Clothing

I was dressing one of my characters the other day (well, she was dressing herself but with my fabulous *cough* stylistic advice), when I started thinking about clothing in books. How much do you, as a reader, notice in terms of what the character is wearing?

I suppose it depends on the type of book - in regency stories, for example, ball gowns and well tied cravats are part of the scene setting. But what about in contemporary stories? Hmm...any thoughts?

I have a secret...

But not for long so watch this space!!

[Edited to add] See, I told you it wouldn't be for long...and you all call me a tease. I'm DELIGHTED to announce that I'll be writing a new series of books for Berkley (alongside the Psy/Changeling ones, of course!). :)

Here's the best I could come up with for a one-line blurb for the first book:

Angels' Blood is about a vampire hunter who bags, tags and transports escapee vampires back to their masters...the angels.

Work for you?

New Jayne Castle

I just found out that this is going to be released in August. I'm so excited! JAK's website says that this is part of the Ghost Hunter series but there's no other info yet. I can't wait until it releases - I love, love, LOVE this series!

So, what upcoming books are you itching to get your hands on?

Jump Start

Couple more links first:

Have you seen Lynn Viehl's new cover? Soooo pretty!

My friend Yvonne Lindsay is dipping her toes into the blogsphere, so swing by and say hi.

I, myself, am attempting to jump-start the brain this morning, so this post may lack some of my usual wit *cough* and verve *cough*. I'll be fine once I get some tea into me (I love caffeine). That's my jump-start tool - tea. What's yours? What do you do to get yourself going on those days where everything seems to be moving in slow motion?

Alphas in Paranormals

I think that's why readers have fallen in love with paranormals. Vampires and werewolves, after all, are not expected to be politically correct. They get to bite people, grow hair, and run wild in the woods. They don't have to wear bows, paint their toenails pink and sit in your lap gazing at you adoringly. You have to chase them -- or maybe run from them -- and that makes them a lot more interesting to be around.

From Angela Knight's blog post on "Where have all the balls gone?"

Agree? Disagree? Think AK is plain awesome? (I do!)

I also think she's right on the money about the alphaness of the men being part of the appeal of paranormals. If the world is done right, then we, as readers, are willing to accept a lot more from these men than we would from men in contemporaries, for example.

(p.s. JR Ward fans - make sure to read the comments under the linked post for a very interesting back and forth discussion)

Movies & Books

So you all know I'm a big old JD Robb fangirl. The other day, I was thinking about who I would choose to play Eve and Roarke (and even Mavis and Peabody) if I was the director of a JD Robb movie. And I dunno - I had some possibilities but I don't know if anyone could ever come close to my image of what the characters look like.

What about you? Any suggestions for stars to fill in the spots? What book (any author) would you love to see made into a movie?

Fly-By

I'm still working on copy edits - which, funnily enough, I really enjoy. Reading a manuscript a few months after it's been turned in, gives me a fresh perspective on it, let's me really focus on the story.

So, that's what I've been doing. What have you all have been up to this weekend. Any news? What's the weather like in your part of the world?

p.s. I've also managed to put up a post at Between The Covers, so swing by that way if you want to chat about location, location, location!

Kiss

Okay, so I go to read the newspaper online and what do I find but...Israeli loses tongue during French kiss. Wow, that must've been some kinda kiss! (Don't worry, sounds like they stitched him back up).

Copy Edits / Message Boards

I'm doing copyedits for Caressed By Ice at the moment so if you email me and get no response, that is why. I also have three thousand other things to do but that's okay, because I have a list. I love lists. You can cross things off and feel a great sense of achievement.

Right, moving on - I've noticed lately that a lot of authors have message boards. Or maybe I'm just slow and people have always had them. I considered getting one myself for a while but then realized that timewise, if I got a board, the blog would have to go. I decided in favor of the blog, but what are your thoughts - blog or message board? Any preferences? What do you like about each/both?

p.s. The hunky picture of NK has nothing to do with anything except his gorgeousness. Happy Friday!

Gena Showalter - Darkest Night

I try not to tease (too much *g*) on this blog but I have just read something that I feel I must, must, must tell you about so you don't miss out on it when it comes out - Gena Showalter's Darkest Night. It's out Sep, so you can totally pick it up when you grab Caressed By Ice ;)

This book is magnificent. It kicks off a series about the Lords of the Underworld - immortal warriors cursed with humankind's greatest sins. The emotional intensity of this story is through the roof and Gena pulls no punches when it comes to showing what the hero (cursed with Violence) is capable of...which makes it all the sweeter when he falls for the heroine. Sigh.

I want more. I want the next book now. I think I shall have to stalk Gena until she gives it to me.

Blog Party / N.O.R. Awards

I'm a guest at Tessa Radley's blog party today - come on over and keep me company. You could even win something.

Also, some great news. Both Slave to Sensation and Visions of Heat have been nominated in the Night Owl Romance Awards. Swing by and vote if you're so inclined - lots of other great books have also been nominated. :)

Alright, I'm off to party!

Romances In Academia / Spring

Some of the Berkley Babes are talking about spring rituals over at Between the Covers. Fun post!

_____________

There is a fascinating interview up at Dear Author with two professors who are studying the romance genre. Swing by and have a read.

They speak about outmoded ways of viewing romance, which got me to thinking what we, as readers think of the genre. Why do you read romance? Personally, I like the hope and emotional intensity in these stories. I also like the fact that romances are very much focused on the protagonists - there's a deep sense of connection with the characters.

Any thoughts?

Cricket [Edited]

Going off in a slight tangent today - go New Zealand! We're into the semi-finals of the ICC World Cup! Yep, I like watching cricket, especially when the Black Caps are playing so well.

I remember moving to Japan and having these conversations with people where I would attempt to explain the appeal of cricket to no avail. But it was okay, because at the time, I didn't get baseball at all. Then I started watching the game - my city's team was heading to the finals that year and it was the only thing on tv I could understand. The next thing I know, I'm a basefall fan!

But now it's back to NZ and to cricket. I don't think I've ever seen a baseball game on free-to-air tv. It's interesting how different areas of the world focus on different games. So, do you guys like sport? Or would you rather watch grass grow? *grin*

[Edited to add: Party heads up - Tessa Radley is having a blog party to celebrate the release of her first book. I'll be appearing Wed, but the posts have already begun. Enjoy!]

Time Travel

Have any of you seen the movie, The Jacket, with Adrien Brody? I watched it last night and it's really good - sort of spooky and involving an element of time travel. I know a lot of people get caught up in paradoxes when time travel is involved, but I have no problem suspending disbelief to enjoy this type of story. I really liked The Lake House too.

But when it comes to time travel in books, I'm pickier. One of my all time favorite books, Remembrance by Jude Deveraux, involves time travel. This really worked for me because the two characters were literally soulmates - it didn't matter which bodies they were in, they were meant for each other, and they kept finding each other through time.

What often doesn't work for me is if one of the two characters returns to the future and then falls in love with the descendant of the original hero/heroine. I think it's the same idea of soulmates, but often, there's not enough time at the end of the book to see the connection between the two characters. And I keep thinking about the one left behind - who will they love? It takes a very well written story for me to get over this hurdle.

What's your take on time travel? Does it work for you?

Blog Hits

I haven't done one of these posts for a while, so for your delectation, a few of the recent search hits that led people to this blog.

• korean translation for you are a very pretty
  
• nalini sexy videos (good golly!)
• happy succubus (I think we can safely blame Richelle Mead for this one)
• alpha hero-bad girl
• indulge-chocolate-winter (my kinda person!)
  
• horse riding mistress yahoo group
  

Your challenge for today is to work out how these things apply to the blog *g*

And Then He Kissed Her - Laura Lee Guhrke

Wow, what can I say? I adored this book. This is my first book by this author but it definitely won't be the last. According to Ms Guhrke's website, this book marks the start of the Girl Batchelors series and I cannot wait for the next book!

Quick Summary: First of all, while the cover might make it seem like it's set earlier, it's actually set in the late nineteenth century. (Wait, they did wear those dresses in the late 19th century so ignore that comment. It's such a pretty cover regardless, don't you think?)

The heroine, Emma, is a woman on her own - a girl batchelor. She makes her living by working as secretary to Viscount Marlowe (Harry), a publisher. But she's also the author of etiquette books and keeps submitting them to Harry in the hope of publication. Then she finds out he's been rejecting them without ever reading them! Pushed too far, Emma acts supremely out of her sensible character and quits. And the fireworks begin.

I loved both Emma and Harry. Emma, while sensible, is not without heart and soul, a beautifully layered character. Every one of her actions and decisions made sense to me. She acted thoroughly in character all the way through the book, and not only that, she acted as a smart woman of her time would act. Any decision she made was with full appreciation of the consequences.

As for Harry - he is the epitome of the dissolute playboy - except that he is a shrewd businessman, too. He's as layered as Emma. He loves his family, has reasons for why he abhors matrimony and is utterly charming to boot, impossible not to like.

Plotwise, And Then He Kissed Her is not a predictable book - I was enjoyably surprised every step. Harry and Emma's relationship happens slowly and you can see them falling in love page after page. By the end, I was absolutely convinced these two would make it. I closed the book with a big smile on my face. Lovely, lovely book!

Golden Rose / Good books & Patience

Below is the post I intended to put up today but first some awesome news: Slave to Sensation has won a Golden Rose Award from Love Romances And More! How very cool!!! Thanks to everyone who voted for StS.

Okay, onto what I intended to talk about before getting that shot of happy news. :)

First of all, hope everyone had a great long weekend! I did lots of reading so you'll be getting some book posts over the next few days. Aside from Tessa's wonderful debut book, I read an ARC of Tanner's Scheme (Breed series) by Lora Leigh (loved it!) - but I'll wait to post in detail about that closer to the release date of August, and Laura Lee Guhrke's And Then He Kissed Her (loved it!). I also have a couple of other ARCs that I'm dying to get to, so I might sneak one in this week.

Anyway, as I was writing this post and mentioning the above great reads, it struck me that you might all think I love everything I read. Nope, not true. I only tend to mention the books I've enjoyed reading, because those are the only ones I finish these days.

There used to be a time when I'd make myself read to the end no matter what. But over the past few years, my reading time has become more and more precious, until now, if a book doesn't hook me within the first chunk I read (how many pages varies from book to book), I tend to move on to something else.

Are you all the same? Or are you more patient? What makes you want to keep reading on if you do?

Black Widow Bride - Tessa Radley / Interview

Full disclosure - Tessa is a good friend of mine so when she gave me a copy of her first book, I opened it with the hope that I would enjoy it, especially since I'd been asking her for an advance look at it ever since I first heard the title!

Well, guess what? Black Widow Bride wasn't good. It was fabulous! I read it from cover to cover in one sitting.

Here's the backcover copy.

She Wore Red To His Wedding...

Her attempt at seduction the night before his marriage had nearly been his undoing. Wealthy businessman Damon Asteriades had pushed aside all thoughts of brash Rebecca Grainger for years, until circumstances forced him to bring her back to his family's estate. There was no reason for him to become further involved with the woman society had dubbed the black widow bride—save the intense passion that still burned hot between them.

That, and the three-year-old secret she was protecting.

Sounds intriguing, no? Trust me, the book delivers. It had me on my toes throughout as I tried to figure out the secret and what was going to happen next. Damon is a very alpha hero and yes, I had some violent urges toward him but that's because he was such a strong character. What I really liked was that Rebecca was tough enough to take him on, and she was smart.

As for the plot - lots of twists and turns. I was completely hooked. I think if you like your love stories intense, dramatic and intriguing, you'll enjoy this book very much.

Now, since Tessa is my friend and I can pepper her with questions whenever I feel like it *g*, I did a mini-interview with here. Here it is:

Question 1: I was really impressed by the realism of your Greek characters. How did you research that?

It was more a case of writing what I knew about. I spent my high school years at a co-ed school for expatriate Greek children. Growing up lots of my friends were Greek—there were a lot of Italians there too :). The Greek people are very warm and welcoming and I learnt to speak a smattering of Greek (which I have lost!) and travelled a fair bit around Greece. I enjoyed writing about Damon, his mother and his brother Savvas and hope I managed to convey some of the warmth that overflows in Greek families. The Greek guys are pretty hot too!

Question 2. Did you come up with the title? Because I was hooked the first time I heard it!

Let’s just say I have a seriously twisted mind *g*. I was amazed Desire went with it, I thought it might be too dark! But seriously, that’s how my hero, Damon, viewed Rebecca, the heroine. So it worked.

Question 3. So, how are the first book jitters going?

Awful…but I have a deadline for 13 April so that’s keeping my mind off the release date a little. But it’s also very exciting. I’m starting to get emails from people who are Harlequin subscribers and have the book or who have read the eBook—and that has been such a thrill. I’m finding that being an author is so much more rewarding than I ever expected.

Here's the link to Tessa's website. Go have a squiz - it's very pretty.

Long Weekend!

The long weekend is here and I'm going to take a bit of time off to catch up on some reading, chocolate egg eating and assorted other fun activities. As a result, the blog will be on hiatus for a few days. Have a great Easter break everyone and see you on Tuesday!

(p.s. I am scheduled to blog at Between The Covers today. That post will be going up in about ten hours time if any of you want to swing by.)

International Covers Cont'd

Never say I can't take a hint. On the right is the Korean cover for Secrets In The Marriage Bed. None of the Korean covers I've received ever have people on them.

On the left is original cover for Awaken to Pleasure and below that is the German one. I really like both those covers.

Want to see more covers? Here's the link for some of the Craving Beauty international covers.

And here's the one for Desert Warrior, my first book, which has been published in an amazing number of languages. I still get excited every time I get copies of a foreign edition. Sometimes I even have to do a bit of detecting to figure out the language!

International Covers

I thought this might be interesting. On the left is the Italian
cover for Secrets In The Marriage Bed. Below that is the Japanese cover for the same book. On the right is the original North American cover.

Sitting behind me is the Korean translation, which I can't find an image of online but which is a deep purple with no picture. I'll try and take a photo of it and add it to this post later.

Interesting differences, no?

OOTB Tour: Parallel Seduction - Deidre Knight

An Out of the Blogosphere tour book for you today from the wonderful Deidre Knight. This is the third book in her Parallel series. Details below!

PARALLEL SEDUCTION by Deidre Knight

Signet, April 3, 2007

The author of Parallel Attraction unleashes the next novel in a series about an alternate world, where treachery can destroy the strongest of allies, the most loyal of friendships, and the fiercest of passions...

Warrior Jake Tierny travels back in time to stop a traitor in his beloved king's camp. But when a twist of fate proves the mission unnecessary, Jake is trapped in a time not his own, with friends who cannot learn his true identity.

Scott Dillon may be the king's trusted lieutenant, but he is also a man at war with himself, a human hybrid who refuses to succumb to the Antousian nature he abhors-and that Jake Tierny embodies.

FBI linguist Hope Harper refuses to let near-blindness keep her from joining the Refarians in their war to defend mankind. Yet her sizzling attraction to both Scott and Jake, and the strange memories they share, force all three to question the core of their beliefs. As their enemies surround them, Hope knows she must choose one man for all time.

Excerpt

ABOUT DEIDRE KNIGHT

Deidre Knight is president of The Knight Agency, which she founded in 1996. Since that time, she has grown the agency to national prominence, landing authors on every major bestseller list. Deidre began her writing career at age nine, when her award-winning essay on Barbie was published in her hometown newspaper, the Atlanta Journal and Constitution. She has been writing in one form or another ever since. After nearly a decade of working with Knight Agency clients, helping them discover their creative potential, her fiction debut with NAL in 2006 marks the fulfillment of her own lifelong writing dream. She is excited to embark on yet another new and fulfilling creative journey.

REVIEWS

There’s never a dull moment in this terrific series! – Romantic Times (4 stars)

I was on the edge of my chair with each and every turn of the page with this one. I hate that it ended because now I want more of the story. Each book becomes more and more fascinating and raises more questions. It is my fervent hope that talented Deidre Knight has many more Parallel stories coming! – Kathy Boswell, The Best Reviews

Just when I thought this was the end, Ms. Knight threw a curve in the story resulting in the upcoming PARALLEL DESIRE (October 2007). This series is filled with heart-pounding action, plot twists, passion and great steamy romance. I was hooked from the first book in this series, and I can't wait until October. – Jory Reedy, Fresh Fiction

Website: http://www.deidreknight.com

Monday

I cannot believe it's April already. What happened to the first three months of the year? Anyone watch Heroes? Wouldn't it be great to have Hiro's power to bend space and time (but in a more controlled way!). Though being able to fly also appeals. Hmm, choices, choices.