Sara Edmonds | Watching My Favorite Authors Grow...

I was reading the latest by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, WHAT I DID FOR LOVE, last month and as I finished I was so pleasantly surprised at how much she has grown as a writer and how much I have enjoyed reading (and watching) it evolve. The way that she weaves two stories into a single arc, and the way she can develop a character as been a joy to read.

I have the same feeling with Nora Roberts, who I have read for a very long time now. VISIONS IN WHITE starts a new quartet by Nora, which is a step up as the norm is triplets. From way back when with DANCE UPON THE AIR, the strength of her characters and plot lines only gets better each year.

There are a lot more on my list of must haves (Madeline Hunter, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Karen Marie Moning to name a few), but listing them would make this a very long blog.

Click here to read the rest and learn how to win a bundle of books from Fresh Fiction

Fresh Pick | DEEP DISH by Mary Kay Andrews

March 2009
On Sale: March 1, 2009
416 pages
ISBN: 0060837373
EAN: 9780060837372
Paperback (reprint)
$14.99

Women's Fiction
Buy at Amazon.com

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

After years of hard work, Gina Foxton, chef extraordinaire and former runner-up Miss Teen Vidalia Onion, is hosting her own show, Fresh Start, on Georgia public television. She's also dating the producer. But when Fresh Start goes bad—and her boyfriend is caught in flagrante delicto with the boss's wife—Gina decides it's time to pursue bigger dreams. Namely a gig on national television.

Gina knows she's destined to be the Cooking Channel's next superstar. But the execs also have their eyes on Tate Moody, Mr. "Kill It and Grill It" himself, host of the hunting, fishing, and cooking show Vittles. The ultimate man's man, Tate is a tasty side of beef with a large, swooning female fan base. Gina's loyal devotees consist of her free-spirited college-dropout sister and her mother . . . who calls every single day.

When the smoke clears there can be only one TV chef standing, and Gina and Tate are ready for the cook-off of their lives.

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LaToya S. Watkins | I Have Always Wanted to Be Change

‘Tis 12:03 a.m. and I am still awake, sitting in front of my computer. I have tried the bed this evening, but it is not very inviting at the moment. I am tired and in need of rest, but she does not beckon me tonight. I chipped away at several freelance projects and my own second novel today, so I must admit that I have been removed from myself by Khaled Hosseini. I saw the movie first, The Kite Runner, and afterward I was compelled to read the book. As I finished the last page just before bed last night, I cried.

I marveled at the idea that a stranger could move me and change who I am, even if just by a tiny bit. I experienced some of the sadness and sorrow that must have resided deep within him to allow such a beautiful yet tragic work to come forth. Strangely, I connected pieces of the story with J. California Cooper’s Some People Some Other Place. However, the sadness of the two stories was the only correlation I made. Sadness all over the world, I suppose—sadness that if revealed in literature or art, period, can inject change in humanity. Or perhaps, it is revealed through art, but is ceaseless, which is sadness just the same.


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Fresh Pick | CREAM PUFF MURDER by Joanne Fluke

Hannah Swensen #11

March 2009
On Sale: March 1, 2009
Featuring: Mike Kingston; Hannah Swensen
288 pages
ISBN: 0758210221
EAN: 9780758210227
Hardcover
$24.00

Mystery Woman Sleuth
Buy at Amazon.com

Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke

Winter in Lake Eden, Minnesota, is the perfect time to curl up by a cozy fire with something-and someone-sweet. But while bakery owner Hannah Swensen can provide herself with the confections, cuddling will have to take a back seat to sleuthing when her sometime-squeeze becomes a murder suspect...

With the launch party of her mother's novel around the corner, Hannah has a dress to fit into and a date with her sister, Andrea, at Lake Eden's new health club, Heavenly Bodies. Dragging herself out of bed on a frigid Minnesota morning for exercise, of all things, is bad enough. Discovering a dead body floating in the gym's jacuzzi? Okay, that's worse. Nor does it help that there's a plate of The Cookie Jar's very own cream puffs garnishing the murder scene. The fact that they were purchased by none other than Hannah's part-time flame, Detective Mike Kingston, is simply the icing on what's shaping up to be one very messy cake...

Mike may be the prime suspect in the murder of man-eating bombshell Ronni Ward, but he's by no means the only one. Ronni, a fitness instructor at both the Sheriff's department and Heavenly Bodies, made a nasty habit of throwing her own heavenly body at every man, eligible or not, who crossed her path. Plenty of Lake Eden's ladies won't miss Ronni, including her ex-fiance's former girlfriend, the angry mother of one of her would-be conquests, and even the mayor's wife. Could any of them have wanted her gone badly enough to make it happen? Mike's recruited Hannah to find out, and, as any suspended, suspected detective would, he's micromanaging her every step of the way...

Between trying to narrow the list of Ronni's enemies down to fewer than half the town'sfemale population and resisting the urge to remove Mike from the running by throttling him herself, Hannah has her plate full. Trouble is, when it comes to cookies-and to murder-there's always room for one more...

Includes 12 original dessert recipes for you to try!

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Fresh Pick | ESPRESSO SHOT by Cleo Coyle

Coffeehouse Mystery #7

October 2009
On Sale: October 6, 2009
Featuring: Clare Cosi
368 pages
ISBN: 0425230767
EAN: 9780425230763
Paperback (reprint)
$7.99

Mystery Woman Sleuth
Buy at Amazon.com

Espresso Shot by Cleo Coyle

Coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi rarely gets steamed. But ever since her ex-husband announced his plans to remarry, she’s been making some vows of her own . . .

Roped into creating a gourmet coffee and dessert bar for her ex-husband’s wedding, Clare faces off with the bride-to- be. Wealthy and sophisticated, the snarky Breanne has never been a low maintenance kind of gal, and now she’s in full- blown bridezilla mode. The only way Clare can possibly deal with her is to focus on business. But murder is Clare’s business, too, and when fatal accidents begin befalling people close to Breanne, Clare becomes suspicious. Is someone trying to sabotage this wedding? Kill Breanne? Clare decides to investigate. But what she uncovers, between steaming cappuccinos and roasting the world’s rarest coffee beans, may just get her burned.

Now in paperback, this starred reviewed entry in the nationally bestselling coffeehouse mystery series also features delicious bonus recipes, including Italian wedding cookies, and coffee-making tips.

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Jaime Rush (aka Tina Wainscott) | Cheeky Reads

And then...and then...and then...

After writing 18 stand-alone books under my real name, Tina Wainscott, I embarked on a totally new adventure—a series under a pseudonym. Never in most of those many years did I even consider writing a series. I did read some series and enjoyed them, but I just didn't get hooked for the most part.

A couple of years ago I needed a change. A serious change. So I let loose my muse and told her to pick whatever she wanted, no limits. (Not that she listens to me anyway) It was a surprise when she came back (like a panting dog with a bone) with a series idea. The more I chewed that bone, the more I liked the idea. First, I know the appeal of seeing your favorite characters grow over a longer period of time, revisiting friends from past books, continuing a thread. I didn't want to focus on one character but instead, a group, and each book would feature a new romantic lead. The first lead, from A PERFECT DARKNESS (book 1 of the Offspring series) became my Luke and Laura from General Hospital fame (waaay back in the 80's). Torn apart, connected psychically, they get their happy ending, but their saga continues in the series as a subplot.


Click here to read the rest of Jamie's blog, to leave a comment and to enter her blog contest

Rie Sheridan Rose | Write What You Want To Know

I was sitting here thinking, trying to decide what wisdom I wanted to impart in this blog. I finally decided that there is a bit of advice that more experienced writers are always giving to budding authors trying to break into the business. You’ve probably heard it already. "Write what you know." I think-particularly in these days of internet access-that this needs to be revised. I think the advice now should be "write what you want to know"-particularly if you write in the speculative genres.


To me, there’s always been a problem with "write what you know." It’s so limiting. I have always considered myself fairly educated, but if I stuck to only the things that I have direct knowledge of, I would never have written any of the novels I’ve had published. I’ve never seen a dragon, met an elf, traveled to fairyland, or played a lute. But I can imagine them. I can, in other words, "speculate" about what would happen if I were to do any of those things.

To read more of Rie's blog please click here.

Fresh Pick | COMFORT FOOD by Kate Jacobs

April 2009
On Sale: April 7, 2009
Featuring: Augusta Simpson
384 pages
ISBN: 0425226204
EAN: 9780425226209
Trade Size
$15.00

Women's Fiction Buy at Amazon.com

Comfort Food by Kate Jacobs

Now in paperback from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Friday Night Knitting Club

Shortly before turning 50, TV cooking show personality Augusta “Gus” Simpson discovers that the network wants to boost her ratings by teaming her with a beautiful, young new co-host. But Gus isn’t going without a fight—whether it’s off-set with her two demanding daughters, on-camera with the ambitious new diva herself, or after-hours with Oliver, the new culinary producer who’s raising Gus’s temperature beyond the comfort zone. Now, in pursuit of higher ratings and culinary delights, Gus might be able to rejuvenate more than just her career.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

February, 2006

Gus Simpson adored birthday cake.

Chocolate, coconut, lemon, strawberry, vanilla– she had a particular fondness for the classics. Even though she experimented with new flavors and frostings, drizzling with syrups and artfully arranging hibiscus petals, Gus more often took the retro route with piped-on flowers or a flash of candy sprinkles across the iced top. Because birthday cake was really about nostalgia, she knew, about reaching in and using the senses to remember one perfect childhood moment.

After twelve years as a host on the Cooking Channel– and with three successful shows to her credit–Gus had made many desserts in her kitchen studios, from her creamy white chocolate mousse to her luscious peach torte, her gooey caramel apple cobbler and her decadent bourbon pecan pie. A "home cook Read More...

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Louisa Edwards | Where Does Character Inspiration Come From?

A question I hear a lot is: "Where do you get your inspiration for your characters?" Adam Temple, the hero of Can’t Stand the Heat, is a chef-imagine Anthony Bourdain (for the hotness) crossed with Jamie Oliver (for the sweetness), and a pinch of Gordon Ramsay (for the perfectionism).

When Adam is in the kitchen, he’s in charge. And he loves every second of it. In fact, that’s the key to Adam’s personality-he loves a lot of things. He loves his life, his job, his friends...it’s not hard or frightening for him to fall in love with the heroine, Miranda. He brings passion and enthusiasm to everything he does.

To read more of Louisa's blog please click here.

Fresh Pick | FINGER LICKIN' FIFTEEN by Janet Evanovich

Stephanie Plum Novels #15
July 2009
On Sale: June 23, 2009
Featuring: Stephanie Plum; Lulu
320 pages
ISBN: 0312383282
EAN: 9780312383282
Hardcover
$27.95

Mystery Woman Sleuth
Buy at Amazon.com

Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
The next Stephanie Plum novel, in which complications arise, loyalties are tested, cliffhangers are resolved, and donuts are eaten.

Unbuckle Your Belt And Pull Up A Chair. It's The Spiciest, Sauciest, Most Rib-Sticking Plum Yet.


Recipe for disaster:

Celebrity chef Stanley Chipotle comes to Trenton to participate in a barbecue cook-off and loses his head --literally.

Throw in some spice:

Bail bonds office worker Lula is witness to the crime, and the only one she’ll talk to is Trenton cop, Joe Morelli.

Pump up the heat:

Chipotle’s sponsor is offering a million dollar reward to anyone who can provide information leading to the capture of the killers.

Stir the pot:

Lula recruits bounty hunter Stephanie Plum to help her find the killers and collect the moolah.

Add a secret ingredient:

Stephanie Plum’s Grandma Mazur.  Enough said.

Bring to a boil:

Stephanie Plum is working overtime tracking felons for the bonds office at night and snooping for security expert Carlos Manoso, A.K.A. Ranger, during the day.  Can Stephanie hunt down two killers, a traitor, five skips, keep her grandmother out of the sauce, solve Ranger’s problems and not jump his bones?

Warning:

Habanero hot.  So good you’ll want seconds.

Excerpt

One

WHEN I WAS a kid, I was afraid of spiders and vegetables. As an adult, I’ve eliminated vegetables from my fright-o-meter, but I’ve added a whole bunch of other stuff. Homicidal maniacs, serial rapists, cellulite, Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella, rabid bats, and any form of organized exercise.

My name is Stephanie Plum, and I work as a bond enforcement officer for Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. It’s not a great job, but it allows me to avoid organized exercise, and I hardly ever encounter rabid bats. The remaining fright-o-meter items lurk in the dark shadows of my daily life. Fortunately, there are also good things in those shadows. Joe Morelli without his Grandma Bella, fellow bounty hunter Ranger without his clothes, my crazy family, my hamster, Rex . . . and Lula. Lula actually fits somewhere between the rabid bats and Read More...

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Fresh Pick | CAN'T STAND THE HEAT by Louisa Edwards

Recipe for Love #1

September 2009
On Sale: September 1, 2009
Featuring: Adam Temple; Miranda Wake
368 pages
ISBN: 0312356498
EAN: 9780312356491
Mass Market Paperback
$6.99

Romance Contemporary
Buy at Amazon.com

Can't Stand the Heat by Louisa Edwards

For sharp-tongued food critic Miranda Wake, the chance to spend a month in Adam Temple’s kitchen to write an exposé is a journalistic dream come true. Surely Miranda can find a way to cut the hotshot chef down to size once she learns what really goes on at his trendy Manhattan restaurant. Trouble is, she never expected Adam to uncover her most embarrassing secret: she has no idea how to cook.

As for Adam, well, he’s not about to have his reputation burned by a critic who doesn’t even know the difference between poaching and paring. He’ll just have to give the tempting redhead a few private lessons of his own . . . teaching her what it means to cook with passion.

Seduction reaches a boiling point when two unlikely people find themselves thrown together.

Excerpt

What’s your name?” he asked her.

She tossed her head again, the motion making her sway a little. Adam looked more closely. Her pupils were blown wide and dark, and her cheeks were flushed in a lovely contrast to her fair complexion.

“Miranda Wake, Délicieux magazine,” she said defiantly, as if expecting him to take issue with it.

Ah ha, he thought, somehow unsurprised, even though he’d always pictured the New York food scene’s most notorious critic as being considerably older and more dried- up looking than this fiery little piece.

Miranda Wake. You are blitzed out of your mind, on cocktails I designed, mixed with liquor I steeped with my own hands.

There was something weirdly erotic about it, and Adam covered the momentary oddness by stepping down and coming around the bar to shake Read More...

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Julie Kenner | Hard Science or It's Just Magic...

I’m writing this from umpty thousand feet in the air (I won’t embarrass myself by putting in an actual number because I have no clue how high a jet flies, though I probably should, and invariably I’ll be off by some huge number that would either have the plane falling out of the sky or breaking up as it slides through the atmosphere into space). The point is that I’m in the air. Way up here. Suspended in space, people. Doesn’t that seem like a little bit of a
magic?

And, yes, I know about the science behind it. As the daughter of an aeronautical engineer who helped send NASA satellites into space and now designs doo-dads that help make sure planes don’t fall out of the air and that pilots know how high they are in the sky (something I clearly don’t know), I get that this is all about science. But I like thinking about it in terms of magic more.

To read more of Julie's thoughts please click here.

Watch AUDREY'S DOOR Video and WIN!

Sarah Langan

Win a copy of Sarah Langan's latest AUDREY'S DOOR. And don't miss the FREE e-edition of free e-edition of THE KEEPER up at Amazon.com, BN.com and Sony E-Reader Store.

Some doors lead to all the wrong places.

Order
AUDREY'S DOOR Today

On Sale: September 29, 2009

When budding architect Audrey Lucas abandons her live-in boyfriend for a flat in the Breviary, an architectural landmark on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, her newfound freedom comes at a price. Her apartment’s gruesome history includes a deranged mother who drowned her children in the bathroom’s claw-footed tub. Yet ghosts and the strange habits of her eccentric fellow tenants of the building are nothing compared to the horrors she unleashes within herself when, after sleepwalking during torturous dreams, she starts constructing a door in the middle of her living room.

Visit Open Audrey's Door

Check out the spooky trailer for AUDERY'S DOOR

A big thank you to Avon Books!

A spooky, horrorific book trailer... don't be scared!

SAND SHILHANEK | HOUSEHOLD CHORES OR READING

When I sat down to write this blog I really had no idea what to write about! All I could think of was the
zillion and one things I had on my to do list. There were the normal household chores that tend to get
put off until the weekend, and I had to remember to hit the vet’s office for my older dog’s medicine so
she could jump on the bed more easily, and perhaps not have those nighttime potty accidents as she
sleeps.

Of course what I really wanted to do was read. I had started the final book in
Carly Phillips Corwin Course
trilogy, Lucky Break, and was desperate
to find
out how the series ended. What to do?

To read more about what Sandi did please click here.

Fresh Pick | KILLER CRAB CAKES by Livia J. Washburn

Fresh-Baked #4
October 2009
On Sale: September 29, 2009
Featuring: Phyllis Newsom
304 pages
ISBN: 0451228367
EAN: 9780451228369
Trade Size
$14.00

Mystery Culinary
Buy at Amazon.com

Killer Crab Cakes by Livia J. Washburn

In this bake-off, you can get knocked off.

The irresistible new entry in the national bestselling series.

When Phyllis's cousin asks her to look after her Oak Knoll bed-and-breakfast for a few weeks, Phyllis jumps at the chance-mostly because the inn is located close to the annual Rockport, Texas, Just Desserts competition. Determined to beat her friendly rival and enjoy some peaceful downtime with her boyfriend Sam, Phyllis concocts the ultimate sweet treat.

But Phyllis's holiday turns bitter when she and Sam discover a dead body-and all signs point to murder. Dismayed that bad luck seems to pop up wherever she goes, Phyllis wants to stay out of this one. But as the list of suspects gets too close for comfort, she decides to throw herself into the mix. Because when it comes to solving murders, Phyllis is one smart cookie.

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