Today I'm hosting author Caitlin Crews. W00t!! I have been dipping my toes into the world of category romance, so I'll really excited to have her here today. There's a contest folks! One lucky commenter will win a copy of the book. Read on to find out how to enter.

Pure Princess, Bartered Bride

Pure Princess, Bartered Bride is the first Harlequin Presents by Caitlin Crews--which debuted on the USA Today Bestseller List!

About the book

Bartered, betrothed and bedded!
As quiet and dangerous as a jungle cat, achieving the impossible is one of Luc Garnier’s defining characteristics.


Princess Gabrielle is invaluable – a pearl beyond price. Yet Luc has defied the odds, and a contract for marriage is drawn up. This will be a union on paper first, and of flesh later. . .
Except Gabrielle is just the same in private as in public – well-bred, well-behaved, and a credit to her country. Luc is determined to find the wanton within and leave his pure princess in total disarray!

Praise for Pure Princess, Bartered Bride

"Debut novelist Caitlin Crews has penned a winner with her first novel for Harlequin Presents: Pure Princess, Bartered Bride! Sexy, intensely emotional and wholly absorbing, this beguiling marriage of convenience story features a deliciously Alpha hero and an smart and independent heroine readers cannot help but admire." --CataRomance

"I will definitely buy any book that she writes."--Adventures of a Gotham Gal

5 of 5 Stars: "This book has the right ingredients for a very good, entertaining Harlequin Presents." --Danielle’s Book Thoughts

"Caitlin Crews has written a brilliant royal romance, a roller coaster romance with extremely intense emotions oozing from both Luc and Gabrielle."--Marilyn’s Romance Reviews

About Caitlin:

USA Today bestselling author Caitlin Crews discovered her first romance novel at the age of twelve, in a bargain bin at the local five and dime. It involved swashbuckling pirates, grand adventures, a heroine with rustling skirts and a mind of her own, and a seriously mouthwatering and masterful hero. The book (the title of which remains lost in the mists of time) made a serious impression. Caitlin was immediately smitten with romances and romance heroes, to the detriment of her middle school social life. And so began her life-long affair with romance novels, many of which she insists on keeping near her at all times, thus creating a fire hazard of love wherever she lives.

She currently lives in California with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.

Caitlin Crews is the alter-ego of critically acclaimed author Megan Crane. You can find Caitlin at her website: http://www.caitlincrews.com

On Facebook, on Twitter and at her journal

You can buy the book at Amazon and read an excerpt

The Interview

1. Tell me a little bit about the book Bartered, Betrothed and Bedded!

As quiet and dangerous as a jungle cat, achieving the impossible is one of Luc Garnier’s defining characteristics.

Princess Gabrielle is invaluable -- a pearl beyond price. Yet Luc has defied the odds, and a contract for marriage is drawn up. This will be a union on paper first, and of flesh later. . .

Except Gabrielle is just the same in private as in public -- well-bred, well-behaved, and a credit to her country. Luc is determined to find the wanton within and leave his pure princess in total disarray!


2. If your protagonist were to wake up one day with a super power, what would that super power be? Alternatively (or both!) if your protagonist were to wake up one day with an intense craving for something, what would the craving be?


I think my heroine's craving is for freedom. She thinks her marriage to Luc means the end of that dream, but really, it's the first step towards a different, stronger kind of freedom.


3. Would your villain (or antagonist) prefer to be Emperor Ming The Merciless or Darth Vader? Why?

The villain is a paparazzo. I honestly can't imagine anything nastier or more vile than that.


4. What do you consider the heart of your story? That is, what is the issue or emotion that propels things forward? Spill your guts on this one.

The heart of the book is the question of whether or not love--which feels so irrational and impossible--can be trusted, especially when it leads us to unexpected places. And it's also about how terribly afraid we all are of being wrong about that.

5. If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of your book, who gets the call?

Oh... I don't think there's anyone hot enough to play Luc. He's too elemental. However, I once described a Presents novel as what happens when an ordinary girl starts dating King Leonidas from the movie 300. I certainly found Gerard Butler in that role inspirational while I was writing this book. As for Princess Gabrielle, maybe a latter day Grace Kelly. She is pretty much perfect.

6. Is there a scene you cut from the book that you kind of wish you could put back in?

I edit as I go, so there are very rarely whole cut scenes. Just iterations of the same scene.


7. Do you have a sample chapter posted?

I believe you can read through the book on eHarlequin

8. Tell us why your editor is the best editor ever in the universe.

Because she is magical AND a superhero! Seriously. Her edits make everything I write so, so much better. And she once received a manuscript I'd submitted in the morning and returned it, with edits, in under 24 hours. How is that even possible? And her edits were fantastic and right on, as always.

The Contest

To win a copy of this awesome story, leave a comment in which you talk about what you would do if you found yourself dating King Leonidas.

If you don't leave me a way to contact you, then commit to checking back here on the ides of March (that would be March 15) or so, to see if you're the winner. Void where prohibited etc.

Labels: contest, Interview

Today, author HelenKay Dimon answers a lot of tough, hard-hitting questions from yours truly. At the end of it all, she has a book to give away!

Read on about HelenKay, secret government agencies, writing tips and tattooed chefs and then read about how you might be win her book, Holding Out For A Hero. This is a Kensington Brava (meaning it's hot!).

The Interview

1. Write What you Know. That's one of the first rules of successful fiction writing.

Who knew so many authors are vampires, werewolves or demons? Anyway, in looking over your upcoming releases, I'm now curious about how long you've been on the run from the law. (Under the Gun) Also, I notice there's a helicopter on the cover. Awesome. How long have you been flying those things?

When I have some free time in the evenings, I like to grab my gun, head out to the airport and fly a helicopter along the San Diego coastline. The military and FAA don't really like this since they use the same air space and all, but that's why I take the gun. Helicopter versus fighter plane - I win every single time. Just those few hours of flying and shooting and all is well in my world.

And did you really not suspect that some of our author brethren were creatures of the night,or at least aliens? That is the only explanation I can find for...well, never mind.

Exactly. It explains one heck of a lot. Like why writers' conferences are so much fun and why agents and editors have to work late at night so often. (It's the only time they can talk with certain of their clients/authors.)

2. I understand you're a lawyer. Tell me about how being a lawyer prepared you for a career in writing. I have read more than my share of legal briefs and it's been my impression that legal writing is pretty much the opposite of gripping fiction, except for maybe in the facts section if you happen to have an interesting case.

When did the writing bug bite? Did you sit in contracts class doodling story ideas or were you outlining novels instead of your Motion to Dismiss? Or were you too busy running a secret government agency? (It's okay if you're not comfortable talking about your time under cover. Just leave some blanks and I'll fill them in later.)

I think of myself as a recovering lawyer. It's a 12 Step program that begins with getting out and ends with learning not to argue with everyone about everything. Have not conquered that last part yet. That innate need to take the other side of every argument has not subsided yet. Maybe some day.

I have to admit something here....I was one of those. You know the ones. The people who read all the time but don't read romance. I actually wrote and read Motions and thought they were interesting. Yeah, it's sick. Then my life changed. I started litigating contested custody cases. Try to think of something less romantic. I dare you. The work was tough. Watching people rip their kids apart and fight over floral print curtains was hard to take some days.

One day a retiring attorney handed me three romances-- Perfect Partners by Jayne Ann Krentz, The Bride by Julie Garwood and Daniel's Bride by Linda Lael Miller -- and read them and fell in love. I thought the writing was smart and sexy. I realized I'd been missing something. Something pretty great. So, I started reading a lot of romance. About two years later, fueled by an overinflated ego that is just sooooo attractive, I decided I could write one.

Didn't know a thing about fiction writing, but off I went. After a few years of floundering and writing mostly for myself, I decided to go from hobby to potential career. I entered and finaled in Lori Foster's Brava Novella Contest and 18 months later sold to Kensington.

I can honestly say reading romance changed my life. Right now I'd be sitting in a courtroom trying to decide which parent should have the kids on Memorial Day if my world hadn't gone careening wildly off track and into the romance world. I thank Jayne Ann Krentz, Julie Garwood and Linda Lael Miller every single day for that fact I wear sweats instead of pantyhose to work now.

For the record, I don't run a secret government agency but I think the world would be better if I did. Do you know who I can talk to about that?

NB: HelenKay is fibbing. Anyone who flies helicopters and shoots it out with fighter jets is OBVIOUSLY the former head of a secret government agency. I mean, come on. Doh.

Interview Interruptus

Check this out. Is she running secret agency or what? Do you see the office she's sitting in? Does that not say covert agency all over it?

The Interview continues . . .

3. When I interview other authors, I like to get as much writing advice as I can from them. I recently read your book Right Here, Right Now, and I thought the dialogue was exceptionally deft and amusing. As someone who is humor impaired in my fiction, I'm looking for tips on writing humor. If you could also address great dialogue too, that would be helpful (Thanks!)

Did you really read it or are you just saying that to make me like you more? 'Cause it worked I like you even more now.

Yes, I did read it. I'm glad you like me even more. I like you, too, HelenKay. FYI, we don't lie here on my blog. Well, hardly ever. But I'm not lying about your book. Anyway, could we talk a little about dialogue and humor?

But, really, did you read it?? What happens on page 45? And don't give me that "I downloaded the book and my page numbers don't match with the book's" stuff. Not buying it!

Um. Well. Gosh. Oddly enough, I DID read your book on my iPhone. The pages actually don't match the physical copy. I can prove it:



See? Now. About dialogue and humor?

Okay. Good.

That's not about dialogue. Or humor. This is a professional, serious interview here. Plus I need some advice about dialogue and humor.

Back to your question... I love writing dialogue. It's my favorite part. When I write, I actually let the dialogue play in my head (which sounds a little nutty, now that I see that in writing) and put it down on paper as it comes to me. No dialogue tags. No narrative. Just a stream of talk between the characters in the scene, letting it come out in banter and a Moonlighting (am I showing my age?) way. I then build the scene around that back and forth. I end up trimming the dialogue down to avoid a situation where it's obvious I love hearing myself talk and then I layer in the rest.

On humor? I will relay a conversation my hubby and I have just about every week:

Me: I'm funny. Most people aren't funny, so you're lucky to be with me.

Hubby (deadpan): Uh-huh. You're hysterical.

Clearly, he does not appreciate just how funny I am.

Wow. Words fail me.

I'm not sure that my dialogue ever strikes me as funny when I write it. People tell me it's funny, which is fabulous, because I love funny. But, really, I think humor is either a part of your voice or not. If you try to be funny --force it --it comes off as obvious and, well, not funny. I do think it's easier to aim for amusing. We all have amusing things happen to us, stuff that makes us smile. Those relatable pieces of life amuse people and add that bit of lightness to a story.


4. I'm curious about how you managed to have two books out in the same month. Are you just an insanely fast writer?

My publishers hate me. See, those books were supposed to come out in different months. Then, each publisher shifted each book by a month and - viola - two releases. This is somewhat better than October 2009 when I had three releases...all from the same publisher. I cried a lot and worried about the?end of my career during October 2009.

But on the fast thing? I do write fairly fast but only after the book is in my head. I have to start thinking about it all the time, seeing the scenes flash by (again, sounds nutty), before I can get it down on paper in anything other than crap form.

About The Books- Plus the Interview Continues . . .

5. Can you tell me a couple of things about Under the Gun and Leave Me Breathless that aren't in the cover blurb (since those will be posted here for everyone to read and admire.) Is there a spicy or exciting scene or two you can tease us with?

My favorite part of Under The Gun isn't in the cover blurb. See, these folks were once engaged. Our lovely heroine Claire, dumped handsome hero Luke before the wedding and Claire is now accused of killing the guy she married instead of our fine hero. How's that for some added conflict? If that wasn't bad enough, I injured poor Luke in the first scene and keep the guy in pain for the entire book. Mean author.

I'm kind of scared of you now.

Here's a little taste:

The second they were alone Luke pinned Claire with the same green-eyed gaze that used to make her forget what she was saying from one thought to another.

"If you even try move out of this room I'll stop you," he said.

"You only have one good arm."

"I can do a lot with just that one."

Which was exactly why she hadn't yet made a run for the door. "I'm not leaving."

"That's not my experience," he mumbled under his breath.

Adam stalked back into the room and dumped a small box on the table, along with gauze, some medicine, a knife and a bottle. "What are we looking at in terms of injuries here?"

Luke tried to lift his arm but groaned instead. "It's a through and through. Not serious. Just bloody and stings like a son of a bitch."

She eyed up the whiskey. "Which is cause for a celebratory drink?"

Both men stared at her but only Luke answered. "I'm going to use it to clean the wound."

She noticed his husky voice had cleared and his swaying had stopped. Still... "Shouldn't you be at a hospital? I mean, how bad is this?"

Luke picked up a bandage packet and put the edge between his teeth and ripped it open. "It's a gunshot, so it doesn't feel good. But, unfortunately for you, I'm not going to die."

She forgot how dizzying his stubbornness could be. "You are if you don't stop with the attitude."

He peeked up at her through his mop of hair. "I'd like to remind you how I got shot."

That was an easy one. He refused to stick with the mental plan she had worked out for him. He might hate her but his rescue tendencies hadn't dulled.

ooh. I like.

Order Under the Gun

About Leave me Breathless

Leave Me Breathless is sexier and a bit less suspense oriented. Ben is a young superstar judge. Callie is his unwanted bodyguard and is completely unimpressed with Ben's impressive record. Loved making the heroine the tough one and the hero the one who insisted he didn't need help.

PERMISSION TO APPROACH

According to Judge Bennett Walker, trying to kill him is a dumb idea. They might make him wear a big black nightgown to work, but it covers a lot of muscles, and he’s definitely packing beneath it. He’s also an ex-prosecutor and an ex-GI Joe. So when his brother brings in Callie Robbins to protect him, Ben has a few issues. First, he doesn't need a bodyguard. Second, she’s a 130-pound girl—more smoking hot than smoking gun. And third, what if his body wants her guarding the night shift?

Callie has no problem brushing aside Ben’s disbelief. She left the FBI to escape the boys’ club, but she can be deeper undercover and twice as lethal as any beefy John Doe. As for whether someone’s after Bennett or not, the death threats and car bombs look pretty convincing to Callie. Of course, she might get distracted, sitting inches from the sexiest judge in DC for ten hours a day. Keeping him safe is no picnic. Keeping it professional—that might be impossible.

Here's a brief scene from early in their relationship

Something clicked in Ben's head. "Wait, how do you know about the email?"

Callie bit her bottom lip but stayed quiet.

That couldn't be a good sign. "You were on my computer?" He knew the answer but wanted her to own up to the misdemeanor. Maybe apologize.

"I was checking for email threats." She scribbled down something on the lined paper. "Get used to it."

She sure didn't sound sorry to him. "You were violating my privacy."

"We can call it whatever you want."

"How about illegal? I could have you arrested."

She snorted. "Oh, please."

It was hard to threaten someone who refused to be afraid. "Which reminds me, how did you get in the office this morning?

She reached inside her blazer pocket and flashed a courthouse I.D. badge at him. "I also have a key to the suite and my own desk."

He followed her head nod to the small set-up perpendicular from his under the window. How in the hell had he missed that? "I don’t think so."

"You don't get a vote."

She needed to understand how this arrangement was going to work. Her pushy demanding act was not the right answer. "The governor who appointed me and the electorate that keeps me here would disagree."

She rolled her eyes. Made quite the dramatic scene of it, too. "Must you talk like that?"

"Like what?"

"All hoity and superior."

He tried to remember the last time someone fought him this hard and showed so little respect for his position. He came up with an answer fast: never. "Was it the word 'electorate' that upset you?"

She threw her notebook on his desk. "To be honest, most everything you say annoys me."

He was starting to see why she no longer had a job with the FBI. That mouth could not have been an asset in a rule-oriented, follow-the-chain-of-command government agency. "Right back at you, sweetheart."

Oooh. I like this too!


order Leave me Breathless

Carolyn Asks HelenKay a REALLY hard Question

Which of these two scenarios would you prefer? Explain your choice.

A. You're walking down the street on a nice day when a pastry chef runs out of the bakery you're passing and practically mows you down. To apologize, he gives you his pastry chef hat which you wear that afternoon when you're settling in for an afternoon of baking goodies for yours truly. The hat, you discover, confers the ability to make baked goods better than anyone in the world but only if you bake for good, not evil.

B. You're walking down the street on a nice day when a tattoo artist runs out of his tattoo parlor and practically mows you down. To apologize, he gives you a free tattoo (location your choice). One week later, you discover that your new tat confers on you the ability to understand the directions for any product that says "Some assembly required" on the box.

Is there an option for a hot pastry chef with a tattoo? Of those two, I'd pick the hat because I can't cook. If it doesn't come frozen and in a box, I can't make it. Needless to say, my hubby does all of the cooking in our house, which is a good thing because we'd starve otherwise. But the idea of being able to make all the cookies and cakes and cinnamon buns I want is just awesome. I could cook and then eat my way out of the room. I might fantasize about that for the rest of the week. Thanks for putting that in my head.

I can't believe I didn't think of a hot pastry chef with a tattoo! My God, that's brilliant. He should have a tat of an apple pie on his butt.

Thank you so much for hosting me here!

You're welcome! Thanks for stopping by.

How To Possibly Win HelenKay's Book

Answer one or more of the following questions in the comments:

• Suppose the Tattooed Chef DOES NOT have a tattoo of apple pie. But there is a tattoo. What's the next best tat for a hot pastry chef?
• What's your favorite pastry?
• Where do you prefer to eat your favorite pastry?
  

Rules: Contest is open until -- uh -- Wednesday February 17th. Get your comment in by midnight Pacific. If you don't leave me an email so I can contact you if you win, then please commit to checking back Thursday or Friday (2/18-19) to see if you won. Void where prohibited etc.

Go!

Labels: Authors, AuthorTalk, contest, Interview

Go enter Ann Aguirre's Hell Fire ARC contest.

She's giving away 8 ARCs on her blog, and two on Twitter. Check it out. Enter. You won't be sorry.

Over at The Riskies we're setting up a Read-Along. Help us decide what book to read. There will be some prizes during the Risky Reading.

Labels: Authors, contest, reading

Today I'm author Judi Fennel visits my blog to talk about her new release. It's got mermaids. Is that awesome or what? Please note, Judi has a great contest going so check it out at the end of this post!

About The Author

Judi Fennell has had her nose in a book and her head in some celestial realm all her life, including those early years when her mom would exhort her to "get outside!" instead of watching Bewitched or I Dream of Jeannie on television. So she did--right into Dad's hammock with her Nancy Drew books.

These days she's more likely to have her nose in her laptop and her head (and the rest of her body) at her favorite bookstore, but she's still reading, whether it be her latest manuscript or friends' books.

A three-time finalist in online contests, Judi has enjoyed the reader feedback she's received and would love to hear what you think about her Mer series. Check out her website at www.JudiFennell.com for excerpts, reviews and fun pictures from reader and writer conferences, and the chance to "dive in" to her stories.

About the Book

She's on a mission to save the planet. . .

Mermaid Angel Tritone has been researching humans from afar, hoping to find a way to convince them to stop polluting. When she jumps into a boat to escape a shark attack, it's her chance to pursue her mission, but she has to keep her identity a total secret. . .

When he finds out what she really is, they're both in mortal danger. . .

For Logan Hardington, finding a beautiful woman on his boat is surely not a problem-- until he discovers she's a mermaid, and suddenly his life is on the line. . .

What people are saying

Fennell's got detailed worldbuilding, creative secondary characters and an impressive use of mythology in this great read. While this title is part of a series, it works well as a stand-alone. Angel and Logan are both incredibly textured characters.
RT BookReview Magazine 4 Stars

Judi Fennell has extraordinary imagination and has certainly used it in creating this exciting and colorful story. Her characters are wonderful.
Fresh Fiction

The best blend of both worlds. I... love each and every character in Catch of A Lifetime (and) found (it) well worth diving into.
Long And Short Reviews 4.5 Books

4 Stars!
Affair de Coeur Magazine

Catch of a Lifetime is a heart warming tale. Ms. Fennell Ms. Fennell has created a delightful world that, I have enjoyed escaping to. It is both dangerous and fun.
Anna's Book Blog

The Interview

1. If your protagonist were to wake up one day with a super power, what would that super power be?
Angel actually wouldn't care whether she had one or not. She can change her tail to legs and back again, so she's pretty happy. Maybe if she could extend that change from two days to six months, that might do it. But she's a scientist; she prefers facts and evidence to magic.

2. If your protagonist were to wake up one day with an intense craving for something, what would the craving be?
Ice cream. Peppermint. Frozen iceberg chips just don't have the same flavor.

3. Would your villain (or antagonist) prefer to be Emperor Ming The Merciless or Darth Vader? Why?
Darth - Ming ruled a planet. Darth has a bigger focus; he wants every universe out there. Ceto has a bone to pick with The Gods and she wouldn't mind having more power than them. As for the sharks, they'd just be happy to have a say in what happens on The Council. Actually, that's not true. I could see A.C. using that as a stepping stone to the throne. Maybe even Poseidon's trident.

4. What do you consider the heart of your story? That is, what is the issue or emotion that propels things forward? Spill your guts on this one.
Angel wanting to be someone. I hadn't seen that coming when I wrote her story. All of a sudden, she's thinking about how much she wants to be so much more than "Just Angel." I hadn't realized. I love when things like that happen when I'm writing a story. All along, she's known why she's pushing so hard for the job she's after, but I hadn't realized why until that moment. It makes writing magical.


5. If you were in charge of casting the movie adaptation of your book, who gets the call?
I always love this question because while I can pick actors/actresses for my characters, I have a hard time seeing them as the characters because the characters are such vivid personalities in their own right. But, by all means, let Hollywood come calling! For Angel, I see Jessica Alba, and for Logan, Hugh Jackman. I have yet to see a Michael anywhere, though. And I'd pull Susan Sarandon in for Ceto, and either Pacino or DeNiro for A.C. Hell, this is a "what if" so let's get both. There are enough thug hammerheads to go around Hollywood mafiosos. Ray Liotta, too.

6. Is there a scene you cut from the book that you kind of wish you could put back in?
The first five chapters. :) Yep, I wrote five chapters before the opening of the book. They showed Angel escaping Hammerhead Harry, and what happens when she shows up on the boat and Michael sees her. But I think the book is stronger written the way it was published. Those five chapters, however, make good "freebies" on my website and will go up over the next few weeks.

7. Do you have a sample chapter posted?
I have an excerpt on my website.

8. Tell us why your editor is the best editor ever in the universe.
Because she loves my stories enough to buy them! And my next series, too. And hopefully more after that. Seriously, though, Deb Werksman is amazing. She knows just how to get to the heart of the story and build it outward from there. She can see things that need clarification and convey them wonderfully. Not that I like having to do those kinds of revisions, but all of my books are stronger because of the role she plays.

Contest

To celebrate the release of each of her books, Judi Fennell and the Atlantis Inn and the Hibiscus House bed and breakfasts are raffling off three romantic beach getaway weekends. All information is on Judi's website, www.JudiFennell.com.

Labels: Authors, contest, Interview

Two more signed books are up this time, both by the fantabulous Amanda McCabe

The Winter Queen

Sent to Serve
As Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-Waiting, innocent Lady Rosamund is unprepared for the temptations of Court. She is swept up in the festivities of the yuletide season and, as seduction perfumes the air, Rosamund is drawn to darkly enticing Anton Gustavson. . .

Seduced By A Master!
With the coming of the glittering Frost Fair, they are tangled in a web of forbidden desire and dangerous secrets. For in this time of desperate plots and intrigues, Anton is more than just a handsome suitor-- he may have endangered the life of the woman he is learning to love . . .

Spirited Brides

This book includes two wonderful stories for your enjoyment! How could you possibly resist?

One Touch of Magic
Sarah, Lady Iverson, is forging ahead with her late husband's work by excavating an ancient Viking village on an estate owned by Miles Rutledge, who inherited the property from his uncle. Although dismayed that a dig is being performed on grounds best suited for crops, he's intrigued by Sarah's scholarly pursuits--and by a connection between them that promises wealth beyond any buried treasure.

A tour-de-force -- Rakehell Reviews

A Loving Spirit
Visiting Royce Castle in the wilds of Cornwall delights Cassie Richards, for she's always been intrigued by the stories of its ghosts--and by the enigmatic lord of the manor. Rational-minded Phillip, the Earl of Royce, has no time or patience for silly rumors of phantoms--or the attentions of attractive young ladies. But when Cassie arrives at his mother's invitation, he's hard put to deny an unexpected infatuation that might just bloom into love...with some spiritual guidance.

An engaging romp with a romance that's sure to please -- Romance Reviews Today

How to be in the running to win these two books

Easy! All you have to do is answer the following question before December 31 is over -- here in California. Shortly after that I will choose a random winner. If you don't leave me a way to contact you, you'll have to commit to checking back after the 31st to see if you won. I reserve the right to choose another winner if previous winners fail to timely respond. Void where prohibited.

The Question

Which would you rather have, exquisite taste in fashion or an unerring sense of timing. Why?

Go.

Labels: contest

OK. Here's the winnings. Also, All these books are signed by the author!

Lisa Dale's It Happened One Night

Sometimes Love Finds You When You Least Expect It
Lana Biel has always wanted to shake the dust of Vermont off her feet and see the world, one exotic country after another. But when a lighthearted spring fling changes her life forever, she turns tot he one man whose strong shoulders can lighten any burden: her best friend, Eli Ward.
Eli has always been there for Lana-- after all, that's what best friends do. But Lana isn't the only one hiding something. Eli is keeping secrets of his own that threaten their relationship. Yet as summer turns to fall, new desires awaken between them, even as old fears tear them apart. Then, when another Vermont winter fills the valleys with snow, Eli and Lana are given the chance for an adventure greater than they ever dreamed possible. . . and a love that will last for all time.

Evenings at the Argentine Club by Julia Amante

Victor and Jaqueline Torres imagined moving to the U.S. would bring happiness and prosperity-instead they found a world of frustration. While Victor put long hours into his restaurant business, Jaqui devoted her life to her daughters, until they grew up and moved on. Even their eldest, Victoria, is torn trying to reconcile being the perfect Argentine daughter and an independent American woman. Antonio and Lucia Orteli face the same realities, especially when their only son Eric leaves their close-knit Argentine community in pursuit of his own dreams. When Eric unexpectedly shows up at the Argentine Club-the heart of the Argentine community in southern California-he starts a series of events that will bring these two families closer than ever. New relationships are formed and old ones are put to the test, as everyone must learn how to balance different cultures-and different dreams-without hurting those they love.

Seduce Me by Robyn DeHart, Legend Hunters Series: Book One

Fielding Grey is a treasure seeker with a taste for danger and experienced women. His latest mission: wrest Pandora's fabled box from a notorious criminal mastermind. Not in the job description: save an innocent damsel in distress.

A bookish miss, Esme Worthington has favored dusty tomes over society balls, and thrilling tales over flirtations. But when two scoundrels break into her home, she is thrust into a real-life adventure. Pursued and suddenly possessing the forbidden box, Esme can't resist peeking inside. Under the spell of Pandora's seductive curse, she's soon offering herself to Fielding – body and soul. With her reluctant rescuer determined to resist her charms, can the two outwit an enemy who will stop at nothing to seize their precious prize?

Spine-tingling adventure and sexy secrets! Robyn DeHart's vibrant characters sweep the reader into a clever and sensual romp that is not to be missed.
-- Julia London, NYT Bestselling Author of Highland Scandal

SEDUCE ME is a rousing and rollicking romantic adventure! If you like THE MUMMY and PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, you'll love SEDUCE ME. Robyn DeHart proves that falling in love is the greatest adventure of all.
-- Teresa Medeiros, NYT Bestselling Author of Some Like it Wild

Find out More

A Hint of Wicked by Jennifer Haymore

What happens when a lady desires not one man, but two?

CAUGHT BETWEEN DUTY AND DESIRE...
Sophie, the Duchess of Calton, has finally moved on. After seven years mourning the loss of her husband, Garrett, at Waterloo, she has married his best friend and heir, Tristan. Sophie gives herself to him body and soul... until the day Garrett returns from the Continent, demanding his title, his lands-and his wife.
TORN BETWEEN TWO HUSBANDS...

Now Sophie must choose between her first love and her new love, knowing that no matter what, her choice will destroy one of the men she adores. Will it be Garrett, her childhood sweetheart, whose loss nearly destroyed her once already? Or will it be Tristan, beloved friend turned lover, who supported her through the last, dark years and introduced her to a passion she had never known? As her two husbands battle for her heart, Sophie finds herself immersed in a dangerous game-where the stakes are not only love... but life and death.

... one of the best historical romances I have read this year.
-- Fallen Angels Reviews

... delivers almost too thoroughly on its heart-tearing premise.
-- Publisher’s Weekly

...an up-and-coming new writer who displays a skillful touch...
-- New York Times bestselling author Shirlee Busbee

...a unique plot filled with powerful emotion and complex issues.
--Romantic Times

How to Win All These Books!

Leave a comment with an answer to this question:

Do you ever cry at movies? If yes, what's the most recent movie that got you teary-eyed? No worries if the answer is no.

I'll choose a random winner on 12/24, okay?

Labels: contest

I have 3 copies of Zoe Archer's Half Past Dead


In this round, there are three books up for grabs AND you get two stories by two great authors.

Samuel Reed had no idea magic existed, until it almost destroyed him. Thirsting for vengeance against the enemy who made him something less than human, Sam returns to England and crosses paths with Cassandra Fielding. His best friend's little sister has become a fearless woman on a dangerous mission of her own. And against all odds, she sees past what he’s become, and stirs a desire he thought he’d lost forever....

Two...novellas combine themes of love and zombies. Vintage horror, high adventure, and soul-aching romance blend in Archer's compelling The Undying Heart, prequel to the upcoming Blades of the Rose trilogy.... Readers [will] love Archer's powerful, polished tale.
-- Publisher’s Weekly

Four Stars! These zombie stories stand out in a genre dominated by vampires. The two tales of lovers reunited feature strong, courageous women who won’t let zombies stand in the way of getting their man. Archer's imaginative and unusual tale will have you cheering for the characters, while D'Arc delivers a creepy and pulse-pounding story of danger.
-- Romantic Times

So, three of you will win a copy of this book. Awesomeness.

Here's how to throw your hat in the ring:

Leave a comment (and a way to contact you) in which you answer one of the following Three Questions

Question 1

If you woke up one day and discovered you could do magic (NB: This does NOT make you god-like) would you:

1. Quit your day job and schedule a long vacation to Paris
2. Serve up some revenge. Ice cold
3. Read the Manual you found on the foot of your bed, THEN serve up some revenge, arctic style
4. Only use your powers for good
5. Other.(Please explain)

Question 2

Speculate on why Yours Truly is so fixated on revenge.

Question 3

Look down. What's on your feet? How come?

You have until Thursday December 17th to get your comment in.

Go.

Labels: contest

Today's contest is for a signed copy of Susan Crandall's Pitch Black PLUS a surprise.

In an effort to give her newly adopted teenage son, Ethan, a fresh start, Philadelphia journalist Madison Wade relocates to a small Tennessee town. When Ethan goes on a camping trip with three other teens and returns without their chaperone, Ethan's past casts him as suspect in a crime. The secrets Madison uncovers as she tries to clear her son brings danger from unexpected places and puts her at odds with the local sheriff -- a man who has been trying to win her heart.

Let me just say that I LOVE Romantic Suspense, and this storyline is exactly what I love. I would totally steal this book if Susan hadn't sent it to me so I could give it away to deserving blog readers such as yourself.

Praise for Pitch Black

Keep the lights on bright for PITCH BLACK! -- Karen Harper, New York Times bestselling author.

Prepare to be thoroughly captivated by Crandall's PITCH BLACK world! -- Karen Rose, New York Times bestselling author.

In addition to Pitch Black, I will send along a surprise. Maybe another book. Maybe a little something from one of my two favorite stores in Petaluma. Total surprise even to me. Maybe it will have something to do with the title, maybe not. It just depends how I'm feeling. Maybe I'll send along something silly from my other favorite store in town that has some awesomely cool silly stuff. You won't know because it will be a surprise!

To enter this contest, leave a comment with a way to contact you. In your comment, please answer the following question:

You have this weird neighbor that you have never, ever seen in daylight. He came over once when you were having a block party and the festivities went on late into the night. He's tall, good looking but extremely pale. He has a lime green iPod. He's an extremely good dancer and appallingly good at Trivial Pursuit. It is now 12:01 AM. You are alone in your room. It is PITCH BLACK because there's a total eclipse of the moon and you are in bed unable to sleep until you know who won the 1974 World Series. You just happen to have your weird neighbor's phone number and a fully charged cell phone. You call . . .

What happens next?

If you prefer, feel free to answer the question as if the weird neighbor is a woman.

Just make something up. Or go for it. Or something.

This contest is open until end of Monday, December 14. (Pacific Time)

Go.

ETA: Comments are now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Labels: contest, surprise

This contest is also for three signed books -- but one winner will rule them all. Which books you ask?

::Rubbing hands with Holiday glee::

Elizabeth Hoyt's Prince Trilogy!

The Raven Prince
There comes a time in a Lady's Life . . . Windowed Anna Wren is having a wretched day. After an arrogant male on horseback nearly squashes her, she arrives home to learn that she is in dire financial straits...

The Leopard Prince

The One Thing a Lady Must Never Do . . . Wealthy lady Georgina Maitland doesn't want a husband, though she could use a good steward to run her estates. One look at Harry Pye, and Georgina knows she's not just dealing with a servant, but a man. . .

The Serpent Prince

When the Devil Meets an Angel. . . Country bred Lucy Craddock-Hayes in content with her quiet life. Until the day she trips over an unconscious man -- a naked unconscious man -- and loses her innocence forever . . .

Ahh. Don't they just sound wonderful?

To win all three of these signed novels, leave a comment about . . . uh . . . Heh. Answer this question:

If you were a shape shifter, which animal would you prefer to be? A raven, a leopard or serpent? Please support your answer with evidence. Feel free to make it up. Or whatever.

Go.

Please leave a way for me to contact you if you're the winner, otherwise you have to commit to check back here to see if you won. Contest open until, uh, Thursday 12/10/2009.

Labels: contest

It's the holidays and I'm in a giving mood.

So, here's what I'm giving out today.

Three (3) copies of Veronica Wolff's Lord of the Highlands. Signed. Did I mention they're signed by the author herself?

What's the book about you ask? Well, I decided to interview the book to find out.

Yours Truly: Hi and welcome to my blog. I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to find out what you're about. Can you describe yourself?


Lord of the Highlands: Thanks so much for having the three of us here. //riffling of pages//

YT: Pick a representative to speak, OK, it's hard to understand you when you all talk at once.

LotH: Only time and a woman's love can liberate him.

YT: Oh, that sounds good. Say, what do you look like?

LotH:

YT: Wow. You're kind of hot. Is that sword heavy?

LotH #1: Yes. Did you know Veronica Wolff's Scotsmen are pure temptation -- USA Today bestselling author Sandra Hill. ?

LotH #2: He was her one true love. He just lived in another century.

YT: Just like Alexander Skarsgard is my One True Love. Only he doesn't live in another century. He lives in Los Angeles, which is worse.

LotH #3: An online dating service may have pronounced Felicity "unmatchable" but she's determined-- and destined-- to find her perfect mate. All it takes is a mystical deck of Tarot cards to put her dreams to the test.



YT: I think that dating service was wrong about-- oh. You mean the heroine of the story? OK. Hmm. So what happened with the Tarot cards?

LotH #1: Light a candle. Choose a card. And old Scotland is only a wish away. . .

YT: OK, just a sec. schwippppp. Is vanilla scented OK?

LotH 1,2 and 3: pages riffling

YT: Well hold on. I don't like that card. Wait. Right. Got one. The Knight of Pentacles. Ooh, armor. Now what?

LotH #1: Scarred by betrayal, Will Rollo lives to defend the monarchy against traitors. . . and he rides alone.

YT: Hey, just like the Knight of Pentalces!

LotH #1: The last thing he needs to contend with is a love-struck woman. So when Felicity appears, spirited by magic, Rollo's determined to crush all tender feelings for her. But as passion binds them in a dark era, where witchcraft is punishable by death, Rollo must make a daring choice: send Felicity back to her own time, or endanger both their lives.

YT: I have a really great idea. I'm going over to random.org and getting a number between 1 and 324. When I get back, you guys tell me the first sentence of that page.

LotH 1-3: silence

YT: 190.

LotH #2: Chapter 23.

YT: OK. Two sentences.

LotH #3: The feel of the minister's hand repulsed her.

YT: Ooh. A bad guy! Let's do that again!

LotH #3: Very loud page riffling

LotH #2: A man alone is no man.

LotH #1: Thank you for having us in your lovely home even though the inside of your bag is very dark. And your desk is very dusty. We are looking for new homes now. Can you help us?

YT: Yes, I can.

Dear blog readers, please leave a comment about what you like about Scotland or would probably like if you were there. Or make something up. Three of you will win a signed copy of this book. Leave me a way to contact you or check back soon to see if you won.

ETA: This post is now closed to comments since a winner has been declared!

Labels: contest, free stuff, Men in Kilts

Elizabeth Hoyt is having a contest. You could win three of my books. (Indiscreet, Scandal and My Forbidden Desire) Enter here.

In other news, I made pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving and have since been baking lots of pumpkin stuff because I bought a big pumpkin and had LOTS of pumpkin left over. The pumpkin muffins have been consumed. Yummy. I made pumpkin soup last night that was amazing. That disappeared before it had time to cool. Today I made a pumpkin bread with cranberries and boy, it's really, really good. I'll probably make 1-2 more pumpkin-y things.

I've now been twice to see the movie The Blind Side. What a great movie! Go see it.

I'm in the middle of reading Diana Holquist's Hungry For More. It's really cute and I'm in awe of how accurate the chef details seem to be. From what I've read (I went on a Ruth Reichel binge a while back plus read a long New Yorker article about chefs) she seems to have nailed the details. And even if she didn't, she's making me believe she did.

This afternoon, I met some friends and had European Sipping Chocolate and talked about books. What a lovely day.

Currently, I am in denial about Monday and how much I've eaten. Please support me in this effort.

Thank you.

Labels: baking, contest, movies, reading

I'm totally Psyched to have New York Times Bestselling author Nalini Singh visiting my blog today. Yay!!!! She has a brand new book out and I'm pimping her right here. That's right. Nalini Singh. Right here at my blog! squeeeeeee! Plus, there's a contest. You could win a free book. Read through to the end of the post to see what you need to do.

And, if you happen to subscribe to my newsletter, one of you will win a book, too! Because I'm awesome that way, and so is Nalini. Need proof? Read on.

Carolyn Poses Important Questions to Nalini

Carolyn: Eric Northman or Vampire Bill?

Nalini: I think Eric. Or maybe Bill. Eric. Bill. Do I have to choose???

Yes. You have to chose. I'll put you down in the Eric column.

Carolyn: You're walking along the forest path when an amazingly hot elf blocks your way. (Assume he closely resembles Orlando Bloom after a 16 week workout regimen rigorously observed.) After you admire his impressive sword with jeweled hilt, he offers you one of two gifts, your choice. Which do you choose, the Elixir of Immortality or fluency in any language?

Nalini: On the face of it, this one is a no brainer - the Elixir, of course, because if you have a millennium or two, learning languages isn't going to be a problem.

However, I'm not sure I'd like to live forever - especially if it was only me who was changed. Can you imagine what it would be like to watch everyone around you grow old while you remained forever young? It would be different if those I loved were also given the chance to be immortal. (The gift and price of immortality is actually something I've considered a lot, as it's one of the threads in my Guild Hunter series.)

You raise some good points. Plus, what if the Elixir didn't confer eternal youth? Elves can be tricky that way.

Carolyn: Which creeps you out more? Spiders hanging from the ceiling (right over your bed) or eyes that glow in the dark (in your closet)?

Nalini: The spiders, hands down! (Have you seen The Grudge? That scene where all that hair is hanging down from the ceiling? Creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy!)

I spend many nights staring at my closet.

Carolyn: Dark chocolate or milk?

Nalini: Chocolate in any form is a winner for me.

Glad to hear it, Nalini. It's important to be open minded and flexible about these things.

Carolyn: For the purposes of this question, assume these two items are equal in value. I know you wouldn't want to be cheap. You're shopping someplace exclusive with someone else's bucket o' cash. What do you get me? Diamond earrings (highest quality and exquisitely cut and set) or a brand new top of the line Jag (insurance pre-paid for life of car)

Nalini: Well, if it's someone else's (endless) bucket o' cash, why not both? *g* But if I had to choose, I think I'd go for the diamonds - you could wear and enjoy them 24/7 if you so wished. (Though I suppose you could live in your Jag if you wanted to.)

You are my BFF.

About the Book

BLAZE OF MEMORY
BERKLEY BOOKS
Out 3 November 2009

Nalini Singh returns to the Psy/Changeling world and its "breathtaking blend of passion, adventure, and the paranormal" as a woman without a past becomes the pawn of a man who controls her future. . .

Dev Santos discovers her unconscious and battered, with no memory of who she is. All she knows is that she's dangerous. Charged with protecting his people's most vulnerable secrets, Dev is duty-bound to eliminate all threats. It's a task he's never hesitated to complete . . . until he finds himself drawn to a woman who might yet prove the enemy's most insidious weapon.

Stripped of her memories by a shadowy oppressor, and programmed to carry out cold-blooded murder, Katya Haas is fighting desperately for her sanity itself. Her only hope is Dev. But how can she expect to gain the trust of a man who could very well be her next target? For in this game, one must die. . .

Excerpt

More about Nalini's Books

Reviews

...When it comes to delivering stories that grab you by the throat and don't let go, Singh is in a class by herself! -- Romantic Times

...BLAZE OF MEMORY had me in tears with the tenderness that Dev and Katya exposed in each other. This story adds immensely to the series . . . You will want to revisit this love story again and again. -- Romance Junkies

Contest

Leave a comment with your answer to the question below by midnight (Pacific Time) on Friday November 6 to go into the draw to win a signed copy of Branded By Fire, the previous book in the series.

Read an excerpt of Branded by Fire (warning, excerpt may singe your eyebrows off).

Contest Question: If someone wiped your memory and left you on a hero's doorstep, which hero would you want it to be?

(Carolyn's answer: Eric Northman. Doh. Others of you may disagree which just means more Eric for Carolyn!)

Labels: Authors, contest, Interview

Woot!! Meljean Brook is here! In case you don't know, Meljean's book Demon Forged hit bookstores the same day as Indiscreet. What you may also not know is that there is a character in Indiscreet whose last name, by a huge, amazing coincidence, has the last time Brook. Hard to believe, isn't it? Hah. I was desperate for a name for this guy, and there was Meljean's book. . . Brook. That name is teh awesome! said I. So I stole her name. It's in my book now. Forever.

Meljean writes the awesome Guardian series, and if you like paranormal I really do urge you to read her books if you haven't already started. I love this series. I really really do.

Read on to the end of this post to find out how you can, if you're really clever, get yourself in a position to win a signed copy of Indiscreet AND Demon Forged.

Demon Forged, by the way, was a Romantic Times Top Pick, so you know it's good. (Hoo boy is it!)

Carolyn Interrogates Meljean

1. Thinking back to yourself at, say, five years old, were there any clues then that you'd end up writing novels? If so, what were they? When did you know you had the writing bug?


At five, definitely not. By sixth grade, though, I was reading constantly and making up my own stories. Most of them remained in my head, though I scribbled out ideas and scenes. By eighth grade, I was practicing my pseudonym autograph all over my notebook covers (it looks almost exactly the same as it does today.)

For a long time, though, it wasn't something I seriously pursued. I wrote all of the time, but I didn't think of it in terms of: I'm going to be published and make a living this way. I just really enjoyed writing, and I especially enjoyed writing the kinds of things that I loved reading. After a while, though, and a few trips through other (sensible) career choices, I decided: I'm going to try to do this. And then I got a little unexpected help in that area, and actually did it.

2. Regarding your fan fiction, can you talk a little bit about how, why, when and how long you were writing it?

As I mentioned above, I'd been fiddling with stories for a long time. I'd already noticed that I had a tendency to include romance and fantasy elements in my work, but I didn't really finish anything. I'd have great ideas that just petered out along the way. For a long time, this didn't bother me, because I was just having fun ... but then it started irritating me more and more. I wanted to write a romance (not as a career yet, but just to write it) but I knew I needed to finish it. But something just wasn't clicking.

And at the same time, I was in college, and the writing was kind of a side-thing. So were comic books, and reading fanfiction. And it just happened that I read a fanfic that inspired me, and I became obsessed with a certain couple -- Batman and Wonder Woman -- and so I wrote a chapter in a fanfic romance. Then another. And I said to myself: This is it. This is where we find out if you can finish a novel-length story. It took me a couple of months, but I did ... and I loved not just the story, but the process. So I wrote another fic, and another, for about two years.

But I realized I wasn't satisfied with writing these characters anymore, because I'd begun writing mostly alternate universe fics (where the characters are different versions of Batman and Wonder Woman -- alternate timelines, different worlds, etc). I still had a lot of BM/WW stories to tell, but I wanted to start writing my own characters. I also decided that I was going to finish the story, and submit it, and work toward being published. So I began altering and expanding on of the alternate universe fanfics, and that eventually morphed into the Guardian series.

And in what might have been the luckiest moment of my life, my fanfic caught the eye of my editor, who was a BM/WW fan. She asked if I had anything original to submit at the time I was working on what would become Demon Angel. That story wasn't strong enough yet for a contract, but she offered me a spot in the Hot Spell anthology.

3. Your style of story telling reminds me of some of the Epic Fantasy writers, whose complex characterizations unfold with such incredible richness. Is this a deliberate choice or is it just the way it works for you?

It's both, I think. The simple answer is that it's just the way it works for me -- it's the way my style and my voice just are. But it's also a choice as I'm writing. I love to peel away the layers, I love characters with complexity, who aren't easily defined. I love digging into them, and hurting them, and making them laugh and love. Plus, this is romance, and love is rarely simple -- so I do my best to show every side of a character, so that I am convinced (and hopefully the reader is, too) that the love is deep, and true, and will truly last an eternity.

4. How the heck did you come up with the idea of someone who looks in a mirror and sees Hell instead of his face? (Colin from Demon Angel) And a blacksmith/metalworker heroine (Irena in Demon Forged) explain that one, too.

For Colin, it was a combination of playing off of the classic "vampires can't see themselves in a mirror" myth, and me trying to think of the absolute worst thing that I could do to him. He's incredibly vain, so not seeing his reflection might have been enough -- but throwing in a curse and making him uncertain about whether the hell that he sees is a reflection of his soul (until he discovers the truth and learns that he's just seeing another realm)? Ah, the pain. It's delicious. And it adds another dimension to his vanity, one that makes his character a little more sympathetic, and ties into the plot of the books. It was just one of those ideas that started out very small (me, wondering whether I should let vampires see their reflection) and just worked on several levels.

Irena's character began in a similar way: just a tiny idea that grew into something bigger. In Demon Night, I introduced her, but didn't even mention her by name. She creates a little metal piano for Charlie (which was more about Charlie at that point than Irena), and Charlie describes her as, "a hard-edged female." And that was it.

But I knew I wanted to use this character, I knew she was going to be important in the series (I knew I was going to need a female character who fills the role that Irena eventually takes in Demon Forged) so I began developing her backstory. Once I did, the pieces just fell into place, and much like Colin's curse, her Gift played into both her character and the plot on several levels. I ended up making her into exactly what I needed from that one tiny line in Demon Night.

5. Since we're on the subject of Demon Forged, can you talk a little bit about the ideas and characters of the book? Have you had them bumping around in your head for a while?

To answer the second question first: Yes and no. In this series, I have a general outline of Where I Am Going and What Needs To Happen On The Way, but I don't have a habit of introducing or creating future heroes and heroines before I need them (with a few exceptions, like Michael). So I am usually about two books ahead when I begin deciding who is going to do what, and how they are going to do it. My process of creating Irena is a good example -- I've known from the beginning that I need someone to [avoiding spoilers] do what she does at the end of Demon Forged. I had a vague idea of what kind of a character could do it. And so I'll begin to shape the character as I go along, and I might begin to define and refine that shape in the books that come before hers -- so in that sense, they are in my head for a while, but not from the beginning of the series. Irena wasn't in my head at all as a character when I was writing Demon Angel, for example; there was just a Female Who Fulfills This Role Eventually blank to fill in.

And I think Irena filled that blank spectacularly. She's one of my favorites so far -- a sixteen-hundred-year-old former Roman slave turned Guardian, who has a Gift to manipulate metal, who is rough around the edges and blunt to a fault.

Then there's Alejandro, who is essentially her opposite: subtle, quiet, and with an aristocratic background. No, actually -- "opposite" is probably the wrong word. He's her complement. What she isn't, he is, and so although this makes for some wonderful tension and friction, they fit together wonderfully.

6. If you had a bazillion dollars, what would you get me? What would you buy your daughter?

I'd scour the world for a man who looks like Michael, pay for his wings to be surgically implanted, and then airlift him to your doorstep. Or, you know, just a drink at RWA, because I think that would be awesome to hang out.

I'd probably buy a bunch of plane tickets for my daughter, so that we could travel together. But she'd rather receive a pink unicorn doll or, "a dress with rainbows and stars and hearts on it, and rainbow socks, and sparkly heart shoes, and a ribbon with rainbow colors."

7. You write the most amazing, strong heroines. Please explain how you go about creating your heroines. The more detail the better because I need tips.

Pffft. I've read your heroines. You don't need tips.

But it's basically just starting with an idea, even a stereotype -- a heroine who is a demon, a geek, a recovering alcoholic, a Victorian-type of lady -- and then piling on the layers. I think that when the book is finished, it probably reads like I've been peeling away layers, but it's really just a matter of piling them on as I go and then digging into them.

So for Irena, I had my basic idea, and then I had to make a decision which adds kind of a shallow layer: She's angry.

Then I have to ask: Why is she angry?

And the answer might be as simple as: Because a demon hurt her.

But then it's: But why did that affect her so deeply?

And that's where I get to the fun stuff with my characters. It's not just knowing what happened to them, because everyone has crappy things happen -- but some things, we can shrug off more easily than others. So it's figuring out why it matters so much. What did that demon touch inside her that all of the demons she fought and killed before didn't?

When I hit that, it informs so much in the story: her character, of course, but also how she interacts with other characters, how she views the world, what issues she has to overcome or address when she falls in love, how and who she trusts ... and so even though I have plot points that I have to hit in this series, that I would have made happen no matter what character ended up being the heroine in that book, the way that the character approaches that plot point is so personal, it feels organic rather than just: Okay, this is where Some Random Female Fights A Dragon. At that point, it's not just about getting my series from point F to point G -- it's about Irena winning, and how she wins, and what it means to her.

At least that's how I hope it works.

8. Just why do you love Wonder Woman so much?

I can't deny that some of it is nostalgia. I loved Wonder Woman in Superfriends and I loved Lynda Carter's show, and so the character holds a special place in my little-girl heart.

But I know it's more than that. Part of it is that I've always been drawn to female superheroes and strong female characters on TV -- Charlie's Angels, the Bionic Woman, Firestar in the Spider-Man cartoon, Diana in V (even more than Julie, the heroine of the series), just to start. Why am I drawn to them? I couldn't say. But I do know that Wonder Woman seemed to represent the best and the strongest of them all.

So I think it's fair to say that for a long time, it was just that she represented something. It wasn't the character herself. But then I began reading comic books, and found more there to love. The idea that she will fight, but first she'll try to find a way to solve problems without violence. That she's not about making people better, but about people making themselves better ... whatever "better" means. Which, when written down, sounds really corny -- but I also think it's something that resonates with me. I'm like Mulder, I guess: I want to believe. Not believe that Wonder Woman is real, but that whatever she represents can be.

Then again, maybe it's no more corny that believing that romantic love can be a powerful, transformative, wonderful, complicated, and GOOD thing, and writing a series of books exploring that idea.

But it's not just feelings and ideas -- she's had some kickass stories, too. There's a great series on livejournal that talks about them: When Wondy Was Awesome (http://bluefall.insanejournal.com/13190.html#cutid1) by bluefall. I don't agree with everything bluefall has to say about the character and her adventures, but I do a lot of it.

9. Complete this sentence: Michael belongs to Carolyn because . . . If you can't explain (or won't because it's just so obvious) then can you tell us about how his character evolves through the series? Any hints about what happens to him and when his book is coming up?

Michael belongs to Carolyn because ... I'm afraid of being hurt if I say he doesn't.

Ha, I love questions about Michael, because I just can't answer a lot of them. Michael is a difficult character to write because he's SO old, and he's so powerful, and he's seen so much ... and yet I have to imagine all of that and what it would be like. So as much as I love his character, I also recognize that he's kind of unknowable ... and that I'm going to have to make him knowable in order for his romance to work. So, to that end, I'm completely destroying him (so that I can show what he's made of when I put him back together.)

...and that's all I can say about that.

His book has always been planned as the last book, and I've known who his heroine is since Demon Angel. His book should be the eighth full-length book, which is only three away: first is Demon Blood, then another untitled Guardian book which will feature a h/h from Demon Blood, and then Michael's book.

10. What else are you working on? I understand you have a Steampunk book coming out.


The steampunk series is something that has been germinating since I first submitted my Demon Angel manuscript to my editor. If she didn't like that, I was going to write a steampunk proposal. So that's been in the back of my mind for years now, and so last year, the chance came up to propose it again. I pitched it as League of Extraordinary Gentlemen meets The Pirates of the Caribbean, called it the Iron Seas series, and my editor gave me the go-ahead.

The pitch isn't accurate, although the basic elements are there: There are pirates, and there's an alternate Victorian atmosphere with clockwork and steam-based technology. There's also giant squid, nanotech, zombies, dirigibles, and some sexy, sexy times.

And I love writing it. I don't have a release date yet for the first novel, The Iron Duke, but the first novella will be coming out in August 2010, in the anthology BURNING UP, with Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, and Virginia Kantra. Huge, huge fun.

The Contest Low Down

For a chance to win a signed copy of Meljean's Demon Forged, all you have to do is leave a comment. If you want to add in something about why Michael belongs to me, that would make me feel happy, but not affect the chances of your being the winner, who will be randomly chosen on Friday, October 23. If you don't leave me a way to contact me, then check back here Friday or Saturday to see if you won.

For a chance to win a signed copy of Indiscreet, head on over to Meljean's blog. I'm over there today where I'm sure she's being super nice to me.

Labels: Authors, contest, free stuff, Interview

The funny and fabulous Courtney Milan stops by today to talk about her debut, her attack cat, some future books and all manner of other things you'll enjoy hearing about. She'll be giving away some copies of the novella, so read through to the bottom to find out how you can come away with one for yourself.

Courtney Milan
This Wicked Gift in THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS, HQN, October 2009
PROOF BY SEDUCTION, HQN, January 2010

The Interview

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born in a Russian gulag, and learned to read by scraping twigs against the....
Oh my God! Courtney, you too? Didn't those twigs really--

Oh. Wait. You want me to tell the truth?
Well, only if it's no trouble.

All righty then. I've held about nine or ten very different jobs, ranging from sales to graphic design to administration of a Linux cluster to animal training. Also, I'm a liar, so some of the things I say may not be 100% true.

Q: Why historical romance?

This one is easy: I can't write contemporaries, because I know absolutely nothing about popular culture. Nada. Not a thing. This is not to say you need to be a pop culture maven to write contemporaries, but it's just one of those little things I've learned: Never lie about subject matter to someone who knows more than you do. You'll never fool them.

Q: Team Eric or Team Bill? Edward or Jacob? (If you answer Bill and Edward, I won't hold it against you. Promise.) Why?

Um, who are Eric and Bill? (See above question.) As for Edward versus Jacob, that's easy. Bella can keep Edward. She deserves him. :)

I will email you some references. Because I'm just generous that way.

Q: Did you train your cat to be an attack cat or did you just get lucky? Do you have a picture you can share?

The cat came pre-trained to attack. We were very lucky with this cat; we got him because a "friend" asked us to watch him over his vacation. Vacation ended and the "friend" never showed up to pick up his cat. Needless to say, we kept the cat and ditched the friend.
Good move. An attack cat is invaluable.
You can see a picture of him, prepared to attack my carefully-built fortress of author copies of my novella


Q: Are you a plotter or a pantser or somewhere in between?

I'm definitely a plotter. And I plot by writing. The way it works is that in order to really get going on a story I need to know the beginning, the middle, and the end. That may sound like the whole story, but really, it's about 30,000 words--there's the part after the beginning but before the middle, and then the part before the middle but after the beginning and after the part after the part after the beginning.... trust me, it's just as confusing inside my head. So I basically have three scenes in my head when I start writing. Everything else I figure out in writing.

Q: Can you tell us a little bit about the kind of stories you write?

Some people write stories about good people who have bad things happen to them. I write stories about good people who make bad mistakes. In some sense, I think my characters always bring the meat of the story upon themselves, by making choices that while often well-intentioned, are fatally flawed. This is not to say that my characters get into bad situations by their own stupidity--quite the opposite. In fact, if anything, I think that relying too much on intelligence and overthinking are more likely to get my characters in trouble than, say, foolish choices made without thought.

I like writing stories like that because I feel it really pushes my characters to grow emotionally, to discover things about themselves, to rediscover the notion of honor and to decide that they are worthy of respect and love. I really believe it's hard to love another person if you don't love yourself, and so it's crucial that during the course of the story, my heroes and heroines learn to trust themselves as well as the people around them.

Q: I'm pimping you, Courtney. Tell me about your upcoming single title.

On January 1, 2010 (that's a lot of 1's!), my single title debut, PROOF BY SEDUCTION, is coming out. Proof by Seduction is the story of Gareth Carhart, the Marquess of Blakely, an inveterate scientist who is stunned to find out that his cousin and heir has been visiting a fortune teller for advice. He decides to prove Madame Esmerelda is a fraud. But what he assumes will be a simple task becomes drawn out by a simpler occurrence: He sees her almost naked. And once he's seen behind her disguise, he realizes that she is far more complex than a simple fraud. False as Madame Esmerelda's predictions might be, the woman who plays Madame Esmerelda, Jenny Keeble, is more compelling than any of the fortunes she manufactures. And before he can understand what's happening, he realizes that the way he feels about her can't fit inside a scientific proposition.

To put it in visual terms:



xkcd

PROOF is also the story of Jenny Keeble, an illegitimate byblow who has never known her parents, and who's struggled for respect all her life. She's found a measure of that respect telling rich people what they want to hear. She has money, security, and people who look up to her. But when she meets Gareth, she begins to realize that all of that means nothing if she can't respect herself.

That sounds so awesome. I can't wait to read it.

Q: What else do you have for us to look forward to?

Sometime in 2010, after PROOF BY SEDUCTION, the follow-up, TRIAL BY DESIRE, will be released. TRIAL BY DESIRE is the story of Ned Carhart, the cousin of the hero of PROOF BY SEDUCTION.

But before we even get there, sometime in late November/early December I'll be posting a free read. You know how Harlequin Historicals sometimes have titles like, "Smashingly Drunk Lord, Feisty Maiden?" This will have a similar title. Completely similar. Except... totally different.

Smashingly Drunk Lord, Feisty Maiden was one of my fav reads of 2005.

Q: Can you provide a fun fact or two about your story?

Fun facts! Oh, man, whenever I hear "fun facts" my brain automatically translates that into "lies." What does that say about me? Nothing I haven't already said, I suppose, but alliteration sounds so immediately hyperbolic that it gets me thinking about all kinds of things that are fun. And you know what else alliterates with "fun" and "fact"? Yeah, you got it. Fake. So I will tell you three fun facts about my novella, but one thing I say in this section will be completely fake.
We here at Writer's Diary are all about really good lies. Lie on, Courtney. Lie on.

• I named the hero of my novella after a famous football star.


• I originally described this novella as Dickens's A Christmas Carol meets 419eater.com, but it really ended up being more like The Damnation of Faust takes polite tea with 419eater.com, but then goes on its merry way to a happy ending.


• Hidden inside this Christmas novella is a shocking truth: My novella almost never mentions Christmas. Hidden inside the lack of mention of Christmas in this novella is an even more shocking truth: Chapters of the novella parallel the libretto of Handel's Messiah.

What's the lie? Identify it in comments--and two people who correctly identify the lie will win a copy of my novella! (If nobody correctly identifies the lie, I will give out three copies at random.)

The Important Stuff

Read an Excerpt

Buy a copy of This Wicked Gift

And leave a comment. You could win big!

Labels: Authors, books, contest, Interview

This week I'm interviewing author Marilyn Brant, who'll be giving away an ARC of According to Jane. Read through to the end for instructions about how to get your reticule in the ring for a chance to win!

About Marilyn Brant

Marilyn Brant is the award-winning women's fiction author of ACCORDING TO JANE, the story of a modern woman who receives dating advice from the spirit of Jane Austen (October 2009), and her second forthcoming novel about three suburban moms who shake up their lives and their marriages (October 2010), both from Kensington Books.

As a former teacher, library staff member, freelance magazine writer and national book reviewer for Romantic Times, Marilyn has spent much of her life lost in literature. She received her M.A. in educational psychology from Loyola University Chicago, dabbled in both fiction and art at Northwestern University, studied the works of Austen at Oxford University and is an active member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. Her debut novel won RWA's prestigious Golden Heart Award© in 2007.

Marilyn lives in the northern Chicago suburbs with her family, but she also hangs out online at her blog "Brant Flakes." When she isn't rereading Jane's books or enjoying the latest releases by her writer friends, she's working on her next novel, eating chocolate indiscriminately and hiding from the laundry.

Check out her website: www.marilynbrant.com

About the Book

In Marilyn Brant's smart, wildly inventive debut, one woman in search of herself receives advice from the ultimate expert in matters of the heart. . . It begins one day in sophomore English class, just as Ellie Barnett's teacher is assigning Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. From nowhere comes a quiet "tsk" of displeasure. The target: Sam Blaine, the cute bad boy who's teasing Ellie mercilessly, just as he has since kindergarten. Entirely unbidden, as Jane might say, the author's ghost has taken up residence in Ellie's mind, and seems determined to stay there.

Jane's wise and witty advice guides Ellie through the hell of adolescence and beyond, serving as the voice she trusts, usually far more than her own. Years and boyfriends come and go--sometimes a little too quickly, sometimes not nearly fast enough. But Jane's counsel is constant, and on the subject of Sam, quite insistent. Stay away, Jane demands. He is your Mr. Wickham.

Still, everyone has something to learn about love--perhaps even Jane herself. And lately, the voice in Ellie's head is being drowned out by another, urging her to look beyond everything she thought she knew and seek out her very own, very unexpected, happy ending. . .

Praise for ACCORDING TO JANE

A warm, witty and charmingly original story.
--Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author

An engaging read for all who have been through the long, dark, dating wars, and still believe there's sunshine, and a Mr. Darcy, at the end of the tunnel.
--Cathy Lamb, author of Henry's Sisters


This is a must-read for Austen lovers as well as for all who believe in the possibility of a happily-ever-after ending.
--Holly Chamberlin, author of One Week In December


An October "Fresh Pick" from Fresh Fiction!!

Jane Austen fans will revel in this modern day unique twist on a classic, as well as learning interesting facts about Jane herself. There is just enough mystery of ‘why’ to keep you guessing, and the ending is thoroughly satisfying. This was a truly, irrevocably inspiring novel.
--Kelly Moran, Bookpleasures (5 stars)


Just when you think Jane Austen could not appear in anything new, a refreshing reincarnation occurs as Marilyn Brant provides an engaging modern day take on the writer. Ellie is a terrific lead character as she adapts to the voice in her head while Sam is her nemesis...readers will thoroughly enjoy this fun contemporary romance that also provides insight into Jane Austen and her characters.
--Harriet Klausner (4 stars)

According To Jane is a delight from beginning to end...a definite keeper that I can see myself returning to time and again, just for the happy pick me up feeling it gives me. I’m eagerly looking forward to Ms. Brant’s next book.
-- Manic Readers (4.5 stars)

All I can say is, again without any spoilers is that Marilyn Brant you have a new super fan and I am singing your praises...5 STARS--LOVED IT! COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN.
-- Book Junkie (5 stars)

According to Jane is an intriguing, appealing story full of warmth and wit...a fast read, perfect for the busy woman and the author has a definite gift for keeping you turning those pages. This is a book you don’t want to miss if you’re a fan of Austen, romance, coming of age, women's fiction, or if you’re just looking for a highly entertaining story from an author with superb style and fresh voice.
-- Working Girl Reviews (5 shoes/best book)

The Interview

Q: Tell us about your latest release and the inspiration behind it.
My debut novel, According to Jane, is the story of a modern woman who--for almost two decades--has the ghost of Jane Austen in her head giving her dating advice. I first read Pride & Prejudice as a high-school freshman. Like my heroine Ellie, I raced through the novel way ahead of the reading assignments. I loved both the story and Austen's writing style immediately. Her books changed the way I perceived the behavior of everyone around me, and I spent the rest of freshman year trying to figure out which Austen character each of my friends and family members most resembled! Also like Ellie, I had a few (okay, a lot) of less-than-wonderful boyfriends, and I would have loved to have been given romantic advice from the author I most respected and the one who'd written one of my all-time favorite love stories.

Q: Any great fan/fan mail stories you care to share?
The book was just released on September 29th, so first impressions are still coming in, but I've gotten some truly wonderful emails from people who read the ARCs this summer. One of my favorites is from a woman who won a copy of the book in a contest and emailed me to say that she'd finished the book in a day and was on an emotional high from reading it. She added, "Sometimes I go through phase where I'm so blase about reading fiction and focus mainly on non-fiction (my usual staple), but once in a blue moon, a book grips me and makes me fall in love with fiction again. Thank you. A very grateful reader." I will always, always love that message!


Q: Which scene in your novel did you love writing? Why?
One scene I had a lot of fun with was the bar scene in the first chapter where my main character runs into her ex-high-school boyfriend for the first time in four years. It was a situation I had never experienced personally, but I could imagine the comical possibilities so clearly and feel and the frustration of my heroine as if I'd been the one standing there, facing the jerk and his latest girlfriend, while Jane Austen ranted about how "insufferable" he was.

Q: What were some of your favorite books as a kid?
In junior high and early high school, I loved The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, A Separate Peace by John Knowles, Love Story by Erich Segal, Illusions by Richard Bach and, of course, everything by Austen. When I was an elementary schooler, I also loved Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink, Escape to Witch Mountain by Alexander Key and all the Nancy Drew mysteries.

Q: Which 'craft' book has inspired or helped you the most throughout your writing career?
I'm a BIG fan of craft books, so I have more than one! I used Blake Snyder's SAVE THE CAT! almost religiously in the plotting of my past several books. I'm still very sad that he's no longer with us. As far as a great reference guide, Robert McKee's STORY is incredible. It has more information about writing craft than I can ever internalize. Also, whenever I need a more emotional pick-me-up, I grab the Ralph Keyes book THE COURAGE TO WRITE. I recommend it to everyone.

Q: If you could ask one author (in all of history) for one piece of advice, who would you ask and what you would want to know from them?
Oooh, getting to be like my main character here! If I could have asked Jane Austen for advice before I was married, it would have definitely revolved around which type of man was the right one for me. (She would intuitively know the answer, I'm sure.) However, even without Jane's help, I was fortunate to find "my Darcy." J Now, I would ask her for her thoughts on the crafting of a perfect novel. What were the qualities she felt a great piece of fiction should possess? What was she consciously trying to achieve with her novels?

Q: Do you have a sample chapter posted?
Yes! On my website I have a segment of Chapter One available for anyone interested in reading. Also, if you go to the Amazon page for According to Jane there's a "Search Inside This Book" feature, and people can read samples from scenes throughout the novel.

Q: What is your author fantasy?
I'm secretly, unrelentingly ambitious, even when I have no right to be. Of course I want to hit the NYT bestseller list and get a movie deal. Also, I'd like an Oprah invitation and a few RITAs. However, these are not quite enough to satisfy every daydream I've ever had. I'd greatly enjoy winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, a Tony and an Olympic gold medal (in both ice skating and gymnastics). The fact that I'm pathetic on skates and terrified of the uneven bars is, in no way, a deterrent from these unrealistic fantasies. My simple ability to imagine them, makes them almost real. Furthermore, I like shiny things (although I don't like to dust them), so I hereby promise that if I win ANY heavy golden statuettes--ever--I will dust faithfully. Especially that Grammy award. Really.

Q: What's next for you?
I get to visit a number of book clubs that chose my debut novel, According to Jane, as their monthly book pick--wildly fun!--while also starting the production/promotion process all over again for my next women's fiction project. That second book is done, but we're still working on finding the right title. It's a modern fairytale about three suburban moms who shake up their marriages and their lives when one woman asks her friends a somewhat shocking question… That comes out in October 2010.

Q: Name 3-4 of your favorite musical artists/groups. Did you use any musical references in your novel? If so, do they play a significant role?
Oh, yes! I use an '80s soundtrack through the entire novel and songs of that era play a pretty significant role in the story. "True" by Spandau Ballet, "Make Me Lose Control" by Eric Carmen, "I Want to Know What Love Is" by Foreigner and "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi are four of the biggies, but there are so many... I think high school is always a time in a person's life where the music is especially memorable. What's on the radio when we're teens becomes the soundtrack of our youth, so the lyrics of those popular songs tend to take on heightened meaning and get all wrapped up with our burgeoning adulthood. The result of this combination can be delightfully melodramatic. '80s music aside, I love the songwriting of Rob Thomas/Matchbox 20, Coldplay, Rascal Flatts, the Goo Goo Dolls, Keith Urban, Eagles and post-Eagles Don Henley, Jackson Browne and just about anything Andrew Lloyd Webber composes.


Q: What's one piece of writing advice you've found valuable on your journey to publication?
Don't follow trends just because you think it'll be an easier sell. And write the books that fit your voice. If what you love writing happens to be a hot-selling genre, great. If your writing voice happens to be perfect for the genre you want to write in and love to read, that's awesome, too. But--if not--write long and hard enough to find what DOES fit you and your style best. Because then, even if it takes longer to make that first sale than you expect, you're writing the kinds of stories you most enjoy, and that passion has a way of working itself into the projects you're creating.

Q: Did you have any input on the cover, and are you happy with the finished product?
I was asked for input on the cover by my editor, and I sent Kensington pages of possible scene ideas, plus a plot summary and descriptions of the main characters. In the end, I have no idea whether or not my notes were helpful, but the cover didn't look anything like I'd imagined it--it looked far, far better! I couldn't be more pleased with the way our cover designer, Kristine Mills-Noble, envisioned the look of the book. I'm really excited to see what she'll come up with for my second novel.

Q: What do you think readers might be surprised to know about you?
This has absolutely nothing to do with writing (which is, perhaps, why it'll be surprising), but I was a member of a touring dance group in college and spent six weeks dancing through Europe the summer I was 19. We performed at festivals in France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy, and I met some absolutely fascinating people. That experience solidified both my love of travel and my lifelong adoration of the jitterbug. It also greatly aided in my appreciation of European men...

Q: Where do you write? Describe your writing space – is it a cluttered mess or minimalist heaven?!
I write in my home office--a messy, absolutely cluttered place--I won't deny it! There are stacks of paper and towers of books everywhere, but also a very nice window overlooking our backyard. Sometimes I'll write at a local coffee shop (either with my laptop or, most often, just with pen and notebook paper), and that location has the advantage of endless cups of coffee and occasional snacks.

Q: What are you reading at the moment?
Some entertaining Austen-inspired fiction, like Beth Pattillo's Jane Austen Ruined My Life, and the amazing Shaffer/Barrows novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Q: Are you a member of a writer's group? If so, how has it helped your writing?
I'm a member of Chicago-North RWA, and it's an incredibly strong critique chapter. Every month, three members have the opportunity to have up to 20 pages of their work critiqued by those attending the meetings (usually between 25-30 published/aspiring authors). The feedback is excellent, and it really helped me when I was a newbie to hear what more experienced writers were saying about some of my earlier work. Not only what confused them or what they thought was structurally unsound, but also what they felt were some of my writing strengths. That's priceless insight when you're just starting out. I can contrast this experience with semester-long university-level fiction workshops, which I personally didn't find to be nearly as constructive. In my opinion, if a new writer ever finds herself surrounded by people whose main objective is to show off how clever they are or to alter a piece of writing in a way that messes with her author voice, she should sprint, not merely run, to the nearest exit. It worth hunting for a group that will help you build upon your writing talents while, at the same time, assisting you in strengthening your weaknesses.

Q: Could you please tell us a little about your writing background and how you made your first sale (including the title and publisher)?
Aside from being on the newspaper and yearbook staff in high school and publishing some academic work in college, I didn't take writing seriously until I was about 30. I was a stay-at-home mom with a baby and desperately in need of a creative outlet, so I began writing poems, essays on being a parent and educational articles for family magazines. I wrote my first book having never taken a creative-writing class or even having read a book on the craft of fiction. (The lack of craft is very evident when I reread chapters from that first book, btw! I don't recommend this level of ignorance. . .) I got some feedback though--mostly negative--from a prominent literary agency, which led me to study fiction formally, delve into craft books and, eventually, go to my first writing conference. It was there that I heard about RWA. I joined, wrote three more unpublished manuscripts and, then, came up with the idea for According to Jane. My agent signed me on this book and submitted it to editors, but it needed to be significantly restructured before it sold. Nine months after it won the Golden Heart and was revised (again), it finally did sell--to John Scognamiglio at Kensington--on a sunny and surrealistic day in April 2008

Buy the Book

Title: According to Jane
Author: Marilyn Brant
Publisher: Kensington Books (trade paperback)
Price: $14.00 U.S./$16.95 Canada
Release Date: October 1, 2009 (on-shelf date: Sept. 29, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7582-3461-2
Pages: 288

Kensington's page about the book

Buy from Amazon

How to get your chance to win an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of According to Jane

Leave a comment to this post in which you tell me what advice you wish you could get from Jane. Like, say, should I wear the pelisse or the spencer? Or maybe, does this carriage dress make me look fat?

If you don't leave me a way to contact you if you win, then you must commit to checking back on our about Monday, October 5 to see if you've won.

Easy! Go forth and enter.

Labels: Authors, contest, Interview