Ask Five with....DIANNE CASTELL!!!

If you've ever met Dianne Castell, one thing that will stick in your mind is that this woman never stops! Dianne is a whirlwind wherever she goes and it transcends to her stories. You can feel her electrifying talent for creating memorable characters and sizzling dialogue in her stories. Her latest is I'll Be Seeing U and you can read the review here.

1. What is the title of your latest release and what's it about?

Hi, Patti! Thanks for taking time to interview me. I just love talking about books and talking with you!

My latest book is a November release, I'll Be Seeing U (Kensington BRAVA). It's the last book in my O'Fallon series and I hate to see the guys go.
This is Quaid's story:
Quaid is the street-tough kid adopted by the tight-knit O'Fallon clan and made into one of their own. He still has a hint of danger humming under the surface and a heart fiercely loyal to the man who saved him, Rory O'Fallon. That's why Quaid's come back home. What he doesn't expect is to run into the only person who's ever cracked his armor, Cynthia James.
Also, I have an Amazon Short up. This is 13 pages that's the intro to my O'Fallon series and you get to meet Rory, Ryan, Keefe and Quaid for the first time. Here's the link if anyone whats to take a look: O'Fallons-Plus One Short

2. How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

Everywhere!
I live in Cincinnati and my whole life I watched the barges churn up and down the Ohio River. I decided to write about the men who drive these puppies and the women in their lives. The Mississippi Rintriguedys intriqued me so I set the story there.

My next series in in Savannah because I loooove Savannah and the fact that it's haunted like mad! Every place I go and eveyone I see gives me an idea.

3. What is the hardest part of writing?

Juggling the time with all that needs to get done. But I cannot imagine not writing. I just love telling fun stories!!

4. What do you do for fun in your spare time?

Talk to Lori Foster on the phone! :-)
And shop. I love to look at all the stuff in the mall. And I loooove movies. Funny movies. Gotta go for the laugh! And theater. Plays etc. And LuAnn McLane got me hooked on country/western music. I know all the words to Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off.
I'm very proud of myself! :-)

5. What's coming up in the near future for you?

Two anthologies out next year. And the best part is they are both with dear friends.

Rosemary Laurey and Karen Kelly and I have a Sept release, The Morgue The Merrier. Isn't that a great title? It's with Kensington and a Zebra so it doesn't cost the earth! Gotta love that part.

Then in Oct I'm in an anthology with Lori Foster. I still can't believe that!!
It's titled I'm Your Santa. Karen Kelly's with us too. It's wonderful to get to write with the people you like best. Special treat!

Thanks, Patti, for chatting with me. My email is DianneCastell@hotmail.com and my website is DianneCastell.com

Thank you, Dianne!

As a special treat, Dianne is giving away a tote bag! To enter, just post here in the blog and I'll draw the lucky winner come Friday morning.

A Perfect Ten: DEADLY GAMBLE by Linda Lael Miller

DEADLY GAMBLE - Linda Lael Miller
A Perfect 10
Mojo Sheepshanks Series, Book 1
HQN
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-77141-7
ISBN-10: 0-373-77141-X
November 2006
Romantic Thriller

Cave Creek, Arizona - Present Day

Mojo Sheepshanks woke up this morning lying in bed next to her ex-husband, Nick DeLuca. Problem -- Nick’s been dead for two years. And it seems that now the ghost of his former self needs Mojo’s blessing before Nick can make the journey to his final resting place. Nick really, really wants her forgiveness, so he finds her a pet -- her long lost cat Chester. And -- you guessed it -- Chester’s dead too! So now that Mojo is seeing ghosts and talking to them, the fun is only just beginning...

Mary Josephine Mayhugh (Mojo) witnessed the brutal murder of her parents, Evie and Ron, when she was just five years-old. They say her half-brother Geoff is the killer -- Mojo can’t remember any, of it and Geoff went to prison. She does remember being covered in blood and crawling into the clothes dryer to hide. Days later, her baby-sitter Doris snatched her from a foster home and spirited her away. Little Mary became Mojo, and Doris took the name Lillian. They moved around a lot, never staying in one place long -- and they never talked about that terrible day again. Along the way, Lillian rescued another lost girl, Greer, from a bus station, and Greer became Mojo's little sister. And when Lillian married, the two girls inherited another sister, Jolie, whose creamy chocolate skin makes for lots of questions about their blended family.

Mojo, now twenty-eight, has almost no memory of her past, and she hides behind an alias provided by Lillian, who now resides at the Sunset Villa Rest Home in Phoenix, losing what’s left of her memory. After being taken to the cleaners in her divorce from Nick, Mojo lives in the only apartment she can afford -- right above Bad-Ass Bert's Biker Saloon. She doesn't have a regular job but does part-time medical billing and coding. Her latest relationship with undercover cop Tucker Darroch fizzled when Mojo learned that Tucker hasn't quite cut the cord still attached to his ex-wife and their two kids. And even though Tucker is divorced, Mojo doesn't play the "other woman game," so, until Tucker gets his head together, they're no longer heating up the sheets.

And -- as if Mojo doesn't already have enough problems -- her long-lost uncle, Senator Clive Larimer, suddenly shows up at Lillian’s rest home. Clive's been looking for Mojo for over twenty years, or so he says, and now he’s finally found her. He asks Mojo to visit his ranch in Cactus Bend, but that's where little Mary Josephine's life ended, and Mojo is in no hurry to revisit the past -- she has enough problems with her past materializing as ghosts.

DEADLY GAMBLE is a fabulous book all wrapped up in a nifty cover -- even the title is different! (but you have to get the book to check out the dying letter "A" ) Mojo is one of the strongest heroines I’ve read this year. She's survived a life that by any other means would be considered highly dysfunctional. She's vulnerable, a little confused and honest, but Mojo definitely has it all together. She has taken lots of tart lemons and made them into her very own concoction that's sweeter than lemonade and smooth on the tongue. Mojo is a courageous, gutsy young woman who listens to her inner voice and doesn’t take one bit of flack from anyone, even while she's scared out of her skin. She never went to college, much less attended a lot of school with all the moving around they did, but she's learned all she needs to know reading every Damn Fool's Guide to...? (insert desired subject in place of question mark) ever written. Watching her creation and her persona unfold is fascinating and intriguing and the pages zip along.

The secondary characters are so lifelike they jump right off the pages, every single one. Russell, Bert's faithful basset hound, and the ghostly Chester are among Mojo's new animal friends. Her sisters, Greer and Jolie, are with her every step of the way as Mojo tries to outrun a killer's threats, and it's a race who will get to her first -- the person stalking her, or her very own nightmares. Tucker pops in and out of her life often, and even offers her some protection in between assignments, and some heavy breathing when the going gets rough. In the midst of all the danger, Mojo accidentally falls into a new vocation -- she's going to become a private investigator (she's read the Damn Fools Guide to Private Investigation). How hard can it be? Remember, she can see dead people, and they can do things she can't -- like read minds and see through walls and floors, not to mention walk through them, too. She'll start a new business. Sheepshanks, Sheepshanks, and Sheepshanks, a new investigative agency run by Mojo and a friendly ghost...or two...or three...

DEADLY GAMBLE is a winner and A Perfect 10! This is absolutely the best book ever, bringing together a host of fabulous characters, thrilling mysteries, humorous sidelines, and ghosts who come and go. Linda Lael Miller is one of my all time favorite authors, and in this new series she does not disappoint. Read an excerpt from the book and learn more from Mojo herself as she writes a few notes in Linda's blog at www.lindalaelmiller.com. DEADLY GAMBLE is the first of the Mojo Sheepshank series, with DEADLY DECEPTIONS to follow soon.

DEADLY GAMBLE is more than deserving of the Perfect 10 award, and if possible, I would give two awards for one of the most innovative and likable story to grace the shelves in decades!

Diana Risso

Be sure to check all the great reviews at Romance Reviews Today!

PS...check out what Terrie has cooking up for a giveaway in December from RRT.

What do you want for Christmas?

I think most readers cherish the gift of a book, or even a gift card from a favorite bookstore. I know for myself, I'd rather have a gift card from a bookstore than a department store, but I don't think my family listens to me or what I want. *g* Besides, I tend to go out and buy books when I want them, rather than put them on a list of books in hopes that someone will get them for me. Why do I think that the books will be gone if I don't get them now?

Today I placed an order at Amazon. I do a lot of online book buying because I hate to fight the crowds and because my local bookstores are not good about getting new books out. I'm impatient. :)
I bought:

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS by Linda Howard
UNDER THE WIRE by Cindy Gerard
BIT THE JACKPOT by Erin McCarthy

I really want them as they are all auto buy authors for me. I guess this is my Christmas present to myself.

How about you? Do you have auto buy authors? Are there some books coming out soon that you can't wait to get your hands on? Even brave :gasp: Walmart's horrendous crowds to get? Tell us...

posted by Patti

Visit RRTErotic!

If you haven't yet visited RRTErotic, then stop by to check out the reviews on books rated steamy enough to knock your socks off.


COLTERS’ WOMAN - Maya Banks
La Grande Mort
Samhain Publishing - www.samhainpublishing.com
ISBN: 1-59998-145-9
October 2006
Erotic Contemporary Romance - Ménage
Rated: Red Hot! Read

Colorado - Present Day

Adam found her lying unconscious in the snow. He had no idea how she got there, but he immediately knew that she was the one. He hurriedly carried her nearly frozen body into the cabin. When Holly regains consciousness, she thinks she’s died and gone to heaven. She glances appreciatively from green-eyed Adam to brown-eyed Ethan to blue-eyed Ryan. They introduce themselves as the Colter brothers and are undeniably the most handsome men she has ever seen. Although she wants to savor her newly found eye candy, she knows that she has to leave. She is on the run from an abusive husband who will stop at nothing to get her back. She saw him commit an atrocious crime and knows that she brings danger to anyone she encounters while running.

Well, the Colter men have plans of their own. They have been searching for the right woman for years …that’s right *woman*. Just as their parents and grandparents did, the three brothers intend to share their lives with the same woman and Holly fits the bill. There is undeniable chemistry among them and although she has a hard time believing it, the brothers vow to protect her and love her forever.

Oh, how satisfying it is to read a good book. The sex in this one is just completely off the charts. The Colter men are three of the sexiest studs I’ve read about in a long time. It’s hard enough for an author to create a convincing relationship between two lead characters and virtually impossible to establish meaningful relationships between three heroes and a single heroine but in COLTERS’ WOMAN Ms. Banks does it with ease.

Each of the Colter brothers has a different style and personality. Adam is the eldest and is accustomed to being in charge. He is built like a line backer and knows exactly what he wants…and just how to get it. Ethan, the comforter, and middle brother, is the type of man who easily gains your trust. He quickly becomes Holly’s friend and confidant. The youngest brother, Ryan, is a haunted soldier. He has frequent nightmares of his experiences in Iraq but has never opened up to his brothers about them. He makes you just want to grab him in your arms and soothe away all of the hurts. Each of the bothers is a sexy cowboy and they work well as a team – in and out of the sheets! Holly is a strong and lucky woman. Because of her past, she has a difficult time trusting the Colter brothers. She also has a hard time believing that each of them could really want her…and that she could actually want all three of them!

While reading COLTERS’ WOMAN, I couldn’t help insinuating myself into the story. I just wanted to take each of the boys on a ride down the Rockies. I just couldn’t get enough of them and I know that I will be fantasizing about them for many weeks to come. This one is definitely a La Grande Mort.

Ariel Summer

And don't forget to join the RRTErotic Yahoo Groups list to learn about the latest hot reads and to discuss them with others who enjoy them just like you.

The winners are.....

The three winners I drew out are...

ReadingAddict1
Rachael
Mimmi

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Please email your name and address to Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com. List your 3 book choices in order of preference #1, #2 and #3 and it's first come, first one gets it in case someone wants the same book.

Don't forget there's a contest at Romance Reviews Today every month. The November contest ends 11/30/06. Be sure and enter for your chance to win.
*******HAPPY HOLIDAYS*******

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Romance Reviews Today and RRTErotic wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Whether you are staying home or traveling, stay safe and save room for pie.

Holidays are for spending time with our family and friends and putting the hardships of the past year behind us. Just remember, the pilgrims and indians came together for the feast we in the USA call Thanksgiving.


As a special treat for readers, I'm giving a book away each to three readers. Just post and you'll be entered. Winner will be announced Friday. Probably sometime after I get back from Black Friday shopping :)

Here are the list of books:

MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL WEDDING anthology by various authors including Sherrilyn Kenyon and Charlaine Harris
ASKING FOR TROUBLE by Leslie Kelly
WHISPER OF WANTING by Jamie Sobrato
I’LL BE SEEING U by Dianne Castell
THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS by Christina Dodd
THE MARRIAGE TRAP by Elizabeth Thornton
NOTHING TO FEAR by Karen Rose
THE KEPT WOMAN by Susan Donovan
FIRST LOVE by Julie Kenner
BAD BOYS IN BLACK TIE by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy and Morgan Leigh
SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT by Meg Cabot
THE SECRET PEARL by Mary Balogh
EX AND THE SINGLE GIRL by Lani Diane Rich
IF THIS BED COULD TALK by Liz Maverick, Kimberly Dean and Lynn LaFleur

Ask Five with.....GENIE DAVIS!!!!

Note: book giveaway winner notice is down below, or click here.


Today we have the pleasure of chatting with Genie Davis, also known as Nikki Alton. Yes, she has a double life as a writer of everything, as you’ll see below. Don’t forget to check out RRTErotic’s review of THE COWBOY.


1. Tell us about yourself

Let's see - along with being a novelist, I'm a
produced screen and television writer. My first
romantic suspense novel, The Model Man, January 2006,
Kensington, received the Road to Romance Reviewer's
Choice Award. A second romantic suspense, Five O'Clock
Shadow will be released February 2007. My erotic
romance novella Rodeo Man was released as Nikki Alton
in The Cowboy anthology by Kensington/Aphrodisia,
August, 2006. And my short story, "The Girl & the
Gun" is now available through Amazon Shorts; my first
novel, the noir Dreamtown, was published by a small
press, The Fiction Works, in 2001. It's still
available on Amazon.

In film, I've written everything from supernatural
thriller to romantic drama, family, teen, and comedy.
I'm a member of the Writer's Guild of America, and
I've written on staff for ABC-TV's Port Charles;
written, produced, and directed reality programming
and documentaries for The Learning Channel, PBS, and
HGTV, and a lot of television commercials and
corporate videos. I've had one feature film script
make it from option to production - Losing Hope was
produced by Epic Films in 2001. Although it's a dark
comedy, the real category for this project would be
'obscure.'



2. What is the title of your latest release and
what is it about?

Five O'Clock Shadow, a romantic suspense/contemporary
is coming out February 2007 to a book store near you!

In short, this light hearted but suspenseful book
concerns Jessie Adams, indie-rock DJ, part-time
musician, and full-time fool for long haired rockers
who makes a run for local political office to help
save her best friend's music club, and finds danger in
a stranger's threats and an intense affair with Chuck,
a cop with his own cause. As Jessie puts it, when your
life depends on surviving both love and a political
campaign, winning is only half the battle.

3. What inspired you to write?

I think honestly that I love to talk so much if I
didn't write all my stories DOWN everyone would give
up on listening to me.

4. What do you do for fun in your spare time?
Take road trips with my kids all around the West, the
more obscure the destination the better; watch my cats
destroy the furniture; force my husband to watch films
with subtitles, and torture him into watching Lost.
I'm also big on going to the beach - while my kids
surf, I read. And then there's those great espresso
and chocolate ice cream shakes at a little place a few
feet from the sand. Which brings to mind my other main
activity: the treadmill.

5. What's coming up in the near future for you?

I'm currently working on another romantic suspense,
another erotic romance, and some noir fiction.

***

Thank you for chatting with us!

Don’t miss FIVE O’CLOCK SHADOW, coming soon! (Isn't the cover fantastic?)
Catch Genie at either www.geniedavis.com or www.nikkialton.com!

The Book Giveaway winner is..........

**************Congratulations MO!!!!!*************

Please email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with your book choice.

There will be another book giveway later in the week, so stayed tuned!!!

Remember your first romance novel?...and enter to win a book!

Do you remember when you started reading romances?

I get my love of reading from my mother. I remember growing up and my mother always had a Harlequin or Gothic romance nearby to read. I read a few of the Gothic’s, but they were basically had the same dark tone.

It was dark and stormy night…

The romance was there, but played a secondary part. I delved right into the Harlequins. Most were the same. Took place in England and featured nurses and doctors or a businessman and the heroine was his faithful secretary. Good, basic romances for a young teen to whet her appetite on. Okay, a little corny by today’s standards, but these were the sixties.

The bodice rippers, as the historical romances were generally labeled, became popular in the early 70’s and I read a few of those. But I think I found my niche when the Harlequin Presents began in 1973. Steamy, alpha men made my toes curl and I devoured them all. I loved the foreign locations and dreamed of visiting Greece, Italy or wherever the story took place. I wanted my own Latin lover, even at the tender age of sixteen.

I later picked up and read other romances, but as an adult, my life soon became busy and I stopped reading. Period.

Then a fateful day I was looking for a suspense to pick up to read to pass the time. I picked up WHITE LIES by none other than Linda Howard. I read it that night and could not put it down! I had to get more of Linda’s books. I finally (finally!) found the internet in the late 1990’s (yes, I was a late bloomer) and discovered Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and other online stores. Heaven! I could search—and order—online any author’s backlist I wanted. From then on, my pile of books has morphed into a rather large one. Today, I would guess I have 600+ books in various bookshelves and boxes today.

It’s a lot, but I love books…especially romances. I couldn’t live without having a romance book nearby.

When did you start reading romance books?

Post for a chance to win the following books:

MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL WEDDING anthology by various authors including Sherrilyn Kenyon and Charlaine Harris
ASKING FOR TROUBLE by Leslie Kelly
WHISPER OF WANTING by Jamie Sobrato
SANTA, BABY anthology by Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips
I’LL BE SEEING U by Dianne Castell
THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS by Christina Dodd
THE MARRIAGE TRAP by Elizabeth Thornton
NOTHING TO FEAR by Karen Rose
THE KEPT WOMAN by Susan Donovan
FIRST LOVE by Julie Kenner
BAD BOYS IN BLACK TIE by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy and Morgan Leigh
SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT by Meg Cabot

Post a comment to be entered and one winner will get to choose ONE book. Winner will be posted Tuesday morning!

posted by Patti

Ask Five with....Heidi Betts!!!

Heidi Betts writes some awesome stories for Silhouette Desire. This month she has BEDDED THEN WED, which I highly recommend readers picking up at the store. You can read the review for BEDDED THEN WED here.

Now it's time to get to know Heidi and learn more about her and her stories.

What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?
BEDDED THEN WED is out this month from Silhouette Desire and is the story of wealthy rancher Mitch Ramsey, who's never given much of a second look to his neighbor, Emma Davis--until an unexpected encounter leads to a night of unbridled passion. Mitch figures the affair can be a discreet diversion, one they're both going into with eyes wide open. Then Emma's father makes him an offer he can't refuse--marry Emma and Mitch will inherit what he's always coveted: the entire Davis ranch. But Emma can never know...

I really loved writing about Mitch and Emma. Partly because of the emotional intensity of their relationship, and partly because I got to return to my western roots a little bit with this story. Mitch is a tall, dark, and rugged rancher, and it was fun to work with that type of character for a while again.



What is the hardest part of writing?
Well, I just finished a set of revisions that made me want to pull my hair out, so at the moment I would have to say that's the hardest part of writing. But it really depends on where I am with a story when you ask me. Sometimes plotting out the book is really difficult. Sometimes a story gives you trouble just trying to get it started...or tying up all the loose ends...or keeping things going through the middle. Nah, it's revisions. *g*


Which authors have influenced you over the years, whether for their writing or for their friendship?
Oh, my heavens, so many. A book by Rebecca Brandewyne caught me by the heart when I was in junior high and still hasn't let go...it's one of my favorite novels to this day, and was probably one of the biggest factors in why I became a romance writer myself. And then there are simply other authors whose work I love--Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Suzanne Brockmann, Lisa Gardner, Sandra Brown, Maureen Child, Leanne Banks...the list goes on and on. And, yes, I've been lucky enough to be influenced by some of them personally, as well as through their writing. When you're in trouble or simply having a minor breakdown, It's a wonderful thing to be able to turn to a friend who's been there, knows how to handle the situation, and can help you through.



What do you do for fun in your spare time?

What spare time? LOL Lately, I really haven't had any. But when I do, I love to sit and read. (Of course!) There's nothing better than curling up with a great book and getting lost in the story. I also like to pop in a DVD once in a while, or go out shopping and to do lunch with friends.



What’s coming up in the near future for you?
In February 2007, the second book in my unofficial "Bed" trilogy will be released: BLACKMAILED INTO BED (Silhouette Desire #1779). It's Chase's story, Mitch's brother in BEDDED THEN WED. Then in June, I'm doing the last book of the "Dakota Fortunes" continuity series for Desire, FORTUNE'S FORBIDDEN WOMAN, and in July I'll be teaming up with Stephanie Bond and Leslie Kelly for the sexy beach anthology HEAT WAVE from Harlequin. (No final title for my novella yet, though I've been calling it "Shaken and Stirred." :-)) And skipping ahead a bit, CHRISTMAS IN HIS ROYAL BED will be the third book in the "Bed" trilogy, and is currently scheduled for October.

Whew, I've got some busy days ahead of me, haven't I? :-D


Heidi..thank you for chatting with us!!!

Be sure and check out Heidi's website or catch her at her blog.

Get to know Romance Reviews Today and RRTErotic

For today’s blog, I thought I’d do something a little different. Here’s an interview with the owner/webmistress and the Jill of all trades of Romance Reviews Today and RRTErotic…Terrie Figueroa!


When did RRT open for business?
The first issue or Romance Reviews Today launched October 1, 2000. We’ve just launched the new erotic site RRTErotic on October 5th, 2006.

How did RRT come about when there were other review sites online?Romance Reviews Today was started when I, and several other RomCom reviewers found ourselves with books to review and no place to send them when RomCom closed. We found out RomCom was closing in August of 2000 and promptly got to work on RRT. To say it was a learning experience would be putting it mildly.

In the early days, was it hard to get books? Not too difficult. Some publishers were more than ready to send arc’s out, others we had to work for. The reviewers often bought the books initially and reviewed them. After sending reviews for several months, most of the print publishers started contacting us.

How do you determine who gets the coveted Perfect 10 award? Ah -- the Perfect 10. This is an award given to outstanding books in their genre and is strictly at the reviewer’s discretion. It needs to be plotted and executed without flaw, and the characters need to really stand out. Those are just a few of the criteria. That doesn’t mean that many books that are reviewed aren’t outstanding, but in the case of authors like Christine Feehan, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Linda Howard and of course, Nora Roberts, they are always so fabulous, each of their books really competes with their own body of work.

How many reviewers do you have currently?This is going to sound horrible, but I’m not sure exactly. Without doing an actual count. We’ve had 4 new reviewers recently join us, and then we have staff members who don’t review but do other things such as interviews, review assignments and gathering new release information. I’m going to guess the entire staff is around 30 to 33 with about 25 to 28 reviewers. :)

Do you have any guidelines for your reviewers to follow when writing a review?We have general guidelines. We don’t write book blurbs so they are required to actually critique the work. They can focus on the many components of a novel or just the specific thing that stands out, whether that is the plot, the characterization or the writing itself.

What are your plans for the future of RRT?
For now, I plan to focus on continuing to post quality reviews. We have started offering advertising, and author spotlight pages, and someday, if I can find a few more hours in each day, we will probably offer website design and space for authors.

If an author wants their book reviewed, who do they contact?Authors can use one of the links on our site to request reviews or contact me directly. (terrie_figueroa_romrevtoday.com)

If someone is interested in reviewing for RRT, who do they contact?They can email me (terrie_figueroa@romrevtoday.com) or Sondrea Cash (reviewcoordinator@romrevtoday.com) To be honest, even if they contact me directly they will most likely be hearing back from Sondrea.:) We are currently looking for more ebook reviewers, for both erotic and especially non-erotic books.

Thank you, Terrie!

Posted by Patti

A Perfect Ten: ONE MORE TIME

ONE MORE TIME – Claire Cross
A Perfect 10
The Coxwells, Book 3
Berkley Sensation (Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 0-425-21198-3
November 2006
Contemporary Romance

If we judged a book by its cover, then anyone would say that Leslie and Matt Coxwell had it all. Perfect jobs they loved, a decent teenaged kid, Annette, a quaint little house that was neither too little nor too big, and…each other. But if somebody decided to look past the pretty picture of this perfect family, that’s when the pages start to turn brittle.

Matt never wanted to be a district attorney and is tired of dancing to his father’s tune while receding into his brother’s shadow. After losing -- intentionally -- a big case that would have gone a long way in making Coxwell & Coxwell the premiere law firm to go to, Matt’s life changes drastically. He can’t believe that his wife never knew he wanted out of this career he never chose. As a Coxwell son, it was expected that he go to law school, and as a good son, he did what he was told. There’s only one path left to follow, leave Leslie, fly to New Orleans, bail his hell-bent younger brother out of jail, and reconnect with his ex-fiancée, Sharan.

Leslie, a.k.a. Crabcake Coxwell, the Attila the Hun of all medieval history professors, hates her job. Oh, she’ll keep her lips zipped and continue on as any good wife and mother would do in the face of adversity. But with Matt’s leaving for places better left unmentioned, she has no choice but to continue her work at the college, despite the fact that she hates that her boss is making the school curriculum a laughing joke in university education. Just exactly how she’ll keep herself and her daughter together in the wake of Matt’s departure remains to be seen, though. It’s going to take more than a good La Perla bra to straighten out Leslie’s marriage and life.

For anyone who has been paying attention, it’s obvious where these two headstrong individuals went wrong -- communication, or lack thereof. And honestly, mix in a little bit of conversation early in the game and there wouldn’t have been ONE MORE TIME. Leslie and Matt, college lovers who never imagined that they’d make it this far, may have been as alike as polyester and satin, but that was the beauty of their relationship. As a college teen, Leslie, a modern day bluestocking who simply loved studying and learning, was astounded the day Matt asked her out to coffee. Even more flabbergasted, Matt had trouble believing that he couldn’t get Leslie out of his mind. To this day, even with a teenage daughter, they’re still together. Leslie’s still head over heels in love with Matt, and Matt thinks that Leslie hung the moon. So what happened? Instead of basking in what was supposed to be Matt’s success in winning this ultra-high pressure case, Leslie has no idea what made him toss the coin and throw it all away, including her and Annette. How can a man just up and leave the ones who love him best…?

Many secrets will be uncovered and truths revealed in Claire Cross’s ONE MORE TIME, a contemporary romance told from several points of view. A book that will probably make my top ten reading list of 2006, ONE MORE TIME shines with realistic characters who are going through very real problems. The writing and structure is dead-on perfect. Ms. Cross takes extreme care with Leslie and Matt, a couple who obviously still love each other, and not only gives the reader their history in many flashbacks to their courtship, but shows the reader what is going on in their individual lives that, of course, they cannot show to each other.

Fans of Claire Cross’s Coxwells series will be happy to see Matt have his own story, and newcomers will be glad to know that reading the series in order is not mandatory. But if you must, the order is: THIRD TIME LUCKY, DOUBLE TROUBLE, and ONE MORE TIME. ALL OR NOTHING waits in the wings for release next April.

ONE MORE TIME is both realistic and lovely, and definitely deserves a nod from this reviewer for a Perfect 10 rating. Fall in love all over again…

Amy Cunningham
********

For more entertaining reviews, head on over to Romance Reviews Today and RRTErotic.

Ask Five with....KATE DOUGLAS!!!!!

Even before I got to know Kate Douglas,I'd heard good things about her and her stories. She might be a grandmother, but she writes some of the hottest stories out there. She started out published in ebooks, then onto print publishing. She is now one of the busiest authors out there. But she's also one of the nicest. Sit back and get to know Kate.

1. Tell us about yourself.


Wow...that’s a wide open question! Sometimes I feel like the “old broad” among authors of erotic romance. I’ve been writing professionally since 1971 when I wrote copy for a small country western radio station in Turlock, California...since then I’ve been a newspaper reporter, cartoonist, author of numerous fiction and non-fiction pieces and a romance author since my first sale to an epub in 1998. I’ve been married to the same wonderful guy for 35 years and we’ve got two grown kids, a son and a daughter, who are married and parents themselves. Doug and I are remodeling a house in the mountains in northern California where we’ll retire...or HE will retire...I doubt I’ll ever stop writing! The short version? I’m a mom, a grandmother, a wife, a friend, but most of all I am a writer, and that is how I will always define myself.



2. What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?


I’m really excited about my next book coming out in January, Wolf Tales III. It’s actually the fifth story in my Wolf Tales series, following Wolf Tales, Chanku Rising in Sexy Beast, Wolf Tales II, and Camille’s Dawn in the Wild Nights anthology. If you watch LOST and love Sawyer, the quintessential bad boy, that’s my hero in Wolf Tales III—Jacob Trent is the original bad boy and he is SO damned sexy! His eyes twinkle just like Sawyer’s!



3. How do you come up with ideas for your stories?


LOL...I wish I knew. I can tell you they all start with the character, but sometimes I haven’t got a clue what’s going to happen when I sit down to write my stories. Right now I’m writing Wolf Tales V and it’s already going places I hadn’t imagined. This one is a reverse on the “Beauty and the Beast” story—the heroine is hideous. She’s been caught half way between the shift from woman to wolf since she was twelve years old, so she’s half human, half wolf. Baylor Quinn, who you’ll meet in Wolf Tales III, is on his way to upstate New York to help her find the way to her true heritage as a shapeshifter.



4. What’s the most interesting thing about you that very few people know?


Hard to say, as my life is an open book. I have NO secrets! Maybe the fact that every morning I catch a frog in my CD cabinet and take him outside, and every night he’s back...and I let him stay because we live in the mountains and it’s cold outside! I’ve been doing this since last July...



5. What’s coming up in the near future for you?


This is going to be a really busy year—we’re getting set to build a garage on our house, my husband is getting ready to retire, I’ve got four more stories (two novels and two novellas) to write for Kensington, the PASIC conference in New York in March, the RT conference in Houston in April, the Romance Writers of America conference in Dallas in July, and a new grandson to spoil and so much on my “to do” list I’m ready to go nuts! On top of that, we’re finally moving out of our house in one county and into our house in the mountains and I never knew how much junk I had until it was time to put it all in boxes...my near future is a headache just waiting to happen! And during all of that, I’ll be writing...

Thank you, Kate! It was a pleasure to have you. Read Romance Reviews Today review of WOLF TALES II here.

Be sure to visit Kate at her website at www.katedouglas.com and get ready for WOLF TALES III coming out in January!

Wiiner of the Book Giveaway....

***Congratulations to the book giveaway winner… AMY S.!!!!***

Amy S. please contact Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with your name and address, plus the book you want.


The latest edition of Romance Reviews Today is up!
Check out the new reviews here.

Don’t forget to enter the contest on the site here.

Check out the great books being given away.

Read a good book and want to share it with us? We’d love to hear from you! All you need to do is contact Terrie. Here is what she says:

What are Reader Comments and how can I submit them?

Readers' Comments are just what they sound like. If you've read a book and want to share you enthusiasm about it with thousands of other readers, submit your comments to Terrie_Figueroa@romrevtoday.com. All comments must include the following:

Title / Author / Publisher / Your Comments on the book (please limit your comments to no more than five lines of text) and a Note if you want you name or email published with your comments. (RRT reserves the right to crop and edit reviews to fit the size parameters and standards of grammar. Additionally, RRT reserves the right to reject submissions that include profanity, overly graphic descriptions, or an attack on an author, publisher, or any other person or organization.

Don’t forget to check out Romance Reviews Today and RRTErotic for the best and the brightest reviews on the web.

Happy Veteran's Day...and a book giveaway!

Happy Veteran’s Day from Romance Reviews Today and RRTErotic!
We all have been touched by a military veteran at one point in our lives. It could be you, a family member, friend, neighbor, coworker, or anyone out there.

Here’s a little history of how Veteran’s Day came to be known as it is today:*

Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which officially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislature that was passed in 1938, November 11 was "dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day.'" As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.

In 1954, after having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.

In 1968, the Uniforms Holiday Bill ensured three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. Under this bill, Veterans Day was moved to the last Monday of October. Many states did not agree with this decision and continued to celebrate the holiday on its original date. The first Veterans Day under the new law was observed with much confusion on Oct. 25, 1971.

Finally on September 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a law which returned the annual observance of Veterans Day to its original date of Nov. 11, beginning in 1978. Since then, the Veterans Day holiday has been observed on Nov. 11.

Source: www.military.com

Finally…to help celebrate the holiday weekend, it’s time for a book giveaway. One winner will get her or his choice of one book.

Here is the list of books you get to choose from:

MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL WEDDING anthology by various authors including Sherrilyn Kenyon and Charlaine Harris
ASKING FOR TROUBLE by Leslie Kelly
WHISPER OF WANTING by Jamie Sobrato
SANTA, BABY anthology by Jennifer Crusie, Lori Foster and Carly Phillips
I’LL BE SEEING U by Dianne Castell
THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS by Christina Dodd
THE MARRIAGE TRAP by Elizabeth Thornton
NOTHING TO FEAR by Karen Rose
THE KEPT WOMAN by Susan Donovan
FIRST LOVE by Julie Kenner
BAD BOYS IN BLACK TIE by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy and Morgan Leigh
SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT by Meg Cabot
SECRETS VOL 15 by various authors

How do you get entered? Just post a comment here on this post. Do you know a veteran? Do you see a book you can’t wait to get your hands on? Post a comment and be entered in Romance Reviews Today’s book giveaway!

Contest winner will be announced Monday morning!

Come Chat with....Sierra Dafoe!

Sierra Dafoe is always a fun person to chat with and her chats always end up being interesting. Romance Reviews Today is proud to have Sierra chat with us on Friday, November 10th at 9:30PM Eastern Time (6:30pm Pacific Time) in the RRT Chatroom.*
Sierra plans on giving away a copy of her ebook.

Please join us, but first, get to know a little more about Sierra!

1. Tell us about yourself.


Hi Patti! Oh my, let's see... Well, I live in New Hampshire, in the White Mountains which are just stunningly beautiful. I lived in Maine for twenty years and I miss the ocean, but it's a fair trade, ocean for mountains.


I've been writing just about as long as I can remember -- in fact, I vaguely remember the first story I wrote that I was pleased with. It was called 'Tommy the Turtle', on those manila sheets with double-wide lines on them... I did illustrations across the top of each page. That was either first or second grade :)


I've written plays, poems, short stories, screenplays, songs, magazine articles, newspaper columns... LOL! This past spring, I was lucky enough to land at Changeling Press with my first erotic romance novella, Devarian Exile. Changeling's a fabulously supportive publisher, and allowed me the room to write the entire sci-fi trilogy I had originally envisioned. By then I was absolutely hooked, and went on to write BloodWolf, which introduces Baudouin Delacor, my thousand year old French werewolf... I can't wait to get back and finish his story!


2. What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?


My most recent book is The Dragon's Daughter, releasing Nov. 10th from Changeling (http://www.changelingpress.com). It's completely escapist fantasy -- that's okay, right? :p


Lara Sutherland, a quiet young artist who makes her meager living drawing the dragons she's always fantasized about, finds her life invaded by two handsome, hunky, and very real shape-shifting dragons -- and they're insisting she's a dragon herself!


In fact, she's the Dragon Queen's daughter -- and Melgara Sotherlin, her mother, has sent Rand and Darrek (that's our two luscious dragons) to Earth to find and woo her. The one who wins her heart will become heir to the throne, while the other will be banished forever. Darrek is dark and dangerously attractive, while Rand is strong, stalwart, handsome -- and red-haired to boot. So naturally, this makes for a rather tough choice... LOL! It was really fun, playing with that good boy/bad boy dichotomy in dragon form.



3. How do you come up with ideas for your stories?


I really don't know. Embarrassing, huh? But it's true. Sometimes it's a character, sometimes just a moment, a bit of interaction that's exciting somehow -- there's something going on there, even if I don't know what it is yet. And whatever that little spark is, I just kind of let it sit there, knock around in my head, and eventually another little bit comes along and joins it, and another, until finally I have the shape and scope of a story in my head. Then I start writing.


4. What is the hardest part of writing?


It changes from book to book. Often, it's being patient and letting the story really mature in my mind before I start writing. And I have a hard time letting a book go, sometimes -- I can tweak it and tweak it till the cows come home. I love polishing, really making every word shine -- but then there's all those other stories waiting impatiently to be written!



5. What's coming up in the near future for you?


In December the follow-up book to The Dragon's Daughter, Dragon's Heir, is coming out, and sometime after that will be the remaining chapters in Delacor's story, in which he finds the woman who can love him despite the horrible curse he's suffered under for centuries. They're much darker books than the Dragon's Heir series, and it was lovely to have that contrast -- to get to write something light-hearted and fun, and then go back to this complex, heart-wrenching story.


I'm also starting on a full-length paranormal romance, and hope to have that finished up by spring. Plus I'd really like to go back to the world of the Devarian trilogy at some point -- I don't think I'm quite done with that universe yet!



My website's called Darker Desires(http://www.darkerdesires.com) and I also have a yahoogroup, the Sierra Club http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_sierra_club/
-- those are probably the best ways to stay on top of what I'm up to!


Thanks so much for having me, and I'm really looking forward to chatting with you!

Thank you, Sierra!
-posted by Patti

*Please note that due to recent upgrades in the chatroom, you must have the latest Java or you could have problems getting in.

Also, if the chat room link doesn't work above, just log into Romance Reviews Today and click "Chat Now" button.

RRTErotic - Issue 2, Volume 1 - November 6, 2006

In this issue from RRTErotic, we’ve got 32 new reviews and 21 tasty nibbles for your enjoyment.

RRTErotic’s Reader Zone -- Read something sinfully sexy lately -- want to tell us about it? Check out the guidelines for contributions to RRTErotic’s Reader Zone.

What are Reader Comments and how can I submit them?

Readers' Comments are just what they sound like. If you've read a book and want to share you enthusiasm about it with thousands of other readers, submit your comments to Terrie_Figueroa@romrevtoday.com. All comments must include the following:

Title / Author / Publisher / Your Comments on the book (please limit your comments to no more than five lines of text) and a Note if you want you name or email published with your comments. (RRT reserves the right to crop and edit reviews to fit the size parameters and standards of grammar. Additionally, RRT reserves the right to reject submissions that include profanity, overly graphic descriptions, or an attack on an author, publisher, or any other person or organization.



RRTErotic offers the same promotional services as Romance Reviews Today. Please visit the author services page at www.romrevtoday.com to see what we offer.



Interviews! Yes, RRTErotic will host interviews with the hottest authors in the hottest genre. Authors email me to schedule your interview: terrie_figueroa@romrevtoday.com



Enter this month’s drawing for a chance to win a book from Samhain, Triskelion or Whiskey Creek Press Torrid!

List of reviews now up at RRTErotic:

Single Titles (101 plus pages)

Contemporary Romance

ALL NIGHT LONG - Melissa MacNeal - Caribbean Cruise Ship - Holly

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER - Eve Vaughn - Present Day - Raleigh, NC & Washington, D.C. - Amy
COLTERS’ WOMAN - Maya Banks - La Grande Mort - Present Day - Colorado - Ariel - Ménage

OWNING RACHEL - Madison Layle - Incognito, Book 2 - Present Day - Sinclair


Fantasy Romance

PARADOX II - Rosemary Laurey & J.C. Wilder - Amy - Double Book

PARADOX III - Rosemary Laurey & J.C Wilder - Amy - Double Book


Futuristic Romance

JUNGLE CRIES - Vonna Harper - Sometime in the Future - The Planet Lamis - Raymond

REACHING BACK - Dawn Ryder - 2005 and 2231 - USA and Earth Force Division 876 - Lori


Historical Romance

THE BARGAIN - Julia Templeton - 1069 - Northumbria - Sinclair


Paranormal Romance

CARESS OF FLAME - Sherri L. King - Shikar series, Book 2 - Present Day - Phillipa

ERIC - Rhiannon Neely - The Ravens Revisited, Book 2 - Present Day - Maine - Sinclair

HIDEAWAY - Denise A. Agnew - Special Investigations Agency series - Present Day - Colorado Mountains & the Shadow Realm - Sinclair - Romantic Suspense

SHADOW DEMON - Diane Taylor - Present Day - Seattle, WA & Japan - Phillipa -
Romantic Suspense

Romantic Mystery/Suspense

ALICIA'S AWAKENING - Kacey Hammell - In the Arms of the Law, Book 2 - La Grande Mort - Present Day - Trenton, NJ - Sinclair - Romantic Suspense


Science Fiction

SHADOW ASSASSINS - Cyndi Friberg - Ontarian Legacies, Book 1 - Maggie


Short Stories (51 to 100 pages)

Contemporary Romance

ANASAZI LASSIE - Sahara Kelly - Present Day - Tolikani Canyon - Jennifer

DARING YOUNG MAN - Leigh Ellwood - Dareville - CeCe

GOOD GIRLS DON'T - Shiloh Walker - Present Day - Jennifer
NOTHING TO LOSE - Jamie Hill - Unexpected Love, Book 1 - Perry, IL - Holly

ONE NIGHT OF PARADISE - Anna Leigh Keaton - Cooper Valley - Holly

THE PUMPKIN HOUSE - Pepper Espinoza - Torrid Twisted Tales - Present Day - Farmer's Beach, CA - Erin

TORRID TEASERS Volume 12 - Mary Ongjoco Chapman & Cassi Armstrong - Sinclair - Double Book


Fantasy Romance

LLEWELLYN'S SONG - Samantha Winston - The Land of Hivernia - Jennifer


Gay Romance

THE POWER OF TWO - Mychael Black & Shayne Carmichael - Present Day - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance - M/M


Mystery - Suspense

JADED DICK - D. Musgrave - Present Day - Chicago, IL - Terrie


Paranormal Romance

I WAS A VAMPIRE WEDDING PLANNER - Alecia Monaco - Present Day - New York City, NY - Isabelle

THE DARKNESS - Stephanie Burke - Rookery Cove, Book 5 - Present Day - Rookery Cove Island and a US City - Isabelle

THE GREAT WHITE BULL - Cricket Sawyer - Present Day - Middleburg, WI - Erin - Romantic Suspense

THE KEYTHONG'S BLAZE - Emma Ray Garrett - Rookery Cove, Book 4 - Present Day - Rookery Cove Island - Lori - Ménage

THIS SPELLS TROUBLE - Shelli Stevens - Vegas Magic, Book 1 - Present Day - Las Vegas, NV - Jennifer

TORRID TEASERS Volume 13 - Susan M. Sailors - Present Day - Jennell - Double Book


Science Fiction Romance

THE LOVE MACHINE - Michelle Marquis - Space - Sinclair - Sci-Fi Romance


Nibbles - (less than 50 pages)


Changeling Press

BLOOD AND HONEY - Alexa Aames - Isabelle - Paranormal/Fantasy Romance

FAIRY IN MY BED - Alicia Gaines - La Petite Mort - Isabelle - Fantasy Romance

TASTE - Anisa Damien - Scarlet Ties, Book 1 - Present Day - Chicago - Phillipa - Paranormal Romance


Cobblestone Press

GONE WITH THE WOLF - Loribelle Hunt - Vegas Magic, Book 2 - Present Day - Las Vegas, NV - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance


Ellora’s Cave

SABER-TOOTH - Jordan Summers - Phantom Warriors, Book 2 - Present Day - Santa Monica, CA - Phillipa - Paranormal Romance

WOLF IN SHINING ARMOR - Charlene Teglia - Autumn Animalia - 12th Century - The Borderlands - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance


Extasy

HARD ORDERS - Tonya Ramagos - Fantasy Games series - Anywhere, USA - Isabelle - Contemporary Romance

SEXUAL FANTASIES DO COME TRUE - Mary Suzanne - Fantasy Games series - Holly - Contemporary Romance

TO CATCH A THIEF - Tysche Dwai - A Castle in Medieval Times - Isabelle - Historical Romance

Loose Id

THE SECOND KISS - Kit Tunstall - Isabelle - Gay Contemporary Romance - M/M


Phaze

BLACK SAIL - Brenna Lyons -The Isle of Naxos - Holly - Fantasy Romance

IN RUINS - Amanda Jean Kelly - Belize - Terrie - Contemporary Romance

KITTEN - Mychael Black & Shayne Carmichael - Isabelle - Gay Sci-fi Paranormal Romance

MAMA'S TALES - Brenna Lyons - Goose Neck - Phillipa - Anthology

ON THE EDGE - Kallysten - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

RALEIGH IN RIO - Cassidy Kent - Present Day - Rio de Janerio, Brazil - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance


Samhain

FAMILAR PLEASURES - Jory Strong - Autumn Animalia - Terrie - Paranormal Romance - Ménage - M/M

NIGHT MUSIC - Charlene Teglia - Beginnings - Present Day - Seattle, WA - Lori - Paranormal Romance


Silk’s Vault

SARA'S CHARM - Vanessa Hecate - Harvest Village, OH - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance


The Wild Rose Press

TRICK OR TREAT - Hera St. Aubyn - Terrie - Paranormal Romance


Venus Press

THE STRAW MAN - Bonnie Dee - All Hallow’s Eve - Present Day - Somewhere in the countryside - Lori - Paranormal Romance

For more, visit RRT Erotic!

To join the RRTErotic newsletter, click here.

ASK FIVE...with...DELLE JACOBS!

Meet Delle Jacobs, the author of Regency Romances from Awe-Struck. Our own Jane Bowers says this about HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS:

"Delle Jacobs is expert at relationship building and developing original
plots. She's the author of two earlier Regency romances, MUDLARK and LADY VALIANT, that I also recommend highly. HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS is a treat historical readers won't want to miss.”
You can read more on Jane’s review here.

Sit back and get to know more about Delle Jacobs and her stories. Then head on over to Awe-Struck and purchase her book.


Tell us about yourself.

I'd love to tell you I'm young, beautiful, rich and talented. Well, I am when I write. The real world sees me differently, though. I spent a large portion of my life in Social Work, counseling troubled families and children, and I loved that work, but I've always been a writer at heart, and eventually I turned to writing fiction full time. At home, in my muu muus. I'm lazy and over-focused, and can find myself at 5:00 still fooling around at my keyboard when I should have at least dusted the furniture. My One True Hero, my son and our two curmudgeon black cats don't know I'm supposed to be more responsible, so please don't tell them.


What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?

HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS (but you can just call it TOAD if you want). Sophie has become rather used to being married to an empty chair, for Lucas had gone off to war immediately after their forced marriage six years before, and she hadn't heard from him since. But then he returns, magnanimously planning to forgive her and take her back. Maybe make use of her inheritance while he's at it. All Sophie remembers is the drunken lout stripping bare and crawling into her bed, to the tune of her screams. The surface story is in the humor. The deep story is in the passage of time, and how two people who have both grown up, but have trouble accepting maturity in the other. And no matter how much they've grown, they both have more to learn about trust and taking a chance on love.




How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

You give them to me-- people, actually. People have always yearned for love and belonging, but it always costs them something, and sometimes the price they pay is too great and the reward too disappointing. There's always a risk with loving. In the risk lies the story, and that story is all around us, in a million different forms.

The inspiration for HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS came from a joke sent to me by my friend, Shirley Karr, back in 1997. I re-framed it in a historical setting and sent it back:

Once upon a time, a beautiful, intelligent princess lived in a lovely kingdom by the sea. One day as she strolled in her garden alongside her favorite fountain, a frog leaped to the stone wall beside her, startling her.
"Good morning," said the frog as he strutted along the wall (no mean feat, considering the shape of his legs). "I have come to rescue you."
The princess studied the frog quizzically, for she had never seen a talking, strutting frog before, and certainly could not imagine why she might need rescuing.
"I am not a really frog, you see," said the frog, "but an enchanted prince. One kiss from you and I shall return to my former glorious state, whereupon I shall save you from spinsterhood and carry you off to my castle where you can cook my meals, do my laundry, and bear me dozens of sons who will all be as handsome as I am."
That evening the princess sat down to supper at her table, set with her Limoges china and Waterford crystal, and smiled as she speared her Frog Legs Forestiére with her golden fork.

And a funny thing happened: Sophie and Lucas stepped right up into my heart, and I began writing.


What inspired you to write?

I was born to write. I tried to write stories when I was four years old, but I only knew two letters, the first two in my own name. There's a magic that flows from the mind through the hands to the page, and even then, I knew that. Fiction is in my blood. It is a paradox. In its untruth lies the purest truth. It helps that my family has always encouraged creativity, and for some reason they don't seem to be capable of recognizing failure.




What do you do for fun in your spare time?

I spend as much time with family as I can. I love to travel, but don't get to do enough of it. I've discovered a new talent in graphic art. I adore Photoshop CS2. I've been doing all my own book covers for several years, and now sometimes do covers for other ebook authors, too. And reading is so much a part of my life, I often forget to mention it. All of my stories require lots of research. I strive for historical accuracy in such a way that the reader feels a part of where I send her, without overwhelming her with details. So most of my reading is non-fiction.


Learn more about Delle by visiting her website here.

A Perfect 10: CONSPIRACY GAME

CONSPIRACY GAME - Christine Feehan
Ghost Walker Series - Book 4
A Perfect 10
Jove
ISBN: 0-515-14216-6
November 2006
Paranormal Romantic Suspense

Rainforest in the Congo & Montana - Present Day

Ken Norton was captured during a heroic rescue and was brutally tortured. Jack, his twin brother, led a second team, determined to get Ken out. They did rescue a critically wounded Ken, and if he ever recovers from his torture, it will be a miracle. Jack was leading the second team and, being the one who had the job of covering with firepower during their escape, he took a hit and went down. Jack then took Ken's place as the victim of the inhumane torture by these cruel rebels who took their anger out on him. The worst is a mad man known as Major Biyoya who has just finished carving his name in Jack's chest, which fuels the rage Jack feels. As the rebels rub in salt and ashes to make Biyoya's name easy to read, Jack snaps, and though his hands are tied, he slices the neck of the soldier abusing him with a thin wire he had hidden in his camouflage pants, and all hell breaks loose in the camp, giving Jack just the distraction he needs to grab up some weapons and get out of there. He will take care of one detail before he escapes completely, and that is to be sure Major Biyoya is a dead man. It will not be an easy task for the critically wounded Jack to get out of this rainforest alive, but his Ghost Walker training and the scientific enhancements compliments of Dr. Whitney will serve him well -- that and his determination to survive and get to the town of Kinshasa where he can get help.

Briony Jenkins and her four brothers have been given a huge amount of money to bring their circus to the small town of Kinshasa in South America where a music festival is being held, and are preparing for their spectacular high-wire flying act. Briony flies through the air like a bird, but the toll it takes on her mind is terrible. She is not like other people; the noises and emotions of others, especially the dark ones of the ever-present soldiers, give her blinding headaches and she becomes physically sick. Her brothers are very protective and, after their performance, make sure she locks the doors as they head out to the nightlife in the area. Briony would never tell them she is going out by the Congo River to soothe herself and try to calm her headache, but that is her plan.

Briony is able to do unusual things, and when she hears rebel soldiers she blends into the forest, unseen by them. They are searching for something or someone and she wants to stay out of their way. She hides in a tree until they leave and then soaks her scarf in the water to cool off. As she does this, a hand comes out of the water and a low voice tells her not to scream. Jack had been watching her and thought her to be a Ghost Walker, but Briony has no idea what he's talking about; she doesn't know she has also been enhanced by Dr. Whitney, but Jack thinks she may be. He's been 'talking' to her telepathically and she's responded the same way.

From this point on, Christine Feehan spins her magic with words to bring us Jack Norton and Briony Jenkin's story. Like all of the Ghost Walker tales, we are taken on a great adventure that includes steamy sensuality, hair-raising, chilling suspense, and another puzzle solved. Jack Norton is not your average type of hero. He's an above average alpha male, a very dark trained killer who has led a hard life since he was a child. He and his twin Ken share a very close life as well as their thoughts and feelings...Hmmmm rather makes for some interesting moments. No one has been closely involved in their lives before Briony and she will encounter quite a few challenges before the story ends. Jack doesn't go easy. Regardless of his nature, I loved Jack Norton, and the light Briony brings to his darkness is exactly what he needs -- if he will just have enough sense to recognize it. Theirs is an explosive relationship in more ways than one.

Jack and Ken are a duo you just can't get enough of! DEADLY GAME is the next Ghost Walker tale, and it will be Ken Norton's story. I just wanted CONSPIRACY GAME to keep going to learn more about Ken, too. It will be hard to wait for the next release in this series. CONSPIRACY GAME promises to be another in Christine Feehan's long line of best selling novels as it is another exceptional story, and one I am privileged to give another Perfect 10. It comes highly recommended, and I believe you will enjoy it as much as I did.

Carol Carter

For more November reviews, head on over to Romance Reviews Today.

ASK FIVE with....LUANN MCLANE!

Meet LuAnn McLane, the hot author of sexy stories from NAL. She got her first big break in Lori Foster's writing contest and hasn't looked back. LuAnn is not only talented, she's fun to be around. Get to know her better!

1. Tell us about yourself.

I was born and raised in Kentucky and although I dread winter, making me contemplate moving south, I will probably always remain in the the Bluegrass state. When I'm not writing, my life revolves around my four children. My interests and hobbies include reading (wow there's a surprise), sports (watching, not playing) and traveling to anywhere south with a beach. For relaxation I enjoy watching chick flicks with my daughter and listening to country music. I have a group of girlfriends (like the Ya Ya Sisterhood but not *quite* so dysfunctional) that I get together with to chat and laugh about nothing in particular and I love spending time with my reader and writer friends both in person and online.


2. What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?

My latest release, Love, Lust and Pixie Dust is a whimsical paranormal about psychic sisters and their crazy love life with normal guys. I had fun setting the stories in Nashville, my favorite city to visit. This October release was pretty much on the heels of Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots, my first romantic comedy single title that seems to be striking a chord with the readers. I've had lots of e-mails from readers who have said that they identify with my heroine, Jamie Lee because she is an everyday hometown girl. There is an excerpt on my website that will give you the flavor of the story.


3. How do you come up with ideas for your stories?

Little things get my imagination going.... a line from a song, a story on the news or something that I have interest in can also create a spark. I don't plot so the story comes to me as I write which is fun since I want to know how it ends too. I only know the main premise and the characters... who don't always do what I want them to do. For example, in the story I just turned in, Dancing Shoes and Honky Tonk Blues (an idea that came to me as I watched Dancing With the Stars) my heroine couldn't choose between her old crush and her dance instructor and I really didn't know who she would end up with until near the end of the book. A secondary character was supposed to be back-stabbing and mean and instead my heroine bonded with her.....I was like what are you doing? So in other words my characters have a mind of their own and that's really where the ideas come from.


4. Which authors have influenced you over the years, whether for their writing or for their friendship?

As a reader I've always loved LaVyrle Spencer for her emotion. Her stories never failed to make me cry. For suspense I've enjoyed Karen Robards, a fellow Kentuckian whom I've always admired. I got hooked on the sexier contempories reading Lori Foster who gave me my first break into this business with her writing contest a few years ago. She's also been a great friend along with my Vamps and Scamps authors, Dianne Castell, Toni Blake, Rosemary Laurey, Shiloh Walker and Erin McCarthy.


5. What’s coming up in the near future for you?

My next release will be in May. It's a romantic comedy called Dancing Shoes and Honky Tonk Blues. It's a fun *redneck* version of Dancing With the Stars. Instead of TV stars, the contestants are hometown folks. It's supposed to be a reality show spoof but becomes something much more than that in the end. I loved writing this story since I got to do lots of research on ballroom dancing.... something I would love to do. Right now I'm working on Trick My Truck but Don't Mess with My Heart, another southern comedy centered around a used car lot. I'm really having fun with quirky small town characters and although I'll still be writing the erotic trades, you'll be seeing more romantic comedy from me in the future.

Read the reviews for Dark Roots and Cowboy Boots and Love, Lust and Pixie Dust. For more on LuAnn, visit her website.

Get Carried Away…A Friday Night Chat featuring Carrie Alexander!

Would you like to be Carried Away? By a mystery man who shoots sparks from his fingertips...a nerdy scientist who foils a crime ring with firewater...or maybe a tall, dark and dangerous biker in leather chaps? Chat with author Carrie Alexander and friends the first Friday of the month at Romance Reviews Today beginning at 9:30PM EST/6:30PM PST.

Laughter and prize giveaways guaranteed. Fantasy men available at your local bookstore.

Come join us in the RRT Chatroom! Click here and then click Chat Now!

It will be a Friday night not to miss!!!

PS: The chatroom has been upgraded recently, so you may want to try it out ahead of time.

Romance Reviews Today, Issue 39, Vol. 3- November 1, 2006

Romance Reviews Today is pleased to present 38 new reviews, 3 nibbles. (Quick List of new reviews)

• OCTOBER CONTEST WINNERS
o Melissa Bradley is the winner in Pat White’s Contest
o Theresa Brookins has won Prize # 1 in RRT’s Monthly Contest
o Karen Haas has won Prize #2 in RRT’s Monthly Contest
• NOVEMBER PRIZES will be posted shortly

• October Author Spotlight - LAURA MARIE HENION

• FAQ -- you asked -- here are the answers. Have a question? Email me! terrie_figueroa@romrevtoday.com

• Check out the reviews and interviews, and enter this month’s drawing for great books.

• Romance Reviews Today is offers advertising, banner design and single page web space! Check out the Author Promotional Services Page for pricing. If you don’t see something that meets your needs, email me directly and we can talk about it. Terrie_figueroa@romrevtoday.com

• Featured Authors

o Pat White


Thanks for visiting RRT!

Terrie Figueroa
Owner/Webmistress
RRT Home
Romance Reviews Today

Interview with Laura Marie Henion

Anthology/Collection Reviews
BRITISH BAD BOYS - Nancy Warren - Ponsford, England - Lori - Anthology

Contemporary Romance Reviews
ONE MORE TIME - Claire Cross - The Coxwells, Book 3 - A Perfect 10 - Rosemount, MA and New Orleans, LA - Amy
PINK JINX - Sandra Hill - Jinx series, Book 1 - Present Day - Jersey Shore, NJ - Sandra
YOU BELONG TO ME - Patricia Sargeant - Present Day - Los Angeles, CA - Anthonette

Fantasy/Science Fiction Reviews
AETHEREAL'S CLANS - Christopher W. Wilcox, Sr. - Æthereal series, Book 3 - Paradise, Earth & the Ursar worlds - Kathy

Fantasy/Science Fiction Romance Reviews
KNIGHT OF DARKNESS - Kinley MacGregor - Lords of Avalon, Book 2 - Behind the Veil - Avalon - Terrie
SHADOWLORD - Charlotte Boyett-Compo - Shadowwind, Book 1 - Kathy

General Fiction Reviews
BECOMING AMERICANA - Lara Rios - Los Angeles, CA - Lisa - Contemporary Fiction
BLUE CHRISTMAS - Mary Kay Andrews - Savannah Series, Book 3 - Savannah, GA - Diana - Contemporary Humor
EVERYTHING MUST GO - Elizabeth Flock - 1967 - 2001 - Near Westtown, PA - Nickole - Contemporary Fiction

Historical Romance Reviews
A DUKE OF HER OWN - Lorraine Heath - Rogues & Roses, Book 1 - 1888 - London, England - Carol
ANGEL IN A RED DRESS - Judith Ivory - 1792 - England - Marilyn
CLANDESTINE - Julia Ross - Wyldshay Trilogy, Book 3 - 1829 - London, England - Jane
HIS DARK KISS - Eve Silver - Manorbrier Castle, England - Jane - Gothic
TEXAS RAIN - Jodi Thomas - Whispering Mountain Trilogy, Book 1 - 1854 - Texas Hill Country - Jani
THE EARL OF HER DREAMS - Anne Mallory - Regency Era - England - Amy
THE RULES OF SEDUCTION - Madeline Hunter - 1820s - London, England - Jane
TOO GREAT A TEMPTATION - Alexandra Benedict - 1821 - New York City; The High Seas; England - Carolyn

Mystery/Suspense Reviews
DARKFEVER - Karen Marie Moning - Chronicles of Mac O'Conner, Book 1 - Present Day - Ashford, GA & Dublin, Ireland - Robin
THE MASQUE OF THE BLACK TULIP - Lauren Willig - Pink Carnation series, Book 2 - Present Day - England - Jani

Paranormal Romance Reviews
AWAITING THE NIGHT - Donna Lea Simpson - late 1700s - Wolfram Castle, near Wolfbeck, Germany - Jennifer
CONSPIRACY GAME - Christine Feehan - Ghostwalker Series, Book 4 - A Perfect 10 - Congo Rainforest, South America - Carol - Romantic Suspense
HIGHLANDER IN HER BED - Allie Mackay - Present Day - Scotland - Sandra
NO REST FOR THE WICKED - Kresley Cole - The Immortals After Dark, Book 2 - Present Day - All over the world - Sinclair
SCENT OF A MATE - Teri Adkins - Jaguar Moon, Book 1 - Present Day - Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and the Maya Mountains, Central and Southern Belize - Lori
SUNNY SIDE UP - Ginger Rogers - Sunny Acres Adventures, Book 1 - Somewhere between Heaven & Hell and San Antonio TX - Isabelle - Adventure w/romantic elements
VALLEY OF SILENCE - Nora Roberts - The Circle Trilogy, Book 3 - The Land of Greall - Jane -

Regency Reviews
HIS MAJESTY, THE PRINCE OF TOADS - Delle Jacbos - 1815 - London, England - Jane

Romantic Mystery/Suspense Reviews
A MARKED MAN - Stella Cameron - Bayou series, Book 7 - Present Day - Toussaint, LA - Jennell BILLIONAIRES PREFER BLONDES - Suzanne Enoch - Present Day - Manhattan, NY - Kathy
CRAZY SWEET - Tara Janzen - Crazy Series, Book 6 - Present Day - Denver, CO & San Luis, El Salvador - Jennifer
DEADLY GAMBLE - Linda Lael Miller - Mojo Sheepshanks series, Book 1 - A Perfect 10 - Present Day - Cave Creek, AZ - Diana - Thriller
HEAT LIGHTNING - Colleen Thompson - Present Day - Houston & Galveston, TX - Robin - w/paranormal elements
JUST LOVE ME - Laura Marie Henion - Present Day - Hawaii - Vi
MURDER AT BLUE FALLS: The Horse Found the Body - Maggie Bishop - An Appalachian Adventure Mystery - Present Day - near Boone, NC - Jane
SEXY-DANGEROUS - Beverly Jenkins - Present Day - Detroit, MI, Chicago, IL, Texas & Ohio - Nickole

Series Romance
A SULTAN'S RANSOM - Loreth Anne White - Shadow Soldiers, Book 2 - Na'jif, Haman - Carolyn - SIM #1442
BEDDED BY THE DESERT KING - Susan Stephens - Miniseries: Surrender to the Sheikh - Zaddara & London, England - Terrie - HP #2583

Nibbles
A TOUCH OF MAGIC - Cassandra Kane - The Planet Samhain - Terrie - Futuristic Romance - Samhain
THE LAST PROPHECY - Jennie Andrus - Beginnings - Present Day - Toronto, Canada & Dildo, Newfoundland - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance - Samhain
WHEN A ROSE BLOOMS - Tarah Scott - 1292 - Scotland - Robin - Historical Romance - The Wild Rose Press

To keep informed of future reviews and announcements, join the RRT Announcements Yahoo Group by clicking here.

Happy Reading!!

The Winner of the Halloween Book Giveaway is...

****Congratulations JODI!!****

Please email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com your choice of which book you want, along with your name and mailing address

Look for more book giveaways coming soon!


Friday night Romance Reviews Today will begin a once a month chat that features Carrie Alexander joining us. A little Carrie-nary bird says she's giving away several copies of her upcoming book.
Place: RRT Chatroom. You can reach it by going here and clicking the chat room button.
Day: November 3rd (Friday)
Time: 9:30 EST/ 6:30pm PST

Regular chats will continue to be held on Friday nights and Monday nights, as well as a once a once trivia game chat.