of a rambling professor "was something I had to work on a lot in order to get the feeling of being sloppy," said Mr. Baker.

Even then, Mr. Baker decided the first draft was too orderly. So he divided the novel into numbered sections, then went to a random-number generating Web site and arranged the chunks according to the random order it gave him. It was a total mess. He had to return to the original order, although a few random bits worked. "I had to claw myself back to the old way," he said.

[Cynthia Eden] ETERNAL HUNTER / Book 2: Others

2009-11-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Who loves strong heroines and sexy shifters?

Anyone who answered, "Me," should definitely put Eternal Hunter on their 'Must Buy' list for January, 2010.

This is the second novel in Cynthia's 'Others' series following the release of Immortal Danger lst March.

The heroine is a non-human 'Other' who's an Assistant DA with a psychotic killer as a stalker. Our hero is a shape-shifting bounty-hunter trying to keep her safe.

Check out the excerpt here.

If the 4 1/2 -5 star ratings for Book 1 are any indication, Eternal Hunter should be on your list of great books to get in 2010.

Writer's Moment - Kate Garrabrant (KatieBabs)

2009-10-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

Want to jumpstart your writing? KatieBabs has just the idea posted on her blog and November is the month to do it!

It's National November Writing Month and Katie calls it, "a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to novel writing."

The idea is simple: begin writing November 1 with a goal of writing a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30.

Check out all the details, and what she was able to accomplish through this exercise, here.

CONTEST Book Reader Times giving away Karen Marie Moning 'Fever' 4-Book Series

2009-10-29T16:00:00.000-07:00

The Book Reader Times is giving away Karen Marie Moning's hugely-popular 'Fever' series!

The giveaway is for all 4 books - Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever & Dreamfever - and is open to everyone! A winner will be chosen on November 18th, 2009.

Check out the contest guidelines and read a synopsis for each book here.

Writer's Moment - Toni McGee Causey

2009-10-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

It's easy to get so swallowed up in the business of writing that an author neglects the skill and craft that produces a truly quality read. That's why Toni McGee Causey's solid, well-grounded advice in her blogpost '10 Things I've Learned' at Murderati.com strikes such a chord.

Since all 3 books in her well-reviewed 'Bobbie Faye' series (including Charmed and Dangerous, Girls Just Wanna Have Guns & When A Man Loves A Weapon) were released in paperback this past summer, Toni may just have an idea about how to succeed in the industry. I was very impressed with her observations and how she communicated them.

A few fundamental truths she noted about writing and creativity:

A strong writer isn’t afraid to toss out a good idea.
To enrich the full experience, you sometimes have to hold back a part of it for delayed gratification.
Use juxtaposition to frame the quality you care about.

Read the entire post here.

[Nalini Singh] BLAZE OF MEMORY / Book 7: Psy-Changelings

2009-10-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

More Psy-Changeling magic is coming in 2 short weeks! That's because Blaze of Memory hits bookshelves on November 3rd.

If, like me, you've read every book in this amazing paranormal romance series (at least once!), then I know you're counting the days until this release.

Read an from Blaze of Memory excerpt here.

And be sure to check out Nalini's website for lots of extras - FAQ, deleted scenes, short stories, a character list and more.

Feels like Christmas is coming early - can't wait!

[Chloe Neill] FRIDAY NIGHT BITES / Book 2: Chicagoland Vampires

2009-10-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

How much intrigue can a 27-year old grad student stand? A lot if you're talking about about newly-turned vampire Merit. Between her job as a Sentinel at her Vampire House, a grandfather who's the liaision between Chicago's city administration & the supernatural community, a magical best friend, and 2 very hot vampire love interests.

Friday Night Bites, the 2nd installment of the Chicagoland Vampire series, is a terrific follow-up to Chloe's debut novel, Some Girls Bite.

And there's lots of love for Friday Night Bites:

"Proving that her debut was no fluke, Neill continues to build a world where newly revealed vampires and humans have an uneasy truce. Exploring this world through feisty and funny newbie vampire Merit's eyes, she reveals a mix of the funny, the treacherous and the dangerous. This qualifies as first-rate fun!"
~ RT Book Reviews (4 1/2 stars)

"It's fun and fast-paced." ~ CS Magazine

"Ms. Neill has created an urban fantasy world that’s easily believed and a pleasure to visit. Friday Night Bites is wonderfully entertaining, and impossible to set down. There’s plenty of supernatural action to entice fans of the paranormal, while the suspense and romance open this series up to fans in a variety of other genres. I’d happily recommend the Chicagoland Vampires series as a delicious escape to get hooked on."
~ Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

Check out an excerpt here.
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[Nancy Holzner] DEADTOWN / Book 1: Victory Vaughn

2009-10-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

Deadtown, the first in a new urban fantasy series by Nancy Holzner, hits shelves December 29th.

Nancy's post-apocalyptic Boston is a vastly different world populated by werewolves, zombies, demons, assorted inhuman/undead inhabitants and 1 professional demon-slayer - Victory Vaughn. Enter a "ruthless force of destruction with a personal grudge against Vicky," and you've got a must-read story.

This is Nancy's 2nd book following, Peace, Love, and Murder, a mystery just released on August 31st.

Deadtown's already getting lots of pre-release love:

“DEADTOWN is full of dangerous magic and populated with characters so realistic, they almost jump off the page. I loved this book. Nancy Holzner is a master of characterization and I’ll be buying her next book the moment it hits the shelf.”
~Ilona Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of MAGIC STRIKES

“DEADTOWN is fresh and funny, with a great new take on zombies.”
~Karen Chance, New York Times bestselling author of DEATH’S MISTRESS

Check out the scoop here.

Writer's Moment - Richard Nordquist

2009-10-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

Who's ready for some writing tips that are simple, straightforward and based on the observations of some of the best writers in the business?

This is exactly what Richard Nordquist delivers in his October 5th blogpost at About.com. Here's a taste of what you'll learn:

"If I had to give young writers advice," playwright Lillian Hellman once observed, "I would say don't listen to writers talk about writing or themselves."

Advice is cheap, the saying goes, because supply always exceeds demand. And yet, as many professional authors will tell you, aspiring writers are often hungry for advice--eager to pick up an insider's tip that will open the door to the writing life.

So let's take the question seriously. What's the best advice on writing you were ever given? Not words of encouragement, necessarily, but sound, practical advice that you took to heart and that helped you become a better writer.

While you're mulling it over, consider how a number of others have responded to the question.

Write One Inch at a Time - The best advice I've ever come across for any kind of writing is from Anne Lamott's book, Bird by Bird. She says to write just one inch at a time. I love that! It's so easy to be overwhelmed by a big project, but if I only have to concentrate on one inch, well, that I can handle. Eventually those inches will be feet and yards and whatever it takes to make a book. This is true for research, too, which can be overwhelming.--Editor and children's book author Maureen Boyd Biro, quoted in The ABC's of Writing for Children, by Elizabeth Koehler Pentacoff (Quill Driver Books, 2002)

Read the entire post here: http://grammar.about.com/b/2009/10/05/the-best-writing-advice.htm
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[Meljean Brooks] DEMON FORGED & Motivational Posters

2009-10-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Meljean Brooks has many talents. Not only is she a fabulous writer - receiving rave reviews for her series, The Guardians - she's also incredibly funny and very handy with Photoshop.

Check out a couple of her own brand of "special" Motivational Posters at her blog. I'm feeling inspired already. *wink*

And while you're studying her amazing handiwork, be sure to look over Book 8 in the series, Demon Forged, released on October 6th and in stores now.

Check out the excerpt here.

Aw Meljean, we love it when you bring the funny!

WE'RE BACK!

2009-10-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

Okay - vacation is officially over and one little sister has been married off!
Had a great time, but it's good to be back.

Hope you're all ready to kick back into gear with more posts about fantastic new authors, thrilling new books, fun literary events, awesome writing advice and more.

Here we go!

Writer's Moment - Claire Delacroix

2009-09-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

Ten Things You Can Do To Improve Your Chances Of Making Your First Sale
Published by Claire Delacroix at FreshFiction.com
September 15, 2009

Who's ready for some straightforward, heartfelt and simple advice to help get your book into the hands of a publisher and, from there, on shelves? That's just what Claire provides.

Check out an excerpt below, then read the full post here: http://freshfiction.com/page.php?id=1989

"I know a lot of aspiring writers (and I’ll likely meet a lot more, during the writer-in-residence program at the Toronto Public Library this fall. And every July, after aspiring romance writers attend RWA’s National convention, many of them come home determined to sell their first book by the next annual conference.

Selling a book by a specific date sounds like a good goal, but think about it. We say that authors make sales, but who is really is charge of that part of the process? Publishers buy books - specifically editors working for publishers - while authors write books. So, it’s not really up to you when your book is sold. This makes selling a poor goal, as the biggest part of it isn’t in the realm of your influence.

That said, there are a lot of awfully good goals that can put on the right path to making that sale, and - good news! - they are all within your powers.

1/ Finish the (insert adjective of choice here) book manuscript. Most authors make their first sale on a complete manuscript, plain and simple. It’s the only way that any editor can know for certain that you know how to write a book. If you want to be published, you’re going to have to not just sit down and write, but finish what you started.

2/ Follow your heart. Don’t write a book that you don’t particularly want to write, just because you think "that kind" of book will sell and get your foot in the publisher’s door. Most of the time, this doesn’t work. When an editor buys your first book, she or he will want a second book that shows similar characteristics - for example, another historical romance, or another funny paranormal romance, or another romantic suspense. By marketing several books in succession that have strong similarities, the publisher can "brand" you and build your readership. This is a good thing. It means, however, that the first book that you write and submit should be characteristic of the work you intend to do for the next five or six books. Following your historical romance with a cookbook is going to confuse everybody. Figure out what you want to write for the next little while, and make sure your first book is of that type."

[Claire Delacroix] Guardian / Book 2: Fallen Angels

2009-09-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

Claire takes us back to her dark, futuristic world of angels, evil and the oppressive Republic in Guardian, the second book in the Fallen Angels series.

Claire draws readers into the story by combining 'excerpts' of futuristic laws and news reports, intrigue within the government of the Republic and sizzling romance. Look for Guardian in bookstores on September 29th.

Check out the excerpt here: http://www.delacroix.net/guardianX.html

There's still time to start from the beginning of dark intrigue in an apocalyptic future. Just pick up Fallen, book 1 of the series.

Read the excerpt here:
http://www.delacroix.net/fallenX.html

Writer's Moment - Sir Ken Robinson

2009-09-11T17:17:00.000-07:00

Creativity is the heart of the Writer, Painter, Auteur or any other professional where the product is a fabrication of the human mind.

Today's Writer's Moment is a thought-provoking commentary from creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson who believes modern society at large, and education in particular, is killing creativity.

Thanks, Ken, for pointing out that the odd and unusual thought process of a writer is something we should strive to develop.

Watch the video here:
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
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WRITER'S MOMENT - Christina Dodd

2009-09-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Check out Christina's 'Top 10 Points Of Wisdom' at the Squawk Radio Blog as she shares insights gathered during her last 18+ years as a successful author who's published an amazing 40 books.

Love the humourous and heartfelt advice such as:

"9. From my vantage point, everyone in publishing is doing better than I am. From everyone else’s vantage point, I’m doing better than they are. The truth is somewhere in between — and an author who’s published is not going to get any sympathy at all from an unpublished author who’s written for ten years, finished three manuscripts and has twenty-five rejection letters. Believe me. I know. I was that author.

8. Editors are sometimes right.

7. How well an autographing goes is not an indicator of how well your career is going. Thank God."

Check out the whole list here:
http://www.squawkradio.com/index.php/sblog/christina_dodd_celebrates_her_first_forty_books/
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2009-09-02T13:02:00.000-07:00

Huge hugs to BFF Jory Strong (author of Ghostland, Spider-Touched and hottest erotica ever!) for turning me on to the Suvudu Free Book Library.

With the Suvudu Free Book Library, you can read the first book in some of the most acclaimed series absolutely free! Yes, you heard me right FREE!

Some great series-opening novels available:

Kiss of Midnight by Lara Adrian
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur

Books can be downloaded in a variety of formats including: .PDF, Kindle, Sony Reader, BN.com & Scribd.

Best of all, you can sign up to receive monthly updates about new books added to the Library.

Sweet!

CONTEST - [Maya Banks] SWEEET SURRENDER

2009-09-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

Berkley Heat is giving away 20 copies today of Sweet Surrender by Maya Banks. This was the first in her 'Sweet' series which follows a group of friends and coworkers in Houston, Texas.

Berkely will give away 20 Copies of to randomly drawn commenters at Borders 'TrueRomance' blog with Kate Grimshaw. For your free introduction to the series, go to:

http://bordersblog.com/trueromance/2009/09/02/guest-author-maya-banks-2/

Maya's celebrating the October 6th release of Sweet Seduction, the third book in her 'Sweet' series. Can't wait!

[Anthology] BELONG TO THE NIGHT

2009-09-01T19:47:00.000-07:00

Looking for a hot, sexy little paranormal read? This collection of 3 stories certainly fit the bill. Belong to the Night just hit shelves today.

Check out the excerpt here. just be sure to turn up your air conditioner first...

Here's what's inside:

The Wolf, The Witch, And Her Lack Of Wardrobe
by Shelly Laurenston

Jamie Meacham has enough trouble controlling her supernatural abilities. There’s no time for lust, or for Tully Smith, even with his smoldering amber eyes. But Tully’s grappling with his own animal instincts as a powerful shifter-wolf, trying to protect all his territory—including a certain sassy witch—from vicious rivals.

In The Dark
by Cynthia Eden

FBI agent and leopard shifter Sadie James’ undead ex, Liam, still arouses her deepest desires, distracting her from tracking the brutal rogue shifter who is terrorizing Miami. By teaming up with Liam, Sadie has a better chance of solving the case, but as passion consumes them, she stands to lose more than just her heart.

City Of The Dead
by Sherrill QuinnDori

Falcon is a witch with a plan: get to New Orleans, locate her missing brother, and recover the Eye of Bastet, a mysterious and powerful amulet. Her plan never included falling for sexy Cajun cop Jake Boudreau; but without his help, she may never find the demon who has her brother, and the key to her family’s survival.

[Annette McCleave] DRAWN INTO DARKNESS / Book 1: Soul Gatherer novel

2009-08-24T18:18:00.000-07:00

Wow! If you've been waiting for an award-winning paranormal romance, be ready to run to your local bookstore on September 1st.

That's when you'll be able to pick up your copy of Annette McCleave's Drawn Into Darkness, the 2008 RWA Golden Heart Award winner, Best Paranormal Romance.

This is a dark and seductive tale in a compelling world where the fulfillment of an ancient prophesy promise death and destruction for a mother and teenage daughter caught in the crossfire of otherworldly events. Only the Soul Gatherer, who battles demons for the souls of the dead, can help them but he's been assigned to gather and deliver the teenager’s soul to her afterlife.

Not surprisingly, the reviews have been amazing:

"Swords flash, spells are cast, and twist and turns come head-spinningly quickly...Readers will hope for sequels..."
~ Publisher's Weekly

"...a captivating read that's filled with chemistry, sexy characters, and the trials of falling in love."
~ Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

"...a fabulously entertaining tale of demons, angels and beings in between."
~ Romantic Times (4 1/2 stars)

Read the excerpt here: http://www.annettemccleave.com/index.php/books/

WRITER'S MOMENT - Pimp My Novel

2009-08-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Aspiring writers take note: Eric at Pimp My Novel has created an amazing resource for anyone interested in learning more about the market and sales considerations for 8 fiction sub-genres.

Eric works in the sales department of a major trade book publisher and his Blog is dedicated to helping readers understand what happens to their creative child after it's acquired by a house.

Very useful information includes sales trends and the amount of a 'typical' advance. Check out the genre posts at:

Genre Sales 1 of 8: Fantasy
Genre Sales 2 of 8: Children's
Genre Sales 3 of 8: Mystery
Genre Sales 4 of 8: Sci-Fi
Genre Sales 5 of 8: Literary
Genre Sales 6 of 8: Historical

Genre Sales 7 of 8: Women's Fiction

Genre Sales 8 of 8: Romance

Thanks, Eric, for laying out the facts. What we do with that, well, let's just say some of us chose Ficton & Fantasy for a reason...

[Sandra Hill] VIKING HEAT

2009-08-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

Viking Heat, due in bookstores Septmber 1st, is the next entry in Sandra Hill's Time-Travel novels throwing medievel Vikings and modern-day Navy SEALs together in a light-hearted, romantic romp.

Sandra's witty, sexy Viking stories are reader favorites and earlier books in have received numerous awards: 2008 First Place Winnerof the Pearl Award in Time Travel (Viking Unchained), Winner of the 2006 PRISM for Best Time-Travel (Hot and Heavy), 2006 Winner of the Hughie for Best Time-Travel (Hot and Heavy), Finalist PEARL Award (Rough and Ready), Booklist Top Ten Romance Novel for 2006 (Rough and Ready), and 2005 RITA Finalist - Paranormal Category (Wet & Wild), to name a few.

Check out the excerpt here:
http://www.sandrahill.net/VikingHeatExcerpt.html

Few things are better than a hot Viking man meeting his match in a modern, well-armed, woman!
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WRITER'S MOMENT - Kyle Cassidy

2009-08-19T18:03:00.000-07:00

Today's post is a fascinating peek into the hearts and minds of authors.

Kyle Cassidy, noted photographer, has compiled a short series of pix entitled Where I Write. This series of photos shows Fantasy & Science Fiction writers in their creative spaces.

Where I Write will be featured as eight pages in the 2009 Worldcon program guide. A much larger collection is being compiled into a book featuring Neil Gaiman, Lois McMaster Bujold, and many others along with interviews about their spaces.

Check out the photo spread here:

http://www.whereiwrite.org/

Interesting - I no longer feel that deep sense of shame over my book hording tendencies...

[Shayla Black] SEDUCE ME IN SHADOW & POSSESS ME AT MIDNIGHT / Books 2 & 3: Doomsday Brethren

2009-08-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Summer's gotten wicked hot with a sizzling triple play from Shayla Black!

Today Shayla posted her novella, Fated, as a FREE download on her website.

This follows last summer's Book 1 in the Doomsday Brotherhood series, Tempt Me with Darkness, which got rave reviews:

“TEMPT ME WITH DARKNESS is fast-paced, emotional and thoroughly addicting… a very strong first installment, and I find myself panting for more of this bold and sassy new series.”
~ Romance Junkies (5 stars)

“Tempt Me with Darkness is a fascinating tale… I loved the mix of mystical, magical and legend that was woven together to produce a first rate story that delights and entertains.”
~ Fallen Angels Reviews (5 stars)

“This orgasmic paranormal…will have Black’s fans panting for the next installment.”
~ Publisher’s Weekly

You'll want to get your hands on Fated and Tempt Me with Darkness ASAP because Book 2, Seduce Me In Shadow, hits shelves September 29th.

And the advance press is positively glowing:

“Emotionally charged conflict and sizzling sexual tension add to the page-turning quality of this paranormal suspense. Once again, Black delivers!”
~ Fallen Angel Reviews

“…full of the same excitement, sensuality, and suspense as its predecessor…Seduce Me in Shadow is engrossing. The Doomsday Brethren is an intriguing series and I look forward to the next installment.”
~ Joyfully Reviewed

Then there's barely time for a lazy stretch in the Autumn sun before Possess Me At Midnight lands in stores on October 27th.

And if that's not hot enough for you, go the Doomsday Brethern Home and Meet the Brethren, a handy guide to the Doomsday hunks.

And while you're there, enter Shayla's end-of-summer celebration & contest.

*Sigh!* Does summer get any better than this?

WRITER'S MOMENT - Dean Wesley Smith

2009-08-14T03:01:00.000-07:00

The Poker analogy just works for me.

Stages of a Writer
Published by Dean Wesley Smith
at 11:37 am, August 12, 2009

Before I get to the new series of posts about killing sacred cows of publishing, I wanted to just toss this idea out there.

For a while, I played at playing semi-professional poker, traveling to tournaments, and learning as much as I could from every source I could. (I have a full shelf unit of poker books.) And, as a writer, I liked watching people as well at the poker table, and I came to some conclusions backed up in different ways by different poker experts. Basically, boiled down into my words, there are four basic types of hold’em poker players.

Beginner (Poker Player): This player looks at his cards and that’s all that matters. Often they wouldn’t know a good starting hand, and any two cards suited seems to get this level of player excited. They seldom fold and couldn’t care what any other player is doing, or even what cards are on the board. They are always surprised when they lose.

Beginner (Writer):
These writers are focused only on one thing: Writing a good sentence. To this level of writers, sentence-by-sentence writing is all that matters. No clue how to actually build a story or characters or pacing or anything else. Beginners think pretty sentences equal good writing.

Intermediate (Poker Player): This player knows decent starting hands, pays attention to the cards on the board, and sometimes even pays attention to other players, but more often than not just gets angry when someone is pushing a pot they want to draw at cheaply. They blame the dealer, blame other players, and want deck changes. They have no real idea what another player has in their hand and often think they should have won a pot when all the clues were telling them otherwise. These players are fond of telling you what cards they laid down that would have won.

Intermediate (Writer):
This writer is still focused on sentences, but glimmering of story process is starting to come through. Often this writer does something naturally well and gets praised for it, but this level writer often gets lost and trapped for years in workshops, where people tell them about their sentences, about their grammar, about their syntax, and so on. Understanding story is just a glimmering on the edges and story has no focus to this writer. Writing is still sentences and heaven forbid you change viewpoint in a chapter or paragraph. This level of writer follows “rules” completely.

Read the rest of the post here:
http://deanwesleysmith.com/index.php/2009/08/12/stages-of-a-writer/

WRITER'S MOMENT - Chriatina Dodd

2009-08-14T03:00:00.000-07:00

So true and well-said!

Re-Tweeted Twitter post from TeresaMedeiros
9:28 AM Aug 12th from TweetDeck

@christinadodd I like 2 torture my heroes early and often. Seems to develop POV, sort of like roasting nuts brings out the flavor.

[Christina Dodd] STORM OF VISIONS & STORM OF SHADOWS / The Chosen Ones

2009-08-11T03:00:00.000-07:00

Prophecies of evil, a group of Chosen Ones defending humanity against the forces of evil - the Others, and an epic battle of light and darkness - yes this series has it all!

Storm of Visions, Book 1 in Christina's new paranormal series 'The Chosen Ones', was just released on August 4th. In SoV, a reluctant psychic must take her mother's place as the Chosen's Seer and finds herself in the arms of the fierce bodyguard who is her only hope of survuival.

"Christina Dodd’s Storm of Visions, the first book in her new The Chosen Ones series, definitely hooked me!"

~ Heather, Errant Dreams Reviews (4.5 stars)

Sexy thief and quiet, hot librarian - what's not to love? Especially when Christina packs pounding action with her trademark romance. Storm of Shadows promises to keep the heat on high in this new series. Look for it in stores on September 1st.

"I loved these two. Aaron manages to be more than your typical brooding dark romance novel hero, and Rosamund manages to be more than your stereotypical bookish “hidden beauty.” Rosamund is quirky and entertaining, and it’s a ton of fun to watch Aaron sputter as he’s stymied by her lack of apparent interest in him. They have an unlikely chemistry that works out beautifully!"
~ Heather, Errant Dreams Reviews (4 stars)

Check out the excerpts here:
http://www.christinadodd.com/excerpt.php?excerptid=000048
http://www.christinadodd.com/excerpt.php?excerptid=000047

[Jess Granger] BEYOND THE RAIN

2009-08-10T10:17:00.000-07:00

Looking for Sci-Fi action, adventure and romance? Pick up Beyond The Rain, the first novel by new author Jess Granger which was just released on August 4th.

Well-written, romantic and sexy - I definitely recommend Jess' initial effort and hope to see more from her soon.

http://www.jessgranger.com/books/

“BEYOND THE RAIN is a fascinating, fast-paced futuristic romance that drops you in richly drawn exotic worlds — grim and beautiful, immerses you in extraordinary alien cultures, and wraps it all in a love story laced with heart-rending twists and turns. A fully intriguing read.”
~ Linnea Sinclair, RITA® award winning author

[Dear Reader] Comparison of eBook Reading Devices

2009-08-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

Like Jane at Dear Author, many readers I've talked to lately have been thinking about purchasing an eBook Reader.

Jane's comparison chart of the devices currently on the market and coming soon sums up the alternatives quite nicely.

Check out the facts here:

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/comparison-table-of-ereading-devices/

WRITER'S MOMENT - Teresa Meideros

2009-08-07T03:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Teresa tweeted:

"Best Writing Advice Ever? Ignore any writing advice that doesn't work for YOU. #askromancewriter #arw"

Authors responding also agreed. Thanks, Teresa!

http://twitter.com/TeresaMedeiros

[Christina Dodd] Christina Dodd Talks About Her Funniest Mistakes

2009-08-06T12:37:00.000-07:00

I read this post last week and couldn't stop giggling, then went back again today for another chuckle. So, I thought I'd share.

Excerpted from: Christina Dodd Talks About Her Funniest Mistakes blogpost on Monday, July.

"I have been published for eighteen years. On August 4, my thirty-nineth full-length book, STORM OF VISIONS, is on the shelves. I’m not bragging (well, only a little), just giving you a framework for my blog.

Because last year, I wrote a scene in INTO THE FLAME where the hero sees the heroine for the first time in two and a half years, and startles her. The line I wrote was, “She didn’t jump, he’d give her that. But Firebird Wilder had always had balls of steel, and she showed them now as she coolly turned to face him.”

I am a professional. Don’t try this at home.

In INTO THE SHADOW, my heroine stumbles onto the hero sitting in the Japanese garden. He jumps to his feet and says, “Is this your private place? Should I leave?” and she says, “No, it’s okay, my private place is big enough for the both of us.”"

Read the rest here: http://www.squawkradio.com/index.php/sblog/christina_dodd_talks_about_her_funniest_mistakes/

[Roxanne St. Claire] HUNT HER DOWN & MAKE HER PAY / Books 7 & 8: The Bullet Catchers

2009-08-05T03:00:00.000-07:00

There's nothing sexier than a Bullet Catcher man! Fans of Roxanne's hugely popular series know what I mean. *wink*

Now, get ready for back-to-back Bullets:

Hunt Her Down, Book 7, comes out on August 25th (excerpt), and
Make Her Pay, Book 8, will be on shelves on September 29th (excerpt).

Praise for this RITA Award winning, bestselling author's novels about an elite group of security and protection specialists is everywhere.

Check out the sizzling Bios for each of these sexy Heroes/Heroines at: http://www.roxannestclaire.com/meet_the_bc.html

WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

As if that in't enough, you can get each of the three Bullet Catcher novels released in 2008 for only $4.99 each! That's Books 4, 5 & 6: First You Run, Then You Hide, and Now You Die, respectively.

If you aren't already, now's the time to catch the bullet train!

[Anthology] THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF VAMPIRE ROMANCE 2 compiled by Tricia Telep

2009-08-04T18:36:00.001-07:00

I just pre-ordered my copy of The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2! This huge, beautiful book comes to stores on September 22nd.

This is a collection of 30 short stories about hot blood and the undead compiled by Tricia Telep and featuring some of our absolutely fave authors:

Alexis Morgan, Amanda Ashley, Barbara Emrys, Caitlin Kittredge, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Cathy Clamp, Colleen Gleason, C.T. Adams, Dawn Cook, Delilah Devlin, Diane Whiteside, Dina James, Eileen Wilks, Jenna Black, Jenna Maclaine, Jennifer Ashley, Karen Chance, Keri Arthur, Kimberly Raye, Larissa ione, Lilith Saintcrow, Nancy Holder, Rachel Vincent, Raven Hart, Rebecca York, Savannah Russe, Sherri Erwin, Shiloh Walker, Susan Sizemore and Vicki Pettersson.

The first volume was wildly successful and this new compilation looks even hotter! Cannot wait!

CONTEST - [Tammy Kane] BREATH OF FIRE

2009-08-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

Ooooohhhhhh, I do so love great prizes.

Tammy's running an "Its my First Kiss" contest to celebrate the recent release of her first novel, Breath of Fire. She's looking for first kiss stories - real or imagined, quirky or sensual, as long as one set of lips touches the other.

Then answer the question: "When did Elera and Karl share their first kiss?"

1st prize: RWA membership/renewal, or $100.00 in Dorchester books (see website).
2nd prize: $50.00 in Dorchester books (see website).

Contest ends September 1st.

http://www.tammykaneauthor.com/apco.html

[Maureen Child] BEGUILED / Book 2: Queen of the Otherworld

2009-08-03T17:30:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for something light & engaging, check out Beguiled by Maureen Child. This is book 2 of the 'Queen of the Otherworld' novels. Beguiled hits bookstores tomorrow, August 4th.

The story began in Bedeviled, which was released on January 29, 2009 and the reviews were good:

"In her new urban fantasy series, Child once again excels at taking a seemingly ordinary heroine and tossing her headfirst into a weird new world. Combining the mundane with the magical and dangerous leads to winning combinations of offbeat humor and scary scenarios."

~ Jill M. Smith, Romantic Times (4 stars)

(Excerpt at: Bhttp://www.authorsoundrelations.com/

MTB/asrnewswire/bedeviled-jan2009.html )

[Anthology] WITH GREAT POWER, compiled by Lou Anders

2009-08-03T13:14:00.000-07:00

We happily acknowledge the cult-like fervor of fans of graphic novels and the wild popularity of Comic-Con, the annual convention in San Diego.

Good news comic book fans! With Great Power will be released next year in time for Comic-Con 2010.

The anthology will contain 15 Superhero Prose Tales by amazing authors (9 are regular writers of actual comic books/graphic novels for DC & Marvel) including:

"Head Cases" by Peter David & Kathleen David
"Call Her Savage" by Marjorie M. Liu
"Thug" by Gail Simone
"The Non-Event" by Mike Carey
"Avatar" by Mike Baron

...and many more

http://louanders.blogspot.com/2009/08/look-up-in-sky-is-it-bird-is-it-plane.html

Pocket Books editor: the amazing Jennifer Heddle, is herself the co-creator of the indie comic Cynical Girl.
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WRITER'S MOMENT - Barbara Samuel @ Writer Unboxed

2009-07-31T06:00:00.001-07:00

Writer Unboxed

6 Tricks for Writing When You Don't Feel Like It

by Barbara Samuel

July 29th, 2009

Any writer will tell you that getting the words on the page is often the hardest part of writing. This week Barbara shares her set of mental tricks, tools & advice to get past the distractions and mental blocks in order to get down to business.

Thanks, Barbara!

WRITER'S MOMENT - Teresa Meideros

2009-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Teresa tweeted:

WRITE RIGHT: If working full-time AND writing, set measurable goals--even 1 page a day will yield a book in a year!

Excellent advice!

http://twitter.com/TeresaMedeiros

[Tammy Kane] BREATH OF FIRE / Book 1

2009-07-29T15:03:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already read Breath of Fire, released on June 30th this year, now would be the time to prepare for the early 2010 release of the sequel, Fires of Faith.

This first novel by new author Tammy Kane, blends engaging characters, great world-building, and solid writing skills to produce a book you'll have a hard time putting down.

Read Chapter 1 here:

http://www.tammykaneauthor.com/book.html

"More than your typical paranormal romance, this is great storytelling. Kane creates an amazing world of dragons, ancient civilizations and histories rich with conflict... Strong and intelligent characters, sweeping seduction and a most original plot make this a book to relish and remember."

~ Romantic Times Book Reviews (4 stars)

CONTEST - Literary Escapism Gives Away SPEAK OF THE DEVIL

2009-07-29T14:52:00.000-07:00

Literary Escapism poses an excellent Question - Does a 'Tramp Stamp' book cover affect whether you buy that Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance novel?

CONTEST - LE's giving away a copy of Jenna Black's Speak of the Devil, Book 4 in her Morgan Kingsley series. Just click the link below to go to their site and answer the question:

What novels have been grossly underappreciated due to the Tramp Stamping trend? For all those “meh cover, story not worth it” attitudes, what have they missed out on?

The contest is open to everyone, so everyone overseas can join in the fun as well. However, you must answer this question in order to be entered. No answer, no entry. It’s as simple as that.

Read the post and enter the contest here:
http://www.literaryescapism.com/2009/07/28/3949/comment-page-1/#comment-10558
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[Nalini Singh] ARCHANGEL'S KISS/ Book 2: Guild Hunters

2009-07-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Nalini's just posted the gorgeous cover art for her next Guild Hunters novel, Archangel's Kiss.

Cannot wait for this book to hit shelves on February 2, 2010!

Here's what they said about Book 1, Angel's Blood:

"Angels' Blood...will have you captivated from the first page!...Raphael, the Archangel hero, is one of the most deliciously dark protagonist[s] I've come across in a long time and Elena is a hunter worthy of a strong mate...It's strong storytelling at it's very best!"
~ Lucy for Ever After, The Romance Book Specialists

http://nalinisingh.blogspot.com/

[Stacia Kane] DEMON INSIDE / Book 2: Megan Chase

2009-07-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today's the day you can finally get your copy of Demon Inside, Book 2 of Stacia's 'Megan Chase' series.

Book 2 brings us back to the world of Megan Chase where everyone - except Megan - has a little personal demon sitting on their shoulder.

To celebrate, Stacia will be giving away a $30 gift card to the online bookstore of your choice, and answering questions all day @ BittenByBooks.com!

Stop by http://bittenbybooks.com/?p=8818 at 11:30am EDT

BREAKING NEWS - Romance Video Parody

2009-07-27T19:21:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:
Bad News
Posted by Barbara Vey on July 28, 2009

I know I promised you all a special Thrillerfest video today.Unfortunately, my laptop has been stolen and it contained all the video. I am just sick about it. I had it in my bag in the overhead compartment of my plane from San Diego yesterday, but when I got home it was gone. I am still hopeful it will be returned by have spent the night changing all my passwords.

Who's up for fun?!!

Just got the word from Jade Lee that tomorrow - Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - Barbara Vey (photo) will premiere a Drive By Video™ video she made at Thrillerfest.

It features 8 male thriller authors doing a parady of romance novels.

Word is it's ROTFL (rolling on the floor laughing) funny!
Here's a link to the excitement:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/blog/880000288/post/620046862.html

As an extra incentive, Jade is giving away a copy of Dragonborn - her PRISM Award-winning novel (2nd Place, Fantasy category) - to a lucky commenter.
http://jadeleeauthor.com/blogger/2009/07/romance-video-parady.html

[Jennifer Ashley] PRIDE MATES / Book 1: Shifters Unbound

2009-07-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Ashley is HOT!

She just won 2 PRISM Awards (Best of the Best & 1st Place, Fantasy category) from the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA for The Dragon Master under the pen name Allyson James.

Now we hear she'll be releasing Pride Mates, the first in her new 'Shifters Unbound' series, in February 2010. We can't wait to get more on this book!

http://www.jennifersromances.com/NewSite/comingsoon.html
http://jennifersromances.com/NewSite/shifters/SU_main.html
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[Anthology] BY BLOOD WE LIVE, edited by John Joseph Adams

2009-07-23T03:00:00.000-07:00

Ooooohhhh! Could not be more excited to grab the upcoming anthology, By Blood We Live.

The book, edited by John Joseph Adams, will contain 33 vampire stories by the top authors of fiction and horror including: Stephen King, Anne Rice, Sergei Lukyanenk, Lillith SaintCrow, L.A. Banks, Brian Lumley, and many more.

Look for it on August 15th.

Here's the description to whet your appetite for a little blood:

Vampires. They are the most elegant of monsters--ancient, seductive, doomed, deadly. They lurk in the shadows, at your window, in your dreams. They are beautiful as anything you ve ever seen, but their flesh is cold as the grave, and their lips taste of blood. From Dracula to Twilight, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to True Blood, many have fallen under their spell. Now acclaimed editor John Joseph Adams brings you 33 of the most haunting vampire stories of the past three decades, from some of today s most renowned authors of fantasy, science fiction, and horror.

Charming gentlemen with the manners of a prior age. Savage killing machines who surge screaming from hidden vaults. Cute little girls frozen forever in slender bodies. Long-buried loved ones who scratch at the door, begging to be let in. Nowhere is safe, not mist-shrouded Transylvania or the Italian Riviera or even a sleepy town in Maine. This is a hidden world, an eternal world, where nothing is forbidden...as long as you re willing to pay the price.

Edited by John Joseph Adams (Wastelands, The Living Dead), By Blood We Live is 245,000 words of the best in vampire fiction. Thirsty? By Blood We Live will satisfy your darkest cravings...

BREAKING NEWS - PRISM Award Winners Announced

2009-07-22T13:27:00.000-07:00

Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter of RWA : National Contests & Awards
The FF&P chapter of the Romance Writers of America association has published the final placements in their 2009 Prism Awards Contest.

Winners were announced on July 16, 2009 in Washington D.C. at RWA® National and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Chapter at The Gathering.

Best of the Best
The Dragon Master by Jennifer Ashley w/a Allyson James

Best First Book
La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock

Erotica
1st Place: Siren Singing by Isabo Kelly
2nd Place: Carnal Desires by Crystal Jordan
3rd Place: A Mermaid's Kiss by Joey W. Hill

Fantasy
1st Place: The Dragon Master by Allyson James
2nd Place: Dragonborn by Jade Lee
3rd Place: King of Sword & Sky by C.L. Wilson

Futuristic
1st Place: Shades of Dark by Linnea Sinclair
2nd Place: Fallen by Claire Delacroix
3rd Place: Moonstruck by Susan Grant

Novella
1st Place: "Dark Nest" by Leanna Renee Hieber
2nd Place: "Kung Fu Shoes!" by Jade Lee in These Boots were Made for Stomping
3rd Place: "The Spacetime Pool" by Catherine Asaro in Analog Science Fact and Fiction magazine

Dark Paranormal
1st Place: Mona Lisa Craving by Sunny
2nd Place: Immortals: The Redeeming by Jennifer Ashley
3rd Place: Hotter After Midnight by Cynthia Eden

Light Paranormal
1st Place: Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready
2nd Place: La Vida Vampire by Nancy Haddock
3rd Place: The Trouble with Moonlight by Donna MacMeans

Time Travel
1st Place: Twist by Colby Hodge
2nd Place: A Sexy Time of It by Cara Summers
3rd Place: Madman’s Dance by Jana G. Oliver

Young Adult
1st Place: Sleepless by Terri Clark
2nd Place: CHOSEN: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast
3rd Place: Cave of Terror by Amber Dawn Bell
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BREAKING NEWS - RWA Award Winners Announced

2009-07-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AMERICA: National Contests & Awards

Romance Writer’s of America: 2009 RITA Awards

The purpose of the RITA® contest is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding published romance novels and novellas.

The award itself is a golden statuette named after RWA's first president, Rita Clay Estrada, and has become the symbol for excellence in published romance fiction.

Best Contemporary Series Romance
A Mother's Wish by Karen Templeton
~ Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition - Gail Chasan, editor

Best Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure
Danger Signals by Kathleen Creighton
~ Harlequin Enterprises, Silhouette Special Edition - Gail Chasan, editor

Best Young Adult Romance
Hell Week by Rosemary Clement-Moore
~ Random House Group, Delacorte Press - Krista Marino, editor

Best Historical Romance
The Edge of Impropriety by Pam Rosenthal
~ Penguin Group USA, Signet Eclipse - Laura Cifelli, editor

Best Regency Historical Romance
My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne
~ Penguin Group USA, Berkley Sensation - Wendy McCurdy, editor

Best Inspirational Romance
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren
~ Tyndale House Publishers - Karen Watson, editor

Best Romance Novella
The Fall of Rogue Gerard by Stephanie Laurens in It Happened One Night
~ HarperCollins Publishers, Avon Books - Lucia Macro, editor

Best Paranormal Romance
Seducing Mr. Darcy by Gwyn Cready
~ Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books - Megan McKeever, editor

Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
Tribute by Nora Roberts
~ Penguin Group USA, Putnam - Leslie Gelbman, editor

Best Romantic Suspense
Take No Prisoners by Cindy Gerard
~ Simon & Schuster, Pocket Books - Maggie Crawford, editor

Best First Book
Oh. My. Gods. by Tera Lynn Childs
~ Penguin Group USA, Dutton - Sarah Shumway, editor

Best Contemporary Single Title Romance
Not Another Bad Date by Rachel Gibson
~ HarperCollins, Avon Books - Lucia Macro, editor

Romance Writer’s of America: 2009 Golden Heart Awards
The purpose of the Golden Heart® contest is to promote excellence in the romance genre by recognizing outstanding romance manuscripts.

Best Contemporary Romance Series Manuscript
Second Chance for a Family by Kim Law

Best Contemporary Romance Series: Suspense/Adventure Manuscript
Romance or Retribution by Jamie Michele

Best Young Adult Manuscript
Stage Fright by Shoshana Dawn Brown

Best Historical Romance Manuscript
Butterfly Swords by Jeannie Lin

Best Regency Historical Romance Manuscript
An Inconvenient Marriage by Sara Ramsey

Best Inspirational Manuscript
Kitty's Fire by Kelly Ann Riley

Best Paranormal Romance Manuscript
First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Best Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Manuscript
Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure by Diane O'Brien Kelly

Best Romantic Suspense Manuscript
Only Fear by Anne Marie Becker

Best Contemporary Single Title Manuscript
Easy Money by Vivi Andrews

Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement AwardOne of the highest honors RWA bestows is the RWA Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is presented to a living author in recognition of significant contributions to the romance genre. To qualify for the award, the recipient's career in romantic fiction must span a minimum of 15 years. Recipients must in some way continue to promote the romance genre, teach romance in fiction, or publish romantic fiction. In 1994 a new requirement was added, that recipients must maintain active RWA membership. Authors are nominated for the award by RWA members and selected by the Board of Directors.

2009 Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient
Jennifer Greene

Jennifer Greene is the RWA Hall of Fame and RITA award-winning author of more than 75 romance novels. Greene sold her first book in l980, and her first professional writing award came from RWA, a Silver Medallion in l984, followed by over 20 nominations and awards. She has been on numerous best-seller lists, has written for Harlequin, Avon, Berkley and Dell, and has sold over the world in more than 20 languages. She has also accumulated a number of pseudonyms, most recognizably Jennifer Greene, but also Alison Hart, Jeanne Grant, and Jessica Massey. http://www.jennifergreene.com/

Emma Merritt Service Award
The RWA Emma Merritt Service Award is presented for the accumulated body of work a member has contributed as a volunteer to RWA. The award is not only for service to individual chapters, but is intended to honor major commitments of service to RWA. A member may receive the RWA Emma Merritt Service Award only once in a lifetime. In the past, the RWA Emma Merritt Service Award has also been known as the Golden Rose and the National Service Award.

2009 Emma Merritt Service Award Recipient
Sherry Lewis
Sherry Lewis is a long-time member of Romance Writers of America, and she served on the Board of Directors for four years and was the association's president from 2007–2008. Lewis sold her first three books to Berkley Prime Crime in 1993, and she sold her first Harlequin Superromance in 1994. She continues to write mysteries for Berkley Prime Crime, romances for Harlequin Superromance, and is working on a single-title romantic suspense. http://slbwrites.homestead.com/

RWA Service Award

RWA Service Awards are intended to honor major commitments of service to RWA and are presented for the accumulated body of effort a volunteer may make during a lifetime.

2009 RWA Service Award Recipient

Karen Fox
Karen Fox is the author of 8 romance novels and has been a member of RWA since 1992. She is active on both the local and national RWA levels, having served on the RWA Board of Directors and various committees (such as the Web Site Committee, Membership Committee, Bylaws Committee, and more). http://www.karenafox.com/

Steffie Walker Bookseller of the Year

The RWA Steffie Walker Bookseller of the Year award is given annually to one special bookseller who provides outstanding service to romance readers and demonstrates notable support of romance authors and the romance genre.

2009 Steffie Walker Bookseller of the Year
Rosemary Potter, Rosemary’s Romances (Brisbane, Australia)

Librarian of the Year

The RWA Librarian of the Year is awarded to a librarian who demonstrates outstanding support of romance authors and the romance genre.

2009 Librarian of the Year

Deborah Schneider of the King County Library System (King County, WA)

Vivian Stephens Industry Award

The RWA Vivian Stephens Industry Award is presented to one or more professionals in the romance-publishing industry, who is not a writer, who has contributed to the genre or to RWA in a significant and/or continuing manner.Named for one of RWA's founders, the RWA Vivian Stephens Industry Award is for an accumulated body of work and may not be presented every year if no candidate is clearly identified as meeting the level of excellence established by past recipients of the award.

2009 Vivian Stephens Industry Award Recipient
Tracy Farrell, Acquisitions Editor-at-Large@ Harlequin Enterprises

Tracy Farrell began her career at Harlequin in 1984 working on contemporary women's fiction. She moved to the Harlequin Historical line at its inception in 1986, was made senior editor in 1991, and in 1998 took over the additional responsibility of Steeple Hill's Love Inspired line.

She became an executive editor and moved over to develop and manage Harlequin's mainstream romance imprint, HQN Books, in 2003, and in the fall of 2006 she added the fantasy imprint, LUNA Books, to her list of responsibilities.

Tracy continues to work out of Harlequin’s offices in downtown NYC, and in June of this year, was made an Acquisition Editor-at-Large for the Single Title Department.

Media Award

RWA's Veritas Award may be given annually for the article that appears in print or in another medium that best depicts the romance genre in a positive light.

2009 Veritas Award Recipient

Ron CharlesWashington Post, "Heating Up the Stacks"

WRITER'S MOMENT - InkyGirl.com

2009-07-17T06:00:00.001-07:00

What can we say - every career has its hazards.
Thanks for the warning, Inky Girl. *wink*
http://www.inkygirl.com/

BREAKING NEWS - Jennifer Ashley / Highland Pleasures series

2009-07-16T17:56:00.000-07:00

Wonderful news!

Jennifer Ashley, author of the fabulous The Madness of Lord Ian MacKenzie, has just announced the titles & release dates for the next 3 books in the series.

Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage: July 2010
The Many Sins of Lord Cameron: April 2011
The Duke Takes a Wife: Oct. 2011

At this point the titles and dates are tentative, but we're just glad to know they're on the way!
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CONTEST - Ilona Andrews

2009-07-16T17:32:00.000-07:00

Wow! Ilona Andrews is celebrating the new design for her website - by Lisa @ F-Bod studios - by giving away free stuff!

Check it out here:

http://ilona-andrews.com/2009/07/omg-omg-omg-also-contest-but-mostly-omg/

[Cheyenne McCray] THE SECOND BETRAYAL / Book 2: Lexi Steele

2009-07-16T15:39:00.001-07:00

The Second Betrayal, the next sexy installment in the 'Lexi Steele' series by Cheyenne McCray, will be on shelves on August 4th.

If you're looking for action and suspense in a smoulderingly erotic read - this is for you.

"Superior action-suspense! McCray has created a powerhouse in Lexi Steele, who's strong, vulnerable, sexy and smart. Powerful characters and a dark and compelling plot make this a great read."

~ Romantic Times BOOKreviews

http://cheyennemccray.com/books/suspense/thesecondbetrayal.html

If you haven't read book 1, The First Sin, there's still time before Lexi's next mission begins.
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BREAKING NEWS - ATLANTIS UNMASKED [Alyssa Day]

2009-07-15T17:40:00.000-07:00

Way to go Alyssa!

Atlantis Unmasked just hit the NY Times Best Sellers List.

http://www.alyssaday.com/index.php?id=5

This makes it two Best Sellers in-a-row for Alyssa since Atlantis Unleashed, the previous installment released last month, made the chart.

Congrats!

BREAKING NEWS - BRANDED BY FIRE [Nalini Singh]

2009-07-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Nalini!

Branded by Fire is now #14 on the New York Times Best Seller List.

http://www.nalinisingh.com/branded.html

No surprise here as this is arguably the best work in the Psy/Changeling series to-date. That is at least until Blaze of Memory, Book 7 in the series, is released on November 3rd.

http://www.nalinisingh.com/blaze.html?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1238849667&sr=1-1
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WRITER'S MOMENT - Nora Roberts

2009-07-15T13:23:00.000-07:00

Fantastic advice on the craft of writing from an author who's written 160 NY Times best selling books.

Nora gives her thoughts on inspiration and discipline at a Q&A hosted by the Washington Post on July 14th:

Excerpt:
"You can fix a bad page, you can't fix a blank page.

So you have, even if you're writing, if your writing it just sucks that day, you still have something down, and you can fix it, or you can throw it away, or you can move on. But if you walk away and wait for the Muse, she's a fickle bitch. Don't depend on her."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/shortstack/2009/07/nora_roberts_one_book_every_tw.html

COVER ART - INKED Anthology

2009-07-15T10:56:00.000-07:00

Primal & Hot!

Marjorie M Liu has put up the cover art for the upcoming urban fantasy and paranormal romance anthology Inked.

Inked will feature stories in which body art is intrinsic to the plot. Authors contributing are some of the hottest writers in the market today: Karen Chance (creator of the 'War Mage Corps' storyline), Marjorie M. Liu (Hunter Kiss novels), Yasmine Galenorn (Otherworld series), and Eileen Wilks (World of the Lupi books).

Look for Inked in bookstores on January 5, 2010.

Artist: Chad Michael Ward

Other covers: Hotter Than Hell, Succubus On Top, Magic Bites, the 'Rogue Angel' series novels, and more.

You can check Chad's artistic vision at website :

http://www.digitalapocalypse.com/

[Shannon Stacey] NO SURRENDER / Book 3: Devlin Group

2009-07-13T17:21:00.000-07:00

Action that will keep you riveted!

Check out the excerpt from Shannon's new enovel, No Surrender, coming out on August 11th at Samhain Publishing. It's packed with the action, adventure and romance her fans crave.

This is book 3 in the 'Devlin Group' series. Both 72 hours (book 1) and On The Edge (book 2) were nominated for The Romance Store's annual Cupid and Psyche Awards in 2006 and 2007, respectively.

http://shannonstacey.com/nosurrender/

WRITER'S MOMENT - Dakota Banks

2009-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Signing a contract is a much-heralded step on the road to success as a professional author. But what comes next?

In her blog, Dakota Banks provides a month-by-month look at what to expect in the year after the contract is inked.

6/22/09
What Happens After the Book Contract's Signed

Advice abounds on the web for aspiring writers trying to get an agent or get published. A great deal of angst and energy is expended leading up to the signing of the book contract. What then? What's beyond the curtain? Let's take a peek.

I can tell you that it isn't all putting your feet up and waiting for the accolades to roll in. You'll be plunged into the work on your next book and the ever-growing work on the business of writing. Here's an outline of a theoretical (but grounded in reality) year after the contract is signed.

You sign a book contract December 31, 2008! Here’s what you have to look forward to in the months to come.

January 2009
Celebrate!
Send your agent a thank you card or gift.
In rare cases your acquiring editor will assign a new editor to work with you - if so, introduce yourself and establish a working relationship.
Begin work on any revisions your editor has requested.
Begin collecting a mailing list of bookstores and individuals for promotion.
Supply any needed permissions to editor for quotes used inside your manuscript.
Continue working on the proposal for your next book, which will be done under a deadline.
Contact possible sources of jacket quotes for permission to send a manuscript to them. Be bold. Ask members of writing organizations you belong to. Be sure you're selecting writers whose work is similar to yours.

February 2009
Turn in revised manuscript as negotiated with editor.
Your book is placed on production schedule.
Pub Date set at January 1, 2010 - it seems so far away!
Send out manuscript copies (unbound) for advance quotes - let recipients know the deadline for getting quotes in. Make sure you let them know you are not demanding a quote, but that you'll have to earn it.

Plan your web site, if you don't already have one. Choose your poison for social networking and begin to establish yourself in your real or pen name.
Get written permission from publisher to use a book excerpt on your web site.
Don't give away too much, and be sure to stop at a "tease" point.

March 2009
Receive the payment of your advance for the first book, but don't get too attached to it.
Plan on spending those dollars on promotion. Unless you have struck it big, new authors can plan on plowing the advances for the first three books into developing a readership.
Make contact with the publicist assigned to you by your editor and determine what, if any, promotion will be done. Plan yours to complement, not duplicate. Some publicists will want to wait until the book release date is much closer before even making plans. This is okay for web promotion, but watch out for long-lead print media.
Plan giveaway items such as bookmarks, but don't order them until you get the cover art for your book.
Study proofreading marks - you'll need to understand those squiggles if you don't already.
You did make sure that your contract specified review of the copyedited manuscript and not just the galleys, didn't you?
Remind your editor that you would like to review/correct the jacket text (in rare cases, you'll be asked to write the jacket text).
Think about cover art and be prepared to offer suggestions. Don't expect to have too much influence over art or jacket text - it's a marketing thing.

Read the rest: http://www.dakota-banks.com/blog/index.php?itemid=14

[Susan Kearney] LUCAN / Book 1: Pendragon Legacy

2009-07-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

Oooh, we're looking forward to the August 25th release of Lucan, the first of Susan's new 'Pendragon Legacy' series!

Kearney, a USA Today best selling author, is known for her sexy Rystani warrior books and this new series promises all the passion and adventure her readers have come to expect.

The next 2 books, Rion and Jordan, will be out on December 1st and February 23, 2010 respectively.

Check out an excerpt of Lucan here:

http://www.susankearney.com/lucan.html

CONTEST - [Dakota Banks] DARK TIME

2009-07-08T17:03:00.001-07:00

Gotta love free stuff! Dakota's running 2 contests and a giveaway to celebrate the release of Dark Time, the first novel in her 'Mortal Path' series:

1. Signed copy Dark Time.
Enter to WIN a free signed book
(1 weekly/ 20 weeks/ starting August 1st).

2. iPod Touch, 32GB
Answer 3 questions about Dark Time and enter the drawing
(1 prize/ enter July 28th - November 30th/ drawing December 1st)

3. Pen and signed Bookmark
Publish on online review of Dark Times to receive your Pen & Bookmark
Just contact Dakota to provide a link to the review and your mailing address to collect.

CONTEST - Cover Art Contest [Sloane McBride] THE FURY:

2009-07-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Clash of the Covers contest at Embrace The Shadows has moved to Mondays so voting can continue throughout the week.

This week the cover of one of our fave books - The Fury - is being featured. Sloane McBride's book - scheduled to be released in paperback on August 1st - couldn't be better dressed than in this hot cover by Natalie Winters.

Follow the link below to vote for your favorite:

Clash of the Covers 07-06-09

[Stacia Kane] DEMON INSIDE / Book 2: Megan Chase

2009-07-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Demon Inside, Book 2 of Stacia's 'Megan Chase' novels, will be on shelves on July 28th. This novel follows the release last year of Personal Demon.

Book 2 brings us back to the world of Megan Chase where everyone - except Megan - has a little personal demon sitting on their shoulder.

The reviews have us wanting more:

"Spirited heroine Megan Chase returns in a swift-moving story full of chills, thrills and exploding demons. Get ready for an action-packed rollercoaster ride. Kane’s unique take on the supernatural is entertaining, and flaming hot sex with a fire demons heats up the pages."

~ Romantic Times (4 Stars)

"Ms. Kane packs this book with action at each turn, and a sizzling romance that heats up every page. Demon Inside plunges readers deeper into a world where demons and danger go hand in hand. I’ll be looking forward to the next Megan Chase adventure."

~ Kimberly Swan, Darque Reviews

http://stacia-kane.livejournal.com/

Read the excerpt at Amazon.com

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[Dakota Banks] DARK TIME / Book 1: Mortal Path

2009-07-06T12:43:00.000-07:00

Dark Time, comes out on July 28th. This is the first in the new 'Mortal Path' series by Dakota Banks in which the former assasin for a Sumerian demon tries to redeem herself by saving as many lives as she's taken.

This marks Dakota's first foray into the paranormal and fantasy realms. She's already published 6 suspense thrillers dealing with forensic science, computer simulation, and virtual reality under another name.

Read the excerpt:

http://www.dakota-banks.com/excerpt.html

WRITER'S MOMENT - Teresa Medeiros

2009-07-03T03:00:00.000-07:00

Teresa shares her first query letter from 1989 with us - and yes, we were all that naive at some point.

Teresa Shares Her Secret to Success
Monday, March 20, 2006

I've always believed one of the primary functions of a blog is to humiliate yourself publicly. I'm here to prove that today by sharing my very first query letter with you. For those of you not familiar with the lingo, a query letter is the letter you send to a publisher or agent asking them if they'd like to look at (and hopefully buy and publish) your book. As you will see, this is the worst query letter in the history of query letters--a veritable treasure trove of "Whatever you do, don't do this!" I'm including my editorial comments in red and in parentheses.

May 29, 1985
Dear (Editor Who is No Longer Employed By This Company),

I frantically searched my bookshelves one evening for the romance novel that I wanted to read. I didn't find it. (Because you and the other dimwits at your publishing house obviously aren't publishing anything worth reading.) Reading "The Flame and the Flower" (which was published 13 years ago, clearly demonstrating that I've kept up with current trends) for the fifth time reeked of redundancy (gotta love that alliteration! And look-I know big words!)

What did I want to read about? I wanted to read about a heroine with guts; a noble hero with fascinating flaws; a passionate love-hate relationship that grows with time; interesting sattelite (sattelite? Um, you wouldn't mean "secondary" by any chance?) characters; humor; enough tragedy to keep the good times looking good. (I also know how to use semi-colons, although not particularly well!) I wanted adventure and fantasy and intrigue.

And thus was born "Loving Vengeance." (Thank heavens it wasn't spawned!) I am submitting it to you for publication (or to use as a booster seat for your kid). It is a historical romance set in ancient Ireland. (Because that's a really popular setting!) I look forward to hearing your reaction. (As opposed to shuddering.)

Sincerely,
T.H. Medeiros (because I'm incredibly pretentious and aspiring to be the next T.H. White)

I have shared this letter today not just to humiliate myself or to amuse you, but to give you hope. If an idiot like this can sell a book and get published and go on to have a successful career that has now spanned almost twenty years, so can you!

BOOK BOT: Jul-09 Releases

2009-07-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

FANTASY
7/7
Eyes Like Stars / Book 1: Theatre Illuminata (Lisa Mantchev) *YOUNG ADULT*

PARANORMAL ROMANCE
7/1
Edge of Dawn / Book 3: Light Warriors (Patti O'Shea)
Into the Lair / Book 2: Falcon Mercenary Group (Maya Banks)
Prey / Book 4: Werecat (Rachel Vincent)
Storm Warning / Book3: Shadow Destroyers (Sydney Somers)

7/7
Atlantis Unmasked / Book 4: Warriors of Poseidon (Alyssa Day)
Bloody Awful / Book2: Supernatural WW2 (Georgia Evans)
Branded By Fire / Book 6: Psy-Changeling (Nalini Singh)
Touched by Light / Book 3: Sentinel (Catherine Spangler)
Where There's a Witch / Book 5: Bewitching Mysteries (Madelyn Alt)

7/28
Dark Hunger / Book2: Demonborn Trilogy (Rita Herron)

Dark Warrior Unbroken / Book 2: The Talions (Alexis Morgan)

Demon Inside (Stacia Kane)
Destined for an Early Grave / Book 4: Night Huntress (Jeaniene Frost)
Hunting Ground / Book 2: Alpha & Omega (Patricia Briggs)

Leader of the Pack / Book 2: Tales of an Urban Werewolf (Karen MacInerney)

Obsession Untamed / Book 2: Feral Warriors (Pamela Palmer)
Redemption Alley / Book 3: Jill Kismet (Lilith Saintcrow)
Speak of the Devil / Book 4: Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist (Jenna Black)
Succubus On the Town / Book 3: Succubus (Nina Harper)

TIME TRAVEL
7/7
Best Wishes Always (Lucy Finn)

URBAN FANTASY
7/7
Dragons Prefer Blondes (Candace Havens)
Skinwalker / Book 1: Jane Yellowrock (Faith Hunter)

7/28
Dark Time / Book 1: Mortal Path (Dakota Banks)

Good Ghouls Do (Julie Kenner) *YOUNG ADULT*

Skin Deep / Book 1: Laura Blackstone (Mark Del Franco)

ANTHOLOGY
7/7
The Eternal Kiss: 12 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire *YOUNG ADULT*
(Kelley Armstrong, Holly Black, Libba Bray, Sarah Rees Brennan, Cecil Castellucci, Cassandra Clare, Rachel Cain, Melissa De La Cruz, Nancy Holder, Dina James, Karen Mahoney, Maria V. Snyder, Lili St. Crow & Debbie Viguie)

7/7
Strange Brew
(Patricia Briggs, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, Karen Chance, P. N. Elrod, Charlaine Harris, Faith Hunter, Caitlin Kittredge & Jenna Maclaine)

7/14
Good Things Come in Threes
(Anya Bast, Jan Springer & Shiloh Walker)

7/31
Not That Innocent
(Kresley Cole, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Sharie Kohler & Gena Showalter)
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[Pamela Plamer] DESIRE UNTAMED / Book 1: Feral Warriors

2009-06-30T19:15:00.000-07:00

ROARING REVIEWS
Reviews are pouring in for Desire Untamed:

Fresh Fiction calls Desire Untamed, “A powerful start to a unique series with suspense, intrigue, and lots of heat.”

Publishers Weekly says, “Magic and passion run wild in this steamy paranormal series debut.”

SingleTitles.com calls it, “Grippingly spellbinding.” And Coffee Time Romance says the Feral Warriors are “…another must-read series for paranormal fans everywhere.”

BACK-TO-BACK EXCITEMENT!
Desire Untamed is the first of three sexy 'Feral Warriors' novels coming out this summer. Check out Pamela Palmer's website for a newly-posted excerpt of Book 2, Obsession Untamed, and for downloadable miniposters of all three steaming covers.

Both Obsession Untamed (in stores July 28th) and Passion Untamed (on shelves August 25th) are available for pre-order now.

http://www.pamelapalmer.net/
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CONTEST - Nalini Singh

2009-06-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

Nalini's throwing a cyber party to celebrate the release of Branded By Fire (the latest Psy-Changeling book) on July 7th. Only 8 days to go, Woot!

Today you can win a copy of Angel's Blood (the 1st in her new urban fantasy series), or Yasmine Galenorn's Demon Mistress (Book 6 of Yasmine's popular 'Otherworld' series).

To enter, all you have to do is answer a simple question: Which romance novel hero would you like to find alive and gift-wrapped on your doorstep?

So many hunks - how's a girl to choose?

http://nalinisingh.blogspot.com/
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[Diana Rowland] MARK OF THE DEMON / Book 1:

2009-06-27T03:00:00.000-07:00

Mark Of The Demon - just released on June 23rd - is this new author's first foray into paranormal fiction/urban fantasy.

This exciting first installment will be followed on January 26, 2010 by Book 2, Blood of the Demon.

As a former street cop, detective, computer forensics specialist, crime scene investigator, morgue assistant, bartender and pit boss, Diana's unusual background brings a unique authenticiy to her work.

http://www.dianarowland.com/motd.html

“Rowland spins a tale that is riveting, suspenseful, and deliciously sexy. With a unique take on demons, and with one of the most terrifying serial killers ever, Mark of the Demon will keep you up late at night turning pages.”
~ Jenna Black, author of Speak of the Devil

“Mark of the Demon is a fascinating mixture of a hard-boiled police procedural and gritty yet other-worldly urban fantasy. Diana Rowland’s professional background as a both street cop and forensic assistant not only shows through but gives the book a realism sadly lacking in all too many urban fantasy “crime” novels.”
~ L. E. Modesitt, Jr., author of the Saga of Recluce

WRITER'S MOMENT - Anya Bast

2009-06-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Anya Tweeted:

http://twitter.com/anyabast

"I'm halfway through Cruel Enchantment & my characters are running amok. I'm headed in my cave (w/ a whip). Have a good one, all."

Interesting relationship you have with your characters, Anya...
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WRITER'S MOMENT - Yasmine Galenorn

2009-06-26T14:55:00.000-07:00

Excellent advice from Yasmine on Twitter:
(in reply to Isobael)

http://twitter.com/YasmineGalenorn

"Do you realize how much is actually polished in re-writing and revision? So much of the book is so diff. than 1st draft for most."

"Think of it this way: how does cake batter taste with half the ingredients and before it's been baked? Not all that good."

"during revisions you add the rest of the ingredients, make sure the oven temp is right and bake it--only then is it really a cake."

"but if you always go back to double check the recipe and worry about what you've already put in, you'll never get the rest done."
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CONTEST - Linda Robertson

2009-06-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Just got a note from Linda.

Check out the League of Reluctant Adults this weekend (starting June 26) and enter to win a signed copy of Vicious Circle.

http://reluctantadults.blogspot.com/

[D.D. Barant] DYING BITES / Book 1: The Blood hound Files

2009-06-25T02:47:00.000-07:00

Another highly anticipated series begins June 30th. Dying Bites, is the first of 3 contracted books by new author D.D. Barant.

http://us.macmillan.com/dyingbites

Advanced press is looking very good:

"Surviving in this unique alternate reality will take a heroine with plenty of guts, moxie and a sense of the absurd. This fresh and original take on urban fantasy follows the first-person exploits of an FBI profiler literally yanked out of her world. Huge kudos to Barant for spicing things up with a story that expertly integrates detective work, kick-butt action and a wacky sense of humor. Make sure you get in early on the outstanding new Bloodhound Files series."

~ Romantic Times

[Linda Robertson] VICIOUS CIRCLE / Book 1: Circle Series

2009-06-24T02:22:00.000-07:00

Vicious Circle, the first entry in up-and-coming author Linda's new 'Circle' series, will be available in stores on July 1st.

The next two installments will follow quickly: Book 2, Hallowed Circle is out on December 29, 2009; and Book 3, Fatal Circle, will hit shelves in July, 2010.

http://www.wolfsbaneandabsinthe.com/VICIOUS_CIRCLE.html

Advance Buzz is fueling the anticipation:

"Extraordinary events can occur in ordinary settings when a tarot-reading witch is pitted against a powerful vampire. This urban fantasy has a good plot told in the first person by a feisty heroine with a sense of humor. Well-developed supernatural characters, mystery and a touch of romance add up to an out-of-this-world thriller."
~ Romantic Times Review (4 Stars)

[Larissa Ione] ECSTASY UNVEILED / Book 4: Demonica

2009-06-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

UPDATE:

Larissa has just unveiled the cover art for Ecstasy Unveiled, Book 4 in her 'Demonica' series.

So hot!!

Get more info on this upcoming release below:
Thursday, June 18, 2009

[Rachel Vincent] PREY / Book 4: The Shifters

2009-06-22T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hearing the most amazing advance reviews for Prey Book 4 of Rachel's 'Shifters' series due in stores on July 1st.

The 'Shifters' series is widely considered a must-read for paranormal romance. You may still have time to read the first 3 books: Stray, Rogue, and Pride...

http://rachelvincent.com/prey.htm

"...you won’t be bored with Prey and you’ll end up crying or raging right along with Faythe. Anyone reading this will want to have a box of tissues right next to them, especially if you’re a softie like I am, because I could have really used them. I really really liked Prey, but there is still so much I want to talk about that I’m going to end it here before I give away too much. Let’s just say, that if you’re a fan of this series, you cannot wait for the library. Head to the bookstore and get this on June 30th (or as soon as you can). I seriously started Prey this morning and haven’t been able to put it down..."
~ Jackie, LiteraryEscapism

(Read the full review at: http://www.literaryescapism.com/2009/06/21/3428/)
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BREAKING NEWS - Alyssa Day

2009-06-22T16:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Alyssa!

Alyssa has just inked a deal to write 3 additional novels in the hugely popular 'Warrior of Poseidon' series.

You might think it couldn't get any better, until you hear she also signed a new 2-book urban fantasy contract.

Don't forget to pick up your copy of Atlantis Unleashed which was just released June 2nd, and Atlantis Unmasked on stands on July 7th.

http://warriorsofposeidon.blogspot.com/2009/06/yahoo-more-books.html
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WRITER'S MOMENT - Ilona Andrews

2009-06-18T18:46:00.000-07:00

Ilona: You've captured a moment every writer has to overcome - I think we can all relate!
From Ilona's Blog:

June 10th, 2009 by Ilona Andrews
Yes

One wall in the living room is painted - white. Very nice white. Very clean and buyer-friendly.

I will now have to write Edge 2. I will sit here on my butt and try to get excited about writing Edge 2. Oh yes. Edge 2. Excited. Here we go.

Here we go.

A thousand words. I can do a thousand word in my sleep. Yep.

Any minute now. Aaaaany minute.

Maybe if I change the font.

Who names a font Centaur anyway? I expected little horsies.

Maybe I should start a whole new file.

Dear writing gods. Inspiration would be nice.

Maybe I should go look at my bank account. That ought to help.

Come on, Ilona. Who wants a shiny new contract in the fall? Who isn’t going to get said contract unless she writes the books she’s already contracted for.

I can do it.

You know what would help, what if I back up all of my writing onto this usb drive and delete everything I don’t need. Then I wouldn’t have all those folders. Ooh, it lights up. Cool beans.

5 minutes of copying… Tadadam. Tadadadam. I should clean out my downloads too while I am at it. I minute and 5 seconds. Maybe a new wallpaper for the screen.

Ooh. Something Diana Francis might like http://www.wincustomize.com/zoom.aspx?skinid=40209&libid=8

Hmm kinda pretty http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=37926&libid=8

Okay. Everything is cleaned out. Like it or not, I have to work. New file. Arial font. 1,000 words. See you on the other side.
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[Larissa Ione] ECSTASY UNVEILED / Book 4: Demonica

2009-06-18T14:11:00.000-07:00

February 2010 will see the release of Ecstasy Unveiled, the 4th entry in the Demonica series by Larissa Ione.

This is the latest entry in a popular and award-winning series:

Book 1, Passion Unbound, was honored as the 'Best Paranormal Romance of 2008' in the First Annual Reviewers Choice Awards at Romance Novel TV.

Books 2, Desire Unchained, hit the USA Today Bestseller list one week after release.

Book 3, Passion Unleashed, made both the USA Today & New York Times Bestseller lists.

http://larissaione.com/books/paranormal/ecstasy-unveiled/
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[Karen Chance] DEATH'S MISTRESS / Book 2: Dorina Basarab

2009-06-17T13:15:00.000-07:00

Although it won't be available until 5-Jan-2010, buzz is already flying around Death's Mistress, Book 2 in Karen's 'Dorina Basarab' series.

The series - a spin-off of the more-than-popular 'Cassandra Palmer' novels - started with first installment, Midnight's Daughter, which was nominated for a 2008 Romantic Times Reader's Choice Award in urban fantasy.

If you can't wait until Jan 5th, try the first 3 'Cassandra Palmer' books to brush up on the backstory.

http://www.karenchance.com/books_dm.html

Praise for the 1st installment, Midnight's Daughter:

"Midnight’s Daughter is a brilliant start to a new series and contains all the elements needed for a great urban fantasy."

~ vampireromancebooks.com

CONTEST - Literary Escapism

2009-06-17T12:13:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a contest?

Literary Escapism (Jackie M.) hosted guest author Shiloh Walker on 16-Jun, who talked about the excitement she feels about her stories as she writes.

It appears LE got so excited they're offering an opportunity to win an autographed novel from Shiloh's backlist!

Check out both the post and contest details at:

http://www.literaryescapism.com/2009/06/16/3282/comment-page-1/

[Jory Strong] SPIDER-TOUCHED / Book 2 following GHOSTLAND

2009-06-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Spider-Touched, the follow-up to dazzling urban fantasy romance Ghostland, will hit shelves on August 4th.

http://www.amazon.com/Spider-Touched-Jory-Strong/dp/0425227936

Jory Strong has published 22 erotic romances with Ellora’s Cave. She’s won numerous awards for her writing and was nominated for the 2006 Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice for the Best Paranormal/Fantasy/Sci-Fi Erotic Romance.

[Sunny] LUCINDA, DANGEROUSLY / Book 2: Demon Princess Chronicles

2009-06-15T20:42:00.000-07:00

Gearing up for the must-have novel, Lucinda, Dangerously, Book 2 of the 'Demon Princess Chronicles' by Sunny which becomes available October 6th.

Book 1, Lucinda, Darkly was a National Bestseller garnering a 2008 PRISM Award, 2nd place in Fantasy and was a 2008 Golden Quill Award finalist in Fantasy, Sci Fi, Futuristic.

The 'Demon Princess Chronicles' area a spin-off of Sunny's hugely popular 'Monére, Children of the Moon' series.

http://www.sunnyauthor.com/lucinda-dangerously/

BREAKING NEWS - [Jaci Burton] TAKEN BY SIN

2009-06-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

Taken by Sin, Jaci's newly released 4th entry in the 'Demon Hunters' series, is getting rave reviews.

Excerpt:
"Ever read a book and everything it going exactly as expected and then all of a sudden the author turns everything upside & inside out and the result is far better than you expected. This is exactly what Jaci Burton did with her upcoming release Taken By Sin, the fourth book in her Demon Hunters series, available June 23, 2009. Taken By Sin exceeded all expectations and is not only the best book of the series but one of the best books I have read this year."
~ Greta (Posted on June 15, 2009)

Review the review at: IDoNotWantToWaitIWantTheBookNow
http://idonotwanttowaitiwantthebooknow.wordpress.com/2009/06/15/review-taken-by-sin-by-jaci-burton/

WRITER'S MOMENT - Marjorie M Liu

2009-06-12T15:26:00.000-07:00

From Twitter: " Want to know what makes an author scream - in a good way?"

http://twitpic.com/727ks

Looks great, Marjorie!

WRITER'S MOMENT - Meljean Brook

2009-06-12T15:00:00.001-07:00

From Twitter: "Holy crap, Demon Forged went into 5 digits on Amazon. None of my books have ever done that this far before a release. 64K FTW, w00t! :-D"

Go Meljean!

[Diana Pharaoh Francis] BITTER NIGHT / Book 1: Horngate Witches

2009-06-11T18:24:00.000-07:00

Bitter Night, the first of Diana Pharaoh Francis' new 'Horngate Witches' novels will hit stores October 27, 2009.

This foray into urban fantasy follows on the heels of two successful epic fantasy franchises - 'The Crosspointe Chronicles' and 'The Path' books.

Finding a description wasn't easy: "a woman is sent to investigate a murder that hasn't happened yet, and what she learns triggers a battle between two feuding witches and sets off a war of magic that draws in both the Uncanny and the Divine and has the potential to remake the world."

http://www.dianapfrancis.com/

“In the deliciously epic Bitter Night, Diana Pharaoh Francis has married the Charles de Lint-style old school urban fantasy to the new college of asskickery in a pagan-pirate handfast. I totally loved this book.”

~Ann Aguirre, national bestselling author of Blue Diablo and Grimspace

BREAKING NEWS - [Nalini Singh] BRANDED BY FIRE

2009-06-09T17:39:00.001-07:00

Branded by Fire, Nalini's upcoming entry in the 'Psy-Changleling' series is getting amazing reviews.

BbF will be in stores on July 7, 2009.

Excerpt:

"If I could write odes to this little beauty, I would. If I could hang out under its balcony and sing it sweet songs, I would. If I could bake it a cake the size of Texas, draped in miles of frosting ribbons proclaiming Branded by Fire as the best Psy/Changling novel yet, I would. Then I’d eat it. The cake that is. Hmm, maybe the book, too."

~ kmont

Check out the lovefest at LurvAlaMode
http://lurvalamode.wordpress.com/2009/06/09/arc-review-branded-by-fire/#more-4345 .

WRITER'S MOMENT - Shannon Stacey

2009-06-05T21:50:00.000-07:00

When the review is nearly as entertaining as the book,
there's some serious synergy going on!
Shannon Stacey's review of The Wicked West by Victoria Dahl - written as a limerick.
From Shannon's Blog:

*Trust me - worth the read!*

Review: The Wicked West by Victoria Dahl

entry posted on Friday, June 5th, 2009 at 11:35 am

WRITER'S MOMENT - Laci Burton

2009-06-05T15:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks for sharing Jaci! I'm sure every writer has a moment like this when it all comes home...
Even the posted comments got a laugh.
From Laci's Blog:

May 29th, 209 by Jaci
See My Shame

My first drafts are heinous, the worst piece of shit writing ever. But when I’m editing them they at least provide a source of amusement.

Like this sentence, full of one hell of an epic dangling participle and a whopper of a typo:

Her abdomen quivered at the touch of his warm lips to her flesh, remembered what it felt like to have his moth down there

No, really. Don’t thank me.

entry was posted on Friday, May 29th, 2009 at 10:43 am

[Faith Hunter] SKINWALKER / Book 1: Jane Yellowrock Novels

2009-06-04T17:35:00.000-07:00

Skinwalker, the first book in a new series about a shapeshifter just hired by a group of vampires - the very creatures she's trained to kill, will hit bookstores on July 7th.

This paranormal release closely follows the rapid release of another series under the Faith Hunter name (aka Gwen Hunter) - The Rogue Mage novels.

http://www.faithhunter.net/wp/

"A strong heroine with unusual talents kicks off the entertaining new Jane Yellowrock series. It's a blend of genres, mixing alternate reality, fantasy and romance against the backdrop of New Orleans. The first-person narration puts you in the middle of the conflict, and well-written action scenes get your blood pumping."
~ Romantic Times (4-Stars)

[Marjorie M Liu] DARKNESS CALLS / Book 2: Hunter Kiss

2009-06-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

We've waited a year Marjorie's second installment in her 'Hunter Kiss' series. So excitement is building for the June 30th release of Darkness Calls.

This is the second phenomenal series from the USA Today and NY Times Bestselling Author. Book 8 of the 'Dirk & Steele' novels, The Fire King, is scheduled to hit bookstores on July 28th.

http://marjoriemliu.com/index.php?/novels/index/

“Liu is one of the best new voices in paranormal fiction…”
~ Publishers Weekly

[Jaci Burton] TAKEN BY SIN / Book 4: Demon Hunters

2009-06-02T16:16:00.000-07:00

Can't wait for book # 4 of Jaci's 'Demon Hunters' series, Taken by Sin, whichwill be available in book stores on June 23rd.

Jaci, who's writes across several genres, has won several awards including the Romantic Times BookReview Magazine's Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Erotic Paranormal.

http://www.jaciburton.com/demons.html

“Sexy, smart, edge-of-the seat romance…Jaci Burton always delivers a great read.”
~ Lara Adrian, New York Times bestselling author