Spotlight Review...A Babe In Ghostland by Lisa Cach

A BABE IN GHOSTLAND - Lisa Cach
Pocket Star Books
ISBN-13: 978-0-7434-7090-2
ISBN-10: 0-7434-7090-7
January 2007
Contemporary Romance

Seattle, Washington – Present Day

Megan Barrows worked with her mother from the time she was a small child learning the ins and outs of antiques. So, when her mother died two years ago, Megan was able to successfully take over the running of the shop. In addition to owning and operating the antique store, Megan has another talent; she senses the presence of ghosts and hears them when they communicate with her.

This special talent is the very reason one six-foot-three handsome hunk named Case Lambert walks through the doors of her shop. Megan is instantly attracted, but a glance at him as he takes in her tall, lean, A-Cup figure and Megan immediately stereotypes him. She couldn’t be more wrong! Case is very attracted to her, though he doesn’t let Megan know it -- that is, until later!

Case bought and is restoring a very old house, and it’s come complete with ghosts who are plaguing him. He’s heard about Megan’s 'gift,' though he is skeptical, but he needs her talents to seek out and rid his house of these troublemaking ghosts.

What transpires next is a rip-roaring ghost story, complete with good and evil. The ghosties don’t want to leave. Well...one of them does, but the other two are determined to keep him. I was a little lost trying to understand all of the electronic equipment described in the tale, but even so, Lisa Cach tells a lively paranormal story that will hold your interest.

One of the points in the story I was pleased about was the fact that the heroine actually did not want to jump into bed with the hero immediately. She wanted to know if they really liked each other first. Lisa Cach keeps the sensuality on a slow sizzle until it explodes.

Both of Ms. Cach’s lead characters learn lessons by the end of the story; Case has to learn to trust in Megan’s gift, and Megan conquers her fear when faced with a challenge, all of which leads to a satisfying conclusion.

Carol Carter

The return of traditional Regency Romances

One of the more interesting book news of 2007 is the return of Regencies. This time around, they are popping up on ebook sites. Have we come full circle? The past few years has seen the explosion of electronic book publishers who have hit it big with erotic romance. Ellora's Cave spun off a less erotic line a few years ago with Cerridwen Press. Now is the news that Cerridwen Press is releasing traditional Regency Romances. I asked TPTB at Cerridwen/Ellora's Cave what their plans are. Here is what Raelene Gorlinsky, Publisher at both sites, has to say:

Since the major New York publishers have declared Regencies dead by discontinuing their publication for the most part, what made Cerridwen decide to enter the market?

Ah, this is one of the most common questions I get asked. We feel we have a couple of advantages within the current market over the big NY publishers.

~ The dynamics and monetary parameters for e-publishers are very different from large print publishers. We don't need to sell nearly as many copies of a digital title in order to cover our costs. So we can capitalize on smaller niche markets, like tradRegency has become.

~ New but “old” cover art: I concur with people who feel that the old standard covers helped kill the genre. The old tradReg cover art style hadn't changed in decades. It did not appeal to younger readers or draw new fans into the genre. The covers were not very interesting and were almost interchangeable from book to book. However, the core tradReg readers have firm expectations for "their" book covers. When a NY publisher tried a new cover style, their Regencies looked like contemporary
women's fiction and did not succeed with readers. So we have tried to create an image that is different and new, but is clearly reflective of the historic period. Our covers are all based on actual Regency artwork (portraits in the public domain). They are therefore both historically accurate and lovely, and we think attractive and appealing.


Are these going to be the Traditional Regencies that feature no sex and revolve around the Ton?


Yes, think along the lines of Georgette Heyer and the classic Regencies. Historical accuracy is incredibly important to us, as is an entertaining reflection of the culture, customs and behaviors of the era.


Currently these are offered in ebook form only. Any plans to put them into print?

Yes indeed. We hope to have the first three or four in print by May or June. For readers, they will be available for order on our website, and bookstores can order them directly from us or through distributors Ingrams or Baker&Taylor.


Have the authors you have signed up for the new Cotillion line ever been published before or are any familiar to readers?


Several of our authors are previously published. We are happy to welcome experienced or new authors. What we want is writers who can produce an engrossing and interesting story that fits within the Cotillion guidelines.


What can readers look for in the near future from the Cotillion line?

For January through June, our ebook releases are:


01/04/07 Captain's Lady Sharon Milburn

01/04/07 Regal Reward Elaine Violette

02/01/07 A Certain Want of Reason Kate Dolan

03/01/07 The Golden Swan Phylis Warady

04/05/07 Compromising Situations Carolynn Carey

05/03/07 Smuggled Rose Amy Corwin

06/07/07 The Earl's Comeuppance Phylis Warady



Following that, although the release dates aren’t scheduled yet, are:

A Limited Engagement Saralee Etter

Bertie's Golden Treasure Hetty St. James

Scandal's Daughter Phylis Warady


Thank you, Raelene!

Be sure to head on over to Cerridwen and check out the Cotillion line!

Spotlight Review on..WINTER'S ROSE by Ruby Storm

WINTER'S ROSE - Ruby Storm
Winter Studs, Book 3
Ellora's Cave - www.ellorascave.com
ISBN: 1-4199-0665-8
December 2006
Erotic Contemporary Romance - Short Story
Rated E-rotic

Texas ~ Present Day

Kody Winter left behind his family and his girl when he up and joined the military. The whole time he was in, all he could think about was Rose Leighton, the young girl he'd left behind. He'd tried to see her when he'd come home on leave, but was told Rose left town. Kody never forgot Rose and, now that he's back in town for good, he discovers that Rose is back. Now all he has to do is find her and make her see that they belong together. Of course, that's easier said than done. Rose's attitude doesn't put Kody off, especially after a heated kiss that would have turned into a fiery inferno if she hadn't pulled away. Well, Kody is pulling out all the stops, and he's going to win back the woman he loves.

When Kody left town, Rose Leighton was devastated. She loved him and he'd gone and left her behind, not caring to ask if she wanted to go with him. Considering her abusive father, Rose would have gone gladly. Then Rose found out she was carrying Kody's child and feared the Winters would try to take the baby from her, so she left town with her sister. Things changed and Rose had no choice but to return home where she is now a licensed masseuse and raising her son Travis. Seeing Kody for the first time after all this time is heartbreaking and eye opening. One thing's for sure; the chemistry between them is still sizzling hot and Kody isn't going away. What happens when he finds out about Travis?

WINTER'S ROSE is about the youngest Winter brother, Kody, who's just as sexy and dominating as the other two. Kody has one thing on his mind...getting Rose back. He quickly learns it won't be as easy as he thinks. But it's sure going to be fun persuading her back into his arms, and his bed. Rose's life has never been a piece of cake. Her home life sucked, the only joy in her life was Kody, until he left her. Discovering he'd left her with a tiny part of him, Rose picked up the pieces of her broken heart and moved forward. When these two get together again, it's explosive. Their sexual escapades are spicy and beautiful. Readers will root for a happily-ever-after between Rose and Kody and hope for understanding on his part when he learns Rose's secret.

Author Ruby Storm wraps up the Winter Studs series perfectly. WINTER'S ROSE is skillfully written with in-depth characterization, red-hot sex scenes, but most of all it has the emotion and feeling that make it complete.

Sinclair Reid


PS...check out the blog tomorrow night for an interview with Raelene Gorlinsky from Ellora's Cave as she talks about Cerridwen Press's foray into tradional Regencies.

Interview with American Title Finalist Jenny Gardiner!

Big Congratulations to Jenny Gardiner, who is one of four finalists in the Romantic Times American Title contest! I asked her for an interview and she graciously agreed. Meet Jenny, and please don't forget to vote by clicking here. Voting in this round ends February 4th.


1. First off, tell us a little about your story.

I like to say that SLEEPING WITH WARD CLEAVER is a coming-of-middle-age story about Everywoman, in that it's the story of a woman who is reaching middle age and coming to terms with her life: what's wrong with it, why, and how to fix it. I think many women go through a renaissance and a bit of soul-searching when they get to be in their late 30's, early 40's, and women often become empowered by that. So I wanted to explore this theme in fiction, which is how WARD came about.

Here's the blurb on the story:

Claire Doolittle, is in a near-mid-life crisis. The great guy she married years earlier has morphed into a bossy stick-in-the-mud who acts like the stern, domineering Ward Cleaver of sitcom fame, and he's making her life miserable. Enter a flame from her past trying to woo her back, throw in a predatory hottie from husband Jack's office who's got designs on him, and Claire is soon facing life decisions that threaten to throw her already chaotic world into an epic upheaval.




2. What made you decide to enter?
I knew little about the contest last spring when I noticed on a writing loop I'm on that Dorchester Publishing was accepting submissions for the contest, and they were specifically looking for humorous women's fiction. I was more than happy to try to get my material in front of an editor, so submitted my partial. I was shocked and delighted when they requested my full in the summer, and then stunned to learn I'd been chosen as a finalist.


3. What has been the toughest part so far?

You have to do a LOT of campaigning, which takes away from writing time (and for that matter, cleaning my house time, cooking dinner at a reasonable hour time, etc. ;-) . I can't even begin to tell you the number of hours I've spent emailing to friends, family, etc, urging them to vote for me. I certainly expect a case of carpal tunnel syndrome by the time this is over! Plus I'm sure there are plenty of people who will be glad not to hear from me for a while after this contest is over!



4. Readers just see the authors work and the judges comments. Is there anything else that goes on behind the scenes?

The ten finalists share a Yahoo loop and talk fairly regularly. The previous winners, Gerri Russell (whose winning book, the Warrior Trainer, was just released this month!) and Janice Lynn were gracious enough to facilitate our getting together and have provided moral support to us all. In fact, a number of previous finalists have been very generous in offering their support to us (and they helped to launch us in the Title Wave blog, which they're still contributing to regularly).

Besides that, there has been a lot of hurry-up-and-wait. When we were selected, we were given a very short period of time in which to submit all of our entries, so we had to scramble. I was in the middle of revisions on that and another manuscript, so that task was lurking in the background. Plus most of us didn't have websites, so we hastened to get those up and live.

Each month when the voting starts, we're all in a frenzy trying to enlist as many votes as possible. After the voting ends, we all wait an interminable half day or so before receiving notification about who is still in and who has been eliminated. The voting ends on a Sunday and we don't usually hear till about 11 a.m. Monday. It gets a little nerve-wracking!


5. Have you had any feelers from agents or editors about your story during the competition?

I have this and some other manuscripts out with a few agents right now, and we've all been querying like crazy on top of everything else, trying to capitalize on the higher profile this contest has granted us. I sheepishly admit I haven't been querying as much as I ought to be, but in addition to the contest and all the work inherent in remaining in it, and writing (that crazy little job we've forgotten about!), I write a column in my local paper, I do radio essays for an NPR affiliate, I've also continued soliciting magazines, etc, AND I've got 3 kids, two dogs, a cat, a parrot--oh, and a husband! Sometimes I feel a bit like one of those guys you used to see on the Ed Sullivan show who tries to keep 10 plates spinning at once without any falling off and breaking!


6. Any idea on how you'll react if you win?

I may for the first time EVER be rendered speechless. Though I don't think anyone who knows me will believe that to be possible! It would be pretty awesome. This is SUCH a tough business, that when you get good news, it's almost magnified in its intensity. If I scream and yell my dogs will go crazy barking, my parrot will then fall off the cage and then the dogs will try to eat her, so I'd better try to suppress that ;-). Oh, I'll tell you what I'll do: I have a running joke with the barista at this coffee shop where I get my cappuccino. One day I was there and I asked how he was doing and he said "absolutely fabulous". And I was so impressed that he wasn't just fine, okay, so-so, or whatever, so I joked about that and said I wanted to be "absolutely fabulous" too. So if I find out I win the contest, I will most definitely go in and tell John that I'm officially "absolutely fabulous"!




7. Finally...any advice for anyone interested in next year's competition?

I say go for it. In a million years I didn't expect to find myself in the final four in this competition, but it's been a wonderful experience (anxiety aside!), I've met a lot of very nice, extremely supportive people, the folks at Romantic Times have been terrific, and I'm very fortunate to have had the opportunity.

******

Thanks for chatting with us, and good luck Jenny!

Ask Five with...Janice Maynard!!!

If you haven't discovered Janice Maynard yet, then you're missing out on some great (and hot!) reading. Beneath her sweet Tennessee smile is a woman who creates some wickedly hot stories.

Come and meet...Janice Maynard!

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

My latest release is called "Play With Me" - It begins with a toast between three best friends - and a pact to make their naughtiest fantasies come true before their thirtieth birthdays. All it's going to take is finding the right man, capturing the perfect moment, and stirring up enough courage to issue the most provocative invitation of the year.

Tell us about yourself. What do you do for fun?

I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 30 years. We got married between our sophomore and junior years in college and graduated together. I stayed home when my two daughters were babies. Then taught elementary school for 15 years. I started writing full-time in the fall of 2002.

For fun, I love to read, of course! I also enjoy going to movies at the movie theater (too many distractions at home!), and hiking - as long as it's not more than about 6 miles! I like card games like Rook and Spades. Actually, I love most games! Travel is high on my list of things I love to do!

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

Early in my writing life, Jan Powell (who wrote as Celeste Hamilton for Silhouette Desire) was a wonderful friend and mentor. We still keep in touch! Also - Lurlene McDaniel - who writes YA for Bantam has been a great writing friend.

As far as writers I loved and wanted to be like when I grew up (ha!) - I'd have to say Susan Johnson and Mary Balogh in historical and Lori Foster and Susan Elizabeth Phillips in contemporary. And it goes without saying that I have always loved Nora Roberts. JoAnn Ross - who now writes romantic suspense for NAL - is a more recent friend who is always willing to share her expertise and encouragement.

What is the hardest part of writing?

For me the hardest part of writing is turning in a book and knowing it won't be on the shelf for nine or ten months. I guess I don't like waiting! One of my favorite things is when my editor send me a new cover. Then the book seems "real".

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

My next book, IMPROPER ETIQUETTE, comes out the first week in July. I love my cover for that one! It has an Audrey Hepburn look to it... if Audrey was being really naughty!


To learn more about Janice and her books, visit her website www.janicemaynard.com

Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters

I see Sherrilyn Kenyon has another Dark Hunter book out in February. I have purchased every book in the series since it began. Fantasy Lover made me love Sherrilyn's writing and I wait anxiously for every book. I even bought the hardcover from last year. I had to have it!

Don't you just love the cover on the upcoming book? (paperback, thank goodness!) Btw, I guess he is a Dream-Hunter vs a Dark Hunter.


I so love the man on that cover! Anyone know who the cover model is?

Any other Sherrilyn Kenyon Dark Hunter lovers out there?
Are you going to buy The Dream-Hunter?
Which book has been your favorite so far?

Spotlight on ...Cornered Tigress..and a Giveaway!

Edited 6:30 PST: Congrats, it's over and JennyY won the quick contest for the $10 walmart giftcard!

CORNERED TIGRESS - Jade Lee
Tigress Series, Book 5
Leisure
ISBN-10: 0-8439-5689-5
ISBN-13: 978-0-8439-5689-4
January 2007
Historical Romance

Shanghai, China - Late 1800's

Su Jian Lie learns from his Number One slave that Tan Kui Yu and his wife, the Tigress of Shanghai, have been arrested. That leaves his property and all his business contacts open for a man strong enough to take them. Only Little Pearl, an instructor at the Tigress school, is left behind. Surely, he can use fear or seduction to overcome Little Pearl and enlarge his already overflowing coffers. But Little Pearl is strong when faced with the sudden disappearance of Kui Yu and his wife. It falls to her to run everything, and most important of all, keep soup cooking in the kitchen. Born a Chinese aristocrat with bound feet, Little Pearl has a past she tries to alternately forget and despise, and now a fear of the future. How can one woman handle everything?

Captain Jonas Storm has come into Shanghai with his regular cargo, and a secret cargo Kui Yu helps him sell for much profit. When everything is confiscated by Customs Official Chen, Jonas needs Kui Yu to sell his hidden cargo before his ship and his life end up in ruins. But when Jonas finds Kui Yu gone and probably arrested, the sight of Little Pearl trying bravely to run things makes him offer to help her in exchange for the list of Kui Yu's contacts who would buy his goods.

In CORNERED TIGRESS, two more different characters for a novel cannot be considered. Little Pearl, a former prostitute and now a practitioner of the Tigress sect, and Jonas, an English sailor who has forsworn pleasures of the flesh because of his history. Jonas's mother died a whore, and despite living with his brother the clergyman for several years, the lure of the sea was too much, and Jonas left England forever. The road to their relationship is fraught with beatings, poisoning, and danger behind every turn.

To enter the sect of the Tigress, you must suspend your inner reality and let yourself be transported to a land of strange beliefs and a religion never talked of here in the United States. Women are trained to catch men's semen, or yang, for it makes them stronger. A trained Tigress can manage a man's dragon and capture all his power for herself, and as a trained Tigress, Little Pearl has no equal. Except when she meets Captain Jonas Storm. Even though he is a "white ghost," Little Pearl can feel he is different from other men. When he stays and helps her save the Tans' compound at risk to his own ship, the byplay between them is serious and yet touching. Together, can they reach Heaven and become Immortals?

Secondary characters are mainly Su Jian Lie, a man favored by the Emperor and a knowledgeable businessman who means to take over the Tans' property any way he can, including murder. Jonas's men from the ship have small parts to play, and his brother back in England is seen through letters that passed between them over the years. But mainly, Little Pearl and Jonas must come to terms with their differences, and yet try to explain the things that happen when they are together.

CORNERED TIGRESS is third in the TIGRESS series, after BURNING TIGRESS (June 2006) and DESPERATE TIGRESS (November, 2005) and I would say it stands alone. In fact, the explanation of the Tigress lifestyle is perhaps explained best here and helps us to learn just exactly what they strive for through sexual means. As always, this series is for the person who enjoys the unusual type of historical novel, one especially set in China in the late 1800's.

Carolyn Crisher

Spotlight Review....OVER THE MOON anthology

Note: Caffey still has not claimed her Silhouette Bombshell books from the last contest. I am giving her until 11pm Tuesday night (tomorrow) to do so, or I'm throwing them out to another giveaway. But regardless, keep your eyes out for a giveaway Tuesday night after Midnight EST!


OVER THE MOON - A. Knight, V. Kantra, MJ. Davidson, Sunny
Berkley Sensation
ISBN-10: 0-425-21343-8
ISBN-13: 978-0-425-21343-8
January 2007
Erotic Paranormal Romance Anthology

Get ready to howl at the moon when you open up OVER THE MOON. Four talented authors have come together and created some rip-roaring stories that readers of the paranormal are going to love.

Moon Dance - Angela Knight
Harrisville ~ Present Day

Five years ago, Sergeant Lucas Rollings almost died. Instead, his friend Ray Johnston offered him a chance to live. That night Lucas became one of the Direkind. Ray taught him the proper etiquette and that, as an enforcer, Lucas was charged with protecting those weaker. So when Lucas comes upon a man and woman fighting in the police parking lot, he immediately senses they are both Direkind. And that's not all. The female is in Burning Moon heat. Suddenly, she turns to him and tells him she is Elena Livingston and she seeks his protection. Lucas agrees, but that's not the only request the lady makes. She also wants him to get her pregnant.

Elena Livingston doesn't want to marry Stephen Bradford. He's rude, crude, and only wants her because, when her father dies, Elena's husband takes over as Alpha of the pack. Elena knows her only hope is to find Lucas Rollings and beg for his protection. When she finds him, Elena is struck by how sexy he is and surprised when he agrees to her request of protection and for a child. Will they succeed in getting good ol' Stephen out of the picture? What about Elena's father? How will he feel knowing his daughter is knocked up by a mongrel? This is going to be fun!

Angela Knight combines humor, danger, and sexual tension in her latest novella, Moon Dance. Lucas and Elena are rebels and fit perfectly together, in bed and out. A scrumptious treat that's better than chocolate, don't miss Ms. Knight's Moon Dance.

Between the Mountain and the Moon - Virginia Kantra
Springer Mountain, Georgia ~ Present Day

Cait MacLean is beginning to believe her parents were right about this hiking trip being dangerous. Not only does she have blisters, but her traveling buddy, Josh, has turned into a real macho jerk simply because she wouldn't have sex with him. The two of them reach a shelter and find three men. One of them is Rhys, and he takes her breath away. There's something about him that makes her want to get nekkid and ravage his body. Later, Cait is nearly attacked and ends up lost and alone. Then she sees a fire and finds Rhys. Is he a threat to her?

A Sidhe and the son of the queen, Rhys Danuson is chosen to bind Caitlyn MacLean to him forever. All because his mother is upset with her parents. But that's neither here nor there. Rhys has a short window to seduce Caitlyn and make her his. Only he never expected to feel something for her or that she would show him he did have a heart. Will Rhys follow through on the binding ritual, or will he let the woman whose love could free him get away?

Virginia Kantra's Between the Mountain and the Moon is a wonderful and beautifully written love story. Poor Rhys has known nothing but rejection from those around him, other than his lovers. Cait has lived with overprotective parents, and now she's asserting her independence. Rhys and Cait have a few obstacles to overcome if they hope to be together.

Driftwood - MaryJanice Davidson
Chapin Beach ~ Present Day

Burke Wolftauer is eating his clams and waiting for the full moon so he can change and run. He's a werewolf, you know. Anyway, as he's walking down the beach, he hears a soft voice cursing down in a pit. Being the gallant man that he is, Burke jumps in to lend the lady a hand. Which would have been a good idea if Burke weren't claustrophobic. After a few choice words from the damsel, Burke shifts and hightails it out of the grave, running just as fast as he can, accidentally covering her in sand. Oh my gosh! He's killed her. Time to get help.

Serena Crull can't believe she fell into this huge hole and has had to stay there until nightfall. What vampire wants to go out in the sun? Not this gal. She's doing fine on her own, waiting for the sun to go down and then she'll leave. Unfortunately Dudley Do Right, aka Burke Wolftauer, decides to leap in the pit without a rope, a ladder, or anything else that will help them escape. And if that's not enough, the jerk hyperventilates, shifts and scurries out of the hole, collapsing it on top of her. This is just not her day. However, what happens when Burke returns and the two of them are alone together? Fireworks, that's what. Can a vampire and a werewolf make it work? Hmm . . .

I laughed all through Ms. Davidson's Driftwood. She combines humor, hot sex, and sarcasm to perfection. Burke and Serena will have readers rolling on the floor in laughter. Don't miss out!

Mona Lisa Three - Sunny
Manhattan ~ Present Day

Queen Mona Lisa is packing up and moving to Louisiana per her mother, Queen Mona Sera's, request. Request, hah! More like a demand. See, Mona Lisa is Mixed Blood while her mother is Full Blood, and it irks her mother to no end that her lovers actually love Mona Lisa. Both Gryphon and Amber once belonged to her mother until Mona Lisa saved them both; one from silver poisoning the other from a slow death. Then there's Chami and the others who are her guards and household staff. Her life is anything but calm, especially since Halycon, demon dead, wants her for his own. Mona Lisa and her entourage are ice-skating when Mona Sera pays a visit. She wants Mona Lisa to heal one of her Beldar who has been bitten by a demon hound. Mona Lisa doesn't know if she can do it, or what will happen afterwards. See, Mona Lisa heals with sex. Will she have sex with Beldar? Can she save him?

With Mona Lisa Three, author Sunny writes an intriguing and highly sexual tale in her Children of the Moon series. Though I haven't read the first story, MONA LISA AWAKENING, I must say I'm intrigued enough to purchase the book and wait for the next one, too.

OVER THE MOON is four enticing, titillating, scintillating tales of danger, sex, lust, and love. From Angela Knight's Alpha wolf Lucas, who is way too sexy, to Sunny's Gryphon and Amber, hunks the both of them, these four ladies give readers what they want and keep them coming back for more. Head on over to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of OVER THE MOON today.

Sinclair Reid

January 20th Reviews are Posted!

Chick Lit

IF THE SHOE FITS - Stephanie Rowe - Boston, MA - Present Day - Jennell

Contemporary Romance Reviews

MIDNIGHT TEMPTATION - Dee Tenorio - The Remington's, Book 2 - San Diego, CA
- Present Day - Jen

SUN KISSED - Catherine Anderson - Oregon - Present Day - Jane

Fantasy/Futuristic/Science Fiction Romance Reviews

TAINTED HEARTS - Cyndi Friberg - North America - 2068 - Vi

General Fiction

BLUE DEVIL ISLAND - Stephen Mark Rainey - Conquest Island, the Solomon
Islands, 1943 - Lisa - 20th Century Historical Fiction

EVERY WOMAN'S GOT A SECRET - Brenda L. Thomas - Beverly Hills, CA &
Philadelphia - Present Day - Nickole - Contemporary Fiction

Historical Romance

CORNERED TIGRESS - Jade Lee - Tigress series, Book 5 - Shanghai, China -
Late 1800s - Carolyn

MY LADY KNIGHT - Jocelyn Kelly - Ladies of St. Jude's Abbey, Book 4 - 1180's
- Lincoln, England - Carol

TEXAS TENDER - Leigh Greenwood - 1886 - Central Texas - Jane

Mystery/Suspense/Thriller/Horror

BOUND BY BLOOD - T.C. Lotempio - Coltonville, MA - Present Day - Sinclair -
Thriller/Horror

DEATH ON THE FAMILY TREE - Patricia Sprinkle - The Family Tree series, Book
1 - Buckhead, near Atlanta, GA - Present Day - Diana - Mystery

Paranormal Romance Reviews

A BABE IN GHOSTLAND - Lisa Cach - Seattle, WA - Present Day - Carol

BUSTIN' - Minda Webber - Vermont - Present Day - Lisa

DESTINY - L. Shannon - Eagle Clan series, Book 2 - Western Pennsylvanian &
Niagara Falls - 1983 - Robin

JADE TIGER - Jenn Reese - New York, France, England and Hong Kong - Present
Day - Kathy

THE REST FALLS AWAY - Colleen Gleason - The Gardella Vampire series, Book 1
- Victorian Era - England - Kathy

TOUCHED BY DARKNESS - Catherine Spangler - The Sentinels, Book 1 - Zorro, TX
- Present Day - Terrie

Romantic Mystery/Suspense

BURNING REFLECTIONS - Rachel Carrington - Skyler, NC - Present Day - Amy

OBSIDIAN - Teagan Oliver - Key West, FL & Chandler, ME - Present Day -
Marilyn

OUT OF REACH - Heather Reilly - Sydney & Cairns, Australia - Present Day -
Robin

TAKE YOUR MEDICINE - Arianna Hart - Connecticut - Present Day - Sinclair

Series Romance

DEVOTION CALLS - Caridad Pinero - The Calling, Book 5 - Spanish Harlem, NY -
Terrie - SN #8

Short Story Reviews

MOVING ATLANTIS - Jeannie Andrus - near Bimini in the Bahamas - Present Day
- Vi - Paranormal Romance

THE MICHAELANGELO BLUES - J. Morgan - A Perfect 10 - Bastille & Shreveport,
LA - Present Day - Robin - Romantic Suspense

Don't forget to enter the Romance Reviews Today site contest here.

For all the reviews, head on over to Romance Reviews Today or RRTErotic today!

The winner of the three Silhouette Bombshells is...

Caffey!!!!

Please email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with your name and address and I'll get the books out to you.

Congratulations!

Ever wonder about our Nibbles? Here is a review of one of the short stories:

SOLSTICE CRAVING - Silvia Violet
ISBN-10: 1-59596-439-8
ISBN-13: 978-1-59596-439-7
December 2006
Erotic Paranormal Romance
RRTE Rating: Multiple O's

Vanderbilt in the Appalachian Region of the United States - Present Day

When Jackson Macray's girlfriend, Cara Setley, gets a job offer that would be a great opportunity for her in Charleston, Jackson does his best to support her decision to move. Sure, that support takes a weird form; Jackson cheats on Cara and allows her to catch him doing it, just so she would move away feeling no guilt over leaving him behind. Jackson knows that Cara wanted him to go with her to the city, but what she doesn't know is that he has other obligations that won't let him leave Vanderbilt, namely the fact that he's a werewolf and his pack is based there. Fast forward three years, Cara's back in town, and Jackson's pack is in danger. With only one option left to protect his pack, Jackson has to convince Cara to allow him back into her life and participate in a magical ritual of protection, a sex ritual, in front of the whole pack.

Do you think this sounds interesting? You're right, it is. Steamy, sizzling, and a little bit wild, what else would you expect from a werewolf? Get your copy today and find out how Jackson woos Cara back into his life.

Lori Ann - 1/15/07


Check out all the Nibbles by clicking here.

Ask Five with....KATE DAVIES!!!

Kate Davies is a hot new author on the scene and if you haven't read one of her stories, then I suggest you head on over to Samhain Publishing and pick up one of Kate's books. You won't be sorry.

Now it's time to learn more about Kate Davies!

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

My newest release is called Challenging Carter, and it's the third and final installment in my strip trilogy. Dani signs up for a step aerobics class – and finds herself in a strip aerobics class instead! Her new moves catch Carter's eye, but he's unwilling to risk their friendship over their undeniable physical attraction. Can she convince him to see her – and their relationship – in a new light? It will be available from Samhain Publishing on February 13.



2. Tell us about yourself.
I'm a former junior high English teacher and drama geek turned stay-at-home-mom and freelance writer. I've written both fiction (short fantasy and plays) and nonfiction (parenting articles, personal essays, and educational research). An admitted romance junkie, I have been known to go to the gym just so I can read for half an hour on the recumbent bike. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband and three kids.



3. Which authors have influenced you over the years, whether for their writing or for their friendship?
So many authors have influenced me, I'd have a hard time narrowing the list down! As a kid, authors like Susan Cooper (The Dark Is Rising) and L. M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables) sparked my love of reading and the written word. Marion Zimmer Bradley (Mists of Avalon) was my first editor, buying two stories for her Sword and Sorceress series, so I'll always be grateful to her.



But when it comes to supporting my dream of writing romance, no one comes close to Lucy Monroe. I met Lucy at my first RWA chapter meeting, five and a half years ago. She welcomed me with enthusiasm, encouraging me in every baby step I took. Her positive attitude is contagious, and everyone I know who's met her has agreed that she's friendly, positive, and a wealth of information. She has been a friend and mentor from the beginning, and I wouldn't be where I am without her support.



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

Hmmm, that's a tough question! Sometimes I start with "what if" ideas and see where they take me. A mention in the newspaper, an offhand comment from an acquaintance, even a song lyric can spark an idea. Other times, the character jumps out and starts demanding attention. That happened with Taking the Cake. I was at an RWA meeting and suddenly, I had an image of a woman jumping out of a cake at her fiancé’s bachelor party, and finding him cheating. I wanted to know who she was and why she was there, so I had to write the book to find out!



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

Right now, I'm working on some new submissions for special projects with my publisher. I'm also looking forward to the print release of the strip trilogy in a single author anthology later this summer, as well as a short in Samhain's holiday anthology at the end of 2007.


Thank you, Kate, for visiting with us! For more on Kate and her books, visit her website.

January 15th Erotic Reviews are up!

Don't forget to enter the contest to win the three Silhoutte Bombshells in the previous post.


Our Terrie has been busy at work!

Just Added 1/15/07 to RRT Erotic:

A CENTAUR FOR LIBBY - Reese Gabriel - Planetary Passions series - Earth and Constellia - Present Day - Maggie - Paranormal Romance

A DEVIL IN WINTER - Diana Hunter - Winter Studs, Book 2 - Upstate New York - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance - Short

A GIFT OF GOLD - Ann Jacobs - Lords of Pleasure, Book 3 - 1177- Summerfield Castle, England - Amy - Historical Romance - Short

ARDETH AND AMENHOTEP - Isabella Jordan - Egyptian Lover, Book 3 - The U.S. & Karnak & Cairo, Egypt - Present Day - Lori - Paranormal Romance - Short

AT CROSS ENDS - Christy Poff - USA & a Private Island - Present Day - Sinclair - Erotic - Romantic Suspense

AURORA'S TRIANGLE - Titania Ladley - Svalvik Island, Greenland - Present Day - Ariel - Paranormal Romance - Short

BORDERLINE - D.J. Manly - 2042 and 2071 - Nickole - Gay Futuristic Romance

BROKEN SOUL (ANIMA ROTTA) - Jaden Sinclair - USA - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance - Short

CONQUEST - Brenna Lyons - Kegin series - Murvia - Li 10-130 - Jennifer - Sci Fi Romance -Short

CURSED, WITH LOVE - Cher Gorman - Denver, CO - Present Day - Jennifer - Romantic Suspense

DRAGONLORD - Viola Grace - Tarot Series, The Sun - Medieval Times - Lori - Fantasy Romance - Short

DRAGON'S HEIR - Sierra DaFoe - Dragon's Heir series, Book 2 - Djarera - Lori - Fantasy Romance - Short

GAROU MOON - M.E. Ellis - Little Brentford - Present Day - Courtney - Paranormal Romance

HOW TO CONJURE A MAN - Nancy Lindquist - Las Vegas, NV - Present Day - Ariel - Paranormal Romance

IN TRYSTS - Melody Knight - Maggie - Contemporary Romance

KISS OF THE WEREWOLF - Sedonia Guillone - Chinatown, Boston, MA - Present Day - Courtney - Paranormal Romance

MAD WORLD - Pepper Espinoza - 2003 - Ponoma - Nickole - Romantic Thriller

MAGICAL CHANCES - Mechele Armstrong - The Collector, Book 1 - Present Day - Courtney - Paranormal Romance

NEW YEAR'S KISS - Tielle St. Clare - USA - Five years ago - Lori - Paranormal Romance

ONE NAUGHTY WINTER NIGHT - Ruth D. Kerce - Winter Studs, Book 1 - USA - Present Day - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance - Short

OVER THE MOON - A. Knight/ V. Kantra/ M.J. Davidson/ Sunny - Sinclair - Anthology Paranormal Romance

PERSONAL LEAVE - Sean Michael - Jarheads, Book 5 - La Grande Mort - Fayetteville, NC & Maine - Isabelle - Gay Contemporary Romance

REVAMPED - Crystal B. Bright - Virginia Beach, VA - Present Day - Philippa - Paranormal Romance

REVEALING SKILLS - Summer Devon - Marchosia and Lerae - Philippa - Fantasy Romance

SCENT OF EVIL - Savannah Madanelle - USA- Present Day - Vanessa - Romantic Suspense - Short

THE INVISIBLE ROSE - A.J. Cove - Kingdom of Glamdire - Nickole - Fantasy Romance Short

THE WRONG MAN - Bonnie Clarke - Northern California and San Francisco, CA - 1904 & 1906 - Sinclair - 20th Century Historical Romance

THREE'S A CROWD - Harmony Squire - England - Present Day - Amy - Contemporary Romance - Short

THRICE UNITED - Lauren Dane - Witch's Knot, Book 4 - Seattle, WA & New Orleans, LA - Present Day - Paranormal Romance

TOPPING TORA - Laura Bacchi - New York City, NY & Atlanta, GA - Present Day - Vanessa - Romantic Suspense - Short

UNDERSTOOD - Maya Banks - Beaumont, TX - Present Day - Jennell - Contemporary Romance - Short

VIRGIN BLOOD - Adrianna Dane - Zytarri, Book 1 - Ebonnia - the future - Isabelle - Paranormal Sci - Fi Romance

WINNING ANGELA - Madison Layle and Anna Leigh Keaton - Incognito, Book 3 - USA - Present Day - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance

WOLF TALES III - Kate Douglas - Wolf Tales Saga, Book 5 - Portland, ME - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

Nibbles

Amber Heat

STAY - Isabella Jordan - Desirata series - La Petite Mort - an Island in an undisclosed location - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

Changeling Press

SOLSTICE CRAVING - Silvia Violet - Vanderbilt, the Appalachian region or the US - Present Day - Lori - Paranormal Romance

loveyoudivine

SINFUL MELODIES - Kacey Hammell - Ontario, Canada - Present Day - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance

Venus Press

BEING NEIGHBORLY - Jude Mason - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

Spotlight..and Goodbye to...Silhouette Bombshell

DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK – Harper Allen
Darkheart & Crosse, Book 3
Silhouette Bombshell #123
ISBN: 0-373-51437-9
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-51437-3
January 2007
Paranormal Suspense

Maplesburg, New York – Present Day

Living forever, never growing old, and being able to fly are just some of the things about being a vampire that Tashya Crosse is beginning to look forward to . . . until the hunger hits. Drinking blood from humans is just a little too gross for the spoiled shopaholic, so she starts looking for alternative methods and meets two very interesting people: Brooklyn Steinberg, a lesbian vampire; and the very sexy Lieutenant Heath Lockridge. Before Tash has a chance to do more than drool over the guy, her sisters show up and Heath is disappears. Considering the fact that Tash’s sister Meg is well known as the Daughter of Lilith (a hereditary vampire slayer) and her other sister Kat is equally well-known as a Healer (with the ability to restore vampires to their human form), Tashya should have been tipped off that Heath was a vamp. Learning that he is the second in command to Lady Jasmine Melrose, the Queen Vampyre who intends to take over Maplesburg, is just a bit disappointing -- he had potential. Add in the fact that prophecy proclaims the third Crosse triplet to be a Queen Vampyre herself, and Tash has found a powerful enemy.

Having always felt as if she lives in the shadow of her brainy and sexy sisters, Tash isn’t sure how they think she’ll be able to do anything to stop Lady Jasmine. However, with Brooklyn’s help, Tash starts to believe she can be more than she had ever expected. But will it be enough to save Maplesburg?

The final book in the Darkheart & Crosse trilogy, DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK focuses on Tashya and her struggle to accept that she is the child marked by the vampyre’s kiss. Like her sisters, up until a few months ago, she was a spoiled twenty-one year old woman who thought of nothing more than which designer accessories looked best with which designer clothes. Learning the truth about their parents' deaths and their own legacies changed the triplets -- a little bit. Tashya is not quite ready to give up her selfish ways, and the little inferiority complex she suffers where her sisters are concerned only gets worse when she learns that she is “doomed."

In addition to her encounter with the ultra-sexy Heath, Tashya has to deal with Dmitri Malkovich, a man who claims that Tashya is his fate. He is supposedly helping the triplets and their Grandfather Darkheart to research the disappearance of David Crosse, the girls’ father. Yet, Tashya’s new vamp powers are telling her that something else is going on with Dimitri, avowals of love not withstanding.

The riveting conclusion to the Darkheart & Crosse trilogy, don’t miss DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK.

Jennifer Bishop

January is the last month of publication for the Silhouette Bombshell line. So long to the kickbutt heroines and intricate plots.
To help say goodbye, I am giving away the three books in the Darkheart & Crosse series by Harper Allen. (This is book #3.) Just post a comment and I'll put your name in the hat for the book, the winner to be drawn late Friday night.

New Reviews up January 10th!

BLOOD LINES - Eileen Wilks - Washington D.C. & Virginia - Present Day - Courtney - Paranormal Romance
CAPTIVATED BY THE TYCOON -Anna DePalo - Boston, MA - Patti - - SD # 1775 - Series Romance
DEAD IS THE NEW BLACK - Harper Allen - Darkheart & Crosse, Book 3 - Maplesburg, NY - Jennifer - SB# 123 - Series Romance
GRAVE RISK - Hannah Alexander - A Hideaway Novel, Book 7 - Hideaway, MI - Present Day - Inspirational Romantic Suspense
INFERNO - Karen Harper - Vermillion, MA - Present Day - Courtney - Romantic Suspense
INVISIBLE EVIDENCE - Kelly Wallace - Los Angeles, CA - Kathy - Contemporary Romance
LOST ECHOES - R.R. Shelsky - Boston, MA - Present Day & 16 Century England - Amy - Time Travel Romance
MERGER OF FORTUNE - Peggy Moreland - Miniseries: Dakota Fortunes - Sioux Falls, SD - Nickole - SD #1771 - Series Romance
PRETEND YOU LOVE ME - Stacia Wolf - Seattle, WA - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance
SEVENTH KEY - Evelyn Vaughn - The Madonna Key, Book 7 - Europe - Jennifer - SB #121 - Series Romance
SIZZLING - Susan Mallery - Buchanan Family, Book 3 - Seattle, WA - Carolyn - Contemporary Romance - Author Spotlight
STAYING ALIVE - Debra Webb - Seattle, WA - Jennifer - SB #124 - Series Romance
TAME ME - Caroline Cross - Men of Steele, Book 3 - Denver, CO - Patti - SD #1773 - Series Romance
THE CEO'S CONTRACT BRIDE - Yvonne Lindsay - New Zealand Knights, Book 2 - Auckland, New Zealand - Jennifer - SD #1776 - Series Romance
THE COLLECTOR - Cameron Cruise - Little Saigon in Westminster, CA - Present Day - Diana - Suspense/Horror
THE MEDUSA PROPHECY - Cindy Dees - The Medusa Project, Book 4 - The Artic Circle and Norway - Jennifer - SB #122 - Series Romance
THE SECRETARY'S SECRET - Michelle Celmer - Detroit, MI - Patti - SD #1774 - Series Romance
THE ULTIMATE MILLIONAIRE - Susan Mallery - The Million Dollar Catch, Book 3 - Los Angeles, CA - Patti - SD #1772 - Series Romance - Author Spotlight
THE WARRIOR TRAINER - Gerri Russell - 1308 - Scotland - Marilyn - Historical Romance
WHO WANTS TO BE A SEX GODDESS? - Gemma Bruce - Lake Tahoe, CA - Present Day - Patti - Romantic Comedy

Link to all the January 10th reviews here.

Spotlight Review on...SIZZLING by Susan Mallery

SIZZLING - Susan Mallery
Buchanan Family, Book 3
HQN
ISBN-13: 978-0-373-77176-9
ISBN-10: 0-373-77176-2
January 2007
Contemporary Romance

Seattle, Washington - Present Day

Reid Buchanan thought he had trouble when his grandmother Gloria broke her hip and had a heart attack. Because Gloria spent her life being as hateful to her family as possible, Reid was the only one to volunteer to see that Gloria was taken care of when she got out of the hospital. Reid is feeling pretty good about himself until the morning he reads an article in the newspaper written by a female reporter he had once slept with. She says he is lousy in bed. Not good in bed? He was better than good, he was a god! Women have always said so; he has the scratch marks on his back and the memory of their screams ringing in his ears to prove it. Since blowing out his pitching arm and retiring from baseball, Reid has been manager of the family's sports bar, but, mainly, he bedded women. How can he hold his head up high after the newspaper article, when everyone from Seattle to entertainment news programs is sure to have read those scurrilous lies?

Lori Johnston is the private duty nurse hired to rehabilitate Gloria Buchanan's hip after surgery. Lori is a total take-charge nurse, and nobody toys with her, not even her patients. Everyone warns Lori about Gloria, but Lori firmly believes she's merely old and scared of her mortality. If not, Gloria needs to hear a few home truths, and Lori is just the one to tell her. If only the gorgeous and tempting Reid Buchanan hadn't moved into Gloria's house, she could have tried to ignore him. But as much as Lori would love a relationship with Reid, he will never even look at someone like her. After all, the women he's had still keep coming out of the woodwork saying he was lousy in bed or offering to write a letter telling everyone he was great. But Lori needs this job; her sister Madeline is sick with hepatitis and has only a year left to live. Lori needs to save money so she can be with Madeline during the last weeks of her life.

SIZZLING is book three in the Buchanan family series, and I can't understand how each book keeps getting better than the last. In SIZZLING, Reid and Lori are two headstrong people who strike sparks off each other, and the road to romance is hard going. Lori has lived her life with her sister being the perfect person, beautiful, sweet, charming, and loved by their drunken mother. Lori has spent years coming to terms with the jealousy of her sister and, finally, accepting and loving her, yet still uncertain whether she herself is worthy of love too.

All his life Reid has been the ultimate ladies man; with his wealth and high profile career there are literally hundreds of women he's slept with and yet now he can hardly remember any of them. Even he is unsure whether his attraction to Lori is real. But more important to Reid is what he is going to do with the rest of his life to make it count for something. Everybody has warned Lori off Reid, but aren't we always attracted to the bad boy? And Dani, Reid's sister, has yet another run-in with a man that finally persuades her that men are off limits to her. She is on a quest to find a restaurant she can work in that isn't connected to the family; she no longer totally feels a part of the Buchanan family because of what she learned from Gloria. Despite everybody's dislike of Gloria, all roads lead back to her.

DELICIOUS (February 2006) and IRRESISTIBLE (July 2006), Susan Mallery's two previous books in this series, are spectacular, but once again she comes up with another one to top them. With writing that totally draws us into the story, a fast pace and interesting characters coming from her fertile imagination, SIZZLING burns our fingers with its excellence. Even characters that aren't major have charisma and create a longing to learn their stories. Each person is distinct and sympathetic, and each comes alive in our imaginations.

Secondary characters add so much to SIZZLING even though they truly aren't needed. First is Gloria Buchanan, grandmother and matriarch of the Buchanan family, and hated by everyone. Brothers Cal and Walker make an appearance along with their families, and also sister Dani has the beginning bits of her own story to tempt us. Mmmm, it looks fabulous, too!

SIZZLING will tug at your heartstrings, bring a tear to your eye, and take you into a fantastic journey of family relationships and their ups and downs. It doesn't get better than SIZZLING, but if I know Susan Mallery, her next book, TEMPTING (coming in July 2007), will be just as enthralling and exciting. Romance doesn't get better than SIZZLING this month.

Carolyn Crisher

For more reviews, be sure to check out Romance Reviews Today and RRT Erotic!

Steamy Hot Chocolate....and A Winner!

Ah...Hot Chocolate and a steamy book! What more can a reader ask for?



The box of chocolates goes to....AMY S!!!!!!!
Amy, please email Patti at fisc40pa@aol.com with Chocolate Winner in the subject line.
Congratulations!!!

Now for the steamy reading... Terrie put up the first batch of erotic reviews for 2007 the other night at RRT Erotic. Be sure to check them out!



Just Added 1/8/07

BEDDING A TRAITOR - Emma Wildes - Dangerous Beauties, Book 2 - London, England - During the Napoleonic Wars - AMY - Historical Romance - Short

BOUND FOR THE HOLIDAYS - Mackenzie McKade - Scottsdale, AZ - Ariel - Contemporary Romance - Short Story

CRAVING CANDY - N.J. Walters - Awakening Desires, Book 4 - Chicago, IL - CeCe - Contemporary Romance

DIRK -Rhiannon Neeley - The Ravens Revisited, Book 3 -Deer Run, KY - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

DIRTY, An Erotic Novel - Megan Hart - Harrisburg, PA - Jennell - Contemporary Romance

DOING TIME - Raine McIntyre - Present Day - Maggie - Paranormal Romance

ETERNAL EMBRACE -Ann Lory - Eternal, Book 1 - San Francisco, CA - Present Day - Courtney - Paranormal Romance

LIGHT OF DAY - Tess Harrison - Georgia - Maggie - Romantic Suspense

MORE THAN SHE WISHED FOR - Betty Hanawa - The Still Sexy Ladies Guide to Dating Immortals, Book 6 - USA - Present Day - Sinclair - Fantasy Romance

OBSIDION CHRONICLES - Ann Jacobs - Obsidion Series - 2187 - Lori - Futuristic Romance

PLEASURE PROLONGED - Cathryn Fox - Pleasure Games Trilogy, Book 2 - Iowa Research Center - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance

RIDE THE LIGHTNING - Sherri L. King - Shikar series, Book 3 - New York - Present Day - Philippa - Paranormal Romance

SATISFY ME - R. Alexis/ S. Molare/ F. Zedde - USA - Present Day - Sinclair - Anthology - Contemporary Romance

SHIFTING AGAIN - C. Zheng/ S. Bell/ A. Steele/ S. Michael/ C. Bruce/ A. Larson/ B.A. Tortuga - Sinclair - Anthology - Gay Paranormal

SILENT SIREN - Alexa Adams - Pact of Princes, Book 1 - Melotin - Lori - Futuristic Paranormal Romance

STANDISH - Erastes - 19th Century - London, England - Nickole - Gay Historical Drama

THE CLAIMING OF KITTEN -Isabella Snow - Prague - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

THE GIFT - Beth Williamson - Malloy Family, Book 5 - 1889 - Cheshire & Cheyenne, WY - Ariel - Historical Romance

THE STRANGER I MARRIED - Sylvia Day -1815 - London, England - Ariel - Historical Romance

THE ULTIMATE ROMANTIC CHALLENGE - Katherine Garbera - Charleston, SC - Courtney - Contemporary Romance

THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT VI - Painter / Chatterly/ Madigan - Philippa - Anthology - Paranormal Romance

THREE TO COME - Annice Dare - Portland, OR - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

UNBOUND COMMITMENT - Sierra Cartwright - Colorado - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

WIND - Sally Dickson - Namfel - Maggie - Futuristic Romance

NIBBLES

Ellora's Cave

NEW YORK MOMENT - Diana Hunter - New York City - Present Day - Vanessa - Contemporary Romance

eXtasy Books

ELEVEN MORE - Aurora Jamison - Fantasy Games Series - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

Freya's Bower

THE CASE OF HEART V. MIND - Damien Roth - Ariel - Erotic - Contemporary

Phaze

BREAKING SKYE - Eden Bradley - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

DIET ANOTHER DAY - Sammie Jo Moresca - Miami, FL - Isabelle - Contemporary Romance

Sizzler

YES, MISTRESS - Susanna Valent - Florida - Ariel - Erotica Contemporary

Torquere Press

PUT SOME ENGLISH ON IT - Syd McGinley - London, England; Devon, England & Canada - Nickole - Anthology - Contemporary

Triskelion Publishing

BODY LANGUAGE - Denise A. Agnew - Allbright, AZ - Sinclair - Contemporary Romance

MEANT TO BE - Trista Ann Michaels - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance

Venus Press

SPEED DEMON - RaeLynn Blue - New Mexico - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

Be sure to keeping checking back at RRT Erotic for more great steamy reads.

Ask Five with....DEVYN QUINN!!

It's time to introduce you to Devyn Quinn. You may have read her Keepers of Eternity stories from Samhain, or you're anxiously awaiting her Aphrodisia debut in March. Either way, come meet the very interesting Devyn, who has a talent for writing goth-erotica!


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

The Price of Eternity released in December 2006, through Samhain Publishing. Book 2 in the 'Keepers of Eternity" series, it continues the story of characters set up in the first title, The Keeper of Eternity (which just came out in print!)

The plotline concerns forbidden scrolls lost for eight millennia-- scrolls which could threaten the existence of the three worlds.


Remembered only as legend, these writings gathered by an obscure sect of wizards were hidden because of the diabolical forces they could unleash from the netherworld. Lost for eight millennia, the resting place of the scrolls is accidentally discovered by Xavier D'Shagre. Wounded and dying, the sorcerer seeks to possess the writings to restore his waning magic. Revenge fires his hatred, lit by Morgan Saint-Evanston, the assassin who murdered Xavier's beloved wife, Nisidia.


Xavier vows he will not rest until his enemy is dead.


The sorcerer's search for the scrolls is discovered by an unlikely source: Julienne Blackthorne. Believed dead, her body was tossed into a charnel room. Alive amongst the reek of the battle dead, she seeks to escape her hellish incarceration. Time is against her, for she carries the embryo of a vampiric daemon that will consume her if it is not fed human blood. Julienne must escape Xavier's dungeons and find Morgan, her last hope for survival in the realm of Sclyd.


A bit much, but that pretty much sums up the book, LOL




2. Tell us a little about yourself.

Not much to tell, I'm afraid. I live in the scenic Southwest, though I've lived in lots of other states. A couple of years ago, I gave up my high pressure job as a theater manager and began to seriously pursue my dream of publication. In 2005, Kensington Books offered me a chance to write for the Aphrodisia imprint. Flesh and the Devil will be released in late March, just after my birthday. I'm really excited and nervous about it, and can hardly believe I survived the process of my first New York book.

On the persona; side, I'm a huge fan of dark gothic literature, and read tons of books on history and biographies. I especially enjoy reading books on Hollywood before the 1960's. Now divorced (happily so), I live with my cats, my ferrets , and Shih Tzu.




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

I have to admit that most ideas come through conversations with people or lines of dialouge I hear on television, a movie or in the news. Sometimes a song will inspire me, some particular line that gets me to thinking. I have a pad I write ideas down in. Then they simmer along with ten or twelve others until something clicks in my head and I start writing.

I rarely plot more than a one or two paragraph synopsis. I am a famous panster, and making it up as I go along is usually routine for me. This may seem a haphazard style, but it seems to work. I usually know the ending before I know the beginning of a story, which gives me something to aim for as I write. How a story will change, what characters will pop in and what challenges they will face usually come along as the book comes together in my mind. Most readers will notice that my writing has a dark slant and my characters are usually damaged, either emotionally or physically--sometimes both. How they overcome these damages and go from ordinary to extraordinary is part of the journey I love discovering as a book heads toward its conclusion.



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

On the writing side, Stephen King is one of my definite favorites, and probably the author I imitated the most when I began to write my own stories. John Grisham is another favorite, as is Frank McCourt.

My fellow Aphrodisia author Kate Douglas is one I consider a mentor of sorts. Kate has the patience of a saint and is always willing to listen to me whine, and then give me that boot to the butt that gets me writing again when I'm ready to throw in the towel. Kate, in fact, was one of the biggest influences I had in learning to write erotica. I read her "Wolf Tales" series in earlier versions and knew she had the touch for erotic prose. In my opinion she's one of the best erotica authors on the market today. I'm also proud to call her a long-distance buddy, and if she makes a suggestion about my writing, I listen!
(Thanks, Kate!)

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

Well, there's Flesh and the Devil in March '07, followed by Sins of the Flesh in October '07. Also in the pipeline are Sins of the Night (Aphrodisia, TBA), and Embracing Midnight (Aphrodisia, TBA). All four of these titles feature vampires in various guises and vastly different origins! I hope readers will enjoy all of them.

Meanwhile, back to that pesky deadline...

For more on Devyn, visit her website at www.devynquinn.com

Latest Reviews...and a Chocolate Giveaway!

Terrie posted the first batch of reviews for 2007!

Reviews added January 2nd:

A LITTLE BIT WICKED - Victoria Alexander - 1854 - London, England - Carol - Historical Romance

A RATHER LOVELY INHERITANCE - C.A. BelMond - The Unexpected Adventures of An Incurable Romantic - A Perfect 10 - London, , England & the South of France - Jane - Contemporary Fiction

AETHEREAL'S PRIDE - Christopher W. Wilcox, SR. - Aethereal's Series, Book 4 - Paradise, the Ursar and Pride Worlds - Kathy - Science Fiction/Fantasy

AN IMPROPER ALLIANCE - Jane Toombs - 1817 - London, England - Lori - Historical Romance

BRIDE AND DOOM - Deborah Donnelly - A Carnegie Kincaid, Wedding Planner Mystery - Seattle, WA - Present Day - Jane - Cozy Mystery

DARK ANGEL - Lucy Blue - Bound in Darkness, Book 3 - Scottish Highlands, Middle Ages - Anthonette - Paranormal Romance

DEMON ANGEL - Meljean Brook - The Guardians, Book 2 - England - Medieval Times/ US - Present Day - Lori - Paranormal Romance

DESIRE NEVER DIES - Jenna Petersen - Lady Spy, Book 2 - 1813 - London, England - Carolyn - Historical Romance

FALCON'S HEART - Denise Lynn - 1143 - Normandy & England - Sandra - HH #833 - Historical Romance

FLY ME TO THE MOON - Alyson Noel - Various locations - Present Day - Diana - Chick Lit

FULL MOON RISING - Keri Arthur - Melbourne, Australia - Present Day - Courtney - Dark Urban Fantasy

GETTING WARMER - Carol Snow - Scottsdale, AZ - Present Day - Carolyn - Women's Fiction

GONE - Lisa Gardner - A Raine Conner/Pierce Quincy Novel - Tillamook County, OR - Present Day - Jane - Thriller

HEART OF HONOR - Kat Martin - 1842 - England & Draugr Island - Jani - Historical Romance

HELL'S BELLES - Jackie Kessler - Hell on Earth, Book 1 - Salem & Boston, MA; New York City, NY & Hell - Present Day - Lori - Paranormal Romance

HIS BOOTS UNDER HER BED - Ana Leigh - The Frasers, Book 3 - 1867 - Buckman & the California Gold Country - Diana - Historical Romance

HOWLING MOON - Cathy Clamp & C.T. Adams - Sazi series, Book 4 - Boulder, CO - Present Day - Kathy - Paranormal Romance

INTIMATE DECEPTIONS - Lise Fuller - Laredo, TX & Nuevo Laredo, NM - Marilyn - Romantic Suspense

LOVE IN THE FAST LANE - Jenna McKnight - St. Louis, MO - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

NOT ANOTHER NEW YEAR'S - Christie Ridgeway - Coronado, CA - Patti - Contemporary Romance

NOT QUITE A BRIDE - Kirsten Sawyer - New York City, NY - Jennell - Contemporary Romance

RED QUEEN - Michelle L. Levigne - Red Queen Series, Book 1 - Alternative Ancient Greece - Robin - Paranormal Romance

RISING MOON - Lori Handeland - A Night Creature Novel, Book 6 - New Orleans, LA - Present Day - Sinclair - Paranormal Romance

SECRETS AND LIES - Selena Montgomery - South America - Present Day - Nickole - Romantic Suspense

SHADOW HUNTER - Linda Conrad - Night Guardian series - Four Corners Area - Navajo Reservation - Arizona - Marilyn - SIM #1450 - Series Romance

SURRENDER TO A SCOUNDREL - Julianne MacLean - American Heiresses, Book 5 - 1891 - Cowes, England- Amy - Historical Romance

SURVIVING DEMON ISLAND - Jaci Burton - Demon Island - Present Day - Jennifer - Romantic Suspense

THE AMERICAN TEMP AND THE BRITISH INSPECTOR - Pat White - Blackwell Mystery Series, Book 1 - Seattle, WA & Chicago, IL - Carolyn - HI # 968 - Series Romance

THE EARL'S SECRET - Terri Brisbin - Regency Era - London, England & Edinburgh, Scotland - Sandra - HH #831 - Historical Romance

THE FIRST PRINCESS OF WALES - Karen Harper - 14th Century - England & France - Jani - Historical Fiction- Romance

THE PERFECT KISS - Anne Gracie - Perfect series, Book 4 - 1826 - England - Jane - Historical Romance

THE RAVENSCAR DYNASTY - Barbara Taylor Bradford - The Ravenscar Saga, Book 1 - 1904 - 1918 - Yorkshire & London, England - Diana - 20th Century Historical Fiction

THE SCHOOL FOR HEIRESSES - S. Jeffries/ L. Carlyle / J. London/ R. Bernard - Jane - Anthology - Historical Romance

THE SEX ON THE BEACH BOOK CLUB - Jennifer Apodaca - Goleta, CA - Lisa - Contemporary Romance

THESE THREE REMAIN - Pamela Aidan - A Novel of Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman - Regency Era - England - Jani - Regency Romance

VEIL OF ROSES - Laura Fitzgerald - Tucson, AZ - Lisa - Contemporary Fiction

WILD AND WICKED IN SCOTLAND - Melody Thomas - 1874 - England & Scotland - Sandra - Historical Romance

WINDHEALER - Charlotte Boyett-Compo - The WindLegends Saga, Book 4 - Tyber's Island & the Country of Chrystallus - an alternate world - Robin - Dark Fantasy

****

Now...for the giveaway. This week, I'm giving away a box of chocolates. That's right, a box of chocolates from Lindt. All you need to do is post a comment and you will be entered to win. What shall you say?

How about...what author would you most like to meet in person?

The contest will run until Thursday night at midnight (eastern time)

Ask Five with.....TERRI BRISBIN!!!!

Terri Brisbin started out writing time travels, but has found her home writing fantastic historicals. This two time RITA nominee is one busy lady and always is ready to converse with readers. Meet the lovely and talented Terri Brisbin:


1. What is the title of your latest release and what’s it about?
My January release from Harlequin Historicals is THE EARL'S SECRET, a Regency historical romance set in Edinburgh. It's about an English earl and a Scottish woman and involves secrets, hidden identities and the possibility of finding love.



2. Tell us a little about yourself and what you do for fun in your spare time.


Me? Well, in real life I'm a married mom of three, with the oldest just getting married so I now have a daughter-in-law. I am a dental hygienist and still work in practice 2-3 days a week. Fun? I read, cyber-stalk Gerard Butler and I write!



3. What is the hardest part of writing?


Every part of writing is hard -- from coming up with a story idea to plotting it to researching it to getting the characters right and putting the words on the page. I enjoy some parts of writing more than others -- like researching and the actual writing. Plotting the story and writing the synopsis are always a struggle for me because I don't always know how the story will proceed when I start writing the book.





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

I had really just started reading romances in the early 90's when I discovered Prodigy and the early internet and one of the biggest thrills was 'meeting' some of those authors online! It was so cool to chat with Samantha James, Jill Barnett, Lorraine Heath and others. Their work inspired me to try my hand at writing and the workshops on Prodigy were my first 'teachers' about the romance genre. After that it was the published members of the NJRW local chapter of the RWA who were most influential to me in my writing and pursuit of getting published -- I learned so much from people like Shirley Hailstock, Marie Tracy/Audra Adams, Christina Skye, April Kihlstrom, Nikoo and Jim McGoldrick, and so many more.

But, I still find that when I need rejuvenation in my writing or my life, I turn back to some of the first authors I discovered in romance -- Julie Garwood, Jill Barnett, Gail Link, Jo Beverley, Penelope Williamson, Karen Robards and Mary Jo Putney. (and many others!)



5. Can you tell us a little about what’s coming up in the near future for you?


Rubbing my crystal ball. . . . After a bit of a glitch in the matrix of real life, I am about to write the last book in my current contract with Harlequin Historicals -- it's a spinoff of TAMING THE HIGHLANDER and features that wonderfully-sexy, wild half-Viking, half-Scots warrior Rurik. And just to be bad, I'm giving him, the man who LOVES women, the one woman he can't have! I'm hoping it's titled TEMPTING THE VIKING, but we'll see.... After that? Well, I have some proposals in the works and hope to continue writing for Harlequin.

In the immediate future, I'm participating in some online chats and doing a couple of in-person booksignings so please check my website for more info - http://terribrisbin.com/


Thank you, Terri! You can read Romance Reviews Today review of The Earl's Secret right here. Then head on out and buy your copy.

What books are on your TBB?

Okay, the other day was about new discoveries in reading in 2006. Most dedicated readers keep an eye out when a favorite author is going to have a new book out. My next questions for you are:

What books are you looking forward to in 2007?

Do you have a TBB (to be bought) list?

Do you whittle down your TBR (to be read) pile?

My own tbr pile gets bigger and bigger every month. I could probably be stranded for six months and still not have read them all.

PS....keep an eye out for more giveaways now the holidays are over...

Happy New Year!

Hope your new year has been grand so far. If you're looking for something to snuggle up with, then here are the latest erotic reviews:

Just Added 12-29-06
A GAME OF DRESS UP - Elliot Mabeuse - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance

BOUNDARIES - Jojo Brown - Canada & USA - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

CAPTIVE MATE - Blair Valentine - New Mexico - Present Day - Paranormal Romance - Short

CHRISTMAS INK - Skylar Sinclair - Wadeville - Present Day - Jennifer - Paranormal Romance - Short

DESERT HEAT - Melodee Aaron - An Ike Payne Adventure, Book 2 - Maggie - Science Fiction Romance

DREAMS OF THE OASIS IV - Bast, Boyett-Compo, Matthews, Starr, Walters, Wilde - Ellora's Cavemen Series - Lori - Anthology

DUTY AND THE BEAST - Cat Marsters - Sundown International, Book 5 - Prague, Czechoslovakia - Present Day - Phillipa - Fantasy Romance - Short

ETERNAL DARKNESS - Michael, Bell, Angel and Star, Joyce, McGinley, Tortuga - Sinclair - Anthology - Gay Paranormal

FAIRY DUST AND MAGIC KISSES - Marianne LaCroix - Maggie - Anthology - Fantasy Romance

FAR FROM INNOCENT - Lorie O'Clare - Colorado - Present Day - Phillipa - Paranormal Romance

HIS MISTRESS - Madison Hayes - Gryffan Strain, Book 2 - Farm country and the Spit - in a land where mythical beings are real, the time period is comparable to our Old West - Lori - Fantasy Romance

I WANT - Adrianna Dane - Desirata "Amber Pax" Gem - Desirata - Present Day - Ariel - Contemporary Romance - Short

IMPROPER LONGINGS - Dawn Ryder - 1887 - The Caribbean - Amy - Historical Romance

LEGACY - Flesa Black - Hope and Atlanta, GA - Present Day - Maggie - Romantic Suspense

LUNA TEN CHRONICLES - Ann Jacobs - Lori - Anthology - Futuristic Romance

OFF-WORLD - Stephanie Vaughn - Outer Space Near Mars - Far Future - Isabelle - Gay Futuristic Romance

PREY - Elias Adams - Immortal Games, Book 3 - USA - Present Day - Lori - Paranormal Romance

RED NECKS 'N' ROCK CANDY - Judy Mays - Juniata County, PA - Present Day - Phillipa - Paranormal Romantic Comedy

SOULS DEEP - M.L. Rhodes - 2067 - Power Sector Delta - Isabelle - Gay Futuristic Paranormal Romance

SPIRITUAL NOELLE - Jet Mykles - Sister Leashed, Book 3 - Rated X-mas - Buffalo, NY - Present Day - Isabelle - Paranormal Romance

TABOO - Jordanna Kay - The Dwelling - Maggie - Fantasy Romance - Short

TAKING CHASE - Lauren Dane - Chase Brothers, Book 2 - Petal, GA - Present Day - Sinclair - Romantic Suspense

THE TWILIGHT DECEPTION - Elisabeth Drake - Shadowguard, Book 1 - Oklahoma - Present Day - Jennell - Romantic Suspense - Short

TIMELY DEFENSE - Nathalie Gray - Sargans - Maggie - Time Travel Romance

TINGLE BELLS - Mardi Ballou - Princeton, NJ - Isabelle - Gay Paranormal Short

TO TEMPT A WOLF - Kate Steele - Whispering Springs - Present Day - Lori - Paranormal Romance

TRINA'S AFTERNOON DELIGHT - Marilyn Lee - Pocono, PA - Ariel - Contemporary Romance

UNWRAPPED - Lacey Alexander - Cincinnati, OH - Present Day - Jennifer - Contemporary Romance - Short