Writer's Moment - Claire Delacroix

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

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

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

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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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/

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WRITER'S MOMENT - Teresa Meideros

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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WRITER'S MOMENT - Teresa Meideros

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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"

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WRITER'S MOMENT - InkyGirl.com

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

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

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/

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