Out with the old...and in with the new

As 2006 ends, it is time for reflection. What author or series did you discover in 2006? Did you find an author that others have raved about and you didn't read until 2006? What about new authors--did you discover a brand new author?

Tell us about your new discoveries of 2006!

Ask Five with... Alyssa Brooks!!!

Alyssa Brooks is one busy woman! Between her writing and raising her family (and husband), she's also the co-owner of Wicked Escapes, a free-ezine for erotica readers. Sit down and get to know Alyssa Brooks:

1. What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?
My October Kensington Aphrodisia release, The Cop, is still on bookstores shelves. An anthology by myself, Sasha White, and Renee Alexis, The Cop is all about the sexy heroes who serve and protect us. Yummy!

My novella features a heroine, Kirsten, who finds herself arrested by a small town sheriff, Reid, after being framed for stealing her ex's convertible. Unfortunately, the town's jailhouse is under construction, and it's the weekend, so Reid is forced to take Kirsten home. Sparks fly, the handcuffs trade power, and soon Reid and Kirsten find themselves in deeply in love...and trouble.

Interested readers can watch the book trailer and find out more on my website at www.alyssabrooks.com/arrested.htm

2. Tell us about yourself.

Where to start...? Obviously, I'm a author. I currently write contemporary erotic romance for Berkley HEAT, Kensington Aphrodisia, and Ellora's Cave.
I co-own a free ezine for erotica readers, Wicked Escapes, with author Larissa Lyons and I make book trailers (for myself and other authors). When I'm not typing away or promoting, I'm a mother to four children- my two teenage stepsons, a 2 year old daughter, and the biggest baby of them all, my husband (who, at 36, still can't figure out how to work the faucet and make himself a glass of water! We're working on it!). The family keeps me fairly busy, but I try to find time for occasional crafts (I love making tie-dye shirts and socks!) and hiking and reading. I also love to watch movies and CSI and Sex and the City. I'm a huge fan of chocolate, a habit that's been recently curtailed by some health issues (I have fibro and I'm pre-diabetes). Hell, I love food in general and with that, cooking, but I'm always try to get healthy (Okay. So I've never done a diet that lasted longer than a week. I said I try!).


3. Which authors have influenced you over the years, whether for their writing or for their friendship?
Lots of authors have influenced me--a long, long time ago, I was a huge fan of Cassie Edwards and it was because of reading her bio that I decided I wanted to write romance (that and the library ran out of books for me to read!). Later, author Karen Monroe with Liquid Silver Books, introduced me to erotic romance. Besides her work, the first erotic romance title I read was by Jaid Black...and after that, I was hooked on writing the genre. These days, no author influences me more than my writing partner, Larissa Lyons. She's a tough cookie to receive a critique from--doesn't let me get away with anything! We compliment each other's strengths and weaknesses perfectly, which I feel is so important for critique partners. We are always challenging and learning from each other. Thanks Larissa!


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

I really don't seem to have a problem with that...if only I could stop coming up with ideas! I have ideas for too many stories to ever write...they just seem to pop in my head. It doesn't take much--a television show, a comment someone makes, an ad, or sometimes, just me getting swept away in thought--and the characters come alive and start talking (sometimes out loud!). My imagination has always been too big for my own good...just ask my mother! As a kid, I didn't just play pretend, pretend was my life!

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

My second Kensington Aphrodisia title, The Firefighter, with authors Susan Lyons and PJ Mellor, releases in February. The Firefighter is another great men-in-uniform collection all about firefighters, sexy heroes every woman would like to have save her! After that, readers can look forward to my single title debut with Berkley HEAT, Come and Get Me which is about a woman who gets cold feet about her impending wedding and dares her sexually repressed fiancé to "come and get me" in a exotic, erotic chase around the world.

Readers can check out book trailers, excerpts, and more about these titles on my website at www.alyssabrooks.com

Thanks so much for having me, Patti! The new blog is great! Hugs, Alyssa

Thank you, Alyssa! You can read the review for The Cop here. And here is a sneak peak at the cover for The Firefighter.

Reviews added 12/20/06

As we count down to the new year...

Quick List of Reviews Added 12/20/06


A KILLING TIDE - P.J. Alderman - Astoria, OR - Present Day - Diana - Romantic Suspense

FEY BORN - R. Garland Grey - Eire - Courtney - Fantasy

LUSCIOUS CRAVINGS - Cameron Dean - A Candace Steele Vampire Killer Novel, Book 2 - Las Vegas, NV - Present Day - Terrie - Paranormal Romance

MIRANDA'S HEART - Regan Taylor - Eadron, Littan, Martan - Vi - Sci Fi - Futuristic Romance

ONE LAST LOOK - Linda Lael Miller - Dry Creek, AZ - Present Day - Marilyn - Romantic Suspense

SHOOTING STAR - Colby Hodge - Sometime in the future - the Planet Lavign - Carol - Futuristic Romance

SWEET SUBMISSION - Desiree Gelsi - An Unspecified Mountain Range - Lori - Paranormal Romance

THE INVASION OF FALGANNON ISLE - Deborah MacGillivray - Seven Sisters of Colford Hall, Book 1 - Falgannon Isle, Hebrides of Scotland - Present Day - Diana - Contemporary Romance w/ paranormal elements

UNLEASHED - R. York/ S. Kearney/ Diane Whiteside/ L. Monroe - Terrie - Paranormal Romance

WITH NINE YOU GET VANYR - Teri Smith and Jean Marie Ward - Atlanta, GA; Cities and Places of Domain - Vi - Present Day - Fantasy Romance


NIBBLES

Freya's Bower

THE GOBLIN, THE WITCH AND THE SINGLE GIRL - Canice Brown-Porter - Lake Champlain, NY - Present Day - Paranormal Romance - Amy

Samhain

THE TWELVE LIES OF CHRISTMAS - Kate Johnson - Present Day - London, England - Patti - Romantic Suspense


The Wild Rose Press

CINDERELLA TANNENBAUM - Dara Edmondson - Contemporary Romance - Amy - The Wild Rose Press

The Gift Card winner is....

*** Lori H!!!!***

Lori H, please email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with your full name and address and I'll get the $10 walmart giftcard off to you as soon as I can. Congratulations!

Holiday Traditons and Merry Christmas!

Happy Holidays from everyone at Romance Reviews Today!

Here we are, Christmas in on Monday. As we gather with family and friends to celebrate, it’s interesting to note that most everyone does it differently. Whether it’s opening presents Christmas Eve night or waiting until Christmas morning. Making cookies from scratch or buying them. Turkey, ham or prime rib. We all have our family traditions in one way or another.

In my family, it’s a tradition to have crab on Christmas Eve and then open part of our presents that night. We unwrap the rest in the morning. Dinner is usually a quiet affair, unlike the gut busting Thanksgiving dinner. In years past, we’ve had a brunch and other times a roast. I guess everyone is pretty tired after the holiday rush.

I asked some of the RRT staff their family traditions or memories, and this is what they had to say…

Jane says: We used to decorate the tree on Christmas Eve while listening to Lionel Barrymore read Dickens' Christmas Carol on the radio. There were eggnog and cookies to snack on & squabbles over the best to place for the most treasured ornaments -- the glass bells, trumpets, lambs, angels, stars. We always used tinsel. I would start out placing each strand one by one while my brothers threw them at the tree higgledy-piggledy. Somewhere in there we sang Jingle Bells & carols. In the morning, when all the gifts were under the tree, we were allowed to open one before church, usually something practical to wear. :(

My husband's family had a different tradition. His parents hid the tree until the kids were all in bed on Christmas Eve, then they would bring it in and decorate it and put presents under it. The whole thing was (supposed to be) a big surprise in the morning.

Jani has some fond Christmas memories to share…My favorite memory is when I was a kid growing up in the Bay Area and my grandfather, who worked at Stanford, didn't get off work until late at night. On Christmas Eve, he and my father would get on the roof of
our house and make all kinds of racket in the early hours of the morning and my mother would rush in to our room and tell us to be still because Santa was here! :) That worked for quite a few years on us! *g*

Amy tells us about trees and Santa:. John and I wait about a week before Christmas to put up the live tree, because it's always been tradition in my family to take it down after my birthday, or thereabouts. It depends on how fresh the tree is. Since my birthday is exactly two weeks after Christmas Day, it stays up for approx. 3 weeks.

The one holiday tradition I miss the most is Christmas cookies for Santa. We would really leave them out, plus a glass of milk, and my parents knocked themselves out each year to make us think that Santa had really nibbled on them. Crumbs were left on the plate, or a cookie with a bite taken out of it, etc. But the milk was always gone, and I think that's cuz my dad slugged it each time.

Jani then replied about what her Santa had to drink…Well, _our_ Santa got spiked egg nog left for him and it was _always_ gone in the morning! I wonder which 'elf' on the roof drank it? *g*



As you see, we all have traditions on how we spend the holidays…

From our house to yours..MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas...and a giveaway!

Here's hoping your presents are bought and wrapped.
That you're on Santa's good list and not his naughty list.
That you have plans to spread good cheer and goodwill to all.

A special treat from us here at Romance Reviews Today and RRT Erotic:

***Post here and be entered to win a $10 gift card from Walmart***

Winner will be chosen and posted Sunday shortly after after 1 pm eastern time.

Happy Holidays!

PS...Come join us in the RRT Chatroom Friday night at 9:30 Eastern Time!

A Holiday visit with author Susan Lyons

Susan Lyons has had a fantastic year. She had two books that scored a Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10, Champagne Rules and Hot in Here. Now she has added to her publishing arsenal a couple of short stories over at Wild Rose Press. Here is a short interview about her latest books.


1. You have a couple of short stories out now from Wild Rose Press. What are the titles and what are the stories about?

I have two seasonal stories, "A Christmas Wish" and "Dawn of a New Year."

In "A Christmas Wish," everything's gone wrong for Carrie this Christmas
Eve, so it's no surprise the mall's Santa has already left when she and her
four-year-old daughter Tanya arrive. But Carrie's luck turns and the man in
the red suit returns. Will Santa - a.k.a. Nicholas - be the answer to
Tanya's Christmas wish for a new daddy?

In "Dawn of a New Year," newly divorced Ann has special plans for New
Year's: doing exactly what she wants, all on her own. Yet, when her sister,
a caterer, makes a last-minute plea for help, Ann can't say no. She's no fan
of big parties, and the last thing she expects is to meet a kindred spirit.
Can Will convince her that alone really isn't the best way to spend New
Year's?

2. You now write for Kensington Aphrodisia and have several books coming out. What made you decide to submit to the short story market?

I've been writing short stories for years and have sold a number to "Woman's
World" (US), "The People's Friend" (Scotland), "Woman's Weekly" (England)
and "Woman's Day" (Australia). I love writing stories. The smaller scope
lets me examine moments in people's lives, points of transition, things that
are important but not meaty enough to form the backbone of a book. (By the
way, I also have a sweet romance, "The Only One For Him," in "The People's
Friend" this month.)

3.These stories are more "sweet." Does that mean you'll be writing less hot books in the future?

I like writing the whole range of women's fiction. All my stories (short
stories, novellas, novels) are about relationships, character growth and the
power of love. Sometimes the characters cry out for a very sexy romance and
sometimes they're a little more shy. For example, I have two February
releases, and they're both emotional stories but very different in terms of
sexuality.

One's a story in a charity anthology (benefiting a women's shelter)
published by Freya's Bower. The book is called "Dreams & Desires" and my
story, "Taking the Alleys," is a gentle romance about a country guy who's
fallen for a city gal, and he's driving out to see her in hopes she feels
the same way.

The other release is a steamy novella called "Hot Down Under" in an
Aphrodisia Anthology called "The Firefighter" (with other terrific
firefighter novellas by P.J. Mellor and Alyssa Brooks). "Hot Down Under," as
you might guess, is set in Australia, a wonderful country that I visited for
the first time last year. When Tash McKenzie grudgingly agrees to babysit
her grandmother on her move to Australia, little does she realize that
granny has romance on her mind - for both of them! Australian men are just
plain sexy. And firefighter Mick Donovan has to be the sexiest of them all.
Tash is far from home and ready to party in the Land Down Under. Sex on the
beach. Sex in the air. Mick knows just how to rock her world...all night
long.

4. Do you have any short stories planned in the future? If so, can
you give us a hint what they're about?

There's nothing else on the schedule right now. Much as I love writing
stories, I've been concentrating more on books. But I do squeeze them in
every now and then. My website www.susanlyons.ca has a Stories page, and I update it whenever I have news.

I had the pleasure of reading the two short stories and they are fantastic. They aren't steamy as her Kensington Aphrodisia books, but they are well written. Head on over to Wild Rose Press and pick up Susan's stories today.

Ask Five with.......ALEXIS FLEMING!!!!

Meet super hot writer Alexis Fleming. She hails from Australia and is a hoot in person. She first caught my eye with A HANDYMAN'S BEST TOOL and Romance Reviews Today is delighted to have reviewed her latest release PROJECT:MAN. You can read the review here. Get to know this talented writer:

1. Tell us about yourself.

Hmm, well, I guess the most important this is I was born and bred in Australia and the majority of my contemporary stories have an Aussie flavor. I grew up a country girl and then transplanted myself to the city. I married a man with serious wander lust so I indulged my desire to see something other than Australia. After spending time in New Zealand, Fiji, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, as well as Outback Australia, home—for the moment!—is the southern coast of New South Wales, about three hours south of Sydney. When I’m not tied to my computer creating hot, sizzling stories full of love and laughter, and a few trials and tribulations thrown in to test my characters, I help my husband run a 34 room motel situated on the edge of a national marine park. I actually have dolphins cavorting in my front yard.
So that’s me in a nutshell. Motelier, wife, mother of two grown-up children, Nana to one delightful grandson, but I think what defines me is that I’m a writer first and foremost.

2. What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?
Project: Man was released on November 7th at Samhain Publishing. It’s a contemporary romantic comedy with a Red Hot tag. What can I say? I just seem to have trouble keeping that bedroom door closed.
Project: Man is the story of Professor Emily Payne and the trouble she gets herself in when she discovers an ancient Egyptian papyrus inside a pot she’s been sent for her birthday. When she starts to translates the papyrus, she finds herself the centre of a Federal Government case, not to mention the unwitting target for a thief bent on stealing the papyrus. The government assigns her a bodyguard, federal agent Nicholas Farley.
If that isn’t bad enough, she finds herself seriously lusting after the bodyguard, a man she believes is gay, a man who seems to react as strongly to her as she does to him. There’s only one thing for a learned girl like Emily to do—start a new project, the aim to initiate Nicholas into the joys of loving a woman.

3. Which authors have influenced you over the years, whether for their writing or for their friendship?
Oh wow, hard question. There have been so many authors I’ve loved. If you asked my mother what led me to writing erotica, she’d probably tell you it’s the Angelique and the Sultan series by Sergeanne Golon that I swiped off her bookshelf to read when I was only 12 years old. Man, that was hot stuff for a kid.
Since then, it’s authors like Nora Roberts, Angela Knight, Kate Douglas — I adore Kate’s voice — and so many others I can’t name. My bookshelves are filled with books from just about every genre, both romance and non-romance. I think each in their own way have has some type of influence on me. And for comedy? Australia’s own Anne Gracie was a terrific influence. That woman has the most wicked sense of humor.
As for authors I’ve personally met, since I started traveling to America for the RWA conference each year I have met so many fantastic authors. It never ceases to amaze me how most authors are willing to lend a helping hand to a newbie trying to get a foot in the door. I can only hope I can return the favor some day.

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

The majority of my writing seems to have an element of humor, probably because I have this really quirky brain that sees humor everywhere. Often I’ll see something that tickles my fancy and get a full-blown story idea in my head. But more often than not, I dream my story ideas. Lol Now don’t laugh, it’s true. Sometimes it’s only the title and I’ll write it down and just wait and eventually the title will translate into a story for me. Sometimes it’s something small I see or hear. Stud Finders Incorporated came about because a friend has a stud finder (that little machine that finds the studs behind the wallboards of a house) sitting on her bench. A Handyman’s Best Tool came out of a leaking hole in my conversation and a funny conversation I had with a couple of friends about it. I guess you just have to be open to ideas around you in your everyday life.

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

Laughing here. Um, what spare time? Running a motel can be a 24/7 job, particularly during the high season. There isn’t a lot of time to spare. I tend to short-change myself on sleep to fit my writing in during that time.
When I do have a little time, you will often find me curled up in the lounge chair in my office with my head stuck in someone else’s book. I love to read and it relaxes me. When I really need to de-stress, I make jewelry or beaded book thongs for reader giveaways. Have to give all the jewelry I make away. I’m running out of ears to hang the earrings off. Lol Cleaning rooms and washing bulk quantities of sheets and towels is not exactly conducive to the wearing of jewelry.

***

Thank you, Alexis!!
You can learn more about Alexis by visiting her website at www.alexisfleming.net.

And head on over to Samhain to pick up PROJECT:MAN.

The Winner of the book from Annette Blair is...

LISA FREEMAN!!!!!!!

Congratulations, Lisa! Email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with your name and mailing address and I'll pass it on to Annette Blair.

I hope everyone is having a fantastic Holiday Season. If you want something to keep you warm or a pick me up for the winter blues, head on over to RRT Erotic and check out some great reviews. Terrie just added on the 15th the following:

ANGEL'S FORECAST - J.J. Massa -The Weather Series, Book 3 - Napoleon Parrish, LA - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

ARENA STATION - Viola Grace - Champions of Terra, Book 1 - Arena Station - Maggie - Futuristic Romance - Short

BUDDY SYSTEM - Caitlyn Willows - California - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance

CAJUN FIRE - Cheri Valmont - Horville Family Saga, Book 2 - Harrisburg, LA - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance

CONVINCE ME - Arianna Hart - New York City, NY - Present Day - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance - Short

CORRUPTION UNCONTROLLED - B.L. Foxxe - Wako Springs - 51st Century - Amy - Fantasy/Paranormal Erotica

CRIMSON HUNGERS - Alecia Monaco - Lone Star Vampires, Book 2 - Houston, TX - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance - Short

CRISS CROSS - Jordan Castillo Price - Psy Cop, Book 2 - Chicago, IL - An alternate present day - Isabelle - Gay Paranormal Romance

CROSSING THE LINE - Trista Ann Michaels - Entwined Fates, Book 2 - The Planets - Tilarus and Veenori - Holly - Futuristic Romance

DEAL WITH A DHEMON - Viola Grace - Champions of Terra, Book 2 - Nodak Space Station - Maggie - Sci Fi Romance - Short

EROS RISING - Ally Blue - A Heart from the Ashes Story - Present Day - Nickole - Gay Contemporary Romance - Short

FANGS - Barbara Karmazin, Suz deMello , Eve Vaughn - Zone, Book1, Blood Brothers, Bok 3.5 - Lori - Anthology - Paranormal

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS - Maggie Casper & Lena Matthews - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

FROM THE WATERS - Adrianna Dane - Sea Sentinel, Episode 1 - Fell Island - Lori - Paranormal Romance - Short

HANDSOME BASTARD - Kate Hill - Ancient Blood series, Book 12 - Ancient Rome - Jennell - Paranormal Romance - Short

HARMONY'S WAY - Lora Leigh - Lion Breeds, Book 3 - Broken Butte, MT - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

HIDE AND SEEK - Sydney Somers - Present Day - Philippa - Romantic Suspense - Short

INFERNO - Vivi Anna - Inferno City - Courtney - Paranormal Romance

KEELY - Elizabeth Jewell - Pandora's People, Book 2 - Skara Brea - England - Isabelle - Futuristic Romance

LORDS OF THE WERE - Bianca D'Arc - Tales of the Were, Book 1 - Montana - Lori - Paranormal Romance

MINE OVER MATTER - Kai Anderson - Kereman Isle - Present Day - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance

MORE THAN A BARGAIN - Jet Mykles - Sister Leashed, Book 2 - Southern California - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

OBSIDIAN'S FLAME - Sherrill Quinn - Lusty League Series - Nowhere, New Chance - Maggie - Futuristic Paranormal Romance - Short

OPERATION G-SPOT - Jodi Lynn Copeland - Georgia; Washington; Michigan - Holly - Anthology - Contemporary Romance

PHOENIX RISING - M. deWinter, M. Harte, M. M. Pillow, S. Quinn, A. Sparks - Lori - Anthology - Multi Genre

PROJECT: MAN - Alexis Fleming - Sydney, Australia - Lori - Contemporary Romance

RALABOS - Toni L. Meilleur - Shifters - Various Locations - Various Time Periods - Lori - Paranormal Romance

RETURN TO ME - Madison Layle & Anna Leigh Keaton - Beau Vista Plantation - Louisiana - Present Day - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance - Short

RIDING PARTNER - Mary Winter - A Horse Farm Community - Isabelle - Gay Contemporary Romance - Short

SALACITY - Sable Grey - Salacity - 1999 -2028 - Sinclair - Anthology - Paranormal Romance

SEASON'S SPANKINGS - Evangeline Anderson - US - Holly - Contemporary Romance - Short

SINS AND SECRETS - P.F. Kozak - London - Victorian Era - Courtney - Historical Romance

TALKING WITH THE DEAD - Shiloh Walker - Mitchell, IA - Present Day - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance

THE COLLECTORS - Camilla Bruce - An Unnamed City - Present Day - Isabelle - Gay Paranormal Romance - Short

THE DRAGON'S DAUGHTER - Sierra Dafoe - The Dragon's Heir, Book 1- East Wellfleet, Cape Cod, MA & the Queen Dragon's Realm - Present Day - Lori - Fantasy Romance - Short

THE LAWMAN'S WIFE - Lara Santiago - The Wives Tales, Book 3 - Earth - 2078 - Maggie - Futuristic Romance

THE MAIL ORDER BRIDE - Diana Bold - 1868 - Colorado Territory - Ariel - Historical Romance

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRIS - Peggy Hunter - USA - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance - Short

THREE NIGHTS - Lena Matthews - Joker's Wild, Book 2 - California - Holly - Contemporary Romance

TO THE LIGHT - Mardi Ballou - Heliotropic, Book 3 - 2758 C.E. - Appoll'ex - Isabelle - Gay Sci Fi/Paranormal Romance - Short

TORRID TEASERS, Volume 18 - Sherrill Quinn & Rae Lynn Blue - Double Book - Paranormal Romance

TOUCH OF THE BEAST - Tawny Taylor - Animal Urges, Book 2 - Alaska - Present Day - Sinclair -Paranormal Romance

UNDER CONTROL - Natalie J. Damschroder - Lusty League Series - Maggie - Contemporary Romance - Short

WILDFIRE - Lynne Connolly - Present Day - Maggie - Paranormal Romance



NIBBLES

Changeling Press

NO WAY HOME - Elayne S. Venton - Planet Alishon - the Distant Future - Lori - Sci Fi Romance

Cobblestone Press

ALL HALLOWS THIEF - Jade James - New York City, NY - Holly - Contemporary Romance

FINDING PARADISE - Emma Peterson & Crystal Jordan - Peru -Holly - Contemporary Romance

Ellora’s Cave

NUTCRACKER PRINCE - Katherine Cross - Present Day - Christmas Eve - Ballet - Lori - Paranormal Romance

RIDING RANGER - Ciana Stone - A Large City - Present Day - CeCe - Contemporary Romance

eXtasy Books

MASKED ENCOUNTER - Fawn Lowery - New Orleans, LA - Isabelle - Contemporary Erotica

Phaze Publishing

SAN DIEGO SUNSET - Alessia Brio & Will Belegon - San Diego, CA - Present Day - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

S'MORES - Jalena Burke - Colorado - Present Day - Holly - Contemporary Romance

Triskelion Publishing

GHOSTLY MÉNAGE - Alysha Ellis - Isabelle - Paranormal Erotica

Venus Press

LOST TREASURE - K.L. Bjork - Present Day - Isabelle - Paranormal

Happy Holidays from everyone at Romance Reviews Today!

Ask Five with...ANNETTE BLAIR..and a giveaway!!

Talk about being published in different genres…and being successful at it! Here is one author who does it. Meet Annette Blair, who started out published in historicals and now also writes contemporary-set stories. She’s been on the national best-seller’s list and is always popular at conferences and booksignings wherever she goes. You can read RRT’s review of THE SCOT , THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE here.

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

My latest release, out this month, is THE SCOT, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE. Talk about meeting the man of your dreams ... A Highland Scot with a hidden agenda and a hereditary Pictish Witch in denial discover shared dreams and a century-old spell that could change them forever

This story is about Victoria Cartwright who inherits a key to the family wardrobe that can only be opened by the woman who inherits her ancestor's magic, and will complete the spell on its contents--to reunite a pair of century-old lovers. Denying she has any magic, Vickie is shocked that she opens the wardrobe to find a carousel unicorn and a tarot card that can be interpreted as believing in dreams. Vickie has seen the unicorn before, in her dreams, where she's kissing a kilted stranger.

In Scotland, Rory MacKenzie's been searching for the unicorn, like his ancestors did, because the MacKenzies are pariahs for letting the unicorn slip through their fingers a century before. The villagers believe losing it ruined village prosperity which will be returned when the world-famous Immortal Classic Carousel is complete and working again. It only needs the unicorn.

When Rory sees Vickie on the Antiques Roadshow, she not only has his unicorn, she's the woman he's been dreaming about kissing beside it. Rory goes to Salem Massachusetts to see if it's his family's missing unicorn. A hidden compartment beneath the saddle will prove it's his. And he won't let himself be tricked by the descendent of the witch who bewitched his ancestor into giving her the unicorn in the first place.

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

Story ideas come to me all the time. This one started with my love for the Antiques Roadshow. I wondered what would happen if somebody found an amazing antique that had the power to change their lives. I chose a carousel figure because I'm enchanted with them, and because I had to make it so utterly unique as to be unmistakably Rory's, I made The Immortal Classic a Zodiac Carousel with a different zodiac sign on each horse and on the single unicorn, the sign of Aquarius. I did my research. No such carousel was ever built. I turned my enchantment with antiques and carousels into THE SCOT, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE.

3. What is the hardest part of writing?

I think the hardest part of writing is trying to make people understand that when you're writing, you're working. People call on the phone and think you're free to chat if you tell them you're writing. I sometimes turn my phone off in self defense. Immediate family doesn't understand that if you're fingers are flying over the keys, you're mind is going as fast, and if they interrupt, you can lose your train of thought, and sometimes there's that illusive something that you must, must, must get down before you lose it . . . but they speak, grab your attention . . . and it's gone.

Since I became a full time writer, a few months ago, everyone thinks I have free time to do all kinds of things, which they never would have asked of me to do, when I had an employer to answer to. They've found it difficult to understand that I still have a full time job.

The craft of writing, story creation, is a welcome challenge, a puzzle I build and solve, and it's a joy. I love it. But my family and friends don't have the same respect for my work time that they did when I went to an office everyday, and my secretary answered my phone.

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

I go antiquing. :) I collect 19th century glass slippers--yes there's a Cinderella story in there somewhere. I read and spend time with my family.

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

My Triplet Witch Trilogy begins in August. Psychic witches with attitude who SPELL identical-triplet trouble in spikes.

The psychic triplets are Victoria Cartwright's half sisters, Harmony, Destiny and Storm. Having been abandoned by her father when she was young, Vickie doesn't know her sisters exist, until they show up on her doorstep. Since Vickie is a witch in denial, and her sisters are free spirits who love their Pictish Witch heritage, they help her to accept her gift. Each triplet has a different psychic gift, one can sense the past as a psychometric; one can sense the present; and one can sense the future. Harmony has the ability to bring peace wherever she goes. And Storm is the Rebel, a Goth, the third twin, unexpected, and to her mind, unwanted. Destiny is the Pollyanna with a hidden strength she'll need.

The triplets' stories are: SEX AND THE PSYCHIC WITCH, August 2007, WHAT A WITCH WANTS, 2008, and THE LADY IS A WITCH, 2008

*****

Thank you, Annette, for chatting with us at the RRT Blog!

To learn more about Annette and her stories, visit her website at www.annetteblair.com.

As a special treat, Annette is giving away a copy of her book, MY FAVORITE WITCH to a lucky blog poster.

Post away! Winner will be drawn Sunday night after 9pm eastern time.

Ask Five with........Shiloh Walker!!!

Shiloh Walker is probably one of those authors you've heard about, but don't know a lot about. Shiloh has written stories that will fit just about anyone's tastes, whether it be a paranormal or a contemporary.

Sit down and get to know the very busy Shiloh Walker.

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

My latest release is an ebook at Samhain Publishing
It's a paranormal romance, about a man who can talk to the dead.

A horrific tragedy blasted open a door in young Michael O'Rourke's mind-cursing him with the ability to talk with the Dead. Nearly two decades later, Michael has moved from victim to survivor, using his abilities to seek out those who would go unjudged.
With his gift, he talks to those who've died violently and seeks out their killers. Only once he's found the murderer, can the victims be at rest. After his last case, the only thing he wants is peace and he hopes to find it in the small town of Mitchell, Indiana.
But something is horribly wrong-the dead are waiting for him there, as well.
Small town sheriff Daisy Crandall is frustrated. The murder investigation she's leading is going nowhere, the few leads she's had haven't panned out. She needs a break-this case is personal and when a stranger arrives, turning up where he shouldn't be, she's suspicious. Finding out that he is more than what he appears to b, should shock her but doesn't. The fact she's highly attracted to him at the worst possible time is a hindrance.
Unfortunately, teaming up with Michael is the only way.
Now it's a race against time before the killer destroys the life of his next victim...




2. What made you decide to get into writing full time?


Burn out? I've been writing since I was a kid, published since 2003. Up until April 2004, I worked full time at a doctor's office and wrote at home when I could. But we had a lot of difficult things going on at work~it was a pediatrician's office and sadly a lot of people don't care for their kids as they should. It just got too hard seeing some of it. So I quit and decided to make a go of writing full time. Just writing.


3. How do you stay motivated?

*G* I like making money. And telling stories. If the story is going as it should, it isn't going to shut up until I tell it.


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

I think almost every writer dreads this question, ya know? I honestly don't know. Sometimes I'll wake up from a dream and a story is there. Other times I'll be daydreaming and there a story is. Or I see something on the TV that sparks an idea. But there's not a cut and dried answer for me


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

I have two books with Berkley coming out next year, a Hunters short story with Ellora's Cave, possibly a re issue of a book that was with a different publishing coming out from Triskelion, an anthology from Pocket...for now, that's all I know about.


Thanks for visiting with us, Shiloh!
You can visit Shiloh at her website, www.shilohwalker.com or at the Vamps and Scamps blog.

A Perfect 10---IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS

IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS -- Wendy Markham
A Perfect 10
Signet
ISBN: 0-451-22003-5
December 2006
Time Travel Romance

New York City and Glenhaven Park, New York - The Present and 1941

Clara McCallum should be engrossed in the latest film that she's starring in, but a simple visit to the doctor has changed everything. She's just been told that she has breast cancer and that she must undergo treatment for it. Unable to tell her divorced parents just yet and alone with her thoughts, the disease is all she can focus on, understandably, but she still has a job to do. Dressed in period costume for the World War II era movie she's making, Clara boards a vintage train to Glenhaven Park where she will meet the actor who plays real life war hero, Jed Landry. The film is based on Jed's life before he goes off to war and never returns.

The short journey on the train is a momentous one for Clara. First of all, she bangs her head when the train suddenly lurches, and then, as she ascends the steps onto the platform, she realizes that the "set" is entirely too realistic. It takes her a while, though, to come to grips with the fact that she's been transported back to the early winter of 1941, and the Jed Landry she meets is the real thing. Her only reality is the iPod in her purse and the ominous bandage on her breast.

Jed is everything Clara likes in a man, except that she knows he's going to die. Can her travel back in time mean that she's there for a purpose? Maybe she can prevent his death? He, in turn, is bemused and wildly attracted to the unusual and lovely woman who has come into his life. But when she disappears, leaving behind her suitcase and an odd electronic device, Jed wonders if she's a spy? He makes an attempt to track her down from a business card he finds in her purse, but the only person at her apartment building in New York City is a talkative Japanese boy who doesn't have a clue who Clara is.

IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS is an engrossing, entertaining story of two people who find each other in the nick of time -- so to speak. They are instantly attracted to one another, and their meeting comes at crucial points in both of their lives. Clara, who also recently broke up with her long-time boyfriend, is going through a very rough period. Jed, the eldest son, has given up his schooling to care for his widowed mother and younger sisters while his brother goes to college. Yearning to get away, still, he steadfastly runs his father's store, aching to get on with his life. When Clara comes back, Jed thinks that he has a reason to stay put.

Wendy Markham has a masterful way of drawing readers into this story and I couldn't put this book down until I, tearfully, finished the last page. Yes, have a box of tissues handy, because you're going to need them! The ending is simply beautifully written. The time travel portion is interesting and not too hard to believe. The characters are memorable, including some of the secondary players who have recurring roles. It's a stroll down memory lane for some of us "boomers" who grew up hearing our parents talk about silk stockings and such. The forties dialogue is well done and the era itself is presented with historical accuracy. But it's the sparks that ignite between Jed and Clara that will shine through in this novel.

For time travel or romance readers, IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS is a must read.

Jani Brooks


PS...to learn about the inspiration behind IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS, head on over to Wendy's site to learn more: http://www.wendycorsistaub.com/new.html
(Follow the link and go down about half way down the page)

Operation G-Spot winner is..........

KIM!!!!!!!

Kim, please email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with your full name and address and I'll pass it on to Jodi.
Thanks everyone for participating! Keep your eye out for more giveaways!
##################

For a fun blog topic, I have a question for you to ponder. If given a chance to have a meal with one author, which author would you want it to be? Can be dead or alive.

Ask Five with...Jodi Lynn Copeland and a Giveaway!!!

Jodi Lynn Copeland is the author of several sinfully sexy stories and if you haven’t read her, once you do, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t before. She started out published in ebooks, but is now also with the Kensington Aphrodisia line. Her latest is Operation G-Spot and yes, it is that g-spot. *g*

Get to know this very busy woman with many hats.

1. What is the title of your latest (or upcoming) release and what’s it about?

Operation G-Spot was released from Kensington Aphrodisia on November 28th. I think the title probably speaks for itself *g*, but the book is set around the search for that all-elusive G-spot. Three women meet online and form a chat group called Operation G-Spot. The women come from cities across the U.S. and very different walks of life, but have the commonality they cannot attain an orgasm with anything other than sex toys or their own hand, and in one woman’s case not even that will do. The three stories within Operation G-Spot entail each of the women’s quests to find the ultimate in pleasure. In each case she does find it, though not in the manner she believed she would and often not with the man (men), she thought would be the one to bring her to the peak.


2. Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mother. I used to say I am an author. But then, my daughter was born and since I have been a mother first and foremost. There are days I would just love to be able to write all day, the way I often did on the weekend prior to having her. But those days are pretty far and few between. I wouldn’t trade my little girl for anything, not even a writing schedule that starts before 9 or 10 at night and allows me to sleep more than a handful of hours a night. Along with my now 14-month old busybody, I have a 10-year-old stepson and my very own hero of a husband. I got lucky with love the second-time around, so those of you single and searching, don’t give up!! There are good guys and gals out there just waiting to meet you.

When I am able to find writing time, I primarily operate in pantser mode. My characters have minds of their own and I have learned not to even attempt to try and cage them, or they will haunt my dreams with the things I should have written about. The one exception to this is romantic suspense and sometimes paranormal. With these two genres, knowing the various plot points is important to maintaining conflict and suspense, or in the case of paranormal, world building and remembering what makes each character unique, etc. Though my current focus is on erotic romance, I started out writing mainstream suspense and then dabbled in category romance for several years. I love writing the *really* hot stuff, but I also enjoy those stories of my writing roots and hope to one day be published in those genres, as well.


3. Which authors have influenced you over the years, whether for their writing or for their friendship?
I actually hated books (reading) when I was younger, but then in my late teens I discovered Julie Garwood and historical romances and I fell in love from word one. From then on, I just loved to read period—author and genre were mostly irrelevant—and soon after I learned I also loved to write. I don’t think any one author influenced my writing career, but authors as a whole, and all those decadent books they put out, have definitely played a major part in my getting to where I am today. The support of my family and friends has been a huge factor, too. There were times through the ten-plus years it took me to get published that my family would toss out the “If getting rejections is so upsetting, why not just quit?” question. But even in those times, when I didn’t quit, they were very proud of me and supported my choice.

The friendships I discovered through writing have been invaluable in keeping me writing through the rough patches. There have been literally hundreds of friends and authors who have inspired me through the years. To name a few: Valorie Dorr, Paige Burns, P.G. Forte, Katie Bryan, Shawna Moore, Larissa Ione, T.L. Schaefer, Eve Savage, the MMRWA and FTHRW groups…and so on. Bless you all!!


4. Do you still get goose bumps seeing your name on a book cover?
At the risk of sounding dorky—it’s really cool!! J Operation G-Spot is my fifteenth release overall and eighth in paperback. No matter how many times I get a new shipment of author copies in the mail the giddy sensation of holding my latest baby and seeing all those words I wrote bound and pretty never goes away.


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

This question always makes me chuckle, because I have no spare time. However, I sometimes do make time for things that are not on the must-do list. What I most enjoy doing with my made-up spare time is catching up with family and friends. Life goes by wayyy too fast and I often find weeks—dare I say months?—slipping past where I don’t get to chat with some of my closest friends and family members. I am quite the tomboy, so my favorite things to do tend to revolve around the outdoors—fishing, hunting, ball—and then sometimes indoors, too, since I love NASCAR and every weekend finds me making time to plant my butt in front of the TV to watch the race with my hubby and kids. And then on occasions I even find time to appeal to my creative side other than on the writing front. I love drawing, painting, scrapbooking, designing anything from web layouts to holiday cards and wedding invitations. I also have to feed my brain, which happens in the form of crossword puzzles, the latest “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” marathon and research on subjects that interest me even if I never will have the opportunity to use them in a novel. And let’s not knock that Discovery Channel…I can almost always find a way to procrastinate by tuning in.

Learn more about Jodi and her books by visiting her website www.jodilynncopeland.com.

***Jodi is giving away a copy of Operation G-Spot here on the blog! Post and you’ll be entered in the drawing. Winner will be picked Sunday!***


As a treat, here is copy of the review for Operation G-Spot from Romance Reviews Today:

OPERATION G-SPOT - Jodi Lynn Copeland
Kensington Aphrodisia (Trade Paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-0-7582-1481-2
ISBN-10: 0-7582-1481-2
December 2006
Erotic Contemporary Romance Anthology

Three women searching for the right man to pleasure their ever elusive g-spot makes this one torrid tale.

Terms of Enticement
Atlanta, Georgia

Liz Hart wishes she can find a man who can give her a screaming orgasm. It’s not for lack of trying, but Liz feels she’s unfulfilled until her g-spot can be discovered. Dusty Marr was one of her failed attempts, but since he’s her brother’s best friend, they got interrupted when her brother came home to their shared apartment. Dusty’s more than up for the challenge, but will fooling around with each other prove risky when there is obviously more between them than just sex?

Liz and Dusty are like a boomerang…no matter how much they try to avoid doing the deed, it keeps coming back to them. Liz sees Dusty as cocky and vain, while Dusty wonders why Liz won’t relax enough so they can have sex. Add in the trickery of not wanting Liz’s brother find to out and their relationship is on thin ice.

Funny and hot, Terms of Enticement was a nice start to OPERATION G-SPOT.

Sexless in Seattle
Seattle, Washington

Kristi Hill runs a sex toy company and she’s in a male strip club to finalize a deal to expand. She’s eyeing the hot looking stripper who’s currently strutting his stuff upon the stage. Add in the stripper at her back and a spiked drink that goes to her head and the next thing Kristi knows it’s the next morning and she’s in bed with a naked man. Wait…make that two naked men. Based upon the way her body feels, one of them gave her the best sex of her life. The question is…which one?

Sexless in Seattle is a quirky tale in which there is no clear hero. Both Spencer and Jack are decent men who just happen to be strippers. Kristi is determined to get to know them both, and have sex with them separately, to find out who can find her g-spot. Kristi has a dilemma few women get to face: two hunks want to have sex with her. The problem is she can only have one. Right?

Definitely the hottest of the three tales, be prepared to have some ice on hand while reading Sexless in Seattle.

Desperately Seeking Simon
Lansing, Michigan

Lawyer Fiona De Luca’s current best boyfriend is a vibrator. She’s even named it Simon. Unknown to Fiona, her neighbor, erotic comic book author Jonah Meadowbrook, has a clear view of her enjoyment of Simon, and when she shows up on his doorstep one day with an invitation for him to temporarily replace her vibrator, what’s a guy going to do? Say no? Besides, with her being his writing inspiration, what a way to do research up close and personal.

Fiona just became aware of her neighbor across the courtyard, and his name turns out to be Simon King according to the misdirected mail in her hand. What luck! It has to be a sign that she’s meant to find the real Simon and he has to be the one who’ll make her g-spot sing. Ah, Simon turns out to be a hunk and Fiona’s practically throws herself at him. What will Fiona do when she finds out that Simon is Jonah’s pseudonym and that he hates lawyers?

Desperately Seeking Simon is an unusual tale and starts out hotter than blazes, but the secret Jonah is keeping from Fiona could blow their erotic relationship apart. My only complaint is that Desperately Seeking Simon ends rather abruptly, and would’ve been great as a longer tale.

Three terrifically hot stories in one book is definitely a reader’s dream. Each tale is unique, but is connected, as Liz, Kristi and Fiona know each other from online and chat back and forth throughout about their successes and failures. You won’t go wrong in picking up OPERATION G-SPOT for a first-rate read. I can’t wait to read more from the creative pen of Jodi Lynn Copeland.

Holly Tibbs

Again, a copy of Operation G-Spot is being given away and you must post to be entered.

Winner will be announced Sunday night!

Sometimes Naughty is Nice.....

I thought I would point out that RRTErotic has a ton of Naughty Nibbles for readers to check out. These are stories under 50 pages and good reading for someone who wants something short and hot.
No, not the girl. I'm talking about RRTErotic...

Here is a copy of the index, but you can find them all at RRTErotic...

Electronic Publishers - Nibbles Index

Amber Heat 12/5/06
Changeling Press 12/5/06
Cobblestone Press 11/25/06
Ellora's Cave 12/5/06
eXtasy Books 11/25/06
Freya's Bower 11/15/06
Jovian Pleasures 10/5/06
Loose Id 11/6/06
New Concepts 11/25/06
Ocean Mist Press 11/25/06
Phaze 12/5/06
Samhain Publishing 11/25/06
Silks Vault 11/25/06
Sizzler Editions 10/20/06
The Wild Rose Press 11/6/06
Triskelion Publishing 11/25/06
Torquere Press
11/25/06 Venus Press 12/5/06
Whiskey Creek Torrid 10/25/06

Peronally, I like the Naughty Nibbles because I get my sex fix very quickly. :)

Latest RRTErotic Reviews are up!

Just Added 12-5-06
A BEND IN TIME - Michelle Miles - The Adventures of Ransom and Fortune, Part One - Present Day - USA & 1297 - Scotland - Maggie - Sci-Fi Fantasy Romance

A POLITICAL ANIMAL - Mikala Ash - Present Day - Australia - Terrie - Paranormal Romance - Short Story

BLAME THE RAIN - Ann Cory - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance - Short Story

CALL ME - Lena Matthews - Joker's Wild, Book 1 - Present Day - USA - Holly - Contemporary Romance

CARJACKED - Liz Craven - Present Day - Ashford, CT - Phillipa - Romantic Comedy

DANE - Jodie Becker - The Ripple Effect, Book 1 - New York City, NY & Egypt - An Alternate Present Day _ Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

DISCIPLES OF PLEASURE - Desiree Erotique - Elsa's Erotic Escapades, Book 1 - Present Day - Planet Nemi - Ariel - Paranormal Romance

FIREBIRD - Jaycee Clark - Laru Mountains & Russia - Maggie - Paranormal Romance - Short Story

GRACE UNDER PRESSURE - Melissa Schroeder - Present Day - Cannon, TX - Jennifer - Romantic Comedy

KEEPER - Carol McKenzie - Carterville, IL - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance - Short Story

LOVE UNDER SIEGE - Samantha Kane - Brothers in Arms, Book 2 - 19th Century - London, England - Nickole - Historical Romance

MOONSTONED - Lani Aames - Silverton - Present Day - Jennell - Paranormal Romance - Short Story

NECURATAL - Sheri Lewis Wohl - Present Day - Spokane, WA - Amy - Paranormal/Horror Romance

NIGHTWALKER - Jonathan Wright - Horn, Book 2 - Present Day - USA & Shadowland - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance - Short Story

OPEN INVITATION - Jasmine Haynes - Present Day - Jennell - Anthology - Contemporary Romance

PRINCE OF ICE - Emma Holly - A Tale of the Demon World, Book 2 - Victorian Era - The Forbidden City - Courtney - Paranormal Romance

SINFUL INNOCENCE - Kayla Janz - Oak Creek Canyon, AZ - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

TAKE TWO - Evangeline Anderson - Outer Space - Courtney - Futuristic Romance

TEMPTATION - J.C. Wilder - Shadow Dwellers, Book 6 - Present Day - New York City, NY - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

THE HAREM - Celia May Hart/ Emma Leigh/ Melissa MacNeal/ Noelle Mack - Carolyn - Anthology - Historical Romance

TORRID TEASERS, Volume 17 - Christy Poff - Sinclair - Anthology Contemporary Romance

VAMPIRE'S PET - Amy O'Connor - Present Day - Ariel - Paranormal Romance

ZOMBIE - Joely Skye - Present Day - Isabelle - Gay Paranormal Romance - Short Story

NIBBLES

Amber Heat

ALL FOR ONE - Caitlyn Willows - Southern California - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

REVELATIONS - Kelly Maher - Cimmerean League Series/ Lusty League Series - Maggie - Futuristic Paranormal Romance

THE HEART OF A HUNTER - Laura Bacchi - Present Day - Earth and Turma - Sinclair

Changeling Press

FULL MOON NIGHT - Lia Connor - Full Moon, Book 3 - Present Day - South Beach - Sinclair

Ellora's Cave

NAUGHTY & SPICE - Titania Ladley - Wild Winter - Present Day - Wayward, KY - Jennifer - Contemporary

POLITICALLY INCORRECT: STALKED - Jaid Black - Present Day - Rural America - Courtney - Fantasy

UNHOLY MAGIC - Ravyn Wilde - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

Phaze

HALFPIPE ROMANCE - Kate Burns - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

MIDWINTER'S NIGHT - Michael Barnette - Isabelle - Gay Fantasy Romance

PROVING SANTA EXISTS - Victoria Bliss - Manchester, England - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

SANTA'S HELPER - Yvette Hines - Jennifer - Contemporary

SNOW FALLING ON LOVERS - Adrianna Dane - Snowtop - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

THE ICE BUTTERFLY - Vivian Dean - Northern Canada & Miami, FL - Lori - Paranormal

Venus Press

THE JASON FACTOR - Amelia June - Present Day - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance


For more great reviews, head on over to RRTErotic or our big sister, Romance Reviews Today!

A Perfect Ten: THE KEY

THE KEY - Jennifer Sturman
A Rachel Benjamin Mystery, Book 3
A Perfect 10
Red Dress Ink
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-89603-5
ISBN-10: 0-373-89603-4
December 2006
Mystery

New York City and Vicinity ~ Present Day

Investment analyst Rachel Benjamin is involved in a killer deal, but she may kill her boss before it’s over. Glenn Gallagher is making Rachel and her colleagues, Jake Channing and Mark Anders, work overtime to seal a takeover of a company. Plus, Glenn treats Rachel like chattel. The more Rachel works for Glenn, the more her active imagination dreams up ways to kill him. Then Glenn falls over dead in front of her. The cops say it was murder. And Rachel is the top suspect.

When Glenn’s secretary is pushed in front of a train by a woman who looks a lot like Rachel, it’s time for Rachel to get concerned. She may have wished Glenn dead, but to kill him? She couldn’t hurt a fly. But that doesn’t stop her from going on the run to avoid arrest and searching for the real killer. Is it Glenn’s ex-wife, who was furious over his late child support payments? Or his current trophy wife who looked to be on the way out? Was the takeover deal they were all working on involved? Rachel is perplexed as she tries to keep ahead of the police.

This is my first Rachel Benjamin mystery, and I must say I’m wowed. Rachel is a definite New Yorker who is a fish out of water once she leaves Long Island. Her friends Emma, Luisa, and Jane, as well as Rachel’s fiancé Peter, are there to help and provide support for Rachel, who’s confused as to why she’s a suspect. The clues are laid out for readers to assess and decide which are significant, and the pacing of the plot is smooth as Rachel leaves the environs of New York to the suburbia of New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Readers will chuckle at Rachel’s child-like glee in going through a McDonald’s drive thru or finding a store that has big carts instead of the tiny ones she’s used to.

From the first page until the end, THE KEY enthralled me. The story is told from Rachel's first person point of view, but THE KEY is not a chick lit with a bored heroine. In fact, Rachel will never bore readers as she goes from one exciting scene to another. The suspense of who murdered Glenn and why is expertly executed and, in the end, I was surprised as to the killer’s identity. I can’t wait to head to my bookstore and pick up the previous two books in the Rachel Benjamin series.

It is stories like THE KEY that make it to the top of my ‘best of the year’ list and should be on yours. It’s a stimulating mystery, a funny story with well drawn characters, and an all around excellent read. For these reasons, I’m awarding THE KEY a highly coveted Romance Reviews Today Perfect 10. I suggest you choose a time when no one will interrupt you, as I guarantee that once you pick up THE KEY, you won’t want to put it down.

Patti Fischer

For more great reviews and a quick glance at what was just posted, head on over to Romance Reviews Today.

Continuation of the Happily Ever After?

I just finished reading DROP DEAD GORGEOUS by Linda Howard and as usual, she’s written a fabulous story. It features the same heroine, hero and other characters from DYING TO PLEASE. Blair and Wyatt are a riot. What Ms. Howard has done is unusual for romance novels, as the couple is already together at beginning of DROP DEAD GORGEOUS. In fact, they are planning their marriage throughout the course of the story. As readers, we’re used to saying goodbye to our heroine and hero once the ‘I love you’ is said and we just know they’re going to live happily ever after. This brings up an intriguing question: would readers be interested in seeing favorite couples in another book where they are once again the central characters?

I know JD Robb does it with the IN DEATH books, but the Robb books are not strictly classified as romance, but rather, suspense. I’ve seen series where the main couple have had important roles in future stories, but to have their romance dissected and decided again? DROP DEAD GORGEOUS is certainly different. In this one, while Blair and Wyatt do love one another, the road to marriage proves to be a formidable hill for them. Their banter will have you in stitches and good god…Blair makes valid points even if she is somewhat ditsy. :) Would love to see them appear in another story. Wonder if Ms. Howard intends to?

Question for readers…would you like to see beloved couples show up in another book with arguments, conflict and oh yes, a romance that has to be won all over again? Can you think of any couple you’d like to see more of?

Share your thoughts!

December Reviews are up!

Happy December from Romance Reviews Today!

Here are the latest reviews that Terrie just put up. You can view the reviews by clicking here.

Anthology Reviews

SUGARPLUMS AND SCANDAL - L. Avocato, D. Cameron, M. Daheim, C. London, S Macpherson, K. Sparks - Jennell - Anthology - Romantic Mystery/Suspense



Contemporary Romance Reviews

MUST LOVE MISTLETOE - Christie Ridgway - Coronado, CA - Present Day - Patti

MY INVISIBLE HUSBAND - Sheila M. Goss - Dallas, TX - Present Day - Nickole

PLAYING NICE - Kit Daniels - New York City, NY - Present Day - Lori



Fantasy/Science Fiction Reviews

DAWN - Dean McLaughlin - Kathy - Science Fiction



Fantasy/Science Fiction Romance Reviews

39 & HOLDING - Tia Bangs - Earth - Lisa - Fantasy/Chick Lit

IF ONLY IN MY DREAMS - Wendy Markham - A Perfect 10 - New York City & Glenhaven Park, NY - Present Day & 1941 - Jani - Time Travel Romance



General Fiction Reviews

ALMOST A CRIME - Penny Vincenzi - 1997 - London, England - Courtney - Fiction

BREAD AND DREAMS - Jonatha Ceely - 1848 - New York - Jani - Fiction

COMPROMISING POSITIONS - Dara Edmondson - Florida - Present Day - Lisa - Fiction

LOVE WALKED IN - Marisa de los Santos - Philadelphia, PA - Present Day - Diana - Women's Fiction

QUEEN OF SHADOWS - Edith Felber - A Novel of Isabella, Wife of King Edward II - England & France - 1321-1327 and 1355 - Amy - Historical Fiction

TELL ME EVERYTHING - Sarah Salway - England - Present Day - Marilyn - Contemporary Fiction

THE BOLEYN INHERITANCE - Phillipa Gregory - 1539 - 1547 - England - Jani - Historical Fiction

THE LITTLE BALLOONIST - Linda Donn - 1794 - 1819 - France - Jani - Historical Fiction



Historical Romance Reviews

AUTUMN IN SCOTLAND - Karen Ranney - 1838 - Scotland - Jani

CONFESSIONS OF A VISCOUNT - Shirley Karr - 1816 - London, England - Lisa

FOR THE LOVE OF A PIRATE - Edith Layton - London & Cornwall, England - Regency Era - Jane

LOVE IN A BOTTLE - Zoe Archer - 1763 - England - Amy

PLEASURE FOR PLEASURE - Eloisa James - Four Sisters, Book 4 - 1818 - London, England - Sandra

THE GILDED WEB - Mary Balogh - London, England - Regency Era - Jane

THE PRINCE KIDNAPS A BRIDE - Christina Dodd - The Lost Princesses Trilogy, Book 3 - 1810 - An Island off the Northwest Coast of Scotland - Jane

TWILIGHT MAGIC - Shari Anton - 1145 - England - Sandra & Lori - w/ paranormal elements



Mystery/Suspense Reviews

THE KEY - Jennifer Sturman - A Rachel Benjamin Mystery, Book 3 - A Perfect 10 - New York City (and vicinity) NY - Patti - Mystery

WITHOUT A SOUND - Carla Cassidy - Pleasant Hill, MO - Present Day - Carolyn - Suspense



Paranormal Romance Reviews

EYE OF HEAVEN - Marjorie M. Liu - Dirk & Steele, Book 5 - Jakarta, Indonesia & Las Vegas, NV - Present Day - Jennifer

I ONLY HAVE FANGS FOR YOU - Kathy Love - Young Brothers, Book 3 - New York City, NY - Present Day - Lori

SLEEPING WITH THE FISHES - MaryJanice Davidson - Mermaid series, Book 1 - Boston, MA - Present Day - Sinclair

THE BLOODMOON CURSE - Karen Wiesner - Bloodmoon Cove, WI - Present Day - Marilyn - Horror



Romantic Comedy

THE SCOT, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE - Annette Blair - The Accidental Witch series, Book 3 - Salem, MA - Present Day - Carol



Romantic Mystery/Suspense Reviews

BEGUILED - Shannon Drake - Late Victorian Era - England - Marilyn - Romantic Suspense

BEYOND A SHADOW - Alison Kent - Episode 8 ... From the Files of SG-5 - Comfort Bay on the Oregon Coast - Present Day - Sinclair

COP'S DAUGHTER: VICTORIA - Laura Marie Henion - Cops Daughter, Book 1 - River Point & Creek Valley, New York - Present Day - Vi

RIDE A PAINTED PONY -Kathleen Eagle - Wolf Trail Ranch, South Dakota - Present Day - Diana

SOUL HAVEN - Sonja Baines - Philadelphia, PA - Present Day - Marilyn



Series Romance

DEATH CALLS - Caridad Pineiro - The Calling, Book 4 - New York City, NY - Present Day - Terrie

RULES OF RE-ENGAGEMENT - Loreth Ann White - Shadow Soldiers, Book 3 - New York City, NY - Present Day - Carolyn

THE SUPERMOM - Karen Rose Smith - Continuity Series: Talk of the Neighborhood - Rosewood, NY - Present Day - Jane


Nibbles

Samhain

RITUAL LOVE - Kate Davies - Marilyn - Contemporary Romance

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There is also a contest running at RRT. Don't forget to enter! More info found here.

The tote bag winner is...

*******BarbV!!!!!!!!!!!!**********


Congratulations and send Dianne an email at castelldianne@yahoo.com with your snail mail.