Girlfriend release month

Two of my fabulous girlfriends have releases this month.


First, we have the always amazing Gena Showalter and PLAYING WITH FIRE.

The blurb says:

Earth, Wind and Fire aren’t just a band anymore…

Used to be my greatest achievement was holding a job more than three days. Now suddenly I can shoot fireballs, chill your drink, or blow-dry your hair at fifty paces with a blink of my eye!

It all started when this crazy scientist dropped something in my grande mocha latte. Of course I got wicked sick. Next morning I’m waking up with this total hottie bending over me. He tells me 1) his name’s Rome Masters, 2) he’s a government agent and 3) I can control the four elements with a thought.

He seems even less pleased by my (apparently irreversible) transformation that I am. . . because now he’s supposed to kill me. The only good news: I didn’t make this bed of trouble, but Rome sure seems to want me to lie in it. With him.

Okay - naturally I bought this book and started reading it. I had it at school with me on my desk (planning on relaxing with it during my way too short lunch period) when one of my high school students started looking at it. She read the first few pages and begged me to pulllleeeze let her read it. So the teenager took the book. Sigh. Her current report is, "Like, I'm almost done with it and it SERIOUSLY rocks. Seriously. She's, like, majorly funny and the guy is hot. Miss Cast, do you have any more of her books?" So there's the real review. Check it out, and YES, GENA BABY, I'LL BUY ANOTHER COPY FOR MYSELF.



The second release this month isn't a romance - it's not even fiction, but I highly recommend it. The book is called REMEMBERING THE FUTURE: The path to recovering intuition, by my friend Colette Baron-Reid. Colette is a Canadian singer/songwriter (check out her fabulous website: http://www.colettebaronreid.com). She is also an intuitive (what you might call a psychic). She is an incredible woman, and this book is excellent. Here's the book description:

Within each of us is the voice of an inner teacher-guardian that is our link to the unseen world of Soul. Its purpose is to guide and protect us. It allows us an “all-access pass” to the vast arena of Divine intelligence, potential, and power. It is called intuition. We all have it, yet sadly, most people are disconnected from it.

Using her own turbulent yet remarkable life as a narrative, along with fascinating stories from her clients, internationally renowned intuitive counselor Colette-Baron Reid shares the deeply moving and amazing story of her journey to finally accepting, and exulting in, her extraordinary gift of intuition and foresight, which had been thirsting to be heard since she was a young child.

Over the past 17 years, Colette has amassed an international client base that spans 29 countries, while offering astonishing personal insights that many consider miraculous. She now openly and generously shares that journey in Remembering the Future, which will not only leave you filled with hope and empowerment, but will guide you in rediscovering your magical gift of intuition.

By following Colette’s Seven Spiritual Keys, you’ll experience a consciously fulfilling, creative life, filled with profound harmony and opportunity. And most important, you’ll know who you really are. . . .

So check her out, and perhaps get in touch with your inner psychic! If you've read my books you know that I believe strongly in the intuitive ability of women, and think that for too long we've allowed a patriarchal world to bully us into turning away from our innate intuition.

Oh, and an interesting tidbit is that the beautiful picture on the cover is Colette!

Re-teenaging Myself (as scarey as that is)

Okay. I'm well over half way in book 2 of the paranormal YA series my daughter and I are writing for St. Martin's. This one is: THE HOUSE OF NIGHT, Book 2, BETRAYED. And I have to tell you - writing YA is definitely a different experience. I'm 46. Yes, that's 4 years away from 50. Five - Oh. Our heroine, Zoey, is almost 17 in this book. We're telling the stories first person from her pov. So I'm inside a teenager's head. In this book the sexual tension is really heating up - NOT inappropriately, trust me on this. But it's definitely there, especially because Zoey is Changing into a vampyre, and experiencing bloodlust for her human ex-boyfriend. Zoey's a virgin (not all innocent and stupid, though - she's not a moron), but a sexual awakening is going on with her. It's really forcing me to do some serious back-in-time remembering. True, my daughter and co-author, Kristin, goes through everything I write and she re-writes, being sure Zoey and the rest of the kids actually sound and act like teenagers, but I don't want to hand my daughter a ridiculous mess of totally adult emotions/reactions, or blank paragraphs with "KRISTIN, FIX THIS FOR MAMA" scrawled across the page. Plus, as an experienced author I like the challange. (And I like it when Kristin tells me stuff like, "Good job, Mama, you got that totally right!)

Anyway, for those of you who are aspiring romance authors, I think it's a good exercise to flash back in time (for some of you it might not be too far of a flash...) and write a scene or two about sexual awakening - I mean early stuff. Not a 25 year old who's losing her virginity. I'm talking 14-16-ish, before you're really clued in, but you'd like to think you are. I can tell that what I'm writing now is going to help me increase the sexual tension level in my adult novels. It's like an exercise in getting back to the basics. It's dissecting emotion and motivation. Give it a try!

Guest Blogging @ The Idea Boutique

Hi All!
The lovely ladies at The Idea Boutique asked me to guest blog about where my writing inspiration comes from, which is a subject I think is fun and interesting to write about. Run by and check out the blog at: http://www.ideaboutique.blogspot.com - I'd love it if y'all would chime in!

XXXOOO
PC

FINALLY!! (or a lesson in outlasting asshats)

FINALLY!! I've been waiting since 2001 to see my first novel, GODDESS BY MISTAKE, published by a "real" publisher with a "real" editor and "real" distribution. It has been a long, frustrating journey since I mistakeningly (pun intended) allowed an inept small press (not all small presses are inept - example: Ellora's Cave is fabulous) to publish GbM. Basically, it's been a lesson in outlasting asshats, as well as a lesson in how Karma can kick ass. Anyway, here's a summary of how GODDESS BY MISTAKE became DIVINE BY MISTAKE, and why it took so many years for the book to be available (almost exactly five).

DIVINE BY MISTAKE, which was released by LUNA this month, used to be GODDESS BY MISTAKE and is set one hundred twenty-five plus years before the events of ELPHAME’S CHOICE and BRIGHID’S QUEST. Okay, stay with me here. It might get confusing...

DIVINE BY MISTAKE was my very first book. It was published in August 2001 under the title GODDESS BY MISTAKE by a small press with a tiny print run and very limited distribution. At that time I was a naïve first time author without an agent or any experience (I also wonder if I might have been without sense, too, when I look back on that dreadful first contract!). So my book was released, and I’d already almost finished its sequel, GODDESS BY CHOICE, and had a third book outlined, GODDESS BY DESIGN – and, Wham! Out of nowhere I get a 4 ½ star top pick gold review from Romantic Times Magazine, and GbM finals in The Holt Medallion, Prism, Laurel Wreath, and National Readers’ Choice Award. It eventually wins all of these except the NRCA. This wonderful attention helped me sign on with my incredible agent, Meredith Bernstein, and within four days she had an offer from Berkley for the trilogy. As you can imagine, I was deliriously happy – until I was informed the small press refused to sell the rights to GbM, thereby ‘holding hostage’ the second and third books in the trilogy.

I like to believe out of negatives can be born positives, which is definitely what happened in this case. Because my Partholon series was temporarily dead (and sitting under my bed) I was forced to come up with an idea for a new series of books, which became the Goddess Summoning Books for Berkley.

Meanwhile, I never forgot that I had a fabulous trilogy in limbo. For years my agent diligently attempted to get the rights of GbM back, and I waited...and waited...and waited...and wrote other books while the wretched small press held GbM, GbC, and GbD hostage.

Then I heard about Harlequin’s new fantasy imprint for women, LUNA, and knew my Partholon books would be perfect for it. But, again, the small press wouldn’t release my rights. So I got mad and did some serious brainstorming, which is when I came up with the idea to take my basic plot plan for the third book, GODDESS BY DESIGN, and set it in the future so that I could have the beginnings of a new series which refers back to and is based upon the events of GODDESS BY MISTAKE as history. And that is the idea LUNA bought in a three book package: ELPHAME’S CHOICE, BRIGHID’S QUEST, and CIARA’S DESTINY.

Soon after my sale my agent was finally able to get the small press to agree to sell my rights to GODDESS BY MISTAKE (I won't even go into the details of the small press's greed and the ridiculous amount of money I had to pay to get my rights to this book back, let's just suffice to say that Karma is already eating them alive), and LUNA quickly bought the book and its sequel. It had been four years since GbM was first published. Who said good things come to those who wait? I think fantastic is a better word than simply good!

So why the title change from GbM and GbC to DIVINE BY MISTAKE and DIVINE BY CHOICE? That was a condition of my contract with Berkley. While I’m writing “goddess” books for them the word goddess can’t appear in any of my other titles.

Does that clear things up? I think it’s easy to understand when you read the books. So we’ve had Elphame’s and Brighid’s stories – now we’re going to get Shannon Parker’s story, and the Fomorian War. Then there will be a sequel to DbC, DIVINE BY BLOOD and another book, DIVINE BY DESTINY, wherein I tie all the Partholon books together (DIVINE BY DESTINY was originally titled CIARA’S DESTINY). Hope you’ll come along for the ride!

QUESTIONS? Did I totally confuse you?

Covers! From a cover artist's pov.

As y'all already know, I've been dubbed Lucky Cover Bitch by the fabulous Sarah at Smart Bitches Trashy Books. I have excellent cover chi, and I say over and over, loud and clear, that I LOVE MY COVER ARTISTS! I'm so grateful for their talent and insight. No matter what we like to say, don't judge a book by its cover, etc., covers matter (just like size matters, but that's a whole other blog...). I admit to picking up books soley because of a cover - The Red Tent, Twilight, Hawksong, just to name three quick examples. A good cover can make the difference between a book bombing or not. I definitely believe that.

So I was thrilled when James Griffin, the fabulous cover artist for my next two Luna books, DIVINE BY MISTAKE and DIVINE BY CHOICE, contacted me to point me to his blog, wherein he blogged about the process he used to create the cover for DIVINE BY MISTAKE. Check it out at paintlayers.blogspot.com. Authors rarely have any contact with cover artists, so it was fantastic to be able to tell James how much I appreciate him. He also graciously agreed to answer a few questions for my blog. So here we go...

PC: James, what is the normal process when you’re contracted for a cover?
Do you always only read the single sheet the publisher (at least
in the case of the HQ Empire) sends you? Do you ever need more
info? Do you ever read the novels?

JG: I am usually given a one page info sheet with the main character
descriptions and basics of the story. Hardly ever do I see a
manuscript any more, though publishers used to send me whole
manuscripts, typos and all to read. I do think more information would
sometimes help me to get the feel of the story and people,
particularly to mine those details that can add to a cover's interest
and uniqueness. I do a lot amount of research for each book, and
accumulate images by the thousands. It's part of an illustrator's job
to know what costumes, architecture, transportation was like in 1805,
or the Roman times, etc. My research helps get me to the point where I
think I can see what it was like on a street in London in 1560. Of
course, with Fantasy, I just visualize what she was writing about,
then try to make it real.

PC: 2. What is the most difficult aspect of creating a cover?

JG: When I read, I see images. That's just the way I was born. But sometimes
the image I see when I read one of these description pages doesn't agree
with what is desired by the editorial department. Sometimes we get
several sketches into the project before it dawns on me that we're on
completely different wavelengths! That's hard for me to recover from,
because I've gotten really fond of /my/ idea!

PC: 3. What can authors do to help you with the creation of the best
cover possible?

JG: If an author can distill an element or scene from their book that would
be fantastic. I have gotten info sheets where I'm told the involved
lineage of the main character, but not enough of what he or she looks
like, where they are, what they're wearing, etc, or more importantly,
what's interesting about their book. The number one thing a cover has to
do is to get the potential reader to pick the book up! After that it's
the blurb-writer's job to keep them holding it. As a book customer, I
also check out the first page to see if I like the writing. None of that
happens if the book doesn't get picked up. So details about the exact
color of the hero's pants just don't matter. If the author can help give
us clues into what is exciting about this book, what made them
interested enough to write the thing, I think we illustrators would
catch the spirit.

PC: 4. Do you have a favorite piece you’d like to share?

JG: I am very fond of the two Divine covers I did for your books. They
happen to fit right in with a project I've been working on for myself
called, _Forces Of Nature._ I seem to enjoy working with Goddess
subjects and your books gave me a cahnce to explore that . My project
deals with women symbolizing concepts like the Tides, Night, Day, etc. I
love getting into the otherworldly, but also there is something about
projecting these powers onto a woman that I find fascinating. Though not
a Goddess, the adolescent girl in the Prairie River series, set in the
1860s, has some of their strength. PC's _Divine_ book covers and
examples of all the pieces mentioned above can be seen on my Blog at:
http://paintlayers.blogspot.com/. Be sure to look at the archives.

PC: 5. What is your favorite medium?

JG: That is hard to answer simply, because painting for me has become a
strange hybris of computer technology and the ancient art of oil
painting. The two actually compliment each other quite well. The
computer is a giant paintbox of tools I used to only dream of, but oil
painting has a kind of"soul" to it that I always return to. What I often
do now is design the image on the computer and then translate it to
canvas where I paint it in oils. Very often there is no actual painting,
but only a computer image. This is the case for _Divine By Mistake_ and
_Divine By Choice_. It's hard to tell, looking at them that they are
digital.

PC: 6. Do you have a gallery I can point people to? Are any of the
covers (either originals or prints) for sale to the general
public, and if so how would one go about purchasing them?

JG: I don't have a gallery. You'd think I would, after illustrating for 30
years. But I never got around to looking for one. That is changing now
and I will be getting it together sometime in the coming year. In the
meantime, I do sell large prints of the art and accept commissions. You
can contact me at my Blog: http://paintlayers.blogspot.com/


Thank you, James, for your wonderful answers! And now, shouldn't you be working on the cover for Divine by Blood...

RWA Workshop on YA continued...

(Thought y'all would like to see to whom you're addressing your questions. So behold Chicken!)

For those of you who attended my Thursday morning workshop in Atlanta on "How to Create Believable YA Characters" I say a big THANK YOU for being such a fabulous audience! My wonderfully talented daughter and co-author of our paranormal YA series for St. Martin's Press, THE HOUSE OF NIGHT, could not make the w/s in Atlanta (she's working ridiculous 12 hour shifts, as well as taking 6 hours of class this summer at NSU). So the deal is that we'll post questions for Kristin here on my blog, and she will blog in and answer them for you. Some of you wrote questions on notecards during the w/s. Okay. I had the notecards. I promise. Really. (KRISTIN - REALLY, MAMA HAD THE NOTECARDS!) I unpacked this morning and could NOT find them. Sigh.

BUT I read the questions and I do remember several of them. I'll post them below. Kristin will respond, and the rest of y'all please feel free to chime in with any question you'd like to ask Kristin (who is 19) about YA, teenagers, writing in general, etc.

Questions for Kristin:

1. Do you think it matters if you're living in one part of the country and writing about teenagers in another part of the country? Like I'm living in D.C. and I'm setting my book in L.A. Or should I worry about making my teenagers more generic, so they'll appeal to a wide audience? For instance, I know that some of the stuff you (and your mom) are writing about is specific to Oklahoma teens. Do you worry about the rest of the country not getting it? And if so, what do you do about that?

2. There's a big debate going on over how much sex to put in YA books. What's your opinion? And have you and your mom had any issues between the two of you about the sex level of your series?

3. Do all teens cuss? What if I have a futuristic or fantasy setting?

4. What is the most common mistake adult authors make when writing for teenagers?


Okay KRISTIN FRANCES CAST (KFC, or as we like to call her, Chicken - hee hee) answer away mama's precious!

Atlanta Bound!

Well, I'm leaving first thing in the morning to start the drive to Atlanta. I'm going through Nashville, where I'll spend the night, and then on to Hotlanta. I'm looking forward to seeing all my author friends, fans from around the country, and my Luna and Berkley editors. Not to mention the great parties and seeing if Brighid's Quest won the Bookseller's Best or the Daphne de Maurier!

Don't forget to check out the MYSTERIA signing at the Atlanta Buckhead Borders, Thursday the 27th from 7:00-9:00.

I'm teaching a workshop on Thursday, too, on how to create believable teenage characters (as if there is such a creature!). My fabulous daughter and co-author of our YA series for St. Martin's can't make it to Atlanta, so I'll be taking questions from w/s attendees, posting them here, and Kristin will be blogging responses. So stay tuned (and save up your YA questions for a real YA).

Later!

Check out Sue's new book!

I'm excited about my friend Sue Grant's new book! I haven't read it yet, but I'm going to grab a copy in Atlanta and have Sue sign it for me - then I'm going to stick my nose in it. I can tell you that I got sneak peeks whilst Sue was writing it, and loved what I read! Here are the details:

YOUR PLANET OR MINE by Susan Grant
(HQN Books, July 25, 2006)

Think the grocery store is a great place to meet men?

Hunky interstellar fugitive, aisle 5.

With outrageously false accusations piling up against her famous political family and an ex-fiancé in hot water determined to take her down with him, the last thing Jana Jasper needs is more trouble--especially man trouble. But when she heads to the grocery store for an ice cream fix, not only does the muscled hunk in the frozen foods section ranting about spaceships and invasions look crazy, he looks... familiar.

Cavin of Far Star has never forgotten the girl he met during his weeks spent on that quaint little world, planet Earth, the girl who didn't believe he was real. And now he'll risk his future to save her. All she has to do is take him to her leader. Simple enough plan--although Jana isn't so easily convinced. Hell-bent on charming his way past her defenses, he's determined to stay one step ahead of the galaxy's most feared assassin--and may just capture his favorite Earthling's heart in the process.



ABOUT SUSAN GRANT
One of the first women in history to attend the US Air Force Academy, a former Air Force instructor pilot, and currently a 747 jumbo jet pilot for United Airlines, New York Times best-seller and RITA winner Susan Grant loves writing about what she knows -- flying, adventure, and the delicious interaction between men and women.

REVIEWS
"...one of the best books of the year!" - Mary Janice Davidson, New York Times bestselling author
“...a cute, quirky otherworldly romance that’s totally delightful to read!” -- Tanzey Cutter
“Veers uncomfortably close to our actual plans to invade your pitiful little planet. Pull this book from the shelves immediately or I shall have it vaporized!” -- General Neppal, Supreme Commander of the Coalition fleet

For more info, go to Sue's website, http://www.susangrant.com

First Man Titty Cover AND First Hardback!

I am THRILLED that my July anthology, MYSTERIA (Berkley), is doing so well! We're making some lovely lists and getting excellent reviews. Even scary Publisher's Weekly liked us. Amazing. And it was exciting to find out that MYSTERIA is available in a hardback version for the Doubleday and Rhapsody book clubs. We're already hearing rumblings from Berkley about wanting a MYSTERIA II. Well done us!

Don't forget that next week, July 27th, at the Buckhead Borders in Atlanta, 7:00-9:00, all four of us, MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, Gena Showalter, and moi will be signing copies of Mysteria, giving away door prizes, and generally making merry! Please come by and see us if you're in the area

F'd up blog and sci-fi

Well, I totally messed up my blog and I'm clueless about how to fix it. Those of you who don't have a MAC know that the damn thing has been smooshed over to the left for like two weeks. It was driving me crazy. So I called in the servies of my Web Goddess, Shawn Wilson, who designs and maintains my fab website, and she couldn't find my mistake. Sigh. I was going to post a question to the blog help thingie, but I lost what little patience I have and decided to just choose another template and maybe that would fix it. It did. It also lost all of my links, etc. Shit. And I didn't like the new look. So I went back to this one and now I have to figure out how to add my links back in. I am truly the computer impaired. But I should be writing and it's excellent procrastination.

Anyway, last weekend the fabulous Gena Showalter and I were in Oklahoma City at SoonerCon (sci-fi/fantasy con). Now, God(dess) knows I wouldn't tell stories on a girlfriend, BUT GENA DRANK TOO MUCH. Okay, those of you who know me know that I, too, have a tendency to be "over served." But not when I'm dancing and in general out in public mixing with groups of people, etc. I change to soda water. Gena, God(dess) bless her, is young young young, so she hasn't learned the soda water trick yet. And the girl does NOT like to speak in public. I swung by her house and picked her up. She had cute little bottles (chilled) of a very attractive looking blue liquid. I can't remember what the damn thing was called, but she got it at a Harlequin party, which is a sure sign of trouble. So like naughty high school girls we're in the bathroom before our panel and Gena is slamming down this blue booze. Naturally I couldn't allow her to drink alone. I've been raised better. So I tried some. Okay, it is some VILE shit. Oh. My. God. It was awful. Truly wretched. Oh, wait! I think it's call Hypnotic. Hello. Barfnotic would be a better name. I won't go into details about our panels except to briefly mention that Gena-Gena actually mixed the Barfnotic with lemonade and was drinking it during the damn panels. Let's just say Gena-Gena was very entertaining. That evening her husband, who she calls Love Bunny, picked us up and we went down to Bricktown to a fun club for dancing. Hence, my cessation of drinking and Gena's nasty hangover the next day.

Speaking of the next day. Gena and I hung out with totally, ridiculously handsome Richard Cox. (He's engaged to a friend of mine, Fox News anchor Chera Kimiko, who is equally as gorgeous. I'm telling you - they're going to make some beautiful babies!) His current release is THE GOD PARTICLE. PW says it's a thriller (my dad grabbed it from me, so I haven't read it yet), and from what delicious Richard says it sounds kinda sci-fi-ish. So check it out if you have a taste for science thrillers. His website is http://www.richardcox.net. MORE IMPORTANTLY, Gena and I are trying to talk him into trying his hand at romance. Okay, this is a purely selfish attempt to lure him into our genre so that he'll be at our romance conventions, which are totally lacking in the Cute Male Author category. Updates to come...hee hee...

1920s Time Travel? Love it!

Check out Marianne's new book. I love the roaring 20s, so I can't wait to read this one!
WHAT, NO ROSES? by Marianne Mancusi
(Love Spell, July 4, 2006)


And you thought your Valentine's Day was bad?


AND ALL THAT JAZZ
Unless Dora Duncan can stop it, it's going to be another St. Valentine's Day Massacre. A year ago, her (now ex) boyfriend Nick stood her up at the worst possible moment. That was when she gave up important TV reporting for stories like "Too Stressed for Sex." And though such clips have a certain relevance, things have been a whole lot quieter. Too quiet. Until now.

Now she's gotta go back in time (don't ask!) and stop that very same Nick from messing up the time-space continuum. She has to travel back to a place where everybody speaks easy and cuts a rug-and this Chicago ain't no musical. Here, there are tommy guns and torpedoes, guys and dolls, gin joints, flappers, stoolies, rats and a whole lot more; and prohibition means anything but no.

It's the 1920s. Time for Dora to roar.


Excerpt
Cover

ABOUT MARIANNE MANCUSI

When not out exposing scams and righting wrongs, Emmy award–winning TV news producer Marianne Mancusi is probably writing.
Her first chick lit novel, "A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court" was called "a sparkling debut" by Publisher's Weekly. And Romantic Times magazine awarded four Stars to her upcoming 1920s time travel "What, No Roses?", pronouncing it "fast, funny and as bubbly as bathtub champagne."
In addition, Marianne has six other adult and teen books under contract, including a teen comedy vampire series from Berkley called "Boys that Bite."
She lives in Boston's historic North End.


REVIEWS

Mancusi’s witty, tongue-in-cheek remarks and sprightly dialogue make for a joy ride of a read with an ending that’s as surprising as it is original. 4 stars – Romantic Times

Ms. Mancusi’s sense of comedic and dramatic timing is dead on... She masterfully blends a time in our history with an idea from her incredible imagination. – Once Upon a Romance


Website: http://www.mariannemancusi.com

Help needed!

Y'all remember a while ago when the big ARC selling thing went on? I posted about it, as did several other authors/blogs. Well, the lovely June Portnoy is writing an article about the sale of ARC debate for RWR (Romance Writers Report). She'd love to get your input. I know several of you made excellent points on my blog - several of you emailed me privately. June would like to hear from you. (She's great to talk with - don't be scared!) So if you'd like, please shoot her an email at juneportnoy@aol.com.

Well done you guys!

DEE-LISH-US!!!

So last night my daughter and I went to the opening of SUPERMAN RETURNS. Yes, we were wearing matching pink tee-shirts with the massive Superman S in pink sequins across our bosoms. Uh, no. We weren't the only ones "dressed up." Please. It was opening night. We saw capes. (hee hee) Actually, we loved the dorky audience who cheered and cried and generally made merry.

Okay - let me just be very clear. THE NEW SUPERMAN IS FABULOUS!! The guy is hawt hawt hawt. Yes, he did remind me freakishly of Chris Reeve, but it felt like a good thing. A tribute. Yet scrumptious Brandon Routh gave us just enough of his own Superman to have his role be unique. Man, talk about an angsty hero. (romantic sigh) The only thing that can knock the shit outta him worse than Kryptonite (sp??) is Lois Lane. The sexual tension between them was lovely, though I would have liked to have had this played up more. Clearly they need a good romance author on staff...(HELL YES I VOLUNTEER!) Anyway, it's set up for a sequel. I'll be there on opening night again. Promise.

Oh, the violence level might be too much for kids under 10 or so. I'd leave the kiddies at home.

Let me know what y'all think after you see it!

Sushi and vampires?

Okay, two things. First, I am reading a really excellent book, TWILIGHT by Stephanie Meyer. It's a vampire YA, and the (young) author's first book. I bought it in hardback because several of my high school students recommended it and I wanted to see what the buzz was about. Plus, you know my daughter and I are writing a YA vamp series for St. Martin's. So naturally I was curious. Kristin and I just finished the rewrites on the 1st book, so I decided to start TWILIGHT. I absolutely can not keep my face out of the book! The setting is multi-layered - the characters are well drawn - and Meyer's take on vampires is interesting.

So I take TWILIGHT to dinner with me last night (because my sissy brother refuses to eat sushi and my girlfriends were all busy), and I have to admit it - I pigged out totally on sushi and drank two orders of fabulous Pearl sake because I could not stop reading that damn book! I just kept ordering and ordering and eating and drinking and reading. Jeesh.

So I say buy this book - but it should come with a food and drink warning...

Yes, I'm a dork...

Yes. I'm going to totally admit it. I'm dorkishly in love with Superman. Have been since I read my way through the mounds of comics in our next door neighbor's rec room in like 1970 (Explanation: I have 2 younger brothers. Tragically, we lived in the country where the only acceptable neighbor within walking distance had 4 more boys and 1 girl. The girl and I were sadly out numbered - although to this day I still have the hots for Sean Freeman Georges who was my favorite of the brothers. Damn, he grew up to be hawt! But that's another topic...) Anyway, they had piles of "guy" comics, which I adored. Superman, Batman, Thor, Swamp Thing, The Fantastic Four...the list goes on and on. So I started my love affair with Superman (about the same time I started my adoration for Sexy Sean) when I was 10-ish. Chris Reeve was The Perfect Superman, both on and off screen. He's going to be a hard act to follow. But I'm willing to give this new guy a chance.

What do y'all think??

Check it out:

The idea for Julie's Demon books is hilarious. Check out her new release:

CALIFORNIA DEMON: The Secret Life of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom by Julie Kenner
(Berkley Trade, June 2006)

What's a mother to do, when there are only so many hours in the day, and the fate of the world is in her hands?

Kate Connor was a retired demon hunter. Now, after fourteen years busting her tail as a suburban housewife, raising two kids, and supporting her husband's political ambitions, she's rejoined the workforce-and except for a few minions of evil, no one has a clue. She tries hard to keep her home and work lives separate-a good idea when your job involves random slaughter.

Between fending off demon attacks, trying to figure out why the mysterious new teacher at the high school seems so strangely familiar, and keeping a watchful eye on her daughter's growing infatuation with a surfer dude, Kate is the busiest-and most dangerous-soccer mom on the block…

FROM THE DESK OF KATE CONNOR…

• Groceries
• Pay bills
• Gas up the minivan
• Pick Allie up from cheerleader practice
• Clean out nest of evil, blood-thirsty preternatural creatures with a few wooden stakes, some holy water, and a can of Diet Coke
• Self-defense class
• Volunteer at nursing home
• Battle determined demon while making meal
• Put Timmy to bed
• Clean up dishes
• Dispose of demon carcass
• Iron Stuart’s shirt
• Write tomorrow’s to-do list


Excerpt
Cover

ABOUT JULIE KENNERNational bestselling author Julie Kenner's first book hit the stores in February of 2000, and she's been on the go ever since. Her books have hit lists as varied as USA Today, Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and Locus Magazine. Julie is also a former RITA finalist, the winner of Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, and the winner of the Reviewers International Organization's award for best romantic suspense of 2004. She writes a range of stories from sexy and quirky romances to chick lit suspense to paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, was selected as a Booksense Summer Paperback Pick for




ABOUT JULIE KENNERNational bestselling author Julie Kenner's first book hit the stores in February of 2000, and she's been on the go ever since. Her books have hit lists as varied as USA Today, Waldenbooks, Barnes & Noble, and Locus Magazine. Julie is also a former RITA finalist, the winner of Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Contemporary Paranormal of 2001, and the winner of the Reviewers International Organization's award for best romantic suspense of 2004. She writes a range of stories from sexy and quirky romances to chick lit suspense to paranormal mommy lit. Her foray into the latter, Carpe Demon: Adventures of a Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom, was selected as a Booksense Summer Paperback Pick for

Werewolf lurve!

Check out my fellow Berkley author's newest werewolf novel! Sounds delicious...

SHADOW OF THE MOON by Rebecca York
(Berkley, June 6, 2006)

Lance Marshall has a nose for great news stories-not surprising, since he's aided by his werewolf abilities. Now he's prowling outside an ultra-exclusive Washington, D.C. nightclub-"The Castle." But he is not alone. Savannah Carpenter wants to know how her sister ended up in a coma, and she knows that The Castle has something to do with it. But when Lance and Savannah pretend to be lovers to gain entrance, they learn that deception and unbridled lust can be a dangerous combination.

Excerpt:
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/glick/sneak-p24.htm

Cover:
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/042520961X.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg



ABOUT REBECCA YORK
Ever since she can remember, Ruth Glick has loved making up stories full of adventure, romance and suspense. As a child she corralled her friends into adventure games or acted out romantic suspense stories with a cast of dolls. But she never assumed she could be an author, because she couldn't spell. Her life changed, however, with the invention of the word processor and spelling checker--and the help of her husband, Norman Glick, who spots spelling errors from fifty paces away. Writing as Rebecca York, she has authored or co-authored over 45 romantic suspense novels, many for Harlequin Intrigue's very popular 43 Light Street series, set in Baltimore, and many with paranormal elements.


REVIEWS

The York werewolf moon novels contains several excellent paranormal romantic suspense tales (see CRIMSON MOON), but SHADOW OF THE MOON may be the best of the series so far. The action-packed story line is fast-paced and filled with sexual tension accentuated by the danger that the audience will taste as if we have the enhanced sense of a werewolf. The lead couple is a delightful pairing as they investigate the goings on at the club, what happened to Charlotte, and the attraction between them in a gripping thriller. – Harriet Klausner

Fans get to meet yet another Marshall boy in Rebecca York’s latest novel about the werewolf clan, SHADOW OF THE MOON.This time it's freelance reporter Lance Marshall and he's scented out a story on an very exclusive D.C. establishment that he's heard rumors about, the Eighteen Club.. . .
As if werewolves, psychic abilities and lifemates aren't enough, York adds yet another element to her werewolf series in SHADOW OF THE MOON. It makes for excellent reading. -- http://fromthestacksmacon.blogspot.com

York’s highly popular werewolf tales take an even more intriguing turn in this new story. The sexual tension is taut and the story crisp, which keeps up the momentum. The small side plot is an engrossing teaser for the next chapter in this quite compelling saga. 4 ½ stars – Romantic Times


Website: http://www.rebeccayork.com

Romance Divas!

Come join me in an informal paranormal workshop at Romance Divas! I'll be there all of today (June 9th) and in and out the 10th and 11th. Here's the info:

World Building Q & A with: Kelly Armstrong, Moi, Karen Chance, CJ Barry, Deidre Knight, Robin Owens, Shanna Swendson, Gena Showlater, Lynn Viehl, JR Ward

Just to go the Romance Diva's website, register, and post a question! http://www.romancedivas.com

Okie Lurve!

Hat's off to my fellow Okie, Jaci Burton! Let's show some lurve for OUT OF THE DARKNESS! Check it out:

OUT OF THE DARKNESS by Jaci Burton and C. J. Burton
(Ellora’s Cave)

Harlee has lived as a human her entire life, working as a psychiatrist on a secret government project evaluating captured werewolves and vampires. Then one night two strangers jerk her from her bed, blindfold her and turn her world upside down. She is taken deep into the realm of lycans and vampires and told an unbelievable story-that she is the daughter of a forbidden union between a vampire and a werewolf and now possibly the future leader of both their clans.

She doesn't believe them. Vampires and werewolves are the enemies of humans. She hangs onto her humanity, her one and only goal to escape from her sexy and enigmatic captors before she loses her heart and possibly her very soul.

The vampire Adrian's and the lycan Duncan's goals are entirely different-to mate with the fiery beauty and determine whether her dominant blood is vampire or werewolf. One merely desires her. One will claim her for all eternity.

But dark forces turn what begins as a search for identity into a struggle for survival.

Excerpt:
http://www.jaciburton.com/outofdark.html

Cover:
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1419954180.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_V52651030_.jpg


ABOUT JACI BURTON
Jaci Burton was born and raised in Missouri but now lives on an acre-and-a-half in Oklahoma with her husband Charlie. Jaci loves to write about passionate relationships with sometimes stormy outcomes but always a happily ever after. She’s a sucker for romance and a happy ending!

REVIEWS

Out of the Darkness is fabulous! This vivid glimpse of a world filled with vampires and lycans, secret plots and erotic sexual encounters will leave you clamoring for more. – eCataRomance Reviews

Out Of The Darkness is an incredible tale of one woman’s struggle with her past and what her future may become. – Romance Junkies



Website: http://www.jaciburton.com

FABULOUS NEWS!

I am honored and excited to report that BRIGHID'S QUEST is a finalist in the Daphne du Maurier award! I couldn't be happier about this! Thank you so much to the RWA's Kiss of Death Chapter - a very talented group of women. Yea!!