K. M. Daughters | Real Men Should Read Romance

At the 2008 Romance Writers of America conference, a talented and prolific author entertained and informed attendees as a luncheon keynote speaker. We delighted in her anecdote concerning her husband. Relating that he had never read a single one of her impressive body of published novels, she declared that she always made a point to kill somebody in each of her books with her husband’s first name.

The moral of her story for us is: real men should read romance for their overall health, oh yes, and enjoyment.

Our contention is not as tongue in cheek as it sounds. Men are, of course, half the equation in the yin and yang of traditional romance genres. Our heroes yearn for equal measures of romantic fulfillment and personal happily ever after conclusions as do our heroines. Sensuality, present in varying degrees in romance, isn’t as tantalizing and stimulating to the…imagination…for men?

Our virile husbands are delighted (forced) to read our books. In fact one of our husbands brought our latest release on a men only long weekend in the deep woods. By day, he and his friends blazed trails on ATV’s, fished and threw their catches back in the lake, canoed, hiked, and did rugged, outdoorsy real men things. In the evening he apparently read and finished our romantic suspense novel, sending home a text message: “Just read a great book. I got a ----- (slang word for aroused) and I cried. Who could ask for more?”

Click here to read the rest of the blog and to comment.

Maria V. Snyder | Unexpected Gifts

I’d like to first thank Fresh Fiction for inviting me to blog on their wonderful site – Thanks so much!

I’m so lucky to have such great support from the various book websites and review sites throughout the Internet. It has been one of many unexpected surprises when I became a published author. Another happy and unexpected result has been reader emails. Now some of you may be thinking, of course you’d get emails. But I had been so focused on getting my story published; that I hadn’t really considered what would happen once the book hit the shelves.


Click to read the rest of Maria's blog and to comment.

The Best Gift Books for 2008 according to Fresh Fiction Staff Members

Every day Fresh Fiction has a new "Fresh Pick," a book recommended by readers not necessarily reviewers although I think there are a few reviewers opinions sought during the process. But the cool thing--does that age me -- is a group of readers sit down and come up with the best books for a theme. The books are usually fiction but sometimes a cook book or self-help will creep in. I've heard the arguments that most self-help and cookbooks are works of fiction anyway. Could be the non-cooks complaining and I won't even touch the bit about the self-help since I'm rather fond of those myself.

Anyway, for the past few months the looming days around the end-of-year holidays is always a hot topic. Like what are the books you read to get into the mood, when do you start reading, is Halloween too early? What do you like to read, something uplifting to raise spirits, something fluffy to get away from all the stress? And gifts. What do you give someone -- gasp -- who doesn't read? Or someone who only reads a certain genre. Everyone knows someone so prejudiced, you buy them a contemporary when they only read historical, or only regency, no Victorian. You know, the usual reader chit chat about books.

So, this year we've had two strong themes going in December. The first is a list of books that are the best gifts to give for a category. Yes, it's not scientific but who better to listen to than a group of buying readers who know their stuff?

By the way, the voting was spirited and loud at times, so you know you've got some STRONG opinions and recommendations here...

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Womens Fiction

Searching for Paradise in Parker, PA by Kris Radish

From the bestselling author of The Sunday List of Dreams and Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral comes a poignant, funny, and uplifting novel of a woman at midlife whose search for happiness within her marriage—and within herself—turns a whole town upside down.

After twenty-eight years of marriage to her husband Lucky, Addy Lipton feels anything but happily married. In fact, just thinking of ... more

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Paranormal Romance

Nightkeepers by Jessica Andersen

As a Miami narcotics detective, Leah Daniels never knows how her day will turn out. But she certainly never expected to be strapped to a stone altar, the human sacrifice in an ancient Mayan ritual meant to coax up a demon from the underworld. Or that she’d be saved by a handsome warrior- priest king who claims to recognize her from his visions... Jaguar Strike wishes he hadn’t made the mistake of reuniting...more

Extraordinary and intriguing start to a new series about the Mayan 2012 Doomsday prophecy.

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Contemporary Romance

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world: a bona-fide sports superstar and the pride of the NFL with a profitable side career as a buff billboard model for End Zone underwear. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a cross-country trip to figure out what's gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies...more

"Excellent combination of madcap comedy and emotional drama in this contemporary romance."

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Chick-Lit

This Is How It Happened by Jo Barrett

(not a love story)
He lied, he cheated. He destroyed her life.

How difficult could killing him be? more

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Historical Romance

The Spymaster's Lady by Joanna Bourne

Dark secrets and French spies make for a suspenseful debut historical romance.

She's never met a man she couldn't deceive...until now.

She's braved battlefields. She's stolen dispatches from under the noses of heads of state. She's played the worldly courtesan, the naive virgin, the refined British lady, even a Gypsy boy. But Annique Villiers, the elusive spy known as the Fox Cub, has finally met the one man she can't outwit. more

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Erotic Romance

Art of Desire by Cherie Feather

Contemporary erotica with a historical romance twist from a hot new author.

Museum director Mandy Cooper is obsessed with nineteenth-century artist Catherine Burke—and the artist’s erotically charged relationship with Atacar, her enthralling American Indian lover. But Mandy’s link to the legendary couple runs deeper than she knows. She’s having a heated affair herself—with Jared Cabrillo, Atacar’s handsome great-great nephew who knows precisely what it takes to seduce a woman… ...more

Fresh Fiction Staff "Gift Pick" for Romantic Suspense

Take Me If You Can by Karen Kendall

"A swift, smart and sassy suspense with lots of romantic tension."

For art recovery agent Avy Hunt, no task is too risky when it comes to rescuing stolen treasures. Her latest mission is to locate the multimillion-dollar Sword of Alexander, believed to be in the possession of master thief Sir Liam James. But there is far more to this heist than meets the eye, and what Avy doesn’t know can definitely hurt her. ...more

Later this week be sure to check back for the books from our second strong December theme -- Holiday Reading!

Disclaimer: Fresh Picks are selected by a committee of readers. If you know a terrific book you'd like to share with others, or would like a book to be considered, please contact us.

Sandi Shilhanek | Get your Olympic medal in reading.

Over the last weeks the Olympics have been what quite a few of my friends have been discussing. Mostly they’re talking about Michael Phelps and his phenomenal performance in not only winning eight gold medals, but in the process also setting seven world records.

It has been about thirty-six years since Mark Spitz set the record that Michael Phelps has broken.

So all this hoopla that has so rightly surrounded this year’s Olympics has gotten me to thinking about how many books people are able to read in a year and how that might translate into an Olympic medal.

From my surfing around the net I have discovered that some people have amazing reading speed. eharlequin has challenged their members to read and blog one hundred thousand books this year and they will donate books to The National Center for Family Literacy.

Yes, I do my best to contribute to this worthy cause and post my books there, but so far this year I’ve only read or listened to eighty-one books, while one member has read five hundred eighty! She would surely be a contender for a gold medal. I on the other hand can only wish to be in that league, and would undoubtedly not win a medal at all, but might surprise myself with a bronze.

While I might not be able to compete against the world and win a medal I might be able to compete in my small circle of friends. Well, on second thought as I think about my closest reading friends I again think I don’t stand a chance for a medal, but that’s okay because what I am gaining by reading a book or listening to an audio is more important to me than earning a medal I’d have to dust.

I want to know are you a contender for an Olympic medal in reading? Do you have a circle of friends with whom you compete? What medal would you win if you were to compete with them? Are you like me, and while I do compete with a friend for who can read the most in a year it really doesn’t matter whether or not I’d win a medal because the fun is really in reading great things, and living vicariously through the stories that the authors have provided me with.

Sandi

Julia London | Reading for Pleasure: History

Writers are readers, first and foremost, and I know a lot of my romance-writing pals read romance for pleasure. I used to read romance for pleasure, but when you write romance all day, it can be sort of a stretch to try and relax with one. That’s not to say I never read it—of course I do—but I don’t read it like I used to.

For BOOK OF SCANDAL, my latest release (in stores now), I read a couple of riveting biographies. You would think it really dry reading, but if you are into the regency period like I am, sometimes those books can read like the People Magazine of its time. There was some down and dirty goings-on!

The first book I read, The Princesses, by Flora Fraser, was about the six daughters of King George III. I didn’t even know he had six daughters. They were strictly monitored and kept close to the king and queen so as not to gain reputations—while their seven brothers were out gallivanting around and being accused of all sorts of things: adultery, secret marriages, incest, and even murder. Moreover, the king and queen were pretty picky about who they would marry their girls to, and as a result, none of them married until they were in their thirties, and two of them never married at all. I thought about writing a book to include them, but finding the romance in that was too hard.

Then I read The Unruly Queen by Flora Fraser, about Princess Caroline, who came from Brunswick (Germany) to marry the Prince of Wales, the future George IV. That is where I found the genesis for the idea behind BOOK OF SCANDAL. George agreed to marry Caroline so that Parliament would pay his debts. He lived the life of a profligate, complete with a “secret” wife, numerous mistresses, and some really bad debts from his extravagance. Caroline of Brunswick was not particularly handsome, nor was she very genteel. There were concerns about her hygiene habits and her own family seemed to be glad she was gone.

Whatever the truth, the two did not suit at all. They managed to consummate the marriage and produce an heir in one or two tries, but after that, they were permanently estranged. They were both awful—they both were rumored to have adulterous liaisons, they both participated in bawdy games, and they both continued to sling mud at each other, principally through an aging and ailing king. But did that stop them? Hardly!

Here’s another one you might enjoy: Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman. Now here was a chick who was dragged through the proverbial wringer. It’s another book that reads like pulp fiction, and I gobbled Reading for Pleasure: History

Writers are readers, first and foremost, and I know a lot of my romance-writing pals read romance for pleasure. I used to read romance for pleasure, but when you write romance all day, it can be sort of a stretch to try and relax with one. That’s not to say I never read it—of course I do—but I don’t read it like I used to.

I hope you will pick up a copy of BOOK OF SCANDAL, released just this week! Please stop by www.julialondon.com/ for excerpts, message boards and monthly giveaways. This month, we’re having a fabulous giveaway to celebrate the release of the book. it up. But if you don’t think reading Georgiana is your bag, by all means, wait for the movie. It comes out this fall.

Julia London

Jessica Barksdale Inclan | Writers or Readers

Hello, everyone. My name is Jessica Barksdale Inclan, and I’m the author of a few novels, the latest BEING WITH HIM, a paranormal romance from Kensington.

I am so happy to be here today at Freshfiction.com. I blog daily at www.redrom.com/, but it’s nice to have a new place to meet people. As I was thinking about what to write about to you today, I realized I didn’t want to talk about writing but reading. Writers usually are always readers first. And as that is the case with me, I relate most with being a reader. That’s what I do. That’s what I am.

Reading saved me. It has always saved me. From before I could read myself, my mother’s daily and nightly reading to me saved me, kept me from thinking my own thoughts sometimes, giving me new thoughts to think about. Reading put me into worlds I had never been, worlds I wanted to go to.

Reading was something I could do when all else failed. In fourth grade, I was tested at 12th grade reading level and a 2nd grade math level. Things have changed relatively little in that regard, the wide disparity still there. But then and now, reading was the thing I could do and do well, sometimes the only thing.

I read during my labors with both children. I've read in airplanes. I've read on long car rides in the rain. I've read during sad afternoons, during long waits in the car for children to finish their appointments and classes. I've read in every place I've ever traveled to. I read whatever is in front of me: newspapers, cereal boxes, instruction booklets.

I don't have graphomania (the constant need to write) but I do have bibliomania. I will admit to that right now, no holds barred. I am obsessed with reading.

Now reading helps me make a living, reading and her twin writing. Reading is what I can do for others out of love. Reading is a gift I give to others out of friendship.

I read fast. At school, my colleagues have loved me during hiring committees because I could read through the application folders faster than anyone else. They loved me during writing assessments because of the same thing. It's my own true skill, something I didn't have to work at, learn to do. It's in my brain due to no training on my part.

I like to hold what I read, so I worry about ebooks, about kindles, about electronic everything. I like a book, being able to flip back and forth, feel the pages under my fingers. I like to carry it with me, even reading in the dry sauna or some times at the pool, water everywhere. I like to read outside, inside, in the sun, in the shade. This isn't going to disintegrate into Green Eggs and Ham, but you get my point.

Today, I am thankful for my reading skills, my reading love. I've read a lot today already, and it's a good thing, a nice thing, a wonderful thing.

What does reading do for you? How do you feel about reading? Is it your first true love?

Jessica
Being With Him

Jessica Barksdale Inclan
www.jessicabarksdaleinclan.com/

The Reader and the Book Club...

Book clubs are HOT HOT HOT now and I know why! If you find a good one, it's more than just a time to discuss books and find reading "soul mates." It can be a time just for "me" when I can rattle on about a loved book, rant about the waste of paper for another, or marvel over the world created by a talented author's imagination and skill. Being part of a "club" gives me companions to go to a book signing or just the reassurance a series will continue. The power of group thought outweighs all those other publishing business strategies.

My favorite part about being a member of a book club is when we can all get together--over a great cocktail--and talk about what our favorite books of the past month have been. We do our book club a little bit differently than your usual Oprah book club. Instead of everyone being assigned a mandatory book, we each read what we like and "swap" books over tea or dinner. Doing it this way allows everyone to learn about a hot new author, or even rediscover an old friend. Either way, everyone always leaves our meetings with arms over flowing with new adventures. A few of us have even been known to sit in a cushy chair outside of the restaurant and read a recently traded book after a particularly serendipitous meeting! Everyone reads something different, and everyone always leaves satisfied!

I always invite anyone I meet at a signing, PTA meeting, or at doggie daycare to join us for a book club meeting. Of course, many of them respond with a polite "I don't read very often." And my response is always the same: "you don't have to read now, but after a few meeting with us, you will start!" Being a part of a book club makes even the most apprehensive reader embrace something new, or find out that she had never been reading what she liked to begin with! It's so amazing when someone sees reading for pleasure as pleasurable!

As the summer sun pushes us into the shade, remember that good friends and good books make a fantastic couple!

My Book Club.

Tony Eldridge | The Great Equalizer

I stumbled upon Fresh Fiction from the recommendation of a friend who loves the site. As I began surfing, I thought to myself, “Wow, we have come so far as authors and readers.” It hasn’t been too long since the only places you could find good books were in the bookstores and in the libraries. That meant that a lot of great books could never be found or read by readers. Why? Simply because of the limited resources needed to make the books available. Can you imagine walking into a bookstore and having to walk through a small sky scraper in order to browse every book available? Neither time nor money exist for something like that. Besides, there is something cozy about visiting a library or bookstore with a cup of coffee or tea in hand to browse through your favorite genre for a couple of hours. Can you imagine having to schedule your two-week vacation to do just that if every book ever written was available to you in a bookstore?

But the internet has broken through the barriers to make that happen. It has become “The Great Equalizer”. As readers, we have access to books that would never have been made available to us in the past. As writers, we now have a platform to reach more people than ever before. Not that every book we write will be seen by every reader, but at least the potential is there. And with sites like Fresh Fiction and others, we have the opportunity to see books, read reviews, and watch trailers to see what piques our literary interest.


Take my book, for example. I have written an action/adventure book, The Samson Effect, that Clive Cussler calls a “first rate thriller brimming with intrigue and adventure.” A major Hollywood producer has acquired the film rights to it. I also have some other big things brimming under the surface that should be announced soon about the book. How did this happen? Not because a million copies sat on bookstore shelves around the country. It happened because of “The Great Equalizer”. Readers surfed the net and found the book. They read it, blogged about it, and reviewed it. They told others about it and soon, the book appeared on countless number of sites and in search engines results.

Sure, The Samson Effect sat on bookstore shelves, but the lion’s share of sales came because of readers who found in on the internet. For that, I am thankful. Thankful for the readers, for sites like Fresh Fiction, and for living in a time when any author can compete for the privilege of having readers all over the world consider their work.

I still enjoy curling up on an oversized sofa in a bookstore with my Sumatran coffee and browsing through books in my local bookstore. But as I look back at the last 12 books I have read, they have all been purchased through the internet. And six of them have the author’s autograph on them. How cool is that? They were signed from authors around the world and I didn’t have to stand in line for even one of them. And you know what? I have found some new favorite authors that I probably never would have found if “The Great Equalizer” hadn’t existed.

So thanks for browsing, thanks for your reviews and your word-of-mouth recommendations, and for the time you have taken to read this blog entry. And if you have a few moments, I would appreciate it if you could make a quick stop to my home page, http://www.samsoneffect.com/ and check out my little corner of the internet. Who knows, you may just find another favorite author in the process.

Tony Eldridge

Lisa Plumley | Isn't it funny?

I have a confession to make: Most of my friends don't read romances. For one reason or another, they simply...don't read romances. Period. Either they're worried about being judged by the racy covers, or they think all that romance stuff is "a fairy tale," or they prefer to read exclusively about serial killers, or they've tried one (just one!) romance--possibly a decade ago, or more--and have decided the whole genre just isn't for them.

That's okay with me. I mean, there are occasionally awkward moments between us, I'll admit that. Because I'm passionate about reading and writing romances! I think they're awesome. I like to celebrate the power of love, the thrill of attraction, and all the wonderful differences between men and women. At the same time, I'm a live-and-let-live kind of person. I don't think it's up to me to try to "convert" anyone to my favorite genre. I wouldn't like it if someone tried to force me to take up lawn bowling or sushi eating or PlayStation playing (it would be futile; I'm a Nintendo Wii gal). Our dissimilarities make us uniquely interesting, and the world would be a boring place if everyone liked the same things.

That said, two friends recently read copies of my books--contemporary romantic comedies that I wrote a few years ago. Afterward, the first friend seemed a little concerned. "I laughed! Is it okay that I laughed when I read your book?" Now, I get this reaction occasionally, and it puzzles me. There are tons of incredibly enjoyable funny books out there. Are people really missing them? Do they not realize that, with the right book in hand, reading can be hilarious? (Not just romances either--see P.G. Wodehouse, Terry Pratchett, or David Sedaris for examples.) The second friend also laughed...but then said, "And it was time well spent, reading your
book, just because I laughed so much."

You know what? That's the way I feel about reading romances. It *is* time well spent. After I've read a good book, the world feels like a better place. My faith in the positive qualities of human nature is reaffirmed. And if I'm lucky...I've done a little laughing too.

What about you? Are you the only romance reader among nonromance reading family and friends? Do you like to laugh when you're reading, or do you only crack a smile when Borat is involved? Let's chat!Lisa Plumley

Jennifer St. Giles | Who’s your man?

As a reader, I love books with dark, sexy heroes who meet their match in strong, vibrant women. And as I writer, I strive create heroes and heroines just like that in both my historicals and my paranormal contemporaries--men that melt your senses meeting women that inspire your spirit and finding a love that fills your heart. Everyday I realize more and more that the most important thing in life is learning to love yourself and others.

So today for a little fun and a lot of love I want to hear from all of you readers and writers out in Fresh Fiction land. Tell me about your favorite heroes. What are they like and why do you love them? He can be a real-life hero you know, or he can be one created by your favorite author. And if any of you have had the opportunity to read any of my books, then I would love to hear, which of my fictional heroes was your favorite and why?

I’ll be off to the Romantic Times Convention come Monday and invite any of you to stop by and say hello.

Happy Reading
Jennifer St. Giles

Matthew Peterson | Life after Harry Potter

I’ve been talking on the radio all morning long about my new young adult novel, Paraworld Zero... literally. 18 radio interviews, back-to-back. Just about all of the interviewers had one question in common, so I’ll address that topic, which is... drum roll, please. Now that Harry Potter is over (and even that is questionable) how do we get young adults to keep reading?

Being a father of five boys–all of whom enjoy fighting with light sabers on a daily basis–I have my work cut out for me. After watching my book’s video trailer on my website (http://www.paraworlds.com/) a dozen times yesterday, my oldest son said he couldn’t wait for me to put the rest of my book into a movie, so that he wouldn’t have to read it. He’s only eight-years old, so it’s understandable that he’s not into reading just quite yet, but his comment made me realize that I’m going to have to work harder at helping him to enjoy reading.

The first step is to understand your child’s interests. I have boys who can’t get enough fantasy and science fiction in their lives. They breath it in like air. So I naturally need to pick some shorter books that they might enjoy. At that young age the cover matters a lot to them. One thing I can do is to read to them. The time reading with a parent will be priceless and they will equate reading as a good thing, because that’s a time “I get to spend with daddy or mommy.”

When they become teenagers, I’ll need to monitor what they read more closely and keep reinforcing good books. That means I’ll need to read reviews, skim through the young adult section of the library or bookstore, and talk to other parents about what their teenagers like to read. Books like Harry Potter will come and go, but the love for reading is something I want to instill in my boys so that they’re always waiting for that next book to read. And who knows? Perhaps it’ll be my next book they’ll be waiting for.

Visit my website http://www.paraworlds.com/ to read/listen to sample chapters and perhaps order your own copy of Paraworld Zero.

Here's a link to the Paraworld Zero book trailer.



Matthew Peterson

A new year in books...What's your reading resolve?

New Year's is a day of reflection and recovery in some cases and most certainly resolutions. Here are a few I've heard from family, friends, book club members and other readers for 2008.

Read more...
As a book club member I vow to read at least ONE book of each author chosen within the month of their appearance.

I'm planning on reading more books outside my comfort reads, maybe I'll even try a vampire book

To read other books in 2008 including mysteries, maybe even a cozy

To make more time for reading by not forcing myself to finish a book that isn't working

Go to book signings and not feel too shy

finish the Jane Austen books before watching the miniseries on PBS Masterpiece Theatre

and so on...

As for me, I plan to keep on reading and not ever feel guilty for "skipping the filler" when it bogs down. I am also, gulp, get rid of a few books. Yeah, right!

What's your resolution for 2008? Is there a genre or author you've avoided? Do you plan on pruning your library? Tell us!

Patrice Michelle - Turning Readers On!

I’ve been an avid reader since I was ten years old. Blame it on the elementary school’s reading program (re: read twenty books in a month and win a prize!). I wanted that prize, so I read the twenty books. Along the way, I discovered…I LOVED reading. Since then, I’ve always had my nose stuck in a book, much to my childhood best friend’s annoyance.

When I was in tenth grade and my older sister was in twelfth, she brought home an assigned reading book. The fiction book sat in the exact same spot she’d dumped it—on the chair next to the stairs—for days. After a week of passing by this book, I picked it up and read the blurb on the back. A mystery to solve and a love story…hmmm, it didn’t sound too bad. I sat down that night and read the entire book and I loved it! I was so excited about the story that I told my sister all about it, hoping I could get her excited enough to read it herself. While I blabbed on and on, my sister nodded and uh huh’d and smiled. The next day she wrote the book report and turned it in. Got a B, too. *rolling eyes* :-) So much for trying to get my sister interested in reading.

But that author had hooked me and I went on to read her entire backlist. I told other friends about her books, turning them onto this author’s work. To this day, I believe the best advertising an author can do is write the best story she can. Give her readers a great plot with interesting twists, main characters to empathize and fall in love with, and deeply emotional, heart-wrenching moments that will pull the reader into the story, making them feel like a participant as the tale unfolds.

When I sit down to write my own books, I keep in mind all the things about the books that I adored. From suspenseful plots to stories that make your heart twist, I try my best to create heroes and heroines who readers consider their friends. My goal is always to create a compelling story with engaging characters. If the readers close the book with a smile and wonder what’ll happen next in the main characters’ lives, then that’s the highest compliment in my mind, because that’s the standard I use as a reader that “hooks” me on books.

Do you remember what books/authors have hooked you such that you had to go out and tell everyone, from family to friends to YES, even strangers you meet in line at the bookstore, “You HAVE to read these books? They’re fantastic!” What was it about those books that really drew you in?

Patrice Michelle currently has three series available in print:

1) Scions (vampire, werewolf, paranormal)– Coming January 2008

2) Kendrian (vampire) – Available now

3) Bad in Boots (contemporary western)

– Available now For excerpts, blurbs and reviews of all Patrice's books, visit her website at http://www.patricemichelle.net/.

Cheryl Holt | What DO Readers Think?

After 21 published novels, and numerous reprints of my old titles, I’m getting ready once again to contract with my publisher to write some more books. It’s always an interesting time for me, because I get to pick new characters, new plot twists, and new storylines.

As I go through this process, I’m interested in what readers think. I’m renowned as “The Queen” of erotic romance, as well as “The Queen” of villains, so I write a story that’s very different from mainstream romance. My books are very plot driven. By this I mean they’re very fast-paced, with a focus on action and dialogue. They’re also very passionate and very dramatic, with extremely evil villains.

If you’re one of my fans, and have read some (or all!) of my novels, I would love to hear what you enjoy about them. For example, is it the macho heroes? The great sex scenes? The heartbreak? The drama? The villains? What do you relish the most? Also, what could I leave out or tone down?

The answers to these questions help me pinpoint the direction my books should go.

If you haven’t read my books before, I’m curious as to why not. Is it that you haven’t heard of me? You don’t read erotics? You don’t read historicals? If you’re not one of my regular readers, how could I change my stories to interest you? What is it that makes you purchase one romance instead of another? Is it the cover? The back-cover story description? The author? The time period? What can I do – as a writer unknown to you – to intrigue you into becoming a fan?


Cheryl Holt
http://www.cherylholt.com/

Book Club Rewind - Shanna Swendson

Book club last night was great. Of course, that had a lot to do with fact that this month's author, Shanna Swendson, was there in person rather than over the phone. Shanna, Harry Potter fan that she is, even provided a couple of meal suggestions for June or July's (I forget) Harry Potter themed book club menu. Besides that, how could you not like someone who has enough humor to admit that her longest relationship so far has been her four year crush on one of the local TV news guys?!

The idea behind her Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. series came from a trip to New York City with friends after she had some knee surgery done. There Shanna was moving around NYC not totally sure footed and she received nothing but kindness and assistance from the locals. Her friends apparently did not get that same polite experience in NYC. A few years later, she thought to combine the concept of the two different experiences she and her friends had in NYC with her love of Harry Potter (did I mention Shanna's a fan) and Chick Lit (which she sees as the style most like her life). The Magic, Spells, and Illusions, Inc. series was born!

So what is next in the series? The fourth book, Don't Hex With Texas, is written and scheduled to be released in January 2008. Shanna said that book three, Damsel Under Stress, was written as a two part-er and that book four was planned for release sooner than the following May (the previous three books were released in the month of May). The fourth book will have a satisfying ending, but that the fifth and final book (currently unwritten) would wrap everything up if it were published (and that my friends is up in the air right now unfortunately).

TV and movie possibilities for MSI series? There was almost a TV deal. There is a possibility of a movie deal.

Shanna is currently working on a proposal for a Young Adult book. The YA book would probably be a standalone paranormal. "Grimms' fairy tales invade Grey's Anatomy."

What does Shanna Swendson like to read when she is not writing:
- Chick Lit
- bargain bin books (She's on tour right now and is seriously binge purchasing bargain bin books.)
- recently read and recommends Babe in Toyland by Eugenie Seifer Olson.

Some of her notable quotes from the evening with our book club:
- "My legions of minions plotting against..."
- "Certain books can only be read in certain weather."

Romantic Times -- Houston, Texas

Jade Lee and Sasha Lord were having a great time at the RT Booklovers Conference in Houston. It's only Friday afternoon and Jade's quiet -- no voice! But she was able to stop by and chat with the Fresh Fiction crew for a time on Friday afternoon. She was joined by Sasha Lord who told us all about the book she's finishing to be published in 2008! And it sounds terrific since she confessed to keeping it under her pillow at night! Sounds like a keeper to me if the author doesn't want to let go of it!

Jade's next book will be on the shelves in June, TEMPTED TIGRESS, the sixth in the Tigress series of very sensual historicals set in China. Another winner guaranteed!

We also ran across an old friend from DFW area -- debut author Tracy Garrett. She was excited to show us the promo postcard for her book TOUCH OF TEXAS, on shelves October 2nd at a very special price! The cover is DE*lic*ious! Gotta love the cowboy, especially a Texan cowboy!

It is tiring to be go-go-go at the RT gathering. We spotted a grouping of authors lurking, ah, resting, under the escalators. JC Wilder, Stacie Klemstein, Isabo Kelly and Linnea Sinclair took advantage of a quiet corner, semi smoke free, to rest and view the crowds around the bar! We caught them in "action."

Cowboys and vampires were the theme for Friday night's activities and the hallways and bar were crowded with stetsoned cowpokes and dance hall beauties at the Hyatt in downtown Houston. Our view from the window of the 28th floor belied the frentic activity in the lobby below. It was not your usual Friday night in Houston -- the vamps and cowboys came out to play!