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romance authors

Belated Releases Giveaway!

I have two sweet friends who released books last week–and I completely missed their release days!

Life has gotten away from me, but I don’t want these great books to get away from you! So I’m celebrating these releases with a big giveaway! All you have to do is help us spread the word about these saucy new books and you could win 1 of 10 books or 1 of 5 gift cards!


The first new release I’d like to tell you about is one I’ve read myself. CAN’T GO WITHOUT by Angelisa Stone, is book two in her Oasis Waterfall series. This book is an emotionally riveting read. Angelisa creates characters to die for and a hero to drool over.

 

cgwCAN’T GO WITHOUT
“What’s the one thing you can’t go without?”

Tristan O’Donnell has money, women, and all the luxuries that cold hard cash can buy. Tristan’s been sucking sunshine right from the monogrammed silver spoon his life was served up on since the day he was born. And quite frankly, he wouldn’t want it any other way. He’s his mother’s pride and joy, his father’s right-hand-man, and the envy of every guy around. All Tristan has to do is flash his million dollar smile, give his trademark wink, and he gets what he wants, when he wants, anytime he wants.

Leah Franchetti grinds her fingers to the bone; sculpting, painting, recreating treasures from trash—the very sentiment that defines her life. Her inventive, vindictive, lucrative, and seemingly unforgivable plan allowed her to shortcut her way into the life she always imagined, owning an art gallery, surrounding herself in the comfort of her passion and dreams.

When circumstances force Leah and Tristan to come face-to-face with the past and with Leah’s devious manipulation, truths come flooding forth, destroying those in the present and possibly jeopardizing both of their highly anticipated futures. Can Tristan overcome Leah’s slander and deception—despite how dangerously close he comes to losing the one thing he can’t go without—money? Will Leah be forced to come clean, knowing she’ll have to live her life with the one thing she can’t go without—her dignity?

Pick up CAN’T GO WITHOUT at Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 


 

And the second release is CATCH ‘N’ KISS by Rhian Cahill. Are you game?

CatchNKiss300CATCH ‘N’ KISS

In this game of chase, a kiss isn’t the only reward.

Are You Game? Book 2

Divorced with two teenage daughters, Jody Walsh doesn’t need any more complications in her life, and Dan O’Conner is proving to be a big one. His pursuit may give her bruised ego a much-needed boost, but Jody’s learned to guard her heart and trust is something she isn’t willing to give another man no matter how well he kisses.

One kiss and Dan knows what he wants. He isn’t about to walk away from the kind of chemistry he and Jody have. Unfortunately, the more he chases the more she runs. If only he could get her running in his direction.

When a night of passion doesn’t convince her they’re meant to be, Dan is left with no choice but to prove he’s worth taking a risk on, no matter how much he complicates her life.

Warning: Story contains a woman not willing to put her heart at risk and a man determined to persuade her otherwise—and he’s willing to use his washing machine to show her why he’s worth it.

Pick up CATCH ‘N’ KISS at Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 


 Now…Enter to WIN book 1 in these two series’ or 1 of 5 gift cards! Easy entry!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Kate George Interview + Giveaway!

>

My guest today, Kate George, won first place in the prestigous Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense with her manuscript Moonlighting In Vermont, now available from Mainly Muder Press, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Leave a comment or question to be entered for a chance to WIN!!
*4* winners — 2 electronic copies of each of her current novels!
 
 

What do you do to unwind and relax?

I read. Mysteries and Romances, mostly.

Why mystery?

I grew up reading mysteries. Agatha Christie remains one of my favorites, PD James, Mary Stewart who combined mystery and romance – oh heck tons of different writers. I loved Nancy Drew and a gang of English Jr. Sleuths that I can’t remember the name of anymore. The Chalet School series that my Nanna sent me from England also had a lot of suspense written in. So you see, I come by it naturally, all that reading got into my brain.

Are there other genres slivered into your mysteries? Romance? Thriller?

Oh, there’s a hefty dose of romance in my writing. In fact I’m just finishing a paranormal romance with no mystery in it at all. Back on track here – humor is the other element I slice into my mysteries. It’s actually more important to me that my novels are entertaining and make readers laugh than the whole solving the mystery thing.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

I’m not really an expert on good writing, and as sacrilegious as this may seem, I think the story telling is much more important than the writing. Most readers will put up with imperfect writing when the story is engaging. Don’t get me wrong, I like well written books but give me a good story with grammatical mistakes over flawless writing and a boring story any day.

How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?

I don’t use a formula, and I tried plotting but that doesn’t work well for me either. What I do is start with a character and an idea of what the situation is going to be.
For example, in California Schemin’ I already had my main character because I knew I wanted to write more about Bree. She’s really fun to write about. I knew she was going to California with Beau, because he asked her at the end of Moonlighting in Vermont. And I knew that instead of relaxing she was going to discover another dead body. With that knowledge in place I sat down and started writing. Believe it or not, doing that works out much better for me than plotting.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

I get to go into my local Library and see my books on the shelf. That’s pretty awesome.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Good question. I think the answer is it depends on the book. California Schemin’ took me six months to write, Moonlighting in Vermont a year. Glimmer Girls still isn’t finished!

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Because I have kids and a full time non-writing job my writing schedule is a bit hectic. I try and write in the early morning when it’s quiet. It’s far easier to write when it’s quiet in the house, but sometimes I have to just suck it up and write regardless of the noise level.

I set a daily word count, somewhere between one and five thousand words a day, and try to write until I’ve reached my minimum count.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

I’ve had a rather eclectic life and I get my inspiration from incidents in my life. Bree rides motorcycles because I rode motorcycles. Something in my environment sparks my imagination and the next thing I know there’s a story begging to come out.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I’d love to have either Jennifer Crusie or Janet Evanovich as a mentor. They both write excellent books that make me laugh, and have characters I can relate to.

What are your writing strengths?

I think story telling is my strength. Once I get into my “zone” and I’m into my story the words fairly fly from my fingertips.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Spelling, grammar and correct punctuation. Thank God for copy editors. I have a weird way of looking at words, and although I’ve gotten better over the years I still have problems, especially with spelling.

What new author has grasped your interest?

Rosemary Harris. She has the Dirty Business mysteries. She’s very fun to read.

What are you reading now?

I’m currently reading In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté. It’s a non-fiction book about addiction and how the war on drugs is making the situation worse.

Was there an author or sleuth that inspired you to write mysteries?

What’s your mystery subgenre–thriller, police procedural, psychological, private investigator, cozy? Female protagonist/sleuth is my subgenre. I’m not quite a cozy writer – when sex crops up I tend to leave the bedroom door cracked open, and when there is violence the description tends toward vivid. Both are no-nos in cozies, but I’m not a suspense writer at all. You might put me with the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, light, fun reading that tends to make you laugh and keep turning the pages.

Do you enjoy reading all kinds of crime fiction, or mostly the subgenre you write?

I do enjoy reading all kinds of fiction, crime or not, but when I’m writing I stay away from works that I might mimic. It’s important to me that my voice is genuine and stays light.

Does your sleuth have a sidekick?

Bree doesn’t really have a sidekick, but she has a best friend to ride shotgun when Bree needs company. She also has a slew of friends, people she grew up with. They share loyalty and trust each other. I think that’s kind of rare these days. Most people move away from where they were raised, or they get moved around when they’re kids and don’t form those kind of attachements. Here in Vermont the communities are still really close knit. Several generations of families still live in the same town and people have the benefit of really knowing the people in their communities.

I didn’t have that growing up – my parents moved us around a lot. And I like it, but it would make a lot of people crazy, I think. Nothing like having your life be an open book!

When you are first brainstorming the plot, do you start out with the victim, suspects, crime, or sleuth?

Moonlighting in Vermont started out with a place, everything else developed from that. California Schemin’ was Bree plopped down in an unfamiliar place.

Where is the mystery set?

Does the setting play a role in the book? Setting is a huge part of my stories. The places set the tone, and become almost like a character in themselves.

Leave a comment or question to be entered for a chance to WIN!!
*4* winners — 2 electronic copies of each of her current novels!


US/Canada shipping only.

*MUST* leave a contact email to win!

Bio:  Ms. George has always been easily distracted by books and has a life long love affair with mysteries. Her early influences include Mary Stewart, Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. At one time she owned the entire collection of Ms. Christie’s work including individual copies of the novels that had alternate titles. Ms. George enjoys PD James’s Inspector Dagliesh, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, and Robert B. Parker’s Sunny Randall and Spenser. Ms. George began writing at an early age and by age 25 had written her first book, a truly awful novella about a marine biologist. She then wisely took a break from writing.

>Guest Kate George Interview + Giveaway!

>

My guest today, Kate George, won first place in the prestigous Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense with her manuscript Moonlighting In Vermont, now available from Mainly Muder Press, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Leave a comment or question to be entered for a chance to WIN!!
*4* winners — 2 electronic copies of each of her current novels!
 
 

What do you do to unwind and relax?

I read. Mysteries and Romances, mostly.

Why mystery?

I grew up reading mysteries. Agatha Christie remains one of my favorites, PD James, Mary Stewart who combined mystery and romance – oh heck tons of different writers. I loved Nancy Drew and a gang of English Jr. Sleuths that I can’t remember the name of anymore. The Chalet School series that my Nanna sent me from England also had a lot of suspense written in. So you see, I come by it naturally, all that reading got into my brain.

Are there other genres slivered into your mysteries? Romance? Thriller?

Oh, there’s a hefty dose of romance in my writing. In fact I’m just finishing a paranormal romance with no mystery in it at all. Back on track here – humor is the other element I slice into my mysteries. It’s actually more important to me that my novels are entertaining and make readers laugh than the whole solving the mystery thing.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?

I’m not really an expert on good writing, and as sacrilegious as this may seem, I think the story telling is much more important than the writing. Most readers will put up with imperfect writing when the story is engaging. Don’t get me wrong, I like well written books but give me a good story with grammatical mistakes over flawless writing and a boring story any day.

How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?

I don’t use a formula, and I tried plotting but that doesn’t work well for me either. What I do is start with a character and an idea of what the situation is going to be.
For example, in California Schemin’ I already had my main character because I knew I wanted to write more about Bree. She’s really fun to write about. I knew she was going to California with Beau, because he asked her at the end of Moonlighting in Vermont. And I knew that instead of relaxing she was going to discover another dead body. With that knowledge in place I sat down and started writing. Believe it or not, doing that works out much better for me than plotting.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?

I get to go into my local Library and see my books on the shelf. That’s pretty awesome.

How long does it take you to write a book?

Good question. I think the answer is it depends on the book. California Schemin’ took me six months to write, Moonlighting in Vermont a year. Glimmer Girls still isn’t finished!

What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?

Because I have kids and a full time non-writing job my writing schedule is a bit hectic. I try and write in the early morning when it’s quiet. It’s far easier to write when it’s quiet in the house, but sometimes I have to just suck it up and write regardless of the noise level.

I set a daily word count, somewhere between one and five thousand words a day, and try to write until I’ve reached my minimum count.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?

I’ve had a rather eclectic life and I get my inspiration from incidents in my life. Bree rides motorcycles because I rode motorcycles. Something in my environment sparks my imagination and the next thing I know there’s a story begging to come out.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?

I’d love to have either Jennifer Crusie or Janet Evanovich as a mentor. They both write excellent books that make me laugh, and have characters I can relate to.

What are your writing strengths?

I think story telling is my strength. Once I get into my “zone” and I’m into my story the words fairly fly from my fingertips.

What are your writing weaknesses?

Spelling, grammar and correct punctuation. Thank God for copy editors. I have a weird way of looking at words, and although I’ve gotten better over the years I still have problems, especially with spelling.

What new author has grasped your interest?

Rosemary Harris. She has the Dirty Business mysteries. She’s very fun to read.

What are you reading now?

I’m currently reading In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts by Gabor Maté. It’s a non-fiction book about addiction and how the war on drugs is making the situation worse.

Was there an author or sleuth that inspired you to write mysteries?

What’s your mystery subgenre–thriller, police procedural, psychological, private investigator, cozy? Female protagonist/sleuth is my subgenre. I’m not quite a cozy writer – when sex crops up I tend to leave the bedroom door cracked open, and when there is violence the description tends toward vivid. Both are no-nos in cozies, but I’m not a suspense writer at all. You might put me with the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, light, fun reading that tends to make you laugh and keep turning the pages.

Do you enjoy reading all kinds of crime fiction, or mostly the subgenre you write?

I do enjoy reading all kinds of fiction, crime or not, but when I’m writing I stay away from works that I might mimic. It’s important to me that my voice is genuine and stays light.

Does your sleuth have a sidekick?

Bree doesn’t really have a sidekick, but she has a best friend to ride shotgun when Bree needs company. She also has a slew of friends, people she grew up with. They share loyalty and trust each other. I think that’s kind of rare these days. Most people move away from where they were raised, or they get moved around when they’re kids and don’t form those kind of attachements. Here in Vermont the communities are still really close knit. Several generations of families still live in the same town and people have the benefit of really knowing the people in their communities.

I didn’t have that growing up – my parents moved us around a lot. And I like it, but it would make a lot of people crazy, I think. Nothing like having your life be an open book!

When you are first brainstorming the plot, do you start out with the victim, suspects, crime, or sleuth?

Moonlighting in Vermont started out with a place, everything else developed from that. California Schemin’ was Bree plopped down in an unfamiliar place.

Where is the mystery set?

Does the setting play a role in the book? Setting is a huge part of my stories. The places set the tone, and become almost like a character in themselves.

Leave a comment or question to be entered for a chance to WIN!!
*4* winners — 2 electronic copies of each of her current novels!


US/Canada shipping only.

*MUST* leave a contact email to win!

Bio:  Ms. George has always been easily distracted by books and has a life long love affair with mysteries. Her early influences include Mary Stewart, Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie. At one time she owned the entire collection of Ms. Christie’s work including individual copies of the novels that had alternate titles. Ms. George enjoys PD James’s Inspector Dagliesh, Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum, and Robert B. Parker’s Sunny Randall and Spenser. Ms. George began writing at an early age and by age 25 had written her first book, a truly awful novella about a marine biologist. She then wisely took a break from writing.

New Year’s Giveaway: Day 16, Nicola Marsh

>Nicola Marsh is a fabulous Twitter buddy.  I’ve found wonderful insight and camaraderie with Nicola online.  Her ability to read so voraciously and write so proliferatively, while also mothering and traveling on top of it, absolutely amazes and inspires me!

Nicola is excited to be part of the new Mills and Boon RIVA series, launching this month in the UK, with her title DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, based on her Twitter addiction! She has a follow up, SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL out in May, which may be her favourite book yet! If you’re in the USA, HER BAD, BAD BOSS (set in Alaska) will also be out in May.

Up for win today:
DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX

To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Kristi’s Stranded Diary: Day 1

Being shipwrecked on an idyllic deserted island for reality TV show Stranded sounded blissful. Until I discovered my Man Friday for the week was Jared Malone (aka he-who-broke-my-heart!).

I mean, of course I’ll be fine. I don’t feel anything for him anymore. Female viewers might swoon over Jared’s tanned gorgeousness, but I know he’s just an arrogant, overmuscled heartbreaker!

The cameras are rolling, so I’m off to the beach to face Jared. I just hope I look okay in this bikini!

Upcoming Releases:

  • DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, January & February 2011
  • WILD NIGHTS WITH HER WICKED BOSS, January 2011
  • SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL, May & June 2011
  • HER BAD, BAD BOSS, May 2011
  • PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS, May 2011
  • GIRL IN A VINTAGE DRESS, July 2011

Works In Progress:
She’s currently working on a new book set in glamorous Aussie hotels and a little known (invented!) Greek island. The hero in her current WIP is inspired by George Clooney. Does she need to say anything more?

Contact Info:
Website
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow, the vivacious Delilah Marvelle, historical romance author.

>New Year’s Giveaway: Day 16, Nicola Marsh

>Nicola Marsh is a fabulous Twitter buddy.  I’ve found wonderful insight and camaraderie with Nicola online.  Her ability to read so voraciously and write so proliferatively, while also mothering and traveling on top of it, absolutely amazes and inspires me!

Nicola is excited to be part of the new Mills and Boon RIVA series, launching this month in the UK, with her title DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, based on her Twitter addiction! She has a follow up, SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL out in May, which may be her favourite book yet! If you’re in the USA, HER BAD, BAD BOSS (set in Alaska) will also be out in May.

Up for win today:
DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX

To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Kristi’s Stranded Diary: Day 1

Being shipwrecked on an idyllic deserted island for reality TV show Stranded sounded blissful. Until I discovered my Man Friday for the week was Jared Malone (aka he-who-broke-my-heart!).

I mean, of course I’ll be fine. I don’t feel anything for him anymore. Female viewers might swoon over Jared’s tanned gorgeousness, but I know he’s just an arrogant, overmuscled heartbreaker!

The cameras are rolling, so I’m off to the beach to face Jared. I just hope I look okay in this bikini!

Upcoming Releases:

  • DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, January & February 2011
  • WILD NIGHTS WITH HER WICKED BOSS, January 2011
  • SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL, May & June 2011
  • HER BAD, BAD BOSS, May 2011
  • PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS, May 2011
  • GIRL IN A VINTAGE DRESS, July 2011

Works In Progress:
She’s currently working on a new book set in glamorous Aussie hotels and a little known (invented!) Greek island. The hero in her current WIP is inspired by George Clooney. Does she need to say anything more?

Contact Info:
Website
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow, the vivacious Delilah Marvelle, historical romance author.

Special Edition: New Year’s Giveaway — Review & Giveaway

> Sylvia Day’s upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE, available January 25th

I was hooked at “the cover”.

Yes, I’m still a sucker for a gorgeous cover. Guess you can tell I’m not an e-reader yet. Soon, I hope, but as of this post, I’m still a paper book gal. And, boy was I sucker-punched by the cover of Sylvia Day’s, PRIDE AND PLEASURE.

No, really…I could just sit and stare. (Okay, I did just sit and stare…)

When I finished ogling, I turned the book over and read…

Wealth has its dangers…

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering “accidents” to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.


…so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can’t resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it’s his pleasure to prove he’s just the man she needs after all…

Oh… My…

I had to open the book and read the first sentence:

As a thief-taker, Jasper Bond had been consulted in a number of unusual locations, but today was the first in a church.

Well, damn. Now I’m hooked. I’m going to have to stop what I’m doing and read until I lose interest.

Several hours and half the book later…no, I’m not freaking kidding…I had to stop reading because I was hungry, I had to pee and the employees at my local McDonald’s where I’d sat down for breakfast several hours prior were shooting me is-she-ever-going-to-leave? glances.

As I closed the book and slunk out of the fast food restaurant, I wondered if the rest of the book would hold up. I often find the second half of novels otherwise well done, lacking.

Sometimes the characters don’t live up to their promises in the beginning. (See my Brava Blog post today for more on promises.) Sometimes the plot peters-out or fragments. Sometimes the story just drags.

None of that happened in PRIDE AND PLEASURE. I read the second half as quickly as the first, with just as much interest. Past the mid-point, Sylvia amped the suspense plot, complicated the romance and kept the pace kicking along.

There are so many well crafted storytelling elements in PRIDE AND PLEASURE, I decided to use the novel as the subject of my first regular column at Savvy Authors, a monthly article reviewing fiction novels from a writer’s perspective and spotlighting effective use of craft. So, if you’re interested in developing your writing to the level of this National Bestseller, Sylvia Day, stop by Savvy Authors February 2nd for my debut column.

Of course, I also suggest picking up a copy of PRIDE AND PLEASURE for yourself, because my description would never transcend the experience of reading it yourself.

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble.com
Borders.com
Books-a-Million.com
IndieBound.com
BookDepository.com

Read an excerpt: HERE.

Or you can enter to win a copy: Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Tomorrow, A special day for WRITERS! Margie Lawson will be here with a mini-lesson and lecture packets to give away!

>Special Edition: New Year’s Giveaway — Review & Giveaway

> Sylvia Day’s upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE, available January 25th

I was hooked at “the cover”.

Yes, I’m still a sucker for a gorgeous cover. Guess you can tell I’m not an e-reader yet. Soon, I hope, but as of this post, I’m still a paper book gal. And, boy was I sucker-punched by the cover of Sylvia Day’s, PRIDE AND PLEASURE.

No, really…I could just sit and stare. (Okay, I did just sit and stare…)

When I finished ogling, I turned the book over and read…

Wealth has its dangers…

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering “accidents” to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.


…so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can’t resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it’s his pleasure to prove he’s just the man she needs after all…

Oh… My…

I had to open the book and read the first sentence:

As a thief-taker, Jasper Bond had been consulted in a number of unusual locations, but today was the first in a church.

Well, damn. Now I’m hooked. I’m going to have to stop what I’m doing and read until I lose interest.

Several hours and half the book later…no, I’m not freaking kidding…I had to stop reading because I was hungry, I had to pee and the employees at my local McDonald’s where I’d sat down for breakfast several hours prior were shooting me is-she-ever-going-to-leave? glances.

As I closed the book and slunk out of the fast food restaurant, I wondered if the rest of the book would hold up. I often find the second half of novels otherwise well done, lacking.

Sometimes the characters don’t live up to their promises in the beginning. (See my Brava Blog post today for more on promises.) Sometimes the plot peters-out or fragments. Sometimes the story just drags.

None of that happened in PRIDE AND PLEASURE. I read the second half as quickly as the first, with just as much interest. Past the mid-point, Sylvia amped the suspense plot, complicated the romance and kept the pace kicking along.

There are so many well crafted storytelling elements in PRIDE AND PLEASURE, I decided to use the novel as the subject of my first regular column at Savvy Authors, a monthly article reviewing fiction novels from a writer’s perspective and spotlighting effective use of craft. So, if you’re interested in developing your writing to the level of this National Bestseller, Sylvia Day, stop by Savvy Authors February 2nd for my debut column.

Of course, I also suggest picking up a copy of PRIDE AND PLEASURE for yourself, because my description would never transcend the experience of reading it yourself.

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble.com
Borders.com
Books-a-Million.com
IndieBound.com
BookDepository.com

Read an excerpt: HERE.

Or you can enter to win a copy: Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Tomorrow, A special day for WRITERS! Margie Lawson will be here with a mini-lesson and lecture packets to give away!

New Year’s Giveaway: Day 12, Alison Kent

>Alison Kent is another Twitter buddy!  I appreciate her humor and her insight and have enjoyed conversing with her online.  (If you’re not seeing a pattern here yet…let me spell it out for you — Twitter = priceless writing friends.) 

If you go to Alison’s website, you’ll see she is a long-time, prolific author in various romance genres from romantic suspense to contemporary, and everything she writes has lots of sexy spice.

Alison has generously donated TWO books for the giveaway, both contemporaries published by Kensington Brava, both with mouth-watering hero covers.

Up For Win Today:
<<< Those two hunks right there…drool…
One copy each: NO LIMITS and WITH EXTREME PLEASURE

To enter:
One tweet and you are entered for the whole month!
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
NO LIMITS:
Simon Baptiste’s latest SG-5 mission just went south in a major way. With his career on ice for awhile, it seems like a good time to take care of some business back home in Louisiana. Simon knows it ain’t going to be pretty. He’s got some old enemies in Bayou Allain who won’t exactly roll out the red carpet. But Simon’s first night back is more than he bargained for. Not only has the homestead gone to hell in a hand basket, but there’s a half-naked woman hiding inside it—a woman whose face Simon knows all too well. It’s Michelina Ferrer, the sultry spokesmodel for her family’s Ferrer fragrance empire—and Simon’s been staring at her picture on a billboard outside his Manhattan apartment for weeks…

Micky Ferrer came down to Bayou Allain looking for her old college friend, only to discover that Lisa Landry has been missing for days. As soon as Micky starts asking questions around town, someone runs her car off the road. She’s hiding out in the old Baptiste place when Simon shows up—and he’s the hottest thing she’s laid eyes on since she got to town. Simon agrees that something strange is going on and that Lisa’s disappearance may be tied to it. As he and Micky search for answers, the sweltering heat makes it hard to keep their heads straight or their hands off each other…even as they unravel the small-town secrets that some people are willing to kill for…

WITH EXTREME PLEASURE:
After three weeks in Manhattan, Kingdom Trahan is ready to get back to bayous, crawfish boils, and afternoons fishing on the Gulf. But before he can pull out of the parking garage, he meets a curvy detour. King noticed Cady Kowalski on the photo shoot he just endured—sexy and confident, with a waifish look that belies the way she corralled him into submission using only a can of hairspray. Yet Cady isn’t confident now. She’s bruised, edgy, and desperate to get out of town…

For years, Cady has been looking over her shoulder, wondering when the gang of drug-running criminals who killed her brother would make their move on her. She’s grown used to having no one to turn to, no one to trust. But King isn’t walking away—not even when their lives are threatened, again and again. Drawing Cady’s pursuers out of hiding is the only way to end this, and it’s also the most reckless thing they can do…short of diving into a red-hot affair from which there’s no turning back.

Recent Releases:
THE ICING ON THE CAKE, September 2010, is one of the first three reality based romances published by HCI True Vows.
 
Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow: Special review & giveaway of Sylvia Day’s upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE

>New Year’s Giveaway: Day 12, Alison Kent

>Alison Kent is another Twitter buddy!  I appreciate her humor and her insight and have enjoyed conversing with her online.  (If you’re not seeing a pattern here yet…let me spell it out for you — Twitter = priceless writing friends.) 

If you go to Alison’s website, you’ll see she is a long-time, prolific author in various romance genres from romantic suspense to contemporary, and everything she writes has lots of sexy spice.

Alison has generously donated TWO books for the giveaway, both contemporaries published by Kensington Brava, both with mouth-watering hero covers.

Up For Win Today:
<<< Those two hunks right there…drool…
One copy each: NO LIMITS and WITH EXTREME PLEASURE

To enter:
One tweet and you are entered for the whole month!
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
NO LIMITS:
Simon Baptiste’s latest SG-5 mission just went south in a major way. With his career on ice for awhile, it seems like a good time to take care of some business back home in Louisiana. Simon knows it ain’t going to be pretty. He’s got some old enemies in Bayou Allain who won’t exactly roll out the red carpet. But Simon’s first night back is more than he bargained for. Not only has the homestead gone to hell in a hand basket, but there’s a half-naked woman hiding inside it—a woman whose face Simon knows all too well. It’s Michelina Ferrer, the sultry spokesmodel for her family’s Ferrer fragrance empire—and Simon’s been staring at her picture on a billboard outside his Manhattan apartment for weeks…

Micky Ferrer came down to Bayou Allain looking for her old college friend, only to discover that Lisa Landry has been missing for days. As soon as Micky starts asking questions around town, someone runs her car off the road. She’s hiding out in the old Baptiste place when Simon shows up—and he’s the hottest thing she’s laid eyes on since she got to town. Simon agrees that something strange is going on and that Lisa’s disappearance may be tied to it. As he and Micky search for answers, the sweltering heat makes it hard to keep their heads straight or their hands off each other…even as they unravel the small-town secrets that some people are willing to kill for…

WITH EXTREME PLEASURE:
After three weeks in Manhattan, Kingdom Trahan is ready to get back to bayous, crawfish boils, and afternoons fishing on the Gulf. But before he can pull out of the parking garage, he meets a curvy detour. King noticed Cady Kowalski on the photo shoot he just endured—sexy and confident, with a waifish look that belies the way she corralled him into submission using only a can of hairspray. Yet Cady isn’t confident now. She’s bruised, edgy, and desperate to get out of town…

For years, Cady has been looking over her shoulder, wondering when the gang of drug-running criminals who killed her brother would make their move on her. She’s grown used to having no one to turn to, no one to trust. But King isn’t walking away—not even when their lives are threatened, again and again. Drawing Cady’s pursuers out of hiding is the only way to end this, and it’s also the most reckless thing they can do…short of diving into a red-hot affair from which there’s no turning back.

Recent Releases:
THE ICING ON THE CAKE, September 2010, is one of the first three reality based romances published by HCI True Vows.
 
Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow: Special review & giveaway of Sylvia Day’s upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE

New Year’s Giveaway: Day 11, Kris Kennedy

>My friendship with Kris Kennedy developed from a combo of Twitter chat and critque partner intro.  Yet another sweetheart of a person as well as a talented writer of sexy romance.

Kris writes medievals, but works to keep them accessible—both in language and tone—to the modern-day reader.

          “I don’t ‘thee’ and ‘thine,’ I like adventure, and keep it plenty hot.”
          ~ Kris Kennedy

Before you write medievals off as not being ‘your thing,’ read one of Kris’s stories — especially the IRISH.  It could be  exactly what a non-medieval lover would, well…love.

And here’s your chance to give it a try!!

Up For Win Today:
A sexy romantic adventure, THE IRISH WARRIOR.  This novel is a 2008 Golden Heart Winner and a Fresh Fiction Fresh Pick!  Any way you look at it, THE IRISH WARRIOR is a winner!

To enter:
One tweet and you are entered for the whole month!
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Inhibited, accountant-minded Senna de Valery comes to Ireland to finalize a deal that will save her faltering wool business. What she gets instead is a cunning English lord with dangerous ulterior motives.

Forced to rely on her wits, not her ledgers, Senna frees an Irish warrior chained in the prisons, and together they flee across the war-torn land of medieval Ireland. But Finian O’Melaghlin is much more than a charming, roguish warrior. He is councilor to his king, on a grave mission to recover military secrets, and has a dangerous agenda of his own.

Read and excerpt: HERE.

Upcoming Releases:

  • DEFIANT, April 2011
  • Set on the eve of Magna Carta, Jamie, one of King John’s chief lieutenants is sent on a mission to bring in an exiled priest who has information that could destroy King John’s throne.  It’s a simple mission, until Jamie comes up against a thief.  Eva, a beautiful, startling woman, not only gets in his way, literally, but upends all his plans. When the rebel barons send an armed mercenary after the priest as well, Jamie and Eva form an explosive alliance, embarking on an adventure that will betray the truth about their identities, reveal their unexpected loyalties, and unleash a passion that could seal their fates forever.

Works In Progress:
Currently, Kris is working on another medieval, as-yet untitled, which will be out in 2012.

Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Tomorrow, Alison Kent, prolific, multi-genre romance author