Candace Havens | Exciting April Finds...

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Rosemary Clement-Moore’s books, you should. Yes, they are young adult novels, but they are fun for all ages. Highway to Hell, the third book in her Maggie Quinn: Girl versus Evil series. “Maggie and Lisa are away from parental supervisions when they head for Spring Break on the Texas Coast,” says Clement Moore. “Oh, the college freshman days, when you think you know everything. They never make it to the beach. They wreck the Jeep when they hit a cow in the middle of the road, and get stranded in a one-horse town, where folks are convinced El Chupacabra is killing their livestock. After facing demons at the prom and sorcerous sorority sisters (say that three times fast!), Maggie and Lisa think they can take on this Mexican version of Bigfoot. But it’s bigger and badder than they realize. “

Clement Moore says this book is personal. “It takes place where I was raised,” she says. “I get to incorporate South Texas culture and legends, and I’ve thrown in a hot cowboy or two. Come on, and an El Chupacabra. What’s not to love?”

Highway to Hell was named one of the 2010 Best Books for Young Adults by the American Library Association.”

Theresa Meyers went a long way to research her novel A Vampire’s Mistress, “I scoured the Capuchin catacombs underneath Palermo, Sicily, where four centuries of mummies and skeletons still reside in their burial finest on display for the public,” she says. “While the practice of laying loved ones to rest in the catacombs was outlawed in 1881, the catacombs are still a huge tourist attraction today. One of the scenes in the story involves the characters racing through the catacombs to escape vampire hunters.”

Claudia Dain says she’s a pantser, which is a writer who sits down and writes by the seat of their pants. “But I’m an organized panster,” she says. I know the characters and I know how they behave before I write one word. So imagine my shock – make that horror when the heroine for The Courtesan’s Wager started paying attention to the wrong guy. This guy was not the hero! He was a disposable (sorry, Cranleigh) secondary character. Amelia starts fizzing every time he’s in the room. He snarls. They spark. She totally ignores the hero. I try to ignore it. I mean, I’m an experienced author; I can ignore misbehaving characters, knowing I can pull them into line in the rewrites. And they kiss. And kiss. And start talking about their long back-story that I knew nothing about. I stopped writing for three weeks, afraid to go anywhere near my computer, now that I knew it was the portal to an alternate universe and all. Three weeks and one day after the Revolution, I opened up the file and continued writing, letting the characters have their way. Turns out he really was the right guy for her. Who knew?”

Barbara Freethy has two books out this month On Shadow Beach and In Shelter Cove. “I’ve set my fictional town along the California central coast,” says Freethy. “Along with a new story involving an old murder, readers will get to learn more about the town, which was born from a Gold Rush shipwreck in the 1850s. For readers enjoy quilting themes, there’s also a story quilt with twenty-four blocks, each telling the story of one of the survivors of the wreck and each square tied to the current day characters as well.”

Susan Fox says most of the action on her new book Love, Unexpectedly, takes place on a cross-Canadian train journey. “On that train ride I wanted to give Nav and Kat something special to do that would increase intimacy and help them get to know each other, so I created a bored game called Nice ‘n Naughty. One player rolls the die, lands on a square that’s labeled with a heart, diamond, club or space, then draws a card from the corresponding deck and has to answer the question on it, or do what it says. I had fun making up what the cards say. …And had even more fun thinking up Nav and Kat’s answers.”

Vickie McDonough has her first trade paperback, The Anonymous Bride, out this month. It’s the tale of a Texas town marshal who suddenly has three mail order brides arrive, each expecting to marry him. But he didn’t order a bride. “People ask me how I got this idea,” McDonough says. “It started with a ‘what if’ question. What if a mail-order bride arrived in a town to marry a man, but he never ordered a bride. Then I wondered what if the town hosted a contest to see which bride would make him the best wife? And what if instead of three entries, there were four and the last one was anonymous.” Sounds like fun to me.

Vivi Andrews says her new book The Sexorcist is filled with demons and a smokin’ hot exorcist, but the heroine really made the story sing for her. “Brittany sees silver linings everywhere, but it's more of an ingrained coping mechanism than blind Pollyanna optimism,” says Andrews. “Born with a heart defect, her life was always limited by the constant risks to her health -but now, post-transplant, she is able to live, rather than just survive. In writing Brittany's happy, healthy ever after, I was influenced a lot by my memories of the way my aunt's life changed for the better following her heart surgery.”

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Candace Havens is a columnist for FYI Television, an online news and media service, where she writes five weekly columns for an overall audience of 44 million readers. She is also an entertainment reporter for 96.3 KSCS in Fort Worth. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of the Charmed & Dangerous series including CHARMED & READY, CHARMED & DANGEROUS, CHARMED & DEADLY, and LIKE A CHARM as well as the Caruthers sisters: DRAGONS PREFER BLONDES and THE DEMON KING AND I. Her latest book, TAKE ME IF YOU DARE is in stores in February 2010.

Her non-fiction prose includes JOSS WHEDON: THE GENIUS BEHIND BUFFY, and essays in ALIAS ASSUMED: SEX, LIES AND SD-6, and FIVE SEASONS OF ANGEL.

You can visit Candy daily at her blog or her website

CANDANCE HAVENS | Let's Talk Academy Awards

It’s almost time for the Academy Awards, which is a big time of year for my day job as a film critic. While I could attend as press to the awards, I prefer to stay at home and watch in my pajamas on the couch just like everyone else. If you’re press, you are usually stuck in a big tent somewhere or next door at the hotel in a ballroom where you have to listen to foreign press ask inane questions that embarrass the room. Since most of my job is done before the awards, I choose to stay home.

I thought I’d go through the list and talk about some of the folks I’d like to see win. This is not necessarily who will win, though I’ll try to help you with that too. We’ll go through the Best Picture and Acting categories and I’d also love to hear about some of your choices.

Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz, "Nine"; Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air"; Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart"; Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air"; Mo'Nique, "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire." I think the woman to beat here is Mo’Nique, even though I despise that film, I get why people are so into this performance. Mo’Nique has a way of making this truly evil woman, pathetic and sad at the same time. It’ a raw performance and the Oscar folks like that. My pick would be Anna Kendrick, she was an absolute revelation in "Up in the Air." A truly standout performance, but unfortunately she doesn’t have a chance.

Supporting Actor: Matt Damon, "Invictus"; Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger"; Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station"; Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones"; Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds." Waltz is the man to beat here. This is a category filled with amazing performances. Waltz picked up the Screen Actors Guild Award, and I believe he’ll be the winner here too.

Best Actor: Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart"; George Clooney, "Up in the Air"; Colin Firth, "A Single Man"; Morgan Freeman, "Invictus"; Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker." This is another tough category filled with incredible performances. Jeff Bridges won the SAG award, and I’m pretty sure he’ll pick up the Oscar. Hollywood considers him one of their under appreciated, and I think they think it’s time to honor him. It was an honest performance and I don’t have a problem with Bridges winning, but Firth would be my choice. He’s in almost every frame of "The Single Man" and he doesn’t disappoint. He can say so much with just a look. It was one of my favorite performances of the year.

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side"; Helen Mirren, "The Last Station"; Carey Mulligan, "An Education"; Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the Novel `Push' by Sapphire"; Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia." Don’t get me wrong, I love Sandra Bullock, and Blindside was one of my favorite films of the year. But was her performances better than her fellow nominees? The answer is, no. Still, I think she’s a safe bet to take home the big prize. This is the toughest category for me. I know you’ve never heard of her, but Carey Mulligan gives such an amazing performance in "An Education." For me, Meryl Streep became Julia Child. Sidibe is good in "Precious," but she basically has one expression through the entire film, and even though she’s is supposed to be shy, it would help if she hadn’t mumbled. Helen Mirren is a bit over the top in "The Last Station," but she’s absolutely believable. That said, I’m pretty sure Bullock is a shoe-in.

Best Picture: "Avatar," "The Blind Side," "District 9," "An Education," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire," "A Serious Man," "Up," "Up in the Air." I don’t believe "Precious" or "A Serious Man" deserve to be in the category. I get that "Precious" deals with horrific subject matter and we are supposed to believe that it is an important film, but if you break it down, it’s not a very well made film. The editing is choppy, the acting is oven over the top or non-existent, especially many of the scenes at the school. I just don’t get the love for the film beyond Mo’Nique’s performance. "A Serious Man" is a movie that just didn’t do it for me. I’m a big fan of the Coen brothers and usually enjoy their dark humor, but this movie was a self-indulgent mess.

So let’s talk about some of the films I do like. No one can deny that James Cameron hasn’t done something quite wonderful with "Avatar," while it’s slow at times, it’s a visual gem. In "An Education" director Lone Scherfig had a deft hand with his actors performances and it’s a great coming of age film. "The Blind Side" and "UP" are both great stories, I’m not so sure they are Best Picture material, but I enjoyed both of the films. "Up in the Air" is movie that I had to think about for a while before I decided I liked it. In the end I decided I love it. My only real problem with that film was the pacing, but the performances by the actors made up for any shortfalls.

That said, for me this year’s two best pictures are "The Hurt Locker" and "Inglourious Basterds" are my favorites. Director Kathryn Bigelow picked up the Directors Guild Award for "The Hurt Locker," and this makes me hopeful that perhaps Hollywood is coming around to understanding that this one incredible film. Most people know Bigelow as James Cameron’s ex, but she’s obviously so much more. He even says so. "The Hurt Locker" is a tightly wound film, with intense performance. It’s one you shouldn’t miss. And even though he often gets the cold shoulder from Hollywood, no one is doing more for the film genre than Quentin Tarantino. The man has such respect for the art of film-making and though he’s turned out some winners and some stinkers, this is his best film yet. So for me a perfect world would have a Best Picture tie for "The Hurt Locker" and "Inglorious Basterds."


To comment on Let's Talk Academy Awards please click here.

Candace Havens | New Series, Romantic Adventure...it's February!

I have so much to tell you about this month. First of all, those of you who are fans of M.J. Rose’ The Reincarnationist might want to check out Past Life on Fox, which was inspired by the by the book. For those of you who are familiar with the book, basically the institute is there and they deal with past life regression cases, but that’s where the similarities end. Kelli Giddish, Richard Schiff , Nicholas Bishop and Ravi Pate star.

I like the concept, but I feel like maybe they should have picked a different episode for the pilot. It starts out kind of slow, but I liked the second episode. My fear is that Fox is the worst at giving shows a chance. If it doesn’t hold the ratings, it won’t be around for very long. And, not unlike Dollhouse, it’s a show that needs a little time to find its footing. There is some decent chemistry between Giddish and Bishop His character has just lost his wife; so don’t expect a big romantic bang up top. It’s certainly worth checking out.

I’m super excited about the release of my first Harlequin Blaze, TAKE ME IF YOU DARE. I love this line of books and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’d always wanted to write about spies and detectives and with the Stonegate Investigative Agency, I was able to mix the two. My hero, Jackson, is my idea of the perfect man, Mariska, my heroine, can hold her own. I hope you guys will check it out.

Kate Douglas says DEMONFIRE is her first “not erotic” mass market paranormal. “I’m a basket case about the release,” she says. “My readers love the over-the-top-no-boundary-is-sacred Wolf Tales series, and I’m never nervous about those books coming out. Why is it I can write sexy stories that would cur Grandma’s toes without a worry, but I’m really freaked out about the release of a really cool story about a demon who gets kicked out of hell for being too good, and ends up fighting demons on Earth in a borrowed body. Go figure.” Kate, trust me when I say, I know exactly how you feel. It’s because we’re trying something new, and we can only hope readers jump on for the ride.

KNOCK ME FOR A LOOP is the third in Heidi Betts’ Chicks with Sticks trilogy. “But it is actually the first of the three stories I plotted out in my head,” she says. “From the beginning, I just loved Zack and Grace – to mention their adorable Saint Bernard, Bruiser. I had the best time developing the ups and downs of their relationships.”

Angie Fox’s latest A TALE OF TWO DEMON SLAYERS is the third book in the Accidental Demon Slayer series. “It’s about a preschool teacher who finds out she has powers and has to run off with her grandma’s gang of Harley riding biker witches,” Fox says. “Lizzie, the heroine, also has a talking dog and in this book, the dog gets a pet. It goes something like this:

Lizzie: You can’t have a pet. You are pet.

Pirate: I know how to treat a pet. First rule: no Healthy Lite dog chow.

To celebrate Fox has created a fun quiz to help you find out What Supernatural Pet is Right for You.

Gerry Bartlett has another funny one out, Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs. “Who doesn’t hate their thighs?” Bartlett asks. “And if a vampire has a figure issue, to bad, she’s stuck just the way she is when she’s turned. Forever. In this book, vampire Glory St. Clair can finally get her dream figure when she meets a vampire diet guru. Too good to be true? First, he’s her lover’s ancient enemy. Then there are the weird side effects from the drugs he gives her. With a chance to walk down the red carpet at the Grammys though, Glory is willing to risk a lot to look great for that one special night. Wouldn’t you?”

Well, that's it for this month, see you next year with more news...Candy

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Candace Havens is a columnist for FYI Television, an online news and media service, where she writes five weekly columns for an overall audience of 44 million readers. She is also an entertainment reporter for 96.3 KSCS in Fort Worth. She lives in Fort Worth, Texas. She is the author of the Charmed & Dangerous series including CHARMED & READY, CHARMED & DANGEROUS, CHARMED & DEADLY, and LIKE A CHARM as well as the Caruthers sisters: DRAGONS PREFER BLONDES and THE DEMON KING AND I. Her latest book, TAKE ME IF YOU DARE is in stores in February 2010.

Her non-fiction prose includes JOSS WHEDON: THE GENIUS BEHIND BUFFY, and essays in ALIAS ASSUMED: SEX, LIES AND SD-6, and FIVE SEASONS OF ANGEL.

You can visit Candy daily at her blog or her website

Candace Havens | Bright Lights in 2010...TV Pilots and books...

Candy's Inside Books
A look at books, authors and movie events

I’m getting ready to head out to Los Angeles to cover the new TV season for the day job. I’ve seen a few of the new pilots and I liked some of them. Unfortunately, I haven’t seen anything very fresh – At least not yet. (Hollywood, if you’re listening I have some great books that could be turned into fabulous TV series. I haven’t ever seen a series about a witch who protects the British prime minister, or a magical librarian, or four sisters who protect our world from alien beings.

But I digress.

It occurred to me the other day that some of my favorite TV shows and films from 2009 were based on the lives of writers or were adaptations of books. “Castle” is one of my favorite television shows, which is about a fictional writer who works with a police detective to solve murders. I also liked the adaptation of Debbie Macombers’ “Mrs. Miracle,” which was a very sweet film.

“The Last Station” is a movie about Tolstoy’s struggle to balance is slightly insane family with his commitment to his belief in living a life with out material comforts. I must admit I didn’t know much about Tolstoy, but Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren and James McAvoy really brought his story to life.

I was also a big fan of “Julie & Julia,” which stars Meryl Streep as Julia Childs and Amy Adams as author and blogger Julie Powell. This one is out on video and I highly recommend it.  “Up in the Air” with George Clooney is based on a novel by Walter Kirn, and Clooney gives the performance of a lifetime in this one. I was also charmed by “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” which also stars Clooney as one of the voices, and is based on the book by Roald Dahl.

But one of my absolute favorite films last year (it may not have been released yet in your city) was “Bright Star.” Directed by Jane Campion, the film follows the love of 19^th century poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw) and the lovely seamstress Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish).  It’s one of the most romantic films I’ve seen in a very long time. Yet, the lovers barely ever touch. Just talking about it makes me want to watch it again.

As a writer, it’s fascinating for me to see what makes other writer’ tick, and to see how their works are adapted. Let’s face it, I don’t know a single writer who doesn’t secretly wish his or her book would be turned into a movie or television show. And I know my whacked out life could some day be the fodder for someone else’s entertainment, but it would most definitely be a comedy.

Let’s take a look at some of the cool releases out this month. Who knows? One of these may be on a television set or in a theater near you soon!

SEX ON THE BEACH from Susan Lyons is every bit as sexy as it sounds. “The idea for Sex on the Beach came to me on a cold winter day in Vancouver, BC,” says Lyons. “I thrive on sunshine and warmth, so I nourished my soul with memories of tropical holidays. I remembered how many people I’d seen getting married on the beach, and imagined the sexy fun that might ensue if a group of wedding guests assembled in Belize. And . . . ooh, ooh! What if each of the romantic couples had a reason for keeping their relationship secret? Could you imagine how complicated that could get? Well, let me tell you, it was complicated to write too, trying to keep track of who was doing what with whom, and when and where – but it was sure a lot of fun!”

MOON MARKED is the latest from Linda Thomas-Sundstrom. “In this "Wolf Moon" series of four books and Bites, I had four sets of heroes and heroines, each pair with a book of their own, per se,” Thomas Sundstrom says. “But some of them appeared in stories other than their own, entagling all of those eight people (not to mention the secondary characters) in the circumstances surrounding the plotline of  chasing down a criminal werewolf in Miami who is biting innocent people. Some of those pesky characters muscled in as I wrote, racking up some overtime, when I had no idea they were going to show up in some elses' tale!  And literally all of them, plus those secondaries, gathered together in the final book ("Wolf Trap," March 2010), joining forces to try to take the nasty wolf down. Just try keeping all that straight! Let's see now.... which Were had the brown pelt and blue eyes! How about the blue pelt with the brown eyes? NO! Duh! There is no such thing as a blue pelt! It was wicked fun, a real challenge, and more than a little mind-boggling - managing all those wolves and their pals. I'd heard werewolves were aggressive, but hey . . . their energy carried me right along, infecting me with their enthusiasm. Kept me on my writerly toes. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I hope I can!”

DANGEROUS HIGHLANDER from Donna Grant came from her wondering why the Romans couldn’t take northern Britain. “I’ve always wondered about that,” says Grant. “Was it the Celts or something more? So my Dark Swords series was born with Druids, magic, and primeval gods locked inside Highlanders.”

ETERNAL HUNTER is set in the steamy South--in Baton Rouge, a city close to author Cynthia Eden’s heart.  “Baton Rouge seemed to be a perfect setting for shifters who chose to hunt in swamps,” she says, “and for charmers who spent their evenings in the company of gators.  In the Deep South, anything can happen and usually does.”

Ann Yost’s “VOODOO THAT YOU DO” is all about second chances. “One of the subplots is about a pastor and the local mortician’s wife and how their affair affects the whole town,” Yost says. “It’s loosely based on an incident that occurred in my community.”


The lovely Gina Nelson’s first book “PLAY IT LOUD” is on bookshelves. It’s a sweet romance with a sensual edge that is perfect for adults and teens.

SKYLAR'S OUTLAW was a difficult book for author Linda Warren to write. “The heroine's four-year-old daughter has juvenile arthritis,” she says. “I've had rheumatoid arthritis since I was eighteen so I know the subject very well, but I never realized it would be so hard to write those emotions from a mother's perspective. To ease Skylar's worry I gave her a special hero, someone to share her burden, just like I have in my life. Enjoy SKYLAR'S OUTLAW.”


THE SHERIFF’S SECRET WIFE from Christyne Butler has characters from her first book “THE COWBOY’S SECOND CHANCE.” “This book was fun to write because the hero and heroine first appeared in that first book and they tried to take over every scene they were in,” says Butler. “I knew from the moment I met Racy and Gage that they had to have their own story, and it would be wild ride!”

Tawny Weber is one of the authors featured in the Blazing Bedtime Stories III anthology with Tori Carrington. "There’s nothing more fun than mixing the sexiness of a Blaze with a little sassy magic of a fairy tale," says Weber. "I had the best time writing YOU HAVE TO KISS A LOT OF FROGS, bringing my own twist to the classic Frog Prince fairy tale. Almost as fun was coming up with a variety of ways to torture my poor hero, whose curse has his once virile ego shrinking to tadpole proportions."


Well, that's it for this month, see you next month with more news...Candy

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Candy is a nationally syndicated entertainment columnist, who has interviewed just about every celebrity there is in Hollywood and written thousands of articles. She is the author of the upcoming romantic suspense, CATCH ME IF YOU DARE as well as the Charmed & Dangerous series including CHARMED & READY CHARMED & DANGEROUS, CHARMED & DEADLY, and LIKE A CHARM. Her Caruthers sisters books DRAGONS PREFER BLONDES and THE DEMON KING & I are available now!

Her non-fiction prose includes JOSS WHEDON: THE GENIUS BEHIND BUFFY, and essays in ALIAS ASSUMED: SEX, LIES AND SD-6, and FIVE SEASONS OF ANGEL. She's also the entertainment critic providing the latest on TV, film and celebs for the radio station 96.3 KSCS. And she's the managing editor for FYI Television.

You can visit Candy daily at her blog or her website

Candace Havens Inside Books | Gift Ideas and December Books

Candy's Inside Books
A look at books, authors and movie events

I’d hoped to put together a list of some of my favorite books from the past year for this last column of the year. I couldn’t do it. Whittling down more than a 100 books, most of which I loved, was absolutely impossible. I will, at the end of this column give you some authors to check out if you need help with your gift buying.

But we have several December releases to talk about first:

Michelle Styles says THE VIKING’ CAPTIVE PRINCESS is the story of an exiled Viking princess who takes her half- sister’s place in an enemy warrior’s bed to save her sister’s life. “One of my favorite bits is doing research and finding little factoids so I was really pleased when I learned about the gem stone iolite,” Styles says. “It is a natural polarizing filter (think sun glasses!) and the Vikings used it in navigation as a sun compass because of course if you are sailing in the land of the Midnight Sun, there are no stars to guide you. It really fascinated me and I made sure iolite was mentioned in the book.”

Susan Lyon’s new title, SEX DRIVE, says it all. “While I’m not as bright as my genius heroine,” says Lyons, “I grew up as one of those clever kids who skipped a grade and was always younger than my classmates. It didn’t help that I was also always the smallest in my class. Oh, and of course I wore glasses, too. Nope, I didn’t have much of a social life – at least when it came to boys. So, when I created Damien for the socially and sexually repressed Theresa, I had a fabulous time! It felt like vindication for all of us plain-Jane smart girls.”

Keena Kincaid has new one out TIES THAT BIND. The lead character, Aedan, was supposed to be a minor one in the first book in the series “Anam Cara,” but then he demanded his own story. “He talked me and demanded I write his story,” Lykins says. “I’d left his reputation in tatters and he wanted me to fix it. So I wrote his story. As a druid, one of his magical abilities is the gift of words. He can talk anyone into anything. It wasn’t the easiest book I’ve ever written, but I loved the challenge of taking a self-centered character who is used to getting whatever he wants, thwarting him at every turn, and then using the power of love to make him a better man.”

HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT is the first book in Cynthia Eden’s Midnight trilogy that is out in mass market paperback, and it introduces readers to Emily Drake, the “Monster Doctor”--a psychologist who only treats paranormal patients. Emily must profile a paranormal killer...and protect her heart from the wolf shifter detective leading the investigation.

Kate Douglas says WOLF TALES 9 was written as a result of a poll she did with her readers, asking which characters they wanted to know more about. “I had hundreds of responses,” she says, “and WT9 answers their questions. As the Chanku gather in Montana to await the birth of Tia and Luc’s first baby, they tell the stories of how they met and how they first discovered they were Chanku. Mik and AJ, Jake and Luc, Anton and Oliver— and the list goes on.”

Gina Robinson calls SPY GAMES a romantic suspense with spunk. “Reilly Peterson’s been many things in her thirty-two years: an athlete, a model, a sportswear executive,” says Robinson. “Her ex- boyfriend, however, has done a good job of making Reilly something she’s never been—scared. Now Reilly’s ready to protect herself with more than her sharp tongue. Fantasy Spy Camp’s Seattle-based Urban Ops division will train her to survive using everything from her bare hands to a submachine gun. But when she gets an eyeful of fellow camper Van Keller, all Reilly wants is to chill out, partner up and go deep undercover.”


More books to check out this month: Bonnie Edward’s BREATHLESS, Patti Shenberger’s MISTLETOE SEDUCTIONS, and Gina Nelson’s PLAY IT LOUD.

Gift Buying Ideas

The following is to help those of you who may want to buy books for family and friends. It is in no way a complete list. It’s an off-the-top-of-my-head list to give you some authors to check out. In sci-fi fantasy: A. Lee Martinez, Jim Butcher, Rachel Caine, (Her YA’s are cool too), Yasmine Galenorn, Cathy Clamp and C.T. Adams, Lynn Viehl; young adult: Rosemary Clement Moore, Richelle Mead, Gena Showalter (Her paranormal romances also rock), Alyson Noel, P.C and Kristen Cast; Funny romance: Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley, Linda Wisdom, Mark Henry, Candace Havens (I hear she is really awesome); Historical romance: Jodi Thomas, Lorraine Heath; Paranormal romance: Anya Bast, Nancy Haddock, Carrie Vaughn; Mystery: Wendy Lyn Watson, Annette Blair; Horror: Joseph Nassise, Neil Gaiman (his early works); Romantic Suspense/Thriller: Sandra Brown, Lisa Jackson, Bob Mayer; Erotic romance: Sasha White, Amie Stuart; Women’s fiction: Kate Austin (Her new paranormals are awesome too), Leanna Ellis, Susan Wiggs, Britta Coleman.

Well, that's it for this month, see you next year with more news...Candy

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Candy is a nationally syndicated entertainment columnist, who has interviewed just about every celebrity there is in Hollywood and written thousands of articles. She is the author of the Charmed & Dangerous series including Charmed & Ready Charmed & Dangerous, Charmed & Deadly, and Like A Charm. Her latest book The Demon King and I is available now!

Her non-fiction prose includes Joss Whedon: The Genius Behind Buffy, and essays in Alias Assumed: Sex, Lies and SD-6, and Five Seasons of Angel. She's also the entertainment critic providing the latest on TV, film and celebs for the radio station 96.3 KSCS. And she's the managing editor for FYI Television.

You can visit Candy daily at her blog or her website

Get Fresh With VAMPIRES! A lively Discussion & Celebration of Pop Culture Literature with Candace Havens, Rosemary Clement-Moore & Gwen Reyes

Fresh Fiction and Barnes & Noble presents...

Getting Fresh with Vampires

Saturday, November 14th @ 5:00 PM

Barnes & Noble Lincoln Park

Join Fresh Fiction’s Gwen Reyes for a lively discussion about vampires in
today’s literature & pop culture with Special Guests Candace Havens & Rosemary Clement-Moore

They'll be taking on the Twilight crowd and talking about vampires, Bella,
Diaries, Edward and much much more! Special treats available!!!

click here for Flyer

Fresh Pick | DRAGONS PREFER BLONDES by Candace Havens

Caruthers Sisters #2
July 2009
On Sale: July 7, 2009
Featuring: Alex Caruthers; Ginjin; Jake
304 pages
ISBN: 0425227804
EAN: 9780425227800
Trade Size
$14.00

Fantasy Urban, Romance Paranormal

Buy at Amazon.com

Dragons Prefer Blondes
by Candace Havens

Fighting evil in four-inch Pradas...

Second in the paranormal series featuring the Caruthers sisters, party girls who save the world—between cocktails.

Alex Caruthers is a sassy socialite who knows when it’s time to turn in her dancing shoes and kick some serious dragon booty. But when Ginjin—the dragon warrior who’s tried to kill her numerous times—chooses her as his mate, Alex finds herself in a situation that’s too hot to handle.

For help she turns to Jake, head of Caruthers security—and a total hottie in a suit—and asks him to pose as her boyfriend. Their relationship might be fake, but Alex can’t deny that one touch from Jake makes her burn hotter than any dragon could.

Previous Picks

Sara Reyes | Author + Books + Video = Excitement?

I always tell people -- find something to do that connects with your passion in life and you'll be successful! And the rule has proved itself over and over again. My passion is books and reading. My talent, if it can labeled, is remembering what I've read and making connections. I connect readers with books. If I know someone likes a certain type of book: say historical with lots of sexual tension but with emotion, I'll say try Mary Balogh or Mary Jo Putney or Loretta Chase. Because those authors will make you weep, laugh and sigh. If someone likes gritty urban fantasy I point them to Kim Harrison or Kelley Armstrong because you'll find a fast paced action packed adventure in a world that is familiar and yet, not. Well, you get my drift. I'm fortunate as I read fast and I've read steadily for a loooong time!

Fun Books You Should Get!

But I've also been able to meet authors, and authors are wonderful people, especially after you get them to open up about their work. Then you can see the passion in their eyes and the emotion in their voice as they tell me about the twists and turns of their plots but usually and most importantly about the characters. It's a fascinating conversation and I never get bored listening.

This has been a week for authors and their passions. Last Saturday we had a signing with three funny and talented ladies -- Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley and Candace Havens. Now, one-on-one they are all entertaining but you put them in the same room and they light up the place! They played off each other and engaged the audience in their back stories, their characters and the varied worlds they create. In the end we all spent more money than anticipated, but that's the fun of meeting authors.

But wait, we're not done ... read the rest and see how YOU can win some prizes this weekend!

Candace Havens | Superhero, Anyone?

I know, this a tough decision for any woman. I mean, it’s something I ponder at length. I’ve even dreamed about it on occasion. I feel like this is the time to really delve deep and figure out the answer to the question:

If I had a choice would I sleep with Superman or Batman?

In a perfect world, I’d get both. I mean, someone on. They are both super hot, even without their capes. My friends and I used to play this game Breakfast, lunch, dinner or coffee. We’d pick celebrities and then say what meal we’d like to share with them. Breakfast usually meant a sleepover.

I’m saying straight up, with no reservations, I’d have breakfast with Superman and Batman. No problemo.

But like I said, this isn’t a perfect world, so I have to pick one. Let’s look at the con’s first. Superman, has so much strength, that one has to worry if he were to lose himself in the throes of passion, well, one might get squished. And there’s that whole faster than a speeding bullet. Fast isn’t always a good thing.

Curious to know the answer? Read on...